《I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun》 Chapter 1 ¡´Chapter 1¡µ 0 ¨C Wee Back. * * * View Cover =[¡­Detection of causality and multiple collisions.£Ý =[Setting observation area. Ghost Eye in operation¡­.£Ý =[Continuous observation of ¡®fall¡¯.£Ý =[Identified the intersection collision of three causalities.£Ý =[Suggestion: Establish spacetime coordinates for resuming connection. Power for artificial probability stabilizer. At least two high-level field agents.£Ý =[Identified causality connection point: Smartphone in possession and 24 images including the file name 20250314_0004.jpg.£Ý . =[Two top-grade field agents have entered and are cleaning up.£Ý =[Anchor linkage of artificial probability stabilizerpleted.£Ý -[¡­¡­.£Ý =[Identified return of two field agents and ¡ö¡ö¡ö, original causality.£Ý =[Record: Sess£Ý Thud. A heavy object collided with the floor. However, the small sound echoed throughout the rtively small room, making it hard to believe it was from such a collision. The ttering noise of equipment hitting each other followed. But even that noise subsided. Silence so thick it seemed one could hear a pin drop crushed the air. Only the sound of metal scraping lingered in the ears. ©¤©¤©¤Hoo. And amidst it all, a figure emerged. Long ck hair naturally fell between the te frames, dusted with stone powder on top. Pointed ears stuck out, with a bullet-shaped hairpin faintly visible above them. A sharp jawline visible above a ck neck warmer. White skin contrasting sharply with the glossy ck hair and the flushed lips. Small breaths leaked out. In the middle of a living space that felt deste due to theck of its owner, despite being well-organized. She pulled out a pistol from a holster instead of her usual machine gun and held a tactical knife in the other hand. However. ¡°¡­What?¡± The ce was familiar to her. A scene she could never forget, bing clearer the more desperate her life became, was in front of her. Combat skills ingrained in her body and rationality honed like a de to stay calm in any situation couldn¡¯t stop the flood of longing that washed over her like a tidal wave. Her deep blue eyes, visible through the scope, trembled. Emotions so overwhelming that it was hard to breathe caused the muzzle to lower. ¡°¡­How¡­.¡± Words slipped out unconsciously. She wished this scene wasn¡¯t a dream. If it were a dream, she didn¡¯t want to wake up. In the four years thrown into a hell manifested in the human world, she had neverpletely forgotten this memory, even if it had be blurry. The desperation was so strong that she couldn¡¯t even feel the pain from biting her lip hard enough to draw blood from her sharp fangs. The scent of gunpowder always lingering in the air, the dust of shattered city fragments. The smell of concrete. The burning smell that the cold winter wind couldn¡¯t cover. The sound of gunfire ringing in her ears every day¡­. But all of that had disappeared. Her body, which seemed ready to copse at any moment, staggered. ©¤©¤©¤Swoosh. Barely managing her trembling hands, she removed her Mechanics Wear gloves. Her actions of touching the furniture while spitting out fragmented words looked pitiful. Her grip tightened as if not wanting to lose the previous image she barely managed to capture in her eyes. Tears fell on her white hands. She cried silently. Cried so hard without making a sound, even though her chest felt like it was about to burst. On a winter day when she had once cried out loud, she had to kill a mob that came looking for her after hearing her cries. In a ce where even crying as she pleased wasn¡¯t allowed, she had to learn how to cry as quietly as possible. But. ¡°¡­Hoo, Ugh, Ugh¡­Hoo, Hoo¡­!¡± At least for today, she couldn¡¯t do that. Her legs lost strength as she tried to move and she fell to her knees at the entrance. The torrent of intense emotions broke the dam and turned her sobs into wails. She tried to cover it with her hands, but tears continued to overflow. The emotions and pain umted over the past four years, mixed with her cries, were not something a person could control on their own. ©¤©¤©¤Beep! A light blinked from her wrist as she wept as if her breath would stop. A flood of information surged in. -Network disconnection confirmed. Rebooting the information control and local support system, ICARUS¡­. -Rebootplete. Beginning data aggregation. -Identifying essibleworks. Attempting linkage between satellitework and owned electronic devices, data pairing¡­. -Connectionplete. Numerous letters floated before her eyes and disappeared repeatedly. The golden letters, looking almost reverent at first nce, didn¡¯t appear before her eyes as she cried and copsed with her eyes closed. Inside, so clean that it was hard to believe it was a living space. Footprints she left as she walked over the smoothly cleaned floor. Old concrete, dust, metal fragments, and blood mixed in the footprints. Things that couldn¡¯t coexist with the concept of a home. They indicated the path she had walked. She had left many things behind. Things a person should never let go, but she had to learn the skills to kill people just to avoid dying. She had epted that she couldn¡¯t go back and had ingrained sensations that should never be familiar deep into her bones. It took just a few years for the twenty years of her past to bepletely crushed. Memories she didn¡¯t want to forget and memories she wanted to forget twisted her chaotic mind even more. The memory of shooting until the smell of gunpowder couldn¡¯t leave her body, the memory of taking a life for the first time, the blood flowing on the piled snow, the gradually scattering gaze and life. The Milky Way seen above the clear sky. The many people she had decided to protect. Reliable teammates, the younger ones she wanted to take care of more. The shame she felt from realizing she was still alive rather than having killed the enemy, and the praise gained from saving lives. The sense of duty that filled her increasingly numb heart. All of those collided randomly. The tears soaking her uniform¡¯s sleeves contained all those emotions. Among all the dreadful things in the world, despite everything, the moments that shone within them. She didn¡¯t know why she was crying. There were too many things she had left behind there to simply be happy about returning. But one thing was clear. Thest line floated before her eyes. -[Wee back home, Yoo Jin.£Ý She would no longer suffer. -Updating personal data¡­. -Operator name: Lee Yoo Jin. -Origin/Hometown: Unknown¡­¡­ -> Seoul, South Korea. -Age: Unknown¡­¡­ -> 24. -Track record: Unknown. -Height: 171cm. -Weight: ¡ö¡ö¡ökg. . . . -[D+1700. Return£Ý Information Control And Regional Uniting Support System, or ICARUS, is a secret organization directly under the U.S. Department of Homnd Security, established under Presidential Directive 51. It was created to maintain the continuity of government facilities in times of war or disaster, prevent terrorism, and ensure the operation of information andmunication facilities, power nts, gas and oil facilities, banking and financial systems, transportation and water supply, and emergency medical systems. Through various simtions, the U.S. government considered how national chaos caused by nuclear events, pandemics, terrorism, cults, or undefined neurotoxins could paralyze the functions of the U.S. government, and sought ways to ovee such a total functional copse. The result was the ICARUS system and its subordinate tactical support agents, who prioritize maintaining and reconstructing government functions to end chaos.@@novelbin@@ They possess unlimited ess to hidden panic rooms, armed safehouses, and arsenals scattered throughout society. To support these agents effectively, these protocols also allow them to bypass and prate various electronic security standards circted within the U.S., even after the situation is resolved or the government¡¯s functions are restored to more than 30% of normal. This remains effective unless a separate direct order is issued by amander or someone ranked within the top five presidential session line. . . ICARUS agents are usually selected from units within the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) with extensive urbanbat experience, who have a clear vision and outstanding dedication to the country. Their locations are tracked in real-time as long as they possess a device, and fallen agents are immediate elimination targets. However, in situations ssified as Category 3 or higher, where the loss rate of deployed ICARUS agents exceeds 20% or they are deemed annihted, new agents can be selected based on rmendations and approvals from existing agents. These candidates must quickly arrive at HQ for a physical test to determine their deployment eligibility. Unlike other personnel who undergo various training to navigate difficult terrains in other countries, ICARUS agents require extremely high cardiovascr endurance and physical strength, unmatched by other agents. They prioritize mastering the use of numerous firearms, basic and advanced explosives, enemymunication interception andwork setup, interrogation techniques and psychology, government building structures and vulnerabilities, protection methods, and advancedplex CQB. Chapter 2 ¡´ Chapter 2 ¡µ 1 ¨C Second Day * * * For one person, a change in the surrounding environment meant stress. The change in the environment required adaptation to that situation, and the more rapid the process, the greater the stress proportionately. Although some people liked quick changes, most people wanted to live a life that was not significantly different from before. This was because they could predict, control, and prepare for it. However, conversely, an unexpected change in an unpredictable, uncontroble, and even unprepared situation was never wee. Therefore, on the day I returned, I was just locked in the room without any thought. All I could do was take off my equipment, throw it in a corner, and think with half-open eyes until 4 a.m. Wasn¡¯t it more like I was thrown back home rather than returning? I denied and affirmed countless thoughts, including such ones. It wasn¡¯t until I couldn¡¯t stand the physiological phenomenon that couldn¡¯t be stopped by anything, that I lifted my face buried between my knees and staggered to the bathroom. That was the first time I used the bathroom and shower after returning. And so came the second day. There was nothing special. Specifically, because it followed a twelve-hour sleep right after the shower. Then I woke up around 5 p.m. Since I was starving, I barely got up, forcibly ignored the negative thoughts creeping up in my drowsiness, and searched the house, finding a few packs of ramen. That was the first meal I had after returning. After the meal, the things I had to do naturally came to mind. Although I was buried in negative emotions, it was as if they floated to the surface like bubbles as a few desires were resolved. There were many things to do. So I started searching the house. To live in modern society, money was needed. Especially since my body had changed to this state, and with thepletely wrecked physical efficiency that demanded food after just one day of starvation, it was even more urgent. Eventually, unless humanspletely shed their essence, they couldn¡¯t escape the shadow of appetite and sleep, so what I did as soon as things settled down was to check various statuses. From my current identity to how much money I had. There were many banks in the market, as there always had been. But naturally, because my past memories were notpletely erased, it was natural for my hand to reach for the bank I used before. The name and photo had changed. But fortunately, through the ICARUS Gear, I could check my identity and even secure my changed social security number. The money I found was enough to secure short-term relief but not enough to stay at home for a long time. Only a short curiosity about how I gathered this money remained, but I quickly stopped caring as it seemed I might never find out. Though I was a bit concerned about how to make money in the future, considering that the ICARUS Gear had alsoe over, the solution woulde out soon. ©¤©¤©¤Ziiik! Anyway, the first thing I did with that money was buy groceries. Meal kits that didn¡¯t require much effort, especially soup dishes that could be eaten for a long time. I ordered them by the box. Since it was delivered from a nearby store, I could receive it in an hour or two. I tore off the tape around the box and left out only a few to cook immediately, storing the rest in the refrigerator. It might sound a bitte to say this, but this house was somewhat excessive for a single person to live in. Despite that, the types of clothes, furniture, and other items were quite unified, so it didn¡¯t seem like more than two people lived here. What did my past self¡­ that is, the past self of this ce, do? I took the time to search the house, but there wasn¡¯t even amon photo book. It was quite amusing that I didn¡¯t know my own past. While eating, I organized the tasks in my head. First, I had to hide all the things I brought over to this ce. It was impossible to stash them in the house. This wasn¡¯t America, who hides guns at home? But today, it was a bit too much to go out. It was a bit embarrassing to say, but I was very mentally exhausted today. Although I somewhat expected from my ID card that this world was not the one I remembered, receiving a delivery while wagging a tail the size of my thigh caused considerable mental burden. My oldrades would haveughed their heads off. In the end, after finishing the dishes, I sprawled out with nothing particr to do. There¡¯s an old saying thatziness is a sin, but conversely, it might be because it makes people so corrupt. In other words, it meant both body and mind werefortable. Theputer had been calcting for a few hours. It was my desperate struggle to somehow bring over the money I earned in the previous world. If it went well, the financial problem would no longer trouble me. Time flew by so fast that if I took my eyes off for a moment, it would have already passed by. Although I wanted to say something grand, honestly, it was pitch dark outside. Actually, it was already midnight. Considering I slept all day, it made sense. Getting up after sleeping, eating, fiddling with theputer, eating again, and then sleeping. It was pureziness. It was exemry. If there was a professor in charge ofziness, I might have received an A+. It was regrettable that most of the day had flown by. But conversely, to rationalize a bit, I would be busy starting tomorrow, so in a way, it was a rest. Special forces soldiers, who were excellent in actualbat, were also a mess when resting ©¤ this was a step in preparing for tomorrow.@@novelbin@@ Still, I couldn¡¯t do absolutely nothing, so the best choice was to search the house again. ©¤©¤©¤Click! With a cheerful sound, the wardrobe opened. I hadn¡¯t opened this ce yet. Surprisingly, it contained some of the items I needed most. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Two travel suitcases. I didn¡¯t know why they were stashed here, but the sure thing was, I saved money. I might not be able to carry all the extra equipment, but I had to pack as much as I could. I started disassembling the guns hidden in a corner of the room. Since the guns were covered in powder fragments, dust, and soot, I inevitably used several towels for cleaning, which was still not perfect. But what did it matter, I might never use them again anyway. Before I knew it, it was past 2 a.m. The schedule was still unclear. Honestly, since I returned, I hadn¡¯t led a proper life. In other words, it meant I needed to fix this lifestyle soon. After stuffing the disassembled parts and equipment into the suitcase as much as possible, I zipped it up and moved it slightly. There seemed to be no major problems with movement. I washed my dirty hands in the bathroom. ck soot and concrete dust washed away with the soap. The ck water disappeared down the sink. It flowed away indifferently. I might never have another opportunity to wash my hands for this reason. Maybe, I was gradually parting with the past in this way. It had only been two days since I returned, but suddenly I had such thoughts. ©¤©¤©¤Click. When I turned off the house lights, darkness descended. Maybe because the ceiling light was too bright, I seemed to have forgotten that this time was the dark time. Even though I slept for twelve hours straight and woke up, sleepiness gradually overcame me as Iy in bed and covered myself with a nket. It was quiet. Only the lights from the neon signs and panels of the opposite building, which would never go out, contended with the darkness across the veranda window. Before falling asleep, I looked at the ceiling. It was pitch dark. The thought that my future, not knowing what would happen, was like this darkness suddenly popped up, but when did I ever know such things? It was just a meaningless negative emotion. After all, as always, you could only know about tomorrow¡¯s affairs when tomorrow came. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± It was time to set aside concrete worries and greet tomorrow. Thus, my second day came to an end. Chapter 3 ¡´ Chapter 3 ¡µ 2 - Summer * * * Click! In a split second, a hand reached out for the dark-colored pistol beside the bed, while the long tail of a snake grabbed abat knife. It took no more than a moment for my body to spring up like a coil and assume abat stance. The gun¡¯s muzzle, aligned exactly with the direction my widened eyes were staring at, swept around the room. There was nothing. Rxing my frown, I lowered the gun. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± A slight dizziness set in btedly. It seemed it would take quite a long time for me to be able to sleep deeply again like I used to. The view outside the window showed that the sun had already been up for quite some time. It was nearly noon. ¡°¡­.¡± Click. I returned the pistol and tactical knife to their original ces. But then I wondered why they were there. Had I not put them away yesterday? Rather than ming yesterday, it was better to deal with what had already happened. I removed the magazine, ejected thest bullet from the chamber, and tucked the gun into a slightly opened zipper of my carrier. Indeed, as it was a firearm, there was a certain emptinesspared to when I stuffed a machine gun or a designated marksman rifle into the carrier. When was thest time I slept without wearing a holster? Recalling the vague memories, I left the room. Enjoying the stuffy air filling the living room, I gently pressed the fridge¡¯s auxiliary door. Cool air wafted out. I took out a water bottle, poured cold water into a ss, and drank it down. Wrapping the bottle with my tail, I put it back into the fridge¡¯s minibar and closed it naturally as I headed towards the bathroom. A woman was reflected in the mirror. Because I hadn¡¯t particrly cared for it, my ck hair had grown out moderately. It felt like it had only received minimal care. My bangs were long enough not to poke my eyes, and the sides were just bnced. The back hair hung down to my waist. Poking out between them were sharp, pointed ears. Sharp fangs could be seen beyond thin lips. My white skin, perhaps due to it being summer, was quite flushed. A woman resembling a snake was staring at me from beyond the mirror. ¡°What should I call this?¡± Should I be surprised that this was me, or should I be amazed at myself for epting this body without much trouble? None of it felt real. People don¡¯t change without a shock great enough to shake their life, but conversely, such a shock canpletely change a person. ¡­What had I be during those four years? I undressed and let the hot water wash over me, mulling over numerous thoughts. There were a few things I had to do, but hiding the guns I brought was the most urgent. I had already figured out a ce, so I had to take care of it today. There were other tasks, but I decided to think them through slowly. ©¤©¤©¤Swish, swish. After drying my body and hair with a towel and blow-drying my hair, I began to worry about what to wear. I had to go out today, but I couldn¡¯t just walk around in my military uniform. Most of the clothes in the house were light dresses, with a few exceptions.@@novelbin@@ This was driving me crazy. After a frantic search through the house, I finally found a pair of regr jeans and a decently thick T-shirt. The pants, for some reason, had been altered to avoid getting caught by my tail. ¡­So, these clothes were definitely made for me. Curiosity began to rise again. Who had brought these clothes, and why, and when? But unfortunately, there was nothing I could know. It was frustrating. Changing into the new clothes gave me a strange feeling. Was this how I was supposed to dress? With a vague sense of doubt, the snake-like woman in the mirror was giving me a puzzled look. ¡­Honestly, that wasn¡¯t the only problem. In a way, it was closer to intentionally focusing on trivial issues to avoid facing a bigger problem. In any case, going out with this body wasn¡¯t a big issue. After three days of staying home and browsing the inte under the guise of data collection, it seemed there were others like me in this world. When I questioned why that was, my train of thought abruptly halted. It was an unsolvable problem. If they were going to send me home, they should have done it properly. What kind of bolt from the blue was this? Opening the door, I was greeted by two travel carriers I had packed in advance, standing there imposing. A fleeting thought crossed my mind that it might be nice to go on a trip under these circumstances, but unfortunately, what was inside¡­ were guns and ammunition. Specifically, they were the things I packed yesterday, and from today onward, they were past items I had no reason to see again. It felt absurd, like some ck-market dealer, but whether it was me carrying these or a ck-market dealer, getting caught by the authorities would result in a disaster. I never wanted such amonality¡­ anyway, if that happened, my adaptation to reality would end in a tragic first-episode conclusion. That couldn¡¯t happen. Though the front door wasn¡¯t narrow, the carriers were sorge that it was difficult to bring both out at once. I solved it simply by carrying one in each hand and opening the door handle with my tail. ©¤©¤©¤Click! ¡°¡­The weather is disgustingly good.¡± Pulling the two carriers outside, the sunlight was literally piercing down from the sky. The light was so intense that it hurt my eyes. Looking down a bit, I could see the street. Perhaps due to the weather, there were hardly any people walking outside. There were some in the shops across the street. Ironically, this might be the perfect time to move around without attracting attention. Inhaling deeply, the humid air filled my lungs. Today¡¯s humidity was 100%, and the outside temperature was 35 degrees. It was a heatwave. While everyone else would be huddled inside, running air conditioners, I rather enjoyed it. Perhaps savoring a humid summer was a privilege of reptiles. Thinking that, I pulled my carriers and walked down the hallway. -[Distance to destination: 5.75km] -[Estimated time to arrival: 42 minutes 23 seconds] Approximately 6 kilometers. However, that was only in a straight line, and navigating the notoriouslyplex Seoul city center meant I couldn¡¯t trust that travel time. I thought about walking, but since I was carrying carriers instead of a backpack, it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. Moreover, considering the many crosswalks, loud car noises, and smoky air in between¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure. Should I take a taxi? I didn¡¯t have money for that. ¡°¡­I¡¯m doomed.¡± Reluctantly, I decided to take the subway. In the past, people used to joke that BMW stood for Bus, Metro, and Walking, but for those who didn¡¯t drive their own cars¡­ it was more than a good option, it was the only option. The subway station was quickly found after a short walk. Although the ce I had to go was a bit far from the nearest station, what could I do? Subways usually only connect major hubs. I walked down the stairs, carrying my carriers. The interior was quite cool. Of course, it was to be expected, but in a rtively enclosed space, once the air conditioning was on, the cold air didn¡¯t escape easily. Enjoying the freshness different from the warm outside, I scanned my card at the gate and checked where I needed to go. Unfortunately, the next train seemed to be a bitte. About 7 minutes remained. Sitting down on a nearby bench to catch my breath, a delicious smell wafted over. -[Subway Toast] ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Thatbination of two words, and the thick buttery scent wafting from below the sign. Drawn by the irresistiblebination, I approached as if enchanted. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Wee¡­ Oh my. What a unique customer we have. What would you like?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± There were many types of toast listed above. Without much hesitation, I told the friendly-lookingdy who was preparing the food. ¡°One ham toast, please¡­.¡± ¡°Ham toast? This one¡¯s delicious, dear. Just one?¡± ¡°Five, please.¡± ¡°¡­Oh my, where¡¯s my head? Got it, dear. I¡¯ll make them right away.¡± Well. Why not. My body doesn¡¯t have good fuel efficiency. * * * Chapter 5 ¡°Are there many people outside?¡± ¡°There are so many that even doubling the sry wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°Hearing that makes me not want to work even more.¡± It wasn¡¯t because I was tempted by the rumor that the boss was a white tiger. The server, who mumbled to himself, stared at the long line of people outside with dead eyes. Wasn¡¯t break time supposed to mean a time to rest? But why was I cleaning, organizing items, doing the dishes, mopping the floor, and sorting ingredients during break time? Actually, that¡¯s correct. Well, because there was so much work, I liked that they paid us more than we could imagine. But that was it. Everyone who came here had simr reasons. Was it to eat, or to see the boss and then eat? Therefore, everyone working here needed to know where the boss was at all times or have the skills to make up convincing excuses. Or both. Even after only three months of working here, I had be quite skilled at talking my way out of things. ¡°Was it like this when it first opened?¡± ¡°Probably better than now¡­¡± Wait. Or not? If you add the initial rush of a new opening, it would have truly been a hell on earth. It would have been like an unexpected logistics job suddenly arriving at the restaurant. For that reason, it was said that no ce had a higher turnover rate of part-timers in the first three months after opening than here. Not because the conditions were bad, but because it was hard. By the way. ¡°It¡¯s noisier than usual outside today.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The sound of murmuring reached all the way here. Had the boss arrived? I nced at my wristwatch. It was 4:28 PM, almost time for the restaurant to reopen. Even so, themotion outside was clearer than usual. When was thest time it was like this? From my memory, it was when the boss came back from running errands and met the customers outside. But today, he was inside. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out once we open the doors.¡± Although it was a sudden story, there¡¯s a saying from an anime that reality is more dramatic than drama. These days, drama plots are so chaotic that it wasn¡¯t always urate, but¡­ ¡ªThere are many customers, so I¡¯lle backter. ¡ªOh, no! I¡¯ll clear the reservation sign on that table for you. Unexpectedly, another beastkin came into the store, making it a scene that made you question the realism of reality. Everyone, not just the servers, subtly rolled their eyes. A snake tail thick as a thigh and a visual enough to draw admiration. Pointed ears poking out from long hair and deep blue eyes. A gaze so tant it seemed almost physical focused on one spot in the store. The protagonist, however, seemed uninterested. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t they include tips here?¡± ¡°Sorry? Tips?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡­There was something strange about it. Had she lived abroad? Well, imagination is free to work anywhere and anytime. That thought ended there. At a time when customers were pouring in, spacing out and staring at someone would be a nuisance to both colleagues and the person themselves. Carefully cing an order slip, with an oddly long list, on the table, I headed to another table. There were far too many people. Moreover, human memory is inherently vtile, and the memories of employees in a crowded store evaporated even more easily. After a chaotic rush, the order confirmations and all the table settings wereplete. Now it was time for the kitchen to get busy. And. ¡°I¡¯ll confirm your order. One garlic carbonara pasta, one gorgonz pizza, one grilled chicken and mushroom risotto, and one herb rib-eye steak, correct?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You can pack the leftovers, so let us know if you¡¯re full.¡± Nod. Enough food for two people to eat to their fill was ced on the table where only one person sat. The gaze, which seemed to be cooling down, quickly refocused on that spot, but her attention was on the food. Slowly, the spoon and fork were picked up. The inhtion began. Despite all the food being freshly made and hot enough to emit steam. Humans naturally turn their gaze towards something contrary to their thoughts or simply fascinating. The ancient sages elegantly called this behavior ¡®inquiry¡¯ and referred to it as the essence and driving force of human development. Resolving curiosity about things different from oneself was the most powerful fuel and reason for human actions. Therefore¡­ ¡°¡­Wow¡­¡± While slowly wiggling that smooth tail, It seemed legal to send an involuntary gaze towards the serpent woman eating more than five servings of food. However, that was all they were allowed. Who knew that secretly taking a photo couldter bring a summons notice via registered mail or text, seen at the worst possible moment. Laws rted to manifested beings were particrly strict in such matters. Anyway, her presence caused a lot of curiosity among those dining in the restaurant. Manifested beings, especially those with such distinct physical features, were extremely rare in society. They had been worshiped since the time animism appeared on Earth in the distant past. While worship had disappeared in modern society, it had naturally transformed into social attention and poprity up to the present moment. In short, she was akin to another celebrity sneaking into a restaurant run by a celebrity chef. Of course¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She was absorbed in her meal. Her eating speed was neither fast nor slow, and like any meal, the food slowly diminished with calm and orderly actions. One more peculiar thing stood out. ©¤©¤©¤Ssss. Holding the steak steady with her left hand, she grasped the knife with her tail and cut the steak while putting pizza into her mouth with her right hand. An act that perhaps only one person in the world could perform. At that moment, the question often raised on various intemunities, ¡°If a tail is big and long enough, can it be as useful as an arm?¡± was unexpectedly answered. Time passed slowly, with everyone but her feeling on edge. ¡°Does the food suit your taste?¡± A fluffy white tail. Ears perked up high. ck and white striped hair. The owner of the restaurant, who had heard the news, appeared. * ¡°Phew.¡± Now I felt alive. Skipping breakfast and lunch had made me feel like I was going to die of hunger. The biggest and chronic problem of this seemingly perfect body was its fuel efficiency. With a minimum daily calorie consumption exceeding 5000kcal, my body was like a food-consuming hippo. Back then, my team members always carried extra calorie bars in their gear for me. Anyway. Rustle. Various aromas wafted from the many packaged foods hanging from my arms and tail. I had barely met my minimum daily calorie intake with the earlier meal, so these would serve as snacks orte-night foodter. ¡­Looking at it like this, I seemed like aplete glutton. Consuming a lot of calories and money. Since I hadn¡¯t been here long, I didn¡¯t have any money I earned. I was using the money saved by my past self. Thinking about it, it seemed a bit risky to spend money like this. If I had stayed there, I could have lived without major financial problems by working as an urban warfare consultant or tactical advisor, but¡­ Well, I had returned, so that¡¯s that. Now, I needed to quickly figure out how to make money here. It was a shame the ICARUS device wasn¡¯tpatible with the local government standards, or I could withdraw the sry I hadn¡¯t used until now. I should try as soon as I returned. Thinking about various things, I arrived back in front of the apartmentplex. It was a decent ce, even to someone as ignorant about houses as me. If asked whether I had originally lived here, the answer would be ambiguous¡­ As I walked with such thoughts, I felt something odd in my pocket. ¡°¡­What should I do with this?¡± The crinkling sound was from a business card. Even now, I felt quite baffled. Who asks about such things while dining, not even in a fine dining restaurant? Moreover, fine dining ces usually don¡¯t do that, right? Anyway, what happened was simpler than expected. While I was eating, the restaurant owner appeared, asked a few questions¡ªapparently, despite the restaurant¡¯s name, they had stopped participating directly in the cooking process since about three months ago¡ªand gave me a business card after the payment. The back of the card had a rough message asking if I was okay with signing and taking a photo for a visitmemoration. The phone number was written there. Since the restaurant was too crowded, we decided to discuss itter. The restaurant reopened at around 4:30 PM, and after waiting for about 40 minutes and spending that much time eating, it was now around 6 PM. Being in the middle of summer, it was rtively bright outside even in the evening. With the sunset painting the sky with light red hues, the day was ending. Many tasks I had thought of throughout the day were being crossed off the list one by one. I had safely moved the te carrier, tactical vest, firearms, and other items to a secure ce, so they were crossed off. I had also memorized the roughyout of the neighborhood through today¡¯s reconnaissance, so that was crossed off as well. Let¡¯s see, what¡¯s next¡­ ©¤©¤©¤Buzz! ¡°Ah, that startled me.¡± With a loud noise and vibration, the ICARUS device projected a hologram. The fragments of scattered letters quickly aligned, And to summarize the content©¤©¤©¤ ¡ªWhere did you neglect your physical training? ¡°Oh.¡± I should find a nearby fitness club. * * * Chapter 8 ¡°Hurry¡­ oh, hello!¡± ¡°Hello.¡± As always, the start began with a greeting. Since it was indoors, the inside was naturally filled with a cool air. However, there was a subtle smell of gunpowder mixed in¡­. There was no need to get lost in admiration, but it was definitely different in many wayspared to shooting ranges in the United States. The basic framework was not significantly different. I turned my gaze. The first thing I noticed was the cleanly decorated interior. If there was something unusual, it would be the multiple target sheets of those who achieved excellent shooting scores attached to the wall. While I was briefly checking them out, someone at the desk hurriedly ran over to me and excessively kindly guided me. ¡°Could you show me your ID?¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± After a few touches on my phone to ess the dedicated app, a QR code appeared on the screen. I hesitated to say this, but it was a biometric ID app that only about a thousand people in South Korea could install. Of course, in the inner pocket of my clothes, I also had a wallet just in case, and inside it was a card-type ID, so it wasn¡¯t a big problem. After brieflypleting the initial procedures, I was already standing in front of a kiosk. The device itself was no different from the one I saw at the cafe earlier, but here, instead of drinks, photos of various firearms were disyed. ¡°Is this your first visit here by any chance?¡± ¡°This is my first time here.¡± I had shot plenty at other ces. Even while I was momentarily lost in nostalgia, the staff next to me was introducing the various types of pistols and rifles and the caliber of bullets disyed on the kiosk. I suddenly became curious about the price of the bullets, so I turned my head and asked. ¡°How much do you charge per bullet here?¡± ¡°For pistols, excluding .357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, and .50AE rounds, we charge a t rate of 10 bullets for 10,000 won. The ones I just mentioned are 15,000 won for 10 bullets.¡± Is this the standard price? Since I had never done live-fire shooting in Korea, I couldn¡¯t really say anything. While I was wondering how many shots I should take, ¡°You know Dark Zone, right? Because of that game, this industry has been booming, and a lot of regtions have been lifted, so we can now stock a lot of firearms. Bullet prices have also dropped.¡± ¡°¡­Just because of a game?¡± ¡°Ah, I mean, in this field. Sorry, I kept you standing here talking for nothing.¡± ¡­A game? When it came to shooting games that I remembered, there was Call of¡­ Ah, I can¡¯t remember the name. That one and the one where 64 people enter the battlefield and fight, and the battle royale type games. Or maybe Rainbow Siege, or survival games where you loot items and escape. Looking at it this way, I remembered more than I thought. But I¡¯ve never heard of something called Dark Zone? ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°¡­Can I see what other firearms you have?¡± ¡­I almost got caught daydreaming. Since it didn¡¯t seem appropriate to think about such things while someone was standing next to me, I refocused on the list sliding to the side. There were quite a few types. ¡°We have MPX, KAC SR-15, AK-47, SCAR-L, MP5, and various other firearms. Regardless of the ammunition, these cost 15,000 won for 10 rounds, and only single-shot firing is possible.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any designated marksman rifles?¡± ¡°We n to bring in the M14 DMR, but I don¡¯t know when it will arrive.¡± I didn¡¯t expect much¡­ I almost asked if they had an MK18 Mjolnir. I¡¯ll save that forter when I go to the safe house and shoot mine. Besides, it¡¯s expensive ammunition, so there¡¯s no way they¡¯d have it here. Anyway, the decision was almost made by then. I moved my fingers here and there. Glock 17, 30 rounds. I¡¯ll just shoot 10 rounds of .50AE, and the rest will be MPX and KAC SR-15, 10 rounds each. -$63.45 expense confirmed. -Total: $102.1 ¡­Did I get too excited? Still, before leaving the house today, I canceled the lump-sum payment and revised the algorithm to receive my sry in installments¡­ I just have to endure for about three more days. Even with a transfer of several million won, 96% would be covered by a simr electronic signature. ¡­It would be best to handle the aftermath quickly. My future self will somehow take care of it. ¡°Yes, Glock 17, Desert Eagle, MPX, KAC SR-15. All confirmed. I¡¯ll shoot the Desert Eagle in sets of 5 rounds, and the rest in sets of 10 rounds.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Oh, the target sheets have scores marked on them. We have a system where we tally the scores per shot, and if you get a high score, there are special benefits.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll cheer you on.¡± ¡­If I brought my custom-ported gun, I might have aimed for a full refund, but I couldn¡¯t guarantee that with a gun that had passed through several hands. I was slightly concerned about the iron sights, too. While I was thinking about that, ¡°Oh, and. This is something you¡¯d have to discuss with the owner, but if you take amemorative photo after shooting and promote it, there might be benefits for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It would be even better if you promote it through any SNS you operate. You can discuss it with the owner.¡± Sorry, I don¡¯t use SNS¡­. Anyway, with that, the preparation for entry began. ¡°You¡¯ve been assigned tone 1. When the shooting controller arrives, wear a bulletproof vest and follow their instructions to enter. Have a good shooting session!¡± My body moved automatically. Without having to consciously think about it, the recoil of shooting was now ingrained in me more vividly than anything else. The gunpowder exploded, the slide recoiled, and the bullet sped down the barrel at supersonic speeds. The sound of the brass casing hitting the floor. All those memories awakened my former self. Now, the breathing adjusted naturally without conscious effort. The familiar residual smell seeping in through the openne. Even though they tried to mask it with air purifiers and diffusers, the acrid smell embedded in between couldn¡¯t bepletely hidden. When I felt the familiar weight of the bulletproof vest, thene opened. ¡°Please enter.¡± Everything smelled of death, mingling with the gunfire that wrapped the city day and night, in the frozen winter. * ¡°¡­There¡¯s something attached to it.¡± ¡°Ah, those are sensors. Infraredserse out, and if you aim outside thene, the trigger locks to prevent misfires and potential idents.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡­The partition seems a bit small. Is your tail ufortable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± What an unusual guest. Han Jin-hyuk, a former shooting athlete who had been working as ane controller at the shooting range for almost three years, tried to suppress his gaze towards the tail. The thick, 3cm bulletproof stic door boasting thorough bulletproof performance locked in ce at the entrance ofne 1, leaving only the controller and her inside. It was a day that stirred many thoughts. But as always, he decided to fulfill his role as a controller. Whether the guest was the prettiest among those who visited this ce, whether she had a tail or not¡­. If either he or the guest got shot and died, it would be over. ¡°Do you have any shooting experience?¡± ¡°A lot.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s impressive.¡± She was a female guest. It wasn¡¯t about gender bias at this point, but realistically, most women, except for a few, lived lives unrted to firearms. Unlike Korean men, who legally had to handle a gun at least twice during mandatory service. His sharp gaze scanned her as she received the gun. It wasn¡¯t a lewd look checking out her figure, but rather, checking how familiar she was with firearms. In that regard¡­. ¡°What did you usually shoot? .22 LR?¡± ¡°9mm, .45 ACP, FN 5.7x28mm¡­ There¡¯s too many to mention.¡± ¡°Oh, you must have worked at a shooting range in the U.S.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± An ambiguous answer, neitherpletely right norpletely wrong. But regardless, from his perspective as a former shooting athlete, she¡­ was indeed skilled with firearms. Instead of immediately putting her finger on the trigger or pointing the gun forward and getting scolded like troublesome individuals, she pulled the slide to check the chamber, conducted a simple inspection, and ced the firearm facing thene. As if she had done it thousands, tens of thousands of times. A near-obsessive dedication to safety, stemming from respecting the firearm and fully understanding its danger. Just that gave Han Jin-hyuk a sense of relief. And following that, ¡°I¡¯ll load the magazine for you. There are ten rounds loaded, please keep that in mind¡­ What kind of target would you like?¡± It was time to hang the target. Without hesitation, she pointed to one. Arge target with both the head and upper body shown. Most people preferred bullseye targets with higher scores towards the center, but not this guest. One thing was for sure, she was a case he had never seen before in this field. There was no change in her expression as she received the gun. Most people would be fascinated, find it heavy, or¡­ anyway, their emotions would be visibly expressed. Not her. She had a very firm standard, from what Han Jin-hyuk could see. It wasn¡¯t for leisure, sports, or stress relief, but something more sophisticated¡­. ¡°I¡¯ve set up the target. You can check the shot groups in real time on the screen to your right. A score of 95 or above grants a full refund or ten more shots.¡± ¡°Do many people get refunds?¡± ¡°Haha, almost none. I sometimes shoot, but it¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Guess I¡¯ll shoot for free today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cheer you on.¡± With those words and a faint smile on her lips, she received the loaded pistol. With the crisp sound of the slide lock releasing, the bullet chambered. She was ready to shoot. She took an almost perfectbat stance, carefully but quickly aligning the sights©¤©¤ ©¤©¤Bang! The first shot pierced the 10-point mark on the chest precisely, as she confidently pulled the trigger. Before anyone could react to the result of the first shot, she continued firing, not in rapid session but not leisurely either. The second shot, perfectly absorbing the recoil, hit the chest again, and the third¡­. ¡°¡­Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Right in the head. Despite the rather fast pace of shooting, the three bullets were cleanly sucked into the 10-point zones of the chest and head. Even those who considered themselves decent shooters often had their shot groups scatter due to trigger errors or hand tremors, and he had seen such scenes many times. But the person standing before him acted as if those things didn¡¯t matter, without a hint of concern. Regardless of his surprise, she continued pulling the trigger.@@novelbin@@ Head. Head. Two shots to the heart. Then another 2+1 drill. Ten bullets sucked into the 10-point zones without any error. It didn¡¯t take long for the paper, now cleanly pierced, to be presented to them. After checking the empty chamber with the retracted slide, she showed that the ammunition waspletely expended with an attack posture and asked. ¡°Did it out of habit. Sorry about the attack posture.¡± ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s fine. Since you seem experienced with firearms, that level of action is okay.¡± Moreover, it wasn¡¯t without reason. It was to show the controller behind that the firearm was safe with no ammunition inside. Anyway, aside from that, Han Jin-hyuk was staring at the target in bewilderment. A perfect score of 100, so clean it seemed impossible even if one shot slowly. If he had more time, he could have spent at least five minutes thinking about how this was possible, but¡­. ¡°Ah, sorry. Would you like to continue with the next shooting?¡± ¡°Yes. Please.¡± Without a moment¡¯s rest, the next target was set up, and a pristine target sheet worthy of the hall of fame was ced on the empty table. As she found some enjoyment in the rtively long-lost taste of shooting, ¡°Would you like to try loading the magazine yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Skilfully inserting the magazine and advancing the slide, she once again took a clean stance¡­ and began shooting one-handed. The sharp shooting sound resonated throughout the entirene, with brass casings flying into the air, yet there was no movement other than stable shooting. Around halfway through, ¡°¡­Are you ambidextrous?¡± ¡°I can shoot with either hand. Sometimes I can¡¯t use my right hand due to circumstances.¡± Seeing her nonchntly mutter that, Han Jin-hyuk could only nod his head. Such things happened, and so did other things. He knew there were worlds unknown to him and had the restraint not to delve into them. Of course, it was needless to say that the five shots with her left hand also all hit the 10-point zone. * * * Chapter 9 What is the decisive difference between ordinary people and special forces soldiers? There can be as many answers to this question as there are people. Some might point to their strong physical and mental endurance, while others might mention their excellent shooting skills. Perhaps some would discuss the extent of their diverse training. All of those would be correct. And I¡­. ©¤©¤©¤! ¡­would like to add to that list the existence of countless muscle memories that allow one to handle hundreds of different firearms as if they were part of their own body. ¡°Wow¡­ Your grouping is so clean! It¡¯s a pity a shot or two strayed toward the 9-point mark.¡± ¡­Even if it¡¯s a firearm without a zero, that is. Since the body already remembers the previous zeroing, it¡¯s crucial to achieve the necessary results through instinctive aiming during shooting emergencies. I stared intently at the paper. After confirming the result of the first instinctive aim, I gauged how much more adjustment was necessary. I got a rough idea. ¡°You scored 98 points. So close. All your 9mm shots were bullseyes.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be such a mistake in the next round.¡± After checking the chamber and clearing the gun, I handed it over. He carefully epted it, performed the same safety check, and gently set aside the MPX he just fired, handing me the next gun. KAC SR-15. Though it¡¯s a civilian model, I wonder how he managed to get his hands on a gun that is only avable in the US. -Hsss¡­. I firmly shouldered the rifle and matched my breathing. From the contact point, I felt the unique stock sensation of the AR-15 series. It was so familiar I could draw its image with my eyes closed. If I were to gather all the 5.56mm NATO rounds I¡¯ve fired, wouldn¡¯t they fill up a standard container and then some? The iron sights were ordinary, and aiming at the new target through them was not difficult. I resisted the trigger¡¯s pressure. Soon after, a slight recoil apanied the bullet piercing the target. ¡­As I focused, I suddenly recalled an old movie I enjoyed. It was one of those movies where Keanu Reeves goes around shooting and wrecking everything, and in that one, he used a custom piece made by TTI. Though I barely remember the details now, I calmly pulled the trigger, motivated by that memory. Regardless of how short or long the interval between the next shot was, one shot to the chest, one shot to the head. Scoring, not topete with others, but to utterly destroy a single life. ¡­Emerging from my meditative thoughts, I saw a target in front of me with five holes each in the head and chest. ¡°¡­You really scored 100 points.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t make promises I can¡¯t keep¡­.¡± ¡°Wow, sir. If you keep shooting like this, we¡¯ll run out of space to put targets on the wall. You¡¯re better than me, it seems?¡± ¡°There are still 10 rounds left, so it¡¯s a bit early to say that.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Desert Eagle, 10 rounds. As always, I checked the chamber and performed a safety inspection before epting today¡¯s final gun. It felt different from a Glock in my grip. I pride myself on having rtivelyrge hands, but there are always exceptions. I gripped it more firmly to avoid any limp wristing. Though I hadn¡¯t fired this much in actualbat, I must have shot hundreds of rounds in engagements. In peacetime, I yed around with this gun, testing the 2+1 drill. It was quite satisfying. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve used this gun before¡­.¡± ¡°I can handle most firearms.¡± With those words, I carefully inserted one of the magazines loaded with five rounds each and pulled the trigger. ©¤©¤©¤! A powerful recoil shook my body. * 9 PM. Shops were closing one by one, heading towards midnight. Among them, a rare ce still had its lights on: a live ammunition shooting range. ¡°Jinhyuk hyung. How was it today¡­ Wait, what? Why are you carrying so many targets?¡± ¡°Just get adder from the storage. I need to put these up on the wall.¡± ¡°What? Did a lot of good shooterse today? Did the people you used topete withe as a group?¡± ¡°Just bring thedder quickly.¡± Of course. Kim Hojun, another range supervisor and Jinhyuk¡¯s junior, grumbled as he fetched adder from the storage. Several years had passed since they started operating this facility, with numerous visitors scattering their spent shells. Among them were some decent shooters, gradually increasing the number of excellent target sheets on the wall. They would take down old ones and put up new ones, sometimes using adder to ce them high in the lobby. Though they hadn¡¯t used it recently, the well-maintaineddder was set up. Jinhyuk climbed thedder with several tacks, while Hojun naturally received the targets. p. Hojun unfolded one of the seven target sheets, letting out a small gasp. ¡°Wow, this is a fantastic grouping. What caliber is this? .22? 9mm? Was it shot with a Glock?¡± ¡°That one? Let me see.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Another rustling of paper. Without hesitation, he spoke. ¡°That was shot with a Desert Eagle.¡± ¡°Did you drink?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Want to see the video?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t make sense. A civilian scored bullseyes with a .50AE?¡± ¡°You just didn¡¯t see it, I did.¡± Even the person who saw it up close couldn¡¯t believe it. It was so unbelievable that telling others about it would be pointless. After much thought, he decided to show the recorded videoter and pinned the target on the wall. Next up. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? Four shots to the head, six to the chest? Who is this sharpshooter? What was this shot with?¡± ¡°Let me see¡­ That¡¯s from a Glock 17. Hand it over quickly.¡± ¡°Look at that consistent grouping. Whoever it is, they can shoot. Are they a professional?¡± ¡°Just give it to me before I throw a tack at your face.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I at least take a look? Once it¡¯s up there, you can¡¯t see it well.¡± And the amazement didn¡¯t end there. Targets began lining up on the wall. Three from a Glock, one from a Desert Eagle, one from an AR-15. All perfect scores, Only the sheets marked MPX and Glock 17 were waiting to be put up. ¡°MPX 98 points? That¡¯s impressive. Must¡¯ve earned a bonus round. But why put up this 74-point sheet?¡± ¡°Look closely.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to see¡­.¡± Swish. Hojun quickly noticed that the hit points and groupings clearly indicated something significant. ¡°¡­Three shots to the head, five to the chest, and two to the neck¡­ Did they intentionally shoot this way? This person is insane! Who are they? A special forces soldier? A Dark Zone ranker?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I couldn¡¯t even ask.¡± And if there¡¯s something he couldn¡¯t mention, ¡®That was even a demonstration in an action shooting style¡­¡¯ 2+1 drill. Also known as the Mozambique drill, a shooting technique used for ensuring a kill at close range. She earned a bonus round with the 98 points from the MPX and demonstrated rapid fire with true precision under his supervision, Revealing that rapid fire and uracy, seemingly ipatible words, could indeed coexist. Sss. ¡°¡­Oh, hearing you talk like that makes me crave Dark Zone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our regr day off tomorrow. Let¡¯s y when we get home.¡± ¡°Got it. Ah¡­ I forgot to extend the connection rental period.¡± ¡°Do it on time.¡± Swish. The tacks went under the counter, thedder returned to the storage, and after locking the ss door at the shooting range entrance, they secured it with thick iron bars and shutters. As it was a ce dealing with firearms, the range turned into a heavily fortified room after hours. ¡°Is everything locked?¡± ¡°Of course. Go eat first, then do whatever you want when you get back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you still y as that big-breasted character? How do you even manage? Doesn¡¯t the center of gravity mess you up? Not in virtual reality?¡± ¡°Try it once. It¡¯s surprisingly novel.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand seeing myself with something huge on my chest, you nut.¡± ¡°Hyung, that¡¯s how everyone starts.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Conversations that the guest who had reset all the range records a few hours ago would never understand. However, the keyword ¡°Dark Zone¡± they mentioned in passing. Only time would tell what kind of butterfly effect it would bring. -[Automated information collection algorithm operating.] -[Ie level analysis¡­ Reanalyzing collected information to match current circumstances.]@@novelbin@@ -[Filtering out unusable or unnecessary keywords¡­.] -[Reanalyzing filtered keywords.] -[Abnormality detected // Keyword: Dark Zone] -[133,507,198 posts identified. Categorizing simr content.] -[Listing words repeatedly mentioned at least once within posts.] -[Pandemic apocalypse. New York. Washington. Icarus. Terrorist. Artemis. Urban warfare¡­.] -[Researching¡­.] -[Composing message. Recipient: Eugene Lee] -[Data leak detected. Sending alert.] Chapter 10 Suddenly, let¡¯s talk about something. Humans naturally need a certain amount of sufficient sleep, and almost everyone struggles to secure this time. However, as society progresses and numerous reasons arise, the infringement on the right to sleep begins to elerate even more. If you¡¯re a soldier, you stand watch or perform guard duty. If you¡¯re a student, you finish the given assignments. If you¡¯re a working adult¡­ well, there are many reasons. In any case, in modern society, various people have their sleep time infringed upon for various reasons, and as a result, they suffer a lot of mental fatigue and stress. Most of them would convert this stress into anger and irritation and express it. So, why did I suddenly bring up this story? ©¤©¤©¤!!! Because I was rudely awakened by the ICARUS device on my left wrist suddenly emitting a bright red light and vibration, as if the world was ending. When I came to my senses, I found myself holding a tactical tomahawk in one hand and staring forward. I was in a stance where I could strike at a virtual enemy at any moment. ¡­Haah. I felt a surge of irritation. ¡°¡­Why is this happening at three in the morning?¡± But in my mind, I was already analyzing the type of alert, as I had been trained to do. Normally, wearing special lenses would tell you what the alert is about. Besides, there was no reason for sound or light to ur during an operation because of the risk of exposure. Since it was unfamiliar information, reverse engineering it was easier. ¡°¡­Information leakage alert?¡± Had the entire ICARUS data center been hacked or the nodes beenpletelypromised? Why was this alert sounding now? Feeling ate dizziness, I sat in the chair and turned on the monitor, which I had turned off. Theputer linked to the device disyed the warning content inrge letters. The screen was endlessly filled with numerous scripts that I didn¡¯t even want to read.@@novelbin@@ Roughly checking, it was aboutparing data investigated on the inte with the data inside the device to see if there were any matches or simrities. The problem was that there were thousands, exceeding five digits. If it had been just a month ago, I would have immediately deployed somewhere, but at this point, I had crossed worlds. That means¡­. ¡°It means there¡¯s a lot of rted content on the inte¡­¡± One thing was certain; it was no longer an alert I needed to care about. After a few maniptions, the red light and vibrations that filled the room quickly disappeared. It was three in the morning, and naturally, it was pitch ck outside¡­ Given the vibration, it must have meant that some significant data had been collected. Since I had to stay without a major schedule for a while anyway, I decided to investigate and go back to sleep. Theputer was still processing, and opening additional windows might actually shut it down, so most of the confirmation had to be done through the device¡¯s hologram. I excluded unrted content. Lee Yoo Jin, New York, Washington, terrorist, Artemis, Indian Point Nuclear Power nt, etc¡­ Things that had no direct corrtion when searched independently. Among the information derived from the keywords entered into the search engine, those unrted to my life or the previous world. After excluding trivial or randomly categorized information and sorting meaningful data, ¡°¡­Dark Zone?¡± Why does this term keep appearing? There was no need to dig deep into my memory. It was a term I heard just today while contemting which gun to shoot before the range. However, to recall the entire context of the conversation at that time¡­ Certainly, more effort was required than before. Little by little, my memories resurfaced. ¡­Wasn¡¯t it said to be a very popr game? It had been a very long time since I yed a game, but the echo of my memory before facing the cold winter of New York faintly resonated. My hand, which was about to search for it on the inte, stopped abruptly. After a brief silence, the typing resumed. -Searching Tree Wiki¡­. ¡­My distant memories told me that for games, you should refer to sites written from the user¡¯s perspective. Although the site¡¯s name differed slightly from what I remembered, the main homepageyout was intuitively understandable. The search bar at the top right. I carefully entered the keyword ¡°Dark Zone.¡± Before I even pressed enter, numerous rted searches unfurled. And©¤©¤©¤ ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Found it. You bastard. * Well, it¡¯s the same anywhere in the world, In this world, there are media and creative works dealing with a person¡¯s life or the world at the time associated with that person, including autobiographies and memoirs. Whether it¡¯s fiction or reality, person or event, people refer to numerous materials and historical records to recreate them anew and pleasingly. They be movies, books, novels, and the reborn lives and worlds of many people. Watching those, I sometimes harbored curiosity. It¡¯s an old story and a simple question. Just, well¡­ What if one¡¯s life or information about where I was is processed into a new medium and shown to people? And what if the person involved witnesses it? What would they think? ¡­But, in this world, even that was moremon than expected. Many people whose lives were made into movies were already gone from the world, but given the era, there were also cases where they were not. However, from a general person¡¯s perspective, that was something they¡¯d never be involved with. I thought it would be the same for me. But, -Click. ¡°¡­The sun¡¯s already up.¡± Seeing it in reality, the feeling was quite new and shitty. To the extent that I forgot about the passage of time. A sudden story, but I¡­ liked FPS games before. You aim, ce the enemy in the center of the sight, and pull the trigger. In somewhat realistic games, you consider bullet drop and travel time. You kill the enemy that way. Among the many things in the category of games, FPS games, where only the graphics, system, and UI have advanced, held the clear goal of killing the opponent, which remained unchanged over time. Of course, as times changed and technology developed, various elements were added to this genre. For example, damage by body part, healing, needs like hunger, and goals not centered on killing the enemy but on survival¡­. However, even these could not deny that the basic premise was the FPS genre. So, I liked the simple FPS games where you just had to kill the enemy without worrying about otherplexities. But¡­. [View full article] [Latest] -Dark Zone, now a huge tform beyond just a game¡­. -Maintaining 15 million simultaneous users worldwide for a year¡­ What¡¯s the secret of Dark Zone? -Opening a new horizon in virtual reality: overwhelming background and worldview, endless updates, and continuous bnce patches! -Dark Zone, the first to surpass $700 million in global esports market size! -Mark Henslow, CEO of ICARUS International,pletely denies any simrity between Dark Zone and the actual U.S. military! -Recreating numerous past FPS games in virtual reality! Next up, a survival FPS genre escaping from closed contaminated areas, Quarantine Escaping¡­. [6 months ago] -¡­. -¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­New York, Washington, and numerous other major cities I had risked my life countless times to restore. The fact that all of these were turned into a virtual reality FPS game, ¡°Ha¡­.¡± What¡¯s there to hide? The information and storylines I gathered while browsing this wiki, all of it was what actually happened and what I experienced. The fact that it was consumed as just a game made me feel quite dirty. But what¡¯s even more ironic is why this exists in the world I returned to. The world remembers my past. In a very trivial way. It was like facing a huge ck box. But unlike the former, which you don¡¯t have to check, I had to enter this game to find out what it was about. The way I returned, and how I should live from now on, was unclear, and a sudden task fell in front of me. I wanted to rx my frown, but I couldn¡¯t. I wanted to ignore it, but I couldn¡¯t. The search results derived from the keyword ¡°Dark Zone¡± were like a fishhook. Once you witnessed it, you just got dragged along. This game was inseparable from me, and even if I ignored it now, it would eventuallye back to me like a boomerang. Whether sooner orter, it was inevitable. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the mouse again. If I had to go in, there was no hesitation. I cleared all unnecessary thoughts and kept only the methods to converge to one result in mind. It would be a long investigation. It would take even longer since I wasn¡¯t very talented in gathering information. I might not get the desired answer when I reached the end. I didn¡¯t care. ¡°¡­Then.¡± First, let¡¯s find out how to ess it. Chapter 11 [Notice£ÝNewbies Read This£ÝA Guide for Newbies Starting Dark Zone [Part 1£Ý [2024.02.XX Rmend 7109 Dislike 98 Views 734991 Comments 1383£Ý Wee, you noobs. We all know why you came here, so don¡¯t press the back button. We know you¡¯re here because you got lured into this shitty game that¡¯s overloaded with users, so you might as well get a taste while you¡¯re at it. Since you¡¯ve made it this far, you probably have a rough idea of what kind of game Dark Zone is. Let me exin how to register your BCI connector and how to connect. . There might be some fresh VR noobs who¡¯ve never touched this kind of stuff before, so I¡¯ll exin from the beginning. I trust you know what this connection set is, as it¡¯s been aggressively advertised on the inte and TV.@@novelbin@@ It¡¯s basically a set of sensors you attach to your body and head, along with a neuron signal receiver. You just connect it and you¡¯re good to go. With so many users, it¡¯s unlikely you won¡¯t be recognized, even if you¡¯re a giant at 220 cm or a fatso over 120 kg. This device can cover even E2 or higher ranked users, so just rent or buy one if you¡¯re rich and attach it to your body. I don¡¯t know if any EM-level users are reading this, but if you are, click here. . A monthly subscription is essential to y this game, but most of you are probably paying it along with the rental fee for the connector. Anyway, that¡¯s enough about that. This game is basically the FPS virtual reality game you think it is. For those who don¡¯t know what FPS means, let me kindly exin that it¡¯s a first-person shooter game. And like all games of this type, you don¡¯t have to worry about the recognition quality being shitty just because it¡¯s a non-invasive BCI connect machine. ICARUS has three data centers in Korea alone, each covering 25 square kilometers, so they take care of the graphics and server connections for you. It benefits you to use thetest, high-performance connector. . Like most virtual reality games, Dark Zone allows character customization. But those shitty ICARUS bastards have made it so you can use tform avatars, change your gender, and even have ears and tails. It¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to create a bunch of catfish. Even if you use a female voice, your real gender will be revealed during verification, so please refrain from using excessively disgusting avatars, you assholes. And if you¡¯re going to use such avatars, at least don¡¯t troll. Learn the game properly, please. Still, if your character is pretty, people will get less angry at your face¡­ Damn, it feels like Henslow was aiming for this too. Just don¡¯t do stupid role-ying and pull your weight unless you want to get your head bashed in by a rifle butt. Even here, people use decent-looking characters but hate those who role-y. . . Because of the nature of the game, you might end up getting close to people you meet in-game, but don¡¯t bring them to the forum. If you want your squad and yourself to be doxxed and targeted, go ahead and bring them here, lol. Getting targeted means you¡¯ll get cursed out on the forum and your game experience will be a nightmare. Enjoy the game, you bastards. [All Comments£Ý[Order by Date£Ý . . * ¡°¡­Are they reallying?¡± ¡°They verified their ID, so they should being, right?¡± ICARUS Korea Building. Located in Yeouido, the building was entirely ck, earning it the crazy nickname ¡°Yeouido¡¯s Nutritional Bar.¡± Two employees from ICARUS Korea¡¯s external publicity support team stood in the lobby on the first floor. Normally, they should keep thepany-issued tabletputers tucked under their arms or in their bags, only using them during work, but they were busily typing away. They wore neat, ck casual suits, which were necessary due to the frequent meetingspared to other departments. However, they couldn¡¯t hide their anxiety and anticipation. Multiple green lights and a few red lights blinked on the panel. Their fingers moved busily, sending messages everywhere. ¡°Is there any ce not ready yet?¡± ¡°All the employee convenience facilities are ready. There were a few errors during the simtion device checks, but we should be able to fix them.¡± ¡°What do you mean? We requested cooperation three days ago¡­.¡± ¡°It happens. You know how delicate they are. It¡¯s not the first time this has happened. It¡¯ll be fine in 30 minutes.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡± After a few touches, the red lights were forcibly turned green, disying apletion message. They barely achieved 100% facility usage approval three minutes before the personnel they contacted arrived, but it was done. That was what mattered. How long had they been waiting? ¡°¡­Ah, that must be them.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°There. You can tell who it is right away.¡± A single figure was walking toward the entrance from beyond the revolving door. The person, a woman, looked incredibly¡­wless. Her appearance wasn¡¯t particrly unusual. Unlike most of the Awakened in Korea, who often had unnatural stripe-colored hair or ears popping out of their heads like tigers, She didn¡¯t have any of those features. However, as she approached, her appearance became clearer. Her ears, sharply pointed on both sides, were quite horizontal, unlike the typical elf¡¯s in fantasy settings. And then. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone with such a long tail before.¡± Her sleek tail, impressive enough to make even those who dislike reptiles admire it, swayed behind her waist, subtly moving their pupils. She naturally stepped into the revolving door and entered the cool interior of the building. It didn¡¯t take long for their eyes to meet. Carefully erasing the brief emotion of surprise from their faces, the two managed to tear their gazes away from the tail and greeted her. ¡°Are you Ms. Lee Yoo Jin? Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Assistant Manager Lee Jin Chul from the PR Support Team.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Han Seol Ah from the Support Team. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Lee Yoo Jin. Nice to meet you. I¡¯ll be in your care today.¡± After a brief handshake, ¡°It might be a bit much to say this beforehand, but today¡¯s guidance might not be very smooth. Could you please understand in advance?¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°¡­Actually, this measurement is unprecedented for us as well.¡± Special Body Examination. Among the roughly one hundred thousand Awakened individuals scattered around the world, fewer than five thousand were of E2 grade or higher, and the EM grade individuals were so rare they weren¡¯t even counted. Nominally, this examination was created for such individuals, to collect physical data on additional body parts so they could function properly in virtual reality. However¡­ ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be many applicants.¡± ¡°¡­You are the second one in the world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Unsurprisingly, there were hardly any applicants. Most of those with transformed bodies often followed their country¡¯s national symbols, which were typically significant animals. The list included tigers, lions, bears, wolves¡­ and many other animals. However, it wasmon for these transformations to result in body parts that were too short to use, or, more simply, there was no practical use for their ears and tails in virtual reality. This meant that this situation went beyond rarity; statistically, it was a scenario that surpassed the odds of winning the lottery. It didn¡¯t take long for a question, half-driven by duty and half by curiosity, to be asked. ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t mind, could you show us how you actually use your tail?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a specific action you want to see.¡± ¡°Oh, any action will do.¡± A moment of silence passed as their eyes met. ¡°We need to verify if you can use that body part in the game, so a simple demonstration will suffice.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± How much time had passed? ¡°Is this enough?¡± She smoothly raised both hands, showing her palms as if to prove her innocence, and stared at them steadily. But then, at some point, ¡°Wow.¡± Like a third hand, her tail smoothly extended forward, gently wrapping around a phone and moving it to where her right hand was. She took it with her hand and waved it as if to show them. The simple demonstration ended as she put the phone back into her pocket. The two, regaining their senses a momentter, slightly nodded their heads, expressing their admiration. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I didn¡¯t think there would be someone who could actually use it.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I just show this much?¡± ¡°Oh, can you do other things as well?¡± ¡°I can do more than you think.¡± However, now didn¡¯t seem to be the time to show it. She didn¡¯t perform any further actions, and the two employees who were to guide Yoo Jin didn¡¯t spend more time watching. Knowing when to cut things off was one of the most basic yet crucial skills in this world. ¡°¡­Then, I¡¯ll briefly exin the schedule. To implement your avatar within our physics engine, we¡¯ll need to input your measurements into the engine, and this will involve a physical examination.¡± ¡°For the physical examination¡­ I assume fasting isn¡¯t necessary?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, as it doesn¡¯t involve checking for diseases.¡± The exnation continued as they moved to the elevator. ¡°The examination will verify various things, including the amount of muscle, and we¡¯ll use these measurements to conduct a simtion. After that, we¡¯ll test your actual physical abilities to see how theypare to the simtion.¡± ¡°In this process, we¡¯ll attach several sensors to your body. Since this will help form the physical model to be used in the game, please let us know if you feel any difort.¡± The door closed, and a strange sensation of floating enveloped them. * * * Chapter 14 [Notice] Newbie Mandatory Read) Guide for Beginners Starting Dark Zone [Part 2] [2024.02.XX Rmended 8810 Not Rmended 128 Views 834231 Comments 1183] Hello there, newbies. I assume those who clicked on this post want to try this game or have just started and are looking for information, so I wrote this for you. Since it¡¯s been quite a while since I started Dark Zone, it might be hard to say I wrote it from a newbie¡¯s perspective, and there may be a lot of missing information. So if there are things you don¡¯t understand even after reading this post, I¡¯ll exin them in thements, but you should also try to find information elsewhere and ask questions. Don¡¯te all the way here to y the game and then get called azy bum. . . I¡¯ll exin based on someone who has never essed VR before. When you enter, the avatar setting will appear. This is the character you will use in virtual reality and not specifically for Dark Zone. Of course, you can use it if you want. You can change the gender, add breasts, or attach cat ears or a tail as you like, and once you create and save your avatar, you can move around with it. The customization change period or the number of restrictions is not very important now, so skip that and go straight to Dark Zone. After confirming all sorts of misceneous things, the login window will appear, and you can enter the ID and password you set when you signed up for the tform. This game uniquely sometimes gives a random question before you log in, and if you answer it correctly, you get various buffs and benefits. For example, increased blueprint drop rates, increased experience acquisition rates, slightly increased damage, etc., and sometimes useful guns or items are given. The buff applies to party members simultaneously, so if a question appears, make sure to post it on the forum and get all the answers right. If you ask for a rush with the buff on, the veterans wille running with their eyes turned ?? + Additional) There are five questions in total, but sometimes it shows as 6/6 instead of 5/5. That¡¯s like an Easter egg. Thest question that appears is called the ICARUS question, which asks for the content of the abbreviation ICARUS, but no one has gotten it right yet. It¡¯s okay if you get it wrong, so just focus on getting the other five right. . . I won¡¯t go into much detail about customization, but to add a note, be aware that ears and tails also have identification and hit judgment. And the most important is the difficulty system setting, the official name is Assist Level, abbreviated as Assi. How you adjust this slider will determine how much blood and sweat you¡¯ll spill in the game, so pay attention. There are five types of adjustments, in order: Aim Correction / Recoil Correction / Damage Correction / Health Correction / Action Correction Each slider can be adjusted freely from 0% to 100%, but remember that the lower it is, the less correction you get. Don¡¯t create a hardcore character like an idiot. I¡¯ll exin each one in detail. Aim Correction is a system that, simply put, makes you function as a person even if you¡¯re terrible at shooting. The higher it is, the fewer missed bullets you¡¯ll have, and the more aim assist you¡¯ll get. Of course, it doesn¡¯t make you hit everything even if you waste bullets into the air, it just helps a little bit. If you think you can take advantage of this, you¡¯ll get beaten up by mobs. Recoil Correction is simr to Aim Correction. The higher it is, the less recoil you feel, and the lower it is, the same as actual recoil. It¡¯s partially linked with Aim Correction, so you can¡¯t set one extremely high or low without the other. Damage Correction, contrary to its name, adjusts how much it hurts when you get hit. Although the pain of getting hit in a vital spot isn¡¯t simted even at 0%, it still hurts a lot if you get hit in the limbs, so don¡¯t mess with it too much. Next is Health Correction, and whatever you do, don¡¯t touch this. The higher it is, the more it disys only numerically, but the lower it is, the more it reflects your actual health and strength. Considering the average physical abilities of people ying this game, you¡¯d probably end up sprawled out and gagging after running for 2 minutes in a mission. If you mess with it, you won¡¯t be able to y the game at all, so just ignore it. Action Correction is rted to tactical actions, the higher it is, the more it automatically suppresses footstep noise, reloads, high-ready/low-ready stances, etc. If you set it low, you¡¯ll be a millspoper who takes 5 seconds to reload and doesn¡¯t know where the bolt catch on their own gun is. So don¡¯t start at 0% like an idiot, practice slowly at the shooting range, and no one will stop you. This correction is linked with Health Correction, so naturally, you can¡¯t set one very high or low without the other. . . Many people know about it, but few actually y Hardcore Mode. Simply put, it¡¯s like excluding 90% of the corrections. If you turn off four out of the five correctionspletely and set the other one below 50%, the system activates, but don¡¯t do it. I warned you. Of course, some people do y it, but there are fewer than twenty people worldwide who main this mode. In Korea, there were former UDT guys who posted training vlogs on YourSpace, but even they left right after hitting 100% progress. If you want to leave a mark on the gamepany like a special forces veteran receiving an invitation from ICARUS headquarters, you can try it. Sometimes, there are people who turn off all corrections, but then you have to survive with only the minimal UI provided by the device ?? By the way, you have to do zeroing yourself too. There are some perks like a portable EMP generator, increased blueprint drop rate, 100% progress eleration, and 100% nanomachine activation, but they¡¯re meaningless. Hardcore mode itself makes you die in a few hits, so even doubling nanomachine activation just means you take 2 more seconds to die. And once you start with this mode, you can¡¯t adjust the sliders in-game anymore.@@novelbin@@ Just think of it as being screwed. In the next part, I¡¯ll cover the tutorial and precautions for moving to HQ. Enjoy the game, you damn newbies. ¡°Something feels different from what I expected.¡± My first impression of the VR Connector,monly known as the connector, was that it felt different. Its appearance resembled an old-fashioned holiday gift set box you might get for Chuseok or Seol. The size and thickness were just like that. ording to my brain, which had started to revive the rtively old-fashioned sentiment, I had vaguely expected the connector to be something like a capsule big enough for one person to enter. But as always, the world chosepactness, practicality, and maximum efficiency with minimalponents over external splendor. The box containing the connector looked like apressedputer case, and it could be opened with simple maniption. Inside, there was a pair of thin gloves and socks, pads to attach all over the body, and a choker-like blocking device to wear around the neck. ording to the exnation, the glove and sock-shaped sensors are meant to urately reproduce the fine movements of the hands and feet. The choker-like device worn around the neck collects bio-signals and then bypasses them to control the avatar on thework¡­. Well, that¡¯s what it says. However, that wasn¡¯t all. Underneath, there was another thin cloth-like item. What was it? [Tail Sensor] It looked like a wind sock or a neatly folded cone-shaped cloth. This would be the sensor that fits onto my tail. Should I seriously wear this? I hadn¡¯t tried it on yet, but it didn¡¯t look particrly appealing. However, considering the hard work of those two a few days ago¡­ yeah, it would be best to clear my mind. Following the instructions, I went through the process of putting it on. ¡°It¡¯s not as ufortable as I thought.¡± But it did make me look quite peculiar. At least it wasn¡¯t an ugly sight, which was a relief. Anyway, I finished putting it on. The battery showed 98%, and since it supported wireless charging, as long as I paid a little attention to its cement, I could maintain the connection without any discharges. ¡°To connect¡­ I need to press the power button on the choker.¡± Of course, a very kind message popped up saying, ¡°You cannot connect unless you are lying down.¡± It seemed to have a built-in gyroscope. Everything was ready. I had a slightly light lunch, and in case of dehydration, I drank a lot of water. ording to the pre-briefing, time eleration of three times was applied, so even if it was long, it wouldn¡¯t be long enough to urgently need physiological activities. I took a small breath and carefullyy down on the bed. The now-familiar ceiling greeted me, and I pressed the button with relief. My vision darkened. ¡°Ugh.¡± A sensation I had never felt before. To exin it paradoxically, it was like my consciousness remained, but the film was cut off. The registration process was alreadypleted when I visited the headquarters, so that part was briefly skipped, and next was the avatar setting¡­ but. Why are there so many options? From the broad categories like gender and body shape to the detailed ones like eyes, nose, and mouth, there were so many options it was hard to list them all. I thought I was quite familiar with modern technology, but the virtual reality aesthetics of the returned world were unnecessarily detailed. As I rolled my eyes around, I saw that there was a random setting option to ease such details, and a category where avatars were sorted by poprity also caught my eye. They were all so shy and splendid. For a moment, I thought about tinkering with something, but soon shook my head and pressed the body scan button. It didn¡¯t take long for a character with the same appearance as mine to pop up in front of me, and it took even less time to select it and start the proper connection. ¡­In the past, when I thought of virtual reality, I imagined something more morous and free, but reality was definitely different from my thoughts. It was a very practical interface. Various things that seemed to be VR games were scattered in front of me, but the main screen boasting exceptional tacticality caught my eye. Dark Zone. It might be the starting point of everything. As soon as I linked my tform ount and avatar with the in-game, a connection screen popped up. The splendidly spread wing pattern was the same here and there, but I had a long way to go to feel nostalgic about such things. As I was waiting for the in-game connection to start, ¨C ¡°This question is part of a 24/7 event to give yers a little help in their gamey. If you answer all the questions correctly, you will receive a small reward.¡± ¨C ¡°There are a total of six questions.¡± What¡¯s this? But before I could think about it, the questions or whatever started popping up. I thought I might be able to answer them for a moment, but unfortunately, that was just my delusion. ¨C ¡°Q1: What is the name of the CEO of Icarus International? // Answer: _______¡± I was sure I saw itst time. But there¡¯s no way I could remember, that part of my mind waspletely nk. I ended up skipping all of them. ¨C ¡°Q2: In the ¡®Madison Square Garden [Breakthrough]¡¯ mission, what is the name of the boss that appears in the ¡®Very Hard¡¯ difficulty? // Answer: _______¡± ¨C Skip. ¨C ¡°Q3: What is the name of the blueprint [firearm] that appears in the ¡®Indian Point Nuclear Power nt [upation]¡¯ mission? // Answer: _______¡± ¨C Skip. . ¨C ¡°Q6: What does the acronym ICARUS stand for? // Answer: _______¡± This¡­ A nk space unusually longpared to other questions. Recalling the word that I might never forget until I die, the nks automatically filled in with several English words. ¨C Information Control And Regional Uniting Support. After entering that and waiting a bit, ¨C Correction procedures and slider omission, Hardcore Mode automatic setting in progress. ¨C Login process initiated. ¨C ¡°Waiting for operator validation code. // :_______¡± ¨C NUNK-RDUK-INSHD-FAAWTD-PM-OPEUGENELEE-1335. ¨C Verifying code¡­. Shining. With a bright light, several words appeared. ¨C Validationplete. ¨C Wee back, Operator Yoo Jin. * * * Chapter 15 ¡°Sigh.¡± Long mint-colored hair flowed down her back, and her cat ears perked up. The fierce winter wind whipped the breath streaming out of her mouth like a waterfall. Even as her breath yfully tickled her hair before disappearing behind her, a somewhat naive-looking figure carefully handled aptop. ¡°It¡¯s summer in reality, but it¡¯s winter here. Luckily, it¡¯s not really cold¡­.¡± A girl who looked more like a small cat than a person seemed to be talking to someone invisible. She constantly moved her fingers, staring intently at theptop. However, despite her tactical appearance, there was a slight difference in reality. -Avatar Soondoon really ???????????????????????? -Is this a high school girl with military service? Is this a high school girl with military service? Is this a high school girl with military service? Is this a high school girl with military service? -Dark Cretes who prayed for rain 30 times a day are now crying and giving a standing ovation ?????? -Character creation, let¡¯s gooooooooooo Customizing and setting up characters, creating them. The actions that seemed sophisticated were actually just one of the random motions during character creation. Even so, the beginning of a game with the concept of activating an agent ID was particrly well-received in the virtual reality FPS game, Dark Zone. Regardless, the chat window that was floating in one corner of her vision was truly moved. -Thank you¡­ thank you¡­ I can finally rest in peace¡­ Is Harmony a god? ncing at it, she left a thank you message as always. ¡°Thank you for the donation, IsThisADreamOrReality. Many of my acquaintances rmended this game. Also, as a variety game streamer, I thought I should try FPS games¡­ Anyway, yeah.¡± She carefully adjusted the sliders. Aim correction, recoil correction, damage correction, health correction, action correction. The five sliders that controlled the game¡¯s overall difficulty. Despite all of them staying below 90%, the chat window was as vtile as ever. Harmony nced at it sideways without showing any expression. But there was one unbearable word among them. Feeling as if a red button hidden deep in her heart had been pressed, she snapped. ¡°¡­Ugh, wait a minute. Hey! You guys said it¡¯s hard even if I pull all the sliders to full, so why are you calling me a super coward!¡± The chat window instantly burst intoughter. Of course, she knew from her many years of streaming experience. The thousands of people in the chat were, to put it bluntly, just there to see her various reactions. To put it nicely, they were pranksters, and to put it bluntly¡­ they were scoundrels. Sigh. Anyway, thanks to the advice she received in advance, her goal was clear, and it didn¡¯t take long to create the character. Mechanical voices and holograms popped up near her ears and eyes, blessing her as she took her first steps on the ground. -ICARUS Device activated. All systems operational. -Operator recognized: Codename Harmony. -Wee to Brooklyn Heights. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± An exmation naturally flowed out. If it had been a virtual reality fantasy game, a fairy for guidance and adaptation might have flown in, But the mechanical and inorganic lines actually piqued her interest more. At some point, a gun automatically appeared in her hand. Without paying it much mind, Harmony looked at the in-game objective floating before her eyes. -[Head to Central Park HQ.£Ý It was quite a daunting instruction, so she cautiously spoke up. ¡°I heard before ying this game that getting to Central Park HQ is the tutorial, right? They said it was really hard, other yers.¡± -Open the coin betting arenaaaaaaa -You¡¯ll probably die more than 10 times on the way ?? -You¡¯re gonna get wiped out in a PVP zone? Game over? -Are there any other yers spawned nearby? The flood ofments. The chaotic mess, fitting the term ¡°collective brainlessness,¡± was hard to even look at. However, Tricky, thetest streaming tform serviced by ICARUS, had a system that automatically extracted logs most helpful to the streamer. It popped up, and shepared the information she had pre-researched with what the viewers provided, shaking her head slightly. ¡°From what I heard, all yers have random spawns, and you have to get to a safe house to meet others. Is that true?¡± -Correct -Meeting someone at the safe house and forming a party to go to HQ is the standard Dark Zone, yed by countless people. However, to attract neers to this game with its absurdly high entry barrier, the chat window rarely started agreeing with the correctment from a viewer. Of course, to put it simply, they just spammed ¡°Really¡± a lot. And then, a mission that put the finishing touch. -Party up with a yer you meet at the safe house and reach HQ She silently smiled at that. Jackpot. A task she had to do anyway, now with money on the line? She couldn¡¯t resist. But as Harmony was about to ept immediately, another new mission was added as if it were prearranged. -Absolutely no party until you reach HQ ¡­. Feeling like a vein was popping on her forehead, she added, ¡°¡­I¡¯ll proceed with the party mission.¡± Anyway. There were many contrarians in the world, and even more people who enjoyed seeing others suffer. Thinking it was better to avoid losing interest in the game from dying repeatedly than to double the mission reward, She selected the shooting practice mission and slowly crossed the death-filled city covered in white snow. Without knowing what was about to begin. They said the start of this game waspletely random. Even the spawn points were random. Some started on a stranded battleship, others woke up underground, And some lucky ones even started in a safe house. ordingly, the tutorial within the tutorial also varied, ording to information, some shot various objects on the battleship, some fired at targets in the safe house, and others hit cans. And¡­. Among those targets, there were also people. St. Red blood dripped onto the previously white snow, forming a shallow puddle, slowly freezing and disappearing. A figure crossed through. Smoke rose from the gun barrel, blending into the sky. Watching two thugs fleeing, leaving behind arade with holes in his head and chest, she continued aiming. It felt too realistic to be a game. Some might hesitate to shoot people, but if those two had just axed someone, the story was different. A familiar weight. A familiar texture. A familiar sight. With four consecutive shots, each felt without any attenuation, two more human-shaped objects were added to the cold New York street.@@novelbin@@ After ceasing her aim and confirming her surroundings, she spat out her honest impression. ¡°This game is insanely well-made¡­.¡± The feel of the air on her skin. The vibration hitting her shoulder with each trigger pull. Even the brilliantly clear sky, indifferent to the events on the ground. Everything about this game resembled my four years too much. I melted back into the world I once belonged to, and that feeling was¡­ always the same. It was a bit disappointing that I couldn¡¯t view the game as just a game anymore. Three thugs and one victim. After confirming all were lifeless, she walked forward. Manipting the gear was as simple as breathing to identify her current location. -Current location: Brooklyn Heights. Strangely, it was the same route I had experienced. Approximately 8 miles or 10 kilometers in a superior unit away from Central Park HQ, ording to my memory. If there had been a speedboat, I could have safely and conveniently navigated the East River, but I couldn¡¯t expect that at this point. One bullet in the chamber, 30 in the standard STANAG magazine. Having fired two shots each at three thugs, that¡¯s six rounds. Though the UI showed it, I needed to check for myself. Buildings in utter chaos, without any maintenance. The massive Brooklyn Bridge loomed over the main street. From memory, if there was no boat, I had to take a long detour to enter via the bridge. After thoroughly checking for enemies again, I started manipting the system in earnest. But, -Tactical support equipment: Unavable. -Nanomachine protection function: Activated at minimum strength. -Module system: Unavable. -essible funds/weapon stash: Unknown. ¡°Damn.¡± Of course. What kind of equipment would they give a newbie who just started the game less than five minutes ago? The faint sense of the bulletproof vest and tactical rig, the weight of fourteen magazines and a few grenades inside, was all I had now. Adding a few more things, like the small EMP generator in the utility pouch, given for reasons unknown. In some ways, it was a thousand times better than being thrown in naked, but my memory indicated numerous enemies ahead. And many of them had better equipment and gear than I currently had, even using drones and UAVs. Sigh. Heavy breath dissipated into the air through the weighty gear. I adjusted my grip on the gun and checked if the zeroing was properly set. ¡°It¡¯ll work out somehow.¡± For now, this rifle with just a dot sight on it, the pistol in the holster, and the tactical knife were my only lifelines. There was no time forints. I started moving. * * * Chapter 16 Dark Zone. With its overwhelming realism and numerous convenience patches to match, It was the most sessful VRFPS game that attracted anyone with even a slight interest in the military like a tentacle. The in-game quality and grand BGM, which were believable even if it were said that people were literally ground up to create them, And the endless content, which could be called an inexhaustible cornucopia, such as continuously updating by purchasing the licenses of numerousputer FPS games that existed previously. Even a movie made with in-game y was sessfully released and achieved excellent results, so Dark Zone and ICARUS International were leading the culture beyond games. However, as always, Dark Zone was not a perfect game. And among them, there was one issue that almost always took the lead, ©¤©¤©¤! ¡°H, ah! Wait! Wait!¡± It was the fact that moving to Central Park HQ, which served as a tutorial, was extremely difficult. In a game that almost intentionally designed party y and its level design to match, At the beginning of the game ¨C when yers knew literally nothing, the tutorial was designed for them to move alone to the designated location. This, quite literally, had a beginner difficulty level like a sudden cliff appearing on t ground. Of course, as the game aged and through the research of many people, it was revealed that this tutorial was a very good way to intensively learn all the skills needed to survive in Dark Zone from the beginning. Therefore, the difficulty of the tutorial itself became a hot topic that sparked discussions and debates in themunity for hours whenever it was brought up. But regardless of that, ¡°Wait, this, it¡¯s too realistic¡­!¡± Harmony, who barely managed to throw back a grenade that had rolled to her feet, faced a series of situations where she didn¡¯t even know how she was still alive. Frankly speaking, it was hell difficulty. -How did you survive, damn???????????????????? -Judgment level top tier ????? -How did you throw the grenade? Already a seasoned yer??? -My sister breaks out of jail, destroys drones~~~~ Of course, it was fun for the viewers. Also, as always, the battlefield was more than enough to reveal human nature, and Harmony eventually abandoned her usual polite speech and screamed. ¡°No, the safe house is right in front! Why did I get caught by the reconnaissance team!? What¡¯s with this timing!?¡± But the fact that you can¡¯t always get what you want was always a clear proposition. If there was one fortunate thing amidst all this, it was that she had almost maxed out all corrections, and it had just started to activate. A magical aid that allowed even a person with no FPS experience to roughly fight in abat situation. Thanks to that, she barely shouldered the M4 she was holding, ignoring the bullets whizzing past her with whip-like sounds, She aimed at the enemies through the red dot sight and pulled the trigger with difficulty. ¡°Just go away©¤©¤©¤!¡± Spent shell casings fell to the ground, and one of the escaping prisoners advancing with a shotgun was hit in the chest and copsed. Although many newbies didn¡¯t know, this was the tutorial, and enemies without bulletproof vests could easily die with a few shots. Also, this was affected by the level of correction chosen by the user, Since Harmony chose almost full charge for all corrections, it meant she faced the weakest enemies. But, ©¤©¤©¤Click. ¡°Hey, hey! What is this! The gun¡¯s not firing! What¡¯s wrong with it! Help!¡± As always, it was a story that did not apply to aplete beginner who even forgot to reload in a tense situation. Her suffering had only just begun. Crack. A sound simr to a branch breaking came from her feet. As the vapor from her mouth and the steam rising from the red pool on the ground merged into one and melted into the air, the wriggling movementspletely stopped. That made a total of eight. Judging by their uniforms and armaments, they were Russiannding troops on patrol. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± It was quite a rough wee. But it was manageable. If it were a real situation, I would have done all sorts of crazy things, but the AI level wasn¡¯t as high as I thought. Of course, I didn¡¯t expect the rifleman who charged in to swing a knife, but he loved it when I slightly dodged and hit his jaw with the buttstock. He really died happily. Anyway, despite the finely detailed job ssifications of the enemies, four years of experience had already ingrained in my body how to deal with such people one by one. The result was the irregrly scattered remains of corpses all around. I started to search them one by one. There was a reason for this. ¡°I used about three grenades and two magazines¡­ That¡¯s normal.¡± In a real battlefield where it was difficult to get as many supplies as you wanted when you wanted, the amount of avable materials changed depending on the enemy¡¯s armament. For instance, I used quite a lot of grenades in this engagement, and that was because¡­. -Rustle. ¡°As expected.¡± If you searched the enemy¡¯s pouches, RGD-5 grenades woulde out. These were Russian grenades. In short, it was like this ¨C when facing rioters or escapees who were not even properly equipped with bulletproof vests, I saved bullets as much as possible, But when facing clearly well-equipped personnel, it was necessary to have the sense to predict how much lootable items the enemy would have and fight ordingly. Of course, there was no mercy when fighting unmanned devices like portable turrets orbat drones. It was mentally easier to just pour everything out. Anyway, I acquired an additional six grenades. The clinking and heavy feel from the pouches and multipurpose pockets made me feel a nostalgic sense. Since I often faced enemies with no room forpromise or negotiation, carrying explosives for area suppression and demolishing heavy weapons became a necessity and a daily routine, and this was the result. I also learned the skill of pulling the pin with my tail, wrapping the grenade while shooting, and throwing it to the desired location. Of course, there were dozens of times when my tail almost disappeared. Thinking back, it was quite a crazy thing to do. -Found armed safe house: New York City Hall, Lower Manhattan. ¡°The safe house location is the same.¡± The engagement happened rtively close to the old safe house, so I thought it might not be in the game, but ording to the information confirmed through the device, it seemed not. Like a thorn in the flesh, the Brooklyn Bridge partially prated Lower Manhattan. I moved to the end of it. Before I knew it, the ck darkness was silently descending over the city. But as if to set it aze, the lights from the underground backup generators of the high-rise buildings and various searchlights installed in the safe house illuminated the surroundings in white. As if hinting that I had to go there. Just in time, the navigation route was also pointing in that direction, so I started to walk slowly. The snow that had never been trampled, repeatedly freezing and melting, left footprints under my hiking boots. How long had I walked? ¡°¡­.¡± Quite a few footprints and piled-up corpses. Since it was a game, the objects were already starting to disappear, but it was easy to distinguish where they were shot. Legs. Stomach. Chest. Arms. Face¡­ They had been shot everywhere. If it was on purpose, it was a crazy person, and if not, it was something aplete beginner who had never held a gun would do. In any case, it was easy to tell that someone had been here. Among the many footprints, the traces of small hiking boots continuing towards City Hall were also clearly visible. There must have been at least one more user taking the same route. But it was not something I needed to care about. As the numerous crowds that roamed the city disappeared as if it were a lie, turning the metropolis into a giant coffin, the only sounds left were the wind and the crunch of snow underfoot. This silence and tranquility were something I couldn¡¯t help but love. As I switched the selector to safe and moved to the junction between the entrance of New York City Hall and the end of the bridge, The iron bars were nowhere to be seen, and the searchlights of the safe house surrounded by high concrete barriers and containers illuminated me. ¡°Stop, stop!¡± ¡­In the past, they would have opened the door just by seeing my tail from a distance, but I guess it couldn¡¯t be helped since it was a game. As I nervously waved the device on my wrist, the searchlights turned off, and the thick iron door slid open to the sides. An NPC-looking guard came running to greet me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There was an engagement nearby just a moment ago, so everyone is on edge.¡± I nodded slightly. There wasn¡¯t much to say. From the looks of it, New York was still quite a mess, and their hardships were probably a given. With the usual words of thanks for their hard work, I entered the armed safe house ¨C City Hall. The interior was filled with people busilying and going. But most of them seemed to be NPCs, and there was no one particrly worth interacting with. Moreover, as if to prove that the tutorial was not yet over, it was difficult to find other operators who looked like users. Maybe it would be different when I get to Central Park HQ. ©¤©¤©¤Plop. ¡°Ha.¡± The safe house set up in the basement of City Hall. Its interior was the same as I remembered. Stark and mechanical, but at the same time, there were some spaces where one could rest. A warehouse area that seemed minimally organized. It was filled with boxes whose contents were unknown , and a board stood on one side with a map of New York attached to it. There were also gun storage and boxes, an improvised workbench for gun maintenance, and a shooting range. The air was slightly stuffy but bearable. I sat down somewhere suitable and checked the gun¡¯s operation. The zeroing wasn¡¯t off, and I had plenty of spare magazines. I also did a simple check of the chamber, bolt catch, magazine release, and so on. And what I felt was¡­. Does this game not have a durability system? No need for gun maintenance? ¡°I guess I¡¯ll find out someday¡­.¡± Whatever it was, there hadn¡¯t been any significant malfunctions after several shots so far. Although it was a game, and it wasn¡¯t actually cold, I felt like I had rested enough. I pulled up the navigation route and checked the estimated arrival time. Having just arrived in Lower New York, I figured I should walk diligently. If I arrived, it would probably be around midnight in the in-game time, I thought as I got up. Just as I was about to go up the stairs, ¡°Wait a minute©¤©¤©¤!!¡± A particrly high-pitched voice resonated throughout the safe house. I almost reflexively switched the selector to semi-auto and raised the muzzle, but my eyes first checked the armament status and IR marker. It was a friendly. That was close. Looking at the figure that had sprinted to a sudden stop in front of me, I couldn¡¯t help but be quite dumbfounded.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Calm mint-colored hair. Triangr ears sticking out from the top of her head¡­ She had no tail, but the small girl who looked like a cat, whose fur seemed like it would smell like mint, did not match the tactical gear at all. But even without in-depth analysis, she was already fully equipped. Specifically, she was another user going through the tutorial like me. The fact that there were no other users around only made me more certain. In any case, the girl who had stopped abruptly at my feet looked at me with her gun in hand. And then- ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you like to party up with me!?¡± No. Why are you saying it so desperately? Pathetically. * * * Chapter 17 ¡°¡­Guys, this game is seriously too scary¡­ I¡¯m losing my mind¡­¡± New York City Hall, Armed Safe House. On a field bed scattered nearby, a mint-colored caty sprawled out, quite literally. Her eyes were unfocused, and she had casually ced her firearm nearby, staring at the ceiling with a defeated sigh. Unlike other virtual reality games that spoon-fed you from start to finish, this one had a thrillingly spicy kick. Harmony shook her head, almost bing one with the bed. ¨C She¡¯s lying down ???????????? ¨C Did you think making money was easy, Cat Human? Get up quickly!!!! ¨C Dark Zone¡­ Another sessful newbie extermination today¡­. ¨C F***ing Henslow, lower the tutorial difficulty already!!!!!!!!! ¡°¡­No, putting that aside, it¡¯s not really the main issue. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not fun. But why isn¡¯t there anyone in the safe house!? Did you all log out?¡± Of course, the chat¡¯s response was unanimously, ¡®Excuse me, teacher, what nonsense are you talking about?¡¯ Regardless, whether it was a matter of timing, or simply bad luck with user spawns, the safe house was practically gathering dust. Despite breaking through all kinds of obstacles, and turning into something between a person and a rag, she had sessfully made it to the safe house, but the journey ahead was still long. ¨C I¡¯ve raised multiple alt characters, but if it never happened, you¡¯re just unlucky ?? ¡°Thank you, Kim Piano, for the 1,000 won donation¡­ Really? Even when I¡¯m stepping up like this, the universe doesn¡¯t help me? Wow¡­.¡± ¨C ????????????? ¨C Suddenly dropping bombs with no hesitation ?????? ¨C You should¡¯ve wanted it more ?? ¨C She¡¯s going to die at this rate ???? Did all the Nyang Dan die? ¨C Dark Critters, do you have any idea what¡¯s going on? ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I need to go drink some water. I¡¯m getting a dehydration warning.¡± At the same time, the screen all viewers were watching disyed the AFK ¨C Away From Keyboard message. One of the connection device¡¯s features was that, during safe situations in-game, you could restore the signal to the choker-type disruptor and immediately move your real body. Thus, she momentarily cut the signal and got up from the bed to get some water. Naturally, the chat quickly filled with messages they normally couldn¡¯t send. Meanwhile, Harmony¡¯s avatar, who had lost consciousness, began to gently turn due to a structural defect in the old field bed. With a suspicious sound, the view slowly rotated. The pipes crisscrossing under the concrete ceiling disappeared, and the view focused on the entrance. A silhouette started descending from there. ¨C Oh ¨C Oh, what¡¯s this? Is it a user? ¨C Wow, that snake tail is impressive ??? The bullet spread must be huge ¨C Smells like a pro ¨C ?? Where¡¯s Harmony ??? Why isn¡¯t she forming a party? ¨C She fell asleep¡­. A lively, wriggling tail. A glimpse of pointed ears peeking through long, ck hair. Significant volume visible even under the thick outfit. Anyone could immediately tell it was a user based on her unique appearance. However. Even as the two-hour countdown below the two missions disyed on the UI blinked pitifully, she remained motionless. Everyone¡¯s assumption that she would soon move was slowly shattered by Harmony¡¯s continued inactivity on the bed. Even as the user in front inspected her firearm. Even as she aimed to check if the sights were misaligned. Even as she removed the magazine, checked the chamber, and counted the remaining bullets before standing up. She did not move, like an object. Thousands of viewers began to grow anxious. ¨C How long does it take to drink water? Get up, the bus driver is here!!!!!!!!!!!!! A seemingly short period. Despite the user in front spending considerable time here, it was never enough for the viewers. Movement continued beyond Harmony¡¯s field of view. Having confirmed everything, the user took confident steps, ready to depart¡­. But perhaps the philosophy behind the donations was sufficient, ¡°¡­Uh, why am I lying down like this¡­?¡± She had returned. With a veryid-back voice. The chat was already in a frenzy. ¨C That¡¯s not the important part ?? ??????????????? ¨C Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! Catch them quickly! ¨C There¡¯s a user in front of you,e on! ¨C Sister, do you want to see me die of frustration!?!?!?!? ¡°Huh, what? Why? Is there someone here? Where?¡± So, with a situation that tested the viewers¡¯ patience to the limit©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Wait a second©¤©¤©¤!!!¡± The encounter was made. ¨C Eugene. I will briefly inform you of your schedule. After waking up, eat breakfast ande to the shooting range by 8 AM. ¨C Yes. ¨C Conduct t range shooting until 1 PM, then eat lunch by 2 PM and return to the shooting range. Shoot again until 6 PM, all based on live-fire exercises. ¨C Understood.@@novelbin@@ ¨C After finishing dinner by 7 PM, continue Kill House training until 11:30 PM. This routine will continue until you bepletely familiar with firearms. Once you reach the level where you can be assigned a dedicated gunsmith, the proportion of Kill House training will increase. ¨C ¡­Got it. ¨C Your physical strength and abilities are quite impressive. But the outside is still abat situation. Either get used to all of this quickly and prove yourself, or die. The choice is yours. ¡­These were the words of Anthony Owens, my senior officer in the 1st Special Actions Group, also known as Delta Force, on my first day of training. There was no particr reason why this memory suddenly came to mind¡­ If I recall some old memories, I didn¡¯t understand back then why I had to go through such rigorous training. Even a small mistake would bring down about 80% of all the world¡¯s curses on me. But¡­ ¡°Wow, just forming a party makes things so much easier. Thank you so much¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Do not point your gun when not inbat. Make sure to be vignt for any signs of life around you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes.¡± ¡­Now that I find myself in this situation, I¡¯m really d I only got cursed back then. And at the same time, I automatically understood why the instructors used all kinds of harsh words while teaching me. Just putting gear on an ordinary person doesn¡¯t make them an operator¡­. Every second, I wanted to kick this green cat¡¯s shins, but I had to remind myself several times that this was just a game. At least the appearance is cute, so I can tolerate it. ¡°¡­You seem to have a lot of interest in this field. Your actions are really professional and impressive. How did you set your calibration?¡± ¡°Calibration?¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t tweak it separately?¡± ¡°¡­I guess so.¡± No. Since it never came up, it¡¯s true I never touched it¡­. If I hadn¡¯t forgotten, I¡¯m sure¡­ it said calibration and sliders were all omitted. Moreover, I was too focused on the ICARUS abbreviations and the operator valid code instructions, and there was no rted exnation. Hmm¡­ Well, it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. It doesn¡¯t affect gamey, and it probably won¡¯t in the future either. Anyway, aside from that, the city was still noisy, even though it was wrapped in darkness. The sound of beans roasting from quite a distance, the unnecessarily proliferating animals¡­. Moreover, this green tea-colored cat, who introduced herself as Harmony and confirmed there were no enemies around, started chatting non-stop as soon as she had the chance. ¡°This game is seriously too difficult.¡± ¡°You might be struggling because you¡¯re not used to it.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve conquered all sorts of games! I¡¯ve climbed with a pot and pogo stick, and scaled with just jump skills, and all that¡­.¡± ¡­Does this person have a hobby of seeking hardships? Still, what she said was somewhat interesting. Her exnations were all about game genres I had never heard of before. ¡°¡­Even if it¡¯s not a trash game, it¡¯s just as tough. How can there be so many different kinds of difficulties in this world¡­?¡± ¡°The world is originally like that.¡± ¡°Right? So it¡¯s not me who¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s the world.¡± Very naturally, she said something that might also apply to me. However, she then nced at the air for a moment and said, ¡°No, what do you mean by that? Think about it. If there weren¡¯t a lot of trash games in this world, would you guys have made me y them?¡± What? Did that calibration thinge with an imaginary friend feature or something? Trying not to show a confused expression, I kept a neutral face as she hurriedly added, ¡°Oh, sorry. I forgot to mention, I¡¯m streaming right now. I should have told you earlier, but the situation was too urgent, so I didn¡¯t get a chance.¡± ¡°A situation?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I was trying to do some party y, but there was no one around. I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to clear the tutorial at this rate.¡± So that¡¯s why she was so desperate for a party earlier. Anyway, streaming. As usual, I had to dig through my memories before I fell into this world. So¡­ in simple terms, they were people who broadcast their gamey? The thought of what¡¯s so fun about watching someone else y games briefly crossed my mind, but there were always different kinds of people in the world. With the puzzle pieces fitting together, I spoke up. ¡°Then all those weird games you mentioned earlier were part of your stream¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Who would want to suffer through games? Of course, there¡¯s a sense of achievement when you clear them, but, ugh¡­.¡± ¡°I almost misunderstood, thinking you had a unique hobby.¡± ¡°What!?¡± No, wait. What did I do? Thump. The sharp voice, shattering and scattering in all directions as it hit the building walls in the cold winter air, spread in the form of aggro. I hurriedly covered my mouth, but it seemed toote. Simultaneously, rustling sounds came from the nearby park. I had a bad feeling about this. As I removed my hand from my mouth, I added quietly, ¡°¡­Get ready for battle.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± She clumsily hid behind nearby cover and aimed in the direction of the noise, twitching her fingers. Praying that she wouldn¡¯t cross my line of fire during the engagement, ¨C ck. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Damn it. Why did that fall? Time felt like it slowed down. For a moment, I thought I had seen something wrong, but even if I had the chance to wipe my eyes and look again¡­. It was a magazine. The magazine of Harmony¡¯s gun had dropped as the magazine catch was pressed while she was aiming. Quickly catching it with her tail, ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s, uh¡­.¡± ¡­Though I didn¡¯t say anything, my expression must have been far from pleasant. With my eyes still on the red dot sight, I reinserted the magazine that her tail had caught back into its ce. Imagining countless ways to smack her head after this engagement ended. Chapter 18 ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s¡­.¡± The Dark Zone was essentially a virtual reality FPS game. In today¡¯s world, where the term FPS was used almost as a proper noun, there were quite a few people who just vaguely thought of it as a shooting game, but FPS fundamentally meant a first-person shooter. And this meant that Harmony¡¯s streaming cam was also transmitting what she was seeing. Although as the game service continued, and the tform developed, viewers could now choose various perspectives to watch from, the fundamental part remained unchanged. So, what this meant was- -?????????? -Did? you? drop? the? mag?????????? -Can you hear the sound of Darkrits grinding their teeth over here? ??????????????? -Nuna, please, do nothing and just do as the adjustments say, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -She¡¯s a real natural-born troll ?????????????? -Gyaaak, Nuna, my blood pressure is really going to kill me¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. It meant that all 7,000 viewers had seen Harmony identally drop the magazine on the ground. And naturally, the sound of grinding teeth immediately appeared in the chat. However. The anticipated, cheerful cacophony of destruction from the collision of the magazine with the concrete floor did not ur. Instead, something subtly filled the bottom of the streaming screen. -???? -What¡¯s that??? -Isn¡¯t that a tail? -She caught the magazine¡­! -Wait, you could use tails in this game??? Despite the darkness of the night sky, faintly discernible mottled patterns could be seen. With the sound of something swiftly brushing the ground, the magazine she dropped was caught by something. No, it wasn¡¯t something. It was the tail of a snake, which she had thought was just an additional avatar part. ¡°¡­This, this¡­.¡± A scream rose to her throat, but her reason, tempered by the recent mistake, barely managed to hold it back. Fear of snakes was a basic instinct for most humans. Considering the context of something as thick as her calf suddenly rushing near her leg, she deserved praise this time. But, ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Click. With the activation of the lens¡¯s enemy identification function, Harmony automatically closed her mouth upon meeting Yoo Jin¡¯s sharp eyes, which showed a slight hint of white. As the magazine was reinserted into the slot, she realized that deliberate silence could be much scarier. However, regardless of that, -Unidentified sound detected. -Everyone, take cover and wait. The lead team will investigate the source. Shoot anything that moves. The device automatically eavesdropping on the surrounding ie data tranted the conversation and delivered it to her ears. Russian. Taking advantage of the chaos in the United States, elitending soldiers of the Russian Navy had set foot on the maind through the North American coast. Two people hiding behind appropriate cover aimed their guns at the sound of numerous footsteps. And then- ©¤©¤©¤Rustle. Three enemies emerged from the dense foliage at the park entrance. Tactical rigs worn over thick bulletproof vests. Bvas covering their faces entirely and Russian 1PN63 binocr night vision goggles. With AK-12s strapped to their backs and VSSs in their hands for closebat, they searched the surroundings while maintaining a certain distance from each other. Yoo Jin took a short breath, held it, and aimed at the enemy. The target was the legs. The goal was to draw out the main force that had not yet urately identified their location. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything until I give the order. As soon as I shoot, duck your head.¡± ¡°¡­Okay!¡± Immediately, two bullets whizzed through the air with an ear-deafening noise. Blood spurted violently from the knees, prating the soft fabric. A heavy scream mixed with pain echoed through downtown New York. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± Ratatatatat! One enemy fell to the ground as if copsing. The two reconnaissance members next to him responded almost instantly with counterfire in all directions. The deafening noise shattered trees, paving stones, and benches, spreading chaos everywhere. At that moment, Harmony, who ducked deeply to avoid bullets flying overhead, realized why Yoo Jin had told her to keep her head down. Meanwhile, amidst the rtively quiet VSS gunfire, heavy firing sounds mixed. Almost simultaneously, a series of horrific screams followed. The remaining two had also fallen, their knees and shins shattered. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not killing them¡­?¡± The desperate wailing, hard to believe was from a game. Watching this, Harmony whispered quietly through the inte, but Yoo Jin waited calmly. Counting while watching the surroundings. The count never exceeded ten. As the number in her mind decreased one by one, the three withpletely destroyed legs were struggling to crawl back where they came from. Watching this, Yoo Jin added, ¡°¡­Get ready to throw a grenade.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Grenade!¡± Bang! At that moment, a few enemy smoke grenades exploded, spreading smoke everywhere. It didn¡¯t take long for the three injured members to disappear into the smoke. Amidst the many noises, the sound of branches and bushes breaking followed, and Harmony realized it was a sign that the main force was approaching. With a distinct sound, the pin was pulled. Harmony threw it with all her might towards the smoke, which was an obvious target. Almost simultaneously, Yoo Jin followed the same procedure. But with a slight difference, ¡°¡­How did you do that!?¡± With the tail wrapped around the grenade, pulling the pin with the end of the tail, and throwing it into the air with a whip-like rebound while still aiming. But when it uratelynded in the enemy¡¯s area, Harmony realized it wasn¡¯t just for show. The silence was brief, and they both heard the enemy shouting something urgently at thest moment. Two sessive shes and explosions engulfed everything around. ©¤©¤©¤!! The spreading smoke scattered instantly with the shockwave. Although visibility wasn¡¯t fully restored, the two kept their guns aimed in that direction, preparing for any possible situation. It didn¡¯t take long for the smoke to clearpletely. The scene of carnage was revealed. ¡°¡­Six?¡± ¡°Wow, amazing¡­!¡± -Wow, crazy ???????????? -Bus driver Nunaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! -This is¡­ tactics? This is¡­ tactics? This is¡­ tactics? This is¡­ tactics? This is¡­ tactics? -A master of psychological warfare ?????? -I told you to party, not to bring a special forces soldier ??? The chat was going wild. Just a duo temporarily formed to reach the HQ. However, the content of this seemingly ordinary party was like one side dragging Harmony by the hair, forcibly carrying her, an extreme hard carry. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just about good shooting skills; she knew how to use avable resources to tackle specific situations very effectively. Unintentional showmanship. But amidst that, Yoo Jin remained calm and sharp. So much so that the excited Harmony found it puzzling. ¡°¡­Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Six is too few. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. After killing so many, there couldn¡¯t possibly be more around¡­.¡± Their gazes met simultaneously. Facing the fierce blue eyes, Harmony had no choice but to lower her head. ¡°¡­Maybe there are. Hehe.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± -Strong against the weak ON -This Nuna isn¡¯t just strong against the weak, she¡¯s just weakweakweakweak ?????????????? -Wow, those eyes are crazy ?????????????? -Haha, if you don¡¯t know, just do as you¡¯re told ?? -Catching six and thinking there¡¯s still more sounds a bit cowardly Rustle. Yoo Jin carefully released her posture and scanned the surroundings, quietly picking up a piece of broken paving stone. A moment of silence. But it didn¡¯t take long for her to estimate the distance and throw it hard across the intersection into the bushes. With the sound of branches shaking, the stone disappeared into the bushes inside the park. Then, ©¤©¤©¤Rustle. ¡°¡­Looks like there are about two or three left¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? Really? How do you know?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± How to exin this? The fact that a Russian squad has nine members, excluding BMPs? The intuition built from umted experience? The rough guess from the rustling sound? But Yoo Jin never forgot that practical verification took precedence over lengthy exnations. She searched for a route to approach the suspected enemy ambush area and scanned the cover in between, then spoke softly. ¡°We need to check directly.¡± ¡°Should Ie too?¡± ¡°¡­Follow me while watching the rear.¡± Though unreliable, Yoo Jin was not one to reject an ally. This time, with thorough soundproofing, the two cautiously emerged from the sidewalk beside the bushes. Moving quickly with suppressed noise, using scattered cars as cover. How much time had passed, they reached near the park entrance where the reconnaissance team had appeared. Sticking close to the bushes, they whispered in very low voices. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll draw their attention near the entrance, and if they shoot, identify their location. It¡¯s better if you throw a grenade or two at the identified spot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fortunately, at this point, Harmony could follow simple orders. She rummaged through her pouch, taking out a grenade like before, while Yoo Jin took a short breath and dashed past the entrance. ©¤©¤©¤Ratatatatat! A beatter, a machine gun unleashed a storm of bullets towards the entrance. Startled by the noise and firepower, Harmony muttered in disbelief. ¡°Geez, telling me to stick my head out and pinpoint their location¡­ Are you crazy¡­!¡± But even so, she had no choice but toply. While Yoo Jin, hiding in the bushes on the opposite side of the entrance, continued suppressive fire to guide the enemy¡¯s shots, Harmony peeked out slightly. The muzzle shes continued from the bushes along the park path, roughly ten meters away. Taking a deep breath after quickly ducking back, she pulled the pin again. It left her hand. But, ¡°I threw it wrong!¡± ¡°Enter as soon as it explodes!¡± Though much was drowned out by the gunfire echoing through the city, the message was clear. Counting in her head. One. Two. And three. ©¤©¤©¤! As the explosion and shrapnel erupted, Harmony gritted her teeth and dashed inside like a bullet leaving the barrel. But Yoo Jin had already entered before her. ¡°Get down!¡± Shooting while tossing a grenade with her tail, an insane act. Watching this insane act done effortlessly, Harmony flopped face-first to the ground. Although she couldn¡¯t see the subsequent events, the additional explosion and gunfire that swept through the park gave her a good idea. After some time, ©¤©¤©¤Tap tap. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± With a silly noise, she struggled to her feet. The surroundings were a mess. Shattered trees and upturned ground from grenade shrapnel and bullets, and broken concrete formed a chaotdscape. Feeling a dull ache in her bangs despite no reason for pain from lying on the ground, she shook her head. A dumbfounded voice matching her disheveled appearance struggled out. ¡°¡­What happened?¡± ¡°Situation resolved. I¡¯ll handle the watch, so rearm yourself. Check for any lost items or explosives, and make sure your firearms are functioning properly, no malfunctions¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± It seemed a natural hierarchy had been established. Harmony entrusted herself to the system, and her body naturally began maintenance. Removing the bullets from the chamber, separating the magazine, checking the chamber, and repeating the process in reverse. She checked for any misaligned sights through aiming, and counted the remaining magazines and grenades. After a brief silence, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Confirmed.¡± ¡°Can we move now?¡±@@novelbin@@ Perking up her mint-colored ears, she asked innocently. Then, ¡°No, there¡¯s still some work to do.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to keep replenishing grenades if you have the resources. Please watch the surroundings.¡± ¡°Okay. Anything else you need me to do? I think I can do well.¡± Hehe. After just a few skirmishes, she had moved from rising confidence to unfounded assurance and even a baseless smile. Watching her with a strange look, Yoo Jin added as if remembering something. ¡°¡­There is something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± With a rather refreshing smile, she added, ¡°Get down.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Get down.¡± ¡°Ah, no. Why suddenly? What did I do wrong¡­.¡± Of course, it didn¡¯t take long for her to realize that the smile wasn¡¯t a good sign but a symbol of bad news. The clicking sound of the magazine hitting the ground again was a bonus. ¡°¡­I guess I did something wrong, hehehe.¡± ¡°If you make a loud noise again, be prepared for real this time.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry. But didn¡¯t I contribute quite a bit this time? If you consider that, really, really, really, ahhhhh¡­!¡± Whack. Yoo Jin kicked her in the shin with a loving step, and the kindly request with a touch of physical force made Harmony assume a voluntary push-up position. Of course, there was a low scream mixed with a desperate attempt to suppress her voice, but so what. Anyway, the night was deepening. -[¡­Due to unknown jamming and significantly low UAV deployment estimates, it¡¯s expected that the area cannot be confirmed.£Ý -[Confirmed. How long until heavily armed strike teams arrive in the area?£Ý -[Confirmed to be at least two hours. It¡¯s deemed impossible to maintain internal security until then. Rmend evacuation or concealment of remaining allied forces.£Ý -[Commencing evacuation and safehouse lockdown. Can we designate Lower Manhattan below Central Park as a non-controlled area?£Ý- [Permission granted.£Ý -[Will issue a warning under HQmand. Confirmed?£Ý -[Advance warning received. Confirmed.£Ý * * * Chapter 19 [Notice£ÝNewbies Must Read£©Guide for Beginners Starting in the Dark Zone£ÛPart 3£Ý [2024.02.XX Rmended 6321 Dislike 76 Views 664231 Comments 483£Ý
Wee, newbies. I don¡¯t know at what point you¡¯ll be reading this, but I¡¯ll assume you haven¡¯t reached HQ yet and write ordingly. One of the biggest features of this game is that the tutorial is notoriously hard. The developers have firmly stated they won¡¯t change this, so you¡¯ll have to adapt. I¡¯ll provide as many tips and general information as possible to help you. So this post might not be as interesting as you expect. Let¡¯s start. . . This is a map of New York. The crooked red circles drawn on it represent the general distribution of character spawn locations. Simply put, you¡¯ll wake up somewhere within those circles. Regardless of where you start, the distance to Central Park HQ is pretty much the same, so just focus on arriving safely. Your first goal after starting is to reach an Armed Safehouse in Manhattan. If you happen to meet another yer before entering Manhattan, consider yourself very lucky. Most yers don¡¯t have that luck, so they usually go through the safehouse during the tutorial. And as you might have guessed, the first thing to do there is to form a party. The maximum number of members is three, and if it exceeds four, the field difficulty spikes. Meeting three other tutorial users is extremely difficult, so just party with anyone you meet. Too shy to talk to others? Then why are you ying this game? LOL . . I¡¯ll briefly exin the factions in this game. The factions you encounter change as you progress to higher content. During the tutorial, you¡¯ll mainly encounter Rioters, Hound, Robber, and Riker. They¡¯re former civilians, gang members, or prisoners, so they die after a few hits. As your gear level increases, they start wearing tougher armor, but except for the Rikers, you won¡¯t see themter on. One important thing to note is that if any party member¡¯s calibration falls below 50%, you¡¯re in trouble. You won¡¯t encounter weak enemies anymore. This standard is based on the lowest calibrated member in the party. As mentioned, the factions vary between higher and lower content, and lower calibration leads to tougher enemies. Confirmed so far are Russian and Chinesending infantry (very strong), copsed PMC, terrorists, and ording to the Dark Zone Wiki, if calibration falls below 30%, you might encounter special operation teams for friendlymand copse, Artemis drones, and Hunters. They¡¯re seen only in very hard difficulty and urgent missions, and they¡¯re extremely tough. This might not be relevant to newbies, but it¡¯s worth reading to know what kind of enemies to expectter. . . This doesn¡¯t really concern you until you max level, but it might happen during the tutorial. This is a screenshot of my in-game UI with arge warning in the top right corner about entering the unauthorized zone. It means the area you¡¯re in or heading to is changing from a PVE zone to a PVP zone. This can happen for various reasons: UAV surveince going haywire, bomb or EMP attacks, enemy SOF setting up jammers, and so on. The important part is what happens when this warning is triggered¡ªbasically, it bes awless area. Strong mobs roam around, and PVP is enabled. You might wonder why I¡¯m exining this suddenly, but this might ovep with your tutorial progress. In short, if you enter, you¡¯ll either get beaten up by strong enemies or get attacked by PVP veterans using operator skills. And more importantly, the safehouse you visited will ¡®lock.¡¯ If you die there, you might have to restart from your character creation point. LOL The chances are low, but if you¡¯re unlucky, it might be better for your mental health to restart your character. But once you pass this, you¡¯ll start the happy Dark Zone, so hold on to your life and crawl to HQ if you must. Just get to HQ¡­ lots of veterans there¡­ the game sucks without them¡­. . . * ¡°So, Yoo Jin?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is, but aren¡¯t we in significant danger?¡± ¡°Seems like it. Stay on high alert.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The top right corner of the UI. A warning window striped in red and ck, like a nuclearunch button, as if something unprecedented would happen if they didn¡¯t leave immediately. Unlike any other warning window they¡¯d seen,posed of merely nine characters. -[Unauthorized Zone Transition Warning.£Ý Only 1 mile, 1.6 km from Central Park HQ, a foreboding message appeared on their UI, surrounded by the city¡¯s darkness. Harmony nced sideways at the chat window. -We¡¯re screwed!!! -How does this even happen? How does this even happen? How does this even happen? -First time seeing someone get this during the tutorial LOL -HarmonySheIsTheGoddessOfBroadcasting! HarmonySheIsTheGoddessOfBroadcasting!!! -LMAO -Starting from the starting point sweet ???????? It was already a festive atmosphere. Just moments ago, some viewers were genuinely concerned about her safety, but what was this now? She frantically recalled her memory, but none of her acquaintances had mentioned anything about this. ¡­No. Maybe they had never experienced this, so they didn¡¯t say anything about it. Streamer Harmony could only conclude this. ¡°Uh, no. Can you tell me exactly what the big deal is? Should I just trust the party member?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to conclude since we don¡¯t know the situation yet.¡± ¡°See, even they say so.¡± -It¡¯s nothing much LOL Just think of it as adding PVP veterans to the enemies you¡¯ve encountered so far. ¡°¡­.¡± Forget what I just said. With just one donation line, Harmony instantly felt how deep in trouble she was. However, she was an experienced streamer, and without needing the backseat bell, she could extract useful information from the chat. The chat log was scrolling fast. She picked out only the noticeable information. And what Harmony decided to do was, ¡°That, the unauthorized zone is like an unlimited PVP zone. It usually clears within two hours, but there are many strong enemies¡­.¡± ¡°Anything else? The more data, the better.¡± ¡°¡­If you die here, you¡¯ll respawn at the starting point.¡± Through her best avable efforts, she conveyed the most useful information to the most trustworthy person. Of course, the chat was filled with question marks, but she didn¡¯t have time to worry about that. What¡¯s important about viewers who won¡¯t guarantee her survival? But she couldn¡¯tpletely abandon being a streamer, so she added softly, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll ring the backseat bell, so do something quickly. You guys don¡¯t really want to see my lousy y for six hours, do you?¡± -LOL true -But seriously, there¡¯s no way to survive;;; they¡¯ll scan the field thoroughly and find us anyway. -Even hiding in the subway, you¡¯d get massacred multiple times in two hours LOL -Gonna get instant noodles LOL -Even if I say avoid engagement, two hours is too long¡­. ¡°So we can¡¯t even reach HQ? We¡¯re almost there.¡± -If you get close to a safehouse or HQ during the unauthorized zone, you¡¯ll get shot by a machine gun LOL ¡°Damn it¡­.¡± They ran, walked, and sometimes moved stealthily. She checked the constantly updating map, but the lower Manhattan under Central Park had turnedpletely red. Just minutes ago, all the detailedndmarks and safehouses were reced with one word, unauthorized zone. The estimated clearance time was 1 hour and 40 minutes. ¡°¡­What do we do now?¡± Eventually, they headed back to the park they had passed earlier and hid among the supply boxes and containers. Harmony spoke first. But as always, Yoo Jin responded calmly. ¡°The risks associated withbat have be too high. But we can¡¯t avoid it¡­.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°¡­At least we should position ourselves in terrain that favors us.¡± Yoo Jin, who knew New York like her backyard, recalled past memories. Half-closed subway stations, rooftops of low-rise buildings,plex malls, ces where narrow paths and surprise attacks could be advantageous. Urban warfare in the mostmon ces of a metropolis was extraordinarilyplex and ever-changing. They had to fully utilize that. ©¤©¤©¤Click. ¡°Duck.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Harmony didn¡¯t question further. It was the right choice. Beyond the vaguely visible entrance, several drones and three individuals appeared. Heavily armed with state-of-the-art equipment, they constantly analyzed something, looking around as they patrolled. As the quadruped robot armed with a chain gun and grenadeuncher passed, the two finally sighed in relief. ¡°¡­What are those?¡± ¡°Artemis Technology¡­ a strike team with one Warhound and two Seekers. With our current weapons, we¡¯d be lucky to survive an engagement.¡± ¡°You seem to know a lot¡­?¡± No further words. Yoo Jin sent a squeeze signal, and Harmony cautiously stood up. ¡°There¡¯s a subway station to the west of the park. Let¡¯s head there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They looked around, checked the sound once more, and carefully stood up. With movements as careful as walking on thin ice, they treaded over the snow that had been lightly trampled by someone before.@@novelbin@@ Snowkes danced from the sky, and the wind howled, asionally filled with the irregr sound of metal friction. They passed a frozen fountain, crossed a street filled with broken taxis and cars, and walked quickly along the side of a building. However, ¡°¡­It¡¯spletely destroyed.¡± Therge ss canopy of the station entrance, which had once served various purposes, waspletely copsed, blocking the entrance. But there were plenty of subway stations around, and she immediately searched for another route. ¡°If we take the road facing the fountain, there¡¯s another station. I¡¯ll take the lead. Just stay vignt.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± So the two figures crossed the silence again. The surroundings were eerily quiet. Unlike a few minutes ago when there were sporadic sounds of gunfire, it felt more like the eye of a storm or a premonition rather than mere tranquility. Keeping an eye on both the path they hade from and the one they were heading to, the two-person party calmly moved toward their second objective. Unfortunately, the fangs of fate strike equally. -[Warning: Pulse Scan Detected.£Ý -[Armor Weakness Exposed. Position Identified by Hostile Personnel.£Ý ©¤©¤©¤Thump. ¡°Get down!¡± Thud. A powerful tackle knocked Harmony down. A split secondter, a blinding sh exploded where Yoo Jin had stepped. Despite the explosion, choking powder smoke, and body-crushing shockwave, Yoo Jin got up, relying on muscle memory. She grabbed the still-dazed Harmony by the neck with one hand, held her gun, and ran to find suitable cover, analyzing the cause of the explosion. The light thump. It was clearly the sound of a grenadeuncher. ¡°Get up and run if you¡¯re conscious!¡± ¡°¡­W-where to!?¡± ¡°The fountain!¡± The time gap between the shot and the explosion wasn¡¯t long. The enemies were closer than expected, and Yoo Jin pulled a grenade from her pouch, pulled the pin, and threw it roughly in the direction of the enemies. As the sh red and the explosion continued, the second and third grenades flew through it. Retracing their steps, they reached the fountain and slid into cover. ¡°Who the hell are those guys!?¡± ¡°A six-shot grenadeuncher! Provide suppressing fire! We can¡¯t just keep running, we need to lure them to another nearby station! Stick close when I signal!¡± ¡°How many stations are there around here!?¡± Sparks flew, fragments scattered, and powder smoke soared into the air. Quickly assessing the number of enemies and their armaments, she aimed through the red dot sight and shot the enemies¡¯ heads urately. Five heavily armed enemies. In a head-on fight, they¡¯d be overwhelmed with their current firepower. While shooting, she constantly assembled and dismantled numerous possibilities in her mind. But then, Yoo Jin saw something from the enemies. A white hexagon that suddenly appeared in the air to block bullets. A power granted only to ICARUS agents, now in their hands. That meant, ¡°They¡¯re Fallen!¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Hostile ICARUS operators!¡± They were yers. Whether they came intentionally to hunt them or decided to shoot everything in sight, ©¤©¤©¤Thump! ¡°Run!¡± With their ears ringing from the noise, they ran. Toward the nearby subway station entrance. -[They¡¯re running. Judging by their gear, they look like newbies?£Ý -[Since when did we care if they¡¯re newbies or veterans when shooting? Just think of it as weeding.£Ý -[No, idiot. I think they¡¯re doing the tutorial.£Ý -[So, who almost got their head blown off by tutorial yers?£Ý -[Maybe they got lucky and aimed well.£Ý -[They¡¯re heading into a nearby subway station?£Ý -[If they¡¯d run away, they might have survived. Let¡¯s just catch them. They¡¯ll learn not to hide thereter.£Ý -[Educator is here.£Ý -[Two entrances. We¡¯ll split up and enter. I¡¯ll check theyout and give further orders, so don¡¯t rush in.£Ý -[Okay.£Ý -[Confirmed.£Ý * * * Chapter 20 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Streamer Sub Gallery] [General] Harmony is a bitch, LOL [2025.08.XX, Upvotes 0, Downvotes 0, Views 76, Comments 8] How much of a buff does that party a*****e have? Mobs I¡¯ve never seen during the tutorial keep appearing endlessly, LOL [All Comments] [Sorted by Date] -- Hey, aren¡¯t thosending troops? How is she still alive????@@novelbin@@ ?[Author] For real, LOL ?The teammate in the party is a total beast, LOL, more like a tank driver than a bus driver. -It¡¯s so exciting to watch, LOL. I couldn¡¯t stopughing when she dropped the magazine and had to do push-upster. ?[Author] Totally agree. The teammate is creating so much great content. -Who cares about Harmony? Everyone¡¯s watching because of Yoo Jin, LOL ?Who¡¯s Yoo Jin? Is she a small-time streamer? ?[Author] That¡¯s the nickname of the girl in the party with her. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [General] Breaking News: Harmony totally destroyed, LOL [2025.08.XX, Upvotes 0, Downvotes 0, Views 119, Comments 7] Second home run ruined, LOL. Looks like she¡¯ll have to restart from Brooklyn in the middle of the night, right? [All Comments] [Sorted by Date] -Who actually gets caught by that, LOL -Can¡¯t even run away like a coward, LOL -Crazy bitch¡­ Crazy bitch¡­ Crazy bitch¡­ Crazy bitch¡­ ?Not a crazy bitch, just a fucked one, LOL -If the teammate carries this too, then she¡¯s truly insane. ?All they need to do is survive for two hours with a newbie streamer, sounds easy, LOL ?Pulling that shit in the Unauthorized Zone? Come on, even pros get shredded there if they¡¯re unlucky. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Here is blocked too. The tracks leading to other stations are all sealed. There aren¡¯t many ways out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Even though countless ces on Earth remained untouched by human hands, humanity chose density over expansion. As time passed, this tendency intensified. Humanity, having no morend to live on, began to open the sky and dig into the ground. And beneath seemingly normalnd, subways and underground shopping malls transporting countless people thrived. Bryant Park. This ce where I set foot was also filled with underground tunnels and subway stations connected like a spider¡¯s web. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I asked for understanding and immediately began to think. As I had done many times before, I detailed the necessary conditions to achieve a specific goal. First, I listed the major premises and then examined the conditions we faced. Five enemies. I had confirmed the grenadier. Assuming the operation of a typical small squad, there would be a squad leader, a machine gunner, and the remaining two would be riflemen. One of the riflemen would likely also serve as a designated marksman or sniper, but during the engagement, I had not seen anyone carrying a DMR or sniper rifle. There were three stairways in the station. The ground floor was the first floor, the second basement level had the gate and stairs leading to tforms on either side, and the third basement level was a tangle of tforms and various stores, essentially making it two levels intertwined without clear distinction. Considering standard squad operations, it was natural for at least two-man teams to move together in such aplex terrain. However, moving as a group of five was inefficient and dangerous. Therefore, it was highly likely that the five would split into two and three. ¡°No tripwires or anything like that¡­ How many grenades do we have left?¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°And magazines?¡± ¡°Five full ones and three half-used ones.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to reload now, so switch to new ones. Set your selectors to full auto.¡± Given the cover provided by structures like pirs and tforms supporting the ceiling, engagements would ur within a range of no more than 20 meters. With limited nano-machine data processing, this close range meant our current armament could deal sufficient, if not devastating, damage to the enemy. I also checked my equipment. Had the device not been so limited, I could have set up seeker mines remotely. Alright. I began a brief summary. ¡°You should have a rough memory of the undergroundyout.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve memorized some of it, but, um¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need all of it. I¡¯ll exin only the expected engagement points. This station has a rather unique structure.¡± There were two station entrances, one on each side of the road. Neither descended straight but bent at right angles, allowing those entering from either side to see each other. These paths converged and led to the gate. The entrance to the third basement level, leading to the tforms, was simrly structured, allowing people descending from opposite sides to see each other. When facing each other, the distance between them was approximately 25 meters. The difference was that the third basement level had a narrow downward path leading to the tform right beside the point where they could see each other. And¡­ ¡°Unless the enemies descend fully to the third basement level, we¡¯ll hide here, at the start of the right-angled path.¡± There were two paths: one each for the ascending and descending tform. The paths weren¡¯t entirely open; rather, they were closer to being enclosed. Thus, if we hid, there was no fear of being spotted from the opposite side. Puzzle pieces started to fit together in my mind. Our goal was to defeat them one by one. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°When they enter the curved entrance, at the point where they can see us¡­ Let¡¯s call it Point Alpha.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°The key is, when they enter Point Alpha, the distance between us and the enemies will be no more than four meters.¡± ¡°Then we just shoot all of them at Point Alpha?¡± ¡°Not exactly, but close.¡± Given the enemies¡¯ armament and armor, rushing into closebat could result in a counterattack. We needed to eliminate two for sure, then trap or pin down the remaining three. ¡°When they enter Point Alpha, I¡¯ll throw a grenade at the opposite entrance and charge at one of them.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One of the remaining will shoot at me, or will be about to.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°So when I charge, throw all the remaining grenades at them, and retreat up the path as fast as possible.¡± ¡°¡­ This is¡­¡± A brief silence. Our eyes met, and her gaze was one that would be directed at someone clearly insane. Yet, instead of stating it outright, the cat-eared user who introduced herself as Harmony asked, ¡°¡­Then how will Yoo Jin survive?¡± ¡°Well, simply put, the enemies make excellent shields.¡± By that, I meant using the enemies as literal meat shields. So¡­ ¡°Yoo Jin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It might be rude to ask, but who exactly are you?¡± Ah, well. Someone who¡¯s been through a lot of¡­ various things. I pulled out a small EMP generator from my multi-purpose pocket. Fiddling with it as my body remembered, I pressed a few buttons, and it began emitting a pulse with a small sound. Naturally, her eyes, filled with curiosity about what it was, turned to me. [EMP attack detected. Device functionality andmunication bandwidth reduced.] [From now on, only short-rangemunication and teammunication are avable.] [ICARUSbat support equipment CSAG unavable.] ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the local EMP generator I received during character creation.¡± I hid it in a corner of the wall where the enemies wouldn¡¯t find it and turned off the UI, which was gradually bing noisier, adding, ¡°Either we or those five won¡¯t get out of here alive.¡± ¨C EMP attack detected. ¡°¡­EMP? What do they have?¡± ¡°It must be an EMP grenade.¡± ¡°The status effect isn¡¯t clearing. If it was a grenade, it would clear soon.¡± EMP. Also known as electromaic pulse, since its introduction into the game, it had been the leading cause of user frustration and rage. It disrupted everything from ammo count disys and maps toplete lockdowns of variousbat support equipment, also known as skills. That very thing, which only appeared in high-level content, was here. ¡°This isn¡¯t clearing. We¡¯re screwed. Can¡¯t even see squadmates on the map.¡± ¡°Could one of those two have an EMP generator?¡± ¡°They say the reason for the Unauthorized Zone is because of jammer imports, so maybe it¡¯s that. Let¡¯s focus.¡± But thems, noisy due to the EMP, quieted down again at the squad leader¡¯s voice. Five members with X-marked revolver patches on their shoulders moved swiftly, splitting into two and three, and entered the subway station through two entrances. Task Force Desperado-019. In Dark Zone, five members could form a task force, a small group, and then add suitable words and numbers to create their own team. This team was gradually gaining recognition through their activities on the world¡¯srgest video upload site, Yourspace. ¡°See anything?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s frustrating not being able to use close-range scans.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s capture those two and then find and disable any jammers. Any objections?¡± ¡°None.¡± The five, meeting again at the entrance leading underground, passed the deactivated gate and faced another split entrance. There was no significant problem with either path. They stopped and guarded the area, awaiting orders. ¡°We¡¯ll split as we did earlier. The riflemen and grenadier will take the left, and I¡¯ll go with the machine gunner to the right.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for all five to push through?¡± ¡°The path is too narrow for five to shoot effectively, and friendly fire or mass casualties are possible.¡± ¡°There are only two enemies, though¡­ Alright, I get it.¡± Though not professional, the five movedpetently, splitting into their respective teams and signaling. With a click, they set their selectors to full auto and began descending the stairs in a tight, controlled manner. ¡°To avoid friendly fire, the machine gunner and I will descend first here. You enter from the opposite side at the same time.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Swish. The sound of boots meeting thending, and the sound of clothing rustling against each other. Only the faint sounds of breathing and heartbeats could be heard in the eerie silence as the machine gunner, armed with an Mk.48 LWMG, entered the right-angled stairway. Unlike the rtively lit second basement level, the third basement level was closer toplete darkness. With each step, their visibility narrowed. ¡°¡­¡± Maintaining high-ready positions to prevent immediate response and friendly fire, the squad leader followed the machine gunner at a one-meter distance. Unknown terrain began to reveal itself. ¡®¡­ A path turning to the right? Is there one on the opposite side too?¡¯ But now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that. The path split. ording to prior drills, the machine gunner would cover the right turn, and the squad leader would cover straight ahead. Though it was a bit troublesome not to be able to watch the rear, it was manageable by checking more frequently. In theory, it was an impable entry. Except, they didn¡¯t know who they were up against. ©¤Click! ¡°Ugh!¡± Bang! A heavy sound, never heard in Dark Zone before, echoed through the dark third basement level. The squad leader¡¯s vision, narrowed by looking through the half-broken holographic sight due to the EMP, widened rapidly as they realized what had happened. All they saw was something from the right path rushing at the machine gunner at an incredible speed. ©¤Boom! Meanwhile, a grenade exploded with a sh at the entrance to the opposite stairway where the other three should have beening down. The chaos and sessive events caused the aim to waver, scattering thoughts. But the squad leader, hardened by years of Dark Zone y, recognized a solid object rolling to their feet by sound alone. ¡®¡­!¡¯ RGD-5. Looking down, they saw three Russian fragmentation grenades, pins and safety clips all removed, lying at their feet. However, before they could fully process this, the machine gunner¡¯s body flew towards them, filling their vision. Bang. The heavy pressure felt all over their body made them lose control. When their vision went ck, all they could faintly feel was someone running past them up the stairs. And. ©¤Thud! ¡°Excuse me.¡± When they came to, both the machine gunner and the squad leader were on their knees, facing a grenade, held by someone whose face they hadn¡¯t even seen. The tremendous force from their necks and the pulling power they couldn¡¯t resist. The owner of that immense strength, used the machine gunner and the squad leader as meat shields, holding them tightly together. All this happened before the typical four-second dy for a fragmentation grenade to explode. They couldn¡¯t understand what had happened, but there was no need for further words. ¡°No, what the hell©¤©¤©¤¡± A sh, and the two were expelled to the grey screen signifying death. With a nonsensical warning that they were killed by a party member in hardcore mode, losing their equipment ownership. * * * Chapter 21 ©¤©¤©¤!! [Nanomachines consumption rate: 87%. Estimated recovery time: 25 seconds.] ¡°¡­Haa.¡± A deafening explosion and the thick smell of gunpowder rising in the darkness. Two people wearing tactical vests over te carriers filled with high-performance bulletproof tes. Even so, it was not enough to fully offset the firepower from the simultaneous explosion of three grenades. The shockwave shook the entire third basement floor, with fragments and stone pieces rebounding off the walls. Despite the fragments prating bodies and hitting the walls, the lethality remained potent. I almost got blown back, but¡­ I survived. It might have seemed like a huge gamble, but having experienced simr situations a few times before, and with very little information on the enemy, it was better to ensure the enemy was dealt with, even if it meant putting myself in danger. In that sense¡­ it wasn¡¯t apletely bad idea. The two who had blocked the grenades with their bodies had stopped moving entirely. I threw aside the bodies I was holding, grabbed the gun slung on my gun sling, and aimed at the opposite entrance. While keeping my aim steady, I responded to the crackling inte. ¡°¡­Hey, are you alive? You didn¡¯t die, right¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine¡­ If you¡¯re still nearby, check if there are any enemies approaching from the opposite entrance as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Ah, I was about to go up there, but they started shooting¡­ I¡¯m lying down at the entrance to the second basement level, watching.¡± My slightly loosened mental state tightened back up. The red dot from the dot sight, faintly glowing, continued to aim at the opposite entrance. Four seconds had passed since the grenade detonated, and the preconditions and questions that needed confirmation to achieve the tactical objective started to emerge again. Three enemies remained. Their position was likely the opposite staircase¡­ but not certain. I had two grenades left. Two targets were neutralized¡­ one appeared to be a machine gunner, the other seemed to be a rifleman for now. If they had grid reference guides (GRG) or other items, there was a high probability one was a squad leader, but that was currently unconfirmed. Overall, the situation didn¡¯t seem to have changed much. ording to risk assessment, the most critical situation to avoid was the enemy escaping to the second basement level, which Harmony¡¯s lone firepower couldn¡¯t prevent. Therefore, I acted quickly before the enemy could regroup and escape. I gave a simple order. ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to hit the enemy from behind now, so no matter what, prevent them from getting out of the staircase.¡± ¡°How do I do that¡­?¡± ¡°Shoot anyone who tries toe out.¡± One thing I learned from numerous experiences was that when allies had littlebat experience, I needed to give them simple and straightforward roles and objectives. The preparations were done. Now it was time for CQB. I checked my remaining ammunition and cautiously walked down the stairs, keeping my aim steady. I felt the weight of the trigger under my fingertip. Asplete darkness enveloped me, I carefully checked each corner and hallway, not letting my guard down. It was possible that while I endured the grenade¡¯s aftermath, one might havee down to the third basement level to establish a bridgehead and solidify the defense line. During this, urgentmunications came through. ©¤©¤©¤Tatata! ¡°Yoo Jin, they¡¯re shooting!¡± I heard at least two gunshots. Though she said that, it seemed like she was also returning fire, so I didn¡¯t respond separately. As I moved forward, maintaining stealth, the number of footsteps and voices increased. Several times, the shes from the rear guards¡¯ shlights burned through the darkness, but the cover provided by a soda vending machine and a toppled trash can was always effective. In other words, there were many ces to hide. The firefight intensified. No matter how much Harmony shot, the enemy would soon realize that there was only one person marking them, unless they were fools. I had to finish it before they forced their way out of the staircase. ¡°¡­.¡± Noise and light were always enough to divert people¡¯s vignce. Fortunately, the firefight Harmony was engaging in seemed to have sufficiently suppressed the enemy¡¯s awareness of the possibility of a rear attack. Taking advantage of this, I reached the other descent route. The distance to the enemy was roughly 6 meters. However, the subtle angle of the wall and the thick darknessrgely concealed my presence. The sound and frequency of lead bullets raining down grew stronger. Harmony¡¯s voice on the inte grew louder and more intense, indicating that the enemy was preparing to break through to the second basement level. That would not be allowed. ©¤©¤©¤Click! The refreshing sound of a pin being pulled was soon drowned out by the roar of bullets. About two seconds of cooking. Then I threw it hard so it would bounce off the L-shaped entryway wall. Because much of it was obscured by the wall, I couldn¡¯t see what kind of expressions the three waiting at the top of the stairs had¡­ But surely, they weren¡¯t good expressions. ©¤©¤©¤©¤!! The earth-shaking explosion was my start signal. Kicking off the floor, I sprang forward like a spring. I leapt up the stairs filled with shattered concrete fragments in one go, Aiming my muzzle at the blurry figures in the smoke. The selector was set to auto. Thunderous noise shook the air. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Tududududu! It took about two seconds to fire all 31 rounds. As thest shell ejected and bounced off the chamber, I began reloading, finishing just as the shell hit the ground. The slight recoil transmitted through the trigger and stock, and the muzzle sh wildly obscuring the dot sight. All these elements brought back old memories. ¡°Damn it, what the hell is this!¡± I heard an enemy¡¯s voice filled with rage beyond the gunpowder smoke. At the same time, I took cover behind the wall. Just then, dozens of lead bullets flew past where I had been standing. It seemed they weren¡¯t fully neutralized yet. But remembering what my body had learned, I picked up the remaining grenade, pulled the pin, and waited. Then, I threw it. It flew over the L-shaped wall. I wondered what the enemies thought seeing it fly towards them. Of course, I didn¡¯t care. ©¤©¤©¤©¤! The familiar heavy shockwave enveloped me from head to toe and spread in all directions. I exchanged magazines and waited a little longer this time. Until the smokepletely cleared. After a while, I nced beyond the wall. Two of them werepletely dead, and one was barely clinging to life, quietly awaiting the end. Whether he had the strength to lift his gun or not, thest survivory on the stairs, right hand on his belly, staring at me. I cautiously stepped out, keeping my aim steady. Our eyes met. ¡°Seriously, sir. Killing a fully armed five-man squad in one minute¡­ seriously, wow¡­¡± ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°No, I mean, even a pro¡­ I never imagined something like this in three years of ying this game, seriously¡­.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bang. Without hesitation, I aimed between his eyes and pulled the trigger. I nudged thepletely lifeless body with my foot, flipping it over. The heavy impact reverberated through the staircase. I watched the fragments scattering and disappearing into the nanomachine barrier on my legs and tail, and muttered softly. ¡°You should have thrown it yourself.¡± A grenade in his right hand, held against his belly. It might have been an effective way to take someone down with him, but his right hand movement was too obvious¡­ And there were three things here that could cover a grenade. Leaving the corpse blown away by the explosion behind, I habitually checked my remaining ammunition. Not much left. Emptying two magazines in full auto in an instant had taken a toll. Killing the Fallen was a pretty cheap price to pay, but, At this point, without ess to the nearby ammunition depots, ammo was very precious. What should I do? While I was pondering that, ¡°Yoo Jin, are you okay!?¡± ¡°Shouting out right after the situation ends, you have some guts.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­.¡± It¡¯s fine. We¡¯d been in a firefight until just now, and used several grenades, so there¡¯s no need to worry about it now. I took a deep breath, savoring the thick gunpowder smoke that now filled the air. The scent of death filling my lungs was terribly familiar. But as always, I erased any associated emotions and treated it as just another duty. I turned off the EMP generator that had been discreetly hidden and put it back into the multi-purpose pouch. Meanwhile, she seemed to have grown quite ustomed to it, carefully keeping watch around us as she cautiously approached me. She looked like she had a lot to ask. But Harmony held back for a moment and cautiously added. ¡°¡­Should I keep watching the area?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t time to rx yet. I started rummaging through the bodies while she kept watch at the entrance and began asking me questions one by one. ¡°We got all five of them, right?¡± ¡°Technically, you got two, I got three. There are no reinforcements, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± It seemed that wasn¡¯t really what she wanted to ask. As I kept silent, she spoke up again. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what happened. From the opposite entrance, things just kept blowing up, there were screams, gunshots, ugh¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll debrief after we survive. I found something good.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I said that, I carefully separated the intact grenadeuncher and the four grenade pouches tied around the waist, despite being caught in the explosion. I scanned them with my eyes and shared the recognized weapon information via data pairing to my teammate. While Harmony, who was on guard, kept shaking her head as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she saw, I called out to her. ¡°W-What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good item that will solve ourck of firepower.¡± Milco Mk.14 Mod.0 - Revolver-type six-shot grenadeuncher. As I meticulously attached the pouches to her tactical rig, I added with a rare smile. ¡°Are you ready to be an explosion maniac?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Dark Zone Sub Gallery] [General] It¡¯s Over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [2025.08.XX Rmendations 98 Dislikes 2 Views 1793 Comments 77] I met two newbies at Bryant Park and thought I¡¯d give them a taste of spicy but got wrecked without being able to do anything, lol Later heard that the squad leader and machine gunner died being used as grenade shields First time I¡¯ve been smashed so thoroughly in a game¡­ hands are shaking so bad I can¡¯t even edit the video right now¡­. How the hell do you wipe out a fully armed squad in just one minute, seriously what¡¯s that person¡¯s deal? I was so shocked I didn¡¯t even catch the nickname And the craziest part is that the person who wiped out our squad is a hardcore yer Who the hell is that with such crazy skills? Doesn¡¯t seem human? We couldn¡¯t even think of debriefing for 20 minutes, just kept discussing with the team, lol Dark Zone is a damn crazy game Didn¡¯t know if you die in hardcore PVP, you lose item ownership? Just found out now [Allments] [By order] Wow, damn, that y was amazing That¡¯s why I don¡¯t do PVP, damn, all sorts of crazies keeping out Recoil control, grenades, reloading, all maxed out, what kind of hardcore y is this, damn, that¡¯s a sickness at that level ?[Author] ????????????????????? ?This guy doesn¡¯t think getting hit and writing this post is real? This¡­ tactical? This¡­ tactical? This¡­ tactical? This¡­ tactical? This¡­ tactical? This¡­ tactical? Dark Zone is yed like this¡­ did only I not know? ?I didn¡¯t know either ????????? ying the game like this would be crazy fun¡­ crazy¡­ crazy¡­. How good is that if you just bought the game recently? Pro gamer level? ?Even the best pros wouldn¡¯t be able to handle a 1:5 in an unauthorized zone PVP ?Are you crazy? There are so many good yers out there, how can you judge like that?@@novelbin@@ The sure thing is, if you put a hardcore tag on a pro, the match won¡¯tst 20 minutes ?? No matter how much you cry, what can¡¯t be done, can¡¯t be done, man¡­. Observation Point) That was done during the HQ tutorial ?Really? Damn, is that a human ?????????????? ?Too absurd to even speak, wow ?It¡¯s obviously a damn fake, and people still fall for it? Cool, jeez But one person is almost just a sideshow? Only that snake-tail person is flying around ?? ?I find it more surprising that the sideshow survived ??? Thinking about it, that¡¯s true Damn, why cut it off so tantalizingly, hurry and upload to Yourspace!!!!! This author, are you not promoting? ?[Author] Will get permission from the person and upload quickly¡­ please wait a bit So, is that person a guy or a girl? The avatar looks hot though ?As long as the taste is good ?? Crazy¡­ crazy¡­ crazy¡­. I really hate snakes, but that seems? Okay? Somehow? My interest is piqued, so it¡¯s a girl ?? Damn, you idiots . . . . Wow! You know Harmony¡¯s broadcast! It¡¯s really fun! Chapter 22 The tutorial in the Dark Zone was hard. It was an opinion shared by the majority of the millions of users worldwide, with a concurrent yer count reaching 15 million daily.@@novelbin@@ Apart from the goal of reaching a specific location, the only things given were a dozen magazines, a rifle, a pistol, and a few grenades. Enemies fired bullets at everything they encountered as they walked through the winds wrapping around buildings and the silently umting snow. Breaking through all of that with just one or two people was beyond difficult; it imparted a sense of solitude, as if walking through a dead world alone. Therefore, many people shared their thoughts on it, sometimes iming they had ovee tougher challenges than others and engaging inpetitions. Moreover, discussions on what conditions would make the journey most difficult and whether it was realistically possible were frequently held. However, one thing was certain, ¡°Are we all going to get annihted? The re is too conspicuous.¡± ¡°Stopining and calcte the expectednding position of the grenade.¡± ¡°Ugh, this person is so scary¡­!¡± No matter who it was, joining a party with a hardcore user made it much easier than Harmony, who had embraced a fantastic bundle of conditions. * There were various ways to obtain firearms in the Dark Zone. Generally, one could buy new firearms with in-game currency, credits,plete missions to obtain gun blueprints, stockpile materials to craft them, or enter the Dark Zone, which was both a contaminated area and a location, open weapon cases, obtain firearms, and safely escape. These were the methods allowed for regr users. However, whether it was out of the game¡¯s minimal conscience or not, hardcore users didn¡¯t need to do that. To be more precise, in addition to the many methods listed above, there was another method. That method was looting, literally. It was simple but powerful, making everyone, not just enemies but even users, exceptions to them. For that very reason, ©¤©¤©¤Boom! -[re confirmed. We will send a helicopter for material transport. ETA, 3 minutes.£Ý These two had picked up so many things that, instead of hiding until the Unauthorized Zone was lifted, they were openly wandering outside. A small, bright red sun rose in the dark sky. Floating leisurely in the air and slowly burning, it soon incinerated itself and disappearedpletely, but the enemies drawn to it like moths proved that it was not the end but the beginning of a new incident through their presence. In other words, ¡°S&S Precision te Frame, wrist monitor for MP7, drone bag¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Who are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re drone operators from Artemis Technology¡¯s PMC. Crazy bastards who spend over $3,000 on drones just to kill people.¡± ¡°The gun that person is holding¡­ it looks small and decent. It seems convenient to carry around.¡± ¡°Really? If their equipment is intact after being hit by a grenade, we¡¯ll transport all of it.¡± If they could catch them, those guys were walking golden goblins. And because of partying with a hardcore user, they wereing in a considerable variety, not just one. The fortunate thing was, ©¤©¤©¤Thud thud thud! ¡°What the, why are they fighting each other?¡± ¡°They¡¯re hostile to each other.¡± Russian amphibious infantry and PMC hired by a drone manufacturingpany. One side was invaders from a foreign country, and the other was surviving through natural selection in a situation half-destroyed by a pandemic. It was a situation and position where they couldn¡¯t help but regard each other as enemies. Watching this from a second-floor balcony of a nearby building, the two cautiously poked their heads out to observe the outside situation. The steadily decreasing countdown and the sound of rotors approaching from afar. There were no enemies heading toward them yet, but it wasn¡¯t a situation to rx. Harmony nced at Yoo Jin, her eyes rolling. ¡°I can hear your eyeballs rolling.¡± ¡°Oh, did you catch that? Ehehe.¡± ¡°Take a little rest. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the outside.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡± Haa. Though it wasn¡¯t actually cold, the world inside the Dark Zone was cold. Turning her back on the breath exhaled in a handful, Harmony finally snapped out of her immersion and realized she was a streamer. The chat window and viewer count, which had been turned off for a while due to numerousbat situations, were turned on again. As she popped them up, she started thinking about what excuse to give her viewers. Of course, reality was far from her expectations. -Ignoring donations? The game seems fun, huh? Ignoring donations? The game seems fun, huh? Ignoring donations? The game seems fun, huh? ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m sorry. I was so out of it that I didn¡¯t even know who donated how much¡­ Heek, why are there so many people now!?¡± 10,513. The number next to the red button indicating the stream was ON was clearly five digits, not four, and not starting with a 5. Double. The number of viewers suddenly flooding the stream was double the usual fixed number of viewers when the stream started. No matter how you look at it, this was an unexpected situation. However, looking at the slowly shing red dot and the five-digit number next to it, she gradually calmed down. The number of viewers could increase or decrease for various reasons, and Harmony had already spent quite a long time in the broadcasting industry. What mattered was not being swayed by the numbers but not losing her pace. She cleared her throat and cautiously soothed the angry viewers. ¡°¡­As you all know, the situation right now is a bit tricky. We¡¯re caught in some ce called the Unauthorized Zone, so I¡¯ll check everything at the end of the stream.¡± -In-game, even if you meet King Sejong, you can¡¯t react! Got it? ¡°Thank you, Tampopo, for the 10,000 won¡­ I¡¯m sorry. But isn¡¯t it worse to react and then get shot in the head and have to start over?¡± -Shocking) A streamer who reacts to donations after 40 minutes!?!?!???!!?!?!? -Absolute exnation needed -Please, sis, ask the teammate if they¡¯re hardcore, just once, please!!!!! -Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore! -Seriously, what does that party member do? Please ask, it¡¯s driving me crazy, hahaha -Carrying this? Human GOTY, right? -Is Yoo Jin a god? Is Yoo Jin a god? Is Yoo Jin a god? Is Yoo Jin a god? The chat was pouring in like a waterfall. Reading them quietly, she began to understand why the viewer count had surged. In short, it was because of the user named Yoo Jin, who had partied with her, that people were going crazy in all directions. But upon closer inspection, there werements and donations rmended and still visible at the top. As she focused on them, they yed automatically. The first was a donation from an hour ago. -Sis, quickly ask the teammate if they¡¯re hardcore. The enemies appearing now are no joke!! Here, too. -Today¡¯s living tip) Hardcore users encounter enemies as strong as amphibious infantry even in the tutorial, and this applies in party y. What this means is you partied with a hardcore user, and you¡¯re on the brink ofplete destruction. There, too. Everyone was almost neurotic about the hardcore topic. It was only a matter of time before Harmony¡¯s heart plummeted. Her mind turned towards Yoo Jin like a rusty machine. ¡°Excuse me, sir¡­?¡± ¡°Have you finished your task?¡± ¡°By any chance, what¡¯s your calibration?¡± The mint and blue eyes met. However, thetter casually replied while setting up the machine gun. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I touched, but it said calibration procedure and slider omitted, and hardcore mode auto-set. Does that answer your question?¡± ¡°¡­Ack.¡± Feeling as if the world was darkening before her eyes, Harmony flopped down on the spot. ¡­Wait a minute. ¡®Come to think of it, doesn¡¯t it matter much¡­?¡¯ Whether they were a hardcore user or not, without that user, wouldn¡¯t they have embraced the cold Manhattan pavement several times by now? Moreover, looking at the chat in more detail, it seemed they wouldn¡¯t face such enemies forever. Although forcibly awakened to an inconvenient truth by the viewers, her stance hadn¡¯t changed much. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re back to your senses, let¡¯s get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thunk. The sound of a metal railing and the forward Picatinny rail of the grenadeuncher scraping mixed into the winter wind. As the sound of the propeller grew louder without needing to strain to listen, bullets rained towards a helicopter flying overhead with shing lights. -[We¡¯ve detected numerous bad guys in the hovering zone. The jamming is strong, so we can¡¯t stay for long. It would be great if you could clear them all before then.£Ý Watching such a chaotic scene from a construction site tens of meters away were the two. Just a slight twist of the wrist caused the trajectory to move slightly. A hologram showing the trajectory and expected impact point of the grenade and the estimated st radius kept shing in front of Harmony¡¯s eyes. A 15-meter radius kill zone. Confirming that two enemies were precisely within that range, she gently squeezed the trigger that was heavily set. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! The explosion, a mixture of mes, dust, and screams, erupted in the middle of the city. Then, over the percussive sound pounding her chest directly, Yoo Jin started pouring bullets like rain at a rate of 700 rounds per minute. The enemies gathered at the extraction point were in utter confusion, falling in droves or getting caught in explosions. After confirming there were no more grenades loaded, Harmony harshly pushed the handle to the right and raised the muzzle. As the six shells fell to the ground with a metallic clink, she flipped it half a turn, opened the grenade pouch, and loaded six grenades into the cylinder with mechanical movements before winding the spring and repeating the mounting and targeting. Next to her, the relentless suppressing fire continued, the barrel glowing red-hot. Even the enemies hiding behind cover untouched by the 7.62mm NATO rounds fell one by one to precise grenade shots. Among all this, Harmony felt a peculiar emotion. ¡®This is, something¡­.¡¯ The explosions and mes shing over the darkened city. People flying around like cut-string dolls with each trigger pull. The continuous tingling of gunfire in her ears. The perfect synchronization without any verbalmunication¡­. By the time the light shock, like being hit with a hammer, on her shoulder didn¡¯t bother her, Harmony finally began to feel the grenadeuncher was hers. A small smile spread like ink over her lips. In this moment, she had found her match. * * * Chapter 25 I pressed the keyboard buttons and clicked the mouse. My gaze didn¡¯t leave the screen as I simted in my mind how the ovepping cuts would look. I clicked the y button and checked if each part, from a few seconds to several minutes long, flowed smoothly. I made sure that the sound of any part wasn¡¯t excessively loud. I ensured that the asional memes I inserted to prevent boredom weren¡¯t awkward. I checked if I didn¡¯t emphasize the wrong parts. Editing based on the given video was somewhat simr to the rtionship between ingredients and a chef. Ingredients could be delicious as they were, but a chef would cook them to be more ptable and serve them to customers, just like an editor provided cleaner and better-looking videos to viewers. However, some days were particrly tricky. Today, Harmony¡¯s editor, Luddite, defined himself as being in the most burdensome situation of his few years as an editor. ¡°¡­What on earth did you do in the Dark Zone?¡± Every hour, every minute, every second was literally legendary. Considering that one of an editor¡¯s tasks was to provide summaries for busy viewers who couldn¡¯t watch live broadcasts, a broadcast so rich and full that editing it itself was tricky could lead to bacsh if not handled carefully. He had epted the extra money and pledged his loyalty, but¡­. ¡°Damn it.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but stop editing and pick up his phone. Despite there being only three members in the group chat of Harmony¡¯s editors, the message count had surpassed 300+ as they conversed and shared information. It seemed others were in simr situations. ¨C [Rubin: No matter how I think about it, I can¡¯t fit this into four 10-minute videos????£Ý ¨C [Rubin: £ÀLuddite£Ý ¨C [Rubin: How¡¯s your estimate, Luda-nim? Even if it¡¯s short, it seems like each will be 20 minutes£Ý ¨C [Luddite: I¡¯m handling the introduction part of the narrative£Ý ¨C [Luddite: If I cut everything unnecessary, it¡¯s 15 minutes, and if it¡¯s to be smooth, around 22-25 minutes¡­.£Ý ¨C [Luddite: Even if we end at the party formation£Ý ¨C [Waltz: More importantly, who is this Yoo Jin?£Ý ¨C [Waltz: I¡¯m editing the part from after the party formation to the entry into the unauthorized zone, and wow, is this person an expert in small unit tactics?£Ý ¨C [Waltz: No one else can even show their face in the Dark Zone now??;;£Ý ¨C [Rubin: For real??£Ý Indeed, it was true. Editors for Harmony, who positioned themselves as general game streamers, needed to be knowledgeable about the games she yed, and the Dark Zone was one of them. Frankly, there was no game they were more passionate about than the Dark Zone. Everyone had the same reaction. Whoever this Yoo Jin, who partied with their employer, was¡­ they couldn¡¯t help but wonder what on earth this person had done. Even the editors wanted to stop their work and immediately ask Harmony, though their instinct was firmly held back by the understanding that it was ethically wrong and that she probably wouldn¡¯t know either. ¨C [Luddite: Anyway, everyone, our boss sent us a few gifticons for caffeinated drinks, so let¡¯s use them and work today£Ý ¨C [Luddite: No one can escape here until it¡¯s finished£Ý ¨C [Waltz: ?? Is editing driving us crazy?£Ý ¨C [Rubin: She gave me the toughest part, damn it??£Ý ¨C [Luddite: But you guys have more time. I have to finish and send it by today or tomorrow;;£Ý ¨C [Rubin: ?? That¡¯s true£Ý Everyone had a simr workload and difficulty level. For now, Luddite had the hardest time because of the time constraints. Still, chatting with each other seemed to boost their efficiency a bit. With the message window open on one monitor, he refocused on editing. On one side of his desk, three caffeinated drinks bought with Harmony¡¯s gifticons were already piled up, half of which had gone into his stomach. The hour and minute hands moved closer and then apart again as the night deepened. Their day was just beginning. There is a term called trigger happy. As the name suggests, it refers to people who find satisfaction and happiness from pulling the trigger, that is, from shooting. Looking back at my four-year past, these people were rare but asionally seen. To be exact, it should be said they were seen. While some felt satisfaction from shooting targets, those who felt satisfaction from putting lead into people¡­ were either crazy or mercenaries, and such people usually died quickly. However, after spending a long time in apletely different ce¡­ where human life was as cheap as bullets, even people who normally didn¡¯t change easily, changed. Specifically, my hobbies and ways of finding peace of mind changedpletely. ©¤©¤©¤!! Moving targets. Stationary targets. Targets hiding behind non-targets. All of these had to be subdued as quickly as possible, with a handful of tactical maneuvers in between. The only things to trust were my judgment, reflexes, dynamic vision, and muscle memory. Engagements were fast, fast, and fast. With the mindset to finish all engagements before entering a room, I pulled the trigger, reloaded when out of ammo, and switched to a secondary weapon if jammed. Among countless methods and types, this was practical shooting. Ah, pain. As you never leave me, I havee to respect you ¨C like a verse from a Francis Jammes poem, Eventually, I stoppedbeling this as pain and integrated it into my life. Thus, even though war and gunfire hadpletely left my life, I found peace of mind through this process that had be part of my life. ¡­Even if I seemed crazy, I couldn¡¯t deny it. In my mind, I could only offer the excuse that maybe it was unavoidable in that situation. Anyway, it had been two days since I started this game. Of course, in real-time. Since the in-game and real-time differed, I had to rify this. So, if I were to give a brief review of the game¡­ there wasn¡¯t much. The only thing I noticed while wandering around was that there were many users? Frankly, any feelings about it ended after a few hours. Seeing avatars with all sorts of body colors ¨C silver hair and red eyes, silver hair and blue eyes, white hair, and all sorts of avatars wearing tactical gear made my head spin. If there was someone else from my world, they would probably go crazy seeing this. In the meantime, I felt a gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t just stay there,e out.¡± ¡­It seemed the streamer I was with yesterday was quite famous.@@novelbin@@ Even yesterday, some finely sculpted-looking people greeted me saying they enjoyed the broadcast when I went to register as an operator, and some proposed doing the main mission together. A delicate, slender girl who looked like she couldn¡¯t fire a shot peeked her face out from behind a wall and smiled brightly. Just knowing that her appearance and substance were different made me lose my appetite. ¡°Ah, sorry. I, um, enjoyed your broadcast!¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch it if you streamter!¡± Then she vanished. I was a bit taken aback by her type, but she was still one of the better people I¡¯d met in-game. However, what I noticed over the past two days was that I was asked surprisingly often if I streamed. Whether it was because the game was famous or for some other reason, I didn¡¯t know¡­. Anyway, my body loosened up as I walked around the kill house. I thought about doing a mission next as I stood up. But, ¨C [Kill House Training Area ¨C Alpha Sector Cleared.£Ý ¨C [Time Taken = 1:03:41. // Time Attack Ranking Updated.£Ý ¨C [Currently, Username: Eugene is ranked (3).£Ý ¡°¡­This makes mepetitive.¡± The thought of trying something else melted away like snow at the sight of the ranking window. Today, all time attackers are done for. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [General£ÝLive) Hearing the time attackers cry ?? The rankings you desire!!!!! The time attacks you set!!!! Absolutely!!!!! You can¡¯t maintain them, gamers???????????? [All Comments£Ý[Chronological Order£Ý ¨C What the hell is this???? ?[Author£ÝWhat else? It¡¯s the sound of time attackers being ruined ?????? ¨C It¡¯s good to see the guys who always hang around shooting ranges trying to set records get wrecked ?? ¨C Obviously, it¡¯s either a fabrication or a hack~ Seeing them drool and tear at this shows the level of this gallery?? This is why they say the concept articles are trash ?Wee, the Yudong Knights who guard Dark Gallery instead of living real lives ?? ?Having nothing to say, so you can¡¯t refute and just call us Yudong Knights? Typical Dark Gallery standard ?[Author£ÝIs this¡­ the average of time attackers???? ¨C How on earth did they cut 1st ce by a minute? Are they really insane? ? For real, the position and target locations change every time, so I quit ¨C Isn¡¯t that the crazy person who soloed a fully armed 5-person partyst time? ?What¡¯s that, you bitch ?Why curse?? ?Sorry ?What¡¯s going on?????????So cute, idiots * * * Chapter 27 ©¤©¤©¤Buuuuuu¡­. ¡°Ah, this is too bumpy¡­.¡± ¡°Military vehicles are always like this. Just hang in there a little longer.¡± We were on our way to the UN General Assembly in the UTV. The death of a densely popted metropolis left behind immense remnants and proceeded quietly. Literally, only traces of people who once lived remained intact. And among the most easily found were the numerous car graveyards, just a few blocks from Central Park HQ. With no one left to drive them, and even the fuel siphoned off, they were left abandoned on the roadside, closer to intricate scrap metalbinations than actual cars. In short, they were discarded trash, perhaps still useful. But to us, speeding toward our mission site in a high-mobility vehicle, they were just enormous obstacles scattered everywhere. Thanks to that, our route was aplete mess, resulting in the reaction of the little mint-colored cat beside me. I had moments like that too, once. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Gradually reducing speed, we approached a building standing alone by the riverside, surrounded by structures resembling public offices. In the old days, such vehicle support was unimaginable¡ªmainly due to noise issues¡ªbut it seemed that in this game, user convenience was prioritized. From the fact that the fast travel function was unlocked once you reached an area, it seemed likely. After braking and suitably concealing the vehicle, I surveyed the surroundings near the building entrance. ording to the drones scouting around¡­. ¡°Enemies are all over the ce.¡± ¡°Ah, those guys¡­.¡± ¡°Do you know something about them?¡± ¡°They appeared at the start.¡± No special armor, no good guns, not particrly good fighters¡ªjust ordinary escaped prisoners and loosely organized gangs. For some reason, they had upied the UN General Assembly and made it their stronghold. In other words, to activate thework node in the basement, we had to break through all of them. -[Mission: UN General Assembly // Rmended Party Size: 4] -[Neutralize the gang upying the center and reactivate the ICARUSwork node in the basement.] ¡°But it says the rmended party size is four¡­.¡± ¡°If it gets too tough, we can recruit two more. You¡¯re a streamer, so it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find people.¡± ¡°Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to be.¡± -Are they really letting us join the stream??? -They really don¡¯t care about appearing on the broadcast lol -This is the coolest guy I¡¯ve seen recently lol -Much better than clingy people wanting to join the stream lol this is how it should be -Most missions rmend four people for a reason, and she¡¯ll find out why soon The donation made me uneasy. Harmony briefly pondered what to do but quickly made a decision, thinking it wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Thank you for the 4,000 won donation, PleaseOnlyBonelessChicken. We¡¯ll try a few times, and if it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll recruit two more people using the random join function and push through quickly. Not sure if I¡¯ll stream it, but¡­.¡± Click. I checked the chamber and the magazine. The safety was on, and the dot sight was automatically aligned. It was a good day to kill enemies. As we approached the mission area, a mission-specific voice activated. The support operator at Central Park HQ exined the mission overview and objectives, disying corresponding holograms on the user interface. Unfortunately for Harmony, she had to leave the grenadeuncher behind this time. There was still a long way to go to unlock that ammunition type. The support operator¡¯s voice announcing the start of the mission echoed. -[ISO: Have you arrived near the operation area? From your expression, it seems you¡¯re looking forward to what¡¯s ahead. Do you enjoy challenges?] -[ISO: I¡¯m Henry Note, an ICARUS support operator. From now on, I¡¯ll be referred to as ISO. I¡¯ll be in charge of this operation, so I hope you return safely.] -[ISO: As you probably know, activating thework node will greatly facilitate finding other operators and connecting with other areas. This is no ce for gangs to leave their mark.] -[ISO: Clean up the area andplete the objective, and the quality of support from HQ will rise sharply.] ¡°Oh, the objective is up. It says to enter through the south gate, bypass the parking lot, and enter the building. We can pick up the explosives along the way.¡± ¡°What about navigation?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ okay.¡± A beam of light appeared before me, leading through a thick bridge passageway to the south gate. Harmony took a deep breath, patting her cheeks to steel herself. Seeing this, Yoo Jin spoke in her usual calm tone. ¡°To avoid mistakes in realbat, you need a lot of realbat experience. Today, I might not be able to help you as much as I did yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­What? Wait, didn¡¯t we prepare for realbat at the shooting range earlier!?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Her tone was not one of disbelief or stern reprimand, but a matter-of-fact calmness. Harmony realized that today wouldn¡¯t be easy either. -[Warning: Enemies approaching.] ¡°Should I keep shooting single shots?¡± ¡°Automatic fire is a luxury.¡± In the now deserted underground tunnel, death and a heavy chill filled the air, mixed with rough curses, loud shouts, and deafening gunfire. Men in orange prison uniforms and tattered bulletproof vests, armed with semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and pistolsmonly found in stores, roamed the tunnel. Amidst the torrent of gunfire and shouting, enemies fell one by one to the cold ground. ¡°I¡¯m out of bullets!¡± ¡°In such cases, say ¡®reloading¡¯ as a habit. That way, I can cover you while you reload.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ whoa!¡± Ping! As Yoo Jin raised her gun, a sharp noise, though dampened by the silencer, echoed in the tunnel. One guy approaching with a shotgun had his head split like a watermelon. Another with a rifle was shot in the leg and fell, while one attempting to throw a grenade became a corpse. With a pleasant sound, an explosion urred right in the middle of the enemy lines. ¡°The bullets aren¡¯ting out!¡± ¡°Pull the charging handle. Or load a round in the chamber.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± -? -Haha lol -We should enlist her -This is killing me lol@@novelbin@@ -I can¡¯t take it lol -She might not know, idiots (gritting teeth) -Her partner¡¯s calm tone makes it even funnier lol Harmony scratched her head in embarrassment. However, this was a rite of passage for female users. How could someone who had lived their entire life away from firearms know the structure of a piece of metal they first touched? She yanked the charging handle, and as a round was loaded into the chamber, she aimed through the holographic sight again. The tunnel skirmish ended quickly. -[ISO: Your shooting skills are decent. But don¡¯t underestimate them just because they¡¯re amateurs. Bullets are impartial to everyone.] -[ISO: Marked the breakthrough point. Enter the parking lot and, through the exit, quietly enter the main entrance. Of course, there will be enemies, and reinforcements might arrive if you don¡¯t handle them quickly.] ¡°He really makes you want to punch him.¡± ¡°Haha. Do you want to turn off the voice?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll hold off for now.¡± Though no enemies remained, vignce was essential. As they quickly scouted the surroundings, a concrete wall came into view. Harmony took out the explosives from her multipurpose pouch and, fascinated, pressed them with her fingers. Seeing this, Yoo Jin smiled and added softly. ¡°As you know, if that explodes here, we¡¯ll both be ejected to the mission start. Handle it carefully.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll put it down right away.¡± ¡°No need for that. Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you attach it to the wall? Did you bring the detonator?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­.¡± Making tiny noises, she approached the wall and stuck a handful of explosives on it. It was more than enough to turn the concrete wall to dust, but the more explosives, the more fun. Inserting a detonator that looked like a cut stic straw into the explosives, the two moved far away, even leaving the room. Harmony, excited like a child, held the detonator in one hand, her eyes sparkling, while Yoo Jin, cautiously approaching, held her hand and exined step-by-step. ¡°Do I just press this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin simply. This clip-like thing is the safety. Tilt it back and just press. The sound will be loud, so brace yourself and count down.¡± ¡°Then¡­ 3, 2, 1. Fire!¡± ©¤©¤©¤!!! -Explosions are art!!!! -They used all their explosives just to blow up a wall lol -It feels so good ~ Blowing up the wall ~ -Brings back memories of when we were noobs lol With an overwhelming explosion, countless shattered concrete fragments and screams mixed, echoing around. As the two newbies broke through the passage filled with white dust, heavy gunfire spread like a fragrance around them. An awkward figure followed closely behind their unhesitant movements. Each pull of the trigger was apanied by painful screams and the sound of bodies hitting the ground. The continuous gunfire didn¡¯t cease even during their rapid movement. Just as it was at the shooting range, their speed didn¡¯t decrease to aim at the enemies in their sight. It sounded simple, but that¡¯s why among millions of U.S. soldiers, only the elite could master the art of killing. Harmony, following behind, let out a small exmation. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± They say people follow others by using their backs as guides. In that sense¡­ she was definitely worth following. - Woah -So damn cool lol -My goddess Yoo Jin¡­ kill me please¡­. -No need for words, just shows with actions -This is the first time a waifu looks dependable lol -Tactical Snake, my love¡­ so reliable! -That¡¯s why guys stand and apud when they watch tactical CQB videos. Do you understand the philosophy behind this donation???? Though her tastes had diversified through years of streaming and various games, military and FPS were still challenging for Harmony. But in those brief three seconds, she might have understood why men were so passionate about this. However, ¡°¡­The area is clear, so let¡¯s start again.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Seeing her turn to fight again, Harmony felt the tactical high drop. She readjusted her grip on the gun, exhaling heavily. -No mercy during training ¡°Thank you for the 1,000 won donation, WasOrangeDiseaseOrange¡­ guys, please help me¡­.¡± It was indeed as the donation said. Chapter 28 -¡±Help me. My cruel employer locked me in the basement and keeps throwing 10-hour videos at me to edit.¡± (Shaking carrot£© -¡±Hahahahahahaha.¡± -¡±The editor bursts onto the scene, lolololololol.¡± -¡±Such cruelty, dang.¡± -¡±So, there¡¯s a backstory like this, hahaha.¡± -¡±??: Please¡­ stop¡­ ying¡­ games¡­¡± (Gritting teeth) ¡°Ah, Rubinstein¡­ Hey, Rubin! I think I¡¯m gonna die too! This feels more like when I cluelessly followed along to a Marine camp as a kid, not just a game!¡± As I exhaled roughly, my mint-colored hair, which had lost its shine from soot and concrete dust due to countless battles, gently swayed. Seriously, even the editor brazenly shakes a carrot in donations. Doesn¡¯t this really make me look like the cruel employer as the donation said? Though I did provide plenty of caffeine drinks. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t a good situation to just space out and give an exnation. Maybe from staring too hard through the scope, my eyes felt dry and my head was pounding, even though this was just a game. In short, I was mentally exhausted. -[ISO: The basement is entirely flooded. Whether someone deliberately burst it or it just broke due tock of maintenance, it¡¯s impossible to ess thework equipment without dealing with that. The ice is thin enough to break through easily.] -[ISO: There¡¯s a control room nearby where you can operate the drainage pump. Once it starts working, the enemies will notice, so I rmend not letting those idiots reach the server room first.]@@novelbin@@ Following the path along the wall, the floor was made of perforated steel, and beneath it, greenish wastewater with a thinyer of ice filled the basement level. Reaching the end with an unsettling noise, we were greeted by a small room filled with various machines. Due to some script-based judgments, Harmony familiarly opened the control panel and pressed several buttons. With a grating sound as if rusty machinery was forced to move, vibrations spread through the water below. The water began to drain. And the enemies were approaching. -[ICA: Water level decreasing. Enemy level 94%.] -[ICA: Estimated time required¡­ 5 minutes.] -[ICA: Multiple enemies approaching.] ¡°Damn this fucking game!¡± ¡°This is a tricky situation. Our escape route is unclear.¡± ¡°¡­If I fall behind, you¡¯ll just shoot them all, right?¡± ¡°If necessary, that¡¯s what will happen.¡± -¡±Not denying it, hahahaha.¡± -¡±What a Deus Ex Machina, seriously, lolol.¡± -¡±Psychology expert Harmony, lol.¡± -¡±It¡¯s not even been a day since we started ying together, and she¡¯s already mastered it?¡± -¡±Both the streamer guessing right and the teammate agreeing, lol.¡± It was a response that matched the resigned tone. Meanwhile, from a distance, multiple sshing sounds were heard, followed by thick curses and ng. The two of us quickly turned our heads and scanned the surroundings. The path widened on both sides from the control room, meaning each of us had to handle enemiesing from both directions. The water was leaving marks on the wall as it receded. Initially reaching our waists, it now only came up to our thighs, but the enemies didn¡¯t care and kept approaching. However, their speed was slow, and the still-draining water made it harder for them to find cover. A bted turkey hunt began. ¡°Fucking bastards, eat this, ahhhh!¡± ¡°Shit, I can¡¯t see! Where are they?¡± Ear-splitting gunfire and whip-like sounds filled the air. Slowly, red mixed with the receding green water, and the corpses, face-down in the water, would never rise again. But more enemies kepting, and the dwindling countdown felt painfully slow for Harmony. While Eugene was piling up bodies, Harmony, less experienced, was overwhelmed by the continuous reinforcements from her side. Even using grenades in resistance, the sheer number of enemies made even blind suppressive fire a threat. Eventually, she had to call for Eugene. ¡°Teacher! It¡¯s dangerous here!¡± The next moment, Harmony saw Eugene charging towards her with immense speed. The image that shed in her mind was more like a rhino than a superhero, but she didn¡¯t say it out loud. As Eugene found a suitable position and began firing, the suppressed, sharp gunshots sliced through the air. Each pull of the Geissele trigger sent enemies spraying blood from their necks and heads, falling face-first into the water. Soon, the blood-red water flowed into the drain, revealing the heads of the corpses that seemed like they would never surface again. Enemies fell like autumn leaves. Harmony nodded as if she expected it. ¡°¡­I knew it.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Shoot with me!¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Of course, there was no time to rest. I had never once thought I wasn¡¯t a special forces soldier, but on the other hand, I never thought I was fit to be SOF. It was quite an absurd thing to say, but this was aplex issue with many factors involved. Strictly speaking, in that other world, I was officially an operator. However, if asked whether I went through all the proper procedures and courses to be a special forces soldier, I had to answer NO. On average, it costs at least $150,000 and takes several years of extensive training to cultivate one U.S. Special Forces soldier. Countless practical training sessions are just a bonus. The higher the tier, the exponentially more budget and training each individual requires, leaving only those with at least seven years of service experience. In short, only the strongest remain. But I was¡­ a bit of an anomaly. With boundless stamina that never ran out as long as I was well-fed and endurance that allowed me to carry over 100kg of gear for at least 3 days and 4 nights. My body had an innate ability to learn any muscle memory taught to it. All these factors created a tremendous synergy, allowing me to rival those who had been in war for decades in just six months. Then, during the subsequent four-year period, I gained extensive real-world experience, going out forbat dozens of times a day. In some ways, it was an unprecedented case, and one that probably would never be replicated in this world. Anyway, the reason I¡¯m saying all this is¡­ nothing significant. ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m dying¡­.¡± I just realized that it¡¯s incredibly difficult to transform someone into a battle-ready individual, except for anomalies like myself. People tend to project their standards unconsciously in specific situations, even if they know theoretically that they shouldn¡¯t. Maybe I did too. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t necessary to go this far. Whether it¡¯s a game or not, adapting to something inherently requires enough time. In that sense, as I said, there was no need to harshly push this person to quickly adapt to suchbat situations¡­. ¡°Everyone. Is this mission originally supposed to take a few tens of minutes? Yes? The average is 25 minutes? It felt like it took me an hour. Was that just me?¡± ¡°It only took 35 minutes. During engagements, time feels like it drags.¡± ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard that. But didn¡¯t I do well this time? Didn¡¯t I shoot better than I thought? Guys, isn¡¯t it average if we cleared a rmended 4-man mission with just two people and only 10 minuteste?¡± ¡­If you let up just a little, this person quickly bes overconfident. Actually, there wasn¡¯t any profound reason, but maybe, in some way, this person chose me over other members. So I should match that choice to some extent. In short, as long as this person sought me out, I nned to help her adapt to this game as quickly as possible. I just mixed in a bit of strictness. So, ¡°You seem to still have energy, should we rest a bit and go for the second mission?¡± ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s not it! I said it wrong. I¡¯m so tired I can¡¯t even move a finger. I won¡¯t brag anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re unusually honest.¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­.¡± She was a truly easy-to-understand person. ¡°Still, since you said so, let¡¯s take a long break. We need to debrief too.¡± ¡°Debrief?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the process of talking through what we did well, what we did poorly, and how to improve. It¡¯s essential.¡± How could I put this simply? An error log? A reflection? The truth likely lies somewhere along that border, but finding the exact point wasn¡¯t my job. After returning to the base, we had a brief discussion near the shooting range. ¡°Was there anything you found ambiguous during the mission? Be as specific as possible, just one thing.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± She looked like she was thinking briefly before speaking with difficulty. ¡°Just, it was harder to see the enemies than I thought, and positioning myself to shoot was difficult. Unlike other games, the enemies didn¡¯te directly towards me.¡± ¡°You pointed it out well. That¡¯s a positioning issue. It¡¯s not something that gets resolved in a day or two.¡± ¡°But when I get an order to go somewhere and do something, I can see the enemies well, but when I try to do it alone, it¡¯s not quite right¡­.¡± ¡°When two people push together, the enemy¡¯s position can change depending on one¡¯s actions. Simply put, if I suppress the enemy with fire, holding them in ce or driving them out, the person on the opposite side can take them out.¡± She finally nodded. This meant that killing the enemy wasn¡¯t just about shooting skills, but about how you led the overall engagement. Many people think that fighting is just about aiming and shooting, but that notion shatters when you actually get intobat. It¡¯s not about waiting for the enemy toe to a convenient position to shoot, but guiding them to such a position. That¡¯s one of the core aspects of any engagement. ¡°It¡¯s simr to the roles of a hunting dog and a hunter. This game involves team missions for that reason. The more people there are, the easier it is to break a stagnant frontline.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I think I understand what you mean¡­.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Your exnation is really clear, so I understand. But when I actually y, it won¡¯t go as I want, right¡­.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± As I always said, in the end, you can only learn through lots of actualbat. Understanding the flow of engagements and using an animal-like instinct to exploit the enemy¡¯s weak spots, leading them into your team¡¯s fire line as if herding them. Even if you fail, creating variables in the engagement to secure a stable retreat route. It¡¯s not just about clearing paths and standing at the forefront to absorb fire; that¡¯s the true essence of a point man. ¡°If you want to get a quick grasp on positioning, it¡¯s better to learn how to push actively first.¡± ¡°That sounds hard.¡± ¡°Combat is inherently hard.¡± It was difficult to take lives while not getting hit by bullets, that¡¯s why it was hard. As I was about to get up to replenish ammunition, leaving Harmony, who seemed mentally and physically drained, she added. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to learn. Shall we take another 10-minute break and then do the next mission together?¡± To that, I just gave a faint smile. Chapter 29 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [General] Did anyone watch the ????? stream today???? Why does it take newbies four to five people ying together to clear just one mission for 40 to 50 minutes? This really nails it. It''s not just a game where you can sit back and shoot, lol. [View All Comments][Sort by Date]
  • Commenter 1: You''d know this immediately after ying just a little bit, so why are you attaching so much meaning to it????
    • Reply 1: Knowing something and exining it in words arepletely different things, but you''re equating them, lol.
    • Reply 2: These kinds of guys always cause a fuss every time they enter a public match, and then they end up on the cklist, lol.
    • [Author] If you don''t like it, reveal your in-game nickname, asshole, so we can block you, bitch.@@novelbin@@
  • Commenter 2: I kind of already knew this, but hearing it exined in detail was quite refreshing, for real.
  • Commenter 3: This will make it easier to exin things to newbies from now on, lol.
©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [General] Today''s ??¡­ Clicking like crazy with pinpoint uracy¡­ gif I was watching the stream with my mouth open. This crazy woman, seriously, lol. Isn¡¯t this basically an aimbot at this point? [View All Comments][Sort by Date]
  • Commenter 1: The firing speed is just the usual frantic clicking, but hitting all those shots, damn, lol.
  • Commenter 2: Seriously, is this person using cheats or something?
    • Reply 1: It''s been over a year since they blocked all external files by isting thework, so how could they have used cheats, lol?
    • [Author] I agree that''s a reasonable suspicion at this point.
  • Commenter 3: The conversation they had before this was pure gold.
    • Reply 1: When you¡¯re backed into a corner, just sweep away all the enemies to resolve it, lol.
    • Reply 2: This crazy person¡­ this crazy person¡­ really insane¡­.
    • Reply 3: That sounds like the kind of thinking a Chinese hero would have, damn, lol.
©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [General] Analyzing ??''s movements briefly Their specialty was firearms, and if I mention their ss, it seems like it would reveal who they are, so just think of them as a Special Forces sergeant who served for four years and then left abruptly. In any case, this person was lucky to shoot various guns, not just the K-series, while wandering around all over the ce. Here, I''ll talk about it based on what appears to be the HK416 variant among them. I''m going to express my opinions a lot, but this is both from my own perspective and from the Special Forces perspective, so keep that in mind as you read. This is the za in front of the UN Assembly Hall entrance that you guys frequently sneak into for loot. You see, there are a lot of cars around, right? Everyone knows this ce is notorious for having lots of cover. There''s a very detailed aspect here, too. Do you see the part where Harmony tries to open a car door and take cover, only to be stopped by this user? It''s because those doors are actually quite easy to prate. When using a vehicle as cover, you usually have to hide behind heavy metal parts like the engine or axle, and this is the absolute basics. If you watch a few seconds more, you¡¯ll see enemies trying to take cover behind open car doors getting shot through easily. You could end up like that if you¡¯re not careful. This is the C-grip stancemonly seen during room clearing. I''m not sure how often you guys do this in-game, haha. Anyway, it¡¯s a standard and stable posture, so there¡¯s not much to say, but if you look closely, you can see the speed at which they breach and enter is quite fast. If I did that, I would¡¯ve been smacked on the back of the head by my seniors or instructors for going so fast. But I¡¯m not sure how they maintain such uracy and firing speed without slowing down. Maybe someone from a U.S. Tier 1 Special Forces unit could do it. You can also see rapid left-right shooting due to cover, and if that person is really a hardcore user as spected here on the forum, I really have nothing to say. There must be a lot of you who have been overpowered or wiped out here due to poor positioning, but it seems like this person just resolved it by taking out all the enemies before they could even find cover. Their grip style, recoil control, and everything are fine, but if you look closely, you can see that they''re shooting with both eyes open from start to finish, possibly to maintain better situational awareness. Even though there¡¯s almost no muzzle sh because of the silencer, most people reflexively close their eyes when firing, but this person just doesn''t care and mows down enemies. I can¡¯t say for sure, but it seems like an excellent instructor spent a long time retraining them, even down to their finger movements and gaze. I have no idea what this person does.
Personally, I think they learned in a very proper setting and then went through a lot of practical experience afterward. If you look closely, every action has a tactical intent. I also enjoy ying Dark Zone, but even with a 100% buff, I¡¯ve never seen all these things so meticulously implemented until now. I¡¯m not a motion developer, so I can¡¯t say for sure, but I never thought my military experience would help me analyze things like this, haha. Oh, suddenly I feel like ying Dark Zone, see you. [View All Comments][Sort by Date]
  • Commenter 1: Analysis posts deserve an upvote.
  • Commenter 2: Upvote first, then enjoy the content, here we go.
  • Commenter 3: Damn, lol, the discharge certificate photo looks terrifying.
    • Reply 1: For real, if you mess with them, it looks like they could snap your spine in half, lolololol.
  • Commenter 4: I was just zoning out watching this, but it¡¯s fun to see each thing pointed out, lol. There''s really everything under the sun.
    • [Author] I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this while writing the post.
  • Commenter 5: Enough, is this person cheating?
    • Reply 1: I haven''t been ying the game for long, so I don''t know if there are cheats that set up or assist movements. I''m not sure about that part.
    • Reply 2: Anyway, damn, those people yelling "cheater" all the time have been dealt with for ages, yet they keepining everywhere like it''s nothing.
    • Reply 3: They don''t really want to know if it''s a cheat; they just want to hear that person is cheating, stupid, lol.
  • Commenter 6: Are there still people yelling "cheater"? That''s legendary.
    • Reply 1: People yelling "cheater," special characteristic: if you ask them to reveal their in-game nickname, they never do, those bastards, lol.
    • Reply 2: I guess they don''t like having their heads blown off in-game either, those shameless bastards.
  • Commenter 7: Now that I see it, you can tell every move is incredibly meticulous, damn. Truly amazing.
  • Commenter 8: Enough, but now that I keep watching, the avatar is kind of arousing? I really want to touch the tail.
    • Reply 1: For real, lol.
    • Reply 2: d I''m not the only one thinking this, lol.
    • Reply 3: Since ancient times, snakes have been synonymous with being alluring, so it¡¯s okay, right?
    • Reply 4: What¡¯s okay about that, you crazy bastards, lololololol.
[Harmony: Teacher^^ The first video is uploaded!!] [Harmony: But the edited content is a bit long ??] [Harmony: I¡¯m going to cut it into about five parts, you¡¯ll appear starting from the second video (?''?''?)] [Harmony: Have you ever watched my U-Your-Space videos?] [Eugene: I haven¡¯t watched them yet.] [Harmony: (???¦ä???)] [Harmony: ??????????? So mean...] [Eugene: I¡¯m sorry¡­.] Click. I sent a short reply, firmly grasped the weight bar, and lifted it off the rack. The heavy and familiar pressure enveloped my entire upper body. The fitness club manager said they had custom-ordered a few benches with open-back supports just a day ago, so I was currently working on my neglected upper body. They even bought a dozen 50 kg powerlifting tes just for me. Although I''m seeing significant benefits, it feels awkward to continueing here. Of course, the owner said that because word of mouth spread quickly, people were starting to flock to register, so it was okay, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit uneasy about it. An overwhelming weight. The roughly 700 lbs, 320 kg mass moved up and down through sheer human strength. Blood rushed to my extremelypressed muscles, and sweat flowed from my body. Generally, I could maintain around seven reps in a set up to this point. Seeing the gym manager and the trainers all hovering beside me to prevent any possible idents made me feel quite apologetic. Once I finished my final rep and ced the bar back on the catcher bar, everyone spontaneously pped and marveled at my performance. "That''s why manifestors can''tpete in powerliftingpetitions...." "I''m seriously experiencing cognitive dissonance right now. In-ho, you get what I mean, right?" "Of course I do." Well, yeah. My body didn¡¯t appear to have much muscle, so from their perspective, it would be bewildering for someone like me to lift such insane weights suddenly. Of course, fitness isn¡¯t just about lifting heavy weights; it also involves a journey of self-discipline to achieve better muscr aesthetics, but on the flip side, lifting weights is also a sufficient goal. That¡¯s why the term ¡°3-lift 500¡± circtes on the inte for a reason. Anyway, I didn''te today to max out or anything. Specifically, I came to awaken my neglected physical abilities by doing moderate weights and moderate repetitions. There''s a rumor that chest size might decrease, but as long as you provide enough calories and exercise, it''s fine. The chest volume bes quite impressive in many ways. It''s not something I particrly wanted to know more about. Checking the current time and recalling the sets I hadpleted today, I decided I didn¡¯t need to do any more. I informed the trainers and started removing the tes one by one. The three trainers assisting me returned to their original positions. Today, I chose the cycle instead of the treadmill. There was no particr reason; I just felt I should check Harmony''s message since she contacted me directly. I positioned myselffortably on the saddle, wrapping my tail around my arm so it wouldn''t touch the floor, and pedaled as I entered the main screen of U-Your-Space. Since I hadn¡¯t watched any videos, the algorithm was all over the ce. I clicked on the search icon and searched for Harmony. A channel with 420,000 subscribers appeared at the top of the list. Without hesitation, I clicked on it. The thumbnails for the videos generally showed a cute green cat character performing actions rted to the video content. It was adorable. That was my overall first impression. One thing caught my eye.
  • [Harmony] After one hardship, anotheres in this game! Survive the ruined city! [Dark Zone Day 1]
Ah, this must be it. As if to let everyone know it was a recent upload, it had been freshly posted at the top of the video list just a few minutes ago, and it already had over 40,000 views. Before clicking the video, I noticed the thumbnail. It had two panels: the first showed an SD version of a very battered Harmony clinging to someone¡¯s leg, begging them to join her party. And next to it¡­ there was a ck silhouette, presumably me, drawn with a majestic aura. They even kindly inserted a speech bubble. ¡°Fasten your seatbelt.¡± ¡­ When did I ever say that, you silly person? The video was 22 minutes and 45 seconds long. Considering that most videos on U-Your-Space cut off at around ten minutes, this was quite long. Even so, are there still three or four videos yet to be uploaded? The video quality was set to the highest, so there was some buffering. Unable to endure that moment of boredom, I lightly scrolled down with my finger. = Dark Zone? Really? Is this nuna doing it? Wow, unbelievable?????????????????
  • Reply 1: I¡¯ve been holding out for two years¡­ I can finally ascend¡­.
  • Reply 2: I missed yesterday¡¯s stream, lol. If I had watched it, it would¡¯ve been so enjoyable, but it¡¯s a shame.
  • Reply 3: Unemployed folks finally got a win, right? So sweet, huh? lol
= I haven¡¯t watched the video yet, but I cautiously predict that she¡¯ll get beaten up thoroughly in the tutorial.
  • Reply 1: She does get beaten up, lol.
  • Reply 2: I¡¯m so tempted to spoil it, lol. I¡¯ll justment here and make people curious.
  • Reply 3: I peeked behind the curtain¡­ but there was only Harmony being dragged by her hair¡­.
= What? ?? nuna isn''t appearing?
  • Reply 1: She said yesterday she''d post multiple parts.
  • Reply 2: She does appear near the end of the video, lol.
  • Reply 3: Who¡¯s ??? Is she coborating with another streamer?
  • Reply 4: Dunno?
= What¡¯s this? I thought Harmony nuna doing the Dark Zone tutorial would be flooded withments saying it¡¯s spicy, but surprisingly there aren''t any? Does this nuna have a talent for shooting games?
  • Reply 1: You¡¯ll find out in the next episode.
  • Reply 2: She identally released an all-time great tow truck, lolololol.
= Holding my breath until the next episodees out, inhale.
  • Reply 1: This person died¡­.
  • Reply 2: Looking for someone to whip the editors (1/100).
  • Reply 3: I¡¯ll line up to be the whip guy.
  • Reply 4: Oh, lol, hurry up and work, lol. I¡¯m craving the next episode.
¡­ There¡¯s a lot. Meanwhile, sound was ying through the Bluetooth earphones I had in. It seems the loading was finallyplete, thanks to the 16K quality. I¡¯ll have to change my phone soon, but unfortunately, due to the cost of the connection device, I must carefully manage my expenses. I can find money slowly since theputer is constantly running¡­.
  • Harmony: La,¡­ Ah, ah. Mic check. Mic check. Hello, it¡¯s Harmony.
  • Harmony: So, the game we¡¯ll be trying today is©¤©¤©¤
Then the screen rapidly transitioned. From logging in to character creation and then the first engagement. Exciting screams and frantic screen cuts shed by quickly, showing the intro before the video properly started. The beginning wasn¡¯t much different from mine, but this video showed the slider in detail. Every time they raised the bar, a caption popped up saying ¡°+Cowardice,¡± making me chuckle a bit. Then, the sudden esction.
  • Harmony: ¡­Ugh, wait a minute. Hey! You guys said it would be difficult if I maxed out the sliders, so why are you calling me a super coward!?
So that was the backstory. But the title of super coward seems to fit correctly. Afterwards, a conflicting mission was assigned, and Harmony sighed and chose to abandon what seemed like the more difficult mission to move on. Despite the ongoing skips, the video showed real-time map footage of which direction she was moving, thanks to the editor, presumably for the viewers¡¯ benefit. Generally, she followed a route simr to mine. So, the person who went ahead of mest time must have been her. And then, the first encounter.
  • Harmony: No, the safe house is right there! Why did I have to get caught by the reconnaissance team!? What kind of timing is this!?
The streamer¡¯s scream was filled with pain, even to the depths of her soul, and in stark contrast, the chat was filled withughter. Thements rose so quickly, they were unreadable, reminiscent of a minigun¡¯s feeding process. But it seems the calibration somewhat helped; the video included a scene where she picked up and threw back a grenade that rolled in. That part was pretty impressive. But then, the clicking sound the next moment.
  • Harmony: Hey, hey! What¡¯s going on!? The bullets aren¡¯t firing! What¡¯s wrong with this!? Save me!
"I can¡¯t believe this¡­." After doing well, she forgot to change the magazine, which was a bit ridiculous. Anyway, after those trials and tribtions, she barely crawled into the safe house, proving her mental exhaustion by copsing onto a field bed. Simultaneously, the camera focused on the descending stairs beyond her line of sight. How long had it been? Harmony¡¯s Savior The seven letters gracefully floated above my avatar¡¯s head as it leisurely descended the stairs. What should I say about this? Should I feel embarrassed, or¡­? ¡°I¡¯m going crazy, seriously¡­.¡± With editing full of insane creativity, I could only murmur that. The video ended right at that scene, and a neatly edited preview for the next episode was inserted at the end. It didn¡¯t reveal much about the content but seemed designed to spark curiosity about the next episode by briefly highlighting important parts, and it looked quite entertaining. I guess that¡¯s why people watch edited videos. Those thoughts briefly crossed my mind. I watched just one video, yet 20 minutes and a few more minutes had already passed. My body was drenched in sweat again, and my thighs were starting to ache slightly. Since the device and phone were linked, I could ess the SNS app and send a reply just by thinking about it.
  • [Eugene:] I watched the video.
  • [Eugene:] It was entertaining, haha.
  • [Harmony:] !!!!
  • [Harmony:] I¡¯m d you liked it ??!!!
  • [Harmony:] I have other videos too, so please watch them if you¡¯re bored ^o^
Should I? I still had over 30 minutes left in my workout, so I scrolled down to check out other videos on her U-Your-Space channel. How long had it been since then?
  • [Eugene:] Note¡­ a streamer specializing in crappy games¡­.
  • [Harmony:] ??????!!!!!!!!!!
No. Why does the channel only have games where a person is stuck in a pot climbing with a hammer, a golf ball game, and a game where you climb while bouncing on a pogo stick? Chapter 30 "Hello, hello, everyone! It¡¯s been a while¡­ Well, actually it hasn¡¯t been that long, but it feels like a while to me, so I¡¯m saying it¡¯s been a while."
  • Commenter 1: She¡¯s talking nonsense right from the start, lol.
  • Commenter 2: Stone-nuna, you can¡¯t stream in the morning after drinking.
  • Commenter 3: What¡¯s up with you streaming at this time??
  • Commenter 4: Hello, Stone-nuna.
  • Commenter 5: I love the drunk-looking avatar today.
Under soft lighting and beautifully decorated interior, a uniquely featured woman, impossible to exist in reality,y on a chair staring into space. Her hair wasn¡¯t neatly arranged but looked slightly disheveled. Nevertheless, the soft, glowing blonde seemed more of a physical trait than a messy appearance. The numbers next to the red dot, signifying ¡°On Air,¡± gradually increased, soon surpassing one thousand and stabilizing at 1,702, then began a slow decline. Next to the number appeared two words:
  • [Virtual Live]
As gaming technology advanced, allowing people to create new realities within the virtual world, it eliminated most of the effort required for real-world streaming. In other words, this meant bypassing thebor-intensive process of buying separate gaming and streamingputers, going throughplex settings, and optionally installing chroma keys and soundproof booths, transferring it all into the virtual realm. Virtual avatars offered a novel advantage by bridging the gap between streamers'' privacy and viewer interaction. Today, countless streamers weremunicating with viewers through avatars as diverse and impossible in appearance as the streamers themselves on the Tricky tform, acquired by Icarus International. Returning to the scene, streamer Stone¡ªnamed without the slightest effort¡ªwas nowmunicating with 2,000 viewers who had settled into the stream. Her trademark was her soft, sometimes nonsensical chatter that paired well with her slightly flushed cheeks, as if she had been day-drinking. "Anyway... Thank you all for joining the stream today. The content for today is disyed in the top right corner, so check it out, and if we have time left after everything... well, I''ll think of something then."
  • Commenter 1: Would you y that crappy floating game rmended by your neighbor a few days ago???
  • Commenter 2: lolololololololololololol
  • Commenter 3: Come on... Stone-nuna gets stressed from such things, and she won¡¯t grow taller...
  • Commenter 4: How could a friend rmend such a game, lol.
  • Commenter 5: There¡¯s a smell of crap from the donation.
  • Commenter 6: This calls for MOPP level 4, lol.
Oh. That happened. She briefly recalled the past few days, remembering a game her longtime fellow streamer Harmony had rmended via Engram, one of the socialworks. The game cost 3,600 won, or 1,800 won on sale. With clunky controls and bizarre level design, anyone could tell it was a crappy game. After pondering briefly, she decided to loosen her stance on mentioning other streamers freely. "Ah, that one... Ha. No, guys. Even when we send messages through Engram, we don''t ask deep questions, you know? Like, about other jobs besides streaming." The avatar, who looked both like a NEET and a Russian princess who shed her nobility, waved her hand dismissively. "But that person... From what I see, it¡¯s like they have a hobby of discovering crappy games as a side gig when not streaming. They rmend these unheard-of bizarre games all over the ce? Seriously, geez...."
  • Commenter 1: lolololololololololololololol
  • Commenter 2: Side job (septic tank exploration).
  • Commenter 3: Ugh, something smells like crap.
  • Commenter 4: Crappy game specialist streamer, lolololololololol.
  • Commenter 5: There are many who suffered after getting lured by those rmendations, lol.
Seeingments flooding the chat that matched her thoughts perfectly, she smiled faintly. Since it hade to this, Kim Stone decided to make her the first topic of today''s IRL stream. The sub-topic¡­ Yes. She would link it to the Dark Zone, which she had started ying recently. "¡­Actually, Harmony started ying Dark Zone recently, right? I rmended it to her. I thought experiencing a good game might neutralize her strange aura a bit." "From what I remember... she started streaming Dark Zone about three days ago? I did watch for a bit on the first day, but I left to do my own stuff, so I¡¯m not sure." The reason she was mentioning this today began to unfold. "But then. What is she doing in the game... she¡¯s just shooting all day. Her eyes are getting stranger! I went to see her before starting today¡¯s stream, and she just looked so haggard!"
  • Commenter 1: lolololololololololololololol
  • Commenter 2: This is... all... Eugene''s fault....
  • Commenter 3: Seriously, it''s just a Dark Zone upation period these days, lolololol.
  • Commenter 4: Tried to ease her pain from crappy games with a good game, but she''s suffering there too, lol.
  • Commenter 5: Is this the creation of pain? ??? is truly legendary.
  • Commenter 6: She might end up being taken away like this, lol.
"So I n to contact her soon, but she¡¯s the type to get fixated on one thing and won¡¯t do anything else, so I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯ll go...." She pondered whether she got entangled with someone like that by chance or if the stream awakened her bizarre game taste. Or maybe she stumbled upon those games during punishment and got interested. In any case,menting her bizarre and unpredictable rtionships with fellow streamers, Kim Stone had to abandon her motto of wanting to be rxed today. She wanted to livefortably, but her surroundings wouldn¡¯t allow it. Today, the absolute premise of her stream room was being upheld. "¡­But this game seems to have so much to do. It¡¯s nice that you don¡¯t have to go back to ces once you clear them a couple of times¡­."
  • Commenter 1: That¡¯s how this game is, lol. If you unlock all the essentials, it easily goes beyond 300 hours.
Establish a strategic department through the upation of West Point and secure a dedicated gunsmith. Procure helicopters/cars to support agent movement, clear monsters in fields, and capture control points to establish a stable fuel supply line. Capture the armory for ess to various ammunition types and production lines. Rescue detained virologists and capture hospital facilities for treating infected individuals. Find personnel and acquire facilities to rebuild Manhattan''s power grid.... All these require about 100 hours of investment afterpleting the tutorial to shed the newbiebel. With a time eleration factor of about 1:3 applied, this could easily be aplished in about ten days, assuming ying a little over three hours a day in real-time. The issue was getting involved with someone possessing immense drive and matching skills toplete this in just a few days. Harmony took a deep breath as she sat on a bench. Her exhaled breath met the cold outside air, condensing, and warmth seeped through her bulletproof vest. Her third day in the Dark Zone began at the shooting range. "While doing this, I realized I¡¯ve never wanted to beat myself up so much. I didn¡¯t know a body could be this uncooperative. Why does someone who forgets everything in three seconds even exist...?"
  • Commenter 1: lololololololololololololol
  • Commenter 2: That¡¯s normal; you¡¯re fine.
  • Commenter 3: Isn¡¯t this pace quite fast?
  • Commenter 4: For someone like nuna, adapting this quickly is impressive, lol.
  • Commenter 5: Plenty of people can¡¯t function in raids or PVP and don¡¯t even reflect on it; it¡¯s okay.
Unusually for Harmony¡¯s viewers, who usually wanted her to suffer, several gave genuinely decent advice, though they didn¡¯t seem helpful today. Honestly, it was inevitable. From the start, this game was fundamentally different in design from the crappy games she used to y¡ªgames you could eventually beat by pouring countless hours into. She detached the magazine and ced it in the ammo box''s magazine slot, quicklypleting the reloading process. Harmony stretched her arms into the air as if rxing. A person approached her subtly. "How are you feeling?" "Ah, teacher." It was a term that had be second nature to her. Though only three days in, streaming meant gaming was their job, so spending more than twelve hours a day ying games wasn¡¯t unusual. Sticking with one viewer continuously wasn''t typical for a streamer, but Eugene was apletely different breed from the average participant whose personal feelings often seeped into their actions. If she weren¡¯t sharp like a knife in making decisions, Harmony would have rejected her long ago. "I still can¡¯t switch to the handgun when the gun jams while I''m going through the shooting range alone. I panic and get shot to pieces right away...." "There''s nothing I can do about that part. Solving it on your own is the only answer." After a moment of silence, she continued. "I''ve watched over the past few days, and even with 100% aim assist, it''s hard to replicate every human action. It''s better to lower the assist percentage and practice until your body remembers the actions." "¡­Won¡¯t it take a long time if I lower the assist?" "It''ll be solved in less than a week at most, so it¡¯s fine. Think of it as piano practice, and it¡¯ll be simple." "Ah." As she fiddled with the scenario, Eugene added. "There are many scenarios in the shooting range, including ones for clearing jams and practicing weapon switching. After checking, focus on practicing what you need." "What do you think I should do?" "First, aim to be familiar with the guns and shooting itself, and practice hitting moving targets simultaneously. You''ll be much better than you are now." "Ah."@@novelbin@@ Strangely, regarding guns and shooting... this person seemed unstoppable. She had no doubts or uncertainties about her words; she just thoroughly analyzed and provided an urate solution. It was more like she was a doctor rather than a gamer. Her exnations continued. Speed wasn''t as crucial as uracy, building a hierarchy of priorities in engagements, increasing single-shot firing speed, tactical maneuvers, reloading, and numerous other elements¡­. It seemed excessive for just ying a game, but fortunately or unfortunately, Eugene merely listed those things. In any case, a donation suddenly came in.
  • Commenter 1: Can you ask that nuna if she prefers PVE or PVP????? Wor????? Yo?????
"Wolfram Alpha Go, thank you for the 1,000 won donation... But does this game have PVP?"
  • Commenter 1: ??????
  • Commenter 2: Of course, it has, right? Lololololololololol.
  • Commenter 3: She¡¯s so focused on shooting in the range that she¡¯se loose, lol.
  • Commenter 4: If there weren¡¯t PVP, the yer count would be halved, lol.
  • Commenter 5: I¡¯m too dumbfounded to even know where to react, lolololololol.
  • Commenter 6: Get a grip, nuna! Get a grip, nuna! Get a grip, nuna! Get a grip, nuna! Get a grip, nuna! Get a grip, nuna!
It didn¡¯t take Harmony long to realize that her statement was incredibly foolish. With augh of disbelief, she exhaled as if ovee by a strong sense of reality and immediately asked Eugene, who was inspecting his firearm. "Do you prefer PVE or PVP?" "...Is there PVP aside from thest aesthetic zone?" Naturally, the chat exploded. At least a minute passed, with numerous donations¡ªroughly summarizing them as "such clueless charm"¡ªpouring in, harshly criticizing their ignorance. Only then did the atmosphere gradually subside. Numerous PVP challenge missions followed, which was to be expected, and seeing the enticing cash before her eyes, Harmony cautiously spoke. "But... PVP ispetitive content, right? Even if it¡¯s not ranked, you need to have some skills to not drag your teammates down."
  • Commenter 1: It doesn¡¯t matter; y any PVP mode like survival or escape.
"No way, I told you. In a mode where youpete with others, if I join, there''ll beints. How can I y with anyone when my skills are like this?"
  • Commenter 1: y PVP.
"Ah, no. I really can''t... Uh...."
  • Commenter 1: Do it.
"...." As time passed, her eyes grewrger, and finally, like a cat soaked in rain, Harmony looked pitifully at Eugene, as if facing all the world''s adversities. "Um, Eugene?" "Yes." "Could you y any PVP mode with me just once?" Later, Eugene testified that the phrase "I''ll split the mission fee in half...." was the most pitiful thing Harmony said. Chapter 31 Although I might have mentioned it before, I used to love FPS games. Back then, I rambled on about how straightforward the objectives were, but to keep it short, it was simply because of their simplicity and the direct pleasure they provided. Over time, games evolved to require more thought beyond just shooting, but I tried my hand at most FPS games regardless of additional features. There were games with strange names like Rainbow-Siege andrge-scale capture games that allowed 64-yer multiyer. There were also Duty Calls, which featured scenarios turning yers into war heroes, and games about escaping from a closed economic zone. While they all fell under the FPS category, they each existed on different tforms. But...
  • [External Mission List] ? [Small-Scale Infiltration: Team Six] ?[Various enemies, including Russian intelligence units, are infiltrating the maind to install EMPs and fortify numerous terrains toy the groundwork for an invasion. Team up with other operators to stop them.] ?[Current Rank: None]
  • [External Mission List // Seasonal Limited Content: Open] ? [Vine Search: Survival] ?[The vine against the Omega Virus, a biological weapon that has spread worldwide, has been found in a research facility in the contaminated area. Break through the impending snowstorm to retrieve the vine and return safely.] ?[Current Rank: None]
  • [External Mission List] ? [Closed Zone: Escape from Unknown] ?[You were conducting a search mission in an unidentified area, isted from HQ, where you were reported missing. You confirmed that valuable supplies and information still remain. Break through the dangers lurking in the area, acquire valuable items, and escape.]
  • [External Mission List] ? [Data Erasure: Apex Predator] ?[After the copse of Artemis Technologies, Icarus engineers implemented a vast virtual training environment over 7? through simtors. Fight against a hundredpetitors in research facilities, copsed cities, and giant training grounds to im victory.] ?[Current Rank: None]
  • [External Mission List] ? [Full-Scale War: BattleField] ?[An imminent battle against regr Russian and Chinese forces. Capture bases, kill enemies, and kill again in a vastbat environment. Even if you die, you can be reborn.]
  • [External Mission List] ? [Unlimited PVP: Fallen Angel] ?[A betrayal by Icarus agents poses a significant threat. A formidable agent can be a terrifying enemy. Enter the area infested with rogue operators who have betrayed order and sided with violence, and eliminate them.] ?[Current Rank: None]
"...There¡¯s a lot here." "They bought the rights to FPS games that were popr in the past and integrated them into the Dark Zone. That¡¯s why so many users flocked here." "It looks like it." ...These are all games I¡¯ve seen somewhere before. Why are they all crammed into the Dark Zone? Old memories are surfacing. Come to think of it, when I nced at a Dark Zone-rted article before, there seemed to be something about this. They said they had implemented numerous past FPS games into virtual reality. It¡¯s not impossible, I suppose¡­ but it is absurd. I never thought I¡¯d face the games of my past in this form. The external mission lists, that is, the game modes serviced by the Dark Zone, were slightly different from what I knew in the past. To be more specific, some modifications were made in the process of incorporating the worldview and settings, making it difficult to recognize the originals. However, as if to say that what matters is the content, as soon as I opened the detailed view of Team Six, familiar maps unfolded before my eyes. There were mansions, banks, and coastlines scattered here and there. Hmm. "It feels like it¡¯s been a while since I practiced rappelling...." "Huh? Did you say something?" "I was just thinking about what we might do. Have you decided yet, Harmony?" "I¡¯m figuring it out through a vote right now. You¡¯re okay with anything, right?" "Yes." Streaming. Streaming, huh. Suddenly, I became a bit curious. How does streaming work, and how is she doing it? Perhaps this is how viewerse in. After waiting for a while, Harmony received the authority through a party leader change request and pressed ''Team Six'' at the top. With smooth internal UI navigation, the surrounding environment peeled away, and soon we were standing in a briefing room-like space. The ranked match feature was locked due to ack of level, but a message popped up saying that beginner matchmaking wasn¡¯t applied to the normal match because there was a hardcore user. I figured as much. "Oh, actually trying it is making me nervous again. I yed it on aputer a few years ago, but it¡¯s been so long I forgot the maps. Are you okay?" "I think I¡¯ll manage...." "Yeah, that makes sense." Duh-dung. Amidst this, an imposing sound signaling a sessful match and a map appeared before my eyes. It was a bank. Aplex three-story structure, including the second floor, first floor, and basement level. The time limit was three minutes. After three rounds, the roles of attack and defense were switched, and the team that achieved five wins first would be victorious. It was a simple and clear system. Harmony was next to me, unable to hide her fascination as she noticed, "Even normal games have the same system as ranked these days?" Meanwhile, the lobby began to expand little by little. Three other yers were entering. But, ©¤©¤©¤! "Please tell me we got in, please...!" "Oh? We got in! Really? We seeded in getting a viewer match like this!?" "Noknyang group, we made it in©¤©¤©¤!!" ...I didn¡¯t expect this. They were all avatars that had nothing to do with FPS games. As I stood there with a bewildered expression, ''female avatars'' of various appearances cheered at us as if having a fan meeting... Wait a minute. Us? "It¡¯s Eugene, the teacher!" "Teacher! Please take care of our slightlycking but good-natured Harmony nuna! Without you, she might quit this game!" "...Ah, yes. I understand." The briefing room had be quite noisy. Harmony, as if familiar with it, exined the rules to follow when doing a viewer match, and the others nodded in agreement. Unlike the old days, when you couldn¡¯t tell who the other person was beyond theputer screen, virtual reality games, even with avatars, revealed the yer¡¯s behavior and speech patterns, leading to more decent users. Harmony, confirming that the broadcast was streaming smoothly, added: "The location protection feature is on, so even if someone on the opposing team is watching my stream, the broadcast won¡¯t be visible once matched. So, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues...." A buzzing sound. Along with the words floating before my eyes, a slightly muffled briefing came through my ears.
  • [The enemy has installed an EMP and sealed most of the Icarus systems. Choose gadgets that can aid in the operation and proceed.]
And the equipment list for the attackers wasid out. There were countless gadgets, from breaching hammers, EMP grenades, sh shields, explosive grenades, and more that were too numerous to list. Naturally, more than two of these couldn¡¯t be carried. Except for me. However, there wasn¡¯t much worth taking, so I just casually brought along some explosive grenades. Carrying around all sorts of things was cumbersome. Armor decisions and ban-pick selections began. Thus, the final teamposition was....
  • [X-Kairos // Explosive Rounds // EMP Grenades // Pressure Bombs // Tracks]
"Somehow, theposition naturally resembles a ranked game." "It seems like there isn¡¯t anything we can¡¯t break through. You guys didn¡¯t bring anything strange, did you? Like adhesive explosives instead of smoke or sh grenades?" "No issues here." "What about Harmony nuna?" "I didn¡¯t bring my skills." "Oh dear." While everyoneughed and chatted, I also checked to see if I forgot anything... but I didn¡¯t have anything to begin with. Others had their armor and speed change ording to gadget selection, but except for the destruction rounduncher and spare ammo on my back, my equipment was the same. And sure enough, "Uh... Eugene?" "Yes?" "Why, how are you 3-speed and 3-armor all by yourself?" "Because I¡¯m a hardcore user." "...Nye?" Four grenades, the default amount. A hard-breach charge, amon gadget. I just casually brought it. Bulletproof vest. I wore the heaviest and sturdiest one, as always. Speed. I was simply fast at running. "Is there a problem?" It didn¡¯t take long for four faces, struggling to find a problem, to look at me.
  • [Due to the jammers present throughout the operational area, facility scanning is impossible. Use drones to scout the enemy base camp and clear it.]
Buzzzz. A small disc-shaped drone was automatically generated outside the base camp. As everyone¡¯s gaze lowered to the floor, the sound of air being expelled followed as the drone began moving at the yers'' control. All passages were blocked by nks, but there were gaps just wide enough for the drones to pass through, allowing smooth reconnaissance. Four drones entered the interior through the back door, front door, and wall vents. Among them, one drone remained stationary. After deliberately parking her drone close to her spawn position, Eugene essed the camerawork to check the movement of other drones. The auditory function of a drone entering the second floor turned on, bringing a barrage of footsteps, reinforced wall instation sounds, and gunfire attempting to take down other drones scouring the area. The continuous sound of shotgun sts and sparking electricity bouncing off reinforced walls was heard. Through the so-called construction process, the defenders were preparing to impose an inconvenient environment on the attackers approaching the objective. Three drones survived the reconnaissance time. One was Eugene¡¯s, and only two drones were positioned appropriately to provide real-time briefings on the enemy''s position. "The bomb is on the second floor. They¡¯re in the middle of construction, and they¡¯re wearing bulletproof vests. Watch out for entry denial explosives, there are ADS devices and...electric ws attached. I¡¯m not sure about thest one." "It¡¯s a jammer gadget." "Oh, really? Then all five are confirmed. I¡¯ll head to the back door, so be careful of spawn kills. Where will you go, Harmony?" "I¡¯ll...just go where there are more people." "Then follow us. Eugene, what about you?" "I¡¯ll go around ande up through the parking lot." "Okay. Watch out for roamers!"
  • [Find and defuse the bomb.]
With the deep voice of the supporting operator, five figures appeared in the midst of the snowstorm sweeping through the city center. Before approaching the bank in earnest, the operators cautiouslymenced their movements, waiting briefly to see if any personnel would emerge to dismantle barricades and attempt spawn kills. Three personnel approached the back door, while two others spawned at opposite ends of the front door¡ªa yer headed for the sewer, and Eugene went toward the parking lot. Click. A single round in the chamber. The 31-round magazine was filled with .300 AAC ckout rounds, boasting significant damage and stopping power, and ten simr magazines were packed into her pouch. After checking her weapon, Eugene picked up the disc-shaped drone on the ground, stuffed it into her multi-purpose pouch, and started moving. No, it was closer to running. Bang! With a sharp sound, the CCTV mounted on the parking lot¡¯s outer ceiling was shattered, and a figure seemed to be sucked into the building''s interior. From here, she didn¡¯t know where the enemies might be. Silencing her footstepspletely, she began quickly scouring areas where enemies might be hiding, aiming her weapon.@@novelbin@@ There was no one in the parking lot. Before entering the ess route leading into the building, she subtly focused all her senses on her ears. There were no loud sounds. She retrieved the drone from her multi-purpose pouch and began operating it. "...." Inside the vault. CCTV control room. Not a single sound could be heard. She exhaled briefly, then charged at the barricade, shattering itpletely, and hid herself deep inside the basement level in an instant. While the noise from the breaking barricade distracted the enemy, she nned to clear the basement entirely by meeting up with the teammate pushing from the tunnel side at the server room stairs. But at that moment, "Basement! Enemy waiting behind the server at the tunnel entrance!" A loud gunshot echoed. Immediately, Eugene in the vault started moving. The sharp sound of metal friction, traveling tens of meters in an instant, was drowned out by the gunfire. She reached the control room, rapidly decelerating. Despite having numerical superiority, the defenders had the advantage of the first strike, meaning a bad turn could lead to a 3:5 situation instead of 5:4. After pondering briefly, Eugene pulled out the drone she had retrieved earlier. A few secondster, gunfire resounded above the server room. The drone shattered quickly, having barely traveled a few meters, but it was enough. As her tail wrapped around the grenadeuncher slung across her back and passed it to her hand, she inserted a finger into the trigger,unching an explosive round at the server room wall. And the main body moved. Just before the wall exploded, Eugene burst out of the control room with speed rivaling the flying debris, nting her feet firmly and quickly changing direction. The target was the enemy hidden behind the server, and the distance was less than five meters. Her leg strength allowed her to cover the intricately winding space in the blink of an eye. With the deafening boom of the destruction roundunched for distraction, the enemy was tackled and mmed into the wall without firing a single shot at Eugene. Bang! "Cough!" Even though it was a game, the impact was enough to leave him dazed. His HP dropped to below 20 in an instant, leaving him sprawled on the ground. Before he could gather his thoughts, something appeared in his view¡ªa tomahawk raised into the air¡ªand he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it wouldn¡¯t have been better to die fighting rather than like this. In the next moment, a rather horrifying sound for a game echoed.
  • [5 : 4]
It was the moment one more fell. Chapter 32
  • Commenter 1: I gave up trying to match with you after seeing your y, Eugene-sensei¡­ Isn¡¯t that too much?
"Pangrimineoryeowodohajima, thank you for the 1,000 won donation. Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true. If I were on the opposing team... uh... wouldn¡¯t I just ask to be put out of my misery?"
  • Commenter 2: ???
  • Commenter 3: Agreed, lololol.
  • Commenter 4: Surrendering pathetically vs. getting wrecked terribly.
  • Commenter 5: I¡¯d surrender rather than get my head split by a tomahawk, lol.
  • Commenter 6: Sensei, decapitation is a bit too much, don¡¯t you think?
18 kills, 4 assists, and 0 deaths. With the shift from keyboard and mouse controllers to physically moving in VR games, the gap between regr and ranked games has significantly narrowed for all but a few yers. Even if you work out regrly, moving tactically is vastly different from lifting weights to build muscles. Thus, in Team Six, the higher tiers focus more on how well team members coordinate and fulfill their roles rather than individual physical prowess. However, there are always exceptions. "...Why are you looking at me like that?" "Oh, it¡¯s nothing...." Five rounds, a 5:0 perfect victory. With separate time allotted for ban-pick selection, loading, and droning, the actual physical gameysted only 15 minutes, yet Eugene swept through the building within that short time. Considering the time spent entering the bank, she effectively maintained a kill rate of 1.5 kills per minute, all in hardcore mode. Perhaps she had underestimated someone she shouldn¡¯t have. Harmony, contemting this, cautiously added. "...Should we keep matching?" "I don¡¯t mind. Do as you wish."
  • Commenter 1: Do it.
"Ah, missionplete! Thank you so much for the 300,000 won©¤©¤©¤©¤!! Thanks to you all, I can pay my rent, phone bill, food expenses, device installments, cooling bills, and editor¡¯s sry today! Thank you all so much¡­ Ah." An awkward exchange of nces. In the briefing room, two gazes met. One was a look of confusion, and the other was akin to being caught doing something embarrassing. Frozen mid-cheer, Harmony turned her head like a rusty machine. "...Ah, I-I¡¯ll give you your half! I haven¡¯t forgotten about that, really!" "It¡¯s not about that...."
  • Commenter 1: What are you doing, lololol.
  • Commenter 2: Today too, just... ''pathetic.''
  • Commenter 3: This nuna looks so broke no matter how much she earns, lol.
  • Commenter 4: Eldest daughter....
  • Commenter 5: Sensei¡¯s expression is priceless, lol.
Such a peculiar person. Under her emotionless expression, Eugene evaluated Harmony as such. Though, of course, she couldn''t say it out loud. But it didn¡¯t feel particrly bad. It¡¯s a kind of bias, but in this world, some people are endearing no matter what they do, while others are irritating regardless of their actions. Harmony was definitely the former. Perhaps that¡¯s one of the qualities of a good streamer. ''...Did I do something wrong?'' Of course, for Harmony, it was a gaze inducing significant difort. But she had her reasons. The Dark Zone content wouldn¡¯t exist without Eugene. Even though Harmony could manage her Dark Zone exploration without Eugene, the game''s poprity ensured plenty of interest even if she only posted videos of her suffering. However, it was also true that her current heightened recognition was partly due to Eugene¡¯s presence. And Harmony clearly didn¡¯t reject this. In summary, she was coborating with Eugene because it benefited her stream. While thinking she needed to repay this somehow, Eugene showed no signs of wanting anything in return. Her goal was merely to y the game, and the variable of ''who to y with'' didn¡¯t seem significant to her. So, feeling self-conscious, Harmony hurriedly added. "Ah, I¡¯ll deposit the earnings as soon as today¡¯s stream ends¡­ so please give me your ount number! I might forget how much to send otherwise!" "My ount is expensive." "I thought that was a joke on Engram! Why is it true!?"
  • Commenter 1: ?
  • Commenter 2: ??????????
  • Commenter 3: What is this?? What is this?? What is this??
  • Commenter 4: When did ite to this? Tell us immediately!
  • Commenter 5: Sensei¡¯s ount is expensive, lol.
  • Commenter 6: What¡¯s with this Harmony-Eugene chemistry, I¡¯m dying, break the earth, break the universe, poppin¡¯ break.
What¡¯s going on? Why is the chat like this? Viewers go wild with just a slight shift in attention or a revealed fact. While Harmony hadn¡¯t mentioned giving her contact details to Eugene, this needed a detailed exnation, so she quickly added. "What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t it normal to handle ie-rted matters like this? When money is involved, direct contact is necessary."
  • Commenter 1: Ah, that can¡¯t be helped.
  • Commenter 2: Are the ones questioning this just people who¡¯ve never worked?
  • Commenter 3: Don¡¯t overdo it.
  • Commenter 4: Why bother with that? Just watch a warm Harmony stream, lol.
  • Commenter 5: Another loss for the sleepless bums in their one-room apartments, lol.
...Was that an additional hit instead of an exnation? Harmony decided to moderate her responses to viewers in the future, turning off her attention to the chaotic chat. Meanwhile, she pondered a separate thought about the content. Specifically, whether this could sufficiently entertain viewers. Although she hadn¡¯t been ying the game for long, she had tried it on aputer in the past, and from her memory, it was quite a challenging game. In short, if she didn¡¯t understand the map structure and gadget usage, she couldn¡¯t fully enjoy the game¡¯s mechanics. Could she confidently say she understood those mechanics? Probably not. It was an obvious conclusion, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be positive. However, skipping to other content without any exnation wouldn¡¯t be ideal, so she decided to seek understanding. "¡­Anyway, everyone. We¡¯ll stop the Team Six mode here. We¡¯ve only yed one round, but today¡¯s goal is to showcase PVP modes." After mentioning they would proceed to another external mission, viewers showed signs of calming down. Those waiting eagerly to join the viewer match were disappointed, but ultimately, Harmony was the one running the show. During this, a donation popped up on the screen.
  • Commenter 1: I suddenly got curious. They say snakes are sensitive to the cold, so would that person be too? I mean, do a survival mode.
"Kimblurrchamp, thank you for the 1,000 won donation. Hey. Avatars and real people are different, right? Right, Sensei?" "¡­." "¡­Sensei?" What¡¯s this? The Eugene she knew would¡¯ve responded immediately to such a question. But for some reason, her gaze began to shift slightly, specifically avoiding eye contact from Eugene¡¯s direction.... ...No way. "Eugene-sensei?" "¡­I¡¯m very sensitive to the cold."
  • Commenter 1: ??????????
  • Commenter 2: Sensei, really? lol.
  • Commenter 3: Pyaaa pyaaa pyaaa lolol.
  • Commenter 4: Are you aiming for a gap moe? Sensei, are you a genius?
  • Commenter 5: Oh no, snake-nuna, I feel weird.
Here ites. Not just in terms of content, but also from a person-to-person perspective... Ugh, who cares? How am I supposed to resist this? Harmony¡¯s brain, momentarily frozen, began spinning in a different direction. It wasn¡¯t an arithmetic calction but more like a simple happy circuit, and because of that, the decision was swift and intuitive. With control over the party, Harmony had left the Team Six mode and started matching for Survival mode. With a voice full of desperation and apology, she spoke. "¡­Sensei. I¡¯m really sorry. Just once¡­ would that be okay?" "¡­Sigh." Eugene¡¯s expression, as she answered, showed a resigned but gentle smile. [Dark Zone - Team Six Sub Gallery] [General] Today¡¯s... a true madwoman... gif@@novelbin@@ A gif of Eugene spiking an enemy¡¯s neck with a tomahawk during Team Six mode What kind of executioner roley is she doing in a shooting game? Her teammates must be terrified.
  • Commenter 1: I¡¯ve done many melee kills, but decapitation is insane, lol.
  • Commenter 2: She¡¯s popping up everywhere in the galleriestely. What¡¯s her deal?
  • ? Commenter 3: We don¡¯t know either, lol. Someone spected she¡¯s an ex-special forces member, go check it out.
  • ? Commenter 4: This is dizzying.
  • Commenter 5: If I faced that, I¡¯d wet my pants and beg for mercy, upvote, lol. Me first.
  • ? Commenter 6: When else would you get your head split by a tomahawk? It¡¯s a rare experience.
  • ? Commenter 7: When did decapitation be a rare experience, lol.
  • ? Commenter 8: Severe Dark Zone addiction.
  • Commenter 9: Is she really ying hardcore mode? Sounds like BS.
  • ? Commenter 10: Yeah, it looks like it, lol.
  • ? Commenter 11: I wish she¡¯d give a clear exnation.
  • ? Commenter 12: She doesn¡¯t care even if she appears on major broadcasts, why would she bother exining? She¡¯ll get banned or whatever eventually.
Chapter 33 -[Put on the protective suit.] -[I just heard that a test stage vine was lost in the contaminated area.] -[The situation isn¡¯t looking good. A rare snowstorm that happens once in a hundred years is closing in on Manhattan. We¡¯ve also detected signals from rogue operators.] -[All transport will be carried out via stealth helicopters to avoid detection and damage from the snowstorm. This means the base will be locked down, and once you¡¯re out, you won¡¯t be able to return without a helicopter.] -[You seem ready. Let¡¯s get started.] . . -[Warning: Helicopter destroyed, connection with the base lost. Attempting to contact nearby operators¡­.] -[Warning: Vital signs indicate possible septic infection.] -[Warning: Treatment deadline - 02:15:33.] -[Warning: Countdown started.] . . "Haa." It¡¯s cold. Insanely cold weather, making visible breath even indoors. Outside, a harsh snowstorm is raging, and I can feel the extremities of my body bing less responsive. I don¡¯t know how this game knows about the damn vine retrieval mission I actually performed in the past, but now that the result is in front of me, I have to ept it. I almost froze to death back then, and I never thought this damn hardcore mode would affect things here too. Harmony¡­ isn¡¯t nearby. She doesn¡¯t seem to be in the same area. Am I supposed to find her myself? She¡¯s probably in another nearby building, but for now, I should focus on my survival. I carefully grabbed the door handle. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! "Damn it¡­." Opening the door and stepping outside, an overwhelming snowstorm hit, making it hard to even keep my eyes open. My damn reptilian body, which is very strong in summer but extremely hard to endure in winter, starts vomiting if the body temperature drops even slightly. Ignoring my body trembling after just a few seconds, I checked the temperature on the UI. -[Endure: -1¡ãC // Current Temp: -25¡ãC] The current temperature is -25¡ãC? In this wind? I can only endure up to -1¡ãC. The wind chill must be around -35 to -40¡ãC. I had to move quickly to avoid freezing. I was armed with only a pistol and a tomahawk. I quickly organized my thoughts. First thing to do is... just like when I firstnded there, find any ce to grab as many clothes as possible. Before turning into a snake-shaped ice sculpture, I started moving. -[Warning: Body temperature dropping below normal levels.] -[Suggestion: Enter a nearby house and wear clothing to endure the cold.] I¡¯ll do that anyway, you tin can. The surroundings were difficult to see due to the snowstorm, but fortunately, this ce had several low-rise buildings rtively close together. It wasn¡¯tpletely dark either, with the power on and lights visible in some buildings. But¡­. "Damn, it''s so cold!" Fortunately, there were makeshift bonfires in cut drum barrels with logs still burning inside them scattered around. Desperately seeking warmth, I approached one of the burning barrels. The warmth spread through my body, easing the chill, but it wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. Even my tail felt like it was freezing from the tip up. I couldn¡¯t stay there. I quickly entered a nearby building. It looked like a low-rise apartment that people clearly lived in before. Boxes and tool cases began to faintly glow. Opening a box revealed food, while tool cases contained gun parts and magazines. I packed these into my backpack and entered the open house. Inside... naturally, there were no signs of life. With the warmer air inside, more UI prompts appeared. -[Suggestion: Detected acquisition of gun parts. Assemble a firearm in a safe house to increase survival odds.] -[Suggestion: Detected acquisition of food. Consume provisions to stave off hunger.] Eat when hungry, make better weapons to survive, exined in great detail. We didn¡¯t have this back then. Anyway, going inside revealed faintly glowing closets and cabs. Opening them, scarves and thick clothes tumbled out. "Ugh, I¡¯m going to freeze to death¡­." Breathing heavily, I threw off the useless protective suit and changed clothes. It was more like putting on everything I could find. The cold was somewhat blocked, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I put on a warm hat,yered two thick winter sweaters, and wore regr gloves¡ªbetter than nothing. I wrapped a thick scarf around my neck and bundled my tail as best I could. -[Endure: -8¡ãC // Current Temp: -27¡ãC] "Finally, some relief." However, the UI indicated that the outside temperature had dropped further. Venturing out would still risk freezing. I¡¯d die a miserable death on the street. Taking a deep breath, I stood up. There were more houses to search. I would not freeze to death today. . . "Oh, everyone! Please, one person at a time! There¡¯s so much to do! I¡¯m just one person, but you¡¯re 8,000! If each of you speaks, that¡¯s 8,000ments!" Meanwhile. While Eugene was evolving into a super chunky anaconda to avoid freezing to death, Harmony was overwhelmed by the flood of information. The UI only indicated to craft a virus filter to enter the contaminated area, but Dark Zone was never that simple. Without Eugene, Harmony had sounded the backseat bell but was buried under data before even freezing to death. <3ulmotsenigeobiansudogochi sponsored 1,000 won!>
  • Commenter: I organized it, so refer to this when you¡¯re unsure and y the game.
"3ulmotsenigeobiansudogochi, thank you for the 1,000 won donation. I¡¯ll check it right away¡­." She carefully opened the photo. It wasn¡¯t quite a photo¡ªit was more like a cheat sheet. Basics of Survival mode were written on it. Normally, Harmony would just nce at something like this and give up, but today was different. She was alone in thew of the jungle, without Eugene. She tapped the top part with her finger, and it erged. -[Initial goal: Craft a virus filter] -[Tasks: Four main ones - find clothes/make weapons/craft skills/find supplies] -[Find clothes: Since it¡¯s around -30¡ãC outside, search the map for clothes. Clothes can be found in closets inside houses or bags outside.] -[Make weapons: There are enemies and rogue operators outside. A pistol alone won¡¯t suffice, so use materials from toolboxes to craft weapons at the safe house.] -[Craft skills: The safe house has a crafting table where you can make both skills and weapons. Craft useful items.] -[Find supplies: Here, you die if you¡¯re hungry or thirsty. Medical supplies near ambnces can slow down infection.] "Why is there so much!?"
  • Commenter 1: It¡¯s not meant to be cleared on the first try, lol.
  • Commenter 2: You have to struggle through a few rounds to clear this mode.
  • Commenter 3: Open a betting pool for her death, please!!
  • Commenter 4: She jumped into one of the toughest modes, thinking only about Eugene¡¯s gap moe, lol.
  • Commenter 5: Leave her be, lol. She¡¯ll figure it out after a few deaths.
Was it that difficult? This? A famous line shed in her mind: "There¡¯s no paradise where you run away to," although she didn¡¯t exactly run away here, but it definitely wasn¡¯t paradise. Maybe it¡¯s an ice hell. Or something fancy like Blizzard Hell. Anyway, she couldn¡¯t waste more time here. The survival time countdown was dropping, and she needed to find Eugene. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to the outside. This must be what freshly scooped hell¡¯s snowfield looks like, she thought, as she faced the intense snowstorm blending with Manhattan¡¯s magnificent scenery. "I¡¯m going to die the moment I step outside!" She didn¡¯t die immediately, of course. The outside world was freezing everything, while the chat was on fire, urging her to go outside. Eventually, she was pushed by the invisible force to start exploring. Unlike someone whose correction rate was almost 100%, Harmony couldn¡¯t feel the cold, but even she couldn¡¯t ignore her avatar¡¯s body stiffening. A few steps, and her limbs began creaking like an under-lubricated machine. -[Warning: Core temperature dropping below normal levels.] "Ahh! What should I do? Where¡¯s a house, a house! It¡¯s too cold here, everyone!" Scurrying around in panic, Harmony was a sight to behold. By chance, she followed a simr path to Eugene, entering a random house, raiding closets for clothes to ensure sufficient warmth for outdoor exploration. The main difference was that unlike Eugene, who started raiding buildings immediately, Harmony... ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Bang! "Oh, what are these!?" Encountered enemies patrolling in this cold, enacting a truly desperate struggle. Fortunately, the extreme cold frequently caused malfunctions in the enemies'' rifles, allowing Harmony to barely survive. After thest enemy copsed on the frozen ground, she cautiously reloaded her pistol. "This is too much¡­ Hey, everyone. How long have I been ying? Ten minutes? I still haven¡¯t found Eugene. Is this normal?"
  • Commenter 1: If you get close enough to your team, it tells you via inte.
  • Commenter 2: Triggering the rm in a safe house alerts all nearby yers.
  • Commenter 3: Just don¡¯t die, lol.
  • Commenter 4: She¡¯s going to freeze to death!
  • Commenter 5: Let¡¯s craft an assault rifle first.
"Ugh, at this rate, I¡¯ll freeze to death in the middle of the street¡­." So, she continued wandering around aimlessly. Time passed. She found more clothes, looted gear boxes for armor, and crafted an extended magazine and scope in the safe house, as advised by viewers. Gradually, Harmony transitioned from a civilian with a gun to a fully equipped operator. Just when she started feeling confident about her adaptation©¤©¤©¤ -[Notice: Detected an allied operator within a 50m radius.] "Oh! Something popped up, everyone! This is my teammate, right? Please tell me it is!" The chat flooded with affirmative responses, finally letting her rx. Only about fifteen minutes of separation, but the world without Eugene was incredibly harsh for Harmony. She felt a mix of thoughts like meeting a friend after a long time. Wondering where they had been, if they were okay, and if there was any danger around them¡­. The signal gradually closed in until they could pinpoint each other¡¯s positions in real-time. After a short while, they found themselves separated by just a corner.@@novelbin@@ Within seconds, a figure emerged from the corner. The silhouette was hard to discern due to the blizzard, but the thick tail unmistakably belonged to Eugene. Harmony¡¯s voice was filled with joy. "Teacher! Where have you been, and why are you just now¡ªTeacher!?" But it wasn¡¯t Eugene. Instead of the tactical figure everyone anticipated, Standing there was a super chunky anaconda, dressed inyers of clothing, covered in snow, resembling a moving, chubby snowman. A woolen hat with a small fur pom-pom bobbed in the wind. It was a shockingly cute visual. Enough to transform the image of a reliable teacher into something more akin to a cute penguin. With a smile mixed with countless emotions, Harmony began to fuss. "Te-Teacher! What is that, ahaha, why did you put on all those clothes!?" "...I told you, I get cold easily." "Kahaha, ah, wait. Haha, this is too funny! Teacher, ahaha, oh my god, guys, my stomach hurts fromughing!"
  • Commenter 1: ??????
  • Commenter 2: lolololololololol
  • Commenter 3: Who is that, lolololololol
  • Commenter 4: Where¡¯s Eugene and who¡¯s this snowman with a gun, lolololol
  • Commenter 5: This is too much, lol
  • Commenter 6: So freaking cute, lolololol
It was chaos. Everyone was happy. Except for one person. Chapter 34 In the past, specifically a distant one, when I served in Gangwon Province and guarded the ammunition depot, my superiors would often ask me whether I preferred winter or summer for guard duty. At the time, I didn''t think there was much of a difference. However, I hated insects so much that I answered winter. I also wasn''t a fan of humidity. But after those superiors were discharged and winter came around, I learned the hard way just how terrifying cold and winter could be. Thus, the seasons I disliked grew from one to two. "¡­Cough¡­" "¡­Why do you keepughing?" ...And today, I feel like winter might be even more unbearable for me. That expression on her face, as if she had caught onto something amusing, was¡­ Well, let¡¯s just stop there. If I exin it further, it¡¯ll only aggravate me. At least it¡¯s much warmer now. -[Endure: -21¡ãC // Current Temp: -29¡ãC] The problem was that despite theyers of clothes, this weather was still unbelievably cold. Even with so manyyers, the cold still seeped in from the extremities, leaving no solution. And my ears, beingrger than average, were even more susceptible¡­ Let¡¯s stop there. All this frustration would have to be taken out on the enemies. ck. The M249 light machine gun in my hands made a heavy, satisfying loading sound. Whether it was for bnce or to prevent a dull game of fistfights, this mode was generous with parts scattered around. While other guns might require adjusting the gas regtor in this freezing weather, the M249 had no such option. This made me worry about potential malfunctions. But that¡¯s a concern forter. -[Notification: Significantndmark detected ahead. Multiple enemies present.] "Let¡¯s clean that up first." "That doesn¡¯t sound like a great idea¡­" "Then let¡¯s go." Of course, she only shook her head slightly before following me closely. A disciple needs to be trained harshly; coddling only leads to weakness. There¡¯s no personal grudge involved, of course. The UI showed 32/40 participants. The Survival mode session could host 40 yers simultaneously, with unlimited PVP potential, and fierce battles were taking ce all over. Until now, I had deliberately avoidedbat to get used to the system and mode, but that would change. It was time to fully experience the skirmishes. Gunfire mixed with the howling wind began to reach my ears. An unprecedented snowstorm swept across New York, nketing the world in white. The biting cold and skin-cutting winds were beyond what any person could endure, and even the hostile forces that dared to step into New York were no exception. Vagrants who couldn¡¯t adapt to the new world, escapees who had been imprisoned before the virus outbreak, and soldiers from foreign nations invading America with superior equipment¡ªall were powerless against nature¡¯s wrath. Those who were well-prepared and equipped with survival skills acted first, finding the most suitable ces to conserve their strength and making them temporary shelters. Those who weren¡¯t as fortunate wandered outside, fighting for survival in the brutal cold, struggling against others even in conditions where surviving the night seemed impossible. Thus, as the night passed and midnight came, Manhattan became a bloodstainedbyrinth on top of white snow. However, ck. Even the elite who upied the most strategic locations couldn¡¯t survive a barrage of 5.56mm rounds fired at 900 rounds per minute from an M249 into their soft sides. Drrrrt! "Ahhh!" "Enemy! Get down!" The patrol unit that had been making rounds outside was the first to fall like autumn leaves. Due to Manhattan¡¯s current weather, with temperatures fluctuating around -30¡ãC, the barrel, which would normally overheat, maintained an optimal firing temperature. This meant that the gun didn¡¯t expand as quickly, allowing for more effective firepower. But that was just the beginning. Like disturbing a ho¡¯s nest, enemies began pouring out from inside. "¡­Now what do we do?" "I¡¯lly down suppressing fire. Target those trying to exit through the main door." In the heart of dark Manhattan, countless sparks lit up. The bullets aimed directly at the entrance traced narrow, glowing arcs. The rounds fired at 900 RPM created a continuous stream of light, like a glowing string. Several enemies who rushed out were quickly mowed down, leaving behind a pile of items, but this was only temporary. Those who took cover behind the outer walls immediately returned fire. Bullets hitting the surroundings caused concrete shards to fly everywhere as Eugene quickly swapped out the 150-round ammo box after a brief pause in shooting. As Harmony, who had be somewhat ustomed to these situations, attempted to return fire, Eugene smoothly pulled back the charging handle and added: "Pull back while I¡¯m shooting. From here on, we¡¯ll just pick off thoseing out." "Okay!" The second barrage of fire followed, the heat from the barrel cutting through the overwhelming cold. Harmony signaled her retreat. The sound of her footsteps gradually faded as she hurried away, her muffled tail swinging as she went. It didn¡¯t take long before she grabbed a grenade from her utility pouch. The ck object sailed through the air. Boom! The retreat was sessful, and the two managed to reach a safe position without any losses afterpletely dismantling the ho¡¯s nest. Although the snow began to erase Harmony¡¯s footprints, they were still visible. Quickly maneuvering with her weapon to the prearranged holding point, Harmony spotted Eugene¡¯s muzzle peeking out. Upon seeing the green IR marker light up, she lowered her gun. In the cold weather, where even her breath disappeared in the wind, Harmony spoke in a voice still tinged with excitement. "Uh, I think we got¡­ six or so?" "Yes, but I think there are about ten more inside. And this skirmish likely drew a lot of attention¡­." Sigh. Her breath scattered like mist in the freezing air. "The ideal scenario would be if other agents, attracted by themotion, engaged the Russiansing out, allowing us to nk them¡­ but it¡¯s unlikely." "If we¡¯re not careful, we might get stuck between two factions." "Your instincts have improved." "Hehe." She smiled softly, clenching and unclenching her fists to ward off the cold. Even with all theyers, it was still difficult to withstand -30¡ãC. All they could do was dy the onset of hypothermia; the time they could survive the cold outside was steadily decreasing. Through the holographic sight, Eugene scanned the possible routes enemies might take. Other than a few silhouettes in the distance closing in, there was no movement. The wind was so loud that it drowned out any gunfire; aside from the approaching figures, there were no signs of life. The decision was swift. "¡­Since we¡¯ve stirred up the ho¡¯s nest, let¡¯s finish off those over there¡­ gather what we can, and head to a safe house. If the system here ends like this, there¡¯s nothing else for us to do." "Got it. Should we be as quick as possible again?" Eugene silently nodded. The two of them stood up. The primary role of a machine gunner, as expected, is fire support. While riflemen in the squad, armed with lighter weapons, nk to attack the enemy, the machine gunner uses firepower to pin them down at a specific point. Therefore, their guns are heavy and thick because their objective isn¡¯t direct engagement. While sustained fire was easy from a stationary position, machine gunners faced various practical constraints when attempting to suppress enemies through aimed fire. However, Drrrrt! "They¡¯re nking! Their speed is¡ªAhhh!" Eugene shredded through the enemy¡¯s lines like a storm, following the meta that as long as one had the strength to control a machine gun, direct engagement was possible. The metal hulk, weighing well over 10kg with the ammo box, moved as easily in her hands as a stick in a child¡¯s. Ignoring even the inertia caused by rapid point-of-aim shifts, she used the light machine gun as if it were a carbine, delivering at least six rounds to the stomachs of every enemy in her path. "¡­No matter how I look at it, she¡¯s not human¡­." Behind her, Harmony, who had now evolved into a beast, found herself muttering unconsciously. Even as she wondered how to assist, Eugene, efficiently utilizing cover and overwhelming firepower to mow down the enemies, was truly¡­ well, let¡¯s just say the visual was bizarre.@@novelbin@@ With every pull of the machine gun¡¯s trigger, the small fur pom-pom at the end of her hat wobbled, an irony not lost on anyone.
  • Commenter 1: The visual is seriously jarring, lololol.
  • Commenter 2: Cute as hell, but really terrifying.
  • Commenter 3: Looks like Santa us delivering death instead of presents.
  • Commenter 4: Is she a goddess, bncing coolness and cuteness at the same time?
  • Commenter 5: I can¡¯t handle the avatar, I¡¯m losing my mind!
Meanwhile, Harmony busied herself looting items Eugene left behind, filling her inventory to the brim until her bag was stuffed. As the chat exploded with strange nicknames like ¡°greedy,¡± ¡°pig,¡± ¡°greedy pig,¡± and ¡°Gluttonmoni,¡± the front yard had beenpletely cleared. Whether this was a disy of true skill or not, Eugene was undoubtedly impressive. Carefully approaching Eugene, who hadn¡¯t yet entered the building, Harmony took cover against the wall. "Are there many inside?" "About seven, but their defenses are tight." The building interior was lit. Despite the weather, the power grid, which the operators had desperately restored, was doing its job. There was likely another entry point besides the main entrance, but without knowing theyout, a wrong move could result in getting shredded. After a brief consideration, Eugene activated her skill. A pulse radiated outward, detecting everything around.
  • [Detected enemies: 7.]
  • [Rescanning¡­ Disying power switch locations.]
And Harmony knew exactly what she needed to do. "I¡¯ll go turn it off." It was as if a perfect chain ofmand had been established. As she swiftly moved to the back of the building, Eugene began to move slowly. She mentally estimated the number of lights and how dark it would get once they were off. Securing her machine gun, she set it down momentarily. Without the need for dark adaptation, carrying the gun wasn¡¯t necessary. In her hands were a tactical tomahawk and a handgun. It had been 35 seconds since the skirmish ended, and she was approaching the back door. Flick. The lights went out. As darkness engulfed everything, Eugene silently entered the building. The night vision function of her Icarus gear activated, casting a white glow from the lenses, and urgent Russian voices echoed from all directions. While the enemies likely had night vision too, darkness wasn¡¯t something easily conquered. Starting from the rear pir near the back door, where an enemyy in wait for an ambush, Eugene moved closer. And¡ª Crack! "Guh!" Her inhuman strength, far beyond that of ordinary humans, smashed the Russian soldier¡¯s head like a watermelon with a single ax blow. The body immediately went limp and crumpled to the floor. The noise was minimal¡ªjust the sound of the ax strike and a brief gasp, far quieter than gunfire. Infraredsers and shlights flickered chaotically from the top of the stairs. Two more enemies were rushing down to investigate the situation. The next moment, two shots shattered the femur of the lead enemy, sending him tumbling down the stairs. "Ahhhh©¤©¤©¤!" Thud! Unable to support his body, the leading enemy rolled down the steps. But a second enemy was following closely behind, wielding an AS-VAL. His Russian binocr night vision goggles gleamed eerily. But before he could even fire, three shots tore through the darkness. Unfortunately for him, one hit the T-zone of his face. As the body copsed onto the floor, Eugene swung her tomahawk at the still-breathing enemy. Only four enemies remained, but soon there would be none. Chapter 35 [?????? has donated 1,000 won!]
  • "Isn''t it because other yers are too scared of getting killed by the teacher? There''s no way they just wouldn''t show up like this."
  • "For real, LOL."
  • "Honestly, thinking about getting my head smashed in first-person is kind of scary, haha."
  • "Did everyone turn on the head-smashing mode in Team Six? No one''s going near you even if they die, right?"
  • "It''s either die or surrender and join the party, for real."
  • "Running away dirty and shamefully, LOL."
"Thank you, ??????, for the donation. Is that so? I just thought the map was too big, and that''s why no one wasing." As she said that, she popped up the map in front of her. Although part of it was omitted and condensed, the map was vast, something that would take quite a while to traverse on foot. Forty yers. It sounded like a lot. But unlike other battle royale games, there was no shrinking safe zone, and you could hide in buildings indefinitely, so... yers were scattered across a massive area like stars sprinkled across the sky. Whether yers wereing to kill them or not wasn''t important right now. She had intentionally stayed silent on thems to avoid disrupting the operation, but human curiosity is hard to suppress. Before she knew it, she hade back outside and was cautiously observing the interior while leaning against the wall near the front gate. There was an eerie silence. "¡­Should we go in?"
  • "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"
  • "Ah, there''s no friendly marker showing up? This is frustrating."
  • "If a teammate goes down or dies, there will be an alert, so let''s wait."
  • "Turn off the lights,e back, and the teammate is gone, LOL."
  • "This is a horror game, for real."
Indeed. This is a horror game. Seeing one of the chat logs briefly pop up and disappear on the side of the chat, Harmony couldn''t help but agree. Considering that horror movies often start with someone going missing... Besides, to add to that, she was a big scaredy-cat. But at that moment, Someone began to walk out from the darkness inside. In an instant, both the chat and Harmony''s inner thoughts swirled like a chaotic Manhattan storm. It was likely Yujin, but she couldn''t let her guard down. Taking a deep breath, she quickly aimed her sights, capturing the silhouette in the red dot. Then a green light began to glow from within the darkness. "¡­Lower your gun. The interior has been cleared." "¡­." Of course, the one who emerged wasn''t a massive, bulky anaconda but Yujin, holding a tomahawk in one hand. As she stepped outside, she took a deep breath and spoke. "Let''s just gather the items we need and head to the contaminated zone." "¡­Yeah, I figured this would happen." "Haha." With an indescribable sense of unease, Harmony quietly followed behind her. With a small resolution in her heart that she needed to improve her skills before she could no longer rely on Yujin. [Crafting: Virus Filter.] [Filters out high-level environmental toxins. This enhanced filter can also block non-vtile organicpounds, particte matter, acidic gases, and ammonia through its multiyer structure.] "Wow, after blowing up the area with enemies, the items and materials are just¡­." "At least we don''t have to worry too much before we go in." Inside the hideout. Near arge ck box about the size of a refrigerator, with the Icarus logo engraved on it, Harmony marveled as she watched the items she had collected being reassembled and transformed inside. Unusual as it was, this was the crafting station in survival mode. Instead of hammering together guns and tactical gear in a literal workshop, it involved touching a box, which would then disy the number of items and materials in your possession. When you inserted the required materials, the internal nanomachine printer would break them down and create the chosen blueprint. This system made its debut in survival mode. Wearing a gas mask with a virus filter around her neck, Harmony curiously fidgeted with it. "Oh, I''ve never seen a mask like this in my life¡­ Where do you usually use these? It looks like something you''d only use in a really dangerous ce." "Well, we''re going to a dangerous ce right now." "Oh¡­ Now that I think about it, that''s true. We''re going into the contaminated zone." A perfectly appropriate answer, almost like something out of Think Big. While saying that, they were bing fully equipped operators, ready to withstand any situation¡ªprovided their skills were up to par. Of course, they had some materials left, thanks to the constant advice in the chat that they could upgrade to better items once they entered the zone. Soon, the two carefully opened the door of the hideout, fully dressed as proper operators. Outside, the snowstorm was still raging. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! "We''re heading out." "Okay." Braving the harsh weather, the two began to move. The storm hadn''t subsided yet, and it was far from being fully insted, as evidenced by the wind that seemed to hit them like a barrage of snow. Amidst it all, advertisement panels and lights capable of operating in even harsher conditions shone brightly, lighting up the darkness. The lights were a paradox in themselves, shining all the more brilliantly despite having no one left to see them. But at some point, a massive barrier came into view. The boundary separating the city from the city. [Warning: Approaching Contaminated Zone.] QUARANTINE. That single word, written inrge yellow paint on the wall, evoked a sense of immense pressure, greater than anything else. The interior, invisible due to jamming, was an enigma. Whaty within, whether anyone had escaped, or if so, what had transpired inside. A ce shrouded in secrecy. With contrasting expressions, the two gazed upward, their eyes following the endless vanishing point of the barrier stretching beyond the horizon. One was simply overwhelmed by the grandeur, mouth agape, while the other just shook her head, not wanting to see it. "¡­Wow." "What do you think?" "Well, even if you ask me¡­ I can say they really nailed the atmosphere in this game." Pandemic Apocalypse. It was a massive tombstone erected for those who could no longer witness this sight, for those who had died. Yujin let out a small sigh and added briefly. "Let''s go. There''s probably no designated entrance. Instead, there are a few ways to get in. Like walls that were blocked off with fencing because the construction wasn''t finished." "Then let''s hurry. I hope it''s not toote." Nodding, the two ran, keeping the towering wall to their right. Why she knew so much wasn''t clear, but Harmony, setting aside her dwindling curiosity, assumed she had probably studied the game in her spare time. "Damn it¡­ No matter how many times I y this survival mode, I can never get used to it." The term "sniping" had been around for a long time, but with the advent of streamers, it had taken on a new meaning.@@novelbin@@ In short, it referred to one or more yers disrupting the gamey of a streaming multiyer game in various ways. This was the exact opposite of viewer participation, where the audience joins the content. It was usually done to provoke anger or frustration in the streamer. As technology advanced, these types of sniping had been reduced through various means, but it was nearly impossible topletely prevent them. Likewise, Harmony''s stream was no exception. In short, aside from her loyal fanbase, known as the ??? (Green Cat Squad), there were those who would stop at nothing to ruin her stream for their own pleasure. And this perfectly described one user with the almost unreadable nickname lillliillililll. "No, this is definitely the right session, so where the hell are those bitches going?" The streaming screen flickered in front of his eyes. Although the Dark Zone had taken extreme measures, such as automatically blocking the stream feed when a streamer entered an opposing PvP team to prevent sniping, it was a different story if he had other means of essing the information. He had set up an independentputer in the room, opened a website, and ced an additional camera to monitor it remotely during the game. He was going to these lengths, all just to ruin a stream. There was no reason behind it. It was simply his source of joy. A twisted sadism and an innate desire for attention fueled this behavior. He had been banned from countless streams over the years, evennding on cklists. Yet he continued this behavior, only because his actions had not yet umted enough reports to result in a hardware ban. "Ha, these damn bitches. Why are they ying the game so weirdly? Why do they keep going in circles?" As they entered the contaminated zone, the snowstorm, which had dropped to around minus 30 degrees, lost half of its intensity. To prove it, the upper UI indicated the lowest temperature was a mere minus 17 degrees. The blizzard, which had previously poured down with the same force as the wind, subsided, leaving a thickyer of snow silently covering the streets of Manhattan¡ªon which a single figure passed. Cursing under his breath, he headed towards the direction where the mostbat noise wasing from. Turning corners, navigating alleyways, sometimes circling around to avoid enemies, he approached the spot where Yujin and Harmony were likely to be. Although the externalputer was only now starting to observe the two in survival mode, the real-timementary from clueless viewers was extremely helpful. In the meantime, a n formed in his mind for how to cause the most distress to the streamer. He would kill her. Specifically, when she was most vulnerable, likely during a fight with an enemy, quickly, so Yujin wouldn''t have time to react. Avoid the invincibility during the helicopter extraction. First, he would "identally" meet them and join the party. For that, a bit of preparation was needed. Rustle. As thebat sounds grew louder, he began discarding unnecessary items on the ground. He kept only a little more than the minimum necessary for survival, to appear like a clueless beginner who had barely made it inside. Yujin was a concern, but he figured he could handle it somehow. After finishing his preparations, he turned the corner of the block. Rattattattat! And there, in the distance, he saw a familiar sight¡ªHarmony and Yujin in the process of mowing down a patrol that had been obliviously roaming the streets. Just as the fight was wrapping up, he began to run toward them with his hands up, trying to look as innocent as possible. "Hey, you two, wait a minute©¤©¤©¤!" Yujin, who had just retrieved her skill-crafted cluster seeker mine, was the first to respond. Her sharp gaze scanned him from head to toe, but perhaps due to his ragged appearance, she cautiously lowered her gun and responded with a slight look of suspicion. As he approached, Harmony, who had been staring into space for a moment, spoke up. "Stop! Lower your gun!" "Oh, yes! I really don''t have anything worth killing me for!" Immediately, he dropped to the ground and sped his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed downward. If only he had known what kind of conversation Yujin and Harmony had exchanged at that moment, he would have bolted away without a second thought. Chapter 36 There were countless games in the world, and although there was no need to categorize them this way, games could be divided into those where sniping was easy and those where it was not. If a game only supported single-yer mode, there was no reason to even discuss it. However, if it was an online game, especially one yed by many people, sniping became a serious topic. However, going a step further, the issue of simply being able to snipe and the act of ruining a streamer''s game were entirely different matters. For example, in popr AOS games, it was quite difficult to snipe. The challengey in being lucky enough to be assigned to the same team or the opposing team as the streamer out of the many yers. But once that was aplished, snipers could easily ruin a game by employing various methods. So, the question arises: What about the Dark Zone and survival mode? "Barcode, have you taken everything you need? You don''t need anything else, right?" "Oh, I think I might need arge bag¡­." The answer, contrary to what many might expect, was influenced byplex variables. For instance, if Harmony were ying solo, the user could easily track down the newbie wandering alone and troll her in every way possible. That alone would be a sess by sniper standards. However, if they wanted to really make her feel miserable¡ªsay, by betraying her right before extraction¡ªthe difficulty would naturally increase. Streamers were backed by their viewers, and if the sniper''s actions became too toxic, they''d likely be kicked from the party and swarmed with reports before they even had a chance to betray. Thus, despite himself, at this point, he had to pretend to be a good newbie. ''...Damn, I think I messed up somewhere¡­.'' Naturally, snipers like him didn''t really care about what kind of person someone like Harmony was before they started streaming. At least, that was the kind of person he was. He had only vaguely heard about the name Yujin as it spread across the inte, and thus assumed Harmony was just another streamer who often yed mediocre games. But that wasn''t the case. "So, have we covered most of the terrain? Right?" "Yeah, we''ve been wandering around for over an hour and a half, and we''ve captured about sixteen points. That should be enough." "I thought it would be harder, but once I got used to it, it was pretty fun. It felt overwhelming at first, though." "You adapt quickly." "Hehe, anotherpliment." Was it the nerves and perseverance trained by ying mediocre games? Although he didn''t want to know, information about the user named Yujin naturally filtered through, and even if she was always like that, how was Harmony keeping up with this crazy pace? The two hours of base time to escape, plus the additional time extended by painkillers and antibiotics, gave them a little under three hours in total. They had experienced dozens of battles in that time. Even he couldn''t keep track of how many he''d killed, so what about these two? Something felt off. "Here you go. Here''s the bag." "Oh, thank you." But even while lost in these thoughts, the two continued to forge ahead on their own path. He hurriedly grabbed the bag and stuffed the items he hadn''t been able to pick up earlier into it. There were plenty of items lying around, after all. Many enemies had been reduced to mere resources. As he roughly packed his belongings, the two who had already finished preparing asked, "Alright, let''s extract now. Everyone ready?" "Yeah. I''m all set. What about you, Barcode?" "Um¡­ Yeah. I''m ready. I''ll go ahead and wait outside." Click. He was the first to step outside the building. Inside the hideout, the voices of the two echoed. "Huh? What''s this? You''re not using the seeker mines as much this time?" "Yeah. I need to save them for something." "¡­Well, I''ll trust you, Yujin. Whatever happens, we''ll figure it out." With that somewhat ominous statement, the two also stepped outside, leaving behind a ce they would never return to. The three of them, all distinct in appearance, crossed the snow-covered contaminated zone. In survival mode, unlike the field, monsters didn''t respawn continuously, and since they had scoured the area thoroughly up until the moment of extraction, the surroundings were eerily silent. Only the sound of the wind brushing past their ears represented the final death throes of the deste city. The copse of the city inevitably led to the repurposing of public facilities. With no more people to use them, and due to suitable locations or other reasons... The helicopternding point they were headed to was a public parking lot, once built to amodate numerous vehicles. Instead of cars, the rooftop now bore arge H-mark, spotlights, satellite antennas, guide lights, and containersbeled U.S. Army¡ªremnants of the city''s final death throes. In that sense, the operators using such things might be seen as janitors cleaning up the dead. A small conversation ensued. "Is this your first time ying survival mode?" "Yes." "For both of you?" When thest person also nodded, he was dumbfounded. It was almost surreal hearing such things from people who had bulldozed through everything in their path. ''...Damn it, I can''t kill them now¡­ I shouldn''t snipe in this kind of mode next time.'' Whether they knew his thoughts or not, the two moved ahead, scanning their surroundings as if they were veterans. One had exceptional skill, butpared to her, Harmony''s movements were clumsy. But Yujin guided her by pointing out every little mistake. In a way, this was even better for him. The more they focused on each other, the easier it was for him to carry out his n unnoticed. In his multi-purpose pouch, a re gun kit was prepared. The re gun he had secretly prepared in advance was now a heavy weight in his pocket, pressing against his thigh. All that was left was to time it right and distract them with some casual chat to disperse their attention. He didn''t expect to take down Yujin. The twisted pleasure he anticipated from ruining Harmony''s and her viewers'' experience was what kept him going. [Alert: Pulse Scan Detected. No Enemies Nearby.] A shimmering light burst forth, scanning the building and every tiny crevice before fading into the air. The icon in the lower right corner, indicating that Harmony had used her pulse skill, turned gray, signaling it was on cooldown. And just below that, in red letters: "Leave Party." It wasn''t time to activate that button yet. Whoosh! After climbing several slopes, they finally emerged onto the rooftop. It wasn''t a particrly high spot. Abandoned equipment, military containers, and barricadesy scattered around, making it a rather unsuitable ce for a helicopternding. Standing next to an unused Humvee, they observed theplex structure of the multi-level parking garage''s rooftop. The rooftop was divided into two levels. You could climb to the helipad on the upper level via gentle slopes on either side, and there were balcony-like areas around it for a good view of the surroundings. The helipad was adjacent to the roof of another lower building, and that area was also intricately structured. Harmony shook her head slightly and added,@@novelbin@@ "Wow. This ce is like a maze. Are New York rooftops always thisplicated?" "They often are. Unlike Seoul, there are a lot of old buildings mixed in." "Now that you mention it, that makes sense." [Alert: Landing Lights and Spotlights Not Operating for Helicopter Guidance.] [Suggestion: Install and Reactivate Ry Fuse.] [Fuse Box Marked.] As they climbed the gentle slope, their footsteps made crunching sounds in the snow, echoing cautiously into the air. Arge H, unmistakably indicating anding zone, was painted on the rooftop floor. The harsh building winds and the scratched asphalt peeking through the piled snow suggested thatnding here wouldn''t be an easy task. Nearby, arge fuse box, as big as a grown man''s torso, was glowing bright yellow, signaling its presence. Unfortunately, the ry was located on the opposite side¡ªon the corner of the adjacent building connected to the parking garage rooftop. This meant someone would have to carry the massive box. As everyone hesitated for a moment, Yujin spoke up. "I''ll go. I can handle most things alone, so don''t worry about me. Please go up to a high ce and keep watch in case any enemies follow." "Okay." "Then Harmony,e with me, and let''s head up there." But for some reason, Harmony didn''t seem too pleased with the suggestion. "I think it would be better if I go up to the balcony over there, where I can see the rooftop entrance. Barcode, you should support Yujin from the tower right next to the helipad." "Does she really need support? She can handle things just fine on her own." "If an enemyes while she''s carrying the ry and she dies, we might have to move that big box ourselves, right in the middle of the enemies. Or do you want to switch?" "No¡­." ''Damn bitch¡­.'' His n was beginning to fall apart. Originally, he intended to leave the party and shoot Harmony in the back, filling her with bullets and killing her before fleeing while Yujin was busy with the ry. But now, what kind of nonsense was this? What was even more frustrating was that Harmony''s reasoning wasn''t wrong. In the end, this party revolved around Yujin, and if she faced a situation she couldn''t ovee, they would all be ughtered. Moreover, if he moved to a different location to activate the ry and call for the helicopter, he couldn''t reveal what would happen next. He came here pretending to be a newbie, and now he was going to act like he knew something? It was a truly no-win situation. But then he noticed the balcony Harmony was about to climb. ''There was definitely a rappel line there, one that could be used to sneak up behind¡­.'' Once he remembered that, everything became clear. The re gun in his pocket seemed to gleam with anticipation. With a suddenly brightened expression, he urged Harmony with a smile. "Alright. Then please go up and wait." "Okay, okay." With a rustling sound, Yujin began to move, carrying the heavy-looking ry in one hand and, somehow, holding a machine gun in the other. Harmony was struggling to climb the ledge that reached up to her neck with her small frame. Even that sight made him smile. Everything was falling into ce like puzzle pieces. As Yujin moved far enough away, he began to move cautiously as well. But the difference was that he wasn''t heading toward the control tower to support Yujin. Instead, he was making his way directly to the center of the helipad. Click. He took out the re gun and loaded a re into the chamber. As soon as he cocked it, an interaction prompt appeared before him. This was the moment he''d been waiting for, the moment he could ruin everything. With a sharp thrill running from his toes to his spine and head¡ªa thrill that came from doing something he knew he shouldn''t¡ªhe raised his arm. The "Leave Party" button was pressed, and a five-second countdown began. "Huh? What''s going on, Barcode? What are you doing?" "What do you think I''m doing?" And then he pulled the trigger. Boom! "Figure it out with that stupid head of yours." [Warning: A teammate has left the party.] A small but brilliant red sun rose into the sky. As the three-member team shown in the UI shrank to two, the former teammate standing in the middle of the helipad dashed in the opposite direction. The blindingly bright light illuminated the heart of Manhattan, which had been shrouded in darkness, and the voice of the clueless helicopter pilot filled thems. And just as Yujin was inserting the fuse into the ry, she saw the spectacle. An ominous electronic hum echoed through the cold wind. [.????????? Warning: .????????? Heavily armed enemy presence nearby.] [.????????? Warning: .????????? Jamming detected.] Almost every word on the UI was shattered. Three smoke grenades suddenly popped up at regr intervals in the air, and above them, the characteristic effect of an electromaic pulse rippled through the space. Through the haze, three enemies emerged. Hunters. Adorned from head to toe with Icarus gear, which only operators could wear, they were draped in what seemed to be trophies. Their thick bulletproof vests and ck tactical gear looked impervious to any bullets. The mysterious enemies, with their faces fully covered by ck ballistic masks, quickly took control of the helipad. At that moment, the ry activated, and the entire rooftop lit up. Ignoring the frantic voice of Harmony in the cracklingms, Yujin muttered quietly through the billowing steam of her breath. "Damn, the trigger won''t work." She had expected that enemies¡ªHunters¡ªwould reveal themselves the moment they called for the helicopter, but she hadn''t anticipated that they would emit an EMP upon arrival. Even though she had predicted that a teammate might betray them, the electromaic pulse had rendered it impossible to take proper action once evidence of the betrayal emerged. Harmony had one too, just in case.... Speaking into the now briefly clearms, she added, "Can you hear me?" "Yes! Yujin, where are you? I had a bad feeling, but he really betrayed us, didn''t he!?" "This kind of thing happens all the time here. Anyway, the situation isn''t good. My trigger isn''t working. You still have your trigger, right?" "Yes! Should I press it now?" "It''s a different proximity-detection type from mine, so it won''t work right now. Press it as soon as that user gets close. I''ll handle the enemies." Rustle. From what she remembered, these enemies tended to apply overall pressure while prioritizing the most dangerous target. The sound of metal scraping nearby confirmed it. The most challenging foes she remembered had pushed through the past and reached the present. The battle had begun. Chapter 37 In the past, when she roamed the dead city, Danger was always present, and countless times she had almost lost her head by letting her guard down. Anything that wasn''t an ally was a potential enemy, and most of the time, that was indeed the case. However, after spending countless hours there, the threats inevitably had to be categorized¡ªfrom those that were rtively less dangerous to those that one should never face alone. Looking back, among them, the Hunters were¡­. [Warning: EMP Detected.] ¡­Enemies you should never engage alone. They existed as countermeasures and arch-enemies specifically designed to efficiently kill Icarus operators, and dozens of agents had lost their lives to them. Themand had establishedbat protocols against them solely through thest desperate messages left by agents who had already died, and those words were literally written in blood. And the first rule of that protocol was to always engage them with at least a 2:1 ratio. Click. She pulled the pin from a grenade and hurled it fiercely toward the wall where the scattered snow tracks abruptly ended. But as if they had anticipated it, the Hunter immediately sprang out and took cover elsewhere. The few bullets that did hit their body were purely a result of her skill. However, they did not even cause a minor injury. At most, the impact would have caused a tingling sensation at the point of contact. ''I don''t like taking risks in situations like this¡­.'' And this wasn''t just any ordinary risk. It was closer to a simple yet mad gamble, a deadly game of who could dance longer on the edge of a de with their life as the stake. She had a rough idea of the betrayer''s intentions, so to make it in time, she needed to break through the Hunter quickly. Speaking into the now rapidly deterioratingms, she gave an order. "Can you distract at least one of them?" "¡­Ah, y-yes¡­! The so-sound isn¡¯ting through¡­well, but I¡¯ll t-try¡­!" "Under no circumstances should you let the enemy get close. Do you understand?" It was half a wishful thought. To turn that wish into reality would require taking even greater risks¡­ But if she couldn''t endure that, she would have died long before she could even return to where she hade from. Lowering her gun, she waited. Their trait was cunningness, and when they took a certain amount of damage, they would immediately take cover nearby to treat their wounds and recover. However, if you tried to provoke closebat, they would approach with surprising speed, despite theirrge build, to deliver electric shocks or swing their tomahawks. There were two choices, but both led to the same deadly oue. She used that against them. Rustle! They were dangerous, and with that danger came an aggressive nature. In other words, ifbat was avoided, they would actively try to close the distance. The amplified footsteps, growing louder, confirmed this. With her skills sealed by the EMP, she couldn''t detect the enemy''s location. She could only trust her sharpened instincts and wait.@@novelbin@@ Then, "¡­!" "Ugh¡­!" Grind. A tomahawk swung around the corner. But instead of dodging, she grabbed their arm. Simultaneously, she gripped their other arm tightly, not with her hand but by holding onto the arm itself. In her left hand was a hand axe, and on her right was a high-voltage emitter. Thetter, like a taser, would cause the body to lose control if it made contact. She locked eyes with the bloodshot eyes visible through the ballistic mask. The murderous intent in those blue eyes stared directly at her as she twisted the enemy''s right hand forcefully. The sickening sound of flesh tearing and bones twisting followed as the hand bent unnaturally, causing the emitter, spewing out an eerie arc of electricity, to make contact with the Hunter''s own body. Bzzt. The world flickered with overwhelming brightness. "Aaaaargh!" "¡­Ugh¡­!" A dizzying pain surged through her body as if she was being shredded alive. But she gritted her teeth and held her ground, refusing to copse. Within mere seconds, her Icarus gear rebooted, regaining some control over her body and forcing her muscles to move. In the next moment, the Hunter fell to the ground with a thud. He had been unable to endure and had copsed. "¡­Ha." Her breath smelled faintly of burnt air. Ignoring the excruciating pain, she drew the tactical tomahawk hanging from her waist. Her target was the cervical spine. She aimed to end it in a single blow. With the fear of death still etched behind the mask, she twisted her waist to add momentum and brought it down toward the ground. Crack. And thus, one Hunter met his end at the hands of his prey. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! Meanwhile, gunfire echoed from a distance. It indicated that Harmony was engaged inbat not far away. Now, in terms of sheer numbers, they were evenly matched, but the Hunters were killing machines designed to eliminate operators, and Harmony was still a novice who had only been ying this game for a few days. Forcing her body, which still hadn''t fully recovered, to move, she noticed another Hunter had already closed in. She didn¡¯t expect the same luck as before. But it had to be done, and so she would just take them down. The dawn had not yet broken. "Ugh, I¡¯m going to die at this rate. They''re really scary¡­."
  • His username is lillliillililll.
  • From the name alone, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s here to snipe. Disgusting.
  • Why did she even ept him? I don''t get it. Should¡¯ve shot him on sight.
  • Look at the chat, LOL. This mode was made for situations like this.
  • Why is betrayal not allowed? Didn¡¯t you watch the trailer before ying the game?
At that moment, Harmony''s chat was getting more toxic than ever. The countless opinions flooding the chat could be summed up as chaotic, but they still had some sense of direction. Specifically, they were divided between those who were furious at the user who had put their favorite streamer in danger and those who rified that such betrayal wasn¡¯t exactly against the rules. Of course, the truthy somewhere in the middle, but what was certain was that the majority opinion in the chat, "Can''t we report that user somehow?" was, in reality, impossible. This was because the survival mode andbat in the contaminated zone were designed to allow and even encourage such situations. There was a reporting feature in the Dark Zone. In fact, it was much more robust than in other games, but it was still challenging to immediately and urately judge the needle that stood at the intersection of gaming permissibility and sniping. However, conversely, this meant that if there was solid evidence, it could be judged as sniping. But none of this was helpful to Harmony, who had unfortunately encountered a truly awful opponent. ''¡­At times like this, it¡¯s best not to engage in the subject at all.'' While it was a bit ambiguous to call it simply "ignore and move on," Harmony, with her years of streaming experience, knew that speaking out at a time like this would be akin to suicide. Whether she died or survived, it was better to share her thoughts once everything was resolved, and all the pieces had fallen into ce. Streamers who forgot this¡­ most of them had perished. And whatever it was, she still had the trigger that Yujin had given her. That should help, somehow. Whoosh! "Ugh, hey! So, who are those guys? I don¡¯t know what they are, but they look super strong, so someone do something! Help me out here! Ding dong ding dong!"
  • LOL.
  • She doesn''t even get mad, for real. She''s a true streamer.
  • She knows it''s pointless to get mad about stuff like this.
  • She''s a veteran streamer; that¡¯s why she¡¯s survived when so many others have fallen from saying the wrong thing.
  • But isn''t it infuriating that the guy called in the Hunters and then ran away?
Unlike the gunfire, the sound of bullets flying nearby was like the crack of a whip. Bullets ricocheted, shattering concrete fragments that scattered around, making for a tense firefight. While hiding in a spot overlooking the parking lot was good, there was no escape route. The fight was one-on-one, but the opponent was a Hunter¡ªone who could easily wipe out even veteran yers in an instant if they were unlucky. By context, Yujin was likely dealing with two of them at once, but would she be okay? But such thoughts were a luxury. Even she wasn¡¯t sure if she would survive the current situation. Her breathing grew heavy, and her mouth felt dry. Even though this was an in-game scenario, the stress on her physical body during the fight was still substantial. [Warning: Fragmentation Grenade Detected.] The UI, which had briefly glitched, started returning to normal. Although there were still flickering parts, it was much better than before. A series of seemingly meaningless skirmishes continued. Gradually, both sides were taking more damage. Even when facing other yers, the pressure wasn¡¯t this intense. **[????????? 1,000? ??!]
  • "You have to keep shooting to hold their aggro. If you don¡¯t, they¡¯ll get close and use their instant-kill move."**
"Ugh, this game¡­ So many weird things happen, it¡¯s driving me nuts¡­!" In the meantime, to lighten the toxic atmosphere, more viewers than usual started sending helpful donation messages. Throw grenades to force them to move, then focus your fire while they¡¯re out of cover. Use the various status effect grenades you¡¯ve picked up so far. Use the pulse to locate them. All of these were things she had forgotten in the heat of battle. As if being controlled by some unseen hand, the flood of advice began to take root in her actions. Normally, this kind of input would be impossible to process, but the time she had spent with Yujin had made it somewhat feasible, and Harmony, albeit clumsily, began to follow the advice. First, she used a skill to detect the enemy''s position, then prepared to use the grenades in her pouch. The next moment, a grenade emitting an electrical pulse exploded, sending arge jolt of electricity through the area, causing the Hunter who was unlucky enough to get caught in it to copse, convulsing on the spot. Switching to automatic fire, Harmony pulled the trigger, sending bullets flying through the air at a rate of 800 rounds per minute.
  • "Oh, is she going to get him?"
  • "Is our girl really going to take down a Hunter? Her adaptability is legendary!"
  • "She threw that grenade so casually, and it hit, LOL."
  • "Harmony, the streamer who¡¯s ranked by Forbes as the easiest to take down a Hunter. Is she a goddess?"
  • "I¡¯ve never seen someone take down a Hunter this easily before, LOL."
But before she could fire off even ten rounds, the Hunter almost instantly recovered from the status effect, rolled to evade the bullets, and took cover. It wasn¡¯t just walking or running; the fact that he could move like a stuntman despite wearing such heavy gear was nothing short of extraordinary. The chat was in an uproar. But it wasn¡¯t out of frustration that she hadn¡¯t finished off the Hunter; it was something more familiar¡­ **[????? 1,000? ??!]
  • "What if, under that ballistic mask, it¡¯s actually Yujin?"**
"Thanks, ???, but¡­ Haha, don¡¯t make meugh at a time like this!"
  • "LOL."
  • "Crazy, LOL."
  • "Could it be true?"
  • "Did she change clothes while she was supposed to be fixing the ry?"
  • "The final lesson was to surpass the teacher?"
A lull followed. The almost critically wounded Hunter was hiding behind a container, focused on self-healing without revealing even a single strand of hair, while Harmony reloaded her magazine and took cover behind a wall. With a crackling sound, another EMP went off. Thems, which had just started working again, crackled once more. Yujin, likely preupied with her own battle, didn¡¯t respond, leaving only intermittent gunfire to indicate she was still alive. As always, the chat had quickly forgotten the previous incident, and the consensus was that since they had already driven the Hunter to near-death, they might as well finish the job. But then, suddenly, Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! "Aaah!" A barrage of gunfire erupted from behind, and several bullets tore into Harmony¡¯s body. The sight was all too familiar. It was familiar because all the equipment that person was carrying¡­had been made with the materials Harmony and Yujin had acquired during their battles. With a sickening grin, the cold, mechanical sound of the warning system filled her ears. [Warning: Rogue Operator Detected.] [Warning: Operator Health Low.] "You should have watched your back. Rushing up like that only gets you shot in the head." Kicking the rappelling line set up on the ground, the user who had been known as Barcode pointed his gun at the nearly incapacitated Harmony. There was a sh, and before she could react, the gunshot echoed. [Warning: Operator Down.] Chapter 38 As time progressed, the tform for running games shifted fromputers to VR, and sniping either disappeared or evolved to adapt. Unlike in the past, when snipers could shut out their surroundings and revel in their own twisted victory regardless of sess or failure, they now found it much harder to endure the immediate, direct personal attacks that would follow such actions, thanks to more advanced reporting systems. Given that the anonymity of sniping was its greatest advantage, this development seemed a natural course. But conversely, this also meant that there were still some people who could spit in someone¡¯s face¡ªin this case, snipe¡ªand shamelessly carry on. These people were often called insane by the general public. "This is really fun. I¡¯ve never disrupted a stream like this before." That thought suddenly crossed Harmony¡¯s mind. Even though it was an avatar instead of a real person, could someone who casually said such things to a person who was clearly moving and reacting be considered sane? Throughout her streaming career, Harmony had encountered a wide variety of people, but she wondered whether these kinds of people were insane from the start or if sniping had twisted them over time. But that wasn''t the important issue. She needed to buy time, no matter what she had to say. "You said you¡¯re disrupting the stream? But the stream won¡¯t be broadcast, so how did you even follow¡­." "Oh, you heard that. Just think of it as one of those things. Aren¡¯t you a streamer? Haven¡¯t you been sniped before? Can¡¯t you think straight?" She could barely hold herself together. A warning about being downed had appeared, and it seemed that her character had been set to be unable to use its strength. She could only crawl slowly. It was too sudden; she hadn¡¯t even managed to pull out the trigger device. Should she shut down the stream? She could already imagine the chaos in the chat. There was no real need to broadcast this situation¡­. No, she had to focus on how to get out of this situation. She needed to pull out the trigger device. "¡­If you¡¯re going to kill me anyway, can¡¯t you at least exin why you¡¯re sniping me? Why do you do this?" "To see that reaction of yours. And to piss off your viewers." Honestly, she wasn¡¯t even that curious. She struggled to prop herself up against the wall she was hiding behind. The trigger device was safely clipped in her multi-purpose pouch so it wouldn¡¯t be identally triggered during battle. Fortunately, it was strapped to her right thigh, so she could discreetly reach in and pull it out. She just had to carefully undo the strap. But to do that, she needed to keep the user in front of her distracted. Breathing heavily, she kept talking, trying to provoke a reaction from the enemy. "Isn¡¯t that enough already? I¡¯m already pissed off." "That¡¯s just your opinion. It ends when I¡¯m satisfied. Can¡¯t you think straight? I don¡¯t care if I die. I just have to kill you and run before your team or the Hunters get here." "¡­." "You¡¯ve got a lot to say, huh? What, are you going to sue me? With what? Suing over something like this would just be a hassle for you. I¡¯ve got money. I¡¯ll drag it out, and if I have to, I¡¯ll just pay a settlement." The user squatted down and grabbed her cheek. This was indeed an unbearable humiliation, but Harmony didn¡¯t care about that part. She wasn¡¯t responding because she was focusing all her nerves on her fingertips. The strap of the multi-purpose pouch slowly loosened. The tight space that allowed nothing to pass through was gradually opening. It was a strange feeling. No matter what the enemy was saying, her mind remained calm. All her senses and focus were channeled into her fingertips, moving with the sole purpose of achieving her goal. As if it was the only path she could take. Even as the most vile insults she¡¯d ever heard in her life were hurled at her, they simply washed over her and faded away. "Ha, this is boring. I should¡¯ve seen what the viewers were saying, but I can only watch the stream at normal speed on myputer." "¡­?" "What¡¯s with that look? Didn¡¯t you know you can set up a camera and watch it on yourputer? Amazing. No wonder you got sniped like this." Click. She carefully slipped her hand into the pouch. Her health was slowly decreasing. The UI was filled with bright red warnings that she would die from blood loss in less than two minutes. The noise from outside was gradually diminishing. The Hunters hadn¡¯t caught her yet. So, the fight was still ongoing, but it would¡¯ve been better if they had shown up by now. The enemy was truly oblivious to the situation. She felt she was reaching the final stage. Her movements became more urgent. "Ah, I¡¯ve talked too much. Time to kill you and get out of here." "¡­Ha¡­." A sinister smile crossed the enemy¡¯s face as he stomped on Harmony¡¯s arm. "¡­Agh!" "Oh, were you nning something? Is there a grenade in there? Were you nning to blow us both up? You¡¯ve been watching too many movies. It¡¯s obvious. Even an idiot could see it." A vile grin spread across the man¡¯s face. At the moment when herst hope was thwarted, the anger she had kept in check flooded her veins. With the surge of rage, the strength she had reserved flowed into her fingers. She had to release the safety clip and grip the trigger. But the pressure on her ankle increased. "Y-you¡­." "Oh no, did you really think I¡¯d let you do it? Guess I have to actually kill you now." Slide. The gun was raised. But ironically, at that moment, the emotion that showed on her face was not fear but a smile. The sniper''s expression began to twist in confusion. "¡­Why are you looking at me like that?" "Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­." Her gaze drifted to the tactical rig of the hostile yer. A redser, seemingly from nowhere, was aimed at him without a hint of wavering. Whether it was Yujin or a Hunter¡­ Harmony decided it didn¡¯t matter as she carefully spoke. "¡­It¡¯s just that I think I did a pretty good job of stalling for time." Boom! And then the storm hit. With the sensation of being crushed, a shockwave from a Hunter¡¯s st bomb exploded in mid-air,pletely obliterating the enemy who had been standing over her. Harmony was also caught in the st, but leaning against the wall worked greatly in her favor, keeping her from being thrown backward. And not only that, the force of the st caused her hand to slip out of the pouch. In her hand was the trigger device. "You son of a¡­ It¡¯s really a Hunter!" The enemy had been thrown against the wall and was recovering quickly, moving to grab the rifle that had fallen at his feet. But by now, he must have realized it. The look on Harmony¡¯s face was not what he had expected. Their gazes met in a moment that was the exact opposite of the situation from just a few seconds ago. "Where¡­where¡¯s my gun¡­? Wait, you, hold on. That¡¯s not a grenade¡­." "Well, it¡¯s not a grenade, but¡­." She squeezed the device in her hand, adding mischievously. "¡­It¡¯s probably simr." Click. A crisp sound echoed. In the brief silence that followed, countless emotions crossed between them. And then©¤©¤©¤ BOOM! "Aaaaah! Aaaaaah!" An enormous explosion, apanied by a barrage of cluster mines, erupted from the bag carried by the sniper user with the Barcode nickname. [Alert: Cluster Seeker Mine Detonation Inside Hostile Operator¡¯s Bag.] "¡­Impressive." Whether or not she could hear me, I couldn¡¯t say¡­ But Harmony seemed to be a much stronger person than she appeared on the surface. Even though my trigger had failed to work, and I was worried that Fallen had downed her faster than expected, leaving me without enough time to deal with the Hunter, she had managed to stall for time and fulfill her role admirably. But on the other hand, this also meant it had been quite a while since Harmony had been downed. The fight with the second Hunter was nearing its end, but there was still one more left, and the effects of the Seeker Mine wouldn¡¯tst long. In other words, I had to move. And I had to move now. Click! I discarded all my weapons and gear, keeping only my bulletproof vest, tomahawk, and a pistol as I sprinted in Harmony¡¯s direction. To prepare for the worst, I had packed not only two Seeker Mines but also a reactive shock grenade in the bag, but it was all just to buy time. The world stretched out around me as I sprinted across the snow-covered rooftop at a speed of at least 30 km/h. Ahead of me, within seconds, was a ledge that had to be at least 150 cm high. The Hunter was climbing up, and above, the now-dazed traitor was staggering. It was toote to slow down. The choice was simple. "¡­!" I jumped over the ledge,nding on my hands and rolling before immediately pulling out my tomahawk. Gripping the handle as if I would crush it, I aimed for the Hunter¡¯s thigh and swung. With a forceful strike, the leg was severed entirely. But even as the Hunter lost control of his body and copsed, he still tried to fire. I barely managed to grab the barrel and twist it, avoiding the shot, and soon the enemy fell, with his remaining head and neck severed, copsing lifelessly to the ground. Meanwhile, the traitor, who had just realized my arrival, attempted to flee. However, with a simple hand signal, I triggered the shock grenade stored in my bag. A chilling sound and electric sparks spread out. Bzzzt! "Ugh¡­ Aaaagh¡­!" Paralyzed and convulsing on the ground like a broken electric toothbrush, the traitor stared helplessly into the sky. Twisting the tomahawk in my hand, I approached him slowly.@@novelbin@@ "W-what¡­ the hell¡­ is this?!" "I recently received messages from five people you killed in hardcore mode. They didn¡¯t say much, but one of them made a particrly memorablement." I bent down and used an emergency medical kit on the near-dead Harmony. Her pain-ridden expression softened as the Icarus gear¡¯s self-healing function kicked in. It would take about a minute before she could walk again. Turning away from her, I addressed the traitor, who was still writhing on the ground. "They said that when you die in hardcore mode, you retain the sensation of your death. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t care about that." "What¡­ are you talking about¡­?!" "I thought you might need to know." Slide. I firmly pressed my foot against his chest, forcing him to lie t on the ground. Then I removed my foot and nudged him so that he was lying face-down with his head against the ground. To simplify: he was now in a prone position. I loosened my muscles and checked the thin gap between his bulletproof vest and helmet. "Because you¡¯re about to feel what it¡¯s like to have a tomahawk de buried in your neck." "W-what? Don¡¯t mess with me! This has to be a joke!" But as I shifted my weight onto my left foot and prepared to swing the axe, his disbelief turned into a terrifying reality. His desperate scream echoed through the heart of Manhattan. "Don¡¯t do it! Please! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry!" "Let¡¯s make sure we never meet again." "No! Please, no! Aaaaah¡ª!" Thud. A sickening crunch of flesh tearing and bone shattering mingled with his gruesome final scream, spreading into the air. Chapter 39 ¡°Prepare for extraction. We¡¯rending now!¡± ¡°¡­Finally, the helicopter has arrived.¡± <¡®MyNameIsKimSemi¡¯ donated 100,000 won!>
  • ¡°I really love you, Teacher Yujin¡­ Today was a day that could have been absolutely terrible, but this¡­ I cheered so loudly at home that my family looked at me strangely¡­ I¡¯m so grateful.¡±
-Wooooaaaaahhhhh -I¡¯m not even lying, when you decapitated the sniper with the tomahawk, I literally cried out of joy. -I¡¯m so happy that I can¡¯t even put it into words. Yujin, who are you?!?! -From now on, I¡¯ll call light ¡®Yujin.¡¯ Thank you so much, Teacher. -So this is why people watch hero movies, LOL -Teacher, you didn¡¯t just clear my head, you practically obliterated it, LOL Cheers. A pure 100% cheer continued. Harmony, leaning against the wall with a faint smile, shared a nce with her many viewers. Beyond them, Yujin was seen pulling out the tomahawk embedded in the enemy yer¡¯s neck and retrieving it. A moment of silence. The severed head rolled to the side, and the body disintegrated into dust as if it were never there. A fitting end for a viin. With her usual slightly indifferent expression, Yujin secured the tomahawk to the clip on her back and approached Harmony. Dawn was breaking. The morning sunlight gently caressed the walls of New York¡¯s buildings. The sound of footsteps on the crunching snow, as Yujin¡¯s hand reached out to Harmony, who was leaning heavily against the wall,pletely drained of energy. Although her wounds were healing, she stillcked strength. She cautiously raised her hand, but soon it began to drop as her strength waned. ¡°Hold on. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± But Yujin couldn¡¯t allow her hand to fall to the ground. They sped hands. The cold air meant there was no warmth felt through the gloves, but the energy in Yujin¡¯s hand was more than enough. With a small grunt, Yujin applied strength to her legs and slowly rose to her feet. However, she found it difficult to muster strength in her legs. A short cry of pain escaped Harmony¡¯s lips. But despite her expectations, she didn¡¯t fall. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± At some point, Yujin had wrapped her tail securely around Harmony¡¯s waist, supporting her. With one arm over Yujin¡¯s shoulder, Harmony moved slowly at her pace, leaving trails in the snow. The helicopter that had been hovering above began to descend slowly onto the helipad. A strong wind whipped around them, scattering the unfrozen snow in all directions. As they carefully stepped down from the high ledge, the helicopter¡¯s four-person seatingpartment opened, and the pilot¡¯s voice crackled over the radio, reaching their ears. ¡°20 seconds until departure. I¡¯ll get you out safely.¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± ¡°Let me help you up. Please, take a seat.¡± Gently holding her by the waist, Yujin helped Harmony into the open door. A small, cute yelp came from Harmony, but Yujin only responded with a slight smile. With a brief groan, Harmony settled into the seat at the front of the helicopter, quickly shutting the doors. The cold air that had seeped in was rapidly warming up. ¡°10 seconds to departure!¡± ¡°¡­There are so many strange people in this world.¡± Leaning back in the surprisinglyfortable seat, Harmony murmured to herself. Yujin, who had taken off her gloves to massage her hands, added: ¡°There have always been such people. There are many now, and there will be many in the future. But why does it seem like there are more now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. In the past, those who openly behaved like that all ended up dead.¡± Exhaling softly, Yujin gazed at the sunrise through the window and spoke quietly: ¡°In today¡¯s society, where physical retribution isn¡¯t possible even when insulted, it feels like there are more people who speak without thinking. Those who aren¡¯t sanctioned won¡¯t stop their actions.¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re saying that since there¡¯s no harm to themselves, they keep doing it, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Yujin carefully wiped the de of the tomahawk she had secured on her back. The helicopter was now flying over the city, with buildings beneath them. ¡°Sometimes, for people like that, extreme measures are necessary.¡± -Teacher, I thought you only shot guns. Why are you giving a philosophy lecture too? -Summary: If you mess around, I¡¯ll literally smash your head, so watch yourself. -The content is sophisticated, but the actions are brutal, LOL -It¡¯s hrious that the person actually doing it is the one saying this, LOL -Thank you so much for rescuing our poor Harmony! Harmony let out a smallugh, shaking her head slightly as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. It was a very Yujin-like thing to say. Words should be persuasive, and while many people bolster their arguments with logic, being the right person to say them is another method. And the person in front of Harmony was definitely suited for that. The sun was rising outside the helicopter window. Bathed in a dazzling orange light, the two finally returned to the base after a fierce battle. It was Harmony¡¯s third day in the Dark Zone. ¡°¡­Anyway, today was incredibly tough. I didn¡¯t expect to go through something like this, but I¡¯m d it all ended well.¡± In the personal space provided for everyone in the virtual reality, where she could chat with viewers, A green, cat-like avatar, who looked like she might taste minty if licked, lounged in her chair with a weary expression. It had been nine hours since the broadcast began, three hours in real-world time. Normally, there wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue with broadcasting for hours in virtual reality, but today was different. Though she was holding up better than expected, it didn¡¯t mean Harmony was in her usual psychological state. In short, she was now starting to feel the aftereffects of earlier. <¡®Meumeum¡¯ donated 1,000 won!>
  • ¡°Even thinking about it now, it was so terrifying. The broadcast could have beenpletely ruined today.¡±
¡°Thank you for the 1,000 won donation, Meumeum¡­ Thank you for your concern. That¡¯s exactly the problem. It would have been fine if it had ended with just me, but they wanted to mess with everyone watching the broadcast too. That¡¯s not okay.¡± Even after nearly six years of broadcasting, experiencing various mental stresses and incidents, there are still things one can¡¯t easily get used to. Especially something like this¡ªreceiving direct hostility from another person, even in virtual reality¡ªwas a type of experience that few had ever encountered. Considering that, Harmony was handling the situation remarkably well. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll only recruit participants from the fan cafe. And when ying modes with sniping potential like today¡­ Anyone whoes near me, no matter what sweet words they use, will be killed on sight. Got it?¡± <¡®MightTwilightLife¡¯ donated 10,000 won!>
  • ¡°Do you see this, Teacher Yujin? In just three days, our dear Harmony has be a killing machine. You better take responsibility and take her to the grave with you.¡±
-I can hear Teacher Yujin pping somewhere, LOL -What kind of game is the Dark Zone that it¡¯s turned Harmony, who¡¯s beaten so many trash games, into this, LOL -This is a textbook example of a dark transformation, 8/10 -Shooting strangers on sight is basic etiquette, and even ancient martial arts mentioned it. -Those people clinging for a chance to join the game even when it¡¯s not open to others are the weird ones. This is how it should be. ¡°Thank you so much for the 10,000 won donation, MightTwilightLife. Ah,e on, what are you talking about? I¡¯m still far from reaching Yujin¡¯s level. I need to train harder.¡± Of course, the chat window went wild at this point, but unlike the viewers who took it half as a joke, Harmony was more serious than they realized. Thinking back, would those snipers have targeted her if she were as strong as Yujin? It was an extreme example, but not entirely wrong. Even in a modern society built onw, the logic of strength still applied, and for that, one needed at least a basic foundation. Having a majority of viewers on her side was one thing, but having the means to resolve situations independently was another. But that didn¡¯t mean she was in the mood to start up the Dark Zone again. After wrapping up with a brief closing statement, Harmony added: ¡°Anyway, today¡­ As I mentioned earlier, I¡¯m pretty exhausted, so I¡¯ll end the broadcast here. Don¡¯t stress too much about what happened today, and let¡¯s meet again tomorrow in good health. Goodbye, NyangGang!¡± Swish. As the broadcast ended, the screen went ck, and the familiar ceiling came into view. It was the living room. After lying down for about three hours, her body felt stiff. As she carefully sat up, numerous messages popped up before her eyes. - [You have 300+ messages from Rudite, KimStone, and others inquiring about your well-being. Would you like to check them?] - [You have 58 missed calls.]@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ugh, why is there so much?¡± People pretend not to care, but they really do worry a lot. The content of these messages was likely simr to what she received when she barely made it through the tutorialst time. The tone might be more concerned, though. A loud noise echoed. It was the phone ringing. Since the broadcast had ended, Harmony decided to take the calls. The call she answered came from Rudite, her main editor. ¡°Hello? Hey, Editor, why did you call so much?¡± - Well, wouldn¡¯t you call? After what happened? That wasn¡¯t just sniping; it was verbal abuse. We¡¯re already collecting evidence and reporting it to the cyber investigation team. ¡°...Yeah, we need to handle this firmly given the nature of the incident.¡± That user might have casually dismissed the idea ofwsuits and appeals, but could they maintain that stance when the actual legal consequences hit? They imed it was their first time facing such an incident publicly, so they likely didn¡¯t know anything. As the excitement subsided, the conversation turned more practical. - So, what¡¯s your n? For this video¡­ ¡°There will probably be many people who find it unpleasant, so I think we should hold off on editing for now. Please inform the others as well.¡± - Got it. I¡¯ll let them know. Anyway, I¡¯m really d. If it weren¡¯t for Teacher Yujin at the end, it could have been disastrous. ¡°Ahaha.¡± With an awkwardugh, Harmony added: ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of the sniping, but I knew about the betrayal from the beginning. I wasn¡¯t told explicitly, but Yujin gave me a heads-up.¡± - What? Seriously? You knew? ¡°Yes. Andter, I found out that Yujin had secretly put a bomb in the bag we made for that yer. Remember when I pressed the detonator? That was it.¡± - Wow, seriously, no way¡­ The editor¡¯s voice was almost a sigh, as if at a loss for words. For some reason, Harmony felt quite pleased, even though she wasn¡¯t the one being praised. Having worked with this editor for so long, she could now roughly guess what expression they might have. She expected them to switch topics soon. - Anyway, I understand. There was one more reason I called¡­ Ah, right. The other edited videos are almost done. The second and third ones will be uploaded today and tomorrow. ¡°Oh, really? Can I check the videos?¡± - I¡¯ve already sent them via engram, so check them out and let me know if anything seems off. Even though she said that, there was likely nothing wrong. Rudite was one of the best editors Harmony had ever worked with. Anyway, the broadcast was over. It was conveniently 10 PM, and she was incredibly hungry. She had barely eaten dinner earlier, so her stomach was growling. Watching the videos the editor sent while having ate-night snack sounded like a n¡­ But she had resolved to get stronger, so she couldn¡¯t think about snacks. After ending the call, Harmony lifted her hoodie to reveal a soft, white belly like mochi. Squish. ¡°¡­Ah, I really shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± ¡­But, just for tonight, she¡¯d allow herself a snack. As she sent the freshly edited video to Yujin, Harmony found herself losing yet another battle with herself. It was summer. Chapter 40 It¡¯s a sudden story, but after moving back to where I originally lived, my schedule changed significantly. It was only natural. All the facilities that made me who I am had disappeared. The training ground, the shooting range, the kill house, and the hood box that transformed me from an ordinary strong person into an exceptional top-tier killing machine. Along with countless other training facilities.@@novelbin@@ All of these can now only be found in virtual reality. But, in truth, if I genuinely missed those things, I wouldn¡¯t have chosen the Dark Zone. To put it concretely, I might have joined a PMC or deployed with a military unit¡ªassuming that was even an option. Anyway, returning to the main point, the reason my schedule changed is precisely because of this. Originally, I would have woken up, done a light morning workout, and then headed straight to shoot, but now I can¡¯t do that anymore. This exnation is getting a bit long. ©¤©¤©¤Bzzz! ¡°¡­Ugh, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± My morning routine is simple if you consider it, well, simple. I usually wake up at 6:55 AM, which is my standard wake-up time. After wandering around the house a bit, I naturally wake up. By around seven, I have a simple breakfast. Well, it¡¯s simple by my standards, but to regr people, a 2,000 kcal shake with a whole slice of chocte cake blended into it might be anything but simple. Anyway, I start my day by downing that shake. Since I burn at least 4,000 calories a day, and it can go up to 7,000 with a bit of exercise, I have to eat like this. While sipping on that, I check on myputer, which is still working hard to recover my overdue funds. -There is (1) payment transfer request based on the payment certificate. -Applicant: Eugene Lee -Total: $600,000 -Currently essible amount: $41,495 At this point, I don¡¯t really have to worry about my livelihood anymore. After browsing the web a bit, contemting whether to rent more servers or buy additionalputing devices, I lower the screen and start studying my specialty. Today, it¡¯s sniping. Based on memorized data and shooting specifications, I create a simtion, run it, and verify what went wrong using the Icarus gear. The gear can break down at any time, so I can¡¯t rely solely on it. As I delve deep into this, time flies, and before I know it, it¡¯s almost 11 AM. Grabbing my sore body, I do some light stretching. It¡¯s about time to get ready to go to the fitness club. ©¤©¤©¤ck! ¡°The weather¡¯s nice.¡± As I open the door and step outside, the sun is shining brightly. Unlike the Dark Zone¡¯s blizzards, it¡¯s summer in reality. With the game¡¯s 1:3 time ratio, the in-game season changes every month. Because it¡¯s midday, there are still quite a few people outside¡­ Well, it¡¯s Seoul, after all. I casually brush off the gazes sticking to me, enter the building, and take the elevator. As soon as the doors open, I¡¯m greeted by the familiar sight of the counter. It¡¯s a sight I¡¯m quite used to now. ¡°Oh, Yujin.¡± ¡°Hello. It¡¯s not very crowded today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s usually quiet around mealtime. Isn¡¯t that better for you?¡± ¡°It is, actually.¡± With that, I head into the locker room and change my top. They provide pants here, but they don¡¯t fit me well because of my tail. As I walk out, the staff are waiting like Avengers to help with my workout. Just two of them today? While I appreciate the help, I feel a bit guilty. They always tell me it¡¯s fine when I feel this way, though. Anyway, it¡¯s time to set my muscles on fire. Starting with simple bodyweight exercises, the intensity rapidly increases, almost vertically, as always. Sweat pours down like rain, and my body fat burns up. I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s much fat left to burn, though. In between exercises, I check my messages. It¡¯s not so much checking as catching up on replies I¡¯ve fallen behind on. Lately, most of my conversations are with Harmony. -[Harmony: Teacher~!!! The edited videos 2 and 3 are finally out! I uploaded the 2ndst night and the 3rd will go up around lunchtime today!] -[Harmony: I¡¯ve also posted the videos in the engram room, so please check them out when you have time!] -[Harmony: And please, give me your ount info, pleaseeeeee!!! T_T] -[Yujin: Oh right, I¡¯ll send it right away.] Come to think of it, I still haven¡¯t given her my ount information. I¡¯ve been putting it off out ofziness, but with the 2nd and 3rd videos out, it didn¡¯t feel right to dy any longer, so I quickly started typing. The little number next to the message disappeared instantly. You¡¯d think a streamer would be busy, but apparently not. Or maybe she¡¯s just very interested in me. After chatting and working out, two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Covered in sweat, I left the gym and headed home. There wasn¡¯t much point in showering since I hadn¡¯t brought a change of clothes and would just end up wearing the same sweaty outfit again. After throwing my sweaty clothes into the washing machine, I took my first shower of the day, thinking about what to eat for lunch. Even at this point, the day already felt productive. I dried off, changed into fresh clothes, and, since I had enoughundry piled up, I ran the washing machine while putting a pizza in the air fryer¡ªmy soulmate¡ªand checked the video. -[Harmony] Teacher is angry! One, never again! Two, I¡¯ll never drop a magazine again! [Dark Zone Day 1 - Part 2-] ¡°¡­She really knows how to title these.¡± But there was something more important. Even the primal smell of melting pizza cheese couldn¡¯t distract me from checking it. The reason was quite simple. View counts. Since it was Friday night when the 2nd video was uploaded at 11 PM, it had already surpassed 500,000 views in just twelve hours. This was a remarkable increasepared to other videos, considering her Dark Zone Part 1 video had reached 700,000 views in three days, and her average video view count was around 200,000. Impressive. ©¤©¤©¤Ding! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s ready.¡± Lunch today was a whole pizza. Being at home, even 16K quality loaded quickly, but I found myself starting to read thements before watching the video. 5,000ments. That¡¯s quite a lot. =15:19 Did you really drop the magazine, sis? I literally sighed when I saw that¡­ ?But how did you manage to grab it with your tail afterward? Was this something the Dark Zone could do? ?It¡¯s probably a supported feature, like third-arm functionality, in this ridiculously realistic game. ?Is that some kind of tail device experimental avatar? That¡¯s interesting. =We didn¡¯t know it at the time¡­ that this teacher would shine so bright. ?Didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d be a guardian angel, LOL. ?We should all bow to where Teacher Yujin is once a day. ?Why are you talking about things only you guys know? Tell me too! ?Watch the live stream from yesterday, and you¡¯ll get it. ?It blew up. ?No kidding. =Is this where Teacher Yujin¡¯s legend began? Bookmarking this! ?2222222222222222 ?Yujin, the Guardian of Harmony¡­ She¡¯s the Goddess of the Tomahawk!!!! ?It¡¯s a shame the rey was deleted, honestly. ?I hope they release it once the legal action against the sniper is over. =Forbes named Yujin as the sexiest woman when decapitating people, heueung. ?What the hell does that mean, LOL. ?Sounds ridiculous, right? I thought so too, but it¡¯s true. ?Confirmed. ?When I saw her cut that sniper in half, I was so happy I jumped up and down, then got scolded by my parents, LOL. =Came here after seeing a clip from another site. Is this the ce where theypletely wrecked that sniper? ?Yes, that¡¯s right. ?It¡¯s already spreading everywhere, LOL. ?Did you? ?It hasn¡¯t even been a day, and it¡¯s already exported to every corner, LOL. It¡¯s a big deal. For me, it was just one of the many things I had to do. She needed my help, and Icarus¡¯s motto is to help those in need. Anyway, I enjoyed the over 40-minute videos with a nicely browned pizza on the table. The video was fun. Except for the fact that I didn¡¯t anticipate the aftershock being so much bigger than expected. -Hey! What are you¡­ Ugh, Mina, you should have done it in a private room. You would have gotten the same rewards with the right number of people¡­ I mean, really¡­ ugh¡­ ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s over now. I already consulted awyer today, so don¡¯t worry too much about every little thing. Besides, Yujin caught them, didn¡¯t she?¡± -Sigh¡­ Yeah. That¡¯s a relief. Too many people have been calling to check on me. Sincest night and through this evening, I¡¯ve had dozens of calls, all starting with ¡°Are you okay?¡± No matter how much, it was bound to get on my nerves. Still, it was far better than reliving the events of that time. Reconnecting with friends and colleagues wasn¡¯t bad either. The fellow streamer Dol I¡¯m talking to now¡­ She¡¯s a bit like a mother hen, but I suppose it¡¯s because she cares. -Still, I¡¯m d you¡¯re doing better than I expected. What did the others say? Are they as worried as I am? ¡°Yeah, pretty much¡­ Some even asked if I needed them to introduce me to awyer. I told them it was fine. I want to handle it myself. I n to take firm action, so don¡¯t worry.¡± -You did well, you did well. It seems that person is really dumb. Do they not know how severely virtual reality violence is punished? ¡°Maybe¡­ Who knows? I¡¯m not going to waste my time on it. Most of the rest will be handled by my legal representative.¡± Ahem. Harmony cleared her throat and coughed briefly to reset her voice, then waited for Dol¡¯s reply. -Alright. Let¡¯s have a meal together sometime. ¡°You too? Everyone who¡¯s called to check on me has said we should have a meal together. Was I really that bad about not eating with others?¡± -Think about what kind of karma you¡¯ve built up with people around you. ¡°What did I do?¡± At most, I rmended games where you navigate through fields filled with cavemen and annoying kids, or games where you climb mountains with golf balls, pogo sticks, or hammers. Just simple, cute games. Why? No one understands the true art of gaming. ¡°I wonder if Yujin would like it if I rmended the games I y.¡± -You really know how to pick the wrong things to do, don¡¯t you? A brief silence. Then, Dol continued. -Anyway¡­ Lately, all I hear about is you. I¡¯m not usually one to check other people¡¯s UOSpace, but did you see the views on parts 2 and 3? ¡°Huh? No. I haven¡¯t checked yet.¡± -That¡¯s just like you. Go check. It¡¯s blowing up. Also, try not to rely too much on Yujin for content. It¡¯ll be better for you. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m thinking about what to do in-game moving forward, so don¡¯t worry.¡± -¡­Well, you usually handle those things well. Dol¡¯s voice, though a bit rxed, conveyed concern and care for her. Anyway, taking her advice, I logged into UOSpace. The interface was familiar. Ignoring the countless notifications that never dropped below +99, I essed my personal channel. There was no need to sort by thetest uploads, but I checked the top two videos to see for myself. ¡­But. ¡°...Wait a minute.¡± -What? What¡¯s wrong? ¡°No, why are¡­.¡± Why do both videos have seven-digit view counts? Those were the words that circled in Harmony¡¯s mind as her lips trembled slightly, unable to fullyprehend what she was seeing. Chapter 42 "La,¡­ Ah, ah. Mic check. Mic check. Hello, it¡¯s Harmony."
  • Haha
  • Haha (Harmony Hi, meaning Harmony''s here)
  • Another triple-speed stream? Love it, lol
  • Does this mean she¡¯s ying Dark Zone? Is the Dark Zone supremacy era upon us?
  • Is this the day this girl stops making terrible games her main focus?
It was 8 PM in real-time. As Harmony¡¯s stream went live, viewers began flooding in. Messages poured in like waves from the two chat windows visible on the screen. One chat window was for viewers connected via VR, sharing the same in-game speed as Harmony, while the other was for those watching the stream in real-time at normal speed. Recently, a feature had been introduced that allowed real-time rendering to let those using VR devices watch the stream at the same speed as in-game, but it was still considered in need of fine-tuning. The viewer count, which had been rapidly climbing, soon hit 5,000, then began to rise more slowly. Harmony¡¯s Dark Zone gamey had attracted a steady audience, and even though it was somewhat sudden, she had managed to pull in additional viewers, increasing her base by tens of percent. Whether these new viewers would fully integrate into hermunity was uncertain, but in truth, it didn¡¯t really matter much. "Um¡­ As for Dark Zone, I¡¯m not sure. If I do y it today, I¡¯ll either go solo or recruit some people from the cafe to clear some missions." She then calmly began to exin the situation. Having spent several days with Yujin, almost living and working together, she was quickly aware of the recent public sentiment and had taken steps to address it. The chat quickly became noisy, but this was unavoidable. And the reason she had started the stream today was to provide a clear answer to this very issue. Before the situation could spiral out of control, she swiftly began to speak. "Since this is just a talk session before we start ying, I have some news to share with you all. Rest assured, there¡¯s nothing wrong between me and Yujin." A small gesture. In response to her action, several photos and what seemed to be a document appeared in midair, along with a link on the far right. As the chat, now filled with question marks, descended into confusion, Harmony added fuel to the fire by exining in a calm voice. "Some of you might be curious about what this is. To put it simply¡­ uh, this is a statement directly from Icarus International regarding Yujin. You¡¯ll all be able to see it yourselves in a few days, but I got permission from the person involved to show it to you first." The first page zoomed in. The paper bore the faintly engraved phoenix emblem, the mark of Icarus International, and on it, bold ck text stood out, clearly legible. An authoritative format that no one could dispute. The content was clear. -[RE: Dark Zone User: Eugene¡¯s Alleged Use of Illegal Programs.] -[In the past few days, our customer service center has received various inquiries regarding this matter. However, after analyzing movement and action logs, we found no evidence of any attempts to use illegal programs.] -[Additionally, after conducting further verification using our own devices, we confirm that no illegal programs were involved during any of these processes. The results are officially certified by our headquarters.] -[The physical examination and testing process were recorded on video as evidence. To protect the individual¡¯s privacy, the user¡¯s appearance during testing has been edited with an avatar ovey.] -[For further details¡­] Back when Dark Zone was still connected to the intework. During that time, the sheer number of hacks was overwhelming, and even more hackers flooded the game. But thanks to numerous patches, they were all wiped out and never returned. Even users who stubbornly denied using hacks couldn¡¯t hold their ground when challenged to prove themselves at the headquarters. So, paradoxically, certification directly from the headquarters carried unparalleled authority and reliability.
  • ????????????????????
  • No way? Did they really go to HQ to prove it?
  • Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins!
  • I¡¯ve never seen someone go this far, lol
  • Hack parrots are dead! Hack parrots are dead! Hack parrots are dead!
Although much of it was in text form and took some time to fully understand, the oue was more than worth the effort. Seeing the chat reaction unfold as expected, Harmony spoke up. "Okay, okay. I can¡¯t show you everything here, but the reason I¡¯m bringing this up today is that Yujin will be doing a stream in a few days to show you this herself." "Not only that, but employees from Icarus will also be joining to testify that Yujin didn¡¯t use any hacks, so please look forward to it and tune in."@@novelbin@@ A brief silence¡ªthough the chat window was still chaotic. Usually, this would be the point where donations or questions would start pouring in, but surprisingly, that didn¡¯t happen. So Harmony preemptively answered the questions she had anticipated. "The reason I¡¯m mentioning this on stream is simple. It¡¯s almost impossible for Yujin to go around officially exining this herself." "Even if the site does some promotion, it¡¯ll take time, so I just decided to mention it here. It¡¯s mutually beneficial, you know?" Wrapping up, Harmony closed the "Just Chatting" session with a finalment. "So, for now, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be ying Dark Zone today. I¡¯ll y a warm-up game first and then see how things go before deciding." And then the game started. It was a pixel-art game with an odd aesthetic. The in-game visuals were strange enough on their own, but the unicorn standing on the ground, along with the purple horizon and the suddenly chaotic chat atmosphere, made the scene even more bizarre. "Alright! Today¡¯s warm-up game is¡­ Horse Run! A game where you control each of a unicorn¡¯s legs with your keyboard to reach the destination! I found this gem online recently, and it¡¯s fresh off the press! Let¡¯s get started©¤©¤©¤!"
  • ?
  • ?????
  • Seriously, who rmended this weird game to her????
  • At this point, she really enjoys this¡­ She¡¯s a connoisseur of bad games, a true "crap game" sommelier¡­.
  • Teacher, please stop ying these kinds of games¡­¡­¡­.
  • Sis? No matter how much we mess up, you don¡¯t need to punish us like this. We admit our mistakes, so could you please take this money and calm down?
"Ah, Hoguwat! Thank you so much for the 40,000 won donation!" Then she added: "But please know that your donations will be well spent on things like editor sries, rent, food, phone bills, and savings, as well as buying more of these wonderful games. Thank you so much for your donations today!"
  • Crazy woman¡­ Crazy woman¡­ Crazy woman¡­ Crazy woman¡­ Crazy woman¡­.
That one donation summed up the thoughts of all the viewers. Of course, after that, she continued to enjoy her "crap games" for over five hours, maintaining discipline among her viewers, and it was clear that this was just the beginning of the stream. "I never thought I¡¯d be preparing for a stream." "It¡¯s a good experience. It¡¯ll be fun." How did ite to this? I wasn¡¯t sure how, but as the stream drew closer, I couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly incredulous. I had simply yed the game as instructed by those mysterious people, and in just ten days, so much had happened¡­. It was a lot, really. In a way, it was ironic. Still, I didn¡¯t feel nervous. I had been through far too many intense experiences to be shaken by something like this. If I had any doubts about myself, it might have been different¡­ But that¡¯s why I spent the past few days thoroughly verifying everything at the Icarus building. As expected, there was no evidence of hacking¡ªspecifically, no signs of illegal program usage¡­ Not that there was any reason for there to be. In fact, the staff were surprised that hacking was still a topic of discussion, which spoke volumes. There wasn¡¯t much more to say. Harmony, checking something, added: "Looks like the server¡¯s been allocated, so I guess you¡¯ve applied as a streamer. Do you n on streaming regrly?" "If I don¡¯t have anything else to do, I guess it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea." If I lived in the U.S., I might have run a shooting range or joined a tactical consulting firm, but unfortunately, this was Korea, not the U.S. ¡­Yet Harmony¡¯s expression was oddly expectant. She seemed like she was eagerly anticipating something. I had said it offhandedly, so why was she reacting like this? "So, what time will you stream? Are you going to have a regr schedule?" "You¡¯re going too far." "I think it¡¯d be really cool, though¡­" Then she continued: "Since it¡¯s just the two of us, I¡¯ll say this¡­ It¡¯d be better for me if you became an independent streamer. Right now, it¡¯s almost like my stream depends on just one yer¡ªYujin." "That¡¯s true." "Even though VR games have made things easier, there are still those who would criticize a permanent stream partner out of nowhere¡­" Is this the kind of stress streamers have to deal with? There¡¯s a lot to consider. If I were to start streaming, I¡¯d definitely need to prepare thoroughly in this area. Maybe that¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t so serious about answering her earlier. The room, oncepletely empty, began to fill with furniture and a microphone at Harmony¡¯smand. She was clearly experienced. As I watched, I couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly overwhelmed, mentally folding away the thoughts of ¡°Is this too much?¡± as I only intervened when something seemed too out of ce. Time passed, and eventually, the room took on the appearance of a heavily modified version of mine. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to start my first stream with such a setup, but if it felt offter, I could always purchase and apply better interior designs. "There are two more chairs needed, one for each of the other two people who will be joining." "Oh, right. The seats for the Icarus staff, right? How did you manage to get them¡­?" "I got to know them during the physical assessment." "Ah, right, you mentioned going to their building." Something seemed off in the conversation¡­ But there was no need to correct it right now. I was curious to see how she would react once she knew the full story. Despite having exchanged numbers and talked quite a bit, I hadn¡¯t even made a single phone call yet. Anyway, I decided to leave that forter. The stream setup was nowplete. The minty-colored cat looked at me with a satisfied expression and continued exining. "Everything¡¯s set. You could start streaming right now without any major issues. I¡¯ll teach you the finer settingster, so feel free to ask any questions." "You¡¯ve been a huge help. Thank you." "I¡¯ve gotten plenty of help from you too, so don¡¯t feel burdened by the favor." At that, I just nodded slightly. The stream wasing soon. Chapter 43 Here''s the trantion of the next part: [Streamer Sub-Gallery] [General] Must-Read: I¡¯ve Got Definitive Evidence to Shut Down All the Mindless Yujin Fans Haha, just kidding, idiots! You can hear the hack parrots foaming at the mouth and fainting from here, right? Icarus International themselves confirmed it wasn¡¯t hacks, right? They¡¯re even doing a rification stream tonight at 8 PM with two members from the Icarus PR team, right? You¡¯ll sleep well tonight, won¡¯t you? Burp~~~ LOL [All Comments][Sort by Order of Posting]
  • ????????????????????????????
  • Damn, they¡¯re going all out. How many people were calling it hacks for them to go this far? ?Just a quick look around the gallery, and there were hack parrots everywhere. Where have you been? ?You think everyone is a loser who stays in the gallery all day like you? ?Why the hell are you suddenly attacking me? ?Sorry ?What are you idiots doing, LOL
  • The hack parrots are tearing their hair out and wailing everywhere, LOL
  • Why is another channel promoting the rification stream, LOL ?Better than going around posting about it in the gallery
  • Stream? Really?
  • I¡¯m not interested in the rification stream, but if you¡¯re hyped for Yujin¡¯s Dark Zone stream, give this post a thumbs up. ?This guy knows what''s up, LOL ?We all know it¡¯s not hacks, just let Yujin shoot some guns already ?I¡¯m nning to beg for Dark Zone the moment the stream starts ?That¡¯s the spirit
  • We know it¡¯s not hacks, but can we please just see how the game is yed? What the hell, how does she shoot so well?
  • This girl speaks so calmly; I¡¯m really curious about her chat skills. ?If you only listen to her, it¡¯s like she¡¯s a humanities professor, LOL ?I¡¯m already feeling dizzy, LOL
  • Damn, thinking about a super handsome alpha male behind that avatar makes me mad. ?If you¡¯re attracted to the avatar, isn¡¯t that good enough? ?Why are you getting mad before the stream even starts, LOL ?There¡¯s a reason she doesn¡¯t flirt with Harmony, LOL
  • Enough talk, start the stream already!!!
¡°I kind of figured this might happen, but now that it¡¯s actually happening¡­ Why does it feel so surreal?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± A few minutes before the stream started. With two Icarus PR team employees sitting on either side of me, we were practicing some of the gestures I had prepared in advance. They would handle disying the videos and images at the right times, but I needed to know when to jump in to avoid any awkward pauses in the audio. As I was going through these motions, someone beside me spoke up, sounding somewhat incredulous. For me, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but it seemed like it was quite a surprise for them. I remember when I first contacted them, they were confused about what I was talking about. But after today, I don¡¯t think there will be any more significant issues. Just then, a message popped up in front of me. -[Harmony: Good luck with the stream! ^^7] I quickly sent a short reply, then nced at the countdown timer hovering before me. The time, which had been in minutes, had now switched to seconds. As the number that had started at 60 ticked down, the number of waiting viewers began to appear. A whopping 12,000 people were waiting for me to start the stream. But the two people beside me didn¡¯t seem too fazed. ¡°When an esports event is held, it¡¯s not umon for the number of concurrent viewers to reach millions, even tens of millions. Some of the streamers we manage have an average viewership in the tens of thousands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of viewers.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the nature of the game.¡± Around the 40-second mark, the casual chat continued. ¡°Speaking of esports, have you considered it, Yujin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t looked into it much, so I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯d do. Are there any events I could enter solo?¡± ¡°Well¡­ In battle royale or survival games, you canpete solo. But you¡¯ll need to hit a certain rank first, so if you want to participate, you¡¯ll have to grind ranked games diligently.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try it if I have time.¡± Before I knew it, there were 10 seconds left. To be honest, I still don¡¯t understand. Why am I ying this game? It feels like I¡¯m just moving forward aimlessly with only a vague goal in mind. But as I take one step after another, new possibilities keep appearing in response to the ripples my steps create. If you don¡¯t do anything, nothing happens, but if you do something¡­ out of the countless possibilities, one path will open up. I¡¯m just doing what I can, as I always have. And then¡­ -[Virtual Live is now on.] It begins. As the first few fateful seconds passed, the once-empty chat window exploded with so many messages that it became impossible to read them all. The content was incredibly diverse. Some were asking if I was really Yujin, others expressed their excitement at being part of this historic first stream¡­ There were also a lot of rather colorfulments. I¡¯ll ask Harmonyter how to handle that part. After checking the camera¡¯s focus, zoom, and position to make sure everything looked good, I lightly tested my voice. ¡°Ah, ah. Mic test¡­ Ah, that¡¯s not right. Mic check. One, two, three. Can you hear me clearly?¡±
  • "Mic test," LOL
  • The word choice is killing me, LOL
  • Watching this in the military, I almost got caught by my superior, Teacher???
  • Her English pronunciation is solid
  • Seriously, she¡¯s addicted to Dark Zone
¡­What was I thinking when I said ¡°mic test¡±? Beside me, Jincheol Lee, who was definitely ex-military, was making a face like someone tasting fish-head curry on a variety show¡­ Surprisingly, Han Seol-ah, who I thought had nothing to do with the military, also had a peculiar expression. Maybe they¡¯re both Dark Zone yers. Anyway, it was my first stream. I needed to keep talking, but I hadn¡¯t prepared any opening lines. I wondered if it was okay to just say whatever came to mind. Given the response to my little verbal slip, it seemed like the chat atmosphere wouldn¡¯t be too bad¡­ It might be more natural if I just spoke without feeling too pressured. I decided to go ahead. ¡°As I mentioned in the stream title, the reason I¡¯m streaming today is to let you all know that I didn¡¯t use hacks.¡± I waved my fingers as I had practiced, opening a window. It was the official statement from Icarus International that I had previously shared with Harmony. There was no need to exin the contents in detail; it was full of confirmation that I hadn¡¯t used illegal programs. ¡°I did some research online, and it seems there isn¡¯t a standardized way to address usations like this¡­ So I¡¯ve gathered as much evidence and as many witnesses as possible. I hope it¡¯s enough.¡±
  • She¡¯s really going all out, LOL
  • Why is her voice so natural? Is there a VR-provided female voice like this?
  • Teacher, nobody here thinks you used hacks, LOL
  • Fact: You don¡¯t have to go this far, but if you don¡¯t, the hack parrots will throw a fit
  • Hackers are never helpful, no matter where they go
These were pretty much the reactions I had anticipated. And they were understandable reactions. It might seem excessive, but if you don¡¯t go this far, there are things that simply won¡¯t be resolved. Since the chat was so positive, there was no need for additional exnations about the statement. It seemed best to keep things brief and wrap up the rification quickly. I subtly brought up the two people who were still on standby. ¡°I¡¯ll upload the full statement on my newly created channel site after the stream. If anyone wants to read it, please check it out thereter.¡± ¡°Next, I¡¯d like to introduce two employees from the Icarus Korea branch as witnesses. They supervised my physical examination and testing and watched the entire process from start to finish.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. You can call me Deputy Lee from the PR department.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Employee Han from PR.¡± At the same time, ck text¡ªnicknames¡ªappeared above their heads, apanied by the floating phoenix emblem, the mark of Icarus International. It was a symbol given only topany employees. Dark Zone yers and anyone who¡¯s seen an esports event even once would recognize it. The two took the lead in speaking. A video of the physical exam and tactical action tests began ying. ¡°For privacy reasons, the user¡¯s actual body has been edited over with an avatar.¡± The screen filled with video footage. Familiar facilities appeared. Having been there not once but twice, I found them oddlyforting. There I was, moving through the facilities. ¡­They said they oveid an avatar, but¡­ Did they? Aside from slightly polygonalizing the image, it looked like they just used the original footage. Well, they didn¡¯t lie. They did ovey an avatar, so it¡¯s not entirely untrue. There I was, doing strength exercises. Although the workout was a bit lighter than usual, it was still intense enough to shock most people. Suddenly, the chat, which had grown to over 30,000 viewers, was filled with confusion and question marks. It was an oddly amusing sight. As Ipleted each test, the overall percentage increased. The level of detail they captured seemed almost unnecessary, but after all the tests were done, the video ended. ¡°In conclusion, Icarus International found no evidence of illegal program usage, and we officially confirm that this user did not use hacks.¡± ¡°For more detailed results and content not covered in this video, you can visit the video tab on the Dark Zone homepage. Please check it out if you¡¯re interested.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll finish the rification with a brief Q&A, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.¡± With those words, the chat speed reached a point where it was almost impossible to keep up with. The bot managing the chat imposed a speed limit, and only the most rmended questions popped up, bringing the chaos to a rtive calm. Most of the non-question messages were quite simr, and to summarize: ¡°I knew it wasn¡¯t hacks.¡± Even the few who still imed the rification was insufficient or hadn¡¯t understood the situation were voted out by the overwhelming number of viewers, making the streampletely clean. I heard the sound of the microphone being adjusted. The broadcast switched from general to close-range output, and the two employees beside me began to speak. ¡°I almostughed when we said we oveid an avatar. I mean, technically, it is oveid, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely untrue, right?¡± ¡°Haha. Anyway, Yujin, you can answer the questions however you like. It¡¯s okay to decide in advance which ones you won¡¯t answer.¡± I nodded slightly and began scanning the numerous questions lined up. Most of them¡­ were about personal matters. The questions weren¡¯t too intrusive, mostly asking what I did before, that sort of thing. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t answer those. My military career and past service records werepletely erased when I crossed into this world, so mentioning any affiliation here would cause all sorts of trouble. Specifically, I could be used of impersonating a veteran or something simr, which would bring far worse repercussions than these hacking usations. Especially since I don¡¯t even know what my past is here. So¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t answer questions about my past work. I hope you understand.¡± The questions rted to that topic vanished like bubbles, dissolving into the air. There weren¡¯t many questions left, but when there are no questions, people tend to create new ones. Like reloading ammunition, fresh questions began flooding in from the bottom. I started addressing them one by one, starting from the top. ¡°Hmm, I was nning to just do the rification stream today, so I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯d even show you in Dark Zone. I might not y.¡±
  • ?
  • That¡¯s not okay, LOL
  • Hey, Yujin, quit messing around and just start the game!!!!! We¡¯ll watch anything you y!!!!!
  • Don¡¯t fall for it, folks, this is Yujin¡¯s sneaky way of training us viewers
  • Teacher, if you have even a sliver of conscience, please start the game
That¡¯s a bit harsh. Games are just games. Is there really anything special just because I¡¯m the one ying? There must be thousands of people streaming Dark Zone. I¡¯ll think about it a bit more. Next question.@@novelbin@@ ¡°It¡¯s my name. Lee Yujin. Looking at it now, it seems like I chose it without much thought.¡±
  • ?????????????
  • Teacher, why is your name so pretty?
  • Where¡¯s the hulking alpha male I imagined?
  • Fact: Yujin can also be a male name, you fools
  • Open donations already; you didn¡¯t even post a link! What is this!!!!!!!
I never imagined so many people would be curious about who I am. Just by revealing my name, there¡¯s a flood of people specting about my gender. I wondered if I should even address this. My mischievous side quickly decided that I should just let them guess my gender. That¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. ¡°¡­Yes. Thank you for being here. It hasn¡¯t really sunk in yet. Also, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll keep streaming, so that¡¯s part of it.¡± Don¡¯t get flustered, just take it slow. With every word I say, the chat reacts as if it¡¯s a living, breathing organism. It¡¯s more fascinating than entertaining. I continued, one question at a time, like finishing overdue homework. ¡°I exercise. I study. I live a pretty ordinary life.¡±
  • Ah, boring
  • Lame
  • You really are a humanities teacher, LOL
  • Teacher, you¡¯re surprisingly dull
  • What if you pick a random viewer and smash their head in? That might liven things up
  • Are you a politicalmissar? LOL
¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t really measured¡­ But based on what you saw in the video earlier, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could make an educated guess. It¡¯s a bit of a sensitive topic.¡±
  • Sensitive?
  • Oh, wow
  • What are you guys even saying, LOL
  • Is she an awakened one? With the way she works out, she might have a three-lift total of 700
  • LOL, I¡¯m going to start searching gyms nationwide from today. Get ready, you jerk
¡°I had ced a remotely detonated seeker mine in the sniper¡¯s bag beforehand, and we distributed the detonators. But my detonator broke due to the Hunter¡¯s EMP, so Harmony barely managed to activate hers.¡± I had been suspicious for a while, so I was ready to deal with it at the slightest hint of trouble, but the Hunter¡¯s EMP threw a wrench in the works. If it hadn¡¯t been for that, I would have immediately detonated the seeker mine, and the Hunter nearby would have cleanly dealt with that user. It was just a reminder that things never go as nned. Anyway, after handling the remaining questions, I suddenly felt like ying Dark Zone. This would likely be good news for them. After bidding farewell to the two PR employees who had quietly exited, I spoke softly. ¡°So, rather than ending here, I¡¯ll y a game for a bit before wrapping up. Today¡¯s game is Dark Zone, and I¡¯ll be focusing on the main missions¡­.¡± After a brief moment of thought, I added what might be the stance of my future streams. Fully reflecting my personal philosophy of not stopping people froming or going, ¡°If you want to watch, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± And thus began my first stream. Chapter 44 "The weather¡¯s not bad today." Although it was August in the real world, it was winter in the game. No snow was falling, just a cold wind brushing against my body and sweeping across the map before disappearing. But today, there was something different in my peripheral vision¡ªan element that wasn''t usually there. Three thousand viewers. Logically, maintaining this momentum indefinitely would be impossible, but on the flip side, it meant that for now, I held the reins of this vast crowd. With that in mind, Harmony came to my thoughts. Was this the kind of scene she faced all the time? The thought crossed my mind but didn''t linger. Ultimately, no one else could handle this situation but me. All I could do was show what I was capable of. But before that¡­ **- Please open donations! Please open donations! Please open donations! Please open donations!!!
  • Just give us the donation link already, I¡¯m going crazy here¡ªI¡¯ve got 500,000 won ready!
  • They¡¯re going nuts because they can¡¯t spend their money, LOL
  • Shooting range! Shooting range! Shooting range! Shooting range!
  • Time attack mission right away, LOL**
It seemed like the first thing I needed to handle was this chaos surrounding donations or whatever it was. It felt like I had gone from riding a wild stallion to watching a fish tank full of hundreds of hungry fish. Of course, considering that I was holding the jar of fish food, it made sense. As I sat in a corner of the base and tinkered with settings, I quickly figured out what donations were all about. It was a feature where viewers could send money along with messages or mission requests to the streamer. I could set the minimum donation amount, but most streamers seemed to go with a base of 1,000 won. And when someone sent arge amount, many streamers would show their appreciation with a reaction or something like that. Did I really need to do that? "¡­I¡¯ve figured out how to enable donations, but I should let you know that I won¡¯t be reacting much, no matter how much you donate. Keep that in mind. The same goes for missions." Since this was more of a broadcast for my own satisfaction, I figured that should be okay. I pushed the visually overwhelming chat window aside and turned on the donation feature. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the notice to pop up at the top of the chat. After a quick check of my gun, I made sure everything was in working order. The zeroing seemed fine, but I couldn¡¯t trust itpletely. Firing some shots myself would be the most urate test. So today¡¯s session would, as always, start at the shooting range. I¡¯d verify the zeroing with some shots at various distances, then get into the real shooting practice. As soon as I opened donations, they started pouring in like a flood. **
  • LOL got the first donation! Annoying, right?**
Or¡­ ** <[Time limit 3:00:00 // Mission reward: 100,000 won]>
  • Complete five rounds of any PVP match.**
But I headed to the shooting range without much thought. It was my first stream, and since I hadn¡¯t decided whether I¡¯d stream regrly in the future, I figured I could do whatever I wanted for now. My motto was starting to take shape. "I haven¡¯t finished the main quests yet, so I¡¯ll clear those after warming up at the shooting range. I¡¯ll decide on the missions you¡¯ve submitted after evaluating them." In short, you could say¡­ I don¡¯t want to do what you¡¯re telling me to do. I couldn¡¯t help but think it was a prettyid-back decision. "CQB is fundamentally not about performance. It¡¯s a systematic method of killing designed to minimize your own damage and maximize the enemy¡¯s." Gunfire erupted, and deafening roars filled the air. The acrid smoke stung my nose as it filled the space. Amidst it all, a calm, gentle voice resonated. "The weapons, explosives, and even the type of armor you use should all vary depending on the enemy you¡¯re facing and the terrain you¡¯re operating in¡ªif possible." After clearing one room and before moving on to the next, I spoke as if exining to students, carefully sharing insights drawn from my umted experience. Words backed by specific actions carried far more weight than mere talk, and those gathered for my first stream were quickly being drawn into what I was saying. And to be honest, those who found it boring had likely already switched to another stream by this point. **"It¡¯s a form of evolution and adaptation, or you can think of it as an advanced game of rock-paper-scissors. You consider the enemy¡¯s condition, weapons, and armor, then make your decisions ordingly. You all probably already know this. For heavily armored enemies, you need high-pration rounds, but for lightly armored targets, that¡¯s not necessary."** Then, onto the next room. Like cutting a cake slice by slice, I swiftly eliminated all visible enemies from the doorway and checked the room¡¯s blind spots. If necessary, I¡¯d use the shbang I was carrying, and if a malfunction urred, I¡¯d naturally switch to my secondary weapon to ensure the enemy was fully neutralized. There was no wasted movement, and as a result, the time required to clear each room was reduced. "But once you¡¯re inbat, all you can rely on is your own and your teammates'' skills. In a way, CQB is the ultimate test of both your mind and body." Then I reached the final room. Despite having cleared more than ten rooms, each containing at least three enemies on average, and having provided numerous additional exnations along the way, it took me just under three minutes toplete the killhouse. Each room took about 7 seconds on average, with the longest taking 9 seconds. As expected, someone finally chimed in. **
  • Teacher, we just can¡¯t shoot that cleanly.**
"¡­Ah. That¡¯s not something I can really help with." I hit a wall sooner than expected. **- You failed to teach me, ''Yujin.''
  • Maybe your learning ability is just broken?
  • Teacher, if you taught your online course like this, you¡¯d get refund bombed.
  • I get what you¡¯re saying, but the bar is too high, LOL.
  • It¡¯s easy, LOL. Just practice shooting for 15 hours a day, right?**
There are said to be different types of geniuses in the world. Sure, there are simple geniuses, but perhaps the true geniuses are those who can teach others what they¡¯ve learned. Teaching what you know is a challenge in itself.@@novelbin@@ One thing¡¯s for sure¡­ I¡¯m not particrly talented at teaching. I¡¯ve always known that, actually. The reason I was selected as an operator was partly because of that¡ªI survived by improvising mybat techniques rather than relying on a vast amount of experience. I probably should have paid more attention during instructor training. But it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have my grievances. I¡¯ve fired countless rounds in practice, enough to fill a standard container and then some. I¡¯ve practiced plenty, but¡­ I¡¯ll have to think more about thister. For now, it was better to share something that could bring results in a short period. "It¡¯s hard to pinpoint one thing you need to do, but improving your basic uracy is crucial. Let me show you a good practice drill for that." I waved my hand to set up a target and then brought it to life. A terrorist appeared 25 meters ahead, holding a hostage by the neck and using them as a shield while fleeing. It was a shooting drill that Delta Force instructors had relentlessly put me through. It was designed to hone both shooting skills and nerve, so you could maintain uracy even in high-pressure situations. I carefully aimed for the head and continued my exnation. "People say you need precise aim tracking to hit moving targets, but that¡¯s just one method." As I continued, I exined that while things change if the target moves unpredictably, most enemies tend to maintain their initial direction and speed. It was a lot like a rhythm game. Instead of moving your body to align the crosshairs with the target¡¯s head, you set the crosshairs along the expected path and fired at the precise moment. But while it was easy to say, it took a lot of trial and error and practice to master bullet drop and speed. All special forces operators weren¡¯t just born with this ability. They shot until such seemingly impossible feats became second nature. I held my breath slightly, confirmed the enemy¡¯s head was perfectly aligned with my crosshairs, and pulled the trigger reflexively. The hologram shattered and scattered. I half-ignored the amazed reactions in the chat and added, **"Ultimately, all of this is just practice to hit what you want, when you want. So just keep in mind that this is one way to do it. Since the goals of all the viewers watching my stream might be different, think first about which aspects you want to improve. Then I can help point out specific areas for you."** **- What? Does this mean 1-on-1 coaching content?
  • That¡¯s one way to milk the content, LOL.
  • Teacher, didn¡¯t you secretly want to stream all along?
  • Is this person a pro gaming coach who got bored and decided to stream?
  • Fact: You can guess Yujin¡¯s curriculum from MintCat¡¯s stream.**
**
  • What do you think of Mint vored Cat from next door?**
"At first¡­ I thought it might be tough for her, but honestly, she¡¯s above average. Her mental strength and perseverance are definitely way above that of a typical person. Even when she says it¡¯s hard, she keeps up with my pace¡­." ¡­Maybe it¡¯s her stubbornness and mental fortitude as a content creator¡ªor a garbage game connoisseur, I should say¡ªthat¡¯s kept her going. And as if to confirm my cheeky thoughts, the chat continued. **- If you keep finding all sorts of weird games, your mental toughness will naturally improve, LOL.
  • No one¡¯s more obsessed with trash games¡­
  • Well, she has more mental fortitude training than others, LOL.
  • I can see it¡­ Yujin suffering in the future¡­.
  • It¡¯s a well-established fact, even recorded in the Samguk Sagi, that Harmony¡¯s friends are destined to receive terrible game rmendations.**
Something about the chat seemed ominous, but surely, they wouldn¡¯t rmend a game that was too difficult for me¡­ right? Hoping that future wouldn¡¯te, I stood up. "¡­Anyway, I suppose I¡¯m in no position to lecture, given that I haven¡¯t even cleared the main missions. This is just hypothetical, but if I do start streaming, let¡¯s revisit this topic after I¡¯ve achieved some in-game aplishments." My next destination was West Point¡ªthe U.S. Military Academy. Normally, you¡¯d have to sneak in via boat along the Hudson River, but afterpleting some side quests with Harmony, I unlocked various transportation options, including a helicopter. As I called in the helicopter, I added, "I¡¯ll need to clear some missions first. I¡¯ll try climbing the PVP ranks after I¡¯ve chosen a category." There was still plenty left that I hadn¡¯t explored. Chapter 45 Mission: Recapturing West Point - South Infiltration Rmended Party Size: 4 Difficulty: Very Hard (Hardcore Users Present)
  • The Russian Airborne Forces have invaded the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, ughtering many officer candidates and destroying the facilities. Reduce their forces and rescue the remaining personnel before it''s toote.
  • Due to changes in the entry route, the mission configuration has been altered, and the difficulty is fixed.
"Very Hard... is a first for me." The chat exploded into chaos. **- Very Hard (early in the game), LOL
  • Teacher, do you know why no one ys Hardcore mode?
  • Pro tip: Hardcore users can¡¯t adjust the difficulty slider.
  • It¡¯s the mode you chose! The thorny path you selected! No going back now, buddy, LOL.
  • (Cue the ¡°there¡¯s no hope¡± meme)**
The chat was wild. As I stared at the screen before the mission started, it felt like observing a prison filled only with people who delighted in the misfortune of others. And to be clear, I hadn''t chosen Hardcore mode. Outside, it was dark. There wasn''t much light¡ªdue to the Hudson River being to the right on the map, and because all the lights and buildings had been destroyed. In front of me, the mission entry screen floated carefully. With a few finger taps, I initiated the matchmaking, and the gears started turning as if they had been waiting for me. I nced at thements¡ªfull of opportunists trying to seize the chance to join the mission, as if they hadn¡¯t just been reveling in my impending misfortune. I even got a donation. **
  • But aren¡¯t you a newbie? Your guns and ammo aren¡¯t something a beginner would have; where did you get all that gear?**
"A kind person gave it to me on the first day." **- Kind¡­ LOL
  • Fact: Stolen loot.
  • It¡¯s war spoils, right?
  • Not even blinking while lying, LOL.
  • All the gear and guns are top-tier, LOL.**
They weren¡¯t exactly wrong. After all, even a viin bes kind after death if their possessions benefit the living, right? As I exined this while watching the party window fill up quickly, the response was mostly along the lines of ¡°Teacher, please stop talking nonsense.¡± I¡¯m one of the most straightforward people around, though. One by one, they were fast traveling to my location. And then... "Everyone''s avatars look quite cute." "Wow, hitting us with the roasting right off the bat." **
  • As if your avatar isn¡¯t just as cute, but you pretend not to notice?**
That¡¯s too much. Maybe this yful teasing would continue until my real appearance was revealed. A brief mission briefing began. At the start, the four members were split into two groups¡ªAlpha and Beta. Alpha was further divided into a sniper and a spotter to assist Beta¡¯s infiltration and share enemy locations. Beta was directly deployed to eliminate the patrolling enemies and clear the infiltration route. After regrouping at the rendezvous point, they would clear the internal enemies and, with the help of a Reaper droneunched from a nearby military airfield, eliminate the armored vehicles of the airborne forces.@@novelbin@@ Then, they would lead the remaining U.S. military personnel scattered across the area to the helicopter evacuation site while holding off enemy forces until they could retreat together. "Did everyone understand?" "Yeah, I got it." I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that whoever nned this operation might need to be questioned. My head was spinning. I thought about taking on the role of a sniper or spotter, but considering I hadn¡¯t done much mid-to-long-range sniping, I decided it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. "What¡¯s your n, Teacher Yujin?" "I¡¯ll infiltrate." "Oh, looking forward to seeing the ¡®no witnesses¡¯ meta, Teacher." **- Is this the Thorn Vige Defense Force or something? LOL
  • Anyway, this is gonna be interesting, LOL.
  • It¡¯s hard to find a more brutal mission than recapturing West Point on Very Hard. Doing it in public matchmaking?
  • Smells like impending doom.
  • Are you confident? Can you handle it? Are you out of control?**
Well, we¡¯ll figure it out once we dive in. Back in my day, the concept of ¡°one more try¡± didn¡¯t exist. If a teammate went down, you revived them. If the mission failed, you dragged it through somehow. In other words, I was in charge. **- [ISO: Good, looks like you¡¯ve arrived near West Point. Alpha team, head to your designated location, retrieve the hidden sniper rifle, and support Beta team¡¯s infiltration.]
  • [ISO: Beta team, start at the visitor center to the south and move slowly north. Eliminate all enemies you encounter and send any survivors to the Hudson River border. Don¡¯t forget to equip them with IR markers before sending them.]
  • [ISO: If you fail to reduce enemy forces to a certain level before the allotted time, the reinforcement team won¡¯t be able to enter, and the mission will be considered a failure.]
  • [ISO: Good luck.]**
And so, my ordeal began. **- [Heptic: I¡¯m Alpha 1. Omega is Alpha 2, and Yujin is Beta 1. SoySauceChicken is Beta 2. We¡¯re not great at sniping, so we¡¯ll do our best to ping targets with drones.]
  • [Omega: Given the size of the facility, there are probably at least two airborne brigades, so assume any soldier you see is an enemy and take them down.]**
The moonlight that had been bright moments ago was now hidden behind clouds, making it hard to distinguish the terrain that was somewhat visible just a while ago. But that was only partially true; the academy¡¯s emergency generators were still running, lighting up streetmps here and there. Night vision wouldn¡¯t be necessary, at least not for me. Thanks to my physical abilities. My eyes, capable of seeing infrared, and my senses, able to detect minute vibrations, provided me with far more information than human senses could in this situation. - Beep! **- [Omega: Three sentries on the northeast building¡¯s rooftop, two patrols near the parking lot ahead. We can handle the rooftop, so hold on a sec.] "What¡¯s the direction?"
  • [Omega: I¡¯ve marked it; the movement path should be visible soon.]**
Several enemies began to appear in glowing outlines in front of me. This was quite casual, I thought. There¡¯s no way this would be feasible in real life. But realism isn¡¯t always good. Perhaps this was to bnce hyper-realistic FPS elements with overall game essibility. I signaled SoySauceChicken, who was following me, to hold position. Then, thems crackled. Three simultaneous gunshots. Two sniper drones and two sniper rifles¡ªalthough it was a spotter role, this was more of a precaution in case the number of enemies was overwhelming. - [Heptic: The rooftop is clear. But we can¡¯t see the enemies in the parking lot.] Across the road, on the cathedral rooftop. The two snipers¡¯ fields of view were disyed to us. The areas they could cover were faintly glowing in gold, while the rest remained in darkness. But just marking the targets was enough. "The sniper drone can handle it. If we take out two, we can handle the remaining four on our own." - [Omega: I¡¯ve never tried this before... but I¡¯ll give it a shot.] **- Why does the southern route look like this?
  • LOL, who even takes this route?
  • Wasn¡¯t this mission supposed to involve sneaking in via the river and then retreating?
  • That¡¯s how the game was meant to be yed, you idiots.
  • Teacher, why are you ying a different game than us? We¡¯re reporting you.**
A specially designed silent drone hovered in the dark sky, observing the ground below. With its many attitude-control propellers spinning, the sniper ammo slid into the chamber, and the camera rotated. At the end of the crosshair, a Russian soldier moved slowly along the designated path. Below, two individuals split up, moving to positions where they could create a crossfire. I slipped my finger onto the trigger, ready to fire at any moment. There was no need to worry about sound. Thebination of subsonic rounds and a suppressor would dramatically reduce the gunfire, allowing us to swiftly eliminate the enemy before the other patrols noticed. I synchronized the timing, selected my target, and began the countdown. - Bang! Three members of a patrol fell simultaneously. Immediately advancing, I opened fire again before the trailing patrol, a few dozen meters away, could realize what was happening. Although I used a bit more ammo in the second engagement, we remained undetected. **- [Heptic: There¡¯s a toon of enemies 100 meters northeast of your position in a campsite. They don¡¯t seem to have noticed anything yet, but can we hide the bodies just in case?] "It¡¯s probably better for us to leave before they discover the bodies."
  • [Heptic: Then¡­ okay, got it. Where should we go next?" "Descend first. About 400 meters north, there¡¯s a cluster of public buildings. There¡¯s a hotel on the hill opposite, so it¡¯d be good to provide sniper support from there."**
I recall that everyone received a map with contour lines during the mission briefing, but it seems they¡¯re missing the sense to read it and secure an advantageous position. They were just gamers, after all; I should consider that. After designating the next move, I started advancing. **- [ISO: Looks like you¡¯ve sessfully infiltrated. But the real challenge starts now, so be prepared.]
  • [ISO: As you move north, you¡¯ll find a field where several public offices, sports centers, and offices are clustered. It was once a training ground for officer candidates, but now it¡¯s the enemy¡¯s base camp.]
  • [ISO: I¡¯ll provide support with the Reaper. It¡¯s equipped with two cluster bombs and two detachable Hellfire missiles, each capable of obliterating an area the size of a ser field.]
  • [ISO: If used improperly, it could harm civilians or allied forces inside the buildings, so carefully scan the surroundings and guide them precisely.]
  • [ISO: The callsign is Valkyrie 1-1.]**
**- LOL, is this how it was meant to be used?
  • LOL, I didn¡¯t know what it was for, so I just fired the missiles anywhere and failed.
  • That¡¯s what happens when you keep running the easy route.
  • Public matches always have idiots, what did you expect?
  • Is this public matchmaking (hopeful version)?**
**- [Omega: Wow, I¡¯ve nevere this way before, so I had no idea this existed. I always wondered where the enemies wereing from.]
  • [SoySauceChicken: Well, everyone just takes the easiest route, so it¡¯s understandable.]**
With the snipers who had descended via the pre-installed fast rope, I moved to the designated location. As we passed through the deserted city, devoid of even a trace of human life, gunfire continued to echo from a distance. A small hint that the remaining friendly forces were still fighting somewhere. Before long, I naturally found myself in the lead. The fact that I was simultaneously acting as both the point man and squad leader was somewhat absurd, but everyone seemed to ept it without question. I hadn¡¯t done much to warrant this yet, so I wondered why. Then I brushed the thought aside. As the main road split into two, a field teeming with enemy personnel came into view. At least ten infantry fighting vehicles and countless soldiers bustling around, engaged in various activities like setting upmunication antennas and deploying guards¡ªit was chaotic. After ordering the team to take cover, I quietly spoke up. "This is indeed the base camp. It seems we¡¯ve chosen the wrong entry point. That hotel is probably in a simr situation." "Yeah, we¡¯re not familiar with this route either, so we¡¯re not sure¡­ but it seems impossible to advance in either direction." "That¡¯s probably why they gave us the Reaper. I think we can clear this out more easily than expected." I quickly assessed the situation. Most of the enemies were gathered in that field, and one or two well-ced cluster bombs would finish them off. The real challenge would be the hotel, for which we had no information. The only thing left was to prioritize our actions. "I¡¯ll adjust the cluster bomb radius from the hotel rooftop. After the bombs drop, the snipers should move to the rooftop of the opposite building and clean up any surviving enemies." "We¡¯ll follow your lead, Teacher. Just give the orders." "SoySauceChicken, you¡¯ll follow me. We¡¯re focusing on clearing the hotel. You¡¯ll need to keep up with my pace." "I didn¡¯t expect you to y this game so seriously¡­." **- Where¡¯s the mindless shooting game I knew, Teacher????
  • I only saw people messing around in PVP, but this is new, LOL.
  • I guess they weren¡¯t kidding when they said the mission freedom was high.
  • Idiot brute-force strategists wouldn¡¯t know this, LOL.
  • Nope, I¡¯m just watching¡ªI¡¯m not ying!**
After wrapping up a brief exnation and moving into action, I started guiding the team through the next steps. Maybe a "teacher" is someone who can be relied upon and trusted, even in situations no one has faced before. At least, that¡¯s what I think. If not, oh well. Chapter 46 Thud! In the pitch-ck darkness, where even moonlight failed to prate, the dull sound of a tomahawk''s de cleaving through the air was followed by the eerie sight of a soldier''s head flying through the air. The sheer strength, far beyond human limits, channeled through the weapon, struck the neck of a Russian soldier patrolling the hotel perimeter. As the lifeless body crumpled to the ground without even a scream, SoySauceChicken, who had been silently creeping through the underbrush on the opposite side, initiated a quick-time event (QTE) assassination. Crunch. Thebat knife dug deep into the enemy''s throat, delivering a friendly greeting to the carotid artery, followed by the sickening sound of neck bones twisting and shattering. Within mere seconds, two enemies were eliminated, their disappearance undetectable to anyone but Yujin and SoySauceChicken due to the dim lighting around them. -Please, just turn on the night vision! -Something... something''s happening... -How is it even possible to assassinate without night vision, LOL? -What was that sound? -Definitely not a good one, LOL -I¡¯ve heard that sound before¡ªwhen I fell down the stairs and broke my leg. What did you do, Teacher??? "Well, maybe this guy just slipped too." Yujin made eye contact with Beta 2, SoySauceChicken. The look of bewilderment on their face was unmistakable, as if they were questioning what they had just witnessed. Yujin raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. The hotel wasn''t particrlyrge, so the two quickly hid the three bodies in the bushes before Yujin ced her hand on the tall wall. "Do you have a drone?" "Uh... I¡¯m not really specialized in drone operations, but will it be okay?" "It¡¯s fine; it won¡¯t be a big issue." With a swift motion, SoySauceChicken assembled a small drone, which began to hover in the air. Yujin attached an anchor and thick rope to the drone, taking control of it to guide it to the rooftop. After ensuring the rope was securely fastened to a sturdy pipe on the roof, she fired the anchor to the ground. All Icarus operators were equipped with a variety of tools, including an ascender. Click. The rope slid into the ascender, and Yujin was ready to scale the wall. "I''ll go up first. Once I''m on the roof, pull the rope up. You can lower it again when we need to descend." "¡­Got it." After giving the rope a few tugs to ensure it was secure, Yujin pressed the ascender''s button. She began to ascend rapidly, scaling the vertical wall. As she reached the top, the expansive view of the hotel rooftop and the surrounding area came into view. The sea of enemies, illuminated in bright yellow, looked like a golden gxy spread across the ground. Across the street, friendly forces, marked in green, moved on a lower rooftop. Even with her enhanced vision, Yujin could barely make out their subtle movements. "There¡¯s a sniper team on the roof, approaching the area where the rope is attached. I''ll mark their location for you." "Got it." The hotel¡¯s rooftop was a vertical wall without any nted parts, and there were spaces resembling loopholes scattered across it. This was fortunate for Yujin, as it provided spots to brace her weapon. Yellow triangles appeared over the approaching enemies'' heads, soon morphing into symbols indicating their ss. The distance was approximately 50 meters¡ªtoo close for a precise shot. "Any other enemies around?" "Uh¡­ there¡¯s another sniper team on the opposite rooftop." "Understood." It would be better to draw them in closer before dealing with them. Yujin ced her rifle down and stepped onto the rooftop. She signaled SoySauceChicken to hold off on ascending, then patiently waited for the enemies to approach, seemingly strolling casually. The smoke from their cigarettes blended with the cold winter night. It was time to demonstrate just how harmful smoking while walking could be. Yujin positioned her finger on the trigger, barely exposing herself from behind cover. At a mere 15 meters away, there was no chance of missing. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three quick pulls of the trigger, and three bodies hit the ground. Ignoring the chat that erupted in awe at her simple actions, Yujin requested SoySauceChicken to mark the exact position of the remaining sniper team. The two moved in tandem, swiftly clearing the rooftop of any threats to ensure uninterrupted air support. Clearing the hotel rooftop didn''t take long. While SoySauceChicken retrieved the rope dangling from the building, Yujin pulled out a grid reference guide from her multi-purpose pouch, setting it against the backdrop of the cleared hotel rooftop. She began inputting coordinates, following the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) procedures ingrained in her memory. **- [ISO: You should urately specify the bombing zone. Incorrect guidance could result in significant damage to friendly forces, buildings, and civilians.]
  • [Coordinates designated: 41.378422, -73.962436 // Conversion: FI 154236.]
  • [Checking designated coordinates¡­ multiple infantry units and a BTR-90 armored vehicle column detected.]**
"Valkyrie 1-1, this is Beta 2-1. Requesting Type 2 CAS, 9-line ready." - [ISO: Beta 2-1, this is Valkyrie 1-1. Ready.] "Follow this line: lines 1, 2, 3, and 9 are N/A. Altitude is 60. Multiple infantry and BTR-90s. FI 154236. Using IRser. South by 300 meters. Danger close. Await further instructions." **- ????????????????????
  • Holy sh*t, what the hell, LOL.
  • Are you insane? Are you insane? Are you insane? Are you insane? Are you insane? Are you insane?
  • There¡¯s no way this person isn¡¯t active duty.
  • This is the tactical sh*t, LOL.
  • Hehehehehehe....**
- [ISO: Beta 2-1, confirmed additional details.] "Use CBU-110. No anti-air threat." - [ISO: FI 154236, CBU-110. Reaching IP. Pulse." "Pulse, confirmed." Pulse. A method of guiding the aircraft to the target using an infrared designator attached to the weapon. Yujin pressed the button, causing theser to pulse. This was a call for cluster bomb air support, where one mistake could mean the end for her two teammates. She breathed in, then out, watching the target area crowded with enemies. - [ISO: Valkyrie 1-1, contact pulse. Approaching from the east.] "This is Beta 2-1, confirmed. Valkyrie 1-1, you are cleared to engage." In the distant night sky, a single cluster bomb fell, slicing through the stars like a razor. For a brief moment, the sky turned into a glittering cascade of light before the explosion engulfed the entire field in front of Yujin. BOOM! The stadium-sized area was covered in thousands of explosions. The deafening noise and overwhelming shockwave left chaos in its wake, with soldiers scattering in panic. Even those who had narrowly escaped the st zone were left stunned, unable to process what had just happened. But Yujin wasn¡¯t about to let them off easy.@@novelbin@@ "Heptic, Omega. Do you hear me? Eliminate all the remaining enemies before they can retreat into the buildings. Don¡¯t worry about giving away your position¡ªjust clean them up." **- [Heptic: Uh¡­ understood. Engaging.]
  • [Omega: Roger that.]**
It was time for Yujin to move as well. After confirming that the airstrike had dealt sufficient damage, she ordered Valkyrie to retreat and regrouped with SoySauceChicken, who was waiting below. Now it was time to clear out the hotel. **- [ISO: You¡¯ve hit them hard in the heart of the enemy¡¯s concentration. I¡¯d love to show you how they¡¯re scrambling right now, but you know we don¡¯t have time to dawdle.]
  • [ISO: There¡¯s another hub 400 meters northwest. You could head directly to the military academy 500 meters northeast to rescue the friendly forces first. The choice is yours.]**
Humans naturally love explosions, and I was no exception. The mission''s ultimate goal was to significantly reduce the enemy''s threat level, as more enemies meant the surviving allied forces would struggle to hold out. Thus, reducing the enemy''s threat level also meant reducing their numbers. We decided to eliminate the enemy rather than rescue the allies right away. Clearing out the site of the first bombing didn¡¯t take long. The ground zero of the strike, swept by hundreds of submunitions capable of easily destroying infantry fighting vehicles, left nothing alive. Any enemies who had been lucky enough to be elsewhere were hunted down by our team. In less than ten minutes, two airborne brigades had been wiped out. Of course, there were still other regr forces to deal with. Nheless, annihting the enemy to support allied forces was a kind of dream¡ªa brutal, straightforward logic that resonated deeply. We moved northwest toward the next hub. **- [ISO: Beta 2-1, ssh. Confirmed multiple target kills.] "This is Beta 2-1, target neutralized. Requesting another Type 2 strike. Are you ready for a 9-line?"
  • [ISO: Beta 2-1, this is Valkyrie 1-1. Ready.] "Follow the same line. Lines 1, 2, 3, and 9 are N/A. Altitude is 60. Column of five 2S25 Sprut-SD light tanks. EF 851341. IRser. South by 640 meters. Ready for further instructions."**
Close air support could solve so many problems, as always. Unfortunately, the enemy hub to the northwest was less concentrated than before, as they had scattered in chaos. The second cluster bomb strike was less effective, and we had to use other weapons, like the detachable Hellfire missiles, to deal with the enemies. For this, Yujin detached the IRser from her weapon and attached it to a drone, guiding the strike from above. It worked better than expected. **
  • Enemy threat level 37% LOL, I¡¯ve yed 3,000 hours of Dark Zone and never seen this. Are you really insane, Teacher?**
"Thank you for the donation, HamDroneIronFist... Isn¡¯t this how everyone does it?" **- LOL, WTF
  • Teacher, "normal" doesn¡¯t mean "first ever," do you understand?
  • Is this person an actual air force CCT? I¡¯m losing my mind, LOL.
  • "Normal" (meaning "I¡¯ve always done it this way")
  • Wait, does this mean if we kill all the enemies, we can rescue the allies?**
"I guess not." "No one does it this way, Teacher¡­." "Oh, really?" As Yujin continued to ry brief additional details to ISO, the team exined why others didn¡¯t attempt this method. In short, it was because the mission was ridiculously tough. Timing the elimination of enemies and infiltrating stealthily was easier said than done. The AI grew more sensitive to gunfire as the difficulty increased, making silent assassinations nearly impossible. Mistakes during an assassination attempt could cause the enemy to shout or shoot wildly, drawing all the attention, and making stealth nearly impossible. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t an issue now. BOOM! **- [ISO: Beta 2-1, ssh. Sprut-SD light tanks and following infantry neutralized.] "This is Beta 2-1, confirmed target neutralization. Requesting another Type 2 strike. Make sure it counts."
  • [ISO: Haha, really milking me for all I¡¯m worth. Coordinates and targets are the same?" "Same."
  • [ISO: Got it. After this strike, I¡¯ll need 20 minutes for rearm and refuel."]**
Yujin called in another strike, and within seconds, the sky rained fire. This is why soldiers need to know how to call in close air support. A well-trained JTAC can single-handedly decimate a brigade if they¡¯re lucky. Of course, this was an exceptionally rare case. From there, it was a matter of mopping up the remaining enemies. Without the need for sniper support, the four-man team moved through the devastated enemy positions like a knife. The primary threat of this mission had been the overwhelming number of enemies, but once that was neutralized, the only thing left was to clear up the spoils. The path to the heart of the West Point Military Academy was now clear. "¡­Wow." "Is this the result of the strike Yujin Teacher called in earlier?" "Yes, it went even better than expected." The path leading to the academy campus was littered with the remains of five Sprut-SD light tanks and what was left of the Russian forces that had been trailing them. These vehicles, designed with light armor for airborne deployment, had been utterly decimated by cluster munitions and 1400mm armor-piercing missiles. No need to offer condolences. Leaving behind the smoldering wreckage, the team advanced toward the now-quiet campus, only about 200 meters away. Targets began to appear. **- [ISO: Looks like you¡¯re close enough to the objective. I¡¯ll mark the positions where friendly forces are holding out. Key locations include the dormitory, coffee shop, academy library, Washington Hall, and post office¡ªbasically scattered across the entire campus.]
  • [ISO: There¡¯s no more reinforcements for the enemy, but their firepower still vastly outmatches the friendlies. Eliminate the enemies as quickly as possible. Once the enemy threat level drops below a certain threshold, we can start evacuating the survivors to the extraction point.]
  • [ISO: Good luck.]**
Dozens of markers appeared across the campus, signaling the beginning of a full-scale urban battle. Yujin divided the four-man team into two pairs due to time constraints. "Alright, let¡¯s go." The final hurdle was in sight. Chapter 47 "Die, you damned bastards!" "Idiot, you dying American brats!" Curses, gunshots, and screams. It only took a few hours for the library, which normally tolerated nothing but the sound of pages turning, to be a ruin filled with blood, shattered stone, and splintered wood. The future leaders of the U.S. military shed with Russia''s finest killing machines, piling up mountains of corpses that had lost all value. In the midst of this, the ones being pushed back were none other than the officer candidates of the United States Military Academy at West Point. As the Omega Virus spread across the globe, these candidates took up arms, standing guard and amodating refugees, fulfilling their roles as officers. However, they were woefully underprepared to handle the Russian airborne brigade that had descended from the skies, equipped with heavy weapons and even infantry fighting vehicles. Heads of those standing guard were shattered by sniper rifles, and the thick exterior walls of buildings, hastily erected barricades, were mercilessly torn apart by heavy weapons. Like cutting through a cake, the enemies quickly pushed into the campus, tearing through their lines like a storm. The candidates, who were rapidly pushed back, struggled to continue sporadicbat within the buildings. But their firepower and capabilities were no match for the enemy. Despite sacrificing their sleep and dedicating themselves to their nation and people, it was incredibly difficult to face off against the meticulously prepared killing machines that came under the cover of night. "The enemies are nking to the right, urgh!" "Damn it, Kevin''s been hit! We need to fall back!" "Leave me... I''m done for!" A bullet had pierced his abdomen. Blood flowed profusely from his stomach and back, soaking his shirt and pants, staining the floor red, but the bleeding did not stop. He was dying slowly. Yet, he did not let go of the pistol in his hand. He was going to die here. And if he was going to die anyway, he would want it that way. Over the symphony of metal and screams, a crackling sound added to the ensemble. It was fire. The mes from grenades, heavy weapons, and rocketunchers easily consumed the library¡¯s collection. The fire raged uncontrobly. The smoke rising to the ceiling carried the lives of countless people. With a soft click, the slide of Kevin''s pistol locked back. He was out of ammunition. The strength in his hand, which fumbled for more rounds in his pockets, was gradually fading. "...Kevin, Kevin! Damn it, we need to retreat! Further inside!" "Damn it, there''s nowhere left to go!" "Ha, we''re royally screwed." His vision blurred. The floor was now covered in his own blood. The finger pulling the pistol''s trigger was white. His whole body felt heavy, and the sounds around him were bing a distant hum. Thud. The impact of a bullet striking his shoulder sent him sprawling backward. The pain wasn''t as severe as expected, probably because he was already dying. Hey still, staring up at the ceiling. The noise was fading. All the loud voices were gradually leaving his ears. Hisrades were saying something, but he could no longer move. As his body was dragged somewhere, leaving a long trail of blood on the floor, his senses gradually faded. Before long, there was no one left around him. But, ©¤©¤©¤BOOM! A vibration that shook his entire body. As the wall shattered, sending thousands of fragments flying in all directions, two silhouettes emerged from the crater created by the explosion. In the midst of the unfamiliar gunfire and corresponding screams that shattered against the walls, a needle pierced his thigh. It had only been a few seconds, but as his senses slowly returned, the gunshot wound began to burn like it was on fire. It was a searing pain that reminded him he was still alive. Even as he gritted his teeth, a scream escaped his lips. Through his barely open eyes, he saw a figure. "A medical nanomachine injector. Don''t move. If you do, the wound will heal slower." "...Ah..." Eyes that seemed to glow with a blue light, even in the middle of the battlefield. A ming phoenix emblem. As he took in the sight, his consciousness slipped away.
  • [Heptic: Multiple enemies at Washington Hall. It¡¯s tough for just the two of us; can we get some support?]
"We just finished clearing the library, so we''ll be there in five minutes. Don¡¯t force an entry, just deal with the approaching enemies as theye." After swapping in a fresh magazine, there was one round in the chamber, and ten magazines left. It seemed like there was quite a lot remaining, but in reality, a third of the total ammo had already been used. If it weren¡¯t for the air support, it would have been all gone by now. In any case, it was clear that there was more than enough left topletely wipe out the remaining enemies in the facility. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Yujin checked to ensure nothing had been lost before pulling an IR marker from her pocket. She had heard that it emitted an absurd amount of infrared radiation when activated. From deep within the library, people began to pour out. There were at least dozens, ranging from soldiers to armed civilians. The script advanced automatically. Yujin handed the IR marker to the leader at the front and quickly exined how to use it, then informed them that the support team was ready to depart. Over the Hudson River, which dominated the right side of the map, dozens of boats were approaching to pick up the friendly forces. There was a wide variety, from ferries to motorboats. Even as she moved briskly, she checked everything that needed to be checked.
  • [Current friendly forces: 91%.]
  • [Current enemy forces: 34%]
"For so many to have died, it¡¯s surprising that we still have so many troops left."
  • The rest were all casualties ording to the script.
  • 91%???? What am I even looking at right now??????
  • Fact: The survival rate of the friendly forces in a typical raid build is just about 35%.
  • Doing this in public? Doing this in public? Doing this in public? Doing this in public?
  • Astonishing! My jaw is hanging open! Someone help me close it!
Enemy forces at 34%. However, after consecutive bombardments had wiped out their temporarymand andmunication systems, the battles had actually be much easier than before. Without orders to move, the enemy squads¡¯ movements became sluggish, and their small-unit tactics fell apart, making them easy prey. This was true everywhere they went. Of course, it was necessary to remember that this was a game, and they were fighting against AI. The distance to Washington Hall was approximately 150 meters in a straight line. The rendezvous happened faster than she expected, and as the fragmented party regrouped into one, the airborne brigade crumbled like leaves in the autumn wind. Since this wasn''t a real-world engagement, the enemies'' movements weren¡¯t exactly smart. As a result, Yujin¡¯s finger kept pulling the trigger, and the speed at which her magazines emptied was nearly proportional to their advance. The percentage of remaining forces was now dropping into the low 20s. Given that a unit is generally considered annihted after losing 20% of its strength, they were essentially obliterated. To be specific, the remaining allied forces could easily mop up the scattered resistance without her intervention. As the operation time in-game exceeded one hour, a re shot up into the sky. The Hudson River was filled with boats, and dozens of ck Hawks werending wherever there was space. The civilians, officer candidates, and the professors and instructors who taught them were all boarding various transport vehicles, disappearing into the darkness over the river and beyond the ckened sky. Amidst the gusts from the helicopter des, which made it difficult to even keep her eyes open, messages began to pop up, signaling the end of the mission. They were notifications indicating missionpletion.
  • [ISO: Incredible performance. Over hundreds of people. I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d be able to rescue so many, the base won¡¯t have a moment¡¯s rest for a while. We¡¯ll have to convert some nearby buildings into amodations.]
  • [ISO: I¡¯d like to pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate, but unfortunately, the people involved aren¡¯t here, so it¡¯s a bit premature. Let¡¯s meet after you return. Thanks to this mission, the range of support the base can provide will be much wider.]
  • [Mission: Retake West Point - Southern Infiltration // Rmended Party Size: 4]
  • [Difficulty: Very Hard (Hardcore User Present)]
  • [Current Status: Completed]
  • [Clear Time // 01:13:02]
  • [Friendly Forces: 89%.]
  • [Enemy Forces: 13%.]
  • [Mission Clear Rank: Omega]
  • [Base Function Unlocked: Gunsmith / Firearm Production]
  • [Blueprints Acquired: RPK-16 / AK-74MR / AK-12 / AS-Val / MK18 / MCX¡­¡­¡­and 18 more.]
  • [essible Ammunition Production Lines: 7N39 / M995 / SSAAP¡­¡­¡­¡­and 11 more.]
  • [With the addition of more support operators, the chances of obtaining extra rewards during missions increase slightly, and the probability of clearing difficult mission routes is higher.]
"...They¡¯re giving a lot."
  • What the hell???????
  • Clear rank Omega, LOL
  • Stop being so good! Stop being so good! If you¡¯re this good, who am I supposed to watch from now on!!!!!!!
  • I¡¯m not running West Point in public lobbies for a while, damn it.
  • Just thinking about those idiots in public lobbies trying to imitate this and getting ughtered pisses me off.
While the words were familiar, Yujin could only be dumbfounded.@@novelbin@@ She hadn¡¯t started the game with any prior knowledge; she was just pushing through it in her own way... but whatever. She decided not to think too much about it. She¡¯d figure it outter. Amidst the loud noise of the ck Hawk that was still waiting for them, the three others who had yed the mission with her approached. Yujin greeted them casually. "Good work. It must have been tough, did you manage to get anything out of it?" "Oh¡­ we got everything we could have. Thank you for your hard work too, Yujin. Are you nning to do any other missions?" "If I do, it¡¯ll probably be through random matchmaking like this time." So, please put away those regretful expressions. With that feeling, Yujin carefully sat down in the helicopter¡¯s seat as it prepared to return to base. The door closed, and before long, the clear night sky emerged faintly through the window. And so, another mission ended. They returned to base.
  • [RavenHaze has donated 1,000 KRW.]
  • Are you nning to enter the Dark Zone Esports Asian qualifiers starting this September?
"Well... If I can enter, I¡¯d like to, but I don¡¯t know much about the events or the qualifications." This was the beginning of a heated debate. While Yujin showed an unbeatable level of skill in actual gamey that others couldn¡¯t hope to match, she knew almost nothing about these kinds of things. Thisck of knowledge, despite her extensive gaming experience, sparked intense interest among her viewers. Soon, a flood of donations and chats started pouring in. It became so overwhelming that Yujin had to move to her personal room, the one she had started her stream in, because handling it in-game became impossible. For about 30 minutes, chaos ensued, and the gist of it was as follows:
  • The PVP categories are Survival, Apex Predator, Team Six, and Fallen Angel.
  • Of these, Team Six and Fallen Angel are team games with five and four yers, respectively, so you need to findpatible teammates or join an esports team.
  • Survival and Apex Predator are modified battle royale games that can be yed solo, and during the esports period, ranked games with tournament rules will be held.
Thus, Yujin¡¯s options were Survival and Apex Predator. As for the tournament rules, they were basically about drastically increasing item drop rates and adjusting various variables to encourage intense early-gamebat. This was to help yers adapt to the tournament rules instead of regr ranked matches. The abbreviation was ¡°Tournament Rank Server,¡± or simply "Tournament Rank." "So, when does the Tournament Rank open?"
  • [??????? has donated 1,000 KRW.]
  • It¡¯s already open.
Ah. Then¡­ Yujin counted the days. It was mid-August, which meant there were only a few weeks left before the tournament started at most. She took a deep breath and read the posts online.
  • To participate in the tournament, your rank needs to be TIER 2 at minimum, which is roughly equivalent to Master in other games.
  • The ranks go from WOL 1, WOL 2, WOL 3, Recon, SOF, TIER 2, TIER 1, and Medal of Honor, which corresponds to the Bronze/Silver/Gold/tinum/Diamond/Master/Grandmaster/Challenger tiers in other games.
Hmm. So, she needed to grind her rank as much as possible to get to where she could qualify. She wondered what the benefit of doing this would be, but anyway... To be honest, she had already made up her mind about the category. After logging back into the game, Yujin clicked on Apex Predator without hesitation. It was essentially a mix of that chicken dinner game she¡¯d dabbled in long ago, that game about duty and calling, and that battle royale game that shared a universe with falling titans. As she pressed the button for the tournament ranked game, she opened her mouth, as always, without much thought. "Then... I¡¯ll try this one today." Survival is too cold for my taste. Chapter 48
  • [Prepare for high-altitude drop.]
  • [One hundred operators will be deployed into a virtual training environment covering over 7 square kilometers. Only the best will im victory. Use all the assets you acquire to survive.]
  • [Test your survival instincts, familiarize yourself with weapons you''ve never used before, and fight enemies in extreme environments that will asionally challenge you.]
  • [Every experience you gain here will be the foundation of your future sess.]
  • [Deploy, deploy, deploy!]
"It''s not like we''re dropping on a precise spot, this is such a pdash way of¡­." Thud. Landing carefully on the ground, I quickly tidied up the parachute scattered around me. Though my tone was half-grumbling, it came out that way because I genuinely found the situation absurd. Dropping people like leaflets scattered in all directions ismon in battle royale games, but actually jumping out of an aircraft... well, that¡¯s another story. A chilly wind blew past. After scanning the surroundings, I concluded that this ce also looked like a dead city. Unlike New York with its scattered skyscrapers, this ce seemed to have developed around a harbor. It felt a bit rough and artificial, if I had to describe it. I entered a nearby building to survey theyout. It wasn¡¯t a ce I nned to stay long. This was my first match, and I was just trying to get a general feel for the game. But before I could fully settle into that mindset, gunshots echoed around me. At the top of the UI, the number representing the remaining yers had already started to decrease. ©¤©¤©¤tter. As if begging to be opened, golden-glowing crates scattered around the building revealed ammunition, fully assembled firearms, bulletproof vests, and more when I opened them. Even after a short walk, I stumbled upon all sorts of attachments for the guns at my feet, and there were even various tactical gears. In less than a minute, I was fully equipped. It seemed like this game was indeed designed forbat, bybat, and for the sake ofbat. Leaving the building, I entered the loading dock of a nearbyrge supermarket and checked the map. As expected for a battle royale game, something circr was closing in from the edge of the map toward the center. I had a rough idea of what it was. "...." Footsteps. They weren¡¯t light. Instead, they were heavy, with the sound of gear rattling and shing. The first engagement is the most crucial. The reason is simple: it reveals what kind of gamey the developers intended. If you die after just a few hits, this mode is more about psychological warfare and survival rather than direct confrontation. But if you can take some hits without dying, the developers intended for bloody battles. The vibrations sensed throughout my body roughly indicated the enemy''s position. I thought they were moving too carelessly as I aimed my holographic sight at the door that suddenly swung open. The weapon was a shotgun. The ammunition was slug rounds. Even if it hit a helmet, the kic energy alone would be enough to break the neck. As the heavy slug hit the target''s chest, ©¤©¤©¤Bang! "Ugh!" They flew backward, as if defying thews of physics. It didn''t seem like they''d die in one shot, so I gave them two or three more, and they disappeared on the spot, dropping items like in some porcupine game. The number at the top of the UI decreased by one, and my kill count went up. As I rummaged through the items, looking for a better gun, I spoke. "It''s pretty realistic. Or maybe it''s because I''m using slug rounds."
  • Where¡¯s the recoil gone, sis??????????
  • So clean.
  • Throwing away the shotgun just minutes after picking it up, lol.
  • This ce is usually a hot spot, but not many people today.
  • I believe you¡¯ll y all 10 cement matches and go to bed^^7
Normally, I didn¡¯t just use any gun I picked up. Not just me, but the people I used to run operations with always used their own customized weapons. I preferred Western firearms over Eastern ones and liked carbines with suppressors, which could handle most situations with one gun. Unfortunately, the person I just killed¡­ only had an M1A worth using. It¡¯s better than a shotgun. After removing the high-powered scope from the Picatinny rail and swapping it for an EOTech, I adjusted the sights and added: "Since it¡¯s the first match, I won¡¯t worry too much about safety." If there¡¯s an enemy nearby, I¡¯ll confront them. It was a meta that even I thought would be incredibly annoying for my opponents. And with that, I left the shopping mall. The mouse that made aiming easy, the WASD keys that controlled the character¡¯s movements, and the numerous shortcut keys that enabled various tactical actions. Even though Dark Zone had undergone numerous yer-friendly patches, making it simpler, it could never fully rece the convenience of those using keyboards and mice, known as "kima users." Thus, VR games, whetherrge or small, naturally began to reflect real-world physical abilities, significantly reducing the frequency of so-called "super ys." Of course, over time, this made the in-game yer base more experienced, and Dark Zone was no exception. The fact that there was no going back after the keyboard and mouse purge was evident, but on the flip side, it meant that exceptional gamey still asionally emerged. However, ©¤©¤©¤Ping! "Whoa." There are always exceptions to the rule. A ballistic knife fired from close range. I narrowly dodged it with my reflexes, causing the sliced-off strands of hair to fall to the ground. It was the final desperate attempt by someone who had jumped in after myst shot, but it was blocked in such a ridiculously easy way that the yer¡¯s expression twisted in disbelief. With a loud bang and a sh of white light, the enemy, now with a hole in their head, copsed on the spot.
  • [Current kills: 16]
  • [High-value target tracked / Target retention time: 13 minutes 26 seconds]
After a quick breath, I checked for any remaining enemies. The sound of gunfire echoed continuously in the background.@@novelbin@@ I was inside a small house. Specifically, I had pushed into a building where someone else had already taken position. This was the realm of CQB (close-quarters battle), and Yujin was well-versed in clearing out buildings.
  • Whoa, I¡¯m getting dizzy, lol.
  • All the first-person viewers are collectively feeling motion sickness.
  • What just happened? Did she dodge something?
  • Hammurabi¡¯sw selects Yujin as the sexiest woman in CQB¡­ hnnng.
  • Special feature: She¡¯s the bully who deals with those who try to outsmart her.
"It''s not like this is a fortified area, so there are plenty of ways to push in once you roughly know the enemy¡¯s position. I wouldn¡¯t rmend staying in one spot for too long."
  • Fact: Only you can do that, teacher.
¡­Is that so? I nced at the chat with a feeling of disbelief, but it was hard to find anyone disagreeing with that donation. If that¡¯s the standard for regr people, then so be it. Thirteen yers left, and the circle had significantly shrunk. The boundary that had been outside the map when I firstnded was now small enough to epass just one or two small viges. Soon it would shrink even more, eventually covering the entire map with the damage field. The engagement range had shortened considerably. The M1A slung over my back¡­ was better off being discarded. Though it had served me well so far, I could now engage effectively with the MP7A1 I¡¯d recently acquired.
  • [Notice: Enemy drone detected.]
  • [Notice: Damage field shrinking. Move to the safe zone.]
"It¡¯s time to move." I hadn¡¯t nned to stay in the building for long anyway. Before stepping outside, I checked my route and avoided the angles where enemies might be watching from windows. That was basic procedure. I quickly began to move as nned. There were plenty of cover spots, so moving wasn¡¯t difficult. The background sound of gunfire helped me roughly determine the enemies'' positions. With a lighter weapon, my mobility was faster than I expected. However, the terrain ahead wasn¡¯t ideal.
  • The circle looks like it¡¯s saying, "It''s dangerous outside the nket," lol.
  • Is this Apex or Normandy, lol?
  • This is why the high-ground meta is important, you see?
  • Just nt a machine gun in the upstairs window, and you¡¯d kill anyoneing your way.
  • Honestly, the speed saved her.
Almost simultaneously with those chat reactions, a barrage of lead rained down from above. It was almost prophetic. The familiar sound of whips cracked around my ears as mes shed from the second-floor window of the house directly in front of me. There¡¯s nothing more troublesome than an enemy who takes position and fires first. I wished I had a rocketuncher or a grenade, but things you need are never avable when you need them. The number of remaining yers had dropped to seven. Based on the size and shape of the circle, there might be at most one other yer taking a simr route. I kept myself ready to aim at any moment as I approached the house, anticipating a possible engagement. As I carefully opened the door and entered, footsteps echoed from the other side almost simultaneously. "...." I held my breath and hid behind a wall, analyzing the situation based solely on the sound of footsteps. Judging by what I could hear, the enemy who entered the house knew for sure that there was another yer on the second floor. After all, they had been firing wildly, so it was impossible not to know. It would be ideal if they went straight to the second floor...
  • Here theye.
  • Why aren''t they going to the second floor?
  • They''re making so much noise, lol.
  • My heart''s pounding!
  • They¡¯re close.
Unfortunately, things don¡¯t always go as nned. I considered using a tomahawk but decided against it. I had pinpointed the enemy¡¯s location through vibration detection, so I just waited for them to get close enough. I spotted a silhouette passing by. What came next was simple. ©¤©¤©¤! "Urgh, ugh¡­!" With a swift step forward, I grabbed the enemy from behind, covering their mouth while using my tail to pull their legs upward, lifting them slightly off the ground. In that position, a quick twist of the neck ended them silently. Leaving the now-limp body behind, it was time to fulfill the dream they couldn''t achieve. I quickly climbed the stairs and tossed a shbang into the room where rustling noises wereing from. The first bang was the shbang, and the second was the relentless firing of the blinded enemy¡¯s machine gun. The burst didn¡¯tst long. The metallic clunk signaling an empty magazine became the enemy¡¯s final words. "Wahh, argh, ugh!" iling on the bed, the enemy¡¯s struggles ended with a single bullet through the forehead, piercing their gray matter. That made 18 kills. It wasn¡¯t particrly thrilling. After reloading a round into the chamber, I checked for useful items, but aside from replenishing the shbang I used earlier, there wasn¡¯t much to do. There were now only three yers left.
  • Excuse me, what did I just witness? Who exactly are you, teacher?
"Curiosity can be dangerous." There wasn¡¯t much else to say. And about two minutester, I finished the first match with 20 kills. The start wasn¡¯t bad. Chapter 49 [Dark Zone Sub Gallery] [General] F***, I can''t stand ying in the Apex tournament rank anymore. It''s absolutely awful. I can''t tell if this is a game or a gathering ce for lunatics. I keep slipping up here, and it''s driving me insane. Even the SOF promotion matches were hell, so what the hell are the guys at Tier 2 or 1 doing? I''m quitting this game, damn it. [All Comments][Sorted by Most Recent]
  • Fact: That tier is indeed the worst hell on earth.
  • Judging by the kill log, you''re almost at promotion matches consistently? You''re in the top 1% of the gallery. ?[OP] Just venting because I''m seriously burnt out.
  • As long as you make it to the top 10, your MMR won''t drop, dude¡­. ?[OP] I know that, but getting wrecked so badly kills any motivation to y.
  • Wow, that first-ce guy pulled off 17 kills solo in the promotion match, LOL. ?Try copying ''SOF''. ?Nah, I''m morefortable sticking with Diamond~~~ ?These guys are true monsters, going berserk in promotion matches is terrifying.
  • Wait, isn''t that first-ce person Yujin? ?Who the hell is that, you idiot? ?If you don''t know Yujin, why are you even in the Dark Zone gallery, LOL.
  • Is that first-ce guy a pro yer who¡¯s been sleeping all season and just woke up at the end? ?Check their match history; even a minister couldn''t have set up such a scene. ?Damn, look at that MMR skyrocketing like a rocket, LOL. ?You should see the stream; it''s even more ridiculous. ?So they¡¯re a streamer¡­.
[General] Why is Yujin suddenly ying so seriously? Is she really preparing for the Asia qualifiers in Dark Zone Esports? She went from Gold 3 to Diamond in just a week; this girl is insane. At this rate, she''ll hit Tier 2 in no time if her MMR keeps rising like this. [All Comments][Sorted by Most Recent]
  • A week??? A week??????
  • What kind of insane person is this, LOL.
  • Does she even eat, or does she just grind ranked all day? How the hell does she have that much stamina??? ?If anyone knew, would we be sitting here wondering?
  • Besides her kills per match, she¡¯s getting a massive MMR boost from the way she ys. ?[OP] Maybe it''s because she does that every match? ?Averaging 13 kills per match consistently, no wonder she¡¯s climbing so fast, LOL.
  • Watching this makes me question all the assumptions I''ve had up until now.
  • Thought she was just a bully farming noobs, but she¡¯s just damn good at the game, LOL. ?Noob bully (at high ratings). ?If you ughter every yer except yourself, it still counts as noob bullying, LOL. ?LOL.
  • The craziest part is that this maniac hasn''t died a single time since starting the game. ?For real? ?I¡¯m dizzy just thinking about it;;; ?Madness isn¡¯t that far off, LOL.
  • [ISO: Excellent! You''ve put all yourpetitors beneath your feet!]
¡°¡­Phew. That match was tough.¡±
  • Tough (14 kills).
  • How do you even y like this at such a high rating???
  • The skill level of the yers noticeably increases as you climb higher, damn.
  • At SOF rank, they must have the map memorized by heart, but does this person have no ups and downs in performance?
  • Inconsistency is just an excuse for the weak.
The victory screen filled the disy. It flickered off, revealing the game summary screen. The contents were too extensive to fit on a single page: everything from the movement route during the session to the number of bullets fired, total damage dealt, and kill cam footage. It was like an error correction notebook, essential for users wanting to improve their skill and rank. The only downside, if it could be called that, was the enormous file size. As always, I linked it to the in-game Dark Zonemunity so everyone could see. Early in my streaming days, I used to just skip over it without much thought, but as my rank increased, more people started requesting it. The rank-up animation in Dark Zone was simpler than I expected. The medal on the left side of the military uniform avatar''s chest changed to the corresponding rank with a dazzling effect. The Recon badge, which corresponded to tinum in other games, disintegrated into dust and was reced with the new SOF badge. Of course, there was also a separate military uniform patch.
  • The madman who reached SOF in under a week¡­ We live in Yujin¡¯s era.
¡°Thank you for the donation.¡± Phew. A sigh of exhaustion escaped my lips. Due to the nature of hardcore games, each match consumed a significant amount of stamina. Even though most of the movement was done by vehicle, it was still tiring. From streaming this past week, I¡¯ve found that my general limit is around ten hours in-game. Back in the day, I could go for three days straight without thinking about the future, but with a clear goal now, managing my condition was crucial. So far, I¡¯ve been able to take first ce without much effort, so I felt like I was conserving my energy. I vaguely heard that the climb gets steep from SOF onwards. The current stream time was 10 hours and 22 minutes in-game, with 2,813 viewers. The 30,000 viewers on the first day were seriously inted by the unusual nature of the stream, which was about rifying the hacking allegations. In simpler terms, it was like the grand opening of a new store. For a random new streamer, I¡¯d say this turnout was remarkably good. Returning to the lobby, I saw my rank disyed in a graceful mix of silver and diamond transparency. However, the number 5 next to it indicated that there was still a long way to go. ncing over, I noticed that the chat was filled with viewers begging for one more match to celebrate the promotion. But as I mentioned earlier, managing fatigue was important. Although I could have yed another match, it was interesting to see how the viewers'' reactions shifted with every word I said. ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll y one more match but end the stream withoutmentary, or we can wrap up with a feedback session instead. I¡¯ll leave the decision to you.¡± The bot, responding to my input, automatically opened a poll. The numbers fluctuated wildly.
  • Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback! Feedback!!!!
  • Do you really think anyone¡¯s going to choose anything but feedback after that? LOL.
  • There¡¯s no point in watching another match; Recon 1 and SOF 5 are practically the same level.
  • Forget it, just give us an educational stream, teacher.
  • We¡¯ve been watching the game for 10 hours already.
That was an excellent pivot. Separate from just watching the stream, gamers always have the desire to climb higher. Those desires were being very clearly expressed. There were some who didn¡¯t agree, mostly those who weren¡¯t interested in battle royale mode or focused on PVE. However, over the past week of streaming, most of thetter had naturally fallen off, so the vote naturally ended in favor of a feedback session. I exited the game and transferred the file to the Just Chatting VR studio. Taking a small breath, I chose my words carefully. Fortunately, streaming and speaking weren¡¯t as difficult as I initially thought. It wasn¡¯t like a talk show; just exining my area of expertise was enough to fill the audio. The initial pressure I felt had mostly dissipated. As I yed the video, the first words that fit together like a puzzle in my mind came out. ¡°To summarize the y of users at this stage¡­ they tend to be both hasty and overly cautious. I haven¡¯t seen many exceptions to this.¡± I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand. At this stage, they¡¯re probably confident in their skills and have a good grasp of psychological warfare. They likely know the map better than I do, given that I¡¯ve only been ying for a week. As a result, they mercilessly exploit any exposed gaps, and if you fail to counter, you¡¯re immediately killed. yers with average skill levels get ruthlessly cut down at this stage. But conversely, if you show a gap but make it hard to exploit, they¡¯ll be drawn in like a trap, disregarding their own safety. What happens next is simple. It¡¯s like tripping someone who¡¯s sprinting; the faster they¡¯re going, the more disastrous the oue. As I exined that, the video showed an enemy who had been eagerly chasing me only to be killed by a simple ymore trap. A perfect example. ¡°On the other hand, being too cautious narrows your field of vision. You end up overreacting to even minor provocations. In any case, the best strategy in this kind of game is to create situations that are advantageous to you.¡± Of course, with a hundred yers fighting on a single field, it¡¯s much easier said than done. Frankly, even if I exined it, I didn¡¯t expect many people would be able to apply it in practice. Still, the exnation continued. The video contained a variety of ys, ranging from smart kills that viewers might be able to attempt to risky ones they should definitely avoid. The former involvedplex battles in buildings and terrain, while thetter were melee kills, lead shots, and near-trick shots that only I could pull off. It was hard to say which category had more, but for the sake of the exnation, I leaned toward focusing on the former. Anyway, my general strategy was simple: take items from enemies, and once adequately equipped, secure a good position within the circle. It was something you could figure out with a bit of observation, but as always, just knowing doesn¡¯t make it easy to counter. For roughly an hour, I continued to exin my gamey to thousands of viewers. It was, as always, an embarrassing time. My social life was quite thin at this point. If I had to mention anything, I¡¯d say it consisted of the gym owner at the fitness club for exercise and various promotional contacts from different shops. The former was more consistent in contacting me. In terms of streaming, there was Harmony, of course. But I¡¯m not sure if I can countmunicating via social media as a full-fledged rtionship. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I made up for myck of social life by streaming either. I didn¡¯t avoid it altogether, but I didn¡¯t go out of my way to do it either. It was, in a way, lukewarm. I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to pursue streaming as a full-time career, and I wasn¡¯t doing much outside either. These days, I was stuck in that transitional phase. The answer wasn¡¯t necessarily unclear. In reality, the dream of ¡°making money while sitting still¡± that everyone desires had practicallye true, and frankly, I could stay home and do whatever I wanted for the next few years. But that wasn¡¯t the mission given to me. Continuously diving into difficult tasks is what people are meant to do, isn¡¯t it? Maybe I was just seeking confirmation. -[Harmony: Teacher~~~ How are you doing these days? Thanks to you, I¡¯m working hard on Dark Zone! Everyone says Dark Zone is better than the games we yed before,,??] -[Yujin: I think so too, honestly.] -[Harmony: ( ? ^ ? )] -[Harmony: I wish people would appreciate the fun of games like Getting Over It T^T] -[Yujin: And you¡¯ll rmend it to me too, right?] -[Harmony: Ahahaha;;] -[Harmony: But you haven¡¯t yed it yet, have you (,,?? . ??,,)?] So you¡¯re nning to make me y it someday, huh? Anyway, this person, once we started talking, would asionally reach out even without a specific reason. Our main topics of conversation were the legal actions rted to the sniper troll incident or advice about streaming. Having only streamed for a week, she was practically the perfect mentor for me. -[Harmony: Anyway, it seems like you¡¯re finding streaming more enjoyable than you expected, haha.] -[Yujin: I guess¡­ so?] -[Harmony:?(?? ? -?)??] -[Harmony: That¡¯s how it is at the start.] -[Harmony: Streaming is a job, and without a sense of duty, it can easily be dull¡­.]@@novelbin@@ A sense of duty. Maybe that was it. I stopped my fingers, which were unconsciously typing. The unsent message on my screen asked how one could find such a sense of purpose. Even if I sent it, I probably wouldn¡¯t get the answer I wanted. After all, a goal needs to lie somewhere between what you must do and what you want to do. If there¡¯s no immediate threat to your well-being or future, setting your goals solely on what you must do leads to long-term burnout. In any case, she was incredibly perceptive in this area. As I briefly nced away from my phone, more messages came in. -[Harmony: Since you¡¯ve started streaming, why not try Your Space too?] -[Harmony: You can think about hiring an editor once you¡¯re financially stable!] Of course. But I had to admit that her suggestion wasn¡¯t entirely ineffective. With a slightly lighter heart, I replied: -[Yujin: That sounds incredibly tedious, so I¡¯ll start with something else.] Indeed. Rather than diving into such things just a week into streaming, it seemed better to try something I¡¯d never done beforemunicating with my viewers. Proposing an obviously daunting goal and then mentioning a much lower one as apromise is amon negotiation tactic. In a way, Harmony had achieved that unconsciously. She was impressive in many ways. Or maybe I was just hopeless. Chapter 50 As with anypetitive game, the highest tier was an object of envy. A tier was the most objective indicator of skill that could be visually confirmed, and it was a reliable way to gauge one''s standing among others ying the same game. Even though the ever-expanding nature of games had caused ranked games to diversify¡ªand with that, the prestige of higher tiers had somewhat diminished¡ªthe allure remained. Moreover, it was one of the minimum requirements for streamers who aimed to showcase their skills and made Dark Zone their main content. Conversely, this meant that streamers were rtively well-represented in the upper echelons of the rankings. In a way, it made perfect sense. A streamer was someone who provided entertainment for viewers, and to do so, they needed something to appeal to their audience. Exceptional gaming skills were the most straightforward advantage to showcase. While low-tier ranked games, with theiredic or tragic moments, had their own appeal, the strategic battles and thrilling victories snatched from the jaws of defeat were more akin to a well-made moviepared to the former''sedy show. Although such moments could ur in lower tiers as well, by general standards, people were unfortunately less inclined to pay attention to those at the bottom. Returning to the point, the highest tier was an object of envy. However, looking at it from another angle, the reason it was so coveted was because it was a hellish realm beyond humanprehension. As the tier increased, so did the brutalpetition. No matter how good you were, when you queued for a game, you were faced with groups of yers of simr skill, all waiting to challenge you. And when those who had chosen the game not as a pastime but as their future¡ªnamely, aspiring professional gamers¡ªjoined the fray, thepetition became even more intense. You either had to fall behind or have the skill to break through and rise. There were only two choices, and the answer for those given only these options was clear. Amidst all this, on a scorching day in August, "We¡¯vee quite far... Let¡¯s keep going." One yer set foot on the edge of this hellish realm.
  • It¡¯s a promotion match, but you¡¯re still taking donations? Are you that confident? Think you can handle it? Or are you out of your mind? LOL.
"Hey, guys. What did I do wrong, huh? Am I just someone who only eats and ys Dark Zone all day? I may have been a bit neglectful of my main job, but I¡¯m back now!"
  • Back (half-forced).
  • What kind of etiquette calls being dragged back by a leash a return, LOL?
  • Fact: If it weren¡¯t for Russ, you wouldn¡¯t even be participating in the Asia qualifiers, let alone ying ranked.
  • Spending fifteen hours a day scavenging is not neglect, it¡¯s outright disdain, Kato ^^.
  • So, does that mean the unemployed are just a bit neglectful of making money? LOL.
Amid the rising incredulousments, a message popped up, apanied by a grand sound, indicating that a ranked game had been found. Five minutes. It took a full five minutes to find a match for a singlepetitive game. And this wasn¡¯t even a regr ranked match but a tournament ranked match. Despite being a game where everyone was aiming for the Asia qualifiers, it still took five minutes to find yers of simr skill. It felt a bit odd. Even so, considering there were hundreds of matches running in this tier, it seemed more like a matter of bad timing. With that thought, Kato¡ªthe streamer known as Katographer¡ªlooked at the rank match information screen that popped up.
  • [TIER 2 Promotion Match Starting.]
There wasn¡¯t much excitement. Looking back a bit, Tier 2 wasn¡¯t an insurmountable wall for him, but rather a gateway to pass through. His average skill level fluctuated between Tiers 2 and 1, and during his peak battle royale days, he even reached the highest rank, Medal of Honor, though only just. In other words, while others stared at the wall in front of them, he, with his past experience, was already looking at the higher mountain peaks beyond. The ''minimum'' qualification for participating in the Asia qualifiers was Tier 2, Rank 5, and even with exceptions, it was at least SOF 1. Until recently, his daily routine had been just carrying a hatchet and a pistol while stuffing valuables into his pants, but as they say, a rich man¡¯s wealthsts for three years even after he¡¯s ruined. With a confident tone, the ramp spun, and the lower hatch of the transport ne opened. The wind howled. "Alright, here we go! It''ste-season ranked, but let¡¯s climb quickly! Let¡¯s gooo©¤©¤©¤!" Jump. The transport ne, capable of carrying dozens of people, shrank to the size of a palm, and the researchplex below¡ªonce as small as matchboxes¡ªrapidly grewrger. With a crisp sound, the parachute opened. As his descent slowed, he saw people who hadnded before him rushing into buildings. A few secondster, he followed the same process. "Okay, since this is a promotion match, I¡¯ll focus a bit more. As I always emphasize, prioritize skills when looting, everyone. This is a tournament rank, so decent weapons are readily avable. If you really want to use your main weapon, you can call for a supply dropter." With skilled hands, he opened the crates around him. As he said, the crates were filled with fully assembled firearms, ammunition, cash, and bulletproof vests, seemingly ced there to encourage quick engagements. He immediately equipped himself and picked up a well-set-up light machine gun. Around him, fights were already breaking out. After scanning the surroundings, he spoke while moving. "As you all know, skills have activation zones. The early fights in higher-tier matches are basically psychological warfare in these areas. But be aware, item spawns around these zones, aside from cash, are really stingy." In short, two choices were presented: Do you choose weapons first, gather enough money, and then fight against those who have unlocked their skills? Or do you unlock your skills first, and then fight against the swarm of yers and others who have also unlocked their skills? Since the skills were quite powerful, the survival rate was roughly even regardless of the choice. EMP grenades, which could counter this, only appeared in thete game, so there was no worry about imbnce. ©¤©¤©¤!!! With a press of the trigger, a satisfying gunshot rang through the air. Sliding, running, and walking alternately to manage his stamina, Kato aimed and fired at an enemy who suddenly popped out from around a corner. Because it was a high-tier ranked game, the opponent¡¯s reaction was swift, but even a small difference could determine life or death. In an instant, bullets crossed paths, and the enemy in Kato''s sights was the first to enter a dying state, ending the initial encounter. He finished the enemy off with a few more shots, grabbed the necessary items, and moved on. "Obviously, you shouldn¡¯t bother with finishing moves when there are enemies swarming everywhere. But if you suddenly need to use the bathroom, just trigger the execution animation and go."
  • Summary: Kato needs to use the bathroom.
  • Such a ssy way to suggest dodging^^.
  • This guy¡­ precision!
  • Even if he carries junk in his pants all the time, his aim is still on point.
  • In other games, this would be mid-Grandmaster, so don¡¯t die here, LOL.
It was true. Despite a few hups, he quickly swept through the area at a speed that made the recent intense battle seem irrelevant. It didn¡¯t take long for the kill count in the top-right corner to start climbing again, just like in the early game. Even though his skills might have waned from ying other modes, by this point, even the viewers who had been criticizing him earlier were now constantly expressing their amazement. It all flowed naturally¡ªusing avable resources to corner enemies, clearing out potential hiding spots, and sometimesunching unexpected attacks from unconventional positions. Through skill, map knowledge, or pure intuition, he orchestrated the game like assembling a puzzle to create the scenario he desired. Although things didn¡¯t always go as nned, he could always think of ways to ovee the situation. And, of course, he never forgot to throw in some lip service to show respect to his opponents. "Maybe it''s because it''ste-season, or perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s a promotion match¡­ Everyone¡¯s really good. Normally, I could y through this part with ease."
  • Looks like all the serious yers are flocking to leave an impression before the qualifiers.
  • This is why I don¡¯t y tournament rank, LOL.
  • Even if you¡¯re talking nonsense, at least do it properly, LOL.
  • So this is where all the bulk sales of conscience on secondhand sitese from, huh?
  • I¡¯m a Tier 2 local, and I can confirm that all my peers agree,,,,~~~
However, despite Kato¡¯s words, the roughly 3,000 viewers watching his stream already knew. No matter how much he praised his opponents, the skill gap was clear. Despite exining half the time, he was still mowing downpetitors like leaves in the wind. Moreover, the ongoing donations and voicementary at this stage were almost like hidden indicators of Katographer''s confidence and skill. Even in a section where others struggled to climb, Kato maintained focus despite the distractions of donations and iplete concentration. That alone proved a lot. Driving around in his vehicle, Kato spoke again. "Wow, we¡¯re down to 32 people already. You guys saw that, right? If you do well in the early game, there¡¯s no need to struggleter. Kill points that affect RP are pretty much the same no matter where you get them." Instead of hunting down every enemy holed up in fortified positionster on, it was better to get as many kills as possible while everyone was on equal footing in the early game. An effective strategy for ranking up that everyone knows but few can execute. There¡¯s a reason why it''s only passed down verbally. ©¤©¤©¤Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! "What the heck is that?" But in the midst of this, hundreds of rounds of lead rained down from a second-story window of a nearby mansion. The uracy and firepower were brutal. Holes started appearing in the car, and the vehicle UI in the bottom-left corner began turning red. The fuel tank must have been hit, as the fuel level dropped rapidly, and the tires were blown out. Kato himself was also hit by a few bullets, reducing his HP to halfway. His instincts sent a troubling warning. "I need to take that guy out. If I leave him alone, he¡¯ll cause troubleter."
  • Wow, they¡¯re good with those lead shots.
  • Look at the car getting wrecked after a few hits, LOL.
  • Is it time for another house-clearing tutorial? Another house-clearing tutorial? Another house-clearing tutorial?
  • This guy knows how to draw aggro, LOL.
  • Okay, now get out before the car blows up.
Screech. Kato didn¡¯t so much get out of the car as he did almost throw himself out,nding some distance away from the mansion. Themotion had attracted attention, and noises could be heard nearby. Since he had exited out of sight from the window that had been shooting at him, he wasn¡¯t too worried. He quickly formted a n to safely enter the mansion and spoke. "You can¡¯t parkour up this house, but there should be a staircase by the storage area. I¡¯ll throw some grenades and shbangs, then rush in." ©¤©¤©¤Rat-a-tat-tat! Just as he said this, another burst of machine-gun fire erupted from the second floor. Whoever was inside was clearly busy with the fight. It was the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack. With a click, the pins of a grenade and a shbang dropped to the ground, and a split secondter, shockwaves spread from the second floor. Kato quietly moved around to the back of the house, passing through the cluttered storage area into the building. ¡®Why are there so many fishing supplies here?¡¯ He pushed aside any distracting thoughts. He had thrown the grenades, so the enemy inside would know someone wasing. But Kato had the element of surprise, and he needed to act before the enemy could react. He ascended the stairs quickly but quietly. Rat-a-tat-tat! Was this person thick-skinned or just oblivious? The machine-gun fire continued from the second floor, but it was toote for suspicion. Kato had yed enough games to be familiar with theyout of houses. The continuous gunfire masked the sound of the shbang pin being pulled, but just a few secondster, with an ear-splitting explosion, Kato stepped onto the second floor. No. He tried to step. ©¤©¤©¤! "Ugh!" Thud. For some reason, just as he was about to storm the second floor, something tripped him, causing him to fall hard. The tter of his gear and steel hitting the wooden floor echoed loudly. He tried to get up quickly, but¡­ "The attempt was good, but youcked a sense of urgency." "Ugh, argh¡­!" Srrk. Something thick wrapped around his leg, and with a heavy weight pressing on his back, he couldn¡¯t move anything but his arms. At the same time, something tightened around his neck. Something sharp, unbreakable. As Kato¡¯s vision began to blur, he caught sight of something at the end of his gaze. It was a machine gun, casually mounted by the window. And there was something... like a string connected to the trigger. Only then did Kato realize what it was and what was strangling him.@@novelbin@@ It was fishing line. ¡®Wait, that means¡­!¡¯ "Having plenty of materials for traps is a good thing." As death approached, the situation became clear. The machine gun had been rigged to fire continuously, bluffing to make it seem like someone was still firing without care for the surroundings. But to think they¡¯d go for direct strangtion like this... "Goodbye." Bang. The next moment¡ªa gunshot that pierced through his eardrums¡ªand Kato was thrown back to the lobby with a death certificate that read "headshot." "¡­What the hell just happened?" Of course, he hadn¡¯t quite managed to bring his dignity back with him. Chapter 51 "What the hell... What is this...?" Hell. A word that every South Korean, regardless of age or gender, has uttered at least once, a magical phrase that can express all the emotions and experiences of life. As a Korean, one must be able to instantly distinguish the emotions conveyed through this word, and most people could do so effortlessly. Everyone in the chat knew. The recent curse came from aplete loss of understanding.
  • ???????????????
  • Strangling with a piano wire, lolololol
  • What the hell is this game? It''s too scary!!!!!!!!!
  • Is this something a human being coulde up with, really? lolololol
  • This idea is something only a bald agent woulde up with~
A deep, primal sigh. But the body naturally moved to rey the video of the recent match. There was no need to review the early stages, so the yback was sped up, focusing on the moments just before death. Spectator mode. The overhead view showed both the yer''s and the enemy''s movements clearly. Bullets riddled the car, and mes began to rise from the hood. The past self, who had slowed down and gotten out of the vehicle, headed towards the opponent, who was leisurely setting up traps on the second floor of the house. Meanwhile, the enemy was tying a fishing line to the trigger of a gun and then quietly moved into the next room, pulling the line to spray bullets into the air. "Wow, really... I should''ve just fled instead of charging in. Ugh..."
  • I''m dizzy, this is crazy
  • The level of this promotion match is insane, lolololol
  • Considering Kato got blindsided, that guy must be a crazy genius too
  • Breaking news: Newbies are quitting Dark Zone en masse after watching Kato''s stream
  • So, by that logic, does this mean he''s kind of good? lolololol
The screen continued to move. The enemy had already set up fishing lines all over the second-floor entryways. Not just once, but crossing them at least four times to ensure the target would trip, just like in the movies. It was designed to make sure the human-shaped entity would definitely fall. What happened next was predictable. Kato, carefully ascending the stairs, tripped over the fishing line tightly secured to nearby furniture, fell down, and let out a low groan mixed with a heavy thud that echoed through the space. At the same time, the enemy''s avatar appeared. Since he couldn¡¯t even move his neck due to his death, this was the first time Kato had truly seen his opponent. Delicate facial features paired oddly with a long, snake-like tail. The fully armed enemy cautiously approached, wrapping the fishing line around their hand, then used their tail to bind Kato''s legs, immobilizing him, and began to strangle him. With a smooth, melodious voice, they tightened the fishing line with one hand and, with the other, drew a pistol from a holster and aimed it at Kato''s head. Bang. And thus, the promotion match came to an end. "What the hell...?" Kato muttered in disbelief, but did he know? That this was just the beginning.
  • [Notice: You have been promoted to TIER 2!]
  • [Notice: You are now eligible to apply for the Asia Qualifiers. You can submit your application in the main lobby based on your current tournament rank.]
"...Somehow, I''ve made it up here in about ten days. I think it''s thanks to all the support from everyone. I want to thank all the viewers."
  • Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins!
  • Cheering (Doesn''t care much)
  • If cheering could get you from unranked to master in ten days, let me have some too, damn it
  • Teacher, don''t lie. If you hadn''t turned off the stream, you would''ve climbed even faster
  • We live in the era of ''Yujin''! We live in the era of ''Yujin''! We live in the era of ''Yujin''!
Tier 2. Had it taken a bit more than ten days, or less? Honestly, I didn''t pay attention to how long it took since I had been climbing the ranks almost mindlessly, without a clear goal. In Dark Zone, the promotion to Apex Predator is basically about umting a certain RP within a certain number of games. The number of games required to achieve the necessary RP could increase or decrease depending on one''s past performance. In my case, it was minimal, almost as if it seemed impossible, as the chat said. Anyway, the number of promotion matches I was given was three. ording to the brief information provided before starting a game, I needed to secure first ce in three consecutive matches with at least seven kills each time to secure the necessary RP. Ironically, it wasn''t that difficult.@@novelbin@@ 12 hours and 36 minutes. That was the total broadcast time for today. Unlike usual, where I would run around the map sweeping up other yers,tely, I had been ying a bit more cautiously, so each game took a bit longer. Physically, I could still endure, but mentally, I was not in the best condition. Taking a deep breath, I logged out of Dark Zone and switched to a private booth. I sank deeply into the incredibly soft chair and spoke. "I''ll stop Dark Zone here. I''m quite tired."
  • It''s the first time I''ve watched the whole thing from start to finish, damn it, I feel like throwing up
  • No joke, this is the fastest climb I''ve seen among all the streamers I watch, lolololol
  • How do you consistently get first ce at this tier? Are you even human?
  • After 12 hours of continuous gamey, Yujin says, "I''m quite tired."
  • One thing''s for sure, this person is an unprecedented lunatic, lol
As I stared at the ceiling, with the chat slowly fading, one thought crossed my mind. Come to think of it, have I ever done a proper interaction stream with my viewers...? It''s hard to say for sure, but maybe, maybe not. It could go either way. But in another sense, it was an ambiguous situation. Compared to the "just chatting" streams of other streamers on tforms like YourSpace, well, not sure. But when I think about what I should do, it''s also unclear.
  • Hey, are you asleep?
"...No, I''m not sleeping." The voice that came out was a bit more subdued than usual. After a moment of thought, I decided to just be honest. "It''s nothing really, but when I think about it, I don''t think I''ve had a proper interaction with you guys. You might misunderstand, but it''s not because I don''t want to talk to you; it''s just that I don''t know what to do."
  • lololololololololololol
  • Don''t be fooled, Yujin''s army, this is a Terminator''s scheme
  • What? Suddenly showing humanity? What does this mean?????
  • lolololol so cute
  • Interaction? Today we''ll find out Yujin''s avatar''s three sizes, get ready, lol
...Scary, so scary. I thought everyone was just focused on my gamey, but it turns out they were just holding back. The way they¡¯re pouncing now feels like opening a gas valve. I excused myself to get a drink of water. If you don''t stretch and hydrate every hour, your body quickly tires out. Just like bedsores develop from lying in the same position too long. After thoroughly spraying my body and tail with a mist of water and returning to my private booth, I found a flood of questions waiting. Let¡¯s go through them one by one.
  • [umted cost for this question: 323,000 won]
"...The first question is ridiculous. Do you really have to be curious about this?"
  • Teacher, isn''t that your avatar? My Johnson at home is getting angry, just tell us already.
  • Ugh, lololol I contributed 50,000 won, but know that I¡¯m different from you guys.
  • Different indeed, Mr. Rich Pervert, lol
  • lolololololololololol, this ce is full of lunatics
  • Teacher, if you dismiss us like that, we''ll be very disappointed
Without even needing to see, I skipped this question. Moreover, this is my avatar, but also my body, so there''s no reason to share this information. Since I''ve never revealed my real appearance to anyone, I need to be extra cautious. As I moved on from the question, the money attached to it started to climb, but naturally, I ignored it. Next question. "...My height is 171 cm. I can''t tell you my weight."
  • Why can''t you tell us your weight???????????????
  • Damn, Yujin, are you going to keep ying hard to get? Do you want to see some cash flow?
  • Yup, streaming is just a hobby~ I don¡¯t need your money~ Too bad for you~
  • Would¡¯ve been less frustrating if you kept both a secret, now you''re just teasing us, damn it lol
  • Teacher, I''m dying of thirst!!!!!
"I¡¯m telling you this so there''s no misunderstanding: My body is quite unique, so revealing my weight could expose too much personal information. I¡¯d appreciate it if you understand that." Then came the next question. "Noment. I think my previous answer should tell you everything you need to know."
  • Holy sh***t
  • Everyone, hands off the keyboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • No way, lolololololololololol
  • Teacher, I¡¯ve only ever said nice things, I swear!
  • Even if a tenth of this goes to court, that''s still 400 people, lololololololol
There was no reason to hide this part. Among the few chatters, some were worried about me impersonating an Emergent, but there was no need for concern. If I were impersonating, I''d face the wrath of thew soon enough. I considered taking more questions, but knowing that I couldn''t just fill time with a Q&A forever, I decided to start talking about something else. What would be good? ...Ah, I know. "Come to think of it, I recently got a message from Harmony. Just a normal check-in and... what was it? She suggested that I try out a game called Jump Master. It¡¯s a game about rescuing a pretty girl character from the top." The reaction was immediate.
  • Damn it, lololololololol
  • The shit sommelier is at it again, lolololol
  • Noooooo, teacher, please don''t y that game, seriously
  • Damn it, that green tea cat is at it again, spreading poison, lolololol
  • I knew it... thought she¡¯d been behaving, but she¡¯s lost it again, this crazy cat
How should I describe this? If I put it harshly, the reaction was like an insect hit with pesticide. If I¡¯m being polite, it was like an electric shock. In either case, this wasn''t a reaction you¡¯d expect towards a streamer. But thinking about it the other way around, I was quite curious. Just what kind of game is this that they hate it so much?¡ªThough it felt more like "It''s finally happening" rather than outright dislike. Moreover, it seems like it¡¯s more about me suffering through the game than the viewers. From that perspective, this reaction is probably just them yfully ming Harmony for rmending it. In any case, their intense protests only made me more curious about the game. So I spoke, using Harmony as a shield. "Still, since it was a rmended game, if I stream tomorrow, I¡¯ll y it for about an hour." With that, I concluded today''s stream amidst a variety of reactions¡ªmostly desperate pleas for me not to go down that road. Thinking about it, I didn¡¯t reallymunicate much, but this was nice in its own way. With that loose thought, another day came to an end. It was a productive day. Chapter 52 "¡­Guys. I''m seriously thinking about changing my streaming hours until the tournament ranking ends. Or maybe I should take a break when that person is ying."
  • Neurotic, lolololol
  • The opponent was too frustrating to just call it cowardice.
  • Yujin, how far are you nning to climb?! Stop beating Kato already!!!
  • I''ve never had a school bully until now, lolololol
  • Strategy stream (where I''m the one getting strategized against)
Game over. The colors slowly faded from the screen. It was as if his soul had left his body, and now he stood, looking down at what used to be himself. The ck-and-white screen, signifying death, filled his vision. A brutally dead body. Next to it, the words "2/100," indicating second ce, were clearly disyed, along with a notification that a small amount of RP had been gained, due to the nature of a battle royale where a hundred yerspete at once. Even though his rank hadn¡¯t dropped, he slumped deep into the chair in his private booth and covered his face with both hands. "Ugh¡­." Yujin. He wasn¡¯t unaware of her. Being a streamer himself, he had to stay informed about themunity, especially when it came to the battle royale genre, his main content. As always, the rank distribution in ranked matches followed a diamond shape, meaning that as one climbed higher, the pool of yers became smaller. In simple terms, it became easier to run into the same people again and again. If one side wascking in skill or vastly superior, these unfortunate encounters might have been avoidable or not happened at all. But the fact that they kept happening up to now was the real issue. Moreover, it couldn¡¯t even be called stream sniping. If someone had deliberately sought him out just to kill him or donate items while engaged inbat, they would deserve criticism, maybe even outright condemnation. But recently, the times when Kato encountered Yujin¡­ It was almost always within the top 5, often resulting in a one-on-one match between Yujin and Kato. Due to the nature of battle royales, it was impossible to avoid encountering each other, and if this were stream sniping¡­ considering the effort needed to consistently make it into the final five, that too would be insane. So, stream sniping was out of the question. At this level, changing his streaming hours just to avoid a single yer seemed excessive. But forcing himself to continue despite knowing what would happen if they met again was also harsh. Just now, how had he died? As soon as the distance narrowed, a thrown dagger had struck him in the face, sending him to the afterlife highway. They had ended up in the same match about seven times so far¡­ but could anyone remain indifferent if a fishbone got stuck in their throat seven times while eating? And so, he shouted out, filled with unanswered questions. "Seriously, what¡¯s this person¡¯s deal? I''ve never felt a wall like this while grinding Apex ranks. The highest tier here has this weird quality¡ªthere¡¯s no eternal number one." The avatar''s movements are directly influenced by the person controlling it. Much more than what can be done with a keyboard and mouse. Therefore, the rankings at the highest tier constantly circted. Because the physical abilities of a person can create far more variables than reflexes, reaction time, aiming skills, or game sense. In other words, this means that even a former pro gamer at Tier 2 could suddenly be utterly crushed due to a random mistake. But¡­ "¡­Is that person really a soldier? Or was a soldier? This is ridiculous."
  • In the end, this guy alsoes to the conclusion that Yujin is an ex-soldier, lolololol
  • Honestly, looking at their physical and performance, they might be out of their mind.
  • Some say she served in a US special forces unit before retiring anding to Korea.
  • To be honest, no one knows, lol
  • There''s no way she¡¯s not a soldier when she pulls off that level of physical prowess in hardcore y.
That person doesn¡¯t care about ups and downs; with her insane physical abilities, she easily ovees any opponents standing in her way. Maybe that person¡­ is from the infamous North American server? The ce where only the strong survive, and the top ranks are filled with former soldiers, PMC operators, and people suspected of being tactical consultants? Of course, I heard Yujin only started ying recently. Dark Zone is a game where every y record is stored, so if she came from North America, there would have been talk about it by now. His fingers were itching. If he encountered her a couple more times and ended up dying in ways he couldn¡¯t even imagine¡­ he might not be able to resist sending her a friend request out of sheer curiosity and desperation. And if he ended up dying a few more times after that, he might end up scribbling a 5,700-character-long message begging for mercy. Somehow, that future didn¡¯t feel so far off. Meanwhile, at that moment, Thud! "¡­Tsk." An unnecessarily cheerful sound. The character failed to control their jump height and hit a wall, falling down with an annoyingly trivial effect, followed by several screen changes before they fell all the way down. Watching the character get up as if nothing had happened, Yujin took a small breath and frowned in difort. The game hadn¡¯t even started yet. As the tier goes higher, there are fewer yers, so the matching time lengthens. "This game is really awful." Yujin was holding back the creeping frustration while ying the game Harmony had rmended. It was summer. "Teacher! Long time no see! How did you grow so much in less than two weeks since you started streaming?" "Indeed. I wonder who I have to thank for that." "Uh¡­ Me?" A few dayster. Before starting the stream, while sitting in the private booth chair, pondering what to do today, Harmony, who was set as a friend, suddenly barged in. It was such an unexpected event that she couldn¡¯t find the right words, but then she realized this wasn¡¯t during a stream and rxed her tone a bit. Harmony, who had casually conjured up a chair and sat next to me, looked quite curious. "By the way, is it okay if I still call you Teacher?" "We haven¡¯t gamed together in a while, so feel free to call me Yujin." "That sounds better, doesn¡¯t it?" After a brief moment of hesitation, she added with a smile. "Then when it¡¯s just the two of us, just call me Harmony. No need to add ''Miss'' or anything." "Alright, I¡¯ll do that." A brief silence followed by some light conversation. She spoke first. "How¡¯s streaming going for you?" "It¡¯s not as difficult as I thought it would be. But¡­ it still feels a bit overwhelming, having so many people watching. That part I¡¯m still getting used to." "That¡¯s probably because you haven¡¯t been streaming for long. If you n to continue, try diversifying your content. Viewers get bored if you keep showing them the same thing." As I pondered her reasonable advice, I had a sudden thought. Grabbing her soft cheeks with both hands and stretching them out, I said, "So that¡¯s why you rmended those kinds of games?" "Ah, aaah! Aahyaahaaa!" Themon feature of all the games she rmended was that a single mistake would send my character plummeting into the abyss. Each time that happened, the chat would fill with bizarre messages like "Back to square one, Pikachu!" and I would despair, realizing I had returned to a familiar ce once again. What do you call this¡­ a roguelike? It might not be exactly the same, but the way everything I had built up came crashing down with one mistake seemed pretty simr. As a bonus, I learned that I¡¯m not particrly good at these types of games. "Aah¡­ I watched it on a video donation. It was so funny I rewatched it a few times, but it was a shame you only yed it in between matchmakings. Maybe you could y it as a warm-up game?" "¡­Did you really enjoy it that much?" "Yes!"@@novelbin@@ Should I just kick her out? That impulse, though not quite an impulse, rose to the top of my head, but I was a modern, civilized person. I couldn¡¯t just send someone packing over their personal taste. Anyway, I got a rough idea of this minty cat¡¯s peculiar preferences. In the meantime, she continued speaking. "Games like these are usually like that. They¡¯re super difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, they¡¯re manageable. I¡¯ve yed so many of them that I can clear ones I¡¯ve done before pretty easily now." "Good for you." "¡­Ugh, whenever I tell people I y these kinds of games, they all give me that same look¡­." From my perspective, I¡¯m not sure what other reaction she expected¡­ But still, it was a pretty appropriate game to y while waiting for matchmaking. Even if you had to climb back up after falling to the bottom, it didn¡¯t really matter when a ranked game started. Of course, when I reopened the game, I would sigh, but still. "By the way, you¡¯re way better at Dark Zone than I thought! I found even the main missions a bit difficult, but you¡¯ve already climbed so high?" "I think it took a bit more than ten days¡­ I just started ying mindlessly, thinking I¡¯d give esports a try, and somehow ended up here. I didn¡¯t mention this on stream." "Hehe, right. If you had said that, everyone would¡¯ve gone full roast mode." After waving her hands for a moment, she showed me something. "You might not be that interested, but here¡¯s an update on the legal proceedings against that sniper. I wanted to let you know today." "Oh, that¡­ Is it going well? Have you been okay mentally since then?" "Yes, thankfully. I used to wake up a bit at night during the first few days, but after a few more, it settled down." There were a lot of technical terms, but to summarize, it was simple. The case had been processed correctly, the police had sent a summons via registered mail, and ording to thewyer, the punishment would be severe because it involved breaking thew rted to streaming Dark Zone. In a way, this could be seen as poetic justice. It was also fortunate that she didn¡¯t have to face the perpetrator directly, thanks to having legal representation. "Everyone¡¯s telling me not to settle. Plus, after some research, it turns out they were a habitual sniper¡­ It doesn¡¯t look good for them." "Are you okay with all this?" "I¡¯m trying not to dwell on it. If someonemits a crime, they should be punished. That¡¯s all there is to it. Deciding the punishment is for the legal professionals, not me, right?" She had a point. I might also be considered a party involved in the incident, but if she, the direct victim, said so, there wasn¡¯t much else to say. And so, we continued with trivial conversations. There was still some time before the stream would start, and our small talk eventually led to the idea of celebrating my streamer debut with a Dark Zone cob. Since there was no reason not to, I agreed readily, and at that moment, a message suddenly popped up. It was a Dark Zone message. "Hold on. Something just came in." Clicking on it, a brief message popped up.
  • [Message from Cartographer: Yujin]
  • [Message from Cartographer: I was the one who donated earlier, whatever it was, I''m sorry.]
  • [Message from Cartographer: If you¡¯re going to kill me, please do it normally, please.]
  • [Message from Cartographer: As a fellow industry professional, I¡¯d like to die honorably by a bullet.]
"Is this something I shouldn¡¯t be seeing?" "Ah, no, it¡¯s not like that¡­." Maybe it¡¯s karma. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say that out loud. Chapter 53 [Notice] Today is the day for a joint Dark Zone stream with the teacher! Hello, everyone! It¡¯s Harmony! I¡¯ve already posted a notice on the caf¨¦ and my personal website, but today we¡¯re back with a joint Dark Zone stream instead of ying a bad game, hehe. Yujin-sensei, who started with me, has been really into battle royale gamestely. From what I¡¯ve heard¡­ she¡¯s going to participate in the Asia Qualifiers, which makes me think she might really be talented. I know I¡¯ve been rambling a bit, but anyway, today we¡¯ll focus on the main missions, which I¡¯ve been putting off for too long because of other things. Of course, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll dive straight into missions as soon as we start¡­ I¡¯m guessing Yujin-sensei will probably drag me to the shooting range first thing, since we¡¯re meeting again after a while. I¡¯d better prepare myself¡­ sigh¡­ It¡¯s really hot, so everyone, please take care to avoid heatstroke and sunstroke, and if you¡¯re wealthy, I wish you a day full of sting air conditioning~~~!!! I hope only good things happen to the Mint Cat n! Harmony. And Yujin. Recently, these two have undoubtedly been the hottest names in the Dark Zonemunity. Their encounter, which began by chance, and the awkward meeting in the restricted zone became a hot topic. The tutorial ovepping with a PVP zone, something that¡¯s impossible to n, was enough to cause a stir. And Yujin¡¯s skills, which were fully exposed during this, were like pouring gasoline on an already roaring fire. But that wasn¡¯t all. Their skills were showcased in various PVP modes, as well as in the main missions, and even in sessfully fending off snipers. If you stretched it, you could call it maniption, but the daily updates on legal proceedings showed that Harmony was seriously responding to the situation. Although the fire has died down over time, the results triggered by it remained. Despite going through all sorts of extraordinary events, Harmony managed to handle them well, gaining an additional 50% of her steady viewers. Yujin, another beneficiary, became an unprecedented broadcaster, holding a steady average of thousands of viewers, despite having only recently started streaming, with the support of a strong streamer senior like Harmony. This wasn¡¯t just a win-win; they had brought each otherplete sess. Naturally, this showed that the two had quickly be close. "Ah! Teacher! Over here, over here!" The Shooting Range. When Yujin first started Dark Zone, Harmony had an awkward appearance, like she was forcing herself into ill-fitting gear. But now, in Yujin¡¯s eyes, Harmony seemed to be getting morefortable in her gear, starting to carry herself with a bit more ease. When Yujin¡¯s eyes met the mint-colored ears of Harmony, they twitched. It was a sign of her excitement at seeing Yujin. "It seems you¡¯ve been doing well. You look quite refreshed." "Of course. That¡¯s what streamers do, right? There¡¯s nothing particrly strenuous, and all we do is eat well and lie around at home all day, isn¡¯t it?" "Not at all." "Gasp."
  • The teacher has appeared! The teacher has appeared! The teacher has appeared! The teacher has appeared! The teacher has appeared!
  • Yujin, the rising monster of the streaming world, is a goddess!
  • A joint stream with Yujin is always the real deal, lol
  • Lol, the green tea cat is subtly trying to put herself on the same level, cut!
  • Harmony thinks the teacher is a pig like her, but she got rejected trying to snuggle up, huh?
As Harmony deted like a balloon with a hole in it from the cold rejection, Yujin added with a yful smile. "Maybe you should do some cardio. Two days ago, you did a mukbang stream eating four slices of pizza at 3 a.m., right? If you keep eating like that, you¡¯ll end up with rice cake rolls on your belly." "Ugh¡­ You know me too well¡­."
  • Lololololololololololol
  • Fatty Harmony, lol
  • The chomping cat is getting pummeled by Yujin, who averages 1500 damage per match in Apex, lol
  • Saying ¡®I want to get stronger¡¯ means ¡®I¡¯m going to bulk up with fat¡¯
  • By that logic, I¡¯m getting stronger every breakfast, lunch, and dinner, lol
Two days ago. Yujin, who rarely woke up in the middle of the night, drank a ss of cold water and was about to go back to sleep when she noticed a notification on her phone about Harmony¡¯s stream. Curious, she clicked on it and saw a girl with light brown hair, resembling Harmony¡¯s in-game avatar, chewing on pizza under the stream title "This is really thest one) Late-night Pizza Mukbang." It was the kind of mukbang that would fit perfectly with the word "om nom nom." She was too sleepy to type in the chat at the time, but that memory hadn¡¯t faded from Yujin¡¯s mind. "¡­Are you sure your main job isn¡¯t as a trainer, Yujin?" "I could be one. Don¡¯t let your guard down." "Heuuuk¡­." And so, the light conversation came to an end. The topic gradually shifted to Dark Zone, where Yujin naturally became the instructor and Harmony the student. In other words, Yujin was nning to overhaul Harmony¡¯s skills from the ground up. "Since it¡¯s just a game, I won¡¯t go into detail about disassembly and reassembly. As long as you get the hang of malfunction handling, tactical reloading, and rapid single shots, there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems, but even that will take a while." "Uh¡­ I was thinking of something like the CQB videos I saw on YourSpace, but I guess that¡¯s not it, huh?" "That¡¯s more advanced. It¡¯s something you tackle after you¡¯ve built a solid foundation. To be honest, I don¡¯t know what you watched, but it¡¯s probably better if I just teach you."
  • "Confidence"
  • Heuuuung, noona, my Johnson feels weird...
  • Is this the influence of someone who wins dozens of consecutive Apex matches?
  • One of the seven wonders of the world) What does Yujin actually do?
  • Lol, if you¡¯re upset, get to Tier 2 in Apex within ten days.
Even as such chat messages flooded in, Yujin continued to impart her knowledge to Harmony without much thought. The jokingments disappeared, and as the lecture progressed into something you wouldn¡¯t easily find elsewhere, more viewers began to clip the content. Experiencebined with fundamental knowledge turned what could have been a stiff and difficult lecture into something easily understood, and even Harmony, who had initially tilted her head in confusion, began to grasp the concepts after a few attempts. Without much praise, the not-quite-a-lecture continued. It started with handling the gun and moved on to actual shooting. Because there were no limits on the avable ammunition, unlike in reality, Harmony was learning in almost a crash course manner. The chat was filled with alternating criticism and admiration. The former when Harmony was learning, thetter when Yujin was demonstrating. When one cycle ended, Yujin spoke up quietly. "¡­You¡¯re definitely more skilled than when I first taught you. Have you been practicing something in the meantime?" "Hehe, of course! Whenever I do a Dark Zone stream, I always visit the shooting range first. It¡¯s like stretching before exercise, so it¡¯s manageable." "You¡¯ve done well."
  • Seriously, just exercise, lololololol
  • If you went to the gym instead of the shooting range, the teacher would be giving you a standing ovation by now, lol
  • Stretching without exercising, lol, is this that phone exercise thing?
  • Trying to show off, lol
  • What¡¯s sticking to her belly isn¡¯t fat; it¡¯s a fib fabrication machine.
Of course, the chat was going in a rather unsavory direction. It took quite a while and a verification photo of Harmony¡¯s gym registration before the mes died down, and the topic of conversation finally came to an end as the broadcast screen showed the proof. It was time to start focusing on the main mission. In-game, about an hour had passed, and the two left the shooting range. There was a small crowd gathered around them, but unfortunately for them, Yujin had no intention of ying with viewers, believing that you only improve by ying hard. Their next destination was Upstate New York. Awless area that had been devastated by the Rust Belt¡¯s decline and then hit directly by the Omega Virus,pletely outside of any jurisdiction. It was a barrennd upied by mysterious machines and mercenaries, with nothing but corpses lying around. Investigating this ce was their goal.
  • Kato¡¯s flying now that his designated bully is gone, lololololol
"Ugh¡­ Man, that feels so good, so damn good. I even sent a donation, a friend request, and a private message. I said I didn¡¯t care if they put a hole in my head, just kill me with a bullet, please."
  • Dying by a bullet is definitely better, lol
  • Are you mad? If you¡¯re mad, you should¡¯ve yed better! Are you mad? If you¡¯re mad, you should¡¯ve yed better!
  • How do you beat someone throwing a fit in Grandmaster? You Apex morons.
  • Honestly, this time it was worth recognizing.
  • It wasn¡¯t an honorable death, it was practically an execution, lolololol
A first-ce marker appeared on the screen. His whole body tingled with excitement as he let out a sigh of relief. It was a fundamentally different feeling from a few days ago, when every match felt like walking on a bed of thorns. A few days ago, even when he wasn¡¯t matched with Yujin, he yed nervously, anxious about dying more than five times a day by anything other than guns, grenades, or skills. That wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience. After that, Yujin had readily epted his request and even offered an official apology, saying she was sorry. In a way, it was a quick resolution. And today, Yujin had temporarily left the Apex Predator battlefield to coborate with other streamers for a few days.@@novelbin@@ Taking advantage of this, Kato decided to y hard and stabilize his rank, so he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer anymore by avoiding that battlefield. For some reason, he felt like his skills had improved even more than usual. Specifically, after going through so much, he had honed his senses, making him y more sharply than before. It was absurd, but if it was a beneficial side effect, so be it. "Phew, today¡¯s going well. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m pushing myself hard, but it¡¯s easier than I thought. If I keep this up, I might reach the Tier 1 promotion match in a few days."
  • I don¡¯t want to admit it, but he¡¯s in great form today, lol
  • Note to self¡­ Kato grows stronger after getting beaten up¡­
  • The growing pains are brutal, lolololol
  • If that¡¯s growing pains, I¡¯d rather just live as a hobbit, damn it, lolololol
  • Turns out it was both the carrot and the stick, lol
Growing pains. Maybe¡­ just maybe, you could call it that, but wasn¡¯t it a bit too horrific to be called growing pains? Honestly, living a morefortable life, like the chat suggested, might be better. Anyway, he returned to the lobby as usual. It was a thoroughly satisfying victory, a match he could easily upload to YourSpace. Even when he was on the verge of winning, words like "Uha" flooded into his mind. There was no hesitation in starting the next match. As the gears turned and the matchmaking began, this was Kato¡¯s time to interact with his viewers. While reading the chats he had missed, he continued to think about various things. There were only a few weeks left until the tournament. The tournament rank would close a bit sooner than that. No one in this world was without apetitive spirit. Even though he had agreed to participate in the Asia Qualifiers in a hurry, under a deal with his friend and coach Russ, he still wanted to seize glory with his skills now that he had secured a spot. So, he was thinking about what to do next. Until one donation came in.
  • Kato, are you going to scrim? If you do, what will you do about that yer?
"Scrim? Of course, I¡¯ll have to scrim. The pros are already scrimming like crazy with the Tier 2 yers in the tournament rank, so I think I¡¯ll jump in as soon as I can get a spot." The Asia Qualifiers. And the Final Championship, which could be called the global event. Each country selects twenty yers through its ownpetition, bringing together a hundred yers for the qualifiers. From there, they select up to four yers from each country topete in the Final Championship in North America. In the process, they not onlypete but also share information. After all, the most important thing after winning yourself is ensuring your country¡¯s victory. In other words, everyone is both apetitor and a colleague. Returning to that logic¡­ "And as for that yer¡­ um¡­." He opened his mouth to answer but couldn¡¯te up with a clear response. "Of course, I have to invite them¡­." He needed to avoid overestimating, but¡­ Still, it was hard topletely erase the possibility from his mind that the scrim might get wrecked. For some reason, that thought kept lingering. Chapter 55 It might seem obvious, but being good at urban warfare and liking it are two entirely different things. To begin with, there might be people who miss the battlefield, but there¡¯s no one who actually likes it. Considering that, there was no way I could enjoy urban warfare. If Dark Zone wasn¡¯t a game based on cities of the past, I probably wouldn¡¯t have even touched an FPS in my life. Anyway, in that context, there was a joke that circted among my teammates, including myself, in the past. The most hated battlefield in the world is, first, urban warfare, second, urban warfare, and the worst of all is urban warfare when the enemies are positioned higher than you. I mumbled it so quietly that even the viewers couldn¡¯t hear it, almost as if I was talking to myself. ¡°This hellhole hasn¡¯t changed, not then, not now¡­.¡± At the entrance leading into the research facility. The moment we stepped inside, what greeted us was an interior that was nothing short of a modern art museum, with a unique, streamlined structure... How should I describe it? The interior was built by stacking curved buildings on top of one another. Though I had somewhat expected it, the ce was filled with balconies that provided cover from all directions, with plenty of spots to hide, and the structure allowed one to look down on the entire first floor. In other words, it was a death trap for attackers. It was fortunate that this was a research facility. If it had been a well-fortified stronghold built with crossfire in mind, we would have needed at least fifteen rocketunchers to get through. ¡°We¡¯re not just going to rush in, right?¡± ¡°Considering the AI¡¯s level, it seems best to draw their attention first and then take them down one by one as they approach. Let¡¯s wait near the entrance.¡± Although the term ¡°baiting¡± and ¡°maintaining distance¡± might not be well-suited for modernbat, these tactics were essential in the context of urban warfare. Especially when a small group had to break through a difficult point, it was crucial to pull back from enemy-favored positions and lure them into ces where we held the advantage. And sure enough, after a short while. With a loud noise, the enemies began to appear, leading gun drones and UGVs. ¡°If things get rough, we can always retreat to the front yard, so don¡¯t worry about conserving ammo. Just shoot.¡± Ratatatatat! As high-pration rounds cut through the air, tearing through the body armor and piercing the fragile flesh underneath, the enemies, who had been charging mindlessly without taking cover, fell t on their faces. Since the difficulty wasn¡¯t that high, their return fire was slow, and their attempts at taking cover were sluggish. Moreover, Harmony was performing better than I had expected, so eliminating the enemies wasn¡¯t difficult. After repeating the process several times, we crossed over the pile of bodies and checked the route that would expose us the least to enemy fire. It seemed like the best choice was to head up the stairs to the second floor. ¡°Stay close behind me.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The intense gunfire mingled with the sound of sirens attached to the ceiling and walls. A dozen bullets narrowly missed my body or were blocked by the nanomachine-provided shield from my Icarus Gear, creating a fierce, ripping sound as they tore through the air. Amidst the chaos of bullets and shards of broken stone flying in all directions, I barely managed to take cover and naturally chose the next route. The protective shield was estimated to break after roughly eight more hits. Since the enemy¡¯s firepower was superior to ours, staying in one spot wasn¡¯t a good option, so I gave the squeeze signal and started running again. As I ran up the gently spiraling stairs to the second floor, just as I reached about halfway, an enemy armed with a shotgun appeared directly in front of me. My climbing speed was too fast to respond with a shot. Almost reflexively, I dodged to the right, just as the shotgun¡¯s muzzle red slightlyter, unleashing a barrage of twelve lead pellets. I shoved the shotgun-wielding enemy¡¯s chest with my left arm while grabbing his face with my right hand and mming him hard against the wall. ¡ªBang! ¡°Gah, ugh¡­!¡± When the back of the enemy¡¯s head collided with the concrete wall of the office, there was a sinister sound of something breaking, and the enemy died instantly. If this game had more realistic corpse physics, the wall would probably be smeared with a sticky mixture of blood and whitish fluid. Anyway, since he was dead, that was the end of it.
  • "WTF."
  • "LOL, what the hell was that?!"
  • "I don¡¯t know what just happened, but we¡¯re definitely in the wrong here."
  • "Look at Harmony¡¯s eyes wide with shock, lol."
  • "At this point, I almost feel sorry for the enemies."
And naturally, once Harmony and I had broken through and started wreaking havoc inside, we didn¡¯t retreat but instead fullymitted to turning the enemies into what used to be enemies. It didn¡¯t take long to clear them all out. Once we had dealt with them, the script began to progress. -[ISO: I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re still alive.] -[ISO: I have some good news for you. Well, it¡¯s ironic, but good news nheless. After scanning the area through your Icarus Gear, I¡¯ve identified what seems to be a control room and three satellite antennas on the rooftop.] -[ISO: If you manage to gain control over the antennas and establish connection rights, not only will you be able to assess the current situation of Artemis, but you¡¯ll also be able to ess more satellites. In other words, the operator¡¯s support will be much easier.] -[ISO: Good luck.] ¡°How do these guys survive without field agents?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± That¡¯s how it is with field agents. Anyway, I had already told Harmony that we wouldn¡¯t be able to see each other for a while once we entered the building, but it felt a bit awkward that things had turned out this way. Fortunately, Harmony didn¡¯t seem to mind much. Turning every enemy blocking our path into immovable sculptures, we climbed the stairs and finally reached the snow-covered rooftop. The antennas were already operating haphazardly, and the area around the control room managing them was filled with enemies. Judging by the alerts disyed on the UI, one of them was likely inside the control room managing the equipment, while another was outside, possibly directly interacting with the antennas. Naturally, the dirty work fell to me.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Please handle the equipment inside. Leave the cleanup outside to me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ okay. Sure.¡± No further conversation was necessary. The muzzle red to life. Meanwhile, elsewhere. <[Official] Xi IMPRESSIVE has donated 50,000 KRW.>
  • "Congrattions, Yujin, on securing the qualification to participate in the Dark Zone Apex Predator Asia Qualifiers through your ranked promotion match. Our team has sent you several requests to participate in scrims, but it seems you haven¡¯t seen them due to message blocking. We¡¯re reaching out this way during your stream to express our interest. We would greatly appreciate your participation."
¡°Thank you, Xi IMPRESSIVE, for the 50,000 KRW donation¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll check it out.¡± ¡­What in the world is this? Chapter 56 -[ISO: I had some expectations, but this is beyond what I imagined. The scale, armament, and overall force are far more severe and dangerous than the ragtag groups wandering around near New York.] -[ISO: This entire region is a tech valley, but it¡¯s also an area that was once ravaged by the Rust Belt. In other words, this ce was an ungoverned wastnd teeming with criminals, vagrants, and beggars¡ªpeople who had nothing left to lose.] -[ISO: Yeah, it used to be like that. Now, all those people are quietly rotting on the streets. Or they¡¯re frozen solid under the snow. Who else but Artemis would have done that?] -[ISO: It¡¯s going to be tough, but we need all the information we can get about the recent activities and scale of Artemis Technologies'' PMCs. They might be holding onto production lines for cutting-edge weapons meant for the frontlines of war.] -[Objective: Investigate the building¡¯s basement.] ?[Head to the elevator.] ¡°Are you still alive, teacher? How was it outside?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Thanks to the gear and clothing, it¡¯s warmer thanst time.¡±
  • "Anaconda (Pig)"
  • "Get her some puffy clothes already."
  • "Haha, this is making me want to survive again."
  • "New Yujin skin released: Super Chubby Yujin."
  • "So where can I buy that skin?"
The chat was going wild. Though it¡¯s calmed down a bit now, the inte was pretty noisy back when I was just surviving. Out of the thousands of streamers, why was the reaction rted to me so hot? Naturally, the fire hasn¡¯t died down even now, and as soon as my clothinges up, everyone is openly demanding a new image. What do they call this¡­ gap moe? I could endlessly wonder why that concept applies to me, but what can you do? You just have to ept it. Anyway, scrims. Honestly, I never even imagined it. Blocking my inbox and friend listpletely and forgetting about it turned out to be the worst move I could have made. If I had known, I would have just left it unblocked and simply not checked the messages. Feeling a bit anxious, I quickly cleared the surrounding enemies and checked my message window¡­ It was a total mess, but what was clear was that all the recent messages were rted to scrim requests. I feel a bit guilty, thinking they must have felt ignored. Recalling the schedule ahead, I reviewed my ns. ording to thest check, the Asia Qualifiers are scheduled for the second weekend of September, which leaves roughly three weeks. There¡¯s one week left until thepetitive rank closes. But ording to the chat, scrims are considered private games, so they¡¯re not much affected by the rank closure, which means I don¡¯t have to worry about that too much¡­. So, I¡¯ve got three weeks left. I¡¯m not sure how much this will help me, but I figure it¡¯s better than doing nothing. But not today. I can¡¯t just change the ns for today¡¯s stream to scrims on a whim. Especially since today¡¯s schedule involves a coboration with Harmony. ¡ªng! I forcefully pried open the tightly shut elevator door and slid the ascender onto the thick steel cable in front of me. With a click, it locked firmly in ce. ¡°Think of it as wrapping your feet around the concave part of the cable, grip the ascender tightly, and press the down arrow button with your thumb. Or in Harmony¡¯s case, the script prompt might pop up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ looks like it¡¯s thetter.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go down first.¡± With a strange sound, my body rapidly descended along the line. The lower I went, the fewer lights there were, except for the emergency lights. There wasn¡¯t much need to install many lights in an elevator shaft, after all. Beyond the dark floor, thankfully, the door leading to the basement was open. I quickly checked the surroundings for any enemies before Harmony descended. Once Harmony safely reached the ground, blinking as she looked around, she promptly replenished the ammunition she had used from a supply box in front of her. The sudden drop in lighting and the dpidated interior,bined with the randomly ced spacesuit mannequins, turned the atmosphere into something straight out of a horror movie. Even the weather was cold enough to give me a slight chill. ¡°¡­It feels like the game just turned into a horror game.¡± ¡°If there were ghosts here, they¡¯d get shot while trying to scare someone.¡±
  • "What is she even saying, lol."
  • "She always says the most random things with a straight face, lol."
  • "Haha, dead ghosts are less scary than the living person holding a gun."
  • "At this difficulty level, ghosts would actually be easier."
  • "Traditionally, lead bullets have always been the best way to deal with ghosts."
Still, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that the clich¨¦ of an unusuallyrge underground area, typical in horror movies, had been achieved. As we crossed the ruined corridors, we didn¡¯t encounter a single enemy, which could only mean that they were hiding somewhere else. And, as expected¡­ ¡°¡­What the hell is this ce?¡± ¡°Looks like a server room. We probably shouldn¡¯t fire recklessly here.¡± In front of us was a critical facility that looked like a ce where enemies woulde pouring out at any moment. It wasrge¡ªfootball field-sized, to be precise. Servers filled the lower level, and the temperature had dropped sharply, likely for cooling purposes. There were no enemies patrolling yet. -[ISO: They¡¯re not as cautious as I thought.] -[ISO: Anyway, this is excellent news. I never expected the enemy¡¯s heart to be right in front of us. If you can directly ess the servers, the firewall won¡¯t matter.] -[ISO: Let¡¯s give it our best shot. Like we did on the rooftop earlier, one of you should go around the servers, connect to thework, and secure the data or set up a backdoor. The other should deal with any enemies that show up.] With a quick exchange of nces, Harmony went inside, and I leaned against a suitable spot, checking for any signs of movement nearby. Through partial vision sharing, I confirmed Harmony had reached the designated location. As the Icarus Gear activated, a defense game suddenly began. -[ISO: I guess the enemies aren¡¯t fools.] -[ISO: Well, no one would just sit back and watch as thieves try to rob their house. The longer you maintain the connection, the more the Icarus can do, so please try not to damage the server.] -[ISO: Even the Artemis guys will refrain from using heavy firepower here.] So they said. I put down my gun and drew my melee weapon. Normally, I would draw the tomahawk holstered on my right thigh with my right hand, but in this situation, more troublesome enemies might appear. In that case, instead of using an axe that could get chipped after a few uses¡­ it seemed like the right time to open the pouch tied to my belt. With a snap, the button came undone, and I pulled out a weapon simr to a tomahawk that was securely fastened inside. <[A donation of 1,000 KRW from user ¡°Jelly who Boils Ramen¡±]>
  • "Oh my god, what ominous weapon has the teacher pulled out this time? Seriously, there''s no end to it."
¡°It¡¯s a tactical spike hammer.¡±
  • "Stop making everything sound cooler just by adding ''tactical,'' lol."
  • "This person is really a walking weapon, lol."
  • "I mean, even if it''s just data, don''t you feel bad at all?"
  • "Cover Harmony¡¯s eyes!!!!"
  • "Seriously, this person is amazing in so many ways, lol."
It was a hammer, but it had a sharp de on one side and a spike on the front, a special weapon with lethal potential. Originally, a weapon designed specifically for me would weigh around 2.3 kg, but this one was about 887 g. Still, it was enough for me to use. A faint vibration traveled through my entire body, starting from my toes. A sound distinct from the continuous server hum, a more irregr noise. Naturally, it was the enemies¡ªa group equipped with pistols, thick body armor, helmets, and even exosuits, ready forbat in the server room. In other words, Artemis¡¯ special forces, prepared to counter our freedom to shoot considering the server¡¯s safety. They wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice. ¡ªCrack! With a sinister sound, the spike-tipped hammerhead flew through the air. Considering the enemy¡¯s speed and timing, I swung it toward the head of an Artemis special operative rushing down the corridor, and he fell forward with his running momentum. But in the next moment, my nanosuit¡¯s shield gauge dropped sharply as I was hit by a pistol shot to my upper back. Quickly turning around, I used the server as a shield, tucked the hammer under my arm, switched to a C-grip, raised my HK337, and aimed at the enemy¡¯s torso, pulling the trigger. The .300 ckout rounds fired on full auto thankfully hit their mark. ¡°Hey, it sounds pretty rough out there. Are you okay?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no major problem, but I¡¯m a bit concerned about what¡¯s going to happen next.¡± There was no time to reload. Smoke was still rising from the muzzle. ¡°What the hell is this guy up to? Seriously¡­.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s he doing? Get off the inte ande check this out.¡± ¡°This guy is just picking fights left and right¡­ No, just sit down and watch this.¡± Xi IMPRESSIVE, often shortened to Xi. It¡¯s one of South Korea¡¯s Dark Zone pro league teams, and if you were to name prestigious teams worldwide, it would be frequently mentioned. Two professional gamers from that team were watching a video together. In the global esports market, where trillions of dors are at stake, Dark Zone alonemands a significant share. As such, the professional gamers belonging to the team were as sensitive to information as the internal headhunters. This was only natural. These yers were the ones who actually yed the game and were best suited to filter out the diamonds from the rough among countless users. In this context, one particr user had caught their attention. ¡°Another female character and another boob party?¡± ¡°Ah, shut up! Sit down already! Your avatar¡¯s part of the boob party too!¡± ¡°Ugh, my eardrums are going to burst. What¡¯s there to see? Whale, you¡¯re just watching gamey footage of that user, Yujin, right? I¡¯ve already seen that fifteen times yesterday alone.¡± ¡°Yeah, I watched it a lot¡­.¡± So, in the end, they had both watched it. Reluctantly, Whale, the user with a slight dialect in his speech, nced at his teammate, Corvus, who was sitting in the chair, and shared the screen. The screen was the size of an A4 sheet of paper. One half was filled with notes, so much so that it was pitch ck. The contents were all close to gamey analysis. Corvus nearly uttered, ¡°What a crazy person,¡± but he had seen it a few times before, and the situation was quite serious. ¡°Has this person ever scrimmed with us?¡± ¡°The management guys said they donated money out of their own pockets today to ask for a scrim. Everything was blocked¡ªfriend requests and messages¡ªso they had to contact him for the first time during the stream.¡± ¡°This person is really something¡­.¡± Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the important part. Naturally, these were pros. They had been filtered through and through among the best, possessing the skills to make investors open their wallets and mobilize their resources. They had watched and analyzed countless other yers¡¯ matches, adapting to the rapidly changingndscape of Dark Zone. And these yers were now admiring one person. ¡°Is this person really ying in hardcore mode?¡± ¡°Icarus HQ certified it themselves. And if you look at how our headhunters have been actingtely, it seems like they¡¯re willing to test anyone, hardcore or not. Being a hardcore yer doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯tpete.¡± Dark Zone¡¯s basic policy on hardcore yers was one of strict non-interference. Since almost all content was governed by real-world physical abilities, hardcore yers had nearlyplete freedom. In other words, it was as if they were saying, ¡°Do it if you can.¡± The fact that Yujin¡¯s unique, ingenious gamey was possible only in hardcore mode was why it stood out. Meanwhile, even as they discussed this, their thoughts were drifting in another direction. As always, in internationalpetitions¡ªalthough there was somemunication with other teams¡ªtheir ultimate goal was victory. If a final championship winner emerged from South Korea, it would be a national pride. But looking deeper, the question was which team the winner woulde from. In other words, what are the other teams up to? ¡°¡­When does the rank for selecting the top 100 qualifiers open?¡± ¡°One week left.¡± ¡°Besides us, do other yers know about this user?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re solopetitors in Apex, they probably know to some extent.¡± The answer was clear. ¡°We need to scrim with him as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 57 Meanwhile, just as Corvus had predicted, the reactions of others weren¡¯t too different. Although a game¡¯s rank is the most reliable indicator of a yer¡¯s skill, there are aspects that can¡¯t be easily discerned by rank alone.@@novelbin@@ For example, ytime. In terms of other games, it would be akin to reaching a rank between Master and Grandmaster, but if a user started from scratch and reached that rank in just over ten days? For example, match content. Beyond just shooting uracy and game sense, there are elements like terrain selection, so-called luck-based lead shots, and countless other variables inherent to battle royale games. This yer trampled all those variables with overwhelming skill, maintaining an average of 13 kills per match and reaching that rank without a single loss. Even for a professional, such gamey would be nearly impossible. That¡¯s why, regardless of gender, professional gamers notice the details that casual yers might overlook or ignore. Even coaches, who have increasingly be a new career path for former special forces soldiers, were glued to their screens, analyzing every movement of a yer named Yujin. Whether something was possible or impossible didn¡¯t matter; they recorded and simted anything they could learn from, processing the footage into material to distribute. While the pros were engrossed in their work, Yujin was bing a frequent topic of conversation in Koreanmunities, regardless of her viewer count. As always, Koreans excelled in online debates and asserting their opinions, and if there wasn¡¯t any gossip to discuss, they¡¯d create some. There were discussions on whether Yujin would ruin not only the Apex ecosystem but also tournaments if she went pro, or whether people were getting too excited before the Qualifiers rank, which hadn¡¯t even opened yet. People spected on what would happen if Yujin faced off against pro gamers. There was curiosity about Yujin¡¯s background¡ªwho was she, or where did shee from? They wondered who would win if Yujin sparred with a special forces soldier. They even spected on what kind of supernatural abilities Yujin might possess if she were an awakened being. Yujin¡¯s strong aversion to revealing personal information meant that not only her viewers but also those who picked up on the gossip were left with plenty of room for imagination. Though it wasn¡¯t worldwide, many people connected to Dark Zone and rtedmunities were keeping a close eye on Yujin¡¯s activities. So, if you asked what this hot topic was doing right now¡­ -[Alert: Approaching R&D Laboratory. Continuous biosignal scanning detected.] -[ISO: Do you see that, agent? That¡¯s¡­ definitely a biometric scanning device that Artemis Corp was supposed to deliver to the Department of Homnd Security. Simply put, it¡¯s a ¡®skill.¡¯ The recorded name is ¡®Pulse.¡¯] -[ISO: After sending all the surrounding enemies to the afterlife, if you retrieve the data or the module rted to that device, you¡¯ll be able to ess the skill category in your Icarus Gear.] ¡°Oh, finally, a skill! So this is how we obtain it!¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s time to bury some enemies.¡± They were in the middle of a main mission. It was a rxed approach that suited her. ¡ªBOOM! ¡°Whoa! Yujin! They¡¯re firing rockets! They¡¯ve gone mad!¡± ¡°Wow, they¡¯re really going all out.¡± A sharp firing sound cut through the air. A bright light streaked across the sky, leaving a white smoke trail, and with a thunderous impact, the object that two enemies were using as cover was blown away. As shattered metal fragments and mes danced in the air, ck smoke rose over what was supposed to be a sterile area that required decontamination to enter. Cutting-edge equipment, whose purpose would be difficult to guess without expertise, coexisted with primitive weapons designed solely to kill people. Two ipatible scenarios were unfolding in the same ce. ¡°You have a rough idea of where the rocketuncher is, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I have Pulse activated, so¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll draw their attention with suppressive fire. Take them out during that.¡±
  • "Ranked #1 Duo for Enjoying Dark Zone the Most by Forbes."
  • "What was my brainless y during public matchmaking¡­ even about?"
  • "This makes me want to y Dark Zone again, lol."
  • "When did Harmony be an ambassador for Dark Zone, lol."
  • "If you edit this video a bit and upload it to YourSpace, wouldn¡¯t it be a trailer?"
The chat was chaotic. If the sound seemedcking, donations and voices would subtlye through, mingling with the whip-like crack of gunfire and the English shouts of the enemies, creatingplete chaos. Amidst this, one person ran across the cover to the other side. As the lead shots fired a half-beat toote raked over the spot where Yujin had just passed, Harmony peeked out from behind cover, taking a deep breath. She saw it. The enemy who had just finished reloading the rocketuncher was now tracking Yujin¡¯s footsteps, not paying any attention to her. For now, it was a wee situation. Through the hybrid sight, the enemy¡¯s silhouette was magnified. The red dot aimed at their body moved slightly with Harmony¡¯s heartbeat. As she pulled the trigger, the shot hit the target almost instantly. And then¡ª ¡ªBOOM! ¡°Aaah!¡± The 5.56mm round tore through the wrist, almost severing it, leaving the enemy with a near-amputation as the rocketuncher slipped from their weakened grip. What happened next was a mystery, but¡ªBOOM. The rocketuncher soldier and the enemies taking cover nearby were instantly reduced to nothing but thousands of tiny polygons, disappearing from the scene. Yujin¡¯s voice echoed over thems. ¡°Well done. That was some good sense you showed there.¡± ¡°The enemy met a rather unfortunate end.¡±
  • "Lmao."
  • "Did you see that? This is what happens when you act up without proper suppressive fire."
  • "Why is Harmony suddenly so good???? Did she practice like crazy or something?"
  • "And so, Yujin continues to turn another person into a soldier¡­."
  • "Is this¡­ a crash course? Is this¡­ a crash course? Is this¡­ a crash course? Is this¡­ a crash course?"
Naturally, there were no major issues after that. The synergy between Yujin¡¯s quick responses and Harmony¡¯s growing familiarity as a shooter couldn¡¯t be dismissed, and the low difficulty, far weaker than a real battlefield, only added to it. Leaving behind the bodies of the fallen enemies, the two of them soon found themselves in front of a module that looked like it belonged on a space station, essing a nearbyputer. Two servo arms began to move, disassembling the internalponents of the machine. -[Alert: Pulse module detached.] How should I describe it? The module was about the size of arge stic container for storing kimchi, carefully detached and ced on the table in front of them. At the same time, the lights in the entire facility went out, ¡ª!!! And intense mes erupted from the upper walls of the facility, starting from the control room. -[ISO: Agent. Are you okay? It seems like some uninvited guests have shown up.] -[ISO: The Icarus Device provides superior and safer physical enhancement and reliable cargo transportationpared to what Artemis offers. The module should be securely attached to your bag.] -[ISO: If possible, try not to damage the module. It would be a hassle to dig through the ce again for skill-rted data.] ¡°I¡¯ll carry it. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll end well if you carry it, Yujin.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t argue with that.¡±
  • "Haha, Harmony¡¯s getting cheeky now, lol."
  • "Is this her way of saying she wants PT training?"
  • "This isn¡¯t the same Harmony who dropped a magazine and scraped her shin, is it? That¡¯s annoying."
  • "But she¡¯s right, lol. If it breaks during the fight, they¡¯ll have to do it all over again."
  • "Summary: I¡¯ll carry the module and hide while you go fight."
¡°Hey! Are you trying to nder me!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not entirely wrong.¡± Nevertheless, their actions were swift. There was plenty of cover avable, and the roles were quickly and effectively divided. Harmony immediately strapped the module to her back and started running. Of course, it might be more urate to say she tried to run. ¡°Ugh, this thing is too heavy¡­!¡± Despite its potential, the module was, after all, a chunk of cutting-edge metal, densely packed into something the size of arge kimchi container. No matter how much her stamina was maxed out, she couldn¡¯t override the system that forcibly burdened her movement and body. As Harmony let out a deep, guttural sound from within, unfit for a woman, while taking cover amidst the chat¡¯s jeers, Yujin¡¯s gun roared to life. Bosses, elites, veterans, regr enemies¡ªthey all melted down equally. Seeing how the situation was clearing up within minutes of taking cover, Harmony, who had thought she¡¯d at least get a shot in, ended up lying down and staring up at the sky. ¡°Well, figures¡­¡±
  • "Teacher, Harmony¡¯s just openly riding the bus now."
  • "Is this the method of reducing the enemy¡¯s strength by wasting oxygen? Impressive."
  • "Now she¡¯s lying down on the bus, lol."
  • "At least do some damage to the boss, lol."
  • "Harmony the Freeloader, lol."
Still, as they said, it didn¡¯t feel right to do nothing at all, so she picked up her gun and started practicing her shooting, just as Yujin had taught her. Unlike a few hours ago, this time, the targets were actual enemies. Much smaller than human-shaped panels, and moving far more unpredictably. As always, the firing mode was set to single-shot. Focusing on each shot as if performing delicate work, instead of tracking the enemy, she waited for them to move into her predicted line of sight, then pulled the trigger at the precise moment, like in a rhythm game. Bang. A heavy shot rang out, her shoulder trembling slightly. The enemy dropped to the ground, headshot clean through. She quickly rolled her eyes to find the next target. There was one enemy that stood out¡ªa boss d in an exosuit, armed with a grenadeuncher and a machine gun, armored with steel tes all over. Due to its weight, the boss was slow. She leisurely tapped its head,nding shots as if flicking a pebble. If it seemed like the boss¡¯s attention was about to shift, Yujin would unload a full magazine into its body, drawing back the boss¡¯s aggro until it was eventually defeated. When the boss finally fell, a brilliant effect filled both their screens. Harmony was steadily bing apetent Dark Zone yer. -[Xi IMPRESSIVE Scrim Announcement] -[Preface] -Hello, this is the enforcer from Xi Impressive. Thest week of August is already upon us. We send our sincere support to all the yers who are honing their skills through tireless Dark Zone gamey, despite the still hot and humid weather. The KSM - Korea Selection Match for the Asia Qualifiers is just two weeks away. As always, scrims will continue to be held at designated times as long as capacity allows, and those aiming to participate in the qualifiers are likely already part of the Dark Zonemunities of various teams. Each custom match will include not only yers from Xi but also professional gamers from other active teams. The list of professional gamers assigned to each match will be continuously updated daily, so if you want feedback, feel free to join those matches. After the scrims, there will be debriefings from the professional gamers and the match winners. We encourage those interested in participating in the tournament to take advantage of this opportunity. To ensure overall skill improvement among the tournament yers, if the number of participants exceeds expectations, those who have participated in a certain number of scrims may be asked to leave the custom match after prior notice to allow others the chance to join. The open time for the custom match and the password for ess will be distributed individually one hour before the scrim to users affiliated with themunity. If you lose or delete it, you won¡¯t be able to participate in the scrim for that day. You can find more details about the custom match rules and participant information below. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Chapter 58 Even beyond the context of Dark Zone, the category of "streamer" has evolved to the point where it¡¯s difficult to epass it with just that one word. With the development of the inte, people can ess a wide variety of content at any time with just a phone, and countless efforts have been made to turn these people into viewers or subscribers. Some streamers gained fame as general gaming streamers, but the content that broadcasters could specialize in truly spanned all directions. Philosophy. Movie reviews. Gamey. Cooking. Law. High-level information necessary for living in society¡­ The range of content has be so vast that it¡¯s impossible to even choose from it all, leading to the emergence of personalized search and rmendation engines¡ªalgorithms, as they are called. To return to the topic at hand: Although not as numerous as the content and videos on YourSpace, just as many channel operators and streamers exist, each with vastly different styles. However¡ªthough it¡¯s difficult to generalize¡ªif you were to summarize themon goal of most of them, it would ultimately be money and fame. To make a living. Because they want to pursue something they love. There are countless other reasons, but they all converge into a handful of goals that can be counted on one hand, which means their directions generally follow a certain flow. But if you flip this idea a little, the fact that it¡¯s "most" and not "all" means that there are people who don¡¯t fit this pattern. For simple self-satisfaction. To preserve a record of their past. And for other reasons¡­ The proportion was infinitely smallerpared to the former, but nevertheless, within this space, there were still individuals with their own unique motivations. And going even further from this point, there were sometimes cases that were difficult to understand through the logic of anyone who had ever been a viewer at least once. One of these cases was streaming without operating a YourSpace channel. As always, there were too many possible reasons for each of these cases, and¡ªwhatever the reasons might be¡ªfans of such streamers often found themselves in a frustrating situation. If they wanted to rewatch a part they enjoyed during the live stream, they had to search through the full video, and they couldn¡¯t even hope for the clever edited clips that could be easily found on other YourSpace channels. If it wasn¡¯t because they couldn¡¯t afford to hire an editor, the fans would be left exasperated, almost to the point of disbelief. And here was one such case. [General] Yujin, please make a channel for rewatching your videos!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯m tired of going into Tricky to find the reys one by one. Please open a YourSpace channel!!!!!!!!!!!! [All Comments][Sorted by Recent]
  • "Not happening~ If you¡¯re upset, edit it yourself~"
  • "She streams just for fun, but you¡¯re expecting a lot, lol." ? "She? Or he?" ? "I like the idea of it being a she, so I¡¯m sticking with that." ? "Ugh, idiots, lol."
  • "If you search ¡®Dark Zone Yujin¡¯ on YourSpace, you¡¯ll find a few, isn¡¯t that enough?" ?[OP] "Are you even human if that¡¯s enough for you?" ? "Touch¨¦, lol."
  • "What¡¯s frustrating is that she doesn¡¯t even think about hiring an editor, lol." ? "So true."
  • "There should be aw banning rich, carefree people from streaming, damn it." ? "They should just force YourSpace integration, what a crazy world, lol." ? "These are the people who would burn down the whole house because of a few pests, lol."
A true shooting star. Suddenly appearing and dazzling those who see her streaking across the sky, leaving only a trail of brilliance, but never giving people the result they desire. So those left behind can only chase Yujin¡¯s traces blindly, like people pursuing a rainbow. In a spontaneous 30-minute Q&A and briefmunication stream, she might have hinted at being an awakened being and revealed that her name, Yujin, was a somewhat feminine one named after herself. Apart from that, there were her astounding physical abilities and athletic skills, confirmed through an avatar-edited video she released while exining hacking usations. This was why the theory that she was an awakened being, a semi-official spection, gained traction. Though the intensity of the discussions surrounding her had diminished slightly¡ªpossibly because of the legal ramifications associated with being an awakened being¡ªthe human curiosity always grows stronger when repressed. And because of this, those who were curious about Yujin were desperately hoping she would achieve outstanding results in the Asia Qualifiers. Specifically, they hoped that if she advanced to the finals, she would have to travel to the U.S. to prevent any potentialwork dys, which might reveal some of her personal information. In the meantime, ¡°¡­No way, this person¡­¡± Han Jin-hyuk. A former shooting athlete who currently works as a range safety officer and instructor at a shooting range in Seoul. In other words, one of the very few people who might have an idea of who Yujin really is. Given that people have to go out and interact with the world at some point, it was inevitable that some people had seen Yujin, the awakened being. But among those who saw her andter talked to their friends about it, saying, "I saw an awakened being today," how many of them were ying Dark Zone? Han Jin-hyuk was one of the rare, almost unique, individuals who fit this ovepping category. There was no way he couldn¡¯t recognize her. She was the one who hade to the shooting range a while back, fired dozens of rounds, and hit the 10-point mark with almost every bullet. That alone would have made a deep impression on his mind, but on top of that¡­ the sleek, sharp, yet thick snake tail that one could never forget once seen. She was like a living anaconda¡ªprobably one of the most memorable experiences of his life. But Yujin¡­? ¡°¡­This is bad.¡± Of course, it might not be the case, but¡­ in the slim chance that it was, Han Jin-hyuk might be the only person who knew the true identity of the streamer Yujin. Naturally, there was no reason to spread this around, nor could he even if he wanted to. Given that revealing the identity of an awakened being could set a discriminatory precedent, even a slight rumor could lead to severe legal repercussions, and considering her level, the government was probably directly managing her personal information. Simply put, if she requested it, all news articles, reports, or inte posts rted to her could be wiped clean. He tossed and turned on the bed before suddenly sitting up. He felt wide awake. Even though it was nearing midnight¡­ anyway, it didn¡¯t take long to find the relevant information. A new entry about her had just been created on TriWiki. Her photo was reced with her avatar, and the only personal detail listed was her height¡ª171 cm, which Yujin had mentioned herself. Looking at the avatar, Han Jin-hyuk couldn¡¯t help but let out augh. ¡°Seriously, how¡­ did she put herself into her avatar exactly like that?¡± Later on, if her actual appearance were ever revealed¡­ how bewildered would not only her viewers but also those curious about Yujin¡¯s identity be? The video proving Yujin¡¯s physical abilities, where her avatar mirrored her real-life movements, was also ridiculous. What kind of irony was this? It was deception, but an amusingly pleasant one. If the truth were ever revealed, it would undoubtedly be a grand deception. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m the one most screwed here¡­.¡¯ It felt like picking up a document lying on the ground only to find it detailed the location of a hidden nuclear bomb. How many weeks or months would it take before he could at least share this story with someone? The folktale of ¡°The King¡¯s Ears are Donkey¡¯s Ears¡± suddenly crossed his mind. At least that barber could shout into a cave. In today¡¯s world¡­ who knows? Maybe he¡¯d have to bury his face in a pillow and scream. As the night deepened, so did his worries. ¡°Nice to meet you. We finally get to meet like this. Have you checked the scrim announcement on the Xi private channel? Since briefings and debriefings are crucial¡­¡± ¡°Yes. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± After all, briefings and debriefings were part of my daily routine. After an operation, we would reinforce what went well and correct any ws or shorings that day. Overlooking anything could lead to a well-sharpened de turning against youter. The spacious auditorium-like virtual space was already crowded with dozens of people. Considering I arrived just before the scrim started, more people were probably still on their way. It felt like attending a university lecture. ¡°¡­Hello. I enjoy watching your streams¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± As soon as I sat down in a nearby seat, some of the people around me greeted me. Although I hadn¡¯t changed much in the past few weeks, it seemed I had be famous enough that others recognized me. The time to reflect on how I¡¯d changed felt too short, almost nonexistent. It was as if only the results remained. ¡­Actually, that was always the case. By now, it was almost routine. Considering that I joined thepetitive rank towards the end, the people I encountered in Tier 2 were indeed moving with a bit more purpose than those I¡¯d met before. Of course, they only had purpose. It didn¡¯t mean they were particrly skilled. Given that, I was quite curious about what the scrim would be like. Meanwhile, more people began to arrive. There were name tags in the same color as the enforcer from Xi IMPRESSIVE who had guided me here, as well as from teams like TK1 and SSM¡­ In short, they seemed to belong to specific organizations. In other words, they were professional gamers from Dark Zone - Apex Predator. ¡­Though, there were a lot of female avatars for a group like that. ¡°Wee, everyone. Thank you for joining today¡¯s scrim. For those who are new or have limited experience with scrims, let me go over a few guidelines. This scrim corresponds to the first game of the first session, and a maximum of four sessions will be held per day. The first session is conducted without any specific tactics aside from the debriefing. The second session involves a detailed tactics lecture. The third session is for practicing and receiving feedback on those tactics, and the fourth session applies everything in a full game.¡± Four sessions¡­ that¡¯s quite a bit. I briefly checked today¡¯s schedule, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any issues. It was currently around 10 a.m. in real time, and even with time eleration, twelve hours of y would only take me to about 2 p.m. In other words, the marathon would only happen in the game. ¡°If you have any questions, feel free to ask during the debriefingter. Let¡¯s start the first game for practice. Is everyone ready?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yeeees!¡± As the chorus of voices merged into one, a participation message popped up in front of me, signaling the start of the first scrim. When I touched the faintly glowing, transparent, ice-like notification, it turned green, indicating that I was ready.@@novelbin@@ It had begun. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s meet again during the first debriefing!¡± And so, somewhat abruptly and in a sh, my first scrim began. Chapter 59 ¡°Has it started?¡± ¡°Yes, just now.¡± Meanwhile, at that moment... As the first scrim match of the morning inte August was just beginning, about a hundred or so individuals were scattered across various locations, watching the live match feed disyed in mid-air. Though their social positions, genders, and various other factors differed, they could all be grouped under the broad category of individuals who generated value through Dark Zone. In other words, they were professional gamers, coaches, managers, enforcers, and anyone else who could gain something from watching the match. Several screens were broadcasting different videos and 3D maps as holograms. Nearly a hundred red dots were scattered over a massive researchplex. The distribution wasn¡¯t uniform, with more dots clustering around keyndmarks and buildings where better items and infrastructure could be secured. As soon as thest personnded on the ground, the number that had been stuck at 100 began to slowly decrease, one by one. Voices murmured from various corners. ¡°Any familiar names among the ones who just died?¡± ¡°No.¡± Or, ¡°Since scrims have been going on for a while, there aren¡¯t any more yers trying to fistfight right afternding.¡± ¡°There are hardly any left who do that. It¡¯s basic stuff.¡± From such rtively ordinary conversations to... ¡°Since it¡¯s the researchplex, the meta is pretty simr. There¡¯s a lot of fighting for key positions until the Juggernautse out¡­¡± ¡°High-powered firearms and armor-piercing rounds are moremon here, so engagements happen faster than on other maps. No matter how much you scrim, it¡¯s hard to slow down the overall death tempo.¡± ¡°This map is in every tournament. It¡¯s the toughest one, honestly. After ying one match here, you¡¯re mentally exhausted.¡± These were conversations that coulde from professional gamers or analysts. It felt more like they were critiquing the match in real-time, rather than just watching it. Naturally, this was because most of these people weren¡¯t ordinary gamers but professional yers. For them, games weren¡¯t a means of stress relief but work that needed to be analyzed. At the same time, analysts who were trying to extract meaningful results from watching the match were deeply focused and engaged in lively discussions. This was because the path to the global finals, the so-called Final Championship, was a process that filtered out the majority of users. Before the Asia Qualifiers even took ce, two main events would be held. First, there was the Ranked Game, which filtered out the top 100 yers based on MMR, including professionals and Tier 2 yers. Unlike the tournament rank, this was known as the Qualifier Rank. The top 100 yers from this would thenpete in the Korea Selection Match, where the top 20 performers would qualify for the Asia Qualifiers. From the Asia Qualifiers, only up to four yers would advance to the Final Championship. In other words, only the best of the best could make it through. This was why not only those who didn¡¯t participate in the scrim but also countless headhunters and analysts were watching the screen with intense focus. They were carefully watching for yers who stood out or who demonstrated exceptional skill. yers with great adaptability. yers who had a fast early game pace. Those who could handle high-recoil firearms with stable control, or those who excelled in all areas¡­. There was much to evaluate and many yers to assess. Meanwhile, ¡°¡­Hey, that Yujin, right? What¡¯s up with her?¡± ¡°Yujin? You mean that yer everyone¡¯s talking abouttely? Why, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The weapon she picked up right after the start is¡­ insane.¡± ¡°¡­Oh,e on.¡± M107 CQ. In other words, a close-quarters version of the Barrett M82, a sniper rifle that uses 12.7mm rounds. On the screen, Yujin was loading ten rounds into the magazine and smoothly sliding it into ce. The sound of the charging handle being pulled back echoed with a deep, heavy tone. The guns I had handled up to now made a higher, faster sound when the charging handle was pulled. The reason was simple: the length of the rounds wasn¡¯t that long, so the charging handle¡¯s travel distance was shorter. Conversely, when loading a gun that usedrge-caliber, long rounds, the sound was lower and heavier. The proof of this was the M107 CQ¡ªa variant of the Barrett¡ªthat had been quietly resting in the high-powered weapons storage of this researchplex map. Specifically, the version with a significantly shortened barrel. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± The magazine, more square than rectangr, was filled with ten rounds, each the size of a thick marker, all with dark-colored tips. Simply put, they were special armor-piercing rounds. Fifty-caliber armor-piercing rounds¡ªdefinitely not something you¡¯d want to shoot at a person. But I was going to shoot them. Today, now, and right away. As I¡¯ve mentioned many times before, to be blunt, I could mostly ignore the operational endurance limitations imposed by human physical characteristics. As long as I consumed the right amount of calories, I could carry heavier, more recoil-intensive guns and provide adequate fire support while others carried 5.56mm carbines. In the past, my role was either a point man carrying a ballistic shield or the squad¡¯s fire support. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d only carry this around; for more typical engagements, I nned to use a rtively standard weapon like the ASh-12.7. There wasn¡¯t much I could say if you asked why only these kinds of weapons came out, considering that the first ce I entered afternding was a high-powered,rge-caliber weapons storage. With the body armor, magazine pouches, ammunition, ballistic tes, and other gear, my total weight was about 51.4 kilograms. It wasn¡¯t too heavy to run or move around. -[Alert: 87 yers remaining.] -[Tranting warning¡­: Juggernaut patrols aremencing. All research team personnel must carry proper identification. Failure to do so will result in elimination.] On the way here, the PDAs scattered around the floor and shelves, left by researchers, disyed the patrol routes and recognition ranges of the Juggernauts, who acted as this map¡¯s storm zone. Killing a Juggernaut awarded the same points as killing a yer, but they weren¡¯t designed for ordinary yers to take down. They usually patrolled in pairs, making them a real headache. Not that I wouldn¡¯t kill them if I encountered them¡­ Anyway. ¡ªClick. I opened the door and carefully stepped outside. Compared to the other maps I had yed so far, this researchplex was rtively small, and most battles took ce inside the buildings rather than outside. There wasn¡¯t much reason to fight outside, and with the automatic doors randomly opening and closing, you were more likely to get caught and killed by a patrol without proper equipment. It was time to look around. With the Barrett slung on my back and the ASh in hand, I moved as quietly as possible, scouting the area. The map was quiteplex with plenty of hiding spots, but with sensors installed everywhere, staying in one ce too long would trigger an alert, making you a target for both yers and Juggernauts. yers and Juggernauts were constantly circling the map, using all their skills to survive, which was the key to aiming for the top in this researchplex map. ¡ªRat-tat-tat-tat! ¡ªDrrrrk! ¡°¡­¡± Supporting this was the sound of gunfire echoing from all directions. It was a situation that could only be described as a war of all against all. In such a situation, it was best to use not just your senses but also your instincts to find the enemy. The lower levels were where you could acquire weapons, and that¡¯s where the patrols started. I had spent some time loading rounds and adjusting the sights, which might have slowed me down a bit, but by now, some yers would have already taken key positions on the upper levels. For now, let¡¯s move around and take out any stragglers. ¡ªCrunch. At that moment, a sound came from the corridor just around the corner. I instantly quieted my footsteps. Assuming we both heard each other, the other yer would also be narrowing their field of vision and focusing on their hearing. At this point, it was more important to maintain a rxed field of view rather than focusing too much. I decided to use a trick I had often employed in the past. ¡ªCrack. As if unintentionally making a noise, I nudged a piece of wooden debris with my foot. There were about ten meters left to the corner where the corridor turned to the left. Normally, one might throw a grenade rather than risk kicking a ho¡¯s nest, or to use a more modern term, a ¡°pre-aim grenade.¡± However, onemon misconception is¡­ The sound of a grenade pin being pulled is almost impossible to avoid. Using that as a cue, I dashed forward. Not only did I move without any prior warning, but I was also already prepared to run at the sound of the pin being pulled, so my speed was faster than the other yer expected. ¡ª! ¡°Hahk¡­!¡± As I quickly closed the distance and turned the corner, I aimed and locked eyes with the enemy just as they were about to throw the grenade. My first thought was that their avatar was quite pretty. The rapid shots I fired hit the high-performance ballistic te in the enemy¡¯s armor, which couldmonly be found around here, causing a loud noise. I didn¡¯t aim for the head, so I didn¡¯t expect to deal lethal damage. But one thing was certain¡­ The impact was enough to knock the enemy holding the grenade off bnce and onto their back. I quickly ducked behind cover as a brief sh of light, smoke, and shrapnel erupted. ¡ªBOOM! ¡°Rest in peace.¡± I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll go to a better ce. ¡°Damn it, what kind of crazy¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s Dice! Hey, what brings you here so soon!?¡± ¡°Wow! You know SSM! They¡¯re really famous!¡± Dice. One of the first-team yers from SSM Entertainment, a professional team, had unexpectedly been eliminated in the mid-80s rank and opened their eyes in the debriefing room. Her heart was still pounding. She had pulled out a grenade the moment she heard a sound, not even giving the opponent time to react, but they anticipated and rushed her? She was so shocked that she didn¡¯t even think to throw the grenade she was holding and ended up dying on the spot. Thinking back, maybe the sound of the wooden nk was also some kind of bluff. As her excitement began to subside, her mind started working again. That¡¯s just how Apex Predator was. Matches could be easily won or lost by the slightest margin or a single variable. And she lost in the mind game. Slowly getting up and cautiously walking over to sit in one of thefortable chairs in the debriefing room, she opened her mouth with a dazed expression.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Aaagh¡­¡± As always, another reaction was added to the collection of those who had fallen victim to Yujin. Chapter 60 Once a Day - Four Hours in Real-Time, Twelve Hours in-Game Five years ago, when it was released, it quickly gained explosive poprity, and within just two years, professional teams were formed around all the major PvP categories. After three more years, the methodology of scrims in the Korean Apex Predator category became somewhat established. This cycle, which is divided into four segments of twelve hours each and implemented about a month before the tournament schedule, resets every day. In a way, it was intense enough to be considered grueling for professional gamers. The four-part segments, though each with different levels of importance, had one segment that stood out as crucial beyond the initial debriefing: the first segment. It was the time when no feedback or tactics could be received from professionals, making it possibly the most important segment of all. The key was to see if the feedback received from the professionals the previous day was well incorporated into the first segment''s gamey. Or if there were improvements based on that feedback, or even new strategies emerging from abination of the feedback. If not, then at least it was important to check if there was a yer who performed well in that particr round. In some ways, this was not just tournament preparation but also preliminary scouting for free agents. One might even say that the yers themselves were unaware they were in an interview. The assessment criteria extended beyond their actions and skills to include whether they could fully implement the tactics provided by the professionals. Thus, the focus of the evaluators was not on physical ability but on the perfect execution of routines and tactics. After all, unless someone had been an athlete or was particrly familiar with firearms, the highest level of physical ability among the average male infantry soldier was somewhat uniform, meaning that there were other factors as important as individual skill when engaging at this level. These non-physical differences could give an edge in strategic battles. Considering that battles were fought among a hundred yers on a specific battlefield, it was difficult to say that physical ability alone could ovee all variables and secure aplete victory. However... ©¤©¤©¤!!! "¡­What the hell is that...?" Even though it was designed for an assault rifle, firing 12.7¡Á54mm rounds while on the move with almost no recoil was an almost absurd level of physical ability. Someone¡¯s unfiltered words seemed to represent what everyone else was thinking. Whenever the trigger is pulled, the sound is always different. Loading rounds into a magazine, inserting it, chambering a round, and striking the primer¡ªit all produced different sounds depending on the type of round. The recoil and noise varied slightly depending on the amount of gunpowder in the bullet, the caliber, and whether a muzzle brake or suppressor was attached. The surrounding environment and terrain also influenced the sound. In addition to the ear-piercing noise of gunpowder exploding and spreading in all directions, there was also a sharp metallic sound as the bullet casing hit the ground. Today, that sound felt particrly heavy. ©¤©¤©¤tatatatatata! "Ugh, ugh¡­!" Normally, when firing a gun, the sound of casings hitting the ground resembled the sound of coins being dropped. The casings, still retaining high heat, would spin wildly as they bounced off surfaces, eventuallying to rest as evidence of a kill. In the case of the ASh-12.7, the sound of the casings hitting the ground shifted to a lower pitch. Simply put, the sound resembled a doorbell ringing¡ªa more beautiful sound than one might expect, echoing in your ears. Like a funeral procession, it begins with mes and explosions and ends with the sound of bells. -[Alert: Current kill count - 9.] -[Alert: High-value target designated and maintained.] "¡­Is this the end?" There was little to gain from the fallen enemies. The reason for calling it a scrim seemed justified, as even for me, ying half-heartedly with inertia was bing increasingly difficult. Some enemies had decent detection and aiming abilities, and I, too, had taken several hits while moving around. Fortunately, my quick movement speed meant I avoided any fatal injuries. Anyway, I made sure none of the ones who shot at me remained. I assumed they fired knowing the consequences. Even if not, there was nothing I could do about it. -[Warning: Lower level patrols concluded. Minigun and Maniac Juggernaut units entering.] Minigun Juggernaut. As the name suggests, it¡¯s a Juggernaut armed with a minigun¡ªa simple yet formidable enemy. It¡¯s a unit equipped with an exoskeleton system that supports the weight of the minigun and the ammunition pack, making it an opponent you definitely don¡¯t want to face. Maniac Juggernaut. A cyborg ninja armed with a single dagger, running around at 50 km/h, capturing enemy units. It was such an insane concept that you might curse its creators, but considering my past filled with such madness, all I could do wasugh at the absurdity of it all. I¡¯m still curious how I survived all that. My current position was between the middle and upper levels. As fitting for a researchplex rather than just a facility, the underground here was a massive artificially excavated space, connected like a spiderweb, with hundreds of millions of tons of soil dug out. Besides simple experiment facilities, there were artificialbat zones. This ce, where variousbat terrains were artificially created by oveying holograms on bulletproof structures, was too vast to simply pass by. Often, more than two enemies hiding in different spots would team up to take down a Juggernaut, only to betray each other afterward. Conversely, it was the prime zone where Juggernauts would appear, so I didn¡¯t want to waste my firepower here. So my goal was simple... ©¤©¤©¤pew! "Ugh." Knowing that, I cleaned up the enemies positioned around the nearby terrain to either trap or eliminate the enemies trying to escape the artificialbat zone. Seeing them firing bullets so confidently, they seemed quite assured of themselves. Using the PDA, I checked the Juggernaut''s location. They were still far from reaching here. That meant I had time to pinpoint the ambushing enemies'' positions before they arrived. So, how do you urately locate enemies? -Click! You simply advance with a bulletproof shield. Of course, the shield''s size and weight typically limit you to carrying only a pistol, but I firmly shouldered the ASh-12.7 and advanced forward. The pressure of the bullets hitting the shield was significant. As I continued to advance while using suppressive fire to slightly dampen the enemy¡¯s firepower, I simultaneously attracted aggro from nearby users. Since there were stairways connecting each level everywhere, users in the vicinity had to carefully weigh the pros and cons of engaging in even a single firefight. Even if there was a perfect opportunity to kill an enemy, it wasn¡¯t umon to let it slip, especially when the number of remaining enemies was around thirty. So, I turned the whole situation upside down. There would be no more safe ces left. -[Warning: Multiple Juggernauts approaching within 100 meters.] As the shield was half-destroyed, I reverted it to nanomachines. It would take a few minutes to repair. I checked the remaining magazines and, using a pulse as soon as it cooled down, precisely located the enemy positions. At least ten users were in the vicinity, all of them moving frantically. Their nned tactics were falling apart, so it was no wonder. The only thing left was to tie them down so they couldn¡¯t escape or lure the Juggernauts to this location before they could prepare to retreat. In this battle, having attracted the Juggernauts'' aggro meant I had achieved the main objective. Moving to a new position would trigger another firefight, reducing the number of survivors. However, the ability to handle unforeseen circumstances and the skill to ovee them were what all participants here needed. Taking advantage of the moment when I pushed the enemy out of the control room with the shield, I entered the general control room and inserted the high-level facility control keycard I had obtained from a researcher. -[Alert: Artificialbat zone facility control acquired.] -[Alert: All containment doors opened simultaneously. Some heavily armed facility control forces now target this location. If proper identification procedures are notpleted through adequate preparation, the personnel will be immediately eliminated.] The game had changed. It was no longer a battle royale but a desperate fight for survival. "Even though this is a research facility and there''s already a lot ofbat, you''re throwing gasoline on the fire." Golden hair flowing down to her waist. A pair of sapphire-like, delicate eyes peeking out from under a blue headband encircling her forehead. The avatar of a woman so refined it could be said she embodied her very soul. But she was making remarks entirely unfitting for her appearance as she watched the live stream of the ongoing scrim. Dice. A professional gamer from SSM Entertainment who, after unexpectedly encountering Yujin and getting eliminated early on, was now watching the progression of the match with a rather incredulous expression. And, naturally, her interest remained fixed on Yujin.@@novelbin@@ It was beyond her expectations. Normally, and in other games, she wouldn''t have any reason to be curious about a yer somewhere between Master and Grandmaster, but with all the recent buzz, even she hade to know some things about Yujin. And in just this one match, she felt all her preconceived notions shatter. This person¡­ didn''t seem like someone she could measure by her own standards. Though seemingly driven by pure logic, she moved at times like a wild beast. The best way to describe her was unpredictable. In simple terms, it felt as if she yed knowing she would never die. Any further exnation was difficult to put into words. She nced around. Contrary to her expectations, everyone else was focused on the overallbat scenario. In truth, she should have been doing the same, but for some reason, she couldn''t take her eyes off this yer''s gamey. The situation had escted to an extreme. In just a few minutes, the number of yers had been halved from nearly thirty to around thirteen. Those camping in the artificialbat zone had all been wiped out because they didn¡¯t evacuate in time. The Juggernauts, forming bizarrely distorted circles, were driving yers into a single spot. Some were even caught and killed in small-scale encirclements, as if they were being hunted. Meanwhile, her gaze returned to Yujin. It seemed that the remaining yers, tired of her antics, were trying to lure the Juggernauts toward her direction. Although one yer failed to manage the aggro and was brutally ughtered by the Maniac Juggernaut, they managed to trap Yujin in a small-scale encirclement. The other Juggernauts were rtively far away, but those directly in front of her were the two most formidable ones on patrol. ¡­But then. -Click! "What¡­ no way." The Barrett M107CQ, which she hadn¡¯t used once during the scrim, and¡­ what looked like an EMP grenade. Despite the grandiose name, the EMP onlysted three seconds, earning it the nickname "trash grenade." Yet, in the next moment, it floated through the air, releasing an electromaic pulse in all directions. And in the following instant, ©¤©¤©¤!!!! Kneeling down, as if there were no recoil at all, she emptied the 10-round magazine of the semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle in just two seconds, quickly reloaded, and fired another 10 rounds. In those four seconds, two Juggernauts were obliterated. As Yujin discarded the now-empty anti-materiel rifle and crossed over thepletely destroyed corpses, Dice could only blink, staring nkly at the scene. She opened her mouth. "¡­Fine, whatever. Do as you please¡­." It seemed the world was full of insane people beyond imagination. Chapter 61 -[Alert: Scrim ended. The winner is ''Eugene''.] -[Alert: Session concluded. All participants confirmed in the debriefing room.] A silence fell over the room. Regardless of their status, position, or role, everyone watching the match found themselves unsure of how to react as the game came to an end. For some, the oue was an unexpected twist; for others, it was something they could have predicted to some extent. For those who were slow to pick up on the news and information about the yer named Yujin, or who hadn¡¯t yet conducted a thorough analysis, this was akin to being forcibly confronted with an ufortable truth. There had been plenty of ways to diminish Yujin''s aplishments¡ªiming she was just a Tier 2 yer, that she hadn¡¯t been ying Dark Zone for long, or that her skills had been overhyped¡ªbut what did it matter? Ultimately, the result imprinted on their retinas didn¡¯t change, regardless of what they believed. Conversely, for those who had some inkling of Yujin''s potential and abilities, this became a moment where their vague suspicions were more solidly confirmed. It was just one match. Sure, some might say that. The number of matches in the four-part scrim schedule could range from 20 to 30, and she had only won the first one. But that didn''t diminish the weight of the scrim''s significance. It was absurd to try to downy the event''s importance with such reasoning, and it certainly didn¡¯t alleviate the restrictions Yujin had been under. This was her first participation. Therefore, she hadn''t received any direct guidance or tactics from professional gamers. Moreover, the scrim didn¡¯t just include Tier 2 yers. There were also Tier 1 participants, Medal of Honor yers¡ªa rank or two above her¡ªand even a dozen or so professionals whose skills alone were enough to make them valuable. So how did she do it? She didn¡¯t just hide and wait for the right moment to strike. By the end of the session, one out of every ten participants had fallen to her gunfire. And she did it wielding an ASh-12.7, one of the hardest guns to control due to its heavy recoil, turning those who stood in her way into minced meat. On top of that, she used a Barrett sniper rifle¡ªa weapon typically brought out for entertainment value¡ªto literally obliterate two Juggernauts. "¡­Huh." It might be too early to draw any definitive conclusions. But at the same time, it was hard to ignore just how much she had aplished in her first match. Considering that many professional gamers often debut only after oveing numerous challenges, Yujin was already something beyond their control. A poisoned chalice. It might be a clich¨¦, or an overly grand metaphor, but what other words could describe this situation? The silence lingered a bit longer. In the Briefing Room. "Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!" "The god of Battle Royale walks among us!" "Alright, everyone, calm down! Settle down!" Unlike the muted reactions outside, this ce was a whirlwind of excitement. Of course, this wasn¡¯t unique to Yujin; such behavior was almost a tradition. Even in a scrim, the winner was the one who had ousted 99 otherpetitors, so offering a round of apuse wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary. And while it was a tradition, that didn¡¯t mean the sentiment wasn¡¯t sincere. With a slightly awkward expression, Yujin slowly walked into a space resembling a state-of-the-art lecture hall. Above her head, the word "1st ce" floated in sparkling letters. Her avatar, now unarmed, was dressed in form-fitting clothes that subtly highlighted her figure. It was a look that could be described as ordinary, yet also unique. Her long, flowing hair was somewhat conventional, and her face, as always, was stunningly beautiful¡ªa feature that everyone considered crucial. The curves of her body, where they should be prominent, were very prominent, and where they should taper, they tapered sharply. This extended down to her tail, a sleek, smooth appendage that almost invited the touch, and it was at this point that most people barely managed to tear their eyes away. The excitement began to subside. In the next moment, aprehensive analysis¡ªfar superior to Dark Zone¡¯s native recording capabilities¡ªappeared, disying Yujin¡¯s every move throughout the match. This was Korea''s proprietary analysis engine, something that would never be shared outside the country. As Yujin shook her head in mild exasperation, a professional gamer from Xi, holding a microphone, approached her. "Congrattions on your first-ce finish. How are you feeling?" "I came here for the debriefing, but now it feels like I¡¯m giving a speech." A briefugh rippled through the room. As always, her tone was calm and collected. Some of those gathered were familiar with this manner of speaking, while others were not¡ªindicating that even some of her regr viewers were present. From their perspective, Yujin seemed to transcend time and space, as if she might never experience nervousness or show any strong reactions. Regardless, even if she had been through many debriefings, this was her first after a scrim, so the person standing next to her, like a seasoned host, smoothly took over. "Haha, everyone has that reaction during their first post-scrim debriefing. It¡¯s rare to speak in front of a hundred people like this. Anyway, I¡¯m sure you have an idea of the purpose of the debriefing¡­ So, if you could talk us through the scrim you just yed, from your perspective, that would be great. There¡¯s no need to feel pressured, just speakfortably. Others might ask questions in the middle, but you can keep your answers brief. Even saying that you acted on instinct is fine." "I¡¯ll keep that in mind." At that moment, a massive screen appeared in midair, showing the initial phase of the match: the descent, thending of all the yers, and the subsequent infiltration of the facility. This footage was from Yujin¡¯s point of view. A smaller screen appeared in front of Yujin, with a yback bar marked with several pause points. The 99 yers reviewing her gamey intended to ask questions about specific moments. Questions began pouring in just a few minutes into the rey. At that point, Yujin was selecting two guns from a high-caliber firearms storage. "Recoil control wasn¡¯t much of an issue, so I picked a weapon that could incapacitate the enemy quickly. Besides¡­ it was the first weapon I grabbed from the gun case after entering." In other words, she simply grabbed the first gun she saw. Some were biting their tongues, resisting the urge to ask if she would have used a pencil to kill if that had been the first thing she found. But these yers had more patience than her usual chatroom audience. As the video continued, the first part of the yback bar was densely packed with pause requests¡ªspecifically, the moment when Yujin and Dice faced off in a curved hallway. Unsurprisingly, one of the questions came from Dice herself. Hers was the first to be addressed. "To put it simply, I instinctively knew a grenade would be thrown as soon as I identified the enemy. So, I intentionally manipted the timing to exploit that window." The screen showed Yujin deliberately kicking a wooden nk on the floor, causing Dice to cautiously pull out a grenade from the opposite hallway. Yujin caught the sound perfectly, tensed her muscles, and prepared to sprint.@@novelbin@@ As soon as Dice applied pressure to the grenade pin, Yujin¡¯s avatar dashed across the hallway with ferocious speed, reaching her before she could even pull the pin and raise her gun again. What followed was straightforward. Half-disarmed, Dice was¡­ to put it simply, shot dead. Her chest was struck, and she was obliterated. Dice was left utterly bbergasted. While the Apex Predator scene was known for its razor-thin margins of victory, to predict the entire situation and exploit the opening? It was, to put it bluntly, a psychological y against a professional, which resulted in Dice¡¯s catastrophic defeat. Yet, despite everything, she didn¡¯t feel anger, defeat, or even a burning desire to win. Instead, as a professional, she found herself thinking: ¡­Well, she deserved to die. It was an involuntary thought, but it was hard to deny. Somehow, she felt a strange sense of relief. The suffocating tension she had felt up until now seemed to ease just a little. Naturally, she found herself drawn to Yujin¡¯s words. Her fingers moved. "Not really. I didn¡¯t y with the specific goal of winning, but rather focused on overturning the situation. The researchplex typically forms kill zones through Juggernauts, so it¡¯s hard to guarantee that everyone will be uniformly pushed toward a single point like in an electric field or radiation zone. Additionally, Juggernauts can be killed if you position yourself correctly. This often shifts the focus frombat to survival in the researchplex. So, I eliminated the assumption that there was any safe ce¡­ but I didn¡¯t intentionally aim for that. My approach tobat is, to put it negatively, improvisational, and to put it positively, adaptable, so I generally choose the actions that bring me the best oue." It¡¯s easy to say, but how many people in the world can actually do that? To put it bluntly, she was saying that she instinctively chooses the best oue. It was difficult to articte, but her words indirectly proved that Yujin''s mindset was deeply rooted inbat and optimized for it. In other words¡­ she always acted with a bigger picture in mind. While it couldn¡¯t be said that no one else could do what Yujin did, was it possible to constantly consider the big picture in every second ofbat in Apex Predator, where survival and stealth were paramount? Even Dice herself found her vision narrowing and her heart racing the moment she sensed Yujin¡¯s presence. "¡­What kind of person is she?" Muttering to herself unconsciously, Dice casually swept her disheveled blonde hair behind her ear. The debriefing wasn¡¯t over, and the scrim had just begun. Chapter 62 A match in Apex Predator could feel long or short, but ording to the developers and Icarus''s motto, the design was intended to ensure that no gamested longer than 30 minutes. Considering that only one out of a hundred yers could im first ce, unless the match was specifically arranged for content creation on tforms like YourSpace¡ªwhere 99 yers were deliberately recruited for a fast-paced, entertainment-focused game¡ªthe minimum duration typically ranged between 10 to 20 minutes. Unless the scrim ended after just one or two rounds, thebined time of actual gamey and debriefing usually exceeded 40 minutes. Yujin was no exception to this rule. "Shoot that gun as much as you can. Use it in missions, use it in PvP, and on every possible battlefield." Of course, whether the content of a debriefing was led by the yer''s one-sided exnation or filled with endless questions depended on the individual''s performance. Nheless, the answer that came from her mouth was undoubtedly a textbook response. Practicing with a firearm to adapt to its recoil was the most obvious approach. But¡­ ©¤©¤©¤!! Considering that the question was asked while watching the rey of her emptying two 10-round magazines from an anti-materiel sniper rifle in just five seconds¡­ it didn¡¯t quite fit. Regardless, it was a scene to remember¡ªa spectacle that rarely urred in regr games, let alone in a scrim where survival through terrain and positioning was of utmost importance. It was the very embodiment of a VR FPS dream. Although the CQ modification shortened the massive length typical of anti-materiel rifles, the ability to firerge rounds semi-automatically still maintained its essence. And she didn¡¯t just do this at a shooting range, but in a scrim, using the gun¡¯s maximum physical potential to obliterate two Juggernauts. The deafening roar of armor-piercing rounds smashing against walls, breaking into fragments. The two enemies caught in that storm were literally reduced to shattered polygons, and Yujin disappeared across the battlefield. It was a private match, so this footage wouldn¡¯t be shared outside, leaving everyone to keep it as a memory. After that, things were straightforward. With the destruction of the two Juggernauts, the encirclement in her direction had a slight gap, meaning that only Yujin had this opening. While others continued to engage in battles with each other and the Juggernauts, their numbers dwindling, Yujin had the luxury to regroup and prepare for the final fight. Therefore, the oue a few minutester was predictable without even needing to exin. She lured the Juggernauts to bury thest remaining enemy under a barrage of bullets and steel, securing first ce. "¡­That¡¯s all." Apuse erupted, marking the start of the scrim. The term "scrim" could carry various meanings, but when limited to Apex Predator, and considering the opinions of many professionals and participants, it was an endurance test. While all PvP modes in Dark Zone were intense, facing off against AI was vastly different from battling real yers. Even Hunters, considered tough by seasoned yers, couldn¡¯t fully replicate the diverse and unpredictable movements of humans, so their specs were boosted topensate for this. Assuming each matchsted an average of 20 minutes, even without factoring in matchmaking time, three rounds could easily take up an hour. Although the in-game time elerated to three times real time, reducing the perceived duration, this didn¡¯t alleviate mental fatigue. As a result, professionals and those aspiring to be required greater stamina and concentration than the average yer. And naturally, consistently maintaining focus and cing in the top ranks during such a grueling process was a skill in itself¡ªone that Yujin mastered effortlessly, regrly ranking at the top. While she didn¡¯t always win, barring extremely unfair circumstances, she frequently finished first, taking down all those around her in the process. As the scrim progressed, a thought began to form in everyone¡¯s mind. She was, quite literally, a tactical nuke. Especially in solo games, where everyone was an enemy. Yujin¡¯s refusal to die naturally became a topic of discussion, and her frequent first-ce finishes quickly answered any questions that arose. In summary: -You have to approach each situation with the mindset that if you die, it¡¯s over. This forces you to find a way out, even in the most dire circumstances. Of course, the others in the room couldn¡¯t fully adopt Yujin¡¯s peculiar mindset, but it was seriously debated nheless. Had this been said by a random yer on the inte, it might have been just another line added to a pile of opinions. Buting from someone who consistently achieved what even professionals found nearly impossible, her words carried weight. Frankly, most people were curious about how she managed it. As Yujin continued to dominate the top ranks, the professional gamers running the session eventually had to apologize and shift focus to debriefing and analyzing the gamey of other users, rather than hers. This was an unprecedented situation. Some even remarked that it was surprising to see so many highly skilled yers flooding into the game¡ªa phenomenon they thought only happened on American servers. But, as always, time moved on, the first session ended, and Yujin was recognized as a near-professional as she entered the next section. Session Two. Simply put, this was a tactics lecture, but if everything were exined in detail, it was more like training conducted on a 3D field based on the scrim map. Among the participants were not only solo yers but also those involved in duo and squad y, so the simted battles varied, from 1v1 to 2v2 and 4v4. Their battles were evaluated by the 90 or so spectators, including professionals, and the scenarios were repeated until the second session concluded. The third session that followed was a process of internalizing the tactics learned in the second session, with the goal of better handlingbat situations previously experienced, using specially and meticulously adjusted custom match settings. In simple terms, this was a slightly tweaked scrim match, not too different from what had been done before. The fourth session didn¡¯t offer much for Yujin to learn, either. "¡­Although it¡¯s not possible to log in now with the qualifiersing up soon, Yujin, I think it would be beneficial for you to ypetitive matches on the North American server outside of scrims. Since there will be scrims involving yers from all over the world on the North American server during the preliminary period for the final championship, practicing while waiting for that could yield good results¡­" That was how impressed people were by her performance. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for her, but still. 2:00 PM. After starting at 9:30 AM in real time and running for about 13 hours in-game, the scrim finally ended. As the sound of clear apuse filled the debriefing room, those who hadn¡¯t received any special messages naturally began to leave, while cursors of various colors appeared over the heads of those who stayed behind. Some had more than one, and each cursor was paired with the color floating above the remaining professional gamers¡¯ heads. In simple terms, these were the chosen ones. The professionals standing on the tform generated microphones and began calling out names. "Redfield, is Redfield here?" "Is Medal of Honor 997LP Skadia here? If you have a moment, could we have a quick chat?" "If you¡¯re Three Meals a Day, One Trick, please raise your hand!" And amid the crowd¡­ "¡­Wow, what is this¡­." "Yujin! Please raise your hand!" "Wow, they¡¯re really going for it. Do you guys even have any shame?" Yujin, with over ten colorful cursors stacked above her head and a rare look of bewilderment on her face, received a flurry of love calls from the professionals, all vying for her attention. About a third of the cursors were glowing gold¡ªwildcards¡ªsignifying that these professionals were determined to talk to her or recruit her no matter what. This was a unique culture that could only be seen in VR. Naturally, Yujin wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with what this meant. Much like in old inte novels that depicted virtual reality, the countless pop-up windows appearing before her eyes exined it in detail. Though she had expected this to some extent, there was always a difference between anticipating something in your head and actually facing it. As she hesitated, a wildcard message popped up before her eyes. However, it felt a little familiar. -[Alert: Dice has sent you a private message. Would you like to check it?] ¡­Perhaps. The fact that she was the first professional Yujin had defeated might just be a valid reason to pay attention to this. Thinking this, Yujin clicked on the message.@@novelbin@@ -[Alert: Moving to Dice¡¯s personal booth.] A sh of light appeared before her eyes. Chapter 64 -[Alert: Message received from ''SSM Management''.] -[Alert: Disying full message.] [Hello, Dice. This is Shinwoo Kim, Assistant Manager of the AP Division at SSM Entertainment. To get straight to the point, we reviewed the wildcard you submitted at the end of yesterday''s scrim, but I must inform you that it is currently under internal review rather than being immediately approved. Given the authority typically granted to main roster yers, I can understand that you might be surprised by this dy. Therefore, I¡¯ve attached the meeting transcript and script as files for your reference. In case you¡¯re unable to review the full documents, here¡¯s a summary: -Username ''Eugene'' participated in the scrim just one week before its conclusion, and thus, the AP Division managementcks confidence in whether this user can consistently produce outstanding results due to insufficient data. -While the roster sizes for each sub-league (3rd, 2nd, 1st) in the AP soloing division are somewhat flexible, the nature of the scrim season¡¯s end unfortunately means that the budget allocated to SSM Entertainment¡¯s roster is at a point where we cannot amodate any additional wildcards. -An unusual short-term contract was discussed; however, it is estimated that at least one aspect rted to the contract duration or sry distribution would not meet the conditions that SSM Entertainment could feasibly offer. That said, regardless of the approval status of the user, you will be awarded the wildcard usage bonus as specified in your contract. We acknowledge that this issue stems from the AP Division¡¯s failure tomunicate SSM Entertainment¡¯s roster situation to you in advance, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Additionally, your wildcard proposal remains at the top of the list, and further discussions will be held to consider the possibility of contracting the user as an external temporary coach or mercenary once sufficient data has been collected. If possible, we would greatly appreciate it if you could remind the user of this during your next consultation. Thank you for always bringing prestige to SSM Entertainment. DICE.]** "¡­Of course." Professional teams do not take risks. This saying, which anyone working in the esports industry has likely heard in passing, once again proved its relevance in the most frustrating way¡ªat least, that¡¯s what Dice thought. In modern society, one of the most well-known methods of stress relief was gaming, which meant that professional teams always had ess to a stable and vast talent pool. However, the opportunities teams could offer were limited, and sometimes, those opportunities weren¡¯t avable at all. Moreover, while the perspectives of professional gamers and management sometimes aligned, there were plenty of instances when they did not. For those who had experienced Yujin¡¯s skill firsthand in directbat, the decision was baffling, but the team¡­ likely wanted more concrete evidence. The fact that Yujin had only been ying Apex Predator for less than two weeks and the ambiguity surrounding her previous VR FPS experience¡ªunfortunately, these were areas where skill alone couldn¡¯t fully address the concerns. From that perspective, the mention of contracting Yujin as an external temporary coach or mercenary was an indication that SSM both respected Dice¡¯s judgment and harbored some interest in Yujin themselves. As her golden hair syed out over the crumpled bedsheets, Dice let out a small sigh, her drowsiness dispelled by the message¡¯s contents as she mentally prepared for her uing schedule. There were six days left until the qualifier rankings. Today, too, there was a scrim scheduled, though it would be pushed back a bit since there had been one yesterday. Yujin was offline, but despite her apparentck of enthusiasm for turning professional, they had exchanged phone numbers and engram codes, so contact was certainly possible. That being said, the fact that she had no interest in going pro¡­ should that be considered fortunate or unfortunate? 9:20 AM. Today¡¯s scrim was scheduled from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM. "¡­Ah, my neck." The second consultation with Yujin was set to take ce in virtual reality, but neglecting physical self-care would inevitably lead to an overall decline in condition. Being able to assess one¡¯s own state was a necessary skill for a professional gamer. Of course, despite the grand terminology, this just meant a morning shower. And so, Dice¡¯s morning began in this fashion. Yesterday had been quite a busy day. To be more specific, after the scrim, she had to sweat through numerous conversations exining to those who had picked her why she wasn¡¯t interested in bing a professional gamer. And it wasn¡¯t just one or two; the number had easily reached double digits. What surprised her in the process was their level of information gathering and deductive reasoning. Despite only participating in the scrim for the first time that day, they had already pieced together everything she had previously said and deduced a surprising amount during the consultations. Some teams had even approached her with offers that catered to herck of interest in broadcasting or turning pro for the sake of financial security or fame. In the end, she had uniformly declined all offers. Excessive greed always leads to trouble. The role of a streamer she had chosen still didn¡¯t have clearly defined boundaries in terms of the pressure it would ce on her, so making a decision now felt premature. Besides, the choice was obviously hers to make. If she had declined after gaining substantial benefits from these teams, there might have been bacsh, but the scrim itself was open to any yer above Tier 2. Anyway, there was little time left before the qualifier rankings¡ªnot the tournament rankings¡ªbegan. Despite declining the offers, she still nned to continue participating in the scrims. Several teams had already contacted her again, asking if she would be interested in working as a temporary advisor or a part-time coach. Whether or not she belonged to a team, it was beneficial for not only herself but also the esportsmunity as a whole to participate. The ones who might dislike this the most¡­ would probably be her 4,000 or so regr viewers who were still waiting for her stream. Come to think of it, how should shemunicate this to them? Setting up a personalmunity on Tricky wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.@@novelbin@@ As she pondered these thoughts and sat in her chair for a moment¡­ -Click. "Oh, have you been waiting long?" "No, it¡¯s fine. Have a seat." Dice, the professional gamer she had recently be more familiar with and the only one she had contacted personally, entered the room and sat down. How should she put it? The avatar in the VR world was different from reality in some ways, but in others, it was remarkably realistic. The way the golden hair shimmered in the sunlight was something else¡­. One unfortunate aspect was that it had be harder to simply admire this person¡¯s appearance. At first nce, it was impossible to tell if this person was male or female. The waiting time hadn¡¯t been long, and it didn¡¯t take much time to get down to business either. Dice opened her mouth with an apologetic expression. "¡­As you may have seen in the message, yes, unfortunately, SSM is going through a tough time right now. Still, I can¡¯t imagine you going to another team, Yujin." "I declined all the offers. So, you don¡¯t need to feel too bad. Things don¡¯t always go as nned, do they?" "It really seems that way. Sigh¡­." With a wave of her hand, the thousands of words floating in the air copsed, scattering like ss marbles in zero gravity before dissolving into nothingness. Dice, who had been groaning with her face buried in the desk, added: "Anyway, since you¡¯ve read the message¡­ what do you think about working as a mercenary or a temporary coach? The contract period wouldn¡¯t be that long¡­ Sigh, as if that would work. Other teams are probably offering better terms already." "¡­Is itmon here for professional gamers to handle tasks usually reserved for management?" "Uh, only for pros who focus on solo PvP. Since we¡¯re not ying team games, individual skills and decisions are more important. The wildcard and pickup culture are extensions of that, unique to this area." The conversation continued. Just as she had chosen Dice first, Dice wasn¡¯t one to miss an opportunity and gently pushed her agenda. Yujin didn¡¯t consider herself particrly sociable, but the conversation they were having felt warmer and more personal than a mere professional interaction. Perhaps it was the private nature of the setting. If Dice had no interest in her at all, she would have just ryed SSM¡¯s requests via message. Whether Yujin epted or not wouldn¡¯t have mattered to Dice in that case. Her thoughts trailed on. In any case, this wasn¡¯t a bad situation for her. Whether by chance or design, interacting positively with professionals who possessed specialized knowledge was always a good thing, and it seemed Dice had found her quite impressive. From that perspective, there wasn¡¯t much reason to outright reject her proposal. "Anyway, I¡¯ll think about the offer. When do you need an answer by?" "¡­What? You¡¯re not rejecting it? You¡¯re considering it?" "As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere too much with my daily life, I think it could be worth experiencing at least once. It¡¯s more of a personal curiosity. I¡¯m interested in how professional gamers or those aiming to be professionals operate." "Uh, that¡¯s¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that answer¡­?" The fact that the one who made the offer was surprised revealed how low their expectations had been. Setting aside the thought that maybe she had been too firm in her previous rejections, Yujin reviewed the important points from the email Dice had sent. It wasn¡¯t a long-term contract, and it wasn¡¯t about being hired for significant achievements like winning championships. Thepensation wasn¡¯t substantial, but the offer clearly stated that they would ensure her autonomy and convenience in many areas, which was a plus. However, it wasn¡¯t something she was ready to decide immediately, so she nned to make a more informed decisionter. "What¡¯s the atmosphere like at the team?" "Well¡­ it¡¯s not much different from other ces. If anything, we have arger lower-league system than most¡­?" "Lower leagues, as in the 2nd or 3rd divisions?" "Yeah, but¡­ I¡¯m not too sure. I hate to admit it, but I¡¯ve rarely stepped out of the 1st division. I¡¯m pretty confident in my skills¡­." Oh right, she had mentioned she was in the 1st division. I had forgotten. "¡­If I hadn¡¯t run into someone suspiciously good who suddenly joined the scrim, I would¡¯ve been preparing for the tournament smoothly." "Yeah, who could that have been?" "Wow. You¡¯re really annoying¡­." Her expression was quite exasperated, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it¡­. The next non-question was about her VR FPS skills, and she had to maintain a certain level of silence here. Still, curiosity about this area was often treated as a "personal trump card," and Dice didn¡¯t press further, instead shifting the topic. "Anyway¡­ there¡¯s still some time before the scrim. Do you have any ns?" "Nothing specific. I¡¯ve already eaten, so I was just nning to join when the time came." "Perfect timing, then." With practiced ease, Dice sent her a message. It was¡­ a session invitation. The mission name boldly dered it to be the highest difficulty level. "¡­What¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s one of my secret training methods, running solo missions on the highest difficulty. How should I put it, the goal is to frequently encounter and adapt to extremely unfair situations¡­." "So, I just need to press the join button?" "¡­Yes. I like how quickly you catch on." She nodded, and soon the environment around them changed. Perhaps because of the avatar, it felt strangely refined for an invitation to a battlefield filled with explosions and gunfire. Chapter 65 "Alright, we''re about to start... How much experience do you have with the hardest difficulty? Have you ever cleared it before?" "I just found out that there''s such a difficulty level." "What!?" ¡­For some reason, a significant number of people¡ªor rather, almost everyone¡ªseem to be unaware that I haven¡¯t experienced much of the PvE content in Dark Zone. Maybe it¡¯s just my imagination. To put it simply, whenever I say, "I haven¡¯t even cleared all the main missions yet," everyone gets surprised. And they get even more astonished when I remind them that my ytime has already exceeded several hundred hours. Typically, people estimate thatpleting all the main missions and reaching the maximum level in Dark Zone takes around 20 to 30 hours at the fastest, or 40 to 50 hours if you take your time. From that perspective, I could honestly say that I have little interest in clearing the main missions. While it¡¯s not amon approach, it¡¯s not entirely unprecedented either. Especially since most of the PvP content treats skills as fully unlocked within the session, some yers who prefer fighting real people over virtual enemies or who have created secondary characters don¡¯t care much about the main missions. If I had to categorize myself, I might lean more towards the former. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m particrly interested in PvP, but I¡¯ve set my goals in that direction. Anyway, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t understand why people are surprised. Up until now, the only skill I¡¯ve unlocked is Pulse, and it¡¯s just the basic version. Assuming this game traces my journey and the growth of the Icarus system linearly, skills provide immense convenience in all battles, and to reach that stage, certain prerequisites must be met. To put it simply, this means I might only be able to shoot in this hardest difficulty mission. In fact, considering the Westpoint battle I yed with Harmony or in public games, it¡¯s hard to say that this will devalue me, but¡­ seeing that grand title of "Hardest Difficulty," who knows? "¡­Well, should I equip some support skills, then?" "It would defeat the purpose and effectiveness of the practice we talked about earlier, so there¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s not like this is a mission you can only attempt once in a lifetime." "That¡¯s true, but¡­." It didn¡¯t take long to decide. Dice skillfully changed his skill set and began selecting the type of ammunition and modules to use in the mission. In Dark Zone, you could choose these kinds of details before being deployed into a mission. Considering that Dark Zone is primarily a VR looter-shooter FPS¡­ does that mean I¡¯ll have to farm all this stuffter? Sounds like a hassle. "Alright, let¡¯s just dive in. This should be good for you, Yujin. Starting without knowing anything¡­ there¡¯s really nothing better for improving adaptability." "It¡¯s not exactly like that, but¡­ okay, let¡¯s go." Fast travel. The pixels that made up everything within the 360-degree radius turned white all at once, and then, afterposing the location, it started synchronizing the position data. In front of a city entirely covered in snow and seemingly frozen in time, an old power nt stood tall, holding onto its past architectural style. I asked before starting the mission. "How difficult is the hardest difficulty?" "¡­It¡¯s easier to think that all the enemy AI is based on real people. I heard the motion andbat data were collected through simted operations by actual special forces¡­." "That sounds serious. With that level of difficulty, I wonder if anyone has even cleared it." "I heard there are professional teams dedicated to strategies like this. It¡¯s not unimaginably hard if you y skillfully, but using conventional methods makes it really tough." Apparently, that¡¯s how it is. The exnation continued for a bit, but there was nothing particrly important¡ªthings like how this is the only difficulty level where difficulty scaling doesn¡¯t apply, that up to eight people can attempt it simultaneously, and that enemies don¡¯t use skills, etc. Even while listening to that, simtions were continuously running in my mind. Based on my personal experience, if the AI is modeled after Tier 2 U.S. special forces, then ordinary people wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of clearing it. Dark Zone probably bnced it by easing the psychological burden with nanomachines, skills, and virtual reality. But if it were based on Tier 1 special forces, well¡­. It might be more realistic to clear it by rolling Seeker Mines from ces the AI can¡¯t see. Anyway. "¡­I hate to say it, but ording to our analysis, Yujin, you seem to have a lot of external experience rted to this¡­ so you might actually do well." "Just say it inly, inly." "It means you seem like a former soldier." Crunch. With that exchange, we began walking forward. -[Notification: Entering Pathway Power nt Recapture Mission // Difficulty: Hardest] -[Notification: Good luck.] Heavy background music started ying, and as soon as we moved forward a bit, enemies began pouring out from the entrance to the power nt. The mission had begun. ©¤©¤©¤Thududududu! ©¤©¤©¤Drdrdrdrd! "No matter how many times Ie here, I never get used to it¡­." Dice¡¯s voice echoed over the inte. I regrly exhaled while carefully monitoring the enemies¡¯ movements. My mind was racing at full speed for the first time in a while, and with all my senses fully engaged, it felt as if I were retracing my steps into the past. It wasn¡¯t just to track the enemy¡¯s movements; I was also helping Dice with his practice, which required a detailed analysis of the current situation. Based on what I learned in the past, potential enemies for Icarus could include the U.S. military. Specifically, renegade U.S. forces, but in any case, operators had to be prepared to face those who wererades just yesterday as enemies today. This applied not only psychologically but also tactically, and the very basic premise was this: Disrupt the enemy¡¯s coordination. When engaged in urbanbat, operators had to always keep this in mind, especially sincerge-scale maneuvers are almost impossible in major cities, which means enemy forces typically move in toon or squad-sized units or even smaller. This increased the responsibility on each individual. In other words, the importance of each person grew within the unit, and any losses meant facing greater risks than before. That principle applied precisely in the current situation. Thud. Both Dice and I were yers who primarily focused on AP soloing, so there wasn¡¯t muchmunication between us. Our goal was to increase our survival rate in highly disadvantageous situations. To put it simply, it was survival of the fittest. In solo y, if things got tough, I¡¯d quietly help out whenever I could. Fast, urate aiming, quick breath control, and precise timing on the trigger silenced the machine gunner who had beenying down suppressive fire from a distance. As I mentioned earlier, disrupting the enemy¡¯s coordination. By removing the pressure from their firepower, I gained more visibility, which provided a better foothold to eliminate more enemies. In modern urban warfare, where firepower is generallyparable on both sides, the key is how much you can force the unfavorable situation onto your opponent. While it¡¯s themander¡¯s job to devise such strategies, the execution relies heavily on individual skill. That¡¯s why both physical ability and tactical understanding are essential in AP soloing. Two assault troopers armed with devastating close-range firepower were charging towards us at breakneck speed, cutting through the crossfire. I identified them as soon as they appeared, but Dice, who was in cover some distance away, didn¡¯t notice until they were about 10 meters away. It must have been difficult with the area filled with loud noises and sharp tearing sounds. Carefully adjusting my aim to prevent any unforeseen idents, I noticed that the assault trooper had already closed the gap to about 6 meters and began sting a shotgun. As the 12-gauge steel pellets ricocheted off the nanomachine barrier, Dice unexpectedly exposed himself to fire back, leaving the enemy unable to walk again. After buying some time, I fully neutralized the other assault trooper by spraying my MK47 in full auto as they approached from the side. "Argh!" -[Notification: Allied Operator Down.] However, in the process, Dice exposed himself too much, and several shots from a rifleman waiting near the entrance struck him, causing him to copse on the spot. I took cover and threw a grenade to flush out the enemies who were attempting to close the distance under suppressive fire. Jamming an emergency survival injector into his thigh, I carefully lifted him up by his arm. "Your improvisation is impressive. Have you had training?" "I¡¯m not someone with military experience. I haven¡¯t done this in a while, so my cover was sloppy¡­ but it¡¯s better when there¡¯s someone around to revive you. At least there haven¡¯t been any absurd situations today." "Haha." That¡¯s because I preemptively took care of the enemies capable of creating those situations. Enemies like machine gunners, grenadiers, and snipers who put you in a lose-lose scenario by either staying in ce or moving are designed to test yers¡¯ mettle. But when you¡¯re facing such situations alone, it¡¯s a different story¡ªsince I came to help with the practice, I nned to assist without cutting down too much of the enemy¡¯s strength. With Dice drawing all the attention up front, it was quite easy for me to pick off enemies from behind. As the enemies holding the power nt¡¯s entrance were gradually wiped out, I found myself with more time to observe Dice¡¯s skill. Having only participated in a scrim once, I still couldn¡¯t definitively gauge the average skill level of Tier 2, Tier 1, Medal of Honor yers, or professional gamers. But based on Dice alone, it was quite impressive. Hisbat posture, adaptability, and meticulous actions all showed that he was prepared for any unexpected engagements. His reaction speed, aiming skill, and shooting uracy were also quite remarkable. To advance further, there were a few more things needed, but that wasn¡¯t my job just yet. "Up until a couple of months ago, I used to practice here in the front yard for three hours before every scrim, but it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done it with someone else."@@novelbin@@ "How¡¯s it going now?" "I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because you¡¯re here, Yujin, but there haven¡¯t been many sudden deaths today. I practice here with that in mind anyway¡­ Well, if that bes necessary, I¡¯ll let you know." After skillfully checking her gear and weapons and verifying the remaining ammunition, she spoke. "We still have plenty of time before the scrim, so let¡¯s go as far as we can." Dice would regret saying that. Chapter 66
  • Script yback in progress.
Hello, everyone. This is Unreal. Although I wasn¡¯t a professional gamer, I once worked in the Dark Zone esports scene. Today, I¡¯m here to respond to your requests through this video. Fortunately, I still had some old contacts, and after inquiring, I received permission to make this video. So, to all the RealDan viewers watching this, rest assured, everything is above board. Let¡¯s get started. Xi IMPRESSIVE. One of the top professional teams in our country. They haven¡¯t had a dramatic rise to the top after a slump, but consistently cing in the rankings at various Dark Zone tournaments is no easy feat. As you all know, Xi is one of the few teams that meet such tough criteria. They¡¯re often jokingly called the "eternal second ce," but standing firm in a bloodthirsty arena every season is no small feat. Anyway, I¡¯m rambling. Let¡¯s dive into the scrim results. As many of you may already know, scrims don¡¯t reveal much. At best, you might get movement routes, match results, and if you¡¯re lucky, a brief video. All of this is to prevent any tactical leaks. This is also why today¡¯s video isn¡¯t that long. There¡¯s not much to say. The only thing we can really do ispare this season with thest and see which yers have improved, who the rising stars are, and if any yers are underperforming. But a deep dive into actual gamey analysis is difficult. But, of course, the analysts at each team will do a much more detailed job than us, so it¡¯s not something to worry too much about. Let¡¯s get into it. As you can see on the screen, the most interesting part of yesterday¡¯s scrim was gathering only the first-ce finishers from each session. The nickname might be a bit unusual, but for those of you who¡¯ve yed Dark Zone in any depth, you¡¯ll immediately recognize them. Yujin. This is the yer who¡¯s been heating up the intetely. They¡¯re also the reason I decided to make this video. Of course, Dark Zone is a massive game. So much so that it¡¯s ssified as aprehensive FPS. Those of you who primarily enjoy the game¡¯s main content, like looter-shooting or PvE, might not know much about this yer. Buting back to the point, some people asked me about this during my streams. At the time, I dodged the question because I had forgotten a lot about AP soloing. But when I decided to dig into it seriously, I found that this yer¡ªYujin¡ªis truly beyond imagination. The mostmon question I got was: "How good is Yujin? Could they make it in the pro scene?" Honestly, when I first heard this, I wasn¡¯t sure. But after checking the results from this scrim¡­ that question turned out to bepletely irrelevant. As you can see on the screen, can you believe it? Winning 15 out of 23 matches¡ªthis is a result I¡¯ve never seen in my entire life. Assuming that 10-15% of the participants in each session were pros, these results suggest that all the teams are watching this person with razor-sharp eyes. As you may already know, AP (Apex Predator) bes exponentially harder as you go up. Toe in first, you need to merge individual physical ability, map-reading skills, precision shooting, and improvisation into one. Given that, seeing these results on Xi¡¯s official website seems to indicate some sort of intent behind it. I can¡¯t pinpoint exactly what that intent might be, which is frustrating. But one thing is for sure: the scrims will continue. They¡¯ll keep going until the qualifying ranks open, and once the top 100 yers are selected, they¡¯ll participate in the Asian qualifiers. I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s happening up there, but it¡¯s certainly not a static situation. Now, let¡¯s dive into the analysis. The first match was¡­. . . . . . "¡­Yujin." "Yes?" "What kind of person are you?" "Who knows." Smoke ominously rose from the barrel of the gun. Years of experience suppressed the heart rate that was trying to spike uncontrobly. At the height of concentration, where I could feel the trigger under my fingertip, countless bodies piled up like a mountain. I ran here and there, batting away iing grenades with the tail of my rifle, tossing Dice aside before grenades exploded nearby, stealing shotguns from assault troops, and using their bodies as shields after killing them. Even the enemies that popped up unexpectedly in previously cleared areas tested my survival instincts in ways I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. I slowly suppressed thebored breathing that came toote and pulled myself out of the trance-like focus. Thankfully, Dice had fought fiercely too. Of course, given the close quarters and the possibility of hand-to-handbat, his responses were limited. It was like fighting against real people, with them swinging rifle stocks and using closebat techniques. This situation required a different level of improvisation than AP soloing. Anyway, the result was that we survived. I¡¯m not sure what Dice learned from this battle, but the fact that both of us are still alive counts for something. I took a deep breath and said,@@novelbin@@ "You need to practice close-quartersbat a lot more." "¡­Yeah, I guess I do." Sigh. A long exhale sounded beside me. He seemed to be exhausted. At the top of the UI, it showed that we had been in the mission for an hour and a half, and because of the difficulty, we were barely halfway through. We hadn¡¯t nned on clearing it, but now that we¡¯de this far, there was a sunk cost. After tidying up the area, I resupplied at the ammo box. While I couldn¡¯t restock grenades or other items there, looting corpses was always an option¡ªthough Dice seemed surprised by that. "¡­You really are hardcore." "I¡¯ve never lied about that." "It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that you¡¯ve done so much that it¡¯s hard to believe, even when I see it with my own eyes." "Haha¡­." After handing him a few grenades that hadn¡¯t had their pins pulled, we moved to the next area. Basically, this mission was about wiping out a special ops unit nning to wreak havoc on the power nt. Along the way, we had to stabilize the overloaded facility and take down the bosses. To be frank, the mission was quite linear and straightforward. Maybe that¡¯s why there was a "hardest difficulty." We still had plenty of time before the scrim, and this mission was both practice and an opportunity to chat. Before diving into the enemy-upied area, we continued our conversation. "When I watch you, Yujin, I feel like your mindset is different. It¡¯s like¡­ if you don¡¯t take down those guys, you¡¯re really going to die. Does hardcore mode hurt when you die?" "Of course not. I was curious about that too, but when you die, it¡¯s just like dying normally." "¡­Wait, why don¡¯t you know for sure?" "Because I don¡¯t die often¡­." ¡­The way this guy is looking at me is definitely not just my imagination. Anyway, the battle continued a few more times. The process was nothing short of a chaotic mess that squeezed everyst bit of energy out of us, but Dice gradually adapted to it. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s a pro gamer. Or maybe that¡¯s just how he is. But it seemed like his basic skills made him quick to get used to this. By the way, "The next area looks brutal. Setting up a balcony like that and expecting yers to break through is harsh." "¡­Uh, should we save here and continue another time?" "Haha." I could sense the desperate, pleading undertone of "Please, just stop¡­." But as always, the world doesn¡¯t work the way anyone wants it to. And just because you want something doesn¡¯t mean the yers camping around you in AP soloing will stop attacking. I chuckled softly and spoke up. "I think you can guess what I¡¯m going to say next." Dice¡¯s expression was quite a sight to behold. -[Notification: Power nt Output Increasing.] -[Current Objective: Secure the Area.] -[Time Remaining // 15:39:05] "What? How are we supposed to do this in 15 minutes? Are they serious?" "It¡¯s going to get tough. Max out your concentration and be prepared for anything." "¡­You¡¯re telling me to focus more than this?" "You¡¯ve faced tougher battles than this. You¡¯ll be fine." No. I¡¯m really not fine¡­. Before starting, I thought this would be a typical session where I¡¯d help fill in the gaps in Dice¡¯s skills, and vice versa, and we¡¯d be extracted to the lobby after 30-40 minutes, followed by a debrief. Maybe this is what madness looks like? Not the kind where you¡¯re bleeding, making weird faces, and screaming, but the kind where you stubbornly push through something that seems impossible to everyone else¡­ and somehow, you still end up with results. But contrary to those thoughts, my body moved based on the practice I¡¯d umted, searching for ways to survive this hell. Even during scrims, I¡¯ve never processed this much information, but now I¡¯m scanning for enemies and shooting them, straining my eyes so hard it feels like my corneas are drying up. Every shot was crucial. If you didn¡¯t fully neutralize an enemy in one go, suppressive fire woulde immediately. In AP soloing, even if you were under suppressive fire, it was rare to be nked, giving you time to think¡­. But now, what the heck. Enemies were closing in from all sides like a, and if I let my guard down for a moment, I¡¯d be down in no time. "There''s a medic behind the lower left tube frame. Take them out as a priority. Reloading. Please cover me." "Ugh, assault trooper¡­!" Thudududu! My thumb flicked the fire selector to burst mode, and I pumped a dozen rounds into the assault trooper in front of me, just as he was about to throw a concussion grenade. The small, round grenade fell to the ground and exploded with a deafening roar. Meanwhile, Yujin, who had quickly reloaded, took out thest enemy. Taking cover again, I shouted, "Reloading!" "Watch out for white phosphorus dispersal rounds." Boom! At that moment, the deep sound of screams echoed through the air. As I finished reloading and looked across, it was as if an airstrike had hit. The scattered phosphorus rounds were glowing as they fell to the ground, burning the assault troopers who were rushing in below. "What the heck is going on!?" "I shot them down with my gun. It¡¯s like y shooting. Have you tried it before?" "¡­How can you be so calm?" Even so, he continued to fire without losing focus on the objective. There wasn¡¯t time to question every little thing because the situation wasn¡¯t going in our favor. The feeling of squeezing every bit of my energy surged through my body. Focusing all my nerves on one engagement was making my head ache, and my fingers were trembling. Have I ever taken anything this seriously, outside of a tournament? Then something appeared in front of my eyes. -[New Objective Notification: Activate the Safety Valves <0/3>] "I¡¯ll go turn the valves. Cover me." "¡­I¡¯ll grit my teeth and do my best." "That¡¯s the spirit." Watching Yujin dash through theplex terrain, I bit my lip. Coming this far in the hardest difficulty with just two people¡ªit¡¯s anything butmon. I wiped away all previous thoughts and expectations and focused intently on the unfolding events, to the point that my eyes were bloodshot. Failure here would mean starting over from the beginning. As a gamer, not just a pro, I didn¡¯t want to face that. Ironically, it was as if I was being tested on every skill a professional needed, in the mostprehensive way possible. Chapter 67 "What the¡­? You¡¯re already here? Why are you here so early? There¡¯s still 30 minutes left before the scrim starts." "I came to rest, just to rest. I¡¯ve been soloing and practicing with the squad every day. If I don¡¯t take breaks like this, I¡¯ll burn out in no time. You guys should take note of that." "You¡¯re talking like some old veteran. These days, even soldiers with just three days left in the army get dragged around. And with so little time left before the start, you¡¯re thinking of resting¡­." Thud. The sound of someone flopping into a soft chair echoed. Inside the debriefing room of the scrim session, which hadn¡¯t opened yet¡ªSSM¡¯s professional gamers were gradually filling the seats, and with them, the volume of their conversations was steadily increasing. Instead of sitting scattered around, they were huddled quite closely, exchanging various remarks. Naturally, most of the discussion was about the uing match. With the tournament just around the corner, it was no surprise, given their profession. The twelve members had split into three groups of four. The groups weren¡¯t spaced too far apart, so they could easily exchange opinions. The reason for this seating arrangement was simple: most of them were AP squad yers who also did AP soloing. No matter how popr Dark Zone was, and no matter how much profit teams made through esports tournaments centered around it, there were always budget limitations. Moreover, there was no need to run separate solo and squad professional yers within the same game, as it would be a waste of budget. Of course, this also meant there were exceptions¡ªlike those who consistently delivered results beneficial to the team or had enough star power to act somewhat independently. One of those exceptions was none other than Dice. Unlike other sports where teammates could cover for any weaknesses, in AP soloing, where you have to rely solely on yourself, it was extremely difficult to maintain a steady career. This meant that many professionals, even those who shone like supernovas in other areas, could be quickly reced in this one, while those who consistently performed well would achieve immense glory. Perhaps that¡¯s why she was quite the topic of conversation among her fellow professionals. Specifically, she was such a hot topic that it came up even in situations like this. "By the way, where¡¯s Dice? He usually shows up around this time. What¡¯s he up to today?" "Maybe he¡¯s practicing? He got wiped out in 85th ce on the research facility map yesterday. He¡¯s logged into Dark Zone right now." "Do you think he¡¯s feeling motivated because of that Yujin person?" "That¡¯s possible." Naturally, the conversation shifted in that direction. Not just the four members of one team, but the other teams also joined in, freely expressing their opinions. "Where do you think she¡¯ll go? Do you think she¡¯lle here?" "SSM joining her after Dice¡¯s wildcard got rejected by the higher-ups? Not a chance¡­ Xi, TK1, or Reaper Infected probably snatched her up long ago. Don¡¯t you know how many backup rosters those teams have?"@@novelbin@@ "Who knows? Maybe she¡¯ll bomb in today or tomorrow¡¯s scrim, or in the qualifying ranks, or at KSM. Other teams are probably thinking about that too." "By that logic, how do you know she won¡¯t crush the qualifiers and show up at the main event?" "I mean, she hasn¡¯t shown much yet. Sure, yesterday was her first scrim, and I¡¯ve seen her track record, but we¡¯ll need to see how she does in the long run." "She ced first in 15 out of 23 matches, and you still think we need to wait and see?" "Alright, alright, I concede. Damn it." A heated debate ensued. The fact that she hadn¡¯t shown much left plenty of room for spection, but still, everyone agreed that her skill was extraordinary. Out of the hundred participants in the scrim, over ten were professional gamers, and the other participants¡¯ tiers ranged from Medal of Honor to TIER 1. TIER 2 yers were merely there to qualify for the scrim. That¡¯s why they were particrly eager for today¡¯s scrim. Was what Yujin showed yesterday just a fluke, or was it the beginning of a bold statement? As the start time approached, their curiosity about her and the increasinglyte Dice only grew. And as the scrim was about to begin¡ª "Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t think I can do the scrim today¡­." "Not a chance." Everyone had to suppress their shock when they saw Dice, slumped like a yellow jellyfish, being carried in on Yujin¡¯s back. -[Notification: Gas grenade detonated. All personnel, move to zone XA2.] -[Notification: You are being tracked.] "¡­." Despite the numerous patches, the core of AP remained unchanged. No matter how the terrain changed, how new guns were introduced, how damage and uracy rates fluctuated, or how new variables were added, the essence of battle royale never faded. Instead, these patches weeded out those who could quickly adapt to changing situations, aligning perfectly with the genre¡¯s purpose. After all, the reason to adapt was survival, and survival meant victory. It was just after the drop phase had ended, but the area was already filled with gunfire. Every time muzzle shes flickered, another yer was eliminated. Even if you hid inside a building immediately afternding to maximize your survival rate, you couldn¡¯tpletely avoid skirmishes. All you could do was hope to dy your first encounter as long as possible¡­ at least, that¡¯s how it was. Every yer had their own logic for ying the game. Some would hide with minimal gear right afternding, while others actively hunted before the second round of skirmishes began. As for me, I used to focus on avoiding unnecessary early-game conflicts, scouting the enemies¡¯ positions, and hunting them down one by one. But like all tactics, this had its ws. This approach made me something of a tracker, which, in other words, meant I wasn¡¯t good at direct confrontations. It was a dilemma. Since bing a professional gamer, I¡¯ve always struggled with whether I should work on this weakness or just sharpen my strengths. The distance between me and the tracker didn¡¯t grow closer or farther. But if you think about it in terms of scrim logic, whoever was tracking me probably wasn¡¯t looking to fight me directly but rather to gain some secondary benefit from following me. If I didn¡¯t move, I couldn¡¯t avoid a fight, and if I kept moving, I¡¯d increase my chances of exposure. It was a catch-22 that I had to avoid. Whizz! The now-familiar sound of bullets whizzing past filled my ears. The sharp noise of gunfire and the sensation of bullets grazing my back were far from pleasant. My nanomachine gauge on the lower left plummeted at an rming rate. It was the worst-case scenario. I was being chased, and in my attempt to escape, I¡¯d drawn the attention of an unwee guest. Hunters are weakest when they¡¯re being hunted. "¡­Hah¡­!" However. Normally, I¡¯d think of this as incredibly bad luck and try my best to struggle through it, but maybe because of my recent experiences¡ªI was seeing more this time. Keeping more possibilities in mind, focusing on what I could control, and staying calm in the face of the situation. A single experience a few hours ago wouldn¡¯t dramatically change everything. But recently, there hadn¡¯t been a time when every moment felt as critical as it did then, and I had literally gritted my teeth to get through it. Maybe, just recalling that memory would help. Crash! "¡­!" The moment I crossed the skybridge and entered the opposite building, a bullet, silenced but deadly, zipped through the air and hit me, as if someone had been lying in wait. My nanomachine reserves rapidly dwindled to near-zero. It might take minutes to fully recover at this rate. With the distance between me and the tracker closing, even moving forward was bing difficult. I leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. It was a situation where the slightest misstep could be fatal. Normally, at this point, I¡¯d give up on survival and start preparing for the next match. But. Wasn¡¯t that mission earlier meant to prepare me for exactly this kind of situation? The enemies weren¡¯t fools. And if both of them knew my location¡­ it was the worst-case scenario, but considering the uing situations, whether or not I could break through didn¡¯t matter¡ªI had to. Static. I heard the sound of a Seeker Mine rolling, followed by footsteps rushing in, likely from the person who had been lying in wait. It was another catch-22. If I tried to intercept the Seeker Mine, I¡¯d be exposed to the following enemy, but if I prepared for the enemy, I¡¯d take near-lethal damage. But as long as it didn¡¯tpletely finish me off, that was enough. As the Seeker Mine rounded the corner, I gritted my teeth and sprinted straight ahead. A blinding sh and fire erupted. -[Notification: Health has dropped below 5%.] I dove into the corridor, aiming as I went. My vision was blurry, and the screen was flickering erratically, but I could still vaguely make out the silhouette of the yer charging toward me. Because I had appeared a beat earlier than expected, the enemy was running toward me without even aiming. In an instant, I unloaded about 40 rounds from my MP7A1 straight ahead. As the enemy fell, I quickly reloaded. It wasn¡¯t a calcted action but a natural response driven by survival instincts. At the same time, I yanked the trigger at the tracker, who had slowly entered the corridor, aiming at head level. It didn¡¯t take long for both enemies to fall lifeless. Click. "Hah¡­." The moment I confirmed there were no more enemies nearby, the tension released. The focus that had pulled together everyst bit of my energy dissolved like a bubble, leaving me in a state of confusion. My vision darkened, then slowly began to clear. My HP bar slowly refilled in this nonbat situation. After looting the bodies and injecting myself with healing ampoules, the recovery sped up. Barely pulling myself together, I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my dizzy vision and exhaling deeply once more. If the previous breath had been a resolute one, this was a sigh of relief. For some reason, I could almost hear the familiar voice of the Anaconda¡ªSerpentia yer¡ªsaying, "That¡¯s how you survive." "¡­This is seriously insane¡­." Skills improve when faced with limits. Yujin was still tempering her students today. Chapter 68 "Good work, everyone!" "You all did great!"@@novelbin@@ With apuse, the second day wasing to an end. The cheers that had filled the room were gradually dying down, and the participants¡ªover a hundred of them¡ªbegan to disappear one by one, leaving behind faint glowing fragments of light. To be precise, they logged out of the session. It was now less than a week until the qualifying ranks opened. The scrims were bing increasingly intense, and only the top 100 out of the thousands participating would earn a ticket to the Korea Selection Match. Given therge number of people, their destinations converged in a few directions, though they were not identical. Those who weren¡¯t selected or were uninterested quickly left the room, while those picked up by the professional gamers¡ªabout fifteen on average per session¡ªheaded to newly created private sessions. And among them, today¡¯s session¡ªhosted by SSM. Yujin, who had received numerous questions from the professional gamers in that room, as always, used Dice, an SSM pro gamer she had recently met by chance, as a shield to execute a wless defensive maneuver. In short, as usual¡ªshe managed to escape, leaving behind a flood of curiosity from others about how the two had be so close and when they had even met. And so, once again, back in Dice¡¯s private booth. The two had grown quitefortable talking with each other by now. "¡­I¡¯m not doing this tomorrow, no way. My head was pounding all day during today¡¯s scrim. Yujin, how on earth do you have so much stamina?" "You need to push yourself harder. Try to find time for some cardio." "It¡¯s easy to say¡­." Thud. Her golden hair syed out across the desk as she slumped down, face first. The scrim that followed the three-hour long hardest difficulty mission was a grueling marathon. Dice had expected it to be just a regr practice session, but things didn¡¯t go the way she had hoped. Of course, saying things didn¡¯t go as nned is an understatement¡ªthe entire session was a desperate struggle for survival. No one but Dice knew this, but that yer, Yujin, had carried the entire hardest difficulty mission, and then, in the SSM scrim that followed, she didn¡¯t miss first ce in nearly 17 out of 25 matches, just like she had done at Xi the previous day. Is she even human? That question was on the tip of Dice¡¯s tongue, but she held it back¡ªpartly because of what they had been through together, and partly because it would be impolite. Moreover, considering the possibility, Yujin might actually be one of those "Awakened" individuals often rumored about. Given her seemingly endless stamina and superhuman strength, that exnation seemed more usible. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. This was a kind of¡­ personal debriefing time. "So, do you think that training method worked?" "Well¡­ I think it helped somewhat today. It¡¯s not that my reaction speed improved, but it was a brutal fight¡­." "Survivors are the strong ones." "You know, I think I heard something like that in my head during the match." "Oh dear, you should see a doctor." Whose fault do you think that is¡­ Dice couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. She was the type to shrink into a corner and sulk like a scolded pet rather thanin outright. But aside from that, Yujin was an absolute enigma. What had she done to gain such skills? What kind of training did she go through to deliver these consistent results without any fluctuations? The fact that she revealed none of this was what made it so frustrating. And of course, there was one more headache-inducing issue with her. "Ah, about that short-term contract proposal you mentionedst time. I think I can give a positive response. If possible, could you pass the message to the AP division? I don¡¯t have any other way to contact them." "¡­Yujin, you¡¯re truly unpredictable in every way." "Just think of it as a personal interest." It was hard to say, but she was utterly unpredictable. Maybe she was right¡ªif not driven by personal interest, her actions were inexplicable. From Dice¡¯s perspective, it was a good oue, but whether Yujin would feel the same way was uncertain. Several screens floated into view. What was disyed was a part of the day¡¯s gamey video that wouldn¡¯t be released to the public untilter¡ªthis was a privilege close to being a perk of being a professional gamer. On the screen, Yujin and Dice¡¯s gamey was shown. One side was rtivelyposed, while the other struggled more than usual today, but still, their skills were undeniable. Even when Yujin self-destructed, bing a storm that annihted everyone nearby and eliminated herself from the session, she still consistently ranked at the top. In the end, her reputation as a professional gamer was well-deserved. It¡¯s just that Yujin, who had appeared out of nowhere, was exceptionally abnormal. "¡­Well, anyway, that¡¯s good news. Today¡¯s scrim proved that you¡¯re not just a one-day wonder, so everyone will be eager to work with you now. Our side will be thrilled." "That¡¯s a relief." After a brief silence, Yujin added, "I read through the contract, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any major issues¡­ I won¡¯t always have a lot of free time, but I¡¯ll do what I can. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m confident in teaching others, though." "You say that, but I bet you¡¯ll do just fine." "Haha¡­." All that followed was an awkwardugh. [General Chat] Yujin is streaming now!!! Let¡¯s goooo!!! [All Comments][In Order of Posting]
  • Nonsense, Yujin went to the U.S. to go pro. ?[Author] Nooope, she¡¯s back~~~
  • After waiting for Yujin for what felt like 13 years, her fans are finally winning. I¡¯m going to celebrate like crazy!
  • Damn, it¡¯s only been two or three days without her stream, but I missed her so much. ?It¡¯s called love.
  • Nice, as soon as I join, people are begging her to talk about the scrim. LOL
"¡­Ah, hello, everyone. Long time no see. If it were possible, I would¡¯ve streamed the scrim, but unfortunately, I¡¯m only able toe back now. How has everyone been?" -How do you think we¡¯ve been? It¡¯s been three days without a stream, and we¡¯ve been waiting like crazy for you. Please, stream, y Dark Zone, and talk to us!! -Teacher, we are not associated with this crazy person. -Lol, she¡¯s gonna run away as soon as she sees the donationsing in. -Fact: We¡¯re all going through withdrawal. -The chat is like 20% people and 80% crazed dogs. LOL -Oh,e on, stop whining. We¡¯re here to have fun~~~ ¡­. Uh¡­. The chat is an absolute mess. It¡¯s not like my streams have been anything special so far, and I haven¡¯t even interacted with viewers much¡­ so why are nearly 7,000 people going wild? I did say three days ago that I¡¯d be taking a break to prepare for the scrim and do other things, but I didn¡¯t expect this kind of chaos. Honestly, I was a little, just a little, taken aback. The reason I turned on the stream today wasn¡¯t to do anything special, but rather to announce that I¡¯d be setting up a personalmunity on Tricky for more effective updates. But the moment I started the stream, the chat exploded with questions about the scrim. After taking some time to go through the messages, most of them were about how I managed to win 15 matches in a scrim with pro yers. To be blunt, this was it: "I knew you were good, but I didn¡¯t know you were this good." That¡¯s what most of thements and donations were saying. Since things had already escted to this point, I figured it wouldn¡¯t be wise to downy it¡ªof course, that didn¡¯t mean I was going to start bragging either. I decided to just keep it simple and say what I could. "Looks like there are a lot of questions about the scrim¡­ To be honest, it just happened that way. I didn¡¯t expect to win 15 matches either. But I did die about eight times. There were a lot of really skilled yers."
  • Wow, lolololol.
  • She must be really good if she managed to get killed 8 times while being a Terminator lolol.
  • No need for any other exnation, ¡®I died 8 times¡¯ sums it up perfectly lololol.
  • Is this¡­ the future of AP soloing? So solid!
  • She fought an armored vehicle 23 times and won 8 times. LOL.
The exaggeration¡­ is way too much. I don¡¯t know when it started, but to them, I was no longer just another yer¡ªI was now being treated like some kind of walking tank. As I was trying to figure out how to best describe the skills of the other yers who participated in the scrim, everyone just seemed to ept the fact that I got killed a few times. Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly something I could argue against. So I decided to let it slide, even if it left me feeling a bit awkward. "¡­Anyway, that¡¯s how it went. And I¡¯ve received a lot of offers after this scrim, but I¡¯ve declined them since I don¡¯t have any ns to go pro. I can still participate in tournaments as long as I meet the requirements. So I guess I¡¯ll show up as an independent¡­."
  • Is it true you got five wildcard offers this time?
"Yes. But as I said, I turned them down." And naturally, this led to a huge uproar. But what could I do? After all, this was a personal choice. To prevent the conversation from getting stuck on this topic, I quickly changed the subject. "But since I¡¯ve started streaming, I¡¯d like to take a break from Dark Zone for today and have a lighter chat. Also, I have some news for you all."
  • Oh?
  • What is it? Something big?
  • Something big ising, everyone get ready!!!
  • Oh,e on, nobody here is really expecting anything big, right?
  • Honestly, I¡¯m not expecting much (getting my heart ready to be blown away).
"It¡¯s nothing major¡­ But I¡¯m nning to set up a personal board on Tricky where I can post updates when I¡¯m not streaming. There will also be a Q&A section, so if you have any questions about me, feel free to use it." But then¡­
  • I knew it, damn it, I knew this was going to happen lololololol.
"¡­Is there a problem?" I didn¡¯t even say you could expect anything big. Anyway, the chat was going crazy by itself¡ªpredicting the behavior of viewers and actually steering it are two different things, and frankly, it was chaos. The chat was already flooded with people metaphorically lying down in surrender. I kind of get it. I can¡¯t say much because of personal reasons, but from their perspective, it probably feels like they¡¯re constantly being¡­ well, let¡¯s say "teased." But that¡¯s that, and this is this. I don¡¯t forgive those who disregard the streamer¡¯s perspective. I decided to try out a technique Harmony had taught me. "¡­Since there are so many heartfeltments today, let¡¯s cool things down a bit with a rxing game. Once things calm down, we can talk more." Slide. And the screen that appeared before me©¤©¤©¤
  • For crying out loud, teacher, what did we do wrong???
"It¡¯s just my way of helping you let go of your obsession and find some peace of mind." Jump Master. Sometimes, one topic needs to be quelled with an even bigger one. Chapter 69 Harmony''s day was quite ordinary. She struggled to wake up at nine in the morning, dragged herself to the gym squeezed into her schedule, and after just an hour or two of exercise, she would sweat profusely as she barely made her way home. On the way back, several cafes selling refreshing and sweet smoothies caught her eye, but when she touched her still soft and squishy belly, she sighed and closed her eyes tightly. Once she returned home, she would immediately take a shower, then pull out various side dishes and soup portions she had stored in the freezer to have lunch. The high-calorie delivery foods that used to overflow in her fridge were slowly disappearing as a result. After eating, the fatigue from exercisingbined with post-meal drowsiness would hit her hard, so she would spend some time dozing off until she felt her food had somewhat digested, then she would nap soundly for about two hours. If there was a schedule requiring her to go out, this was usually when she would leave. Upon waking up, usually around four in the afternoon, she would finish any unfinished tasks from before her nap if there were no other pressing matters. These tasks were mostly rted to videos uploaded to YourSpace or content for her associated MCN. However, since she had a lot of autonomy, it wasn¡¯t something she stressed about too much. Around six in the evening, she would have a light meal, brush her teeth, and then start her stream. Her streams typically ran from seven in the evening until eleven at night¡ªsometimes extending until midnight¡ªwhich, when converted into virtual reality time, equated to twelve to fifteen hours. Naturally, after experiencing thispressed time, she would fall asleep like a rock right after her stream. And so it went, on ate August day, when the heat was still intense.@@novelbin@@ She was streaming again, this time with an increased viewer count due to her involvement with Dark Zone. As she was continuing with her "Just Chatting" session, a screen suddenly popped up in front of her. JellyfishBox donated 7,000 won with a video donation: "Hey, Nhi!!! Did you go around spreading weird games again?" "¡­Heh." It was a scene that didn¡¯t require much exnation. After a brief introduction to what had happened earlier, the video naturally transitioned to Yujin ying Jump Master. It was a sight that was very characteristic of her. Even when it came to herself, she would never do what others wanted if she didn¡¯t want to. Of course, it was Harmony who had taught her that method¡ªwhich made it all the more amusing.
  • "Hey, don¡¯tugh."
  • "It¡¯s obvious who taught her, lolol."
  • "You¡¯re truly evil, lol."
  • "Harmony, was it you again?"
  • "This is a gue, lol."
Her viewers, who had started to get used to it, immediately sensed who had influenced Yujin to start ying crappy games recently. And then there were those who werepletely unrted to all this, simply watching the chaos unfold like spectators across the river. Harmony¡¯s surroundings were operating as usual today. There¡¯s a saying that time flows in proportion to how busy a person is. I¡¯ve been deeply feeling the truth of that recently, and with my daily routine bing increasingly fixed, time seems to slip away in the blink of an eye. It feels like I close my eyes for a moment, and day turns to night in an instant. A lot has happened in between. I¡¯ve participated in daily scrims whenever there weren¡¯t any scheduling conflicts, and in the meantime, I also finished discussions regarding the temporary coaching position Dice had proposed¡ªspecifically a contract until the Asia qualifiers. Starting tomorrow, instead of participating in scrims, I¡¯ll be working as a tactical advisor during that time. ¡­I had considered trying out this job if things didn¡¯t work out after I returned here, but to think I¡¯d be doing it in the cyber world instead of in a real PMC. It¡¯s a bit surreal. But the good thing is that I don¡¯t have to bring my physical body into this. After all, the matches take ce within virtual reality. Anyway, putting that aside. When you start something new, naturally, new concernse along with it. Among them are rtively simple tasks like sharing my expertise with others, but there are also entirely different kinds of challenges. For example, managing my own channel on YourSpace and finding an editor. Or receiving offers to join an MCN. Neither of these is mandatory, but at least in terms of running a channel, it¡¯s something that quite a few people seem to expect, so it¡¯s hard to ignore or dismiss itpletely. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because I¡¯m not fully prepared yet or if it¡¯s due to ack of preliminary research. ns often go awry from the start, but I can¡¯t just hire an editor without even deciding how much to pay them. If I start discussing that, there¡¯s no end to it. I¡¯d need to decide on the direction of the channel, the editing style, how many videos to upload per month, how to promote the channel¡­ I¡¯d need to think about video thumbnails too. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d have to consider those aspects as well. There would also be changes within the stream. I¡¯m not bad at speaking, but uploading videos with the same content and format all the time would get dull. That would inevitably involve many interactions and changes. Not that these are bad things. But at this point, with the tournament approaching, it might be a bit too tricky to take on. Honestly, it¡¯s not a huge dilemma. If I had to say, it¡¯s just a part of my personality¡ªif I¡¯m going to do something, I want to do it as perfectly as possible. But if I think about it more simply, I could just find someone to do basic editing for me before I start worrying too much about it. But the real reason I started seriously considering all this was something else entirely. Harmony: Teacher~~~~ How have you beentely?? It¡¯s still so hot outside ¨t(¡ä¦á`)¨s Harmony: I heard a lot of newstely, so I¡¯m stopping by to check in as usual ??! Did you beat Jump Master? Yujin: ( ????? ) Yujin: How could you rmend a game like that¡­. Harmony: ?????????????????? Harmony: Sorry,,?? The reason was something mentioned after this routine greeting. Harmony: I thought about making excuses, but I decided there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush, so I¡¯ll just say it straight, Harmony: I¡¯ve received a lot of help from you so far, but I feel like I haven¡¯t properly thanked you Harmony: If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯d like to treat you to a meal (???¦ä???) Harmony: It¡¯s just a personal wish of mine, so it¡¯s okay if you refuse¡­. Specifically, after seeing this, I found myself drifting into a mind map of what questions mighte up if I actually met Harmony, which led me to spiral into other thoughts. Honestly, not meeting wasn¡¯t really an option I considered. I¡¯m not a recluse¡ªthere¡¯s no reason to be afraid of meeting people. I can barely even remember my old body anymore. If we¡¯re talking about physical conditioning, the 4 years and 8 months I spent in New York absolutely crush the previous 20 years. Anyway, all this rambling started because of that message. Summary over. Yujin: Can I think about it for a bit? Harmony: Sure! This wasn¡¯t an indirect rejection but rather a process of checking my schedule and making sure I had appropriate clothes to wear when we met. It was a minor catastrophe that I only had flowy dresses and weird outfits at home. Of course, if I dug around, I could find something decent, but even those didn¡¯t quite meet my standards¡­. It¡¯s ironic that I¡¯ve had to adjust to wearing underwear. That aside, I should probably also prepare to exin my real appearance. Yujin: Since the qualifying ranks open next Monday, it might be a bit difficult around that time. Harmony: Oh Harmony: Does that mean you¡¯re interested? Yujin: It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t meet, haha. Harmony: Yay~~~~!!! ?(¨@?¨A)?* Harmony: Just let me know when you¡¯re free! I can clear my schedule anytime! Yujin: I don¡¯t mind, but I should tell you something Yujin: You might be a bit surprised when you see my real appearance¡­ Her response came back quickly. Harmony: That¡¯s okay! I¡¯m mentally prepared¡­ No matter how muscr you are, I won¡¯t be shocked, haha ^^ Harmony: Should I book a BBQ restaurant¡­? Yujin: It might be faster if I show you a picture. Click. I took a photo and sent it. Identification Card: Species: Eunectes murinus Linnaeus ssification: Serpentia (Green Anaconda) Name: Lee Yujin Description: Multiple Physical Identifiers (Evident/Multiple) Identity Protection Needed Note: 010 - XXXX - XXXX (Human Rights Protection Center) I pressed "Send." There wasn¡¯t much hesitation. I¡¯d already passed that stage a while ago, and I wasn¡¯t the type to refuse a kind gesture. To put it inly, I¡¯m the type who enjoys being treated. Anyway, aside from that¡ªHarmony¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t far off from what I expected. Harmony: !!?!??!?!?!?!!?!?!!?!?!?!?! Harmony: Teacher????????????????? Yujin: (?¦Å?£») Harmony: If you¡¯re a Green Anaconda, does that mean your avatar is¡­??? Yujin: (£»?§Õ?£© Harmony: Ahahaha, lolololololololol The endless string of "lol" conveyed a whirlwind of indescribable emotions. Thankfully, there¡¯s such a thing as "Awakened" in this world. Considering that, there wasn¡¯t much need to worry about outside reactions, and I was more curious about how Harmony would respond going forward. How much time passed, I¡¯m not sure. Harmony: You tricked me!!!!! Yujin: I didn¡¯t intend to, but that¡¯s how it turned out. Yujin: I didn¡¯t lie. Harmony: Ahahaha, lolololol Harmony: I¡¯m dizzy just thinking about it¡­. But then, not long after, more messages followed. Harmony: So, do you really have a tail? Can you show me your tail? Harmony: Can you make a heart shape with your tail? ¡­Hmm. I decided to grant herst request as a sort ofmemorative gesture. It wasn¡¯t easy given the structure of my tail, but since I¡¯d done it a few times before, it didn¡¯t take long. After the sh went off again, I pressed the send button, and the "1" next to the message instantly disappeared. Harmony: ?????????????? Harmony: This is the first time I¡¯ve seen an E2-level Awakened¡­. Yujin: It¡¯s not strange, right? Harmony: I¡¯m not really a fan of snakes, but your tail is beautiful! Yujin: I¡¯m d to hear that. It seemed a bit off-topic, but since the goal was to prevent any shocking surprises¡­ in the end, the purpose was achieved. Harmony: So, do you have a ce you want to go? Yujin: I eat a lot¡­. The conversation continued. Lately, I¡¯ve been feeling that my future is so dynamic that even I can¡¯t predict it. Chapter 70 "Wow¡­." Harmony, the small-framed homeowner,y sprawled on the sofa in her living room, staring up at the ceiling with her phone resting on her belly. Her mind was awash with emotions, a whirlwind of thoughts and memories about Yujin that had suddenly taken on a new meaning. It wasn¡¯t betrayal she felt¡ªafter all, Yujin hadn¡¯t lied to her. But there was a sense of awe, a sort of marvel at the revtion that had just unfolded. An Awakened, of all things. Awakened individuals were rare, and those who existed were often under strict protection by the government. Stories of where they lived were passed around in whispers, but meeting one intentionally was nearly impossible. Yet here she was, with a friend whose identity was beyond anything she could have imagined. She had assumed Yujin was just an incredibly fit personal trainer or perhaps a tough, retired special forces soldier. But the world, it seemed, always had a way of surprising her with more than she bargained for. But that realization onlysted a moment. Harmony¡¯s thoughts drifted back over the past three to four weeks, recalling her experiences with Yujin. The first time she entered Dark Zone, the feelings she had as she navigated that deste, snow-covered dead city¡ªa stark contrast to the vibrant, hopeful VRMMORPGs she had yed before. The sense of istion and struggle, as if the whole world was against her. And then, amidst it all, she met Yujin. Their first meeting was too impactful to be forgotten, and naturally led to a second and third. In those times, many things happened between them. Before long, Harmony had skyrocketed to be a top-tier streamer, choosing to showcase her skills in Apex Predator content and growing her reputation rapidly. On the surface, it seemed like just a story of someone benefiting from a friendship, but when she considered that Yujin¡¯s avatar¡ªno, her true form¡ªhad been what she was seeing all along, everything changed. The image of Yujin in the restricted area, at the shooting range, during missions, and in survival scenarios¡­ all those moments took on a new significance. Wait a minute. Did that mean the avatar she had seen was actually Yujin herself all along? Realizing the full weight of this revtion, Harmony quickly grabbed her phone. [Harmony: This is a national-level deception, teacher!!!!] [Yujin: ??????] But seriously, if Yujin¡¯s identity were to be revealedter on¡ªwhether by her or through some other means¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be like, "Ta-da! You haven¡¯t been watching an avatar all this time; you¡¯ve been seeing the real Yujin!"? If that happened, how could anyone be med for the inevitable chaos in the chatroom? At least for the first 30 minutes, it would be a storm of questions and usations. Revealing her identityter would actually be easier. The next time viewers ask for a face reveal, she could just say, "You¡¯ve been watching it all along!" and that would be the end of it. If this isn¡¯t deception, what is? It seemed that being a former special forces soldier also meant being good at tricking people. [Harmony: What am I supposed to do now,,,] [Harmony: Do I just have to bury my face in my pillow and shout, ''Yujin-sensei is a real anaconda'' every day??] [Harmony: My lips are itching to talk about this,,?(???o???)?] [Yujin: Oh dear] [Yujin: See you at the police station] [Harmony: That¡¯s too much,,,???!!!] It was a bit scary because that could actually happen¡­. But aside from her urge to talk about it, Harmony was genuinely looking forward to what was toe. In just a few months, who knew how much more famous Yujin could be? It wasn¡¯t out of the question that she could single-handedly dominate the Dark Zonemunity. If, during all that time, Harmony alone knew the truth while everything around her exploded, it might actually be kind of fun. Even as these thoughts raced through her mind, their conversation continued, shifting to the topic of where they might eat. Not sure if this was true for all Awakened individuals or just Yujin, but Harmony quickly decided to book the most expensive buffet she knew, considering Yujin had mentioned she ate a lot. Although nearly 300,000 won vanished from her ount in an instant, it wasn¡¯t much of a concern given her ie. The bigger worry, though¡­ ¡­Will I end up getting dragged to the gym with her if we meet in person? She imagined herself struggling to lift the lightest weights while Yujin watched and counted every rep with unwavering precision. As she envisioned a future where her muscles ached and shey on her bed or sofa trying to stream, Harmony shook her head in resignation. Her hazel hair swayed gently as she did. It was summer. A Tactical Advisor. Or, as it¡¯s moremonly known, a military consultant. In today¡¯s world¡ªat least within certain circles¡ªthis wasn¡¯t an umon profession. A quick search on YourSpace would bring up countless videos rted to the field. The rise of the game Dark Zone brought military expertise, once considered far removed from the everyday lives of civilians, into the esports world. In short, this profession had be much more essible than it used to be. So, what does a Tactical Advisor do? As the name suggests, they provide expert guidance. This can range from training a single individual to be abat specialist to devising strategies forrge-scale conflicts. Neither role is inherently superior. The former is akin to a nonmissioned officer who directly trains field operatives, while thetter takes on the broader perspective of tactics and strategy, like an officer. If asked which role I fit into, I¡¯d say the former. In other words, I was a field operative. Whether thetter role is even necessary in a game like Dark Zone is debatable. So, the job I¡¯d be doing from now on was closer to agent training. Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to apply real-world tactics in the game, but¡­ it¡¯s something I¡¯ll figure out as I go. The people I¡¯ll be instructing likely have some basic knowledge of urbanbat. Even if it¡¯s something they learned through the game¡­. If I had to predict, my role would likely involve correcting their mistakes and helping them refine their shooting and positioning skills. Urbanbat, or CQB, ultimatelyes down to who can shed their hesitation and attack first, but that requires a level of urgency that¡¯s hard to replicate in a game. That¡¯s why we focus on improving shooting skills and reaction times. Anyway, it starts tomorrow. I couldn¡¯t just show up unprepared, so I spent a good amount of time warming up and revisiting some training manuals that had been gathering virtual dust in my Icarus Gear. I focused less on the rigid basics and more on practical skills that are easy to overlook¡ªlike how to quickly switch between left and right stances behind cover, how to efficiently throw grenades, and how to make quick single shots. It sounds like the kind of knowledge you¡¯d expect to be passed down personally, but as always, soldiers are trained, not born. Everything can be tranted into knowledge, and that means even actions can be exined theoretically. A donation popped up on my screen: Embrier donated 1,000 won: "Not doing scrims today? That¡¯s awesome, lol." "I¡¯ve done everything I needed to for the past few days¡­ Actually, I was told during scrims that there¡¯s no need for me to participate anymore. Considering that, it seems a bit excessive to keep joining."
  • Summary: Too good, got kicked out
  • This person is a realedian, lolololololol
  • Teacher, you don¡¯t need to beat around the bush, we all know what¡¯s up.
  • My greatest achievement in life: watching Yujin¡¯s stream, lol
  • You too?
¡­Looking back, it really does feel like I got kicked out. Though I¡¯ll be participating in a different capacity starting tomorrow, the fact remains¡­ Sometimes I wonder how I ended up in this situation. It¡¯s fortunate that I can use all the skills I¡¯ve acquired in a positive way, but still. Anyway, it¡¯s about time I started preparing for tougher opponents. The basic mechanics of the game don¡¯t change, but who knows what kind ofpetitors will show up in the Asia qualifiers¡ªassuming I get through. Once I start preparing for the finals, how seriously will I need to take this? In a way, I might be retracing my steps. Not just revisiting memories, but perhaps returning to my roots. Somewhere in a foreignnd, kicking up dust, pulling the trigger for real, were people who now crossed over into Dark Zone, casually bringing their real-world experience with them. In that sense, maybe I¡¯m facing the same enemy in a different space. After finishing my notes on the key points for tomorrow¡¯s lecture, I saved them as a memo. The viewers didn¡¯t know yet that I¡¯d be working as a temporary coach for SSM, but there was no need to tell them. It wouldn¡¯t do any good anyway. As I was wrapping up the stream, a sudden donation came through. Byeol Jigi donated 1,000 won: "Not doing Jump Master today? Let¡¯s do the second DLC map." "¡­If I do that, I feel like I¡¯ll end up in a really bad mood, so I¡¯m putting it off."
  • Fact: This person started Jump Master a few days ago to shut up the question spammers.
  • A grumpy anaconda¡­ still possible
  • What? Did Yujin say she¡¯d tie you up? (hearing things)
  • She yed the game herself and got internally wrecked, lololololol
  • Is this that radioactive thing or whatever?
¡­Thinking back, all of Harmony¡¯s rmendations have been solid. The problem is that now viewers see me as either ying Dark Zone or weird, crappy games¡ªnothing in between. Since I¡¯ve opened my personalmunity on Tricky, maybe I should take game rmendations there. After all, I¡¯ve wrapped up most of the current ones. As I exited Dark Zone, I added:@@novelbin@@ "So, I¡¯ll start taking other game rmendations. With the qualifying ranksing up soon, I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll y them right away, but if you suggest something, I¡¯ll check it out. Post your ideas on the Trickymunity." It felt like I was finally putting themunity to proper use. After that, I spent about an hour chatting with the viewers. Since my main content was Dark Zone and I had a tournamenting up, the conversation naturally gravitated in that direction. Since my path as a streamer seemed fairly set now, it might be good to try new things asionally¡ªlike viewer participation content. Of course, I rejected a lot of ideas. They just didn¡¯t seem that interesting. But thankfully, I haven¡¯t seen any feedback saying the streams are boring. So far, it seems like I¡¯m meeting viewers¡¯ expectations well enough. After some time passed, I logged into the site, which still felt a bit unfamiliar, and clicked on the notification showing new posts. A lot of posts had gone up in the meantime. Apparently, there was a rmendation feature, and the most liked ones were at the top. I picked one at random. "Let¡¯s see¡­ KimPassMega rmended¡­ ''Tentacle Can Be Loved?'' The title alone sounds pretty¡­ unusual." I scrolled down. Hmm. Uh. Hmm¡­. Um¡­ In summary, here¡¯s what it was about: "¡­Why do I have to date unfinished, feminized outer gods?"
  • Lololololololol
  • You¡¯re picky despite having a simr thing hanging from your tail
  • Starting off strong with some truly bizarre game rmendations, I love it
  • Fact: This so-called masterpiece has three parts and multiple endings.
  • How the hell did this thing get three parts, lolololololol
It seemed that Harmony¡¯s first suggestion might have been something I should have avoided altogether. Chapter 71 [The worst heatwave that swept across the country for four days has finally subsided, and the monsoon front is once again intensifying. The rain will start again this evening around 7 p.m. and will be concentrated overnight. Today, the maximum temperature in the capital region is expected to be 34 degrees Celsius, with the minimum temperature at 24 degrees Celsius. Due to the ongoing monsoon front, the atmosphere is saturated with moisture, so a sticky heat is expected during the day. Meanwhile¡­.] ¡°...Ugh, the weather these days is just the worst...¡± August in South Korea always forced its inhabitants into a cruel choice. Would you rather endure the suffocating, skin-searing heat, or the endless rain that leaves you soaked, with watermarks that never dry and sweat that never seems to evaporate? For Koreans, the four seasons were never pleasant. Just as the saying goes, ¡°too much of anything is bad,¡± summer was extremely hot and humid, while winter was brutally cold and dry. Harmony was no exception to this. The monsoon front, which had crept in sincest night, unleashed a torrential downpour while she slept, and the clear view outside before she fell asleep was now shattered by a gloomy, dreary mess. Fortunately, Harmony was one of the few high-ie earners in modern society who could afford to let her electric bill soar into the hundreds of thousands of won without worrying too much, even if it meant cursing under her breath. In other words, this meant that she could run her air conditioner 24/7 for weeks without a care, and as a result, her home was a haven of dryness, free from the dampness that gued the outside world. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that she would have to step outside soon. It was 9 a.m. With two and a half hours left until her appointment, it didn¡¯t seem like much time when considering showering, getting ready, and the time needed to reach her destination. After neatly folding her clothes and standing under the waterfall-like shower from the ceiling, three minutes of random thoughts passed. Thirty minutes flew by as she went through all her shower products in the basket. After drying her hair and cleansing, she put on the outfit she had picked out since yesterday. First, her underwear, then the denim shorts she had recently bought, and finally a thin, striped T-shirt. With the outfitplete, she applied light makeup, mindful of the forecasted humidity levels of 95-100%, which meant anything too heavy would clump or melt. Before she knew it, an hour and forty minutes had passed. She quickly calcted the time in her head. The navigation app said it would take 30 minutes to reach her destination, but living in the traffic-congested Seoul meant nothing was certain. Moreover, the aftermath ofst night¡¯s 170mm downpour had left the city in chaos. Even though the rain had stopped, the effects lingered. In short, she needed to leave earlier than the navigation app suggested. Besides, she was heading to the most expensive buffet at a hotel, which meant there would be plenty of ces to rx or kill time even if she arrived early. With this in mind, Harmony spent the remaining 10 minutes carefully adding volume to her hair before reluctantly opening the front door. ¡°Ugh.¡± The weather was oppressive. Breathing was difficult, as if someone had ced a couple of humidifiers next to her mouth. The only silver lining was the fact that there was an entrance to the Doknipmun Station just a few minutes away. Since she often had to go out, her transit card was well loaded¡ªspecifically with a six-figure bnce. It didn¡¯t take long for the subway to arrive, and the refreshing coolness hit her as soon as the screen doors and train doors opened simultaneously. However, she only had to travel five stops before transferring to Line 2 for just one more stop. The outside was still gloomy, and the high-end department store nearby looked dull under the relentless rain. Despite the weather, the streets were crowded, and thenes were filled with cars like the clogged arteries of someone with high cholesterol. With about 10 minutes left before her appointment, Harmony turned right at the corner of the department store. Ahead was a hotel that looked like a Baumkuchen cake standing on its side. She hadn¡¯t been here often, but it wasn¡¯t her first time either. After all, people should learn to spend ording to their earnings, and this ce was a reflection of that. -[Harmony: I¡¯m almost there!! Where are you?? -Yujin: I¡¯m walking from the City Hall Station direction (^¨Œ^)/ -Harmony: Ah, you¡¯re on the opposite side!! (???)?? -Harmony: I¡¯ll wait for you inside! -Harmony: But what if we can¡¯t find each other¡­ (¡ä¡Ð`) -Yujin: Just wait inside the hotel and when you hear some whispers, head towards them. You¡¯ll most likely find me there. -Harmony: Hahahahahahaha -Harmony: You really do draw a crowd!! ??] And with that, curiosity began to stir. Was she really an Awakened? Or was it just a photo she picked up somewhere? Logic dictated that it couldn¡¯t be, but humans are creatures that can¡¯t help but imagine the worst. However, Harmony decided not to dwell on the "what ifs," forcefully redirecting her thoughts away from such spective fantasies. Before she knew it, she was at the hotel entrance. Marble and sculptures, sleek and luxurious interiors. The building¡¯s sloping design allowed for views of the outside even from the lower floors, but the buffet was underground.@@novelbin@@ Might as well wait by the entrance. It was 11:28 a.m., and the buffet opened at 11:30 a.m. There were obvious advantages to arriving at opening time, one of which was getting freshly made food. She hadn¡¯t had breakfast, so she was really hungry. Aside from that, numerous questions began to bubble up inside her. Would she really look exactly like her avatar? Or would there be some differences? To be honest, Harmony had never actually spoken to Yujin in person before. Specifically, not in a way that would reveal various aspects of the other person, like during a phone call. Not allmunication through a phone was the same. Yujin was a matryoshka doll full of secrets, with the key held only by herself. As she thought about this, her heart started to race. She checked her phone, put it away, and then anxiously pulled it out again, wondering if any more messages hade. It was like she had won a meal with a celebrity. How much time had passed? ¡°Harmony, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yes... Wow!¡± At that moment, Harmony¡¯s emotions were like a seesaw, swinging wildly. The voice came at an unexpected moment¡ªbut she had heard it so often in VR that she instantly rxed, as if in a cob stream, before snapping back to her senses. The voice was identical to the avatar¡¯s. Her head turned quickly, and her brown pupils took in the figure of a person. Of course, what she saw was a sight she could hardly believe. ¡°This is real?!¡± ¡°¡­This is not at all the reaction I expected. You¡¯re remarkable.¡± She had a lot to say, but what should she say? Simply put, She looked exactly like her avatar. Harmony almost fell backward in shock. Human nature is often driven more by curiosity than by restraint, and reason usually loses to instinct. So... ¡°Wow, oh wow, this is amazing¡­¡± ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°You¡¯re even prettier than I imagined!¡± ...Touching the tail was an irresistible act. But, still. She was much prettier and more fascinating than she had imagined. The texture was smooth and stic, and as she concentrated on touching it, the tail naturally wrapped around her hand. The color was a soft light brown, not overwhelming, with intricate patterns. Even though she wasn¡¯t particrly fond of reptiles, this was just too fascinating. Slide, slide. If it were a real anaconda, she might have been terrified, but they say feares from the unknown. In that sense, Yujin was someone she could trust, so... well, she rationalized that it was okay to touch it freely. ¡°Stop touching it. My tail will wear out.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°How is it that everyone reacts the same way?¡± Yujin¡¯s words indicated she had experienced this several times before. Feeling like she had done something she shouldn¡¯t have, Harmony carefully nced around, even though they were in an elevator. Before she knew it, the screen above showed that they had reached the LL floor. As the doors opened, the marble and dark wood-paneled interior was revealed, and the scent of food filled her nose. They chatted as they passed by the area lined with wine bottles. ¡°What kind of food do you like? They have good seafood here, and there¡¯s lobster, so feel free to get as much as you want.¡± ¡°Do youe here often?¡± ¡°Ah... sometimes?¡± ¡°Then I guess I should follow the advice of someone who knows the ce.¡± ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go together.¡± Fizz. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything on the way here, so she decided to start by cleansing her pte. She held the sparkling water in her mouth for a moment, letting it tingle and clean her taste buds, then carefully pushed her chair back and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Japanese section first, would you like toe along?¡± ¡°Sure. Do you rmend anything?¡± ¡°Well, I always find the tuna here to be really good.¡± ¡°Haha, so should I expect great things?¡± ¡°No, no, don¡¯t me me if it¡¯s not good, really.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± What should she say? Despite her serious demeanor, the asional jokes she threw in were strangely likable¡ªnot annoying, in fact, quite the opposite. This was always the case. If there had been any ulterior motives, it might have felt burdensome, but she wasn¡¯t like that then or now. If she had been greedy, constantly clinging on or demanding appearances on stream, I would have pushed her away, but she didn¡¯t. In a way, even I, a streamer with a job that required me to be more cautious than most influencers, thought it was okay. Anyway, the Japanese section. Red snapper, tuna, salmon, shrimp. In the sashimi section: octopus, salmon, tuna belly. As always, even though I knew I couldn¡¯t eat everything, I felt an inexplicable greed at the buffet. Yujin, too, had somehow managed to fill her te to the brim. And then... the freshly replenished lobster and scallop section caught my eye. ¡°Oh, it just came out. I need to get some of that too, but I don¡¯t have any room left. And neither does Yujin¡­.¡± ¡°Would you like to use this?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Then Yujin¡­ coiled her tail to create a space where a stic dish could be ced. As I ced the te on her tail with a peculiar expression, everyone¡ªfrom the iing guests to the working chefs and servers¡ªwas staring at us. ¡°Haha, in all my years working here, I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. Would you like me to serve you some?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± The expression of the employee who had ended up cing food on Yujin¡¯s tail was no different from mine just a few minutes earlier. Anyway, the food we returned to eat was delicious. Chapter 72 "...Your teeth aren¡¯t that long, are they?" "Anacondas aren¡¯t venomous. But aren¡¯t they still rtively longpared to other people?" "That¡¯s true. How fascinating¡­." ...Did I open my mouth too wide? Maybe it was because I skipped breakfast and was mindlessly eating high-quality food, but I found myself hearingments like this. Still, it seemed like a genuinely curious question, so I didn¡¯t think too much of it. But I couldn¡¯t help but be a little self-conscious. After swallowing my food cleanly and rinsing my mouth with sparkling water, I subtly touched my teeth with my fingers. Yujin¡¯s expression showed that she felt she might have asked something she shouldn¡¯t have. "It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a natural thing to be curious about. While we¡¯re on the topic, I should tell you that my tongue is also quite long. But that¡¯s gross, so I won¡¯t show you." "Oh, really? Wow¡­." "But if I keep getting the same questions over and over, it might get a bit tiring¡­." "Oh¡­ hang in there!" "Haha." It¡¯s something that¡¯s inevitable. Even though I still can¡¯t fully grasp it, being one of the few unique beings in the world is, in many ways, a burden. But thinking too deeply about it didn¡¯t seem to have much meaning¡­. Before carefully standing up, I stacked the now-empty tes to one side. I ate quite quickly, so I mentioned that I would be back shortly. Drawn by the sweet and spicy aroma, I found myself at a spot with piles of well-cooked meat. Some had just been grilled and ced on the grill, while others looked like they¡¯d been there for a while. I neatly stacked the meat on my te and also grabbed some sauces and salt. There were quesadis and pizza nearby, and there was no reason not to take them. People often say it¡¯s a waste to eat things like this at a buffet, but it doesn¡¯t matter as long as I¡¯m not full. I thought about grabbing something from another section, but I didn¡¯t want to appear too greedy all at once, so I turned back instead. Before heading back, I poured a bit of soda into my cup. When I ced the te down with a clink, Harmony, who was just finishing her te, looked at me with wide eyes. The meaning behind those eyes was clear and unmistakable. "Wow, can you really eat all of that!?" "If you n to ask that every time I go back and forth, you¡¯ll probably say it about six more times today." "Ahaha¡­ Well, enjoy. I¡¯m d I brought you here."@@novelbin@@ I sat down. The sixmb chops I brought were all French racks. Alongside them were a few cuts of sirloin, roast beef, and LA-style ribs. On one side of the te were garnishes, salt, and sauces. There were also a few slices of pizza. Surprisingly, with a very sharp knife, I easily sliced the meat and put it into my mouth. I hate to admit it, but there¡¯s a reason why expensive ces are worth it. It tasted that good. One of the dining etiquettes I learned long ago is that you shouldn¡¯t let others see the food going into your mouth. Likewise, there¡¯s no need to show them how long you chew your food. As Harmony asked earlier, I do have some differences in oral structurepared to others, so¡­ I guess you could say my dining etiquette evolved ordingly. The point is, because these actions are ingrained in me, I eat very quickly. Seeing me lift my thirdmb chop in such a short time, Harmony couldn¡¯t stop sneaking nces at me, filled with curiosity. Her expression was so cat-like that I couldn¡¯t help but think of her avatar. In that sense, it was indeed a well-designed avatar. "I guess I eat pretty fast, huh?" "Oh, um¡­ was it that obvious?" "It¡¯s hard to pretend not to notice when it¡¯s that obvious, haha." "Sorry. I¡¯m not usually the type to notice these things." "I think that¡¯s perfectly understandable." As always, empathy and understanding act as a lubricant that smooths rtionships between people. It wasn¡¯t really bothersome, and once I got used to her gaze, it was kind of endearing. If her avatar was a cat, then she was more like a hamster in real life. Her hazelnut-colored hair and a face that was more cute than beautiful reinforced that image. Before long, she had finished her te and got up, saying she was going to get some meat as well. By this time, I had already shoved about half of what I had taken into my stomach, and by the time Harmony returned, there probably wouldn¡¯t be much left. I felt the energy slowly return as I consumed my daily calorie requirement. As I thought about it, I suddenly found myself wondering where Harmony lived. Not for any particr reason, but if she lived close by, I could visit her often to nag her about exercising. She said it took her about 40 minutes to get here, so she probably doesn¡¯t live too far away. But asking directly seemed a bit too much, so I decided to wait for the right moment to bring it up. "I¡¯m back!" "Oh, you brought a lot of things¡­ Why did you get so much soda?" "Ehe, I actually drink sweet drinks often at home, ah. I shouldn¡¯t have said that." "Sigh¡­." "Oh, today is cheat day! It¡¯s cheat day, so it¡¯s okay!" "Every day isn¡¯t cheat day, is it?" "Waaah, mom¡­ Yujin¡¯s following me to lunch to torment me¡­!" Of course, it all ended as a simple joke. Since I had almost finished eating, I was contemting what to eat next¡ªthough, to be honest, there was still plenty left to choose from. Just from what I had seen while walking around: Chinese, Korean, instant foods, pasta, curry, dim sum, soup, bread, and more that I can¡¯t even list. One advantage of having a body like this is that I can fully enjoy buffets. I just realized this benefit now. In the past, the only thing I could eat to my heart¡¯s content wasbat rations. I acted quickly, and this time I headed for the Chinese section. And some timeter. "...Ma¡¯am, how much are you nning to eat?" "I¡¯m just making a round at the buffet." "Wow¡­." It had been about two hours since we started eating. I was still going strong. "Ah, I don¡¯t want to leave¡­ It¡¯s really too hot and humid today. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe. Didn¡¯t you feel the same, Yujin?" "I actually like this kind of weather¡­." "Oh." But today was a bit extreme. It was like walking around inside a giant sauna. Luckily, I had a body that could withstand high temperatures, but still. In terms of difort, today was one of those days where you seriously question whether you need to go out at all. Korean weather is a mess. Anyway, Harmony was reacting with amazement again, as if she were truly fascinated. There was about an hour left before we had to leave, and I had eaten quite a lot. My stomach was pretty full. It felt like I had already consumed most of my daily minimum calorie intake here. But that didn¡¯t mean I was ready to leave yet. I was still sitting with dessert and light snacks. A variety of bread, butter, and jams. Fruits like oranges and melons, along with shaved ice, soft-serve ice cream, and toppings. Waffles, cupcakes, jellies, gto, pies, egg tarts, cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e, macarons. Coffee, drinks, smoothies, fruit juices, and more. I thought it would be a shame not to try at least one of everything, so I brought a little of each. Harmony was shocked, but since it was all going into my stomach, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Besides, I could just burn off the calories by exercising once I got home. "Still, it feels like a mini buffet with all this variety. I can even sneak a bite of everything¡­ugh, I ate too much." "You started overdoing it halfway through, didn¡¯t you?" "But watching you eat made me hungry for some reason¡­." Does watching someone else eat well really increase your appetite? Considering how popr mukbang content still is on YourSpace, it¡¯s probably not that surprising. Patting her bloated stomach proudly, Harmony got up, saying she needed to use the restroom, and waddled away. Soon after, she returned, having washed her hands, and flopped back down into her chair. "Come to think of it, Yujin, aren¡¯t you at all interested in YourSpace?" "Actually, I was just about to ask you about that." The questions I had mentally prepared began to surface in response to this trigger. "Some people have said it¡¯s a bit unintuitive to watch the recorded streams directly on Trickie. So I¡¯m considering uploading videos to YourSpace as soon as possible." "Have you linked YourSpace yet?" "I¡¯m not really familiar with it, but I was just about to start when I got your message about having lunch." "Oh." "How did you go about it, Minah?" After a brief pause, she continued. "...Since we started from different points, I don¡¯t have much advice, but once you link it, your YourSpace channel will be automatically created. After checking all your recorded streams and uploading them, it should take just a few days to get everything up." "Got it." "Once you reach a certain number of subscribers and views, you¡¯ll be able to start mizing after a review process. In your case¡­ if you need thumbnails, you can send private messages to artists in themunity who do fan art, and you can find editors the same way." "Is that so?" "Of course, that¡¯s just a temporary solution. If you¡¯re nning to start running a channel seriously, it¡¯ll get moreplicated. Given your average stream time of twelve hours, you¡¯d probably need at least two editors... but you don¡¯t need to worry about that right now." "Thank you. I¡¯ll keep asking you if there¡¯s anything else I don¡¯t understand." "Haha, feel free to ask me anything. I¡¯ll help as much as I can." And so the conversation continued. The main topics were financial management, money matters, and contracts. Harmony exined that she manages her funds and ensures her sry is paid on time through a custom-made app from an externalpany. Additionally, since she¡¯s part of an MCN (Multi-Channel Network), she also receives some assistance from them. Money matters need to be managed meticulously, or problems will inevitably arise. In this field, information spreads quickly, so even a small mistake can escte rapidly. I decided to set parameters and manage thister through Icarus Gear. I also asked her about several other things. For example, the MCN proposals I had received, coboration requests from other streamers, and interview requests from YourSpace channel operators. These are all personal matters, but it¡¯s better to be prepared just in case. In all things, thorough prior research is essential before taking action. Even if it¡¯s impossible to gather all the information, asking questions like this can still be helpful. In that sense, Harmony, with her years of streaming experience, was a seasoned veteran and provided a lot of useful information. Although she did grumble a bit about how thest few weeks had been full of bizarre and unprecedented experiences. "...In any case, MCNs have their pros and cons. You should do thorough research and choose one that suits your strengths and needs, Yujin." "Is there anything else I should be mindful of?" "Whether you join an MCN or go solo, as your channel grows, so will your responsibilities and choices. Keep that in mind." "Thank you." With that, I stood up. Harmony tried to stand as well, but I raised a hand to stop her. "Huh? Weren¡¯t we about to leave?" I opened my mouth to respond. "We have to grab onest te of meat before we go." "Oh,e on!" But I couldn¡¯t allow ack of protein. Ignoring Harmony¡¯s yfulints, I walked away. Chapter 73 "Ugh, I really don¡¯t want to go outside... Aaaah!" "Come on, let¡¯s go. The weather¡¯s so nice." "The only ones who enjoy this kind of weather are reptiles!" "You know me so well." Harmony was reluctantly trying to cling to the cool, air-conditioned interior of the hotel, like a sticky rice cake left in a warm ce, instead of heading back out into the hot, humid air. Wrapping my tail loosely around her waist and shoulder like a crossbody bag, I easily pulled her along. My tail could support over 300 kilograms, so dragging a single adult was no problem. Though the weather forecast couldn¡¯t be fully trusted, it seemed that the heavy rain was still some time away. The sky was still overcast, and the air was thick with humidity. We walked, each holding an umbre, but with no particr destination in mind. I hadn¡¯t nned anything specific; at most, I¡¯d thought about visiting a shooting range. The hotel was surrounded by high-end department stores, and that was about it. If nothing else came to mind, we could always go there. The sound of cars passing over the wet pavement echoed off the walls, creating a continuous reverberation. "I was originally thinking of taking you to the MCN I¡¯m with, but it¡¯s a bit far, and we didn¡¯t get permission to visit, so that n fell through. Is there anywhere you want to go?" "The shooting range¡­?" "That¡¯s such a fitting suggestion for someone like you. But the department store right in front of us¡­ you¡¯re probably not interested in that." "Unfortunately, I have to get my clothes custom-made, but maybe we could check out some tops." "If we really can¡¯t think of anything else, then let¡¯s go to the shooting range. I¡¯ve been curious about what real guns are like." I had just said it casually, but she seemed to take it seriously, which caught me a little off guard. It was a good thing that Dark Zone had be amon enough concept in this world. Otherwise, people might have given us strange looks. But when I nced at Harmony, she seemed to be seriously considering my suggestion. If I didn¡¯t say anything else, we¡¯d probably end up there naturally. But that wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing either. Although the weather was still hot, the absence of direct sunlight made it bearable to walk around. The only downside was that it felt like walking through an aquarium due to the intense humidity, but chatting as we strolled kept it from being too bothersome. Being in Seoul, there was no shortage of things to see. Sandwich shops, m tang restaurants, cafes popping up every minute as we walked¡ªremnants of the colonial era. Buildings and roads appeared as soon as we emerged from the alleyways, and asionally, there were artisanal bakeries. Hospitals were scattered here and there. It was like looking at the same building blocks but assembled differently. A little further down was Namsan, and further up were Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo, though both were quite a walk. The weather and temperature weren¡¯t ideal for Harmony. Just in case, I searched for a nearby live-fire shooting range. Of course, I didn¡¯t take out my phone; I used Icarus Gear instead. A hologram visible only to me began popping up directions. The nearest range was roughly within a 400-meter radius. Close enough. As I was about to tell her this, Harmony suddenly stopped walking. Despite her stopping, the difference in weight and strength caused her to be dragged along the ground. "Ahhh! Wait a minute! Hold on! I stopped, why are you dragging me?" "Oh, I didn¡¯t realize... Did you see something interesting?" "Yes, look at that!" **[Experience a Variety of Exotic Animals! Wee to Healing With Pets Caf¨¦! Cute roons, cats, prairie dogs, guinea pigs, fennec foxes, ferrets, amphibians and reptiles, meerkats, and more adorable animals are waiting for you!] [¡ù Free entry for Awakened! // This event can only be used once!]** ...Could I even go in there? "Ahh, hey! Don¡¯t climb on my head! You¡¯ll ruin my volume!" "¡­." "Hmph, you¡¯re lucky you¡¯re cute. Wow, you¡¯re really chubby." "You¡¯re really enjoying yourself, aren¡¯t you?" "...Uh¡­."@@novelbin@@ Harmony, sipping her drink with a roon nestled in her arms, spoke with aplex mix of emotions on her face. "...Why aren¡¯t any of the animalsing near you, Yujin?" "You¡¯re teasing me, aren¡¯t you?" "Oh, sorry." How should I put it? The animals¡¯ attitudes toward us werepletely different. If Harmony was just another caf¨¦ guest, I was more like an apex predator that had suddenly shown up. As soon as I entered, the animals inside started running around in a frenzy, causing the caretakers to rush over and exin that this had never happened before, even when other Awakened had visited. But thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long for the animals to calm down. My personal guess was that they went from thinking, "We¡¯re gonna get eaten!" to "¡­Oh, we¡¯re not getting eaten." Thankfully, the situation de-escted. If it hadn¡¯t, we might have been kicked out. Now, some of the dogs and cats were cautiously approaching me with curiosity, so it seemed like things were going to be okay. "Coochie-coo." "...Pfft." "Harmony, here¡¯s a treat." "...I¡¯m not one of the caf¨¦¡¯s animals, you know?" "Yes, yes. Give me your hand." Chuck. Even so, she yfully ced her fist on my outstretched palm. Since Harmony had been sessfully tamed, I tore up the chicken breast (shrimp-vored) we bought at the entrance and wiggled my fingers to attract the roon that had started climbing my tail. "Wow, you brought it over with your tail." "If you were going to adapt this quickly, why did you make such a fuss about being scared¡­?" "Right?" Cradling a roon in my arms, I wrapped my tail around the handle of a cat toy and shook it enthusiastically. The animals, which had been wary at first, now ran around excitedly. Before long, my tail became a popr toy for the nearby animals, attracting other customers and even the caretakers, who came to watch this unusual scene. A cat had stealthily climbed up my tail and was now engaging in a yful territorial battle with the roon on my thigh. Meanwhile, Harmony, who had a cat rubbing its face against her leg while holding another in her arms, was ying along. "Oh, no! Don¡¯t mess with my phone! Guys, let¡¯s take a picture! Come on!" "Don¡¯t climb on the table." One Ragdoll tried to jump onto the table from a nearby empty chair. Since there was a ss of drink on the table, I gently stopped it with my tail and lowered it back to the ground. Just then, I heard the click of a camera. Of course, I had already given my okay when someone asked to take a picture, so it didn¡¯t bother me. As the cat, now on the ground, meowed in mild protest, I realized that I had finished my drink, which was part of the tour package. Since I couldn¡¯t carry it with me, I made sure to finish it. As the staff came to collect the empty sses, Harmony, now surrounded by more than a couple of animals, spoke up. "Ugh, I feel like I¡¯m going to be covered in fur when I get home." "Me too." "Are you done with your drink? They say there are reptiles and foxes upstairs. Thanks to you, Yujin, now I want to see the snakes." "Then let¡¯s go. Just so you know, I don¡¯t know how to bond with snakes. Got it?" "Oh, I was just about to ask¡­ Ah! Sorry! Don¡¯t take my shoes!" I had taken her canvas shoes with my tail. I thought about tossing them in the air and catching them again, but decided against it since this wasn¡¯t home and we were in a public ce. After helping her put her shoes back on, I stood up. The caretakers, who had been waiting for us, skillfully guided us to the second floor with a series of practiced gestures andments. The snakes were resting inside ss cases. There weren¡¯t many species, but they began to move slightly as they sensed our presence. While I was casually observing them, I made eye contact with a ball python. How should I describe it? It felt like its eyes were asking, "Why are you over there?" "...I just had a thought pop into my head. Can I say it?" "Depending on what it is, our next destination might be either home or the police station." "Hing¡­ Thews around Awakened are so scary¡­." "Exactly." There wasn¡¯t much else to see with the snakes, so we moved on to the fennec foxes. Their ears were huge, and they were incredibly fast. Not to mention, they weren¡¯t alone¡ªthere were several puppies ying together, creating quite a spectacle. As expected, within minutes, the furballs began ying with my tail. Meanwhile, Harmony, now holding one of the foxes, was generously distributing treats to the others. If there was one thing I learned here, it was that the fennec fox¡¯s cry was quite unique. The third floor, which we were guided to afterward, wasn¡¯t much different. Considering we hade here on a whim, it was surprisingly mentally refreshing, and thankfully, no incidents urred due to my unusual body. Then again, when will I ever fully understand the secrets of this body? It still seemed like a distant goal. "Whew, that was fun¡­ What did you think, Yujin?" "It was my first time being so close to so many animals. I¡¯d say they were all very friendly." "Right? I¡¯ve never seen animals approach people so easily like that. The cat my parents have throws a tantrum every time it sees me." "That¡¯s probably its way of showing affection¡­." The only animals I¡¯d seen before were the remnants of pets left roaming the ruins of big cities¡­ or the deer that suddenly wandered onto main roads. Other than that, there were the military dogs used by enemy special forces. Those dogs wore bulletproof vests, so they were hard to forget. It was now almost 4 p.m. We left the buffet around mid-afternoon, and we¡¯d been at the animal caf¨¦ for a little over an hour. Time flies. The only thing left on my schedule after meeting with Harmony was the temporary coaching job, which was set for 8 p.m. I was trying to figure out how to bnce time between the fitness club and dinner when Harmony spoke up. "...I¡¯ve been thinking seriously, how about we go to the shooting range next?" "Are you really going?" "Hehe, I¡¯ve been getting interested in this stufftely because of Dark Zone. Even if you shoot a lot in the game, it¡¯s really different from shooting in real life, right?" "You¡¯re full of surprises." And then a brief assessment. "If we had gone to the shooting range first and then the animal caf¨¦, the gunpowder smell might have kept all the animals away. But it¡¯s funny how things worked out." "Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right. We stumbled upon a great sequence of events." "Exactly. I¡¯ll pay this time. This is my area of expertise." "The way you say that kind of reminds me of that movie with Keanu Reeves where he ys a killer and shoots everyone. Do you know it?" "Oh, that one." And so, with that casual conversation, our second destination was decided. The shooting range. It was time to experience something different from the mental healing that animals provide¡ªa bit of trigger happiness. Chapter 74 "Hello." "Wee! Are you here to shoot?" "Wow, it¡¯s a real shooting range¡­ The interior is nicer than I expected. It feels like a caf¨¦." One more person had joined. That thought crossed my mind. Just about four weeks ago, I was aimlessly wandering, having been suddenly thrown back into my old life, wondering what I should do next. My feet led me to a shooting range back then, and now here I was, at a shooting range with a famous streamer. The future is always unpredictable, I thought as I stepped into a building that wasn¡¯t much different from the one I had visitedst time. Due to the nature of shooting ranges, which typically require a shooting distance of 15 to 25 meters or more, the internal structure was simr across the board. The lobby wasn¡¯t spacious, more like a t, rectangr shape, probably to maximize space efficiency. On one side, there was a kiosk. Like thest time, instead of coffee or frappes, it disyed various types of guns. I used my identification card instead of a resident registration card, while Harmony pulled out her ID from her wallet for verification. After the familiar beep, the process seemed to be over, but then came a follow-up message. "Ah, Miss Yujin, you¡¯re already registered as a member of our chain. If you do an ID scan at the kiosk, you¡¯ll receive a discount." "Can I sign up too?" "Of course! I¡¯ll bring a tablet over, so please have a seat!" While the employee behind the counter went into the break room to get the tablet, Harmony was fiddling with the kiosk, browsing the avable firearms. Half-automatic memories surfaced. Back then, I didn¡¯t even know what Dark Zone was, but now I was making money from it. Despite the fact that I hadn¡¯t yet received hundreds of thousands of dors, my bank ount was growing at an rming rate. It was a stark contrast to my ghost-like existence from before, wandering outside because I couldn¡¯t quite grasp that I had returned. Harmony was the anchor that grounded me. "Is there something on my face?" "No, it¡¯s not that¡­." I quietly moved closer and stood beside Harmony, who was browsing the avable guns. Sure enough, there were a lot of familiar firearms. Still,pared to the ce I visitedst time, this one had a more eclectic selection. The first one I noticed was the HK416. There weren¡¯t many assault rifles¡ªmaybe four or five. This ce seemed to focus more on submachine guns. Since money wasn¡¯t an issue, I began selecting various options without much concern. "Would you like to try the MP7?" "Yes. And the one next to it¡­ wow, there¡¯s a Vector. Is that okay too?" "Of course." We also picked out handguns. Harmony¡¯s taste wasn¡¯t particrly broad; she seemed more interested in the types of firearms that frequently appear in media. As such, she didn¡¯t seem to prefer older guns like Walther or Colt. However, she did show some interest in revolvers, particrly a few S&W models. So I picked out the M500 for her. I figured once she shot that, she might take a break from shooting for a while, but who knows. That¡¯s how people get stronger. Eventually, Harmonypleted the membership registration and chose the following lineup of guns¡ªHK416, MCX, MPX, MP7A2, MP5, Vector, two Glocks, and the S&W M500. It seemed like a lot, but since she only nned to fire five rounds from each, the fatigue wouldn¡¯t be too overwhelming. Of course, I selected ten rounds for each of those, and added a Chris Vector and Desert Eagle to the list. With that, the amount I spent today wasn¡¯t too different from what Harmony had spent on the buffet reservation, but I wouldn¡¯t actually have to pay to shoot here. I¡¯d just cover the cost of Harmony¡¯s shooting. "Your payment isplete. We¡¯ll bring the range officers over shortly, so please wait in the lounge. Would you like to order any snacks or drinks?" "No." "No, thank you." "Then please wait inside!" Since we had already had several sweet treats and drinks earlier, Harmony and I shook our heads. As soon as she entered, Harmony flopped onto the plush sofa, while I sat on a chair without a backrest. Thisrge tail of mine was always a problem. A curious expression was directed my way. "What does it feel like to actually fire a gun?" "It¡¯s heavy, loud, and more difficult to pull the trigger than you¡¯d expect. It¡¯s different from in-game, where you can customize the trigger." "Oh¡­." As I answered her questions one by one, there was a click as the door opened and the employee called us over. The process wasn¡¯t much different fromst time. We went back out to the lobby, where we donned protective gear like bulletproof vests, goggles, and headsets before entering the range. If I ended up visiting ces like this often¡­ maybe I should just bring my own gear from the safehouse. As I was putting on the familiar gear, the range officers entered. We exchanged brief greetings, but it felt like they knew who I was. "Ah, nice to meet you. Are you the one who set the record at the live-fire range near Inwangsan?" "I¡¯m not sure about setting a record, but I did visit about four weeks ago." "Ah, I see. Nice to meet you. I just want to rify that since this range is part of a chain, shooting records are stored for all registered members. We use these records to provide a personalized service, so please don¡¯t misunderstand." Then they continued. "Anyway, the reason I¡¯m mentioning this is because¡­ we¡¯d like to ask if we could use footage of your shooting for promotional videos for the range. If you¡¯re interested, you can leave your contact details or email at the counter when you leave. Thepany will contact you with an official contract within a few days."@@novelbin@@ "I¡¯ll think about it and let you know." "Understood." Everything seemed to be happening so fast. Even I felt a bit disoriented, so I could only imagine how Harmony, who was watching from behind, must have felt. "...What exactly did you do?" "Yeah¡­." The world truly is a strange ce. "Wow, real guns are really heavy." "They typically weigh around 3.3 kg. With the holographic sight, target indicator, and sh suppressor added, it¡¯s a bit heavier. Have you yed Dark Zone before?" "Yes, I¡¯ve shot this gun in the game too." "Then you might enjoy loading the magazine yourself. Keep the muzzle pointed forward at all times¡­ Good. The magazine is loaded with five rounds." Lifting the gun so that the muzzle pointed toward the ceiling, she took the magazine. The shape of the real bullets was fascinating¡­ rounds about the size of a finger alternated in the magazine. It felt different from the in-game experience. She carefully inserted the magazine, tapped the bottom to secure it, aimed forward, and released the bolt. One round was now chambered, and four remained in the magazine. Yujin had taught me that it¡¯s always good to count your remaining rounds, even if you have to estimate. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t any hesitation. "You seem pretty familiar with this. But¡­ your cheek weld is a bit off. Imagine you¡¯re pressing your cheek against the stripes on the stock. Keep the stock firmly shouldered¡­ Good. Now aim at the target." Click. She moved the selector switch with her thumb. Semi-auto. Just to be sure, she double-checked before aiming through the holographic sight. The gun felt heavy, and there was a faint metallic smell¡ªprobably imagined. Unlike in the game, holding the aim steady for just a few seconds was challenging. It would be exhausting to run around with this, let alone shoot. How does Yujin manage to do this? "...I¡¯m ready to shoot." "Alright. Take your time and fire whenever you¡¯re ready." With her finger straight, she lightly touched the trigger. As she had been taught, she slowly pulled back. Very gently. Yujin¡¯s instructions echoed in her mind. As she continued to pull, she felt the ¡®wall¡¯ Yujin had mentioned¡ªthe point where the trigger couldn¡¯t be pulled any further. At that moment, she squeezed the trigger firmly. And then©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Her bangs shook as the recoil traveled from her shoulder down to the floor. It felt like she was shocked in a different way. The recoil that had seemed so mild in the game feltpletely different in reality. It was as if someone had pushed her shoulder. "Ah¡­!" "Good job. You hit 7 points. Keep aiming at the center and continue firing." Bang, bang, bang. Meanwhile, Yujin, a fewnes away, continued firing. The muzzle shes were visible even beyond the partition, and the shots were fired at a steady, unwavering pace. Maybe inspired by this, Harmony felt a surge of energy in her arms. It wasn¡¯t so much about not wanting to lose, but more about wanting to follow her lead. It might sound strange, but in a way, she felt like she was Yujin¡¯s direct disciple, even if she wasn¡¯t yet skilled enough to im that title. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Bang! Bang! The reticle, which had been dancing wildly, steadied as she held her breath. Beyond the red dot, she saw a human-shaped target. The distance was 10 meters, and although all the settings were nearly maxed out, the experience from the game wasn¡¯tpletely useless. Familiarity is the greatest weapon. The bullets flew, piercing the target. Holes appeared on the paper. In the game, the sights automatically adjusted, but here, without that, the bullets hit slightly off. Still, the grouping wasn¡¯t bad. After firing three shots, she adjusted her aim slightly, based on where the bullets hadnded. But it wasn¡¯t easy. With a rustling sound, the target returned. She had already fired all five rounds. "Ah, this is tough." "You did well. You hit 10 points with one of your shots." "That was probably just luck¡­." "They say luck is a skill too, you know?" Next came the safety check. She checked the chamber and removed the magazine. The range officer handled the weapon, and after cing it down, she moved on to the next gun¡ªthe SIG MCX. The holes punched into it were fascinating. She received a brief tutorial. As she had noticed in Dark Zone, guns were fundamentally simr in structure. Adapting didn¡¯t take too long. She performed the safety check, locked the bolt, and took the magazine, moving forward. Another five rounds. The second round was a bit easier. Of course, just because the process was simpler didn¡¯t mean the results were better. With a tingling shoulder, she retrieved a target with results simr to thest. "You¡¯re doing well. Submachine guns should be easier. Want to try the smallest one first, the MP7?" "Sure." The less familiar the gun¡¯s appearance was, the more unfamiliar the operation became. The magazine well being parallel to the grip was quite interesting, but once she had the magazine in hand, inserting it by bringing her left hand to her right hand made it much easier. She gripped the vertical foregrip with her left hand and used her left thumb to retract the bolt. After switching to her left shoulder, she used her left index finger to press the bolt release. It felt like ying with a science kit from childhood, carefully manipting the gun within safe limits. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! The recoil was much lighter than before. If the previous recoil had felt like a shove to the shoulder, the submachine gun felt more like a gentle tap with a fist. Still, it wasn¡¯t easy. The lighter weight made aiming much simpler. After firing ten rounds and retrieving the target, the results were better than expected. The target, a stylized human torso with concentric circles, was quite torn up, especially around the center. In short, she hit 8 points, 9 points, and even managed a few 10-point hits. Smiling, she turned to Yujin, who had just finished her round a fewnes away, separated by thick acrylic sheets. And then she saw it. "Yujin! Look at this¡­ oh, wow¡­." Three sheets of paper. Yujin¡¯s target was tattered, especially the area around the 10-point mark. Handing her gun over to the range officer, Harmony muttered softly. "I knew it¡­." It¡¯s hard just trying to keep up with that person. Chapter 76 "Hello, everyone. I''m Yujin, and I''ll be your interim coach today." A round of polite apuse followed. The person walking through the streets of Seoul just a few hours ago was no more. Surrounded by the intentionally designed urbanndscape of virtual reality, I stood before an audience of about thirty people seated and listening attentively to the lecture. Not all of them were AP solo yers. Specifically, this group consisted of AP solo, duo, and squad yers from the 1st league, as well as trainees from the 2nd and 3rd leagues. The total number was slightly over 30. For someone like me, who had neverpleted any formal instructor training, this was quite an unsettling sight. Although I had done plenty of briefings and debriefings, this was my first time passing on my skills to others. Anyway, there was no need to drag things out, and I¡¯ve always been a pragmatist. I quickly moved into the exnation. "I assume most of you have attended quite a few lectures by now. And through various engagements, you''ve likely realized that urban warfare is by no means easy. With that in mind, I''ll proceed with the exnation. Before we dive in, let¡¯s briefly discuss the evolution of modern urban warfare... In simple terms, as thebat environment increasingly resembles modern urban settings, the expectations ced on an individual¡¯s capabilities have grown. In other words, you need to adapt to all kinds of battlefields. The numerous CQB (Close Quarters Battle)bat rules you find on YourSpace are now just a small part of the basic skills you must master." In essence, whether you''re an aspiring pro gamer or an actual professional, when faced with abat situation, you''re likely to respond inadequately. This required some exnation¡ªthe reality is that it¡¯s impossible to meticulously categorize and store everybat scenario as a specific example. In other words, making a mental note to "handle a simr situation better next time" is pointless. There is no "next time." Even if a situation seems simr, there¡¯s no guarantee that applying what you think is a better approach will yield the expected results. Therefore, these yers have given up trying to categorize every scenario and opted to rely on improvisation. Consequently, the curriculum naturally evolved to focus on enhancing reaction time and aiming skills to gain an edge inbat. That¡¯s a temporary measure. Of course, I can¡¯t say that this approach is necessarily wrong, but after spending a hellish 4 years and 8 months inbat, I can confidently say that every engagement must be conducted ording to a predefined set of priorities. Regardless of thebat situation, you need to create aprehensive framework of actions rather than focusing solely on the situation, and engage inbat based on the derived action priorities. This is the core of the urban warfare manual, built on countless bodies. The first principle is this: "The first thing you must do, whether by choice or necessity, is to locate the enemy and assess how valuable the engagement with that yer will be. Simply put, consider how beneficial the fight will be for you." Up to this point, it was a concept most people could easily grasp. The exnation continued. "If you choose to engage, close the distance. Lock them down. The characteristics of urban warfare mean that you can¡¯t fully utilize bullets that can travel over a thousand meters. The engagement distance is, at most, between 100 to 200 meters." The reason carbines and CQB weapons were developed was precisely because of this. Even the length of the gun bes a hindrance in the narrow spaces where these engagements ur, requiring numerous paradigm shifts. However, with the addition of Icarus Gear and nanomachines, things change a bit. These elements ensure survivability by allowing you to block a few bullets from any angle, regardless of your armor. So, when facing another Icarus agent¡ªcertainty is key. But let¡¯s take it a step further. "What you need to do isn¡¯t praying that a barrage of bullets hits something or taking lead shots from a distance. If you choose to engage, close the distance, and then¡ªby any means necessary¡ªcreate a situation where you can ensure that the targeted yer ispletely wiped off the map. That is your objective." The exnation continued. It didn¡¯t sound tooplicated. Whether it¡¯s by throwing a grenade, nking, or using other methods, the goal is to force the enemy to expose themselves. The purpose is, first, second, and finally, to locate the enemy¡¯s position. Once you pinpoint their location, you close the distance so that the target cannot choose to flee the engagement. So why is this important? "For your shooting practice and positioning to be effective, you need to engage only when you¡¯ve secured a superior position¡­ or at the very least, an equal one with the enemy. The training you¡¯ve done isn¡¯t bad. Precise shooting, positioning skills, improvisation, ambidextrous shooting, reflex enhancement¡­ But these are means, not ends. It¡¯s about the direction. The reason why you train is important. Precisely locating the enemy is the only way for these methods to be effective. Your shooting practice only matters when you¡¯re face-to-face with the enemy, but if they start shooting at you from behind, your shooting skills be useless." As I said this, I corrected a statement I had made during the first scrim. "I mentioned that my operating principle during the scrim hosted by another team was improvisation. I didn¡¯t say it at the time, but this was the underlying meaning." The room grew quiet. Seeing everyone focused, I felt a sense of relief as I prepared to take action. "Since this may be your first time hearing this kind of lecture, let¡¯s have a one-on-one engagement with me now, followed by feedback based on that experience." As always, people bloom through real-life experience. Meanwhile, as Yujin began her work as an interim coach at SSM¡ªthere were over 30 gamers present, who could be divided into two groups. Those who had encountered Yujin during scrims and those who hadn¡¯t. It was a rather naive ssification, which could be further detailed by noting that some had not even seen her face before being taken out by a lead shot or ambush, meaning they didn¡¯t fully grasp her true abilities. On the other hand, it also meant that quite a few yers had faced Yujin in directbat¡ªroughly 30% of the group, which was just under ten people. Dice, sitting at the front and listening attentively, used her keen senses to gauge the reactions around her. They were just as expected. Due to the unconventional nature of the lecture, there was a general sense of interest, but that was all. And that made sense. Including herself, there weren¡¯t many here who had been shattered in direct confrontation with Yujin. While they focused intently on the lecture, those who hadn¡¯t faced her were just going along with it. The environment rapidly changed, and the terrain shifted as well. The first engagement site was a research facility. Besides beingplex, it was filled with uneven, bizarre equipment, designed to be deliberately frustrating. In other words, this was the kind of ce that other coaches always emphasized as important. Yujin¡¯s first opponent was PigeonCheeseSweetandSourPork, a user from SSM¡¯s 2nd division¡ªa name Dice didn¡¯t recognize. She might have seen him during mock scrims with fewer than 100 yers, but as far as notable achievements go, she couldn¡¯t recall any. The view shifted, and except for the two participants, the rest of the group became observers. Some moved the camera to get a bird¡¯s-eye view of thebat zone, while others followed the yers directly. Dice didn¡¯t mind either way. As long as it was beneficial, that¡¯s all that mattered. [Alert: Mockbat is starting.] One-on-one. To be honest, in this game, even if you were up against someone from the 2nd or even 3rd division, victory wasn¡¯t guaranteed. Not only because of the psychological aspect but also because utilizing the terrain, shooting skills, and improvisation all required a vast array of skills. So, Dice was curious. How exactly would Yujin identify the enemy¡¯s location and neutralize them? Everyone took time to set up their equipment. But, ¡®Why is she gathering all this random stuff¡­?¡¯ A PDA, a few SureFire shlights that could be picked up anywhere, and remotely activated¡­ nothing particrly special. Dice had thought she might use tripwires, but apparently not. The two yers were randomly assigned positions. Thebat area was about half the size of a ser field, meaning they could cross it quickly if they decided to sprint. After spawning on opposite ends, the 1-on-1 match began without a countdown. Yujin immediately moved cautiously to take cover and scan the surroundings, unlike her opponent, who stayed still to assess the situation. The area was filled with various items and scattered documents, as the scenario was set in a research facility¡ªa chaotic ce where people had fled in haste, leaving all sorts of debris behind. A reconnaissance phase ensued. Strangely, Yujin moved in a seemingly careless, random pattern, cing a PDA and a SureFire shlight on a desk. About a minute passed.@@novelbin@@ ©¤©¤©¤Crash! A brief engagement urred between Yujin, who was openly crossing the map, and her well-hidden opponent. She quickly took cover behind a wall and then moved rapidly toward the enemy¡¯s location. It was an iprehensible behavior, given what she had shown before. But whether or not she was aware of these thoughts, Yujin suddenly stopped with deliberate footsteps, and at the same time, sent a signal, briefly turning the SureFire light on and off, aiming it at the floor ahead. With a click, a grenade was thrown in that direction.
  • Boom!
As the explosion''s aftershock subsided and the noise died down, the PDA that had been precariously perched on a desk on the opposite side of where Yujin had been was knocked off by the vibration, indicating that 3 minutes had passed since the engagement began. A dull thud echoed as the device hit the floor. PigeonCheeseSweetandSourPork¡ªknown by his teammates as PigeonHead¡ªwas growing increasingly disoriented in the midst of the chaos. His thoughts could be summed up simply: ¡®What on earth is happening?¡¯ He had a rough idea of Yujin¡¯s location. But at the same time, his own position was alsopromised. The research facility was dimly lit, and so he threw the grenade towards the shlight that had suddenly turned on behind the wall. It was likely a tactical light attached to her weapon. Even if this assumption was wrong, it didn¡¯t matter much. What was important was that Yujin and he were probably not too far apart. But that incessant buzzing from the other side... ©¤©¤©¤Buzz! That had to be a decoy. Judging by the sound, it was some sort of device generating the vibration. Although notmonly seen, it was a known tactic. In fact, some yers used it duringst year¡¯s tournament. But¡­ what exactly was that interim coach aiming for? Taking a deep breath, he cautiously moved to change his position from behind cover. Soon, his pulse and seeker mine would be off cooldown. By then,bat would be much easier. But unfortunately, while the pulse could detect the location of all nearby yers, its range was somewhat limited. So, prioritizing safety, he began to stealthily move closer to where he believed Yujin might be. However,
  • Ratatatat!
¡°Damn¡­!¡± Bullets rained down from an unexpected distance, relentlessly hammering at his nanomachine barrier. His barrier¡¯s durability dropped below 50% in an instant as he quickly ducked for cover, only for the game¡¯s tempo to change drastically. Yujin was now closing in on him like a storm, headed straight toward him at the fastest possible speed. Unlike earlier, he had no means to stop her approach this time. Realizing this, he deployed two smoke grenades and retreated quickly. However, Yujin¡¯s seemingly random actions had a calcted purpose¡ªthey were meant to corner Pigeon into an inescapable position on the map. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into ce in her mind. Through calcted movements that minimized but allowed manageable damage, she baited her opponent into shooting first. Then, using various methods to weaken his focus, she moved to a location with better visibility while intentionally exposing a weak point, enticing him to attack first. Once the enemy broke cover and advanced, she would shoot the exposed areas¡ªand while he was disoriented, she¡¯d push aggressively. If she managed to kill the target during this phase, it was over. If not, she would drive him into a corner where escape was impossible. Pigeon was now in the final stage. Barely managing to escape and hide behind some equipment, his skills finally came off cooldown. He activated the pulse, sweeping the area, while his seeker mine flew through the air. However.
  • [Alert: Distance to the enemy - 12m]
  • [Alert: Explosive detected.]
He was cornered, and within moments, three grenades were thrown in session to his location. The seeker mine was intercepted and exploded nearby, and he heard the ng of metal hitting the hard floor. ©¤©¤©¤ng! ¡°¡­What the hell is this¡­?¡± He never knew what hit him. Momentster, he was blown up in a sh of light, sound, and shrapnel. Chapter 77 "...." As soon as the skirmish ended, a heavy silence lingered in the air. Silence usually fell into two categories. The first was when something so shocking urred that no one could utter a word, and the second was when there were so many thoughts racing through one''s mind that the timing to speak waspletely lost. Today, those gathered to listen to Yujin¡¯s lecture fell closer to thetter. Before they entered the actualbat scenario, what she emphasized could be simply summed up as the purposefulness of every action. In short, the training wasn¡¯t just about developing the ability to adapt on the fly inbat situations, but rather about viewing every action as a step towards systematically eradicating the enemy. Initially, her lecture, which veered slightly from the usual approach, was considered nothing more than unconventional before thebat began. After all, the yers here, whether in the first or second squads, or even those in the lower leagues, had received extensive feedback and training¡ªthough the amount varied, the quality was consistently high. This ce was a battlefield that gathered the top yers of Apex Predator, even if it was only within the game. It was a ce where yers practiced the art of killing their opponents as effectively as possible. But then... But why was that user... how could she so effortlessly dismantle everything the AP pro-gaming scene had built up until now? However, this was not the time to question why it was possible, but rather to ponder how it was possible. With two yers still needing some time to return from the skirmish, everyone began to review the recent match with their own reasoning. But in the end, the conclusion was still elusive. To be honest, in some ways, it seemed almost ordinary. Just a normal skirmish. It was simple enough to make one think they could do it too. Of course, as time passed©¤©¤©¤ -[Notification: Skirmish ended.] -[Notification: Username -Eugene- is currently on a 15-win streak.] Even an hourter, no one had managed to secure a victory against Yujin. Even Dice, who tirelessly formed and discarded various hypotheses, could note up with a satisfactory answer. The only progress made was through SSM¡¯s analyzing engine, which confirmed that Yujin''s actions had a definite directionality. She would use various tricks and chaos topletely disrupt her opponent''s judgment, then precisely prate the moment when caution was stripped from their actions. It was more like piercing through a gap than merely exploiting it. No one could break the flow, and they were all swept up in the storm, beingpletely dismantled. As the victor and the vanquished emerged, Yujin, after removing her protective gear, stepped forward. "Well then, let''s begin the feedback session in earnest." This was the start. Before diving into the role of a coach more seriously, the first thing she checked was the part that received the most questions¡ªwhether it was expected or not, the first match ranked among the top concerns. As she pondered how to structure the lecture, she decided that after exining the principles of action, it would be best to take questions about any unclear parts in real-time. Pushing aside the various screens that floatedrge in her mind, she opened her mouth. "I¡¯ll be taking questions in real-time, so please keep that in mind... For now, let''s break it down step by step." The screen split into four time zones, floating in midair. Each one disyed a first-person view, alongside various mini-maps on the side. The first sequence showed actions taken to locate the opponent, revealing that the map¡¯s structure offered an abnormal number of hiding spots and too many visual obstructions. There were methods to track the opponent¡¯s position by causing noise to make them aim around in confusion, but today she deliberately refrained from using such tactics. Simrly, there was a reason why she didn¡¯t use fishing lines or tripwire traps that she had frequently employed recently. Today, she was here to lecture, which meant teaching methods that everyone could follow, rather than neutralizing opponents easily with techniques only she could perform or had frequently used. This was precisely why she carried a PDA and a SureFire shlight during the first match. The PDA was an item that could be obtained all over the research facility map to track the Juggernaut¡¯s patrol routes, and the shlight served a simr purpose. In tournament mode, there were many skirmishes, and the game¡¯s tempo was fast. This meant that all kinds of tactical equipment could be acquired in a matter of minutes, including the shlight. The method she came up with on the spot was to use the shlight to confuse the opponent''s positioning. Thankfully, it worked better than expected. At that moment, the screen showed her cing the shlight in various positions. The Icarus Device allowed her to activate or deactivate it at will, without having to press a button with her finger. She took advantage of that feature. "That¡¯s the method I chose, but honestly, it doesn¡¯t matter much which method you use. Ultimately, these actions are about disrupting the enemy¡¯s concentration." "What would you have done if that method hadn¡¯t worked?" Someone raised their hand and asked. She responded without hesitation. "As I mentioned, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered much. Since our general positions were already revealed once the enemy fired at me, from that point on, it was just a matter of closing the distance." The guidelines she had already taught them for skirmishes were not particrlyplicated. Identify the enemy, precisely locate them, and close the distance. The entire process wasn¡¯t about tightly interlocking steps but rather about gradually approaching with flexibility. The exact method didn¡¯t really matter. After finishing this exnation, she quickly added: "But for those who are still curious, you could think of a few alternatives. For instance, you could throw a couple of grenades sequentially and then rapidly close the distance, or you could activate the PDA¡¯s rm feature while intentionally making noise to disrupt sound-based gamey and draw them out¡­." Amon theme began to emerge. Through various methods, you block the enemy¡¯s options and seize the initiative. The choice of engagement location and timing should be yours, not the enemy''s. After the grenade explosion, the PDA¡¯s vibrating rm effectively diverted the enemy¡¯s attention before they could devise another strategy, leaving them distracted by the noise. In conclusion, the key was to prevent the enemy froming up with a better approach. From this perspective, generating noise was always effective, as it not only blocked new ideas but also made it easier to reposition. The third screen appeared. The enemy, who had been aiming at the spot where she "had been," was hit by a bullet from afar and hurriedly sought cover. In the meantime, she closed the distance swiftly, and Pigeon, instead of returning fire, used a smoke grenade and fled. But there was nowhere else to go. He was cornered and eventually perished in an explosion. "¡­This is it for now. To observe a different scenario, we¡¯ll move directly to the second video." The videos floating in the air all began to change. The seventh match. In addition to her, a familiar figure¡ªDice¡¯s blonde hair¡ªwas shaking violently on top of the urban warfare area that existed in the middle of an abandoned training ground. Perhaps she had carefully observed the dynamics of the previous skirmish because she approached it in a way that hadn¡¯t been tried before¡ªspecifically, she avoidedbat as much as possible in the early stages, waiting for the scanning pulse¡¯s cooldown to finish. Afterward, based on the footprints left in the sand, she closed the distance and used the pulse to urately pinpoint Yujin''s location. That much was good, but as soon as Yujin was detected, she used a grenade to scatter her attention. Being detected by the pulse meant that the enemy was within at least 25 meters, and at such a time, simply throwing a grenade near their estimated location could neutralize this advantage. The ensuing events took a somewhat interesting turn, as Dice seemed to have learned quite a bit from the highest difficulty level she had encountered earlier¡ªonce the grenade exploded, she rapidly retreated, moving between cover so quickly that it was difficult for Yujin to catch up. After that, it was a direct confrontation, pure and simple. After five minutes, when the skill cool-down period had passed, the frequency of skill usage significantly decreased. Seeker Mines and pulses were thrown everywhere, and Dice, unable to stand seeing Yujin in one ce for even a moment, engaged in an all-out brawl. In some ways, she had truly grasped the essence of the lecture.@@novelbin@@ No matter what method she used, she would destroy the enemy¡¯s perceived advantage and create a situation where they could fight on at least equal footing. It was a stark contrast to the early days when she would be blown up by simple mind games. There was quite a bit to say. "As you can see, the dynamics of this skirmish are quite different from the previous one. What you should focus on is thetter half when the scenarios both yers envisionedpletely copse, and the oue begins to be determined by pure shooting skill." Only vision, breath control, aiming ability, and sharp instincts remained, with no other factors able to interfere. This was the world of pure physicality. This was why they practiced shooting, CQB, aiming, shooting from both hands, tactical reloads, and switching between primary and secondary weapons. In other words, these skills weren¡¯t unnecessary¡ªthey just had their specific time and ce. As she continued her exnation, her mind was also spinning in various directions. Dice. She hadn¡¯t really considered it before¡ªand she had to acknowledge that she was often lenient with people around her¡ªbut Dice had more talent than she had initially thought. Enough to make her consider conducting individual training sessions. Although she hadn¡¯t worked with other teams yet, and therefore couldn¡¯t guarantee that no other team had yers with simr skills, in the end, it was all about who came first. How far could she go? Still, now that they¡¯d established a connection¡­at the very least, she should help her secure a ticket beyond the Asia qualifiers and into the finals. It was a simple curiosity. Perhaps this was the yful nature that hadn¡¯t changed even after enduring five years of hardship. She paused briefly and cleared her throat. "¡­It seems the basic lecture is roughly finished. From now on, we¡¯ll move into individual feedback. We¡¯ll start with the first match and the seventh match in the same order, and then proceed sequentially from the second match onward." She checked the time. Two hours had already passed. "Before that, let''s take a quick break and answer any questions. Is that alright with everyone?" There were no objections. "Alright then, does anyone have any questions?" The moment those words left her mouth... the sight in front of her was overwhelming. Over thirty people raised their hands simultaneously, looking at her with determined expressions. ...This wasn¡¯t what I expected? Chapter 78 "You''re not human, are you?" "You hit too hard right off the bat." That statement is quite dangerous. As soon as I arrived, I heard something bizarre, but what can I do? People tend to recharge their courage by hiding behind the anonymity of an avatar... or so I thought. But no, that¡¯s just my imagination running wild. The current time... well, there''s no need to mention in-game time since it never aligns with reality. But speaking of real-world time, it was just past 9 PM. The lecture that had gone on for over three hours had thankfully concluded sessfully. Of course, if I were to ask myself if it was helpful, I couldn''t be entirely sure. That was the real issue. After all, I¡¯m beingpensated by SSM for my coaching work, so I need to deliver results that match. With that in mind, I hade to Dice to get some feedback, as it was the first day of my lecture. But the first thing I heard upon arrival was¡­ As I gave her a somewhat uneasy look, she continued. "¡­Oh, right. You''re an Awakened, aren¡¯t you?" "For the second time, that¡¯s a very dangerous statement." "Oh, I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m reeeeally sorry!" Stretch As always, I punished her in the only way I knew how¡ªphysically. With her cheeks pulled and stretched, Dice made a strange noise and sank deep into her chair. I looked at her with a slightly suspicious gaze¡ªnot because of her apology, but because¡­ her actions weren¡¯t exactly what I¡¯d call masculine. But it wasn¡¯t really important, so I let it slide. Dice was the first to bring up the topic. "Anyway, thanks for the lecture today. It was quite unique. I think it¡¯s a good oue that no one doubts your skills anymore¡­" "What if we had to categorize it as good or bad?" "I thought it was really good, but I¡¯m not sure about the others." She seemed to have more to say, so she loosened her neck as if preparing for a speech. "My personal opinion is¡­ if I had to point out a downside, it¡¯s the sense of disconnect thates from a lecturepletely different from the feedback we¡¯ve received so far." "What kind of feedback do you usually get from others?" "There are various types. For example, they might set specific scenarios to improve our adaptability and test that in scrims or regr ranked matches. Or they might have us use only certain weapon types to try and win first ce¡­ Then we¡¯d get feedback based on the match results." "So, it''s mostly practical training. Was it effective?" "Well, how should I put it¡­" Judging by her reaction, it was probably a mixed bag. But since she didn¡¯t give a definitive answer, I waited for her to gather her thoughts and respond. "¡­You know how it is with AP soloing¡ªthere are so many variables. Honestly, it¡¯s hard to say it¡¯s very effective. Even if you practice various scenarios, there¡¯s no guarantee that the actual situation will unfold the same way in a real match." "Exactly." "So, for me, today¡¯s lecture was quite helpful. I¡¯m not entirely sure I understand everything yet, but the gist was to maintain an advantage or at least an equal footing in any skirmish, right?" I nodded. Of course, if you¡¯re in a 1v2 situation, things get a bit moreplicated. But generally, if you find yourself in such a scenario¡­ it¡¯s better to reflect on how you ended up there in the first ce rather than focusing solely on how to ovee it. Still, much like how one learns to swim by diving into the water, I might have to cover this topic in the future. Anyway, Dice seemed to find a lot of merit in a generalized approach to dealing with a variety of unpredictable situations. While the method I taught might be most effective in 1v1 skirmishes, with a little tweaking, it could be useful in various situations. I have more lectures to prepare. Covering how to survive encounters with more than one opponent, or the most effective survival strategies in AP soloing¡­. While I was lost in these thoughts, the conversation shifted back to the original topic. "That aside, seriously¡­ How is it that you¡¯ve never lost a 1v1 to anyone? I get the methodology now, but I¡¯m still curious." "I hope you¡¯re not expecting a straightforward answer to that question." "Well, yeah, but¡­ I feel like it would be easier if you just said, ¡®I¡¯m just that good.¡¯" "Haha. Then let¡¯s go with that." I said that, as always, trailing off. This was a secret that no one could understand, and no one was meant to know. "Anyway, Dice, you should focus on more precise shooting practice. Also, try throwing grenades in different ways. Tying a string to the grenade pin is fine too." "Tying a string?" "Yes. That way, you don¡¯t have to pull the pin when you throw the grenade. It¡¯s not something that¡¯s rmended in the manual, though. Just make sure the string has at least 15 centimeters of ck. Without that, it could explode on your vest by mistake." Even when I was there, it wasn¡¯t a method I used often. It was something I did because I threw so many grenades, and in urgent situations, pulling the pin and throwing the grenade took too much time. It was effective. You just grabbed the grenade from the pouch and threw it. The pin would naturally be pulled out by the string as you pulled it out, and that was it. The exchange ofbat tips continued. It was still too early to call it a night. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As the bright sunshine was reced by a gloomy sky and endless rain over the weekend, the ink on my title as SSM Entertainment¡¯s temporary coach slowly dried. Fortunately, because I was streaming, it was easy to adjust the schedule, and the work itself wasn¡¯t difficult. I just needed to systematically organize and share the knowledge I already had. Still, there were quite a few incidents during that time. Though calling them incidents might be a bit of a stretch. Incidents imply something special, and what I¡¯ve experienced recently doesn¡¯t quite qualify as that. Anyway, with the job officially starting, there were more things to keep track of. Besides observing feedback from other coaches, I adjusted the curriculum slightly for each league. Those who yed as starters and had a high likelihood of participation received individual lessons, while those with room for growth were given more direction-oriented coaching. This was at the request of SSM. In addition, through conversations with Harmony, I finally seeded in creating a channel on YourSpace. Of course, for now, it¡¯s just set up, with nothing special except for the automatic uploads of broadcast recordings through the integration. Still, it was quite fascinating to see the subscriber count slowly start to rise. I didn¡¯t think it was time to hire an editor yet, so for now, I tried contacting someone from themunity who often posted fan art with a clean and cute style to see if they could draw thumbnails. They hadn¡¯t replied yet, but¡­ well, I¡¯m sure they will eventually. Apart from that, I continued to stream as usual and participated in a scrim once. As for real-life activities¡­ I exercised, asionally ate out¡­. ¡­Should I join an MCN? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve met people here and there, so why does it feel like there¡¯s nothing tangible left? Anyway, with the qualifying ranks starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll think about it after the Asia qualifiers. No matter how long it takes, the tournament segment should be wrapped up within about three weeks. Looking back, it feels like I¡¯vee a long way. Considering it hasn¡¯t even been a month since I returned, it seems like I¡¯ve done quite a bit¡­. -What¡¯s going on? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Is it because you can¡¯t ept that you have to date the Cthulhu gods? "¡­That seems like a valid enough reason." Ah. That donation sound pulled me back from the depths of my thoughts. Before I knew it, the screen had changed to something resembling a streamer from my past¡ªa fragment of memory from someone whose name I can barely recall, showing both a webcam and the game screen together. In short, it was the most standard form of broadcast before virtual reality became a thing. Anyway, in front of me now¡­ how do I even describe this? An octopus god that had only halfway turned into a girl appeared on the main screen, staring at me with an unsettling gaze. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. It had tentacles attached to its mouth. Yes, tentacles. On its mouth. "Wow¡­."@@novelbin@@ -LMAO))) -That¡¯s one deep sigh, lol. -If the tentacles bother you, why don¡¯t you take a look at your own tail? -The tail is a turn-on, what are you talking about? -Look at her ying it just because someone requested it, lol. ¡­What should I even say? Did Earth¡¯s tastes get a bit weirder while I was gone? Or is it just that human madness knows no bounds? I was a little curious. Despite my t expression, my fingers were still clicking the mouse. As I started a new save and began the game, a heart-shaped icon formed by two tentacles appeared. I let out a half-hearted chuckle, not quite able to hide my disbelief. Meanwhile, the story continued to unfold. The protagonist, for some reason, was a devotee of Cthulhu and managed to obtain something resembling the Necronomicon from somewhere¡­ summoning an eldritch god from the outer realms with ease. Well, I guess. The story can¡¯t progress without a summoning. -[Oh, one shrouded in darkness, please grant my wish!] -[Surely, it¡¯s not to be the first to be destroyed by my catastrophe thatys waste to all life? Are you seeking a peaceful rest away from my great cmity?] -[No, I want to kiss you.] "Oh¡­." -LOL! -No holding back, I see, lol. -Kiss?! -You¡¯ve opened the door that should have stayed shut! -The protagonist is nuts, lol. Kiss¡­? Of course, as someone who respects people¡¯s tastes, I managed to keep myposure and added: "This person¡­ probably starts with the mouth when eating octopus. I feel like their profile would mention something like identally face-nting into a sea anemone while scuba diving." -What the hell are you saying, lol. I waspletely sane. It was this bizarre game that was off the rails. Anyway, the slightly under-Moe-fied Cthulhu then said something that made me agree with it. -[Eh, what!?] -[Send me back home.] "If I turn off the game, I should be able to send you home, right?" -Why do you hate it so much, lol. -Of course not! You were rmended this game! You chose this game! You have to stick it out, lol. -The octopus god¡¯s figure is annoyingly good, lol. -Look at her trying to sneakily quit the game, lol. ¡­ Naturally, there was no way I could just quit the game. But, as I kept ying, it started to seem a little more¡­ okay? Anyway, since it was a rmended game, I began clicking through the story. "Those eyes are surprisingly bright for an eldritch god." I had no idea what I was saying. And the game¡¯s content was probably just as confusing. Chapter 79 "What should I have for dinner...?" Inside the virtual reality world, in a small space allocated solely for Dice. Her golden hair spread out across the mattress as shey there, even though her schedule for the day was nearly over, she showed no signs of leaving the virtual realm. Usually, it was because of the advantage of time dtion, which ran three times faster in VR, but... Today, it was simply because she felt toozy. Maybe I should just sleep here, she thought as she absentmindedly checked the various notification windows that popped up in response to her thoughts. As usual, her inbox was filled with useless messages. An rm showing tomorrow''s wake-up time. The real-world time. Boxes containing notes of the day''s important tasks... It was just past 9 PM. As shey on the mattress, sleep began to creep in, but she knew if she dozed off now, she''d risk waking up at midnight¡ªleaving her wide awake with a full seven hours until her scheduled wake-up time. A disaster waiting to happen. Not having had dinner yet was also a problem. Before she sank too deeply into the bed, she quickly moved her hands to decide what to eat. It was gettingte, so high-calorie foods like pizza or fried chicken were out. Late-night snacks were also off the table. As she sifted through the various food options that appeared in front of her, one of the rmended items caught her eye¡ªa steak. She picked the highest-rated restaurant from the automatically generated list and ced an order, noting the estimated delivery time. In VR, it would take about two hours; in reality, it would be around 40 minutes. So, what should I do until then? She had already reviewed today¡¯s lecture, finished her practice for the uing qualifying rank matches, andpleted herst scrim hours ago. To top it off, she was feeling mentally overloaded. She really didn¡¯t want to shoot any more guns today. Even people who love gaming can only y mindlessly for so long before they get tired¡ªespecially if they¡¯ve spent all that time intensely focused. In some ways, this was the dark side of being a professional gamer. Sure, lifting a championship trophy under the bright lights of a glitzy studio was something to celebrate, but the road to that moment was a thorny one. It was, in many ways, a difficult profession. As she pondered the struggles of being a pro gamer, her thoughts wandered in a different direction. She nced at the notification window next to the close-up message. Beside the "99+" unread messages was a separate alert space for important notifications, where a lone "1" was disyed. It seemed like it had been there for a while. When she clicked on it, the content was less significant than she had expected. -[Notification: Streamer ''Eugene'' has started broadcasting.] "Oh, right. She mentioned she streams too." Had I forgotten that? Maybe it was more urate to say I only knew of it. It''s like when someone mentions their profession, but you don''t really absorb any details about what it entails. In short, while I had seen some of her gamey clips, I had never watched her stream live. Suddenly, I was curious. This iron-willed woman... Could she really be ying Dark Zone again after finishing the grueling schedules of thest three days? It seemed possible. Since I didn''t have anything else to do, Dice clicked on the notification. But the tricky login window that automatically popped up was enough to make her feel a twinge of frustration. "Damn, what was my password again...?" She wasn¡¯t particrly close to Tricky, the streaming tform. She had connections with pro gamers and broadcasters of simr skill levels, but Dice was one of those people who kept her real-life information locked away in a vault. Of course, the paradoxical situation of bing immensely popr due to theck of information about herself had urred because she excelled in AP soloing despite her anonymity. In short, she was someone who had gained a following by maintaining a rtively mysterious presence¡ªshe rarely streamed, didn¡¯t show up in informal gatherings, and kept her distance. Anyway, I¡¯m saying all this to justify the simple fact that she had forgotten her password. After struggling for a moment, she finally logged into Tricky. Just like before, the site was filled with notifications and messages waiting to be read, but Dice ignored them and typed "Eugene" into the search bar. The name Eugene wasn¡¯t particrly unique¡ªit was actually quitemon¡ªbut among the streamers sorted by poprity, there was only one who had over four thousand viewers and was using a snake-shaped avatar. But the game she was ying... "...This looks weird." Unfortunately, she had already entered the stream before she could fully process that thought. -[Great! Shall we start the date? Let¡¯s begin with the ritual to awaken the abyss.] Cough. Her eyes were filled with the sight of... a bizarre image that looked like a mix between a woman and something halfway between a squid and an octopus, emphasizing feminine features. She couldn¡¯t help but clear her throat. And then... <(SSMentertainment)DICE has donated 10,000 KRW.> -Eugene, why are you ying this...? "Eugene, thank you for the 10,000 KRW donation, Dice... There were many requests for this game. I appreciate your understanding¡­ or not, that''s fine too." -????????????? -Dice????????????? -This is too funny, lol. -Please stop! Stop it now! Please stop! Stop it now! -Is it really her? -You¡¯ll like it if you keep watching, lol. ...What the heck? Why is she here? Crack! ss shattered, her hand was covered in blood, and an unearthly red light streamed in through the window. A statue in the room wept blood, while a mass of tentacles crawled through the window. The rapidly changing environment was filled with Lovecraftian imagery, enough to make the chat go wild with horror. I began to understand why this game had a third installment with multiple endings. The quality was unnecessarily high. -[Don¡¯t take the fact that reality is ending too seriously, darling. Just think of it as waking up from a dream. Once you wake up, the entire world within the dream ends in a single night. It¡¯s just simr.] -[It couldn¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s the inevitable result of your choices. You¡¯ll miss all of this someday, of course, you will.] -[Pucker up, darling. You deserve it.] Smooch. "Ugh..." -Aaaaaaaaagh! -Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! -I¡¯m losing it. -Stop the madness! Stop the madness! Stop the madness! Stop the madness! -Dorupee has donated 1,000 KRW. -Just bring the sauce, dammit. "Eugene, thank you for the 1,000 KRW donation, Dorupee¡­ I think I¡¯ll avoid seafood for tomorrow¡¯s meal. Ugh..." -[Dice: Why are you ying this!!!] -[Eugene: It wasn¡¯t my choice....] It was chaos, absolute chaos. A sea of despair andmentation, a handful of intrigued fans, and a vast majority of confused viewers... if you could sum it all up as madness, then perhaps the things surrounding me now were waves of madness. In a way, it suited the game quite well. As the shock and horror of one route came to an end, a very kind notification popped up in the upper-right corner, announcing that the Cthulhu route had been fully unlocked. With a sense of dread, I cautiously asked: "This¡­ there aren¡¯t any hidden endings, right?"@@novelbin@@ -Why wouldn¡¯t there be? -Why would you think there wouldn¡¯t be? Lol. -If there isn¡¯t one, you should make one, lol. -Forget hidden endings, give us the Eugene ending. -The tail-twirling ending... ...Not the tail talk again. Why can¡¯t my viewers be satisfied with the myriad of avatars that popte this vast virtual reality, not just in Dark Zone? Not to mention the slightly risqu¨¦ fan art that¡¯s already overflowing on the forums. I had a feeling that leaving it unchecked might lead to some troubling situations, or maybe not... Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the point. As the second chapter began, the protagonist, after being chased by some mysterious figures, returned home only to find a strange yellow woman who had entered the house. If I searched my memory... "At least she looks somewhat normal. I suddenly feel like I can breathe easier¡­" -[Now, you shall call me Your Majesty. And you should prepare a fitting tone of respect, right?] -[Yes, Your Majesty. As youmand.] She¡¯s the King in Yellow. The one who pops up whenever her name is called. As the story progressed, it became clear that she had a bit of a clumsy side. And just when I thought her appearance was okay, she ruined it by donning a golden mask, transforming the scene into a masquerade ball. Both the chat and Dice seemed to share my reaction. Meanwhile, -[Eugene: You could¡¯ve just asked in the chat. Was there a reason to send a private message?] -[Dice: Uh¡­ just because?] Hmm. Well, I guess there¡¯s a reason for it. Anyway, perhaps due to the various hardships in the first chapter, the content of this chapter didn¡¯t feel as overwhelming. Of course, the main heroine from the previous chapter, who was half-god and half-octopus, reappeared, bringing everything back to square one. But aside from that... -[Dice: Do you know how the qualifying rank matches will proceed?] -[Eugene: Roughly?] -[Dice: Then I guess I don¡¯t need to exin it separately.] -[Eugene: You sound like you want to exin it though....] -[Dice: Ah.] -[Dice: Haha;;] She must¡¯ve been really bored. Even in the midst of this stream featuring a Cthulhu-themed dating sim that seems about ten years too advanced for humanprehension, she¡¯s still so casual about it¡ªthat¡¯s impressive in its own way. As always, I just voiced my personal thoughts without holding back. "That¡­ Ryieta? Lynieta? She has quite the body... They really emphasized the waistline and legs. Although, I¡¯m still wondering why they felt the need to do that." -LOL -She¡¯s smooth because she¡¯s a cephalopod, lol. -Please stop, my taste is being altered. -The protagonist is the craziest one, lol. -Stop teasing the viewers, please. -The person who rmended this game should be tied up. "Poluniel, thank you for the donation. But since I started this game thanks to everyone¡¯s enthusiastic requests, I¡¯ll keep ying. I can already hear the cheers of encouragement." -What did you just say????? -When did we switch sides? This isn¡¯t the ending we wanted?? -Is this the skill of an AP soloing participant? Is this the skill of an AP soloing participant? Is this the skill of an AP soloing participant? -Professor Eugene, your maniption of public opinion is top-notch, damn it. -Is this another burden we¡¯ll have to carry, lol? As always, My stream was sailing smoothly. It was the end of August, just one day before the qualifying rank matches. Chapter 80 "Ugh. I feel dizzy." August. Rain gently pattered down from the sky, drenching the night, while the thick darkness that painted the cityscape made it clear that the day was already over. However, while the gamers affiliated with teams and the independent yers eligible for the qualifying rank matches were all taking an early rest in preparation for tomorrow, others were losing sleep, working through the night just for the sake of the uing day. In the tall, ck building often jokingly referred to as "Yeouido¡¯s ck Tofu," lights still glowed on the upper floors, where many Icarus employees were still at work. The employees in the building came from various departments¡ªthose in the promotions department were busy checking the numerous advertisements for the Dark Zone AP Soloing Tournament, which would start broadcasting tomorrow on TV, YourSpace, Tricky, and countless other tforms, making sure there were no errors. They were also coordinating schedules and times with other broadcasting stations. In the server management department, staff were working tirelessly to ensure that the servers wouldn¡¯t crash, adjusting traffic routes, and guaranteeing the smooth operation ofmentary, spectator modes, and observer functions, which would be implemented in theter stages of the qualifying ranks. There were also program engineers double-checking the match results calcted by machines, just in case there were any errors. Some of the higher-ups overseeing all this work were still around, along with staff preparingte dinners or snacks for them. And because there was a chance that the transport home could be cut off due tote hours, some employees were checking the sleeping facilities within the building and taking shifts on duty. Just because one person¡¯s day ended didn¡¯t mean everyone else¡¯s day was over. In the middle of all this, the promotions department. Among the people makingst-minute adjustments, conversations began to arise. As always, the familiar topic that came up during every tournament season¡ªwhether there would be yers who performed well enough to advance to the finals, and if so, where they woulde from. Though it didn¡¯t really matter to them either way, as they were affiliated with Icarus, not any specific team. It wasn¡¯t particrly important, but neither was itpletely insignificant. yers who showed excellent performance¡ªlike professional gamers¡ªoften received requests from Icarus International for advertising deals. Regardless, the people in this department needed to stay on top of thetest information, with discussions based on updates that changed by the day or even by the hour. "How do you pick 100 yers out of 1,500? If we assume all the pro first-stringers qualify, is there even room left? This is really brutal." "AP Soloing has a fast yer turnover rate, so it¡¯s not something to stress about too much." "True enough. Which team do you think will dominate this time? Reaper Infected? Xi? Arcadia Games or TK1?" "No idea. Maybe SSM?" "They¡¯ve been really focused on developing their newer yers. Remember two years ago when all their first-stringers got knocked out in the Asia qualifiers, and Dice had to carry the team alone?" "We¡¯ll see what happens this time. Are there any notable non-pro yers in the mix?" "We¡¯ll know by the end of the qualifying ranks. Right now, it¡¯s hard to say..." In the midst of the ongoing conversation, the topic suddenly shifted unexpectedly. "Manager Jin-cheol... Oh right, you¡¯ve been handling some extra tasks recently. Anything unusual? Any difficulties?" "Oh, it hasn¡¯t been too tough. Thest task was just providing testimony regarding a user suspected of hacking." "Did you resolve it?" "Yes, the evidence was clear enough to settle the matter." "Good. Since it involves an Awakened, be sure to report any issues immediately." Fortunately, the conversation ended there, but that didn¡¯t stop his curiosity from being piqued. After all, the "non-pro yer" they were specting about was actually the Awakened he knew. Even those who were well-informed didn¡¯t know everything. Considering Yujin had only been in the gaming scene for less than a month, it was understandable that her level of skill seemed unbelievable. Or maybe, they simply didn¡¯t know.@@novelbin@@ Either way,pared to the analysts from professional teams who lived and breathed data, their understanding was a bit less sharp. For those teams, data was money and could even influence the direction of the team. So while the conversation ended on a mild note, for those in the know, curiosity was inevitable. What kind of impact would that yer make? For now, it was a secret thrill known only to those in the know. Meanwhile, what was that yer up to? -[Nyanya Aunty©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤!!!] -No, damn it, where¡¯s my hot milf Cthulhu Mythos Nyathotep, Nyanya Aunty!!! "...Even if I were Nyanya Aunty, I¡¯d definitely have run away by now. Sure, ReformedYujin, whatever you say." At the tail end of the Lovecraftian dating sim, I was barely managing to steer a ship full of perverted sailors. "Nyanya Aunty..." "Hm? What did you say?" "Ah, nothing." Monday, 10 AM. Two hours before the qualifying ranks were set to begin¡ªin SSM¡¯s dedicated virtual space. Gathered in the surreal auditorium were all of SSM¡¯s AP pro gamers, regardless of whether they were solo, duo, or squad yers, staring intently at the screen in front of them. In a way, this was the final lecture before the qualifying ranks began. It could also be seen as thest conference aimed at boosting morale and easing anxiety. After all, these yers would soon find themselves in a grueling position where they¡¯d have topete not only against other teams but also against their own teammates. As always¡ªapuse and encouragement for the winners, andfort for the losers. In essence, it was ast chance to remind them of what they needed to focus on during the matches and to emphasize the spirit of fair y. Of course, in the middle of all this, Dice, who had stumbled upon Yujin¡¯s stream the day before and witnessed the bizarre dating sim she had never encountered before, was only half-listening. In truth, Dice was at a point where she didn¡¯t really need to participate. After all, she had not only sessfully participated in the Asia qualifiers for three consecutive years, but she had also been one of the four yers to reach the finalsst year. For her, this was just another stop along the way. ¡®So this is why people watch streams....¡¯ In any case, her thoughts were still stuck on the events of the previous day. Yujin¡¯s stream wasn¡¯t exactly the type you¡¯d call explosively entertaining. It had its moments of subtle humor, but it wasn¡¯t the kind of high-energy stream that kept youughing the entire time. But how to put it? Maybe it was the gap between the iron-willed yer you saw during scrims and the casual demeanor she showed while ying that strange game¡ªwhere she seemed invincible inbat, yet effortlessly tossed out deadpan remarks while navigating through the bizarre events of the game. It¡¯s strange to say, but it was fascinating to see that Yujin couldugh, had preferences, and, more importantly, reacted to the absurdity of the game with the same bewilderment anyone else might have. It was oddly endearing. So, I ended upughing along with her until the stream ended.... "Dice, stop smiling ande up here and share something useful with everyone." "Uh, no, I¡¯d rather not..." But having all eyes on her wasn¡¯t a good sign, and she eventually found herself reluctantly stepping up to the podium amidst a round of apuse. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant, though. In fact, it was something she was used to¡ªshe had even predicted it to some extent. After all, Dice was one of SSM¡¯s star yers, and she had made it to the finalsst year. So, with a microphone in hand, Dice began to speak. "Is there anyone here who isn¡¯t familiar with the rules for the qualifying ranks?" Naturally, no one raised their hand. In fact, if someone had, that would have been a problem in itself. In any case, with nothing else to do until the qualifying ranks began at noon, she decided to take this opportunity to speak her mind. "Alright then. By now, I¡¯m sure everyone has their qualifying rank schedule, and some of you might have been assigned to the same room as each other. Of course, you won¡¯t know for sure until you enter the room, so it¡¯s not that important..." Qualifying ranks. At this stage, it wasn¡¯t like regr ranks where you could grind for hours to significantly change your ranking. You received an invitation code to a room that opened at a specific time, and you had to perform well in that session to climb the ranks. Other than the fact that it was less well-known at the start, it was essentially an online tournament that lived up to its name. "From this point on, the broadcast rooms will be active, so don¡¯t use any tactics or tricks you¡¯ve been keeping in reserve unless absolutely necessary. Of course, if you¡¯ve hit a skill ceiling, there¡¯s no choice, but to be blunt, if you¡¯re already struggling in the qualifying ranks, it¡¯s going to be a tough road ahead." With the broadcast rooms active, it meant outsiders could now observe the matches in real-time. In other words, analysts from around the world would be watching, dissecting every move and tactic. Of course, tactics¡ªthough Yujin¡¯s lecture had somewhat changed Dice¡¯s perspective¡ªwere ultimately a paradoxicalbination of standardized improvisation, and at least within Asia, it wasn¡¯t as meaningful as one might think. In other words, the finals were... She didn¡¯t even want to think about it. Right on cue, questions started toe in. The same endless loop of questions she had faced after returning fromst year¡¯s finals was creeping back into her mind, but what could she do? She could only say what needed to be said. "What¡¯s the level of the finals like?" "You¡¯ll see things beyond your imagination." There were many ways to express this, but one of the simplest was to say that you¡¯d feel like an ingredient in a blender. As the barrage of questions continued, Dice found herself lost in a shback of her past experiences. Despite fighting tooth and nail, she had been outssed in every aspect¡ªmovement, reaction time, tactical maneuvers, and more. It felt like battling a bulldozer equipped with auto-targeting turrets while wrapped in bulletproof armor. There was a strong sense of helplessness, a certainty that she couldn¡¯t surpass this threshold. Aiming swiftly and naturally, pulling the trigger without hesitation, delivering precise shots with pinpoint uracy, exhibiting terrifying reaction times, and engaging in ruthless closebat. ¡®It felt like they weren¡¯t here to y a game....¡¯ How to describe it? Maybe it was like realizing just how terrifying it would be to go up against the US military. In that sense, it felt like these yers were striving to walk through hell. It was a rebellious thought, but not one she could voice. After all, not only herself but many others were about to face countless grueling matches where blood would be repaid with blood. But even so, something about this year felt different, making it hard to give up. It wasn¡¯t just the basicpetitive spirit driving her¡ªit was simply that she wanted to follow someone¡¯s path, to walk alongside them, and to see just how far that person¡¯s journey would take them. It was a strange motivation, but it was undeniably a driving force. "How many of you have tried ying in the North American ranks?" Everyone quickly raised their hands. But naturally, there weren¡¯t many who dedicated themselves to the North American ranks as much as they did to the Korean server. Even those who tried didn¡¯t go beyond the ranks of SOF. And the truth was, the real battlefield where they could experience true hell wasn¡¯t the North American ranks. Dice was the only one who had participated in scrims hosted in North America after passing the Asia qualifiers, and there was... no need to exin. It was like a slightly degraded version of the finals. So, she added: "It would be great if you could try scrimming in North America after passing the Asia qualifiers, but if the opportunity arises, make sure to participate in practice matches held in the US. To be the one and only AP Soloing champion in the world... you¡¯ll have to walk a path of unimaginable hardship. I can guarantee that." There wasn¡¯t much more to say. "See you in the Asia qualifiers." That was the only blessing she could offer them. Chapter 81 Apex Predator. A name that, when tranted to Korean, means the pinnacle of predators. It was a brutal game that threw nearly a hundred yers into a vast area, where only one user could emerge as the winner. A chaotic free-for-all and survival showdown. The simple yet intensely macho motto of "Climb to the top by trampling others" allowed Apex Predator to surpass other prominent PvP modes, rising to fame even above the legendary Team Six. Moreover, unlike Team Six, which required an understanding of basic map structures, operator gadgets, and the ability to break through walls and floors to create entry points, Apex Predator offered a straightforward gamey directive: shoot visible enemies and move to the safe zone. The lower entry barrier was a significant advantage Apex Predator held over other PvP modes. However, the low entry barrier didn¡¯t only apply to viewers. Theplex map structure, the fact that walls could be broken to create entryways, and the unfamiliar concept of reinforcing walls and setting traps made Team Six challenging not just to watch, but also to y. Apex Predator was the opposite. Even though there were buildings, the interiors were rtively simple, and unlike Team Six, where skills were limited by EMP, yers could use skills from PvE like Pulse, Seeker Mines, Sticky Bombs, and Healing Devices. The instruction was simple: shoot when you see enemies, move when told to move to the safe zone, and hold your position. yers experienced both victory and bitter defeat multiple times through this process. But these experiences were easier and quicker to grasp than in other PvP modes, making Apex Predator a fitting choice for neers to try. AP had a high yer turnover. This wasn¡¯t just a casual remark; the quick turnover meant a higher chance of discovering hidden talents among the yers. Thus, while easy to enter, Apex Predator became a testament to how difficult it was to climb the ranks. The path to the Asia Qualifiers, starting with the qualifying ranks, was a battlefield filled with blood, fire, metal, and the fallen. And now, in thest week of August, on the brink of September... -[Notification: A message has been sent to all participants. Apex Predator - The qualifying ranks have begun. Good luck to all participants.] The massive sieve of blood, sweat, tears, steel, lead, and gunpowder began to separate the strong from the weak. "¡­Damn it, this map again." Not that it mattered much, but even I had my preferences and dislikes. Ever since my body changed, my tastes had slightly altered, and I had be more sensitive to certain things¡ªbut no need to beat around the bush. In short, one of the Apex Predator maps was set in a cold environment. Not just any cold, but an abandoned, massive power ntplex near the Arctic Ocean, making it feel like a survival mode situation. Realistically, there¡¯s no reason to build such a structure in a ce like this, but regardless, the map had a mountain range on one side and the sea to the north. Unusually, most AP maps forced yers to move via a "kill zone"monly called a "safe zone," but a few maps didn¡¯t follow this rule. The Arctic Power ntplex was one of those exceptions. The gimmick here was that the area had been contaminated due to a toxic chemical leak caused by overzealous facility operations. Additionally, an avnche from the mountain covered part of the section in snow¡­ In short, the game used various methods to guide yers toward specific regions. I thought it was a rather unique setup. -[Warning: Vibration detected. This area will copse in 13 minutes and 24 seconds.] This map didn¡¯t start with a high-altitude drop like others; instead, yers woke up in a random location on the map after losing contact while investigating the area. It felt like a survival scenario, though with some differences. At least here, the temperature didn¡¯t be an issue. While the temperature slowly dropped over time, by the time it became a problem, yers would have gathered enough items to deal with it. Especially with tournament rules in ce. Even though the map had changed, the start was the same. However, with a different map came different supply boxes. The abandoned port I firstnded on had boxesbeled "ship supplies," and the research facility had "emergency supplies" in more high-tech-looking containers. Here, it was a mix of both. Inside the box were various guns, armor waiting to be worn, grenades, and other items. The purpose was to create intensebat and keep the action going. Today¡¯s weapon of choice was an unexpected S&W M500. Maybe it was because I¡¯d recently visited a shooting range, but it was definitely an odd pick. And then there was the main star of the day... "¡­Sigh." The Mk.18 Mod.1 Mjolnir. My oldpanion made a sudden appearance. No wonder the box seemedrger. This rifle, to put it simply, was a designated marksman rifle with a rather long barrel for precision. Even the shortest version was about 20 inches. But the ammunition it used was the powerful .338 round, and back in the day, I carried it as a secondary weapon to easily silence heavily armored enemies or drones. It had much greater pration power than a slug shotgun and delivered simr impact, so as long as you could manage its weight and recoil, it was an advantageous weapon. I quickly equipped the armor, grabbed six or seven magazines from the box, and loaded them into the Icarus gear¡¯s integrated magazine loader. With a series of clicks, I had seven fully loaded magazines in under 10 seconds. I slotted one into the rifle, chambered a round, and stuffed the remaining six into my pouches. The essory on the upper rail wasn¡¯t a scope, but a HAMR sight. This suited me better since there was no need for long-range engagements here. But then... ©¤©¤Ratatatat! Suddenly, bullets rained down, and I quickly grabbed my rifle and took cover behind a wall. This was the annoying part of hardcore mode. In other yers¡¯ videos, you¡¯d see them open a box, grab a weapon, and get fully loaded in no time. But that wasn¡¯t the case for me. Judging by the direction of the bullets, the sound, and the vibrations through the floor, I had a rough idea of where the enemy was. With my right hand holding the revolver, I deliberately made noise while pulling out a grenade. Nothing yet? Then, I hooked the grenade pin onto my tail and yanked it out with a strong pull. The enemy, realizing I was exposed, tried to relocate while pre-firing, but I extended only my left hand to toss the grenade while squeezing the revolver¡¯s trigger with my right finger. The recoil was substantial, but I countered it with sheer grip strength. Boom! Two out of five shots hit. Not the best oue, but considering I was firing with one hand and using .500 S&W Magnum rounds, the damage dealt couldn¡¯t be ignored.@@novelbin@@ I threw the revolver to the side to cause confusion and dashed forward to close the distance. I could hear the enemy reloading. Quickly, I ran the mental calctions. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but the enemy¡¯s weapon was likely stronger than an SMG¡ªprobably an ordinary carbine, with a minimum fire rate of 700 RPM. Factoring in my weapon, their weapon, and our gear... The moment Inded a hit, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to aim and shoot back effectively due to the impact. In the next moment, our lines of fire crossed. The firefight was over in an instant. "Kuhh¡­!" No one in the world could remain standing after taking three .338 Lapua Magnum rounds to the chest. The enemy was flung backward,nding hard on the cold, concrete floor, knocked several meters away by the sheer force. Since it was early in the match, the rounds weren¡¯t armor-piercing, which likely yed a role. The bullets hadn¡¯t prated the armor but had deformed against it, pushing the body back with tremendous force. ©¤Thud! The sound was less like gunfire and more like a giant stomping. As the heavy shell casings hit the floor with a low thud, the enemy was immediately taken out of the match, the message notifying them of a fatal head injury. It was always like this. I felt somewhat guilty saying it, but I could only offer my condolences to those who encountered me early in the match. Leaving a target alive was never an option, and once I chose my target, I couldn¡¯t let them escape. What they left behind would be my strength. I swapped the discarded revolver for the Mk.18 CQBR the enemy had dropped. Fortunately, my nanomachine durability was holding up. I dragged the body behind a container and carefully inspected the gear. I stashed the six loaded magazines into my top pouch. The sight was a Vortex UH-1, which I was familiar with, so sighting in took only a few seconds. I detached the NGAL, mounted it on the 12 o¡¯clock rail, and adjusted the sights to align with it. The zeroing distance was set at 50 yards. I slightly adjusted the stock length. The grip was oddly a Hera Arms CQR grip, which I adjusted for better handling. All of this took less than a minute. These were tools I was familiar with, and I¡¯d spent over a week practicing this routine, knowing that the longer it took, the lower my survival chances. With everything set, I wouldn¡¯t be switching weapons mid-match. It took too long to reconfigure. -[Warning: This area will copse in 10 minutes. The zone will be sealed in 8 minutes.] "Three minutes already?" Time had passed quicker than I expected. I opened the map, taking into ount the dangerously cold areas, the contamination zones caused by the copse, and the estimated avnche zones to n my route. The route needed to be simple. I couldn¡¯t afford to linger too long in one area. I had to estimate how long I¡¯d stay in each zone, not as a strict n but to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Eighty-nine yers left. I checked the route and familiarized myself with the terrain before moving out. The next objective was the skill activation zone, where everyone fought tooth and nail. Meanwhile, as Yujin moved forward, unaware of anything else... -Phew, that was a clean firefight, lol. -That''s not the point, how did she fire an M500 with one hand??? -Have you seen Yujin before? I stopped caring about realism when she rapid-fired a Barrett, lol. -If a human can do it, that¡¯s realistic enough, you idiots. Yujin¡¯s broadcast room had turned into chaos as her regr viewers flooded in, -How does she even control the recoil? Is that possible? -What¡¯s with the tail? How did she prime that grenade like that? -She¡¯s so calm while ying, wow... -She¡¯s using Mjolnir? That rifle¡¯s recoil makes it really tough to use. -It¡¯s impressive, but I need to see how she handles other yers. Even those who were seeing Yujin for the first time in this broadcast were intrigued. Once again, Yujin was unaware that she was being broadcasted to countless viewers. Chapter 82 [Notification: Icarus Tech detected nearby.] The area was in chaos. After a few weeks of participating in AP Soloing, I had learned that the skill unlock gear boxes were always located in the middle of heavily contested hubs, where life and death were separated by the thinnest of margins. Even from just 300 meters away, the sound of gunfire was deafening, a constant barrage that resembled the crackling of roasting beans. Although I¡¯ve said it many times, the dynamics in sessions under tournament rules were always simr. Simply opening a box could shower you with weapons, and whether or not you had a skill unlocked often determined if you could gain the upper hand in a firefight. Of course, this meant that the skill unlock zones were ces where lives were as fleeting as falling leaves. This was true even considering the tournament setting, and this pattern intensified after the initial phase of looting was over. In short, I was heading toward the hottest zone at the hottest time. As I entered thergest building in the area, which housed control rooms, rest facilities, and various other sections, I could hear the sounds of a shattered battle echoing from inside, where bullets had collided with walls hundreds, if not thousands of times. Most of the noise was gunfire, but mixed in were sounds that resembled trying to fend off a torrential downpour with a single umbre. I knew all too well what that sound was. ©¤Rat-tat-tat-tat! It was the sound of bullets ricocheting off a ballistic shield. This wasn¡¯t just any ordinary shield; it was part of the Icarus gear. Although it looked like a standard shield, its performance far exceeded that of modern-day equivalents. In the past, when I set up my gear with nanomachine enhancements, I could withstand a minigun barrage for tens of seconds. That hadn¡¯t changed here, and users who customized their setups to y a tank role were always at the forefront, absorbing the enemy¡¯s fire. In any case, it was a formidable piece of equipment. Taking a deep breath, I surveyed the surroundings. Although AP maps had differentyouts in every match, the skill activation device was always in an open area. In other words, the chances of getting your head separated from your body while activating a skill were almost 100%. Because of this, many yers avoided these areas altogether. Late in the game, items like EMP grenades or jammers, which could disable skills, often emerged to counter reliance on abilities. Fweee! "Ugh." As soon as I entered the building¡ªor rather, what was left of it¡ªthose who had arrived earlier and taken cover detected my presence and immediately began firing in all directions. As always, I couldn¡¯t afford to give them any opportunity for a firefight. The enemy had the advantage, being already entrenched in their positions, while I was the one entering their line of fire. As I always said, firefights should only be attempted when you¡¯re on equal footing or when you have the upper hand. There was no need to start a fight when the odds weren¡¯t in my favor. But, of course, things don¡¯t always go as nned. As soon as I poked my head out into the hallway, a burst of light and sound erupted from the far end. I quickly ducked back into cover, reviewing the situation. One enemy was cautiously trailing me from behind, and another was blocking the route I intended to take. Most likely, the enemy wouldn¡¯t engage me in a direct firefight. At best, they¡¯d try to gain the upper hand by using grenades as safely as possible. In that case¡­ I decided to limit the ces where the enemy behind me could throw their grenades. First, I shot out all the lights in the ceiling with my carbine. This included the hallway I had nned to pass through. As the area quickly plunged into darkness, I pulled out a smoke grenade from my pocket. This would create various opportunities. Separate from that, I made one assumption¡ªthe enemy approaching from behind would want to know my exact position. That way, they could use their grenades to kill me more effectively. Drawing from extensivebat experience, I quickly came to a conclusion. I would provide false information about my position to the enemy behind me, push back the enemy in front with the smoke grenade, and create a rtively safe spot to avoid any grenades. The key was to mask the sound of the smoke grenade¡¯s detonation, but that could be easily covered up by firing during the engagement. I found three conditions that would allow me to escape the current situation. With each piece of the puzzle falling into ce, the firefight scenario I wanted began to take shape. I took a deep breath and began. ©¤Rat-tat-tat-tat! With the carbine firmly shouldered, I leaned out into the hallway and fired a burst at thest spot I had seen the enemy. The muzzle sh lit up the darkness as the firefight began. Naturally, both the enemy and I were using cover, so there weren¡¯t any significant hits, but the noise was meant to signal my position to the enemy behind me. I used my tail to pull out the smoke grenade, yanked the pin, and rolled it forward while switching to semi-auto and firing at regr intervals. The sound of the rolling grenade and the subsequent detonation werepletely drowned out by the gunfire. Psssshhhhh¡­ As white smoke silently billowed out from the center of the hallway, the enemy in front of me retreated further, and the enemy behind me inferred that I was engaged in a firefight in the hallway based on the gunfire. I swapped magazines and then heard the telltale click from behind. The enemy was readying a grenade. Without hesitation, I sprinted down the hallway, dove to the floor, and pressed myself t, covering my ears and opening my mouth. There was no need to worry about getting shot by the enemy I had been fighting earlier. The smoke was too thick for them to see me, and they had retreated because of the smoke grenade I had thrown. A solid object hit the wall, ricocheted, and fell to the floor. A massive explosion rocked the hallway, sending vibrations through the building. ©¤Boom! "Ugh¡­!" The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air as hundreds of metal fragments and concrete shards flew in all directions. The force of the st was so intense it left my ears ringing. The spot where I had been moments ago was nothing more than a simple hallway junction with no cover, so if I had stayed there, I would have been blown to pieces. Another dull thud followed. Another grenade. It seemed no one was letting their guard down, considering this was a qualifying rank match. Two consecutive explosions shook the building. As the aftershock subsided, I silently got up and sprinted toward ground zero. No one had ever thrown three grenades into the same spot. Two might be fine, but three was a waste of time, and if they failed to kill the target, the noise would attract attention from all directions. In short, this meant the enemy behind me would soon stop throwing grenades and move in my direction. Closing the distance with the enemy was always wee. ©¤ck! "¡­." The sound of a ballistic shield deploying. If I were an ordinary yer, I would¡¯ve cursed the enemy for their relentless caution. In such a confined space, a shield and handgunbination could endure all sorts of adversity. Honestly, an average yer would die at this point. But blindly trusting a shield was always a mistake¡ªbecause it¡¯s always a human being using the tool. The moment the edge of the shield slipped into the now-darkened hallway, where the lights had been shot out, I charged. Like a rhino, I mmed into the enemy.@@novelbin@@ The shield had arge surface area optimized for absorbing bullets. "Huurgh¡­!" While the shield could absorb bullets, even with the aid of Icarus gear, it was still a human being who had to endure the impact. With a thud, thebined weight of two people mmed into the wall. In that moment, I grabbed the enemy¡¯s right wrist with my left hand, forcing them to drop their handgun, while my right hand reached over to add strength to my left. Then, with both hands gripping the enemy¡¯s right wrist, I yanked hard¡ªand threw them over my shoulder. ©¤Thud! The enemynded t on their back, still gripping the shield with their left hand, as the air was forced from their lungs. In that instant, I pinned the shield down with my foot to prevent them from moving and aimed my Mk.18 Mjolnir at their head. Several gunshots rang out, and the kill count increased. Breathing in the acrid smell of gunpowder, I caught my breath. "¡­Hah." Aside from the one who had fled earlier, there were no more enemies in the vicinity. I pulled five Lapua Magnum rounds from the multi-purpose pouch on my belt, reloaded the magazine, and slotted it into ce. The familiar clicking sound echoed in my ears. Every moment of life was truly a struggle. The session was far from over. Breaking News: Shocking! Reaper Infected''s Michael announces retirement from AP¡­ A GIF of Yujin flipping Michael over and executing him. Didn¡¯t hear the smoke grenade go off¡­ I¡¯m quitting AP ?? [General Comments] [Most Recent] -???????????????????????? -Is this real? How is this real? Didn''t the qualifying ranks just start????? -Wow, this is just¡­ wow, lol. -Please stop, you crazy woman, please!!! lol -I don¡¯t understand anything about this! -Fact: For those who know, the previous situation was even more spectacr. -For real, lol. -The terrain was awful, and she was outnumbered, yet she still broke through, lol. -After taking down Michael, she still managed to catch the one who fled within three minutes¡ªridiculous. -What¡¯s with that tail? Is that even real? Who the hell is this "Third Tail" technique guy? How does she prime grenades with a tail, lol? -It''s the first match! It¡¯s the first match! It¡¯s the first match! It¡¯s the first match! -She wrecked scrims, she¡¯s wrecking qualifying ranks¡ªplease stop being so good, you crazy woman, please!!!!!!!!!!!! -She¡¯s flying solo even though the official broadcast isn¡¯t even open yet, lol. -The most absurd thing is that she doesn¡¯t give a damn who her opponent is, lol. She just bulldozes anything in her way. -We decided to call her a tank. -Human armored vehicle of the year, right? -She starts by rapid-firing an M500 with one hand, then she¡¯s rapid-firing a Mjolnir¡ªgive it a rest, you super-soldier, lol. -M500? You mean the revolver? -What else could it be? -I have no idea what this person¡¯s background is, but I¡¯m giving up trying to figure it out. -At this point, shouldn¡¯t they just automatically put her in the top 100 for the sake of yer rights? -Be reasonable, lol. -For yer rights, lol. -This is supposed to be a shooting game, but people are getting executed, and you¡¯re talking about rights, lol. Chapter 83 One of the distinctive features of Icarus International, particrly in the department handling Dark Zone, was their strict policy against hiring people who hadn¡¯t yed the game they were responsible for. This was apany policy designed to ensure that employees could empathize with the game¡¯s mechanics and the actual opinions of numerous users, all to create a more efficient and ideal Dark Zone. This policy had never changed since the game officiallyunched. Regardless of gender or preferences, there were no exceptions. Thus, five years after theunch of Dark Zone, and three years after the sessful establishment of its esports scene, almost everyone working at Icarus International had be familiar with Dark Zone¡¯s system and actual gamey. Specifically, as the preliminary rank matches began, they would constantly check the so-called ''super ys'' that AI video editors were endlessly uploading to thepany intr. Employees even developed preferences and rankings for these clips whenever they had time. Editing key moments from the preliminary rank matches to upload to the official YourSpace ount had been part of their promotional efforts for three years. However, as interest grew exponentially with each passing year and professional gaming teams were formed, the volume of important moments had increased to a level that a few dedicated editors could no longer handle alone. As a result, even more spectacr and captivating scenes were selected based on the preferences and choices of numerouspany employees, which naturally became part of the official advertisements. And once again, as countless users'' gamey videos were being uploaded¡ª "Hey, did you see the clip that got the most rmendations?" "Yeah, I saw it. Who the heck is that person?" "I have no idea. How could someone manage to throw a person with a shield?" As always, Yujin was quickly bing a hot topic, like a needle in a pocket. It was amon urrence. "Hello, everyone. As always, it''s Unreal here, fighting to deliver top-notch information to you. Just likest year, the official broadcast will open on Thursday, so until then, I¡¯ll be active as an observer." "Also, today we have a special guest here. We¡¯re joined by Russ, a former AP pro-gamer and current sub-league coach of Reaper Infected, who will be co-observing today¡¯s broadcast. Please give him a warm wee!" "Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you." -[Unreal¡¯s Personal Broadcast - ON AIR] As the red light turned on and the five-minute broadcast timer that had been set beforehand expired, a flood of chats began pouring in like a wave. Over 20,000 viewers were watching the same screen on a single broadcast. They were viewing various camera feeds hovering above the cold Arctic Power nt map and the CCTV-style observing cameras installed across the map. As usual, people couldn¡¯t bear their boredom, and the absence of the official broadcast, which would start on Thursday, was also an opportunity for many streamers. So, they began streaming under the pretense of "personal broadcasts," and this quickly turned into a form of content. Among them, Unreal¡¯s broadcast, which had already established itself as a leader by exining numerous Dark Zone patch notes and tips, was one that many were eagerly awaiting. And Unreal responded to this support by going ON AIR. With over 1,500 participants in the preliminary ranks, Unreal had at least sixteen rooms to observe¡ªhe had already selected one to focus on. As the game was about to begin and there were only three minutes left until noon, Unreal opened his mouth again to avoid any dead air. The two began their back-and-forth dialogue. "Preliminary rank matches. While it¡¯s just the beginning phase leading to the Asia Qualifiers, it¡¯s amazing to see how the number of participants increases significantly each year. This trend isn¡¯t limited to just AP; it¡¯s also happening with other PvP content, isn¡¯t it?" "Exactly. Moreover, something that many people overlook is that this is just the beginning. It¡¯s been five years since Dark Zoneunched, and only three years since the professional scene started. This means there¡¯s still plenty of room for growth." "If thepetition is already this fierce, in a few more years, even more people will bepeting for an even narrower entrance. I can already feel the sparks flying." Simultaneously, detailed information about the map was being disyed. The two continued speaking as if they were quite familiar with it. "This time, we¡¯re looking at the Aurora Power nt map, which many of you are familiar with. It¡¯s located between the Arctic Ocean in front and the mountains behind. The key gimmicks include avnches, facility explosions, and toxic leaks. Despite itsplexyout, it¡¯s considered one of the best-designed maps." "That¡¯s right. To add to that, the map is filled with cover and detours, fitting its power nt theme, and the multiyered structure allows for a wide variety ofbat scenarios. This makes it a challenging map for beginners." "Haha, getting used to it is always tough. From an expert¡¯s perspective, are there any particr points to watch out for on this map?" "It¡¯s best to avoid narrow, one-way paths as much as possible. Especially in areas where buildings are connected, such paths aremon. If you make a wrong move, you might find yourself getting nked, so it¡¯s crucial to pay attention to your movement routes to reduce the chances of getting killed." "Thank you for the excellent advice!" At that moment, the game began. Unlike other maps, where yers jump from high altitudes and deploy parachutes, this one had a system where yers awakened somewhere near their designated drop zones. About a hundred users simultaneously stood up, opened nearby crates, and began collecting items and weapons. Almost immediately, skirmishes erupted in all directions, and several screens flickered with action. After five yers were swiftly eliminated, the death toll began to rise, albeit at a slightly slower pace. yers were gradually being kicked out of the session. "The earlypetition is already intense. As many of you know, almost a quarter of the participants in the preliminary ranks are either trainees or professional gamers from the 2nd or 1st leagues. This means that one in four yers you encounter is likely a pro." "As always, Tier 2 may seem high on the surface, but it¡¯s just the minimum requirement to participate in the preliminary ranks. I expect another brutal survival battle this time." "Speaking of which, let¡¯s take a look at some of the standout yers in this session." The names of a hundred participants scrolled by. Soon, the yers were arranged in order of their highest LP (League Points), and those who were active professional gamers were marked with special symbols. Further down, the numbers and charts, including those who were active in the 1st league and the 2nd league, were disyed in detail for the viewers. The conversation continued based on this information. "Let¡¯s check out the 1st league participants¡­ It seems about eight yers from the 1st league are participating in this match. Including the 2nd league, we have about seventeen pro gamers in this match. Do any of them catch your eye?" "Of course. If we go by ranking, there¡¯s Corvus from Xi, Mikael from Reaper Infected, Axymand from Clear Sky, and Mars from GEARUP¡­ and many others following them. It¡¯s an impressive lineup." "As a fellow Reaper Infected yer, could you analyze the ystyle of pro gamer Mikael? I¡¯d appreciate it if you could share some general insights that others might find useful as well." "Well¡­ he¡¯s solid. He never lets his guard down in any situation. Instead of focusing on increasing his kill count, his main strategy is safe y and securing kills in certain situations." Amid exnations, quantifications, and charted information, the conversation flowed quickly. Despite being half-improvised, with no pre-made script, the two continued their Q&A seamlessly, thanks to their long-standing experience in the gaming industry. Whenever a significant y was observed on one of the observing cams, they exined it from a pro gamer¡¯s perspective, showing why 20,000 viewers were flocking to this non-official broadcast. As the number of remaining yers dwindled to below 70, the cam popped up a screen showing a particrly high-interest scene. The two immediately focused on the screen and began speaking. "Ah, the observing cam is now showing a ce where a battle is expected¡­ There¡¯s a yer who has entered the dormitory building to move to another structure. They¡¯re moving incredibly fast, but someone¡¯s already trailing behind them." "Their movements are very swift. But looking at the expected movement route, it seems someone is already waiting at the pathway leading to the power nt. It¡¯ll be tough to break through." "This is amon scenario. We call it a ''sandwich,'' right? I¡¯ve heard this is the mostmon situation where yers get eliminated at this level. Is that true?" "Of course. At this stage, most yers are skilled inbat, so they tend to aim for maximum gain with minimal effort. Using someone else¡¯s hand to deal with an enemy isn¡¯t a bad strategy either." "Thank you for your kind exnation. Now, let¡¯s check the usernames of the yers involved in this situation¡­." He waved his hand. At the same time, Unreal, who had been speaking without pause, suddenly stopped. Because he saw some very familiar letters on the screen. "It¡¯s Yujin¡ªYujin! And below is Mikael! Yujin is exposed to a 1v2 situation!" -What??? What¡¯s happening????? -Is something biging? Something huge? Is it really happening???? -Wow, I was nning to nap while watching, but now I¡¯m wide awake, LOL -Yujin vs. Mikael OMG This is going to be epic LOL -My heart¡¯s suddenly racing like crazy LOL Excitement soared in an instant. Although she was still stuck in the mid-tier of Tier 2, the mysterious yer, Yujin, who had recently been the subject of rumors about her unreal skills, was a name that was already spreading. And below her was Mikael, the second professional gamer mentioned by Russ, who was among the top 1st league yers. Suddenly, this unexpected match-up, with its unpredictable oue, was setting Unreal, Russ, and the 20,000 viewers aze with anticipation. Meanwhile, the screen showed Yujin trapped in a hallway, pinned between enemies due to the gunfire from the end of the corridor. With his mind cooled by the tense situation, Unreal spoke up first. "Oh no, Yujin is in a really dangerous situation right now! From what I can see, there doesn¡¯t seem to be a way to avoid the grenade that¡¯sing her way! There¡¯s an enemy camping ahead, and Mikael is behind! Is there any way she can ovee this predicament?" "Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure. Yujin does have a smoke grenade, but the structure of the area ahead is very simr to the hallway she¡¯s in now. This means that even if she uses it to move forward, the situation won¡¯t change much." "I see, will she be able to get through this¡­!" Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! In the meantime, the screen showed an intense firefight, and Yujin, without much hesitation, pulled out the smoke grenade from her pouch and threw it. The sound of it rolling and the smoke grenade going off were drowned out by the gunfire. However, no one noticed this. As the smoke began billowing from the hallway, Unreal and Russ could only repeatedly express their confusion about what Yujin was trying to do. Meanwhile, Yujin quickly concealed herself in the smoke at the end of the corridor, while Mikael threw a grenade toward the hallway entrance. Confusion filled the broadcast. "Oh, Mikael¡¯s grenade didn¡¯t go in deep! No, it seems like he didn¡¯t even try to throw it deep! Why is that!?" "It looks like Mikael couldn¡¯t pinpoint Yujin¡¯s exact location. So he threw the grenade toward thest ce where gunfire was heard." No one knew what Yujin was aiming for, but the result was clear. She survived, Mikael lost his advantage, and the grenade¡¯s explosion provided an opportunity for the enemy to close in on him. However, Mikael was not careless. Even if he encountered a corpse, he wouldn¡¯t die; he pulled out a ballistic shield with his left hand and slowly began to clear the angles. If it had been an ordinary yer in front of him, Mikael would have secured a kill by this point. But Mikael wasn¡¯t so lucky. Thud!@@novelbin@@ A heavy sound. And a guttural groan. Yujin, who had rammed into Mikael¡¯s shield, quickly snatched the pistol from his hand and tossed it to the ground. Then, twisting her body, she grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. While everyone was left dumbfounded by the sudden move, she efficiently finished off the prone opponent. For the first time, silence fell over the broadcast as everyone struggled to process what had just happened. "Wait, what just happened¡­." -What did I just see? What did I just see? What did I just see? What did I just see? -What the hell, Yujin, you crazy woman, take it easy LOL -Today¡­ she mercilessly crushes another budding sprout¡­ -This person ww doesn¡¯t know when to stop -WTF LOL Did you catch a disease where you die if you don¡¯t win??? Meanwhile, elsewhere¡ª Bang! "Surprisingly, there are quite a few people trying to engage in closebat¡­." She was calmly dealing with another opponent, having smashed their chin with her rifle¡¯s stock in close-quartersbat, sending them flying before finishing them off while they were stunned. As always, Yujin was cruising smoothly. Chapter 84 Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! The rain of bullets and the sparks flying from them. While forcibly suppressing the surging heartbeat, I sort through the flood of information that filters through the suppressed gunfire, picking out what could be useful. How many bullets the enemy has fired, where they¡¯re moving, whether they¡¯re about to throw a grenade¡­ The more I immerse myself, the fewer UI elements remain around my field of vision, until it¡¯s just me and the enemy. The methods ingrained in my body and the years ofbat experience calm my muscles and find tranquility amidst the chaos. I can feel the trigger under my gloved finger. As I apply pressure to the trigger that has reached the wall beyond which it can go no further, the firing pin strikes the primer, sending the bullet effortlessly breaking the sound barrier towards the enemy. The Lapua Magnum bullet slices through the air and hits the concrete cover. With a chilling whip-like crack, the umted kic energy begins to weaken the cover at the point of impact. A magazine with ten rounds is spent in an instant. As it drops to the floor due to gravity, a new polymer magazine slides into the receiver, and once again, it unleashes a hail of lead bullets¡ªor maybe tungsten bullets¡ªalong with a fiery downpour of death. I pull the trigger, intercept the iing grenades, and close the distance while the enemy tries to maneuver. These are countless fragmented ns, almost like a puzzle. Each objective is a step towards arger goal, a stride towards the destination. Move, shoot, kill the enemy. Kill the enemy, ovee the challenges presented by the session, and im victory. im victory, advance to the preliminaries, and qualify for the finals. And if I make it to the finals¡­ inevitably, I¡¯ll have to visit Icarus headquarters. Once I reach that point, will I be able to understand how Dark Zone is connected to my past and the world I came from? BOOM! A grenade intercepted mid-air explodes, scattering small metal fragments in all directions. It¡¯s like a rain of death. And in reality, it¡¯s not much different. I check my nanomachine status and health levels. Both have decreased due to being hit by armor-piercing rounds. The bullets must have prated through and out of my body. Even so, the few bullets that hit were enough to shock the enemy to the point where they couldn¡¯t aim properly, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to move forward. As expected, there was no follow-up gunfire. Causes have consequences, and these be usable information. The suffocating firefight hade to an end before I knew it. Reducing the enemy''sbat capabilities steadily and continuously without umting damage to my body always yielded effective results. However¡ªalthough the opponent had lost so much power that they could no longer inflict significant damage on me, that didn¡¯t mean I could approach them without caution. Before they could recover, I pulled out a grenade. The click of the pin being pulled. As the grenade¡¯s body hits the ground with a dull metallic sound, thest piece of the puzzle clicks into ce. With this, I take one more step forward. BOOM! [Notification: A winner has been determined.] [Notification: This session will end in 20 seconds.] With a deafening explosion, I survived once again today. [Notification: Congrattions on being one of the first 16 winners of the preliminary rank!] [Notification: Tier adjustment in progress¡­.] ¡°Hah¡­.¡± Cool water slid down my throat. How should I describe this feeling? Perhaps it¡¯s like climbing stairs. The quality of the matches I have to face increases little by little as time passes. It¡¯s not exponential, but it¡¯s noticeable. The congrattory messages that popped up through the notifications were fascinating. Sixteen winners, huh? Now that I think about it, that¡¯s right. One session has a hundred yers, and there were sixteen such sessions¡ªthough some didn¡¯t fill to a hundred, additional yers were recruited¡ªso there are sixteen winners. Sixteen out of 1,600 people. It¡¯s certainly rare. But it didn¡¯t feel quite real that I was one of them. I nced at the notification window. There were several greetings from people I wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar with, those with whom I had exchanged messages at least once. Interestingly, the messages came in the order in which I had formed these connections. Harmony. Unreal. Cartographer. Dice. A few others¡­ all people I knew. I started reading from the top. It was from Harmony. [Harmony: Thanks to you, teacher, I¡¯ve been checking out match broadcasts I didn¡¯t even know existed, hehe. I watched your fight well! It¡¯s a fiery battle that I¡¯ll never have any connection to, ?? Anyway, you always do so well, I don¡¯t think I need to worry about you, so I¡¯ll just cheer you on instead! Feel free to contact me anytime if you have the time! P.S.) That Cthulhu dating sim we yed recently was so much fun, hahaha! You¡¯ll do the sequel too, right?] It was a very Harmony-like message. Of course, thest part¡­ seemed like it would be quite difficult to fulfill. The content was so surreal that it was hard to hold back my bewilderment even while ying. Cartographer was a name I remembered. I had randomly encountered them in the past while running rank matches¡ªnot preliminaries¡ªand in fact, it wasn¡¯t entirely random; I had just thoroughly beaten them up. We hadn¡¯t interacted much since then, but it wasn¡¯t like we hadn¡¯t spoken at all. We had a slight connection, just about that level. Anyway, the message was fairly straightforward. Just a simple greeting, mentioning that they too were participating in the preliminary rank and that we should meetter at KSM. Something along those lines. And then there was Dice¡­ Before introducing the content, I moved my fingers a bit. [Yujin: Dice] [Yujin: Do you not have many people you interact with?] In response, as if to hammer the point home¡ªher reply came quickly. [Dice: No, I do!!!] [Dice: Why are you suddenly roasting me after just saying hello, ??] [Yujin: Sorry, hehe] [Yujin: Did your match go well?] [Dice: Smoothly into the top tier, hehe] [Dice: I couldn¡¯t get first ce because of some BS situation at the end, but I took down so many enemies that my LP won¡¯t be much different from the person who came first.] [Yujin: Congrattions] Returning to the content¡­ in fact, it was about three times as long as what Harmony sent. In summary, the beginning was the usual greetings, the middle was about what had happened recently andments about thest broadcast, and towards the end, there was a mention of seeing each other at KSM or the Asia Qualifiers instead of in the preliminary ranks. Of course, it ended with a postscript hoping that we wouldn¡¯t end up in the same match. The next match was scheduled to take ce in three hours. As I prepared a shake that packed 2000 kcal into a single cup, the conversation shifted to another topic. Before I knew it, the texts had transitioned into an avatar-call. ¡°By the way, youpletely destroyed Mikael. Pardon me, but are you really human? Should I suggest they add CQB to the interim coaching duties¡­?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve heard that a lot¡­.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a good reason for it. But I only saw the clip, so I didn¡¯t get the full context. But do I really need to? Just that scene alone tells enough.¡± Of course, the conversation didn¡¯t end there; the topic shifted again. ¡°¡­When did you start carrying that tomahawk around? Doesn¡¯t it feel¡­ weird to get kills with something like that? You¡¯re not nning to kill me with itter, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rather historic item. I can pull it out anytime if the situation turns bad¡­.¡± ¡°Terrifying, truly¡­.¡± To be honest, it wasn¡¯t that umon. In actualbat, anything could happen, and that included not only the range of a carbine but also the distance where only a pistol could be used¡ªor even a situation where not even a pistol could be used, leading to hand-to-handbat. To put it simply, it¡¯s the same reason many soldiers carry tactical knives during real operations. I just chose to carry an axe instead of a knife.@@novelbin@@ Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I wasn¡¯t influenced by the Hunter who was deployed to kill Icarus operators. And so the conversation continued. Outside, it was still raining. [Analysis] Analysis of Yujin¡¯s route today.anal Hey there, Dark Zone enthusiasts, Today, I¡¯m here to give you a brief exnation of Yujin¡¯s gamey, the hottest topictely, for those who missed it. Since I¡¯m just sharing what I know, there might be some discrepancies between my perspective and the actual gamey, but keep in mind that I¡¯m just a perpetual 2nd leaguer, while Yujin is a human tank who¡¯s slicing through all those top pro gamers like it¡¯s nothing. There¡¯s a summary at the top and another one at the bottom. To summarize Yujin¡¯s movement route in three points:
  1. Don¡¯t do it.
  2. Don¡¯t try it.
  3. You¡¯ll get shredded.
To be blunt, Yujin¡¯s route isn¡¯t particrly good because the higher the tier, the more the motto of AP bes about survival, not kill-catching. As most of you probably know, AP has its own skill gaps between tiers, but if you¡¯re unlucky, even a master yer can get shredded by a pro gamer in an instant. That¡¯s why when you look at tactical analysis on YourSpace, the content is usually simr. The basic approach is to y it safe and raise survival rates¡ªit¡¯s a form of convergent evolution, so to speak. That¡¯s why Yujin¡¯s ystyle inevitably stands out. If we had to categorize this yer¡¯s actions as tactics, we could call it the bulldozer tactic or maybe the blender tactic? They just grind through whatever¡¯s in their way. Anyway, it¡¯s a ystyle that ordinary people can¡¯t imitate, but if you look closely, there¡¯s a crazy psychological battle subtly at y. For example, let¡¯s take a look at the 1v2 situation you¡¯ve all been excitedly discussing. If you look closely, Yujin released smoke deep in the hallway during the firefight¡­ with what seems to be her tail. What many people missed is that the sound of the smoke grenade rolling and exploding waspletely drowned out by the gunfire. In my opinion, this was done to avoid giving additional information. If Mikael had heard the sound of the smoke grenade going off, he would have thought something like this: -¡°Huh? A smoke grenade? There¡¯s a long hallway ahead, though?¡± -¡°Looks like they¡¯re trying to blind my sight and push through the hallway. I¡¯d better speed up and catch up.¡± It¡¯s not certain, but that¡¯s what I think. At least, that¡¯s how I saw it. Anyway, the sound of the smoke grenade was hidden, and Yujin tantly wasted some ammo. I think this was partially to lure Mikael into throwing his grenade in a certain spot. There¡¯s a reason I think this. If you look closely, you can see that Mikael didn¡¯t throw the grenade deep into the hallway, thinking Yujin would be there. But Yujin had already hidden in the smoke. Kyle, thinking Yujin would push through after throwing the smoke, retreated. After dodging two grenades, Yujin immediately closed the distance. It seems Yujin decided to end it there. And the next part is the ¡®overhead throw¡¯ scene that everyone knows. To be blunt, if it wasn¡¯t Yujin, whoever was there, even me, would¡¯ve died. There¡¯s no way to win in closebat against someone pushing with a shield. I¡¯ve seen all sorts of ys while gaming, but this one made me dizzy the moment I saw it. What came next was¡­ ¡­ [All Comments] [Sort by: Date]
  • Upvoted before reading, lol
  • Summary: Don¡¯t even dream of trying this unless you¡¯re Yujin
  • I saw it roughly when Unreal and Russ werementating, but breaking it down like this is nuts, lol
  • While everyone else is struggling to survive like scrubs, here¡¯s a guy filming a movie¡­ which is why he¡¯s even cooler¡­.
  • So today¡¯s tip is that you can kill shield users by throwing them, right?
---[Author] Exactly^^ --- What the hell, lol, is this supposed to be a joke or what, lololol --- Yujin, you crazy person, does a ballistic shield look like an ice cream bar to you????? --- If that was possible, I would¡¯ve smashed all those shield jerks a long time ago, lol
  • LOL, but seriously, what¡¯s with the title, lololol
---¡®anal¡¯ --- You need to add ¡®yze¡¯ at the end, lololol --- Today¡¯s Yujin Route Analysis. ¡®Anal¡¯ --- I¡¯m literally dying ofughter, lololololololol --- The next game won¡¯t be Dark Zone; it¡¯ll be in court, lol ¡­ Chapter 85 Click. "Damn it¡­ life really sucks." After analyzing someone else¡¯s gamey that was so fresh it was practically boiling, and adding his own thoughts, the article wasplete. Although it wasn¡¯t properly revised or anything, after a quick check for possible typos and awkward sentences, it was uploaded with a brief stic click. Watching the upload finish sessfully after a short buffering time, Park Woo-jin, a second-team pro gamer for Arcadia Games, copsed onto his soft bed. He didn¡¯t need to look elsewhere to see that the forum was flooded with posts.@@novelbin@@ Yujin. Yujin. Yujin¡­ While there were some attempts to shift the topic or stir up useless drama, they were quickly swept away by the tidal wave of posts and disappeared below. It was understandable. After all, she had literally obliterated a first-team yer from a rival team. To be honest, he couldn¡¯t say he wasn¡¯t envious. How could he not be? After all, this industry was all about endlesspetition, and he, too, was someone who oscited between the first and second teams, going up and down repeatedly. He prided himself on being a yer who had made a name for himself here and there while ying around in this scene, but still¡ªwhen someone¡¯s gamey was so impressive that it spread on its own without any effort, it was natural to feel envious. But that was as far as it went. Jealousy andpetitiveness only work when the other person is within reach. Beyond that point, it turns into something closer to awe or fear. Envious. But nothing more than that. The further the gap, the simpler the emotions that fill it. To reach the top, you had to focus so intensely that you could feel every hair on your body rise and crawl your way up with sheer determination. Even at the starting point of the Asia Qualifiers, he was surrounded by people who were either slightly worse, just as good, or better than him. The world ofpetition was ruthless, and of the 1,600 people who barely filled up the slots with all avable SOF 1 yers, 1,500 would have to wait until next year. Then there¡¯s KSM. Out of 100 yers, only 20 will advance to the Asia Qualifiers, and from there, the number will be cut down to a maximum of four. Numbers were colder and scarier than any strictw. But to think there¡¯s a yer with skills so overwhelming that they don¡¯t even need to worry about such nerve-wrackingpetition¡­ well. That¡¯s why the only feeling he had toward Yujin was simple envy. Nothing more, nothing less. When he refreshed the page, waking from his thoughts, he saw that his post had already shot up to the popr posts section, as expected in such a bustling forum. Without much thought, he clicked on it and began reading thements. Instead of mindless insults or meaningless criticism, there could have been differing opinions, which were always wee¡­ but today, who knows? It didn¡¯t seem likely. And as expected, there weren¡¯t any particrly insightfulments. Most of them were either expressing disbelief in their ownnguage or agreeing with his analysis. But amidst all that, there was one fatal issue. ¡®-LOL, but seriously, what¡¯s with the title, lololol¡¯ ---¡®anal¡¯ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± What? Thinking he might have made a mistake, he hurriedly scrolled back up to the title¡ªonly to find that the three letters that should havepleted "analyze" had vanished. A word even someone who hadn¡¯t studied much in school would recognize. This was bad. ¡°No way¡­ how could I make such a dumb mistake¡­?¡± With a feeling like all the hair on his body was standing on end, he hastily corrected the title. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to apologize to Yujin. It was just another day in the life of the gaming world, which wasn¡¯t all that umon. ¡°Nice to meet you. Even though it¡¯s within virtual reality, this is the first time we¡¯ve actually met. Are youfortable?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not too bad. I¡¯m actually a bit dazed, but the warm wee helps.¡± The room was simply and cleanly decorated. In front, multiple screens were shing. Chat windows and gamey videos were arranged for easy viewing, waiting for someone to look at them. Hearing a voice beside me, I could only answer in a somewhat bewildered tone. I couldn¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t nervous. So many unexpected things had been happeningtely. Around 3:30 PM, just after my second match had ended. I had received my first invitation from Unreal, with whom I had onlymunicated through messages until now, and I had suddenly found myself as a guest on his personal broadcast. What surprised me a bit was that there was someone I hadn¡¯t seen before sitting next to him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Russ, the coach for Reaper Infected. I learned about you through Cartographer, so it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you like this.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too. I think we¡¯ve crossed paths a few times during rank matches, but I didn¡¯t know you were close with him.¡± His self-introduction was helpful. Moreover, thanks to Unreal briefly exining the personal broadcast he had been running, I managed to avoid the disaster of not being able to follow what was going on. However, for some reason, the number of viewers was starting to rise at an rming rate. The broadcast, which had been holding steady at around 20,000 viewers, suddenly hit 35,000. Although the growth had started to slow down, it was still climbing. ncing at the screen, I noticed something that seemed to be a clip of my gamey, probably uploaded by someone. At this point, even someone who waspletely clueless would understand why these two had sent me a sudden invitation code while I was trying to rx. In short, it was probably something like a yer interview. Even though I hadn¡¯t prepared any lines in my head, somehow things were moving along. Unreal nodded at me, signaling the start. ¡°Congrattions on winning your second match! This is truly unprecedented in Dark Zone history. No one has ever won back-to-back matches in the preliminary ranks, not in the past two years. Before we dive into the main questions, could I ask if you have any secret strategy you could share?¡± ¡°¡­First of all, thank you for the congrattions. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no specific strategy for winning.¡± In a way, it was an obvious statement. But whether it was obvious or not, there were still plenty of people who were hoping for a more detailed answer. Among them were even some yers who, while waiting for their next match, had joined the broadcast upon hearing that Yujin had appeared. As if expecting this, Unreal added a briefment and then smoothly passed the floor to Russ. ¡°Thank you for the answer. I suppose that¡¯s to be expected. There¡¯s no definitive answer in a game as variable as Apex Predator.¡± ¡°Then, may I ask a question?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Russ¡¯s question. With quick movements, he cleared away several windows and brought up the map I had just been ying on. An abandoned research base in the middle of a desert. Given the setting of a simted battle within virtual reality, it seemed like a map that was created by the game itself, rather than being based on any real-life experiences I¡¯d had. The main challenges and kill zones were the sandstorms and extreme weather conditions. The base¡¯s turrets, explosives, and self-destruct mechanisms for self-defense were also a factor. Unlike the Arctic Power nt, where I had previously fought, this one involved a straightforward high-altitude drop for entry. As I started to recall the map¡¯s characteristics one by one, Russ continued speaking. ¡°Since I have my own position and job, part of my role is to analyze yers¡¯ styles. And from what I¡¯ve seen¡­ you¡¯re quite difficult to predict, Yujin.¡± Then the screen shifted. Outside, a sandstorm was raging so violently that itpletely cked out the view, while inside the base, I was seen pushing an enemy quickly towards the outer perimeter. Meanwhile, in another clip, I was seen carefully maneuvering during a firefight, avoiding the enemy¡¯s line of sight, while setting up a simple trap using sand packed into a stic bag inside the base. The sand, slowly leaking from a small cut I had made in the stic bag, was connected via nylon string to a heavy object. Once all the sand had leaked out and the object fell to the ground, the pin of a grenade attached to it would be pulled. It wasn¡¯t meant to kill anyone¡ªjust to create noise as a distraction. As the chat erupted with amazement over the sand trap, Russ added a cautiousment. ¡°Sometimes, you set up very intricate traps, and other times, you execute aggressive ys like in the first video I showed. Is there amon principle that guides these actions?¡±
  • LOL that sand trap is genius!
  • Did she set that up to mess with the enemy¡¯s sound perception?
  • You can tell she¡¯s done this a lot, which is hrious, lol
  • Today, Yujin¡¯s true identity remains as mysterious as ever
  • My brain can¡¯t handle this¡­
Reactions were swirling all around. While most viewers were in awe of the clips Russ had shown, there were also some more serious reactions mixed in. From simple curiosity to attempts by members of rival teams to uncover my secrets. They were as enthusiastic as, if not more than, the offers I¡¯d received for joining teams. I was now considering how much I should share. During my time as an interim coach for SSM, we had briefly discussed the extent to which I should disclose my training curriculum. Although it wasn¡¯t fully verified how effective it was. With that in mind¡­ SSM provided not only theoretical instruction but also direct 1:1 training, so even if I shared everything here, it wouldn¡¯t likely cause any major issues. But just because I could didn¡¯t mean I would. I carefully crafted my response. ¡°Since many people seem curious, I¡¯ll exin. Mybat principle is¡­ to prioritize neutralizing the enemy¡¯s advantages or forcing them into a disadvantageous situation.¡± The video that caught my eye at that moment was the first one Russ had shown, where I was quickly pushing the enemy towards the outer perimeter of the base. Taking a small breath, I added more. ¡°Those who have yed Apex Predator to some extent may know this, but when a sandstorm hits the Desert Research Base, it impairs your senses. This applies even if you¡¯re inside a building.¡± Naturally, the deeper you go inside, the less you¡¯re affected. Conversely, the closer you are to the perimeter, the more the sandstorm directly impacts you. Sand fills up the already damaged facilities, and even if that¡¯s not the case, the machinery and damaged exterior shake, creating all sorts of noises. Even if nothing else happens, the sound of the wind just beyond the wall is still there. The enemy is driven into an area where it¡¯s difficult to respond effectively, while I slowly close the gap, blocking out their senses. It wouldn¡¯t be a pleasant experience for the enemy. After a few minutes, I eliminated one without much trouble. However, the key point wasn¡¯t that part¡ªit was the moments in between when the enemy misjudged my position that better supported my im. My gaze shifted to the clip of the grenade trap. ¡°The second clip follows a simr logic. It¡¯s about creating variables that distract the enemy. In a terrain where it¡¯s difficult to directly hit the enemy with a grenade, like in the example, this method can be more effective.¡± With another gesture, I brought up the map of the terrain at the time. The enemy¡¯s location wasn¡¯t far away, but it was on elevated ground made of stairs and railings. If I tried throwing a grenade, unless it was a sticky grenade like a Semtex or perfectly timed down to the second, it would likely just roll back down. The clip yed again. As the grenade exploded, the enemy had no choice but to take cover behind the railing, and I quickly moved to the opposite container. For a moment, there was silence. The enemy cautiously peeked out to check the surroundings but didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. That¡¯s whencency sets in. Thunk! The second time they peeked out, their movement was bolder, more careless. During that moment, I pulled out the Gephart M6 anti-materiel sniper rifle that had been slung across my back. The enemy needed to be dealt with in one shot, and since it was a close-quarters fight, I didn¡¯t need to worry much about precision. The massive bolt cycled twice within a second. The first shot shredded their nanomachine barrier, and the second roundpletely shattered it, with the remaining physical force mming into their head. Taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s stunned state, I bounded up the stairs four at a time. Within seconds, I had closed the distance to the point where the enemy couldn¡¯t escape my reflexes. They had nowhere left to go, and within 30 seconds, they were ejected to the lobby. ncing at Russ and Unreal, I saw that the two of them, seemingly at a loss for words, were just staring at the screen in disbelief. What could I say? I had made it sound like it was something anyone could do, but upon closer inspection, it turned out not to be the case. I cautiously spoke to break the silence. ¡°¡­Thetter part was just a method to quickly finish off the enemy, so there¡¯s no need to pay too much attention to it. From that point on, shooting practice and positioning are crucial, so it would be good to focus on those aspects during practice.¡± It might be a bit tiring to think through all this, but¡­ I resolved that next time, I would use a more straightforward method ofbat. Chapter 86 [Triki Personal Community - Yujin] [General] I¡¯ve reached a point where I can no longer bear this with just fan loyalty¡­ Yujin, please stop being so good at this game¡­ If I were to edit all the kill clips into 10-minute videos, I could make more than 20 of them¡­. [All Comments][Sort by Date]
  • Fan ount in action, LOL
  • Hurry up and upload those videos! We¡¯re all waiting for your fan clips!
    • [Author] I have a job too, you know¡­ If you keep trampling on my pure love like this, I¡¯ll have to turn into a gangster!
    • Hahame?
  • Yujin keeps setting new records with every moment¡­ When are you going to find an editor for all this content?
  • At this point, we should do crowdfunding or Patreon to pay you a sry, LOL
  • You should apply to be her editor.
    • [Author] I was going to, but with all the tournaments going ontely, I didn¡¯t want to bother her. I¡¯ll formally submit an application after seeing how the preliminaries go.
  • There¡¯s an official ount, but it¡¯s definitely nice to have edited versions. Always rooting for you.
  • Didn¡¯t Yujin mention running a YourSpace ount? It¡¯s been over a month since she streamed.
    • It feels like forever, but only a month? Did I see it wrong????
    • It¡¯s kind of surprising that she¡¯s already looking for an editor for YourSpace after just a month¡­.
    • Fastest growth ever, LOL. Come to think of it, she hit 30,000 viewers on her first broadcast.
  • Judging by her recent form, I don¡¯t think we need to worry about the preliminaries. Maybe we should just ask her directly in the chat?
    • [Author] No, don¡¯t do that¡­ I¡¯ll submit my resume and application myself, LOL
Sigh. Even though I sank deeply into my gaming chair, the fatigue didn¡¯t easily fade away. Bncing university and running a fansub¡ªshort for a fan-subtitle space, a mix of "fan" and "YourSpace"¡ªwas a challenging task, no matter how much I admired Yujin. In some ways, it felt like walking a tightrope. A single misstep, and I¡¯d have to give up one or the other. But with the weight piling up on one side of the bnce beam in real-time, the situation was starting to get troublesome. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I should have left things alone. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I forced my eyes open and focused on the YourSpace stats. Yujin, a top-tier firebrand thrown onto the firepit known as Dark Zone, naturally set everything rted to her aze. This was a ripple effect that even the fansub couldn¡¯t escape. In simple terms, the views on the edited videos I had created for my fan ount were skyrocketing. Of course, there was no revenue. It was purely a fan space. Even with over 10,000 subscribers and video views averaging over 100,000, there were no crumbs falling my way. Thement section was always a refined chaos. People who knew Yujin, those who stumbled upon the videos through the algorithm, and recently, foreign reactions that had started trickling in one by one. Sometimes, fights would break out, and it was a hassle to step in and moderate. I had thought about getting some help, but hiring a manager to manage a fan space¡­ that¡¯s just ridiculous. In any case, it wasn¡¯t always a good thing when things grew beyond my control. In terms of management and content. ¡°How many terabytes is all this¡­?¡± How much content could a streamer who started just over a month ago really have? Even if you assume she streamed ten hours a day without missing a single day, that would only amount to about 300 hours. Virtual reality might have sped things up a bit, so maybe it was closer to 500 hours, but even that was a stretch. And yet, even during that time, there were hundreds of clips and super ys. If you consider what appeared on other streamers'' and YourSpace ounts¡ªnot that I needed to dig for them¡ªthe amount would be beyond imagination. And all of this was being added to almost daily. Whether she skipped meals to shoot or learned small unit tactics, Yujin literally shredded anyone she faced, regardless of who they were. Of course, I couldn¡¯t deny that it was pleasing to the eye just to watch. If even a portion of the ever-increasing views led people to tune into Yujin¡¯s stream, that would be great. The asionalment thanking me for editing or offering gifts or donations gave mefort and hope. After all, I was just another Yujin viewer¡ªjokingly part of the "tail team"¡ªand simply watching her streams was a joy. But sometimes, desires would start to creep up. Condensing the fatigue of the day and the wishes hidden deep in my heart, I exhaled deeply and muttered to myself. ¡°Ah¡­ I wish I could be wrapped up in Yujin¡¯s tail¡­.¡± There wasn¡¯t any special reason why the tail team was called the tail team. As always, things around Yujin continued as usual. Taking on something new is, in a way, like breaking apart the puzzle pieces of your routine and reassembling them. While I hadn¡¯t specifically set a direction, generally, a new task or job meant something like this. Something that provided a paycheck to sustain my life or allowed me to develop my skills. So, like a rolling stone discing a settled stone, I started by cutting out the less prioritized parts. Snipping away like scissors. For example, if the puzzle of exam study entered a routine that included time for naps, the nap portion would be ruthlessly cut away. Usually, such things are forced upon you. With that in mind, my life had changed quite a bit from my first night back here. One new choice led to a schedule involving Dark Zone, which upied part of my evenings. Another new choice added streaming to the mix. These puzzles ovepped in time. But I didn¡¯t stop there and grabbed onto the next opportunity that came my way. Though it was temporary, I took on a coaching position at SSM Entertainment. It wasn¡¯t something I had to do, but as always, the world doesn¡¯t run purely on practicality. It was something I could do just to experience it. However, once you press the pedal and gain speed, a teau naturally follows. When you try something new, you¡¯re usually flooded with tasks at first. But once you¡¯ve dealt with them all, you enter a stage of familiarity. Regardless of how difficult the task is, you eventually develop a way to approach it. Like hot iron slowly cooling and solidifying. ¡°¡­¡± Three minutes until the stream starts. I had settled into a routine. If it was around 7 PM in the real world and nothing else was going on, I would start streaming. How should I put it¡ªit felt like streaming expanded my otherwise limitedmunication. Even though it was within virtual reality, the bed wasfortable, and the algorithm, which had somehow analyzed my interests, was showing me a few articles and intriguing stories. Instead of starting the stream with no thoughts, I would check thetest news and share them with the viewers. I saw this news today. Do you know about it? This is what¡¯s happening in the world. Or maybe this is some interesting information I found¡­. As I looked through these, I was reminded that the world indeed runs on countless gears. So many tragedies andedies, irrationalities and absurdities,ughter and happiness¡­. I got up and sat in my chair. The screen came on, and viewers began flooding in.
  • Yuhwa (Hello)
  • Yuhwa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Another stable stream today, sweet LOL
  • Teacher, please stop being so good. I can¡¯t even think of any morepliments to give you.
  • No way, LOL. I¡¯m going to keep smashing through these guys~~.
The microphone activated in response to my intention. When I tapped the edge with my finger, the input signal on the right side of the hologram spiked up and down. The mic test results were normal. I took a small breath and started speaking. ¡°¡­Wee, everyone. Thank you for joining the stream today. It¡¯s almost September, but the weather is still gloomy. At least the temperature is gradually dropping.¡± If there wasn¡¯t much to say at the start of the stream or if there wasn¡¯t anything particrly noteworthy, I usually started with ament about the weather. It¡¯s a simple topic that everyone can rte to and doesn¡¯t lead to any conflicts. Throwing out one topic was like baiting a hook, and rtedments would start pouring in like fish biting. You could say it was like reading real-timements. The weather is hot, and the air conditioning costs are high. The humidity is so high thatundry doesn¡¯t dry properly. No matter how many times you shower in a day, you still feel sticky¡­ Unfortunately, these werements I couldn¡¯t really rte to. Sorry. Sinceing back here, I haven¡¯t had to use the air conditioning. And I dry myundry in the dryer. RemiconMian has donated 1,000 KRW.
  • Every time I enter the broadcast these days, all I see is you, Teacher! Stop monopolizing the channel!!!!
¡°Thank you, RemiconMian, for the 1,000 won. In that case, I¡¯ll try to move around more stealthily starting tomorrow¡­ Just kidding, of course.¡±
  • ¡°Just kidding¡±? LOL
  • I saw this in ¡°The Deity in My Ass¡± LOL
  • What¡¯s this? Does this mean you¡¯re going to start assassinating people? Or are you saying you¡¯re going to wipe out any witnesses?
  • Take it easy, LOL. At this rate, people are going to be too scared to y games.
  • From now on, I¡¯ll be ¡°kidding¡± with my enemies, LOL!!!!
The preliminary rank started yesterday. Maybe I should have anticipated these reactions. This was bing a point of concerntely. I¡¯m just an ordinary person, but if all my words and actions are misunderstood, that would be pretty dismal. In any case, my unexpected appearance on Unreal¡¯s broadcast yesterday naturally spread far and wide. It was predictable enough, but ultimately, I had to bear the brunt of it. On the other hand, whether it was a positive effect or not, I don¡¯t know, buttely, even when I¡¯m not gaming, my viewer count exceeds 5,000. It must be from people tuning in from all over. These days, I was living by the day, not by the week, and I could see everything around me growing rapidly. Everything except my own perception. Since it wasn¡¯t a topic worth dwelling on for long, I decided to talk a bit more.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­Today, I was browsing the inte and came across a brief article on the evolution of streaming. It mentioned that stream sniping has significantly decreasedpared to the past. Is it stillmon now?¡±
  • Not in Dark Zone, LOL
  • Fact: It¡¯s still around if you look at neighboring AOS games and others.
  • It¡¯s true that it¡¯s lessmon in first-person games, but it¡¯s notpletely gone.
  • There are still plenty of people who troll by skirting the rules.
  • You wouldn¡¯t know, since you only y AP, LOL. But in team games, it¡¯s still prevalent.
Indeed. I guess it hasn¡¯t disappeared entirely. It was a rather sudden topic to bring up, but it¡¯s nice to get this kind of information when there are so many people around. At the same time, I was mentally reviewing the article I read before starting the stream. ording to the article, stream snipers proliferate under certain conditions. The tone was almost like introducing mold. If it¡¯s a team game, where cooperation is crucial, where the role of each individual is significant, and at the same time, where anonymity is strong, making it hard to track down the troll, then that¡¯s a paradise for stream snipers. Shortly after, many viewers started digging up examples from all over and posting them in my personalmunity. In just a few minutes, the page was flooded with examples from the past three months. ¡°¡­There are quite a few. If this is the reduced number, I guess I might get sniped someday too?¡±
  • You hit Tier 2 in just a week before anyone could snipe you, LOL
  • You went ahead and took a spaceship straight to the top, LOL
  • Teacher, you¡¯re talking nonsense today.
  • I can¡¯t imagine anyone trying to follow you, LOL. They¡¯d just end up with a broken neck or back.
  • This person has a habit of stacking nonsense sometimes, LOL
Eraser has donated 1,000 KRW.
  • What kind of mindset is that, hoping for people on scooters with fireworks to shoot you down while you¡¯re flying a jet fighter, LOL?
¡°¡­That¡¯s true. Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right. So stop it now. You guys are hitting too hard with your words.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but admit defeat to such a perfect analogy. No matter how much I had trained my body beforeing here, it was hard to win against the sharp tongues honed by the inte. Besides, it was just me against half a million people. In the end, it wasn¡¯t even a Pyrrhic victory¡ªI just got thoroughly beaten. After that, the conversation shifted to casual chit-chat. How the matches went today, what content was nned for the future¡­ I answered each one, keeping the interaction going. Recently, with my personalmunity bing more active, a lot of humorous posts were popping up, as well as suggestions for content, game rmendations, and even requests to participate in possible viewer-participation content. I read through them all. Though I couldn¡¯t promise to do everything. How should I describe it¡ªit felt like raising a nt. Just sprinkle a little water, and it grows on its own. On top of that, one of the illustrators I recruited from thismunity started making thumbnails for me¡ªthough it¡¯s for a 12-hour video¡ªbut it did slightly increase the essibility of my YourSpace channel. A tiny bit. Anyway, among all this, there was one post that had risen to the top of the rmendations since yesterday. It was tagged as promotional, which usually meant some strange or seemingly useless items or information, so I was curious to see what it was about. The title was¡­. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A short sigh, more of a sound than a sigh. It wasn¡¯t a feeling of encountering something revolutionary. If I had to categorize it, it was closer to the psychological state you experience when something you¡¯ve been putting off catches up to you, or when you realize muchter that you¡¯ve lost your wallet. So. If you¡¯re asking what it was¡­. -[Promotion - Yujin Fan Space,,, I¡¯m humbly trying to promote it to everyone] Right. Maybe it was time to start addressing this issue. Chapter 87 "...." Instinctively, almost naturally, I was about to click on the post, but I stopped myself with a conscious effort. Regardless of the urge, every action needs to follow a sequence and a process. As fleeting scenes shed through my mind, my thoughts reassembled. In the end, it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea to immediately enter that fan space and watch the video. Here¡¯s why. I had asionally mentioned on stream that I needed to properly manage my YourSpace channel. Since it was a step towards something new, I had to pick the right person for the job. However, if I clicked on that post now, it might give the impression that I was hiring a video editor on a whim. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, the logical flow could lead to that conclusion. Simply put, if I clicked on the link to the promo post and watched the video, there would inevitably be a reaction, and opinions would form. If the reaction was positive, the chat would undoubtedly start suggesting that I hire the person to grow the channel. I didn¡¯t think such an impulsive decision would be the right approach. Instead, I copied the link without clicking on it and opened a new window, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t show up on the stream. As the cursor moved by a few eye movements and clicked on the private message window, the words I intended to say started to automatically type themselves out. I wasn¡¯t nning to send the message yet since I hadn¡¯t watched the video. The chat started to fill up with questions about what I was doing, but I simply told them to wait for a moment. I opened a new window and clicked on the popr posts in the promo tab. I scrolled through the posts quickly, observing the reactions without clicking on the YourSpace link. There were many positivements. Frankly, I didn¡¯t expect any negative ones unless the content was aplete disaster, given the atmosphere in mymunity. After tossing the window to the corner of the screen, I continued speaking. "I¡¯ll check it outter after the stream ends." I also gave a warning not to send the YourSpace video through donations. Curiosity was bubbling up, but I managed to keep it under control. Suppressing instinct with reason is something only humans can do. The chat didn¡¯t settle down easily, but as soon as I exited the promo tab and shifted the topic, the conversation naturally moved on. Deciding on the editor wasn¡¯t something that could be done just by gauging opinions during the stream. After a brief consideration, Ipletely pushed the matter out of my mind. It wasn¡¯t ideal to let my thoughts wander while interacting with viewers. Themunication continued for about another hour. The amount of Just Chatting I¡¯ve been doing recently has doubled. It had been gradually increasing anyway, but it spiked around the time the qualifier ranks began. Viewers had a lot of questions. It was understandable since curiosity is a natural human instinct. The only problem, if you could call it that, was that some pro gamers asionally showed up in the chat. Thankfully, none of them were from SSM. Actually, none were present at all. Those guys need to focus on the curriculum I¡¯ve set up, not waste time watching my stream. <(ClearSky)Leni has donated 10,000 won> "Just thought I¡¯d drop by¡­ Do you do a lot of Just Chatting?" "Leni, thank you for the 10,000 won donation¡­ It¡¯s more urate to say that I don¡¯t stream Dark Zone separately after the qualifier ranks. But once my rank stabilizes, I¡¯m nning some content focused on pushing the main missions." -Main???????Mission??? -Fact) This person hasn¡¯t evenpleted the main missions yet -PVP master is a PVE newbie? Lol -Yeah¡­ please push the main missions¡­ don¡¯t y weird games¡­ or just do Just Chatting¡­ -(Warning) Talking like this might lead to a sudden crappy game stream I wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but I might do it with Harmony. Whether in the past or now, if I had time, I would asionally watch her streams, usually through YourSpace rather than live. Mostly, I watched the Dark Zone edited videos that had been uploaded to YourSpace over the past month. The echoes of the early mission zones had been fully transformed into proper works uploaded to YourSpace. The four videos, each about 20 minutes long, had already surpassed 2 million views. Though Harmony had gained fame from Dark Zone, she didn¡¯t y the game that often. Considering she¡¯s a variety streamer, it made sense¡ªalthough she did mention that she really liked the game. Plus, she said she would progress the main missions alongside me. At first, I wondered if that was necessary, feeling that she might be adjusting too much to my personal schedule. But she insisted that it¡¯s morefortable to y with someone trustworthy. There was also the aftermath of thest sniping incident. Moreover, to participate seriously in KSM or the mainpetition, we¡¯d need to unlock all the functions of the Icarus Tech. In any case, not ying wasn¡¯t an option. I had only refrained from touching it because it was still just the second day of the qualifier ranks. After briefly exining this, I marked "Contact Harmony" as a task in the Icarus Gear. This part was visible on the stream. If she was sneakily watching my stream, I expected a message or something, but none came. She was probably streaming at the same time, which might exin it. In a way, I might have been taking some of her viewer share. That thought crossed my mind, making me feel a bit guilty. Anyway. "Dark Zone will be back on either tomorrow or in a few days. For now, let¡¯s see what we can y as a sub-game today¡­ As always, I¡¯ll check out the rmendations." I wondered what weird, bizarre, or intriguing games would pop up today. In a way, this was my burden to bear. The evening had just begun. [Dark Zone - Yujin Sub Gallery] [General] What? I thought she¡¯d watch the promo link in the fan space, but she didn¡¯t? I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s not really paying attention to fan space despite saying she was considering YourSpace for a while. Should we just leave it alone since she said she¡¯d contact themter? [All Comments][Sort by Date] -If she wasn¡¯t paying attention, she wouldn¡¯t have put up the thumbnail, idiot. ?[OP] -Fact) The ones saying to leave it alone are the most impatient ones. ?Lol how did you know? -Anyway, I hope she finds an editor for banter clips, weird game clips, Dark Zone clips, and tail moments. ?Why did the tail clip sneak in there so naturally, lol ?Honestly, we need that. ?If she releases aption of tail moments as Shorts, it would melt time away. -If she gets an editor and posts more frequently, the subscriber count would hit 100k quickly. It¡¯s frustrating. ?She¡¯s only been streaming for a month, give her a break, lol ?I don¡¯t care, just do it already. . . . [General] She¡¯s ying another weird game, lol What is this indie game where you make weird weapons? I thought it was normal for once, but the weapon customization is god-tier, lol. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen herugh like this, lol. [All Comments][Sort by Date] -Her expression, lol. -She¡¯s beaming, lol. -She¡¯s still making weird stuff andughing out loud, lol. ?[OP]Her tail was coiled when sheughed. So cute, ha¡­. ?Oh. ?I¡¯m going to watch right now, lol. -I never thought I¡¯d smile andugh at an avatar instead of a real person. This is weird. ?I used to hate reptiles, man, lol. ?That¡¯s how you develop a fetish for Serpentia. ?Admit it, you¡¯d love to be wrapped up by that tail, lol. . . . ¡°Heh, no, really, ha¡­.¡± The nging sound came from the customization process. Chains hung from the hilt of a short sword, with two gleaming, purple iron balls attached to the end, each the size of a watermelon. It seemed like a il, but the visual was¡­ well, you get the idea. I couldn¡¯t hold back myughter. The chat was the same. -Lololololololololololololololol. -Noona, that¡¯s too big, it won¡¯t fit!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Dangling, lolololololol. -This is crazy, lolololololololol. -Oh my god, lololololololol. -Please stop poking me with your tail, professor. What? It¡¯s not your tail? Oof. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t send donations like that, haha¡­ Anyway, I don¡¯t think this will be very efficient.¡± I¡¯d only been ying for 20 minutes. The character looked like a budget cosy version of a past Roman legionnaire, with a sawed-off cleaning brush glued to the top of an ushanka hat, a white T-shirt, and green shorts. After facing off against enemies that not only looked like my character but also wielded identical weapons¡ªthough I wasn¡¯t controlling them¡ªI unlocked the weapon customization feature. That¡¯s when the real chaos began. This game, which seemed to twist the concept of a diator game from the ground up, encouraged me to try out crazy weapons like methrowers, circr saws, bricks, and giant tunas. As soon as I gave in to those expectations, the game wentpletely off the rails, and within 10 minutes, I was swinging a short sword with a brick block the size of a small car attached to it. As time passed, the customizations grew more bizarre, and by the 20-minute mark, the whole thing had devolved into utter madness. -[Notice: Would you like to name the weapon ¡®Great Potential¡¯?] -[Notice: Name registered!] -Lololololololololol. -It¡¯s bigger than an ostrich egg, lolololololol. -My stomach hurts, lololololol. -She¡¯s enjoying this now. -The pro gamers here for tips are probably freaking out, lolololol. ¡°Oh man, Iughed too hard. Let¡¯s deploy this thing.¡± Dun©¤©¤©¤! A grand, deep horn sounded, filling the arena with its majestic tone. My character appeared in the small circr arena, surrounded by traps with bricks and methrowers hanging from the ends. But this game had a memory, and the enemies came at me wielding grotesque weapons¡ªscythes, bricks, methrowers, and saws¡ªall of which I had crafted just minutes before. With a loud thud, my character was sent flying. The AI enemies were running wild, swinging weapons that defied thews of physics, and I was quickly reduced to a pile of mush. Meanwhile, another enemy, wielding the weapon I had just created with two massive iron balls, entered the fray only to be swiftly sliced apart. Indeed, the old weapons were the best; the ones I¡¯d made earlier were real cheat codes. Then, a donation hit the mark.@@novelbin@@ -Long, big, sturdy, and heavy weapons are the best. I¡¯ve learned your preferences, professor. Thanks for the lesson today. ¡°No, you need to rify the subject and object. If you say it like that, I sound like a weirdo.¡± -Lolololololololololololol. -Fact) There¡¯s no convincing anyone after making a dual-ball weapon, lol. -Professor, it¡¯s toote. Just ept it, lol. -This is too funny, lololololol. -You can¡¯t deny it after naming your weapon like that, lolololol. And so, today¡¯s stream¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t smooth sailing. My stomach hurt fromughing too much. Just another day in my life. As mentioned in the announcement, I''m working on creating more cute emoticons to promote to more people. Hehe. Chapter 89 "Haah..." A misty breath poured out like a waterfall from my mouth. The weather was so cold that everything was freezing solid. Yet, theke stretching out ahead of us was oddly frozen in a bizarre pattern, as if someone had smashed it with a giant hammer and it had refrozen in that shattered state. In the northern part of New York, where even the presence of people had been devoured by the cold, we moved quickly along thekeshore, reaching our destination and activating the detection sensors. Soon, a point emitting infraredsers in all directions became visible. "There it is. The infiltration point." "Infiltration point...? It just looks like thekeshore to me." "Your eyesight seems fine."
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Trantion: Deny reality, and I''ll make a shabu-shabu out of you in theke.
  • LOL Are you out of your mind??????
  • Goosebumps LOL
  • How long have you been hanging out with the teacher and still don''t know her????
Well, of course. The objective point was glowing with a square object indicator from hundreds of meters away, but instead of approaching it directly, we had to walk around the opposite side of theke, which seemed suspicious. Before long, we reached the drop point. A ratherrge box was waiting for Yujin and me, weing us. The box was twice the size of the supply containers you would find in a base. Without hesitation, we opened it, and as expected, what appeared to be diving suits came into view. "...So, we just put this on?" "You¡¯ve really gotten used to things, knowing what to do without needing instructions." "Never thought I''d end up wearing something like this..." Well, in other fantasy VR games, people wear full te armor to fight. In some ways, isn¡¯t this the same thing? It¡¯s hard to say which is better; it''s all pretty surreal. While we were putting on what was more gear than clothing, a voice came through the inte, and the objective appeared on the front UI. But that wasn''t the important part. Something far more important caught my eye. It was a tail! -[ISO: It seems you''ve safely reached the box. Inside, you''ll find two diving suits and an old EMP generator. It¡¯s lighter than it looks, so just drop it in the infiltration path under theke, and you''re done.] -[ISO: Hurry up. Artemis'' regr performance check will begin soon.] "The weather is terribly cold." "Whoa, look at that tail." Yujin¡¯s tail, snugly covered in the diving suit, was twitching as if it were ufortable, and, of course, the chat exploded. While her body¡¯s contours were obscured by the gear, the tail was impossible to hide. The fact that only I knew that tail was real made me feel¡ªwow. I could hardly suppress the smile tugging at my lips.
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • New Skin: Diving Suit Yujin! New Skin: Diving Suit Yujin! New Skin: Diving Suit Yujin!
  • Excuse me, may I touch that tail just once?
  • That tail curve is a work of art LOL
  • Don¡¯t enjoy it alone; let us join in, Harmony!
-Crack! With a small tremor, the edge of the frozenke shattered. Theke, over a hundred meters wide and several kilometers long, looked as if it could absorb any sound with its vastness. But when you look at the dozen or so skyscrapers suddenly standing on the other side of theke, it doesn''t seem quite as quiet. Soon, a holerge enough to easily amodate two people and the old EMP generator appeared, revealing the eerie blue interior of theke that no one wanted to enter. We checked our gear onest time. -[Alert: Maximum heat function activated.] "Oh, it¡¯s getting nice and warm." "Why don''t you dip your feet in? Can you bear it?" "Let¡¯s see¡­ Whoa!"
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • What kind of sound is that LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Calm down LOL LOL LOL
  • Quick, sprinkle some water on your body to prevent a heart attack.
  • Reflexive scream LOL
"It''s too cold!" "Stay in for a bit, and it¡¯ll feel better." "Oh, it really does." As the icy cold contact point quickly warmed up, Yujin, before even visually appreciating the shape of her tail, hauled the massive EMP generator over and dumped it into the water. Though it was described as old, it still felt like a costly piece of machinery. However, Yujin casually tossed it into the water, leaving me momentarily speechless. The only relief was that it didn¡¯t make a huge ssh. It was just like the teacher to never forget the basics... Even though we were all temporarily frozen in shock, she continued speaking nonchntly. "Don''t worry. It¡¯s not easy to break." "Oh, okay..."
  • Say something before you throw it LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • This person is sneakily reckless LOL
  • Distracting us with the tail while pulling weird stunts¡ªis this some sort of diversion tactic?
  • Of course, she knows what she''s doing LOL LOL LOL
  • I give up, I¡¯m done with this.
Seriously, what should I say? It''s not just my imagination that this person seems to pull off these stunts as naturally as breathing. But Iposed myself and continued preparing for what would be my first underwater infiltration, albeit in a virtual reality setting. As the UI in front of me began adjusting my breathing timing and even my actions, a voice came from behind. "Are you ready?" "Even if I say no, you¡¯ll push me in, right?" "Haha. You shouldn''t actually do that, though. It¡¯s more dangerous than you think." And with that, something was on my shoulder... no, it was the tail. Even though it was covered by the diving suit, the smooth, soft texture was unforgettable. As a chilling sensation ran from my waist up to the back of my neck, and I was carefully stroking it with my hand, a slight pressure suddenly gripped my waist and shoulder, followed by the words: "Now, instead of stroking my tail, get in the water." "Huh? Wait, teacher! I¡¯m floating!" "That¡¯s because I lifted you with my tail." Just as she said. With my waist and part of my shoulder wrapped by the tail, the next moment I naturally began floating into the air and then slowly lowered into the water. Of course, not by my own will. "Gah!" Ssh. That was the start of my first dive. *[ISO: It seems you''ve safely entered. Now, let me brief you on the real purpose of this mission. As you know, Artemis isn¡¯t just a dangerous PMC. They are extremely dangerous.] *[ISO: After the Artemis leadership was wiped out and thepany was abandoned, they¡¯ve been willing to do anything to ensure their survival. Even if it means selling off thepany¡¯s equipment, facilities, and technology to hostile nations.] *[ISO: We must prevent these people from wielding and selling such technology on the ruins of a half-destroyed New York. If possible, recover it. If not, destroy everything¡ªbe it technology, people, or servers.] "Destroying people too¡ªwhat a terrifying order." "It¡¯s quite ruthless." The underground water supply system passing through Artemis Technology¡¯s subterraneanb zone. They had a system in ce not only to bring in the necessary drinking water through the water supply but also to purify and use theke water, making it an excellent entry point into the headquarters today. Last time, we brazenly raided another building, extracted data, and fled, leaving the PMC¡¯s mood at an all-time low. At this point, the entrance to this building was guarded by ominous turrets and strike teams, ready to shoot any suspicious figures lurking nearby. If we manage to pull off a stealthy exit through the water supply systemter, that would be ideal, but with ISO instructing us to shoot everything that moves, our options were limited. Honestly, it seemed like they were telling us to turn everything living into a corpse and walk out the front door. We could manage. As we infiltrated the base, the enemymunications started to be intercepted. *[Echo 2. Anything unusual during patrol?] *[None so far.] *[Confirmed.] ©¤Ratatatat! "Ugh...!" Despite the seemingly ordinarymunications, three patrol members fell to the ground with bullet holes in their heads. The infiltration wouldn''t take long. The goal was to push as deep inside as possible before the enemy discovered us. In the middle of the loud water sounds, we used a winch to descend further down. Of course, the target was the underground server room. Since they usedke water as cooling water for the server, we had significantly shortened the distance. The problem was the sheer size of the underground facility, as we had previously assessed. *[ISO: Good. You''re almost at the weapons testingb. Stay sharp.] "Weapons testingb¡ªit doesn''t sound good." "It''s probably exactly what you''re thinking." We carefully opened the ceiling hatch of the elevator, descended below, and forcefully opened the closed door, only to be greeted by ominous background noises and flickering sirens. A state-of-the-artb, eerily white. Around us were all sorts of drones, prototypes, and an empty reception area¡ªapanied by the sound of metallic nging from the other side.@@novelbin@@ I signaled to Harmony with a hand gesture. A pulse wave radiated forward. ¡ªPiiiiiing! Seeing the dozen or so figures and drones moving toward us beyond the wall, I quietly spoke. "We¡¯re trapped, so let¡¯s wipe them all out." "Got it." With resolute voices, the sound of numerous footsteps and mechanical noises merged into one, and soon, a slow-moving group began to pass by in front of us. Given the structure of the underground facility, stealth was impossible by any means, and the heavy, unsettling background music subtly signaled that it was time to engage in full-blownbat. Red markers highlighted the enemies'' weak points and vital spots. The shooting began. -Ratatatatat! "Enemy! Aaah!" "Disperse! Disperse!" The heavy gunfire echoed as it collided with the walls, amplifying the noise. Given the straight-line structure of the underground facility, it meant that if we didn''t quickly finish off the engagement, we could be surrounded by reinforcements in no time. Methodically, I began taking down enemies one by one, only to realize I had be overly immersed in the task. It might be time to help Harmony sharpen her shooting skills again since it¡¯s been a while. I slowed down my shooting pace a bit to give her some room. The n was for me to flush out enemies from cover, and Harmony would take them down. As I deliberately reduced my shooting speed, the chat quickly caught on to my intent and began yfully teasing. Adding ament or two, I said: "Ah, my joints suddenly hurt." "Hey, Yujin! What are you talking about all of a sudden!?"
  • Suddenly your knees and arms start to ache, right? It¡¯s Harmony¡¯s turn to shine?
  • Teacher, it¡¯s so obvious LOL LOL LOL
  • Yesterday¡­ I lifted¡­ too much weight¡­ at the gym¡­
  • Waaah, I¡¯m baby Yujin,e ¡®save¡¯ me from these enemies
  • Harmony going ballistic because she can¡¯t ept reality LOL LOL LOL
As the previously tense atmosphere quickly lifted, Harmony, now shooting twice as much as before, began to yell while enthusiastically pulling the trigger. She seemed increasingly desperate as her eyes rolled around, and she continued firing, her expression grim and determined. Watching the enemies drop one by one, it was clear that despite not ying Dark Zone regrly, her skills hadn¡¯t deteriorated much. Helping out just a bit should be enough. I focused on assisting her, like targeting an enemy about tounch a grenadeuncher so they would miss and hit the floor instead, or shooting at one of the legs of a quadruped turret that had just started warming up its chaingun, causing it to lose bnce. Anyone could eliminate enemies by prioritizing targets, but it was the speed that measured the level of skill. After swiftly clearing the enemies, themunication resumed. *[ISO: There¡¯s some jamming going on. Without the Artemis tech files those two recoveredst time, this mission could¡¯ve been much tougher.] *[ISO: Move quickly. Reinforcements will reach your position in three minutes. If you can smash the keypad after passing the security door, that would be ideal.] *[ISO: Good luck.] And then Harmony''s shout rang out: "What do you mean, no warning before doing that©¤©¤©¤!" "Sorryyy aaahhh!"
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Serves you right LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Go easy on her, she¡¯s a rookie after all.
  • Teasing a returning newbie, that¡¯s just mean LOL LOL LOL
  • Suddenly my teammate isn¡¯t shooting!!!
Shake, shake, shake, shake. She grabbed my bulletproof vest with an expression of pure frustration and shook me. I deserved it. Chapter 90 9,251 viewers. This was the number of viewers currently in Yujin''s stream, watching a session titled "Dark Zone Co-op with Harmony"¡ªa simple yet effective title. The viewer count was almost five digits, indicating a substantial audience gathered under the banner of Yujin. These viewers formed a loosely connected collectivemunity, a kind ofrge-scale intelligence¡ªbut, of course, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean they were useful. Regardless, they hade together to watch her broadcast.@@novelbin@@ In essence, this meant that these viewers had a certain direction or purpose, although the loose nature of their gathering implied that there were exceptions. And here was one such example. "...What should I do in this situation?" Explosions and shouts were erupting all around, more than enough to catch any viewer¡¯s attention, yet for one of the 9,000 viewers¡ªa viewer who had just been hired yesterday as Yujin¡¯s new YourSpace editor¡ªit didn¡¯t really resonate. The reason was simple: he was quite busy. Despite having run the Fanspace channel for less than two weeks, its subscribers and view counts had skyrocketed. Naturally, as he would now be working officially as an editor, there was a need to organize Fanspace. ¡®There is a channel merge feature, but¡­¡¯ The problem was that to use it, he would need to hold a subscriber vote to confirm whether they were for or against the merge. After that, the results would have to be submitted to YourSpace as evidence. Even after the channel merge was approved, both channel managers would have to agree on theyout, decide which videos to keep or delete, and so on... This was something to worry aboutter, but it wasn¡¯t something he could ignore entirely at the moment. With that in mind, after being confirmed as Yujin¡¯s official editor and having discussed various matters, he posted a notice about this on the Fanspacemunity. That was the first issue. The second issue was the need to quit his current part-time job. Having be one of the few people to exchange numbers with Yujin, and soon to be the first editor managing her channel, which was bound to grow rapidly, he wouldn¡¯t have time to focus on anything else. If he didn¡¯t keep his head on straight, the worst-case scenario could see the channel falling into a bad situation. A fan ruining a star¡¯s YourSpace channel¡ªthat would be a history-making embarrassment, one for the ages on TreeWiki. Therefore, after receiving the offer, he spent the entire day brainstorming ways to grow the channel, thinking about how to manage it efficiently if it suddenly exploded in poprity. It might not have been his area of responsibility, but thoughts like these were hard to shake off once they appeared. That was the second issue. And the third issue? -Tap, tap, tap. -[TailEditor: Yujin¡­?] -[TailEditor: How should I edit the video when coborating with other streamers?] It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t watched Harmony¡¯s broadcasts before. In fact, he¡¯d been a viewer even before Yujin started streaming... But now, from fonts to editing style, cut distribution, and segment length¡ªof course, Yujin¡¯s segments would take priority since it was her YourSpace¡ªhe had to consider everything, even revenue sharing. He sank deep into his chair and sighed as he entered Harmony¡¯s channel. Making money was indeed difficult, and the obstacles and challenges were endless. It was his first day as an editor.
  • You¡¯re not going to y Dark Zone all day, right? Hurry up and guarantee the editor¡¯s human rights!! (waving carrot)
-[No way, Ruben. If I''m going through this, shouldn¡¯t you all suffer too?]
  • Editor is probably crying right now LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • All the different editors¡ªdaily, gaming, shorts¡ªare clinging on LOL
  • LOL, remember the nightmare of the prohibited zone?
  • How to upload four 20-minute videos in a week: work the editor to death
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
Meanwhile, Of course, Harmony¡¯s editor was dealing with simr struggles. Though their direction differed from Yujin¡¯s side¡ªspecifically, Harmony¡¯s editors always tensed up when she yed Dark Zone. Harmony, with her adamantium mental fortitude honed through various trash games, faced off against Yujin, who could overwhelm anyone with her sheer physical prowess and who would flood you with enough intense instructions to make you want to quit. The chemistry between the two created such a wild reaction that it turned into a dense video, making it hard to decide what to edit. Whether it was talk or action. When the original footage was excessively entertaining, editors naturally tensed up. After all, they could catch the fallout if anything went wrong. [Waaaaah! Teacher! Drones and enemies shooting from all directions are flying at me!] [It¡¯s okay, they don¡¯t hurt because your defense is low!] [How can getting shot not hurt!?]
  • LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Fact: Bullets don¡¯t hurt if they hit lightly.
  • They teach you how to get shot lightly in boot camp, how do you not know this? LOL
  • How is a bullet the size of a pinky flying faster than sound not painful LOL
  • Game skills are top-notch, but the conversation level is WW
Anyway, the broadcast wasn¡¯t even close to being over¡ªit hadn¡¯t even really started. What happenster can be dealt withter, and for now, the best he could do was keep the clipping and note-taking features on¡ªjust marking particrly funny moments that absolutely needed to be included in the video. However, Harmony¡¯s goofy charm had little to offerpared to Yujin¡¯s pure physicality, especially¡ª ¡ªBoom! [What did you just do? Wow!] [A quadruped sniper turret is turning toward us on the other side, and it shoots rounds strong enough to knock you back, so be careful.] [Oh my, they weren¡¯t kidding when they called this a weapon testing ground...!] Taking advantage of a drone flying near her, Yujin grabbed it, smashed it against the wall, breaking its propellers, and then threw it at another approaching drone. Thetter drone, struck and destabilized, crashed. Yujin, meanwhile, kept firing rounds of Lapua Magnum at $2.2 per shot, literally crippling the quadruped turret. The only sound breaking through the explosions was the mechanical noise of the Icarus device, keeping the atmosphere tense. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± What could he say? Watching Yujin y was never boring. That¡¯s why her viewers didn¡¯t drop off easily, even when she invested countless hours in Dark Zone. Harmony¡¯s editors, Ruben, Waltz, and Luddite, were also old users who had cleared the main missions of Dark Zone long ago, and even started new characters to y through the main missions several times. Most of the audience, who numbered close to 20,000 whenbining Harmony and Yujin¡¯s viewers, were likely the same. Yet, not only was the banter between them enjoyable, but Yujin constantly created bizarre situations in ces that viewers thought they¡¯d thoroughly explored long ago. Moreover, Yujin seemed to be a natural at real-world tactical maneuvers and small-unit tactics, giving the impression of an actual battlefield by using hand signals, silence, and various terrain features, instead of just spraying bullets like other yers. Harmony was also doing a great job following her lead. For this reason, Yujin and Harmony¡¯s broadcasts had recently be one of the most avidly watched by AP pro gamers. ¡®¡­I¡¯m seeing some familiar names.¡¯ Tricky had a few features that allowed users to identify who they were. For instance, the font style or the form of a nickname might differ slightly, or more noticeably, some nicknames had various emojis or effects attached to them. Some of these were, of course, quite rare¡ªthough they didn¡¯t show up in donations and were invisible to streamers, only other viewers could see them¡ªyet some indicated a user¡¯s background or group affiliation. Today, as an editor and a viewer, he started noticing a few familiar things in the chat. -[Veritas//Grizzly]: Throwing drones around LOL Or, -[nkK1KERS//ASDF]: That shooting skill, whoa¡­. With the start of the prelim rank matches, all pro gamers active on Tricky¡ªwhether streamers or viewers¡ªwere required to use effects and nicknames that revealed their affiliations. In short, this was a way to prevent people from hiding behind anonymity. Even well-known names in the APmunity were chatting, but there were likely many more pros watching without saying a word. Meanwhile, Yujin and Harmony didn¡¯t stop. They tore through the underground facility, scattering pure violence as they went. Despite this, they showed no signs of stopping, pushing further into the facility. However, this mission unfortunately didn¡¯t have a happy ending. The PMC members of Artemis, desperate to ensure their survival, had sold off thepany¡¯s weapons and ess rights to China and Russia. The operators had no choice but to extract the data from the server and destroy everything. As time went on, the truth became more apparent, and the two finally faced it head-on. -[Alert: Residualwork log detected. Evidence ofrge-scale data transmission found.] -[¡­What does that mean?] -[It means the information has already been leaked. We were toote.] Harmony visibly deted, while Yujin, as always, calmly checked her equipment without much expression. The story unfolded in a somewhat scripted manner. In-game, the FOV provided the narrative. The message was simple: the information had already been leaked, and the automated defense system had been activated upon detecting their presence. The goal was to temporarily disable the heavily armored enemies and the various murderous robots pouring in with the pre-installed EMP bombs and then escape without looking back. That was the rough storyline. At least, for an average yer. As the EMP went off, everything went dark for a moment, and with a loud ripping sound, the viewers'' eardrums were briefly assaulted. Wham! An unpleasant sound filled the air, and not long after, the emergency power kicked in, illuminating the space. A rather significant disaster unfolded before their eyes. -[Another one of the teacher¡¯s masterpieces.] -[I noticed something fidgeting nearby, so I reacted instinctively.] In summary, what could be said? The fact that even a state-of-the-art bulletproof helmet couldn¡¯t stop a tactical hammer? -Shudder shudder shudder;;; -Broke a head that doesn¡¯t even crack when shot, with just a hammer¡­?????? -Newbies are so cute when they¡¯re surprised by Yujin LOL LOL LOL -When someone who can bench over 700 pounds hits you on the head, this is what happens LOL -[LegioInvicta//Aristo: What in the world;;;;] The neers to the broadcast kept rubbing their eyes, wondering if they really saw what they just did. Meanwhile, those who had watched this chemistry unfold for a longer time¡ªor even from the start¡ªjustughed and enjoyed the show. Naturally, Ruben, Waltz, and Luddite were among thetter group. Thus, only onement appeared in their engram chat room. -[Luddite: Just got a clip we absolutely have to include LOL] Even those who had seen this many times before were still surprised, so how must the newer viewers¡ªor those just here to watch some gamey¡ªfeel? As always, Yujin was raising the bar for her viewers. It was early September, and the broadcast still had a long way to go before it ended. Chapter 91 The mission system in Dark Zone boasted an exceptional degree of freedom, especially whenpared to other games. This was particrly evident during Yujin¡¯s previous West Point infiltration mission¡ªa ¡°Very Hard¡± mission¡ªwhere it became clear that yers had the flexibility to choose their infiltration points, routes, and basic operations strategies. Of course, this level of freedom could be overwhelming for yers, so every mission had a basic story framework. For example, certain characters had to be rescued, and specific targets had to be destroyed, no matter what. The same applied to the Artemis infiltration mission that Yujin and Harmony were currently ying. Specifically, in this mission, it was inevitable that the information leak couldn¡¯t be prevented, and the EMP activation was scripted. However, this also meant that, aside from these fixed events, the flow of the mission could vary greatly. What does this mean? -[Choice: Extract additional Artemis data.] Normally, the two yers would need to escape right after the EMP was activated, but a new mission objective suddenly appeared¡ªthese kinds of surprise pop-up missions were hidden triggers and a key way to raise the mission clear rank. As usual, this was because of Yujin''s tactical-handed spike hammer.
  • I¡¯ve never seen another objective appear besides "Escape" at this point, LOL
"Thank you for the 1,000 won donation¡ªoh." ¡ªCrunch!
  • Wow, the donation reactions here are something else, LOL
  • Is it one kill per 1,000 won? This is crazy, LOL
  • Teacher, please go easy on them!!!!
  • No wonder there¡¯s no trolling in this chat LOL
  • Look at her using the hammer on purpose instead of the gun, what a menace LOL
Artemis missions, characterized by small-scale infiltrations and numerous data servers, often demanded intense close-quartersbat, which was reflected in how shooting the servers before achieving the objectives could lead to mission failure due to umted damage. As a result, on days when these missions were set to "Very Hard," many yers would carry high-caliber handguns like the Desert Eagle as backup weapons to eliminate enemies with a single shot using minimal ammunition. Of course, there''s a joke that if you encounter a situation where brute force doesn¡¯t work, you should wonder if you¡¯re using enough brute force. Sometimes, that joke turns out to be true. Harmony could attest to that. "...You know, teacher, every time you do that, it really scares me, right?" "Hehe." Even though the enemy''s body was made of polygons, Harmony still didn¡¯t want to describe the horribly crushed corpse she saw. Then she rolled her eyes and looked at Yujin. No one else knew, but Harmony did¡ªYujin¡¯s avatar was almost deceptive in how close it was to her actual physical appearance. She had literally transferred her real body into the game as her avatar. In other words, Yujin was openly advertising to everyone that she could do these things in real life. How could that not be terrifying? As Yujin rampaged through the server room, crushing nearby enemies with her hammer and shooting down distant ones with her MK18, she was an excellent aggro-drawer, giving Harmony room to maneuver. At a crossroad up ahead, Harmony spotted a UGV advancing quickly while she was in cover. A pulse swept across the area with an odd sense of buoyancy. The dot sight reticle covered the marked weak spot. Harmony¡¯s thin, long finger rested on the trigger, which weighed only a few grams. ¡ªRatatatat! Sparks and debris flew into the air. In less than a second, the bolt of her rifle cycled multiple times as dozens of 5.56mm rounds flew through the air. The tungsten core embedded in each round made sure that no matter how hard the impact point was, it unleashed its full power. Even as holes were punched through the UGV¡¯s body, the shooting continued. In just over a second, 31 rounds were fired, hitting targets all over without much care for precise aim. Harmony, trusting the aim assist, naturally pulled a fresh magazine from her pouch, inserted it, and pulled the charging handle. As a bang echoed, the UGV exposed in the kill zone was reduced to scrap metal. -[Alert: Artemis Data Center ess node detected. Network synchronization in progress. Data transmission will bepleted in 7 minutes and 32 seconds.]
  • Oh, nice LOL
  • She¡¯se a long way since she used to drop magazines while reloading¡­ Overwhelmed with emotion¡­!
  • Unloading on drones with full-auto is the only way LOL
  • Oh, that¡¯s satisfying LOL This is what Dark Zone is about
  • Army-trained high school girl Harmony won¡¯t use auto-fire!!!!!!!!!!!
A kind of battle trance. Combat demanded immense concentration, and as the tension fluctuated, time seemed to stretch and contract like taffy. The enemies kepting. While theplex structure of the server room meant that only a limited number of reinforcements could enter at once, it also meant that many more were waiting outside. There was a reason why sudden missions were difficult. But. ¡ªBoom! "Waaah!" Bang. Then a stter. Just as Harmony used her pulse again, she barely hacked a drone charging at her when, with an ominous sound, three errant grenades arced upward and struck the ceiling. The explosions rocked her body, and then¡ª "Teacher! The ceiling is leaking water©¤©¤©¤!!!!" "What on earth did you do?" "I swear it wasn¡¯t my fault!" The high-explosive multipurpose grenades,unched into the ceiling, caused cracks in the cooling water pipes, and icy cold water began to flood the server room. Modern defense industries, materials science, and architecture hadbined to create a disaster waiting to happen. The grenades, advanced enough to prate over a dozen centimeters of steel armor with a single shot, had no trouble shattering the concrete. The sirens on the ceiling blinked, signaling that everything was going wrong. -[Warning: Leak detected. Warning: Leak detected. Water supply prevention system unavable due to emergency power shutdown. Server malfunction in 3 minutes and 22 seconds. Full flooding in 10 minutes and 52 seconds.] -[Alert: Data transmission will bepleted in 56 seconds.]
  • Crazy LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • Well done, Harmony! You¡¯ve done it again!
  • Flooding the server room, what the heck LOL LOL LOL
  • I¡¯m sorry, I should have never tried to predict the future!!
  • Why did they even program this situation, you Icarus maniacs LOL
"Waaah! The water¡¯s pooling on the floor! Do we really have to stay here!?" "As long as thework is synced, the data will download automatically before the servers fail. Check the escape route and the location of the pipes in the ceiling." "Oh, okay! Let¡¯s see, the quickest way out, the quickest way out¡­ Take the winch¡­ Got it!" Yujin, sshing through the water beginning to pool on the floor, added her input. Having downloaded the data, she focused intently on her Icarus gear, then carefully began to move an Artemis UGV that Harmony had hacked. As grenades fired with a thumping noise took out the shutters blocking the exits, Yujin essed the nearby CCTV to check the position and distribution of enemies. "¡­The underground area is essentially a donut-shaped space that¡¯s been freely modified. There¡¯s a main elevator in the center, but that¡¯s out of the question¡­ We¡¯ll retrace our steps, then take a side path toward the water control room and exit through the building¡¯s main entrance." "What about all those enemies?" "Let¡¯s attract their attention in style." Whirrrrr. The UGV¡¯s 3-round grenadeuncher, with over 20 rounds left, swiveled freely under her control. It aimed at the ceiling¡ªspecifically, the thick cooling water pipes running above. Yujin, rarely smiling, grinned slightly as she spoke. "Ready to go for a swim?"
  • She¡¯s really out of her mind¡­.
Thud, thud.@@novelbin@@ After shes of light and explosions, water cascaded down like a waterfall. Harmony would never forget the donation she saw while sprinting out of the server room to avoid the deluge, which threatened to flood the entire world. "Heh." Like many pro gamers, AP soloing was essentially a forced march. Once the time was set, you entered the room, shot everything in sight, and left. In that process, you either died or emerged as the sole winner. For Dice, who only did AP soloing, that was a relief. Most other SSM members alternated between soloing, duos, and squads, meaning they were truly going through a forced march. Anyway, Dice¡ªcurrently in the SSM briefing room with other pro gamers from the same team¡ªwas involved in a kind of debriefing. It was a ce to discuss how your gamey went, what you did well, what you didn¡¯t, how your movements were, and so on. Naturally, Yujin had been a hot topictely, never leaving people¡¯s lips. There were many reasons: she¡¯d joined SSM as a temporary coach, she¡¯d shown off her overwhelming performance, and, well¡­ And that was true for Dice as well. After all, she was the one who boldly dered the Wild Card at the start of the scrims, and she was the one who brought Yujin to SSM, even if only temporarily. Still, now that the initial excitement had died down¡ª "You don¡¯t watch Yujin¡¯s streams much, huh? Everyone¡¯s going wild right now." "Oh, Coach Pierre¡­." Or not. Of course, it was about Yujin again. Was she pulling off another crazy stunt? Come to think of it, this was the exact time she usually streamed. Dice had forgotten, being unusually tired from the intensity of today¡¯s matches. As the coach dropped the hint and left, her curiosity began to bubble up. She logged into Tricky and saw the title ¡°[Dark Zone Co-op with Harmony]¡±... But the problem was the view count next to it¡ªaround 27,000 people. It was even proudly sitting at the top of the real-time HOT broadcast list. Unable to resist her curiosity, she clicked on it. And then, -Waaah, teacher! Put me down! Put me down©¤!
  • Running with you is faster!
  • Waaah, there¡¯s a tsunami behind us! All the water pipes burst!
It definitely looked like the underground of Artemis Corp.¡­ But what on earth had happened to cause a flood down there? Next to the UI, the blueprint disyed a brief exnation¡ªan EMP had damaged the water supply system, disabling the shutoff function, and after destroying all the cooling water pipes, the entire underground facility was now flooding. "What kind of crazy nonsense is this¡­." It seemed that there would be even more questions to ask tomorrow. These people really seemed out of their minds. To reward the sudden donationpetition, here¡¯s a chubby Yujin for you?? Isn¡¯t she cute? Chapter 92 [General] Harmony and Yujin¡­ Gasping and sshing water fiercely¡­jpg
No lies were told here, lmao. [Comments][By Newest]
  • LOL, what the heck happened? LOL
  • What did they do this time? LOL
  • Is this the underground of the Artemis building? What the heck did they do to create this situation?? ?[OP] They hacked a UGV and sted the ceiling¡¯s cooling pipes with grenades LOL ?Insane¡­ they¡¯re both insane¡­ ?This is dizzying LOL
  • At least life wouldn''t be boring if you lived like this, seriously.
  • I was wondering what the first picture was about LOL
  • Why are they the only ones ying Dark Zone 2.0 LOL
  • The developers who programmed the pipes on the wall as destructible are even more insane. ?For real LOL ?But it all started with Harmony LOL ????????????????????
  • When this happened, Koreans and foreigners alike flooded in to watch LOL ?¡°Caucasians,¡± this is K-Dark Zone ?The chat was full of WTF, WTF, WHAT THE FUCK, THAT HAPPENED TSUNAMI, no joke
  • The clip of the ceiling copsing hit 100,000 views in just 2 hours LOL
  • [link] /watch?v=4wzuL_gqgf^203 ?[OP] Damn, this is already out LOL ?The editor who joined Yujin¡¯s channel from Fanspace has already clipped it into a short LOL ?¡°Are you ready for a swim?¡± LOL ?Is Yujin really Cthulhu? No wonder she yed that crazy dating sim before.
  • How does she run at that insane speed while carrying Harmony LOL ?Are we sure she¡¯s not benching 800 pounds like a boss? ?Is it 700, 800, or 900 pounds? Make up your mind LOL ?She¡¯s a stamina monster, seriously. That thing alone must weigh over 80 kg. ?At this point, it might be faster to check out Yujin''s background at Taereung Training Center LOL
  • And the fact that they drowned all the enemies in the underground is hrious. ?[OP] Enemy loss rate: ¡°88%¡± ?They must have gotten an Omega Rank again LOL ?Now everyone, Korean and foreign, will start copying that tactic LOL ?I just hope they don¡¯t drown trying to imitate it. ?Yujin, are you trying to ruin everything from West Point to here too?
  • It¡¯s like she¡¯s filming a damn movie all by herself LOL
¡ªRatatatat! "Ugh, there¡¯s still some reinforcements left on the first floor." "Yeah, but the real tough ones are down there sshing around in the icy water." "Hehe, that¡¯s true." The surreal interior of the building was filled with explosions and gunfire, yet the battle on the first floor wasn¡¯t as intense as before. Despite a fullpany of PMC personnel and high-end equipment being deployed to capture the two of them, the EMP had fried half the machines, and the aftermath saw their circuits cooled with a ¡°kind¡± dousing of cold water. Thepany sent to the underground? They got an express ticket straight to the afterlife. Just before everything was submerged, the two barely made it up the winch and returned to the lobby on the 5th basement floor where they had first infiltrated. From there, they took the employee elevator to the ground floor, knocking out the remaining panicked soldiers with precise shots to the back of their heads. As the enemy loss rate skyrocketed to the point where it couldn¡¯t rise any higher, the two managed to reach the surface rtively unscathed. So, after everything was over, the two, covered in dust, dirt, and water stains, headed out into the silent outdoors. The battle had onlysted about an hour, but the two were thoroughly exhausted. It was more than enough time to experience all the highs and lows of life and endure countless hardships. In contrast to the huge puffs of breath escaping their lips, the outside was now bright with sunlight. The clouds had scattered, and beams of light pierced through, illuminating what had been a gloomy exterior. As the two of them stumbled out, ISO¡¯s voice came through theirms. [ISO: You¡¯ve done something absolutely incredible.] [ISO: This is quite ironic. But the fate of those who sold their technology to hostile nations to secure their own survival is a fitting end. I can only say I¡¯m very impressed.] [ISO: But can you please refrain from doing this again? I¡¯d rather not have to retrieve the bodies of our operators from a flooded underground base.] [ISO: Anyway, good work. Thanks to your efforts, Artemis PMC has suffered a catastrophic loss that they may never recover from. It will take them an immense amount of time to restore their capabilities¡ªif they can at all.] [ISO: I¡¯ll send a Little Bird to extract you now that the nearby air defenses have beenpletely obliterated. Wait at a suitablending site.] "Being with you, teacher, is seriously bad for my heart." "I didn¡¯t think it would escte this far, but hey, all¡¯s well that ends well. We won¡¯t have to go through this again." "Even if you ask, I¡¯m going to refuse next time."
  • When you watch from afar, it¡¯s aedy, but when you¡¯re in it, it¡¯s a tragedy, LOL
  • That was truly awesome lmao XD
  • Foreigners are also watching this crazy, intense gamey LOL
  • Why pay to watch a movie? This is the real movie LOL
  • Eating chicken while watching this feels like I¡¯m having the time of my life LOL
In some ways, it was like a movie. It had all the emotions and provided an overwhelming spectacle, so it wasn¡¯t that different from a film. The two checked their equipment mechanically and looked up at the sky. The sound of rotors was growing louder in the distance. What started as a small vibration had turned into a heavy thrum that shook the air. Yujin, letting out a foggy breath like a waterfall, spoke. "We¡¯ve got more missions ahead, so let¡¯s keep moving." Harmony didn¡¯t have much to say in response. She had expected this, and she knew Yujin well enough by now. If she hadn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t have been working with her. So, as she watched the helicopter-shaped silhouette appear in the distance, she spoke. "Please take it easier in the future. At this rate, I¡¯m not going to survive." "Haha, I¡¯ll try." "Thanks, at least for saying it." [ISO: Helicopternding in 30 seconds.] The small MD500, with a shape that didn¡¯t quite match its heavy sound, carefully touched down on the concrete ground. The pilot waved them in. Footsteps imprinted themselves on the untouched snow. Since there were only two of them, there was no need for them to sit precariously on the sides. As the helicopter doors closed, the pilot spoke. [ISO: Killer Egg, returning to base.] Sigh. Finally able to rx, Harmony cautiously spoke as she looked out the window. "Look, Yujin¡­ The sunlight is amazing." "Ah¡­."
  • March¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.
  • Damn, why does the ending always turn out like this LOL
  • There/was/that
  • These people can¡¯t finish without breaking something LOL
  • Such insanity LOL
  • The sunset is amazing! The sunset is amazing! The sunset is amazing! The sunset is amazing!
The sky was incredibly clear. It was the moment the first button had been fastened in the right ce. [TailEditor: The scene of the ceiling copsing was so striking that I quickly cut and edited it into a short. Is the quality okay?] [Yujin: (Roughly tranted: Cute snake with a thumbs-up emoji)] Busy, busy. Unfortunately, these days, I can¡¯t rx just because the stream is over. In fact, after the stream ends, that¡¯s when I have to check on the contact requests I can¡¯t show others. That¡¯s why I recently set up a new email inbox just for official business and contracts involving money. To put it simply, the stream is the stream, and the things that aren¡¯t public are handled before and after the stream. When I clicked on the link the new editor sent me from the engram, I was taken to my YourSpace ount, which had already jumped to 50,000 subscribers. There were only two videos in the video section. One was an unedited recording of nearly a month¡¯s worth of broadcasts, and the other was a short video just over a minute long that the editor had uploaded only a few hours ago. The view count had already surpassed 100,000 and was heading toward 200,000. Unbelievable. Anyway, the video the editor made¡­ Even as someone who doesn¡¯t know the first thing about editing, I couldn¡¯t find much to criticize. I¡¯ve always valued smoothness and naturalness over shy effects. In other words, I don¡¯t need overly decorative or fancy cuts. In that sense, the quality was more than sufficient. Instead of pping on memes left and right, they emphasized the necessary parts and brought out natural humor. Perhaps because they were a former Fanspace editor, they had an edge in this area. As a fan, they probably had a better grasp of the key points and humor spots. But one thing I¡¯m curious about¡ª [TailEditor: Then I¡¯ll continue editing in this style. The co-op with Harmony will have a simr feel :)] [Yujin: Thanks for your hard work] [Yujin: But what¡¯s with your username though, haha;;] [TailEditor: Ah] [TailEditor: I¡¯ll change it] [Yujin: No need to. Thanks for liking my tail, haha] ¡­Don¡¯t most people dislike reptiles? Is this also because of me? Maybe I should get a pet snaketer. Still, if I¡¯m improving the image of reptiles thanks to me, that¡¯s not a bad thing. It¡¯s more of an unexpected benefit. Anyway, the conversation turned to rehashing earlier discussions. For example, about work schedules, uing content, pay¡­ There was a lot, to be honest. Before I knew it, it was heading toward 11 p.m. The editor said they were off to edit today¡¯s broadcast and disappeared. Having nothing else to offer, I sent them an energy drink gift voucher as a thank you. I scrolled through my official inbox. Of course, ¡°official¡± was a bit of a stretch¡ªit was essentially a public email. So personal emails were already filtered out. No need to read the content; it was all irrelevant. I checked for any high-quality professional emails among those that had been filtered. [To: Yujin, from GEARUP Pro Gaming. We have some exciting news that we think you¡¯ll find interesting¡­] [To: Yujin, from Legio Invicta. We have a proposal for you if you¡¯re interested in joining our team¡­] [To: Yujin, from Xi Impressive. How would you like to make history with us? Please see the details below¡­] "Well, I guess it makes sense since I¡¯ve never officially announced anything." To be exact, not even SSM has signed a full long-term contract with me. To ensure I had as much freedom as possible¡ªof course, this also meant my pay was lower¡ªI opted for a more flexible contract. In short, nearly every team out there has sent me a request to join. Unfortunately, for now, and probably in the future, I have no ns to pursue a pro gaming career. That¡¯s that. I checked another category. These were various unofficial requests, like appearances on private streams. There were many other coboration requests as well, even from popr existing streamers. It would take too much time to go through them all seriously, so I¡¯ll have to set aside a day to review them. As I was going through them, one email, oddly marked in a light ck, caught my eye. It was from Icarus International. Here¡¯s what it said. *[Dear Yujin, we sincerely congratte you on advancing in the preliminary rank and your current excellent performance. We are contacting you because we would like to use some of your gamey footage in the promotional video for the preliminary rank, KSM, and the Asia Qualifiers that we are producing at Icarus International Korea. The clips under consideration are among five others. If you have any requests regarding this, please respond as soon as possible. Additionally¡­. . . .] But the message didn¡¯t end there. Cautiously scrolling down, I saw it¡ªone sentence. An unexpected fragment from the past. [The following content has been appended by the Dark Zone management system.] ?[There is a hidden message. Please authenticate via your device.] There was no need to wonder what ¡°device¡± referred to. The gadget strapped to my wrist lit up with a strange sound. A familiar vibration.@@novelbin@@ The bottom of the message flickered, and with a clicking sound, words began to form. [Authentication in progress¡­ Confirmed. Authentication procedureplete.] [Operator Yujin, wee back.] A formal procedure. The next message was brief. [The Department of Homnd Security is waiting for you.] [We¡¯ll see you in the finals.] "¡­Sigh." It seems the past hasn¡¯t forgotten me after all. Chapter 93 "Hello, Dark Zone esports fans! Your esports phoenix has returned after a whole year to bring you AP coverage! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all been eagerly waiting, and I¡¯ve been just as excited for this match to start. It¡¯s great to see you all!" "Hello, everyone. I¡¯m me, your host today, here to provide aprehensive overview andmentary on today¡¯s matches."
  • Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix!
  • I thought I was going to turn to ash waiting for this!
  • Is something biging? Is something biging? Is something biging? Is something biging? Is something biging?
  • I took leave from work just to watch this, and I¡¯ve been waiting 365 days for it! LOL
  • There are 1,600 participants, LOL. That¡¯s 300 more thanst time.
Tricky¡ªthe official Dark Zone broadcast room¡ªopens its doors with a warm wee. Among virtual reality games, Dark Zone consistently ranks at the top in poprity, and with that poprityes an abundance of matches. Consequently, the official broadcast room is always shing red, delivering the intense match content to eager viewers whenever possible. And so, in early September, at the border betweente summer and early fall, on a day when the summer heat and lingering rain hadn¡¯t yet faded, the official broadcast of the Apex Predator qualifying rank began. Next to the red light indicating that the broadcast was live, the viewer count had already surpassed 70,000. The Apex Predator matches boasted superior popritypared to other PVP genres, further boosted by advertisements scattered across inte sites. The viewer count showed no signs of slowing down even after the broadcast began in earnest following the countdown. It was an expected progression. The number was expected to stabilize well beyond 100,000. Despite having only been in service for five years and with professionals emerging for no more than three years, the game and the pro scene still held immense potential. The increasing viewer count, now over 120,000, hinted at this potential. "The long-awaited tournament rank ended a few weeks ago, and the scrimmage to select numerous new talents and rising stars to lead the next generation of the AP scene has just concluded. Despite the tight timeframe, participation has increased by 300pared tost time. This suggests that the overall skill level of the participants has improved, doesn¡¯t it?" "Exactly. Only the top 100 are awarded the Medal of Honor tier, but below that, in Tier 2, which grants the right to participate in the qualifying rank, there isn¡¯t a fixed number. It¡¯s based on the total number of participants, so the more people who enter the tournament rank, the more slots there are." "Thank you for the excellent exnation." With a flick of the finger, 16 screens appeared in a 4x4 grid in mid-air. All were matches waiting to start. Sixteen games, each with 100 participants. Out of all these people, only 100 would advance to KSM. This meant that only six or seven people would survive from a game of 100. Naturally, the ruthless logic of victory and defeat spared no one. Thus, the yers participating in the qualifying rank had to give their all in every match, and the viewers¡¯ enjoyment increased proportionally. The caster''s words drove the point home. "Today, as always, we¡¯ll see several brutal matches where blood washes away blood. The world ofpetition is ruthless and even more brutal. Only the strongest can survive and climb higher." "In a way, this is the motto of AP soloing. Only one person can stand at the pinnacle." With a swish, the room of 160,000 viewers was split into sixteen. In the blink of an eye, subcategories were created, and the thirty or somentators waiting in other rooms began their broadcasts in each category. Given the sheer number of matches taking ce simultaneously, twomentators couldn¡¯t cover it all, so more rooms were added for each session. It was a brute-force approach, but it worked. Viewers could go to the room where their favorite pro gamers were ying rather than finding themselves in a room covering a match they didn¡¯t care about. The first broadcast room was quickly assigned a session. As the map was decided and the 100 yers waited in the private room before the game began, thementators continued to build anticipation among the viewers. "Let¡¯s proceed with thementary for the first match. As you can see, the map assigned to our broadcast room is¡­ yes, it¡¯s Por Ridge Correctional Facility. This is a prison built underground on an ind. The main hazards in the kill zone include crowd control gas,rge electric field generators, and seawater flooding." "Let¡¯s take a look at the yer roster. Ah, it¡¯s really full of impressive names. Many familiar names, and quite a few new faces who have made a mark this season. Phoenix caster, are there any yers you¡¯re keeping an eye on?" "I think the Arcadia Games yers, who have significant experience inplex terrain engagements, have an advantage here. Given that there¡¯s no concept of ¡®outside¡¯ in the indoor map of Por Ridge, it will likely be a bloody battle." "Thank you for the insightfulments. Then I¡¯ll choose¡­ yer Yujin." "Haha, isn¡¯t that a bit too standard of a choice?"
  • Yujin is a goddess! Yujin is a goddess! Yujin is a goddess! Yujin is a goddess!
  • LOL, that crazy woman who was nowhere to be found is right here!
  • A moving natural disaster. DDD;;
  • I can already see people running away like crazy as soon as they encounter her LOL
  • Aiieeeeee!! Why, Yujin!?
All eyes turned to her. Then, the number of viewers in the broadcast room quickly surged, surpassing 30,000 in just a few minutes. It was inevitable. In the notoriously difficult battle royale genre, where even top pro gamers couldn¡¯t guarantee victory, Yujin was the only one who consistently reached the top. Phoenix couldn¡¯t suppress a smile as he nced at the chat and said a word. "Haha, did you see what they¡¯re saying in the chat? They¡¯re calling her a ¡®moving natural disaster.¡¯ Is there any better way to describe Yujin?" "I agree. She¡¯s a yer who consistently delivers near-impossible physical performances every match. For those in the same game, there¡¯s no greater catastrophe. While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s take a look at the user¡¯s loadout." Yujin¡¯s preferred weapons were disyed for all to see. Although they weren¡¯t particrly unique, onemon theme was that her choices favored firepower over ergonomics and recoil control. The weapons she used were intimidating: the MK18 Mjolnir, the MG338, and even the Ash-12.7¡­. Thementators couldn¡¯t help butment on the intimidating choices. "These choices clearly show she¡¯s confident in her recoil control. And she really is." "Indeed. Phoenix caster, do you think Yujin will take the top spot?" "Well, it¡¯s hard to be certain. Apex Predator is a PVP with countless variables, challenges, and hardships, where only one can rise to the top. Predicting the oue of such a storm is difficult. It¡¯s like predicting the weather tomorrow; even if the probability is high, it¡¯s not guaranteed." "Haha, a wise answer to a simple question. Thank you for the response. Let¡¯s proceed with the matchmentary." After the brief discussion ended, dozens of screens floated up into the air. It was a dizzying array of perspectives. Like CCTV cameras, some were fixed on keyndmarks, others followed yers, and still others showed the movements of all 100 participants in real-time, separated from the session. Now, it was time for lead to rece words. The match began. In recent Apex Predator AP soloing qualifying ranks, if you asked pro yers what they most wanted to avoid, nine out of ten would say it was getting unlucky. Whether it was an enemy appearing out of nowhere after you¡¯ve just lowered your guard, or getting caught in a crossfire between enemies through no fault of your own, or any number of other situations, there were plenty of frustrating and poorly timed moments. But as time went on, just as words change meaning or gain new connotations, the term ¡°bad luck¡± began to take on a new meaning among AP soloing pro gamers¡ªone of which was the misfortune of encountering Yujin. Of course, they couldn¡¯t openly talk about it. After all, if someone whose career depends on their skill deliberately avoids another yer because they think they can¡¯t win, that would be a sign they¡¯ve lost theirpetitive edge. But. If that person were right in front of you, could you really say that so confidently? ¡®Damn, I think I¡¯m screwed¡­.¡¯ Those who had encountered Yujin and failed to survive¡ªbasically most yers¡ªsaid it felt like she closed the distance like a ghost.@@novelbin@@ You might start an engagement thinking you knew where she was, only to be shocked by her incredible uracy. Then, if you¡¯re distracted for even a moment by an explosion or something else, she¡¯d ambush you from an unexpected angle. Unfortunately, that was all true. ¡ªRatatatatatatat! In the cafeteria section of the prison, wide yet cluttered with various debris. He had initiated the shooting, and he hadnded a hit, but as he pursued her, things were going wrong. That figure. That avatar was so distinctive that mistaking it would be foolish. The dappled snake tail undting in the air would burn itself into your retinas with just one look. But the figure it was attached to blinked in and out of view, moving unpredictably in both route and speed. Confidence began to waver. You look at where Yujin should be and wait for her to emerge, but you can¡¯t be sure. Is she really still there? The tension was suffocating. Is it toote to throw a grenade? Too many thoughts. But he tried to push them out. He had about 10 to 20 rounds left in his magazine. There was still some room to maneuver. He remembered what she emphasized in her streams. He needed to create an opening. ¡ªClink. Hebined the motions of drawing and pulling the pin on the grenade into one. The smoothly thrown grenade was sucked toward the targeted spot¡ªthen, in that brief moment, a shadowy figure blurred and started moving. That¡¯s it. "¡­!" She¡¯s fast. Bullets crisscrossed through the deafening gunfire. The hexagonal shield popped up, blocking the hail of bullets. [Alert: Nanomachine reserves at 77%.] ¡®How is her uracy¡­!¡¯ Sure, he had revealed his position during the initial engagement, but this was too much. It was basic knowledge that uracy dropped steeply when shooting while moving or at moving targets, but apparently, sometimes basic knowledge gets thrown out the window. rms were going off in his head, sending bad signals. He immediately bolted to the opposite cover¡ªonly for the gunfire to ring out again. The nanomachine reserves dropped below 30% in an instant. This isn¡¯t good. And that thought wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡ªBoom! "¡ªUgh!" The grenade hit precisely as he reached cover to reassess. For a moment, sight, hearing, and all senses were overwhelmed. His nanomachine shield hadpletely shattered, and all he¡¯d gained was a brief chance at survival. But his mind was already in chaos. The more chaotic the situation, the more his thoughts became one-dimensional. It was one of those situations. He couldn¡¯t even decide whether to fight or flee, and his fate? Well, it wasn¡¯t going to be good. ¡ªThud! "Ugh!" A dull sound, and his vision spun as the figure came into view. Although his avatar dulled the senses, thest warning messages he saw in the UI were serious. [Alert: Multiple facial fractures detected.] [Warning: Severe injuries confirmed. Temporary vision loss due to orbital copse.] Thud. Just like that, he felt all his willpower drain out like a tsunami. Hey down on the ground, signaling surrender, and heard a clear voice. He had heard it many times in videos, but hearing it in person felt different. "Anyst words?" "¡­I guess this fall¡¯s off to a rough start." "Haha." Bang. That was thest sound he heard before being ejected to the lobby. Chapter 94 "Apex Predator," unlike other Dark Zone content that heavily adapted most of my past experiences, was filled with scenarios I had never actually encountered. My real-life operational range extended no further than from New York to California, which, while a considerable distance, meant I had never physically been to ces like the ones depicted in the game. In other words, every battle I faced in Apex Predator was a new experience. However, the path I had walked served as a foundation, a stepping stone for climbing higher. This meant that I was well-equipped to handle unfamiliar situations. As I progressed, the skill level of the yers I encountered noticeably increased. Although I don''t want to brag, there were asions when someone other than me would take the top spot. But no matter how far I advanced, the number of participants remained the same. This meant that individual yers drew less attention, and unless someone made themselves stand out, the focus quickly shifted elsewhere. Even I found it difficult to keep track of all the yers I defeated. How much harder would it be for the viewers, whose interests changed even more rapidly? Regardless, I always focused on what I could do rather than worrying about external perceptions. I¡¯ve always approached each engagement as if it were myst. Although KSM hadn¡¯t even started, and the Asia Qualifiers were still far off, there was no guarantee I would actually see them. If, by some chance, all the questions I had about Dark Zone were answered immediately, I would likely finish up and quit the game without hesitation. I¡¯d then reminisce about the past. Maybe one day that will happen. I¡¯ve rambled on a bit. Anyway, for now, I need to respond appropriately to the other yers who have put in countless hours of effort for this day¡ªthough, to be honest, that¡¯s just an excuse. [Warning: The current area will be flooded in 3 minutes and 37 seconds.] I must have gotten lost in thought because, before I knew it, the ground was already starting to flood. I could swear I¡¯d seen this kind of scene before¡ªmaybe it was d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The area would be sealed off soon. While the seawater was rising from the outside, it was also seeping into the border areas under the pretext of facility damage. With a ssh, I moved forward. "¡­Kill me, please¡­." "Oh, right." Thunk. Getting ejected to the lobby quickly is probably better than drowning. With a single shot, I put the incapacitated opponent out of his misery. He disintegrated with a faint smile. It felt strange, but I figured it was better than nothing. Leaving the flooded area behind, I disappeared beyond the horizon. Another ordinary day passed by. "Testing, testing¡­ Can you hear me? Hello, everyone?" The world of pro gamers, like any other, was diverse beyond measure. From those who preferred to keep a low profile to those who thrived on public attention, the spectrum was vast. And naturally, many pros enjoyed interacting with their fans and viewers through streams. After all, without an audience, a pro gamer wouldn¡¯t have a career. Among them was Evler from Arcadia Games, who regrlymunicated with his fans and viewers through streaming¡ªa rtively small but dedicated group. He started his stream right after Thursday¡¯s qualifying rank ended. Viewers began to gather, as they always did. Being a pro gamer meant having the advantage of demonstrating exceptional gaming skills on stream, making him a sessful broadcaster in his own right. As viewers greeted him with "Eh-Hi"¡ªa short form for "Evler Hi"¡ªthe number continued to grow. Due to the excitement surrounding the AP soloing matches, the viewership was higher than usual, eventually stabilizing after surpassing 2,000. As more viewers joined, Evler subtly changed the stream title. [Stream Title: Let¡¯s Chat About Today¡¯s Qualifying Rank!] Now, it was all about how well he could engage the audience. Cautiously, he began to speak, officially kicking off the interaction session. "I¡¯ve been active as an AP pro gamer for about a year and three months now. And if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve realized while doing AP soloing¡­ it¡¯s how amazing it is that there are always more skilled yers emerging."
  • If this guy climbed to the first tier in just a year, he¡¯s got talent, right?
  • Watching the fights, it¡¯s scary how good everyone is, LOL.
  • Every match is legendary, lol.
  • Did they gather all the Special Forces in Korea or what?
  • Fact: For someone who¡¯s just doing okay, this guy¡¯s always in the top ranks.
"Oh,e on, ¡®talented¡¯? There¡¯s almost no such thing in this field. Everyone here practices until they¡¯re practically worn down. I train for twelve hours a day myself. I¡¯d probably be dead if virtual reality hadn¡¯te along." Talent, huh. Where did that word evene from? There¡¯s a famous saying from a legendary pianist: if you skip practice for a day, you notice; if you skip it for three days, the audience notices. Who¡¯s out there seeding by just breathing? It¡¯s amon misconception, but now wasn¡¯t the time for a debate on definitions. I let the thought drift away like debris in the sea of my mind. There were plenty of things I could rte to without getting hung up on that.@@novelbin@@ A qualifying rank match¡­ could bepared to a random obstacle course. Some parts might be easier, others required every ounce of effort, and some¡­ well, you had to wonder. Was that even designed to be ovee? The question naturally slipped out. "Anyway, the world constantly reminds you that practice alone isn¡¯t enough. I wonder if my perspective would change if I managed toe in first ce just once. My best rank over the past four days has been 5th¡­."
  • 5th out of that many people? Damn.
  • Seems like you¡¯ll easily make it into KSM. 100 people is pretty lenient, right?
  • You can do it, LOL.
  • The real problemes after the Selection Match, lol.
  • With so many people, every match is a bloodbath¡­.
5th ce out of that many people. It sounded good, but considering that the average number of total sessions a yer participated in during the qualifying rank¡ªaside from the top tier¡ªranged from 50 to 65, one match wasn¡¯t that significant. Many people overlooked how much physical and mental strain tournaments ced on pros. Especially the grueling four-month schedule from regional matches to the Asia Qualifiers and then to the final championship¡ªthe "One Above All" match was even more intense. There¡¯s always a big difference between what you can say and what you can think. Naturally, the topic drifted elsewhere. Evler belonged to Arcadia Games, and within their first and second leagues, there were plenty of pros who enjoyed interacting with viewers. After all, pros live closest to the media they canmunicate through. As long as the topic wasn¡¯t too sensitive, and it helped improve public perception, it was okay to share some insights about the current situation. And those interested in AP matches likely already knew. "Still, Arcadia is doing quite well. No one¡¯s particrly struggling, and it seems everyone who¡¯s supposed to make it to KSM will get there without much trouble. It helps that everyone is so skilled." Even in such high-level games where you might run into the same pro gamers multiple times in a single match, the qualifying rank was just another start. To meet the best of the best from other countries, you had to climb two steep walls. One was the qualifying rank I kept mentioning, and the next was KSM. Out of 1,600, only 100 would remain, and then only 20. After surviving as one of 16, only 20% would remain. It felt too early to start judging who was doing well or not. Once you realized the challenge of these numbers, you couldn¡¯t help but admire those who were better than you. In the pro world, there were always distinctions in skill. There were those slightly better than you, those who consistently ranked high, and those who seemed like they¡¯dfortably make it into the top 100¡­. But among them, there were also those who were so far beyond reach that even feeling envious seemed ironic. ["Luke Gonnanbak" donated 1,000 won for some snacks! Thank you!] ¨CWhat left the biggest impression on you during today¡¯s match? "Thank you for the 1,000 won donation! Let¡¯s see¡­ what was it¡­?" The donation¡¯s content naturally triggered a reaction, leading him to think about what had been on his mind earlier. As the trigger was pulled, vivid memoriesplete with sensory details that shouldn¡¯t be possible¡ªshed back as if he were reliving the experience. Fragments ofnguage and thoughts surged forward, struggling to form coherent sentences. It was his job to gather them into a coherent response. "Oh, right¡­ I don¡¯t know if anyone noticed, but there was a time today when I died in a really brutal way. If you¡¯ve been watching AP soloing matches closely, you¡¯ll know what I¡¯m talking about." The reaction was immediate. Of course, it was.
  • Ah, LOL, you got taken out by "that person."
  • Why do I know exactly who he¡¯s talking about without him saying it?
  • The "Tail Killer."
  • A nightmare for pros, LOL.
  • I¡¯m dying here, LOL.
Of course. Everyone knew. After the tournament rank ended safely, the story of "Yujin," which had only been circting within certain circles like Xi and SSM, was now spreading beyond just the pro scene. But as the scrimmages ended and the qualifying rank officially began, she¡­ well, she started flying around as if she was determined to solidify those unbelievable rumors in everyone¡¯s minds. No, rather than "flying around"¡­ she was more like a typhoon. Her mere existence was like a massive blender. "Uh, yeah¡­ everyone knows, it seems. Yeah, it was her. I got totally wrecked. I¡¯d be in better shape if I¡¯d been hit by a car. Is it okay to say this? I¡¯m kind of close with the Reaper Infected team, and Mikael got totally owned by her." [Kim Dietermin donated 1,000 won for some snacks! Thank you!] ¨CThe man who flew with his shield, Mikael, LOL. Seriously. The endless stream of absurd rumors about her was updated daily, and even one of these incidents could have be a legendary moment in this year¡¯s qualifying rank. Yet it was just one of many in the long list of insane stories about Yujin. Suddenly, the floodgates opened, and people started sharing all sorts of stories about her. Once they started, there was no holding back. Naturally, the viewers¡¯ engagement skyrocketed. After all, nothing beats hearing a firsthand ount from someone who experienced it. Evler shared everything he knew, and the viewers couldn¡¯t get enough. He exined where he encountered her, what his situation was, what choices he made, and how he ultimately met his end¡­ all while passionately recounting the tale. By the time he finished, he had lost track of how much time had passed. "¡­Wait, why did the viewer count suddenly shoot up?" 4,558 viewers. Almost twice the usual number of viewers had quietly gathered in the chat. But of course, this phenomenon wasn¡¯t unique to him. Chapter 95 As the AP soloing match gained momentum, with even official broadcasts starting to cover it, there was one name that drew the most attention: Yujin. Her prowess, which had spread quietly through tournament rankings and whispers within a few teams during scrims, was now fully revealed without any filters during the preliminary rounds. The reaction was a mix of shock and excitement. Most professional gamers¡ªunless they were an exception¡ªwere also highly perceptive, and only the most proactive among them were quick to voice their admiration for her. Specifically, it was the pro yers from SSM Entertainment, as well as those from other teams who had participated in the same scrims as Yujin, who were the first to speak up. "Yujin, Coach? Oh, I knew this would happen. That person is just... um. I¡¯ll stop here. If I can give you any advice... you¡¯d better break your preconceived notions." ¡ªSSM. "It was chaos from the very first scrim, honestly. Looking back, it¡¯s a bit of a shame. If Xi had been there... Anyway, as I just mentioned, even though there were doubts, there was a lot of talk from the beginning. We all saw thising." ¡ªXi. "She¡¯s not human... Ah, I feel like I¡¯m going to get into troubleter for saying this. Can you edit myment?" ¡ªEven Dice had something to say. As Yujin started attracting attention,ments made not long ago were quickly unearthed and became popr clips. The conditions were perfect for her poprity to grow. The nature of the AP mode, which allowed for showcasing individual physical prowess, yed a significant role as well. Considering that bing famous often requires both personal effort and external recognition, Yujin was on the verge of bing a golden goose, whether she liked it or not. She had be a subject of conversation not just among viewers, but also among professionals. However, Yujin had never been one to act ording to others'' expectations. She was known for not being swayed by poprity or external praise. The shy tactics of boosting viewer numbers with extravagant headlines didn¡¯t suit her at all. Whether people came or went, she didn¡¯t care. If they came, they came; if they left, they left. Even when swarms of new viewers bombarded her with countless questions, she responded only with bullets. "There''s a grenadier and a sniper dog on the left. A drone operator on the right. Prioritize them and take them out as quickly as possible. Even if you retreat, always think about where and how to establish your front line while fighting." "Oh, this is going to make my head explode...!" "Everyone has to do their part." No matter what others said, she remained focused onpleting the main mission and nurturing newbies. [General Chat] "Doesn''t Yujin know how to strike while the iron is hot?" Insert random reaction image "If I were her, I''d be spilling all kinds of stories and thinking about which team to choose and how to negotiate the sry. It''s so frustrating to watch her waste time with some newbie on missions. I''m out." [All Comments][Sorted by Newest]
  • "LOL, do you really think that if you post something like this, others will stop watching too?"
  • "Don¡¯t watch then~ There are thousands of others who will."
  • "Fact) They won¡¯t stop watching." ? "True lol." ? "The contrast between the crazy stuff she does in the actual match and herid-back approach in solo streams is what makes it so entertaining, idiot."
  • "Actually, it¡¯s better now because she keeps her professional and personal streams separate."
  • "People like this are always toxic in general chat, lol. They wouldn¡¯t dare reveal their in-game nicknames." ? "Obviously trolling, who would take the bait?"
  • "But honestly, I do wish she¡¯d y the PR game a bit more. It¡¯d be nice to hear about her matches and whether she¡¯s thinking of going pro or not." ? "She¡¯ll probably talk about it in the chatter. If she¡¯s grinding missions right now, who would want to answer those questions?" ? "Agreed."
  • "Arrogant and conceited Yujin... is it possible...?" ? "Uh?????" ? "Anyway, these pervs are always trying to project their fantasies onto her lololol." ? "Noted, you have good taste." ? "At least we know you¡¯re a walking testament to the dangers of virtual reality."
  • "Pro Tip: You can¡¯t enter the finals unless you finish all the main missions and hit max level." ? "Is reaching the finals a requirement? lol." ? "If she¡¯s this wild in the prelims, how could she not make it to the finals?" ? "I can¡¯t wait to see the other teams¡¯ reactions to Yujin¡¯s tactical hammer style lol." ? "We¡¯ll see a Yujin Hammer Reaction Comption soon."
"You''re spending a lot of time upstate New York these days." "Artemis PMC''s base is nearby. If you follow thekeshore west for about 300 kilometers, you''ll reach Niagara Falls." "Oh, I want to visit!" "I haven¡¯t been there, so I don¡¯t know. Is it even in the game?"
  • "Nope, lol."
  • "Natural scenery + a huge waterfall = serverg nightmare."
  • "Even if Icarus dumped all their money into servers, that¡¯s still too much, lol."
  • "I can hear the servers crashing already, lol."
  • "Real-time implementation is impossible."
As with many games, Dark Zone had a story and a timeline¡ªat least when it came to the PVE aspect. If the tutorial was about forming a temporary team of one or two people and making it safely to Central Park HQ, the next step was cleaning the streets by taking out gangs and escaped convicts roaming the area. After that, yers gradually moved on to taking down airborne units and special forces from Russia or China, until mid-game, where they first encountered Artemis PMC, who used even more advanced technology. As I mentioned before, these were the guys who had taken over the once tech-rich Upstate New York, killed anyone who got in their way, and looted everything to secure resources and technology. They were dangerous for obvious reasons, but there was one more reason why they couldn¡¯t be left alone. *[ISO: Good. It looks like you¡¯re almost at your destination. Since the Geiger counter isn¡¯t going off, it seems the SCRAM procedure worked smoothly here. Or thest ones on duty shut it down manually.] *[ISO: That¡¯s Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power nt up ahead. Its biggest im to fame is being a pain in the ass to manage¡ªor you could say it¡¯s because it¡¯s in Artemis¡¯s territory.] *[ISO: The even worse news is that this is why elite agents like you are being sent there.] "A Geiger counter... isn¡¯t that for detecting radiation?" "Correct." "They¡¯re sending us to another hellhole just because there¡¯s no one else avable." "Hey, watch yournguage."
  • "LOL."
  • "She¡¯s turning to the dark side, lol."
  • "Where¡¯s the innocent rookie who used to drop her magazine and go ¡®huehue¡¯?!¡±
  • "Yujin devoured her. Grab some popcorn."
  • "The light in her eyes is fading lolol."
It wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. The nuclear power nt looming ahead was massive, and there was no way just two moderately armed people could cover the entire facility. Plus, the fact that Artemis personnel were already swarming the ce was a strong selling point. No need to ask what it was selling. The Little Bird helicopter carrying the Geiger counter dropped us off quickly near the nt. The reason was simple: if the nuclear nt melted down, no one could survive approaching it. The counter was brought along to detect radiation levels in advance, barely scraped together. Either way, it was a nostalgic moment. Not only because I¡¯d actually carried out a simr operation in the past, but also because it gave a glimpse into the overwhelming authority of Icarus operators. As Halo Jensen, a former Delta Force operative who was the team leader, once said, being authorized to attack something as significant as arge ship or a nuclear power nt signified the importance of the individual. In short, each Icarus operator held authority beyond Tier 1 special forces. With camouge activated, we stepped into the eerily silent expanse of the nuclear power nt grounds. "It feels like I¡¯m seeing all sorts of strange things when I¡¯m with you." "The difference is, whether you live or die in those situations often depends on whether I¡¯m there or not." "I can¡¯t deny that...."
  • "Confidence."
  • "She¡¯s so damn cool, Yujin!"
  • "Fact) It just means there are tons of deadly situations."
  • "No matter how much she tries to sound cool, it¡¯s not working (while peeing themselves)."
  • "I don¡¯t know about that, but is this ce going to blow up too?"
"Aquarium-Chain-Explosion-Master Yujin donated 10,000 won."
  • "Never mind, looking forward to today''s nuclear power nt explosion ^^"
"...If this ce blows up, it¡¯ll be a disaster. Don¡¯t jinx it." ...After escaping by copsing the ceiling where all the water pipes crossedst time, I had to watch helplessly as yet another bizarre nickname was added to my already too-long list of nicknames. The nickname of the donor who just came in... if that person were here, I¡¯d flick them on the forehead. What a shame. I took a small breath and checked the message that had just arrived before entering the building. [Alert: Preliminary Rank - 1 hour and 20 minutes remaining until the virtual reality session begins. If you do not enter the invited session, you will not be able to y the game, and you may face penalties ordingly.] "Hmm." "Is something wrong?" "Just a moment." With that, I began to think through various hypotheses in my mind. It was awkward to cancel the mission aftering this far. But the one-hour time limit was tricky. I wasn¡¯t sure if I couldplete this mission within that time. If I recalled correctly, thest time I did this mission, it took about an hour. But that was with team members who had morebat experience than I did. Even though this is just a game and not as brutal as real life.... On a whim, I asked. "Harmony." "Yes...?" "Can you try to match my pace, just as a test?" Pace. It didn¡¯t just mean running at the same speed¡ªif she couldn¡¯t keep up with my level, unlike before, I would shout and repeatedly give instructions to ensure she kept pace. Of course, I¡¯d consider her limits, but it was going to be a tough time for Harmony. I intended to stay focused down to my veryst nerve. She nodded slightly, with a determined yet uncertain expression. "I¡¯ll try." "Good. Let¡¯s go as usual." Then straight ahead. Several patrols at the entrance to the parking lot. From now on, all operations would proceed based on mymands and the images I transmitted. "Three ahead. Take out the one on the left. On my signal. One, two, three." "...!" ©¤©¤©¤Thud! A muffled sound as the shots passed through the silencer. But there was no time to rest, no slowing down. I spotted more enemies about 20 meters to the right, distracted. At the same time, I identified another patrol rounding the corner on the left. "Take out the left." "Got it!" Pew. As the trigger was pulled repeatedly, the enemies fell like marites with their strings cut. The right side was handled swiftly, but the left side was slightly slower, leaving about 1.5 enemies still standing. The "0.5" was an injured enemy.@@novelbin@@ I quickly finished them off and added: "Don¡¯t slow down, let¡¯s go." "Ugh, why are we suddenly going so fast?" "Sorry. I don¡¯t have much time before the next preliminary rank session." "...Of course you don¡¯t." As we crossed the parking garage, Harmony just gave a resigned look as if to say, "I should have known." Her ordeal was only beginning. Chapter 98 They say that even a dog can recite poetry if it spends three years in a temple. This proverb suggests that anyone can adapt over time. However, perhaps not enough time had passed, as Yujin''s editor was still struggling to keep up.@@novelbin@@ This was evident in the fact that Yujin consistently delivered a slew of legendary moments in every broadcast, moments that most streamers would be lucky to have once every three days. The editor, who also managed Yujin''s fan space and was an avid Dark Zone yer, understood this all too well. Whether domestic or international, Yujin''s streams produced clips that could easily achieve record-breaking views¡ªclips that transcended typical "montage" or "epic moment" videos. These were not just creative ys; they were the kind of things that left you questioning reality, sometimes to the point of dizziness. These moments came so frequently that the editor couldn¡¯t handle it all on his own. Although a neatly edited 10-minute video was soon to be uploaded to her channel, it was inevitably dyed due to the sheer volume of content. So, he opted for a simpler solution. [Life Hack: If you want to survive when you''re cornered, just kill all your enemies.] YourSpace Shorts. He began immediately uploading short, 1- to 2-minute edited clips after each broadcast. These short clips, which took no more than two or three hours to edit and review, offered a significant advantage¡ªfirst, they kept subscribers engaged by consistently delivering content. Second, by focusing solely on the climactic moments, these clips injected a sense of curiosity into viewers'' minds, leaving them eager for more. Naturally, this also had the effect of increasing Yujin¡¯s stream viewership. ¡°I¡¯ve watched this like fifteen times and still have no idea what happened, but it¡¯s insane. What the hell is this? LOL¡± ?*¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know? I see¡­ You still know nothing, Jon Snow¡­.¡±* ?*¡°I¡¯m dying to know what happened!!!¡±* ?*¡°She¡¯s like an anaconda, slowly but steadily rolling that snowball lol.¡±* "Who knew you could use an armed buggy like this? LOL¡± ?*¡°If anyone predicted this, they¡¯d be a stock trading god, no joke.¡±* ?*¡°She¡¯s mastered the art of the long game, she¡¯s insane¡­.¡±* ?*¡°Why are only you guys having fun? Show me! I want to know! I want to watch Yujin too!¡±* ?*¡°Nah, this is just for us ckers~¡±* "I still can¡¯t believe that just a month ago, Yujin didn¡¯t even exist in this world.¡± ?*¡°How did people even live back then? There was nothing this fun.¡±* ?*¡°So true, LOL.¡±* "Holding my breath until the full edit drops.¡± ?*¡°This person¡¯s already dead¡­.¡±* ?*¡°Editor, what are you doing!? Don¡¯t you see we¡¯re dying of thirst here!?¡±* ?*¡°An editor who¡¯s suspiciously good at managing expectations¡­.¡±* "Who would want to watch this when they only post the best parts? It¡¯s so frustrating, I¡¯m just going to watch the whole stream from the start.¡± ?*¡°LOL.¡±* ?*¡°Another victim heading straight to Yujin¡¯s stream¡­.¡±* ?*¡°Is this how viral marketing works?¡±* "This is totally awesome, never seen anything like it, brilliant and full of sparkling explosions. Wanna know how it happened!¡± ?*¡°Anyone else find an Englishment?¡±* ?*¡°I just came here cuz of my random YouSpace algorithm and it was worth it, LMAO.¡±* ?*¡°Agree with that, XD.¡±* ?*¡°How did you even find this ce, LOL?¡±* ¡°The air outside is strangely refreshing, probably because of all the smoke.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± "ElectroRanger has donated 1,000 won!" "Is it normal that your jokes remind me of that colonel who loves the smell of napalm in the morning?" That¡¯s too much. The world had be such a harsh ce. Had the time finallye when my jokes no longernded? Back in the day, people used to chuckle at my jokes, even if just out of courtesy... Maybe they were just being polite then too? Anyway, I wasn¡¯t one to force people tough. Rather than asking for augh, even jokingly, I just kept a mildly sullen expression. The surroundings were aplete mess. Burned and charred buildings, debris, small mes still crackling and sending out sparks, and countless bodies strewn about. Not that it was overly graphic. The surprise grenade attack had been enough to send everyone within its st radius to the afterlife. The vehicle itself was sturdy enough to withstand additional gunfire. In those three seconds, about twenty of the forty-seven enemies had been wiped out. Six more, who had been firing back, quickly followed suit, disappearing into polygons. Harmony¡¯s small sticky bomb created arge explosion that took out another four. That left seventeen. But neither I nor Harmony just stood around sucking our thumbs. Taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s confusion, we opened the bulkhead and began firing, easily dispatching the rest. Crow had fled with a few of his men, leaving the remaining forces at zero. ¡°Two people just wiped out a wholepany in three minutes. It seems everything fell into ce by chance. Either way, it¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°¡­Wait, did you n the vehicle ambush?¡± ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s their fault for loitering around the vehicle we hijacked.¡±
  • "Sure, me the enemies for everything^^."
  • "This is the first time I¡¯ve ever felt sorry for Artemis while ying this game."
  • "Crow really fled like a coward, LOL."
  • "How did anyone escape when half the enemies got turned into ground meat by the grenades?"
  • "If they don¡¯t escape, the story doesn¡¯t progress, LOL."
It was an unavoidable fact. Whether they knew it or not, everyone knows you shouldn¡¯t mess around near an ammo dump with fire. In fact, back in the day, it was amon urrence. Urban warfare was always riddled with booby traps. Regardless of what others say, survival and achieving the mission are what matter. First, survive. Second,plete the mission. This battle achieved both goals, so the details can be discussed during the debrief. I had spent four years and two months¡ª the first six months surviving, learning English, and getting to know other survivors¡ªrepeating this cycle. At this point, it felt strange to even worry about these details. So, my brain had already moved on to the next objective. As memories shed back quickly, I recalled that the Artemis IFF data indicated there were over eighty personnel deployed here. We had taken out about fifteen in the backup power facility and forty-five out of the forty-seven waiting outside. That left just one toon¡¯s worth of enemies scattered around the nuclear nt grounds. Red triangles marked enemy positions, spread across the nuclear power nt, with the highest concentration in the main control center. The enemy forces had already been significantly reduced. ¡°Is your gear still in good shape?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Click. Remove the magazine, clear the chamber, perform a dry fire. If all¡¯s well, check the charging handle. If there¡¯s no issue, zero the sights. After checking the weapon, verify the spare magazines on the te carrier, remaining rounds, grenades, and other supplies. Since this was a routine, it didn¡¯t take much time. But unfortunately, there was nothing around that we could use for transportation. The armed buggy we had used earlier and until just a few minutes ago was... well. ¡°¡­Wow. It¡¯s unrecognizable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a wreck.¡± What could I say? It was ckened, twisted, and shattered into pieces. All that was left was some mangled metal that might have been the frame and engine, scattered around the area. The floor and walls were severely damaged by therge explosion, and overall, it was not a pleasant sight. Short but memorable. There was no time to waste. I signaled to move on foot, bringing up the path to the main control center. It was about a 400-meter walk, but it wouldn¡¯t take long. The high-powered grenadeuncher had shaved off significant time. Fortunately, it seemed we would be able to finish the mission within the time limit. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She was starting to keep pace with me, more or less. There was still much to improve, but time was on our side¡ªthere would be no more life-or-death struggles like before. With Harmony jogging to keep up, we headed toward the main control center. Humans are not always rational beings. And it¡¯s easy to guess when this is most apparent¡ªwhen they¡¯re cornered, people revert to their most primal instincts. At the critical moment, they might pull the trigger in a fit of rage or press the detonation button, lighting the fuse to a disastrous mistake. Of course, unlike an actual fuse, instinct-driven actions can¡¯t be undone. In most situations, this wouldn¡¯t be too dangerous. Even a terrorist trying to blow themselves up can be neutralized with precise shooting. But if ten cornered people are holed up inside a nuclear power nt control center, things get a bit moreplicated. I wasn¡¯t an expert on nuclear nt structures, but I could imagine that if these lunatics started unloading grenades, rocketunchers, or chainguns into the containment vessels, it wouldn¡¯t end well. So, there was no room for negotiation with these terrorists. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! A heavy recoil struck my shoulder. It happened several times. This was far from an easy area for a firefight. Without Harmony¡¯s pulse, the guerri tactics the enemy used in theplex facility could have caused major headaches. Even if the firefight wasn¡¯t calm, the approach had to be. Instead of charging in blindly, we carefully eliminated one threat at a time, gradually weakening the enemy¡¯s forces. Meanwhile, we hacked the facility''s security to limit where Artemis PMC could go. The fewer allies they had, the more likely they would take desperate actions¡ªat least in the real world. Fortunately, they were just a collection of virtual polygons. Their rigid movements and mechanical tactics, something real special forces would never do, provided us with opportunities. With Harmony¡¯s coordination, one of us would flush out the enemy from cover while the other seized the opportunity to finish them off. Whether with grenades, sticky bombs, or a well-aimed shot, any enemy who dashed out met a gruesome end. The final moments of those caught in the crosshairs of the LPVO scope were always the same. As the frontline moved in our favor, Artemis was gradually pushed back into a single point, signaling the end. When even thest one was reduced to a lifeless polygon, neither I nor Harmony realized the mission was over, given how less dynamic it had beenpared to earlier stages. A sh of light filled my vision, followed by ISO''s voice echoing in my ear. [ISO: Impressive. To have driven out almost all of the Artemis forces from this vast facility in such a short time. That insane PMC won¡¯t have the resources to send more troops here for a while.] [ISO: A nuclear power nt is a massive facility that can¡¯t be ignored. We can¡¯t just leave it alone. If we do, those lunatics might gather enough strength toe after it again.] [ISO: We¡¯ll need to establish a foothold to monitor critical power nts like this one. As always, that will require the formidable strength of top-tier field operatives like yourselves.] [ISO: But for now, you should rest. We¡¯ll dispatch a helicopter just like when you were deployed here. Throw a smoke grenade to mark a suitablending spot, and we¡¯ll bring you safely back to HQ in no time.] ¡°Phew, that was tough.¡± ¡°Keeping up with my pace?¡± Nod. She boldly nodded. There wasn¡¯t much to say. The truth was, I had pushed the pace in this mission because there wasn¡¯t much time left before the preliminary rank matches. The fact that Harmony could somewhat keep up with my pace was, in a way, significant progress. Maybe I should call it a generational shift. In the end, bing an operator required perseverance and mental toughness. With those two qualities, you naturally get stronger in the grueling schedule. In this game, that schedule was as close to realbat as it gets. I wasn¡¯t one to withhold praise. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing a great job. It¡¯s not easy keeping up with my pace. But if we keep working together a bit more, you¡¯ll be able to handle things on your own.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve received such apliment!¡±
  • "Harmony¡­ is steadily being forged today too¡­"
  • "Her skills seem to be improving suddenly, but why doesn¡¯t it feel that way??? LOL"
  • "She can¡¯t tell because she only does missions with the teacher, obviously, LOL."
  • "Try soloing some public matches, LOL. Or team up with Dolnoona."
  • "I heard Harmony can finish the shooting range in 2 minutes and 10 seconds these days¡­"
"RedAngel has donated 1,000 won!" "Is this like getting into Seoul National University¡¯s physics department but not standing out because your teacher is a Nobel Prize winner?" ¡­Everyone¡¯s in a frenzy, really. Anyway¡ªfinally, it was time. The watch on my left wrist lit up. As my EXP bar increased and various rewards like blueprints popped up, Harmony took a deep breath to recharge and asked me. ¡°So, are we heading straight into the next mission?¡± ¡°Oh, probably not.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Seems she had already forgotten what I¡¯d mentioned earlier. I showed her the brightly glowing watch. As light wrapped around my body, I gave a small wave and added. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± And the screen went dark. Thest thing I saw was her stunned expression. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ really something else.¡±
  • "LOL."
  • "Is that why she rushed through the mission? LOL."
  • "Yujin for the Most Shameless Award of the Year."
  • "No doubt, Yujin is one of the most unique characters you¡¯ll evere across, LOL."
  • "She¡¯s insane, LOL."
In the spot Yujin had just left behind, Harmony stood for a few seconds, her expression nk, before bursting into a wide grin mixed with a bit of exasperation as she muttered to herself. After all, as someone once said, they really were a duo like no other. Chapter 99 "Nice to meet you! It''s truly an honor to finally interview Yujin, who has recently be a rising star in the AP soloing scene." "Thank you. It must have been a long journey to get here." "Haha, fortunately, it didn¡¯t take too long." Before a match begins, every participant is assigned to a private waiting area. The space feels like a cozy living room and can be customized by the user, but its main purpose is to provide essential information about the uing session. While waiting, yers can check which map they''ve been assigned and n their route ordingly. That was my initial intention. However, instead of being in my private space, I found myself in a booth clearly designed for an interview. To exin how I ended up here, I need to summarize what happened five minutes ago: while many of the other promising candidates had alreadypleted their interviews, I, the most anticipated yer, hadn¡¯t yet responded to the request. As a result, the broadcasting team working with Icarus International squeezed in a brief interview with me just ten minutes before the match was set to begin. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, so I agreed. And now, back to the present. "A lot of viewers have sent in questions, and the mostmon one is about your approach to mind control during matches. Do you have any tips or secrets you could share?" "Reacting to situations is mostly instinctual, but oveing well-designed challenges requires more than that. You need a wealth of experience to handle anything thates your way." It was a rather fundamental answer, but the broadcasters had anticipated this and added some embellishments. "Ah, so it¡¯s important to have a solid foundation. That makes perfect sense. But as you know, in this professional world, everyone starts from a simr point. Besides experience, are there any subtle factors that you believe determine the oue of a match?" "I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s necessarily anything like that. In my opinion, small differences alone don¡¯t decide who lives and who dies." "Really? That¡¯s quite surprising. Could you exin a bit more?" On the surface, it might sound like a vague answer. Essentially, I was saying that the chaos of countless variables is not something the human brain can easily quantify. However, just as a gambler¡¯s words carry less weight than those of a wealthy individual, the words of someone who has consistently crushed all obstacles and secured first ce multiple times hold a different kind of authority. Even the broadcasters, curious as both gamers and interviewers, leaned in closer as I began to borate. "Many people say that the oue of a fight depends on quick thinking, shooting skills, andbat experience. They¡¯re not wrong. But can you maintain the same level of physical performance in every single engagement?" On average, a yer in the preliminary ranks encounters hostile yers more than twenty times. The actual number of fights is usually less, but there are a hundred yers in total. Even though they¡¯re spread out over arge area, you¡¯ll likely face at least ten confrontations. Where¡¯s the guarantee that you can always maintain the same, optimal physical performance in all these situations? Even if you could, what if you¡¯re shot at from a bizarre angle that your skills alone can¡¯t ovee? Instinct, shooting skills, andbat experience can only take you so far; you need a foundation to apply them effectively. For the first time since SSM, I started sharing insights that I hadn¡¯t revealed elsewhere. It didn¡¯t really matter¡ªsuch theories were always somewhat abstract anyway. Aware of this, I kept my exnation concise. "When I engage inbat, I always assume that I¡¯m at a disadvantage. Then, I work to eliminate options until I can at least reach an equal footing. For example, I¡¯ll block the enemy¡¯s escape route and then try to cut off their sound awareness¡­ something like that." "Ah, that makes sense. In many of yourbat clips, the situations seem to unfold as if you¡¯re nning for a one-on-one duel. I¡¯m starting to understand now." In simple terms, winning wasn¡¯t just about being strong. It was about creating situations where I could decisively eliminate the enemy, which allowed me to secure first ce in many matches. As the broadcasters¡ªnow journalists¡ªrecalled past clips, I could see the gears turning in their heads. "So, the reason you use melee weapons instead of firearms in the final moments is to ensure that the enemy yer ispletely finished off." "Exactly. But since it might scare some yers, I¡¯ve considered reducing how often I do that." "Haha, some yers are definitely intimidated by it. If you could save the axes and hammers for PVE enemies, I think everyone would appreciate it." "I¡¯ll keep that in mind." After this unexpected moment of reflection, the interview continued. As the questions selected by viewers were gradually exhausted, more standard topics followed. They asked about my first impressions of Dark Zone, why I chose to solo Apex Predator, what my first PVP mode was like, and how I would objectively rate my own skills in the game. While I was candid in my responses, any questions about my real-life activities were deftly avoided. Even as I answered the other questions freely, I left no room for spection when it came to my personal life. My firm stance made even the interviewers guess that I must have had a good reason for it. Eventually, the precious minutes dwindled down to mere seconds, signaling the start of the main event. Considering that some yers continue practicing until the veryst second, the broadcasters felt they had taken valuable time away¡ªsomething they mentioned as they wrapped up the interview. "Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us. We look forward to seeing more great results from you in the uing match. Do you have any words for your fans?" "¡­Fans¡­ I wonder why they came up with that nickname. Still, I¡¯m grateful they like it. It feels¡­ odd." "Haha, it seems everyone is captivated by your charm." And then, one final question. "So, onest question. Most pro gamers spend everyst second practicing before a match. How do you usually spend your time?" "Hmm." A pause. "I was just finishing up the main mission beforeing here."@@novelbin@@ "Ah, the main mission¡­ wait, what?" A surprised voice. But just as I had left Harmony earlier, I prepared to bid my second farewell to them as well. As light enveloped my avatar, I waved and added onest thing. "You¡¯ll find out more if you watch the stream!" With that, I vanished into a shower of glowing particles, leaving the two bewildered broadcasters behind. Today''s map was a gas storage facility near California. [Alert: Carbon dioxide levels in the air are rapidly increasing.] [Alert: Large heat source detected several kilometers away. Likely a wildfire.] [Alert: Complete incineration of the area expected in 24 minutes and 27 seconds.] "Sigh." The wind was dry, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Although it was the middle of the night, the horizon beyond the ridge was glowing red, the fire showing no signs of dying down. At a nce, it might have looked like the sun was rising, but the rising sun is always apanied by a blue sky. In other words, a wildfire. China had bombarded parts of California with napalm, sparking massive wildfires. The resulting smoke and mes created a kill zone. Like many maps, this one had a unique feature that could be seen if no one escaped in time. Specifically, if no one managed to escape within the set time, the kiloliters of gas stored in the facility would cause a massive explosion, wiping out all yers on the map. A bizarre, catastrophic conclusion to the match. Though the napalm had started the fires, this was a subtle lesson on why gas storage facilities shouldn¡¯t be built in such ces. In a way, it was a somewhat realistic map, borrowing elements from Dark Zone and integrating them into the AP¡¯s virtual reality simtion setting. "Ugh." This ce was a real headache. It wasn¡¯t a favorite of mine. The area was filled with smoke from burning trees. Getting caught in it could irritate your eyes and cause status effects like dizziness, gradually eroding your control over your body. And of course, the mes were a danger in their own right. tter! As always, it was the preliminaries, meaning the tournament rules were in effect. There was no need to worry about the pace of looting; items were plentiful and easy to find in nearby crates. However, because of the hardcore nature of the game, I had to manually load each round. That¡¯s one of the reasons I preferredrge-caliber guns¡ªeach magazine only held about fifteen rounds at most. [Warning: Carbon dioxide levels spiking.] "Not the best spawn point." To give a brief overview of my current location¡­ I was on the map¡¯s outskirts. While it wasn¡¯t necessarily bad to be far from other yers, there was usually a reason no one ventured to such ces. Quickly, I put on my gas mask. It appeared to be the advanced version of the M50 standard issue for the U.S. military, likely the M55. Although the ear area was exposed, breathing was filtered through the canister, slightly hampering my ability to hear. It was unavoidable. Interestingly, though, the fires brought along something that fit the situation. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if "object" was the right word for it. Swoosh. "They tell us not to engage in melee, and then they give us this." A fire axe. Dark Zone and Apex Predator maps often featured melee weapons that matched the setting. For instance, in a prison-themed map, there were makeshift des made by inmates. In underground research facilities, you could find strange, heated daggers. And in ces like the Aurora Power nt, axes sometimes appeared. Given that this map¡¯s main theme was a facility engulfed in wildfire, it made sense that they included fire axes for clearing obstacles and cutting through paths. I gripped the rubber handle to prevent it from slipping, then slung it over my back, where it automatically secured itself. They say my meleebat scares other yers, yet they keep putting these things in the game. Their words and actions certainly don¡¯t align. Chapter 100 As the zing inferno licked the windows, casting an ominous red glow over everything, the suffocating heat and smoke outside turned the world into a fiery hellscape. The once stable surroundings were now chaotic, with the impending firestorm threatening to consume everything in its path. Realizing that staying inside any longer would be suicidal, Yujin knew she had to make a move. The inferno was closing in, and the shelter provided by the building would soon be a death trap. [Warning: 22 seconds until wildfire arrival. Fire shutters are deploying.] "Better get out of here." The sight of the advancing mes licking the windows was a stark reminder that time was running out. The entire area was engulfed in a chaotic mix of fire, smoke, and suffocating heat. The sky, glowing red like the end of the world, offered nofort. The hills burned brightly, a testament to the destructive power of the wildfires. The oppressive heat and the unstable air currents created by the mes meant that staying here any longer would only lead to death. The vehicles scattered throughout the area would soon be nothing more than fuel for the firestorm, exploding in the intense heat. Yujin had deliberately chosen to spawn in a less popr, more remote part of the map. While this decision prioritized survival over immediatebat, it didn''t mean she was safe. The less popted areas of the map often had lower survival rates, especially with the wildfire encroaching on all sides. 22 seconds was an incredibly short amount of time. The firestorm was closing in, and the once orderly environment of the facility had be a chaotic mess. The OMEGA virus''s spread had led to the abandonment of maintenance, leaving mmable materials scattered throughout the facility. mes, almost alive, snaked their way deeper into the facility, as if guided by some malevolent force. The crackling of the fire was audible even through the thick ss, a clear sign that it was time to go. Yujin had already gathered everything she needed; all that was left was to find a way out. The facility was located near the center of the map, a strategic location that could offer easy kills if she stayed. But no matter how realistic the virtual environment was, the fire still tapped into a primal fear. She had no intention of bing another victim of the mes. Yujin opened the door and stepped out of the control room. The fire shutters in the ceiling started descending, their ominous sound filling the air. The facility wasrge, with multiple floors, so it took some time to find an exit that wasn¡¯t blocked by the shutters. Unfortunately, the main exit on the first floor was also sealed off. "Maybe I should have left earlier." Breaking a window to escape might work, but Yujin didn¡¯t know the facility¡¯syout well enough. She began searching the first floor, but the facility''s design was anything but user-friendly. With human maintenance long abandoned, the facility had be more of a natural obstacle course, with some doors no longer functioning. The firestorm continued to approach, the mes casting a dim, red light over everything as the rms red. The scene was straight out of a thriller movie, with the flickering lights and the eerie sounds of burning wood. But this was a game, and Yujin had been ying for so long that fear wasn¡¯t an option. There were no ghosts in the game, and bullets still killed people. Yet, that was before the loud, unfamiliar noise broke through the chaos. Boom! "What the hell was that?" It didn¡¯t sound like a bomb¡ªit wasn¡¯t loud enough. And it wasn¡¯t just one explosion; the noise was continuous, with each one sounding slightly different from thest. It was disconcerting, to say the least. Yujin took a deep breath, her finger tightening on the trigger as adrenaline coursed through her veins. The temperature around the building was rapidly increasing, but her hands felt ice-cold. Should she investigate? Probably not. The area would soon be a kill zone, and it would be better to get outside and take down anyone trying to escape. But the fire shutters made finding an exit difficult. A skill like a sticky bomb could blow through the shutters, but this wasn¡¯t an area where skills were typically activated. She was back at square one¡ªfinding a room with a window to break out of. But that meant exploring more of the first floor. ''I hate moments like this.'' Humans fear what they can¡¯t control, and Yujin was no exception. She had faced situations like this before as a professional gamer for Xi, but she always preferred fighting outside rather than ying hide-and-seek in confined spaces. In these situations, time was your enemy, and the tension could wear down even the most seasoned yers. It felt like her life was being drained away. Crash! Crunch! "Who the hell is that? Don¡¯t they ever get tired?" She muttered quietly, barely audible even to herself. It felt like she was ying a game of cat and mouse with a monster, and she instinctively clutched her assault rifle tighter. She had a good idea of what was causing the noise, but she didn¡¯t really want to find out.@@novelbin@@ Halfway through exploring the first floor, Yujin still hadn¡¯t found a window to break. She was probably searching the wrong side of the building, the side facing the mountains. Reluctantly, she decided to cross the central corridor. ''I have a bad feeling about this¡­'' She moved quickly, but carefully. Her years of CQB experience kicked in, making her check every corner before advancing. But the feeling of dread kept building, an unease that wouldn¡¯t go away. She moved silently, scanning her surroundings as she advanced. The central corridor was shaped like a cross, dividing the first floor into four quadrants. The most dangerous part was the cross-section of the corridor, where she¡¯d be most exposed. She nned to sprint across it, quickly checking for enemies as she did so. She sprinted across, ncing left and right. No enemies in sight. But something else caught her attention. "¡­!" A fire shutter had beenpletely destroyed. A hole just big enough for a person to crawl through revealed the fiery inferno outside, with smoke billowing into the building. Her mind raced to process what she was seeing, but it was toote. They were already in each other¡¯s range. Buzz! A noise from behind her¡ªa presence. Yujin instinctively rolled to the side as a chilling gust of air brushed past her, followed by the sound of something smashing through concrete. Turning around, she saw it¡ªa figure backlit by the red emergency lights and the encroaching mes. The figure wore a full set of armor,plete with a gas mask that obscured any trace of emotion. But there was something off¡ªthis person wasn¡¯t holding a gun. They were holding a fire axe. "Argh!" Ratatatatat! Fear¡ªraw and primal¡ªmixed with her muscle memory from countless hours of gamey. Thebination allowed her to fire off a burst of shots, the muzzle sh illuminating the corridor as she sprinted to gain some distance. Breathing was difficult, but she kept her focus, aiming down the corridor. The gunfight began. Both of them exchanged fire from opposite ends of the corridor, but Yujin was at a disadvantage, having already wasted seven bullets earlier. She had to reload first. The stranger didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. The sound of heavy boots thundered down the corridor as the axe-wielding figure charged at her with rming speed. The corridor was about 40 meters long, and Yujin quickly reloaded and aimed. But what she saw wasn¡¯t the charging figure¡ªit was something flying toward her. Reacting on instinct, she raised her gun to block. ng! Metal shed against metal. She had blocked the object, but the impact was so strong that her arms went numb. Aiming was out of the question, and even if she could, the figure was now almost on top of her. It felt like getting hit by a truck. The force mmed her into the wall, and she saw the object¡ªa fire axe¡ªspinning in the air before it started to fall. The figure caught the axe with their left hand and pulled out a dark object with their right¡ªit was a gun. [Alert: Multiple fractures detected. Self-healing and status effect ''Confusion'' will be resolved in 10 seconds.] Her hands were numb, her strength failing her. As the figure aimed the gun, Yujin, despite the pain, couldn¡¯t help but notice how oddly out of ce the voice that followed was¡ªsoft and almost musical, yet slightly muffled by the gas mask. "Avoiding that attack was impressive." "¡­This is¡­." This was too much. By now, it was clear who her opponent was. Only one person was known for these kinds of tactics. Of all people to run into, it had to be Yujin. How could she be so unlucky? Yujin, seemingly satisfied, nced at the axe in her left hand before securing it to her backpack and raising her gun. Seeing this, the yer resignedly added, "If there¡¯s a next time¡­ let¡¯s fight in an open field, please." "Haha. I¡¯ll keep that in mind." Bang. A sh of light was thest thing Yujin saw. Chapter 101 "Good evening, everyone! It''s Friday night, just one day before the weekend, and the energy from our viewers is already off the charts. It''s as intense as the California gas storage facility we¡¯re covering tonight!" "One match has already concluded. Since the map is rtively small and promotes a lot of skirmishes, a wide variety of battles unfold within just 20 minutes." Meanwhile, as always... As the preliminary ranks steadily approach thetter stages, thementators'' briefings be more vibrant than the day before. The anticipation of the uing weekend further amplifies this excitement, drawing in viewers who previously couldn¡¯t tune in. The numbers tell the story¡ª240,000 Korean viewers alone. With sixteen matches taking ce, it means we¡¯re averaging about 15,000 viewers per broadcast room¡ªthough, of course, there were some variations. Despite setting up multiple chat windows to distribute traffic, the constant flow of messages was reminiscent of the relentless stream of bullets from a minigun. The record-breaking number of simultaneous viewers each year is enough to surprise even thementators, but they continue to perform their duties diligently. As if to prove their dedication, they opened a new screen and added anotherment. It was time to introduce the winner. "The winner of this round is... Yujin, Yujin! Once again, she has raised the g of victory high above her countlesspetitors! Her skill is truly unbelievable, no matter how many times we witness it!" "We¡¯ve never seen a yer who consistently amazes us like this. Perhaps we are witnessing the person who best embodies the term ''Apex Predator.''"
  • "Yujin again?!"
  • "I knew it, LOL"
  • "Who keeps assigning matches to Yujin, seriously? LOL"
  • "Once again, she''s giving random people trauma..."
  • "But the viewers are having fun, LOL"
This had almost be an annual event. Yujin would seize first ce whenever she had the chance, and what started as cheers from manymentators gradually turned into a resigned eptance as time went on. The only silver lining was that, with sixteen sessions running simultaneously, not all 1,600 participants had to face Yujin''s onught each time. In other words, each participant faced a 15/16 chance of avoiding Yujin before the match began. Those lucky¡ªor perhaps unlucky¡ªenough to be matched with her were among the one in sixteen who "won" this dubious honor. Some yers didn¡¯t even make it to the point of encountering Yujin, often being eliminated by other users beforehand. In that sense, being directly killed by Yujin was actually quite rare. Not that experiencing a low-probability event was anything to be happy about. "Let¡¯s take a closer look. The highest kill count in this round is eleven, and once again, it¡¯s Yujin. She also holds the highest damage dealt title. She¡¯s truly a natural disaster in human form." "Exactly. For yers in the same session as Yujin, it¡¯s like there¡¯s an additional kill zone in the game. This is something only she can do." Several screens popped up in the air. They disyed various details from the previous match, meticulously organized to highlight Yujin¡¯s actions in a sterile, almost clinical manner. Her average movement distance. Her average damage dealt. Her total kills. What weapons and MOA she used, her average hit uracy, her preferred engagement range, how often she used her secondary weapon¡­ It was aprehensive dissection of a single user.@@novelbin@@ The chat reactions were ecstatic, but not much different from before. Initially, some viewers scrutinized the data with great interest, analyzing every detail and expressing admiration. But over time, the emotions surrounding these disys began to dull. Eleven new screens appeared to the side. These were kill cams¡ªa crucial piece of information and an element designed to keep viewers engaged. For professional gamers, they served as a kind of error log, while viewers enjoyed having more content to watch¡ªa win-win. Among them, one clip was highlighted. Out of the eleven fallen yers, one was randomly selected for a detailed review¡ªan opportunity to increase recognition among the many viewers before the next broadcast, though the selected yer could decline. The moment the username of the chosen yer and victim appeared at the top of the clip: Xi. The fact that even a top-tier professional gamer from one of the leading teams couldn''t escape Yujin''s grasp was now clear. Thementators began to shout in excitement. "Oh! It''s Corvus, a pro gamer from Xi! Even this yer, who consistently demonstrates excellent skill, couldn¡¯t escape her wrath! I¡¯m really curious to see how this intense showdown ended!" "The death urred near therge warehouse on the way to the main gate, close to the management building. Some of the kill zone affected the building, so I wonder if that yed a role. Let¡¯s take a look." ©¤©¤©¤BOOM! -[Corvus: ¡­What was that noise?] About a minute before Corvus¡¯ death, as soon as the video yed, a terrifying explosion echoed through the corridor. Corvus, just reaching the first floor and scouting for an exit, and Yujin, who was furiously striking a steel fire shutter with a fire axe. With each strike, the force in Yujin''s hands and arms was evident, as the shutter crumpled with each impact. By the second and third hits, the thin steel te tore like paper, and the aluminum beams behind it were crushed without mercy. A chilling gaze was visible through her gas mask. Yujin''s presence felt more like a horror movie sher than a participant in AP. The reactions were immediate.
  • "???????????????????"
  • "What the hell is that crazy woman doing, LOL"
  • "I¡¯d piss myself if I saw that at night, LOL"
  • "Is Yujin some kind of god? She does insane stuff like it¡¯s nothing!"
  • "How do you even win against that, LOL"
"¡­Oh my, Yujin is dismantling the fire shutter with just an axe! Usually, yers would choose an alternate route inside the building or brave the kill zone with the cost of nanomachine usage, but she¡¯s bold in a different way!" "Meanwhile, Corvus is approaching the crossroad where Yujin is. It seems he''s trying to find an exit from the building." The fire shutter,rge enough for two people to pass through, waspletely wrecked. But as Yujin was about to exit, she heard footsteps and hid behind the shutter. At that moment, Corvus was scanning the intersection. The rest was simple. As Corvus moved into her blind spot, Yujin grabbed the long fire axe with both hands and leapt into the corridor. Corvus was caught in an instant. ©¤©¤©¤CLANG! However, at thest moment, he ducked, and the horizontally swung axe embedded itself into the concrete wall above him. A scream echoed through the corridor. -[Corvus: Aaaahhhhh!] -Creek! "Oh, Corvus dodged Yujin''s axe! What an incredible stroke of luck!" "That scream reallyes from the heart. It¡¯s a pitch perfect for a horror movie."
  • "Please, just shoot her already, LOL"
  • "How long will she keep winning? Seriously, LOL"
  • "At least Kato didn¡¯t get a melee kill¡­ People might call him pathetic, but he got away with his dignity intact."
  • "Please stop assigning matches to Yujin, LOL"
  • "You¡¯ve won! So please, just stop showing up!!!!"
As everyone was reeling in shock, the battle continued. Finally, a gunfight began across the corridor. But as expected, Yujin dashed forward while Corvus was reloading, threw the axe to disrupt his shot, and then rammed him with her body. As Corvus mmed into the wall and became stunned, Yujin retrieved her spinning axe mid-air and pulled out her Ash-12.7 with one hand. A brief conversation ensued. -[Eugene: Impressive, you dodged the attack.] -[Corvus: ¡­Next time, if there is one, let¡¯s fight in the open.] -[Eugene: Haha. I¡¯ll try, if possible.] Bang. The heavy report of the gun and the sound of arge casing hitting the floor. And so, Corvus was eliminated from the session, while Yujin collected minimal items and shattered the shutter leading outside. As she leisurely drove towards the safe zone, the clip came to an end. "Heh." A bewilderedugh filled the broadcast room, though it was unclear who it came from. "Hahaha! Wow, that¡¯s one of the most gruesome deaths I¡¯ve ever seen. He¡¯s going to need a day or two to recover from that." "I don''t know, man¡­ I think I¡¯m about to lose my mind." Thud. Corvus copsed onto the table with a strange noise, while Whale, who had arrivedte to hear the news, immediately dropped everything toe and tease him. It was a strange scene, one that could only be seen between two people known for being close within Xi. After pulling a chair close and sitting down, Whale naturally began ordering all sorts of sweet things on the tablet on the table. Their eyes met. Corvus looked as if he had just witnessed something horrible. It was like the expression a child makes when they first learn about horror movies. They were both seasoned yers, so Whale wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with the emotions such a situation could evoke. He also prided himself on having survived many insane moments in Dark Zone, but this was... "Sigh, I¡¯ll buy the snacks this time, so cheer up. Some sweets should help, right?" "Man¡­ Getting chased with a fire axe while wearing a gas mask is just too much. No lie, if it were real, I would''ve pissed myself." "I don¡¯t usually admit defeat, but I have to this time. I watched the clip, and it¡¯s brutal. If you hadn¡¯t dodged the axe, it would¡¯ve been better." What would have happened if he hadn¡¯t dodged? With Yujin¡¯s strength, she might have cleanly decapitated him, sparing him from the fear of feeling his heart drop and blood rush out of his body. Countless "what ifs" shed through his mind, but what could he do? The past was already gone. The real problem was that even if he could go back, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to win. From the moment the tournament ranks opened, he knew something was off, and he had asionally wondered what he would do if he ever met her. Who would have thought it would be like this? Meanwhile, Whale tapped his hand. It seemed the ordered desserts had arrived. As Corvus carefully sat up, the sweet treats were ced one by one on the table. He picked up a drink glowing with a transparent blue light, filled with cracking ice, and took a sip. It was lukewarm, perhaps because the cold hadn¡¯t fully set in. "I¡¯m done. When¡¯s the next match?" "In two hours. Don¡¯t even think about napping." "Sweet stuff makes me so sleepy." They chatted back and forth. Naturally, the main topic was the tournament. Some might ask if it¡¯s possible to rig these things, but just because they were both in Xi and yed the same game didn¡¯t mean they could engage in such tactics during solo y. Sixteen different rooms and different spawn points made that impossible. Not to mention, the system prioritized splitting up users from the same team. Anyway, there was a lot to discuss and endless topics to cover. They knew so much about the game that they didn¡¯t need to bring up anything else. The conversation soon shifted to squads. "The squad prelims are next week, right?" "Yeah. Monday through Friday. Then KSM on Saturday and Sunday, followed by the Korea Squad Match the next weekend." "That¡¯s intense¡­ We¡¯re going to die at this rate." Squads. In some ways, it was a different kind of challengepared to solo y, which required individual skill. The need to coordinate with others added a significantyer of difficulty and pressure. There wereints, praises, and suggestions for improvement. This topic could easily be discussed all day. As they were getting into it, "Oh, what¡¯s going on? Why are you all gathered here?" "How did you know toe here?" "Never mind that, Corvus, the PR team is looking for you." Kim Hyukjin. His in-game nickname was Ulysses. Like Corvus and Whale, he was also a professional gamer. Upon hearing that he was being sought out, Corvus hurriedly swallowed the cake he was eating and spoke up. "Why are they looking for me?" "Something about using the clip of your death in the cinematic video on horror themes that Xi is making in coboration with Icarus? They probably want to ask you about it. You¡¯re a real legend, man." "...No way. What the hell?" Dark Zone. A world where even death bes a meme. Chapter 102 "Heh." Lying on the bed in his private quarters within the building, a single person was lost in thought. Corvus. He had shoved a quick dinner into his mouth and finished thest match of the week, but the decision weighing on his mind continued to trouble him. Whether it was because of the fatigue from the day, the sweet treats Whale had bought him earlier in the afternoon, his intense focus on the match, or simply lying in bed¡ªwhatever the reason, his mind was quite hazy. The offer he received from thepany¡¯s PR team wasn¡¯t much different from what Ulysses, or Hyukjin, had ryed to him. Although it was wrapped in flowerynguage, the basic premise was the same: asking if they could use that clip. What should he do? In truth, it didn¡¯t matter all that much, but the idea of just sending a quick text saying it was fine left him with an inexplicable feeling of unease. It wasn¡¯t like he had yed particrly well, and the thought of sending a clip of his less-than-ster performance didn¡¯t sit right with him. Of course, they said they¡¯d focus more on that terrifying silhouette than on his gamey¡­ He looked at his phone multiple times. There hadn¡¯t been any replies since the few messages he received just a few minutes ago. -[Whale: How am I supposed to know that, LOL] -[Whale: Laughing at you getting wrecked is one thing, but spreading it worldwide is a whole different story.] -[Whale: It¡¯s tied to your pride, so I can¡¯t just tell you what to do. If I did, that¡¯d bepletely thoughtless of me.] This was true. He was the one who had been on the receiving end, while the others were in a position tough it off. At least Whale was aware of this and had the sense to hold back and not cross any lines. In the end, it was up to him to decide¡­ "If it were that easy, I wouldn¡¯t be lying here like this." It was aplex mix of emotions, too much to lump together into one. He stared at the ceiling for a long time. Maybe he just didn¡¯t want to make a decision. He didn¡¯t even understand why the PR team suddenly made this proposal. Just as his mind was about to quickly tip the scales toward rejection, ©¤©¤©¤Bzzz. "What¡¯s this?" A new message popped up. It was from Whale. The message had been sent with a slight dy. It wasn¡¯t exactly short, but it wasn¡¯t long either. Since the screen was still on, the ¡®1¡¯ next to the message disappeared immediately. And then¡­ -[Whale: Or just think of it as getting back at that person and send it, LOL. If you send it, she¡¯ll probably be more annoyed.] -[Whale: When else will you get a chance to legally give that human tank a hard time?] "Oh." A spark went off in his mind. It all came down to theplex feelings he had toward Yujin since that incident. If he had to choose a direction, it definitely wasn¡¯t a positive one¡ªhowever, if this decision could burden her with even a little more troubleter on¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be a perfectly legal and wholesome form of revenge? The haziness in his mind cleared up. People say that just one inspiring keyword can change your entire mindset, and here it was, proving true. Thoughts raced through his mind, forming into a torrent and eventually aligning themselves into the desired shape, generating countless scenarios. He quickly sat up, sent a thank-you message to Whale, and opened his email. His fingers began moving like they were motorized. -[To. Public Rtions Department: This is Corvus, regarding the offer I received earlier. You have my permission to use my clip. Also, I have a few questions: Do I have any interviews lined up in the near future? If so, would it be okay to mention that a cinematic video is in production?] How long did he wait after that? A reply, filled with positive content, came back. Suppressing a grin, he sent a thank-you email and began imagining the fireworks-filled future thaty ahead. In a game where even lower-ranked users would beg pro yers for mentions in interviews to get noticed during tournament ranks, scrims, and prelims, surely he could get away with a little lip service about her. A new nickname was soon to be added to the already bizarre and fearsome list of names Yujin had acquired. A truly satisfying form of revenge had begun. "They said it would take about 30 minutes, but you¡¯re here in 20! How did it go?" "Not much different from usual." - "Did you win first ce again?!" - "Of course, LOL" - "Who else would describe winning first ce so casually? LOL" - "Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!" - "She¡¯s a goddess! She¡¯s a goddess! She¡¯s a goddess! She¡¯s a goddess!" Naturally, Yujin continued to sail along,pletely unbothered by any of it. "Good work today." "Ugh, it¡¯s finally over¡­" Today¡¯s streaming session hade to an end. As was expected, the more missions Yujinpleted with Harmony, the more the main story¡¯s progression curve began to rise sharply. With the main story as a focal point, the operators had been cutting off the many tentacles of Artemis spreading in all directions, while thoroughly destroying their facilities and eliminating roughly twopanies'' worth of forces through the first two missions. If one considers that Artemis sold data to China and Russia to secure their survival, it¡¯s clear that their downfall was as tragic as it was inevitable. Of course. It would have been nice if the story ended there, but both in my memory and in this game, the avnche that Artemis set in motion was far from over, leading to an all-out invasion by the hostile forces. I vaguely exined it once before, but Artemis had their hands in U.S. defense as well. The first Artemis mission, where you acquire the Icarus Gear¡¯s Pulse skill, says it all. So, the top brass in the military-industrialplex that dabbled in Homnd Security were aware of various useless pieces of information, and the technology they passed on wasn¡¯t limited to just drones. And what kind of snowball did that roll into? -[Alert: A message has been sent via a securework.] -[Alert: Confirmed to be rted to the sudden decline in coastal defense power post-pandemic.] "¡­What is this about now?" "They''re saying the waters off New York have be the enemy¡¯s yground. In short, we¡¯re about to get a lot busier." If I had to roughly guess what lies ahead¡­ Before the full-scale invasion begins, we¡¯ll probably gather all the scattered friendly forces around Washington. After retaking the White House, we¡¯ll head to NASA to reconnect the satellitework. From that point on, we¡¯ll be moving back and forth between New York¡¯s waters, Washington, and Virginia, providing support where needed. In other words, we won¡¯t have much time to stay in New York. When I exined this to Harmony, she didn¡¯t have much to say. "Is this really something just a few operators can handle? I mean, are the scenario writers out of their minds, or what?" "¡­I¡¯m not sure." ¡­Why do I feel like I¡¯m the one taking the hit? What kind of time did I spend in the past? Shaking my head to clear out the random thoughts, I returned to HQ. With fast travel unlocked, getting back was literally instantaneous. Though it was winter, the atmosphere was much livelier and busier than when I first arrived. Given that mission activities were reflected in real-time, this was only natural. As we made our way to the personal space assigned within the facility, Harmony muttered, seemingly nostalgic. "Can you believe it¡¯s been almost a month since we crawled in here,pletely clueless, under strict surveince? Remember that?" "That was really¡­ never mind." "Come on, it wasn¡¯t that bad!" But it really was that bad. After reminding her once again about what happened with the magazines back then, she hesitated before finally sinking into silence. Just as I thought¡ªthough, to be fair, she had improved a lot since then. More than a lot, actually. And it seemed she was aware of that, as she quickly changed the subject. "But haven¡¯t I gotten much better since then?" "Your skills have improved almost vertically." "Wow! Really? That much?" "I don¡¯t lie about these things." It wasn¡¯t an emptypliment¡ªreally. Partly due to the knowledge I¡¯d been forcing into her as we continued to y together, I had also heard from her off-stream that she practiced at the shooting range during her breaks. I¡¯ve mentioned this several times before, but considering that special forces are trained, not born, and that this is within a game, she was doing an excellent job of following that process. Even though guns didn¡¯t malfunction in the game, sitting on her bunk and inspecting everything had be part of her routine. As Harmony, who had entered my space because we were in the same party, looked around, she added: "This really is a room that suits Yujin. So bare. You don¡¯t live like this at home too, do you?" "I¡¯m not one to fill my space with a bunch of stuff¡­" "¡­Well, I bet your house is just full of exercise equipment or protein shakes. I know someone like that too, so I¡¯m not entirely clueless. Right?" "¡­" "See, I knew it." ¡­It¡¯s not like I raised Harmony to be a nag. But perhaps having someone who can point out these things isn¡¯t so bad, after all. We continued to chat, exchanging a few more words. After some conversation, I learned that: "You want more structured training?" "Well¡­ yeah, kind of." "What brought this on all of a sudden?" It didn¡¯t seem like something she had thought deeply about before saying it. But it was also difficult to dismiss because while she had a tendency to expand things thoughtlessly, she also had a strange stubbornness that made her see things through once she started. At this point, I figured it would be best to give her a more concrete reason to be serious about it. I decided to listen a bit more. "I mean, even if it¡¯s just the main mission, we can¡¯t always do it together. And if I¡¯m by myself¡­ or if I y with my crew or viewers again, I don¡¯t want to hold them back, you know? That¡¯s kind of it." "I get what you¡¯re saying." I didn¡¯t bother telling her that she was already good enough¡ªthere was no need to state the obvious. It seemed better to nurture her enthusiasm instead. After a brief thought, I decided to help fulfill Harmony¡¯s request to some extent. "I won¡¯t go into detail. Just show up two hours before the stream."@@novelbin@@ "Uh¡­ in virtual reality?" "Of course not." Click. I added this as I ced the fully disassembled and reassembled gun back in its case. "Let¡¯s start with six hours a day." For the time being, the sound of gunfire wouldn¡¯t be leaving our ears. BangBangHammerBrotherhood - It¡¯s Fun Just Seeing Their Ugly Faces -[Dol: Yaaaaahhhhhh] -[Dol: Beingpletely honest] -[Aurora: --------StopThisNonsenseCutHere--------------] -[Dol: Wow, too harsh] -[Dol: Look at how the numbers don¡¯t disappear] -[Dol: Moni!!!!!!!!!] -[Dol: We¡¯re all gonna die at this rate!!!] -[SonOfGangneungSeoHyochan: What the hell is this noise? I thought the neighbor was causing a ruckus] -[SonOfGangneungSeoHyochan: Hey, Mr. Kim Stone, your shin and boots seem to want to get to know each other better. If you don¡¯t want that misfortune, keep it down.] -[Dol: ChirpChirp] -[Reservist15Years: What¡¯s happening again, LOL] -[Limit: As expected from an inte warrior, LOL] -[Limit: So what¡¯s going on?] -[Dol: Nothing much, Harmony has been in Dark Zone for a while now] -[Dol: I was thinking that once she hits max level, maybe she could join in on some co-op content with us] -[Dol: If anyone has free time or wants to cob, I thought it¡¯d be fun to y together] -[Dol: I started the conversation, so no pressure if no one wants to, but is anyone interested?] -[SaltBunny: Let¡¯s go?] -[Hotteok: Can¡¯t resist ying with a newbie, LOL] -[Aurora: No way! Our cute greenhorn is turning into a fitness junkie. Hotteok, you can¡¯t!] -[Dol: Just one more, and we¡¯ve got 3/4] -[Limit: Ha, I can¡¯t stand it. I can¡¯t let a newbie who hasn¡¯t even hit max level yet run around with us.] -arium: This ce is full of weirdos, even though it¡¯s a big group, LOL] -arium: But isn¡¯t Harmony running around with someone who¡¯s really good these days? Isn¡¯t she better than us?] -[Limit: It¡¯s a shame, but since she¡¯s only doing main missions, who knows, LOL] -[Limit: Anyway, Dol, since you brought it up first, let us know the schedule when you figure it out!] -[Dol: Okie dokie~~] -[Dol: Since Harmony hasn¡¯t been in Engramtely, I¡¯ll contact her directly] -[SaltBunny: Good] Chapter 103 "Wow, why are there so many messages...?" Saturday morning. The rain clouds that had persisted throughout August had finally cleared, leaving the outside bright and sunny. Basking in the soft sunlight streaming into her home, Harmony sat in her gaming chair, checking the flood of messages she had received recently. The notification showed not "99+" but "999+," a bold red mark demanding her attention. Unlike Yujin, whose body seemed made of steel and high-powered engines, Harmony¡¯s reality was much softer and more fragile. Though she had recently started going to the gym for cardio, it had only been about four weeks at most. In short, Harmony didn''t have the stamina that Yujin did. As a result, she often copsed in exhaustion soon after her streams ended, sometimes even dyingmunication with her editors until the next day. It was already 1 PM. Harmony had woken upte that morning and finished a half-hearted lunch at home. Since eating a small lunch would make her crave snackster, she supplemented herck of fullness with some konjac jelly. Lately, her mornings and afternoons had been hectic. As her coborations with Yujin had be more frequent, her skill and mental fatigue increased simultaneously. This meant she had to handle tasks in the morning that she used to do in the early hours. Harmony often wondered if this was what a day in the life of an office worker was like. Buzz. The countless unread messages, linked to her VR machine, appeared before her eyes. They ranged from personal to professional matters. However, her phone was where the more personal conversations happened, which meant the messages there were often more important. She quickly went through the messages she hadn¡¯t read, starting from the top. The first was from a group chat with her editors, mostly about videos being uploaded to YourSpace. There were also some questions about editing, but since she hadn¡¯t checked in time, they had been buried. She left a greeting, but no one was around to see it. They were probably still in bed after workingte into the night. The second set of messages was the regr check-ins from her parents. Since being a streamer wasn¡¯t particrly stressful, she replied that everything was fine. As she read through the messages one by one, the 999+ notification eventually dropped to 128. There was one group chat she had deliberately left unread. This was thest one. -[Dol: Yaaaaaah!] -[Dol: I¡¯m being honest here!] -[Aurora: --------StopThisNonsenseCutHere--------------] -[Dol: Wow, that¡¯s just too much.] -[Dol: Look at how the numbers don¡¯t disappear.] -[Dol: Moni!!!!!!!!!] -[Dol: At this rate, we¡¯re all going to die!!!] "What are these guys up to now?" Just like anywhere else, when three or more people gather, they form a group. Whether it¡¯s a simple friend group or something more organized to achieve a goal, the group takes on a shared direction. This was true for the streamers in Harmony¡¯s MCN group, BangBangHammerBrotherhood. What started as a small group had, over time, unearthed hidden gems, much like jewels buried in sand. The chat room, once created to boost each other''s poprity through coborations, had since evolved into a space for random chatter among major streamers. Despite this transformation, the room still served its original purpose. The 120 or so messages currently filling the chat were all about a potential Dark Zone coboration. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure why they were focusing on her, though. "It¡¯s true, I haven¡¯t been in touch for a while." Though it hadn¡¯t been that long, in an inte-connected world where people could exchange greetings in less than a second, a few days of silence felt longer than it was. Having grasped the gist of the messages, she exited the chat and checked the message from Dol, one of the streamers she had known for a long time. She could guess the content. And she wasn¡¯t far off. -[Dol: Yaaaaaah] -[Dol: Moni~~] -[Dol: You¡¯ve been really into Dark Zely¡­] -[Dol: I figured you¡¯d be doing the main missions with that mentor of yours, but how about we catch up sometime?] It was always such an odd way of speaking. But since she understood the meaning, she replied, and as if Dol had been waiting, the "1" indicator disappeared immediately. -[Harmony: Sure!!] -[Dol: !!!] -[Dol: Wow, finally got a reply, LOL] -[Dol: Let me know when you¡¯re free!] Free time. This weekend was a bit tricky. Starting today, a virtual reality stadium broadcast was set to be created, and with the preliminary ranks still ongoing, Harmony wanted to watch Yujin''s matches. Plus, the main story wasn¡¯t fullypleted yet. The storyline she needed to finish to reach max level was entering itstter stages, so by Monday, that issue would likely be resolved. Finally, there was the issue of her skill. Just yesterday, she had mentioned wanting to improve, and the training for that was set to begin today. Just like one needs to dress up to meet people, she needed to be at least somewhat proficient in the game to y with others. With everything calcted in her mind, she replied. -[Harmony: I¡¯m free any day next week^^] -[Dol: You¡¯re more flexible than I thought??] -[Dol: How about next Wednesday? Is that good?] -[Harmony: Sounds great~~] -[Dol: Hahahaha, okay then!] And so, a new n was set in motion. As this was happening, a notification appeared before her eyes. -[Warning: 30 minutes until your meeting with ¡®Mentor.¡¯] Not a notification¡ªa warning. She had set it that way intentionally, but¡­ it probably didn¡¯t make much difference in reality. She saw Stone¡¯ste text, but her mind was already upied with the recent messages. This might have been anticipation¡ªor perhaps anxiety. Either way, it was the first time since kindergarten that she felt such pressure. She typed out a reply as if in a trance. -[Dol: Are you super busy these days or what? It¡¯s so hard to get in touch.] -[Dol: You¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with that streamer Yujin.] -[Dol: If it¡¯s tough, just take it slow, LOL!!] -[Harmony: Oh, it¡¯s not that¡­] -[Harmony: Nah, I¡¯m the one asking for all this, LOL.] -[Harmony: Actually, we¡¯re meeting up today too!] -[Dol: Whoa, scary.] -[Harmony: I¡¯ll reach out again before the stream, okay? Bye~] -[Dol: ???] -[Dol: Hey, hey] -[Dol: Where are you going!!!!!!!!!!!] Later, Dol would describe feeling as if he had been cheated on. It was just another typical snowball effect caused by Yujin. Meanwhile, 30 minutes earlier. "Aaaaah! It hurts! I won¡¯t be able topete if this keeps up!" "Did you really think you could say something like that and thenpete with a clear conscience?" "I¡¯m sorry! Aaaah! I¡¯m so sorry©¤©¤!!" p! p! Dice tapped the floor with her left hand, desperately pleading for mercy, while Yujin, with a small smile on her face, executed a textbook-perfect armbar. The reason for this situation was simple. -[ying: She¡¯s not human¡­ Oh, I feel like I¡¯m going to get armbarred againter. I¡¯m in trouble. You can edit out what I said, right?] You reap what you sow. The sharp pain in her arm¡ªvirtual reality had a built-in function to block pain above a certain threshold¡ªwas the reason why Dice, despite her cries, wasn¡¯t asking any questions like "why" or "how." After some time, the excellent demonstration came to an end. Dice barely managed to sit up on the sofa in the makeshift space, still feeling the effects, and spoke. "One match could be the difference between being in the top 100 or not." "If your cement depends on such variables even after I¡¯ve trained you, maybe you should consider handing your spot to someone else?" "Why are your standards so high!?" "I¡¯m actually one of the more lenient ones." Dice pouted, but upon reflection, she realized that Yujin¡¯s words made sense. After all, how many times had she been calmly trained by someone with the kind of insane skill that could crush her opponents? Someone who didn¡¯t even get angry while training the SSM rookies¡ªchildren, skill-wise. When you consider the training videos of foreign pro gamers on YourSpace, where trainers and instructors often yelled during the game¡­ Yujin was definitely impressive in many ways. That didn¡¯t make the tingling in her arm go away any faster, though. "So, what have you been up totely? Still grinding through missions? I thought the main missions would be super easy and you¡¯d breeze through them." "All missions have a baseline difficulty of ¡®very hard,¡¯ so¡­ it wasn¡¯t that easy." "¡­What?" "It¡¯s a trait of hardcore yers, or so they say." Memories shed through Dice¡¯s mind. Yujin¡¯s infiltration of West Point on her first attempt, the numerous Artemis missions that followed, and all the subsequent infiltration operations¡­ Was all of that done on a difficulty level that most max-level yers only start to tackle? And shepleted them all with a "Clear Difficulty: Omega" rating? And she did it while dragging along Harmony, who was practically a casual yer? Dice¡¯s disbelief evaporated in real time. "¡­Is that even possible without being max level?" "That¡¯s why each mission takes up to two hours." "Two hours¡­ on hardcore¡­." Unbelievable. Considering that regr people copse from exhaustion after just a bit of strenuous activity while fully geared up, Yujin¡¯s stamina¡ªallowing her to leisurelypete in a tournament, take first ce, and then return to grinding missions¡ªwas¡­ Dice¡¯s disbelief was reaching its peak. "Is it any wonder I question whether you¡¯re human or not? Everything you do is so extreme, it¡¯s beyond what a person can handle!" "If you had only said that here, I might have given you the benefit of the doubt." "I¡¯m sorry¡­." Dice quickly dropped to her knees, begging for forgiveness. But just then, a recent piece of news popped into her head. Struggling to sit up, Dice added while perching on the edge of the sofa. "¡­Anyway, I saw your recent match. You¡¯re getting a lot of attention from interviewstely, aren¡¯t you?" "Interviews?" "¡­Yeah?" "I haven¡¯t heard anything about that." ¡­What? Their eyes met, but it was clear Yujin genuinely had no idea. Diceughed incredulously and began typing. "How could you not know? The whole scene blew up after Corvus¡¯s interviewst night, yet you¡¯re the one person unaware!" "Because I really didn¡¯t know." "Oh my¡­." At the same time, a screen popped up. It needed no exnation. The screen Dice brought up was the very interview they were discussing. Yujin¡¯s gaze fixed on the screen, curious to see what had been said. After a brief buffering, the interview began in earnest. An avatar appeared on screen, sitting in a chair. The microphone clipped to the cor was notably clear. Long hair, reminiscent of a crow, draped down to the shoulders. Ament was casually thrown out. "Why do people here like to make their avatars female?"@@novelbin@@ "¡­But Yujin, your avatar is female too, right?" "¡­." Yujin¡¯s expression soured as if she had more to say, but she kept her mouth shut. The interview continued, and Dice, fiddling with the time controls, found the spot she was looking for. The voices of two women became clear. "Here, right here." -[Q: ¡­Yes! Thank you so much for your answer. Now, moving on to the next question. Justst night, it was announced that Xi and Icarus are coborating on a horror-themed cinematic video, scheduled to be released within a month. -[A: Yes, that¡¯s correct.] -[Q: I¡¯m really looking forward to it. Corvus, were you aware of this? If so, when did you find out?] -[A: Haha, I actually found out on Friday. You know, I met a rather cinematic end around that time, right? My clip was apparently so impressive that they asked if they could use it in the video.] -[Q: Haha, so it¡¯s that scene. Then the other party must have been contacted as well by now, right?] -[A: Yes, that¡¯s right.] Cough. A strange sound escaped. The interview continued. -[Q: That¡¯s a really bold decision. If it were me, I think I¡¯d hesitate to let something like that go public, especially after dying in such a memorable way.] -[A: I thought the same at first. But after a while, I started to feel a kind of respect for it. And¡­ I¡¯ll just say it. It¡¯s not every day you encounter a yer like Yujin. When I reyed the clip, the look and the gamey were so impressive that I figured it deserved to be shared with the world, rather than just being buried.] -[Q: Haha, I see! That was a very impressive response. With that, the interview is over. But before we wrap up, do you have any finalments?] And then, thest part. The moment that almost made Dice roll on the floorughing the first time she heard it. -[A: Oh, um. Go Axe Goddess Yujin! Fight on!] -[Sound ofughter from off-screen.] That¡¯s how the interview ended. Once again, she couldn¡¯t hold back herughter. Yujin stared at the screen with a strange expression, letting out a dryugh, while Dice, who had been trying to stifle her giggles, finally gave in and startedughing hysterically on the sofa. Thest shred of sanity prevented her from uttering the phrase "Axe Goddess" out loud. "¡­Pfft, hahaha¡­ Oh, that¡¯s too funny, haha!" "¡­Heh." Preliminary ranks. A ce where even those with skill couldn¡¯t survive if they were clumsy. Chapter 104 Special forces soldiers are made, not born. In other words, special forces soldiers are trained rather than selected. Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean just anyone walking down the street is picked up and trained from scratch. The process starts with ''candidates'' who have already proven themselves through ambition, vision, physical stamina, and mental toughness. The foundation of these soldiers is precisely that¡ªambition, vision, and an overwhelming level of physical and mental endurance. This is also why women are almost nonexistent or extremely rare in these units. The foundation is just that¡ªa foundation. This means that no matter what happens, it must not waver or crack. There is no ce in special forces for those who arepletely exhausted after just a few hours of operation or who lose theirposure during difficult tasks. Such individuals simply do not exist. However, if the foundation can be filled in some way, it is entirely possible for a woman to be a special forces soldier. This is one of the reasons why there are many female yers in Dark Zone. If the gamepensates for the physical conditions that are almost impossible for women to achieve, then they can transform into excellent operators through the umtion of practical experience. -Swift and precise suppressive fire and maximized first-shot uracy. The former is why live-fire training is conducted, and thetter is the goal that must be achieved through it. "Swift and precise suppressive fire and maximized first-shot uracy. The former is why live-fire training is conducted, and thetter is the goal that must be achieved through it." Anthony Owens. A Delta Force Master Sergeant, my operations team leader, and my training instructor. Even after four years, I remember his words perfectly, without a single error. He was that memorable of a person. Anyway, what I¡¯m trying to say is that the Dark Zone¡¯s base correction system gives Harmony a tremendous advantage bypletely eliminating any concerns about physical stamina. This means that she can potentially transform into an excellent operator through literal "forging." And since she has already agreed to it, what better opportunity could there be? I spoke as I watched her sit stiffly, swallowing nervously in the shooting range. "I¡¯ll give you a simple problem. It¡¯s not that difficult, so don¡¯t worry." "Yes, ma¡¯am." "Why are you so tense? Just do it like you normally would." And then I slowly opened my mouth. "You¡¯ve probably heard a lot about Delta Force... So, how many rounds does a Delta operator typically use in a day?" "Uh... 1,200 rounds?" "You¡¯re surprisingly close. That¡¯s correct. To add more detail, one squadron consumes at least 600,000 rounds per month." I almost let slip the real name of the still-ssified ¡®The Unit.¡¯ I must be out of my mind. Although the name might be different here. So what I¡¯m saying is that Tier 1 units are essentially monsters that consume a staggering amount of ammunition. And it¡¯s not just rifle rounds¡ªpistols, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, heavy weapons, and even rockets and missiles are all included. The reason they shoot so much isn¡¯tplicated. If they don¡¯t, they can¡¯t meet the extreme standards demanded by Delta Force. If they fail to meet these standards¡ªwhether they¡¯re a neer or a 20-year veteran¡ªthey¡¯re out, with no second chances. And by doing so, they be monsters capable of hitting any target they aim at. "Do you understand why I¡¯m telling you this?" "...Yes. Six hours is actually a short time. And you¡¯re starting to scare me, Yujin." "Haha. So you weren¡¯t scared before?" "Oh, no, that¡¯s not it." I beckoned her over with my finger. Although I couldn¡¯t say I was teaching her with all my might, she was still my first student. So at the very least, I couldn¡¯t make it seem like I was taking this lightly. And if Harmony wanted to face more challenges alongside me, this might be an unavoidable encounter with destiny. I looked her over from head to toe before speaking again. "Is that setup the mostfortable for you?" "I feel like I¡¯m just using the weapons I¡¯ve been given for now... I haven¡¯t tried that many yet, so I¡¯m not sure." "That makes sense. Let¡¯s talk about the HK416 you¡¯re using now." Charging handle. Handguard. Stock. Pistol grip. Vertical grip. Tactical light and theser sight on top. Scope. Muzzle attachment. Does all of this suit your preferences? And if so, is it optimized to maximize your shooting uracy? Of course, she probably wouldn¡¯t know. She hasn¡¯t tried out many other guns. Back in my day, I had at least two pistols, three submachine guns, three rifles, two designated marksman rifles, one machine gun, two sniper rifles, a shotgun, and more... In total, I had at least 15 guns. Of course, this was an unusual case, but the reason for this was to figure out which gun suited me best and what setup worked for me. In my case, recoil control was never an issue, so this process didn¡¯t take long. But for most, it was a grueling ordeal that couldst over a week. However, applying this directly would require an excessive amount of time, so I had to adjust my goal¡ªto match the person to the gun. When I asked for her firearm, Harmony performed a chamber check and handed it over without a word. I shouldered it and began to check variousponents. The tactical light attached to the side of the foregrip and theser sight on top were equipped with extension buttons, allowing them to be operated effortlessly while gripping the gun. I checked the chamber, switched the safety on, and handed the gun back to Harmony. It was time to get started in earnest. "Load the gun." "Yes." She skillfully inserted the magazine. Then came the familiar click. The sound of a round being chambered. The sound of nting the seeds of death. I adjusted the holographic screen to set up a basic shooting range. My lips moved slightly but soon stopped. From this point on, Harmony needed to figure out how to ovee the situation in front of her on her own. "Prepare to fire." "Yes!" Click. Safety set to semi-auto. I popped up the holographic targets. The shooting began. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Bang! Bang! As the gunfire filled the shooting range, I reviewed what I could do. I checked the area, enemy types, time of day, lighting adjustments, and various sudden situations that could arise. Through this first Saturday shooting session, I would thoroughly assess what shecked. I wish I¡¯d had something like this when I was there, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t. -[Alert: Lights OFF.] "...!" In an instant, the shooting range was plunged into darkness. It was as if everything in front of her eyes had suddenly disappeared. In the pitch-ck room, I could sense Harmony¡¯s unease and surprise through the floor. Her body trembled slightly, the vibrations traveling up my boots to my body. The snake-like sensation of detecting vibrations and infrared. I could see Harmony struggling in the darkness. A moment passed. -Click. -Thump! Thump! Thump! After a while. A thick beam of light leaked out from around the barrel. She had quickly turned on her tactical light and resumed firing. Had this been in an actual unit, the shooting would have been immediately stopped with someone asking, "What are you doing? Why so slow? Are you even paying attention?" But there was no need for that here. This wasn¡¯t a real battlefield. It was time to simte the next situation. I forced off the tactical light and spoke through thems. -[Short-range Communication: A hostage situation is urring in the dark. Activate night vision and use theser sight to mark the enemy.] A moment of panic. Various logs appeared on the holographic screen I was monitoring. Harmony activated the night vision, her fingers fumbling as she identally hit the tactical light button again. Of course, it didn¡¯t work because I had disabled it. It seemed she pressed the wrong button. After another brief struggle, a green infraredser cut through the darkness. Theser marked the head of the terrorist holding a hostage, triggering the pre-set sniper support. How long did I test various scenarios? With a wave of my hand, I cleared everything away, the lights came back on, and the targets disappeared as if they had melted away. As she continued to scan her surroundings, even after the shooting had ended, I called out to her. "How was it?" "Sorry?" "Did your body move the way you wanted?" "...Uh..." She ejected the magazine, cleared the chamber, and slung her weapon.@@novelbin@@ After adjusting her sling and inserting the magazine back into her pouch, Harmony walked over to a chair with a slightly dejected expression and plopped down. She spoke up after a moment. "...I thought I¡¯d improved by following you around, but I guess I was wrong. I think I expected too much." "A month is a long time, but it¡¯s not nearly enough to master anything. Still, you¡¯ve improved remarkably fast, Harmony." "R-Really?" She¡¯s someone whose emotions tend to swing wildly. But as always, there was still a long way to go before she could confidently say, "I can hold my own." There were many qualities she needed to develop and hone. One of those was reflexes. I quickly moved my fingers to set up another shooting scenario. Five enemies, two of whom were holding hostages as shields. She had five seconds to neutralize them. This was more of a current level assessment than a pass-or-fail test. After tapping her on the shoulder, I spoke again. "Get ready." "Sorry?" "Begin." "Waaah¡­!" At that moment, five enemies appeared, surrounding Harmony within a 120-degree arc. It took her three seconds to load the magazine and get into position, and another five seconds to eliminate all six targets. Don¡¯t ask why there were six instead of five¡ªit was simply a case of hitting two with one shot. This was the second time I heard her plop down in her chair. -[Alert: Situation Ended.] "Who does something like that without any warning?!" "If I warned you, it wouldn¡¯t be as effective. The point is to keep you on your toes." "...I guess that makes sense." "And don¡¯t worry. If you ever want to, you can make me do this anytime." I sent the live-fire training data I had just created to her. As Harmony carefully examined it, her eyes lit up. "Wow, I didn¡¯t know something like this existed. There are so many interesting settings." "You can practice with it even when I¡¯m not around. Ah." Click. I wasn¡¯t holding a rifle. So, I had only a pistol left. I instinctively drew my pistol and, using my left hand, grabbed the magazine, inserting it as smoothly as pping my hands. I immediately chambered a round and scanned my surroundings. There were seven enemies, three of whom were using hostages as shields. Spent casings flew as I took them down, left to right, in sequence. It took just under three seconds for seven shells to hit the ground. All the hostages were unharmed, but every enemy had a bullet hole in their head. As I sat back down, I spoke. "When you try something out immediately, you can predict, oh¡­" I hadn¡¯t expected her to make me go again so soon. Anyway, it was a simr situation. I quickly took out six enemies and plopped back down in my chair. Thankfully, I had a Glock with a higher magazine capacity. As I caught my breath while sitting down, Harmony looked at me with sparkling eyes. "Wow, that¡¯s amazing. Isn¡¯t it harder to aim with a pistol?" "You just have to shoot until it doesn¡¯t matter anymore." "...What did you do before, Yujin?" What could I say? Unfortunately, it was a question I couldn¡¯t answer. "Who knows." So, I just gave a vague response. Only twenty minutes of the six-hour session had passed. Chapter 105 -Beep! "...!" "React faster. Your aim needs to be much quicker. Combat isn''t about logic¡ªit''s about instinct and muscle memory. Don¡¯t break down each action separately; let it flow naturally, like water. Now, again." -Beep! "Damn it, ugh¡­!" "If your rifle jams in the open, switch to your pistol first. Clearing a malfunction is something you do behind cover. Again. This time, the number of dummy rounds is random." -Beep! "Wow, I missed that." "Simply pulling the trigger quickly won¡¯t cut it. Your arms and eyes need to coordinate, your grip needs to align with your sights, you need to assess the target¡¯s position, and control your breathing¡ªall within a second if you want to hit the target. I¡¯ve marked the cheek rest on the stock, so align your face there and aim. Again." Again. And again. And again¡­. The key point of this four-hour-long lesson was endless repetition and mastery. My vision blurred, my ears hurt, and both hands tingled from the recoil. This wasn¡¯t just ordinary shooting; it involved practicing ambidextrous shooting techniques. There were so many things you had to do to hit the target more urately, to ensure you hit it at all. There was even slow-motion training to prevent bad habits from bing ingrained in your body. With the exception of your thoughts, both you and the enemy moved at half-speed. If you passed that, the speed gradually increased. Unfortunately, today¡¯s best record was only at 0.8 times speed. Even so, my teacher was impressed, praising how great this function was. ...She¡¯s probably thrilled because it means she can push me harder and more efficiently. "My eyes hurt, teacher¡­." "Shall we take a break?" "Yes!" The break was so sweet. If this weren¡¯t happening in virtual reality, I¡¯d have a splitting headache by now. Even here, I felt a significant level of fatigue. The chair, without even a proper backrest, felt incrediblyfortable. A long bench wide enough for several people to sit on. Harmony let out a strange groan as she stared at the ceiling. A wave of dizziness hit her. She was worried that another session might suddenly start, but fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. A break was a break. Invible. "So, two more hours? Wow, how am I going to do this¡­." "If it¡¯s too hard to continue, should we stop here?" "Oh, no! It¡¯s not that¡­." But why? The reason wasn¡¯t anything grand. It was partly because she had never done anything like this before, but mostly, it was because she didn¡¯t want to disappoint someone. Also, Yujin¡¯s lessons were incredibly valuable, perhaps because they were more practical than theoretical. Even though it was virtual reality, had she ever focused on something this intensely? There was no denying it was tough, but the sense of aplishment that came from pushing her limits filled her more than the fatigue. "...It¡¯s exhausting, but I¡¯m learning so much. Just today alone¡­ And it¡¯s not like this is something you can master in a day or two, right? If someone doesn¡¯t keep watching, things will get messed up again." "Your mental resilience is truly impressive. That¡¯s a good mindset." "Hehe. I¡¯m kind of known for my persistence." Harmony didn¡¯t have particrly outstanding gaming skills. While she wasn¡¯tcking in the ability to draw people in or in her charisma, there were countless others like her in the world. That¡¯s why Harmony chose what people often call "bad games"¡ªsimple enough to allow for banter during y, yet with enough potential for disaster with a single mistake to be entertaining. And not just once, but multiple times, intentionally. She gritted her teeth, determined to seed no matter how many attempts it took. "Now I¡¯m a variety game streamer, so I y a lot of different things, but this is still my core." "That¡¯s admirable." There was something Harmony didn¡¯t know. Intentionally choosing difficult tasks and continually diving into them is one of the core principles that special forces soldiers share. On top of that, Yujin was not one to withhold praise. Though it might be seen as maniptive, the bond they had developed over the past month was quite close, considering the short time they had known each other. And so, the conversation continued. "Sometimes it¡¯s hard to tell if Yujin¡¯sments arepliments or not."@@novelbin@@ "If I were still teaching the way I used to, everyone I trained would have ground their teeth and hated me." "Wow, really? Just how hard were you nning to push them?" "Are you curious?" "Uh¡­ a little?" "For your mental health, it¡¯s better not to be." "The way you say that makes me even more curious¡­ Could you show me, just once?" Is it really that bad? When Harmony asked, Yujin didn¡¯t demonstrate it herself but instead waved her hand lightly, pulling up a recording of a previous session. It was the shooting training they had done earlier¡ªthe one where Harmony had been too flustered to even turn on her tactical light orser sight properly. Yujin sighed lightly before adding ament. "Try not to be too shocked." "...Uh, okay." -[Alert: Reaction Simtion Activated.] A bright line appeared in the air, twisting, tangling, and blending together before projecting a shadow of the past into the air. The simtion showed Yujin inside the darkened shooting range. The barely visible avatar was clearly in a state of panic. Before the irony or humor of it could sink in, the lights came back on, and the emotional simtion ran automatically. Yujin¡¯s face, normally calm, now disyed an unfamiliar hardened expression. "Stop." The cold tone was sharp enough to make anyone drop to the floor. The impact was doubled as her normally smooth voice turned razor-edged. The avatar¡¯s panic was obvious. "Did youe here to mess around?" "...Uh, no?" "No? Are you not feeling nervous? I asked if you came here to y around. Get your head straight. Do I need to rece your fingers and ears with ones that actually work? If it¡¯s dark, you need to turn on the light. Do you wait a second to react when the power goes out at home too? And you think it¡¯s okay to do this crap at the range? Are you kidding me?" "Uh, that, that¡¯s¡­" "Excuses? Do you think things will magically work out if you make excuses? If this were realbat, you wouldn¡¯t even have time to exin¡ªyou¡¯d already have a bullet hole in your head and be crawling on the ground. If you ever react this slowly again, just turn in your weapon and leave the range. Got it?" ¡­W-What? Each word was like a hammer to the gut, so Harmony hastily took control and ended the simtion. She held her breath, but it wasn¡¯t enough to calm her racing heart. When Yujin returned to her, she added ament. "¡­That¡¯s why I told you not to be curious." "Uh¡­ You weren¡¯t nning to be that harsh with me, right¡­?" "Of course not. Why would I do that?" "...I guess I should avoid being casually curious from now on¡­" She was really d she didn¡¯t hear that directly. Yujin pulled her in for aforting hug, gently rubbing her back, which helped calm her racing heart. However, she couldn¡¯tpletely hide the tension that had seized her from head to toe. With her usual calm and sculpted expression, Yujin added, looking satisfied. "You¡¯re tense. In a way, that¡¯s the most important thing. The more tense you are, the more focused you be. Even if it¡¯s just intentional, staying a bit tense improves your chances of survival." "...Oh." "Alright, I think that¡¯s enough of a break. Let¡¯s review today¡¯s movements for about 30 minutes, then we¡¯ll move back to live-fire training." "Yes!" "¡­Why did you be so energetic all of a sudden?" With a slight chuckle, Yujin patted her on the shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Harmony braced herself as the targets reappeared before her eyes. Desperately, she followed the muscle memory she had ingrained, loading the magazine, chambering a round, and aligning her sights. Her breath held, only the sensation of her finger on the trigger remained. She began to shoot. A new day had only reached a third of its journey. "Uwaaa¡­." "Time to tackle the mission. Get up." -Yoohoo haha -Yoohoo yoohooo? -Is she dying already from the start, lol? -What happened before this, seriously, LOL? -Harmony¡­ Always consistently baking bread¡­. At the empty table in the base. Harmony was sprawled out, letting out strange groans. Part of her body dangled off the edge as if she were melting, making her look like a poorly hung piece ofundry. But this wasn¡¯t a good look for starting a stream as nned, so I coiled her body back onto the table with my tail. Then, I flipped her over and hooked my arms under hers. In that position, I gently lifted her up. [MoritzMoscovitz has donated 1,000 won!] -Wow! Longcat Harmony! She¡¯s actually adorable! "Thanks for the donation¡­ I¡¯ll wave as a reaction¡­." -Oh, lol -What a bargain, LOL -Wow, I¡¯m jealous, lol -Are you a real cat? Are you a real cat? Are you a real cat? Are you a real cat? -Don¡¯t be fooled; she¡¯s a gaming maniac. Thud. Half-conscious, I gently set Harmony down on the floor. Standing on her own two feet now, she shook off her exhaustion and started her opening monologue for the viewers. In a way, she was quite professional. Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t been streaming for very long, so I didn¡¯t have much to say. Still, I was grateful that nearly ten thousand people were watching. I spoke briefly. "¡­Ah, hello, everyone. Today, as usual, I¡¯ll be tackling the main mission with Harmony. All difficulties are set to ¡®Very Hard,¡¯ so, as always, we¡¯ll be aiming for a safe clear." -A ¡®safe¡¯ clear (massacre) -Sure, we¡¯ll see about that, LOL -If that¡¯s safe, then skydiving is safe too, LOL -Teacher, no matter how much we fear your axe, we can¡¯t tolerate that nonsense -Looking forward to explosions that will make Michael Bay jealous, salute! [Shirun-deh-eh-beb has donated 1,000 won.] -¡°Safe clear¡± (Everything in front of me dies, so it¡¯s safe now.) "¡­Thank you for the 1,000 won donation, Shirun-deh-eh-beb." ¡­That¡¯s harsh. It seems my image had solidified in everyone¡¯s mind as some sort of destruction deity. Considering how many near-death experiences I¡¯ve survived to stand here today¡­ Hmm, maybe I¡¯m letting my thoughts wander a bit. I thought about making a show of force to tell them not to joke around, but it didn¡¯t seem worth it, so I simply put a finger to my lips and added: "Shh." -Woah¡­ -Heyyy¡­ -Sexy snake-eyed goddess Yujin, she¡¯s divine!!!! -Ahhh, goddess, I¡¯m done forrrrrr -Teacher, I need to visit the bathroom real quick, brb -You guys are nuts, lol. I¡¯ve clipped this, but just know that I¡¯m not like you. I really don¡¯t get why they like that. Anyway, there was no more time to waste. I tapped Harmony on the shoulder, signaling her to head to the control tower. What used to be just a park was now filled with high-tech equipment from all sides, and the control tower was one of the most dramatically transformed areas. It looked like a NASAmand center. In one corner of therge room, there was a section dedicated to the Icarus Support Operators, or ISOs, who provided assistance to the agents. That¡¯s where we were headed. -Creak. For a ce equipped with the pinnacle of technology to assist agents, the facility was surprisingly crude. The creaking sound of the door as it opened emphasized that. A slender man stood inside, peering at dozens of screens mounted on the wall with an inte in his ear. He was our helper. "Ah, you¡¯re here. I¡¯d say take a seat, but we¡¯re pressed for time, so we can¡¯t afford to rx. My apologies. Have you reviewed the data I sent you?" I nodded slightly, prompting him to continue. At the same time, several holograms popped up. The red-tinged images suggested a serious situation. The map of the U.S. coastline was already bathed in crimson. The meaning was clear. "As you can see, hostile forces are preparing to project significant power onto our coasts. After the Omega virus spread rapidly, we lost track of our proud U.S. Navy. We can only specte that they¡¯ve been dyed in reaching the maind due to Chinese and Russian dying tactics." The idea that massive forces like the Third Fleet, which was considered formidable even against global opposition, had been wiped out was unreasonable. And it wasn¡¯t the case. As far as I remember, by now, the continuous naval guerri warfare by China and Russia would have depleted supplies significantly, forcing them to dock somewhere in Japan or Korea and set up a defensive line. China and Russia knew very well that they couldn¡¯t stand a chance in a direct confrontation with the U.S. fleet, which was why they chose to lure and entangle them. While they punched holes in the maritime patrolwork, they infiltrated North America through the Arctic. Of course, Europe, which might have detected this, was in even worse shape than the U.S. due to the Omega virus. The close proximity of their borders and the tight connections via railroads had turned their advantages into nightmares. "We don¡¯t know where the severed limbs are scattered, and all the nerves have been cut off. On top of that, the body is swarming with disease. Fortunately, we¡¯vepleted some cleanup, but now we need a thorough diagnosis." "We need to find the lost limbs before we visit the hospital." "I¡¯m d you caught on quickly." And just like that, our next objective was set. "We need to go to Washington, D.C." The headquarters of NASA. It was time to recover America¡¯s lost limbs. Chapter 106 ©¤©¤©¤Tududududu! "The ne is so spacious inside, and it¡¯s just the two of us flying. It feels like a waste of space." "But flying with others packed in tightly wouldn''t be great either."@@novelbin@@ "That''s true." On the flight path to Washington D.C., a prototype tiltrotor aircraft, following the lineage of the V-22 Osprey, was slicing through the sky at a speed of 780 km/h. The view outside the window was nearly pitch-ck. Only asionally could a light be seen, and even then, it was so faint that you had to strain your eyes to make it out. We were flying a route that took us through New York, Phdelphia, Baltimore, and on to Washington D.C., which meant that even these massive cities had lost their lights, underscoring just how close humanity was to falling into the abyss. There were 7 minutes and 31 seconds left until we reached the drop zone. It was time to exin the current situation to Harmony, who, as usual, didn¡¯t fully grasp what was going on. "Do you know why we¡¯re heading to Washington D.C.?" "Well, kinda... Isn''t it just to expand the Icarus faction''s influence? The game¡¯s story is really poorly exined." "You''re not entirely wrong." "Which part? The former or thetter?" "Thetter." What can I say? The story, as experienced by an operator who joined Icarus after the protocol was issued, tended to prioritize realism over immersion. In other words, it didn¡¯t spell out the entire story in a straightforward manner. Actually, to be more precise, the game did provide all the details. However, it was far from a simple, linear story that anyone could easily follow. Instead, most of the backstory had to be pieced together through collectibles and briefing files sent by Icarus. Piecing together the backstory like a puzzle is something that can definitely be prizing. "Should I exin it at a middle school level or a high school level?" "...Is there no elementary school level?" "Then I might need to buy you a picture book first."
  • LOL
  • Aww, baby Harmony¡­ Feed me with a spoon¡­
  • I want to smack her, lol
  • Hot take: It''s actually somewhat linear.
  • What good is being linear if you have to hunt down everything yourself, lol
Ignoring Harmony¡¯s bright red ears, I thought of an easy way to exin the situation. Back in the day, failing to properly summarize briefings would get me in serious trouble, so I had no choice but to get good at it. My English skills improved a lot back then, too. Anyway, I decided on a high school-level exnation. "The U.S. is vast, and within it are a lot of cities. Icarus is originally a branch of the Department of Homnd Security, so it has influence in almost every city. But if we prioritize the most important locations, New York and Washington D.C. are at the top. And Washington D.C. is a bit more critical. Do you know why?" "Uh¡­ because all the important government offices are concentrated there?" "Correct." The IRS. The Capitol Building. The Pentagon and DARPA. The NASA headquarters. And, most importantly, the White House. Of course, there are countless other facilities there as well, too many to list. Washington D.C. is packed with crucial sites, which is why it has been called the heart of America instead of New York. "Normally, the capital should be the most heavily defended ce during any kind of crisis, but a virus is apletely different story. And when the pandemic started, as the virus spread rapidly, what happened as countless people tried to flee the heart of America?" "...I don¡¯t get a good feeling about this." "They were all ughtered. Even high-ranking officials trying to escape and operators with inadequate equipment who attempted to contain the situation in its early stages¡ªall of them were wiped out. The virus wasn¡¯t exactly selective about its victims." "Oh." And it would¡¯ve been rtively manageable if that were the only issue. But the situation spiraled out of control when mysterious EMP stster identified as caused by non-explosive maic field bombs¡ªstarted going off all over Washington. In a situation that was already chaotic, power outages and fires broke out, turning the capital intoplete pandemonium. It only took three days for the city to be a massive graveyard. "Communications with Washington D.C. headquarters werepletely destroyed. The U.S. spent nearly two million dors per person to train its countless special forces operatives, and now less than half of them remain." "Did they all die?" "Half of them died, and a quarter became warlords, mercenaries, or something worse. The rest are probably in hiding." "So we''re going there to reim the city from those guys." "That¡¯s the gist of it." A mission briefing appeared in the air. I didn''t expect this type of presentation¡ªa mission briefing right before a HALO jump. The objective was the Department of Homnd Security headquarters, located below the Smithsonian Institution¡¯s office and to the right of the Federal Courthouse. The first task was to find out what had been happening in the nation¡¯s capital. As the mission began, the voice of the support operator filled my ears.
  • Finally in thete game, lol
  • Something big ising! Something big ising!
  • Fact: These two are locked on Very Hard difficulty.
  • You need a four-person party from here on out, but they¡¯re just charging in, lmao
  • Into the mes of battle!!!
-[ISO: You¡¯ve reached the objective. Let¡¯s find out what kind of shitstorm has hit this dead city.] -[ISO: Good luck.] ©¤©¤©¤Giiiiing! With a tense sound, the ramp door opened. A deafening wind and freezing gusts began to flood the aircraft¡¯s interior. The slight warmth that had been in the cabin was sucked out in an instant, and sub-zero temperatures rushed in. My voice automatically rose to ovee the howling wind. "Ugh, the wind is too strong!" "Check the green light! Activate night vision! Set the auto-altimeter to 500 meters!" "Okay! Night vision on! Altimeter set to 500 meters!" Whoosh! The wind was so fierce it was hard to keep my eyes open as the pitch-ck darkness loomed below the ramp door. Jumping out felt less like exiting an aircraft and more like opening the door to a sealed-off ancient ruin, but night vision made the night as bright as day. There was an Icarus gear box lined up on the rail, packed with gear we¡¯d need. I was on the left, Harmony on the right. We stood parallel to each other, facing the darkness. We checked our parachutes. Since this was a game, there was no chance of a malfunction. A grand BGM swelled, and various pieces of information popped up before my eyes. -[Notice: Moderate turbulence near the objective.] -[Notice: All Green.] "Dive, dive, dive!" "Yaaaah©¤©¤©¤!!!" Drurrrrr! With a strong push, I sent the gear box hurtling down into the darkness, piercing through Harmony¡¯s scream as it plummeted to the ground. The Washington D.C. mission had begun. "It kinda feels like we''re doing the tutorial again. Doesn¡¯t it?" "So, should I assume you n to troll as much as you did during the tutorial?" "Keep it up, and I¡¯ll dodge you." "I¡¯ll just piggyback you, then."
  • Oh, lol
  • It doesn''t sound sweet when the teacher says it, does it??
  • Not sweet, more like an emergency medevac
  • Is she suggesting a fireman''s carry? lol
  • Double shield on the back, lol
Tutorial. It hadn¡¯t been that long since then, yet it felt so distant. Maybe it was because of how dense our schedule had been since. Anyway, the difference between here and New York was that, unlike thetter, which at least had generators providing some light, this ce had been hit by multiple electromaic pulses, plunging it intoplete darkness. The one silver lining was that it made navigating somewhat easier. Though, there were exceptions. "¡­There aren¡¯t as many enemies around as I expected? I was thinking of the quarantine zone, but theck of anyone around is even scarier¡­" "At least New York has abundant resources. Here¡­ it¡¯s hard to find even a night vision scope. So enemies who roam at night naturally disappear. But¡­" That¡¯s how it usually was. In a ce crammed with government offices like this, where would firearms or explosivese from? Walking through Washington D.C. meant you were within a 10-kilometer radius of the people who ruled the U.S. and the world. Those without permission couldn¡¯t even carry a small folding knife here. By that logic, it was fair to assume that this area would turn into a bted melee zone. But on the flip side... -[Notice: Presence detected.] "Prepare forbat." "¡­Okay!" Those with ess to firearms in this cluster of government buildings were likely dangerous, experienced enemies. My hunch was right. ©¤©¤©¤Swoosh! Bang. The airpressed and heated up in an instant, sending shockwaves in all directions. A missile. Or maybe a rocket. Thankfully, it missed by a hair. Instincts red to life. The enemies already knew our location. Normally, this would be a situation where retreat made sense, but the advanced technology of the Icarus Device pinpointed a sliver of possibility amidst the exponential odds. It immediately identified the location of the few operational remote-controlled devices in the area and the signals connected to them. Two straight lines connected like beams of light, marking the enemies'' positions. Gotcha. "Found them. They¡¯re monitoring us from the balcony of the buildingplex to the right, above the rooftop garden. Take over theuncher. I¡¯lly down suppressive fire so they can¡¯t escape." "Shall I blow them away?" "Of course." Harmony grinned slyly. The enemies on the balcony moved in a well-coordinated, disciplined manner, scanning the surroundings. A tripod and sniper rifle¡ªa standard setup. At least three enemies, possibly four. Letting them escape would cause endless headaches. -[Suggestion: Top Attack Mode] Thunk! I initiated the shot. At the sound of a single shot, three of them swiftly took cover, but the balcony wasn¡¯t exactly a spacious area. Harmony, deftly manipting the missileuncher, shared the expected impact point. With a whoosh, the missile soared almost vertically. Strictly speaking, it followed a parabolic trajectory, but the arc was so steep that it seemed nearly straight. A heavy recoil pressed against my shoulder. The enemies, who had just taken over control of theuncher, suddenly realized that the rocket wasing toward them. They began to scatter, but at that moment, a .338 round pierced through their legs. They fell awkwardly, frantically trying to crawl away. The irony of a life being worth only 2,500 won was something else. ©¤©¤©¤KABOOM! In that moment, the balcony exploded. It wasn¡¯t arge space, and the missile was unnecessarily powerful. Thebination of these two factors created a new oue¡ªdestruction. The unusual sound and mes were followed by tons of rubble crashing down. It was a broken orchestra that you wouldn¡¯t hear anywhere else. The darkness shuddered violently under the suddenmotion. "Three enemies neutralized. No further movement." "Let¡¯s get out of here quickly. I¡¯m not in the mood for more wee parties." Crunch. One minute into the engagement. Three enemies had been vaporized, and the explosion that copsed the balcony had dissipated into the night. The two of us left no trace, vanishing along a path no one had walked before. Only the biting winter wind remained, filling the silence as it always did. [Tricki Personal Community - Harmony] [General] Why is Nyang getting better and better???? I used to see her trembling a bit, but now she just pushes through like it''s nothing. So scary, wow;; [All Comments][Sorted by Most Recent] =Isn¡¯t it because Teacher Yujin does everything for her? ?You haven''t been watching the streamstely, lol ?That''s not true, she''s been matching Yujin''s support very welltely. ?Her skills have improved so much, lol =I want to see how good she really is, but she hasn''t been doing mission public matchestely. ?Right? Yujin is so overwhelming that it¡¯s hard to tell how much she¡¯s improved. ?She¡¯s only been ying with the teacher these days, lol ?The mission difficulty isn''t shown, so we really have no idea. ?Ah, we¡¯ll see how it goes soon, lol =They hinted at an uing coboration in today¡¯s chat, so hang in there, lol ?Oh, lol ?Is it the Byongmangchi cob? We¡¯re done for this weekend, lol ?Yeah, it''s next Wednesday~~~~ ?Lol, I¡¯m safe since I¡¯m unemployed. ?Who¡¯s employed here, lol =Her skills have skyrocketed in just a month, lol ?She¡¯s probably the luckiest one, lol. Where else would you find a guide like Yujin? ?Fact: Yujin isn''t a guide, she''s a newbie like Harmony. ?Oh yeah, lol, I forgot. ?Newbie (who won first ce in Apex in a month) ?Insane, lol =But seriously, I''m jealous. It seems like she¡¯s getting proper training. ?Right? Some mentors teach their mentees bad habits instead. ?There¡¯s a reason the rating system exists, lol ?Why don¡¯t I have such a cute teacher????? ?Lol, not for you~ ?Damn it... Everyone, I¡¯m currently working hard on new emotes, and I¡¯m giving them out like crazy. Aren¡¯t they cute? Chapter 107 -[Notification: Sending recorded message to ICARUS emergency channel.] -[Notification: Estimated to have been sent 30 minutes ago.] -[Notification: ying message¡­.] . . . -[: The base is under attack. The enemy has breached the southern perimeter. Immediate support is needed. I repeat, we need nearby allied personnel to assist immediately.] -[: We can''t hold the defensive line! Initiating lockdown procedures at the headquarters!] -[: We¡¯ve lost 70% of our defense personnel! There''s nothing more we can do! Please, send reinforcements, argh!] "Thirty minutes ago? The timing really couldn¡¯t be worse." I just nodded slightly instead of adding any words. Anything I said here would probably sound odd. Harmony, too, seemed to know there was no need for a reply, only exhaling quietly. Unfortunately, this sort of thing was all toomon. Especially after the EMP swept through the capital, breaking downmunications between agents, leading to situations where reinforcements arrived toote to prevent enemy infiltrations, defections among former operators, and even special forces being taken down one by one. Of course, just because it wasmon didn¡¯t make it any less tragic. Though there was no concrete evidence, there was a growing sense of tension around us. Even without evidence, it was a predictable scenario. A short skirmish,sting about 30 seconds, had caused a snowball effect. Although it wasn¡¯t enough to shake the entire heart of America, it was sufficient to awaken significant parts of the city, shrouded in darkness. The explosion, spreading light and sound through the frozen city, became a catalyst for further chaos. Like moths drawn to a bright light on a summer night, unwee entities were silently drawn to the scene. "...It feels like the whole city is about to swallow us up." "You¡¯re quite expressive. Next time, try using that creativity to think of something more hopeful." "I¡¯ll try." The target came into view. As we approached the Homnd Security - ICARUS headquarters, a mission prompt appeared. The surroundings also began to change. Unlike the scattered trash and wrecked cars that had been littered around, we started to see barricades and concrete blocks. On the blocks were various bullet marks, and despite the darkness, the numerous corpses strewn about were impossible to miss. Gradually, the area began to take on the appearance of a fortified zone. -[Notification: ICARUS Operator Authorization confirmed. Transferring control of surrounding facilities¡­ Controble defense matrix below 30%.] -[Notification: Multiple enemies detected ahead.] It was clear from the intensity of the battle that they had tried their best to hold off the enemy. Although the defensive line was at least twoyers thick, there were numerous gapsrge enough for people to pass through. Scattered around were bodies, some poorly armed and others appearing to be Russian soldiers, lying in disarray. The barbed wire that encircled the area was more crumpled and twisted than intact. One persony dead in front of the wire, still clutching wire cutters. Sounds of movement echoed from inside the makeshift fortress. The crunch of stones underfoot, the clicking of guns, and Russian voices. At least a dozen enemies were outside. But when I essed the surrounding CCTV through the transferred control, the situation was even worse. There were dozens of them. About forty had already entered the building. The number of those on guard outside was smaller, but still significant. I don¡¯t know why the difficulty is like this, but we¡¯vee this far, so turning back isn¡¯t an option. I looked at Harmony and asked, "Let¡¯s take them out one by one quickly." "Isn¡¯t that too close? Even with suppressors, shooting might give us away." "There¡¯s a way." After exchanging a few hand signals, I took the adhesive explosive from Harmony and adjusted the cartridge in several steps. Removing the shaped charge designed to prate thick armor, I left only the specially designed cylinder and the ignition material inside. What I ended up with was a kind of close-range methrower. Not something that spews continuous mes, but one that emits an intense, brief burst of heat. It was essentially a me shotgun. "Get close, press it against their neck or a gap in their armor, and pull the trigger. It¡¯ll be cleaner than using a knife." "...What is this?" "You¡¯ll find out in a few minutes." -Haha, doing something weird again, lololololol. -Um, what are you doing, teacher??????? -(Insert MacGyver theme song) -Of course, lolololol. -Can¡¯t you ever y the game normally? lol The look of disbelief was all I got in response.@@novelbin@@ But, people grow through real experiences. Iunched the drone and added, "What are you waiting for? Move." Move, move. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Buzz. "They¡¯re up to something weird again." "What? Are you watching Yujin¡¯s stream too?" The silent drone flew up into the sky, disappearing into the darkness. It was a small reconnaissance drone, unarmed, but capable of sending high-definition footage at 60 frames per second, making it a deadly tool for monitoring enemy movements in real-time. The screens split into four, each showing different views from Yujin and Harmony¡¯s perspectives. Enemies were scattered all around, but Harmony, under Yujin¡¯s guidance, moved without hesitation. One of the best strategies they could employ was, naturally, to eliminate the enemy patrols outside. Real-time instructions came through. -Patrol team ahead. Get ready. Three red triangles appeared in front of them, moving closer in real-time. Yujin, without any hesitation, loaded a tranquilizer round into the silenced pistol and aimed at the approaching enemies. The kind of silence that only appears in movies. There was only a small, clicking sound. Three enemies dropped with faint crackles and dull thuds. While Yujin snapped the neck of one in the darkness, Harmony hesitantly ced the device on the back of another¡¯s neck and pulled the trigger. A strange high-pitched sound. A small, barely noticeable sh of white light bloomed¡ªtechnically, the majority of the heat instantly carbonized the neck area. The spinal cord, trachea, vertebrae, and carotid artery, all vital points, were incinerated in an instant, and the enemy, who had copsed to the ground, twitched briefly beforepletely sumbing. A rather peculiar expression spread across Harmony¡¯s face. -Well done. -...What the heck is this? Hah. A hollowugh escaped her, followed by a flood of messages in the chat, with dozens to hundreds of new posts every second. -Oh shit lolololololol. -Did you just create a new melee weapon? There¡¯s no end to this! -I know there¡¯s a modification function, but this is something else lolololol. -Who the hell are you, really??????? -Why is Harmony so good at hitting targets? lololol. Meanwhile, the reload was in progress. Several pathways led to what was once the headquarters base. Broken concrete blocks, rtively intact barricades, and piles of trash and debris¡ªnow with the added feature of Russian corpses. Soon, the two of them split up after a brief agreement. Harmony would draw attention while Yujin used some method to deal with the enemies in the front yard. "...What is going on inside that person¡¯s head?" "That¡¯s why everyone gets crushed when they meet them." "Exactly." Every small-unitbat tactic seemed toe as naturally to Yujin as breathing. It wasn¡¯t just about basic maneuvers and cover; every aspect of the surrounding terrain and environment was ounted for, with real-time tactics being devised on the fly. It was difficult to exin, but actually doing it was almost impossible. Frankly, it was closer to hoping that a puzzle would solve itself if you shook the box hard enough. Of course, the reason Yujin was so well-known was that she could pull off such feats. By now, there was a considerable distance between Yujin and Harmony. The former had infiltrated deep into the base, while Harmony was cautiously moving along the outer perimeter of the defensive line. Harmony headed towards a lookout post, most of its walls crumbled. From there, both the road outside and the friendly base could be seen at a nce. She carefully climbed over the copsed wall and surveyed the surroundings. A twisted mass of polygons had been flung outside. But the machine gun mounted on the turret was still trained on the front. Although the tower had been hit by a rocket, it wasn¡¯t a direct hit. It had enough power to kill the operators but not enough to destroy the machine gun, a fact made evident by the scene. -Found it. Uh¡­ M2A1 heavy machine gun. Fifty-caliber. Now what? -It¡¯s turret-mounted. With some adjustments, you can silently turn the barrel toward the enemy. I¡¯ll share the control with you, give it a try. -¡­Okay, done. Creeeeeeak. Originally, the wall behind it should have been blocked by concrete blocks, but because the supporting pirs had been hit, the back wall had copsed. In short, Harmony was hiding near the lookout post, with her view open in all directions. The machine gun slowly and silently turned, aiming at the unaware enemies. -Secure your exit route. Once you activate it, the sensors will automatically target the enemy. -How do you know all this? -There¡¯s information on it in the ICARUS data category 3, under the list of controble facilities and machines rted to standard unmanned turrets. -¡­Ah, right. A low voice. Harmony was momentarily dumbfounded by how Yujin rattled off this obscure information as if it weremon knowledge, but she had gotten used to it by now. This wasn¡¯t the time for questions; it was time to follow orders. At least, that¡¯s what Harmony thought. The moment the turret began to operate, the infraredser emitted a green light forward. As soon as it aimed at a person, Harmony pressed the fire button and started running along the pre-nned escape route. In the middle of winter, in some deste part of nowhere, a sudden fireworks disy began. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! The fifty-caliber casings and chain-link fragments poured out from the bottom of the gun. The loud, metallic tter of metal hitting the concrete was hard to ignore, but unfortunately, the fifty-caliber rounds, traveling faster than the speed of sound, shattered their targets before the sound of the gunfire could reach them. Thousands of orange-glowing polygon fragments scattered into the air. Seven Russian soldiers, unable to react in time, were reduced to unrecognizable remains. -§â§Ñ§ã§ã§Ö§ñ§ß§ß§à§ã§ä§î! §â§Ñ§ã§ã§Ö§ñ§ß§ß§à§ã§ä§î! -§Ü§à§ß§ä§Ñ§Ü§ä §ã §á§â§à§ä§Ú§Ó§ß§Ú§Ü§à§Þ! But there were far more enemies outside than just those. Harmony quickly moved away. Just secondster, a hail of lead rained down on the turret. It would have been insane to stay there and get turned into Swiss cheese. Exhaling slightly, Harmony looked at the drone screen Yujin had shared. The lookout post offered a strategic vantage point with a wide field of view. If necessary, she could reim that position once the attack subsided. But Yujin had a more refined n in mind. -[Notification: Unmanned vehicle control sessfully hijacked.] -What did you do this time!? -While the enemy was taking cover, I fired a hacking tool at their UGV. Artemis, who had sold technology and various vehicles to foreign enemies, was a perfect match for these Russian forces, but not today. A smile yed on Yujin¡¯s lips. The chain gun and grenadeuncher on the hijacked moving turret began to operate with strange noises. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat! -Aaaaaah! A bitter irony. If they left cover to avoid the hijacked turret, they were shredded by the still-functioning machine gun. But staying put meant being targeted by the UGV. This split their fire between the turret and the moving vehicle, weakening their overall force. There was no reason to let this opportunity pass. Less than a minute after the full-scale engagement began, the nearly thirty enemies outside were torn apart by thebined internal and external attacks. Thest one to flee was silenced by a .338 round, and only then did the situation finally calm. Silence flooded the ruins like a tsunami. -Oh. -Oh shit lololololololololol. -This ce is insane! This ce is insane! This ce is insane! This ce is insane! This ce is insane! -This is beyond imagination, seriously lolololol. -Once again, you¡¯ve beaten the enemies senseless, teacher. Truly, there¡¯s no end to this. <[User HaeguiDahaegui has donated 1,000 won.]> -We were foolish to even try to predict what would happen lolololol. "...Wow, what the heck was that?" No one responded to the muttered question. Chapter 109 "One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Hello, everyone. It''s Limit back in the Dark Zone! Liha!" -Liha! -Liha Liha~~~~~~~~ -Limit, you''re looking as radiant as ever today. -As always, you¡¯re so feminine and pretty, lol. -Lol the contrast is killing me. "...Thanks for thepliments on my avatar, sigh..."@@novelbin@@ Bright yellow, transparent eyes. A delicate and youthful face, exuding an innocence that made her appear both pure and slightly mature. Her green hair, not overly bright, cascaded down from behind the cat-ear-shaped headset, stopping just at her waist. Though she appeared a bit pouty, the avatar still had a cute charm that was hard to ignore. As the expression on the avatar¡¯s face crumpled upon reading the chat, it was clear that, despite her dissatisfaction, she couldn¡¯t fully express it, leading to a look like someone who just bit into a lemon. -"LOL, you''re so pretty as always, lolololol." "CallimitCocoPalm... thank you... Hey! You guys are the reason my avatar turned out like this by throwing money at it! I wanted to make a badass guy avatar!" -Oh, of course, we knew you''d say that. ^^ -Fact: It was this person who picked a female avatar first. -Note to self... Money can bend Limit¡¯s will... -Well, I just found another reason to earn more money~~ -''Big Sis'' It was a familiar story. Limit, a streamer with the MCN group Mallet Brothers. He originally aimed to create a hyper-masculine avatar akin to a GigaChad, but overwhelming financial pressure from his viewers had shattered that dream, turning him into yet another streamer whose masculinity waspromised. He had been ying Dark Zone for over six months now, and was a fully-fledged max-level yer. However, they say you never forget your roots, and the endless bickering with his viewers, stemming from his initial days, had be a hallmark of his streams. Of course, "I told you not to call me ''Big Sis''! You all want to end up with dental imnts!?" -Lining up -Oh, let me join the line~~ -Look at this chat, smh. I may be third, but know that I''m different from the rest of you. -Lololololol -As always, thanks for the entertainment, lol. "These... jerks...." Sigh. A breath escaped her thin lips. The weather was still cold. One month in reality equaled three months in Dark Zone. The sweltering heat of August in reality meant September through December in Dark Zone. In other words, September was akin to January through March. It wouldn¡¯t be until the end of September in-game that the weather would start to warm up. In a way, that was a relief. The avatar naturally became bulkier to reflect the need for warmth, which meant fewerments about her appearance. As she inspected her M1A rifle and moved forward, she noticed a few avatars ahead. The green markers above two avatars indicated they were part of the same squad. By now, these faces were quite familiar. On the left was Dol, a streamer who looked like a Russian princess decked out in full gear as if she were heading to the battlefield. On the right was Hotteok, a streamer whose appearance resembled a humanoid white tiger with long ck and white hair and tiger ears perked up on her head. These were fellow streamers from the Mallet Brothers, gathered today to give a newbie, Harmony, a taste of the game¡¯s tougher content¡ªor to entertain their viewers with an unexpected coboration. Of course, "...Sigh, you¡¯re looking beautiful as ever today, Princess Limit." "Look, it¡¯s the elf." "You jerks." -Haha, that was weird. -He always speaks his mind, that¡¯s why we love him! -Lololololol -Hotteok and KimStone are killing me withughter, lolololol. -My sides are hurting, lololololol. Just as expected. Unable to hold back any longer, Limit let out a string of expletives that seemedpletely out of ce for her avatar, causing the other two to clutch their sides and copse on the ground,ughing uncontrobly. Limit, with a face full of irritation, red at them as theyy on the floor. After a short while, the opening segment began. The three streamers gathered in one spot, engaging in banter like they were on a TV show, creating scenes that could be used for an intro video. Normally, dozens of fans would be lurking around trying to join the session or just to spectate, but today, thankfully, it was a new session, so there wasn¡¯t much of that. Finally, the discussion that everyone was curious about started. "...Anyway, the reason we¡¯ve gathered today is to discuss what kind of Dark Zone content to y with Harmony. We¡¯ll take suggestions from viewers, and if one gets chosen, we¡¯ll send that person a chicken gift voucher." "We¡¯ve got a few ideas, but honestly, you guys probably know more about this stuff than we do. So, please share your thoughts with us." "Just keep in mind that Harmony hasn¡¯tpleted the main missions yet, so something within that context would be great." -But do these people know how skilled Harmony istely? -Shhh, keep quiet, lol. -If she''s not max level with the right gear, she can''t do raids or high-difficulty modes, so PVP or defense modes might be the only options. -Domination mode could be good. As countless suggestions were made and discarded, donation messages, whether long or short, popped up like bubbles and then disappeared. A few good ideas were noted down along with the nicknames and IDs of those who suggested them. With three streamersbined, the total number of viewers was close to 17,000. Even if each viewer suggested only one idea, there were 17,000 suggestions to consider. With such a volume, it was inevitable that some good ideas would emerge. The most promising suggestions were: "...Okay. For PVE content, we¡¯ve got Emergency Missions or Infrastructure Missions, and Defense Mode. For PVP, we¡¯ve confirmed Domination and Conquest modes. Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. Those who contributed ideas will receive a gift voucher, so please check your messages." "Now that we¡¯ve narrowed it down, let¡¯s decide what to do first. Is there anything from the list that none of us have tried?" No one raised their hand. These were max-level yers who had already explored all the Dark Zone content, at least on a superficial level, whether due to personal preference or just trying everything out. So, the first choice was Domination Mode. It¡¯s a game mode where you attack and defend control pointsbeled A, B, and C. The real-time adjustment of nanomachine levels to prevent one-sided matches was one of the reasons this mode was so popr. The only downside was that the game was yed on a squad basis. But gathering yers was one of the easiest tasks for these streamers. They just needed to fill Harmony¡¯s spot with a viewer under the guise of a fan y session. Once the objective was clear, everything else fell into ce. While Hotteok gathered participants for the session, Limit began the matchmaking process. As soon as yers joined, the room would be set. Since it was a fairlyrge game with 32 participants, many viewers were also trying to join, either to be on the same team or to oppose them. While they waited idly for the room to fill up, a video donation appeared on the screen. -Lol, Harmony is cracking me up. At that moment, the stadium filled the screen. As a sea of people cheered for one name, a familiar green cat was screaming enthusiastically in the crowd. It was Harmony. There was no doubt about the name she was shouting. -Yujin-sensei©¤©¤©¤! We¡¯re here! "...Oh boy. She really adores her teacher." I knew there had been a lot going on, but when did she be such an avid fan? It was only five days before they would learn the meaning of "you are who you surround yourself with." "This map always puts me in a bad mood..." Though I¡¯ve never actually been to Russia, I wonder if it would feel like this if I did. The sky was gloomy. Actually, it was worse than that. Describing it as ash-colored would be an understatement, and if novelists saw the dirty, dark green mixed in, they¡¯d probably write an even more dismal description. Radioactive ck rain was falling. I knew there was a nuclear fuel reprocessing nt nearby, but could it really make things this bad? I wasn¡¯t sure how it worked, but it wasn¡¯t something to worry about in AP. After all, the game¡¯s setting was about taking 100 operators into virtual reality for battles. The setting of this map was like a more modern version of Pripyat. A battle in a ghost town. The atmosphere was dark and dreary, with nothing much to catch the eye like in other maps. Because of this, I always felt a bit more detached, almost business-like, when ying on this map. I opened the box and armed myself. Already, I could hear the crackling sounds of gunfire around me. As the numbers dwindled one by one, the Geiger counter unique to this map began to click more frequently. It meant the radioactive storm was approaching. -tter! A machete popped out of the box I was opening. I hesitated for a moment but decided to leave it this time. I had just learned a few hours ago that I¡¯d earned the bizarre nickname "Axe Goddess," and right now, it seemed better to just shoot without thinking too much. Stepping outside, I felt the wind pick up again. It was damp. The dead city smelled of old concrete and wet earth. The grass sprouting through the cracked asphalt was already yellow and withered. But there wasn¡¯t much time to dwell on the atmosphere. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat-tat! A dozen or so bullets whizzed past my ear. Four or five hit their mark. Nanomachine reserves: 32%. The bullets had passed through a suppressor, making it difficult to pinpoint the shooter¡¯s location by sound. However, the direction and angle of the heavy impact on my body were crucial clues to locating the enemy. Turning my head in that direction, I saw a user quickly retreating into an apartment building. Though there was no particr connection to snakes, my sharp vision instantly captured the fleeting image of the user¡¯s face, etching it into my memory like a photograph. He had a look of "I really messed with the wrong person." "...Is this karma?" Maybe it was. But regardless of karma, obstacles were meant to be removed. Just as there¡¯s no reason to leave a turret that¡¯s shooting at you from behind, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to ignore this guy and head straight to the center of the map. The apartment¡¯s interior was rtively simple. There was no need to render everything in detail, and if they had, it would have made searching for hiding enemies a tedious process, dragging out the game. Most of the doors were closed. Moreover, the long hallway with few hiding spots made it an unappealing location for a fight, so battles naturally shifted to nearby facilities like the sports field or gym. My boots crunched over the dust, grime, and other unspeakable substances that had umted on the floor over time. Footprints were visible on the ground. Careful, quiet tracking. The barrel of my gun was lowered, ready to aim at any moment, with all my focus on sight and sound. The ratio was 70% visual, 30% auditory. The reason for the 30% auditory focus was simple: if you concentrate too much on sound, a sudden gunshot could not only catch you off guard but make it impossible to respond effectively. In the worst case, you might faint or have a heart attack. So, -Rustle. ''...There¡¯s more than one.'' There were two. Unwanted guests. Regret over not picking up the machete surfaced briefly, but in most cases, the rifle stock would do just fine. Breathing softly, I followed their trail. The distance between us was closing. Considering the situation would likely lead to a firefight, it was close enough. After exiting the apartment, I entered the entrance to amunal facility in theplex. The hallway was long, with only a few ces to hide at the far ends. There was no cover as you moved through the corridor. So, I picked up the pace. But then, -CRASH! "Whoaahhh!" Something didn¡¯t sound right. Did they run into that other enemy I suspected earlier? But instead of gunfire, I heard something breaking. Switching from my carbine to the more lethal S&W M500, I prepared for a quick kill. This massive revolver had a strange way of following me around. Not that its performance was bad¡ªits short-range lethality was unmatched. After confirming that five rounds were loaded, I approached the end of the hallway and peeked into the facility beyond. A faint blue light was seeping out of one of the rooms. That seemed to be the source of the sound. -[Warning: Radiation levels spiking.] ''...All of a sudden?'' The nanomachine barrier was slowly depleting, but my curiosity needed to be satisfied. Cautiously, I entered the facility and peeked through the open door--- "...What the..." A bizarrely shaped sword emitting a bright blue light and a figure holding it. The figure was d in a suit so strange it was almost grotesque, with the area where its eyes should bepletely cked out. It wasn¡¯t a yer, that¡¯s for sure. This map was known for its many Easter eggs, so maybe this was one of them? Of course, even an Easter egg couldn¡¯t survive having five magnum rounds pumped into its head at close range. ©¤©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! "Guh, urgh, guhhh¡­!" The wildly ticking Geiger counter fell silent as the creature¡¯s head vanished without a trace, and the sword ttered to the ground. It was a dull-looking piece of metal, more like a chunk of iron crudely shaped into a sword than an actual de. -[Notification: You have in e????????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!] -[Notification: You have obtained the Easter Egg weapon, Plutonium de!] "...You¡¯ve got to be kidding me." I didn¡¯t take it with me, of course. It was an utterly insane concept. Chapter 110 [General Discussion] What the heck is the Plutonium de, lolololol Seriously, Henslowe is obsessed with these Easter eggs, lolololol [All Comments][Sort by Newest]
  • More impressive than the sudden monster appearance is how Yujin didn¡¯t even flinch and just put a bullet in its head. ?For real, lol. ?I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s not human; she¡¯s made of steel, lol. ?The monster was screaming its head off, but she waspletely unfazed, lol. ?That¡¯s just pure coolness.
  • Living Point: If you want to kill a monster, just put five shots from an S&W M500 into its head within a second. ?So helpful, thanks! ?I tried this and broke my wrist, thanks a lot. ^^ ?And then she just casually discards the gun after using all the ammo, so cool. ?Simply... awesome! King God Emperor Yujin!
  • Breaking news: Yujin ignored the sword and left. ?Wait, she didn¡¯t take it?????? ?Fact: If it were an axe, she would¡¯ve taken it. ?So true, lololol. ?If it had been a fire axe, she would¡¯ve grabbed it for sure. Yujin has no sense of style. ?So now smashing heads with an axe is considered a vibe?
  • The guy who shot her ended up getting killed by some random monster instead, lol. ?Either way, it was a terrible oue, right? ?But hey, at least she didn¡¯t bring a melee weapon today~~ ?Fact: If she doesn¡¯t have a sword or axe, she¡¯ll just use the rifle stock. ?It¡¯s not even about preference; it¡¯s pure logic, which makes it scarier, lol. ?Exactly.
-[Notification: Eugene ¨{¦î©ß©×¨T¨T©¥ ???????] -[Notification: Eugene ¨{¦î©ß©×¨T¨T©¥ ASDF] "Aaah! Yujin takes out ??? and ASDF in less than 30 seconds! Such precision aim-tracking! She didn¡¯t even give them time to take cover©¤©¤!" A sudden double kill count. The image of Yujin as a deadly force was now etched into the minds of the 70,000 spectators in the stadium. Having already made a name for herself in closebat within AP, the kills she secured in a full-scale firefight only made her more of a standout. Twelve minutes into the match, it was a surprisinglyte start for Yujin. However, considering her recent notoriety in the qualifying ranks, this was the natural oue. In a game where the only visible information was the kill count, that was the only indicator that someone was in the same session. And the six-letter word that appeared at the top of the screen during the game had be a symbol of fear and pressure on its own. As the qualifying rounds began on Monday, and Yujin¡¯s full power was unleashed without the filters of tournament ranks or scrims, more people realized that avoiding her was the key to survival. Everyone who had faced her directly or heard of her infamy knew to steer clear of her. Only the most fearless or those unaware of the situation dared to stand in her way. As a result, Yujin¡¯s first kills were increasingly dyed. Until the safe zone shrank to the point where encounters with other yers were inevitable. "Wow." All of this yed out before Harmony¡¯s eyes. She had missed many matches for various reasons, but now she was witnessing Yujin¡¯sbat for the first time. This was no AI-driven, logic-following opponent; this was a real person wielding a sharp de. There was so much to see. yers panicked as Yujin¡¯s name appeared at the top of the UI, while others scouted from high-rises to locate her. What had Yujin been doing in the game to make everyone react like this? But that question had long been answered. As the deadly ck rain began to surround the city, only a few stages remained before the final circle, with about 40 yers still alive. However, every time the circle shrank unpredictably, about eight yers were eliminated. Amidst the hail of lead, one figure dashed through, her agile, thick tail swaying behind her. To break through the enemy¡¯s strong defenses, she needed suppressive fire, armed with murderous uracy. What began as a one-sided assault eventually bnced out and then tipped in the opposite direction. She exploited the slightest weaknesses amidst overwhelming odds, turning the tide of battle by overturning key elements one by one. ''Wow, she does that in those situations...?'' Everything was both a problem and a solution. The countless hours spent with Yujin¡ªwhether indirectly or directly¡ªhad shown Harmony the level at which Yujin viewed the battlefield. Even the hardest rock eventually cracks under constant water flow and hammering. The firm limits that defined Harmony were gradually breaking apart under the relentless pressure. The small circle in the final stage had arrived. Eleven yers were hiding in different locations, ready to tear each other apart. It was a scene unique to AP soloing. Bullets rained down, sending concrete shards flying into the air. The battle was both brutal and beautiful. Figures fell one by one onto the wet, muddy ground. Numbers, in the form of ranks, coldly cut them down before tossing them unceremoniously back to the lobby. One thing was clear as winners and losers were decided. None of them could escape Yujin. "Please give a big round of apuse to today¡¯s Apex Predator! The one who achieves the impossible! Yujin!" Thunderous apuse and cheers shook the stadium. The dust and concrete particles that had settled on her gear dissipated first. With each step, the footprints she left behind dissolved into the air. Headset. Utility pouch. Bulletproof vest. Backpack. Spare firearms¡­. It didn¡¯t take long for her avatar to be revealed in casual attire. The center of the stadium transformed, creating a booth for the interview. Arge screen overhead disyed the conversation between the caster and Yujin. Yujin sat down naturally, though her expression was a bit uneasy. After all, tens of thousands of people were watching her every move. It was impressive that she wasn¡¯t more nervous. A barrier surrounded the booth, allowing the audience to see the interview but blocking Yujin and the caster from seeing outside. This helped reduce the participants'' tension while providing entertainment for the viewers. Their eyes met. The interview began. "Haha, it¡¯s nice to see you again. It seems like we meet quite often these days. At this point, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that this seat is reserved not just for the top yer but specifically for you. Congrattions on once again taking the throne in a spot meant only for the strongest." "Thank you. I feel like I¡¯m constantly facing incredibly skilled opponents. I always give my best in every match, and I believe that¡¯s why I¡¯m seeing these results." "I couldn¡¯t agree more. When the best sh, it always produces something spectacr for the viewers." The conversation started with some light banter. It was time to dive into the specific episodes from the match. "If I had to guess, I¡¯d say the most surprising moment in this round was when you encountered that sudden, mysterious creature. But we should hear it directly from you. What do you think?" "...You¡¯re right. When I first saw it, I wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but luckily, I was able to take it down without much trouble. I¡¯m just d I happened to have the powerful M500 revolver on me." -Don¡¯t lie, Sensei. We all know you would¡¯ve taken it down with your bare hands if you didn¡¯t have the revolver. Of course, the donation, which popped up after many rmendations, was a well-timed jab that everyone could appreciate. Yujin gave a wry smile and added quietly,@@novelbin@@ "I also didn¡¯t pick up the machete because I¡¯m trying to break away from that image." "Haha, I hate to say this, but your closebat scenes have left asting impression on us. I believe it¡¯s because you¡¯ve always aimed to finish off your opponents decisively." Yujin nodded silently. The questions kepting. "Many people have asked about yourbat tactics and how you set up engagements. But from a strategic perspective, how would you summarize your gamey today?" "Well... I don¡¯t usually n my routes in advance, so I don¡¯t have much to say. But I don¡¯t overlook enemies if they¡¯re on my path." -Summary: She clears out everything in her way. -So if there¡¯s an obstacle, she bulldozes through it? -You¡¯d better believe it, lolololol. -Why does "I don¡¯t overlook anything" sound so terrifying? -Yeah, it¡¯s your fault for blocking the queen¡¯s path. Of course, there was no guarantee that an interview would stay on track after a question was asked. The chat was filled with yful misinterpretations. The caster couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as the messages bubbled up around them. Meanwhile, Yujin¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She looked at the chat and spoke softly. "Let¡¯s see how things go when we¡¯re back." The chat finally calmed down. The interview continued. Her presence alone sparked more questions, along with curiosity about her skills and training methods. Even after cutting out all the personal questions she never answered, there were still plenty left. As the questions kepting and going, the interview neared its end. As always, the final questions were familiar. Would she consider bing a professional gamer? The answer was no. The follow-up question about which team she might be interested in vanished like a puff of smoke before it even had a chance to be asked. "It looks like we¡¯re almost out of time. I can already hear the sighs of disappointment from the viewers. But as they say, parting brings us closer together. So let¡¯s move on to the final question." "Yes." "Yesterday, Icarus mentioned something about you. They said your achievements are so solid that missing a match or two wouldn¡¯t affect your ranking. Instead, they suggested you act as a special caster for the Sunday match. What are your thoughts on that?" Their eyes met. And in that moment, the caster read a single emotion from her seemingly expressionless face¡ªsomething that could be summarized very simply, even shorter than words. A question mark. She was genuinely clueless about this. The caster was more taken aback than she was. After a brief pause, he spoke again. "...Oh, you didn¡¯t hear about this?" "I was up until dawnst night preparing a new curriculum after my stream¡­." Really, even her private life was extraordinary. Yujin thought for a moment before responding. "...I¡¯ll consider it." Well, the world does run on nonsense. Even if that world is Icarus. -[Notification: Operator Yujin has passed the qualifying rank.] -[Notification: Proceeding to the next stage.] -[Notification: Partial memory synchronization initiated.] Shhh Emoticon is currently in progress. I was going to use a tail, but it didn¡¯t look right visually... Anyway, it¡¯s turning out really cute and sexy. See you all when it¡¯s fullypleted! Chapter 111 "©¤©¤©¤Antony, Antony! Did you lose your mind while eating?" "¡­Damn it, my head''s ringing. I can hear you just fine, so shut up. Did you auction off your call sign on Amazon?" The strong scent of gunpowder lingered on the two men, overpowering even the smell of food filling the dining hall. The building wasn''t empty, but it was far from bustling. No more than five people were scattered across the spacious room, each engaged in quiet conversation. Antony, the man addressed earlier, nced at his steaming mac and cheese before sticking his spoon into the dish and pushing it away. He ced his hand on his neck, and a satisfying crack echoed in the room. He was the first to speak. "I haven''t slept well these past few days. My head¡¯s been aching constantly." "What did the medic say?" "He thinks it might be tinnitus. If the headaches don¡¯t stop or get worse, I¡¯ll have to take some time off." "Hah, even the hardwall has to deal with pain. Try not to live so tightly wound." "Eat shit, Carson." Thud. Antony shoved a spoonful of mac and cheese into his mouth, mechanically chewing the food, while Carson, the man across from him, waited patiently before speaking again. "Don¡¯t end up packing your bags because you miss your mark in Zone A during training. Eat up and take your meds." "I¡¯m going to, so mind your own business, George. And trust me, anyone who can¡¯t hit their target after two days of headaches would¡¯ve been kicked out long ago." "Yeah, sure." A brief silence followed. "For someone who ims to be in bad shape, you¡¯ve been performing pretty welltely. Or am I mistaken?" "You¡¯re not wrong. But how about you go shower instead of pestering me while I eat?" "Wait, did you sneak down to the range during personal time and shoot until your head hurt¡ªow, damn it! Fine, I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going. You didn¡¯t have to kick me in the shin!" "Stop lurking while I eat, damn it." Of course, even as Carson walked away, he flipped Antony the bird with a perfectly extended middle finger, limping slightly as he left the dining hall. Despite the banter, Antony had known Carson for years. He was a decent guy, with even better skills. No doubt, Carson would find some ridiculous way to get back at himter, but that was a risk Antony was willing to take. It was like being awake but dreaming. ''¡­What am I even seeing?'' This wasn¡¯t just a simple headache. It was a confusion of memories¡ªhis own memories, but from a future that didn¡¯t yet exist. Even with his eyes closed, he could see the silhouette of a woman. A gun clutched in the hands of a round-faced, naive girl. It was he who had handed that gun to the girl with the snake tail¡ªhe had set her on that path. From the future. "Yujin. Here¡¯s a rundown of your schedule for today. After you wake up, have breakfast and be at the shooting range by 08:00." "Yes." "You¡¯ll conduct t range shooting until 13:00, have lunch by 14:00, and then return to the range for more shooting until 18:00. All of it will be live-fire exercises." "Understood." "¡­Damn it, am I dreaming right now?" Fragments of the future glittered in his mind like shards of broken ss reflecting sunlight. Between the fleeting memories, the year "2036" shed before his eyes. The patch on his uniform, his rank, his authority¡ªthey all showed that he, now a Staff Sergeant, would be a Master Sergeant. As these non-existent memories flowed into him, they merged with his current ones, causing a new kind of mental friction. Dark Zone. That game, used as a simtion even by operators in his unit¡ªthough the servers were separate. "Hah." The headache had long since faded. The phantom pain left behind was like sparks from the sh of newly blended memories and his current reality. At that moment, he was Sergeant Antony Owens, but he was also a Master Sergeant. And in another existence, he was an Icarus training instructor with a single, irreceable student named Yujin.... Though why she still had that snake tail, he couldn''t quite figure out. After returning the now-empty dish, he headed to his private room and shed his gear. His body was drenched in sweat from the live-fire exercises earlier that day. He was going to take a shower. A very long one. "She actually did send it." Among the nearly overwhelming number of unread emails near the top of his inbox, one from Icarus stood out. It was unread, shining brightly among the rest. Under normal circumstances, there was no way he would have missed it. But yesterday was anything but normal, and the emails that should have been checked were buried under the more pressing task of drafting a curriculum for Harmony, postponed until the next day. Should he be relieved that he finally saw it, or should he question why it was sent only a day before? Of course, thinking like that would be quite narrow-minded. After all, had Icarus International ever sent an email like this to any other user? Especially for something like this? So technically speaking, it was an impulsive request, but it had to be. They likely didn¡¯t want him to unnecessarily participate in tomorrow¡¯s match when it wasn¡¯t even necessary. But the issue was that being a special caster was an entirely different matter. It wasn¡¯t that heckedmunication skills, but ying a match andmentating on a game watched by tens of thousands were twopletely different things. He read through the email in more detail. The good news was that he could choose which match and time slot tomentate. Thetest match was scheduled for 8:00 PM, which was prime time. And it was only one match, not several. The only slightly daunting aspect was the possibility of conducting interviews afterward, but the email kindly provided guidelines for that as well. "¡­It¡¯ll be more of an interrogation than an interview." Given his past experience with interrogations, he couldn¡¯t help but hope his tone wouldn¡¯t get too stiff. A bitte, but he selected a time slot and sent a reply. The confirmation was almost instant, as if they had been waiting for him. He pushed the confirmation message aside. Now, it was time to prepare. There were three main tasks to tackle. First, he needed to draft a notice for his viewers. No need to take the day off; the match would only take about an hour in virtual reality time, at most. He could prepare the notice ahead of time and post it when the time came. Second, he had to do some basic preparation and practice for his role as amentator. While he didn¡¯t need to forcefully raise his energy levels, it was still important to understand howmentating worked and to prepare some lines. No need to overdo it, but he wanted to ensure a quality performance.@@novelbin@@ Third, he had to write a message to Harmony. The curriculum for the next day was ready, and their joint stream would proceed as usual. Taking a short break during training tomentate was something they had both grown ustomed to over the past few days. It wouldn¡¯t be any different this time. The first and third tasks didn¡¯t take long. It was now 11:00 PM. A bitte, but to avoid wasting time, he would have to practice in virtual reality. Lying on his bed, he pressed the choker¡¯s button and logged into Icarus International¡¯s official YourSpace ount for the Korean branch. A long list of well-organizedmentary videos appeared. He selected one at random. High energy, seamless delivery. Long-winded yet precise exnations with excellent pronunciation. Commentating was a profession that required immense effort. But it was pointless topare himself to the professionals at this stage. As always, he would do his best. In a way, this would be his unique style ofmentating. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it should end up as low-qualitymentary. "Testing, testing." He activated the pronunciation check software and read out a few sentences disyed on the screen. After about ten minutes of evaluation, it was safe to say that there were no ring issues with his pronunciation. In fact, it was probably above average. The operator training program included speech correction, so that was a relief. As he continued practicing, a reply came through. However, -[Harmony: ????????] -[Harmony: I¡¯lle watch tomorrow~~!!] ¡­Why is she so excited? He paused the video and replied. -[Yujin: Don¡¯t get your hopes up too much.] -[Harmony: lololol] -[Yujin: Did you enjoy the match?] -[Harmony: It was so cool????] -[Harmony: You were way better than when we y together??] -[Yujin: It was a bit more rxed than running missions together, lol.] -[Harmony: ???????;;] -[Yujin: Just kidding, just kidding.] Half of it was a joke, but half was true. Facing actual yers and AI required different approaches. While it couldn¡¯t be said that he¡¯d never swung a hammer at real yers, it was only natural for his restraint to disappear when facing AI. In PvE, enemies often appeared in bizarre locations topensate forcking AI, and nothing was more effective in such situations than a merciless hammer swing. -[Harmony: I want to carry a hammer too!(?????)? ??] -[Yujin: Don¡¯t even think about it.] -[Harmony: (???¦ä???)] -[Yujin: lololol] A firm response. Unfortunately, if you ever had to rely on such a melee weapon, something had gone seriously wrong. In his case, it was a significant exception. If Harmony simply wanted a tactical hammer for fun, that was one thing, but at her skill level, there was no need to lug around an extra kilo of metal. Harmony¡¯s valiant attempt was promptly shut down. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. -[Harmony: Oh, right, I¡¯m nning a cob with some streamer friends soon. Any tips on how not to mess it up?] -[Yujin: Just stick to what I taught you.] -[Harmony: Ahaha; I hope I didn¡¯te across aszy¡­] What to say¡­ Maybe it was because she hadn¡¯t yed much with other users besides him, but Harmony seemed oddlycking in confidence in her abilities. She probably didn¡¯t even realize how skilled she had be. While she was still far from the level where he could confidently say, "She can survive anywhere," she wasn¡¯t doing poorly either. She kept pace with him, executed the tasks he assigned her, and overall performed well. She wouldn¡¯t be a burden to anyone, not with the training she was getting. Now that they were getting into more intensive training, she¡¯d likely improve significantly over the next month. -[Yujin: If people could improve overnight, they wouldn¡¯t be struggling so much, right?] -[Harmony: ???] -[Yujin: But after a month of training together, you¡¯ve got the skills to hold your own ??.] -[Yujin: No one starts out perfect, so don¡¯t worry too much XD.] -[Harmony: ( ?''?''? )] -[Harmony: Thank you?.] After exchanging a few more words, his throat felt a bit dry. He took a sip of water and typed out a reply. -[Harmony: What time are you nning to hit the bed tonight?] -[Yujin: I¡¯ll probably be up for another two or three hours.] -[Harmony: Oh no¡­.] -[Harmony: Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but we¡¯ve got training tomorrow too¡­??.] -[Harmony: I¡¯ll head to bed first~~.] -[Yujin: Sleep well(?¡ä?¨F?).] Watching the ¡°1¡± disappear next to the message, he felt a quiet stillness settle in. He reopened the program, pulling up various voiceware andpilingmentary scripts. The mass of text would soon pass through the suggestion engine, resulting in a new script tailored just for him. The night was still dark, and it was going to get darker. His own night was passing by. Chapter 112 "¡­A special broadcast, you say?" The news that Yujin would be hosting the broadcast spread quickly.@@novelbin@@ First to react were the analysts from each team, who eagerly gathered even the smallest bits of information rted to Yujin. As the AP Tournament hosted by Icarus''s Korea branch officially kicked off, the analysts scoured the newly created website for any announcements. They meticulously checked the schedules and details of the matches Yujin would be covering and promptly disseminated this information across their teams'' internalworks. Reactions varied, but the very fact that there was a reaction signified interest. And the analysts took this as a positive sign. It meant one thing:
  • If a yer were to win in a match observed by Yujin, wouldn¡¯t that be an opportunity to receive some feedback during the post-game interview? Or perhaps, even just by participating in a match she was casting, there might be some free insights to gain?
In the world driven by money and responsibility, such opportunities were rare. Since Yujin was currently serving as a temporary coach at SSM, there was no chance of recruiting her to another team. So, this was effectively a free opportunity. However, getting into the match Yujin was broadcasting wasn¡¯t easy¡ªonly one out of sixteen participants would make it. And even if one managed to get in, winning against a hundredpetitors was a daunting task, akin to walking on a bed of thorns. It was no surprise that analysts only rmended it as something to try "if the opportunity arises." But, as always, the perspectives of analysts and professional gamers differed. "Who wouldn¡¯t want to give this a shot?" "It¡¯s not like we¡¯re losing anything by trying. Why wouldn¡¯t we?" For professional gamers, their unmatched skills were their raison d''¨ºtre. They were acutely aware of their strengths and weaknesses, especially inparison to others. If the offer of feedback came from someone unknown or insignificant, they wouldn¡¯t have given it a second thought. However, if the person offering feedback was someone whose skills were so exceptional that even pros were eager to seek her advice, then even the pros would be willing to listen. Yujin was one such person. In less than a day, two distinct groups of users began fervently discussing Yujin''s broadcast for different reasons. Regr Dark Zone yers and viewers were simply excited, while those within or aspiring to enter the professional scene were eager for potential feedback. Moreover, those associated with SSM, where Yujin was currently coaching, frequently posed questions, not just to the pro gamers on the team but even to the second stringers and trainees who had been under her guidance. Of course, SSM was not immune to the buzz. They were the ones under Yujin''s direct mentorship, and they had to at least show that they had improved under her guidance. As always, she was the eye of the storm. "If your reaction time or adaptability iscking, you''ll have to make up for it with experience. If you want to improve quickly, you¡¯ll need to put in the effort. Moving forward, I¡¯ll be gradually reducing thepensation for mistakes, so get used to it as quickly as possible." "Yes, ma''am!" "Again." Beep! Of course, Yujin was busy pushing Harmony to her limits. It was just another day. "Hello, everyone! Wee to the final day of the weekend, and the approach of next Monday. The end of the six-day preliminary rank is finally in sight. I¡¯d like to extend my sincere thanks to all the viewers who have stuck with us throughout this journey!" The stadium erupted in deafening cheers and apuse. It was the end of the weekend and the start of a new week, yet the crowd gathered there seemed to care little about such trivialities. They shared amon hope, desire, and joy, as if determined to burn everything to the ground rather than contemte the ashes of tomorrow. The stadium had expanded and expanded until it could now amodate 150,000 spectators. On average, it held around 30,000 people, with 80,000 during exceptional events. Even when Harmony brought in 35,000 viewers, the stadium wasn''t filled to capacity. Considering that almost all 150,000 seats were upied today, it was an unprecedented event. The reason for this massive turnout was simple. "Today, we have arge crowd gathered here. While many are here to support the yers in today¡¯s matches, I personally suspect that most of you are here for a special broadcast. Am I right?" YESSS!!! The roar of the crowd, if it were in the real world, would have been loud enough to burst eardrums. The collective voice and sonic wave of the crowd reduced in intensity by the time it reached the caster. However, despite the overwhelming support from the crowd, unfortunately, the script dictated that she wouldn¡¯t be appearing immediately, no matter how much they wanted it. Announcing that fact outright would surely turn those cheers into boos. Considering this, it was natural to feel a bit apprehensive. "Haha, but before we introduce the guest everyone¡¯s been waiting for, we still have a few things to cover. It¡¯s impressive to see such enthusiasm even before we¡¯ve introduced ourselves. Let¡¯s move things along quickly, shall we? I¡¯m Liquid, your first caster for today¡¯s broadcast. Pleased to meet you." "I¡¯m Meerkat, your second caster. Nice to meet you." A mix of polite and genuine apuse followed. Once the introductions were over, the seats for the broadcasters began to transform, stretching horizontally, and a new chair materialized. Even those with little interest began to realize what was happening. The person they had been eagerly awaiting was about to appear. "Well then, we can¡¯t introduce today¡¯s special guest caster without a big round of apuse! Please wee Yujin!" The stadium shook with thunderous cheers. Silver particles rapidly converged at a single point, forming polygons that quickly condensed into the shape of a person. In a sh, her long hair, reaching just below her shoulder des, took shape, and as you looked down, a tail swayed around her waist. She had a sharp gaze, with vivid, sapphire-like eyes that seemed to pierce through the crowd. As she exhaled gently, the crowd''s apuse grew even louder. With a slight smile, she faced the stadium and the massive crowd that had gathered. The microphone, automatically generated near her cor, projected her voice. "Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Yujin, and I¡¯ll be your special caster today." The crowd responded with near-deafening cheers. Tens of thousands of people were chanting her name. Even though the sound had been somewhat dampened, the vibrations in the air were enough to make the broadcast desk tremble. But as always, Yujin remainedposed, showing no sign of nervousness. She walked over and took a seat in the rightmost chair, where a futuristic cockpit-like setup awaited her. Holograms and virtual buttons were projected in front of her. Thanks to her crash course, she had no trouble with the controls. While she was adjusting various settings, the broadcast desk buzzed with conversation that the viewers couldn¡¯t hear. "Wee, Yujin. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯m Liquid, the first caster. This is Meerkat. There will be parts of the broadcast where you¡¯ll take the lead, but don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll help you out if you get nervous. Just focus on the broadcast." "I¡¯m Meerkat. Nice to meet you. I¡¯ve always been curious how you¡¯re so good at games. Mind if I ask about it after the broadcast?" "Yes, yes, nice to meet you both, Liquid and Meerkat." Most of the broadcast operations were handled by the professional casters, so Yujin simply sat back and focused on the match ahead. Today''s map was Atakaia Volcano Ind. A map where a volcano randomly appears on the ind, withva and high-temperature gas rapidly flowing down its slopes, creating deadly kill zones. On the opposite side of the ind, a massive volcanic bomb strikes the sea, triggering a tsunami in what¡¯s known as the Revolution event. As Yujin concentrated on the broadcast, the chat window popped up withments and questions. "©¤©¤That¡¯s all for the basic exnation of this map, but we can¡¯t miss out on hearing from an actual yer. Yujin, what are your thoughts on this map?" "The basic concept is simr to Research Facility. AP maps can be divided into strategies based on whether you can survive in the kill zone or not, but here, the variety of deadly gimmicks makes it almost impossible to survive. I think it¡¯s likely that yers who secure the safe zones first will have a significant advantage."
  • (Info) Yujin knocked out a yer in the safe zone and threw them into theva flow.
  • Special Caster is the best!
  • What does she mean? That she wants to dunk all the scared yers?
  • Apart from the scenery, this map sucks, lol.
  • If you''re unlucky, a tsunami or volcanic bomb can destroy the buildings. I hate this map.
"Haha, thanks for the response. What about your personal preference, Yujin?" "Since the map heavily relies on gimmicks and the Revolution event, it oftenes down to whether or not you have a safe zone, rather than pure yer skill. So, I¡¯d say I lean slightly towards disliking it. However, I do appreciate that the map includes skill activation zones near the kill zone borders to give those on the outskirts a fighting chance." Of course, these activation zones didn¡¯t appear immediately when the map started. They were designed to give those starting on the outskirts a chance to engage in intense battles for the safe zones. CQB (Close Quarters Battle) always favored the defenders, and those withva and firestorms at their backs had no choice but to break through the fortifications of those in the safe zones. The map was well-designed to avoid one-sided fights, even if it wasn¡¯t Yujin¡¯s favorite. Next came the interviews with twenty out of the hundred yers. At this point, the interviews sometimes turned into one-on-one conversations with Yujin, but these yers were all driven by the desire to climb higher. There were only a handful of yers whose names Yujin had memorized, mostly SSM users. Unlike other yers, they addressed her differently. "I¡¯ll do my best, sensei!" "¡­Yes. I hope you finish with flying colors. Always think before you engage." "Yes, ma¡¯am!" Unfortunately, Dice was in another session. Clearing her mind, Yujin added one morement. "Of course, if you get eliminated early, there will be special training waiting for you. Does that motivate you?" "Please, have mercy!"
  • Seriously? lololol
  • She¡¯s not a coach, she¡¯s a drill instructor!
  • What did they do to make them beg for mercy?
  • If you get eliminated quickly after being personally trained, that makes sense, lol.
  • [GEARUP//Arrivederci: Sensei, we¡¯re always ready for special training. Please take care of us^^]
Naturally, it didn¡¯t work. As the casters chuckled beside her, the interview wrapped up, and it looked like the match was about to begin. The beautiful tropical volcanic ind was about to turn into a living hell. "Yes! Thest of the interviews isplete. Now, it¡¯s time to speak not with words but with bullets. Before we start, Yujin, as our special caster, what will you be focusing on during this broadcast?" "Hmm¡­." The answer was obvious. She knew what people wanted, and she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to miss it. Grabbing the microphone, she added: "First of all, I¡¯d like to congratte all the yers who earned the opportunity to participate in the session I¡¯m casting. I know what you¡¯re all hoping for, and within the time avable, I will do my best to evaluate your performance." The participants couldn¡¯t possibly know, but as long as time and energy allowed, her evaluation wouldn¡¯t stop. Her official role was as a special caster, but it was likely that Icarus¡¯s Korean branch, which was hosting this event, anticipated this secondary objective. There was no reason not to proceed. "Even though this map is filled with hazards like the Revolution event and hostile natural environments, I don¡¯t think it will diminish your skills. I hope you¡¯ll give it your all in the match." And she added onest thing: "I¡¯m watching you."
  • Big Brother! Big Brother! Big Brother! Big Brother! Big Brother!
  • Hehe, Big Sister, please take me!!!
  • Big Sister, lololol
  • What¡¯s big? Where is she big?
  • Big Sister is watching you!!!
"Sigh¡­." Of course, it seemed that no one here had any intention of behaving. And so, Yujin gained yet another nickname. Apanied by chuckles from the other casters. Chapter 113 "Alright, the match is about to begin in earnest. The volcano has formed at the southernmost point of the map. As the eruption intensifies, the southern region will gradually be covered inva, and the outskirts of the ind will begin to flood due to the explosion''s aftereffects. Only the top predators will earn the right to survive the wrath of the volcano!" "And right as we speak, the eruption begins. Lava is pouring out from the northern slope of the volcano at the southern tip of the ind. This will have a significant impact on the earlypetition. What kind of battles do you expect?" "First, we need to consider the yer distribution between Land Town, which is adjacent to the volcano¡¯s northern slope, and the city of Keraunos above it. If more yers gather in Keraunos, those in Land Town who activate their skills will likely push through inrge numbers, and those without skills will be at a disadvantage." It was a psychological battle. The number of yers lingering in Land Town, where the skill activation zone appeared first, and how many fortified their defenses in Keraunos, would determine the course of the early game. If the situation were reversed, with more yers in Land Town, the number of early eliminations would skyrocket. yers could disrupt others in the skill activation zone, but exposing their position might make them a target for another yer. And, of course, battles could erupt between yers who had already activated their skills. It was a vicious cycle of bloodshed. The fighting soon began. Due to the map¡¯spact size, skirmishes broke out all over, and multiple pop-up windows of engagements appeared one after another, like a broadcast within a broadcast. One of them popped up, and thementary continued. "And we have a fight happening in the lower part of Land Town. Xi Impressive¡¯s Whale is up against nk K1KERS¡¯ Chariot. A fierce battle is underway, and now would be the perfect time to get Yujin¡¯s thoughts on this situation!" "Neither of them can be said to be engaging in a proper fight. Fighting openly in the most densely popted facility suggests that they might be hoping for another yer to intervene and break things up." "Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. Look, Chariot seems to be avoiding direct engagement with Whale! He¡¯s widening the battle radius as if he''s feeling the pressure of the situation!" "In cases like this, the longer the fight drags on, the worse it gets for both yers. The engagement will likely fizzle out soon." And sure enough, after about a minute, Whale ended up in a battle with a third yer who had heard the noise, while Chariot, half-beaten, hurriedly escaped the building. A question from a donation came through. "If the goal were purely to take them out, I¡¯d maintain a certain distance and keep following them without firing. Control is about who reveals fewer weaknesses." Tracking without firing puts immense pressure on the opponent. If they try to fire back to shake off their tail, it exposes their position to other enemies. More engagement windows popped up. The game was truly underway now, and sometimes, fights would break out before one could even finishmenting on another. It was all new and fascinating. Some yers used tactics I hadn¡¯t even considered. When I was a yer, my focus had always been on eliminating every opponent in my path. But from this vantage point, overseeing the whole field, the perspective waspletely different. "It¡¯s really something to hear such vivid insights from a yer. I¡¯ve yed Apex Predator a few times myself as a caster, but watching such skilled yers go head-to-head like this¡ªit¡¯s mind-blowing. It¡¯s like there¡¯s an entire game of chess being yed beneath the surface." "Exactly! And just as we¡¯re talking, battles are breaking out all over the ce! Near the skill activation zones, the strength of the nanomachine defense walls increases significantly, so it¡¯s bound to turn into utter chaos!" "¡­At this point, predicting who will survive is meaningless. Considering survival rates drop to less than half in these zones, of the twenty yers nearby, half will either be sent back to the lobby or barely crawl out, clinging to life." I added my voice to the rapid-fire exchange between the two casters as best I could. Since I was now an observer and not one of the yers, I couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus. In a way, I was being forced to jump into the energeticmentary of those around me. "I imagine many viewers are wondering how one survives and climbs to the top in a situation like this. What decisions shine in such chaotic moments?" "With the nanomachine barriers being stronger than before, concentrating firepower in a short burst is crucial. You¡¯ll need plenty of grenades, urate throws, and precise shooting skills, along with the ability to pick off solitary enemies." "Thank you! Yujin, you often emphasize the importance of grenades. Could you borate on that?" "If used correctly, grenades can force an enemy to absorb the equivalent of an entire magazine¡¯s worth of damage in a short time. Plus, the explosion and shockwave disorient their senses, giving you the upper hand. When properly used, grenades are one of the most effective weapons in modern CQB." Unlike normal zones, where concealment, cover, and risk management were critical, the skill activation zones allowed yers to move more openly thanks to the reinforced barriers. But dragging out the fight for too long led to a bizarre stalemate where no one could kill each other, and soon enough, the nearby chain turrets would wipe out any moving entity. So, there wasn¡¯t much else I could add at this point. "If I had to guess, I¡¯d say that Ebler, a user from Arcadia Games known for his kill-catch abilities and grenade usage, might stand out in this zone." "Oh, you mention a specific yer but seem unsure. Any particr reason for that?" "Simply having those skills doesn¡¯t guarantee survival here."
  • Yujin never gives vague answers.
  • I love how she never just says something abstract or obvious, lol.
  • She¡¯s so confident in her responses!
  • Forget the fancy stuff¡ªher words are full of conviction, haha.
  • Is she a tactical advisor? Our Yujin is insane~
The viewers were ecstatic. The matches were chaotic, filled with unpredictable oues from the countless variables at y. Even the most seasoned yers could only predict what might happen based on proven stats and probabilities. But Yujin¡¯s approach was different. Instead of spouting stats like MOA values, hit percentages, or average movement distances, she offered clear, simple exnations that everyone could understand, focusing on what it took to seed in the moment. And all her statements ended with definitive conclusions¡ªyes or no. Coming from anyone else, it might have sounded like just another opinion, but Yujin¡¯s reputation added weight to her words. Meanwhile, the broadcast continued. Time was flying by. "The battles in the lower regions are wrapping up. In the meantime, the western, eastern, and northern edges of the ind are being hit by a tsunami. With pyrostic flows apanying the volcanic eruption, nearly two-thirds of the southern area is now an uninhabitable wastnd." "The circle is closing in around Luau Lei Shopping Center, one of the ind¡¯srgestplexes. Despite the lethal hazards throughout the map, the final showdown seems to be shaping up to be a pure test of physical skill. Twenty-five yers remain, about a quarter of the original count. It¡¯s going to be a brutal, bloody final battle." The casters subtly turned their attention to me. Over the course of just a few minutes, a nonverbal understanding had formed between me and the other casters. It was a silent question: "What do you think?" I hadn¡¯t fought many battles in this facility, but I¡¯d yed this map more than twenty times during tournament and qualifier ranks. Coupled with my experience as an operator, I added a bit of building structure analysis to my answer. "It all depends on where the final circlends and how the weakened structures copse. A single rocket to one of the already damaged pirs could bring a building down, so I¡¯m sure someone will take advantage of that. With the tournament rules allowing heavy weapons here, the buildings are likely to be partially destroyed."
  • lol so true.
  • These buildings have the durability of wet paper, haha.
  • Earthquakes + volcanoes = structural integrity? Nah.
  • Where¡¯s the clip of Yujin taking out enemies while dodging debris?
  • Okay, so who do you think is going to win??
As the chat veered toward predicting the winner, I took a brief breath and added: "¡­Why does everyone think I¡¯m going to predict who¡¯s going to win?"
  • Yujin stocks are skyrocketing, why not get in?
  • Hold tight, the ride¡¯s going up~~~~~~~~~~
  • I don¡¯t know, just shoot, coach.
  • Are we getting a 1v1 match between the special caster and the winner??
  • These chatters are insane, lol.
Ah, the wonderful world of the inte.
  • The prediction mascot here is stunningly beautiful.^^
"Sigh." "Ah!" Bang! Yujin used the interview feature to pop up the avatar of the viewer who sent the donation, a girl with striking white hair. With a swift chop of her hand, she crushed the avatar¡¯s head like a balloon. As the avatar vanished with a bizarre scream, a slightly flustered Liquid asked me: "¡­Is that okay?" "They¡¯re a regr in my stream." By now, they were probably stunned, but it wasn¡¯t painful. Ever since virtual reality had be widespread, allowing people to engage in various activities without physical limits, even reactions like this had be possible¡ªsomething Harmony had exined to me once. It was part of the package. After metaphorically "nting" the head of one viewer into the floor, the chat, of course, didn¡¯t quiet down. Instead, they kept going wild, yelling about rewards and making all sorts of inappropriatements. I eventually threatened to lock the chat, which finally got them to simmer down. The number of yers left had now dropped below twenty. I studied each name carefully before speaking again. "I¡¯ll do my best to exin everything until the very end." Now it was time to finish strong. "¡­Why does it feel like I¡¯m being judged even though I came in first?" I had barely managed to secure first ce after defeating countless enemies who blocked my way. Dodging bullets, fighting through the rubble and ruins of copsing buildings, I survived against enemies equipped with shields, drones, and all kinds of skills. I had yed cunningly and recklessly at times, adapting my strategy to the situation. In the end, I achieved a decent result, standing as the sole survivor amid the ashes. Now, it was time for the interview with the winner. Normally, this moment would have filled me with overwhelming joy, a tingling sensation reaching the tips of my fingers, followed by the pleasant dilemma of what to order for a victory feast. Yet, somehow¡­ it didn¡¯t feel like much of a win. With those thoughts, I ascended the stairs.@@novelbin@@ "And now, the yer who secured first ce in the Atakaia Volcano Ind match is stepping up! Gambit from Clear Sky has imed the title of Apex Predator!" "Everyone, please give a round of apuse!" However, the moment I stepped onto the stage where two, no, three casters were waiting for me, an overwhelming roar of apuse¡ªfar beyond anything I had experienced before¡ªshook my avatar. "Wow." Only that single word escaped my lips. That was all I could manage to say, as a rush of emotion welled up from within. Looking up, I couldn¡¯t even see the top of the massive stadium. Giant banners, light sticks, and the apuse of 150,000 people filled the air. How could anyone not fall in love with this? How could anyone walking this path regret orin about it? Thinking of how pro gamers feed off the love and support of their fans, I knew I¡¯d never forget this day. As the overwhelming emotion melted through me, only a faint sound escaped my lips. It felt like walking through a dream. The distance between each step blurred. Before I knew it, I was seated, holding a microphone. The interview had begun. "Haha, you seem a bit shocked. We had an evenrger audience today because Yujin was here. I hope it¡¯s a good memory for you." "Ah¡­ yes, I¡¯ll never forget this, even if I die." "Exactly. Anyway, congrattions on winning first ce. I¡¯m sure you already know, but all the yers in this session were watched by an audience of 150,000. Out of all of them, you¡¯re the one whose name will be most remembered. Take pride in that." "I¡¯m deeply honored, haha." "But it doesn¡¯t end here. There¡¯s an additional honor reserved for the first-ce winner." Click. At that moment, the two casters parted to the sides, and one more person cautiously stepped forward. The very reason the rtionship between the winner and the interviewer had been flipped from yer and judge to something much more intense. "We now invite today¡¯s special caster, Yujin, to join us as the judge!" "¡­Why does this honor feel a little heavy?" That offhand remark may have been the most honest summary of the situation. Chapter 114 "Nice to meet you, Gambit," I greeted, my voice calm but firm. "...It''s the first time we''re meeting in a setting like this. Not on the battlefield, but on a public stage. It feels surprisingly reassuring... or is that just my imagination?" Gambit responded, with a light chuckle. Clear Sky¡¯s Gambit. Digging through my memories, it didn¡¯t take long to remember him. Was it fate or bad luck? The first time we crossed paths in-game was also on the Atakaia Volcano Ind, and now, we were meeting again as winner and caster on the same map. In a broad sense, it was a connection, regardless of how we defined it. The chat, predictably, had exploded despite my earlier threats.
  • "He¡¯s the one who got roasted byva, LOL!"
  • "Must be so awkward, hahaha."
  • "Honor? HONOR? Really? LMAO."
  • "Standing in front of Yujin and not dying is the real honor."
  • "It¡¯s not an honor, it¡¯s like the perpetrator and the victim standing side by side, lol."
The chatter was relentless. But that wasn¡¯t the point. This special broadcast was¡ªon the surface¡ªmeant to focus on the participants. Any feedback about gamey was more of an unspoken request, not officially on the table. So, this "official" feedback I was about to give? Consider it an act of goodwill. And the reason I called it that... well, because the recipient might not necessarily enjoy it. With that thought in mind, I spoke. "If you¡¯d prefer a simple interview, please let me know now. Myself, and Casters Liquid and Meerkat, would be more than happy to ask appropriate questions for a champion like you." "No, no. That wouldn¡¯t be right," Gambit replied firmly. His refusal wasn¡¯t unexpected. "I¡¯m sure there were plenty of people who wanted to be in my position today. Personally, I¡¯d really like to hear your feedback, Yujin. Not just for me but for the 1,600 others who tried to stand here today." "You don¡¯t have to make it sound so grand," I said, smiling faintly. "Ah, really?"
  • "What¡¯s with the long-winded talk, lol."
  • "Trantion: I¡¯m a huge Yujin fan, and I¡¯m ready to grovel if she asks."
  • "Lololol."
  • "Nah, I don¡¯t even need orders. I¡¯m groveling already!"
  • "These chatters are crazy, haha."
With the chat full of chaotic banter, I decided to shut it offpletely. After that, I received Gambit¡¯s session data, neatly collected and disyed before me. The information sparkled like a jewel, but it was really just a dense cluster of statistics. Waving my hand, the data floated in the air: movement paths, number of engagements, MOA (Minute of Angle) stats, first-shot uracy, movement patterns, missed bullets, time spent in specific areas... everything. But the evaluation? That was mine to make. I¡¯ve always had a knack for data analysis. Let¡¯s begin. "Based on the data collected, you secured five kills, which is above average. Your engagements were mostly concentrated in the early andte game. It seems like you secured kill points early on, then stuck close to the kill zone, avoiding unnecessary fights. A pretty standard but effective strategy." "It¡¯s one of the most trusted tactics, and... I¡¯ve learned the hard way what happens when I overextend," Gambit said with a sheepishugh. I chuckled briefly. Of course, that was partly my fault. In the past, while ying this map, theva flowed unexpectedly in an unusual direction, deviating from the projected path. I had to quickly maneuver to escape the newly marked kill zone, only to be shot at during my retreat. The shooter? The very man standing before me. The result was predictable. To corner him, I rammed into the wall, but the eruption caused a shockwave and earthquake, weakening the structure until it was as fragile as ss. So when I smashed Gambit against the wall, it copsed entirely. Lava surged through the alleyways below, and¡­ well, Gambit was vaporized into a polygonal mess and ejected back to the lobby. I barely made it out after a ten-minute sprint. That¡¯s the gist of it. Taking a deep breath, I continued. "In AP solos, the strategic meta is rtively fixed. Get early kills or hide, then survive until the final ten. It¡¯s still a valid strategy. So, I¡¯ll be shifting my focus slightly." "How so?" "I¡¯ll be dissecting yourbat data." At that moment, more data streams appeared. This time, it included information on the weapons Gambit typically used in PVE and PVP, as well as every firearm he wielded in this session. It was time to point out what the analysis system couldn¡¯t catch. "When not looting weapons like in AP, you typically favor the HK416. You¡¯ve added extra weights to the grip and loaded the front with several essories. You¡¯ve also modified the gas regtor to increase the fire rate¡ªa rather unique setup." The increased fire rate meant more recoil, which Gambitpensated for by attaching extra weights, a suppressor, shlight, andser sight near the muzzle. His grip favored CQB (Close Quarters Battle), allowing for better control. He didn¡¯t carry a secondary weapon, using the freed-up weight for more ammo and grenades. The nanomachine defense wall¡ªexclusive to Icarus operators¡ªwas something Gambit had tailored his setup to break through efficiently. "Opting for certain suppression in exchange for uracy isn¡¯t inherently bad. But how do you train for the opposite scenario?" "Hmm, about a third of my solo AP sessions, I use semi-auto weapons like the M1A or SR-25. Sometimes I even practice single-shot drills with carbines when necessary." I nodded, then added. "There¡¯s one small but easily overlooked detail." "Oh? Really?" "Let¡¯s watch the next clip." A series of videos began ying. Not one or two, but several¡ªat least seven. Some weren¡¯t even from this session, but that wasn¡¯t the point. The footage was quickly broken down to extract key data, this time measuring the RPM (Rounds Per Minute) of single shots. At first, it was hard to tell, but eventually, it became clear: even during single-fire mode, Gambit¡¯s bullet consumption was unusually high. The more I watched, the more it confirmed my suspicion. The algorithm tied to Gambit¡¯s ystyle¡ªfrequent suppression fire¡ªwas conflicting with his efforts to practice single shots. When the non-session clips faded, a decisive moment appeared. Gambit, out of bullets at the critical moment, found himself on the receiving end of a brutal counterattack. The number of rounds expended and the RPM were disyed clearly. "It seems like this happens to you often." "...." He didn¡¯t say anything. But the confusion on his face said more than words could. I pressed on. "One of the things I¡¯ve learned from coaching others is that single-shot firing speed is factored into the behavioral correction algorithms. It doesn¡¯t work in istion but instead creates a pattern based on your ystyle." This wasn¡¯t just something I noticed with Harmony, but even with the SSM yers I¡¯d trained. As I broke down their gamey mechanics, I¡¯d learned that the game¡¯s algorithm gradually shaped itself to match the user¡¯s habits. In Gambit¡¯s case, his algorithm wasn¡¯t syncing with other aspects of his ystyle. While the algorithm wasn¡¯t built for burst fire, his consistent use of it had influenced other areas. "It¡¯s great that you¡¯re practicing something opposite to your usual style, but single shots can¡¯t match the firepower of full-auto. Topensate, your single-shot speed has increased¡ªperhaps more than necessary." And that speed had be ingrained, hardwired into the algorithm. After exining this, I summarized: "As your single-shot speed increased topensate for the firepower gap, the algorithm adapted to that, cementing it in ce. It¡¯s a small variable that normally wouldn¡¯t be noticeable, but when it leads to situations like this, it¡¯s a problem that needs fixing." It¡¯s a strange problem, unique to games. But even in a game, weaknesses had to be addressed. If something like this happened during the KSM or Asian qualifiers, elimination would be almost guaranteed. Real-lifebat wouldn¡¯t have this kind of algorithm-driven issue. I briefly nced around after wrapping up my exnation. "...Why is everyone so quiet?"
  • "Yujin, you¡¯re really something else¡­ What the heck is all this?!"
  • "Has Yujin lost her mind?"
  • "Fact: She didn¡¯t prepare this in advance. This is happening in real time!"
  • "I don¡¯t even know anymore, lol."
  • "At this point, I¡¯m just giving up."
  • "As expected¡­"
Why were they all staring at me like this? Even Liquid, Meerkat, and Gambit, who was receiving the feedback, had looks of awe and disbelief on their faces, half admiration and half shock. Finally, somements came through. "Yujin, this is amazing!"@@novelbin@@ "...How did you figure all this out so quickly?" "Wha¡­ I¡¯m not even sure how to describe this¡­ It¡¯s insane!" Uh¡­ I was the one who was stunned. Maybe I was too detailed? Sensing the need to steer the conversation away, I quickly moved on. "Well, I think that wraps up this part. Let¡¯s move on to the next." "The next!?" "Oh, dear." Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have epted this invitation as a special caster after all. But what¡¯s done is done. At the very least, I wouldn¡¯t be used of half-heartedness. Since this was Gambit¡¯s first and likelyst time receiving public feedback, I felt obligated to deliver as much useful information as possible. And so, the interview, which was really just feedback in disguise, continued. For instance: "When you reload during a firefight, you¡¯re lifting your weapon too high. In one instance, an enemy with thermal vision spotted the glowing muzzle above the box and pinpointed your location. You¡¯ll need to adjust how you handle your reloads." Or: "Switching between weapons isn¡¯t a problem, but it seems like your uracy fluctuates depending on the stock length or contact points. Changing weapons based on the situation or environment isn¡¯t a bad idea, but it¡¯d be better to figure out the best configuration for yourself." And: "You¡¯re focusing too much on controlling your breathing. With different guns, recoil, and attachments, micromanaging it is pointless. Besides, most of your fights are at distances where breathing doesn¡¯t matter as much¡ªfocus more on grip and sight alignment." It was basic stuff, really. But unfortunately, Gambit¡¯s gamey was riddled with mistakes that could only be corrected through proper training. And of course, every time I opened my mouth, the reactions varied wildly. I was starting to feel emotionally drained. ¡®...Maybe I shouldn¡¯t havee after all.¡¯ This was exhausting. Chapter 117 "Bbyong-ha! Bbyong-ha!" "Bbyong-haaaaa!" "Wow, a four-person cob? This is insane! My chest is swelling with excitement!" "Screw it, I''m taking a vacation day tomorrow just for this cob, let''s go!!!!!!!" "How can I miss this?! How can I miss this?! HOW CAN I MISS THIS?!" Four streamers. Each averaging around 2,000 viewers during casual chats, with that number doubling once they dove into their main gaming content. The fact that these four heavyweights had gathered for a coboration made this event one for the history books. And it wasn¡¯t just a casual meet-up between friends¡ªit was a convergence of four highly skilled and talented influencers, each capable of holding their own in the ¡°big leagues¡± thanks to their charisma, dedication, and natural talent. Theirbined star power and synergy created a hype that had been building for days, especially among the viewers of the MCN BbyongHammer Brotherhood, who were practically foaming at the mouth with anticipation. More than 30,000 viewers filled the chat with an almost deafening virtual roar, their messages giving the illusion of an audible crowd. Meanwhile, Harmony, arguably the most fitting person to bear the title of "guest" at this event, was still figuring out how to navigate the situation. The three other streamers, who had organized this whole thing, effortlessly managed to control the chaotic firestorm in the chat. "Alright, everyone, hello! Like we mentioned beforehand, today we¡¯re finally doing a cob with our Dark Zone newbie, Harmony! Looks like a lot of you have been waiting for this." "Since we¡¯re on the topic, let me quickly exin today¡¯s content. It¡¯s mostly designed around Harmony, and we¡¯ve picked activities you can enjoy even if you¡¯re not max level. We¡¯re going to try out Domination mode today, so if you want to join, queue up at the right time!" "But, if you don''t take it seriously... you know what happens." "-What? Is she nning some special punishment or something?" "-Heuuung, Limit-noona..." "-What guy could say no to a sultry punishment like that? lol" "-Limit''s fans are wild lmao" "-So we dodge if we match, right?" "You¡­ you absolute brats! Why do I always get this reaction when I talk?!" "Wow, Limit, your avatar is seriously looking sharp today..." "Moni, not you too!" Even amidst the chaos, someone was always bound to be suffering. The four of us began walking, our destination being the helipad¡ªthe starting point for most missions and travels within Dark Zone. As we approached, the propeller¡¯s rotation intensified, and the doors automatically slid open, revealing a massive UI hovering before us. This was the interface for selecting our next mission or destination. After a few clicks, a familiar voice echoed in Harmony''s ears.
  • [Notice: Operator Harmony verified¡­.]
  • [Notice: Domination mode activated.]
  • [Notice: Wee.]
A golden pulse spread out, rippling through the cold New York winter air. A familiar, celebratory p apanied the activation of the mode. "Wee to Domination, Moni. Another step on your journey out of newbiehood." "Ugh, you and yourments." Harmony chuckled at Kimstone¡¯s words, but then asked cautiously, "So, what exactly is Domination mode? I watched the video earlier, but all I saw was people shooting." "It¡¯s basically a capture-and-hold game mode." Hotteok quickly exined, though it wasn¡¯t long before the chat and donations erupted into a frenzy, with more people jumping in to offer their take. Over 30,000 viewers were all throwing out their own exnations for how Domination worked, and the sheer volume of it all was overwhelming. After filtering through the flood of information, Harmony gathered the gist of it:
  • Operators are deployed to high-value points, where they engage enemy special forces who¡¯ve captured Icarus tech. The story revolves around preventing enemies from extracting intel from specific zones through urban warfare.
  • There are different sses: Pointmen, Riflemen, Squad Leaders, and Mechanics, who can support the team with various skills. Four yers form a squad, which can be split into two smaller groups, and Squad Leaders can appoint Deputy Leaders.
  • The map has three key points: A, B, and C. Each objective has three capturable devices and turret defenses. High-value targets (HVTs) asionally spawn at critical locations on the map.
"And if you kill an enemy¡ªwhether a yer or an AI¡ªyou get points, which can be used to activate defensive measures at each location, like turrets or barricades." "Oh¡­" As always, seeing was believing. Words alone couldn¡¯t paint a full picture, and Harmony knew that experiencing it firsthand would be the only way to truly understand. She nodded, signaling her readiness. "Let¡¯s just try it." "That¡¯s the spirit!" "Alright, let¡¯s set up our sses before we start. If there are no objections, I¡¯ll be Squad Leader, as usual. Any issues?" "Nope. I¡¯ll be the Mechanic¡ªI¡¯m not that confident with shooting." "Then Hotteok''s the Squad Leader, Stone¡¯s on support, I¡¯ll take Pointman with the shield, and Harmony¡­ you¡¯ll be fine as long as you shoot straight." For the three of them, everything moved like clockwork, but for Harmony, it felt like chaos. She heard that they¡¯d been practicing as a group in the days leading up to the cob, so their efficiency made sense. The moment the match began, the helicopter¡¯s propeller spun faster, urging them to board. 3,000 viewers waited with bated breath as the four of them,den with heavy expectations, stepped onto the chopper.
  • [ISO: Departing for the mission zone. Buckle up tight.]
Whirrrr! The rotor des tore through the air, producing a deafening sound as the ckhawk lifted into the sky. Harmony¡¯s first Domination match had officially begun. [ISO: Complete your objective and eliminate all hostile forces. Let none of them leave our soil alive.] "We¡¯re here. What a beautiful day¡ªclear skies, quiet. I like it here." "Let¡¯s go! Get out, get out!" As the side door of the helicopter opened, a st of cold air hit them. The frosty wind whipped through, and their breath formed clouds as they stepped onto the untouched snow. Twelve soldiers advanced onto the map, their boots crunching on the fresh powder. The structure of the map appeared before them¡ªayout that set up intense battles over Point B, where both factions were sure to sh. Still unsure how things worked, Harmony decided to follow Hotteok¡¯s lead, who quicklyid out the n. "Alright, listen up. We¡¯re heading straight for Point B. The other two squads will secure A first and then follow us. Our job is to hold them off and buy time. Stone, make sure to set up your defense tools as soon as we get there." "Got it. Looks like I¡¯ll be busy setting things up the moment wend." "I¡¯ll give Harmony Squad Leader permissions. Limit, make sure she doesn¡¯t get wrecked by some random enemy." "Roger that." The countdown hit zero. Twelve soldiers moved out. "Run!" Crunch, crunch. The sound of bootspressing snow echoed with each step. Though the sky was clear, a bitter wind blew through as the three squads split paths¡ªtwo headed for Point A, while Harmony¡¯s squad made their way toward B. The map was vast, but they reached B rtively quickly, as it was set up to be the primary battlefield.
  • [Notice: Entering Sector B.]
The area was wide open, resembling a base camp for a battalion. There were several tents, metal structures to climb, crates of supplies, and parked vehicles scattered around. Positioned throughout the space were AI enemies and three terminals. Each terminal was marked with the Icarus insignia. At the top of the UI, the status of Point A slowly turned blue, signifying their team had captured it. Point B, like the other zones, had three terminals to secure. "We should stick together. Splitting up could get us killed. Let¡¯s capture one terminal at a time. Stone, get to the high ground and set up the pulse devices." "Got it. Looks like I¡¯ll be busy setting up gear right after we arrive." While Hotteok worked on capturing one of the terminals, the rest of the squad¡ªHarmony, Limit, and Stone¡ªclimbed to a higher structure where a generator and antenna were located. With a series of clicks, Kimstone unpacked the equipment he had been carrying on his back, quickly assembling turrets and pulse modules to fortify their position. "B¡¯s quiet. Usually, we¡¯d have enemies here by now." "Uh, Stone? Why haven¡¯t they captured C yet?" "Huh? Really? The UI¡¯s still showing C as neutral?" This wasn¡¯t a good sign. Perhaps the assumption that the enemy team started near C was wrong. But Harmony¡¯s finely tuned danger sense, honed by Yujin¡¯s teachings, was screaming at her. She checked the minimap frantically. The allied team had just secured A, but something still didn¡¯t sit right. Meanwhile, the enemy team was slowly capturing C, but their progress seemed unusually slow, especiallypared to how quickly their team had taken A. Then it hit her. "I think we should get out of here. Right now." "What? What are you talking about?" "We¡¯re about to get ughtered." "What do you mean? Can you exin a bit more? Our allies will be here in about a minute." Ugh. Yujin would¡¯ve understood right away! The answer was obvious after doing the mental math. The enemy had likely left only one or two yers at C, while about ten or eleven were heading straight for B. And, just as expected¡­. "Uh¡­ guys?" "Yeah?" "We¡¯re screwed." From the two main roads connecting C and B, a horde of at least ten enemies was rapidly closing in. The moment before Harmony¡¯s squad was torn apart could be counted in mere seconds.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 118 "Holy crap, the squad at B just got annihted!" "First game and they''re already pulling a cheesy rush strat. These guys are seriously trying to flex on the streamers. Unreal." First Blood. The UI filled with messages signaling that things weren¡¯t looking great. Of the 12 yer names disyed on one side, three had already turned ck, marking their deaths. They were stuck waiting out the respawn timer, with at least 45 seconds left until they could rejoin the fight. The cold winter wind seemed to carry the scent of blood, though the lingering smell of gunpowder was undeniable. Among the 30,000 viewers who had queued up to y alongside the streamers, many were familiar with Domination mode. They didn¡¯t need much time to figure out what had happened. Four versus ten.@@novelbin@@ The unnaturally slow capture of C and the near-instantaneous disintegration of the streamer squad at B meant one thing: the enemy team had left just one or two at C and sent the rest of their forces¡ªnearly ten yers¡ªcharging straight at B. The early stages of Domination mode were a psychological game, much like rock-paper-scissors. There were ways to counter the strategy the enemy had employed, but the window for doing so was rapidly closing. The best counter-strategy at this point would have been to split the forces, send some back to nk C, and create a pincer maneuver. While the enemy was busy bullying B, A and C could be captured, leaving the enemy squad isted and vulnerable. But it was toote for that now. The initial momentum had been lost, and the streamer squad had been overrun in the opening sh. While Domination was known for its back-and-forth action, with frequentebacks and reversals, the beginning skirmish had gone entirely in the enemy''s favor. Meanwhile, in the respawn waiting room, Kimstone, Hotteok, and Limit were already strategizing about their next move. The idea of nking C and catching the enemy off guard was already forming. "Let¡¯s tell Harmony when she gets here. Looks like the enemy isn¡¯t nning to push A just yet, so maybe we can take the chance to head to C." "If we time it right, we could screw up their respawn cycle and positions. Not a bad idea. As long as they don¡¯t turtle up too hard." "Man, that early rush hit us like a truck. Still, we managed to take down two of them before dying, so our allies shouldn¡¯t have too hard of a time." Each offered their thoughts as they analyzed the situation. They couldn¡¯t undo their deaths, but in Domination mode, no one ever stayed down for long. The game¡¯s constant back-and-forth nature meant that even after being wiped, there was always a chance to recover. Their respawn timers ticked down, but 45 seconds was still quite a long wait, with 30 seconds left on the clock. As the seconds slipped away, the conversation naturally quieted down¡ªa rare urrence for streamers who thrived on constantmentary. But today, it was understandable. "Uh... guys?" "Yeah?" "Where¡¯s Harmony?" Where was she? THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!
  • [Warning: Seeker Mine detected.]
"Oh crap, maybe I should¡¯ve just died back there!" Bullets flew. Dozens of rounds whipped past Harmony as she dashed between cover, barely avoiding the relentless barrage. A squad of enemies was on her tail, determined not to let her escape. Luckily for her, their aim was sloppy, more a spray of bullets than the precise single shots she feared. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she sprinted, weaving around shattered cars, mailboxes, transformers, and streetlights¡ªanything that offered a sliver of protection. Bullets shattered ss and punctured metal all around her, the sound of ricocheting rounds and crumbling concrete filling the air. "Remember, just staying alive can change the game." Yujin¡¯s voice echoed in her mind. With a whole enemy squad on her tail, those words rang true. Somehow, she had managed to break through their lines, though she still wasn¡¯t sure how. She needed to find a moreplex terrain¡ªa ce where the environment would work to her advantage. An alleyway, perhaps. Somewhere less exposed than the wide-open main road she was currently sprinting down. CRACK-CRACK-CRACK! The snow crunched underfoot as she pivoted sharply, her feet sliding on the slick surface. She spotted a narrow, darkened alley ahead. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was better than the open street she was currently trapped on. A Seeker Mine closed in behind her. Without turning to look, she raised her gun and fired a quick burst, sending rounds scattering into the device. The explosion rocked the air around her, its st kicking up a blinding cloud of snow. "Agh!" BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! The explosion felt like a truck mming into her back, but she kept her feet. Barely. The alley was more winding than expected, with stairs and corridors that twisted and turned. She pushed forward, sprinting up the stairs and through several bends, trying to shake the pursuit. After two more sharp turns, she paused, realizing she needed to regroup and rearm.
  • "Holy crap, how did she survive that?"
  • "HARMONY! HARMONY! HARMONY! HARMONY!"
  • "Yujin¡¯s training is no joke!"
  • "Breaking through a 10-man squad? Insane."
  • "This is intense!"
CLACK. She paid no mind to the rapidly scrolling chat. With practiced precision, Harmony swapped her empty magazine for a fresh one, her hands moving with muscle memory. In just over a second, she had reloaded. Six hours of practicing reloads alone had paid off, she thought, silently thanking Yujin.
  • [Notice: Pulse activated.]
BEEP! Four enemies were closing in. The narrow, winding alley had slowed their advance considerably, but they were stilling. Carefully. Cautiously. They were wary of an ambush. It was the right call. Yujin had told her countless times¡ªin close-quartersbat (CQB) in Dark Zone, the key was overwhelming firepower in a short window. In a scenario like this, where enemies had both body armor and nanomachine shields, the goal wasn¡¯t just to neutralize the first threat, but to do so before their backup overwhelmed her. The n Yujin had drilled into her involved a crucial piece of kit. CLICK. Grenades. Not one. Not two. But three. In one fluid motion, Harmony pulled the pins on all three grenades. The enemies were only seven meters away¡ªclose, but not too close. They were closing the distance, slowly but surely, with two shielded Pointmen in the lead and the remaining two trailing a bit farther back. 5 meters. 1 second. 3 meters. 2 seconds. CLINK. Then, there was light. BOOM! The triple explosion rocked the entire alley, sending shockwaves through the air. Even the nanomachine defenses registered the damage. But Harmony didn¡¯t waste time. Emerging from the smoke, one of the Pointmen staggered, his shield shattered and discarded. She raised her rifle and delivered swift judgment. In full-auto. Drrrrrrrrrrrrt! "Aaargh!" It only took a second for the first Pointman to drop, his armor shredded by the burst. The second came at her, guns zing. She shifted her aim to his head, emptying what remained of her magazine. The shots ate through his shield, but before she could finish him, her magazine clicked empty. No hesitation. Following Yujin¡¯s training, Harmony dropped her rifle and smoothly drew her sidearm. BANG! One shot. But this was only the beginning. The secret to fast shooting with a pistol, Yujin had taught her, was finding the "wall" on the trigger¡ªthe point just before the gun fires. With her grip locked and the sights aligned, Harmony¡¯s finger found that sweet spot and bounced back and forth, firing off six rapid shots. The nanomachine shields shattered, and the second Pointman dropped. "Phew, time to bail."
  • "WHAT DID I JUST WATCH?!?"
  • "WTF???"
  • "She¡¯s a monster!"
  • "OMG, she just tore through them like butter!"
  • "She did that like it was nothing!"
There was no time to celebrate. She had managed to down the two Pointmen, but the remaining enemies were still alive and would being at her soon, angrier than ever. She fired off a few suppressive shots at the approaching enemies, buying herself precious seconds. She quickly looted a grenade off one of the downed bodies, pulling the pin and letting it clink ominously against the concrete. Yujin had once told her that just the sound of a grenade pin being pulled could be enough to send enemies into a panic. Harmony nned to test that theory. CLINK! The moment she pulled the pin, the enemies charged, hoping to close the gap before the grenade could go off. Harmony, however, had no intention of staying put. She sprinted away as fast as she could, just as the grenade exploded behind her. BOOM! One enemy got caught in the st, his body thrown into the air as the grenade sent shrapnel flying. Meanwhile, the other enemy rushed forward, only to find Harmony had already moved on. She darted back toward A, reloading her rifle with fresh rounds. With each step, she drew closer to victory. The pressure was mounting, but so was the thrill of the chase. Her every move echoed with the lessons Yujin had drilled into her, and she could feel the results.
  • [Notice: Allied forces are requesting backup.]
"They crushed us with numbers earlier. Now it''s our turn." The rest of the team was rallying, and Harmony smiled darkly. Her turn to lead the charge hade. Chapter 119 "Moni! How did you survive?" "What the heck? You actually made it through? That''s insane!" "Haha, well, it just happened. It''s all thanks to you guys holding on till the end." Well, I did survive. After sending everyone who tried to kill me on an express trip to the afterlife, of course, I was still standing. Though, once that adrenaline rush¡ª or whatever it was¡ªstarted to wear off, exhaustion hit me hard, but it was nothing major. We barely managed to take down the vanguard and join up with the reinforcements. Before I knew it, Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok had revived and joined us too. I¡¯m not sure if this game has a spectator mode, but judging from their chatter, it seems like it doesn¡¯t. Anyway, it looks like I can finally let out a sigh of relief. ¨CNo spectator mode means we have no idea what happened, lololol ¨CEveryone shut up!!!!! ¨COf course, I survived just fine, lol ¨CSurvived (after wiping everyone out) ¨CHarmony¡¯s skills are absolutely nuts, what the heck????? Meanwhile, at that very moment¡­ Unlike her fellow streamers, who had no idea what trials Harmony had endured, or how she had decimated the vanguard chasing her down¡ªthanks to theck of spectator mode¡ªHarmony''s chatroom was blowing up. It felt like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Just like how Yujin had shown off her full skill set during the AP prelims, Harmony¡¯s abilities, long overshadowed by Yujin, were finally beingid bare for all to see¡ªand the reactions were always predictable. "I knew she couldn¡¯t be too bad, having spent all that time with Yujin, but I never expected her to be this good." People had long known Harmony spent a lot of time with Yujin, and there had been spection about something going on between them even before her streams started. But no one could have predicted that whatever it was would turn a casual variety streamer into such a skilled yer. The reason for that? The lessons Harmony received from Yujin were the crystallization ofbat wisdom that even modern military forces couldn¡¯t match¡ªeach chapter of that brutal manual was written in the blood of countlessrades. To write a single page, to craft a single paragraph, toplete a single sentence¡­each line was etched into the book at the cost of someone¡¯s life. And it was this knowledge, at least in part, that had seeped into Harmony''s bones. "We talked things over while we were dead, and it looks like the bnce of power has shifted again. I think we can push into point B now, timing seems perfect." "I''m fine with that." The conversation continued in the team chat, which was separate from the squad channel. A soft voice chimed in¡ªsomeone from the same team but a different squad. Or more urately, a viewer¡¯s voice. Many of the 30,000 viewers had queued up simultaneously to try and join the same team as Harmony. The speaker, sounding rather familiar, continued. ¨CWe¡¯ve got 12 allies alive, and three enemies are still waiting to respawn. We''ve got enough of an advantage. Eight of us should push B, while one squad hits C. I was thinking our squad could go for it. Hmm. Harmony''s mind, though not entirely ustomed to this kind of role, quickly started piecing together the tacticalndscape. After a moment of thought, a conclusion formed. Despite the many variables, one thing was clear: point C was likely undefended. Since Hotteok had shared squad leader privileges with her, Harmony had enough authority to speak up¡ªand she was confident. She didn''t think her squad would lose in a straight-up fight with the eight remaining enemies. "I''m in. Whatever we do, we''ve got the upper hand right now." "Oh, really?" "Wow, you''re already getting the hang of Domination mode? Impressive." "Let¡¯s see¡­" After a brief pause, Hotteok nodded and added, "Alright, so Charlie Squad will nk around to point C. If we lose the straight-up fight at B, we can abandon C and set up a pincer from behind, right?" ¨CAbsolutely, Hotteok. "Haha, you''re reliable." A female character that looked more like a white tiger than a human spoke in a boisterous tone that didn¡¯t quite match her appearance. She grabbed her gun and set a waypoint. The main road leading to point B was their chosen path. As they slowly moved out, they coordinated with Bravo Team. Moving as a group of eight down the main road wasn¡¯t ideal, so they naturally split up by squad to stay flexible. The idea was simple: whenever a weak point showed up, they¡¯d strike. And so, one squad headed for point C, while two squads moved toward point B. Time was ticking. ©¤©¤Tatatatatata! "Waaah!" "There¡¯s a turret nest up ahead! Take cover!" Charging into a well-fortified defense is always rough. While Harmony¡¯s squad had been loitering around point A, the enemy team¡¯s mechanics had fortified point B with bunkers and turrets. These defenses, especially the high-tech automated turrets, were a major headache. Theyunched grenades and targeted any of the allied mechanics'' devices from afar. Kimstone¡¯s abilities were effectively neutralized by this setup. "Damn it, those bastards¡­!" "These turrets are too strong. Hotteok, what¡¯s Bravo Squad saying?" "Ugh¡­they¡¯re in a simr situation. Do we just hold out here until Charlie Squad can nk them?" Tracer rounds mixed with turret fire turned the entire exposed area into a death zone. Thick bullets, fired from the turret''s chain gun, whipped through the air, making a deafening crack as they created a kill zone. Kimstone, crouched behind cover, was pulling at his hair in frustration. "Damn it, we made the wrong choice©¤©¤!" At that moment, Harmony¡¯s eyes began to sparkle. What she was looking at wasn¡¯t one of the pulse turrets or other defense mechanisms she''d seen before but a fully-formed M32 grenadeuncher. Hotteok and Limit chuckled at the sight. "Okay, I¡¯m reporting Kimstone as a troll after this game." "Yep, pack your bags! The coboration with Kimstone is over, folks! This shop is closed!" "Hey, you jerks!" Of course, Harmony wasn¡¯t paying attention to their banter. Her gaze locked on to theuncher, and Kimstone saw the fierce determination in her green eyes. Naturally, being no Yujin, he didn¡¯t just blindly trust her¡ªhe hesitated, questioning her first. "What? You¡¯re good with that thing?" "Just give it to me!" "Wait, wait! I¡¯m not handing this over without some guarantee you know how to use it! Limit, can you¡­?" Click. Harmony¡¯s sticky grenadeuncher slowly aimed in Kimstone¡¯s direction. Realizing it wasn¡¯t a joke, he yelped in fear. "Alright, alright! Here! Why are you so scary all of a sudden?! Take it!" With a quick toss, the revolver-style grenadeuncher arced through the air. Harmony caught it deftly, her feetnding softly on the ground as the six attached grenades clinked beside her. Hotteok and Limit, meanwhile, promised to disrupt the turrets as a way of opening up the advance. If that¡¯s the n, then so be it. Harmony¡¯s pyromaniac instincts, which had been simmering ever since the earlier mission, were now aze. "When the explosions start, we move! There are two or three more grenade bundles here, so if you need them, help yourselves!" No further words were necessary. With a metallic clink, the cylinder revolved. She loaded all six rounds into the chamber and snapped it shut. The weight pressing against her arm wasforting, especially knowing what it would soon aplish. Taking aim at the distant turret, Harmony¡¯s cold focus locked in. The others were poised to move. The weight of her responsibility felt heavy on her shoulders. Yet, despite it all, the smile on her lips wouldn¡¯t fade. ©¤©¤Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! And then came the firestorm. With astonishing uracy, the grenades arced perfectly into the bunker, mming into the turret. The automated system shuddered, and for the first time, its firing paused. "Run, run, run©¤©¤!!" But it wasn¡¯t over yet. The following grenades hammered the reinforced barricades, smashing everything in their path. Despite the cold logic that told her to stay calm, the thunderous st and the shockwaves reverberating in her ears made her heart race faster. Spent shells ttered to the ground as she reloaded for a second round. The enemy mechanic scrambling near the now-quiet bunker was the next target. What happened after was predictable. "Aaagh!!" "Heh¡­" Boom. It didn¡¯t take long for the enemy caught in the st to be a shredded mess. Harmony strapped the grenadeuncher onto her back, stuffed the remaining grenade bundles into her utility pouch, and dashed forward. Now, it was time to put Yujin¡¯s lessons on move-and-shoot tactics into action. ©¤©¤Tatata! A hail of bullets shot through the frigid air, forcing an enemy gunner to duck back into cover. But that wasn¡¯t enough. The enemy was maintaining their lines with coordinated advances and retreats, using cover effectively. Patience was key. Managing risk was the most critical aspect of modern urban warfare. Yujin had taught her that too. With that in mind, Harmony quickly ryed Limit and Hotteok¡¯s movements and adjusted their positions. "Limit, left side. Can you flush out the guy hiding behind the generator? Grenade or a direct charge, whatever works." "Ugh, I¡¯ll give it a shot!" It didn¡¯t take long for Limit to throw a grenade, but theck of proper timing gave the enemy a chance to toss it back. Of course, that was my cue. ©¤©¤Thoom! "Aaagh!" And boom. The enemy¡¯s hand, severed cleanly by the st, dropped to the ground. There was no need for further exnation¡ªthe enemy exploded into polygons, and their team was left with a gaping hole in their defenses. There was nothing they could do to stop Alpha Squad¡ªmy squad¡ªfrom pushing toward point B. "Now¡¯s the time! Push forward!!" ¨CThis is too intense, lololol ¨CWhy is this so fun? Why is this so fun? Why is this so fun? Why is this so fun? ¨CYujin¡¯s students seem to all catch the ¡®can¡¯t-y-normally¡¯ disease, lololol ¨CThe amount of chaos is unreal, lmao Charging across the snow-covered ground, Harmony darted between cover points, piercing through the crumbling defensive line like a spear. Ahead were Limit, Hotteok, and Kimstone. As they sprinted forward, Harmony called out their positions, and Limit took point with his ballistic shield. They quickly regrouped, and Harmony stuck close to Limit¡¯s back. This was her moment to control the flow of the fight. She activated her pulse to detect the remaining enemies, spotting four signatures¡ªthe reinforcements from earlier. They had to be dealt with. Harmony pulled out a freshly supplied grenade and yanked the pin. "Behind the car on the left! I¡¯ll flush them out!" "Hey, why are you throwing grenades from behind me!? Aaaah!?" "Focus on the front!" Why was he being such a coward? I swear, if Yujin had felt this way while watching me, it all makes sense now. As soon as the grenadended, the enemy hiding behind the car fled. Limit, meanwhile, kept absorbing iing bullets with his shield. The rounds crumpled and fell to the ground. Harmony leaned out from behind cover and set her rifle to burst mode. It was time to rain fire on their exposed nks. ©¤©¤Drrrrrrr! "Aaagh!"@@novelbin@@ Limit flinched as shots rang out from behind him. Through the transparent nanomesh of the ballistic shield, Harmony saw an enemy copse after taking an entire clip¡¯s worth of bullets in less than two seconds. They dropped consumable items before vanishing into fragments. Limit, now visibly baffled, spoke up. "¡­Moni, where on earth did you learn to do all this¡­?" There was no answer. They were already opening the way to point B. Chapter 120 In Domination mode, the game could be broadly ssified into two categories: strategic y and brute force. The former involved yers constantly moving across the map, aiming to capture points like A or C instead of focusing on the main battle at point B. This approach aimed to keep the enemy on their toes by continuously shifting the battlefield and forcing them into difficult situations. Thetter, however, was all about the battle for point B. It was a literal power struggle. Losing control for even a moment meant losing the central objective permanently, leaving no room for retreat. And the type of Domination mode Harmony first encountered? It was definitely thetter. This wasn¡¯t a ranked game but rather a casual one, where yers often made choices driven by the thrill of the moment rather than the pressure of winning. The early rush strategy the enemy team had employed was a clear indication of that. In a high-stakes ranked match, such extreme tactics would likely be considered a rare gambit, something used to catch the opponent off guard, but in a casual match, it wasn¡¯t umon. Still, whether the battle was a strategic chess match or a chaotic free-for-all involving more than 15 yers, there was always something to watch. ©¤©¤Drrrrrrrr! "Aaagh!" By now, the sound was all too familiar. As Yujin-sensei had once exined, battles between yers don¡¯t unfold like the scenes in movies. Attacks that would have easily killed someone in real life could be shrugged off thanks to the protection of nano-machine barriers. Among the things Harmony had learned in the past five days¡ªbesides how to swap magazines seamlessly and toss grenades where she wanted¡ªwas how to shoot. The ability to uratelynd shots was the alpha and omega ofbat. Of course, that applied not just when everything was going smoothly but "in any situation." In other words, when the moment presented itself, you had tond every shot. ¡®If the target is within 20 meters, you should be able to hit them with a full-auto spray.¡¯ How is that even possible, senseeeeei¡­. Still, now that she had experienced realbat, it made sense why Yujin had said that. Even if her standards weren¡¯t quite as extreme as Yujin¡¯s, it was clear that anything less than that made it hard to effectively eliminate enemies. Right now, it was proving particrly difficult to secure a clean kill. "Take out the debuff device on the makeshift structure near B2¡¯s terminal!" "We shouldn''t have let them set that up. They¡¯ve attached all sorts of crazy stuff." "Yeah, but for all that gear, their firepower seems weak. Are their numbers low?" ¨COf course, Yujin 2.0 is wiping the floor with them, lolol ¨CDid the girls rece their eyes with buttons or something??? ¨CBut for real, Harmony¡¯s shooting skills are insane, haha ¨CAt this rate, she''s like a living turret! ¨CFact: Noknyang almost dropped a magazine on the floor like a troll just a month ago. Meanwhile, Harmony''s viewers continued to express their amazement. Her smooth target tracking, controlled breathing, and seamless gun handling¡ªeverything contrasted sharply with her past performance. Like the scent of perfume spreading through the air or ink dissolving into water, rumors of her newfound prowess were rapidly spreading. Naturally, the number of viewers watching the four streamers became skewed, with more and more people flocking to Harmony¡¯s stream to catch a glimpse of her gamey. Unbeknownst to anyone, Harmony, and by extension Alpha Squad, was gradually pushing the frontline forward. Like fire consuming paper, she was bing the center of her squad, and her squad was bing the center of the battlefield, reiming enemy ground. Her precise rifle support was more effective than any mechanic''s devices or squad leader¡¯s orders. In short, she was single-handedly controlling the flow of the battle. "B3 is breached! There are eight enemies in sector B! The B2 terminal is also in danger!" "Why are we falling back so easily? Stop wandering around and focus on defending!" "There''s someone on the other team with absurdly good aim!" "Do they have a high-rank yer among the streamers?" Ironically, and understandably, the ones feeling the brunt of Harmony¡¯s control were the enemy team. This shouldn¡¯t have been a difficult game for them. After all, a third of the enemy yers were streamers. Mostly casual variety streamers or creators of other types of content. It wasn¡¯t impossible that some of them yed in the Dark Zone, but none of them were known for being high-rank yers in Domination mode. Skill-wise, they were likely on par or even below average. But it didn¡¯t take long for that assumption¡ªor rather, bias¡ªto be shattered. In the Dark Zone, at least, there¡¯s one surefire way to teach someone the truth: deliver it directly to their skull with a lead bullet. "B3 terminal, upper structure to the left! There¡¯s a rifleman! That guy¡¯s trying to bury our whole squad! Aaaagh!" "Deploying a scanning round." Thoom. A sticky grenade shot across the air and embedded itself nearby. But instead of exploding, it emitted golden rings that revealed Harmony¡¯s location. At that moment, the enemy team finally got a glimpse of the yer who had been harassing¡ªand almost wiping them out. Given that they were lucky enough to match with the streamers, their reaction could only be one thing: Shock. "¡­It¡¯s Harmony! That rifleman on the upper structure, it¡¯s Noknyang!" "What? No way!" "Way or no way, if we stay here, we¡¯re gonna get¨Curk!" Thud. A single, precise shot shattered the nano-machine barrier of one of the yers desperately hiding near the B2 terminal, and the follow-up round sent them to respawn for 45 seconds. Poking their heads out to engage the advancing enemies only resulted in brutal suppression fire. Although, could it even be called suppression fire when the bullets were hitting their mark? Perched atop the upper structure like a sniper on a stove, the green-haired catgirl moved. Long-range shooting wasn¡¯t her only skill¡ªshe now began to pierce through the enemy lines like a sharpened spear. As Limit, holding the ballistic shield, absorbed iing high-explosive hive shards, Harmony¡ªhaving replenished her grenades¡ªthrew three at once from behind him. They arced gracefully through the air,nding on the metal floor of the structure with a satisfying thud. Meanwhile, she nked toward the B1 terminal, climbing the opposite set of stairs. ©¤©¤Boom! Even from a distance, the explosion was loud enough to be unmistakable. The enemy yers might have escaped, but their stationary mechanic devices didn¡¯t stand a chance. Just as the real firefight was about to begin, Harmony appeared at the perfect moment from an unexpected direction, raising her gun to aim at the enemies. They were barely 10 meters away¡ªtoo close to miss, even with a burst fire. The sound of her gun firing was like a chainsaw revving, the barrel glowing red from the heat. The frigid New York air wasn¡¯t enough to cool the fury of death. Of course, there were still three enemy yers near the makeshift structure by B2. Facing them head-on meant Harmony was at a firepower disadvantage. In other words, she could only take down one before the rest focused their fire on her. But it didn¡¯t matter. The rattling of metal echoed from the stairs as the reapers who had been trailing behind Harmony¡ªher squadmates¡ªarrived. The fight was over in a sh. "¡­Man, that wasn¡¯t easy." "If you have anyst words, I¡¯ll hear them out." "M-Mommy, help, the hammer brothers areing for meee¡ª!" Bang. The enemy copsed with a bullet hole in their head, a smile still on their lips. ¨C[ISO: Excellent! You¡¯ve banished those who trampled on our soil straight to hell. This is our victory!] "Whew, that was tough¡­." "Harmony, great job! You really killed it! Looks like you¡¯ve learned a lot from your teacher." "¡­That¡¯s all you have to say after watching that?" "What? I didn¡¯t get a good look." After the match ended, reactions were mixed. Limit couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the people on their team had buttons for eyes. Had they even seen how well Harmony performed? No, on second thought, maybe it was because they were on the same team that they hadn¡¯t noticed. After all, since Limit had been with Harmony the most, maybe only he had a clear view of her skills. Questions started piling up in his mind. One thing was for sure, though: Harmony wasn¡¯t the typical newbie he had assumed. Not at all.@@novelbin@@ "¡­Moni, what exactly did you train on with that Yujin person?" "What¡¯s this, Limit princess? Is Harmony really that good?" "Sigh, I don¡¯t even know where to begin. Hotteok, you didn¡¯t notice anything either!?" "No, I was too busy managing the squad¡­." "Ugh¡­." Idiots. But I¡¯ll cut them some ck¡ªHotteok was in charge of leading the squad, so it made sense that he wasn¡¯t focused solely on Harmony. As squad leader, his role was to manage the battlefield and issuemands as needed. Doldoli, as a mechanic, was also preupied with setting up defenses and maintaining equipment. He didn¡¯t have time to observe other people¡¯s gamey either. Still, that didn¡¯t change the fact that their eyes were purely decorative. I nced at the chat. Most of the viewers seemed confused about what had just happened. Naturally, since I had stuck close to Harmony, I had a front-row seat. But Kimstone and Hotteok? Not so much. Then again, there was no need to rant or redirect their focus. Harmony didn¡¯t seem to mind, and more importantly¡­ "Wow, that was fun for a first match. Moni, just keep doing what you did. Got it?" "Oh, you bet." This was only the first game. Just like a needle in a pocket that can¡¯t be hidden for long, it wouldn¡¯t take more than another match or two before everyone realized just how skilled Harmony really was. Of course, there¡¯s always a chance I could be wrong. If this wasn¡¯t her full potential¡­that¡¯s a little terrifying. What kind of training had Yujin put her through? Sigh. I slumped back into myfy chair, brushing my green hair out of my eyes, still ruffled from the Domination match we¡¯d just finished. Everything felt a bit chaotic. As I started tidying myself up, I noticed the others looking at me. "¡­What?" "Wow. You¡¯re better at fixing up your hair than most girls now." "You¡¯re practically a natural-born woman at this point, seriously." "Hehe, so pretty." ¨COoh ¨CNow this is peak content, hahaha ¨CHngggh! Hngggh! Hngggh! Hngggh! Hngggh! ¨CLimit princess, just once, show us your armpits¡­!! ¨CHow is this guy even a man?! How is this guy even a man?! How is this guy even a man?! ¨CHell yeah! A face like this on a guy? Unreal! "LimitHeung donated 1,000 won¡­you bastards! I¡¯m gonna give you all new imnts today, soe here!" After turning one of the avatars into a prime example, it was finally time to start the second match. I really hate this avatar. Chapter 121 There¡¯s a concept known as d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It¡¯s that moment when you find yourself in a situation and think, ¡°Haven¡¯t I been through something like this before?¡± Of course, it¡¯s not apletely new feeling but more like a shback to a past experience. For Harmony and Yujin, this happened more often than one might think¡ªit had even be a kind of meme. Viewers who crossed over from Yujin¡¯s streams to Harmony¡¯s would return to Harmony¡¯s stream,ining loudly. It was like a ritual. The reasons for this were varied, but if you asked their viewers, most would give the same response: Harmony¡¯s awful taste in games had slowly rubbed off on Yujin, causing Yujin¡¯s viewers, who were also Harmony¡¯s viewers, to storm into Noknyang¡¯s chat and vent about what Harmony had done to their beloved streamer. In essence, the d¨¦j¨¤ vu between Yujin and Harmony often centered around Yujin teaching Harmony mischievous things, like how to train viewers with bad games, which would lead to Yujin¡¯s audience flocking to Harmony¡¯s stream toin. This was a frequent urrence, a testament to the yful back-and-forth between theirmunities. But this time was different. <LeMis¨¦rableLeMis¨¦rable has donated 5,000 won in video support.> ¨C"Teacher, this is your work, right?! What did you do to Harmony!!!" ¡°¡­Haha.¡± On screen, the video yed in full. Green hair swayed wildly with every shot fired, and if you shifted your gaze just a little, you¡¯d see a woman staring intensely with nearly crazed concentration¡ªHarmony. And to the side, just slightly, Yujin appeared on the screen with a faint smile. ¡°Well, she¡¯s doing her part. Teaching her was worth it.¡± ¨CDoing her part????? ¨C"To Yujin, this is what counts as one person¡¯s work." ¨C"Look at her confidence, lolololol." ¨C"Yeah, no matter how much time passes, you¡¯ll never surpass your master!" ¨C"That¡¯s one proud expression, hahaha!" It had only been a month. But the density of experience was something that couldn¡¯t be reached through ordinary gamey alone. Spending hours every day, for weeks, absorbing and applying every bit of knowledge she learned. Yujin had no choice but to push Harmony hard if she wasn¡¯t seeing improvement. However, Harmony delivered results, and the path she walked had be a testament to her progress¡ªsomething that Yujin found deeply satisfying. After a moment, Yujin¡¯s smile faded, and she added, ¡°Her aim is still a bit off, though. I¡¯ll have to correct that soon.¡± ¨CHow can you even see that?! ¨C"Harmony dom when?" ¨C"She¡¯s doomed! HAHAHA!" ¨C"LOL, someone clip that and send it to Harmony right now!" ¨C"Looks like Harmony just got some unexpected homework, haha." Of course, Yujin¡¯sment quickly quashed any sympathy in the chat for Harmony, and soon, the clip of her statement started making the rounds¡ªno doubt heading straight for Harmony. As always, there was no escape for Harmony. ¡°Aah, my body¡¯s finally warming up. This mode¡¯s pretty fun!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess¡­?¡± ¡°Should we do a little more, then?¡± And as always, the person in question waspletely unaware of the chaos around them. ¡°Shall we jump into the next match?¡± ¡°Uh, are you sure? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°What? How many games have we even yed? It¡¯s only been three, maybe four hours?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Harmony, Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok exchanged nces. There was no need to state the obvious, but beneath the surface of those looks, a moreplex web of reasoning was at y. The first to notice something was off had been Limit. After just one game, he realized that the person standing behind him was no newbie but more like a bald-headed, purple-skinned maniac. It wouldn¡¯t take long for Kimstone and Hotteok to notice the same thing about Harmony¡ªone or two more matches at most. In roughly 20 minutes, they had gone from: ¡°We need to teach newbie Harmony a thing or two.¡± to: ¡°What the hell has she been up to?¡± There was no room for thoughts like, ¡°She¡¯s doing pretty well¡± or ¡°Not bad.¡± Instead, there was a sharp shift in their perception. After ying around a dozen games, there were no morepliments on her skill¡ªit wasn¡¯t because Harmony was bad. It was because they realized she wasn¡¯t someone they could judge. Regardless, the coboration continued, and they had plenty of chances to witness Harmony¡¯s ability firsthand. More than once, in fact. She didn¡¯t necessarily dominate each match to the point where she was the focal point. Her ystyle appeared ordinary on the surface¡ªshooting, throwing grenades, supporting her teammates. Just a standard rifleman. But every action carried a level of precision and skill that showed she was taking things seriously, almost like it was real life rather than just a game. It was obvious where she had picked up these habits, but that wasn¡¯t important. The results mattered more than the process. And the result was that Harmony¡¯s skill was overwhelming. ¨C"Yujin has turned Harmony into a machine!" ¨C"This is wild, hahaha!" ¨C"Is Harmony secretly a carry machine?!" ¨C"Look at everyone, they¡¯re in shock, lol." ¨C"Honestly, Yujin¡¯s scarier for turning Noknyang into this, lol." -[ISO: Complete the mission and achieve the objective. Leave none who tread on thisnd with filthy feet.] The map might have been different, but the start was the same. Harmony, who had once trailed behind her team, barely keeping up, was now confidently moving across the battlefield. Checking her gun, loading her magazines¡ªit was all second nature now. Hotteok was still squad leader, but nobody could ignore Harmony¡¯s input anymore. She had proven her skills, and naturally, the squad began gravitating towardbat engagements. Wherever she led, the sharp tip of their spear pierced the enemy lines. And with Harmony¡¯s abilities now clear to everyone, even Hotteok¡¯s voice had risen in excitement. -[Alert: Entering sector B.] ¡°Forget the objective, just focus on hitting the enemy where it hurts the most! Harmony will handle it!¡± ¡°Moni, we¡¯re counting on you!¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯m charging in, trusting Harmony©¤!¡± ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± Shock troops. In simple terms, Harmony had be the sharp tip of the spear, crashing into the enemy defenses and causing as much damage as possible. It didn¡¯t matter if the enemies tried to chase them down¡ªthey would take losses regardless. It was basically the Harmony fan club at this point. And the one most bewildered by it all was Harmony herself. She was just following what her teacher had taught her, yet her uracy was something she couldn¡¯t have imagined a month ago, and her view of the battlefield had be much clearer. When she made a suggestion, Hotteok would instinctively adjust the squad¡¯s strategy, and they would slice through the enemy lines like a knife through cake. Even when they faced tough situations, they managed to ovee them. Yujin had always said that survival was the top priority, even if the system allowed for respawns. That¡¯s why Harmony fought so hard in every engagement¡ªeven in the first game. If she hadn¡¯t focused on survival, she would¡¯ve died back then. Some variables only exist for those who stay alive. -[ISO: Impressive! You¡¯ve established overwhelming superiority over the enemy!] They cut off infiltrators, regrouped to crush enemy formations, and dealt with isted enemies one by one. There was no need to capture and recapture points A and C, endlessly pestering the enemy like flies. When you weren¡¯t losing in a straight-up fight, there was no need to harass the enemy incessantly. By the end, the opposing team had holed up at A, unable to break out. Everyone could see it, and they all felt it. Even the viewers, who were now sending in donations, could sense it. <Kereshian has donated 1,000 won!> ¨C"If you can¡¯t overpower the enemy, maybe you should think about getting more firepower." ¡°Thank you for the donation, Kereshian¡­¡± ¨C"Reading donations even during battle, lol." ¨C"Look how differently they¡¯re treating her now, hahaha." ¨C"You idiot, 360 degrees just brings you back to where you started." ¨C"Why does Noknyang¡¯s posture remind me of her teacher, haha?" ¨C"This is terrifying, seriously!" <SixTimesIsNotEnough has donated 5,000 won!> ¨C"Harmony, we need to check your snake tail for security reasons. Bend over, please." ¡°Hey! There¡¯s no such thing!¡± During a brief lull in the action, Harmony tried to read some of the donations, only to be bombarded by all kinds of ridiculous requests. Snake tail check? Really!? Even Kimstone, who had just finished some mechanical repairs, snuck over and nced at her rear, muttering something about looking for a snake tail. Harmony pped him on the head with her mechanic¡¯s glove, the sound echoing crisply in the cold New York air. Their antics were starting to get to her. She subconsciously reached back and felt her tail¡ªthankfully, just the virtual cat tail she had equipped as part of her character. It was visible and tangible, but not very realistic. ¨C"Living point: If Yujin trains you, you grow a snake tail." ¨C"Oooh, hahaha!" ¨C"Is it Dice¡¯s turn next? Hmm, interesting¡­" ¨C"A blonde noble with a snake tail, hahaha!" ¨C"Should we just ban them all now?" ¡°Sigh¡­¡± As Harmony pondered the situation, her thoughts wandered. Despite her incredible skills, Yujin had an absurd number of strange nicknames. Axe Goddess, Tactical Snake Tail, Nightmare of Pro Gamers, Apex Predator, Ouroboros, Big Sister¡ªnames that Corvus, a pro gamer, had given her. Was she doomed to follow the same path? Surely not. Yujin¡¯s just a unique character, right? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll end up like that¡­right? ¡­Why did she feel so uneasy? -[ISO: Enemy special forces have signaled their intent to surrender. Remarkable! Combat is over!] Those thoughts quickly dissipated as ISO¡¯s voice echoed through her earpiece. The UI shed as the holographic disy confirmed the enemy¡¯s surrender. The victory screen lit up, and the nearby squadmates began pping and cheering in unison. ¡°Oh, what the heck, they surrendered!¡± ¡°Yeah, no surprise. We destroyed everything except A.¡± ¡°Wow, Harmony! We knew you¡¯d pull through!¡± ¡°What did I even do!?¡± Of course, Harmony was near the top of the kill log again. Second ce, to be exact. Only because she had opted to stay at B and defend while others cleared out A. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She couldn¡¯t fully understand Yujin¡¯s feelings of aplishment, but after receiving praise and cheers following the end of each rank session, she had started to get a sense of it. But then¡­ <PreliminaryRank No.1 // Eugene has donated 10,000 won!> ¨C"When firing in full-auto, be sure to ount for the recoil from the first shot. Make it a habit, okay? ????" ¨C"Lol, she¡¯s getting critiqued in real time!" ¨C"Another scary person has appeared! Another scary person!" ¨C"Big Sister! Big Sister! Big Sister! Big Sister!" ¨C"No peace in this world, hahaha!" ¡°¡­Y-yes, Teacher¡­¡± She¡¯s terrifying. Even though she had done well, Harmony couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down her spine. Chapter 122 ¨C "Hey, Yujin! Get out of Harmony''s body right now! I want the old, FPS-clueless Harmony back!!!" ¡°Aigoo, no way! Hey! If someone does well, you shouldpliment them! Instead, you guys just keep looking for Yujin-sensei!¡± The waiting room before the next match. As the three teammates lingeredzily behind her, Harmony¡¯s voice, mixed with frustration, shot out at the chat. Unsurprisingly, Harmony¡¯s sudden leap in skill was apanied by a significant bacsh. Her viewer count had ballooned, and the chat logs were racing by like the RPM of a machine gun, hammering in the reality of her transformation. By now, the stream had settled into a quieter state. After over six hours of streaming, everyone except for Harmony¡ªHotteok, Limit, and Kimstone¡ªhad ssy, unfocused eyes. That was howbat went. Virtual reality might not drain physical stamina, but mental fatigue umted regardless. The breaks between matches grew longer, and so did the silences. Harmony alone, having fortified her mental resilience through countless trials with Yujin, kept pushing forward without a second thought. The others, who had once been startled by her improved skills, were now left wondering if she had somehow drunk water blessed by Yujin-sensei, making her fly around the battlefield with newfound energy. But not everyone was pleased with her sess. ¨C "I can''t even wave my carrot anymore¡­ I¡¯m too damn tired..." ¡°Oh, Luddite, haha! Guys! Do some work! I¡¯m always carrying you!¡± ¨C"LOL" ¨C"The nickname suits them perfectly, hahaha!" ¨C"Gonna smash everything at this rate, lololol." ¨C"Please help, there¡¯s a green cat sucking out our editors¡¯ souls!" ¨C"The editors are crying, haha!" The editors. If anyone was feeling the weight of Harmony¡¯s sudden rise to fame, it was the editors, whose workload had exploded thanks to Harmony¡¯s newfound potential after meeting Yujin. They weren¡¯t benefiting from her sess but were instead drowning in the sheer amount of new content to process. If they were just viewers, they¡¯d be thrilled at the tsunami of new clips, but as the ones responsible for creating that very content, they were buried under an ever-growing mountain of work. Even though Harmony had three dedicated editors, it still wasn¡¯t enough to handle the surge. It¡¯s not like they weren¡¯t prepared. With four streamers from the Hammer Brothers gang coborating¡ªKimstone, Harmony, Limit, and Hotteok¡ªit wasn¡¯t hard to predict the synergy would lead to massive content output. To handle this, about ten editors had been mobilized, with some even organizing a temporary group chat tomunicate. However, just because they were prepared didn¡¯t mean they were ready for this level of chaos. Wooooooong! ¡°Aigo.¡± A sigh. It came from Harmony¡¯s editors. Despite the hours that had passed since the stream began, the messages flooding their group chat showed no sign of stopping. The subject? Predictable, of course. It was all about their employer¡ªHarmony. More specifically, her surprising, hidden talent. As editors, they knew a good portion of Harmony¡¯s daily schedule. They were aware of Yujin, a yer almost every Dark Zone user had heard of. And they had also known that Harmony had been practicing with Yujin, albeit without paying too much attention. But this? This was on another level. Drrr-drrr-drrrrrr! A clip from about half an hour ago yed, featuring Harmony¡¯s sharpmands and the thunderous sound of gunfire, followed by her unnervingly precise aim. She was¡­ good. Too good. And that was the problem. Why had she suddenly gotten so good? Maybe they had just never noticed. Maybe Harmony¡¯s skills had always been overshadowed by Yujin, like a shadow cast by a brilliant sun. A message popped up. ¨C"Harmony¡¯s editors must be overworked right now, haha!" Miserable bastards. But they couldn¡¯t help it. This was the upational hazard of being an editor. They could no longer enjoy streams for fun¡ªthey were always watching for the next clip or edit point. And today, their workload seemed insurmountable. Every match Harmony yed was packed with content. Now, with Harmony¡¯s sudden skill boost, it was worse than ever. Even though she had previously been considered a subpar Dark Zone yer, everything had changed. Before the group chat for all editors, there was a smaller chat just for Harmony¡¯s team, and that was even more chaotic. The editors were excitedly discussing which clips to edit. Recently, all of Harmony¡¯s Dark Zone videos had been racking up over 600,000 views on average, so it was only natural that all three of her editors were focused on this area. Each time they uploaded, the video would immediately shoot up in trending, and there was always a bonus for high-performance content. Sure, the work was endless, but editing, reviewing, and posting felt like printing money. All they had to do was pour in insane amounts of time. The world operates through the magic of bnce. Even those poor editors trapped behind their holographic editing tools couldn¡¯t escape it. They had to work together to produce the best results without shing, and Luddite¡¯s current efforts were just one example. With countless folders and filesid out before them, technology had advanced to the point where editors no longer had to check every second of footage manually. Clips featuring Harmony were isted, voice scripts separated, and more. But, of course, this didn¡¯t change the fact that there was still a mountain of work to be done. Luddite¡¯s fingers hovered over the holographic keyboard. ¨CLuddite: Listen up, you morons. ¨CLuddite: Today, we edit until we die. ¨CWaltz: You madman, LOL. ¨CRubin: The guy with the most destructive-sounding name is actually the most reliable, hahaha. The night was still young. ¡°...Thank goodness I¡¯m not on that team.¡± Elsewhere, Yujin¡¯s editor breathed a sigh of relief. Such was the strange life of an editor. "¡­Hmm¡­" ¨C"Wow, that¡¯s what dissecting people with your eyes looks like." ¨C"Harmony would freak out if she knew, LOL." ¨C"Let Noknyang y the game in peace, Yujin!" ¨C"From the cradle to the grave? More like from the cradle to the battlefield!" ¨C"Look at that crazy look in her eyes!" One single donation. It didn¡¯t take much topletely derail the simple direction of Yujin¡¯s stream. Originally, she had nned to y a casual game rmended by her private site, but now Yujin was acting as one of the 10,000+ viewers in Harmony¡¯s chat, doing what she did best¡ªevaluating. As strange as it might seem for one streamer to sit in on another¡¯s stream with their own audience, Yujin wasn¡¯t just watching; she was critiquing. Analyzing Harmony¡¯s movements, noting areas for improvement. Movement patterns. Pivot points. Tactical positioning. Target tracking. Situational awareness. Every time Yujin¡¯s eyesnded on a detail, a checkpoint formed, and an improvement note followed, bing a single line of feedback. Line by line, they filled up, growing into three, four, even five pages. And none of the viewers had any idea. "Hmm, still a bit unnatural." Yujin thought to herself. It was to be expected, though. You can¡¯t be a special forces soldier in just a few weeks. Still,pared to others¡¯ awkward movements, Harmony¡¯s progress was clear. That much was certain. Dark Zone wasn¡¯t reality. That was amon misconception. Except for the hardcore modes, elements like gun weight, recoil, and countless other variables functioned very differently than they did in real life. Most yers didn¡¯t realize this. Thanks to this, Icarus International had legally distanced itself from ims of fostering real-life violence while simultaneously enhancing the simtion experience¡ªgiving yers just enough auto-assist to make them feel like actual special forces operatives. It was all about striking a bnce between cool aesthetics and practical functionality. And Yujin could see right through that bnce. <DoYouLikeIt ?? 10,000? ???????!> ¨C"Yujin-sensei, our dear Noknyang is looking amazing! What rank would you say her skill level is?" ¡°...Because of that ridiculous description of me, I really don¡¯t want to answer your question. But thanks for the donation anyway.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¨C"LOL." ¨C"Yujin¡¯s secretly sensitive about her reputation, hahaha!" ¨C"She¡¯s extra cute today, hahaha." ¨C"Living point: If you tease the professor with embarrassing nicknames, her reactions are priceless." ¨C"LOL." These punks. That thought flitted through Yujin¡¯s mind before disappearing. Of course, her viewers weren¡¯t stupid. But they also knew exactly how to rile up their streamers with perfect timing. To put it simply, they loved to mess with their favorite streamers. They couldn¡¯t care less about public opinion, but they¡¯d spread Yujin¡¯s embarrassing nicknames like wildfire across the inte. Of course, cross a line, and¡ª Smack! ¡°Gyaaa!¡± Yujin folded an unruly viewer in half before coolly returning to the game. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll talk about thister. Right now, we¡¯re in the middle of gamey.¡± ¨C"I don¡¯t think you should be saying that after snapping a viewer in half." ¨C"Yujin uses the interview function so hriously, haha!" ¨C"Later?!" ¨C"That¡¯s a reward!" ¨C"How is that a reward, you freaks, LOL." Ignoring the chaos, Yujin began typing out a message. It was simple. After crafting it in under a minute, she sent it with a soft ¡°ping¡± and promptly left Harmony¡¯s stream. The coboration would likely continue for another few days, judging by Harmony¡¯sments about how massive the content would be. There was no point in staying any longer. It would just be distracting. And besides, the real work would begin once the stream ended. She added a note suggesting they could talkter if Harmony had the energy after the stream. If she was too tired, they could catch upter. Yujin figured Harmony would appreciate the thoughtfulness. With that settled, Yujin returned to her private room to start her own content. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s check out this levitation simtor. It seems simple, but it actually has over a dozen different control keys. Let¡¯s see what it¡¯s all about.¡± How did her viewers always manage to find the weirdest games? Shaking her head, sheunched the game. It would take only ten minutes for Yujin and her viewers to pass out from the sheer absurdity of the game. <Yujin: I¡¯ve noted down some points for improvement based on today¡¯s y. If you have time after the stream and you¡¯re up for it, feel free to reach out. No rush though¡ªtake your time! (?¡ä?¨F?)> ¡°Moni, why did you freeze up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­nothing¡­¡± It''s scary, it''s scary. Harmony could not rest. Chapter 123 "???¡­" "Your avatar might be a cat, but you don¡¯t need to act like a real one." Lying sprawled on the cold, white concrete floor, Harmony didn¡¯t care about appearances or anything else at that moment. Multiple targets were set up in the distance, making it clear to anyone entering that this was a shooting range. Despite the hard surface and the ttering of the gun on her back, along with the difort from the equipment in her bag digging into her spine, it was oddlyfortable. Her exhaustion took over, and she closed her eyes. "Ahhh¡­" "Worked hard today, didn¡¯t you? How does it feel fighting without me for the first time?" "Let me down first¡­" A familiar sight from old adventure movies reyed in her mind. A giant snake, coiling and squeezing, ready to swallow its prey. Yujin¡¯s infamous tail slowly slithered around Harmony¡¯s waist, winding around her torso and lifting her effortlessly into a chair beside her. "I want one of those tails." "Unfortunately, it¡¯s not for sale." After seven long hours of streaming, including a pre-cob practice session with Yujin, Harmony was spent. Even with the toughened nerves she had developed from training under Yujin, today had been a grueling day. Despite receiving Yujin¡¯s message about areas for improvement, her focus was fraying. She had joined to get feedback but could barely stay alert. Wait, what was Yujin asking her? Oh, right¡ªthe first time fighting with other yers properly. Using herst bits of concentration, Harmony tried to form a coherent response. "Uh¡­ It wasn¡¯t too bad, actually." "That¡¯s what I expected." Was Yujin predicting her responses? Harmony didn''t dwell on it, too tired to care. Yujin nced at her, encouraging her to borate. So, Harmony did, giving her impressions. Yujin¡¯s reaction was, unsurprisingly, subdued¡ªshe wasn¡¯t one for big reactions. "I don¡¯t really know how much I¡¯ve improvedpared to before. But I think¡­bat feels less overwhelming. My body responded better to what I wanted to do." "You could¡¯ve just said the enemies were easy." Well, she wasn¡¯t wrong. Harmony had to admit, as much as she hated to boast, she had done well. The intense training sessions and practical application had significantly improved her gamey. She exined her thoughts, ncing at Yujin, who was still wearing that inscrutable expression. But the faintest hint of a smile betrayed her satisfaction. "The packaging might look impressive, but that doesn¡¯t mean the contents are much. In small-scale engagements, positioning and calcted movement matter more than rawbat ability. The reason you noticed the enemy¡¯s movements better today is that your awareness has improved from working with me. Isn¡¯t that right?" "Yeah¡­ that¡¯s true." "Individualbat skill is broad. It includes decision-making, risk management during shooting, and target detection. Precise shooting is just one part of the equation, and it bes useful after mastering everything else." Yujin produced a piece of paper, tossing it into the air where it dissolved into a holographic projection. The screen filled with lines of feedback, detailed notes on improvements¡ªcorrections, really. It was overwhelming, seeing how much Yujin had written. It almost looked like Harmony had performed terribly. "You did well today. I watched your y closely, and domination mode is simple enough that we didn¡¯t have to focus too much on strategy. This let me evaluate your tactical prowess more urately." "Moni?" Harmony blinked at the nickname. "Yeah, everyone calls you Moni. It¡¯s cute." Oh no.@@novelbin@@ She had heard it now¡ªYujin¡¯s cool detachment was unshakable as she continued scanning the notes. Her professionalism was almost infuriating. Finally, Yujin looked back at Harmony. "Despite all these notes, everything was above average. Tactics, situational awareness, target tracking, and movement were solid. Your shooting could use improvement, but aiming at moving targets is one of the hardest techniques." "Then¡­ what¡¯s the n for future training?" "Let¡¯s focus more on shooting. You¡¯ll have more chances to learn the other aspects, but improving your weakest area will make the biggest difference. We¡¯ll work on increasing your uracy while moving." Terrifying. But Harmony¡¯s body responded naturally. As Yujin adjusted the settings for the shooting range, she threw out casual questions about Harmony¡¯s life, recent experiences, and thoughts on the curriculum. Afterward, it was Harmony¡¯s turn to answer. Yujin asked her about the MCN, her editors, and YourSpace¡ªthe tform. Most wouldn¡¯t believe it, but Yujin had only been in the streaming world for less than 40 days. As Harmony replied, she realized just how much work went into being a streamer, especially for those trying to make a living from it. Streaming wasn¡¯t just about ying games; it required an incredible amount of effort, especially in such apetitive, oversaturated field. Even streamers with thousands of viewers had to hustle constantly to stay relevant. Maybe that¡¯s why Harmony found Yujin¡¯s training so appealing. Unlike streaming, where she had to n every step and forge her own path, in Dark Zone, she could focus solely on one clear goal. There was something freeing about that. Of course, Yujin wouldn¡¯t leave her to rx. "Let¡¯s go for about an hour. But if your scores don¡¯t improve, you know what that means." "Ugh¡­" Never mind. Forget everything. Harmony realized she had definitely bitten off more than she could chew. 100petitors, 20 tickets. This weekend, the battlefield will forge 100 yers, but only 20 will earn a chance to face the wider world. Only one in five will be given this opportunity, and the fight for it will be fierce. "KSM? What¡¯s that?" "The AP tournament. Don¡¯t you y Dark Zone?" "Oh." Screens all over the station disyed the tournament ads. Whether on the walls, beside the screen doors, or even on the carbon nanotube disys newly installed on subway windows, the APEX Predator qualifiers were a hot topic, with concurrent viewer numbers breaking 500,000. The Icarus Corporation had ramped up advertising, knowing the hype for Dark Zone was unprecedented. Everywhere you looked, from television ads to inte banners to the huge building screens in Seoul, the game was everywhere. The surge in VR headset sales, discounted for universities and students, fueled the trend even further, especially among military returnees. Dark Zone had found the perfect market. "Isn¡¯t the Asia qualifiers two weeks after KSM? That¡¯s during our midterms." "College will be there next year, but you won¡¯t get to watch the third APEX Predator tournament if you miss it." "Guess my test scores will have to be sacrificed." Even casual conversations like these becamemon. The game, once niche, had be a cultural phenomenon. It wasn¡¯t just a hobby anymore¡ªit was a full-blown cultural shift. "100 yers, 20 spots? I wonder who will make it this year." "20? It¡¯s 19 this year, remember?" "19? What do you mean¡ªoh." There was one spot no one could touch. Everyone knew that this year¡¯spetition would be even fiercer. One slot had already been reserved for someone special, throwing off the entire nning for the teams. And no one could forget that. Even the organizations couldn¡¯t escape it. "Should we list Yujin as a coach for SSM, or what?" "Better get permission. With how much attention she¡¯s getting, it¡¯s risky not to." If Yujin were officially listed, it wouldplicate things. After she was added to the KSM roster, the SSM team had to scramble to adjust their ns. Dice, in particr, knew Yujin wouldn¡¯t care too much about such details, but not getting her approval was another matter. At least they had time to prepare. With KSM around the corner, the focus was now on solidifying their roster, including whether Yujin would be part of the three-person team. If not, it would just be two yers. Either way, SSM had to prepare for whaty ahead. "Congrats on making it to KSM. I knew you would. You¡¯re the best AP yer we¡¯ve got at SSM. Why don¡¯t you seem happy?" "I don¡¯t know¡­ I should be happy, but¡­" Why didn¡¯t she feel excited? Dice nced at his fellow pro-gamer. Everyone knew Yujin¡¯s training methods could be summed up as grinding people down until they became unbreakable weapons. The only saving grace so far was that her curriculum had been tailored for second-tier yers and trainees. But now, everything would change. With KSM guaranteed, and the potential to move on to the Asia qualifiers and beyond, it was only natural to feel overwhelmed. ___________________ "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get an answer soon. Let¡¯s not stress ourselves over it." "Yeah, I¡¯m off to prepare for KTM. Catch youter." As his teammate disappeared, dissolving into the air, Dice sighed and sank deeper into the sofa. "Tiring. So tiring." But the real challenges hadn¡¯t even begun. Chapter 126 -[Notification: Pulse activated.] -[Notification: 6 enemies identified.] ©¤©¤©¤Ratatatatat! The deafening noise filled the room. The firing pin struck the primer, igniting the powder inside the casing, creating a loud explosion. Although it was muffled by the silencer, the sound was amplified by the tight indoor space, bouncing off the walls and shattering into pieces before gradually fading into the background like dust settling on the floor. Russian-uniformed yers, struck by bullets, copsed face-first onto the ground with strange wheezing sounds. However, just secondster, they disintegrated into polygon fragments, leaving no trace behind. One yer crossed the now-empty corridor. Her hair was messy and singed in ces, her bulletproof vest caked with dust and dirt, and her gun scratched and pierced by bullets. Yet, her light mint-colored eyes continued scanning the surroundings, never letting her guard down. Of course, there was some grumbling to go with it. "What is my team even doing...?" D was still gray, meaning it hadn¡¯t been captured by anyone. She had witnessed both friendly and enemy forces repeatedly battling for control, but it was clear that unless D came under friendly control, it was all pointless. Perhaps this was because of the tactical decision made when they first arrived at D, a thought that crossed Harmony¡¯s mind. And what was that tactical decision? Let¡¯s rewind a few minutes to when the squad first arrived at D. Thanks to the enemy transport¡¯s excellent support, at least two enemy squads had reached D first, and more may have arrived since then. That¡¯s when Harmony shared her improvised n: "Even if we can''t capture D, we can make sure the enemy doesn¡¯t capture it either." Outnumbered. The friendly forces were advancing toward D, but the enemy had arrived first. Therefore, their mission wasn¡¯t to engage in a direct firefight but to circle around inside the building, picking off the Russian yers who had snuck in and sending them back to the respawn screen. Harmony''s squad chose to crush the enemy¡¯s vanguard. With Harmony¡¯s skillfulmand and the enemy struggling to capture D in an exposed, open area, the enemy forces that had tried to take D multiple times were wiped out just as the main U.S. force arrived, costing them their early tactical advantage. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Harmony¡¯s squad came out unscathed. -[Notification: 45 seconds until enemy UAV recon ends.] They hadn¡¯t captured the point, and now an enemy UAV hovered above, ready to drop an EMP. This meant that despite Harmony¡¯s survival at D, her squad couldn¡¯t spawn nearby. A quick nce at the half-updated holographic map showed Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok running toward D from far away. Whether they caught a ride, ran, or parachuted out of a wrecked transport, they were on their way. But there wasn¡¯t much time for rest. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "Ugh, no matter how many I take down, they keeping!" Shards of stone, shattered by bullets, flew everywhere. Dodging from her previous cover, Harmony repositioned herself, ready to fire back. More enemies had appeared. D had turned into a warzone, with friendly and enemy forces mixed and fighting from every direction. Harmony wasn¡¯t spared from this chaos. She checked her hologram, spotting two enemies sneaking around a corner, their positions revealed thanks to the still-active pulse. She ced her finger on the trigger, took a deep breath, and lined up her shot. Leaning out just slightly from behind cover, Harmony, armed with her HK416, aimed down her holographic sight. The barrel spat bullets with a strange hiss. "Argh!" "Ugh...!" Pew, pew, pew. Because this scenario didn¡¯t involve operators, but instead regr U.S. soldiers, yers had lost their nanomachine barriers, leading to drastically shorter time-to-kill (TTK). What would normally take a burst of rounds to bring down an enemy now only required three well-ced shots to the upper body and head to send them straight to the respawn screen. Unlike in the Dark Zone main mode, the mechanics of Conquest naturally divided yers into two groups: Those who die easily. And those who kill easily. Harmony was clearly thetter.@@novelbin@@ -[Interceptedms: Enemy in the right corridor! Throw a grenade!] She wasn¡¯t one to miss such an opportunity. Skipping over the disappearing bodies, Harmony peeked out and spotted a Russian yer who had just pulled the pin on a grenade. Their eyes met, though Harmony saw them through her dot sight. A sharp sound followed by the grenade falling from the enemy¡¯s hand, and the four others diving for cover. -Boom! With that, that squad learned the valuable lesson of not throwing grenades in an area upied by enemies. Returning to the hallway, Harmony reloaded. Meanwhile, cheers and encouragement filled the chat window floating in the corner. The rate at which the chat scrolled was faster than the altimeter of a crashing jet.
  • "Whooooaaaaaa!"
  • "Bartender! Give us a round for Harmony!"
  • "That timing was perfect, lol!"
  • "I¡¯m done! That was sick, lol!"
  • "I wanna y like that! I wanna y like that!"
Normally¡ªor at least five or six weeks ago¡ªshe would never have heard such a flood of praise. It sent chills down her spine, and a smile crept onto her face. She barely suppressed augh, but the overwhelming joy made her hair stand on end. It was obvious without looking¡ªher cat ears and tail, reacting to her emotions, were probably twitching like crazy. The exhaustion from the intense battle began to set in, but when she heard over thems that the EMP UAV had disappeared, her spirits lifted slightly. The crackling noises faded, andmunications were restored. A familiar voice echoed in her ears. -[Friendly Comms: Hey, Harmony! You still alive!?] -[Friendly Comms: She¡¯s no ordinary cat, she¡¯ll outlive you. Anyway, we¡¯re on our way as fast as we can, but...] "Why, what¡¯s up?" A moment of silence. Not understanding what was happening, Harmony waited for the response. -[Friendly Comms: Limit the princess got swept away. It¡¯s like something out of The Wizard of Oz. He managed to escape from the transport, but got caught in a whirlwind, so he¡¯ll be a bitte. We¡¯re heading over without him for now.] "...What?" ...A whirlwind? She was about to ask what kind of nonsense that was when¡ª -[Broadcast: Attention to all personnel in the building. A powerful windstorm is currently raging outside. Please move to the inner areas of the building. Do not attempt to go outside. Once again, a powerful windstorm is...]. "No way, what¡¯s wrong with this map!?" At the same time, Harmony started making her way outside, retracing the now-familiar interioryout. The sound of the wind grew stronger as she moved through the corridors. Friendly yers along the way advised her not to go outside, but curiosity is hard to resist. The view outside was vastly different from just a few minutes ago. The sky, once clear, had darkened. Naturally, rain was pouring down, and the roaring noise created by the vortices hitting the building grew loud enough to hurt her ears. She stepped outside. And then she saw it. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! "...Whoa, what the heck is that." A massive pir of wind, descending from the clouds, was spiraling down, swallowing everything in its path. "You seem to be enjoying the view." "It¡¯s not every day you see a tornado invade a battlefield." To put it differently, it piqued my interest. Honestly, I¡¯m not a fan ofbat or fighting. Why would I be? Anyone who thinks about where I¡¯ve been can figure out the answer quickly enough. Still, being interested and liking something are two different things. I may not like battles, but it was fascinating to see Harmony, who had been training with me, disying her growth across variousbat scenarios. And with a tornado¡ªa unique variable I had never encountered before¡ªentering the battlefield, it wasn¡¯t something I could ignore. Having only experienced New York''s blizzards, heatwaves, rainstorms, and the asional hurricane, this was definitely worth paying attention to. "Have you yed Conquest mode before?" "Not yet, no. Seeing all the transport vehicles, helicopters, and tanks, I feel like I''d just end up dying to a stray bullet. It doesn¡¯t seem like my kind of game." "Yeah, I get the feeling... you don¡¯t seem like someone who enjoys dying." Someone who, no matter the odds, finds a breakthrough¡ªor at the very least, obliterates everything around them. That was generally the external assessment of Yujin. She had told me once. Getting too used to dying could, in a way, be a decline in skill. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure if she was serious, but without adding any embellishments, Yujin had demonstrated that philosophy over and over through her actions. Of course... "...What are you writing?" "Just noting down things I might incorporate into training." "Ha." It was honestly a bit terrifying. What could possibly be going through her head? Did she even have any thoughts outside of her expertise¡ªlike favorite foods, clothes, perfumes, or cosmetics? Not that I could make assumptions about her gender, of course. ncing over, I asked: "By the way, you weren¡¯t stationed at Jinhae Naval Base before you started Dark Zone, right? You¡¯re not UDT or Special Forces or anything like that, are you?" "Who knows. That part is..." "Uh... Should I not have asked? Sorry." "No... That¡¯s not it. I was just thinking about something." Had I touched on something I shouldn¡¯t have? As I started to feel uneasy, Yujin was sorting through various thoughts, particrly fragments of the past that had surfaced unexpectedly. As I mentioned before¡ªfragments of a past I hadn¡¯t anticipated. - The Department of Homnd Security is waiting for you. There was no need to dwell on that message. Fortunately, DHS seemed to remember my efforts, for reasons unknown to me. And if I dug into my memories, I¡¯d find that DHS held an extraordinarily high status. Even at a nce, DHS stood shoulder to shoulder with major federal departments like the State Department, Treasury, Defense, and Justice. It handled everything from presidential security, intelligence, and counter-espionage to customs and immigration. Its power within the U.S. was unrivaled. Considering that the message was signed by Richard A. Bernstein, the current Secretary of Homnd Security¡ªwho was already dead when I was in New York¡ªit was clear that they weren¡¯t taking my significance lightly. ...Maybe if I talked to them, they¡¯d even rewrite my military record. "Umm, uh..." "I¡¯m not mad." "Wah!?" Wrapping her tail around Dice¡¯s waist and tapping her head lightly with the tip, Harmony heard the resulting shriek. Harmony seemed to like it, but Dice still had a long way to go. In any case, there was no reason for me to be angry. I just didn¡¯t feel like saying anything because it all seemed like such a distant matter. The issue of my military record would undoubtedlye up someday. And when it did, I might need all the help I could get. Taking a small breath, I added: "...You¡¯re really not mad?" "I¡¯m really not." "Whew, that¡¯s a relief... Oh, I had something to say, but I forgot... Ah, right. By the way, there¡¯s a meeting tomorrow with the 100 peoplepeting in KSM. Are you going? You can always watch the recordingter if you want. But since it¡¯s in VR, I¡¯ll probably be there." "Really? Well, if that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t see a reason not to go. It¡¯s probably in my inbox, right?" "Check your inbox more often." "...I probably should." Of course, Dice shot me a fiery re, so I quickly averted my gaze. Why am I always the one to get nagged? Anyway, by then, our break time had flown by. Tapping her shoulder, I added: "Let¡¯s get back to it." "Ugh..." St, st. Today, too, my training camp was running at full capacity. Chapter 127 Blood, sweat, steel, tears, and the lingering smell of gunpowder all came to a halt with the grinding noise of rusted machinery. The vibration that had shaken their bodies finally ceased as the Rank Ship for the preliminaries¡ªdesigned to eliminate 15 out of 16 people¡ªcame to a stop on the dry, barrennd. Only the hundred survivors remained, while the other 1,500 crew members disembarked, preparing for next year''s event. But this didn''t necessarily mean it was the end of everything. Much like how things be even busier after the stage ends, the eliminated were now bustling, preparing for the nextpetition. Unlike the office workers who dragged their feet, reduced to ashes after the preliminaries, the teams still had a lot to do. This included SSM, and with the addition of Yujin to their roster, one could say their workload only increased. Not just Dice, but anyone within SSM who had even received a single lesson from Yujin was now involved in this. "Hey, Dogfood. The preliminaries are over, right? Go grab something delicious and take a break. I know an amazing barbecue ce..." "Ugh, I need to practice... Let¡¯s goter..." "...Aren''t the preliminaries over? Why do you all look like you''re about to copse?" Just like Dice, not everyone was an elite supported by both Yujin and SSM. Yet the coach never overlooked even a single yer. One of those yers was PigeonCheeseTangSuyuk, also known as Dogfood, one of the first users Yujin had encountered when she first arrived. It was obvious that overseeing around thirty users simultaneously was a challenge, but the time spent with each individual was far from insignificant. With her extraordinarily keen insight, Yujin could pinpoint most problems within seconds or minutes. After the curriculum, instantly transformed into documents via speech-to-text machines, was distributed individually, most of SSM¡¯s pros voluntarily¡ªor sometimes involuntarily¡ªlocked themselves in the shooting range, treating it like a closed training session. The reactions from other teams watching this varied, but in summary, it could be described like this: ¡®What the hell is wrong with them?¡¯ To be frank, SSM wasn¡¯t exactly known for producing outstanding results. They were often referred to as the "second-ce team," always managing to achieve steady results even amidst the AP hurricane. They weren''t Xi, who consistently produced results, nor TK1, who dominated the field. They were more of a back-and-forth, mid-tier team. But after acquiring Yujin¡ªalmost for free¡ªsomething started to change. In the AP field, which was long considered Dice''s sole domain, the fact that another user from the SSM squad advanced to KSM was already an unprecedented event for the other teams. And it didn¡¯t stop there¡ªoverall, SSM¡¯s users saw a slight increase in their average results during the preliminaries. The important thing wasn''t just the slight improvement. What was truly noteworthy was that in just a few short weeks, the team''s growth had shifted upward, however slightly¡ªand the analysts from rival teams weren''t the kind of people to overlook that. ¡°We should have doubled the offer when we had the chance.¡± This sentiment had be increasinglymon. What kind of magic did they perform to achieve such results? The fact that Yujin¡¯s contract wasn¡¯t official and could be renewed or ended depending on her wishes after the term was the only constion for headhunters. Of course, considering her trajectory, there was always the possibility that Yujin might quit coaching after SSM. What was even more peculiar was that this effect wasn''t limited to just AP soloing. Ratatatata! ¡°Squad in front! We¡¯re at a disadvantage in a strength fight!¡± ¡°Damn it! The vehicle''s tires are shot! They¡¯re circling behind us!¡± ¡°No, they¡¯ve blocked our retreat!¡± Purposeful and calcted movements. When encountering the enemy, it wasn¡¯t about randomly spraying bullets at the cockpit and hoping someone died. It was about cutting off the retreat and applying calcted pressure, as if they had done it countless times before. It was the result of the countless times they had drilled Yujin¡¯s words into their heads. "Approach every engagement with intention and purpose." This advice shone even brighter in squad battles than in solo ones¡ªand Yujin didn¡¯t just offer words; she taught countless methods to apply them. The "big picture" Yujin had created kept growing and growing, and it was now clearly reflected not just in solo matches but in duo and squad preliminaries as well. However, from a broader perspective, this was just a ripple in the pond¡ªit didn¡¯t change the fundamental nature of the pond. Everyone was moving forward, whether it was the same asst year or different, in a good direction or a bad one. Each team faced their own results and continued to move forward. And among them was Xi. -[Virtual Live On.] "Hello, everyone. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve appeared on Xi''s official broadcast. This is Corvus. Nice to see you all." Not every professional gamer did broadcasts, but it wasn¡¯t entirely umon for them to make public appearances. Even if they weren¡¯t keen on personal streaming, the official broadcasts of the team provided an effective tform for those who didn¡¯t particrly like being in the public eye. A long, jet-ck hair resembling a crow, and beneath it, a slightly cold-looking young woman. With the rise of virtual reality, many chose pretty avatars simply because they looked good. And professional gamers were no different in this regard. As always, being pretty had many advantages. "I¡¯m not very good at talking, but since I¡¯m the one chosen to host today¡¯s Xi stream¡­ I hope you¡¯ll all bear with me." Xi had a unique culture. One of the team¡¯s pro gamers would be randomly selected to act as the host for their weekly official broadcast. It was a team strategy to promote their yers, and anyone from the second division upward was eligible, excluding trainees. And, just as luck would have it, Corvus was the one chosen to be the host for today. "KSM is fast approaching. Some of you might not know this, but the day before the match¡ªon Friday¡ªall 100 participants receive a pre-match briefing. It covers how the tournament will run, event matches, and stuff like that. It¡¯s kind of like the ceremonies you¡¯re used to seeing." It was a kind of talk show where the host discussed the general topics written in the pre-prepared script. Of course, the viewership varied depending on the content, and even on who the host was. Thus, next to the "On Air" sign, the viewership count was nk. This was an intentional measure to prevent hosts from feeling demotivated in case the number was low, but to Corvus, it just felt like she was talking into thin air. But it didn¡¯t matter much. She didn¡¯t know how many people were watching, but she still had to give it her best. "For those of you who follow me, you might already know, but I was lucky enough to be included in the KSM entry list this time. It¡¯s been a tough week. So much happened..." As she closed her eyes and remembered, of course, it was that day. Specifically, the day she was utterly humiliated by Yujin. How could she reflect onst week''s preliminaries without bringing up that memory? And unfortunately, the next topic also involved that incident. "You all know what I¡¯m talking about, right? Yes, that incident. Personally, it¡¯s the scariest thing I¡¯ve ever experienced in Dark Zone. Sometimes I still think about it during matches." The conversation naturally flowed into the second topic. "But I¡¯m sure many of you found it entertaining, right? I get it. I also enjoy seeing others get pranked, so I know the feeling. So, for all of you out there, Xi is preparing a special surprise." With a flick of her fingers, a video popped up. The logos of Icarus and Xi appeared on the screen, followed by a few words¡ªHorror Cinematic. It was aption of clips showing various Xi yers dying in all sorts of bizarre and unexpected ways, edited with eerie sound effects to create a horror-like atmosphere. Though it was meant to be an advertisement, it didn¡¯t feel like one. Corvus had a clip in it as well. The video had beenpleted some time ago. After reviewing it for any errors and getting final approval from the yers involved, it was set to be uploaded to YourSpace in a few days. Whether or not it could be considered an actual "advertisement" was up for debate, but the dice had already been cast. Now that she had opened this can of worms, she had to see it through to the end. "This cinematic coboration between Xi and Icarus¡­ the theme is horror. A lot of people joke about Dark Zone being a horror game, and we really leaned into that. You¡¯ll be able to find the video on YourSpace soon. We decided to ride that wave ourselves." At that moment, the video started ying. The chat must have exploded in panic. Unless they were die-hard horror fans, most people hated the feeling of fear. But like it or not, the 10-minute video would be uploaded to Icarus''s official channel in a few days. Theposition was simple: several death clips edited together in a found-footage style. The colors and sounds were adjusted to create an unsettling atmosphere, with plenty of creepy background music and noises. Corvus¡¯s clip was one of the highlights, perfectly fitting the horror cinematic. A killer emerged from the mes, searching for his next victim with a firefighter¡¯s axe in hand. It was ssic, but that¡¯s exactly why it remained timeless. Donations started pouring in. The messages were predictable: "Please stop ying this," "I can¡¯t handle this anymore," and so on. But the guideline required her to show at least one minute of the video as a preview. After what felt like an hour but was actually just a minute, the donations slowed down as the video ended. Corvus resumed talking. "Ha ha, did you all enjoy that? I hope you did." Isn¡¯t this why people love to prank others? Even though she couldn¡¯t see the number of viewers or chat messages, how could she resist teasing people? She covered her mouth with her hand, but it was hard to hide the smile creeping across her face. In short, Corvus had forgotten her past embarrassment and was now reveling in the joy of teasing others. But then again, when hadn¡¯t she done this? Stream viewers always seemed to love seeing streamersugh at them. With a click, another video donation popped up. Corvus let out an involuntary gasp. It was Yujin¡ªwatching her own interview video. With a radiant smile, Yujin began to speak. "Well¡­ I wonder where these strange nicknames keep popping up from." "I¡¯ll make sure to repay you for this new nickname¡­ with interest. Of course, there¡¯s no hidden meaning behind this, so let¡¯s see each other again. I hope you make it to KSM." ¡°Hic¡­¡± Corvus was the only one who hadn¡¯t realized. The time for reckoning wasing. -[Identity verification in progress¡­] -[Identity verificationplete // Adrian B. Solomon] -[Position verificationplete // NSA Director] -[Please enter your password // ICARUS] . . . -[Authenticationplete.] Hiss. The door opened with a sound like air escaping, and a man walked inside. His average height and appearance were marked by the ravages of time. Beneath his graying hair, his sharp eyes surveyed the room. He wore a white shirt under a ck two-button suit that entuated his firm build. The air from outside mingled with the atmosphere inside, carrying a distinctive scent. He took a short breath and nced around the room. Including himself, there were only three people present, but if you counted the holographic participant, there were four in total. Solomon¡¯s eyes took in the others in the room. They were people he never should have met, but as their gazes met, vivid memories from the past shed before his eyes. Names that he should never have known naturally slipped from his lips. "Michael. Michael Kissinger." "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you in person for the first time, Director." "You don¡¯t look like the man I remember. How have you been sleeping?" "The Secret Service keeps me quite busy." As expected, the resumes of everyone gathered here were impressive. Solomon turned his gaze to another man. Jordan Royden, a senior researcher at DARPA. All of Icarus¡¯s technology should have passed through his hands.@@novelbin@@ And in the center, though only a voice could be heard through the hologram, Solomon knew who it was. The current Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate, and a few yearster, the president who would be tasked with leading the United States through the aftermath of the Omega Virus¡ªHenry M. Brayton, the most unfortunate president in history. As they all took their seats, the conversation began. "Looking good. How¡¯s the job of NSA Director treating you?" "Better than being unable to sleep due to terror threats." "Same here. So, what¡¯s the reason for this gathering? Forming a corporate cartel? That¡¯s amusing. Should I propose cutting the NSA budget and reallocating it to public welfare in the next session?" "Well, one of the members of that cartel is sitting right here, after being saved by them." After some light banter, the conversation continued. "Viper will be here soon. No more than two months. Don¡¯t you think we should give them a little gift?" "Go on." "We¡¯ll need to secure some strong backing. You¡¯re the one who revised the MAVNI act, after all." "And is that worth it?" "He has confirmed possession of Icarus gear." A stunned silence filled the room. It was something only the NSA Director could know¡ªa piece of technology officially sanctioned in an alternate version of the United States. That gear, which could legally infiltrate anywork in the current U.S., had been essed, and not even counterintelligence agencies could detect the logins. Except for him, who had inherited the memories, no one else knew. "Although ites from another world, the fact is, as president, you signed off on it, and as Icarus''s director, I authorized it. Based on its catalog specs, it could ess every digital device in the country, including the Pentagon¡¯s defensework and nuclear power nt systems." "Whoever authorized that must have been insane." "Well, then that means we have two insane people in this room." Another short silence. But soon, the atmosphere lightened as a cheerfulugh came from the hologram. "Request a retrieval of that gear. Even though it¡¯s biometrically locked, it¡¯s better than having it fall into the wrong hands¡­ Ah, was the election next year? If this had happened a yearter, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to amodate such a huge risk. Lucky timing." "Are you still considering running for president?" "Why wouldn¡¯t I?" With a small chuckle, the conversation continued. "It¡¯s fortunate that the number of people saved by that adorable kid isn¡¯t small. It won¡¯t be too difficult. But let¡¯s make sure the blowback doesn¡¯t reach me. If there¡¯s any fallout, I¡¯ll smooth things over." "The Department of Defense, the Treasury, Homnd Security, and JSOC are all involved. We¡¯ll handle it cleanly, so there¡¯s no need to worry." "Good. I¡¯ll get my heavy rear moving for the first time in a while. It¡¯s been a pleasure. I hope the next time we meet, it¡¯s for something just as entertaining, Director." "The feeling¡¯s mutual." Click. After themunication cut off, Solomon spoke again. "So¡­ any thoughts on how we should embellish Viper¡¯s military career?" Chapter 128 [General] Damn, so many damn ads. Stop this Dark Zone domination, you assholes. The inferiorityplex is ridiculous. How are those losers ying low-tier games like Terra supposed to survive? Stop hiding behind money and fight fair based on the game¡¯s merit, you pathetic bastards. [All Comments] [Sorted by registration]
  • LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
  • If you''re so salty, why don¡¯t you hold a worldwide tournament too~~~~~~~ ? [Author] You little b*tch.
  • Wow, so many ads everywhere LOL. Is it always like this? ? Isn''t it obvious? These days, all the billboards are Dark Zone domination. ? I don''t even go outside! ? You poor, useless NEET losers. Another L today LOLLLLLLLL ? Truly pathetic, LOL.
  • Ga??mey?? ? A game where money makes your sword stronger has no game quality LOL. ? [Author] LOL You really hit them hard. ? As long as you pay for skins and battle passes, you¡¯re set LOL. ? Honestly, Dark Zone barely costs anything. I actually like that. ? Dark Zone¡¯s gamey is better? Maybe? Kind of? LOL.
  • There are a lot of ads, though. ? If you look at the electronic billboards around Seoul, it''s all Dark Zone ads LOL. ? They wouldn¡¯t spend so much unless they were sure they''d get a return LOL.
  • With the tournament just a day away, of course, they¡¯re doing their final push. You think they¡¯d sit still?
  • But isn¡¯t this KSM way too intense? How do they only pick 19? ? It¡¯s 20, dumbass. ? One slot¡¯s already taken, so it¡¯s really 19. ? LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ? Stop jumping to conclusions. Is waiting for the sunrise tomorrow also jumping the gun, you idiot? ? LOL Those Yujin stans are insane LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
  • If they lose in the preliminaries after all this, that¡¯d be legendary. ? I can¡¯t even imagine it. ? You¡¯d have to get hit by a dump truck for that to happen LOL. ? Honestly, after seeing what they¡¯ve done so far, even a dump truck seems like it wouldn¡¯t be enough. ? Why are you guys hating on Yujin? LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
  • Honestly, I¡¯m so hyped for KSM. Upvote if you agree LOL. ? 22222222222222222222222 ? The weekend is doomed LOL. Get ready LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ? nning to spend all my incentive on chicken and beer LOL. ? Every time I see the ads, my chest swells LOL for real.
  • Watching KSM with some cold beer this weekend¡­ is this not happiness? ? Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face LOLLLLLL. ? Sleeping in, ordering takeout, gaming while waiting for the match¡ªahh LOL. So excited already. ? The weekend matches were a genius move LOL for real.
  • They¡¯ll probably do the briefing today, right? ? Yeah, it¡¯s confirmed by Xi.
  • Can¡¯t wait to see the other teams in the Asia prelims get wrecked LOL. ? China Federation is trembling, Japan Republic is losing their minds, and Yujin is made in Korea LOL. ? This is¡­ Korea¡¯s nuclear hammer? ? This is madness, LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
"¡­Don¡¯t we only need to be here by noon? Why¡¯s everyone already gathering?" Chatter, chatter. In real time, it was only 11:20 AM. Which meant there were still two hours left until the pre-briefing would start in virtual reality, yet over 50 participants were already lounging in the soft chairs of the briefing room, chatting away excitedly. A quick nce around revealed a sea of familiar faces, enough to make one¡¯s head spin. It wasn¡¯t like there was no one to talk to, but somehow, this didn¡¯t feel like the right ce to be just yet. Still, even as Dice quietly slipped away, nearly half the crowd was happily engaged in conversation. The topics were varied. "Ah, you survived! Doesn¡¯t the air of the top 100 taste sweet?" "Haha, no need to say it. It sure does." They bantered, congratting each other for qualifying for KSM. "As long as we don¡¯t get any weird maps, I think we¡¯ll be fine¡­" "If we don¡¯t get screwed over by RNG, I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯ll make the top ranks. Honestly, I just don¡¯t want to run into Yujin." "I¡¯ll pray for you to spawn right next to her at the start." "No, please¡­." These casual conversations naturally gravitated toward Yujin. Given her overwhelming impact on AP solo y, it was only fitting. In fact, you could almost divide the crowd in the auditorium into those who had faced Yujin and those who hadn¡¯t. The week of preliminaries had felt far longer than expected. Specifically, about half the participants had at least one encounter with Yujin¡ªbut with 1,600petitors, some never even crossed paths with her. Yet, her reputation loomedrge. "I¡¯ve never fought Yujin before. What¡¯s the big deal?" "Do you think you could beat an armored vehicle in a fistfight?" "What, is it that bad?" "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll find out during KSM." Of course, that wasn¡¯t entirely sincere. Pro gamers¡¯ bread and butter was analysis and review. Yujin¡¯s gamey had been recorded and dissected more than anyone else¡¯s. Anyone who couldn¡¯t understand their opponents¡¯ strength had already been weeded out during the preliminary rounds. Which only intensified the fear among those present. Experience is the best teacher, after all. And Yujin¡¯s ominous nickname¡ªthe "Pro Gamers¡¯ Nightmare"¡ªwas no exaggeration. Thebination of those two facts pressed down on each individual. Some reacted even more strongly than others. "¡­Hey, you okay?" "Ugh, honestly, not really¡­." With a long groan, Corvus buried her head into her fellow pro gamer¡¯s shoulder, pretending to sob. But it was hard to say for sure that there wasn¡¯t some truth in her act. Her long, raven-ck hair slipped off her delicate shoulders like the feathers of a crow. Ink, ncing at Corvus, shook her head. Her silver hair swayed with the movement. She understood the struggle. After all, she had nearly died to a fire axe in herst match. Even a watered-down memory was still enough to stir up tension. "¡­Do you think we could win the finals?" "That¡¯s something we should be aiming for." "I don¡¯t know. It¡¯d be great if just one of us makes it out of the 19." "19? There are 20 participants in the Asia prelims¡­ Wait, hey! What¡¯s going on with these people!?" Looking around in disbelief, she found only one person slumping deeper into their chair, shaking their head. The others didn¡¯t seem to care, and Ink¡¯s astonishment was rapidly dissipating, but there wasn¡¯t much point in reacting any further. Yujin had reduced pro gamers to nervous wrecks, and this was the result¡ªespecially among those who had faced her directly. The worse the defeat, the worse the aftermath. Time passed as these stories were shared among the group, and more people trickled into the room. The higher the tier, the more the yer pool shrank, leading to a tightly-knitwork of rtionships. As each person entered, friendly greetings were exchanged, a clear sign of these bonds. However, the cheers grew louder with every unfamiliar face, as these neers were expected to lead the next generation of AP y. Of course, it was worth noting that every one of them entered the room apanied by first-team mentors from their respective squads. Amidst this, another notable figure finally arrived. "Hey, isn¡¯t that Dice?" "Yeah, it¡¯s her!" "Get her! Pile on her!" "What the hell, guys!?" She might have escaped unnoticed the first time, but there was no chance of that happening now. Though it might have sounded strange, the sight of beautiful girls piling on top of another was far from graceful. Dice, struggling through the overwhelming wee, barely managed to break free and copse into a nearby chair. As she let out a yell, her teammate Blooming, also from SSM, sat beside her. Of course, within ten seconds, the surrounding area became packed with people. It was no surprise, really, given how many questions everyone had. Word had spread far and wide about Yujin¡¯s personalized training programs for SSM gamers, and the first question they asked was about that. But answering questions and receiving them were two different things. Dice, who was ying it cool and responding with, "I¡¯ll just log out if it gets too much~," was slowly calming the crowd down. "¡­Why do they have so many questions?"@@novelbin@@ Dice was genuinely confused. How much death and terror had Yujin spread during the preliminaries to leave everyone in a state of panic and awe? In truth, Dice was fortunate¡ªshe had never encountered Yujin during the preliminaries, not even once. They hadn¡¯t even been in the same match. Maybe it was because she¡¯d already met Yujin in both personal and professional settings so many times. But whatever the case, she considered herself lucky. After all, if she had faced Yujin, she might have been given extra homework after the match. After answering as many questions as she could and deflecting the rest, Dice nced at the clock. It was 11:55 AM in the real world, meaning the in-game briefing would begin in 15 minutes. Everyone had the same question on their minds at this point¡ªbut Dice didn¡¯t need to answer it. She didn¡¯t even need to think about it. ¡®Only a fool would worry about that.¡¯ She would be here soon enough. And even if she didn¡¯t show, it wouldn¡¯t matter. But, as always, things don¡¯t go ording to n. The atmosphere shifted. p. p p. p p p p p p! Suddenly, apuse echoed throughout the room. One person¡¯s pping turned five heads, and those who saw the cause quickly joined in, their apuse spreading like wildfire. Soon, everyone except for Dice and Blooming was pping. And at the center of it all, receiving both admiration and fear, stood none other than¡ª "¡­Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?" Yujin¡¯s greatest weakness: Embarrassment. "Wee to all of you Apex Predators. This is the ce where only the top 100 yers in Korea can reach." The host opened the briefing with bold words. And they weren¡¯t wrong. Everyone here was among the top 100 yers out of the millions¡ªperhaps tens of millions¡ªof gamers in Korea. Sure, it was limited to AP solo yers, but considering that the tournament¡¯s motto was ¡°Only the strongest survive,¡± it wasn¡¯t exactly inurate. But just as there is always someone below you, there is also someone above. Only one would be left standing in the end¡ªmeaning 80 of the 100 gathered here would be eliminated. The host was coldly dering that fact. "However, unfortunately, only 20 of you will have the chance to move on to the next stage. Sixteen matches, spread across Saturday and Sunday, await you." Sigh. Dice, sitting next to Yujin, nced around. There wasn¡¯t much differencepared tost year. Only the number of matches had increased, and a new map had been added. The scoring system was simr as well¡ªbut she could tell. This time, there were more matches than even the Asia preliminaries and the final championships. The Asia preliminaries had twelve matches, and the final championships had fourteen. So the motto of this year¡¯s KSM was¡­ "Last year, we had twelve matches, the same as the Asia preliminaries, but this year is different. This will push you all to your limits. Under the motto that true strength shines brightest under adversity, the number of matches you¡¯ll face has increasedpared tost year." Breaths, difficult to interpret, echoed throughout the room. Was it because the ns they¡¯d made were now up in the air? Or for some other reason? "Now, let¡¯s go over the agreed map order." Whatever the reason, the pre-briefing had begun. It was the afternoon before the tournament. Chapter 130 Dice''s Debut LOL ¡°Stable shy mode on again today.¡± [Allments][Sorted by order]
  • Oh!
  • This guy¡¯s avatar is great too. ? Consistently attractive, I agree.
  • Am I the only one who likes Dice? ? Who is Dice even, you otaku weeb? ? Dice¡¯s been appearing a lot moretely, which is nice. ? For real, LOL. ? Last year, he made it to the finals but only gave three interviews. This year, he¡¯s different LOL. ? They probably pushed him hard from the top. ? Makes sense...!
  • Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice! Dice!
  • Isn''t he the one who''s been hanging around with Yujin recently? He¡¯s cute. ? Don¡¯t be fooled; he wasn¡¯t like thisst year. ? What was he like? LOL. ? In interviews, he used to barely speak, but after meeting Yujin, he¡¯s be super talkative. ? LOL, true! ? Turns out, he¡¯s actually really good at talking LOL.
  • 6th ce? He was 13thst year, but he jumped up this year, LOL. ? He must¡¯ve trained really hard. ? Wonder who pushed him to his limit, LOL. ? You can push him far enough to wring water from a dried squid. ? At this point, it¡¯s like squeezing water from sand LOL. ? LOL, what a riot!
  • Is he going to grow a snake tail like the neighboring green cat, LOL? ? Oh. ? LOL, so true. ? That guy doesn¡¯t have a snake tail, idiot LOL. ? If you drink the water infused with snake tail, you¡¯ll be a snake¡­ ? Blonde beauty with a snake tail? That¡¯ll sell LOL.
[Normal] Today''s Interview... What a Disaster...gif ¡°She¡¯s insane LOL.¡± [Allments][Sorted by order]
  • LOL!
  • Of course, she¡¯d use a snake-like move LOL. ? For real, LOL. ? Why is thisment so hrious LOL? ? She¡¯s a snake, so she uses snake moves LOL.@@novelbin@@
  • Why is poor Dice getting beaten up? LOL. ? Fact: If Yujin could smack every viewer, she would have done it already. ? True LOL. ? That¡¯s so Yujin LOL. ? The interview before this was wild LOL. ? I love it. Let¡¯s goe up with more crazy nicknames for her!
  • The host ispletely flustered LOL. ? He¡¯s not even trying to stop it, just giggling along LOL. ? Everyone except Dice and Yujin is having the time of their life. How can you top this? LOL.
  • The people next to them are literallyughing to death, LOL.
  • The Yujin-Dice chemistry is unreal! They¡¯re blowing up the world LOL! ? Blowing up what, you lunatic LOL! ? Calm down, your desires are showing, LOL.
  • They¡¯re seriously having fun LOL.
  • His timing is perfect LOL.
  • The "social butterfly" energy is overwhelming here. ? LOL, so true. ? If you''re not a social butterfly, you shouldn¡¯t even enter the dark zone. ? How is this being a social butterfly? LOL. ? Sudden school confession, what a legend LOL.
  • Am I the only one who thinks they look good together? Or am I alone? ? For real LOL. It¡¯s like the blonde noblewoman with the snake witch. ? The snake witch (literally). ? They¡¯re spending so much time together, she¡¯s probably growing a snake tail too. ? Ohhh. ? LOL, I can¡¯t believe this conversation LOL.
¡°If we mess up today¡¯s match, it¡¯ll be Yujin¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Should I call you someone who¡¯s good at getting punished?¡± ¡°Ah, no, please don¡¯t.¡±
  • LOL!
  • What are these guys even doing, LOL?
  • They didn¡¯te here for a tournament, they came to shoot aedy.
  • Comedy x romance, LOL.
  • Since when did submission holds count as romance? LOL.
The sound of stifledughter echoed around, but I remainedpletely unfazed. Dice apologized after I released the cobra twist, and I simply cashed in on that apology a little early¡ªthat¡¯s all. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was bing more shameless as time passed. Not a great sign. Anyway, besides that, to my relief, no one seemed to be taking it too seriously... if anything, everyone seemed more excited. They were probably amused by such a bizarre performance happening right in front of them. Of course, none of this was pre-nned. The atmosphere gradually calmed down. It wasn¡¯t something that could drag on for too long, and there were still other interviews to get through, as well as map introductions. The stage resembled a small theater, with about a hundred chairs set up in front of it. The participants were seated there, waiting to be called for interviews or listening to the host. ¡°Is the word ¡®Big Sister¡¯ really that funny?¡± ¡°I just really enjoyed 1984, you know.¡± What a creative excuse. Still, unlike the guy from the book, what I was doing was legal. At least no one was mocking Big Brother that way. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t important. I turned my attention back to the map exnations, which had already begun. All the yers were staring intently at the screen. It was time to reveal the first map. ¡°Now, let¡¯s draw the first map the yers will face!¡± As the booming voice of the host filled the stadium, I briefly ran through the movement routes I had prepared in my mind. But, honestly, it didn¡¯t really matter which map came up. It never did. The advanced virtual reality map selection process was hard to exin with words. A brief description of each of the eight maps appeared on the screen, then shuffled like cards. The maps ovepped, mixed randomly, and stacked themselves on the virtual table. And then¡ªthunk. A knife stabbed through them. The chat went wild.
  • ???????????????
  • What kind of selection method is this LOL.
  • Chill out, maniacs LOL.
  • This is intense LOL.
  • Last year, it was normal! Last year, it was normal! Last year, it was normal!
The de stopped in the middle, piercing through four cards andnding on the NBV Desert Base. A ce where sandstorms so violent even nanomachines get damaged. I nced at Dice. Her pupils were trembling... maybest year¡¯s selection process was more normal after all. ¡°This isn¡¯t some long-overdue Dadaism revival, is it? Feels weird.¡± ¡°What... is this even?¡± I patted Dice¡¯s shoulder to snap her out of it. ¡°Just do what you¡¯ve practiced. Try not to run into me.¡± ¡°Wow, now that I think about it, I¡¯m stuck ying against you today and tomorrow. I¡¯m already scared.¡± Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much else to say. The fight was right in front of us now. The host officially announced the start of the match. All the spectators, already familiar with the tournament format, knew how the maps would unfold. There was no need for further exnation. ¡°The first map of the KSM! The NBV Desert Base! Who will survive the sandstorms? Watch every moment unfold!¡± Waaaaaaah! Deafening cheers filled the air. Now, it was time to speak with guns, not words. The yers would fight, and the unseen casters andmentators would hype the audience with enthusiastic coverage. Everything around me seemed to sink into the abyss. The goal was clear: the finals and first ce. To uncover more of the world¡¯s secrets, I had to rise higher. ¡°The Korea Selection Match begins now!¡± A beam of light enveloped us. I gave Dice¡¯s shoulder a small pat. Our eyes met. I didn¡¯t have much to say. Unless Dice finished in second ce, I probably wouldn¡¯t see her again. yers from the same team were ced at opposite ends of the map. ¡°See you in the Asia preliminaries.¡± Before we scattered into the light, she bit her lip and nodded. The Korea Selection Match had begun. ________________ -[ISO: A massive and severe sandstorm has struck the base. Clear all remaining hostile forces and move to the safe zone before the base shield deactivates.] Kuuuuuu! The ominous rumble contrasted with the calm sky. It appeared clear, but that was only because the enormous shield surrounding the base pierced through the kilometer-high clouds of sand, projecting a false image of a peaceful sky. The rumbling sound came from the sheer power of the storm. Even the high-output generators couldn¡¯t handle the force of the sandstorm. On this map, the kill zone might seem like it slowly drains HP, but in reality, it¡¯s instant death. The static electricity generated by the sand as it hit the barriers quickly eroded the nanomachine shield, and visibility was almost nonexistent. Even driving was futile; the sand would instantly clog engines, exhaust systems, and suspensions. In reality, leaving the safe zone was not an option. The air was hot and unbelievably dry. The sound of scattered gunfire slowly started to echo around. It wasn¡¯t fast-paced yet, as this was the first round, and everyone was still cautiously feeling out the situation. How should I approach this round? Honestly, it didn¡¯t really matter what I chose, as I always just worked with the first weapon I picked up. As I sat inside the building, thinking while leaning against a box on the ground¡ª ©¤©¤©¤shff. The sound of sand being stepped on. I nced around and noticed the only weapon nearby was... a bow? Not even a gun, but a bow. A bundle of arrowsy scattered on the ground. The vibration came from about 20 meters away, slowly approaching. Judging by the distance and the faint sounds, it was probably someone wearing the desert optical camouge suit, somethingmonly found in this area. The suit was limited in that it couldn¡¯t handle anything stronger than a submachine gun, but depending on how it was used, it could still be effective. I scanned my surroundings. The broken ceiling, the weathered wiring and pipes sticking out everywhere¡ªit wasn¡¯t just a single person nearby. Pipes? Well, I guess there¡¯s no choice. I grabbed one of the arrows, scaled the wall, and hid in the shadows near the ceiling. ©¤©¤©¤Creak. The door I had been leaning against moments ago slowly opened. A faint distortion, a ripple in the space itself, followed by the tip of a handgun emerging from the edge of the optical camouge. A Glock 18 equipped with a Roni kit. A textbook setup¡ªbut as I observed it, I sized up my opponent, identifying where to strike. With a thud, I dropped down before the enemy could turn around, grabbed their neck, and, holding the arrow like a throwing knife, aimed. There¡¯s a specific spot to hit with something sharp like this¡ªthe base of the skull, right where the neck ends and the head begins. I jabbed the arrow at an upward angle into that spot. No sound escaped. In reality, this would mean the opponent¡¯s brainstem and midbrain had been pierced, leaving them no chance to resist as they copsed to the floor. Critical hit. As the UI disyed this, I quickly gathered the items scattered on the ground. Then, I heard the heavy thud of boots approaching from the front. I quickly reloaded. But the opponent moved faster than expected, so I steadied my aim with one hand, bracing myself to control the recoil, and opened fire. ©¤©¤©¤Drrrrrrrk!! The enemy, unable to stop in time, took about five rounds before scrambling to retreat. I grabbed a grenade off the floor with my tail, pulled the pin with one hand, and tossed it down the hallway. The ttering sound of the metal hitting the floor was drowned out by the gunfire. A few secondster, hundreds of shrapnel pieces exploded outwards. Not letting the momentum slip, I rushed forward, aiming down the hallway, but the only thing left was a small pile of items, much like earlier. Somehow, I had taken out two enemies in quick session. I wonder what they were thinking now? But I quickly pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on checking for any signs of a third enemy. Nothing. No sound, no movement. It was time to loot. ¡°...Tough start.¡± Finally, I could take a breather and start gearing up. It was just another typical start to an AP match. Chapter 131 ¡°Oh, what... what is going on! TK1¡¯s HellOworld and nk Kickers¡¯ SsaeJedudonban have been literally wiped out! In less than 10 seconds, two yers have been sent packing back to the lobby, just like that!¡±
  • Ah, screw it, I can¡¯t evenprehend this anymore.
  • Please, take it easy! Take it easy! Take it easy! Take it easy! Take it easy! Take it easy!
  • At this point, they need to check where this person is really from, LOL.
  • Seriously, this looks like a special forces operator wreaking havoc, LOL.
  • Sir, I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t see this.
Something had happened. Even the viewers, and the highly experiencedmentators and analysts, couldn¡¯t track the split-second movement. However, one thing was clear: after Yujin dropped to the ground, she had arrows gripped between her fingers, almost like brass knuckles. At that very moment, a blur was seen around her opponent''s neck. Her right hand, as stic as a bowstring, shot forward like an arrow, prating the back of the enemy''s neck, finishing them off in one swift blow. She quickly picked up the pistol left behind by the fallen yer, reloaded, and swiftly eliminated another enemy who had approached. Most of the audience mistook this for part of a QTE (Quick Time Event) melee attack¡ªa misunderstanding caused by the fact that the hyper-realistic gamey had blurred the line between reality and fantasy. The sheer speed and fluidity of Yujin¡¯s movements created a cognitive dissonance in the viewers, leaving them baffled. ¡°Who could possibly doubt her? Who could turn a blind eye to the truth? They said she wouldn¡¯t make it in the qualifiers, and that she wouldn¡¯t survive in KSM! But within just a few minutes of the first match, Yujin has crushed all doubts with pure skill once again!¡± Thementator¡¯s voice echoed throughout the stadium, growing more intense with each word. It seemed like if he kept speaking like this, he wouldn¡¯t have a voice left for tomorrow. Though the match had only just started, the energy was already as chaotic as a rollercoaster. Amidst the frenzy, only a few hundred viewers out of the 1.5 million tuned in were calmly assessing the situation. Nearly everyone else was caught up in the hype, cheering and shouting. Ironically, most of the unnecessary and baseless doubts about Yujin came from ordinary people¡ªnot professional gamers. To put it simply:
  • "Tournament rank? She¡¯s just Tier 2. There¡¯s no real difference between her and Medal of Honor yers. How¡¯s she going to survive scrims?"
Once this argument was debunked, a second ridiculous im emerged:
  • "Scrims? Those aren¡¯t even real matches! She¡¯ll get destroyed in the qualifiers. What¡¯s all the fuss about?"
Yujin had already proven that scrims were just a suppressor on her skills, and with an overwhelming disy of physical prowess, she imed the top spot in the qualifier ranks. Yet, no matter where you go, there are always fools. Normally, such absurdments would be ignored, but framing theory always finds a way to work its magic. The more these ims were dismissed, the more people started to wonder: could Yujin really maintain her performance in KSM? Oddly enough, it was the professional yers who had faced Yujin head-on that remained the quietest. It wasn¡¯t worth discussing. yers with far superior analytical skills than regr people understood that every move Yujin made was packed with meaning, so they said nothing. But on the flip side, as the saying goes, ¡°empty vessels make the loudest noise.¡± The ones who knew nothing were the ones shouting the loudest. Yet Yujin countered them in the most effective, elegant, and concise way possible, and that brought us to the present moment. There were no long-winded exnations. She didn¡¯t go out of her way to gather evidence or persuade viewers. She didn¡¯t even nce in their direction. Instead, she simply showed them everything they needed to see¡ªenough to effortlessly silence the doubters and convert those wavering fans into die-hard supporters. In the midst of it all, Yujin calmly looted the gear of those she had defeated, quietly exhaling as she transformed into a full-fledged operator. Thementator¡¯s passionate voice vibrated through the air, but a thought slowly started to form in everyone¡¯s minds. Soon enough, Yujin might not even need to y in KSM anymore. ¡°I wonder if my student is still doing okay.¡± Of course, Yujin was still preupied with concern for her disciple. Ratatatatatat! Loud noises always seem louder in enclosed spaces. They reverberate, bouncing off the walls, gradually fading but never truly disappearing. In close-quartersbat, noise can be a huge factor, depending on how it¡¯s utilized. What mattered was how to create the sound, and who would be forced to react to it. Luring an enemy into firing by exposing yourself was hardly worth considering. If your position waspromised, it was pointless, so the only option was to create noise through other means. Carefully, she retrieved a grenade. Wrapping her hand around it to muffle any metallic clinking from the pin, she wedged it between a gap in the vehicle she was using for cover, tying the pin to a fishing line. Then, she slowly moved away. Once she had put some distance between herself and her previous cover, she tugged on the line, pulling the pin. An eerie silence followed as the pin ttered to the asphalt. A few seconds passed. BOOM! With a thunderous explosion, the vehicle shook. It wasn¡¯t the type of fiery explosion you see in movies or games¡ªjust ck smoke, thousands of shards of shrapnel, and a shockwave that could momentarily deafen anyone nearby. The echo of the explosion fragmented as it bounced off the walls. The structure resembled a giant hollow chamber, like a tunnel carved out by massive insects burrowing into the rock¡ªfitting, given the NBV Desert Base¡¯s lore. NBV Desert Base. The base camp had expanded over time, but due to limited space, the only option was to carve into the surrounding rock, creating new paths and facilities. Over time, the frames had rusted, and only explosives intended for further excavation remained, scattered throughout the area. ¡°Ugh, seriously!¡± She heard the grumbling of a nearby enemy. 30 meters... 20 meters... 12 meters. She quickly closed the distance. The enemy, realizing things were taking a turn for the worse, tossed a smoke grenade and bolted. As expected from KSM yers, they were crafty. She fired blindly into the smoke as the enemy barely escaped with their life, leaving only a damaged nanomachine barrier and disappearing into the vast hollow. She had lost them. Understandable¡ªfacing her meant certain death, but escaping offered at least a chance of survival. ¡°Well, there goes a grenade.¡± It was a trivial remark, given that this area was littered with explosives. Just opening one of the boxes scattered around would yield an arsenal of grenades and explosives. She retrieved a new grenade to rece the one she¡¯d used, stashing it in her pouch before cautiously advancing into the massive hollow. The space was enormous¡ªa key geographical feature in the game, a hub where countless yers intersected. It was far from small. The scene unfolded before her. Rumble... The aging structure. Its vastness, wide enough to amodate helicopters and tiltrotors, was overshadowed by a mix of eerie noises and unsettling silence. The wreckage of a tiltrotor hung from the ceiling, looking as if it could fall at any moment, though it had been rusting there for ages. And below, at least 50 meters down, a massive chamber stretching over 300 meters in diameter was filled with makeshift structures, with shes of gunfire and bullets flying between them. At least five yers were sizing each other up. The tiltrotor in the center was crucial, as it always dropped a ziplineuncher, making it a prime spot for intensebat. But there was another reason yers gathered here. -[Warning: Six unidentified individuals detected in the hollow. Security mode activated. Drone scanning in progress....]@@novelbin@@ The central control facility. Located at the heart of the hollow, it controlled all operations within the rock mountain¡ªgates, lighting, power, and even the explosives nted throughout the facility. The fewer yers in the area, the less intense the security protocols. The yers were there to prevent anyone from sneaking in alone and exploiting the facility. They kept each other in check, ensuring no one could grab the loot and destroy the ce. But as they say, the darkest ce is under themp. In truth, this was the perfect time to infiltrate the facility. The sporadic firefights would mask any attempts to sabotage the security system. If drones or enemies caught her... well, there¡¯d be no choice but to take them all out. Pew! The silenced gunshot was almost muffled to the point of being inaudible. But the bullet, unhindered in its velocity, traveled several hundred meters, passing through a window and hitting someone engaged in a mind game within the building. The nanomachine barrier activated. From bright blue to red in an instant. The head was a vulnerable spot, and just a few hits could shatter the barrier. Through the LPVO scope, she could see the enemy scrambling for cover in a panic. This process repeated a few more times. The sudden, unexpected shots forced her opponents into hiding, allowing her to gain better control of the situation. From this point on, it was a battle against time. Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! CCTV cameras scattered across the area were destroyed in an instant. While it wasmon knowledge that the map structure changed with every game, the core framework remained the same. The drones patrolling the area switched to intensive surveince mode. They immediately assumed defensive positions, but AI wasn¡¯t perfect. The farthest enemy drone was selected as a target, and she fired a few rounds at its feet. Those drones may look lightweight, but once they¡¯re hit, their fall trajectory gives away the shooter¡¯s position. She needed a different method. As the drone scurried away, triggered by the shots, she loaded a grenade into the under-barreluncher and aimed. The UI automatically disyed the distance and the projected impact point, making it easy. All she had to do was pull the trigger. With a soft thunk, the grenade flew in an arc. The oue was obvious. Boom! -[Warning: Alpha-level security mode activated. Drone at DH2 location hit. Focusing fire on that area.] She watched as the drones converged on the spot, then leisurely strolled down the ramp, entering the forward base. What followed was simple¡ªhacking. With the Icarus Device in hand, nothing was impossible. It was like a giantputer disguised as a wristwatch, capable of interfering with all electronic devices in the area. The main gate opened in seconds. She dispatched a few enemies with well-aimed shots, destroyed the remaining CCTVs, and dealt with a drone. It took about two minutes to breach the front gate. Judging by the state of things, the others were still unaware that she had essed the base. She calmly walked in, took the elevator to the third floor, and entered the rtively small central control room. There were all sorts of strange buttons, but only a few were important. -[DO NOT PRESS THE BUTTON] In the center, an overwhelminglyrge red button. Above her, visible through the ceiling, was the wreckage of the tiltrotor and the ziplineuncher inside. Everything clicked into ce like a puzzle. She pressed the button with a satisfying click, and the ceiling sirens red like crazy. -[Warning: Base lockdown and self-destruction sequence initiated.] -[Warning: Main base AI and drone operations suspended.] -[Warning: All personnel must evacuate the facility within 5 minutes.] ¡°So many strange features in this game.¡± What else could she say? AP, as mentioned before, was a chaotic mishmash of virtual realitybat scenarios from the Dark Zone, cramming in all sorts of experiences she had never actually lived through. And this feature... was too obvious to be an Easter egg. It was more like something the developers just wanted to include for fun. Like how mad scientists¡¯irs in movies and games always have self-destruct buttons. Ridiculous as it was, as long as it was useful, she didn¡¯t care. The scene outside the window was pure chaos. The ground shook as if from an earthquake, two yers frantically escaping through nearby routes, while three others were engaged inbat. They probably thought they could rely on the zipline. They must¡¯ve believed that as long as they eliminated everyone else, they could secure kills and escape safely. Their fatal w was underestimating that she had the same thought. -[Warning: Self-destruction sequencepletion in 30 seconds.] Casually stepping out, Yujin checked the positions of those still fighting outside. It was time to send everyone eyeing her zipline back to the lobby. Chapter 132 ¡°We¡¯re doomed. It¡¯s all over. What are we gonna do now...?¡± Thud! A chilling sound echoed as a bullet hit the cover I was hiding behind. The impact was absorbed, shaking the concrete wall and sending debris flying in all directions. My nanomachine barrier was down to less than 30%. From the main control tower, about 100 meters away, the countdown for the base''s self-destruction warned me I had only about three minutes left. Meanwhile, the enemy¡¯s movements, echoing like the footsteps of death, filled the air. Ho, a pro-gamer from Legio Invicta, was now locked inbat with me, Yujin. ¡®Damn, this is terrifying...!¡¯ Ho. At first nce, his nickname might seem like a cool phrase he picked up online, but it held a deeper meaning from his past. Over a decade ago, as a child, he disturbed a wasp¡¯s nest and suffered greatly, a memory that stuck with him ever since. Ever since then, he had lived cautiously, careful not to repeat past mistakes. Yet, here he was, feeling as if he had just poked a cyber wasp¡¯s nest and was now facing divine retribution. Before the match began, he had hoped he wouldn¡¯t run into her, even seeking advice from fellow pro-gamers. But now, here they were, face to face in this nightmare scenario. It was the unluckiest of unlucky breaks. What¡¯s worse, the weight of this battle was far heavier than he had anticipated. Just two minutes ago, it had been a three-way battle without me. But as I nonchntly walked out from the destroyed control room and swiftly took out two yers with a few clean shots to their exposed backs, it was now a one-on-one duel between us. As I said, all of this happened in just two minutes. Crack! Bullets whizzed through the air, grenades flew in arcs, and Ho¡¯s eyes never left my position for even a second. He was well aware of the importance of tracking his opponent¡¯s every move. After all, to defeat your enemy, you needed to dissect their tactics, even if knowing yourself didn¡¯t always guarantee victory. There wasn¡¯t a pro-gamer out there who didn¡¯t know I was a dark horse. Everyone had studied my gamey extensively, trying to find weaknesses, replicate my strengths, and fix any ws in their own strategy by learning from mine. But even with all that preparation, the pressure of this fight far exceeded their expectations. Huff! Ho tried to clear his mind of all the useless thoughts swirling inside. He knew that in this massive artificial cave, he was going to die¡ªwhether it was from being crushed by massive boulders, blown up, shot, or sted by a grenade, death was inevitable. But in KSM, the rankings weren¡¯t determined solely by kill points and cement. He didn¡¯t know all the specific criteria, butnding a solid hit on Yujin mighte in handyter... And if he got lucky enough to take her down with him, at least he¡¯d have a story to tell over drinkster. Click. An empty magazine dropped to the ground, but he made sure it didn¡¯t make any noise. Quickly switching to a fresh magazine, he peeked out to fire. A faint blur rushed past. ¡°How can she move that fast?¡± He didn¡¯t have time to admire it. Realizing he hadn¡¯tnded many hits, he bolted, knowing that the closer thebat, the higher the chance of getting killed and the faster the time-to-kill (TTK) would escte. This was less of a fight and more of a game of tag. But his evasive maneuvers, honed through experience, were quickly being countered. Each tactical option he tried was getting shut down, one by one. The nanomachine barrier was about to break, and there was no time to recover. The relentless pressure was pushing him to the limit. Hah... Ho had always known there was someone better. Last year¡¯s elimination from the Asia qualifiers had taught him that. But he couldn¡¯t afford to falter here. It was just the first match. -[Warning: 1 minute and 20 seconds until base self-destruction.] He had wanted to drag this out a little longer, but it seemed like Yujin was in a rush. In her matches with Corvus and others, she even had time to chat, but now... well, he would take sce in knowing that stalling had served its purpose. As Yujin¡¯s figure shrank in the distance, Ho caught a glimpse of her distinct, snake-like tail swaying behind her. Muttering to himself, barely loud enough for anyone to hear, he whispered, ¡°... After all that, she¡¯s not going to survive this, right?¡± If she did survive, he¡¯d probably copse and bawl his eyes out. And he¡¯d do it in the grandest, most dramatic fashion possible. With a deep sense of foreboding, Ho quietly closed his eyes, awaiting the inevitable. -[Warning: 1 minute until base self-destruction.] Boom! The unmistakable sound of a grenadeuncher echoed. The 40mm round didn¡¯t arc through the air like it should have; instead, it mmed straight into the rusted tiltrotor¡¯s cockpit overhead, delivering a brutal blow. With a deafening crash, the massive metal frame began to fall, screaming as it plummeted. The cockpit shattered first, followed by the body, which fell into the pull of gravity, crashing downwards in a chaotic heap of debris. In less than a minute, the once-mighty Osprey would be buried beneath a mountain of rubble. Before the dust could settle, Icarus Gear guided Yujin to what used to be the storagepartment of the downed aircraft. Digging through the wreckage, she uncovered a slightly scratched but intact box. A gun cab-sized box, emzoned with the Icarus logo. The ziplineuncher. This was what she had been searching for. -[Notification: Authenticationplete.] Though a bit dented, it still worked. 40 seconds left. She opened the cab and pulled out the necessaryponents: theuncher itself, two 100-meter steel cables neatly coiled, two wall anchors, two charges for firing them up to 150 meters, and finally, an ascender. The assembly process was simple. Attach the steel cables to the anchors, load the charge, and fire. It took less than five seconds. The auto-targeting system disyed the projected point of impact. With a thud, the anchor shot through the air, securing itself to the ceiling. Yujin hooked the ascender onto the cable. -[Warning: 30 seconds until base self-destruction.] The makeshift buildings that had seemed sorge up close shrank rapidly as she ascended. With all the gear and weapons she had strapped to her, she must have weighed nearly 300 kilograms, but the cable and ascender handled it with ease. The dry, scorching wind was picking up, and a massive sandstorm was closing in, nketing the area. As she reached the ceiling and stepped out into the open air, she could feel the heat on her skin. It took about 10 seconds to reach the top. She unhooked the ascender and stashed the remaining cable and stakes in her utility pouch. She strapped the ascender to her armor. It was time to say goodbye to the heavy grenadeuncher. After adjusting the sling of theuncher to prevent it from swaying, she took a deep breath and©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Hah...!¡± She started running. Ironically, the developers had set up the zipline as an escape route, but nothing was ever that simple in this game. The zipline didn¡¯t solve everything. The ground beneath her was starting to crumble. Boom! The sound of copse roared in her ears, growing louder with each passing second. The ground beneath her feet was buckling. She still had about 500 meters to go. Gritting her teeth, she sprinted, trying to stay ahead of the copse. The terrain was disintegrating from the weakest points. Her opponent had been stalling, knowing that the ground would eventually give way, burying her alive. She cursed her luck, knowing she could have ended the fight sooner. But there was no time to dwell on that now. As she ran, she grabbed theuncher, her hands moving swiftly to prepare another zipline. She couldn¡¯t afford to waste time reloading at thest moment, not with the ground splitting beneath her feet! Click! With her right hand, she opened the utility pouch and pulled out an anchor and steel cable. The UI indicated she was moving at 33 kilometers per hour. Carrying all this equipment while running was burning a ridiculous amount of calories¡ªif this were real life, she¡¯d be exhausted within minutes. Even in this chaotic situation, she expertly connected the anchor and cable. The more weight applied, the tighter the bond. With the processplete, she grabbed a charge and brought theuncher up with her left hand. Crack! ¡°Argh!¡± Her foot slipped on the crumbling ground, nearly sending her tumbling. ncing back, she saw the entire cavern copsing in on itself. There was no time to be shocked. The distance remaining was now less than 100 meters. If she didn¡¯t finish setting up the zipline soon, she¡¯d have no choice but to leap into the abyss. Opening theuncher, she loaded the anchor, stuffed the coiled cable inside, and jammed the charge into ce. What would normally take 10 seconds took her over 40 due to the unstable terrain.@@novelbin@@ The ground was breaking apart at a terrifying pace. In less than 20 seconds, the massive boulder that had housed the base would be ttened. Directly ahead of her stood a 100-meter-tall mushroom-shaped rock. There was no time to stop and aim. The ground was crumbling behind her, and even the rock itself was unstable, with chunks falling off the edge. A running shot would have to do. Shaky as her aim was, the target was massive. As long as she didn¡¯t shoot wildly, she was bound to hit it. Boom! With a strange sound, the anchor shot forward. It covered the 50 meters in an instant, and as it connected with the mushroom rock, the explosive bolts drilled deep into the surface, securing the anchor in ce. The anchor was now firmly lodged 90 meters above the ground. She was 60 meters up. There were only 10 meters of solid ground left before the cliff began, and the gap was about 35 meters wide. Attaching the ascender to the steel cable, she threw theuncher into the abyss. The cable unraveled behind her as she leaped into the unknown. ¡°Waaaaah!¡± The sound of the cable creaking echoed as gravity added nearly a ton of pressure to the ascender and the anchor. But there was no other option. The rest was up to fate. The rock face filled her vision. Thunk! ¡°Ugh!¡± She mmed into the side of the mushroom rock like a pendulum. The nanomachine barrier barely cushioned the impact, leaving her gasping for breath. Despite being prepared for it, the sheer force knocked the wind out of her lungs. With a deep inhale, she pressed the ascender¡¯s up button with her right thumb, slowly pulling herself up the rough surface. Looking down, she saw debris raining from where she had just been. Theuncher she had thrown was buried under a pile of rubble. For about 20 seconds, the world was filled with explosions, dust, and flying debris. The remaining explosives detonated in a chain reaction, sending massive chunks of rock flying. Another 30 seconds passed. ¡°Haa...¡± The scene before her was a total disaster. A massive boulder, over a kilometer in diameter, had been reduced to a t pancake. The three yers who had fled earlier had likely escaped. There were no additional kills registered. With a sigh of relief, Yujin stared at the scene in awe. Once again, she had survived. ...Surely she wasn¡¯t the only one ying this game on such a hard mode? Zrrrp! She descended the cable. Part of the steel line was buried under millions of shards of rock, but it had done its job. -[Notification: The base shield is shrinking.] The remaining yers were down to 32. Two stages of the shield remained before the final zone. The game was far from over. Life was hard. Chapter 133 "Huff." The analyst scribbled something down on paper after watching the y once. Then, after reviewing the y again, he wrote something else down. A stadium filled with a massive crowd, most of whom were chanting Yujin''s name. The cheers were deafening, uniting the audience in support. Of course, not everyone was cheering for her. After all, many of their favorite pro gamers were stillpeting, and not many were content just watching. However, when something significant happened, it was often Yujin who was involved, or at the very least, connected to it. Right now, for example, a massive structure had suddenly copsed. When the highlight camera focused on the scene, they caught Yujin sprinting across a crumbling rock tform, covering 600 meters in under a minute, barely escaping the destruction zone using a zipline. Someone had once remarked about her: "She always seems to capture the coolest moments in the Dark Zone." Though the analyst watching her y wasn''t aware of this, his focus was drawn entirely to her. The sheer skill on disy in front of him was too impressive for even his professional detachment to ignore. "...What the hell is this?" This man was an analyzer from the Republic of Japan. He looked down at the paper in his hand, filled with scribbled notes and red marks, with entire sections crossed out in red ink. At this point, analyzing yers¡ªwhether officially or otherwise¡ªwas a given. The Korea Selection Match was about selecting 20 yers from 100, and it was easy to infer that 20 would be selected from other countries as well. With the Asia preliminaries approaching, it was natural to assess the skill level of yers from other countries. Like him, analysts from Russia, the China Federation, and Taiwan were likely somewhere in the stadium as well. On the flip side, Korean teams¡¯ analyzers were probably observing the selection matches in other countries. Naturally, the topic that had been on everyone''s lips recently was Yujin. Roughly a month and a half ago, she had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, skyrocketing her MMR and throwing her hat into the ring for the tournament¡¯s qualifiers. It only took a month for this previously unknown yer to be a famous figure, even discussed in foreign countries. And just like in Korea, it wasn¡¯t any different abroad. People analyzed her strengths and weaknesses, looking for her vulnerabilities. However, just when they thought they had her figured out, she¡¯d do somethingpletely unpredictable. Her ys were so consistent, yet random at the same time¡ªlike she was daring them to try and analyze her. Even former special forces soldiers in her own country found her ys impossible to imitate, as her superhuman performance and instinctive ys poured out like a waterfall every day. The paper in his hand reflected this conundrum. ¡°¡­This seems doable, but this¡­.¡± He crossed out another line without hesitation. Following the simple guideline of "Is this something our yers can imitate or analyze?" Yujin''s gamey was being dissected in real-time. However, using arrows as close-range weapons or sprinting 600 meters in under a minute? Impossible. He hadn¡¯t been doing this job for long, but even he had never seen so many red marks indicating impossibility. He knew what would happen when he submitted this report back home¡ªthey''d ask, "What the hell are you talking about?" He could already imagine the scenario ying out in his mind. ¡°¡­Why did I cross this one out? What¡¯s the note here?¡± ¡°User retrieved a ziplineuncher with one minute left until the NBV2 base¡¯s self-destruction, sprinted 600 meters while reloading theuncher, and escaped the copsing base by ziplining off a cliff. That¡¯s why it was crossed out.¡± ¡°What?¡± He wished it was a joke. If the higher-ups had any sense, they¡¯d just pass this on to the yers as "Here''s some information to keep in mind." There¡¯s no way anyone would actually try to make someone pull off a stunt like that. As an analyzer, he knew the ins and outs of the Dark Zone and AP system. He himself was hovering just on the edge of Tier 2 and SOF in skill. However, as always, certain ys were only possible at the highest level, and in the upper echelons where there was nowhere else to climb, legendary ys that only happened once every few years became the norm. The problem was, there was someone over there doing those legendary ys in every single match. ¡°¡­At this rate, Korea¡¯s going to dominate this year.¡± It could be dismissed as stomping low-tier yers in tournament rankings, but if Yujin¡¯s ys continued like this in both the qualifier and selection matches, that would be a genuine disy of skill. Someone who could pull off such ys without breaking a sweat wouldn¡¯t be any different in the Asia preliminaries. You couldn¡¯t change people that easily. The past reflected the present and the future. The Asia preliminaries were just an extension of that¡ªand he was barely suppressing the urge to voice this out loud, knowing it would get him pelted with tomatoes and eggs. A few more calctions were scribbled on his paper. Currently, there were 12 yers left. Yujin had seven kills. Although bonus points were awarded based on y performance, the point system for KSM that he was aware of was simple: 1st ce: 10 points. 2nd ce: 6 points. 3rd ce: 5 points. 4th ce: 4 points. 5th-6th ce: 3 points. 7th-8th ce: 2 points. 9th-10th ce: 1 point. And one kill equaled one point. In other words, if Yujin kept five kills per match and secured first ce five times, she would umte 75 points. Realistically, with bonus points based on ystyle and kills, she¡¯d surpass 80 easily. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t like she was going to skip the remaining matches. Given her physical prowess, she would easily surpass 100 points. Even if she didn¡¯t ce first in every match, she would still finish within the top 10. Which meant¡­. ¡°I might not get to see much more of Yujin¡¯s gamey.¡± If she kept up this pace and secured first ce in five of the 16 matches, she¡¯d be guaranteed to finish first in the KSM qualifiers. Even if she only secured first ce three times, she¡¯d have about 50 points, which would likelynd her in the top five. However, that¡¯s assuming she quit after securing first ce a specific number of times. Realistically, Icarus might decide there was no need for her to participate in Sunday¡¯s matches and only include her in exhibition games. Of course, this logic wouldn¡¯t hold if she didn¡¯t win first ce, but with ys like hers, could that even happen? ¡°Waaaaaaaah©¤!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°And as we speak! Yujin! Yujin takes first ce in the first round of the Korea Selection Match! No surprises here! Is this even real?! With 12 kills, she¡¯s crowned the top predator! No more adjectives are needed!!!¡± Ah. It seemed his calctions were a bit off. He crossed out the note about cing in the top five in the qualifiers and re-wrote it, confirming her as the number one. Along with a small footnote that she might not be human. ______________ ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dying here.¡± Unlike the qualifying ranks, KSM has much less yer interaction. After introducing all 100 yers at the start, they are individually isted to manage their mentality and to prevent yers from talking to each other after the match. And just like that, the room was empty. It was like being given arge bedroom that could easily belong to a wealthy person, and most of the yers had no qualms about copsing onto the bed ced in the center of the room. One of them was Dice.@@novelbin@@ As she rolled around on the bed, memories from thest match surfaced in her mind. Or more precisely... it was her first time facing Yujin after she had removed her limiter. ¡°No matter how you look at it, she¡¯s not human, so why does she keep denying it?¡± Dice wasn¡¯t a fool. Many people were under the misconception that she was sloppy and careless after spending so much time around Yujin recently, butst year, Dice was the one carrying the SSM AP soloing division with insane physical prowess and intelligence. As the qualifiers progressed, she had already formed a rough idea of how KSM would y out, and Yujin¡¯s presence only made that vision clearer. She even ounted for variables that most pro gamers wouldn¡¯t consider because of their pride. She had assumed from the start that Yujin could consistently ce in the top 10 in every match. Naturally, and unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t wrong.
  • [Username: DICE]
  • [Current Rank: 3]
Third ce. Unfortunately, due to poor positioning, despite fighting hard, Dice was eventually devoured by Yujin. Had another yer been closer to Yujin, Dice would have taken second ce. Still, it wasn¡¯t a bad result. Actually, it was a great oue. But more than the result, what pleased Dice was the fact that the strategy she had been formting in her mind had actually worked¡ªit was nothing tooplex. Simply put, it was an aggro ping-pong strategy. As the yer pool shrank to the top 10, she minimized her movements and noise as much as possible, passing the engagement onto other users when necessary. After all, as long as you''re human, you¡¯ll pay attention to the direction noise ising from. Every participant was given a 10-minute break to refresh. It could be considered an unbearably short time or quite a long one, depending on the situation. For Dice, it was the former. There was so much she needed to sort out before the next match began. If only Yujin had stayed on as a coach for SSM, but she was also apetitor. Would she ever be able tond a solid victory against Yujin, even just once? The odds were much higher that Yujin would rack up such an impressive record that she wouldn¡¯t need to participate in the rest of the matches. After all, Dice herself had gone through the same experiencest year. ¡®If she keeps showing this level of physical skill, it¡¯ll all be over within three matches.¡¯ If Yujin dominated the first few matches, racking up scores in an overwhelming fashion, then even after all the hype and anticipation for her, she''d stoppeting early. It would be quite the spectacle in its own way¡ªfront-loading the excitement with the main course right from the start and never appearing again afterward. Still, unless they advanced her early, someone capable of climbing higher wouldn¡¯t get the chance. It was like a natural disaster, sparing no one in its path. yers who were supposed to be honed through fierce battles, sharpened into the finest des, would instead get crushed in a press without ever being forged. Thinking that way, she wondered¡ªwhat was Yujin doing right now? ¡°Guess I¡¯ll see her again in the exhibition matches.¡± The exhibition matches took ce once every four rounds. They were a way to cool the atmosphere for the yers and allow viewers to participate in fun events. Sometimes it was an obstacle course, sometimes a close-quarters fight with only pistols and soft mallets. Basically, it was like a sports day. This too was a tradition fromst year¡¯s matches. Dice herself had qualified as a representative yerst year around mid-Sunday, and with four matches left, there was no longer any need for her topete, but she still participated in every exhibition match. Would things y out the same way this year? Or would something be different? In any case, what happened to her didn¡¯t matter all that much¡ªwhat was certain was that Yujin might experience thergest fan meeting in her entire career. ¡°Heh.¡± Thinking about it made Dice chuckle to herself.
  • [Notice: The next match is about to begin.]
  • [Notice: The next map is Port City, Tannh?user.]
Is it time already? It was a pity for many of the viewers, but¡ªYujin needed to finish up in KSM as quickly as possible. yers who needed to advance should do so fast. Only then would the realpetition begin. As Dice opened her eyes, feeling a little lighter, she found herself on board a transport ne with the other 99 participants¡ªone of the few matches that started with an airborne drop on the map, Port City, Tannh?user. Familiar faces exchanged shouts andughs, voices raised over the noise of the engine and the wind. ¡°Hey! Take it easy! You¡¯re gonna kill all the noobs!¡± ¡°Haha! Hey! Look, there¡¯s third ce, there¡¯s third ce!¡± ¡°Let us have a taste of those qualifiers too!¡± ¡°Ugh! Everyone just sit down already! Argh!¡± The true faces of pro gamers. Even though they were allpetitors and the ending wouldn¡¯t be pretty, moments like this, the joy and camaraderie, couldn¡¯t be denied. For this moment, at least, everyone was enjoying themselves before the drop. Of course... ¡°Haha, see you allter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°...Why does everyone react like this when I talk?¡± In the middle of it all, Yujin had awkwardly tried to break the ice, only to kill the mood. But in the next moment: ¡°Get her!¡± ¡°Now¡¯s your chance!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s grab that talkative snake¡¯s tail!¡± ¡°Wha¡ªWhy are you all suddenly¡­ Ughhh!¡± In the safe zone, Yujin found herself on the receiving end of an overenthusiastic, albeit yful, greeting from her fellow pro gamers for the first time. That¡¯s how these people live. It was a particrly clear day. Chapter 134 It wasmon knowledge that guns usingrger bullets had more firepower. However, this world always operated on the principle of equivalent exchange. In other words, more powerful ammunition came with its own set of drawbacks. Heavy. Strong recoil. Resupply issues. Lengthy barrels. Limited usage¡­ These drawbacks were particrly noticeable among special forces. The heavier weight and strong recoil reduced operational endurance, supply lines hated the fact that the ammunition couldn''t be unified, and the length made close-quartersbat (CQB) difficult. But the biggest reason these guns couldn¡¯t be the main weapon of choice was their limited applicability. Even though special forces trained with various firearms and practiced for specific missions that onlyrge-caliber guns could aplish, no one carried such weapons as their primary equipment. But everything changed with the pandemic¡ªand with the appearance of defecting operators. Thud! Thud! Thud! "Aaagh!" Theck of stamina and operational endurance waspensated with devices. Protection was handled by nanomachines. Recoil control? That was covered by the sophisticated absorption systems of Icarus gear. As everyone began wielding shields, spears had to be heavier and sharper than ever. Unfortunately, the first to fall victim to these new heavy spears were the highly skilled individuals who stubbornly clung to their 5.56mm small-caliber bullets. It didn¡¯t take long for the most trusted bullet, the one that had imed countless lives from enemies like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and ISIL, to be just one of many options. Problems that couldn¡¯t be solved with the 5.56mm NATO rounds began appearing one by one. Even the most vulnerable part of the body, the head, required at least three direct hits to prate when the nanomachine barrier was activated. Defecting operators, having abandoned their duty to protect their homnd, demonstrated the efficiency of using higher-caliber bullets inbination with Icarus gear through the blood of theirrades. And among these Icarus operators who overcame all the drawbacks, I was the one most in favor of higher-caliber firearms¡ªexcept for the resupply issue, that is. Anyway, the reason I¡¯m telling you all this is because... Boom! Whether it''s close range, mid-range, or long-range, assuming you can handle these firearms¡ªincluding recoil control¡ªthe firepower gap in 1v1 operator engagements bes incredibly important. Naturally, every gun is used slightly differently. But as your skill improves, the gap in how you use them narrows, and even methods that seem impractical be valid. For example, using the Mk.18 Mjolnir in closebat, like right now. Thud! This gun may seem overused at this point, but it was the one I relied on the most in the past. It was one of the few guns capable of swiftly dismantling enemy units in New York, where unmanned drones that could shred people in less than a second were rampant. Even Fallen operators couldn¡¯t escape its fate. They may have dug numerous traps and deployed their subordinates to block me, but once you got hit by this gun, it was a one-way ticket to the afterlife¡ªor the River Styx, if we¡¯re in America. Not that it mattered if they showed up in person. "Urgh!" Thud. Once hit, a significant chunk of nanomachine reserves was gone. The enemy I was chasing could no longer move to escape. If I had been using a standard assault rifle with 5.56mm rounds, they might have sacrificed their shield and gotten away, but this gun set a new rule: "Get hit and die." The burden of not getting hit, even while retreating and reducing the enemy''s strength. Though it might sound arrogant, I was more confident in my shooting skills than anyone else. Warning: Enemy Seeker Mine approaching. Of course, the opponent wasn¡¯t just going to sit back and take it. As soon as their skill cooldown reset, they used it. Had they thrown it into the air, I could have intercepted it, but they rolled it out from an angle I couldn¡¯t see. I didn¡¯t have enough nanomachine reserves to be careless. Sure, I could take the hit and continue, but that would be ast resort. I had to prepare for future scenarios, so I chose to destroy it myself. Adjusting the magnification on my LPVO scope, I aimed and shot down the rapidly approaching Seeker Mine, resulting in a massive firestorm. It seemed they opted for a version split into incendiary rounds. A silhouette emerged from behind a vehicle, dragging a ballistic shield across the ground to hide their footsteps while sprinting. The sound of the shield scraping against the asphalt was irritating. As expected of KSM yers, their tactical thinking was top-notch. If they were a little farther away, I might have lost them. But right now, they weren¡¯t far enough. Thud! I ran. At full speed. At the same time, I aimed at the ballistic shield and fired. Despite the heavy vibrations shaking my shoulder, I continued unloading the rest of my ammo to ensure they couldn¡¯t recover the shield and fire back. By the time I¡¯d emptied two 15-round magazines and loaded a third, they flung their nearly destroyed shield aside and fired back at me. They must have calcted how many rounds I had left in my magazine. However, they were running and turning back to fire at me, which meant their uracy was shot. Meanwhile, my nanomachine reserves could handle the few lucky shots that did hit me. I finished reloading. It was time to skewer them. "Urgh!" Bang bang bang bang bang! I rapidly slowed down, lowered my body, and took a shooting stance. Simultaneously, I fired five rounds. The enemy fell with a strange groan, copsing as if dancing on the spot. The Lapua Magnum was too powerful for a soft human body. Had I been using armor-piercing rounds, the damage might have been less severe, and they could have continued fighting. But since it was early in the engagement, I hadn¡¯t yet acquired good ammunition¡ªironically, this only increased the damage output. The enemy dissolved into a pile of items. The kill log confirmed it¡ªReaper Infected''s Mikael. That made it my second kill. "Seems like you¡¯ve had bad luck with shields." A memory surfaced. This was the same person I had thrown a shield at during a fight at the Aurora Power nt, near the Arctic Ocean. KSM truly had a way of bringing back familiar faces. I didn¡¯t need much from the items. Fortunately, I hadn¡¯t used any grenades, and aside from the excessive use of bullets, there wasn¡¯t much bleeding. Looting the pile quickly restored my resources. After pouring ammo into the auto-loader attached to my backpack, I secured the magazines, and with a whirring sound, a fully loaded magazine was ready. Of course, if I didn¡¯t have a backpack or decent loot, I¡¯d have had to reload manually. Warning: 20 seconds until the energy field copses. ¡°Time to go¡­¡± Since I hadnded on the outskirts, there weren¡¯t many enemies or items left. The kill zone was approaching. It was time to move. As the engine revved up and I felt the heavy vibration from beneath, the wheels of the vehicle began to turn¡ªtime to leave the outskirts and head toward the center. There was nothing more to do here. Today¡¯s lesson: How to handle enemies with pure shooting skills. Featuring: KSM. The Dark Zone was simple, and Apex Predator Mode was even simpler. Just aim and shoot every enemy you see, until you can no longer shoot¡ªuntil you¡¯re thest one standing. The problem with this cursed game mode was that every time you yed, it was new. Even familiar maps became new again. Couldn¡¯t there be a way to breathe easy and win first ce for once? It was a hopeless thought, but Dice couldn¡¯t help but wonder. She rested, exhausted, leaning against the wall of a warehouse now filled with loot, no longer expecting any visitors. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± When you¡¯re tired, no deep thoughts cross your mind. Even just breathing left no room for boredom. Her entire body and nerves were focused on recovering. Fifteen minutes into the match, the first mid-game engagement had worn her out. She knew who her enemy was. As someone who understood almost every avatar and ystyle of pro gamers, including the ones in KSM, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess. But had that knowledge made a big difference in the fight? Not really. Her nanomachine barrier was shredded, and her health was barely holding on. After injecting a health booster and grabbing only the essentials, she stepped outside. The situation in the central zone was far from good. Gunfire echoed from all directions¡ªthat was the proof. "This game¡¯s not going anywhere exciting." It was the unavoidable nature of tournaments. Death always carried high risks, and to avoid those oues, all yers¡ªexcept for the few maniacs¡ªhad to y defensively. In the buildings within a radius of a few hundred meters¡­ there were probably about 20 people already in position. As soon as the kill zone moved in an odd direction, firefights would break out during repositioning. That was the reality of AP. Not every fight was explosive. ¡­And so, Dice suddenly thought of Yujin. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t worry but curiosity. As a fellow SSM member, they had jumped out of the transport ne with at least 600 meters between them. Yujin was probably fine. It was time to check the next kill zone when¡ª Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! "Gah!" A harsh, low gunfire sound. Rtively low RPM. Must be an Eastern Bloc weapon. The weight of the rounds was something else, so it had to be. That was how my troubles began. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint where the bullets wereing from, so I ran. But before long, with a loud tter, someone burst out of a building. Since the surroundings were a massive dock, there was no ce to hide. As I hurriedly ran, I spat out a curse. "Dammit, I was saving this!" The grappling hook I had been saving for emergencies. I quickly pulled it off my back, looking around desperately. Nothing but high walls¡ªgigantic container ships and rows of containers. There was nowhere else to go. As soon as I fired the hook, a massive force pulled at my arms. My body was swiftly lifted into the air, and I was dragged across the open space at high speed until the line was fully reeled in. I barelynded on top of the container. But then¡ª Tat-tat-tat-tat! "Ugh, there¡¯s more!?" Did Ie to the center too soon!? Thankfully, I could already guess where the bullets wereing from. Due to the sheer size of the container ship, not every area was essible. On top of that, I was standing on the highest container. The shots must have beening from the ship¡¯s bridge. Whoever it was, how long had they been up there? I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. In AP, you had to assume enemies were everywhere. "Argh!" Thud. With a heavy crash, my body slipped and fell off the container. The fall was over 10 meters, but fortunately, the nanomachine barrier absorbed most of the damage. Just moments ago, things had been going well, but this round was turning into a mess. I barely had time to process it before more bullets came flying from the bridge. It was total chaos. Then came the final nail in the coffin. Alert: Therge-scale loading gates for ship boarding and cargo unloading are now active. Alert: Lockingplete. Cargo unloading willmence shortly. A massive bridge extended from the side of the ship. It anchored itself firmly to the port. This meant the bridge was open, and soon, countless people¡ªvehicles even¡ªcould flood the area. The opening of a full-scale battle. Few people would survive this. ¡°¡­Fine. You want to y like that?¡± You brought this on yourselves. With that thought, I carefully moved toward the only Revolution Trigger in Port City, Tannh?user. Distracting the yer on the bridge, I began unlocking the nearest container lock. Yujin and I had once analyzed this map in detail, and while looking at the cargo manifest in the captain¡¯s quarters, she had told me something shocking. ¡®Ammonium nitrate, powdered sugar, lithium batteries, propane gas for welding¡­ If they transported supplies like this, they¡¯d be called insane. But I guess it¡¯s fine because it¡¯s a game.¡¯ ¡®Fertilizer, sugar, batteries, and gas? Seems like a random assortment.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s too intentional. Explosive materials, dust explosion triggers, batteries that heat to over a thousand degrees if their separators break, and mmable gas¡­ What do you think happens if these mix on a container ship?¡¯ I remembered it clearly. Yujin¡¯s calm exnation had been unsettling at the time, but today, I found it ratherforting. With a clunk, the doors of several containers swung open. Inside were heaps of ammonium nitrate, bags of powdered sugar, piles of batteries, and rows of gas canisters packed tightly. The order of operations was critical. I opened every gas canister I could until my arms ached. Yujin had mentioned that propane gas was heavy and would settle at ground level. The smell of gas filled the air. After about three minutes of repeating this process, the effect was unmistakable. In addition, I tossed a few batteries and gas canisters into the containers filled with ammonium nitrate and powdered sugar. Everything was ready. Standing precariously on the fall-prevention fence, I aimed at the container full of batteries and fired a shot. Then, as I tossed a grenade, I spoke aloud. ¡°Burn, all of you.¡±@@novelbin@@ At the same time, I jumped from the container, plunging several meters into the water and frantically swimming in the opposite direction toward a parked vehicle. Based on the video Yujin had shown me, the explosion would be unimaginable. I had to escape. A loud boom erupted as the grenade detonated. It was the spark that lit the fuse, connected to somethingparable to a small tactical nuke. Chapter 135 ¡°Damn, I could¡¯ve caught her.¡± On the bridge of the container ship, one yer, Summit, was searching for Dice, who had vanished. The number of containers was now sparse, barely enough to be noteworthy. Typically, when one thinks of a container ship, they imagine the grand sight of tens of thousands of boxes filled with goods, proudly sailing across the seas. But this ship was far from that image. This was due to the nature of Port City Tannh?user. Most of the cargo had already been unloaded here, leaving only about 33% of the ship¡¯s maximum capacity, ording to online analysis. Additionally, the ship itself wasn¡¯t particrlyrge. It had a capacity of approximately 1000 TEU, which roughly trantes to the ability to carry 1,000 containers. Given that each container could carry about 10 tons, the ship¡¯s total cargo weight would be around 10,000 tons. Of course, all of this was just based on TreeWiki¡¯s spection. Summit, a first-tier pro gamer from TK1, reloaded his magazine as he kept track of the positions of the other yers. But even though the ship was only 10,000 tons, it wasn¡¯t possible for him to cover every corner with just his line of sight. Even if he missed catching Dice, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. Engaging in constant firefights would only expose his position, thanks to the gunfire and muzzle shes. That was often the case in Apex Predator. Sometimes, letting go of greed was the way to achieve better results. At least, that¡¯s what Summit believed. Boom! ¡°¡­What was that?¡± While cautiously and expertly scouting the area outside the bridge, Summit heard an explosion. The sound of a grenade detonating near the edge of the ship caught his attention. He aimed in that direction but didn¡¯t see anything unusual. Dice had vanished. He fired a scan grenade to sweep the area, but no one was found. It took about 30 seconds for him to finally lose interest in Dice and return to his scouting. ¡®If the kill zone shifts, I¡¯ll just parachute down, hop in that vehicle, and cross the bridge I deployed earlier.¡¯ Securing an escape route was always crucial. Gunfire continued to crackle all around him, and the asional explosion from a grenade could be heard. It was natural for the kill zone to move as the game entered itste stages, but today, it was oddly converging toward the exact center of the map. Naturally, KSM participants were already gathering in the vicinity. The container ship was located almost exactly in the middle of the central area. If luck was on his side, he could hold his position here for a while. It was a risky choice, but with the gate deployed, any yer who tried to cross would be exposed, given how open the structure was. The priority was securing kills and victory. He needed to ce at least in the top 10 to earn meaningful points. Rumble! But when the ship suddenly shook, Summit couldn¡¯t help but be startled. A fire had broken out in several containers. ¡°No¡­ This can¡¯t be good.¡± A troublesome situation. The only Revolution Trigger in Port City Tannh?user was tied to the existence of this ship. If someone set off an explosion, the mmable materials inside the containers could cause a massive st, sending the remaining containers tumbling into the water. Although today¡¯s explosion seemed smaller in scale, his carefullyid-out ns had been disrupted. Could this have been Dice¡¯s doing? It was certainly a clever move. The problem was it wasn¡¯t enough to change the oue significantly. In any case¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll have to go down.¡± Summit quickly scanned his surroundings, his brain working at full speed. He didn¡¯t know exactly what was in the containers, but the explosives had already gone off. Likely, every yer in the vicinity had turned their attention to the explosion¡¯s direction. Using a parachute now would be too risky. The best option was to quickly leave the bridge on foot. As he descended the stairs, he kept an eye on the situation outside. With his original n now ruined, he knew that making too much noise would only put him at a disadvantage, so he moved cautiously. After about two minutes, Summit reached the bottom of the bridge without being detected. It wasn¡¯t until he got to the edge of the deck that he saw the full extent of the fire. The mes were spreading, heating up the surrounding containers. He needed to escape fast. Summit attached a steel cable to a thick chain and threw it over the railing. Using the stairs would take too long and attract too much attention, so he opted for the faster method. Ziiiiip! After descending the zipline, he abandoned the cable and sprinted toward the vehicle he had scouted earlier. Fortunately, it was still there. It seemed that no one had spotted him so far. Before getting into the vehicle, he crouched behind it, opened the mini-map, and considered where to go next. It seemed like luck wasn¡¯t on his side today. His goal now was to survive as long as possible. With that thought, he started the engine. The engine roared loudly, attracting attention, but by the time anyone looked in his direction, the vehicle¡¯s wheels were already spinning, turning Summit into a rogue on the road. Vrooooom. It had only been 30 seconds since he¡¯d gotten into the vehicle. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Suddenly, the world went silent. In an instant, light and darkness shed simultaneously before his eyes, and everything went ck. Before he could even make a sound, time slowed to a crawl as his body seemed to float weightlessly. And just as suddenly, the screen turned ck. Before he could process what had happened, a familiar scene appeared before his eyes. He was back in the lobby. A few words appeared on the screen, exining what had happened. Alert: KIA Cause of Death: Explosion ¡°¡­What the hell was that?¡± There¡¯s a saying that when something is too absurd, you¡¯re left speechless. Summit felt that with every fiber of his being as he stared nkly at the screen, hands clutching his head in disbelief. Boom! 3 kilometers away, Yujin, who had narrowly dodged shattered ss, stared in the direction of the explosion with an unusually bewildered expression. A mushroom cloud was rising from the center of the map.@@novelbin@@ Yujin knew exactly what it was. ¡°¡­She actually blew it up.¡± Even without saying it, she knew who was responsible. As her expression softened, Yujin¡¯s next reaction was a smile. Inside the empty factory, the sound of her quiet, amusedughter echoed. ¡°What¡­ what the hell just happened!?¡± The kill feed, showing Dice¡¯s name, scrolled endlessly upward, stopping at a count of eleven kills. But that wasn¡¯t the most important thing. The small fire that had started in the central port of Tannh?user wasn¡¯t just any fire¡ªit was the fuse that had triggered an explosion beyond imagination. Over 2 million people witnessed the scene, and the spectacle could only be described as awe-inspiring. In a split second, a massive pir of fire, hundreds of meters high, erupted from the container ship, enveloped by a dome-shaped cloud. The explosion was so powerful that the atmospherepressed, causing vapor to condense into mist. The deafening noise forced everyone to cover their ears, and the massive shockwave turned the port¡¯s cranes and nearby buildings into matchsticks and Styrofoam. Of course, every window in the area shattered. The area within a 100-meter radius waspletely obliterated, and yers who hadn¡¯t escaped within 500 meters suffered severe damage. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Several tons of containers,unched like missiles, crashed into nearby buildings. And at precisely 700 meters from the explosion, Dice, who had been fleeing in a car, was flung along with her vehicle by the sonic boom, narrowly surviving after crashing into a building wall. But survival wasn¡¯t the main issue here. The event was so shocking that even thementators, usually quick to react, were left speechless. The explosion should have been a typical onerge enough to split the ship in half and spill the cargo into the water. But it turned into a colossal detonation that left an indelible mark on the minds of over 2 million viewers. Dice had managed to open all the propane gas valves, spread powdered sugar inside the containers, strategically ced batteries and propane tanks inside ammonium nitrate containers, and damaged the batteries to create a heat reaction. All of this had taken only three minutes. In that short amount of time, Dice had annihted most of the yers within a 200-meter radius, instantly killing nearly everyone in the vicinity. Finally regaining hisposure, thementator shouted. ¡°¡­This is an unimaginable y! We¡¯ve seen explosions in Tannh?user before, but who could have predicted it would happen during a tournament! SSM¡¯s Dice has pulled off an extraordinary move, racing ahead of everyone else!¡± The silence turned to shock. Shock turned to cheers. And the cheers eventually erupted into apuse and screams. It took time for the audience to process what had just happened, but the massive explosion hadpletely erased Yujin from their minds¡ªat least for this round. Just minutes ago, the crowd had been cheering for Yujin. Now, their second wave of apuse was directed at none other than Dice. And among those left most bewildered were the yers who had died in the st. It wasn¡¯t just a random ident¡ªit was an unprecedented stroke of bad luck, the kind that could easily top the list of life¡¯s worst misfortunes. From their perspective, it was as if they had blinked, only to find themselves back in the lobby. Of course, those who had died simply stared at the destruction from their perspective, their jaws ck as they witnessed the mushroom cloud rising 500 meters into the air and the ruined central port of Tannh?user. ¡°Hah¡­ Seriously¡­ What the hell¡­¡± ¡°Pfft, what the¡­ is this even real¡­?¡± Even with all the words in the world, there were no words to exin the absurdity of what had just happened. Later, during the debrief, there would be nothing left to say. ¡®Why do you think you died there?¡¯ ¡®Because I couldn¡¯t stop Dice, who was 200 meters away, and got blown up.¡¯ ¡®Right. Let¡¯s keep working hard.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the kind of situation that could ever happen again. Their coach, teammates, and analysts would all be left wondering what the hell had just happened. Still, at least they¡¯d have a wild story to tell at the next gathering. After all, when you¡¯re already out of the tournament, it¡¯s best to think positively to avoid dying of frustration. ¡°Hey, have you ever been hit by a nuke at close range? Man, I went to the sauna with ammonium nitrate and had a heart-to-heart with a propane tank! It was absolutely wild.¡± By the end of the day, there would probably be a legendary video of Dice uploaded to TreeWiki¡¯s page, showing the explosion in all its glory, along with the list of the eleven yers who had died in the st. ¡°¡­Man, this sucks.¡± Thinking about it, wasn¡¯t this all Yujin¡¯s fault? If Yujin hadn¡¯t been around, Dice wouldn¡¯t have gone crazy like this. While entertaining these ridiculous thoughts, Summit noticed a cheese cat-girl avatar lying on the ground, moaning, ¡°Uuuurgh¡­¡± in a strange tone. It didn¡¯t take long to recognize her. The AP soloing pro scene was small, after all. It was Summit from TK1, the face of TK1, and someone skilled enough to potentially make it to the Asia preliminaries and maybe even the finals. But, well¡ª Flop. ¡°How could anyone win against a natural disaster? Just let it go.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, seriously. I can¡¯t deal with AP anymore. This year¡¯s just full of crazy people popping up out of nowhere¡­.¡± You¡¯re telling me. With a shared sense of resignation, the eleven yers remained sprawled out on the ground until the game ended. By then, 30 minutes had passed since the start of KSM. Chapter 136 ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to go this far¡­¡± Golden hair, tangled and mixed with dust, tiny ss shards, and even stone powder, peeked through a shattered window on top of a tall building. Blue eyes stared at the chaos unfolding across the horizon. The harbor was inplete disarray. Enormous cranes were bent like twisted straws, thrust into the waterway, and containers, weighing up to 10 tons each, were flung about as if swept away by the wind. Buildings closest to the st epicenter were either destroyed or copsed. It was a wastnd, the result of over 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploding and obliterating everything in its vicinity. Before the ship even had a chance to spill its cargo into the water, the propane gas and lithium-ion batteries, released beforehand, acted as boosters. The dust explosion triggered by the powdered sugar scattered around ignited a reaction strong enough to set off the otherwise stable ammonium nitrate. The massive chemical reaction forced the remaining 24 yers to rethink their entire game ns. ¡®Okay, now that we¡¯ve made it this far, check for any enemies nearby, enter the building, and wait for the next kill zone.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no building here.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ It was that kind of situation. While no one was there to give real-time feedback, the general sentiment would probably be, ¡®I made it here, but the building I nned to hide in¡­ isn¡¯t here?¡¯ I was thinking the same thing, after all. But I had an edge over the others. My name kept popping up on the endless kill log above the UI. I never expected to find myself in this kind of situation during KSM, but the world is full of surprises. ¡°So, where do I go now?¡± With the game heading into its final phase, I knew I¡¯d have to head back into the ruins I had created. I¡¯d run for my life to avoid the aftershock, making it 1.1 kilometers from ground zero in just five minutes. But today¡¯s kill zone seemed to love the center of the map. It wasn¡¯t a great feeling. Winning wasn¡¯t certain, but after creating such chaos, I had to secure victory to prevent the others from ganging up on me when the match was over. The bacsh from the event match might be scary, though¡­ ¡°Wow, there¡¯s nothing left intact.¡± The explosion had been so intense that no buildings or roads remained untouched. The windows had long since shattered, and even cars had been blown away and crashed into various ces, making them hard to find. After finally finding an off-road buggy that had been waiting inside a hangar, I carefully drove it across the broken asphalt. The sun was shining brightly, but the remnants of the mushroom cloud still lingered in the sky. With so few yers left, Tannh?user felt like a ghost town. Or rather, had I killed the town? That thought was kind of legendary. The culprit was racing down the road, while the victims were left in the lobby. The circle was already closing in, heading toward its penultimate phase. Even while driving, there had been several skirmishes. The number of remaining yers, which had been around 20, was now down to 17. Normally, there¡¯d still be 30 people left, but seeing it this way made the drop in numbers feel more real. The car screeched to a halt. It was in a container storage area, but thanks to the shockwave, it was inplete disarray. The containers, stacked haphazardly, were unstable and rattled as if they might copse at any moment. The air was filled with an eerie hissing sound. Some containers, already ruptured, were spewing mes, while others leaked ammonium nitrate from their torn sides. Come to think of it, why did I evene here? It was a powder keg waiting to blow. A cold, ominous wind blew through the area. At that moment, a massive explosion erupted nearby. Boom! ¡°Kyaa¡­!¡± I almost screamed. No wonder the air smelled strange¡ªthe propane gas must¡¯ve been leaking. The gas, pooled on the ground, had ignited, spreading to a tank-filled container, causing it to explode. Thankfully, the explosion happened more than 50 meters away from me. I cautiously leaned against a container, assessing what had just happened. Crushed containers had been flung in all directions, and the ground was aze. The sweet, burnt smell of melting sugar mixed with the bright red mes of lithium-ion batteries igniting at over 1,000 degrees. It seemeding here wasn¡¯t a good choice after all. As I considered making my escape¡ª Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! ¡°Oof!¡± Even with the nanomachine barrier absorbing the hit, the impact felt like it was crushing the part of my body it hit. The bullets had insane pration power. Through the mes, I saw a faint silhouette. I emptied a magazine in return, and the figure swiftly moved. As I reloaded, I checked the nanomachine reserves. Although the bullets hadn¡¯t hit my head, a third of the shield had already been depleted. The enemy hadn¡¯t taken many hits, it seemed. I could guess their next move¡ªthey¡¯d close the distance. After reloading, I cautiously peeked out and aimed at the same spot. Through the shimmering mes, I saw a figure advancing. ¡°Huu¡­¡± The sound I made could¡¯ve been a scream or a sigh. The enemy, moving steadily through the mes, had piercing blue eyes that made it clear who I was facing. It was her. I felt like prey standing before a predator. The opponent, steadily advancing like a juggernaut with an Mk.18 Mjolnir mounted on a shield, was none other than Yujin. The graceful, agile tail slipping beneath the shield confirmed that her avatar was one-of-a-kind. I had to kill her here. Alert: Seeker Mine activated. Alert: Adhesive Explosive Launcher¡ªImpact mode engaged. The seeker mine rolled out. While perching my gun on a drum barrel and firing with my right hand, I aimed the adhesive explosiveuncher with my left. I fired, and the impact explosive stuck to the shield, crackling with electricity. In that moment, the seeker mine leaped into the air, scattering five submunitions. But somehow, Yujin managed to position her shield just right, absorbing three-quarters of the explosion. No time to rest. No need to reload. I pulled out three grenades on the spot. The pins were attached to fishing line with Mollys, so as soon as I yanked them out, the pins and safety devices were released simultaneously. I tossed two grenades with both hands, then threw thest one with my left. They exploded with a deafening bang, perfectly timed. But Yujin blocked the explosions with her shield, though it shattered from the final st, and she was forced to retreat, heavily wounded. I couldn¡¯t finish her. I¡¯d failed. ¡°D-damn it¡­!¡± Her cold, piercing gaze caught mine. Before I could take cover behind a container, I locked eyes with her. I couldn¡¯t describe the feeling, but her gaze seemed to say¡ª ¡®Time to settle the score for that explosion.¡¯ It was time to pay the price.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Aaaand, here we go! A firefight has broken out! Yujin emerges from the mes and debris, locking eyes with Dice! It¡¯s the living natural disaster versus this match¡¯s dark horse, mentor versus student! For the first time, they face off in KSM after working their way through the ranks of tournament and qualifier matches!¡± -OMG YUJIN VS DICE!!!!!!! -THIS IS GONNA BE LIT LOLOLOL -GRAB THE CHICKEN, GRAB THE PIZZA, GRAB THE BEER!!!! -HAHAHA THIS IS INSANE LMAO -NO END TO THE HIGHLIGHTS! NO END TO THE HIGHLIGHTS! The cheers were deafening. The excitement from the crowd was overwhelming, even for those who had no interest in the game. This monumental showdown, only two rounds into the Korea Selection Match, was creating a storm that no one could ignore. Thementators, who had poured fuel on the fire with their hype, were no exception. They, too, were filled with near-manic excitement as their voices grew louder and more intense with every passing second. Four or five screens were floating in front of everyone now. Dice¡¯s view, Yujin¡¯s view, the trajectory of bullets, and an overall view of their movements were all being shown, with only a minimal amount of other camera angles left, offering the most detailed and diverse battle possible. The viewers had no idea, but the staff in charge of adjusting the camera positions were under immense pressure. If Dice got wiped out too easily, it wouldn¡¯t be worth the immense attention this battle had garnered. But fortunately, neither Dice nor Yujin disappointed. Ratatatatat! High-velocity, small-caliber rounds and the ridiculously powerful Lapua Magnum traded shots. Dice¡¯s container cover was prated by the .338 rounds, causing the interior to heat up as the lithium-ion batteries inside began tobust. Meanwhile, a series of exchanges, too quick for the average person to follow, urred over and over. Dice unleashed skills whenever their cooldowns allowed, while Yujin either absorbed the hits, dodged them, or returned fire with unflinching precision. As the fight dragged on, one thing became clear to everyone. ¡°Dice isn¡¯t leaving any room for error! She¡¯s maintaining her distance perfectly! The question now is whether she can outshine her mentor! This is a battle between two razor-sharp minds, with no primal instincts involved¡ªpure intellect!¡± It wasn¡¯t just senseless firepower. Dice¡¯s perfectly distributed firepower thwarted every one of Yujin¡¯s attempts to break through. Using the seeker mine to track Yujin¡¯s position, Dice continuously forced her out of cover with explosive rounds. But Yujin wasn¡¯t letting herself get pinned down, minimizing her profile and constantly staying on the move. Dice, though still a developing yer, was using her finely honed skills, not just as a pro gamer but as a soldier, to counter Yujin¡¯s every move. It was her way of showing respect to her mentor. But Yujin held the upper hand¡ªthe sheer firepower of her Mjolnir¡¯s Lapua Magnum rounds created an insurmountable gap that she wielded with unmatched precision. If Dice¡¯s bullets were jabs, Yujin¡¯s Mjolnir threw hooks and straight punches with every shot. The barrier couldn¡¯t withstand her relentless attacks, and Yujin¡¯s raw power was enough to crush her opponent head-on. Several times, Dice found herself on the brink of death due to a single mistake in judgment. ¡®I can¡¯t keep going like this¡­¡¯ Her mind was racing. No matter how many times she ran the numbers, the oue was always the same: Yujin would grind her down to nothing. As much as Dice hated to admit it, Yujin was still a towering wall, and running away might be her only option. Dice was practical enough to prioritize survival over pride. She pulled out a grenade without hesitation. Ping! Of course, it wasn¡¯t aimed at Yujin. ¡°Wait! Dice suddenly throws a grenade¡­ not at Yujin, but at the pile of containers! What¡¯s going on here?!¡± Boom! The grenade exploded, riddling the wall with holes, prating a battery inside. Another fire broke out, sparks flying, and then the propane tanks ignited, triggering yet another explosion. The chaos shifted the entire terrain once again. But this time, it was all intentional. Dice sprinted through the fiery rain of red-hot shrapnel, jumped into her parked buggy, and hit the elerator, speeding out of the area. The unsettling sound of ricocheting bullets echoed in her ears, but Dice managed to escape the area¡ªpersonally, a defeat, but strategically, a victory. As long as she stayed alive, there would always be another chance. Meanwhile, about 100 meters away, Yujin smiled quietly and muttered under her breath. ¡°See you in a few minutes.¡± And her words came true. Less than 10 minutester, Dice was kicked back to the lobby with three skull icons and a second-ce trophy. There were no surprises in the end. Chapter 137 [General] Honestly, if you think Eugene rigged the match, upvote this post, lol Anyway, since they rigged the match, they should take full responsibility and y all 14 remaining games without a break, LOL. [All Comments] [Newest First]
  • I support this, lol.
  • This is so f***ing true, hahaha!
  • Why do they get all the highlights and smash everything while we only get two matches and are left with nothing? What am I, some useless jobless loser? ?Hey, man... ?If I were Eugene, I''d skip too, lol. ?I''m also a jobless loser, but I don¡¯t want to be associated with you, man. ?Isn''t everyone here jobless? Why''s everyone pretending they¡¯re not? Am I the only real loser?
  • Petition to make Eugene and Dice y every game (1/9999) ?I approve! ?Haha, hurry up and make them y every single game! ?Guys, my head¡¯s spinning, so I ordered some pork hock. So sad, haha. ?You''re all losing it, LOL.
  • They think they can make the games fun and just back out? Not happening! ?For real. ?I¡¯m now addicted to explosions. You can¡¯t leave me hanging! ?I watched that cargo ship blow up with my mouth wide open, LOL. ?Is there anyone who wasn''t shocked by that?
  • They gave us an amazing opening match and then ran off, LOL. ?I can already hear the sound of disappointment for the rest of the matches.
  • If the Icarus main channel edits the first two matches, they¡¯ll easily hit 10 million views in no time, lol. ?They could totally do that in a day. ?It''s crazy how possible that is, lol.
  • So, I started following Eugene because of this tournament. Wasst year¡¯s KSM like this too? ?Nope. ?Last year was just average fun, lol. ?Vegan diet vs Pizza, chicken, and MSG overload, lol. ?LOL, was it that bad? Damn! ?Newbies are adorable.
[General] If these guys perform well in the next two matches, they might just get top seed in the first set. Eugene has already racked up over 40 points with consecutive first-ce finishes, and Dice got 17 points in one match by wiping out 11 yers and taking second ce. She¡¯s insane, LOL. It¡¯s best to assume they¡¯re not ying this Sunday. [All Comments] [Newest First]
  • Yeah, that makes sense, LOL.
  • No, it¡¯s definitely match-fixing, lol. If not, make them y another game!
  • These people are absolutely nuts, hahaha!
  • Who the hell serves steak as an appetizer and then just leaves the course unfinished? These guys are insane, LOL. ?What, didn¡¯t you order the full course? ?Now that you say it, I totally get it, LOL. ?I''m dying ofughter, LOL. ?If you¡¯re upset, maybe the other dishes should¡¯ve tried harder, lol.
  • Honestly, it doesn''t matter. If they¡¯re good, they can just win the event match! ?Yeah, they¡¯ll stick thending immediately, lol. ?True, they could host a fan meeting without even ying the match. ?To be fair, at this point, they should double the event matches. ?We already get three or four per set, what more do you want, lol? ?There are 2 million people waiting for them, they should definitely add more matches!
  • The top yers should advance first, lol.
  • Unpopr opinion: I wasn¡¯t expecting much anyway. ?For real, lol. ?Only the haters are making a fuss; they were bound to advance anyway. ?It was impressive, but also, yeah, no surprise, lol.
  • Crazy yers¡­ Crazy yers¡­ Crazy yers¡­
  • As expected from Eugene''s pupil, she¡¯s causing quite a scene, lol. ?Is Blooming next, lol? ?Suddenly, I¡¯m hyped! ?Blooming''s like, "What the hell¡¯s happening?" ?Fact: It¡¯s only her coach and senior who are nuts.
  • Breaking news: The next match is starting. ?They¡¯re rushing in like maniacs, lol. ?Let¡¯s goooooo!
¡°©¤©¤For the first time in the country, and in history, Eugene has secured the pre-selection ticket in the third KSM match¡¯s first cycle! A top predator who appeared like aet, outpacing everyone faster than anyone else, she has imed the first ticket to the Asia preliminaries!¡± The prediction wasn¡¯t wrong. As soon as the fourth match ended sessfully, Eugene grabbed the opportunity to aim for an even higher ce. It happened just 2 hours and 20 minutes after the tournament began. ¡°This concludes the first cycle of KSM! After a 10-minute break, we will introduce the event match and the participant rmendations!¡± The number 100 floating in the air changed to 99, and the apuse followed. Then, people began to leave like a receding tide, going to the restroom in reality or nning to grab some cyber snacks during the break. The seven-digit number on the ceiling, which represented the number of viewers, was changing in real-time. By now, the viewership had surpassed 3 million. Drawing these numbers from just Korea alone, not the entire world, was proof that the Dark Zone¡¯s poprity had skyrocketed. The yers who hadpleted all four matches returned to the central stage one by one, just like before the KSM started. A total of 100 people. They sat in the identical chairs that had appeared, engaging in various conversations. ¡°Where¡¯s Dice, where¡¯s Dice?!¡± ¡°Hey, who told you to blow up everything in sight?!¡± ¡°Waaaah©¤©¤©¤!¡± Correction. It wasn¡¯t exactly a conversation¡ªit was more like a scolding. Or maybe even punishment. Something along those lines. It all started with Summit from TK1. Cheesenyang''s female character sprinted over, jumped, and wrapped her arm around Dice¡¯s neck, pulling her to the ground. On top of her piled even more cute girl avatars, making them look like a sandwich being made in real-time. While she screamed her lungs out, Eugene was calmly observing from the side. Unfortunately for Dice, she seemed to have developed a taste for explosions after the second match, pulling the same stunt in the fourth match. At the California Gas Storage site¡ªwhere Eugene had gone berserk with a fire axe¡ªDice had sniped and blown up a kiloliter-sized gas tank from afar, using high-explosive incendiary rounds, which usually wouldn¡¯t explode until the game¡¯s final moments. The fourth match ended in just 14 minutes. By the time people were stacked on top of each other, it was hard to tell who the victims and perpetrators were anymore. A hand desperately reached out from between the cute avatars toward Eugene, but hey¡ªit was karma. Their eyes met. ¡°Ah, uh¡­ Please, feel free to keep watching!¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Though the base crumbled, there weren¡¯t many casualties in the first match. And really, who could take down Eugene? After only a few matches, nearly 80 people had already witnessed her terrifying skills. Meanwhile, Dice was running around blowing up all the carefullyid strategies fromst year. It would¡¯ve been strange not to see her get punished. ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll toss you into the sea and turn you into hotpot! Dieee!¡± ¡°Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!¡± ¡°Hold your shin out!¡± It took two minutes. That¡¯s how long it took for Dice to getpletely ttened. The whole thing was a chaotic mess. The yers, a little more relieved now, started returning to their seats. Blooming, who poked at Dice¡¯s thigh with her finger to check if she was still alive, was sitting next to her. It was a total disaster. ¡°Come on, get up.¡± ¡°Nnghh¡­.¡± With a slither, Blooming coiled her tail around Dice¡¯s legs, dragged her forward a little, then wrapped the tail around her waist and shoulders, lifting her up and gently cing her back on the chair. The yers around them watched the whole thing with fascination, as if it was an annual event by now. Anyway, Eugene had something to ask Dice. ¡°What exactly is this event match?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear during the briefing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more interested in personal experiences. I can guess, but¡­¡± It was a kind of obstacle race that could host up to 520 participants at once. However, everyone participated as deformed SD-style characters. Viewers could decide whether to participate while the draw was ongoing, and there were five matches in total. The overall winner would receive a bonus of 3 KSM points. The 100 participants were split into groups of 20, making five rooms. So, the maximum number of participants for this event would be around 13,000. With four matches spread across Saturday and Sunday, viewers had to beat odds of roughly 1:200 to get in. But that wasn¡¯t the most important part. Dice pinpointed the key issue perfectly as she continued speaking. ¡°Well,st year, I wasn¡¯t that famous. But if I talk about those who were popr back then¡­ It was chaos. Each match took about 20 minutes, and some yers couldn¡¯t even move an inch for 15 minutes.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°You, Eugene¡­ I bet you¡¯re just going to bulldoze through everyone, right?¡± ¡°Well, if there¡¯s a crowd, I¡¯m not sure.¡± After all, nothing is scarier than a mob. The exnation wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°Other than that, the game is just designed for messing with other yers. You can grab people, slip on something like slime on the ground¡­ If you set your mind to it, you can endlessly bully someone.¡± ¡°This sounds¡­ oddly fitting.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I was one of the victims.¡± Of course.@@novelbin@@ Next came some brief exnations about the map gimmicks. ¡°There are giant fans, toy hammers, slime floors, speed boost panels, trampolines¡­ It¡¯s more fun to experience it for yourself than to exin.¡± As they chatted, time quickly flew by. The draw began. ¡°And now, we will start the event match draw! Who among you will be the lucky 2,500 yers selected and assigned to different rooms? If you win, your wristband will light up pink!¡± A soft pink light began to glow in spots throughout the audience. Those who were selected cheered excitedly, shaking their bodies in delight. The map was chosen, and the 100 yers were split up. Dice, having performed just as well as Eugene, couldn¡¯t be on the same team. With a pop, LD transformed into SD form, turning the tall avatars into short, stubby characters. The background music shifted. Even their voices sounded cuter than before. Just as Eugene was sizing up the yers she¡¯d be ying with for the next match¡­ ¡°Uh, why does everyone look so serious?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Neen. Plus the 500 others who had spawned around them. All of them were staring at Eugene with strange looks in their eyes. ¡°And now, let¡¯s move to the map! Do your best this round! Either run hard enough to beat everyone, or grab someone and drag them down with you! It¡¯s your choice! Let¡¯s count down! 3! 2! 1! Go©¤©¤©¤!¡± It looked like this event match would be a thorny path for Eugene. Probably. This trantion preserves the gaming and military lingo, the humor, and the chaotic energy of the scene, while staying true to the original tone. Let me know if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d like to tweak! ¡°There are way too many people¡­¡± No, it wasn¡¯t just that. It was downright packed. There are plenty of ways to describe a crowd¡ªwords like ¡°bustling¡± or ¡°chaotic¡± can instantly give people a sense of the situation. But here... where I was standing, those words didn¡¯t evene close. Packed. That¡¯s the best word to describe the current situation, even though it¡¯s not usually used to describe crowds of people. One line of 25 yers¡ªthere were 20 such lines in total. Even though they were spaced out, with only about 50 cm between them, it might as well have been no space at all. At least the view was cute, since they were all SD avatars of adorable girls. As I nced to the side¡­ ¡°...?¡± Even here, the looks were strange. Turning my head in the other direction? Same thing. Everyone was staring at me. Gulp. I nervously swallowed and checked the horizon. The brightly colored obstacles, the map, the levels¡­ The finish line stood majestically at the end, looking impossibly far away. As I tensed up and got ready to bolt¡ª -[Alert: The match is starting!] ¡°Get her!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the snake tail, snake tail!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let her escape, aaah!¡± ¡°Just let me touch the tail once©¤©¤©¤!¡± ¡°Oh my god, why are there so many of them!?¡± Escape? No chance. As soon as the match began, I was hit with 30 bulletsing at me all at once, instantly turning me into the next Dice. Chapter 138 - The match is starting! KSM is back this year, and so is the event match! Avoid the rising slime, navigate the obstacles, and make it to the finish line! Let''s see how many yers will survive this round! Moving tforms. Slippery, sticky floors covered in oozing jelly. Pirs springing from the walls, oversized ballsunched from bizarre cannons, rotating hammers, fans installed to block paths, and even massive pendulums swinging ominously. And, of course, the viewers were always filled with one goal in mind¡ªtorturing streamers or anyone remotely close to that level. Especially since, in this SD avatar event match, even physical contact was allowed.@@novelbin@@ The 500 yers in the match had no intention of letting the 20 pro gamers go without a fight. ¡°Uwaah, let go! Let go of me! I''m gonna die!¡± ¡°I got the tail!¡± ¡°Make it a hamburger, tten her!¡± ¡°Let¡¯smunicate!¡± Scenes like these were happening everywhere. This wasn¡¯t a rare urrence¡ªit happened the year before, the year before that, and once again this year. People bundled together, rolling around like ants swarming over a crumb dropped on the floor. The hosts and match staff had no choice but to significantly slow down the speed of the rising slime. Even those in the front, racing toward the top, were sitting around watching the chaos. And among them, a wriggling mountain of yers rose the highest. ¡°Waaah, this person is too strong!¡± ¡°Grab the tail, grab the tail!¡± ¡°I¡¯m being dragged¡ªugh!¡± ¡°Hey, let me go!¡± Bang! While yers shouting, ¡°Let¡¯smunicate!¡± charged at her from every direction, Eugene swatted them away like matchsticks, bopping those grabbing her legs and tail with powerful punches as she roared like Godzi. The ones who were struck and flung to the soft floornded with pitiful thuds, their faces and various body parts stting into the ground. Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt, and instead, they found it so fun that most of them jumped back up to charge again. The constant swarm of yers crashed down like a tidal wave, their heads bouncing off the floor as they were knocked out one by one. Stars and dizzy icons spun above their avatars as they were stunned, showing their incapacitated state. Eugene charged forward, breaking free from the crowd. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Waaah, I¡¯m falling!¡± ¡°Why are you grabbing me while I¡¯m falling¡ªagh!¡± Falling didn¡¯t hurt. Getting knocked down didn¡¯t hurt. Sliding, hitting others¡ªnone of it hurt! In fact, each time someone made physical contact, they rolled away with one of the most ridiculous sound effects ever, like squishy rubber balls bouncing off each other. In other words, the 520 participants were essentially living, bouncing jelly balls. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to realize this, and soon, all forms of humanity and selfishness blossomed in the crowded arena. Not that it was equally distributed, of course. ¡°I¡¯ll help you up! Come on!¡± ¡°Wow, thank you!¡± The more yers there were, the more predictable things became. For instance, if one yer extended their hand to help someone up, dozens of others would shout ¡°Me too!¡± and rush over, causing a massive pile-up. ¡°No, don¡¯t push¡ªaaaah!¡± ¡°Ahh, I fell!¡± ¡°Well, that was unlucky.¡± One yer got hit by a pir that shot out from the wall, slid down, and collided with someone who was just climbing up, sending them both tumbling down like a pair of bouncing pins. ¡°Don¡¯t grab me!¡± ¡°Let¡¯smunicate¡ª!¡± Whack! Two yers who were hit by a spring-loaded fist wereunched into the air. They soared about seven meters before bouncing off the floor with a boing sound, ricocheting off other yers like bowling pins. But the sheer number of participants made even such chaos seem insignificant. As countless yers struggled to ovee the obstacles, the number of obstacles increased. A sweet, fruity scent began to fill the air. The slime, which would send any yer it touched back to the lobby, was slowly rising. Meanwhile, Eugene was busy teaching a lesson to anyone foolish enough to mess with her. ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Should I throw you into the slime?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t mess with you again, I promise!¡± Even though Eugene was now in SD form, her strength hadn¡¯t gone anywhere. Especially in a game that was all about using your body. Some yers thought they could get away with poking her tail or grabbing her to drag her down in front of obstacles¡ªbut Eugene wasn¡¯t having it. Someone was sent flying in a perfect arc, their scream blending with the cute background music, only to be swallowed by the slime with a plop. Eugene nced at the frozen participants around her. Someone still clinging to her tail got grabbed by the wrist. Despite their small, cute hands, the strength in Eugene¡¯s grip was undeniable, impossible to shake off. Eugene spun her body. Using her legs for stability, she twisted her waist and hurled them into the air. The yer who was flung let out a strange sound as they floated mid-air before gentlynding on the slime below. Plop. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°Next, please. Next.¡± Swoosh. Casually standing on the narrow bridge everyone had to cross, Eugene added with a chilling smile: ¡°I remember everyone who tried to jump me at the start.¡± ¡°There were¡­ too many people.¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll get you to the finish line safely!¡± ¡°Aaah, you¡¯re heavy!¡± Of course, she couldn¡¯t hold off all 20 people who swarmed her at once, so Eugene eventually had to reach the finish line with her arms, legs, and tail all held down. The first round was just the beginning. - The first round has ended sessfully! Out of 500 participants, 400 have survived. The pros eliminated this round include Valkyrie from Arcadia Games, GEARUP¡¯s Re-Enlistment System, and Veritas¡¯s Hololive! As expected, a single round didn¡¯t mean the match was over. After four or five rounds, only one person or one squad would be dered the winner. 100 yers per match. In the final round, 99 would fall, leaving only one victor. The second match started without pause. The map and mode were briefly exined. - The second match is a battle royale on a narrow map! You can heal your HP and defense just like AP! Melee weapons include toy hammers, lightsabers, and maces with sponges attached! Pistols drop impact, incendiary, stun, and freeze rounds! The announcer¡¯s voice boomed through the air. Even after exining four solo matches in a row, the hosts were still lively and loud. Since this was more of a side match than a real one, they were taking it easy. 417 yers began spawning in a stadium roughly twice the size of a ser field. Beams of light shed as the yers were ced, and soon, everyone was scanning their surroundings with wary eyes. Eugene, who had nothing in particr to say, also looked around, listening to the conversations nearby. ¡°Have you done this before?¡± ¡°Oh, of course. It¡¯s like Apex Predator but with paint guns. So, imagine a 12+ version of AP.¡± Hmm. That made sense. The exnation was straightforward, so there was no need to overthink it¡ªbasically, just beat up 100 yers. If each match followed a simr structure, this wouldn¡¯t be too different. So what should I do? Honestly, if I just stand back, others would probably eliminate the 100 yers for me. The stadium was cramped, and with over 400 people inside, the fighting wouldn¡¯t stop. Hmm¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll just do what I always do.¡¯ Let whoever wants toe,e. I won¡¯t chase anyone, but if theye near me, I¡¯ll send them straight to the lobby. The numbers popped up in the sky as the 400 yers began their countdown, as if they¡¯d all nned it in advance. The sound waves of the countdown filled the stadium as everyone prepared themselves. A crisp voice echoed through the air. - We now begin round 2 of the first match! ¡°Waaah!¡± From the start, yers screamed as they charged into buildings. The area was soon filled with the sounds of sttering paint, explosions, and gunfire. Unfortunately, since my avatar was great at attracting attention, I was spotted within five seconds. Within seconds, four yers came at me, armed with toy hammers, lightsabers, and sponge-tipped maces. I grabbed a toy hammer from the ground and prepared for a standoff. Four of them. A lot, but not too many. Both sides hesitated, sizing each other up. ¡°It¡¯s Eugene, it¡¯s Eugene!¡± ¡°There she is! Everyone, over here!¡± ¡°¡­Oh, great.¡± Just then, five more yers came around the corner, having been fighting nearby. Now I was facing nine opponents. I sighed but knew how mobs worked¡ªmy past experience dealing with angry citizens was still ingrained in me. I gripped the handle of my toy hammer tightly. ¡°Come at meeeee!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± They rushed in with screams, but my mind was already filled with countless strategies. Should I take them head-on or cut at an angle? No¡ªthis time, I¡¯d go with what worked best. I twisted my waist. I converted the rotation into raw power. I stepped forward with my left foot. Stabilizing my stance while maximizing the impact. I raised my left hand to guard and swung my right arm back. My arm rotated clockwise, swinging upward. The perfect timing brought the enemy within range. Target: chin. Everything was set. All that was left was the result. Whack! In an instant, someone was sent flying. The unfortunate part was that they didn¡¯t stop there. The airborne yer unintentionally blocked the path of the three others charging behind them, causing them to crash and fall like dominoes. Six yers were sprawled out on the ground. As the remaining three hesitated and tried to back off, Eugene nced at her toy hammer. ¡°¡­?¡± The handle hadpletely vanished. Unable to withstand the force, the hammer had disappeared entirely after smashing into the yer¡¯s chin. Bewildered, Eugene picked up two more toy hammers from the ground, but the others were too stunned by what had just happened to attack. Eugene chuckled and added: ¡°It¡¯s just a game,e on, bring it.¡± And that was enough to reignite everyone¡¯spetitive spirit. The sound of toy hammers echoed through the air. Chapter 139
  • "Oh, look at that, she¡¯s at it again, ying so intensely."
  • "It¡¯s just a toy hammer! It¡¯s just a toy hammer! It¡¯s just a toy hammer!"
  • "I knew it! You should never give Eugene anything to hold!"
  • "Fact: Even if you give her nothing, that¡¯s still a problem."
  • "Hey, want your head smashed by a fist instead?!"
"Haha, as expected of Eugene! Once again, she¡¯s stirring up chaos everywhere she goes! And there she swings the toy hammer! It¡¯s really something to see how a seemingly harmless weapon can be so powerful in the hands of a skilled yer!" The arena was roughly the size of two ser fields put together, filled with various cute and colorful structures¡ªlike skeletal construction frames and multiyered buildings¡ªdesigned purely for fun. The official name was "yful." Falling from high ces or getting hit didn¡¯t hurt at all. It was a yground created specifically for roughhousing. The SD characters were meant to be yful and adorable, engaging in light-hearted mischief with each other. However, everything started to change when Eugene stepped into the scene. Thwack! "Wuaahhh, blub-blub, ouch!" Beep! Thankfully, when her arm sliced through the air, the sound wasn¡¯t something terrifying, but rather the cheerful pop of the toy hammer. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just one swing. Eugene had darted forward, wielding a toy hammer in her left hand while her right hand, holding a pistol, squeezed the trigger repeatedly. Instead of actual bullets, various yful projectiles shot out¡ªlike little slimes, freeze bullets, and electric shock rounds¡ªall making delightful popping sounds as they hit their targets. Anyone struck by these bullets immediately copsed with a cute sound effect, immobilized by the status effects. "Ugh, no¡­!" "See youter." Pop, pop, pop. ncing around and confirming no one was nearby, Eugene raised the toy hammer and gently bonked her opponent on the head. Their HP bar dropped, and with a yelp, they were sent to the lobby. At that moment, another yer popped out from behind and opened fire on Eugene¡¯s position. But she quickly vanished, leaving behind only the faint afterimage of a snake tail. The yground was now turning into a CQB (Close-Quarters Battle) zone. A grenade exploded nearby, releasing a bizarre-colored gas that slowly began to freeze everything around it, turning the area into a field of icy water droplets. As the frost spread, the surrounding air chilled. But Eugene narrowly dodged the freezing st and quickly regrouped for a counterattack. The yer who had thrown the grenade suddenly found Eugene dashing toward them with unstoppable speed. In mere seconds, Eugene had closed the gap, her toy hammer spinning through the air and striking the enemy¡¯s arm as they tried to fend her off. The yer was sent flying, and Eugene tackled them in a single swift motion. Thud! The unfortunate yer was thrown like they¡¯d been hit by a car. In the midst of the chaos, Eugene snatched her spinning toy hammer mid-air and, despite her SD appearance, her eyes glowed with a fierce intensity. The yer pinned beneath her squealed in panic. "Wait, this is just an event match!" Eugene grinned and replied. "Exactly." Bang! With a yful kick, Eugeneunched another opponent straight into the lobby. The UI on her screen indicated that 24 yers had been eliminated. Meanwhile, the arena remained chaotic with explosions echoing all around. And it wasn¡¯t just Eugene causing the mayhem. All around, yers were setting off bombs. Given how cramped the space was with hundreds of participants, the resulting chaos was inevitable. Then, just to raise the stakes even further¡­ - Now, to add some tension to this rxed match, we are introducing special armored units! Good luck surviving! Thud, thud. Six strange¡­ tube-like SD avatars dropped from the sky, wrapped in what looked like puffy armor. While they didn¡¯t quite look like armored units, the moment they pulled out their massive rocketunchers, the atmosphere changed dramatically. These weren¡¯t just cute characters¡ªthey were killing machines. With a whoosh, a missile shot from one of theunchers,nding in a densely popted area and transforming into a massive wave of slime that swept away the yers. Although the damage wasn¡¯t lethal, getting hit left yers wide open for follow-up attacks. And if hit directly, they were ejected straight to the lobby. No one was trying to team up or form alliances. It was every yer for themselves in a desperate scramble for survival. Some were even using other yers as shields, throwing them into open areas to lure fire, or shooting blindly into hiding spots to create distractions. "Hmm." And, of course, some yers were brave (or foolish) enough to try taking down the armored units. In past years and even in the original game, there had been attempts, and even sesses, in taking down these powerful enemies. Ideally, this was when yers would start working together to ovee themon threat. But this year, teamwork seemed in short supply. Not that Eugene cared much. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunfire echoed from all directions. However, Eugene¡¯s shots were aimed squarely at the armored unit. Her bullets struck the giant SD character, and its head snapped toward her, its rocketuncher following suit. Though the unit quickly fired, Eugene had already disappeared. The missile hit a structure, and in a sh, the upper part of the building froze solid. But Eugene had no need to engage further¡ªshe had already gathered the information she needed. ''Looks like they¡¯re notpletely invincible.'' Since the game didn¡¯t provide live ammunition, the damage she could deal was limited. Her previous shots were freeze rounds, and they had clearly left the target encased in ice. Although the damage wasn¡¯t great, her pistol¡¯s crowd control abilities were valuable. If she paired it with a melee weapon, she could potentially do real damage. Most of the weapons she¡¯d encountered so far had been mediocre¡ªtoy hammers, sponge maces, lightsabers¡­ Wait, lightsabers? Now that could work. "Alright, let¡¯s do this." In an instant, her n clicked into ce. She needed more freeze rounds. And one lightsaber. Fortunately, in-game drops were plentiful, so it wouldn¡¯t take long to gather what she needed. With a lightsaber hanging at her waist, five clips of freeze rounds, and three grenades in hand, Eugene was ready. Her pistol was a rapid-fire type, perfect for closebat. The ground was a sticky mess, thanks to the never-ending slime missiles, and deep puddles had formed everywhere. Stepping into one by ident could mean getting trapped, or worse, drowning in slime. Eugene carefully fired freeze rounds at the sticky ground, creating a path of ice to walk on. Across the way, in the middle of a street made of makeshift buildings, one of the hulking armored units locked eyes with her. Its SD form looked almost adorable, but Eugene could tell from its cold, piercing gaze that it was anything but cute. Their eyes met. They both moved. Boom! A slime rocket slowly sailed through the air, its warhead glowing pink, signaling that it would create a sea of slime upon impact. But Eugene was more interested in its slowness. With sharp eyes, she tracked the rocket¡¯s trajectory and aimed her freeze rounds at it. A split secondter, she fired. Pop! The warhead exploded in mid-air. "Waaah!" "What the heck was that?!" A massive wave of frozen slime¡ªan impossible amount of icy liquid¡ªrained down, shattering into pieces. The ground froze solid. Despite the chaos, Eugene had already calcted her next move. The closer she got to the armored unit, the better her chances of victory. Her small SD avatar moved with speed that didn¡¯t match her size. Thwack! With a fully loaded freeze-round pistol, she charged forward. The armored unit responded by firing more of its specialized rockets, including one filled with sparkling powder that caused confusion on contact. The sound of battle surrounded her. A freeze grenade hit the ground, creating a sturdy tform, but it couldn¡¯t support much weight and shattered as soon as Eugene passed over it. She was closing in on the armored unit. The AI controlling it wasn¡¯t very smart, and its rocketuncher was ill-suited for closebat. The moment Eugenended a full clip of freeze rounds at its feet,yers of ice formed, locking it in ce. As she approached, thementators raised their voices in excitement. "Wow! Eugene is pulling off an acrobatic fight even here! She¡¯s closing the distance in an instant! We can¡¯t predict what¡¯s going to happen next!"@@novelbin@@ Of course, this was all lip service. Eugene had closed the gap to within 10 meters. She pulled out a blindingly white beam of light¡ªa lightsaber. The glowing de arced through the air. With a vwoom, the sound of the sma de hummed. In the blink of an eye, the armored unit was shed, and as the lightsaber¡¯s glow faded, the once imposing figure copsed to the ground. Thud. Despite wearing what looked like a puffy jacket, the sound was heavy. Clunk. "And Eugene has done it again! She has neutralized the armored unit, using creative tactics to ovee the difficult terrain of yful, and now¡­ Oh! Eugene has picked up the rocketuncher!"
  • "Wait, what?!"
  • "Defeated armored unit? No. I am the armored unit now."
  • "I knew it, LOL."
  • "Eugene¡¯s new skin: Running Armored Unit!"
  • "Fact: The remaining yers are going to miss the slow-moving armored units now."
With a nk expression, Eugene surveyed her surroundings, where everyone had frozen in ce. The quickest yers were already running for their lives. The average ones were frozen, stiff with fear. The slowest ones had just stopped cheering. Whoosh! "Why are you standing still, you idiots?! Run for it!" With a feebleunch sound, the rocket fired, followed by a pitiful explosion. But the effects were far from weak. yful was hungry for more eliminations. The sky was clear, and the air was filled with a sweet scent. The breeze was cool, the view spectacr. The towering obstacles were magnificent. Beneath it all, hundreds of yers struggled, climbing toward the top. From up here, they all looked like AI characters. Off in the distance, a group of about 12 yers waved at her, smiling brightly. One of them was a fellow pro gamer, though she couldn¡¯t quite remember the name. They were waving happily in her direction. But Eugene felt nothing. I wonder what that guy¡¯s doing right now. That thought crossed her mind as she imagined what Eugene was up to at that very moment. Probably wreaking havoc somewhere, either flipping the arena upside down or tossing yers off like Zhang Fei at Changban. A strange person indeed. Strong people are always scary, right? Eugene must be an absolute powerhouse in real life¡ªsomeone who would go down in history books if they were born in ancient times. Anyway, time was up. She gave the group a hearty middle finger. Her allotted flight time was over. Plop! - [Notification: You have been eliminated!] Those bastards had teamed up and tossed her into the slime sea. With her mouth full of jelly¡¯s sweet taste, Dice was sent to the lobby. Chapter 140 "How many points do I have left now?" One, two, three, four. Dice counted on her fingers but soon gave up, popping open a notepad and calctor. The synced match records were converted into a series of data, and the necessary threshold to reach safety automatically appeared. First game: 4 kills, 3rd ce. Second game: 11 kills, 2nd ce. That made 9 points and 17 points, respectively. So far, so good¡ª26 points total. But unfortunately, the third game didn¡¯t yield anything significant. Only 2 kills, and she didn¡¯t even make it into the top 10, leaving her with just 28 points. The fourth game was a different story, though. Thanks to another crazy stunt reminiscent of Tannh?user, Dice managed a 4th ce finish with 9 kills. That added 13 more points, bringing her total to 41. A far better resultpared tost year. Plus, the next cycle¡ªstarting with the 5th game on Saturday and continuing through Sunday¡ªwould be without Eugene. She¡¯d mastered all sorts of wild techniques, so securing priority selection by Saturday seemed almost guaranteed. "How on earth did she learn all of that?" Even Dice, who had been closest to Eugene and learned all kinds of tricks from her, was baffled. The fact that Eugene could steer the chaotic flow of yer-versus-yerbat in her favor alone was groundbreaking. How many yers had struggled with that before her? While the teachings Dice had received focused on using raw physical ability to ovee situations, Eugene¡¯s method was all about using herbat objectives to manipte the opponent¡¯s actions, finding gaps to exploit. Of course, it required constant thought and judgment before, during, and after each encounter to hit the target. ''Do ces like the U.S. have curriculums like this?'' There was a reason the U.S. was often said to hold the top spot in Dark Zone. With veterans from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other warzones jumping into the game, no wonder they were a force to be reckoned with. It wasn¡¯t that countries like Korea were weak¡ªthe U.S. was just ridiculously overpowered, as if they¡¯d handpicked human weapons to build their special forces for the highest tier of Dark Zone. Thinking back to the scrims atst year¡¯s finals, Dice remembered how she¡¯d been utterly clueless back then¡­ ''Now I kind of get it.'' If you want to beat the enemy, you have to be like them. In that sense, Eugene¡¯s method was more advanced than anything Dice had seen, resembling the tactics used by top-tier yers from the U.S.¡ªor even beyond that. It was like Eugene had optimized her mindset solely for taking down operators. It felt as though she had distilled countless experiences into their purest form¡­ "Where did she learn all of this?" "Oh, right." She¡¯s probably still ying, right? The averagepetition rate for the so-called ¡°viewers¡¯ participation matches¡± was over 200 to 1. Naturally, there were viewing methods for those who couldn¡¯t participate. There was even sensory sharing avable for those who wanted to experience the action up close. If you think about it, there were probably tens of thousands of sensory sharers watching Eugene, trying to grab her tail. Which, frankly, sounded a bit perverted. Good thing Eugene was tolerant. ¡­Wait, was that tail even real? Dice recalled a video she had seen recently about multi-jointed mechanical aluminum third-arm technology. It made her wonder. Anyway, what was Eugene doing right now? Curious, she opened the official Icarus streaming channel, where the total viewership had surpassed 3.5 million¡ªan increase fromst year. It was honestly a bit scary how much the audience grew each year. She clicked into the channel and browsed the categories. The search bar at the top used a logical engine, allowing viewers to search for whatever they were looking for, and rted streams would automatically pop up. She typed in "Eugene," and over 300 results instantly appeared. Of course, the most popr stream, with hundreds of thousands of viewers, was the one she was expecting. After scrolling down and choosing a less crowded stream with a more average viewer count... Boom! "Waaah!" ¡­What was this? The moment she entered, a viewer was sent flying through the air, and beneath them stood Eugene, holding a rocketuncher. Dice knew what it was¡ªone of those things the armored units carried. But why was Eugene holding it? Well, given her antics, it wasn¡¯t all that surprising. "This person really is a legend..." Meanwhile, the battle continued. For some reason, there was an absurd standoff between Eugene and a group of yers desperately trying to get close to her. Most of them failed miserably, but a few managed to approach. One yer barely managed to touch her foot, but Eugene simply rolled them off and sent them tumbling down below. Countless yers fell before her. Yet, amidst all that chaos... "Hehe." Dice smiled contentedly, syncing her sensory feed with a viewer who had sneakily grabbed Eugene¡¯s tail from behind. After all, it wasn¡¯t her getting whacked by the toy hammer. "Hello, everyone! It¡¯s Hotteok here! Ready for another energetic day!"
  • "It¡¯s 9 p.m., how is it still an energetic day, LOL."
  • "He¡¯s the only one with energy, hahaha."
  • "Don¡¯t be fooled! This is Hotteok¡¯s trap to break people¡¯s spines, haha."
  • "Didn¡¯t he just finish working out?"
  • "THOKK!"
A character with flowing, striped hair that resembled a white tiger greeted the viewers. The voluptuous avatar sat in a chair, waving to the 3,000 viewers watching the stream as it went live. Hotteok, a member of the Toy Hammer Brothers, was also a streamer who had recently been tearing through the battlefields of Dark Zone alongside Harmony. Fortunately, though, their specialties didn¡¯t ovep too much. Harmony specialized in chaotic games, while KimStone and Limit were more well-rounded streamers. And Hotteok? He was a famous fitness trainer in real life.
  • "Why does this stream smell like sweat? Is it just me?"
"Thank you for the donation, Arestoteelres! Yes, I just got back from my evening workout. Remember, you should hit the gym at least three times a day!"
  • "No wonder he doesn¡¯t gain weight, LOL."
  • "Fact: This guy recently hit a 3-lift total of 1,200. He¡¯s an E2-grade awakened individual."
  • "Man, if only his gender were different..."
  • "Fitness maniac, lol."
  • "He¡¯s squeezing out tiger juice like it¡¯s nothing, haha."
True to form, though Hotteok¡¯s avatar was beautiful and curvy, it was also ironically the most urate to his real-life self out of all his fellow streamers. Hotteok, still talking, casually brushed aside the jokes his viewers were making. With his sheer strength and presence, it was rare for any fan to cross the line. After some unrted chatter, naturally, the conversation shifted toward the Korean Selection Match.
  • "A real gym rat doesn¡¯t even watch KSM while working out... That¡¯s dedication!"
"Well, I did peek at it here and there. How could I not? Even my gym members were watching while working out, shouting ¡®Wow!¡¯ every time something happened. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t y Dark Zone, so of course I watched. It was pretty entertaining." Soon enough, the conversation inevitably turned to the priority selection. And, of course, the main subject was none other than Eugene. What had once been a hot topic had now grown into something no one could dispute¡ªher dominance had skyrocketed. However, on today¡¯s stream, there wasn¡¯t much talk about her poprity or skill, mostly due to the unique nature of Hotteok¡¯s broadcast.
  • "So, do awakened individuals get any in-game advantages? People have been talking about Eugene¡¯s tail a lot."
"Uh... well, I can¡¯t say for sure. Just like you all can¡¯t fully understand how I perceive things, I can¡¯t exactly grasp what your senses are like either." An honest answer¡ªbut one that could easily be fodder for trolls. In the real world, awakened individuals were barred from physicalpetitions using only their bodies, but in virtual reality, things were murky. How to regte it, if at all, was aplex issue with no easy solutions. The whole topic was a minefield of potential discrimination. Hotteok, for one, had already realized that this was a sensitive issue. ''Is Eugene¡¯s tail real? No, more importantly, whether her tail is real or not, would using such a system to gain an advantage even be fair?'' It was a question too delicate to answer lightly. But fortunately, Hotteok believed Eugene could defend herself on that front. Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt toy some groundwork. "Look, I get where you''reing from. As an E2-grade awakened individual, my physical capabilities are far beyond the average person¡¯s. And this also applies to certain sensory aspects." He didn¡¯t specify how much more superior, as that wasn¡¯t the point. The important part came next.@@novelbin@@ "But¡­ aren¡¯t you all already benefiting from a simr form of ¡®enhancement¡¯ while ying Dark Zone?" Auto-aim. Recoil control. Health buffs. Movement adjustments. Damage modifiers. All the various systems that turned regr people into near-special forces operatives. These enhancements minimized the physical gap between awakened individuals and regr users to the point where the difference hardly mattered. After all, what use is physical prowess in the face of a bullet? "I don¡¯t deny that this can be a controversial topic¡­ but let¡¯s be real. Put your hand on your heart and ask yourselves¡ªif Eugene didn¡¯t have a tail, do you really think she wouldn¡¯t stille out on top?"
  • "Ah, well, yeah, that¡¯s true, lol."
  • "She¡¯d probably just be slightly annoyed, haha."
  • "Damn, that¡¯s one way to spin it!"
  • "Honestly, she¡¯s shown too much skill for that to matter, lol."
Exactly. Unless every single kill Eugene had made was thanks to her tail, it didn¡¯t matter. Most of the time, her enemies either exploded or ended up with holes in their bodies. And knowing her, if losing the tail meant a rematch, she¡¯d happily ept, only to turn the remaining games into aplete massacre. Taking it further¡ªthough it felt like Hotteok was now defending Eugene¡ªhe decided to bring up a more difficult point. "And on top of that, for those of you thinking, ¡®Awakened individuals should have their abilities nerfed in-game,¡¯ let me put it like this... actually, no. Let¡¯s try something different. Imagine you woke up one day as Eugene." With a few clicks, Hotteok pulled up a coboration video with Harmony, still in the editing phase. It was packed with moments where Harmony had dominated the battlefield. Tapping the screen, Hotteok¡¯s tiger-striped avatar spoke in a cool voice. "You know what''s in this video. It¡¯s filled with scenes of Harmony absolutely wrecking the ce. Now, let¡¯s go back to what I said earlier. You wake up one day as Eugene. Then, you meet Harmony." And here came the crux of the matter. "For those of you asking for nerfs, or saying awakened abilities need to be bnced¡­ Could you, within 45 days, raise someone like Harmony¡ªwho couldn¡¯t even load a magazine at first¡ªup to this level purely on your own ability?" Clears throat. Hotteok cleared his throat before continuing. "And if that¡¯s the case, why am I not a pro yer? As far as I know, there aren¡¯t any awakened individuals ying professionally right now. Do you think I¡¯m just not climbing the ranks on purpose?" Reversing the argument made the point clear. This was something only Eugene could do, a journey she had paved through sheer effort and skill. Putting limitations on that would be nonsense. After all, in Apex Predator, skill always came first, and Eugene had earned her ce at the top through nothing but her abilities. Whether people agreed or disagreed with this was irrelevant. Eugene wasn¡¯t the type to be tripped up by trivial issues like this. And then, a donation came in.
  • "So, in summary, Eugene¡¯s tail is freakin'' awesome, right?"
"...Yeah, sure. At least you didn¡¯t say anything too inappropriate, you perverts." With an exasperated sigh, Hotteok waved his hand dismissively. As expected, it hade to this¡ªdealing with all these degenerates. Chapter 141 "The event match has ended! A 10-minute break will nowmence before the remaining four matches of Saturday begin!" The mountain is a mountain, the water is water, but who am I, and where am I now? Last year, I was barely managing between the first and second divisions, but now, after diligently attending lessons, I¡¯ve suddenly be a KSM participant? If this was an advertisement, people would call it viral marketing or even false advertising. Well, not that worse ads don¡¯t exist. As I wavered between reality and dreand, someone I could barely even imagine approaching tapped me on the shoulder. "What are you doing, Lumina? Time to get ready for the match." "Ah, right. I should." Dice. In other words, the driving force behind SSM. Or perhaps, its lifeline wouldn¡¯t be too far off either. I always wonder how someone with this much skill ended up tied to such a terrible team. If SSM hadn¡¯t gotten greedy when her contract expiredst year, she¡¯d probably be with a top team like TK1 or Xi by now. The reason I say this is simple. SSM¡¯s biggest strength and weakness lies in itsrge lower league. In contrast to other teams, they invest less in their first-string yers and more in scouting new talent. Dice was one of the gems discovered through this scouting process. However, this system also meant that as yers rose through the ranks, the support they received was rtivelyckingpared to other teams, which diverted some of the funds to invest in prospects. "You¡¯ll be moving up soon, too." "I hope so... but I doubt the same reckless ns will work again like they did earlier. Still, I¡¯ll give it my best shot." Is that supposed to be humility? Anyway, 10 minutes. After that, we¡¯ll once again be separated into our respective areas, just like before. The only reason we¡¯re even able to chat now is because we¡¯re on the same team. Talking to pro gamers from other teams? Out of the question. The next map hasn¡¯t been revealed yet, but we can make a good guess. Starting this year, we have to y on every map both Saturday and Sunday. In the first set, we had Port City Tannh?user, NBV Desert Base, Karman Nuclear Waste Facility, and California Liquid Gas Storage Facility. So, the remaining maps are Aurora Power nt, High-Value Research Facility, Por Ridge Correctional Facility, and Atacaya Volcano Ind. Each of the remaining four maps has its own unique gimmicks, like those with and without Revolution or those with and without high-altitude drops. What should I do... "Do you think I can blow everything up and figure things out from there?" "It worked once, but it won¡¯t work again. The remaining maps aren¡¯t ces where those kinds of gimmicks will fly¡­ Maybe Aurora Power nt has something like that. But you¡¯re not the type to just blow things up without a n, like me." "Yeah, that¡¯s true. Haha." "You¡¯re not supposed to agree with that!" "Ah, my bad." It was a slip of the tongue, but it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong either. To put it bluntly, Dice did act without much thought at times. On the bright side... no, actually, Dice was essentially a living wild card, an unpredictable yer who could toy with opponents through erratic moves. This tricky ystyle had earned her quite the attention sincest year. Of course, after meeting Eugene, Dice had her head smashed in¡ªbut thanks to Eugene¡¯s ¡®glue¡¯ method, she broke down her old patterns and emerged far stronger than before. So, what should I do? While Dice had a specialty, what kind of style could I im as my own? That question had been troubling me for some time now. "Don¡¯t get too hung up on that. Sure, the fourth match was kind of a bust, but the second one wasn¡¯t even intentional on my part. I was cornered, and in my desperation, I just said ¡®to hell with it¡¯ and set everything on fire before making a run for it." "That¡¯s... quite the vivid way of putting it." "Anyway, the basics are what matter in the end. Just stick to what you¡¯ve learned. Whether you believe in your skills or not, your enemies aren¡¯t going to wait for you to figure that out, right?" "True." Did I make it too obvious? But I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ying it safe had its advantages, but this was KSM. Simply making it through a match without issues wouldn¡¯t guarantee high scores. Yet, waiting another year felt like such a waste. I hade this far, and I wanted to learn as much as I could. Who knows? Eugene or Dice might not even be here next year. AP was that kind of game, after all. Of course, it wasn¡¯t realistic to think those two would just fade away due to skill issues. More likely, they¡¯d take a break after reaching the top. That was more usible. But still, a year was a long time. "I don¡¯t have much to tell you. Just focus on the basics. At the very least, shouldn¡¯t you be able to shoot as well as Eugene?" "How is that even possible?" "Yeah, fair enough. What I¡¯m saying is, just do what you¡¯ve learned. This isn¡¯t the time to define your style. You¡¯ve already got enough on your te just trying to apply what you¡¯ve been taught." An infuriatingly simple answer. But I knew it too. There wasn¡¯t some magic trick that could flip everything I¡¯d done up until now or skyrocket my skills in just 10 minutes. I knew that getting this far was more due to luck than anything else, and that I still had a long way to go before I could rise any higher. Thinking about it like that, it felt a little depressing. So I asked,@@novelbin@@ "Is it worth sticking with Eugene¡¯s coaching?" I wondered what her answer would be. What¡¯s the gap between Dice and Eugene? As expected, her response was exactly what I imagined. "Follow? What do you mean follow? It¡¯s more like she¡¯s dragging me by the scruff of my neck. It¡¯s exhausting." "Haha." Of course. I expected that answer, but I couldn¡¯t helpughing. There was still a long, long way to go. -[Notice: Juggernaut patrols havemenced. Identity checks will soon begin, so please carry proper identification. Failure toply will result in immediate termination.] "So, it¡¯s this map after all." The beginning of everything. The start of the scrims. Although it was hosted by Xi Impressive at the time, Eugene ended up heading to SSM. Through this very map, and through Dice. Looking back, it seemed only natural that ying on this map brought a sense of nostalgia. But this time, thankfully... no, it wasn¡¯t really a matter of luck. Thankfully, this time, no one was there to block Dice¡¯s path¡ªthey¡¯d already moved on, thanks to early selection. No matter how intimidating things got, she wasn¡¯t one to give up. But the problem was... "Why are there only these kinds of guns?" The 6P62, a 12.7mm assault rifle. And the CQB-barrett, a short-barreled Barrett used by Eugene to tear through Juggernauts all day long. She also carried an ASh-12.7 among other things. Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t Eugene say the first ce she entered had a high-caliber weapons cache, and she just grabbed whatever she found? She used those? That woman really is something else. "The best I can manage is this?" .50 Beowulf magazines. The bullets packed a punch. Next to it was an AR-15 based rifle. That¡¯s about as good as it gets. It¡¯s still better than nothing, I suppose. I picked up the gun and adjusted the stock. After hastily stuffing 10 magazines into the pouches on my body armor, I grabbed another magazine rolling on the floor and pped it into the chamber. The slide clicked, feeding a round into the chamber. Each magazine held 14 rounds, looking like a curved AK mag with how long and banana-shaped it was. I let out a sigh, but what could I do? If something better came alongter, I¡¯d switch it out. Plus, I needed to get used to the recoil of high-caliber weapons. ©¤Ssshhh. "...!" As soon as I was about to head outside, I heard footsteps outside the door. The heavy clunk of boots slowed down, then stopped just outside. Scenarios shed through my mind. No one would be reckless enough to just start clearing a room without knowing who was inside. Most likely, a grenade would be thrown in first. I stood right in front of the only door leading outside, careful not to make a sound. Unless someone was insane enough to blindly fire through the door, I was probably safe standing here. The door handle rattled, and the door opened very slowly. Just wide enough for a grenade to be tossed in. "Not a chance." In that moment, I kicked the door open and charged out, flipping the fire selector to full-auto and unleashing a volley into the enemy¡¯s torso. The recoil was so intense it felt like a horse was kicking my shoulder, the barrel shooting straight up into the air. As I struggled to bring the gun under control, I noticed something¡ªhe was holding a grenade. By the time I realized it, it was already falling to the floor. No chance to avoid it. I had to take the hit. ©¤BOOM! "Urgh...!" I curled into a ball, but the grenade¡¯s shrapnel and shockwave were brutal. My nanomachine shield waspletely shattered. And here I was, with barely any healing items at the start of the match. After pulling myself together and surveying the scene, my opponent had already turned into a pile of items. Nothing much worth taking. His gear wasn¡¯t great either. I grabbed a couple of healing items and kept moving. But there was something I¡¯d overlooked. "Ugh!" Ratatat. The sound of a grenade echoed through the building, and unlike the wide-open spaces of Tannh?user or the California Gas Storage Facility, this map was much smaller. Combine that with narrow corridors, and it was no surprise that someone had heard the grenade ande running. From the end of the hallway, a figure opened fire. I barely had enough health left to survive a few hits, so... There was only one option. Run. "Why is there no easy game...!" Muttering obvious truths during a moment of extreme tension, I dashed through the twisting, narrow underground corridors. The research facility was a maze, designed to confuse anyone unfamiliar with theyout. The air smelled of concrete, and the ceiling was crisscrossed with red and white pipes leading who knows where. And then there were the KEEP OUT signs stered on every door, making it clear that no one was supposed to be here. ©¤Clunk, clunk! "They¡¯re still following me?" Normally, people would¡¯ve given up by now, but this one was persistent. Then again, it made sense. My nanomachine shield was down, and a little pressure was all they needed to score an easy kill. I really need to rethink my anti-grenade strategy. Dodging bullets as I ran down the dimly lit corridors, I suddenly remembered the first scrim. I had been in a simr situation, ying a psychological game in a 90-degree corridor, only to get utterly destroyed by Eugene. Wait a minute. Maybe I can turn this to my advantage. ©¤Scrape. At that moment, the sound of boots on concrete stopped. I quietly pulled a grenade from my pouch. Back then, I had lost because the enemy heard the pin click, but that¡¯s not the point right now. The important thing was to take in the entire situation. I was facing my opponent in a 90-degree corridor standoff. It seemed like they had stopped moving as well, probably afraid of peeking around the corner and getting shot. Time for the second round of fishing. "Phew..." Carefully, without making a sound, I pulled the pin, disarmed the safety, and gently ced the grenade right at the corner. At the same time, I made a show of loudly pulling out another grenade from my pouch. I even added some wrist action to make sure the pin rattled as much as possible. This was highly effective, like a rattlesnake¡¯s warning. ©¤Thud, thud, thud! The heavy sound of boots echoed as my opponent, hearing the rattling, immediately rushed in. The distance between us must¡¯ve been closer than I thought because a shlight beam flickered just ahead of me. But when they rounded the corner to face me, it wasn¡¯t me they saw. It was the grenade. ©¤BOOM! "Oof." A satisfying explosion. But the surprise wasn¡¯t over yet. With my finger on the trigger, I stepped out from behind a stack of boxes and fired 50-caliber rounds into the staggering opponent. They crumpled to the floor, polygons breaking apart like ground beef. Controlling the recoil on the second volley was easier than before. That was my second kill of the match. Now that I think about it, what did Eugene say back then? "Rest in peace¡­ was it?" She has such strange tastes. And so, the curtain rose on the fifth match. Chapter 142 "Dice just secured a double kill in the blink of an eye! By turning the tables through two high-level psychological maneuvers, she managed to take down her opponents in a disadvantageous situation! Her ability to adapt her ystyle depending on the time and ce proves she¡¯s a true Apex Predator!"
  • "Oh shit, hahaha!"
  • "She''s actually really good if you look closely."
  • "Wow, her grenade timing is a work of art, lol!"
  • "Yu-jin''s disciple! Yu-jin''s disciple! Yu-jin''s disciple!"
  • "Her kill-catching ability is insane, lol!"
The sharp ws of Yu-jin shed through the first cycle and vanished, heralding the start of the second stage in full swing. Normally, you¡¯d wonder why a certain individual was even allowed into thepetition, but with them gone, the real battle was about to begin. While the audience, already ustomed to the constant superys of someone who fit the "snake tail" aesthetic so well, might have seen it as a tragedy, for the remaining 99 KSM participants, it was finally time to breathe. After the first cycle, which had essentially been a round to give Yu-jin an early pick, the remainingpetitors, who withstood her pressure, now began battling for the 19 remaining spots. Some were skilled enough to climb higher but had the misfortune of encountering Yu-jin, or simply had bad luck preventing them from showing their full potential. Others were overshadowed by superys and received less attention. The moment Yu-jin disappeared, all those elements spiraled together and converged into a new chaotic battlefield. Regardless, the one who caused all thatmotion was no longer there. This meant that many talentedpetitors, previously buried in Yu-jin''s shadow, were now locked in fiercepetition. Of course, Dice was among them. "This year¡¯s SSM is nothing short of phenomenal! As of now, Dice has umted 41 points, trailing closely behind Yu-jin. She¡¯s one of the top contenders for early selection!" However, it was unfortunate that Dice didn''t possess the overwhelming skill Yu-jin had. In other words, she would have to ovee many near-death situations to reach the top. It was only natural for Dice, Yu-jin¡¯s direct disciple, to rise as soon as Yu-jin stepped aside, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was a good thing. It meant she was now a ma for all the attention. How she handled that pressure would determine her path: whether she¡¯d rise faster and higher or be crushed and forced to grab the Asia Qualifier ticket on the final day, Sunday. At least, ording to Yu-jin, and based on what she taught her, Dice had to aim for the former. That much, at least. "¡­It feels familiar." Meanwhile. Yu-jin, the only yer leisurely watching the game, nced at the screen and chuckled. She couldn¡¯t help it. Almost everyone watching would just see Dice¡¯s y as a normal mind game¡ªeven Blooming. The reason was simple: an almost identical fight had happened during a scrim hosted by Xi in the past. It was the first time Yu-jin and Dice had crossed paths. At the time, Dice had probably felt like she¡¯d been hit hard in the back of the head. But as always, great yers learn from their mistakes¡ªand in that regard, Dice was undoubtedly a great yer. Going back to the current fight, although the mechanics and the flow of the battle were a little different, the basic principle remained the same. Lure the enemy with a certain method, then guide them into a pre-nned trap, cutting the TTK (time-to-kill) drastically. The method I taught was the same as ever¡ªdon¡¯t let the enemy stick around for long. The longer you drag it out, the more chances they have to escape or take advantage of opportunities. It seemed like Yu-jin would have some things to discuss if Dice came back. ©¤©¤©¤ Scratch, scratch. Of course, Yu-jin didn''t forget her duties. She pulled out a sheet of paper from mid-air and connected it to a typewriter. As her fingers moved, the quill wrote at a blistering pace, jotting down a flood of words. Naturally, it was aprehensive evaluation of Dice. The analysis engine, created to reveal every detail about a yer, was hard at work, so Yu-jin had no trouble gathering Dice''s MOA (minute of angle), preferred firearms, recoil control, and movement routes in real time. Technology was really something. No ring mistakes stood out. On the flip side, it meant that at this stage, the smallest and most subtle differences were crucial. The contents written on the paper didn''t stray far from this. A little faster. A little sharper. A little more precise. Without the mindset of a yer betting their life in an actual warzone, you could never break through that thin, yet thick, ceiling. Yu-jin had measured that distance exactly. Her typing was intermittent. Six or so windows showing Dice¡¯s y were open, and she distilled only the purest essence of what she could teach,pressing it. After all, it wasn¡¯t knowledge she minded sharing with others. She hadn¡¯t sought it out, either. ©¤©¤©¤ Click! Click! Click! Click! ©¤©¤©¤ nk! In the middle of her furious writing, a sudden metallic sound grated on Yu-jin¡¯s nerves. It wasn¡¯t because the sound was unpleasant¡ªquite the opposite. It was a sound that jogged her memory, and it fit perfectly with the current map. As Yu-jin quickly recalled the source of the low, drawn-out metallic sound, her gaze shifted slyly. Followed by a light sigh. "No, why would she try to copy that too¡­?" Dice. On the screen, Dice was loading a box-shaped magazine with .50 caliber rounds that were about the size of a board marker. "Ugh, how does anyone carry something like this¡­!" That person is not human. Nor is she normal. The moment thebined weight of 17 kilograms, including the multiple magazines on her back, settled on her body, it was like her whole frame was weighed down by a staggering load. The UI in the top right corner showed the weight had instantly jumped to nearly 40 kilograms. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t actually exhausting. The game''s bncing system was still in ce, so her movements only slowed slightly. Still, looking at the stamina gauge drop with even a small movement¡­ How much did this thing weigh in real life? "Ugh, it feels like I''m at the gym." Yu-jin, being a woman herself, had visited the gym for body maintenance¡ªthough she didn¡¯t avoid it even now. Recalling her past experiences... she remembered the power racks scattered all over the club''s gym, with bars resting on them. Back then, not knowing any better, she¡¯d fidgeted with a bar that had no weight tes on it. Of course, she suffered muscle pain the next day. It was only a few dayster that she learned the bar alone weighed 20 kilograms. Anyway, back to the present¡ªby that logic, she was now carrying a 20-kilogram barbell on her back as she yed. "¡­Damn it, I¡¯ll ditch this as soon as I find another gun." Though she¡¯d picked up the Barrett because it kept catching her eye, maybe it was a case of a crow trying to follow a crane and splitting its legs in the process? More importantly, how in the world did that insane Yu-jin lug around over 50 kilograms of gear and run around the map for over 20 minutes in-game? And, looking back, that woman had run around for ages, then casually stopped and unloaded two full magazines without breaking a sweat. She dismantled two Juggernauts like it was nothing. Obviously, I couldn¡¯t do that. It already felt like too much of a burden. The problem was, none of the other guns I¡¯d picked up so far were in great condition either. And I¡¯d just recently sworn to get used to high-powered weapons, so giving up now wouldn¡¯t do. I¡¯ll try to get used to it. With the increased weight of the gear, my overall strategy naturally had to change. Originally, I had nned to ascend quickly and secure key terrain, but with my reduced mobility, that n had to be scrapped.@@novelbin@@ Moreover, the original n required constant movement. If the terrain waspromised, I¡¯d have to retreat quickly, but there was no way I could do that with this kind of weight. Scanning the surroundings, I entered arge simtion room. In simple terms, it was a giant training room. Theyout changed every match, and today, it was filled with makeshift buildings scattered along slopes resembling a ski slope. -[Alert: Juggernaut deployment increased. This area will soon be designated a patrol zone. Please ensure you carry proper identification.] "Great timing." As I¡¯ve said countless times, the kill zones in AP (Arena yer) maps are split into two types: those that guarantee immediate death and those that don¡¯t. This map was, of course, the former. Just approaching would get you shredded by a minigun, so what choice did I have? Because of this, yers on this map tended to stay as far away from the kill zone as possible. And it wasn¡¯t like all kill zones were the same¡ªthis high-value research facility, for example, had a kill zone where the facility itself could shoot at you. In short, I had to act fast. But I had one strategy I wanted to try. "Up we go." I entered a nearby makeshift building, pulled a cable from my bag, tied it tightly to a column, and threw it outside. The drop was about 11 meters. Simple. It was my exit route. Using the random junk scattered inside the building, like a dusty table, I stacked things until they were level with the windowsill. Lying t on my stomach, I set up the Barrett. So, what was my n? I was going to snipe the yers who¡¯d try to escape as soon as they heard about the iing Juggernauts. ©¤©¤©¤ nk! A high-quality Vudu scope clicked into ce on the Picatinny rail. The clear, crisp crosshair surveyed the area beyond the windowsill. I considered firing a shot to gauge bullet speed and drop, but quickly abandoned the idea¡ªit¡¯d be insane. I¡¯d leave it to my instincts. It wasn¡¯t like I hadn¡¯t used this gun before¡ªmainly because of Yu-jin¡ªand if I missed, I could go back and take the Barrett course from her. I trusted my muscle memory. Ignoring the warning sounds from the ceiling, I kept my eyes on the exit. The moment I¡¯d leave would be when the Juggernaut came into view. "¡­Ha." Breathing steadily, I checked my PDA. 33 seconds until the Juggernauts arrived. On the far wall, a rotating siren, asional gunfire, and shes of light indicated the battle between those trying to leave and those trying to stop them. Magazine check. Four 10-round magazines. I had dragged all this heavy gear up here for this moment. With a maximum distance of 113 meters measured by theser rangefinder, there was no need to adjust the zero. As I watched the exit, a skirmish broke out nearby. One yer was trying to escape, while two others, positioned at windows or rooftops of nearby makeshift buildings, were firing at them. I marked them all. The target to aim for was the one trying to escape. Steadily, I held my breath and flexed my finger. A sledgehammer-like recoil struck my shoulder. ©¤©¤©¤ Boom! The force was enough to knock the wind out of me. The bullet sliced through the air and embedded itself squarely in the target¡¯s upper body. Damage calcted in real time. The nano-shield shattered, and the back te armor splintered into pieces. This was, after all, a high-value research facility. Few ces dropped armor this tough. The enemy was flung backward but quickly scrambled to their feet to flee¡­ But this wasn¡¯t a bolt-action rifle. "Gah!" Bang. The second shot pierced the fleeing enemy¡¯s spine, instantly depleting their remaining HP and turning them into a pile of loot. The two yers inside the building, who had beenying im to it, noticed and began to move almost simultaneously with my scope. If they stayed in there, the Juggernaut with its missile pods would obliterate the building, but what could they do? It was an extreme 50-50 situation. Their only constion was that my skill at hitting moving targets was still terrible¡ªnot that even pro-gamers liked it much. They must¡¯ve known that because both yers immediately dashed for separate exits. I¡¯d have to give up on one¡­ So, I focused on the other. ©¤©¤©¤ Bang! Three rounds fired, seven left. Missed. Another shot. Missed again. Slight miscalction on the distance. I fired three more shots, but only one hit. Not a bad oue, but¡­ A familiar lesson shed through my mind. "If tracking is difficult, aim at the predicted path first. Like in a rhythm game¡­ When the timing is right, and they fall into your crosshairs, then shoot." Click. The bipod scraped against the table, leaving fresh marks as I shifted the aimpoint. Twelve seconds until the Juggernaut arrived. I had to finish this quickly. The enemy wouldn¡¯t have much time either. They began to move, but instead of following them, my crosshair stayed fixed near the exit, waiting for the prey. And after a few moments¡­ -[Alert: DICE ¨{¦î©ß©×¨T¨T©¥ INK] The satisfying sound of a headshot rang out as the user¡¯s head disappeared entirely. A rush of euphoria tingled from the top of my head, and a smile spread across my face. No wonder this map was a haven for extreme Barrett snipers. I feltpletely refreshed. Even if I died today, I¡¯d sleep soundly. Of course, "Now then¡­" It was time to figure out how I¡¯d escape from the missileunching Juggernaut staring at me through the scope. Chapter 144 "Ha, I¡¯m gonna die¡­ Ugh¡­" One game ends. The fifth game ends. And Dice, staggering, copses onto the bed in her personal room. Even though she had emerged as the sole victor among 99 losers, that didn¡¯t mean she could escape the overwhelming fatigue that followed each match. After all, being a winner also meant being the person who remained on the battlefield the longest. Thus, the joy of victory didn¡¯tst long. In just ten minutes, a new game would begin again. In a way, it seemed like the system was designed to induce an endless cycle. The earlier you are eliminated, the longer the time you have to prepare for the next game. Those who are knocked out early in the session are given plenty of time to contemte and strategize for the next round. In other words, while the official break time after each game is only 10 minutes, those eliminated early might have 30 minutes or more to mentally prepare for the next round. On the flip side, those whoe in first ce¡­ like me, for example, have to jump right back into the next game after just 10 minutes. A mere 600 seconds isn¡¯t enough time to mentally recover or review the results of the previous match, let alone prepare for the next. Especially after using every bit of focus to clinch the top spot¡­ Either way, I had to rest as much as possible here. "I¡¯ll just sleep for a little while¡­" Shey down on the bed. Thankfully, here¡ªin virtual reality¡ªit wasn¡¯t sticky or hot like the summer heat in the real world. In fact, it was always pleasantly cool and slightly dry. Moreover, because it was VR, sleep could be induced deliberately. With the advent of virtual reality, humans had gained partial freedom from many things. Being able to sleep whenever and however long you wanted was just one of the many perks VR had to offer. Even emotions, swayed by the physical body¡¯s condition and hormones in the real world, were no longer an issue. Since the avatar you connected to in VR was separate from your real body, many of the real-world limitations were bypassed. Interestingly, women were among those who benefited the most from this. In other words, I was one of them. "¡­It¡¯ll be fine, somehow." About 20 seconds remained before sleep induction. Dice had already set an rm to wake her up 1 minute and 30 seconds before the next match. As she drifted into sleep, her thoughts briefly wandered. In fact,st year, there was a yer who managed to squeeze in a short nap during this brief window. It was a productive way to replenish the focus expended inbat and relieve the mental fatigue built up from intense action. In a way, it was as much a preparation for the next match as any other method. Of course, there was also the risk of waking up groggy and disoriented during the next game, but that was a gamble some were willing to take. Now, roughly 10 seconds until sleep. As she waited, thoughts of Yu-jin drifted into her mind. That person¡­ I don¡¯t know. But she¡¯s undoubtedly a monster, the kind you¡¯d see once every 40 years. If she had been born in a different era, she probably would have changed history¡ªlike King Richard the Lionheart or Xiang Yu, the Conqueror. So, am I really being taught by someone like that in real-time? I¡¯ve thought about this before, but honestly, I don¡¯t know. Either way, it probably doesn¡¯t matter. As 10 seconds passed, the flood of thoughts dissipated, and she sumbed to sleep. ©¤©¤©¤ BEEP BEEP BEEP! "¡­No way, I just closed my eyes!" Of course, the 8 minutes passed in the blink of an eye. It wasn¡¯t much of a nap, considering even a quick rest usuallysted about 20 minutes. But what could she do? This was the burden of being in first ce. Although, Yu-jin probably wouldn¡¯t have had the same experience, but still. She took a few deep breaths, drawing in oxygen to shake off the drowsiness before checking the next map. -[Notification: The next map is Atakaia Volcano Ind.] A map loosely based on Hawaii. In real life, it might have been a dream vacation destination, but here, instead of cheerful ukulele music or festive tunes, the only sounds were the thunderous explosions of gunpowder and the discordant noise of burning viges. Memories of past strategies and everything Yu-jin had taught flooded her body instinctively. She got up from the bed, stretching lightly. However, she hadn¡¯t quite shaken off the sleepiness, so she nned to take it slow in the early stages of the match. Before she knew it, there was only about a minute left until the game started. "Let¡¯s see¡­" Her score after the first cycle was a whopping 41 points. Considering thatst year, she¡¯d only managed 12 points by this stage, her performance had more than tripled. With 19 points earned in the fifth game, her total now stood at 60. Compared tost year, it felt like a night-and-day difference¡­ No, not just that¡ªit was more like her performance had skyrocketed vertically. At this point, no matter the oue of the next match, she would likely secure victory. But she wasn¡¯t nning to go easy. A de must be sharpened, and tempered steel bes stronger with repeated forging. Though saying this out loud made her realize just how much Yu-jin¡¯s mindset had influenced her.@@novelbin@@ After moving her fingertips to determine the expected drop zone, she mentally ran a quick simtion. It was hard not to feel optimistic. With just one more match, this grueling KSM could finally be over. It felt odd to call it grueling when only a day had passed, but she had her reasons. The scores she had earned so far were much better thanst year¡¯s, but that was because she had approached each round with the mindset that every match could be herst. This meant that even in situations where she might have given upst year, she had gritted her teeth and fought to survive. The number of times she¡¯d barely made it out alive couldn¡¯t bepared to before. So, it was natural to feel exhausted by the KSM already. She had treated every match as if it were the final game of the tournament. -[Notification: 10 seconds until the next session.] "¡­Blooming is up next, huh?" As she woke, various thoughts began to flood her mind. Unlike her, who had no intention of stopping at KSM, Blooming was a rtively ordinary SSM pro-gamer who had been bouncing between the first and second teams. He wasn¡¯t aiming for a higher battlefield¡ªat least not yet. In other words, this year was likely as far as he¡¯d go. Thanks to Yu-jin¡¯s curriculum, he had performed admirably in the qualifiers, but it would be tough for him topete against the highly skilled yers from the first teams of the various organizations. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t her concern. Results were results, and training was training. No matter what oue he achieved in this tournament, he would likely head straight to the shooting range after the KSM to address his shorings. It was time. -[Notification: Deploying to the battlefield.] Her vision turned white, and the smell of gunpowder mixed with the air. She set foot on the tropical paradise that had turned into hell. Tactics were always fluid, and the strategies each yer brought to the battlefield were even more so. Even the multiple strategic maneuvers created under the guidance of coaches and managers were no exception. Of course, there wasn¡¯t apleteck of direction. It was based on the flow of the KSM, adjusted ording to the yers'' conditions that day, and, more specifically, it depended on the starting points and the weapons obtained. This year, there were several enormous variables at y, so the coaches had to watch helplessly as many of the tactics they had devised crumbled like cookies. Naturally, the first and most significant variable needed no introduction. ¡®Should we just run if we see Yu-jin?¡¯ ¡®¡­Is she really that strong?¡¯ ¡®Think about it, would you pick a fight in the kill zone?¡¯ As much as they hated to admit it, they couldn¡¯t deny it. Yu-jin was skilled enough to enter the finals immediately and return home victorious. Many analysts had already concluded that she could go toe-to-toe with former Tier 1 and Tier 2 U.S. special forces yers. The KSM wasn¡¯t even a regional qualifier; it was just a stepping stone. Even the proud Korean yers and coaches had no choice but to throw in the towel after witnessing her inhuman-level ys. But on the flip side, this made Yu-jin somewhat predictable in terms of strategy¡ªmeaning no one doubted she would secure early selection in the first cycle. And as everyone expected, she ascended faster than anyone else. Of course, if that were all, there wouldn¡¯t have been any further discussion. BOOM! ¡®¡­What was that?¡¯ A massive explosion, which, thankfully, only existed in the cyber world. Not only did it leave everyone¡¯s mouths agape, but it froze them in shock, as if time had stopped. A scene of hundreds of oversized shipping containers being blown into the air like paper boxes in a typhoon etched itself into everyone¡¯s minds. It wasn¡¯t the right metaphor, but the saying "If you can¡¯t catch a pheasant, catch a chicken" came to mind. With Yu-jin gone, the chaos was bound to be caused by someone she had trained. Dice, who had already been dominating the SSM''s AP solo section, met the perfect mentor, and the result was an explosive chemical reaction. The culmination of that result was this massive explosion. In other words, it was a monumental trolling moment for every analyst, coach, and manager from the other teams who had been expecting a rtively normal KSM once Yu-jin was out of the picture. Of course, that was only from their perspective. ¡®How do we stop that¡­?¡¯ They had to stop it. But how? On a giant map spanning dozens of square kilometers, was there any way to stop just one person? It was an extreme 50-50. No matter what they did, they¡¯d lose in the end. Whether they stopped her or left her alone, the oue would be unfavorable. If they tried to stop her, their previously established movement routes and strategies would fall apart. If they left her alone, there was no telling what might happen next. Either way, their ns were shattered beyond repair. In a way, it was proof that Dice had absorbed Yu-jin¡¯s teachings well. Not only did she refuse to y by her opponent¡¯s expectations, but she also flipped the entire "game" everyone had assumed would y out. However, there was one key difference between Yu-jin and Dice. The former was an unstoppable force of nature, while Dice, though formidable, wasn¡¯t quite at that level. And so, a different conclusion was reached when dealing with Dice. ¡®It¡¯s probably best to just kill Dice on sight.¡¯ ¡®Right?¡¯ A kill order. Being a mid-level powerhouse often made you stand out the most. But what they failed to fully grasp¡ªor perhaps they were deliberately ignoring¡ªwas that Dice had been trained to focus on tactical elements even more than strategy. ¡®What? Why did you die?¡¯ ¡®Dice is too strong.¡¯ ¡®Wow.¡¯ It was an entirely predictable oue. Dice wasn¡¯t a light bulb; she was the fire itself, and the moths that flew toward her met the fate they deserved¡ªleading to an absolute disaster zone everywhere except the eye of the storm. In this situation where neither course of action seemed viable, the sixth game began. There were only two matches left on the first day of KSM¡ªthough fortunately, Dice was expected to be picked for early selection soon. But that also meant it wasn¡¯t over yet. Not just yet. "It¡¯s always so hot here." The humidity was suffocating. The heat from the flowingva was oppressive. And the smoke rising endlessly into the sky, along with theyers of volcanic ash piling up like snow, made visibility aplete mess. In the middle of this apocalyptic scene stood 99 yers, and among them, her golden hair gleamed in the sunlight. Her slightly drooping eyes made her look almost drowsy. Dice. She set foot on Atakaia Volcano Ind, possibly her final KSM match. Click! Opening a box revealed several guns. Gunfire was already ringing out in the distance. It seemed like the initial skirmishing had already failed. She thought she had picked a ce where fewer people wouldnd, but apparently, others had the same idea. However, there was something more important on her mind. "¡­Am I cursed or something?" The ASh-12.7. Why had she been followed by ridiculouslyrge-caliber guns for the past few matches? Not that she couldn¡¯t use them, but still¡­ this was a bit much. It¡¯s not like she wanted to be like that crazy person. Fortunately, after cautiously searching through more boxes, she soon found a familiar 5.56mm NATO rifle. The familiar weight and feel put her mind at ease¡­ but. Hmm¡­ nce. ¡­Well. Carrying it as a secondary weapon should be fine, right? I¡¯m definitely not obsessed with firepower. And so, with a second gun slung across her back, she set out on what could be her final match. In hindsight, maybe I¡¯ve been catching this "bug" without realizing it. Chapter 145 Atakaia Volcano Ind. A massive eruption beneath the sea had once birthed this new ind, and over countless millennia, the volcano had repeatedly spewedva, expanding the ind''s area and enriching thend with volcanic ash. Now, millions of yearster, though thick concrete covered thend, and buildings and homes had been built, the ind¡¯s core remained unchanged¡ªand once again, the towering volcano at its center spewed its fury across the earth. The only difference this time was that this eruption carried traces of something else. Flowers that had blossomed on the abandoned ind were crushed beneath heavy boots. Tropical trees, nted for the sake of scenery, were torn apart by bullets and tungsten rounds, and the asphalt and concrete crumbled under the rumble of explosions. The redva flowing through the cracks turned everything in its path to ash. The once blue sky was now nketed by thick, ck clouds of volcanic ash, crackling with thunder and lightning. Ash fell like snow from the heavens, and beneath it, 99 individuals roamed the streets that should no longer have been inhabitable.@@novelbin@@ Crrrrrk! A building gave way, copsing into the river ofva below with a grotesque sound. As the first floor burned away and the structure weakened, the weight of theva crushed the concrete, bending the steel beams and smashing everything in its path. Butrger buildings met a different fate. Much sturdier than their smaller counterparts, they crumbled more slowly, usually sumbing to the mes long before the structure gave way. Fire, after all, was an enemy of all living things, humans included. It was only natural that no living creature could be found in ces consumed by fire. But that wasn¡¯t always the case. "Ugh, it''s hard to breathe in here!" Bright red mes shot up all around. What should have been a dark and powerless interior of a department store was instead filled with fire and smoke. No matter which direction she turned, the overwhelming heat and mes threatened to damage her vision if she stared for too long. The remaining nanomachines were dropping slightly. The surrounding temperature had exceeded triple digits. Her oxygen tank, which was connected to her bag, was covered by a nanomachine barrier, and the radiant heat was immense. Oxygen levels: 20 minutes remaining. The Icarus gear was designed with high-efficiency energy harvesting technology, allowing the nanomachines to regenerate using the heat. So, despite the extreme conditions, the barrier¡¯s damage was minimal¡ªor so the system imed. The real problem was¡­ Thud! "Wow, that¡¯s intense." ¡­that even in this extreme environment, there were still a few people out to kill her. She could guess who it was. It was likely Mikhail, from the Reaper Infected group. Not many people could handle a ballistic shield that well. Wearing a gas mask that was oddly reminiscent of Yu-jin, he continued firing his pistol at her. Normally, someone firing that much would run out of ammo or have to reload, creating an opening, but not him. He was the type to spend hours every day practicing one-handed reloads. She thought back. Mikhail was infamous in the pro gaming world. As mentioned, his ballistic shield was practically an extension of himself. His defense was so solid that even she had been advised not to engage in a 1:1 with him. In a way, he was an extreme survivalist, always prioritizing survival over kills. If he sensed things were turning against him, he¡¯d flee in an instant. But that also meant when the odds were in his favor, he clung to his prey relentlessly. In other words, he embodied the phrase, "He ys like a pain in the ass." And she couldn¡¯t disagree with that. However, having spent so much time with someone who was the bane of every pro¡¯s existence, she had learned how to deal with situations like this. It was actually quite simple. ''Just lure them into a spot where they can¡¯t escape and focus all your firepower on them.'' Of course, if that was all he had said, it might havee across as a humblebrag. But Yu-jin had naturally added more exnation. ''Using a shield means sacrificing firepower. Unless they¡¯re like me, the most they can manage is an SMG. So, if you stop them from lowering the shield, you¡¯ve got a decent chance in a frontal fight.'' ''But aren¡¯t ballistic shields ridiculously tough? It¡¯d take hundreds of 5.56mm rounds to break through.'' ''You don¡¯t need to give them time to recover, or just use overwhelming firepower to break it. A shield starts regenerating the moment it¡¯s lowered, so keep the pressure on. Of course, if they lower the shield, they¡¯ll bring out regr weapons, so be cautious.'' In short, the advice boiled down to this: When dealing with someone using a shield, just grab a high-caliber weapon and st them until they crumble. This was why Yu-jin always carried absurdly powerful weapons that even special forces were reluctant to use. If you could handle the recoil and carry enough ammo, you were unstoppable. After all, no matter how good your body armor is, even if it stops the bullets, the kic energy alone is enough to break your ribs. It was a brute-force approach, but one that made sense. Dice¡¯s primary weapon was the SIG MCX, but¡­ she was ready to bring out the big guns now. Once she was done, the empty spaces in her armor would be filled with ASh-12.7 magazines. Taking a deep breath, she began to move. There was no need to worry about the noise she made while moving; the roar of the mes and the crackling of expanding moisture drowned out any sound she might create. It didn¡¯t take long to spot Mikhail, despite his speed for someone with a shield. He¡¯d soon learn that such strategies didn¡¯t work at higher levels. Ratatatatatatat! Bang bang bang! Bullets sprayed sparks off the shield. As expected, it was holding up well, but it was only a matter of time before it broke. Dice didn¡¯t even bother hiding as she continued her barrage. As her ammo ran low, she swapped in a fresh magazine and resumed firing without hesitation. Mikhail¡¯s pistol spat rounds in return, many of them hitting her. After a brief pause, Mikhail, sensing something was wrong, began to back away with his shield still raised. That was exactly what she wanted. A slow-moving target like him was easy to hit. -[Notification: 5.56mm rounds remaining: 90.] Half her stock was gone, with half still left. By the time she emptied her third magazine, Mikhail must have realized she was going to break his shield, and he hastily began retreating. But if he¡¯d wanted to run, he should have done so from the start. The area was a fiery wastnd, and AP was a game defined bybat. If you paid too much attention to environmental factors and walked into an obvious tactical trap, you¡¯d lose. It was that simple. The result was inevitable. Dice had no intention of letting Mikhail live¡ªit was time to settle the score for his poor decisions. Click! It was her job to wake him from his futile dream. She yanked on the wire connected to her grenade, pulling the pin tight and disengaging the safety. The moment the small metal ball turned into a bomb, Mikhail started to move. But the grenade wasn¡¯t meant for him. It bounced off the floor and rolled to a stop somewhere out of sight. A momentter, there was a loud boom. The esctor had given way. Already weakened by the fire, it had been waiting for just the right push. The explosion tipped it over the edge, and the ground groaned as the once-secure structure began to copse in on itself. With a loud crack, it crumbled, taking several tons of metal debris with it. A chain reaction followed as the rest of the esctors buckled, turning into an avnche of copsing tforms. One of the few remaining escape routes had just been turned into a heap of twisted metal. Across the gaping hole in the center of the building, Dice locked eyes with Mikhail. "Haha." His expression was grim. Instead of a warm greeting, she fed him another round of lead. Of course, this was another lesson she had learned from Yu-jin¡ªnot the part about shooting as a greeting, but about cutting off all of your opponent¡¯s options. It was the only thing she had been taught since their first meeting. Dice moved silently. Mikhail didn¡¯t have many options left. He could either try to escape through the sky bridge to another building, or ept his fate and die here. Either way, Dice was guarding the bridge. The situation settled into a tense stalemate. The ground beneath the building grew more unstable. Waiting near the corridor, she noticed there was no movement. What could Mikhail be nning? If she had to guess, Mikhail was probably hoping for a disruption to break this deadlock. Now it was time to predict what that disruption might be. Just then, a notification popped up. -[Warning: Enemy has essed the department store''s central control system.] At this point in time? What could he possibly be tampering with? The firewall would already be down, and the sprinkler system was disabled. She had no idea what he was nning, so she waited quietly¡­ until she heard a noise. BOOM BOOM BOOM! Where was thating from? The ground beneath the department store shook violently. This kind of explosion shouldn¡¯t have been possible with regr explosives. Whatever Mikhail had done, it was beyond the norm. Butbined with the warning from earlier, only one possibility shed through her mind. It seemed impossible, but her instincts told her it was true. "No way¡­ Did he open the gas lines?!" The gas lines, which had been cut off due to the fire, must have been forced open. Gas would have leaked from the broken pipes in the ceiling. That was the source. Then the fire would have ignited it. But that wasn¡¯t the immediate issue. The entire building shook as if it were about to copse. At that moment, Mikhail appeared, rushing toward her. It was time for a head-on confrontation. Tatatatata! Dropping the MCX, she pulled out the ASh-12.7, which had been hidden behind her oxygen tank. Massive armor-piercing rounds roared out of the barrel with a deafening st, raining down like hail. The sheer power of the gun forced Mikhail to slow down. As soon as the magazine was emptied, she swapped in another. He was zigzagging toward her, but at this range, tracking his movements wasn¡¯t difficult. The speed of the rounds was even faster. It took four magazines, but Mikhail¡¯s shield finally shattered. He staggered from the impact, leaving an opening, and a few well-ced rounds punched through the already-weakening barrier. Mikhail turned to flee. But that was his final mistake. Bang! One of the wild shots from the bucking barrel struck his oxygen tank. He copsed to the ground, struggling to breathe. Fire surrounded him on all sides, and there was no escape. Even if he broke through the ss and fell,va awaited below. Sighing, Dice approached Mikhail, her golden hair glinting in the firelight as she leveled her gun at him. She spoke. "Nice try." "Nothing ever goes right when you¡¯re involved with Yu-jin¡­ or anyone connected to her." Dice chuckled and answered with a smirk. "Tell me about it." Bang. With an exasperated expression, Mikhail¡¯s head snapped back, and his body was ejected from the game, sent back to the lobby. Leaving his corpse behind, Dice crossed through the mes and headed to the building on the other side. Her match wasn¡¯t over yet. -[Harmony: Lately, there are so many people trying to copy Yu-jin! LOL.] "Sigh." Watching the sixth match, Harmony added yfully. It seemed that Dice¡¯s reputation had reached the point of no return. Chapter 146 KSM was a busy time for everyone. Viewers were engrossed in the constant barrage of action, finding joy, excitement, and stress relief in the never-ending skirmishes. Meanwhile, the 100 professional gamers vying for a spot on the 20-person South Korean national team were tirelessly pushing themselves to their limits. But it wasn''t just the yers and viewers¡ªengineers were on edge, constantly maintaining the servers to prevent crashes, while the PR teams were working frantically, reaching out and making contacts. Ironically, even someone like Yu-jin, who had gained freedom a bit earlier than others, couldn¡¯t escape the hustle and bustle. And so, this brings us to what¡¯s happening now. "Hello! Congrattions on being pre-selected for the Korean national team! We¡¯ve been following your gamey in the Dark Zone with great interest, and we¡¯re thrilled to have the chance to interview you." "Thank you. It must have been a long trip for you all. I¡¯ll do my best to answer whatever questions you have." An interview. Not just any interview, but one where the title ¡°national representative¡± was now officially attached to her name. As mentioned before, the uing match would be the Asian qualifiers, and the yers selected through KSM would represent Korea in battles against the national teams from other countries. Normally, such interviews would only take ce after KSM had concluded, with 20 first-team representatives and 20 reserve members officially listed. However, Yu-jin¡¯s early selection had changed the narrative. Moreover, she was the only yer without any other scheduled events aside from the exhibition match, and with over an hour left until the second match, the timing was perfect for an interview. "Let¡¯s start with something light. First, you¡¯ve been pre-selected for the national team after an undefeated run through KSM. How do you feel?" "Personally, I feel like I can finally rx and focus on preparations. It¡¯s been a grueling period, going through the tournament rankings, scrims, and qualifiers. I think I¡¯ll be able to approach the Asian qualifiers more calmly than before." "Haha, assuming you¡¯ll continue with your intense training regimen, right?" "Of course. But it won¡¯t be too boring, since there are a few others now." As she said that, the faces of a few individuals shed through her mind. There was Dice, who had been tearing through matches in thest few hours; Harmony, who had evolved beyond the limits of a typical user; and Blooming, a professional yer from SSM who had suddenly climbed into KSM, seemingly out of nowhere. It was as if anyone who crossed paths with her had been injected with some sort of stimnt, showing remarkable growth in theirbat prowess. The hosts, wearing somewhat awkward smiles, moved on to the next question. "For our second question: This was your first time participating in KSM. How was the overall environment? Did you experience anyg or server issues, and how were the yer rest areas?" "There weren¡¯t any major issues overall. Even if there were, unless it was something extremely serious, I think yers just need to anticipate and adapt, so it¡¯s not something I¡¯d worry too much about." "Wow, that¡¯s impressive. You think that way? We expected a simr response, especially since even minor differences can determine victory or defeat in these matches." "Well, in reality, things rarely go exactly the way you want. Personally, I believe you should always be prepared for the possibility that things won¡¯t go as nned." Is that something most people can do? Of course, they didn¡¯t voice this thought aloud. As the questions continued, the hosts were getting to know more about Yu-jin. There was something oddly warm about her personality. It wasn¡¯t just about her professional demeanor; when asked more personal questions, there was a sense of depth. She was someone who kept her personal and professional lives distinctly separate. Or perhaps it was because Yu-jin¡¯s knowledge of modernbat¡ªespecially in the Dark Zone¡ªwas so vast and specialized that whenever asked about it, her answers were astoundingly professional. "Let¡¯s move on to the next question. Many people are excited about your meteoric rise in the scene, but do you n to continuepeting not only this year but also next year and beyond?" "I think I will." "Oh, you¡¯re not entirely sure?" After a brief pause, Yu-jin added: "I believe I¡¯ll continue to keep an eye on the overall flow of what¡¯s referred to as thebat meta. Whether I¡¯ll go all the way andpete for the championship, I¡¯m not sure." "I see. That¡¯s a bold answer. Do you n to keep showing off this level of physical performance?" "That¡¯s the n." Nodding, the hosts moved on to the next question. There was nothing about her personal life, but the questions they needed to ask still piled up. "How much do you typically train each day?" "If I¡¯m shooting a gun, that¡¯s practice. Whether I¡¯m working on the main mission, visiting the shooting range, or ying AP, it¡¯s all practice." But that wasn¡¯t the answer people wanted to hear, and Yu-jin seemed aware of that. "But when ites to honing skills, the amount of practice isn¡¯t what¡¯s important. What matters is how you practice and what you focus on. Skills improve when you break through limits, and that only happens when you achieve goals that are nearly impossible." "That¡¯s incredible. Considering not only Dice but others trained by you are performing phenomenally, the weight of your words feels even greater. What kind of goals do you mean when you say ¡®nearly impossible¡¯?" "100% uracy while moving or hitting moving targets with 100% precision, for example." "Is that¡­even possible?"@@novelbin@@ "You keep working at it until it is." Ah. She really was pure Sparta incarnate. One sheet of questions disappeared, and the format of the interview changed slightly. Now, the questions appeared in midair, and Yu-jin answered them directly. The hosts would asionally jump in with follow-up questions when more rification was needed. Q: Have you ever gotten angry during a match, or do you have any tips for managing your mental state? "It might sound harsh, but I believe a true professional shouldn¡¯t let their emotions influence their actions duringbat. Even in the most critical situations, you must control yourself to achieve the results you want." There wasn¡¯t even a hint of hesitation in her answer. It flowed out smoothly, as if it were something rehearsed, though the nuance was neither arrogant nor condescending. Rather, it was simply a statement of fact. Yu-jin¡¯s conviction was clear¡ªif you didn¡¯t do this, you couldn¡¯t win. Her words carried the precision of mathematics, not just confidence. Q: There¡¯s a joke going around calling this year¡¯s Korean national team ¡°Yu-jin¡¯s Fleet.¡± What do you think about that? "¡®Yu-jin¡¯s Fleet¡¯? Haa¡­." The bizarre, ever-growing list of nicknames never seemed to end. As a deeply human sigh escaped her lips, the hosts tried to stifle theirughter. Of course, it was because of all the quirky nicknames Yu-jin had earned over time. There were already more than a dozen of them, each one as embarrassing to say out loud as the next. With a face that looked like she¡¯d just bitten into a lemon, Yu-jin forced a smile and added: "¡­Anyway, each team has its own coach, so that¡¯s not really something I can control. But if anyone¡¯s interested, I could create a curriculum for them." "Haha, that¡¯s understandable, given your track record." The host checked the remaining list of questions andughed. "It looks like we¡¯re about ready to wrap up. We¡¯ll ask a few more questions, then let you take a break. Is that okay with you?" "That¡¯s fine." More questions appeared in midair. Q: Your short-term coaching role with SSM ends at the end of November. Do you have any ns to continue working as a coach or as a pro yer with SSM or another team? "I don¡¯t have any ns right now. If I do continue, it¡¯ll likely be in an external consultant role. And if I do, I might show up at a different team, not SSM." "Oh, I see! Is there a reason for that?" "Bnce must be maintained." "Ah¡­" What a strange reason. But understanding the minds of exceptional people was the job of other exceptional people. The hosts pushed their minds into overdrive to process Yu-jin¡¯s reasoning and moved on to the final question. Q: Is there a yer you think will make it to the final championship? Or anyone you¡¯d like to go with? "I can¡¯t really speak to the first part, but as for the second¡­ probably Dice. She¡¯s my prot¨¦g¨¦, after all. I think it¡¯d be good for her to make it to the finals and learn as much as she can." "Haha, we¡¯re getting that vibe too. Anyway, thank you for your time! We¡¯ll be back shortly after a break!" And with that, it was break time. The hosts slipped away, careful not to disturb the yer¡¯s personal time, leaving Yu-jin alone again. As the five-minute timer quietly ticked down, Yu-jin brought up a clock to check the current time. About 20 minutes had passed since the interview started, so some results should being in soon. She retrieved the notes she had been using to analyze movement and popped up a screen to check if anyone was still ying. But instead of the fiery volcano ind she expected, a notification appeared on the screen. -[Notice: Atakaia Volcano Ind session has ended.] -[Notice: The winner is .] -[Notice: ¡®DICE¡¯ has been selected as the second pre-selection candidate!] Pop! "Yu-jin! I got pre-selected!" "Ah! What the¡ª!" Thud! Before she could evenprehend what was happening, Yu-jin was tackled. Thest thing she felt was something soft against her face. "¡­Was she even allowed in here?" "I guess so. I didn¡¯t know either, but maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s been pre-selected. I think something simr happenedst year. There was a room where only pre-selected candidates could meet and talk." "Oh." The room that had once been Yu-jin¡¯s private space now transformed into a snowy forest resembling somewhere in northern Europe. The cozy room,plete with a firece and white marble floors, set the scene as Dice and Yu-jin continued their conversation. Of course, they weren¡¯t alone¡ªthe two hosts were still present. "Sorry for interrupting your interview. I¡¯ll head out now." "Oh, don¡¯t worry. Since you¡¯re the second pre-selected candidate, how about we interview you next? We can have the questions ready in about 30 minutes." "Oh¡­ Is that okay? What about Yu-jin?" "I¡¯m fine with it." As Dice let out a sigh of relief, one of the hosts asked: "So, what¡¯s the rtionship between you two?" "Well¡­." Yu-jin interrupted naturally. "Oh, right. Here, take this. It¡¯s the match evaluation. I¡¯ll be incorporating it into the curriculumter, so it¡¯s good for you to know." "¡­Ugh." Dice, looking confused, took the paper and stared at it for a moment before turning to the hosts. "This is pretty much how it is. I¡¯m constantly under her thumb. Someone, please save me." "Anyone who hears you would think I only give you tasks you can¡¯t do." "You don¡¯t, but you do always give me things that are just a step beyond myfort zone!" Ah, so that¡¯s how it is. The two hosts quickly pieced together the dynamic between the two, even as Yu-jin and Dice continued their back-and-forth banter. Then Yu-jin made an offhandment. "Well, at least you can rx for a few days now. I need to start focusing on Blooming anyway." "Oh." As the two reached some sort of agreement, the host who had just witnessed Yu-jin¡¯s actions asked another question. "So¡­ Does that mean Blooming will now be evaluated in real-time like Dice?" "Most likely, yes." "Oh no." "Why the reaction?" "Just¡­." Thinking about Blooming being evaluated by both Yu-jin and Dice at the same time made him feel a bit dizzy, even though it wasn¡¯t happening to him. But, of course, he couldn¡¯t say that out loud. It was yet another peaceful moment during the chaos of KSM. Chapter 147 "What a gloomy sky." Kmaansk ¨C a city near a nuclear waste disposal site. The sky wasn¡¯t just yellow; it was a deep, murky green-ck. The air felt cool but was thick and carried a faint metallic tang, almost like lead. The clouds hanging over the sky were a sickly green, as if they were rotting away, casting an ominous hue. Maybe they were rotting, in some strange, apocalyptic sense. Icarus International had a knack for creating a dying world atmosphere. ying through the various maps could make you feel like you were walking through a world in the throes of an extinction-level event. Thick, tar-like ck rain poured from the heavens. This was the Kill Zone of the map¡ªradioactive rain falling from the sky. It was the kind of ce that made you wonder if such a deste city could exist in real life. Maybe yers with depression shouldn¡¯t even touch this map. It felt fitting for someone like me, thest remaining member from SSM. Sigh. Just 15 minutes ago, Dice had been selected as the second pre-selected national team member. That meant the yer count in this match dropped from 99 to 98, and there were now only 18 remaining national team slots. It was a relief to dodge two natural disasters, but now, I had to rely entirely on myself. No more leaning on anyone for mental support. Not that I had actually gotten any help during the match, but there was a kind of empty feeling¡ªmaybe a virtual hollow in my mind. Perhaps the dreary weather wasn¡¯t helping. I shook off the feeling and entered a nearby building. Opening a rusty box, I found it filled withpleted gear. There were guns scattered across the floor, leaving me spoiled for choice. Big-caliber guns weren¡¯t absent, but wielding something like an ASh-12.7 on a grand stage like KSM felt like too big a gamble for me. Even though I¡¯d yed Dark Zone for a while and considered myself experienced, there was always a higher level I hadn¡¯t reached yet. That was the reality of AP. Even though everyone seemed to be ying simrly, countless invisible variables were at work behind the scenes, all converging to form an oue¡ªvictory or defeat. What existed between those moments that led to victory in this game? Maybe if I learned more from Coach Yu-jin, I¡¯d start to understand. Seeing Dice soaring through matches gave me hope. "So, what now¡­." Despite what I said, my body was already moving. My target: the ce where chaos was breaking out. Was I being too bold for KSM? That thought crossed my mind, and I didn¡¯t disagree. But, as my esteemed coach once told me: KSM isn¡¯t just a major event for you, Blooming. Everyone¡¯s feeling the same thing. But that¡¯s precisely where the gap is¡ªwhere you need to strike. In other words, more than 90 yers were probably thinking simrly. But that also meant there was less resistance to yers brazenly running amok. Of course, pro gamers weren¡¯t fools. They¡¯d prepared for such tactics¡ªbut no matter how much a pianist practices, they still get nervous on stage. Tensing up during a match was a primal instinct. At least I had some freedom of movement even in that tension, something I had gained from countless hard-earned experiences. Tududududu! Gunfire echoed everywhere, as if someone were roasting beans in the distance. I cautiously made my way to what was probably the most dangerous location in Kmaansk¡ªa massive shopping mallplex. Some would say others must be thinking the same thing, and I didn¡¯t disagree. But it was all a matter of proportions. In a national selection tournament, where nerves ran high, there would likely be more yers making stiff, hesitant moves than those running wild. That¡¯s something Yu-jin taught me. At this point, I had rephrased her advice enough times in my head. Instead of just "running wild," it was more about seizing the initiative. I stepped deeper into what had once been a bustling mall. This was where the skill activation zones began, and the intense game of nerves was about to kick off. But I had memorized every map to the point that they were second nature¡ªeven though theyout changed every game. I had a rough idea of where the enemy would be. Running between cover, I moved boldly toward the source of the gunfire. As I closed in, I could hear shots in the distance. Timing was key now. My nano-machine shield would absorb a few hits, but I had to be careful not to push too far. After a short while, I found myself nking an opponent locked inbat with another yer. I lined up the red dot sight and pulled the trigger. Trrrrrrt! "Ugh!" As expected¡ªor perhaps not¡ªthe sudden intrusion sent the yer packing quickly. But there was no time to loot. I had to run. I bolted in the opposite direction without looking back. I wasn¡¯t sure what to call this tactic¡ªmaybe the "wild horse" meta? I doubted it would work again, but catching them off guard was exactly the n. But when you hunt, you also have to be prepared to be hunted. Ping! "Did I get too greedy?" Bullets rained down hard on my shield. Another yer had arrived, thinking the same as I did, but just a bit toote. The silver lining was that they wereing at me head-on. If I¡¯d been unlucky, I might have gotten caught from some unknown angle. Normally, I¡¯d try to break through or flee, but the area was packed with yers and theyout was tooplex. Instead, I aimed to sandwich the enemy between me and other yers while dodging their fire. Tududududu! Bullets flew everywhere, but I kept my counterfire to a minimum. My nano-machine shield could hold out for a while longer, but I needed to keep things quiet and low-key. I used grenades instead, drawing aggro toward the other yer. With a quick click, I pulled the pin and tossed the grenade. Explosives were easy to find, so no need to hold back. After creating enough distance, I slowly recovered my shield while maintaining a careful distance from the firefight. Gradually, the noise began to fade. "They¡¯re gone." It was disappointing not to finish them off, but there had been gains. And as long as I was alive, I could always hunt again. Thinking about that drained some of my energy. How did the people who taught me this stuff do it so casually? Sshhh. "Ugh, what is this¡­?" Where did this sudden chille from? Was I imagining things? "Well¡­ converting MOA to a score, that¡¯d be 57 points. Yu-jin set the target score at 85, so you¡¯ve still got a ways to go. Using grenades to redirect the chaos instead of engaging directly wasn¡¯t bad, but what do you think?" "The approach wasn¡¯t bad, but the method was risky. I think I¡¯ll break down the tracking phase into more detailed steps. Want to sit in?" "¡­Yes." Of course, it wasn¡¯t my imagination. The real horror was that Yu-jin and Dice were watching me, evaluating my every move in real time.@@novelbin@@ Q: When did you first meet Yu-jin? "Before the qualifier rankings started, I joined a scrim hosted by Xi. That was the first time I faced her. It was maybe six minutes into the match, and I gotpletely wrecked by a mind game. I even used a wildcard but didn¡¯t get a rematch. I¡¯m not sure what piqued her interest after that, but¡­ well, here we are." For pre-selected yers, time flowed differently from the rest of thepetitors. After about 20 minutes, the hosts had returned with a new set of questions for the joint Dice & Yu-jin interview. Meanwhile, the 6th game had ended, and the 7th was entering itste stage. At this point, Blooming had finished the Kmaansk Nuclear Waste Disposal map with a solid 4 kills and a 9th-ce finish. But Yu-jin and Dice only had a rough idea of the results¡ªafter all, the interview was their main focus. Q: This is your second time being selected as a national team member. How do you feel about it? "Hmm, how do I put this¡­ I¡¯m taking it more seriously than I didst year. Back then, I kind of expected to be selected, but looking back, I think Icked a sense of responsibility. This year, I¡¯m trying to show more of my own style." She continued. "When you¡¯re not just part of the top 20% of KSM but representing a whole nation, people start getting curious about you. Last year, I think I felt burdened by the attention. But this year, I want to showcase my individuality more." "That¡¯s a great attitude. I¡¯m sure fans are eager to see more of what makes you unique in this interview and beyond." The host, nodding in understanding, pulled up the next question. Meanwhile, Yu-jin¡¯s hand hadn¡¯t stopped moving. She was scribbling notes about Blooming¡¯s performance, detailing areas for improvement, strengths, and training ns. By now, the stack of papers had grown quite thick. Though Dice was the focus of the interview, Yu-jin was more of an observer¡ªonly stepping in when necessary. Seeing this, Dice wore a half-resigned, half-amused expression as the questions kepting. Q: Is this how you usually build your curriculum? "Pretty much. That stack of papers is Blooming¡¯s, so I¡¯m really d it¡¯s not mine. We use the notes to create tailored training programs." "I see. Is it usually this much? How was it for you, Dice?" "It was about that thick until not too long ago." Ha-ha. Laughter was exchanged all around. Now, the real meat of the interview began. Q: What¡¯s your rtionship with Yu-jin like? "In the beginning, it was purely business. I don¡¯t have to say much about her skills¡ªthey speak for themselves. But personally, she¡¯s actually a lot of fun to be around, so we¡¯ve gotten pretty close." "Surprisingly close?" "Oh, no, no, no! I mean¡­ Oof!" Yu-jin, sneaking up from behind, executed a textbook rear-naked choke on Dice. The hosts couldn¡¯t help but wonder where such strength came from in Yu-jin¡¯s small frame. Though the interview wasn¡¯t part of an active game, time still didn¡¯t stop. The pre-selected yers¡¯ eventful Saturday was nearing its end. In other words, the interview was also wrapping up soon¡ªbut that didn¡¯t stop their yful exchange. Q: Last time, we saw Yu-jin put you in a cobra twist. Are you twofortable ying around like that? "Yeah, pretty much. With our jobs, we spend more time online than in real life. Even though we meet for training, we hang out a lot too. It¡¯s only natural that we¡¯d get close. Right, Yu-jin?" "Hmm¡­." "Hey! What¡¯s with that look? Was I the only one serious about this?" "Haha, just kidding. Kidding. A light joke¡ªouch! Why are you biting my tail?!" "Gah!" Ah. So that¡¯s how they yed. Seeing Dice yfully bite Yu-jin¡¯s tail, the hosts chuckled to themselves. But they couldn¡¯t help wondering if this entire segment needed to be edited out. Dice, now dazed after receiving a solid smack, tumbled off her chair, only for Yu-jin to calmly lift her back up with her tail. Then, excusing herself for a quick break, Yu-jin disconnected from her avatar. The two hosts took the opportunity to mute Dice temporarily. Above their heads floated the unmistakable logo of Icarus International¡¯s PR team¡ªthe ck phoenix. "As always, it¡¯s amazing how freely she moves that tail. But this is off the record, so don¡¯t worry about it." "Yeah, I¡¯ve practiced for a long time. I like to make the most of what I have." "Have you told Dice about it yet?" "Hmm." Yu-jin let out a smallugh and added: "There¡¯s no real precedent for this, but¡­ she¡¯ll find out soon enough. I¡¯m curious to see how she reacts when she does." Click. Dice returned, and the mute was lifted, ending the brief conversation. The tournament''s end drew near on a Saturday night. Chapter 148 [Breaking News] Dice Has Registered for Pre-selection, LOL "Damn, Dice is ecstatic! LOL" [Allments] [Sorted by registration time]
  • "Wow, two people on the first day? That''s insane LOL."
    • "One of them even got through right in the first phase."
    • "You can¡¯t even count Eugene in this LOL."
    • "If you''re bringing in a human tank and they don¡¯t make it past phase one, isn¡¯t that a problem in itself? LOL."
  • "Last year, they made it to phase 4, but this year they¡¯re just demolishing everything LOL."
    • "Is this guy injecting stimpacks into himself while gaming or what?"
    • "What¡¯s a stimpack? Eugene is the stimpack LOL."
    • "He really learned well, didn¡¯t he?"
    • "This is getting scary LOL."
  • "Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene!"
    • "Yeah, but no matter how much you teach, only four people can make it through~"
    • "Can we just ditch that yer quota for each country? We need more people, or everyone¡¯s going to lose their cool in the finals."
    • "Then start by taking away the quota from South America and the third world LOL."
    • "North America, Europe, and Asia are the only relevant forces anyway. The urge to snatch more slots is real."
  • "Their performance is insane LOL."
  • "Was it three who made it to the finalsst year?"
    • "Yeah, Dice, Summit, and Ink went."
    • "Howe everyone but one is doing terribly this year LOL."
    • "What kind of performance do you expect when you¡¯re getting steamrolled by a tank? LOL."
    • "Well, now that two have made it, more should start popping up soon."
    • "What are you talking about? KSM starts on day two LOL."
  • "Forget it, just give us the yer interviews already."
    • "Calm down LOL. It¡¯s the first day of KSM, buddy."
  • "How did they score over 70 points in the sixth game, LOL?"
  • "Honestly, just push through the ones who deserve to advance."
[General] KSM¡¯s First Day Was Packed LOL "But why is Saturday already over? Stop lying! Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s true! We only have one more day of this weekend? How is something this fun onlysting two days? This can¡¯t be real! Please say it¡¯s not true!!!" [Allments] [Sorted by registration time]
  • "I¡¯m unemployed, so this doesn¡¯t affect me at all~~."
  • "LOL, look at these poor working folks."
    • "Working folks, yeah right LOL."
  • "Fact: even unemployed people are going to be depressed by the day after tomorrow."
    • "Wait...why are my eyes tearing up?"
    • "No one¡¯s happy when KSM ends LOL."
    • "After the solo prelim rankings, at least we get to watch duo and squad prelim rankings, but after KSM, there¡¯s nothing for a whole week LOL."
    • "Damn, this pisses me off. I¡¯m going on strike on Monday, peace out."
    • "Is the strike just you continuing your unemployed lifestyle? LOL."
  • "You had fun, didn¡¯t you? Now go to bed LOL."
  • "Leftover chicken...lukewarm beer...a deep, silent night...and all alone in an empty room."
    • "AAAAAAH!"
    • "I¡¯ll find you, I swear!!!!!"
    • "Why do you keep poking at my pain? Why do you keep doing it? Why do you keep doing it? Why do you keep doing it? Why do you keep doing it? Why do you keep doing it?"
    • "You bastard!!!!!!"
  • "Damn, thatment really hit hard LOL."
  • "So many little devils here LOL."
  • "Now all you have is a bloated stomach, huh? Gonnay in bed, watch the forum, and drift off to sleep, right?"
    • "Phew, reading this made me feel better again LOL."
    • "Thanks!!!!!"
    • "This is the real deal LOL."
    • "How is chicken and beer a big deal? The real deal is stroking Eugene¡¯s tail, you noobs."
    • "Agreed."
    • "LOL, you idiots."
  • "LOL, keep being depressed~. Meanwhile, I touched Eugene¡¯s tail during the event match~. Gonna eat snacks and sleep in until 10 AM tomorrow~."
    • "Damn, I¡¯m so jealous LOL."
    • "Did you just win the lottery LOL?"
    • "Why do you get to touch Eugene¡¯s soft, moist, and silky tail!!!!!!"
    • "How¡¯d you beat 200:1 odds, you absolute god LOL?"
  • "Damn, I want to try the event match at least once?????."
    • "Not happening for you LOL."
    • "When the room splits into five, you basically need to break through 1000:1 odds to get in with Eugene LOL."
    • "1000:1? Not even Google job applications get those numbers LOL."
    • "And even if you win, there¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll touch anything LOL."
    • "But since there are five rounds, the odds aren¡¯t that bad."
    • "You gotta win the lottery before you even start talking about odds, you idiots LOL."
  • "For the next three rounds, I¡¯ll pray every day just to meet Eugene once ?????????."
    • "Yeah, me too, I¡¯m in line for that."
  • "Pro tip: If you donate something weird in Eugene¡¯s room, you might get a karate chop from Eugene."@@novelbin@@
    • "LOL, paying to increase your hate meter."
    • "That¡¯s a bit much."
    • "That¡¯s too far LOL."
[End of KSM¡¯s First Saturday] "It''ste, Eugene." "Ugh." It was a deep Saturday night. The first day of KSM wasing to an end. "The night is deep, but the enthusiasm from everyone here is beyond hot. Isn¡¯t that right?" In response, the roar of millions filled the stadium. The thunderous sound was brief, and the host looked down at the audience, as if ustomed to this. The stadium was enormous, like an oversized ser arena, with every inch of space filled with seats for viewers. In other words, everywhere you looked was packed with spectators. Even the most experienced hosts, who had spoken before countless crowds, were overwhelmed by the sheer intensity. "I¡¯ve hosted events rted to Dark Zone several times now, but I¡¯m always amazed at the passion that grows each year. The number of fans continues to increase exponentially." The focus shifted from the audience to the 100 KSM participants. Each had different reactions¡ªsome waved to the crowd, others lookedpletely zoned out, while a few were deep in thought. Regardless, it was time to shift the topic. "In addition, the AP soloing tournament level continues to amaze me. Every year, we see incredibly skilled yers participating in KSM, and I¡¯m always shocked while watching the games. At the same time, I feel relieved, thinking that Korea¡¯s talent pool remains vast and its future bright." But! The moment the host shouted that, the atmosphere turned silent. A controlled mute effect was applied, creating a suspenseful pause. Even after the mute was lifted, the audience remained quiet, eager to hear what would be said next. The host continued after a brief pause. "Unfortunately, and sadly, 60 out of these participants will have to wait until next year, while those ranked 21st to 40th will remain on standby as reserves for unforeseen circumstances. Only twenty will be selected as national representatives, given the honor ofpeting on the global stage." The mood became subdued. But with a simple gesture from the host, the background music shifted, swelling in intensity. It was a moment when the seeds of hope and excitement bloomed in the hearts of millions of viewers. "However, I¡¯m confident this year will be different. We will take a step further. A result never seen before is waiting for us! Because today, for the first time in three years, we have a pre-selection in phase one!" The atmosphere shifted. As soon as the word ¡°pre-selection¡± was mentioned, an image popped into everyone¡¯s minds¡ªthough the person in question wore a slightly awkward expression as if unsure why everyone was so excited. And with that, the whole crowd began chanting a single name. It wasn¡¯t just the figure in the stadium. Across multiple sessions, millions of eyes were all focused on one person. While there was another pre-selected candidate from phase two, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthey were sitting right next to them. As the host continued building up to bringing Eugene and Dice onto the stage, the two of them casually chatted, as if the entire world wasn¡¯t watching. "Why are they so excited?" "Eugene really doesn¡¯t seem like the type to enjoy all this attention. But then again, they¡¯re a streamer... Pick ane, Eugene." "Streaming seems like a two-way interaction, but it¡¯s still one-sided in the end. Unless it¡¯s a fan meet-and-greet, it¡¯s the same thing. And in this case, it¡¯s thetter." "When you put it that way, it makes sense." It wasn¡¯t that hard to understand, but listening to such back-to-back blunt statements made the conversation feel a bit too intense. Or maybe Eugene just wasn¡¯t great at handling embarrassment. Anyway, the mood was reaching its climax. Just as Dice tapped the armrest in preparation, the host¡¯s voice boomed, cutting through the noise. "Let¡¯s now wee today¡¯s pre-selected yers: South Korea¡¯s national representatives, the independent yer Eugene and SSM¡¯s Dice!" Before the roar of the crowd could hit like a sound bomb, the scene shifted, bright lights engulfed the view, and suddenly, both Eugene and Dice found themselves on stage next to the host. The introductions continued¡ªmercifully, the host refrained from mentioning any embarrassing nicknames. Instead, they focused on titles, such as Eugene¡¯s role as South Korea¡¯s AP soloing national representative. Feeling the familiar weight of the microphone in my hand, I waited for the host to finish speaking. But the crowd¡¯s cheers and apuse kept pushing back the timing. Who knows how much time passed, "Haha, with so many people chanting Eugene¡¯s name, it''s hard to even start the interview. Anyway, Eugene, congrattions on being selected as a national representative. Could you share your thoughts with us?" I nodded slightly. I hadn¡¯t really prepared anything to say, but perhaps some people would prefer raw, unscripted words. Or maybe, I just couldn¡¯t be bothered to n a speech and was ready to say whatever came to mind. It was time to start. "Hmm, I only yed four matches, but through this KSM, I gained a lot of unexpected and valuable experiences. Personally, it¡¯s been a highly enriching time." "Haha, I see. But surely, these experiences must have been... well, unique?" "I think you already have an idea. Sprinting across a copsing mountainside, explosions on a cargo ship, everything engulfed in mes... I¡¯ll stop there." Though I caused some of it, most of what I was talking about involved Dice. With Dice scratching her head awkwardly in the background, the conversation continued. "Haha! Your sense of humor is as sharp as your skills. Let¡¯s move on to the next question¡ªEugene, you¡¯re known for dominating your opponents with overwhelming power. Inbat, there must be countless variables. Could you share a bit of your secret to victory?" "You have to think in every moment ofbat. Force unfavorable situations on your opponent and block their tactical and strategic advantages. Confusing their hearing and sight is one of the mostmon ways to gain the upper hand." "Ah, I see! So, it¡¯s not just about pointing a gun at the enemy, but using a systematic approach to gain the advantage. Very insightful!" Though I said that, I didn¡¯t expect anyone to actually be able to replicate it. The reason Dice grew so quickly was that I had arranged a portion of the countlessbat records stored in the Icarus device and applied them to training in the shooting range. The Icarus CQB-urban warfare manual, written with human blood as ink. In other words, it was a guide that far surpassed any existing manual, even those used by the U.S. military, based on extensive real-world experience. It might sound impressive when said aloud, but replicating it was impossible without a massive amount of real-worldbat experience. "Due to time constraints, this will be thest question. If possible, how far do you aim to go in thispetition?" "Hmm." And without much thought, I opened my mouth. "I heard the air at the top of America is exceptionally clear." "Ah! Hahaha! That¡¯s a very interesting way to put it! If things go as you wish, I imagine South Korea will be in for quite the surprise! Thank you so much, that was an incredibly enjoyable interview!" With that, we shook hands, and the host moved toward Dice. I couldn¡¯t say what others thought, but to me, it wasn¡¯t a goal; it was an assignment. Of course, to uncover the truth about this world and the Dark Zone, simply getting to America and the Icarus headquarters might suffice, but if I were to go, winning wouldn¡¯t be a bad oue. Even as the crowd showered me with apuse, my gaze was focused further ahead. The night was growing deeper. I felt a sense of relief, as though I had crossed something off my to-do list. ©¤Ding! -[Eugene: Although I didn¡¯t review everything, I analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of this match.] -[Eugene: We¡¯ll have a debriefing session from 12 to 2 AM in real-world time, so see you then.] -[Eugene: Dice will also be joining ??¨@?¨A??????] -[Attachment: Debriefing File.pdf (50 pages)] "Ugh..." Still on stage, with the farewell speeches not yet concluded, Blooming, who had been watching Eugene and Dice¡¯s interview, fainted right then and there. Chapter 149 [Sports // General Sports // Column] [By Lee Ji-hwan // [email protected]] "Eugene: Rewriting the History of Dark Zone" It''s no exaggeration to say that Dark Zone, a VR FPS game, is the most popr eSports game in South Korea. KSM, the gateway to one of the most prestigious PVP tournaments, Apex Predator-Final Championship, has recently been lit up by a rising star. Eugene, a yer whose age and gender are unknown, stepped onto the KSM stage in just a month and a half, progressing through the tournament ranks, scrims, and qualifying ranks. For the first time in the history of KSM, this yer clinched a pre-selection spot in the first phase. Numerous experts have expressed keen interest in Eugene''s almost unreal performance andbat skills. This yer has shattered the conventional wisdom that victory is determined by reaction time, instantaneous decisions, and environmental awareness, all of which are based on solid fundamentals. Eugene¡¯s gamey shows that what were once considered super-ys, relying heavily on reaction time and ''physical'' ability, may not be as crucial in engagements. This has sparked a new debate in the world of eSports¡ªretirement. In eSports, debut and retirement oftene early. Before Dark Zone, it wasmonly epted that yers debuted in theirte teens and retired by their early twenties due to the need for lightning-fast reaction times. However, Eugene is different. This yer is methodical and unyielding, with iparable precision in shooting, bold and swift movements, and perfectly timed visual and auditory disruptions. It¡¯s a ystyle that isn¡¯t about physical prowess but rather about assembling the battlefield to their advantage. As a result, Eugene proves that in Dark Zone, external factors like age have less of an impact, and a ystyle grounded in strategy and tactical engagement, removed from physical reflexes, can still dominate even in the top domestic tournaments. This bears a striking resemnce to Japan¡¯s professional gamer Keith, who was the only Asian yer to ce in the top 10 inst year¡¯s finals. Eugene¡¯s incredible journey doesn¡¯t stop with the game. This yer currently serves as a temporary coach for SSM Entertainment, and in just a month, Eugene transformed SSM¡¯s stagnant performance into a sharp upward trend. Moreover, Eugene is known for personally coaching Dice, an AP 1st division yer at SSM Entertainment whose stock has been rising recently. Though the exact training regimen remains unknown, Dice¡¯s average performance has significantly improvedpared tost year, hinting at the influence of Eugene''s guidance. Additionally, Eugene has mentored Blooming, another SSM yer, who, thanks to a 15% improvement in skills, qualified for KSM for the first time. These clear results only further demonstrate Eugene¡¯s unique talent. Eugene is also a well-known streamer. Despite having yed in many matches and participated in numerous interviews, this yer never appears nervous¡ªperhaps due to extensive experience dealing withrge crowds. Eugene¡¯s straightforward and candid personality has earned a wide following among fans. Maybe it¡¯s Eugene¡¯s calm yet clear tone, cutting through the yful teasing of the so-called ¡°tail squad,¡± that appeals to fans. However, Eugene does have a weakness: embarrassing nicknames. It¡¯s famously known that Eugene once used a wrestling move on Dice over this very issue. Dark Zone has only been in service for five years, and the professional scene is just three years old. As Dark Zone continues to grow in poprity each year, Eugene stands as a fascinating figure amidst this transitional period of eSports. Perhaps it¡¯s worth getting to know this quiet yet quirky yer. Below is Eugene''s pre-selection interview from yesterday: Q: How does it feel to be selected as a national representative of South Korea? A: I didn¡¯t y that many matches, but I gained a lot of unexpected and valuable experiences. Especially with map mechanics like running across copsing mountains, container ships exploding, or entire areas being engulfed in mes. Q: There must be many variables inbat. What¡¯s your secret to victory? A: It¡¯s important to think in every moment of the fight. For example, forcing your opponent into disadvantageous situations and blocking their tactical and strategic advantages. I often use techniques that confuse their auditory and visual senses. Q: If possible, what are your goals for thepetition? A: I¡¯ve heard the air at the top of America is exceptionally clear. After Saturday, Sunday arrived. Except for two people, Saturday night passed sleepless for various reasons. Regardless of how much someone had prepared, no one could perform perfectly every time. The fiery excitement of the previous day quickly turned to cold ashes. KSM had ended just a few hours before midnight, and many had spent the evening with chicken and beer, sumbing to food-induced lethargy. Even the few who persisted, along with those who had practiced until 3 AM, eventually copsed. The wild excitement of Saturday turned into quiet ash, softly settling over Sunday morning. Despite this, the KSM continued, and by Sunday morning, the ten teams stirred, stretching after a slightlyter start than usual. The matches, scheduled to start before dinner, gave the yers plenty of time to rest. Typically, yers woke up around 10 AM, and by 12 PM, they beganzily drifting to the dining area, as the sun was already high in the sky. Of course, Dice was one of thete risers. "Ugh..." The sunlight streaming through the thick curtains was still harsh, a reminder that summer wasn¡¯t entirely over. The cool air from the AC crept into the room, providing a refreshing contrast. Kicking off the thin nket, Dice got up, clothes slipping off one by one. Entering the shower, Dice washed up, and upon pressing the button on the wall, water droplets cascaded from the ceiling, soaking her hair. The water was cold, as there was no temperature control. "Ahh!" At least it woke her up. Her long blonde hair became damp under the strong water pressure. Sitting on the prepared bath stool, she soaked her hair thoroughly, squeezing out a handful of shampoo andthering it in. Avoiding getting it on her face, she massaged her scalp gently and rinsed it out. The process took about 20 minutes. Just as she was finishing, a voice message popped up. -[Eugene: Are you awake?] "Ah, Eugene." A holographic voice channel appeared. Eugene was already up, which didn¡¯t surprise her. Of course, she realized she had woken up quitete. d for thepany, Dice chatted casually as she finished washing her hair. "What were you up to? I just woke up and started getting ready." -[Eugene: I went to work out and just finished showering.] "Wow. What kind of workout... Oh, right. You were probably lifting weights." That made sense. Even though Eugene had helped coach the SSM yers, including Blooming, until 2 AM, Eugene still had the energy to wake up and work out. What kind of stamina was that? Thinking of this, Dice felt a yful urge rise. "With a prize pool of 200 million won, I guess first ce takes about 30 million? If it¡¯s not too much trouble, please buy me something delicious." -[Eugene: You¡¯re in second ce too, Dice.] "Food bought with someone else¡¯s money always tastes better, hehe." As they bantered, Dice finished washing out the conditioner from her hair, turned off the water, and squeezed out the excess moisture. After drying off, she continued the conversation. "You know, I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far without you, Eugene. Let¡¯s meet up after the KSM announcement and I¡¯ll buy you something nice." -[Eugene: You don¡¯t have to go that far.] "You don¡¯t want to see me? That¡¯s harsh." -[Eugene: Jeez.] What kind of reaction was that? Dice wrapped up her shower, activating the venttion system to clear the remaining steam. Sitting in the drying area, she warned Eugene. "It might get a bit noisy now." A loud whirring noise began as air sted from the nozzles, quickly drying her hair and body. In just two minutes, she was dry and out of the bathroom, tossing her thin pajamas into theundry and slipping into casual ck wide-leg pants and an SSM T-shirt. Though the shirt didn¡¯t quite match, it wasn¡¯t like she was going anywhere special. By 12:30, her stomach began to growl, signaling it was time for lunch. "I guess I¡¯ll have brunch. I feel a lot lighter now. Last year, I was so nervous I could barely eat lunch and almost passed out during the match. The viewers might rx while eating dinner, but the yers have to make do with snacks during breaks." -[Eugene: That¡¯s true. I bet some people skip the event match just to grab a proper meal.] "Right. But this year, it doesn¡¯t seem like that. With three AP soloing tournaments, I think everyone¡¯s picked up tips by now." The dining hall was on the first floor, and Dice''s room was on the third. Thankfully, the SSM building was equipped with esctors, so there was no need to wait for the elevator or take the stairs. As she thought about what to eat, she continued the conversation. "Eugene, besides Blooming, do you see any other promising yers? Our team sent seven more yers to KSM besides me." -[Eugene: Hmm. They¡¯re all good, but from apetitive standpoint, it¡¯s a bit disappointing. I can¡¯t give everyone I coach the exact results they want.] "That¡¯s true. There¡¯s a 20-yer limit for the Asia qualifiers, and with ten teams, that¡¯s about two yers per team. If we count you as part of SSM..." -[Eugene: The higher you go, the narrower the door gets. Right now, I think 21st to 40th ce, the reserve national spots, are the best they can hope for.] Dice nodded as she stepped onto the esctor, approaching the first floor. "Any lunch rmendations?" -[Eugene: How about my fist as a snack?] "...I¡¯ll just eat anything. But seriously, you shoulde visit SSM sometime. Our unmanned dining hall has an amazing bulgogi bowl." -[Eugene: Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d buy me something expensive?]@@novelbin@@ "Juste already. I don¡¯t care if you bench 700 pounds, juste." Dice finally arrived on the first floor. She recognized all the faces there, though she wasn¡¯t sure which ones were trainees and which were second-string yers. She had already memorized the faces of the coaching staff and the first-string yers who hung around them, but she didn¡¯t know many of the people in the PR or ounting departments. Trainees woke up earlier than professional yers. While Dice and the others woke up around 10 AM, the trainees were up by 8 AM to get more practice in. In other words, while Dice was there for brunch, they were there for lunch. It made her feel like she wasn¡¯t living a very productive life. She had assumed adult life would be busy, but it didn¡¯t seem all that different from high school summer break. Well, at least it was hectic in-game. "Hey, it¡¯s Dice!" "SSM¡¯s pride! SSM¡¯s only pre-selection yer!" "p, p, p!" "Stop it! It¡¯s embarrassing!" Even though she tried to stop them, apuse echoed throughout the dining hall. Everyone was like a bunch of mischievous kids. The line at the kiosk moved quickly, and the food was prepared in no time. The speed was impressive, as the cooking was automated by machines rather than chefs. The technological advancements were fascinating, to say the least. The quality was top-notch, with machines that could cook ten steaks at once, monitoring surface and core temperatures down to the millisecond. No wonder the food was always incredible. That¡¯s why she bragged to Eugene about it. Anyway, it was time for lunch. Thinking of bulgogi made her crave it, so she ced her order and sat at an empty table. All she had to do was wait for the serving robot to bring the food, drinks, and utensils. Meanwhile, the conversation continued. -[Eugene: What did you do after KSM ended?] "Profile photo shoots, website setup, photo shoots, TV appearances... all that external stuff. The rest was just scrims, analyzing foreign teams'' games, applying what we learned, and repeating the cycle. It¡¯s not as exciting as it sounds." -[Eugene: So, same as before.] "Yeah, but the 19 other yers who made it are sticking together. There are only four spots for the finals, but there¡¯s still this sense of ¡®we can¡¯t lose to other countries.¡¯ Do you get what I mean? What were you nning, anyway?" -[Eugene: Hmm.] A brief silence. Then Eugene spoke in a yful tone. -[Eugene: I need to catch up on my homework.] "Homework?" -[Eugene: This.] At that moment, an image appeared before Dice¡¯s eyes. It was... "Wait, you still haven¡¯t finished the main mission!?" The current main mission progress was 78%, and Monday¡¯s announcement for the coboration with Harmony was already out. Thest shred of Dice¡¯s sanity evaporated at that moment. Chapter 150 "Now, the final day of KSM begins! yers and viewers have 10 minutes to prepare. If you haven¡¯tpleted your setup yet, please finish as soon as possible within the given time!" The host¡¯s booming voice echoed throughout the venue. Before a match, such announcements usually didn¡¯t grab much attention. I felt the same way during Saturday¡¯s game. But hearing it two days in a row, the grandiosity starts to fade and a sense of familiarity creeps in. There wasn¡¯t any particr reason for it. Maybe it was just my perspective that had shifted. However, the perspective in question wasn¡¯t about some matured view of KSM after experiencing it once morepared tost year. I no longer had to y in the match, so why wouldn¡¯t the host¡¯s voice feelforting? If you didn¡¯t want to participate, you didn¡¯t have to. The only thing left on Sunday¡¯s event schedule were two exhibition matches that had no bearing on the KSM results. In short, the popcorn was delicious. "Hehe." The day, which had started at the boundary between morning and afternoon, passed surprisingly quickly. If this werest year, I¡¯d have logged into VR right after lunch and brushed my teeth, diving headfirst into practice. Considering the time eleration inside virtual reality, no matter how long it felt, I¡¯d be done by about 3 p.m. After that, I¡¯d spend about one or two hours in real life, anxiously waiting until 10 minutes before KSM began, then log back into VR to wait in the yer¡¯s lounge. Those memories fromst year started bubbling up again. But, of course, memories are just that¡ªmemories. They don¡¯t have much to do with the present. "Ahhh, this is so nice¡­!" The soft embrace of the bed felt exceptionally cozy today. As the host mentioned earlier, there were about 10 minutes left until the match started. With the breaks between matches, I¡¯d have about 50 minutes of rest within the third cycle in-game. The average match time was 25 minutes. Since one cycle consisted of four games, I¡¯d have around two and a half hours left in virtual reality until the exhibition match began. If you added everything together, that would amount to roughly 5 to 6 hours. Of course, in addition to those watching inside virtual reality, there were also recordings for real-time viewing, so KSM was expected tost around 5 to 6 hours in real life as well. In short, there was plenty of time to kill. As I pondered whether to take a rare afternoon nap, despite not feeling particrly sleepy, I heard a familiar voice from beside me. "Why are you lying down again?" "Ugh, now I can''t even lie down without being criticized... Kueh!" "You''re making weird noises again." Pang! A soft flick hit the back of my head with a crisp sound. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t put much force into it, so it didn¡¯t hurt at all. This was part of the perks¡ªif you could call them that¡ªof being a pre-selected participant. The lounge was afortable space designed for us to rx. Through therge ss windows, we could see the packed stadium filled with viewers. Of course, if one preferred, they could make the ss disappear and just focus on watching the match. Speaking of lounges, a memory fromst year suddenly resurfaced. Back then, I thought the day I secured my spot in the finals was the brightest moment of my life, after all the hardships I endured. Anyway, there were still 10 minutes until the match started. Not that it made much of a difference; things didn¡¯t get particrly hectic when the game began. As I sank deeper into the luxurious sofa¡ªsomething that would probably cost millions of won in real life¡ªYujin naturally sat down beside me. It was a perfect moment for some idle chatter. "Aren''t you curious about how we¡¯re getting to the finals?" "By ne, I assume." "Aww, can¡¯t you at least pretend to be curious? Just say you''re curious, please?" I think I heard a sigh, but I decided to ignore it. Even though my conscience pricked me like a spinning triangle in my chest, I was a functioning adult. Whether Yujin was curious or not, I decided to start talking. I was confident that Yujin would find it interesting once she heard the details. "We¡¯re flying first ss. First ss! Icarus Corp and the team split the costs. All we have to do is pack ourselves and our luggage. Although we do have to wake up a bit early, since the limoes to pick us up in the morning." "That does sound a bit fun." "Right? It¡¯s interesting, isn¡¯t it? I bet after I start talking aboutst year¡¯s finals, today¡¯s KSM won¡¯t evenpare. So, what do you think? Isn¡¯t your curiosity growing?" "Haha." It looked like it was time to retell all the stories I had worn outst year. Smiling, I began to speak. "The finals... they¡¯ll probably be held around the same time this year, mid tote December." "That¡¯s quitete." "Yeah, I didn¡¯t understand it at first either, but there¡¯s a reason behind it. Since the qualifiers are held worldwide, ces like South America and some of the less stable regions... well, they need more time." So they allow over two months to amodate these issues. In countries with good security and a solid international presence, it¡¯s rare for events to be disrupted to the point where matches can¡¯t take ce. yers can handle things at their own pace. But in some regions, the situation is less predictable. They give them as much time as possible to sort out any issues. And if they still can¡¯t make it, other countries step in to fill the gaps. "Apex Predatorpetitions haven¡¯t been around for long, so there hasn¡¯t been an instance where yers from these regions couldn¡¯t attend, but it¡¯s all about being prepared. And starting next year, there¡¯s going to be a rule where countries that don¡¯t meet a certain performance standard will be excluded." "We¡¯re getting off-topic." "It¡¯s your fault, Yujin. Anyway, the first-ss flight leaves at 10 a.m., but considering the check-in, boarding, and luggage, we¡¯ll have to wake up pretty early. And around that time, the average temperature drops to minus 15 degrees..." "Eww, I hate the cold..." "Oh, right!" Pfft. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a goofyugh, picturing Yujin bundled up like the mascot of a winter coatpany, wearingyers uponyers of padded clothing. Even though I¡¯d seen the survival mode videos where Yujin braved the elements with Harmony, I knew how much she hated the cold. Despite bracing myself for another head flick, Yujin just shook her head without any further reaction. Meanwhile, the conversation naturally drifted back to the lounge. "Once we arrive, we can rest for a bit after check-in, and then rx in the first-ss lounge at the airport until we depart. You can have breakfast there, too. They have a chef, so you can just tell them what you want to eat." "That must¡¯ve been delicious. What did you have?" "I had abalone porridge and grilled short ribs. It was really tasty. But first-ss serves a lot of food during the flight, so if you eat too much beforehand, you¡¯ll get full. Anyway, after the meal, you can just wait with some dessert or coffee until it¡¯s time to board." "The match is starting! The first map is Por Ridge Correctional Facility. Best of luck to all the yers!" The match starting abruptly cut off our conversation. Even though I had a lot more to say, it was time to start watching the yers¡¯ engagements in earnest. Like flipping a channel, the ss windows and interior seamlessly transitioned to disy the match. Severalrge screens popped up, broadcasting the action like a live feed. Our conversation about the flight naturally shifted to the match as well. "So, Yujin, who do you think will make it?" "Are you talking about the Asia qualifiers?" "Yeah." "Summit and Crossline from TK1 have been consistently performing well. INK from Xi is the same. Whale is doing fine, but Corvus hasn¡¯t been very impressive... Grizzly from Veritas and Gambit from Clear Sky are also good." "Do you think Blooming has any chance of making the national team?" "Maybe next year they''ll hit their stride." "Haha, that joke fits their nickname perfectly." As the contenders were narrowed down, the conversation continued. Summit and Crossline from TK1, INK and Whale from Xi, Grizzly from Veritas, Gambit from Clear Sky, Ebler from Arcadia Games, and Seolram from GEARUP. Adding Yujin and Dice, who were pre-selected, made about 10 contenders. Of course, the national team had room for 20, so there were still plenty of yers Yujin hadn¡¯t mentioned. Then, out of nowhere, ament was thrown in. "The lineup looks strong. Dice must be better than I thought to make it through to the finals withpetition like this."@@novelbin@@ "Who''s the one who smashed their way through all of them? I¡¯m more famous and skilled than you think! You have no idea how much the analysts panicked when I got solo-killed in a scrim against Xi!" "You should¡¯ve done better." "Ugh..." I had noeback. In all my life, I never thought I¡¯d hear "If you¡¯re mad, just do better" used against me. Even though I had a lot to say, there was nothing I could actually say in response. After all, it¡¯s unreasonable to expect a person to beat an armored infantry vehicle in a one-on-one fight. Dice had always been pragmatic, not caring about unattainable goals. But the problem was that this human-shaped armored vehicle kept trying to push her up a tree she couldn¡¯t climb. Anyway. "Blooming will probably improve a lot if they keep training next year, but I¡¯m not nning to retire anytime soon. I might not make first ce in the finals, but I¡¯d love to ce in the top five." "If you keep following along until mid tote December, there¡¯s still a chance you can make it this year. I¡¯ll make sure you get into the top ten." "Really? I¡¯ll put my faith in your tail, Yujin." "Why trust my tail?" "Hehe, ack!" Pang! And just like that, the Sunday KSM was flying by in the blink of an eye. How much time passed after that? "Aha, Yujin! It¡¯s really nice to meet you! And you, too, Dice! It¡¯s been a year, and you¡¯ve returned as a wild maniac! Time to settle the score!" "Ugh, don¡¯t push down on my head! Ack!" Squeeze! As expected, the next pre-selected participant Yujin mentioned was Summit from TK1. After being thoroughly beaten in the port city of Tannh?user, Summit wasted no time folding Dice up as soon as they met. Naturally, he calmed down immediately in front of Yujin. But Yujin simply sipped her coffee, unperturbed, while Dice was gradually crumpled into the soft sofa. It was a debt long overdue, and she had no intention of missing the show. Since Summit was also one ofst year¡¯s finalists, the conversation quickly turned to new stories as more and more pre-selected participants arrived. First phase: Yujin. Second phase: Dice. Third phase: Summit and Crossline from TK1, and INK from Xi. Fourth phase: Gambit from Clear Sky, and Ebler from Arcadia Games. As each phase concluded, the number of participants grew. By the time the final exhibition match ended, seven people had gathered in the room, each holding their results. But the gathering didn¡¯tst long. The time hade for KSM to wrap up, and with it, the points for the remaining 13 participants would be closely scrutinized to determine the national team selections. And how much time had passed? With grand background music, the passionate host took to the mic. "And now, we officially announce the 20 yers selected as the national team through KSM! Let¡¯s give them a big round of apuse!" The apuse was so loud it could¡¯ve burst eardrums. Most were smiling, but those preparing for next week¡¯s Korea Team Match, the team version of KSM known as KTM, couldn¡¯t smile quite as broadly. There was still a lot of work to be done before the Asia qualifiers. Adding to that, both Yujin and Dice had already given interviews yesterday, meaning the host¡¯s interview mic now passed from Dice to each pre-selected yer in turn. And thus, the two of them were quietly chatting on stage. "So, Yujin, now..." Correction. It wasn¡¯t a chat. It was the confirmation of a result. Yujin wordlessly showed Dice the notice Harmony had posted on her personal site about a coboration, and Dice nodded as if she¡¯d expected it. However, what Dice didn¡¯t know was that there was a little surprise included this time. "Take it easy for about a week. It¡¯s personal practice." "Really? Yesss!" Even though she quickly covered her mouth, it was already toote. Countless eyes were now focused on Dice, who turned as red as a ripe tomato, mumbling a quiet "sorry..." And so, Yujin¡¯s first chapter came to a close. After more than a month, a period was ced on the sentence that was Yujin, and a quill dipped in ink was lifted to write the second. The prologue had ended, and the true second act was about to begin. KSM was over, the week had ended, and a new week was beginning. The fiery enthusiasm kindled by KSM would turn to ashes, settling thickly on the roads traveled by workers and students alike. Dark circles under the eyes and vanished motivation. Every beginning carries with it an end. But ironically, the one sce in all of this was¡ª [General] Captured the moment Dice went turbo, lol. ¡ªDice¡¯s blunder would forever be immortalized. With that little bit of humor, everything came to an end. Not with a blinding explosion, but with the quiet calm of dawn. [Harmony: Teacher~~ Did you see the announcement?? Just join by 7 PM tomorrow~~~ // (Posted - Sun, 23:47)] [Harmony: And congrats on making the national team! I¡¯m looking forward to some yummy food when you get your prize~~ hehe just kidding! // (Posted - Sun, 23:47)] [Harmony: See you tomorrow! // (Posted - Sun, 23:48)] Chapter 151 "Wow." Tricky streamers, or managers of YourSpace channels, don¡¯t typically follow the same routine as regr workers. They don¡¯t need tomute, and they can earn their ie working from home. Many of them specialize in Dark Zone content. Thanks to numerous patches and updates, the game has low essibility but a massive audience, both in terms of yers and viewers. Some focus on guides for beginners, while others attract viewers with their raw skill, which was about asmon as pebbles on the street. However, those who run review or informational channels have recently been facing a unique challenge. -[And now, we wee today¡¯s pre-selected users, Korea¡¯s national team! Introducing the independent yer Yujin and Dice from SSM!] Yujin. Just having her name in the title or content was enough to skyrocket viewership. Whether driven by fan devotion or the pursuit of profit, she had be the envy of many Dark Zone review channel managers. Even securing a single interview with her would bring a massive surge of interest! Views naturally followed once attention was drawn to a channel. Channel managers eagerly spected that just having Yujin on their tform would drive unprecedented traffic. But the truth was, aside from a select few, such opportunities never came. -[Unreal¡¯s DZ Information // Channel Subscribers: 1,027,439] Unreal¡¯s channel, specializing in Dark Zone reviews and information, was unmissable in this space. A couple of months ago, his subscriber count hovered around 700,000, but as Yujin began her streaming career, his channel steadily grew. He had already established a connection with her before others could, securing an interview during the qualifier ranks. That interview racked up over 6 million views, and even now, it was gaining around 50,000 views a day. His subscriber count? No need to mention it¡ªit was rising fast.@@novelbin@@ But for those who missed the boat, it was already toote. "If anyone can get Yujin for an interview, I¡¯ll pay them 2,000 upfront, I swear." "Stop spouting nonsense and just make your videos." The speed of her rise was dizzying. People rushed to catch thest bus, but the bus seemed to reach 100 km/h in just two seconds, leaving them in the dust. Before they could even send a request, Yujin¡¯s status had grown beyond reach within Korea. With the growing poprity of esports and the increasing essibility of gamingpared to traditional sports, the weight of the title "Dark Zone National Representative" became too significant to contain in a mere YourSpace review video. In practical terms, unless it was for a top-tierwork interview program or a dedicated schedule covering Yujin and others, there wasn¡¯t even room to entertain the idea. And these thoughts weren¡¯t confined to channel managers alone. ¡®¡­Is Yujin going to stop streaming at this rate?¡¯ She had grown too big to just be a streamer. Moreover, Yujin was known to stream as a hobby. That tiny ember of a rumor was like a bomb waiting to go off. But the people who thought this weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Yujin wasn¡¯t struggling financially, nor was she signed with an MCN. If she needed money, she could have turned her skyrocketing poprity into a full-fledged channel, hiring editors to boost her YourSpace presence, while joining top-tier gaming teams like Xi. But she didn¡¯t. ¡®Is she just not interested?¡¯ ¡®Judging by the fact that her stream uploads are fully automated and edited by a hired FanSpace manager¡­¡¯ Thus, from Saturday onward, a rumor quietly began to spread across Dark Zone-rted forums: "Yujin¡¯s going to quit streaming!" Within hours, the rumor had spread like wildfire, withyers of exaggeration fanning the mes. However, as always, there were ways to extinguish the fire. [Official] Yujin said she''s quitting streaming... Shocking! Turns out she¡¯s just going to stream with Harmony from now on, LOL. As always, the person who started the fire wasn¡¯t the one to put it out. But Harmony¡¯s notice doused the rumor entirely. With that, the unfounded nonsense burning through themunity vanished, and Harmony unintentionally proved something. The person who could effortlessly invite a national representative to stream. Maybe, along with Dice, she was one of only two people who could easily set up a coboration with Yujin. In any case, this was how things functioned in their world. It was the usual routine after KSM had ended. p p p p p! "Ugh, what is this?" "Congrattions to our Yujin for being selected as a KSM National Representative! Wow!" It was the waiting room before the broadcast. When I slipped in and met Harmony¡¯s eyes, her face instantly brightened into a huge smile, and she started pping excitedly. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. It was nice when someone else was happy for me. At least, I was d there weren¡¯t any fanfares when I entered. With my past habits and slight PTSD, I might¡¯ve instinctively taken cover if I heard a loud noise. If I¡¯d had a pistol on me, it could¡¯ve caused quite a scene. There were about 10 minutes left before the broadcast started. Time to get back to my role as a streamer. And Harmony slyly poked at that. "I saw the rumors that you weren¡¯t going to stream anymore, but I knew you¡¯de back." "No way. If I stop streaming, I¡¯ll be a total shut-in. The only thing I do these days is walk back and forth between my house and the gym." "Hehe, same here. I started streaming for simr reasons." It was one way tomunicate with viewers. Anyway, I had seen the rumors. It was essentially a conspiracy theory, so I tried tough it off, but the world doesn¡¯t always operate on logic and reason. In fact, it often runs in the opposite direction. If co-streaming with Harmony could clear up those inappropriate doubts, that was good enough for me. It would be a hassle if I got caught up in strange rumors, and I¡¯d started streaming to avoid that very thing. Regardless of how my status had changed, nothing else really had. I wasn¡¯t about to abandon the assets I¡¯d built up over the years, just because my position had shifted. To put it simply, I wasn¡¯t nning on quitting streaming anytime soon. The more people you share something fun with, the more enjoyable it bes. "Anyway, the main mission ising up soon. Last week, I got a ton of praise... Oh, but I¡¯ve been practicing steadily!" "Good job. Have you been keeping up with the homework I gave you?" "Ugh, that¡¯s way too hard¡­" "I didn¡¯t give you easy tasks." 1 minute and 30 seconds to clear the CQB course at the shooting range. Maintaining over 60% uracy on moving targets during dynamic shooting drills. Achieving an A-grade inbat simtions and consistently excellent results in PVP mode. Naturally, hitting those targets would mean being good enough to go pro. It wasn¡¯t something you could achieve in just a few days. Give it about three months, and maybe she¡¯d hit one of those goals. "Oh, did you see my YourSpace videos? The cob stream I did with four othersst week? All those videos have over 1.5 million views!" "That¡¯s impressive. It¡¯s only been a few days since you posted them, but they¡¯re doing really well." "Hehe, right? With the money I made from those, I gave the editors a big bonus. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Yujin! I¡¯ll treat you to something delicious next time!" "I¡¯m winning KSM this time, so it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my turn to treat you." "Ah, in that case, I¡¯ll dly ept¡­!" Harmony smiled brightly, her green cat avatar suiting her perfectly. Thinking about it, there was something else I needed to ask. "By the way, are you still working out?" "Ah, w-well..." "If you ck off, I¡¯lle drag you to the gym. You know Mina and I live just two stations away, right?" "Kueh¡­" Of course, even if I did drag her along, the difference in our physical abilities was like night and day. We¡¯d just end up doing separate workouts, or maybe I¡¯d supervise her session. After handling some real-life business like that, I checked the time. Less than two minutes remained until the stream started. It was time to get ready. Back before VR, setting up a stream involved fiddling with a ton of equipment and programs. But now, with virtual reality, all it took was a single button press to start streaming. Voice echo settings, volume, effects, and screen transitions could all be controlled by the viewers, making it incredibly easy for streamers to manage. Anyway, it was time to start. I pressed the broadcast button and epted the co-stream with Harmony. Three numbers started climbing rapidly. One for my viewer count, one for Harmony¡¯s, and thest for thebined total. In mere moments, the total viewership shot past 40,000, erasing any sense of reality. Thest mission we had done involved infiltrating the Department of Homnd Security building in Washington, D.C. Next, we were headed into full-scale warfare. We had to set up a forward base at Tidal Basin, in an operation reminiscent of the Normandyndings¡ªjust about 90 years toote. The silver lining? At least we didn¡¯t have to charge the defensive lines like infantry. Special forces had their own way of handling things. "Let¡¯s go." "Let¡¯s do this!" For the first time in ages, instead of the dry battlefield of the AP, my vision was filled with the snow-coveredndscape of New York. The only living area in the dead city was Central Park HQ. Helicopters flew overhead, and people bustled along the well-worn paths. The once peaceful forested space within the city had been overtaken by buildings and supplies,pletely losing its original form. This deste world was more familiar to me than anything. The frozen footprints in the snow, the snowdrifts piled high on motionless vehicles, the cold breath pouring from my mouth like a waterfall. The only difference this time was¡ª -????????????????? -Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! Cob! -Is Harmony a god!? Is Harmony a god!? Is Harmony a god!? Is Harmony a god!? Is Harmony a god!? -World-ss invited world-ss! Is Harmony a god!!!!! -How the heck did you get Yujin!? LOL This overwhelming flood of chat messages filled the space beside me. For a bit of fan service, I cleared my throat and spoke up. "¡­Uh, hello, everyone. It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m Yujin, your streamer who has no ns to quit anytime soon, and the soloing national representative of the Dark Zone Apex Predator." -WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YUJIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -The Forbes-selected streamer who needs nothing but the main mission alongside Harmony LOL -Honestly, all those people who said she was quitting need their skulls cracked open -This is it LOL -KSM¡¯s over and now she¡¯s streaming? This is¡­ strategic? The roar of 40,000 excited viewers was truly a sight to behold. I nced at Harmony to see if she felt overshadowed, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. In fact, she was happily celebrating along with me. Feeling slightly relieved, I shifted the topic. "It¡¯s heartwarming to see so many people still waiting for me. The main mission isn¡¯t over yet, and even after reaching max level, the stream will continue. Dark Zone has plenty of PVP and PVE content left to enjoy." With that, Harmony and I boarded the helicopter. Our destination: Washington D.C., the interim base¡ªbetter known as the Department of Homnd Security, which we had liberated during the previous mission. It was time to head out. "Today¡¯s mission begins with disabling Washington D.C.¡¯s air defense system. I hope you all enjoy." The sliding door closed, and the helicopter rose into the cold winter sky. The keyword for my long-awaited return stream was back to basics. Chapter 152 "Alright, is there anyone from the national team list that we haven¡¯t been able to contact yet? Report back quickly. After contacting the yers, figure out if there are anymon free days in their schedules. If it doesn¡¯t work, group them in threes or fours!" "Whichpanies have requested PPL (Product cement)? Separate the ads that can be disyed in virtual reality from those that are limited to real life. I¡¯ll handle the contacts, but if they have any samples, ask them to send pictures as well." "Here¡¯s the list of broadcast channels requesting interviews¡­ None of them want to interview more than four people at once. We¡¯ll break it down into six teams of three, except for Yujin and Dice, who will have separate slots. Anyone object?" "There are over a dozen ad proposals just for Yujin... Jincheol! You said Yujin¡¯s an Awakener, right? Send her the list of ad requests for now. I¡¯ll check with the legal team to see if there are any issues. But don¡¯t expect too much." "Understood. Also, SSM just asked us to hold off on officially listing Yujin as part of their team. Her short-term coaching contract ends inte November, so she¡¯ll continue being marked as unaffiliated." After the tournament ends, people fall into a few different categories. First, there are the ones who rx. Second, the ones who are busy. Lastly, there are the ones who are so busy, they might as well be dying from overwork. When KSM ends, the yers get a break. When KSM ends, the viewers either go back to work or chill. And when KSM ends, Icarus, the teams, and the countless brands eager to secure PPL deals with the AP Soloing National Representatives be busier than they could possibly handle. AP Soloing National Representative. Considering that the viewership for the third KSM peaked at five million, these representatives were not just national champions shining a light on Korea¡ªthey were walking billboards. In other words, they were money mas. That¡¯s where Icarus¡¯s PR teames in¡ªnot only the legal team but also the nning and business departments, along with anyone involved in external publicity. In short, there was no time to breathe. The national team roster wasn¡¯t finalized until Monday, which meant that, starting early that morning, inquiries flooded in at an overwhelming rate. The result? This frantic scene. "The Icarus Japan branch has released the JSM roster." "Okay. Distribute it to the teams. Listen, just do what we didst year. Focus on the basics, and if anything getsplicated, connect them directly with the teams. We don¡¯t need to handle everything ourselves. Got it? Just focus on things like shoes and gloves¡ªanything that can apply to all yers." "Got it." The work never stoppeding. It wasn¡¯t just about processing it either. We had to constantly adjust our tasks and deliverables ording to the situation, which could change by the minute. Only the best talent could keep up with all of this while maintaining the reputation of a major corporation like Icarus. And that wasn¡¯t all. Amidst all this chaos, you also needed to identify key trends, process them, and turn them into presentations and reports for endless meetings and briefings. This structure practically guaranteed overtime for at least a week. But with the kind of money flowing into your ount, how could you not work with a smile? What others earned in a month, we made in three days. In the middle of this pandemonium sat Assistant Manager Kim Jincheol, typing furiously at his keyboard, moving his mouse and other devices with speed, drafting multiple documents. After a quick restroom break, he grabbed a cold can of coffee from the break room fridge. As he opened the can, his mind wandered to someone he couldn¡¯t forget. "¡­It hasn¡¯t been that long since then, and she¡¯s already risen this high." Yujin. The more data hepiled, the more that name came up, endlessly. Though he was part of the PR team, Jincheol was also the bridge between Yujin and Icarus. It was impossible for him to be unaware¡ªhe had heard her name enough times for it to be drilled into his skull. It was just a couple of months ago when she showed up, oddly stiff, and broke every record in Icarus¡¯s physical ability tests, quickly establishing herself in hardcore mode as a rising star. Her delicate features and toned figure¡­ No, more than that, it was her snake-like tail that came to mind from time to time. Jincheol wasn¡¯t even fond of reptiles, but his YourSpace algorithm had started suggesting snake-keeping videos after her appearance. Just then, the door to the break room opened, and another familiar face walked in. "What? You¡¯re on break too?" "Oh, hey, senior. I¡¯m dying here¡­ Was it this badst year?" "Last year? It was rough, but not as bad as this. But what can you do? Next year¡¯s going to be even worse. You do know Dark Zone¡¯s only been out for five years, right?" "Geez, they really grind you down here." "If I¡¯m getting ground down, what chance do you have?" They exchanged about 20 seconds of banter. Then, with a sigh, they left the break room. They couldn¡¯t afford to take a longer break with the mountain of work piling up. Outside, it was still a madhouse. Someone, tablet in hand, sprinted down the hallway, though it was unclear if they were from a different department or the same one. The holographic disys floating overhead flickered and glowed, illuminating the chaotic scene. It almost felt surreal¡ªlike apany from a near-future dystopia. Before sitting down, the two exchanged onest bit of conversation. "Yujin¡¯s name keepsing up everywhere. How far do you think she¡¯ll go?" "Hard to say." But one thing was certain. "You¡¯ll still be hearing her name in a month, and in three months, too." "Wow, you think she¡¯ll make it to the finals? For real? I mean, she¡¯s insanely good. I¡¯m still learning how to handle PVE raids¡­" "Haha. Just get back to work." Jincheol wondered what Yujin might be doing right now. Cracking open his can of coffee, the cold, bitter liquid slid down his throat, clearing his head. But seeing the thousands of characters and images filling his screen quickly killed any motivation he might have had. Sigh. "I wish I could just go shoot some guns in-game." Condensation formed on the can of coffee as the heat slowly faded. Autumn wasing. "¡­Are you all paying attention to what I¡¯m saying?" -Of course! We¡¯re all focused on how beautiful your tail is. ;) -I can¡¯t concentrate! Your tail¡¯s too distracting~~~ -Yujin, I¡¯m not associated with these idiots. Please remember that. -You fools, LOL. -Every mission is set to extreme difficulty, haha. They weren¡¯t paying attention at all. Back in the day, I would have picked a well-timed donation like a drill sergeant, cracked some heads, and turned them into model viewers. But now that I had a national team title to my name, I felt a little more pressure. Was this what they meant when they said a position makes the person? Realizing that now, it felt like a headache. But at the same time, it was kind of nice to be back in my element after so long. Pop! "Time to do some scouting." "Uh, is that how scouting is usually done¡­?" Harmony¡¯s confused voice came from behind me, but scouting from a high vantage point is standard procedure. The popping sound was the anchor bolt fastening itself to the top of the Washington Monument, about 170 meters up. Given that drones could be shot down, this was a handy alternative. A steel rope about 500 meters long uncoiled and dropped. I told Harmony to wait below for safety reasons. Pressing the ¡ø button, I was swiftly pulled upwards. But given the height, it took a while. The wind was cold, but the sky was clear. The frozen snow on the roof was slippery, so I had to be careful. After securely attaching myself to the line, I added ament overms. "Better stay away from the tower." "Ah, okay." Crack! Craaack! I opened the pouch attached to my tail and pulled out a tactical spike hammer, smashing the eternal ice on the Washington Monument¡¯s peak. Huge chunks of ice broke off and plummeted over 150 meters to the ground, shattering into thousands of pieces. Harmony¡¯s startled voice and the bewildered chat messages came in simultaneously. -I knew it, LOL. This crazy stuff as soon as you arrive, ssic!@@novelbin@@ "Thank you, Kakarot¡¯s Snacker, for the donation. This isn¡¯t just craziness; it¡¯s a tactical decision. If I used a drone for recon, it would¡¯ve alerted the enemy¡­" There was a reason behind this. Drones are vital in modern warfare, but counter-drone measures have advanced just as much. Simply put, attempting reconnaissance with a drone could alert the enemy, and in the worst case, expose your entire position. In CQB (Close Quarters Battle) within urban warfare, where buildings create verticalbat zones, this could be deadly. Enemies could be mere hundreds of meters away. Many operators ended up in coffins early on for underestimating this reality. Anyway, I opened my multi-tool pouch on my thigh, pulled out binocrs, and scanned the area. Equipped with thermal imaging, it could detect heat emissions from engine exhausts on military vehicles and armored tanks. To the right was the White House, reduced to rubble. Directly ahead was the Lincoln Memorial. And down below, I spotted West Potomac Park and Tidal Basin, with anti-aircraft guns and SAMs (Surface-to-Air Missiles) positioned along the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The Potomac River, cutting through Washington D.C., lined with Aegis systems. A real headache. We had air support, but if we didn¡¯t disable those, our support would get annihted. Hmm. "Why are there so many!?" "Looks like the enemy¡¯s well-prepared." Sharing my vision with Harmony revealed a sea of missiles. A formidable sight. But I had experience with this, and my task force had dealt with it beautifully and efficiently. In fact, that operation was nicknamed "Operation Firecracker" because of the way we handled it. Before applying the same method, I needed to gather more precise intel. Click! I ejected the .338 cartridge from my rifle, removed the magazine, and ced it in my pouch. Then, I pulled out a small recon drone about the size of a whiteboard marker and attached it to the rifle barrel. Loading a propulsion cartridge into the chamber, I fired it in a high arc. With a soft whoosh, the drone shot 500 meters into the sky. As its hidden wings unfolded, it glided like a flying squirrel, silently scanning the surroundings. No propellers, no noise. The drone gently descended into the semi-frozen Potomac River, transmitting all its data to my Icarus gear before it sank. "Seems like the enemy forces are simr to the West Point mission, maybe even smaller¡­" "Yeah, looks that way." By the way, Harmony and I had run through the West Point mission off-stream. We were too pressed for time back then, but once we started syncing our pace with the main mission, we cleared it together. The enemy force size was simr. The difference was that back then, it was two Russian Airborne regiments, while now it was a mix of defectors, gangs, and enemy special forces all looking to stake their im in this ruined world. Today¡¯s mission would likely focus on dealing with defectors. I began plotting our infiltration route in my head. This mission¡¯s objective was straightforward. We would seize control of the Aegis system installed under the Lincoln Memorial, take the SAM targeting systems, set them to "kill each other," and if anything survived, bring in an MQ-20 Avenger equipped with four cluster bombs to finish the job. It wasn¡¯t a regr approach. But with our small team, the infiltration would be manageable. After outlining the route, I ryed it to Harmony, who responded. "Wow, that¡¯s just what I¡¯d expect from the ever-tactical Yujin." "Why the sudden sarcasm?" "Oh, sorry." Of course, she didn¡¯t sound sorry at all. I generously let it slide and began exining the n to the viewers for rity. As always, I couldn¡¯t help but feel I was being quite considerate. Then came the feedback. -Harmony didn¡¯t say anything wrong, so why the head flick? Come on, give me one too, haha. "¡­Don¡¯t pretend to be joking when you¡¯re clearly just trying to satisfy your own desires." -Oh no, I¡¯ve been caught, hehe. -Why does he want a head flick? LOL, what a weirdo. -These people are out of control, haha. -Every day, we deal with more and more crazy people. Business as usual. Sigh. The weather was clear, not a cloud in the sky, but the day was already proving to be quite eventful from the start. Chapter 153 "It''s been a while since I''ve used the Mk.18 for its intended purpose." -Right? LOL, it¡¯s been ages. -Technically, it''s a designated marksman rifle. -But hey, if it''s powerful, can''t you use it for CQB too? -Wow, mid-range sniping! Lapua! -You¡¯ve been using it like a slug shotgun, huh? LOL Still, whether in the past or now, firefights rarely stretched beyond 200 meters, so it was what it was. The familiar pressure of the trigger beneath my finger. Beyond the LPVO scope, which allows variable magnification, I could see enemy troops moving briskly. A bit below, Harmony was approaching carefully. I added through thems, "I¡¯ll be covering and sniping. Focus on mymands. I¡¯m seeing we have 30 patches left¡ªsame on your end?" "Yes. 30 remote patches avable, no issues. Ground drones are operational as well." "Alright, let''s move. I¡¯ll mark the waypoint; proceed slowly." I marked a point on the map, about 30 meters ahead of Harmony, by a stone wall. This mission was one where having too many people reduced the chances of sess. It was a stealth infiltration operation. The ideal number was four, but at the very least, you needed one infiltrator and one person for cover and sniping. As for the patches, they were small adhesive transmitters about the size of a thumbnail. Once stuck to any electronic device, they allowed limited remote control and monitoring via Icarus gear. The patches also made the devices clearly visible on the HUD and mini-map. Crucially, the Aegis system we needed to capture was designed for anti-aircraft attacks, not ground targets, but with these patches, that rule would soon be broken. In essence, Firecracker would be a massive exchange of former surface-to-air missiles between enemies. "Hold. Do you see the patrol ahead?" "Yes, I see them. They¡¯re heavily armed." "There¡¯s no follow-up patrol, and no enemies within 70 meters. Let¡¯s stun them with shock rounds and take them out one by one. The two on the right are mine." As soon as they were close enough, I fired. The sound of my silenced shots was muffled, dispersing into the cold winter air, as armor-piercing rounds tore through the head of the enemy in the center of the patrol. Before the body could even fall, a shock round fired from my sidearm pierced the enemy¡¯s body armor and unleashed a powerful current. Zzzt! It wasn''t strong enough to knock them down, but it was enough to render them immobile. I followed up with another shot, this time aiming for the chest. The second bullet shattered their armor, heart, and lungs simultaneously, while Harmony took out thest enemy with two well-ced headshots. That was that. "Do we need to hide the bodies?" Harmony asked. "No need to worry. As long as we do what we need to before another patroles, we¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve uploaded the next waypoint¡ªcheck it." The pattern repeated. Every now and then, patrols apanied by quadrupedal drones with grenadeunchers appeared, but whether they were human or machine, they went down the same way once hit by shock rounds. Harmony¡¯s shooting practice really showed here. Whenever patrols increased to four or more, we had to synchronize our movements, and Harmony handled it excellently. With every shot through a suppressor, enemies dropped where they stood, while my Lapua Magnum rounds shredded the dog-like drones into scrap metal. Minutes passed, and through the bare trees, Harmony came back into view. Thendmarks of Washington¡ªthe White House, the Washington Monument, and the long rectangr pool near the Lincoln Memorial¡ªwere visible. The time hade for Harmony to y a bigger role. "I¡¯m heading down. I¡¯ll move toward the Lincoln Memorial along theke. You follow the Potomac River and attach patches to every enemy target you see. Be careful." "I¡¯ll do my best." Whirr. I descended from the Washington Monument and moved swiftly along the designated path. Meanwhile, Harmony¡¯s ultra-quiet drone took flight. Its stealth mode limited it to just 30 meters in altitude, but with a range covering several square kilometers, it was more efficient than moving on foot. I passed Harmony¡¯s position within minutes, navigating through the trees and avoiding patrols. A shot here, a shot there, and each encounter was dealt with swiftly. Pew! Pew! Pew! The 5.56mm rounds weren''t much, but one well-ced Lapua Magnum shot guaranteed a kill. Patrols went down like they¡¯d been punched in the gut, and their apanying drones became junk. Though it looked easy, time was of the essence. If we stalled, we¡¯d draw attention, and once we wiped out the patrols, the enemy would send in infantry fighting vehicles to tear us apart. Even I couldn¡¯t take on an armored vehicle. -That was so satisfying! -This pace is insane. -Is she shooting while running?! -Time magazine¡¯s top pick for best Mk.18 promotion: Yujin, LOL. The straight-line distance was about 300 to 400 meters, but as we approached the memorial¡ªwhere the Aegis system was installed¡ªthe number of enemies increased, slowing us down. Even with a suppressor, the noise reduction wasn¡¯t dramatic, especially with arge-caliber rifle. It was time to switch to something quieter. Compared to the heavy Mk.18 Mjolnir, the new gun felt feather-light in my hands. Unlike the long-barreled sniper rifle, this one waspact and unique in its t design. Crackle! As soon as I pulled the trigger, the SMG spat out 7N31 rounds like a sprayer. It was a Kriss Vector. Outfitted with an Osprey suppressor nearly half its length, the submachine gun fired high-pration 9mm rounds. Its lightweight construction didn¡¯t slow me down much either. The only downside was how fast it ate through ammo. Maintaining a steady aim required three headshots per target, demanding focus, stamina, and quick mag changes. But the increase in enemy numbers meant closer engagement ranges. After cutting down thest patrol, I reached a kind of intermediate hub. It was the Korean War Veterans Memorial. "So many of them¡­" The ce was crawling with enemies. The structures atop the memorial were in ruins, and a surface-to-air missileuncher had been dragged there. Combat engineers were manning the equipment, while enemy troops patrolled nearby. It seemed I¡¯d have to handle this alone. But first, I needed confirmation. "How¡¯s the marking going?" "Oh, um, about one-third done." "Don¡¯t worry if you hear gunfire. Just focus on your task, okay?" "Uh¡­ Sure, I trust you to handle it." "That¡¯s the right attitude." Click. I took four grenades from my pouch,ying them out neatly on the ground. Then, I prepared a seeker mine and a sticky bomb. I stashed the Vector and, just in case, pulled out the Mk.18 again for single-target elimination. After marking all the enemies on the UI, I grabbed a grenade in each hand, pulling the pins simultaneously. After a brief cook, I lobbed them in two different directions, sending them arcing through the air. There was no metallic clink. The cooked grenades exploded mid-air, scattering shrapnel in all directions. BOOM! "Ugh!" "Ambush! We¡¯re under¡ªugh!" "Everyone, prepare forbat!" Two more grenades followed shortly after. The sts tore through the enemy ranks, and the seeker mine whirred to life, rolling forward andunching into the air before splitting open with a loud fwoosh, spraying incendiary cluster bombs. A 15-meter radius erupted in a dazzling disy of light and fire. Thermite, napalm, and propanebined into a roaring inferno that melted anything in its path. But that was just the beginning. nk! A sticky bombtched onto the surface-to-air missile tform. By the time the rogue soldiers realized what had happened, I had already sprinted at least 50 meters away, vanishing into the foliage with the speed of someone running for their life. If anyone had seen me, they might have sworn they saw a figure with a snake tail disappear into the underbrush at breakneck speed, but in this world, that wasn¡¯t possible. Because they were all about to die. The mes ignited in a brilliant ze. Whistle! "Damn it, we¡¯re all¡ª" KABOOM! The sticky bomb on the missile tform exploded with a blinding white sh, melting through the metal frame and igniting the missile itself. The eerie silence that followed was shattered by a massive explosion. Shrapnelden warheads, designed to detonate at high altitudes, went off less than 10 kilometers above the ground. The ensuing chain reaction leveled the entire enemy hub. Flesh turned to pulp, and the tform became a mangled heap of metal, unleashing a secondary wave of destruction. Seventy meters away, crouching in the bare trees, I shielded my head and face as the shockwave passed over. Carefully exhaling, I surveyed the destruction and muttered, "Guess I didn¡¯t need to use my gun here, huh?" -And you wonder why they call you the Explosion Queen LOL. -Oh man, I¡¯m using this tactic next time! -Look at the shrapnel embedded in the trees LOL. -If you hadn¡¯t run, it¡¯d be a restart for sure LOL. -Is she Michael Bay in disguise? -And then sheins about being called Explosion Queen? Did she swap her conscience for that tail? Well, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a more effective way. I started to exin that there¡¯s a big difference between setting off random explosions and a carefully calcted detonation, but I let it go with a sigh. The mission was only halfway through. __________ "Wow, national team again, huh? Looks like you¡¯re turning into a walking advertisement. My proudest moment is still the time I treated you to a meal and became your friend. Makes my heart swell. But seriously, what¡¯s with your avatar?" "Hmph, hitting where it hurts, huh? I just like cute things, even in cyberspace. Can¡¯t you appreciate the philosophy behind this avatar? I¡¯m TK1''s Summit, you know. When I say something, you just go along with it." "I don¡¯t know about philosophy, but I do know you¡¯re a bit of a perv. Anyway, when are you done resting? The guys are itching to meet up. Any ce you wanna go? We¡¯re thinking about renting a resort, drinking, and grilling some meat." "I¡¯ll probably rest for another three days. Get whoever¡¯s avable and bring them along." "Got it. We¡¯re expecting big things from you again at the finals. Once everything¡¯s booked, just show up. Got it? I¡¯m hanging up." "Hey, wait! What do you mean, just show up? Ugh, seriously¡­" Click. He just said what he wanted and hung up. Do they think I¡¯m broke or something? It¡¯s not like I enjoy mooching off people, but it''s also hard to refuse when they¡¯re gathering to celebrate for me. Life is full of dilemmas. Anyway, it¡¯s Monday, with no training or obligations on the schedule. It¡¯s strange having time like this. Some of my TK1 teammates were still grinding away in practice for the uing KTM this weekend, but not me. After all, I alreadypeted in the finalsst year, traveling to the U.S. with SSM''s Dice and Xi''s Ink. It would be nice if I could take a break frompetitions for a while.@@novelbin@@ Sigh. Talking about food made me realize how hungry I am. Right now, I felt like I was in that final stage before discharge from the military¡ªjustying around with a week left, like a sergeant waiting for hisst days. Fortunately, times have changed, and now you can order food with just a nce. After picking out a bunch of things I wanted, I watched several thousand won disappear into the void. Spending money has never been easier. "But speaking of that¡­ I wonder what she¡¯s doing¡­" Yujin. Even without the massive interference Dice caused during the Tannh?user match, Yujin was someone who instinctively felt like an unbeatable opponent. Now, as a fellow Korean national team member, fighting alongside her felt reassuring, to say the least... Suddenly, I was curious. A few weeks ago, when I had time, I¡¯d watched her streams for analysis, but what was she up to now? My hand naturally reached for the Tricky site. I didn¡¯t even need to search for Yujin. Her stream was right there, featured as a HOT live broadcast. She was streaming with a VTuber named Harmony, with over 54,000 viewers. That¡¯s a lot of people. Click. BOOM! -If I¡¯d watched this at night, it would¡¯ve been even more epic. "¡­Main mission?" Wait. It¡¯s clearly the Tidal Basin forward base, but why are there fireworks going off? It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that the explosions were caused by surface-to-air missiles. Chapter 154 ¡°It would¡¯ve been great to see that outside. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡±
  • "These people are talking about something shady, lol."
  • "True madness."
  • "First Eugene, now Harmony¡¯s turned into a colonel who loves napalm, lol."
  • "Has the definition of Special Forces changed to shock troops??"
  • "I mean, they¡¯re flipping enemy lines and causing chaos, so it kind of fits, lol."
The outside was filled with explosions and chaos. Missiles, in particr, were born out of countless hours spent figuring out how to destroy the enemy¡¯s forces in a single blow. Among them, surface-to-air missiles were specifically designed to take out enemy aircraft, exploding and scattering a torrent of shrapnel. It wasn¡¯t just about scattering shrapnel; sometimes the shrapnel would trace a line as it exploded, as if slicing through the aircraft. But the details didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that these missiles were made to destroy objects weighing tens of tons floating in the sky. In simpler terms, while missile pods were one thing, those same missiles could still effectively strike an M2 Bradley armored vehicle rolling on the ground. Infantry zones? Don¡¯t even get started. The CCTV and drones showed the outside situation¡ªaplete mess. A surface-to-air missile soared about 100 meters into the air, then rapidly descended toward a pre-marked patch. Of course, that patch was stuck on the M548 cargo carrier equipped with the missile pod. Missiles flew in parabolic arcs, following a negative quadratic curve, rising into the air and crashing down. Once there were more than thirty of them, themunication traffic exploded. Unsurprisingly, it was absolute chaos. The enemy firepower loss rate disyed on one side of the UI climbed steadily. Normally, anything over 30% was considered wiped out. The rate slowed down at 78%, then finally hit 84% before stopping. At this point, it was almost aplete sess. The capital¡¯s anti-air defenses had been drastically reduced. ¡°So, is this mission over now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve achieved all the tactical objectives. And look, the UI¡¯s telling us to head outside the Lincoln Memorial.¡± ¡°Finally, we¡¯re getting out of this creepy ce. Ugh.¡± As soon as they said that, the elevator arrived. After a few seconds of ascent, the gigantic statue of Lincoln sitting solemnly at the entrance came into view. ck smoke was billowing all around outside. The familiar voice of ISO filled their ears for the first time in a while. -[ISO: Impressive. You¡¯vepletely wrecked the air defensework beyond repair. A fitting end for traitors. The Pentagon¡¯s Aegis system is still active, but with almost no avable SAMs, it¡¯s useless.] -[ISO: Starting with the next mission, you¡¯ll finally get full air support. But who knows what kind of experimental weapons they¡¯ll pull out of the Pentagon and DARPA. Or you could head to NASA and connect to the satellitework. Either way, the priority¡¯s about the same.] -[ISO: You won¡¯t be able to return to New York for a while. But the National Security Agency¡¯s facilities and resources aren¡¯tckingpared to here. There¡¯s plenty avable. But the most important thing is your life. I don¡¯t want to hear about a top agent dying in enemy territory, so be careful.] ¡°He¡¯s kind of a tsundere, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Judging by how weirdly you¡¯re talking, we should just move on to the next mission.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Regardless of what Harmony said, we were already gearing up for the next mission. There were a lot of missions to push through, all set to ¡®extremely difficult.¡¯ Normally, a few days of hard grinding would get you to max level, but there was a reason we¡¯d been stuck on these main missions for so long. Some missions took one or two hours each, and all of them required intense focus. How could anyone push through them quickly? There were dozens of missions, but after doing just four or five, it drained you. Of course, that wasn¡¯t my standard. I could run ops for twelve hours a day as long as I ate properly. I¡¯d been through so many near-death experiences, I¡¯d lost count.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Next mission¡­ we¡¯re heading to the Pentagon and DARPA. We can ride those silent bikes we came in on. They¡¯ll be here in no time, so let¡¯s wait a bit.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll restock ammo when we get there¡­ the gun¡¯s working fine. Looks like it¡¯s going to be a tough ride.¡± ¡°They say once we finish this, we can unlock some major skills, so let¡¯s push through until we secure the forward base. It¡¯ll be about an eight-hour operation. Let me know if it¡¯s too much, though. We can always rest or continue tomorrow.¡± ¡°Heh, not a chance.¡±
  • "Whoa, eight hours?????????"
  • "Oh crap!!!!!!!!"
  • "Is this how they¡¯re filling the gap after KSM? Our Eugene¡¯s on another level~~~~"
  • "Fact) If you go nonstop, it¡¯s eight hours; if you take it easy, it¡¯s over ten."
  • "Screw dieting, lol, it¡¯s pizza and beer today!!"
I couldn¡¯t resist giving in to the gleam in Harmony¡¯s eyes as she refused to miss out on this rare opportunity. Just then, I heard a faint noise in the distance. Two bikes were approaching, slicing through the wreckage of missile pods, with no one driving them. Autonomous, of course. They screeched to a stop and locked into ce. We mounted the bikes, set the destination, and as soon as Harmony hopped on, the bikes surged forward. The engine noise was almost nonexistent, which was typical for special forces bikes. We rode against the bitter winter wind, crossing the bridge over the Potomac River. The Pentagon loomed in the distance, but its former glory was gone. It just looked like a massive coffin now. Cold winds buffeted us as we weaved through stalled cars, basking in the sunlight. A refreshing background track started ying, much to the delight of the viewers.
  • "Riding fully armed through the U.S. capital on bikes? This is epic, lol!"
  • "Are they shooting a movie or something? They¡¯re hogging all the cool points!"
  • "I¡¯d die happy if I could y a game like this just once, lol."
  • "What¡¯s it like to fight from Eugene¡¯s perspective¡­?"
  • "Efficiency my ass, nobody ys cooler than ''Eugene.''"
What was so exciting about a simple bike ride to the target? It was hard to keep up with the viewers¡¯ sense of awe. Anyway, we were almost at the Pentagon. Even if the interior was fortified, as long as the power was still on, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem¡ªalthough maybe I was thinking too realistically. It¡¯s a game, after all, they¡¯d make it convenient. After parking the bikes, we stashed them behind some vehicles and entered the building. The inside wasn¡¯t very spacious; most of the important areas were underground. Then came the transmission. -[ISO: Good. No traffic detected yet, which is a relief. If there are no enemies, that¡¯s fine too. Just send us as much intel as possible, and don¡¯t forget to disable the Pentagon¡¯s ground-based Aegis system.] -[ISO: Of course, things rarely go as nned. The underground is likely filled with bizarre prototype weapons overseen by the Department of Defense. Let¡¯s hope no one else has touched them yet.] -[ISO: We need intel on how the Pentagon screamed in agony and fell during the Omega Virus. Start by scouting and head to the data server.] -[ISO: Good luck.] ¡°They always dump the hard work on us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much¡ªI¡¯m here. Besides, wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a mission for four people?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right. How did we end up like this¡­¡± But we weren¡¯t far from the end now. A quick inte search showed that once we opened up NASA to connect the D.C. satellitework, we¡¯d secure a forward base at Tidal Basin and take the White House, marking the end of the main mission. After that, the post-max level content would begin, unlocking areas like northern New York, the coastline, Baltimore, Phdelphia, and California. Essentially, the real game started after max level. Anyway, we were already at 84%. Not much left now. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Who knows? Maybe it¡¯ll be easy this time.¡± ¡°You know, Eugene, when you say that, it¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t believe what I¡¯d just said either. And then, after a while... ©¤©¤©¤Fwooosh! ¡°Wah! What the hell is that insane gun on the wall!? Is this a sci-fi world!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a prototype railgun. The identification AI isn¡¯t great, so just throw a grenade to make it waste ammo and sneak past.¡± ¡°Whoaah!¡±
  • "Newbies freak out as soon as they get here, lol."
  • "This ce is the ultimate freeloading zone, lol."
  • "Such a st, lol."
  • "It¡¯s actually more dangerous to stay in one spot here, lol."
  • "The railgun effect is so terrifying, omg."
As usual, there was no rest for us. Figures. "Now, let''s begin discussing the agenda that was presented in advance. Feel free to speak openly." Meanwhile, while Eugene and Harmony were pushing through the main mission... Dice had just woken up from a nap, yawning as he debated what to order for dinner, and Summit had suddenly headed to arge supermarket nearby to prepare for a meeting scheduled for the next day. As for those preparing for the KTM in five days, they were tirelessly creating and discarding countless strategies day and night. The national team members selected through KSM were resting, while those who weren¡¯t as fortunate had no choice but to look forward to next year. Around the same time, numerous coaching staff and managers gathered at the respective teams to begin discussions. "Wouldn''t it be better to integrate this with our team''s strategies instead of relying entirely on one side? Our analysis shows there isn''t much tactical conflict between them." "We only have about a month left. Do you really think the yers can adapt to both systems in that time? In Dice''s case, yes, but that was because the yer had over a month of intensive one-on-one coaching." The question remained: could Eugene¡¯s curriculum bebined with the feedback from the teams? No one could ignore the fact that the entire skill level of SSM, including Dice, Blooming, and even the modest resurgence of SSM Entertainment, was all due to the presence of one person. Hence, the discussion was inevitable. No one could predict just how much Eugene¡¯s influence would affect the preparation for the Asian qualifiers. However, that wasn¡¯t the only concern. Everyone at the meeting was there to analyze and research Eugene''s strategies, and they were the ones who needed to adapt to thetest meta faster than anyone else. In other words, while there were concerns, no one was entirely opposed to integrating Eugene¡¯s strategies. ¡°We also need to check if the yers can keep up with the training demands Eugene has set. Even if we adjust both curriculums slightly, the workload will inevitably increase.¡± ¡°We should probably test this as soon as possible. Shouldn''t we start by Thursday this week?¡± ¡°So, starting from Thursday, we¡¯ll test with Eugene¡¯s feedback as the focus for about one to two weeks. That should be enough, right?¡± ¡°One to two weeks? That feels too long.¡± ¡°Even with the team''s feedback, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to see results in a shorter period. I¡¯m taking that into ount.¡± A heated debate ensued. Just because there was no outright opposition didn¡¯t mean everyone agreed on every detail. In fact, defining those subtle gaps was the primary reason they had gathered today. Many problems still remained. What if a yer refused Eugene¡¯s offer? Even if it worked, what if the number of participants became toorge? Most importantly, no one here had experienced Eugene¡¯s curriculum firsthand. That was precisely why they were struggling. ¡°Rather than going back and forth on this, why not just send Summit and Crossline to Eugene? If Eugene isn¡¯t involved, won¡¯t we just end up with simr results tost year? The team¡¯s feedback hasn¡¯t significantly improved.¡± ¡°That could work. Based on SSM¡¯s results, the yers have only improved. It¡¯s not like ack of team feedback would cause them to regress.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little bitter, though, that we make a living off this.¡± ¡°I had a feeling from the moment we analyzed Gambit.¡± One crucial point to consider was that the coaching staff weren¡¯t the ones directly training the yers. They weren¡¯t the ones ying the game. Instead, they analyzed gamey, corrected the mistakes and bad habits of the pro yers, and collectively designed a more refined curriculum than before. In other words, the coaching staff could never truly understand the actual struggles of the pro yers. What does this mean? ¡°We¡¯ve got about a month left, so let¡¯s do everything we can. Whether we use Eugene¡¯s curriculum or not, the training cycle will return within a week anyway. Scrims will be back on schedule.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pass this on to the two of them, then. Once we get Eugene¡¯s feedback, we can finalize things more urately.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to approach the yer now? Getting ahead of the other teams in contacting Eugene could give us an advantage.¡± ¡°That might be a bit difficult.¡± At that moment, a screen appeared. It showed Eugene, still tirelessly fighting even after KSM had ended. Of course, she was in the middle of a main mission. ¡°She¡¯s streaming right now, so we¡¯ll have to contact herter.¡± ¡°Ay caramba.¡± yer activities aside, streamer activities aside. She really had an admirable work ethic. Chapter 155 The audience might feel disheartened after the match ends, but the impactsts much longer. And this isn''t just for the busy club, Icarus branches, or advertisers vying for attention, but also for the twenty starters who, by all rights, should be resting. "Hey, why are you just sitting there on your phone while we''re out?" "Watching ads, watching ads. Don¡¯t these shoes look good? We''ve got so many ads and sponsorshipsing in right now, it''s overwhelming. Should I ask for a few more to hand out to the rest of us?" "Nice¡­ Oh wait, you¡¯re allergic to shrimp. You have to turn this one down." "Oh, you''re right." Out of the twenty, each has their own struggles, likes, and dislikes. It¡¯s because there were twenty people in total. So, whether it''s shoes, gloves, or anything else, the reality is that each ad must be tailored individually, going through Icarus, the club, and finally the yer''s approval. Take that food sponsorship just now as an example. Even Icarus or the club doesn''t monitor every aspect of the yers'' private lives. Especially not when it concerns personal preferences. What might be fine for most could be uneptable for certain individuals. Additionally, gender and physical factors also yed a role. One example was this: "Hey! Who¡¯s the idiot that sent a pants ad to Eugene without any thought? Are you out of your mind? Are you nning to personally refit and repackage them?" "Ah, my apologies! I''ll resend the emails with confidentiality agreements and her body measurements attached. Once we get responses, I''llpile a list ofpanies willing to meet the requirements and send a detailed report by email." "Have it on my desk by 3 PM. If you''re sleepy, get some water and get back to work. Your sryes from managing these yers. Pay attention to every detail." "Understood." This situation was rtively fortunate. Eugene was one of only a dozen or so EM-ss Awakened worldwide, and she was almost the only one in Korea. It was rare to encounter such individuals in real life. So, even though the message was mistakenly sent, it was fortunate that the person was in the middle of a stream and didn¡¯t check it. Only after the email was resent past 3 PM did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Another fortunate aspect was that such mistakes weren¡¯tmon, and female athletes were grouped separately on the roster¡ªthough the only women on the national team roster were Eugene and Dice, with two more women ranked as reserves, at 33rd and 27th. The individual ads and sponsorships tailored to each yer were distributed either to the club or directly to the yers, and there were severalyers of approval before anything was finalized. When you add up the 20 national team members and 20 reserves, that¡¯s 40 people. And with the added stress of KTM preparation, the workload only increased. On top of ads and sponsorships, there were TV interviews, venue bookings for the Asia Qualifiers'' briefings, and coordinating with branches in Japan, the Chinese Federation, Taiwan, and Russia. There¡¯s a reason these people earn what others might make in three days. Meanwhile, Eugene wasn¡¯t exempt from all this. "Ads, huh¡­." Up until now, whether intentional or not¡ªwhether I publicly disclosed it or not¡ªI hadn¡¯t really thought about revealing myself to the public. But the higher you climb, the harder it is to keep things hidden. Besides, for the mainpetition, I would have to go to the U.S. because of the ping issue, which meant I had to show up in person. There would be a ton of interviews. That¡¯s how it would go. But honestly, it wasn¡¯t too overwhelming. If it had been, I wouldn¡¯t have made that real-world promise with Harmony. For now, I just figured this was the threshold. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t reveal everything¡ªprobably only to the peoplepeting in the Asia Qualifiers. Even if I didn¡¯t say anything, there would likely be a gag order. In reality¡­ maybe I¡¯d mention it just before leaving for the main event. Either way, I think people would be excited. Now that I think about it, some people shoot vlogs for asions like this. Maybe I should film one tomemorate the trip. Not that I¡¯m being serious. I tend to sketch out the big picture and handle the little things as theye. But that aside¡­ "Instructor, I think we can start again soon. Or should we rest a little longer?" "Harmony, your real feelings tend toe outter." "Ah, hee-hee." "Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯re almost there." The mission to establish a forward base at Tidal Basin. In other words, we were nearing the end. It was the second-tost mission, so finishing it today wasn¡¯t out of the question. Besides, the final mission was connected, so there wasn¡¯t much need to divide them up strictly. And so, we¡¯de this far. The main mission, which had dragged on for over a month, was finallying to an end. Aside from the UN Conference Center, which was a tutorial, every difficulty level had been set to ¡°Very Hard,¡± and the only yers were me and Harmony. And with tournaments getting in the way, it had naturally taken a long time. It was time to put the final touches on everything. "Let¡¯s go." "Yes!" I checked my weapon, making sure my ammo and grenade pouches were fully stocked, double-checking to ensure nothing was missing, and then we began the mission. Every avable aircraft and assaultnding craft from as far as New York dropped cargo and troops. As soon as the containersnded at Ronald Reagan Airport, they split open, revealing automated assembly machines one by one. However, there was no avoiding losses due to the remaining anti-aircraft defenses. The sky was aze with streaks from anti-aircraft guns, asionally filled with SAM missiles. res from the aircraft lit up the sky as they shimmered. The positions where the missiles and anti-aircraft guns were firing from were across the river, and further beyond¡ªfrom ces like the U.S. Congress, Roosevelt Ind, and Arlington, which we hadn¡¯t yet dealt with. In short, they had hastily brought in LAV-ADs and other vehicles to desperately plug the holes in their crippled defenses. The remaining anti-aircraft capabilities were because of thesest-ditch efforts. All this was due to the Omega Virus, which had shattered the U.S. military into scattered warlord factions. Meanwhile, for the first time in decades, a severe cold snap had struck. With temperatures dropping to around minus 25 degrees Celsius, the frozen Tidal Basin was now littered with automated anti-aircraft guns and SAM missiles. Operating tracked or wheeled military vehicles on the frozen surface was incredibly difficult, but it seemed they had no intention of retrieving themter, as they were left scattered there. While observing all this, I heard a familiar voice. -[ISO: Their anti-aircraft guns and SAMs are distracted elsewhere. Good news, the upper brass believes the weakened air defenses are enough for air support now. We¡¯re sending an MQ-20 Avenger your way. Thanks to the engineers¡¯ efforts, we¡¯ve managed to add four more CBU-110s to the external weapon bays. Granted, this has increased the RCS significantly. Use them all before it gets shot down.] -[ISO: The callsign is Skyfire. As mentioned, it¡¯s equipped with eight cluster bombs. Please avoid damaging anyndmarks. I¡¯d prefer to see them in one piece.] -[ISO: I¡¯m sending over the GRG grid for the mission area. Airspace is designated Lima. Good luck.]
  • ¡°Fire support! Fire support! Fire support! Fire support!¡±
  • ¡°Are we going to see a Nine-Line?¡±
  • ¡°I¡¯m already losing it! This is insane!!!¡±
"Wow! A Nine-Line! Should I grab some popcorn?"@@novelbin@@ "¡­Do whatever you want." Alright. It was time to roll my tongue once again. "Skyfire, this is Alpha 1. Radio check." -[ISO: Skyfire here. Radio check confirmed. Switching frequency to 3.7.3.] "Switching to 3.7.3. Radio check again." -[ISO: Radio is clear. Mission number 0466. Time on station is 50 minutes. Targeting pod is AN/DAS-1 MTS-B. Abort code is ''Firestorm.''] "Mission number 0466, time on station 50 minutes. Abort code is ''Firestorm.'' Received. Updating battlefield situation."
  • ¡°Oh my God, this is what I¡¯ve been waiting for!!!¡±
  • ¡°Her English pronunciation is perfect, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°I was so stunned I spilled beer on my pants, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°This is legendary, hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Do we really need to go this far, LOL?¡±
I sighed. As I exhaled, a cloud of cold breath poured out. These days, I often climbed the Washington Monument. Its height offered a wide view of the surrounding area. As before, the method of attaching a drone to my gun and firing it into the air to scout the surroundings worked well. The main difference this time was that Harmony was climbing with me, covering potential MANPADS threats with her sniper rifle. But I wasn¡¯t sure if any forces remained. She might have to aim at a tiny dot 10 km away. Anyway, I continued speaking. "The target location is Section 6 ANC, the entire EPP, USC, and TRI. Friendly forces are positioned atop the WM. We are at least 800 meters from all targets. No clouds. Do not fly below 25,000 feet. Requesting Type 1 control. Are you ready for the Nine-Line?" -[ISO: Skyfire, ready to copy the Nine-Line.] "Approach from IP Bluemont. Heading 90. Distance 3.3. Elevation 42. Multiple infantry and LAV-AD, SAM. DK 424866. Lines 7 and 8 are N/A. Continue loitering in the designated airspace." -[ISO: Roger, confirming target coordinates. Heading north to south from IP Bluemont, will loiter upon arrival¡­ Damn, who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d end up bombing our ancestors¡¯ graves? Horrifying. Codeword for weapons release is ''Steel Rain.'' Confirmed?" "Confirmed."
  • ¡°Heuuuung, heuuuung, heuuuung¡­.¡±
  • ¡°Ahh, noona, I¡¯m getting tactical chills here!¡±
  • ¡°Holy crap, they¡¯re bombing a cemetery, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ultimate insult to the dead?¡±
  • ¡°These guys are ruthless, LOL.¡±
DK 424866, or Section 6 ANC. Arlington National Cemetery. Today, there was no need for a detailed exnation. All of the bombing targets werendmarks in Washington, D.C. Roosevelt Ind, Arlington National Cemetery, East Potomac Park, and the U.S. Capitol¡ªall locations where the enemy had gathered thest of their forces. Skyfire must have been as shocked as anyone to be bombing these sites. I nced at Harmony. "Wow¡­!" "¡­What is it?" "This is so cool. Do you know how many times I¡¯ve watched this in the reys? I even saved a clip of it on UYourSpace." "¡­." Sigh, seriously. Anyway, there were still more important things to handle. "Skyfire, this is Alpha 1. Before entering IP to attack NN 722216 and NN 762001, give us a heads-up. I¡¯ll guide you withsers." -[ISO: Skyfire here. IP Bluemont reached. Approaching from the northeast. Targets identified, confirmed.] "Alpha 1 to Skyfire, permission granted to engage." -[ISO: Skyfire to Alpha 1, ''Steel Rain.'' Approaching second IP in 20 seconds.] The codeword for weapons release, ''Steel Rain,'' confirmed. At the same time, I shifted my gaze to the other side of the Potomac River. A single cluster bomb dropped from the sky, scattering like glitter as it exploded. Momentster, a massive explosion echoed even from kilometers away, reducing everything in its path to rubble. If this footage were to be uploaded to UYourSpace, Americans would surely be horrified¡ªtheir Arlington National Cemetery had just been obliterated. Although there wasn¡¯t a need for BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment), I checked out of habit. Judging by the drastic drop in enemy strength from 100% to about 70% on the UI, I could confirm a direct hit. It was time to clear the central area. The process was the same, but this time there were two coordinates. The expanse of East Potomac Park was significant, so it was necessary to annihte all enemy forces clustered there. Once again, Iunched a drone from my gun to pinpoint the targets. Two CBU-110 cluster bombs sliced through the air and dropped. ©¤©¤BOOM! "Whoa, even the wind reached here¡­!" "That''s just because the wind¡¯s strong¡­ Ah, it¡¯s freezing. Standing still like this makes it even colder than I expected." "Wow! My anaconda squeeze, argghh!" "And whose fault is that, exactly?" One of my weirder nicknames, "Anaconda," was something thisdy hade up with. She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a yful squeeze, causing a bizarre sound to escape from my mouth. Harmony¡¯s neck was quite warm. Meanwhile, the chat window was, as always, in chaos.
  • ¡°LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL!¡±
  • ¡°Tactical proficiency with humor, perfection.¡±
  • ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s falling!!!¡±
  • ¡°Wow, Yujin-noona wrapping her neck around like an anaconda? That¡¯s high-level y.¡±
  • ¡°Don¡¯t ruin the cool tactical image with this nonsense, LOL.¡±
Sigh. A few minutester, the MQ-20 Avenger finished unloading its remaining bombs, obliterating East Potomac Park, Tidal Basin, the U.S. Capitol, and Roosevelt Ind before flying off to rearm. At the same time, a donation notification popped up. <10,000 won donation from SapSapKimSapSap!> "Aren¡¯t you supposed to teleport around for two hours to clean up all the remaining forces? LOL." "SapSapKimSapSap, thank you for your donation. You see, the most efficient way to bezy is to work smart, heh."
  • ¡°Sure, sure, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°Efficient? Yes. Lazy? No.¡±
  • ¡°Of everyone here, you''re probably the most diligent, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°Your jokes are on point today, Yujin!¡±
Ugh, these people. Anyway, it was time to head down. ISO¡¯s familiar voice chimed in. -[ISO: Now, for the grand finale. Let¡¯s go see what¡¯s happened at the White House.] There was no response. It was time to bring the main mission to a close. Chapter 156 "Wait, they turned the White House into a fortress! Those crazy bastards!"@@novelbin@@ "It¡¯s been quite some time since thest mission. Also, watch yournguage."
  • "Crazy bastards, LOL"
  • "You caused this, didn¡¯t you?"
  • "Fact: This is your fault."
  • "You gotta get tougher to survive in a world like this, LOL."
  • "I miss the old, innocent Yujin¡­"
Tududududu! Machine guns firing from the White House balcony, a ce where once the world¡¯s most powerful person should have resided, but now it¡¯s a makeshift fortress, with chain guns spewing lead. What can I say? This is not the kind of thing a special forces team should be doing. Ideally, special forces would infiltrate this kind of fortified White House at night with airborne forces and quietly neutralize every enemy inside. But the Omega virus doesn¡¯t care who you are. Whether you¡¯re a regr person, a high-ranking official, or an elite SOF, in the end, you¡¯re still human. In short, everyone died equally. We were understaffed, big time. Meanwhile, the chaos wasn¡¯t limited to the White House. Crossfire rained down from every building surrounding it in a U-shaped formation. The trees from the White House gardens, usually an iconic part of the grounds, were all cut down for visibility. We had no choice but to either make a huge detour or destroy everything in our way. We chose thetter. With the skills unlocked from our Pentagon and DARPA missions, dealing with those machine gun nests was now a simple task. ©¤Tududududu! ©¤Boom! While the turret we¡¯d set up drew all the attention, I attached a sticky bomb from behind, and boom! With a sh, another fortified position was gone. We pressed forward through the gap, filling the engineer rushing toward us to reload with .338 caliber holes. He didn¡¯t even get to use the shotgun slung over his back. The process repeated. Ziplining to nearby buildings, neutralizing every machine gun nest in sequence. Once that side was silent, weid down suppressive fire to prevent the opposite line from retaliating. This opened the path to the White House. "Attach the Meltdown Bomb to the wall!" "Attached! Get back, I¡¯m triggering it!" 3, 2, 1. Boom. The ugly stone wall surrounding the White House was blown apart in one hit, leaving enough space for several people to slip through. After that, things were straightforward. They didn¡¯t have any Icarus Operators, but we had two. Having orcking nanomachine barriers fundamentally changes the tactics of CQB, increasing survival rates by at least 70%. This was more than promising¡ªit was revolutionary. In other words, while normal people die from a bullet, Icarus Operators don¡¯t die even after taking multiple hits. "Aaah!" "Damn government dogs! Ugh!" "Alpha Line breached! Icarus Operators have entered! They can¡¯t be stopped!" The same people who¡¯d turned America into a mess were now calling us ¡°government dogs.¡± What a joke. Of course, I wasn¡¯t ming the in-game AI, but I¡¯d heard this same nonsense multiple times while patrolling Washington in the past. Back then, the city was crawling with wannabe patriots, using the chaos as an excuse to stir up trouble. But that wasn¡¯t the point. The real reason we had topletely clear the White House was something else. ISO¡¯s voice came over thems. -[ISO: Sorry to interrupt the grand finale, but we have a new development. It seems we have a VIP in the White House bunker. Secure them safely.] -[ISO: I¡¯m counting on the two of you. Thank you so much for your dedication. The newly reborn America won¡¯t forget your service.] Nice words, but now wasn¡¯t the time. The enemy force indicator in the White House UI was rapidly decreasing. But we needed to clear everything before we could ess the underground bunker. So I pushed Harmony hard, clearing every entrenched enemy throughout the building. With SMGs providing overwhelming firepower in tight spaces, any resistance became futile. After about 10 minutes, the White House was a rtively safe ce to walk around. Assuming you could ignore all the bodies. -[ISO: Now, let¡¯s go retrieve our 48th President, who¡¯s barely survived through all this.]
  • "Missionplete! Missionplete!"
  • "Wow, we¡¯ve finally seen a hardcore mission through to the end!"
  • "My heart swells with pride¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been watching this."
  • "Finally, it¡¯s over!"
  • "Great job, seriously!"
While donations from 10,000 won to six-figure amounts poured in like crazy, we entered the President¡¯s office, where he used to conduct official business, and ran my hand along the wall. A mechanical whirr followed, and the Icarus Operator identification processpleted, revealing a hidden elevator behind the bookshelf. We got in and descended. After what felt like a while, the doors opened. "Hands up, don¡¯t move!" "Stop. These are the guests here to rescue us." As a dozen men in suits pointed their guns at us, I casually raised both hands into the air. Harmony, looking a bit stunned, did the same. Then, a figure wearing a tattered suit covered in dust stepped forward. Of course, I knew who it was. Henry M. Brayton. The most unfortunate President in U.S. history. He smiled with a wry expression and added: "Normally, I¡¯d throw you a wee party, but as you can see, the situation is what it is. I heard it¡¯s freezing outside." "We nearly turned into snowmen on the way here." "Haha! You¡¯ve got a good sense of humor. Unfortunately, with the number of people here, I can¡¯t initiate the rescue right away. It¡¯s a pity. I could use a shower¡ªmy wife¡¯s been raising hell about it." ISO cut in. -[ISO: The operation to retake Washington D.C. is progressing from Ronald Reagan National Airport, Mr. President. The White House will be safe for the time being, so please stay here for a few more days.] "Hah, I suppose. At this point, what difference would a few more days make in this cramped space?" The President gave me a pat on the shoulder as he surveyed the room. "Anyway, I assume there¡¯s another reason for your visit besides a rescue. Unfortunately, I¡¯ll need you two to help with something else. You can ess the data node in the situation room and ry the Icarus-rted data." -[ISO: Is there a problem?] "These two will handle the transfer. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll go out and get some fresh air. Anyone care to join me?" "It¡¯s still dangerous, Mr. President. You should stay here for the time being." "Damn, it¡¯s ridiculous that someone who should have the most power in the world¡­ well, at least once did¡­ can¡¯t even breathe the air of his own country freely. But fine. If I must stay, then so be it." The President hadn¡¯t lost his fiery spirit. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, we left him behind and headed toward the data node. We passed a few people sprawled out asleep, but we didn¡¯t pay them much mind. It was time. -[ICARUS: Data ess and sharing approved.] -[ICARUS: Node ess in progress.] Not just Washington or New York, but the entire United States¡ªit was time to find out what was really going on. "The state of the world is absolute chaos." A cutscene began. Harmony and I listened quietly. It was almostical, the contrast between ISO, who looked like a typical American, and our unique avatars. But it didn¡¯t matter. It was all automated anyway. From this point forward, Icarus had unrestricted ess to data previously reserved for the President and the Secretary of Defense. In other words, now we¡¯d know how the world was really turning. "I was wondering where the U.S. Navy had gone when they should have been defending the homnd. Thankfully, they haven¡¯t been wiped out, but the 3rd and 7th Fleets are engaged in defensive battles near Japan, and the 2nd, 5th, and 6th Fleets are anchored at their ports. Russia and China¡¯s deception tactics must¡¯ve been incredibly effective." As mentioned before, Russia and China opted for deception instead of all-out war. Given America¡¯s naval dominance, this was probably the smart move. Fortunately, it seems China and Russia¡¯s naval forces were decimated during their deception efforts, opening a clear path to the U.S. maind. However, with the Omega virus ravaging the U.S. military¡ªincluding the Coast Guard¡ªthe maind was left exposed. Asia wasn¡¯t doing well either, but the two adversary nations had an excess of destructive intent. Thus, those two countries startednding massive forces on U.S. soil¡ªnot just infantry, butnding ships and a few destroyers. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard were in no position to stop them. Division upon divisionnded, turning the situation into an utter mess. Meanwhile, the cutscene showed my avatar mumbling to itself. "Malthusian theorists must be thrilled, though I¡¯m sure most of them are dead by now." "Those maniacs. This isn¡¯t a conventional war. They¡¯reunching a suicidal attack to drag the U.S. down to hell with them." At that moment, ISO zoomed in on a hologram. Boston, the New York coastline, Phdelphia, Baltimore, and down to Florida¡ªall swarming with tens of thousands of scattered enemy troops, wreaking havoc. But that wasn¡¯t all. With a sharp knock on the chalkboard, the next screen appeared. "And the scope of operations has expanded. The entire state of California is engulfed in mes¡ªChina¡¯s territory now. You may be tasked with providing support there via C130 aircraft in the near future." As the text on the screen changed, a series of missions were revealed: raid missions, special ops, upation missions, and more. Just because we¡¯d finished the main mission didn¡¯t mean it was over. In fact, all of this had been leading up to the infrastructure necessary for continued support missions. From a gamey perspective, it made sense. Without post-main mission content, Dark Zone would¡¯ve beenbeled a mere PvP game. "Briefingplete. The two of you can rest now. It¡¯s up to us to prioritize missions and open the airways to California. Thank you. We wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far without you." He extended his hand. Harmony and I shook it in turn, his gaze unwavering as he spoke. "Thank you for your dedication." -[Notification: You have cleared all main missions!] -[Notification: ''Emergency Mission,'' ''Support Mission,'' ''upation Mission,'' ''Special Ops,'' and ''Raids'' have been unlocked!] -[Notification: Gear Score now activated. New difficulty levels for main missions have been unlocked¡ªHard, Very Hard, and Maximum Difficulty (limited to certain maps).] "All the main missions were already on ''Very Hard,'' and now they¡¯re only just unlocking harder levels. Who knew the rope I grabbed at the start would lead to such a ridiculously difficult path?" "Haha."
  • "All clear! All clear! All clear!"
  • "7th in Korea! 7th in Korea!"
  • "My heart swells with pride!"
  • "Yujin is a goddess! Harmony, you¡¯re a goddess too! Woooo!"
  • "Well done, Harmony!"
"You did great." "Hehe, why are you saying that already? We still need to gear up. By the way, if we clear all the main missions on Hardcore, can we visit Icarus HQ? Take me with you. I¡¯ve got plenty of free time outside streaming anyway." "Oh, that¡¯s a thing, huh?" I¡¯d almost forgotten. Anyway, we chatted about various things. After all, a lot had happened¡ªthough nothing too heavy. It was more of a discussion about future content, what to do next, and how to proceed with the viewers. Apparently, now the real reason Dark Zone was considered a loot-shooter FPS would be clear. They called it "junk collecting." That¡¯s impressive in its own way. "Anyway, since we finished early today, let¡¯s call this Part 1. I¡¯ll think a bit more before we start Part 2 with a Just Chatting session." "Let¡¯s take a short break. See you in 10 minutes!"
  • "Yuhahaha~~"
  • "You¡¯re gonna stream again, right? Tell me you¡¯re gonna stream again!"
  • "If she bails now, that¡¯d be legendary, LOL."
  • "Part 2? Hell yeah!"
  • "Alright, I¡¯m all set for another round ofte-night snacks."
After leaving behind the cacophony of voices, I ended the stream temporarily. The night had only just begun. -[Notification: Operator ''Eugene'' has reached 100% progress.] -[Notification: Worldline Synchronization initiated.] -[Notification: Filtering¡­ Unauthorized presence detected¡ªVirus code ''Omega''.] -[Notification: Expulsionplete.] -[Notification: Composing inquiry¡­.] . . -[Inquiry: What was thest thing you saw?] -[Input: ____________________________________] Chapter 157 TL Notes: Hello friends, I apologise for the dy in posting new chapters. I''ve been travelling, but I''m back now and ready to work with renewed vigour. As before, you can expect three new chapters a day! ______________________________ nk! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Seriously impressive. That¡¯s not a weight a normal person can lift.¡± The bar, loaded with tes, moved up and down several times in midair before ttering onto the rack with a metallic sound. Multiple 40kg tes were stacked on each side of the bar. Exhaling deeply, I got up. The towel under my back was soaked with sweat, and it was running down my body. No matter how much I moved, as long as I didn¡¯t exceed a certain limit, this body stayed perfectly fine. That¡¯s why I could do this. Of course, for exercises like the bench press where I¡¯m lying down, I had to cut a circr hole in the seat for my tail to fit through, which was a bit of a problem. Thankfully, the gym owner had provided a lot of support in that regard. There was a bit of give and take with promotions and such. ¡°Phew.¡± Drinking some ice-cold water made me feel a little better. My muscles ached. But as I¡¯ve mentioned before, even if I worked out like this, it wouldn¡¯t bulk up my chest. After all, what grows is muscle. Women have fat in their breasts instead. So basically, working out hard makes them look shapelier. It¡¯s kind of obvious when you think about it. ¡­Of course, I don¡¯t want to think too much about it, but it¡¯s hard to avoid. My body has these curves that would¡¯ve made me marvel back in the day, but seeing them reflected in a mirror instead of on a phone screen or retina brings up some weird feelings. That¡¯s why I prefer to wear baggy clothes when I work out. But some things just can¡¯t be hidden. Especially the chest. Still, most people focus on the tail, so that¡¯s something. Anyway, that¡¯s it for today. ¡°Thank you for spotting me today. You worked hard.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. We¡¯ve had so many new memberstely, it¡¯s exhausting. In about 10 minutes, I¡¯ve got another personal training session lined up. But it¡¯s all thanks to you, Yujin. We¡¯ve been able to bring in new equipment and expand the facilities. We even refurbished some of the old machines.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been just over a month since I joined, but a lot has changed. The promotions must have helped a lot.¡± ¡°Haha, yes, that¡¯s definitely a factor. Oh, and¡­¡± He hesitated for a moment, shuffling his feet as if unsure whether to speak. Then, he leaned in and spoke in a very quiet voice so no one else could hear. ¡°¡­Actually, never mind. But congrats on ranking number one in Dark Zone, KSM. I watched it and really enjoyed it.¡± ¡°Fufu, I use the same avatar as in real life, so I imagine there are a lot of people who know me in real life but pretend they don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s tempting to talk about it, but with thew and you being so close by, I have to keep quiet. It¡¯s frustrating! By the way, any ns to reveal your real-life appearance?¡± ¡°Well, since it¡¯lle out naturally during the finals, I¡¯m thinking about revealing it just before then.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I¡¯ve had simr conversations with Harmony. As for why I¡¯m talking about this with the gym owner, it¡¯s because he already knows what I look like in real life. I¡¯ve met him far more often than I¡¯ve met Harmony, so it¡¯s natural in a way. But, of course, it¡¯s strictly a member-to-owner rtionship. Why would it go beyond that? ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s it for strength training today. I¡¯ll probably cycle a bit and then head out. Thanks again for your help this early in the morning.¡± ¡°Haha, no problem. This ce runs 24/7, so I take turns. Plus, you need to be alert in the morning to prevent idents. Andtely, a few people have started showing up in the morning just to catch a glimpse of you, Yujin, so it wakes me up, too¡­¡± ¡°Haha, I see. Alright then.¡± I gave a slight bow, thanking him for his effort, and he headed off to prepare for someone else¡¯s personal training. With a towel around my neck, I hopped onto the cycling machine and started pedaling. The beep sounded, disying the time and speed. I increased the resistance slightly and opened up my Icarus screen, synced to my phone, to check today¡¯s emails. Since KSM ended¡ªsince I was selected for the national team¡ªemails about ads and sponsorships have been pouring in. Among them were resumes from people who applied through the editor job posting. That was my priority, so I started reviewing portfolios. My channel has surpassed 200,000 subscribers at this point. In other words, one editor and one thumbnail designer can no longer handle the workload, so I¡¯ll need to bring in more help to keep things running smoothly. And these days, with the sry increases for the thumbnail designer and the second editor, streaming alone is making enough money to cover it all. I haven¡¯t even counted the revenue from the channel itself. As long as I manage everything carefully, it should all be fine. -[Notification: Switched to bulk ad review mode.] Buzz. Instead of checking each email individually, I used the gear to quickly scan through the attached photos and requests, focusing on the important parts. Most of them were for products that could be worn in virtual reality. It made sense because those are the easiest to advertise. There¡¯s no need to ship the actual items. So, the first things that caught my eye were a variety of essories. In other words, they were data files of things to wear during broadcasts. ¡°Earrings, nes, bracelets, watches¡­there¡¯s so much.¡± I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but there were so many items that would be perfect for a social gathering or ballroom event. Even Bulgari asked me if I could advertise their snake-shaped watch, saying it matched my avatar concept. I couldn¡¯t help butugh when I first saw that. The fact that the watch wraps around the wrist made it seem like I could use it to block attacks someday. Of course, with the Icarus gear, that wouldn¡¯t be necessary, so I just kept it for now. While it seemed like it was all essories, there were plenty of offers from different industries. Some examples include sportswear, selling time for meetings with me, and coborations with cooking channels on YourSpace. Public TV interviews are a given. And then, a notification popped up. -[Notification: SSM Entertainment has made you an offer.] Click. The message was simple. They were offering a multi-million-dor contract to continue working with SSM, asking if I was willing to participate as one of their yers. If not, they also offered roles in a documentary or advertisement co-produced by SSM and Icarus, featuring pro gamers. To be specific, it was for items like food, snacks, bedding, shoes, and clothes, all of which prominently featured the SSM logo either on the front or on the shoulder. I kept this one for future consideration as well. In the meantime, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen this.¡± Vortex, EOTech, Mechanix Wear, 5.11 Tactical, Strike Industries, Monstrum, Nightforce, Sig Sauer, SureFire, OSS¡­ all these tactical gear manufacturers whose names were practically drilled into my head from the past missions. In short, they were asking me to promote their tactical gear through Dark Zone. On top of that,panies like Vortex, EOTech, and Nightforce specifically selected me. It¡¯s probably because during the AP matches, I always used the Vortex Razor Gen 3 or EOTech¡¯s Vudu variable scope, giving them plenty of free exposure. I wonder why Americans are so interested in watching Korean matches, but I just brushed it off as something that happens. Also, the makers of the Mk.18 Mj?lnir, SWORD International, subtly contacted me through Icarus. Of course, since they¡¯re a firearmspany, there¡¯s no way for them to send me a real sponsorship. I¡¯m very tempted by this, but unfortunately, I¡¯ll never get to try it out in reality. Not being able to shoot it is one of many disappointments. While I was going through all these offers¡ª -[Notification: ¡®Dice¡¯ is calling you via VR.] ¡°Mute mode.¡± Suddenly, the room became silent. After blocking the external noise with the Icarus gear, I answered the call. Due to the nature of VR-linked calls, Dice probably thought I was using the avatar¡¯s voice, even though I was speaking in my real voice. Anyway, that¡¯s beside the point. ¡°Yujin, are you busy? Oh, wait, you''re at the gym! Sorry, I¡¯ll hang up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just stepped out for a moment to take your call. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Oh, did you see the email I just sent? The briefing date and venue for the Asia preliminaries have been set. This Saturday, at the Grand Swiss Hotel convention hall, all the national team members and coaching staff from each team will be there.¡± ¡°In real life? That¡¯s unexpected. I thought it would be like thest KSM briefing, held in virtual reality.¡± ¡°Well, starting with the Asia preliminaries, it¡¯s got more of a nationalpetition vibe. Plus, since we¡¯ll have to head to the U.S. for the finals, it¡¯s a chance for the yers and coaching staff to get to know each other.¡± Then¡­ hold on a second. Just ncing over the email, I already had a pretty good idea of what Dice¡¯s real motive was in bringing this up. Even if I pretended not to know, I could hear the excitement in his voice. And, as expected¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll finally get to see your face, Yujin!¡± ¡°I figured.¡± ¡°Heheh, even if you say that, there¡¯s no turning back now. In just two days, not only I but everyone will know what you look like. I¡¯m so excited!¡± And then he added: ¡°Seriously, though, I¡¯m curious. Could you give me a little hint? Like, are you super buff? Stronger than the trainers you¡¯ve worked with?¡± ¡°You talk too much. Aren¡¯t you worried about the consequences?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll leave that to future me. Anyway, Yujin, I bet you¡¯ll be surprised when you see me, too! Last year, people from other teams were totally shocked when they met me. They couldn¡¯t believe it. The fact that my identity hasn¡¯t leaked is for the same reason.¡± ¡°I have a rough guess. You¡¯re a woman, right?¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± For a moment, I could imagine Dice¡¯s dumbfounded expression on the other side of the call. Of course, other pro gamersst year wouldn¡¯t have known much about what this guy¡¯s real life was like since they didn¡¯t spend all day with him like I did¡­ but in my case, it was different. From knowing all about shower products and cosmetics¡ªwhich, sure, might not be entirely gender-specific¡ªto spending over 40 minutes in the shower. Not to mention the way he talks. We didn¡¯t just exchange voice chats during games, but shared small details about everyday life. How could I not know? ¡°¡­How did you¡­?¡± ¡°Fufu, why would you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Ugh, but there¡¯s still a lot more I haven¡¯t revealed yet. I¡¯m going to keep the rest a secret to keep you curious.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t be too shocked when you see me on Saturday.¡± Considering that Harmony almost copsed when she met me in person, I wonder what Dice¡¯s reaction will be. Anyway, after exchanging some more small talk, I realized I¡¯d already been on the cycling machine for an hour. I was drenched in sweat. Even while riding the elevator, stripping down, and stepping into the shower at home, Dice kept chatting away. It¡¯s a wonder he thought he could keep his gender a secret. Now it was time to eat. Whirr! ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that noise?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the sound of making a 2,000-calorie shake in one go. I need a lot of calories, you see. It¡¯s a blend of chocte cake, vani ice cream, milk, and chocte syrup. Want to try itter?¡± ¡°Ugh, if I eat that, I¡¯ll die of diabetes!¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Still, considering I burn at least 5,000 calories just by breathing¡ªand that¡¯s the minimum¡ªeven a little exercise doubles that. Technically, I¡¯ve got a body with insane fuel efficiency, but I don¡¯t really feel that way. Anyway, if I down this with a few slices of pizza, I can hit about 4,000 calories. The explosion of high-calorie foods in the modern world has been a blessing for me. ¡°Well, in any case. See you the day after tomorrow! They¡¯re serving lunch at the event¡ªa buffet. If you¡¯re free that evening, how about dinner? I¡¯ll treat. But, uh¡­ no alcohol, you know what I mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink either. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­Except for what you eat, you really do take care of yourself.¡± ¡­Can you really say I take care of myself if I don¡¯t control my diet? Either way, the call wrapped up on that note. As I ced the freshly blended shake on the table, I heard a ding from the oven, signaling that the food was ready. This early morning was shaping up to be quite greasy. While chewing on some bread¡ª ¡°This will be something fun to mention on the streamter.¡± The viewers will love it if I bring it up during the Just Chatting session.@@novelbin@@ It feels like I¡¯m slowly bing a full-fledged streamer. [Tricky¡¯s Personal Community - Yujin] [Announcement] I might take a day off from streaming on Saturday. Hello, everyone. It¡¯s Yujin. As you can see from the title, this is due to my attendance at the Asia preliminaries briefing. After that, Dice is treating me to dinner. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be home. If possible, I¡¯ll try to stream around 10 p.m. Of course, there will be no outdoor stream. What were you expecting? Hehe. Additionally, a heads-up: there may be a lot of ads in future broadcasts. I¡¯ve been receiving tons of sponsorship offers. I¡¯ll try to host some giveaway events so many of you can benefit. Since I can¡¯t handle all the stuff I¡¯ve been sent¡­ well, that¡¯s about it. I feel kind of bad that I can¡¯t give more to you all. But honestly, it¡¯s Saturday night¡ªaren¡¯t you all going to watch, even if I start the streamte? If you don¡¯t mind, please tune in. See youter. 20000. [All Comments] [Sorted by Time] =How is this even an announcement, lololololol =He really knows how to roast people gently, lol =Do we get voiceover announcements now? Why am I hearing Yujin¡¯s voice reading this in my head? ?Right?! lololol ?Are you hearing it too? ?Me too! =You think you¡¯re taking just Saturday night off? You¡¯re taking every day off! Get a job already! ?Please, go do something! Get to work! ?I¡¯m prepping for the military¡­ ?Oh no ?LMAO ?[Yujin] Please take care of yourself in the army ?( ? 3?)? ? ?Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯ll cherish this forever!!!!!!!!!! ?If I re-enlist, can I get a kiss from Yujin too? Please tell me, this is urgent! ?I¡¯m signing up as a professional soldier right now, lolol =Thements are going wild, lololol Chapter 158 The Asia Preliminaries Briefing. In other words, it was an event, often referred to as a "hall reservation," where professional gamers could socialize. The 20 people chosen through KSM, the 40 yers selected as backups in case of any unforeseen events, and the coaching staff of each team¡ªnearly 80 individuals¡ªgathered to discuss the future, share some of their tightly held secrets from the past year, and exchange strategies on how to defeat other countries as representatives of South Korea rather than as members of their respective teams. Additionally, for nearly a month, these yers would simultaneously learn a curriculum devised by the 10 teams, receive the same information, and train together. Although only four yers would make it to the finals, the tournament''s esction from a domestic to an Asian-levelpetition transformed it from a simple team rivalry into a matter of national pride, and many people didn¡¯t mind that. But this gathering was particrly special. "Wow, we''re finally going to see what Yujin looks like." "Wanna bet? I¡¯ll put 30,000 won on him looking like a human weapon." "Alright, I¡¯ll bet 50,000 won that he has scars or surgery marks all over his body." "Are you guys out of your minds?" Yujin ising. The yer who, in just one month, had swept away all the obstacles¡ªbe it professional gamers or tournaments¡ªand had reached the top with overwhelming skill. Considering one of the many intentions of this briefing was to foster camaraderie between the yers, it was only natural that many professional gamers were looking forward to it. No matter how often they met in virtual reality, it neverpared to meeting face-to-face in the real world. Thus, with a certain level of anticipation, everyone was looking forward to Saturday. But this excitement wasn¡¯t just limited to the 40 selected participants; it was especially evident among those who also streamed. In short, it went like this: [¡°YujinTailTheftGotCaughtDice¡± has donated 5,000 won!]
  • Crossline, when you see Yujin noona on Saturday, please tell us what she looks like!
"YujinTailTheftGotCaughtDice¡­ Hey! What¡¯s with that username? Anyway, I¡¯ll share the details if I get Yujin¡¯s permission on Saturday. Since she¡¯sing for the first time, unlike the others I metst year." - LOL - Honestly, I¡¯m curious too~ - By the way, Crossline, you must know what Dice looks like, right? Please tell us!!! - There must be a reason he¡¯s not saying anything LOL - Living Point: If you''re curious about Dice¡¯s appearance, be a pro gamer and get into the top 40 in KSM. Viewers who envied the pro gamers set to see Yujin¡¯s real appearance for the first time were overflowing. It was only natural. Over the past month, countless questions had been asked, but Yujin had deliberately ignored any inquiries rted to her real life. The only clue revealed during a Q&A session was the possibility that she might be an awakened one. Even that wasn¡¯t a certainty. It was just that the mere fact that she had gone over a month without being arrested for impersonating an awakened person and was still broadcasting and participating in tournaments, winning first ce, lent legitimacy to the assumption. Aside from the guesses drawn from Yujin¡¯s actions, nothing was definitively known. But just as many pieces of a puzzlee together to form a picture, Yujin¡¯s actions over the month had provided enough for people to start making some educated guesses. Her manner of speaking was gender-neutral. Her name was Yujin. Judging by her physical prowess in the game, she could lift at least 800 kg in her three main lifts, with exceptional muscr endurance to boot. And her proficiency with firearms was at a level that would be impossible for the average person. Given her ability to use her tail so freely, she was at least an E2-grade awakened person or a yer testing the third-tail skill in-game. However, the delicate movements of her tail, which contrasted with the thick tail of her avatar, made thetter more likely. And most importantly, given her skill in reading the battlefield and the 9-Line briefings she gave¡ªin English, no less¡ªit was certain that she had at least JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) qualifications. In summary: - She¡¯s a Korean-American who lived in the U.S., worked as an Air Force Combat Controller, at least Tier 2, or served in the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, and now she¡¯s wiping the floor with everyone! That was the strange and bizarre conclusion people hade to. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just bullying at this point?¡± But, of course, it wasn¡¯t. As Dark Zone gained poprity, it becamemon for former special forces operatives to transition into esports. Take Unreal, for example, the operator of the YoursSpace channel, who providesprehensive game information¡ªhe¡¯s a former Special Forces soldier. Even among those selected as national representatives in KSM, you could find former Special Forces, UDT (Underwater Demolition Team), and even 707th Special Mission Group members. Looking internationally, there was Keith, who served 14 years in Japan¡¯s Special Forces Group and recently rose to the top of Japan¡¯s Dark Zone rankings. As for the U.S.¡­ well, let¡¯s not even go there. There, you could asionally see former Delta Force members participating in scrimmages, making it a realm beyondprehension. And, naturally, with so many mysterious aspects to Yujin¡¯s identity, curiosity about her only continued to grow. Despite her ordinary actions, the manyyers of mystery made it inevitable. Meanwhile, pro gamers and streamers alike could only offer empty answers when their viewers demanded to know Yujin¡¯s identity. If they couldn¡¯t reveal details about Dice, how could they spill the beans about Yujin? But they would know soon enough. Thus, Dice and the other 79 participants could only eagerly await Saturday. Meanwhile, the person who was receiving all of this attention¡­ ¡°...Why are they sending me this stuff?¡± It wasn¡¯t even September yet, but a variety of winter jackets thick enough to block out the world¡¯s cold had already arrived at her home. Reptile supplements and specialized products. A cat-ear-shaped headset that didn¡¯t even fit properly due to the sharp tips of her ears. A genuine tactical hammer and axe sent by a survival shop. Wax? For glossing? What am I supposed to do with this? Rub it on my tail to make it shiny? Finally, a wallet made from real anaconda skin. Sigh. Yujin was buried under a mountain of useless packages. It was a typical day. Two days passed, and it was Saturday. ¡°Ugh, I didn¡¯t sleep at all¡­ I¡¯m doomed¡­¡± Dice. In other words, the one who didn¡¯t get any sleep. She should have slept well in preparation for today, but she¡¯d spent the previous night chatting pointlessly with Yujin and had missed the optimal window for sleep. On top of that, her excitement had kept her tossing and turning for over an hour. Her final bedtime was around 3 a.m., and she woke up at 9 a.m. Objectively speaking, six hours of sleep wasn¡¯t much, so naturally, she was tired in the morning. And today, there was more preparation to be done than usual. It wasn¡¯t just any casual event; she would be standing in front of everyone. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dead tired¡­¡± She took extra care with her bath. After filling the tub with hot water, she shampooed her hair. Once that was done, she applied conditioner carefully. She had to wait 15 minutes, so she rxed in the water, but then her mind drifted, and those 15 minutespressed into a second. In other words, she fell asleep. The rm red loudly. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! ¡°Wah! Ugh!¡± Ssh! A loud ssh of water. Still, after that brief nap, she felt more refreshed. She washed off the conditioner under the shower and then applied hair oil. After another 10-minute nap, she repeated the process. Instead of her usual body wash, she used a shower oil she rarely touched, scrubbing off all the grime. After finishing her small tasks, she headed to the drying room. She applied oil essence to her hair and activated the pre-programmed hairstyling function. The finely adjusted air started to dry and style her hair, with mechanical arms sectioning her hair and fussing over every strand. Honestly, without the drying room, I wouldn¡¯t even have the energy to shower, let alone style myself. Technology really has made life more convenient in some ways. Anyway, after some time passed. ¡°Wow, looks good.¡± Her blonde hair, full of volume, greeted her. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Next came makeup. Since her skin was already cleansed, she moved on to basic skincare. After a quick mist of toner to hydrate her dry skin, she applied a mask for 10 minutes. While waiting, she chose her outfit for the day. Then, of course, came the base makeup. Normally, she would have had to go through the whole process of primer, concealer, and foundation, but that would¡¯ve been too much. Instead, she applied primer evenly and then did a bit of shading and highlighting before moving on to eye makeup. After applying eye primer, she worked hard on the eyeshadow, curling hershes, lining her eyes, and applying mascara. She learned all of this from the inte. Without it, she probably would¡¯ve just stuck to basic skincare and never bothered with makeup. Finally, she applied lipstick, creating a light gradient effect with a few shades, and finished it off with a bit of gloss for shine. But what time is it now? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already 11 a.m.? Wow.¡± By the time she finished her bath and makeup, it was 11 a.m. But to be honest, picking an outfit was the easiest part. After all, it was September. The temperature was a cool 22¡ãC, so whatever she wore wouldn¡¯t be an issue. After putting on some underwear, she slipped into a light white shirt and paired it with simple denim jeans. Over that, she threw on a thin beige trench coat. Since socks felt too stifling, she opted for sandals, and shepleted the look with a shoulder bag she had received as a gift. How do I look? Pretty good. The only things in my bag¡­ well, no makeup, just a card wallet and a regr wallet. My phone is in my trench coat pocket. ¡°Am I overdressed? Hmm¡­¡± I don¡¯t know. Still, I¡¯m meeting someone, so I should at least look decent. Anyway, I headed out. As mentioned earlier, the weather wasn¡¯t too hot. From the team dorm to the Swiss Grand Hotel was about a 40-minute bus ride. Feeling like splurging a bit, I hailed a taxi. It was now 11:20 a.m. After telling the driver the destination and paying the fare, I activated the soundproof partition and went back to my phone call with Yujin. ¡°Are you almost there? I just got in a taxi. It took a lot of effort to get ready, so I¡¯ll probably knock you out with my look.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better! I¡¯m almost there too. I¡¯ll probably arrive about five minutes before noon. You go ahead into the convention hall.¡± ¡°Wow, here I thought I was runningte, but turns out there¡¯s someone even more of ate sleeper than me. Howte did you stay up? I mean, can¡¯t guys just wake up, shower, ssh on a bit of cologne, and head out?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°I guess¡±¡­? What does that mean? Well, I suppose not all guys are like that. Besides, Yujin seems like the type who might have a full breakfast every morning. My heart was pounding. Not in some weird way, but because I was curious to see how Yujin would react when she saw me. And secondly, I was dying to know what she looked like in person. The same curiosity that kept me awakest night¡­ ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°Why are you breathing so hard?¡± ¡°This is all your fault, Yujin.¡± As we chatted, we arrived at the hotel. I quickly opened the door and got out since the taxi had stopped right by the road. Watching it speed away, I followed the navigation instructions inside the building. It was 11:45 a.m., meaning Yujin would arrive in about 10 minutes. But I couldn¡¯t just sit around waiting. The reason was simple. I was starting to spot familiar faces.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Wow, is that Dice? Really?¡± ¡°Man, you¡¯re all dressed uppared tost year. You look like you¡¯re meeting royalty.¡± ¡°Says the person who couldn¡¯t say a word to me when you sat next to mest year.¡± Reactions generally fell into three categories. Those who knew Dice¡¯s identity fromst year¡¯s KSM selections were able to engage in casual conversation, though a bit awkwardly. On the other hand, neers who didn¡¯t know her identity had wide-eyed expressions, nervously asking their mentors if Dice was really a woman. Most couldn¡¯t even muster the courage to speak to her. The only ones who maintained theirposure were Summit from TK1 and Ink from Xi, both of whom hadpeted with Dice inst year¡¯s finals. Their rtionship was more akin to friendly rivals than simple acquaintances. That wasn¡¯t all, though. Since the coaching staff from teams other than SSM had alsoe, Dice took the time to greet them, establishing new connections. Before I knew it, nine of the 10 minutes had slipped away. The atmosphere grew quieter, and someone asked Dice a question. ¡°Come to think of it, where¡¯s Yujin?¡± ¡°She should be here soon¡­ Ah!¡± Beep! At the same time, her phone rang. Dice quickly answered. ¡°Yujin! We¡¯re about to head in. Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost there. I¡¯ll be there in about 30 seconds.¡± ¡°Finally.¡± Without thinking, Dice continued: ¡°By the way, we¡¯ll be meeting in real life in about a minute, so how long are you going to keepmunicating through your avatar? Isn¡¯t it time to let us hear your real voice?¡± ¡°Oh, my real voice, huh. You¡¯re right. It is about time. But¡­ hmm, how should I put it?¡± Then came the reply. ¡°The voice you¡¯ve been hearing¡­ that¡¯s my real voice.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh, I can see you now. I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Huh? With that dumbfounded groan, Dice¡¯s gaze turned toward the front. Marble floors stretched out before her. The white lights from the ceiling reflected in all directions, and amidst it all, a single figure appeared, cutting through the space. Long ck hair that flowed down to her waist. Ears that jutted out sharply from her head. A small face, barely the size of a fist, with porcin-like skin. Delicate features gathered on it, and below cold, sharp eyesy ice-blue irises. Her casual outfit tied everything together neatly. But whatmanded the most attention was the massive tail¡­ ¡°Oh my god.¡± Why is that real? With an involuntary gasp, Dice pped a hand over her mouth and copsed to the ground. Chapter 159 "Hic!" Dice let out a hup. Her thin coat was crumpled and dirtied from touching the ground, but she didn¡¯t have time to care. As she slowly got up, trying to cover her mouth with both hands, others around her weren¡¯t reacting much differently. Some people were craning their necks, trying to get a clearer view. Others, who had been pointing in that direction, had frozen in ce. Many were muttering expressions of awe under their breath. There weren¡¯t just a few¡ªthere were dozens. But then, a man walked out from behind Yujin. His suit, tightly shut lips, square jaw, slicked-back hair, and dark sunsses all screamed "bodyguard." The atmosphere shifted in an instant. The first to speak was none other than that individual. ¡°Is there someone in charge of the briefing or a host here?¡± ¡°Yes, there is. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to have a word with you. Do you have a moment?¡± As a discreet conversation began in a corner, Yujin casually approached. Then, upon seeing Dice, her eyes widened. Her sharp eyes quickly softened into an arch, and her expression changed in an instant. Despite her mature appearance, she had a youthful, pure expression that only someone in their early twenties could make. While Dice stammered, Yujin smiled slightly and walked briskly towards her. She was taller than expected¡ªabout a finger''s width taller than Dice, who stood at 166 cm, putting her in the low 170s. Yujin extended her hand, and that mature yet soft voice, the one Dice had heard countless times over the past month, floated through the air, reaching her ears again. ¡°You said I¡¯d be surprised, and you weren¡¯t lying. I thought you were a woman, but I didn¡¯t expect you to look so much like your avatar. You really don¡¯t look much different from how you appear in-game.¡± ¡°Uh, huh. Yujin? Is it really you? The Yujin?¡± ¡°Well, who else could it be?¡± And then, a statement that cut deep. ¡°This¡­ this is a nationwide scam! Who uses a VR avatar identical to their real appearance!? I was totally duped! This is ridiculous!¡± ¡°Hehe. But listening to you, you sound just like the Dice I know.¡± Yujin, as calm as ever, murmured, ¡°Well, at least since my avatar looks the same as in real life, it should make talking to me easier, right?¡±¡ªa statement so absurd that it was beyondprehension. How could anyone not be shocked when an EM-level awakened person, one of maybe 20 in the world, suddenly shows up in real life! And how could they even start a conversation? On top of that, the fact that Yujin looked exactly like her avatar was, in essence, a national-level deception. Her avatar, despite its striking uniqueness, had a rtively modest hairstyle and color¡ªaside from her eye color, which was a different story. But after the denial and anger came the slow eptance phase. Dice, who had been gripping Yujin¡¯s shoulders and inspecting her from head to toe, finally opened her mouth. Of course, entering the eptance phase didn¡¯t mean she had fully processed it yet. ¡°¡­Wow, you really are Yujin. My god¡­¡± ¡°How amazing is it? Pull yourself together.¡± ¡°Hic! What is this?!¡± At that moment, a snake-like tail wrapped around her shoulders. In VR, it had felt familiar, but in real life, it was a sensation she had never experienced before. It was soft yet firm, smooth but carrying an immense pressure¡ªa long, sinewy mass of muscle wrapping around her body. Then, it began shaking her back and forth. Yujin was shaking her as if trying to snap her out of it. It was like grabbing someone by both shoulders and giving them a good shake. But even such a bizarre method couldn¡¯tpletely bring Dice back to her senses, so Yujin had no choice but to speak. ¡°How about we go for some real-world drills until you score 85 points in a shooting test?¡± ¡°Eek! No! You¡¯re definitely Yujin! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°If you yed like that during the matches, I¡¯d have thought you were out to make things harder for me on purpose.¡± ¡­Not entirely wrong, actually. Fortunately, that one statement was enough topletely correct the dissonance Dice had between VR Yujin and real-life Yujin. Although it wasn¡¯t the best sign, at least the result was good. Yujin extended her hand, and Dice cautiously reached out to shake it. Afterward, Yujin continued. ¡°¡­You said your real name is Yujin, right? My name¡¯s Seo Ye-rin, though I¡¯m sure you already know me as Dice. Let¡¯s get along today¡­?¡± ¡°Seo Ye-rin. It¡¯s a nice name. I¡¯m Lee Yujin. And don¡¯t forget, you promised to treat me to dinner tonight. I¡¯ll be thinking about the menu. Sound good?¡± ¡°Oh, right. You remembered that. I was wondering what I should feed someone who looks like they¡¯ve been training at the gym for ten years¡­ Do you have any dietary restrictions?¡± ¡°Do I look like the type of person who¡¯s picky about food?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± You look like the type who could gulp down raw meat like a snake. Thankfully, that thought never made it past her throat. Her rational mind quickly shoved it back down before it could escape, which saved her from what might¡¯ve been a painful Cobra Twist in real life. With the distance between Seo Ye-rin and Lee Yujin sessfully bridged, Yujin turned to face the remaining 78 or so people, who had been eagerly awaiting their conversation to end. One by one, they stepped forward to greet her. ¡°Oh, uh! I¡¯m Summit from TK1! It¡¯s an honor to meet you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal. It¡¯s great to meet you, too. I¡¯m Yujin.¡± ¡°Do you remember me? I¡¯m Gambit from Clear Sky. You gave me some public feedback a while ago, and I¡¯ve been keeping it in mind ever since.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. Are there still areas where you feel you¡¯recking? We¡¯re in the same boat for the Asia preliminaries, so if you need help, just let me know. I¡¯ll assist you whenever I¡¯m less busy.¡± But with dozens of people still waiting to speak with Yujin, they had no choice but to form groups of five or more, resulting in a rather surreal scene of group introductions. Eventually, once everyone in the room had exchanged greetings with Yujin, the person who hade with her finished their conversation and approached her with a few whispered words. Yujin nodded briefly, and he stepped forward to address the room. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking temporary control of the proceedings. Please proceed into the convention hall and take your seats. Once everyone is seated, there will be some information shared in private. Please bear with us. Now, if you would, please enter.¡± Squeak. Therge doors to the hall opened. Inside were about ten tables, eachrge enough to seat at least eight people. Above each table, the names of the teams floated, indicating where each group should sit. Thanks to the helpful UI, it didn¡¯t take long for everyone to find their seats. Once everyone was settled, Yujin¡¯spanion checked the room, closed the doors, and carefully walked onto the stage, taking the microphone from the host. After a brief mic check, he spoke. ¡°First of all, I apologize for the sudden confusion. The reason I¡¯m here before the briefing begins is to request an embargo from all of you. In other words, we¡¯re asking you not to disclose any information to the outside world. Think of it like the case with Dice.¡± The key difference being that if you leaked Dice¡¯s information, SSM¡¯s legal team woulde after you. If you talked about Yujin, a man in a ck suit might show up at your house. He managed to exin that part without sounding too menacing before continuing. ¡°As some of you may already know, Yujin is one of only two EM-level awakened individuals in Korea. She ns to publicly reveal her identity in about three months, so we ask that you keep this in mind.¡± In other words, please don¡¯t mention it until then. He then changed his tone to something more upbeat. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. I¡¯d also like to congratte all of you on making it to the Asia preliminaries. As a fellow Dark Zone user, I sincerely hope you achieve great results. Thank you for representing Korea!¡± A round of apuse erupted. After handing the mic back to the host and quietly exiting, the host, now in a very cheerful mood, added with a p: ¡°Now then! Congrattions to all of you who have earned the right to be here. In five minutes, we will officially begin the Asia preliminaries briefing!¡± At the same time, carts started rolling in through the side doors. They were trays of refreshments. Piled high with snacks and drinks, the carts were set on the tables with remarkable precision, and after everything was neatly arranged, the staff quietly disappeared. As I looked around in wonder, an exnation followed. ¡°We prepared this performance as a way to keep you entertained. Haha!¡± As I sat there, a crunching sound broke the silence. ¡°Mmm, this is delicious.¡± Yujin was the epitome of nonchnce. Dice had to take another moment to process that fact. ncing around. Then, with a sudden movement¡ª ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°I figured you¡¯d eventually get flustered and ask to touch my tailter, so I thought I¡¯d let you now. Unless you weren¡¯t going to ask?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I wasn¡¯t thinking about that.¡± Suddenly, Yujin¡¯s tail slipped onto Dice¡¯sp. At the same time, Dice poked it with her fingers. It was soft yet firm. The scales gleamed as if they were meticulously maintained. When she gently squeezed it, it twitched. Was it entirely muscle? It was cold and smooth. She kept pressing and examining it, but it didn¡¯t feel the way she had expected. In fact, the more she touched it, the more curious she became. It felt like a cold, heavy nket draped across herp. She wasn¡¯t even sure if the snacks were going into her mouth or her nose. After fiddling with it for a while, a question popped into her mind. ¡°¡­Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Usually, people ask to touch it sooner orter, whether fast or slow. So I just got ahead of it. When I met Harmony, she asked if she could touch it within three minutes of us meeting.¡± ¡°Ah, Harmony. You met her much earlier than me, didn¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you two meet in-game within a day of starting Dark Zone? When did you meet in person?¡± ¡°You know quite well. We met inte August. Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been a while.¡± As they conversed, they listened to the host¡¯s announcements. Since there weren¡¯t too many new changespared tost year, they didn¡¯t have to listen as intently as during the previous briefing.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­Therefore, we¡¯ve decided to hold the Asia preliminaries at the Esports Stadium in Yongsan, considering overall essibility. Now, moving on to the schedule. Simr to KSM, the matches will be held on Saturdays and Sundays, and each yer will¡­¡± After KSM ended, there were about four weeks until the Asia preliminaries. Breaking it down simply, the first two weeks would focus on individual skill improvement and maintaining condition, along with dealing with sponsorships and advertisements. The reason this took two weeks was because of the need to coordinate schedules with yers from other countries. Although this year¡¯s preliminaries were held in Korea, yers from other countries had to deal with things like visas, amodations, and other yer support elements. Once everything was sorted, the third and fourth weeks would be filled with scrims and training. The yers furthest from Korea¡ªlike those from China or Russia¡ªhad already begun arriving. ¡°The Asia preliminaries, as mentioned before, consist of 12 matches. Like KSM, there will be six matches on Saturday and six on Sunday. The finals follow a simr format, with seven matches each day. The only difference is that both the number of matches and the yers¡¯ skill levels ramp up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the finals like?¡± ¡°They¡¯re incredible. There¡¯s not a single weak yer. But since it¡¯s a global event, sometimes you wonder how some yers from countries with less developed esports infrastructure even made it here. Still, the top 20 yers¡­ they¡¯re insane. It¡¯s like ying against Yujin.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll climb higher this year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done. Japan has Keith, the Federation has Sahara, and Russia has Zvezda¡­ all of them are top-tier. Taiwan, well, I don¡¯t want to be rude, but they aren¡¯t much of a threat.¡± Mentioning the names of strong yers. Yujin didn¡¯t ask for more details but added: ¡°This time will be different.¡± ¡°¡­Of course. Look who we¡¯re learning from.¡± ¡°So, how about letting go of my tail now?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry! It was just so fascinating that I¡­!¡± Dice had been petting, tugging, squeezing, and stroking the tail, even running her fingers along the scales¡ªit was almost perverse. Knowing full well what she had been doing, Dice blushed. With a flick of its tip, the tail lightly bonked her on the head, just as a mechanical voice echoed in her ears. At the same time, Seo Ye-rin made an oddment, ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± -[Notification: Communication with the outside world has been cut off.] ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin the part of the briefing that cannot be shared with the public.¡± Atst, Yujin nodded in understanding and turned her gaze forward. Now she understood why this was called a "preliminary briefing." Chapter 160 ¡°The first item on the agenda is to discuss the yers from each country who have qualified with outstanding results. We¡¯ve prepared a presentation, so please take your time to review it.¡± Whirr. From the stage in the convention hall, light streamed from a holographic projector embedded in the floor, forming a massive screen. The image quality was far superior to what one would expect from a traditional projector¡ªsharp and vivid. Without much preamble, the introductions began. The first country chosen was Japan. On the list of twenty names, several were highlighted in bold, signaling key yers. At the very top was the name Dice had mentioned earlier: Keith, followed by names like Momona and Hakuchi... typical for Japan, I suppose. There was something oddly fitting about it. I considered listening more closely, but I figured we¡¯d get more detailed informationter, so I decided to just ask Dice about itter. ¡°Keith, huh? Seems like a strong yer.¡± ¡°Of course. He served in Special Operations for 14 years, so he beat me quite a few timesst year. His unit often cooperates with the U.S., and he¡¯s even received training from Delta Force. He¡¯s a major threat.¡± ¡°Delta Force.¡± It was a familiar name. None of my former trainerscked the Delta Forcebel. Of course, oncebat zones shifted to urban environments, even Delta¡¯s tactical manuals were almostpletely overhauled. In other words, I didn¡¯t know what Delta¡¯s current manuals looked like anymore. The manuals are constantly revised and updated to correct weaknesses, so depending on the version, there¡¯s always something to exploit. Anyway, back to the task at hand¡ªI realized I had been zoning out. I didn¡¯t recognize a single name. Had I been neglecting my information-gathering? Maybe it was time for some self-reflection. ¡°What about the yers below him?¡± ¡°Well,st year, Japan¡¯s finalists were Keith, Suzuran, Charmant, and rity. The rest all got eliminated... But I see all the key names I just mentioned are on that list.¡± ¡°Four of them, huh? I heard Japan did pretty wellst year. Didn¡¯t Korea have three?¡± ¡°¡®Did well¡¯? It was all thanks to Keith. Honestly, you don¡¯t need to worry about the rest.¡± Dice¡¯s tone was sharp. Meanwhile, her fingers fidgeted restlessly. Seeing this, I ced my tail on herp again, and her expression brightened. She was so easy to read. Beside her, Blooming seemed rather... ufortable. I guess you could say it was the kind of envious but helpless look. I knew the feeling. But unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t extend my tail to him as well. Next up was a breakdown of the strategies we needed to be aware of. ¡°The yers from the Japanese Republic are known for employing trendy tactics. This is likely because several coaches in the Japanese esports scene are former members of the SFGp, Japan¡¯s Special Forces Group.¡± As I mentioned earlier, Japan¡¯s Special Forces Group has close ties with Delta Force. They received help from Delta during their formation, so it¡¯s no surprise that some of the tactics and strategies used by the unit have trickled into the public sphere. The presentation then delved into what exactly was meant by ¡°trendy tactics.¡± Essentially, it referred to a more systematic approach tobat¡ªthe very thing I constantly emphasize. At the end of the day,bat isbat. You confirm the enemy¡¯s position, force them into a disadvantage, and close the distance with minimal losses to guarantee a kill. That¡¯s all there is to it. Then came a video clip¡ªa breakdown and analysis of noteworthy aspects of other countries'' yers¡¯ gamey. It was about 10 minutes long. I focused on the part Dice had mentioned earlier. Keith. Despite the light-hearted name, his avatar was a rugged-looking man. Sharp eyebrows, a vertical scar running across his eye, short messy ck hair tied loosely, and a hint of white stubble. With his prominent brow ridge, he looked less like a typical Japanese person and more like a Japanese-Brazilian mix. Either way, he gave off a strong, imposing presence¡ªbut that¡¯s enough on appearances. Next was his strategy. Ratatatata! His movements were fluid and natural. That was expected, but what really stood out was how he constantly scanned his surroundings, keeping track of the terrain¡ªa habit that demonstrated his extensive experience. Maintaining awareness of the environment is crucial inbat. It requires a lot of discipline. You need to focus in all directions and have a wide field of view. Something like that. But one thing was clear: it allowed him to respond immediately to any changes in the situation. Muzzle shes erupted from his gun¡¯spensator. He maintained excellent control and uracy, methodically winning his engagements. Unless his opponents had a clear advantage, they were gradually pushed back. Then, at the perfect moment, he switched to an offensive stance, rapidly pressuring his opponent. One kill. Overall, there wasn¡¯t a hint of impatience in his approach tobat. He was good. ¡°Hisbat skills are impressive. I can see why it would be tough for anyone outside the top tier to handle him. Though, honestly, top yers all tend to be pretty simr¡­ Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Seo Ye-rin, who had been staring intently at the screen, finally spoke. ¡°¡­This is strange. Last year, he gotpletely beaten down, but now I feel like I understand him¡­¡± ¡°Well, the higher you go, the morebat principles start to look the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ his offense-to-defense transitions feel a bit slow. It¡¯s not like how you, Yujin, switch between them in an instant¡ªit¡¯s more like flipping a heavy tire.¡± ¡°Careful with that kind of talk, or you might find yourself getting beaten up by him in the Asia preliminaries. Better start preparing.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± For someone who admitted she was beaten down by himst year, where was all this confidenceing from? I flicked her on the head with my tail before focusing back on the screen. Next up was the Chinese Federation. However, there was no need for much exnation. It was the same story as before. The same went for Russia and Taiwan. There was no need to overthink it, as there would be plenty of time for analysister. But for those attending this briefing for the first time, this was an important opportunity to gauge the strength of their opponents through videos and presentations. With that, the introduction to our opponents¡¯ strategies and the yers to watch out for came to an end. ording to the newly distributed schedule for the closed-door briefing, the next item was the introduction of each team¡¯s policies and joint tactical ns. I was curious about what that might entail. That curiosity was soon satisfied. In short, a task force made up of the best coaches and managers would be overseeing the training curriculum and leading the way for the uing weeks. Just when I thought it was nothing too surprising, the man who seemed to be the task force leader took the microphone from the host, and his statement was quite something. ¡°¡­Additionally, this task force ns to significantly revise the previously established strategies to keep up with current trends. Instead of the previous ¡®adapt-to-the-situation¡¯ approach, the new curriculum will focus on improving individual weaknesses and maximizing strengths.¡± And then he added something that really hit home. ¡°We are especially interested in the methods used by Yujin, who has dramatically improved Dice¡¯s skills.¡± I didn¡¯t expect them to say that outright. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t follow up with something like, ¡°Please contact uster.¡± If he had, I might¡¯ve thought they¡¯d lost their minds. I figured they¡¯d probably get in touch after the briefing anyway. Since I was being mentioned, it seemed like everyone was curious about how I had trained Dice¡ªbut I had a feeling that if they found out, they might regret ever wondering. Ironically, the reason Dice alwaysined was no big secret. She chimed in herself. ¡°What¡¯s everyone so curious about? They¡¯d all be horrified if they actually tried it.¡± ¡°People are curious because they don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­True. There¡¯s that saying: ignorance is bliss. I guess you could call ack of information ignorance. In that sense, it¡¯s not exactly wrong.¡± ¡°Haha. Anyway, it¡¯s about time for you to start teaching others. After a week or two of training, how about I draft the curriculum with those coaches, and you pass it along? I think it¡¯d be a good role for you.¡± ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡± Exactly. There¡¯s a reason they say giving someone authority can quickly dispel theirints. Now that I told her she could teach others, she pretended not to care, but the corners of her mouth were twitching upward. Anyway, a month isn¡¯t a long time. With one week already nearly over, there were only about three weeks left. Bncing the backlog of sponsorships and getting all twenty yers to a certain skill level would be quite the challenge. That¡¯s why we needed to divide the roles. Dice would have her hands full for a while. But that was a problem for the future¡ªright now, there was something more pressing. ¡°©¤©¤©¤Thank you all for your attention. This concludes the preliminary briefing. A bus has been prepared outside to take you to a nearby hotel buffet. Please enjoy a bted lunch there and return to your amodations or homes afterward. The rest of the briefing will be delivered through your team coaches!¡± A smile. Our eyes met.@@novelbin@@ I spoke. And the most important thing? ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°¡­Eat?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had lunch yet.¡± We were going to tear up that buffet. ¡°Thest time I had a meal at a hotel buffet like this, I was with Mina. And now I¡¯m with you, Ye-rin.¡± ¡°¡­You know, it feels really weird hearing you call me by my name, Yujin. Not in a bad way¡ªjust really strange. Anyway, Mina is¡­ Harmony, right?¡± ¡°Yes. That was fun too. Though it¡¯s probably not the best thing to talk about here¡­ Did you want to say something?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± That wasn¡¯t the main point. But man, can this person eat!¡ªNot that Dice could focus on that. She nced at the table. In front of Yujin was a single te filled to the brim with every type of sd this hotel offered. It was already piled high. There were pieces of pumpkin, broli, scallops, mushrooms, crab, potatoes, smoked salmon, olives, hummus, nuts and cheese, ham and sausages, ciabatta, croissants, and various finger foods¡­ Even two tes of this would make most people explode. And Dice, unable to contain her curiosity, blurted out: ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t that fill you up?¡± ¡°I think I can handle about ten tes today.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± This person is definitely not human. But as she watched the mountain of sd disappear, bite by bite, she realized¡­ Why am I getting hungry too? Is this what they call mukbang? Now that I think about it, if Yujin did mukbang, the views would be off the charts. Her eating was impossibly neat. You couldn¡¯t even see her take bites or chew. It looked like she took small bites, but listening to her, that might not be the case. She just ate quickly and cleanly. And without spilling anything. It seemed like a natural talent. ¡°This is delicious. I¡¯m heading to the grill section next. Want toe?¡± ¡°Ugh, if I try to keep up with your pace, I¡¯ll die. I couldn¡¯t do it even if I starved for three days.¡± ¡°You just eat what you can, that¡¯s what buffets are for, right?¡± ¡°¡­Glutton.¡± ¡°Haha, if anything, I¡¯m more like the one who swallows the pig whole¡­¡± ¡­Fair enough. Being an anaconda, I suppose that¡¯s a real possibility. In old stories, there¡¯s always a boa swallowing an elephant whole, so Yujin could probably handle a pig. Not that she¡¯d eat it whole¡ªjust that she could if she wanted to. Reality was evaporating before her eyes. Dice¡¯s mind swirled with data she couldn¡¯t process. She thought Yujin was just some gym junkie, but it turns out she brought her real appearance into VR and needs to eat at least 5,000, sometimes 8,000 calories a day. It was dizzying. And on top of that, there were more weird antics. ¡°If you ever run out of hands, feel free to put a te on my tail.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Yujin coiled her tail into a makeshift stand and set a te on top of it. With that, she smugly remarked that she could now carry up to three tes of food at once. The audacity to show off such bizarre skills so casually¡ªit was a talent in itself. ¡°You really are capable of anything, huh.¡± ¡°To be honest, I discovered this trick while having a meal with Harmony.¡± ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± However, lunch hadn¡¯t even started yet. And there was something else Dice had to worry about. ¡®¡­Will tonight¡¯s dinner cost 500,000 won?¡¯ She was going to regret a lot of things today. Chapter 161 "Whoes to a buffet and eats pizza?" "You don¡¯t?" "...Fine, just one slice." Or, "Wow, someone here is taking two servings of pasta at once. Is that even possible?" "They usually don¡¯t make this, but they gave me some as a special service for being a manifestation user. Want a bite?" "...Just a small bite, I guess." Slurp. The creamy sauce, diced bacon, and tender onions were mixed into the pasta, all melding together in an explosion of vors as they entered Dice¡¯s mouth. After chewing a few times and swallowing, she spoke with a slightly dazed expression. "...Well, it¡¯s good. How could it not be¡ªwait, where did that te go!?" "I ate it all. It wasn¡¯t that much." "Do you even chew before you swallow?" In three bites, Yujin had finished an entire serving of pasta. She was now dipping a baguette into the creamy sauce at the bottom of the te, crunching on it as the bread crumbled. The same process repeated a few more times, leaving the te clean enough that it seemed like it didn¡¯t need to be washed. Her fork then moved to the second te, piled with a hearty rag¨´ sauce. It disappeared just as quickly, though perhaps at a slightly slower pace than the first. "I¡¯ll take these dishes for you." "Oh, thank you." After finishing two tes of pasta in mere minutes, a staff member promptly arrived to clear the empty tes from the table. Yujin, tail swaying lightly, stood up and headed back to the buffet for more food. It wasn¡¯t long before she returned with a te holding a lobster tail, and another with beef tenderloin, tomahawk pork chops, spare ribs, andmb chops, all thered in various sauces. She began slicing the meat, prompting Dice to speak. "You don¡¯t need to give me any. I can get my own food." "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m eating all of this." "Of course, you are." Honestly, I was already feeling a bit full. Caught up in the pace of eating with her, I had indulged a bit more than usual, even with just the appetizers. Yujin, having eaten all the best parts, now seemed to be working through as much of the buffet as possible, grabbing small portions of various dishes. Meat, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian food¡ªit seemed endless. As I watched her return with a te piled high with crispy, golden-brown tempura, I unconsciously shook my head. Just that one te must be over 1,500 calories. "...Wow." "They just restocked the shrimp tempura, so I grabbed some." "I envy you, Yujin. You can eat whatever you want. If I ate like this, I¡¯d gain a kilo a day." "But there¡¯s still dinner toe." "Ugh..." Life really isn¡¯t easy. Ultimately, I settled on having some more meat. I had a feeling that tonight¡¯s dinner was going to cost enough to rack up some serious airline miles, but what could I do? Second ce in the KSM wasn¡¯t something to take lightly, and it was all thanks to the person in front of me. Over an hour passed like this. Yujin had long since cleared more than seven tes, as she¡¯d boasted, while I was barely holding on, clutching my stuffed belly and struggling to catch my breath. I hadn¡¯t eaten this much in ages. Meanwhile, having conquered nearly every dish at the buffet, Yujin was now leisurely sipping a drink with her legs crossed, her belly showing no sign of even the slightest bloat. Our eyes met, but... was she looking at my stomach? "...I¡¯m not that bloated, you know?" "I didn¡¯t say anything." ...Was she fishing for a reaction? Anyway, my bloated belly was definitely noticeable. Despite being diligent with diet and cardio, as a pro gamer, I¡¯m naturally not as active as some others. Without strict control, fat tends to cling on. My slightly rounded stomach was evidence of that gap in discipline. Honestly, though, that¡¯s just an excuse. "Looks like I¡¯m almost done too. I¡¯m feeling pretty full." "Finally!" "Now it¡¯s time to try all the desserts. Do you want anything? I¡¯ll grab two of everything, so it¡¯s not a big deal." "...You¡¯re really doing this, huh..." What should I do? But the part of me that craved dessert couldn¡¯t resist. After all, there¡¯s always room for sweets, right? Though, to be fair, Yujin had filled even that extra room to the brim today. Still, I felt bad about letting her go alone. Plus, moving around might help with digestion. "I¡¯lle with you." "Finally feel like moving?" "I need to walk some of this off. I don¡¯t want to feel sluggishter and ruin my day." "Good thinking." I stood up. As expected, this ce was a paradise for desserts. All kinds of chocte, macarons I had never even seen before, jellies, cakes, tarts, puddings, six vors of gto, donuts, traditional rice cakes, shaved ice... There were also four or five types of beverages and teas, along with various coffee options. And of course, Yujin nned to try every single one. We ended up spending nearly an hour and forty minutes just eating. It felt like we were at some sort of fine dining experience. As we were eating, familiar faces passing by would make the asional remark that stung a little. "Wow, you¡¯re still eating?" "Someone take her away! She¡¯s going to conquer the whole buffet!" "The conquest is alreadyplete." Yujin, picking at pieces of five different cakes and continuallymenting on how delicious they were, didn¡¯t seem to mind. By now, nearly everyone who hade with us had either returned to their amodations or gone home. Considering how long it took for others to finish eating and chat before leaving, our meal time was absurdly long. The buffet had a two-and-a-half-hour time limit, and we only had about forty minutes left. One by one, people left until it was just the two of us. The conversation gradually flowed again. "So, what did you do with Harmony back then? You didn¡¯t just have dinner, did you? Don¡¯t tell me you took her to a shooting range?" "..." "Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?" "..." Ugh. I looked at Yujin with a bewildered expression, but she just added, with her usual confident tone, without a hint of embarrassment: "We wouldn¡¯t have gone if she hadn¡¯t agreed. I brought it up, but Harmony was the one who wanted to go. We had fun." "Well, you are pretty considerate when ites to things like that. But a shooting range alone would¡¯ve been boring. You must¡¯ve gone somewhere else, right?" "We did. Have you ever been to an animal caf¨¦?" "Are you talking about the ones with roons, cats, and dogs?" "Yes, exactly. There were also snakes and desert foxes. We stumbled across the ce while walking around. And we saved some money, too." "Saved money? How?" "They had a promotion¡ªfree entry for manifestation users and theirpanions on their first visit." "..." Who knew ces like that existed? Before I could recover from the shock, Yujin pulled out her phone and sent me a few photos and videos. And the moment I saw them, I spat out my drink. Pffft! "Whoa, I didn¡¯t expect such a strong reaction." "Hahaha, what is this!? A roon sliding down your tail like a slide¡ªhaha! Hahhahahaha!" Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. There were also many cute photos, like one of Yujin cradling a chubby roon in her arms¡ªit seemed to have eaten so much that it had gotten quite plump. There were also photos of her... bonding? Well, doing something with a snake. Apparently, it was a ball python. It looked surprisingly cute for a snake, with round eyes and a calm demeanor. I wasn¡¯t usually fond of reptiles, but... wait, was this Yujin¡¯s influence? I felt like my tastes were being altered. ...This was all because of that mesmerizing tail of hers. "Anyway, we¡¯ve almost finished. It¡¯s about time to head out. Where should we go next? I¡¯m fine with the shooting range or an animal caf¨¦. Or would you rather watch a movie? There¡¯s also escape rooms and board game caf¨¦s... really, I¡¯m up for anything." "You¡¯ve been around quite a bit, huh? That¡¯s quite a list of options." "Well, living in the dorms, I¡¯ve had plenty of chances to explore Seoul. If we can¡¯t decide, we could always just take a walk around Gyeongbokgung Pce. I don¡¯t mind." Rustle. Since we were about to leave, it was time to touch up my makeup. I pulled a mirror from my shoulder bag and checked my face. The air conditioning had kept everything intact, but I figured I should touch up my lips¡ªstill, makeup just wasn¡¯t something I was used to. As I pondered what color to use for a natural look, I caught a glimpse of Yujin¡¯s face in the mirror. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but after reapplying my lipstick... Wait, did she put on makeup? "...What is it?" "How do you do your makeup, Yujin? Your skin is so dewy, and your lips look great. But it doesn¡¯t seem like you did any eye makeup. Do you just use really good products?" "Hmm... I just did my usual skincare routine and put on sunscreen." "...Excuse me?" tter. I suddenly stood up and leaned closer.@@novelbin@@ This is your natural state? Seriously? How? Her skin was wless, like marble¡ªsmooth and radiant with not a single blemish in sight. But that wasn¡¯t the issue here. I slumped back into my chair and asked: "...Have you really never tried color makeup? No contouring or highlighting? I was convinced you had spent hours getting ready!" Our eyes met. For once, Yujin looked a little awkward, avoiding my gaze as she muttered: "...I don¡¯t know the first thing about that..." "Oh." But at that moment, I couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread across my face. All those potential ns for our next destination instantly evaporated from my mind, reced by a single thought as the navigation interface popped up automatically. The destination was none other than a nearby department store. Given that we¡¯d just eaten at a luxury hotel buffet, it was only natural that there would be a high-end department store within walking distance¡ªjust 350 meters away, in fact. As we headed out, Yujin¡¯s voice sounded uncertain. "...Why?" "Yujin." And with a surprisingly bright tone, I added: "Are you ready for a makeover?" "No. Absolutely not." "Starting is half the battle! Let¡¯s go!" "I don¡¯t even want to start! Ugh!" But there was no escape. The counterattack had begun. As expected, the customers of luxury department stores were incredibly diverse. asionally, those who couldn¡¯t even be called "customers" were turned away right at the entrance, but as a multi-functional facility, the department store attracted people of all ages. Celebrities, public figures, influencers, entertainers, wealthy individuals stopping by for a meal, office workers... an uncountable variety of visitors roamed the department store, numbering in the hundreds of thousands daily. Therefore, the employees who attended to these customers were also ustomed to dealing with all kinds of people. After all, that''s just the nature of the service industry. These employees were well-versed in maintaining theirposure even in front of celebrities, tycoons, and other high-profile individuals. However... "Hello, we¡¯re here to look at some makeup products. Do you have a makeup room where we can try them out after purchasing? I won¡¯t be buying for myself, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you could rmend some products for this person." "Ah, yes. I... I understand. Please, have a seat." Pointed ears protruding from her head. Sapphire-colored eyes with vertically slit pupils like those of a snake. And finally, arge, imposing snake tail that dominated her lower half. The staff in the first-floor makeup section were about to have an experience like no other in their lives¡ªa once-in-a-lifetime moment they were unlikely to forget. One thing was clear: whether at a bar or anywhere else, talking about this event beyond these walls could lead to serious consequences. As the employee, still startled, spoke in a shaky voice, Yujin nced at the chair before her with a slightly dissatisfied expression. "Is there something wrong, ma¡¯am?" the staff member asked, noticing her hesitation. "Do you have a chair without a backrest?" "A chair without a backrest... Oh! I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll bring one right away!" The staff had overlooked the second unique issue. Yujin simply couldn¡¯t sitfortably in a regr chair with a backrest. For someone like her, most chairs were bound to be problematic. As the staff member quickly disappeared to fetch the chair, Yujin let out a small sigh and flicked her finger against Dice''s side. Of course, even this "light" flick was no joke in terms of strength. "Gaaah! That hurts! It hurts so much!" "If you had just behaved and taken me somewhere else, you wouldn¡¯t be suffering. I really went easy on you. It won''t even leave a bruise." "...How strong is your flick?!" "Uh..." If I used full force, I could break bones. Naturally, Yujin kept this thought to herself. Just another ordinary Saturday. Chapter 162 "Your skin is really good, not oily or dry. Just keep doing your usual skincare routine, and in the winter, maybe just add a face oil. Did you put on sunscreen today? Let''s see... I think you''d use shade 13 for foundation. With a base this nice, you can keep your blush and contour natural. I rmend this product for that¡ªwhat do you think?" "Thank you. Is there a makeup room here by any chance?" "It''s inside. I¡¯ll show you the way." ¡­How did I end up in this situation? Wasn''t makeup supposed to be about burning your enemies or covering your face in dust and gunpowder after a building copsed during a mission? I thought tactical makeup was just the dust and dirt that piled up on your skin after a rough operation. I guess I should count myself lucky that after spending over four years in the battlefield with no time to care for my skin, it¡¯s still in good condition. Meanwhile, Dice and the staff were speaking anguage full of terms I¡¯d never heard before, leading me straight into the makeup room, which felt like a hellish abyss. Was this the "Malebolge" of my personal sins? I shuddered at the powerlessness I felt for the first time. "Agh¡­" "Wow, there¡¯s really not much that needs to be done. Yujin, if you just learn some basic eye and lip makeup, you¡¯ll be all set." "Ahhm¡­ mmph." "Ah, no moving, please!" What is this, a dentist''s office? What''s happening here? A stick ran along my cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin, followed by something that felt like a brush tapping my face. I had no idea what was going on. I could only sit there in dread, not knowing what was about to happen¡­ So, this is makeup? The world sure is full of things I don¡¯t understand. Meanwhile, Dice was excitedly mutteringints under her breath. "Wow, I barely did anything, but it already looks great. Your face is so small that I didn¡¯t even need to do much contouring. Gah, I¡¯m not even that good at this. I¡¯ll probably need help with the eye makeupter." "For someone who ims not to be good, you sure seem thrilled." "Hehe. You can open your eyes now." How much time had passed, anyway? I managed to open my eyes. The scent of cosmetics lingering near my nose felt strange. I looked into the mirror¡ªwell, what can I say? It didn¡¯t seem like anything dramatic had changed. I examined myself more closely, but honestly, I didn¡¯t see much difference. Maybe there was a bit more contrast here and there, but for the amount of time we spent, it seemed pretty inefficient. I nced at Dice, who quickly started defending herself. "Hey, it''s not that my makeup skills are bad! You just don''t look that different with makeup on. I swear, I did my own makeup today, too. I followed all the guidelines!" "Hmm¡­" "Geez, you could look at it positively¡ªyou''re just that naturally stunning! It¡¯s like a diamond. You don¡¯t overdo it with extra decoration; you just mount it on a ring, right? Same idea." "Stop saying embarrassing things like that." "Ow!" Why does she always have to add some weirdment? Unfortunately, this makeup ordeal was just getting started. Dice told me that now that the base was done, we were moving on to the "interior decorating" stage, which meant eye and lip makeup. I wasn''t sure how much more dramatic things could get, but I decided to just go along with it. It was something to experience at least once, and if it got too annoying, I could just shove all the products into a corner. If I ever became interested, I could always ask someone else for help. A few more minutes passed. "With your fair skin, a light pink glitter eyeshadow should work great¡­" "Your eyeliner is already sharp, so instead of thick triangles, I¡¯d suggest using a fine brush pen for a softer look¡­" "Yourshes are pretty long, so you just need a bit of mascara¡ªnothing too much. We¡¯ll curl them lightly with this¡­" This was the first time so many unfamiliar hands and tools moved across my face. Back in the day, the most I did to my face was wear a bva or use war paint before deploying into battle. On the rare asion I had downtime during missions, I might have raided some cosmetic stores in Manhattan for basic skincare products. Of course, my shameless teammates always stole them for their own skincare routines, but I got back at them with a bit of sparring. As these irrelevant memories floated through my mind, Dice had already bought a whole stash of eye makeup and dragged me back to the makeup room. The only difference this time was that she¡¯d brought an assistant along to help. Between the gasps of "Oh my gosh, wow, that¡¯s amazing!" I let the words drift in one ear and out the other. If I focused too much on this, my head might spin. How much time had passed? "You can open your eyes now. Wow, you look beautiful! Just adding a few highlights made all the difference." "It really suits you." Huh¡­ When I looked in the mirror, I had to admit¡ªit did give off a "she put effort into her appearance today" vibe. The reason wasn''t hard to figure out. The soft glittering eyeshadow, neatly drawn eyeliner, and mascara-coatedshes made me look objectively nice. The problem was that it was my own reflection staring back at me. Why am I even exining this? It¡¯s making me feel worse. Anyway, I guess I could say I looked "done up." But then I nced over and saw the collection of lipsticks and lip glossesid out beside me. I guess that¡¯s next. With a sigh, I closed my eyes again. "For the lips, it¡¯s good to keep it lighter on the outside and darker towards the inside¡­" "We¡¯ll use this pink shade as a base and deepen the inner part with a lip brush, making sure to blend the edges properly¡­" "Yes, that will look lovely." Ugh. I¡¯m about to lose my mind. "Thank you for visiting! Pleasee again!" "Yes, yes, thank you!" Today''s haul: 30,000 won worth of cosmetics that will be delivered to my house within two days, and Dice, who couldn¡¯t stop smiling to save her life. I thought department stores were either pleasant ces or traps filled with booby traps like rocks on a battlefield. Turns out, they¡¯re also ces that can exhaust you beyond belief. This ce has taken on a new, third meaning for me now. A brief conversation followed. "So, how do you feel after your first time?" "I feel mentally drained." "Hehe. But you look gorgeous! It¡¯s amazing how just a few key touches can really make things pop. I didn¡¯t get it before, but now I do." "¡­I think I¡¯ll just stick to basic skincare and sunscreen from now on." "Aww, but I bought you all those products! You have to use them sometimes." "No promises." I was serious. If it had been something I bought myself, it would already be shoved in a corner somewhere. But unfortunately for me, Dice had splurged 300,000 won of her own money on all this stuff, leaving me with no excuses. All I could do was hope I wouldn¡¯t need to wear makeup again anytime soon. If I had to attend a formal event, I¡¯d rather just hire a stylist to do it. After all, I¡¯m more used to lifting kilos of metal than performing delicate makeup rituals. As the fatigue set in, I started craving something sweet. Our eyes met. "Yujin." "Yes?" "We''re thinking the same thing, aren''t we?" "I seriously doubt it." "Oh,e on! You¡¯ve got your makeup done¡ªnow it¡¯s time for clothes shopping! There¡¯s a women¡¯s section starting on the second floor. Let¡¯s each get one outfit. Just one! If we buy too much, the prize money will disappear in no time. What do you think?" Sigh. With a small sigh, I spoke up. "I guess this is where I drag you to a caf¨¦?" "Come on, we¡¯re already here! Let¡¯s do some shopping. I¡ªwahh! My waist! The tail! I¡¯m floating! I¡¯m floating in the air!" "Let¡¯s sit down and have an honest chat over something sweet." "Wait, didn¡¯t you just eat 15 different desserts at the buffet?! Fine, okay! Put me down! I give up!" Tactical capture. It reminded me of a mission where I had to carry Harmony, and someone in the chat called it a "tactical piggyback." I guess what I¡¯m doing now is pretty simr. Though this piggyback involves some serious conversation. Our next destination was not a room of truth, but a caf¨¦. Time to pay the price for letting someone toy with my face. Of course, we did end up buying clothes afterward. My dislike for department stores just keeps growing. "Next week is the start of the ad filming season, right? Come to think of it, even though you have sponsorships, it must be hard for you to shootmercials in real life. What offers have you gotten?" "Well, there are coborations with essories and sports gear... I also got a renewal offer from SSM. There''s the usual broadcast interviews, and they want to make a documentary about pro gamers too. Surprisingly, I¡¯ve also had quite a few requests to promote tactical gear." "Oh wow¡­ That¡¯s unexpected. I figured you¡¯d get offers for sports or everyday products, but essories and tactical gear? That¡¯s a first¡ªah! Stop squirming!" "Whoops." How should I put it? After all the pestering, we ended uping to a reptile caf¨¦. But it looks like Dice is going to need a bit more time to getfortable with real snakes. Her body was stiff from nervousness. Anyway, it was 5:26 PM, and as mentioned, we were at a pet caf¨¦ in Seoul. With some time to kill before dinner, we decided to stop by after finishing our department store shopping. It felt like I was following the same pattern I did with Harmony, except this time, it was reptiles instead of mammals¡ªsnakes, lizards, turtles, and the like. A yellow ball python slithered around my neck, moving across my shoulders like it was dancing. I gently stroked its head, and it nudged its face into my cheek. It was almost like the snake was intelligent. I¡¯m not sure how to exin it, but it seems like I have a natural affinity with reptiles. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m an anaconda that I get bonus points with them?@@novelbin@@ They seem to like me a lot, responding well and being unusually affectionate. "Wow, a snake with a snake. Hehe." "Does it really suit me that much?" "Yeah, actually. Yujin, you kind of have a ¡®snake face¡¯ too. Not in a bad way, just¡­ there¡¯s something about the elegance of a snake." Sigh. "Ow!" Dice lightly swatted my ankle with her tail. It didn¡¯t hurt much, of course. "Maybe there¡¯s another snake down there. It could¡¯ve hit you instead." "Right, sure. Anyway, thanks to Yujin, we got some free snacks for taking a few photos. What a day." Dice sipped her iced tea, satisfied. She was right. Nowadays, pet caf¨¦s offer free entry on your first visit if you bring a manifested being with you. This caf¨¦ was no exception. The staff and employees¡¯ eyes practically popped out of their heads when I walked in, but oh well. As long as you didn¡¯t mind those reactions, it was a nice way to spend time without spending money. The conversation continued on a simr note. "By the way, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever mentioned anything about interviews, have I?" "You bring it up like there¡¯s something unusual about them." "There kind of is. I guess you could call it a ¡®scrim interview.¡¯ Just because it¡¯s broadcast doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t use VR interview functions. Of course, there are real-life interviews, but Yujin, you have limitations in that area, don¡¯t you?" "Yeah, that¡¯s true. But these interviews must feel different from the usual ones, especially because of the special status of being an AP national representative, right?" "Exactly." Dice, barely nibbling on the carrot cake that came with her drink, continued. "Being a national representative doesn¡¯tst very long¡ªmaybe a month at most? Sure, there¡¯ll still be some shoots after the Asia qualifiers, given how many ads we¡¯ve already secured, but it¡¯s a ticking clock." "I see. So, to make the most of that limited time, they do these special interviews. But do they all follow this format?" "Not all of them. But as you guessed, Yujin, even though one in ten Koreans might have watched KSM, the remaining nine who didn¡¯t include quite a few sponsors and advertisers." "Ah." Capitalist logic at its finest. Well, considering my past with the Dark Zone, which was both my reality and a game, it made sense that massive amounts of capital would be closely tied to it. The more interesting part came when Dice lowered her voice to keep others from hearing. "Even with scrim interviews, it¡¯s not like they show much. People outside the pro world who aren¡¯t tuned into the smallest details won¡¯t really understand the skill gaps between yers from different countries." "Haha, so the goal is just to look cool." "Exactly. Plus, it¡¯s a good way to shake off the rust from the first week. The bigger the audience, the more likely you¡¯ll get nervous again." She gave a yful smile as an employee brought over my snack¡ªhoney bread. "You¡¯re already getting recognized everywhere, Yujin. I bet that makes you nervous." "¡­Huh?" tter. The male employee ced a tray on our table. On the te of honey bread sat a chocte que with the words "Congrattions on your KSM 1st ce!" inscribed on it. Along with it came a sheet of A4 paper and a pen. With a slightly nervous voice, the employee spoke. "Excuse me¡­ You¡¯re the streamer Yujin, right? Congrattions on cing first in KSM and making it to the Asia qualifiers. Would you mind signing this for me¡­?" "Um, I¡¯ve never given out an autograph before¡­ I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take pictures, but is there something specific you¡¯d like me to write?" "Oh, no, anything you write is fine. And is your friend also a pro gamer?" A quick nce between Dice and me, and Dice finally spoke up. "Just a reminder, if you tell anyone, our legal team wille after you. Anyway, I¡¯m Dice, the gamer who ced second in KSM. I¡¯m with SSM Entertainment. Nice to meet you." "Wow, wow, wow, oh my gosh¡­! I¡¯ll be right back with another sheet of paper!" And with that, the employee dashed off. I wrote a simple message, wishing him good fortune, and handed it over. "Same to you." "¡­Yeah. Didn¡¯t expect the spotlight on me." Well, of course. Dice¡¯s reckoning was still ongoing. Chapter 163 As the Asia qualifiers approached, the five participating countries were fiercelypeting for their respective goals. These five nations, historically intertwined with one another, harbored immense pride and an unwaveringpetitive spirit, stemming from a deep-rooted belief that they must not lose to their rivals. This fierce determination had carried over into modern society. One of the prime examples of this was the League, which was ssified alongside the North American and European Leagues, forming what is now known as the East Asian League. The fact that this league stood on par with its counterparts, wherepetition was intense to the point of being cutthroat, was a testament to the region¡¯spetitive nature. Every year, the rivalry intensified. yers studied their opponents to such an extent that they even analyzed their ystyles in their dreams, striving to secure a spot in the finals. Of course, this psychological warfare didn¡¯t end with the yers. The importance of staff who had to view the battlefield from a broader perspective could not be understated. It wasn¡¯t umon for a singlement topletely overturn a team¡¯s strategy. If the coaching staff devised the tactics, the yers were the ones to drive the sword into the enemy¡¯s heart. The overall increase in skill level across the board was undeniable, but it wasn¡¯t the same for everyone. The differences in culture, location, and personnel contributed to each country¡¯s unique strengths. China, with its sevenpeting regions, consistently boasted top-tier talent through fierce nationalpetition. Japan, a leading power in the Asia qualifiers, maintained its edge by consistently exchanging tactics with the United States. Russia, once shattered under the weight of capitalism, had risen again, with the legacy of its past as a superpower still intact.@@novelbin@@ South Korea, despite its small size, cultivated a monstrous yer base due to its need to counter its pseudo-nation neighbor, North Korea. Each year, it produced a national team that could hold its own against China, Russia, and Japan. And then there was Taiwan, which, unfortunately, was often considered the weakest link due to the overwhelming infrastructure of its neighbors. Regardless of each country''s strengths or weaknesses, certain elements remained consistent across the nations participating in the Asia qualifiers. ¡°...Here is the list of key yers to watch in the Asia qualifiers. Coaches and yers, please review it thoroughly ande up with strategies before the match.¡± The pre-briefing. This event wasn¡¯t exclusive to South Korea, and there were always aspects of these national briefings that were best kept secret. Each country, including Korea, knew what to expect from other countries'' pre-briefings¡ªa dissection-like analysis to prepare countermeasures, with the target always being foreign yers. As soon as the pre-briefing ended, the participants trickled out. Unlike Korea, which still had a post-briefing to attend, other nations simply delivered the necessary information and promptly wrapped up their sessions. Untilst year, Korea hadn¡¯t been much different. But this year, apletely unexpected surge had drawn at least a million more viewers than anticipated, prompting a more borate response. Click. Returning to the hotel, the yers exchanged brief farewells before heading to their individual rooms. After gettingfortable, Yujin slipped on her choker-style connector, pressed a button, and entered VR. The familiar ruins awaited her. Assigned to a separate space within the Operator Room, the walls were lined with various intel, creating the feel of a briefing room. The LED clock on the wall switched to a countdown, disying 30 minutes. Her avatar, weathered by countless battles, had sharp eyes beneath its dark pupils that scanned the piles of information. It was the analysis data of foreign yers, transmitted immediately after the pre-briefing. In other words, a puzzle to solve. Her gaze fell on the files, eachbeled with yer names. But one file, noticeably more worn than the others, caught her eye¡ªsix letters written across the top. Yujin. The higher she climbed, the more she could see. Fourteen years of honing skills designed to take lives had not only improved her abilities in the game but also granted her a unique edge. She could see the paths her opponents had walked, the training they had undergone, the hesitations in their movements, and the areas they were less skilled in. It was a talent she had developed during her years in the military, an instinct born from her experiences. Today, she was grateful for that talent. Is there a chance? Interestingly, many analysts focused on Yujin¡¯s solo y in AP mode. However, what they should have been paying attention to was her main missions with a user named Harmony. Her ability to read the battlefield was unmatched, and her split-second decisions were far beyond what any normal person could make. Even hermentary during airstrike guidance suggested she had qualifications equivalent to a JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller). It was highly likely she wasn¡¯t just a former special forces soldier, but a real-life operator who had been deployed multiple times¡ªa national asset, not just a regr yer. The longer one stayed in this field, the better their intuition became. Outside of North America, the number of individuals with Yujin¡¯s level of military experience and skill was incredibly small. But the world had a way of throwing new challenges at you just when you thought you had everything figured out. Ding. -[Notification: Starting video yback.] "Haah." Do what you can. Just because this user was her highest priority didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t other things to focus on. There were still plenty of rookies to train, and three weeks remained until the Asia qualifiers. It wasn¡¯t much time to turn rough stones into polished gems, but when in life did one ever get the time they needed? Looks like I¡¯ll be living in VR for a while. The night was drawing near. Autumn days were still short. Meanwhile, two people had unknowingly earned the attention of a BBQ restaurant¡¯s staff. "Five orders of short ribs and five of char-grilled pork belly, right? Plus four bowls of rice and two orders of soybean paste stew? You¡¯re not waiting for more people to join you, are you?" "Nope, that¡¯s all." "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s going to eat it all." Sizzle. "What is this?" "Check it out." The meat browned to perfection, sending its savory scent through the air as it cooked on the grill. The red flesh charred to a caramel brown, the criss-crossed grill marks adding to its appeal. Amidst the tter of voices, sses clinking, and meat sizzling, an unfamiliar sound reached Dice¡¯s ears alone¡ªa notification of arge message. Her expression immediately soured. Arge file from Yujin could only mean one thing. Another strategy guide, no doubt simr to the one she had sent to Bloomingst time. A new training curriculum. It was time to return to her real job. "You¡¯re really killing my appetite here." "Think of it as returning to form a little early." "...I¡¯ll take a look." Half-expecting and half-dreading, Dice opened the file. Yujin¡¯s training ns were always insane in both content and quality. It wasn¡¯t just tailored for AP; it was on a whole other level ofplexity and emotional detachment. And yet, even without any special intuition, Dice knew roughly what this person was preparing her for. After months of setting it aside, the next encounter with Japan¡¯s case was fast approaching, and her suspicions were slowly turning into certainty. Hesitantly, she asked, "Is it really okay to be sharing all this with me?" "Hmm." Yujin met her gaze while chewing her food. Someone as perceptive as Yujin would have immediately understood why she was asking. Still, there was no way to read Yujin¡¯s thoughts. She was an easy person to understand, yet impossible to fully know. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant that Yujin had her secrets¡ªeveryone had secrets. What intrigued Dice was the depth of those secrets. But maybe she¡¯d never learn. Or maybe, when everything was over, Yujin would reveal them. As expected, Yujin reassured her calmly. "I haven¡¯t told you anything critical, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m only giving you insights into things people might normally overlook." "Well, you¡¯re not wrong." The question of how Yujin managed to pinpoint those ¡°overlooked¡± elements so urately remained unspoken. Dice opened the file and began reviewing it. One thing became clear: she wouldn¡¯t be spending any more time at the shooting range. Instead, she¡¯d be engaging in direct 1:1 sessions with Yujin. Lovely. "What¡¯s the goal of this curriculum?" "You¡¯re catching on quickly." Yujin wiped her hands after popping a bite of meat into her mouth. Following a deliberately noisy silence, she took a sip of soda and replied. "Pressure." "Pressure, huh?" "There are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of possiblebat scenarios. Even if you¡¯re in the same situation, you can never predict how it will y out perfectly. How many times have I emphasized this?" "Enough times for it to stick." "It¡¯s that important." She continued. "By the time you¡¯re done with this schedule, you¡¯ll be able to remain calm in anybat situation." "Great, so my next month is going to be packed." "I¡¯ll be pushing you a lot harder than the two-person scrims we¡¯ve done before, so brace yourself." "Eugh. I¡¯m already losing my appetite." Maybe it was because she¡¯d spent all day eating, or maybe it was the looming dread of the next few weeks, but the future felt daunting. Still, Yujin¡¯s timing was as impable as ever. Life rarely delivered what you wanted when you wanted it; more often, it served up massive challenges just when you least expected them. Not that Dice could deny she was already pretty influenced by Yujin at this point. That aside¡­ "How can you eat so much and still enjoy it? I¡¯m kind of envious." "Haha, there are some perks." "Of course, I¡¯m going to be broke by the end of today, but don¡¯t even think about splitting the bill. I said I¡¯d treat you. I¡¯ve got plenty of money after cing second." "Ah." "Seriously. Who do you think helped me get here?" Swoosh. Two thick slices of perfectly cooked meat. On top of a lettuce leaf, some rice, a dab of ssamjang, green onions, and pickled onions. The wrap was huge, far too big for Dice to eat herself. She made it for Yujin. Yujin, looking slightly bewildered, reached for the wrap. "Why are you trying to take it with your hands? Open your mouth,e on." "Why are you trying to feed me? It¡¯s embarrassing." "Everyone knows you¡¯re shy, Yujin. But today, you¡¯re going to let me feed you. Now,e on, open wide!" "Why are you like this?" Yujin¡¯s face flushed slightly as she hesitantly opened her mouth, cheeks glowing as the smoke from the grill swirled between them. It was almost amusing how quickly Yujin¡¯s mood brightened as soon as the food was in her mouth. She began chewing, and once she finished, she nodded. "It¡¯s good." "Of course, it is. Who do you think is paying?" "Fair point." Then Yujin added. "At least there¡¯s no awkwardness between us in real life. You look the same in VR and reality, so it¡¯s not weird. A lot of people with big gaps between their avatars and real appearances find it super ufortable to meet in person." "It¡¯s a funny coincidence. But it sounds like you¡¯ve seen that happen before." "It happenedst year during the pre-briefing. It was chaos. There wasn¡¯t as much structure as there is now, so hardly anyone interacted in real life. I thought I was going to suffocate." "Last year, you said it was super quiet? That probably had something to do with it, huh." "Of course. How was I supposed to go around chatting with everyone in a room full of men? Unless I was an extrovert, which I¡¯m not... Anyway, that¡¯s how it was." As she continued venting, she felt lighter. By the time they were done eating, it was already 9 PM. If she went home and took care of everything before bed, it¡¯d probably be around 11 PM, maybe midnight. Their meal was wrapping up, and it was time to pay. After spending the whole day eating, Dice figured she¡¯d consumed at least 3,000 calories. They put their coats back on to avoid smelling like meat and stepped outside. The cool weather weed them, a stark contrast to just a few months ago. It seemed like tomorrow would be a good day for cardio. In other words, it was time to part ways. "My ce is in Gangnam, so I¡¯ll be heading down that way. What about you?" "I¡¯m just a bit north. I live near Hongje Station." "Wow, that¡¯s a nice area. I¡¯m jealous." "Come on." They exchanged some lighthearted banter as they walked toward the subway station. The gate came into view. One would be heading up, and the other down. It was really time to say goodbye. Maybe it was because Yujin¡¯s avatar looked just like her real self, but the bond they¡¯d formed in VR made parting ways feel a bit sad. Still, since they¡¯d be seeing each other again tomorrow, Dice wished for a good meeting next time. "Let¡¯s hang out more in real life. Meeting in VR can be kind of scary." "Haha." With a wave, Yujin replied. "Sure. See youter." And with a swish of her tail, Yujin disappeared. Dice watched her leave before heading down to the tform to wait for her train. The opposite train arrived first, so she couldn¡¯t see Yujin leave. Ugh¡­ It had been a tiring day, in many ways. Just another autumn night. -[Interview Schedule Notification] -[Mon: Yujin // Dice // Mikael // Gambit] -[Tue: Xi // TK1] -[Wed: Arcadia Games // GEARUP] -[Thu: Veritas // nKK1kers] -[Fri: LegioInvicta // ClearSky // ReaperINfected] Chapter 164 [General] Interview schedule''s up, lololololol Why is it on Monday????? Yujin noona, you''re insane?????? [Comments] [Order by registration] -Another day where the 9-to-5 zombies perish lmao -I swear lol I¡¯m not giving up my phone tomorrow, gonna watch the interview during lunch break ?High schooler gamer? lol ?Is this¡­ Korea¡¯s future? ?Grandmaster¡­, same high school age¡­, these days, everyone¡¯s talking about ck Zone¡­, punks~,,!!! ?-Boomer- -200,000 high schoolers nationwide all nning not to turn in their phones on Monday lol ?Since when did ck Zone allow under 19 lol ?Nowadays, high schoolers can y up to 4 hours, but old people wouldn¡¯t know this lmao ?What¡¯s the point of 4 hours, lol, so frustrating ?If I were still a high schooler, I¡¯d die from the suspense lol -I¡¯m on Monday duty, guess I¡¯ll rewatch it in the early morning ?Hospital worker? ?Field army sergeant, right? lmao ?Goverrrnnmenttttttttttttt ?Can¡¯t even use foreign guns in military-issue VR lmao ?Stop poking at my wounds, you brats!!!!!! -Dice is always showing up lololololololol -Wait, Dice is one thing, but Mikael and Gambit? Isn¡¯t this basically a reunion of offenders and victims? ?It¡¯s not an interview, it¡¯s a hearing, lol ?LMAO, so true. -Look, it¡¯s Starry Night Story. They¡¯ve officially hit world-ss now. ?Well, they¡¯re national representatives, of course, it¡¯s world-ss lol ?identally spoke the truth, didn¡¯t we? -The climax starts right from the beginning lol Once the weekend ends, the weekday begins. After a week of rest, the yers from Korea¡¯s national team match, including the AP duo and squad representatives, finally had their chance for real rest. They were preparing to showcase their skills in the Asia Qualifiers¡ªduo and squad divisions, which would happen one week after the soloing qualifiers. Meanwhile, those selected through KSM for the national team woke from their extended slumber, ready to sharpen their dulled senses. For the AP soloing representatives, there were two main tasks in the second week. First, they had to adjust to the curriculum they were given, getting used to the hectic schedule that would start in week three. While the yers rested, the teams, Icarus, and sponsors were busier than ever. A task forceposed of ten teams worked tirelessly to manage each of the twenty yers and develop strategies for the Asia Qualifiers. This rigorously crafted training course was passed to the yers, who began executing it while providing feedback and making adjustments. Discussions between the yers and coaching staff would continue endlessly over the course of the month, intensifying as scrims officially began in weeks three and four. And the second thing yers had to do? Public appearances. ¡°Ugh, I still don¡¯t get why we¡¯re doing an interview with a scrim concept. I¡¯ll never get used to this.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you exinst time how this made total sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always annoying when it actually happens.¡± It was as if they had just returned from the battlefield¡ªrealistic but not too disheveled. The gear was functional but not cumbersome, with a hexagrid te carrier and a chest rigyered on top. yers who typically preferred efficiency, opting for armor with built-in pouches, found this unfamiliar. As for me, I¡¯ve always worn titanium tes in my vests¡ªanything to avoid getting shot¡ªso it didn¡¯t really matter. The weight never bothered me. In today¡¯s interview, there were four participants. Of course, Dice and I are always together, but the other two were surprisingly familiar¡ªthough people might assume nothing goodes from being associated with me. Not this time, though. Today, it was Clear Sky¡¯s Gambit and Reaper Infected¡¯s Mikael. ¡­Okay, maybe it wasn¡¯t entirely drama-free. At least I had built some rapport with Gambit after I dunked him inva once, and we¡¯ve kept in touch over curriculum-rted matters. As for Mikael¡­ well, no excuses there. I didn¡¯t expect Dice to end up bashing him too. His shield y was better suited for team matches than solo y, but gettingpletely obliterated in a straight-up firepower duel was still surprising. Anyway¡­ ¡°How are you two doing?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re doing fine!¡± ¡°Whoa, didn¡¯t expect that.¡± Why do they always act so startled when I call on them? Gambit was the one who answered quickly, while Mikael jumped in surprise. Both of them were using avatars with cat ears, so their ears flicking up in shock was cute. I still don¡¯t understand why they use cute avatars in the virtual world, but to each their own. Still, it was pretty adorable. ¡°We¡¯re just about done, though we ran into a few snags.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± ¡°Yujin, stop looking around ande here. We need to go over the script. It¡¯s nice you¡¯re being thoughtful, but we¡¯ve still got a mountain of things to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Dice has a strangely domestic vibe to her. Anyway, as you can see, the interview was taking ce in virtual reality. In reality, studio setups, schedules, and countless other logistical issues could arise¡ªthough I was probably the biggest issue.@@novelbin@@ Besides, as I¡¯d heard at the reptile caf¨¦ on Saturday, the national team title doesn¡¯tst long. A month at most. This was likely a way to forcefully imprint the image of a ¡°reliable national representative¡± on the public¡¯s mind. We started reading the script. As expected, it began with introductions. Then, each yer would be introduced through various media, starting with me. There wasn¡¯t a clear script for this part¡ªit seemed they wanted spontaneous answers rather than rehearsed ones. I¡¯d go first, followed by Dice, Gambit, and Mikael. The focus would shift whenever a specific yer was mentioned, following a typical pattern. Then there was the mock battle. The gallery and MCs would participate as spectators. The game was 2v2, with three rounds in total. Each yer would team up with Dice, Gambit, and Mikael, facing off against the others. The more wins, the more prizes yers could draw for. There would also be a bonus match against selected streamers and skilled members from the gallery, adding a fun twist. Fortunately¡ªor unfortunately¡ªnot every interview included suchbat. Tomorrow¡¯s program was ted to be more straightforward. How much time had passed, I wonder. ¡°Five seconds until broadcast starts! All yers, please stand by!¡± The world around us gradually turned white as the transmission began. Dice spoke up in the meantime. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t say anything weird, okay? Got it?¡± ¡°You say that like I¡¯m always spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s do our best!¡± Through the blurring scenery, I chuckled softly. ¡°Yeah.¡± The show was about to start. ¡°Wee to IBS¡¯s Esports special talk show, Starry Night Stories! We¡¯re here with IBS¡¯s most passionate esports celebrities and announcers, ready to engage in deep discussions with the finest national representative gamers!¡± ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Kim Kang-hyuk, celebrity and esports enthusiast. It¡¯s an honor to be invited here today!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Oh Yeon-jin, IBS¡¯s esports-loving announcer. I want to extend a warm wee to everyone gathered here today.¡± Apuse rang out as the audience showered praise, their ps filling the room as the hosts continued. ¡°Greetings, everyone! I¡¯m Phoenix, the caster who¡¯s been bringing you all the coverage of this year¡¯s qualifiers and KSM.¡± ¡°Alongside Phoenix is me, the analyst and host. Great to be here with you all.¡± Celebrities, announcers, casters, and analysts. As they introduced themselves, the stage expanded, doubling the number of chairs from four to eight. The celebrities and announcers sat on the left, while the casters and analysts took the right. The four center seats, of course, were for the yers about to make their entrance. More conversation followed, setting the stage for the yer introductions. ¡°And so, casting and analyzing the games alongside these athletes is what helps drive the growth of esports.¡± ¡°Haha, thanks for saying that. You know, Dark Zone has only been out for five years, right? I believe there¡¯s still plenty of room for growth, and we hope to be the driving force behind it.¡± ¡°Well said. Considering it¡¯s still at its peak, the role of casters and analysts who witness this growth firsthand is invaluable.¡± With a gesture, the atmosphere shifted. The screen on the wall lit up, and dramatic music began to y. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to invite the stars of this show. The crowd has been eagerly awaiting their appearance, and these rising stars of the esports world will soon take the stage!¡± The air changed. The colors ck and blue intertwined, forming a sleek, surreal serpent emblem. As soon as the audience recognized the silhouettes and pictograms, cheers erupted from every corner. As the anticipation reached its peak, the snake symbol fragmented into four different pictograms. ck, blue, yellow, white, and a light tan. The personal symbols of the four yers appearing today. ¡°Please give a warm wee to Yujin of the Free Agents, Dice from SSM Entertainment, Gambit from ClearSky, and Mikael from Reaper Infected! Let¡¯s give our national representatives a huge round of apuse!¡± Woooooo! With that, the stage exploded into a flurry of effects, and the doors swung open, revealing four figures walking out confidently. Their heavy equipment radiated an overwhelming presence. The familiar sound of metal nged as they carried their weapons, and dusted with white concrete powder and bloodstains, they looked as if they¡¯d just stepped off the battlefield. They stood in a line, gazing at the audience. As the mics appeared in their hands, the introductions began. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Yujin.¡± A short greeting, but the weight behind it was unparalleled. Dice smirked as she caught Yujin¡¯s brief but impactful introduction. Next up. ¡°Thank you to everyone who came today. I¡¯m Dice from SSM Entertainment!¡± Cheers, cheers, and more cheers. The apuse didn¡¯t subside as Gambit and Mikael introduced themselves. Only when the MCs regained control of the mics did the energy finally simmer down, like magic. Now that all eight had taken their seats, it was time for the talk show to begin in earnest. ¡°Wow, just sitting here with you all, the aura is palpable¡­ Yujin¡¯s gaze feels especially chilly¡­ I¡¯m sitting a seat away, so I¡¯m fine, but how about you, Kang-hyuk?¡± ¡°Oh man. By the time the show¡¯s over, I think there¡¯ll be frost on my left shoulder. Honestly, with Yujin¡¯s avatar being an anaconda¡­ I feel like prey standing in front of a predator.¡± As the audience burst intoughter, even Yujin¡¯s lips curled into a small smile. The real questions were about to begin. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you and Dice together a lot, but are you meeting Gambit and Mikael for the first time?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re the victims and perpetrators.¡± ¡°They came here to wave carrots around.¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Laughter erupted from all directions. The harmless jab of a question was redirected toward Mikael, who responded, Dice added a touch of chemistry, and Gambit¡¯s exaggerated cry finished it off. It took the audience a second to process the carrot joke, but then the whole room wasughing again. As Yujin, still with her straight face, followed up: ¡°Yesterday¡¯s enemies be today¡¯s teammates. As long as you¡¯re alive, that¡¯s how it goes.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s over if you¡¯re dead?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°Wow, these people are intense! They¡¯re already talking about such grim stuff right from the start!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Sorry about that.¡± The script? It was out the window at this point. Their individual backgrounds, pride, friendships, and all sorts of other factors created a lively dynamic that quickly derailed the pre-nned flow of the talk show. But that wasn¡¯t a bad thing. You could say the banter was perfectly in sync. The back-and-forth between the yers and MCs was so natural it gave birth to new stories on the spot. An unnned, finely tuned chaos was beginning to unfold. And it had only been three minutes since the talk show started. Chapter 165 ¡°Yujin, there are countless words to describe you. If you had to pick one that you liked the most, which would it be?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d prefer to throw them all away.¡± Pfft! The sound of suppressedughter and outright guffaws erupted all around. Some couldn¡¯t hold back and ended up sputtering air mixed with the amse in their mouths. Dice, however, was wide-eyed with shock, her face twisted halfway between disbelief and exasperation. Her expression seemed to say, ¡°What on earth is this woman saying in front of the cameras?¡± After telling Yujin not to say anything strange, well¡­ there it was. Truly, the queen of doing things her own way was at it again. But after taking a moment to calm down, Dice had to admit that, beyond Yujin¡¯s tone, she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. After all, teasing Yujin, who never seemed to get flustered no matter what, had be a bit of a sport. Many had given her absurd nicknames over time. For instance, ¡°Big Sister,¡± coined during a special broadcast, was one of the more decent ones. Others, like ¡°The Executioner,¡± ¡°The Sexiest Woman to Hit People,¡± ¡°Human Tank,¡± ¡°Walking Tonkatsu Mallet,¡± and ¡°Axe Goddess,¡± were much more oundish. Thetter had been given to her by Corvus during KSM, who quickly regretted it when she paid him back in full for it. With all that in mind, her reaction made perfect sense. The announcer, having barely recovered from Yujin¡¯s verbal jab, nervously continued. ¡°Well, that was quite the unexpected answer. Could you exin why you feel that way?¡± ¡°If the nicknames were at least reasonable, I could let them slide, but most of them are just ridiculous.¡± ¡°Ah, I see now. Then, I¡¯m really curious¡ªwhat kind of nickname would you actually like to have?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d rather not have a nickname at all. Though I know that¡¯s probably impossible.¡± It was, in fact, the truth. Controlling the opinions of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of fans, was beyond anyone¡¯s capability. Still, the audience found this all highly entertaining, even if the person in question¡ªYujin¡ªwas clearly not as amused. Naturally, the MC, Oh Yeon-jin, decided to steer the conversation in another direction. ¡°Personally, if I had to pick, the nickname that suits Yujin the best would be ¡®Apex Predator,¡¯ like the name of the mode itself. Your gamey has always dominated the field, which is why I think the nickname fits so well. What do you think of that, Yujin?¡± ¡°¡­I suppose I can tolerate that one. But it feels a little too much, since it¡¯s not like the others haven¡¯t done their part either. Still, I¡¯ll do my best to live up to it.¡± A standard response to a standard question. There were plenty more things the hosts wanted to ask, but time was running short, and they had to be mindful of the editing process for the final broadcast, which would include highlights. So, the interview continued, covering topics like whether Yujin had received offers from overseas teams. One thing many overlooked was that she¡¯d only been ying Dark Zone for about a month and a half. Yet, for all her fresh fame, the pressure of constant questions weighed on both Yujin and the MCs. In the end, the spotlight shifted to Dice. ¡°Thank you very much, Yujin. Now, let¡¯s move on to our next yer, who has been on a remarkable rise recently¡ªSSM¡¯s own Dice! Let¡¯s give her a big round of apuse!¡± Waaaah! Thunderous apuse and cheers filled the air. By now, Dice should¡¯ve been used to the attention, but the weight of expectations from so many people still made her feel the pressure. It was amon struggle among pro gamers¡ªfocusing more on results than the adoration of fans. The screen behind her started to y Dice¡¯s highlight reel. Just like Yujin, Dice had gained a slew of nicknames. SSM Entertainment¡¯s pride, ¡°The Gambler,¡± and many more. Initially, SSM hadn¡¯t stood out muchpared to other organizations, but Dice had rapidly risen through the ranks, defeating top contenders and earning a spot as one of the three yers sent topete in America. And then, after meeting Yujin, someone who was already skilled became almost unstoppable. Hence thements about her continued rise, even at the top. After a brief pause, Dice adjusted the microphone attached to her cor and bowed slightly before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m Dice from SSM Entertainment. It¡¯s nice to be here again. It feels like it¡¯s only been a year since Ist stood on this stage, but with all the intense experiences I¡¯ve had recently, time seems to fly by.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absolutely true. Time really does fly. You¡¯ve returned this year with a noticeably different aura. In particr, your more proactive approach seems to stand out. Could you tell us more from your perspective?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s because I¡¯ve gained more experience over time¡­¡± Dice nced at Yujin and lightly ced her hand on her shoulder, adding with a mischievous grin: ¡°¡­and, well, a certain someone has taught me how to handle things more boldly.¡± ¡°I just got through my turn, and you¡¯re already dragging me back into this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only just beginning.¡± Sensing an opportunity, Kim Kang-hyuk, one of the MCs, tossed out an unscripted question. ¡°You two seem to be quite close. So, Dice, what kind of person is Yujin to you?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ how should I put it? You know how in school, there are those teachers who are really strict and scary, but once you get to know them, they¡¯re very kind and caring toward their students?¡± ¡°Ah, I get what you mean. So, is Yujin like a PE teacher?¡± ¡°Exactly. But unlike those teachers, Yujin doesn¡¯t explode in anger when she¡¯s frustrated, which¡­ honestly, makes her scarier.¡± She continued with a smirk: ¡°If I had topare her to something else, maybe she¡¯s like a gym trainer who¡¯s patient but hits you with cold, hard facts.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a really clever way to put it.¡± It was exactly like that. When you confessed that you ate too much junk food, she¡¯d simply say, ¡°That¡¯s fine; we¡¯ll just add more sets tomorrow.¡± It made theparison to a scary teacher seem off, though. At least those teachers showed some mercy. The conversation flowed on, and the MCs¡¯ expressions shifted. It was an intentional change of tonepared to Yujin, where the line of questioning had been more limited, Dice¡¯s broader range of experiences allowed for more engaging discussions. Specifically, this. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move on to the next segment.¡± As they flipped through the script, Dice casually prepared her next answer. But when she saw the bolded words in front of her¡ª¡°Pressure Interview¡±¡ªher eyes widened. Dice had never been through a formal job interview since she was headhunted by SSM. Before she could even wonder what it entailed, the exnation arrived. ¡°In simple terms, you¡¯ll need to answer all the questions within three seconds.¡± ¡°What? I didn¡¯t even do interviews when I joined the team.¡± ¡°Haha, well, now¡¯s your chance! Herees the first question!¡± A holographic prompt floated before her, rather than the MC asking the question directly. Each was short enough to answer in under three seconds. Essentially, it was more of a rapid-fire quiz than a typical interview. Thanks to her sharp reflexes, Dice skimmed through the first question at lightning speed. Her answer came out even faster, almost reflexively. Q: Are pro gamer skills inherited or trained? ¡°Definitely trained.¡± The audience murmured, and even the casters exchanged nces. But the three pro gamers on stage nodded in quiet agreement. The next question popped up. Q: What¡¯s your most memorable match as a pro gamer? ¡°I¡¯d usually sayst year¡¯s seventh Asia Qualifier match, but I¡¯ll go with the Tannh?user Harbor match from this KSM.¡± The atmosphere shifted again. People nodded in understanding. It made sense¡ªDice had started a small snowball on that map, which grew into a full-blown avnche, transforming the battlefield into a chaotic apocalypse. Q: How would you describe Yujin in one word? ¡°She¡¯s someone you can rely on.¡± Truthfully, she was more like someone who would make your life miserable if you didn¡¯t follow her lead, but people only hear what they want to. The audience was practically swooning with thoughts of trust and camaraderie. If only they knew that under Yujin¡¯s training, it was more about draining everyst drop of blood and sweat from your body. The next question. Q: Do you have any rivals? ¡°Not really. I tend to focus more on aiming for those above me rather thanpeting with people at my level.¡±@@novelbin@@ And just like that, the pressure interview ended. Now it was time for some follow-up. ¡°Thank you for your answers. It felt almost like you¡¯d prepared them in advance, which speaks to how polished andplete you are as a yer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, back to the topic¡ªthere are so many people in Korea aspiring to be Dark Zone pro gamers. Dice¡¯s words must inspire them. Could you borate on what you meant when you said that pro skillse from training?¡± Dice¡¯s journey seemed more like one of natural talent than one of sheer effort¡ªan observation often made by her fellow pros. In the fast-paced, physical world of FPSbat, Dice, despite not having shown much interest in the field before, had quickly risen from an SSM trainee to a top-tier yer. So why did she emphasize training? She answered. ¡°¡­Many might disagree, but when I talk about training, I¡¯m not referring to ¡®standard pro gamer training¡¯ as most people imagine it. I¡¯m talking about breaking down every movement¡ªyour hands, your feet, your body mechanics, your stride, your aim, everything.¡± And that was only the beginning. It involved running simtions hundreds, even thousands of times, getting your body and mind attuned tobat scenarios until it was second nature. Once that foundation wasid, a personalized training regimen would begin. You¡¯d analyze everything from your shot grouping, body mechanics, unconscious biases like favoring one side over the other, and even figure out the optimal rate of fire based on your personal recoil management capabilities. Whether standing, crouching, or prone, every shooting posture was scrutinized. ¡°¡­That¡¯s what I mean when I say training. It¡¯s about analyzing all that data and finding your own optimal performance. And once you go through that kind of training, I believe anyone can reach the top ranks or even be a pro.¡± Dice¡¯s smooth, thorough exnation left almost everyone on stage dumbfounded. Even Yujin couldn¡¯t help but nce over with a slight smirk. Gambit and Mikael were quick to interject. ¡°So that¡¯s what the public feedback session was all about.¡± ¡°Hey, Dice, Yujin, how about you give me some of that training too? It¡¯s always me getting pummeled.¡± They shared augh, but Dice realized just how much her approach to gaming deviated from the norm. The next part of the show was about to begin. ¡°And now, before we start the exhibition matches, let¡¯s give a round of apuse to all the talented streamers and skilled yers joining us today!¡± p p p p p! A parade of avatars began walking onto the stage. Each shook hands with the pros, bowed to the audience, and prepared for the games ahead. They were all at least Tier 1¡ªranked yers about to face off against pros in what was known as a ¡°fun match.¡± But everyone knew it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. Dark Zone was a game where one small mistake could flip an entire oue, even for pros. Eighteen participants. They were split into six teams of three, with each team ying against a duo of pro gamers in 2v3 matches. Six exhibition matches. With Yujin, Dice, Gambit, and Mikael all pairing up, each team would only get one shot at taking down the pros. And, of course, a third of them wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to face off against Yujin and Dice directly. Naturally, all 18 participants were hoping they¡¯d get to y against Yujin. ¡°Why the long faces?¡± ¡°As long as we don¡¯t get Yujin¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what? She¡¯s the main star of the event¡ªhow can you avoid her? Even if you¡¯ve lost to her before.¡± ''We¡¯re saying this because we lost to her before, you idiot¡­'' Correction. Seventeen participants. ¡°The draw begins now! You have ten minutes to prepare your strategies!¡± It was over. One of the skilled streamers, Cartographer, who had nearly forgotten about Yujin since she¡¯d risen so high, looked at the spinning draw and knew in his heart that he was doomed. On a bright, clear day with blue skies. Chapter 166 "It¡¯s a big match right from the start! We have Eugene and Dice, master and apprentice! And their opponents are famous streamers: Cartographer, Espia, and ChickenLateNightOneTrick!" The entire space was scattered and then reassembled. Just seconds ago, it was a studio capable of hosting hundreds of people, but now it transformed into a battlefield. A rtively dark background filled with countless objects, ced deliberately. It was like the interior of a dismantled airne, with parts scattered around a hangar. However, the center waspletely empty, intentionally left devoid of items for now. After a few words were exchanged, the representatives of the celebrities and announcers retreated. From this point on, it was the domain of the casters andmentators. A refreshing voice echoed through the space, as if cleaning the ears. "Today, the highly anticipated first match! Five yers, divided into two teams of two and three, will battle in an abandoned hangar, with the scent of gunpowder thick in the air!" "At this moment, both teams are shaking hands. The streamers are discussing the handicaps they''ll impose. Given that their opponents have imed first and second ce in KSM, deep discussions are definitely needed." The rules for this event match were a bitplex. Before the match started, the streamer team could suggest one handicap to the pro gamer team in addition to the numerical advantage. As long as the handicap wasn''t excessively unfair, it had to be epted. If the handicap was within an eptable range, the pro gamer duo would ept it and begin their tactical discussions. Therefore, this game was significantly disadvantageous for the national representative team. The highlight of the event match was how the pros would perform under a handicap while being outnumbered. They had one minute to discuss what penalty they would impose. While Cartographer, Espia, and ChickenLateNightOneTrick went to discuss in the back, Dice and Eugene started their conversation. ¡°Ha, this is the most nerve-wracking moment. Last year, all sorts of weird things came up. I wonder what they''lle up with this year.¡± ¡°What kind of stuff came up?¡± ¡°Things like sealing off left-eye vision, fighting without the index finger of the right hand¡­ Left-handed yers had to use their right shoulder for aim, and vice versa for right-handed yers. But since pro gamers practice switching hands for shooting, we won easily.¡± Human imagination truly has no limits. Though he muttered that roughly, Eugene quickly returned to his usual half-indifferent expression. Dice, knowing that this expression usually meant Eugene had something on his mind, slyly probed for more information. ¡°You know something, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say for sure since there¡¯s a wide variety of possibilities, but since Cartographer is on the other team¡­ I suspect they¡¯lle up with a more serious handicap.¡± ¡°Cartographer? Do you know him?¡± ¡°¡­ He¡¯s a victim. Technically speaking.¡± Of course. It seemed that Eugene''s influence had spread far and deep. While Dice was thinking that, simr discussions were taking ce on the other side, though the content was different. Unlike Eugene and Dice, who were taking things lightly, Cartographer was treating the event match very seriously. Normally, he might have been told he was taking it too seriously, but among the three, only Cartographer had faced Eugene more than ten times in battle. Ignoring him would have been a grave mistake. ¡°... Really, is it that bad? Banning throwing weapons is like losing one of your arms.¡± ¡°Banning traps? Why traps?¡± ¡°I got caught in a trap once¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± How could they not know? The incident where Cartographer walked into Eugene¡¯s trap house had spread far and wide, thanks to one of Cartographer¡¯s streamer friends. Even if this hadn¡¯t happened to them personally, the flood of donations to Cartographer made it impossible to ignore. Thanks to those donations spreading like wildfire, there was even a joke going around that Eugene was preventing newbies from entering the game.@@novelbin@@ Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if Eugene was just hitting people with traps. At this point, many people knew that Eugene used traps to block sound or vision in various ways. In short, the streamer team had one thing in mind. ¡°If they just shoot quietly, their chances of survival are higher.¡± ¡°Should we stop them from running too? That would mess with their tactical movements.¡± ¡°That probably wouldn¡¯t be epted.¡± No running, no throwing weapons, only shooting. If all of this were epted, it would undoubtedly rank among the top penalties in event match history. But for some reason, even with all that, it felt like it would still be hard to win. Even if they couldn¡¯t run or use grenades, they were still strong enough to be a threat with just shooting. ¡­ Now that he thought about it, weren¡¯t Juggernauts exactly like that? The minute flew by in a sh. In the end, they chose a documentary over entertainment, and nearly all of their feedback was epted. Sprinting, of course, was prohibited. Only shooting was allowed. Meanwhile, the streamer team could use most of their skills, except for shield-rted ones. After the penalty was set, Eugene¡¯s team had five minutes to discuss tactics. When the time was up, the MC announced the start of the game. ¡°The event match begins now!¡± A final greeting. Eugene exchanged a nce with Cartographer and added: ¡°It¡¯s been a while. You¡¯ve made a pretty clever choice.¡± ¡°¡­I thought you¡¯d be good at shooting too. I¡¯m not confident in a head-on fight.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± At that moment, the view turned ck. The ce where they had just been standing was now covered in various objects as thebat zone was fully set. The audience became viewers, and this included Gambit and Michael. With the disappearance of the five participants in a sh of light, the first round of the event match officially began. ¡°We''re going with the Juggernaut meta.¡± ¡°No way. You¡¯re not serious, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m joking.¡± With a sly grin, Eugene handed over the strategy n along with a GRG. The map was divided into several zones based on the different objects ced around it. However, there weren¡¯t too many, about six in total. Since they had been working together for a while, Dice quickly realized what it meant. ¡°Shall we base the briefing on this?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s stick to a standard y. When I draw attention, support me from behind with gunfire. The terrain isn¡¯t ideal, so it¡¯s better to userge-caliber firearms.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not suggesting this because I used a Barrettst time, are you?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± And here was the trick. One yer gave up their primary weapon to choose two anti-materiel sniper rifles, and the other selected two primary weapons, handing one over. ¡°What weapon would you like?¡± ¡°SIG MCX Rattler. Since the engagement range is short, something ordinary will do. For sniper rifles, I¡¯ll choose the M107CQ and the M6 Lynx. And you, Eugene?¡± ¡°MG338 should do just fine.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s so ¡®fine¡¯ about a machine gun that fires Norma Magnum rounds at ten rounds per second?¡± Though Dice grumbled, the two quickly selected their firearms and attachments. Since they were in hardcore mode, Eugene had to create the magazines by hand using the feed mechanism in his Icarus bag, and Dice handled that. The clinking sound of metal echoed repeatedly as magazines were slotted into their vests. Dice marked two spots on the map. ¡°These are the only ces with decent firing angles. I¡¯ll share the observation view, so check it out.¡± ¡°¡­Looks good. If we silence one of them on the first line, the numbers will even out, and they won¡¯t be able to charge in recklessly. Let¡¯s apply pressure when the timees.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± And then the final conversation before the match. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just grab a Barrett and destroy everything?¡± ¡°Barretts only appear outside high-value research facilities.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± That made sense. Usingmon drop weapons rather than rare ones avable only on certain maps was the way to go. Moreover, if Eugene single-handedly wrecked everything, it would ruin the fun in another way. After all, this event match was meant to showcase how two yers could take on three. If Eugene took over and stole the spotlight, it wouldn¡¯t be much fun. The loud siren red from the ceiling, signaling the start of the match. ©¤©¤©¤Woooooooong! -[Notice: Kill zone activated. From now, this area is designated as an unlimited kill zone.] ¡°See youter!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The moment the match started, Eugene dropped his SIG MCX and eight magazines to the ground. There was no time to slot them into the pouches. The 10kg lump of steel in Eugene¡¯s hand moved effortlessly, unleashing a 20-gram bullet at Mach 2.3 with a brilliant muzzle sh. Dice gritted his teeth and ran. He was carrying 15kg in each hand, a SIG MCX on his body, and eight magazines in a multipurpose pouch, totaling nearly 60kg in weight. And this wasn¡¯t just t terrain; the target location was a high ground with a firing angle. It could only be described as a grueling 30 seconds. Upon reaching the designated spot, Dice set the Barrett down at a ce with a good firing angle. After checking the situation, it seemed the enemies had noticed only Eugene remained and had decided to rush in all at once, approaching faster than expected. In the distance, Dice spotted a serpent suppressing fire so fiercely that the gun barrel glowed red. It was almostical how tantly they were drawing attention. Just as they had predicted from the start. ¡®When we retreat, I¡¯ll leave the Barrett behind¡­.¡¯ Click. After loading the round, the weighty feeling from before returned to Dice¡¯s fingertips. The enemy was still not fully in sight. Dice ced the M6 anti-materiel rifle down to the side and finally inserted the magazines into his chest pouch. They were ready. At just the right moment, a voice came through thems. ¡°One has nked around towards the airne wing. If I don¡¯t stop them, I¡¯ll be trapped.¡± ¡°Roger¡­ Oh, I¡¯ve spotted movement. Can youy down suppressing fire in that direction?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be tight. The enemy¡¯s using a bombing drone.¡± ©¤©¤©¤BOOOM! An explosion and a burst of mes lit up the distance. But the green indicator still showed Eugene¡¯s vitals were stable. There was no need to worry; Eugene was far beyond needing concern. What mattered now was what Dice had to deal with. ¡®¡­They¡¯re here.¡¯ About 50 meters ahead, an enemy was sneaking around to nk Eugene. They shared their vision. Usually, this would be a hindrance in abat situation, but Dice trusted that Eugene would figure it out. Besides, ording to the map, the enemy had to circle around to get a proper sightline. If Eugene could suppress the fire at the right moment, they¡¯d force the enemy into cover. Moving his reticle carefully, Dice whispered at the perfect timing. ¡°Now. Suppressing fire on the corridor.¡± Drdrdrdrdr! The bullets tore through the corridor. The precisely timed lead pierced through the air, catching the nking enemy just as they turned the corner, holding them in ce. Even knowing they had a clear line of fire, the enemy couldn¡¯t advance and hugged the wall, waiting for the suppressing fire to end. It was exactly the moment Dice had hoped for. With the enemy dead center in his reticle, Dice took a deep breath, steadied his aim, and lightly pulled the trigger. The heavy trigger clicked back under his finger¡¯s pressure, and the firing pin struck the massive round¡¯s primer. ©¤©¤©¤BOOM! ¡°Ghaaa!¡± Direct hit. The sheer physical force shook the barrier violently. Unable to fully absorb the impact, the enemy''s upper body was knocked over. In that instant, their fate was sealed. Judging by the avatar¡¯s appearance, it seemed to be ChickenLateNightOneTrick. At least that¡¯s what Dice remembered. But after pulling the trigger a few more times, watching them disintegrate, Dice decided not to dwell on it. The speaker on the ceiling announced that one yer had been eliminated, but Dice confirmed it again. ¡°No position exposed. There won¡¯t be any more nkers.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s check the situation now.¡± Forty seconds had passed since the match began. It was a fantastic start. Chapter 167 "Ah, and just like that, ChickenLateNightOneTrick is obliterated in an instant! A literal devastating death! Not just one, but hit by four .50 BMG rounds and ejected straight to the lobby!"
  • ¡°Wow, what the f**k, hahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°That was a truly horrific death, lol.¡±
  • ¡°Is this a cooking show? Are we making ground meat here?????¡±
  • ¡°It''s not ChickenLateNightOneTrick anymore; it''s MincedMeatOneTrick, lol.¡±
  • ¡°Is this that hammer-and-anvil thing? LOL.¡±
Gambit and Michael exchanged nces, briefly thinking, ¡®It wasn¡¯t the hammer and anvil¡ªit was more like getting crushed between two anvils,¡¯ though they were d no one heard their sphemous thought. The crowd of hundreds erupted into cheers. It was an event match, so the oue didn¡¯t matter too much¡ªalthough, if the national team lost, there¡¯d certainly be a lot of talk. However, if the match turned out dramatically, the narrative would change. Eugene¡¯s powerful opening strike grabbed everyone''s attention, and Dice¡¯s perfect cover fire filled the gap it left behind. The streamer team''s attempt to capitalize on the dispersed focus of the pro gamers waspletely thwarted, though losing a team member was still a painful blow. "Wow, they picked one off within 40 seconds." ¡°Well, they put the first- and second-ranked yers from KSM on the same team, so it makes sense.¡± Conversations like this buzzed around the audience. The results were now etched into the minds of the viewers. Besides the hundreds of live spectators, there were tens of thousands of viewers watching the livestream, and the edited video that wouldter be uploaded to YouSpace was sure to get even more views. The message was clear: these two were proving in real-time why they were called the national representatives. At least, no one watching this scene could dispute their skill. Meanwhile... "They''re so in sync, maybe from working together so much. I don¡¯t think I could keep up if I ended up on the same team as them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazier that Dice can keep up with Eugene like it¡¯s no big deal.¡± It was impressive, no matter how many times they watched. But their concern wasn¡¯t unfounded, given how the teams for event matches were formed in a unique way. Four yers had appeared on the televised interview program, and not a single one would be left out from forming a team. The first team was Eugene and Dice, but in the next round, any of them could be teamed up with Eugene¡ªor with Dice, or Gambit, or Michael. One way or another, teaming up with Eugene at some point was a given. "The score is tied! The pro gamers areunching an immediate counterattack!" "But it''s not going to be easy. With the handicaps of no sprinting, no throwing weapons, and no skills, the actual power difference might be more or less equal. For instance, the portable cover set up by the streamer team is giving them a significant advantage in this engagement." ©¤©¤©¤Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Crrraack! However, the massive-caliber sniper rounds that were fired repeatedly at the cover broke it down in mere seconds, despite it being wide enough for two people to hide behind. Before the analyst could continue, caster Phoenix couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter as he chimed in. ¡°Haha, looks like that¡¯s not quite the case. The streamer team is losing their advantage in an instant!¡± ¡°Overwhelming firepower is hard to beat, especially from a position with a firing angle.¡± The match entered a standoff. However, time was on the pro gamers¡¯ side, and what many had anticipated quickly became reality. It didn¡¯t take long for Cartographer and Espia to be cornered by Dice, who continually repositioned the Barrett and M6 to create new firing angles, before being shredded by the Norma Magnum rounds from the machine gun. It was a brutal massacre, brought about by a straightforward and stable strategy. How much time had passed? "Sorry. I tried to nk, but I just got wiped out." ¡°You lost to a natural disaster. No need to apologize.¡± ¡°Yeah, seriously. If I¡¯d known it¡¯d turn out like this, I would¡¯ve suggested a handicap like taking away one of their arms.¡± This was inevitable. No matter how high the tier, a single decision could change everything. But in the end, the gap between paid pro yers and amateurs was stark¡ªor maybe it was just that Eugene and Dice were absurdly good. Either way, it wasn¡¯t ChickenLateNightOneTrick¡¯s fault. Their tactic wasn¡¯t bad¡ªtrying to take out Eugene wasn¡¯t a bad idea. They had anticipated that two of them might be taken out. But whether it was one or two, the n was to inflict significant damage on Eugene, which had failed spectacrly. Once ChickenLateNightOneTrick had been pulverized into ground meat by the .50 BMG without achieving anything, the match had already begun to tilt in the pro gamers¡¯ favor. Meanwhile, preparations for the second round began, regardless of the winners or losers. Everything was reset, including the teams. Eugene and Dice, who had performed the near-impossible, were now split up into individual yers, and the draft wheel started spinning again. But none of that mattered. They were free now, and all that was left was to go on streamter and give a long, detailed ount of how Eugene and Dice had obliterated them despite the handicaps. Meanwhile, the new teams were announced. "-The second team! Dice and Michael will face Catwalk, RamenAndGimbap, and Labokun as a duo!" ¡°I can already sense what kind of handicaps mighte out. But on the flip side, Michael can also predict this. Something like disabling the use of shields won¡¯t be too effective.¡± ¡°True, but Michael¡¯s shield is still incredibly powerful. If they can¡¯t disable that, it¡¯s going to be quite the challenge.¡± What would theye up with? The map was generated. It resembled part of the NBV desert base, with sandstorms blowing outside, making it impossible to venture out. The multiyered structure and artificially carved caves made theyoutplex and disorienting. In the middle of the hangar, the streamer-civilian team looked extremely confident. They opened their mouths. ¡°The handicap we propose is... thebined weight of the pro gamer team¡¯s equipment must not exceed 12kg.¡± What? In that moment, their minds raced. The weight-to-stamina ratios they¡¯d calcted automatically while ying Dark Zone started running through their heads. But the harsh reality of that constraint gripped them like nothing before. Even a basic ballistic vest, with its magazines and grenades, weighed about 10kg. Add a fully-equipped weapon, and 12kg was impossible. They¡¯d have to forgo high-performance armor, which in itself would be a massive penalty. Moreover, Michael¡¯s shield use was effectively sealed off. In full gear, including the shield, Michael carried over 25kg. The chat, the audience, even the MCs couldn¡¯t hide their shock. This wasn¡¯t a simple, one-dimensional limitation like restricting a body part¡ªit was a high-level, wide-reaching restriction. Dice and Michael¡¯s faces tightened. One thing was clear: the pro gamer team was going to be heavily burdened this time. ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant handicap no one could¡¯ve anticipated. Pro gamer team, do you ept the penalty?¡± ¡°¡­Give us one more kilogram.¡± ¡°That¡¯s eptable.¡± ¡°The streamer-civilian team has epted the request. The penalty is now in effect, and both teams have five minutes to adjust their tactics!¡± With that, the negotiations were settled. As everyone, including Eugene and Gambit, eagerly awaited the next round, Dice and Michael began discussing with serious expressions. An unpredictable future was looming. ¡°Sit down. I¡¯m about to share an amazing idea.¡± ¡°¡­Did you learn that phrasing from Eugene too?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± At the same time, the conversation continued. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a basic tactic. The reason they imposed the weight restriction is mainly because of your shield use. If you went up against them without a handicap, you¡¯d draw aggro for a long time. Even if you only took out one of them before dying, that wouldn¡¯t be a bad trade.¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment. Hearing that from the person who shattered my shield in thest match means a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah, so let¡¯s make use of that. Could you carry just the shield and a pistol with no other equipment?¡± ¡°¡­Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Their gazes met. Dice seemed to be trying to look serious, but why did it seem like mes of madness were flickering behind those eyes? Naturally, he didn¡¯t say that out loud¡ªafter all, this was the runner-up of KSM he was talking to. In any case, Michael decided to hear him out. ¡°The ballistic shield weighs about 11kg, so with five Glock 17 magazines, you¡¯d just barely stay under 13kg. At least you¡¯d have some ability to suppress them.¡± ¡°Five magazines, huh? That¡¯s tight. What about you? Normal loadout? Or the insane big-caliber stuff?¡± ¡°Thetter would limit sustained fire, but I¡¯ve got a workaround for that.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll also have to double as my ballistic vest.¡± Absolutely crazy. A month of hanging around Eugene, and now Dice had be just as recklessly extreme¡ªbut they had no choice. Without such a drastic n, their chances of winning were slim. This penalty was by far the worst they had faced in any event match. Dice selected his weapon: an ASh-12.7. No ballistic vest. Just a tactical vest loaded with as much ammunition and explosives as he could within the 13kg limit. Sevenrge magazines with 14 rounds each. Five grenades. The MOLLE system of his tactical vest allowed for quick attachment and detachment of gear. Once they were ready, Dice spoke. ¡°We¡¯ll probably get one chance. They know that too, so they¡¯ll likely stick together. But we have to separate one of them no matter what.¡± At the same time, Michael marked several points on the map. ¡°These are the rendezvous points. If I pick off one of them and we equalize the numbers, we¡¯ll need to regroup at one of these spots. Since neither of us has armor, our best odds are to stick together. Just hang around here and draw their attention if they show up.¡± ¡°What if all three of theme at me?¡± ¡°The map¡¯s big enough for you to escape right away. I¡¯ll be scouting nearby, and once they split up, I¡¯ll take out at least one. Just buy some time.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± But then, his expression shifted. ¡°That¡¯s my specialty.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then.¡± As soon as the match began, the barren scent of the battlefield filled the air. Sandstorm marks could be seen in the artificially created caves. As the sound of sand crunching beneath their feet echoed, Michael led the way with a shield in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Their pace was extremely slow. Dice had asked him to keep watch, rather than advancing immediately. Michael waited patiently, paying no mind to what was happening behind him. They soon reached the open area in the middle of the hangar. No signs of enemies yet. After surveying the area, Michael tapped Dice on the shoulder. ¡°If something happens, retreat back through the cave we came from.¡± It was time to split up. Dice left to scout the prearranged point, while Michael began surveying the terrain near the rendezvous point.@@novelbin@@ How much time had passed? ©¤©¤©¤Rustle. ¡®¡­They¡¯reing.¡¯ Under normal circumstances, Michael wouldn¡¯t have been worried, but today felt different. Three figures emerged cautiously from the cave across from him. They were scouting the area systematically. Preparing to retreat down the cave they hade from, Michael reported to Dice over thems. ¡°¡­Enemy spotted. Approaching from the cave opposite Alpha Point, scouting at about 1 meter per second.¡± ¡°If it looks bad, retreat the way we came. Watch out for the three tripwires.¡± What had Dice been up to while Michael was scouting? Apparently setting up traps. Crazy. But there was no time for such thoughts now. The enemy was closing in. Michael knew well enough the distance he needed to maintain as a shield user, but now it was time to retreat, even at the risk of being spotted. ©¤©¤©¤Click! ¡°There he is!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Michael! Throw a sticky bomb!¡± Boom! The bomb flew in almost simultaneously with the identification shout. Though the aim was slightly off, hitting something else instead of his body, it was still powerful. Without his shield, Michael was practically exposed, making him vulnerable to every kind of attack. He fired his pistol rapidly, quickly gaining distance. Thanks to hours of practice, his hip-fire uracy was impressive. However, it wasn¡¯t enough¡ªemptying an entire Glock magazine wouldn¡¯t be enough to break their shield. ¡®Damn it, I¡¯m counting on you!¡¯ Turning his back on the enemy while running wasn¡¯t ideal for a shield user, but they could¡¯ve at least given him armor. Without it, facing them head-on was impossible. He sprinted back down the narrow cave. A perfect ce for setting traps. But it seemed the enemy had no intention of letting him escape, judging by the long metallic sound that followed. A Seeker Mine. If that exploded in the cave, it could destroy the tripwires Dice had set up. It had to be stopped. ©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! Rapid pistol fire. Bullets rained down on the rolling mine, only one of the twelve shots hitting its mark. But that was enough to disable most of its functions. Boom! The resulting explosion sent a wave of fire, debris, and dust mming against the shield. Michael felt the pressure of being pushed back but used the dust as cover to start running again. ¡°Ugh!¡± Suddenly, one of the tripwires came into view. He barely dodged it. Three tripwires had been ced about 5 meters apart, with grenades hidden either on the floor or tucked into ceiling lights. As Michael thought about how he might¡¯ve learned that from Eugene, he heard a sound from behind. Dice¡¯s voice came over thems. ¡°One entered the cave. Another is nking through the side tunnel. One¡¯s waiting outside, but I¡¯ll take care of him soon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ©¤©¤©¤Aaaagh! Bang-bang-bang! Boom! It was too heavy a sound to be called gunfire. But Michael recognized it¡ªthat same ASh-12.7 that had shredded his shield inside the burning department store on Atakaiya Volcano Ind not too long ago. The only difference this time was that instead of shredding his shield, it was grinding the enemy to pieces. Coupled with the sound of a grenade explosion, it seemed like a perfect ambush had wiped out the opponent in seconds. Suddenly, Michael thought of Eugene. She had emphasized many times how important it was to shorten the time spent in the kill-capture process. If they could eliminate an enemy in just 3 seconds... ¡®¡­That¡¯s some impressive learning.¡¯ Boom! The explosion from the tripwire snapped Michael out of his thoughts. Dice had just dealt with the outside enemy, but now she needed Michael¡¯s help. It was a race against time¡ªwould Michael get sandwiched, or would the enemy that had followed him get trapped? Of course, the answer came from Dice. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± For a moment, Michael thought that maybe this round would end easier than expected. Chapter 168 -[Notification: You have died. Moving to the lobby.] "Wow." Labokun, who had proposed the handicap, truly believed they would win this time. Though it wasn¡¯t so much about winning by skill as it was the weight of the handicap. Even so, they had thought that with such a handicap, they would at least stand on equal footing or even gain a significant advantage. But that was a misconception. No matter how much the battle between pros and high-tier yers can turn on one variable, in the end, it''s the pro gamers who can identify and exploit those variables more effectively. Perhaps that was the gap between national representatives and mere high-tier yers. Labokun could only reason it out that way. ¡®...No, there¡¯s more to it than that.¡¯ Even considering that, Dice''s Time-to-Kill (TTK) was ridiculously short. The damage log showed that in less than three seconds, a single grenade and an entire magazine from the ASh-12.7 had been dumped onto him. What can you even call that? Getting hit withpressed damage all at once without a chance to counterattack¡ªit was an instant death. Perfect grenade cooking, wless stealth, and the skill to control the wild recoil of the massive assault rifle. Of course, if you practice nothing but that¡ªeven skipping meals to train¡ªyou¡¯d end up ying like this. His eyes wandered across the screen. ¡°Pros really are on a different level¡­ wow.¡± Labokun had been praised as having the skill to debut as a pro gamer by some viewers. asionally, when ying ranked matches, they would end up matched against pros'' alternate ounts, sometimes even on the same team. Because of that, Labokun had uploaded videos to their YouSpace channel with titles like ¡°Matched with a Pro in Ranked! Got Praise, LOL¡± or ¡°MoH Tier? Easy with this Trick!?¡±¡ªclickbait that was actually somewhat true. But now, facing them for real, he hadn¡¯t expected to be utterly crushed without even being able to breathe. ¡®They¡¯ll be here soon.¡¯ The scene unfolding on the screen was a time-attack between four yers within a cave. Catwalk, trying to sneak up and bash Michael from behind, was stuck two-thirds of the way through the cave. Meanwhile, RamenAndGimbap, stumbling from the effects of an explosion, was being approached by the reaper... Dice. In simple terms, it was Catwalk - Michael - RamenAndGimbap - Dice. Michael started running, trying to shove RamenAndGimbap away after the grenade hit. But the stark difference between equipment and armor was difficult to ovee. ©¤©¤©¤Rat-tat-tat-tat! Michael was armed with nothing but a Glock. Under normal circumstances, he would have trusted in the shield and armor from his Icarus gear, but since the shield''s effectiveness scales with the quality of your armor, not wearing any made the shield as thin as paper. Michael, curled up like a turtle behind his shield, let out a high-pitched scream. His light brown hair quivered, and his ears, which poked out from under his hair, twitched. He looked incredibly vulnerable, triggering a protective instinct. The shield, now just an 11kg b of metal, wasn¡¯t going tost much longer. And his desperate hip-firing with the Glock wasn¡¯t making much difference either. Michael copsed. His HP plummeted as bullets tore through his unprotected body. Death was near. However, ¡°¡­You sure took your sweet time.¡± Bang-bang-bang! A heavy, almost metallic sound echoed through the cave. The enemy was shredded. The shield broke before a full magazine was even emptied. A grenade was thrown right after the enemy fell. Just as Michael, lying on the ground, covered his body with his now useless shield, ©¤©¤©¤BOOM! The explosion echoed throughout the cave, loud enough to burst eardrums in real life. Michael''s shield shattered into pieces, and his HP dropped below 10%. He was barely hanging on. As the explosion cleared, Dice approached, the sound of footsteps crunching over debris. Michael, barely managing to get up, extended his hand. ¡°¡­Thanks. You almost killed me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t you? Besides, it¡¯s not over yet.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not over!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still one left.¡± No looting of bodies was allowed. The only weapons they had were Michael¡¯s Glock, two magazines, and his body. He wasn¡¯t some action movie hero like Keanu Reeves, but Michael quickly gave up onining. At least the movie gave the protagonist a bulletproof suit. ¡°¡­If we don¡¯t win after all this, I¡¯m seriously going to be pissed.¡± ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t make any promises. I¡¯m not wearing armor either. Just block the skills for me with your body.¡± ¡°With my body!? You¡¯re still using me as a meat shield!? Who came up with this brutal handicap!?¡± Sorry. I did. Like all brilliant ideas, it had been an unintentional sh of inspiration. Yet somehow, it had be the worst handicap ever faced by pro gamers in any event match. At least it would make for a great story. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going into battle with just a pistol and going up against someone with skills. It feels like a punishment squad.¡± ¡°Well, at least you¡¯ll have a rare experience. Now duck.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ©¤©¤©¤Bang-bang-bang! Catwalk appeared from the other side of the cave just a beat toote, and Dice¡¯s gun roared to life. The two of them slowly began retreating. As the timer ran out, the team with more yers left would win, so Catwalk had no choice but to engage. It was a fully armed Medal of Honor yer versus two lightly armed yers with no armor. Normally, people wouldpare it to David versus Goliath, but the problem was, David won in real life too. Despite everything, they hoped Catwalk would put up a fight¡ªthey really didn¡¯t want to lose. "©¤©¤©¤And just as I¡¯m saying that, Dice takes down Catwalk by a hair¡¯s breadth! Using Michael as a shield and spending everyst bullet in her magazine, Dice pulls off a hard-fought and shining victory!" Whether you¡¯d call it fortunate or unfortunate, the fight ended with Dice¡¯s victory. But even in defeat, Catwalk managed to drop Dice¡¯s HP below 30%, fighting to the very end. As cheers flooded the stadium, Dice staggered down from the battlefield, muttering, ¡°That was damn exhausting¡­¡± Even for national representatives, they had their limits. "That concludes the event match! A victory interview will take ce shortly, so please stay in your seats!" ¡°Haha, rather than a victory interview, it¡¯s more like a re-interview, don¡¯t you think?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°That¡¯s a great point. Thank you for that insight!¡± As the environment shifted once again, the familiar studio setting returned. A stagerge enough for eight participants and hundreds of multi-tiered seats filled with a lively audience¡ªit was a familiar sight. The seating arrangements were the same as before, with the four yers in the middle and the two MCs nking them on either side. The atmosphere was far more rxed than at the beginning. Partly because they had spent more time talking and bonding, but also because the pros'' sheer disy of skill had thoroughly impressed everyone. It was a clean sweep. Despite the variety of handicaps, nothing could stop the pros¡¯ undefeated streak. Out of six matches, the pro gamers hadn¡¯t lost a single one. Compared tost year, when the win rate was fifty-fifty, it was a dramatic improvement. Of course, the lineup had a lot to do with it as well. By now, the pro gamers had changed out of their initial gear into much more casual attire. There was no longer a need to project an image of strength. A question followed. "That was truly an incredible performance. Throughout this entire broadcast of Starry Night Stories, we¡¯ve never seen the pro gamer team achieve a perfect record! Many of us, including ourselves, were shocked. Is there a secret to your sess?" ¡°There¡¯s no particr secret. As operators, we¡¯re trained to assume we¡¯re always in a disadvantageous situation, so I just kept that in mind and tried to find a breakthrough, and it naturally led to victory.¡± ¡°What a wonderful answer! How did you feel about the performance of those who participated in this event match?¡± ¡°They were good.¡± Good. Under different circumstances, such a statement might seem a bit underwhelming, buting from Eugene, it carried a different weight. The apuse was deafening, with none other than the streamers and skilled amateurs who had participated in the event match leading the ovation. After a brief moment of surprise, their faces brightened, and they all stood up to bow in response. After the enthusiasm subsided, the conversation continued. ¡°Haha, Eugene''s words seem to have a certain magic. Let''s move on to the next question, and I¡¯d like each of you to answer this one.¡± Four identical questions appeared before Eugene, Dice, Gambit, and Michael. Upon seeing them, they all seemed to fall into deep thought. As a brief silence settled, the announcer''s representative directed the next question to Eugene. ¡°When sprinting and running were restricted, and we could only walk. That was the most challenging.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an unexpected answer. Why?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t respond to rapidly changingbat situations, so as time went on, we would inevitably fall behind. If my weapon handling had been less proficient, we would have lost.¡± Of course, despite that, she had still dominated the match using just Mjolnir, but that was beside the point. The question then moved to Dice, who, as expected, pointed to the weight restriction without hesitation. ¡°Hahaha, it did look like you and Michael had a particrly hard time in that match. Was it really that difficult?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t taken out Labokun, we would¡¯ve lost. The penalty of not being able to wear armor due to the weight limit was utterly absurd.¡± ¡°I see! Congrattions on oveing such a tremendous handicap!¡± More apuse followed. Gambit¡¯s answer was the same. ¡°I also think the weight restriction was the hardest penalty in this event match. But personally, I had a feeling Eugene would never choose this one.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ oh, I think I know what you mean.¡± Seriously, who gets faster the less weight they carry? Gambit recalled a past event. There had been a weight restriction of 10kg when he was on a team with Eugene. It was much stricter than the one they faced today, and he had considered rejecting the match outright, but Eugene had agreed to split her weight limit with him. That meant Gambit had 15kg to work with, which allowed him tofortably carry a gun and a bulletproof vest into battle. So what had Eugene done with her 5kg limit? ¡°¡­That¡¯s when I realized what ''run-and-gun'' really means.¡± A Chris Vector with a few attachments and four drum magazines. Eugene had zipped through the battlefield like a madwoman, easily outpacing Gambit despite his full sprint. Her ammunition wasn¡¯t all that powerful, but it was enough to take down two opponents before she ran out. After that, she¡¯d pulled a tactical hammer from her multipurpose pouch, which was more than enough to finish the job. Although Gambit had taken care of thest enemy, he still remembered being a little scared of Eugene, who had sprinted across the terrain with a sledgehammer, moving at 25km/h. Finally, it was Michael¡¯s turn. ¡°As a shield user, I have to say¡­ the weight restriction was the most brutal handicap of this event match. It was like having my arms and legs tied.¡± ¡°Wow, many of you are mentioning the weight restriction. It seems that it might go down in history as the worst penalty in an event match!¡± The live chat and audience reactions were simr. After a brief discussion, the MC spoke again. ¡°Though the weight restriction was a clever handicap that hasn¡¯t been seen in a while, it seems that it will be toned down in future events. While these matches are meant to showcase skill, they also need to provide entertainment for everyone.¡± Entertainment¡­? That thought passed through everyone¡¯s minds. But it was a bit premature to think that, as there was still one more event on the schedule. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s warmed up, let¡¯s move on to the main event of the day: the 2v2 scrim! But first, let¡¯s introduce the prizes!¡± The lineup was revealed. And right at the top, the prize that caught everyone¡¯s eye: ¡°The winner of today¡¯s 2v2 scrim will receive a luxury department store gift card worth a whopping 7.5 million won!¡± Wooooooah! The audience erupted in cheers, but amid the chaos, the four pro gamers shared a somewhat indifferent look. As the crowd cheered them on, the four pros created a secret chat room and began exchanging messages. -[Michael: Should I start buttering up to Eugene now? My washing machine is about to die.] -[Dice: Nah, don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s all going to food anyway.] -[Gambit: My air conditioner is on itsst legs, please help.] -[Eugene: So I should spend 7.5 million won on hammers?] -[Gambit//Michael//Dice: Gasp, sorry!] It was their little secret. Even as the draft wheel spun for the scrim, their chat continued. ¡°Congrattions on winning the Starry Night Stories scrim! May we ask how you n to use the 7.5 million won gift card?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably treat everyone who participated today to a nice meal.¡± Of course, the oue was already predictable. And so, the day wasing to a close. Chapter 169 "¡­Right after the livestream ended, we each received a 500,000 won department store gift card. At first, I just thought, ''Oh, that¡¯s a bit enviable,'' but then suddenly, Eugene invited me, Dice, and Michael into a group chat. Turned out they were treating us to dinner. So yeah, I¡¯ll be heading out soon."
  • Is this a humblebrag? Really?????
  • Wow, right on the spot, haha!
  • Why am I hearing about someone else¡¯s fancy dinner at 4:30 PM?!
  • Also, what does Eugene look like?!?
  • He''s determined not to spill the tea on Eugene''s appearance, huh, LOL
It was the second Monday of the month, 4:30 PM. The stream had already surpassed 45,000 viewers. Gambit, one of the participants in the recent event match, nced over the streamer lineup¡ªnone of them had started broadcasting. This was to be expected. The team¡¯s official streams were on hold, and even the individual streamers who doubled as national representatives hadn¡¯t gone live since Saturday. It wasn¡¯t just a break day; everyone was tight-lipped due to the embargo on Eugene¡¯s identity. The management likely summoned streamers to enforce their silence. Gambit¡¯s team, Clear Sky, was no exception. In fact, Gambit¡¯s stream was effectively him ¡°taking one for the team.¡± ''It¡¯s still absurd when I think about it...'' His broadcast had been a virtual reality livestream, running for about four and a half hours in VR time, but only from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in real time. He thought he could rx for the evening after the show, but then came a message. To summarize: the fanmunities were buzzing with rumors, and the management asked if Gambit could go live to ¡°calm things down.¡± After all, he had just appeared on Starry Night Stories with Eugene. They figured all he had to do was share a few anecdotes. So, having built a bit of rapport with Eugene through the joint appearance, Gambit asked if it would be okay to discuss some light topics. Eugene gave the green light, provided he didn¡¯t reveal anything too important. Gambit started the stream, thinking he could just chat a bit before heading to the dinner. Then he realized: -[ClearSkyGambit // ON AIR // Current viewers: 47,559] This wasn¡¯t just a casual storytime stream¡ªit was a firing squad.
  • Gambit, give us all the info on Eugene!!!!!!!
  • Are you seriously not telling us?! You¡¯re heartless, man, heartless!
  • I¡¯m about to drop dead here waiting for the tea!!!
  • Come on, just tell us what Eugene looks likeeeeeee!!!
  • How much money do you want for the info?! Name your price!!!
"¡­Hey, everyone, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m purposely withholding anything. Besides, some of what you guys have guessed is pretty close, so don¡¯t make me spell it out. I have my career to think about." There was a reason Dice and the others were being so secretive. If anything slipped about Eugene, the consequences would be even worse than when people had spilled on Dice. It was safer to just speak in vague terms, and it seemed the viewers understood that, at least partially. Still, seeing the viewer count shoot up like this was terrifying. Normally, Gambit streamed maybe once or twice a week to an audience of around 500. Now, with nearly 100 times that many watching, no wonder the other streamers were hesitant to go live. This was why Gambit had referred to himself as the "bullet catcher." "Anyway, just so you know, Eugene¡¯s a really fun person in private too. I¡¯d love to tell you guys more, but now I understand why the others haven¡¯t gone live. It¡¯s frustrating, I know."
  • Gaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!
  • So you know but can''t tell us? What kind of superhuman is Eugene?
  • Alright, alright, we give up! We lost!
  • Seriously, what¡¯s the big deal with Eugene that everyone¡¯s losing it over?
  • Dude, this is killing meeeeeee!!!
The viewership soon crossed 50,000, yet all they were getting was, ¡°I can¡¯t reveal Eugene¡¯s identity.¡±@@novelbin@@ Of course, this in itself was a critical hint. It implied that Eugene¡¯s identity was too significant to disclose. Combined with a previous Q&A where it was subtly hinted that Eugene was an ¡°awakened¡± individual, the puzzle pieces wereing together. But that raised another issue. If Eugene was indeed awakened, then any attempts to dig into her identity could be seen as doxxing. It all depended on how she would react, but there was no denying the sensitivity of the situation. This strange, convoluted state of affairs was now the norm in themunity. ''Hmm...'' Time was passing quickly. Unlike his usual casual streams where he could say anything that came to mind, Gambit had to choose his words carefully, which naturally slowed things down. And even with all that caution, he still couldn¡¯t reveal anything important. It was a never-ending cycle. Truly, he was a human shield in this situation. The longer this dragged on, the more it would work against him. As the clock ticked to 5:30 PM¡­ "Anyway, all I can say is... be patient for three months. I¡¯m allowed to say that much, so something shoulde out before the finals. That¡¯s all I can tell you."
  • Oh no, he''s running!!!
  • Catch him! Squeeze the info out of him!
  • Duel Gambit in court!
  • If you don¡¯t tell us about Eugene right now, I swear I¡¯ll¡ªnever mind.
  • You threaten that all the time, LOL.
But unfortunately, Gambit¡¯s escape n was already in motion. Clearing his throat, he added: "Ah, I better get going before I¡¯mte. See you all next time! I¡¯m off to have dinner with Eugene!" And with that, the stream cut off. As the chat exploded with furious messages, the viewers caught ast glimpse of Gambit¡¯s long silver-haired avatar before the screen went ck. But by then, Gambit had already put on his shoes, ready to head out. Amid the chaos, one particr chat stood out:
  • Why does everyone who gets close to Eugene turn into such a troll? LOL.
It was true. After three years of pro gaming and six months of streaming, Gambit had finally experienced the sweet thrill of a sudden stream shutdown. It was the middle of autumn. [Tricky¡¯s Personal Site - Eugene] [Notice] Today¡¯s stream will be an unboxing and a sponsored segment. I¡¯ve bought motion capture equipment for this stream. I¡¯ll be able to capture my movements onto my avatar. There¡¯s also a floating drone, so the stream quality shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Although this is technically a sponsored stream, I¡¯ll be giving away most of the products to my viewers via a raffle. I¡¯ve already kept a few things for myself. But I can¡¯t guarantee that these products will actually be useful in daily life. See you at 8 PM. I¡¯ll be feeding some poormbs their dinner then. Click, click. Meanwhile, Eugene was busy writing the notice. ¡°...Ah, ah. Hello, everyone. As some of you may have seen in the notice, today¡¯s stream is going to be a bit special. It¡¯s been a while.¡±
  • Attackkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!
  • Wow! Eugene! Snake tail! Firstment!!!
  • Please, someone spill the tea already, I can¡¯t take it!!!!!!!
  • Unboxing? Unboxing? Unboxing? Unboxing?
  • You can¡¯t just switch from Dark Zone streams to an ad stream and expect us to be okay with it¡ªjust kidding, we love you, haha!
The stream went live. In an instant, the viewer count jumped from four digits to five, all within a few breaths. The anticipation from the sparse rumors floating around KSM and other schedules had turned into a frenzy. The number stabilized at around 25,000. However, what they saw wasn¡¯t the familiar deste world of the Dark Zone, but rather a clean, modern home. The stylish interior had 25,000 pairs of eyes glued to the screen. Behind the living room, the balcony was piled high with packages. And not just there¡ªthe bedroom was stacked with boxes too, from all sorts of deliveries. As the floating drone camera hovered, Eugene¡¯s avatar appeared on the screen, fully rendered in real-time, her snake-like tail moving fluidly.
  • Why do you have so many packages in your house, LOL!
¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t order all this. Like I said, today¡¯s stream is an unboxing. And you¡¯ll get a little tour of my home as well.¡±
  • This stream is wild, LOL!
  • When you said unboxing, I was expecting something basic, but this is amazing, haha!
  • Is this house top-tier or what? Do you have a home gym too?
  • Why don¡¯t you turn on the air conditioning? Aren¡¯t you hot?
  • I was ready to beg for tea, but this content is even better, LOL!
It was a masterss in misdirection. The chat showered Eugene with praise for understanding her audience so well in just two months. But in truth, as always, Eugene was just winging it. Her hand reached for a ck object. The chat was immediately filled with shock.
  • ?????????????????
  • Is that an axe????????
  • Wait, is the content today...?
  • Survival-themed stream iing!
  • Why is this so scary, LOL?!
With a casual motion, Eugene picked up the tomahawk and ced a box on the floor. The motion capture equipment and drone camera perfectly captured her voice and movements as she exined: ¡°¡­By the way, this tomahawk is also sponsored. It¡¯s from apany that specializes in survival kits. Somehow, I¡¯ve ended up with a few axes at home, but I don¡¯t really mind. Want to buy one too?¡±
  • Is this an ad or a threat, LOL?! Who promotes like this?!
¡°Well, I¡¯m not great at advertising, so I have no choice but to be blunt about it.¡± Rustle, rustle. Eugene dragged the box closer and continued. ¡°This is today¡¯s delivery¡­ it¡¯s all food products. Good thing I have a second fridge for kimchi; otherwise, these would¡¯ve gone bad. Let¡¯s open it up.¡± Smash! Despite her light touch, the box made a tremendous noise as she split it open. The tape on the sides was quickly peeled off as she tore through the package with surgical precision. A styrofoam cooler was snugly packed inside the cardboard box. Unfazed, Eugene used the tomahawk to swiftly dismantle the outer box. What seemed like clumsy movements were actually deft and efficient. The viewers gasped in awe. ¡°Wow, look at that! A premium beef set. Fancy stuff. I¡¯ll grill thister at home. The link will pop up on the stream. Should I do a mukbang for you guys?¡±
  • Why are you acting like this isn¡¯t the obvious thing to do, haha!
  • Mukbang (cam off, eats alone).
  • That¡¯s just called dinner, LOL!
  • I¡¯m so confused by this stream, haha!
  • But seriously, that beef looks delicious.
The screen split into two. Eugene¡¯s main broadcast remained on the left, while the drone cam automatically detected the ad product, cing a smaller window on the right with links for purchasing. She started neatly organizing the premium beef in her fridge, casually filling it with individually packed portions. The audience watched in stunned silence as she meticulously arranged the food. One after another, more packages followed. Meal kits, fruits, everything was sessfully stored away. Eugene checked her list of deliveries for the day. ¡°All right, that¡¯s all the food put away. Now we can take our time with the rest of the unboxing.¡± Eugene picked up her axe and began walking toward the next box. And thus, the nickname ¡°Box yer¡± was born. Chapter 170 "¡­But here''s the thing: there''s something about this ad that none of you have noticed yet. Want to take a guess?"
  • LOL, why are we suddenly ying 20 questions?
  • This is so random, I love it.
  • Answer! Tail scale care kit!
  • Brother, do you not even notice what''s different about me? I''m really disappointed in yourck of attention!
  • Please, these people are all single¡ªthey won¡¯t get that reference!
As expected, the reactions were predictably confused. It was as if I¡¯d suddenly asked apletely unrted question. There wasn¡¯t much point in exining it, but in summary, the audience was collectively wondering, what in the world is she talking about? And with an audience thisrge, they weren¡¯t the type to stop guessing even if I said, ¡°Never mind, you don¡¯t have to figure it out.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a few troublemakers; it was thousands of them. That¡¯s the challenge. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t bother with this kind of thing, but since it was a sponsored stream, I figured giving some clues would make things more fun. "Alright, how about this? If anyone guesses it correctly, I¡¯ll send you a half-off discount code. I''ll answer your questions like we''re ying 20 questions." I adjusted the floating drone cam to show a full-body view. Because of the camera angle, it might have been hard to spot what I was referring to. The correct answer was my essories¡ªne, bracelet, earrings, and watch. Of course, the earrings were just part of my avatar; I wasn¡¯t actually wearing any in real life. In essence, they were virtual reality essories¡ªfancy cosmetic items for avatars. You could think of them as advanced versions of NFTs, I suppose. Even with the viewership surpassing 30,000, no one had guessed correctly. Normally, someone would have taken a wild guess by now, but apparently, I¡¯d managed to stump them all. I picked a random question from the chat. "Yes, it¡¯s part of the ad. In fact, the whole stream has been one big ad since I started." Confused reactions continued to flood the chat. On-screen, nothing seemed unusual. Maybe because it was my first real-world stream, the lighting wasn¡¯t cooperating as much as I¡¯d like, making the essories harder to notice. I turned on some additional lighting to help, but the viewers still seemed puzzled. "Technically, yes. Although certain designs suit different looks better. But in virtual reality, I think everyone can use them." After all, in VR, most of the people I¡¯ve met use female avatars, even if they¡¯re men in real life. So, yeah, these sparkling, feminine essories could totally work for them. But idle chat alone wasn¡¯t going to clue them in, so I moved around a bit, opening the front door to take out a pile of cardboard boxes to the hallway¡¯s recycling bin. I carefully ced them in the collection area, along with the styrofoam from earlier. Once I got back inside, I started opening a new box, this time with non-perishable items. Again, I used the tomahawk to cut through the tape, repeating the same process as before. Only this time, I zoomed in more on my arms and ears. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to catch on.
  • You¡¯re looking extra blingy today, professor, LOL!
"KimbapBapKimbap, correct! I¡¯ve sent you a discount code via private message. Feel free to use itter." At the same time, I added another ad ovey to the stream, this time for Bulgari, the brand that had sent me a snake-themed watch. I wondered if anyone would actually buy it, but with tens of thousands of people watching, who knows? Not my problem, really. I nced at the chat again. "¡­Why is everyone freaking out all of a sudden?"
  • Who are we supposed to buy this for?!?!
  • Is this some roundabout way of saying we¡¯re all single, LOL?
  • I guess we¡¯re just supposed to admire it, right?
  • It is pretty, though.
  • Did you really think we¡¯d buy this, professor???????
"¡­Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know that 90% of you use avatars of the opposite gender anyway. This would look great on your colorful female avatars, don¡¯t you think?" A quick nce at the chat. Most of the messages were filled with people joking about being hit by a harsh truth. But what could I do? It was the reality I¡¯de to ept whilepeting in KSM. Not a single male avatar in sight. That was something even I found hard to get used to. Anyway, the ad had done its job. Time to open the next box. The recycling bin bag was getting heavy with tape and receipts, but there was always room if youpressed it. I carefully opened the box and pulled out the contents. "¡­Oh."
  • IT¡¯S TIME FOR LONG PUFFER JACKET EUGENE!!!!!!!
  • Look at that thick padding, LOL!
  • One jacket and you¡¯ll survive the apocalypse, haha.
  • Come on, just try it on for us, please!
  • That looks expensive AF.
It was a ck long puffer coat. Interestingly, it had snap buttons on the back to amodate a tail. For an ordinary user, the lining would prevent wind from getting inside, so there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. I thought about exining that, but I kept quiet. Revealing too much might hint at my identity. Fortunately, most of the chat was focused on getting me to try it on, without realizing the significance of the design. But I was already prepared to handle that scenario¡ªin virtual reality, of course. If I wore it in real life and someone asked, "How does a puffer jacket and a tail work together with motion capture?" things would getplicated. I sat on the sofa, activated VR, and within seconds, my surroundings transformed into a virtual backdrop. I picked up the coat, unsnapped the buttons, and carefully inserted my tail through. I nced at a bulky essory rolling around on the floor next to the coat. It was long and thick enough to fit an arm, with snap buttons on the end, designed to attach to the coat¡­ wait a minute. Was this¡­ a tail cover? "¡­Huh, I didn¡¯t notice this before." I detached my tail from the coat and attached the cover, snapping it into ce. The smooth fabric felt soft against my tail, making everything warmer. I¡¯d never have to worry about the cold again. After showing that off, I spoke again. "This seems to be a virtual reality add-on. Anyway, here¡¯s the long puffer coat. I already have a white one from the same brand, and since I have multiple coats at home, I¡¯ll be giving away the extras through a raffle."
  • OMG, is that a puffer coat for your tail?! That¡¯s insane, LOL!
  • Virtual reality hase so far¡ªthis is amazing.
  • Who even thinks of stuff like this, hahaha!
  • Heuuung, heuuung, heuuung¡­
  • You can hear the editor grinning all the way from here, LOL.
Hmm. Of course, when I said it was a VR add-on, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. I¡¯d seen the real-life tail cover when I opened the box earlier, but mentioning that could¡¯ve revealed too much about me. So, I pretended it was just for VR. I nned to send the coat out in winter¡ªby the time my identity would be revealed. Naturally, there was another reason, too. "Sending it out now would just take up space, so I¡¯ll be shipping the coats in winter when it¡¯s actually cold. That¡¯s the n."
  • So you''re going to send me the one you wore, right? I¡¯ll be waiting. #AnacondaTailScentLoyalty
"Hold up." "Ow, no!" BANG! And just like that, the first casualty of today¡¯s stream was made. I used the interview feature to publicly discipline viewers when necessary, something I¡¯d mentioned in a past stream. Leaving behind the big-donation troll with a squashed avatar head, I tried to move on, but of course, that was impossible.
  • How is this even Korean? LOL.
  • What the hell is ''AnacondaTailScent'' supposed to mean?!
  • Oh, this is absolutely possible, totally!
  • I never expected such a cursedbination of words.
  • That username ispletely unhinged, LOL.
"Sigh." What a collection of chaotic, deranged weirdos. Anyway, back to reality. I gently repacked the puffer coat into the box. Well, as gently as I could after having ripped the top open. Close enough to the original state, though. Another donation shed on screen.
  • Can I line up for this too?
BOOM. Without hesitation, I activated the interview feature again, yanking Dice into view. We locked eyes for a moment as she appeared before me, kneeling while I stood over her. There was a brief exchange of emotions before everything exploded in the chat, which I barely noticed. Pinch. I grabbed her soft, squishy cheeks and pulled them apart with my fingers. "Argh! What the heck is this?!" "After treating you to a fancy meal, you''re saying weird things again." After a thorough lesson in manners, Dice was released. There were still plenty more boxes to go through. "And here¡¯s something made from actual anaconda leather¡ªa wallet and a phone case. I don¡¯t know how to describe it exactly, but it feels¡­ unique. I¡¯ll add the purchase link on the stream. Obviously, I didn¡¯t make it myself."
  • LOL, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not the one making it.
  • I clicked the link, and wow¡ªjust, wow.
  • You missed a huge marketing opportunity, lol.
  • What is with these crazy people, LOL.
  • Is it weird that I kind of want one?
...What can I say? Just holding this thing feels burdensome. And no, you''re not getting my tail, okay? I nced at my own tail out of instinct. Why do I even have this thing? I¡¯ve gotten so used to it, but now my viewers are trying to skin it. I swear, if they keep this up, I¡¯ll have to start mounting heads on stakes. Like I said, I won¡¯t be using this wallet. It¡¯ll probably go to Dice or Harmony. Better than letting it collect dust in my house. At least the wallet and phone case are practical.@@novelbin@@ Unlike some of the other random stuff I get. "And next¡­ ha. Do any of you need this? It¡¯s reptile supplements and medicine. If you own a reptile, upload proof to my site, and I¡¯ll send this to you." Opening this box made me feel dizzy. By the way, if I get hurt, where would I even go? A regr hospital? And if my tail gets injured, do I take it to a vet? Back in the day, I just went to a field medic, and they¡¯d fix up whatever was wrong, no questions asked. It didn¡¯t stop there, though. ¡°¡­The next item is wax. I assume it¡¯s for my tail, but if anyone else needs it, I¡¯ll send it to them.¡±
  • LOL, this product lineup is insane.
  • At this point, the ad is trolling us.
  • I feel like I¡¯m going to pass out, haha.
  • I would dly take the wax you used, professor! #Loyalty
  • Lining up for this one too!
I opened more boxes, stacking them neatly in a corner. There was something I¡¯d opened earlier that I wanted to give away. It was a set of cat-eared headphones. I knew exactly who I¡¯d give these to. "These are for Harmony." Harmony, who uses a cat avatar, would love these. Plus, from what I¡¯ve seen of her streams, she does a lot of real-life cooking streams. Unlike Dice, she could do a proper unboxing review on her tform. I¡¯ll take care of my people first.
  • Your expression looks scary. Are you thinking about smashing someone¡¯s head?
"No, I was just thinking about what gifts to give my editors and others." And in my hand, I felt a familiar weight. Yeah. I know exactly what to give first. The drone cam zoomed in on the tactical tomahawk I was holding. "I guess I could start by handing these out to the people around me."
  • Since when did tomahawks be gifts for friends?????
  • Is this what we¡¯re going to see on Harmony¡¯s cooking stream now? LOL.
  • Your sense of gift-giving is seriously messed up, haha.
  • Aren¡¯t you just threatening your editors at this point?
  • ''Here¡¯s your present (but just remember who gave it to you).''
¡­And as usual, my well-intentioned gestures were being horribly misunderstood. There were still over 30 boxes left to open. Chapter 171 "¡­And next up, we have this." nk. A massive box, nearly the size of a refrigerator, was buried under the mountain of other deliveries. On top of it, the words Dark Zone were written in the familiar, apocalyptic font. It was clear this was another promotional item haul, likely filled with all sorts of branded goods. I tore through the tape stered all over it. The box inside was heavily wrapped in bubble wrap, and something inside rattled with an odd metallic sound, like maracas or perhaps something else strange. My curiosity got the better of me, and I sped up the unboxing process. What I found inside was unexpected. ¡°Why is there a lock¡­?¡±
  • Whoa, that¡¯s insane, haha!
  • It looks like a gun storage case!
  • There¡¯s even chains around it, LOL.
  • This is peak madness, pure madness.
  • That lock is intense, looks slick though.
It really did look like a gun cab. On top of it was a letter. The lock was electronic, with a keypad, and it seemed pretty sturdy. I wouldn¡¯t be able to brute-force my way in. I opened the letter to see what it had to say.
  • ISO: d to meet you, Eugene. Congrattions onpleting 100% progress in Hardcore Mode. As a reward, we''ve shipped you a box of Icarus Gear to help you prepare for future operations. The lock ensures there will be no loss of contents. The code is 2038.
"2038, huh? At least they¡¯re nice enough to give me the code." Beep-beep! The electronic lock made a distinctive sound as it opened. The lock seemed pretty high-quality, so I decided to set it aside forter. With a slight push, the doors of the cab swung open. The drone cam adjusted its position, hovering in ce to capture everything clearly. Inside were multiple smaller boxes, each adorned with their own locks. Seriously, what was with this obsession with locks? It didn¡¯t make sense, but I figured I¡¯d just have to deal with it. While the viewers flooded the chat with excited messages, I pulled out the first box. It was surprisingly heavy. Setting it on top of the cab, I noticed another letter attached, so I read it out loud.
  • ISO: Thanks to the efforts of excellent operators like you, we are one step closer to restoring a functional society. However, those who have learned the ways ofbat often find it hard to return to the normal world. This box contains items to ease that transition. The code is 6371.
Click. The box, which resembled a small weapons case, clicked open. But instead of gun parts or anything dangerous, it was filled with practical, everyday items. The first thing I noticed was an imitation Icarus watch. It lit up with a circr glow the moment I touched it. It looked exactly like my real one. This was probably the item the viewers were most curious about, so I carefully took it out and activated it. As I yed around with it, testing its features, the drone cam zoomed in to give the viewers a better look. "ording to the manual, this watch functions simrly to most modern smartwatches. It¡¯s an in-house product from Icarus Gear, developed through a partnership with another techpany. Pretty impressive, right?"
  • Oh, wow.
  • Out of everything I¡¯ve seen so far, I actually want this, LOL.
  • It looks expensive, I bet it costs hundreds of dors.
  • So, you¡¯ll send this to us too, right? Right?!
  • Not sure if you should give this one away, haha.
  • Whoever gets this will never sleep out of sheer jealousy.
When did they even start making this? The software was even customized for me, greeting me with a, Wee, Eugene. Normally, you¡¯d have to input your info when setting up a smartwatch, but not with this one. I figured it wouldn¡¯t be practical to give this away. Besides, now I had a legit excuse to carry my real Icarus Gear around, which was a nice perk. I didn¡¯t mention anything about giving this one away, though.@@novelbin@@ The next item was a ring with my username engraved on it. I slipped it on my ring finger, and it fit perfectly. They must¡¯ve measured my avatar data to get the size. Still, I probably wouldn¡¯t wear it often¡­ "This one¡¯s up for grabs."
  • Whoa, you¡¯re giving away something you actually wore, LOL.
  • Already thinking of names for my grandchildren.
  • Mmm, Eugene, let me inhale your essence¡­
  • The degenerates are multiplying!
  • Are they not afraid of the axe literally in front of them?
I ignored the chat, as usual. Next, I pulled out a Zippo lighter and a poster. Neither of these were things I¡¯d ever use, so I figured I¡¯d send them out in one big box. I even agreed to include a handwritten note, though I wasn¡¯t sure why people were so obsessed with getting handwritten letters. There were plenty of other items inside: T-shirts, a tumbler, and a dog tag. The T-shirts weren¡¯t my size, and I already had a tumbler I liked, so those were getting packed up too. As for the dog tag¡­
  • Are you sending the dog tag after you¡¯ve worn it?
"Get lost!" Bang! I activated the VR interview function, delivering a swift kick that sent their avatar flying into the void. They were banned from the chat for 15 minutes. The chat immediately filled with people pretending they had no idea what had just happened, even though the logs were saved. I banned a few more offenders to make an example, then froze the chat as I made an announcement. "That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll unlock the chat again now, but anyone who brings up what just happened will get a 15-minute ban too. Be warned."
  • Huh? What happened?
  • Professor, I was getting water, I have no idea!
  • I¡¯ve been blind for three days, I saw and heard nothing!!!
  • H-hhhhhh... (dies)
  • I knew this would happen, LOL.
Feeling much more rxed now, I moved on to the second box. After shaking it, I didn¡¯t hear any metal nking like before, just a soft rustling sound, like paper or fabric. This one had two locks, so I tore open the next letter. The codes were 2642 and 8056. But then... Click-click! "¡­Why isn¡¯t this opening?"
  • Maybe you pressed the wrong code?
  • Try it again!
  • What are you worried about? If it doesn¡¯t open, just break it, haha.
  • Top pick for ''Streamer Most Likely to Break a Lock,'' Eugene.
  • You have an axe, just use it!
I entered the codes precisely. I even moved the drone cam to show the viewers that I was entering the correct numbers, but still, the lock wouldn¡¯t budge. I thought maybe I¡¯d mixed up the codes between the two locks, so I swapped them. Still nothing. It must have either malfunctioned or thebination had been reset. And unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t the type of lock that my Icarus Gear could break through. It was an old-fashioned, analog lock that required picking or brute force. The lock was thicker than expected. If I forced it open, either the lock or the box itself would break. Hmm. Guess I¡¯ll just have to break it. "¡­Alright, here we go." I scoped out my target. The axe felt unusually light in my hand as I activated the Icarus Gear¡¯s noise-cancetion feature and prepared my stance.
  • Wait, Eugene, that might be dangerous¡ª
Whoosh! In one swift motion, the axe sliced through the air. With a loud ng, the dull metal of the tomahawk made contact with the silver-ted U-lock, sending shards flying in all directions. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the second strike came down. In less than 10 seconds, the once-sturdy lock was reduced to twisted fragments. Impressively, the box itself remained intact, despite the violence of the attack. While the viewers were still processing what had just happened, I casually twisted the broken lock off the box and tossed it aside. Then I repeated the process with the second lock. As soon as I finished, another donation appeared. <(ICARUS)MIZU donated 10,000 won.>
  • Eugene, both lock codes were actually 2038! We sent the wrong numbers!!
"¡­Well, it would¡¯ve been nice if you told me that a bit sooner. Oh well. Since it''s already open, let¡¯s continue the unboxing." The Icarus employee on the other end must¡¯ve been stunned into silence. Meanwhile, halfway across the world¡­
  • [MKVS: Yo, I¡¯m here. // in VK]
  • [MKVS: tricky.tv/Eugene // in VK]
  • [MKVS: So this Eugene person streams, huh? // in VK]
  • [§©§Ó§Ö§Ù§Õ§Ñ: Wait, Eugene? That person? I had no idea they streamed! // in VK]
  • [MKVS: How could you not know by now? This is wild. // in VK]
  • [MKVS: I thought she was gonna game, but she¡¯s doing something even crazier. // in VK]
  • [§©§Ó§Ö§Ù§Õ§Ñ: What is she doing? // in VK]
  • [§³§á§å§ä§ß§Ú§Ü: Watching it now. Honestly, my mind¡¯s blown. // in VK]
  • [§³§á§å§ä§ß§Ú§Ü: I¡¯ve seen wild stuff in Russia, but nothing like this. // in VK]
  • [§³§ä§â§Ö§Ý§Ü§Ñ: Hey! What are you saying about me?! // in VK]
  • [§³§á§å§ä§ß§Ú§Ü: Do I need to remind you of the time you got drunk and posted naked pics of your avatar in the chat? // in VK]
  • [§³§ä§â§Ö§Ý§Ü§Ñ: Ugh, alright. I¡¯m sorry! // in VK]
"These people are insane." The night in Russia was bright¡ªnot from natural phenomena, but from the towering buildings of the newly rebuilt cities. After the Soviet Union copsed in the wake of Chernobyl and various earthquakes, the country had been reborn,plete with glittering high-rises. Wrapped in a nket with the air conditioning on, I checked my messages on VKontakte, one of Russia¡¯s popr social media apps. Thebination of soft bedding and cool air was pure bliss. This, my friends, is sex. Turns out, no matter where you are¡ªRussia, Korea, or elsewhere¡ªpeople find joy in the same small pleasures. "So, streaming, huh?" I didn¡¯t usually watch other people¡¯s streams. asionally, I¡¯d check out fellow pro gamers for tips or ideas, but I didn¡¯t bother with random foreign streamers. But today was different. It was that Eugene. The one who had shaken up the entire scene when her gamey became public. Known as one of the best AP yers, yet surrounded by an air of mystery. Still, I had to ask.
  • [§©§Ó§Ö§Ù§Õ§Ñ: Is this streamer any good? // in VK]
  • [MKVS: You have no idea. She¡¯s insane. // in VK]
  • [§³§á§å§ä§ß§Ú§Ü: Trust me, watch for five minutes. You¡¯ll subscribe instantly. // in VK]
What could she possibly be doing that had them so riled up? Sighing, I clicked the link to Tricky.tv. It had been ages since I¡¯d logged in. Unsurprisingly, it took me forever to remember my password. After finally getting in, I noticed that the link had reset. Instead of clicking it again, I just scrolled down to the ¡°most popr streams¡± section. Sure enough, there she was¡ªEugene, currently live with 68,674 viewers. That number was insane. Even more surprising, her typical viewer count seemed to hover around 20,000, which was still incredible. None of my fellow pros had ever pulled numbers like that. "Unboxing?" What could she possibly be unpacking? With a mix of curiosity and skepticism, I became viewer number 68,675. And what I saw¡­ KA-BOOM! "§³§å§Ü§Ñ!" Sparks flew. Shrapnel scattered. This woman¡ªcool as a cucumber¡ªwas chopping a lock in half with an axe. It took me a moment to calm my racing heart.
  • Alright, that¡¯s one down. Moving on to the next.
Without even realizing it, I muttered aloud: "¡­She¡¯s more Russian than any Russian I know. This woman is out of her mind." If anyone deserved the title of ¡°crazy, but a total badass,¡± it was her. Just another day in the life. Chapter 172
  • [Chief Editor 1: Oh no, our boss is doing something crazy again.]
  • [Chief Editor 2: ??????]
  • [Chief Editor 3: I seriously have no idea what¡¯s happening when someone¡¯s smashing a lock with an axe. LOL]
  • [Thumbnail Designer 1: ]
  • [Thumbnail Designer 1: It¡¯s great that Mr. Yujin never has to worry about thumbnails, lol.]
¡°Pfft.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Looking at the thumbnail posted in the group chat on Ngram, where Yujin¡¯s editors and thumbnail designers gathered, it was hard to hold back theughter. It was too ridiculous not tough. How should I describe it? A doodle? A color rough draft? Either way, you could easily guess what the final product would look like. The thumbnail designer was so skilled that the key elements were already perfectly captured. I clicked to erge it. In the bottom right corner of the image, there was a giant box¡ªthe very same one sent by Icarus as a reward forpleting the Dark Zone main mission in hardcore mode. The box was running away in terror, caught by its tail. Behind it, Yujin, wrapped in all sorts of items from the unboxing¡ªearrings, bracelets, and a puffy jacket¡ªwas holding a gleaming axe, preparing to smash a lock. It was anthropomorphized¡­ well, not exactly, but that huge box, which seemed to have gained a life of its own, was screaming something ridiculous. ¡®It¡¯s an unboxing! An unboxing!!!¡¯ I burst outughing. Naturally, my fingers moved to add ament.
  • [Chief Editor 1: This is ssic Yujin-style unboxing, lol.]
  • [Thumbnail Designer 2: Wow, this thumbnail is genius! How do you evene up with this stuff???]
  • [Thumbnail Designer 1: It¡¯s my masterpiece.]
  • [Chief Editor 2: Big respect.]
The way they served it up on a silver tter¡ªhow could I not touch it? Now, it was time for the editors to take over.
  • [Chief Editor 3: The unboxing video is longer than expected. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to split it into two parts?]
  • [Chief Editor 2: The main mission edits are almost done too. Surprisingly, it¡¯s manageable. If no one¡¯s up for it, I¡¯ll handle the general unboxing.]
  • [Chief Editor 3: Speaking of which, I¡¯ll take care of the Icarus box unboxing.]
  • [Chief Editor 1: I¡¯ll stick to the main mission as usual.]
  • [Thumbnail Designer 1: You people are workaholics, LOL.]
But there was a good reason for it. The fact was that even editors and thumbnail designers who had previously worked with various streamers would say, ¡°Wow¡­¡± when payday came around. It was no joke to say that one paycheck could cover a semester of college tuition. Considering how much Yujin had been raking intely, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. Foreign viewers had been flooding in too, thanks to some mysterious algorithm boost, and the basic view count on every video had recently been hitting at least 700,000. Per day.
  • [Chief Editor 1: But when we post videos, it¡¯s like printing money!!!!]
  • [Chief Editor 3: LOL true.]
Anyway, back to the present, the goal was to upload a video today and another tomorrow. Of course, this was beyond the goal Yujin had set. That goal had been achieved a long time ago, and now every video posted was pure incentive. Yujin¡¯s current milestone was to upload all the edited main mission videos. So, at least one of the three editors had to keep working on that non-stop¡ªmeaning the other two could focus on other tasks. And then there was the unboxing. This was Yujin¡¯s unexpected move as a streamer, after a period where it was unclear whether he was more of a streamer or a pro gamer. The result? A peak viewership of 70,000 at one point. And it wasn¡¯t just any unboxing. From the get-go, Yujin had boldly pulled out a tactical tomahawk, which, after slicing through the tape, had even smashed a thick lock. The axe had taken some damage, but it was still in good shape. Yujin had essentially advertised the axe in the best way possible. In fact, after that outrageous unboxing, tomahawk orders had skyrocketed. ¡®¡­Sending us axes as gifts is a bit hard to understand, though.¡¯ The thought of a streamer sending axes to their editors was terrifying. Even if I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, I felt like I should apologize preemptively. So I apologized.
  • [Yujin: ?????]
Of course, Mr. Yujin sent back a string of question marks as if he were a confused elder receiving New Year¡¯s bows out of nowhere. Anyway, since I had contacted him, I exined the situation. As expected, the OK sign came in less than three seconds. Given that, I went ahead and uploaded the thumbnail after getting all the necessary approvals from both chatrooms. And Yujin¡¯s reaction?
  • [Yujin: LOLLLLLLLLLLLL]
It was perfect. I figured he¡¯d like it, considering the thumbnail designer had poured all their effort, passion, and creativity into it. But seeing his enthusiastic response made me feel oddly satisfied.
  • [Chief Editor 1: Alright, I¡¯ll upload it as-is. The shorts will go up on the same day, as usual.]
  • [Yujin: Thanks for all your hard work. You still have plenty of energy drinks left, right? If not, I¡¯ll send more. Oh, and I got some beef as a gift, too.]
  • [Chief Editor 1: OMG, beef!!!!]
  • [Chief Editor 1: But we have a lot of people here, LOL¡­]
  • [Yujin: Don¡¯t worry about it.]
  • [Yujin: There¡¯s more than enough to feed everyone.]
  • [Chief Editor 1: (insert deeply moved meme here)]
  • [Chief Editor 1: I¡¯ll die for Yujin, LOL.]
  • [Yujin: Oh,e on.]
With Yujin¡¯s blessing secured, I signed off with the usual pleasantries and got back to work. It was time to crack open another can of the energy drinks Yujin would asionally send. I opened my editing software and resumed working. The main mission video was finally nearingpletion. Though it had been tough, the main mission edits were ironically the series with the highest view count. They consistently pulled in over a million views. The reason was simple: all the clear ranks were Omega. It had even been revealed that the hidden requirement to achieve Omega rank in the previously impossible Washington Retake Mission was tied topleting all the missions with Omega ranks, leading to yet another surge in views. If not now, then when? ¡°Time to get to work¡­¡± Today¡¯s video was going to cover exactly that section. The Washington Retake Mission. The Return of 9-Line. With the unboxing videos also going live over the next couple of days, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. And then¡ª
  • [Yujin] ¡°It¡¯s an unboxing! An unboxing!!!¡± [Sponsored & Unboxing Review]
  • [Views: 1,137,987 // 1 day ago]
  • [Chief Editor 2: Yo, what is this?????????????]
Both of Yujin¡¯s unboxing videos shot to number one on the trending list. In many ways, it had be legendary. What can I say? As the world progresses, there seems to be an ever-growing tendency to turn every little thing people do into a meme. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve chosen to prioritize streaming over being a professional gamer. Anyway, the reason I¡¯m talking about this is not particrly important. ¡°Wow! A master of lockpicking without using any tools!¡± ¡°They say sufficiently advanced strength is indistinguishable from technique¡­ and yeah, that¡¯s definitely the case¡­ AAAH!¡± ¡°Noints before training today, huh?¡± Crunch! One person, who had been babbling for no reason, got called up to the stage and ended up getting floored by some ground techniques. The scream they let out was quite pitiful. But, as I said earlier, it was training time, and from that perspective, this was just another form of CQB. Well, CQC in this case. The timing was perfect, so I shamelessly shifted the conversation. ¡°If an enemy shows up, this is how you neutralize them.¡± ¡°Wow, this is progressing really fast.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too aggressive for close-quartersbat, sir?¡± As expected of national representatives, they catch on quickly. It seemed like it was time to exin where we were at. In brief, it was time to get ready for the Asian preliminaries. The second week of training wasing to an end. The twenty national representatives, divided into five teams, followed simr schedules but at different times. For example, while I was doing an interview with Dice, Michael, and Gambit on Monday, the others were shootingmercials. This system worked both ways, with everyone alternating between real life and virtual reality, crossing the lines between advertising and television. It was only now that we finally had a moment to pause. Neen people were sitting in chairs, all focused on my words as I stood on stage. It was fortunate¡ªif you could call it that¡ªthat the so-called "Task Force" from the pre-briefing had stuck to what they said quite well. They had even incorporated my input into the curriculum and training ns. Not that I cared much. Since I was nning on giving personal lessons to a few people, including Dice, I wouldn¡¯t have minded even if the Task Force had tried to push back. Anyway, that¡¯s how we ended up here. ¡°¡­Before we start, I¡¯d like to open the floor for questions if possible. Clearing up any confusion you have is one of the goals of my curriculum.¡± About ten people raised their hands. I called on them one by one to ask their questions. ¡°How exactly will the training proceed? If there¡¯s any conflict with the existing curriculum, how will you handle that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been in continuous discussion with the Task Force this week, exchanging feedback on the manual they provided, and there haven¡¯t been any major conflicts. However, the overall direction may differ in some aspects.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s the difference between passive and activebat. But you won¡¯t need to worry too much about thetter. I don¡¯t n on pushing that part.¡± Besides, when it came to activebat, there was no one else who could do it but me. And it wasn¡¯t just anypetition¡ªit was the Asian preliminaries. The best twenty people from each of five different countries. Unless you¡¯ve had no choice but to gain real-worldbat experience for four years and two months like I did, there¡¯s no need for anyone else to do it. Moreover, the core focus of this curriculum was on pressure¡ªthe goal was to teach them how to stay mentally sharp in any situation, which didn¡¯t necessarily involve aggressivebat. Unlike me, they didn¡¯t have the ability to take control of the battlefield themselves. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll be learning essential skirmishing skills, such as how to read thebat situation urately, disrupt the enemy¡¯s offensive, and cut off enemy fire at the right moment.¡± Everyone nodded. But what they didn¡¯t know was that none of this would be as easy as they thought. ¡°And¡­ I¡¯ll be participating in all the mockbat scenarios where you¡¯ll be learning these skills.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± The room buzzed with murmurs. But within a few seconds, they quickly regained theirposure, with many raising their hands for new questions. ¡°Will the process include in-depth behavior analysis, like what Dice received?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll go through that process before the start of week four. Using an algorithm-based analysis program, we¡¯ll prioritize the weapons and attachments that suit each of you best.¡± At the same time, I called on Dice. She was the only person who had fully experienced every aspect of the curriculum firsthand. ¡°Dice will serve as an assistant instructor. Most of the analysis will be handled by the algorithm, but any human elements that can¡¯t be captured by the program will be checked by either Dice or me.¡± ¡°Is Dice really skilled enough for that?¡± ¡°I trained her. Your KSM rankings speak for themselves, don¡¯t they?¡± No matter what happened, that fact wouldn¡¯t change. Even if you leave me out of the equation, Dice had been the first candidate selected in the second cycle of pre-selection that didn¡¯t even happenst year. From that perspective, she had more than earned her right to speak. Plus, since Monday, she had been running a continuous training program for future instructors¡­. Of course, it¡¯s not like I was some certified instructor myself. As I¡¯ve said before, I never went through a training curriculum to be one. I just took some data from Icarus and taught based on that. Even that had been effective enough. Anyway, with that said, someone brought up a question about attachments, which continued the conversation. ¡°By the way, Instructor Yujin, you often use LPVOs. Is there a particr reason for that? They¡¯re great for mid- to long-range engagements, but without a canted sight, they seem unusable for close-quartersbat.¡± ¡°I usually choose them out of personal preference¡­ but ever sincest week, there¡¯s also an advertising reason.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I was contacted by a scope manufacturingpany.¡± The questioner finally nodded, saying ¡°Ah¡­¡± For me, using an LPVO was more about covering all engagement distances, not maximizing performance in every scenario. If I wanted to squeeze out every ounce of performance, I could always switch to an EOTech, a red dot sight, or other optics. It¡¯s just that I hadn¡¯t faced any high-level engagements sinceing here that would demand such precision. In simple terms, it was the difference between off-the-shelf and custom-made. Plus, LPVOs are huge and heavy in real life. There¡¯s a reason people avoid using them in games. Anyway, the Q&A session wrapped up. I pped to liven up the atmosphere and added a final remark. ¡°Does anyone have time after this?¡± Nobody said no. I took a deep breath and snapped my fingers. The auditorium we were in instantly transformed into a mockbat training area. As everyone¡¯s faces turned from surprise to amazement, I crooked my finger to call Dice over. Standing beside me with her red cap on, she opened her mouth. ¡°If you have no objections, we¡¯re going to dive into a training course demo now.¡± It was time to put some tension back into this rxed crowd. Chapter 173 "It might not be okay." "What exactly are you referring to?" "Yujin''s curriculum." "Haven''t we already discussed that?" Outside, snow was falling. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something one would expect at the end of September. Snow was something you wouldn¡¯t find unless you were in the pr regions or among the towering peaks of famous mountain ranges. It was an unrealistic scene. In other words, this wasn¡¯t reality. It was virtual. The two were in a vi nestled on an unnamed snow-covered ridge. Inside, they sat engaged in conversation. These two were part of a specially assembled task force made up of the top coaching staff and directors from each team. More specifically, one of them was the director at the core of the team, and the other was one of the coaches. A brief silence followed, and the director hit the core of the issue. "You seem anxious." "Wouldn¡¯t you be?" A straightforward agreement. Instead of trying to argue logically, he simply nodded. No matter how one tried to rationalize it, the mind was still headed in the direction the director pointed out. He was anxious. It was true, and it was inevitable. This had never been attempted before. The problem, however, was that there weren¡¯t many other options either. The task force, though it sounded grand, wasn¡¯t guaranteed to be a miraculous solution. Both of them knew that. It was only natural. The professional gaming scene and tournaments were only three years old¡ªKSM, the Asian preliminaries, the Final Championship... nothing had been formalized yet. It was like being thrown a pile of materials and told to build a boat and cross the ocean to reach the finish line. What kind of boat would be most advantageous? What would the weather be like on the way? Were there storms, or...? What needed to be done? The answer slowly followed. "At first, I thought it was a matter of efficiency¡ªanalyzing the speed at which the opponent yed their hand, their preferred choices, the in-game rules¡­ and then responding ordingly. It seemed like a rock-paper-scissors game analyzed down to the nanosecond." There was no reaction. But he continued. "Have you seen Yujin¡¯s training firsthand?" "Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t. Have you, sir?" "Once." He didn¡¯t say anything more. But just hearing that much was enough for the coach to immediately grasp how remarkable that was. It was only once¡ªhe had only seen Yujin¡¯s actual training once. Yet, that one time hadpletely changed everything.@@novelbin@@ The director smiled and added, "If you increase the number of cards, give them more to work with, there¡¯s no need to focus on crafting an effective tactic to counter the opponent¡¯s strategy. You just need to act ordingly." "You believe Yujin can make others like that." "There¡¯s precedent." A brief pause. The director didn¡¯t bother to recount Yujin¡¯s journey or her impressive curriculum in detail. After a moment of thought, he simply added, "What coach could bring someone like Dice to the top in just a month?" "¡­." "Dice isn¡¯t second ce. She¡¯s number one. Many people overlook that. Likewise, Yujin... she¡¯s beyond being a ''number one'' figure. She¡¯s someone who might not even need the Asian preliminaries." The conversation continued. "Recently, I watched her curriculum and personal training." "How was it?" "It wasn¡¯t the training of a gamer." It was a strangement. But its meaning was clear. "¡­It was more like what you¡¯d expect from an actual operator. It didn¡¯t feel like she was training a professional gamer." "Should I take that to mean you didn¡¯t say anything?" "Who knows. It seems like I haven¡¯t said anything since the beginning." A sensitive point. With that, the conversation they¡¯d been having faded into the darkness. Their voices, devoid of much emotion, carried on. "We¡¯ll take any help we can get if it¡¯s beneficial." "What will you do when Yujin leaves?" "Hope the yers absorb as much knowledge as they can before then." At the same time, another remark followed. "And if all the tactics devised by countless schrs are inferior to what one persones up with, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be left behind?" "¡­Haha. Quite a joke." "I hope it isn¡¯t." Haha. Haha. Dryughter echoed intermittently. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tat-tat-tat-tat! "Ugh!" "Wow, they managed to break through even with such a bad position." "That suppressive fire uracy is insane! How is this even suppression?" The enemy was just one, but there were multiple signs of death. Multiplest words. The moment there was an opening, geographical and positional advantages were overturned in an instant. Making the same mistake again would result in a bone-chilling attack striking their soft side. Despite being in a small scrimmage, Dice¡¯s moves were relentless, as if it were just another casual game. For other users higher up in the ranks, where avoiding engagement was moremon, this was nothing short of shocking. And it wasn¡¯t even Yujin¡¯s moves, but Dice¡¯s. If they failed to react in time, they¡¯d be overwhelmed in a heartbeat.
  • It may look simple and brute force on the surface, but Dice¡¯s movements are far more precise and calcted than you think. Still, if you handle it cautiously, it¡¯s simpler than it seems. Try your best.
Upon death, they were immediately redeployed. That applied to Dice as well. The first goal of the day was to get used to the pressurebat brings. The battlefield was changing every second, sometimes faster than even seconds could measure. Everyone was scrambling at first, unsure of what was happening, but as time passed, they started to make calmer decisions. As the scrimmage continued, encountering the enemy became routine, allowing everyone to experiment with tactics and strategies they hadn¡¯t considered before, adapting to different terrains and situations. But once Yujin got involved, things changed. "Whoa, what the hell?!" Killing an enemy through suppression fire. That¡¯s roughly the kind of crazed motto guiding the battles. As others frantically racked their brains for a solution, Yujin¡¯s database was steadily umting key insights. Little by little, everyone began to realize. Combat, CQB, and fighting itself were far moreplex and difficult the deeper you dove in. Time ticked away, stained with madness and exhaustion. Video footage piled up under numerous categories. Invisible, intangible hundreds of transparent cameras were recording every yer¡¯s moves from various angles in real time, saving key engagements under specific keywords. For instance, if the keyword was "time taken to switch to a sidearm when out of ammo," the camera following that yer would record the scene and store it under the corresponding category. Other keywords were simr¡ªhow a yer handledbat in tight, ufortable spaces, their vulnerabilities, their weapon-switching preferences, and even how they adjusted their attachments. In the end, all that data woulde together to create a blueprint of the yer. Sigh. Even Dice was sweating from the intensebor. And it was no surprise. Data didn¡¯t umte quickly. What Yujin was aiming for¡ªa blueprint with this level of precision¡ªrequired an enormous amount of information. Naturally, the only way to achieve that was through time. In short, it was a process of grinding people down. Even with a break every 30 minutes, the individual mental strength of the twenty yers was being depleted at an rming rate. "Alright, let¡¯s take a 20-minute break." "Ahhh, I¡¯m going to die at this rate!" "My index finger¡­ I can¡¯t feel my index finger, haha¡­" Everyone was mentally checked out. The only one who seemedpletely fine was Yujin, of course. Even Dice was sprawled out on the floor, panting heavily. But Yujin, her breathing steady, calmly reviewed the amount of data gathered. 63%. Even with this percentage, there were already plenty of significant insights to help improve performance. And by the looks of it, forcing them to go through any more engagements could lead to negative side effects. If they were still groaning 20 minutester, it might be time to consider halting the orientation, even temporarily. Overtraining may sound nice, but it¡¯s not actually helpful. ''What¡¯s left for today?'' Even as she thought that, there wasn¡¯t much that could be done until the orientation was over. Once the analysis wasplete, she could break down each yer¡¯s strengths and weaknesses and finally get into real training. She couldn¡¯t offer tips or practical advice for engagements just yet. The people who trained Yujin never did either, after all. Looking at the data, it was clear that those who had gone through the most diversebat scenarios were umting the most feedback. In other words, those who had thrown themselves into the heat of battle first. She could give meaningful advice to these people¡ªeven if this was just orientation. "Hmm." Sitting there for 15 minutes, she looked around. No one was moving. They were lying on their backs, half-asleep, their minds switched off to recover. It reminded her of the time when they defended HQ and secured forward bases for 48 hours straight without sleep, chewing stimnts, and constantly going out on support missions. As soon as it was over, everyone passed out from exhaustion. ¡­Not that she had any right to talk, considering she wet herself after the first engagement. Anyway, it seemed better to either extend the break or just end the orientation altogether. She changed the surroundings again. Earlier, she had shifted the auditorium into abat zone, but this time it was the reverse. A return to the starting point, so to speak. She also swapped out the chairs for morefortable ones. This time, instead of the regr chairs, they were now lounging in massage chairs or the kind you¡¯d find in a luxurious theater. The suddenfort made them jolt for a moment. Then, she spoke. "Don¡¯t drift off into dreand, but listen while you rest. The purpose of today¡¯s six hours ofbat wasn¡¯t just to help you get used to the pressure of battle, but also to gather data to properly activate the analysis engine." Murmurs rippled through the group. But they were too mentally drained to form coherent responses. Like zombies, all they could muster were groans and half-hearted sounds. Forming logical sentences required energy they simply didn¡¯t have. She added briefly, "In other words, today and tomorrow will follow the same process. The total data collection rate is currently at 63%, so the orientation should bepleted by tomorrow." "Orientation!?" Of course, that wasn¡¯t the part they were shocked by. But the important part was yet toe. "Doberman. Your weapon¡¯s MOA is fine overall, but your positioning and reaction to sudden events need work. You could function as a sharpshooter. Rmended maps are NBV Desert Base and Atakaia Volcano Ind. Avoid high-value research facilities." "¡­Huh?" "To address your weaknesses is actually quite simple. You need to engage in more close-rangebat, especially within 30 meters. Your MOA drops significantly during movement shooting, so that¡¯s something to work on too¡­ But shooting isn¡¯t the only solution. The higher you go, the more everyone will have those qualities." Doberman, a yer from Regio Invicta, shot up from his seat, but she wasn¡¯t finished. "Mikael from Reaper Infected. You¡¯re great in regrbat for someone who mainly uses a shield. But the gap between your two styles is too wide. If you don¡¯t improve your transition speed by at least 50%, it¡¯ll be a long-term headache." One by one. She listed them out, dissecting them. "I have no intention of teaching you how to win tournaments. But I can teach you how to take down every enemy who tries to kill you." I don¡¯t teach how to pick locks. Instead, I hand you a blunt weapon to smash the lock, help you build the strength to swing it, and show you the proper stance and method. That¡¯s everything I¡¯ve learned. Before long, all neen yers were making eye contact with me. I exhaled softly. There was a smile on my lips. "There may be those for whom this curriculum doesn¡¯t suit. But seeing as you¡¯re all still here, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something I need to worry about." At some point, they had all stood up. Looking them in the eyes, I spoke again. "Wee to the training program." Apuse erupted. Chapter 174 "Ugh¡­." My body felt stiff, and my eyes were strained.@@novelbin@@ It was strange to hear this kind ofint from people who weren¡¯t even 30 years old, but there was something terrifying about a certain someone''s curriculum that seemed to drag imagination into the realm of reality. One day passed, then two, and finally, three. And with that, there was only one day left before we entered the third week. Through this time, they naturally came to realize that not only simple and repetitive tasks but alsoplex and systematic routines were enough to make time disappear. The sweet end of rest came, and the regr daily routine descended once more on these so-called professional gamers. It was time to feel again the weight of being a professional, something they had momentarily cast off. Normally, they would have slowly increased the intensity of their training, like clothes gradually getting soaked in a drizzle. But with Yujin involved, the rate of increase in intensity was even faster than before. In short, the level of fatigue they felt rose proportionally. But the increased quantity was only one of the problems. "...What the hell is this?" They were tasked with achieving a certain level of uracy with lead shots in specific zones. Killing a set number of enemies while affected by status conditions caused by grenades or other explosives. Achieving a specific level of uracy in movingbat while using a certain type of weapon. And countless other bizarre conditions wereid out before them. Some of these challenges could be found in existing training courses, but it was a different story when all 19 national representatives, except Yujin, receivedpletely different missions. In essence, Yujin had collected all the gamey data of each yer, analyzed their habits and movements, and crafted a personalized curriculum to enhance their strengths and trim down their weaknesses. All within just five days. "...Does this person not sleep and just research?" "Yeah, seriously." It was as if everything they had previously known was being denied right before their eyes. What she had personally crafted from all that data had a raw, unfinished feel to it, but perhaps because of that, it was even more effective. To be honest, the strategies proposed by the team alliance weren''t all that special either. It was more about sharing ideas and absorbing the strengths of other teams'' strategies, while searching for better methods. In other words, if you asked whether these strategies were dramatically different from the curriculums yers had received from their teams, it would be hard to give a clear affirmative. Regardless of the minor grumblings and murmurs, time passed without much incident. Anyints or doubts about the curriculum or Yujin naturally faded away. Once the yers entered intobat, the question of whether she deserved to be in her position was erasedpletely. No one had ever beaten Yujin. Even Dice hadn¡¯t managed that. Despite assembling a team that could be considered formidable evenpared to foreign nations, Yujin''s dominance remained unshaken. Of course, everyone was busy, including Yujin. In fact, Yujin was the busiest. Lately, she hadn¡¯t even had time for personal training. Just coordinating various tasks was keeping her upied. Yujin and the other 19 had practically merged with the shooting range and training areas. Even members of the task force who came to observe had grown tired and left. However, as work piled up, so did the limits. It became clear that everything couldn¡¯t be handled simultaneously. That moment arrived for Yujin when the time for scrims with foreign yers drew near. On thest day of the second week, afterpleting the curriculum, I¡ªYujin¡ªonce again stood on the stage, just like on the first day, in front of the 19 yers. "Good to see you all." I exchanged nces with them. It had been less than a week since the curriculum started, but I could already see a noticeable change in their eyes¡ªa shift, in more ways than one. Specifically, their half-dead expressions. Everything begins with the realization that this isn¡¯t just a joke, but something real. Breaking free of the mental boxes they¡¯ve built around themselves and pushing forward is naturally a difficult task. Especially considering their skill levels, it was inevitable. I wasn¡¯t saying this for no reason. I swiped my fingers to bring up a screen. "Tomorrow begins week three. In other words, scrims are just around the corner. I¡¯m sure most of you have more experience in this area." Though the schedule might differ slightly fromst year, the overall structure remained the same¡ªand around this time, professional gamers from the furthest regions began arriving in Korea. They would spend a few days adjusting to the time difference and food,municating with the teams assigned to them by Icarus Korea, and getting used to the equipment and facilities at their hotel¡ªsomething along those lines. That was the general exnation. But the important party elsewhere. "I¡¯ve heard the scrims will follow a unique format. The reason I¡¯ve gathered you all here is because of that." All scrims would pit a country¡¯s first team against another country¡¯s second team. For example, I¡ªalong with the first team of South Korea, the national representatives, those ranked 1st to 20th¡ªwould be matched against the second teams from Russia, Japan, the Chinese Federation, and Taiwan, which consisted of yers ranked 21st to 40th. That meant 100 yers in total. The minimum requirement to form an AP was satisfied. The scrimmage would proceed in this format. First teams would never directly face other first teams, and the second teams were tasked with passing indirect information to their first team. In other words, the first team had to eliminate the second-team yers from other countries as quickly as possible to minimize exposure of their strategy and hide their top yers. Conversely, second-team yers needed to hold out as long as possible to maximize their advantage. Now, onto the main point. "Although I¡¯ve only been training you for less than a week, we¡¯ll need to hit the second-team yers hard before the scrims start so that you can be well-prepared. The curriculum priority will shift temporarily." Everyone caught on to what I was saying. But hearing it spoken aloud carried a different weight. "We have one week until the scrims and about two weeks until the Asian preliminaries. There¡¯s still plenty of time for your skills to improve. However, the workload has increased, and Dice and I won¡¯t be able to cover all twenty of you on our own." I had considered leaving the second team¡¯s development to the task force, but after much deliberation, it was clear that wouldn¡¯t yield satisfactory results. As is typical when money is involved, sudden and extreme measures are frowned upon. In fact, my presence here was already considered a bold, if not extreme, challenge. In other words, the task force and I had different objectives. It wasn¡¯t a matter of direction but of the height of the goals we were aiming for. I had to look further ahead. The faster we pushed, the better the oue. In that process, everyone¡ªincluding me¡ªwould be pushed to their limits. They were about to face a grueling schedule like nothing they had experienced before. And that was only natural. Back in the day, debriefing after engagements was routine. Whether the engagement ended at 8 AM, 4 PM, or 6 AM, two hours of discussion and analysis were mandatory, and the concept of a "biological rhythm" was erased from our vocabry. Fortunately, VR had a function that elerated time by three times, and I nned to use it to its full potential. At least it would allow us to sleep on time. "I¡¯ll need to rely on the unfinished strength of all of you to get through this, but that should work itself out naturally." With a swift motion, I produced bright red hats, the kind typically worn by training instructors, and ced them on the heads of everyone except for Dice and myself. The reactions varied. Those who had served in the military let out chuckles, while the others either looked confused or touched the shiny hats as if they had a vague sense of what was happening. Watching this, I smiled. In two weeks, everyone would understand the weight of these hats. I waved my hand and quickly exined the uing schedule. It was more than double the length of the previous one. Naturally, the interactions with the second-team yers and the individual training would run as entirely separate tracks. Seeing their stunned faces, I added, "It¡¯s going to be a tough two weeks, so brace yourselves." Later, Dice would describe hearing those words as feeling like "being on a bus speeding down a one-way road to hell, with the driver flooring the elerator." "¡­What¡¯s going on? Why did they call all of us here?" Another group of twenty cautiously stepped into the training area. They weren¡¯t exactly familiar faces. Unfortunately, these were the ones who had just narrowly missed out on bing national representatives¡ªthe KSM ranks 21 through 40, the backup yers. Some of them had even participated inst year¡¯s Asian preliminaries. Their expressions weren¡¯t exactly bad, but they weren¡¯t great either. Being left behind tends to have that effect. And aside from a select few in the top ranks, most of these yers were constantly vying for a chance to im a spot at the top. But that wasn¡¯t the important part right now. These yers knew what was expected of them¡ªthey too had schedules filled with interviews and scrim preparations, even if it wasn¡¯t as rigorous as the actual national representatives''. On top of that, today marked the start of the third week. The representatives from countries furthest from South Korea would begin arriving at Incheon Airport. There wasn¡¯t much time left before the real scrims began. And now, out of nowhere, a call had been sent to all of them. The reason? Special training. The yers entered the room, confused and slightly on edge, unsure of what to expect. Of course, some of them had already pieced things together. "What are they going to do all of a sudden¡­ Hey, aren¡¯t you Blooming from SSM? Why do you look so tense?" "¡­I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this¡­" "¡­." Anxiety is contagious. And when there are a few people who have already sensed that something might happen, the spread of that anxiety bes exponential. The phrase "special training" had a certain ominous weight. The professional gamer from SSM seemed to know something, and his rising tension only fed the uncertainty. It didn¡¯t take long for their curiosity¡ªWhat the hell is going to happen?¡ªto shift into the hope that someone would tell them, Please, tell me this isn¡¯t what I think it is. But unfortunately, the waves of truth and reality crash down faster than expected. An ominous voice rang out from the ceiling as the room around them began to rapidly transform.
  • [Notice: The 40-yer mock battle is now starting.]
"What?! What the hell?! What¡¯s going on?" "Grab your gun! Do you need a lunchtime lecture onmon sense?!" In the next instant, a sh blinded them all. When their vision cleared, the twenty yers were scattered across a wide map, each ced in different locations. Even those who had been caught off guard had no choice but to snap to attention as the sounds of gunfire echoed from every direction. Instinctively gripping their weapons, they scanned their surroundings. A brief silence. But it didn¡¯tst long. Before they knew it, enemies with bright red caps¡ªhriously easy to spot¡ªbegan appearing one by one. They didn¡¯t know who they were at first, but it didn¡¯t take long to figure it out. These were the first-team members. And their eyes showed a dangerousbination of madness and exhaustion. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt! "What the hell is this!?" The muzzle red, the firing pin struck the primer with a powerful blow, and steel springs spewed out impossibly advanced arrows and mes simultaneously. Dozens of rounds per second, slicing through the air and mming into shields with crushing physical force. And thus began an all-out brawl. Tactical maneuvers unfolded in areas where the objects were bizarrely ced, while other parts of the map, designed with cramped spaces, forced yers to switch from rifles to pistols or submachine guns. Thebat was relentless. The data kept piling up. Meanwhile, the snake slithering through the map¡ªwhether targeting fully collected 1st-team members or 2nd-team backups¡ªshowed no mercy to anyone. Everywhere on the map, every type of skirmish was being recorded. Hundreds of invisible cameras monitored them from above like a watchful Big Brother. The analysis engine under Yujin''s control was in full operation. The orientation (OT) had officially begun. And the second-team members slowly began to notice the changes in the first-team yers. ...Something¡¯s different from a while ago, isn¡¯t it? It wasn¡¯t a dramatic change. Their physical abilities hadn¡¯t increased to a degree noticeable to the average person. But to the trained eye, to fellow professionals, the difference was subtle but unmistakable. The second team couldn¡¯tpletely overpower the first team. The skill gap was as thin as a sheet of paper. But when that gap doubled, quadrupled, or even increased eightfold, the situation inevitably shifted. Moreover, every KSM participant was well-versed in their opponent¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. It was like a game of rock-paper-scissors. However, after just a week of training, the second-team yers began to realize that their perception was somehow off. They struck at what they believed were weaknesses, but unlike before, the first-team members handled these situations with far more skill. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. The first-team yers were gradually evolving into yers with no obvious weaknesses. Granted, the improvement was subtle, something you could describe as barely noticeable. Like tickling someone who used to squirm uncontrobly, but now they reacted less and less. But after just five days? The fact that fellow pro gamers could detect such a shift in less than a week was nothing short of astonishing. Well, that aside... "Overhaul everything!" "Catch them, catch them!" "Your glory days are over, you rookies!" "What¡¯s wrong with these guys?! Why are they all so crazy?!" Even by the end, the twenty 2nd-team yers who had been unceremoniously thrown into the battlefield couldn¡¯t understand why the first-team members were so furious. Chapter 175 "Wow, these facilities are amazing. So this is Korea? Let me see, the name is... Incheon? Is that how you pronounce it? Incheon Airport?" "Stop showing off, Viktor. I get that the airport is impressive, but we have a lot to do when we get to the hotel. We also need to think about adjusting to the time zone." "Yelena, don''t act smart just because you skimmed Wikipedia five minutes before wended. Besides, VR will help us adjust to the time zone quickly." "Hey, keep it down. Coach Mikhail ising back any minute now." The group quickly fell silent. It didn¡¯t take much to figure out who they were¡ªthe Russian national team representatives. Viktor scanned the area and shook his head. A weing crowd would¡¯ve been nice, but there was none to be seen. Not because they weren¡¯t popr, but simply because the twenty representatives were arriving in small groups. Having twenty yers arriving at the same time would be too much of a hassle. Splitting up the arrivals was a matter of logistics¡ªeasier to manage, especially when navigating unfamiliar territory. It also gave the yers time to adjust without the pressure of a full team arriving all at once. The reason for their silence was simple. Mikhail, the coach. There were rumors that he had once been part of Spetsnaz¡¯s Vympel Group, Russia''s elite special forces. Though no one knew for sure, Mikhail had the presence and authority that made him one of the most intimidating coaches. Even though the days of his special forces service were long behind him, and his current job was more closely rted to VR and gaming, hismanding aura had not faded. At least, Mikhail himself was aware that he still had that effect. As if summoned by their conversation, Mikhail appeared. His stern face seemed even more severe after arriving in Korea. The Russian team automatically felt a weight pressing down on them, a reflection of how serious he looked. His mood wasn¡¯t great today, but part of that might have been their imagination. With a deep voice that seemed to resonate in the air, Mikhail spoke. "Let¡¯s move out. We¡¯re notte, so we¡¯ll reach the hotel on time. Dinner¡¯s at the hotel buffet. You can explore once you''ve adjusted to the time zone. Got it?" "Yes, sir." "It¡¯s pretty hot out. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have a couple of bottles of vodka in the hotel fridge?" "Ask the Icarus staff about that." Even though Mikhail handled his duties as a coach, he had a lot more to manage than just strategies and tactics. Some of his oldrades would haveughed at the thought of him babysitting a bunch of gamers, but he didn¡¯t mind. To him, being responsible and thorough was just part of his character, a discipline instilled in him not only as a special forces operative but also in his new profession. That being said, there was one thing weighing on his mind. ...Something feels off. It was his third time in Korea, but this trip felt different. There was a sense of unease, a vague pressure in the air, though it felt more like a personal premonition than a looming disaster. It wasn¡¯t as if something huge was about to happen, but rather a subtle and persistent feeling. Like standing before the open jaws of a tiger, Mikhail couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy sensation. He was a professional¡ªhe knew personal feelings shouldn¡¯t affect his work¡ªbut humans are not immune to such instincts. As the limo sped towards Seoul, carrying the Russian national team and their coach, Mikhail let out a small sigh, barely audible to anyone but himself. Was it after seeing Yujin? He couldn¡¯t pinpoint when this feeling started. It wasn¡¯t about doubting his team¡¯s abilities under Yujin¡¯s curriculum. No, it was something else, something deeper and harder to define. His chest and mind ached faintly, not exactly fear or anxiety, but certainly close. He felt as if his thoughts were clouded by a fog. Eventually, he drifted into a light sleep, only to be met with a disturbing dream. ¡­. In his dream, he was back in New York, moving through the streets with hisrades, engaged in a firefight. Shouts filled his ears, orders exchanged through tensemunications. One by one, his teammates were cut down, and in the final moment, bullets pierced his chest. Thest thing he saw was a figure, hard to distinguish, but somehow resembling Yujin. To his shock, this figure raised a gun to his head and fired. The gunshot jolted him awake. ...Ugh. What the hell was that? It must have been the result of over-analyzing Yujin¡¯s y style. Mikhail made a mental note to ask the Icarus staff if they had any suggestions for foods that could help his health once they reached the hotel. The limousine continued speeding towards Seoul with the Russian national team inside. Rustle, rustle. "This is getting ridiculous." The unboxing never seemed to end. To be more specific, the requests for sponsored unboxings kept pouring in. It was no longer just a matter of finishing a few ads here and there¡ªit had turned into an avnche of offers. There was no useining about it. To understand the situation, you first had to know how it started. Click.
  • [Yujin] "An unboxing?! An unboxing!!!!!" [Sponsored Review and Unboxing]
  • [Views: 5,992,731 // <10 days ago>]
There was no hiding it¡ªthest unboxing video had gone Not only did the edited version go viral, but the full-length video¡ªroughly three to four hours long, including all the sponsored products¡ªalso passed 800,000 views. For advertisers, this was the jackpot. Especially the tactical tomahawk and spike hammer Yujin had used to tear open the boxes¡ªthose orders had exploded. Other sponsored items included avatar essories, wallets, and even winter jackets that were selling like crazy despite the season. It was utter chaos. So now, advertisers were lining up, requesting Yujin¡¯s participation in various unboxing videos. The workload had be so overwhelming that Yujin had to admit it wouldn¡¯t be possible to finish everything by the third week, or even before the Asian preliminaries. The result? Mountains of deliveries. Even SSM, sensing an opportunity, had offered to manage the flood of products, slyly sliding over a contract with plenty of appealing terms. But with the scrims starting tomorrow, Yujin couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. Sigh. Carefully, Yujin sat on the couch, making sure the tail didn¡¯t get caught. Ironically, the couch was another sponsored item. It had proven quite useful, so amercial had been made. Like the unboxing, Yujin filmed several broadcast segments on it. The public¡¯s reaction was positive, though Yujin wasn¡¯t sure how many people had actually bought one. It wasn¡¯t something people could just pick up after seeing amercial¡ªit was too big and expensive for an impulse buy. So Yujin shrugged off the responsibility. But the main point was the uing scrims. Week four was just a day away, and recently, Yujin had delegated much of the work to Dice. Yujin focused on the big picture, while Dice took care of the details. Though it wasn¡¯t quite as efficient as handling things personally, the national team yers had already received plenty of guidance and direction. The proof of that was in the message from Dice.
  • [Dice] Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!
  • [Dice] The yers seem to be learning a lot these days, hehe.
  • [Yujin] ?
  • [Dice] They say this year''s task force curriculum feels easier to handle thanst year''s, LOL.
  • [Dice] All thanks to you???
A message from Seoye-rin, sent just a few days ago. Yujin had been puzzled at first, but after some investigation, it turned out the yers''bat proficiency had increased by roughly 14%pared tost year. Fourteen percent. It might not seem like much, but for a group of professionals who had already reached their peak, that level of improvement in just two weeks of intense training was remarkable. Only two more yers could advance to the finals, considering Yujin and Dice already had guaranteed spots, which left a slight feeling of regret.@@novelbin@@ Yujin opened the message window again, seeing something that caught the eye.
  • [Dice] Scrims start in a few days, so shouldn¡¯t you review the yer analysis results?
  • [Dice] I¡¯ll send you the attached file. Make sure to read it when you have time!
There was a PDF file attached below. Yujin had already skimmed through it. Of course, skimming wasn¡¯t enough, but... well. The truth was, Yujin wasn¡¯t used to this kind of preparation. In the past, Yujin never knew exactly who the enemy was. It was a matter of shooting anyone shooting at the Dagger team. But high-priority targets had been carefully studied, so perhaps this was more aboutziness. Maybe it was just that adjusting to these procedures felt unnecessary. After all, wasn¡¯t this kind of preparation a way to restore the social skills and humanity lost during those four long years? Or perhaps it was all just an excuse. Sigh. Spending so much time alone at home often led to these kinds of wandering thoughts. Maybe the reason Yujin worked out so much was to avoid thinking like this. After all, Yujin had seen simr things in the past¡ªwondering if there would ever be a home to return to, or if settling down in a new ce would ever feel right. The achievements and Icarus¡¯ expanding presence had offered somefort, but home was still home, and it remained elusive. The phone rang, interrupting the train of thought. This time, it wasn¡¯t an avatar-based call but a real voice. Dice¡¯s call. That familiar, soft voice teased Yujin¡¯s ears. "Yujin! You¡¯re still up? What are you doing?" "Unboxing today, unboxing tomorrow. Why don¡¯t youe by and take some of this stuff off my hands? I even have a chair that¡¯s good for your back." "Oh, it¡¯d be hard to carry it all. Could you send it by delivery? I¡¯d really appreciate it¡­." "Shipping¡¯s cash-on-delivery, and the contents are random. You might end up with a sad-looking frog eye mask or a propeller hat. Maybe even a DIY bean sprout kit." "You¡¯ve got a real talent for picking things no one wants." "People should be versatile, you know." Despite the yful back-and-forth banter, Dice eventually agreed toe over and help with the unboxing, possibly even joining the video. Though she hesitated at first, the mention of motion-capture and avatar conversion gear piqued her interest. Yujin asked if Dice had been watching the broadcasts, and it turned out she hadn¡¯t. But since it hadn¡¯t impacted her following the curriculum, Yujin didn¡¯t mind too much. Not everyone had time to watch every stream. Then came the second item on the agenda. "The first wave of Russian yers arrivedst week. Zvezda, MKVS, Sputnik, and Strelka, with Coach Mikhail. A total of twenty yers arrived over two days. It¡¯s not a big deal, but I figured you¡¯d want to know." "¡­I wasn¡¯tpletely ignoring it. I read the PDF you sent." "Wow." What does she think of me? Yujin wondered. Automatically, the mention of Russia triggered memories of the yers'' profiles from the PDF. Their y style was brutal and aggressive, favoring both Eastern and Western weaponry. But that wasn¡¯t much of a concern to Yujin. After all, despite the small differences between weapons, the goal was always the same¡ªto kill the enemy. Brutality and aggression weremon stereotypes for Russian yers, with their rough, no-nonsense approach, heavily influenced by their Spetsnaz training. But, as it had been before, Yujin wasn''t particrly worried. There¡¯s no need for special precautions. After all, if there was one thing Yujin had mastered, it was killing highly trained enemy operatives, especially Russian ones. Mikhail''s soldiers were no exception, and Yujin had spilled enough of their blood to paint the Hudson River red. Maybe I¡¯m thinking too much. "Got any special strategies? Some magic bullet for handling these guys?" "Study your textbooks. Everything¡¯s in there." "Sigh. I figured as much. I guess I¡¯ll just trust you again, as usual. Is that fine?" "You should trust yourself, not rely on others." "Sure, sure. Anyway, on another note¡ª" Dice¡¯s familiar voice cut through the clutter in Yujin¡¯s head. As random, swirling thoughts and old memories receded, the call returned to more practical matters. What had started as a conversation about Russia¡¯s national yers had once again devolved into a casual chat, as it often did with Dice. It was just another ordinary day. Chapter 176 ''Is there really a reason to go this far?'' ''The Dark Zone itself is proof of another world¡¯s existence. It¡¯s far too vivid to dismiss as just a dream. The President... well, the Majority Leader of the Democrats for now, along with the NSA Director, the Secretary of Defense, and numerous other officials... they all experienced the same reality. That¡¯s reason enough.'' ''But.'' ''Does that fall short? What about the capture of Gordon Amherst, who tried to recreate the original Omega virus?'' ''What if Viper¡¯s presence caused it all? What if the cause and effect were reversed, and her presence triggered these events?'' ''¡­There¡¯s merit to that. But one thing remains clear.'' A brief silence. ''You and I, along with many others, have already suffered too much under the Stars and Stripes, haven¡¯t we?'' "Hmm." October in the United States is as gentle as it gets. Rising from his desk to shake off sleep, Lloyd A. Macmin, Secretary of the Army, nced out at the Potomac River. Between the trees, now adorned with autumn''s brown leaves, he could see the river shimmering under the still-rising sun. Fresh coffee in hand, the aroma of the beans filled his office as he prepared for the day. His routine was rigorous: review documents, attend meetings, and handle numerous tasks, some of which the public should never know. This was the life of a man at the Pentagon, holding a key seat of power in the defense of the United States. And though he should¡¯ve been eating lunch at this hour, today''s schedule was different. Rustle. Contrary to the popr belief that high-ranking officials dine on steak three times a day, Lloyd¡¯s lunch was as human as anyone else¡¯s¡ªa simple burger. The warmth of the paper bag still lingered as he sat down and finished his meal, disposing of the wrappings swiftly in the secure trash bin. As per Pentagon regtions, everything, even trash, would soon be incinerated. After washing his hands and refreshing the air in his office, he sat back down, though his lunch break hadn¡¯t officially ended yet. ck! Without much fanfare, Lloyd pulled out a folder from a cab¡ªone he had set aside with great care. The cover was in but the contents within were anything but ordinary.
  • [Medal of Honor - Unofficial Recipients]
  • [Warning: This list will be sent directly to the Department of Human Resources.]
Sent directly, bypassing congressional approval. Even with little experience in authorizing the Medal of Honor, Lloyd knew the weight of this document. The Medal of Honor¡ªthe highest and most prestigious military decoration in the United States. For Lloyd, a devout Christian and patriot, the idea of this honor being handled unofficially felt like an unforgivable injustice. But even so, he understood. Thud, thud, thud. ''We''re here, Secretary! Damn it, Yujin! We¡¯re holding the line! Get the Secretary on the helicopter, we¡¯re getting out of this hellhole!'' ''I¡¯ll return for reinforcements, just hang on till then!'' ''Forget about me, focus on getting him out alive!'' Closing his eyes, memories surged back¡ªbullets tearing through the air, blood that wouldn¡¯t stop, and the white dress shirt that had turned crimson. He had been on the verge of death that day, saved only by Task Force Dagger. Thanks to them, he had survived what seemed to be hisst moments. Few had witnessed the fall and rise of ces like New York, Washington, and California under Icarus'' wing. These memories, along with the reality of the Dark Zone, weighed heavily on his mind. "This feels like some sort of twisted joke." Though these events seemed like something from another world, they were too real to dismiss. The actual Omega virus had been contained along with Amherst, and when its danger had been fully assessed, it would be destroyed. Justice would be served. Was Yujin¡¯s appearance the cause of these events, or had her presence prevented an even greater catastrophe? Either way, could her actions justify sidestepping the civilian oversight that normally governed such decisions? Was this really enough to bend the traditions of military decorum, the separation of powers, and the sanctity of the Medal of Honor? ¡­Wait. ''Exceptions are avoided because setting a precedent means the same thing could happen again.'' When Roosevelt ran for a fourth term, many feared it would open the door for constitutional amendments. George Washington¡¯s two-term limit, set in ce after FDR, had been a safeguard against future abuses of power. But would such a precedent apply here? Would there ever be a scenario like this again? No. If the world faced such a situation again, the United States would no longer be recognizable. This was official but unofficial¡ªa paradoxical situation. Bang!
  • [Verifying...]
  • [Signer: Roid Alois. Macmin]
  • [Do you wish to send?]
He confirmed. The arrow had left the bow. ''Well, now you¡¯re an aplice too.'' Lloyd listened to the faint echo of those words in his mind and seriously began to contemte his future. Soon, the Deputy Secretary of Defense and even the Secretary himself would be facing the same moral dilemma. Damn Henry. "...I might get dragged into a congressional hearing." Still, he didn¡¯t regret it. Though Yujin was from another country, she had given everything for the safety of theirs. The least the United States could do was to honor her. As the day rolled on¡­ "Wow, this is adorable. Can I take one of these?" "Sure, take it." "Aw, why do you say it like that? You make it sound like a burden." Meanwhile, 11,146 kilometers away, somewhere in Korea¡­ Yujin found herself staring at a box filled with chibi dolls¡ªSD figures that looked eerily like her, reminiscent of Nendoroids. She couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount of merchandise. Knock, knock, knock! "Yujin! This is the right ce, right?" "The door¡¯s open. Come in." Click! A soft creak revealed a familiar bob-cut silhouette as Dice, or Seoye-rin, entered the room. Having crossed the Han River in response to Yujin¡¯s invitation, she stepped inside without hesitation. There was no awkwardness. Both Yujin¡¯s and Dice¡¯s avatars were almost identical to their real-life appearances. The familiarity between them made the transition to face-to-face meetings easy. "Wow, your ce is really nice. But it¡¯s so¡­ minimalist. Totally your style." "This is actually quite decorated already." "Really?" "With boxes." Sigh. Dice¡¯s eyes widened as she took in the sight. The walls were lined with an overwhelming number of packages, making it look like a delivery app¡¯s VIP member residence. The fact that these were all sponsorships or partnerships stunned her even more. Then Yujin handed her a file. "You gave me something before, so I¡¯m returning the favor." "¡­Is this today¡¯s scrim analysis?" "Of course." Dice¡¯s face showed disbelief at how such a hefty document could be contained in mere megabytes. With an uneasy expression, she epted the PDF file. There was no escaping it. The keyword ¡°scrims¡± had pulled her back to reality. Week four had begun, and the scrims ran Monday to Friday, with tournaments on the weekends. Today was Monday, so they had four days left until the finals. Yujin broke the silence.@@novelbin@@ "Today¡¯s scrim results weren¡¯t too bad. The opponent didn¡¯t put up much of a fight." "Well, no offense, but Taiwan tends to be like that. They''re more of a filler team. Next year¡¯s qualifiers might shake things up." The data Yujin sent confirmed this. ording to the projections, the bottom two teams from this year wouldpete with lower-tier Asian leagues for qualifying spots. In theory, countries like China and Taiwan would have to fight for their spots next year. But Korea, consistently finishing in the top three, had nothing to worry about. "Tomorrow¡¯s our turn," Dice said. "Yep. The day after that is China, then Japan, and finally Russia on Friday. Russia has the advantage again this year¡ªprobably because of their vast time zones. They had the same edgest year." "Mm-hmm." This was about when the first team scrims were scheduled. Russia¡¯s frequent mention had to do with their time zones, which gave them an advantage. With such a wide range of time zones, their team scrims were scheduled close to the actualpetition date, giving them more time to prepare without revealing their strategies early. Even without being deeply involved in the tournament dynamics, Yujin could see the advantage. "It feels weird that I¡¯m here at your ce when we have a scrim tomorrow." "Even if you work hard for a day or two, it won¡¯t change much. Muscle memory doesn¡¯t form in a few hours; otherwise, anyone could dominate the battlefield." In the end, what you built up over time was what really mattered. There wasn¡¯t much more to say. From here on out, they spent their time preparing for the stream. Bzzzzz! "Ah, that¡¯s so bright! What is this?" "It¡¯s motion capture equipment. It oveys an avatar in real-time when we stream, so we can keep our identities hidden." "Oh, that¡¯s why you used it during the unboxing. But I¡¯m not great at talking, and I¡¯ve never appeared on a personal stream. Are you sure this is okay?" "Just talk like we always do. I¡¯ve only been streaming for two months." ...Why does that make sense? Two months into streaming and already wildly popr. Yujin¡¯s sess had flown past the point of reason. Surveying the scene, Dice noticed a pile ofrge trash bags for all the unboxing garbage. But something was missing¡ªthere weren¡¯t any scissors or box cutters in sight. Turning to Yujin, she was met with a shock. "Come to think of it, we don¡¯t have anything to cut the tape. I¡¯ll go get¡­ AAAAAH, why are you holding that!?" "What do you mean? This is perfect for cutting tape." "That thing looks like it could cut more than just tape!" Shwing. In Yujin¡¯s hand was none other than a tactical axe. It had been amusing to watch in her videos, but seeing the axe in person was a different story. The sheer presence of the weapon in Yujin¡¯s hand made Dice shudder. The aura she emitted was no joke¡ªa predator before its prey. Instinctively, Dice stepped back, unable to contain her fear. The realization that someone had probably been hit by that axe sent a chill down her spine. Yet Yujin continued, unfazed. "Oh, I almost forgot to offer you one. Would you like to take an axe home?" "Who¡¯s going to carry that thing home!?" "Now that you mention it, that is a bit impractical." Dice was starting to lose it. As Yujin casually swung the axe, Dice wondered ifing here had been a mistake. Some timeter... "Stop poking me with that axe! It¡¯s scaring me!" "It¡¯s not the axe; it¡¯s my tail." "Oh, that¡¯s fine, then." Yoooohhaaa Yuhhaaaaaa?????????? What are you doing, starting like this??? OMG, a special guest! Who is it!? Wait, is that Dice??? The second unboxing stream had begun. Chapter 177 "We came out, gritting our teeth and sharpening our swords. But while we were wrestling with our des and whetstones, they were building the strength to wield both hammer and anvil at the same time." ¡ª Chris, a Taiwanese pro gamer ¡°Now, let''s discuss what items we''re going to dump on Dice.¡± ¡°Wow, dump? Really? You¡¯re not even trying to hide it anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you choose: would you like it delivered by mail or will youe pick it up yourself?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not streaming! Go ahead, split me open¡ªwhoa, they¡¯re actuallying at me! Everyone! Call the police now! Help!¡±
  • LMAO, the energy is off the charts from the start!
  • An all-out battle between a brazen madwoman and a newly vocal one.
  • I¡¯m proud to be watching this live. I can¡¯t imagine life without Eugene anymore.
  • Eugene-Dice cob stream???? Tonight¡¯s dinner couldn¡¯t be more epic! Where¡¯s thete-night snacks?
  • Please, stop giving such awesome streams! My wallet¡¯s gone into overtime just covering snack costs!
In a sh, the number of viewers shot past 50,000, all staring intently at Eugene through the screen. Her words seemed casual and ordinary enough, but when they came out while she was holding an axe in her right hand, the tone shifted dramatically. The 50,000 pairs of eyes were locked onto Eugene, whose gaze seemed to drip with an unsettling madness. Madness is something that emerges naturally when the mundane and the bizarre coexist in a strange way. The image of Eugene, casually walking around her own home with a tactical tomahawk in hand, fit that description perfectly. And now, without any hesitation, Eugene boldly dered that she was going to dump all the useless items on Dice, which added anotheryer of absurdity to the scene.
  • Wow! Dice! The guy who skipped interviewsst year has finally be human!
¡°Wow, this is my first donation. How do I respond to this?¡± ¡°Just react however you want.¡±@@novelbin@@ Dice. She had been in many interviews before, but receiving direct cash donations through a live stream was a new experience for her. It was essentially a direct show of support from an individual. In light of that, it wasn¡¯t surprising when she bowed slightly, showing gratitude for her very first donation. However, this act took on a different meaning as the viewer count surged past 60,000. Even if only 1 in 100 viewers sent a donation, that would be 600 people. It might be fewer, but the point was, the number would still surely be in the hundreds. Within just 10 minutes, Dice was alreadyining of back pain. ¡°My back hurts¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pause the donations for 10 minutes. We¡¯re cooling down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a full-fledged streamer now, Eugene.¡± From Dice¡¯s perspective, it was pretty shocking. She already knew Eugene was a streamer, and she¡¯d watched several of her streams before, but seeing Eugene expertly manage an audience of 60,000 in real-time was a whole new experience. If it had been her, she probably would¡¯ve been thrown off her game. Of course, Eugene wasn¡¯t fazed, whether it was by money,ints, or attracting attention¡ªthough there had been a time when she literally kicked viewers out of the stream. Aside from all that, Eugene¡¯s unboxing had its own peculiar ir. She didn¡¯t mention where each package came from before opening it and reviewing the contents in detail, like typical unboxing videos. Instead, she simply pulled out a pile of boxes stacked in the corner of the room and introduced them briefly. Even just this made the viewers feel a sense of satisfaction. There was a catharsis to opening up a mountain of packages. To put it simply, it was the kind of moment that made one¡¯s heart swell with excitement. Dice herself had watched a few unboxing videos from other streamers or YourSpace channels the day before, but, as expected... It went beyond her expectations. ¡°I¡¯ll open the boxes. Just help me with the tape.¡± ¡°Ugh, can you put the tomahawk on the other side? It¡¯s making me really ufortable.¡± ¡°Want to hold it?¡± Surprisingly, she epted it withoutint. It was quite heavy, matte ck, even the de. Normally, you¡¯d expect it to ¡°shine bright blue,¡± but this was truly tactical in every sense. However, the de was also incredibly sharp. Sharper than most knives, the axe¡¯s edge had been honed to a terrifying degree, paradoxically tempting one to touch it out of a strange curiosity. Noticing this, Eugene nonchntly added: ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt if you try to touch it. Best not to.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Here you go.¡± Ownership transferred back to Eugene. With a flick of the wrist, she brought the de to the tape, which instantly split with a soft snap. Dice was d she hadn¡¯t tried to handle it herself, and she tore off the remaining tape, crumpling it into a trash can. Now, all that was left was to pull out the contents and fold up the box... ¡°Wow, what is this? It¡¯s so cute.¡± ¡°What the... What even is this?¡± She opened the box. It was muchrger and heavier than usual, but the ttering soundsing from inside hinted that it wasn¡¯t a sophisticated mechanical device but rather several loosely packed items. Curiosity piqued, she eagerly anticipated the contents. And what she found...
  • How many nendos does Eugene have?! LOL
Inside the box were dozens of SD (Super Deformed) figures, each one posed differently¡ªnot one identical. As Eugene struggled to make sense of it, she noticed a discreetly ced envelope. The letter inside read something like this:
  • We¡¯ve coborated with a Japanese figurepany to produce various prototypes.
  • Not all of them will be produced, but we¡¯ve created a few samples avable for limited sale. You can ess the sales link via the QR code at the bottom of this letter.
  • Please review and advertise the products. We¡¯ll choose the most popr items for production.
A floating drone cam subtly adjusted its angle, capturing the scene. She quickly gathered her thoughts. She couldn¡¯t just throw up a QR code without knowing what the products were, so she decided to introduce them all first and then share the link. That was the n she came up with immediately after. Carefully, she removed three t, rectangr ss cases from the box, along with a pile of bubble wrap. Once removed, the dazzling SD figures were revealed in all their quirky glory. There were 42 of them in total. How they managed to make so many was beyond her. However, the letter exined that they had reused as many existing designs as possible, which allowed for quick production. ¡°...I feel dizzy.¡± ¡°Wow, I want one. I bet having this next to me while I y would improve my skills.¡± ¡°Stop saying weird stuff.¡±
  • Wow, I really want one LOL
  • It¡¯s as desirable as that Icarus watch fromst time.
  • The detail on the tail, oh my god LOL
  • When¡¯s the sale?! GIVE US THE LINK!!!
  • This would be perfect to have in my house, LOL.
The bottom of each figure helpfully exined what scene it was based on. One box opened, and the figures were ced on the table. The drone cam moved automatically, showcasing the products from multiple angles. ¡°...Eugene holding a tactical tomahawk. This is the first one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling dibs on this one.¡± ¡°...¡± One by one, they continued to unbox the figures. Eugene in a padded jacket, shivering. Eugene firing a gun. Eugene lying t on the floor. Eugene with a strange smile... And over 35 more awaited her. At this point, it didn¡¯t seem like these were made from existing designs¡ªthey all appeared to be newly created. The advancements in technology were remarkable. With 2040 just around the corner, such things were apparently possible. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t take that long to introduce all 42 figures. ¡°...That¡¯s a total of 42 figures. I¡¯ll upload the purchase link soon, but it seems like there aren¡¯t many avable. When you get in, there will probably be a survey. You¡¯ll need to vote for your favorite products... Ha.¡± ¡°Stop! Eugene! We¡¯re in the middle of an advertisement! You can¡¯t let your real feelings slip out like that!¡± ¡°Why does this even exist? It¡¯s terrifying.¡±
  • If you buy now, it¡¯s a premium item, right?!
  • Holy crap, this ad is genius (in an evil kind of way).
  • How can I resist this?!
  • Just found another reason not to quit my job today LOL.
  • Please stop! I want to remain unemployed! I don¡¯t want to look for a part-time job!
At that moment, the QR code link was uploaded. Within a minute, the sales site crashed. Traffic overflowed in just a few minutes, and donations started to flood in. Within moments, Eugene¡¯s stream turned into a money pit where it would take over an hour just to have your message disyed¡ªmeaning the donation queue was an hour long. And then, her phone suddenly rang. ¡°Hold on a second, what¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I just got a phone call. You entertain the viewers for a bit.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, Eugene! Where are you going?! Ahhh! Hold on¡ª!¡± Dragging sounds. Even as Dice clung to Eugene¡¯s pants leg, thetter¡¯s steps never faltered. The sound of Dice¡¯s soft belly scraping against the floor echoed pitifully as her strength left her, and she copsed onto the ground. Click. The door closed as Eugene disappeared to take the call, leaving Dice to awkwardly stand and fiddle with the drone cam. The broadcast screen came up, showing what the viewers were currently seeing. In short, the streamer could monitor the live feed. ncing at the closed door, Dice spoke: ¡°...Did she leave? She left, right?¡±
  • She left?
  • Eu...
  • Gene...
  • Eugene, the fluffy snake-tailed queen! Please wrap me up in that tail!
  • Dice is an aplice too LOL
Only then could Dice breathe a sigh of relief. She picked up one of the neatly lined-up figures and held it up to the drone cam. It was Eugene eating. The quality of the stic food was impressive, and, more importantly, the figure was cute. And thanks to its material, when she pressed its cheeks, they felt soft and squishy. Speaking in a low voice, she nced around and said: ¡°I like this one. Isn¡¯t it cute? The tail¡¯s well-made too... But why does it feel so creepily detailed? Anyway, it¡¯s cute, so I¡¯m satisfied. If a product based on my character came out like this, I¡¯d actually be happy.¡±
  • Right, LOL.
  • Forget that, Dice! Tell us how you first met Eugene!
  • The site still isn¡¯t back up, is it? Isn¡¯t that so annoying?
  • Dice must be lucky. I bet if she asked, they¡¯d give her one for free.
  • How did they manage to give her 40 of these things? LOL.
¡°But everyone, this isn¡¯t the end. There¡¯s still a lot more Eugene merchandise toe. Evenst year, there were tons of products for pro gamers. Team logos, personal logos on clothes, keyboards, mice, VR devices¡ªyou name it.¡± Mugs. Pillows. Keychains, badges, bracelets, eco-bags, snapbacks, figures, and more. She started recallingst year¡¯s chaos. Having been at the center of it before, it wasn¡¯t hard to relive those memories¡ªher mind filled with the various products. Of course, ¡°various¡± included some truly bizarre items. For instance, a team that hadpletely lost its mind had released a dakimakura¡ªa body pillow coverst year. The rating on that product was... well, let¡¯s just say it pushed boundaries. If you¡¯re wondering, it wasn¡¯t shy about being bold. And considering Eugene¡¯s unique trait¡ªher tail¡ªthere were bound to be plenty of equally wild products. Even if it wasn¡¯t something outrageous, a tail cushion or pillow, perhaps? Wait. That¡¯s a good idea. ¡°Hold on a second. I need to open another box.¡± There was no hesitation. Grabbing the dismantling axe Eugene had left behind, Dice no longer found it intimidating. Once a target was in sight, there was nothing to stop her. She randomly picked up a box and tapped it lightly. If something sounded suspicious, she set it down. Or, more simply, she could just check the deliverybel on the package. And before long, she found a boxbeled ¡°personal merchandise sample.¡± cing it in front of her, she started cutting the tape. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Whoa, I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Why are you so startled?¡± Well... Maybe it was because she had too much on her conscience. It¡¯s like they say¡ªpeople who¡¯ve lived rough and rugged lives are quicker to react than those with nothing to worry about. And as someone who had just been imagining a tail pillow for Eugene, Dice found Eugene¡¯s sudden appearance particrly terrifying. At any rate, it was time to ask what the phone call had been about. Dice posed the question, and the answer quickly came. ¡°So, what was the call about? Was it something sensitive?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing like that. It was from thepany that sent the figures. They asked what happened because their site crashed. When I told them it was due to the ad, they awkwardly hung up.¡± ¡°Ah, haha¡­¡± If I were the person in charge of that site, I wouldn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, Dice thought. But now it was her turn to answer some questions. She responded as she tore through the package¡¯s tape. ¡°Anyway, I saw that thebel said it was personal merchandise, so I brought it over.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already dreading what¡¯s inside¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. These sample items were all approved by Icarus before being sent out. Anything too sensitive or weird would¡¯ve been screened or outright rejected.¡± Should I really trust that? Dice didn¡¯t notice, but Eugene¡¯s expression from behind was growing more and more sour. And then, a few secondster... Fwomp! ¡°Wow! What is this?!¡± ¡°...Oh my god.¡±
  • ??????????????
  • LOL!!!
  • Give us the QR code, give us the QR code, give us the QR code, give us the QR code!!!
  • I¡¯m getting one of these for sure! LOL
  • It¡¯s so damn tempting! LOL
Anaconda tail pillow. Dice clutched the pillow tightly to her chest, shouting, Why is this real?! Meanwhile, Eugene felt a twinge of pain in her neck. ¡°...Why does something like this exist?¡± Everyone¡¯s dancing on the line. But ironically, even Eugene couldn¡¯t deny the thickness and softness of the pillow. For a brief moment, she wondered if a drink might be necessary to get through this situation. Sinking into the sofa, she let out a faintugh, trying to recover from her lost sense of disbelief. It was a day with only a short time left before the Asian qualifiers. Chapter 178 ¡°Oh, this is nice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sleep here; go sleep in a bed.¡± ¡°Ah, I wasn¡¯t actually nning on sleeping here.¡± - Lololololololol - What¡¯s going on? What are they hinting at? Why are they so close? - Forget that, sell that tail pillow that was stuck between Dice¡¯s thighs already!!! - Start the auction right now, take my money!!!! - Fact: This is technically an advertisement stream. - This isn¡¯t just any ad, lmao. Dice had fully embraced the tail pillow, merging with the floor. Unlike my real tail, this pillow was long, thick, and made to be soft and squishy when hugged. It wasn¡¯t tapered or flexible toward the end; instead, it maintained the same thickness throughout. Only the printed tail design got thinner toward the tip. Anyway, with my tail being about 170 cm long, unless you''re particrly tall, it¡¯s big enough to hugfortably. Well, at least it''s not a dakimakura with my actual likeness on it. I¡¯ll take that as a small blessing. In other words, I could let this one slide. As my head cleared, it didn¡¯t bother me much anymore. More importantly, as the person this was based on, I needed to check the quality of the product. While pulling out the pillow, I nced at the letter tossed nearby. It contained a simr message as before. The only difference this time was that this product wasn¡¯t in full production yet. Basically, the letter was asking if I¡¯d be okay with them creating merchandise based on me¡ªsomething along those lines. Naturally, they¡¯d included the links to the manufacturer and retailer, very courteous and all. After briefly checking both, I didn¡¯t find any issues. This seemed to be apany that frequently produced merchandise for pro gamers. Plus, there were other items beneath the pillow. Time to review them as well. ¡°All the items we¡¯re showing today are prototypes and haven¡¯t been released yet. I¡¯ll post the links to where they¡¯ll be avable for sale or pre-order, so you can check those out.¡± Rustle, rustle. I pulled out another small box from a corner, wrapped entirely in bubble wrap. Inside was a moderately sized mug. It had my logo and the word ¡°EUGENE¡± engraved on it. Thankfully, the handle wasn¡¯t shaped like a snake¡¯s tail. Underneath that was a t-shirt, wrapped in stic. It was something you could wear casually. A ck shirt with a subtle green tint and a digitalized image of an anaconda proudly printed on it. It seemed Icarus had decided to push my personal logo in this direction. The design was tactical and quite to my liking. I introduced the items in the order I pulled them out of the box. ¡°This is a mug. Nothing too special¡­ just my logo and name printed on it.¡± ¡°If you keep using that mug, will you grow a tail?¡± ¡°Of course. But, to be honest, I don¡¯t think I want to see millions of people growing snake tails. I might have to cancel this release.¡± ¡°Ah, no, please don¡¯t!¡± - Why do they make nonsense sound so natural? Lololol - But I wanna grow a snake tail too!!!! - I just had a bad thought but if I say it, I¡¯ll get banned, so I¡¯ll shut up. - Dice is startled lolololol - Their chemistry is honestly something else, lmao. A snake tail, huh? That¡¯s not a sight I¡¯d enjoy imagining. Even if it¡¯s not really my decision, this is part of my identity now¡­ Wait, why am I taking this so seriously? Maybe it¡¯s because I recently picked up a tail avatar file for Dice. Come to think of it, I forgot to tell her. I¡¯ll send it when I remember. With that thought, I pulled out the second item, the t-shirt. Even with my logo, it didn¡¯t look bad. ¡°Next is the t-shirt. Seems fine to me, but I don¡¯t know what you all think. It¡¯ll be on the sale list anyway, so if you like it, go ahead and buy it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone advertise like this in my life.¡± Was that a bit too rude? I should probably add something to make up for it. ¡°Thank you in advance for your support.¡± - Lolololololol - Is this what we call being defeated by capitalism? - More like a draw with capitalism, lmao. - The advertisers are probably losing their minds right now. - It¡¯s funnier because she¡¯s so blunt about it, lol. But honestly, I didn¡¯t have much more to say. Meanwhile, Dice was behind me, rustling through the remaining items in the box. There were snapbacks, handbags, phone cases, and other such goods, but to be honest, they weren¡¯t much different from the t-shirt. Just ordinary items with my logo pped on them. I hate to say it, but the tail pillow, which was more unique to my brand, and the Nendoroid collection that Dice was currently messing with on the floor, were far more interesting to look at. Still, practical items like these would naturally take this form. There weren¡¯t any defects with the products, so they¡¯d all likely pass quality control. I wrote a brief message summarizing my thoughts and sent it back. ¡°Phew, I¡¯ve never opened this many packages before.¡± ¡°Well, there aren¡¯t many left now, so let¡¯s push through.¡± Thanks to Dice¡¯s help, we were moving much faster through the packages. Soon, the room was filled with empty stic wrap and ttened boxes. The remaining packages contained personal items I had ordered¡ªthings like calorie gainers, high-end cooking tools, a grill, and bath products. Speaking of baths, it reminded me that my shedding season wasing soon. It¡¯ll be my first time since I returned to this world. Anyway, for now, I¡¯ll finish up my backlog one thing at a time. ¡°The rest are my personal packages, so I won¡¯t be opening them on stream¡­ can you help with the recycling?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I grabbed a handful of the boxes while Dice picked up the rest. I heard her grunting behind me, prompting me to respond instinctively. ¡°You¡¯re already struggling?¡± ¡°I do work out, you know.¡± ¡°Cardio is for weight loss.¡± The drone cam hovered inside the house. Just as the chat was spamming single characters, I briefly ced the boxes at the front door and handed Dice a pair of slippers. The cutesy script on them read ¡°Seo Yerin,¡± though, regrettably, the handwriting was mine. But something else seemed to have caught her eye first. ¡°Hamina?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Harmony. I had a small housewarming partyst time.¡± ¡°Ah, got it.¡± Rustle, rustle. Dice struggled to put on the slippers, her view blocked by the boxes. I nudged her foot with my tail, guiding it into the slipper, and she quickly slid it on. The sound of boxes hitting the floor echoed as she dropped the pile. After I closed the door with my tail, I checked the time as we walked down the hallway. 8:47 PM¡ªprettyte into the evening. Maybe that¡¯s why I caught a familiar voice with a soft tone brushing past my ear. ¡°Eugene, I didn¡¯t eat dinner beforeing over.¡± ¡°Feels like that¡¯s not all you¡¯re about to say.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m kind of toozy to go back to my ce.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a spare bed in the guest room. You can sleep there.¡± ¡°Wow, Eugene, you¡¯re loaded.¡± A brief pause. Then she spoke again. ¡°¡­Wait, hold on. How are you answering so casually? Most people would decline at this point.¡± ¡°I live alone, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I sleep with you?¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t.¡± Swoosh. Dice¡¯s words faltered as she watched my tail swaying in front of her. ¡°There¡¯s no room in my bed because of the tail.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve had all kinds of weird experiences today. But don¡¯t worry, I wasn¡¯t actually nning to stay the night. I wouldn¡¯t ask to crash at someone¡¯s ce so suddenly. Besides, I have scrims tomorrow, so I should wake up in a familiar environment.¡± ¡°Whatever works for you. I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± As we continued, she added. ¡°But I really am hungry, though.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Click, beep. The heavy metal door closed behind us as we stepped back inside and took off our shoes. Our destination was clear. Dice, however, looked confused since I didn¡¯t say anything. I simply rummaged through the fridge. A momentter, I ced three boxes of premium beef¡ªones I had received a few days ago¡ªon the table. The drone cam began to spin, capturing Dice¡¯s curious expression. ¡°¡­Wow, I didn¡¯t expect such a high-ss dinner.¡± ¡°Help me set the table, then.¡± The drone cam rotated. I nced at the camera and added. ¡°Think of this as both a dinner treat and an ad for the gift set.¡± Guess this will be my first-ever mukbang. I didn¡¯t expect to start like this. ¡°¡­In conclusion, it¡¯s estimated that the yers¡¯ skills have improved by about 20%pared tost year. However, it¡¯s premature to interpret this as purely positive. yers from other countries are also progressing each year. This year, contrary to expectations, the second-tier Korean yers have shown a greater improvement curve than predicted.@@novelbin@@ ording to the attached fifth image, while basic shooting uracy hasn¡¯t changed significantly, uracy during movement and when shooting at moving targets has increased by nearly 40%pared to expected analysis, and survivability has improved by approximately 15%. This is likely due to the addition of the yer Eugene this year, but more urate results will need to be confirmed after the first-tier Korean members participate in tomorrow¡¯s scrim¡­¡± ¡°Chris, still awake?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The sound of typing stopped. The door to the hotel room opened, and two stocky men made eye contact. One of them, holding a can of cold soda, walked in. As the can clinked onto the table, a faint hiss followed as it was opened. It wasn¡¯t toote at night, but it was well past their bedtime. Chris, as he was called, took a sip of the sweet drink, the taste traveling down his throat. He spoke, though not in Korean. He continued speaking in the distinct tones of Mandarin. ¡°I was analyzing the scrim results.¡± ¡°You too?¡± ¡°Sounds like others are doing it as well.¡± ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t they be?¡± The Taiwanese national team. Always stuck between overpowered countries with heavier teams or unnervingly skilled yers, they were often called the weakest, yet they had neverpletely fallen behind. The most desperate team. The one brimming with the most tenacity¡­ That¡¯s why they were still awake. After today, only the Asia qualifiers remained. Since they had no specific schedule for tomorrow, they stayed upte analyzing the ys. Moreover, since they were the first to send out their first-tier yers, they had certain advantages. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Drink up and get some sleep. Tomorrow is when things get serious.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Direct scrim data analysis rights. This privilege was only granted to the first country to send out their top-tier yers. The reason was simple: the earlier a team¡¯s main force appeared, the more time the other teams had to analyze them before the Asia qualifiers. Since their first-tier team hadpeted on Monday, Korea, Japan, China, and Russia would spend the rest of the week dissecting Taiwan. This direct ess to scrim data was given to counteract that disadvantage. ¡®Atst, we can catch a glimpse of that yer¡¯s secrets¡­¡¯ In other words, this meant they could analyze the gamey of Korea¡¯s top-tier yers¡ªincluding Eugene¡¯s¡ªin more detail than any other country, as well as Japan, Russia, and China¡¯s top yers. In contrast, other countries¡ªunder normal circumstances¡ªdidn¡¯t have such ess. There was no first-person spectator data avable. The only things they could analyze were MOA (Map of Action) and movement patterns. However, teams like Taiwan, which sent out their first-tier yers on the first day of week 4, had ess to much more. They could now scrutinize first-person perspectives of the yers, their moment-to-moment movements, their preferredbat strategies, and other highly valuable data. And Taiwan needed this level of information if they were to survive. Though divided into seven regions, the Chinese Federation still boasted an overwhelming infrastructure and a formidable yer lineup. Though its past military glory has faded, Russia once shared global dominance with the United States. There was no need to exin the strength of the Japanese Republic. And finally, there was South Korea¡ªbordering the unique presence of North Korea, which led them to possess extraordinarily powerful military infrastructure, constantly selecting athletes with incredible physical abilities. Taiwan, in contrast to these massive cogs turning in the region, was a fragile nation that could ignite just from the sparks of their shes. ¡°Hoo.¡± Though he had taken several sips, half the soda remained in the oversized can. It felt like the remaining drink represented the long road they still had ahead. The man who handed over the drink turned and left the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. It¡¯s better to watch the scrims with a clear head tomorrow.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± The door closed with a dry metallic sound. The night was still bright for them. Chapter 179 "Maybe I ate too much meat yesterday, my stomach... ugh." "You sure did eat a lot." "Every time I meet you, I end up eating an absurd amount of meat." That¡¯s a fair point. Lunch and dinner on briefing day, andst night¡¯s dinner. I¡¯d met Dice in real life three times now, and each time we¡¯d eaten meat. So, it made sense. Plus, given the Korean preference for premium Hanwoo beef¡ªwhere the more marbled the meat, the better¡ªit probably felt like she was greasing up her tongue, throat, and stomach with every bite. While I could handle it, Dice was likely struggling. And like they say, watching a mukbang makes you eat more than usual. Dice probably overate, even more than usual. I just hope she didn¡¯t throw up in the taxi on the way home. I made sure to put her in a luxury cab to make sure she wasfortable. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to just sleep over.¡± ¡°¡­Now that I think about it, I probably should have.¡± But regrets are always toote, and tomorrow¡¯s schedule waits for no one. Unfortunately, Dice, who was making strange croaking sounds every 30 seconds, and I were no longer in the real world. We were in VR. Monday had disappeared into history, never to return, and Tuesday¡ªthe day when Korea¡¯s first-tier yers wouldpete¡ªhad arrived. Like an orchestra seating n, the seats were divided into five sections. Centered around the host¡¯s podium, each section contained 20 seats, with five sections in total. Behind them, the seats radiated outward in a fan-like pattern. The reason for the 20 seats was simple¡ªeach country was allowed to send a maximum of 20 participants. Including Dice and me, 20 Korean first-tier yers were seated, waiting for the scrim to begin. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve sat thisfortably in a chair.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, right. You said you disabled your tail data.¡± She was right. The official reason was for fairness. However, while physical interaction with the tail was impossible, the data still remained visible to spectators, and I could still control my bnce and steering with it. This meant I could now sit in a chair with a backrest in VR. It had been a long time since I¡¯d felt this. It¡¯s rare in real life to sit back and rx like this. Time flew by quickly, especially with so much to review before the match. We had to go over the strategies we had nned once more. Naturally, since we were ced far apart to prevent teaming, our movement paths were especially important. A quick nce to the side revealed the second-tier yers from other countries gathered in their sections. Our eyes met a few times. They looked determined. Given that they had just barely missed making their national teams by a narrow margin, they were opponents to be wary of. Sure, the n was to crush them as quickly as possible to avoid leaking information, but nothing in this world is ever that simple. The host walked in, and the atmosphere grew far more solemn than before. It wasn¡¯t time for cheers. That evoked strange feelings. It almost felt like I could hear phantom cheers echoing in my ears, as if millions of voices should be roaring in celebration. The host took the microphone and scanned the room before speaking. ¡°Wee, everyone. It¡¯s a pleasure to have you all here. By now, I¡¯m sure many of you have arrived in Korea. Japan, Russia, China, Taiwan... It seems the time hase to face off against the titans of Asia.¡± One week. At thetest, all national representatives would arrive in the host country within a week of the qualifiers. In other words, somewhere in a hotel in Seoul, the representatives of Russia, China, Japan, and Taiwan were all staying. The host¡¯s words seemed to vaguely hint at this. But contrary to what one might expect, there wasn¡¯t a long, drawn-out motivational speech following that. Instead... ¡°You all know the rules of the match better than I do, so there¡¯s no need to hold you here any longer. I wish you all the best, and I hope you give it your all.¡± And just like that, the host walked off, after delivering a message shorter than any typical principal¡¯s speech. Curious about this unusual brevity, I nced around. Dice didn¡¯t seem to care much. Naturally, that led me to a conclusion¡ªthis was normal. I looked around some more, and more than half the people didn¡¯t seem particrly fazed. Those who hadpeted inst year¡¯s Asian qualifiers already knew how this went. I needed to change my question. ¡°What¡¯s the next item on the schedule?¡± ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ve got about 30 minutes before the scrim starts, so maybe some light mingling?¡± ¡°Mingling?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sometimes it¡¯s just among the first-tiers, but usually, people go around and greet yers from other countries. Even if you don¡¯t know them, the second-tier yers definitely know you.¡± That¡¯s a bit intimidating. Feeling like I needed to mentally prepare for this, I asked. ¡°So, when does the mingling start?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± An ominous silence. Then, an equally ominous sound¡ªthe environment began to shift as the space reconfigured. The auditorium turned into a vast hall, and over a hundred yers began scattering. In a casual tone, Dice announced: ¡°Right now.¡± Thud, thud, thud. At the same time, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps. The ground seemed to shake. This wasn¡¯t just one or two people¡ªit felt like dozens of them were heading my way. With my snake¡¯s senses, tuned to detect vibrations, I immediately realized where they were headed. No doubt about it. They wereing for me. A quick nce confirmed it¡ªcountless yers were rushing in my direction. With avatars of every imaginable color and design closing in on me, I was starting to feel dizzy. It seemed the preference for female avatars wasn¡¯t unique to Korea. Every avatar, even those of yers who were clearly men, was a brightly colored female character. In other words, at least they all looked good. So, what were these hordes of cute girls rushing toward me for? ¡°Where¡¯s Eugene? Where¡¯s yer Eugene!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you! Is your tail real!?¡± ¡°There she is!¡± ¡­? It all happened in a sh. The cacophony of footsteps halted in front of me, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered. What was happening? Then, the one at the front cautiously extended a hand. A handshake? ¡°I¡¯ve watched your ys and always wanted to meet you! You¡¯ve been such a huge help.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. Are all the people behind you here for the same reason?¡± Nods all around. They were all from different countries, but their reactions were the same. I was a bit dumbfounded by the amount of attention I was receiving. But it didn¡¯t bother me. What mattered was that they were showing me goodwill. It wasn¡¯t the tense atmosphere I had expected for the Asian qualifiers. Maybe because these were second-tier yers who weren¡¯t under as much pressure as the first-tiers, they could afford to be more rxed. But the truth didn¡¯t matter much. What was more important was that the mood felt more like a festival, and I decided to go along with it. About 25 yers stood in front of me. If you didn¡¯t count the Korean yers I already knew, almost half of those participating in this scrim hade to greet me. In moments like this, it seemed better to just go with the flow rather than speak too much. After about 10 minutes of handshakes and greetings, I finally returned to Dice, still somewhat dazed. ¡°I thought the scrim for the Asian qualifiers would have a more cutthroat atmosphere, but it¡¯s not like that at all. What the heck just happened?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s normal for this to happen the first time. It¡¯s a bit rare, but I had a feeling you¡¯d be the target this time, Eugene.¡± ¡°You seem like you knew this would happen¡­¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Then, she exined. ¡°It¡¯s not umon. As you know, pro gamers often watch and analyze the gamey of better yers, and through that, they sometimes be fans of them.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s what that was about.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been the talk of the towntely, Eugene. Honestly, it¡¯s more surprising that you weren¡¯t aware of this before. That¡¯s so like you, though. Still, you should start paying attention to your reputation a bit more.¡± Ugh. I had no response to that.@@novelbin@@ As I sat back down, Dice gave me a smallugh and added: ¡°Well, everyone has their own stance. It¡¯s not the finals, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to spend hours analyzing how everyone ys. If you just do what you always do, people will love it.¡± ¡°Do what I always do?¡± ¡°Just beat the crap out of everyone you run into. You¡¯re the best at that.¡± - [Alert: Scrim begins in 3 minutes.] ¡°The way you say that sounds a bit weird.¡± ¡°Haha, only now? Anyway, just do your thing. No need to overthink it.¡± ¡°¡­I guess you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get ready.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like you.¡± - [Alert: The first map is the High-Value Research Facility.] - [Alert: Movement will begin shortly.] We had about two minutes of preparation time. Soon, it was time to part ways with everyone, including Dice. My vision brightened. The map, which I knew so well that I could navigate it with my eyes closed, came into view. I quickly ran through a few potential movement routes in my head. Of course, I¡¯d have to adapt based on how the Juggernauts moved, so nothing was set in stone. The clock ticked down. I could almost taste the dust of the battlefield. ''Finally.'' Finally, the time hade. But I couldn¡¯t exactly voice my excitement. Saying something like ¡°Now¡¯s the time to witness Eugene¡¯s true skills¡± would make me sound like a character from an anime. But still, it was remarkable that everyone here¡ªexcept for the 20 of us¡ªwas likely thinking the same thing. It was understandable. These were second-tier yers who had missed the top spots by a hair, and they hade too far to simply be overwhelmed by a stronger opponent now. The anticipation was inevitable. It could be called baseless confidence, but the data they had gathered from analyzing my gamey was probablyparable to what they would have collected from directlypeting against me a few times. In other words, they weren¡¯t certain. They could only guess based on what they¡¯d seen. But after today, they¡¯d know for sure if their assumptions were true or false. And the honor of being the first to test that was given to the 22nd-ranked Russian second-tier yer, Tochka. In other words, he was both lucky and unlucky to be the first to encounter me. ''There she is!'' A faint silhouette flickered in the distance. My tail, which was twisting and writhing in the dim lighting of the High-Value Research Facility, stood out from behind me as I moved slowly in a certain direction. His calctions began automatically. The distance between him and me, the weapons and explosives in his possession, the condition of his controls, escape routes, the surroundingbat situation¡ªhe carefully measured everything. If there was a downside, it was that he couldn¡¯t use CQC, or close-quartersbat, which he had painstakingly trained for. Or perhaps he should say that he absolutely had to avoid using it. His calctions wereplete. But then, ''¡­!?'' I turned my head suddenly, and my eyes locked onto his. Was it a trick of the mind? The eye contactsted only a split second, but I had definitely looked straight at him. How? His calm thoughts suddenly turned turbulent. It would take him much longer to realize that I wasn¡¯t actually looking at him, but rather following my personal habit of ¡°quickly checking all potentially vulnerable spots for iing attacks,¡± based on past experience. But that realization wouldeter. For now, he still believed he had the advantage, and he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. That¡¯s why Tochka took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. His n was to hit my head first to weaken my shield¡ªthen his chances of victory would increase. His finger twitched. With the muffled sound of a silenced gunshot, the bullet hit its mark. ¡ªBang! A direct hit to the head. My body staggered. But the recovery was absurdly fast. As soon as the bullet struck, I disappeared from sight and took cover. It almost looked like he had shot into thin air. The first shot hadnded, but the n¡ªthat the following shots would also hit¡ªbegan to fall apart. ¡°Blyat¡­!¡± He cursed under his breath in Russian and quickly moved to retreat. But unfortunately for him, hiding behind arge potted nt may have been his downfall. The rustling sound caught my attention, and momentster, a barrage of bullets tore through the foliage. The bushes scattered as three bullets hit his body. Even though he knew it was only suppression fire, the uracy was stunning. Unable to focus on external stimuli, Tochka was caught off guard. In that brief moment, I closed the distance between us. In other words, I had capitalized on the exact moment when his mind was preupied and not paying attention to sound. ''When did she get so close!?'' A distance of around 70 meters, withplex terrain to boot. When had I closed the gap so much? It was maddening. It was like literal teleportation. This was the same phenomenon that others who had fought me all described. But still, Tochka was ranked 22nd. He had enough experience to grasp a rough idea of what was happening. His guess wasn¡¯t far off the mark. I had taken advantage of the moment when his focus was elsewhere to approach rapidly. But if you asked him how to deal with that¡­ well, good question. How do you deal with it? ¡°Damn¡­!¡± ¡ªRatatatatatata! His positional advantage and the fact that he had known my location in advance were melting away like ice cream left out in the summer heat. The ensuing battle became a raw sh of strength. In other words, it came down to who could shoot better, who could position themselves better, and who had superior uracy in both moving and suppressing fire. Though the oue was already half-decided, Tochka had no intention of surrendering to fate¡ªand he seeded in holding me off for a full 1 minute and 31 seconds after the raw firefight began. While he couldn¡¯t take me down with him, he did manage to draw enough attention from the surrounding yers. In this rare moment, despite the scrim¡¯spetitive nature, I spoke directly to Tochka as I pointed my gun at him. ¡°The Asian qualifiers really are on a different level.¡± ¡°I agree¡­¡± Bang. As a sh of light filled his vision, Tochka heard footsteps approaching from nearby. He had caused enoughmotion for others to catch the scent of blood. Surely someone would take advantage of the ABC meta¡ªwhere A and B fight, and C swoops in to reap the rewards. And maybe, just maybe, one of them would seed. Though he didn¡¯t know who those yers were, Tochka wished them sess as he was sent back to the lobby. ¡°Wow¡­ is she even human¡­?¡± And Tochka¡¯s wish was only half-fulfilled. During the two-minute battle, three or four yers had shown up to take advantage of the situation, but I had sessfully cracked all of their helmets. The scrim had only just begun. Chapter 180 ''I never thought I¡¯d be this jealous of the Taiwanese.'' Where there are people participating in the scrim, there are also those watching. More than a hundred people were floating in the air, relying on invisible cameras above the High-Value Research Facility. Every now and then, a low murmur would echo out. Whether it was out of concern or admiration, only they knew. However, one thing was clear: the first-tier yers from Russia, China, and Japan, along with their coaching staff, all had a simr thought¡ªthey had never been more envious of Taiwan¡¯s direct scrim data analysis rights than this year. While they could only scratch the surface of Eugene¡¯s abilities from their aerial perspective, Taiwan had full ess to her first-person view and countless other tools to break down her gamey. Sure, they understood the advantage Taiwan needed, but that didn¡¯t make them any less frustrated today. But that wasn¡¯t their only concern. yers who encountered Eugene were struggling far more than they had anticipated. ¡°They¡¯re doing worse than I thought. What¡¯s the problem? Her y doesn¡¯t seem that different from what we expected. You¡¯d think they were under some kind of debuff.¡± ¡°Right? I¡¯ll have to ask themter¡­¡± Each of them offered their own answers, but none were certain. Guessing based on intuition wasn¡¯t going to yield the right solution. Unlike them, however, one person remained silent even as they exchanged opinions¡ªCase, the most renowned AP (assault yer) in Japan and the oldest yer, often called ¡°big brother.¡± He was the one who had defeated Dice inst year¡¯s qualifiers and was the only Asian yer to finish in the top 10 of the finals. Case was now intently watching Eugene¡¯s y, barely even breathing. Even as he watched, his hands moved nonstop. His notes were like gold to both his own teammates and the international yers, but as long as he was in this focused state, no one would dare disturb him. And as his hands worked, his mind whirled. ''...She¡¯s improved since thest time I saw her. Or was she not going all out back then? Is this yer truly unafraid of anything?'' Only he knew the answer. No, he couldn¡¯t not know it. Diving into the heat of battle and growing ustomed to it¡ªfacing the source of fear directly. That way, no matter the situation, your body wouldn¡¯t freeze. This was a fundamental principle ingrained in him from his days when his personal records were still ssified, back when he was part of a special forces unit. From Delta Force to now, this principle had always been emphasized¡ªnot just for oveing fear, but because allbat principles stemmed from this very point. ¡°The moment you change positions duringbat should always be when the enemy is unable to detect your movement. The best time to move is after you¡¯ve forced the enemy into such a situation...¡± The words that had been drilled into his mind automatically flowed out. It sounded simple. But because it was simple, it was incredibly difficult to follow. That¡¯s why it was at the top of thebat manual. The actions of the yer on his screen were executing this principle to perfection¡ªeven beyond his own idealized vision. Movements like these could only be made after surviving countless life-or-death scenarios. At this point, he was starting to realize that facing Eugene wouldn¡¯t just be a match¡ªit would be something far more serious. ¡°I knew this wasing... but it¡¯s happening faster than I expected.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you mean, big brother?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± The feeling he had in the finals. No matter how much they dressed it up as apetition, there was an undeniable scent of blood, sweat, and death at that level. The higher you climbed, the more everyone felt it. That¡¯s why neers to the finals often found themselves overwhelmed by the brutal atmosphere. Once you experienced it, the cheers and support from the audience became secondary. The yers who made it to the finals, especially those at the very top¡­ some of them had actual experience pointing a gun at a real enemy and pulling the trigger.@@novelbin@@ And she, along with the rest of Korea¡¯s first-tier yers, had that very experience carved into their bones. This wasn¡¯t just difficult¡ªit was beyond that. If the reports were true, Dice was Eugene¡¯s apprentice. Thoughst year she hadn¡¯t been able to bridge that gap between the real and the theoretical, rendering her unable to fully showcase her abilities... ¡°They¡¯re training actual operators, it seems.¡± If anyone were to face them this year, the results would be different. In fact, unlikest year when they approached the Asian qualifiers as professional gamers, this year they might approach it as if they were actual soldiers. And the reason he had been able to secure such a high rankingst year was due to a simr mentality. ¡°...Are you worried about something?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s just keep watching.¡± For now, all they could do was watch. Meanwhile, Case¡¯s attention naturally shifted from Eugene to Dice. While everyone else focused on one person, he was observing the ripple effect caused by the singr presence of a golden-haired user¡ªDice¡ªwho had been blocked by him numerous timesst year and was now ying on the opposite side of the map from Eugene. Dice, known for her tricky ystyle, hadn¡¯t progressed beyond a certain pointst year. She had the sharpness to make it to the finals, but not enough to go any further. Like a jester armed with a dagger¡ªdangerous but limited. But this time, her strengths remained intact, and her form had grown even sharper. The jester now held a small shield in her left hand. That alone had increased her stability inbat severalfold. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough. He listened carefully to the murmurs around him. ¡°Korea¡¯s first-tier yers are doing better than we thought¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it less about individual skill and more about Eugene pulling the entire team forward?¡± Exactly. This wasn¡¯t a matter of individual performance¡ªevery yer¡¯s actions reflected Eugene¡¯s training. From their movements to their teamwork, her influence was undeniable. The individual skills of the Korean yers were noticeably better than expected. Some were falling, but many were still standing. As the game moved from mid tote, and then to the final phase, the number of Korean first-tier yers never dropped below 10. Finally, after a few more minutes, the first round ended with several Korean yers making it into the top 10. No matter how good the first-tier yers were, the yers from other countries weren¡¯tcking either. But when the scoreboard showed the Korean g in 12 of the top positions, they had no choice but to admit it. The first round ended. Eighty yers poured out in four groups. The first-tier yers, who had been observing, rushed toward the second-tier yers who had just finished the round. In the short five-minute break, there was an overwhelming amount of work to be done. The analysis programs kicked into gear, prioritizing the yers who had the most contact with the first-tier yers. Russian yer Tochka, in particr, was treated like royalty by his teammates. After all, he was the first to encounter Eugene and the first to be defeated. Though Tochka himself was just confused by all the fuss. ¡°Here hees, here hees!¡± ¡°Pin him down! Make him spill everything he knows!¡± ¡°You guys are insane! What the hell¡ª?!¡± Over 40 people, including the first-tier yers and the coaching staff, waited anxiously for him to speak. As the initial chaos subsided, a list of questions was presented. Was Eugene better than they thought, or was she about as expected? Why did Tochka lose? What was the critical mistake? The list of questions seemed endless. As they fired question after question, his fragmented memories started to form a coherent picture. The answers he had prepared beforehand came to mind¡­ though he wasn¡¯t exactly eager to share them, he had no choice. It was going to be painful. Admitting that your skills fell short was always a hard pill to swallow. In response to the simple question of why he had lost, Tochka offered his confession. ¡°...The moment I couldn¡¯t finish her off and allowed her to close the distance, I knew I was going to lose. I didn¡¯t see any path to victory.¡± That statement. The weight of it was considerable. For someone who hadsted 1 minute and 31 seconds in directbat¡ªnearly two minutes in total¡ªit was a rather bleak assessment. It didn¡¯t take long for the celebratory atmosphere to turn serious. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t give me time toe up with a backup n. It was like she was forcing me into a binary choice.¡± Fight or flee. The moment you entered the battle half-heartedly, thinking you could retreat if things went south, she¡¯d close the distance so quickly you¡¯d be trapped with no way out. Discussions began to unfold as soon as he finished. ¡°¡­She¡¯s far more aggressive than we thought?¡± ¡°Should we try to avoid direct confrontations? Is there anyone else besides Tochka who¡¯s faced her head-on?¡± ¡°Pavel! Pavel, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°Pavel?¡± Pavel¡ªhis real name, not his yer ID¡ªwas called out. Tochka turned his head sharply. So he¡¯d faced Eugene too, huh? There was a sense of surprise, followed by a feeling of camaraderie. Unsurprisingly, Pavel didn¡¯t look too happy. But as the conversation progressed, Tochka¡¯s expression began to change. In summary, Pavel had managed to escape. But even then, his story wasn¡¯t all that different from Tochka¡¯s¡ªjust with a few additional details. ¡°I thought her only concern was closing the gap, but that¡¯s not necessarily the case. It seems she only rushes in when she¡¯s sure she can take someone down. Under more favorable conditions, she¡¯s willing to engage in rangedbat as well.¡± ¡°So herbat strategy is simple. But the simpler something is, the harder it is to counter¡­ All the tricky ys we¡¯ve seen so far are just extensions of her basic skills, huh.¡± It was a headache. Understandably, unlike actual special forces members who train their entire bodies and master CQB (Close Quarters Battle), Dark Zone had a bnce system that turnedbat into a strategic rock-paper-scissors game. This had been mentioned many times before. Simply put, every stat needed for AP yers started at a base level of B, so instead of developing all their stats evenly, yers would focus on raising specific areas. This left their status looking like an orange with a few sharp spikes. In contrast, Eugene¡¯s status was like a melon. Without spikes, an orange had no killing power, but a melon, with enough force behind it, could seriously injure someone if thrown. That was the best analogy they coulde up with. ''I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to worry about this at this point¡­'' Eugene¡¯s secrets were slowly being revealed. Many believed that with enough data, they could find a way to counter her. But in reality, that wasn¡¯t happening. At this point, it seemed like she was the one keeping her secrets best hidden. Discussions continued. ¡°¡­She¡¯spletely mastered the fundamentals. The biggest issue is that we can¡¯t guarantee a win even if we go head-to-head with Korea¡¯s first-tier yers.¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s keep watching. The fact that her strategy doesn¡¯t follow the usual rock-paper-scissors dynamic is valuable information. From here on, we need to figure out how to change our approach. Perhaps avoiding direct confrontations and redirecting aggro to nearby yers would be best?¡± ¡°Avoid confrontations? Easier said than done. If we¡¯re not careful, we might get used of match-fixing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to leave it to the yers'' judgment. Since this is only the first round, let¡¯s see if Korea¡¯s first-tier yers can maintain this physical performance.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± They decided to wait and see. Every country except for Korea and Taiwan came to the same conclusion. While it sounded reasonable, in practice, it was the same as saying, ¡°There¡¯s no strategy that works right now.¡± That¡¯s why none of their faces looked particrly hopeful. With less than 30 seconds left until the next match, they had no advice to give their second-tier yers. The importance of fundamentals, long overlooked, was rising once again. Silence and anxiety hung over them. Meanwhile, on the Korean team. ¡°Long live Eugene! Long live!¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to call the light ¡®Eugene¡¯!¡± ¡°Ahh, Eugene, shining down from the heavens! You¡¯re too bright¡­!¡± ¡°Could you tone down the volume, please¡­?¡± There was Eugene, her face bright red, while the first-tier Korean national yers were causing a ruckus in joy. It was just another day for them. Chapter 181 [Notification: A 30-minute break is now granted.] ¡°Ahhh, we¡¯re only halfway through!¡± ¡°You all did great.¡± ¡°Wow, amazing. I¡¯ve never seen things go this smoothly after ying six rounds in a row.¡± Time passed, and half of the scrimmage seemed to vanish in an instant. Afterpleting six out of twelve matches, all teams were given a collective break to regroup. It was a chance to exchange feedback between yers, coaches, and first and second teams, while allowing both their bodies and minds to cool down from the intensity. But today, there was a celebratory atmosphere among the Korean team. And it was no surprise¡ªwhen was thest time things had gone this smoothly? Even in the prestigious KSM league, they hadn¡¯t experienced anything quite like this¡ªa mind-blowing performance that left everyone feeling electrified. It wasn¡¯t like their performance had skyrocketed out of nowhere; the improvement was subtle, yet significant. But even a minor difference, like a snowball gathering momentum, led to results far exceeding expectations. The proof? The scoreboard, which clearly disyed Korea¡¯s first team dominating the field. The past two weeks had been dedicated to intense physical training and a highly efficient curriculum. All of this allowed them to maintain their stamina, even in the final moments of the match, where focus typically starts to falter. Not only that, but under Eugene''s leadership, unnecessary movements were eliminated, streamliningbat strategies. They¡¯d spent those two weeks rigorously training in movement-based shooting and targeting moving objects. The oue? Less ammo wasted, more damage inflicted on the enemy. Inbat, where every action is interconnected like a chain, this had provided them with an unexpected advantage. ¡°Two weeks isn¡¯t a lot of time, right? I structured the curriculum to be as beneficial as possible within that timeframe, but honestly, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure it would be this effective. Does anyone feel like something was missing?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°I¡¯m more impressed with how Eugene managed to bring everyone to this level in just two weeks,¡± Dice remarked, not quiteining. But it was true¡ªless ammo wasted, more damage inflicted. That meant their opponents were the ones retreating duringbat, not them. The time their enemies spent taking cover to heal was crucial¡ªa window where the fire of battle briefly flickered out. The dominant side could use that time to reload or think about their next move. These small differences began to stack up¡ªone, two, three, four. The more they piled on, the more pressure mounted on the enemy. That¡¯s how the snowball rolled, giving Korea¡¯s first team an overwhelming advantage¡ªeven the yers themselves were surprised. ¡°Why is this working so well¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t as if the curriculum waspletely different from before. There were some key differences, but nothing entirely unfamiliar. It was more about fine-tuning small details rather than starting from scratch.@@novelbin@@ But the more those details were adjusted, the bigger the overall effect. Just like two beams of light that start off at a slightly different angle, after traveling 300,000 kilometers, they end up in entirely different ces. Even minor factors that had been previously overlooked were now controlled. If something was deemed unnecessary or a weakness, it was swiftly cut out, and anything useful was honed to its maximum potential through additional training. Because of this, the others¡ªexcept Dice¡ªbegan to look at Eugene with a mix of awe and admiration. ¡°This is seriously incredible¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame only four of us can go to the finals. It really sucks.¡± If this was the result after just two weeks¡ªadmittedly with the kind of hardcore training no one had ever experienced before¡ªthen what could they achieve if they continued this level of training until the final championship, three months from now? The previous curriculum had been like carving out arge piece of stone. But Eugene wasn¡¯t just carving¡ªshe was polishing it, smoothing every edge with meticulous care. It didn¡¯t take them long to realize that the difference between victory and defeat coulde down to these small details. And this was just a scrimmage. The Asian qualifiers were still days away. As the heated atmosphere began to cool down, a sense of greed slowly crept into everyone¡¯s minds. And the sharp ones were already aware of one crucial fact. ¡®...Even though Korea can send four yers, isn¡¯t it actually only two that matter?¡¯ One of them would be Eugene. The other, Dice. If by some miracle, Taiwan was utterly defeated, and Korea, in turn, took first ce overall, perhaps an extra slot would open up for the finals¡­ Wait a minute. But even if that happened, only three other yers besides Eugene and Dice would make it. A fiercelypetitive lineup, no doubt. Some had thought about how they might bring down Dice, but it was impossible. The difference between someone who had trained with Eugene for a month and the rest of the team was just¡­ too much to bridge. It was almost unfairly so. And so, came the inevitable question: ¡°Eugene, have you ever thought about joining our team after your contract is up? I was really impressed by that interview where you said the bnce of power must be maintained.¡± ¡°What? Hey, no! Get them! They¡¯re trying to poach her!¡± ¡°Hang them! Burn them at the stake!¡± ¡°¡­Why is everyone suddenly losing their minds?¡± Eugene muttered. Despite how hard they had pushed themselves in the matches, they still had energy left to burn, as they quickly devolved into chaos. Dice, clinging to Eugene in despair at the thought of not being able to rest on her tail, and the rest, now getting dragged into the mess, looked back at her with exasperated expressions. ¡°I was nning on doing a feedback session after a short break, but it seems everyone still has plenty of stamina left. Maybe I should do a theory lecture right now,¡± Eugene said sarcastically. ¡°That¡¯s a bad idea, Eugene,¡± Dice replied, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°I was joking,¡± Eugene grinned. Though, she didn¡¯t rify which part of her statement was the joke. Regardless, after watching the chaotic scene for a moment, Eugene turned back to Dice and resumed their conversation. ¡°If you feel like something¡¯s missing from your scrim performance or if there¡¯s anything you need to work on, let me know quickly.¡± ¡°Hmm, honestly, I think I¡¯m fine. As long as I stick to what I¡¯ve been doing, I don¡¯t see any major issues. By the way, where do you n on going after this?¡± ¡°Curious, are you?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, I am.¡± Eugeneughed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t really see a reason to join any professional team, to be honest.¡± ¡°Sometimes I feel like you don¡¯t take the Dark Zone too seriously. Just promise me you won¡¯t disappear on us without a word one day.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Though she answered, Dice¡¯s words had hit on something deeper, subtly touching on Eugene¡¯s most closely guarded secret. In truth, Eugene was curious too. The biggest driving force behind her actions was the mystery surrounding the Dark Zone itself¡ªthe fact that the world she had been to existed as a game, and why that game knew about her¡­ Thankfully, beyond her desire to uncover the truth, she had begun to grow roots in this world as well. If efficiency had been her only concern, she would¡¯ve flown to the U.S. the moment she learned about the Dark Zone. And she certainly wouldn¡¯t have bothered with streaming. ¡°I¡¯ll think about where to go after we win the finals.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s the Eugene I know. But where are you going now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop them from causing any more chaos,¡± Eugene said, standing up. As Dice watched her walk away, the snake tail swaying behind her slowly disappeared from view. And shortly after¡­ ¡°Kyahhh!¡± ¡°Waaaah, I¡¯m going to die! Eugene, no! Eugene, please! Aghhh!¡± ¡°Stop wasting energy on nonsense and start thinking about what questions you want to ask me after the scrim.¡± Violence. In the end, overwhelming force was always the answer to ending chaos. Eugene rounded up the rowdy yers like a broom sweeping up dust and, while they were still dazed and pliable, dragged over a chair and started the debrief. It was Tuesday, in the second week of October, and there was still a long way to go. ¡°That¡¯s brutal. What are we supposed to do for the next three days if the first team is ying like this?¡± ¡°Someone please stop them!¡± Meanwhile, not everyone could cheer for Korea¡¯s first team¡¯s overwhelming performance so easily. The second team, especially, had a reason to be concerned. After their match against Taiwan the day before, they still had to face Russia, Japan, and China¡¯s first teams over the next three days and extract as much data as possible. Though they were half-joking when they asked what they were supposed to do in the face of such overwhelming performance, the truth was they weren¡¯t entirely wrong. There was a good chance that the intensity of the first teams¡¯ attacks over the next few days would be even stronger than anticipated, given how the first team had demolished theirpetition today. Scrims were meant to test and gauge each other¡¯s strengths, but they were also an opportunity for countries to engage in power struggles. With Korea¡¯s first team now on another level thanks to Eugene, the odds of other countries sitting still and letting it happen were slim. ¡°Do you think the other teams will take this calmly?¡± ¡°Not a chance.¡± Even if they said, ¡°Don¡¯t get swept up in the mind games,¡± it wasn¡¯t that easy. Pride was an even more powerful motivator than reason or capitalist logic. Though they were the second team, they were still representatives of their country. With Korea having humiliated their rivals today, the battles over the next few days were going to be even harder. But that wasn¡¯t all bad. The more seriously their opponents yed, the more data they could gather. It was a simple logic. And besides, the analysts from the other countries would already know that Korea¡¯s second team had also been trained by Eugene. The real fireworks were likely to start tomorrow. ¡°If they have any decency, the first team should treat us to a meal, seriously.¡± ¡°Right? If they don¡¯t, we should just pull theirwork cables.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Eugene win a department store gift cardst time? Maybe we can convince her with a VR apology bow.¡± ¡°Tell me it¡¯s a VR bow and not in real life, or I¡¯ll bury you alive.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± As the light-hearted banter continued, Blooming, who had gotten closer to the second team yers, joined the conversation. ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just saying Eugene should treat us to a meal.¡± ¡°You all must be insane¡ªor you¡¯ve got some serious guts.¡± Maybe they hadn¡¯t suffered enough under Eugene yet? As someone who had been worked to the bone by SSM long before KSM, Blooming couldn¡¯t understand their audacity. But, then again, people came in all types. Anyway, the conversation naturally continued. Blooming understood why they¡¯d bring up the idea of getting a meal from Eugene, and it wasn¡¯t apletely unreasonable suggestion. After all, Blooming was also part of the second team now, and from tomorrow onwards, the battles were going to be fierce. Being part of SSM did have its perks, though. Having a connection with Eugene meant something. Blooming knew her well enough to realize that while it wasn¡¯t impossible, asking her to treat them to a meal right in the middle of a scrimmage was a bit¡­ much. Especially since they still had matches ahead of them, and any promises for the future were far from guaranteed. ¡°...I¡¯ll bring it up carefullyter, but for now, let¡¯s drop the meal idea. Asking outright is a bit much.¡± ¡°Yeah, we weren¡¯t beingpletely serious anyway.¡± A sigh followed. In reality, the second team¡¯s importance in this scrimmage was as great¡ªif not greater¡ªthan the first team¡¯s. The thought weighed heavily on their shoulders. A dry voice broke the silence. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll do well tomorrow?¡± But in the end, as students of Eugene¡ªand let¡¯s be real, half of them were forcefully trained by her¡ªthat question seemed meaningless. Their blood, sweat, and efforts over the past two weeks were what would carry them through tomorrow. No one answered the question thrown into the air. The scrim resumed. Chapter 182 "...Yes. I''m at the site now. We''ve just finished checking the progress, and the data collection isplete. Four shifts, in three rotations, yes. Everything should be wrapped up within a day or two. The photo zone, fan meeting booths, program boards, and the food and beverage stalls are all linked and functioning without any issues." Yongsan Esports Stadium. The clean yet surreal interior stretched across the vast space, with workers bustling about, making final preparations. Among them, one particrly noticeable figure in a sharp suit moved from ce to ce, clearly overseeing the work. A drone camera hovered around him like a loyal dog, while he held a small data te in his hand and wore a badge featuring a striking ck phoenix logo. It was obvious to anyone that this person was an employee of Icarus, conducting a final inspection. He had a lot to check today. It was Wednesday, and by now, Korea¡¯s second team was probably facing the full force of China¡¯s first team. Everyone was busy in their respective roles. Four weeks had passed since twenty national representatives were selected through the KSM. Under the banner of Icarus, thousands of workers from various fields had been tirelessly transforming the stadium into a venue worthy of a continent-scale event. From remodeling the existing interior, recing panels and scoreboards, and upgrading public facilities, to producing an unimaginable variety of individual products, booking affiliated facilities, constructing booths... Managing the schedules of national yers and inviting overseas teams was only a small part of the immense undertaking. And that was just the basics. The Yongsan Esports Stadium, covering Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and Taiwan, was pitifully small for an event of this scale¡ªits capacity capped at a mere 10,000 seats. ¡®...Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to rent something like the World Cup Stadium or the Jamsil Olympic Stadium?¡¯ But on the flip side, it would¡¯ve been impossible to build all the necessary facilities, pull inwork lines to maintain stable ping, and set up data servers capable of handling millions of simultaneous connections in just four weeks. Maybe if they had three times as much time... Regardless, Icarus found a rather unusual solution: holograms. But not just any holograms¡ªon a massive scale. Nearly every wall of the stadium was covered in holographic tes, creating the illusion that hundreds of thousands of spectators were watching, even though the actual number was much smaller. And with many people likely to connect via VR, the experience wouldn¡¯t be that different. But that wasn¡¯t all¡ªthey had also packed the ce with cutting-edge technology, allowing people to experience virtual reality directly in the real world. Though how anyone could fully grasp the entire system was beyond him. In any case, the end result was that Icarus, through the power of holograms and an enormous budget, had sessfully created an infrastructure capable of amodating hundreds of thousands of peopleing to watch the matches over the weekend, all within just four weeks. Money, manpower, and technology hadbined to make the impossible possible. ¡°...I wonder how many people are running around doing the same thing as me today.¡± Of course, the stadium itself wasn¡¯trge enough to handle all the people who would flock to the event, so the surrounding infrastructure had to be leveraged. He guessed that more than 50 employees, including himself, were wandering around doing final checks in the area. It was a grueling job, but there was some smallfort in knowing that seeing everythinge together gave him peace of mind.@@novelbin@@ And it also allowed him to predict what was likely to happen. ¡®...Saturday is going to be chaos.¡¯ Judging by the current progress and the quality of the infrastructure, if everything worked smoothly, there wouldn¡¯t be room to breathe in Yongsan due to the sheer number of people. Considering Dark Zone had only been in service for five years, and Esports had only existed for three, this level of poprity was expected tost well over a decade, with the peak still far off. Saturday¡¯s Asian qualifiers would be the subject of much discussion, no matter what. Perhaps this year¡¯s turnout would be so overwhelming that next year¡¯s qualifiers would be held exclusively in virtual reality. Or, as he had thought earlier, they might have to use a stadium like the World Cup Stadium, which could hold over 70,000 people... But next year¡¯s event would be hosted by Russia, so that would be their problem to solve. It seemed like the number of things to worry about was doubling every year. ©¤©¤©¤Hiss! He bought a drink from a store inside the stadium, sat down, and cracked it open, the refreshing sound of carbonation followed by the sweet scent filling the air. As the fizz tickled his throat, he muttered to himself. ¡°Things will work out somehow¡­¡± For now, all he could do was cheer for the Korean team. That was the best conclusion he coulde to. The screen in front of him was filled with text, text, and more text¡ªapanied by images, videos, charts, and graphs, making it look like an academic paper. Though it wasn¡¯t a thesis, thenguage and content were just as specialized, if not more. This was a tactical analysis file on the other nations¡¯ ystyles. Had he been required to manually type, design, and fill all this information, the project would¡¯ve taken weeks. But thanks to thought-to-text converters and Icarus Gear, the entire document was being created and edited in real-time. If all the system''s functions were maxed out, and there was enough data to back them up, he could generate a page per minute. Not just writing, but also revising, editing, and formatting. Of course, that still required a lot of mental effort. ©¤©¤©¤Gulp. ¡°Hah.¡± He poured more sugar and calories into his system. Was this what his channel editors felt like every day? Though they usually fueled themselves with coffee or energy drinks, he preferred high-calorie shakes with sugar. He¡¯d never been much of a coffee drinker, even during his time in New York. Back then, to stay awake, he¡¯d relied on caffeine pills,bat stimnts, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. There were days when he thought he might actually die from exhaustion during his five-day support missions. Things were better now, at least. Taptaptap. With one sectionpleted, he moved on to the next. He left out any sensitive or ssified information, but crammed it full of critical details about more general tactics. Right now, he was analyzing the overall movements of the Chinese Federation,paring them to the China he remembered and focusing on the differences. Of course, there was no People¡¯s Republic of China anymore, so there was no need to mention that. To sum it up briefly: ¡°As long as we stay cautious, there''s no need to worry too much at the first-team level.¡± -[Overall, the Chinese Federation''sbat style is straightforward. However, their greatest weakness is theck of uniform individual skill among their first-team yers. To put it simply, China selected 20 yers ranked between 4th and 35th....] Even as he wrote, his thoughts continued to race. This document would be distributed to the coaches of the national teams, so of course, he didn¡¯t include any derogatory remarks about other countries. But the subtle digs¡ªborderline disrespectful at times¡ªwere there for a reason. First, China¡¯s special forces had been formed 30 yearster than those in the U.S. or Europe, meaning theycked experience. The China from his original timeline had the same problem. That snowball had continued to roll to this point. Second, there was no unifiedmand in their special forces, meaning they often operated independently. This had been true in his timeline as well, but with the country now split into seven factions, it was even worse. China¡¯s performance over the past two years spoke for itself: they had ced 4th the year beforest, and 3rdst year, constantlypeting with Taiwan for ranking. ¡°Next¡­¡± Russia. To be honest, data on China and Russia had long since been imprinted in his mind and body. He¡¯d encountered the former countless times in California and thetter in New York and Washington. He could probably ace a blind test at this point. So analyzing them went quickly. Russia was definitely stronger than China, but theirbat style had a distinctly Western vor¡ªmuch more so than he remembered. It didn¡¯t feel like they were simply copying Western tactics from spies or curriculum leaks. Maybe it was because this version of Russia had copsed and been rebuilt with Western support. Compared to their aggressive stance in Eastern Europe in his timeline, this Russia was much more mellow. For that reason, analyzing Russia took a bit longer than expected. -[Russia retains the characteristic wildness of vicbat styles, but their method of expression has changed significantly. This is likely due to continuous interaction and development with the West. As such, we should be particrly cautious during close-quartersbat with them....] Taptaptap. Fortunately, his concentration was impable. Or rather, it had been honed to perfection. One of the many courses in U.S. military training, designed to turn humans into lethal weapons, included a focus-enhancement program. The idea was to block out everything else and zero in on the task at hand. Here, that meant writing up a curriculum for distribution¡ªhe was so focused, he barely noticed the passage of time as he continued the work. Next was Japan. The ce most heavily influenced by the United States. After the end of World War II and the fall of the Emperor system, Japan had been rebuilt into a republic, supported by the wealthiest nation in the world. The U.S.¡¯s fingerprints were everywhere, especially in their special forces. Japan¡¯s SOF, or Special Operations Forces, was born from Delta, and even now, they maintained close tactical ties. The Japanese first team he had observed on Thursday reflected that influence. A tough match awaited Korea if they faced them head-on. But this was merely his opinion as someone writing the curriculum. On a personal level, he didn¡¯t foresee any major issues. While lost in these thoughts, he nced at the time. The LED clock read 11 p.m. ¡°Three hours¡­¡± He had finished dinner and started working right after a brief broadcast, and somehow, three hours had flown by. He didn¡¯t need to check the clock to know that time had passed¡ªhe had another, more telling notification. -[Notification: 7 missed calls and 22 unread messages from Dice.] ...Why did she call so many times? In hindsight, he should¡¯ve set an automatic reply for when he was busy, but that was his mistake. He¡¯d finish the file after taking this call¡ªthough he did wonder what was so urgent. He hit the call button, and before the second ring finished, Dice picked up. ¡°Why did you take so long to answer!?¡± ¡°Anyone would think I¡¯d been missing for two days.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t calling for anything too serious. I just wanted to chat before the Asian qualifiers start tomorrow. But if you¡¯re busy, I can call backter.¡± ¡°Then why did you try nearly 30 times?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Well, there was still plenty of time. He didn¡¯t mind continuing the conversation. ¡°So, what do you think, Eugene? Do you think Korea has a shot at beating Japan and taking first ce?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll do fine. I¡¯m sure of a second-ce finish at least. Four people will qualify for the finals, maybe five under ideal conditions.¡± ¡°But you and I won¡¯t give up our spots, right? So that leaves only three.¡± ¡°You¡¯re confident.¡± It seemed she hadn¡¯t only absorbed his skills, but his pride as well. The conversation continued. ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject, who do you think will make it?¡± ¡°Well, if Mikael had one more month, I think he¡¯d make it for sure. The ones who trained in the U.S. with youst year have a decent shot, especially with thebination of curriculum and experience.¡± ¡°Ah, those guys. What about Gambit? He¡¯s been in great form recently.¡± ¡°It depends on how he ys tomorrow. To be honest, there¡¯s no way to know for sure. It alles down to how often they face difficult situations and how well they ovee them.¡± ¡°True. I was just curious.¡± The second topic they broached was a delicate one, not for them, but for outsiders: the issue of anonymity. ¡°You said you¡¯d reveal your identity around mid-December, so you¡¯ll be using an avatar during the yer introductions, right? Same for me.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a shame, really. With all these people around, it would¡¯ve been fun, but there are too many restrictions. What about you, Dice?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just stay inside the stadium. There aren¡¯t any hologram projectors set up outside.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Eugene smiled and sent her a link. A pop-up would appear in front of Dice any second now. Unsurprisingly, her response came quickly. ¡°A floating hologram projector? Portable? Wait¡ªwhy do you have this!? Did you buy it!?¡± ¡°Harmony said they¡¯d lend it to me for two days. I figured I¡¯d get some fresh air during breaks. Let me know if you need it.¡± ¡°Ugh, seriously¡­¡± Well, it would be pretty useless three months from now¡ªthough not entirely¡ªso when Harmony had asked earlier, ¡°If we buy this, can we hang out outside?¡± Eugene had tactfully shut her down. Spending tens of thousands, nearly a hundred thousand won, on something they¡¯d only use for a day or two wasn¡¯t practical. Dice was grumbling about it, but what could she do? Eugene subtly hinted that Dice should take the opportunity to introduce herself to Harmony tomorrow. After a brief pause, Dice spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s tomorrow. A few months ago, I wasn¡¯t even sure I¡¯d make it back to this stage, but here we are. You never know how things will turn out, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how life works.¡± For better or for worse. Eugene¡¯s life was a testament to that. But tonight, she chose to remember it in a positive light. She had so much to say, but the most important thing was that, after almost fifty days, she was back on this stage. Sure, she could¡¯ve returned to the U.S. right away, but that would¡¯ve been too goal-oriented. Life wasn¡¯t meant to be lived that way. She hade a long way, but it had been worth it. ¡°Do your best tomorrow. I still have to finish this analysis file, but I¡¯ll send it within 30 minutes, so check it out before bed.¡± ¡°Ugh, looks like I¡¯m not getting any sleep tonight.¡± With that final joke, the long but short call came to an end. The night was quiet, but the evening before the Asian qualifiers was still far from over. Chapter 183 On October 12 (local time), the U.S. Senate passed a bill imposing stricter regtions on gun ownership. With 61 votes in favor and 39 against, the bill now awaits approval from the House and the signature of President David Henderson to take effect. Prompted byst month¡¯s Waterside Park shooting in Chelsea, New York, the bill strengthens background checks for gun buyers under 21 and mandates audits of ammunition manufacturers, requiring clear identification of purposes forrge purchases. All 50 Democratic senators supported the bill, and notably, 11 Republican senators also voted in favor. Following the bill''s passage, President Henderson praised the bipartisan efforts to address frequent gun-rted tragedies but added, "Further amendments will be made to safeguard citizens'' right to bear arms." However, the majority of Republican senators opposed the bill, criticizing it for increasing costs in illegal ammunition distribution without providing sufficient safeguards against unintended consequences. Democratic Majority Leader Henry M. Brayton, who yed a key role in pushing the bill through, stated, "This is a step forward, but we have a long way to go," adding a personal note about national security, emphasizing the importance of understanding how the bill would function in emergencies. Recently, Brayton has subtly hinted at a potential presidential run through media appearances, interviews, and op-eds, with supporters in the Democratic Party stating, "His political hiatus is over." "Ah, you''re here. Was the journey difficult?" "Compared to what''sing, the path I just walked was a stroll in the park. I¡¯ve been invited by someone who¡¯s nning to establish a secret society in the U.S. under the symbol of the phoenix. The more surprising part is that person¡¯s trying to nt themselves in the White House." "Haha, in this world, your ''lungs'' are just one set. You speak so well, I almost forgot." "Oh, Henry. Was one term as president not enough for you? What should I call you next time? Kaiser? F¨¹hrer? How about General Secretary? Just say the word." "Bite me, Kerry." Thud. Two veteran politicians with graying hair sat across from each other in a secluded study, exchanging nces. These two Washington political beasts, who would usually move based on personal interests and ideologies, hade together for one reason. The Omega Virus crisis. Two months ago, they were struck by new memories, like lightning hitting their brains. Suddenly, countless connections that shouldn¡¯t have existed began to materialize, shaking both the political and financial sectors of the U.S., as well as federal departments. That¡¯s why they were sitting here. "You could¡¯ve declined the invitation. You must have had your reasons for epting." "I was worried the Democratic Party¡¯s poster child might be suffering from dementia. But it seems you¡¯re in better shape than I thought." "What can I say? Still going strong." After a few light jabs disguised as jokes, the air grew heavy again. Normally, these two men wouldn¡¯t have anything inmon, let alone share the same memories. But those shared memories had brought them together, steering them toward the same goal. "Who else knows about Icarus?" "A few in both the House and Senate. But the real stronghold isn¡¯t in politics. It¡¯s within the federal agencies. Most of the senators who survived the Capitol explosion didn¡¯t make it. I¡¯m more surprised you and I know each other, Kerry." "Wouldn¡¯t expect anything less." Their conversation was sparse, but heavy. "I¡¯ve spoken with everyone who shares these memories, directly or indirectly. Eugene will unofficially receive the Medal of Honor. I¡¯m sure the Secretary of Defense is mulling over it as we speak. By January of next year, the president will approve it." "This is madness. At this level, there¡¯s no way to keep it under control. What guarantees do we have that it won¡¯t be exposed? One slip and the election will be the least of our problems¡ªour entire lives could be ruined. Do you have enough funds for an escape?" "Eugene has the original Icarus Gear." Silence followed. Kerry burst intoughter as Henry¡¯s lips curled into a smile. "Erasing all traces with technology instead of leaving it to chance, huh? That¡¯s one way to deal with it. But Henry, this will leave a stain on your conscience." "Once a game like Dark Zone exists in this world, it¡¯s not about conscience anymore. And at this point? You and I, politicians? Spare me." "An American¡¯s conscience, perhaps." "People change their minds with every vote, like reeds swaying in the wind. Why would an American conscience be any different?" But the conversation didn¡¯t escte further. Their shared memories ensured they reached an agreement. "We¡¯ll discuss the use of Icarus Gear with Eugene once the Asian qualifiers are over. She¡¯ll be in the U.S. byte December, and we¡¯ve nned a modest medal ceremony for her." "You look excited¡ªlike a grandfather showing off his grandkids." "Do I? Haha. Maybe I should practice looking like this more often. It coulde in handy for voter outreach." "Stop with the nonsense." Another pause followed, but both men sensed the conversation nearing its conclusion. "So, what¡¯s your slogan for your future presidential campaign?" "Hmm. How about ¡®The Most Solid America¡¯?" Kerry chuckled softly. "The Most Solid America. Uppermost Solid America. U.S.A." "You''re insane."@@novelbin@@ It was absurd, but even Kerry had to admit the sense of humor. "Wow, so many people¡­!" The weather was cool, the sun was gentle, and the air was fresh. As she got closer to the stadium, lively background music filled the air, and the smell of food from the snack booths made the atmosphere even more enjoyable. It was a perfect day in every way. Except for the massive crowds threatening to overshadow everything else. This wasn¡¯t just a big crowd¡ªit was overwhelming. Harmony had heard stories of the 2002 World Cup, where 300,000 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Square. Back then, they had called it a "sea of red." But today? How could she describe it? A sea of color, flooding Yongsan. "I can¡¯t even walk¡­" Right in the middle of it all was Harmony. Thankfully, thanks to her newly earned Dark Zone Partner Streamer status, she had been able to reserve one of the best seats in the stadium for the Asian qualifiers. But that didn¡¯t mean getting to the venue was a smooth experience. It was more like, "We¡¯ve done our part, now getting there is up to you." Which was understandable¡ªHarmony hadn¡¯t expected an easy ride either. But now, she couldn¡¯t help but wish for one. ¡®...Will they be able to blur all these people¡¯s faces?¡¯ With advancements in streaming technology, automatic face-blurring had be standard. This had significantly reduced the stress on outdoor streamers. However, the more people in the frame, the less effective the system became, especially with the sheer volume of faces to process. Still, she had to go live at least once. It was part of her job to promote Dark Zone and Icarus. Attention meant revenue, after all. And so, the stream went live. -[Harmony // ON AIR] -[Title: Struggling Not to Get Trampled T_T]
  • Omg what?!
  • Hahaha!!!!!!
  • It¡¯s been so long since an IRL stream! It¡¯s been so long! So long!
  • Look at all the people LMAO
  • Is this Yongsan? This is insane LOL
Life wasn¡¯t easy. But the viewer count, which wasn¡¯t rising slowly¡ªit was skyrocketing. Harmony had Eugene to thank for that. Despite this being just a simple outdoor stream, she already had 7,000 viewers. With donations flooding in, her tension started to ease. As she walked, the enormous stadium finally came into view. "Oh, there it is. But¡­ wow, there are way too many people." The line for on-site ticket sales was endless. The stadium had 10,000 seats, but only a few hundred were reserved. Maybe 100 at most? VIPs had their own waiting rooms, and the professional yers were treated simrly. So, realistically, around 9,900 seats were up for grabs through various methods. But most of those seats had already been sold online. So what was this line for? The remaining 5,000 external seats¡ªthose set up outside the stadium¡ªwere avable for people to watch on the giant screen. And how many people were lining up for those seats? "The line just keeps going, everyone. See that drone up there? It¡¯s counting the people, and only the top 5,000 will get tickets for the external seating. It¡¯s pretty tough out here. I hope everyone enjoys the match, though."
  • Fact: I¡¯m watching thisfortably from the ground LOL
  • What kind of fact is that? Hahaha
  • Sheesh
  • Is this the end of days? Wow
  • Meanwhile, she¡¯s casually walking through the VIP entrance, LOL
Beep. Harmony scanned her badge, a staff ID she had received in the mail. A cheerful beep sounded, and the door clicked open. The entrance was dark, not meant for public use, but it had some faint lighting. There were even signs directing her where to go. The air inside was refreshingly cool. Though it was a nice day outside, the interior of the stadium was adjusted to perfection, with an interior design that was both sleek and surreal. People bustled around, preparing for the event. "This is the stadium? It feels different, even the air."
  • Her tone is so annoying, LOL
  • The holynd for the chosen few?
  • Let¡¯s grab a seat and get some snacks!!!
  • Chewing-monster activated
  • I¡¯m watching this from outside the stadium, and wow, this is annoying
"Oh, I have to do something first. I need to pick something up." While most viewers were puzzled by her words, Harmony casually sat down and checked her messages. After a moment, she stood up and headed toward a fan service zone, which was still rtively quiet since it hadn¡¯t opened to the public yet. In a few hours, it would be as crowded as the main stadium, but for now, it was empty. There, someone was waiting for her. A peculiar floating drone hovered nearby like a pet. "Ownership transferplete. Please return it when you revisit tomorrow." "Thank you!" At that moment, a donation notification popped up.
  • Bogdanoff, she¡¯s ready.
"Connect her."
  • ???????????????
  • Bogdanoff out of nowhere LMAO
  • What does that mean? What¡¯s happening????
  • Unexpected event!!!
  • Where did she even pick up this meme, LOL
©¤©¤©¤sh! A brilliant light exploded into the air. As the drone disassembled into multiple pieces, polygons began to materialize, forming a figure. Taller than Harmony, with long ck hair and curves in all the right ces. Except, the curves didn¡¯t stop at the hips. A long tail swayed slowly behind the figure. A portable hologram generator. Harmony had used her money to summon Eugene¡¯s avatar into reality. Before the drone''s attached speaker could emit an incredulous voice, Harmony spoke first. "Wow! It¡¯s like resurrection!" "...Be grateful I came here as a hologram."
  • !!!!!!
  • This is crazy LMAO
  • HARMONY IS A GOD! HARMONY IS A GOD! HARMONY IS A GOD!
  • Resurrection! Resurrection! Resurrection!
  • She invited a special guest LOL
Chapter 184 "Mm, this is delicious. But, Eugene, you can¡¯t eat this, right? Hehe. I¡¯ll eat your portion too." "Guess you haven''t watched my unboxing video." "Oh."
  • What¡¯s up with this? Does she think she¡¯s got nine lives like a cat, teasing Eugene like that? Does she not fear the consequences?
  • Haha, if she¡¯s got nine lives, Eugene will just chop her down nine times, lol.
  • Do these guys think Eugene¡¯s some kind of berserker, thirsty for blood? LOL.
  • Wasn''t that already obvious? Something like that, haha.
  • Hahaha, dying here, LOL.
She''s lost a lot of her fear. Maybe it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t seen each other in a while, but today, Harmony¡¯s yful teasing seems more exaggerated than usual. If I were there in person, I¡¯d have grabbed her cheeks and stretched them out. But for now, I¡¯ll hold off¡ªthere¡¯ll be plenty of chances for that in the future. For the moment, Harmony was sitting at a table, finishing up ate lunch. She¡¯d skipped breakfast due to running various errands anding to Yongsan early. The tournament wasn¡¯t starting until 1:00 PM, and it was only 12:01 PM, so there was plenty of time left. Harmony had grabbed some convenience store food and was slurping down noodles, cheeks puffed out. From my perspective, it was as if I were a live camera, showing viewers exactly what I saw. It felt like I had be a living camera myself. I wonder if this is what it would feel like to ditch a human body and switch to a mechanical one. "...Anyway, it looks like I¡¯ve been stuck ying the role of a live-streaming camera today. If the angle seems off, just let me know anytime."
  • The angle¡¯s weird¡ªturn your head so we can see your butt!
  • Tail!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Eugene, something¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s no tail! Eugene!!
  • Uh, something¡¯s just off, LOL.
  • Random nitpicking ON.
Sigh. My fists are itching for action. But honestly, it¡¯s impressive how much Harmony¡¯s appetite has grown. I¡¯d nagged her countless times to eat proper meals and work out, rather than just snacking all the time. It seems like my efforts have paid off. She¡¯s standing straighter, and her face looks slimmer. Though, watching her stuff her face with cup noodles, hot bar, and frozen dumplings is... less than ideal. If I were there in person, I would¡¯ve dragged her to a proper restaurant instead. Sensing my judgmental gaze, Harmony added a half-hearted excuse. "Sometimes you just crave junk food, you know? Hehe."@@novelbin@@ "I didn¡¯t say anything." She pouted, looking wronged. Maybe she thought I was scolding her with just my eyes. I can''t deny that people tend to feel a bit intimidated around me, but honestly, I¡¯d just prefer if she ate something better, like I said before. Still, I get it. Junk food does have its own appeal. Just not three times a day, every day. Anyway, we had a slightly bigger problem at the moment. "Harmony¡­ is that you? Eugene!?" "Wow, no way! I¡¯m a huge fan! Oh my god!" "Haha, thank you! But could you keep your voice down just a little?" Fans. If you ask whether I wanted this attention or not, I¡¯d have to lean toward thetter. But I wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to think it wouldn¡¯t happen. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t know what to expect¡ªI was well aware of how packed the venue was. There was no way we wouldn¡¯t run into fans. From the moment Harmony got temporary control of the hologram projector, I¡¯d been watching her stream. Even I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of spectators outside. It was no surprise that some of them would approach us. Was it pleasant? Not particrly. But as an influencer, I had to care about every single fan. In any case, thank goodness for the hologram. Harmony was busy signing autographs and taking pictures. "Here you go. Enjoy today¡¯s match!" "Thank you! Good luck with your game, Eugene!" "Thanks for the support." When fans realize they can¡¯t actually shake my hand or get an autograph, they always look disappointed. Since Harmony is here in person, she takes the brunt of it. Fair enough, I guess. But the most important thing right now was eating, so Harmony reminded everyone to wait until she finished her meal. It worked¡ªthe crowd thinned out significantly. Finally, we could have a proper conversation again. "How are you feeling today? Think you¡¯ll do well?" "I¡¯m always on autopilot, you know. My condition¡¯s fine. Plus, in VR, it¡¯s not like I need to worry about stuff like that." "True. So basically, you¡¯ll do great as usual! I¡¯ll be cheering for you!" "...Yeah, let¡¯s go with that." It wasn¡¯t too sensitive of a statement, so I nodded. Even as a streamer and a national representative, I always had to be careful not to say anything that could be seen as disrespectful toward other countries¡¯ yers. By now, it was almost 1:00 PM. Harmony cleaned up the table and threw away the trash, resting her hands on her slightly protruding stomach. It seemed she had slimmed down quite a bitpared to before. She kept taking deep breaths, and eventually, her eyes met mine. She smiled, probably expecting apliment. So I obliged. "You¡¯re looking much lighter than before." "Right? You have a good eye, Eugene. I lost 5 kg in two months, and my body fat percentage dropped a lot too." "Great. Let¡¯s aim for 20% body fat as the final goal."
  • Are they really streaming right now?
  • Why are they flirting and leaving us out of the conversation!!!
  • Wait¡­ are we¡­ abandoned¡­?
  • Pfft, who cares about viewers LOL.
  • If you love Eugene so much, why don¡¯t you marry her!!!
Ah, chat. Dealing with them is like trying to manage a bunch of unruly kids. Look away for just a second, and they start spamming nonsense or throwing tantrums. The trolls get kicked automatically, but still. Harmony could handle the little stuff. It was 12:30 PM, and I had somewhere to be. "Alright, I¡¯ll be heading out. I think my seat is near the front, so I¡¯ll see youter. I¡¯ll wave at you." "Oh, are you going? Back to work?" "Both streaming andpeting are my job. You gotta be careful how you say that, or people will get the wrong idea." "Hehe."
  • What? Is Eugene not going to stream anymore? (Selective hearing)
  • Time to throw a tantrum until shees back!
  • What a bunch of lunatics, LOL.
  • Haha, here we go, rebellion time!
  • Harmony¡¯s dropping hints, sneaky LOL.
Before I knew it, I had arrived at the main arena. A massive venue with a capacity of 10,000. Its sleek, futuristic design, the enormous screens hanging from the walls, and the wide central stage built perfectly for yer introductions¡ªit all screamed cutting-edge technology. Even the ceiling was covered in screen panels. The ce was designed to make it feel like a virtual reality experience for everyone, even those attending remotely. It was like reality was being oveid with a VR world. It was, in a way, a kind of modern-day alchemy. I patted Harmony on the shoulder, bidding her goodbye. But that was it for now. The arena was already packed with people who arrived before us, munching on snacks. Our goodbye was brief. "See youter." "Catch you soon." Now, it was time for the real deal¡ªthe time for gunpowder and blood. "Finally, the day hase, the day you¡¯ve all been waiting for! The Asian qualifiers are here atst! Let¡¯s give a big round of apuse for everyone in attendance today©¤!!!" WOOOOOO!!! The heat, the sweat, the deafening roar of 10,000 voices¡ªnothing was held back. It was a wild stampede of sound, crashing against the walls and bouncing all around. Calling it a cheer doesn¡¯t do it justice¡ªit was more like an explosion. Ten thousand people shouting at once was overwhelming. Since the professional yers hadn¡¯t even been introduced yet, the sole emcee on stage was absorbing all the energy. My body buzzed, my breath quickened, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. It was a mix of tension, excitement, and raw professionalism all blending into one. But, as always, he continued, unfazed. "It¡¯s been a long wait, and I can feel the electric energy from the crowd. Thank you all foring! It¡¯s truly an honor to be here. But now, it¡¯s time to introduce the key yers for the Asian qualifiers." With that, mes erupted. And the first two figures walked out. "Now, let¡¯s wee the casters andmentators who will y a vital role in today¡¯s Asian qualifiers!" It was as if the grandeur of the moment was being orchestrated through music. Not just through sound, but through the vibrations that made the whole body tremble. Apanied by this powerful BGM, two people in caster andmentator outfits descended the stairs between the open stages. But they weren¡¯t alone. About ten more followed them, all dressed the same. In total, fourteen people¡ªthe indispensable team that would breathe life into the broadcasts¡ªmade their grand entrance on stage. The cheers and apuse rolled in once more. The viewers recognized them all, so their introduction was short. Besides, the main event was still toe. As if on cue, the host¡¯s voice rose again. "Now, it¡¯s time for the moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for! Let¡¯s wee the yers representing Korea in this Asian qualifier!" And at that moment, the crowd¡¯s roar reached a fever pitch. mes and sparks burst from around the central stage''s main gate, dazzling lights flickering wildly. As the door slid open with a hiss, the noise hit a crescendo. Step by step. With every footfall, the cheers grew louder. Another step. All 10,000 spectators watched as the 20-member team confidently walked forward, their eyes following them through the holographic screens floating before them. Another step. With each cheer, the national representatives waved to the audience. There were no hardened expressions¡ªonly fierce determination as their eyes met the weight of the crowd and the world watching. And amidst it all, two figures stood out. One moved heavily, dragging a snake-like tail, while the other waved at the crowd with familiarity. Though these two had yet to be publicly revealed, they drew far more attention than the other 18 pros behind them. And anyone with eyes on them knew exactly who they were. Eugene and Dice. The two pirs leading Korea¡¯s national team. Next, the host introduced the national teams from Russia, Japan, the Chinese Federation, and Taiwan. One by one, the teams found their ces on stage, each following the designated lines and taking their assigned seats. The rules for the Asian qualifiers were no different from those used in the national selection rounds. After the formalities, the map selection began. The first map was the Kman Nuclear Waste Disposal Site. And by the second round... Swoosh! "...?" Even this one. Ratatatat! "...Tsk." And that one. The enemies I encountered seemed to carefully retreat, making sure not to get spotted by her. Even those who happened to cross paths widened their engagement range, bouncing aggro around like they were ying ping pong¡ªa tactical retreat. I only killed those who absolutely needed to be eliminated. But still, I had to admit it¡ªI was being avoided. From their perspective, engaging with me carried too much risk, and they weren¡¯t willing to gamble. This was the stage of the Asian qualifiers, after all. "Hmm." But that didn¡¯t mean I liked it. And I had plenty of tactical options at my disposal, even mid-fight. At this point, I needed to re-gear, but that wasn¡¯t a problem. Instead of a heavy, full-body bulletproof vest, I opted for a HexaGrid te that only covered the vital areas. I switched out my slow, high-damage DMR for a faster-firing assault rifle. The caliber didn¡¯t matter much. I adjusted the sights and loaded the magazine. ck! If the enemy won¡¯te to me, I¡¯ll go to them. It was time to shift from pressure tactics to full-on hunting mode. Chapter 185 --- Ratatatatatat! --- ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy, but not this tough.¡± The sounds of gunfire scattered like snowkes in the winds of the Arctic Sea. The weather conditions were terrible. Every match had minor changes¡ªweather, crate locations, and skill activation zones¡ªand in some cases, even the mapyout shifted slightly. So, the first thing every yer did was try to get a rough idea of how this particr iteration of the map was set up. Case, like everyone else, should have been doing that. But his mind was still reying the first round¡ªKman Nuclear Waste Disposal. It wasn¡¯t a good sign, but what could he do? Things rarely go exactly how you want. And it wasn¡¯t without reason. ¡®The Korean yers are performing better than expected, and it¡¯s not just one or two of them. A significant number of individuals are disrupting the strategic ns we¡¯d set up beforehand.¡¯ It would be ideal to adapt with a high degree of flexibility, but that requires a certain level of skill. Even Case, an experienced yer, was caught off guard. How could the less experienced yers on his team expect to produce better results? The oue of the first game had already left a mark on everyone¡¯s mindset¡ªit was no surprise who would take first ce. But what was shocking was that six Korean yers ced in the top 15. How had the Korean first-tier yers improved so drastically in less than a month? ¡°...¡± There was no avoiding all 20 Korean representatives. At the very least, they had to steer clear of the core yers, especially her. There wasn¡¯t enough data on Eugene yet, so the decision had been made: avoid engaging with her at all costs. Ironically, that strategy seemed to work, at least somewhat, during the first two rounds. Eugene took first ce, but she didn¡¯t secure enough kill points to truly dominate. She had only earned 4 points in the first round and 3 in the second¡ªfar from the 12 kills she used to rack up in a single match. But the Asian qualifiers were a team game, after all. Although the points awarded for first ce were significant, there were still plenty of ways to catch up. For Japan, it meant an enormous burden, but if they could keep snowballing, by the end of Sunday, their points might even rival Korea¡¯s. And yet¡ª Kakakakakakak! ¡°Woah.¡± Whoever it was, they were causing chaos. The sound of a high-caliber gun echoed through the blizzard. Chances were, it was Eugene. The tactic designed to counter her was based on that very sound¡ªusing a powerful firearm to apply heavy pressure, making it impossible for opponents to even peek. But it wasn¡¯t like they couldn¡¯t extract data from that. Japan¡¯s analysis team had meticulously studied her patterns. They calcted her maximum and average movement speed and came up with a new rule of engagement: if a fight seems unwinnable, retreat faster than her maximum speed. Of course, there had been dissenters. But after the first round left most of them full of holes, they reluctantly epted the strategy. The echo of the gunfire indicated that she was likely within 200 meters. Case had already faced Eugene twice in the previous rounds, and he knew a direct confrontation was pointless. In other words, he needed to put more distance between himself and the eye of the storm. And now, it seemed like an unwanted guest had arrived. Drrrrrk! ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve gotpany.¡± Case pulled the trigger, sending a dozen bullets through the air. None hit, but it didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe wasn¡¯t aiming for uracy. It was suppressive fire. Sure, the Korean yers had improved, but that didn¡¯t mean Case had lost his skill. Even if Japan struggled, he still had what it took to make it to the finals solo. That didn¡¯t mean he took any engagement lightly. He always sized up his opponents, calcting his odds of victory. The only unpredictable variable was the avatars. ¡®An avatar like that should be at a ballroom, not running around with a gun in a game... It¡¯s still hard to get used to.¡¯ Case had customized his own avatar a bit, but it wasn¡¯t all that different from reality. Nowadays, just having an avatar that matched your real-life gender was considered ¡°low effort.¡± What would the next opponent look like? He didn¡¯t mind pretty avatars, but still... He aimed his gun in the direction of the noise, preparing himself mentally. The enemy was about 70 meters away¡ªquite a distance. As he focused, maintaining his aim¡ª ¡°...!¡± Someone burst out at an unusual speed, scraping through the air with their gun. Fwwiiiish! It sounded almost like a drone hovering. The enemy¡¯s rate of fire was impressive, and their uracy was rming. It felt like Case¡¯s shield was being ground down against a belt sander. Adrenaline surged. Whoever they were, they were clearly a close-quartersbat specialist, quickly closing the distance. Case had no choice but to engage at full capacity. Was it Eugene? Or just another Korean yer? If it was the former, she¡¯d likely use heavy weaponry for suppression. If it was thetter, he could handle it. For now, he¡¯d have to assess as the engagement unfolded. But¡ª ¡®...Something feels off.¡¯ The eerie feeling persisted. It was as if the very space itself was being imed by the enemy. And then it hit him¡ªwhy had he assumed Eugene would only use high-caliber weapons to suppress other yers? And finally, he saw it. ¡°Damn.¡± A chest rig that only protected the vitals. A lightweight te carrier, an MPX submachine gun in hand, and Eugene sprinting toward him with the speed of a freight train. She wasn¡¯t wearing her usual 40 kg of full armor; she looked like she had cut down to about 20 kg. Half the weight meant double the speed. And sure enough, Eugene was closing in on anyone who crossed her path with blinding speed. Death itself was rushing toward him at full force. Both guns fired. It was life or death. ¡°And just like that, the big match between Eugene and Case has begun!¡± --- ROAR --- The entire Yongsan shook. The voices of 200,000 people, gathered across the Yongsan Esports Stadium, the park, and even the nearby exhibition hall, echoed as one. Posts flooded social media, wondering what was happening in Yongsan, with some people iming they could hear the cheering from inside their cars. The intensity hadn¡¯t dropped, even after several matches. If anything, it was growing stronger. The crowd watched with bated breath as Eugene and Case shed on the screen. Seconds passed, then minutes. Two, three... and still, neither side was giving up. Eugene, the yer who had once seemed unbeatable, was now in the fight of her life, up against an unrelenting force. Case, despite the pressure, fought back with everything he had. And finally¡ª ¡°Case! He¡¯s managed to escape after a grueling three-minute fight with Eugene! It¡¯s not the strongest who survive, but those who survive that are the strongest!¡± Though Eugene couldn¡¯t finish him off, Case barely managed to escape with less than 10% HP. His shield was gone. Between the two of them, they had fired nearly 600 rounds during that three-minute battle. The duel was at a level far beyond what anyone could expect from a typical tournament match. It was a ballet of steel and fire, a dance of death. Both yers'' eyes burned with intense focus, as if they were locked in a life-or-death battle. Though the audience couldn¡¯t fully grasp the gravity of the situation, the sheer pressure left a deep, indelible mark on their minds. Once the excitement died down, the analysis began. ¡°What stands out in this third match is that Eugene has changed her ystyle. In the first two rounds, she relied on heavy suppression, but now it looks like she¡¯s actively hunting her opponents.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The data shows that she¡¯s carrying half the weight she was in previous matches. It¡¯s the simplest way to improve mobility.¡± ¡°I wonder if this aggressive ystyle will tire her out, especially since she¡¯s in hardcore mode. What do you think?¡± ¡°Well, given what we¡¯ve seen from her so far, I don¡¯t think stamina is going to be an issue. And even if it were, Korea has already racked up a substantial lead in points.¡± The third round was nearing its end. Thankfully, Eugene¡¯s change in tactics hadn¡¯t led to anything drastically new. The remaining yers were the best of the best from their respective countries. They knew how to hold on, even if it meant clinging to life by a thread. Eugene¡¯s kill count had only increased by 50%pared to the earlier matches. By the time Eugene made it to the top 10, she had only secured 5 kills. ¡°And with that, the kill zone is entering its final phase. Only 10 yers remain, including Korea¡¯s Eugene, Dice, and Doberman; Russia¡¯s Zvezda and MKVS; Taiwan¡¯s Stinger; China¡¯s Sahara and Liu; and Japan¡¯s Case and Suzuran. Aside from Doberman, all of these yers qualified forst year¡¯s finals.¡± ¡°Indeed, those still standing could easily make it to the finals with their skill levels. Especially Doberman, who¡¯s killed three yers and made it to the top 10 this round.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be interesting to see if Korea can send five yers to the championship this year, given how much their overall skill level has improved.¡± The kill zone shrank. Everyone moved cautiously, knowing that the zone would continue to shrink until only one remained standing. Even yers from the same country could end up fighting each other. Once an opponent was killed, the game would ovey their avatar with that of a dead yer from another country, so no one knew exactly who they¡¯d killed until the very end. Combat erupted. ¡°Dice has engaged Sahara inside a building. Both yers have 100% shields, so their weapon choices will be critical here.¡± ¡°And there it is! Dice pulls out a shotgun, the AA-12, loaded with alternating slugs and 12-gauge rounds. It¡¯s a weapon specifically chosen for close-quartersbat in thete game.¡± ¡°Exactly. With only 2 kill points so far, it seems like Dice has been avoiding engagements because of her weapon¡¯s limitations¡ªbut now, she¡¯s unloading her 20-round drum magazine on Sahara!¡± Despite having only 2 kill points, Dice had been biding her time, holding back for this exact moment. The shotgun¡¯s heavy weight and massive drum magazine were a burden, but now she was making full use of them, firing round after round. Sahara hid behind cover, looking for an opportunity, but the shotgun¡¯s spread dominated the space, neutralizing skills like the Firefly and Seeker Mines. Dice skillfully maintained her distance, taking advantage of every opening to reposition and secure safety. It didn¡¯t take long for Sahara to realize he should have fled the building earlier. And just like that, he was shredded by Dice¡¯s shotgun.@@novelbin@@ Cheers erupted. WOOOOOO! ¡°And Dice absolutely dominates Sahara with a perfect strategy for the terrain, bringing her kill count up to 3!¡± ¡°Meanwhile, on the other side, Eugene is fighting Doberman when Zvezdaunches an attack. It¡¯s chaos all around.¡± ¡°Nine yers left, then eight, then seven. The third match will be decided within the next two minutes.¡± For every winner, there is a loser. The ranks shifted upward as yers fell. But amidst the chaos, certain names refused to disappear. From 10 yers to 7, then 5, and finally, just 3. ¡®It has to be Eugene¡­¡¯ Even though her avatar had been altered by the system¡¯s filters, Dice recognized it was Eugene aiming her sights at her. The kill zone had closed in around the three remaining yers, forcing a fierce firefight. Eugene used her speed to close the distance, but the remaining two yers'' shooting skills were impressive. Dice struggled to make full use of her shotgun¡¯s firepower. To Case, both yers were ticking time bombs¡ªtouching either one could be lethal. But like it or not,bat was inevitable. The first to act was Eugene. She moved decisively, targeting Dice. But Dice wasn¡¯t without her own tricks. Her shotgun roared, creating a wide of destruction. As Eugene¡¯s momentum faltered, Case saw his chance and rushed in, desperate to close the distance and capitalize on the chaos. If he could just take down Eugene, he figured, there might be a way out. Case and Dice both shared that thought. Despite being sandwiched between two of the top yers, Eugene fought back, pressing them both and attempting to escape. It was utter chaos. The car racing toward an uncertain future crashed in spectacr fashion, shattering all expectations. [Notification: Eugene ¡®Axed¡¯ Keith] [Notification: Keith ¨{¦î©ß©×¨T- Eugene] ¡°Oh my! Both Eugene and Case have been eliminated simultaneously after an intense battle!¡± Case, with an axe lodged in his forehead, and Eugene, her body riddled with bullets, both fell at the exact same moment. It was simple. Eugene had pushed Dice to the point where she had whittled down her HP too much¡ªtoo well, in fact¡ªand Case hadn¡¯t been able to dodge Eugene¡¯s final, desperate attack before being sent to the lobby. Meanwhile, Dice peeked out from behind cover, stunned, as the two fallen yers dissolved into polygons and the game space copsed, signaling the end of the match. ¡°...What? It¡¯s over? How?¡± Even though Dice had won first ce after Eugene¡¯s elimination, her face was filled with confusion, not triumph. Just another day in the life of an AP tournament. Chapter 186 [General] Breaking news: Dice wins third round unexpectedly, lololololololol She doesn¡¯t even look happy, justpletely stunned, lololol. [Allments] [Sorted by newest]
  • What¡¯s up with her? lolololol
  • Makes sense, though. Eugene and Case went down together, so she probably didn¡¯t expect it, lol.
    • Damn, Case is flying all over the ce, even now, lol.
    • He made top 10st year, so not surprising.
    • Yeah, but now he¡¯s got an axe to his forehead, lol.
    • LMAO, hahahahahaha.
  • Thought Eugene was gonna win, so close, lol.
    • If you look at Dice¡¯s face, she probably thought so too, lololol.
    • Hahahaha, she was totally in love with Eugene, hahaha.
    • Get a hotel room already! Burn down Yongsan with your fiery passion!
    • Whoa, take this to the Yuri forums, please.
    • Stop talking nonsense, lol.
  • But seriously, the biggest losers here are the pro gamers from other countries who got smacked around by those three.
    • Lol, so true.
    • The international forums are on fire right now, lol.
    • They fear these maniacs!
  • Eugene¡¯s new ystyle is sick, though, lol.
    • This is what you call "Run and Gun."
    • So true.
  • If she wasn¡¯t using the MPX, she would¡¯ve smashed everyone.
    • Looked like she picked a lighter gun to chase down yers who kept running from her.
    • But honestly, she could¡¯ve caught up with anyone regardless of the gun, don¡¯t you think?
    • Doesn¡¯t she need to conserve stamina, though? lol.
    • Why would a Terminator need stamina? lol.
  • Loving Korea¡¯s domination, lol.
  • Alright, let¡¯s break Japan¡¯s back and send 5 yers to the finals, baby!
[General] This is K-level spice. Anyints? Oh, and you still have 9 more rounds against Eugene. Good luck with that~~~~~~~ [Allments] [Sorted by newest]
  • The third round just ended, but we still have a ton left today and tomorrow, lolololol.
  • It only takes one round to wipe that smug look off their faces.
    • The way you said that is kind of sad, lol.
    • We¡­ we really tried our best¡­
    • Hahaha, so true.
  • Seriously, she¡¯s a beast, lol.
  • They should¡¯ve skipped the qualifiers and just taken her straight to the finals.
    • Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she had connections in the U.S. at this point, lol.
    • Not just surprising, she must have connections, lol. The way she JTACs (Joint Terminal Attack Control) says it all.
  • Check out the interviews from today¡ªevery international yer¡¯s face is just stone cold. Go watch, it¡¯s a masterpiece.
    • Wow, you¡¯re right.
    • Why is this so real? lololol.
    • Taiwan¡¯s like, ¡°We did everything we could,¡± and it¡¯s hrious, lol.
    • Two weeks just wasn¡¯t enough, haha.
  • Suzuran: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Korea to have such a secret weapon.¡± lolol.
    • We didn¡¯t know either, lolol.
    • Literally no one knew, lolol.
    • Are we all in this together now?
  • The way the other yers are getting more and more down is legendary.
    • Just tell them to try again next year, lol.
    • From now on, thisnd is ruled by Eugene!!
  • But seriously, even the other Korean yers are killing it.
    • Their skills have skyrocketed.
    • Yet thepetition for spots is fiercer thanst year, lol.
    • Without Eugene and Dice, we only have 3 spots left, lol.
    • Too bad they didn¡¯t get Eugene¡¯s attention earlier, lol.
  • How am I supposed to wait for the finals after all this hype?!
    • You don¡¯t, lol.
    • Time for three months of frustration, ON.
    • Eugene, step on me¡­ uuugh¡­
    • You guys are nuts, lololol.
    • Am I the only one who¡¯s holding back these feelings? Don¡¯t make me feel like a weirdo for this!
    • Nah, you''re a weirdo, lololol.
"So even Eugene can die, huh." A tired voice, though slightly relieved, as if the Japanese head coach had glimpsed a faint light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. But that was all it was¡ªjust a slight relief. Behind him, the top yers from Japan forced smiles, trying to raise the mood, but only Case maintained his usual heavy expression. Many had realized it by now¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the same Korea that had struggledst year. Something had changed. The skill level of individual Korean yers now exceeded the average Japanese Republic gamer, and at the center of it all was Eugene, whom even Case couldn¡¯t confidently defeat in a direct fight. Watching that match¡ªor rather, that real battle¡ªit was hard not to feel overwhelmed. But turning the tide and keeping morale high was part of the coach''s job. "So, it¡¯s notpletely impossible. If two top-tier yers team up, they could chip away at her and stop her from winning." Of course, that wasn¡¯t easy. There were certain conditions that had to be met. First, as many Japanese top yers as possible needed to make it into the top 10¡ªthat much wasn¡¯t an issue. Now that Case and Eugene had taken each other out, other countries would likely see an opportunity. This meant that Eugene would likely be every nation¡¯s top kill target. Second, their objective had to be clear: preventing Eugene from dominating. Fortunately, this too seemed possible. Things were looking good. Case, however, knew it wasn¡¯t quite so hopeful. Sure, the result was decent, but¡­ ¡®Even that oue wasn¡¯t exactly ideal.¡¯ The analysis of the match wasn¡¯tplete yet, but from Case¡¯s perspective, Eugene had an insane ability to take at least one person down with her, even when she was on the brink of death. The only reason things had gone the way they did in the third round was because Dice had also been in the top 3 with him and Eugene. Dice had weakened Eugene significantly with her shotgun, and Case had thought that if he could just finish her off, he¡¯d be fine. Up until thest moment, it had been going well. But thatst-minute attack caught him off guard, sending him to the lobby alongside Eugene.@@novelbin@@ Still, the head coach wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. Nor was Case¡¯s experience. The truthy somewhere in between. The mystery of Eugene was slowly unraveling, but that didn¡¯t make things any easier. Just because there¡¯s a path to climb a mountain doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s easy. It was impressive, in its own way, how consistent she was. If this were a normal video game, the challenge might be fun, and the final boss might be epic. But in real-time, it was nothing but pressure and fear. In any case, the mood had improved slightly. They would base their strategy for the next match on this, gathering data and adjusting as the day progressed. Half of the first day of the Asian qualifiers had already passed. "You did well. Hopefully, we can reim our position in the next match. Is there anything else we should focus on?" "Don¡¯t expect it to be easy. We¡¯ll need to put in all our effort just to make the top 10." "Of course. Analysis is humanity¡¯s greatest tool... Let''s start by kicking thedder out from under the other nations so they can''t climb any higher." They had to remain grounded in reality. As always, it wasn¡¯t the strongest who survived but those who survived that were the strongest¡ªand Japan could afford no more surprises. There were 10 minutes left before the fourth match began. But, as usual, things rarely go as nned. Boom! "Damn it." Maybe the next note to add was that Eugene could easily escape concentrated fire from two or more yers. As that thought crossed his mind, Case was kicked by Eugene, sent flying through the air, and mmed into the twisted doorframe, thrown out of the kill zone. It really was an unlucky day. "©¤©¤©¤As you can see, Korea is maintaining a solid lead." WOOOOOOO! "Is this real life? Is this Eugene? Is she the goddess of AP?!" "Calm down!" "Oof!" For every shadow, there is light. Where there are the trampled, there are those who trample; where there is darkness, there is light¡ªand today, in the Asian qualifiers, that light was shining on Korea. It was an entirely different scene from the other nations, where words were chosen carefully, fearing they might sound too pessimistic. In Korea, they were freely celebrating, saying whatever came to mind¡ªwithin reason, of course, as long as they weren¡¯t insulting other nations. The cheerful banter stemmed from that freedom. The Asian qualifiers had long breaks between matches, unlike KSM, where the focus was entirely on selecting national representatives. Here, it was more like a festival, focused on quality rather than speed. ¡°¡­If you analyze this skirmish closely, you can see that an incredibly high-level psychological game was unfolding on a primal level. Take Dice¡¯s small actions, for example. They all converge toward a single goal¡­¡± Post-match analysis was thorough. Even the casters andmentators were busy, breaking down theplex engagements into digestible segments for the viewers. What seemed like slowmentary was actually beneficial, as it gave everyone a chance to revisit the climactic moments they might have missed. The reys, with additionalmentary, were a different kind of entertainment. Meanwhile, Eugene spoke up again. ¡°There''s definitely something different about the Asian qualifiers. The matches are all real-time.¡± ¡°Well, the viewer count jumps to tens of millions at this stage. With that many people watching at once, VR time eleration bes risky. We had a huge messst year because of it.¡± Eugene¡¯s exnation was concise. In short, the VR broadcast system had crashed due to server overload when millions of viewers tried to watch at elerated speeds duringst year¡¯s Asian qualifiers. ¡°You know how the VR broadcasts can add or drop frames to make it look like real-time at 3x speed? Well, once you get over 10 million simultaneous viewers, the servers can¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°Wait, they use the same servers for that and for handling viewer connections? Or did they have to borrow resources from the other servers because the viewer count was so high?¡± ¡°Exactly. They add servers every six months, but we still have these issues.¡± The price of having a top-tier game, huh? Still, that wasn¡¯t my concern right now. I decided to change the topic and lightly poked Dice¡¯s cheek. The soft squishiness was oddly satisfying. She let out a long ¡°Buuu¡± sound as she mumbled out a distorted word. ¡°Whaaat?¡± ¡°Congrats on getting first ce in the third match.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. That wasn¡¯t a real first ce. I was fighting with everything I had, but suddenly both of them just dropped dead. I was so shocked.¡± ¡°Well, the fact that you pushed me to the point where I almost died shows your growth. And remember, no one can predict every oue inbat.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She still looked a bit dissatisfied, but hey, life doesn¡¯t always go your way. Not every victory is shy and glorious. Especially not inbat. Sometimes, surviving is the victory. While she scanned the room, Dice added something. ¡°Suddenly, I¡¯m wondering... do Espers have an advantage when gaming?¡± ¡°They have to. My physical abilities alone are proof.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but there aren¡¯t many Espers in pro gaming, so I¡¯ve always been curious. I guess it takes more than powers to back that up. Honestly, I¡¯m just d people like you aren¡¯t swarming the pro scene or the military. That would¡¯ve been terrifying.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°...Why are you looking at me like that?¡± The military, huh? Dice had a strange talent for triggering my memories at the most random times. But whatever she thought of my reaction, she started blurting out some wild nonsense, her imagination in full bloom. ¡°What? Are you saying there really is a Snake Tail Unit out there!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying! That reaction was totally suspicious!¡± As Dice rambled on about some terrifying squad of snake-tailed warriors, I seriously considered giving her a flick on the forehead. Maybe my tail was giving off pheromones I didn¡¯t know about. While I pondered whether I needed a hospital check-up, the fifth match was fast approaching. ¡°How do you feel about it, Laura?¡± ¡°I told you not to call me that, dammit. I¡¯m already pissed off about getting forcibly demoted from Delta.¡± ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll call you Pr then¡ªurk! I¡¯m dying here!¡± ¡°You little bastard.¡± Meanwhile, it wasn¡¯t just the yers watching the Asian qualifiers closely. Chapter 187 Under the clear autumn sky, in the quiet hours ofte dawn, a man dressed in civilian clothes walked on the asphalt within one of the most secretive camps in the world. The camp¡¯s location was heavily ssified, and security was tight. The facility was massive,rger than most university campuses, and watchtowers stationed across the base were manned by external security personnel. The mid-October night air was cool, with temperatures hovering between single and double digits. The chill of the night seeped through exposed skin, making his hands feel the crispness of the air. At the end of his gaze stood an old warehouse, dim and unlit. It was his destination. Dragging his weary body, he quietly opened the door. Several doors were firmly closed inside, and the dust that had settled on the floor suggested the age of the ce. But amid the darkness, a new keypad glowed faintly. He ced his fingers on it. The door opened. ©¤©¤©¤Beep. Light poured into the room. Inside, in a space asrge as a basketball court, over a dozen people were gathered, each engaged in their own conversations while watching floating screens. For a brief moment, nces were exchanged. A quick scan from head to toe. Every face was familiar. It couldn¡¯t be helped¡ªeach face belonged to an agent from Delta, people who had operated not only across the United States but around the world, executing missions from the past to the present and even in other worlds. "Ah, Senior Owens." "Here, it¡¯s just Sergeant. But really, is it okay for you to be here, Logan?" "I¡¯ve already gotten permission, so don¡¯t worry. If they¡¯re giving medals to Eugene, I think I can sneak into a ce like this, don¡¯t you?" At the sound of the voice, his eyes naturally turned in that direction. A familiar yet unfamiliar woman stood there. It wasn¡¯t VR; this was reality, which made the sight even stranger. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled like topaz, and her long, milk-white hair cascaded down. But what really stood out were therge bear ears on her head¡ªa sight hard to get used to. Only memories of New York, where not just the Omega Virus but events beyond human understanding unfolded, made it somewhat eptable. His gaze shifted slightly to the side. A muscr many sprawled on the ground, seemingly unconscious,pletely ignored by the others who continued to watch the screens. "Why¡¯s Kevin like that?" "He hasn¡¯t called me ¡®Logan¡¯ even once since we met today. Even after I changed my name back, that bastard still won¡¯t get it." "You reap what you sow." Suppressing the word "Laura" that almost slipped out, he quietly sat down in the seat he was directed to. The screen disyed a message in tranted English: The fifth match will begin in 10 minutes. Owens nudged Kevin with his foot, pushing him aside, as Laura sat next to him. Catching his nce, she shed a mischievous smile, waving her new blue badge, indicating her regr employee status. Even in the stark white light from above, her milky skin glowed brilliantly. She added, "What were you doing before? This isn¡¯t exactly a ce that gives out permits quickly." "I was working as a contractor for 1st SAC. Even before I got my memory back, I guess part of me always knew what was going on." "What a strange coincidence." Laura nodded briefly, then manipted the screen in front of her. A new screen popped up right before his eyes. It was an unmistakable sight. The long hair, the piercing blue eyes under a tactical vest, and the submachine gun she held. Even the sharp ears protruding from the sides of her head. She moved across the battlefield, with no hesitation as bullets rained down around her, the sheer determination in her eyes making it seem as though she¡¯d chase her target to the ends of hell. It was a sight all too familiar. There were many things to say, but they could all be summed up as: "You¡¯re still alive¡ªand sharper than ever." "I¡¯ll be back in the States at the end of December." "Should I throw you a bted funeral? I burned all your personal belongings during the service. Sorry about that." "How can you joke about something like that?" A small reproach. Owens closed his mouth as she sighed in frustration. "I can¡¯t do stuff like that anymore unless it¡¯s VR. I thought I was living a tough life, but then my body changed like this. I came to my senses, and suddenly, I wasn¡¯t part of Delta anymore. Damn it." "Delta still has plenty of work, even without being a military operative. If you want, you can go through the formal process and rejoin. I¡¯ve got room in my squad if you¡¯re up for it." "Well, if it¡¯s Sergeant Owens¡¯ Assault Squadron, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s room for me." A short silence followed. Logan Blemis. He had once been part of the task force Owensmanded and one of the rare, if not unique, victims of the Omega Virus. A person whose transformation was thought impossible¡ªhis gender and physical form had undergone a profound, almost iprehensible change. In any other scenario, Eugene would have been dissected in ab somewhere, but instead, he was epted with few issues by society and Icarus. It was thanks to New York¡¯s inexplicable nature at the time that they could take things in stride. Later, when Jordan Amherst was interrogated, it was revealed that the Omega Virus had nothing to do with bodily transformations, leaving the issue unresolved. Logan¡¯s words broke the silence. "But that¡¯s something to worry about next year." "Why? What¡¯sing up?" "I¡¯m going to the finals." Another popup filled the screen in front of them. The words Dark Zone - AP national yer in North America floated above a photo. Owens let out a chuckle. "Quick on your feet, aren¡¯t you?" "I signed up on a whim, but it turned out to be fun. I¡¯m nning to send Eugene my regards soon. If you¡¯ve got anything to say to him, now¡¯s your chance." "If I tell you now, you¡¯ll forget it by the time you get there. Might as well tell him myself." "Who, me?" "Who else? Kevin? The guy passed out on the floor isn¡¯t going to ry a message. He didn¡¯t even hear what we¡¯re saying." "Oh,e on!" Ignoring Laura¡¯s red-faced outburst, Owens returned his attention to the screen, just in time to dodge her punch aimed at his side. Enhanced fists hurt. Settling back into his seat, the personal conversation resumed. "Anyway, I¡¯m d you¡¯re doing well. Any difort?" "Well, I¡¯ve lived this way for 29 years, so not really. I¡¯m stronger and fitter than before. The only awkward thing is when I¡¯m showering. I always wanted to date someone this pretty, but seeing it in the mirror? Kinda sucks." "That¡¯s a disaster. Did you ever have a girlfriend?" "Well, I used what I had before it was gone, so no regrets. But why ask a woman that?"@@novelbin@@ "Same old excuses when you¡¯re at a disadvantage, just like the old days." "¡­The match has started." Indeed. Some things never changed, even when the world did. It was 5:03 a.m., and despite the suddente-night test, tomorrow was technically a day off. Whether that was lucky or unlucky, Owens wasn¡¯t sure. The 13-hour time difference with Eugene meant that matches started in the middle of the night by U.S. time. But none of the people here took their eyes off the screen. Even if they were lying in bed, the conversation never stopped. The main topic, naturally, was Eugene. After all, that was the reason this space existed. Though the unexpected wake-up call and the test had left them exhausted, they were among the few people who could suppress their physical urges better than anyone else. No one would be turning off the lights until all the matches had concluded.
  • Currently calcting results...
  • South Korea in the lead, Japan in second, with Russia, China, and Taiwan close behind.
"¡­Why is that?" Meanwhile, in Russia, their yers were bing the personal punching bags of the South Koreans. "If anyone here can solve this problem or at least offer a clue, I¡¯ll instantly give them 50% of their sry as a bonus. Anyone have anything to say?" Silence. Everyone exchanged cautious nces, but no one spoke. It was the first time any of them, whether coaches or yers, had faced such a situation, and it had effectively paralyzed their ability to think critically. The best they could do was share their individual experiences and discuss where they had hit roadblocks. Even data that could be interpreted in various ways would start to take shape once enough people pooled their findings. They were at least skilled at doing that. The conclusion they reached was this: "¡­Currently, none of the yers are utilizing the strengths they developed through their training. Their aggressive tactics have been thoroughly exploited, leading to consistent counterattacks thatpletely neutralize their offense." "Is this happening just against Eugene?" "No, only when they encounter South Korean yers." "¡­Sigh." It sounded like avoiding 20 out of 100 yers would be enough, but those 20 yers upied the top ranks, so avoiding them was no different from saying, ''I¡¯m content with a middle-tier rank.'' In the end, they were back to square one. At least they weren¡¯t the type to get trapped in a negative spiral of thinking. They still couldn¡¯t shake their curiosity about how South Korean yers were seemingly aware of Russia¡¯s strategies as if they¡¯d been analyzed from the start. In fact, ''analyzed'' was too weak a word. It felt like every move had been scrutinized from beginning to end. "¡­What about Japan?" "They¡¯re performing as expected." "As expected, huh?" There was a slight lift in the tone of his voice. In other words, Russia still had a chance to break through Japan. Originally, the fight for first to third ce should have been between Russia, Japan, and South Korea. Last year, China had muscled in, but they weren¡¯t much of a factor this time. He let out a small breath before continuing. "¡­This is the fifth match, so we can¡¯t say for sure, but based on the analysis so far, here¡¯s a brief rundown." With that, several screens filled withplex charts, graphs, and movement patterns appeared, all condensed into a single, clear summary. The conclusions that could be drawn were numerous, but the head coach delivered them in a concise and straightforward manner. "In conclusion, South Korean yers¡¯ overall gamey has changed significantly fromst year. The most noticeable difference is in positioning, which has be less important. But don¡¯t take that as a hopeful sign. Anyone know why?" "Is it because no matter how well-positioned their opponents are, South Korean yers have the physical ability to break through with ease?" "That¡¯s exactly right." Biting back the words ''I hate to admit it,'' the head coach continued. "As Zvezda pointed out, for the top-tier South Korean yers, positioning hardly matters. It¡¯s simple: they¡¯re strong enough to overpower even unfavorable situations with their individual skill." A brief pause. Their new strategy was starting to take shape. "The core point is still clear. You must secure the best position before anyone else. You need to exhaust Japan and South Korea. If you can pit them against each other, even better¡­." With a bang, severalbat data screens appeared. "As I mentioned earlier, South Korean yers don¡¯t pay much attention to positioning. In other words, they¡¯re slower at securing key terrainpared to other nations. In theory, if we im those spots before Japan, their representatives will be caught between us and South Korea, getting crushed in the middle." It was a textbook, theoretical approach. It wasn¡¯t as though the other countries hadn¡¯t considered it, but Russia had its own reasoning for adopting it. The head coach added, "Strategy isn''t just about gamey; it also considers external factors. At this point, Japan is firmly holding second ce while seeking a way to reim first. That makes them unstable. If we don¡¯t strike at their soft underbelly now, the gap will widen beyond our ability to close." Bang. The presentation ended with a sharp sound. It was a bold strategy, one that could be described as both audacious and reckless, depending on how you looked at it. Despite all the addedplexities, the core message was still ''secure the best position as fast as possible.'' Whether or not this would work was anyone¡¯s guess. Even the coaching staff, who based their strategies on statistics and data, weren¡¯t sure if this n would be enough to navigate the turbulent waters of the Asian qualifiers. But perhaps that was the nature ofpetition¡ªan unpredictable chaos created by human effort and desperation.
  • [Notice: 60 seconds until the start of the fifth match.]
"I trust everyone who¡¯se this far." That was all the head coach had to say. The fifth match was about to begin. ©¤©¤©¤Ratatatatat! "Damn it! What the hell are they doing now?!" It wasn¡¯t long before yers from Japan and other nations began cursing, watching in disbelief as the Russian yers, entrenched in their advantageous positions, began re-enacting a scene straight out of Normandy with their machine guns. Chapter 188 "The dynamics of this match are drastically different from the previous ones. Particrly, thepetition between Russia and Japan is incredibly intense. What are your thoughts on this?"@@novelbin@@ "It seems Russia¡¯s overall strategy has shiftedpared to earlier matches. After the survival looting phase, their immediate focus on securing optimal positions has proven highly effective. For those facing them, it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s little they can do to counter this strategy, which must feel extremely burdensome." At the Yongsan esports arena, where the fifth match of the Asian qualifiers was in full swing, numerous LED screens disyed rapidly shifting gs. Russia was climbing up the ranks while Japan was sliding down. Fortunately, South Korea maintained its consistent hold on first ce. In the third kill zone, 67 yers remained. As expected in the Asian qualifiers, the "y-it-safe" strategy dominated. While each yer¡¯s movements appeared random, in the end, they all converged toward a single point. All the users scattered across the map were being funneled into the final kill zone, passing by or being forced through major terrain features. In other words, yers'' paths were beginning to ovep. "And now, we¡¯re seeing another firefight. Zvezda from Russia is unleashing pinpoint shots through a turret mounted on a window, targeting enemies trying to exit the canyon. He hasn¡¯t even started shooting personally, but the area is already under an airtight lockdown." "The yer caught in the crossfire is rity from the Japanese Republic. He looks pretty flustered, but that¡¯s not all¡ªanother yer is approaching from behind. Michael from South Korea is closing in. A quick decision will be critical here." The exact situation Russia had nned was unfolding in real time. The only difference? Japan, under Russia¡¯s hammer, was about to be crushed by the anvil known as South Korea, approaching from behind. Each yer¡¯s unique avatar design made it easy for others to immediately recognize who they were up against. In other words, rity knew who was creeping up on him from behind. "Oh! rity makes a break for it! He uses suppressive fire to partially block the turret¡¯s attacks and rushes toward the building Zvezda was waiting in¡ªno, he doesn¡¯t enter! He quickly ducks inside the site instead!" "Russia is executing a very refined strategy. Once they¡¯ve secured a position, whether the opponent tries to avoid or charge them, they can inflict significant damage or apply immense pressure. This shows how crucial timing is, even with seemingly simple tactics. Japan has been caught off guard several times in this match." "But now the main event remains. The key question is how Michael will navigate this situation." Simultaneously, a screen showcasing Michael¡¯s gamey unfolded before millions of South Korean viewers. His avatar was surprisingly small and resembled a brown sugar glider, yet it carried a massive folding shield. The tiny figure pushed forward relentlessly through the NBV desert base¡¯s signature sandstorm, the towering buildings visible through the bulletproof ss. As he approached, a long, fiery whipshed out from the window of a half-copsed building, striking the ground with violent force¡ªMichael included. The high RPM of the machine gun made the barrage look like an unbroken beam of light. As thementators had noted, whether a yer dodged or not, encountering this kind of situation inflicted immense damage or stress. Even Michael couldn¡¯t fully avoid it. "The two yers have enteredbat. The shield¡¯s cooldown is quite long. If the shield is excessively damaged here, it could prove a severe disadvantage in the upper-tier battlester on." "Just as I¡¯m saying that, Michael quickly hides behind a rock. But with Zvezda now ready, it¡¯s hard to say he¡¯s safe. If given even a little more time, the turret in the window could be converted into a grenadeuncher." "Haha, it seems like Zvezda was listening to us! The modification is already underway. Can Michael ovee this predicament?" The screen zoomed in, shifted, and split, showing multiple camera angles at once. It was hard to focus on any one of them, given the overwhelming variety. Among them, Michael was shown calmly working on something, as though he had already figured out the solution. Peeking from behind the rock a few times, he baited the turret¡¯s automatic response. As the turret whirred and fired a few rounds, Zvezda, who had been adjusting it, assumed Michael was about to make his move and rushed to a more advantageous position. Zvezda didn¡¯t know it was all part of Michael¡¯s n. ¡®So far, so good.¡¯ What Michael was doing was modifying a sticky bomb. The structure of the bomb wasn¡¯t overlyplicated: a thermite-and-C4 blend for the main charge, magnesium, and an ignition fuse. Michael was separating the explosiveponent. He was executing one of the many "bunker-busting methods" Eugene had taught him. He analyzed the situation in his head. He didn¡¯t have any shbangs. Even if he did, throwing one would be pointless¡ªthe building¡¯s window was nearly 100 meters away, too far to breach the turret¡¯s line of sight. If the grenadeuncher was fully activated, it would be impossible to breach the fort. So, he had to exploit the window of opportunity before it wasplete. Eugene¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. -¡­In situations like this, the operator will most likely suppress the moving target with heavy fire. If you stay behind cover, the turret¡¯s grenade rounds will get you. This method is your best option in such cases. The adjustments wereplete. All that remained in the sticky bomb was magnesium, the primary material for a shbang. When ignited, it would create an impossibly bright sh. And when fired from a sticky bombuncher¡­ it essentially became a long-range shbang. Furthermore, the distance was around 120 meters. Standard sticky bombs, due to their weight, lost uracy and speed after 100 meters. Hepensated for this by lightening the load. Had the distance been shorter, he could¡¯ve simplyunched the sticky bomb without any modifications¡­ Eugene, you crazy bastard. How do you evene up with these ridiculous ideas? The thought briefly crossed Michael¡¯s mind, but there was nothing more useful at this moment. Thus, the n was simple. First, he would hide behind the rock for a long time, forcing the opponent to convert the standard turret into a grenadeuncher that could bypass cover. Second, he would modify the sticky bomb into a shbang andunch it at the enemy in the building. Since the turret had been modified, there was a far lower chance the bomb would be intercepted. The enemy¡¯s attacks were split between area fire from the grenadeuncher and direct fire from the yer¡¯s machine gun. The shbang would block the more dangeroustter, allowing Michael to dodge the turret¡¯s indirect fire. Of course, the key element was bluffing. As the sand crunched beneath his feet, Michael gave the impression that he was about to leave cover. ©¤©¤©¤Ratatatatat! "Ugh!" Bullets rained down the moment he poked his head out. The pressure behind the shield was immense, indicating that the opponent was using a high-caliber machine gun. The turret modification was likelyplete. If Michael dyed any longer, the risk would increase. But¡ª ¡®The position is locked in.¡¯ Thanks to his years of experience with shields, Michael didn¡¯t close his eyes, even as bullets sparked and ricocheted off in front of him. The brief moment he¡¯d stepped out to look, he had already memorized the location of the muzzle shes. The battle would be decided in the next instant. He emerged again, aligning the sticky bomb¡¯s unique dot sight with his target. Over 100 meters away, on the balcony of the dpidated base, the enemy yer peeked out with their gun and head exposed. The dot sight automatically calcted the bullet¡¯s speed and trajectory. As soon as the green dot turned red over the enemy¡¯s head, Michael pulled the trigger. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Barely a second passed. A blinding sh lit up the distance. The casters'' voices rose in urgency. "Oh! Michael! He has somehow neutralized Zvezda¡¯s vision with an unknown technique! He¡¯s now sprinting straight toward the abandoned building! I can¡¯t even guess what kind of magic he pulled off!" "The grenadeuncher¡¯s vision-tracking system has been disabled. Zvezda¡¯s sight has been neutralized. With their uracy drastically reduced, Michael is sprinting out of the danger zone without taking any damage. Impressive instincts!" He ran. With his shield tightly secured in his arms, explosions erupted around him, scattering debris and fire, but he pressed forward unwaveringly. After about 10 seconds, the sh dissipated, and Zvezda reappeared, only to find that Michael had already crossed nearly 50 meters. It seemed far, but Michael¡¯s destination was the base. Far from being an open field, it was filled with cover, and he managed to reach his target with only minimal damage. With a bang, Michael stormed the building where Zvezda was stationed, shield at the ready. The experience drilled into him by Eugene began working like a machine. Unlike rity, he had no reason to flee. After a fierce struggle, Michael finally defeated Zvezda head-on. "South Korea¡¯s Michael has defeated Zvezda in a direct confrontation after an intense fight! The number of remaining yers has dropped below 50!" The yer who had been tormented by Eugene and Dice was now spreading his wings. As a result, South Koreans were getting swept up in a wave of national pride,pletely intoxicated by the overwhelming performance. [General] But did today¡¯s match even happen? It was so bright, I couldn¡¯t see a thing. Watching the national team makes the screen so bright you can¡¯t even see the results! [Allments][By order]
  • For real, lololololol
  • JU!!!!!!!!!!!!!MO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ? I only read the text, but it¡¯s already so loud lololol ? With that volume, all the dishes and cups would be broken lol ? I was dying ofughter as soon as I saw it, this is insane, how excited must they be?
  • No breaks, just constantly beating the crap out of everyone, lol. ? The expressions on Russia, Japan, and China are priceless.
  • This is insane, the atmosphere right now is wild, I can¡¯t handle it.
  • ?? : From now on, let¡¯s call ¡®light¡¯ Eugene.
  • Eugene is nuts, how has she never lost first ce except when she kamikazed with Case? ? Not human lol. ? She¡¯s the god of AP!!!!!
  • I¡¯m at Yongsan right now and the reaction of the tens of thousands of people here is hrious, lol. ? How¡¯s it looking? ? Everyone¡¯s drunk on national pride and about to lose it. ? Lololololololol.
South Korea was descending into a frenzy. The Dark Zone forums and gamingmunities were practically bursting at the seams. South Korean esports news sites were churning out articles by the minute. Eugene, Dark Zone, AP, Asian qualifiers, Dice¡ªthe one yer whose gender, and even identity, wasrgely unknown until recently hadpletely revolutionized the Korean gaming scene, which, of course, had only been around for three years. Now, with the national team forcibly rebuilt under Eugene, they were crushing through the Asian qualifiers. With every win, every victory, and every conquest, what was once a distant dream had be a reality. Naturally, all eyes were on the storm¡¯s epicenter. "We have to get this up now! Make sure the fact-checking is tight! If we post a wrong article and the bacsh hits, thepany could copse!" South Korean yers were knocking every obstacle out of their way with pure skill. Even if the yers themselves didn¡¯t think much of it, the audience was in a frenzy. Articles poured out about Eugene and Dark Zone, and everywhere, people were talking about AP. With eyes on Yongsan and heads turned to the action, South Korea had wrapped up another thrilling day, havingpleted the fifth match sessfully. Chapter 189 "Wow, the sun¡¯s setting." As the first day of the Asian qualifiers drew to a close, the sky shifted from a deep yellow to a light crimson hue. The sun touched the horizon of the Han River, darkening the world, but artificial lights flickered on to take its ce¡ªeverything from neon signs on buildings to streetlights and skyscrapers. The Yongsan exhibition hall, the esports arena, and the outdoor seating areas were filled with hundreds of thousands of spectators. Artificial lights and flexible hologram tes illuminated the darkness, pushing it back. But outside, people had no idea what was happening inside the arena, and vice versa. Harmony, who hadn¡¯t left the arena since arriving at noon, was simrly unaware of the current weather or the color of the sky outside. Well, more like she didn¡¯t care. The six chosen maps out of eight, filled with yers from five different nations, led battles across cities, forests, mountains, volcanic inds, and eerie research facilities. The metallic and fiery shes unfolding inside were far more captivating than anything happening outside. How could anyone focus on the outside world? ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± Getting up from her seat, Harmony stretched and started walking towards the lounge. Sitting for hours left her body feeling stiff, and although she¡¯d stepped outside the main arena a few times for various reasons, it hadn¡¯t been enough to shake off the fatigue. But at least it was almost over. The fifth match had ended, and the sixth was already wrapped up. In other words, after the final game of Saturday was done, there would be a short break, followed by some quick interviews and a recap of the day¡¯s events. There were about 15 minutes left until it all started. She¡¯d soon be saying goodbye to the esports arena, so as she tossed her snack wrappers and drink containers into the trash, she wondered what snacks she should pick for thest stretch of the evening. But just as she thought about grabbing something to eat, she heard a familiar voice in her head.
  • If you don¡¯t work out hard, I¡¯lle find you.
¡°Eek.¡± Almost reflexively, her hand went to her stomach. Luckily, the chubby belly she used to have had slimmed down quite a bit. She had lost 6 kilograms in just two months. Of course, this was partly thanks to Eugene, who had been so busy with the Asian qualifiers that she spent almost every waking hour training or working, and partly because Harmony had her own responsibilities. Their contact had lessened recently because of this. They still talked daily, just to check in, but there was a certain excitement that couldn¡¯t be conveyed through mere words. ¡­ And hey, I¡¯ve lost this much weight. Today can be a cheat day.
  • [Notification: You have several new messages.]
¡°Huh?¡± As Harmony made her way to the lounge where the caf¨¦ and convenience store were, her phone vibrated in her pocket, and a pop-up message appeared on the screen. It was from a familiar group chat.
  • [KimStone: HARMONY WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!]
  • [Limit: Wow, calm down lol]
  • [Limit: (Reply to Harmony) -> Harmony,e stop KimStone, he¡¯s going wild.]
  • [KimStone: Let¡¯s meet for dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
  • [Hotteok: Oh, that crazy idiot.]
They¡¯ve all gone mad. Still, Harmony couldn¡¯t help but smile. If only Eugene were here too, she thought, then they could all grab dinner together. With that thought, she checked who was in the group. Coincidentally¡ªor perhaps not¡ªit was the same four people from theirst joint stream. KimStone, Limit, and Hotteok. After scanning the group, she initiated a group call. Suddenly, chaos erupted. ¡°Harmony©¤©¤©¤!!!!!!!¡± ¡°Whoa, who started a group call?!¡± ¡°This is louder than a military trumpet! Are you nuts?¡± Why do they sound like they¡¯re being threatened with a knife to eat dinner together? Harmony thought,ughing to herself. But then she realized it was almost dinnertime, just shy of 6 p.m. By the time the interviews and rankings were tallied, it would be perfect timing to go eat. And so, the conversation naturally followed. ¡°Seriously though, we were invited too, but we haven¡¯t seen you all day. Where are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡­ I shared my location. Can you see it?¡± ¡°Oh wow, you¡¯re on theplete opposite side. No wonder we couldn¡¯t find you. Anyway, we¡¯re thinking of having dinner together¡ªare you down? Unless you¡¯ve got ns.¡± ¡°Nope, no ns.¡± ©¤©¤©¤Beep! In the background, the sound of a barcode being scanned as Harmony purchased arge bottle of chocte milk. The noise immediately promptedments from the others. ¡°What are you eating, Harmony?! Stop eating!¡± ¡°Hey, I lost more weight than you, okay?¡± ¡°Where are you, anyway? The convenience store? It¡¯s so packed, I was scared to go out, but you made it.¡± But I can¡¯t resist something sweet. Tucking therge chocte milk into her hoodie¡¯s front pocket, Harmony made her way back. The hallways were crowded, and a few people even recognized her, slowing her return to her seat more than expected.@@novelbin@@ She sank into her chair. The holographic disys, which had been showing off the interior design corresponding to each match, had vanished. The scene now looked exactly like it had when she first entered the arena. Before long, the countdown on the ceiling hit zero, and the host walked onto the center stage. With the microphone in hand, the stage opened up, and all the yers who had participated in today¡¯s games came out one by one. Their expressions varied¡ªsome looked upset, while others couldn¡¯t hide their excitement. But what was clear was that they couldn¡¯t be divided into just two groups. There were too many emotions to describe. Once everyone was seated, the host began to speak. ¡°To everyone who gathered here today, and to the yers who gave their all in six incredible matches, we offer our deepest thanks.¡± It was Eugene. Though the crowd cheered and pped, her figure stood out immediately¡ªglowing, as if lit from within. Despite the intense battles she¡¯d fought, Eugene sat on stage with the same calm expression she always wore. That confidence¡ªit was what made her truly shine, Harmony thought. A fleeting idea crossed her mind: Should I text her now? But of course, her conscience kicked in, and she immediately dismissed the idea. As the day¡¯s match data was converted into numbers, the rankings for each country appeared above the stage. South Korea, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, and China. Harmony wasn¡¯t sure about the finer details, but the one thing she knew for sure was who had taken first ce. The crowd erupted. ¡°Waaaah©¤©¤!¡± ¡°Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene!¡± ¡°Is she a god?! The Apex Predator god!!¡± Harmony felt her body tense up. Even if it wasn¡¯t a special asion, when your country¡¯s yer was doing this well, it was hard not to feel a swell of pride. Once the cheers subsided, the national cheering sections began to rally their teams. Even though their numbers were small, the voices of the fans from other countries were loud enough, amplified by hologram tes and speakers. After each country had a round of support, the host added, ¡°Next, we¡¯ll randomly select a yer from one of the teams for a short interview. Ah, it looks like MKVS from Russia has raised his hand before we could even make a random selection. This is a first! Any objections?¡± Silence. In the strangely quiet arena, MKVS alone was waving his hand, looking like he had a lot to say. Yet, despite his serious expression, a small smile remained on his face. He grabbed the microphone, and the host asked him about his thoughts on the first night of the Asian qualifiers. After taking a deep breath, MKVS spoke. ¡°It was a rougher, more intense time than I imagined. During the breaks between matches, the entire Russian team, myself included, gave up resting and focused entirely on tactical analysis. The South Korean yers stood as a massive wall before us, and tomorrow, we¡¯ll do our best to climb over that wall.¡± It was a bold statement. But the Russian yers, the other 100 participants, and the entire arena responded with thunderous apuse. Harmony couldn¡¯t help but think that this must be the motto of the Asian qualifiers. It wasn¡¯t just about one side dominating¡ªit was about everyone growing stronger together, despite the fiercepetition. Though she didn¡¯t fully grasp the details, it felt right. After the bold statement, more casual questions followed, like how they were enjoying their time in Korea and what they thought of the facilities. The responses were unfiltered and honest, as one would expect from gamers. ¡°What was the first thing you ate in Korea?¡± ¡°A crazy spicy instant noodle I found at a convenience store. I almost died. I had to use half a jar of mayo just to eat it. Later, we used it for punishment games.¡± Laughter erupted. Even more jokes flew from the Russian team, with one yer chiming in, ¡°He just can¡¯t handle spicy food!¡± The mood lightened almost immediately. It seemed like a good sign. The interview continued, moving on to Japan¡¯s yer, Case. Well, "yer" might not have been the best word¡ªhe came off more like a coach. He had a strong, masculine appearance, a deep voice, and a solid build, giving him the look of someone who had been through a lot in life. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be here. Though I don¡¯t have much to addpared to the others, through thispetition, I¡¯vee to fully realize the strength of the South Korean yers. I was especially looking forward to facing Eugene before the qualifiers, and she exceeded all my expectations. It was truly remarkable.¡± As Case spoke, he nced around the stage. Who was he looking at? Harmony wondered. But his next words cleared up the mystery. ¡°And Dice, I don¡¯t know if I should say this, but your progress has been incredible. I look forward topeting with you in the finals.¡± ¡°No one doubts that,¡± Dice replied with a confident smile. ¡°This year¡¯s going to be a lot different fromst year, so you¡¯d better be ready.¡± So that¡¯s Dice. Harmony couldn¡¯t help but feel like a spark of rivalry had ignited between them in that moment. With that final burst of apuse, the first day of the Asian qualifiers came to a close. As the 10,000 spectators filed out through the exits and the yers left the stage, Harmony noticed three familiar figures approaching¡ªtwo men and a woman. They were none other than the streamers she had spoken with earlier. KimStone¡ªHyun-ah¡ªwas the first to reach her, naturally linking her arm with Harmony¡¯s. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m starving. You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you, Min-ah? If you¡¯ve already snacked, that¡¯s going to be a problem.¡± ¡°Of course not! Have you all decided what we¡¯re eating?¡± ¡°We have, but it¡¯s not anywhere nearby. With nearly 300,000 people crammed into this area, the local restaurants are probably packed. We¡¯ll need to leave Yongsan. I¡¯ve got my car, so let¡¯s head to Gangnam. If we take too long, we might not get dinner until after 8 p.m.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± That makes sense. Despite improvements, Seoul¡¯s traffic was still notoriously bad. Even though the subway system was now fully automated, with trains running every minute on every line, if so many people were trying to leave at once, it would be chaotic. We really do need to leave Yongsan as fast as possible, Harmony thought. Once they crossed the bridge into Gangnam, things would probably be more manageable. But just as they were about to head out, Harmony¡¯s phone rang. A familiar melody¡ªit was Eugene¡¯s ringtone. ©¤©¤©¤~? ¡°Oh, Eugene! I saw today¡¯s match, it was amazing!¡±
  • Ah, I¡¯m d you answered. Are you leaving now? Have you had dinner yet?
¡°Ugh, not yet. But I¡¯m more worried about how we¡¯re going to get out of Yongsan. It¡¯s packed with people right now.¡±
  • Haha, I can imagine.
And then came the surprising suggestion.
  • There¡¯s arge dining hall in the basement of the arena. How about we have dinner there?
¡°¡­What?¡± As soon as Harmony blurted out the stupid-sounding response, KimStone, Limit, and Hotteok¡¯s faces turned to expressions of shock. But that didn¡¯t stop Harmony from trying to process what she had just heard. A few secondster, the words slipped out reflexively. ¡°¡­You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Sounded a bit surprised but said it¡¯s fine. Turns out there are more people here than she expected, but since she¡¯s already gotten permission, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Swoosh. The VR session ended, and the clean, minimalist room appeared in front of her. This was the private space reserved for Eugene and Dice, the only two participants whose real identities were still unknown. Eugene sat carefully on the bed, while Dice, seated behind her, began brushing her hair. As theb slid through, her hair softly bounced. Dice muttered something about how even her hair was ¡°unfair,¡± then added with a chuckle, ¡°Right. Since it¡¯s a buffet anyway. By the way, why is it that whenever Min-ah and I meet up, we always end up at a buffet?¡± ¡°I wonder. But this time, we had no choice. With 100 yers, coaching staff, and the building¡¯s employees, it would have been impossible for everyone to eat anywhere else.¡± Simply put, just because the first day of the Asian qualifiers had ended didn¡¯t mean everyone in the arena was going straight home. In fact, it would have been impossible. The crowd of nearly 300,000 fans was made up almost entirely of the pro gamers¡¯ supporters. If anyone tried to leave immediately, it would cause absolute chaos. As for the food situation, the tournament organizers had brought in renowned chefs and turned the arena¡¯s underground dining hall into a buffet to make things easier for everyone. Interestingly, Eugene had asked if Harmony and her friends could join them for dinner, and permission had been granted¡ªthough not just because they were friends. All of them were partnered streamers with Dark Zone, so it made sense. And there was something more important. ¡°If you eat there, a lot of people will probably figure out who you are, Eugene. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°I was nning to reveal myselfter anyway. Besides, they¡¯ll behave. And if anyone doesn¡¯t¡­ Well, it won¡¯t be me dealing with the bacsh.¡± ¡°People are going to lose their minds before they even get to the food.¡± Eugene simply smiled mysteriously. Seeing this, Dice added, ¡°Honestly, Eugene, you can be a real menace.¡± ¡°Maybe I am.¡± After a quick final touch-up, the two stood. Saturday night was just getting started. Chapter 190 ¡°Wow, this really makes me feel like I¡¯m part of the team.¡± ¡°You are a partner streamer, right? If you weren¡¯t part of the team, that¡¯d be a problem.¡± ¡°True.¡± How did we end up here? Normally, by now, we¡¯d be in Hotteok¡¯s car, probably stuck in traffic trying to cross the Han River,ining about how long it¡¯d take to reach Gangnam. But here we were, still walking inside the stadium building. Of course, it was a relief not having to struggle through the packed crowds of Yongsan. In fact, I liked it. The reason I was feeling this way could be summed up in one word: surreal. The whole experience felt so unreal. The journey here wasn¡¯t bad either.
  • Just head up to the central stage and turn right. You¡¯ll see a door marked ¡°Staff Only.¡± Use the key card we gave you to open it, then head down the hallway. There¡¯s a waiting room with ss doors. Call me when you get there.
¡°Will you be there to open the door, Eugene?¡±
  • Unfortunately, no. A staff member will be there to let you in. Take the elevator down to B2. I¡¯ll meet you there.
¡°Okay!¡± Honestly, it felt like I was really part of the team now. It might be a weirdparison, but it reminded me of the secret entrances you see in movies¡ªthe kind that lead to hidden researchbs inside unassuming cottages. It was like living out that fantasy. My friends seemed to be feeling the same way. ¡°Harmony here can¡¯t seem to function whenever Eugene is mentioned.¡± ¡­That was just noise. Background noise. Anyway, while thousands of people were leaving the arena and the staff were busy clearing the main stage of chairs and cleaning up the trash, we headed up to the central stage. We made eye contact with a few people along the way, and since we were all partner streamers, there were some who recognized us. We exchanged greetings and kept walking toward the right side of the stage, following the instructions. Sure enough, we found a door with ¡°Staff Only¡± written on it, next to a card reader. I tapped the card key hanging around my neck, and the light blinked green, followed by the sound of the lock clicking open. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go, guys.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of nervous¡­¡± ¡°Well, when else would you get a chance like this, Hyun-ah?¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± As we passed through the door, KimStone, still processing everything, nudged Limit with her foot, shaking her head with an incredulous smile. ¡°We¡¯re going to meet Eugene, you idiot. She¡¯s under an embargo, and you think we wouldn¡¯t be nervous? What if she turns out to be way scarier than Hotteok?¡± ¡°Wait, she¡¯s an ability user too, right? Do you think she¡¯s a White Tiger like me?¡± ¡°Ow¡­ Why isn¡¯t Harmony saying anything? She¡¯s already met Eugene and hasn¡¯t told us a thing!¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± How could I exin? Even though I knew what wasing, I had to keep my lips sealed. I could only imagine how they¡¯d react in a few minutes, and I was already excited. It felt like keeping a juicy secret¡ªexcept, in this case, it was more like ¡°Eugene¡¯s got a giant snake tail instead of legs,¡± and I couldn¡¯t wait to see their reactions. But I had to be careful. I couldn¡¯t spill anything about Eugene¡¯s identity before she revealed herself. That was the rule. Even though Eugene clearly wasn¡¯t concerned¡ªafter all, she invited them herself¡ªit was still important to draw the line. If I let a few hints slip here and there, I might identally reveal too much, and once you let something like that out, it¡¯s hard to keep it in during streams or other public interactions. ¡°We¡¯re here. We just need to wait by the ss door.¡± ¡°Oh, is Eugeneing out herself?¡± ¡°I thought so, but sadly, no.¡± As we arrived at the gate, we found a ss door with frosted tape over it, preventing us from seeing inside. I wondered if we should knock, but there was a call button on the wall. Still on the phone with Eugene, I unmuted the line and called out to her. The door slid open as if someone had been waiting. A staff member in uniform approached and gave us simple directions. ¡°Just follow the hallway straight to the elevator. Take it down to B2. Dinner will be a buffet, so feel free to eat as much as you like.¡± ¡°How should we leave afterward?¡± ¡°Someone will guide you through the passage connected to the underground parking lot.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± The moment we stepped in, the atmosphere changed dramatically. Unlike the in hallway we¡¯d juste from, the interior beyond the ss door had a more futuristic, sleek design¡ªthough it was a bit more subdued. Along the walls, various doors led to different rooms, some of them marked with familiar national gs. One door with the South Korean g was half open, and through the gap, we could see equipment scattered around¡ªprobably the national team¡¯s waiting room. My friends were clearly thinking the same thing. ¡°Wow, is this the waiting room? Is Eugene in there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about peeking. I can hear your eyeballs moving.¡± ¡°Think there are dumbbells inside?¡± ¡°Cut it out.¡± ¡­They were way too much sometimes. The elevator arrived quickly, and despite the building¡¯s size, it moved fast. It reached the fifth floor from the basement in no time. The doors opened a little slower than expected, but the interior was just as spotless as the rest of the ce. Once everyone got in, the doors closed, and I noticed that my friends were a bit tense. Even Hotteok, who was also an ability user¡ªthough an E2-ranked one¡ªseemed on edge, knowing they were about to meet Eugene. The nervous energy sparked a round of teasing. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re an ability user too, and you¡¯re still so jumpy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all about being a fan, okay? You don¡¯t get it. You suck at Dark Zone, so you wouldn¡¯t understand how awesome Eugene¡¯s ystyle is.¡± ¡°You got crushed by Harmony, remember?¡± ¡°Just because I lost to Harmony doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m worse than you.¡± After a bit more back-and-forth, the conversation quieted down. That¡¯s when they turned to me. ¡°So, Harmony, where¡¯s Eugene waiting for us?¡± ¡°Oh, um, I¡¯ll ask.¡± The elevator began to slow down. I wasn¡¯t sure if the connection would hold, but I unmuted the phone again and asked. ¡°Eugene, we¡¯re almost at B2. Where should we go once we¡¯re out?¡±
  • Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll know right away.
I ryed the message just as the doors slid open. And right there in front of us was¡­ a snake¡¯s tail. It was floating in midair,zily swaying. The moment I recognized it, I looked up to meet a pair of sharp blue eyes. The sapphire gaze swept over all of us, and the snake tail curled into an arch. Standing beside the tail was another familiar figure¡ªsomeone we¡¯d all seen in countless videos, but never expected to meet in person. While everyone else was still processing what they were seeing, I was the first to speak. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± Laughter filled the elevator as my friends finally realized what was happening. I mean, I wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°¡­Wow, that really shocked me. I thought she was just an avatar.¡± ¡°Haha, I get that. When I first met Harmony and Dice, they reacted the same way. Dice even fell over.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you have to bring that up!?¡± ¡°Ahaha.¡± The ttering of dishes and the buzz of conversations filled the dining hall. Dozens of voices blended together into a single hum of emotionsughter, excitement, tension¡ªall merging into the air. The conversation was flowing smoothly, as expected. After all, everyone here hadpatible personalities, and we had amon interest in Dark Zone. There was really no reason to worry. Even so, I felt a little out of ce. Everyone here, except for Dice, was a natural at interacting with people, with huge followings of their own. I, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t sure I quite fit in. And then, the evidence of theirpatibility showed itself. ¡°So I was just exhausted and lying down on one of the makeshift beds in the safe zone, and then I went to grab some water. And guess what? Eugene just walks down, all casual, and I ran over, yelling, ¡®Eugene! Please party with me!¡¯ And that¡¯s how it all started.¡± ¡°Yeah, that Dark Zone tutorial is no joke. I first met her in a scrim match, and, well¡­ I got absolutely destroyed. But looking back, it was kind of a blessing in disguise.¡± ¡°Right, right! Did you see my early Dark Zone videos? Thanks to Eugene carrying me, I somehow made it to HQ alive. I thought I was done for.¡± ¡°Of course I saw them. Eugene¡¯s skills were unreal even back then. But oh man, when she caught that falling magazine with her snake tail, that cracked me up. You were so freaked out!¡± ¡°Yeah, well, now I kind of think the tail is¡­ pretty cool.¡± ¡°I totally get what you mean.¡± ¡­They were getting way too chummy, way too fast. And just as the conversation was heading into more inappropriate territory, I gently tapped Harmony on the head with my tail. She let out a startled squeak and looked up, eyes wide in surprise. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I could have just spoken up instead. ¡°Whoa¡­ Your tail is huge.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°W-Wait, it¡¯s real!?¡± Sigh. I let out a long breath before replying. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about the tail.¡± ¡°Aw, why?!¡± One nce at their questioning faces was enough to dete them. To me, it was just an inconvenient appendage that made it hard to sit or lie downfortably. What¡¯s the big deal? Sure, people are always fascinated by things that are big and move around, but let¡¯s steer the conversation in another direction. ¡°So, did you enjoy today¡¯s match?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! It was amazing! I didn¡¯t expect everyone to be so skilled. Even the Russians and Japanese, who were flying highst year, couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Korean yers.¡± Limit leaned in, checking to see if anyone was nearby, and spoke quietly. ¡°¡­It was a bit satisfying, to be honest. After seeing all 10 of the top spots filled by Korean yers in the first match, I thought, ¡®Yep, five yers will be advancing this year.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯m d it left such an impression. After KSM, we didn¡¯t even have a full month to prepare, so as a coach, I wasn¡¯t sure how it would turn out. Hearing that makes me feel like the hard work paid off.¡± ¡°¡­Wait, you coached them directly!?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Come to think of it, that detail wasn¡¯t exactly public knowledge. There was a moment where I quickly considered if this was something I could talk about, but¡­ hmm. I realized I might get hassledter if I didn¡¯t keep it under wraps. I put a finger to my lips, signaling for them to keep it ¡°off the record,¡± and they all nodded, almost automatically. While some viewers might have guessed after watching the broadcast, it¡¯s one thing for a few people to specte, and another for the entire inte to know. I wasn¡¯t ready to quit streaming just because I had too many viewers. As the conversation continued, our meal slowly picked up pace. We settled into a rhythm where one person would get up for food, and everyone would follow. After doing that a couple of times, though, it started to feel a bit awkward, so we decided to just pile up our tes all at once. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, there hadn¡¯t been much time for exercise today because of the match, and I didn¡¯t need as many calories. So, I ate a little less than usual. Once we finished our tes and returned them, the conversation resumed. ¡°So, are you going home now?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no. There are still a lot of restrictions¡­¡± ¡°The arena has built-in amodations, so we can stay here for a night or two without any issues. They did the same thingst year.¡± Dice¡¯s exnation filled in the gaps. It was clear that Dice, being more experienced, knew a lot more than I did. After that brief exchange, we found ourselves in a moment of silence. Dice looked at me, as if wondering why I wasn¡¯t saying anything. I shook my head slightly, signaling that I was leaving the exnation to her. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter. They were curious about me, not Dice. I checked the time. It was 7:16 p.m. The schedule for the day had ended at 6, and we¡¯d finished eating just a few minutes ago. Not much time had passed. Considering it would take a while for the crowds outside to clear, I figured this would be a good opportunity to indulge their curiosity. After a quick consultation with Harmony¡¯s group, I stepped aside to confer with Dice. We decided that as long as the questions weren¡¯t too sensitive, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. They were smart enough to know what was appropriate. Addressing the group, I added, ¡°Since we¡¯ve got some time, how about we do a little Q&A? Anyone have pressing ns?¡± Of course, no one did. I had a feeling that would be the case. Chapter 191 "¡­So, Harmony has been training under Eugene for almost two months now?" "Yeah, that¡¯s about right." "Then you¡¯re practically a senior! Oh, almighty senior, please ept my humble respects!" "Ah,e on, stop it." It was 8 PM. Even two hours after the match had ended, the TV was still broadcasting news about the traffic jam caused by the massive crowd in Yongsan. Meanwhile, Dice, Harmony¡¯s crew, and I gathered in the lounge, engaging in what could only loosely be called a Q&A¡ªit was more like a casual chat. To be honest, it didn¡¯t hold much significance. It wasn¡¯t being streamed, and even though these guys were streamers, they weren¡¯t live right now. The conversation was partly off the record too, so it felt more like aid-back discussion to kill time while waiting for the crowds to thin out. Harmony, having apparently decided that today¡¯s goal was to bond with Dice, was venting about all the "suffering" she¡¯d endured during training under me. Most of it was about the rigorous training I¡¯d put her through, but as long as they didn¡¯t startparing who had it worse, I didn¡¯t mind. I turned my attention back to the others. Limit, KimStone¡ªwho had asked to be called Hyun-ah¡ªand Hotteok, Harmony¡¯s fellow streamers, were clearly curious about how I¡¯d managed to whip Harmony into shape so quickly. "Have you seen any of the interviews Dice or I have done? I think we mentioned some of the basics there." "Yeah, I vaguely remember¡­ So, you really gave Harmony that detailed of an analysis too? That¡¯s amazing. Doesn¡¯t that take forever?" "It can, but there was only one person to focus on back then. Preparing for the Asian preliminaries this time, though, was a different story. We had 18 people to analyze, and four weeks felt way too short." Four weeks, but realistically, the first two were filled with rest, ads, and other scheduling conflicts, so I had toplete the analysis of one person each day. Without the help of analysis engines and the experience I¡¯d built up over time, it would¡¯ve taken twice as long. But I kept that part to myself. The conversation drifted back to Harmony. "If I had to exin it simply, I try to bnce a person¡¯s skills like a polygon stat sheet. My role is to quickly help them fill in the gaps where they¡¯recking." I sipped from my chocte frappe, which I¡¯d ordered from one of the cafes inside the stadium. "Harmony¡­ well, she wascking in pretty much every area, which is expected since she was aplete beginner. So, I focused on toughening her up through hands-on training to sharpen her instincts and tactical maneuvers. Whatever couldn¡¯t be learned through practice, we made up for with as many drills as possible." "So it was basically an intensive one-on-one course. And I heard you two tackled all the main missions on the highest difficulty? Just the two of you?" "That¡¯s right." At least 8 hours a day, sometimes up to 12. With that level of effort, it was impossible for her not to improve. Regardless of personal traits like gender, hard work could bring anyone to a higher level. While some people might hit their limit sooner than others, if you put in the right amount of effort, you could reach the top tier. I¡¯d provided the support, and Harmony had seized the rope I threw her. Of course, ording to her, I didn¡¯t just throw the rope¡ªI dragged her up with it. But hey, results are what matter. "Does that answer your questions?" "Yeah, it does, but hearing the whole story¡­ I don¡¯t think I could ever follow that."@@novelbin@@ "Haha." In the end, it all boils down to persistence: if it doesn¡¯t work, keep pushing until it does. That¡¯s how it goes with anything in life that seems difficult. Still, they had more questions. "So, how good is Harmony now?" "Well, it¡¯s still too early to say for sure." If I were to make a rough estimate, with another two months of training, she wouldn¡¯t be getting beaten up by anyone. She¡¯d be top-tier, at least in Korea. When it came to the game, at least, she was already there. In real-life scenarios, though, there was still a long way to go. But that wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d need to worry about¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have to deal with mountains, swamps, deserts, rivers, survival skills, or skydiving any time soon. The conversation veered off a bit, so I thought I¡¯d make things clearer for them. "Another two or three months, and she¡¯ll be good enough that no one will say she¡¯scking." "Wait¡­ ¡®good enough¡¯ for what? You don¡¯t mean pro-level, right?" "Haha." Whether or not she¡¯d go pro would be up to her. But with proper training, I wouldn¡¯t rule it out. After all, training is designed to turn regr people into something close to human weapons. As we continued chatting, someone brought up a curious topic. "Has Harmony mentioned anything about a streamer tournament?" "First I¡¯ve heard of it." "Ah, I see." I nced at Harmony. She avoided my gaze. Specifically, I was the one who turned away first. If she really needed my help, she would¡¯ve mentioned it by now. Since she hadn¡¯t, it wasn¡¯t my business. Of course, if the topic came upter, I¡¯d offer my help. But for now, it seemed like I didn¡¯t need to get involved. Still, I was curious about the tournament. I nned to ask her about itter¡ªif it was a streamer thing, it was probably rted to her field. But if it was like AP and didn¡¯t involve arge number of yers, it might not need much assistance. As I thought about it, I recalled the types of PvP modes I¡¯d yed with Harmony: survival, team six mode, and some escape scenarios. If the tournament involved something like Fallen Mode, where small-scale unrestricted PvP was allowed, I could definitely offer some helpful tips based on my past experience fighting rogue operators. Assuming she wanted to ept the help. Before I knew it, time had flown by, and it was nearing midnight. ¡°Whoa, how is it already 9 PM? That flew by.¡± "Yeah, the crowds might have finally started to clear up by now." This was my cue to check. After reviewing the outside CCTV and news, I saw that the crowds had mostly dispersed, leaving only volunteers and cleaning staff hired by Icarus Corp. The sheer volume of trash left behind by tens of thousands of people was astounding. Still, it looked like we were finally free to head out. "Looks like you¡¯re good to head out now. While the subway stations are still a mess, driving might be more reasonable¡­ though no guarantees." "Wow, three hours for the crowd to clear! We were this close to having dinner at 9 PM!" "Ugh, when are we even getting home¡­ Sensei, don¡¯t you have any spare rooms here? I¡¯ll just crash here tonight." "¡­Why is everyone asking to crash here these days?" I exchanged nces with Dice and Harmony. They smiled at each other knowingly, clearly in on some joke or n. Whether Harmony had told Dice something or the other way around, they were up to something. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. "Juste back tomorrow." "Looks like we¡¯ll have to." Hotteok, looking exhausted, stretched and added with a grin, "Today was a lot of fun. I wish you all the best moving forward. Oh, and I never would¡¯ve guessed your avatar wasn¡¯t just an avatar. Even in the early days of streaming, I didn¡¯t expect that! Are you nning on revealing your true identity soon?" "Not in detail, but I¡¯m aiming to do it by the end of this year. I can¡¯t really hide it for much longer¡ªpeople will figure it out sooner orter. Probably within three months, even if I keep streaming, everyone will know, but they¡¯ll just pretend they don¡¯t." "That makes sense, haha." Next up was Limit, who, in real life, was quite tall with a striking presence. When he asked if it was okay toment on my avatar, I told him not to hold back. "So, are you going to keep using the avatar?" "Pfft." "¡­Of course. It¡¯s something I worked out with the viewers, after all. I didn¡¯t watch the official tournaments back when I first started ying the game, but I was surprised by how many avatars didn¡¯t match their users¡¯ real genders. So I guess I¡¯ll just stick with it." "Oh, a ''corrupted female'' avatar!" "Hey¡ªdon¡¯t call it that, you jerks!" Finally, there was KimStone, or Hyun-ah. She had a simr height to Harmony, with slightly wavy ck hair and a confident aura. She suddenly added, "Please continue to look after our Harmony!" "¡­What?" "Hey! What are you saying!?" Harmony¡¯s voice echoed through the lounge. It seemed this person was going to be a challenge to understand. With that, I said my goodbyes to everyone, shared a few more words with Harmony, and finally, we all parted ways. The lounge, which had been bustling moments ago, was now empty. But with the chatter of foreign and local pro-gamers from outside, it didn¡¯t feel too quiet. It was time for me to head back to my room as well. "Ugh, I¡¯m exhausted. I need a shower and some sleep. You going to wash up first?" "I don¡¯t mind either way." "Then I¡¯ll go ahead. I¡¯m beat¡­." Dice, clearly drained, stumbled out of the lounge. After doing a final check to make sure nothing was left behind, I turned off the lights. As the door clicked shut, I reminded her, "We¡¯ve got a debriefing. Be at the Korean team room by 10:30 PM." "Ughhh¡­" "It won¡¯t take long." It was the reaction I expected. And when I sent out the group message, I¡¯d likely get simr responses. But what could I do? It was mandatory. As Dice shuffled down the hall, I called after her. "Good job today." She turned around and smiled faintly. No more words were necessary. Saturday wasing to an end. "So, Harmony''s been training under Yujin for almost two months?" "Something like that." "Then you''re practically a senior! Oh, dear senior, please ept my respects!" "Oh,e on, don''t do that." It was 8 PM. The news continued to talk about the record-breaking crowds in Yongsan, with reports of traffic still being chaotic two hours after the match ended. Gathered in the lounge were me, Dais, Harmony, and her team, casually chatting in what felt more like a casual conversation disguised as a Q&A session. To be honest, it didn¡¯t hold much significance. No one was recording it, and even though these guys were streamers, none of them were streaming live at the moment. Plus, since some of what we were discussing was off the record, it was much more like friendly banter to pass the time until the crowd outside died down. Meanwhile, Harmony had set her sights on bonding with Dais today, possibly venting her frustrations from all the training I¡¯d put her through. She was eagerly sharing her experiences of the rigorous regime she had undergone while training with me. Most of the talk revolved around the intensity of my training methods. As long as they didn¡¯t end upparing who had it worse, I didn¡¯t mind. I turned my focus back to the others. After all, I had been getting questions from Harmony¡¯s fellow streamers: Limit, Kimstone¡ªwho had asked me to call her by her real name, Hyun-ah¡ªand Hotteok. They seemed quite curious about how I had managed to get Harmony''s skills to improve so drastically in such a short time. "Have any of you seen the interviews Dais and I have done? I believe we¡¯ve mentioned the key points in those interviews before." "Yeah, I vaguely remember, but... does that mean you analyzed Harmony¡¯s gamey in that much detail? That''s pretty impressive. Doesn¡¯t it take a long time?" "It could, if there were a lot of people to go over, but back then, there was just one. Preparing for this year¡¯s Asia qualifiers, however, was much harder. It was tough to analyze all 18 participants in such a short time." Not to mention, the four weeks we had weren¡¯t entirely focused on training. The first two weeks were filled with breaks, advertisements, and scheduled events, leaving us with barely enough time to focus. Without the analysis engine and all the umted experience, it would¡¯ve taken twice as long. But I kept that to myself and simply smiled at the thought. The conversation quickly shifted back to Harmony. "If I had to sum up my approach, I¡¯d say I aim for bnced development in all areas. Imagine a person''s skills represented as a polygon. My goal is to help them grow evenly in every direction, and my role is to identify the weakest areas and quickly help fill in those gaps." I took a long sip from the chocte frappe I had ordered earlier from the caf¨¦ inside the venue. "In Harmony¡¯s case, well, she had a lot of gaps. She was an amateur, after all. So, I focused on practical drills to sharpen her sense of strategy and movement inbat. Whatever couldn¡¯t be covered in real-world scenarios, we worked on at the shooting range." "Ah, so it was more like hands-on training. And it seemed like you tackled all the missions on the hardest difficulty, just the two of you¡­" "You¡¯re spot on." At least eight hours a day, sometimes as many as twelve. With that level ofmitment, it was impossible not to improve. Regardless of personal attributes like gender or background, it¡¯s inevitable. Even if the ceiling is lower than others, it¡¯s possible to reach a top-tier level with enough effort. So, I provided the foundation, and Harmony took the rope I threw her. Granted, in her own words, it felt more like I had grabbed her by the cor and dragged her up, but either way, the results spoke for themselves. "Does that clear things up?" "Well¡­ it does, but now that I know the details, I don¡¯t think I could ever pull it off myself." Iughed. In the end, it all boils down to one thing: if it doesn¡¯t work, keep going until it does. That¡¯s pretty much the rule for everything in life. But they still had more questions. "So, how skilled would you say Harmony is now?" "Hmm. It¡¯s too early to say." Honestly, if I trained her for another two or three months, she''d probably be among the top yers in Korea. She wouldn''t be someone who could just be pushed around in a match. At least in terms of gaming, that¡¯s where she was headed. As for real-worldbat skills, there was still a long way to go, but that¡¯s not relevant to Harmony¡¯s life. She won¡¯t be trekking through mountains, swamps, or deserts, and she certainly won¡¯t need survival or high-altitude diving skills. But I digress. To exin it more clearly in a way they¡¯d understand, I added, "Still, in about two or three months, she won¡¯t hear anyone saying she¡¯scking in skills." "...You¡¯re not saying she¡¯s going pro, right?" Iughed again. That would depend on Harmony¡¯s intentions. But I held back thement. If trained properly, it wasn¡¯t impossible that she could step into the pro scene. After all, the point of training is to mold ordinary people into extraordinary fighters. Given that, it¡¯s definitely within the realm of possibility. As the conversation continued, someone asked, "Has Harmony ever mentioned anything about joining a streamer tournament?" "Not that I¡¯ve heard." "I see." Harmony and I locked eyes for a brief moment. But she quickly looked away. To be fair, I was the one who avoided eye contact first. If she had really needed my help, she would¡¯ve brought it up by now. Since she hadn¡¯t, it was clear this wasn¡¯t something I should get involved with. Unless she brings it up when we talkter. Harmony remained silent on the matter. But I was still curious about the tournament, so I nned to ask herter. It was likely something rted to streaming, given the source of the information. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s probably not an AP-style match that requires arge number of yers. I racked my brain, trying to recall the kinds of PvP modes we had yed. There was survival, team-six mode, and something about escaping unobserved zones¡­ If she needed help with an unrestricted small-scale PvP mode like Fallen Mode, I could definitely offer some guidance. There¡¯s no need to reveal sensitive data about the Icarus Gear, but the experience I gained from fighting rogue operators would still be invaluable. Assuming she¡¯s open to it, of course. Before we knew it, the clock was ticking toward midnight. "Wow, how is it already 9 PM? Time really flew by." "It sure did. I guess by now the crowds outside might¡¯ve thinned out¡­" I checked. After reviewing the CCTV and news, it was clear that the outside world was now filled with volunteers and cleaning crews hired by Icarus. The sheer amount of trash generated by tens of thousands of spectators was overwhelming. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like people were littering. Thousands of trash bins had been ced all around the venue, but no matter how many times the garbage bags were reced, there was always more. Even though the conversation took a slightly different turn, the important takeaway was that it seemed safe to head out now. "Looks like you¡¯re free to leave now. The subway stations are still a bit of a mess, but traffic seems to be clearing up¡­ Though I can¡¯t say for sure." "Wow, three hours just to get everyone out of here. We almost ended up eating dinner at 9 PM." "Ugh, when are we getting home... Can¡¯t we just crash here? Got any extra rooms?" "...Lately, it feels like everyone¡¯s asking me for a ce to stay." I exchanged nces with a few of them. Dais and Harmony both grinned. Whether Harmony had told Dais or the other way around, something had clearly been exchanged between them. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. "Come back tomorrow." "I guess we¡¯ll have to." And then, as if she werepletely exhausted, Hotteok added, "Today was great. I had a lot of fun. I really didn¡¯t expect avatars to be¡­ well, not avatars. I had a simr reaction when I first started streaming, but Yujin¡­ Are you nning to reveal your true identity?" "Not anytime soon, but probably by the end of this year. I stand out too much anyway, so it¡¯s not like I can keep hiding forever. Honestly, even if I stream for just three more months, I think everyone will know but will pretend not to." "Yeah, I can see that happening, haha." Next up was Limit, a tall, friendly-looking guy in real life. I had hesitated to mention the avatars at first, but he told me it was fine to bring it up. So, I did. "Are you going to keep using your avatar?" "Pffft..." "I¡¯ll have to. It¡¯s something I worked out with my viewers, after all. And since I only started ying six months ago, I didn¡¯t get to watch any official tournaments. I was surprised to see so many avatars don¡¯t match the yers¡¯ real genders. So yeah, I think I¡¯ll stick with it." "Oh, so you''re a ''fallen girl''?" "Don¡¯t say it like that, you hooligans!" Finally, it was Kimstone¡¯s turn, or Hyun-ah as she preferred. She was about the same height as Harmony, with slightly wavy ck hair and a strong-willed demeanor. Out of nowhere, she added, "Please keep taking good care of our Harmony!" "...Huh?" "Hey! What the heck are you saying!?" Harmony¡¯s shout echoed through the room. It seemed like this person didn¡¯t fully grasp the situation. Anyway, after saying goodbye to everyone and exchanging a fewst words with Harmony, the lounge gradually emptied out. It wasn¡¯t entirely silent, though, as I could still hear the chatter of both Korean and foreign pro yers outside. It was time for us to head back to our rooms as well. "Ugh, I¡¯m so tired. I¡¯m going to shower and lie down. Are you going first?" "I don¡¯t mind either way." "Then, I¡¯ll go first¡­" Dais, looking utterly drained, staggered out of the lounge. After checking onest time to make sure nothing had been left behind, I turned off the lights. As I closed the door, I added, "We have a debriefing at 10:30 PM, so meet in the Korean team¡¯s room by then." "Ughhh¡­" "It won¡¯t be long." That was the expected response. Sending out a group message would probably get the same reaction, but this was mandatory. Watching Dais drag her feet, I called out, "Good job today." She turned around and gave me a small smile. No more words were needed. Saturday night was drawing to a close. "Ugh." My entire body was ovee with exhaustion. No matter how tough and battle-hardened I was, after an entire Friday spent in intense training, barely getting two hours of sleep, then waking up for the sudden test, I was spent. The test had been a live-fire drill where we had to jump into action as soon as we were woken up andplete the assigned mission. In my groggy, half-asleep state, I had to navigate aplex set of objectives, review building blueprints, and then immediately get deployed for real gunfire. Of course, a minimum level of shooting uracy was required. If not, you¡¯d be sent packing. Within just 10 minutes, the entire mission had to bepleted, after which we could shower and return to watching the tournament until the early morning hours. Around 7 AM, I had copsed back in my room, and woke up at 3 PM. I could¡¯ve slept longer, but the smell of food had roused me from bed. I had a good idea of who was behind it. "Why the long face, Sergeant Owens?" "Making yourself right at home now that you¡¯ve got a blue card, huh?" An all-too-familiar face greeted me. Her skin was wless, glowing even, as if she was in a perpetual state of perfect health. She had that otherworldly appearance typical of awakened individuals, the kind who could never blend into undercover operations. There was no need for further exnation. This was Logan¡­ or rather, Laura Blemis. She was once part of the same task force I had served with Yujin, and she had returned yesterday after a long absence. Looking at her now, she almost seemed like a female version of a pr bear, as if you shot one with a tranquilizer dart that instead turned it into a woman. How she got into my private room to cook me breakfast, though, I had no idea. "How did you even get in?" "I knocked, but when you didn¡¯t answer, I just entered your old code. And I transferred $100 to your ount, so use it to get a new doorknob." "...What?" "The door handle was stuck, so I used a little force, and it broke." These damned awakened people. They never know how to use their strength properly. Anyway, the breakfast she had prepared looked pretty good. Sausages, bacon, well-toasted bread, scrambled eggs. All of it smelled incredible, so I threw open the window to let in some fresh air. And of course, the food was delicious. I almost made a joke about marriage but thought better of it. She could probably kill me if she wanted to. Instead, I quietly shoveled food into my mouth while Laura, now seated across from me, brought up various topics. "How was yesterday¡¯s match?" "Every day, I watch recordings of battles. You think there¡¯s something else you could possibly tell me?" "And this is why you¡¯re still single. You need to be more amodating to others." "I can¡¯t think of anything else to amodate besides a bullet." "You¡¯re absolutely insane." She burst outughing, clearly amused by the exchange. Of course, I knew exactly what she wanted to hear, so I gave her a bit of what she was asking for. "If you want to hear about Yujin, I talked about her yesterday." "Not that. Did you watch the Korean yers? They were way better than I expected." "She probably trained them herself. Who knows how hard she worked them, but they must¡¯ve gone through hell." I gulped down a ss of milk. After hours without eating or drinking, it tasted heavenly. The subtle sweetness and rich vor lingered in my mouth. It was enough to bring me back to life. Once I felt more awake, we shifted into lighter conversation. "So, you¡¯ll get your assigned gunsmith, squad, and lodging next year?" "Yep. This year, it¡¯s all aboutpeting in Dark Zone, so I didn¡¯t even bother applying." "Think you¡¯ll be able to beat Yujin?" Silence followed. Lauraughed softly, then replied, "Honestly, I¡¯m not so sure. There''s no one else with a natural gift forbat like her. But I¡¯ll give it my best shot." "That¡¯s good enough." The quiet and the chatter ebbed and flowed, and we moved on to the final topic. "I heard Kissinger visited the NSA recently. Apparently, he talked with Director Solomon about Yujin¡¯s military background¡­ So where does that leave her? Sergeant?" "..." She didn¡¯t answer, but that was answer enough. tter. The sound of dishes clinking echoed through the room. Another day in Delta was off to a quiet start. Chapter 192 "©¤©¤©¤Before we begin the debriefing, I just want to say that you all did a fantastic job." Woooaaahhh©¤! Therge room, which had enough beds to amodate around twenty people, was filled with apuse and cheers. It waste Saturday night, with just an hour and a half left until midnight, yet their voices were still full of energy. Thanks to the soundproofing, there was no need to worry about disturbing anyone. Yujin stood in front of the neen pairs of eyes, her expression unwavering. Her signature sapphire-blue eyes calmly surveyed the room. The Korean national team, gathered on the beds, were all listening intently to her words. For some reason, it felt like a scene from a distant memory. Yujin allowed the cheers to die down on their own, not bothering to stop them.@@novelbin@@ This d¨¦j¨¤ vu resolved itself in an unexpected way. "Captain Yujin, why are we doing mental training at this hour? Should I write aint letter?" "Haha, you idiot." "Hey! Get rid of him! Kick him out!" "Aaahh! I¡¯m sorry...!" Watching the chaos unfold, Yujin let out a quiet sigh. Meanwhile, Dais, who had no military experience and never would, blinked in confusion, merely observing the antics of those around her. Once themotion had died down, several holograms lit up in the air. They disyed the achievements of the Korean team throughout the day, showing how much they had improvedpared to other countries and the previous year. There had been many systematic challenges, and with them came improvements in skill. Today''s results encapsted all of that. "The analysis engine has already sent you individual emails detailing your strengths, weaknesses, and areas to focus on. Be sure to check themter." Yujin nced around the room. Not everyone looked upbeat. Some people were likely confident in their performancepared to others, while some probably judged their own skills to becking inparison. The Asian Qualifiers were a celebration for viewers, but for the participants, it was a brutalpetition. Even for Korea, which had produced the best results this year, there were no exceptions. Fifteen out of the twenty participants in this room would have to try again next year. It wasn¡¯t a sad or particrly hopeful atmosphere¡ªit was just reality. Observing this, Yujin spoke up quietly. "Did anyone feel overwhelmed or fearful during the matches today?" It was a sudden and puzzling question, but none of the neen other people were foolish enough to respond with a question of their own. Instead, they all began to reflect on the matches. Some wondered if they should raise their hands, even if they hadn¡¯t experienced such feelings, but as it became clear that most hadn¡¯t, the mood lightened again. After all, this was a game¡ªa tournament. With millions of people cheering them on, why would a pro yer fear their opponent? But on the flip side, the fact that most people hadn¡¯t felt fear meant that there were a few who had. Swoosh. Amid the light-hearted atmosphere, a few people tentatively raised their hands. Surprisingly, they were the ones most likely to advance to the finals¡ªthe top performers in Saturday¡¯s Asian Qualifiers. Yujin¡¯s eyes swept over the five raised hands. Silence followed. "That is the weight ofbat." "...What?" "The higher you climb, the more refined and sharpened the des of the toppetitors be. The spark that flies from their shes is no longer something that can be contained within the category of a ''tournament.''" Even if it was just a game¡ªthat was the essence ofbat, the fundamental truth of taking another¡¯s life. Her exnation continued seamlessly. "Before the Asian Qualifiers began, I reviewed the match data from everyone who advanced to the finals two years ago andst year. I realized why so many of you fell short. There could be various excuses¡ªthe weather was too cold, you weren¡¯t prepared enough, or you weren¡¯t used to traveling abroad..." With a single motion, Yujin turned off the holographic screen and added, "...But the ultimate reason is that you treated the finals like just another tournament. I expect those who understood my question earlier to grasp what I¡¯m saying now." It felt like a bolt of lightning struck their minds. She was right. The finals¡ªthe championship¡ªwasn¡¯t just a tournament. To rise to the top, one had to perceive the opponent not as another yer orpetitor but as prey, as someone they had to kill to survive. Only by pushing their limits beyond what they thought possible could they earn the right to climb higher. Thebat they experienced wasn¡¯t something that fit neatly into thebel of a "tournament." What Dais, Michael, and the others felt today was the essence ofbat¡ªthe pressure that came with knowing they had to kill their opponent to survive. Questions arose. How did Yujin know all this? But that didn¡¯t matter. The silence ended. "Understand and get used to that pressure." A shorter debriefing followed after that. There was discussion about how to approach various maps, how to best utilize terrain and revolution mechanics, and debates over individual strategies prepared for the next day. These twenty different threads of conversation stretched on until midnight, bringing the long but brief debriefing to a close. October''s Saturday slipped into the darkness, and as everyone slept, Sunday arrived. "...Hey, are you asleep?" "...No." "...Then why aren¡¯t you sleeping?" Rustle. "...I just can''t believe that Yujin¡¯s avatar is real..." Of course, not everyone had fallen asleep. "©¤©¤©¤Just like yesterday, please give a big round of apuse for ourpetitors who¡¯vee such a long way!" Woooaaahhh©¤! The apuse was even louder than yesterday, a roaring show of support. But unlike the day before, thepetitors walking out onto the central stage today did so with an air of confidence. It''s amazing how much a person can change in just a day. Naturally, the first to walk out were the Korean yers. Their more confident demeanorpared to yesterday filled everyone with a sense of trust and belief. There was another reason for that, though. "...Why do they look so tired?" The Korean yers whispered among themselves as they observed thepetitors from other countries stepping onto the stage. To the untrained eye, there didn¡¯t seem to be any major problems. But with their keen instincts, the Korean team noticed that the yers from the other four participating countries¡ªJapan, Russia, China, and Taiwan¡ªlooked slightly fatigued. Of course, the Koreans had no way of knowing the exact reason for this. There were too many potential exnations. Maybe they had stayed upte studying strategies or discussing countermeasures, but in the end, the truth was only known to the people themselves. In other words, the participants knew. ''...Could this be another one of Korea¡¯s mind games?'' Surprisingly, and somewhat amusingly, this was all because of something Yujin had casually agreed to the day before¡ª"eating together with everyone." The very decision that Dais, Harmony, and Yujin had made without much thought had led to a situation where the Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese yers all witnessed Yujin¡¯s true form. It had caused an unexpected ripple effect. Simply put, their reaction was: ''...Is that really her?'' Naturally, the revtion had created psychological unease among the foreign yers. Globally, revealing the identity of an awakened individual was strictly forbidden. It wasn¡¯t because any one organization had enforced this rule, but rather because it had be a natural part of how society functioned over time. Regardless of the reason, yers weren¡¯t exempt from this restriction. In other words, the yers had to be careful not to let anything slip while outside the game, adding an extrayer of mental effort. The ironic thing was that this wasn¡¯t even Yujin¡¯s intention. ''...Could you really be Yujin...!?'' ''Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s nice to meet you in person.'' If her goal had been to cause trouble, Yujin would have behaved very differently. But instead, she had greeted every single one of the eighty foreignpetitors with a handshake and friendly conversation. That wasn¡¯t the behavior of someone trying to mentally pressure others. In that sense, it was a relief. If anyone asked what it was like to meet Yujin, they could honestly say she was a nice person. Though, it might sound more like a fan meeting than an Asian Qualifier. In any case, time marched on regardless of their thoughts. The goal was clear, and everything was proceeding like clockwork. After brief greetings and introductions, the yers from each country took their seats, and the maps were selected. After Saturday¡¯s matches, there had been countless discussions, preparations, and strategy reviews. For everyone except the Korean team, the strategies they had painstakingly prepared were on the verge of being overturned within a single day. They had no choice but to find a solution within the time limit. It was time to deliver results. "-The first map is the California Gas Fields!" The acrid smell of mes and smoke stung the air. -Now, one hundred yers are being dropped into a burning mountain range. Only one can escape by helicopter. Who will emerge victorious? The Sunday matches of the Asian Qualifiers are about to begin. From the transport ne soaring across the sky, silhouettes began to scatter,nding one by one on the ground. The mes below flickered as if they were alive, weing the 100 yers who had descended into the gas fields. The circle of fire slowly closed in. Some yers made a beeline for the areas where the fighting would be most intense, while others headed to more isted spots, their weapons at the ready as they scoured the city and forest for opponents. There was no need to worry about finding weapons¡ªthere were plenty scattered across the map. At least, there should have been. -Notice: The current area has been designated as a skill activation zone. Activation willmence in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. "...Hmm." Skills. These werebat tools that could elevate Dark Zone yers to a higher level. Comparable to firearms, or even more effective when used correctly, skill zones often became the focus of intensepetition. yers could either avoid thempletely, swarm them, or let the winners of the zone walk away with the spoils. However, once a zone was designated for skill activation, the spawn rate of weapons in the area would drop drastically. At the moment, the best equipment avable was a couple of rifles, and moremonly, just handguns. Given the presence of shields, these wouldn¡¯t be enough to deal significant damage. Case quickly moved away from the area, thinking through his options. ''Will Yujine to this zone?'' Judging from her past matches, she didn¡¯t care much about skills. She never went out of her way to activate one of these zones. Not just yesterday, but throughout her entire y history, she¡¯d shown the same pattern. Even though the Korean yers had improved remarkably, as long as Yujin wasn¡¯t here, he was confident he could control the situation¡ªthough the Russians, who had started to gloat toward the end of yesterday, were a concern. He needed to rack up kill points and knock them down as much as possible. With that in mind, Case headed for a building that offered a clear view of the surroundings. It was a mistake. Time passed. yer names popped up in the kill feed as people were eliminated and sent back to the lobby. However, despite being only two minutes away from skill activation, there was an eerieck of movement. Even as the timer ticked down to one minute, nothing happened. Suspicion grew. But that wasn¡¯t something Case needed to worry about. If no one else came, he would have won the standoff and could secure the skill before leaving. Swoosh. He carefully descended the stairs. The sound of a transport ne¡¯s engines could be heard overhead. Arge crate, attached to a parachute, blinked with a red light as it slowly descended from the dark sky. With a thud, the cratended, kicking up a cloud of dust before automatically disassembling itself. The pieces scattered into hundreds of parts, which moved to the nearby building¡¯s walls, forming a sort of structure and camouging themselves. It was as if the skill activation zone had always been part of the building¡¯s architecture¡ªthat was his target. Case cautiously began to move. He had checked numerous times, and there was no sign of anyone around. Still, he remained vignt until the veryst moment. There was a reason for that. Rustle. ''Bingo.'' He wasn¡¯t alone. Someone was just hiding. And whoever it was, they were more impatient than him. However, it wasn¡¯t time to make a decisive move yet. The weapons he had on hand weren¡¯t powerful enough to guarantee theplete elimination of an unseen opponent. So, he waited. Waiting was the virtue of an operator. Using the light from the approaching wall of mes as cover, Case watched as a figure moved cautiously in the shadows. They moved with professional precision. Tactically, there were no ws. Their face was concealed, making it impossible to identify them, but as a beam of light briefly illuminated their shoulder, the patch of a Russian g became visible. That detail didn¡¯t matter. The important thing was killing them before they could acquire a skill. It was time to act. "...Huff..." The movements of a seasoned tracker. Keeping a measured distance, Case closed in on the activation zone. Fifty meters. Twenty-five meters. Ten meters. Five meters... Even with his subpar weaponry, if he emptied a magazine into their back from this range, it would surely kill them. His rifle was already set to full-auto. Standing twenty meters behind his target, just a few meters away from the skill activation zone, Case braced himself for the recoil, pressed the stock against his shoulder, and ced his finger on the trigger. But before he could pull it, the darkness to the right of his target seemed to tear open, and something rushed in, swallowing them whole. Whoosh! ''What the...!'' From right to left, like a vacuum, something swept through the space and snatched his target away, disappearing from sight in an instant. It was an unprecedented, impossible situation. As tension surged through him, Case heard a dull, sickening sound. Thud. Crack. It was the kind of sound no one wanted to hear in real life. But before he could process it, a shadow moved swiftly in the darkness. Even though Case had silently drawn a grenade, it wasn¡¯t enough. He saw it. "...My luck''s been terribletely." Light armor. Aside from the pistol, they weren¡¯t carrying any other firearms. They were probably in a simr situation as him¡ªmaybe even worse off. In the faint light, Case caught a glimpse of long hair and blue eyes. In their right hand was a fire axe. It was all the confirmation he needed of who his opponent was. Rat-tat-tat-tat! The muzzle shed as Case unleashed a desperate barrage while retreating. Chapter 193 ©¤©¤©¤Drrrrr! The muzzle sh pierced through the darkness, and the sound of gunfire shattered the silence. The area was filled with awork of buildings constructed deep within the forest to manage the thick gas pipelines stretching from California in all directions. Two silhouettes darted between the structures, their roles of predator and prey constantly shifting with every minor misstep. It was a fight that seemed one-sided but wasn¡¯t, a continuous back-and-forth. As they moved away from the skill activation zone, weapon drop rates noticeably increased, allowing Case to keep Yujin at bay more effectively than before.@@novelbin@@ In contrast, Yujin¡¯s weapon situation hadn¡¯t improved much since earlier. That was the downside of Hardcore Mode. ¡®No time to switch out body armor or reload.¡¯ Even though her backpack had a quick-reloader attachment, there was no room for such luxuries in the middle of this chase. Despite Yujin''s overwhelming skills, Case was a top-tier yer, rated as one of the best in Asiast year. If fully equipped, he could have pushed back much harder, but they had both started in the samepromised position at the skill activation zone. Unlike Case, who had at least managed to find a couple of guns, Yujin only had her trusty fire axe. Pew! "Urgh..." A sharp sound pierced the air, sending stone fragments flying. The difference between someone with a gun and someone without was enormous. Yujin¡¯s almost inhuman speed, raw strength, and perfect timing allowed her to keep Case under pressure, but the situation had changed now that they were out of the skill activation zone. Other yers could quickly replenish their ammunition, while Case yed on this advantage, keeping Yujin at a distance. His n was clear: wear her down before she could close the gap. ¡®It¡¯s not impossible to turn the tide.¡¯ The best option would be to find a high-powered weapon, like a linked machine gun. But so far, none had appeared. High-performance weapons like that were rare and had a low drop rate, so they were unlikely to be found in this area. If Case found himself in a tight hallway or aplex room, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use grenades and shbangs to force Yujin out. He had long since decided that he needed to eliminate Yujin here, no matter how much time it took. Yujin, for her part, seemed to understand his intentions. More bullets came her way. -[Warning: Nanomachine reserves below 50%.] Case''s aim was exceptional. His ability to engage effectively at mid-range without overextending was proof of his skill as a seasoned tracker. Every time Yujin tried to lure him into a moreplex area, he remained cautious, avoiding obvious traps. From the window, Yujin could see that the situation outside wasn¡¯t improving. mes were creeping closer. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the fire engulfed the building. She pressed her back against the shadowed wall and listened, feeling the vibrations of Case¡¯s footsteps approaching. The only light came from the emergency exit sign above the door. "..." Her gaze drifted downward to a red object on the floor¡ªa fire extinguisher, the mostmon item in the California Gas nt. Suddenly, Yujin¡¯s mind went nk, only to be repainted with new ideas. The cogs in her head began turning in reverse, generating new thoughts and strategies in real-time. She grabbed the fire extinguisher, gave it a shake, and smiled in satisfaction. Without hesitation, she doubled back, closing the distance between her and Case. It was time for a bluff. Clink! Yujin picked up a discarded rifle from the floor. It wasn¡¯t loaded, but that didn¡¯t matter. The important thing was making Case believe she was scrambling for a weapon. Whether he tried to keep his distance or not, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe would certainly try to interfere. And sure enough... Pew! Yujin¡¯s keen hearing picked up a faint metallic sound¡ªthe telltale noise of a grenade being thrown. It wasn¡¯t the exact sound of a pin being pulled, but the result would be the same. The grenade arced toward her position. Though the metal object should have been invisible in the dark, Yujin¡¯s hidden skill allowed her to spot a faint red glow on the grenade¡¯s surface¡ªthermal detection, a trick only she had up her sleeve. ng. Yujin¡¯s reflexes kicked in. With a swift swing of the fire extinguisher, she sent the grenade flying back. The sharp sound of metal echoed through the air, followed by the brief sh of light and the supersonic spray of shrapnel. Boom! But it wasn¡¯t over yet. The next moment, Yujin hurled the red cylinder-shaped object straight at Case. He instinctively fired his gun, but instead of a blinding sh, the extinguisher exploded in a cloud of white smoke. It wasn¡¯t a shbang, fortunately for him, but the fire extinguisher still covered him in a thickyer of powder. It only took Case four seconds to clear himself off and regain his focus, but that was all Yujin needed. By the time he recovered, Yujin had already found something else on the floor and prepared herself. ck. Out of the darkness emerged the long, bulky barrel of a shotgun. It had no rifling, and there was no visible magazine either¡ªwell, not one that was immediately obvious. It was a tube magazine, hard to spot. A Benelli M4. Yujin loaded the shotgun with a chambered round and six more shells in the tube magazine. Thanks to her speed-reloading technique, the entire process took less than four seconds. With a flick of her finger, twelve pellets tore through the air. "Ugh!" Case barely rolled out of the way, cursing under his breath. The speed at which Yujin reloaded her shotgun was unreal. Even back when Case trained with Delta Force, it was rare to find someone who could reload that fast, especially in such a dire situation. Once the momentum shifted, his chances of winning plummeted. But Yujin didn¡¯t let up, closing the distance even faster than before. The outeryers of Case''s shield disintegrated under the barrage of buckshot. ck. Yujin¡¯s shotgun ran out of ammo. But by then, the distance between them was nearly closed. With one more pull of the trigger, Case fired his assault rifle set to full-auto, sending a third bullet just as Yujin was within arm¡¯s reach. The butt of her shotgun swung toward him. Crack! "...!" Case barely managed to block the blow with his rifle, reacting with animal-like reflexes. There was a flicker of surprise in Yujin''s blue eyes, quickly reced by a burningpetitive spirit. Case gritted his teeth. His arm was already numb from the force of the impact. He fired the remaining rounds from his rifle, but Yujin dodged with a roll, throwing the spent shotgun aside. As soon as he dodged the spinning shotgun, the fire axe came swinging upward. Case blocked the blow, but his rifle bent like a pretzel under the impact. He dropped the now-useless rifle and switched to rapid-firing his pistol. Yujin took the shots to her body, closing in with a force that seemed ripped straight from a superhero movie. With a crash, Yujin rammed into Case, mming him into the concrete wall. As the heavy thud of their collision echoed, a sharp metallic sound cut through the air. Pew! "...That method of pulling the pin on a grenade and holding it is... quite interesting." Case had ripped a grenade from his pouch and clenched it tightly in his right hand. His left hand firmly gripped Yujin, showing a clear intention to go down in a ze of glory. But Yujin pressed her left hand against the grenade and twisted his arm. Using her superior strength, she forced his arm behind his back, pinning it between him and the wall. Two seconds. Before Case could even wonder how she was so strong, Yujin pulled away, and a violent explosion erupted from Case¡¯s trapped hand. The st sent her flying backward, while the concrete wall cracked under the pressure. Case''s body was gone. Yujin, recovering from the explosion''s shockwave, muttered quietly to herself, words only she could hear. "Seriously... no royalties for using my moves?" Even with her nearly indomitable stamina, Yujin needed a moment to catch her breath. She copsed to the ground with a heavy sigh. The match was now entering its mid-phase. "Is she even human?" -Yeah, whatever you say, LOL. -Fact: That person Yujin just took down was a top 10 finalistst year. -Just make her y alone against 99 people, lmao. -She¡¯s definitely getting her payback for missing out on the Aurora match yesterday. -Did you see that shotgun reload? Insane. The excitement was palpable. Of course, the official Dark Zone broadcast wasn¡¯t the only one showing the matches. Tons of fan streams popped up everywhere, with viewers sharing their favorite moments as they watched with their favorite streamers. It was a different way to enjoy the tournament¡ªby sharing it with others. Naturally, the brutalbat scenes were unfiltered and disyed for all to see. The kind of lethal close-quartersbat that no one thought they¡¯d ever witness in a tournament was now etched into the retinas of millions of viewers. Highlights of the match quickly spread as the broadcast continued, with clips of Yujin''s shotgun reload being the first to make waves. ck! Four seconds. After reflexively shooting at the fire extinguisher Yujin threw, Case was momentarily blinded by the cloud of white powder. That¡¯s when the timer started ticking. Yujin grabbed the shotgun from the floor, scooped up the scattered 12-gauge shells nearby, and began reloading. The first shell went straight into the chamber, then two at a time into the tube magazine. Even after filling it with seven shells, she still had spare ammo in her fingers, standing up as shepleted the reload. The warehouse, illuminated only by the light from the mes outside, shed repeatedly as Yujin fired. The resounding sts shook the battlefield, and despite the rapid depletion of her ammunition, she continued reloading seamlessly, each shot rattling her opponent¡¯s bones. -True pros are built different... -Fact: Case isn¡¯t just a pro, he''s still active military. -I¡¯m starting to get why Yujin keeps her identity secret, lol. -Wait, do they know some ssified stuff or something? -Snake-tail girl (Former ck Ops agent). The number of highlights from the match grew overwhelming. Case and Yujin weren¡¯t the only ones fighting. A hundred yers scattered across a vast map, engaging in skirmishes everywhere. As in previous years, many spectators found themselves wishing they had more eyes and brains to process everything happening. By the time the Asian Qualifiers ended, it seemed like the highlight reel would stretch for over 24 hours. Meanwhile, after her brief rest, Yujin cautiously stood up and began surveying the area. Now that she was out of the skill activation zone, she found several unopened crates filled with useful items. She could now do the things she hadn¡¯t been able to just moments ago. Yujin picked up an MK47 rifle from the ground, opened the ammo crate, and filled her magazines. It was like drawing water from a fountain¡ªquick and efficient. In no time, she had eight 40-round magazines ready. Feeling much morefortable, Yujin stepped out of the warehouse. But just then, a massive explosion erupted beyond the ridge, apanied by ring rms. -[Warning: Massive explosion detected.] "No way... who messed with the gas pipes?" Pirs of fire and searing heat shot into the sky, like the end of the world. The situation had taken a dramatic turn. Chapter 194 The hardest thing in the world is to create something, while the easiest is to destroy it. The California Gas nt, a massive facility constructed through the collective efforts of numerous schrs and significant funding, was filled with countless safety mechanisms. The facility was designed to prevent catastrophic failures, as any malfunction would result in devastating losses. For instance, automatic pipe lock systems were installed to prevent leaks. Special treatments were applied to prevent static-induced fires, and there were many more safety measures... and more still. However, it took nothing more than a massive wildfire and the effort of a single person to undo it all. -[Warning: Pipe Section Lock System Damaged.] The first thing to go was the pipe section lock system, meant to prevent the mes from spreading along the pipeline. Once the exposed pipes were engulfed in mes, the resulting damage caused the fire to spread uncontrobly, like venom coursing through a vein. Without any corrective action, theck of temperature control allowed the gas, which had vaporized in the high heat, to flow into the tanks, where the rising temperature caused the fire to spread quickly. It was as if a poison had entered the heart through the veins. The systems designed to detect heat and seal off the affected pipelines had long since failed due to neglect, and the devices meant to vent vaporized gas ahead of time had also malfunctioned. Meanwhile, the human-controlled central fire suppression system was sabotaged. The dump truck, with its brakes and airbags removed by human hands, barreled headlong toward destruction. It finally reached the breaking point. And then¡ª BOOM. A portion of the map instantly transformed into a massive kill zone. "At this very moment, a huge explosion lights up the mountain! One-tenth of the map has been engulfed in mes!" As if they were on an amusement park ride, the audience''s jaws dropped. Those familiar with KSM recognized the homage, and their expressions turned incredulous, but this time, it wasn¡¯t Dice¡¯s fault. It was a collective mess caused by multiple parties. If one were to describe the full scope of events, it would take about 10 A4 pages, double-sided, to cover all the details and assign me. But in short, the summary was this: ¡°They fought inside the control center building, and all the systems got destroyed.¡± But at this point, there was no need to assign responsibility. The map¡¯s dynamics had changed. "There are no user fatalities from therge-scale revolution, but the new wildfire it caused will elerate the spread of the kill zone in the northeastern area. A total of 11 yers are currently affected, including Dice and RedPepperHotKimchi from South Korea." "Dice is one of the few yers stationed in the northern part of the map. He¡¯s secured 3 kill points so far in this mid-stage of the match. A very strong result." "This yer has experience with this map from his time in KSM, where he directly caused a revolution event. His previous experience should serve him well here." The timer on the ceiling, indicating the estimated end of the match¡ªwhen the kill zone would consume the entire map¡ªwas ticking down faster than before. Many users were rushing to the safe zones and areas not yet engulfed by fire. The remaining 46 yers scattered across the shrinking map, quickly adjusting to the sudden shift in the game¡¯s dynamics. ns crafted with precision were now in disarray due to this unforeseen development. To put it simply, here¡¯s what had happened: an explosion in the northern part of the map caused more yers than expected to head south. As a result, when the kill zone shrank, the buildings yers had nned to upy might already be taken. Japan, which had been significantly affected by this tactic yesterday, reacted with heightened vignce, while Russia pressed forward even harder to counter. The overall pace of the match picked up. In other words, the kill feed started to fill up so quickly that the casters andmentators struggled to keep up. "Stinger from Taiwan just turned Dorothy from China¡¯s vehicle into Swiss cheese! The turret linked to his machine gun created an impressive crossfire¡ªbut oh! Just as I speak, a barrage of mortars rains down on Stinger¡¯s position!" The more desperate the situation, the more predictable and simplified the gamey became. This made it easier to anticipate enemy movements and preemptively block routes or set up firepower along those paths. It was like watching a si unfold repeatedly: someone backstabs another, only to get backstabbed themselves, and then someone else joins in... When this cycle happens a few times, it¡¯s amusing. When it repeats five or six times, it bes dull. But when it happens over fifteen times, it bes startling. In a matter of minutes, the yer density was halved. -[Remaining yers: 22] "In just seven minutes, the yer count has dropped below half. We¡¯re two phases away from the final kill zone, but the California wildfire has devoured many yers. I¡¯m curious to see how this match will conclude." "As we approach the final skirmishes, we¡¯re starting to see the introduction of incendiary weapons, a hallmark of the California Gas nt map. This signals that the game is nearing its end." Twenty yers crowded into the shrinking circle, fighting between the hills and a handful of low-rise buildings. Concrete walls were constantly bombarded by bullets and explosives, while incendiary grenades thrown from balconies set everything aze. As the circle shrank, the air became thick with acrid smoke and searing mes. With every movement, the oxygen level gauge on the yers¡¯ HUDs dropped rapidly, and failing to manage their breathing led to a steep decline in MOA (marksmanship). The group of twenty quickly shrank to half, then to half again in an even shorter time. The final confrontation wasn¡¯t about who could fight the best, but who could survive the longest. Amid the inferno, five yers gave their all in onest desperate struggle. And then¡ª ¡°Damn it.¡± This map always felt like the end of the world whenever I yed it. At least, that¡¯s how Dice¡ªme¡ªthought. Even as I looked around, all I could see was fire, fire, and more fire. In the early stages of the game, there were still buildings and other structures. Now, there was nothing but mes. The final kill zone was set in the mountains, with a few scattered buildings. The constant crackling of fire and the burning red light had reached a point where it was almost driving me crazy. The hyper-realistic smoke stung my eyes. By this stage, there were plenty of distractions. The night vision goggles and other gear I had prepared had long since been discarded. Everyone was now wearing the typical hooded gas masks you could find on this map. These silver, glinting gas masks could cover the entire head, but they severely limited movement. The restricted visibility, difficulty breathing, and the extra weight of the oxygen tanks made it harder to fight effectively. Yujin had once mentioned this. "Now, you¡¯ll learn how to fight in low-oxygen environments." That lesson was ying out right now. Low oxygen situations weren¡¯tplicated¡ªwhether it was wearing an ufortable gas mask, fighting in a raging inferno, or both, you needed to know how to adapt. It was something I had learned through theoretical study and ingrained through rigorous training. In the end, the smallest things decided victory. "When you¡¯re wearing a gas mask or a full-body fireproof suit, the first thing you need to check is whether you can aim smoothly. You¡¯ll notice a significant difference." And just like that, everything felt more cumbersome. The protruding red filter on the gas mask and the stic visor in front of my eyes were enough to mess up my aim. On top of that, theck of oxygen made it harder to regte my breathing. Without having spent hours¡ªno, days¡ªtraining for these conditions, there¡¯s no way I would have been able to remain this calm. Crunch. When fire gets too close, your mind tends to wander. My movements became more direct and bold, but that didn¡¯t matter as long as I wasn¡¯t directly exposed to enemy fire. I tilted my rifle at a 45-degree angle, keeping my thumb on the tactical shlight, ready to switch it on at any moment. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t use it to avoid giving away my position, but this was a tactic I had learned from a certain someone. "In a ce like the gas nt, where fire is everywhere, people¡¯s vision can be divided into two types: those who are exhausted from staring at mes for too long and those who were hiding in the dark and aren¡¯t used to bright lights. In either case, a tactical light can be very effective." Familiar room clearing. As I aimed around a corner, I flicked on the tactical light. The unique sensation of the button pressing beneath my finger was followed by a shot fired from the enemy, aimed across the hallway. But it missed. Ironically, every single shot went wide. At times like these, I couldn¡¯t help but think that Yujin really was some kind of god ofbat. She seemed to know everything. Once you experienced this kind of lesson firsthand, it was hard not to follow her curriculum. I closed the distance quickly. Being one step ahead of the enemy was always an advantage, and this time was no different. Before I knew it, I was within a dozen meters of the enemy. I lined up my sights on the retreating enemy. This was why I had tilted my rifle at a 45-degree angle. "A gas mask can drastically reduce your ability to aim. In some cases, it¡¯s difficult or even impossible to get a good cheek weld. That¡¯s when a canted sightes in handy." Exactly as she had said. With the sight further from my face, I could still aim effectively. I squeezed the trigger, feeling the recoil climb up my shoulder. Through the red dot sight, I saw the enemy copse as if their spine had snapped. They thrashed on the ground before disappearing into the lobby. It was an unceremonious end for someone who had made it into the top five, but that wasn¡¯t my concern. Now I just needed to gather what I could and get out of the burning building. I pocketed a few red grenades from the ground. Napalm grenades. The name alone was terrifying. "The final fight will be on the ridgeline." There was already gunfire from the other side, past the sea of mes. I had been preupied with the enemy in the building, but now I was sure the remaining yers saw me as a newbatant entering the fray. Whoever was left out there was certainly capable of handling the situation. And without a doubt, Yujin was among thest two yers. That was as certain as the sun rising after nightfall. Deep down, I hoped that this time I could finally defeat her in a proper battle. Of course, hoping for something and achieving it were two different things. It was time to move in. -[Warning: You are entering a high-temperature area.] I moved through the zing fire, heading toward the nearly silent area ahead. Fingering the pin of my napalm grenade, I prepared to throw it as soon as I spotted a silhouette through the mes. The yer count on my UI had dropped to two. It seemed the final showdown had already taken ce. I quietly made my way toward a tree that hadn¡¯t yet caught fire, keeping my presence as minimal as possible. I tossed a napalm grenade along with a seeker mine in one direction. At the same time, I threw another napalm grenade in the opposite direction. I had to throw them simultaneously because Yujin had once batted away a series of staggered grenade throws with the butt of her rifle.@@novelbin@@ The napalm grenades arced through the air, and the seeker mine¡¯s motor hummed as it activated. There was no turning back now. Fsssssshhh! The seeker mine skidded across the mountain path,unching a wave of incendiary charges. At the same moment, Yujin burst from cover with unbelievable speed, locking eyes with me. And then, both of our guns roared. I didn¡¯t know how she had pinpointed my location so quickly, but I didn¡¯t dwell on it. What mattered was the follow-up, and the napalm grenades were already on the ground, just 0.5 seconds away from detonating. BOOM. A yellow explosion swept across Yujin¡¯s silhouette. "Argh!" My eyes were strained, and I could barely keep them open against the overwhelming light. As I blinked through the fatigue, I saw the firestorm of napalm roaring a sickly yellow in the distance. In the midst of it was a human-sized me, presumably Yujin, flinging what appeared to be... magazines? And grenades? A sense of dread washed over me. Come to think of it, napalm grenades didn¡¯t have enough explosive power to kill outright¡ª BANG! "No way. No freaking way..." A human-shaped ze emerged from behind the tree. Despite beingpletely engulfed in mes, her blue eyes gleamed through the fire-drenched visor of her me-retardant mask. And then, that burning figure raised her gun at me. An unbelievable sight followed. Yujin, on fire, was running straight at me while shooting! RATATATATAT! "No way! This is impossible!" It was clear now. Yujin intended to kill me before her shield burned away in the napalm fire, and she had every chance of seeding. Through my canted sight, I could see her charging at full speed, engulfed in mes, firing her weapon. I squeezed the trigger, too. There was no time to dodge or take cover, and we exchanged desperate suppressing fire. My voice,ced with panic, mixed with the sound of gunfire. How much time had passed? -[Notification: You are the Apex Predator!] The thunderous gunfire stopped, and silence fell. Thus was born the Ghost Rider¡ªno, the Ghost Snake. Chapter 195 "Is that the famous ''Fire Snake''?" "If I were in Dice¡¯s ce, I¡¯d be begging for my life on my knees, stark naked." "Please, can we not talk about that kind of confidence?" In the waiting room, the eliminated yers had gathered. The match was still ongoing, but for those who had already been knocked out, it became a form of entertainment. In the South Korean national team, there was an unspoken rule: the first yer to get eliminated had to set up the waiting room, arranging the chairs, snacks, drinks, and screens, and making sure the air conditioning was on. What had started as a joke or mild punishment turned into an efficient tradition. Even if someone died early in the game, it ensured that the flow of the match wouldn¡¯t be interrupted. yers who showed up after elimination could easily review where they went wrong, how they died, and how the game was progressing. It also helped ease the transition into the debriefing session when Yujin joined them after the match. But today, the mood felt a little different. ¡°How long does it usually take for a shield to break under direct hit from a napalm grenade?¡± ¡°About 10 seconds? But Dice had already been in a fight before that and was standing in the middle of the wildfire. I¡¯d say it was closer to five seconds.¡± ¡°So, he was literally on fire during thatst fight?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°That''s insane.¡± Despite the disbelief, most of these yers had experience fighting while affected by fire or napalm, thanks to Yujin. Normal fire, which didn¡¯t cling to the body, dealt minimal damage to the shield. However, napalm, with its sticky, high-temperature properties, was entirely different. Even at full charge, a shield would burn away within 10 seconds of contact with napalm. The fact that Yujin had not only endured that but kept fighting in a major tournament, not a scrim or a casual game, was almost unthinkable. It was clear: either Yujin had nerves of steel, or she was just that kind of person. Everyone knew it was thetter. Click. The sound of a door opening made 18 heads swivel toward it, but instead of Yujin or Dice, one of the coaching staff from the task force entered the room. Familiar with each other, the yers greeted the coach warmly as heid a thick stack of papers on the table. Before Yujin arrived, the coach shared some quick insights. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve set the tone early in the Sunday match. There were a lot of discussions about how Japan and Russia would react today, but now it¡¯s clear they¡¯ll focus more on the battle for second ce. If things continue like this, we shouldfortably take first ce.¡± ¡°How are the other countries doing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but it¡¯s probably a funeral atmosphere for them. Rumor has it that three of the lower-ranking countries are already preparing for next year. Oh, and Taiwan¡¯s been performing better than expected.¡± ¡°Looks like they¡¯re making good use of scrim data and tournament footage.¡± ¡°Yeah, seems so.¡± Taiwan, who finishedst the previous year, had earned a few advantages as a result. They¡¯d clearly spent sleepless nights reviewing matches, evident from the dark circles under their eyes. While they didn¡¯t receive the same detailed personal analysis that the Korean team had, they still managed to get plenty out of their efforts. Their preparation had shown in their improved performance against China. After the coach finished sharing the brief update, the room returned to its usual chatter. Yujin and Dice hadn¡¯t arrived yet, but the remaining 18 yers were already discussing strategies. ¡°Taiwan? How much data ess do they have?¡± ¡°Probably everything, including first-person movement data. But it¡¯s not worth worrying about. Yujin didn¡¯t bother analyzing them, after all.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°Man, I just want to finish in the top 10 and get a chance to fly to the U.S. even as a reserve.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m already confirmed as a reserve. Guess I¡¯ll just go and enjoy some steak.¡± ¡°You? Confirmed? I¡¯m taking that spot.¡± ¡°No way, buddy.¡± They bickered lightheartedly. Unlike other countries, the atmosphere in the South Korean waiting room was rxed. Even though 10 of the yers would have to stay behind in December for the solo AP finals, there was still afortable air of camaraderie. The group casually munched on snacks, sipped coffee, and nced over the paperwork on the table as the minutes ticked by. Finally, someone broke the silence. ¡°So, where are those two? They still haven¡¯t shown up.¡± Where did they go? ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°Ow!¡± Smack! The stinging sensation on my backside jolted me out of VR, and I turned my head to see Dice standing behind me, ring. My butt throbbed from the p. I rubbed it gingerly, sighing. ¡°Ow, that hurt. Couldn¡¯t you just say something if you were annoyed?¡± ¡°How does anyone keep fighting like that while on fire?! I thought my heart was going to stop!¡± ¡°I did mention that napalm grenades can¡¯t kill through shrapnel like fragmentation grenades. Clearly, you didn¡¯t study. If you really wanted to end me, you should¡¯ve aimed for the head¡ªOw!¡± Another p. As much as I appreciated the admiration, enough was enough. I adjusted my posture to protect my backside and ran a hand through my hair. Still, it didn¡¯t really bother me. Dice¡¯s sudden sigh of relief made me nce over. ¡°Was something on your mind?¡± ¡°Hardcore mode users... They¡¯re okay in situations like that, right?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you were worried about.¡± He really was a worrier. It was strange, though¡ªno one had ever openly worried about me like this before. I felt the need to reassure him with a small smile. ¡°No need to worry. In dangerous situations, the game automatically triggers a sensory block function. After all, it¡¯s just a game.¡± I wondered if Dice would ask about survival mode next, but that was different. The cold wasn¡¯t a direct threat to one¡¯s life in the game. The truth was... I just had a poor tolerance for cold. I once watched Harmony fight AI enemies in a blizzard while barely wearing enough clothes to stay warm. When I asked if she felt cold, she said she could feel it but not to the point where it affected her gamey. For hardcore mode users like me, it was much colder, but it still wasn¡¯t life-threatening. If it were, the game would¡¯ve forcibly logged me out long before it reached that point. As I exined all this, Dice seemed to ept it. ¡°I see. Guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to me your loss on that, are you?¡± ¡°No! I was just freaked out!¡± Was he really that scared? I should probably check out the reyter to see exactly what I looked like during that match. I had a rough idea, but still... Anyway, it was time to get back to business. The post-game interview had taken a bit longer than expected, but that was normal for an event like the Asia qualifiers, especially since the broadcast was running in real-time at 1x speed. Five minutes had already passed since the match ended. It was time for the debriefing. ¡°So, how was your firsthand experience of the importance of CQC?¡± ¡°Ugh, I was fighting a walking tank! What experience?¡± ...Well, he had a point. Still, the important part of CQC wasn¡¯t just about meleebat. ¡°Most people think CQC is all about fighting with close-range weapons, but actually, using a pistol is better. If you can fire a shot instead of swinging abat knife, it¡¯s always more advantageous.¡± ¡°Really? But in movies, the bad guys are always rolling around on the ground without even firing a shot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they get too close without maintaining proper distance and fall within melee range. Plus, if the bad guy dies too early, the movie runs out of material.¡± ¡°True, true.¡± Naturally, there was a lot to teach about CQC, from how to fight based onbat distance to various shooting techniques like Center Axis Relock, to different martial arts styles. Of course, I hadn¡¯t learned martial arts myself¡ªI just avoided punches and knives and countered anyone who tried to grapple me. As for those who did, well, they were no longer around to talk about it. Personally, I preferred to teach things like one-handed magazine changes and fast reloading. But for those advancing to the finals, this was just one small part of the broader curriculum they¡¯d need to master. Dice¡¯s sharp gaze caught my attention. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? You¡¯re thinking of what to teach me next, right? Something along the lines of what you just exined?¡± ¡°You know me too well. That¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just too much of a workaholic, Yujin.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± But sometimes, being a workaholic was necessary. We exchanged a knowing look, and Dice gave a resigned shrug, as if to say, ¡°I knew it.¡± Like I said before, this training was essential for those advancing to the finals. In America, there were plenty of yers far more skilled than Dice. ording to the data I had recently reviewed, eight yers from North America would bepeting in the finals. Among them were gamers, special forces veterans, and everyone in between. Dark Zone, being a game, had a low barrier to entry, which meant all kinds of talented individuals would show up. Dice would need every bit of preparation to stand a chance. Even cing in the top five would be a monumental achievement. Dice¡¯s personal goal was to make the top five, so helping him prepare was the least I could do. I opened the door ahead. Screeeech! ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s the Fire Snake! The Goddess of Napalm!¡± ¡°I said nothing, Ms. Yujin. I swear.¡± In that moment, a mix of emotions surged through me. I knew all too well how to inflict a bit of pain without leaving physical marks, but these guys didn¡¯t need to know that. Stretching my arms, I cracked my neck.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Let¡¯s get the debriefing over quickly.¡± Sometimes, a bit of intimidation worked wonders. Faint sounds of difort echoed from the room. After a short, but seemingly endless time for a few, some of the yers in the waiting room emerged with looser shoulders and less tension in their backs. They had experienced my ¡°special massage.¡± It was a sort of punishment for loose lips, but hey¡ªwhat¡¯s a little pain between teammates? And now that it was Sunday, unlike yesterday, there wasn¡¯t much need for an extended debriefing. "Please stop reying that same footage. It¡¯s getting on my nerves.¡± These guys weren¡¯t mistaking this for my highlight reel time, were they? Still, since Dice had been my opponent in the video, she was already looking ahead to the next match, promising to teach them a lesson. The others immediately shrank back under her looming threat. My second disciple¡¯s influence was already this strong. In any case, the rxed and friendly atmosphere had developed over thest month, especially now that we werefortably in first ce. That allowed for a more casual rapport. But time had a way of eroding things, and so too would this dynamic. As part of the task force, I couldn¡¯t ignore that forever. There were things that needed to be addressed now, while the opportunity presented itself. Taking a deep breath, I began. ¡°With no further debriefing necessary, we¡¯ll now move on to an introduction to the pre-finals curriculum for those preparing for the end of the year.¡± The end of the year. The third week of December. The finals. Also known as the Final Championship. It was approaching fast. Chapter 197 "Let¡¯s begin the summary of the 3rd Asia Qualifiers!" "Why do you look so happy?" "Hehe, does it show? Thanks to a certain hotshot¡¯s teachings, I managed to climb up to second ce!" Triumphant, almost majestic music sted from the speakers, filling the arena with energy. The spectators, both in-person and virtual, were engaged in heated cheeringpetitions, all hoping their favorite yers woulde out on top. The massive holographic tes lining the walls, disying the avatars of VR viewers, only added to the excitement. Technically, Dice and I were also participants and VR viewers in a sense. To maintain anonymity, our bodies were being projected as holograms onto the central stage by ceiling-mounted projectors. Still, Dice''s constantpliments were getting more casual and frequent. Or maybe it was more urate to say she¡¯dpletely lost her sense of embarrassment. Whatever sense of shame she had lost, I seemed to have gained in spades. I was thrilled that we¡¯d secured a spot in the finals, but in this case, I could let it slide¡ªshe was speaking to me in private. Still, I needed to change the subject quickly. "Was it like thisst year?" "It was. But the facilities weren¡¯t as nice back then. This time, the separation between yers and spectators is so well done that, honestly, after a match, it¡¯s hard to tell whether we¡¯re in the Asia Qualifiers or the off-season." "That¡¯s a bit much." Dice seemed to ramble on whenever the word st year" was mentioned. Not that I could avoid bringing it up¡ªit¡¯s something I¡¯d have to deal with. In the future, though, I¡¯d try to just brush past the subject lightly instead of hitting the button directly. Of course, Dice had a habit of pushing the conversation in unexpected directions, but I¡¯d manage. As for my current feelings, I guess "relieved" would be the right word. It wasn¡¯t so much that it felt nostalgic, but more that a long-standing issue had finally been resolved. While I could technically leave for the U.S. at any moment, earning a legitimate ticket to the finals at the end of my journey felt more meaningful. Though, to be fair, they hadn¡¯t even announced the solo qualifiers¡¯ finalists yet. I was probably jumping the gun with these thoughts, but they were just thoughts after all. "Now, we¡¯ll reveal the national rankings!" The holograms shifted, and the announcement proceeded smoothly. At the top of the leaderboard was the South Korean g, towering over the others. It wasn¡¯t just Dice and I who had secured victory¡ªSouth Korean yers, on average, had scored higher than those from other nations, and even better thanst year. Sure, I could have felt proud of that, but I had already experienced enough of everyone¡¯s progress through countless debriefings over the past two days. No need to dwell on it further. Still, the sight of the cheering crowds never got old. "Five finalists. Last year, we only had three. But even then, it doesn¡¯t feel like much of an increase. With you and me taking up two slots, that only leaves three spots." "You think you¡¯ll make it?" "Just watch, it¡¯s all right there." The five gs shifted from a vertical to a horizontal arrangement, and beneath them, familiar usernames appeared on the holographic list. Yujin, Dice, Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. Reserve yers were Summit, Corvus, Crossline, Doberman, and Ebler. A simr list appeared beneath the gs of Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and finally, China. The finalist list was now official. Unlike KSM, where the stage would transform and forcibly bring the finalists to the host¡¯s side, the Asia Qualifiers¡¯ setup didn¡¯t involve any dramatic stage antics. yers would receive their qualification notices electronically. For those of us projected in VR, like Dice and myself, it came via email. The email contained a first-ss ne ticket for mid-December, along with an attachment¡ªa hefty PDF detailing the expected schedule. I was about to ask if it was the samest year, but Dice''s nonchnt reaction suggested that it probably was. Woooooo! This time, the cheers were for all the finalists, equally celebrating their achievement. Yet, for some reason, the sound felt like a desperate attempt to cling to the passing moments. I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt it. But now wasn¡¯t the time to be sentimental. My role as a mentor was winding down, and this was likely thest time I¡¯d be here. Well, unless I came back next year, but a year is a long time. A lot can change. As these thoughts floated through my mind, Dice and I locked eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Take care of yourself." "Take care...? What do you mean¡ª" Bzzzz. Suddenly, my vision cked out, and the next thing I knew, I was standing next to the host. Looking up at the ceiling, I noticed the holographic projector was slightly angled differently than before. That¡¯s VR for you. Not being physically present here meant the possibility of being teleported without warning. The reason for being brought here was simple: an interview. As a montage of my gamey from the Asia Qualifiers yed behind me, I found myself holding a microphone¡ªsomething I should have anticipated. It wasn¡¯t surprising for the top yer of the Asia Qualifiers to give an interview. The host''s voice rang in my ears as I scanned the crowd of thousands before me. "Congrattions on being named this year¡¯s Asia Qualifier yer! How do you feel?" "I¡¯m mainly thinking about how to prepare for the finals¡ªdoes that sound too inhuman?" "Haha, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re already more than human!" ...My image was ruined. I could already imagine how much Dice would tease me about this when we got back. Unlike KSM or the ranking matches, the questions this time around were a bit more personal and less focused on strategy or gamey. No one was asking me about how I maintained top rankings or what my mindset was during matches anymore. Instead, viewers and yers alike submitted their questions in text format, which the host then read aloud. Fortunately, anything too sensitive was filtered out beforehand. But among the questions that slipped through was one from an anonymous Korean yer¡ªa minor yet memorable query. "Haha, next question! Let¡¯s see... Ah, this is an interesting one! It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a question about Yujin¡¯s personal life. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not too sensitive... hopefully. Someone wants to know: who¡¯s better at handling their liquor?" "Liquor?" Oh... Racking my brain, I tried to recall any relevant memories... but none came to mind. One thing I vaguely remembered, though... "I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I do recall hearing that I can¡¯t handle alcohol very well. I remember someone saying my face turns bright red after just a little. But I don¡¯t know why that is." "Haha, that¡¯s a surprising answer!" The crowd erupted inughter, but I was left with no clear answer. Large chunks of my memory were missing, after all. This only highlighted another weakness I hadn¡¯t thought about in years¡ªalcohol tolerance. It wasn¡¯t something I had experienced since returning here. What a curious bunch they were. "Thank you for your time! Now, moving on¡ª" After fielding a few more questions, the host thanked me and sent me back to my original position. Next up was Dice¡¯s interview. As the clock on the ceiling showed 6:30 p.m., other yers were also being called up to the stage. Judging by the names being summoned, it seemed they were drawing from the finalist list. The evening was winding down¡ªwell, almost. "The Asia Qualifiers aren¡¯t over yet." "What?" "You forgot, didn¡¯t you?" The host''s voice echoed once again, but this time with a different announcement. "Thank you to everyone who watched today¡¯s matches! We look forward to seeing you next year. But the Asia Qualifiers aren¡¯t done just yet!" Whooosh! The stage split into five sections, extending outward into the crowd. At that moment, I recalled one of the tournament exnations I had read earlier. "We¡¯ll now begin the yer-fan raffle meet-and-greet!" Oh. The host¡¯s excited voice announced the fan meeting lottery, and as I stared at the holographic panels disying the raffle results, I let out a resigned sigh. Of all the things to forget... Man-made structures may seem enormous, but when faced with a mass of people, their size shrinks considerably. Why am I saying this? "How many fans are participating in today¡¯s meet-and-greet?" "1,500 offline, and another 1,500 online, so... about 3,000 total." "That¡¯s a lot." The stadium felt cramped. Even in a massive venue like the Yongsan eSports Stadium, a crowd of thousands made the ce feel suffocatingly small. There was one fortunate thing, though. The meet-and-greet wasn¡¯t just for me and Dice¡ªevery yer who participated in today¡¯s qualifiers was here. In public service terms, it was like having twenty people working five service counters. Sure, the Korean yers would have the longest lines, but it meant the process would move faster than expected. However, the unfortunate part was... "It¡¯s so crowded..." "Don¡¯t get too close to Yujin, or her hologram will glitch!" With a hundred yers split across five sections, the space was far more cramped than anticipated. It felt like a human disaster waiting to happen, not an "elite gathering." Additionally, both Dice and I, still hesitant to appear in person, were attending the fan meeting via mobile hologram drones. This limited our mobility even more. If one of the drones malfunctioned, that would be the end of it. But time marched on. "Could we take a picture where I¡¯m wrapped in your snake tail?" "..." "Ah, sorry, I¡¯ve never done that before, so no." "Why not?" Of course, "fan meeting" didn¡¯t mean everything was simple. Some fans were oddly fixated on my tail. Even though I was just a hologram, they seemed obsessed with it¡ªa sentiment I couldn¡¯t quite understand. I still considered myself a regr person withmon sense. And then there was Dice, opposing the tail request for equally bizarre reasons. I didn¡¯t know who to deal with first. Snap! "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is this really a hologram? The quality is amazing." "Ah, hurry up! Stopplimenting the tail!" "Hehe, today¡¯s match was awesome! Keep up the good work!" Ah, seriously... Well, a fan meeting is a fan meeting. In the end, I relented and took pictures as requested. Naturally, I couldn¡¯t just do that for one fan, so I ended up doing the same for everyone else waiting in line. They all had various requests involving my tail¡ªit was mentally exhausting. That aside, the line of 1,500 fans moved faster than I expected, thanks to the efficient staff and the tightly controlled movement paths. In about an hour and a half, all 100 yers had finished their meet-and-greet sessions with the in-person fans. Now it was time for the virtual fans who had been selected through the online raffle. As the staff busily set up more holographic projectors, Dice brought up my earlier interview, particrly fixating on the bit about alcohol. "So, you really can¡¯t handle alcohol?" "I don¡¯t think so. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll drink tonight or not." "Aww, let¡¯s drink together! What¡¯s your limit? Do you get tipsy? Get all stubborn and angry? That would be so scary." "I told you, I don¡¯t know." "Then I¡¯ll take the lead." "Does ¡®taking the lead¡¯ now mean satisfying personal curiosity?" "Hehehe." I swear, I can¡¯t deal with her sometimes. I didn¡¯t raise a student¡ªI raised a rebellious frog. "Notice: the fan meeting is resuming." "Ughhh." "Come on, we¡¯re almost done." The newly installed holographic projectors cast light down from the ceiling, and soon, hundreds of virtual avatars appeared in an orderly fashion. Was all of this really necessary? I shook off the stray thoughts.@@novelbin@@ It was time to end things on a high note. The curtain was about to fall on the Asia Qualifiers'' solo event. Chapter 198 "Finally, the Asia preliminaries are over. We¡¯ve really been running breathlessly." "Well, technically it was over yesterday. If you count the duo and squad events, there¡¯s still about a month left. Not that we need to worry about those though¡­" "True. Time really flies." Clink. At 1 a.m. on Monday morning, somewhere in the eSports stadium, two crimson-filled sses clinked together, echoing a refreshing sound through the air. The liquid inside vibrated slightly before being drawn to the lips of the two people sitting across from each other. The table, though notrge, was elegant, and next to the wine sses were various appetizers and several wine bottles. Cheese, ham, chocte, canap¨¦s, and shrimp were all lined up, waiting to be savored. The fresh scent of wine filled the room, while Yu-jin and I chatted, seatedfortably together. "Wow! Drink! Drink! Drink!" "¡­Seems like the next room is having a wild time." "Weren¡¯t they like that when you and I were there too? They must have iron stomachs. If we hadn¡¯t left early, we might not have made it." "True enough." Sip. Even as the whiskey slid down my throat, my gaze kept drifting across the table. Through the ss, I watched Yu-jin, her sharp, yet delicate features contrasting with the small, dainty way she handled her drink. She didn¡¯t seem used to alcohol¡ªat least, it didn¡¯t look like she drank often. And yet, despite having already had a bit to drink, here she was, acting like someone tasting alcohol for the first time. That¡¯s right, as hinted earlier, we¡¯d already had a sessful preliminary round, followed by a dinner party with about 30 other people, including drinks. In other words, this was our second round. Seeing her like this, it was clear¡ªYu-jin was as consistent as ever. "Yu-jin, your face is really red." "¡­I told you. My face turns red really quickly." "Is that because you¡¯re a manifestor?" "¡­" Yu-jin shook her head slightly in a rare disy of modesty. I wanted to react, but she opened her mouth a beat faster than I could. "I think I¡¯m just weak with alcohol." "Yeah, I can tell. How many drinks did you have back there? Three, maybe four? That¡¯s like half a bottle of soju, right? And your face got that red?" "¡­Stop making me repeat myself." Well, people don¡¯t always understand their own bodies. It was better to just let it go. Honestly, that was the only option. I didn¡¯t want to keep asking questions and make things awkward. Still, based on what I¡¯d seen so far¡­ I wasn¡¯t so sure she was actually that weak. If she were really weak, she¡¯d probably be passed out by now. But here she was, still drinking, even though she imed otherwise. Then again, she was starting to look different from how she usually did. The more she drank, the softer her demeanor became. At least, that¡¯s how it seemed to me. ¡®Come to think of it, do I have any drinking habits¡­?¡¯ On the outside, people often told me I looked like the type to enjoy sipping fine wine with expensive appetizers while gazing at the night view. But the truth was, I was just a regr person with a perfectly normal liver, born and raised in Korea. I didn¡¯t have a close rtionship with alcohol, but it¡¯s not like I had no experience with it either. As far as I could remember, no one had ever told me I had a weak tolerance. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was considered strong, but at least I wasn¡¯t known for being weak. In fact, I was usually one of thest people standing at any drinking party. One thing I¡¯d heard a few times, though, was that I tended to get a little chatty. Maybe that was my drinking habit. Anyway, the appetizers were good, and the wine was top-notch, so instead of the usual bitterness, I was tasting its aroma, acidity, and a host of other vors. It just made the wine go down even smoother. Yu-jin agreed that it was good wine. She kept sipping, even asking a few times if it was okay to have more. "Yu-jin, you get quieter when you drink." "¡­Do I? I¡¯m not sure." "You also seem a little spaced out." What was certain was that the sharp confidence and charisma Yu-jin always disyed were nowhere to be found. Her once sharp eyes had softened, and her normally serious expression had given way to an innocent look¡ªa look that seemed more fitting for someone her age. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of life she¡¯d lived to be this way. ¡­Or maybe I was just getting sentimental because of the alcohol. "You know, you look a lot better when you¡¯re not frowning all the time. Try rxing a bit." "I do try to rx." "That¡¯s what you call rxing? I mean, doing things that make you happy for your age, like hanging out with friends, drinking¡­" "Wait a minute. I¡¯m doing that right now." "Oh, right." Thinking about it, Yu-jin had never really been this casual with me before. I nced at her through the ss as she continued to drink. There was something¡­ softer about her now. She wasn¡¯t the same Yu-jin who constantly pulled off outrageous stunts and justified them with her incredible skills. I¡¯d thought I was the one feeling tipsy, but seeing her like this sobered me right up. It seemed like tonight, I¡¯d be the only one going to bed with a clear head. Meanwhile, Yu-jin was picking up the pace, drinking a bit more rapidly now. For someone who imed to be weak, she sure was handling her alcohol well. Maybe when she said she was weak, she meant she wouldn¡¯t remember any of this tomorrow. Who knows? Whatever the truth was, I figured it¡¯d reveal itself soon enough. "Yu-jin, do you have any fun stories to share? Like something you¡¯ve been wanting to talk about, or any future ns¡­ Honestly, with the amount of alcohol we¡¯ve had, we could talk until sunrise." "Uh¡­ I¡¯m not really that interesting." "Well, if all stories were entertaining, we¡¯d all beedians. No pressure, though. Just anything you feel like talking about?" "Well¡­." There was a brief pause. I had a gut feeling that she might need more alcohol to open up further, so we clinked sses one more time. This time, I decided to break the silence myself. "By the way, Yu-jin, I heard from Harmony that you once showed her how you can make a heart shape with your tail? Is that true?" "¡­Oh my god. Yeah, I can do it." "Show¡ª" Before I could even finish asking, Yu-jin, with a slight grumble about why people were so fascinated with her tail, gave in and started moving it. Under the soft light of the ceiling, the scales of her tail shimmered beautifully as it wavered through the air. And sure enough, it slowly formed a loose heart shape. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight. It struck me that this was a form of affection unique only to her. I wondered, would Yu-jin ever show this to someone she might date in the future? But honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure that day would evere. "¡­Do you want to see more? I¡¯m starting to feel a little self-conscious." "Huh?" We locked eyes for a brief moment. Her gaze, still tinted red, quickly darted away, her blush deepening. I chuckled softly and reassured her that she could stop if she wanted to. The tail slowly uncurled and lowered back down. And then, with a slight pause, Yu-jin added quietly: "I only show this to people I trust, you know." "Wow, I¡¯m honored. So does that mean I can touch it?" "Your desire is showing." "Ah, must be the alcohol talking." Then, something soft pressed against my thigh. Yu-jin, with a curious yet slightly mixed expression, asked: "¡­Is this really something people like? Everyone seems so fascinated with it. Why does everyone love tails so much?" "Well, the texture is nice. It''s pretty, too. Soft and squishy¡­ Plus, we don¡¯t have tails, so we¡¯re naturally curious about them¡­ Though I realize now I sound a bit creepy." "So you''ve always thought that?" "¡­I''ve only ever thought about your tail, Yu-jin." "Oh, jeez." And so, in the spirit of drinking, we ended up talking about all sorts of things¡ªthings we¡¯d been meaning to say, thoughts we¡¯d kept bottled up. There were still some topics left untouched, but I figured she¡¯d share them eventually. If not, it didn¡¯t really matter. I took another sip of the dark red wine. The wine and thete night blended together, sliding down my throat. I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when suddenly¡ª "Ugh¡­." "Yu-jin,e on, you need to get to bed¡­!" With a soft thud, Yu-jin¡¯s facended on the table. Whether or not she was actually weak with alcohol was still up for debate, but here she was, fast asleep, face down on the table. I coaxed her up, the sweet scent of shampoo drifting from her hair. She was surprisingly heavy¡ªdefinitely not the type to sling over my shoulder. After about ten minutes of gentle nudging, she finally woke up and stumbled her way over to the bed just a few meters away. I handed her a ss of water, which she drank absentmindedly, still half-asleep. I sat down next to her on the bed and asked: "¡­You¡¯ll be able to sleep properly now, right?"@@novelbin@@ Soft breathing. There was no response, only the sound of her soft breathing. I gently shifted her, guiding her head onto the pillow. She didn¡¯t move again¡ªclearly, she was out cold. Whether I felt sorry for her or relieved, I wasn¡¯t sure, but it seemed that Yu-jin didn¡¯t really have any strange drinking habits after all. Having snacked while we drank, there wasn¡¯t much cleanup to do. I decided to wipe up quickly and get some sleep myself. Yu-jin stirred slightly in her sleep, but remained still as I checked the time. It was around 3 a.m. Time to sleep. Thud. "¡­Huh?" And suddenly, without warning, I was yanked back onto the bed with a force I couldn¡¯t resist. I had no idea what was happening, but as my body hit the mattress, I felt something soft wrap around me. Soft, warm, and¡­ a pleasant scent? "Y-Yu-jin¡­?" There was something soft pressed against my back¡ªYu-jin¡¯s tail, wrapped carefully around my waist and legs. And from behind me, pale arms gently draped over my shoulders. There was no denying it now. ¡®¡­I¡¯ve be a human body pillow!¡¯ Yu-jin had rolled over in her sleep, and I had be her makeshift hugging pillow. What was even stranger was how¡­ plush her body felt. The sensation of her soft breathing against my back, paired with an almost marshmallow-like softness, jolted me awake. But at the same time, sleep was creeping up on me fast. After all, resistance was futile, and I was exhausted from the long day. Just as I was about to drift off, her tail, which had been wrapped around me, slowly loosened and fell across myp. For some reason, hugging her tail felt oddlyforting, and I held onto it as I let myself finally rx. The lights automatically dimmed, and the room filled with a quiet darkness. There I was, hugging Yu-jin¡¯s tail like a pillow, while she held onto me in her sleep. It was, without a doubt, a strange sight. ¡®I¡¯ll have to tease her about thister¡­.¡¯ With thatst thought, I finally passed out. It had been one long day. Saturday morning, 7:30 a.m. Owens, waking up at his usual time, found a message notification blinking on his screen. The link had been shared just ten minutes earlier, sent by Logan Blemis. Considering the time difference, it was probably around 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Korea. The video itself had been uploaded at around 5 a.m. U.S. time. The thumbnail featured Yu-jin holding a microphone, and there was no reason not to click on it. The video was short, only about 30 seconds long. The title read: Yu-jin¡¯s Unexpected Secret. Still half-asleep, Owens watched the video, and a faint smile spread across his face. "There¡¯s always a reason people keep certain things to themselves." Of course, he didn¡¯t know who Yu-jin was hanging out with these days, and it wasn¡¯t something she would have mentioned. But judging by the video, there wasn¡¯t anything scandalous¡ªit wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d gotten drunk and caused a scene. Still, for the sake of her privacy, he decided to keep his mouth shut. For some reason, his entire body ached. Just then, a call came through. "You¡¯re thinking the same thing I am, aren¡¯t you, Owens?" "Do I need to say it out loud?" "Haha, that¡¯s all the answer I need." Even Laura, a manifestor herself, had once mentioned how her body creaked after being wrapped up in Yu-jin¡¯s tail while drunk¡­ Maybe this was too early of a thought. Owens chuckled softly as he added something else that had crossed his mind. "Next time I see her, I¡¯ll have to ask if she did anything strange while drunk. I¡¯ll just say it was your idea." "What?! That¡¯ll get me killed, Owens¡­ Owens? Are you there? This damn guy, where did he go?!" Click. And with that, Owens hung up, ignoring the flurry of annoyed texts that followed. It was shaping up to be a pretty refreshing morning. Chapter 199 "Yu-jin, when do you think this situation will end?" "Huh¡­?"@@novelbin@@ "Is that all you''ve got to say after dragging someone who¡¯s never had a drink before into this?" "Damn it, I just want this to end so I can send this kid home. I''m just trying to discuss it a bit earlier." Fragments of my past memories shed through my mind. It was the first time I drank, and I drank until I waspletely out of it. Along with about fifteen others, we drank wine until our stomachs were about to burst. The wine, naturally, had been scavenged from various wineries scattered across New York. The amount of wine we drank that night easily reached into the billions. It couldn¡¯t have been any other way. There were no more people left to guard the wineries, and nobody to stop us from taking it. Everyone had sumbed to the virus or the winter storms of New York. The joke myrades made about taking a few bottles of wine being equivalent to cleaning up the trash strewn across the city still echoed in my ears. That night marked two years since I set foot in New York, and it was also the day our squad''s kill count hit exactly 5,000. "Ugh¡­" "Haha, damn it, Morrison made Yu-jin cry after all." "Hey, take that Petrus bottle out of his mouth. Logan, don¡¯t you agree? I respect you, and whatever choice you make from here on out, I respect that too." "Aye aye, sir! I''ll take it right away!" "You bastards, give it back! The amount left in that ss is worth $2,000!" Chaos. In the hazy memory, I watched as Logan seized the bottle of Chateau Petrus, while Morrison, despite his fierce resistance, was no match for the bear-like strength of Logan. His thick arms, which looked like they could snap a log in half, grabbed Morrison''s frail hands, rendering him helpless. It was a bizarre scene. At some point, I think I muttered something. I can¡¯t remember what I said now, but everyone widened their eyes in response. Logan handed the bottle back, probably thinking I was okay with it. What followed next was a feeling of warmth as Logan, much closer now, patted my head and back,forting me. My memories jumped around repeatedly. I think I cried about wanting to go home, then somehow regained my strength and walked back to the barracks, holding my bloated stomach, which was full of alcohol instead of food. I remember holding Logan¡¯s hand and seeing glimpses of the hallway leading to the barracks. It wasn¡¯t a memory I was particrly fond of. At that time, I had let out every frustration that had been building up inside me. Logan, who had also been mysteriously transformed into a woman, was the one who listened. It was a time when everyone around us was barely hanging on. Though I didn¡¯t want to recall it, there was also a part of me that knew if I hadn¡¯t vented that day, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on. We both relied on each other, barely managing to get through it. Of course¡ª "Hey, hey! What are you doing!?" "Pillow¡­" There were other reasons I didn¡¯t want to remember that day. Though I slept more soundly than usual that night, it was because I had wrapped Logan up with my tail like a cocoon. That, in itself, was enough reason for me to avoid drinking. Who knows what I might do if I lost control again? As the memory finally faded, everything turned ck. Not just my senses, but even the certainty that I¡¯d be able to remember any of this once I woke up. All that might remain was a vague sense of longing. Nevertheless, time passed. Everything submerged back into the sea of forgetfulness. And then¡­ "¡­Mm, snf." I barely stifled the sound that almost escaped my lips. Golden hair filled my vision, and from my tail¡ªpressed against Dice''s body¡ªI felt a softness that I shouldn¡¯t have been feeling. Quickly unraveling the tail that had been coiled around her, I was relieved to hear her breathing return to a more natural rhythm. I nced up at the clock on the wall. 10 a.m. We didn¡¯t have to leave until 3 p.m., which was when all the solopetitors in the Asia preliminaries had to vacate the venue. Time wasn¡¯t an issue, but my head throbbed. As I carefully sat up, I checked Dice¡¯s body for any signs of injury. My memories ofst night were foggy. Had I gripped her too tightly? More importantly, how had my habit of using my tail as a pillow escted into this mess? I sighed deeply, relieved to see that apart from a slight redness where my tail had wrapped around her, there were no other visible marks. If I had lost control and hurt her, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to forgive myself. As I shifted, Dice woke up too. "Ugh, my body¡­" "I¡¯m sorry." "Oh, you¡¯re awake¡­." Still half-asleep, Dice rubbed her eyes with both hands. Even while yawning, she managed to cover her mouth¡ªquite impressive. Even now, she was using my tail as a pillow. Still caught between sleep and wakefulness, she asionally muttered something as she absentmindedly fiddled with my tail. "Sleeping in the same position all night¡­ Ugh. What time is it?" "It''s 10 a.m. Would you like a massage? I know it sounds strange, but it¡¯s really effective for muscle recovery." "¡­I¡¯m fine. Just a ss of water, please." With a soft rustle, my tail slid out of her grasp. I went to the fridge and pulled out a chilled bottle of water, pouring a ss for each of us. The cold water soothed my fuzzy head, and Dice, apparently quite thirsty, downed her ss and asked for another. After a brief trip to the bathroom, we both sipped some chocte milk from the fridge to settle our stomachs. With some sugar in her system, Dice looked much better, ncing around the now-tidy room. "Looks like someone cleaned up while we were in the bathroom." "Seems like it." "Ah, you''re back to your usual self, Yu-jin¡­ It''s kind of a shame." "Hearing you say that makes me dread finding out what I didst night." She snickered. It seemed Dice had understood myment in the exact opposite way I¡¯d intended. The words that followed from her mouth¡­ What could I say? It was like reliving the same embarrassing moments all over again. Dice found it amusing to see me in a more human light, but hearing it now was mortifying. If there was a next drinking session, I hoped I¡¯d handle myself better than this. "Oh, Yu-jin, your face is red again. Is that from the alcohol?" "No¡­ this is from embarrassment." "Heehee." How embarrassing. In any case, Dice clearly hadn¡¯t fully recovered fromst night either. Seven hours of sleep weren¡¯t enough topletely shake off the effects. She yawned as she checked the time again, then shuffled over to the bed. ording to the schedule, we had until 3 p.m. to leave the eSports stadium. Dice knew that too, so she decided to get a little more rest. As she flopped onto the bed, she asked: "You¡¯re not going to sleep, are you?" "I¡¯ll rest too, if there¡¯s nothing else to do." "Okay, I¡¯ll set the rm for noon¡­ See you in a bit." Plop. She copsed onto the bed, and I, too, sank back onto mine. The bed creaked slightly but didn¡¯t cause any issues. At least, that¡¯s what I told myself. As I stared into the now-dark room, I closed my eyes. I let my consciousness drift into the depths. Two hours passed in what felt like an instant. This time, my fatigue had significantly lessened. The hangover was still there, but the chocte milk had helped ease it a bit. If I ate something decent for lunch, I¡¯d probably be back to normal. The rm rang, and I gave Dice a light smack to wake her up. I left a quick note that I¡¯d be showering first and grabbed my shower basket. The hot water washed away the lingering effects ofst night¡¯s excess. After about 30 minutes, I emerged feeling much fresher. Dice was waiting outside the bathroom, and we had a brief exchange. "I packed all your things too. What do you want for lunch? There¡¯s a famous bean sprout soup ce nearby." "You¡¯re suggesting bean sprout soup with the vibe of someone who¡¯d rather be eating m chowder with bread for a hangover cure." "Ah, that¡¯s discrimination." "Fine, then I suppose I¡¯ll pretend I¡¯m eating raw beef for breakfast." "Heehee." When we returned to the room, it was spotless. Apart from the two bags sitting on the bed, it looked as though no one had been there at all. As the air conditioning blew through my hair, I grabbed a drink from the fridge to quench my hunger. Since home was close enough to Yongsan, there wasn¡¯t much rush to leave. By the time 1 p.m. rolled around, Dice returned, looking much more refreshed. "Oh, your hair is a mess again. Come here!" "What¡¯s wrong with it? As long as it looks fine, it¡¯s fine." "Come on, let me brush it! Stop resisting." It felt a little strange. Despite my protests, Dice insisted on brushing my hair. Though I got scolded a few times, it seemed we had be quite close after all. After a bit more primping, we finally prepared to leave the ce we had grown attached to. By 1:20 p.m., I cleared our names from the pad on the wall, officially checking us out. As we stepped outside, a gentle breeze and warm sunlight greeted us, caressing the park. Unlike yesterday, it was just the two of us. We walked through the quiet park that no longer needed to amodate hundreds of thousands of people. "Oh, Yu-jin, I forgot to mention something." "What is it? If it''s something weird, I¡¯ll let it slide just this once." "The bean sprout soup ce is a kilometer away." "Oh,e on." That was such a Dice-like mistake. But since it was thest day, I decided to let it slide and hurried my steps. The Asia preliminaries, which had begun with millions ofpetitors, ended quietly, with just the two of us. Silent, serene, and with only two people walking together. "Therefore, while there are many unclear aspects about this data, there is no doubt it was encrypted using the Icarus Gear algorithm." "Unclear?" "I mean that we cannot be certain of its authenticity or reliability. After the encryption, it continued to update and modify itself into an unrecognizable form. I don¡¯t know if you can even call it data anymore." Several ck vehicles sped down the highway under heavy guard. Inside one of the most heavily secured vehicles, the U.S. Secretary of Defense was holding a real-time video conference with her team in the U.S., a noise-cancelling barrier shielding the conversation. On the other end of the screen was Jordan Royden, a senior researcher from DARPA and one of hundreds involved in developing the Icarus Gear and its encryptedwork. This wasn¡¯t just any meeting. It was a gathering of DARPA researchers, the Secretary of Defense, and several key figures. "So there¡¯s no way to resolve this for now?" "Unfortunately, no." That was the conclusion. J had already received numerous ssified reports earlier, many of them through secret channels. Some of these reports hade from Korean HUMINT and included information on Yu-jin¡¯s recent activities, specifically how, over the past two months, much of her data had be suddenly encrypted. Even Korea¡¯s intelligence agencies had no way of decrypting it. It was fortunate, yet unfortunate, that the encryption had been done using the Icarus algorithm. It meant that, without proper methods, it would remain indecipherable for decades. Setting aside the hundreds of billions of dors spent building the Icarusworks and infrastructure, the algorithms developed by former researchers during their spare time wouldn¡¯t stand a chance at breaking the encryption. There was also no real need to break it. The fact that the data was encrypted meant that if Yu-jin¡¯s military history were ever questioned, it wouldn¡¯t cause much trouble. Encrypted secrets tend to inspire trust, regardless of the content. But still¡ª ¡®Regardless, the Icarus Gear is revolutionary technology.¡¯ The U.S. had no choice but to cooperate with Yu-jin to gain ess to the Icarus Gear. Its ownership was entirely in her hands, so transferring it to the U.S. was nearly impossible. Whether the data within could benefit the U.S. wasn¡¯t the issue. Even if it didn¡¯t matter, the Pandora¡¯s box had to be opened. As the meeting ended, J opened anothermunication line. "Proceed as nned. We¡¯re not considering halting the operation." "Understood." J G. Harper. She was known for her relentless drive toplete any task within her purview. As themunication ended, a fleeting memory of Yu-jin passed through her mind. Soon enough, Eugene woulde to know that America had its eyes on her. Chapter 200 ¡°Hotteok, fall back, using cover. We won¡¯t be able to hold the line.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Waaah!¡± Boom! ¡°Limit, push the opposite line, and Stone, cover them.¡± ¡°Oh my god, the fire is too intense!¡± ¡°Stone, cover fire! Cover fire! Take out the UGV first!¡± Ratatatat! BOOM! The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air as bullets whizzed by. In the middle of the chaos, a small squad of four desperately tried to hold the front line. The fluid, aggressive movements of the Artemis PMC hit their defenses like relentless waves crashing against a wall, leading to a prolonged stalemate. As the scorching sun beat down from the sky, recing the earlier snowfall, four avatars¡ªoddly out of ce for a warzone¡ªcontinued their fierce battle. This was the "Misfits" task force. Led by Harmony, the team wasposed of members from their previous coboration, and they were now tackling the Artemis mission on "Very Hard" difficulty. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this difficulty a bit too much from the start?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s hard! We activated several challenge mods, so even a scratch can kill you!¡± Amid the chaos, Harmony held the authority as the squad leader. Before anyone couldin, her sharpmand brought immediate focus. If not, the iing bullets quickly corrected their attitude. Why were they suddenly tackling a mission on "Very Hard" difficulty, even before maxing out their levels? It was simple. The Streamer-Only Domination Mode Tournament was two weeks away. 12 vs. 12. Six squads would split evenly between two teams, fighting to capture three key points¡ªA, B, and C. It was a chaotic, no-holds-barred fight where the squad leader¡¯s orders would be the most crucial factor. Until the Asia Championships were over, Harmony had been pondering this, and on Monday, she finally asked Yu-jin the critical question: ¡°How do I get better at being a squad leader?¡± Yu-jin¡¯s response was brief: ¡°Try ying on ¡®Very Hard¡¯ difficulty.¡± So, on Tuesday, they tried it. And now, here they were, in the midst of this mayhem. ¡°I guess I should focus on target identification¡­¡± The UGVs that broke their formation, the grenadiers, and the drone operators¡ªthese were the enemies they had to take out to hold the line. In other words, the squad leader had to be the first to identify them and share their positions with the squad¡¯s UI. There was so much to do, and the more Harmony thought about it, the more overwhelmed she became. Should she focus on controlling everything, or should she prioritize improving the squad¡¯s overall skills before the tournament? She had countless questions, and perhaps she should have asked for help sooner. She had hesitated because it felt unfair to ask for assistance. But after seeing that the tournament lineup included former and current pro yers, she realized¡ªpride was useless. If you needed help, you had to ask for it. ¡®¡­I should start by improving each squad member¡¯s individual skills.¡¯ Harmony assessed the battlefield coldly. One downside of doing missions with Yu-jin was that it had raised her expectations too high. After all, when she just followed Yu-jin¡¯s instructions¡ªshooting the marked targets, holding positions, and providing cover fire¡ªthe missions went smoothly. Now, it was different. The massive wall that Yu-jin represented was farrger than Harmony had ever realized. Even with more people, efficiency and firepower didn¡¯t increase proportionally. It took several failures to understand that. Perhaps this was why Yu-jin hadn¡¯t brought in other yers when they tackled missions together. But regardless, Harmony''s sharp gaze continuously evaluated her three squad members. ¡°Limit, you need to push more aggressively. Next time you slow down, I¡¯ll shoot you in the back.¡± ¡°Ack! Got it!¡± ¡°Doldoli, your threat identification is too slow. You¡¯re going to get Limit killed. Hotteok is doing fine, so let¡¯s move on.¡± Her eyes, honed to a razor¡¯s edge, cut through her team¡¯s performance. Even as she gave instructions, Harmony¡¯s own shooting never stopped. She tagged targets, pulled the trigger, and each time her finger twitched, an enemy that her team hadn¡¯t even noticed was neutralized. Heads exploded, chests were pierced, and the UGV copsed into a heap of scrap metal. How had Yu-jin trained herself? It wasn¡¯t just leaving everything to the squad; within each firefight, she pinpointed the elements her squad missed and guided them until they could achieve the results on their own. For Hotteok, she shared the best cover spots to hold the line without falling back. For Limit, she gave pathing suggestions to improve his role as point man. And for Kim Stone¡ªDoldoli¡ªshe marked the high-priority enemies necessary to break the enemy¡¯s front line. She broke down each goal into smaller, manageable tasks. Goals that were just within their capabilities, or maybe even a little beyond, to push them. What if they couldn¡¯t achieve them? That wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°If you keep trying, you¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡± ¡°Aaaah, someone stop Harmony!¡± Harmony herself had barely improved in two months, despite not being as skilled or systematic as Yu-jin. But still, after spending that much time with Yu-jin, Harmony hadn¡¯t learned nothing. By staying close to Yu-jin, she learned how to think, how to analyze people, and how to guide her squad toward better oues in firefights. Harmony, who had absorbed Yu-jin¡¯s influence, was now passing that knowledge on to her team. DING! ¡°Warning: Additional enemies detected.¡± ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± As the battle moved from the entrance of the NOA research facility to its interior, then to the rooftop, and finally to the underground levels, the yful banter gradually disappeared. Everyone, except for Harmony, started to realize something. ¡®Harmony¡­ is really serious about this, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ She was determined to transform them all. From the moment Harmony tookmand, everything changed. Hotteok, Limit, and Stone were just now realizing the shift¡ªthough Limit realized it a bit earlier, after catching a bullet in the back. Bang! ¡°Aah! She really shot me!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± Only in VR could such a warning shot exist. Like a political officer from a century ago, Harmony¡¯s "warning shots" were terrifyingly effective. Of course, her own skill, which she asionally demonstrated when the team was stuck, also yed a huge part in keeping them in line. Familiar memories ovepped before Harmony¡¯s eyes. She had walked this path with Yu-jin before, but now everything felt different. Just because you¡¯ve solved a puzzle once doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ll be easy the second time¡ªand that¡¯s what this mission was like under Harmony¡¯s lead. It was no surprise, really. Clearing "Very Hard" difficulty with multiple challenge mods was nearly impossible, even in open lobbies. ¡°Limit, draw aggro with your ballistic shield. Throw smoke, and the two of you pull back immediately. Retreat as soon as I give the signal. Don¡¯t lower the shield.¡± There wasn¡¯t time to exin everything. The battlefield changed too quickly, and after a few deaths, questions stopped altogether. As the thunderous roar of gunfire echoed down the hall, shes of light burst from Limit¡¯s ballistic shield. Hundreds of bullets per second, fired by a minigun, streaked toward them at supersonic speeds. While Limit held the line, smoke filled the hallway, allowing Stone and Hotteok to retreat. Once the smoke thickened, Limit followed Harmony¡¯s orders and began backing away without lowering the shield. Warning: Shield durability below 10%. ¡®Even with the smoke, there are still so many bullets¡­!¡¯ If Limit had lowered the shield, she would have been a goner. Before she could even thank Harmony, a few seeker mines slipped through the smoke. Explosions, mes, and shockwaves ripped through the corridor, and the gunfire fell silent. Once again, Harmony had sessfully extracted the squad from danger. It wasn¡¯t until the floor was littered with brass casings that they finally cleared a path to the next sector. Even while they reloaded and scanned for enemies, Harmony¡¯s mind continued to work. ¡°I could use this in the tournament¡­¡± Unlike thest time, when she had recruited random users and the team had been wiped out early, forcing her to solo the rest of the mission, this uing streamer tournament would be different. Unless you were on Yu-jin¡¯s level, solo y had its limits. The key to victory would be how effectively she managed her squad. There was a reason Yu-jin had told her to experience it firsthand. ¡°Harmony! Harmony!¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Huh? What? Is the path clear?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all set. Let¡¯s go.¡± Time seemed to disappear like melting snow. As they moved toward the next sector, there was a brief lull in the action, providing a chance for conversation. After such an intense battle, curiosity arose. ¡°So¡­ Yu-jin taught you all of this?¡± ¡°Pretty much. It¡¯s less that she taught me and more that I picked it up through experience¡­ though it¡¯s basically the same thing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe how much she¡¯s influenced you.¡± Harmony chuckled. That¡¯s why it was crucial to separate battles from everyday life. The more intense the fight, the lighter the conversation topics became. ¡°So, what¡¯s Yu-jin up to these days? Is she still streaming?¡± ¡°Of course. Yesterday, actually¡­ Oh, speaking of which, she was ying some game I¡¯ve never heard of. Like, 60,000 people were watching. Even foreigners were tuning in¡­¡± ¡°A crappy game¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. It¡¯s all because of you!¡± ¡°Haha! Stop, that tickles!¡± As the tension from the battle drained from her body, memories she¡¯d pushed aside started to resurface. Harmony began to wonder if she¡¯d wronged Yu-jin in some way. Even if Yu-jin was the type to dive into any game without hesitation, was it really okay to let her y that ridiculous game? She couldn¡¯t recall all the details, but it involved a sad frog and a tformer filled with absurd traps on a chaotic ind. Of course, Harmony had one thought in mind. ¡°I should try that game too, if I have time today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How could I not? It¡¯s too fun to y alone!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± But with that, they arrived at the new sector. A pristine white space filled with advanced machinery, where nonbatant enemy AI wandered like misced junk. Harmony took a deep breath and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Her bright green eyes red with determination as they locked onto the targets. That fire wouldn¡¯t be extinguished anytime soon. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve gathered most of the information. Luckily, the streamer¡¯s personal site details Yu-jin¡¯s exact movements from when theyst met. She visited a buffet restaurant, a nearby animal cafe, and a shooting range.¡± ¡°Is there any other information? The higher-ups want to locate Yu-jin through legal and official means. They don¡¯t want to risk anything.¡± ¡°Should we check CCTV footage or the local cell tower data?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s also the best way to broadcast to the entire world that we¡¯re looking for Yu-jin.¡± A rustle. A white man named Kendrick Markin Jr. grabbed a handful of snacks from the table, slowly bringing them past his waistband and nametag and into his mouth as he spoke casually. ¡°We¡¯ll know in two days.¡± ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± ¡°Because I asked her directly during a stream.¡± Kendrick muttered something about "annoying superiors" before continuing. ¡°I donated during her stream, asking if I could send her a gift to celebrate her first ce finish in the Asia Championships. She messaged me privately with a location where I could send it. From there, it¡¯s the ssic trick¡ªhide a tracking device inside the package.¡± ¡°And what if she finds the tracker?¡± ¡°Of course, she¡¯ll find it. The point isn¡¯t the tracker itself. It¡¯s a way of indirectly letting her know we n to visit.¡± Yu-jin had the original Icarus Gear, so there was no way she wouldn¡¯t notice the tracker. The boldness of his n left the room momentarily silent. Then, someone finally spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous how easy this was. How long before Yu-jin figures it out?¡± ¡°Two days at most. But we need to think about what to say, who to send, and what exactly we want to discuss.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s prepare. We have plenty of people here who can handle it. Any volunteers?¡± He nced around. Not a single person kept their hand down, and the head supervisor chuckled bitterly. Chapter 201 "Ugh, my head feels like it''s going to explode!" "Now, now, kids. When I was ying with Teacher Yu-jin..." Madness. It felt like the squad was being led by apletely insane person, and Harmony was driving them relentlessly through the main mission¡ª"Very Hard" difficulty wasn¡¯t even the worst of it. They were running endless training drills at the shooting range, pushing the limits. At least, that¡¯s what the other three squad members thought. By now, they had been logged into virtual reality for over 15 hours. It wasn¡¯t an absurdly long time. Hardcore gamers or streamers easily racked up this amount of time in a single broadcast. After all, five hours of real-world time in VR was enough to cover those 15 hours. But... maintaining that level of intense concentration, staring through dot sights and holographic scopes, constantly flicking their right and left index fingers to fire, until they had splitting headaches¡ªit was exhausting. And it wasn¡¯t like they could just give up, because... "Ugh! I can''t do it anymore! I''m done! Just kill me instead!" Stone, rolling around on the ground during the shooting range training, whining about how exhausted he was, got a quick nce from Harmony. And then she acted. Click. "AAAAAHHH! I get it, I¡¯ll do it! Please don¡¯t shoot me!" "It¡¯s better to listen while I¡¯m still talking nicely." Without a second of hesitation, she had pulled out a magazine, loaded it into her gun, released the bolt, chambered a round, and disengaged the safety. With that kind of iron-fisted leadership, Harmony kept the squad in line. To be fair, she didn¡¯t have much choice. With good friends, sometimes tough love was the only option. If no one stepped up to take charge andy down clear milestones, this group would have turned into nothing but a friendly hangout until the tournament was right around the corner. In other words, they wouldn¡¯t have practiced at all. And frankly, Harmony didn¡¯t think they were skilled enough to let things slide. In her eyes, this group wasn¡¯t capable of making great progress without strong guidance. They were certainly not the type of yers who could perform well individually, without constant leadership from the squad leader. "Alright, before we start the main mission, here¡¯s your homework. I¡¯ve done all of these myself, so it shouldn¡¯t take more than an hour. Think of it as a warm-up." "Teacher Yu-jin, what have you turned Harmony into¡­?" Everyone had a simr image sh in their minds. Yu-jin''s avatar, with that mesmerizing tail. It wasn¡¯t just a VR avatar; it was a near-perfect copy of Yu-jin''s real-life appearance, only rendered in virtual reality. Even after all these days, it was still shocking to see her walking around like that. Honestly, the reason they talked about her tail so much was because it stood out the most. If she didn¡¯t have it, they¡¯d probably be talking about her top-tier looks instead¡ªassuming they had permission, of course. Anyway, time melted away like ice cream on a hot summer day. The saying, "time flies when you''re struggling," always held true. By 11 p.m. in the real world, after finishing their training and a brief debrief, it was finally time for some casual conversation. "That reminds me, I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll identally spill something when we talk on Monday. I didn¡¯t even bring up meeting Teacher Yu-jin. Did you guys mention anything during your streams?" "I kept it brief and jumped right into the game. My editor even asked if I wanted to talk about it more, but I didn¡¯t trust myself not to slip up." "You too?" "What about you, Harmony?" Three pairs of eyes turned toward her, but she remained calm andposed as she replied. "I just mentioned it briefly and then yed some crappy game." "¡­Right, of course." "You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re really something else." "What? It¡¯s content." "That¡¯s not content, that¡¯s discipline!" They all wanted to shout, "How could you say ''why?'' when we all know why!" but nobody dared. Limit subtly shifted the conversation instead. "But you¡¯ve got a personal connection with Yu-jin, right? I bet you got way more questions than we did, especially since she made that hologram appearance at the start of the Asia Championships." "Yeah, but everyone understood when I said she barely managed toe right before the match started. I didn¡¯t borate after that." "Ah, I see." As the conversations gathered steam, the conclusion was clear¡ªthey¡¯d keep things under wraps until Yu-jin herself decided to reveal her true identity. And that meant a lot of self-control. "Looks like we¡¯re going to be agonizing over this for a while." "Well, ording to Harmony, there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll reveal it by the end of December. We just need to keep quiet until then." "In that case, I¡¯ll stop streaming until then." "Seriously? You¡¯re taking a break now?" The four of them, now stripped of their heavy military gear and back in their basic VR avatars, sat around a virtual table, having a casual conversation. They didn¡¯t need any formal orders to dere the end of their day. It came naturally. As their talks meandered, the conversation eventually turned back to the tournament. "Yu-jin hasn¡¯t quit streaming, right? Would it be rude if I asked her to help us train, even just a little?" "We should ask the organizers if it¡¯s allowed. From what I¡¯ve heard, most people reach out to pro teams they have connections with for help." "Hmm¡­ what¡¯s Yu-jin been up to recently?" With a quick gesture, Harmony pulled up Yu-jin''s Triki page, checking her personal schedule. But before she could even nce at it, a prominent announcement appeared at the top. Announcement: No streams on Tuesday/Wednesday. A random massive steak picture. To celebrate the end of the Asia Championships + reaching 900,000 subscribers on YourSpace, I¡¯m treating the hardworking editors and thumbnail artists to a nice meal. See you all soon, 20000! Harmony stared at it for a moment, then quietly said: "Looks like tomorrow won¡¯t work." A quiet sigh of relief echoed from somewhere, but Harmony never figured out who it came from. Even after the Asia Championships ended, their days continued like this. "Hup!" "Wow, hups? That¡¯s new." Meanwhile, Yu-jin was slowly preparing for the day when she would reveal herself. ¡ªSsssss! "Whoa, wow¡­." "There¡¯s plenty of meat, so feel free to eat as much as you want." Was this a dream? Or was it real? Five people¡ªthree editors and two thumbnail artists¡ªsat on the rooftop of a mping site in Hongdae, enjoying a feast. They were part of Yu-jin¡¯s YourSpace team, and they couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was really happening. Or maybe they weren¡¯t just thinking about the food, but about Yu-jin herself. The gathering had its small twists and turns, but it all started with a message a few days ago. [Yu-jin: Are you guys free early next week?] In the middle of the Asia Championships, Yu-jin had sent them a rather random message asking if they had two days free. Of course, they could all ept the request with no issue. As editors and thumbnail artists, working from home was the norm. They had a good sense of what wasing¡ªa casual team retreat, maybe a bonding event. The invitation was open, so anyone could decline if they felt ufortable. Within no time, the five-person YourSpace team¡ªthree men, two women¡ªhad packed light and gathered in Hongdae, ready for whatever wasing. Their first meeting was a bit awkward, but as they shared stories about working with Yu-jin, things loosened up. As evening approached, they waited for Yu-jin to arrive, knowing she would bring food. And just as the sky turned crimson, they finally met their boss in person. The one surprise they hadn¡¯t predicted?@@novelbin@@ "Nice to meet you all in real life." "¡­Huh?" Their boss wasn¡¯t just a VR avatar. Yu-jin was the same in reality as she was in the virtual world. Back to the present. "Oh wow, this is really good!" "I¡¯m d you like it. I¡¯ve been so busytely, I haven¡¯t had much chance to treat you guys. Make sure to eat while it¡¯s hot." "Ah, no worries! We¡¯ll dig right in!" "Don¡¯t hesitate. It¡¯s not every day you get a chance like this, so rx and enjoy. I can handle the grilling." How? How was this possible? Their employer¡ªan EM-ss manifestor with only two known in Korea, a massive YourSpace star on the verge of a million subscribers, the overwhelming champion of the Asia Championships¡ªwas standing in front of them, grilling meat and serving it on their tes. How were they supposed to rx? Silent screams filled the air, but Yu-jin seemed blissfully unaware as she fanned the mes on the grill. "This one¡¯s for TailEditor. You¡¯ve been such a big help with the FanSpacemunity, and I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t reply sooner. It¡¯s been great working with you, though. Any issues?" "N-No, none at all! Just, thank you! Thank you so much!" "Wow, I wasn¡¯t even that nervous when I was saluting mymanding officer." Even military veterans would find themselves floored by the sheer surrealism of this experience. For a frence editor, the idea of personal bonding time with their employer was practically unheard of. The only way to earn trust was through hard work and consistent results, not social interaction. But none of that mattered right now. Because Yu-jin... was real. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I even consider this possibility?¡¯ It was such an obvious blind spot. Even when something is highly convincing, if the oue seems far-fetched, it¡¯s hard to take seriously until you¡¯re faced with reality. And now that they were seeing it with their own eyes, they realized just how true it all was. There were so many questions they wanted to ask, but¡ª Fsssst! "I¡¯ll help with that. Were you going to make ramen? How many packs?" "I¡¯ve got the ramen bags¡ªwoah, what was that?!" "I¡¯ll toss them over. Catch?" "W-Wait, what?" Rustle. In a swift motion, Yu-jin¡¯s tail coiled around a five-pack of ramen. Then, with a flick of her tail, the noodles seemed to hover mid-air beforending perfectly in one person¡¯s arms. Within seconds, they were tearing the packs open and dumping the contents into therge pot of boiling water. Steam began to rise as the powerful heat worked its magic. Yu-jin, still flipping the meat on the grill with tongs, added: "Go ahead and throw in all ten packs." "Uh, can we even eat that much?" "I¡¯ll be eating more than half of it, so don¡¯t worry about it." "Ah..." The rumors about Yu-jin¡¯s massive appetite, often teased on her streams, were now proven true in the simplest way. As the noodles boiled away, Yu-jin effortlessly flipped the meat with her tail, leaving everyone in awe. Even though they¡¯d seen it countless times before, it never failed to impress. The rate at which the meat was disappearing also skyrocketed once Yu-jin joined in. ¡®I¡¯m so d I¡¯m an editor and not a streamer.¡¯ For the first time in his life, one editor was genuinely grateful for his frence role. If he¡¯d been a streamer, there was no way he could¡¯ve kept this experience under wraps. Meanwhile, Yu-jin¡¯s smartwatch¡ªeerily reminiscent of the Icarus Gear¡ªsuddenly began glowing. It caught everyone''s attention. It was simr to the one she¡¯d unboxed in a recent stream, a gift from Icarus. Curious, someone finally asked. "Wow, is that really from Icarus? It looks amazing. Does it actually work?" "Of course it does." "Ah, so... what¡¯s it for now?" Yu-jin chuckled, herughced with a strange satisfaction as she replied. "Looks like a package has arrived." Understanding washed over them as Yu-jin casually hid the flicker of another emotion on her face. Old friends were on their way. They were crossing a bridge that didn¡¯t exist, following invisible threads to this very spot. Chapter 202 "Good work, everyone." "Thankfully, back in the day, I also had a strong desire to mess around with the White House around this time, so it''s a relief I''m not toote." Phew. With a sigh of relief, Henry Brayton carefully descended the stairs. The stage fell silent as they took a short break. The debate would resume in about 15 minutes. Walking briskly toward his private room, he reviewed the list of questions handed to him by his aide. Several questions were crossed out in red. Henry had just stepped down from the debate podium. "What do you think? Were there any wrong answers?" "None at all. The only potential concern is how vivid your answers were, Senator. People will wonder where you got such information." "Haha, traveling around and making connections since September paid off. Let¡¯s hope they chalk it up to that." The aide took back the paper that fluttered in Henry¡¯s steady hand. The fifth debate had mainly focused on national security and America¡¯s power projection, and Henry, drawing on memories from another world and the knowledge he gained from it, gave answers far beyond anyone''s expectations. He utterly dominated the other Democratic candidates. "Even if you throw an insane amount of money at infrastructure, it won¡¯t work under the worst conditions. What¡¯s important is predicting how infrastructure will be hit and how it will fail." Indeed, the first sharp question in the debate targeted national security. The candidates had to answer what kinds of security threats America could face, how to respond if such threats urred, and where to focus efforts to build countermeasures¡ªall while tying it into their own campaign promises. For Henry, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as if the question had been crafted just for him. Of course, the first to tackle the issue was none other than him. "Undoubtedly, the greatest security threat to America is not conventional warfare or terrorism, but a virus." As if on autopilot, Henry started to deliver responses with unmatched expertise, leaving all the other candidates in the dust. First, he exined why a virus was the most dangerous threat to America, linking it to the country''s infrastructure. He argued that while America has a self-sustaining economy and society, everything would stop if the people running it died. This was his core argument. Next, Henry referenced the grim results of the 2001 Dark Winter simtion, as well as reports from 2010 and 2020 on pandemic response and mobilization teams. He mentioned academic papers, highlighting his deep knowledge in the field. Finally, he discussed his campaign''s promise to build the most resilient America, tying his ideas into real-world countermeasures, sessfully taking control of the debate¡¯s narrative. "It wasn¡¯t an unexpected answer, but the others were slow to catch on." "Exactly." A brief debriefing followed. Severalrge holographic screens hovered in the air, disying the real-time reactions to the debate from various sectors of the U.S., along with Henry¡¯s rising poll numbers. There was no need to exin the reactions¡ªthe numbers climbing in the top-right corner spoke for themselves. Henry¡¯s speech, whichsted just six minutes, had already significantly boosted his support. Yet, despite the sess, his expression remained somewhat neutral. "Of course, just because they¡¯ve gone through the same experiences I have doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll all support me." Henry was referring to the "memory-holders," the survivors of the Omega Virus scattered throughout the federal government and military. Assuming his debate answers would win them all over was an arrogant thought. While he could potentially gain strong, loyal supporters from them during the primaries, their backing depended entirely on his future actions. Numerous obstacles remained. Still, Henry had a few cards up his sleeve. As a senator from New York, he had a deep interest in VR and advanced technologies¡ªprimarily due to the existence of the Dark Zone. Reviving the Rust Belt by establishing a second tech valley in the region wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. He believed that pushing VR technology would be one of the key strategies to win the primaries and the presidential election. And he had already nned his next big move. "Aside from Camp Henry, is there anyone else eyeing the uing Dark Zone AP Final Championship?" "In a negative light, several candidates are concerned. They fear losing voter support to the event or suspect that someone may have close ties to Icarus International." "Typical politicians. They don¡¯t realize how important it is to make a presence there." Henry chuckled before adding cautiously: "I¡¯m sure neither the Democrats nor the Republicans know that Yu-jin, who¡¯s participating in the championship, is an EM-ss manifestor. The impact of showing I¡¯m close to her will be huge." "What will you do if Yu-jin finds out she¡¯s being used politically?" "Haha, Senator Henry Brayton will be the second president in history to serve from a wheelchair, following Roosevelt." A joke thrown out by his aide from the Secret Service, also a memory-holder. Henry let out a deep breath, as if the remark had hit him squarely, and replied with a dryugh. "Good grief. That¡¯s the scariest joke I¡¯ve heard in a while. If I weren¡¯t prepared with a Medal of Honor, I¡¯d be a goner." "Perhaps it¡¯s time to reconsider your approach?" "I know it¡¯s a sensitive time. Anything could be seen as politically motivated. But what choice do I have?" Phew. Henry sipped some water before continuing in a low voice: "It would be too cruel to let an election stop me from meeting my savior." "..." "It¡¯s a gamble, I know. But if I miss this chance, I may never get it again. I¡¯ll meet her no matter what. After all, I¡¯ve already unofficially awarded her the Medal of Honor. What else do I have to fear?" "You¡¯re right about that." [Notification: The 5th debate will resume in five minutes!] After a brief pause, Henry added: "Well, then... let¡¯s get back to work. Can you give me the question list again?" "Here you go." Henry took the papers and began reviewing them once more. Time marched on, and the long-anticipated moment was drawing closer. It was already mid-October. "Mmm, something smells delicious." Bubble, bubble. And back at the mping site, Yu-jin was busy cooking ramen.@@novelbin@@ "Oh, where is that delicious smelling from...?" "You¡¯re awake?" "Ah, yes¡­ wait, what!?" Bubble, bubble. The spicy, savory aroma of broth filled the air on the rooftop, drifting toward the tents where her team had been sleeping. One by one, they began stirring, opening their eyes cautiously, only to be greeted by the same surprise. "Teacher, you should have woken us up earlier." "Here, have some chocte milk first." "Oh, uh, okay..." Swish. Yu-jin''s tail gracefully held out a clear cup filled with chocte milk, which sloshed gently as it moved. As they epted the cup and drank, the sweetness washed over them, instantly soothing their stomachs and relieving the dull headache. After finishing the milk, they felt more awake. Looking around, one of the editors noticed the broth simmering with shrimp, ms, squid, dried pollock, and abalone floating in the rich red liquid. On the table beside the burner were five packs of ramen noodles and arge heap of bean sprouts. Their hunger grew as they took in the scene. It was the perfect time for a hangover cure. "I¡¯ll help with the setup." "Good idea." "I¡¯ll help too." "But first, everyone gets a cup of milk." Yu-jin, having lowered the heat on the burner, handed each person a cup of chocte milk as they emerged from the tents. With her left hand, right hand, and tail, she managed to serve three people at once. As the milk worked its magic, everyone looked visibly more refreshed. From then on, the peaceful morning became a bustling one. Someone chopped kimchi, another spooned rice into disposable containers, and others cut up the leftover meat and ham. The clock on the tent wall showed 10 a.m., and so they naturally asked Yu-jin: "What time did you wake up?" "Around 7:30. I did a bit of exercise, bought some rice and ramen from nearby, and cooked. Don¡¯t worry, I just wanted to keep busy. By the way, there¡¯s still leftover meat, ham, and eggs fromst night. Shall we grill them as side dishes? Anyone interested?" "I¡¯ll handle it!" "I¡¯ll help! Let¡¯s do this!" "Everyone¡¯s full of energy this morning." Well, it wasn¡¯t so much energy as it was not wanting to seemzy while their boss worked hard. No one in the group was oblivious enough to sit back while Yu-jin was preparing everything. The quiet morning quickly turned into a busy one. Someone sliced kimchi, another scooped steaming rice into containers, and others prepared the remaining ham and meat for grilling. Watching them move efficiently, Yu-jin smiled and added the noodles and bean sprouts into the boiling broth. The oil from the noodles mingled with the broth, and the fragrance of cooking meat and eggs filled the air. It was a hearty, delicious meal perfect for breakfast. "Let¡¯s eat!" "Help yourselves. I bought it all for you." Was this¡­ motherly care from a snake? The five editors, pushing aside any sphemous thoughts, eachdled some ramen into their bowls. Steam rose as they slurped the noodles and broth, and without fail, expressions of delight followed. "Ah, this is perfect..." "This isn¡¯t a hangover cure; it¡¯s making me want to drink more." "Wow, it¡¯s really good." "I¡¯m d you like it." Thepliments weren¡¯t just polite. While the breakfast was heavy, it was incredibly satisfying, and they ate much faster than one might expect for early morning. Yu-jin had portioned everything just right, ensuring no one would feel overstuffed. And of course, any leftovers would be handled¡ªby Yu-jin herself. As predicted: "Ah, I¡¯m full." "Wow..." With only some broth, rice, and side dishes remaining, Yu-jin swiftly finished them off. After a brief round of apuse (which made her blush and tell them to stop), they began cleaning up. Disposable tes were rinsed and thrown away, while the reusable dishes were washed and returned to themunal kitchen. The table was wiped down until it looked like no one had ever used it. Once they packed their belongings, Yu-jin spoke: "Great job, everyone. I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Take it easy when you get home. You can start working again tomorrow." "Thank you so much. I had a great time!" "I¡¯ll stay with you forever!" "Haha." With that, they exchanged farewells and split off in different directions to head home. Walking alone toward her house, Yu-jin¡¯s thoughts briefly drifted to yesterday¡¯s memory. ¡®Oh right, I still need to pick up that package¡­¡¯ She pondered for a moment beforeing to a conclusion. Even though the pickup location was a bit inconvenient, it was Wednesday, her designated day off. There was a reason the saying "strike while the iron is hot" existed. So, Yu-jin turned and headed in the opposite direction of her home. It was a beautiful day. "The package is on the move." "Good. Keep only the minimum personnel, and make sure everyone else stays sharp. The least tired person will goter." "Understood." Chapter 204 [Streamer War Sub Gallery] [General] If you''re hyped for this Domination streamer match, drop an upvote! I¡¯ll start lol. [All Comments] [Sorted by Newest]
  • Upvoted, of course.
  • If you''re not hyped for this, you''re aplete dud, lmao.
  • This is the content I¡¯ll live off for the next two weeks¡­ ?What are you gonna do when it¡¯s over tho? LOL ?Obviously, watch the Asian prelim duo squad matches next! ?Facts. ?How can anyone resist?
  • The lineup is so clean, too. ?Of course, they booted all the yers who suck. LOL.
  • It¡¯s awesome that every participant is consulting pro gamers. ?Yeah, at least we don¡¯t have to worry about watching clueless fools. ?True. ?It really raises the overall skill level.
  • Unpopr opinion: Is it just me, or did they gather only high-tier yers? ?Well, the best are Kato and Manager Kim, so it''s gonna be tough. ?But they have to coach their own team, so it bnces out lol. ?Well-yed bnce patch!
  • It feels like a proxy war with all these pro team coaches attached. LOL.
  • Finally, the controversy over Harmony¡¯s skill should die down now. ?Oh no, don¡¯t start that conversation again, please! ?Who lit the fuse this time? LOL. ???: Isn''t Harmony just stomping noobs? ?Aaaaah, stop it! ?But honestly, I¡¯m curious how far her skill will really go. LOL. ?The higher the tier, the more team-based it gets, so she might not perform as well as some think.
  • ??: Isn¡¯t N top-tier material at this point? ?I can already hear the debate spiraling again. ?How can anyone guarantee that? lol. ?She¡¯s improved a lot, but since we haven¡¯t seen her face real opponents, it¡¯s still uncertain. ?If you don¡¯t know, just support her instead of making baseless guesses, fool.
  • Whatever, I just want N to show her skills already. ?Is this finally the end of the never-ending gallery debate? ?Seriously, LOL. ?How long have we dragged this out already? ?Fact: I¡¯m actually really curious to see.
[General] Unpopr opinion: N is definitely overrated. Y¡¯all are dumb for hyping her up. ??? : Then why don¡¯t we turn that overestimation into reality? [All Comments] [Sorted by Newest]
  • ?????????????????????????????
  • Crazy... She''s insane... Actually insane...
  • How are you gonna drop a bombshell like that, seriously, you madwoman! LOL.
  • Is this how we¡¯re doing hierarchy checks now? Is this how we¡¯re doing it???
  • Dude, Dice is there too, lmaooo. ?Oh man, both 1st and 2nd ce from the Asian prelims are here! ?If things get rough, they¡¯ll just bust out ¡®Yu-jin.¡¯
  • You toxic Harmony stans... You brought out the final boss. ?Was this a summoning ritual and not just gallery spam? ?Who interprets it like that??? LOL. ?Unbelievable, hahaha. ?It was all part of the n, apparently.
  • Seeing those two standing side by side is terrifying, lmao.
  • ?? : Two weeks left until the tournament? That¡¯s plenty of time. ?LOL. ?This woman is crazy¡­ ?Lmao, I can¡¯t.
  • Of course, haha.
  • Kato¡¯s spine is shivering right now, you can hear it lmao. ?For real, haha. ?Just give Harmony a fishing line and Kato will quit on the spot.
  • Harmony, why are you acting like you¡¯re about to grow a snake tail now!!! ?If you¡¯re mad, you should have jumped on the Yu-jin hype train earlier, lol. ?For real, lmao.
  • Bringing Dice is just straight-up horror, lmao. ?The funniest part is how confused Dice looks the whole time. ?Seriously, lmao. ?He¡¯s got that "Why am I even here?" face. LOL.
  • VPN off, haha. Time to stop posting about Harmony! ?Stop burning the gallery down!!! ?Get the mods, ban this madness! ?How are we supposed to put out the fire now that the snake has arrived???
  • If they were gonna bring her, they should¡¯ve done it sooner, lmao.
"Harmony, why do you keep gaining more viewers every time you go live?" "I know, right? I wonder why¡­"
  • Pretending she doesn¡¯t know, ssic, lmao.
  • Stop being so humble, N, you''re killing me.
  • Fact-check: This six-person cob is pulling over 100,000 viewers right now.
  • The crew''s in shock and confusion, haha.
  • Dice is definitely the most confused out of everyone, lol.
The number of viewers: 113,348. Even if each person only typed one message, that would still be over 110,000 words flooding the chat¡ªa staggering figure, spread across five different streams. Icarus¡¯s chat moderation system handled it smoothly, but the real issue was with the human moderators. It was the first time evenrge-scale teams had struggled to manage such numbers. The original goal of today¡¯s stream¡ªto receive feedback¡ªwas all but forgotten. The participants, now reduced to flustered rookies, were overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. Still, the stream had been going for hours. Harmony, with a practiced hand, cycled through the waiting list of yers. Since the custom server for Domination had a requirement for yers to be ranked SOF or higher, the list filled up slowly, which gave them time for a debrief. "Alright, Harmony,e over here. You¡¯re the one who needs to hear this the most." "Ugh¡­" Harmony trudged over and plopped down in her chair, while Yu-jin stepped back and tapped Dice¡¯s shoulder with her tail. Dice, deep in thought, lifted a page filled with notes and looked across at the four participants. It was his analysis of their gamey in the Domination mode. Yu-jin listened carefully, approving Dice¡¯s correct assessments, pointing out errors, and opening discussions on debatable points. This method, designed by Yu-jin herself, provided valuable insights not only to the yers but also to the viewers. Dice, after taking a breath, began. "Like I mentioned earlier, everyone except Harmony stuck pretty closely to the expected gamey. Let¡¯s focus on personal practice for the next two weeks." "Okay¡­" "Two weeks sounds a bit short, though. Is that enough time?" "This person can make mountains move in two weeks, so don¡¯t worry. As long as you follow the n, you¡¯ll at least ce mid-tier. Oh, and Harmony, I reviewed your curriculum. I¡¯m impressed; you¡¯ve got a great eye for identifying weaknesses." "Hehe." The chat buzzed with excitement, but Dice, fully in Yu-jin''s apprentice mode, ignored it and continued. "Like I said before, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re excelling as squad leader yet. But when things go south, your ability to handle crises and support your team with your shooting skills is solid. It''s standard but effective." A brief silence followed as Dice surveyed the group before continuing. "You should practice briefing more. Being able to identify key cover points and issue clear, concisemands during chaotic fights is harder than it seems." "That¡¯s true." "And your team often misses your orders during intense skirmishes because they¡¯re under pressure. With more experience, you¡¯ll all get better at it." "Got it¡­" Dice nced at Yu-jin, but she didn¡¯t offer anyments. The debrief continued, with clips from the recent game being reviewed. Despite all that, Yu-jin remainedrgely silent, leaving Dice increasingly anxious. Finally, after everything was discussed, Yu-jin spoke up. "You did well. There weren¡¯t any major missteps. Just have more confidence in presenting your opinions." "Wait, so I did well? Then why didn¡¯t you say anything? That¡¯s stressful!" "It¡¯s part of your mental training." "Ugh, that¡¯s a stretch¡­"
  • LOL, Dice is stressed for no reason.
  • Is this really the 1st and 2nd ce from the prelims?
  • Feels more like the Three Stooges. LOL.
  • This is like Dumb and Dumber all over again.
  • We¡¯ve got our own version of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy here, lmao.
A familiar part of their routine. Meanwhile, the queue shed, signaling that all twelve yers¡ªsix on each side¡ªhad been gathered. As everyone stood to prepare, Harmony¡¯s eyes caught one of the team names. "Vulcan Boy Scouts¡­?" What kind of ridiculous name is that? She shook it off and clicked the game start button, visualizing the uing battle in her mind. But then¡ª WOOOOOOSH! "What the hell? How do you bring a minigun to this fight?!" The sound of a literal bullet storm filled the air, as Harmony¡¯s exasperated voice rang out. "This is quite an interesting strategy." "I almost got turned into ground meat, what¡¯s so fun about that?!"
  • Of course, lmao.
  • Seriously, will anything ever catch this woman off guard?
  • She doesn''t even flinch at the Vulcan Boy Scouts, lmao.
  • Alright, we¡¯re doomed. Just tell us how to deal with this mess already!
  • The tactical encyclopedia returns, lol.
Bzzzz. The moment the gun was properly set up, it emitted an eerie sound, transforming into an impregnable fortress. The low vibrations shook the air in the dead city of New York, sending chills down one''s spine. Six barrels. A thick ballistic shield in front, with a bulletproof camera recing the operator''s line of sight. This minigun, capable of firing an average of 4,000 rounds per minute¡ª66 rounds per second¡ªwas inexplicably covering the entire roadway connecting capture points A and B, creating a deadly kill zone. Of course, that wasn''t the most important thing. The real question was how such a tactic was even possible in a Domination match. "The key requirements for operating a minigun are power and ammunition supply..." With 7.62mm NATO rounds, 2,000 bullets weighed about 40 kilograms. The minigun itself weighed around 20 kilograms. It used a 1.5kW motor, so to power it, they''d need a small generator, which would add another 40 kilograms or so. Add extra ammunition, the ballistic camera, power lines, the ballistic shield, and the total weight would easilye to around 130 kilograms. On top of that, personal equipment like guns, magazines, and body armor would add another 20 kilograms or so. Regardless, a four-person squad could definitely handle that load. Once the minigun was set up at point B, their load would lighten significantly. "Surprisingly practical. But I doubt anyone would try this in a streamer tournament." As I spoke, I quickly assessed the situation. We had spawned at point A, and the enemy at point C. Interestingly, they abandoned C right away and rushed for A and B¡ªsending three yers to A and nine to B. That¡¯s how Harmony¡¯s team got crushed during the initial fight for point B. Dais and I were covering Harmony''s squad when she ordered us to retreat to A and deal with the enemies making trouble there. We handled them, snapping their spines metaphorically, but the tide had already shifted. The enemy had captured B early, giving them time to set up the minigun. <"Take My Hand" donated 10,000 KRW.> -But isn¡¯t the solution just to avoid the minigun area?@@novelbin@@ "Consider this: the enemy knows we¡¯ll avoid the main road. This gives them a huge advantage, as they no longer need to defend the most critical route." ¡°They¡¯re nking us,¡± Dais warned. I already knew. I pulled three grenades from my pouch, simultaneously removing their pins with my tail, and cooked them briefly before tossing them. The steel orbs arced through the air, transforming into a blinding sh, scattering thousands of high-velocity fragments in all directions. The 3-man enemy squad screamed as they scrambled for cover, but Dais and I were already sprinting across the snow-covered road, closing the gap to less than 15 meters. Rounds ttered as shells hit the ground, sinking into the thick snow, melting it with their residual heat. In moments, the three enemiesy sprawled across the cold ground. This would buy us a few more minutes to block any enemies trying to bypass A. While reloading and scanning the area, Dais added, ¡°Now then, let¡¯s hear your expert opinion, Yujin.¡± "Combat shines when you don''t y into the enemy''s hands. Let them have their minigun, but we don¡¯t have to engage them where they expect." The next target was C. If the enemy was dead set on holing up at B, we¡¯d trap them in their fortress. Of course, things rarely go ording to n. -Waaah, teacher! There are too many enemies on the nk as we head for B! "Harmony, you''ll have to learn how to buy time while minimizing your team''s losses." -LOL -Harmony has a long way to go. ))) -When you have a decoy squad but their timing is off¡­ smh -As expected, the core doesn''t change. -Our clueless cat, forever. Right. Even though her skills had improved, Harmony was still Harmony. Tucking away the thought of how I¡¯d need to push her training even harder, I turned and sprinted toward C. The crunch of snow under my feet echoed with each step. The Dark Zone¡¯s season might have been summer, but the Domination map was a winter wondend. It was a perfect day to raid the enemy''s rear lines. Chapter 205 "Wow, what a mess. Total chaos..." "Again with watching only what you want to, huh?" "No, I was watching the stream with Dais and Yujin, so what?" "What?" When a crowd grows toorge, you end up with all kinds of people in it. And when that crowd exceeds a hundred thousand, the frequency and likelihood of variety increase even more. At over 110,000, now approaching 120,000, that massive number held all sorts of people, including AP pro gamers quietly watching the stream without drawing attention to themselves. While Yujin took on the role of a streamer alongside Harmony, Dais, who had met her during rank scrims for the preliminaries and had built some rapport, asionally showed his face on streams too. Of course, those who knew Yujin well enough predicted that Dais probably wouldn¡¯t turn into a full-time streamer, but curiosity is curiosity. And so, what began as temporary interest in streamer broadcasts gradually became a part of their daily routines. "Practice for a tournament? Are theypeting in something?" "I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re holding some tournament among streamers, but I¡¯m not exactly sure." Initially, their interest was minor, but it soon shifted more and more toward the streams themselves. Most of them were initially drawn in by curiosity over Yujin¡¯s and Dais''s gamey. But over time, their interest began to wane. This wasrgely due to the fact that they were pro gamers. They had already spent plenty of time watching Yujin and Dais y¡ªenough to practically memorize their y styles by now. In short, they¡¯d watched so much that they were starting to get tired of it. This led to a number of oues, one of which was¡ª "...Oh, this one¡¯s pretty good, though. Good judgment, solid shooting skills. Is this what they call a ''skilled streamer''?" "Don¡¯t ask me. This is my first time watching, too." "Damn it..." Thus, people started drifting toward Harmony''s stream. With the Tricky tform¡¯s system of sorting streams by view count, Harmony was disyed right under Yujin. Most viewers tend to follow rmendations and suggestions when venturing into unfamiliar territory, and this crowd was no different. So, without much hesitation, they entered Harmony''s stream. Naturally, what they encountered was a familiar sight. Though still rough around the edges andcking some foundational skills, the gamey hinted at a bit of Yujin¡¯s influence. For those already aware of the rtionship between Yujin and Harmony, this was unsurprising. However, for those unfamiliar, it piqued their curiosity.@@novelbin@@ Consequently, the result included moments like this: <(GEARUP)GDKID donated 10,000 KRW!>
  • Is this a skilled streamer? First time watching today.
"Oh, wow, thanks for the donation! Uh, I''ll read itter¡ªI''m busy right now!" -Huh???? Harmony??? Skilled??? -(Fact) This clumsy cat almost dropped her magazine even with an assist two months ago. -Wow, GearUp donations! Lol! -Harmony really bribed a pro gamer? Lol! -Just two months ago, we would''veughed this off. -She''s got pros calling her skilled now. Lol, so proud. For the die-hard fans who had been watching Harmony¡¯s streams since the early days, this statement wasughable. Half a year ago,ments like these would have been flooded withughter, skepticism, and cries of ¡°stop bribing people.¡± But in just two months, Harmony had honed her skills enough to turn thesepliments into more than just lip service. Even from a pro gamer¡¯s perspective, her gamey was no longer bad. "The minigun¡¯s aimed our way! We need to reposition!" She categorized threats her squad hadn¡¯t noticed, shared them on the UI, and identified elements obstructing the squad''s mission. As a result, her squad moved and shot in line with hermands. Although there were moments where orders were missed and instances she couldn¡¯t personally address, she was handling it well. Despite being new to the role of squad leader, her ability to read the battlefield¡ªwhich she¡¯d learned from Yujin¡ªwas shining through. Bodies piled up on the stairs toward B, and likewise, the enemies used their own fallenrades as obstacles to block the path. Although the battle hadn¡¯t yet reached that level, it was close¡ªminutes, not just seconds, of fiercebat. With minimal forces left at B, Harmony¡¯s team had ten members, while the enemies had nine, with hundreds of bullets flying each second. However, what none of them anticipated was¡ª -[Alert: Sector B is entering a neutral state.] "Stop them! We have to take out the minigun!" "There¡¯s no time!" -Wow, lololololol! -They broke through! -Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go~~~ -These guys shoot action movies in their spare time, for real. -Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony¡¯s squad had broken through the siege and stormed into B. Chaos erupted. -[Alert: You have been killed.] -[Respawn in 00:00:56.] "Damn, I really held on¡­" -You still took two with you, though, lol. -Well done; it was great. -She was fighting like a woman possessed. Lol! -What kind of monster did Yujin turn Harmony into? -Stop doing so well! We want the old, innocent Harmony back! Whew. As Harmonyy sprawled out in the respawn waiting area, she exhaled deeply. She was frustrated. Maybe if she¡¯d had Yujin there with her¡­ no, they probably would¡¯ve cleared B with ease. But that wasn¡¯t the point today. This was the streamer showdown. Even if Yujin joined in now, it wouldn¡¯t help her improve. So, she¡¯d asked Yujin and Dais to avoid the mainbat zones. By now, they were probably busy causing chaos at A and C. But it was time to shift focus. B needed to be captured. "Yeah, we¡¯re definitely running out of steam. And the enemy keeps respawning around B..." "They¡¯d be desperate to hold onto B, too. It was so close! I think they almost self-destructed the minigun back there." "Yeah, I thought I saw that, too." As they spoke, they checked the map. Seventeen out of the 24 yers on both teams had been eliminated. With Yujin and Dais still alive, the rest of their team was in respawn, while seven from the enemy team were also down. The tide was shifting. First, the team¡¯s base, A, was under enemy capture. Meanwhile, Yujin and Dais had circled back to capture C. The enemy must have sent their forces to A to prevent getting trapped in B once we secured both A and C. Still, A wasn¡¯t fully lost yet. Some squad members had respawned nearby and were fighting to hold it. Likewise, C wasn¡¯t fully captured. The likely spawn point for the squad was near A. She concluded her thoughts and spoke up. "Let¡¯s clear out A, regroup, and make a push for B. Let¡¯s call in the strike team this time." "I thought you were working solo?" "We¡¯ll have to synchronize the timing. Otherwise, those two might just bulldoze B on their own." -How would you describe Yujin and Dais? -"Human bulldozers." -Yeah, they¡¯d have cleared B ages ago if they¡¯d been asked. -It¡¯s funny hearing her talk so nonchntly about it, lol. Harmony expanded thems to the whole team. This being a private server set up for the streamer showdown, everyone followed her lead withoutints. She once again felt the crunch of snow beneath her feet. As expected, the respawn point was near A, where three enemies had been identified. However, with her squad joining the fray, the enemy forces were quickly torn apart. It took a bit of time since they yed cautiously to minimize losses, but they¡¯d managed to punch a hole in the enemy defense by removing three men. Back to ten yers, facing nine enemies. She opened herms to Yujin. "We¡¯re nning to retake B. Time your entry ordingly. We¡¯re making this a priority, aiming to get there in about three minutes." "If that¡¯s your call." Harmony knew exactly what that meant. And so, they were off. Of course, this time the path was even rougher than before. "The minigun¡¯s position has changed!" "Great¡­ EMP it! We need to break through!" "Got it. Setting it off!" ©¤Boom! An EMP grenade, one of the squad leader¡¯s tactical items, sent a wave across the battlefield, temporarily shutting down electronics, including the minigun. UI turned fuzzy,ms malfunctioned, and even shields were disabled. In this moment, they had only their skills to rely on. With the risk of getting taken out by a stray shot looming, she scanned the battlefield through binocrs. The analog UI briefly disyed enemy positions, helping her assess the situation. With a steadying breath, she squeezed the trigger. Even if she couldn¡¯t be as precise as a movie sniper, she still managed to take down an enemy every few shots. The EMP¡¯s duration was winding down. Ideally, she would¡¯ve coordinated with Yujin before setting it off, but... she had full faith that he¡¯d be on his way. There was no need to worry about him. After some time¡ª ¡®Friendly losses: five¡­¡¯ Half the squad had fallen, but they¡¯d managed to secure two of the three capture points at B. However, the enemy held their "Human bulldozers." Once again, the crunch of snow filled the air. As expected, the spawn point was near A, where three enemies had been identified. Harmony¡¯s squad charged in, and the enemies were quickly torn apart. They took their time, minimizing losses, and managed to punch a hole in the defense by taking down three men. They were now back up to ten yers, facing nine enemies. She opened herms to Yujin. ¡°We¡¯re going for B. Make your entry ordingly. We¡¯re putting more tactical importance on this now. Estimated time of arrival is three minutes.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your call.¡± The meaning behind his words was clear. It was time to move. Naturally, the path was even tougher than before. ¡°The minigun position has shifted!¡± ¡°Great¡­ EMP it! We need to break through!¡± ¡°Got it. Setting it off!¡± ©¤©¤Boom! The EMP grenade, one of the squad leader¡¯s tactical items, unleashed a powerful wave across the battlefield, momentarily shutting down all electronics, including the minigun. UI became fuzzy,ms faltered, and even shields went offline. In that moment, they had only their skills to rely on. With the risk of getting taken out by a stray shot looming, Harmony scanned the battlefield through binocrs. The analog UI briefly disyed enemy positions, helping her assess the situation. She squeezed the trigger, managing to take down an enemy every few shots. The EMP¡¯s duration was winding down. Ideally, she would have coordinated with Yujin before setting it off, but¡­ she trusted he¡¯d arrive on time. After some time¡ª ¡®Friendly losses: five¡­¡¯ Half the squad had fallen, but they¡¯d managed to secure two of the three capture points at B. However, the enemies were fiercely defending thest point, with their minigun in an elevated position, raining fire down upon them. Three men in distinctive ck gear stood out. These were the so-called Balkan Squad. Though unconventional, they were well-prepared for this private match. They must have practiced this tactic extensively. The EMP timer hit zero. -[Warning: Primary threat reactivated.] -[Warning: Additional enemies detected.] ¡°The minigun is back online! Get out of the way!¡± The enemy reinforcements spawned, and the minigun hummed back to life, filling the air with a terrifying roar. But just as she thought she¡¯d have to retreat, Harmony saw Yujin swoop in, assault rifle at the ready. Before the minigun could evenplete its arc, Yujin was on them, smashing one of the Balkan Squad members with the butt of his gun, causing a grotesque distortion in the yer¡¯s head model. Without hesitation, Yujin took on the remaining enemies, scattering their formation with swift, calcted shots. However, five more enemies were closing in from the north. Harmony opened herms, trying to warn him. ¡°Yujin, there are fiveing in from the north¡­ Wait¡­" There was a harsh scraping noise as Yujin wrenched the minigun out of its mount. He walked forward, dragging the massive gun and its ammo box with him, the device trailing behind with an unsettling noise. With the minigun in hand, Yujin headed toward the north, disappearing from her sight, and in the next moment¡ª ©¤©¤Vroooom! ¡°...Wait, Yujin, I didn¡¯t mean you should go that far¡­¡± -???????????????? -¡°Yujin, what are you doing??¡± -¡°This is insane!¡± -¡°They said this was supposed to be a feedback stream! A feedback stream!!¡± The sound of the minigun filled the air, its relentless thunder punctuated by horrific tearing noises. Harmony couldn¡¯t see the action, but there was no need. The kill log filled with a sequence of names, each one marked by the unmistakable impact of Yujin¡¯s actions. It seemed that, despite being embarrassed, Yujin wouldn¡¯t rest until he¡¯d done everything he wanted to do. As the kill log filled with a certain six-letter word, Harmony couldn¡¯t help but smirk. It waste autumn. Chapter 206 ©¤©¤Clink! Brrrrrrrrr! The sound that echoed through the New York skyline was more akin to a chainsaw than gunfire. The six spinning barrels of the minigun unleashed a fiery barrage, and hundreds of supersonic bullets scattered death in all directions, their terrifying greenser dazzler ominously sweeping across the ground. Yujin gritted his teeth. Although the recoil would normally make such a weapon impossible for even the most robust of men to wield, his superhuman physical abilities allowed him to keep both the minigun¡¯s recoil and uracy in check, unleashing a lethal spray of bullets on the five enemies approaching from the northern quadrant. As he held down the trigger, the ammo count dwindled faster than the eye could follow. The others looked on, stunned. ¡°Is he¡­ a Terminator or something?¡± -?????????????????????????????????????? -¡°Where are this man¡¯s limits? Where are this man¡¯s limits?¡± -¡°He''s not even human! How can you measure his limits?¡± -¡°I bet the Balkan Squad is freaking out right now.¡± -¡°Yo, is this guy a space marine?¡± With VR¡¯s widespread poprity, all sorts of outrageous ys that were impossible in real life becamemonce, and wielding a minigun solo was one of those stunts that strength-boosted yers tried once in a while. But seeing it in action, particrly in a mode like Domination, was a sight no one expected, and the hundreds of thousands of viewers were collectively stunned. On top of that, the viewers on Yujin¡¯s stream had the perfect first-person perspective, a clear view of his rampage. Clipped recordings of his crazy antics quickly flooded the chat with intense reactions. ¡°Pfft¡ª!¡± Naturally, the one who took the brunt of this spectacle was his editor, watching in real-time with a dumbfounded grin. Just a few seconds ago, they¡¯d been calmly watching from behind the scenes, but Yujin¡¯s sudden esction had thrown them for a loop. They all knew that, given his real-life capabilities, he was indeed capable of such feats. The VR-to-real-world broadcast dy correction, which they had set to three times the speed to keep up with the stream, caused a storm of reactions among the editor and thumbnail artist as they tried to process what they were seeing. The thumbnail artist could already envision how to portray this spectacle. ¡°...You know, he really is a natural entertainer.¡± Though Yujin would likely deny it, sometimes highly rational behavior looked downright bizarre from the outside. And it was the editor¡¯s job to polish that spectacle, make it even more engaging and thrilling for the audience. The editor was already bookmarking moments for the highlight reel. Meanwhile... ¡®...I only intended to help a little. But one thing led to another, and¡­ here we are.¡¯ Brrrrrr. As the muzzle mes danced around him, Yujin let out a silent sigh. It was a situation of his own making. ¡°Wow, we won!¡± ¡°Well, not exactly. And I think you know why.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a proper win. In the end, DICE and I did manage to take back Sector B, but the situation in that area wasn¡¯t great. We had around five allies left, but the enemies had chosen to dy us tactically, so even though we had almost full control of B, we would¡¯ve lost it soon enough. The enemies were smart, and our team was weak. Harmony probably realized that the more skilled the enemy, the less likely it is that half-baked tactics will work. The answer is always to improve individual skill, judgment, and tactics, which Harmony had started to grasp. It wasn¡¯t just about being weak; it was about being unable to kill quickly enough. In Domination mode, you respawn near the sectors you control, so charging headlong into B was a poor strategy. ¡°...So, I hope you learned something from this experience.¡± ¡°Yes. I feel like my eyes have been opened. I guess you really have to put aside personal pride in a fight¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Nodding, I added, ¡°Before you execute a n, make sure you can distinguish between rational goals and personal pride. Our minds are rarely as rational as we¡¯d like them to be.¡± In this case, a real win would¡¯ve meant distributing six people each to A and C and trapping the enemies at B. But in reality, that would¡¯ve left each yer feeling like a coward. The urge to charge in at least once, however unfounded, often seems irresistible. After a few minutes, we¡¯d reached our conclusion. Harmony was doing fine as a squad leader, with only ack of experience holding her back. Her team members, however, had a long way to go. It was best not to air these opinions on stream, so I switched to mute and asked Dice to guide the three of them over to the shooting range for individual practice. I then started a private chat with Harmony, given that some of this was best discussed off-camera. ¡°Based on what I¡¯ve seen, Min-a should focus on basic squad tactics for now. Training with high-tier yers is good for experience, but if the team is weak, learning efficiency drops.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°The priority is for her to learn how to operate a squad. I¡¯ll handle the other three personally and drill the role of a squad member into them.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± She looked delighted but then seemed hesitant. Maybe she was pitying the three who¡¯d be under my wing soon. When I caught her gaze, she quickly looked away. ¡°Well, all you can do is wish them luck.¡± ¡°I trust you, Yujin!¡± ¡°Save it.¡± I flicked her forehead lightly and checked the time. After a grueling six-hour Domination session, we were all spent. It was almost 8 PM in real life. I doubted we¡¯d gather any more useful data from this game session, and Harmony looked exhausted. She¡¯d been keeping up with an intense curriculum, so her stamina was impressive. Or maybe it was her willpower. Either way, I considered how to train her next. With about ten days left until the streamer tournament, I had a bit of leeway. Harmony¡¯s team would likely have three days to train individually, meaning they wouldn¡¯t need to regroup until Monday. For Harmony¡­ ¡°Until next Monday, try to hone your squad leadership skills. Whether through custom matches or ranked games, it doesn¡¯t matter. Just keep ying as squad leader. I¡¯ll support you over voice chat.¡± ¡°Right¡­ now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t yed ranked since ourst coboration. Maybe I¡¯ll do a couple of rounds off-stream.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you.¡± So the n was set for Harmony¡¯s team to hold off on our reunion until they were ready to handle the curriculum. As much as the 100,000 viewers would hate it, skill doesn¡¯t improve overnight. For now, it was time to part ways. Before signing off, Harmony announced she¡¯d be stopping by my ce soon with a cake to celebrate her winning the Asia preliminaries. ¡°We don¡¯t have any set ns for future content, do we?¡± I said to the viewers. Predictably, the chat exploded. ¡°But it would be a shame to end the stream here, so let¡¯s talk a bit about the behind-the-scenes of the Asia preliminaries with Dice.¡± The response was immediate. -¡°Aaaahhhhhh! Unexpected treat!¡± -¡°I¡¯m ordering snacks. This is too good to miss!¡± -¡°Ayyyy! Looks like I¡¯m pulling an all-nighter tonight!¡± -¡°Love this channel! The content is so rich!¡± And Dice seemed more than willing to stick around. As always, the crowd was easy to read. ¡°Ow, stop hitting my butt.¡± ¡°Who drags you into shooting games the moment you walk in the door?¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Smack! And then a dodge. We were lying down, Dice stretching out with me, our hair slightly ruffled from the intense session. It was almost nine in the evening, and as she stretched, Dice spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Can we eat? I skipped dinner to eat here with you.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. What do you want to eat?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Pizza!¡± ¡°Pizza it is, then. Any particr toppings?¡± She nodded enthusiastically, and before I knew it, I was ordering nearly $100 worth of pizzas and sides, set to arrive within 40 minutes. It was going to be a nice little feast. As Dice wandered around my apartment, she made a casualment. ¡°What do you think of my ce?¡± I asked. ¡°It''s just so¡­ you. Very practical.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m regretting asking.¡± Maybe I¡¯d have to visit Dice¡¯s ce next time. I thought I was living decently, but now I was curious about how others managed their living spaces. Dice flopped down onto the couch and looked at me with an innocent expression. ¡°Is it true? Are you really burned out?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right. That¡¯s actually why I came over here.¡± ¡°Then get it together, would you?¡± ¡°Only if you let me pet your tail.¡± I sighed but slid over to let her snuggle against my tail. We started talking, and after a while, I realized that Dice wasn¡¯t really experiencing burnout; it was more of a temporary lethargy. A few days of forced restlessness had likely driven her here, needing to be active to shake off the feeling of uselessness. Once we confirmed that it wasn¡¯t anything severe, the conversation turned lighthearted again, touching on future training ns. We kept chatting while waiting for the pizza delivery. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I brought something for you!¡± She dashed over to the kitchen and retrieved something from under the table with a proud grin. ¡°Ta-da!¡± She held up a bottle of wine. I groaned. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t expect pizza, but wine and cheesy bread sound like a perfectbo.¡± I shook my head, watching her proudly present the bottle. It was at that moment that I regretted telling the interviewers I didn¡¯t drink. Chapter 207 "Ugh..." Birds were chirping, and the sunlight was streaming through the window, making for a pleasant morning. Yet, my body felt heavy, and my throat was dry. It was only 6 a.m., and I desperately needed to use the bathroom. Looking at the time, I realized I¡¯d only gotten four hours of sleep. I sat up, rubbing my throbbing head. But as I tried to get up, I felt something holding me back. I nced back. ¡°Come on¡­ let go¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± There was Dice, clutching my tail like a body pillow. The bed was big enough, and I was facing away, which only added to the situation. With her arms and legs wrapped around my tail, she was sound asleep, oblivious to my predicament. After some effort, I managed to wiggle my tail free and headed straight to the bathroom. I opened a carton of chocte milk that I¡¯d bought the day before and downed it in one go. I¡¯d read somewhere that it was good for hangovers, and it seemed to help. As I stood by the balcony, watching the first hints of dawn, I heard her voice. ¡°Yujin, could I have some, too?¡± ¡°When did you wake up?¡± ¡°Just now¡­¡± I filled a cup and handed it to her. She drank it with a half-asleep, half-yful look. ¡°You didn¡¯t wrap me up this time, huh?¡± ¡°I was trying to stay conscious, for once.¡± She chuckled, holding up her arm, revealing a faint imprint. She didn¡¯t need to exin; I recognized the familiar pattern of scales. I sighed, giving her an exasperated look, but she justughed. ¡°I slept so well with that body pillow.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some more rest? The guest room bed is open, you know.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t be like that.¡± She ended up following me back to my room, and once again, she fell asleep right next to me. Four more hours passed, and by 10 a.m., she had made full use of my house ¡ª showering, doingundry, and eating. It was a crisp autumn morning, with temperatures dropping close to single digits at night. I would have to turn the heat on soon. After a quick breakfast that doubled as lunch, we decided on kalguksu for our first meal. Dice slurped up her noodles, then paused to speak. ¡°There are a lot of people going to the finals this time. Even if we¡¯re only talking about ten now, with duos and squads, that could go up even more. Not that it really matters, though.¡± ¡°Does the schedule or lodging change if you¡¯re in a duo or squad?¡± ¡°Exactly. For duos and squads, we have to coordinate closely, so we share rooms. I¡¯d guess that this year, they¡¯ll put you and me together, then Ink, Michael, and Gambit in another hotel suite.¡± ¡°Interesting. Did you have a room to yourselfst year?¡± ¡°Yep. It was pretty lonely, honestly.¡± Dice was a treasure trove of stories aboutst year¡¯s finals, and they were genuinely fun to hear. I realized then that although I¡¯d been in New York for nearly five years, I¡¯d hardly explored the city. Mostly, I¡¯d just taken walks along the Hudson. I found it ironic, really. Looking back at Dice, I could see her expression had softened. She looked as though a weight had been lifted, the restlessness she¡¯d felt after the Asian preliminaries seemingly gone. She¡¯d shaken off the lethargy that had been clinging to her, maybe more than she realized. New experiences and fresh excitement were the best antidotes to boredom andcency. Whether or not her visit here was that exciting, even I couldn¡¯t say. After we finished cleaning up, Dicey back on the couch, shing me a yful grin. ¡°Man, it¡¯s sofy here. Can I just move in?¡± ¡°Sure, if you pay rent.¡± ¡°Hey, I have enough money¡­ okay, okay, I¡¯ll get going. But after the finals, I might just find a ce around here.¡± I watched her leave, her hand waving through the closing door. It felt like she would be back soon. When the door finally shut, the quietness returned. I had a lot to do. A pop-up message appeared on my Icarus-connected schedule app, listing thebat data and schedule for uing sessions. Dice, Ink, Gambit, and Michael had about 50 days left, while Harmony¡¯s team only had ten. Prioritizing thetter, I had three days to refine the data in Icarus Gear. I took a deep breath. It was time to return to my ¡°unofficial¡± work. Time was melting away. Sigh. The Asian preliminaries, which seemed like they would never end, finally concluded. Another week passed, and the days rolled into the weekend. It was nowte October, and while Dark Zone was experiencing a heatwave, outside, people were starting to wear long sleeves, hoodies, and coats. Friday and Saturday flew by, and it was Sunday. I could see through the friend list on my UI that Limit, Stone, and Hotteok were all online. And so was Yujin, of course. They were probably undergoing intense solo training with Yujin over the past few days. The specifics would be clearer tomorrow, but I wasn¡¯t too concerned. After all, I had my own tasks to focus on. Rustle. The sound of turning pages echoed, even if only in virtual reality. In my hands was a tactical manual that Yujin had written specifically for me. Though it wasn¡¯t lengthy, each sentence was packed with information, and I couldn¡¯t afford to miss a word. ¡°The terrain in Domination Mode is mostly predictablyplex, but that does not guarantee ease in engagements...¡± Corridors, staircases, hallways, winding passages, balconies, and multiyered terrain¡ªthe variety was practically endless. And then there were skills that could negate some of these structuralplexities. As the squad leader, I needed to quicklyprehend not only visiblendmarks but also the interconnected paths. The document went on with advice that seemed endless. The main takeaway: securing a foothold is crucial. Since Domination Mode isn¡¯t just about holding areas but also about kill points, securing a position that minimized losses while maintaining support was essential. In other words, I needed to be a malignant presence, like a tumor that was impossible to remove and caused harm whenever it was disturbed. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s even a list of the best cover spots.¡± Then there was the mechanic role, which was crucial for deploying defensive equipment like ADS systems, turrets, and portable shields. These were ideal for defending a stronghold but had to be neutralized first. Strategies for handling such opponents were naturally included. Was this still a game, or was it a study guide? But theory and practice go hand in hand, and the past few days of work had finally started to show results. Which brings us to now: [Alert: TIER 2 promotion match starting in 00:01:23.] [Alert: Squad Leader selection in progress.] TIER 2 promotion match. In other games, this would be like a promotion to Master rank. I had once thought I had no talent for FPS games and that I would never reach such a level, but here I was. I felt an inkling that I could go even higher. I quickly took on the role of squad leader, and as the game started, the three other yers eagerly greeted me over voice chat. In Domination Mode ranked games, a squad leader¡¯s contribution to the match could be tracked as a percentage of how much they contributed to the team¡¯s sess. Compared to others at my rank, no one else even came close. And then, there was an additional advantage: ¡°Harmony? Wait, is that really you?¡± ¡°Whoa, no way! Are you streaming right now?¡± ¡°Ah, not yet, but I will soon. I¡¯m ranking up solo for the streamer showdown.¡± ¡°But how did you get such impressive stats¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason for everything.¡± But all that wasn¡¯t the focus right now. It was the promotion match, the one that determined whether I¡¯d stay in SOF or ascend to TIER 2.@@novelbin@@ And it wasn¡¯t just about gaining rank. If I couldn¡¯t go further after everything I¡¯d learned from Yujin, it would be embarrassing. So, I focused myself and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m aiming for a promotion. I hope you¡¯ll all rise to the asion with me.¡± It was 5:59 p.m. I was ready to go live. [Alert: Promotion match begins!] The helicopter¡¯s des sliced through the air, and then¡ª Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! ¡°I can¡¯t hold B! The enemy¡¯s broken through the second line!¡± ¡°Hold for 30 seconds. Respawn is in progress.¡± ¡°By then, the entire defense line will be obliterated!¡± Amidst the deafening noise and the bullets whizzing through the air, the UI shed ominously, signaling that our control over B was slipping away. The enemy squad wasn¡¯t heading straight for the terminal; instead, they were spreading out like ink on water, widening their control. The small squad I sent to intercept was immediately decimated, flipping the bnce in the enemy¡¯s favor. Promotion match. Of all times, to fall apart at such a critical moment. I let out a sigh filled with self-mockery. ¡°Damn, slipping up right at the end.¡± At this point, any hope of regaining control over B was already half-abandoned. The enemy¡¯s defense was like a Spartan army, pushing in relentlessly. Even the allies stationed on the high ground were being taken out one by one. And there, amongst the chaos, was an avatar that anyone who followed Dark Zone or watched gaming streams would recognize. With green hair and cat ears, her gaze was razor-sharp as she moved. She had been the first to breach B¡¯s defenses, methodically setting up imprable lines and eliminating anyone left inside. Only she remained as we locked eyes for a final showdown. ¡°When did you get so good? Just how far are you nning to go?¡± She just giggled. No answer. And with a dull thud, everything went dark. I had lost control of B. Chapter 209 "Ugh..." What time is it? 10 a.m. It was one of those rare days when I¡¯d slept way too much. Even before opening my eyes, the loud pinging of iing emails dragged me out of dreand. Pushed back into reality, I opened my eyes, squinting against the light. Hovering above the bed was a holographic pop-up. It wasn¡¯t my work email, but my personal one¡ªthe one I had submitted to the organizers of the streamerpetition. The email, received precisely at 10 a.m. on Monday, detailed the tournament scheduled for next Monday, covering everything from the maps and scoring system to the ranking breakdown. Part of me wondered why it had to be sent this early, but really, it was just that I had overslept. Rumbling sounds. I threw off the nkets and got out of bed. With the heat barely on, the house wasn¡¯t too cold. As we neared November, the weather was getting chilly, especially in the mornings and evenings. Thinking about the cold weather reminded me of Teacher Yujin. He¡¯d probably have the heat on already. I imagined visiting his house in winter and finding him coiled up like a snake, all wrapped in nkets. I never used to like snakes, but they¡¯re starting to grow on me. And so, I let my mind wander a bit from reality. "Ugh, I really don¡¯t want to exercise..." But if I skipped it today, I¡¯d just want to skip it even more tomorrow. Dressed in simple workout clothes, I headed to the gym. I probably should¡¯ve eaten a little breakfast, but since I¡¯d woken upte, there was no helping it. After working up a good sweat, I headed back home. I quickly showered, got ready for lunch, and by the time I was done, it was almost noon. Since I was on a diet, lunch was a sd. I poked at the tasteless vegetables with my fork, swallowing them with some effort, while going over the progress updates I hadn¡¯t checked yesterday. In short, I looked over my YourSpace management, stayed in touch with my editor, reviewed uing content, and re-checked details for thepetitions I¡¯d be participating in. ''The stream starts at 6 p.m. as usual today¡­'' But I wanted to do something quick before that. After finishing the sd and washing the dish, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need much time to digest. So, I sat at my desk, handling some overdue tasks for about 30 minutes. Then, with practiced hands, I grabbed my VR device, put it on, and entered the virtual world. The ruined New York greeted me. Barely taking in the atmosphere, I entered Domination mode. A quick look at the UI showed several people online, including squad members Limit, Hotteok, and Kimstone, among others. But no messages came through, which was likely an unspoken agreement to wait until 6 p.m. for a reunion. Teacher Yujin had told me there was no need to climb higher in rank yesterday, but it felt odd to stay in the middle of TIER 2. Hmm... "As long as it¡¯s not overkill... it should be fine, right?" As long as I wasn¡¯t sacrificing practice time, spending a few hours on ranked matches¡ªabout four or five hours in-game¡ªwouldn¡¯t be a big issue. Back when Yujin and I streamed together daily, our schedules were much more hardcore. And besides, if I actually managed to hit TIER 1, Teacher might be secretly pleased, right...? Not that I¡¯m being selfish. It¡¯s not like I suddenly got greedy just because I¡¯d reached a high rank I¡¯d never considered before. So, let¡¯s climb as fast as possible to avoid any futureints.
  • [Notification: Ranked game match has started.]
And so began Harmony¡¯s little not-so-little diversion. It would be two hours before she heard from Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok that Teacher Yujin was taking the day off.
  • [Notification: Bio-scan initiated. Codename identification in progress....]
  • [Notification: Operator - John ''Anchorite'' Nakasone confirmed.]
  • [Notification: Icarus Device not detected.]
"This is my first time seeing the real thing in action. If we brought this to the U.S., the Department of Defense and Congress would be shouting with joy." "Seeing me and saying that right off the bat, isn¡¯t that a bit much?" "Haha. I¡¯m just not very good with words. Sorry about that." "A deep cover agent in Korea who¡¯s bad with words? Now that¡¯s a joke."@@novelbin@@ As mentioned, Harmony¡¯s solo run was of little interest to Yujin today. She had some important business to take care of. "Yujin! Damn, you¡¯re alive!" "That¡¯s not exactly something to joke about, but I¡¯ll let it slide today. How¡¯ve you been, John?" The Icarus Gear beeped in sync with my heartbeat. The automatic scan was cross-checking my physical condition against the Icarus Network¡¯s records for operators. John ''Anchorite'' Nakasone. Once with U.S. Cyber Command, he was adept at building and maintainingworks in both the physical and cyber realms, which made him an ideal candidate as an Icarus operator. There were other things I knew about him and connections I could draw, but those weren¡¯t important right now. ©¤©¤©¤Hug! "It¡¯s really good to see you, wow...." "Gah, cut it with the bear hugs, you¡¯re using Awakened strength!" There was a cracking sound, but I ignored it and gave him a deep hug. After a short reunion, we parted. He joked about wearing shoes indoors and quickly scanned the houseyout. Meanwhile, the Icarus Gear kept up its constant warnings about theck of apatible device on him, which I discreetly silenced. Naturally, his gaze returned to me. Even highly trained personnel have trouble controlling momentary unconscious reactions. He ced a bulletproofptop on the table and cautiously sat on the sofa. Then he spoke. "There are so many things I want to ask, Yujin. Of course, there¡¯s a main purpose, but what I¡¯m most curious about is..." "Before that." Crackle! A faint noise and a tiny spark from the inside of John''s cor. I moved over and grinned as I added, "You should¡¯ve told me in person, instead of using a bug. Otherwise, I¡¯ll just break it now." "These bastards, they even put a bug on my clothes?" "Haha. I think I get what you¡¯re curious about. You want to know what happened that day, right?" "...." A pause. It was a straightforward question in a way. His silence was basically an acknowledgment that I had guessed correctly. I might not know how my funeral had gone, but the battle at Indian Point Nuclear nt had ended in its copse. It was probably assumed my body would never be found. Unfortunately, though, I couldn¡¯t give him a clear answer either. Even I didn¡¯t know how I made it back home. All I could offer was a vague answer that I¡¯d been in a firefight when an explosion urred, and somehow, I ended up here. I left out the parts I couldn¡¯t share. Despite that limited response, he spoke as if it didn¡¯t really matter. "If that¡¯s all there is to it, then there¡¯s no need to know more. The important thing is that you aplished your goal. Given how the Omega Virus situation has repeatedly defied humanity¡¯s logic, what¡¯s one more example added to the list?" "Is that really alright with you?" "When there¡¯s no expectation of additional meaningful information, why press for more? Essentially, what you went through is closer to an iprehensible event¡ªlike what Logan and Christopher experienced." "Logan, Christopher...." Buried memories. The sharp shovel of words pierced the fragile sand of time, unearthing memories. But since it was someone else stirring them up, they would no longer remain secrets held by only me. Perhaps one day, those two, and even Instructor Owens... maybe it won¡¯t be too long until I see them again. As if reading my thoughts, he chuckled lightly and added, "Thanks to you breaking the bug, I can say this: there are plenty of people back home who are eager to meet you. For now, it¡¯s enough to know that." "..." "But as you know, there are protocols and procedures in this world. Like how you need the proper attire to attend a ball¡ª" Clink. He didn¡¯t wait for me to reply, instead turning to the bulletproofptop he¡¯d ced on the table and opening it carefully. The screen powered on, disying several floating icons. With a click, an encrypted file began to run.
  • [Warning: This file requires Icarus Clearance for ess.]
"So, before you head to the States, you¡¯ll need to be prepared." "Preparation... Could it be¡ª" "You¡¯ve guessed correctly." He pulled out an insignia hidden near his cor. The Blue Badger of Delta Force. The emblem, unique to U.S. SOCOM and specifically USARSOC, depicted abat knife encased in an arrowhead. The insignia gleamed in the ceiling light. A formal pronouncement followed. "John Nakasone, callsign Anchorite, member of the 1st Special Actions Group, The Unit¡ªa specialist in the Far East and a member of the local infrastructure team. By the authority vested in me by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, I hereby reinstate your status. Any objections or questions, Sergeant Yujin?" "None, sir!" "Then I officially wee you back, oof¡­ but no bear hugs!" And with that, I pulled him into a fierce hug, which made him wince as if his whole body ached. "Geez, why do you, Logan, and Christopher all love hugs so much? Anyway, what I¡¯ve activated here is your personal record file stored in Korea. You¡¯ll need to review it and make adjustments before discussing it with the U.S. personnel." "Why did you bring it all the way here?" "To put it bluntly, this file can¡¯t be opened without your wristwatch." Ah. There was no need for more words. I knew what needed to be done. Taking a deep breath, I manipted the Icarus Gear. A hologram appeared, signaling that the bulletproofptop had gained ess. As the files began synchronizing, theptop disyed a flurry of warning messages. The core issue was that theptop couldn¡¯t handle the Icarus Gear¡¯s processing power, causing it to overheat and overload. But that quickly resolved itself. The authorized files opened, and a stream of information appeared on the screen. As if on cue, he added, "You can use this file as a guideline for making edits." "MAVNI enlistment in the U.S. military, various umted experiences... MWTR? Metropolitan Warfare Tactical Response Unit? Is that a newly established unit?" "Only on paper. It wasn¡¯t formally created; we just reallocated the budget from a redundant unit. It¡¯s a new unit formed by volunteers from former Icarus personnel scattered across TIER 1 and TIER 2 special forces within JSOC." "That sounds far from just being ¡®on paper.¡¯" "Naturally, there¡¯s also a dedicated budget for training and maintenance. If we¡¯re building a career from scratch, it has to be meticulously done." I chuckled. It was quite the meticulous setup. But despite that, I had to keep my emotions in check, feeling that any slip-up might lead to tears. He continued, "Of course, there are still some rough spots. You¡¯ll need to use the Icarus Gear to refine the details smoothly. The training records for this unit will be adapted from past operations undertaken by Task Force Dagger, with cross-testimonies between team members to ensure consistency." "So, my role would be¡­" "You¡¯ve got it figured out." He pointed at the Icarus Gear, which was already making adjustments automatically. Our gazes met. "Sentimentality is nice, but I¡¯ll need your help frequently from now on. This isn¡¯t the end; it¡¯s just the beginning. The real work starts here. And this won¡¯t be limited to just covert operations; there will also be some public disclosures." "Public disclosures?" "As per the discussions back home, they¡¯ll eventually release certain information linking you to the U.S. military. While it may cause you some temporary inconveniences, it¡¯ll serve as a stern warning to anyone foolish enough to approach you." A warning that says, ¡°This person is a U.S. asset, so don¡¯t even think about it.¡± He was indirectly stating that I was under the protection of the eagle¡¯s wings from this moment¡ªperhaps even from before. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. If that¡¯s all, I could handle it. ...Though I was slightly uneasy about what methods they¡¯d use and how annoying it might get. "I¡¯ll endure it." "I¡¯m sorry we had to take such a blunt approach. But if you end up being hounded by paparazzi when you visit the States, it won¡¯t be easy for the DoD to provide follow-up support. Given the nature of this covert project, it¡¯s not something the DoD can openly protect." "I understand. It makes sense." Simply put, that¡¯s how it was. This project to create a military career for me was something that shouldn¡¯t have been allowed and wasn¡¯t officially sanctioned. If I ended up tangled in a mess, the U.S. federal government wouldn¡¯t be able to help me formally¡ªmaybe unofficially, but not in any official capacity. So, they were preemptively protecting me to prevent anyone from making trouble. It was a necessary step, one I¡¯d have to ept with any associated downsides. "That settles it." He nodded. In that moment, hands were extended from both sides. Rough hands met soft hands. "Sergeant Yujin ¡®Viper¡¯ Lee of Task Force Dagger, wee back under the wings of America." "It¡¯s an honor." In mid-tote October, on a fine day with good weather, today would be remembered as one of the best days of my life. Chapter 210
  • [Warning: High traffic influx detected. First-tier safety firewall breached. Authorization recognized¡­ DARPA filteringplete, no anomalies detected. Blocking traffic¡ªimpossible. Impossible. Impossible. Impossible¡­.]
  • [Notification: Verifying ess node¡­ Unable to determine. Electronic certificate cross-verificationplete. Commencing inter-server coordination and system central control procedure to manage traffic.]
  • [Notification: Activating Protocol Icarus.]
"Damn it, what is this!" It was 3 a.m., when even the sun and moon had fallen asleep. Inside DARPA''s control room, which never truly turned off, walls filled with dozens of massive screens and floating holograms rapidly became littered with warnings that they had never seen before, all within a matter of seconds. Even for those working at DARPA who had pulled countless night shifts, it was the first time they had ever encountered so many issues in such a short span. The researchers,work technicians, and security engineers, who had faced all sorts of scenarios, could only stare nkly at the screens in stunned silence. Only one person, Jordan Royden, appeared to be furiously working at hisputer, masking his exhaustion. At a nce, he seemed busy trying to resolve the situation, but that wasn¡¯t the reality. He exchanged a subtle nce with the person overseeing tonight''s shift. Breaking eye contact, the shift leader spoke up coolly. "Call in the rapid response team for Protocol Icarus. Everyone else, return to your division¡¯s control room and prepare to minimize coteral damage. Remember, we¡¯re the initial response team, not the crisis resolution team." "Understood!" With that, half of the personnel swiftly left, and even those who remained to monitor and organize the situation quickly bolted to their departments as soon as the rapid response team arrived. How much time had passed since then? Once all the shift staff had left and the entire response team had taken their seats, the control room doors sealed tightly. A dry, mechanical voice sounded from the ceiling.
  • [Notification: Control room lockdownplete.]
"...." Another stretch of time passed before someone finally broke the silence. "Isn¡¯t the time difference with Korea thirteen hours? This is brutal, really. Of all times for something like this to happen¡­ Anyway, everyone. How does it feel to witness the true nature of the Icarus Gear?" "It¡¯s like a natural disaster. The technological gap is at least 30 years ahead. The traffic load briefly surpassed DARPA¡¯s normalputational capacity." "Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not that the device itself holds that much processing power¡­ But considering how it can legallymandeer every connected terminal, it¡¯s about the same." Despite their chatter, their fingers moved constantly. What initially seemed like chaotic data flow was reorganized under their hands, forming a coherent picture on thework. The real-time modifications to Yujin¡¯s record file, unlocked by the Icarus key, were projected on the hologram disy. Soon enough, the file took on aprehensible form. The holographic records illustrated Yujin¡¯s journey in this world. Following Anchorite¡¯s guidelines closely, the file meticulously documented every encounter Yujin had, drawing from a roster that spanned not just Delta Force and DEVGRU but also a vast array of special forces units under JSOC that were too numerous to name. Observing this, the team leader spoke up softly. "There are quite a lot." Indeed, it was an unprecedented and bizarre lineup of a cartel that probably hadn¡¯t existed before in history, but it wasn¡¯t something to be overly concerned about. They didn¡¯t need to get all of them on the same page. Focusing on those closest to Yujin and revolving around them was enough. And even those ¡°closest¡± included future presidents, NSA directors, nearly half of DARPA¡¯s researchers, the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary, the Army Chief, and countless others from the Secret Service to JSOC and beyond. In the real world, that level of influence was more than sufficient. Moreover, any remaining traces in the digital realm could be effortlessly wiped by the Icarus Gear. The work flowed smoothly and sequentially. In other words, they only needed to organize the oue of efforts made by others rather than doing it themselves. By the way, "MWRT, huh? So this military tech development project that¡¯s been floating around for years is tied to this as well." The Metropolitan-Warfare Tactical Response Team, or MWRT. If Yujin had followed the typical special forces track, gradually climbing through the ranks, she might have been building experience in a TIER 2 special unit by now. But the higher-ups had fabricated an entirely new unit to legitimize the experience she¡¯d umted. There was no need to strain their brains designing training data. They could easilypile a few select records from the extensivebat data stored in the Icarus Gear, which would be more than enough to make anyone¡¯s training records as thick as a millionaire¡¯s wallet. ¡®¡­And to think, it¡¯s armed with electronic certificates capable of easily breaching DARPA¡¯s system. If anyone hears about this, they¡¯re going to be utterly floored.¡¯ In their world, they had already poured nearly two decades and billions of dors into this project, so such performance was only to be expected. In emergencies, each device could even function as awork hub, matching the scale of a single U.S. institution. Of course, during the initial chaos, the vast majority perished amidst viruses and pandemonium, leaving only a handful of operators and a limited number of Icarus Gears in existence¡­. The turmoil was gradually subsiding. After almost 13,000 kilometers worth of remote modifications, the updates began to taper off, concluding with a message signalingpletion. A final message was delivered:
  • [Yujin: Future modifications are possible, so any feedback would be appreciated. // It¡¯s really great to see you all again!]
"Haha." The work on their end was mostly wrapped up. Now it was time for the U.S. to get busy. But before that, there was something that had to be said. "...Can someone please let Anchorite know not to do these updates at this ungodly hour next time?" Everyone nodded in unison. It was a veryte night, indeed.
  • [USSOCOM: Authenticity verificationplete. Any parts requiring modification or editing will be sent within three days. See attached file for details¡­.]
"Looks like the guys dragging their feet in Florida are finally getting to work. Remember General Howard?" "Oh, the one who almost got himself killed during the Miami recapture because he insisted on fighting on the front lines?" "Haha, I¡¯ll have to remind him about that next time. He might not take it so well." A shortugh followed. Considering the Omega Virus incident affected the entire U.S., who knows how many people were involved. Fortunately, John mentioned someone I actually remembered. General Howard R. Spencer. I remember him rampaging around, determined to destroy every hostile force operating near the stranded aircraft carrier by Miami Beach. He even made a fuss about being an old Green Beret and wanting to join the fight. Of course, just two dayster, hismand vehicle was almost blown up by a Russian infiltration team¡¯s rocket. But he somehow managed to escape and even imed a few kills afterward. "So he¡¯s themander of USSOCOM now?" "He¡¯s the one who¡¯ll be vouching for a lot of your military background. Why don¡¯t you schedule a video call? Building a trustwork is a fundamental HUMINT skill, after all." "Really?" "Haha, tough crowd." As I pondered when would be best to send this old man back home, I opened the ssified email sent through the privatework. The message automatically deleted itself as soon as I downloaded the file. The file didn¡¯t have many notes. It was the result of a preliminary draft, and the pre-work Anchorite had done was approved, so there wasn¡¯t much that needed changing. If anything, it contained more requests, primarily for battle data currently stored in the Icarus Gear. They wanted the records to shape training and operation documentation. Of course, given the file sizes, I couldn¡¯t just send them over immediately. I might suggest storing them on high-capacity drives and shipping them via diplomatic pouchter on. Naturally, "That¡¯s a good idea. Just a brief connection already overloaded DARPA¡¯s systems, from what I heard." "Haha, me the U.S. government for pouring astronomical sums into a single watch." "It¡¯s ironic that such a statement can¡¯t be brushed off as just a joke." He added this with a subtle smile, his gaze fixed on the list of training programs I¡¯dpleted. "Firearms and tactics, SCUBA, CQB, CQC, HALO, SERE, infiltratingrge facilities and ships,nd navigation, sabotage, tactical demolition, IED creation, emergency medical skills, advanced urban warfare, building tactics, CDQC, JTAC, various vehicle operations, small-unit tactics, and more... You¡¯ve learned quite a bit over four years. Owens must¡¯ve had his hands full." "He¡¯d probably tell you that anyone else would¡¯ve burnt out long ago." "Not an unfair point. Even the infamous Green Beret Q-Course gives over ten days¡¯ rest between phases¡­." And, as I mentioned, they didn¡¯t let me rest after training. The constant incursions before, during, and after training taught me just how brutal this training could be. Even though I was often praised for absorbing knowledge like a sponge, there were hundreds of times when I nearly broke. Anyway, I shouldn¡¯t get lost reminiscing about the past. Scrolling further down, I saw countless certificates and proofs ofpletion for various training courses¡ªan endless list. All of it, my record. "Anyway, if there aren¡¯t any major issues, your profile will be finalized like this. You can proudly present it as your business card." "Though it¡¯s not like I followed an official course." "Are you talking about something like SFAS? Basic fitness tests,nd navigation, armed mountain marches, rough terrain training? I assure you, there¡¯s no JSOC operator with your stamina and endurance. But then again, you¡¯re not exactly suited for espionage either." "I suppose you¡¯re right, but¡­ it still feelscking." "There¡¯s always something that feelscking. But on the flip side, given the circumstances, you¡¯re probably one of the best urban warfare specialists in JSOC. Think of it as a different specialization. It¡¯s not like ams specialist envies a medical sergeant." "Oh." It felt like an odd resolution to a lingering doubt I¡¯d had. Maybe, deep down, I was hoping for someone to tell me this. We continued talking back and forth. Meanwhile, emails from the U.S. kepting, bringing new topics into the conversation. Specifics on being formally added to the DoD¡¯s list of TIER 1 operators, and other matters. Time flew by, and before I knew it, it was 11 p.m. The hours melted away like ice cream left outside on a summer day. "...Has it really been almost twelve hours? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt time pass so quickly." "Seriously. Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?" "I¡¯ll stay nearby. I doubt I¡¯ll sleep much anyway, with all the data to go through. I might end up pulling an all-nighter." "There¡¯s an extra bed here. You could sleep here." "I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯d rather not get in trouble with my team. This won¡¯t be myst visit, anyway¡­ Come to think of it, next time, there might be someone else dropping by." John added this with a hint of regret. With a tired nod, he took the sweet chocte milk I handed him and downed it. Then, he nced at me with a grin. "You still love sweets, huh? I can guess what¡¯s in your fridge without even looking." "Can¡¯t help it with a high metabolism." "Honestly, I¡¯m a bit jealous¡­ Never mind. I¡¯m just tired. I think it¡¯s time for me to go." "Alright." And now, for the final topic of the day. Although, unfortunately, ¡°unexpected¡± would have to be added to that description. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you."@@novelbin@@ "About what?" "Well, my team and I, we¡¯re all huge fans of your streams. Some of our operating funds might have ended up in your bank ount." "...Ugh." "If only you had a better game selection criteria, though." Gah. Hearing this from an old colleague was a shock, to say the least. But heughed and added that having work was a great motivator. In that sense, I had nothing to be embarrassed about. The problem is, I¡¯m terrible with embarrassment. Anyway, we exchanged quick goodbyes. The heavy door closed. ©¤©¤©¤Click! And the house returned to silence as if nothing had happened. But it wouldn¡¯t be quiet for long. Because¡ª
  • [Harmony: Teacher¡ª! I actually hit TIER 1 today!]
  • [Harmony: And I¡¯ve been working Limit, Stone, and Hotteok pretty hard, hehe. They¡¯re doing so well! But there¡¯s always room for improvement, so I did some extra shooting range training with them today!]
  • [Harmony: I¡¯ll send you the stream link for today. Use it for analysis if you need itter!]
Of course. I had a feeling she¡¯d go for it the moment I told her not to. It was a psychological trick, like telling someone not to think of an elephant. Seeing it work brought a smile to my face. Her rank was a clear indicator of how much her skills had improved, after all. I added a quick reply and clicked on the link she¡¯d sent. ©¤©¤©¤. As the bright glow filled the screen, I popped open a notepad. It seemed I¡¯d be upte tonight. Chapter 211 "Um..." "Is something wrong?" "No, it''s just..." inhale How should this be handled? That thought flickered through the mind of the employee managing the streamer tournament for Icarus-Dark Zone''s service team. It had evolved into a major event with not just any streamers but those partnered with the Dark Zone, which made it possible for Icarus to host it. But that wasn''t the primary issue. The real question was how to handle the situation, with more than just a couple of participants. Two pairs of eyes focused on the email from Harmony, disyed on the screen, but neither seemed able to break the silence. The rules were simple. Six teams, each with four members, were divided into two groups. Each group would face off in a best-of-seven format. The highest-tiered yer would lead a squad of the three lowest-tiered yers as the operations team¡­ That''s where a slight problem arose. "The highest-tiered yer in Team Cartographer is Carto, but¡­ this is based on AP. Can this be applied to Domination mode as well? Shouldn¡¯t it go to Harmony?" "It''s just a one-tier difference. Cartographer has an AP-based Medal of Honor, while Harmony is now Tier 1, rank 5. If the former has yed enough Domination rank games, there''s a chance they rank higher than Harmony." "True, but isn''t Team Cartographer a bit overpowered?" "Also true, but unless we''re talking about someone on Yujin''s level, raw physical skill alone won''t carry every match¡­ If need be, let''s contact Manager Kim''s side and suggest some additional advantages. I''ll monitor and handle that today." A few nods followed. Ultimately, the crux of the issuey in Harmony''s presence, which had suddenly bolstered the team¡¯s strength. With about six days until the tournament, it was neither too much nor too little time to take corrective measures. It was just the right moment to act. The advantages were sparse¡ªat most, allowing professional gamers to provide more direct support. Alternatively, they could impose a handicap on Team Cartographer. After all, in South Korea, there were few who hadn''t heard of Yujin and Dice. And now Harmony had them both as personal coaches. Surely, that warranted enough of a handicap. Several minutester, another employee approached with an update. "Harmony might need a serious handicap." "What? That much? What''s going on?" "If the tournament starts, Manager Kim''s team is going to get absolutely wrecked. Team Cartographer might need to stop receiving pro feedback ASAP." "I see. Well¡­ as long as it doesn¡¯t affect Manager Kim''s team, we should leave them alone. I¡¯ll need to speak with the squad leaders from Cartographer''s team¡­ that''s on me. What else needs to be done?" "Figure out what handicap to give Team A, and for Team B, maybe link them with a pro team for matches. Alternatively, we could just move Cartographer to Team B¡­ but that might be overkill." "Right." Meaningful data started to pile up. As discussions and revisions continued, the team handling the matter grew from two to three, then four, then five members. Within a few hours, the issue raised by Harmony''s email had spread to most of the temporary department staff overseeing the tournament. It was like pieces of a puzzleing together automatically, as everyone in the department took on their respective tasks. They gathered people to lead meetings, coordinated with Team B about the new advantages, and others prepared to announce the handicap adjustments. All this because of a single email¡ªwhat irony. "Don¡¯t assume one meeting will resolve everything. When you meet with the streamers, feel free to share ideas. Later,pile and summarize it neatly." "Understood." The unexpected wave hit just after lunchtime. Though the sun was high in the sky and the ss walls blocked out the chilly autumn wind, the room felt oddly cold. The arrow had been loosed, and now all that was left was to wait for the results. Time passed, and then¡ª -[Notice: From this moment, Team Cartographer will be reassigned as Team Harmony.] For some, it was as expected. For others, it was an unthinkable turn of events. A chemical reaction had ignited. "This ispletely unexpected." "This is all because Yujin grew too influential. He should¡¯ve stayed as my own little Yujin¡­." "Sheesh." "Ow!" thump The gentle tap on my head was surprisingly pleasant. Turning slightly, I noticed a tail swishing back and forth over my head. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt good after being hit, honestly. Despite my brief moment of escapism, a lot had changed within just a few hours. First, Team Cartographer became Team Harmony. But since the name doesn''t sound great, I decided to call them simply Team A. Team A was now unable to receive direct tactical feedback from pros. On the other hand, Manager Kim''s team¡ªlet¡¯s call them Team B¡ªhad easier ess to professional feedback. At least they hadn''t split up my squad members. But honestly, had much really changed? Probably not, though others might feel differently. And finally¡­ "Harmony, soon you''ll be a trainer yourself. How do you feel?" "I don''t know¡­ It¡¯s my first time teaching under such strange circumstances, so it¡¯s hard to say." "You''ll do well. It¡¯ll be a valuable experience." "Carto said the same. Though he didn¡¯t look thrilled about it." "Ha." Teaching others must be a daunting task. Reflecting on my experiences, I realized I¡¯d only met with my team a few times. Until now, I just nodded along to exnations, but this was the first time I had a proper conversation with people¡ªthough it was a bit overdue. Nevertheless, the conversation flowed smoothly, thanks to shared experiences¡ªmainly, enduring disasters alongside Dice. It made me wonder if anyone has met Yujin under positive circumstances. I didn¡¯t have the best experience meeting him either, butpared to others, our first encounter was practically peaceful. Back to the matter at hand, though. "Not much has actually changed. Focus on what you can control and discard the rest. There''s a reason why you¡¯re the squad leader." "Oh¡­ right." "I wonder if even this basic advice is off-limits. Do you have a guideline?" "Probably not. I¡¯ll check, but I doubt anyone will nitpick this much." Thirty minutes until broadcast. The sudden request left a mountain of tasks. Reviewing the request¡¯s validity, determining how to proceed, and preparing an exnation for viewers with questions about the notice. There was more to consider. I had to introduce myself as the new team leader, and n how to handle the curriculum. Yujin told me to focus on what I could control¡­ As I pondered, the thoughts came naturally. "By the way, you''re amazing. We synced up yesterday, and I¡¯m in awe¡­ how did you manage it?" "Minah rose to the asion, as did the other three." "True. Thanks to them, I feel ready for the tournament." The fact that we missed Monday''s training doesn¡¯t seem to have hurt us. It¡¯s a reminder that there are truly unreachable heights in this world. Perhaps I glimpsed that, however briefly. In the end, Yujin¡¯s approach worked. We filled in the gaps through elerated lessons and training, then gradually expanded each member¡¯s capabilities. With such a solid foundation, there was no need for minor tricks. As the broadcast time approached, we continued to chat. "Anyway, it¡¯s a shame. I¡¯ll have to make do with what I''ve learned. I can at least avoid making a fool of myself." "You¡¯ll do great. Take care." "Yeah¡­." I''ve learned a lot. As long as I stay focused, I should manage¡­ though, I should still expect the unexpected and train as if it¡¯s life or death. As the broadcast time approached, Yujin vanished to do his own stream. I would miss seeing him in-game for a few days, but soon enough, I¡¯d be too busy to notice. I started the broadcast with familiar movements, joining Carto¡¯s session. In the blink of an eye, we were in the shooting range I¡¯d requested as the briefing site. Three of us were gathered: myself, Carto, and HumanFormBoss, another squad leader. It felt surreal to think I¡¯d risen high enough tomand them, but I owed it to Yujin. We exchanged introductions. "Nice to meet you all. I¡¯m Harmony, the newly appointed leader. Looking forward to working with you." "Pleasure''s mine. I¡¯m HumanFormBoss. Feel free to speak openly; I¡¯m good friends with Carto." -TeamHarmony!TeamHarmony!TeamHarmony! -"Knew this grind would bring chaos LOL" -"Quit being so good!" -"Who ranks up to Grandmaster just days before a tournament LOL" -"We need to address the tail scandal!" The chat was wild. After quick greetings, I decided to ignore the rest. Streamers rely on viewers, but there was work to do. However, today, viewers¡¯ curiosity aligned with my peers¡¯. "Greetings. Congrats on your promotion to group leader." "I may be in charge, but squad management is on you, Carto. If you don¡¯t do it right, I¡¯ll bring Yujin." "No, anything but that!" -LOL Yujin¡¯s fear runs deep! -"A legend, but now he¡¯s a boogeyman for Carto." -"Bring Yujin back!" With Carto bowing out, I linked Limit, Hotteok, and Kimstone to the stream, expanding the shooting range. We needed space for the twelve of us. New UI features showed up¡ªgroupmand permissions, once Carto¡¯s, were now mine. I summoned everyone here. Briefing and debriefing were ritualistic now. People trickled in, most bewildered. My team looked calm and stern. Once everyone was seated, I called my team over to sit behind the podium. After a deep breath, I began. "Hello, everyone. We don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll be brief. I¡¯m Harmony, stepping in for Cartographer as the team lead. Please support me until the tournament." A mix of polite and sincere apuse followed as I bowed. "Let¡¯s not drag this out. Some are here just to participate, while others aim for victory. If you¡¯re in the former, raise your hand." Silence. The moment I mentioned thetter, everyone¡¯s hands shot up. At that moment, I snapped a picture mid-air¡ª click They looked around, sensing the gravity of the situation, but I smiled as I spoke. "With this, you¡¯re all in this together." -Wait, what??? -"She just yed us all LOL" -"She''s getting savvier by the day LOL" -"Buckle up for Yujin¡¯s training! Abandon hope!" This applied to everyone here. I guided the squad to their positions¡ªlike a mirrored intro sequence. With eight sets of eyes on me, I spoke again. "From now until the tournament, these three here will be helping you improve." "Huh?" "Wait, what! Harmony, we didn¡¯t sign up for this!" "Putting a lunatic behind the wheel¡ªthis is bad news for us." Voluntary enlistment, bold reshuffling, even outsourcing. The restructured Team Harmony roared to life. The end would be explosive, no doubt, but whether it would destroy or build depended on our course. "Hehe."@@novelbin@@ -The first disciple of Yujin¡¯s madness LOL -"Training the wild card Yujin gave skills to LOL" -"Yujin has some exining to do." And so, the Harmony sets sail. Chapter 212 "[General Chat] Harmony has finally lost it LOL" A meme of Harmony giving a speech to eleven people. She made them raise their hands naturally, then took a photo, stering it as "those who are serious about this" LOL. [All Comments][Sorted by Latest]
  • "Honestly, she made it look so natural that I was wondering what was happening. Insane¡­"
  • "She''s getting more devious with each step LOL"
  • "Fact: She then pushed the trainer role onto her teammates."
    • "LOL subcontracting and turning it into a family business? ssic."
    • "She didn''t even consult them LOL"
  • "This looks sloppy, but it somehow seems like it''ll work LOL"
    • "She must''ve learned the basics from Yujin LOL"
    • "MacGyver vs. Pat and Mat"
    • "Harmony''s team? More like Team Pat and Mat."
  • "Mad people are usually freakishly talented. Why is this actually happening?"
    • "Because they channel all their madness into gaming."
  • "As haters increase, Harmony bulldozes all obstacles in her path."
    • "Isn''t that how they described Yujin during the preliminary ranks? LOL"
    • "They''re bing alike LOL"
  • "At least she doesn¡¯t have to worry about surpassing her teacher."
    • "To surpass Yujin, she''d need to be missing half her limbs LOL"
    • "Too true, honestly."
    • "Plus, no tail."
[General Chat] Summary of today''s¡­ Harmony''s stream¡­ jpg An image of Harmony, with a red hat on squad members'' heads, spinning them around at the shooting range. Do whatever you want, seriously LOL. [All Comments][Sorted by Latest]
  • "??? : Get to Grandmaster if you¡¯re mad LOL"
    • "What a flex LOL"
  • "She¡¯s bing one with the shooting range LOL"
  • "The shooting range drills work, but this¡­ LOL"
  • "Even the trainers are starting to enjoy it as they go."
    • "True, they''re all in it now."
  • "At this point, wouldn¡¯t it be better to focus on team y rather than shooting drills?"
    • "What''s the point of team y if theyck the physical skills?"
    • "It''s like college group projects with middle schoolers LOL"
    • "Breathless just hearing about it LOL"
  • "Yujin¡¯s influence extends everywhere."
  • "¡®Get to Grandmaster if you¡¯re mad¡¯ is a legendary line."
    • "Doesn''t even suit Harmony, though LOL"
  • "I had something to say, but I forgot it as soon as I saw the instructor hats."
    • "This is visual terrorism LOL"
  • "Looks insane, but it somehow produces results."
  • "Is she trying to show the perils of oue-focused thinking?"
"You''re doing well enough, so what''s with the fuss?" Sip. Harmony leaned back and nced at the various pop-ups on her screen. Video clips, text, and images¡ªevery form of media imaginable covered the recent happenings. Her concern wasn¡¯t so much about how Harmony was doing, though she was relieved Harmony wasn''t taking any reckless risks. Whether the shooting range or team y, there were insights to be gained either way. After all, nothing else pressing demanded her attention. "Is it so surprising that Harmony¡¯s skill improved so much?" From her perspective, it was inevitable. Unlike exceptions like herself, Harmony¡¯s path to bing a redefined operator didn¡¯t involve the fundamental hurdles of physical stamina due to VR''s nature. The biggest obstacle was gone. Now, it was just a matter of building muscle memory. If she were training Special Forces recruits, they''d achieve notable results in three weeks under VR conditions. Mastery in navigation, shooting, and situational awareness¡ªthose were the essentials. The Dark Zone had ttened gender disparities under the guise of adjustments, opening up a world not limited by gender. Dice was proof of that. Personal musings aside, she swiped away the windows, then checked her task list. Passport renewal¡­ she could apply for an American passport as well. Her citizenship was established, thanks to MAVNI, which granted her U.S. citizenship in exchange for military service. Harmony¡¯s chat message caught her eye: -[Harmony: I¡¯ming to the U.S. in December with you, teacher. Please don¡¯t leave me behind. T-T] The brat. This December, Harmony would join her on the trip. Icarus had cleared it, and the final championship booking was straightforward. The odds ofnding a ticket were one in three thousand, but as a team entourage, they¡¯d secured spots easily. The more concerning issuey elsewhere: -[¡­Senator Henry M. Brayton ns to attend the AP Final Championship to meet the athletes, with Eugene representing Korea¡­.] "That old man¡­" He wouldn¡¯t have attended if not for her. Now he feigned interest, as expected for a seasoned politician. Whether this would be an ordinary meeting or not was unclear. As she pondered, a message from Anchorite buzzed in: -[A: The public announcement has begun. They used a method even I didn''t expect.] -[A: /watchv=GmlQVS3dAM&list=RDH] -[A: LOL] "What''s so funny?" She opened the link, watching the video load. The thumbnail had just over 100,000 views, a fresh upload from an hour ago titled Dark Zone Final Championship: North American Participant Interview. Then, on screen¡ª "Logan?" Before she could process why Logan was there, the image burned into her retinas: baster skin, clear blue eyes, and those unmistakable pr bear ears. The familiar voicepleted the scene. They looked straight into the camera, almost as if exchanging nces.
  • "I haven¡¯t reviewed all the final championship participants yet, but I do know some."
  • "That¡¯s intriguing. It sounds like you know someone specific."
  • "Yes, I¡¯m quite familiar with Korea¡¯s Eugene. We crossed paths a lot in military service."
The interviewer¡¯s eyes widened at the revtion, but Logan continued, unfazed.
  • "Wow, I never expected that. Could you borate?"
  • "I can¡¯t disclose much, but suffice to say, a lot of people, including me, are acquainted with them. I hope you can infer why that¡¯s all I can say."
  • "Ah, I see. Let¡¯s move on to the next question¡ª"
It was Logan leading this bombshell. On the surface, it seemed trivial, but it would cause massive ripples. Only an hour in, it had amassed 100,000 views. Having be familiar with YourSpace, she could predict the storm ahead. This must be the ¡°specific public announcement method¡± hinted at before. She never expected such a direct approach. Then again, it was hard to imagine a more effective method. While subtly implying her background, the video¡¯s reach was undeniable. Though she had another thought. -[Eugene: Is Loganpeting in AP too?] -[A: Not that I know of] -[Eugene: ?] -[A: ?] Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be intelligence? What did he even know?@@novelbin@@ She chuckled, shaking her head, and continued, "Have you developed a new hobby of going out just to get smacked?" "Oh, please, would it kill you to speak nicely?" "Whether I¡¯m kind or not won¡¯t change the oue. You might as well practice coffin fittings¡ªugh." "Oh, shut up. I was just doing a favor." thump The Delta Force veteran Owens flinched as he took a punch to the side from Yujin. Despite his 19 years of service, even he struggled against Yujin¡¯s inhumanly strong strikes. Perfect CQC defense wasn¡¯t enough to stop the numbing sensation, so he shook it off, both heading to a park with food trucks nearby. Weekday lunchtime filled the park with office workers grabbing a quick bite. "What will it be? Panini? Hot dog? Hamburger or lobster roll¡­ or fried mac and cheese bites? My arteries are screaming." "That¡¯s the idea. Let¡¯s grab one of each and swap." "I see 80% of the food bill on my end." "Ha." They wandered for 30 minutes, sampling every truck, before returning with a variety of foods. Owens popped open a soda, while Logan devoured a taco and wiped her mouth. "A few days ago, DARPA was a mess. Royden told me. I can guess who was responsible." "Looks like things are moving." "Exactly." She took another bite and continued, "I was asked by some former superiors. Christopher is still at Gold Squadron in Virginia, so he can¡¯t move much¡­ he mighte in December. I¡¯m here to speak on his behalf." "Thanks. He ended up where he suited best. I wonder if he¡¯s still instructing underwater ops." "If I went by looks, I''d be JTF-2." "The unit that fires maple syrup instead of bullets?" "Ugh." Brief silence. "So, if you¡¯ve anything to say to Yujin, now¡¯s the time. Will you join the year-end deployment rotation?" "Unclear, but wasn¡¯t the championship at Madison Square Garden?" "Yes." As he chewed his burger, he added, "Guess I¡¯ll spend New Year¡¯s at Times Square." "Huh¡­" Realizing his intention, she shed a huge smile. "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll book a ticket in my name. Just let me knowter. Got it?" "..." "I¡¯ll take that as a yes." She resumed eating with a cheerful expression. It was six hours before Eugene would shiver in realization from her interview¡¯s ripple effect. Chapter 213 Bing famous inevitably means attracting public curiosity. For Yujin, stepping into the Dark Zone and climbing through various ranks¡ªKSM and the Asia preliminaries¡ªonly intensified that attention. But stirring curiosity and satisfying it are entirely different matters. Unfortunately for her curious audience, Yujin had no intention of divulging her past. Though she was gradually resolving issues with her military background, she saw no reason to broadcast those details. In essence, Yujin was under no obligation to quench the public''s thirst for answers. The pressure was mounting, but the valve remained tightly sealed. Yet the unexpected is the only certainty in life. Hints about Yujin¡¯s past¡ªunknown even to Dice and Harmony¡ªemerged from an unlikely source. And to make matters worse, her YouSpace channel was skyrocketing. In just two months, she¡¯d amassed over 1.5 million subscribers solely through her skills. Her Omega rank achievements in all main missions attracted a global audience, helping Logan¡¯s interview spread quickly. If there was one thing that pr bear hadn¡¯t considered, it was the sheer magnitude of public interest centered on Yujin. In the end, it was as if a bomb had shattered the dam of silence, with Logan¡¯s crypticments acting as the detonator. The interview served as a much-awaited relief for millions who were parched for any details about Yujin''s mysterious past. This led to a wildfire of spection across Dark Zone-rted forums. Though even the wildest theories couldn¡¯t uncover the truth, the possibility that Yujin might have been affiliated with a secret military unit was too irresistible for many. And half a dayter, Yujin casually mentioned Logan in an impromptu interview, fueling the mes even more. The fire had begun to spread. It was an unseasonably warm day as November approached.
  • [Notification: ''Streamer Eugene'' has started broadcasting.]
  • [Notification: Current Status // ON AIR]
"It''s live! Let''s go!" "Now''s our chance!" Chaos. In a sh, over a hundred thousand viewers flooded Yujin¡¯s stream¡ªtwice her usual audience. Not only were regr viewers present, but a host of neers eager to ask about her military background had joined in. The chat exploded, messages piling up so quickly that individualments were unreadable. And just then, Yujin disyed the content for today¡¯s stream. It was brief and straightforward.
  • [Part 1: Sad Frog Ind]
  • [Part 2: Quick Dark Zone]
Below that, a warning shed:
  • [Persistent mention of this topic will result in a 3-day ban without exception.]
A bombshell of a statement. Predictably, trolls attempted to flood the chat with inmmatoryments, but the sheer volume of viewers worked against them. Their messages disappeared in the scroll before anyone could even read them, and the bots and auto-moderators were quick to ban dozens at a time. In about five minutes, the viewership stabilized at just under 100,000. Meanwhile, the chat shifted to a different tone.
  • "Alright, alright! Just start the stream, please!"
  • "Where are you? We''re sorry! Just start!"
  • "Please say something, anything! We¡¯ll behave, just don¡¯t leave us hanging!"
  • "Maybe she¡¯s fixing her snake tail LOL I like to think that way."
  • "Ooh, that¡¯s kinda hot¡­."
Viewers began specting about Yujin¡¯s whereabouts. Yujin had long since concluded that the best way to deal with the topic was to say nothing. Addressing it logically wouldn¡¯t work; an audience is like a living organism, driven by whims rather than logic. Telling them not to think about something would only make them think about it more. How much time had passed? "Testing, testing. Alright, everyone see me? Today¡¯s content¡­ yes, as we did before, we¡¯ll y Sad Frog Ind. Type in chat to sync your character."
  • "Reward game! Finally, a reward game!"
  • "Can¡¯t wait to be thrown off a cliff by Yujin LOL"
  • "Absolute chaos in this chat LOL"
  • "Another trash game? I love it."
The topic of her military background faded from the chat. Sad Frog Ind was a tform game where viewers could directly interfere with Yujin¡¯s progress. They could throw punches, kicks, and even swat her with a tail. There was a reason it was called a "reward game." As Yujin navigated the ind¡¯s cliffs, sad frogs rained down, potentially aiding or hindering her. Unsurprisingly, most chose to hinder. The viewers were like that. "Let''smunicate¡ª!" "Hug me! Hug me! Hug me¡ªugh, gah!" "Oh,e on!" Each frog had an ID above it, with hundreds of unique frog avatars swarming around Yujin. They couldn¡¯t touch her avatar directly, but they could make sounds and block her path. Even without tactile feedback, the frogs provided ample annoyance. Bang! "Aaaaah!" "This is industry payback¡­ aaaaaaah, I¡¯m falling!" "Teacher, hurry! We¡¯ve cleared the path!" Every swing of Yujin¡¯s arm sent frogs flying. She bulldozed through them, leaving even the bravest frogs hesitant. The viewers engaged in a fierce battle between those trying to help and those causing chaos. Sometimes, Yujin might even carry a viewer along. It happened right before her eyes. "...?" Among the chaotic IDs, one yellow-haired frog stood out with just four uppercase letters. Their gaze met briefly before the frog hurriedly looked away. How did they get in here? Yujin wondered, and she used her session master privileges to change the frog¡¯s avatar to a standard SD frog. The frog was simply too ugly otherwise. She strode over to the puzzled frog¡ªof course, it was Dice¡ªand picked her up, giving her a bemused look. Embarrassed, SD-Dice muttered softly. "I just got bored and saw you were streaming¡­." "Of course."
  • "LOL what¡¯s this?"
  • "Can I be like Dice if I start training with Yujin?"
  • "Nah, you don''t qualify lol."
  • "I¡¯m so jealous of Dice LOL."
Yujin yfully squished Dice¡¯s cheeks, setting up a pairing for the obstacle course. She opened a private voice channel, away from the stream. "I thought you''d ask about it, but you haven¡¯t." "I figured there was a reason you hadn¡¯t told me. Sure, I¡¯m curious, but it¡¯s not the kind of thing you ask casually, right?" "Hmm." Maybe Harmony felt the same way. Yujin checked, seeing that Harmony was streaming separately. She appreciated the discretion both had shown¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t mind if they asked, though. They were thoughtful people, both of them. But knowing the truth required a certain readiness. "If you want to know, take a course on interrogation resistance and keyword obfuscation. Bring a signed NDA, too. It¡¯s not casual information." "Uh, um¡­." The truth was a heavy burden, one even the wildest predictions couldn¡¯t shoulder. Yujin¡¯s past, even adjusted to fit this world, wasn¡¯t something she could casually share. It was better left to imagination. Dice, after a moment of contemtion, added quietly, "So¡­ all the things you¡¯ve taught us¡­." "Don¡¯t draw conclusions." It had taken her two months to realize she might have taught them things she shouldn¡¯t have. But there was a bit of justification. "It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll use this in real life. You can¡¯t even try." "Now that you mention it, yeah. It¡¯s impossible to replicate in reality." Boom! Boom, boom! Even if one in a hundred was chosen, that still left a thousand frogs. Together with Dice, Yujin stomped, kicked, and shoved the endless stream of frogs falling from the sky. Clearing the path didn¡¯t make the game any easier. Sad Frog Ind¡¯s traps and mechanics were crafted to frustrate, turning even Yujin and Dice into aedic duo. For example, "Yujin, grab my hand!" "What do you mean, grab your hand? Just jump¡ªwhoa!" "Ack, Yujin¡ª!" BANG! A spinning log trap sent Yujin flying, her avatar diving off a cliff and into the virtual ocean, her polygonal form scattering on impact. Dice had her moments too. "Yujin, catch me! I¡¯m jumping!" "Alright, but make sure you jump well." "Of course¡ª" CRUNCH! "Uh, uh!? Aaah, Yujin¡ª!" "Sheesh." SPLASH! Due to lingering on a rotting tform, Dice ended up diving into the waters below. She respawned at the far end of the map, right into the arms of the frog horde.@@novelbin@@ It took her a full three minutes to return, during which Yujin turned into an anti-aircraft gun, swatting frogs mid-flight. As Dice struggled, Yujin considered whether they should have just yed a co-op game. By then, the viewers had long forgotten their initial purpose. Just as nned. Chapter 214 [General] Yujin¡¯s Straight Talk, Only Facts
  1. This nuna used to be in the military and knows Yujin really well.
  2. Yujin has many connections in the U.S. military.
  3. There are lots of things that can¡¯t be publicly disclosed.
Are the people asking for rification on this stupid???? [All Comments][Sorted by Date]
  • This is so messy when you put it all together, lol.
    • It¡¯s like a masterpiece, haha.
  • These are just a bunch of kids who can¡¯t even function in everyday life.
  • There are things you need to rify and things you don¡¯t, you blockheads, haha.
  • So Yujin is some muscr military snake girl?
    • You¡¯re right.
    • Stop making me imagine things.
    • I¡¯m gonna lose it, haha.
  • Can¡¯t they just say ¡°oh, I guess that¡¯s how it is¡± instead of asking endless questions?
  • Fact: The only ones getting all riled up are people on the forum, while Yujin is just ying trash games.
    • Haha, so true.
    • It¡¯s funny that Yujin is just ying trash games while everyone¡¯s freaking out.
  • Those trying to stir things up just get banned and have their chats cut off.
    • Yujin¡¯s been streaming for like ten years; her moderation skills are insane.
    • She diverts attention by ying trash games like it¡¯s nothing, lol.
  • They¡¯re all talking about viewers¡¯ right to know, but you could knock sense into them.
    • A lot of them do this on the forum too, it¡¯s annoying.
  • Really, there are idiots who think they should be shown exactly the things everyone is most curious about.
    • True that.
    • I mean, I¡¯m also curious as hell, haha.
    • The mysterious snake girl is actually a U.S. secret agent? Wow, haha.
    • How can anyone hold back? How can anyone hold back? How can anyone hold back? How can anyone hold back?
[General] Personal Opinion, Only Enter If You Dare From now on, I¡¯m changing my favorite animal from ¡®Anaconda¡¯ to ¡®Pr Bear.¡¯ To prevent a mass exodus of fans, I hereby urge Yujin to post some steamy tail pictures. I¡¯ll give her a generous five years. Not that I¡¯m doing this for selfish reasons or anything. [All Comments][Sorted by Date]
  • This guy¡¯s aplete lunatic, haha.
  • Five years? So he¡¯s just nning to enjoy both for as long as possible.
    • Haha, this guy¡¯s a greedy pig.
  • Look at how much personal interest is dripping from every sentence, lol.
  • I swear, that Pr Bear nuna is so beautiful.
    • For one look at Logan nuna¡¯s face, I¡¯ll let it slide just this once.
  • Is this guy from another level? Seriously, she¡¯s like a goddess.
  • Just imagining a hug from that kind of nuna, I¡¯d have no more wishes left, wow.
  • So Yujin knows someone like that? I¡¯m withdrawing my support for her from today.
    • I¡¯m really walking away now, haha.
  • Are the guys here ying chicken until the authoritiese?
    • I¡¯d love to see them catch us, haha.
  • If that nuna is a pr bear, she could probably rip a person apart.
    • Actual pr bear strength, haha.
¡°What a circus¡­¡± Thank goodness I listened to Yujin and set up keyword blocking. It had all started with that recent controversy surrounding Yujin¡¯s military background, but she had remained silent, while Dice wasn¡¯t a full-time streamer. So, all the weirdos flocked to my stream instead. Luckily, it only took five minutes to handle. We just applied the same or rted keyword filtering across the entire team. ¡°And for the record, mentioning rted keywords here will get you a three-day ban.¡± Not that I was going to bring it up in the first ce, but what makes them think I¡¯d answer any of their questions? The viewer count began to dwindle, but I didn¡¯t care. Most of them were being auto-kicked anyway, just trash volume that doesn¡¯t really count as viewers. This gave me a moment to take in my surroundings. I had been streaming for six hours, and the practice match had just ended. Everyone was visibly tired after such intense training. ¡°Well, let¡¯s take a thirty-minute break. Review your match results, and we¡¯ll debrief afterward.¡± As they bickered, my mind was racing, considering various scenarios. I needed to establish a chain ofmand for leadership handover in case something happened to the squad leader. I called the team together to discuss the potential scenario of the group leader being incapacitated. ¡°So, if our squad leader dies, the chain ofmand will go Boss, Kato, then Hotteok, Limit, Lace, and Kimstone...¡± ¡°Who does this guy think he is, really?¡± ¡°If only Yujin was here.¡± But I folded up my regrets and began assigning roles. I finally understood why Yujin often talked about preparing these thingste into the night. If we win this uing tournament, I should take her somewhere nice, as I¡¯d promised. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep going.¡± The day grew darker, but there was still work to be done.@@novelbin@@ ¡°December, three weeks of leave. That¡¯s quite long.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not aware of any issues with it¡­¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Flip. As the papers flipped, our eyes met. Crimson eyes, like cut rubies, stared back beneath long, silver hair, with an elegant yet mysterious gaze. Her profile showed no significant issues. She was perhaps the only female operative in Gold Squadron and undeniably the most skilled at maritime operations. A few months ago, there was a minor incident during deployment, but after investigation, it was ruled self-defense. The only fault, if any, was that she broke several of the suspect¡¯s ribs with a single punch. Considering the circumstances, she got off lightly. He spoke after a moment of thought. ¡°I¡¯ll approve the leave for ¡®mental therapy.¡¯ As long as you submit an opinion afterward, in writing or electronically, you¡¯re free to act.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be in New York for the remaining time?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve got someone to visit.¡± Of course. With a short chuckle, he closed her profile. ¡°Until then, stay on duty. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± With a crisp salute, she left without a sound. The electronic signature floated in the air as a hologram, and he raised a thumb, approving the leave as themanding officer. Notice: Profile // Operator = Christopher ¡®Specter¡¯ Laurentina Notice: Request on Dec - epted ¡°Hah.¡± It seems the uncles are all gathering in New York to visit their popr nephew. Setting aside the stray thought, he returned to his work. Winter was fast approaching. Chapter 215 As the weekend rolled intote October, the state of Dark Zone - AP opinion could be described as utter chaos. As always, Yujin had never created the situations that others wanted. This time was no different. In other words, the viewers once again faced a situation where they wanted answers but knew they wouldn¡¯t get any. Moreover, the topic this time went far beyond the usual question, ¡°What did she do in real life?¡± that had been floating around. Naturally, this new mystery set the entiremunity aze. And it wasn¡¯t just Korea. The U.S. was also caught up in it. With hundreds of thousands of people contributing their own opinions, there was a wide variety of takes. But, if you summed it all up, you could boil it down to a few key perspectives: ¡°So, who exactly is Yujin?¡± This was the first reaction from ordinary users who typically didn¡¯t care much about Dark Zone or AP. ¡°Ah, that skilled Korean yer? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have connections here, but considering her y style, it makes sense¡­¡± This was the second reaction, indicating that such skill might hint at a broader connection. However, the third reaction, unique to the U.S., had started creeping in online: ¡°Ie from America. I contact through your spatial frequency. The issue of rudimentary trantor usage exists. There are many questions. I seek your responses.¡± ¡°Thank you for the donation, Erickarter. But I thought trantors these days were pretty decent. Why go to such lengths¡­?¡± It was questions like these¡ªawkward, machine-tranted questions that seemed straightforward yet raised red gs.@@novelbin@@ The recent surge in foreign donations couldn¡¯t be ignored, especially since among the usual trolls, there were a few who were either former or current U.S. military personnel. Some of these individuals had long stints with JSOC, no less. Naturally, I handled the questions they asked in a diligent manner. Most of these viewers, likely trying to verify my credentials, asked about details only someone with direct experience would know. I answered to the best of my ability. Among the more notable exchanges¡ªones I didn¡¯t share publicly¡ªwas: -[OGAA: I came across some intriguing details from a domestic interview recently. It seems you¡¯re a popr streamer. Could you spare a few moments for some questions?] -[Eugene: Certainly. Do you work for the CIA?] -[OGAA: Why would you think that?] -[Eugene: OGAA typically indicates agency affiliation, and only Delta Force uses such designations. If not Delta, perhaps 1st SAC or SAG?] -[OGAA: WOW] -[OGAA: OMG] Of course, I had a good reason for asking that. The official title of Delta Force, or ¡°The Unit,¡± is the 1st Special Actions Group (1st SAG). Back when I was in New York, they would sometimes change the ¡°G¡± to stand for ¡°Compartment,¡± depending on the asion. I even dug out one of my old uniforms¡ªminus the Icarus patches, of course¡ªand showed it off. The viewer was beside himself. Though I was careful with my words, the viewer had already hinted enough for me to reply. -[OGAA: MWTR, huh? I recall hearing about it a few years ago. SAG even seconded a few people there, if I remember right. Were you with that unit?] -[Eugene: I initially joined for data collection and ended up staying. My team included people from Delta, DEVGRU, SAD, and CCT, to name a few. I was there for four years and learned quite a lot. I ended my service as a Sergeant First ss.] -[OGAA: Ha! I should probably call you a senior. Do you remember anyone from SAG?] After a brief pause, I mentioned a few names. -[Eugene: Are you familiar with Sergeant Anthony Owens or Logan, whom I just interviewed?] -[OGAA: Of course. They weren¡¯t in my squadron, but a few months ago, I heard about a monster on the strike team and checked him out. So he was MWTR too. And thetter, Logan, recently got his Blue Badger. He¡¯s got at least another year before Delta officially assigns him.] -[Eugene: We¡¯re all acquainted. If you mention my name to them, I think they¡¯ll remember me.] -[OGAA: If time allows. Honestly, I thought you were a poser at first. Apologies for any trouble caused. I didn¡¯t mean to mislead you.] -[Eugene: I understand. Serving in the U.S. military and JSOC is a tremendous source of pride.] This conversation wrapped up amicably. Other inquiries came in from DEVGRU members, but they became allies quickly when I mentioned Christopher. The questions from those below Tier 1 were often the most frustrating, as they tended to be either low-quality or suspicious. Since I was streaming, it wasn¡¯t always easy to answer them all. In the end, most who were below Tier 1 had their doubts, even as I proved myself to those above. Fortunately, a few warnings about confidential military information being breached were enough to filter out the noise. And so, by Saturday, I came to a conclusion. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we make a stronger statement?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ve been caught off guard by issues we hadn¡¯t anticipated. I never expected our ns focused on Korean viewers would be rendered useless.¡± ¡°At least now we know.¡± The multi-voice channel buzzed with activity. Since meeting Anchorite, I¡¯dworked with most deep-cover agents in Korea. This meant our meetings and discussions were swiftly ryed back to HQ, which adjusted strategies in real-time. Today¡¯s topic was how to handle the bacsh¡ªcaused by Logan¡¯s interview, which had too subtly mentioned me. ¡°It¡¯s true that domestic matters should be handled locally, but it¡¯s unrealistic to think we can control every action of those who have already left the service.¡± ¡°Former personnel won¡¯t be easy to influence. They¡¯re often stubborn.¡± ¡°What if we increased mentions of MWTR on the DoDwork? Public perception is what matters, after all.¡± ¡°That sounds viable. Let¡¯s add it to the proposal list.¡± These folks are certainly talking about some interesting things. In short, they needed to remind these people that digging into my background was as good as prying into ssified DoD matters. And executing such an approach was rtively simple. ¡°Why not just ce a call to the ones who contacted Yujin a few dayster? Be it NSA, CIA, MPs, or the Internal Affairs Division¡ªunder the pretense of a risk of leaking second-level military secrets.¡± ¡°Good idea. Just creating the impression that they¡¯ve stumbled onto something sensitive should suffice¡­ So, it¡¯s just a matter of having the DoD and Veterans Affairs track down their info.¡± ¡°That part¡¯s not our concern.¡± Seems the MPs are going to be busy. They predicted visible results within two or three days. Meanwhile, they¡¯d suggested simultaneous PR strategies to cement public perception further. If things went well, the U.S. side would be effectively wrapped up. Korea wasn¡¯t a concern, as no one there could legally force me to answer questions about something that happened overseas. It was why I¡¯d made that statement in the first ce. As usual, the fifth contact concluded smoothly. ¡°Stay in touch if any issues arise.¡± ¡°Of course. Thank you.¡± One by one, they logged out of the multi-voice program. After everyone left, the meeting data would automatically be purged within ten minutes. Our next regr meeting was set for five dayster. Thankfully, no urgent issues had arisen so far. I could only hope this would continue. But still¡­ I finally felt as if the gears were turning in the right direction. The memories I had to carry alone before¡­ no longer. Now, all these people reaching out remembered my contributions and acknowledged them in real-time. My sacrifices were finally being repaid. I was alive. Suppressing a surge of joy, I exited the room. Sigh. I hadn¡¯t felt like this even when KSM or the Asia qualifiers gave us first ce. Two months now seemed like an eternity. What would I say when I met familiar faces again? As the sun dipped below the horizon, that thought lingered in my mind. ¡°Sir! The tournament is tomorrow! You¡¯reing to watch, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Where¡¯s it happening?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re renting out a big venue like KSM or the Asia qualifiers. It¡¯s all virtual reality, so everyone¡¯s participating from home.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I suddenly realized¡ªtomorrow was Monday. Time had flown. It had already been a week since the Asia qualifiers ended. It seemed like November had snuck up on us. I still couldn¡¯t give Harmony any advice. Personal conversations were allowed, but she hadn¡¯t asked for advice since. Not that we hadn¡¯t spoken at all; it was more like she was respecting my boundaries. I had been quite busy, after all. ¡°Anyway, how¡¯ve you been? It feels like forever since Ist saw you, even though it hasn¡¯t been that long. And, uh¡­¡± ¡°Speak freely, please.¡± ¡°¡­Well, never mind. Just, if anything¡¯s troubling you, let me know! I¡¯m not much of a counselor, but I can listen.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I had a sense of what she¡¯d been worrying about. After a brief consideration, I opted for a short, blunt answer instead of a long exnation. ¡°Do I look like someone who¡¯d be shaken by some spective rumors?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Harmony finally rxed, her tense expression softening. Maybe she added thatment as a courtesy, but it wasn¡¯t long before she seemed at ease again. ¡°Yujin, I knew you wouldn¡¯t worry about such pointless things. I might have been overstepping.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t an intrusion. You care about me, so you don¡¯t need to phrase it that way. And don¡¯t worry¡ªmost of these things will blow over soon. Focus on the tournament instead. Leave this to me.¡± ¡°Right.¡± And so, I smoothly steered the conversation elsewhere. We moved to a more neutral topic¡ªrank games. I rarely yed Domination Mode, and since I wouldn¡¯t be giving her any advice before the tournament ended, I mainly agreed with what she said. Harmony began recounting her journey to the top tier, a process that had stretched from Monday onward. ¡°¡­I reached Tier 1 on Wednesday. I actually hit Tier 2 the Monday before, but I couldn¡¯t tell you in real-time. Still, I¡¯m d I can share it now.¡± ¡°Is the air up there clearer?¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s definitely a difference. I died a few times while ying. But with some traps and perseverance, I managed.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± She¡¯s really done well. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t offer her any advice. So, I just continued listening to her self-praise. Having never reached such heights before, Harmony seemed full of gratitude for me and pride for her aplishments. In that regard, Harmony might as well be a special forces member. After chatting for quite a while, the clock had already struck 11 PM. Harmony let out a long yawn, somewhat embarrassed as she added: ¡°Ah, I still have so much to say. I haven¡¯t even asked what you¡¯ll do in America, or where we¡¯ll stay after the tournament.¡± ¡°Is tonight the only night? Think about your condition.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Without openly saying so, I could see that Harmony had been diligently streaming and training for the tournament, even on the eve ofpetition. She needed a break. We agreed to continue our conversation post-tournament and enjoy a chat after the Streamer Tournament was over. I offered her a small word of encouragement. ¡°You¡¯ll do well tomorrow, right?¡± After a pause, she grinned and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll crush them all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± ¡°¡­Wait. Should I have just said I¡¯ll do my best?¡± ¡°...Maybe.¡± What a conversation for the night before a tournament. I might have to review my training materials to check for elements that encourage aggressiveness in students. Chapter 216 [From: Kyle Laurence, Embassy of the United States of America] [To: Ja Glowin Harper, United States Secretary of Defense] [Ready to Send and Encrypt¡­] [Auto Trantor is now on©¤©¤©¤] [¡­On behalf of the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, the following message is sent to the Department of Defense.] [Detached Unit Snakekeeper // Operation Code: INK-AV-338 // Kill Code for Operation Halt: ABRTMISNAV-10 // Detached Unit Identity Key: -----------------] [Task 1: Assessment of Data Leakage.]
  • Based on the findings, the critical data potentially leaked via Yujin¡¯s personal broadcasting¡ªreferred to as ¡°streaming¡±¡ªappears minimal. Only two individuals have been influenced by the curriculum crafted by Alpha-level operator Yujin.
  • Physical abilities of these two do not significantly surpass the average for their age and gender, so they are assessed as low threats. Predicted assignment to the treatment list is N/A. Data leakage risk assessment level = eptable.
[Task 2: Possibility of International Controversy Rted to the Operator.]
  • After a week of legal consultation, it appears there are no issues since Yujin has not publicly confirmed her military background and no harm has resulted.
  • Hypothesis: Given the ambiguity around her actual military service, it¡¯s unlikely that the South Korean military would initiate contact. Although unofficial approaches are possible, the risk far outweighs any potential benefit.
  • Conclusion: To preemptively secure federal administrative support, it may be necessary to offer implicit, indirect backing for the operator¡¯s stance in the future. Predicted assignment to the treatment list: A. Priority rmended.
[Task 3: Handling of Former and Active U.S. Military Personnel Contacting the Individual.]
  • Findings indicate that nearly all individuals contacting Yujin sought to verify her service history through unauthorized means. Analysis of recordings revealed that some methods involved ssified information (Level 3, Level 2). All data files have been destroyed, and exposure risk is deemed nonexistent.
  • Suggestion: Issue a general warning regarding such actions. Indirectly endorsing the operator¡¯s legitimacy via federal administration could be beneficial. Predicted assignment to the treatment list: A+, highest priority.
[Sending Complete.] [Associated Data Auto-Deletion in Progress¡­.] [Loading Additional Mail.] [DARPA Emergency Report] [From: Jordan Loythen (Research Engineer) - Network Development Division // DARPA Electronic Certificate Code: DP-EMC-RP-AB-EUGANDICGER-2 // Identity Key: --------------] [Subject: (None)] [¡­Excerpt¡­]
  • Recent data streams during the brief connection between Icarus Gear and the DARPAwork confirm the gear¡¯s authenticity. If its backup functions remain intact, all data and features utilized by the operators are likely preserved.
  • This suggests that the gear contains specifications and operational details for nanotechnology, shield technology, and other skills aiding the operator. The technology¡¯s performance, aimed at maximizing operator survivability, is estimated to be 30+ years ahead of current capabilities.
  • The aggressive skill and limited physical enhancement functions of the Icarus Gear hold astronomical value. Therefore¡­.
¡°Hmm.¡± The pile of tasks suddenly seemed to have grown. In the Secretary of Defense¡¯s office, swift hands moved across a mahogany table, immediately responding to decisions on processing these matters. Unfortunately, the line between feasible and infeasible was clear. Icarus International. The exact nature of its operations in the Dark Zone remained unknown¡ªeven beyond herprehension. The integration of partial AI in game operations was a double-edged sword. Additionally, digging into the backgrounds of those contacting Yujin would make excellent fodder for political wolves in congressional hearings. Such an approach could destroy all they¡¯d built. So she removed this task from the list. But, ¡°Implied and indirect support from the federal administration.¡± That wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. Simple, really. Even if Yujin¡¯s military background were indirectly referenced, the Department of Defense could ignore it without issues. People would start wondering why the federal administration wasn¡¯t acting. If they went a step further and told those who filed reports that ¡°there¡¯s no issue with this individual,¡± rumors would spread naturally. Now, she just had to figure out how to convey this straightforward approach to the lower departments. With the method decided, it was just a matter of passing the information to deep-cover agents in Korea. Time solved many problems, and this would be no exception. As J, the Secretary of Defense, briefly wondered why Yujin didn¡¯t simply stop streaming, the thought quickly vanished. It was her right, after all. Besides, a more interesting topicy ahead.@@novelbin@@ [Notification: Logical Analyzer Activated.] ¡°Check the personnel losses over thest five years in deployments and the costs for guarding key figures.¡± The countless windows filling the air swiftly organized into numbers, graphs, and visuals. Advancements in personal gear have reduced the U.S. military death rate, but it never falls below a certain point. Technology has made lethal weapons that current armor can¡¯t defend against. However, nanotechnology¡­ She knew the capabilities all too well. Fully deployed, a two-person shield couldpletely stop iing rockets. Though the barrier shattered afterward, blocking it without injury was something else entirely. ¡°If implemented, it could drastically reduce the death rate¡­.¡± Applying that level of performance to everyone was a long shot. It was an exclusive privilege for Icarus operators, whose survival often required it. Nevertheless, this data was priceless¡ªsomething all who understood it could reward generously. With limited time to talk to Yujin about such ssified matters, given the secrecy involved, there was no choice. ¡°No other way, then.¡± Determined, she resolved to do whatever she could now. It was ate October night. At the same time, the Streamer Tournament was about to begin! ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Meanwhile, Yujin was focused on cheering for her disciple. ¡°Hello, everyone! It¡¯s an honor to be here for this asion. I¡¯m Unreal, and I¡¯ll be your caster for the Streamer Tournament that¡¯s just about to begin!¡± ¡°Likewise, it¡¯s great to be here. I¡¯m Rust, a current pro gamer and the assistant coach. It¡¯s a privilege to be part of the Streamer Tournament today.¡± -Leeeeet¡¯s goooooooo!!!! -Screeeeeeaaaaammmmm!!! -So, they¡¯re nning to absorb all the bored viewers post-Asia qualifiers? -OMG, 450,000 viewers?! -Forget my diet, I¡¯m grabbing snacks. How can I resist this?! The ce was in an uproar. While modestpared to qualifier ranks or KSM and Asia qualifiers, hundreds of thousands were tuning in, creating a poption rivaling a small county, all for one stream. It wasn¡¯t a trivial feat, though not iprehensible. Besides the 24 streamers, countless viewers bored after the Asia qualifiers had flocked here. The virtual space allowed room flexibility. With the crowd split, the two teams entered from opposite sides. Amid thunderous apuse, Yujin, seated nearest the stage, exchanged a brief wave with Harmony, who quickly refocused. Each team¡¯s leader took a few steps forward for introductions and handshakes. The first to speak was Kim Manager. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s an honor to be here. I don¡¯t have much to say, but I¡¯ll show everything I can.¡± ¡°Thank you! That was Kim Manager¡¯s statement. He¡¯s determined to prove himself through skill rather than words. So, can we expect great results from you in this tournament?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re ready. We spent close to 30 days building a cohesive squad operation system and refining it through numerous trials. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m 100% confident, but I believe we¡¯re prepared to handle our opponent¡¯s strategies.¡± ¡°Wonderful! We look forward to seeing that. Now, let¡¯s hand it over to the opposing team leader, streamer Harmony!¡± Cheers erupted as Harmony took the mic. Despite her avatar, which looked more like an idol than a fighter, her intense teal eyes reflected a fierce determination. Facing the crowd, she spoke firmly: ¡°I¡¯m prepared to fight as if losing means death.¡± -Wait, what?? -Did she just bring a general from the Three Kingdoms era? -What the heck, Yujin, did you give her mental conditioning? -Haha, look at Kim Manager¡¯s face. He¡¯s shocked! The hall buzzed with murmurs, but Harmony didn¡¯t care. Only Yujin, in the front row, recognized the madness in her gaze. This was the oue of what she¡¯d been taught¡ªa relentless determination toplete main missions without dying, even if she¡¯d faced close calls. Though known to some, the past two months of relentless training had unleashed this battlefield fury in Harmony¡¯s eyes. Her statementsplete, the map selection and rule exnation followed, mainly for the audience¡¯s benefit, as the participants already knew. As the host announced the start, helicopter rotors whipped through the virtual winter winds. Despite it being summer in the main timeline, the map allowed for seasonal changes. Crunch. The 24 footsteps left fresh prints in the snow, and ISO¡¯s mechanical voice signaled the start of the match. The host¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°And now, let¡¯s begin the first match!¡± Cheers filled the air. And then¡ª ¡°Wow.¡± Unfortunately, the organic squad operations Kim Manager mentioned shattered within seven minutes, dissolving into fragments under the winter skies of New York. Trying to block railgun rounds with a had disastrous results. The week¡¯s start, and the first match, had already proven to be eventful. Chapter 217 "Ah, it''s been seven minutes since the match started, and Harmony''s squad has seized control of point B! Kim Manager''s team is being ripped apart within minutes!"
  • "Oh, of course, she would. ????????????????????????"
  • "What is this? Why am I melting?"
  • "Honestly, I had a feeling this would happen the moment Harmony showed up. Major thumbs up. ????????????"
  • "Of course, it was bound to happen. ????????????"
  • "Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1? Is this TIER 1?"
Absolute chaos. It was hard to say whether this was a situation that required eximing, "What on earth is happening?" or simply epting it with, "Of course, that¡¯s just how it goes." A scenario unfolded before hundreds of thousands of viewers that left them utterly dumbfounded, as if their brains had shut down. The beginning was standard, as expected. Since it was the first round, both teams adopted a basic strategy¡ªleaving a small reserve force at the base while the main forces shed at B, the central area. It wasn¡¯t so much a strategy as it was an obvious choice. But that was precisely why it became a straightforward battle of strength against strength, a test of brute force that revealed the power gap between the two teams most directly.@@novelbin@@ After a few intense minutes of blood for blood, As the ground was littered with brass casings, members of both teams began to fall, one by one, onto the cold ground. Strategic supplies were released, unleashing sheer destruction as the battle escted. Surprisingly, the first team to start faltering was Harmony''s team. More precisely, while Harmony''s squad remained intact, other teammates fighting separate battles fell faster than expected. And with B under enemy control, the reinforcement speed had be an issue. Thus, it was five versus ten. Harmony¡¯s squad wasn¡¯t at B, but rather blocking the path from C, the home base. At first nce, the situation appeared disadvantageous. However,
  • [Ally Communication: "Hey! Six are headed to A! We need reinforcements ASAP, or we¡¯re all dead! There are only two of us here!"]
"Copy that. Sending a squad your way immediately." A flicker at point A signaled a loss of control. Harmony had already instructed her team to regroup with the two stationed at C and push on A if they died, and this was executed wlessly. At that moment, Harmony, wielding her unyielding spear, pierced through B like a sharp de. "Five approaching head-on!" "Five? Understood. Let¡¯s hold them off." Six allies, five enemies. Numerically, they weren¡¯t overwhelmingly advantaged, nor disadvantaged¡ªan almost even match. B was breached rather easily due to the equal numbers, but that was expected. What happened next, however, was anything but ordinary¡ªHarmony''s squad captured one of the B terminals, dug in, and fortified their position against further intrusions. It wasn¡¯t an unfamiliar tactic. But with the addition of their personal trophy system¡ªa hard-kill defense intercepting explosives¡ªthe situation grew increasinglyplicated. They needed to be driven out, and fast. But,
  • [Alert: Control of A has shifted to Harmony Group.]
The situation grew even stranger. With A and C taken, only B remained. Half the team had been wiped out at A, despite reinforcing with a squad. While three enemies were down, the kill log showed that ¡®Cartographer¡¯ hadn¡¯t fallen once, only iming kills. And at that moment, Harmony¡¯s squad, entrenched at B, began their offensive. With a cold voice, she dered, "New orders. Within three minutes, make sure our team is the only one walking on B." And that was exactly what happened. A spear with overwhelming piercing power drove into B, shattering the bnce of power in an instant. ©¤©¤©¤Thud thud thud! Bang! "Defense turret down! Unable to repair!" "Grenade, grenade! Argh!" "Fall back to A! Abandon B! Thest line of defense is breached¡ªugh!" "No, you don''t." Within less than a minute, thest defensive line was obliterated. Adhesive bombs attached to the defensive turrets crumbled the first line of fire, and Harmony''s squad cut through. Smoke and mes covered the ground as seeker mines left their distinctive marks, with Harmony leading the charge, spraying everything in sight. Silenced shots rang out, each magazine taking out two enemies. As the empty magazine bounced once off the ground and hit it again, Harmony reloaded and aligned her sights with her line of vision. A greenser pointer swept through the air, and a finger pulled the trigger, driving a green-tipped bullet through armor and into the lobby-bound body. An impossible reaction time. The numbers dwindled rapidly. By the time the enemies realized it, Harmony had ducked behind cover, and her squad charged in, slicing through enemy territory like pieces of cake. Not even 30 secondster,
  • [Alert: Lost control of A.]
  • [Alert: Retaken control of B.]
The situation reset to the beginning. "Seriously, the breach power is¡­" Beyond imagination? How could one even describe this? This wasn¡¯t the sort of suffocating pressure even felt during mock battles with professional gamers. It wasn¡¯t a human versus human fight; it felt more like witnessing the downfall of a fool challenging an inevitable fate. It wouldn¡¯t have been enjoyable if it happened to oneself, but reality was harsh, and unfortunately, the game was still on. In other words, there was no time for reflection or strategic discussion. Losing B meant they¡¯d secured the shortest route to A or C, ensuring fluid squad maneuvers. He decided to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. "¡­Let¡¯s focus on reiming territory. We¡¯ll concentrate all forces on B and send a detachment to C. Instead of a headlong rush, we¡¯ll control the deployable areas from B." Immediate and useful strategies had to be adopted. Kim Manager was the captain and navigator of this ship. Confidence wasn¡¯t something that came naturally; it was something you either created or seized. The team members moved swiftly. Two five-man teams and a two-man detachment. In his opinion, a squad was merely a group of operatives, often restructured to follow another leader. They had practiced for this. Ten split into two groups quickly approached B. The aerial drone lifted to assess the defensive turret angles, confirming blind spots. However, thorough analysis required human lives. Machines couldn¡¯t determine all variables; someone had to take a bullet to find out. Harmony''s team was no pushovers¡ªif anything, they were the stronger team. Kim Manager, with his experience as an analyst for a pro team and his skills as a streamer, could tell as much, so how must the others have felt?
  • [Alert: Angle analysisplete.]
"Bravo Team, enter through the transmitted route. We¡¯ll infiltrate in sequence." Preparations were nearlyplete. The most crucial task was tracking Harmony¡¯s squad movements. With their asymmetric forces at B, reiming territory became significantly more challenging. There were nine enemies at B. They had ten. One extra wasn¡¯t much of a disadvantage. The rest¡­well, he hated to say it, but it woulde down to luck. Even the most thorough training might not prove its worth here. They entrusted everything to instinct and muscle memory, dividing enemy territory piece by piece. Patience was key. Isting each enemy one by one was the most important. However, "Harmony¡¯s squad is moving. What should we do?" "¡­The longer we drag this out, the worse it gets. Let¡¯s fortify defenses and wear down B." Even if they died, being wiped out piecemeal had to be avoided. Tangling reinforcements left no solution. Complete annihtion was better for future chances. They managed to hold their ground at B. With two sharp ends shing head-on, the odds were more bnced, and that¡¯s how it turned out. But then, Harmony¡¯s squad began their approach. "¡­Keep me updated, especially on Harmony¡¯s movements." "No direct assault signs yet. She¡¯s issuing orders, so an action seems imminent." "Got it." And how much time had passed? "They¡¯reing." ©¤©¤©¤Boom! With the sound of explosions, the most tactical and crude form ofbat began. From strategy to tactics, with a mint green sh leading the charge. Every time one of her squad was ughtered, the primal screams and MK47 gunfire echoed. This skirmish wouldy the groundwork for better decisions in the next fight. Even defeat could be deemed a tactical retreat. Without thinking this way, there was no justifying this mess. "This is too much." A hollowugh escaped. Domination wasn¡¯t won by one person¡¯s performance alone, but if a squad¡¯s leader was as skilled as its members, that changed everything. Numbers weren¡¯t the issue. Breaking the opponent¡¯s core forces was everything. A decisive blow or asymmetrical force to turn the tide¡­. Without it, closing the gap was impossible. As ten dwindled to six, Kim Manager ordered an immediate retreat. "Retreat. To the designated rendezvous. We¡¯ll retreat along Bravo Team¡¯s route. Mechanic, use every skill you¡¯ve got." Boom! Smoke, mes, and shes erupted everywhere. Predictably, the losses continued. Retreat was among the most perilous maneuvers, and rallying forces was even harder. But he overlooked one thing: Harmony''s breakthrough was as effective in pursuit as in assault. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! And in that instant, a mint-colored blur pierced through the smoke and nced his way with deadly intent. "Where are you off to in such a rush?" Should he consider suicide tactics next time? Unfortunately, the response to that thought was a rifle butt. As his body was overwhelmed, the tremor of boots reached him. That was thest sensation he felt before respawning. "First match of the Streamer Competition goes to Harmony''s team-!" For some, it was foreseeable. For others, a shocking turn of events. Reactions varied as widely as the news¡¯ impact on fans versus the indifferent. However, one thing was certain¡ªHarmony had made an unforgettable impression in front of hundreds of thousands, and erasing this first match from their minds would be today¡¯s biggest challenge. Apuse erupted, cheers filled the air, thementator''s praise, and the envious gazes of her teammates. But her expression remained somewhat pensive, as if lost in thought. Yujin shared a simr reaction. The only difference was that Harmony hadn¡¯t reached a conclusion, while Yujin¡ªand Dice sitting beside her¡ªhad. Dice spoke first. "This Kim Manager streamer, he¡¯s got solid skills. But his analysis seems sharper." "I¡¯d say that¡¯s pretty urate." After a moment, Yujin added, "If Kim Manager squeezes out all his strength, he might be able to send a squad member or two¡ªor Harmony¡ªback to respawn. Whether he¡¯s prepared for that will likely decide the oue." "What do you think, Yujin? Do you think Harmony¡¯s prepared?" "Hmm." She smiled slightly and added, "Of course. Who else would be her mentor?" Dice chuckled wryly and turned his focus back to the screen. The second match was about to begin. Chapter 218 "Once everyone is here, please take a moment to review the operation n for this match if you haven¡¯t already." "Understood." "Got it." It was the tactical discussion time before the start of the second match. Even as Kim Manager handed out the operation n with a calm expression, his mind was racing. The feasibility of this n was still up in the air¡ªmore like a hope than a solid strategy. It could practically be torn apart like paper. Naturally, the strategy for the second match was not only a challenge for the squad members but also a circus act for him, the squad leader and group leader. One needed Yujin¡¯s level of situational awareness to pull this off smoothly. The strategy was derived from the analysis of the data gathered in the first match. ''¡­Harmony''s squad has two major weaknesses.'' The first was their dependency on Harmony. The second was their somewhat disjointed team operations. However, they had addressed the first weakness in a rather brute-force manner¡ªsimply by having Harmony herself carry almost the entire team. It was essentially a "If youck strength, just get more strength" kind of approach. The second weakness followed a simr pattern. Harmony''s team seemed to have prepared numerous worst-case scenarios, using them as a basis for their squad maneuvers. During the first skirmish in the initial match, Harmony''s teammates, who died early on, immediately rushed the enemy base upon respawn. There was another clue to this. They left one of their key assets, Cartographer, at C to lead the team and break through A. If it wasn¡¯t prearranged, it was a baffling move. In simpler terms, Harmony''s team was aware of their weaknesses and had prepared ordingly. "Breaking through this is going to be tough." Even during his time as an analyst for a pro team, he hadn¡¯t faced this level of unfairness. It was also the first time he¡¯d seen something like this since switching to streaming. Most people only focused on Harmony¡¯s tier, but what truly mattered was how she¡¯d gone from unranked to breaking through the Grandmaster barrier in just ten days. A truly abnormal speed. He wiped away his wandering thoughts and began the briefing. "Has everyone finished reading?" "Yes, sir." "Good. I¡¯ll begin the exnation now." With a professional gesture, he pointed at the screen. A ck-coated hand extended aser pointer to indicate various areas on the popup screen. His ck coat rippled subtly with his movements, while a glowing LED expression emerged on his inscrutable ck mask. The exnation wasn¡¯t too far removed from his earlier thoughts. But here, he had to be the truemander for everyone in the group, instilling confidence even in the uncertain. The strategy he had carefully devised was cautiously unfolded. "¡­The main tactic for this match is the simultaneous integration of offense and defense. We will continue moving until our stamina gauge can no longer recover. Resting is only permissible when we control at least two territories." He continued with a simpler exnation. "Even if we capture B, we¡¯ll keep disrupting the enemy base to force them to split their resources. Thus, for this match, our teamposition will constantly change, whether at the squad, detachment, or operational team level, so always stay alert to thems." And now came the critical part. He took a breath and pulled up the next screen. He heard several sharp intakes of breath. There were no objections¡ªeveryone had experienced firsthand the skills of Kim Manager during theirbined training over the past month. A single word made up of four letters at the top of the screen spread across their retinas. But he didn¡¯t need to exin it. His electronic mask''s speaker rified it with a firm voice. "Baiting strategy at B, with the primary goal of decapitating Harmony''s squad. It doesn''t have to be Harmony herself. The objective is to eliminate their leader from the first skirmish. Bring as many explosives and EMP-ready detonators as you can. Next, I¡¯ll briefly exin how the baiting squad will operate¡­." His exnation continued. Even with specific expertise and a logical flow, Kim Manager¡¯s unique avatar and charisma created an oddlypelling scene. Soon, the team absorbed the briefing, running through simtions andmand practice. Time was ticking down, and the countdown above their heads inched toward zero. The sound of rotor des and thementator¡¯s voice intertwined. ©¤©¤©¤Thud thud thud thud thud! "Now, let the second match begin-!" The battlefield was therge simtion room at Central Park HQ in New York. "Well, at least it¡¯s warm in here." "True¡­ Oh, a reminder: since it¡¯s an indoor engagement, adjust yourm sensitivity. The sounds will bounce around, and you could missmands." "Understood. Adjustingm sensitivity." He took a deep breath. It was high summer in the Dark Zone, but in reality, it waste October, chilly enough to make you shiver. For the first time in recent operations, his breath didn¡¯t form mist. Of course, he didn¡¯t linger on it¡ªtime to focus on the game again. How would the initial skirmish go? Probably another fight for B. The start didn¡¯t matter much; there weren¡¯t many choices. In other words, it didn¡¯t matter how they started, as no one would gain much from it. The home base was C, as before. The enemy¡¯s would automatically be A. So, should they go with the same strategy again? "Likest time, let¡¯s capture C and then head straight to B. Ten yers. Kato stayed at Cst time, so for this round, HumanBoss, you¡¯ll coordinate from C. I¡¯ll call you in if needed." "Roger that. Leave it to me." "Let¡¯s do our best this round." And soon, the match began. Heavy footsteps echoed in therge simtion room. After quickly clearing out enemy AI scattered around C, twelve yers captured terminals one by one, and C soon glowed blue with control secured. They spent about a minute at C. But there was a problem. "Sir, A shows no activity." "Ah, looks like they¡¯re fullymitted this time." His mind spun rapidly. The clear thing was that the enemy had likely abandoned A and rushed all twelve to B right from the start. It was a difficult choice, more troublesome than expected. They could bypass and capture A, but managing forces that way would be tricky¡­ There was still time. Even if they reached B first, the difference wouldn¡¯t be too significant. Plus, the order to rush to A after respawn was still valid. Ultimately, it seemed like a repeat of thest match. He reminded them of that and added, "We¡¯re moving to B. Ten yers. No change in the n." "Copy that." And ten yers set off for B. The central zone was engulfed in an eerie silence. Their sensory equipment picked up faint footsteps a hundred meters away¡ªnever a good sign. Running at the front, he anticipated whaty ahead. A full sh of strength wasing, but he¡¯d avoid being caught in a crossfire by staying out of enemy sightlines. And soon, that¡¯s exactly what happened. After scanning the area with drones and sensors, they began the assault¡ªbut this time, the data pouring in showed something different. "Enemy firepower has increased by at least 20%, with much more aggression than before." "d we brought multiple trophy systems. Hold your positions. Those on standby at C, please head to A." "Understood." Yet, even though he said so, the enemy¡¯s aggression was intense. His team¡¯s analysis was urate, and as their losses mounted faster than before, they adapted. Thankfully, Kato¡¯s team was holding the line, rapidly thinning out the enemy. Despite the simr pace of losses, the tempo felt faster. Harmony added through thems. "Anyone down, regroup at B instead of A. Now¡¯s a good time to push them out." They handled it with high flexibility. Harmony¡¯s squad was taking losses, but Kato joined the frontline, so the enemy fell quickly too. Overall, the structure mirrored the previous round, just faster-paced. He called in Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok. There was a fierce battle in B¡¯s center, and they aimed to break through the enemy lines. His squad would be the spearhead, and the rest would suppress with smoke, shbangs, and small EMP grenades. Orders were given rapidly, and soon, with coordinated suppressive fire, smoke grenades filled the area. "Advance, advance! Run to the designated point with your smoke-prating goggles on!" "Trophy system deployed. No need to worry about explosives!" Thest check showed nine enemies and seven allies. Breaking through the first defense line, they deployed a seeker mine to clear traps. With a hiss, it split and exploded around the area. Amid the chain explosions, he saw the flickers of muzzle shes in the smoke. He pinpointed the enemy¡¯s location. With the snap of gunfire, an entire magazine vanished in seconds. Naturally, the enemy¡¯s life ended by the time half the magazine was empty. Nine became eight as they moved into CQB. Now it was a matter of reaction speed. "Three ahead! I¡¯ve marked their positions!" "Copy. nking." Typically, identifying and nking was the rifleman¡¯s role, but he was both squad leader and the best fighter. Deploying his strength at the right time was part of the job. Grabbing grenades, he yanked the pins and tossed them into the foggy outlines of enemies. Theynded with a bounce before exploding, neutralizing the second defense line. However, by then, Kimstone and Hotteok were down, with only Limit left, barely holding on. It wasn¡¯t ideal for him to push forward, so he ordered his squad to advance while he infiltrated the enemy line. And then, their eyes met. ©¤©¤©¤Ratatatatatata! Suppressed gunfire muffled in the smoke, and stone fragments shattered around them. He spotted Kim Manager amidst the chaos¡ªhis avatar was unique enough to be recognizable. The UI disyed the skill¡¯s remaining time. Within five seconds, the cooldown for the sticky bomb would be up. But the enemy leader was retreating under cover. "Where do you think you¡¯re going¡­!" Fwoosh! The sticky bomb soared across and detonated against the wall, but he was a split second toote. Kim Manager had slipped out, leaving the wall copsing behind, blocking the path. The skirmish paused. An ominous silence filled the air. Another enemy remained in the room, fiddling with theirms. He noticed something. "Damn." Focused on the fight, he¡¯d only now noticed the cleverly nted wires on the walls and floor. Time slowed, or at least it felt like it. The first to detonate was an EMP. An invisible shockwave swept through the room, jamming thems into static. The topmandyer was cut off before he could issue any orders. Clever move. "Well, they¡¯ll manage." With a minorst thought, his vision shed white. Apanied by a stunning st, he was expelled to the respawn window. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "¡­Friendly casualty 1, enemy casualty 1. Harmony squad decapitation sessful. Remaining forces, regroup at designated points." The UI disyed two death scores among the towering smoke. Among them was Harmony¡¯s name, who hadn¡¯t died once in the previous match. He forced his frayed nerves to calm, speaking into thems. Harmony¡¯s breakthrough speed was faster than expected; a secondter, Kim Manager might have been trapped as well. But now it was just an "if." The enemy had four left, and so did his side. A severe toll for a simple baiting operation. Yet he set those thoughts aside. This was the critical moment. "Let¡¯s regroup and reorganize. The enemy took a significant hit, so they likely won¡¯t rush in." Both sides were now evenly matched at B. Fortunately, he was the group leader. The enemy had lost Harmony, their topmander, potentially shaking their resolve. He needed to provide guidance swiftly, reorganize, and fully retake B.@@novelbin@@ Despite just escaping the front line, he pulled himself together and started issuing orders. His squad, initially scattered, began moving in unison. If they maintained this, they had a chance. They just needed to recover quickly. Yes, that¡¯s what should have happened. But¡ª "Detecting multiple enemy silhouettes moving from 70 meters ahead! They¡¯re heading this way!" "¡­What?" "Enemy main forces¡­ Cartographer and three squad members! They¡¯ve taken over squad leader duties and are advancing!" Damn it. An unanticipated¡ªor at least unacknowledged¡ªreality began to rear its head. "All units¡­ prepare for battle." Atst, Kim Manager had to admit some of his assumptions were wrong. Yet, a fact almost forgotten by everyone was that he had been the original leader and had the offensive power to match. So what happened next was inevitable.
  • [Alert: Harmony Group has captured B.]
And three minutester. Cartographer¡¯s provisional squad wiped out the remnants of Kim Manager¡¯s forces and seized control of B. Chapter 219 [Public Chat] Honestly, isn¡¯t it just Kato''s team <<<< Harmony solo carry??? Yeah, right~~ Fake news! All the haters can die~~ [All Comments][Sorted by Newest]
  • LMAO ????????????????
  • Had to give it a like, can¡¯t be the only one fooled. ???? ?Yo, you too????????
  • Can you hear Kim Manager crying in the respawn area through VR? ????????????????????????
  • Just to rify, hating here means hating on (Kim Manager), alright? ?Wow, looks like someone has issues with spacing!
  • Honestly, calling it Harmony solo carry is ridiculous. ???? ?Those fools talking nonsense even after seeing her practice on stream all week long. ?Fact: These people never put as much effort into anything as streamers do into their careers.
  • Look at those dislikes piling up. ????????????
  • I¡¯m starting to fear the phrase "you are thepany you keep"; is that normal? ?Surprisingly, yes.
  • Kato getting beaten down only to join Yujin¡¯s side eventually¡ªlegendary. ???????????????????????? ?Thus proving the equation: More team bonding = more spiritual nourishment.
  • Kato, as long as you¡¯re happy¡­ I love it when you¡¯re happy. ?Actually, I love it most when he¡¯s suffering. ????????????????????????
"Currently, there¡¯s fierce back-and-forth between A and B. It¡¯s a literal tug-of-war, with a brutal battle raging for ten minutes straight. But Kim Manager¡¯s team stillcks that final step to break through B! They need to secure a solid foothold to stand a chance!"
  • They¡¯re really going at it, both sides. ????????????
  • So this is¡­ modern warfare? Why is the kill ratio converging on 1:1?
  • If this were a real war, it¡¯d be horrific. ????????????
  • Is this World War II or a VR game? ????????????
  • At this point, kill points don¡¯t seem to matter.
Intense skirmishes. The 40-minute ytime per match was more than enough for yers to die and respawn dozens of times, which was precisely what was unfolding in this second round of the Streamer Competition at the massive simtion center in New York. Establishing a foothold to approach B effectively, allies would respawn there, gathering forces to hammer at the weaker spots. It wasn¡¯t just firearms and grenades¡ªgrenadeunchers, rocketunchers, and even cluster missile strikes every ten minutes were part of the relentless battle. If this were real, it¡¯d be like blending top-tier U.S. personnel through a mixer at the cost of millions in an hour. But thankfully, this was happening in VR.@@novelbin@@ Both sidesmanded defenses,unched attacks, and pushed personal limits. They anticipated shifting points of attack in real-time, marking priority targets, sometimes throwing themselves directly into battle. So, this was only the second round. The atmosphere began to take a peculiar turn. "Ah, Kim Manager! Will they finally break through B this time? It¡¯s the moment where the previously saved bombardment shines! All twelve members are charging toward the dust-clouded central zone¡ª!"
  • Let¡¯s goooooooooo!
  • Why is he so desperate? ????????????
  • Are we seeing it? Are we seeing it? Are we seeing it?
  • Time to cheer him on!!!
  • Let¡¯s do this!!!!!
A unique form of engagement began, one seen nowhere else. Guns fired in unison, piercing through smoke, thin steel tes, and shattering the shields of the first defense line, hammering repeatedly at the ceramic armor beneath. Harmony defended as Kim Manager attacked¡ªa sh epic enough for the history books. "Line 1 is about to be breached! Set up booby traps and retreat to Line 2! Cover fire, cover fire!" "Trophy system retrieval. Frontline point men, advance! Check ballistic shield durability and regroup. Wait for skill cooldown." Harmony¡¯s team adapted to Kim Manager¡¯s agile leadership, while Kim Manager learned to masterfullymand squad formations that bolstered his team¡¯sbat capabilities. The ensuing scene felt like a surreal siege, deploying everyst resource. The close-quartersbat delivered a cathartic, no-holds-barred battle of David vs. Goliath, or Demon Lord vs. Hero, to the audience. And viewers came to understand why clich¨¦s remain popr.
  • Kim Manager is insane. ????????????
  • Now I get why the Demon Lord vs. Hero trope is still beloved.
  • My Monday blues are gone thanks to this. ????
  • Honestly, I want Kim Manager¡¯s team to win this one. Is that weird?
  • Harmony really is an insurmountable wall. ????????????
It wasn¡¯t just a sh between two teams. Kim Manager¡¯s struggle seemed almost like that of a mortal resisting fate itself, a battle reminiscent of a Hero and Demon Lord shing with the fate of the world on the line. And so, while the scale of victory hadn¡¯t shifted, more and more began cheering for Kim Manager. He wasn¡¯t just facing a skill gap¡ªhis spirit to ovee a wall everyone thought impassable was inspiring many. However, this wasn¡¯t a fairytale. Harmony had no intention of letting the Hero win. Her cold voice echoed through thems. "Skill cooldownplete. We¡¯re pushing them back. Rotate with the frontline squad on my signal. Attack starts in three seconds. Point men, lead the way." ©¤©¤©¤Bzzzz! With a strange hum, Harmonymanded her team for one final assault, deploying reserves saved until thest moment. Before Kim Manager¡¯s team could reach the attack¡¯s endpoint, six members of Harmony¡¯s kill team emerged from behind the dwindling defensive line with no warning. Harmony proved to the hundreds of thousands watching what aggressive defense could achieve¡ªand within moments, Kim Manager¡¯s team suffered a devastating counterattack, copsing entirely. The second battle ended there. "So, while both teams are effectively evenly matched, Harmony¡¯s team has a slight edge in delivering decisive blowspared to Kim Manager¡¯s." "I think I understand. Yes, time is indeed the most crucial resource in these pressing situations." During the short break, the caster and analyst reflected on the match. Harmony¡¯s team could push a button, like opening an umbre when it rains, to create a safe zone. In contrast, Kim Manager¡¯s team needed more effort. That difference proved decisive. The result required no borate exnation. The two consecutive rounds had clearly shown the strengths and weaknesses. However, reality isn¡¯t driven by arithmetic alone, as shown by the intensely dramatic match. "So, Mr. Russ, what do you foresee in the uing rounds?" "It¡¯s tough to say. While Harmony¡¯s team is leading, Kim Manager is receiving a kind of ¡®vination¡¯ each time they sh, learning and adapting." "Indeed. The effectiveness of repeated tactics decreases after a major battle. I¡¯m curious to see how Kim Manager¡¯s team will fare and if they can ultimately defeat Harmony."
  • Kim Manager, step it up!
  • Kim Manager grows with each match, but Harmony is already fully formed.
  • Fact: Without Yujin¡¯s coaching for Harmony, Kim Manager would have been stomped by now.
  • This is brutal. ????????????
  • Kim Manager¡¯s probably dreading the punishment at this point. ????
A chaotic mess. Of all the words to describe the scene, ¡°chaos¡± seemed too mild. The chat with hundreds of thousands of viewers, though divided into many sections, was in full brawl mode. Most people knew about the streamers involved, while others were familiar only with a few, like Harmony and Kim Manager. Others didn¡¯t fall into any clear category¡ªeach person represented a unique perspective. In the midst of it all, two people stood out by remaining unfazed. No exnation was needed as to who they were. "Kim Manager is good, but starting positions are too different. Harmony is more likely to reach four wins before he even umtes enough data." "Yes, that seems the most likely oue." "I see Yujin thinks so too." Yujin nodded briefly. After a moment of thought, she continued her musings, regardless of who was listening. "Skill gains from observing others aren¡¯t limitless, nor do they ensure continual, consistent growth. Realistically, he¡¯s chasing a ceiling." "Then, how many wins do you think Kim Manager¡¯s team will achieve?" "Probably not more than three. Maybe two, possibly one, but it¡¯s hard to say." "Not more than two, huh." Thoughts deepened, and Dice sank into contemtion. He knew who Kim Manager was as a pro gamer. Dice had yed during Kim Manager¡¯s active days. But they hadn¡¯t crossed paths. Dice had won championships, and perhaps one of Kim Manager¡¯s trainees had done well, but Dice was a solo yer specializing in AP, while Kim Manager focused on Domination Mode. It wasn¡¯t easy topare team games to solo y. Thus, the analysis he provided Yujin was based strictly on the data collected so far. And Yujin likely had a clearer view anyway. Time slipped away as Dice drifted in thought. Soon, a brief interview began. The interviewee wasn¡¯t Harmony but another streamer from the tournament. It seemed the interviewees were chosen at random. He watched absentmindedly. "¡­Guess it wasn¡¯t entirely random." "Pardon?" "I was just thinking¡­ It¡¯s Harmony." p p p p. Apuse and cheers filled the air before he could hear her answer. The live chat was filled withments calling Harmony a Demon Lord. While Harmony as the Demon Lord might be a bit excessive, well, nicknames never really made sense anyway. Harmony strode to the seat and took the microphone. "It¡¯s a pleasure to be here. Watching those first two rounds, I realized my goals before the match weren¡¯t just empty words. If I remember correctly, I¡¯ve only died once so far. Right?" "Yes, it seems you¡¯re quite focused on avoiding death. Especially here, where themander¡¯s survival offers substantial advantages." "Exactly. The higher the tier, the more critical it is to maintainmand." A brief conversation followed, and the interview wrapped up. "- We look forward to the rest of your matches. By the way, has your goal for the tournament changed at all?" "Of course not. Though I might have a slight change of heart¡­." After a brief pause, she gave a chilling smile and replied. "¡­Having led two matches as team leader, I think I should also focus on my team¡¯s survival a bit more." "Ah, so you¡¯ll y more cautiously from now on?" "No, I¡¯ll focus on eliminating threats faster to ensure my team¡¯s survival." -?????????????????????? -Total berserker. ???????????????????? -Yeah¡­ makes sense¡­ but who just says it like that in an interview?? -If she¡¯s not the Demon Lord, who is? -Unhinged!! ???????????????????? A short silence. Watching Harmony, now more bombshell than interviewee, Unreal and Russ fell silent briefly before adding. "Thank you, Harmony. After the interview, maybe we should check if she¡¯s been doping with some magical snake-tail potion." "Hey, no! I haven¡¯t even talked to Yujin in-game for a while!" "Oh, by the way, let¡¯s read this whistleblower message from streamer Kimstone. It says here that Harmony is definitely hiding a snake tail. Thanks for the report, everyone! Your anonymous tips keep society healthy!" Harmony¡¯s protests fell on deaf ears, but it was an entertaining end to the interview. At least, Dice thought so as he clung to sanity in this increasingly chaotic tournament. Though only halfway through, it had been eventful, to say the least. Chapter 220 Undoubtedly, roles and environments stem from countless individuals and the invisiblepetition among them. The Streamer Showdown. Seven letters, two words, conveying a significance beyond mere arrangement. However, as an event, it¡¯s inherently limited¡ªsimultaneously encapsting both a collective purpose and individual intentions. Dozens of streamers entered thispetition with varied motives. Some aimed to shed old images, some wanted to showcase their skills and attract new viewers. Collectively, there were 24 different goals. They might align in some aspects, but none of them were identical. However, -I¡¯m going into this match with the mindset that losing means death. While they couldn¡¯t merge intentions, one person¡¯s determination and the resulting impact could overshadow others. First, the team name changed. Harmony, the central figure of this showdown, quickly overtook Cartographer as the face of the team. Or perhaps, it wasn¡¯t overtaking, but something inevitable. Either way, it was toote to debate. Second, the team itself transformed. As the saying goes, a clear source leads to clear streams below¡ªmeaning the changes at the top shape those below. Harmony rapidly revamped the team, metaphorically overhauling its structure and engine within a week. Finally, the opponents changed. ''¡­'' With changees immense pressure. In this context, Kim Manager and his team didn¡¯t merely grow; they were forced to evolve. Their encounter with Harmony¡¯s raw power instilled a collective urgency¡ªa resolve not to be defeated in such a brutal way. This became the catalyst for their growth. Kim Manager, who had never fought so fiercely even during his active days, put all his energy into directing his team, struggling to minimize their losses in real time. His team reciprocated, understanding that in the face of a storm, no one remains idle. However, one lingering regret remained. "It would have been nice to get some scrim time." "Indeed." Perhaps if they¡¯d had more time to prepare legally. But that¡¯s a distant thought. The Streamer Showdown itself was organized quickly, leaving little room for such opportunities. It was still possible to grumble about it, even if it was futile now. Besides, Harmony wasn¡¯t stagnant. Learning expands one¡¯s horizons, and Harmony¡¯s capacity likely brimmed with potential. Two rounds ago, Harmony had absorbed Kim Manager¡¯s squad tactics and routed his forces at B, seizing control. The bright side was that, from the third round, it became a close match. Although they still lost. Now, the fourth and possibly final round approached. They were on the edge of defeat, but the pieces were finally in ce. -[Alert: 30 seconds until the fourth round.] "This round will be the turning point. Even if we¡¯re going down, we¡¯re leaving a mark." "Think we can do it?" "That¡¯s a matter of perspective. If you start dwelling on ¡®what ifs,¡¯ there¡¯s no end to it. Either we beat them all and make history, or we lose this round. The key is to stay focused on the goal¡ªbring necessary efforts to life and disregard the rest." A brief pause. The sharp sound of metal echoed, filling everyone¡¯s ears. There was no more need for preparation. Harmony¡¯stest moves had swept through allies and foes alike, leaving only a head-on sh. They¡¯d done all they could, and there would be no crushing defeat beyond recovery. That much, they would prevent. With the heavy drone of rotors cutting through the frigid New York winter air, two ckhawksnded in the heart of a deste cityscape. Just before the timer hit zero, Kim Manager spoke up. "Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to do everything we can." And so, the third round began, and the final struggle was underway. And then¡ª -An incredible match! Unpredictable until the end! But ultimately, it was Harmony, Stone, Limit, and Hotteok from Team A who delivered the winning blow! With a total score of 4-2, the victory goes to Harmony¡¯s team! "Ah, so close. Really, it¡¯s a shame¡­." "I want to thank everyone. You all worked hard following my lead." A final score of 4-2. Although their scorecard didn¡¯t bear a victory, they would probably receive more attention than the winners themselves. The short tournament among streamers after the Asian qualifiers ended that way. "After six matches and over four hours, finally, we¡¯ve gathered all participants here today. Let¡¯s give a big round of apuse to everyone!" The cheers and apuse surged once more, louder than ever, as the viewer count soared to 400,000. All 26 participants¡ªthe 24 streamers and the two hosts, Unreal and Russ¡ªassembled on a stage that expanded to amodate them, resembling arge talk show. Microphones were ced in front of them. Regardless of the scale, everyone here shared a close connection with their viewers, and their expressions were a mixture of relief and excitement. At the front, representing their respective teams, Harmony and Kim Manager faced the MCs. As the apuse died down, the interview began with the two leaders who had driven today¡¯s matches. "This is the first time the two of you have been so close since just a few hours ago, right?" "Yes, indeed. We were just on the battlefield together not too long ago." "Haha, not the best ce for a friendly chat. It¡¯s an honor to have you both here in a peaceful setting. Now, before anyone else asks, let¡¯s jump straight to the questions. Just answer as you¡¯refortable." They nodded as the former casters-turned-MCs nced over their holographic scripts. The first question was directed at Harmony, who represented the winning side. "To the streamer Harmony, the victor of today¡¯s showdown¡ªcould you share your thoughts on thispetition?" "¡­It was more intense and rough than I¡¯d imagined. Especially since Kim Manager¡¯s team grew stronger with every match. From the third round onward, we had to confront our limits." "I see. Indeed, throughout the tournament, Kim Manager¡¯s team demonstrated impressive squad coordination, as they promised before the start. Watching you both, I felt like I was witnessing the ultimate sh between strength and flexibility." -Lol, Unreal can only use wuxia terms! -So, was today¡¯s match a martial arts tournament? -Do modern martial arts now involve lead bullets, guns, and grenades? Contrary to the viewers¡¯ chaoticments, their interview was earnest. Harmony still felt the strain of constantly adapting to the ever-changing battlefield. It was like ying chess with her left hand while doing rock-paper-scissors with her right, mentally exhausting. Naturally, Harmony felt a growing admiration for Yujin. During their early coborations, Yujin spent over eight hours daily on main missions, issuing logical, consistentmands. Though the maps and team sizes were different, the core was the same. In a sense, Harmony realized she was walking a path Yujin had already traveled and mastered. The second question went to Kim Manager, who looked visibly worn outpared to the confident aura he had at the tournament¡¯s start. His fatigue made for a perfect conversation opener. "Haha, don¡¯t fall asleep on us now! We¡¯re almost done!" "Ah, my mind wandered off for a moment. So, what¡¯s my question?" "I¡¯ll get right to it. Kim Manager, you and your team fought hard and won two matches. How do you feel?" "©¤To put it simply, it was¡­ more challenging than preparing forst year¡¯s Domination Championship. It felt like trying to stop an avnche with an umbre. It¡¯s hard to believe Harmony was just an average yer a few months ago." -Wow, that¡¯s high praise. -Harmony is a god? Harmony is a god? Harmony is a god? Harmony made a strange face, as if wondering if she was really that good, while the rest of the team nodded in agreement. With a beep, Cartographer, sitting nearby, requested to speak. He grinned as he began. "Honestly, I kind of saw thising once I learned Harmony was close with Yujin. I took a few beatings from her myself." "Haha! I see. Was that during the ranked season? I remembering across that while researching for my channel." "Yes, exactly. It was¡­ enlightening. But I found some peace of mind." Laughter erupted all around. Among the hundreds of thousands of viewers were Cartographer¡¯s fans, who remembered the chaos from a few months ago in the AP ranks. After Harmony and Kim Manager, the questioning moved to their teammates¡ªthough it felt more like a grilling session. Each team member was eager to share the hardships they¡¯d faced. "So we gathered for practice the day we became Team Harmony. The question was, ¡®Is anyone here to win?¡¯ Naturally, we all raised our hands. But then, someone snapped a photo." "Haha, a photo?" "Yeah. After that, it was brutal. In VR terms, I think we spent about eight hours daily in the shooting range. It felt like being back in a less isted training camp." Pictures popped up on the screen, showing four team members in training gear with cat ears and tiger stripes on their helmets. Limit, with her bright green hair, stood out even more. No one missed the chance toment. "So, that green-haireddy¡­." "Hey, who took that picture!?" "Our lovely Limit. Isn¡¯t she adorable?" -LOL, the avatar choices are too much. -Those hair colors! Limit is hard to miss! Watching others suffer was always entertaining. The conversation turned to the unusual training each team underwent, with an impromptu contest to see who had it worse. "When I heard we¡¯d be getting feedback from pro gamers, I was thrilled. Then boot camp started. We trained for ten hours daily. I never thought I¡¯d experience the life of a trainee like this." "Oh, same here. What did you guys do? We just went round and round in the shooting range." "Haha, yeah. For us, it was nonstopmand drills. Exhausting." As theints mounted, Harmony and Kim Manager sank lower in their chairs. Not that they were at fault, butmanders must bear the grumblings of those they lead. It felt almost like a public debriefing, with too many witnesses. After more shared experiences, they wrapped things up. "Honestly, it was fun. It felt like being thrown into a real boot camp. But I think I¡¯ve improved a lot." "Ugh¡­" "Me too. Being surrounded by pro gamers, getting all that feedback was worth it." "Ouch¡­" "Haha, let¡¯s stop here. I think the two of you might start coughing up blood if we keep going. You¡¯d agree, teamwork is vital, right?" They were too busy recovering from mental fatigue to respond. Meanwhile, as they shared handshakes and exchanged smiles with the audience, Unreal and Russ also turned to face the viewers. "So, we¡¯re wrapping up this Streamer Showdown, full of action andughs. Thank you to everyone who waited and everyone who gave it their all." "Fun times are short, waiting times long, but we hope to return for another tournament soon. Thank you all!" The cheers were a mix of emotions. Though most felt a tinge of disappointment, the show must go on, and the thousands gathered here would soon experience the year¡¯s biggest events. More tournaments awaited them. As the Streamer Showdown, one chapter of entertainment, came to a close, viewers began exiting, following streamers into after-parties or to wrap-up streams. And then¡ª -[Harmony: Teacher~~~~!!!!] -[Harmony: I¡¯ve got a great hotel reserved. Wanna do a debrief stream togetherter? ????] "¡­Uh." "Saw thating."@@novelbin@@ The fan-girling was real. But Dice had no room to judge. Chapter 221 The Eye of the Typhoon. This phrase usually refers to the calm, windless center within a destructive tropical cyclone, but it has also evolved to hold broader meaning in modern society. Now, it can mean one of two things: either something seemingly fine but soon to be engulfed in turmoil, or someone, or something, that stays calm amidst chaos. In thetter sense, it perfectly describes the existence of Yujin as she bes the focal point of the Dark Zonemunity from October into November. Yet, as countless inte users specte, their curiosity cannot unlock the secrets tied to Yujin. "Yujin, reveal the truth!" "It¡¯s all going toe out eventually!" Despite the vocal demand for transparency, no amount of crowd opinion can break through concrete with a spoon. To borate further¡ªthose who took it upon themselves to be ¡°informants¡± and preached everyone¡¯s right to know were usually just people with too much time and energy, and they were far from the mainstream opinion. These self-proimed informants, whether their ims were serious or exaggerated, were rattling even those who had been mere spectators of the chaos. However, just a few days into Yujin¡¯s military background controversy, things began to unfold with remarkable rity. "Take down the article." "What?" "Take it down, you worthless idiot! Do you know how high up this has reached because of you?" "I-I¡¯m sorry! Aaargh!" The first to go down were the cyber-leeches and the so-called ¡°journalists¡± who tried to exploit the situation for clicks. Unluckily for them, Yujin¡¯s legacy was built on a foundation that only grew more impressive with time, leaving trivial matters quickly forgotten. In simpler terms, they¡¯d long since overlooked the fact that Yujin had alluded to her abilities in the past without repercussions¡ªa costly oversight. But there was more to their downfall than that. "...What¡¯s this?" "A partial file on Yujin¡¯s U.S. military record that was previously ssified. It¡¯s been cross-verified. Consider it a response to the public¡¯s curiosity." "..." "As someone with your expertise, I¡¯m sure you understand what this means." ssified U.S. military records and an awakened individual¡ªtwo unrted matters that, oncebined, create a vtile reaction. The conclusion of this situation was swift and inevitable. Resolution wasn¡¯t public-facing; rather, it happened behind closed doors. Yujin suddenly found herself backed by a colossal legal team, nearly equivalent to a military unit, and not long after, many were served cyber-court orders as a warning. The cyber-leeches who had briefly decorated the forums were extinguished like fireworks, and those who¡¯d crossed the line saw their channels dismantled, leaving only ripples in their wake. The message was crystal clear. "There must¡¯ve been a reason for that, right?" "Idiots, that¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t mess around when things are still murky."@@novelbin@@ It¡¯smon sense. If someone with over 1.7 million subscribers were lying on such arge scale, it would only take a few minutes for the whole situation to explode into a tribunal of truth. Especially when dealing with things easily verified through cross-checking, like her status as an awakened individual or her U.S. military service. Passed down from Logan and confirmed by Yujin herself, this tale reached the ears of prideful U.S. military members, and by the fifth day, no concrete proof debunking it had surfaced. It should have been obvious long ago. "¡­Could it be true?" No one knows for sure. But after triggering two simple yet critical points¡ªawakened status and military service¡ªwithout any rebuttal, the game was over. Those who spread nder and conspiracies saw themselves sinking into oblivion. The fervor within the Dark Zonemunity hadn¡¯t been extinguished; it merely shifted to a new topic. "Wait, so can Yujin stillpete? Represent Korea?" "If that were a problem, Dice would be out already, you fool." "Oh." The question of whether a soldier can join the Dark Zone. Easily answered by looking at the number of veterans in pro leagues and coaching roles globally. How could anyone stop them from using the skills they¡¯d honed? Next came the issue of nationality, which was quickly resolved by proof of Yujin¡¯s pledge before turning 22¡ªessentially a promise to uphold her duties as a Korean. Regardless of personal feelings, it was time to ept the truth. Aside from her intriguing presence, Yujin had no ws to exploit. Her past and present actions were spotless, and it would likely stay that way. The conclusion was inevitable. Within a week, everyone, aside from the most persistent critics, had reached the same realization. "We¡¯re hopeless. No point in hoping for an answer." Perhaps, that was the truest answer. "¡­Wow." "How did you even¡­." "Haha, I¡¯ve been nning this for a while. I¡¯ve grown a lot thanks to Yujin, and with the prize money from the tournament, we can rx and enjoy. Congrats to both of you on cing first and second in the Asian qualifiers!" Behind Harmony¡¯s grin was a sprawling indoor pool, a poolside BBQ buffet, and fully prepped cabanas. Yujin and Dice¡¯s minds momentarily froze as they took in the surreal scene,pliments of the generous cat¡¯s wallet. "Ah, if I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten breakfast." "No worries, Dice. Even if we can¡¯t finish everything, it¡¯s not a problem, right, Yujin?" "I appreciate the attempt to turn me into a vacuum cleaner." Pop! A cork flew into the air, followed by the sound of food sizzling on the grill, champagne, and Mongolian beef pizza, along with all sorts of luxuries stretching into the private pool area. This was an experience far removed from the everyday¡ªa moment not easily repeated. Despite it being just the beginning, the opulence was already breathtaking. "How much did you spend on all this?" "Well, who earned it for me in the first ce? Don¡¯t worry, if we¡¯re strapped for cash, we can always stream. I even booked a wine bar for the evening." With a sigh, Yujin reached out to stretch Harmony¡¯s cheeks while Dice attempted to sneak away, only to be stopped by a swift tail around the neck. As they settled in, it was clear that most of the food would end up in Yujin¡¯s bottomless stomach, but neither Dice nor Harmony had anyints as they enjoyed the experience. "I¡¯ve never seen a ce like this before. The facilities¡­." "Yujin, have you never been to a ce like this before? Really? You seem like the type who frequents luxury shopping malls and hotels¡­ouch!" p! Dice''s hand left a red mark on Yujin¡¯s back¡ªa testament to the p¡¯s evolution into a powerful weapon over time. It was a relief that the three of them were dressed in sensible swimwear, not skimpy attire. Long-sleeved rash guards and shorts that were more appropriate for the pool¡¯s casual ambiance than the beach. "Think about it. Awakened individuals can appear anywhere, anytime. How would a cartel even form?" "True. What if I woke up with a tail tomorrow?" "Then it¡¯s karma." "Since when does karmae with rewards? Wait¡ªwhere are you taking¡ªAaah!" Ssh! Dice flew into the water, emerging momentster, dripping wet but unfazed by the warm water. Yujin, amused, tossed her somemb ribs from the table¡¯s grill, which Dice enthusiastically devoured despite the heat. "That was hot! You¡¯re really something." "You want to touch my tail?" "¡­Yes." That¡¯s the carrot-and-stick approach for you. Yujin¡¯s tail flicked yfully as Harmony and Dice took turns petting it, while Yujin continued to enjoy the meal. "What about swimming? Do you really swim like an anaconda?" "Strange curiosity you¡¯ve got." Of course, Yujin was an excellent swimmer¡ªthough someone like Christopher, who reached insane speeds, was even faster. For Yujin, the allure ofpetitive swimming was always tempered by the limitations ced on awakened abilities in professional sports. "If we swam together, within an hour, you¡¯d be begging to get out of the water." "Three hours in the pool?" "Come on!" The whining was quickly subdued as Yujinunched into a lecture about awakened individuals, but Dice and Harmony dashed into the pool before she could finish, much to her amusement. It only took twenty seconds before Yujin had to haul them both out. After a thorough warm-up, they all finally settled into the water for some much-deserved fun. "Woohoo! Why is this so fast?" As Harmony and Dice clung to Yujin¡¯s tail, they marveled at her speed in the water. This impromptu water adventure, filled with unorthodox games,sted quite a while. Thoughcking structure, it was undeniably fun. Chapter 222 -[Notification: Streamer ''Harmony'' has started streaming.] -[Notification: Current Status // ON AIR]@@novelbin@@ -[Stream Title: Drinking at a Luxury Wine Bar with Special Guests ON] Chat:
  • ???? What''s going on, I thought there was no stream today? LOL
  • Special guests? What¡¯s happening? Did she invite Manager Kim to drink with her after wrecking him in the match? LOL
  • This is so random LOL
It¡¯s Thursday, 8:40 PM. After the intense Streamer Showdown on Monday, Harmony took a well-deserved break. For nearly a month, she¡¯d been pushing herself relentlessly, honing her skills to the absolute limit. Even though she suffered two losses, she managed to prove herself by dismantling Manager Kim¡¯s team with techniques she learned from Yujin. Despite Harmony¡¯s progress, her mental stamina wasn¡¯t quite up to par, and after sharing some brief reflections, she dered a break. Everyone had expected her to return by Saturday, but suddenly, she went live midweek. The viewers were greeted with a view of an upscale wine bar. Chat:
  • LOL did she book the whole ce?
  • I¡¯m getting jealous of their wealth distribution! LOL
  • Bow to the Empress Harmony, the Queen of YouTube, worth millions!
Above the luxurious setting, a small drone hovered, equipped with motion-capture gear to project their VR avatars into real life. Familiar silhouettes came into focus: Harmony, Yujin, and Dice. "Hello, everyone. Can you hear me okay?" "Hey there! I brought Dice along too." "Uh, hi, everyone. Not sure how I ended up here today, but it''s nice to be on stream. Dice from SSM Entertainment." "You didn¡¯t need to introduce yourself so formally! People already know you." "Come on, Harmony and Yujin don¡¯t need to say it, but I do. Yujin is technically still an external consultant for SSM AP, you know!" Chat:
  • Wait, are they doing a drinking stream?
  • This is too good; grabbing a beer from my fridge right now.
  • I me them for my failed diet LOL
  • So why the sudden stream?
"Thank you for the donation! Well, since both of them ced first and second in the Asian qualifiers, I thought this called for a celebration. We also wanted to take a moment to chat with you all, so here we are!" The chat erupted with cheers. Harmony and Yujin¡¯s presence, along with Dice, was enough to attract a crowd of over 100,000 viewers, eager to witness the rare trio¡¯s interaction. Three sses were filled with golden liquid, and as they clinked together, the bubbles fizzled and popped. "Harmony, care to give a tasting note?" "Me? I¡¯m not a wine expert. It¡¯s a little sweet, bubbly¡­ Definitely fancy. But I don¡¯t usually drink." "That¡¯s why I brought you here!" Harmony¡¯s yfulughter filled the air, but Yujin''s tail, hidden under dim lighting, flicked up and tapped her on the head. Harmony likely hadn¡¯t even watched Yujin¡¯s interview during the qualifiers; this entire setup was probably a scheme to observe her drinking habits firsthand. Dice, with a simr expression, confirmed that Harmony¡¯s hunch was likely spot-on. "To be honest, I don¡¯t get all the vors either. I¡¯m not used to fancy drinks. It¡¯s a bit sweet, slightly bitter, with a warm aftertaste." "Yet, you¡¯ve perfectly described the vor." Chat:
  • Hahaha, her avatar looks so fancy talking about alcohol.
  • I need to see them in real life! Show yourselves!
  • That champagne looks incredible.
Harmony raised her ss with a grin, and once more, they toasted. As they chatted, the topic gradually shifted toward the uing finals. Dice, who had already traveled to the U.S. for previous tournaments, took the lead. "When wend at JFK, a huge bus will pick us up, and after a 15km drive, we¡¯ll arrive at the hotel. Then, we¡¯re free until the schedule kicks in." "Is it really that flexible?" "Not really. We¡¯ve got personal practice, photoshoots, interviews, and we have to limate to the time difference. Not to mention, it''s winter, so we have to be cautious about our health." Yujin thought about the many preparations involved. She might have a different schedule from Harmony and Dice, considering the significant attention around her. "Harmony probably has the most free time, huh?" "Ugh, I guess so. Maybe I should start cramming some English lessons now." "There will always be interpreters with us, but it¡¯s still hard if you can¡¯tmunicate at all. I had to brush up on my English when I went there too." "Yujin, teach me English, please!" "If you memorize English phrases for 16 hours a day, in two months, you¡¯ll manage." "Aaaah!" Chat:
  • LOL Yujin¡¯s method is brutal.
  • To be fair, you¡¯ll be speaking like a native in six months.
  • Who could survive that?
While Harmonymented, Yujin picked up a cherry-red Manhattan cocktail. The vor wasn¡¯t too sweet, with a slight tang, contrasting sharply with her memories of Manhattan. After all, the Yujin of today could easily navigate English, being as fluent as a native speaker. "Just stick with me, and you won¡¯t have any issues." "I knew I could rely on you¡­" "Then I¡¯ll just stay by your side and skip the studying. The three of us together will stay nice and warm!" Chat:
  • Michelin Anaconda is on the way! LOL
  • Are they going tounch their own brand?
The three continued their banter, and the viewers witnessed a deepening camaraderie. Though the stream¡¯s interactive feature allowed two-waymunication, the trio became more engrossed in their own conversation. Yujin¡¯s face had turned beet-red as they recalled past memories, much to Harmony and Dice¡¯s amusement. Just as the chaos was about to peak, Harmony leaned forward, cing a hand on the drone camera. Click! "I¡¯ll start up the stream again around midnight. See you then, everyone!" Chat:
  • WHAT?! Who ends a stream like that!
  • Noooo, don¡¯t leave us hanging like this!
  • I need more of this!
Pop. -[Notification: Noise-canceling barrier engaged.] -[Notification: Controlling bodily functions. Ethanol neutralized.] "¡­It¡¯s off." "Doors are locked, and no one will disturb us for a while." "Good." Two digital documents appeared in front of them: Non-Disclosure Agreements. With quick taps of their thumbs, they agreed, as green lights blinked twice. "Alright, let¡¯s begin¡­ I¡¯ll give you a brief look into my past." And so, a story that might be forgotten¡ªor should never be remembered¡ªbegan in the quiet stillness. "As you may have guessed, I¡¯m an American citizen and hold dual citizenship." "Oh¡­" "I can¡¯t rmend you dig into which unit I was in or how long I served. There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯d find anything." It was a cautionary message for Harmony and Dice¡¯s sake, not her own. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a dog tag. Name, Social Security Number, blood type, and religion were etched on it, with a special feature verifying her identity. -[Notification: Dog tag authenticated.] -[Notification: Operator - Eugene ''Viper'' Lee confirmed.] -[Notification: No current operations.] "Sergeant First ss? That¡¯s quite a rank." "Viper? Is that your code name? And it¡¯s snake-themed, of course." "Well, Dark Zone has its perks." The conversation lulled into silence. Dice and Harmony seemed uncertain about what to say, and Yujin wasn¡¯t about to offer a lengthy exnation. It was a simple matter of eptance or denial. "¡­Thinking about it, isn¡¯t this basically like learning from a retired UDT? Not much of a difference." "Yeah, doesn¡¯t feel like an issue. Plenty of our coaching staff are ex-military." "Right?" Harmony chuckled. "Well, I¡¯ll go with that reason too. I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just kept quiet. I guess pro gamers really do need to be good talkers." "Right? You wouldn¡¯t think it, but I won first ce in a speech contest back in kindergarten." "Wow. I won first ce in a singing contest." ...Why is this conversation heading in this direction? Watching Harmony and Dice eagerly go back and forth, Yujin suddenly felt a light sensation on her tail. She turned, meeting their gaze. "Anyway, yeah. I don¡¯t mind what Yujin¡¯s past is. If I¡¯d thought there was something off, I would¡¯ve stopped reaching out. I like to think I¡¯m a good judge of character." "Same here. If Yujin had been difficult personality-wise, no one would want to learn from her. I¡¯m here because Yujin¡¯s a good person, so don¡¯t worry." Then, with a grin, they added, "So, you must know a lot of great ces to eat. We should go together sometime. No need to worry about getting lost this time." "Look at you getting excited already. Let¡¯s go to, what¡¯s it called¡ªPeter Luger Steak House? I heard it¡¯s amazing. We should try it when we¡¯re in New York. How about it?" "¡­." Ending as the "human GPS," huh? What a conclusion. Still, as the conversation wrapped up, the noise-canceling barrier lifted, and with a new round of cocktails, the mood grew lively once more. Beyond their colorful drinks, the hour hand crept toward midnight. Just six months ago, a peaceful day like this seemed impossible. Now, as the tranquil night drew to a close, another quiet chapter in their journey wasing to an end. Chapter 223 "¡­Ugh." My body felt heavy. As my mind slowly booted up, I realized I wasn¡¯t looking at a ceiling but rather the walls of a luxurious hotel room. The clock showed 9 a.m. ¡ª I had slept deeply. Sensing my surroundings, I became aware of some odd sensations in my body. The first was a weight on my tail. Dice had somehow made her way down there, clutching it like a pillow as she drifted through dreand. If this were the past, she¡¯d have been a fan of body pillows. But the real spectacle was elsewhere. "...Oh, what is this?" Not vertically, but horizontally, Harmony was lying across me, with her feet propped on my chest. No wonder I felt so heavy; she was practically creating a human crossword puzzle on me. I suppose it was fair to say we¡¯d be a ¡°crossword¡± ourselves. Despite my foggy brain, I did a quick calction. We¡¯d fallen asleep around 1:30, meaning I¡¯d already gotten the necessary amount of rest. Considering how drunk we¡¯d been, though, it would be wise to rest a bit more. However, I decided to get up and wash up first. If I waited for them, we¡¯d all be scrambling to check out. Not that it was going to be easy. In fact, I encountered some obstacles right away. "Here, hold onto your pillow instead." After freeing my tail, I tucked Dice¡¯s own pillow back into her arms to settle her down. I then gently moved Harmony off me, cing her back in what looked like a peaceful sleeping position. Stretching, I headed to the bathroom and let the water run. Under the shower, I washed up, rinsing off thoroughly before finally soaking in the tub. About 40 minutester, when I returned, the two were sitting on the bed, dozing off again. I grabbed a couple of drinks from the fridge and handed them over, which they drank down thirstily. "...What time is it?" "Almost ten. Be careful on the floor if you¡¯re heading to the bathroom. It¡¯s a bit slippery from when I showered." "Okay¡­." Despite my warning, Harmony, still drowsy, stumbled and nearly slipped on her first step into the bathroom. Fortunately, I¡¯d anticipated this and managed to catch her with my tail, preventing any impact. She looked dazed but mumbled a quick response. "I did say it was slippery." "Right¡­ I¡¯ll be more careful next time." "You should." With Harmony wide awake now, I figured she didn¡¯t need any more assistance, so I sat down to chat with Dice while waiting for Harmony to finish her shower. Dice was the first to speak up. "The North American scrims are starting soon. Got any tips on what we should do to survive thepetition?" "If you have scrim data from this year, send it to me. We need a solid foundation to make decisions." "Hmm... I wonder if there¡¯s footage fromst year¡¯s matches." Dice moved over to theputer in the room, only to find it painfully slow, even for 2030. After logging into SSM Entertainment¡¯s site, she navigated to a section with data fromst year¡¯s matches and began ying a video. As the footage yed, I paid attention not to Dice¡¯s movements, as she had improved since then, but rather the internationalpetitors she faced. This was about prepping for the Finals scrims, which I knew would be as intense as the Asian qualifiers. "Ah, this was a match against Wiseman from the UK. I barely won that one." "Your movements are decent but a bit sloppy. Looks like you only put in enough effort when necessary, which leaves you open to counterattacks." "Huh?" "Put simply, if they weren¡¯t holding back, you¡¯d have had a few more holes in you." I pressed a finger lightly against Dice¡¯s head as I spoke. British, likely SAS. Special forces tend to converge in terms of skill and tactics at the top levels, which makes differentiating between them tricky. The only clues to their affiliations were subtle indicators, like stance or weapon handling. But before we could analyze further, theputer suddenly shut down. "...Wait, what? Why did it die?" "It overheated. Not surprising." "Why does it feel like you¡¯re ming me?" Ten minutester, theputer came back online, but we decided to abandon it. Harmony returned from the bathroom, and I escorted Dice to her turn to freshen up. After packing and tidying up, we decided to head to an all-you-can-eat BBQ ce since we missed breakfast. On the way out, my phone vibrated. Given my conversation with Dice, I had a guess about what it was. "Bzzzt!" "What is it? What did you get?" "Yup, looks like it¡¯s an invite for scrim prep." Naturally, ¡°no¡± wasn¡¯t an option. November. Weeks had passed since the Asian qualifiers, and Seoul was transitioning to its cooler season. The Apex Predator Solo Finals Championship was drawing near, and preparations were underway. Despite theck of formal training since the qualifiers, scrims were as critical as, if not more than, the Asian qualifiers. For those five yers who would fly to the U.S. at the end of December, the pressure was palpable. And while there would be thirteen yers going overall, it was only the five of us in the Solopetition who had topete directly. The others would head to the Duo or Squad matches. "People have really thinned out, haven¡¯t they?" Just five yers left: me, Dice from SSM Entertainment, Ink from Xi Impressive, Gambit from Clear Sky, and Michael from Reaper Infected. Originally a hundred, we were now down to twenty for the Finals Championship, only five of whom wouldpete solo. I decided to address the group. "I¡¯m sure you all know the scrims areing up, and you¡¯re wondering how best to prepare." I raised my hand, and a holographic pyramid appeared in the air, showing a division between the top 20% and the lower 80%. "The countries to pay attention to are Japan, Russia, parts of Europe, and the U.S. Don¡¯t bother with the rest. Just because they¡¯re from around the world doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re on our level." It was a bold statement for someone who hadn¡¯t even reached the Finals yet, but no one questioned me. I had earned my ce here. "So, naturally, the question is whether we can hold our own against these twenty. Or, better yet¡ª" Can we surpass them? The Finals have always been marked by an insurmountable wall. It wasn¡¯t just about managing sleep schedules and time differences; it was the more fundamental question of our abilities. I shifted the discussion slightly, mentioning some intel I¡¯d gathered fromst year¡¯s Finals. What might have seemed like casual remarks were actually the result of ten days spent studying the data.@@novelbin@@ "Here¡¯s a simple question: what exists in Dark Zone that doesn¡¯t exist in reality?" "...The shield system?" "Not quite. Think broader." Everyone was quiet until Michael tentatively raised his hand. "Is it¡­ skills?" "Correct." With that, a visual aid popped up, disyingst year¡¯s stats, showing skill usage frequencies. As the graph showed, skill dependency dropped as you moved up to the top 20%, reflecting a reliance on core abilities and a detachment from shy moves. "If you look closely, you¡¯ll see that as yers reach the top 20%, their reliance on skills declines sharply. This is due to two main factors. Guess correctly, and you¡¯ll win a small prize." "I¡¯ve got it!" "Me, too! Please, let me answer!" Their enthusiasm was endearing. After three minutes of debate, Gambit came the closest. "Nice try. While it¡¯s not the exact answer, you¡¯ll receive a special curriculum from me." "Wow, uh¡­ um¡­." "Are you hesitating? I¡¯d be bowing if I were you." I turned back to the group. "The top 20% yers act based on their umted knowledge and experience. And as I mentioned, skills don¡¯t exist in reality." "Does that mean¡­?" "Yes." With a sweep of my hand, the hologram shifted, disying various Dark Zone skills floating in the air. "Skills will be your biggest asset in this Finals Championship, potentially propelling you to greater heights. I trust you all know what I mean by now." Though I said no more, the four yers before me could already sense the hardships toe. With a gesture, the surrounding environment transformed, and our attire changed as well. My voice echoed clearly. "We don¡¯t have time to waste, so let¡¯s begin." True excellence is forged through intense challenges. And so, the next phase began. ______________________________________ TL notes: Thank you for reading! If you¡¯d like to see more chapters and support my trantions, you can contribute at ?? /satabog ??. Every little bit helps, and I truly appreciate your support! Chapter 224 [Log: November 3rd // Recording in Progress...] [Log: Final Championship Scrim - All participants ounted for. Proceeding to next steps. Server synchronization underway.] [Notification: Scrim will begin in 15 minutes. Spectator entry hasmenced.] ¡°Ah, Wiseman! Long time no see. You¡¯re here for a breath of American air this year, too?¡± ¡°Been tired of Hereford for ages. Needed a stroll. Missed my face? Should¡¯ve sent you a picture. You could look at it during workouts for motivation.¡± ¡°Heh, only you crazy Brits would make jokes like that, stuffing bread between slices of toast.¡± The ce was buzzing like midtown Manhattan. Even though Logan found himself in a crowd of unfamiliar faces, he wasn¡¯t alone. Strangers gravitated toward him ¡ª something that came with the territory, given who he was. This was the notorious waiting room for the North American Scrim. People referred to it as the ¡°meeting ce¡± or the ¡°reunion hall.¡± Not initially intended to be a social hub, it became one over time. And for a clear reason. The North American and European high ranks gathering here was less about gaming and more a reunion for former special forces members, exchanging information and greetings. ¡®So many unfamiliar faces¡­¡¯ Overseas, especially here, people revealed their true selves, even through their avatars. Logan quickly identified familiar faces and those he didn¡¯t recognize. Here, distinctions between former and current military personnel blurred, although Logan¡¯swork didn¡¯t discriminate much between active and retired. GIGN, SAS, JTF-2, GROM, and others mingled, creating an almost surreal scene. A gathering like this usually only happened at the ISTC, the International Special Training Center. Memories of those times resurfaced. There wasn¡¯t much time until the first scrim started. Logan¡¯sck of interest in mingling allowed others to resume their individual activities, and some were already chatting with spectators. ¡°Just survive as long as possible,¡± Logan muttered.@@novelbin@@ If he did that, he¡¯d likely run into Yujin. It was hard to imagine Yujin getting eliminated early, or even mid-way. Thoughts like these sharpened his focus, and hisbat instincts kicked in. It was just the first scrim, so there was no need to be overly serious. But testing the waters with a few strong punches wouldn¡¯t hurt. Logan mentally assembled and dismantled countless scenarios, not just focusing on Yujin but also her mentees, as he¡¯d likely cross paths with other Korean participants. He was here to gauge their abilities and take them down if necessary. [Notification: Map Selection Complete. // High-Value Research Facility] [Notification: Scrim begins in 7 minutes and 30 seconds.] ¡°¡­¡± Of course, it had to be one of the most grueling maps ¡ª packed with enclosed spaces and ceilings everywhere. Combat indoors wasn¡¯t new to him, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee he¡¯d have the upper hand against whoever he met. Nheless, he set his goals and prepared strategies to ovee any obstacles. In the end, it all came down to adapting on the fly. The simpler the goal, the more ways to achieve it, but realbat was always full of unpredictable variables. ¡®What should I say when I see him?¡¯ ¡°d you¡¯re alive?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking better?¡± ¡°I missed you?¡± Even though Yujin seemed tough on the outside, Logan knew she¡¯d probably like any of those. But for a reunion, maybe he should go with something a bit more impactful. He thought back to the Indian Point Nuclear nt operation. None of them knew it would be theirst, and none had given Yujin proper parting words. If he¡¯d known, maybe he¡¯d have been better to her. He had no intention of shedding tears when they met, but he also couldn¡¯t guarantee his voice wouldn¡¯t tremble. Given that, maybe diving straight into the match was the best option. Instead of fumbling through small talk, closing the distance with bullets and explosions seemed fitting. [Notification: Spectator ''AnthonyOwens'' has entered Logantheprbear''s private session.] [Notification: Spectator ''Laurentina'' has entered Logantheprbear''s private session.] ¡°...What?¡± Two familiar names popped up, but it wasn¡¯t over yet. [Notification: Spectator ''Wellerman'' has entered Logantheprbear''s private session.] [Notification: Spectator ''Morganandwine'' has entered Logantheprbear''s private session.] ¡°Where did these clownse from? Don¡¯t they have jobs to do?¡± Logan muttered to himself, realizing this was only the beginning. [Laurentina: Came with high hopes, but where¡¯s our little rookie?] [Wellerman: I¡¯ll overlook a hug, but didn¡¯t even meet? Should I report insubordination?] [AnthonyOwens: Do well out there.] [Morganandwine: It¡¯s an honor to sit here, feeling like the main dish is missing from the restaurant XD] ¡°Keep your mouths shut, or I¡¯ll boot you all before I even see Yujin.¡± Logan wasn¡¯t thrilled, but they were all excited to see their resurrected rookie. Despite their attempts to hide it, their eagerness was apparent. [Notification: Scrim for November 3rd Final Championship Preparation is now underway.] He was back. And he was ready. Indeed, he had returned. Not as the hesitant, unpolished Dice from a year ago, but as a participant in the Final Championship, sharpened again and again by Yujin¡¯s relentless grindstone. The Dice of November 3rd stood there, d in the mixed emotions of excitement, anticipation, apprehension, and fear. It had been a long journey. As the hatch of the transport ne opened and people began parachuting out one by one, a flood of memories fromst year washed over him. He recalled how he¡¯d gone in unprepared and crashed hard against the wall that was the scrim, shattered in every sense of the word. And here he was, in the same High-Value Research Facility map he¡¯d encountered the first time. It felt like a seamless extension of the past. But this time was different. It had to be different. There was no room for obsession or doubt. He had to let go and trust in everything he¡¯d learned. BOOM! The hatch opened, and a st of cold air rushed in. The dim, misty view of the research facility came into focus, eerily quiet, as they all began jumping out in sequence. The time that followed felt dreamlike. As they disappeared into the base one by one, juggernauts took over the surface, making it a de facto forbidden zone. But Dice paid it no mind, moving through the facility, gathering supplies. ¡°Hah¡­¡± The type of weapon didn¡¯t matter, as long as it wasn¡¯t cumbersome to handle. Ideally, he was looking for an SMG or assault rifle with armor-piercing rounds. Sure, he came across some sniper rifles too, but that wasn¡¯t what he was after. And there was something more important than that today. [Notification: Skill Activation Zones will deploy in 3 minutes.] Skills. As Yujin had exined, skills were the ace up the sleeve in these scrims, especially fitting for a stage like this. They offered the only reliable way to gain an edge over opponents ¡ª if used correctly. He wasn¡¯tcking in ability. Yujin had drilled him thoroughly, and he was confident he could finish in the upper ranks by applying everything systematically. But the goal this time was beyond mere survival. Everyone here had been honed to near perfection, either through rigorous training or countlessbat scenarios. They had brought their old skills into this virtual reality, with reflexes, decision-making, and tactical insight honed by endless repetition. But skills were different. Tatatatatata! The faint sound of gunfire in the distance didn¡¯t pull him from his thoughts. The truth was, Yujin had taken him under her wing and shared a plethora of creative ways to use skills. In just a few weeks, they¡¯d trained extensively, exploring all eight maps, identifying the optimal skills for each. For Dice, the right setup for this High-Value Research Facility map was the Nanomachine Oxidizer and the Bombardment Drone. A setup designed for aggressive offense. It was time to move. Whiz! ¡°Whoa¡­¡± The bullet that zipped past his ear forced an involuntary gasp, a mix of relief and surprise. If that shot hadnded on his head¡­ He quickly counterattacked, having already secured a gun and armor. The thud of a grenade ttering against the wall brought his attention back. He braced himself for an ambush. But he¡¯d been through this before. He grabbed his own grenade and rolled it a few meters ahead, where an enemy figure appeared. ¡°Goodbye.¡± BOOM! The sh was blinding, followed by a storm of shrapnel. His opponent barely had time to react before he was sent back to the lobby. The Skill Activation Zone was now live, and chaos had erupted everywhere. Clearing out everyone wasn¡¯t feasible, and waiting for them to clear out on their own wasn¡¯t an option either. Time to put Yujin¡¯s advice to the test. ¡®If things aren¡¯t going your way, flip the table. The variables that arise from that are up to you to handle.¡¯ And so he did. The control room was surprisingly empty, with not even a booby trap to worry about. He stepped inside, loaded a fresh clip, and sprayed bullets across the panel, tearing into it until smoke and sparks began to fly. After a few seconds, the gunfire around him ceased, and a foreboding voice echoed from the speakers above. Exactly as he had hoped. [Warning: Irreparable damage detected in Lower Level 2, Zulu Sector Control Panel.] [Warning: Security will arrive in 2 minutes to assess the situation. Researchers should vacate the area within 1 minute or remain prone with identification visible. Failure toply may result in immediate neutralization.] It was now a race against time. He exited the room, making his way to the Skill Activation Zone disyed on a nearby PDA. Most yers around here would likely flee. But Dice wasn¡¯t most yers. He¡¯d dealt with worse. His gut told him that sess was within reach. So¡ª ¡°Heh.¡± Move along, all of you. This ce isn¡¯t for the faint-hearted. Chapter 225 [Warning: Irreparable damage detected in Lower Level 2, Zulu Sector Control Panel.] [Warning: Security will arrive in 2 minutes. All researchers must vacate the area within 1 minute or disy valid ID while lying prone. Nonpliance may result in immediate termination.] "¡­Is that Yujin?" Hiding nearby, Logan was observing the chaotic skirmish when the strange warning red from the ceiling speakers. Just like that, the sight of a snake slipping through the shadows came to mind. He knew it was odd to jump to conclusions, but experience had taught him that whenever something unexpected happened, Yujin was usually involved. As the interioryout of the facility merged with past memories, Logan recalled how such events had been etched into the minds of his team members on several asions. Once, during an operation, she had thrown incendiary grenades to break through an enemy encirclement, using the mes to blind the night-vision-equipped foes and clear an escape route. Tatatatatatata! "Hmm. Juggernauts areing, and people are still around." The gunfire snapped Logan out of his thoughts. He was brought back to the present as he realized he, too, was still lingering in a soon-to-be kill zone. Despite the past memories, his thoughts returned to the present: Yujin might be nearby. Or perhaps it was one of her apprentices. Whatever the case, there was no other reason to stay in this zone, soon to be filled with lethal danger. It wasn¡¯t that he was dying; it was just that withdrawal wasn¡¯t an option. Task Force Dagger had never been one forpromises. He¡¯d either break through, or the obstacles before him would break first. ck! If he remembered correctly, the warning from the speakers indicated three Juggernauts would be dispatched. They didn¡¯t move together but rather patrolled the area, forming a tightening. Juggernauts were tough as nails and equipped with ballistic shields. If you didn¡¯t take them down quickly, reinforcements would arrive, or you¡¯d end up in a kill zone, forced to retreat. But if he could take them down fast enough, none of that would matter. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! He emptied a clip into them. These were Juggernauts designed for area defense, equipped with thick ballistic shields. Logan, however, wielded a Barrett rifle, and with two full box magazines of .50 BMG rounds, he obliterated those shields. By the time he dropped the third empty magazine, the Juggernaut was nothing more than a twisted heap of metal and polygons. He¡¯d picked up this tactic from Yujin and was surprised at how effective it was. But without spare ammo, he tossed the Barrett aside. Carrying .50 BMG rounds was impractical, and he needed to focus on locating the Skill Activation Zone. But as he started to move, he noticed that it wasn¡¯t far. The kill zone was approaching, yet he had enough time to reach it. As he stepped into the construction site where the activation zone was located, his thoughts of an easy approach shattered. Tatatatatatata! "Well, that¡¯s aggressive." His shield was rapidly being depleted by gunfire, which made pinpointing the shooter difficult. The area was a mess of scaffolding and steel, typical of a construction site, and provided ample cover. He moved to close the distance, knowing his opponent would likely reposition to maintain a firing angle, which would, in turn, expose them. The enemy had some skill, adhering to fundamental engagement tactics. But then something caught Logan off guard. "Wait a second. That¡¯s¡­" A familiar avatar. It was Dice. Yujin¡¯s frequentpanion. "Hah." His heart pounded as he clenched his hands. He didn¡¯t bother contemting luck or fate. The virtual world didn¡¯t care who died first, but assessing Dice¡¯s capabilities was essential. Dice had likely arrived earlier and might have already activated a skill. From what he remembered, Dice often used turrets, shields, or sticky explosives ¡ª nothing fancy but effective. Logan had dealt with those tactics before and was prepared. Click. The sound of stic shing reverberated in his ears. Familiar, but it threw him off momentarily. Dice was quicker than expected, firing off something with a thunk that flew through the air, a purple canister at the speed of a 40mm grenade. Before he could shoot it down, it hit a metal beam and began to hiss. Sssss¡­ ng! With an ominous sound, the metal began to bubble and melt. The tform beneath Logan shifted as two more canisters of Nanomachine Oxidizer came flying in, turning the steel into useless debris. He was already making his escape, but then came the distinct buzz of propellers and the explosions started. "Nanomachine Oxidizer and Bombardment Drone, huh?" Logan recognized the handiwork instantly. As he got buried under steel shrapnel, Dice checked his PDA to confirm the kill zone was approaching. He tossed a grenade onto the metal remains and swiftly departed, leaving the area empty. nk. "Good timing, and the kill confirmation was a nice touch, but you should¡¯ve held your ground." Still alive, Logan pushed herself up, though her shield was almost gone. For Dice, it might have been disappointing, but Logan intended to pay him back ¡ª with interest ¡ª and he¡¯d have plenty of chances for that. "Couldn¡¯t confirm the kill, but it seems he got away at the right moment. With only 40 seconds until the kill zone, I doubt he could¡¯ve verified survival." "Not bad. For a first scrim, that¡¯s promising. Last year, we¡¯d have had only one yer left by now." "Indeed. But as it stands, all Korean yers are still in." For those who were watching, this first round of scrims was particrly intense. It signified the survival of Korea¡¯s top yers, with millions around the world watching, calcting, and predicting the oues as the numbers dwindled. The reality of the scrim sank in ¡ª a battle for survival, where only those at the top could w their way forward. As the yer count dropped to 20, the real fight began. "Clear Sky¡¯s Gambit, in 17th." "Xi¡¯s Ink, in 14th." "Reaper Infected¡¯s Michael, in 11th." The line between the highest and lowest tiers became stark as each one fell. "SSM Entertainment¡¯s Dice, ending in 6th. Logan secured that kill." "Last year, 21st was our best. This is quite the improvement." "But Logan¡­ that yer is an unexpected factor. His ystyle nearly mirrors Yujin¡¯s. And in just a few months, he¡¯s secured a spot in the Final Championship." "I know." The heavy silence returned. To think that Dice had pursued Logan, only to be hunted himself, indicated that no one could yet counter this new threat. And so, all eyes moved to the Top 5, where Logan, Yujin,st year¡¯s champion Stormseer of Delta Blue, ex-SAS Wiseman, andst year¡¯s fourth-ce finisher Arkbird, remained. Memories of the previous year came flooding back for those watching. "Everyone¡¯s expressions¡­" Their eyes held deadly intent. The battle grew even fiercer as the numbers dwindled, and with each yer who fell, the tension rose. Down to thest two, Logan and Yujin, both low on ammo, were forced into a melee. "An axe¡­ and a sledgehammer?" "They¡¯re terrifying. These manifested fighters¡­" This unseen duel became a legend, talked about in hushed tones for its sheer intensity. "Had a lot to say, but¡­ Yujin, it¡¯s good to see you again." "Logan¡­ Logan, it really is you." "Yeah. Who else would it be? But now¡¯s not the time for greetings. My old squad leader and a hard-ass shark are watching over us, yelling in my head." "Haha¡­" "See youter."@@novelbin@@ Boom. Yujin stood there, an expression on her face that was somewhere betweenughter and tears, watching as Logan disintegrated into polygons. And just like that, the first scrim¡ªits true nature perhaps destined to remain a mystery forever¡ªcame to an end. Chapter 227 "Yujin, did you know?" "Hm?" "You seem much more rxed than before." "...Is it that obvious?" "Hehe." On November 3, as the final championship scrims draw to a close, it¡¯s been a long road. The twists and turns have been many, and along the way, my once impable first-ce win streak has taken a nosedive. Or to put it more urately, while I still manage to im the top spot asionally, the frequency has drastically decreased. I was prepared for it, so the drop in performance wasn¡¯t shocking. However, leaving things unattended isn¡¯t my style. After the first game ended, I began considering the advice from my former Task Force Dagger teammates, incorporating those pointers along with my own post-engagement analysis. While I was deep in thought, Dice approached and added his two cents. Honestly, I was a bit surprised. ¡®Guess it¡¯s impossible to hide anything from him.¡¯ Is this that intuitive sense women supposedly have? I didn¡¯t intend to be so transparent, but here I am, apparently showing my emotions for all to see. Then again, maybe not everyone has caught on just yet¡ªother than Dice, that is. "Others have noticed too. You¡¯ve softened up since thest time. Were you aware?" "...Ugh." There was no denying it. He was right. I could tell by now. Like an open book, my emotions were easy to read, especially for someone as perceptive as Dice. Unlike other people, I¡¯m not very good at hiding how I feel, and whenever something exceptionally good or bad happens, I can¡¯t mask it at all. Even my tail gets in on it, revealing my mood more than I¡¯d like. While I don¡¯t wag it like a dog, it does give me away at times. Wait a second¡ªif everyone¡¯s noticed, then¡ª "...Did you happen to see my tail during the debrief?" "Everyone was staring at it. It was wagging around way more than usual." "Urgh..." Fantastic. I guess there¡¯s a reason I never got along with fields like HUMINT. Not that I was particrly thinking about it, but losing at poker every time back in New York suddenly made sense. After mulling it over, I felt a bit of relief. I had shared a lot with Dice, so I figured it might be better to juste clean about everything. He probably already had an idea anyway. I took a deep breath and continued. "...I met up with some old teammates recently. It was reassuring that they greeted me as warmly as ever, so I guess I¡¯m feeling a bit nostalgic." "Of course. Honestly, anyone who¡¯s not aplete jerk would be thrilled to meet someone like you again. There wasn¡¯t any bad blood with them, was there?" "No, there wasn¡¯t." "Exactly." Dice seemed genuinely pleased, echoing my mood. It¡¯s strange, but I wondered if this was one of those cases whereughter is contagious. There was still something more to discuss, though¡ªthe scrims. Dice spoke up first. "We were herest year too, but honestly...it feels like this is where you belong. Thinking about it now, maybe there wasn¡¯t any need for you to bother with KSM or the Asia qualifiers." "Haha. How about you, Dice? Do you feel you¡¯re ready for this stage now?" "Thanks to someone sitting right next to me." She nodded in affirmation. It was as if a chatty baseball yer was recounting a past game. I could see Dice¡¯s scrim results fromst year floating up in front of us¡ªunsurprisingly, they were far less impressivepared to now, and she admitted as much. Having grasped the chance to avoid repeating the past, she was finally able to talk about it openly. "I wasn¡¯t all that great. Plus,st year, the average scores for the Korean team were pretty much like this. It wasn¡¯t a green light by any means. More like between yellow and red, I¡¯d say." "..." "We didn¡¯t know much at the time. Only one or two yers from Asia even made it out that year, and the rules weren¡¯t solid. Everything was just a mess. I didn¡¯t know how to interpret the results or how to improve." She squeezed the results sheet, crumpling it before tossing it into the trash, where it disappeared. With a resigned tone, Dice added that it was nothing to worry about anymore. "That¡¯s all in the past. Last year, we were just trying to survive. This year, we¡¯re aiming higher." "That¡¯s the right mindset." "I¡¯m still holding you to that promise of getting us into the top ten. Thanks to you, this ce has turned from a burden into a learning ground, so I¡¯ll squeeze every bit out of it." "Ahaha." "Before you meet up with the others, make sure to put together a solid curriculum. You have your own schedule, and I can¡¯t expect you to stick around forever." She gave me a yful tap with her tail, signaling her agreement. But as she looked at me with a sparkle in her eye, I sensed she had something to say. When our eyes met, she grinned and added, "Oh, by the way, I got a gift recently. Wanna see it?" "With only thirty seconds left till thest game? Show meter." "It¡¯ll just take ten seconds, tops." "...Alright, let¡¯s see it." Dice moved slightly and started preparing something. Watching her, I wondered what she was up to, but then... her skirt bulged at the back. "...?" To my surprise, a tail popped out from behind her, looking quite simr to mine, except it was yellow¡ªa bright yellow, like a ball python rather than an anaconda. "Ta-da! What do you think?" It moved naturally, which only added to my bewilderment. "Well, uh..." "Nice, right? I didn¡¯t ask for it, but a fan made it for me. I think Harmony got a simr one too¡ªhey! What are you doing?! Don¡¯t chase me! I didn¡¯t mean to steal your identity!" "Hold still! Who told you to wear that around?!" "Run away!" -[Notice: The game will begin shortly.] But before I could catch her, the final game of the day started, sweeping us away into a new virtual arena. Amid the familiar polygons and loading screens, I silently vowed to finally pin Dice down and put her in a full nelson today. After a while... "Go take that tail off!" "Ow!" Bang! With a loud ng, Dice took a hit from a metal pipe and got knocked back to the lobby. Who told her to wear something so ridiculous anyway? November, early. The vibrant autumn leaves that had once covered the streets were now disappearing one by one. People beganyering cardigans and thin coats over their long sleeves, ushering in the first signs of winter. Most were preparing for the year¡¯s end, but for a few, it was just the beginning of a new journey. Only five people received their results. Until the championship ended, no one else would see them, as only the participants and a few others were privy to these data. It was information that every AP enthusiast would love to get their hands on. "So, is no one gonna spill the tea? We¡¯re gonna dry up here¡­" "If I woke up a thousand years from now, the first thing I¡¯d ask is about Yujin¡¯s military career and this year¡¯s scrim results." With these kinds of jokes making the rounds, one particr yer with a snake tail had taken the scene by storm, capturing global attention. Her sudden appearance had upended the AP soloing scene within just a few months, dominating without needing to recruit anyone. People flocked to her like ants to a cookie or bees to honey. Of course, once they came, they demanded answers, which Yujin never gave. Inadvertently, she seemed to embody the phrase, "You made your choice, now stick with it." The frenzy continued to burn bright. "So, we¡¯ve brought in some of the busiest people in Korea, but it¡¯s frustrating that we can¡¯t ask the big questions." "Haha..." "It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t answer anything. The guidelines from our team allow us to share what we can, so we¡¯ll do our best." "That¡¯s great to hear." Appearing on a TV program like this, where the MC openly expressed his curiosity, was a testament to the current frenzy. Dice couldn¡¯t help but think about how absurd it was. Unlike that rogue snake-tailed teammate, everyone else was bound to the influence of their teams. SSM Entertainment. If it were SSM Gaming, it¡¯d be different, but Entertainment was another story. They dabbled in everything, from managing talent to recording and producing music. Originally, entertainment was their main thing, but the gaming side had blown up so massively... As a mere gamer, she knew little of thepany¡¯s workings, but appearing on a show was something else entirely. She reminded herself of the guidelines and considered what she could disclose. After a shared nce, she nodded. She had the floor. "While I can¡¯t reveal specific numbers, I can confirm that all of us have made significant improvementspared tost year, thanks to someone we can¡¯t name." "Ah, I think I know who you mean. I¡¯ve heard the name often. It¡¯s a shame they couldn¡¯t join us today. Any particr reason?" "They¡¯re a bit...unconventional. Not one to join unless they want to. They¡¯re not with any organization, so they¡¯re very much a free spirit." "Sounds like they really embody the wild nature of their avatar. But I saw on SNS that you recently received a simr avatar gift. You¡¯re not nning to go rogue, are you?" "Aha." She activated her avatar, and a yellow snake tail wriggled behind her. Ignoring the confused looks from some, she continued. "Sadly, Yujin saw it and told me to take it off immediately. She even hit me with a pipe." "Haha, what a unique identity. I guess you had no choice." Indeed, identity¡ªit''s not just VR that this applies to. "So, what does Yujin usually do while everyone else is on shows? Practice?"@@novelbin@@ "Uh..." A brief pause. "Right now, she¡¯s probably doing a PVE mission." Every eye in the room filled with confusion, but what could she say? Even she didn¡¯t fully understand Yujin. Chapter 228 -[¡­¡­¡­(Excerpt)¡­¡­¡­] -[??? : ¡­Please provide the current Icarus Task Force roster.] -[??? : Aricon, Violet, and Razor are avable. Elysium Team has been marked as KIA and is being restructured. Dagger Team is currently engaged with terrorists at the Central Park HQ and will be deployed to additional missions afterward.] -[??? : Leave that to them. I¡¯m not fully informed, but be sure to review each team¡¯s fatigue levels closely. ording to a recent report, I heard Dagger Team¡¯s kill count surpassed 40,000 over the past three years. Is that correct?] -[??? : ¡­Yes, it is. Dagger Team is essentially the firefighting unit across all zones, so their deployment rate and operational risks are the highest. We¡¯re maximizing support and rest periods, but we¡¯ll take an even closer look.] -[??? : I trust you¡¯ll handle it. Let¡¯s hope for only good news moving forward.] . . . . ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± ¡°Just wondering what to eat when we¡¯re in New York next.¡± -Stop lying. I know you¡¯re mentally rehearsing drills. -Thinking about how to cook up your enemies instead? LOL -Wait, PVE time????? This is gonna be good. -I can¡¯t watch any streams now unless it¡¯s these two together LOL -Aren¡¯t they ying in the finals? And they¡¯re still running PVE missions? LOL Right on cue with the reactions. Some might think it¡¯s not the best time to be running missions, considering there are only about six weeks until the finals. Even though I¡¯ve consistently delivered good results, people never stop worrying. But I¡¯ve never really cared about that. Besides, there¡¯s a bigger reason behind all this. -[Notice: Synchronization Progress // 0.03%] Ever since I cleared the main missions in the Dark Zone, this odd marker has been disyed on my Icarus Gear. I¡¯ve mentioned before how the main mission followed a sequence of events eerily simr to my own past. It¡¯s as if this bizarre game was crafted with my history and world in mind. There are still plenty of secrets it hasn¡¯t revealed. During the final championship, I n to visit Icarus International¡¯s headquarters, based in New York. Thepany¡¯s name likely references my past, and now seems like the perfect time to uncover the hidden truths behind this game. Separate from that¡ª ¡°It¡¯s prettyplex.¡± ¡°Yeah, the whole thing¡¯s messy. I checked some stuff out before ying today, and it¡¯s like a whole farming system for modules, weapons, armor, ammo¡­everything¡¯s super detailed.¡± ¡°Maybe you could ask the viewers if there¡¯s anything essential before jumping in?¡± Technically, this game is a looter-shooter, or so they say. I haven¡¯t had much time to delve into PVE, but I¡¯ve nced over somements. Apparently, as you progress, enemies get better armor and weapons, so you need to farm modules, ammo, and armor to reduce damage and kill them more easily. It¡¯s not essential, but it certainly helps. ¡®¡­This module system also feels familiar.¡¯ The original Task Force team was designed to operate without support, roaming around for long periods. We had to rely on gear that boosted physical abilities, reduced fatigue, and allowed us to function with little sleep. Eventually, our equipment evolved to include targeting and tracking systems, grenade disarmament, and even a 3D printer for ammo. These elements appear as modules and armor in this game. But that¡¯s not the main point. ¡°Well, for you, it might be necessary.¡± ¡°You never know. Maybe it¡¯s designed to be impossible without it. Anyway, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± I pull up the New York map. A 3D holographic image of the city fills my view, with various missions waiting on the right side of the UI. Most are harder versions of the main missions. Party recruitment notices are everywhere, with groups forming for missions that require four to eight yers on the hardest difficulty settings. Each party¡¯s description is more chaotic than thest. -[21st Attempt: This time, Omega rank or bust. You¡¯re ourst hope! 7/8 (1/8)] -Yo, wee to the DMR Pration Module Farm Bus! Hope is lost, so get ready! (5/8) -Don¡¯t leave~ We¡¯ll fail without you~ (3/8) -Underarmor Concept Party, entry restricted to benching below 500 (8/8) -Our game is running smoothly~ (5/8) ¡°What a mess.¡± ¡°Seriously, my head¡¯s spinning¡­¡± -Party descriptions are killing me LOL -Pration modules are hot right now, but these names tho LOL -7/8 (1/8) LOL -This is Pulitzer-worthy stuff LOL -I feel dizzy just looking at this My gaze shifts across the map. As I scan through the missions scattered across New York, my eye catches on a ¡°raid¡± marker in Central Park, glowing bright red. Feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, I reach for the mission. Harmony nces my way but doesn¡¯t seem too concerned about my choice. Meanwhile, the chat reacts in a frenzy. -What????? -Incursion? Incursion? Incursion? Incursion? Incursion? Incursion? -Going for the true scenario? Are they actually doing it? -This mission usually takes 8 people 10 hours. Are they trying it with just two? LOL -Everyone quiet down!!! Shut your mouths!!!!! -Unpopr opinion: these two might actually pull it off ¡°Uh, Yujin? Chat¡¯s losing it. Feels like we¡¯re about to do something we shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no such thing as impossible. If it gets too hard, we can always bail, so let¡¯s just dive in.¡± Harmony agrees, and with that, we dive in. Ignoring the flood of warnings, I press ept, triggering the mission¡¯s activation. Suddenly, ISO¡¯s urgent voice rings in my ear. Something feels familiar.@@novelbin@@ -[ISO: Are there any operators avable? This is a top-priority matter. If you can hear this, respond immediately.] Beep. As soon as I respond, a tense voicees through. -[ISO: Operator code confirmed. There¡¯s no time to lose. Intelligence reports indicate suspicious activity across New York. With the recent influx of refugees, gaps in our security have allowed an ominous plot to unfold beneath the surface.] -[ISO: Additionally, there¡¯s intel that several anti-air outposts along the Long Ind coast have been neutralized. Once we confirm the details, you¡¯ll need to deploy. We¡¯ll have an MH-60L DAP ready for you. Prep and let us know when you¡¯re ready. Your target is the Long Ind outpost, so steel yourselves.] The inventory screen pops up, showing my weapons and armor. I disregard the module slots scattered everywhere. My go-to HK337 and Mk.18 Mod.1 Mj?lnir with green-tip ammo are enough for me. After checking my loadout and ensuring I¡¯ve got over a thousand rounds, I board the ckhawk with Harmony. We prep the minigun on the side, ready to go. As the massive helicopter takes to the sky, voices ovep in a rush. -[Pilot: We¡¯re taking off. Buckle up, everyone.] ¡°How rough will this trip be?¡± I can¡¯t shake the feeling of familiarity as summer sunshine merges with winter memories. Turning my head slightly, I speak. ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s gonna be one hell of a day.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± And at that moment¡ª ¡ªKABOOM!!! The east barricade of the Central Park HQ explodes, sending hundreds of kilograms of dirt into the air. As the IED detonates, unleashing a st of sound, fire, and shockwave, Harmony¡¯s mouth drops open in disbelief. Comms traffic spikes instantly, with requests for support filling the air, but the situation only worsens. -[ISO: What the hell is going on?] "The southeast barricade of HQ has been blown up. There¡¯s about a ten-meter breach. Additionally, two unidentified mechanized infantry battalions have been spotted moving up from East 60th to 62nd Streets, approaching Central Park." -[ISO: They¡¯ve neutralized the outposts and moved up the Long Ind roads. Damn them. Are you airborne? If possible, dy their advance as much as you can.] Harmony and I exchange a look, and I tap her shoulder, pushing the side hatch open. Cold wind rushes in as I mount the minigun and gesture for her to take position. ¡°Ever fired a minigun?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°Well, now¡¯s the time to try.¡± The pilots signal their readiness as I pick up Mj?lnir and attach it to the mount next to the minigun. Memories flood back¡ªit¡¯s chaos from the start. "res, res!" "Dodge between the buildings! Hold tight!" With res scattering, the ckhawk bucks like a wild horse, except this airborne beast is armed with rocket pods, a 30mm chain gun, and a minigun. In real life, you¡¯d be bouncing all over the ce unless you held on. But we manage to ID targets through the side windows and pour bullets downrange. The biggest threat is the MANPADS¡ªthose handheld anti-air missiles. They¡¯re a pain, worse than BMPs, which makes them my priority. ¡ªThunk! Thunk! Thunk! Despite the turbulence and shifting pressure, I¡¯m stillnding shots. Harmony watches as enemies fall one by one, but there¡¯s no time to marvel. I bark orders, pushing her to fire. ¡°Suppressive fire! Why are you hesitating with a weapon like that? Just look through the scope and shoot!¡± ¡°Fine, I get it!¡± The endless stream of shells decorates the New York skyline. Tracer rounds whip down, carving paths across the ground as enemies melt under the hail of bullets. The pilots maneuver gracefully, marking BMPs and other vehicles on the integrated UI. Then they charge down the avenues, raining fire, lightning, and 30mm rounds over everything. "Feels like we¡¯re gonna crash into a building!" -???????????????? -Why aren¡¯t theynding to refuel? -This is why they¡¯re Omega rank LOL -So they have to take down all those MANPADS to keep the chopper intact? Insane. -Please stop!!! You¡¯re blowing our minds!!! I can¡¯t watch other streamers after this!!! -The chopper¡¯s still going strong??? Are they about to hit the true scenario? To the viewers, it¡¯s a storm, but to us, it¡¯s just another day on the job. It was the beginning of yet another legendary stream. Chapter 229 "Oh wow, here they go again. I didn¡¯t even know this was a route." "I¡¯ve already uploaded that part as a shorts clip." "Maybe we should start doing that too..." The helicopter¡¯s rotors sliced through the New York air, while the cockpit was filled with the persistent warning tones of missile lock-ons and the pilots yelling at each other over the cacophony. The minigun¡¯s growl, Mj?lnir¡¯s booming shots, and the clinking of shells as they ttered around the floor painted a picture of chaos. Explosions from the 30mm chain gun and Hydra rocket pods shook the battlefield, apanied by the thunder of the BMP-3¡¯s cannon fire. And through it all, there were endlessmands and screams, along with the roar of mes from the vehicles hit by rockets. Perfect chaos. The destruction and raw violence taking ce in this huge amphitheater called New York captivated hundreds of thousands of viewers. But as always, not everyone watching could fully appreciate the spectacle. "If we get all our editors and thumbnail artists to pitch in, maybe one of them could take her down? Then we can beg her to take it easy on the streams." "They¡¯d all have holes in their heads before they couldst thirty seconds." "Yeah...you¡¯re right, huh?" There are things that can be done and things that simply can¡¯t. The editors were feeling this firsthand because, like their employer, they also yed Dark Zone. They knew just how insane this new Incursion scenario was and had firsthand experience with itstest update. The word ¡°Incursion¡± alone, meaning raid, hinted that it was endgame content, the kind where ¡°if you don¡¯t know, you¡¯ll die.¡± The scenario requires yers to dive headfirst intobat repeatedly, figuring out objectives based on clues from ISO or other in-game hints, with the true oue known only to Icarus International. If you end up on the true scenario path, where the map turns blood red, you know you¡¯re in for the real deal. ©¤©¤©¤BUUUUUM! Hundreds of 7.62mm rounds peppered the ground, sending up clouds of dust. It looked like something out of a movie, the helicopter weaving through the air, dodging fire while bursts of light shed as enemies were taken down one by one. A modified ckhawk, manned by just two people, was obliterating two mechanized infantry battalions. Everyone knew the helicopter was doing the heavy lifting, but it was clear that without those two aboard, the chopper would¡¯ve been shot down by MANPADS a long time ago. As the gunfire finally quieted, their voices took over. "res are depleted. We can¡¯t make it halfway to Brooklyn if we go back along the same route. Returning to HQ. Requesting permission tond." -[ISO: Permission granted. Nightstalker 1-1 and 1-2, and both operators, please board the Stealth Hawk at the adjacent heliport afternding. You¡¯ve beaten them back enough for HQ to handle the rest.]@@novelbin@@ Only about seven minutes in the air. But with an IED explosion and two mechanized battalions attacking within thirty seconds of takeoff, it felt like much longer. As the ckhawk touched down, crew members rushed in to reload the minigun and res. The pilots, Harmony, and Yujin quickly disembarked, heading over to the sleek, stealthy helicopter waiting nearby. The Stealth Hawk, much sleeker than thebat ckhawk, was equipped with camouge technology. Inside, there were ammo boxes and anti-materiel rifles set up for additional support. As they took a breather, the chat exploded once more. -Fact: Less than ten minutes into the mission and nothing oveps with any other Dark Zone streamer¡¯s gamey. -Icarus really crafted this masterpiece LOL -It¡¯s so well-made, but how is anyone supposed to y it LOL -Weren¡¯t they supposed to crashnd and get in a car for this part? -Witnessing history right here, folks. -Historic moment, totally insane LOL "Not even ten minutes in, and it¡¯s already brutal. Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t crash this time." "You said it out loud, so now we probably will." "Ugh, well, if we do, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle it somehow." "What do you think I am?" A harbinger of chaos, maybe? Before Harmony could answer, a flood of donations popped up, including some familiar names, adding to the noise. -Help! We¡¯re trapped by two ve drivers squeezing out content at record speed! SOS! "Hey, get to work. What are you all doing? Yujin¡¯s editors are already posting shorts. You know the deal. I just want results." -Why do I feel like I¡¯m hearing my weekend supervisor instead of Harmony? -Please stop! PTSD! -Weren¡¯t they editors? Now they¡¯re basically ves LOL -Work-from-home downsides fully on disy LOL Amid theughter and chaos, the helicopter doors shut, and ISO¡¯s voice crackled in over thems. -[ISO: With the virus and enemy forces attacking, EADS, the Eastern Air Defense sector, has been decimated. The few remnants are regrouping under the 177th Fighter Wing in New Jersey, but current air defense capability is at less than 30% of pre-disaster levels.] -[ISO: Almost all contact with the northern states is cut off, leaving New York on the front line. We should never have dmissioned the Montauk Air Base, damn it.] -[ISO: Head to JFK Airport¡ªnow Kennedy Air Force Base¡ªand assess the situation. Clear out any obstructions.] The helicopter took off, flying into uncharted territory. "Hey, have you heard? The Incursion true scenario¡¯s been unlocked." "What? No guides for the regr map yet, and the true scenario¡¯s already out? Who¡¯s doing it? Cerberus again?" "No, it¡¯s Yujin and Harmony." "Oh wow." Like gears in a machine, the Dark Zone yers were now caught up in the chaos Yujin had triggered. For those who preferred PVE over PVP, this wasn¡¯t just about battling other yers; it was about tackling the vast AI-driven content and working with operators to solveplex challenges. But today, on a mid-November day, the eyes of all Dark Zone PVE yers were fixated on a single point. -[ISO: Damn. Can someone tell me that wreckage isn¡¯t John F. Kennedy Air Force Base? What the hell happened here?] Thick ck smoke rose from the ruins of the base, which looked like a natural disaster had torn through it. Hundreds of enemies were battling our allies on the runway. The Dark Zone¡¯s Incursion scenario flowed organically. The oue of one skirmish would set the stage for the next. And now, the ruins of Kennedy Air Force Basey before Yujin and Harmony. Everyone watching had expected it; no one had reached the base faster. -[ISO: There are still friendly vital signs present. Get in there as quickly as possible and start gathering intel from the survivors.] They took the mission seriously. The base was vast, making it inefficient to walk through, but they had plenty of room to support from above. The stealth helicopter hovered silently, designed with minimal vibration and noise. Harmony and Yujin took their positions, Harmony lying t with the RSASS, and Yujin attaching a rifle to a mount. They aimed at distant targets, starting a one-sided beatdown. The best part of any fight is having the upper hand, especially when the enemy can¡¯t fight back. They squeezed the triggers. -[ISO: Good shot. Brings back memories of hunting boar from a chopper. Mind if I join?] -[ISO: Bullseye. They¡¯re running scared, but it¡¯s far from over.] -[ISO: Got a hit. Keep the pressure up. The more you suppress, the more breathing room we give our guys.] It wasn¡¯t over yet. Harmony nced at the anti-materiel rifles lined up and smirked. She looked at Yujin with a mischievous grin. "Want to try these?" "Absolutely." -She¡¯s loving this LOL -Look at Harmony¡¯s eyes light up. -She¡¯s been waiting for this LOL -These two have all the fun LOL -Please let me join! They each grabbed an AS50, too long to fire prone, so they mounted the rifles in the chopper¡¯s interior. Harmony then pulled out a futuristic ammo boxbeled DARPA / EXACTO. She loaded the 10-round magazine with .50 BMG smart rounds, passing one to Yujin, and they got to work. ©¤©¤©¤BANG! BANG! BANG! The rounds tore through the air at Mach 3, leaving bizarre trails before striking enemies and turning them into twisted polygons. Each shot imed a life, and soon, Harmony joined in, doubling their firepower. In just four minutes, the tide turned. With the enemy retreating under their relentless assault, the helicopternded on the outskirts. Yujin and Harmony stepped out, their rifles hot and smoking, ready to assess the aftermath. -[ISO: The runway itself looks intact, but the air defense systems and control room are in shambles. Get answers from the bodies or the wreckage. Your choice.] -[ISO: Good luck.] With sly smiles, they joined their allies, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, ready to take on whatever came next. Chapter 231 ¡°...This used to be a museum? It looks more like a maximum-security prison or a military base.¡± ¡°Originally, it was a military fortress, school, and research facility for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Coast Guard since the colonial period. Two centuries ago, that balcony would have been lined with cannons. Now, it¡¯s bristling with long-range surface-to-air missile batteries.¡± The Thames River splits New London, Connecticut in half, its waters darkened by near-total ckness. Yujin cautiously lifted his head above the water¡¯s surface, breathing in the salty air of the nearby ocean. Only a few kilometers downstreamy the sea, marking this as the very end of the river. To the left, he saw several Zubr-ssnding craft anchored along the riverbank. ording to the briefing, most of the area¡¯s naval assets were focused around New Haven, roughly 80 kilometers to the west, leaving this spot less fortified¡ªthough it didn¡¯t seem that way now. He turned his gaze back towards the east, studying what was once a museum, now transformed into a military fortress. The watchtowers loomed, each topped with searchlights and two guards, their cigarettes glowing faintly in the dark. ¡°Seems heavily fortified. Not the kind of ce we can just waltz into.¡± ¡°Right. We¡¯ll stick to the original n.¡± Yujin checked the Icarus Gear for signals. The source of the signal they were tracking was within one kilometer. To avoid direct confrontation, they would need to take a stealthy approach. ¡°You remember what to do next, right?¡± ¡°Yes, though splitting up has me a bit nervous. But it should be fine.¡± ¡°Just stick to the n.¡± Reassuring Harmony, Yujin went over the operation¡¯s four main stages: infiltration, neutralizing defenses, extraction, and finally, retreat and exfiltration. They had alreadypleted the first stage and were now preparing for the second. To the west, Zubr-ssnding crafty in wait, armed with heavy firepower. To the east, the Russian forces had turned the former museum into a well-fortified stronghold. Understandably, the chat was buzzing with disbelief at the difficulty of the mission.
  • Two people? Are you nuts?!?
  • This ¡°True Scenario¡± difficulty is off the charts, lol
  • Maybe if they had eight people, they¡¯d have a chance of rescuing in time
  • Seriously, how is this even possible?
  • Hot take: Crow¡¯s not worth the trouble
Ignoring the frantic chatter, Yujin¡¯s mind was focused and calm, the water adding to the tranquility. He knew the answer¡ªbecause he had done this exact mission a year ago. Back then, they had ten people, but he was confident they could handle it with just the two of them. They had no other choice, after all. As Yujin submerged again and began swimming toward the eastern shore, he left a propulsion device for Crow nearby, then headed to the left towards thending craft. ¡°See you soon.¡± ¡°Stay safe.¡± The two split up, Harmony heading for the leftmost Zubr-ssnding craft while Yujin moved toward the rightmost one. There were three crafts, each spaced about 500 meters apart. With their positions set, Yujin exined to the viewers what he was about to do.@@novelbin@@ ¡°The Zubr-ssnding craft is equipped with two A-22 Ogon naval rocket systems. Each system can fire 22 140mm rockets with a range of 4.5 kilometers. So¡­¡± Taking control of one of these vessels meant ess to devastating firepower, which could destroy enemy vessels, bombard the fortress, or create chaos.
  • Wait, what?? Are they really going to use those rockets?
  • Are you going to bomb the fortress with their own weapons?!!
  • This is a masterss in turning the tables, lol
  • Hold on, this is going to be epic!
It was simple enough: since two operatives alone couldn¡¯t breach the stronghold from the front, they would use the rockets from the Zubr-ssnding craft to bombard the fortress and stroll in amidst the chaos. Reaching his destination, Yujin attached explosives to the propulsion systems at the back of thending craft, ensuring that if they were discovered, the enemy would face explosive consequences. ¡°Time to clean this boat up.¡± With a silenced pistol loaded with hollow-point rounds, Yujin took out the guards patrolling the deck, silently removing anyone he encountered. Within a minute, he had reached the bridge and cleared it of all personnel. Activating the Icarus Gear, he gained control over the two A-22 Ogon rocket systems. From his position, he watched as Harmonypleted her tasks and prepared to unleash firepower on the centernding craft. The rockets struck true, sending a plume of fire and debris into the air. ¡°Launching.¡± With a simplemand, 16 rockets tore through the night, impacting the enemy vessel with devastating force. The explosion lit up the night, and the fortress was thrown into chaos. Harmony¡¯s rockets then targeted the enemy watchtowers on the opposite shore. The ensuing explosion tore through the towers, reducing them to rubble and sending the Russianmunicationswork into disarray. As Yujin watched Harmony¡¯s fiery disy, he unleashed a second wave of rockets, further decimating the fortress.
  • Total chaos, lol
  • They¡¯ve just rewritten Dark Zone history once again, folks
  • This is insane. How do theye up with this stuff? It¡¯s genius!
As the dust settled and the second wave of explosions rocked the fortress, Yujin instructed Harmony to begin their final infiltration. Meanwhile, he dove back into the river, feeling the satisfaction of a mission well-executed. With the fortress in ruins, it was time to go in. ¡°Four of the five watchtowers have copsed. All temporary structures are ame. The outer walls have sustained significant damage, and nearly all the surface-to-air missiles have been destroyed!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve lost about 15% of ourbat strength. Given the firepower of those Ogon rockets, we¡¯re lucky it wasn¡¯t more. If we don¡¯t mount a counterattack soon, we¡¯ll be wiped out.¡± ¡°Communications are down. Our operational capacity has plummeted to less than 40% of normal.¡± ¡°Where are the unitmanders? We need a full damage assessment and a retreat n to Niantic!¡± Chaos reigned within themand center as officers and soldiers rushed to salvage what they could. Their retreat was imminent, but the reality was that their fortress had been nearly obliterated by two operatives. ¡°Who the hell attacked us? Are they trying to provoke infighting? Why would they join up with the U.S.?¡± ¡°Highermand will send reinforcements soon. We must preserve our forces until then.¡± ¡°Right. Report back if there¡¯s anything else. Prepare to torch themand center and retreat. Bring the incendiaries!¡± ¡°What about Crow in the holding cell?¡± Themander¡¯s patience snapped, and he hurled an ashtray at the wall. ¡°If you¡¯re so concerned about that bastard, go carry him yourself! Either let him burn or die in the rubble. Now get moving!¡± Amid the panic and destruction, themand center was soon set aze. Yujin and Harmony made their way inside, retrieving a battered but alive Crow. ¡°HQ, this is Viper. We¡¯ve secured the package. He¡¯s a bit roughed up, but we¡¯ll bring him in.¡± ¡°...You again. Long time no see.¡± Crow, beaten and disheveled, looked up at his rescuers. Ironically, this grand rescue mission felt more like a trash pickup, but the job was done. _________________________________________ TL note: Hey, everyone! Today, I managed to release five chapters¡ªhad a little extra free time, so I wanted to treat you all. ???? What do you think about Eugene¡¯stest mission? Do you think he and Harmony can keep up with the growing challenges? As always, your support means the world to me! If you enjoy the trantion, feel free to drop a like, leave ament, or consider donating through the link provided???? /satabog???? it helps me keep these trantionsing. Thank you, and happy reading! Chapter 233 [Alert: Detecting abnormal energy signals.] "Is this an airport or DARPA? If someone saw this, they¡¯d think they were at a next-gen weapons showcase." Reactions varied. Some people chuckled, others nodded. Hearing all those noises in the dark felt a bit strange. It wasn¡¯t entirely off the mark. The Russian forces stationed at Bradley International Airport, equipped with gear resulting from a joint effort between Artemis and the Russian military, were armed in the most bizarre ways imaginable. One might even believe that the Wagner Group had been absorbed by Artemis. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, the shooting continued. Just because this was an abandoned airport didn¡¯t mean there wouldn¡¯t be any skirmishes. Quite the opposite. More effort than in broad daylight was needed to confirm each other¡¯s positions, and the intensity ofbat was heightened. Especially, as mentioned before, when the technological gap between the two sides wasn¡¯t all that wide. "Drone, 20 meters ahead, charging EMP behind the wall." "Hang on, I¡¯ll handle it in a second." Thunk! A hacking tool attached to auncher shot across the air,nding near the wall close to the drone. Instantly, it emitted interference signals, seizing control of the drone. The faint white glow from the drone in the darkness shifted as it crashed straight into the enemy¡¯s area. Boom. A muffled noise apanied an invisible shockwave. Artemis drones advancing towards our forces paused momentarily. I could hear shuffling noises across from us, indicating that their night vision had been disrupted. What happened next was predictable. In a brief moment of exchanged signals, our allies pushed forward, breaking through the enemy lines and tearing everything in sight apart. This was the basic tactic of the Dagger Team: minimal casualties, maximum efficiency. It would be tough to follow unless you were used to it. "Wow, everything¡¯s moving so fast today! I can barely keep up." "Just push a little harder, Cat Girl. You¡¯re still quite slow." "Ugh¡­." Harmony seemed to be working well with Specter. Anyway, it seemed like she was about to give up already. Not that it was iprehensible. But this operation needed to be even faster. Plus, teaming up with them again after so long was enjoyable. Even Harmony, who had worked with me closely before, found it tough even though we were only halfway through the mission. This wasn¡¯t the first time. It had been like this back in the early days, too. Something like that. Meanwhile, I shared with the group in the secret voice channel that Harmony was just a civilian, which seemed to surprise everyone. "I thought she must have had some serious training, considering she was keeping up so well. Is she joining the Final Championship?" "Hardly. She¡¯s a civilian." "She¡¯d be fun to teach. If nothing elsees up, I might invite her to Norfolk. She definitely looks like someone who¡¯d enjoy the Navy." "A cat that likes water? What kind of world do you live in?" This intense yet useless debate was typical. These guys, driven by pride in their unit, would argue over anything. Amid the decaying corpses and metal scraps that disappeared into polygons, we finished our final checks. Seeing the alert about abnormal energy signals, it seemed we¡¯d soon face the master control. Even though this had all happened about a year ago, the structure and specs of the device came back to me as vividly as if it were yesterday. If this strange game had modeled its scenarios on past events, then the progression would likely be simr. Nearby on the runway, instead of nes, stood a massive truck. The ck ceramic armor reinforced with carbon nanotubes made it look like a gigantic ck object in the dark. Without night vision, we couldn¡¯t have discerned its shape or identity. Through a pair of high-tech binocrs, I observed four medium-sized generators cloaked under camouge, along with thick power transmission coils, all connected to the central armored vehicle. Naturally, the area was teeming with enemies. Camouged surveince posts, patrols¡ªit would take ages to list them all. But we had a n. cing Mjolnir on the ground, I set up a tripod and attached arge silencer. It was so long that it would be impossible to carry under normal circumstances, but it was useful. ¡ªClick! I reced the magazine with a fresh one, loading it with Lapua Magnum subsonic rounds¡ª20 secondster, I had five magazines ready. I handed the gun to Laurentina and prepared to descend with Logan. Harmony would be spending a lot of time with Shark today. Laurentina, knowing how the skirmish would unfold, put a hand on Harmony¡¯s shoulder and added, "Just keep an eye on enemy positions and the wind speed. Leave the rest to me." "...Huh? Yeah, okay?" "Here, binocrs." After leaving Harmony with Laurentina, Logan and I carefully descended to the runway. I held a tactical knife and a silenced pistol, forming an infiltration team, while the sniping team prepared from behind. Through the inte, I could hear Harmony being instructed on Icarus gear operations. She quickly learned how to share enemy markers on everyone¡¯s UI via her binocrs. I designated the first target with the infraredser on the pistol. As I hurriedly approached, I heard a faint ping even from a few dozen meters away, followed by the sound of the target¡¯s head exploding. I caught the body before it hit the ground, gentlyying it down to muffle the noise. "Good shot." "Whew, almost burned myself¡­." "Sorry for not having a bolt-action." She must have touched an ejected shell casing with her hand. Laurentina and Harmony remained behind, crafting a makeshift shell catcher, as Logan and I fixed our sights on a distant patrol unit. Rushing forward silently, I aimed the pistol. With a muffled pop, the body dropped like a marite with its strings cut. Crow, who had been following at a steady distance, approached one of the UGV sensors operated by the patrol team, holding a peculiar device. The autonomous attack system shut down instantly. "All clear." "Moving to the next target."
  • So, we¡¯re supposed to do this now?
  • Seriously, how do wepete with ex-military guys running the mission? What are we supposed to do?
  • Screw it¡­ I¡¯m just here to enjoy the ride¡­.
  • Hey, there¡¯s no Omega rank in Incursion mode! Come on!
  • I can hear the Cerberus raid team giving up from here.
Nothing much changed from there. With a makeshift shell catcher, Laurentina and Harmony¡¯s sniper team sent a bullet straight into the head of a Russian soldier observing from a high point. Logan, Crow, and I then swept the area over five minutes, sending all nearby patrols to the River Styx. After clearing the local watchmen, all that remained were the camouged surveince posts and the extra airport defense forces a bit further away. As always, one n was simple: let the enemies fight each other. ¡ªVroom! "Let¡¯s see how these Artemis machines handle." "Trust me, you won¡¯t be disappointed." Indeed, the UGV operated as smoothly as a charm, difficult to believe it ran on tracks. Its IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) system had been configured, marking the Russian forces as friendly green hexagons on the screen. With a few adjustments to the settings, the friend-foe markers reversed. Enemies became allies, and allies became enemies. Then it was simple. Deactivate the safety, select the weapons, and fire. In view were 60mm grenadeunchers and even guided missileunchers. For such a small machine, it packed a terrifying punch. I signaled to Logan and synchronized with Harmony and Laurentina. "Let¡¯s start the fireworks." Thunk. The grenades and missiles soared through the night, erupting spectacrly. The polygons scattered in bright shes as screams of terror drowned in the mes. But this was just the beginning. As the rhythmic thud of grenadeunchers joined the roar of the chain gun, the night lit up with a dazzling disy. And 7.62mm rounds zipped through the air at blinding speed. The performance was brief, and the result predictable. It took less than three minutes for Icarus to secure the master control at Windsor Locks. ¡ªWail! A siren, grating like sandpaper against eardrums, filled Norfolk Naval Base. Preparedunch vehicles, destroyers¡¯ VLS, submarineunched SLBMs, torpedo tubes, and all avable cruise missile tforms lit up with red alerts. Hundreds of missiles surged into the sky, piercing the darkness. With the jet engines roaring, the Tomahawk cruise missiles soared past Dware towards Phdelphia, while the Navy base in New Jersey initiated the same procedure. Almost all avable missiles were unleashed into the night sky. It didn¡¯t take long for them to converge. "First missile group advancing. Following at 10 km intervals." "Any system interference?" "None so far." "Alright, let¡¯s see what Icarus has brought to the table." Six hundred secondster. As 200 missiles crossed Long Ind, the precision-guided data from the Artemis-Icarus coboration infiltrated their systems. If the Tomahawks had eyes, if they were living creatures, they could have seen the bustling Russian invaders moving around several kilometers away. The cameras on the upgraded Block 6 missiles provided a live feed for those controlling them. "Target data acquired. Entering final eleration phase, elerating to Mach 7." "Two Lider-ss destroyers detected. CIWS engaged. Two missiles intercepted, 34 missiles remaining." "Three submarines in emergency dive. No IFF response. Entering strike trajectory in two seconds." "Impact in five seconds!" The longest five seconds. When the missile cameras, shown on themand screens in Norfolk and New Jersey, turned to X-marks and static, New Haven was reduced to rubble. ¡ªBoom! As the missiles, traveling at supersonic speeds, sted through, the Russianmand in Connecticut and naval forces scattered in panic. But the rain of steel from above turned them into ashes. Thunderous explosions sounded like a bell being struck with all might, doubling, quadrupling, and reaching a hundred in less than five seconds. Even the Icarus operators, watching from kilometers away, whispered in awe. "Oh, my God." The proud ships on the sea, the submarines moving freely below, the Russianmand directing the remaining forces¡ªall were equally obliterated.@@novelbin@@ Even the operators who had to transmit the damage estimates to allied bases were momentarily stunned by the spectacle. When the Lider-ss destroyer split in two with an explosion that reached the sky, they remembered their duties. After a slight screen dy, cheers filled the naval bases in Norfolk and New Jersey. And from a premium seat, others were watching this sight. "All drone signals lost. Looks like everything hit its target." "Good work. I wish I¡¯d seen it up close, but watching from 100 km away will have to do. I missed the best show." Creak. Crow and the other three exited the cockpit, stepping onto the ground. The dawn wind greeted them as they faced the empty, darkndscape. But as the blockedmunicationwork restored, and the excited voices flowed through their earpieces, everyone felt the sess of the mission.
  • [M: There¡¯s a lot to debrief on, but to put it simply, we might need to rename Connecticut to Ground Zero. Not a single rat with a borscht stain survived.]
  • [M: Five ships, including nuclear submarines and destroyers. With this one operation, we wiped out over 60% of the Russian naval power in the Northeast.]
  • [M: Now it¡¯s just Providence and Boston. But with control over the system, cruise missile bombardments will continue to be effective. Nothing¡¯s more fun than beating down a blind enemy.]
  • [M: We¡¯ll talk more back at the base. Fantastic work.]
The sky began to lighten. The ck sky turned blue, and the stealth helicopter, piloted with a cheerful grin, deployed thending gear. As Harmony sighed with relief, a hand patted her shoulder. Except this time, there were several. "Great job." "You kept up well. Want to be friends with me, too, not just the newbie?" "I¡¯ll buy you something nice if youe to Norfolk. How about discussing the Navy over some tea¡ªow!" With those lighthearted jokes, the five, including Crow, boarded the stealth helicopter, climbing towards the sunrise. And so ended Eugene¡¯s first Incursion mission.
  • [Alert: Updating progress¡­]
  • [Alert: Recalcting worldline synchronization estimate.]
  • [Alert: Estimate - 16.6% // Next Incursion Mission unlocks in D-7]
Chapter 234 [General] Should I just go ahead and like this for everyone who stayed up all night watching the stream but has to get up in the morning? Well, if there are no regrets, hit that like button, lol. [All Comments] [Sorted by Date]
  • Liked this with a wail, lololololol.
  • Isn¡¯t it obvious? How can you not watch this live????? ? For real, lol.
  • Bring out the sewing machine!!!!!!!!!
  • Damn, since I started watching this stream, my wallet¡¯s empty, and I gained 5 kg, so I signed up for the gym. ?You too? ?Spent $70 onte-night snacks this month alone. This is hell, lolololol. ?Looks like a group of pigs gathered here, lololol.
  • This is the first time in my life that I¡¯ve envied unemployed bums. ?Get wrecked, wage ves, ww. ?Do you get it now? The center of Tricky¡¯s audience is the ''unemployed''... ?I¡¯m earning money just to watch Eugene¡¯s streamfortably, but I¡¯m too busy making money to watch it live. What¡¯s the point? lolol. ?DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!
  • What are people who didn¡¯t watch today¡¯s stream even living for? ? For real, lolol. ?This is how the real fans roll.
  • I¡¯m on duty in the military, and time flew by, lololol. ?Does the military let you use your phone on duty these days? The world¡¯s really ending. ?I¡¯m the officer on duty, by the way. ?Oh, lololol. ?Sergeant gay here, lolol.
  • Two in the morning? I could still go for a while. ? Bedtime¡¯s at 10 AM, for real. ?One man¡¯s night is another man¡¯s day. ?So true, lol. Too many people with no appreciation for bedtime culture.
  • Today¡¯s stream was seriously packed with good stuff.
  • I¡¯m heading straight to bed for some sweet sleep, lolol.
  • Can¡¯t wait to rewatch it over breakfast. This is it, lol.
[General] Wow, Tricky¡¯s stream rey hit a million views in just one day, lolol. You guys are insane???? [All Comments] [Sorted by Date]
  • This crazy girl yed through the new Incursion True Scenario nonstop with her old teammates, and you¡¯re telling me not to watch? Insane! ?Damn, talking with perfect logic, lolol. ?With abo like this, even the patriotic YouTube channels need to learn from this. ?How could anyone resist watching this, lolol.
  • I thought the growth had peaked, but it just keeps going up, . ? For real, lol. ? How long is this rise going tost?! Stop already!
  • Harmony, who got on the Eugene coin from day one, though, lololol. ?And now she¡¯s skyrocketing with him, lol. ?A monster with tea-drinking skills that even Eugene¡¯s old pals praise. ?This return is like Google-level early investment, lol.
  • If your skills are that good, that alone makes you a draw...Noted.
  • He¡¯s world-ss now.
  • In just three months, it¡¯s gotten so big, lolol.
  • Fact: The Final Championship is still on the horizon. ?What happens if he wins that too? ?Damn, lolol. ?He¡¯d be a star no one can touch, lol.
  • We¡¯re living through the era of Eugene.
  • A record like this will nevere around again, lol. ?Fact: He¡¯s already waiting for his Guinness World Record. ?Insane, lol. ?Of course, lol.
"...It¡¯s gotten pretty chillytely." "Yeah, but did you really have to dress that warmly? You look like you can¡¯t even move." "It¡¯s cold¡­." Creak. As November ended and December began, the dropping temperatures forced everyone into heavier clothing. Even the fashion-minded ones were bundled up in thick padding. Today, December 1st, Anker Light stood in front of a quiet caf¨¦ in Seoul registered under Snake Keeper¡¯s operational name. Seeing the massive bundle of clothing in front of him, he let out an incredulousugh. Was it a person or just a pile of clothes? Even the caf¨¦ staff inside couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter. "What do you want to order while we chat?" "Just give me something sweet, a full liter." "Your taste hasn¡¯t changed, I see." After ordering a liter of choctette, they moved to a secluded, quiet seat where no one could overhear. As Eugene unwrapped himself from the thick white padded coat, he revealed a heavy fleece turtleneck under a white coat. He likely had a few moreyers underneath. Finally, unwrapping his tail-padded coat and scarf, he hung them over the chair with a sigh of relief. "Ah, that¡¯s better. It was freezing on the way here." "A tail-padded coat, huh? That¡¯s the strangest thing I¡¯ve ever seen." "Believe it or not, it¡¯s surprisingly effective." Simultaneously, the caf¨¦¡¯s soundproofing and cloaking features activated. A ce that could host a HuMint (Human Intelligence) meeting needed to have a few unique features. Anker Light nced around before cing hisptop on the table. "You look a bit off. Anything up? Is it because of the Dark Zone?" "Yeah, something like that. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s behind it, but they know my past. It¡¯s been a busy few weeks because of it." "Out of all things, you¡¯re making a fortune off streaming rather than a PMC or a tactical consulting firm. Who would¡¯ve thought?" "Sigh." A briefugh. But it quickly faded as Eugene continued. "Unfortunately, the friends I have stationed back home haven¡¯t made much progress. If there¡¯s anything interesting, it¡¯s that whatever solutions we find are likely tied to your Icarus gear." "I figured. I¡¯ll be in the States in a few weeks, so it¡¯s just a matter of waiting." "Time takes care of many things. It¡¯s the reason you met me and the Dagger Team. Just stay calm and let things y out." "That¡¯s enough for me." Tap, tap. At that moment, there was a knock on the soundproof window. The two nced up to see a massive chocte bottle topped with a mountain of whipped cream. Eugene chuckled as he epted it and stirred with a straw. "That stuff will give you troubleter." "I monitor my health with my gear all the time." "Of course." Click. Without waiting for another word, Anker Light flipped open his bulletproofptop. The already-active screen glowed, disying pages filled with English textpletelyprehensible to both of them. Eugene¡¯s military career was nearing its end. Ny-plus mission approval files wereid out as PDFs, all signed directly by high-ranking officials. Over half had the Secretary of Defense¡¯s personal signature. After a few seconds, the window closed, reced by a status report on current cyber operations. "I scattered warnings about information leaks across multiple channels. It should be better than a month ago. Anything off?" "The frequency of contact has dropped. I¡¯m not sure if the Secretary of Defense needs to drop hints through an official spokesperson, though¡­." "There¡¯s a political edge to it. It¡¯s the perfect de to cut out those who don¡¯t benefit the nation. Fewer consequences if they brought it on themselves. The Iron Lady¡¯s been in a much better moodtely because of it." A wry smile crossed his lips. A knife is as good as its wielder. The higher you climb, the stronger the political winds. Politics is about crushing other opinions and asserting your own, and it hasn¡¯t changed. An appropriately timed hand was dealt. The knife came through Eugene, and J wielded it in the Department of Defense. But they didn¡¯t need to say that. For Eugene, this was an advantage. But enough of that. Anker Light looked at her with a yful expression and added, "Should we call a military band before we get to Kennedy Airport?" "Please don¡¯t embarrass me like that." "Haha, just a joke." They exchanged a few words. Time in reality flew, and Eugene¡¯s chocte bottle was already empty. Yet the conversation didn¡¯t end. The topic soon shifted to the U.S. "Pentagon, NSA, DARPA¡­ Am I visiting these as the representative of Korea or the soon-to-be President of the United States?" "Dagger¡¯s been to more ces than you can count. They don¡¯t call it ¡®Dagger¡¯ for nothing. Dagger Team is Icarus¡¯ sharpest de, not a ndestine ck Ops run by some intelligence agency." "Aha." A shortugh. He continued without a pause. "It won¡¯t be long. Your tournament won¡¯t be affected. You¡¯ll just be apart from the group for a day or two." "That¡¯s fine." "Either Sirkins or Kissinger will wee you. As former Dagger members, they¡¯ll be around¡­they¡¯lle from all directions. Deal with it." "Haha, you mad you can¡¯t go home?" "Damn it, the next team to take over isn¡¯t due until next year." Anker Light scratched his head while Eugene chuckled. After thisedic exchange, they briefly summarized: Dark Zone, her own background, and uing U.S. visits. It barely scratched the surface, but it was enough for now. Things rarely went as nned. "DARPA will be your first stop. The researchers there are eager to recreate past glories with the blueprints in your gear. It¡¯ll be quite the spectacle." "Looking forward to it." "I¡¯ll be in touch if anything changes. Got time? Let¡¯s grab a meal; I haven¡¯t had lunch." "Sounds good. Got money?" "I¡¯ve got plenty of expense funds. What do you want?" "Hmm, let¡¯s see¡ª." The bell above the door jingled as they left. That day, Anker Light received a receipt for a 3-million-won barbecue bill.
  • [Alert: Skill Modification Initiated // Scorching Turret Modification Complete.]
  • [Alert: Ressifying Confidential Level for Experiment Recording.]
"Didn¡¯t someone mention the Geneva Convention around this point before?" "What kind of fuel did they use to get this firepower? I¡¯ve never seen a mmablepound like this." "Stop! Stop! The pig¡¯s charring ck! Shut it down!" The smell of sizzling protein filled theb. As DARPA engineers vented the room with a button press, they chatted while others dissected a well-roasted pig. Their reactions were all the same¡ªutter disbelief. "Did future DARPA use devils from hell as fuel? This efficiency is mind-blowing." "It¡¯s not just that. Internal alloy steel, external carbon nanotubes, optical camo coating, transformation mechanisms, ground support efficiency, ammunition storage¡ªit¡¯s all tech that skips an entire paradigm. They nailed user convenience and durability." "The sniper turret¡¯s efficiency¡ªso it waspatible with special ammo due to its rifling structure. If we had the production facilities, we could start making these right now." They were all part of an institution staffed with the world¡¯s brightest. They had seen top-tier equipment, with no regard for cost-efficiency. They were shocked because of the blueprints stored in Eugene¡¯s gear and the equipment made from them. The bnce of tech, production, andbat practicality was rare.@@novelbin@@ This could only function under Icarus Network¡¯s control, but reverse-engineering the tech alone would yield immense advancements. It was beyond imagination. Such thoughts ran through everyone¡¯s mind. "...Let¡¯s at least file a ssified report." One of the chief researchers, half in shock, added. And so it was. A day when the Secretary of Defense, sleeping a few kilometers away, rushed to DARPA before dawn. Chapter 235 "Did we have a barbecue party today? Why are the researchers dissecting pork ribs?" "They¡¯re just testing the incineration turret. It was used as a target during the max-power test, which exins the scorched exterior." "I didn¡¯t expect a Defense Department research facility to be developing weapons in vition of the Geneva Conventions." It was 5 a.m., still the dead of night. Despite J''s sharp remark, her counterpart barely reacted. After all, she was well aware of it. The ultra-high-performance storage device brought in via diplomatic channels contained the Icarus Gear data¡ªand ''things'' like this were part of it. Even though the device hadn''t been developed yet, the fact that they were here to see a prototype created by another world''s DARPA seemed absurd enough to blur the line between sense and nonsense. The word "incineration turret" alone was enough to throw off even the cold logic of the Iron Lady. Even though the ce had been ventted thoroughly, the lingering scent was still unmistakable. Visiting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the early hours and catching a whiff of what seemed likete-night snacks was enough to make anyone feel disoriented. After a while, however, the sight of the operational turret firing was enough topletely wipe away any trace of sleepiness. ¡ª Brrrrrt! "How long does it take from deployment to fire support?" "If the target has been pre-identified through the integrated UI, under one second. Otherwise, it takes some time to identify the target. The turret also has partial camouge capabilities, making it surprisingly survivable." "The firing rate is around 800 rounds per minute, but it can be adjusted freely based on user input." "Hmm." A piece of equipment meant for urban warfare. It would have limited performance in open desert areas like Central Asia or South Asia, ces where just standing around can wear you down. However, inrge metropolitan areas like New York, its effectiveness inbat would be significant. Looking at it from the perspective of the Secretary of Defense, such limited functionality was not exactly a selling point. In fact, it was more of a disadvantage. However, she wasn''t entirely disappointed. She remembered that there were still more effective pieces of equipment left to review. "What about the other devices?" "We¡¯ve produced one prototype of each. I''ll show you the pulse. Please put on these goggles." J epted the goggles handed to her by a researcher. They were digital goggles currently supplied to the U.S. military, capable of disying a basic UI system on the battlefield. The word "pulse" appeared in small letters at the upper right corner of the disy, synchronizing with the system. In the test area before her, makeshift buildings suddenly materialized, forming walls, interiors, corners¡ªessentially a kill box for close-quartersbat simtion. Two researchers, armed and ready, moved with practiced precision, taking cover behind walls. Through the goggles, a golden concentric wave emanated from a device hanging on one of the researchers'' shoulders. In that instant, ¡ª [Alert: Unidentified personnel detected // 4 individuals.] J could see the real-time silhouettes of enemies moving behind the walls through the goggles. Not only that, but the interior structures were also visible. There were two silhouettes that seemed like hostages and two more hiding behind wooden nks, waiting for an opportunity. Before they could react, the two researchers emerged from cover and pulled the trigger, shattering the nks and reducing the enemy figures to polygons. The scene was a reenactment of something she had seen before. "It¡¯s like watching an impossible storye to life." Revolution beyond innovation. Here was a way to significantly reduce casualties in urbanbat. But just as the thought crossed her mind, a message appeared on the goggles apanied by a crackling sound. Without needing further analysis, she knew what "overload" meant.@@novelbin@@ It was only natural, given that this skill required the Icarus Gear as a prerequisite. "We still have a long way to go." "Indeed. Output, real-time disy, UI sharing... Without the Icarus Gear, these expensive goggles will be disposable. However, we¡¯ve grasped the basics of the principle, and we can start downgrading them soon. Let¡¯s move on." The test area quickly deconstructed itself. This time, a mannequin with skin-like material and a dome-shaped shield appeared, with a machine gun across the way, ready to fire. Apart from the unique device that looked like a wasp nest rolling on the ground, there wasn¡¯t much to note. But she knew what it was. "The Hive." "Yes. We¡¯ll demonstrate it along with the shield technology." "Is it worth the expectation?" "You won¡¯t be disappointed." ¡ª Trrrrrrrrrr! The machine gun fired. Bullets sparked and ricocheted as they twisted or were blocked in mid-air. The shield held strong for about 30 rounds without flinching, something she hadn¡¯t seen before. Turning to ask, "This is a different concept from the shield I was expecting." "Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t replicate the shield technology embedded in Icarus Operators'' gear. That requires a synergy ofputing power,work integration, and a dedicated power field, none of which we currently have." "Then what is this?" "We had to erge it significantly from the original design. With the manufacturing capabilities DARPA currently possesses, we couldn¡¯t make it any smaller." "Hmm." As the firing ceased, the shield overloaded after about 90 rounds, leaving the mannequin with several superficial cuts. A message about the need for nanomachine recharging hovered near the red-hot generator. But then, with a cheerful sound, something glowing green floated mid-air. A Hive bullet popped out and struck the machine, starting the recharge process and healing the small cuts. Instead of calling it unbelievable, she, who had witnessed America¡¯s cutting-edge technology firsthand, simply said, "How effective would the Hive be on severely wounded personnel?" "With 45 micro-explosives inside, using about a third should suffice to get them moving, albeit not fully recovered. Sadly, a revival-specific Hive is beyond our current capabilities." "Is it a technological issue?" "Yes. Honestly, without our prior contact with Eugene, none of today¡¯s prototypes would be operational." "Keep going." Technology that seemed almost magical continued to unfold. Oxidizers that ate through metal, basic nanites, vaporized napalm, chemical projectors that could deliver healing or damage, seeker mines, holographic projectors, and more. More than half were useful only in special scenarios, but on the flip side, fewer than half could be broadly applied to almost anybat situation. Adjusting her assessment of this world¡¯s DARPA capabilities, she feigned indifference as she asked, "How did you manage to produce these prototypes in such a short time?" "Designs and software were included. Some devices couldn¡¯t be made without specialized equipment, but others just needed slight adaptation. But even a month was tight... no one here has been home for quite a while." "...." So that¡¯s the result. Sadly, she couldn¡¯t sympathize with their difficulties, as she herself had rushed to DARPA at dawn, barely dressed. With a slight nod, she added, "Remove thepetition proposals from the other defense contractors and research institutions. Let¡¯s im this as an in-house development." "Haha, you always have your work cut out for you." "After some rest, dive into the research. Once I step down from my position, keep this within DARPA and out of the Pentagon." "Of course, Madam Secretary." Whew. Despite arriving at dawn, the sun was rising as she left. It seemed she¡¯d be heading to the office early today. ¡°... It¡¯s honestly enviable how the yers don¡¯t need to bring extra clothes. Icarus provides almost everything.¡± ¡°You make it sound like they don¡¯t give Minah anything.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Ten days until departure. With a remarkably light suitcase in front of her, she checked her e-passport and ne tickets. Six first-ss seats had been reserved sincest year, apparently by an airline under contract with Icarus, keeping up to six seats reserved for this time of year. Last year, half had been canceled, but this year all six seats would be used by final participants¡ªincluding Harmony, who paid for a first-ss seat herself. The conversation with Minah over the phone was part of this saga. ¡°I read the handbook given to the Korean reps. It¡¯s like a walking billboard. No wonder you won¡¯t need the clothes you packed from Korea.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll be rough for Dice and the others. I¡¯ll probably wear whatever they give me, at least on top.¡± ¡°Well, Eugene, I¡¯m sure New York has designers who can refit your outfits. They probably won¡¯t want to leave your tail out, though.¡± ¡°Please tell them to skip it. It gets cold when the tail¡¯s out.¡± ¡°Oh...! Haha!¡± Ugh. Why does everyone seem to enjoy seeing me embarrassed or in awkward situations? Dice even said we should get hot soup when it¡¯s freezing cold. And when I suggested trying the Anaconda Twist, he immediately wanted to meet tomorrow¡ªridiculous. Everyone¡¯s going a little crazy. Either way, that¡¯s how things were going around me. What started in the August heat had rolled this far. The world really does seem to work itself out once you get started. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other soon at Incheon Airport. Do you mind if I stay over at your ce the day before?¡± ¡°Why do you all say the same thing?¡± ¡°Did they also ask if that person¡¯s staying over?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± Silence was as good as confirmation. Of course, the house was spacious enough, so it wasn¡¯t a big problem. It just felt odd that my ce had be a gathering spot. And then, as if casually discussing lunch ns, Harmony added, ¡°I n to stream early on the day of departure.¡± ¡°What stream?¡± ¡°Well, since we¡¯ll be showing our real selves in the U.S. anyway, I thought we¡¯d make it a surprise reveal. Dice is on board too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A brief silence followed. Then Harmony added, ¡°Well, whether someone told me not to, I¡¯d probably do it anyway. Dice said SSM has already approved his face reveal, right?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been discussing it for a while because we share simr concerns. I doubt many will be watching at around 5 a.m., though.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re going to be flooded.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± Many in Turkey live with reversed schedules anyway¡ªI didn¡¯t say it out loud, but the idea that the night owls who haunt the early hours would flock in was more than usible. Thinking about it, Harmony had done a face reveal before. Now she doeste-night mukbangs openly. But it wasn¡¯t always like that. After tidying up, I asked, and she replied, ¡°I got over ten thousand viewers during my first face reveal. I can¡¯t even imagine the chaos that¡¯ll ensue when you go public, let alone with Dice.¡± ¡°I think I get it.¡± But my fingers were already moving. I began with the title, then wrote out the announcement briefly, focusing on the essentials. With subtle hints about the important parts, I wrapped it up. The final title read: ¡®A small surprise awaits this Saturday.¡¯ A brief notice about an early stream with guests and a quick session before leaving for the airport. Harmony had alerts set for my personal site, so she quickly checked it. After a while, ¡°... Eugene.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is why people say you¡¯re such a menace.¡± ...Wasn¡¯t that an adequate announcement? Unfortunately¡ªmy thoughts were brutally suppressed by Harmony, and within 30 seconds, I had to amend the stream start time. The firstment under it was a hissing emoji from Harmony. The path to bing a seasoned streamer seemed as long as ever. Chapter 237 ¡ª Beep, beep, beep! "¡­Ugh." In a room so dark it could pass for matte ck, the rm red, rousing my body on autopilot. Both my mind and body felt heavy. The less sleep I got, the heavier I felt. My body desperately craved more rest, but it wasn''t time for that yet. Swish. I pulled the blinds aside, letting in a faint glow from the balcony. It wasn¡¯t dawn yet, just the peak of the early morning. The light, I thought, must be moonlight. With a click, a soft glow filled the living room. Instead of the harsh ceiling lights, I¡¯d opted for a dimmer light, easier on the eyes. It was time to wake up the two who were tangled up in my tail as if it were their nket. p, p. It was wake-up time. "Urrgh¡­" "Why do we have to get up so early¡­?" "Come on, up and at ''em. We''ve got a long way to go." For the stubborn ones, a little ¡°encouragement¡± was in order. I gave their backsides a few gentle ps with my tail, and they quickly squirmed awake. It was like we were on a retreat or something, folding nkets neatly into the closet and spraying deodorizer all around. We wouldn¡¯t be back for about a month, and I didn¡¯t want the ce to stink when we returned. After pushing our luggage to the entrance, we took turns showering. Harmony went first, of course, and took at least 30 minutes. By then, Dice and I had both crashed on the sofa. Naturally, we only woke up because she came over and nudged us. "¡­Hey, Eugene! Your turn to shower!" "Already¡­?" "It¡¯s been 30 minutes!" Leaving Dice snoozing on the couch, I dragged myself into the bathroom, sshing cold water to wake up. Of course, I yelped a bit from the shock, but it did the trick. After about 25 minutes, I emerged, having thoroughly dried even my tail. Outside, the scene was dismal. Harmony and Dice had both dozed off on the sofa. I nudged Dice''s thigh, and he groaned and whined, shaking his head. A little threat about showering fully dressed got him to scamper into the bathroom. "It''s already five o''clock. Once Dice is done, I need to start the stream." I jumped into the chat to post an announcement. At 5 a.m., a crowd of 400,000 viewers greeted me with restless anticipation. Fortunately, after pinning a quick message and waving at the drone cam, they settled down somewhat. Since it was my first official broadcast since revealing myself as an Emergent, I gave a little tail wag as a bonus. Donations came pouring in, with peoplementing about me still trending as the top search term. I wasn¡¯t sure how I should feel, but hey, overthinking never helped before. "Hello, everyone. Honestly, seeing all of you again doesn''t feel that different. I used an avatar that looked almost exactly like me, so it¡¯s not really strange standing here in front of you now." ¡ªEugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! ¡ªOMG, she¡¯s streaming face reveal AND keeping us here for six hours?! She¡¯s insane! ¡ªI¡¯m rolling on the floor in shock! Waaah! ¡ªDamn, she¡¯s so beautiful, lol. ¡ªArmpits! Tail! Armpits! Tail! Armpits! Tail! Somements were a bit too enthusiastic, but everyone was excited, so I let it slide. Even though I had memories of another gender, personally, even with this body, I preferred female partners. Perhaps it was due to my years as a special forces operative, where strength was essential. In any case, I wasn¡¯t against the excitement in the chat, and any over-the-topments would be filtered by the chat bot. The bathroom door clicked open, and Dice emerged with a towel wrapped around him. Of course, the drone cam didn¡¯t show any of that¡ªI''m not crazy. The time was now 5:23 a.m. December was upon us, with long nights and short days. We wouldn''t see the sun for quite some time. Hopefully, the 400,000 viewers hadn¡¯t stayed up all night. Once we were dressed and ready, it was almost 6 a.m. The apartment gate shed with a notification. Arge limo bus was waiting at the entrance. It was finally time to leave. Dice finished getting ready at 5:53 a.m. I turned off the lights, and as we headed to the front door, the hallway lights flicked on. The drone, following behind with its charger in my suitcase, would be the only one getting a taste of America. ¡ª ck! "¡­Wow, it¡¯s freezing out here. What are you gonna do, Eugene?" "Quiet down." "Ow!" Making nonsense the moment we step into the hallway, honestly. I gave him a tap on the head with my tail, and the chat exploded again. ¡ªOMG, what a reward, LOL. ¡ªI never thought I''d see this in real life! ¡ªHaha, getting hit with a snake tail must be a weird experience. ¡ªDice, you fool, lol. ¡ªAm I dreaming??? The wind picked up as we descended in the elevator. After trudging through the biting cold for a few hundred feet, we reached arge bus glowing softly under the streetlight. No one else was inside. It was reserved just for us three. A hologram popped up on my wrist, opening the doors automatically. Normally, there¡¯d be a driver, but this was fully automated. As the hologram confirmed our identities, the bus lit up, revealing a spacious interior with barely a dozen seats. It seemed excessive for just a one-hour drive to Incheon Airport. But I was too tired to care. I sank into the seat marked ¡°Eugene,¡± which even had a tail slot in the back so I could sitfortably. "Ah, this is heaven¡­." "¡­Should we chat or something? I¡¯m just so tired¡­." "¡­Would you all be okay with a nap stream? It¡¯d only be about an hour." ¡ªOf course, we¡¯d love it, lol! ¡ªCalled in sick just for this! ¡ªDo they think they¡¯re fooling anyone? We¡¯re here no matter what. ¡ªLol, just sleep already. We¡¯ll entertain ourselves. Much appreciated. I leaned back, securing the drone cam to the wall and lying down, letting the warmth of the heater fill the bus. The three of us waved at the camera before the view faded to ck. ¡ª[Notification: You have arrived at Incheon Airport, Terminal 2.] ¡ª[Notification: Wishing you a pleasant journey.] "¡­Ah, that nap helped a bit." "First-ss and business passengers have to head to the premium check-in counter at Section A." "Let¡¯s grab some donuts and snacks! They have a Dunkin¡¯ Donuts here!" "Seriously?" These two. What am I going to do with them? The airport ceiling was high, and the air was warm. It felt more like an upscale department store than an airport. The reflective floors gleamed under the bright lights, which were a bit blinding. Despite the early hour, Incheon Airport was already bustling. As we hovered near the first-ss check-in, a well-dressed attendant approached to guide us. As soon as the sensors detected us, the entrance opened, revealing a serene, modern space reminiscent of a pce. Three airport staff members approached, each tending to one of us. "Please feel free to sit. We¡¯ll handle your check-in and luggage. Would you like any refreshments? We have chocte, snacks, various coffees, sodas, fruit juices, and sparkling water." "Just the chocte, please." "Certainly." Three luxurious choctes appeared on a tray. The seats here didn¡¯t have tail slots like the bus seats, but I could manage. Dice seemed familiar with the setup, while Harmony was wide-eyed, constantly murmuring, "Oh¡­." Once we were checked in, the staff led us to a private security screening area reserved for first-ss passengers. "We¡¯ll attach a GPS patch to the drone and return it to you. You¡¯ll need to turn off the stream before boarding." "Understood." If Serkins were here, he¡¯d probably make some smart remark about it being a while since he¡¯d gone through security for international travel. The drone went through an extensive security check¡ªserial numbers, purchase records, receipts, everything. It took about 10 minutes, but eventually, we were good to go. "All set. Have a pleasant trip." "Thanks for your hard work." "Haha, no worries. Thanks to you, I got to scan a tail for the first time." People really do love tails.@@novelbin@@ With that, we wrapped up the departure procedures. Since I had both U.S. and Korean passports, I didn¡¯t have much to worry about. Then, the part of the airport experience I¡¯d been looking forward to finally arrived. "Wow." "A lounge with beds¡­?" The first-ss lounge. It was like stepping into a luxurypartment from an airne. Each seat was equipped with butter, bread, jam, utensils, and a snack tray. Never thought I¡¯d get to experience something like this. Apparently, neither did the tens of thousands watching the lounge tour through the drone cam. ¡ªWow, lol. ¡ªShock: Snake tail spotted in the first-ss lounge! ¡ªThe staff look confused, lol. ¡ªOnly Dice and Harmony look unfazed. ¡ªTurns out Dice looks exactly like her avatar, lol. As soon as we sat down, four staff members rushed over. One for Dice, one for Harmony, and two for me. Not sure why, but I wasn¡¯tining. My only minor gripe was theck of tail slots in the seats, but that¡¯d be asking too much. "Wee, Mr. Lee Eugene, Ms. Seo Yerin, Ms. Ha Mina. Your boarding passes have been confirmed. Today¡¯s lounge breakfast is abalone porridge, and you can enjoy unlimited snacks, cakes, sds, and drinks, including alcohol." "I¡¯ll have breakfast, then. How about you, Dice?" "Me too. What about you, Mina?" "Same here!" "Breakfast for everyone, please." And so, at around 7 a.m., we had our first meal of the day. A hearty abalone porridge, sulent ribs, fresh fruit, sd, kimchi, and poached eggs¡ªit was quite a spread for breakfast. Dice and Harmony were both astonished, and the food was just as impressive. As we ate, Dice offered Harmony some advice. "When we¡¯re on the ne, they¡¯ll give us so much food we¡¯ll feel like bursting, so pace yourself here. Eugene can eat as much as he wants, though." "You¡¯ve adjusted well." "After seeing someone spend tens of thousands on a single meal¡­." ¡ªThese three must¡¯ve met tons of times, lol. ¡ªThe breakfast spread looks amazing, lol. ¡ªSeriously, chew your food! It¡¯s porridge, not a smoothie, lol. ¡ªProfessor, are you a physics professor? Seems like you have a ck hole in your stomach. ¡ªThis guy¡¯s eating three servings of porridge, lol. The food was so good I ordered seconds, then went to the buffet for a bit more after that. Living with a high calorie burn isn¡¯t easy. Chapter 238 "Wow, this airne is something else. I remember riding something like this during a school trip to Jeju Ind... Never thought I''d be taking one of these to the U.S. though. It''s kind of surreal." "And it''s first ss, no less." As Dice descended the stairs step by step, he checked three times to make sure no one was around before leaning closer to whisper in my ear. "¡­Eugene, you''ve probably ridden other types of aircraft too, right? Like transport nes or tactical helicopters or something¡­." "Seems like you''ve developed a habit of getting curious about things you shouldn''t, Dice." "Oops, sorry about that¡­." After giving Dice a piece of my mind, I continued down the stairs. The winter day was clear and crisp, with uniformed staff waiting at the gate connected to the airne. As I walked through the gate and entered the somewhat narrow aircraft interior, three flight attendants greeted me warmly. Upon reaching first ss, I saw Ink, Mikael, and Gambit already seated and waiting. One of the flight attendants approached me. "Mr. Eugene, please follow me."@@novelbin@@ Guided to a seat in first ss, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I nodded in appreciation. My name was printed in English on the seat, and there was even a specialpartment to amodate my tail. It seemed they had modified the seat based on my specific physical features after receiving prior notice. They kindly showed me how to recline the seat fully, making it over two meters long with a full 180-degree recline, ensuring absolutefort. I swapped out my shoes for the provided slippers and ced my warm feet into them. Afterward, I hung up my jacket in the storage closet. But then¡­ "Is there anything I can help you with?" "Yeah, my coat won¡¯t fit in the storage." "Oh, we can take care of that for you." I removed my thick winter coat and changed into afortable wool sweater. It took me about five minutes to get settled before I could finally sit back and rx. Once my tail wasfortably positioned in the dedicated space, I experienced the luxury of a proper seat for the first time in ages. Four windows greeted me, providing a panoramic view of the outside. This reminded me, though, of an unpleasant memory. A transport ne with oppressive gear weighing down on me, the siren wailing, and barely any light except from the open ramp below. Dropping weapons first, then plunging into a pitch-ck void¡­ "¡­What are you thinking about so deeply?" "Just counting stars on the ceiling." "Liar." Wee drinks and nuts were served. Dice returned to his seat, and the hologram disy came up, showing a live feed of our activities. Thanks to whoever was manning the onboard cameras, the wait for departure wasn¡¯t too boring. The seats were spaced far enough apart, and there were soundproof curtains. We could speak freely without disturbing anyone, and we even had the option to set up a voice or streaming channel, restricted to first-ss passengers only. In other words, the setup was perfect for tactical preparations during the flight. The doors closed, and the takeoff sequence began. As the engines roared to life, a strange stillness filled the cabin, isting us from the outside world. The high output from the four engines transformed into a booming noise, propelling the aircraft forward. Skimming the runway, we soared into the sky, lifting off from Incheon Airport and setting a course across the North Pacific. The screen in front of me disyed our altitude, direction, and speed in real-time, along with the estimated arrival time at JFK Airport. Fourteen hours and thirty-three minutes. Departing at 9:30 a.m., we¡¯d reach New York by 9:30 a.m. local time. Flying for long enough to swap day for night and still arriving in the morning... no wonder people struggle with jetg. Notification: The aircraft has reached cruising altitude. My Icarus gear automatically sent the alert as the ne stabilized, leaving Korea''sndscape sprawling below. ording to GPS, we had already passed Namyangju and were heading toward Gangwon-do. I took a deep breath, sinking deeper into the seat, thinking I might get some sleep to make up for theck of it. Knock, knock. "Yes, can I help you?" "We¡¯re about to serve the first meal. Have you chosen your menu?" The allure of endless in-flight meals in first ss began. Code Name ''SOAP'' is airborne. Repeating, Code Name ''SOAP'' is airborne. Currently passing through the eastern region of Korea. Estimated to enter the Third Fleet¡¯s jurisdiction in one hour and twenty-two minutes. Reconnaissance satellite ''Patmos'' is tracking coordinates and altitude in real-time. Do you copy? Copy that. Three Columbia-ss nuclear submarines are positioned along SOAP¡¯s flight path. Even if it crashes in the Bering Sea, we¡¯re prepared to rescue everyone within five minutes. In seven hours and eleven minutes, we¡¯ll pass jurisdiction to the Seventh Fleet for further tracking. Confirmed. The rescue teams are positioned under the guise of emergency drills. Can I ask something? Who came up with this code name ''SOAP''? It''s an acronym for Snake On A ne. There¡¯s a B-grade movie by that name¡ªhave you seen it? I sincerely hope this nonsense gets to the higher-ups and results in a pay cut for you. Will report if there¡¯s any further development. Understood. "Man, it''s dirty cold in the early morning, don¡¯t you think?" "You''re asking a lot from December in New York." Brooklyn¡¯s 24/7 Irish Pub. With its LED clock pointing to 6 a.m., the usually empty pub opened its doors to reveal a solitary customer. Pulling off a heavy winter coat, she revealed a thick sweater underneath, outlining her slender neck and ruby-red eyes glinting under the ceiling lights. Sitting down, her pale hand with a trident tattoo caught my eye, as did the half-finished Florida cocktail on the bar in front of her. "Care for a drink?" "No thanks, I don¡¯t want to freeze my insides. It¡¯s my first time back in New York in a while, and I¡¯d rather not cause any trouble." "First time hearing about a shark catching a cold." They joked back and forth until a timer read 3 hours and 30 minutes. Outside, snow was falling. New York¡¯s first snow of the season was piling up, transforming the city into a soft blue. It was the season of silence, when everything seems to fall into a deep sleep. A season that, not too long ago, was filled with uncollected corpses scattered all over New York. As if people¡¯s greed wasn¡¯t already too much, the number of dead only grew. Watching four seasons change, they learned that winter has a way of keeping people on edge. But that was the past. Christopher changed the topic as if to wash away those memories. "I visited Times Square yesterday. I¡¯ve never seen so many people there. That used to be a major kill zone, didn¡¯t it?" "You mean when we were moving the ry equipment?" "What else could it be?" Bullets once rained down in that very area. Chuckling to himself, he lifted his ss, savoring the sweetness. "Fancy an early breakfast? Scotch eggs?" "Hmm, bring ten." "It¡¯s always terrifying how you people eat." He ordered five servings, knowing that each came with two eggs, for a total of ten. The frying scent filled the pub as they awaited the meal, reminiscing. "So, where¡¯s Logan?" "Said he''d be here in twenty. Something about his car sliding in the snow." "Figures, ssic Logan." He added another order of Scotch eggs, anticipating Logan¡¯s appetite. The scent of fried food soon filled the pub, marking the arrival of the North Pole¡¯s own Logan Blemis, an EM-ranked mutant, in nothing but shorts and a T-shirt. "Just thought I''d bring a little gift from outside. You know, for this grumpy guy." With that, the ridiculous, yet familiar morning unfolded, with a snowball fight turned wrestling match. Finally, they settled down as the Scotch eggs arrived, ready to continue their mission nning. Winter had truly arrived. Chapter 240 Notification: Streamer ''Dol'' // ON AIR Viewers: 31,042 "Hello, hello! This is KimStone¡ªWhoa, what¡¯s going on today!? Why are there so many people?" A mighty tree falls, crashing into the sea, creating a massive ssh. But just as a bomb dropped from a ne high above impacts only those on the ground, Eugene''s actions in Korea had a far-reaching ripple effect. When he boarded his flight to New York after dropping a metaphorical "Tsar Bomba" back home, those who knew his true identity¡ªKimStone, Limit, and Hodduck¡ªwere swept up in the inte frenzy. After seeing Harmony off the day before, KimStone had started streaming the next day, expecting a quiet day at home. She had no idea that an online uproar was about to unfold. [Papitatapatita donated 10,000 KRW! Thank you!] -"Hey, did you know all along that Snake Eyes was actually Eugene?" "Papitatapatita, thanks for the donation¡­ Yeah, I knew. But there was no reason to say anything. There was an embargo on it." The chat went wild. "Yeah, there was an embargo, but really? It¡¯s like they weren¡¯t even trying to hide it, lol." "Avatar (the real one)." "Even Vishnu had to change forms, you know, lol." "She really held it in, lol." "Looks like we have a modern-day Emperor''s New Clothes here, hahaha." KimStone understood why the fuss had erupted. Now that Eugene had gone public, the longstanding silence surrounding him had been lifted. It was like uncorking a bottle that had been under pressure for ages¡ªonce it started to leak, everything came out. Despite Eugene being a regr on trending searches, this time the scale was unprecedented. Now, with tens of thousands of viewers, everyone seemed to be gathering wherever they could catch a glimpse of him. "So, what brings you all here? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re here for some stories? Eugene didn¡¯t tell you anything, did he? Well, that¡¯s to be expected." "OMG, so true, lol." "He¡¯s aplete mystery. Not a single clue." "Guess you¡¯re out of luck if he doesn¡¯t need streaming to make a living!" "All he ever says is, ¡®Don¡¯t watch if you don¡¯t want to!¡¯" "Yeah¡­ right." Things were getting chaotic. But the chat wasn¡¯t wrong. Eugene never struck her as someone who would let streaming run his life. In a way, that was what made him unique. Despite being in the public eye, he had nothing that viewers could use against him. And maybe that¡¯s why it was so rare and refreshing. Even after just a day or two of absence, viewers would flood in, desperate for him to stream again. Eugene, however, remained unperturbed. He didn¡¯t owe the viewers anything, and that left them scrambling. In the middle of all this chaos, KimStone couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had made the viewers so worked up. Clearly, they¡¯d been holding back a lot, if only now they could let it all out. "So, what do you all want to know? You probably already know what he looks like. You just came here to scream, ¡®Hey! Eugene looks like this!¡¯ right?" "Yep, lol." "Honestly, we¡¯re just bored and looking to poke around, haha." "Just cause he didn¡¯t stream, everyone¡¯s here throwing a tantrum, lol." "We¡¯re sorry, KimStone! We¡¯re just helpless fans!" A sigh echoed through the stream. Naturally, it was KimStone. She had nned today¡¯s content in advance, but it seemed things would go off course. It wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, though. The viewers had given her a different kind of content for the day, which meant she could save her original n for another time. After taking a moment to think, KimStone decided which memory to share with the crowd. The first time she had met Eugene in person had actually been at the Asian qualifiers, even before they connected virtually. "So, I first met him on the day of the Asian qualifiers. It was the day when 300,000 people showed up at Yongsan Park. Harmony, Limit, Hodduck, and I were there as Dark Zone partner streamers. But¡­" Ironically, she wasn¡¯t the only one talking about this encounter. "After the match, it was dinnertime. Imagine, right after sunset, all those hundreds of thousands of people dispersing at once. It clogged up every subway line. Even if you drove, you were stuck."@@novelbin@@ Limit chimed in. "Then, out of the blue, I got a call from Eugene. There was a private buffet in the basement for staff only. So we followed these hidden pathways, took an elevator down, and¡­" Hodduck picked up the story. They all had a simr tale to tell. All three of them, recounting the same story, spoke of how they followed Harmony into the staff dining area, where Eugene had been quietly eating among the staff and yers, with a snake¡¯s tail that no one could miss. It wasn¡¯t exactly deception; it was just that the answer had been right there in front of them the whole time. The story continued. "Before the elevator opened, Harmony asked where Eugene was. She said we¡¯d know as soon as we saw him. The door opened, and sure enough, he was right there. Harmony just goes, ¡®He¡¯s right here,¡¯ like it was nothing." And then, they had a Q&A session. "So yeah, Eugene had it all nned out since the Asian qualifiers. He mentioned he might reveal himself by the end of the year. I just didn¡¯t expect him to do it the day before leaving." "He had it all figured out, lol." "Special forces level nning." "Hitting the weakest spot with the biggest blow¡ªssic special forces, right?" "He knows how to drive people crazy, lol." They would be gone for three weeks, spending New Year¡¯s in Times Square before flying back to Korea on January 1st. Even though they might stream from the U.S., some people would still feel their absence keenly. "Maybe I should have gone to the U.S. too." With the surge of viewers, donations, and ads thanks to Harmony, KimStone was considering the idea seriously. The viewers went wild, asking if she would go to the States, but she barely noticed the chat. "Peter Luger Steak House?" "Not your favorite?" "No, it¡¯s just that some of my friends have been dying to go there. If I go without them, they¡¯d sulk." "You mean that green cat and the blond kid? They¡¯re cute." "Unfortunately, the six-person tables were fully booked. But if you get a three-person one, you could bring them along next time." After parking, the four of them got out. They were an unusual group, to say the least. Logan, with his bear-like ears, was striding along in shorts and a T-shirt despite the cold, while Christopher¡¯s long silver hair and bright red eyes stood out. The Senior Officer looked like a regr guy, but among them, Eugene stood out the most, bundled up in a specialized coat with padding for his tail. Logan, seeing Eugene,mented. "Can¡¯t you just turn on the warming feature on your Icarus gear?" "I need it on standby in case I have to activate the shield." "Always the cautious one." Logan patted Eugene on the head, adding some reassurance. "Rx. If anything happens, you¡¯ve got your gear. And I¡¯ve stashed your rifle and ammo in the car, along with our sidearms. If something goes down, we¡¯re covered." "...Wait, really?" "Yeah. I figured you¡¯d want them. Besides, we¡¯ve got our concealed carry permits, so we¡¯re always carrying." "W-What?" Eugene felt the chill of reality hit as they casually mentioned firearms and ammo in the car. They found a quiet table for four in a cozy, old-fashioned restaurant. This ce had supposedly been around since the Joseon Dynasty, a peaceful relic not on the front lines of change. The menu was minimal, just paper and ink, but Eugene was reassured by the officer¡¯s words. "Four orders of steak¡ªshould be about 1.6 kg." "That¡¯s only four? We usually eat about 16 portions, don¡¯t we?" "Lunch alone is going to cost us $1,500." They were ordering more than just steak; burgers, roasted potatoes, and shrimp cocktails too. All told, they were about to spend nearly 2 million won. Eugene quickly spoke up. "I can pay for it too. We can split the bill." "Sit down. Our little brother crossed the Pacific to see us, so let us cover this." The server¡¯s eyes widened as they took out their EM certification cards. When the server confirmed the order, he looked astonished. "Got it. Four servings of steak, four bacon-onion burgers, two orders of roasted potatoes, and two shrimp cocktails. How would you like the steaks?" "Medium rare, with wine pairing, please." "Of course. Here¡¯s some bread, butter, and sauce to start." After some time, the smell of steak began to fill the hall. "Impressive." "Quite the feast." The room was soon filled with the savory aroma of grilled meat, a fitting wee back to the States for Eugene and hispanions. Chapter 241 "These tes are extremely hot. We have three more to bring out; would you like them all at once?" "Let¡¯s split them in half, please." "Excellent choice. The top portion is sirloin, and the bottom is tenderloin. I¡¯ll portion them out for you." The sound of sizzling butter and meat filled the air, the aroma wafting through and stimting the senses as thick cuts of steak were ted. Each cut was drizzled with a spoonful of butter and oil, ready to be enjoyed. As Eugene and hispanions savored the first bites, the tender texture and rich vors enveloped them. "Did they say this was dry-aged?" "Don¡¯t ask us. We¡¯re not exactly experts¡ªjust soldiers used to MREs in the field." "Hah, sounds like meals weren¡¯t so great over at Fort Bragg. Coastal bases sure don¡¯t have that problem." "They serve decent meals, sure. But who has time to eat them, huh?" Special forces conversations were often peppered withints and jokes¡ªgrim humor that was characteristic of the life they led. Despite the casual banter, the steak was a treat: tender, savory, with a hint of cheese vor, served in portions that totaled 3.2 kilograms. Even though the T-bone¡¯s weight included the bone, there was plenty of meat to go around. "If anyone leaves a bite, I¡¯ll send the bill to your ounts," the Senior Officer warned. "Have you ever seen me leave food behind?" "You¡¯re really digging in, huh? Looks like we¡¯ll need that third and fourth te soon." Lorentina called over the server for the next servings, eyeing the juicy steaks with mild disappointment. "I¡¯d have preferred it even bloodier," she muttered. "Should¡¯ve ordered one rare," someone replied. "I got caught up and just went with medium rare for all of them."@@novelbin@@ As she took a bite, Lorentina¡¯s sharp teeth gleamed¡ªhuman-like but sharper, more shark-like. Her preference for bloody meat made sense, given her shark-like traits. Unlike her, Eugene was closer to Logan in his transformation, with slightly elongated canine teeth, another distinct marker of the EM mutation. After downing a piece of steak, Lorentina took a sip of wine and pulled the soundproofing curtain around their booth. "I hate to spoil the surprise, Eugene, but you¡¯re likely to meet Henry soon." "Henry? The president?" "Not yet, but with his approval ratings, it¡¯s just a matter of time before he¡¯s in the White House. He asked for a dinner meeting." "Just me?" "Unfortunately, no. You¡¯ll be there with us." It seemed the meeting was a done deal, and Eugene suspected the entire group would be involved. Lorentina handed him a shopping bag, which contained clothing that had been sent over for the asion. "What¡¯s with the handbag? I¡¯d rather have a tactical backpack." "They said it¡¯s for the ''fashion.''¡± "Fashion? Really?" Despite theirughter, it was clear they all found it amusing that they, of all people, were being roped into fashion-rted affairs. The Senior Officer spoke up, grinning. "They both got offers to be essory models a few months back. Care to guess what they asked first?" "What did they ask?" Eugene replied, curious. "They didn¡¯t ask about nes or earrings. They wanted to know if it was a dot sight or a suppressor." Lorentina and Logan, flustered, tried to defend themselves as the Senior Officer chuckled, and Eugene couldn¡¯t help butugh. After all, they were still in the business of guns and gear. "So, when¡¯s this dinner with the presidential candidate?" "Tomorrow at 7:30 PM. At Per Se. It¡¯s Michelin three-star and just a short walk from your hotel." "Columbus Circle... That¡¯s where the Osprey went down once, wasn¡¯t it?" "You¡¯ve got a strangely detailed memory for that." The meal continued, and they reminisced about the past with a touch of solemnity. Lorentina pulled back the curtain, and Eugene saw thick snowkes swirling outside. The heavy snow was beautiful, but for Eugene, it was also a reminder of silent battles, of a colder, more treacherous New York that no longer existed. "The approval ratings?" Eugene asked. "Still leading. After expressing interest in VR events, public opinion seems positive. And his support from defense industry-heavy states has also risen slightly since thest debate." With new geopoliticalplexities, it was a time of unpredictable challenges. Yet for Eugene, who had witnessed the transformation of major powers, it felt like all they had to do was avoid self-destruction. "Prepare for unexpected oues," Eugene muttered. "Sorry, sir? Did you say something?" "Just talking to myself." In the stillness, Eugene reflected on theing winter¡ªa season that once brought despair, now tempered by the warmth of camaraderie and resilience. Tomorrow¡¯s meeting would be just another chapter in a city that held many memories, but this time, he would face it differently, with lessons learned from both past and present. The rest of the day passed in quiet reflection, and as he closed his eyes, he knew that tomorrow would bring more than just a meeting; it would bring a chance to make peace with old ghosts. Chapter 245 "This... this is the actual Icarus Gear..." "Be careful. It has a feature that can release a kiloton-level EMP in emergencies, so mishandling or attempting to steal it could reset DARPA entirely." "Haha, that''s brutal." A chilling power indeed. Of course, not all Icarus Gear modelse with such features. Each model has slight differences. Originally, the n was to test various functions, select the best ones, and then produce a downgraded mass-production version. However, the Dark Winter crisis dragged on, and the facilities and personnel capable of manufacturing these watches were decimated, leaving the project abandoned. Additionally, the watches were categorized into early, middle, andte models. Since I spent nearly six months wandering around before settling in as an agent at Central Park, I naturally received ate-model version. I certainly made good use of it. "Don¡¯t worry, we''ll return it after the analysis. You have ways to get it back, don''t you?" "I can''t deny that." There were options. For example, I could remotely ess the gear via my current phone and deploy Warhound-ss drones all over the ce. Unfortunately for them, my gear was fine-tuned to my specific settings. Itpared the wearer''s vital signs with the preset data, so no one else could use it without tripping the rms. That''s what happens when you pour billions of dors into a watch the size of a wrist device. Thus, there were a few things to adjust before the analysis. "Alright, let me tweak the settings a bit. How long do you n to analyze it?" "We estimate about three hours." "Then I''ll rx the externalwork intrusion defense for three hours. Make sure to check the open ports afterward, and adjust thework capacity as needed. Just don¡¯t do anything overly strange with the tests..." "We¡¯ll be careful." I began moving my fingers as I remembered. One of the most intricate devices in the world instantly projected dozens of holograms in the air, and the fragments of past experiences, which I¡¯d memorized to the point of near-exhaustion during actual operations, reyed through my fingertips. As the gear disyed its true capabilities, something that only a handful of people in the world could fully understand, the people around me wore expressions as if they were witnessing magic. It reminded me of how ordinary people might look if they watched a fighter pilot operate a cockpit. Afterpleting the necessary adjustments, I handed over the watch. Even though I had worn it through almost every situation for the past five years, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about being separated from it, even for a few hours. But there wasn¡¯t much I could do. J, the Secretary of Defense, spoke softly. "Not much time left, but I promise on my position that nothing will happen to the gear." "Are you making that promise because there¡¯s little time left?" "Do you think I¡¯d risk blowing up DARPA¡¯s entire database out of curiosity and go down in history for all the wrong reasons?" Fair point. That was the end of that conversation. While the Icarus Gear¡¯s value was astronomical, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to refuse cooperation aftering this far. Besides, there were countless ways for me to retrieve it if necessary. The watch was ced inside a small case, about the size of a briefcase. The case itself was made from multiyer liquid metal and alloy, capable of protecting its contents even from .50 caliber rounds. It was then escorted, along with me, down to a level that would never see the light of day. After descending for about 20 seconds, we arrived at a massive, almost surreal researchb. It wasn¡¯t the same as the one depicted in Dark Zone, but it was familiar. The only notable difference was that thisb seemed more rugged. A guide approached and introduced himself. "Wee. I¡¯m Eric Sutton, and I¡¯ll be guiding you through the tactical support device demonstration today. You can call me Eric." "Nice to meet you, Eric." "Shall we proceed to the demonstration area?" I nodded and nced around. As I recalled from my memory of DARPA, the left side after exiting the elevator for senior staff had a lobby, followed by a hologram disy showcasing the current technological lineage and advancements at DARPA. I nced briefly at the hologram. There were noticeable differences. A few projects that should¡¯ve beenpleted were still missing, which gave me a strange feeling. As I observed, Eric spoke again. "The hologram doesn¡¯t yet include the Augmented Reality implementation and advancedbat dog projects. I¡¯m sure you know why, Sergeant Eugene." "...Yes. Where were you stationed before?" "I was with JTF. I was assigned to the technical control division but also worked at the surveince towers near Columbus Circle. I was the first to report the Osprey crash to HQ." "You must have fought alongside Task Force Dagger. I was there, but I don''t remember many people I fought with." "That''s alright. I remember, and that¡¯s what matters. Thanks to you, I¡¯m still alive." I chuckled briefly and nodded. If anyone was guiding me here, they had to be well-versed in the virus-stricken history of the U.S. I was now in the epicenter of those memories, and it was only now sinking in. We exchanged some casual banter. The main topic was a shared criticism of the other world''s U.S., which had blown astronomical sums on a watch like this. The amount was staggering, ranging from hundreds to thousands of trillions of won, making the grumbling understandable. Yet, in the end, if people like Eric were saved by the watch¡ªthough I couldn¡¯t im the watch alone was responsible¡ªit seemed somewhat worth it. After all, it was a down payment that helped revive a crumbling America. Once the pandemic ended, though, the inevitable bacsh over spending such sums on deep-cover agents would hit hard, but that wasn¡¯t my problem. The demonstration began. Familiar gunfire filled the room. "You¡¯ve probably seen this turret before. We can¡¯t fully replicate the Icarus Gear¡¯s original targeting process, so its performance is a bit diminished." "There are some things you can¡¯t recreate." "Unfortunately, yes." Despite the deafening gunfire, the conversation felt mundane. I¡¯d seen this a thousand times in the ruins of New York, so it didn¡¯t have much impact. This demonstration was more a way to kill time until the analysis wasplete. They seemed to sense myck of enthusiasm. "So far, who else has seen this in person?" "The research team and Secretary J, mainly." "She must¡¯ve been quite surprised." There was no verbal answer, but a nod confirmed it. As several data points popped up in the air, Eric continued. "The current efficiency is roughly this level. Since we haven¡¯t seen it fully integrated with the Icarus Gear, we¡¯re not sure how much more we can improve it." "Probably by more than 70%." "¡­That¡¯s impressive." I thought it was only natural, though. There wasn¡¯t much else to ask. I¡¯d seen all these skills countless times before. If I wanted, I could¡¯ve even shared the targeting program codes and other behind-the-scenes details that they didn¡¯t know about. With about two and a half hours left until the analysis wasplete, it was clear Eric would be keeping mepany for the rest of that time. After a while, he asked a small question. "Where are you headed next?" "After DARPA?" "Yes." "Probably the Pentagon or Icarus headquarters. I¡¯m not sure about the former since there¡¯s no real reason to go there, but I definitely need to visit thetter." "You''re only hitting the major stops." "Yeah. I came for the final championship, but my to-do list keeps growing." ¡­Of course, that was just how I phrased it. I had known for a long time, even before boarding the ne, that there would be an overwhelming amount of things to do and discuss. The only surprise was howpressed the schedule had be. As we continued talking, we passed by the turret and drone testing area, eventually reaching the chemicaluncher and Hive test bench. This triggered a faint sense of unease. None of these ces held pleasant memories. There was a silent debate about who would bring up the topic first, but Eric cautiously broached it. "These are the tools every Icarus Operator carries. I was healed by one of them during the Columbus Circle battle. I¡¯d never seen anything like it before¡ªtruly incredible." "¡­Enough to heal gunshot wounds without leaving a trace, in record time." Nine shots to the abdomen. Thirteen to the left femur. Seven to the left calf. Fourteen to the right lung. Over the course of nearly five years, I¡¯d suffered countless wounds, but the nanomachine gel and miniature healing drones inside the Hive had buried all traces of the dozens of bullet wounds that should have marked my body. Scars were impossible. As the battle began, the gear would scan my body ten times per second to detect any injuries, and various nano tools¡ªmedical injectors, healing drones¡ªwould repair the damage instantly. Of course, there were limitations. Bones shattered by a direct hit couldn¡¯t be regenerated immediately, so about 20% of my skeleton was still reinforced by hardened nanomachines.@@novelbin@@ "Sigh." My smooth abdomen bore no signs of the countless bullets that had torn through it. Many people overlooked the fact that being an Icarus Operator didn¡¯t make the fight any easier. The bullets rained down fast enough to overwhelm even the shield, and a single stray round could significantly reduce yourbat ability if it struck an unprotected area. ¡­Not fond memories. However, "Still, I received rewards for my efforts, so I can¡¯t reallyin now." "Rewards for your efforts¡­ Oh!" Swish. It felt a bit strange to wear it myself, but as I lightly shifted my clothes, a distinctive medal came into view. More than just a piece of metal, it carried a weight beyond its physical form. Without needing further exnation, Eric saluted. I returned the salute and smiled slightly as he continued, still somewhat flustered. "That¡¯s an incredible reward. It¡¯s a shame it wasn¡¯t officially announced." "One soon-to-be president even asked if I wanted to try a tour in Pakistan." "Haha, that''s a pretty high-level joke. I get why they¡¯d want to give it to you so badly." Haha. And so, we continued chatting until the Icarus Gear¡¯s analysis was nearlyplete. "Transferplete. With this, you now own 100% of the think tank¡¯s shares. I doubt you n to run the entire operation yourself, so I¡¯ll assign a trustworthy executive to help manage things. Since you¡¯re leaving on January 1st, it might be worth meeting them if you have time." "Sure." "You seem to have some blueprint in mind. If you¡¯re not too busy, I¡¯d like to hear it." "We spent 20 years developing the Icarus Gear and the technology behind it. So, over the next ten to twenty years, I n to gradually release the various sub-technologies derived from it." "Isn¡¯t that a bit long?" "There are more spinoff technologies than you can imagine, Madam Secretary." At present, nothing else couldpare to the detection software. The Pulse that scans everything within a designated radius and draws conclusions. Drones tested with real-world data, guaranteed to function in the harshest environments. Medical nanomachines that, if applied in the medical field, would be worth far more than their weight in gold. Shields that could protect anything, and the extensive list of subordinate technologies that made it all work seamlessly. "If we release even ten new technologies each year, it¡¯ll more than cover the think tank¡¯s operating costs and secure the livelihoods of our staff. If we release twice that, their families will be set for generations." "That¡¯s quite a im." "I¡¯ve studied the gear and its technology to the point of losing some hair from stress, so I can guarantee it." Indeed. J had brought up the topic first, but discussing it now revealed that she hadn¡¯t fully examined all the details¡ªthough that wasn¡¯t really her fault. With her workload already piled high, it was impressive she had grasped even the basic outlines of the gear¡¯s capabilities. The Secretary of Defense, wearing an oddly amused expression, spoke again. "I¡¯ll leave the specifics to you. In just a few years, you¡¯ll be one of the wealthiest people ever." "Haha, should I start lobbying for you?" "What higher position could I even reach? Besides, I¡¯m a Republican, and even if I entered politics, my future wouldn¡¯t be bright. If the old Senate roon were Republican, maybe things would be different. I¡¯m content with a modest retirement home in Beverly Hills." "Anyone listening would think Beverly Hills is nothing but mountains and fields." Few people could downy one of the richest neighborhoods in the U.S. like that. Anyway, with the main discussion wrapped up, I could refine the future tech release nter using the watch I¡¯d soon get back. It seemed like my future would be rtively secure. J nced at her watch, then patted me on the shoulder. "Next time we meet, it¡¯ll be as civilians. Originally, you were supposed to visit the Pentagon and NSA as well, but after reviewing your schedule, we decided to drop those visits." "I¡¯m not sure if I should thank you for that." "It¡¯s nothing to worry about." With that, she left with a final word. "Chief of Staff Sorkins is waiting outside. You¡¯ve got a week off, so enjoy yourself. And I hope Icarus HQ has the answers you¡¯re looking for." "Thank you." As she disappeared into the distance, I returned my temporary ID and prepared to leave. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but my wallet felt heavier by the minute. "Maybe I should treat everyone to something niceter¡­" It seemed like the best way I could show my gratitude. There wasn¡¯t much left of my past to settle. Chapter 246 "Sorkins!" "Haha, the future billionaire is here¡ªack, cough, what is this body m, girl¡­!" Thud, bang. As soon as I stepped out of DARPA''s hallway into the cold winter air, another connection from my past revealed itself. A tall man with brown hair stood outside, waiting for me, dressed sharply in a suit. Edwin Sorkins. One of the ten members of Task Force Dagger and currently the Chief of Staff under the Secretary of Defense. Our reunion started in a rather aggressive manner, more like a body m than a proper greeting. Beneath his suit, I could feel the thin but distinctive sensation of body armor. No wonder he didn''t seem cold; he was wearing a multifunctional bulletproof vest under his clothes. Anyway¡ª "Only a Chief of Staff would walk around this well-armored on a regr basis." "...And you, with a mere body m, managed to inflict physical damage through said bulletproof vest. My insides are still reeling." "Haha, just a light greeting. How have you been?" "Same as always, dealing with the usual drudgery of being a Chief of Staff." Towering over me by a head, he reached out and ruffled my hair, a habit he had back when I was the youngest in the team. Back then, he ruffled my hair so much I feared I might go bald. Given our long-awaited reunion, I decided to let it slide this time. Though the outside wind was biting, I had no hesitation in activating the temperature control function of my Icarus Gear. Thanks to numerous meetings in the U.S., I had managed to ease my lingering PTSD, and now I could handle the winter morefortably. But of course, Sorkins, ever observant, had something to say. "Last I saw on your personal streaming channel, you hated even a little bit of cold. Got the temperature control working now?" "Yeah, it''s no longer something I have to worry about¡­ Wait, you watched my stream?!" "The fact that you didn¡¯t think I¡¯d watch is even more surprising. By the way, Chester spent the most money on your stream. Got bored while recovering, I guess." "Cough." Of course, he went on to say that every single member of Task Force Dagger had probably watched at least a few dozen times. I was mortified. The idea that they might have seen me giggling over strange weapons in some crafting game was enough to make my head spin. This is why streaming is a bad idea. Every little embarrassing moment gets broadcasted worldwide, and you can never meet your friends without awkwardness again. Anyway, hunger set in quickly since I hadn¡¯t eaten lunch yet. And the person in front of me was one of the most perceptive individuals I knew. "Let¡¯s grab some lunch. Seems like you¡¯re free for now, no?" "Yeah, I was supposed to stop by the Pentagon, but that got canceled. Probably because everyone¡¯s busy these days." "Of course. The Iowa caucuses are in two months. Everyone¡¯s getting ready for the storm ahead." "What about you?" "Well, as a think tank executive, I¡¯m set. Once you start funding thepany properly, I won¡¯t have to worry about my future. Not that I would, even if things didn¡¯t go well. I¡¯d just head back to the family estate." Screech. At that moment, a ck car appeared, carefully pulling up to the road outside DARPA. Even at a nce, it was clear this was no ordinary vehicle. Its windows were deeply tinted, making it impossible to see inside. Sorkins casually walked over to the car and opened the door. From the thickness of the doors alone, it was clear the vehicle had been heavily modified. Before I could ask if it was his car, he spoke up. "One of our unofficial government vehicles. No need to worry about any stray words leaking out. Get in. There¡¯s a reservation waiting for us. I even had a tailhole cut into the back seat for yourfort." "Oh, please." Still, I climbed into the car without protest. The moment I sat down, warmth filled the cabin. The cut-out in the seatback for my tail was a nice touch, making the ride morefortable. As the door closed automatically, the car began smoothly navigating the streets of Washington, D.C. Like the bus I took to Incheon Airport, this car, too, was autonomously driven¡ªamon sight in this era. Rolling my eyes a bit, I wasn¡¯t bored but curious, so I essed the vehicle''swork through my Icarus Gear, wanting to figure out our destination. "Conrad Hotel, Washington D.C., huh. I was debating whether to stay the night or head back to New York." "So, you hacked the car in the meantime. This vehicle is reinforced with thetest security protocols, by the way¡­ but as you¡¯ve seen, we¡¯re headed to the Conrad Hotel." Suddenly, I wondered why a hotel, but Sorkins exined further. "There aren¡¯t many restaurants in this area for various reasons, but there are plenty of government offices and key American institutions nearby. Naturally, the ces entertaining important guests are luxury hotels around here, where famous chefs are often stationed temporarily to prepare meals for dignitaries." "So, instead of the nearby restaurants, we¡¯re headed to a hotel where top chefs are serving short stints for important guests." "Exactly. You catch on quick." He patted me on the shoulder and opened up a different topic. "I hear you¡¯ve been hanging out with the ''Shark,'' the ''Pr Bear,'' and the Senior Officer a lottely?" "It¡¯s been quite the ruckus." "Sounds lively. Makes me wonder if I should¡¯ve reconsidered retiring." "Miss the chaos, do you?" "Some people are born for the military, you know. What¡¯s moneypared to that?" Heughed briefly. Thatugh brought back memories, and I feltpelled to ask something that had been on my mind for years. "That reminds me, you used to tell me I wasn¡¯t cut out for the military every time we locked eyes. You always said you''d exin after the mission, but you never did." "Haha, that¡¯s right¡­." He hesitated for a moment before finally answering carefully. "You¡¯re not asking because you genuinely don¡¯t know, right?" "...I wanted to hear it from you." "Figures." With that, he pressed a button. Suddenly, the view transformed into something out of a dream. The walls and roof of the vehicle turned into transparent holograms, revealing the bustling city outside. The heart of Washington D.C., the frozen Potomac River, and the intact Roosevelt Ind came into view. As I nced around at the winterndscape, Sorkins spoke. "A city that reeks of corpses and gunpowder isn¡¯t good for anyone¡¯s sanity." "¡­" "Looking at you now, this is the best I¡¯ve ever seen you." Of course. I couldn¡¯t hold back myughter and replied yfully. "You¡¯ve always had a way of making things awkward, Edwin ''Butterkins'' Sorkins. Is that cheesiness I smell? Should I get out and grab a cab instead?" "Damn it, not that nickname again! Is my way of speaking really that strange?" "I don¡¯t know. Maybe you should ask someone else." "You''re the one who should tell me, you!" Haha. I had a feeling my time in Washington D.C. wouldn¡¯t be boring. "¡­So, that happened." "What an idiot¡­" Laughter filled the room. As expected of the capital, Washington D.C.''s nightscape was as impressive as New York¡¯s. The reason I was talking about this now was because key members of Task Force Dagger had driven all the way to Washington to join me. The reason was simple enough. "We took three weeks off, and our youngest keeps running around? That¡¯s not okay!" "Ouch, it hurts. Stop biting me, Lorentina! You know how sharp your teeth are, right?" "Oh, stop whining." "You stripped cable wires with those teeth once." "Pfft¡ª!" Logan almost spit out his drinkughing, probably because that was a story only Lorentina and I knew. I realized I might have just shared something I shouldn¡¯t have, especially when Logan shot me a look that said, I¡¯ve got you now. "I can¡¯t believe we¡¯ve got someone here who bites through underwater cables. Must be a DEVGRU specialty." "Eugene!" "Hey, hey, don¡¯t pick on our youngest." Suddenly, I felt something soft and squishy press against my neck¡ªthere was no denying what it was. Lorentina¡¯s famous hugs had once again found their mark, but thankfully, Logan intervened before I could get properly nibbled on. Meanwhile, our Senior Officer, already used to these antics, was casually chatting with the somewhat bewildered bartender, paying us no mind. He was good at ignoring things when necessary. The conversation naturally shifted. "Seems like our youngest is going to be the richest of us all. Are we getting a cut of that retirement bonus?" "Don¡¯t worry. Everyone on Task Force Dagger will get a percentage." "Now that¡¯s good news. How big is it going to get?" "Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­" After a moment of thought, I used my Icarus Gear to quickly calcte. "If everything goes well, it could grow to be as big as Apple one day." "Holy hell." "Hey, Eugene, about that bite earlier¡­ sorry." "Haha, no need to apologize." Weughed and bantered for about five minutes before the conversation shifted back to Sorkins.@@novelbin@@ "Funny how the guy who set this up isn¡¯t even here." "He mentioned visiting his hometown since he had some time off. He left right after lunch, so he didn¡¯t know we were all gathering. I bet he¡¯ll regret it once he finds out." "Knowing him, he definitely will." At that moment, someone activated the soundproofing. The bartender, having noticed the signal, discreetly stepped away, and our table became an ind of privacy in the bustling bar. It wasn¡¯t like we were nning anything grand, just reminiscing about old memories. Even so, it was the kind of conversation that couldn¡¯t be allowed to leak. It began with a simple question. "If we had stayed there, what would we be doing now?" "It¡¯s been five years since the Omega Virus outbreak, so I imagine we¡¯d spend another three years or so helping rebuild the country." "Three more years in that hellhole¡­ now that I think about it, it sounds awful." "It was never pleasant. And with our youngest gone, it was probably worse than expected." "Hey, I¡¯m right here now, aren¡¯t I?" "You have no idea how grateful we are for that." Really? Lorentina had been the one to bring up the topic, so I began thinking too. I was genuinely curious. If I had stayed, what would my life have been like? I probably would¡¯ve continued fighting to help rebuild that ce. But suddenly, another thought crossed my mind. ''¡­That world has influenced the people here significantly through something called timeline synchronization¡­ but is that really all?'' What if it wasn¡¯t just one way? What if that world, too, was influenced by factors from this one? Was that possible? And if so, how? "Eugene, something wrong?" "No¡­ just thinking." The pieces of the puzzle regarding my visit to Icarus HQ were slowly falling into ce. "I¡¯ll have plenty of questions to ask at HQ tomorrow." "Yeah, find out what tricks they pulled to sell off our past so eagerly. I¡¯ll even let you off the hook if you give them hell." "Oh, please." Night was falling deeper. The time to face the truth wasn¡¯t far away. Chapter 247 Sigh. "The weather¡¯s really biting today. They said it¡¯s a once-in-50-years cold snap. But you don¡¯t seem too chilly today, huh?" "I¡¯ve got the temperature control on today. But hearing that from someone wearing shorts and a T-shirt makes it hard to take you seriously." "Feels nice and crisp to me. Like a cool autumn breeze." It was 6 a.m. Even though the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, Washington, D.C., was already bustling. As soon as we left the hotel, cars filled the northwest avenue, all headed somewhere. Just getting out of the city would take a lot of effort. Our destination? Manhattan, New York¡ªspecifically, Two Bridges, where Icarus HQ was located. We could¡¯ve flown there, but mypanions insisted on driving, so I didn¡¯t have much choice but to ept their offer. It felt like New York Avenue Northeast, the road we were on, was guiding us directly to New York. We then merged onto the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. To reach New York, we¡¯d have to pass through the major cities of Baltimore and Phdelphia, so it almost seemed like the road was showing us the way. Fortunately, the traffic wasn¡¯t as bad as I had feared, given the early hour. There were still more cars than I would¡¯ve liked, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable. It was going to be a 4-hour, 30-minute journey. Logan was driving, of course¡ªit was his car. We¡¯d barely set out, so none of us were sleepy yet. In other words, it was prime time for conversation. I decided to break the ice with whatever came to mind. "What were you all up to beforeing to Washington?" "Just wandering around, checking out old battlegrounds. It was actually kinda fun. Better than just drinking and wasting my entire three-week vacation." "That¡¯s not all we did¡­ Took care of some overconfident punks shing their guns, got offered a modeling gig, the usual. Never gets old." "Sounds like a bunch of crazy stuff keeps happening to you guys." I mean, seriously. Even if they didn¡¯t know who you were, people would be wise to steer clear if they sensed something was off, right? But I guess some folks just don¡¯t have that kind ofmon sense. Anyway, I could already imagine how it went down¡ªprobably just one well-ced punch, and it was over. We slowly made our way out of Washington, exchanging stories that were hard to even categorize as "heroic." "Anyone want to switch drivers when we stop for breakfast in Philly?" "If you¡¯re buying breakfast, I¡¯ll take over." "You¡¯re getting dropped off in Philly, so it doesn¡¯t matter. Senior Officer, mind taking the wheel?" "Looks like I¡¯m the only suitable candidate." "You¡¯re going to switch to autopilot anyway if you get tired, but you just have to act like you¡¯re doing it all yourself¡­." For the record, I could drive too, but these guys wouldn¡¯t let me near the wheel. They still remembered the times I wrecked a car every time I drove. Clearly, that was a painful memory for them. They didn¡¯t even ask me if I wanted to drive. That said, Logan and Christopher¡¯s bickering didn¡¯tst long. Everyone but Logan passed out within a short time. After all the drinkingst night, it wasn¡¯t a surprise. I hadn¡¯t touched a drop of alcohol, knowing full well my bad habit of sleepwalking. "...Ah, the sun¡¯sing up." "Eugene." "Yeah?" "Get some sleep. Better to time your naps so you can chat properlyter." ...I guess that makes sense. It was funny, but notpletely illogical. And considering howte we stayed up talkingst night, I was starting to feel a little drowsy myself. I was going to ask Logan if he was bored, but he seemed content driving manually. If he didn¡¯t want to, he could¡¯ve just switched to autopilot and taken a nap himself. He¡¯d manage on his own, I figured. The seat wasfortable, and it didn¡¯t take long for sleep to take over. How much time had passed? -[Alert: Arrival in Phdelphia in 5 minutes.] "Urgh¡­ are we there already? Wee to Phdelphia, everyone." "Sounds like you drove us here yourself." "I warmed the seat, so let¡¯s call it even." "Says the guy who was napping." Despite his earlier "reassuring" words, Lorentina had slept through most of the drive in the driver''s seat. She and Logan exchanged banter as she pulled up a holographic disy in front of us, quickly popting the windshield with a list of nearby breakfast ces. But our options weren¡¯t great. Due to the heavy snow, most restaurants had dyed their opening times. It was also still quite early. "So, what¡¯s the n?" "The university area in the city center should have some ces open." "Do students even go to school in weather like this?" "Not sure, but I don¡¯t think the semester is quite over yet. And seriously, who here even remembers their university days? Most of us finished our graduate programs ages ago." I suddenly felt everyone¡¯s eyes on me. "...Why are you all looking at me? I¡¯ve never even been to a U.S. university!" These guys seemed to think I was born and raised in America. Meanwhile, the car had exited the main highway and entered Phdelphia¡¯s city streets. It felt a bit like Seoul, in that we had to cross a river to get into the city center. The main difference here was that the southern part of the city was packed with residential areas. After crossing the Whitman Bridge and entering downtown, the first thing we noticed were the snow-clearing efforts still underway. But even with the snow, we could still spot groups of people¡ªstudents, judging by their backpacks¡ªheading to their destinations. One thing stood out. "Even in this weather, food trucks are still operating." "Well, there¡¯s no reason not to. It¡¯s cold, so the ingredients won¡¯t spoil easily¡­." And these days, food trucks had all the essentials, like windbreaks and heaters. So despite the freezing weather, the number of students milling about was surprising. Quite a lot of students, actually. "...There are more people here than I expected. We might have to think more about where to eat than what to eat." "For the record, if anyone suggests eating in my car, I¡¯ll hang you out of the window until we reach Two Bridges." "Maybe we should just ask the students?" "That sounds like the best n." After parking the car in a nearby lot, we ventured into the biting cold. Thanks to the preloaded map, we didn¡¯t have to worry about getting lost. We didn¡¯t walk long before we spotted a group of college students casually strolling towards what seemed like a destination. They would be our first targets for information. After a quick game of rock-paper-scissors, Logan was the one chosen to approach them. "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" "Oh, sure¡ªuh, whoa!" "What¡¯s wrong, Manson? Why are you¡ªwait, huh?"@@novelbin@@ Of course, there was one thing we overlooked. EM-ss Awakeners were so rare that there might not even be 20 of them in the world. Here, there were three of us standing together. Breakfast was shaping up to be moreplicated than we thought. The university dining hall was bustling with students, more so than usual due to the cold. It was already a popr spot, but with the weather, the warm building had be even more of a refuge. Plus, the fall semester was just a few days from ending, so the campus was more packed than ever. And today, amidst this chaos, a massive bomb had dropped. "...Whoever said eating in the car would get us hung out the window,e forward." "Never thought I¡¯d be so grateful for my squadmates. Really didn¡¯t expect it to be here of all ces." "Didn¡¯t know our Senior Officer had such a knack for ck humor, like the SAS guys." At this point, the dining hall at the University of Pennsylvania¡ªwhere we were now¡ªhad turned into a peculiar and chaotic scene. While Americans are generally open-minded, even curious, they weren¡¯t about to directly ask us for autographs or pictures. We weren¡¯t celebrities, after all. But curiosity knows no bounds, and the result of that curiosity was the current situation. In simple terms, we were under heavy scrutiny. The most attention was on Logan and me. "Now that I think about it, choosing toe to a crowded university because no restaurants were open was a self-destructive move. I¡¯ll admit it." "We could¡¯ve just grabbed groceries from a quiet shop near the highway and cooked for ourselves." "Whatever. Let¡¯s just eat quickly and get out of here. I¡¯m used to this kind of attention anyway." "Our youngest has gotten quite bold, hasn¡¯t she? Comes with being a streamer, I suppose." It¡¯s not like being stared at would hurt me. Well, Logan might be feeling the strain. His bear ears were twitching ever so slightly while he ate, and his expression was a bit awkward. Lorentina chuckled at him and added. "You won¡¯t be back to your main gig until next year, so why not do a bit of fan service? You¡¯re the North American representative for Dark Zone, after all." "Not sure anyone¡¯s brave enough toe up and ask for an autograph." "Our youngest has already signed a few things. Time for you to step up." "Pass." By the way, those few autographs I¡¯d already given? That was the result of a reasonable request from some of the students who had managed to approach us¡ªmany of them wanted a signature. It was the most appropriate, normal thing they could ask for in this situation. In short, they¡¯d asked for my autograph. "...Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your meal. Are you the Korean streamer, Eugene? I watch your content all the time. I brought this cake from a nearby dessert shop¡ªif it¡¯s alright¡­." "Oh, thank you so much! Let me sign something for you." Swish. And so, another food gift was added to our table. I signed the notebook they offered and wrote a little message: ¡°Good luck with your finals!¡±¡ªa simple but appreciated sentiment with the semester so close to ending. The gifts kepting. Scarves, gloves, cake slices, waffles¡ªeven a bottle of wine someone had brought for their end-of-semester party. By the time it was all said and done, one student had kindly provided us with arge basket to carry everything in. "I run a small YouSpace channel, but apparently that¡¯s enough for people to recognize me." "Our youngest sure knows how to downy her sess." "Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯ll share some of the choctes I got with youter." "Now you¡¯re speaking mynguage." After feeding Logan one of the choctes, his expression brightened. At least it was a good one. We wrapped up the meal faster than we normally would have. Thankfully, we managed to eat all the food we¡¯d gathered from the food trucks without leaving anything behind. Once we finished cleaning up, we quickly left the dining hall. Not only would we be a disturbance if we stayed too long, but... -[Al^@rt: Icar^ru8s Code WC-EG-ISBALT-LWIPPG-0810] -[Al^#&rt: #%^!#, Phdelphia. It¡¯s almost# !%1^#$ time. How¡¯ve you been^#(?] -[#&!@#rt: Ah^#!%@, see you in a bit!^@!^$.] I needed time to take a closer look at this message. None of the others could see the holographic message, and even if they had, I doubted they¡¯d understand. The text was garbled beyond recognition. But despite the garbled message, I had a pretty good idea of where it wasing from. Remnants of the past. The final chapter at Indian Point. "Alright, let¡¯s head out. To Two Bridges. Shouldn¡¯t take more than 30 minutes." The car¡¯s engine roared to life as we pulled away. With the memories of our brief stop in Pennsylvania behind us, we sped along Route 95, passing barren fields and dense forests, crossing the boundary between New Jersey and New York. And before long, we crossed the Hudson River and were back in Manhattan. After navigating the city¡¯splex web of streets, we reached Two Bridges, where the East River came into view just 10 minutester. A ck skyscraper, identical to the one I¡¯d seen in Yeouido, loomed before us. "Good luck in there." "Want us to wait for you?" "I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯ll take, but if I¡¯m not back in two hours, feel free to head back to the hotel." "Got it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle things just fine. Hope you get the answers you¡¯re looking for." Click. With those words, I stepped out of the car. Somewhere inside that building, the answers to my past were waiting for me. Meanwhile... -[Trending Topic: Unexpected Visitors at the University of Pennsylvania¡­ (Click to read more)] "...What is she doing all the way out in Phdelphia?" "She¡¯s an interesting one, that¡¯s for sure." Despite the conversation, their screens showed Eugene¡¯s surprised expression, captured during her brief visit to Phdelphia. There would be plenty of stories waiting for her when she returned. Chapter 248 There¡¯s amon misconception that pervades the world. It¡¯s the belief that opportunity onlyes when you¡¯re fully prepared for it, that you¡¯ll walk down a red carpet, ready to sit on a throne prepared just for you. Many think they¡¯ll be ready when the timees, but that¡¯s just an illusion. The truth, though less widely acknowledged, is that opportunities often present themselves in every moment of decision, and people frequently forget that. It didn¡¯t take me long to realize this. -[Notification: Please select your visitor badge type.] I was standing in front of a ck building simr to the one I¡¯d seen in Yeouido. Koreans referred to it as ¡°Yeouido¡¯s Jelly,¡± but here in New York, it was dubbed the "Dark Chocte Bar." The name was as direct as it was amusing. Despite being aware of the illusion, I couldn¡¯tpletely avoid falling for it myself. I had expected something dramatic, something momentous to await me. But as I watched the countless Icarus employees rushing about in preparation for the Final Championship, I started to wonder if I had misunderstood the nature of my visit. Still... ¡­ Even that thought might just be another fleeting misconception. I gently ced my finger on the kiosk in front of me, clearing my mind of distractions. Unlike in Korea, the process here at headquarters was more unconventional. Visitors were required to create a one-time badge based on the purpose of their visit. I¡¯d heard there were many ways to issue these badges, but today, I had a different path ahead of me. I pulled up a holographic message. It contained a series of instructions, codes, and keywords sent through the official Icarus International email, including a code I had received 40 minutes ago. Following these, I unlocked a new ess route that hadn¡¯t existed in the kiosk''s system before. A few tapster, I input my personal authentication code. Then, suddenly¡ª ©¤Whirrr! ¡°¡­There was something after all.¡± I watched as a small round scanner emitted a redser, clearly designed for authentication. The only thing I could offer it was the device strapped to my wrist. -[Notification: ICARUS GEAR // Authenticating¡­] -[Notification: Authenticationplete. Visitor badge issued. Please activate the augmented reality function of your lens.] Of course. I blinked, and a hologram spread out before me, scanning the unique visitor badge that had just been issued. As new information appeared on the disy, it guided me along the path I needed to take. I carefully hung the badge around my neck, itsnyard neatly provided, and then approached the automatic ss doors. The moment I swiped my badge, a green light signaled my clearance. I didn¡¯t pay it much attention. My focus was on whaty beyond. ©¤Ding! ¡°...Well, isn¡¯t this convenient?¡± Right on cue, the elevator arrived and its doors opened. The sleek, modern walls bore a panel for scanning keycards and buttons indicating the building¡¯s various floors. However, when I ced my badge against the panel, the elevator began descending toward the basement instead of any upper level. It was almost clich¨¦ in its execution. The descent didn¡¯t take long. When the doors opened, I found myself in front of an unmanned checkpoint. The area seemed abandoned, covered in dust and with no signs of recent human presence. Beep! The gate opened with a mechanical click, revealing what appeared to be a solid wall. With a deep rumble, the wall began to shift, sliding open like the entrance to a secretir. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the dramatic ir. The hidden wall didn¡¯t close behind me as I stepped through. I guessed it would remain open as long as someone was inside. Walking down the short corridor, I mentally reviewed the fragmented pieces of information I¡¯d gathered about Icarus and the Dark Zone over time. Rumors about stolen AI control, whispers of ndestine updates¡ªwild, sci-fi-level stuff. At first, it sounded like typical conspiracy theory nonsense. But if those rumors came from the upper echelons¡ªbe it political or economic¡ªthen they carried a weight that couldn¡¯t be ignored. When the context shifts, so do the stakes. What was once idle gossip bes a truth that must remain hidden. Eventually, I reached another solid wall, identical to the one at the kiosk. The scanner on the wall indicated that nothing could stop me from proceeding. ©¤Grind! The wall slid open, revealing a vast, dark, spherical chamber. Scanning with my Icarus Gear, I estimated the space to be about 130 meters in diameter. Suddenly, floating tforms emerged from the ground. No digital systems seemed involved¡ªpure levitation. And just like that, my Icarus Gear went dark. The clock that could function in any condition had just shut down. That was when I realized¡ªI was about to confront memories I had never shared with anyone. As the chamber brightened slightly, I slowly approached the mainframe at its center. I knew they could hear me, so I spoke, breaking the silence. "AI, huh? You¡¯re really going to hide behind such a flimsy excuse?" The ones who had brought me back to this ce. The ones who were waiting. Their response appeared in letters suspended in the air. -[<----> : Wee.] -[<----> : It¡¯s been a while since Indian Point, hasn¡¯t it?] I wasn¡¯t sure if they would answer, but this was the moment to ask the questions I had been holding onto for so long. At the end of the chamber was a single chair, prepared just for me. I sat down cautiously, taking a moment to organize my thoughts. Silence filled the space. There were so many questions. My mind felt tangled before I even began speaking. It was almostughable how my head throbbed before I could even ask my first question. After several deep breaths, I managed to sort through the chaotic thoughts. Slowly, rity returned as the first concrete questions began to form. Looking directly at the central camera on the mainframe, I opened my mouth. "It was you who saved me, wasn¡¯t it?" -[<----> : Yes.] Of course. Hearing the confirmation, the once foggy images of that harrowing day at Indian Point began to crystallize. It was they who had saved me from the brink of death during the nuclear disaster. As the memories solidified, a dozen more questions simmered in the back of my mind, but there was one thing I needed to say before anything else. I raised my head and met the central screen''s gaze, my voice sincere. "Thank you. Truly." -[<----> : I¡¯m d to hear that. It¡¯s good to see you so much moreposed than before. However¡­] "However?" -[<----> : It¡¯s still a bit early to be thanking us. There¡¯s a lot left unresolved, and I¡¯m sure you have many questions as well, don¡¯t you?] "¡­Yes." The truth was undeniable. What exactly were Icarus and the Dark Zone? Why had this happened to me? What did it really mean to be an "Awakener"? So many questions. I felt like I could beg these people for answers all day long. But it seemed they understood that. A calm voice emerged from the speakers, the sound both pleasant and disarming. -[<----> : Answering those questions is part of why we¡¯re here today. I hope this conversation will help clear up some of your doubts.] The sound of pages flipping apanied the voice. Then, in a clear tone, they continued with an unexpected revtion. -[<----> : By now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve wondered ¡®why¡¯ the Dark Zone game even exists, but before we get into that, let me exin why you became involved in the first ce.] -[<----> : Eugene, you are one of the most prominent victims of a ¡°collision of worldlines.¡± The inexplicable events you¡¯ve experienced can only be exined by this phenomenon.] "¡­Worldline collisions?" -[<----> : Do you recall the day your body first changed? The series of logically impossible events that followed?] I remembered. It was like a nightmare¡ªthe day I was suddenly thrown into a foreign metropolis with no warning. One moment, I was asleep at home; the next, I woke up on the frozen streets of an empty New York in the dead of winter. The cold that made me retch, the eerie, abandoned streets, the strange, monstrous tail that had grown from my body. And, of course, the bizarre, multicolored lightning shing beyond the Brooklyn Bridge. That horrific scene was carved into my memory, never to fade. If their exnation was correct¡­ that must have been the result of a worldline collision. My head pounded with the effort of making sense of it, but no other answer seemed possible. Something so illogical could only have a simrly illogical exnation. Yet there was something even more important to ask. "So, you¡¯re saying it waspletely unpredictable?" -[<----> : Unfortunately, yes. Even our department didn¡¯t have the capability to prevent the collision. We could only clean up afterward.] Completely unpredictable. In other words, I had just been unlucky. The reason I had spent nearly five years walking through hell boiled down to sheer bad luck. It was an infuriatingly convenient exnation. But¡­ "If I had heard this back when I first returned, I think I would¡¯ve been mentally shaken." But I wasn¡¯t, not now. Why was that? Maybe it was because of the small medal still hanging around my neck, the one that represented my pride. Or maybe it was because of myrades, waiting for me outside this building. Or my students, eagerly awaiting my return just a few kilometers away. It hadn¡¯t even been a few months since I¡¯de back, and while I still carried the scars of trauma and PTSD, both mentally and physically, I didn¡¯t feel fragile. And¡ª "Thankfully, that¡¯s not the case now. I¡¯ve experienced a lot since then. My past hasn¡¯t been denied, and I¡¯ve already been rewarded for my efforts¡ªboth materially and emotionally." The weight of the medal at my neck was the weight of pride. From the moment I set foot in the U.S., my past had caught up with me in the form of old connections, and ever since, I¡¯d found the strength to endure everything, even the cold, bitter winds of my memories. I steeled myself. No, I had to. I hade here to hear these truths. Sitting firmly in the chair, I felt a new sense of resolve. Almost as if they could sense it, the voice over the speaker continued, relieved. -[<----> : I¡¯m d you¡¯vee to terms with this. It was difficult to bring up. "There¡¯s still a long road ahead. I can¡¯t afford to stop now." I thought I heard a faint chuckle from the other end. The atmosphere had lightened, and now, the countless questions I had locked away began to resurface. But I already knew the first thing I had to ask. A clue I¡¯d gathered from Loren Tina¡¯s remarks.@@novelbin@@ "I¡¯ve spent a lot of time thinking about the term ¡®worldline synchronization.¡¯" A brief silence. But I continued. The scattered fragments of my thoughts began to coalesce, forming arger, more coherent idea. I dismissed unnecessary questions and focused on the core issue. The most important thing was that the term ¡°worldline synchronization¡± had appeared twice, and each time, the world around me had changed. That was a critical point. When Ipleted the main mission, the term first appeared. And with it, memories of another world began to surface in people¡¯s minds. That was the first synchronization. But¡ª "After Ipleted the first Incursion scenario, the term appeared again when I least expected it." At first, I hadn¡¯t thought much of it. But Loren Tina¡¯sment had opened a door in my mind, and the logic that had once seemed vague now rushed forward with newfound rity. It was simple¡ªthe other world didn¡¯t just affect this one. What if the reverse were true as well? There had been several Incursion scenarios, but their chronological arrangement pointed to a single truth: In a few more scenarios, I would be heading back to where it all began¡ªIndian Point Nuclear Power nt. In other words, the second worldline synchronization would likelyplete when I finished that mission. If my theory was correct, If Ipleted that mission, Then¡ª -[<----> : ¡­You¡¯re thinking that Incursion scenarios don¡¯t just depict the past, but they could also influence the other world through missions set in the future, aren¡¯t you?] -[<----> : Correct. It¡¯s possible. The moment that was confirmed, I let out a short gasp¡ªif that were true, then I could also begin to understand the true nature of the Dark Zone. This wasn¡¯t just a game. It was a conduit between two worlds, a junction point that allowed them to observe each other. I spoke cautiously, but with certainty, locking eyes with the central camera. "The Dark Zone isn¡¯t just a game, is it? It¡¯s more like a portal, connecting two worlds and serving as a way to observe both. Isn¡¯t that right?" Silence followed. But I knew instinctively that this was the correct answer. That exined how the Dark Zone had been able to so urately portray a world that no one should have remembered and how it had managed to indirectly pass on those forgotten memories. And then, a voice from the speakers responded. I smiled and added, softly: "Looks like I¡¯ll be staying here a bit longer." The conversation wasn¡¯t over. There were still many things I needed to hear. Chapter 249 A brief silence filled the room. No one spoke, as if everyone was using the pause to process the shocking revtions from the conversation thus far. Why had I ended up like this? What exactly was ¡°worldline synchronization¡±? What truly was the Dark Zone? These questions had led to startling answers that were almost too much to digest. By this point, I could have left, satisfied with the answers I¡¯d received. The conversation had already resolved more than half of the questions that had weighed on my mind for so long. Some answers were difficult to ept, but others made sense. Still, I couldn¡¯t fully rx. There were still a few more truths I needed to uncover, and I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of shocking answers I might hear next. It wasn¡¯t time to divert the conversation just yet. "Let¡¯s continue from where we left off." I had learned a lot: what the Dark Zone was, how I had ended up like this, and how worldline synchronization connected two worlds, affecting them both in different ways. The first significant impact was the reawakening of memories connected to the Omega Virus incident and people like me who had lived through it. The second, yet-to-be-confirmed impact would ur when Ipleted the Indian Point mission and synchronization ended. The mission would somehow influence the world beyond, just as they had promised. But a new question formed in my mind. If all of this was true¡ª "Why are these events happening in the first ce? What is this game ultimately trying to achieve?" The fact that the game even existed suggested it had the power to interfere with another worldline. And since we already knew the reverse was possible¡ªmemories synchronizing through worldlines¡ªthe potential for more people like me, victims of such interference, was real. I had to know the underlying purpose. After a moment, the camera focused on me, signaling a response. -[<----> : To answer that question, we must exin why the Dark Zone and Icarus International were created. This was something we nned to discuss eventually, and now seems like the perfect time.] -[<----> : ording to the information we¡¯ve gathered, the Dark Zone and Icarus International function as a sort of immune system, created to recover from the damage caused by worldline collisions. In short, the game¡¯s ultimate goal is theplete restoration of both worlds and their separation.] I nodded, understanding what they meant. It was reassuring to know that this massive, world-spanning game had a legitimate purpose. But there was one part I couldn¡¯t ignore. "It sounds like you¡¯re not as involved in this as I originally thought." -[<----> : That¡¯s a reasonable assumption. But to rify, while we¡¯re connected to this, our department is not directly rted to the Dark Zone or Icarus International.] "So you¡¯re involved... but not really?" -[<----> : If you¡¯re asking whether we¡¯ve influenced the game¡¯s methods of achieving its goal, then yes, we¡¯ve yed a role. If we hadn¡¯t intervened, things could have gone very wrong during the second worldline synchronization.] They continued, exining further. -[<----> : Without our intervention, the game might have sent its yers, the people participating in the Incursion scenarios, to the other world to stabilize it. Victims like you could have be far moremon.] -[<----> : The system prioritizes achieving its objective, and the legality of its methods is irrelevant. "That¡¯s¡­" So I wasn¡¯t wrong. The worry I¡¯d had earlier wasn¡¯t baseless; it had been a legitimate concern about a ticking time bomb. But since they had directly intervened, I no longer had to fear a repeat of my own disaster. Going forward, the task was simple. They would prepare the scenarios, and I would clear them. I didn¡¯t fully understand the mechanisms behind it, but the scenarios after the second worldline synchronization would follow events that took ce after my MIA status at Indian Point Nuclear Power nt. Until the other world waspletely stable. In other words, I was about to personally finish the job I¡¯d never imagined I¡¯d get toplete¡ªthe one I¡¯d thought was impossible. "So, when you said there were still unresolved matters¡­ this is what you meant." It was a straightforward and clear solution. But to get here, I¡¯d needed help from so many people, including those who had saved me and brought me back to this ce¡ªthese very people I was now speaking to. There was something I needed to say. "¡­Thank you. Truly." For saving me. For giving me the chance toe back. I had so many things I wanted to express, but this simple phrase was all I could muster with my limited words. Sinceing to America, there had been so many moments that brought tears to my eyes. I had been helped by so many people; how could I not feel moved? Even though I felt the sting of emotion now, thankfully, I didn¡¯t break down in front of them as I had when I received my medal a few days ago. The Medal of Honor had rewarded my past efforts, and this conversation had given me answers to questions I hadn¡¯t even known to ask. It had promised to fulfill a desire I hadn¡¯t been aware I harbored. I still didn¡¯t fully trust the Dark Zone, but I knew that without this game, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I wouldn¡¯t have been ready to hear all of this, and perhaps, I wouldn¡¯t havee at all. Their voice echoed softly in the chamber, pulling me from my thoughts. -[<----> : That¡¯s the reason our department was founded. In a way, we¡¯ve also been rewarded. A brief silence followed. Then, they spoke again. -[<----> : When everything is finally over,e back and see us. Perhaps we¡¯ll be able to share a meal together. "You¡¯re remarkable people." Of course, I couldn¡¯t refuse their offer. I also realized that I needed to change my approach. "Originally, I was nning to ask all my questions today, but since we¡¯ll meet again, I guess I don¡¯t need to." -[<----> : You can still ask now if you want. "Hmm." I smiled and added with a lighthearted tone. "I¡¯ll save at least one question for next time. That way, I¡¯ll be curious enough to return, and you¡¯ll have something to answer." In other words, I was simply expressing my hope for a warm reunion in the future. They seemed to catch on quickly, replying with amusement. -[<----> : You¡¯re right. I hope our next meeting will be as rxed as this one. Though, I suspect you¡¯re not quite ready to leave yet, are you? "No." There was still plenty of time, and far more to discuss. The chair creaked as I shifted, and their voice echoed through the speakers. -[<----> : Then perhaps we can sit back and chat about what¡¯s happened in the meantime. Should I bring some popcorn? "You¡¯ll need a lot." -[<----> : Sounds like fun. It seemed we were in for an enjoyable conversation. "Phew." It was cold outside, but the sky hadn¡¯t darkened yet. Though I¡¯d entered the building around noon, it was already 4 p.m. when I stepped outside. The Icarus Gear had been turned off during our conversation, so my sense of time had been skewed. I hadn¡¯t expected four hours to pass so quickly. As expected, there was no one waiting for me when I left. But that didn¡¯t worry me. All I had to decide was whether to take the subway back or hail a taxi. It was toote for lunch and too early for dinner. After wandering the city for so long, even the hotel might feel unfamiliar. Since I had some time, I thought about exploring Manhattan for a bit. Myst memory of the area was when the storm had hit Lower Manhattan. But now, seeing it intact brought a strange sense of cognitive dissonance. "I know my way around, but I have no idea what¡¯s here¡­" Cafes, ces to visit¡ªI didn¡¯t know what was what. My only memories were of gunfights in eerily simr streets. I had spent four years in New York, yet I barely knew my way around. It was something that would make for a good joke in aedy routine. Well, at least I had some money. I spoke English like a second nativenguage, and as long as I avoided dangerous areas, I¡¯d be fine. Just as I was about to take a random step forward¡ª "And where do you think you¡¯re sneaking off to, rookie?" "¡­I told you to go back and rest if I didn¡¯t show up after two hours." "What¡¯s so hard about waiting for four hours? Get in, I¡¯ll take you to Central Park." And just like that, my escape n crumbled as the infamous Miss DevGru, Loren Tina, appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me by the neck. I was shoved into Logan¡¯s waiting van, my body slumping into the cushioned seat designed for my tail. I barely had time to settle in before the questions started flying¡ªWhat is the Dark Zone? What happened? Naturally, I couldn¡¯t say a word, but instead of pressing me further, these perceptiverades began to piece things together on their own. These special forces veterans were nothing if not sharp. "Looks like you¡¯re under orders not to spill anything." "There must be a good reason for it. Our rookie wouldn¡¯t keep quiet for no reason." "¡­Please don¡¯t call me a rookie. I¡¯m an adult, you know." But my protest was immediately squashed. As I became Loren Tina¡¯s makeshift pillow, enduring her yful pinches, Logan drove us through the heart of Manhattan. Time passed, and I started to grasp what was happening. They were interested in the Dark Zone, but they weren¡¯t taking it too seriously. It was clear they trusted me not to withhold information unless it was necessary. If it were something critical, I would have told them. So, the conversation drifted to lighter topics. "By the way, where are you all staying?" "Upper East Side, in a mansion one of my friends owns. It¡¯s more than enough space for the three of us." "¡­Upper East Side? Isn¡¯t that where the super-rich live?" "My friend works for a pretty decent PMC." That made sense. They weren¡¯t the type to book a hotel for weeks, and even if they had the money, it wasn¡¯t their style. It was all about connections. Thinking about it, I realized I had made quite a few connections myself during my time with Icarus. There was Serkins, the secretary to the defense minister, and Chester, a Hopkins graduate and elite field medic¡­ Well, now that I was a Medal of Honor recipient, maybe I didn¡¯t need to feel out of ce among such people anymore. Still, I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that our time together wasing to an end. The car stopped, and the vast expanse of Central Park came into view. -Screech! "Well, it¡¯s been an eventful three days, short but long. Thank you, really." "I¡¯ll be back to visit, so no need to look so sad. Who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll bump into each other tomorrow morning at the hotel¡¯s breakfast buffet." "I¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen." "Should I bring an elephant tranquilizer?" "Haha, seriously¡­" What could I say? They were truly a constant in my life. Perhaps their lightheartedness was the reason they were still standing after all they¡¯d been through. Maybe it was also why I was still sane. I smiled as I added: "Come visit anytime. I¡¯ll be happy to see you." With a final exchange of smiles, I got out near the entrance to Central Park, gently closing the car door. Logan, the senior officer, and Loren Tina drove away, disappearing into the depths of New York, leaving me alone in the quiet, chilly air. It was a ten-minute walk back to the hotel. With a small piece of metal hidden under my clothes and countless secrets locked in my heart, it was time to return to where I needed to be. Despite the biting cold, New York felt warmer than I remembered. "Mr. Eugene, what were you doing at Pennsylvania University?" "¡­What?" "You really don¡¯t know, do you?" Dice projected a hologram into the air. Unfortunately, my enhanced eyesight quickly caught the headline of an article trending online. A headline that needed no further exnation. -[Breaking News // Unusual figures spotted at Pennsylvania University¡­ (Click to read more)] And I could only say one thing. "Good grief." Thus, my short yet eventful trip came to an end.@@novelbin@@ What an absurd ending it was. Chapter 250 "¡­So this ce was this luxurious." At 4:46 PM, my first impression upon returning after a long journey was just that. From the entrance of the hotel to the interior revealed upon entering through the revolving door, everything feltpletely new. For a moment, I almost forgot what to do first, but fortunately, I had already informed the schedule manager that I had returned. I dug through my somewhat hazy memories, took the elevator, and arrived at the lobby floor where the lounge was located. The next steps were simple. I just needed to go through a quick identity check at the lobby and then head to my room. The keycard would likely be held by either Dice or Harmony, and since I hadn¡¯t heard anything about anyone going anywhere, it was highly probable it was still waiting in my room. I was relieved that I hadn¡¯t forgotten the way to my room. "¡­Is it locked?" As soon as I arrived at the door, I gently tried to turn the handle, but it seemed the default setting was to be locked. I could feel a jarring clunk and resistance from the handle. It wasn¡¯t so much that it was difficult to turn as it was just locked, but saying it was hard to turn seemed more urate. Of course, if I applied force, I could manage to turn it, but I imagined that would just end up breaking the doorknob. I quietly pressed the doorbell. The pleasant electronic chime rang out clearly. Then I felt a thundering vibration from my feet. It seemed someone was rushing out from inside. And then¡ªclunk. "Yujin is here!" "The pride of the University of Pennsylvania has arrived!" "What? What did you say?" What kind of absurd sound was this? As I walked in, bewildered, I was met with a cacophony of noise. It turned out they had called Ink, Michael, and Gambit from the next room to y a board game. In a world dominated by VR content, ying analog felt a bit strange, but right now, I needed to focus on what was happening in front of me. Naturally, the reason behind all this was predictable¡ªmy lunch in Phdelphia had be a hot topic on the inte. It wasn¡¯t a disparaging article, and since our side hadn¡¯t issued any official statement, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be deleted as quickly as it was uploaded. Moreover, the attention on Senior Owens was even greater than ours, which was another reason the article hadn¡¯t been removed. And, as expected, everyone seemed quite curious about who our squad leader was. "By the way, who is this person?" "Our squad leader, who can take someone out in three seconds if she wants." "Yikes¡­." It was a joke that wasn¡¯t really a joke. Anyway, when I checked online, it appeared that it hadn¡¯t spread widely overseas yet. In fact, while public opinion in the U.S. was also massive, it wasn¡¯t that it hadn¡¯t gained any traction. Well, personal identifiers were all pixted, so it didn¡¯t matter much. The problem was that there was a gigantic tail wriggling under the dining chair in the student cafeteria, which was absolutely impossible to pixte. Logan¡¯s ears above his head were ambiguously pixted, while Laurentina didn¡¯t show off her animal features that well¡­ Well, having a long tail was the issue. In any case, it was about time to check in on everyone. "How have you all been?" "Well, we took a walk around, did some shopping, and practiced a bit¡­ Oh, Harmony and I did some streaming. It turned out to be more fun than I expected. My first broadcast had 6,391 viewers, and as I continued, it grew to 8,000!" "¡­Is streaming trending these days?" Could it be that they all had some kind of itch to show their faces on the inte? In any case, we were now well into December. The finals championship duos and squad matches were set to begin next week. I could only regret that I had to express my disappointment upon returning, as I should have been preparing for it. Thinking about it, there were about ten days left to practice. From what I could see, no one seemed to have had trouble adjusting to the time difference, and there were still about two days left until the end of the first week, which was a time for rest and adjustment. ''Maybe I should take them to a good restaurant for some bonding¡­.'' Unfortunately, my brain, which hadn¡¯t had many experiences, could only think of that much. Moreover, Dice and Harmony had been singing about wanting to go to a steakhouse, so it might be good to take the chance and go before it got too busy.@@novelbin@@ As I organized these thoughts, I started to lose track of whether I hade to rest or prepare for the next schedule. Maybe this was just my nature. I always seemed to be busy right after arriving. I should take a moment to rx. "I''m going to take a bath. Since there¡¯s no official announcement today, if you want to have fun, you can stay here, or you can go back to your own rooms." "I¡¯ll be heading back." "Everyone, run away!" Their hurried escape was quite the sight. Finally, I found some peace. Clothes, soaked in the fatigue of the past three days, dropped to the floor one by one. They were allundry. After sorting out the clothes so that I could receive theundry tomorrow through the cleaning service, I added a few more. It seemed I would be here for quite a while. "Is anyone in a hurry to shower or use the bathroom?" "Feel free to take your time. Just don¡¯t fall asleep in the bath!" That was a typical warning from these people. Once inside the bathroom, I was weed by the unique scent of bathroom products and the high humidity. Winter is not only cold but also incredibly dry, so it was a relief to be able to solve that as soon as I returned. I operated the hologram floating on the wall a few times to set the water temperature and height for the bathtub to the appropriate level, then entered the shower and enjoyed the warm water pouring down on me. Soon, steam billowed up, wrapping me in a pleasant moisture. Now, I can focus on the things I couldn''t do earlier. "Hmm¡­." I had my eyes closed but could see what was in front of me. The lens I always wore¡ªof course, it was from the Icarus Gear¡ªwas projecting the outside environment through augmented reality. It was simple to bring up the hologram. I could either wave my fingers or just think about it. At that moment, various steakhouse websites popped up without any timeg, and avable tables were automatically disyed by date. Five seats. As far from busy areas as possible. I wondered if tomorrow evening would be okay, and as soon as I sent a message, everyone excitedly gave me the okay sign. Even¡ª "Wow! Are we going to eat steak tomorrow!?" "Since we¡¯ve been singing about wanting to go for a while, we should go before it gets busy!" Of course, Dice was hit on the forehead with a flick for letting in the cold air while showering. The location was, of course, the same ce we had visited with the squad membersst time. Fortunately, there were plenty of seats avable. Considering the time we¡¯d be going for dinner, I had already reserved a vehicle for our trip there, so we shouldn¡¯t have any problems with security. When I shared this fact in the Engram group chat, everyone was excited. Discussions of splitting the bill among four people were floating around, but, well, the amount each of us would eat was likely to be simr, so that seemed a bit harsh. ''Whates next¡­'' I began to consider a few topics I would need to discuss during tomorrow''s dinner regarding preparations for the finals championship. I thought they might not like having that conversation during dinner, but I couldn''t just avoid it either. First, beforeing to America, I had prepared a custom curriculum and distributed it, and since they hadn¡¯t been inactive while I was away on this not-so-official trip, there was probably no need to worry too much. As I reached that point in my thoughts, showering was nearlyplete. With an alert that the bathtub was full, I rinsed off the remaining residue of various bathroom products from my body under the ceiling''s water flow and then stepped outside. "Oh." The steaming bathtub awaited me. Carefully, I sank into the water. There was something resembling my personal chair in it, so having a tail wasn¡¯t a problem at all. The pleasantly warm water rose up to my neck, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a warm sigh. I opened the blinds next to me and was greeted by the view of New York''s nightscape. Thanks to the variable transparency ss, no one could see inside from the outside, but the opposite was possible, so there was no need to worry about someone watching me. Now, all that remained were tasks rted to the think tank. I figured it was time to check in on that. "¡­Huh." My inbox was filled with various emails stacked high. I grouped the necessary news by keywords and sorted them by time. The review results of contracts from severalw firms indicated there were no legal issues and that the conditions were 100% favorable for me. In fact, since this part had been reviewed by many people several times, I didn¡¯t need to worry too much. The important part was what came next. Now, I had to enter the practical operation phase, and I needed a stimulus that would act as a key to get the think tank''s massive machine running. As I typed at a speed that matched my thoughts, I sent an email through a direct line, and not even three minutester, a reply came.
  • [JGH: You can send it here.]
Below it was the name, title, and email address. After quickly sending a reply wishing them a good night, I essed the operational n I had prepared through the Icarus Gear and sent several technical files to that email address. The file size was huge, but since I divided it into thousands of pieces, it didn¡¯t take long to send. I figured there would be issues with initial capital contributions and that operational and development costs would be necessary, so I stuffed various technologies into the email I just sent. It might be a bit troublesome if that wasn¡¯t enough, but I would have to wait and see. Once I resolved thest issue, I looked outside. "¡­It¡¯s snowing." What can I say? Watching the falling snow while taking a bath had its own charm. Perhaps I was graduallying to love the snow. How long had I been there? With a simple alert announcing 6:30 PM, I snapped back to reality. I had entered the bathroom around 5 PM, showered for 30 minutes, and then dozed in the bathtub for about an hour. My body felt not taut, but rather like it had been thered in oil, smooth and round. I shook off the remaining drowsiness and neatly wrapped up the aftermath. After drying off the water from my body with a towel, I changed into the casual clothes I had prepared and opened the bathroom door quietly. To my surprise, a delicious food aroma wafted in. And¡ª "Yikes, if you hade out a bitter¡­!" "Yes! I said I would be out before 7!" The scene in front of me. Harmony and Dice were waiting at a posh table, having set out what appeared to be room service food. From their expressions, it seemed they had made a bet on me. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, but perhaps this sight was a guarantee that I had returned to where I belonged. "It¡¯s snowing outside, and I didn¡¯t want to go out, so we ordered room service. Hurry and eat." "I¡¯ve specially prepared a chair with a hole in the butt area for you, Teacher Yujin." "Hi there." But there was no refusal. Even though it was an unexpected dinner start, this also had its own pleasures. Of course, "¡­Wow." "How can room service cost over $700?" "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cover my share!" The expense for a single meal was truly significant. It was a sad reality. "¡­I was just a management executive who stayed only in Central Park during the Omega Virus incident, so I¡¯m not sure exactly how useful this technology is. I¡¯ll have to consult with the engineers for their insights." "I still need to analyze it more, but I think the moment this file¡¯s potential is fully realized, the think tank could reach a rank near the world¡¯s top 1,000panies." "Goodness." At 6:23 PM, as everyone in New York pondered seriously about what to have for dinner, the temporary executive meeting of the think tank was truly chaotic. Just an hour earlier, a literal giant bombshell had dropped. Through a secret email, I had ced the pulse technology usable with the Icarus Gear and thousands of rted technologies squarely in their hands. It was a joke that we had essentially bought the fate of a pandemic-stricken America with astronomical costs poured into development over 20 years¡­but was this not going too far? The remnants of technology that had been decades ahead of the current state of America were this colossal. "¡­For now, let¡¯s have an exhaustive discussion and try to form partnerships with variouspanies. Technology teams should briefly present how this technology can address issues in various fields. I¡¯ll give you two weeks. During that time, we will investigate the market." "Leave it to me. I¡¯ll make a briefing file that even those who just entered elementary school can understand." And that was the end of the discussion. However, most of those present were already closely rted to the U.S. defense industry, so actions were swift, and the executives gathered here cautiously began tomunicate with several trusted contacts. It had been only a couple of months since the entire defense industry of the U.S. had fallen into chaos. Chapter 251 "Is it snowing again?" The morning in the penthouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, at The Kent, was slow yet clear. Despite the preface that the house was designed to maximize natural light, the sunlight streaming in felt utterly nonexistent, and sure enough, outside, snow was falling. As soon as she woke up, the various weather reports automatically disyed in front of her indicated that this year''s winter was experiencing the heaviest snowfall in fifty years. And today, one person had to make a brief trip to Brooklyn despite such weather. "It''s the perfect weather for a break..." Of course, it was a self-deprecating remark. In other words, it meant she wouldn¡¯t be able to rest today. At least, it was fortunate that she had a body that didn¡¯t feel the cold at all. She had a familiar morning routine. Although her temporary residence had changed, it was quite simr ¡ª heading to a kitchen that was cold since no one else was awake. She opened the refrigerator and took out various ingredients. Her goal was to make what anyone would think of as an American breakfast: eggs, sausages, bread, bacon... Unless something special happened, breakfast always started in this way. Except for the fact that the portion was a bit too much, it was an ordinary affair. However, it wasn¡¯t as if she intended to eat all of this¡ª "Why the grim face this early in the morning? You look like you have something you really don¡¯t want to deal with." "...I guess so." While making breakfast, an uninvited guest arrived. Now, this process had be part of her routine, so it was almost a given that Lorentina would naturally join the morning routine. The conversation began as scrambled eggs were ced in a bowl meant for the guest. "I heard some rumors floating around. It seems like formal offers to sign contracts as a pro gamer areing from all directions. Aren''t you interested in that at all?" "Next year, I have to move my residence to Fort Bragg. I don¡¯t have no desire to stay in New York longer, but a person can''t change their nature." "Hmm." It was a reasonable statement. Lorentina herself had been serving as the youngest member of the Gold Squadron for several years now, and she hadn¡¯t seen any inclination to quit after regaining her memories. Moreover, it felt almost like having her pride of being part of Delta Force was suddenly snatched away... This guy often joked about whether she would consider joining the Navy SEALs, but as always, he probably didn¡¯t mean it seriously. Probably. "I see you¡¯ll be tackling those trivial matters today." "That and it¡¯s my first visit to the team today... I should at least familiarize myself with the faces of those who will be in the finals with me this year. There might be a few familiar faces." "If you were with JTF in the past, that could be the case." "...Well, it''s not like I¡¯m going to see them for that reason; the tournament starts soon, so it¡¯s just a coincidence." The sensors in the ceiling activated, and the aroma of food wafted out, escaping to the outside. The brief meal continued amid the ttering sounds and soon came to an end. "I¡¯ll handle the dishes, so have a good trip... Looking at your outfit, you¡¯ll be going out in short sleeves and shorts again today, huh?" "At minus 12 degrees, it¡¯s like summer." "Yeah, right." So, she nned to quickly brush her teeth and head out, but unfortunately, the nagging shark wouldn¡¯t let her go easily. It wasn¡¯t until a sweet-scented perfume was lightly sprayed on various parts of her body that she could finally head outside. As she got into the driver¡¯s seat of the car parked underground, the engine automatically started and began to move. Crossing through the heart of the Upper East Side, she went over the Queensboro Bridge and entered Long Ind City. As expected of Manhattan, traffic was quite heavy, but it was only about a 20 to 30-minute dy. It didn¡¯t take long to arrive. How much time had passed since then? As she opened the door and got out, the car door automatically closed, and it began driving itself to the pre-inputted parking location. "It looks different from what I expected." A seven-story office building. Arge panel with "Orvital Gaming" was shining brightly on the front of the building, with the logo beneath it clearly visible. The first floor, easily visible through therge ss windows, was finished in an antique brown, hinting that it was a cafeteria. There was still plenty of time until the deadline, and her ess card was already saved on her phone. As she opened the ss door and scanned her ess card at the gate, all eyes turned toward her. "Wee. What brings you here?" "Logan mis, short-term contract yer for Orbital Gaming. I¡¯m here to attend the Final Championship OT and discuss contracts, as well as for a personal interview." "Okay, please wait a moment." As she stood still for a while, the smell of coffee wafted through the hallway. Only then could she take in the view of the office building at her leisure. To meet the junior member, she had casually grabbed the ticket to the finals, without much thought, and in that process, she chose Orbital Gaming as a partner, which typically had minimal interference with the yers. So, this was her first time actuallying to a ce like this. As soon as she cast a nce around, she heard a voice. "If you continue straight in that direction, there¡¯s a caf¨¦ and cafeteria for guests and yers. Since OT hasn¡¯t started yet, I rmend grabbing a quick drink." "I''m not too fond of drinks. I¡¯m fine." Of course, while it might seem believable that she could spend the whole day going on a dessert caf¨¦ tour, that was hardly the case. When she nced at the mirror, she saw her own unfamiliar appearance. It was hard to believe she would be going into the unit in a few months with the innocent expression on her face. She nced again. Her eyes met those of a staff member sitting in the reception hall. Though she tried not to show it, people''s eyes often conveyed much. The pupils were trembling back and forth. Even though they had already made eye contact when she first entered, they scanned her from head to toe once more. The confusion caused by the friction with the image she had built in her mind brought her embarrassment. "...Understood. The OT location is in the 7th-floor auditorium. You can handle contract and interview-rted matters in the office on the 5th floor." "Thank you." Two hours until the OT. As she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 5th floor, she waited for a moment until the door opened, revealing a lobby where the entrance personnel could attend to visitors. After presenting her ess card, she waited for a moment. "Logan! It¡¯s been a while!" "It¡¯s been at least a month. How have you been?" She met MC again, the person she had contactedst time to let Yujin know they were alive ¡ª and to subtly hint at her military career. Though the interview location and time werepletely different this time, that wasn¡¯t too important. The location shifted to the interview room, where snacks were piled high. Before officially starting, various conversations, including preliminary exnations, were exchanged. "How have things beentely? You seem to be having quite a good time." "I saw a familiar face after such a long time. Since we conducted the previous interview together, I think you can guess who it is." "...Ah, it¡¯s that person! The one Logan mentioned! Should I say congrattions on your reunion?" "That¡¯s more than enough." And the conversation continued. "If you¡¯ve seen the list of questions in advance, you probably understand that the domestic public is quite interested in your activities... However, your answers will be the same as before, right?" "Of course. I hope many people understand that this is quite an exceptional case, but I have no reason to make them understand, and they won¡¯t be inclined to understand me either." The first topic. As Lorentina mentioned before leaving the penthouse, they were asking whether she intended to continue as a professional gamer. Of course, her answer to this would remain unchanged, as it did before. In other words, it meant she had no ns for next year. To those who desperately wished for her contract to be renewed today, it would be like a bolt from the blue. However, this MC didn¡¯t belong to that category; he spoke calmly, as if watching a fire across the river. "That¡¯s what I figured. Then, I¡¯ll ask a personal question. I heard you have a personal rtionship with Yujin. What do you predict the oue will be when you face off in this Final Championship?" A brief silence. No doubt it was a sensitive question,den with implications about who would win or whether they would show any mercy if they metter. After finishing her thoughts, she cautiously opened her mouth. "If I don¡¯t fight with all my might, that guy will snap my spine, and if the opposite is true, I¡¯ll snap Yujin¡¯s neck." An entirely unembellished statement. The MC looked as if he had been struck by a blow, then smiled faintly and added, "Hahaha, that¡¯s quite fierce. However, since it¡¯s also my role to satisfy the viewers'' curiosity... I¡¯ll try to smooth over Logan¡¯s statement during the interview a few minutes from now." Of course, that didn¡¯t go well. It was six hours before Logan¡¯s second statement, barely suppressed to a minimal level, spread across the inte. And¡ª "Geez, seriously. This is driving me crazy." "Poprity is nice, our Yujin." "Oh, isn¡¯t this the person you mentioned having a previous acquaintance with during thest interview?" At seven in the evening.@@novelbin@@ As the outside turned pitch ck, and the chilly air filled the dimly lit space, Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn was suddenly filled with livelyughter. It was due to an interview video that was unexpectedly sent through the Engram group chat. At least today, I wanted to let things slide quietly, but this guy dropped a big bomb on me less than a day after we parted ways and then calmly disappeared. Until the ordered food arrived, I projected the video in the air and checked again. Naturally, it was Logan¡¯s interview video ¡ª though it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. These issues oftene up in yer interviews, eithermonly or as a formality. If one were to categorize it, this was a kind of psychological warfare. For instance, such interviews could shake the opponent''s mindset before a match against a rival... Of course, this guy had no reason to harbor such thoughts against me. He simply mentioned it because he wanted to. "...Why are you just sitting there smiling? This is something you should take seriously. This guy has the insane ability to wipe out every opponent he encounters beforeing to meet me." "Ugh..." It was truly absurd how he spoke as if it had nothing to do with him. Of course, based on the results from the scrims before heading to America, I knew these yers could engage smoothly among the top 20 of the Final Championship, who were indeed truepetitors. But aside from that, there were natural disasters urring one after another that couldn¡¯t be stopped. Especially, even excluding Logan, the ten below him were all formidablepetitors I couldn¡¯t dismiss either. ...Well, anyway. The only one in trouble so far was me. And¡ª "The steak is here. Please be careful, as the te is very hot." "Wow, this is insane...!" "Yujin, can I just say I¡¯m going to eat well now?" "I¡¯m leaving Ink behind in Brooklyn today, so make sure you get back safely. It should take about an hour on foot." "Hey, I didn¡¯t say anything." Of course, it was a joke. Although I had been here just a few days ago, the rich scent of meat was so strong it almost felt like it was digging directly into my sinuses, making it hard to resist. In any case, I didn¡¯t mind eating whatever was served, but I wondered how they felt about it. "How¡¯s the food for everyone?" "We¡¯ve all been wandering around Korea Town for days. After about five days of buffet-style meals, my stomach is a bit queasy..." "Fortunately, it seems we¡¯re the only ones using the shared kitchen. I thought I¡¯d just eat delicious food and return home, but it looks like I¡¯m going to be an expert in living alone in Korea. The prices of Korean ingredients are pretty high, anyway." With a briefugh. But as soon as they each put a piece of meat in their mouths, their eyes widened in astonishment. It was worth bringing them all together. I also started my meal, and fortunately, this ce didn¡¯t lose its charm just because I had visited once before. Anyway, even though we were in the middle of our meal, I had a few things to address. "Next week, it won¡¯t be easy to spend time like this, so everyone should brace themselves. We¡¯ll be making frequent trips in and out of Madison Square Garden, and we need to see what we can learn from the Final Championship duo and squad matches." "Of course. The key point will be the skill usage, right?" "That¡¯s right. The matches will start at 7 PM on Monday, so the analysis will begin on Tuesday." Naturally, the encounters between teams differ significantly from solo matches. Specifically, in the former, victory or defeat can hinge on leadership and the squad leader¡¯s judgment in the heat of the moment, whereas thetter relies solely on individual skill and judgment. However, despite that, there are still plenty of things to learn ¡ª not about what decisions to make in what situations but about how to utilize skills. "I hope you can learn a little about what skills are good to use in those situations. I¡¯ll be sharing the much more advanced and tricky application methods." "Wow, that¡¯s seriously cool." "And all of this schedule will be done together with Harmony." "Huh!?" Suddenly, the sparks of surprise shot toward Harmony. The expressions of shock mixed with confusion were directed at me. But I had no intention of letting this excellent resource, Harmony, sit idly during this Final Championship. The more people in small scrims and practice matches, the better; and if nothing was done, Harmony wouldn¡¯t have much to do on this trip anyway. Besides, if the skills of the Dark Zone partner streamer improve, that would only be beneficial, not harmful ¡ª more than anything, with me, Dice, Ink, Mikael, Gambit, and Mina included, that makes a total of six. We could create three pairs for 3v3 or 1v1 practice. In any case, that was the external reason, and depending on the situation, it could always be canceled. "You didn¡¯t think I woulde all the way to New York and do nothing, did you?" "...Yeah, I guess that¡¯s what I thought." "Still, it¡¯ll be more fun to move around together than to be left at the amodation or wandering separately." As I said that and gently patted her back with my tail, her expression quickly brightened again. After that, there wasn¡¯t much to say. I merely offered a brief encouraging remark to reassure them. "Since we¡¯vee all the way to America, let¡¯s do our best. I can assure you that I won¡¯t disappoint you." Fortunately, they nodded in agreement, wearing determined expressions. The night deepens. A future that can¡¯t be predicted even one step ahead was just beginning to unfold. Chapter 253 "Uh, what? Yujin is live from the Korean representative team." "Where? Soloing starts next week, right?" "...She¡¯s in the squad yers'' lounge?" At this moment, one of thergest Tricky streaming rooms was buzzing. Originally, it was a room where about tens of thousands of viewers were watching the broadcast. There was no interaction from streamers or anyone else, but the cam had at least been showing the lounge of the squad that would represent Korea in the Final Championship a few hourster. Nothing particrly interesting was happening. Aside from trivial conversations among the yers before the game started and some tactical discussions, the room wasn¡¯t particrly lively, and therefore, the tens of thousands of viewers didn¡¯t seem that significantpared to the grandeur of the Final Championship. However, that was before a special guest suddenly appeared.
  • [Uh, uh? Hey, wake up! Oh my god, the special coach is here!]
  • [Wow, how did you manage to get here with the crowd outside? Did you walk?]
  • [That¡¯s right. Nice to see you all. Have you all been practicing well?]
In an instant, the previously subdued atmosphere perked up. The moment six new people entered, the lounge, which had been overflowing, became bustling with energy, and those who were already acquainted exchanged greetings. With six more individuals already waiting in the chat room, the rumors spread quickly. The audience of 120,000 swelled to more than double in less than five minutes. However, across the chat, five minutes was more than enough time to share brief reunions before diving into serious discussions¡ª
  • Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
  • Why is Byamnoon here again????????????
  • Is she here to observe the squad?
  • She¡¯s just incredibly busy, haha!
  • Harmony is sneakily getting involved, that little rascal!
As expected, they began discussing strategies.
  • [//-Censored content-//]
  • [//-Censored content-//]
  • [//-Censored content-//]
However, the feature that altered specific words and contexts through keyword input had been activated. It was intended to prevent any leaks regarding the Korean team''s strategies, but in reality, there was no need to worry too much. The discussions among Yujin and the Korean representative team revolved around tactics that would be difficult to counter even if they were known, rather than crucial strategies that shouldn¡¯t be exposed. And Yujin began to talk about the numerous tactical trial-and-error experiences and the traps that had emerged from them. So many that it was hard to imagine.
  • [Install the methrower turret.]
  • [If installed alone, it can easily be neutralized by foam grenades. Please try to install one more regr turret if possible.]
  • Oh, I hadn¡¯t thought of that, haha!
  • Turret ?) If hit by a foam grenade, it¡¯spletely useless!
  • If a foam wall gets shot, it¡¯ll have holes all over it, so I wasn¡¯t using it, but it seems pretty useful for the methrower turret?
  • With the map being small, it¡¯s perfect for blocking visibility, haha.
  • It seems trivial when you look at it like this, .
What started simply gradually deepened.@@novelbin@@ However, these were aspects that would be useless even if exposed. The Korean team and foreign teams already knew this information, and even if they didn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t hold much significance. Even in the same situation, there¡¯s no telling what variables wille into y during an actual battle, so in terms of tactical aspects during real engagements, it wouldn¡¯t matter much if they were informed. For that reason, Yujin began discussing points that existing users hadn¡¯t addressed much.
  • [The polyurethane wall emits hydrogen cyanide gas while burning, so if you don¡¯t have a gas mask to block it, you need to be careful when using the methrower turret itself. If it¡¯s a wooden building, you could easily burn to death...]
  • [The risks are considerable.]
  • [But it can have tremendous effects in certain positions.]
  • Wow, I didn¡¯t think of that, haha!
  • Who thinks about such things, lol!
  • But it¡¯s a fact, haha. Usually, you wouldn¡¯t care about gas in a tunnel with openings on both sides, but in such a confined space, it could be disastrous.
  • Wood buildingsÌØ) If you don¡¯t care, you¡¯ll be burned to a crisp.
  • I can rte; I¡¯ve had several close calls with fires, haha!
However, that was merely the starting point. As the discussions gradually deepened, the reactions of the viewers changed in real-time.
  • [The entrances and stairs of that building are predictably located. Secure your position in advance, block the emergency exits in other areas, and ce the turret¡¯s fuel along with explosives one floor below, and when the enemiese up...]
Boom. The hologram in front of her spat fire. mes shot up ferociously from the third floor of a four-story building, engulfing the entire fourth floor in less than 30 seconds. Meanwhile, the squad on the fourth floor retreated in sequence using the elevator, catching the enemy off guard at thest moment. However, that was just one method. Many other engagement methods surfaced. Pre-emptively predicting the enemy¡¯s movement and attaching explosives to the walls they might be hiding behind, or bringing in various equipment to hide a door and drilling through another wall to ambush them from an unexpected location... Countless tactics that could never be achieved through imagination alone. The moment it crossed the boundaries of psychological warfare and theory, something malicious emerged that surpassed the CQB tactics many users had used countless times. But Yujin casually added on.
  • [...These are all very basic concepts. The enemy can also easily infer these areas.]
  • [Huh, why didn¡¯t youe sooner?]
  • [Haha, I had ces I needed to visit recently.]
  • Wait, is this person not a physical one-tool user? hahahahahahahaha
  • Pure malice... pure malice...
  • Damn, every tactic is terrifying, haha!
  • Brainpower is part of physical capability, but wow, this person is insane, hahahaha!
  • Oh, the soloing representatives next to us are looking grim, haha!
At that moment, a sudden silence fell. At the same time, the camera¡¯s focus widened, capturing the entire room. Yet even among that, it was clear that the expressions of some sitting next to Yujin were not particrly good. Of course, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess why.
  • [...So, next week we¡¯ll have to deal with someone like this for an entire week?]
  • [Phew, I¡¯m d I¡¯m not participating in the Final Championship. Right? I¡¯ve believed that all along.]
  • [Oh, please keep your distance!]
As expected, Dice¡¯s expression was the worst. The most reliable ally bes the most frightening enemy, especially considering that this person had actually tested every imaginable tactic as a special forces member ¡ª a fact that only Dice and Harmony knew. However, even if they didn¡¯t know, that didn¡¯t exempt them. The expressions of Mikael, Ink, and Gambit were also far from pleasant. But Harmony was an exception.
  • Strong-weak-weak-strong, w
  • Strong-weak-weak-strong? Looking at Harmonytely, it seems like it¡¯s just strong-strong-strong-strong?
  • Look at how she clings right away; it¡¯s so cute, haha!
  • Yujin was just talking about terrifying things a moment ago and now is bashfully telling her to keep her distance; that¡¯s kind of cute?
  • Please let me be Harmony for just one day!!!!!! Just let me stick to her tail once!!!!!!!
It was literally a situation where they clung to her. Yujin, who had peeled herself away from that sticky situation, resumed speaking in her usual calm tone.
  • [...For reference, the strategies I¡¯ve presented can also be used by the enemy. Especially in squad matches. As you know, losing one person in a 4-man team game doesn¡¯t equate to a simple 25% loss of power. Right?]
  • [Right. The moment one person goes down, the tactical options will drastically decrease.]
  • [Therefore, you must choose options that destroy the opponent without aiming your guns at them. I¡¯ve been emphasizing this since beforeing to America, but achieving it is truly a difficult goal.]
Everyone already knew the answer. But these tactical choices weren¡¯t easy to carry out. Yujin patted the shoulder of the squad representative and added.
  • [Think of it as realbat, not just a game. If you think that dying in the game means you¡¯ll actually die, you might get decent results in the end.]
The words she could offer were practically limited to that. How could the squad members move more swiftly? How could they read the flow of battle instantly? She could give countless pieces of advice on that, but with the match just around the corner, the minimal feedback she could provide was all she could do at this point.
  • [I¡¯m looking forward to today¡¯s match. We should be able to receive feedback on the match results around 10 AM tomorrow.]
  • [Uh... Yes. Thank you as always. You¡¯re already so busy as soon as you arrive.]
  • [Haha.]
  • She really is like a natural disaster, just sweeping through and disappearing, haha!
  • Just seeing Byamnoon makes my mind go nk...
  • Basically, isn¡¯t this just taking the spirit of the Korean representative team with her? hahahahahahaha
  • She seems incredibly diligent, haha.
  • That girl is just the embodiment of my pace, .
Leaving only that briefughter behind, Yujin vanished. Was it merely a brief 30 minutes? But the tens of thousands of viewers in the lounge and that broadcasting room had already experienced a level of intensity that was iparably more profound than before. Only absurd reactions were left in its wake.
  • [Notification: Verifying ess card...]
  • [Notification: Anthony Owens // Christopher Laurentina = Certified.]
"Sergeant Christopher! It¡¯s been years! Are you on leave?" "I came to see the junior. Is being a pro gamer still worthwhile, Swanson?" "It¡¯s lukewarmpared to when I was active, haha." Her head swiveled. The familiar voices of two individuals engaging in friendly conversation captured her attention, as the bear ears on Logan¡¯s head perked up ¡ª one was Lorentina, her colleague andpanion who visited the yers¡¯ lounge next to Madison Square Garden, and the other was Benji Swanson, one of the North American representatives for the Final Championship. It was uniquely peculiar, but after going through several scrims, Logan hade to realize a few things ¡ª in summary, the rtionships among the North American yers, coaches, and others were quite intertwined. "Do you know each other?" "I¡¯ve seen him a few times when I was in charge of the Blue Squadron¡¯s training. I heard he came out due to some difficult family circumstances, but I didn¡¯t expect to run into him here." Swanson¡¯s gaze flicked toward them. There was a hint of curiosity in his eyes, as if he were questioning whether Logan and Lorentina knew each other. "Both of you were part of MWTR, right? Say hello. I thought you might have already met since you¡¯re both North American representatives." "Logan, you were part of MWTR? No way." "I¡¯ll be heading somewhere else next year, but anyway, nice to meet you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be from DEVGRU." "Haha, I can¡¯t say that here." Nodding, she turned her gaze in the opposite direction. On the other side, Owens was warmly greeting several others ¡ª it seemed that anyone currently working as a pro gamer had to be a former SOF member, as they all appeared to have briefly crossed paths when they were part of the same unit. Unfortunately, Logan had no prior acquaintance with these individuals. Unlike Lorentina, who was treated as a member of Delta Force andter a contract member, she herself had suddenly be a contract member of Delta Force and had previously been part of MWTR. Though it remained unchanged that she already knew Yujin. "Anyway, what brings you all here today? You must still be active, yet you came all the way to this freezing cold New York." "I came to see my junior. She¡¯s not in duo or squad matches, but she¡¯s ying solo. Have you heard of Yujin?" "Oh! Of course... But if you¡¯re calling her a junior, then..." In an instant, heads turned. It was the moment that resolved the small curiosity lingering in the minds of the North American representatives. However, the logical reasoning of those gathered here was sharper than anyone else''s, and as the new puzzle piece fit together with the existing memories, several new facts began to emerge. As far as the North American representatives knew, Yujin was also an extraordinary physical talent. And at least Swanson had once interacted with Lorentina and was vaguely aware of her tremendous physical abilities andbat skills. A naturally arising question. Yet it was also a certainty. Having caught on to the general situation, they cautiously opened their mouths. "Logan, everything you said was true." "It might be more than that." Logan smiled briefly, and everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened. While their faces were tense now, she could only imagine what expressions they would wear when they encountered Yujin head-on next week. Lorentina chuckled. "You all should brace yourselves. We can¡¯t predict what methodology she mighte up with." It wouldn¡¯t be long before the true meaning behind thatughter would be revealed. Meanwhile, "Everyone, take out your notebooks. Let¡¯s get started." Cheers and apuse, an ear-splitting cheer. Amid that, the five of them raised their pens. Chapter 254 "The heat is unreal. Even just standing still, it¡¯s getting so warm..." "With thousands of people, there¡¯s no sound to escape outside, and it¡¯s a tightly packed space." Madison Square Garden, 7:30 PM. The opening ceremony was over, the yer introductions wereplete, and the games had begun. Cheers and shouts erupted every ten seconds at the shortest, and every several dozen seconds or even a minute at the longest. The atmosphere started to heat up in earnest¡ªand this energy was contagious to us as well. The good news was that every seat here had a hologram projector, allowing us to choose the scenes andmentary we wanted to see. There were soundproof barriers present, but they weren''t entirely absent. Nheless, the sheer number of people created an undeniable burden. The fact that we were here, having fought through fiercepetition akin to the Super Bowl, created a stage where those gathered at Madison Square Garden could let loose. Anyway, excuses aside. Since this was my first time watching a match as an audience member rather than a yer, I was a bit mentally scattered, but I was trying my best to concentrate. If others didn¡¯t make an effort to resist being swept up in this vibrant atmosphere, they would soon get carried away, so I was doing my utmost to stay focused. "Whether the observing squad oveps or not doesn¡¯t matter. Ignore the unnecessary parts and pay close attention to how they use their skills. Save clips of impressive or awkward moments and make notes on how to improve or adapt." "In essence, it¡¯s real-time debriefing." "Exactly." That was all there was to it. Before long, my gaze was fixed on the dozens of teams darting across the field. Among them, the Korean squad was under my jurisdiction. After all, my title included not only "Soloing" for the Korean representative but also "Special Coach for the Representative Team." The first map was Aurora Power nt. The four visible yers entered the building with their guard fully up. The control building, which regted much of the liquefied natural gas facilities, was thergest on the map. The building wasn¡¯t old, but it also wasn¡¯t well-maintained. The Korean squad ventured inside without hesitation. The reason for this was simple. ''...In the end, it¡¯s about repetitive mastery.'' While the map was vast, there were only eight locations in total. Though there were many buildings, they could ultimately be counted with limited numbers. And human memory is often better than people assess it to be; based on the data I had investigated, I had ruthlessly trained the squad to gainbat experience in every building prior to their arrival on American soil. Of course, this had been the case since before the Korean squad stepped foot on U.S. territory. The premise was simple. I grouped Dice, Ink, Mikael, and Gambit, excluding myself, into one team and had them constantly ambush the Korean squad representative team. The stage was set on random maps within random buildings. At first, it was merely individual skill without my orders; as the squad representative team started to adapt or falter, I would gradually issuemands. It required a considerable amount of time, but the time eleration feature in VR was truly revolutionary, and the squad representatives were pushed to their limits by me until they were utterly exhausted. Thus, the basic foundation had been somewhat established. At that moment, the announcer added every word with emphasis. "Ah, at this very moment! Korea¡¯s Talon is facing off against the UK¡¯s Laser! A tremendous sh is anticipated!" Talon was the call sign assigned to the Korean team for the first match, while Laser was the British side. It seemed rather unfortunate to encounter such tough opponents right from the start, but in this world, nearly 99% of things tend to ur contrary to one¡¯s desires. What mattered was how the Korean representatives managed this engagement. And as expected, fiercebat began to unfold. In the chat room next to the broadcast, countlessments began to scroll rapidly.
  • Wow, they¡¯re running into some seriously tough opponents right from the start, haha!
  • Uh-oh, this isn¡¯t looking good~
  • Shouldn¡¯t they back out? They¡¯re not going to get wiped out, are they?
  • Fact: If they go out after starting a fight, it¡¯s a loss no matter what.
  • Preserve your strength, damn it!!!!!
But this was the reaction from the Koreanments, while the automatically tranted Britishments were different.
  • The Korean team? I wonder what their skills are like.
  • Didn¡¯t they suddenly shoot up over the past year? Even the scrim results show around a 40% win rate against all teams.
  • It wasn¡¯t the case before, but now if they¡¯re careless, they might get wiped out, XD.
  • Charge in! Make them regret setting foot in New York!
  • Does this guy forget that we crossed the Antic too?
As thements poured in, both sides began expending ammunition at a simr pace.@@novelbin@@ The battleground was inside the building, particrly in arge materials storage area. Due to the containers and various materials, as well as the scaffolding meant for storage, it was a ce known for serious, chaotic battles. The stacked materials, columns reaching up to the ceiling, pipes, and containers; the lights that were half-destroyed and dangling from the ceiling. All of these hindered the smooth operation of drones and rendered the presence of turrets nearly meaningless. I recalled something I had told the Korean squad representatives long ago.
  • [In this area, how you bring down the high-rise storage facility can significantly influence the oue of the battle.]
And thus, the real battle began. In an instant, a sh of light created a crackling effect that engulfed the storage area. "Talon is activating the EMP first. From this moment, for the next five minutes, no skills can be activated in the storage area. Both sides are rebooting their systems and entering a situation where only basicbat support functions are avable." At that moment, two circles appeared on the mini-map. Of course, they would be invisible to the Korean and British teams engaged in real-timebat. So, what this indicated was a limit line that maintained thebat support functions. It was regted through the squad leader¡¯s Icarus gear, and the approximate size was about a 15-meter radius. The moment they crossed this line, all UI and optical equipment would shut down. This meant that only basic functions could be retained. With dozens of transparent cams shining on the storage area, the Korean squad began their actions in earnest. A smile began to spread across my lips. "Talon team is initiating a certain action. They¡¯re moving remarkably swiftly¡­ Ah, what are they doing? They¡¯re dismantling the turrets and seem to be attempting something with the chemical canisters." What on earth are they doing, many were reacting, but their actions were incredibly swift, as if they had practiced it many times before. What they did was quite simple. They opened the chemical canisters and propped them up at an angle under the turret¡¯s posture control device. After installing a trap on about five metal supports, they slyly covered it with junk lying around. The trap¡¯s structure was so simple that all operations werepleted in less than 20 seconds, and the Talon squad quickly vacated the area. And how many seconds had passed? "Talon¡¯s traps are now in the 15-meter radius of the Laser team. Currently, it¡¯s impossible to use any remote detonation devices due to the EMP¡ªhow will they activate this¡­" The moment they crossed the 15-meter radius. Some parts of the turret¡¯s posture control module that had been separated began to operate. This wasn¡¯t a main function like shooting, automatic loading, or scanning. Then, in that moment, the chemical substances tilted and poured purple liquid onto the steel column, and the supports began to melt away faster than ice ced on a heated metal te. A foreboding noise erupted. The pir in the section of the storage area in front of the Laser team crumbledpletely. "Back, back! What the hell is going on?!"
  • ?????????????
  • What the hell is this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • What¡¯s happening here, haha!
  • Oh no, it¡¯s copsing! Ahhhhhhhhh!
  • Wow, what the hell, haha!
Boom! With a tremendous roar that resembled an avnche, everything in front of them came crashing down. There were various methods to knock down supports, including dyed grenades, but the reason I had taught this method to the Korean squad was simple. It was silent, delicate, and allowed for the direction of the copse to be controlled. But the biggest reason and advantage was that¡ªthrough the activation of this skill, the enemy¡¯s position could be pinpointed with great uracy. ©¤©¤©¤Toodoodoodoo! "Talon team isunching a fierce assault! It seems as if they had been waiting for this chance to strike hard at the Laser team!" Amidst the rising dust, the shes of gunfire were visible. Instantly, both sides began to lose HP, but the initiative in the engagement had already been gained by the Korean squad team. The British side found themselves in a significantly disadvantageous position, having beenpletely caught off guard. Moreover, the copse of the storage areapletely blocked the exit they had initially anticipated, creating a massive disadvantage for the British team. As a result, within less than three minutes, the oue was determined. "Unbelievable! An unimaginable result urs right from the first match! Korea¡¯s Talon team defeats the European powerhouse, the Laser squad, head-on!" And at that moment, the heads of those sitting next to me began to slowly turn toward me. "...What¡¯s up?" Without having done anything, I was met with expressions that seemed to say, ''Is it you again, Yujin?'' My image had already been quite damaged. "Wo! This is insane! Awesome!" "Wow, what just happened? Oh my goodness¡­."
  • Oh shit, hahahahaha!
  • Damn, we¡¯re all awake and cheering at 5 AM; I was seriously startled, haha!
  • Wow, they just took down the UK straight up, those crazy bastards, hahahahaha!
  • Even if it¡¯s 5 AM, I¡¯m not sleeping! I¡¯ve already been awake since yesterday, and it hasn¡¯t even risen yet!
  • I knew I¡¯d be up since I started the Cocona game at 9 PM yesterday, !
5:30 AM. The time difference between Korea and New York was 14 hours, and the real-time clock in New York read 7:30 PM¡ªbut on Tricky, numerous viewers were staying upte, or they might have already slept all day, watching the broadcast at a time when the sun hadn¡¯t yet risen. In the midst of that cheering, it erupted as if they had scored a goal in the World Cup, causing quite amotion during the deep night when people should be asleep. It could be said to be the first event in Korean history, and it became even more substantial due to the results stemming from an unimaginably simple tactical trap. The e-sports journalists who heard about this situation would likely trumpet this engagement like a herald as soon as they confirmed the match situation. Or they might start writing articles from this moment on. But how much time had passed? Gradually, the cheers began to subside, reced by a sense of calmness, from which several conclusions emerged. "...Could it be this?" "What do you mean, ¡®could it be¡¯? The y style haspletely changed fromst year. And they¡¯re not even using such a novel strategy. Who would think to dismantle skills to create a trap?" "That¡¯s true."
  • For real, hahahahaha!
  • If it isn¡¯t that snake, who else would do something so insane in a match, hahahahaha!
  • At this point, we really should question whether she¡¯s an Icarus operator or not.
  • Oh, imagine Yujin with an Icarus tattoo on her lower abdomen, how absurd...
  • What the hell? Is she out of her mind? This is insane, hahahahaha!
A singrity. Even if Yujin merely brushed past,mon sense was twisted, and all the established curric crumbled. The problem was that, regardless of the intermediate processes, it produced far better results than before. But aside from that, there was another hidden essence. And the soloing pro gamers sitting next to Yujin were vaguely beginning to grasp it. Dice, who had been staring intently at the screen, finally spoke up. "...This is what Yujin was talking about. Those who have grown ustomed to the existing paradigm are weak against variables created by skills..." "The opposite is also true. They won¡¯t be ustomed to generating variables themselves using their skills." As I had exined at some point, the reason for this was simple. In this world, there were no skills. Therefore, former special forces members and current pro gamers from North America or Europe would find it difficult to adapt to this gap, and they would continue to struggle. After all, the manuals they had spent at least several years, or at most over a decade learning contained no information about skills that could change the paradigm ofbat. "Of course, that doesn¡¯t guarantee an absolute advantage over the enemies. Rather, it¡¯s the opposite. The Korean squad has only just reached an equal footing with the enemies." Due to the uniqueness of the situation. Due to the particrity of the battlefield. Due to the various obstacles presented by the multitude of destructible elements. The Talon team achieved their goal not just due to their many preparations but also because they exploited the vulnerabilities of the enemy stemming from the peculiarities of the battlefield. In the meantime, the match had progressed past the mid-point and was nearing the final stages. During that time, the Korean team had experienced multiple engagements, resulting in their numbers dropping by half, while the other squads faced a simr fate. Yujin cautiously opened her mouth. "There are still two matches left today. The ability the allied team needs to cultivate on this first day will likely be the insight to precisely differentiate between luck and skill." Regrettably, that was a problem that could not be resolved by Yujin¡¯s words. So, she could only stare at the screen with cold eyes. The Final Championship was just beginning. Chapter 255 "Do you think you can replicate that?" "That? The simpler it seems, the harder it is. It might look hastily made, but if you don¡¯t fully understand the mechanics of how the skills work, you won¡¯t even be able to attempt it." "Skills, huh¡­" Asia, Europe, America. As the Final Championship squad matchesmenced, not only countless viewers but also professional gamers and coaches who had flown from hundreds to thousands of kilometers away were watching the match in real-time, projectingrge holograms. The information collected in real-time through viewership was dissected and analyzed by coaches who had lived their entire lives detached from anything beyond manuals and tactics. It had to be done. "This is tricky." People prefer familiarity and tend to improve only what they know. This is a basic human nature. On the other hand, curiosity about new and unfamiliar areas is also part of human nature, but at least in the military, it wasn''t the case. It is closely tied to human life. Therefore, strategies and tactics that haven''t undergone any verification are not "used," no matter how much they are "tested." This was a given for those who had spent the longest time in the military. But today, this fact was a hindrance to them, and a solution to ovee this obstacle wouldn¡¯t be found, at least not in this Final Championship. From the yers to the coaches, those who were undoubtedly among the best in the world instantly grasped this reality. "Skills¡­" Unimaginable variables. They could enumerate exnations about skills, but this could be summarized as an element that was beyond what they had ever dealt with. At this point, skills were closer to an area that was still in its early stages of research rather than mainstream¡ªbecause the North American users and professional gamers, who were leading the mainstream of the Final Championship, had not shown any interest in this area. This was further concretized by the arrogant reasoning that "we can gain an upper hand in battles against foreign users even without such things," and thus, the doctrines of North American users deepened without feeling the need to change. Of course, if someone were to bring an axe or hammer from the outside to chip away at this... "Where should we focus our preparations? Should we think of it as sabotage?" "It¡¯s going to be harder to prepare than an IED. As I mentioned, it''s more about the mechanics. If you can¡¯t figure out whichponents move when and in what form, you¡¯ll bepletely at their mercy." "The UK took a heavy hit right from the start. Besides, the Korean team has probably grasped how to plot the trajectory of their punches by now." These weren¡¯t wild swings. A punch that extended precisely along the trajectory marked in the airnded solidly on the UK¡¯s face, a heavy-hitting champion could be proud of. After that, it was straightforward. Ennd, famous for the SAS, had just been knocked out. While the U.S. currently had the strongest special operations force, Ennd was the starting point for such operations. There was no reason they shouldg behind the North American users. That they allowed a clean hit and were knocked down in an instant was something everyone present understood the significance of. However, almost no one knew that Logan and his group had disappeared from that short room. "When did youe out?" "Not long ago. Shall we take a walk?" "Sure." As soon as they stepped out the door, they were greeted by two people at just the right time. It seemed as if they had made a prior appointment. Logan, Owens, and Laurentina began walking away from the lounge. There was no specific destination, and since the building was quiterge, they carefully opened up a conversation in a hallway where no one else was passing. "This has to be Yujin''s work." "Could it be anyone else? The only one who fiddles with machines every chance she gets is our little junior; otherwise, she wouldn''t use such an oundish method." "From how skillfully she¡¯s behaving, it seems like she¡¯s not new to this. Did you see how she adjusted the action points and the angles for the copse?" Hundreds of millions of people watching the match, among them only a select few were able to ept the unfolding match content without surprise. Only those who had been with Yujin, or those who had been taught by her, or the parties involved themselves understood the full story of what was happening, though their reasons varied slightly. And the three gathered here knew the astonishing behavior of their junior better than anyone else. "Have you ever seen anything like that?" "Operation Giloah. It was a storage area back then too. Only it copsed much more severely than what¡¯s being shown in the hologram now¡­" "Haha, even thinking back on it now is absurd. Do you remember when I was carrying the senior officer on my back?" "Thanks to that, I vomited up all thebat rations I had for lunch." Still, it wasn''t too bad since they prevented the constipation that could arise from eating that garbage¡ªmumbled the senior officer, and Laurentina burst outughing upon hearing it. This was always the way of the Daegeor team. After a brief detour, the topic returned to Yujin. By now, they had arrived at a coffee shop reserved only for officials and yers, where they sat in a rarely upied, personal conversation area. "By now, everyone is probably racking their brains over how to counter that." "Considering the way you say it, you seem quite confident." "I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m confident, but they won¡¯t be as stiff-eyed as the others. But that¡¯s all. Can the senior officer predict what might fly at you if Yujin goes 1:1 with you?" Of course, no one nodded openly. Then came the next remark. "After all, no one is likely to support any particr country or team; they¡¯re just here to watch how the seeds sown by our junior sprout." "That¡¯s essentially the truth." "Oh, of course, Logan won¡¯t support anyone, so don¡¯t worry." "I can just mention it during the interview. Do you want to go on public broadcast? You should while you can." A continuous exchange of sharp jabs and counters. Watching Logan throw back Laurentina¡¯s sharp jab, Owens chuckled softly and sipped his coffee. He spoke casually. "Considering the direction things are heading, it seems the opportunities to see that girl are gradually diminishing. Can you hear the sound of wallets opening everywhere to recruit the parties involved?" "...Could be." "It¡¯s just a simple joke. She¡¯s not someone interested in that." Beyond the coffee-scented room, darkness settled outside the window. The day was fading away, and it was time to greet the next day. "Let¡¯s head in. I can¡¯t imagine how congested it¡¯ll be if we leave after the match ends, considering how crowded it is already." "Sounds good. What should we have for dinner?" "I¡¯m not keen on eating anything." "I need to tip the delivery guys well." After returning their dishes and cups, they vanished. A short yet long evening was about to begin. "¡­Can¡¯t we just take a taxi?"@@novelbin@@ "It¡¯ll be three times slower than walking, and it¡¯ll cost more than three times as much." Meanwhile. As Yujin and the others were making their way back to their amodations, located about a 30-minute walk away, they were witnessing thousands of carspletely filling the road. Of course, the difficulty of that journey was iparable to Logan''s group. "Looks like everyone is here. It''s a bitte, but for us, time doesn¡¯t matter much. How does everyone feel about having sessfullypleted the first day of the Final Championship match? By the way, I was freezing cold." At 11:30 PM, six people gathered in the multipurpose room in the basement of the hotel. Several holograms were projected onto the walls of a room about the size of an average ssroom, and in the center were six chairs that looked extremelyfortable, while a structure resembling a podium was installed against the wall. Naturally, it was the soloing Korean representatives. The atmosphere, which began with Yujin¡¯s joke, was indeed lively, but it wasn¡¯t particrly active. Those gathered here had endured a half-forced march. Dressedfortably, each showcasing their individuality, they sat in their chairs. With temporary tables and small refreshments provided, everyone was able to approach this schedulefortably. "You¡¯ve all watched four matches today. Two squad matches, two duo matches. From tomorrow, both the squad and duo matches will increase by one. The Final Championship squad and duo matches will conclude before the weekend." A short cough. Since the heater was turned on, Yujin refreshed her throat by sipping from the drinks prepared on the podium. "You¡¯ve seen four matches, but amidst that, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve encountered many engagements to reference. They¡¯ll probably gradually increase throughout this week. Normally, I would sift through the crucial engagements and distribute them to you, but¡­" There was no follow-up. Instead, Yujin added. "¡­I won¡¯t be doing that. I believe you all understand the reason." An animal that has lost its wildness cannot return to nature. The individuals gathered in front of Yujin were not quite to that extent, but ultimately, what mattered was continuous development. If nothing worked without Yujin, then it could not be called the Korean team. "And as a side note, you may find it difficult to grasp whether basic skills or the application of skills is more important, or which areas to focus on in your practice at this point." A nce. There was no significant response, and Yujin added without much thought. "Or not." "Ugh¡­." At Yujin¡¯s unique humor, everyone couldn''t help but burst intoughter momentarily, but she continued on without concern. "Let¡¯s ask this question. Is it really that important? Do we have to separate and distinguish between the two?" "¡­" "Skills are tools. But that doesn¡¯t mean we should forget that the basics are also tools. In the end, either way, they are tools forbat and survival." "So, you¡¯re saying don¡¯t be overly dogmatic. Just keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing." "That¡¯s essentially how it is. Exactly. Don¡¯t go off on some wild tangent or take any detours." Having concluded this brief, humorous preamble, Yujin added. "So, any questions or feedback?" An ensuing silence. Everyone wore resolute expressions, and amidst them, it was as if Micha was the only one carrying a banner as he raised his hand. Yujin pointed to him, and he spoke next. "Yes, go ahead." "It¡¯s quite serious when you speak, but that snake pajama makes it hard to focus." "¡­Huh, pfft¡­!" It was true. The outfits that showcased each individual¡¯s personality were foreshadowing in a literal sense. Yujin nced down at herself, wearing a somewhat peculiar expression as she added. "Unfortunately, due to an issue with the advertisers sending the wrong clothes today, I had no choice but to wear what was left." "It''s cute!" "Would it be okay to take a photo if it''s not too much trouble?" Snake pajamas. Pajamas that could even show the tail suited Yujin perfectly, and she had shown up wearing the cutest outfit in a ce where she was supposed to appear most solemn. It didn¡¯t take long for a blush to rise on her face. The first night of the second week ended with an unexpected charm that no one could predict. _________________________________________________________________________________ TL note: Thank you for following along with I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun! Your engagement with the story is incredibly important, so please don¡¯t forget to like andment. Your feedback not only supports the trantion but also helps guide me in delivering the best experience possible. ????? Also, if you¡¯re enjoying the trantion and would like to support future work, donations are greatly appreciated! You can find the donation link [?? /satabog ??]. Every little bit helps keep the trantionsing and motivates me to continue sharing these stories with you. ???? Chapter 256 "Wow, the weather keeps getting colder, but the New Yorkers'' outfits remain the same." "People are getting more numerous, too. I guess the title of the busiest city in the world isn¡¯t just for show." The next day dawned, and the day after that. The fame of the two characters known as New York, more famous than the capital of any other country, was created by the countless people bustling through the streets of Manhattan, and this was no different even in this winter, notorious for its extreme cold. However, this year was showing a slightly different appearance thanst year. Regardless of the weather outside, thousands to tens of thousands of people passed through Times Square every hour, where advertisements poured in like a flood¡ªspecifically, in front of the billboards that were a frenzy for the Final Championship. While the ads for the Dark Zone and the yers, as well as luxury brand essories worn by the yers, crashed down like a tsunami, public service announcements urging order rted to the Final Championship were also shown about every ten minutes.@@novelbin@@ The ad funds poured out by Camp Henry, which was surprisingly non-political and backed by the super PAC Icarus International, were beyond astronomical for a ce like New York, which had the highestnd prices in the world. However, at this point, there was perhaps only one person who found this situation unpleasant. "Goodness, Yujin! So nice to see you!" "I started cheering for the Korean team recently. Did all the strategies used by the yerse from your own mind?" "¡­Oh dear." The logic of politicians that the more exposure, the better was the worst match for Yujin, who preferred the mundane and quiet. This was manifested in the fact that whenever she went out for a walk outside the hotel, countless people recognized her, making Yujin''s chosen path not particrlyplicated. Henry received a text message asking if he wanted to be the second President Roosevelt that day, and by Tuesday evening, Yujin''s advertisement exposure had literally plummeted. And thus Wednesday arrived. The fire ofpetition had fallen on all teams except for Korea, and it began to ze. However, it was difficult to say that this was necessarily a hopeful matter. "I don''t think the Korean team will be able to maintain the momentum from Monday," was my thought. "Why do you think that?" "The countermeasures for the skill operations that Yujin has spread haven''t really been put into effect, and even if they have, they''re quite insufficient. The fact that their momentum has been broken suggests that the enemy''s skills are not easily countered, even with this asymmetrical power." Everyone nodded in agreement, even Yujin. Normally, Yujin would be in a position to seek solutions at this point, but no sharp answers came to her mind¡ªher thoughts were directed in apletely different direction. Considering the immense versatility of skills designed to potentially rece the firepower of firearms, it was normal not to fall behind, but the fact that they were falling behind meant something simple. ''¡­Koreanbat skills are stillcking.'' Whether in terms of skills or conventionalbat. Among those gathered here, a few had received considerable training from Yujin long before this. However, the conclusion reached by such schrs was not particrly optimistic. "Maintaining the status quo might be the most realistic option..." "I think so too." What Yujin had said was not very encouraging. However, while good feedback at this point could lead to good results, the actual possibility of that was low. The matches had already begun, and the engine was running. Excessive advice while everyone was fully engaged could lead to loss of power or major idents. In fact, Yujin''s ability to enable steering through delicate feedback in that situation was rather strange. But amidst all this, "By any chance, is this about the Final Championship¡­?" "You''ve seen it well. Nice to meet you." "Ah, I hate to say this, but I recognized you at first nce. Am I interrupting you?" "It''s fine." "Then, if you don''t mind¡­" Another fan, bowing slightly, handed over a small piece of paper and a pen. Yujin gracefully signed it, and he took it and hurriedly left with a polite greeting. Fortunately, there were countless people nearby, allowing the incident to be naturally buried in the crowd¡ªif it hadn''t led to arger fan meeting, it would have been a stroke of luck. Was this what they meant by hiding a tree in the forest? Yujin chuckled with a subtle expression, and Das, not missing this, added, "Yujin, your poprity has already reached this level. Is this the fate of a celebrity?" "¡­I hope next weekes quickly so that you all can feel this way too." "Hey, how could people like use all the way to the U.S. and feel like that?" For some reason, Das''s words were truly annoying. In any case, they were currently walking through Central Park. Even though they were staying in a hotel not even a few hundred meters away from the most famous ce in New York Manhattan, it had been nearly ten days since the team had walked through Central Park even once, which was the first reason for theirints. The second reason¡ªthis was also rted to the earlier discussion¡ªwas that to hide a tree, you had to hide it in the forest. No one was paying close attention to the conversations of those walking in the park. "¡­In any case, the skill or trapposition between squad, duo, and solo y is distinctly different. The former emphasizes TTK (Time to Kill) to decisively disrupt enemy squads or inflict equivalent damage. So, what¡¯s important for solo y?" "Uh, I think it''s the individual skill. Compared to squad matches, there''s less mobility restriction, so depending on personal judgment, one can quickly escape from traps that have been set in advance." "That''s roughly correct." After taking a short breath, I continued. "I''m not saying that individual skill is the only important thing. I''m warning against bing too immersed in the flow of squad matches. It''s easy to get confused if it''s not frequently mentioned." "Anyway, once we go back, we''re going to get beaten up anyway. There''s no worry since someone will smash everything before we even get too immersed." ¡­Am I the immersion prevention bump? But before Yujin could think like that, her sensitive perception as an awakened one cautiously began to catch something. Unsettling movements stirring over the vast Central Park were captured by her sharp gaze. If this continued, it would be difficult to walk leisurely from here on; wasn''t that a bit too much? Unfortunately, the thought was a luxury, and the decision had to be swift. From a distance, quite a few people were searching for Yujin. Fortunately, none of them were the ones she had signed for earlier. "What¡¯s the next schedule?" "Uh¡­ it''s a personal interview, but isn''t it still a bit early?" "I think I¡¯ll need to go a bit early and wait." And as if they were professional gamers, all of Yujin¡¯s teammates were remarkably perceptive. Yujin quietly activated the optical camouge function of the Icarus Gear, and those with her, including Das, made full use of the tactical maneuvers they had learned in VR to hastily exit the scene. How long had it been after that? "What the? Where did she go?" "Wow, she disappeared in that time? That''s impressive." This was New York. In and of confusion, those who were slow-witted could not survive. "Ha ha, nice to see you. Everyone seems to be in great spirits, so I think today''s interview will go quite well. Did you enjoy the food in New York?" "Ah, not really. Actually, I¡¯ve been going to Koreatown a lottely." "Oh, I shouldn''t have asked. It''s natural to miss hometown food when eating foreign food." The broadcast begins. Four professional gamers sit on the right side of the screen, while the MC sits on the left, facing each other and exchanging simple greetings. The preliminary interview was quietlymencing in preparation for the uing Final Championship solo international match starting next week. However, there was a unique point: there were only four users sitting on the sofa, looking at the camera. Das, Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. Only the four of them were the core of the interview, excluding Yujin. "Anyway, I think there will definitely be a lot of questions. For example, why is that very popr person not doing the interview with you? Something like that." "She might be too busy for that." "Of course, that¡¯s also true. Yujin is currently managing a schedule busier than anyone else by herself. I don¡¯t mean to imply that the other yers are rxing, ha ha." And then came the main event. At this point, it wouldn''t be surprising if the next question followed. "Anyway, the reason we have the precious yers here today is simple. If the person involved is present, we cannot hear the honest stories." "If it¡¯s about honest stories¡­ it¡¯s about how we view Yujin, or something like that?" "That''s right. As expected, you yers are quick to pick up on things." p. As the MC turned over the paper he was holding, the real interview began. "Many people tend to wonder how Yujin''s curriculum wille across to you¡­ That is, they¡¯re curious about your evaluation of Yujin as a coach. But as an MC before being a Dark Zone user, I think this question will already have a predetermined answer, wouldn¡¯t you agree?" "That''s right. If we didn¡¯t like her or if shecked skills, she wouldn¡¯t be teaching us¡­ Moreover, she wouldn¡¯t be a global issue as she is now. She''s just extraordinary." "Ha ha, that¡¯s quite a daunting expression. In any case, that¡¯s exactly what I meant. Therefore, the question I have is a bit different." How is Yujin in private? It was a question that could only naturally arise, but the contemtion did not take long. Mikael was the one to answer. "If you¡¯ve watched the streams, you know she¡¯s a really fun person. And definitely 4D¡­ maybe even more than that." "She¡¯s much cuter than you¡¯d think." "Ha ha! I didn¡¯t expect this kind of answer. I really want to ask how you came to say that, but regrettably, as an esports MC, I¡¯d better keep my words brief." "With thatment, you might have already made Yujin your target." "Yikes, that could be a big problem." With a final joke about whether she might already be watching, various stories unfolded. There were behind-the-scenes stories beyond imagination, but plenty of others that were rather mundane. In particr, curiosity about Logan, who was known to have a close rtionship with Yujin, remained unsatisfied. As the conversation continued smoothly, perhaps an ordinary remark tickled the hearts of the four standing there. "Hmm, the next question is also simple. Many have asked what your goals are for this year or next year." "¡­." "Hmm, was that a more difficult question than you thought?" But at that moment, the thoughts of these yers were spinning at full speed. A kind of simtion unfolded. This year was not significantly important. It was next year that mattered. They weren¡¯t concerned about what rank they would achieve next year, but rather, what Yujin would be doing in the following year. And the moment they realized that, everyone¡¯s expression turned not particrly good. The reason was simple. ''¡­Should we really be happy about having a guideline like Yujin?'' Ament that Das had made at some point. When Yujin had asked before facing Case, she had answered indifferently¡ªJapan is a Case one-trick. There was no guarantee that this wouldn¡¯t apply to them. Now, because of Yujin¡¯s overwhelming presence, most people didn''t even bother to think about it¡ªbut Yujin would cause various ripples just by existing. Whether she stayed or left. Even if she wrote legends in just one year and then retired. Yujin was not a torch lighting the way; she was the sun drawing everyone in. Because she was so bright, there was a high possibility that if she continued to exist, everyone would be dependent on her, and if she were to disappear¡­ perhaps Korea might fall again, yearning for glories that might never return. As such thoughts shed through everyone¡¯s minds, Das¡¯s mouth opened first and unconsciously. "¡­When this year ends, we must prepare for next year. To create valuable and precious results with our own hands, we must be an unquenchablemp." "Amp, that¡¯s a very nice sentiment!" Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t just a statement made to sound impressive. Das, Ink, Mikael, Gambit¡­ and if this video were to be broadcast to Korea, there would likely be quite a few people who would need to change their mindset. Even if Yujin were to disappear someday, all the curriculums she left behind must be a legacy and continue to develop¡ªand the people standing here to do this interview had to take on that role at the forefront. Considering that, it could be inferred¡­ ''¡­Teaching us wasn¡¯t just an act of goodwill from Yujin.'' But there was one undeniable fact. There was still so much they had to learn, and the Yujin they knew would never give up until everything waspleted¡ªor until they decided to quit. Thinking this way, perhaps time wasn¡¯t so abundant after all. It didn¡¯t take long for the four professional gamers, who had fallen into silence, to reach the same conclusion. As the interview wasing to a close, the following words followed. "Thank you very much for your precious time, you four." "No, we should really¡­." "Ha ha. Then I¡¯ll ask a personal question. After the interview, what¡¯s your schedule like? Is it about managing your condition?" There was no hesitation. In a surprisingly unified tone, they added, "¡­Originally, we were going to do that, but I suddenly remembered something urgent. I¡¯ll probably run straight to Yujin." "Wow, your enthusiasm is incredible." "¡­Ha ha." Of course, those who understood that it was not enthusiasm, but a frantic rescue operation for the fire that had fallen on their feet long ago, were none other than the parties involved. It had only been three minutes since Das, Mikael, Ink, and Gambit barged into Yujin¡¯s room. Chapter 257 "¡­So, is this the reason why you cling to me right after the interview?" "Ugh¡­ Yujin, don¡¯t go away¡­." What should I say about this? As the sun set on Wednesday and the day began to turn towards Thursday, my evening was starting with Dice''s clinginess disguised as a tantrum after he returned from the interview. With an insincerely cheerful tone that could confidently dere that not a single person felt sad, he buried himself in the bed and, while subtly moving his body, began to stroke my tail like a pillow. I was so surprised that I seriously considered whether I should give him a light p. However, well¡­ After hearing about the interviewter, I didn¡¯tpletely misunderstand it. "It¡¯s astonishing that the way to get motivation can be this bizarre." "Ugh¡­." "Still, I kind of get what you mean. In fact, I¡¯m here to solve those kinds of problems¡­." I understood their concerns, but that didn¡¯t mean my position would vanish. The task force preparing for the Final Championship was still operational, and I had long since formed a solid alliance with it. In other words, my goal was to elevate the skills of the Korean representative users as much as possible. And that was based on the premise that I could proudly operate as an individual operator even in my absence. It would be absurd to quit before evenpleting half of the task. "So, when do you n to let go of my tail?" "Why do you keep trying to kick me out?!" "Aah." I decided I shouldn¡¯t use words. The moment I concentrated a little on my tail, I felt a heaviness. At the same time, the snake-like tail cautiously lifted. Even Minah, who had been watching the scene with delight, started to look speechless. Dice, who had wrapped around my tail, was suddenly lifted into the air. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let me down; I think I¡¯m going to fall! Waaaah!" "People often think a tail is just a toy these days." Little do they know, if you hit someone with this, it could easily break ribs and lift weights of up to 300 kg. In other words, I could casually lift and swing around someone like Dice. Holding onto the tail with his fragile limbs, Dice screamed as if he were on an amusement park ride. The only constion was that thissted only a few dozen seconds. In any case, after a not-so-long time suspended in mid-air, Dice finally fell back onto the bed, immediatelyining of muscle soreness. For someone who was already clumsy, putting too much force into it resulted in a disastrous oue. Harmony, who had been subtly ncing at Dice as he thudded onto the bed, began to pay attention to me. "Um¡­ I¡¯ll try to be more careful from now on." "Feeling a bit guilty, are we?" "Hehe." Why do people¡¯s intelligence drop so significantly when my tail is involved? Anyway, since this had happened, I thought it would be good to decide tonight¡¯s dinner topic based on this conversation. I considered pulling a table over to create a more formal discussion space but quickly gave up. Setting up an official gathering just didn¡¯t match my temperament. Instead, I asked Dice, who was gradually recovering from the aftermath of the exercise. "So, Yerin, what answer do you want to hear?" "¡­Well, honestly, I don¡¯t know what to say either." "Then I¡¯ll have to tell you what you want to hear¡ªthere¡¯s no reason for me to abandon you all, so rest assured." The Final Championship. The existence of one of the global sporting events that gained poprityparable to the Super Bowl in just a few years was enormous¡ªspecifically, the more trivial discussions would vanish without a trace inparison. However, this festive atmosphere could notst forever. Once the game was over and ranks were assigned to all yers, the issues that had not been dealt with would naturally bubble up like foam.@@novelbin@@ Perhaps by that time, whether minority or majority, doubts would arise. How would my actions unfold? "But the problem lies elsewhere. Your concerns are misdirected." "What do you mean¡­?" "First, ask yourself whether you have the will to endure through the grueling times when your mind feels hazy, and your body feels like it¡¯s breaking. Are you confident?" Achieving good results in the match and bing a single operator werepletely different matters. If I were to step away from the Dark Zone, the four individuals before me, including this tail fetishist, would take on my role in the soloing section. Therefore, they would literally need to function as milestones, and the preparation required to reach that point would be iparable to before. To be an operator, one had to cut away many things. Even if that meant breaking their past selves, they had to ept and embrace it. As I met Dice¡¯s gaze, he added a surprisingly impressive response. "If we were going to question whether we are confident, we wouldn¡¯t havee this far." And that answer was more than enough to satisfy me. "Make sure you¡¯re determined. Starting tomorrow, an abundance of ''special gifts'' awaits you, enough to burst your socks. Does that count as an answer to Yerin''s question?" "¡­Yes, of course. I¡¯ll let the others know." Meanwhile, my gaze subtly shifted. I looked at Harmony, who appeared to think something was going awry. "Harmony, you have nothing to worry about." "Ugh¡­ it¡¯s not that! You¡¯ll still be throwing us in there at intervals, right?!" "You won¡¯t struggle with that, right?" She couldn¡¯t deny it, so it was already toote for Harmony. In any case, this fact was naturallymunicated to the schedule manager and, of course, passed without any major issues. It was because this would be implemented in VR rather than reality, and also because I nned to rest without any worries or concerns for three days on Friday, Christmas Eve, and Sunday, Christmas. "Even though it¡¯s quite sudden, I guess I need to draft the training curriculum now. Everyone else besides Dice is prepared, right?" "I¡¯m the one who brought this up, so everyone has to ept it, no matter what." "Then there¡¯s no need to worry anymore." At the same time, I wrote down a single word. Dice seemed to have already guessed what it was. "¡­That¡¯s the name of this curriculum, I suppose." "That¡¯s right." Hell Week. This was the name of the hellish mes that would forge them into a single sword. "We might end up begging for our lives." "If you beg about 150 times, it should be over, so don¡¯t worry." One thing was for sure: it would be an unforgettable memory. The media doesn¡¯t tell the whole truth. This saying applies universally, not just to politics and economics, but also to the interviews of professional gamers. The fact that the interview broadcast live to Korea didn¡¯t create a significant stir was precisely for this reason. Most inte users went crazy receiving gifts that could burst their socks before Christmas, thanks to the joint effort between Yujin and the Korean squad representative team, and they were busily going about their days as if they were the main characters of this year''s Final Championship. Sadly, that was theplete truth, which extinguished any means or reasons to restrain them. However, there was a reason I described it as mostly. "¡­Amp." The quick-witted ones, who had been involved in esports for a long time, were already catching on to the fact that none of the interview participants mentioned Yujin when discussing these issues. Creating valuable results that would not lose to this year was ''us.'' In other words, the users, including Dice, had already assumed the IF scenario. It wasn¡¯t difficult for them to figure this out, and it didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive at the same conclusion. And the conclusion converged to one point. Not long after the interview was conducted, Yujin received an urgent contact. "Yes, what¡¯s going on?" "Ah, Coach Yujin. I¡¯m contacting you quickly after watching the interview. Do you have some time?" "There¡¯s no major problem. But I think I¡¯ll be going to bed soon, so a long conversation might be difficult. It¡¯s currently around midnight in New York." A brief silence. But Yujin already knew why they were reaching out. She preferred a more straightforward method rather than adding unnecessary words¡ªand soon her fingers flicked through the air briefly. A message containing one PDF file was sent within seconds. "¡­What¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s the curriculum we¡¯ll start from tomorrow. Since thepetition is just around the corner, we won¡¯t be implementing this kind of training often, but we n to incorporate this format of curriculum asionally in the future." I wondered if they could understand this right away. Yujin already knew that it wasn¡¯t very hopeful, and before they even opened the file, she quickly added, "I understand your concerns, but aside from coaching, these individuals are my students. I have no intention of stopping when they haven¡¯t even learned half of what they need to." "Ah¡­!" "Does this suffice as an answer?" Of course, it didn¡¯t matter if I received a reply. The excited exmation just now was already the answer. However, neither the individuals in Korea engaged in the call nor Yujin, who was about 10,000 kilometers away, believed that this encapsted everything. And unless it was a very serious matter, Yujin was not someone who would sit back and allow someone to harbor false hopes. "¡­Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m partnering with anyone. I might do so if necessary, but even if not, I can meet with the students." "Ah, haha. That makes sense." Sadly, it was unavoidable. Yujin''s coaching career had already entered a realm where it waspletely impossible for others to replicate. Not only had she raised the Korean team to the top spot in Asia in less than a year, but justst year, she had also propelled the Korean squad team, which had been hovering in the TOP 10, to the current rank of 4th. And while simultaneously pursuing her coaching activities, she had proudly imed 1st ce in the preliminaries leading to the Final Championship, KSM, and the entire Asia qualifiers. A myth that would not be found in history again. She had snatched the quill of the god of destiny and rewritten it as her career, thereby dividing the Apex Predator pro realm into before and after Yujin. There was no way to simply draw such a person into a team. Meanwhile, a brief silence followed. How long had it been since then? "¡­Isn¡¯t the curriculum too harsh?" "A dull knife causes pain to the ingredients, and if the foundation of amp is weak, it easily copses. And at the end of it, there will be sweet fruits, so you don¡¯t need to worry too much." "Can I take that as meaning such a skill improvement is possible?" "No." "What? Then what does the sweet fruit mean¡­?" A striking blow that felt like a mental punch, but soon Yujin on the other side burst outughing. "Christmas Eve ising soon. It means I¡¯ll let you take it easy then." "Ah, I see¡­." Sadly, Yujin¡¯s sense of humor was still a bit early for an ordinary person to grasp. As the interview content briefly flickered in the mind of the staff dealing with Yujin, Dice¡¯s remark echoed¡ªquite literally. Yujin was certainly a person who could be described as 4D or more. But soon, in her smooth, rolling voice, she added softly. "Of course, there will be sufficiently sweet fruits for you all as well. This time, I won¡¯t be joking, so don¡¯t worry." "That joke is quite deadly. I¡¯m a bit too fragile to take in Coach Yujin¡¯s sense of humor, haha." "I¡¯ve overstepped my bounds." Then, in a tone as if a coin had simply fallen on the road, she added. "In any case, by the end of this year, at least one person will be in the soloing TOP 5, and another will make it into the TOP 10. This may not be thest gift, though. Does this count as a fruitful result?" At that moment, the responding staff felt faint. But one thing was certain: in just about a week, Korea would embrace a bomb in the name of an unbearable, colossal year-end gift and live happily. The call soon ended, but the staff would need quite some time to gather their wits. After the call, before his eyesy a single PDF file. But its content was far from simple. "¡­Can this even happen?" Hell Week. In other words, hellish week. A nonstop training curriculumsting 72 hours¡ªwithout a single piece of sleep¡ªbased on virtual reality wasid out before him. Chapter 258 [72:00:00]
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©¤©¤©¤ Beep beep! "¡­Wow, what time is it?" "Are you awake? It¡¯s time for dinner." "Ugh." It was seven o¡¯clock, but in the afternoon, not the morning. When Dice, who had fallen into a deep sleep like the dead on the bed, finally woke up, he sawplete darkness outside the window and thick snowkes softly falling. His head felt foggy, and his mind was dizzy. It took a long time for his rationality, which was struggling to distinguish between reality and virtuality, to be clear. Hell Week. A nonstop training session from Thursday afternoon 12 PM to Friday afternoon 12 PM without a break. Of course, this was based on real-world time, and the location of the curriculum was in virtual reality¡ªtherefore, everyone except Harmony had to engage in countless battles without sleeping for three days straight. The result was just that. Implemented under Yujin''s sessfulmand, Hell Week had drained the physical and mental states of all participants to the point of copse, and as soon as it hit Friday at 12 PM, those released barely had a snack before crashing into a deep sleep. And now, we return to the present. "Cold water? Or warm cocoa? Either way, it will wake you up." "¡­Please give me cold water first." The feeling of the cold stic bottle touching my fingertips was foreign. The half of the 500ml bottle poured into Dice''s throat, and only then did his dry breath be somewhat moist. Seeing that, Yujin added quietly. "You must still be tired, so if you eat dinner and sleep again, you should be able to return to a normal biological rhythm by tomorrow." "¡­I really thought I was going to die." "This is a passage that more than half of the users participating in this Final Championship have already gone through."@@novelbin@@ Yujin stated this without any ups and downs, and Dice nodded in agreement. It was true. Most foreign professional gamers had at least some experience in the military, which meant they must have gone through this kind of extreme training. Of course, the process that the participants experienced waspletely different from the Hell Week usually encountered in special forces or selection weeks, but the nature of it was ultimately simr. They tested whether the yers or special forces could maintain rational and correct judgment even when pushed to extreme situations and whether they could navigate through such circumstances. In other words, this suggested many things. "Yujin, you have no intention of letting us go." "I¡¯ve said it countless times, but I¡¯m not the kind of heartless person who would abandon students who still have a long way to go." As she said. Yujin had no intention of stopping the curriculum until she functioned fully as an operator. Instead of the previously used method of alternating sufficient rest with intensive and condensed instruction to efficiently inject data into the students, she was cing them in extreme situations and observing their responses. This was quite a gamble for Yujin as well. Nevertheless, the reason for implementing such a curriculum was simple. Although she didn¡¯t know when, Yujin nned to step down from that position someday, and those participating in this curriculum had to fill that role. But instead of dwelling on that fact repeatedly, Dice chuckled softly and added, "Anyway, you¡¯ll keep being active as a streamer." "By then, I probably won¡¯t teach with this much responsibility anymore." "With a career built up to this point, won¡¯t everyonee begging to you with cash-filled envelopes?" "¡­Now that you mention it, that might be true." Then Dice realized he had scored a point against Yujin. It was indeed an absurd reason. In any case, although his mind felt heavy, it wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly so. Even if Yujin were topletely quit her coaching job in the future, she wouldn¡¯tpletely disengage from the Dark Zone, and she had already established a personal friendship to the point of having slept at the home of the subject several times. In other words, her quitting wasn¡¯t something to worry about too much. The only problem was that if this Final Championship ended sessfully, Yujin would likely begin to step away from Apex Predator¡ªadapting the continuously emerging neers to the significantly raised skill standards would be the most troublesome task. But before finishing such random thoughts, his body suddenly stirred. Yujin had wrapped her tail around Se-Yeon and lifted her. "Eh, eh, eh! What are you doing?!" "Go wash up. Should I take you to the bathroom?" "¡­I¡¯ll walk myself." The sensation of walking in slippers felt unfamiliar. Just recently, she had been sprinting on the map inbat boots, making it all the more so. Perhaps due to lying down for a long time, a sudden change in blood flow made his head dizzy. As his consciousness gradually returned, the hunger that arose was a bonus¡ªbut Yujin seemed to have anticipated it and added. "Room service is expected to arrive within an hour. Take your time washing up. I¡¯m paying for everything myself, so don¡¯t worry about the price." "Wow." Although this training had been intense, the thought of room service for dinner in the already expensive New York market, along with tips, exchange rates, and taxes, was astonishing. The food list for room service that Dice had seen not long ago naturally crossed his mind. The only memory was that they all boasted terrifying prices in the three-digit dor range. However, in her nonchnt tone, Yujin added, "I¡¯ve ordered for the room next door too, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much." "The next room is where Mikael is¡­?" "Everyone who participated in this Hell Week training." Well, that made sense. Dice finally let out ament he had been holding back. "I think Yujin is a really strange person." "Huh?" "A bit rich but with unique tastes¡­ a quirky millionaire?" "Ugh." Yujin. She had received two serious blows from Dice and ultimately sank. It was not exactly an incorrect statement. But unfortunately for her, Se-Yeon, the professional gamer, had already surpassed the culprit¡¯s intuition. By the time she had recovered from the aftermath, Dice had already made his way into the bathroom. As the sound of water running from the shower echoed, silence followed. How long had it been? The door opened, and Dice emerged from the cloud of steam. "By the way, where¡¯s Minah?" "She went to a group meeting with the Dark Zone partner streamers. I think we¡¯ll meet at Madison Square Garden tomorrow¡­." "Ah." Now that he thought about it, there was that. The excessive fatigue and packed schedule sometimes made one forget the passage of time and the schedules they originally had to follow. But with the keyword given, the forgotten memory resurfaced. Starting next week, the Final Championship¡ªsolo matches were scheduled, and this Saturday and Sunday, which would fall on Christmas Eve and Christmas, required all participants to attend an orientation of sorts. In other words, it was tomorrow. "I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve been to New York more than a few times, but how did I forget all of this?" "What were you supposed to wear? They say just wearing something neat will suffice, but I don¡¯t really have a feel for it." "Even if you just wear a semi-formal outfit likest time, everyone will go crazy." Then came the following remark. "Sometimes, it seems like Yujin is aplete zombie when ites to anything unrted tobat." "¡­It¡¯s even sadder because that¡¯s not an incorrect statement." "Right?" Saying this, Dice threw a nce across at Yujin. Her expression was nk, but her tail slowly settled. After months of observing Yujin, Dice could somewhat guess her feelings, which were not easily revealed outwardly. Of course, there was no need to exin. The tail reflected the feelings of the person to some degree, and Dice knew that the height of Yujin¡¯s tail, which had been swaying behind her, had slightly lowered, indicating that she had be a little bit depressed. What could he say? It was always like this; she was indeed an entertaining person to observe. Dice thought that and smiled softly. "Yujin, can¡¯t you just not retire?" "Stop saying strange things." "Hehe." With a small tease, the night deepened. Christmas Eve was approaching. "I didn¡¯t expect to be this tired." The next day at 9 AM. Yujin''s first task was to carry Dice to the team vehicle in the underground parking lot. The effects of Hell Week were brutal. "Everyone seems pretty tired." "Of course. Even if it¡¯s in virtual reality, running for about three days without sleep will lead to significant mental fatigue. Just leave them to sleep for now. They¡¯ll wake up within an hour." "Understood. But Coach, you don¡¯t seem that tired considering you¡¯ve gone through the same schedule." "Well, my stamina is limitless." Rustle. After writing on an A4 sheet that she had someone to meet, Yujin carefully ced the paper on Dice¡¯s still-sleepingp and gently closed the door. The orientation itself was scheduled to start around 4 PM, but ording to the preliminary exnation, it was rmended to arrive early to familiarize oneself with the various facilities, which Dice had told me yesterday. That¡¯s why she had set out to Madison Square Garden around 9:30 AM. In fact, she hade by car. "If anythinges up, I¡¯ll contact you." "Yes. I hope you have a good time." Though it had been a while, the feeling of wearing a semi-formal suit that she hadn¡¯t worn in almost a week still felt a bit unfamiliar. It was because she hadn¡¯t had many opportunities to wear such formal attire. The temperature in the underground parking lot was cool but not cold. The path leading to the elevator was clearly identifiable. There were eight elevators in total, but they seemed to be endlessly in motion, given the number of users. Without hesitation, she opened the side door and entered. After walking along the staff-only back path for a while, she came across one elevator that no one was using.
  • [Notification: Verified.]
As she ced her key card against the wall, a green light illuminated above the elevator. With a clear sound, the door opened. The elevator had no buttons and ascended silently. After rising several dozen floors, it finally stopped, and the door opened again, revealing a stark white corridor. But as she pushed open a couple of doors that required a push to open¡ª "Wow." The modernly designed corridor revealed itself. At the end, an artificial structure described light crossing, twisting, scattering, and reassembling through LED lights, curves, mirrors, and various other elements. As she walked closer, several holograms floated in mid-air. All those screens pointed at her. Perhaps they had stealthily integrated a biometric recognition device into the modern art structure. How many seconds had passed?
  • [Wee, yer Yujin.]
At the same time, a delta symbol rose from the floor. It indicated where she needed to go. Although there was still plenty of time until the deadline, this seemed to suggest that she would be waiting here until then. Thinking this, she began to walk toward her destination, roughly a hundred meters away. After rounding a few corners and passing through a gate that blocked those who had not been pre-verified, she headed toward the lounge essible only to authorized personnel. The delta symbol stopped in front of a door. After taking a small breath, she knocked lightly and opened the door. "Case?" A person with messy hair tied back into a small ponytail stood against the backdrop of snowing New York. As soon as he heard my voice, his head turned, and the ponytail vanished, revealing a sharp-looking individual who met my gaze. While he had a sharper impression than a special forces member, the gaze felt firm. If he were an ordinary person, they might feel overwhelmed. However, that didn¡¯t apply to me. Even if I frowned slightly, that gaze could simply be colored over with my presence. Only then did he smile slightly and add, "It¡¯s my first time meeting you in person. I apologize for the intrusion. I¡¯m Case, part of the Japanese national team." "I¡¯m Yujin, a yer from the Korean national team. Nice to meet you." He gestured simply to guide me to a seat, and as soon as I sat down, he cautiously took a seat across from me. As a silent serving machine approached, cing two steaming cups of green tea and simple snacks on the table before disappearing, he opened his mouth first. "I¡¯m sorry to say, but I¡¯d like to know the reason you wanted to meet me." "Of course, I¡¯ll tell you." As the distinct bitter aroma of green tea filled the room, he took a sip and carefully swallowed it. I didn¡¯t mind the silence. However, the moment that silence ended, he dropped a bomb. "I wanted to meet you out of curiosity, knowing you¡¯re guaranteed to win ore in second this year." What could I say? At that moment, I was truly grateful that I wasn¡¯t holding a teacup. Chapter 259 "That¡¯s quite a straightforward statement." "I apologize if it made you ufortable. Due to my profession, it¡¯s difficult to speak indirectly¡­." "I understand what you mean." The straightforward way of speaking typical of soldiers in the field. In that respect, it would be hard to call this person an officer. He was likely someone who had served for several years as a nonmissioned officer. The information I had gathered also supported that. Anyway, I lifted the cup of steaming green tea. It was hot and green. It wasn¡¯t in the form of a tea bag; it was more like matcha. As the bitter taste spread in my mouth, my mood shifted slightly. While I didn¡¯t know much about the vor, it seemed quite good for calming the mind. The bitter taste seemed to erase all the trivial thoughts. In any case, with that in mind, perhaps I should also speak a little more directly, as he had. "Is that all you wanted to discuss?" "Strictly speaking, yes¡­." A brief silence followed. He nced around the room and added, "It¡¯s still a bit early for the crowds to fill up. Moreover, this room is in the deepest part of the floor, so it¡¯s safe to say there¡¯s no foot traffic. It¡¯s perfect for a somewhat sensitive conversation if it leaks outside." "The decision to keep this room open will depend on the content of the discussion." "I doubt it will be anything serious. Rather, I can guarantee that, aside from the vast career you¡¯ve built up in such a short time, entering the Apex Predator pro league has brought forth quite an interesting story." Hmm. I nodded briefly. Although it seemed a sensitive topic was about to arise, there was a reason I didn¡¯t stand up from my seat¡ªit was because what he said was indeed true. As he mentioned, objectively speaking, my coaching career was splendid. If I brought this record with me, even the North American professional teams, known for their unparalleled difficulty, would wee me with open arms. However, that aside, it was also true that I had only experienced the good parts of this field. To put it more specifically, rather than having only experienced the good parts, it was closer to having suppressed the shadowy aspects through various means. Originally, I had seized a position that required not only coaching skills but also political savvy and eloquence purely based on ability. Now was the time to listen to his insights regarding the areas I didn¡¯t know about. "In that case, I suppose I should first hear your thoughts on the sensitive parts." "I was hoping you would say that." He carefully moved his throat and set his cup down. And he didn¡¯t disappoint me. "Have you ever thought about why North America and Europe dominate in the Dark Zone?" "Partly due to excellent infrastructure, and because they¡¯re operating at the forefront of the SOFmunity, high-quality personnel are automatically replenished in the market." "That¡¯s an excellent answer. Then let me ask the opposite. Why do foreign users seem unable to disy their abilities in the Final Championship as if their limbs are bound?" "Hmm." I pondered this for a moment. It wasn¡¯t due to the time difference. They gave yers a lengthy two-week period to adapt to it. No matter how long, adjusting to the time difference should bepletely over within half that time. For the same reason, the short adaptation period to New York could not be the exnation. The reason for adding an extra week to the adjustment period was trivial. Icarus International adjusted each yer¡¯s condition to the best it could be so that even the smallest detail wouldn¡¯t cause any issues. But that said, it wasn¡¯t simply a matter ofck of practical experience; foreign yers also trained through virtual reality. So, why was that? Why could the ones I taught fly? Only then did my mouth open. "That¡¯s quite an interesting point." "I thought you might find it so." "In that case, what¡¯s your view, Case?" "It¡¯s due to the absence of certain elements that cannot be encountered in simple, conventional training: extreme situational response, perseverance, and mental purity¡ªthings that can¡¯t be filled with muscle memory. And even those who hinder such training." He then nced at me and added, "¡­Of course, Yujin and the pro gamers under her have secured theirpetitiveness against North American and European yers through extensive and technical situational training that bridges that gap. It¡¯s an unexpected conclusion." "This is the first time I¡¯ve received such praise; it¡¯s quite impressive." "Your training is worthy of suchpliments. In my home country, there are three teams just analyzing what tactics Yujin uses and what kind of curriculum she implements." "Is it okay for you to tell me that?" "It¡¯s also a bonus to let you know that all three teams are experiencing progress that is difficult to evenbel as achievements." Here, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. I didn¡¯t know how he would take that, but he cautiously began to speak. Perhaps those words were the reason he wanted to meet me. "I¡¯m from the Special Operations Group of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. I believe you¡¯re already aware that former special forces members are being headhunted as coaches or yers for pro teams focused on the Dark Zone due to the high costs involved." "That seems likely." "While it appears to be the quickest and most useful way to reinforce excellent power on the surface, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean everything will go smoothly." As if he were gathering his thoughts, he took another sip of green tea. "Humans are creatures of inertia. Especially when it involves cash. The seniors and juniors who were scouted from the Special Operations Group, including myself, sometimes find themselves as coaches or yers, yet we¡¯re not producing outstanding yers because the behavioral guidelines back home are very rigid." The Case one-trick, and the reason such statements could arise. He cautiously voiced such nuances. The rigidness of the Apex Predator Japanese scene, due to its excellent results from the past two years, had focused more on maintaining the status quo rather than pursuing new tactics and developments, and it had transformed to the point where they couldn¡¯t even manage that¡ªhe was rying that to me. "In the Special Operations Group, we conduct joint operations with Delta every quarter. In other words, this means they¡¯re forces that aren¡¯t significantly tied to the customs and traditions of a single country. Currently, those including myself¡ªcoaches and yers on the same track¡ªare experiencing friction with Japanese pro teams." "I suppose that¡¯s why you brought up the sensitivity. Do you trust me?" "There¡¯s a reason I didn¡¯t invite someone with mediocre skills. The Korean team, and Yujin, have enough capacity to seize the top tier without publicizing such information, right?" "If you say it like that, I can¡¯t argue with you." It was a conversation held with discretion. He was right. It was truly a skilled disy of conversational control. What Case said was indeed true¡ªthere was no need to broadcast that fact, as the Korean team was set to return with remarkable resultspared to the previous year. In any case, he continued speaking. "In that regard, your appearance was an artistically timed stroke of genius. You seized the initiative within a moment that even Japan couldn¡¯t manage to deal with its stagnant waters. To achieve clear results and quickly garner public opinion is excellent strategy." "That sounds like you¡¯re saying you regret not being able to do so." "It truly is. Because I wasn¡¯t able to. So now I intend to try, even if btedly. By leveraging public opinion, I need to instigate a rigorous restructuring within the Japanese teams." By now, our cups werepletely empty, but he still had a rather refreshed expression as he added. "So, please, in this match¡­ I hope you can thoroughly destroy my home country. So everyone can understand that this cannot continue as it is." And I chuckled. My mouth opened. "Creating the flow is my responsibility, but the choice of those who ride that wave is beyond my control." "What do you mean by that?" "The results will manifest, and someone will take advantage of those results. My presence has nothing to do with what you¡¯re doing, and it¡¯s not something I need to worry about." "So, in today¡¯s conversation, nothing happened." "That¡¯s right." In other words, this was an implicit agreement. It was time for the conversation toe to an end. Case and I stood up, and he lightly bowed his head to me. With a small smile, he added, "I wish you good results." He lowered his head, but he couldn¡¯t hide the subtle smile at the corners of his mouth. It didn¡¯t take long for the room to plunge back into silence. "It seems a bit noisy around here. I heard someone important is giving the opening remarks¡­." "Don¡¯t worry about it too much. It would be better to practice drawing the floor n in your head right now. Consider where to position the security personnel and, if you hit the mark¡­." A brief silence. Eager eyes. "¡­Well, shall I give you a tail touching privilege?" "Wait a second. Is there A4 paper around here?" "I¡¯ll just go to the management office for a bit. The floor n should be around there." Just don¡¯t really go, you idiots. Anyway, the surroundings were bustling, and the holographic clock floating in the air disyed the timer counting down to just a few minutes until the orientation began. In fact, it was less of an orientation and more of a banquet disguised as one. Although everyone wasn¡¯t wearing matching outfits, they all looked tidy. Of course, everyone was trying to guess who the VIP was that would take the stage. Before long, the true Harmony and Dice also joined the line. "I can¡¯t imagine it being the president." "Maybe the mayor of New York will show up. Don¡¯t you have any guesses about who it is, Yujin?" "¡­." It was clear to anyone who was looking, but as I made a face that said I couldn¡¯t tell, the two of them immediately gave up. The only person who could appear was none other than Henry, a senator from New York, who would grasp the reins of this vast nation in two years. More than who would show up, what was more important was what he would say when he took the stage. And soon, Dice and Minah also began to get the gist. "¡­Come to think of it, you¡¯ll be going up soon." "Oh, really? Do the representatives from each country greet the VIP giving the opening remarks?" "Rather than each country, it¡¯s based on each continent. Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, North America¡­ sost year, Case stood up there." "I wonder what kind of conversation you had then?" "Just, you know, the usual encouragement?" I could only hope it would be like that. And at that moment, the speakers mounted on the ceiling buzzed lightly as the lighting in the banquet hall gradually dimmed. Conversely, the lights on the stage began to shine brightly. It was an implicit indication that the much-rumored VIP was preparing to appear. As the majestic atmosphere enveloped the room, the noise gradually died down, and a voice began to resonate from the walls.
  • [We will nowmence the orientation. First, we will have the opening remarks. Please give a warm wee to our VIP.]
And only apuse followed. No grand music yed, but for now, that was enough. In just two days, all the deficiencies at this moment would be fulfilled. Amidst the movement that felt the passage of time, someone walked in. Some knew who he was, while others did not. However, it was clear that everyone, except thosepletely disinterested in American politics, began to widen their eyes and stare at the stage. It couldn¡¯t be helped. "Wait, I feel like I¡¯ve seen that person somewhere¡­." "Oh my God." He was not merely a simple politician or senator. He was the next presidential candidate whose face had appeared on TV countless times, and the person closest to the pinnacle of American power began to walk in calmly. Even if they didn¡¯t know, it wouldn¡¯t matter; within just a few seconds, they would figure it out. When everyone finally recognized who was giving the opening remarks, he paused in front of the stage to check the microphone¡ªthen a small rm chimed from the wristwatch that served as a substitute for a phone. The representatives determined through the preliminaries from each continent stepped forward first. Harmony and Dice subtly added, "Have a good time! You won¡¯t be nervous at all, Yujin!" "Don¡¯t say anything strange when you go up there." "¡­What do you think of my image?" It seemed that upon returning, sufficient retribution would be necessary. In any case, it didn¡¯t take long for the five users, including myself, to ascend to the podium¡ªironically, Logan wasn¡¯t the North American representative and was waiting below. Thus, the opening remarks began, and the five of us made eye contact with Henry, who exchanged greetings and kind words with each of the representatives from different continents. Despite being strangers, it was somewhat ironic that the exterior conveyed a sense of closeness. As I pondered whether this was an essential quality of a seasoned politician, Henry finally approached me. Could it pass by without being ordinary? And I realized I shouldn¡¯t have had such thoughts. His expression began to brighten suddenly, and I sensed something was off. "Yujin, I¡¯m d to see you¡¯ve been doing well." Ignoring the stirring atmosphere, he opened his arms wide toward me¡ªwith a slight smirk, I exchanged a passionate greeting with him. A conversation unfolded that would not be heard by anyone else. "You seem quite lively, given this is not a public event, Senator." "The fact that I have a friendship with you doesn¡¯t pose any risk, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already prepared a scenario, so there¡¯s no need for concern." "I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from you." Thus ended the embrace that felt eternal yet brief.@@novelbin@@ It was the moment when a rather troublesome weekend began. Chapter 260 "You¡¯re getting more audacious by the minute, Senator Henry." "Hmm, if we consider it the price for the Medal of Honor¡­ just kidding, just kidding. Please don¡¯t put me in a wheelchair before the campaign race even starts." "Aren¡¯t you showing off too much for a medal that should go to the youngest member?" "Oh, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all good." In a world where bold jokes were a part of everyday life, this was a luxurious penthouse overlooking the skyline of New York Manhattan¡­ or rather, arge lounge located on the top floor of a building connected to Madison Square Park. It was a familiar ce for those who knew it¡ªunfortunately, the senior officers were absent. After a brief orientation, the banquet followed. However, since it felt a bit awkward to discuss certain topics there, we moved the location here. The conversation felt quite serious, given that it was partly a closed-door meeting, but it was a relief that everyone was just joking around. The yful tone in their voices suggested that. Otherwise¡­ well, I¡¯d have no choice but to prepare a premium wheelchair for Senator Henry out of my own pocket. I could at least give him a reason to ride in one. In any case, everyone settled into their seatsfortably. The chatter continued. Logan started with a jab. "Just how much money are you pouring into Times Square? I can¡¯t even lift my head in shame just walking around that area." "Haha, thankfully a new super PAC has recently joined in¡­ but please don¡¯t hit me too hard since I¡¯ve already cut down on ads." Then he nced my way. "Speaking of which, I keep getting into debt to Yujin. I¡¯m quite worried since there¡¯s no proper solution in sight. Politicians often feel like they¡¯re on a tight leash once they incur debt." "I heard you borrowed from Icarus Gear for crowd control this time as well. Shouldn¡¯t you look for a better venue than Manhattan next time?" "Well, starting next year, we¡¯ll probably have to move the stadium to northern New York. Considering the airport and the venue. I heard that Icarus ns to set up a branch there, so once I step into the White House, we¡¯ll push for that pretty hard. Speaking of which, do you want to see something interesting?" There was no response, but it wasn¡¯t really a question seeking an answer. As a few unnecessary holographic windows closed, the current situation of a popr socialworking site in the U.S. filled the space. Notably, there were numerous posts tagged with the hashtag POMGANY¡ªof course, those posts always included one or more orderly scenes from Madison Square Garden. "Peace On Madison Garden And New York," meaning peace in Madison Garden and New York. Henry watched it with amusement, adding, "It seems Manhattan citizens were quite impressed with this event without any incidents urring." "Is it a kind of self-maintaining security promotion and public rtions activity?" "Of course. Some broadcasting stations have already nned to make a documentary about this event. It¡¯s an unexpected positive feedback loop." A smile never left Henry''s face. Then he continued. "Yujin, without you, this would have been impossible. I won¡¯t forget this assistance, no matter what happens." "Oh my, you¡¯re not going to wash your hands of it with just that much to say to our youngest, are you?" "Haha, you think I would?" Then he gestured again. All the holograms that had been floating disappeared, and one window filled the space. A think tank. Even as Logan and Lorentina quietly chuckled, having somewhat grasped what he was about to say, Henry added with quite an enthusiastic voice. "I¡¯ve already spoken to J. How could I not invest in such a blue-chip stock? The think tank is closely linked to the policies I¡¯ll tackle once I step into the White House, so you don¡¯t need to worry about growth engines or funding." "You seem quite determined, Senator." "I told you. Politicians can¡¯t afford to live with debt." Swish. He turned his gaze to everyone gathered in this ce. "Well, is there anything you need? Since this is the case, why not settle the debts incurred from sending the president away in a helicopter right here?" "How about raising the sries of the nonmissioned officers instead of thinking about destroying a smoothly operating nation?" "Haha, that¡¯s harsh. I¡¯ll consider my sry. I¡¯ll think about it until next year and let you know in detail. After that, I¡¯ll be too busy to listen." "That¡¯s enough." His gaze returned to me. After the think tank-rted holograms faded, the discussion regarding the scenario began. The gist was simple. Through the MAVNI Act, while training within the U.S. military, I had participated in various tactical exchanges and, during that time, got to know several senators rted to the technology scans involved with MWTR, and afterward returned to Korea with this person¡¯s help to avoid any aftershocks¡­ It wasn¡¯t a scenario that had been created with much care, but what did it matter? I couldn¡¯t delve deeply into it anyway. Night fell. Being in the middle of winter, the sun set quickly, and a deep sunset draped over Manhattan, which was free of clouds for the first time in a while. It would probably begin to darken in less than half an hour. However, unlike in the past, winter was no longer the season of death¡ªand ncing around, it seemed everyone shared simr thoughts. As Henry set his wine ss on the table, he sent me something. I nced at it quickly. "¡­A restaurant?" "Christmas is just around the corner. Go and have a hearty meal. Do you like seafood? If we go, you¡¯ll probably end up liking it." "The fact that a restaurant has three stars attached to it is quite overwhelming." "I can¡¯t serve just any food to someone with such arge debt. I¡¯ve already reserved enough seats for the five of us who usually hang out together, soe by tomorrow evening. Just mention my name." What could I say? I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then I added, "Coming to New York this year has brought me nothing but good fortune." "Isn¡¯t it one of the most important desires of humans? I had to exert quite a bit of effort to make a reservation for Christmas Day. Enjoy it to the fullest." "Thank you." "I should be the one thanking you. I still have quite a bit of debt left to repay, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it." Swish. Of course, as soon as I shifted my gaze to the two people next to me, Henry¡¯s generosity fell on them as well. "Make sure you two don¡¯t bete tomorrow. While I can¡¯t reserve the same table, it should be possible to have dinner at the same restaurant." "Haha, we¡¯ll graciously ept it." "Then that¡¯s a relief." Beep beep. At the same time, a small rm rang out. It was the sounding from Henry. With an expression that indicated he had expected this, he added, showing a feigned awkwardness to us. "I suppose it¡¯s about time you¡¯re all tired of talking to this old man. Go on and get back to what you were doing. From now on, it¡¯s the politician¡¯s solo performance." "I¡¯m looking forward to your opening remarks tomorrow, Senator." "What¡¯s so important about that? Just go have dinner. The buffet food here is quite good."@@novelbin@@ Boom. With that, Henry coaxed us away, and as the three of us stepped back into the hallway, we had a brief conversation before parting ways. But not long after, a gentle hand ruffled my hair. It was Dice¡¯s fingers, nearing 185 cm in height. "It¡¯s really been worth taking a vacation anding up to New York. I¡¯m getting to experience all these luxuries I¡¯ve never experienced before¡­." "What¡¯s the taste like?" "It was good, really good¡­." I chuckled. Dice, dressed quite elegantly, added with a peculiar expression. To look at him, he seemed like a typical New Yorker, wearing a thick coat and long UGG boots, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t quite like that. As everyone burst intoughter at Yerin¡¯sment, I subtly gazed outside. Outside the window, Columbus Circle appeared. The trees in the outer garden surrounding the central tower, which was sculpted in Columbus''s likeness, sparkled with stars and tiny lights, signaling Christmas. Not long ago, surveince cameras capable of watching from every direction had been attached to Columbus''s statue, and arge watchtower maintaining strict security had surrounded the area. I was relieved I didn¡¯t have to witness that scene. "Grilled ck bass and scallops. The garnish on the scallops is made of spinach¡­." "Wow, the size difference is quite severe." "At this rate, Yujin, you¡¯ll have to pay at least double what we do when you leave¡­." At that moment, the server ced the dishes on the table. As the lids of the tes opened simultaneously for Dice, Harmony, and my dish, a fragrant aroma wafted out. While the exnation about the food continued, the sizes of the dishes in front of Minah and Yerin were close to a single serving, whereas what was on my te felt more like a tasting portion. Logically speaking, it was natural for the size of the food to be small. It was a course meal, which provided a sense ofpleteness to a single story. Even if the actual portion was small, once all the courses were in one¡¯s mouth, the stomach would inevitably feel full. Of course, that was the way it was "logically speaking." "¡­If there are leftovers, could I have just one bite?" "I won¡¯t mind just one bite even if there¡¯s no leftover." "But what if we get to dessertter and you can¡¯t even take a bite? Are you all okay with that?" Only then did everyone look a bit despondent, realizing the potential loss. While waiting for the next course, footsteps approached quietly from behind. As I tilted my head in curiosity at the unfamiliar vibration, a rather seasoned-looking chef in a chef''s uniform approached, greeting all the tables. He was probably the head chef of this restaurant. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach our table. "Is the meal to your liking?" "Yes, it¡¯s really delicious." Then a brief exchange of nces urred. This head chef knew that I and Lorentina¡¯s group had visited this restaurant a few days ago, but there was no need for that to be known¡ªand fortunately, he kept quiet about that matter. A normal conversation followed. "I hope this will be an unforgettable Christmas. I wish the time spent in this restaurant will remain the most enjoyable memory to wrap up the year." "Haha, unfortunately, that¡¯s going to be difficult. I n to take first ce in the uing Final Championship match." "Ah, the joy of victory, I understand what you mean. In that case, I¡¯ll make an effort to ensure the next course brings you more emotion than you¡¯ll feel then." "Wow. I¡¯ll look forward to it." Then the head chef slightly bowed and moved on to another table. Of course, what astonished those seated at my table, Dice and Harmony, was something else. "¡­People who speak English well are really impressive." "Oh dear." As I chuckled briefly, Dice slyly added. "Thanks to you, Yujin, I¡¯m experiencing all these wonderful experiences, so I guess it¡¯s my turn to treat you to something good." "Like what?" "Well, you know, something like that." As she spread her five fingers, she confidently dered. "Getting into this." "¡­." What could I say? Should I call her audacious? But in the end, it didn¡¯t matter much. I chuckled and added, "Yeah, that¡¯s the reason I came to this ce and this city." With only 24 hours left until the start of the Final Championship, the fact that appeared above the clock felt exceptionally vivid this evening. Chapter 261 At 5 AM, even the mountains and trees had long since fallen asleep. It was a time when the streetlights and illumination were turned off, and everything was shrouded in sleep. It was too early to be sleeping, a moment that could decide whether one had stayed up all night¡­ especially since the day before had been Christmas. A day thates only once a year should have been splendidly celebrated. However, today. At 5 AM on December 26, Monday, numerous chicken shops and bars were bustling with activity, more than ever before. People who had just awakened or who hadn¡¯t slept at all wandered about the darkened streets. Instead of the electronic billboards and holographic disys that should have been off, advertisements red one after another, and inside restaurants that had opened around 4 AM, the sounds of chatter and mor filled the air. All for a single reason.
  • [As of now, the Final Championship solo match is about to begin!]
¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Look at everyone shouting from all directions. This is insane. So many people are awake at 5 AM?¡± ¡°How can they withstand the live broadcast?¡± Thest week of December. The annual leave that office workers hadn¡¯t used up or had saved for this week melted away like tissue paper touched by water. What remained was not regret or remorse, but cheers. Those who weed the cold air outside watched the match through holographic projectors attached to the tables at the restaurants, while those who preferred the warmth of home invited friends and acquaintances over for a bted party. The businesses, submerged in the thick darkness, regained their early or overlyte liveliness, and lights turned on in the windows of the apartmentplexes. This year, South Korea had achieved remarkable results in the Apex Predatorpetition, and anyone even slightly interested in the Dark Zone could not have missed the user known as the "Snake Tail." And today, she and her team were challenging the Final Championship. Among those watching were many who had just set foot in New York, but not a single one of the Koreans witnessing the scene had any worries. ¡°How do you think they¡¯ll rank?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯ll definitely ce in the top five, no matter what. The embargo on the scrim results in preparation for the Final Championship has been lifted, right? They¡¯ve never gone below fifth.¡± ¡°Scary, really.¡± 5 AM is a time when it¡¯s hard to get up, but it¡¯s not impossible to wake up. Thest week of December in Korea was bustling. Not only was the voice of the live broadcast host pouring from the holograms, but streamers were also discussing this event, interacting with their viewers in real time on unofficial streams. These heavy gamers and streamers, who delved into every tiny detail, had their own logic, while casual viewers, without any specific reason¡ªyet with countless arrows pointing in one direction. The results that Yujin herself had built up over the past few months would elevate all the yers present at that venue to a higher dimension. And this was manifested as a concrete question. <You have received a donation of 10,000 won from a user whose whole body aches!>
  • What do you think of the Korean team¡¯s strength this time? I¡¯d like to hear your insights, teacher.
¡°Thank you very much for the 10,000 won donation. As for the Korean team¡¯s strength? With a bit of exaggeration, I¡¯d say it¡¯s simr to or just below the North American teams, right? Given that our squad team literally smashed the British team¡¯s heads inst week¡­¡± It was as she said. The results from the match that took cest week were truly shocking. Though they had practiced so hard under their mentor that their eyes had nearly rolled back in their heads, the Korean squad and duo teams couldn¡¯t be said to be direct disciples of Yujin. Yet, they had wiped the floor with one of the strong candidates for victory, the British team, in their first match. Though theycked information and resorted to traps to corner their opponents, the scene itself hinted at so much¡ª the simplest trap had rolled a massive snowball, and the results were so powerful that the enemy was taken down in mere minutes. Only a profound understanding of skills could yield such results, and at that point, North American and European teams began to feel their grip over the Korean team slipping away. After such a surprise, a curiosity began to creep into everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°Wow, if the squad team is that good, how strong are those who were actually trained directly?¡±
  • Fact: None of the five in this scrim have ever ced outside the top 20.
  • Really, Yujin, are you even human? Hahahahaha!
  • Not a human, right? A snake?
  • If you mix a person and a snake, you get a crazy snakedy!
  • Add me too!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯m ready to show my bare chest and armpits on the broadcast!!!!
Chaos, chaos, and more chaos. However, at this point, there was no one who could properly answer such questions¡ªnot even professional gamers who had not boarded the ne to New York, let alone the general public who had never faced Yujin even once. In other words, although the sum of questions and discussions exceeded tens of thousands, there was not a single person in Korea who could provide answers. However, in the meantime¡ªthere was someone positioned somewhat ambiguously. While there were many partner streamers in the Dark Zone, it was not the case that no one existed who had epted Yujin¡¯s invitation to New York and couldfortably settle into a warm seat at Madison Square Garden. Currently running thergest secondary streaming channel in Korea, she could convey the vibrant heat of the venue more intensely than anyone else. The first full buyer of Yujin coins. Noknyang, also known as Harmony, confidently took that position.
  • [Harmony // ON AIR // (This isn¡¯t amunication room; it¡¯s just a ry)]
  • [Current viewer count: 3,169,478]
¡°Ah, wow. How many viewers do we have?¡±
  • Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony! Harmony!
  • Wow, it¡¯s not for nothing that we went to America!
  • Who said to send Harmony to America! Praise them to the heavens!
  • America Correspondent (can interview Yujin anytime) Hahaha!
  • Noknyang¡¯s stream is blowing up!
Since the scene was being broadcast through a drone camera, Harmony¡¯s voice couldn¡¯t even be heard. One could only be grateful that the screen wasn¡¯t shaking, but neither the streamer nor the viewers paid any attention. The heat conveyed through the screen and surroundings drove everyone nearly mad. There were no donations or anything, but Harmony didn¡¯t care about that. This broadcast was a minimum duty as a streamer, and practically, as could be seen in the broadcast title, there was nomunication with viewers to begin with. Meanwhile, on a different note. As the opening speech began, Henry made his appearance on stage. Those who knew him and those who didn¡¯t mixed together and started countless discussions, but those watching the official stream had no need for that. A future presidential candidate affiliated with the Democratic Party. That alone concluded all exnations, and as he exchanged handshakes and hugs with representatives from each continent, the chatroom naturally red up.
  • [The map draw will begin now!]
The map draw. Justst year, it was the most nerve-wracking moment. The memory of wishing for a weak map, having not made proper preparations, still lingered from a year ago, and as the same words spoken at thest Final Championship came out, Yujin instinctively turned her head. But the moment Yujin filled the screen with an expression devoid of any tension, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no repeat ofst year¡¯s events. And with a cold or lively voice, the first map was selected. ¡°...NBV Desert Base? I didn¡¯t expect that map at all.¡±
  • Oh shit! Hahaha!
  • Let¡¯s go, sandstorms, let¡¯s go~~~~~~
  • This map has a fierce fight for the safe zones too.
  • I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m just going to hold on to Yujin¡¯s tail!!!!!!!!!
  • Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin, Yoo Yujin~~~~
The map had been chosen. The dice had been rolled. It was the moment when everyone pressed down on the elerator. ¡°...Havinge this far, I don¡¯t have much advice to give you all. Just one thing I ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It would be best for you to avoid Logan at all costs. No, seriously, just stay away from him. You don¡¯t want to beunched to the lobby without reason.¡± That was a request Yujin had never made before. The four gathered there resolved to avoid Logan at all costs. A bridgeid uponnd that allowed no footfall. But originally, it should have functioned as awork hub, the desert base. Built by human hands, it rapidly deteriorated due to problems caused by humanity, and the desert reimed its original calm. It had to be reimed. ¡°...Hoo.¡± Nearly a hundred people jumped from the transport aircraft, crossing the skies of the base. Untilnding on the ground, all avatars were kept private, so no one knew who wasnding where, and the flight route of the transport was secret to prevent anyone fromnding at the same spot. Users had to gauge their locations through the terrain visible as they jumped down, naturally cultivating their ability tond where they desired. And the moment all one hundrednded on the ground, a sandstorm began to approach from beyond. ¡°For a first match, this wee is harsh¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t limited to the revolutions on each map. Opening the box as soon as theynded. The map was vast, and the initial engagement depended on whether enemies werending nearby, and sadly, in this instance, it was thetter. Inside the box was a pistol with a decent essory setup, several magazines, and a simple tactical vest for light armor. After quickly loading the gun¡ª ¡ªTaang! Taang! Taang! Gunfire erupted immediately in the direction where a presence was detected. Without aiming, just relying on sight, dry sand flew up as shots rang out. And at the end of it was a user wearing a prototype optical camouge suit. The space shimmered beyond the dry air, and the enemy vanished. I chased after him actively. Even if it wasn¡¯t visible on the surface, the tracks left in the sand were unavoidable. And the enemy who made it this far surely couldn¡¯t have been unaware of that.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ho.¡± Piiing! The enemy''s bullet grazed my body narrowly. Up to this point, neither the enemy nor I had hit a single shot. But that wouldn¡¯t be the case going forward. As the distance rapidly closed, I stepped well within effective range, and the suppressor spat out mes. Two rounds in my body. Five in the enemy''s. But it seemed the enemy was already wearing body armor, as even though the shield broke, it didn¡¯t deal significant damage. Having consumed about half of the 20-round magazine, the odds were fifty-fifty, no, at least better than that. There was no reason not to close the distance further, but the enemy quickly assessed my identity and darted into theplex interior of the building. Quickly double-checking the map in my head. This area was surrounded by high rocks, so there were no escape routes except for a few specific paths. If that user happened to be one of Dice, Mikael, Gambit, or Ink¡­ well, it would be my fault for not practicing escape until now. I¡¯d have to teach them how to run away properly before the next match. In any case, while I was pondering this, I had already assessed the costs and benefits. I ignored the enemy who had fled into the building. I expected to have a chance for re-engagement within a maximum of three minutes. And about exactly three minutester¡ª ¡ªPadddeuk! A bullet from an SMG with a suppressor zipped through the air. Gunfire began against the backdrop of theplex structures of the base. It was only natural to be cautious about entering. As thepetition progressed torger tournaments, the enemies¡¯bat skills became more refined, which applied not only to aiming and immediate response but also to skills for setting traps and hiding. I, too, had installed various traps inside the building I had farmed, so the enemy would undoubtedly have done the same. Therefore, neither I nor they were willing to approach carelessly, with the thought of retreating into the building at any time if things got serious. However, ¡ªClick! I was well-versed in direct engagements. Of course, the fact that I was preparing a grenade at this point meant that the enemy also had a chance to prepare a grenade. I briefly peered out from cover to quickly check my surroundings, but the enemy was not easily visible. Through several exchanges, both I and the enemy knew each other¡¯s positions well, and if I assumed that they had thoroughly analyzed my tactics during this time¡­ then the enemy was likely to use a grenade to either divert my gaze elsewhere or to make a direct strike. And that became the reality. As I keenly watched the sky, a ck mass arced through the air. ¡°Well, that¡¯s expected.¡± Simultaneously pulling the pin from the grenade with my right hand, I gripped my pistol firmly with my left and aimed quickly into the air. The moment I pulled the trigger, the projectile mmed against the primer. Feeling the recoil in my hand, a single bullet flew through the air¡ªit should have soared hundreds of meters into the sky in what was originally just a split second. Of course, that didn¡¯t happen. With a loud ng, the grenade¡¯s trajectory spun wildly. I had shot the grenade to hit it. How much time had passed since then? ¡ªKwahhng! The dented grenade floated in the air longer than expected and exploded before hitting the ground. It was not the anticipated result, but it was not an unusable one either¡ªthe surface of the grenade was hard and curved. If it prated well, it could explode or be inoperative, but in most rare cases of aerial intercept, the grenade¡¯s trajectory would just spin out of control. And in that moment, I dashed out from behind cover. The follow-up attack could note. It was unexpected. Then it was time to return the favor. ¡°Hup¡­!¡± Click. Now the grenade that had just begun cooking was thrown with the considerable strength of its creator. But it wasn¡¯t a curve or a parab; it flew ¡®in a straight line¡¯ toward the location where the enemy was and, within a second, struck the ground with a metallic sound and bounced into the air. As it exploded near the enemy, a bit of smoke and a brief me burst forth, scattering hundreds of metal fragments everywhere, while I had already closed the distance by more than 10 meters. The enemy curled up as soon as the grenade detonated, then leaned over the cover again to attempt to aim. However, the time taken for all these actions was considerable. Specifically¡ª ¡ªUgggh! As I approached close enough to bash the enemy''s head in with my rifle stock. ¡°Gack¡­!¡± Their skull was caved in. They were likely overwhelmed with countless status ailments that would take more than a minute to recover from, and their HP would surely be proportionate to that. Without hesitation, I raised my weapon. ¡ªPadddeuk! Four minutes had passed since it began. It was a glorious start. Chapter 262 ¡°First Blood, First Blood! Yujin has taken down the German yer, Piligran, head-on just four minutes into her first match!¡± A red concentric circle that started from the bottom right of the map quickly expanded, eventually covering the entire NBV Desert Base. The camp attached to Yujin, which had been affixed to at least two or three other users, was the first to erge and was soon shown to everyone gathered near Madison Square Garden without any timeg. Amidst the overwhelming cheers was a slight sigh. While they had all gathered to watch the Final Championship, not everyone was cheering for the same yer. In short, the sigh came from the German supporters. However, that didn¡¯t matter; it was, after all, First Blood. It was the celebratory st announcing the start of the Final Championship solo match. Even the most professional host couldn¡¯t help but tense up as the arena filled with fervor. And the moment the host emphasized that fact word by word, an enormous cheer erupted. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!¡± ¡°Stop doing so well! Please, just stop! Who are we supposed to watch after this?¡± They didn¡¯t care if their throats went hoarse the next day. They didn¡¯t care if they got a headache from cheering too much. The chosen few who had purchased expensive ne tickets and flown all the way from Korea to enjoy this spectacle without holding back expressed their joy more enthusiastically than anyone else, and after barely a microsecond of timeg, the crowd erupted into cheers for the First Blood. But that was merely a spark, a lit fuse leading to a full-blown explosion. The moment that result flowed across thework to Korea, at 5:09 AM, the entire country shook. ¡°That¡¯s right! Wow!¡± ¡°From today, I will call her a goddess!¡± ¡°Wow, she¡¯s really insane¡­ How can she fly all the way to America and y without any tension?¡± But whether Yujin was insane or not, one thing was certain¡ªKorea was hotter than ever. Though the sun had yet to rise, the consumption of chicken andte-night snacks rivaled that of Christmas Day. Amidst all this news, a tremendous roar erupted from the throats of the people, as if the very buildings were shaking. Even the part-time workers frying chicken and the owners couldn¡¯t help but step out to see the screen. And it was worth it. The first scene etched into the minds of at least hundreds of millions of people was Yujin¡¯s rifle butt smashing the opponent¡¯s head in half. It didn¡¯t take long for themotion to settle, but this wasn¡¯t simply excitement waning. Rather, it was the moment when the ¡®what if?¡¯ lingering in the minds of all the Koreans watching the match in real-time waspletely cleared away. The number of yers gradually decreased. Though they approached the match with the utmost safety in mind, they could not avoid all engagements, and thus the number that started at 100 had dwindled to 65 by the time half of the match had passed. As the sandstorm approached, the kill zone shrank. With each reduction in the map, red concentric circles indicating engagements burst forth from all directions, and within a few minutes, the number of users roaming the map dropped below 60. However, none of the Korean members were eliminated. Instead, Mikael, who had acquired a ballistic shield, overwhelmed Brazil''s Nuada yer throughout the match, securing yet another kill and eliciting cheers for Korea once again. As time went on, expectations rose. But¡ª ¡ªBuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! ¡°Damn it, I¡¯mpletely screwed¡­!¡± If someone was doing well, then there were those who were not. Today, Dice was assigned the negative role in the zero-sum game known as the first match. A vehicle chase that would never be forgotten in the history of the Dark Zone was about to begin. ¡ªKakakakakak! ¡°What the hell!¡± NBV Desert Base. A path had been carved through rocks so old that their age was immeasurable, with bases built intermittently that could serve as hubs. There was no reason or capacity to demolish the entire stone to create a path and construct a massive building. In any case, vehicles became the means of transport between bases. Whether between rocks or along open paths, wild off-road buggies became the norm. And today, two armed buggies, heavilyden with all manner of attack and defense mechanisms, were kicking up clouds of dust as they raced across the desert. The one being pursued was Dice. ¡°Whew, good grief. Recalcting route, waypoint, waypoint¡­ switching to autopilot, damn it, whew¡­!¡± As if reciting an incantation, she desperately manipted the panel mounted at the front of the armed buggy, controlling both her mind and body. Bullets whizzed past her head. Aside from the vehicle frame, there was nearly zero armor to stop the bullets, and Dice was maneuvering the vehicle precariously to evade them. As soon as the autopilot was set, Dice, who had barely managed to twist her body in the cramped driver¡¯s seat, precariously leaned out and began firing back at the pursuing armed buggy, maintaining about a 40-meter distance. The long hair trailing on the ground as she fired impacted the enemy vehicle fiercely. However, the enemy didn¡¯t seem inclined to take it easy; as soon as Dice leaned out to shoot, they quickly turned the steering wheel. The vehicle lurched violently, and the bullets struck the body instead of the wheels. ¡°Damn it, there¡¯s nothing easy about this¡­!¡± The number of bullets fired was fifteen. Keeping that in mind, she quickly inserted a nanite canister into the chemicaluncher that was firmly secured in the passenger seat. The green-glowing cylinder slid into theuncher. Dice unbuckled her seatbelt and turned around in ce. The chain gun mounted on the enemy vehicle began spitting bullets like crazy as her buggy executed evasive maneuvers, drifting and elerating wildly. Amidst all this, Dice, managing to keep her focus, desperately pulled the trigger. But¡ª ¡ªPuh-uhng! ¡°Damn ADS¡­!¡± While the enemy executed evasive maneuvers, the rapidly spinning chain gun urately smashed the canister flying in a parabolic arc. With a loud swish, the green liquid sprayed into the air, just grazing the side frame of the enemy armed buggy, as if an invisible w had violently struck the vehicle, leaving it torn apart. That should have hit properly! ¡®¡­Don¡¯t I have something like that?¡¯ But such disappointment was fleeting. The most important thing now was to neutralize that damn chain gun. While Dice¡¯s vehicle wasn¡¯t without a machine gun, the situation was fundamentally different¡ªunlike the machine gun¡¯s default position aimed straight ahead, it could only be fully effective when attacking an object in front of the vehicle. To put it simply¡ªwhile the enemy could drive while operating the machine gun because the shooting direction and the vehicle¡¯s movement direction were the same, Dice¡¯s situation was exactly the opposite. Even if she wanted to retaliate with the mounted machine gun, she had to check for obstacles that the autopilot couldn¡¯t cover with one eye. In the meantime, there was no way to attack the pursuing enemy with the machine gun¡¯s linked camera. The enemy was riding a unicycle, while Dice was juggling with her hands and bncing a te on a long stick atop her forehead.
  • [Alert: Entering the abandoned base in 10 seconds.]
¡°Already at the major terrain feature?¡± Under normal circumstances, she would have needed to disembark and conduct a slow search and reconnaissance, but with the car chasing her, could she really do anything? Even if she managed to enter the intended building, she would be lucky if she didn¡¯t attract concentrated fire given how much aggro had already been drawn. The only option avable was to reduce significant bleeding and jump from the vehicle, but it was more likely she¡¯d be struck by that insane pursuing vehicle and beunched straight to the lobby. Ultimately, it meant she had to somehow catch that one. ¡°Hah.¡± From now on, it was time to focus on driving. If she lost her focus for even a moment or continued to rely on autopilot, she would likely crash into the pile of materials strewn about, causing the vehicle to overturn. Cement bags, rebar, and bundles of scaffolding littered the area, obstructing the vehicle''s path. While dodging these obstacles, she could still be hit by machine-gun fire, but in that case, the bastard might get hit and die while trying to retreat. ¡°Please¡­!¡± Gripping the steering wheel, she manipted the brake and elerator while feeling the state of the road with her whole body. To escape the obstacle course in the shortest time possible, she had to confirm in real-time the vehicle¡¯s eleration and deceleration, its contact with the ground, inertia, and the direction of the wheels. As she braced herself, an ominous screeching sound echoed. ¡ªKagakakang! The tires began to make strange noises. However, at that moment, she quickly elerated and activated the chain function. A drastic change of direction that would ordinarily be impossible urred, with Dice¡¯s foot never leaving the elerator. It was a vehicr maneuver that resembled art, yet the magnitude of misfortune attached to Dice had exceeded the ordinary. And true to that¡ª ¡°Wow, what on earth.¡± With vehicle maneuvers as smooth as Dice¡¯s or even better, the vehicle pursuing her elegantly dodged all the scattered piles of materials and began to elerate, chasing after her. However, no one could me Dice for herck of skill. ¡°¡­Incredible. Who is that?¡± Even the user chasing Dice found himself murmuring that without realizing it. A fact only the spectators, not the yers, could know. The individual pursuing Dice in real-time was Lancer, a former member of the Secret Service who had long since mastered the driving skills of all types of vehicles. In terms of sheer vehicle driving proficiency, Dice should have had no means to respond, but Yujin¡¯s endless training had made that possible¡ªif the only shoring was proficiency, then it could be filled with time. But soon, shaking off confusion and curiosity, he began to operate the grenadeuncher mounted under his chain gun. Each armed buggy was equipped with an ADS, making direct hits quite difficult, but¡ª ¡ªKiiing! He was aiming for something else. The grenade aimed at the top of Dice¡¯s vehicle marked the anticipated impact point on the hologram te, and shortly after, a noise erupted from theuncher as the grenades began to fire. And as a result¡ª ¡°Ugh, what the hell!¡± Chikigik! As the ADS narrowly missed the grenade cutting through the air, it mercilessly struck a distant tower crane, which bent over as if it had been hit in the side, relinquishing its body to the embrace of gravity. With a spine-chilling sound, as that which had united with gravity came crashing down, the crane, which had been rusted and hanging in the air for too long, began its free fall with a rebar pir dangling at its end. The oue was predictable. ¡°Waaah!¡± Gugugung! Dice''s vehicle drifted sharply to the right¡ªspecifically, the crane had bent andpletely blocked the path, rendering the left curve and central straight route unusable. But that wasn¡¯t all. Though it had been hanging on the crane, the H-beam was now beginning its free fall. Embraced by the gentle touch of gravity, it would soon descend from the sky, carrying more destructive power than a bomb, and after a few seconds passed¡ª A rusted rebar pir piled high with sand and dust struck the asphalt.@@novelbin@@ A tremendous sound echoed. ¡ªKakakakak! ¡°I, I¡¯m done¡­!¡± She couldn¡¯t even scream. It was an oue even Lancer had not anticipated. Eighteen H-beams that had been suspended in the air rained down onto nearby makeshift buildings and roads, with seven of them falling close to the buggy Dice was driving. While none hit directly, they certainly could deal significant damage to the vehicle. And Lancer¡¯s original goal was not that. The impact from the falling rebar damaged Dice¡¯s buggy, with the panel emitting a warning in a tearing voice.
  • [Warning: No road ahead for 500 meters.]
It was only then that Dice quickly recalled the memory. It wasn¡¯t that there was no road. The ground hadpletely copsed due to a bomb experiment that had urred nearby¡ªmeaning there was a cliff 500 meters ahead. Butpounding her troubles, the panel disyed red, indicating that both the steering and brake functions were disabled. As the rebar pir fell, the ground heaved up or sank down, and fragments must have struck the hydraulic and steering systems. Quickly turning to look behind her, she saw liquid flowing on the asphalt, forming a single path. Whether it was hydraulic fluid or oil, it was clear she was on the brink of beingunched into the lobby. There was only one way to survive. Jumping out. So, while frantically searching for a suitable spot to jump from the vehicle, a piece of equipment caught Dice¡¯s eye. A second crane was located 150 meters ahead. With twenty H-beams hanging from it. ¡°¡­Alright. All or nothing!¡± Crack! Gritting her teeth, Dice pressed the elerator of the brake-less buggy, and the engine cylinders spun remarkably smoothly, increasing the speed of the vehicle. She couldn¡¯t steer anyway and could only go straight. But that didn¡¯t matter. All she could think about was how to bring down the crane¡ªbut in that moment. ¡®¡­If that¡¯s the case.¡¯ The culprit that had damaged her vehicle. The dozens of H-beams swaying in the desert sandstorm were gradually starting to shake, supported by their braces. The crane, though rusty, remained sturdy; however, the fact that it was shaking without being secured looked to Dice like a cat wagging its tail. The calctions began, and the conclusion was simple¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to bring down the tower crane itself; she just needed to drop the rebar pirs. The timing wasn¡¯t overly lenient, but as long as she could avoid the enemy passing by when the rebar struck the ground, she would be fine. In other words, she had to shoot now. Immediately. ¡ªClick! The nanite canister settled into the cylinder of the chemicaluncher. In that moment, Dice felt everythinge together like a puzzle at the end of her misfortune. Perhaps the gods, or Yujin¡­ well, both were simr enough, so she intensely and thrillingly felt that they had arranged this situation for her. As adrenaline surged, her mind was sharper than ever. She raised her hand. As the transparent green chemical bubbled, the crosshairs of theuncher in her left hand aimed not at the support of the tower crane but rather at the metal cable precariously holding the H-beams. The cable wasn¡¯trge. Hitting it directly was impossible, but the contents of the canister could explode near the target without needing a perfect aim, much like a missile fuse. That alone would be effective enough. And then¡ª ¡ªThunk! With a small recoil, the chemical canister flew through the air. It crossed the sky at a speedparable to or slightly faster than a vehicle, bursting near the cable holding the H-beams and sttering green liquid into the air. If she focused a little, Dice would have been able to know what she had initiated, but unfortunately, Lancer¡¯s sight and hearing were drowned out by the mes of the chain gun and the sounds of gunfire¡ª ¡ªKikiing! As the rusted cable began to fray halfway through by the nanite canister, twenty rebar pirs were scattered around. However, the precision and focus were iparable to before¡ªwhile the entire tower crane had copsed, causing Lancer¡¯s rebar pirs to scatter everywhere, Dice aimed solely at the cable that held the H-beams. The drop locations of the rebar had to be entirely different from Lancer¡¯s focus. It was like the difference between a defective grenade and a shotgun, and the twenty H-beams that fell almost simultaneously at Dice¡¯smand created a killing zone on the road. And unfortunately, Lancer found himself caught right in that killing zone. ¡°Guh¡ª!¡± Thock! At least two rebar pirs pierced the buggy Lancer was riding. However, that was a fortunate case; the rebar that fell horizontally bombarded the asphalt and the vehicle in a line rather than a point. Before even ama¡¯s worth of time had passed, everything changed. The vehicle ahead soared into the air, while Lancer¡¯s pursuing buggy crumpled into a horrific shape, unprecedented in the history of the Dark Zone. How long had it been since that? ¡ªKwahhhng! The vehicle ahead became a pile of ash in its final flight on this earth. The other buggy transformed into a haphazard mass of thousands of fragments and shattered vehicle structures, apanied by a spark and an explosion. Of course, mes awaited after the explosion. Crushed by the H-beams and pinned down¡ªwhat had once been a vehicle crackled and burst into mes. The two-digit number disyed in the upper right UI decreased by one. Not minus 2, but minus 1. Thest survivor was Dice. ¡°...Hah.¡± Turbulence. Her clothes were torn, her bulletproof vest was damaged, and the shield was ragged; her hair andplexion were in an even worse state. But Dice had survived. Having jumped from the buggy traveling at 80 km/h, she rolled several times on the asphalt and lived. And she had won. Laughing incredulously, she looked at the pile of rebar piercing through the fireball. ¡°Well, it looks like a tombstone.¡± Several rebar pirs embedded vertically into the asphalt, with one vehicle burning in the middle. It was truly a fitting sight for this dustden urban setting. Having said her short remark, Dice didn¡¯t linger any longer in that spot. The battlefield still awaited her. The first match of the Final Championship was still demanding the blood of many more yers. Chapter 263 ¡°Ha, what on earth.¡± What I remembered was the vibration that felt like the world was shaking. The buggy, weighing over several hundred kilograms and nearing a ton, had reached a speed of 80 km/h before crashing into the ground, resulting in immense inertia. It was normal for the body to lurch forward andunch into the air, but unfortunately, the frame of the buggy was far too narrow for ejecting a person. As I awkwardly bounced out of the hard seat, every bone in my body shattered, and as soon as my head smashed into the front of the vehicle, my neck vertebrae broke gruesomely. By that point, death was already certain, but the explosion of the vehicle sealed the fate. mes filled my vision. Even with standard pressure applied, the world could crumble due to just one variable that I couldn¡¯t have anticipated, turning a victory into a defeat for the winner and a victory for the loser¡­ or should I say? I was rarely caught with a dumbfounded expression, organizing my thoughts on the bed, but how many seconds had passed since then? Someone who had heard the news of my elimination knocked mercilessly on the door I had been in. ¡°Lancer, Lancer! Is Carmen here?¡± ¡°Yes,e in.¡± As the door opened, my coach entered. Yet, he too bore a bewildered expression, unable to hide the look of someone who had just been struck hard. The difference between the deceased and those who witnessed the scene was practically as thin as a piece of paper. The brief silence didn¡¯tst long, and the coach struggled to speak first. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you see the canisterunch?¡± ¡°Did you see it, Coach?¡± He shook his head in despair. He must have checked from first-person, third-person, and free view numerous times. But if he couldn¡¯t confirm it himself, how could anyone else have seen it?@@novelbin@@ The noise from the chain gun mounted on the vehicle, the me from the muzzle, the ufortable frame that obscured the buggy¡¯s unique perspective, and the rapidly changing situation¡­ all the small variables I hadn¡¯t paid attention to never acted directly. Instead, they merelyplicated the identification of the significant variables that one couldn¡¯t help but notice. The result was this. The coach, having carefully pulled up a chair in the room, stared into the air, unsure of what to say. ¡°I guess we need to conduct a debriefing on why you died, but the truth is¡­ no, it¡¯s clear that the situation was beyond your control.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was inevitable. That statement hit harder than any other. Considering that no coincidence could affect the in-game oue, the implications of this result were clear¡ª the yer who had engaged with Lancer had simply overturned the situation with sheer momentary skill and the capability to support it. In other words, he had lost. As Lancer chuckled incredulously, he added. ¡°¡­So, who was the user I was engaging with?¡± ¡°Dice.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yujin¡¯s first disciple. A monster wielding a de sharpened with all her strength. At that moment, Lancer couldpletely erase the dim images ofst year from his mind¡ª the memory of the second ce finish among the four female users who had made it to the finals a year ago was all he had left of Dice. Not anymore. At this moment, she had risen to be one of the individuals he needed to be most wary of, and the oue would not be in vain. Especially considering that the tide of battle could turn with even a moment¡¯s cleverness. And above all¡­ ¡°I recall that the Dice user has no prior military service experience.¡± A nodding head. He didn¡¯t know what to say. The former Secret Service agent had lost to someone who had never set foot in military affairs¡­ but that thought was quickly forgotten. The individual had made it to the Final Championship on her own merit, so the opponent''s background wasn¡¯t practically that important. As virtual reality began to be integrated into the world, it becamemon for individuals with no prior training to demonstrate professional skills. Dice was the testament to that. Meanwhile, the conversation continued. ¡°What was it like? Did she stick to the basics and fundamentals? Or was it the opposite?¡± ¡°It was closer to maximizing unpredictable creativity based on solid fundamentals. Her driving skills were utterly insane. If we¡¯re talking about urban warfare, she¡¯s likely above a first-rate operator.¡± ¡°Hard to imagine.¡± Ordinary users, let alone those ustomed to battles, generally avoided utilizing the terrain around them actively, let alone taking the lead in engagements. The situation and terrain would change every minute and every second. All existing strategies were built on that fact, but if one were to encounter a principle of action that didn¡¯t conform to that¡­ Well. After a brief sigh, a hologram popped up in the air. It was the match result viewing that eliminated yers would typically partake in. About ten minutes had passed since Lancer had been eliminated, and the total number of users had already dwindled to 43. Of course, during that time, no Korean user had been eliminated. As Lancer analyzed the kill log, he added. ¡°The Korean team has reallye prepared.¡± The kill log. And it was filled with skills, skills, and more skills¡­ Even if it wasn¡¯t entirely due to skills, how much of the entire process of killing a single person couldck skill? How many had faced situations they had never experienced and tried to ovee them, only to beunched to the lobby? This indicated that all Korean users had jumped onto a flowpletely divorced from the so-called ¡®meta.¡¯ To aplish that, they needed to know every element of the skills and understand when and how they operated as if it were second nature. After a moment of contemtion, he quietly added. ¡°As more lessons umte, a picture of how to deal with them will emerge. Before all the matches of the Final Championship conclude, we must grasp the shape of that picture.¡± ¡°¡­Is that possible?¡± ¡°It must be.¡± Otherwise, it would be toote. Though he spoke, no answer came. The first match was racing towards its conclusion. ¡°Now we¡¯ve reached thetter stages of the match. Outside, the sandstorm is raging endlessly. There¡¯s only about five minutes left until the kill zonepletely narrows.¡± ¡°The remaining yers are just Logan and Yujin, the two who have truly caused a storm in Apex Predator. I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing how they¡¯ll perform.¡± A shallow silence filled Madison Square Garden, devoid of even cheers. Only the sound of the sandstorm raging outside and a low ominous background music that only the external viewers could hear. In that breath-stopping tension, the two approached the massive hangar slowly. Among the many containers, off-road vehicles, various construction materials, and equipment haphazardly ced, only silence flowed. With as many predictions as there were viewers, those discussing acrobatic battles leveraging the physical abilities of the yers¡ªspecifically, those wishing for that¡ªwere the majority, while a few pessimistic viewers spected that the victory or defeat would be concluded in a fleeting moment of boredom. However, the moment Yujin and Logan set foot in the hangar, all those predictions vanished like a mirage. ¡°Oh, the two yers. They are each¡­ continuing to scout the surroundings and are cing something down. I have no clue what action they¡¯re taking!¡± Between the vehicle wheels. Under the containers. In the gaps between construction materials. And anywhere there was a likelihood of a person passing by. It was a sight as if they were reflecting each other in a mirror. They moved in an irregr pattern, as if they had made an agreement beforehand, repeating simr actions. In that moment, when the tension became palpable and blurred the lines between the virtual and the real, ¡ªSwoosh! Yujin carefully came to a halt at one spot, intently examining a particr point. But the stillness didn¡¯tst long. At that moment, she pulled out the sticky mine that had been waiting in her pouch and rolled it along the floor. The tracking mine, flying faster than one could imagine, made a sound as if a fuse had been lit the moment it touched the ground. But in that moment¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± Bang! Though no sound was made, a ck object flew toward Yujin in a beautiful arc¡ª a grenade. Yujin hastily aimed the gun she was holding into the air and pulled the trigger, striking the grenade dead-on. The simultaneous detonations of the sticky mine and the grenade created two enormous explosions. ¡ªKwahng! Both Yujin and Logan staggered back, suffering minor damage, while the tens, hundreds, and millions of viewers watching gasped in astonished cheers. But that was hardly the end of it¡ªas the grenade and sticky mine detonated, both yers, having roughly deduced each other''s positions, were soon thrust into full-blownbat. Thus, the moment when the experiences and skills of these two began to unfold, countless spectators became utterly engrossed in the screen. And among those watching this spectacle leisurely in the break room were two individuals. ¡°I wonder how many of the stakeholders will realize the true value of this engagement.¡± ¡°Even if they do, the probability of agents from the Ministry of Defense cing an embargo before they can borate on this battle is several times higher.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± The hologram projector disyed the battle between Logan and Yujin without any timeg. They shot, dodged, threw grenades, and closed or widened the distance. It was a fierce engagement with not even a sliver of an opening. The intensity reached a level where an average yer caught in between would be shredded in mere seconds. No one expected a 1:1 engagement to be this exhrating, and conversely, a multitude of viewers erupted in excitement. But this was not just a simple battle. ¡ªKwahhhng! ¡°What is happening! An explosion suddenly urred from an empty spot! Yujin is engulfed in mes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an empty spot; it¡¯s a hidden trap¡­ Either way, our youngest is really taking a beating.¡± ¡°Logan will probably end up like that soon enough.¡± The two, well aware of each other''s strategies, had their weapons aimed at one another. Yujin was the first to take a hit, and as mes erupted into the air, bullets flew from across the way. Consequently, Yujin concealed herself behind a nearby cover¡ªnot hiding, but rather moving to a more distant cover while epting some damage. And at that moment, with a slight timeg, a grenade hidden between the covers Yujin had passed detonated, scattering shrapnel in every direction. In other words, the moment she concealed herself behind the cover she had avoided, Yujin was set to be blown to pieces. But even then, Lancer had not noticed the fact. Yujin, seizing the opportunity of the explosion, had tossed a sticky mine near the spot where her opponent was hiding, and by the time Logan realized it, it was already toote. ¡°Wha¡ª!¡± Kaboom! The tracking mine, springing up from beneath him, unleashed its superheated contents onto the ground, sending mes soaring over the hangar. However, even as his shield rapidly diminished, Logan fired suppressive shots at the approaching Yujin without any hesitation. The breath-taking exchange, with not an inch given, was so taut that even the viewers watching it felt pressured. Only a few¡ªtwo or slightly more¡ªcould pierce through the essence of it. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet. I¡¯ll bet that the youngest wins.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I was going to bet on Yujin.¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s no need for a bet where only the winner exists.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it unnecessary to discuss the need for a bet while throwing out choices with such low odds?¡± With her moist lips slightly parting, revealing sharp teeth, Lorenina chuckled, ncing at the screen. The conclusions of the two were already heading in the same direction. ¡°Logan appears to have the upper hand on the surface, but looking closely, it seems our youngest is already figuring out where Logan is every second. To think she would avoid the shots¡­¡± ¡°She already has aplete grasp of the operational map.¡± ¡°Well, yes. While it¡¯s not definitive, it seems she¡¯s predicted where and how to detonate something to create effective variables.¡± As she had said. Logan had entered the Dark Zone for a shorter period than Yujin, and his time spent in Apex Predator was the same¡ªmost importantly, she had no one to teach, so she hadn¡¯t bothered to delve deeply into the maps. Whether she wanted to or not, Yujin had alreadypleted an in-depth analysis of every map in that regard¡ªthis was concretized by the grenades that had fallen from the tilting container as the support had copsed. The impact of the container colliding with the ground had released the safety handle controlling the grenades, and now, multiple explosives were descending toward the ground like chestnuts. The first grenade hit the ground. Logan kicked it away after it bounced once, and as the next two fell, he shot them, but as if that were also anticipated, the remaining one rolled slowly,nding right in front of him,pleting the set. ¡ªKwahng! ¡°That was quite a spicy hit. Our youngest has had it too, though.¡± ¡°Logan probably took more significant damage.¡± The shield of Logan quivered violently as the new Arctic model swayed. But there was something more important. mes that were alive were approaching her. ¡°Oh, the Fire Snake.¡± ¡°Of all things, it had to be napalm; what a preference.¡± As Logan was struggling with the grenades, the napalm trap set up in the high ground poured down onto Yujin. Had that trap been triggered in the very early stages, Logan¡¯s victory would have been all but assured, but unfortunately, the trap had only just fulfilled its duty moments before the end¡ªand their positions were already known to each other. Thementator added in a hurried voice. ¡°Oh no, Yujin! She¡¯s running while only wearing her bulletproof vest! She¡¯s quickly approaching Logan while engulfed in mes¡ª!¡± The moment her entire body ignited, she abandoned her primary weapon, ammunition, and explosives in an act of sheer defiance againstmon sense. But the moment the raging napalm ignited the gunpowder within the bullets, causing the grenades to explode uncontrobly, and within thirty seconds, the bullets chambered in her firearm began to pop like popcorn, everyone understood the reason. Of course, by that point, Yujin had long since evaded the bullets and was approaching Logan. Owens continued. ¡°The longer one ys, the more they can grasp how daring they can be¡­¡± While Logan¡¯s sense of that boundary was still blurry, Yujin understood that this world was a game and urately targeted that point. Even if her entire body was aze, unlike reality, where she would have been expected to initiate immediate extinguishing efforts, Logan never once considered that Yujin, even while engulfed in mes, would charge in without hesitation for victory. And Logan was not fast enough to instinctively evade the trajectory of the tactical knife hidden amidst the roaring mes and smoke¡ªone wielded by a user. How many seconds passed after that? ¡ªThud! The burning tactical knife pierced through Logan¡¯s chin and exited through his pte. With less than two seconds remaining before his HP converged to zero, Yujin finally seized victory. Simultaneously, she copsed to the ground. Though she knew that tens of millions or more viewers were chanting her name¡­ ¡°¡­I guess that strategy won¡¯t work anymore.¡± That was all Yujin worried about. The first match of the Final Championship had thus concluded, one that would be talked about for years toe. Chapter 264 [General] I was about to dig into some chicken pizza while watching the match, but ended up just watching it. Should I throw some upvotes at the guys? ¡°First, let me do it, hahahahaha!¡± [All Comments][Sort by: Latest]
  • ¡°Unconsciously upvoted, wah wah! Hahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°How dare!¡±
  • ¡°How am I supposed to eat while watching this? Hahahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Not kidding, all fatigue vanished! ? I¡¯m so tired! ? The drowsiness was smashed to pieces! ww¡±
  • ¡°My life¡¯s greatest achievement: Watching the Final Championship live! ?You too? ?That¡¯s worth bragging about! Hahahahahaha! ?For real! Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°From the very start, the gunfire felt ominous, so I didn¡¯t touch anything. The pizza is already gone.¡±
  • ¡°It¡¯s fine for Yujin, but I couldn¡¯t even take a sip of beer because I was too focused on that crazy Dice! Hahahahahaha!¡± ?For real! Hahaha! ?What kind of movie is she filming while ying a game? Hahaha! ?Fact: Such developments rarely happen in movies.¡±
  • ¡°Dice took endless hits for about three minutes and then turned the tables at thest moment! Hahaha!¡± ?Living Point: The user Dice defeated was Lancer, who came in third cest year soloing. ?What a monster! Hahahahahaha!¡± ?No wonder she was following closely, huh? Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how Yujin fought while being on fire. Is she even human?¡± ?She¡¯s a snake! ww ?Oh my god, that¡¯s hrious. ?I feel like there¡¯s going to be a burning smell! Hahahahahaha!¡± ?Body scent (napalm smell). ?What kind of crazy talk is this? Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Speaking candidly, I was only watching Logan¡¯s chest the whole time.¡± ?Hahahahahaha! ?As expected, the Arctic Bear is different¡­ wow¡­ ?Honestly, even the bear is cute! Hahahaha! ?Her face looks innocent, but she gives off a cool vibe. Hahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°I never thought it¡¯d be this fun watching pretty people fight! ww¡±
  • ¡°After the first match ended, everyone dove into their food like they were possessed!¡±
[General] Hey, Jesus! Why hasn¡¯t the meeting started yet? Yujin hasn¡¯t arrived yet. [All Comments][Sort by: Latest]
  • ¡°Hahahahahahahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°This temte is always funny no matter how many times I see it! Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Yujin is the god of Apex x Jesus is Yujin in heaven! O ?What the hell! Hahahahahahaha!¡± ?Hahahahahahahahaha!¡± ?What kind of nonsense is this? Hahahahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Yujin copsed from malnutrition¡­ ¡®There¡¯s nothing in her stomach¡¯¡­¡± ?Hahahahahahahahahaha! ?Thement section is a mess! Hahaha! ?How ridiculous! Hahahahaha! ?If you don¡¯t eat anything, you¡¯ll copse eventually, right? ¡±
  • ¡°Looking at the first match¡¯s physical performance, it¡¯s hard to argue with that. Hahaha!¡± ?How can she swing a sword while being on fire? ¡±
  • ¡°Fact: This is just the first match.¡± ?I¡¯m loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?Ah, a tsunami of content! Ah, a tsunami of content! Ah, a tsunami of content! Ah, a tsunami of content! Ah, a tsunami of content! Ah, a tsunami of content! ?I¡¯m booking 4:50 AM wake-up calls for the whole week! Hahaha!¡± ?5 AM wake-up? That¡¯s simple¡­. ?Feeling great, jobless people! Hahahahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t see anything whenever I watched Yujin. Hahaha!¡± ?Oh no! That¡¯s a shbang! ?Ah, Hahahahahaha! ?So tactical! Hahahahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Soon enough, Logan or Dice will get caught in that! Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Why are there so many skilled yers this year?¡±
¡°First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce!¡± ¡°Wow, Ghost Snake in the Final Championship too. I believed in you, Yujin!¡± ¡°If you want me to sign off as ¡®burned to death¡¯ in the next match, I can¡¯t help that.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The first match had ended. As Logan crumbled into polygon dust and scattered, the mes engulfing him were extinguished, and the surroundings transformed into literal darkness¡ªwhen I opened my eyes again, I found myself in Madison Square Garden, regaining consciousness on the personal bed made just for me. So, when I stepped outside and headed to the Korean team¡¯s lounge, numerous people were apuding me. After a round of apuse that was painfully loud, I finally found a suitable seat. Of course, the congrattory remarks were just beginning. Among them were a few, like Ink, who made jokes without fear of aftereffects, but after yfully responding to their not-so-funny remarks, I habitually checked the current time. Thirty minutes left. The time until the next match was approaching. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in a position to say this as someone participating in the Final Championship for the first time, but how did everyone feel? Did you achieve the results you wanted?¡± ¡°We definitely ranked higher than we imagined. After all, none of us are below 20th ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surely the result everyone hoped for.¡± Before flying to New York, I had earnestly warned everyone, and there was a result they all aimed for¡ªabsolutely do not fall below 20th ce. As I mentioned, this was the code of conduct and goal for this Final Championship. The reason was simple. The top 20 consisted of users from Europe and America, and it was a tall mountain that had never been climbed before. Although it¡¯s true that, over time, the skills of various special forces from different countries have been rising and standardizing, the origin and mainstream were still centered around Europe and America¡ªthe gap was slight, but even so, there were still missing fragments to fill it. And this applied directly to Apex Predator, meaning that untilst year, only a very small number of Asian users could enter the top 20. ¡®Last year.¡¯ This year would be different. Everyone knew this fact, and Dice and the other three yers discussed it with bright expressions. ¡°Everyone had such shocked looks; it was only natural. It was the moment when the fortress built by Europe and America crumbled.¡± ¡°It was tough as we climbed higher, but even so, I could respond in a situation wherest year, I would have been helpless¡­¡± As she said. The atmosphere heated up in an instant. It was inevitable. The excellent start was enough to slightly dull the rationality of the users gathered here. It was a revenge match that had been awaited for an entire year¡ªthis was the extent to which I could understand the limit. Now, my role would begin. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin discussing what wascking or what was regrettable from now on.¡± ¡°While our situational responses have improved, it¡¯s still quite difficult to skillfully handle the opponent¡¯s actions to ensure they can execute a specific behavior before entering fullbat.¡± ¡°In terms ofbat and tactics, we have the upper hand, but when ites to the strategic view of the battle, it¡¯s clear the enemy is superior. Oh, of course, I¡¯m talking about users in the TOP 20.¡± Conversations began to emerge one by one. It was an issue I had somewhat predicted, and it was also a weakness I had pointed out up until the day before the matches began. The reason these words wereing out was obvious. The yers from America and Europe were individuals who had spent their days simply eating, or even skipping meals, while studying strategies and tactics, which meant they were adept at troop deployment and inducing behaviors. Unfortunately, it was impossible to fill such experiences in just a few months. It was clear that this was more of a type that was honed through numerous practical experiences, and that it couldn¡¯t be improved through a battle royale that had no reason to exist in reality, like Apex Predator. But it couldn¡¯t be called a decisive issue. Unless the enemy forcibly pushed our Korean representatives into a building packed with traps they had set up beforehand¡ª and given the nature of battle royale, that would be hard toe by. And there was something even more serious. ¡°¡­That being said, how on earth do we deal with Logan?¡± The moment I turned my head, two pairs of blue eyes met. The curiosity that arose the moment I stepped into the upper ranks ofpetitors faced against Logan was unavoidable. I suspected that not only Dice but also other opponents who had been crushed by Logan shared the same dilemma. But even then, asking for a concrete answer was another matter. I had explicitly told Dice that if I faced Logan not at the point ofpeting in the upper ranks, it would be better for my mental health to just run away. Realistically, it didn¡¯t make sense to defeat someone like Logan, who was also a user and had been on the battlefield longer than I had¡ªyet if we were to meet face to face, a solution had to be devised. Even so, my mouth, which had been able to answer any question until now, found itself frozen in ce. ¡°¡­¡± As I hesitated, the silence morphed into unease. However, while I assembled and dismantled scenarios in my mind multiple times, there was no suitable solution. Essentially, if I were to rephrase the question Dice was asking me, it would be this¡ªwhat is the method to obtain victory against Logan? Of course, in the context, it could also be seen as asking how to escape or engage him adequately, but the subject of the question was none other than Dice. In other words, it meant that someone who could be put in a position of having to face Logan directly might find themselves in such a situation. ¡°The most likely method, though it¡¯s a bit of a stretch, is to invade when Logan is engaged inbat with someone else and take him out.¡± ¡°Is that the basic premise¡­?¡± ¡°Is it ufortable for you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The desire for victory is a good attitude, but¡­¡± I nearly voiced the fact that I was a user. Thus, silence fell once more. Carefully choosing my words, I added. ¡°¡­Everyone here must already know that I was once an operator in the US Department of Defense.¡± ¡°Wait, what did you say?¡± ¡°Even I can¡¯t guarantee victory in front of that man. Those who saw thest battle know that I didn¡¯t gain a clear upper hand inbat, did I?¡± Everyone shook their heads. An intense battle with not a single inch given. Whenever I took damage, so did Logan, and the reverse was true as well. The tactics used by both of us had been well known long before. Words continued. ¡°To put it bluntly, most of your action principles will be read by Logan¡­ so, try to anticipate that. Therefore, what you should focus on is not ¡®how to kill that person¡¯ but rather, ¡®how to avoid what¡¯s going to happen.¡¯¡± Not ¡®what kind¡¯ but rather ¡®all kinds¡¯ of methods would have to be employed. And just as I spoke that, the atmosphere grew heavy, so after some thought, I added. ¡°Well, still, he is human. If we can just endure until the end, it¡¯s possible Logan and I could be fighting each other first. So, give it your best shot.¡± It might feel like some sort of teaming, but in the Final Championship, the avatars of yers from different countries were randomly oveid with the avatars of yers who had already died, so it was impossible to distinguish between users from the same country. This was also simr to the format of the Asian qualifiers. Of course, during the fight, you¡¯d get a decent idea of who was who, but as long as it wasn¡¯t teaming, it didn¡¯t matter as long as one was allowed to observe the battles between others as much as they could¡ªas the kill zones would naturally narrow anyway. With the atmosphere slightly softened, we proceeded to start the feedback session. The series of 14 matches to be held over 5 days. Excluding thest two maps that wouldn¡¯t be selected, all eight maps would go through a round, and tomorrow, NBV Desert Base could appear again. Additionally, today¡¯s maps were the desert base and the Atakaiya Volcano Ind. I needed to finish the feedback on the desert base in at least 15 minutes, but preferably within 20, and begin the briefing on the volcano ind. It truly seemed like it would be a relentless day. And¡ª ¡ªKwahng! ¡°Cough!¡± A knife pierced my abdomen. An irrecoverable state of bleeding. Additionally, with all my limbs already in tatters, continuing the fight was impossible¡ªamidst that, Logan, who was just slightly less injured than I was, staggered over. Truly, yesterday''s predictions were no mere coincidence. ¡°If I were to say that being able to fight in a situation where I couldn¡¯t guarantee survival even if I were immediately transported¡­.¡± Raising my handgun, she smiled faintly. ¡°...was this what it meant?¡± Even at thest moment, she remainedpletely alert. At a distance of at least 10m, she aimed her weapon with perfect grip and focused on my forehead. Blood dripped from the gun and pooled on the ground. As the trigger was pulled, a metallic sound echoed, and Logan added.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Good work.¡± mes filled my vision. The second match on Monday, and thest match, thus concluded. Chapter 265 "I can¡¯t believe I fought someone like that."
  • Hahahahahahahahaha!
  • Stop reminiscing about old memories, you¡¯re making me cringe!
  • It wasn¡¯t a fight; you just threw a tantrum! O
  • A fight only counts when it¡¯s between equal opponents, you know! Hahahahahaha!
  • Is this the Final Championship or the World Martial Arts Competition? Hahahahahaha!
As the night that seemed like it would be forever dark began to clear, sunlight shone on the snow that had frozen and piled up, breaking apart in all directions. From a murky hue to a deep blue, gradually turning bright blue until the sun finally rose over the horizon. On the 26th, the day was starting as the world awakened. The wind at 8 AM was cold. And as the chilly breeze hit them, the many viewers who had kept their spots began to vanish one by one. The part-timers who hade out early for extra pay were busy clearing away the tes and sses left behind by the customers. Among them, the streamers who had passionately covered the Final Championship also started to disappear one by one in preparation for the next day. Those who were happily chatting would soony down in bed before the sun rose too high. Kato was one of them. But not just yet. "I personally find it more amazing that Logan is fighting evenly with that person. What can I say? Back when I was grinding ranks in the qualifiers, I almost gave up as soon as I met Yujin¡­ How is it possible that he can fight against someone like that without losing even an inch?" As he sank deep into his chair, he rummaged through memories of the past. Not seeking solutions or thinking of escape routes¡ªjust in surrender. He erased the word ¡®resistance¡¯ from his mind against the irrationality he couldn¡¯t contend with¡ªmuch like looking for a way to fight against an approaching hurricane. But even that wasn¡¯t exactly his true ability, which was quite shocking¡­ or should be? Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t that shocking at all. Instead, it was the thousands of users chatting excitedly in his live chat. People who had never fought Yujin even once. They were supposed to be absent¡ªbut instead, they were nowhere to be seen. It was definitive. And there was something even more surprising. "That aside, the most amazing thing is actually Dice."
  • For real! Hahahahaha!
  • I can¡¯t deny this one.
  • Candid Opinion: The impact of the first match was honestly bigger than Yujin¡¯s.
  • What on earth did she do to turn Dice into a crazy person who could star in an action movie? Hahahahaha!
  • It¡¯s hard to even fathom why such a chase happened.
Just as he said. The day had just begun, yet today¡¯s trending topics werepletely flooded with discussions about the Dark Zone¡ªamong them, Dice and Yujin, but today, the former took precedence. A grueling battle thatsted for about 5 minutes, during which Dice was on the defensive for 4 minutes and 46 seconds, taking hits from a chain gun yet managing to preserve enough durability to operate her vehicle without giving up until the very end. Thus, after enduring and enduring, fortune finally smiled. With a single strike, Dice sent the enemy that had been relentlessly chasing her straight to heaven, and tens of millions of viewers were instantly captivated by the extreme satisfaction of oveing hardships. "I think aposite video came out already, right? I think I saw someone who edited the footage of Dice changing gears and stepping on the elerator with a de javu BGM attached." And it was necessary to mention that the video had already hit a million views just hours after it was posted. With a dumbfounded expression, he added. "Do you remember thest interview scream? When Yujin and Dice faced off with a 2:3 score? Even though she was penalized for not being able to jump, she waspletely crushed. But looking at it now, it seems she¡¯s be much sharper since then¡­."
  • Kato, do you have the right to evaluate someone else''s skills? Stop talking nonsense and bow your head!
"Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true. I¡¯m just a nobody who hasn¡¯t even been to the US¡­ I apologize to the nation. I will self-reflect for a month and not turn on my stream."
  • ?
  • Crazy! You can¡¯t do that!!!!!!!!!!!
  • This idiot is cracking me up so much! Hahahahahahahaha!
  • Fact: The end of your break coincides with the New Year.
  • You¡¯re going to take a seven-week break like this? Are you out of your mind?
In an instant, the power dynamics shifted. After a moment ofughter faded, Kato quietly checked the time. It was 8:07 AM. The Final Championship was held at a 1x speed to align with real-time, so he was also in a VR time warp set to 1. Moreover, since they had to wake up early to watch the matches that started at 5 AM Korea time, the actual streaming duration was longer than he had thought. There was no need to exin anything; both viewers and streamers were in for a tiring time. As he entered AFK mode and checked outside the studio, the sun was already stealthily climbing above the horizon. Now it was truly time to sleep. "¡­Anyway, everyone did great today. I n to stream again around noon, so let¡¯s all rx and catch upter. Thank you for your hard work!" And with that, it came to an end. The ones who had rushed through from Christmas until the following morning quickly sumbed to sleep without leaving anyone behind. And¡ª "Upon the arrival of the Korean representative team, which Japan envies, China cries over, and Russia fears, the US and Europe send out an SOS to Korea right afternding in the Final Championship¡­ whoa. It¡¯s dizzying, so dizzying." "Breaking News: An American superstar resorting to drugs to defeat Yujin. Stronger than drugs and steroids is Korean red ginseng¡­ what the hell is this even saying?" "¡­What is up with these nationalistic fools?" On the morning of the 9th, the day after Yujin and the others finished the match and woke up. They were met with absurdities the moment they woke up. "¡­It feels like everything I¡¯m hearing is just nonsense, and it¡¯s more ridiculous because there are one or two parts that actually hit the mark." "That¡¯s the same principle as a broken clock being right twice a day." Of course, amidst that, Yujin was imagining smashing the broken clock. It was a day with 12 hours remaining until the start of the second day¡¯s matches. "Why does it feel like I¡¯m the only one struggling weirdly in this Final Championship¡­!" Dudududu, pew! Bullets skimmed past my ear as they scraped against the concrete wall, unleashing ominous sounds. It reminded me of the sound of a whip being cracked, the supersonic bullets breaking the sound barrier and leaving a shockwave ringing in my ears. And in the midst of it all, there was Dice¡ªthere I was.@@novelbin@@ Having spent so long in the Dark Zone that I couldn¡¯t even remember the nature of the first engagement I had, every battle remained tough, draining my stamina. Perhaps it was also due to the mental fatigue stemming from the furious buggy run from yesterday. In any case, today too was a hopeless situation. Huff¡­! Thud! I tossed a grenade linked to Molly. As I pulled it off and threw it, the enemy finally halted fire and retreated from that spot¡ªbut at that moment, I had already gotten up from leaning against the wall. The grenade soared through the air,nding near the enemy, just as their shooting ceased. In other words, I had to strike when the enemy was moving from one cover to another. This was one of the basic methods that Yujin had taught me. Sure enough, as I rounded the corner, I saw the enemy¡¯s new gear ring at me as I aimed. The opponent was another Icarus operator, and naturally, their durability was considerable. In other words, there was no reason for them to use a burst fire method. ¡ªPew pew pew! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I dropped to the ground, and the moment I let out a small breath, the enemy disintegrated into polygon fragments, leaving behind several magazines of fully loaded ammunition, two defining weapons, various explosives, and armor, etc. However, of course, I wouldn¡¯t go to pick those up. There could still be unidentified enemies in the area. I hastily leaned against nearby cover, inhaling the acrid scent of grenade powder as I scanned my surroundings. The ceiling lights were shattered, adding a slight darkness to the already dim underground research facility. About a minute passed. Fortunately, nothing happened. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Unwanted as it was, my faith in Yujin was increasing yet again. Engaging with those who were not in the top 20% had been easily resolved using just the basics I had learned over the months or applying them ordingly, and this time was no different. As I gathered my scattered tension, I headed toward the pile of items. My ammunition was still plentiful, and the weapon of the user I had just killed wasn¡¯tpatible with mine. I just needed to replenish my grenades. I cut the fishing line that was connected to Molly. Since it was already torn, the only thing left in that spot was a safety pin instead of a grenade. I opened my pouch, took out a portion of the fishing line, and cut about 15cm to skillfully attach it to a grenade. With that, I was ready. Thinking that I might need something else, I rummaged through the remaining multipurpose pouch of the enemy and pulled out a PDA. ¡°Wow.¡± Of course, it wasmon for valuable research facilities to have PDAs scattered about. In this map, I had to use this PDA to locate the Juggernauts that served as kill zones. However, asionally, a PDA that looked somewhat more upscale pops up, and these usuallye with special functions, and this time was exactly such a case. As soon as I fiddled with it, a message popped up on the screen.
  • [Notification: Special Rescue Team Dispatch Function Activation Waiting.]
  • [Notification: Would you like to activate it?]
Special Rescue Team. Although the name sounded grand, in essence, it could be described differently¡ªthe system that instantly dispatched one or two Juggernauts to the location where the PDA was. Originally, this function was created to immediately rescue high-ranking executives while the protocol to destroy everything in the facility was activated¡­ but of course, it was used differently in-game. It was essentially a request for bombardment to disrupt the tide and break through a stalemate¡ªa type of bombardment request that, while it takes 1 minute and 30 seconds to activate, could yield a pretty good effect if timed right. But, with good thingse bad. The Grim Reaper hade for me. ¡ªTudududu! ¡°Ugh!¡± In an instant, bullets came flying in. The uracy was unusually high. Three bullets hit my head in the blink of an eye, mercilessly cutting down my shield amount. The remaining amount was already below 25%. I berated myself for being too careless as I hurriedly took cover, just as more bullets came flying, shattering the spot I had upied moments before. From the angle of the bullets that came flying, I could roughly guess the enemy¡¯s position. However, this area was filled with spacious corridors and lobbies, making it hard to find enjoyment in the skirmish. Fortunately, just a little further ahead, the actual research facility woulde into view, so it shouldn¡¯t be a major issue. But, those thoughts hadn¡¯t even crossed my mind for 30 seconds. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t good!¡± The speed at which they were closing in was rming. To contain them, I tried suppressing fire a few times, but each time my position was revealed, their urate counterfire came back at me. Just looking at it, it was clearly someone from the top 20%, one of the ¡®real deals¡¯ that Yujin had emphasized multiple times. Fight or survive? But before I could even ponder that, the distance between us¡ªonce about 100 meters¡ªwas shrinking rapidly. The opponent had already shot three bullets into my head, meaning a graze would break my shield. In other words, the opponent could freely advance. They were fully aware of the system of the game, Apex Predator, especially in the Dark Zone. And that unsettling feeling continued to manifest as a single emotion. ¡®¡­I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ A feeling of extreme helplessness. Thepetitive spirit I usually felt upon encountering an engagement had vanished, reced by a feeling as if all the experiences ingrained in me on how to tacklebat wereid bare, and my head provided the most urate answer I could find. Yujin or Logan. Either one was someone I desperately wanted to avoid.
  • [Notification: Activating Special Rescue Team Dispatch Function.]
  • [Notification: 00 // 01 // 30¡­]
One minute and thirty seconds. Could I hold out long enough? After holding out, could I escape? I banished those thoughts. Only the duel concerning life and death remained¡ªclutching my firearm on top of the box while quickly loading a sticky bomb into theuncher, thud. With a slight recoil, I nted it firmly on a central cover in the corridor. The corridor was pretty wide, and there were various objects that obstructed the line of sight at intervals. The enemy was charging at me, using those as cover at a mad speed, but now they would find it difficult to approach recklessly. While providing suppressive fire, I took out a grenade. The distance to the enemy was about 60 meters. Even throwing it wouldn¡¯t reach, but by expending some of the Icarus gear''s processing power to partially enhance my body, it should work just fine. With a thunk, I pulled the pin from the grenade linked to Molly, and the grenade flew through the air at a mad speed toward the enemy¡¯s vicinity. As the grenade reached near the enemy, the explosion went off, triggering the sticky bomb as well, exploding just a few meters away from the enemy¡¯s new gear¡ªbut in that moment, a flying metal object came towards me through the sh and concrete dust. It was an enemy grenade! ¡ªKwahh! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± It became clear. As the sound and sh urred, both of these methods could easily confuse a person¡¯s senses. And simultaneously, as I realized that, Logan began to approach rapidly. My whole body felt numb, but I forced myself up. Whichever it was, the enemy would surely use this opportunity to quickly close the distance. Instantly twisting my body over the cover, I fired back at the faint new gear. As expected, a white hexagon rose over the enemy. The distance was now 30 meters. I switched the trigger to single-fire and, at a steady pace¡ªnot too fast, not too slow¡ªcontinued suppressing fire as I gradually retreated. I tossed my remaining grenades to the ground while hastily increasing the distance. However, the enemy didn¡¯t seem inclined to just sit back. They scattered a few objects into the air. ¡°¡­.¡± Puh-shik! It didn¡¯t take long for three smoke grenades to fill the corridor¡ªand at the same time, a grenade exploded from the opposite side. I already knew about this tactic. They were probably trying to quickly nk me while my attention was diverted. In that case, all I had to do was run away with all my might without looking back. Yet, I still had to prepare for at least the minimum, so just as I was about to once again connect a sticky bomb to theuncher with my left hand, ¡ªTududududu! ¡°Damn¡­!¡± The bullets flew through the smoke that filled the corridor, and at the same time, a white new gear came rushing in. The enemy avatars in-game took a slightly distorted form, making it hard to identify who they were, but I could tell immediately who it was. It was the person Yujin had specifically told me to ¡°run away from¡± when I met them. Holding theuncher with my left hand, which had yet to be fully assembled, I hurriedly lifted my gun and fired suppressive shots. But I couldn¡¯t stop their advance. As I ran down the stairs, I tossed the remaining grenade, but Logan was already standing on the balcony¡ªhad she jumped up!? ¡°Whoa¡ª!¡± ¡ªKwahh! Using the explosion of the grenade as a backdrop, Logan stepped on the balcony and jumped while firing, with all of her bullets spent just then. I didn¡¯t even have the time to change magazines, and only then did I finally lift the sticky bombuncher that I had been holding in my left hand. But it wouldn¡¯t fire, likely because it hadn¡¯t been properly connected. At that moment, time seemed to slow down rapidly, and the distance between me and Logan¡ªwho was losing her momentum and surrendering to gravity¡ªquickly closed in. Unlike the ¡®hug me¡¯ emoticon Yujin had sent through Engram, the result wouldn¡¯t be the same. My mind had long since turned nk. Was this how I was going to be eliminated? While pondering that, a warning window popped up in my UI.
  • [Notification: Emergency Dispatch Request Recognized.]
  • [Notification: Activating Sticky Bomb.]
¡ªKwahh! And with that, a sh and explosion erupted from my left hand. The explosion from the sticky bomb sent Logan flying back, and just as she was about to crush Dice, the distance between them had reduced to less than 2 meters. The sticky bomb detonated with a tremendous noise and shockwave, sending both users flying in opposite directions. Although they were thrown over 5 meters from the zero ground, Dice was the first to regain her senses. She was able to absorb much of the impact by having her feet nted on the ground until the end. However, just because she got up first didn¡¯t mean she could shoot. ¡°...Ugh, cough.¡± Countless status ailments rose before her eyes. Among them, her hands were not just red but ckened as well. Until she performed emergency treatment and healing in a safe location, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to pull the trigger of her pistol. Moreover, coinciding with the explosion¡¯s shock, the dispatch of the special rescue team was just seconds away frompletion. Dice, in her battered state, quickly fled the scene. And how much time had passed? ¡°...Hah, I didn¡¯t imagine this would happen.¡± The 30 seconds of incapacitation felt like an eternity. This was Dice¡ªshe thought she might need topliment herter. But regrettably, there wouldn¡¯t be much time for that.
  • [Notification: Dispatch of the A-32 sector special rescue teampleted. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from essing. Commencing cleanup of enemy forces.]
¡°While I can say that attempting to confirm kills is a sign of progress, it should have been done by her own hand.¡± On the balcony, looking at the special rescue personnel¡ªmini-gun Juggernauts¡ªLogan smiled briefly, then pulled out an enormous anti-material sniper rifle from behind her. That day, Logan received three Juggernaut skulls. Chapter 266 "Where are you going?" "I guess I need to scout that guy. The MAVNI-rted legition should still be valid, and where''s that application for the U.S. Navy? Surviving that crazy pr bear means his skills are already proven¡­." "Stop rambling and just sit down." Madison Square Garden is buzzing. People have always craved the battle between David and Goliath, especially hoping for the former''s thrilling victory¡ªand just before Logan was about to strike Dice, an explosion erupted, leading the confrontation into unknown territory.@@novelbin@@ However, when the smoke cleared and the results were revealed, everyone was stunned. Despite both of them sprawled on the ground like trash, both sides had survived. Especially Dice, who not only survived but had sessfully taken down the other. Of course, many were eagerly watching the ensuing face-off between Logan and Juggernaut, but there were others who felt differently. Lorentina, who had risen from her seat only to plop back down, added, "Good situational awareness, and the tactics and strategy aren¡¯t half bad. As for shooting skills, well, they teau at a certain point¡­ it¡¯s just that the opponent is that crazy pr bear, so it doesn¡¯t stand out too much, but surviving gives him a bonus point." "Is that kid a disciple of Yujin? You can tell he¡¯s been meticulously honed. It¡¯s impossible for an ordinary person to escape from Logan¡¯s noose like this." Task Force Dagger, particrly the threebatants at its core. Their power, which could not be ranked against each other, could well be described as the sharpest des in the world, effective regardless of the opponent''s training or military background¡ªage and gender didn''t matter in the face of a hurricane. Being team members, they inevitably understood each other''sbat abilities. Therefore, they could clearly predict what kind of end awaited the opponent when caught in Logan¡¯s noose. Yet, an ordinary person¡ªdespite being seasoned in the Dark Zone¡ªhad escaped that grasp. The serious engagement between Logan and Juggernaut began. But the two remained rxed in their plush chairs, showing little concern. Most of the battles in the Dark Zone were based on situations they had experienced, leading the story to naturally drift into past recollections. And that was precisely why Lorentina and Owens had zero interest in Logan¡¯s engagement. "Seeing that reminds me of the operations we did in northern New York, doesn¡¯t it? I feel like I saw those heavily armored soldiers there first." "I don¡¯t think Logan is going to die there, but this map is pretty narrow, which is quite troublesome." "They¡¯ve created an environment that¡¯s bound to be advantageous. If not, he would have been a sandbag." The memory of the heavily armored soldier from Artemis during their first encounter. The overwhelming aura didn¡¯tst even ten seconds, and once she realized that a gentle poke from a distance could make him lose his cool, there was no problem anymore. That memory continued to this day, and all members of Team Dagger, including Logan, were well ustomed to battles against Juggernaut. Of course, high-value research facilitiespensated for that gap in numbers. The assumption that an ordinary rescue team could take Logan out was absurd. After all, Yujin had taken out a three-man Juggernaut squad head-on with just an EMP grenade and a Barrett rifle in the past. Naturally, this would be aughable story if shared with others. And sure enough, within just a few minutes, Logan had taken down the mini-gun Juggernaut without any significant issues. As the announcer, surprised as if witnessing the impossible, showered him with praise, Lorentina, who was watching the hologram with an indifferent expression, subtly rolled her eyes. Automatically responding to her gaze, a pop-up appeared, quickly rising to the side withoutpletely blocking the screen, catching the attention of Lorentina and Owens. It was a message apanied by ate-arriving topic.
  • [Chester: Dice? You¡¯re telling me that¡¯s an ordinary person? I can¡¯t be seeing this wrong, can I?]
  • [Laurentina: I called dibs on him first, so don¡¯t mess around and just lie in your hospital bed.]
  • [Chester: Well, you¡¯re the only one acting all high and mighty, asking if any ordinary person would think about joining the U.S. Navy here. Crazy girl.]
  • [Laurentina: (a meme of a shark giving a middle finger)]
It didn¡¯t take long for the previously quiet group chat to be lively. Chester, who had been lying in a hospital bed, and Serkins, who was currently on leave and wandering around, were the first to respond, followed by Marcus and Rapier, who seemed to have dropped by New York for a brief moment while working as PMC advisors. Everyone in the chat, except for Logan and Yujin, who were currently in the middle of the match, and Morgana, who couldn¡¯t attend this time due to being busy, along with Kissinger, who was serving in the Secret Service, started chiming in.
  • [Serkins: Stop talking about things I don¡¯t know again.]
  • [Marcus: I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone who doesn¡¯t keep up with matches involving that little snake. Should we kick him out of the chat?]
  • [Rapier: I think your research as a squad leader iscking.]
  • [Serkins: Why am I always getting hit?]
After exchanging brief jokes, the conversation naturally shifted to Dice. The poption, exceeding tens of millions and nearing a hundred million, converted the ongoing match into countless clips in real-time, and it quickly spread beyond friends sharing or uploading on social media to YourSpace. For Lorentina, it was just a matter of picking a decent one among them to share in the chat, and once everyone had watched about a minute and a half of thebat video, it was only natural for variousments to arise.
  • [Laurentina: Is there anyone who can do that?]
  • [Marcus: Forget it. Fighting Logan itself is a punishment.]
  • [Serkins: If it was like that in reality, they could have secured a spot in any security firm or PMC. Where is that guy from?]
  • [Laurentina: Surprisingly, aside from being a pro gamer, she¡¯s an ordinary woman.]
  • [Rapier: I knew our youngest was taking on students and nning something fun, but I never expected results like this¡­.]
  • [Marcus: Don¡¯t even dream of using money to bring the youngest to ze Company, Rapier.]
  • [Rapier: If I had 38 lives, I might have suggested it once, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t. The moment I try to headhunt, everyone here will obviouslye after my head for a physical headhunting.]
As he said. Ironically, none of them wanted Yujin to return to the battlefield¡ªperhaps it was only natural. However, regardless of that, those who had served in the military and had even dipped their toes into special forces, particrly under the criteria of being specialized PMC military consultants, found Yujin to be a goose thatid golden eggs. In just a few months, she had managed to turn someone into a person who could run away against Logan in a head-on sh. The implications of this were anything but trivial. Amidst this, Lorentina added,
  • [Laurentina: Speaking of which, I did a mission with that cute green cat who was hanging out with the youngest during thest Northspears mission. It was pretty slow, but he kept up with Dagger''s operational pace to some extent. He did quite well as a scout when sniping. I didn¡¯t know because he was the youngest, but he definitely has a natural talent for teaching.]
  • [Rapier: Marcus, is that a hint for me to keep quiet?]
  • [Marcus: Don¡¯t talk nonsense at the end of the year; wake up.]
Meanwhile. The number of users was gradually decreasing, and the unexpectedly hot topic of Dice was recovering his form after fleeing from Logan, easily dealing with every opponent he encountered. And that spectacle seemed quite appealing, as more and more people in the group chat began to tune in to the broadcast. Of course, not a single one of them missed Dice¡¯s gamey. From Dice¡¯s gamey segments, Yujin¡¯s influence was evident. The way he scouted the surroundings, handled firearms, and engaged inbat¡ªall reflected the youngest''s meticulous feedback. Even the grenades connected to Molly and fishing lines¡­ it was clear just how well the youngest had taken care of that user. And naturally, the result was Dice blossoming into a capable operator, worthy of pride. A brief silence. Then came the subsequent words.
  • [Rapier: I thought I¡¯de to New York to rest for a bit, but this is more interesting than I expected. Was the venue Madison Square Garden?]
  • [Marcus: It looks like I¡¯ll have an unexpected visit to Manhattan. Is there room left in the penthouse, Senior Officer Owens? If not, I¡¯ll have to boldly borrow a few days from the owner.]
  • [Owens: Do as you wish.]
  • [Laurentina: When our youngest finishes the match, I can only imagine what kind of crazy conversation he¡¯ll be wondering about.]
  • [Serkins: I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯ve seen itst time.]
  • [Kissinger: I want to go, but I can¡¯t. If you happen to find a counterfeit bill te at Madison Square Park, I¡¯d be able to visit legally, so please let me know anytime.]
  • [Laurentina: The Secret Service¡¯s standingedy is quite brutal.]
She chuckled as she added,
  • [Laurentina: The deadline is three hours away. Head to the VIP lounge on the 5th floor of Madison Square Park. I¡¯ll ask our senator, and as soon as the ess passes out, I¡¯ll post it here.]
  • [Serkins: The thought of a Dagger team assembly suddenly piques my interest. Since I happen to be free, I¡¯ll cancel what I just said. I¡¯m leaving now.]
  • [Laurentina: As always, squad leader. If you¡¯re going to do it anyway.]
Then, Lorentina and Owens¡¯ gazes met. Both smiled and added, "It¡¯s going to be quite crowded." "Guess our youngest has good luck with people." For them, the content of the match was no longer important. The second day of the final championship was flowing by. "Wow, today was really tough. I felt like I was actually being killed, even though it was a game¡­." "You did well. I¡¯m not joking." The Tuesday matches to an end. Among Por Ridge Correctional Facility, the high-value researchplex, and the Kmanst metropolitan area, the one that drew everyone¡¯s attention today was none other than the high-value researchplex¡ªit was a match where unexpectedly many twists had urred. The first of these to note would undoubtedly be Logan, who had been eliminated in 5th ce. "Now you look like you finally understand something." "¡­Yeah. I¡¯ve painfullye to understand Yujin¡¯s advice to offload the unbearable onto others." Perhaps it was only natural. Regardless of the misfortune of encountering each other in the early to mid-game, as the kill zone narrowed and the game entered itste phase, Dice and Logan were fated to meet again. Neither wanted to be eliminated early. Thus, it was evident that they would meet again¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean Dice had any reason to repeat the same mistake as before. Instead, Dice had been roaming the map, finding two more devices equipped with the Special Rescue Team functionality¡ªat the point where only five remained on the map, he cruelly lured Logan into a carefullyid trap. But Logan was no ordinary person, and what should have ended with a clear victory for him turned into an unprecedented battlefield. However. "If one doesn¡¯t work, then two¡­ somehow, I was able to reduce Logan¡¯s power. Of course, I almost got killed a few times from Juggernaut¡¯s attacks, but in many ways, I have no regrets." "Winning is what matters." "That¡¯s right¡­." At this point, it¡¯s crucial to remember. When killing a Juggernaut, it awarded the same kill point of 1 as a normal user, and Logan, who was already sweeping the battlefield like a storm, unintentionally gained three additional kill points. Thus, while Dice gained a higher ranking by defeating Logan, a bizarre phenomenon urred where her points were lower than Logan¡¯s. But none of that mattered at all. She had survived. "Of course, Stormseer was a strong opponent. Perhaps because he was involved in the most intense battle among all the encounters today, facing Logan was definitely tougher afterward." "So, I cut him down first." "I didn¡¯t expect to be so unpleased with getting second ce¡­." It was indeed a straightforward case of being at the right ce at the right time. Having exhausted her capabilities after repeatedly engaging in previous battles, Dice was like a tempting bait that wouldn¡¯t be bitten¡ªbut unfortunately for her, Stormseer had overlooked Dice''s desire to survive. As a result, he drew unnecessary attention and even expended energy unnecessarily¡ªat that moment, Yujin charged in. The oue was, of course, quite clear. One could think it was rather underhanded, but this was essentially a result of the wed mind games of top-tier yers. Stormseer himselfmented this judgment error in an interview after the match. ''¡­After roughly checking all users¡¯ positions, I should have thoroughly chosen my targets to attack. Especially since I should have pushed Yujin into the center of the kill zone to induce a natural joint attack, but I failed because I got distracted by Dice.'' Just then, the interview flowed from the ceiling. With a small smile, Yujin¡¯s tail wrapped around Dice¡¯s neck like a scarf, and she patted Yerin¡¯s shoulder while adding, "Still, second ce means you did great." "Wow¡­ this gives me motivation again. I¡¯ll do my best tomorrow¡­." "Wow, tomorrow, I¡¯ll definitely be in the top ten." "I got 9th too! Me! Please!" "Alright, I got it." A smirk crossed Yujin¡¯s face as the tail parade continued. Of course, unlike Dice, the appearance of the dark-skinned men surrounded by tails didn¡¯t look particrly good. By the time the tail parade ended, Harmony burst in, her face beaming, carrying all kinds of premium snacks, confections, and choctes. "You all worked so hard today! Have something sweet and recharge!" "Ah, thank you so much¡­." "Speaking of which, Harmony, you have a streamer team battle tomorrow, right? What was the first prize¡­." "A car!" "Wooah." An enormous prize that opened her eyes wide. Of course, Harmony nonchntly added, "Since I¡¯ll be heading back home in about a week, I wouldn¡¯t mind driving it around New York¡­ but well, I¡¯ll just do my best ande back." "If you enter, you could actually win¡­." For some reason, everyone nodded vigorously. Yujin found it a bit puzzling. Although Harmony had attended training in preparation for soloing in the Final Championship and had sharpened her skills, whether that was enough preparation remained uncertain. Of course, unlike the Final Championship, Yujin hadn¡¯t analyzed the abilities of the users she would face against Harmony, so it was only natural. "Anyway, only three days left now. Tomorrow is exactly the midpoint. Once we return to our amodations, let¡¯s have a quick debrief and rest well. Is there anyone who needs room service? As I said yesterday, everything during the match is on my personal expenses and goodwill." "Well¡­? I¡¯ll take a look at the menu when I get back." "Ugh, I¡¯m really tired after fighting Logan today, so I could just sleep¡­." "How about a massage for Dice?" "Ah, that sounds good!" They were truly easy to read. Thinking that, Yujin chuckled and was about to activate her wristwatch to contact the schedule manager when¡ª Knock knock knock! "Yes, who is it?" "Ah, it¡¯s just that¡­ a meeting request hase through Henry Brayton, senator. If you have time, could you check it out?" "Via? Is there another party involved in the meeting?" "Yes. They said if you mention ''Dagger Team Assembly,'' you¡¯d know¡­." "I¡¯ll go." Wondering if it was some sort of code, none spoke upon Yujin¡¯s determination. Since she had a connection with the senator, it was only natural for everyone there to think that anything could happen. However, today felt a bit different. "And they also mentioned they would like to meet Dice; would you happen to have time?" "¡­Huh?" At that moment, the expressions of everyone in the room twisted strangely. The world was indeed a mysterious ce. Chapter 267 Here''s the trantion of Chapter 267: nk! "Oh my, everyone looks so well. Have you all been doing well?" "A pr bear, a shark, the senior officer¡­ and then the squad leader, Marcus, and Rapier too. If someone saw this, they¡¯d think we were here for a strike operation. Have you all had your meals?" "I never expected the room to be so lively after the match. Lorentina, is that you?" "Hehe, who else could create such a gathering?" On the fifth floor of Madison Square Garden, the VIP lounge. The space, which was originally upied by just two people, suddenly became bustling as double the number of individuals arrived. Six people, seemingly having nomonality, found their seats appropriately. The lounge was clean and reminiscent of a first-ss airport lounge. Various snacks and finger foods were neatly packed in containers to preserve freshness, with delicately arranged lighting weing the neers. As Logan plopped down in a chair, the view of New York¡¯s nightscape visible outside the window. "My goodness, how many Juggernauts did I even take down? My shoulders are still aching." "Want me to give you a massage?" "I¡¯d be grateful, ugh¡­ ah! Not so hard!" Lorentina¡¯s thin, delicate fingers climbed onto his shoulder¡ªbut the moment they squeezed like a vice, Logan jumped up. A scuffle broke out instantly, and Serkins, who had just poured champagne, opened his mouth with an incredulous expression. "What kind of massage can someone with 300 kg of grip strength give? Just stop." "The baseline unit for the manifestors is still hard to adapt to; 300 kg grip strength is no joke."@@novelbin@@ Of course, it wasn¡¯t long before a proper massage began. Buried in his chair and receiving a massage, Logan soon began to melt into rxation. Unfortunately, today was not one of those days where he could rest smoothly. The former team members had already started inching closer, ready to fire off questions one by one. The first to approach was Rapier, the only natural-born woman on Team Dagger, who quietly sat down in the chair across from Logan. Her movements were elegant and refined. "I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask, if that¡¯s alright?" "If you don¡¯t get answers, you¡¯ll just stick around until you do, huh? It¡¯ll probably be about ''that guy'' whom Yujin cherishes, so go ahead and askfortably." "What was it like?" "Are you really asking me how it felt to face someone who could run away after fighting me?" That exnation was where it ended, and there was no need for further boration. Everyone present knew of Logan¡¯s prowess. There was no need to mention another teammate''s name; she was a manifestor. Of course, it had been well-established that not every manifestor could perform exceptionally in the Dark Zone, as proven by Yujin''s acquaintance, Hotteok, which meant that Logan had built this experience through painstaking effort. To be able to withstand that level of power through just a few months of hard training was something that shouldn¡¯t be possible. In any case, "While I was wrestling with the Juggernauts, you can bet that foolish shark was probably busy figuring out how to send a U.S. Navy application via fax. Right, senior officer?" "¡­." Silence. But the mere acknowledgment that it wasn¡¯t a denial was enough for an answer. Logan, chuckling softly, added, "Wake up. You too, Rapier. Even if he flies in the Dark Zone, in reality, he¡¯s still an ordinary person." "I wonder if he knows that PMCs actually use VR more extensively than the U.S. military. At that level, he¡¯d be quite skilled as a tactical advisor." "So, are you trying to steal the youngest¡¯s disciple?" "Just joking." Susan Rapier, a headhunter for the international PMC ''ze Company.'' Though her personal desires were quite evident, she drew the line sternly in crucial moments. Truly, had anything changed since the past? Logan, discerning the truth behind her seemingly innocent facade with her sharp gaze, quickly disengaged from the rted topics. Though several questions still awaited her. Of course, there were additional reasons why he chose to ignore them. ¡®¡­That must be the extent to which her skills can reach.¡¯ Dice had no more room for growth. I had heard that despite being born of a gender that would have no rtion to firearms, she had solely risen to thest year¡¯s Final Championship through sheer talent and that her abilities had blossomed when she met Yujin around mid-year this time¡­ Of course, rather than saying her talent had blossomed, it felt closer to Yujin forcibly breaking through her limits. In any case, "So, when is our youngesting?" "Soon." Knock knock knock! At that moment, the knock came as if on cue. Then the door opened with a nk, and just as everyone awaited, Yujin walked in. However, "¡­Huh?" Behind the familiar figure of Yujin, there was someone else who looked strangely familiar to Logan. With cascading blonde hair and wall-like blue eyes that closely resembled Yujin''s¡ªthis person scanned the lounge with slightly anxious eyes before locking gazes with Logan. The subsequent shock. ¡®¡­Why are they so startled?¡¯ But Logan¡¯s sharp mind quickly realized who had called Dice here. "This crazy shark bastard." Of course, the person showed no signs of regret whatsoever. For Yujin, it was a Dagger Team assembly, but for Dice, it was the beginning of a forced attendance at a terrifying gathering of unforgettable older siblings. "¡­You said you came to meet someone important, but why is Logan here?" "Uh¡­." Brain freeze. At the moment of opening the door, half of the situations I had anticipated shed with the unexpected. My mind literally froze in ce¡ªI held tightly onto Yujin¡¯s hand, whether from tension or something else. Thankfully, the durability of a manifestor didn¡¯t seem to be ticklish under the weak grip of reality. Anyway, upon seeing the scene through the open door¡ªI guessed that the destination called the VIP lounge would not be too different from a lounge, and I was right. And that thought didn¡¯t change until I locked eyes with some of the people who had been waiting for us inside. ¡®¡­Who are those people?¡¯ A well-dressed couple seated at a table with finger foods, and to their left, another couple sitting on plush-looking chairs. Uniquely, the woman among them had hair that looked as if it was made from melted silver, and blood-red eyes. But as soon as I shifted my gaze a little more to the left¡ªeverything returned to square one. That was the case. Logan was there. And only then did Yujin nce at me and continue speaking. "¡­I should mention that my former colleagues seem to have wanted to see you quite a bit." "Uh, why¡­?" "Perhaps it¡¯s because of the confrontation at the high-value research facility a few hours ago¡­." Then why not at least give me a heads up?! I wanted to retort, but Yujin didn¡¯t exin my curiosity and introduced me directly to Logan. He was slightly taller than me and simr in height to Yujin, but, of course, the pressure unique to manifestors¡­ or should I say, I could only see the fluffy, cute pr bear ears twitching above his head. In any case, it was quite a sudden opportunity, but facing it like this, Logan lookedpletely different from the image I had constructed in my mind. How should I put it? He felt cuter than I had thought? His appearance looked far more innocent than Yujin. Of course, I quickly realized that this thought was a misjudgment. As the person approached with heavy footsteps, the aura was no joke. "Ah, um, nice to meet you¡­." "Nice to meet you. Is this your first time meeting in reality?" "Y-yes." "You don¡¯t need to be so tense." What can I say? The moment I shook his hand¡­ it felt like gripping a warm steel H-beam. Both he and Yujin had that incredible density of manifestors that created an unavoidable sensation. After an awkward handshake, I think I sat down at a decent table with Logan and Yujin. "Wow, all the gazes¡­." "Because of the confrontation at the high-value research facility, there are many people interested in you." Then a nce. Logan lightly patted Yujin on the shoulder and added, "Since Rapier, Serkins, and Marcus came all the way here just to see your face, go greet them at least. I¡¯ll be talking with this friend for a bit." "Wait, Yujin¡­? What if you leave me behind!?" "If you don¡¯t go over there now, those guys will openly approach you, waiting for an opportunity to talk. If you¡¯re fine with that, then good." "Ah." Indeed, if I thought about it, that was probably the more reasonable statement. Earlier, Yujin had clearly said that ''her colleagues'' were waiting for me, and from that perspective, it seemed most of those waiting over there wanted to have some sort of conversation with me for some reason. ¡­Well, if it was a weird situation, Yujin wouldn¡¯t have brought me along in the first ce! Simrly, this person wouldn¡¯t introduce me if they were strange! And perhaps it was only natural, Logan fell into the category of being quite sensible. "I can bet the youngest has talked your ear off about it. For the most part, I told him to avoid it." "¡­." "I can see that he probablyid down the basic groundwork for coping¡­ but it¡¯s still just a foundation, so I don¡¯t think he would have exined it in detail. After all, he doesn¡¯t have overwhelming skills to exin in detail." "¡­Well, that¡¯s true." "Well, the point is that you¡¯re outstanding." A brief silence. Then he nced back. "Those guys over there want to suggest you do something other than being a pro gamer." "Something else?" "Want to know?" At the same time, a silence followed. The lips were smiling, but the eyes were not. Considering that the person saying this was Yujin¡¯s senior officer¡­ it seemed that the work I was doing was no longer just a game. Well, I would politely decline that. "It¡¯s a shame to smell gunpowder even in reality." "Is there a reason to say it¡¯s a shame? And those guys are not seriously suggesting it, but at least I¡¯m not someone who wees such talk." "Ah." Slurp. Logan took a sip of the choctette ced on the table. For some reason, that rxed my tension a little. What can I say? It was clear he was of the same kind as Yujin. Then came the following words. "To be honest, I don¡¯t have much I¡¯m curious about regarding you. Having faced you inbat, I already know the intentions behind your decisions at every moment." "But why?" "Seems there¡¯s a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t invite you here. Instead¡­." Swish. At that moment, the air suddenly shifted? A strange sweet smell, along with silvery shining hair, suddenly poked into my sight. As I cautiously looked up to the side, a very elegantly beautiful woman approached near me, in stark contrast to Logan. ¡­Not a single sign of her presence had been felt. "¡­I¡¯m here to cut in the middle and rify this curious intruder who suddenly popped up." "Oh my, how cold-hearted." "Who¡¯s the one who invited an ordinary person like me here in the first ce?" "May I sit for a moment?" "Uh¡­." An utterly chaotic flow. Meanwhile, the one whose name I didn¡¯t even know carefully pulled up a chair and sat next to the table¡ªour eyes met. Blood-red jewels¡­ no, even more than that, the eyes were as red as blood. Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were not. An unstable atmosphere hidden within elegance. Her mere presence infused tension into the atmosphere, creating a feeling of unease that seemed like someone you shouldn¡¯t engage with. But the neer, without a care, took something out to show Logan¡ªand as soon as that item, appearing to be a phone message, caught his gaze, the anxiety hidden inughter turned into seriousness. "¡­This is quite a headache. Lorentina, did you ount for this¡­?" "Finally catching on, huh? You seem to be making a face as if you wish you had told me this back in advance." "Did you really think otherwise?" They were bickering about something, but the flow didn¡¯t seem bad at all. At this point, it seemed necessary to exin¡ªjust as I thought this, the following words came. "It¡¯s nothing much. A kind of¡­ countermeasure, you could say. Winning against Logan is a bigger deal than you think. Thus, before this topic gets anyrger, we decided to intercept and arrange this meeting." "¡­Is it really that big of a deal?" "This year, there are more higher-ups watching than you might think. Essentially, the main cause is us, though." Then she added cautiously. "So, just know that there¡¯s no need to feel too pressured here. There¡¯s no intention or reason to harm the youngest or her acquaintances." "Uh, um¡­ thank you." But aside from that, one thing intrigued me. If the term "youngest" refers to Yujin¡­ "¡­You seem to care a lot about Yujin, don¡¯t you?" Then there was a moment of silence. Only the sounds of Yujin chatting with others filled the room, but even that was barely audible in the stillness. Logan and¡­ Lorentina? I was only vaguely guessing the name since this person hadn¡¯t formally introduced herself, but anyway, these two suddenly plunged into a swamp of thought. As I sat there, I suddenly realized I didn¡¯t really know what Yujin had done in the past. Of course, she had mentioned being part of a special forces unit, so I never really expected to hear stories about where she was or what she did back then. But perhaps I might hear stories about what kind of person Yujin was back then from these two. With that slight sense of anticipation, I locked eyes with the two. "Our youngest, huh? Where should I start exining?" "It sounds like it could be quite a long story¡­." An entirely unexpected answer. But even so, one fact was clear. ¡®Ah, these people are fans of Yujin¡¯s uncle.¡¯ And that instinct was, of course, correct. I would probably not be able to leave this ce until Yujin finished her conversations and came to pick me up. The world was truly a strange ce. Chapter 268 [Notification: Optical Camouge activated.] "¡­Hah, it¡¯s cold." "I guess it snowed again." "Right? I¡¯ve felt it before, but I just can¡¯t seem to adapt to New York¡¯s weather." "It sounds impressive to say it¡¯s New York, but if you look at thetitude, it¡¯s actually higher than Siniju¡­ so it makes sense." "Still, I¡¯m not too cold since Iyered my clothes well¡­." Crunch, crunch. At 11 PM, Dice and Yujin were walking through the streets of Manhattan, enveloped inplete darkness. The sound of snow beingpressed beneath their feet echoed multiple times. After a period of calm weather, it began to stir again, dumping thick snow across New York. The surrounding area swayed subtly, something Dice could hardly notice. Yujin, unable to fully trust the safety of New York, activated the optical camouge, revealing the situation. Of course, the unaware continued their conversation without concern. "I didn¡¯t think the hardship would end on Monday, but I never imagined I¡¯d face such a crazy thing on Tuesday." "You did a great job. The map wasn¡¯t particrly favorable for retreating, and with no vehicles, it must have been difficult to escape¡­ even if it¡¯s by chance, gathering the pieces to create a coincidence isn¡¯t easy." It was heartfelt, not just empty lip service. The Final Championship. With millions of eyes on just a hundred yers, it was a match that didn¡¯t fall short of the Olympic and World Cup-level events. In such a match, Yujin had even told Logan to avoid confrontations. She wasn¡¯t suggesting safe and secure gamey. Instead, the Korean national team¡¯s y style was among the most aggressive of all the representatives participating in the third Final Championship. Amidst this, what Yujin earnestly emphasized was precisely that. It was natural that only Dice could aplish something that was so challenging to uphold. "You seem to have a lot to say." "I told you earlier, I seriously thought I was going to die." With shooting uracy close to impossible, speed that was unbelievable, and top-tier tactical and strategic abilities¡ªLogan was a literal killing machine. If he had fullymitted his remaining strength, Dice would have likely beenunched into the lobby long ago. The subject herself thought so, and that was practically the truth. Of course, it was precisely because of this that so many people were interested in Dice. "Even so, I never expected that Yujin¡¯s colleagues would be interested." "The original reason for inviting Dice wasn¡¯t that, but it seems they were quite curious about that part as well. And they also seem to be curious about me bringing Yerin to this ce¡­." "Ah." Certainly. There was no need to painstakingly recall previous memories; the events of earlier were vividly resurfacing. The moment Yujin¡¯s name was mentioned, everyone began smiling and showering her with various praises, making further exnation unnecessary. Of course, it was only natural that Dice hadn¡¯t heard a single word about what had happened in the past. Because of that, while she could directly listen to honest evaluations of Yujin. Thus, Dice reached a simple conclusion. "It seems everyone really likes Yujin." "¡­Huh?" "Especially Logan and Lorentina. They never call her by name and only refer to her as ''the youngest.''" "Ah, those two really¡­." Yujin exhaled roughly, but Dice¡¯s blue eyes reflected a light blush on her cheeks. Through months of interaction, Yerin had long since entered data regarding Yujin¡¯s usual reactions into her mind, and through her logical circuits, it was undeniably a clear embarrassment. The mask of the iron man fell away, revealing the hidden true self of Yujin. Every time this happened, Dice realized that this person also felt ordinary human emotions like joy and sorrow. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just that. Yerin cautiously added, "There are many good people around Yujin." "¡­That¡¯s right, they are very good people. More than I deserve." But that wasn¡¯t all. As the two pairs of blue eyes met, the conversation continued. "Those are good people I got to know while I was in the U.S. military, but¡­ that¡¯s not all. I¡¯ve also met many good people since I started streaming and began working in the professional realm." Slither, slither. At the same time, a strange sensation began to rise from Dice¡¯s back. If she were the same person she was just a few months ago, she might have jumped up from the spot, but now she knew exactly what this sensation was. ncing sideways, sure enough, Yujin was gently stroking her back with her tail. Reflecting on when that devilish tail had begun to feel so pleasant, Dice chuckled. "Well, that¡¯s a relief then." "I didn¡¯t say anything." "I¡¯m just quick on the uptake, so I noticed first." Then the shortughter of the two rang out. Soon, with less than ten minutes left until they reached the hotel, Dice spoke up. "Oh, right. By the way, I heard from Lorentina about how Yujin got drunk and had a drink with you in the past." "Wait, what?" "When we drank wine together back then, you didn¡¯t do that, but you cried, right? Why were you crying? Eek! Ow ow ow ow!" "How dare you talk about that in front of me! You didn¡¯t go off on a field trip just because you fought with Logan, right?" As Dice¡¯s soft, chewy cheeks were pinched by Yujin¡¯s vice-like fingers, they stretched out on either side. The sound escaping her mouth was filled with pain, but Yujin had no intention of letting Dice go. Of course, she was merely the messenger, and it was aplete reversal of roles. But that didn¡¯t mean that Dice¡¯s guts were instantly returning to their rightful ce. "I¡¯ve heard that¡¯s not all you heard? People are saying Yujin has terrible drinking habits¡­." "Alright, stop it." "But during the Asian preliminaries, you wrapped around me with your tail like a death pillow. I came home with muscle pain and a hangover, you know?" "¡­Ugh." It was just poetic justice. Thus, Yujin became a deted Byung-kyung, and Dice offered her constion with a bitter smile. It was truly a mystery how this person had developed such absurd drinking habits. The night deepened, and the cutting wind after the snow had stopped was chilly. The two passed through the entrance of the now-familiar luxury hotel and vanished. It was the second night of the championship. "¡­Korean representative Yujin with two wins, North American representatives Logan and Cain with one win each, and Arthur from Ennd with one win. This year looks tough." "With people drowning in worries about how to counter skills, will they have the luxury to watch that too?" The second night passed, along with the concerns that existed for each person. Day turned to night again, and the third day¡¯s match was preparing to begin. As always, Madison Square Garden was so packed that it was hard to find a ce to stand, and within it, only a select 60,000 could enter the private arena. The host and a hundred hologram yers greeted the audience as they always did. Tension was apparent on the faces, as were expressions of determination. Among many faces were the few who truly held any semnce of ease, but they were nearly non-existent. However, ignoring that, the gathered audience of 60,000 cheered for the yers they wanted to support. And today, not surprisingly, the one who garnered the most attention was none other than Yujin. "Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!" "Oh Yujin, I came to smash the head of the Final Championship~ The anaconda that crossed the Pacific is the top predator~!" "No, seriously. What the hell are those guys singing?" The American cheering squad was more frenzied than those who had flown in from Korea to watch the match. Their overwhelming volume, along with a bizarre song that sounded like it had been preposed, quickly transformed the atmosphere into a more enthusiastic one. Even those who had been chuckling couldn¡¯t escape the grip of that song. The fact that they had flown in from Korea to support Yujin stirred the curiosity of North American spectators, and soon both sides clumsily began attempts at conversation. Questions about where they came from and responses that they hade from Korea were all that was needed. It was enough. The instant they foundmon ground, they sang out loud as if there were no tomorrow, and even the host couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. Of course, unfortunately, Yujin was a master of English, above a native level, and that meant she could not only decode the song the cheering squad was belting out in real-time but could easily answer the host''s questions without needing any trantion. The host, who had beenughing heartily, gave Yujin a microphone with an expression that suggested there was no other option, and a simple interview began. "Haha, you certainly have a very enthusiastic cheering squad here." "My fans tend to develop thorns on their bodies when they act normally or do anything ordinary¡­." Of course, there was no need to mention that the hostughed once again at Yujin¡¯s response. The map draw began. The Final Championship¡¯s characteristic was to go through the eight existing maps over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday¡ªmeaning today was the time to y the remaining maps that hadn¡¯t been drawn yet. Aurora Power nt, California Gas Complex, and the port city of Tanhoizer. As the bizarre song was finally silenced, the 100 holograms standing on the central stage vanished in unison, and a screen appeared before the eyes of 60,000 spectators. A transport ne crossed the air. "Then, let¡¯s start the Final Championship Wednesday match¡ª!" Cheers erupted along with apuse. And¡ª
  • [CSAG chemical foam / foam grenade / chemicaluncher - suppression foam]
  • [Notification: 10 seconds untilbat support equipment data download¡­.]
"Nowadays, there seems to be an oddly high number of people in the skill activation zone¡­." Smoke slowly billowed from the red-hot suppressor, a clear indication of how much had been fired. Holding the gun in her left hand, Yujin leisurely activated her skills amidst a massive forest fire that seemed to herald the end of the world. There was no presence, but the bullet holes scattered across the containers and walls, along with the ground that was dug up in forms that could never ur naturally, hinted that several battles had taken ce here, and that Yujin was the ultimate victor of those skirmishes. Two foam grenades filled with green and ck liquid poured into her multipurpose pouch. The blueprints for the Icarus gear had already been downloaded, so they would continue to be manufactured and added periodically. Taking a breath and smiling lightly, Yujin recalled the sound of ttering in her pouch, a sound she had often heard during her time as the point man for her team. And one thing she had never mentioned. The skills she cherished the most were none other than the foamuncher and grenades. ¡®¡­The real potential of the skill lies in its ability to create or alter terrain.¡¯ Until now, everyone had thought the Final Championship was apetition to see who could sharpen their knives more keenly within a limited framework, but after the third finals, those uttering such ims wouldpletely vanish. Creating new variables and introducing them intobat would be a true innovation from the perspective of either attacker or defender¡ªand the infinite ways to apply these techniques would loom as a catastrophe for all existing users. And among them, the foamuncher Yujin chose was a skill meant for the "defender." Click! Compressing the chemical foamuncher as much as possible, Yujin tucked it neatly into her tactical backpack and began to move. And the sight was observed by over millions of eyes. Every y that Yujin executed was filled with unpredictable peculiarities that ordinary users couldn¡¯tprehend, which paradoxically stirred their curiosity. It was a skill Yujin had never chosen before. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all; it was also a skill with the lowest pick rate during the Final Championship. In fact, the chemicaluncher itself wasn¡¯t a mainstream skill, and even more so, the foamuncher was even less so. Not only could you not immobilize the ground unless you hit the opponent, but the projectile speed was also a clear disadvantage. Likewise, it was precisely for this reason that so many people were watching Yujin.
  • Our snake teacher is doing something strange again, kkkkkkkkkkkk
  • Strange behavior (beating the opponent)
  • I¡¯m already looking forward to what creative way she¡¯ll use to kill the opponent this time, lol
  • Fact: If it werest year, I would have been deemed crazy
  • I¡¯m feeling dizzy, seriously
At least five individualnguages were being spewed out as the audience eagerly watched Yujin¡¯s y in real time. However, one of Yujin¡¯s many nicknames was Iron Man, and she stood there without an ounce of tension, thoroughly understanding the surrounding terrain. One of her many advantages was her quick thinking, and this, coupled with experience, produced an absurd level of battlefield awareness. And it didn¡¯t take long for the results of that to be revealed. BANG! In the materials warehouse where theyers were indistinct, Yujin was on the first floor, while the enemy was positioned on the second-floor balcony, and since it was pitch ck, the situation wasn¡¯t looking favorable. Moreover, with no adequate cover and an unobstructed view, getting shot was incredibly easy. Of course, the subject didn¡¯t hesitate to confront all those unreasonable situations head-on. In the most bizarre way. She took two foam grenades out of her multipurpose pouch, activated them, and shoved them into the iron bars in front of her. Everyone who thought she was throwing them to bind the enemy was proven wrong in the next moment when that prediction was smashed into tiny pieces. BANG! As the two foam grenades exploded, the iron bar, easily weighing hundreds of kilograms, shook and became a thick cover that could easily hide a person. Normally, or just that, the polyurethane foam would have been easily prated by bullets, but this time, because there were iron bars inside, the protection level was iparable to before. This forced the enemy, who was engaged with Yujin, to move in search of a favorable shooting angle, but naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let that slide. Waiting for the enemy who had quickly crossed to the other side through the iron balcony was a grenade primed for explosion. A fleeting sh, a shockwave. A twisted scaffold.@@novelbin@@ A falling enemy. Though he crashed roughly into the first-floor ground, it wasn¡¯t a serious injury. However, losing his weapon while falling was quite painful. Fortunately, there was an emergency exit right in front of him, and he hastily tried to rise and open the door. BANG! Before he could evenprehend the speed at which something was flying in, the pushbar, along with more than half of the door, was covered in polyurethane foam before he could react. Of course, when he looked straight ahead again, Yujin was already right in front of him. Click. As the gun was raised, it aimed at his forehead. "This is a shame¡ª" BANG! And there was no one left. Chapter 269 "This is insane, what the hell." "Another victim has arrived. Let¡¯s quickly open the notepad." A user ejected into the lobby gasped for breath as they sat up abruptly on the bed. The person waiting in the room spoke casually, as if nothing unusual had happened, and the yer, infused with reality''s air, began to regain their senses. A holographic screen projected on one wall, filled with a stark, inorganic light. It disyed Yujin''s gamey¡ªthis action was simple: to dissect the tricks that the participant had never imagined. The wellspring of knowledge, which already seemed infinite, doubled as Yujin began using her skills, and the notepads of early exit pro gamers and coaches grew heavy with notes. Especially when using skills that were considered off-meta, like today. "Foam grenades? Wasn''t the foam skillpletely off-meta?" "At least it¡¯s certain that it¡¯s off-meta no longer starting today." "It can¡¯t be that easy. If you don¡¯t know the explosion range of the foam grenades and the expansion properties and angles of the polyurethane foam, you wouldn¡¯t dare attempt such things." That was precisely why Yujin stood at the top. As if it was natural to handle foam with such ease, the oue was anything but simple. Each time a canister or grenade exploded, unprable defensive barriers sprang forth, trapping the enemy. Not only that, but the moment she ignited the foam with incendiary or sh grenades, hydrogen cyanide gas would seep out, inflicting status effects on the enemies. While it wasn¡¯t without oxygen masks, it was impossible to calmly put one on while being chased¡ªand even if it were possible, adjusting the positioning of gun essories would lead toplications in aiming. Only hollowughter filled the air. "It¡¯s like fighting with a child¡¯s wrist." "Is this really the Final Championship?" It could be, or it could not¡­ The words that couldn¡¯t be uttered flickered in their minds. Despite the presence of seasoned veterans who had been through countless hardships and even served in deployment, they were all stomped upon so nonchntly. The unpredictable variables shattered the frame ofbat, turning the opponents into children who had just picked up guns for the first time. And in that moment, everyone realized: her physical prowess was merely a secondary factor. The true strengthy in Yujin¡¯s ability to assemble the battlefield as she wished¡ªsomething the Korean representatives had already grasped months ago. The simple phrase of achieving victory throughbat was not enough. To defeat Yujin, one had to understand what she wanted and dismantle the battlefield she was trying to construct. "Can that even be done?" "They really came prepared." While her previous battles had felt like a bulldozer, blocking every option of the enemy through overwhelming physicality, Yujin¡¯s y style, wielding a foam grenade in one hand and a firearm in the other, had taken on a far more ominous transformation. In an instant, the escape routes would be sealed off. Those who managed to escape were merely the fortunate ones holding incendiary grenades, yet that only served to advertise their locations through the mes and explosions. And it was at that moment that everyone began to realize. "¡­Isn''t the ceiling of the foam skill too high?" "Aren''t there too many factors to consider to reach that point?" "I didn¡¯t think it would be a pawn to sacrifice the Final Championship." Using this national-level tournament, which existed just below the World Cup and Olympics, as a sacrificial offering to gather data for future curriculum development. It was absurd, but it was the truth. "This is just too much¡­." But what could be done? And those who were quick on the uptake were already preparing for the next step. "Quickly negotiate with the Korean team. Check the contract expiration dates for the yers after the Final Championship, and if there''s no significant oue, ry whether they¡¯d be willing to do joint training after this tournament. Hurry!" It was the very definition of a farce. Of course, the Korean representatives werepletely ignoring this situation. "We''re getting calls from ces other than Orbital Gaming. What should we do?" "How can we negotiate when we¡¯re barely keeping up with supporting our own yers? Just politely craft a message saying it would be difficult to cooperate since we¡¯re so busy, and send that as a reply." "Understood." While the surface reason was busyness, the real reason was different. The number of those who could truly understand and keep up with Yujin¡¯s curriculum was at most five or six. There were some users who had received guidance from her but had no assurance of properly digesting it, and numerous pro gamers who couldn¡¯t even keep up. Yujin was a spire that jutted out amid the linear skill graphs of Korean pro gamers, a prey that continuously flowed down their throats until fully consumed. With so many still unable to digest it or even grasp its essence, foreign users were now coveting Yujin or those who had received her teachings. It was understandable that greed was swelling up to their throats, but that was all. "This is my first time at such a chaotic American deployment." Someone''s remark represented the feelings of all. This was the current reality of the Final Championship. "Should I be d that it¡¯s never boring each year, or should I feel honored to face challenges¡­." They endure and persevere. That¡¯s what wasmonly thought to be the measure of strength associated with "special forces"¡ªwithstanding extreme environments that ordinary people could never endure while maintainingbat effectiveness was their motto. However, aside from that¡ªthese were also human beings. It was only natural that people would not enjoy situations that caused them pain. Once part of the 75th Ranger Regiment¡¯s direct search battalion (RRC), which was slightly less known than Delta Force and DEVGRU, Stormseer had proudly won the title of "World¡¯s Strongest User" duringst year''s Final Championship. Yet he, too, was not exempt from this context. He hated the biting cold, despised the mountains that had no reason for humans to tread, loathed the burning heat and oppressive humidity, and was repelled by water, high-altitude jumps¡­ he hated many things. And today. He would add the polyurethane foam surging from all sides to that list. "¡­What a nightmare." It was almost natural, but while the maps of the Final Championship had various terrains, one of the most frequently seen structures was, without a doubt, the materials warehouse or the interiors ofplex buildings.@@novelbin@@ Of course, the real facilities wouldn¡¯t actually look like this, but they were traversing a virtual space. The cement was intentionally adjusted to bncebat and generate variables, ensuring that no one could easily im victory. And Stormseer found himself disliking it immensely today. BANG! The muzzle red. As a dozen bullets cut through the air, they lodged into the polyurethane foam, but whatever was mixed inside, they didn¡¯t prate. Not only that, but therge foam that formed well enough to shield his body also confused the enemy''s location. The polyurethane foam could easily be destroyed with incendiary grenades dropped throughout the California gas facility, but of course, from a cost-efficiency standpoint, that was practically trash. ng! In the meantime, a grenade flew in from an angle he couldn¡¯t even see, tracing a high parab andnding within ten meters of Stormseer, exploding before he could evade. If one didn¡¯t calcte the airborne time precisely, such a feat would have been impossible. The identity of the opponent was, of course, no mystery. "What a stroke of bad luck. Of all people, it¡¯s that Yujin." It was amon reaction. And it wasn¡¯t wrong either. Yujin was creating cover that wouldn¡¯t normally exist and cornering Stormseer into the far end of the warehouse. Although he knew where the emergency exit was, honestly, he didn¡¯t think he could escape. However, even so. It was the very purpose of their creation to assume such situations, adapt in real time, and find a way out. Taking a breath, he quickly dashed out, returning fire at Yujin, and she responded in kind¡ªand the ce where Stormseer had arrived was not the cover Yujin had previously created, but a spot just a little off to the side. And from the cover he had just passed, an explosion erupted. BANG! "Ha, I knew it." It was precisely as he had assumed; there would be at least one booby trap set. Stormseer forced himself to suppress the rising smile, thus returning the battle to square one. And then the logic circuits of both began to function. "So, what the hell has that person been doing?" To be honest, he wasn¡¯t the type to strictly adhere to the established doctrines, but neither was he someone who simply used what he learned, dulled by inertia. That was why, after joining the Dark Zone upon his discharge, he became a pro in no time and rose to the top. The knowledge he gained while serving in the military was undoubtedly useful, but it didn¡¯t necessarily yield maximum efficiency in every battle. The Final Championship and the rules of the Apex Predator represented an extreme battle royale that could never exist in reality, and in other words, there were advantageousbat methods in a battle royale. And this did not converge with the objectives of field manuals or the various special forces CQB courses. Thus, he had learned a ''hunting method'' applicable only in battle royales, and he thoroughly kept this fact a secret. And amid this was now happening. CRASH! Another grenade exploded. But it didn¡¯t detonate near him; it was being used as pure distraction. And every time he encountered this use of explosives and firearms that exceeded his imagination, he felt again that his foundation was built upon countless CQB manuals based on existingmon sense and experience. "¡­Which unit taught that grenades could be used in such a way?" It wasn¡¯t even a booby trap. It was the very definition of using explosives for confusion. With an absolute focus on killing the opponent by any means necessary, that bizarrebat style. But that very style worked astonishingly well. He knew that from yesterday¡¯s debriefing and felt it painfully in today¡¯sbat. Then, a natural curiosity welled up in Stormseer¡¯s mind. Of course, there was no time to rest. "Haha, damn¡­!" With a strange metallic ng, a grenade rolled precisely to where he had been. But he decided to flee in an unpredictable direction, and sure enough, a shadow flickered from the most suitable escape route that arose in an instant. Though he took a couple of bullets to his back, Stormseer once again hid behind safe cover, repeatedly squeezing the trigger. He sustained damages that were hard to endure, but if he had used the escape route he had previously scouted, he would have been ejected into the lobby immediately. Yet even as he was upied with thoughts, his mind¡¯s circuits resumed their erratic operations. "If thisbat logic is rooted in countless experiences¡­." In just one year since his debut, he had established the most effectivebat method for the Final Championship through meticulous analysis and countless scrims, ranked matches, and tournament participation. But at this point, Yujin possessed abat logic that was several times sharper and more effective than what he had established¡ªmaking him feel as if he were engaged in realbat, not just a tournament. And amid that, a forgotten fact flickered through his mind. Yujin had also once been part of the U.S. military. Which meant¡ª "What the hell unit was she with?" In Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and countless other deployment areas, the tactics she used were not those that could be applied against enemies, but rather¡ª Could it be that Yujin¡¯s tactics were, quite literally, designed to kill ''Icarus Operators''? But considering that such Icarus Operators did not exist in reality¡­ What unit had she belonged to? What kind of enemies had the unit that Yujin was a part of trained against? But then¡ª BANG! "Guessing how many grenades there are is dangerous." No idea where she had gotten so many grenades, but this time, the one Yujin threw arced high,ing in from a direction he hadn¡¯t even noticed. With a tremendous noise and shockwave, and countless metal fragments hurtling in, as his shield was continually pounded, Yujin swiftly closed the distance. By the time distance became a meaningless word, Stormseer¡¯s logic circuits couldn¡¯t delve deeper, and even if he attempted to, he realized his life was in jeopardy. And then¡ª As he reached that conclusion, darkness enveloped his vision. The avatar, with its face horrifically mangled, rolled like a deted balloon. Stormseer realized through the sensation of hitting the ground that he was sprawled on the floor. Should hement dying before disying his true abilities, or should he be d to have gained something worth it after losing a match? Of course, before making that decision, the spike of a tactical tomahawk came flying in. CRACK! Yujin was a hardcore user, but at least in tournaments, melee attacks didn¡¯t provide any feedback to the victim. Yet when he was ejected into the lobby, Stormseer received a detailed transmission of what his own sign was. "Tactical tomahawk spike; irreversible cervical spine damage." She was determined to ensure he choked out for good. In the end, he could do nothing but let out a ridiculousugh. Chapter 270 "Ugh, I lost again! Seriously!" Dice, a pro gamer from SSM Entertainment, finished in fifth ce in the first match of day three. As soon as she got out of bed, she let out a scream and kicked the thin nket away, a sight that was truly a spectacle, but there was no helping it. The matchups in top-tier battles were determined solely by luck. The Final Championship was an immensely huge tournament, and everyone naturally yed cautiously. As a result, before reaching the second-tost kill zone, about 30 to 40 yers were still around, but by the time they arrived at thest kill zone, only about ten remained. With death looming dangerously close behind, there was no room to choose opponents, and once the brutal battle began, it wasn¡¯t umon for the victor of one engagement to turn into a corpse within seconds. However, Dice had managed to break through that very limit once again. ''¡­I was shocked when I suddenly heard a noise from the balcony above me.'' Of course, she calmly shot nanites above her head, and as the tforms melted, she steadily knocked out the falling enemy with the butt of her rifle, using them as a meat shield. In any case, when she sessfully wrapped up such a challenging engagement, the subject returned to the initial point¡ªthis time, luck was not on her side. When only five users remained, Dice found herself facing Yujin, who was armed with a foamuncher. "I thought I had a good chance, but¡­ Ugh, this is just ridiculous." Lying sprawled on the bed, Dice began to rey the events in her mind. The notion of having a good chance was somewhat urate. The naniteuncher Dice had chosen could demolish the makeshift cover Yujin created with polyurethane foam in just a few seconds. But the opponent couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of that. The fact that the person who had taught her all of this was now aiming a gun at her was already a disaster waiting to happen. So, to summarize the acrobatic battle that unfolded: "No, how can I possibly beat Yujin in a brawl without any skills¡­?" Yujin created cover, and it was remarkably effective. Dice shot at it with nanites, and that was effective too. But while Yujin had foam grenades, Dice didn¡¯t have any nanite grenades. In reality, such a thing didn¡¯t even exist. In the end, Dice was outnumbered by the number of canisters she possessed, and the aftermath flowed in a direction everyone could predict. She fought desperately, but the cover she could hide behind had already been melted down to less than half by her own hands, and the attacks that surged like a tidal wave were too much to endure. And that wasn¡¯t all. "Isn¡¯t it cheating to shoot while tossing grenades?!" With both hands firmly gripping her firearm, Yujin tossed a grenade that had been wrapped around her tail. The sound of the pin being pulled was drowned out by gunfire, and the trajectory of the throw was obscured by the mes erupting from all directions. What would happen next didn¡¯t even need to be exined. A thunderous explosion and shockwave shook her body. If she had saved a nation in her past life, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have fallen, but sadly, she was not that fortunate. As if she had been punched in the side, Dice was flung sideways, and thest thing she saw was Yujin closing in on her. At that moment, she lost all will to live. Of course, she couldn¡¯t casually chat like in reality or scrims. Dice was hit with a bullet named lead and was ejected into the lobby, leading to her current situation. "It¡¯s my fault for not responding properly." She had seen Yujin use foam grenades quite a few times. She had naturally considered countermeasures, but if she failed to respond properly in the tournament, it held little meaning. The only saving grace was that there was no need to waste much time on unnecessary debriefing. The reason for her death was clear to anyone. After lying down for quite some time, her mind felt hazy. Thinking she should drink some water, Dice got up, and various notifications popped up on her terminal. One notification, glimmering in her eyes, was particrly noteworthy.
  • [Notification: Partner streamer tournament! Starts in 10 minutes!]
"¡­Come to think of it, there was this too." Recently, Harmony had been diligently preparing¡­ or rather, had not been preparing at all. In essence, the tournament served as a friendly match featuring partner streamers gathering in New York. Following the fierce and intimidating Final Championship, the consecutive matches served to stabilize the viewership that had been ready to exit the main stage. Of course, given the prominence of the main event, the number of viewers was less than 10% of the total viewers from the Final Championship. Nevertheless, that still amounted to millions, a numberparable to the total poption of many countries. With advertisements stered all over, the hundred streamers wandered around, chatting with those they already knew¡ªthus, the partner streamer tournament resembled a festival. And amidst it all was Harmony. She was receiving countless requests for handshakes she had never imagined. "No, what in the world is happening¡­?" Only she was unaware of the truth. At this moment, Harmony was one of the most noticed streamers. With the Omega rank insignia on her shoulder and a Dominator Mode Tier 1 badge. While the weight of the former was overwhelmingly greater, thetter was an item she wouldn¡¯t even have dared to dream of possessing had she not met Yujin. In any case, her numerous footprints left behind had caused a bizarre chemical reaction, making Harmony the focal point of interest today. Of course, not all of this attention was positive. "How does it look from the outside? Doesn¡¯t seem that special." "I don¡¯t know. Guessing the contents before opening the box is foolish¡­ but I¡¯m not saying I disagree." When people hold limited information about a specific area, they tend to feel the most confident, yet at the same time, they are more likely to draw unfounded and incorrect conclusions. And Harmony had already sprinkled sufficient pre-keywords to trigger this effect all around¡ªmaking those who were oblivious to the surrounding context think that she had merely gotten lucky and taken a bus to get to this position. Of course, as is often the case with the beginning of all matters, that statement wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. When she was breaking the Omega rank and hanging out with Yujin, her skills couldn¡¯t be said to be exceptional. However, the truth alwaysy a few steps away from what people firmly believed, and that was precisely what most people easily overlooked. And Harmony saw no reason to correct that fact. She was prepared to remove every obstacle that stood in her way. "Well then, I hope your partnered streamers achieve great results over the three matches leading up to Friday! Let the matches begin!" The hundred users boarded the transport aircraft crossing the harbor city of Tannheiser, waiting to drop. As the heavy BGM yed, the lower hatch of the transport opened, and numerous people began to drop in sequence, with Harmony stepping onto that line as she made her way closer to the ground. There was no tension. This was a ce she had already traversed hundreds of times while practicing with the solo representatives from Korea. Among the hundred users scattered across Tannheiser, there was likely no one who could match Harmony¡¯s amount of practice. Just minutes after setting foot on the ground, gunfire rang out from all directions, and kill logs started to rise. Ignoring it all, she enteredbat at her own tempo. ''¡­It¡¯s a bit hard to show explosive movements like the representatives.'' Yujin had chosen Harmony as a whetstone to sharpen the Korean representatives, and in that process, she too had be a whetstone of unparalleled quality. Harmony began to move in earnest just as the skill activation zone appeared.
  • [Notification: The skill activation zone is now active.]
  • [Notification: Distance remaining to the current activation zone - 162m.]
Inside her multipurpose pouch, grenades were securely fastened in the MOLLE grenade pocket. However, the number was double the standard carry count of four¡ªeight grenades. Grenades were her defining feature, and Harmony was ready to use them more appropriately than anything else. And this fact shone even brighter as a pack of hyenas gradually gathered toward the skill activation zone. ng! "What, what¡¯s happening all of a sudden¡ª" BOOM! The lives of users who had settled near the skill activation zone of Tannheiser were slowly but surely extinguished like candles. Harmony''s weaknesspared to Korean users was her difficulty in making rapid movements, but conversely, this allowed her to engage in precise and silent stealth y. Coupled with her advantage of thoroughly understanding the map, Harmony became a reaper, and the results spoke for themselves. BOOM! "Ahhh!" Another unfortunate sacrifice crossed the threshold into the lobby. The green cat had nestled in a spot where users transitioning in and out of the skill activation zone were clearly visible, and the fishing line she held glinted ominously under the weak light of the ceiling. From the door. From the ground. From the window frames. Grenades, which could separate from safety handles with just minor movements, could appear from anywhere. And as the kill count for the grenades marked with Harmony¡¯s name continued to rise, all the users gazing at the kill log from safe spots began to chuckle one by one. "¡­What on earth is going on?" However, those who intuitively grasped that fact were far from Harmony, while those who needed to realize that fact were far too close to her. At the point when the warehouse that overlooked the skill activation zone had transformed into their of a massive monster devouring people, a user stepped inside. The action was swift and unwavering. The shield from Icarus Gear could thoroughly defend against attacks below a sufficient physical quantity to disable that function, and thus he began his search without even considering the possibility of any traps that might exist. And a mint-colored gaze was observing that scene from a safe distance. "Everyone seems so rxed." While it should have been natural, Harmony had no intention of letting it remain so. And that was her objective. If sending one person to the lobby would draw someints, sending five would only amplify that voice. Then all she had to do was eliminate those who would utter such reactions. Her sharp gaze continued to scan the user searching around the warehouse on the metal scaffolding. That user likely didn¡¯t even realize that the sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the warehouse.@@novelbin@@ But there was no need to inform him. All he would learn was only his own sign and the nickname of the person who killed him. And at a certain moment, a smile spread across Harmony¡¯s lips. At the end of her gaze was the user she had been watching closely. He cautiously opened the door of one warehouse and, following the CQB principles, began to carefully scan the inside from outside. That action, akin to slicing a pie, was referred to as pie slicing. However, it took less than four seconds before he stepped cautiously inside the room. At that moment, countless thoughts flooded Harmony¡¯s mind, but how many seconds had passed since then? BOOM! "Hehe." Another kill count popped up on her UI. The moment he opened the door, the fishing line connected to the doorknob twisted and loosened the safety handles of three grenades, and as he stepped inside, the grenades detonated all at once. Hundreds of fragments poured over the barrier that could reliably block a single grenade. The barrier shattered like a candle in the wind, but the power from three grenades was more than enough to tear through the fragile polygonal fabric beneath the shield. All of that transpired in an instant, and once again, everything returned to the starting point. As the explosion subsided, Harmony carefully descended. Looking down at the corpse that had vanished without a trace and the loot scattered haphazardly, she smiled softly. "It¡¯s time to restock on grenades." The explosion light. It was a primal instinct she had long forgotten. Chapter 273 ¡°The Final Championship, held over five days, has gathered everyone here to celebrate the fourth day together. Considering that the eight maps have already gone through oneplete rotation as of yesterday, starting today, new battles will unfold on familiar battlegrounds!¡±
  • Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday? Why is it already Thursday?
  • I used my annual leave so efficiently, LOL!
  • Get lost!!!!! All I need is the Final Championship!!!!! Screw thepany!!!!!
  • They¡¯re allpletely insane, LOL!
  • Today, the unemployed people are going for an unexinable victory, crazy~ WWWWWWW
Wednesday faded away, and Thursday approached. To the average person, it seemed that half of the entire Final Championship matches had passed, and aside from the fact that it was thest day before the final, it would pass without anything particrly special. However, for the yers, the meaning was different. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the eight maps were split into 2, 3, and 3 matches respectively, so all yers would have yed at least one map once. As Thursday and Friday approached, they would revisit maps they had experienced at least once during those days. In other words, this meant that yers good enough to stand on this stage hade out with all their experiences, trial and error, and the debriefings of thoughts like ¡°If I had yed like this at this point, it would have been better,¡± firmly embedded in their heads and bodies. Countless analyses aboutpetitors and their aspirations for higher ces had been conducted over the past three days. It was evenmon to see coaches who hadn¡¯t slept a wink during those three days, analyzing so much that they needed IV drips. All the efforts of those yers and coachesbined to create a chaotic whirlwind that was both new andpletely unpredictable. ¡°Will the rankings be turned upside down again likest year?¡± ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± There were countless people sharing the same curiosity, differing only innguage. This was especially truest year¡ªDice, who participated in the Final Championship for the first time, ended up finishing over 50th despite a disastrous performance. All yers¡¯ metas and tactics, built up over the past year and thought to be effective in the main event, shed and broke apart, healing and restructuring into different forms. Thus, a change in rankings began that was more severe than just a mere reshuffling. However, this year, that statement only held true half the time. Thud thud thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What on earth are they doing?¡± Not only Yujin and Dice, but the entire Korean team tilted their heads in confusion the moment the first skirmish began. Initially, it seemed that Yujin¡¯s special training had made them too strong, causing potential unpredictable incidents due to the change in meta, but as time passed, that thought diminished¡ªan overwhelming skill activation zonepared to Wednesday served as the first evidence. But that wasn¡¯t all. The strange actions of the enemies the Korean representatives faced served as the second piece of evidence¡ªeveryone seemed to have researched thoroughly and brought all kinds of bizarre skill applications, yet they were all swept away by the bulldozer-like Korean team. Naturally, they immediately figured out why things were unfolding in this manner after just a few skirmishes. ¡°What are they doing without knowing the strengths and weaknesses of their skills or the opportunity costs?¡± Of course, those who made it to the Final Championship weren¡¯t fools. They just made a mistake they shouldn¡¯t have made during the match. When trying to push their skills aggressively, they had neglected their own country¡¯s y style that had developed over a year, and their personal direction, which naturally led to issues. In short, they had opened up a functioning machine and reced its parts with ones that didn¡¯t even fit. Thus, the discrepancy between the ideals and reality of the foreign yers was as follows. Drrrr!
  • [Notification: Shield damage at 40%.]
¡°What¡­? Why is it not hurting that much?¡± First, they overlooked the characteristics of their skills. Skills were not only meant to create new ways of engagement but were also developed to supplementcking firepower or fill in gaps of firepower¡ªnot intended to be operated as the main feature. The number of guns allowed was restricted to one the moment two skills were unlocked, and that was limited to either a carbine or SMG. Of course, if used well, one could be a blender sweeping the battlefield like a certain snake-tailed individual, but most were not capable of that. The yers who were unfamiliar with the skills discarded the firepower of the firearms, the easiest way to overpower their opponents. In other words, even if the carbine was eptable, those who chose SMGs were getting battered by the Korean team when the distance widened and were being ejected to the lobby. And¡ª Boom! ¡°What was that? Why did it suddenly explode over there¡­?¡± Secondly, there was ack of skill operation. Now, the skill y of a certain individual, which was painfully obvious, captivated not just the viewers but also the yers and coaches¡ªthis meant they were all seized by the thought of wanting to test the traps that Yujin had personally created. Naturally, that action was not inherently bad. One of the best ways to grow in any field is imitation and practice. However, the users didn¡¯t properly understand the principles and didn¡¯t fully master the skills, yet they brought those bizarrely crafted traps into the actual matches. Unsurprisingly, they either fell apart or exploded before even functioning, benefiting the Korean yers rather than harming them. And in most cases,
  • [Notification: Enemy skill detected. Marking position.]
Such traps could be identified simply with a pulse. The Korean team had already known how wide-ranging and precise pulse detection was, so they often used traps that only activated with specific stimuli or traps that couldn¡¯t be countered even if identified¡ªand the reason for specifically citing the Korean team was simple. Other countries were unaware of this. There were even cases where they had their operational authority over installed traps taken away, leading to their own positions being revealed and getting beaten, and such farcical incidents continued until the end of the second match on Thursday. ¡°Ah, what is this! The Thursday Korean team is literally defying expectations that they might undergo a turning point, and they¡¯re literally soaring! Perhaps the Korean g will be raised for this year¡¯s best country!¡± As stated. Logan, belonging to Orbital Gaming, along with some of the gamers from that team, and the top 15% of users who realized that changing their y style at this point would be meaningless had already started solidifying their ranks through defensive strategies. Among the yers, at least 1/3 who did not belong to the aforementioned groups, tested out new y styles andpletely tanked their scores and gamey, turning them into point machines for the Korean team and the aforementioned top 15%. Themon thread woven into the winners¡¯ ys was splendor and a rapid advance. But victories always require losers, and thetter sank along with their nearly farcical ys. No matter how shocking the events were, it was a painful lesson that one should never change their y style hastily, and Thursday darkenedpletely. ¡°This is the earliest day to end in the history of the Final Championship. They¡¯ve been making a fuss with all sorts of articles predicting that Wednesday would be a historic turning point, and while that wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡­¡± ¡°It is historic, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s beyond what I imagined.¡± In New York¡¯s standard time, it was 9:24 PM. The clock pointed to the time when all three matches had ended. And until now, including this one, there had never been a case where the match end time exceeded 9:40 PM in the finals. But today was different. A single Final Championship match originally took a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes. Given the viewership numbers, this time was calcted based on the time eleration that hadn¡¯t been applied. Considering that the break time between each match was 30 minutes, the daily schedule of the Final Championship was structured like a sandwich with two breaks squeezed in between the three matches. Thus, the time taken for the day¡¯s matches was at least 150 minutes minimum. Normally, the day would end somewhere between 9:40 and 9:50 PM. So, what does this mean¡ª ¡°Just how terrible must they have yed for every match to barelyst 30 minutes¡­¡± ¡°Judging by how you¡¯re saying that the moment we return to the hotel, it seems like you have a lot ofints.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only had less than 20 hours of special training with Yujin, and as soon as we started, everyone was just acting like fools, so it¡¯s frustrating.¡± Of course, Dice¡¯s harsh words were tempered by Yujin¡¯s yful tail tickling and tactical teasing. Due to being tickled so much, Seo Ye-rin, with a rather ambiguous expression that blurred whether she wasughing or crying, was finally sprawled out on the bed, staring at the ceiling before adding. ¡°The Final Championship is over now. I wondered if I¡¯d ever make it into the top 5 of the finals before retiring, and look at how it turned out.¡± ¡°We have to maintain it steadily. Even if you no longer participate in the Final Championship, I¡¯ll continue to have you in personal scrims.¡± ¡°That¡¯s reassuring to hear¡­¡± Rustle. A moment of silence. There seemed to be a fluttering of words yet to be spoken, but in the end, she remained silent. Yujin, thinking that she would eventually hear the answer, wasn¡¯t too concerned and went to the entrance to appropriately put on her shoes.@@novelbin@@ Noticing that the light in the entrance was on, Dice spoke up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up Harmony, so I¡¯ll be back in about an hour. You all can go ahead and sleep. Let¡¯s skip the debriefing for today¡­¡± Yujin stopped mid-sentence. Despite that, it felt a bit off to skip that part, so Yujin thought for a moment before adding. ¡°...Not entirely skip, but just review the second half of the battles a bit, jot down notes on what I should have avoided. Since tomorrow is the final match, if we just manage our condition well, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ng. The door closed. Passing through the now cozy andfortable hallway, which felt just like home, she crossed the busy lobby filled with guests still enjoying the night view and pressed the elevator button, heading to the underground parking lot. As the door opened, the unique smell of concrete and the bleak interior of the parking lot were revealed. The moment she opened the ss door, a Range Rover approached naturally and automatically opened its doors, revealing familiar faces inside. The vividly visible red eyes, even in the dimly lit vehicle. Lorentina patted the back seat with her hand and added. ¡°Shall we take our youngest for a Manhattan drive at night?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Naturally climbing into the back seat, Yujin tucked her tail into the tail storage space and pressed her back against the seat. Without any noise, the vehicle exited the parking lot and slowly entered the FDR Drive highway, which followed the East and Hudson Rivers. Yujin checked the faces of the people in the vehicle. The first to speak was Logan, who leaned against the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Were you suddenly craving the New York winter air?¡± ¡°There are things you can only talk about in the winter wind.¡± And as that was actually true, this gathering was a request made by Yujin. Although it was rather grand for people who were already on friendly terms, there was a valid reason for it. Until now, Yujin and Logan had been yers in the Final Championship, and unless they talked in a designated ce, there was a high likelihood they would not be looked upon favorably. To put it bluntly, the problem was the potential for match-fixing or the exposure of individual tactics during conversations. Even if there was no actual risk, human fussiness is usually like that. Last time they met legally at Madison Square Garden, but now it was different¡ªand that was the method they had chosen. A brief silence. While others were guessing the meaning behind Yujin''s words, she contemted what to say first in her mind. The identities of Dark Zone and Icarus International. Whether they would truly believe in these or not was a matter for her to deal with. So where should she begin? After pondering that, Yujin took a deep breath. ¡°When I went to the Icarus headquarters, I learned about the identities of Dark Zone and Icarus International.¡± And at that moment, everyone¡¯s expressions hardened. But it was an expected reaction. Yujin had already disyed a simr response. And as the stories unrted to individuals began to unravel one by one, everyone¡¯s expressions changed dynamically. That was understandable. The reason Dark Zone urately depicted events that happened in the past of another world was¡ªbecause they took that incident as a whole as their motif, which was quite difficult to ept. However, it wasn¡¯t just about using it as a motif. Dark Zone was actually connected to the previous world in a non-physical form. After that, the main topic arrived. As the vehicle glided silently across the FDR Drive, Yujin added. ¡°The past operations, including Operation North Sphere, existed in the game because of that. As I keep clearing the Incursion scenarios, I reach thest operation I carried out, and from there¡­¡± ¡°And from there?¡± ¡°¡­The clearing of Dark Zone¡¯s Incursion scenarios affects that world.¡± What this implied was simple. And those present at the table could not be unaware of what it meant or why Yujin was bringing up this topic. She was discussing the time after the Final Championship. Of course, that alone did not exin why Yujin was sharing this fact. ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason for telling us all this?¡± Lorentina, usually yful, now looked serious, locking eyes with Yujin. In response, Yujin added quietly. ¡°I wanted to show you what happened at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt, the situation I faced, and what went on there.¡± Everyone fell silent again. The day that left an indelible mark on the members of the team, other than Yujin. The day when the team, which had sessfully led countless operations over four years, broke for the first time. A day of unforgettable loss¡­ However, apart from that, Yujin¡¯s meaning was clear. She was asking the members of the team present to join her on the mission. Two additional units¡ªone was a reserve, but¡ªone was from DEVGRU. Logically, for those busy with training and individual coaching, Yujin¡¯s request would have been unreasonable. However, what she proposed was¡­ ¡°¡­¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Lorentina.¡± ¡°Anytime. No matter what. Just let me know when it¡¯s scheduled. I¡¯ll make sure to clear my schedule, even if I have to grab mymander by the cor.¡± The first to react was none other than Lorentina. The usual mischievous smile was nowhere to be found. Her red eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings before meeting the gazes of Logan and Owens. But none of them rejected Yujin¡¯s request. The death of the youngest was the deepest stake driven into their hearts, a taboo no one should touch. Even the title of the youngest, which they usually called her by, was absent as Christopher continued. ¡°It¡¯s a request we could easily ept even without bringing up things like that, Yujin. You, of all people¡­¡± And in the meantime, Logan, who had been observing quietly, chimed in. ¡°We still have a decent amount of time until we¡¯re officially part of Delta, so just call when you need us.¡± ¡°The seniors¡­ sadly don¡¯t have Dark Zone ounts.¡± ¡°The results will be confirmed during the debriefing. Make sure to tie everything up neatly.¡± Everyoneughed. And that was precisely the stance that suited Anthony Owens more than anything else. With all issues resolved without friction, Logan manipted the screen and changed the destination to Madison Square Garden. ¡°Then let¡¯s go pick up Yujin¡¯s beloved green cat.¡± The vehicle that had been wandering along the outskirts of Manhattan began to re-enter the city. The end of the year was approaching. Chapter 274 With the end of the Final Championship, the year¡¯s conclusion approaches. However, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that among all the yers gathered at Madison Square Garden, very few could genuinely rejoice in that fact. It was perhaps inevitable¡ªthose who could express pure happiness were limited to the Korean team, while the majority had no choice but to feel anxious. And no one was unaware of the reason. ¡°Instead of properly executing the n, you¡¯re just thinking of copying what the Korean team is doing? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s the yers or the coaches, both havepletely ruined their careers. What are we going to do now?¡± Thursday¡¯s match was aplete disaster, concluding in record time. It was a shocking embarrassment for the viewers cheering for their home country, leaving them in disbelief at the utter failure. But aside from those spectators, there was already a pervasive atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. The Korean representative team, including Yujin, had extended a poisoned chalice to everyone. Or perhaps they had forced others to swallow it. Either way, Korea had the power to pry open their opponent''s mouths and pour the contents of the chalice, named skills, into them, and it had indeed happened. And the nation that swallowed it the hardest was none other than Japan. ¡°Please reconsider. The current roster cannot handle this curriculum. Moreover, changing the course of action mid-game is highly likely to lead to aplete decline in overall performance.¡± ¡°So you couldn¡¯t even respond properly to the Korean team and got swept away? If you had just trusted and followed the coaches¡¯ words earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this foolish mess! Just do as you''re told, for crying out loud¡­!¡± ng! As the clear high-pitched sound rang out, shards of shattered ss scattered across the floor. Casey calmly observed the situation without showing any particr concern. Although insults were hurled at him far worse than just moments ago, when summarized, the content amounted to nothing more than nonsense. Not just the Japanese representatives, but almost everyone was swept away equally. This was because the Korean team had honed their des sharper than anywhere else; it wasn¡¯t that Japan couldn¡¯tpete¡ªthey had merely managed to reach this point despite their outdated skills and ideologies, which was nothing short of a miracle. And all of this would remain as evidence. When those who had endured the nonsense finally emerged outside, their expressions were not so bad. ¡°There are already so many pieces of evidence piling up, and now they¡¯re just adding more one by one. They must be quite anxious.¡± ¡°They¡¯re in a position where their careers are on the line, so it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re losing their sense of judgment.¡± The public opinion in the archipgo was already aze. And their ultimate goal was to hurl the collected evidence at various media outlets before the higher-ups could start spouting nonsense andpletely incinerate the pile of firewood that was the Japanese representative team, which had been built on incorrect methods all this time. This bold action emerged from the soaring evaluations of former soldiers since the appearance of the Dark Zone; in simpler terms, even if they were ying with fire, the current Japanese representative team, including Casey, had many ces to go. Moreover, they hadn¡¯t exposed the core strategies of the Japanese team; they were, quite literally, whistleblowers. There was no particr reason for them not to be weed. ¡°I suppose I should send Yujin a New Year¡¯s gift.¡± While they had done their best to beat Japan as much as possible, it had only been a vague situation until the match began, but as she wielded her skills and moved across the map, all worries were resolved. Especially the seemingly simple operational methods. But the tricks contained within them were close to impossible to master with just a day or two of practice; it was a kind of miraculous magic. The moment that vast gap struck at the back of the neck of the Japanese Coaches¡¯ Association, which had been the embodiment of corruption, the reaction was indeed immediate. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that the Japanese representative team hadpletely let go of the Final Championship. They had been the top in Asiast year, after all. One could even imagine the effort put in to only drop to around 20th ce after drinking such a potent poison. In any case, to summarize Thursday in one word: it was a disy of prization. Those who couldn¡¯t climb the ranks at all or couldn¡¯t break away from mid-tier positions fell dramatically, while those users who had not been swept away by the wave of skills suddenly gained benefits far beyond their rank. Furthermore, one diluted public opinion pointed directly to Yujin''s physical issues. To summarize that sentiment simply, it questioned whether individuals like Yujin or Logan should even be participating in the game. However, those voices quickly fizzled out as the parties involved executed skill-centric gamey. It was not a formally epted term, but the so-called ¡°brain skill¡± was the only way to exin Yujin''s gamey. Thus, on December 30th. Thest day of the Final Championship begins. And observing the situation, one person opened their mouth in disbelief. ¡°How many y styles does Yujin have?¡± ¡°Should I take that to mean you want to see them today?¡± ¡°Please spare me¡­¡± To which Yujin merely smiled slightly. y styles. Yujin was simting a thought she had never truly considered. To be precise, the gamey she had demonstrated in the Final Championship didn¡¯te from the category of ¡®specialization.¡¯ It was a somewhat embarrassing thought for her to have, but simply put, it meant that all the skill ys she had shown were not her full power. In the first ce, true power was only exerted in life-or-death situations. Anyway, they were the Korean representative team, and to put it differently, they were among the few who remained unscathed in the whirlwind that swept through the Final Championship. As long as there were no humiliating defeats in the remaining three matches on Friday, none of the yers would drop below 15th ce. Dice could aim for as high as 3rd ce if they performed well today. The final night of the Final Championship was approaching. All the clich¨¦ admonitions to do well until the end and not to let their guard down had already been addressed before arriving at the venue. Thus, instead of adding any stale words, Yujin spoke again. ¡°What are you nning to wear to the party tomorrow on December 31st?¡± ¡°Oh right. Yujin, you¡¯ll wear that semi-formal outfit you received as a giftst time, right? I already know.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit awkward to wear the outfit gifted by the one hosting the year-end party?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s true, but you can¡¯t wear anything that doesn¡¯t have a hole in the back.¡± In truth, it was more like arge zipper on the back of the jeans rather than an actual hole, but Dice chimed in as if recalling it. ¡°Now that I think about it, your way of dressing is really unique.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Still, a snake tail should be worth it, right?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t say strange things.¡± ¡°Is that so? I suppose the words of someone who actually wears it would be more urate, huh?¡± She, who had subtly sunk into the chair, added while gazing out the window. ¡°Around this timest year, with the New Year just a few days away, I felt quite strange¡­ my rank was ambiguous, and the results were a bit shabby foring all the way to New York. But this year¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was actually going to say this after all the matches, but¡­¡± Dice smiled softly as he spoke. ¡°Thanks to you, I coulde this far. Thank you, Yujin.¡± Of course, Yujin had something to say to him too. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you for following along. You¡¯ve worked hard all this time.¡± At the same time, the two of them carefullyy down on the bed. They activated the choker around their necks and entered the virtual space, ready to conclude the 3rd Final Championship. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh!@@novelbin@@ ¡°Is this the map¡­?¡± Formerly known as Laura, now named Logan. And the first map of Friday was none other than the Aurora Power nt. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Aurora was the power nt built in the Arctic Sea, where the blizzard howled violently, there wouldn¡¯t have been a single aspect of this map that he liked. Unlike othermon maps, the Aurora Power nt didn¡¯t determine thending point in mid-air but rather decided the quadrant of the spawn point, allowing characters to appear randomly within it. Therefore, when he opened his eyes, he found himself inside a warehouse where the blizzard was seeping in. The warehouse wasn¡¯t particrlyrge. The location of the warehouse and the geography of the surrounding area quickly came to his mind, automatically considering the possibility of someone attacking within five minutes. The possibility was not very high. ¡°So, what should I do from here¡­?¡± It wouldn¡¯t be easy to say he appeared very motivated. However, it was understandable. Today was thest day of the Final Championship. It was one thing to face the youngest in a life-and-death struggle for a day or two, but facing simr situations around nine times over four days could indeed be a bit tiresome. It wasn¡¯t that it was impossible, but it was quite a bit. Nheless, regardless of that, his body moved automatically. Opening amon box revealed an abundance of items. But as he simply watched it, he had to contemte how to engage inbat in this match. ¡®¡­Should I carry at least one skill?¡¯ It was a choice he wouldn¡¯t typically make. Having grown so ustomed to the skills due to the Task Force Dagger activities, he had casually wandered around, securing 1st or 2nd ce several times, but still. He was quite concerned about allowing Dice a kill in the recent high-value research facility. ¡°Although it was a match, and I borrowed the power of the Governant¡­¡± A special forces operative would reduce such ''although'' to the very limits, created anew to respond to any situation. In that regard, Dice¡¯s victory was rather a fortunate turn of events. There was no longer any reason to hold back in obliterating the enemy. He quickly donned his gear and decided on a destination. Unless he encountered the enemy by sheer bad luck at the start, there was little chance of meeting them until the direction of the kill zone was confirmed. And as it turned out, five minutes after the first match on Friday began, approximately 15 eliminations urred, and not a single person had fallen for another three minutes. However, that would soon be a thing of the past as the skill activation zone made its grand appearance. ©¤©¤©¤Tudududu! ©¤©¤©¤Aaaah! It was chaos. Although he was a bitte, he didn¡¯t care much. Unless skills were generating at his feet, regardless of whether he was a littlete or early, the area would have turned into a battlefield. Moreover, the number of people eyeing skills had surged dramatically since Thursday, so there was no need to dash toward the destination like a dog with its tail on fire just because the activation zone appeared. And as expected, bullets were already flying around him. ¡°¡­¡± 200 meters from the skill activation zone. The area was intertwined with warehouses and buildings, favoring defenders significantly over attackers. But with the presence of heart beat sensors, breaking through wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. In any case, what mattered was the sure incapacitation of the enemy. Passed on through Logan to Yujin, and from Yujin to the Korean representative team, the CQB in therge city, the most important thing among them was¡ªnot the skills or marksmanship, but grenades. And in this area, there were many corpses that had died while carrying grenades. In one hand, he held an MP7A2, and slung an MK47 on his back, while Logan continuously scanned the surroundings and checked the terrain. The heart beat sensor on his wrist blinked repeatedly, providing a rough estimate of the enemy¡¯s location. The distance was about 30 meters ahead, on the control room above therge logistics center. He climbed the stairs, prepared to shoot at any moment with one hand, and cautiously opened the closed door¡ª ¡®¡­A doorknob trap?¡¯ The weight and resistance he felt with his hand were unusual. To think simply, it was likely something tied up like a string. He had no idea where he¡¯d seen something like that, but he could¡¯ve used a somewhat more sophisticated method. Numerous thoughts passed through his mind, but ultimately, a few choices emerged in his head. If he truly wanted to cut off the enemy, he could activate the trap and swiftly bypass the enemy when the explosion was heard. If he wanted to y more safely, he could intentionally trigger the explosion and chase the enemy once they left the location. However, he didn¡¯t know where a third enemy could be hiding¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll just have to catch them first.¡± He mmed down on the doorknob. In that state, he had quietly hidden below the staircase for a few seconds. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahh! With a tremendous noise, the door and wall exploded. If he had been standing above, he would¡¯ve likely suffered considerable ssh damage¡ªbut taking advantage of the explosion, he had long since removed the pin from the grenade and released the safety handle. The grenade flew into the broken gap andnded on the ground. However, there were no signs of life inside. And then the grenade exploded in session. Wait a moment. A session? ¡°¡­A double trap?¡± This method of exploding the first grenade and then dying the explosion of a second grenade located a bit further away due to the tremor was umon but quite effective. Whoever it was had quite a good head on their shoulders. In that case, there was no time to linger in this spot. Taking advantage of the fading sound of the explosions, he quickly climbed thedder and moved through a detour connected to the passage behind the control room. And as expected, when the explosions rang out and he didn¡¯t charge in, he found himself face-to-face with an enemy who had opted for a hammer. ¡ªTudududu! A fierce exchange ensued. The enemy moved quite trained, quickly catching on to the fact that he had little cover due to hastily turning the corner and tossed a grenade. Of course¡ª ¡°Were you quite hasty?¡± The grenade, rolled forcefully to the floor, fell at his feet in less than a second, meaning there was still enough time to swiftly pick it up and toss it back. Thud. The grenade, still warm and barely cooled, the weight of the metal felt in his hand¡­ indeed, it was time to toss it back. After a few seconds, the grenade, thrown with an unparalleled speedpared to before, fell back at its owner''s feet shortly after it was thrown. Naturally, there was no time to toss it back this time. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahh! In an instant, there was a sh, a roar, and hundreds of fragments. However, he had already approached as he tossed the grenade, a demonstration of his will to finish off the enemy, even if it meant sustaining some damage to his shield. And indeed, that was exactly how it turned out. ¡°Aaaah!¡± As he pushed through the slight smoke created by the explosion, he aligned his dot sight with his eyes, aiming at the enemy and moving his slender index finger. A dozen shes lit up from the muzzle. After that, nothing remained. Quickly checking the surroundings, while replenishing only grenades, the gunfire still echoed in his ears. Not PTSD or anything like that, but literally. The battles near the skill activation zone had only just begun. ¡°Then, how many more do I need to wipe out before it gets easier?¡± The battlefield still craved more blood. Chapter 275 ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Position isn¡¯t good¡­!¡± Meanwhile, while Logan was sweeping up kills around the skill activation zone, surprisingly, Yujin was having quite a tough time. She held no firearms in her hands. It was literally just an empty shell. The reason for this was quite simple¡ªshe had started in a location teeming with enemies, and naturally, she had gained an overwhelming advantage in the early skirmishes. However, the firearm assets were limited, and it was inevitable that resources would deplete as more people than allowed flooded in. In short, about four people, including Yujin, had initially fought excitedly, but they soon lost all their ammunition and either made a hasty retreat or ended up getting knocked out by Yujin. It would have been fortunate if that were the end of it, but enemies still swarmed the vicinity¡ªwhich meant that other yers had swept away almost all the early resources. She had guns but no bullets. Yujin¡¯s chosen option was to make a run for it. ¡°No way, how can they be so fast!?¡± Of course, Yujin¡¯s fleeing skills could leave even seasoned yers dumbfounded. But that was all it was. Without bullets, it was all for naught. Ultimately, Yujin felt the need to lighten her load until a proper weapon with ammunition emerged, so she hurled the heavy metal object named a gun away from her body. ¡°Gah!¡± Crash! It made an unsettling sound. It was a substantial hit, but unfortunately, it was blocked by a shield. However, Yujin had already evacuated from her previous position, and a half-beatter, fragments of shattered concrete sprang up from where she had been. But she didn¡¯t hesitate for long; the momentum didn¡¯t falter. The enemy had already caught on to Yujin¡¯s identity and seemed determined to take her down, regardless of any opportunity costs. In fact, that was indeed the case. They aimed to eliminate her before she could pick up any remaining weapons. Thus, both sides desperately kept widening and narrowing the distance between them. At the end of this exchange was a small warehouse. ©¤©¤©¤Crash! ¡°Ugh.¡± Just as she barely concealed herself behind cover, bullets flew in. Yujin quickly surveyed her surroundings. However, the boxes that should have contained firearms were already opened, with only a couple of handguns scattered haphazardly on the ground. Still, that would allow for some degree of suppression. Rolling to evade bullets, she grasped a handgun with a tight grip and began firing rapidly. It was a speed that made it hard to tell if it was a handgun at all. By the time she had emptied more than half of the Glock¡¯s 17-round magazine, the enemy had sustained considerable damage and finally sought refuge behind cover. After all, if more than nine bullets hit areas like the head and vital spots, it was inevitable they would suffer significant damage. ¡®Extra magazines¡­ maybe two?¡¯ That was absurdly insufficient. Now that the enemy had received a heavy counterattack, they wouldn¡¯t push hastily. However, if she could break the shield, she could transition to closebat. Yujin¡¯s focus peaked at that moment, and she calcted several pre-movement routes as she immediately charged. The handgun and assault rifle erupted in a furious exchange of fire. A thunderous noise resonated from the not-sorge warehouse. Their skills were not entirely equal, but the difference in firepower closed the gap. ¡ªng! Running quickly while leaning back, Yujin slid into cover, simultaneously reloading her handgun. Her speed was so swift that afterimages were visible, and in reality, it did not affect her shooting at all. Calcting the remaining bullets in her magazine, the enemy, who had been approaching her, awkwardly took several shots before barely managing to hide behind another cover, a look of disbelief on their face as they checked their remaining shield. Only about 30% was left. And it was none other than from a handgun. Realizing that it was not the time to calcte even the minimum remaining opportunity cost, they began using grenades. The ttering sound of the safety pins shing flew into Yujin¡¯s ears. ¡®Where is it going toe from¡­?!¡¯ But at that moment, the enemy moved in closer. Bullets flew towards each other once again. However, the opponent moved ambiguously as if determined to render Yujin unable to use her handgun, continuously depleting her ammunition. Thest magazine. With the magazine loaded and the hammer drawn back, Yujin¡¯s finger moved once more. At this point, the enemy''s estimated shield remaining was already below 20%. Thus, she repositioned to deliver the final blow as bullets crossed once more. And at the moment thebat reached its peak, the enemy took a decisive gamble. They threw not one, but two grenades. At that point, Yujin had only one bullet left. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Kaang! Thest bullet hit beside one of the grenades, twisting its trajectory significantly, but another bomb flew in a parab, about 20cm away from that, heading straight for Yujin. Without hesitation, Yujin threw her handgun. Before it could even hit the ground, the two grenades exploded in mid-air, scattering metal pellets like rays of sunlight. The shrapnel rained down on both sides¡¯ shields, but the next moment, a sinister sound rang out as something shattered. Not Yujin, but the enemy. Their shield crumbled miserably under the umted damage. However, even then, the enemy moved at an incredible speed the moment their shield was destroyed. Hearing the sound of the nking, they determined that no more bullets were flying in, so they stood up from cover and began to fire suppressive shots to seize the advantage. But at that moment, ©¤©¤©¤Thwack! ¡°Gah¡­!¡± Her head spun. It wasn¡¯t because she was hit by a bullet. But there was damage. And in that split second, the enemy took in Yujin¡¯s figure¡ªand something was clutched tightly in her hand. A toolmonly found in the Aurora Power nt. Among them, holding a small wrench, she unleashed it at invisible speeds, wearing a face that resembled that of a demon. Of course, the damage from it was minorpared to a bullet, but that was only inparison to bullets. Moreover, the aiming point was thrown off, making it impossible to hit the bullets that needed to connect. But Yujin didn¡¯t stop there. She had plenty of things to throw at the enemy rushing in while dodging the wrench, and there were many items within reach. The next thing she grabbed was a sharp, pointed screwdriver. ¡ªThwook! ¡ª[Notification: Left eye suffers a critical pration wound. Status effect "Blindness" activated // Duration 3 minutes.] In an instant, her left eye darkened. The weighty HP reduction signaled the severity of the situation. In games, one might not realize it due to constantly firing bullets, but this was a disaster resulting from a meticulously implemented physics engine, as developers themselves would tell you¡ªand such junk was indeed often used in traps. But to throw one directly at her!@@novelbin@@ ¡°Oh my God, what the hell is happening.¡± But there were no gods. And certainly, there were no gods for him. After exhaling heavily, a tremendous force-infused screwdriver flew toward him from cover, and the first one pierced his neck, worsening the situation. At the moment he fell to the ground, his finger, which had never left the trigger, became the second sacrifice. As that projectile prated his hand horizontally rather than vertically, his index finger became useless. Yujin ruthlessly hurled screwdrivers like a killer returning to her old ways due to a single puppy, and unfortunately, they focused on the face, an area that couldn¡¯t be covered by any bulletproof vest. How long had it been? Perhaps five seconds passed. ¡°©¤©¤©¤Hah¡­¡± Over five essories decorated her face, glinting, before the enemy weakly let their arms droop and was ejected to the lobby, leaving only items behind. Only then did Yujin breathe heavily. Despite not achieving much from the first match, that was just how life was. She remained tense but cautiously checked her surroundings. Awareness of her surroundings was her habit. After about 30 seconds had passed with no sound, Yujin dropped the hammer she had been holding and added, ¡°Guess it¡¯s good I didn¡¯t have to use this.¡± At the same time, she checked the ground. The debris left behind by the enemy. There were about three magazines left and two grenades. It was clear that she had been the unluckiest one this round. Letting out a sigh, she began putting on her gear. ¡°This should be enough trouble.¡± To think the firstbat on Friday would go like this. Yujin chuckled in disbelief and suddenly checked the kill log that popped up on one side of the UI. ¡ª[Eugene Killed Glorious with Screwdriver] How meticulous of her. I wonder if anyone in the history of the Final Championship or this game has ever died from a screwdriver, Yujin thought, quickly gathering her gear and leaving the spot. Only the six screwdrivers scattered on the floor hinted at what had urred there. And¡ª [General] Wow, what the hell, LOL! Please stop, you psycho¡­ I¡¯m scared now¡­. [All Comments][By Registration] ¡ªShould I give a thumbs up to those who saw this live? ww nAh, LOL! nI¡¯m not kidding, I almost crapped my pants while drinking at the pub, you crazy girl, LOL! nYou too? ¡ªHow could a person kill someone with a screwdriver like that? LOL! ¡ªThe sound of John Wick giving a standing ovation can be heard from here, LOL! ¡ªTeacher, I¡¯m genuinely scared now. Please stop it, LOL! ¡ªFact: It means it''s actually possible. nAh, LOL! nWe messed up! Please save us!!! We¡¯ll work hard from now on and do well without screwing around! nFighting off a horde like that, LOL! nIt¡¯s better to have a screwdriver in your eye than to be in prison, . ¡ªWow, how many are you sticking into their face? LOL! ¡ªThe screwdrivers are sprouting from the face, . ¡ªI¡¯m not kidding, it¡¯s genuinely scary, LOL! ¡ªDice and Harmony are going to be horrified when they review the match resultster, LOL! n??? : What? I learned from someone like that? nPeople be humble in the face of force¡­ nWho wouldn¡¯t be humble when they turned someone into a flower arrangement? LOL! ¡ªLiving Point: Before this, I threw about five wrenches at their head. nAnd I haven¡¯t even pulled out the hammer yet. nWait, a hammer? Please, teacher, LOL! nDoes that mean the head looks like it can''t even be a head in the eyes of Bi-yam? nIf you mess around, that might happen, . ¡ªThe fact that you prayed to a god just seconds before dying is hrious, LOL! nIf you don¡¯t seek a god during such an incident, that would be legendary, . ¡ªMy honest opinion: The most frightening thing is the screwdrivers on the ground. nWe¡¯ve decided to call that a dying message. ¡ªMake sure to watch how she handled those two grenades before throwing screwdrivers. nHonestly, where are the fools who didn¡¯t watch today¡¯s match? LOL! ¡°Teacher, what the hell is this.¡± Stuttering. At Madison Square Garden, a massive arena capable of holding 60,000 people. Among those enjoying the main event inside, the majority had their mouths agape. Some couldn¡¯t even close their jaws, leading to a few heading to nearby medical camps in haste. Fortunately, Harmony wasn¡¯t that extreme, but her level of shock was certainly more than the others. The sight of Yujin throwing screwdrivers like shurikens or throwing knives was truly akin to a ghost. Moreover, the fact that it wasn¡¯t just ast-ditch effort shocked everyone. Had she lost even the minimum sense of judgment, Yujin would have thrown a screwdriver at the enemy whose shield hadn¡¯t even gone down, and she wouldn¡¯t have dealt any damage at all. But in the end, she didn¡¯t give up until thest moment, smashing the enemy¡¯s shield with a handgun and grenades that weren¡¯t even her own. And she returned to square one. ¡°¡­Eh¡­.¡± Even while the match was in full swing, at least ten thousand people had rewatched the event repeatedly, and Harmony nearly got lost in it but barely managed to regain her senses. As the shock of the screwdriver faded, the number of remaining yers dwindled to below 50. The kill zone was rapidly shrinking, and Yujin, having barely acquired a gun, was already soaring¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean the match was proceeding smoothly like before. Those who had risen after the shock of Thursday disyed ate reluctance to give up their skills, but that was not the end of it. They had been somewhat inocted against the skills by analyzing Korea¡¯s ystyle. To think that they had onlye to have some countermeasures¡ªrealistically, it was no more than a mere formality¡ªagainst skills on thest day of the Final Championship was inevitable. In any case, that wasn¡¯t what mattered. ¡°Yikes¡­.¡± 5,162,387. In other words, the number of people watching the finale of the Final Championship through the broadcast room that Harmony opened. And, of course, nearly all of them were discussing the shocking antics¡ªor deadly gamey¡ªthat Yujin had just demonstrated. ¡ªThat¡¯s good, LOL! I got the clip! LOL! ¡ªPhew, this is why I don¡¯t do Dark Zone, LOL! ¡ªShut up, LOL! ¡ªHow can a person kill someone with a screwdriver like that? LOL! ¡ªThe sound of John Wick giving a standing ovation can be heard from here, LOL! While leaving behind the raucous spectators, Harmony fell into deep thought. Would Yujin¡¯s EMP pulse be advantageous, or the bulletproof shield? One thing was certain, the former could disrupt the recovery of the bulletproof shield. Therefore, if Yujin managed to break the shield first, her chances of winning would be higher; if not, Logan¡¯s chances would increase. By the way, the fact that Logan was holding the bulletproof shield, which had been rumored to need nerfing, could perhaps¡ª ¡°...Maybe they really n to do it.¡± Perhaps Dice didn¡¯t just escape the sleeping pr bear, but rather pulled out its nose hairs and fled. It wasn¡¯t a particrly pleasant thought. ¡®I should probably pray for Dice¡¯s soul in advance.¡¯ The sin of awakening a pr bear¡¯s slumber would weigh heavily. Chapter 276 -[Notification: Kill Zone is shrinking. Please move to a safe area.] -[Remaining yers until the final kill zone: 1] "Is it really almost over now¡­?" The first match of Friday ising to an end. As the game progresses into theter stages, the howling cold wind sounds like thement of countless people who have perished without achieving anything worthwhile. Of course, I don¡¯t need to care about such things, but just like no one goes through life without being moved at least once, it¡¯s simply... Under the smoke wafting from the muzzle of my gun, a persony dead. Yet, in just a few seconds, they vanished without a trace, like a sandcastle swept away by a wave, leaving only several items behind. I selected a few necessary items and stowed them in the multipurpose pouch on my right thigh. That was it. The enemy must have realized by now how and by whom they had died, and perhaps they were even cursing at the sight of the six letters that make up the name "Yujin." However, as that thought was swept away by the wind outside, I unfolded my map to determine the next kill zone''s formation location and safe area. "I need to head this way." As I marked the next target on the map, a route appeared on the ground. Following that marker would surely get me to my destination, but this disregarded the presence of enemies. So, I marked only the location and distance, turning off the other markers. Even while maintaining my situational awareness, my eyes were busy scanning the surroundings. Especially closely, I watched the kill log that could be glimpsed at the top right. Just seeing the nicknames allowed me to check who had survived. But today, a sound broke that concentration. ©¤©¤©¤Buuuuuuuum! "¡­?" A low rumble echoed through the air. The noise grew and shrank, stirring the cold wind, reminding me of an ambnce, but sadly, it was not here to rescue anyone today¡ªit was a transport ne crossing the map. They must have called for a care package. I wondered what they were bringing in. I wanted to see what was dropping and where itnded, but unfortunately, the heavy snowstorm outside made it impossible, so I nned my route through the interior of the buildings rather than outside. I ignored it and moved to the location I had marked in advance. And how much time passed? "I can¡¯t believe someone¡¯s already here." Kakakang! As concrete fragments flew, the bullet struck the steel framework, emitting a deafening sound as it deformed pathetically. Thankfully, my body was not on the list of things that got hit. Had I been waiting from the start, I would have likely taken at least three or four shots, but the fact that I didn¡¯t even get hit by the first shot indicated that the other side had probably identified me purely by chance. Both the enemy and I figured out each other''s locations simultaneously, and at that moment, the battle began. As I pulled the trigger, mes erupted, but since the enemy was on the upper balcony, only about two bullets hit their mark. Estimating the distance to the enemy, I considered my avable options. I had two skills: EMP Pulse and Prating Sticky Bombs. Both were somewhat ambiguous to use right now. Then, should I ignore the enemy? It was already a situation where not much time remained until the final kill zone arrived. Ultimately, this meant I had to deal with that user right here, no matter what. I chased. ©¤©¤©¤Drrrriiiiing! Inside the not-so-narrow warehouse, lead and tungsten projectiles crossed in the air. I pressed the gun tightly against my shoulder and ced the enemy in the red crosshair. Since we weren¡¯t very close, both of us stuck to single shots as our steps crisscrossed in the chaos. In a way, this could also be seen as a kind of dance. Dressed for the asion, we looked at each other and stepped forward. Considering that we were doing our best to exchange passionate nces during our movements, one might even call it that. Before long, I had already reached the upper balcony. Thus, the battle stepped into an uncharted territory. It was not long until I reached the range of the EMP Pulse, and the Icarus Gear provided the user with the shield technology to approach that distance¡ªthough it only served to defend against instant death from poor judgments. How would this y out? Just as I thought that, the enemy began to retreat. ''¡­That¡¯s not good.'' They were running toward a route that could be used for future escapes. In other words, if I didn¡¯t catch them, I would be stuck in ce. I definitely had to speed up to catch up. To prevent any possible traps, I activated the EMP Pulse, sending disruptive waves in all directions that almost enveloped the enemy. The ceiling lights enveloped in the pulse flickered bizarrely before finally shutting off, and I gathered my strength in my legs and sprinted down the corridor after the retreating enemy. Having used the EMP Pulse in advance, any traps using skills that might have been nearby would likely have been rendered useless, and traps involving grenades usually needed a series of delicate adjustments to activate, not functioning on their own. In other words, even if I sped up to chase, the risks were minimal. With a clicking sound, the enemy, about 30 meters ahead, pulled out their gun just before mming the door shut. I could hear the click, suggesting they even locked it. It took about five seconds to reach the door. The less time it took to smash the door, the better, but the expected durability of the door was quite high¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t some special door, just onemonly used at emergency exits. Therefore, there was no reason for the doorknob to be abnormally tough. I slowed my sprinting speed and aimed. With a noise like air escaping, the doorknob was damaged, but that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ©¤©¤©¤Kuuuung! As I surged forward and mmed my shoulder into the door, it ripped off its hinges and crashed to the ground. The strange scene that unfolded at that moment felt like the world was in slow motion, and the corridor scenery entered my view. The long hallway with cover ced here and there, and among them, the silhouette of a person¡ªyet my instincts detected a huge threat, and I quickly turned my gaze forward. The enemy was holding something. It looked like a massive pipe, but if it was aimed at me, the danger was exponentially greater than just a long pipe. A rocketuncher. Or a recoilless rifle, or something like that. And at that moment, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together one by one. ''Could it be that sound from the transport ne earlier¡­!'' They must have received a rocketuncher via the transport ne. Of course, there was no reason not to carry a rocketuncher in Apex Predator. After all, they could asionally be seen as sidearms¡ªyet in tournaments, it was a weapon that had be somewhat obsolete. It was easy to identify from afar, difficult to shoot, and troublesome to reload. But what if they didn¡¯t just carry it around? What if they stashed it somewhere after getting it? If they cornered the enemy in a specific area and shot from there? At that point, all the disadvantages would be diluted, and they could maximize the damage that exceeded grenades. And that was aimed at me. "¡­!" Hiding behind the cover in front was impossible. I would be swept away along with it. Shooting was impossible. Even if I aimed while crashing into the wall, the timing wouldn¡¯t align. Continuing to run was pointless. The distance to the enemy was still about 30 meters, and I would be caught in the explosion before I even got within 15 meters. So, the only option was to dodge. Without reducing my speed, I dashed toward the cover. The enemy¡¯s gaze shifted, and the barrel moved toward the cover, and in less than 0.5 seconds, their finger would twitch, unleashing the explosive devastation upon the world. But at that moment, I gathered all my strength in my legs and propelled myself off the ground. Still at speed, I leaped up, and at that moment, the cover that reached my chest was naturally below my feet, and as I stepped on it and leaped again¡ªmes roared beneath my legs. And a tremendous explosion erupted behind me. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaaang! The high-explosive projectile, unleashing fire and thunder simultaneously, was expelled at subsonic speeds. When it struck the cover I had just stepped on, my body, now airborne, was swept away by the shockwave, elerating rapidly.@@novelbin@@ Like being caught in an invisible current, I flew over four meters past my anticipatednding spot,nding on the ground and naturally rolling forward to break my fall. Of course, with the immense energy of the motion and fall, rolling once or twice wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop. With a crashing sound, the enemy quickly threw down whatever they were holding, possibly a rocketuncher, and reached for their gun. But I had long since taken my stance and pulled out my pistol from the holster, and the moment my finger pulled the trigger, the hammer moved, striking the primer. However, the enemy wasn¡¯t idle either. Even amidst this chaos, they drew their firearm and began to fire while retreating. At the point where I had taken the brunt of the rocket¡¯s effects, my shield wasn¡¯t in a good situation either. But, "Where do you think you¡¯re rushing off to?" I was the first to finish reloading. Taking cover, I tore two grenades from my molle and tossed them into the retreat path the enemy had been predicting. The enemy was firing their gun until thest bullet of a magazine, so they didn¡¯t hear the pin being pulled, and as two grenades sprang from the cover I had been hiding behind, they froze on the spot. In the meantime, I emerged from cover, aiming at the honey badger in front of me. Naturally, the enemy,pletely cornered from the front and back, had no options left. ©¤©¤©¤Tu-doo-duck! The silencer let out a muffled sound as I rendered the enemy nearly lifeless. Though the avatar was quite different since they were also a yer from the same country, I knew this user¡¯s ystyle. "Ink." "¡­If only I had five seconds. No, three seconds more, I could have caught you." "Creating that kind of time is part of individual capability." But I smiled and added, "That was quite a tactic. I¡¯ll make good use of it." There were no more words. My finger twitched, and Ink, a member of the Korean team, vanished into the lobby. Of course, my attention was elsewhere. "A recoilless rifle." It wasn¡¯t a rocketuncher. Of course, whatever it was, it might still be useful. Arge chunk of metal was strapped to my back. "The battle at the Aurora Power nt is nearing its end. Only three users remain: Logan, Yujin, and Sebastian. The three users are waiting at a certain distance from each other, while Logan, wielding a bulletproof shield, has started to close the gap." "He¡¯s taking one step forward. It¡¯s truly an overwhelming presence, almost like a wall advancing. Is there some change in his mentality?" The first match of Friday. Familiar nicknamese to mind. The two contenders for this year¡¯s championship and the unfortunate user caught in between now formed a rather natural scene. If it were fast, Yujin and Logan had naturally ced their names in the TOP 3petition every match, while at the slowest, it happened every two matches. However, no one questioned this. They performed super ys in every match, showcasing miraculousebacks in many skirmishes. Comebacks only happened when one had fallen into a disadvantageous situation. The battle between Logan and Sebastian begins. However, although one would normally aim for a freebie at this point, Yujin was watching the dynamics of the kill zone until the very end. As soon as she confirmed the narrowing direction, she began to run with a heavyunch pad and a couple of shells. Amidst the chilling sounds of gunpowder igniting, ricochet sounds, and grenade explosions, Yujin quickly set up her traps. After securing a certain area, she ced two traps nearby and carefully set down theunch pad between some diagonally ced metal pipes. Just by doing that, the millions of viewers realized that Yujin was not simply gaining victory through physical prowess. She was the hardest worker of all, someone who thought and pondered intensely more than any yer. Meanwhile, Logan was skillfully wielding his shield, pushing Sebastian into a corner. "Ah, Logan! Even when the shield has faced the threat of breaking several times, he barely manages to ovee the crises! What an amazing maneuver!" Naturally, the bnce of the bulletproof shield was adjusted to a certain extent. This skill didn¡¯t function as one might imagine, allowing one to "press forward while heavily absorbing bullets"; rather, it enabled users to ovee unavoidable damage while preserving their own stamina, ultimately allowing them to gain the upper hand in thetter part of the battle. And Logan delivered gamey that perfectly aligned with that purpose. The moment his shield began to crack, the gap between Sebastian and Logan¡¯s shields was at least over 65%, and when the pr bear drew out the SMG, the opponent could only shake their head in despair. Not even a minuteter, the battle scenario narrowed down again to a big match between the two championship contenders. "Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for has arrived! Yujin and Logan, Logan and Yujin! Who will seize victory in the first match of the final championship day?!" With the host¡¯s exciting words, the kill zone shrinks. At that moment, a battle scenario unfolded in everyone¡¯s imagination¡ªLogan absorbing Yujin¡¯s attacks heavily while she unloaded bullets fiercely against him in a fierce melee. But about 30 seconds passed. "Ah, the two yers are officially enteringbat¡ªah! What an incredible tempo! Both yers are demonstrating dynamic movements without even considering using their skills!" The two conjurers faced each other in the warehouse where the cold wind howled, and the major dynamics of the battle became one that prioritized speed above all else. It wasn¡¯t surprising to the millions of viewers, but it was an obvious choice for Logan. ''¡­If I pull out the shield carelessly, I¡¯ll have to put it away after only a few uses¡­'' Just as he said. Since theypletely understood each other¡¯s abilities, the most important cards should only be used at the most critical moments. Of course, the viewers didn¡¯t care which side it was. If one widened the distance, the other would close in, and vice versa. The existence of the two yers themselves represented two frontlines, and the battle illustrated the most intense sh between those two frontlines. Even though not even a minute had passed, sighs and cheers erupted repeatedly from all around. It was a scene that resembled the collision of two typhoons, shrunk down to human size, where the oue could not be determined by anyone. But, "Logan is stabilizing the dangerous attacks even in the activated state of the EMP through exquisite damage control! The gap in shields between the two yers is slowly widening!" Yujin had sealed the self-repair function of the shield with the EMP pulse, but as such, she only needed to defend against the attacks that could lead to severe shield damage. Logan operated the shield deftly each time he was cornered, carving out new breakthroughs on the battlefield, and every time, Yujin lost her geographical advantage. At that point, she smirked, letting out a slight chuckle. Thatugh had as many interpretations as there were people, but it was truly this. ''I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting back what I used to do during operations.'' Just as she said. The pointman from Task Force Dagger. Having been deployed in countless operations and mastering the usage of the shield through sheer grit... Logan was reproducing that precisely, and Yujin knew better than anyone how cruel that was. Logan wouldn¡¯t hand over victory to anyone, and he wouldn¡¯t let his guard down until the end. But the traps Yujin had set would indeed take effect on Logan. To achieve that, a few preparations were necessary. ©¤©¤©¤Tu-doo-doo-doo-doo! The bullets passing through the silencer struck the shield repeatedly. They focused primarily on the transparent multyered stic visor that could defend the face. Although the effects were minimal due to the nanomachines surrounding the shield, the important thing was to create cracks that obstructed vision in the stic. And the moment I dumped an entire magazine into it, arge crack appeared on the front visor of the shield, and Logan folded the shield. Just as I expected. After that, I prepared the bait that couldn¡¯t be missed. It was Yujin herself. "Kugh¡­!" Drrrriiiiing! As soon as Logan confirmed that he had spent an entire magazine, he charged forward with tremendous ferocity, and Yujin sessfully dodged, but her shield shattered. From then on, she could die from just one headshot. Tension filled her body, but Logan would also know that his shield had broken. And she would never let her guard down and would continue to press forward stubbornly. In other words, Logan would take a beat and then charge in. "Ah, Logan! The EMP effect has ended, and he¡¯s waiting for the bulletproof shield to recover! He¡¯s not letting his guard down until thest moment! Can he ovee this situation?!" It was an urate prediction. But Yujin couldn¡¯t smile. She was too tense to find it funny. Yet her body moved nheless. The time of tribtion was ending like a bolt from the blue; she would use her life as a gamble to guide Logan to the final point. Click. The sound of the shield opening echoed again, and Yujin realized the time hade. ©¤©¤©¤Tu-wung! Tu-wung! Tu-wung! Several shots erupted from the pistol in Logan¡¯s hand. Each time, the shield broke and restored helplessly, and her HP began to drop little by little. However, Yujin never lost her sharpness in her gaze. One step, two steps, three steps¡­ She merely led the enemy to the designated point like a machine. Despite Logan rummaging around, not a single trap had been triggered; it was all for this moment. And as she stepped into the final point, Yujin fired at the debris scattered near Logan¡¯s shield, not at Logan himself. In that brief shooting exchange, two bullets struck Yujin¡¯s HP, dropping it below 40%, but it was worth it. The two wooden pallets ced at regr intervals shook greatly as they were hit by bullets, and after a few seconds... -Kwaaaang! An explosion erupted from the debris. Two grenades, which had been hidden and had their safety pins pulled out in advance, rattled as they were struck by bullets and detonated four secondster. It was difficult for an operator to endure, but the shield wasrgely unaffected except for a momentary shake. But that shaking was exactly what Yujin was aiming for. A chilling metallic sound echoed. Even while reflexively suppressing fire, the sight that entered Logan¡¯s eyes, just escaping the explosion¡¯s aftermath, was Yujin holding a structure the size of a pipe. And¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Puh-wung! "Gah!" The physical force was enough to shatter the shield, sending Logan flying several meters back. The sounds echoing in Logan¡¯s ears as he literally bounced back included the sound of the shield breaking, the thud of metal hitting the ground, and the various noises from rolling on the floor¡­ But thest thing Logan saw as he tumbled across the warehouse floor was Yujin loading the second shell into the recoilless rifle. His entire body was in a state of dysfunction. Yet Logan leaned back against the materials andughed. "Ha, I really took a hit there." Of course, the response was the projectile flying at 225 meters per second. The first match of Friday returned in victory for Yujin. Chapter 277 The time for the yers flows at a different pace from that of the spectators. From the moment they are ejected into the lobby, they bete viewers, usually watching the yer who killed them. They can best assess their own shorings through the eyes of others: where they made poor judgments, whether their tactical maneuvers werete, or what went wrong that led to their deaths¡­ This was true for the Korean team as well. After the first yer was eliminated, people began to gather as if they had been waiting. Their death points all began from the moment the remaining number of yers fell below twenty. The first to die varied each time, but within five minutes of waking up, two or three yers would find their way to the debriefing room. Naturally, conversation flourished afterward. The main topic was the content of the match. "I thought I¡¯d make it into the top ten this time, but¡­" "What happened to you?" "I died because my skill cooldown hadn¡¯t reset. But at least I took them down with me." "I told you to practice stack-type skills. Those charge themselves if you set them to autonomous mode after instation." "I¡¯ll do that in the next round." Naturally, the focus of the yers and the spectators differed. Thetter primarily engaged in discussions like whose match was impressive or who made a bad judgment. In contrast, the former leaned more toward self-reflection and deeper conversations. But what if such reflections and debriefings led to an undesirable oue? "But why is Ink just lying there?" "Hey, what are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to debrief?" "There¡¯s a reason he¡¯s lying down. Let¡¯s see what happened to him." The situation unfolded as expected. Someone picked up the remote and projected the screen onto the wall. Clicking on the name INK from the list of 100 users revealed that he had ranked 12th, which wasn¡¯t a bad result. Then yback began. The footage disyed both Ink¡¯s first-person and third-person perspectives in a split-screen format. In just a few seconds, they could tell what had happened to Ink. "Uh¡­" Familiar ck hair and a snake tail wriggling from his backside. There was a reason the person seemed to have lost all will to live, sprawled out on the bed. But there was an even bigger backstory behind this, and those except Ink began to watch without much thought. Ink had taken a recoilless rifle, considering the risk of being discovered to ensure he could kill the enemy, and after hiding it appropriately, he began scouting the area. He sessfully drew the enemy in and lifted the pre-loaded recoilless rifle. Thus, the enemy should have taken a direct hit as soon as they opened the door. However, the opponent smashed through the door at least five seconds faster than he had anticipated. Just as he shouldered the weapon, Yujin began to sprint. Ink''s pupils trembled at the speed he never imagined, but contrary to that, his body was already in the firing position. He ced his finger on the trigger, carefully aligning his aim, and pulled. At that moment, Yujin literally soared into the air. "No way, what the¡­" A rapid eleration from two consecutive jumps that were almost invisible. She leaped about 120 cm over the cover and then jumped again from there. With a pressure strong enough to shatter the wooden board, Yujin flew through the air. And beneath her feet, a projectile passed by. As it elerated at 225 m/s and struck the cover Yujin had jumped from, a deafening sound and shockwave erupted, propelling Yujin far away. However, as her feet touched the ground, she executed a clean forward roll that could have been demonstrated in a manual, rolling smoothly and reducing her speed. At that moment, Ink threw down the recoilless rifle, but Yujin, havingnded safely, was faster in drawing her pistol. Then, a series of devastating shots rang out, blocking Ink''s escape route. Consequently, he was ejected into the lobby. It was a familiar, effective, and utterly brutal method. If the victory could have been swayed by one or two variables, it would have been even more so. But it was not that Ink¡¯s choice was wrong; rather, it was that Yujin had painstakingly pieced together the slender conditions necessary for victory. There was no need to console the party involved. A single incredulous remark would suffice. "Our coach is truly insane, I swear." The collective reaction from everyone was unspoken. And how long had it been? Dice walked into the room with an odd groan. Since she usually appeared alongside Yujin, everyone was puzzled, but upon closer inspection, they realized Dice had finished this match in 5th ce. As Yujin would take a few more minutes to awaken, it seemed she simply arrived early. Apuse erupted. Although it was a rather familiar situation, there was no reason not to p. The honor of being in the TOP 5 was significant. Of course, it went without saying that she had a gaze simr to Ink¡¯s. "Wow, came in 5th ce. 5th." "Who did you get killed by this time?" "The pr bear." "That¡¯s understandable." Indeed, that remark was urate. Moreover, starting today, Logan, appearing as if he would show no mercy to anyone, brought out a bulletproof shield andpletely blocked all of Dice¡¯s actions from beginning to end, leading to a predictable result. She couldn¡¯t disy any of the tricky ys she was usually confident in and was quickly overwhelmed and ejected. Was this the gap? Dice added incredulously. "This game is really hard¡­" "Don¡¯t worry about it; let¡¯s just watch what Yujin is doing." "That I have to see." Even Ink, who had been lying there, scrambled to run over. The audience gathered in full. Only then did the screen begin to y Yujin¡¯s match, and sure enough, she was facing Logan head-on. In the blink of an eye, the roles of offense and defense swapped, and the initiative to attack was tossed around haphazardly. When one side closed the distance, the other pulled away. While an intense struggle unfolded that ordinary people could hardly imagine, those watching the density of the battle from the front swallowed their breaths in anticipation. At first nce, Yujin appeared to be at a disadvantage. But, "¡­Isn¡¯t that the thing Ink had earlier?" "No way¡­." As Yujinnded a projectile squarely on Logan¡¯s shield in a moment of desperation, everything changed. After a fierce struggle, she grasped the upper hand, and the confrontation between the giant anaconda and the pr bear ended in victory for the former. As sheughed incredulously, Yujin burst through the door with a loud crash. The sound of thunderous apuse followed. "1st ce! 1st ce! 1st ce! 1st ce! 1st ce! 1st ce!" "As expected, the teacher is the best, for real. No lies." "¡­Why is everyone suddenly like this?" Of course, the one who had just engaged in an epic battle with Logan didn¡¯t have the capacity to process that. This was their usual everyday life. "The young ones definitely have a great understanding of the map. They seem to know that the gimmicks and the map¡¯s structure itself can serve as weapons¡­ though it seems that bear doesn¡¯t even n to understand the map." "It¡¯s probably because today is theirst day ofpetition¡­ They¡¯re likely not overly concerned with winning or losing." "That would be the case. If the young one hadn¡¯t been there, they probably wouldn¡¯t have even participated." Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of spectators packed the main arena, and the VIP lounge, apletely separate ce from the outdoor viewing area of Madison Square Park. Inside, the two of themfortably leaned back in their chairs, watching the screen. The second match had just begun. The map was the Por Ridge Correctional Facility. This artificial structure built in the middle of the ocean was massive enough to hold 5,000 prisoners simultaneously, but today, in that ce, 100 users pointed their guns at each other to determine a single survivor. There was essentially no reason to discuss the mainpetition anymore. Therefore, what intrigued them was none other than the map. "This map is quite simr in nature to the high-value research facility." "The fact that the facility itself moves is quite innovative." Por Ridge Correctional Facility. The map was divided into lower, middle, and upper levels. Ultimately, the goal was to escape from the facility by boarding the escape pod located on the upper level. The kill zone was quite unique; specifically, it was created by the seawater seeping in from the outside. After a certain amount of time had passed, the unsinkable areas of the lower level would merge with the middle level, forcing everyone to ascend. This system was designed to prevent easy victories for users waiting on the stairs by not having separate passages between theyers. The middleyer would then merge with the upperyer, and by that time, the surviving yers would engage in their final battle near the gate where the escape pod was located, avoiding the copsing upper tform.@@novelbin@@ Originally, the reinforced and pressure-resistant stic, ss, polycarbonate, and otherposite armors that served to remind prisoners that "escape is impossible" were already cracked in many ces, and the 100 yers awakening on the lower level began shooting at each other to escape the area flooding with water. The gigantic lower tform, created by thebination of 16 tforms. Among them, the areas stained red were predicted to flood and were zones that needed to be evacuated. And in the midst of this, dozens of yers moved about. "Isn¡¯t it quite diabolical to funnel high-value items into the areas ted for flooding?" "Definitely." Among those were rare drops ofrge amounts of C4 to use or break the gimmicks for those who understood them. The map was covered in jamming devices to defend against the prisoners¡¯ escape, making it quite difficult to use for killing people, but it was perfect for sticking to walls and detonating. In other words, by sticking it to the polycarbonate walls and exploding it, it would be more than enough to induce flooding¡ªthough in reality, it shouldn¡¯t exist, but the reason for having C4 in such a ce was obvious. It was a game, after all. And Dice was aiming for just that. "That girl seems to be searching for gimmicks only." "Or she might think that¡¯s the only way to catch Logan." "That might be more urate." Dice had survived after setting fire to the sleeping pr bear¡¯s fur, and she even borrowed in-game gimmicks to keep the pr bear permanently asleep¡ªthus, in her mind, there remained a single unwavering fact. It was impossible to catch Logan head-on. At least, unless she created a trap that couldn¡¯t escape with the power of the gimmick, it would return as an unstoppable natural disaster beyond future repercussions. Especially since Logan, after that incident, began wielding a shield, which was a direct deration that he no longer intended to die for anyone¡ªand naturally, the area near the skill activation zone was filled with the shells and bloodstains left behind by the disaster named Logan. EMP Pulse and ballistic shields. A lineup filled with the single-minded intention topletely crush the opponent. And watching that, the two of them exchanged strange looks and spoke. "Will Logan meet that die, I wonder?" "Hmm." Rubbing his scruffy beard, Owens added. "I don¡¯t believe in coincidences, but it¡¯smon for such situations to lead to meetings. And as time goes on, the probability of them meeting will only increase." As he said, how long had it been? The lower and middle levels werepletely crushed, and just minutes before the remaining area merged into the upper level¡ªLogan finally confronted Dice. In the wide-openmon area, the two engaged in a chase. Of course, Dice was the one fleeing, and Logan was in pursuit. However, Dice wasn¡¯t just wasting her experiences; she managed to retreat steadily without even looking back while stepping back. Those who couldn¡¯t remain calm tended to die first. And Dice had already made several preparations long ago. "Is that a habit of hers, or is it a trap specially devised to catch Logan?" "It might be both." A habit was a habit, but honing it to the extreme and showcasing it in practice could also be considered individual capability. Measuring Logan¡¯s steps and speed, she aimed to slow him down as much as possible. She had topletely eliminate the opponent in one fell swoop¡ªDice had long since ced the C4 in an unseen spot on the polycarbonate wall, and she carefully chose her opportunity. As the wall was damaged and flooding began, the gate separating the areas would close. She needed a crucial distance to trap Logan in the area while escaping through the gate herself. But Logan was already smiling. Seeing that, Laurentina also smiled and added. "It seems that today, that blonde girl will learn not to be too concerned about gimmicks." There was no response. And at that moment, Dice detonated the chunk of C4 attached to the wall. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaang! -[Notification: Facility damage. Facility damage. Separation of areas and gate closure will ur within 30 seconds from this time. Personnel within the area should evacuate as quickly as possible.] The wall separating the seawater from the facility crumbled in an instant, and a massive surge of seawater flooded in. Dice had already started running toward the gate without looking back. But Loganughed as if he had been waiting¡ªand activated his skill. The EMP Pulse covered the gate. -[Notification: Gate malfunction. Gamma-level EMP pulse detected within the facility. Control authority of the gate is being transferred to the upper level from this time. An additional 15 seconds is expected for reboot¡­.] The door would not close. Three barriers that needed to close sequentially would not shut for 15 seconds due to rebooting¡ªand in other words, that meant the water would pour in through the gate uncontrobly. The time it took for the area where Dice and Logan were engaged in battle to be flooded was merely 20 seconds, and naturally, the flow of waterpletely engulfed the gate that had yet to close. And at that moment, Laurentina chuckled and added. "Now that I think about it, the pr bear was quite a good swimmer." Just as she said. The icy-cold water swept through the gate, and Dice was swept away by that current. But at that moment, the eyes of Logan and Dice met, approaching each other faster than any debris caught in the seawater. And that was the end of it. With a dull sound, the butt of the gun mmed into Dice¡¯s forehead. In that instant, she exhaled the breath she had been holding. As her vision faded to ck, Logan moved freely in the water and seized Dice¡¯s avatar as it floated. Of course, that wasn¡¯t an act of rescue. ©¤©¤©¤Puh! Even if bullets slowed down in water, their power wouldn¡¯t diminish even at extreme distances. The bullet from the pistol prated her jaw and pte. That was Dice¡¯s final sign. Chapter 278 The screen was blue. This wasn¡¯t due to a blue screen caused by device malfunctions or any other reasons; it was because water had flooded various parts of the facility. In the Por Ridge Correctional Facility, where only two manifestors remained, an unexpected underwater battle was taking ce. Their movements were so agile that it was hard to believe they were fighting underwater. Of course,pared to their speed onnd, there was almost a difference akin to that of airnes and cars. But who among the participants in this Final Championship had any experience fighting underwater without even wearing a diving suit? Compared to the overwhelming majority, who were waiting for a slow death toe over three minutes after being submerged, Logan and Yujin''s underwaterbat was indeed intense. As soon as the upper facility waspletely submerged in seawater, both of them threw everything but their grenades and pistols to the bottom and began to swim. After that, a 3D battle reminiscent of fighter jets in a dogfight began. Both approached within just a few meters, each wielding only a pistol in their right hand. Yujin grabbed the shield in Logan''s hand and desperately tore off two grenades from the molly, shoving them into Logan. Conversely, Logan also folded the shield and did not let go of Yujin. A heavy, dull sound erupted. At the same time, Logan and Yujin expelled all the air from their mouths, their faces contorted in pain. The shockwave from the grenade explosion rattled their insides. Even after the bizarre scene of their shields and HP being depleted simultaneously, the two squeezed out their remaining strength and fired their pistols. However, Logan, who had lost his left arm to the grenade explosion but managed to protect his organs, had the upper hand. As the bullet pierced through Yujin¡¯s flesh, her strength drained away. Leaving Yujin, who was slowly sinking to the ground, Logan swam leisurely and leaned against the escape pod located just a dozen meters away. With a ''whoosh'' sound, the water in the escape pod was expelled, and Logan''s body was shot upwards as if he were on a giant drop ride. "Ah, Logan! He has defeated Yujin and boarded the escape pod! He has be the only escapee from the Por Ridge Correctional Facility! The final winner of the second match on Friday is Logan!" And at that moment¡ª Click! "Ugh, I¡¯m going to die." "Ah, you¡¯re here?" "Biyam has arrived, Biyam!" "I watched the underwater battle between the pr bear and the anaconda, sir!" Yujin reached the debriefing room. Now, she didn¡¯t care much about what her teammates said. Until Wednesday, she had maintained a perfect superhuman appearance even after the matches, but from Thursday, she began to rx a little. Of course, it was unnecessary to mention that nobody disliked it. And she was well aware of this fact, so as soon as she entered the room, she plopped down on the bed. The debriefing room was also the yroom assigned to Mikael, Ink, and Gambit, which made it possible. Yujin, wrapped in her nket like a caterpir, opened her mouth. "Since the next match is thest one, do we really have to do the debriefing?" "Wow, the legend of neglecting duties." "Just because I don''t do the debriefing doesn''t mean you all will mess up thest match, right?" Of course, her words fell on deaf ears. The situation was subdued when Dice, who had somehow perched beside the bed, pulled back the nket and pped Yujin on the back. Thus, Biyam regained her professionalism, took the remote, and began to check the ys of others - the first being Dice''s, who had been eliminated much sooner than expected. But it wasn¡¯t that the cause was unclear.@@novelbin@@ "Of course." Dice, who usually made it into the TOP 10, suddenly finished in 17th ce. In other words, someone had to have defeated her and secured that rank. Since Yujin hadn¡¯t seen Dice even once in the second round, there was only one suspect. When Yujin yed back thest three minutes of Dice''s performance, she let out a rare chuckle and added, "Beforeing to the room, Laurentina said that the blonde seemed to rely too much on gimmicks and told me to scold her harshly, but I wondered what she meant." "Ugh¡­." That shark girl¡¯s words, huh¡­. Only Dice understood that sound. Naturally, she sprawled on the bed as soon as she heard it. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to say she relied too much on gimmicks, but it was also true that she had no choice. The person herself was well aware of the issue. Of course, she hadn¡¯t thought that an EMP pulse would break the gate. In other words, it was a kind of deadlock. She had no confidence in winning if she confronted her opponent head-on without relying on gimmicks, and Logan was surely aware of how to use gimmicks by now. It was hard to ept that there was only one way to win and that the enemy knew it too. In the end, digging traps more thoroughly seemed like a reasonable solution. ¡­Of course, "I can''t express how fortunate it is that the next match is thest." "And from next year, neither Logan nor I will be here." "Uh¡­." The four of them had expressions that seemed unsure whether to be happy or not. While Logan might not be, Yujin was still the mental pir and solid rock of the Korean national team. Just as one does better when others perform well, and one also wavers when others waver, she firmly held the center of the team, ensuring that everyone maintained theirposure in any situation. And with that, Yujin officially expressed her intention to retire to the representative yers. For some reason, that made Dice and the others feel a weight on their shoulders. Of course, even after the Final Championship ended, Yujin nned to guide scrims and curriculums as long as she could, but that was purely her goodwill. "Moreover, because of the y shown this year, there¡¯s a high probability that everyone will study their skills deeply for next year. If you get toofortable, you won¡¯t even get back what you invested." "Well, there¡¯s no guarantee that the skill curriculum for the userspeting next year will all go in the right direction, right?" "I can¡¯t deny that." At that moment, Yujin was digging through thebat data existing within the Icarus gear to teach the Korean national team, extracting only the most effective and efficient methods to dose them, while the representatives learned the best curriculum distilled from countless trials and errors. To bridge that gap would likely take at least two years. It was abat manual perfected by sacrificing human lives. Somehow, it felt closer toying the groundwork for future ambitions rather than just a debriefing, but that was also true. Once the next match ended, Yujin would have no reason to be responsible for them anymore, and she would lose her position as coach. Thus, Yujin, with a different kind expression than usual, added, "But do not getcent. The time to develop what I¡¯ve taught you is when it truly bes valuable. Comcency is just another form of regression." She ced an unbearable weight and a gift upon them simultaneously. Her mouth opened once more. "I hope everyone makes it into the TOP 10 next year without exception, and Dice¡­ shouldn¡¯t you at least earn the title of Apex Predator once?" Apex Predator. The pinnacle of predators. A title that only one person in the world can possess. The moment you achieve first ce in the Final Championship, not only do you gain honor in reality, but you also receive an incredibly splendid recognition badge, shoulder patch, rank insignia, and permanent gun skin that can be used in-game. Before being a pro gamer, it was an appealing collection item as a user. Upon hearing that, Dice giggled and continued, "One thing¡¯s for sure, the first-ce recognition badge and patch I¡¯ll get next year will look better than what Yujin will receive this year." "Let¡¯s see about that. Let¡¯spare on January 1st of the year after next." At the same time, Yujin looked around. "I hope not only Dice but all of you cane to boast to me as well." p. She pped once and added, "Though it¡¯s a bit early, everyone, thank you for safely following my curriculum until now. You have all achieved the results you wanted, and even if you eventually stop in the Dark Zone, I hope today¡¯s results are remembered as a glorious moment in your life that you can recall even 40 yearster." With sincere feelings, Yujin bowed her waist. At the same time, a thunderous apuse erupted, and only then did Yujin straighten her back and gesture towards Dice. There were only about three minutes left until thest match of Friday, and the final match of the Final Championship was about to begin. And the following words, "There will be a Harmony matchter, so those who want to watch can stay, and those who want to leave can go to the hotel. Also, on Saturday, there will be the final party of the year hosted by Henry, so everyone, feel free to shop nearby." Whoosh. At that moment, Yujin tactically snatched Dice, and only the remaining three had bewildered expressions as they opened their mouths. "...Henry?" Of course, it would take a little more time for them to recall who Henry was. The end of the Final Championship was approaching. "It is finally thest day of the two-week Final Championship, and the final match is about to begin! Who will be the one to close the curtain on the main event? The results will be revealed over the next 30 minutes!" The final match of the Final Championship begins. Originally, no conversation was allowed inside the transport aircraft, but thest match on thest day of the Final Championship was literally an exception. Everyone smiled as they sent their congrattions for the uing New Year, adding wishes for a good end to the year. "Yujin! Yujin! Can I get an autograph after it¡¯s over?" "Everyone shut up! I¡¯m first!" Of course, there were many who were not as polite. Dice, sitting right next to Yujin, chuckled and mumbled, "You¡¯ll be busy after the match," as she popped up the minimap. She needed to identify the flight route of the transport and the location of the volcano. At the same time, one by one, others began to do the same. As Yujin stared intensely at the map, countless routes began to form in her mind - that was practically the most crucial part. The variable of the map gimmick also began to operate the machine called tactics in this vast logical deduction process. Atakaia Volcano Ind. Beneath it lies a considerably wide space and passageways. As too many people came to the ind, it was almost developed underground as well as above ground, but this was more than enough space for theva flowing to serve as a kill zone. In other words, by controlling the flow ofva from the control room managing the underground facilities, it would also be possible to guide people into the kill zone. How would she utilize this? That was one of her countless concerns. "You''re thinking about something troubling again, aren¡¯t you?" "¡­." Of course, the person thinking troubling thoughts created another person with troubling thoughts, and it was needless to say that Dice was also pondering simr thoughts. The hatch opened, and everyone began to jump out. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t jump out whenever they wanted to prevent teaming, meaning this was based on strict random timing. In other words, the users jumping out in real-time weren¡¯t doing so of their own volition. Meanwhile, Yujin''s body naturally moved as well. As she stepped on the lower hatch and jumped out, only the sound of the wind enveloped her ears. The altimeter spun tightly, and as she reached a suitable height to deploy her parachute, it made a ''pop'' sound and opened. How long had it been? "This is¡­." Yujinnded in a small town that was sparsely popted. A small market that would normally sell groceries and various items was now bursting with firearms, and unlike before, she managed to acquire enough items to endure the early game. However, the moment she looted a hammer with spikes and stuffed it into her multipurpose pocket, a tremendous shockwave erupted from outside, apanied by a loud noise. ¡ª!!! The volcano erupted, andva began to flow down. As thick smoke spewed from the crater, volcanic bombs struck various locations on the map. The kill zone of the volcanic ind map had officially started to operate. Likewise, areas adjacent to the coast were slowly copsing due to severe tectonic shifts. This was also a kill zone. Unfortunately, the ce where Yujinnded was an isted part of the map, meaning it was closer to the kill zone than she had thought. Therefore, she had no choice but to find a vehicle before setting her next waypoint. A sinister sound of tearing air began to echo from afar. By the time anyone could identify the sound, arge volcanic bomb was already too close to avoid. Various locations, including lonely pensions, office buildings, and many roads, mountains, and fields, were experiencing several long-range natural disasters. Yujin didn¡¯t even have time to ponder which vehicle would be better and started the engine, with a buggy roaring loudly down the road. But the volcano wasn¡¯t the only danger on this map. ¡ªTududududu! "¡­Great." People were the second danger. A heavily armed vehicle equipped with a medium machine gun started chasing after Yujin. The size and speed of the vehicle itself were slightly better than the buggy, but the enemy had a gun that could negate the distance variable. Just one poorly aimed bullet among the endless barrage could disable the vehicle, and it was clear from how quickly the buggy''s durability diminished after only a few hits. However, that moment wouldn¡¯tst long. Yujin had already given up on trying to save the vehicle long ago - at that moment, the buggy¡¯s door flew off, and the tires burst. In an instant, her speed decreased, rendering her incapable of steering, and Yujin realized that the distance to the pursuing vehicle was slowly closing. Not quickly, but little by little. What she had to do from now on was close to acrobatics, so if the enemy¡¯s speed dropped too much, that would also be troublesome. ¡ªKaga-kak! The buggy gradually slowed down, resembling a drunken person staggering. At some point, its speed decreased sharply, and the vehicle''s speed dropped so rapidly that it was almost in free fall. The bumper of the pursuing vehicle collided with the buggy, and the sound of crumpling was heard. However, Yujin had already long since jumped out of the buggy. What filled the windshield of the trailing vehicle was the silhouette of a snake. "Whoa!" Kwajik! With a chilling sound, the entire windshield cracked. As sharp spikes pierced the ss in one strike, several hammering blows began - Yujin tightly held onto the protruding muzzle of the machine gun with her left hand, using it as a support while she hammered at the ss. When the driver, based on their muscle memory, hastily drew their pistol, a massive hole had already formed in the windshieldrge enough for several fists to fit through, and Yujin threw all the throwing weapons she had through that hole. The moment the sh grenade exploded, the user was incapacitated, and when two grenades detonated, the vehicle¡¯s steering function went haywire. In that moment, Yujin estimated the speed of the armed vehicle engulfed in mes from the hood and jumped down. However, unlike Yujin, who came to aplete stop after rolling several times, the vehicle had to meet a different fate. The car, with its handlespletely smashed, ultimately crashed into a wall, and that was the end. Yujin, watching the scene from about ten meters away, shook her head and muttered, "At this rate, I can¡¯t even farm." She turned her body, ignoring the scene, and headed towards the buildingplex. The sight of the vehicle crashing into the wall, exploding in mes and debris, was thest memory of the first skirmish Yujin experienced. Chapter 279 "Why on earth would anyone think to ce a skill activation device in a ce like this?" The air touching my body is hot. It''s not just warm; it''s hot enough that mirages, mes, and acrid smoke rise all around. Perhaps there''s no other ce where thermal imaging scopes are so useless than this map, a pointless thought flitted through my mind. Not only had I taken a direct hit from a volcanic bomb, but there was also redva oozing from the underground passages. This ce was both a skill activation area created at the edge of the map and a building adjacent to a river ofva flowing through the tunnels. Of course, the river was a kind of line, and there was still quite a bit of time left before the sea ofva, which could be considered the kill zone itself, would sweep over this point. ¡ªTududududu! ¡ªKwahng! However, despite the situation, the users nearby were shooting at each other as soon as they encountered one another. At least in this map, theva wasn¡¯t something to be regarded with awe. Sure, if you got face-nted in it, it would be quite interesting. Anyway, the skirmishes at this point were, quite literally, a battle of wits. Skills could only be activated in the activation zone, meaning that not a single person had a skill yet. Thus, the skirmishes at this stage relied entirely on physical prowess, individual sense, and luck. But there was one more new variable to keep in mind at this stage: fire. To be precise, the fire itself wasn''t something to worry about, but the toxic smoke that was hardly visible was the real issue. Thus, many users carried oxygen tanks and gas masks. Of course, wearing one meant you''d have to forfeit the other. ¡°Cough¡ª!¡± Masks made of gas mask or heat-reflective materials performed excellently in this area, but they also brought the significant drawback of narrowing peripheral vision. Given that the users who made it up here could somewhat ount for such disadvantages, that was whenparing themselves to those who were less skilled. If they bumped heads with other users capable of representing a country, the oue could be pretty predictable. Of course, my mindset was simply that I could hold my breath for a bit or resolve things before entering a serious abnormal state. By throwing a sh grenade right in their face and using a grenade in an appropriate spot, I couldpletely mess with their vision and hearing. Though this had be quite a standard tactic,pressing the activation speed to its limits and finely adjusting the timing would turn it into a guaranteed win against the enemy. Several .300 AAC BLK rounds rattled against the shield, eventually breaking it and piercing through the ballistic te. Ultimately, in CQB, speed, speed, and speed were everything. The further one delved in, the more victory depended on who moved more nimbly rather than on uniquely creative strategies. Of course, once skills were acquired, the breadth of avable tactics would expand dramatically. "About three left, maybe¡­." I murmured in a voice no one could hear. In fact, I could roughly gauge where the enemy was based on the small vibrations they made when they stepped on the ground. But since this was a game, I didn¡¯t want to rely too much on such additional physical functions¡ªanyway, I attempted reconnaissance again. If the number of users in the vicinity reduced to about two or three, I could take the opportunity to activate my skill. However, gambling by leaving everything to chance and luck wasn¡¯t my style, nor was it a good idea, so there was no reason to do so. Jumping from a damaged car onto the enemy''s vehicle and breaking the window of a car traveling at about 50-60 km/h to attack and eject them into the lobby was merely a possibility I considered. Anyway. "¡­." After circling around a few times to check the situation, the structure was quite simple, but the paths leading upward were limited, and the stairs weren''t in a confined area but rather an open space. Rushing up could lead to bullets striking my back or abdomen. That said, climbing the metal scaffolding and temporary stairs scattered around would also be problematic. As my boots touched the metal, the sound would resonate everywhere, and with so much material around, setting up traps would be incredibly easy. In short, I needed another way. And I had enough strength to execute that. ¡°Hup¡­!¡± An abandoned lower building still under construction. I gripped the metal columnbined with the scaffolding firmly. The column was quite hot, asva waspping against the first floor of the building. In just a few minutes, it would be too hot to hold. I pulled myself up, the pose might have looked somewhat awkward, but lifting my body, including gear, weighing in the upper 200 kg range wasn¡¯t difficult. In an instant, I climbed up the vertical column and crossed to the third-floor exterior. With my feet on the horizontal beam of the third floor, I carefully tore down the pping cloth covering the construction site and surveyed the situation. I spotted a user, establishing a safe zone and scanning the surroundings with agile movements. They had set up a trophy system - in other words, a portable ADS capable of intercepting thrown objects, indicating they were quite serious. Of course, it seemed they hadn¡¯t anticipated this situation. Thus, a new dilemma arose that had to be addressed. ¡®¡­Should I use my gun? Or should I not?¡¯ Or if I do use it, can I suppress them in the least amount of time possible? The MCX Rattler was a splendid gun, but the Icarus operators had the skill called Shield. A product that jutted out like a spire above modern technology that has linearly evolved to secure survivability in any situation. One magazine would be enough to break the shield and chip away at their HP, but I had tond all the shots. And the noise produced in that process was likely to echo everywhere. In other words, this time, I had to choose between speed and uracy, leaning towards the former. After adjusting my gear to avoid noise from colliding while moving, I took out the tactical spike hammer I had stowed in my multipurpose pouch and began to move very carefully. Of course, this time, I intended to use the de at the back instead of the hammerhead. I activated an EMP grenade, clutching it in my left hand and detonated it. Despite its nickname of being useless since the shield only goes down for three seconds, in this situation, it was indeed useful. And¡ª ¡ªKuwung! A heavy noise, but it was exceedingly smallpared to gunfire. As I elerated momentarily and charged at the enemy, I let out a cough, expelling all the air from my lungs. It was a type of shock that couldn¡¯t be blocked by a shield. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it, and before they could hit the ground, the de at the back of the hammer pierced through their jaw and pte. At that moment, my face was just centimeters away from the ground. In other words, I had face-nted onto the ground. After pinning the squirming body of the enemy down with my foot, I swung my right hand down from above. The de behind the swung hammer neatly prated the cervical spine. But that was only a moment; the enemy was ejected into the lobby. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Close-range attacks were indeed more certain than using a gun. I could see the enemy die from very close range - though I certainly didn¡¯t enjoy it. Rather, it was more like a confirmation of a kill. Anyway, it seemed that the vicinity near the skill activation zone had mostly been cleared. And there was an unexpected harvest as well. ¡ªClick! After carefully folding the trophy system and stowing it in my bag, I began to move earnestly. The fact that there was only one person left nearby meant that even if I got shot while activating my skill, I could retaliate and also pinpoint the enemy''s location simultaneously - and once I knew the enemy''s location, I was more than confident in my tracking abilities. It was a moment when the risks were significantly reduced. Thest match still desired the lives of many more yers. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± It felt like someone was following me - Dice. Thinking that, I continued to scout the area, but nothing particrly stood out. It was merely a conclusion derived from instinct, but it couldn¡¯t be recklessly ignored. It was a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but my judgment criteria and instincts were among the harshest and sharpest in the Korean national team, further enhanced by Yujin''s curriculum. That was the conclusion I drew from that. I felt as if a skilled tracker was pursuing me. I couldn¡¯t be certain, but there had been bullets flying from an impossible direction while I was engaged with another user. If it happened once or twice, I might consider it a nearby third party, but if it repeated one more time, it was a different story. The distance was about 200 meters. It neither widened nor closed. Despite my intentions to approach and deal with it, the enemy concealed their position through some means while urately pinpointing mine. If I had to guess, it was a user employing a portable UAV function through a concealment pulse. ¡°Thank goodness it¡¯s not Logan¡­.¡± Of course, I said that, but I didn¡¯t think that person would deliberately follow me. Rather, it would be more usible that we would happen to run into each other and I¡¯d end up getting beaten. Thinking that, I opened the map. After marking a radius of 200 meters, I looked for spots where shooting angles emerged. Thanks to my years of experience and enhanced map analysis skills, it didn¡¯t take long to derive a rough location. However, it wasn¡¯t without issues. In fact, it was riddled with problems. Firstly, the area where the enemy was presumed to be was at a higher elevation. The path to get there was a winding slope and incline, making it all the more troublesome. Furthermore, the terrain was being submerged from behind. This was another form of kill zone. The underground passages prating this town were probably filling with water. In short, I had to pass through that route if at all possible. There were no vehicles around, so if I tried to escape on foot, I¡¯d likely get sted by a sniper. ¡°My skills have improved, but why does it feel harder thanst year?¡± What could I do? The world was just like that. Or maybe the opposite:st year¡¯s self was probably unable to ovee such a situation and died. I could say that I had developed the ability to objectively judge how dangerous a situation was. Anyway, my concern was how to shake off the user clinging to me like a mosquito. In reality, it was more like a gatekeeper than a mosquito, but it was all the same. This game had neither electric fly swatters nor mosquito repellent. So what should I do? ¡ª No, wait. Mosquito repellent? ¡®Though calling it mosquito repellent feels a bit off¡­¡¯ That was essentially the idea. Every map of Atakaia Volcano Ind and all the cities were connected through underground passages. Of course, they weren¡¯t passages made for people to walk through. If I had to say, paths were artificially created to direct the flow ofva to the sea in order to somewhat mitigate the eruption during volcanic explosions. At least that¡¯s how the game tooltip exined it, but in reality, sinceva alone wouldn¡¯t form the kill zone quickly, there were mechanisms in ce to block paths and direct theva through the city¡¯s sewage and subway tunnels to create a circr kill zone. In any case, that wasn¡¯t the problem. The important thing was that as the ind submerged, seawater would flow back into the passages. The moment seawater came into contact with the flowingva, toxic gas with tiny ss shards mixed in would rise in clouds. Moreover, the enemy¡¯s location was elevated enough that gas could easily escape. If things went well, I could suffocate the enemy to death, or at the very least, create enough time to escape while disturbing the UAV with the gas. Therefore, the target was the control rooms of the underground passages, each located in the cities. The skills I chose this time were two. One was a chemical - the nanite projector, and the second was a holographic decoy. Fortunately, I felt that I could trick the enemy with thetter. After throwing the decoy on the ground, I moved hastily. From now on, time was of the essence. Since the routes and areas I was heading to wouldn¡¯t be visible from that high ground, I didn¡¯t worry too much about stealth. As I descended into the underground passage with only an AAC Honey Badger in hand, a chilling breeze brushed against my skin. I thoroughly checked the surroundings, but it seemed that there were no people in this outer town, which was likely to be submerged soon. Only a few AI enemies remained. Of course, within seconds, I had shot a few of them in the head without much thought and entered the control room. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯splicated.¡± However, there were only certain things I could handle. Through the holographic panel floating in front of me, I could see which gates were open and closed and where theva was stagnating. My current position was already marked, so I quickly prepared to open a gate. One, two, three¡­ marking the point where I wanted theva to reach, a system would automatically indicate which doors needed to be opened and closed, and I granted permission immediately. I sent simultaneous opening signals to multiple doors. If there were no opposing signals for the next 10 seconds, the gates would automatically open. Now it was time to open the door that was holding back the seawater. Of course, since an unknown liquid had flowed in from the drainage passage, the door wouldn¡¯t open, but after installing the nanites in various parts of the door, I fired thest round into the door''s locking mechanism. With a loud nging sound and ominous noise, water gushed forth as I returned to the control room and locked the triple lock. And the moment I activated the nanites, ¡ªKuwung! With a heavy noise, the door was ripped off entirely, and water began to gradually flood in. The water swirled like it was alive and was sucked into the long passage that was nearly invisible, and at that moment,va was also rapidly flowing down from above. Since theva maintained its fluid state due to instion from the tunnel without cooling in the external air, it wouldn¡¯t take long to reach the marked point. With that, I had done what I needed to do. After grabbing a set of protective gear, I exited the control room and climbed upward, once again enveloped in a chilling silence. I detonated the decoy and entered a nearby building, observing the high ground while waiting. And how long had it been? ¡°Well, well.¡± Thick white smoke was billowing from the elevated town, visible to the naked eye. Only then did I step outside, starting the silent four-wheeled motorcycle, and in the meantime, the UAV that had been flying low corroded and crashed. The situation was entering a new phase. ¡ª[Warning: Toxic acid gas detected. Impurity concentration lethal. If inhaled for more than 1 minute, the probability of fatal damage to the respiratory system is 99.9996%. Immediate evacuation from this location is rmended.] ¡°What the hell¡­.¡±@@novelbin@@ It was absurd. I couldn¡¯t grasp how such a thing urred. But the situation was clear. The warning that I would suffocate in one minute if I didn¡¯t put on my gas mask was genuinely chilling, so I hurriedly wrapped the mask around my face and exhaled. Naturally, I couldn¡¯t dream of conducting reconnaissance from the moment the UAV crashed. My skin, not covered by the mask, began to itch slightly. Of course, since this was virtual reality, there was pain suppression, so it was just a slight tickle, but had it been reality, it would have likely been quite painful. This was due to chlorine gasing into contact with my skin. I hurriedly stepped outside, but the surroundings were aplete mess. With white smoke spewing from the sewers and all directions, I could barely see in front of me. I barely found the buggy I had parked for a smooth escape, opened the driver''s door, quickly sat in the seat, and started the engine. With a rumble, the wheels spun powerfully as I desperately checked the barely visible front and attempted to steer. But about four secondster¡ª ¡ªKwahwaang! ¡°Cough!¡± An explosion erupted from behind. The vehicle turned into a literal inferno, and I was thrown to the ground, shield shattered. The toxic gas was creeping into my lungs since my mask had been broken. In the midst of it, as the thick white smoke dissipated, a figure d in full protective gear and wearing a gas mask was staring at me. For some reason, it seemed like she was grinning. The gun was raised. She muttered a few words just before that and flicked her index finger. Thus, my Final Championship came to an end. Chapter 280 "Wow, this is amazing." Someone''s muttered words spread among the 60,000 spectators packed in the stadium. What was it that caused this reaction? Was it the trap Dice had set up in advance on the buggy, the white toxic smoke that filled the high ground, or perhaps the appearance of the person who emerged from that smoke? But one thing was certain¡ªthis match and Dice''s performance would not be forgotten for years toe. Unlike Yujin, who calcted everything and incorporated all variables into her ns to create favorable situations, Dice asionally pulled inspiration out of unexpected circumstances, as if possessed, and had the ability and action to manifest it into reality. The sudden outpouring of white acidic clouds from the high ground was a direct result of that. Of course, that was not the end. ¡ªBuuuuung! A drone flying low in the air fell into the acid smoke as a four-wheeled motorcycle crossed the road and entered an unpaved area. With truly skillful maneuvers, Dice rode the vehicle towards the elevated vige, donning her protective gear just before cutting through the white clouds. She quickly spotted a buggy parked in a way that anyone could see was unnatural, and immediately pulled out fishing line and two grenades from her multipurpose pouch. Without needing to take long, she connected the fishing line to the safety handles, tied it to the wheel, and pulled out the safety pins. In essence, the structure was such that when the engine started and the wheels turned, the safety handles of the grenades would detach. The wait didn¡¯t take long. Within about five minutes from the point where white smoke started spewing from all directions, the acidic gas had infiltrated the fourth floor of the abandoned vi where the enemy was located, and he hastily came down wearing a gas mask to board the buggy. With a roar, the engine started, and the wheels spun. It was a sound reminiscent of a reaper¡¯s breath. What happened next needed no exnation. An explosion and sh erupted simultaneously. ¡ªCough! ¡ªKwahng! The vehicle shook violently before transforming into a fireball. Just before gaining speed, a user was half-ejected from the burning vehicle, skidding on the ground, and Dice casually walked forward as the explosion echoed, taking onest look at the enemy. What he couldn¡¯t hear was a murmur that went something like this: ¡ªSee you next year. And Dice pulled the trigger. Under normal circumstances, he would have suffocated to finish the Final Championship without any intervention. However, Dice hade to deeply realize, after facing Logan several times, that the best confirmation of a kill was witnessing the corpse vanish, leaving behind only a pile of items. With a dull thud, a bullet pierced his forehead. A new kill was added to the UI, showing the deceased and the survivors. The remaining users decreased from 60 to 50. There wasn¡¯t much oxygen left, and seawater andva continued to flood in, constantly expelling toxic smoke in this area. As evidence, the entrance that originally led to the underground control room was spewing smoke violently, reminiscent of toothpaste being squeezed out with force. There was no reason to linger here any longer. Dice turned around and expertly rode the four-wheeled bike she had parked earlier down the steep slope, entering the heart of Atakaia Volcano Ind against the backdrop of the small vige, which was gradually submerging. ¡ªHuh. Leaving the steering to the Icarus gear, she took off her protective gear and gas mask, breathing in refreshingly. Of course, the sky visible beyond the gentle hills forming the high ground was ck and red, and most of all, the volcano Hoku Mau Loa, belching forth dark clouds as if the end of the world hade, was an immense pressure in itself. But there was no time to waste. As Dice entered a scene that looked like it could be on an album cover or a movie poster, everyone gasped in admiration. ¡ªDying for romance and living for romance, hahaha! ¡ªRomance (totally practical) ¡ªIs this Yasuga? This is Yaszi, lol. ¡ªWhy are they ying a different game from me? I¡¯m doing AP too, but they seem to be having a st among themselves! I want to participate in a romance-filledpetition, not this frustrating rank filled with pure camping!!! ¡ªIf you want it, you should also be a yer!~ Naturally, each yer was attached to at least four to five cameras. As time passed, that number had reached about 50, meaning there were over 200 screens in existence. Among those, the y footage of the Korean national team was by far the most popr, and naturally, the chat below was beyond bustling, reaching a state of poption overflow. With around twenty separated, it was impossible to read the chat, which was swamped with slow chat messages, making further exnation unnecessary. However, despite all the circumstances, the Korean national team, including Dice, was building their legends by defeating their enemies in their own unique ways. Thus, the number of users dwindled from 50 to 40, and then to 30. The end was approaching. As Dice, who had faced numerous adversities, entered a burning city that looked as if it had just been dragged from hell, Harmony cautiously stood up from her spot. It was time to prepare for the partner streamer battle that ended on the same day as the Final Championship. Though it would be a bit difficult to go congratte the victorious Yujin, it would have to be done when she returned to the hotel. It was truly regrettable, but Harmony took a small breath and wrote a text to Yujin in advance. ¡ª[Harmony: Congrattions on first ce, Yujin!] It wasn¡¯t a false promise that could be called unnecessary hype. If, after all this, one of Yujin''s acquaintances won, it would be incredibly embarrassing. Harmony murmured that and giggled as she exited the arena. It was barely 15 minutes until the end of the Final Championship. ¡°The condition of the entrance road isn¡¯t good¡­.¡± As I stared at the scene that looked like part of hell had been carved out andid over reality, I unconsciously muttered. The air in the city was filled with enough heat that I would have suffered burns in reality. Lava was approaching, burning and pushing aside everything in its path. Of course, the reason I said this was simple. ¡°This road is really terrible.¡± Despite being a safe zone,va flowed majestically in front of me. In short, while this map was structured simrly to other kill zones withva encircling the area in a circr form, ifva overflows from underground before the kill zone closes in, another river ofva would emerge, prating the circr safe zone. Those who started from far away, like myself, would naturally be unaware of such situations. Thest safe zone was a construction area currently being developed. It was a ce where concrete dust flew in all directions. Although today, the noisy soundsmonly heard in construction sites and the construction materials were nowhere to be found, only the sound of roasting beans echoed from all sides. But that wasn¡¯t the issue. Blocking the presumed route of movement was a river ofva about ten meters wide. ¡®¡­Can I step on it?¡¯ Unlike in the movies, the density ofva was tremendously high. It was heavy and solid enough to walk on at high speed, meaning my foot wouldn¡¯t sink in. However, in such a flowing state, it would surely cling to my foot after just a few steps. Then, I would fall into that inferno. The other side was also a construction site. The metal columns and scaffolding embedded in the ground had long been bent like taffy or washed away byva, and the cloth or windbreak used to conceal the construction site seemed to have burned long ago. There was no choice but to abandon this path. I would have to turn back the way I came. ¡°If I had known this would happen, I should have brought the car up here.¡± This ridiculous thought first crossed my mind, as if my head had overheated from the heat. Still, I thought that if I used the equipment around me well, I might be able to make a jump ramp to cross, so my priority was to check if the four-wheeled bike I had parked outside was still intact. Moreover, the route I just confirmed was in apletely unusable state, so I had to turn back anyway. I ascended the stairs I hade down and scanned the surroundings. This was arge shopping mall where only about three floors had been constructed, meaning it had a rtivelyplex structurepared to other construction sites. Of course, simr to other ces, the balcony portion that would normally prevent falls with metal scaffolding and windbreaks had long been swept away byva, allowing me to check the exterior from outside. And when I looked outside, the four-wheeled bike I had ridden over was already a pile of ashes or a burning hunk of metal. ¡°¡­I thought so.¡± Of course, there was no point inmenting what had already passed. I wondered if I should look for something akin to a rope and a weight. If necessary, I could throw it and hang it somewhere, then jump from one building tond on the construction site across. There were plenty of scraps lying around, so the rope would essentially be thergest element. Using the fishing line in my pocket was off the table. Given the radiant heat, the moment it recoiled while falling, there was a high probability it would snap and I¡¯d fall freely into theva. If only I had a drone, I could operate it at maximum power and mitigate some of the falling damage while descending. Of course, that too was toote. After thoroughly examining the surroundings for any useful items, ¡ªTutututut! ¡°I knew it!¡± At this point, the more numerous presence than useful items was, unsurprisingly, the enemy. Three of the six shots hit my armor, legs, and thighs. Of course, they all ricocheted off my shield. For now, the damage was manageable, and I needed to confirm the enemy''s position. I hurriedly descended the stairs I had climbed, activated the decoy, and switched to shooting mode. From the holographic projector shaped like a circr dish, a rod extended, and a tform that could hold something popped up. As I pulled out my pistol and ced it on there, a support leg extended to the back, and soon, a hologram resembling me took the position of aiming a gun at the stairwell. Hiding the holographic projector behind the materials and fixing the support leg to the wall to enable recoil control, I quickly climbed the stairs to observe the second floor. I soon spotted the enemy hiding behind cover. Immediately, I fired a nanite, melting it entirely whilemencing fire. The firefight had begun. ¡°Ugh!¡± Chiiing! With a sinister sound, a ck mine rolled toward the floor at a terrifying speed. Instinctively, I switched the controls to full auto and pulled the trigger, one lucky bullet destroying the mine. A sh and debris erupted, leaving my ears ringing. In the midst of that, did the enemy urately count the bullets I expended? The moment my magazine was emptied, they unleashed a pulse of energy in an arc towards me. The shockwave hit me squarely, and I had no choice but to fall into chaos¡ªhowever, since I tumbled down the stairs, luckily, I wasn¡¯t hit by any bullets. As the confusion gradually cleared, I heard the sound of the enemy quickly approaching. Hastily, I hid beside the stairwell, tore off a grenade from Molly, cooked it for two seconds, and threw it up the stairs. This should deter the enemy froming down easily. A suffocating silence filled the air. But it didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Again¡­!¡± ¡ªTzzzt! The ck mine''s cooldown had ended. The mine, which had been autonomously patrolling the first floor, approached me not in the direction I was standing but towards the holographic projector I had set up beforehand. This confirmed one fact¡ªif the cooldown for the tracking mine had ended, it was likely that the stun pulse was in a simr state. In other words, facing head-on had no chances of sess. Therefore, I had to preserve the holographic projector as much as possible, forcing the enemy to waste their stun pulse on that.@@novelbin@@ I stepped forward, and at that moment, a mine patrolling autonomously approached me. With a sizzling sound, it elerated, closing in within about three meters in an instant. I aimed without dodging. To secure a winning position, I had to engrain in the enemy''s mind that my position was simr to that of the holographic projector. Then, in the next moment, a thud echoed as the mine was hit by a bullet and exploded. Of course, I took all the damage from the st, but this would allow the enemy to roughly pinpoint my location. ¡°¡­!¡± After finally regaining myposure, I positioned myself next to the opposite stairwell. And how many seconds passed since then? ¡ªPaaang! ¡ªTang! Tang! Tang! As the hologram fired its gun, a pulse akin to a shockwave mmed into the holographic projector. Naturally, both the pistol and decoy shattered, but in return, I couldnd a shot on the enemy¡¯s back with around 30% shield energy left. I pulled the trigger in rapid session. The distance between the enemy¡¯s back and my firearm was merely a few meters. In that moment, I squeezed the trigger, and the enemy became something beyond a wreck. With the refreshing sound of the shield breaking, the heavy thud of bullets echoed. Of course, my Honey Badger magazine had a capacity of 45 rounds. After about 30 rounds were fired, the enemy hastily sought refuge behind the cover that the holographic decoy had upied and began firing back in panic, wasting theirst bullet, while hiding next to the first-floor balcony adjacent to theva. But at this point, I held the upper hand. In essence, I could simply push forward and win even in a head-on confrontation¡ªbut I still wanted to save my HP and shields. Therefore, at this juncture, I found myself happily pondering how to dispose of the enemy. And ultimately, I decided on one method. ¡ªThunk! As a charged nanite projectile hit the wall, the concrete began to melt away like ice cream left out on a summer day. Not only did the cement wall shatter, revealing the internal steel framework, but soon, the enemy hiding behind the opposite wall was also revealed. ¡°Whoa!¡± And that became the enemy¡¯s final cry. With a thud, within a few seconds, the enemy was turned into a corpse and a pile of items. Of course, there was no time to leisurely farm. Something caught my eye while I was about to rummage through the loot¡ªit wasn¡¯t even necessary to see it. The ominous sound of something copsing echoed from the other side. As expected,va began to invade the first floor from the other side, knocking down the building¡¯s columns. This liquid was obviously molten rock, which meant it had a physical quantity beyondmon sense and possessed heat. It was natural for buildings to crumble under the force of a natural disaster that could even destroy houses. Andva began to rise where I was standing! ¡ª[Alert: Hostile environment invasion. Building deformation threshold reached, imminent copse.] ¡°This is bad.¡± Could it really end like this? Would my Final Championship conclude with a building copse? While staring at the melting walls, a sudden crazy thought hit me. Copse? ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± At that moment, as if possessed, I pushed a nanite cylinder into the chemical projectileuncher. I aimed at the top of the columns of the building I was in and the building across, both standing a dozen meters apart. My idea was simple: by copsing both buildings, I would create a bridge over the river ofva. It was all or nothing, and I couldn¡¯t just sit still and burn to death here. Structural demolition was aplex science, but I didn¡¯t have time to make precise calctions. I merely had to trust gravity and direct the buildings to copse towards theva river. The cylinder flew through the air. The columns of the building across and the one I was standing in began to disappear one by one. There was no one nearby, and the nanite canisters would continue to charge until I died. If they ran out, I could simply melt the columns as they regenerated. Then, about a minuteter¡ª ¡ªKugung! ¡°Huh¡­!¡± The buildings began to copse. The three-story concrete structures were connected in an S-shape, and tons of debris and rocks fell onto the river ofva a dozen meters wide. Since I had already moved to the side, I didn¡¯t suffer any damage from the copse. Therefore, I began moving while the dust hadn¡¯t even settled. In an instant, fragments with height and thickness of meters created a path over the river ofva. Even as I took steps over that path, I felt theva that had begun to collect just a few meters away trying to push the fragments away. Thus, what felt like an eternity of 20 seconds passed. And¡ª ¡°Huh¡­!¡± ¡ªDududud! As I safely crossed, I saw the bridge made entirely of debris from the buildings being swept away by theva, allowing me to exhale a sigh of relief. I wanted to copse right there, but I still had a long way to go. I couldn¡¯t help but think how great it would have been if I had thought of this method earlier, but isn¡¯t that how things are in the world? For now, let¡¯s be grateful for being alive. Of course, ¡°It really feels like I¡¯m the only one going through all these hardships.¡± That wouldn¡¯t be a wrong statement. And just like that, I escaped yet again from the brink of death. The Final Championship''sst match had not yet ended. Chapter 281 ©¤©¤©¤Dudududek! ©¤©¤©¤Tududududu! "AAAH!" It was hard to take a step, and the ceiling and walls of the building were cracking, causingrge chunks of debris to fall like fists. However, the entire building was not copsing. This was because the final kill zone of the day, in other words, the sea ofva, was encircling this very building. Outside, visible through the copsed outer wall, the flow ofva was quite bizarre. Due to volcanic activitypounded by earthquakes splitting the ground,va was flowing and being pushed into crevices. The water level on the floor had likely dropped temporarily, and the burden on the first floor of this building would have been reduced as well. In short, as mentioned earlier, just because the building was shaking, it would not necessarily lead to a copse. It was the optimal timing to execute a tactical maneuver. If I moved while the building was vibrating and making noise, it would be nearly impossible for the enemy to ascertain my position, allowing me to ambush them at just the right moment. Ambushes are typically conducted when the opponent is unaware, but even if they were aware, they likely wouldn¡¯t be able to respond. A user without an ADS (Aim Down Sights) wouldn¡¯t be able to counter a shbang flying at them. And thus, I returned to the beginning. Gunfire was still echoing around me. I didn¡¯t particrly need to be on guard. I just had to quietly grab the door handle with my tail and carefully close the door. That was all it took. I simply started looting. Unless I was using a gun that fired the same caliber of bullets, there was no need to touch either the magazines or the guns. I just needed to stuff the throwing weapons I had consumed back into my multipurpose pouch to replenish them. This building, tall above and wide to the sides, resembled an enormous Menger sponge, with a sky garden in the middle. Of course, the beautiful garden that should have been trickling water had long since lost its function, and the grass that had grown halfway was ruthlessly torn apart by bullets crossing the air. In any case, it was a suitable ce to amodate thest fifteen or so users. Since I had killed one, that meant there were fourteen left. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaang! During this, with a terrifying noise, tons of stone blocks fell from the very center of the sky garden. The building weakened by the earthquake first copsed in ces where it could. Given the damage those falling rocks inflicted on this building, it was only a matter of time before it waspletely destroyed. Of course, that was only when analyzing the phenomenon of falling rocks itself. From a tactical standpoint, it meant that several pieces of cover had appeared over the wide-open sky garden. And then¡­ -[Alert: Fire detected.] It was about time to get out of the building. I opened the door and stepped outside into a space filled with ck smoke, cautiously entering the newly formed cover in the sky garden. Naturally, even with cover present, I had no intention of staying here. If I engaged in a hard fight here for even a few minutes, the floor would copse. Underneath was, of course, filled with the bright red liquid of death. However, that very fact could be exploited. Moving around the cover in the sky garden, I switched two sticky bombs and three nanite canisters to autonomous mode and buried them out of sight. Since it had not been long since the falling rocks had urred, there was no oneing, making it possible to do so. If there had been a second ceiling copse, I would have been crushed. I crossed the sky garden to the opposite side. Here, there was a massive library. In other words, it was filled with materials that could easily ignite and could simultaneously cause the copse of the building due to their own weight. Of course, it seemed someone had already thought a step ahead. "Who set fire to this already?" Just as I said. With crackling sounds, tens of thousands of books and bookshelves were fiercely burning. The bookshelves had turned into a mass of mes dense enough for a person to pass through, and the radiant heat was no joke. Moreover, considering how excessively the fire had spread, someone must have intentionally shot or thrown incendiary devices to start the fire. It was certain that it was a fire deliberately set to block the pathway or create a favorable environment. This meant that the moment I broke through this ce, I was likely to see the enemy¡¯s vulnerable nk. Furthermore, it waspletely impossible to conduct precise reconnaissance of such a fire scene. My shield reserves were still considerable. There was no reason not to break through. -[Warning: Large heat source detected. Distance is excessively close.] I crossed the burning library quickly. Since it was densely packed with bookshelves, there was no need for delicate reconnaissance. In the first ce, it was a ce where anything could be hidden if one wanted to hide something. Instead of meticulously scouting, the best course of action was to leave this ce as quickly as possible. But how long had it been since I moved? ©¤©¤©¤Tang! Tang! Tang! A lighter sound than that of a rifle echoed from the right. The shield hadn¡¯t been significantly damaged, indicating it was likely a pistol bullet. However, the mere fact that someone was shooting a pistol at this point made no sense. It wouldn¡¯t inflict much damage anyway. Thus, that gunfire was a kind of signal. It was closer to a system established to automatically respond through some method when someone passed a designated patrol area. Considering that purpose¡­ it was likely to ascertain the enemy¡¯s position. In other words, the moment I heard that gunfire, I needed to escape this ce as quickly as possible. It was already toote. "This is bad." Swoosh! A sinister sound resonated from the floor. The nanite canister melted the floor in an instant, and simultaneously, the bookshelves and floor surrounding me copsed. Just before I was about to be crushed by the four bookshelves falling from all sides, I quickly dodged and jumped toward the one spot that seemed rtively solid. And at that moment, the floor copsed entirely. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahjijijik! "Kugh¡­!"@@novelbin@@ Since I jumped hastily, I had no time to calcte thending point, and because the floor copsed more than expected, I bumped my head a little. I nearly fell through. However, the bright red mes visible from the gaping hole whipped at me to keep moving without dy. And as expected¡­ ©¤©¤©¤Tududududu! Bullets began flying from the side. An rming precision, immediate evasion upon realizing the fact, and rapid tactical movement. Along with the ability to set traps and the audacity to execute them. At that point, I could identify who the enemy was. It wasn¡¯t an avatar I had memorized, but that very fact became a hint. There was a reason they consistently ranked in the top 20%. As one moved toward the upper echelons of the Final Championship, there were always familiar faces. And if there was someone I couldn¡¯t remember among them, it would be difficult to see it as an unexpected rise from someone. In other words, that was a Korean user. And it was highly likely to be Dice. As soon as I realized that, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. "Surely, if I had been even a little bitter, I would have been dead." After numerous studies, had I finally seeded in using a trap that could send Logan and me to the grave? But even so, I wasn¡¯t necessarily at an advantage yet. In fact, it was the opposite. At this moment, if I were to refer to that user as Dice¡ªshe was hiding behind sturdy cover and was fiddling with something. My anxiety only grew further, especially in the part where she wasn¡¯t shooting. At the same time, what she pulled out was¡ª a chemicaluncher. However, when she fired its contents into the air, it was not like a nanite canister. It was literally a grenade. Indeed, had she been able to keep one hidden even from me? The tension of being able to die at this spot and the realization that Dice had grown to the point of being able to kill me intersected, stirring up my animal instincts for the first time in a while. I felt a clear smile forming on my lips that I couldn¡¯t ignore. A thrill surged through me that I had never felt duringbat. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahaaang! Simultaneously, a grenade flew with a speed impossible for a person to throw and exploded just above my head. It precisely hit the ceiling, which was already weakened, emitting an ominous noise. Instinctively rolling away from that spot, massive stone blocks fell again. It was hard to distinguish whether this was the Final Championship or something else. But even in that moment, I didn¡¯t hide my smile as I fired my gun and moved. The library was copsing entirely. Dice, as if she had anticipated this, moved to another location, and I chased after her. Thus, mes and soot, along with bullets and blood, painted a massive canvas known as a chase. As two colossal wheels named Dice and I moved closer and farther from each other, those caught in between were ejected into the lobby like sparks. During the escape, Dice attracted aggro in all directions, and I detected and dealt with the enemies responding to her. An adept escape, while through skillful hate maniption, she tossed another enemy toward me, using them as bait to buy time. She was probably growing in this spot by the second. If one were to pick one of the most brilliant moments of Dice¡¯s life since she was born, it would undoubtedly be this very moment. And it was my role to break that. "Cough!" Ugh! With precise movements and the grenade plus hologram decoy, Dice sessfully diverted another user¡¯s attention, then struck her opponent¡¯s jaw with her gun¡¯s stock, using that as her shield while she shot at me with her right hand, dragging the body of the stunned corpse with her left to shield herself. Without hesitation, I mmed a sticky bomb, and Dice and another user bounced away from that spot. Of course, since that user absorbed nearly all the explosive force, she remained unscathed. The individual was sted into the lobby as ash. She used every means at her disposal to bind my feet, and most of the results had the precision and power that could potentially kill me. However, the chase was bound to end eventually. Not being able to kill me in one go was Dice¡¯s only mistake, if one could even call it a mistake. Of course, my shield had broken, my HP had dropped below half, and I had expended arge amount of ammunition, meaning she had indeed achieved the maximum result she could. Seo Ye-rin, shot in the leg, copsed on the spot. Of course, I hadn¡¯t gotten close. I hadn¡¯t approached for about ten seconds, keeping my distance while aiming, since I could have ended up exchanging grenades at thest moment. "¡­Ha, I really wasn¡¯t fooled. I should have caught you at the beginning¡­." As I said that, two grenades with pins still in them rolled out from her arms, and Dice forced a smile. She was armed, but her hands had already been hit by bullets multiple times. It was practically like she had half her limbs cut off, making it fair to say she was at a point where she couldn¡¯t use either her arms or legs. Normally, she could recover through a nanomachine injection, but since I was watching her with wide-open eyes, that was impossible. Essentially, she was merely waiting to be ejected into the lobby. The conversation continued. "¡­You cane in first, right, teacher?" "Of course." I nodded at that, and Dice painfully leaned her body against cover. I pulled the trigger. Dice became a pile of items and dispersed into glimmering polygon fragments, melting into thin air. After ncing at that for a moment, I tossed aside the gun I had been using and the remaining magazine and picked up the AAC Honey Badger that Dice had been using. Because I wanted to bring the final victory of the Final Championship to the gun she had used. -[Alert: 1 enemy remains.] With Dice¡¯s death, only one person was left. Pushing through the rising dust, a figure walked in holding a shield. Though covered in concrete debris, her hair looked as if it had been pulled straight from her head, white as snow, and her chilling sky-blue eyes were staring directly at me. Logan Blemis. The mountain I had to climb. The wall I had to ovee. The end of the Final Championship. I firmly shouldered the Honey Badger Dice had left behind and cautiously raised it. Aligning the sights, I ced my finger on the trigger, aiming precisely at her head. With a crack, the bullet flew into the sky, and at that moment, Logan vanished. The final confrontation of the Final Championship began. ©¤©¤©¤nk! "I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here!" "Fourth ce in the Final Championship has arrived!" "Yujin, Yujin, are you still in the match?" "Oh, is that more urgent? You¡¯re still alive, so sit here quickly." The final match of the Final Championship¡ªthird ce. As Dice received the results sheet, she switched to AFK mode the moment she was ejected into the lobby, literally tossing aside the choker around her neck and dashed down the hallway, bursting through the door to the debriefing room. Inside, it was naturally filled with the Korean representatives who had been eliminated first, and they offered their congrattions, guiding her to her designated seat that had been arranged for her. As she sat down and looked at the screen, what she saw were Yujin¡¯s first-person and third-person views, along with a small mini-map disyed on the right. However, what caught Dice''s eye wasn¡¯t that. Yujin, having discarded her previous gun, was now wielding the AAC Honey Badger that Dice had just been holding, engaged in a life-or-death battle with Logan. The moment she realized that, Gambit added: "Even if you can¡¯t win, the gun you hold will win." "Hah, Yujin, for real¡­." The sight of millions, perhaps even billions, of people watching. Yujin, without hesitation, threw away the weapon she had been using to pay her respects to Dice, or perhaps for a simr reason, and took up the gun she had used. Of course, some might think otherwise, but who cares? It would be revealedter if they asked directly. What on earth should she react to this? Dice wore a strange expression, resembling someone about to cry orugh, and stared at the screen without responding to anyone¡¯s words. The only thing she could offer was one prayer. ''¡­Please win ande back.'' That was her utmost wish. Chapter 282 ©¤©¤©¤Drdrdrdr! "¡­!" The vibrations were everywhere. Normally, I could gauge roughly where the enemy might appear through vibration detection, but as the building copsed, the shock felt from all directions became a disadvantage that led to sensory confusion. I had to determine Logan''s position solely based on information from my five senses. Of course, the moment I carelessly extended myself, bullets would fly from somewhere, slicing through the concrete walls with a whip-like sound. I desperately hoped that Logan was having a tough time just as I was, but somehow, I was certain she would be holding up better than I was. In any case, the most urgent task was to locate the enemy. "Huff¡­!" Tududududu! I braced my legs and stomped the ground. The surrounding terrain instantly became an afterimage. A few bullets whizzed past as I slipped between cover, but not a single one hit me. From this, I could estimate the enemy¡¯s location. Logan was on the edge of the sky garden, while I was inside the building surrounding the garden. The actual distance was roughly between 40 to 50 meters. I needed to push harder to detonate the bombs and nanite canisters I had set up earlier in that area to ensure Logan was buried in theva flowing on the first floor. Of course, she was likely aware that the ground there was unstable. She wouldn''t easily venture inside. If I pressed too hard, she would probably move in another direction. So I needed to force her movement. ©¤©¤©¤Pung! I attached a sticky bomb to the sleek end of theuncher. The target was the ceiling. Normally, I would have to precisely align the ceiling and thending point, but there was no time for that. After a quick estimation and visual calction, I nted explosives in the already cracked ceiling. The moment I triggered it, a loud boom echoed as a massive crack spread wildly from the explosion''s epicenter. What followed was predictable. A concrete block,rger than my body, crashed down onto the ground. As the debris shattered into thousands of fragments, I immediately sprang into action before the vibrations had fully subsided. It seemed Logan had realized that this moment was a turning point, as I could hear the sound of her shield being deployed in an instant. The run-and-gun began, and at least 30 bullets pelted her shield like hail. I fired the Honey Badger with one hand whileunching a nanite canister with the other. It flew with a bang, but her reaction speed was rming. The instant the springpressed to its limit, Logan swiftly folded her shield to dodge.
  • Chiiick!
What melted was not the shield but therge stone block behind Logan. In just a few seconds, it was incinerated without a trace. The word ¡°nanite¡± had the same meaning as ¡°nanomachine,¡± so such results were inevitable. The distance was closing. It was now Logan¡¯s turn to retreat. I had three canisters left, a sufficient number to dissolve all the cover she could hide behind. As I shot bullets, piercing through the descending concrete dust, I systematically reduced the number of covers. Of course, Logan didn¡¯t seem to care much about it. While it might appear exciting from the outside, thebat was practically at a stalemate. But the one to break that situation would not be a person. ©¤©¤©¤Eek! The ground beneath the sky garden was nearing its breaking point. At first, it was a hairline crack, but soon it began to emit a foreboding noise as if directly pricking at my spine. It wasn''t aplete copse yet, but it would likely end with one more shock. In other words, there was no time to lure Logan into the trap. In most cases, traps didn¡¯t work out like this. I had witnessed many situations where traps I painstakingly set up couldn¡¯t even be used and had to be detonated. Thus, as I detonated the pre-buried explosives, a faint vibration urred about 10 meters from Logan''s hiding spot. The moment I took a few steps back while suppressing fire to prevent the enemy from moving out, "Ugh¡­!" Gggrrk! The ground, about 20 meters away, stopped its screaming and began to copse inward under the force of gravity. Of course, I had anticipated this. ordingly, I elerated my retreat speed. However, the area of copse was greater than expected, and it wasn¡¯t until I was only about 15 meters away from entering the building that the cracks finally ceased. At that point, Logan was leaping off her cover. "No way, what¡­." For a moment, I forgot that we were in a match as I muttered softly. The instant the ground copsed, she jumped off her cover. The very spot she had just stood on tiltedpletely, dropping dozens of meters below into the sea ofva without a trace. Yet, she was still hovering above the sky garden. Like someone jumping on a jump map, she bounced off the crumbling ground multiple times. To be frank, Logan¡¯s and Laurentina¡¯sbat methods were nothing special. When finely honedbat skills and physical abilitiesbined beyond my level, they could easily ovee poor conditions and terrain, and what I was witnessing was precisely that. I hadn¡¯t expected much, but I had blown my chance to eject her into the lobby. It was now time to enter serious CQB (Close Quarters Battle). Both of us were pushing into the inside of the building while suppressing fire. And based on the information I had gathered so far, I confirmed: ''¡­Shooting a submachine gun with one hand while holding a shield. If it were a processor handling two skills, she could have only shot a pistol, but since that¡¯s not the case, has she only unlocked the shield?'' I momentarily pondered whether there was any doubt in that conclusion but didn''t seem to arrive at a wrong one. If that was the case, I would put aside thoughts about any other skills and redirect my strength to other areas. In other words, it was now purely a battle of strength. As a brief lull in the fight urred, I quickly removed my bag and carefully hid the trophy system I had snatched during the earlierbat among the rocks, making sure it wasn¡¯t visible. Meanwhile, two grenades Dice had almost thrown earlier were rolling on the wall, so I picked them up and stashed them in my multipurpose pouch. Then, I ced thest Honey Badger magazine into the pouch as a final touch. With that, the fight resumed. As the number of covers increased, the engagement distance shortened. Just a few minutes ago, thebat distance had been around 40 meters, but now it was halved. In an area where smooth shooting was impossible and many paths to bypass existed, I had to deeply consider ammunition consumption. Of course, Logan¡¯s relentless advance, like a living fortress, was incredibly intimidating. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaang! "What the¡­!" The wall I had been leaning against suddenly buckled under a massive shockwave. It took me a moment to realize that it was the result of a dyed explosion from a grenade, causing the concrete cover to bepletely destroyed.@@novelbin@@ I saw Logan, folding her shield and raising her gun beyond the shattered concrete wall. I immediately hid behind the adjacent wall, but she unloaded an entire magazine, sounding as if she intended to smash the wall to pieces. About 30 roundster, the wall crumbled, and the only thing left to stop the bullets was my shield. As I hurriedly dodged from my position, I saw the stock of the gun. Even a UFC heavyweight champion would be sent flying several meters if hit by that, but I barely evaded by leaning my neck back.
  • Swoosh!
A chilling split. But the next moment, a kick hit me. I rolled backward a few meters as the bullets thudded against my shield. Just as I regained my stance and hid behind the wall, I heard the sound of her kicking off the ground, determined not to lose momentum. At some point, I switched the sticky bomb to a forward explosion mode, then charged at Logan, who was unloading bullets while abruptly stopping. I pressed theuncher against her abdomen and pulled the trigger with a click. With an explosion at long range, Logan was sent flying through the air. ©¤©¤©¤Thump! I too was thrown in the opposite direction. However, I already knew I would be tumbling backward, so I quickly regained my stance and injected a nanomachine injector to recover HP and heal my injuries. Of course, Logan had vanished as well. She was likely hiding behind the wall. This returned thebat to square one. The situation was stagnant, and ammunition was running low. I had two magazines left¡ªthree if I counted the ones hidden in the pouch¡ªand although I wasn¡¯t sure how many Logan had, considering she was using her pistol more frequently and actively employing grenades, it was not a good situation. The battle had alreadysted over five minutes, so it was no wonder. It would be best to mix in some tricks to lure Logan. Of course, the bait was myself. "Just as I thought." I quickly retrieved the MCX I had discarded when I switched to Dice¡¯s gun. Although I couldn¡¯t control the recoil due to processor handling issues preventing me from synchronizing it with Icarus gear, there wasn¡¯t a gun I couldn¡¯t handle the recoil of. Holding the MCX with one magazine each in my left ring finger, pinky, middle finger, and index finger, I began pulling the trigger without hesitation. Noticing the sound of gunfire had changed, her movements became somewhat more passive. In that moment, I gripped the handle with my left hand, took my right hand off the trigger, and pulled a grenade from my pouch, throwing it. To the audience, it likely appeared as though I was genuinely attempting a counterattack. And to some extent, that was correct. But my aim was topletely crush Logan¡¯s shield. The existence of that ballistic shield was a burden to me. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Kakakakang! Logan began to raise her shield to face me seriously. In an instant, she used two out of the four magazines. For several seconds, she blocked bullets with her shield, but it seemed wiser to retreat rather than lose the shield, so she quickly backed off. Naturally, in the process, she managed to chip away at some of my shield. In less than a minute, both sides had expended well over 120 rounds of ammunition. It was effectively a war of attrition. However, digging deeper into the fight would put me at a disadvantage. If both sides had exhausted their ammunition, facing Logan, who only wielded a tactical hammer and had a shield, would likely not yield favorable results. But it was worth it. I sessfully lured Logan to the cleverly hidden position of the trophy system by burning through a significant amount of bullets, and at that moment, I heard the sound of a grenade pin being pulled. In that instant, with a simple gesture, the interception system hidden among the rocks activated, targeting the grenade that had just left Logan¡¯s hand. And then¡­ "Ugh." Kwaaaang. While it was quite small for a grenade explosion, the impact from the grenade, which had only been a few centimeters away from her hand, was considerable. As Logan was pushed back and crashed into the wall with a thud, I charged the nanite canister I had loaded in the chemicaluncher, melting everything around and devouring her cover. Thus, Logan had no time to fold her shield. But I also had only enough ammunition left for two magazines of the Honey Badger. From now on, it would be a chicken game to see whether I would run out of bullets first or whether Logan''s shield would break. Chasing and being chased inbat. Unfortunately, I was faster, and Logan had to choose whether to let her shield''s durability break first or her own. At that point, I swapped magazines, which was essentially thest magazine for my main weapon. Logan likely knew that there were no magazines left in my armor pouch. However, at this point, a significant problem arose for me. ©¤©¤©¤Drdrdrdrdrdrdr! "¡­!" The runaway phenomenon. In other words, a cook-off. The chamber was severely overheated, causing bullets to discharge automatically without pulling the trigger. Not only was the suppressor cylinder glowing bright red from all the shooting, but the air itself had heated up due to theva below, which was spewing radiant heat, leaving the gun unable to cool down. Naturally, the result was disastrous, and the situation had already reached an irretrievable state. Thus, rather than separating the magazine, I continued aiming with the mindset of firing off everything I had left, and as I shot thest round, Logan threw herpletely shattered shield to the ground. In that instant, without hesitation, I drew my pistol from the holster and began firing. It was literally a fight where everything was at stake. Due to the effective range and aiming of the pistol, the engagement distance narrowed in an instant. It was time to truly finish this. Only a minute remained before the entire building would copse and be swallowed byva. "Ugh¡­!" "Kugh!" Kwaaaang! As we faced off behind a wall, the moment I tossed thest grenade Dice had left behind, Logan sprang out from her cover. The shockwave from the explosion enveloped both Logan and me, and I filled the remaining bullets into her shield. Her shield broke first, but I had also exhausted all the bullets from my magazine. It was too close to exchange magazines now. It was time to start CQC (Close Quarters Combat) rather than CQB. I spun my pistol around, grabbed the front, and swung the handle as a hammer while facing Logan, who was skillfully wielding her knife. Of course, the opponent¡¯s de was literally faster than light. With a swoosh, the de pierced through my right arm. However, I held onto the hand wielding the knife, preventing my arm from being severed, and kicked her in the abdomen to push her away. With a sound, my right arm waspletely ruined. Even as I kicked and pushed her away, it seemed she had firmly held onto the handle. Ignoring that, I coiled my tail around the pistol and ced the tip of my tail on the trigger, letting my limp right hand go and switching the magazine with my left. Thus, I held the tactical hammer in my left hand, supported by my tail in my right hand, and aimed the pistol at the enemy. "Hah¡­." A chilling silence. But the next moment, the silence was shattered. As if she intended topletely destroy my already disabled right arm, Logan threw a newly drawn de along with a throwing knife. I defended with my useless right arm while shooting with the pistol coiled around my tail. Since I was shooting with my tail wrapped around my right hand, the recoil wasn¡¯t too strong. Neither Logan nor I had anywhere left to retreat. The real closebat began. Now, that damn pr bear charged forward, taking shots from the pistol bullets, and within seconds, the knife and hammer created graceful arcs of deadly potential in the air. The force behind the de and hammer was so immense that each swing shattered and chipped away at the concrete walls. As I crushed the pr bear''s corbone with the hammer in my left hand, both her ruined right arm and my tail were severed at once. The tail holding the pistol flew through the air. But not caring, I widened the distance a little, grinning as I added: "I still have one skill left." And with a whoosh. In an instant, I held the sticky bombuncher in my left hand. There was no need to embed it into my body; I just had to aim it at the ground near my opponent and pull the trigger. Of course, even then, she threw her tactical knife in a final attempt, prating my abdomen. However, the damage she took was far lesser than mine. The explosion dissipated. Thankfully, she wouldn¡¯t survive this time. Logan, lying on the ground with a couple of her limbs blown off, chuckled absurdly and continued speaking. "You won." "Of course. Who taught you?" There were only 15 seconds left until the total copse of the building. I tossed theuncher aside and struggled to open the multipurpose pouch with my left hand. The moment a silver magazine was inserted into the Honey Badger, Logan''s expression changed strangely, but I chuckled and added: "¡­It would have been easier to use this earlier. Why?" "I wanted to be sure." nk. The sound of metal scraping as a bullet was pushed into the chamber echoed sharply in my shoulder and ear. Thankfully, it seemed to have cooled down enough, so the cook-off phenomenon didn¡¯t ur again. I lifted the AAC Honey Badger with my left hand and firmly braced it against my shoulder. I searched for words to say, but I had nothing significant to offer. I would also die from excessive blood loss in about 30 seconds. "You fought really well." That was my final reply. The moment I pulled the left index finger, I felt a subtle recoil, and the gun barrel trembled. -[Alert: Operator killed.] -[You are the apex predator!] With that one shot, the Final Championship came to an end. "The final match of the 3rd Final Championship is won by Yujin!" Wow¡ª! The sound of thunderous apuse and roaring cheers echoed. Even among the tens of thousands, there were 60,000 people. Even the most professional hosts couldn¡¯t suppress the strain in their voices, let alone the audience. The 3rd Final Championship was hotter and more passionate than ever. Not only the audience but also the yers were swept up in the excitement, materializing into the Korean representative team going wild in the debriefing room. Everyone embraced each other, and even Dice, upon seeing Yujin win with the gun she had used, covered her mouth and expressed her joy, tears spilling over. Of course, just as everyone cheered, "¡­Ah." It was really exhausting. As the session ended, Yujiny sprawled in an empty room, staring at the ceiling and thinking that. Chapter 283 [Harmony: Congrattions on first ce, Yujin!] "Ay, what would I do if I hadn¡¯t gotten first?" This message had arrived about tens of minutes ago. Sending such a text while the final match of the Final Championship hadn¡¯t even ended yet¡ªwas it audacious or what? Unfortunately, by the time I replied, Harmony would likely be preparing for the partner streamerpetition that ended on the same day as the Final Championship. Of course, the fact that I had gotten first ce would just have been revealed. If Mina had sent her message a moment earlier, I might have sent a congrattory reply ahead of time. Still, I wasn¡¯t the type to drink kimchi soup in advance, so I quicklyposed a message with somewhat different content from what Harmony sent. Then I hit send.
  • Come back after getting first.
"¡­."@@novelbin@@ ¡­Was this a bit of a half-threat? Of course, it was a message that had already been sent. There was no way to intercept and revise a message that had already been sent. I hastily sent a few more texts saying not to feel burdened, but those seemed a bit petty. I began to understand why Dice thought I was quite na?ve outside ofbat. I would have to ask Harmonyter if she thought I was na?ve too. In any case, when you talk about a tiger, the tigeres. ©¤©¤©¤nk! "Yujin¡ª!" "Whoa, be careful!" A splendidly loud cheer and a jumping dive. In an energetic manner, Dice jumped onto the bed where I was sitting, but it was hard topletely offset the physical force, causing her to fall onto the same bed as me with a ¡°kwak¡± sound. Of course, Dice wasn¡¯t alone; all the people I had trained came in pping their hands. Moreover, I didn¡¯t know where they had sourced it from, but Mikael had brought a small cake with a candle on top and ced it on the table in the center of the room. I couldn''t help but let out a shallow chuckle at that. In any case, whether she hade to congratte me with a jumping dive or sneakily touch my tail, I pushed Dice aside. Looking at her expression, it seemed like they all had a lot to say to me. The fact that the room I shared with Dice was now crowded with people was enough to exin the current situation. I briefly pondered what to say, but the answer was already clear. "I truly appreciate everyone who has followed my curriculum until now." "Congrattions on first ce, teacher¡ª!" "We worked hard during this time teaching us, who were so useless!" Everyone bowed their heads in unison. Was this the Yakuza, or was it pro gamers? It was absurd, but a smile gradually appeared on my lips. I shook hands and embraced those who had worked hard. First was Dice, followed by Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. After that, it included the Task Force members who had taken care of everything for those who hade to America. Especially Ye-rin had a truly strange expression on her face, likely interpreting my victory with the gun she had used in thest match in some way. I had used the Honey Badger not because it was superior, but tomemorate Dice, so she was roughly on the right track. With a smile on my lips, I added: "I won this year on your behalf, so be sure to get first ce next year." "¡­Aww, yes¡­." "Why are you getting teary again?" I wondered if not getting first had left quite an impression on her. Of course, judging by her expression and demeanor, it didn¡¯t seem that way, but I would have to exin itter if I asked. Afterforting Dice, it was finally time to try the cake that had been prepared for us. There was even a cup of milk, though I didn''t know when it had been brought. Given that I had a somewhat light dinner and had gone through several ups and downs during the debriefing and match, I was quite hungry. I wondered if it was brought from a VIP reception area or something, but that wasn¡¯t particrly important. I blew out the candle on the chocte cake and took arge bite, filling my mouth with sweetness. It felt somewhat strange since I was the only one eating, but everyone pped happily regardless. As I did so, the past few months shed through my mind. Just a few months ago, I couldn¡¯t have imagined this scene, but here I was. ''¡­Come to think of it, I wonder if Harmony is stillpeting. Or maybe she¡¯ll start soon.'' While it was my decision to start the Dark Zone, it could be said that Harmony had helped me continue it. Without that heavy addition keeping me tied to the game, I might not have been greatly interested in the Dark Zone itself¡­ Well, I might not have even be a streamer. These days, it had been quite a while since I had turned on the stream. After briefly exchanging greetings, one by one, everyone began to leave the room. As the once bustling room grew quiet, only five of us remained. Normally, we would be setting off for the hotel soon, but everyone wore odd expressions since I hadn¡¯t said anything specific. "I n to stay and watch Moni¡¯s match, but if anyone wants to go, feel free." "Oh, then I¡¯ll watch too." "Walking isn''t a bad idea either." So, on one bed were Dice and I, while on another bed were Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. We turned on the projector and projected the screen onto the wall. Watching the number 300 gradually decrease, I figured it was the time left until the match began. As I wondered what we would do for the next five minutes, ©¤©¤©¤nk! "I found you here." "¡­Why here?" "I came to congratte you, but since I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere, I ended up searching all the way here." Logan and Laurentina crashed in. Even though it was a room with Dice and me, they stirred things up. Sure enough, the three male pro gamers who had little experience with women were stiff as boards, and Dice, who had be somewhat acquainted over the past few days, nodded slightly in greeting. As I stood to greet them, the pr bear hug began. With a force that could have made strange soundse from anyone else¡¯s bones, Logan embraced me and gave me a firm pat on the back. "Well done. You really fought well." "¡­Thank you, Logan. I really thought I was going to die. Without a few strokes of luck, I might have lost for sure." "Surviving is a testament to strength." As the hug broke apart, Laurentina caught my eye. I wondered what she was doing when I saw her. "Here, everyone, take one." "¡­What is this?" "A U.S. Navy enlistment application¡­?" "Fufu, I wonder how many of you will make it to my unit among these¡­ guh!" "Stop wasting paper with useless enlistment applications that don¡¯t even have any effect." ¡­How long did she n to maintain that headhunter concept? Laurentina was suppressed by a punch from the pr bear, and Dice sighed as she picked up the papers that were left on theps of Mikael, Ink, and Gambit. The expression she wore, genuinely disappointed, was quite something. Sighing, I added: "She¡¯s a friend of mine. Don¡¯t worry too much; she¡¯s just like that." "That she¡¯s like that is more worrying¡­." "You''ll get hurt if you ask too much." I really would. In any case, the rowdy atmosphere finally began to calm down a bit. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that these two delinquents were going to leave, but since Logan was one of the participants in the Final Championship, he had amon ground with Mikael, Ink, and Gambit, allowing conversations to progress easily. Naturally, this shark, who was even more cunning than me, could develop the conversation smoothly without needing anymon ground. Anyway, regardless of that, I wanted to wait for Harmony, so I shared that fact first. Luckily, they owned a private vehicle, so they added that they would take me to the hotel afterward. Besides, if I didn¡¯t establish a friendly rapport now, we would probably be awkward with each other at the New Year¡¯s party hosted by Henry tomorrow. "Yujin, would you like toe see the penthouse we¡¯re staying in? It¡¯s pretty nice. Surely, it¡¯s okay to borrow it for a day, right?" "Uh, that¡¯s a bit¡­." "Oh my, is this cute little girl protesting?" This shark¡­ Of course, the others seemed to be watching me getting pushed around for the first time and didn¡¯t appear to have any intention of intervening. Dice seemed to feel the same way¡ªshe was watching with interest and had even taken out her phone to record it. While I pped Dice on the head with my tail, the preloaded screen turned on. Harmony¡¯s match began. "Now,e down." After setting Laurentina down, the number of people in the room had increased from five to seven, eagerly watching the final match of Friday. And¡ª "That friend was my emotional support during thest Operation Northpierce, right?" "Yes." "As expected, fufu¡­." With ruby-like transparent red eyes sparkling, Laurentina stared at the screen as if she had stumbled upon a pile of jewels around her. What on earth was I going to do with this person?
  • [Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR]
"Wow, the viewer count is soaring. It¡¯s already over 100,000." "Since I won the final match, just by simple calction, I should be first in this Final Championship¡­ When I opened the broadcasting room a while ago, there were 3 million viewers, and it seems like there will be even more this time." "I wonder if the server will crash."
  • Owner, let¡¯s goooo!
  • Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins! Yujin wins!
  • Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride! Korea¡¯s pride!
  • Korea¡¯s pride x Just a very skilled person O
  • For real, even if this person was dropped in Gambia, they would stille in first ce, hahahaha!
As they said. The viewer count in the six digits was something I had seen a few timestely, but seven digits was something entirely different. It barely took a minute for it to surpass a million, and when I came back after drinking a cup of water, it had already exceeded four million. It felt as if honey had been smeared all over my streaming session. How was I supposed to ept this? But what could I do? Perhaps it had been a while since I turned on the stream¡ªthough it had only been 1 to 2 weeks¡ªbut I struggled with what to say a bit, but in reality, it didn¡¯t seem to matter much. I figured that if I shared some anecdotes, everyone would likely enjoy it. Although it was a somewhatcent thought. So, after a long time, I decided to open my mouth to catch up with everyone. "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve turned on the stream, everyone. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m finally back after finishing the Final Championship."
  • Kyaaaahhh!
  • Take me! Take me! Take me! Take me! Take me! Take me! Take me! Take me!
  • Wow, a pajama party with three girls, hahahahahaha!
  • That snake pajama is killing me, hahahahahaha!
  • Wow, teacher, you really are cute, hahahaha!
  • First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce! First ce!
"Is this snake pajama? I thought everyone would like it. Of course, I didn¡¯t buy it because I wanted to wear it; these two insisted that it would be great to wear, so they scoured New York to bring it. Anyway, they are perverts." "I¡¯ll just be a pervert, so it¡¯s okay to touch your tail, right?" "Look at this."
  • Hahahahahahahaha!
  • They¡¯re really going wild, hahahaha! Good!
  • Hurry and touch! Touch more! Squeeze that tail like a dog!
  • Dice, after earning the prize from fourth ce, will be spending it all in the hospital, hahahahahaha!
  • Perverted bastards, hahahahahahaha!
Of course, Dice received her punishment of being coiled up with the tail for indiscriminately moving her mouth and hands. It might not seem like a punishment, but if I kept her wrapped up for about a minute, GG would be on their side first anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter. In any case, it was literally a pajama party. Dice, Harmony, and I were all wearing uniquely fluffy pajamas while showing our faces to the drone camera. The current time in New York was midnight, around 1 PM in Korea. Given that everyone had probably been quite sleepy after watching thest match of the Final Championship, it felt quite overwhelming. "This is Manhattan at midnight, with snow falling. Thankfully, there are still quite a few buildings with their lights on. In about 2 to 3 days, we¡¯ll finally be going back to Korea." "I think I could live here forever, but Korean food is expensive." "You always say that after eating the food that Yujin-sensei buys." "What are you talking about?"
  • Exposing ON
  • What are they doing, hahahahahahaha!
  • When did these two be such good friends? For real, they¡¯re so close!
  • Fact: They will probably return soon because they can¡¯t speak English anyway.
  • Dice looks more Western than anyone else, but their English is terrible, haha!
After reading thest message, Dice looked at me with a pouty expression, but I didn¡¯t know what she wanted me to do. After all, it was not a lie, but rather a factual statement that was quite on point. Anyway, while this small talk was indeed talk, today was slightly different. Specifically, we had received a significant number of gifts from those who had crossed over from Korea to the U.S., or from new fans in America, so we nned to have a simple review session for those gifts. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have enough time to exin each and every item, so I intended to briefly describe what we had. And the first item I would exin today, which also hinted at another broadcast content toe, made its appearance. ©¤©¤©¤Rustle! An item wrapped in paper. The packaging was red and ck, adorned with skulls, giving an intimidating impression just from looking at it, and the word "DAFUQ" was emzoned on the front. One chip. This was a mind-blowingly spicy item with a Scoville rating that could potentially halve the number of viewers watching this broadcast. Naturally, since it was my broadcast, both Harmony and Dice were forced to participate. "Um, teacher¡­?" "Of course, I¡¯ll eat it too." "Then the story changes." Dice nodded vigorously. That made me chuckle a bit. "¡­Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte, and as you know, medical expenses in the U.S. are incredibly expensive. I don¡¯t want to eat this now and end up in the emergency room, so I¡¯ll save it for when I return to Korea."
  • Wow, let¡¯s do the One Chip Challenge here, hahahahaha!
  • This is so sudden, hahahaha!
  • Fact: This person is always surprisingly sudden.
  • It¡¯s true, hahahahaha! When has this guy ever acted ording to what others wanted?
After a bit of yful banter, Dice had the most curious expression on her face, and it was clear she wanted to say something. However, she didn¡¯t say anything right away. Instead, Dice threw the question to me in the form of a query. "But Yujin, can you handle spicy food? Do snakes feel spicy?" "Do you really think I¡¯m a snake?" But after that, "¡­Actually, I¡¯m not that good with spicy food." "Everyone, did you hear that? You can look forward to the broadcast when we go back to Korea."
  • Hahahaha!
  • Hurry and announce when you¡¯ll stream!!!! I¡¯ll use my vacation for it!!!!!!!!!
  • I¡¯m already hyped, hahahahaha!
  • If you think about it, this guy has quite a knack for being a sandbag.
At this point, everyone was most curious about one specific question. Of course, I didn¡¯t speak up; instead, it was Dice who threw the question at me. "But Yujin, you did say you would be back in Korea soon, right?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." After a lively atmosphere, I briefly announced tomorrow¡¯s schedule. "¡­In any case, there will be a broadcast tomorrow as well, since it¡¯s December 31st. We will show you the New Year¡¯s fireworks festival live from Times Square. Of course, there will also be the announcement of the Final Championship rankings beforehand, so I hope you enjoy that as well." I checked the time. It had been less than 20 minutes since I turned on the stream. Since there would be no further debriefing and I waspletely free from tomorrow, I didn¡¯t have to worry about waking up early. "So, it¡¯s still a bit early for sleeping¡­ shall we have a little interaction broadcast? Is that okay, Dice and Harmony?" "Well, if you¡¯re going to wake me up, I won¡¯t mind." "Are you seeing me as a total cker?" What should I say? Despite the skills I had in the Dark Zone, I seemed to have quite a talent for being a sandbag. In any case, I began a simple talk broadcast. It was the night of December 31st. Chapter 284 "¡­Ugh, what¡¯s this?" 10:47 AM. I woke up due to Dice clinging to my tail. Through the blinds that had automatically rolled up at sunrise, I could see New York. A light snow was falling. The sky was filled with white clouds, and Central Park, slightly visible in the distance, was covered in a thinyer of snow. Thest day of the year was this quiet. The room was warm, and the humidity was just right. A humidifier, sensing the dryness from the night, seemed to be maintaining the humidity adequately. ¡­Although it seemed that Dice drooling on my tail was contributing to that in some way. I grabbed some wet wipes to clean my tail and pulled up the crumpled nket again. Still slightly dazed, I hovered between sleep and wakefulness. Fragments of thoughts floated through my mind, but to summarize them simply: the Final Championship had finally ended. That was the thought that came to mind. In reality, there would be an awards ceremony and results announcement at 6 PM today, but I only needed to attend. Engaging in life-and-death battles for five consecutive days consumed more mental energy than one might think. Well, that aside¡­ ''¡­In a few minutes, it¡¯ll be the New Year in Korea, right?'' With a 13-hour time difference, the current time was 10:54 AM. In other words, only about six minutes were left until Korea weed the New Year. I shook my head to clear my mind, got up, and washed my face. I dampened my hair slightly and brushed it before checking my face in the mirror. Fortunately, my appearance seemed fine. With the drone camera in my left hand, I opened the door and headed straight for the lobby, which smelled pleasantly of coffee. I ordered a sweet hot chocte and, after receiving it, went to a window seat and turned on the camera. Naturally, viewers flocked in like crazy. When I opened the chat window, it was sheer chaos. Of course, it was even more so since I was showing a rather gloomy midday view of New York on December 31st. "¡­Ah, everyone. Nice to meet you. It¡¯s currently 10:56 AM in New York. I¡¯m a bit disappointed that I can¡¯t celebrate the New Year in Korea this year, but since I have U.S. citizenship, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter that much¡­."
  • What nonsense is this right after arriving? Hahahaha!
  • Are you sure what you''re drinking isn¡¯t hot chocte but coffee with brandy or something?
  • Hot chocte (made with whiskey).
  • A woman who celebrates New Year¡¯s twice! Hahahaha!
  • You look like you just woke up, but your face is glowing! Hahahaha!
  • If you¡¯re good at gaming and pretty, how are we losers supposed to live?!
I felt like I was going to lose my mind. By the way, celebrating the New Year twice? That was something I hadn¡¯t considered, but upon hearing it, it made a bit of sense. In fact, I thought it might be the viewers in Korea who were celebrating the New Year twice rather than me, but that wasn¡¯t important. In any case, while I could say this, it was impossible for me to truly experience the New Year in Korea at this moment. However, I could experience it indirectly. What did that mean? "Now, I have some homework for all of you." The chat filled with question marks as I confirmed that only three minutes remained until 11 AM. "I want anyone watching this broadcast who can confidently say, ''I can celebrate the New Year most joyfully!'' to turn on their stream. I¡¯lle to find you, and we¡¯ll finish the New Year together. It¡¯ll be easier to search if you tag your stream with ''With Yujin,'' right?"
  • Wait, what?
  • Is this that content-creating economy thing? Hahahaha! This is crazy.
  • How to turn on the stream while buying a cake for yourself, search online! Hahahaha!
  • Seriously, you should have told us earlier!!!!!!!!
  • I have a cake, but I can¡¯t turn it on because it¡¯s a family party¡ªthis is crazy! Hahahaha!
Of course, as I was speaking, a minute passed. With just two minutes left on the clock, I had no reason to waste my words and quickly entered the Tricky main site to search for the keyword I had just mentioned. It didn¡¯t immediately show up, but after refreshing it about 20 secondster, countless streams appeared. There were so many that they easily exceeded a thousand. Given that anyone could turn on a stream with just a phone at this point, it made sense, but it was more powerful than I had imagined. Wondering which one to enter, I saw that only a minute remained, so I clicked on a stream with a thumbnail showing a small table with a lit candle on it. How many seconds had passed since I entered? "Oh, what¡¯s this! Wow! I¡¯ve been chosen!" A man jumped up and down, expressing his joy with his whole body. I wondered if he was that happy, but it would be uncouth to break his joy, so I simply left a greeting. When I requested to activate the microphone via chat, I could soon project my voice in that room too. What should I say first? I briefly pondered, but since I didn¡¯t n to stay long, I decided to keep it simple. Moreover, there were only 30 seconds left until the New Year in Korea. "Nice to meet you. Your home seems a bit quiet. Are you spending this New Year alone?" "Oh, yes. I¡¯ve only been living alone for a few weeks¡­." "Ah, I see." Alone, huh? Then I had something to say. "I hope your home bes livelier in the New Year. I wish you find a girlfriend¡­ and if you already have one, I hope your rtionshipsts long. And, although it¡¯s a clich¨¦, I hope you reap as much as you¡¯ve sown. And since it¡¯s winter, stay warm and take care not to catch a cold." "Ah, thank you so much¡­ just hearing that means a lot."
  • Wow, a reward! Hahahaha!
  • Warmly (like a chubby snake).
  • Seriously, I¡¯m so envious! Hahahaha!
  • I want to hear a greeting from Bi-yam-noona too!!!!!!!!!
Before I knew it, only 10 seconds remained until the New Year in Korea. Since I had decided to stay until the very end, I did just that, and with light apuse, the sounds of the New Year bells celebrating the arrival of the New Year echoed through the TV. The chat, of course, was flooded with messages wishing a happy New Year. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t feel very real here. I thought that perhaps in about 12 hours, as I gazed upon the bustling Times Square filled with people, the experience might feel different. In any case, I also celebrated the New Year. I was d to see that the other person seemed happy. After exchanging that brief greeting, I exited the stream. "I wish everyone a happy New Year¡­ Of course, this broadcast won¡¯t end here. There will likely be quite a few people who created rooms, so let¡¯s roam around for about 30 minutes." Of course, no one refused. Thus, I burned an hour and a half through that stream, and only after being dragged by the excited Dice and Harmony to the hotel buffet could I finally conclude the broadcast. The morning of thest day flowed by like that. "Even though thepetition is over, there are so many people here." "Well, they¡¯re also here to wee the New Year on January 1st. But it¡¯s definitely better than Times Square." "That¡¯s true. They say there¡¯s no ce to step on there for quite some time." Plus, it was Saturday. The holiday in one of the busiest cities in the world, New York, coinciding with both thest day of the year and the first day of the new year, created a massive uproar. Thanks to that, even though the Final Championship was nearly over, Henry had been singing for a few days to torture Icarus Gear just a little longer. Of course, it made sense. If there was even a single casualty during the final event, it wouldn¡¯t be a good situation for Henry¡¯s political career. I figured the other political candidates would likely be watching closely for any slip-ups to capitalize on, but¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t my problem. After all, people¡¯s lives were on the line. Thus, without any significant issues, the request was approved, and I turned my gaze back¡ªtoward the Final Championship. The debriefing room and rest areas that had existed for the yers were nowpletely emptied of beds, and instead, chairs had been set up for resting. Since they probably wouldn¡¯t be staying long, it seemed they had done it this way. The space that had felt sofortable like my home just until yesterday had changed so much, which felt quite strange. In any case, I didn¡¯t need any help from the staff to find my way. Passing through the familiar path I had walked multiple times over thest few days, the debriefing room looked somewhat like this. There was also a simple snack prepared there. The five of us, including me, sat in chairs, and at that moment, a holographic projector that seemed to be set up in advance activated, depicting the packed arena filled with spectators. The booming voice of the announcer echoed from the speakers. It was set at such a perfect volume that there was no need to adjust it.
  • We will now begin the announcement of the Final Championship rankings and the award ceremony!
At that moment, the vibrations shook the entire building. Naturally, the 60,000 people inside the arena weren¡¯t the only ones making noise; it was highly likely that countless people staying in thisplex had erupted in cheers at the same time. In any case, what could I say? In truth, the award ceremony itself wasn¡¯t that moving. To be precise, the Final Championship itself was like that. I had only quietly anticipated the opportunity to fly all the way to New York to uncover whatever secretsy hidden in this game; even if I hadn¡¯t participated in the finals, I would havee to New York on my own merit. In fact, it was more gratifying that I had faced Logan several times and achieved victory more than half the time. If I had cared about winning or cing first, I wouldn¡¯t have been spreading word about not participating next year. In any case, the rankings were calcted. Out of a total of 14 matches in the Final Championship, I had won six, meaning there was no way I wouldn¡¯t be first. So I didn¡¯t worry about it much.
  • The Apex Predator of this year, the pinnacle of the predator, is¡ªKorea¡¯s Yujin! Following closely is America¡¯s Logan!
The roar of apuse erupted. Following that, the list was gradually revealed, and the most important ranking¡ªDice¡¯s rank¡ªwasn¡¯t something I needed to wait long for. Dice ced fourth. I wondered how she would take this rank and turned my head to look at Dice at that moment. "Fourth, fourth¡­ Fourth¡­ I can¡¯t believe this is actually possible¡­." She had an incredibly emotional expression on her face. Of course, the fourth rank was somewhat ambiguous. I briefly pondered whether she would truly be satisfied with that; however, considering the existence of Logan and me in this Final Championship, she should have really ced second if evaluated properly. It meant that a yer who hadn¡¯t even made it into the top 20 just a year ago had risen to the second ce in a few months of hard training¡ªin an internationalpetition. It was no wonder that Dice was delighted. I lifted my tail and ced it on her knees, adding, "You¡¯ve worked hard all this time." "¡­This is all thanks to Yujin." "It¡¯s thanks to someone who followed along well." Of course, as I said that, Dice didn¡¯t hesitate to rub my tail. As the ranks continued to appear, Mikael was in 9th, Gambit in 13th, and Ink in 15th. Not a single person fell below the 20th rank. Those who hade expecting results simr tost year would surely consider it a disaster. It meant that out of the top 20petitors, six didn¡¯t even make it into the top 20. As the rankings were announced, the expressions of everyone varied. However, the clear thing was that none of them could hide their excitement. I only hoped that the ranks they obtained wouldn¡¯t be something beyond their share. Thus, the announcement of the top 40 concluded. There was no need to mention the ranks below; it was simply stated that those would be notified individually. And now it was time for the main event. ©¤©¤©¤Knock, knock! A knocking sound. At the same time, two staff members opened the door and entered. "We will guide you for the award ceremony. As you walk, you will find tforms marked with numbers. Please stand in line ording to your rank." "Understood." It was time to move. Everyone stood up with excited expressions and began to follow the staff¡¯s guidance. Soon, the hallway turnedpletely dark, and it was engulfed in total darkness. Before long, a shining golden number 1 appeared in front of me. ording to the staff, I was supposed to stand there. After standing at the spot marked with gold for a while, I felt a poke on my back, and¡ªsure enough, it was the pr bear.@@novelbin@@ As she yfully added, "Seeing the youngest standing here makes me want to stand in that spot next year." "Dice might cry." "I should at least make her cry once. My pride took quite a hit." "Stop it¡­." When she got serious, she became as scary as Lorentina¡ªalthough sharks becameplete lunatics when they entered battle, tearing everything apart. And so, one by one, the people lined up. As the top 20 formed a line, the surroundings sparkled, revealing the path we needed to take. As we walked along that path, the top twenty stepped up. Dice¡¯s heartbeat seemed to echo through my toes. Just a year ago, she had been in the mid-30s, so standing here must be her first time. I had to call it a ce reserved for those chosen; although that sounded grand, it was likely not far from the truth. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Woww!!! In my lifetime, hearing such apuse would be a rare urrence unless one were chosen for something in various senses. From that perspective, it didn¡¯t seem incorrect at all. There were podiums for the top five. There was a staircase behind them, and holograms lined the floor, leading us forward. As the numbers appeared, only the word "GO" weed us, and I slowly moved my feet onto the podium. As the spots for the top five filled, we stepped onto the t stage. This meant it was time to go back. "Let¡¯s go, Yujin. Today isn¡¯t over yet, right?" I nodded, gripping the trophy as I retraced my steps. Everything hade to an end. It felt truly liberating. Chapter 285 "Wow, so many people¡­!" "I was wondering what you meant by not needing to take a car, but it¡¯s this crowded several blocks before Times Square¡­." "Wow, look at all the police around. This is crazy. If I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯m going to end up lost in America." The buzz of conversation filled the air. At around 6 PM in New York, it was packed with people. To be honest, I had never seen this many people in my life. Thest time I encountered such a massive crowd was when I went to hear the New Year¡¯s bells, but this was on an entirely different level. In fact, even before reaching the buildings adorned with the giant billboards synonymous with Times Square, the scene was chaotic for several blocks. I had heard that people camped out the day before just to secure a good spot for the Ball Drop event on December 31st, and it wasmon for them to bring several diapers to wait in one ce. When Henry told me this, I thought he was half-joking, but seeing this crowd right before my eyes made me realize the need to be cautious. Fortunately, we could track our location through our phones, so there was no risk of losing our party. "Wow, Yujin. Look at all the cosyers. There are so many Marvel characters¡­ I want to go and ask them for a photo." "If you want to get scammed for a $10 tip, feel free to go." "Eww¡­." The more people there were, the more scammers there were. In any case, we were almost at our destination. Between West 43rd and 44th Streets, on the left side of 7th Avenue, we were only a few dozen meters away from the multi-purpose building that was stered with the famous billboards of Times Square. The top floor of that building was where today¡¯s party would be held. Should I be impressed by the wealth and connections it took to rent a ce like this, or should I be thankful? Even so, Henry responded with a cheeky answer saying it was only 20% of the payment for lending Icarus Gear, assuring me there was no need for concern. If there was a problem with the attire, he could lend me something, he imed. I was just d I could reassure them. The current time was 6:58 PM. We had just wrapped up the awards ceremony that started at 6 PM. I thought we had plenty of time to arrive since the party started at 7:30 PM, but that was a serious misconception. The traffic police were spread all around, controlling the masses and conducting thorough inspections of personal belongings. Of course, they approached us and checked our bags. Since we had only a few items, it didn¡¯t take long. While the police officer finished inspecting our bags, he smiled and added, "Everyone thinks the fireworks will explode at midnight with confetti, but we actually fire fireworks every hour as a rehearsal. In just one minute, you¡¯ll see quite a spectacr sight." "Is that so? I¡¯m looking forward to it." At the same time, solemn music began to y. Among the thousands of people gathered, cheers erupted sporadically as the countdown began on the famous billboard of the building synonymous with Times Square. After what felt like the longest 60 seconds in the world, the fireworks went off. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "¡­Wow. That was a bit underwhelming." "Well, there are still five hours to go." Of course, the fireworks were quite small. The billboard reading "ONLY 5 HOURS TO GO!" indicated the time remaining until midnight. Still, it was certain that the disy in five hours would be much more magnificent. Thankfully, we weren¡¯t far from our destination, so when I tried to leave the area, the traffic police asked if we were really going to leave. I heard that once you leave, you would have to reim your spot. After assuring them it was fine, we escaped the bustling crowd. It took us about five minutes to travel 150 meters due to the congestion. While this was somewhat applicable even after entering the building, once we went further inside, we could clearly see that they had separated the elevators and lobby with gates. The scanner automatically activated, scanning us up and down, and at the same time, the ramp lit up green, and the heavily closed gates opened. Most of the people waiting inside the building stared at us with wide eyes. Of course, there wasn¡¯t much time to absorb their gazes; the scanner allowed us all in, and the elevator immediately arrived on the first floor.
  • The doors will open.
As soon as everyone boarded, the doors closed, and the elevator rose as if soaring to the sky. When the elevator stopped, a dimly lit interior hallway appeared, filled with a dark decor. It wasn¡¯t just dim because there were no lights; it seemed to create an intentional sense of mystery and atmosphere. As we ventured deeper inside, staff members who seemed to work on that floor approached us first. "I¡¯ll take your bags. For those who need them, we will guide you to the dressing room, so please browse as needed and choose an appropriate dress code." "¡­I didn¡¯t understand that, Yujin." "They¡¯ll take care of any unnecessary bags, and for those who didn¡¯t prepare their outfits, they¡¯ll lend them here." Though I muttered about the automatic trantion feature being useless, what could I say? I hade in wearing the semi-formal suit I had been gifted beforehand¡ªof course, I would send it to the cleaners once I took it off¡ªsince I had attended many public or somewhat solemn gatherings in New York, and this outfit had performed admirably each time. So aside from the thick white padding I wore, I didn¡¯t have much to leave behind. Even so, a couple of people wanted to wear something a bit nicer, so they headed to the dressing room while I secretly scanned the QR code set up below to discreetly send tips for five people. After waiting for about five minutes, everyone returned to the lobby in better attire. Then the staff contacted someone somewhere¡ª "That was quick. How was December 31st in New York?" "It was packed with people." "That¡¯s the characteristic of my hometown, thend of opportunity¡ªBig Apple, New York. Come in and take a seat. Being here first is a privilege bestowed upon you all for the restaurant that will operate from next year." Henry had arrived. Despite it being just a week since Ist saw him, everyone looked at me with puzzled expressions. They seemed quite curious about who he was, or perhaps they half-remembered him. After having finished his dinner, he left a message for everyone to meet him at the bridge, iming that his presence would liven up the atmosphere, then disappeared. As the strange mood settled, Dice spoke up. "Yujin, who is that person¡­?" "The person who will likely be the President of this country around December next year." At the same time, a barrage of question marks erupted from everyone else, excluding me. The world was indeed a strange ce. "Ugh, I¡¯m so full¡­." "I ate way too much." "But usually, teppanyaki restaurants don¡¯t serve this much¡­." Harmony and Dice patted their bloated stomachs as they sat back in their chairs, breathing heavily. To be honest, they were right. Even the two chefs responsible for today¡¯s catering imed it was their first time cooking enough ingredients for a few days¡¯ worth of operation in one day, wearing expressions filled with both challenge and astonishment. Indeed, today marked the first mass cooking attempt in what was originally a teppanyaki course restaurant. All six of us were served the same portions for appetizers like sds and sashimi, but after the grilled vegetables, things started to get bizarre¡ªtwo chefs cooked 20 ck tiger shrimp on the spot. Of course, half of them were mine. The same went for the salmon, scallops, and other grilled fish that followed. Though the restaurant was typically known for its shy skills and stunning fire shows, today was an exception. The chefs¡¯ abilities were being tested to their limits as they checked the doneness of the food and cooked it properly. During that time, showing off tools like sauce bottles, oil, knives, and spats would have been nothing short of a suicide attempt to them, I guess. Of course, they briefly showed such skills while cooking, but it was significantly shorter than one might expect. Still, aside from that, the five others¡ªnot counting me, including Harmony¡ªenvied how much I had received, leading to my request for slightlyrger portions, which contributed significantly to their bloated state. It felt like we had significantly departed from the teppanyaki course category, but no one cared much about that. The steak and fried rice needed no exnation. Those who hade with me were likely having their first experience eating this much meat in their lives. Had we paid for this meal, factoring in tips, taxes, and the exchange rate, we would have probably spent hundreds of thousands of won on just one meal, but as always, it passed without any major issues. And thus, we returned to the beginning. "Still, they say there¡¯s always room for dessert, right?" "Right now, my stomach is pushing against my dessert capacity." "Pigs." "Even if you say that¡­." Of course, I didn¡¯t gain weight no matter how much I ate. While they debated how to eat without feeling too stuffed, I casually took one of each dessertid out in front of me and settled into a spacious ss-walled table to start eating them one by one. The heating activated, and the circting warm air contrasted sharply with the cold wind from outside. The ss window was cold to the touch. Below us, hundreds of people were waiting for the New Year. Given that our dining time had significantly lengthened, the current time was nearing 10 PM. Just moments ago, the building next door had erupted with fireworks far more extravagant than those at 7 PM. As everyone chatted, Henry suddenly sat down in front of me, isted on the balcony. I was the one who opened my mouth first, however. "Outside, there isn¡¯t much happening, right?" "Who else would it be if not me?" I silently held up my watch on my left wrist, and he chuckled, giving me a knowing look. "It seems like you¡¯ve wrapped up your work." "I could never say that. You have no idea how much my aides are hounding me."@@novelbin@@ Then, quietly, he continued speaking. "It seems that by providing Icarus International as a super package, Camp Henry will spread its wings even wider. Is there something you want? If you have anything, I¡¯d consider your opinions positively, depending on the content of my position regarding U.S.-Korea rtions." "What are you talking about on December 31st? In a ce with just you and me, isn¡¯t that a little too much of a discussion that could decide the nation¡¯s direction?" I hurriedly interrupted. If things were going to go well, then what I wanted was for my family and friends to be well-off; anything else, like U.S.-Korea rtions, was far from my concern. So, I said the following. "Just finish your term without anyme-duck period." "Haha, you sound just like that pr bear. Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing here that could catch me out. My nickname is ¡®The Prester John of the Democratic Party.¡¯" "Then I must be the serpent of Eden. This meeting is like the forbidden fruit itself." "You¡¯ve got quite the sharp tongue." And then came the follow-up. "It looks like in a few minutes, the meal for the main team will also be finished. Unless something unexpected happens, I¡¯ll retreat to the back room again. Make sure to enjoy yourselves. Do you need transport back to the hotel?" "It¡¯s less than a 20-minute walk, so don¡¯t worry. Everyone¡¯s stuffed to the brim, so we¡¯ll need to walk it off¡­." "Then that¡¯s settled." With that, he disappeared. After a few minutes, however¡ª "Y-Y-Yujin! Lorentina is here! Lorentina is real!?" "Oh." Minah had been caught by the shark. Thinking about it, Harmony only knew Logan, so it would be her first meeting with Lorentina. Lorentina, rarely wearing a satisfied expression, began to pet Minah¡¯s cheek, and thankfully, Moni didn¡¯t seem to dislike it. It was enjoyable to watch two people of considerable looks being put together. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. When many familiar faces gathered from somewhere, the total on the balcony rose to fourteen, and conversations blossomed everywhere. Naturally, the Korean representatives, along with the staff who had tidied up, were bombarded with questions about whether they had any ns toe to America, so I offered my condolences. Meanwhile, the pastry chefs got busier. As everyone was taking one treat after another, the situation quickly changed from having just a few people to an entire group. In no time at all, they began to knead dough and crack dozens of eggs. They were people who were receiving properpensation for their work, so there was no need for me to worry. Thus, as conversations flourished, time passed 11 o''clock and rushed toward midnight. The six of us, including the Korean representatives, the pastry chefs, and the chefs responsible for the course meal, crowded around the ss window, watching outside. I would say that today marked the most luxurious December 31st of my life. Snow was lightly falling, and countless singers were performing. However, that too had ended, and now only a few minutes remained until the New Year. As I gazed quietly, immersed in a feeling that was hard to describe, Lorentina ced her hand on my shoulder and added, "This gathering could only happen thanks to you, the youngest." "¡­Is that so?" "Of course. Stand tall and take pride in it. If you¡¯re a member of the main team, that¡¯s how it should be." I chuckled softly. And finally, I turned to look around. With only ten seconds left until the New Year, everyone approached me with smiles on their faces. I didn¡¯t know what they intended to do, so I wore a slightly dazed expression, but as they opened their arms, I instantly realized what they meant. As each of them embraced me, they began to speak. "Thank you for all your hard work, youngest." "When the new yeares, I hope everything goes well. If you have any hardships, let us know, and we¡¯ll help." "Wishing you only good things from now on." A variety of colorful wishes to wrap up the year. Before I knew it, there were only ten seconds left. As the voices of people outside roared through the ss, Harmony and Dice opened their arms wide with smiles. "You¡¯ve worked hard all this time, Yujin. I look forward to next year as well¡­." "Thank you always. Happy New Year." I replied, smiling at them. "I¡¯m truly grateful to both of you for following me here." At that moment, a hug. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Boom! With beautiful background music, confetti and fireworks bloomed in the ck sky of the New Year. It was the best January 1st of my life. "¡­By the way, Yujin. Didn¡¯t you say you were going to broadcast?" "Oops." At that moment, I gestured and quickly turned on the stream. Fortunately, as the fireworks began to burst, all the newly arrived viewers could enjoy January 1st in America. Of course, everyone was too busy teasing me about where my mind had wandered off to. But the fireworks were beautiful, and everyone could enjoy their second New Year.
  • What a clumsy person, haha!
  • She¡¯s like a pure snake w, w, w, w, w
  • The very definition of a fool, haha!
  • Another nickname added to the list, haha!
  • Useless!
Thus, my list of nicknames grew to include "fool." What a thing. Chapter 286 "I thought I would live here for a thousand years, but three weeks go by so quickly..." "Dais, I''lle back here next year, and Harmony¡­ well, she mighte too. She coulde as a partner streamer or maybe even a professional gamer." "Professional gamer¡­ that might be a bit too much pressure." "Come on, instead of deciding on Moni¡¯s job, let¡¯s just clean up and get out of here." January 1st. Finally, the time hade to board the flight to Korea. It had been a whirlwind three weeks filled with all sorts of experiences, but thanks to thisfortable and stylish hotel, I had managed to get through without major issues. So, before leaving the room, I tidied up everything neatly. After saying goodbye to the long-term residents and lobby staff I had be friendly with during my stay, I stepped out onto the first floor, where a limousine bus was waiting, just like when I first arrived three weeks ago. Harmony seemed to be filming a vlog, using a camera with a mosaic function to capture various scenes. I wondered if I should film something too, but did I even have someone I liked? Even if I did, it felt too bothersome to film, so I cautiously stepped into the open bus. As expected, it was a self-driving bus, and there was no driver inside. As soon as I settled into my seat, a message came through.
  • [Logan // Be careful getting in.]
I chuckled at that and made a call. After closing the blinds around me and activating the soundproofing function through the Icarus Gear, there was no sound leaking outside. It seemed he had been waiting for my call, as his voice came through immediately. "I knew you¡¯d call." "You got the message that I¡¯ll be waiting at the airport, right?" "You¡¯re wishing for a lot." Of course, I wouldn¡¯t deny it. Everyone, including myself, was someone who usually found it hard to meet, and since it had been a long time since we had taken a proper vacation, I thought they woulde to see me off onest time. In the meantime, everyone had boarded. The doors closed, blocking the air of Manhattan. The gloomy sky from yesterday had turned clear, but it was a bit disappointing that I couldn''t see it properly due to the ceiling. But before I could finish that thought, the wheels began to move smoothly, crossing the city. In just a few dozen meters, we took a right turn. Central Park came into view through the window. There were no towering barriers, no unmanned control towers or posts, and no machine gun nests. Just bare trees and New Yorkers hurrying somewhere greeted my gaze. So this was a space so peaceful. That thought crossed my mind suddenly, but I no longer had to look back at that painful memory. No more bitter past could stand in my way. A star-shaped metal medal hidden beneath my thick clothespensated for all my time. The road became a bridge, and the bus crossed over, leaving Manhattan behind. It didn''t take long to reach JFK International Airport, passing through Queens. In fact, it was only about ten minutes. As I got off the bus, I headed towards the airport entrance I hade out of three weeks ago. It wasn¡¯t busy, but the ceiling was a bit low. The unusually high Incheon Airport was quite different. With three hours left until departure, I wondered what to do when I said, "The guards are gettingx." "That¡¯s the first thing you say aftering all the way here¡­" "It feels strange. When I return to Norfolk, I probably won¡¯t see you guys for a while. Should I submit my discharge application? Or should I get deployed to Korea for tactical exchange?" "Don¡¯t say weird things; I¡¯lle visit often." Both of them looked¡­ how should I say it? It was like seeing a grandmother¡¯s expression when she¡¯s saying goodbye after a holiday visit. It seemed that there was not much difference in reality. Anyway, the Korean representative team had be quite familiar with them, and I naturally started chatting in my rough English. Since we wouldn¡¯t see each other again after passing through the gate, we talked for about an hour before I left a message with the schedule manager that I would return to the first-ss check-in counter. Upon hearing that, he had a slightly enlightened expression. How should I put it, I felt I had been quite a nuisance to him during these three weeks. What should I say¡­ "Um, if it gets reallyte, I¡¯ll just pay for a flight back, so don¡¯t worry?" Of course, it had the opposite effect. As soon as the schedule manager heard that, he burst outughing, and since neither Harmony nor I were affiliated with a specific team, even if we missed a flight, it was just our loss, not a big deal. At that moment, Rorentina¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she jokingly suggested we buy a house in New York while we were at it. After all, she really loved people. In any case, I inadvertently ended up acting alone again. As Rorentina and Logan walked ahead, I found myself walking alongside Senior Officer Owens after a long time. The height difference was more than ten centimeters, making the visual quite strange. As I walked without a particr thought, the senior officer spoke first. "You look much better. When we first met about three weeks ago, you had a rather vague expression." "¡­Did I?" "I¡¯ve said this before, but you¡¯re quite bad at hiding your emotions." ¡­Is that so? I definitely felt like I had heard that quite often in the past. I was a person of very clear likes and dislikes. Of course, when it came to survival, I would act desperately, but I figured anyone would do that in such situations. Anyway, regardless of likes and dislikes, at that time, I couldn¡¯t help it. There were still unresolved issues lingering. But now it waspletely different. If Ibeled the unresolved issues as a hundred, I could say that I had solved about ny-five of them. At that moment, a hand rose up. He ced his hand on my head and stroked my hair. Strangely, people seemed to really like patting my head. "Those two have been talking a lot about youtely." "Hi there." "I can¡¯t pay attention to everything up to there, sorry. But since you are a part of Team Dagger, you can handle a lot of things on your own. Of course, I¡¯ll also check what kind of experiences you¡¯ve gone through in the end¡­." He paused for a moment before continuing. "¡­After that mission, we¡¯ll continue with the debriefing we couldn¡¯t do." ¡­We couldn¡¯t do it. As he said, it seemed that when I went missing at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt, I had not been able to have a debriefing afterward. Although he wore a somewhat bittersweet expression, there was no longer any need to be in pain. I was standing right here. With a pat on the back to signal that there was no need to worry, I found myself entering the dining area before I knew it. I wondered what was going on and turned my head to meet the senior officer¡¯s eyes. And, as expected, "Those idiots want to make sure they feed us before sending us off. They¡¯re not my grandma¡­." "Oh my." Now revealed, those two were leading me to a pizza ce. At this point, I began to wonder whether I was the youngest member of Team Dagger or a grandchild visiting my hometown. And so, the departure schedule was proceeding one by one.
  • [Ladies and gentlemen, this flight willnd at Incheon Airport shortly. The current time in Korea is 18:50. There is no snow, but there are strong winds¡­]
"Ugh, that was really exhausting¡­!" "Now I¡¯m worried about how to adjust to the time difference. But I think I¡¯ll crash as soon as I get home, although I can¡¯t be sure¡­." "Just to make a bold statement at this point, I definitely think eating is more rewarding. I didn¡¯t get bored at all since there were constant sounds of food where Eugene was." "If I could eat that much, I¡¯d eat all the airne food. It¡¯s such a waste." ¡­Why do they start hitting me as soon as we enter Korean airspace? In any case, that was true. To rewind a bit, before we departed, Logan, Rorentina, and I had eaten pizza to our heart''s content, just as a grandchild visiting home would. After that, we passed through the scanner without any issues and entered the duty-free shop. The dazzling array of perfumes, scarves, watches, and wallets was full of eye-catching stores, but, well. My acquaintances were not in Korea; they were here. Rather, Yerin and Mina were more excited. The donations they received from streaming in New York and the incentives from their professional gamer activities were plentiful to the point that they twisted their tongues, and they purchased about five or six items under the pretense of gifts and personal use. After finishing our shopping and feeling the weight of the bags, we chattered away in the lounge until just before our departure, and then we boarded the ne crossing the Pacific towards Incheon Airport. After that, nothing special happened. There wasn¡¯t much to do, and after some sightseeing, it¡¯s natural to get bored. What remained was food. ¡­The conclusion is a bit odd, but anyway, it was delicious. "What do you want to eat when you get back?" "Um¡­ I don¡¯t know. But honestly, I¡¯ve eaten a lot of Korean food in New York, so I don¡¯t have any particr cravings. Maybe Korean-style chicken?" "Calling it Korean-style chicken sounds really weird¡­."@@novelbin@@ More than that, why were theying over to my seat to chat? It was because the girls were seated together and the boys were seated together. Moreover, although it was called personal space, the structure was such that you could see each other if you left the door open, so they had been happily chatting until it reached this point¡ªthough the Icarus Gear''s soundproofing function yed its part to avoid disturbing others. Anyway, we return to the beginning. The ne had entered the airspace over the East Sea, and soon it wouldnd at Incheon Airport along the designated route. Outside, it was already dark since the sun had set. Today, the weather in both New York and Korea was nice. The time adjusted automatically as the date changed from January 1st to January 2nd. "Hey, hurry up and go sit in your seats. They say we¡¯rending soon." "Ugh!" The farthest seat, Dais, was yfully pushed into his seat by a light smack on his back, and Harmony lifted her tail to sit him down. It was time to prepare fornding officially. The lenses I wore all the time automatically downloaded GPS data, and every ce my gaze stopped was disyed in holograms, indicating where we were and the altitude. Although it was unnecessarily detailed, it also took away the thrill I had initially felt. But those thoughts were rendered meaningless as the ne touched down safely on the runway in just a few minutes, finallynding us on Korean soil. As reverse thrust started and our speed noticeably decreased, the gate that would take us to Incheon Airport lined up with the ne¡¯s door. As I stood up to leave, I saw two figures in uniforms waiting for us among the flight attendants. It was the captain and co-pilot, oh my. "I hope you had a pleasant journey." "Ah, thank you." "I¡¯ve heard the news. Congrattions on winning first ce in the Final Championship. Although I couldn¡¯t watch it since I was in flight, I kept up with the recorded videos during my breaks. It¡¯s truly an honor to be able to host the Korean representative team." And then we shook hands. Not just with me, but also with Dais, Mikael, Ink, Gambit, and even Harmony. It felt strange. News had spread so quickly. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop me from being preupied with finding my luggage as soon as I got off the ne. However, I was able to find my luggage without any major issues, and now all that was left was to exit Incheon Airport. "I wonder how many people will be waiting for us." "What was it likest year?" "Uh, there were more than I expected, but also fewer than I expected¡­? To think about it, since it¡¯s only been three years since it started, evenst year, it wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly crowded. But this year, it suddenly soared like crazy, so¡­ I think there will be a lot of people." In other words, it had only been three years? It was bizarre that a game based on my past had gained this much poprity, showing that there was still a lot of room for growth. With this level of poprity, I wondered if people would be moring for me to appear next year too. Of course, for now, that was just spection. We were close to reaching a point where we couldn¡¯t go back once we stepped out. The door that had yet to open was waiting for us. "I crossed that pathst year, and I wonder how it will be this year." I didn¡¯t respond particrly. After all, it was something you had to experience to know. I took a step forward. As I got closer to the door, my curiosity peaked. But it would soon be revealed¡ªand after a few seconds. The door opened. "Oh my." ©¤©¤©¤Click, click, click! ©¤©¤©¤Wo!!! The ce was packed with people. Left, right, and above were all waves of people. Hundreds, if not thousands, held up smartphones, waiting for us. Amid countless shes going off, I wore a confused expression as I didn¡¯t know what to do and simply waved my hand. Of course, at that moment, the security personnel who had moved slightly ahead of us, along with airport security, extended their hands to guide the way. Thus, the five of us, including myself, made our way to the photo point with nk expressions. In the midst of this, Harmony added with a dazed expression. "I wonder if it¡¯s okay for me to be here." "Since you came in first in the partner streamerpetition, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason you can¡¯t." "Then I¡¯ll shamelessly stand next to Eugene." She was indeed bold. I had no idea where they had procured this, but I was the first to grab a microphone. I didn¡¯t know how I ended up with this interview opportunity, but, well, I had to admit it was somewhat enjoyable. I took out the pure gold name tag, one of the prizes, from around my neck and raised the pure gold trophy that had been buried among my belongings with my tail. The response was explosive. At the peak of the cheers, I opened my mouth. "Hello everyone, I am Yujin, a member of the Korean representative team, and the reason I am able to return with this trophy." And the sound of cheers echoed through Incheon Airport as if it would burst our eardrums. Chapter 287 [Sports // General Sports // 2036-01-01] [Lifting the Final Championship trophy... Now is the era of ''Yujin''] [Reporter Kim Kang-hyuk] The Final Championship Korean representative yer Yujin (24) lifted the pure gold trophy that only the winner can possess. Leading the Korean representative team, Yujin dominated foreign yers at the 2035 3rd Final Championship held at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. Particrly, Yujin achieved victories in nearly half of the 14 matches held over five days, securing a solid first ce. With this, South Korea became the second country to produce a champion, following the United States. Immediately after returning to Korea, Yujin shared the joy of winning her first trophy with her team. Having been selected as a temporary coach by SSM Entertainment through scrims following the preseason rank in early autumn of 2035, Yujin consecutively imed the top spots in the preliminary rankings, KSM, and the Asian qualifiers. This season, South Korea was not in a favorable position. Last year, falling behind Japan and Russia, South Korea secured three tickets as the third ce in Asia without finding a clear breakthrough in skill. The results of tactical exchanges with other countries also diverged from expectations. As a result, the prevailing outlook was that the Korean team needed time to establish itself. However, starting from August, as the preseason approached its end, things began to change. The emerging Yujin yer achieved a miraculous feat of winning 16 out of 23 matches during a scrim session hosted by Xi Impressive, overwhelming the trainees and professional gamers participating as jokers from more than half of the ten teams that dered wildcards. Yujin¡¯s journey did not stop there. Having quickly surpassed the preliminary ranks, she gained enough points for promotion in the first cycle of KSM, and DICE, the so-called ''first pro-gamer disciple'' selected by SSM Entertainment, achieved promotion in the second cycle. After KSM concluded, Yujin entered individual training with selected yers from each team, and the Korean representative team easily defeatedst year''s strongholds, Russia and Japan, in the Asian qualifiers, avenging the previous year¡¯s results. One of the most dramatic scenarios of this Final Championship was the intense rivalry between the independent Yujin and Logan, a professional gamer from Orvital Gaming. In a pre-Final Championship interview, Logan imed to be a friend of Yujin, and after photos of him traveling between New York with Yujin and two unidentified individuals circted on social media (now deleted), his statements gained credibility. Yujin, too, had not denied this, and the im became widely epted as fact. However, friendship andpetition seemed separate, as Logan disyed skills befitting an EM-level manifestor (presumed) and secured second ce in the Final Championship with four match wins, following Yujin. Furthermore, Logan and Yujin faced each other as the final survivors a staggering ten times, which exceeded half of the total 14 matches of the Final Championship. In an interview shortly after her return, Yujin candidly shared some of her feelings during thepetition. Many were curious about how she maintained her psychological stability and controlled her condition, and she revealed, "It¡¯s crucial to have muscle memory that allows you to handle any situation and calcte the next move steadily." She also stated, "I didn¡¯t care much about winning. I only thought about exhausting all my abilities to incapacitate the enemy. Perhaps that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t feel particrly nervous, and that might have served as a pir of support for the Korean representative team." Shockingly, Yujin also mentioned in the interview after her return that her participation in the 4th Final Championship was uncertain. No official follow-up statement has been made, and the other Korean representatives who returned with her also did not provide any particr answers. > "Things are bustling just a few hourster. Is everyone that surprised that Yujin won¡¯t be participating in the tournament next year?" "Well, I¡¯ve been hinting at it indirectly, so it wouldn¡¯t surprise Dais and Harmony too much, but the others are different. That pressure will soone pouring down, so prepare yourselves." "I still can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯ll probably feel it soon, though¡­." "Haha. Anyway, I¡¯ll hang up now. I have a lot to organize." "Okay, see youter." tter, tter. It was quite themotion when I returned home after a long time. In front of my house, gifts sent by fans were piled up high¡ªthough I hadn¡¯t given my home address, they were delivered to a specific location that got forwarded to my house¡ªand letters were stacked in heaps. While I could check my mail in New York, it wasn''t a big deal. Anyway, it was New Year¡¯s. I sent texts to my family and friends, sharing good wishes. Of course, since my acquaintances were all limited, it was mostly the same stories repeated. Oddly enough, the members of Team Dagger were more enthusiastic than my family. Those who usually didn¡¯t contact me were making a fuss about whether I arrived safely. Thus, on January 2nd, after wrapping up the interview, I finally got to my house. Just likest time, the unmanned limousine bus dropped us off in front of each of our houses. Since all five of us lived in different ces, it took quite a while to get around, but it was still within Seoul. And upon arriving in front of my house, I discovered numerous packages, bringing the story back to the beginning. I had a lot to do. "I think I need to renew my gym membership." The problem was that I had to resolve all these packages before I could go. I recalled the time a few months ago when I brought Dais home and tore through various packages. Of course, I was alone now. Anyway, even if the tape and boxes were sturdy, they were still just tape. With a bit of effort, they would easily break apart. I neatly folded the boxes and set them outside, while organizing the contents in the living room. There were more ordinary items than I expected. Towels, perfumes, soap, fountain pens, a snow globe¡­ why is that even here? There were also diffusers and clothes¡­ the clothes looked decent. Since they were free size, I could wear themfortably at home, and there were also traditional sweets. It seemed there was a lot. Fortunately, it seemed that no perishable food items had been sent, thanks to my earlier warnings. ''¡­Since there¡¯s an empty room, should I use it as a gift storage room?'' Or perhaps I could rewrap the gifts I didn¡¯t need and give them away to viewerster. It felt a bit wrong to keep hoarding things I couldn¡¯t even use. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be polite to re-gift something to the person who gave it, so I should set a gift guideline as quickly as possible. That way, this kind of mishap wouldn¡¯t happen again.@@novelbin@@ Thus, the gift list was divided into items to be repackaged and those to be used at home. Still, towels, perfumes, soap, fountain pens, diffusers, and clothes were all things I could use. The snow globe could be kept at home. The traditional sweets or New Year¡¯s food gift set could be brought out for snack time during an IRL stream. After all, I had a broadcast nned for tonight, so I could eat them then. Having cheerfully finished organizing, it was already 10 PM. The gym I used to go to was open 24/7, so going now wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Coincidentally, I was feeling quite hungry, so it should be fine. I mixed various things into the shaker, added milk, and shook it. Since I used almost everything that went inside as energy, there was no reason for me to gain weight. So, I quickly got dressed and went out. It was dark outside, but fortunately, it hadn¡¯t gotten worse. There was no wind, no snow, and no rain, making it quite a normal day. The gym wasn¡¯t far away. It was located in the shopping area connected to the apartment basement, so it wouldn¡¯t take more than a few minutes to get there. While the activity was sparse, it wasn¡¯tpletely absent. There were certainly people working outte at night¡ªmany trainers usually set their workout times around this hour. Maybe because of that, there was no one at the counter. I pressed the back of my phone just in case, but it only showed that my membership had expired. Of course, "Ah, Yujin! Oh my gosh, I was just watching your airport interview, how did you get here so quickly?" "I actually took my time doing things at home, so I came a bitte. How have you been?" "Oh, we¡¯re always about the same. Anyway, congrattions on taking first ce in the finals! I was thinking I should give you a significant discount service. You came because of the expired membership, right?" "That¡¯s right. And the service is fine." Why go that far? Anyway, after handing over my card and processing the payment, the manager, who had been at the counter, spoke with a somewhat awkward expression. "By the way, if you¡¯re going to keep using it, you might want toe a bit earlier or work outte like this¡­ other times are crowded with other people." "Oh dear." "Or, if there¡¯s an empty space, I could separate it into a room for you? Like a VIP room." "Haha, what a joke." Unfortunately, the answer did note back. "¡­Really?" "If I could borrow Yujin¡¯s name to put up a promotional sign, it would be absolutely possible." Of course, I didn¡¯t appear out of nowhere as a home gym¡­ but I couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of a personal gym. In that moment, I suddenly had my own personal space right in the middle of the gym. "¡­Ah, ah. Nice to meet you all. It¡¯s great to greet you again after a long time. I just returned from breathing in the air of America. It really has a different vor from the air in Korea."
  • Yujin is back! ! ! ! ! ! !
  • Wow, how long has it been? Hahaha!
  • Is she rambling again as soon as she gets back? LOL
  • She just returned from America (skipping the boring bits)
  • Hey, why didn¡¯t you mention that you won? Hahaha!
January 2nd, 12 AM. The stream started quitete. In fact, it was the result of my efforts to start as early as possible. Aftering back from the gym and showering, I realized that two hours was surprisingly short. Even after trying to simplify everything, it seemed I had gotten home quitete. Anyway, the important thing was not that; I should be grateful that I turned it on at all. Thinking roughly like that, I rummaged through a package and found some choctes. It was a 32-piece chocte box made by a very famous brand. If it were summer, it would have spoiled or melted in no time, but since it had been left in the cold hallway during winter, it was still intact. After popping one into my mouth and crunching it with my mrs, the hard exterior crumbled, releasing a sweet syrup-like chocte. Maybe it was thete-night snack feel or the replenishing sugar after a workout, but it tasted especially great. Of course, aside from that, there was something I needed to read. "Um, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re here, but¡­ this chocte was sent with a letter from Taesan is high, but Yujin is low. Since the nickname is like this, I¡¯ll express my gratitude at about 66% instead of the usual 50%. I would appreciate it if you used a more decent nickname next time. The chocte is really delicious."
  • Nickname, LOL
  • I saw Dongtan beauty hunter Yujin about two months ago in another room, wow.
  • Those wicked nicknames would¡¯ve changed if they had seen the finals; their intestines would be twisted, LOL!
  • Oh no, I need to change my nickname right now, haha.
  • Hey, why are you predicting a bloodbath as soon as youe back?
What on earth is the Dongtan beauty hunter nickname? The chat was zooming by, but my overly observant eyes did not miss that nickname. So, since we were at it, I decided to explore viewers¡¯ nicknames a bit¡ªmost were decent, but among them were some random ones like Sad X Nipple Syndrome and Pyeongtaek Protein Warehouse Mass Thief Yujin. I suddenly felt a loss of words. I had intended to share behind-the-scenes stories about the Final Championship today, but thanks to these jokes, I couldn¡¯t proceed with the content. With a small sigh, I added, "I¡¯ll give you five minutes now; if you feel a bit guilty about your nickname, hurry and change it. I¡¯ll check again in five minutes."
  • Dom Hwang Cha! ! ! ! ! !
  • Bloodbath (literal)
  • You¡¯re going to stand there not changing your nickname in front of someone chiseling a concrete wall with just a hammer? That¡¯s cutting off your head, LOL!
  • Oh no, Yujin is executing a bloodbath as soon as she returns to the stream!!!!!!
  • Nope, I won¡¯t change it, even if I die! (rushing to the settings)
Of course, even as I said that, the viewers didn¡¯t decrease; they only increased. Anyway, I figured it was time to share some behind-the-scenes stories, so I secretly activated the Icarus Gear and cut some footage from the past three weeks that had been recorded. Of course, the storage was on the Icarus International server. In the past, we had recorded the results of engagements like this and debriefed on how things went. I disyed the first photo. It showed the exterior and interior of the unmanned limousine bus that had transported us to Incheon Airport. I realized that Dais and Harmony should have been there to share the full story, which I had overlooked. I¡¯d have to call themter. Aside from that, there was something more important. "This chair has my name embroidered on it. And my seat has a hole poked in it, of course, for tail storage." At the same time, I scanned the chat with hawk-like eyes¡­ no, more like a vulture. How long had it been? "I caught it." "Kyahhh!" "Where do you see this as a toilet?" I figured one or two people would talk about the bathroom, so I quickly put on the device around my neck, activated VR, switched to virtual reality, and activated the interview function to catch the viewer. The gaze they had showed they were very aware of what they had said. Given the anxiety and unease in their eyes, they knew they had messed up. But knowing you did something wrong and paying the price for it werepletely different matters. At least, that¡¯s what I thought. "I hope you¡¯ll be reborn as a clean viewer." "Ugh!" ng! One viewer got hit with a "shut up!" and in no time, the chat exploded into chaos. Of course, there was no reason for me to miss this atmosphere. "Among the nicknames you¡¯ve given me, there¡¯s also Big Sister. I can see everything. You all should always be cautious."
  • Hahahahahaha!
  • Really thorough, LOL!
  • Are you thinking of choking me with your tail, teacher?
  • For you, it seems like your neck will be choked until it snaps, haha.
  • You said it was a storytelling stream! You said it was a storytelling stream! You said it was a storytelling stream! You said it was a storytelling stream! You said it was a storytelling stream!
Sigh. As that statement went, my storytelling stream wasn¡¯t even five minutes in before it was going up in smoke instead of staying on the topic of Incheon Airport. These mischievous little devils. Chapter 288 "Your expression is quite discontented." "True. I¡¯ve never been this eager for a return before." Traveling down the North American coastline through Phdelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Unless it was a major city, America¡¯s main roads were quiet, and the path crossed by the Range Rover carrying the three members of Team Dagger was no exception. The grass, mountains, rivers, and asionally visible small towns only hinted that they were moving, albeit slowly. After the Final Championship, everyone returned to their respective ces. They were no exception. Rorentina, who had taken nearly four weeks off, had to return to DEVGRU, and Anthony Owens, who belonged to the same unit, had to do the same. Only Logan, who was essentially jobless until Delta issued orders, had nothing pressing to do. Of course, she knew how to make better use of her time and resources rather than spending it boringly in a penthouse in New York, and this was the result. She willingly offered her Range Rover to drop off Rorentina and Owens¡ªit was almost like they were carpooling, but practically, it made little difference. And so we return to the beginning. "Is it because you¡¯ve tasted the mundane world?" "Well, I suppose that could be said¡­ these past three weeks were the most stimting days of my life." The first destination was Norfolk, Rorentina¡¯s destination. A grand journey of 600 km. Not only was the road wide open and refreshing, but the unavoidable time loss from passing through major American cities meant that those who had left at 6 AM were still only two-thirds of the way to their destination by 11 AM, approaching noon. Of course, there was no major issue. In a world where self-driving wasmonce, there was no need for the person in the driver¡¯s seat to hold the steering wheel and maneuver here and there. In reality, Logan, the vehicle¡¯s owner, reclined his seat all the way back and leaned back instead of gripping the wheel. In that position, the conversation continued. "I wonder when I¡¯ll be able toe out. Of course, since a new year has started, there shouldn¡¯t be major issues with future vacation usage¡­." "You should save as much as you can. The youngest isn¡¯t going to suddenlye to the U.S. to y games, so we¡¯ll have to go find him ourselves from now on." "It looks like I¡¯ll spend all the money I¡¯ve saved on ne tickets." "That guy, with apany to run¡­ he could at least ask for the cost of a ticket to Korea." "Isn¡¯t that a rather disgraceful thing to do?" Naturally, Logan didn¡¯t mean it seriously. Asughter passed between them, Rorentina spoke up. "By the way, since we¡¯re talking about the youngest, his stream started a few minutes ago." "The youngest is streaming?" "Yeah. Everyone was still fast asleep, so I didn¡¯t notice¡­ well, the senior officer is still asleep, though." The two began to sift through their memories. They weren¡¯t trying to recall anything particrly important. Strictly speaking, they were just thinking about whether they had ever watched the youngest¡¯s streams¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t much. It was probably just a couple of times. They couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued. Without even coordinating, both immediately logged onto the Tricky site. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a streaming channel site had no connections in life. Thus, their subscription list only had one name. Of course, even if it had none, it wouldn¡¯t have been a significant issue, as Yujin was currently at the top of the list among ongoing tournaments or New Year¡¯s special broadcasts. Real-time viewers: 500,000. It was as if the entire poption of a decent-sized city had gathered to watch Yujin''s stream. "To think that¡¯s all viewership. There are people making money on YouSpace, so it must be for a reason. Maybe she¡¯s earning close to three times my sry in a single day¡­." "Are you nning to stream too?" "We¡¯re not in the position to stream; we¡¯re more like the ones attacking terrorists upying the broadcasting station." "Haha." It was indeed a morbid joke. However, it wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. What special forces do is precisely that¡ªthough it was also somewhat realistic since they had dealt with terrorists upying broadcasting stations in the past. Amidst such unsettling talk, the two became immersed in the fact that there were 500,000 viewers. They were assigned to the chat and began to engage actively. In the midst of this, a ding sound rang out. It wasn¡¯t from Logan and Rorentina¡¯s devices but from where Yujin was streaming live. At that moment, the expressions of those involved stiffened. Then, they quickly typed, and a message popped up in the Team Dagger chatroom.
  • [Eugene: This is a game rmended by the viewers.]
  • [Eugene: Seriously.]
"¡­Our youngest has a rather unique taste in games." "That¡¯s a bit dizzying." Poop Hunter. Rorentina and Logan learned that there was a game featuring a poop-killing monster that punishes those who have not flushed the toilet in this world. Of course, no one would want to know about that. "¡­Well then, since the mood has settled down a bit, let¡¯s get back to the stories from that time."
  • "Settling down, LOL!"
  • "I¡¯m losing my mind here, LOL."
  • "Saying you¡¯re settling down actually makes me like you more, ."
  • "Yujin special) Doesn¡¯t care at all about viewers'' feelings."
  • "No wonder I felt she was ying a terrible game all of a sudden, LOL."
Poop Hunter. Ending a game that sounded like it would smell just from the name concluded the brief settling down. When you cram hundreds of thousands of people with amon denominator into one corner of a chat room, all sorts of nonsense arise, and especially since I had just arrived in Korea a few hours ago, I was the center of attention, a blue-chip rising to the heavens. Therefore, if you let the viewers run wild, it¡¯s only natural that more people would start expecting something more. Young chicks will eat whatever the mother bird gives them as long as it¡¯s not something they cannot eat at all, but human greed knows no bounds. And so, I only awakened the hearts of those young chicks. Furthermore, the game itself wasn¡¯t even one I had rmended; it was one that had received the most rmendations from the game rmendation category on my personal Tricky website. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to include such a terrible game in my game library, so I created another ount to keep it separate. Yeah. Once you know the context, you can understand why I suddenly yed such a ridiculous game. Of course¡­ ''¡­I never expected the seniors who didn¡¯t know the context woulde in to watch the stream all of a sudden¡­!'' Because of that, I had to give a rification that was utterly unnecessary. Whether these people would believe me was uncertain, but it was still better than saying nothing at all. If I hadn¡¯t even offered an exnation, my chances of being branded as a weird vyan who likes strange games by Logan and Rorentina would have been significantly higher. Though I felt it was already a bit toote for that¡­ Anyway, after about 30 minutes of ying that terrible game, I switched back to AFK mode. My real body moved normally again. As the virtual reality mode turned on, the chair that had been converted to allow me to lie down returned to its original form. The box of leftover choctes caught my eye again. I popped one into my mouth and popped up a photo on the stream screen. It disyed the grand Incheon Airport Terminal 2. While the airport itself couldn¡¯t be called a major topic, as soon as services for first ss started to appear, which I suspected not many of those currently crowding the chat had experienced, everyone began to exim in admiration. "¡­This is the first-ss check-in counter. This is what it looks like inside, and the next photo shows the various refreshments brought by the staff. Of course, they were delicious."
  • "Woww!"
  • "This is insane, LOL!"
  • "It looks like a modern pce, LOL!"
  • "There¡¯s no one there at all, Lezande."
  • "I want to be in first ss too, damn it!!!!!!"
"Next is the inspection of items and bodies, so I can¡¯t show you that, but let¡¯s quickly move to the inside of the first-ss lounge." At that, even more "wow" responses flooded the chat. It couldn¡¯t be helped; the facilities were impressive. Thinking back, it was more like a small buffet than an actual lounge. That was probably the original intent. I then began to show the various things I had eaten there. There was a whole abalone porridge, delicious grilled short ribs, fruits and sds, cup noodles and kimchi, poached eggs¡­ of course, I ordered the abalone porridge three times. As there were three different angles of abalone porridge photos, someone chimed in, seemingly incredulous.
  • "I asked you to tell me what you did in America, and all you¡¯re showing me is food photos, why?! Hahaha!"
"Thank you for the donation, Snake Tail. But everyone, what you bring back from a trip is always food. I know it¡¯s a bit inappropriate to show food photos at this hour, but I hope you understand."
  • "Fact) Even if you don¡¯t understand, you¡¯re going to show it anyway."
  • "Why are you only showing food?! Hahaha!"
  • "Did you announce that you wouldn¡¯t serve food in first ss, teacher? Hahaha!"
  • "Damn you, Vyan, ."
  • "This is just ridiculous, LOL!"
These days, it seemed that even eating a lot got you looks of disbelief. Of course, humanity''s three basic needs had long since be content in this society. And no matter what these people said, my food photos weren¡¯t about to end. Ignoring the outcry of the viewers, I briefly showed the inside of the duty-free shop, followed by photos depicting the inside of first ss on the flight to America. The first-ss seat with my name on it had a storage space for my tail, unlike the other seats. I exined that as well before quickly scanning the chat. Naturally, this time, there were a plethora of people yelling that they wanted to smash their heads in, calling it a toilet, and as a response to their kindness, I hit them with a wide area 10-minute ban. Damn fools. "This is not your everyday banter, everyone. If you create this much noise, I can¡¯t help but react. So please stay quiet for ten minutes."
  • "Wow, look at how quickly people are getting deleted, Hahaha!"
  • "7,000 people simultaneously banned for ten minutes is terrifying!"
  • "Phew, I almost made a joke, but I held back, LOL!"
  • "I¡¯m watching the stream while dozing off, I win this round!"
  • "Reward (passive y)."
As always, the chat quickly quieted down. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it was truly silent; it just meant the frequency of nonsense chatter had decreased. Meanwhile, the screen showed an airne preparing for takeoff. The roar of the aircraft soared, and the ground quickly receded. Only after reaching a high enough altitude to capture the entire skyline of Seoul did the ne turn toward the East Sea. Just a few minutester, the aircraft entered the airspace over the East Sea and began its long journey toward America. Of course, the next thing I would show was the meal photos. Unlike the usual airne meals, they looked more like a course meal. Everyone seemed to understand that part, but when I mentioned that I ate ramen four times during the 16-hour flight, the viewers erupted intoughter.
  • "At this point, when another first-ss passenger asked for ramen, they probably had to say they were out, LOL!"
"Thank you for the donation. Of course, I asked just in case, and they told me they loaded about 30 packets of ramen onto the flight. So I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a big problem."
  • "30 packets sound like a lot, but since it¡¯s Vyan, it doesn¡¯t seem that much, LOL!"
  • "Fact) If I ate four times, it¡¯s actually on the lower end."
  • "For what Yujin ate, it doesn¡¯t seem that much, LOL!"
  • "Considering the different times of the photos, it seems like she really ate a lot, LOL!"
  • "But it does look delicious."
As I chatted about this and that, it was almost 3 AM. In the midst of it, when someone mentioned what I had done in America, I kindly added. "If I go on about what happened in America like this, I might get into it in just a few hours, but if we start talking about the soloing stories from the Final Championship, it¡¯ll take at least three days."
  • "?????????????"
  • "If you¡¯re curious, just keep watching, ."
  • "Are you not going to reveal it right away? Is it a daily story serialization? Hahaha!"
  • "This is insane, LOL!"
  • "Yujin, at this rate, you might just copse in the chat!!!!"
Of course, that didn¡¯t hold any water. In this world, there was a sequence and order to things, and if there¡¯s a cause, there¡¯s also an effect. The storytelling stream wouldn¡¯t stop, but I never said I would reveal everything today¡ªthough the viewers would be going crazy, that didn¡¯t mean I would be.@@novelbin@@ In the midst of that, a message flew in through the EnGram.
  • [Laurentina: The youngest bes quite the troublemaker when streaming.]
¡­Why is that a troublemaker? Anyway, if you¡¯re really curious about something, it might be good to go ask Harmony when she streamster. Unlike me, she might provide a different story. Though I didn¡¯t say that out loud. As I calcted when I should push Logan and Rorentina regarding the Invasion mission, my mouth began to describe the past events depicting the Korean representative teamnding at JFK Airport in New York. Of course, it was gettingte. There was nothing more to be done. Since today¡¯s stream was meant to be a service, it would be problematic if I stayed up toote. "I¡¯ll talk about the arrival at the airport, the movement to the amodation, and the location and internal facilities of the amodation during the first part of the storytelling broadcast tomorrow. I think I¡¯ve eaten quite a bit of chocte, so I¡¯m feeling sleepy." At the same time, I waved my tail toward the drone cam. "Goodnight to all of you." The cam turned off. And¡ª
  • "The pure evil Yujin, LOL!"
  • "This person must really be crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
  • "Hey, teacher, if you treat the viewers this way without a basis, we might lose our minds, haha!"
  • "I¡¯m eating, and suddenly all the dishes are cleared away, LOL!"
  • "Vyan, my head is dizzy, and my chest feels tight, ah!!!!!!!"
Goodnight, indeed. The nearly 500,000 viewers were all thrown out of Vyan¡¯s embrace. It was the same old routine. Chapter 289 "Ugh¡­." 12 PM. I had slept deeply. I could have slept more, but my stomach was crying out for food. Anyway, this body sends immediate feedback when I don¡¯t eat, which is quite annoying. After downing a ss of high-calorie shake I had prepared before bed, I felt somewhat alive¡ªit was based on a Chicago cake shake. To maintain my basal metabolic rate, I had to drink something like this three times a day. Of course, it wasn¡¯t about my active metabolic rate; it was strictly my basal metabolic rate. It was quite the mess. The local bakery would have prepared a chocte cake for me just by my entering. Just a few months ago, I was still hearing, ¡°Student, if you eat like that, it¡¯ll be a disaster¡­.¡± Now, they prepare it without a word. "What should I eat for lunch?" Since I had been away from home for three weeks, there was nothing edible in the fridge. Food doesn¡¯t spoil in three weeks, but I purposely didn¡¯t stock up on anything, just in case. In short, there was nothing to eat at home. Let¡¯s order something for the main meal. I should do some grocery shoppingter. I ordered about two hamburgers and flopped onto the sofa. There were quite a few things I needed to do. "Let¡¯s see." First, I needed to check my umted emails. It wasn¡¯t just about new messages; I also had to review the important emails that had been moved to a separate folder and had gone unread. Things like sponsorships, coboration requests, or guest invitations. Of course, they were all decent offers, as the emails had already been filtered through aw firm. Among them were also a couple of game advertisements. One was for a mobile game that didn¡¯t look appealing at all, so it went straight to the trash. The second one was for a fantasy game that, while not as popr as Dark Zone, had a considerable fan base¡­ should I call it that? Anyway, it was a game where users fought while wielding melee weapons. Unlike other streamers, I wasn¡¯t a partner streamer or a Dark Zone ambassador, so it seemed they reached out via email. Of course, I felt a bit hesitant to jump right in, but I nned to give it a try either solo or during a streamter. Besides that, there were quite a few requests for coborations and guest appearances, and many were from food channels. I had received food sponsorships in the past, and perhaps that was why they were reaching out now. There was even a list of foods that could be prepared. I thought that might be alright. Since I couldn¡¯t amodate everyone¡¯s requests, I decided to hold off for a moment. The most important things at this point were coordinating the One Chip Challenge coboration with Harmony and Dais and scheduling with Rorentina and Logan. If I couldn¡¯t reach a decent agreement, it might be difficult to include guests. Of course, the other side might also be engaged in different content by then, so I wouldn¡¯t expect too much. Ding! Well, since I thought of it, should I contact them? The Icarus Gear quietly activated. A hologram floated in the air, and the message was automatically typed. I created a new room for just Logan and Rorentina and sent a silent message asking when they thought they¡¯d be avable. Naturally, there was no immediate response. It was currently 1 AM in America, a time when most people were sleeping. If that was the case, I would just lighten their load forter. "What was thest mission I did before departing¡­?" Operation Northsphere, ck Division, Caduceus, and Apollyon had all beenpleted, so thest one must have been the Lost Archive operation. Thinking about it, the naming sense for missions in America was quite random. Just from hearing them, one couldn¡¯t guess the contents at all. It seemed more like the beginning of a paragraph or theme one might find when opening a random fantasy novel rather than a mission name. Anyway, it was unclear what mission woulde next. But given the passage of time, it seemed likely to be either Operation Chariot or Bluefield. The former was a cleanup operation on the Mexico border¡ªotherwise known as annihting all encountered enemies¡ªand thetter was the final operation to eradicate all Russian influence remaining in the Northeast U.S. If that were the case, I could assume both and start moving from now. There was still plenty of time before the hamburgers arrived, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to take it easy. "Operation Chariot¡­ thinking back, how did we do that?" After boarding the transport ne in New York andnding at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana, we took a helicopter to Houston for local reconnaissance. From there, it was endless helicopter travel, rounding up the drug cartels that crossed over from Mexico. As I recall, this was when the kill count for our Team Dagger literally skyrocketed. Over the course of the operation, whichsted fifteen days, we turned nearly 9,000 people into cold corpses. The Gulf Cartel near San Antonio and Houston, as well as the Sinaloa Cartel, which controlled most of the border region, were practically dismantled. Of course, about a quarter of that was close-quarters kills. Anyway, the operation crossing from east to west along the U.S.-Mexico border to San Diego was Operation Chariot. The name indicated that it involved a full-on charge, hence the title. And the second operation was Bluefield. It involved sinking two Kusov-ss aircraft carriers and two Sturm-ss destroyers into the sea. As far as I remember, since it was impossible to sink one with just one team, we had to split into at least two groups to capture both aircraft carriers simultaneously. Naturally, the roughly 1,000 crew members left inside were all turned into fish food. Once we had taken control of both, we would then demolish thework through the Icarus Gear and fire 30 of the 40 Granite missiles loaded onto both Kusov-ss carriers at the two Sturm-ss destroyers, turning them into scrap metal, while the remaining 10 rounds would be fired at nearby Russian military bases andmand centers, obliterating everything in sight. Naturally, I was here because that mission had also been sessfullypleted. "But I wonder if it will go as smoothly this time." The ten-member Team Dagger had split into two units to infiltrate one aircraft carrier each, so it was possible. But I would need to take Logan, Rorentina, and¡­ I wondered if Harmony would join too. In any case, infiltrating two aircraft carriers with just four people was practically a suicide mission. On top of that, there was a sort of time limit, meaning we needed a minimally verified force. If I were to include Dais, that made five¡­ and at least one more person with skillsparable to mine was needed. Otherwise, we would have to fill out the full ten members for the operation. While I was thinking about this, a text suddenly came in.
  • [Laurentina: Where did we leave off?]
Did this person not sleep? It was unbelievable, but I promptly replied with quick and diligent answers.
  • [Eugene: We finished at Operation Lost Archive. The next mission will probably be Chariot or Bluefield.]
  • [Laurentina: I just woke up and have no idea what the missions are, so tell me briefly.]
  • [Eugene: Chariot was an operation in hot Mexico, while Bluefield was about destroying all aircraft carriers. I think we¡¯ll probably do thetter first¡­.]
  • [Laurentina: Ah, what¡¯s the problem?]
  • [Eugene: The number of people needed.]
A brief silence. Then came another message.
  • [Laurentina: Unless the youngest buys the senior officer a connection device or something, hehe.]
  • [Laurentina: (Emoticon of a sharkughing).]
Of course, I had more than enough resources to do that. Chuckling, I added to the EnGram.
  • [Eugene: Logan, when you wake up, please let me know your zip code for the senior officer.]
It seemed the time had finallye to involve the senior officer in the game. Laurentinaughed in the chat as if she had expected this, and I was no different. After a brief chuckle, Laurentina added a few more words. She mentioned that it seemed she would be running around for about a week. After that, she said she would probably have some time avable. Logan was sound asleep, so there was no response, but that meant I would need to try to align the schedule roughly for at least a week or two. If it didn¡¯t work, I could ask Cirkin, who was currently on a monthly leave. As a subordinatemander, his skills were surely beyond average. Thus, I roughly wrapped up the mission details as well. Ding dong! "Yes, I¡¯ming." It was the arrival of the hamburger delivery. As I opened the door and received the food, a single One Chip that had crossed over from America caught my eye on the table. I realized that I didn¡¯t have much time left to use this. It was probably time to invite Harmony and Dais over for a New Year¡¯s party under the pretext of a gathering. Thinking that, I left a greeting for Laurentina, who was going back to sleep, and then sent messages to Harmony and Dais.
  • [Eugene: This weekend, I¡¯m challenging the One Chip Challenge. Let¡¯s coborate then.]
With that, I sent the message to the group chat. I didn¡¯t check for replies. My long-awaited lunch was about to begin. "¡­Finally, it hase¡­." Around the same time, Harmony, who had woken up, checked her phone and let out a low groan. But she couldn¡¯t go alone. She smiled and added.
  • [Harmony: Can I bring along my close friends? Hehehehe.]
Limit, Kim Stone, and Hodduk. Pain is always more enjoyable when shared. After sending that message to Yujin, Harmony¡¯s next stop was the Pyeongmangchi Brothers¡¯ group EnGram chatroom.
  • [Streamer ''Harmony'' // ON AIR]
  • [Dark Zone Gamer finally returns to New York, yay~]
  • "Hey, teacher, don¡¯t set the bar so high as a gamer. Change the title, please!"
"Thank you, When the steames out of my head! Of course, I won¡¯t change the title; I¡¯m still a gamer at heart¡­." "Really? You?" Why¡­ had rumors about me spread this far¡­? I hadn¡¯t even been a Dark Zone newbie for six months yet, and people were making such outrageous ims¡ªthough the moment I opened my mouth to refute, Limit, Hodduk, and Kim Stone all nodded. It was much closer to them nodding at the donations rather than my words. The tens of thousands of viewers in the chat didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of taking my words seriously. The three in front of me didn¡¯t seem inclined to do so either. "Why would I? I still have a long way to go." "Stop it, Harmony¡­." "You¡¯re going to end up missing the streamer friendly match happening in early January because of you."@@novelbin@@ "Ugh." I had basic awareness. I didn¡¯tpletely miss the fact that all this was due to my skills having risen significantly. While I stood unashamedly before the viewers, the reality had to be faced. Of course, I hadn¡¯t anticipated that the result of facing that reality would be a full inbox of club recruitment offers. But it was something I needed to think about, whether I wanted to outright refuse to be a pro gamer. Life is always unpredictable, and if I continued to maintain my skills, the offers would keeping in. Anyway, everyone was aware of that fact. Although I hadn¡¯t stated it outright, various clubs had made their New Year¡¯s operational ns public in January, and among them, the repeated mentions of recruiting talented individuals were noticeable. And I was the first to be directly taught by Yujin, even before Dais. "So, I just have to work hard to give advice, right?" "You¡¯re not advising; you¡¯re putting them through harsh training." "But if I don¡¯t do that, how can we win?" "Is this Harmony, or is it Yujin¡¯s clone¡­?" Ah, right. Speaking of Yujin, I suddenly remembered the avatar I had received as a giftst time. I quickly went into the avatar adjustment section and equipped "that." As the skirt fluttered up, a green tail began to wriggle. With everyone¡¯s eyes widening in surprise, I proudly announced. "I have this avatar too!" "Pfft!" "With cat ears on my head and a snake tail on my butt, this is the end times. Truly the end times." "Hey! Gross! Put it away quickly!" "Ugh¡­."
  • "Ew, LOL!"
  • "Cat with a snake tail? I actually like it."
  • "The color coordination is so dizzying, LOL!"
  • "Why is Dais and Harmony matching their personal colors with the tail colors? LOL!"
  • "It would have been interesting if you didn¡¯t have cat ears."
Yujin¡¯s tail attached to her butt looked great and beautiful, but why was mine like this? Anyway, I remembered that Dais had mentioned it during a stream with Yujin at some point, and now I too had made that connection, so maybe the three of us were bonded through our tails¡ªwhile I pondered such nonsensical thoughts, I spected that perhaps this avatar might be a trending essory for skilled yers someday. While I was excitedly chatting with the Pyeongmangchi crew after a long time,
  • "Hey, teacher! You¡¯re being too stingy with the stories about your time in America!!!! I want to hear about the trophy ceremony, but you¡¯re still talking about arriving at JFK Airport!!!!!!"
"Hi¡­." Of course, no one could change our teacher¡¯s stubbornness. After observing the chat a little more closely, I saw that she had directly mentioned that ¡°If you wait for about three days, everyone will be able to hear it.¡± If that¡¯s the case, what can I do? I¡¯ll just have to wait for three days. Of course, I said that without a single mistake, and I again received the title of Yujin MK.2. Fortunately, I was now able to ept that as apliment. Anyway, after the mention of Yujin, the topic naturally flowed in that direction. "By the way, about the One Chip Challenge, why did Yujin suddenly get into that?" "Someone gave it to me as a gift while I was in America. It would be a waste to throw it away, and she mentioned doing it as a prize at the New Year¡¯s party." "What¡¯s so special about it that it became a prize¡­?" "I got a replica Icarus wristwatch as a reward for clearing the hardcore modest time." "Huh." In that instant, the expressions of Limit and Hodduk changed. Both suddenly started searching for something on the inte, and when I peeked at the contents, I saw¡ª "How to build tolerance to spiciness¡­ oh my." "How could you endure this!" "Listen well, Harmony. No one can endure the rewards for hardcore mode." "Ugh." It seemed quite trivial to me, but I wondered what was so great about it. I opened my mouth in disbelief. "If I wore the Baxter I got for being first in the partner streamer tournament, you¡¯d go crazy." "¡­?"
  • "What is she even talking about? Hahaha!"
  • "Who¡¯s offering a Porsche for the One Chip Challenge, you crazy person!"
  • "Seriously, are you not nning to involve viewer participation? I¡¯ll go even with a numbed tongue, LOL!"
  • "A crazy person above a crazy person is showing up, ."
  • "Wow, suddenly raising the stakes this high, LOL!"
¡­Did I go too far? I realized that I had experienced an ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m looking at this strange person¡± gaze that I had never seen in my life before. This was all Yujin¡¯s fault. Chapter 290 "Thank you for the interview!" "You really worked hard¡­!" It''s busy. So busy. Although my face was smiling, I let out a long sigh internally. The more tangled the world is and the more external factors there are that secure one¡¯s ce, the more one gets dragged along. What this means is that, well, Dais¡ªI am currently part of SSM Entertainment. It¡¯s an entertainmentpany that manages celebrities, artists, and professional gamers, meaning I¡¯m officially affiliated with the team. The sry and incentives that go into my wallete from their pockets, and the building where I secure my lodging also belongs to the team, along with the practice rooms and all sorts of amenities¡ªof course, having achieved the incredible result of 4th ce in the Final Championship (essentially 2nd ce, excluding Yujin and Logan), my treatment has greatly improvedpared to before. In any case, I was legally tied to these people. When interview offerse in, I still have to oblige. A result that no one in Korea could have produced, except for one person, had flown all the way from New York, so I could technically decide whether to execute these schedules at my discretion, but¡­. Isn¡¯t this just a bit too much? ¡°¡­Has ourpany really grown this much?¡± "Indeed. It''s also more likely because of the urgent schedules organized by the entertainment side. There are many people lined up who don¡¯t want to miss this opportunity." "Thanks to that, I¡¯ve had the chance to see so many people who appear on TV." Boy groups, girl groups, artists, actors, PDs, and producers¡­ SSM¡¯s main focus was indeed this area. It all started here, after all. With the emergence of the game Dark Zone, the esports pie suddenly expanded wildly, and now the gaming sector upies over 40% on its own. Anyway, no one would be particrly curious about ourpany¡¯s history. The point I wanted to make was that I had returned home less than four days ago, yet I had already been busy with all sorts of New Year¡¯s schedules. Of course, I wasn¡¯t being dragged along. Professional gamers are a hybrid creation formed by a mix of gaming skills and fan poprity, and I had no intention of denying that. But I never thought so many influencers and celebrities woulde together just for me. "¡­Every time someone I appeared with asks, ''Have you heard our song?'' I end up with no answer, so it was quite embarrassing." "Haha. Why not start listening from now on?" "I¡¯ve been so distracted that I really can¡¯t¡­." It¡¯s not that I only like the sounds of beans frying and metal grinding or explosions, but I guess I don¡¯t have the time to listen to music. Of course, my taste shifting towards military themes had quite an impact too. Especially while training with Yujin, as my action adjustments had converged to zero, I became more ustomed to actually handling metal, such as firearms¡­. I never expected them to bring replica guns during the interview. "I never thought I¡¯d be doing CQB even during an interview." "I remember everyone really enjoyed it, so it should be fine, right?" "I was quite stunned." Given that I had worn a rather calm outfit, I never thought we¡¯d be doing something like that. Anyway, since I had practiced a lot in VR, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. There was no need for nervousness or reason, and I showcased a series of skills, adjusting the stock, loading, tweaking the joystick, swapping magazines, and various other techniques with great effort. Of course, unlike in virtual reality, my real body was weak itself, so my arm hurt a bit from that short demonstration and the CQBbat scenarios. And now, back to the present. I figured that by now, aside from me, Ink, Gambit, and Michael must also be in simr situations. At this point, it seemed those without entanglements were the least busy. Harmony was probably still appearing on shows here and there due to requests sent by the Icarus Korean branch under the title of partner streamer, receiving interviews and picking up cars and whatnot, but¡­. Perhaps Yujin was the least busy. Given her personality, I didn¡¯t think she would intentionally take time to appear on interviews or programs, nor was she affiliated with a team. It was quite enviable that she, as the champion, was the most rxed while the rest of us were busily caught up in everything. Was this what we called responsibility-free pleasure? Of course, I only thought that for a moment, and it didn¡¯t mean that it was true. Everyone inherently has their own struggles. "Ugh¡­." It was a tumultuous time. Only the eye of the storm was calm. Those interested in Dark Zone, whether online or offline, were chattering about the game. Not only the esports channels on the inte but also all sorts of articles echoed this. The world was in a state of chaos as a continuing trend, and despite the cold weather in Korea, it was noisier than ever during the New Year. I wondered how many schedules I had left. Of course, I might have said that due to the hectic situation, as I blurted it out without thinking. "There are four next week. Three the week after. After reviewing the program content, you can cancel anything that seems impossible." "Cancel, huh." Well, there wasn¡¯t a big problem just yet. Besides, if I didn¡¯t work a bit busily in January, I¡¯d soon need to prepare my physical condition for the uing tasks in February. I wanted to avoid any additional work then. By the way, speaking of cancetions, there was indeed one I had to make. "As I mentionedst time, I¡¯d like the schedules for Saturday and Sunday to bepletely free." "That has been approved. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem." That¡¯s a relief. But amidst all that, a follow-up question arose. "But everyone is curious. Usually, program recordings peak on weekends. Do you happen to have any schedules then?" "Ah." Unlike other professional gamers under SSM, my position had grown toorge after cing in the top five of the Final Championship, so they might have approved my request without writing any reasons, hoping to amodate me. All I could think of was that. Anyway, there was a reason, of course. I definitely had a proper schedule. "I''m scheduled to appear on Yujin¡¯s stream then." "Ah." From the look on their faces, it seemed no one had the audacity to turn that down. Thus, my weekend waspletely cleared. It was the first week of a busy January. "¡­So, this is the restaurant. Quite nice, isn¡¯t it?"
  • Information: Half of what this person shares is about food.
  • "Did they really eat this much?"
  • "How did you make a reservation at a Michelin 3-star restaurant in December?"
  • "Did you spend all the money you earned on reservations here?"
  • "Look at Harmony, who went with the Korean national team, LOL!"
Per Se, located on the left of Columbus Circle. It was the three-star restaurant in New York that I had visited the day before the Final Championship¡ªthough this was actually my second visit, I didn¡¯t mention that. The soft lighting created a misty atmosphere, with beautifully ted dishes atop bowls that seemed made from the finest quality milk. When I yed the dining video, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Of course, those whoined about only talking about food must have all left long ago, or something like that. I didn¡¯t need to worry about that. After all, starting tomorrow, the discussion about the matches would kick off in earnest. Plus, I had even preemptively revealed the trophy and the One Chip. The match video stories that would begin tomorrow were set to use the full video of the Final Championship avable on the official YouSpace Icarus channel. Since the duo and squad matches I participated in wouldn¡¯t be relevant, they would be entirely omitted. Anyway, back to the topic. "The view from outside is like this. Columbus Circle is visible. True to New York, there¡¯s never really a time when it isn¡¯t bustling here." Columbus Circle. Named after the statue of Christopher Columbus, it¡¯s a sort of rotary. Opposite was Central Park, shrouded in darkness. It was so vast that I couldn¡¯t see all of it. Of course, it was partly because the restaurant was on a lower floor. Then came the unveiling of the dishes. The captured photo of the scene after the lids were opened disyed three tes of food on the table, starkly contrasting in size. The chat window was immediately filled with question marks. Perhaps because I had previously mentioned it was a fine dining restaurant, everyone seemed even more startled.
  • "?????????????????"
  • "Wait, the size difference, LOL!"
  • "Did you order a double or triple portion just for you??"
  • "This is absurd, LOL!"
  • "I can hear Dais and Harmony simultaneously losing their minds here, LOL."
"It was really delicious. Mina and Dais also asked for little bites if any were left. There seems to be a different charm when the quantity in one bowl is so plentiful." Ohsan Nine Excelsis donated 2,000 won!
  • "Fact: It looks plentiful, so they must have been entranced."
Of course, the donations were flying in. The viewers always seemed to need to chime in with something whenever a significant moment arose, and it felt like they often poured in donations at just the right times. So, I had no choice but to not read donation messages unless they exceeded a certain amount. I couldn¡¯t just read donations when I came to tell stories. Then came the next photo. A handsome, somewhat seasoned-looking man and I were shaking hands. Seeing the time-sliced photo reminded me of the memories that came flooding back. I chuckled softly as I opened my mouth. "That¡¯s the head chef of the restaurant. He kindly attended to us. It was quite enjoyable."
  • "Oh, LOL!"
  • "I was tearing up in my room eating chicken during that day, a loss!"
  • "Why do I feel like I¡¯m injuring myself watching someone else eat dinner?"
  • "I¡¯m just so envious, LOL!"
  • "My stomach is growling!"
Leaving behind the viewers who were throwing a ruckus, I continued sharing the rest of the stories. I remembered Dais dering that she wanted to rank in the top five this year, stating that it was her gift to me, and reflecting on how that actually came to fruition. Was this what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy? As the results were good, that was what mattered. Anyway, I shared that story as well. It seemed that by now, everyone had roughly caught on to what kind of monster Dais had grown into. And it was true. She had be strong enough to contend for 1st ce in the Final Championship without me or Logan. It was almost time to wrap up the story. The first part had been a brief game, and the second part hadsted a whole five hours, so it was about time to soothe and send the viewers away. It wasn¡¯t that I was annoyed; it was to guarantee their right to sleep. Plus, Harmony was also streaming at this point, so they could always go over there if they wanted to hear more. Of course, the tens of thousands of users instantly transformed into a bunch of brats, but traditionally, the more they act up, the more you have to m the door shut. And since I had things to do today. "Alright, everyone, see you tomorrow. For those who have spread out mats, please pack up and head home."
  • "Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
  • "Are you really going to do this, Yujin? Are you really going to do this?!"
  • "I can¡¯t believe I got pulled into this snake¡¯s charm!"
  • "Oh man, this ce has really bizarre business practices, LOL!"
  • "The streamer who¡¯s second to none in terms of decisiveness, LOL."
Of course, not even a minuteter, everyone was practically kicked out. Harmony would probably be startled by the sudden influx of viewers, but I trusted she would manage it well, given her experience as a streamer. After all, she might very well establish order among the newly arrived viewers the same way I had with some trash game. Anyway, since we were talking about games¡ªthere was something I had to do after the broadcast today. I entered my mailbox and opened a bookmarked email among those I had previously sorted. There was a game there. "Glory and Honor." To put it simply, it was a game where you wielded melee weapons and struck down opponents. As I recalled, it was a first-person VR action game that ranked around 3rd or 4th beneath Dark Zone. The system was quite simr to Dark Zone, but instead of guns, you used swords, axes, etc., and simrly had a hardcore mode for more realistic y. Since that suited me better, I entered the game name into the search bar without hesitation. The moment "Glory and Honor" was added to my library, which until now had only contained Dark Zone, I thought I should learn the system a bit, so I could exin it in more detail during the actual promotional broadcast. "So far, it doesn¡¯t seem tooplicated." As soon as I started the game, three categories were visible. They generally divided sses and weapons. First were knights in full armor wielding swords, the usual melee weapons. The main weapons varied slightly, ranging from standard straight swords to ymores, maces, and axes. The second and third categories¡ªVikings and Samurai¡ªalso had slightly different appearances and reach based on the swords or spears they carried, with sses further refined. I had a rough idea of what it was like. So I chose a character wielding a simple tomahawk and moved on to the next stage, where a calibration section appeared that looked quite simr to Dark Zone¡­ although I hadn¡¯t actually seen this screen when I first yed Dark Zone, it felt a bit peculiar. I set the sliders to the lowest for hardcore mode without hesitation. Numerous warning windows popped up, but I didn¡¯t pay them any mind. After all, this was just a newly created character, and I didn¡¯t n to stick with it.
  • [Entering tutorial mode now.]
"¡­Wow, this ce is incredibly friendly." On a snow-covered mountain range, a training ground greeted me. It was the quintessential tutorial,pletely different from Dark Zone, known for its unfriendliness. A target was visible in front of me. As numerous UIs popped up, it began telling me what I needed to do next¡ªsummarizing that this game featured specific initial motions that triggered corresponding attacks, allowing me to defend or counter at the right timing. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a straightforward melee battle for muscr men, but it simultaneously held elements of a sneaky timing-based game. However, despite those friendly pop-ups, since it was hardcore mode, there was absolutely no correction to the attacks I executed. Of course¡ª Crack! "Excellent." With an ominous sound apanying a horizontally swung tomahawk, the wooden post I struck splintered entirely. An NPC standing beside me apuded. He seemed to y the role of a trainer. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was the only one smashing the wood or if that was the intention, but anyway. "Then, let¡¯s move on to the next." Saying that, the previously solemn NPC approached with an actual spear in hand and popped up various UI prompts, stating that I¡¯d learn the basics of defense and attack from this moment on¡ªshowing me about counter systems, light attacks, heavy attacks, stamina, and more.@@novelbin@@ While it was indeed an important time to learn all that, including the counter systems¡­ I figured I could save the learning forter. In other words, not right now. After exiting the tutorial, I swung my tomahawk to deflect the iing spear and, with a horizontal swing, severed the enemy¡¯s head and torso, both of which disappeared into polygons. With that, the real game finally began. There were sessions that could only be essed by yers below a certain level, but there were also sessions where everyone could participate regardless of level in the general game. In that sense,pared to Dark Zone, it could be said that participating inbat was much more intuitive in this game. "Well, I need to check out how the game operates¡­." I thought it might be better to enter a regr game, die a few times, and figure out how it works rather than starting off in the beginner¡¯s zone. So, thinking that, I entered a room with no information whatsoever¡ª "¡­I shouldn¡¯t be doing this." This game wasn¡¯t one I could advertise or review. If I had yed this while streaming, all the newbies that were there would probably have left. Sitting among the dozens of polygon corpses without arms, legs, or heads, I muttered to myself. Chapter 291
  • [Editor 1: Alright, everyone, let¡¯s get ready to work.]
  • [Editor 1: Let''s burn the New Year!]
  • [Editor 3: Stick the energy drink into your veins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
The screen filled with video editing tools once, the bank ount once. The number 13 next to the message suddenly drops to 3. It meant that ten people had read it. One by one, they began typing their replies. All were simr in content. Something about sacrificing sleep to earn money¡ªthis was the daily life of nine editors and four thumbnail makers belonging to a majorpany, Eugene. Their daily routine was simple. Only work, meals, and sleep existed. They would grind time and effort to create hot-off-the-press videos, check for typos or poorly edited parts, and then send the video to a specific email. After a couple of hours, if there were any issues with the video, they would receive an email back requesting corrections to specific parts, or conversely, the count on each editor''s app would increase. Once that specific number was reached, their sry would automatically be deposited. It was essentially not a sry but a system where they received money automatically after creating a certain number of videos. Of course, true to its name as a system, it didn¡¯t allow for even a bit of flexibility; the quota had to be precisely met. If they wanted to take a little break, they could adjust the count on the app to reduce their sry and make one or two fewer videos. Back to the topic. The nine editors rarely stopped editing and entered Eugene¡¯s live stream that had just started. Watching the reyter was one way to catch up, and usually, that was the method they chose. They were overwhelmed with work, which piled up like a mountain. But if the content was bound to be a hit, then simply rewatching it wouldn¡¯t allow them to truly feel the excitement and check things out. That¡¯s why¡ªthis time, the content was the New Year¡¯s party and the One Chip Challenge, featuring three streamers from the ¡°Hammer Brothers¡± team: Harmony, Dais, and Mina, who had all made significant impacts at the recent Final Championship. A party with a total of six people.
  • [Editor 6: Didn¡¯t we have a meat party with Eugene unni when we were the original members????]
  • [Editor 8: Ah, I feel like trolling.]
  • [Editor 2: w]
  • [Thumbnail Maker 2: Hohohong, that was so much fun~]
Ah, that time. The party we had when there were only two thumbnail makers and three editors. The host was Eugene, the employer, and it was during the Asia qualifiers when I suddenly got called out and felt like a grandchild in front of their grandmother. Thinking back, that was my first meeting with the person. Editor 1¡¯s gaze wandered in the chaotic chatroom. Although he was looking straight ahead, his mind oveyed fragments of the past onto the present. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was the type to hold back from teasing others.
  • [Editor 1: You guys haven¡¯t seen Eugene unni eating, right? lol]
  • [Editor 1: It¡¯s truly legendary.]
  • [Editor 7: Should I ambush that person? Turn everything upside down and pee on the main body.]
  • [Editor 9: Are these people crazy? lol]
He was cooking ramen with one hand while flipping the meat with his tail, seriously. Of course, that scene had been edited by Editor 3 back when they were a V-log editor, and once the employer revealed her identity and left for the U.S., it was uploaded to YourSpace. Now, it proudly held 2.5 million views, bing one of the channel¡¯s star videos.
  • [Editor 1: If she pees on the main body, I¡¯ll have to adjust my sry!]
  • [Editor 6: ]
  • [Editor 8: Speaking of sry, I¡¯ve never seen a ce that pays this much.]
  • [Thumbnail Maker 3: That¡¯s so true.]
Well, the amount varied depending on the workload, but it was generally pretty amazing. Just the money going out as sry was thousands per month¡ªthere was no need for concern. Aftering in first at the Final Championship, the average number of viewers was around 220,000, and on the night transitioning from January 2nd to January 3rd, a staggering 500,000 viewers tuned in. One thing was certain.
  • [Editor 1: With the donations from today¡¯s stream, it seems like our sries will be fully covered.]
  • [Editor 3: Two Ren! ! !]
  • [Editor 5: lol Wait for me! I¡¯m going to TS into a F-cup nun with a snake tail and coborate with Eugene unni! lol]
  • [Editor 6: They say if you drink the liquid of a snake tail master, you be Bi-yam. Is that true?]
  • [Thumbnail Maker 1: No wonder my tailbone has been itchingtely. lol]
Turning into Bi-yam via TS isn¡¯t about making money, but coboration? Truly a fan''s role model. Anyway, the room was lively after a long time. Everyone had stopped editing and entered the Tricky stream¡¯s chat room, waiting for Eugene to turn on her cam. asionally, voices could be heard from various people, and it seemed they were preparing something, but since the screen wasn¡¯t activated yet, the 260,000 viewers were moring for the door to open quickly. Of course, separate from that,
  • [Eugene: Ahh.]
  • [Eugene: Even if I say that, you won¡¯t grow tails, everyone.]
  • [Editor 3: Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
  • [Editor 8: The employer is here, the employer! hahahahaha]
  • [Eugene: I¡¯ll take everyone who hasn¡¯t been able to travel along, so don¡¯t worry about it.]
  • [Editor 7: Oh yeah~~~~~]
  • [Thumbnail Maker 4: So good! Hehe.]
Bi-yam has entered. At the same time, the screen turned on. As the six of them waved their hands simultaneously, the chat room surged at a speed surpassing a mini-gun. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the New Year¡¯s party now. Please enjoy!¡±
  • So tonight, just right! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • If you keep giving us gifts like this, our socks will burst, and we¡¯ll die from joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess! Eugene is a goddess!
  • God exists, and she is in Tricky.
  • Thanks to you, I can¡¯t go on a diet because I eatte-night snacks every day, please stop the broadcast!
Of course, as always, it was chaotic. It was the prologue to the festival. ¡°Wow, can we eat all this today? There seems to be over 15kg of meat alone.¡± ¡°Half of that will go into my belly, so it¡¯s fine. And today, we also have Hodduk, right? It might even be a bitcking.¡± ¡°Haha, if it¡¯scking, I¡¯ll quickly go down and buy more.¡± The house was bustling.@@novelbin@@ It had been quite busy over the past few days. Building easily removable temporary walls throughout the house and even installing venttion systems was quite the hassle. However, the effort was well worth it; a few days ago, after grilling meat alone, I found that the house didn¡¯t smell at all. This was thanks to the two venttion systems built, one in the ceiling and another right under the grill. Anyway, as a result, the house felt a bit smaller, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem. After all, the space inside the house was overflowing, and it was already seriously too huge for just me. Dais and Harmony pouted about how cold it was outside as soon as they arrived, and then warmly shook hands with Hodduk, Limit, and Stone who cameter. If we count without meticulously distinguishing between virtual reality and reality, we could say we were quite familiar with each other. ¡°Did everyone eat?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m already hungry since I¡¯m looking forward to dinner today. Can I help you prepare the food?¡± ¡°Very good idea.¡±
  • Wow, an ultra-luxurious broadcast, this is insane! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
  • The audio is already packed, oh shit.
  • Wow, 15kg of meat? Did they bring a whole cow? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Already super excited! ww
  • Having a protective dinner before the One Chip Challenge is good! haha.
The icebox that had been left on the balcony. Of course, having kept the window open for a while, it was no different from a refrigerator. As I opened it, the cool wind rushed in, and a plethora of conveniently prepared meat packs weed us. Since I had almostpleted all the setup before they arrived, all that was left was to take the pre-cooked meat from the kitchen and ce it on the grill set up in the middle of the living room. Just then, a sound of clinking bottles was heard from somewhere. Feeling a bit ominous, I nced over, ¡°Hehe, I brought some alcohol.¡± ¡°I knew it¡­.¡± Various kinds of bourbon whiskey and red wine poured out. Of course, there was soju. I thought maybe this person wanted to make me drunk today, and I considered pping her, but I held back. After all, everyone was excited to have the opportunity to try alcohol they normally wouldn¡¯t drink.
  • Dais is such a drunkard, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • I feel like they packed everything just to drink here, it¡¯s a bit absurd! w
  • Is Eugene unni going to get drunk? Is she going to show us?
  • Don¡¯t tell me the teacher¡¯s drunkenness is CQB drunk martial arts? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
  • I¡¯ll see you not at home but in the emergency room tomorrow!
Since the table was already packed, there wasn¡¯t enough room to put all the alcohol on it. So, Dais stuffed everything she brought into arge box filled with ice and set it aside. I lit the grill and took the sous vide meat I had prepared beforehand, cutting the zipper bags with scissors. I waited for the grill to start smoking before turning off the heat to coat it, and when it cooled down a bit, I reignited it and ced the meat on. The meat sizzled and cooked instantly. Meanwhile, the grill I had set up in the living room was also igniting. As I turned on the venttion fans I had set up all around, the smell of meat was being sucked out before it could settle anywhere. In the meantime, I turned on the fire under arge pot filled with water sitting next to me. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for bibim-myeon.¡± ¡°It looks like about 20 packets will fit in there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll actually boil about that much.¡±
  • 20 packets, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • With two manifesters, it has to be that much, haha.
  • Ah, Hodduk was the manifestor, right? lol
  • E2 is also not someone you can easily find anywhere, but thanks to Eugene, they¡¯re all overshadowed ww
  • They must have caught a cow and a pig each to prepare for the party. hahahahaha
Looking at the amount of food that would actually be consumed today, I figured it might actually be like that. Anyway, the meat was cooking. Since I had already added salt and pepper while sous vide-ing, it was fully vored. I tossed in a handful of vegetables for aroma and butter, sprinkled them over a thick chunk of sirloin that was about 5cm thick, and brought it all to the living room before it cookedpletely. As everyone¡¯s eyes lit up likenterns, I ced the meat on the grill and poured the sizzling oil from the frying pan over it. Having added garlic and herbs beforehand, it would surely taste delicious. Of course, I hadn¡¯t thought at all about how to portion this out. ¡°Just a moment. I¡¯ll grab an axe.¡± ¡°No, huh? What did you say!?¡± ¡°Who cuts meat with an axe, teacher¡­.¡±
  • Is he crazy? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Look at how everyone is dumbfounded! lol
  • Cutting meat with a tomahawk sounds fun, why not? lol
  • My honest opinion: I think it will cut better than a knife.
  • The axe isn¡¯t the problem; the cutting board or te is the real issue. lol
Everyone was already in an uproar. But the fact is, when I actually brought in an axe, it was an obvious truth that everyone quieted down¡ªit¡¯s a naturalw of the universe. When I entered the room with a well-prepared tomahawk, everyone gasped, only ncing at one another. The fastest to notice was Kim Stone¡ªKim Hyun-a. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve always wanted to try cutting meat with an axe. You all don¡¯t know thetest trends. Right, Eugene teacher?¡± ¡°Of course. Look at that. It looks like it will cut really well.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to lose my mind¡­.¡±
  • Mood shift! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Those whoin will end up on the grill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • How can you express a different opinion in front of someone holding an axe? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • The editors already have editing material popping up! hahahahaha
  • I seriously feel like I¡¯m going to lose my mind too! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
I chuckled. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as mboyant as everyone expected; I grabbed the meat with my tail and held it steady before striking it with the axe just enough to cut it into cube steak size. If I had swung it with all my might, the table would have broken first, and then the venttion system underneath would have shattered. Anyway, the axe was sharp enough to feel the satisfaction of having been sharpened, and only then did everyone break into bright smiles and start taking the meat. Including myself, everyone popped a piece of well-cooked beef into their mouths, and the taste was incredible. ¡°Wow, this is really delicious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because it was cut with the axe.¡± ¡°Hey, stop buttering me up.¡± I looked on happily at the scene as I continued cooking. The curtain was rising on the first party of the New Year. Chapter 292 ¡°Seriously, no joke, I gained 5kg aftering back from New York, 5kg! My diet haspletely failed, no lie.¡± ¡°Why did you gain so much weight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of someone!¡±
  • Oh, her face has puffed up! hahahahahahaha
  • She¡¯s acting tough in front of Bi-yam!
  • What nerve! lol
  • That idiot must be drunk and out of her mind! w
  • Yuk-jin bought it to drink and ended up losing her mind! hahahahahahahahahahaha
Swish. Dais, who was holding a drink, put it down and lunged at me, so I grabbed her cheek and pulled it to sessfully subdue her. There¡¯s a reason why alcohol is often referred to as a courage potion. Or perhaps it was allowing her to subtly voice things she hadn¡¯t been able to say until now. As proof, I could present Harmony. She actively expressed her agreement with Dais¡¯s opinion, and just as she said, whenever I was in New York, I had always brought these two along whenever I ate something delicious. Moreover, the food at the hotel was quite impressive¡­ In short, they thoroughly enjoyed the gourmet experience. And the result was this bby belly they were discussing now. Of course, if you think about it, they were the ones who indulged, so I wasn¡¯t really to me. Naturally, Dais didn¡¯t seem inclined to argue either. It was simply harmless banter among friends. In the meantime, Kim Stone¡ªKim Hyun-a added: ¡°Well, still. Even if you say that, it¡¯s not like you have a big problem, right? If it¡¯s Dais with her tight schedule, maybe, but you can just cut back on food from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ this week is already a write-off. I¡¯ll really cut back starting next week.¡± ¡°Are youing to the gym?¡± ¡°What you¡¯re doing isn¡¯t exercise; it¡¯s torture, torture.¡± With Hodduk skillfully inserting herself, I took a big bite of bibim-myeon, which contained about one-third of the total amount of meat inside. If it didn¡¯t taste good, there was something wrong with my tongue. Within seconds, the thoroughly crushed contents went down my throat. Afterward, I rinsed my mouth with water and took a sip of the whiskey Dais had brought. I wondered if this was the right order, but it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. Anyway, since the alcohol was brought, I couldn¡¯t not drink it, so I had no choice but to partake. As the alcohol went down my throat, I felt a slight boost in my mood. Perhaps Dais had intended this all along. I honestly couldn¡¯t remember any other reason for her openly bringing alcohol. Of course¡ª ¡°Someone is sneaking up and touching my tail. I¡¯m annoyed that you brought alcohol.¡± ¡°Ew!¡±
  • Wow, tail-choking! hahahahaha
  • I¡¯ve only seen this in movies, and now I see it here! lol
  • I figured she¡¯d act tough, but I knew it! haha
  • Why is bringing alcohol annoying? hahahahahahaha
Everyone looked bewildered. In the midst of it, Dais, who was choking my tail, made brief eye contact with me. To summarize the unspoken exchange, it was ¡°Can I say this?¡± After pondering for a moment, I simply nodded my head slightly. It was a signal that it was okay. After all, I had mentioned during the Asia qualifiers interview that I was weak with alcohol, and for some reason, I felt an unwarranted confidence. So, with tacit approval, Dais spoke up. ¡°Oh, thinking back, you all don¡¯t know Eugene¡¯s drinking habits, right? This person gets really tipsy easily.¡± ¡°Excuse me, what?¡± ¡°Really? Wow, I never imagined that.¡± Dais spoke rapidly as if her tongue had loosened due to the alcohol, and I was at the point of half-dazedly wondering, ¡°Why did I allow this?¡± But it was already toote. Dais was about to continue exining when suddenly the topic bounced around like a ping-pong ball and took a different direction. ¡°Wow, I really never imagined she would be weak with alcohol. Do manifestors usually have low tolerance?¡± ¡°No, Hodduk here ispletely insane. She can down three bottles of soju while sitting, and the next morning, she goes to the gym looking fine. It¡¯s just different for each person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy in its own right. If you keep that up, you¡¯ll crash one day.¡± ¡°Hey, why is the talk about Eugene turning into an attack on me?¡± Of course, the topic quickly returned to its original form. Dais added, ¡°Anyway, Eugene gets tipsy quickly even after just a little bit of alcohol¡­ I mean, it¡¯s that kind of feeling. Like a steel wool turns into cotton candy? She bes really soft and more human¡­¡± ¡°¡­Do you think I¡¯m some kind of Terminator?¡± ¡°Look. You¡¯re already looking a bit fluffy now. It¡¯s finally giving off a human vibe.¡±
  • Ahh hahahahahaha
  • Hehe, soft Bi-yam unni¡­
  • That¡¯s definitely true! hahahahahahaha
  • I¡¯ve only seen her crush enemies like flies, so this is refreshing! hahahahaha
  • Nice! I¡¯m clipping this! hahah
I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of image I had of myself in their minds¡­ Anyway, a human vibe. Perhaps it was because I always expressed emotions filled with confidence and only showed an unshaken demeanor. People say that someone too perfectcks humanity¡ªBut Dais¡¯s story didn¡¯t end there. ¡°And um¡­ after drinking, Eugene also has a habit of sleeping. Can I talk about this too?¡± ¡°Not particrly special, so go ahead.¡± Then, Dais kindly and thoroughly disclosed that I had turned into a ¡°pillow princess¡± after drinking during the previous Asia qualifiers. I pondered what kind of reactions would arise. Looking around, the responses varied, but they converged into one sentiment. In short, everyone was looking at me with the expression one makes when they see something cute. I could almost guess why they made such faces. The chatroom was also in a simr uproar. So what was this reaction?@@novelbin@@ ¡°Eugene¡¯s drinking habit is very cute. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay to say this, but it¡¯s super¡­ adorable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really precious. But what should I say, I feel like if I hugged her with her manifestor physical ability, something bad might happen¡­?¡± ¡°People seem to adjust their strength depending on the person. I didn¡¯t know that either.¡±
  • ww
  • Hehe, hehehehe¡­
  • Isn¡¯t Bi-yam like this? She loves physical contact! hahahahahaha
  • Honestly, I thought she was just a fierce little one.
  • Yuk-jin is super cute when drinking! hahahahaha
In the meantime, I nced. Of course, unrted to that, I suddenly felt the urge to punish Dais. There was no particr reason. I just wanted to do it. Since everyone seemed to be waiting for a demonstration, I wrapped my arm around Dais¡¯s neck, coiled my tail around her waist, and pulled her in hard. With cracking sounds from her joints, the person being hugged began to scream. ¡°Kyahhh! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Why? You brought alcohol for this, didn¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°But! No, let go! Kueeek¡­!¡± Thus, Dais ended up copsing on the spot. Meanwhile, Harmony looked at me with a very annoyed expression, so I opened my arms toward her. Of course, Mina also timidly hugged me, then sprawled out on the floor with a happy expression. It seemed the alcohol had loosened some of my brakes. While my remaining sanity resulted in such an oue, well, I guess future me would regret it. As the two who clung to me wobbled back to their seats, I added, ¡°Please don¡¯t keep asking me to hug you. If I lose control, it could turn into a big deal.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that makes sense. Originally, Moni is quite fearless. I¡¯m honestly feeling a bit uneasy. I wonder what kind of trouble she¡¯ll stir up somewhere.¡± And so, the conversation gradually shifted back to normalcy¡ªuntil suddenly, a donation came in.
  • I¡¯m suddenly curious, who¡¯s stronger between Hodduk and Teacher Yujin?
¡°Thank you, Impure Nickname, for the 50,000 won donation. Well, I¡¯m not sure either. To be honest, aside from running a gym, I don¡¯t know much¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Haha, no, it¡¯s fine. I just have a channel where I do whatever I want, so those who don¡¯t know won¡¯t know unless the algorithm catches on.¡± Now that the superficialities were over, Hodduk spoke up first. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is okay to say, but¡­ what¡¯s your total strength?¡± ¡°Hmm. Let me think.¡± ¡°Teacher Yujin! She¡¯s at 1320kg! She¡¯spletely insane!¡± Ah. I nodded while recollecting memories. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t worked out that hard in the past. I did some for physical training, but the main purpose was more for improving muscr endurance rather than strength training. At most, Logan or Rorentina would lift in ton units. In short, when I roughly measured it, it was around 2200 for the total strength. Even that was something I could lift rtively easily. Logan had a total of 3600, and I didn¡¯t think I couldn¡¯t reach that level. Still, it seemed they hadn¡¯t properly seen the broadcast from New York. ¡°I¡¯ve been training for about three months, and my total is around 2200.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°Total strength¡­ you mean bench press, deadlift, and squat¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. To be honest, I¡¯m not particrly high up there, but I remember Logan lifting around 3600 since he¡¯s been training for a while.¡±
  • 3600 for total strength?????????????
  • What the hell, is that a person lifting a truck? hahahahahaha
  • I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t mess with you again!!!!!!!!!!
  • Fact: This person deadlifted 750kg in New York and only went out after paying for the bent bar!
  • Dais and Harmony have big arms too! hahahahahaha
Gulp. While everyone was astonished, Hodduk swallowed nervously and made cautious eye contact with me. And then came the follow-up line. ¡°...Can I request an arm wrestling match?¡± ¡°Of course, anytime.¡± I used to do a lot of arm wrestling back in the day. Thinking so, Hodduk and I stood up from the table and leaned over to the empty floor. I had broken several tables in the past while doing it. We sped hands. And¡ª ¡°Ugh, if we¡¯d done it with my right hand, it would have been a disaster. I might not have been able to eat.¡± ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s a spectacle. It¡¯s a spectacle.¡± ¡°Quickly, put some ice on that wrist, you fool!¡± Hodduk¡¯s hand was sprained. The world was a curious ce. ¡°Everyone, put on a stic glove, or it will be a disaster if you touch your face with hands that touched these snacks.¡± ¡°Wow, look at the packaging! It¡¯s red and ck, with skulls and fire¡­ugh.¡± ¡°It looks more like poison packaging than snacks¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ve prepared ice cream, milk, and Coolpis, etc.¡± After tidying up the table, we filled it with kilograms of ice cream and 2.3L milk cartons, along with seven bottles of Coolpis. We all wore surgical gloves. The reason for preparing all of this was simple. The One Chip. All those gathered here hade to suffer the pain of spiciness from the New Year onwards. ¡°First, let¡¯s open the packaging.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s not red, it¡¯s ck.¡± ¡°Is there a Geiger counter? If we bring one, it might show radiation.¡± Just as mentioned. The chip, a bit smaller than the palm of my hand and shaped like a triangle, was indeed ck. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t eat it all at once; you would break it into small pieces and eat little by little. As the packaging opened, the hell that is the name ¡°wrapper¡± was unleashed, and everyone started throwing inments. Their expressions were peculiar. Some looked as if they were realizing they hade this far, while others simplyughed uncertainly, not knowing what might happen next. Meanwhile, Kim Hyun-a ced a chip in the small box set aside for istion and urged Hodduk to smell it. ¡°Okay, okay. Since you¡¯re a tiger, you have a good sense of smell, right? Let¡¯s do a precision test!¡± ¡°Yujin unni, I want to kill her first, so please assist me in forcing her mouth open.¡± ¡°Hey! If I smell it, I¡¯ll die, but your chances of surviving are higher!¡±
  • Kim Stone is seriously insane! hahahahahaha
  • Is she a livingbat machine? Is she out of her mind????
  • The fact that she¡¯s still alive proves how resilient she is.
  • Wow, look at how menacing the color looks! hahahaha
  • Six people are bringing cmity upon themselves from the New Year! hahahahahaha
Whether this was a proper excuse or not was up for debate. Anyway, after cautiously smelling it, Hodduk added with a more ordinary expression than expected. ¡°¡­It¡¯s better than I thought? It smells a bit burnt¡­¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard to judge just by smell. So we have no choice but to taste it. How should we go about the order?¡± ¡°I strongly rmend that Teacher Yujin, who came back after cing first at the Final Championship, goes first.¡± ¡°Why do I have to be first when I didn¡¯t even win a penalty contest?¡± Ultimately, the order was decided by drawing straws. Surprisingly, the first turn was Harmony. And the next was me. Naturally, Harmony, who had suddenly be the first, wore a look of disbelief or a face as if she had lost a country or two and carefully ced a small piece of the chip on her hand. Everyone prepared buckets, saying that it was about spitting it out as soon as she felt the spice. ¡°¡­Why are we doing this again?¡± ¡°Hey. How many things in the world do you do that have reasons?¡± ¡°Then can I kick you in the shin without reason?¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s harsh.¡± Harmony had weathered the storms of time and had developed a rather foul mouth. Of course, what came out of her mouth wasn¡¯t just foulnguage, and it took only a few seconds to prove that¡ªshe ced the chip on her tongue with a peculiar expression, closed her mouth, and began chewing. For a moment, the sound of crunching echoed, and the unlit hellfire was being crushed into shards in her mouth. And how long did it take¡ª ¡°Kyahhh¡ª!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve activated the mosaic function.¡±
  • She looks like someone being tossed into a Chernobyl reactor! hahahahahaha
  • Hahahahaha!
  • Quickly to the bathroom, to the bathroom!!!!!!!!!!
  • She¡¯s not a red cat anymore; she¡¯s a feral cat now! hahahahahahahahahaha
  • Whoa, she¡¯s about to explode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Harmony turned bright red. To relieve the atmosphere, ssical music yed, and her face was fully mosaicked via the mosaic function. Of course, everyone present saw Harmony unleashing hellfire into the bucket. As she dashed into the bathroom, many regrets passed through my mind. The main point was ming my own foolishness for bringing this as a New Year¡¯s party item. I should have pretended I didn¡¯t receive anything in New York and tossed it into an incinerator. Of course, it was toote. The high-pitched sounds from the bathroom confirmed that fact. All I could do was hope there would still be ice cream or drinks left for the people who would eat after me.
  • [Laurentina: This reminds me of the resistance training we did back in the day! XD]
  • [Laurentina: Is it some kind of self-training?]
  • [Logan: Please stop with the nonsense.]
  • [Laurentina: XDXDXD]
What on earth were they doing? From about ten kilometers away, Logan thought so. Chapter 293 [General] Oh, Yuk-jin is eating! hahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahaha [All Comments][By Registration]
  • Kyaaaah! I have to try it once! Kyaaaah! I have to try it once! Kyaaaah! I have to try it once! Kyaaaah! I have to try it once! Infinite repetition
    • hahahahahaha
    • It¡¯s not ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± but everyone is just dying right now, right?
    • All-time legendary! hahahahahahahaha
  • Breaking News) Eugene¡¯s face is turning bright red
    • hahahahahaha
    • Her tail is iling like crazy! lol
    • Ah, this is great! I¡¯m going to see it right now!
  • Breaking News) Eugene ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± mouth reaction
    • How disgraceful! hahahahahahahaha
    • Ah, this girl is seriously adorable! hahahahahahahaha
    • A girl who seems like she could endure a bullet is freaking out! hahahahaha
  • Types that seek out suffering! hahahahahaha
  • At first, I thought I could endure it, so I stalled for 30 seconds, but that was a mistake!
  • Bingoo just ate it in the end! hahahahahaha
  • Honest opinion) Yuk-jin with a lisp is super cute!
    • For real, haha.
    • Her usual image ispletely shattered, and now she¡¯s whining for milk!
    • The clip is definitely being exported everywhere!
  • Breaking News) She¡¯s stuffing ice cream into her mouth while holding a milk carton with her tail!
    • Her tail is seriously being used so well! hahahahahahaha
    • hahahahahahahahaha
    • It must be really spicy! hahahahahaha
  • The girl who seems like she could patch up a bullet wound is losing it over a tiny piece of snack!
    • 220,000 Scoville units, right?
©¤©¤©¤Crunch! ¡°¡­¡± I chew and taste. The first thing I felt was not just the spiciness but a sense of bitterness. As soon as I bit down, it crumbled into small pieces and mixed with my saliva, bing a sticky liquid. I tried to savor the vor, but it didn¡¯t taste good, and my tongue started to tingle a bit. Everyone, except Harmony, looked at me with expectant, envious, and excited eyes. However, my focus wasn¡¯t on them. The only one I was staring at was the first participant, whose face was already bright red, constantly pressing ice cream against her tongue. Her eyes seemed to say, ¡°You¡¯re in big trouble now.¡± And at that moment, the hellfire scattered throughout my mouth ignited simultaneously. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Ow, it¡¯s here. It¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Teacher! Spit it out, spit it out! Eww!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m teaching kindergarten here¡­¡± My tongue felt like it was burning. But this was just the beginning. My breath quickened, and saliva was pouring out. Of course, since it was a liquid mixed with the one chip, it was only a matter of time before my whole mouth was on fire. The drone camera was broadcasting my face, which had already turned bright red. Of course, I couldn¡¯t look for long. I was caught up in the thought of whether I should swallow or spit it out, closing my eyes tightly. I could feel my tail instinctively iling in the air. As I drifted between eternity and a moment, the stopwatch hit 30 seconds. ¡°Kyahhh¡ª!¡± ¡°Wow, that was a long hold.¡± ¡°Milk! Give me milk! Ice cream is here!¡± The liquefied ck mes were dumped into the bucket. In my haste to drink the milk, my clothes got a bit wet, but I didn¡¯t care about that. My face was burning. As I swished the drink in my mouth, the drone camera once again showed the scene currently being broadcast. The tips of my pointed ears were glowing a bright red, reminiscent of a persimmon. Of course, my face wasn¡¯t any different. Covering my face with both hands, I let out another scream. I had no idea how this was appearing on the broadcast, but in any case, it didn¡¯t look good. It felt like my mouth was being ground in a grinder. My tongue was already twisted, making it hard to articte. ¡°Ah, my tongue! It hurts so much!¡± ¡°Have some ice cream! Quickly!¡± ¡°Wow. I just beat the one who came in first at the Final Championship¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say if you can hold it for 5 minutes, the challenge is a sess? If I hold it for 5 minutes, does that mean I¡¯ve beaten Yujin?¡± ¡°Good luck with that.¡±
  • hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Yujin (First at the Final Championship)
  • Spiciness hits you right in the face! hahahahahaha
  • At this point, it feels like I¡¯m transcending! hahahahahaha
  • All the images I built up until a few days ago are beingpletely shattered! hahahahahahaha
It hurt just like the time I broke my leg when Inded after escaping from the fifth floor! Holding the vani ice cream in my mouth and chugging the milk, the burning sensation in my mouth finally subsided, but the moment I swallowed, my entire mouth ignited again. I wondered if this was what it felt like to swallow napalm. And while I calmed my mouth down, one entire 2.3L milk carton was annihted. My stomach felt bloated. I slumped into a chair. Of course, I also made a bluffing remark. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s not that spicy!¡±
  • How could it be? hahahahahahahahahaha
  • Not that spicy (I just visited the underworld and my face is covered in milk, but it¡¯s not that spicy, so try it out!)
  • Your tail is shaking like a rattlesnake; how can you say it¡¯s not spicy? hahahahahaha
  • Yeah, but I¡¯m definitely not eating it~~~
  • I think my taste has disappeared!
Naturally, none of it was taken seriously. Moreover, the fact that my tail was trembling like a rattlesnake made me rush to check part of the video I had just recorded, where I could see myself sprawled on the floor screaming in all sorts of ways, while my tail was trembling. In some sense, I might consider it a useless new habit I had learned. But I certainly didn¡¯t want to know about that. ¡°Ugh, the spiciness keepsing up.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it wasn¡¯t that spicy about 3 seconds ago?¡± ¡°Hey, it really isn¡¯t that spicy. You all can eat it as a nutritious snack, right?¡±
  • Teacher, please stop the nonsense!
  • Nutritious snack (220,000 Scoville units)! hahahahahahaha
  • Great! I¡¯ll send you a whole box of nutritious snacks! hahahaha
  • If you¡¯re this shameless, you¡¯re a top tier! hahahaha
  • This year¡¯s nonsense is definitely number one! hahahahahahaha
Originally, people should be shameless. Anyway, my turn had ended, and now it was time to start distinguishing between the experienced and inexperienced by cing Harmony on myp. As each victim increased, the viewers became more excited, typing away until the chat was worn out. In particr, among those who came here, Hodduk, with her impressive size, endured the spiciness with her massive body, bing one of the few who barelysted 5 minutes. Of course, since she didn¡¯t put the entire chip in her mouth and chew it, it couldn¡¯t be considered a proper One Chip Challenge. But what did that even matter?@@novelbin@@ ¡°So when are you going to give me the box foring in first? Can I take that home tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yujin, I¡¯ll just push Hodduk¡¯s car ande back.¡± ¡°I wonder if she¡¯ll actually get pushed.¡± Anyway, it was time to give out the prizes. I removed the Icarus Gear that was strapped to my wrist¡ªof course, the genuine article was safely kept in my room¡ªand lightly ced it on Hodduk¡¯s left wrist. I gave her the watch, but if she kept wearing the same thing on her left hand, she¡¯d definitely react to it. Since I hadn¡¯t used the watch even once since unboxing itst time, it was still in pristine condition. I also included the charger that came with it as a gift. ¡°Sadly, I did open it once during thest unboxing. I should have given you one that I hadn¡¯t touched¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. Speaking of which, isn¡¯t that the video where you broke the lock with the axe you received as a gift? It has over 10 million views, that¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°¡­Oh dear.¡±
  • Ah, that one! hahahahahaha
  • Fact: Today, I also cut meat with an axe!
  • This girl is obsessed with axes! hahahahahaha
  • Should have given her some yakitori as a gift! hahahahahahahaha
  • The retribution ising back around!
You reap what you sow. But I didn¡¯t intend to stop sowing anytime soon, and with that, thest content for today was a review of the tomahawk that I was still using at home. Thus, this New Year¡¯s party came to a lively conclusion. ¡°Cough, let me go¡­!¡± ¡°You wanted this, right? Go to sleep well.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Yerin. I¡¯ll stick close behind Yujin unni while I sleep.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s the chance to swap seats¡­ Ugh!¡± Of course, Dais too was reaping what she had sown. Dais got all the hugs she wanted that day.
  • [ENCRYPTED: Briefing begins now.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: Through Operation North Sphere, Caduceus, and Apollyon, we sessfully eliminated most of Russia¡¯s remaining influence in Connecticut, Rhode Ind, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. However, this resulted in all remaining forces coalescing in Pornd, Maine, which can be considered thest bastion.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: Furthermore, ording to the remaining British intelligence, it has been confirmed that two secretively constructed Sturm-ss aircraft carriers have crossed the North Antic and are nearing Newfounnd. It is presumed they n to join the Kusov-ss aircraft carriers located in Maine to regain influence in North America.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: The current goal of HQ is to gather any information from the entire coastline of Maine, designated as a ss 1 danger zone. McKenzie, the northeastern branch head, is struggling to activate the informationwork in Connecticut, but it is challenging to ascertain the exact situation.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: As of the time of this briefing, all remaining distress signals in Maine have converged to zero. Treat everyone as an enemy. Naturally, unlimited ughter is permitted for this operation as well.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: You will be dropped off in Belfast, Maine, via a Columbia-ss submarine. Find out what has happened around Augusta, Brunswick, and Pornd¡­ As long as buildings are used as bases, even unmanned reconnaissance drones like Sentinels cannot ascertain where and what situation is urring.]
  • [ENCRYPTED: That is all. It will be quite a long journey, so be careful. Good luck on your journey.]
¡°...Is this my first time hearing this briefing again?¡± After everyone had left, Iy on my bed and checked the initial briefing of Operation Bluefield projected by the Icarus Gear. It wasical that a squad-level operation was being overseen by just about ten people, but at this point, the number of people we had killed was equivalent to two entire divisions, and the value of the watch on my wrist was about 1/20 of the entire budget of the U.S. Army. Anyway, returning to the memories, they came flooding back. As I remembered, afternding in Belfast, I essed Augusta¡¯swork andpletely took over a Russianmand post located roughly ten kilometers away. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all; I even hijacked the internal encryptionwork and IFF codes. However, I left the Augustamand post untouched. I didn¡¯t know what might happen when that base got destroyed, and how the aircraft carriers in Pornd would move. After that, it was simple.
  • [Owens: Get your head straight. We¡¯rending at Pornd Airport now. Make sure to pray thoroughly.]
After infiltrating the upper deck of a Russian transport ne going between Augusta Airport and Pornd Airport, we immediately prated deep into enemy territory. At that point, we had nned our escape, and after making all aircraft fire Granite anti-ship missiles at each other, the Columbia-ss submarine that delivered us back to Belfastunched an SLBM above Pornd. Thus, while the southern part of Maine was enveloped in an electromaic pulse, fortunately, we found several ssic cars while searching Pornd and moved to the lighthouse, our escape point, where we safely boarded the submarine. Operation Bluefield was roughly what I remembered.
  • [Eugene: Do you need the briefing file for Operation Bluefield?]
I quickly typed and added it to the group chat with Logan, Laurentina, and Owens. In an instant, the number next to the message disappeared. Of course, the senior officer initially struggled, but since Logan had forcibly pulled out the zip code and told me, participation was half a done deal. It wasn¡¯t possible to send the file immediately due to its massive size, but since everyone was clever folks, they could recall what had happened back then immediately. Then came the follow-up remarks.
  • [Logan: Should we just do what we didst time?]
  • [Owens: We¡¯re a bit short on people.]
  • [Laurentina: Last time¡¯s North Sphere operation seeded with surprisingly few people, so I don¡¯t think this will be a big problem either! XD]
  • [Laurentina: Plus, I think the two youngest will bring a couple more!]
  • [Eugene: You have a great sense of observation!]
In the end, it seemed it was time to include Dais and Harmony in this grand scenario. Of course, Harmony had already done it several times. Anyway, I would be the one to initiate the operation. I was the one to prepare the stage. All that was left was to call a few people who would help with the staging, and I knew exactly who the right person for that was. I manipted the Icarus Gear a few times and essed the contacts list. Scrolling down, I found the list rted to Icarus¡ªhowever, it wasn¡¯t for the branches or headquarters but for the people I had met in the basement of Two Bridgesst time. No specific requests were necessary. After typing a few words and sending them, just a few seconds passed.
  • [!%&$@ : Alright. I¡¯ll set the stage for you.]
That was it. It was time to kick things off for real. Chapter 294 ¡°...Is this something we can actually break?¡± Time over. Words filled my vision. The eight letters embroidered on a warning design alternating between red and ck were a stark reminder that all the effort put in over thest four hours in real-time and twelve hours in virtual reality had gone to waste. It was a moment where the patch of a scruffy-looking pit bull on the user¡¯s shoulder shone through as they slumped in despair. The chat, which I had ignored while concentrating, opened up with a deep sigh. The thirty thousand viewers watching all expressed their overwhelming disappointment at once. Of course, it went without saying that the Korean-based Cerberus team, one of the world''s leading strategy teams, shared the same sentiments. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what the problem was this time.¡± ¡°This is too difficult. I think we could break it if we sent about twenty people in.¡± ¡°Twenty people? I don¡¯t know if we could really break it with that many either.¡± Operation Bluefield. Or simply called the Blue Operation, it was an incursion mission. Alternatively, it was the mission that had be the most formidable barrier for yers around the world in the current Dark Zone PVE content¡­ The mission¡¯s objective was simple. It involved eliminating a certain number of enemies that had invaded Maine. The more enemies we killed, the percentage disyed on the UI, which started at 100%, would decrease, and we had to get it down to at least 30% for the mission to be considered somewhat cleared¡ªof course, one had to consider that the size of Maine was nearly 80% that of South Korea. In reality, only about four or five areas could be considered cities, or perhaps a few more, and they were all tightly clustered along the coast. Therefore, it was possible to travel around the cities of Maine within six hours by car. Furthermore, since the time taken to reach the destination was automatically omitted, there was no need to actually drive for that long in VR. If we set thebat time to 1:1, the actual time spent would be six hours. The timeout for the Blue Operation was set at 18 hours in VR, so the time was quite generous. Naturally, it didn¡¯t end there. ¡°How are we supposed to take down four aircraft carriers, really?¡± The biggest mountain. The wall blocking all users. It wasn¡¯t just about taking down the aircraft carriers. Even though they were smaller in scale, we had to prate the escort fleet consisting of several cruisers, frigates, and destroyers as well. Naturally, SLBMs from Columbia-ss nuclear submarines were out of the question, and tactical nuclear weapons were even less so. The moment you used them, the mission rank would plummet to D. Of course, the moment the missiles wereunched, the escort fleet on standby would startbing the northeastern waters of the U.S. for the submarine, and the moment the submarine sank, the mission would end in failure. Thus, there was no separate support from the submarines. Due to the jamming signals, it was impossible tounch missiles like Tomahawks from a distance. Therefore, destroying the aircraft carriers was nothing short of a suicide mission. All strategies from every team assumed that they would first sweep through the cities of Maine and wipe out all the enemies, ensuring that by the time they reached Pornd, the entire city would be on maximum alert. Naturally, trying to destroy the aircraft carriers first was literally a death wish since the identification systems spread across the map would meticulously scan the surroundings. ¡°So, what do you think went wrong this time?¡± ¡°Lack of time, not enough people, and the approach doesn¡¯t seem right¡­ it¡¯s just terrible.¡± ¡°Still, I feel like we have some direction. If we use drones to mark the coordinates and fire Tomahawks, we might achieve decent results. These days, it seems like all the strategy teams are using unmanned drones. If we bring DDP-52 as support, we might have a chance.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s try that a few times tomorrow.¡± My head was spinning. It wasn¡¯t just one person feeling this way; everyone present was thinking the same. It had been two hours since we had lunch, and we had started the Blue Operation. Since we had already tried a few times before, the actual VR connection time had exceeded 24 hours. So when they finally logged out, the time was already 8 PM. Having far exceeded dinner time, all members of the Cerberus team got up from their beds and walked toward the cafeteria. These users were also professional gamers who received corporate sponsorship to y the game, leading to this result. Ten users, who ordered their desired food in turn through the kiosk, sat down and began to discuss. Even as the food was being delivered sequentially by an unmanned cart, the conversation continued, and they kept talking while eating. However, soon silence fell.
  • [Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR]
  • [Operation Bluefield trying with Friends]
¡°...Will we break it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet 50,000 won that we¡¯ll clear it on the first try.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet 100,000 won that we can¡¯t break it.¡± ¡°Wow, it looks like the ten King Sejong¡¯s are going toe into my wallet.¡± There were many words, but the runaway train was beginning to move. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, everyone. I¡¯m back with an incursion mission y about a month after Operation Lost Archive. It seems like you¡¯ve all been waiting a lot.¡± ¡°Whew, I¡¯m happy to see you. You can call me Laurentina. It¡¯s better for you not to ask about the presence of this menacing guy named Owens here; it¡¯ll be better for your safety.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Logan. I don¡¯t have much to say, but you¡¯ll want to listen to this sharkdy.¡±
  • What¡¯s going on with this crazy guest? hahahahahahaha
  • Guest (Second ce)
  • What the hell is this, you crazy girl? hahahahahahaha
  • Harmony and Dais are looking shyw
  • How can you not be scared when guests are like this? hahahaha
800,000 viewers. That was the number of people right before us. It was indeed arge crowd. The moment we posted the joint broadcast notice, the number ofments exceeded 3,000 in just an hour, so I had expected this. Having first and second ce from the Final Championship and fourth ce in one ce had undoubtedly created quite a buzz. As soon as the broadcast started, we reached the number one spot in global viewers, pushing down a streamer who was broadcasting at that moment to second ce by a significant margin. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but it was nheless true. However, it didn¡¯t end there; the total number of viewers finally surpassed seven digits before tapering off. It seemed like viewers from all around the world had gathered. Anyway, everyone had gathered. The total number of participants was six: the four initial members of Task Force, along with Harmony and Dais. This group could split into a small team, specifically Owen as the squad leader with me and Dais¡¯s team¡ªand Logan and Harmony leading the team with Laurentina. ¡°Did you push all the troublesome work onto Sirkins, and now you¡¯re in the mood to do something today?¡± ¡°I should show our cute rookie the bitter taste of life.¡± ¡°Uh, uh, if I switch with Dais¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re running off to?¡± Unfortunately, it seemed that Harmony had already secured a solid spot in Laurentina¡¯s heart. Thebination of a shark and a cat was incredibly novel. Thus, Mina became Laurentina¡¯s hugging pillow and entered the briefing room in that state. A tedious briefing began. Everyone except Harmony and Dais had heard this briefing enough times to memorize it. Perhaps it was surprising that the viewers were also quite familiar with it. I heard that nearly a month had passed without anyone clearing it properly. Anyway, since I had added that we were nning the operation route in thest joint broadcast, today we could proceed with the game without any particr exnation. I chose options that might help the operation. There were quite a few. There was DDP-52, and a 30-minute satellite reconnaissance as well. However, what to choose had been agreed upon in advance. It was TPSP-12 Clover, a container-stored cruise missile tform. We would deploy about two of them along the border of Vermont and New Hampshire. After designating the expected infiltration area as the small town of Belfast, I pressed the operation start button. A cutscene began, and the six of us boarded a Columbia-ss nuclear submarine. Thus, the diving began, and 48 hourster, wended in a city 160 km away from Pornd on the northern coast of the United States. The mission had begun. ¡°Starting drone reconnaissance. Please maintain vignce.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± As everyone busily dispersed into the surroundings, a nearly silent drone, controlled by special de adjustments, quickly soared into the sky. The drone ascended approximately 600 meters and began to scout the entire small town. However, it was safe to say that there were zero signs of life. Even though it wasn¡¯trge, it was hard to call it small; it was odd nheless. It was a moment that reminded me of the past. My hand instinctively maneuvered the drone to look south¡ªtoward Waldo County General Hospital and Belfast Airport. The two were only about 500 meters apart. And sure enough. ¡°¡­Multiple life signs detected. About 20 armed individuals are irregrly scattered at the airport, and around 60 people have been confirmed at the hospital. Judging by the signs of runway usage, it seems they are receiving supplies through there.¡± ¡°ording to the results of our radio eavesdropping, there seems to be nowork flow being transmitted around. It seems like they receive messages as needed. They seem pretty loose since it¡¯s a rear point.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll ignore them and head for Augusta. If we capture them, we¡¯ll only leave traces. From now on, we¡¯ll head north to find a vehicle.¡± ¡°Confirmed.¡±
  • What¡¯s going on, they¡¯re not capturing them?
  • Are they not going to race nonstop to Pornd?
  • There¡¯s nothing matching this strategy team¡¯s routine from the start, haha
  • They¡¯re entering more peacefully than I thought, oh
  • Controlling excitement, haha
Of course, it wasn¡¯t surprising that there were cars scattered all over the city. After brushing off the thickyer of dust on the windshield, I smashed the headlights and side windows. After all, if I had the Icarus Gear, I could drive with my eyes closed, and turning on the headlights would be a suicidal act that would invite detection. Starting the engine also required caution. After fully closing the garage door and starting the engine without making noise, the six users split into two vehicles. When we opened the garage door, both vehicles slipped into the pitch-darkness. Meanwhile, I continued to operate the drone and kept scouting the predicted route. Time skip began, and the remaining 18 hours until missionpletion became 16 hours and 45 minutes. Having arrived right in front of Augusta, the drone finally detected significant data. ¡°¡­Military bases and ammunition depots are scattered around. I¡¯ve marked them on the UI.¡± ¡°It seems they¡¯ve established theirmand center around the shopping center directly in front. Judging by the heavy traffic detected inside, it seems worth trying to enter. From here, let¡¯s split into two scenarios. If we¡¯re not going to annihte them, let¡¯s just get what we need and leave.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave the infiltration to the three of you. If we seed, it¡¯s code blue; if we fail, it¡¯s code red. If we decide to wipe them out, we¡¯ll dere code ck.¡± As Owens fiddled with the drone, he added for Harmony and Dais. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you need to do. Harmony, Dais, go this way. Eugene, Logan, and Laurentina will move west along Capital Street and stop at Checkpoint Alpha. You two will control the two drones and upload the movements of all nearby enemies to the UI. You¡¯re bing the eyes of the squad.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± There were no further words. Everyone nodded, and with a soft whirring sound, the drones blended into the dark sky. As they hit the waypoint and moved about 200 meters west through the thicket, I could see a faint light emerging from the darkness. It turned out to be a guard at the Russian base that we hadn¡¯t managed to catch. It meant we had reached Checkpoint Alpha. Above the brightly lit view, the positions of enemies indicated by the drones began to appear one by one. At the top of the long rectangr department store, a machine gun was mounted on each side, and there were barbed wire and makeshift structures blocking the paths and infiltration routes. However, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about since¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve reached the sniper position.¡± ¡°Drone control and shooting preparationpleted. I¡¯ll only mark the machine gunners that don¡¯t have angles from this side.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll handle those.¡± Logan, assigned as the designated sniper, pulled out a rifle¡­ Mjolnir. Our team was all crazy about firepower. As the tripod was set up, I got into a prone position to serve as a support, and everyone began to adjust their timing.
  • What¡¯s this? hahahahaha
  • Twirling the sniping makes it too easy, haha
  • You think we¡¯ll like you suddenly showing off cuteness here? That¡¯s exactly it
  • Laurentina is snickering next to herww
  • What¡¯s with this? Why is everything running so smoothly? haha
After ncing at the chaotic chat room, a subsonic round sliced through the air with a soft sound. At the same time, if you didn¡¯t listen closely, you wouldn¡¯t hear the small gunshots that echoed simultaneously, and the four machine gunners stationed on the rooftop fell with their heads blown off, instantly meeting their end. Laurentina urged us to return to our positions through a squeeze signal. As we returned to our original spots, everyone murmured good kills into the voice channel, expressing their satisfaction. Then came the follow-up remarks. ¡°There¡¯s a car repair shop 100 meters ahead¡­ it seems to have changed into a military vehicle repair shop. Let¡¯s take the detour around the bushes in front and head toward the logistics warehouse behind the department store. I¡¯ll mark the waypoint.¡± ¡°Confirmed.¡± It was about time to get off the road. Ignoring the Russian words echoing around, we entered deeper into the woods. Even though it was winter and there were no leaves, the trees were densely packed, and above all, it was a moonless night, making infiltration quite easy. The entrance to the logistics warehouse directly in front. About four individuals seemed to be controlling the movement of vehicles from a small booth outside. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Simultaneously, Logan manipted his wristwatch, and soon the gates started shing red and green lights, swinging wildly. Two individuals, startled, entered inside to report, while the remaining two struggled to fix the machines. Logan wore a grim smile and gestured for us to advance, and Dais and I quickly moved to the booth managing the gates. And just as we were about to ambush the enemy who was about to pull out a radio from behind¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Thud! The body faced forward, but the person¡¯s head twisted over 180 degrees to look behind. The enemy¡¯s eyes lost focus in an instant. The neck waspletely broken, and he died right there. We stuffed the body under the parked vehicle while I hid behind a nearby trash can, waiting for Logan. With the pr bear rushing into the logistics warehouse as a cue, Owens set the assembly point at Augusta Airport and added: ¡°An-124 heading for Pornd just started refueling. I¡¯ll give you 30 minutes. Finish what you¡¯re doing and gather at the assembly point.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The time psed was barely 1 hour and 40 minutes. Perceptually, it felt like 30 minutes. The mission had just begun.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 295
  • It¡¯s quiet. Usually, around this time, the guys on the roof should be bbering on the radio, right?
  • Maybe they¡¯re sharing a few bottles of vodka. The outside temperature is -20 degrees today; those guys patrolling in weather like this are something else¡­ Or maybe they¡¯re just off chatting with someone else instead of us. Whatever. If nothing¡¯s wrong, let¡¯s not worry about it.
  • Yeah, right. I¡¯m bored to death. Watching CCTV with not a single rat passing by all day¡­
Swish. Laurentina subtly squeezed my shoulder. It was a squeeze signal. I cautiously grabbed the door handle and opened it slightly. Thanks to the oiling on the hinges beforehand, it opened smoothly without a sound. Now, it was time to put an end to their boredom. I aimed my shock grenadeuncher at them. The nearly unarmed guards were startled, but by the time they realized what was happening, the bullets had already embedded into their bodies, delivering electric shocks. With grotesque sounds, they began to copse one by one, foam spilling from their mouths. There were five of them, each managing the CCTV andwork control room. It was impressive how they had transformed this facility into a suitable base in such a short time. ¡°Now, how do we get into the security facility? Keypad? Keycard? Or maybe retinal scan?¡± ¡°The answer is the key bundle hanging around their necks. We¡¯ll need to do a quick inspection of their belongings, so pleaseply.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around with someone who can¡¯t even talk, Laurentina.¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t idle, searching my pockets for USBs and other equipment. After that, there was nothing more to do. These guys were expected to be knocked out for at least 30 minutes. The problem was any other enemies that mighte to this ce, but I resolved that through the Icarus gear. I disyed the facility blueprints and lowered all the firewalls and barriers along the path to the CCTV room. Having acquired the keys, I inserted them into the tworge padlocks and turned them. After cing the metal clumps on one side, I entered to find a server room that was rather haphazardly constructed. The ceiling was wide open, perhaps to cool the machines. ¡°Alright. Connecting to thework¡­ it¡¯ll take about three minutes to decrypt the internal password system. In the meantime, it would be perfect to stuff all the friends we left outside into the trash can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll mark the coordinates here. If we feed one or two cruise missiles to this location, everyone should be quite pleased. I¡¯ll also take care of the air defense system.¡± ¡°Leave that to Laurentina. You¡¯re with me for the cleanup, little one.¡± ¡°That sounds better.¡±
  • What are they talking about? It sounds suspicious hahahaha
  • Stuffing people in a trash can?
  • How can you have this conversation like you¡¯re asking what to have for breakfast? hahahaha
  • Don¡¯t kill me!!!!
  • This is one ridiculous turn of events hahahaha
Of course, the cleanup meant permanently putting the guards who had passed out into a state of eternal slumber. Just like I had done at the gate booth, I twisted the enemies¡¯ necks like thin sticks. Shooting them would leave blood stains¡­ or in VR, polygon marks, which would cause a significant headache if enemy AIs came to investigateter. In other words, it was for a perfect crime.@@novelbin@@ Thus, I gathered the bodies and disposed of five corpses in therge trash collection area sparsely ced outside. Meanwhile, Laurentina was busy hacking. However, even that didn¡¯t take long, and after a while¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve transmitted the coordinates, and I¡¯ve loosened the air defense and jamming signals. The decryption program was shared through the Icarus gear, so you can check it, and since I¡¯ve finished faking the IFF, Russian drones and CCTV will now identify us as allies.¡± ¡°Good to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin the rest on the ne. I can¡¯t just keep the two waiting outside with the squad leader.¡± At that, I headed outside. We returned the same way we came. The barriers and firewalls we had activated just minutes earlier were reopened by Harmony and Dais, allowing us to slip back out through the logistics center. To the west of the ce we had just exited, which was the Russian base and department store, there was a road leading to our retreat. And on that road to the west stood a civic cultural center. As Dais busily controlled the drone hovering in the air, Harmony manipted the CCTV to check that direction and added: ¡°Uh, a massive heat source detected inside. It¡¯s probably a lodging area. I¡¯ll mark the waypoint; it¡¯s better to avoid it.¡± ¡°Confirmed. There¡¯s also a building directly ahead, so it¡¯d be good if you could check that out.¡± ¡°Yeah. That also looks like a lodging area. It seems to be a recruiting station for the National Guard¡­ Anyway, I checked, and there¡¯s no one on guard outside. I¡¯ll set the destination leading to the airport.¡± Thus, the three of us, including me, quickly crossed through the darkness. After walking about 300 meters, Owens, Harmony, and Dais cautiously revealed themselves from behind broken branches. It seemed they had gotten here in advance while we were busy causing trouble inside the department store. Owens pointed with an infraredser across the barbed wire. ¡°Do you see the transport ne ahead? It¡¯s heading for Pornd.¡± ¡°We need to get on it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind.¡± The barbed wire, which seemed to have been cut off in advance. It didn¡¯t take long for the six of us to slip through the gap and step into the airport. There were quite a few people around. The loading operation seemed mostly finished, as the internal cargo area was entirely empty. In other words, it meant they had been busy transporting the items¡ªarmored vehicles, helicopters, and various goods¡ªsomewhere. I activated the optical camouge and walked quietly. Three minutes felt like thirty, but we managed to reach the upper deck surprisingly quickly. Memories of the past resurfaced. We had hidden here once and moved to Pornd without much trouble. As if to prove that, the ramp at the back of the transport aircraft closedpletely, signaling that the refueling had ended. The aircraft began preparing for takeoff. The distance to Pornd was only about 10 to 20 minutes by ne, so it was time to recall what actions we needed to take at the destination. ¡°Upon fully reducing speed, open the emergency doors and head for the waypoint I marked. Once we cross the Memorial Bridge, we¡¯ll move east about 500 meters, and we¡¯ll find the area with the docks. The four aircraft carriers are located near there. The ships we will seize are¡­ these two.¡± At the same time, two Admiral Kusov-ss aircraft carriers were disyed. The detailed structure circled in front of me, filled with countless information, including the predicted maneuvering routes and times, blurred my vision. As nned earlier, the two teams, each consisting of three members, would infiltrate their respective aircraft carriers¡ªafter seizing control of the weapons, they wouldunch anti-ship missiles at the Storm-ss vessels waiting about 2 kilometers away on the shore. Even upon hearing it again, it was an utterly crazy operation. A n that was worth attempting if one had about fifteen lives. But we had done it for real¡ªthough we hadn¡¯t predicted such an oue when nning the Bluefield operation. Ultimately, the significant operations carried out by the Icarus operators had all taken this form. Using the enemy¡¯s weapons to blow up the enemy, this method was favored not only by Task Force but also by all operators. ¡°Currently, the two Storm-ss aircraft carriers are approaching, and the situation is chaotic, so infiltrating should be no problem. The rest will be left to everyone¡¯s ability and judgment.¡± With those words, I checked whether the oxygen mask and tank in my backpack were still there. The Icarus gear could sufficiently regte body temperature, so all that was left was to leap into the cold water after exiting the ne. ©¤©¤©¤Creak! Just 15 minutester, the An-124nded on the ground of Pornd. As the ne rapidly decelerated, I gripped the wall of the transport ne as it began reverse thrust¡ªdeactivating nearby sensors for a moment¡ªthen opened the emergency door and quickly exited the fusge. The pitch-ck darkness greeted us, but it was only for a moment. About 1 kilometer away in the distance, two aircraft carriers stood imposing. There wasn¡¯t much distance left to our destination. ¡°Designated location reached. Mission preparationplete.¡± ¡°From this point forward, engage with all personnel we encounter. Let¡¯s turn the aircraft carriers into ghost ships.¡± ©¤©¤©¤Screech! The pulse swept across the entire ship. Three floors down from the flight deck, right below the hangar that transported the ne, various bombs, fuel, and everything else were loaded. In other words, this was the territory of the facility maintenance engineers, and as expected, there were quite a few people moving around in a radius of several hundred meters. However, today, what we were going to do here wasn¡¯t just a straight advance to the bridge, but literally disinfecting this ship. We had to ensure that no one could interfere with our work¡ªoriginally, the crew of an Admiral Kusov-ss ship numbered around 1900, but today it was different. Everyone was resting in the city, leaving only the minimum staff behind. Thus, the number of enemies remaining on the aircraft carrier was about 700. There was certainly no shortage of tickets for a one-way trip to the underworld. Thud¡­! Thud! I cut the carotid artery. Instead of blood, a golden liquid poured onto the floor. The corridors of the aircraft carrier were incredibly narrow and steep, making it impossible to swing an axe; thus, the weapons used for closebat were limited to tactical knives. In the meantime, muffled gunshots echoed through the air. It was the sound of engineers wandering around the lowest levels of the Kusov-ss aircraft carrier bing corpses one by one. But what mattered wasn¡¯t this floor, but the 03 deck above. The heart of the advanced facility made of expensive equipment. Here, we had to conserve bullets as much as possible and wipe out all personnel roaming the hangar above. Climbing the steep stairs, I activated the pulse again. About 70 people were busily moving around nearby. The most important thing was to eliminate those who could easily spot the hangar from the balcony above. ¡°I¡¯ll handle that. You two just clean up freely.¡± ¡°Confirmed.¡± With one hand holding the knife and the other a modified sticky bomb for closebat. After activating the optical camouge, Owens and I slowly emerged from the stairs. Meanwhile, Dais, cautiously ascending the stairs, raised his MCX Rattler and quickly crossed the balcony, pulling the trigger at the individuals monitoring the work above. ¡°...Cough!¡± The sound of him falling to the ground without even a sound, copsing smoothly onto the floor. As the guards began to vanish one by one, my work began. Thud¡­ Thud! I didn¡¯t need to twist the neck or break the carotid artery. The moment I buried the spike into the cervical vertebra, the opponent died instantly. With a single concise action, one enemy¡¯s life was extinguished. Meanwhile, I pulled the trigger of the sticky bombuncher at another one who was busy doing maintenance on the opposite side; his head was carbonized, and he fell right where he stood. At that moment, I locked eyes with one person about 15 meters away. In that instant, a Tomahawk soared through the air, striking his forehead. It wasn¡¯t a particrly pleasant sound, but it also wasn¡¯t very loud. Thus began the ughter.
  • What the hell am I looking at right now¡­?????
  • So, this is how you clear it? hahahahahahaha
  • Bluefield GG¡¯d hahahahahahaha
  • No way, there¡¯s no way this could be cleared like this, haha
  • Teacher, this is a shooting game, isn¡¯t it?
Typically, reasons for being detected during infiltration operations could vary. Usually, it was either the dy in handling the enemies, poor judgment, or simply bad luck¡ªbut the way to fill those gaps was simple. If you had speed and uracy, the impossible could be brought down to the possible. Before the enemies spotted us and began to scream or draw their guns, the axe cut through the air. An enemy, whose head was split in half on the spot, fell to his knees. Even if we couldn¡¯t avoid their gaze, we could take them out while climbing over the nes packed in the hangar and thening down. Even if that were impossible, Senior Owens or Dais would appropriately take care of it. If the senior officer was in danger of being spotted, I could draw my pistol or throw a throwing knife to take them out. So, when only about three enemies remained alive in the hangar,munications came in from hundreds of meters away.
  • [The hangar cleanup isplete; how¡¯s the retreat?]
Of course, the answer I would give was obvious. From now on, it was time to wander through the 02 deck, which housed the crew¡¯s lodgings and amenities, otherwise known as the Gallery Deck. And I didn¡¯t need to describe the situation any further¡ªone could simply summarize it by saying that every crew member, numbering in the hundreds, had fallen into an eternal slumber. Thus, the two aircraft carriers slowly transformed into ghost ships, and it ended with the enemy stationed at the bridge beingid to rest in their chairs forever. After a short dy of a few minutes, the other Kusov-ss across from us would undergo the same fate, and while gazing at the faintly visible outside, I connected to the fire control system. ¡°I¡¯ve inserted the key.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s turn them simultaneously¡­ system all green. We¡¯ll also use the TPSP-21. Let¡¯s wipe them out.¡± ¡°Of course. The container tform is operational. There are no civilians in the expected explosion radius. We¡¯re going to wipe out everything in Augusta and Lewiston within 4 minutes.¡± ¡°Confirmed. Time it right.¡±
  • What the hell???
  • What is going on, seriously???
  • Please, please, please! Who¡¯s watching this kind of game?
  • These guys are clearing the Incursion mission that others have struggled with for a month in one go hahahahahaha
  • I¡¯m not gonna say anything; you all can take it all hahahaha
The missilesunch. About two minutester, the chaos erupted everywhere. Communication traffic soared as many hurriedly prepared. However, the air defense and radar of Augusta¡¯s militarymand had long been weakened. It would probably be detected only about a minute before impact. In the distance, Storm-ss ships were seen firing several missiles somewhere. I wondered if it was for interception, but it didn¡¯t matter. As memories from the past ovepped, my hand moved instinctively, and I selected all 20 P-800 Yakhont missiles loaded on the aircraft carrier. Now was the time. ¡°Target adjustment. Synchronize theunch with the other Kusov-ss. Use 60% of the avable power. The remaining 40% will be fired at the Russian military bases and escort fleets we previously confirmed.¡± There was no response. As the hatch opened, twenty anti-ship missiles were unleashed toward the air. Simultaneously, distant explosions erupted in the dark sea. With a tremendous roar, the two aircraft carriers turned into heaps of scrap metal, hundreds of thousands of tons sinking into the cold, dark winter sea. Of course, now it was our turn to endure the bacsh. As promised, we swiftly left the bridge and fell several meters before plunging into the cold winter sea. After about a minute of swimming¡­
  • !!!!!
¡°Ouch. This is insane.¡± ¡°Is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°Fortunately, not a single person.¡± The two Kusov-ss aircraft carriers we had just upied were blown to bits by anti-ship missiles. Of course, we faced no major problems since we had submerged deep. If it had been torpedoes, the story would have been different, but fortunately, the attack was solely from missiles¡ªwhile underwater, our conversations were conducted through voice synthesizers. Thus, while the four aircraft carrierspletely sank, one more task remained¡ªsending the locations of the escort fleet waiting off the coast of Maine to the Columbia-ss nuclear submarine. We had to clean up everything right until the end. Through encryptedmunication, I heard a voice. ¡°Is there something you want, our Terminator friend?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could just send over about 75 Tomahawks, now that we¡¯ve sent the target data.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for the missiles rotting in the arms depot to see the light. Consider that request granted.¡± And everything unfolded just as we wished. After rising to the nearby shore and shaking off the frozen seawater ice from my body, the fireworks began anew over the cold winter sea. About four or five escort ships desperately shot out CIWS and interceptor missiles, but unfortunately, numbers equated to violence. As ships, each taking about ten hits from a native axe, began to gradually be more familiar with the cold winter sea, the remaining enemies were disyed as a percentage on one side of the UI.
  • [Remaining enemies // 5%]
¡°Phew. This is easy.¡± ¡°If you have the energy to say something weird, why not help us find a vehicle to the retreat point, Eugene?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± What could I say? Although the progress differed slightly from thest time, it was a sessful operation. After shaking Logan¡¯s hand as he pulled me up, I reiterated through encryptedmunication to the Columbia-ss. ¡°We have 30 minutes until the retreat point. You¡¯re not telling us to go to Boston, are you?¡± Fortunately, instead of an answer, the screen went ck. An automatic cutscene yed, signaling thepletion of the mission. It was a moment where we were about to ascend one more step to obtain theplete answer to the secrets entangled in this world. Chapter 296 ¡°Let¡¯s start the debriefing. Everyone, sit down.¡±
  • Oh damn, the cutscene! Hahahahaha!
  • So this was the official route! LOL
  • Icarus, you crazy bastards, how did youe up with this route as something people could think through!?
  • No matter how I look at it, this map doesn¡¯t seem designed to be cleared. LOL
  • Well, anyway, we wiped out all the enemies! Hahaha!
As the cutscene filled my view, the viewers erupted into cheers. Even I didn¡¯t realize itter, but the cutscene held a significance more important than expected. Especially in the Incursion mission, it was even more so. To be specific, as I had mentioned before, the Incursion mission was a massive story mission that linearized my past, and to move forward, I had to clear the previous missions. Here, the cutscene reappeared. In short, when this appears, it means that I have cleared the Incursion mission in a suitable manner or achieved all the given detailed objectives¡ªof course, the easiest way to do that was to obtain a clear rank of A or higher. Conversely, not having a cutscene meant that the next Incursion mission had not been unlocked. The viewers had been struggling in this mission for more than a month since I cleared the Lost Archive. While it was generally expected that the first clear would happen within 3 to 4 weeks... well, it seemed everyone had less time to devote to the Incursion mission because of the main event. Thanks to one of the viewers kindly summarizing the rted information in my Tricky personalmunity, a lot became clear. Anyway, I remembered this situation as well. Who would being out for the debriefing, where the location was, when it was, who the members were¡­ All the briefings and debriefings that had been conducted more than hundreds of times were all in my head. And as I scanned the surroundings, I immediately realized. ¡®Operation Chariot will be the next mission.¡¯ Of course, only four people here noticed that fact. ISO added, a smile he couldn¡¯t hide on his face. ¡°To get to the conclusion, Operation Bluefield was aplete sess. In fact, it even advanced the operational timetable HQ had painstakingly set by at least two months.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Originally, we were supposed to invest at least three weeks in gathering intelligence, inputting the coordinates of key Russian military buildings, andunching arge-scale offensive. This is the current troop deployment situation, moving from Florida, Norfolk, and New Jersey toward the Boston area.¡± A hologram floated in the air. Blue arrows indicating friendly forces moved northward along various roads in the United States. Not only that, but some of the maind defense fleet was also advancing north. They must have put a lot of effort into this operation, and thus HQ¡¯s goal was likely topletely pull out Russia¡¯sst fang. But we had ended it in less than three days through an incredible method. Even hearing it now feels absurd, but it was indeed quite ridiculous in the past. In terms of the scale of the offensive, at least several divisions had been mobilized, equivalent to a corps, and that n had turned to ash in an instant. The Icarus support operator added, seeming incredulous. ¡°In the operations document, we predicted three difficulties for this operation. The first was the difficulty of urban wide-area reconnaissance, the second was the breadth of the main state, and the third was the personnel and material transport capabilities that matched the name of the aircraft carrier and its operational execution capabilities¡­ Therefore, your goal was to gather information in the main state and transmit as much of it to HQ as possible.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Yet you all came back after destroying that aircraft carrier. Good heavens.¡± With a nearly bewildered expression, the support operator let out a dryugh. It couldn¡¯t be said to be a bad expression, but it didn¡¯t seem like he hadpletely regained his senses either. He was epting a result that was impossible toprehend. Chuckling continuously, he opened his mouth. ¡°As you all know, aircraft carriers are strategic weapons in and of themselves. Although the escort fleets have mostly fallen, it is assumed that the Russian military, thought to be nearly destroyed, has sent itsst remaining capacity to the northeastern U.S....¡± ¡°And we smashed them all to pieces.¡± ¡°You should be thankful that you¡¯re part of the U.S.¡±
  • That¡¯s true! Hahahahaha!
  • Fact: The Boogeyman sleeps with the nket pulled over his head because he¡¯s scared of Eugene.
  • So you¡¯re saying you finished a two-monthrge-scale mission in just three days????
  • I can hear the sound of Russian soldiers¡¯ blood boiling all the way here! Hahahahaha!
  • Just the one and only Queen Eugene! LOL
After a while ofughing, he finally stopped. His next words. ¡°Thanks to this, we¡¯vepletely destroyed one of the two forces thatnded in the U.S. Now we can shift all our resources to the Western recovery.¡± ¡°You seem to have something in mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± At that moment, a stack of papers came up onto the table¡ªOperation Chariot. The next Incursion mission. Of course, since this was a game, in the ying cutscene, everyone, including me, wore expressions as if they knew nothing about the content. The presentation began. A map of the entire United States was disyed and then gradually shrank. However, it didn¡¯t shrink that much. This operation was a mission crossing a vast area that couldn¡¯t even bepared to the Bluefield operation. The U.S.-Mexico border and the cities scattered at a suitable distance from it were all stained red. This directly represented the expected influence of the enemy, but because of that, it looked as if red paint had been spilled all over the map of the southern U.S. The southwestern U.S. was suffering due to the cartels. ¡°If Russia and China are real threats, these are the recently emerging threats. Houston, Das, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Phoenix, San Diego, and even Los Angeles¡­ It seems that tens of thousands of Mexican cartel members are taking advantage of the weakened border patrols to rampage.¡± ¡°Can we handle all of that¡­?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to get around with just vehicles.¡± ¡°Of course, you will be flying in helicopters at all times. HQ has made it clear that if necessary, they will mobilize transport nes and fleets, so don¡¯t worry about transportation.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡±@@novelbin@@ At that moment, the area of the southern U.S., which looked like it had been drenched in red paint, regained its original color. Only then did everyone in attendance nod their heads. In short, like the Bluefield operation, our job was to color the red-stained map blue. At that moment, he tapped his wristwatch. Suddenly, the watch began synchronizing with the support operator, and while everyone wore dumbfounded expressions, he continued speaking. ¡°This is a skill newly developed by the Technical Bureau. It¡¯s the Field Support and Link System. The former helps allies within the skill range through nanomachines. It can produce ammunition and heal status ailments and injuries. As for thetter¡­ You¡¯ll have to try using it yourself. You might hear about itter when you return safely from the operation.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that. So, when is the operation start time?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s gather here again in a week. I hope you prepare well.¡± Then, dismissed. With that word, the cutscene ended. It was the moment when Operation Bluefield waspletely wrapped up. ¡°...Seems everyone has a lot they want to ask.¡± Operation Bluefield, the actual time spent in gamey was... just two hours based on VR. If we hadn¡¯t skipped the time spent moving in vehicles, it probably took about four hours in total. Clearing a mission with an 18-hour deadline in just four hours was likely something no one here could have imagined. There were no proper questions. Everyone was just spewing out primitive curiosities. If I were to summarize it roughly, it was only questions about how and why this was happening¡ªhowever, those inquiries could be separated or made a bit more specific. If I had been streaming alone, I might have been able to answer those questions a bit more calmly and logically, but at least the fact that I brought up such hypothetical scenarios implicitly suggested that such an event had simply turned into an IF. Now I wasn¡¯t alone, and calm, logical answers wouldn¡¯te out. It was just the core being roughly poked at from someone else¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ah, seems there are many curious people. For me, I¡¯m more puzzled about how I didn¡¯te up with this approach.¡± ¡°Most people don¡¯t even have the authority to attack such enormous ships, and theyck the experience of training for it.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. I apologize.¡± Today, the instructors and such weren¡¯t observing, but a multitude of unspecified general public viewers were watching. Logan, with his pro-gamer experience, understood the dynamics of this side well enough, so he didn¡¯t bother saying anything, and Owens didn¡¯t say anything at all because he didn¡¯t know anything about this side. But Laurentina spoke without any care. ¡°Well, okay. I¡¯ll have to tell you a story that¡¯s quite interesting for you.¡± ¡°Eugene, get ready. If it goes wrong, cover your mouth.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only going to talk aboutmon sense, so I wonder why everyone is making such a fuss.¡±
  • Heeung, Laurentina¡­
  • Treating her like a bouncy ball that might bounce anywhere, LOL
  • Everyone around Eugene seems to be a bit off their rocker, LOL
  • Seems like Eugene¡¯s acquaintances have done this a few times before? Hahahaha!
  • What¡¯s she going to say? LOL
Talking aboutmon sense, hermon sense was precisely the type not to be trusted the most. In any case, it hadn¡¯t been closed yet since she hadn¡¯t said anything, so aside from Dais and Harmony, who couldn¡¯t grasp the situation, the other three were watching Laurentina¡¯s mouth with interest. ¡°To put it bluntly, I¡¯m not really interested in how you all yed this mission. Focus on the objectives. For example, if the destruction of the aircraft carrier is the goal, you should consider how much destructive power is needed to achieve that objective and think about how to meet that.¡± ¡°That seems like a jab.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°And remember, the watches on your wrists aren¡¯t just decorations. Just considering that we can utilize the firepower that the enemy has will significantly expand your tactical and strategic choices.¡± ¡­Is this a straight talk? Of course, she surprisingly gave a coherent answer. But how many people would fully understand the meaning behind that statement? Most people would likely react with, ¡°How could anyone but you do that?¡± After all, I don¡¯t think the viewers would take it seriously. In any case, several other questions came up. Of course, I couldn¡¯t answer most of them. There are many pieces of knowledge that shouldn¡¯t be revealed to the world, and questions regarding who Laurentina and Officer Owens were also fell into that category. Viewers can indeed be unnecessarily curious. Fortunately, however, several high-quality questionsy hidden like gems in the mud.
  • Was the seizure of the Jubir-ss during the No Sphere mission and the coordinate guidance via DDP-52 part of that?
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. You¡¯ve grasped it well.¡± Everyone nodded. That was the operational framework and behavioral principle of Task Force Dagger. Even if the price of the hundreds of missiles on the wristwatch equals a conventional weapon¡¯s firepower, it¡¯s still difficult to keep up with the firepower of conventional weapons, and the firepower that the task force team of just ten could carry had its limits. Unless you were carrying a nuclear bag or something. As I mentioned before, the U.S. had suffered from a fundamental manpower shortage since the Dark Winter incident. Of course, Operation Bluefield was a result of our rampage, but practically other missions are not significantly different. The operational radius was at least from brigade to corps level, or even more. Of course, as seen in therge-scale offensive n that had turned to scrap paper, that wasn¡¯t originally our job¡­ In any case, the principle of utilizing enemy firepower was derived from such a background. ¡°If you have the fundamental principle of utilizing enemy firepower, the preparations naturally align with that. You¡¯ll paralyzeworks, neutralize jamming signals, gather urate coordinates, and infiltrate conventional weapon depots. In today¡¯s case, the aircraft carrier served that role.¡± Saying this, he nced at the chat window. Then I smiled briefly. ¡°...But depending on the mission, that action guideline might not work, and you don¡¯t seem particrly interested in that.¡±
  • For real! LOL
  • Anyway, when does Part 2 start? LOL
  • Fact: Everyone here is just worried that the broadcast will end early.
  • Teacher, you¡¯re not saying you¡¯ll end the broadcast after only two hours, right?????
  • They¡¯re sharper now that it¡¯s New Year¡¯s. Whoa!
Just as he said. While many present were indeed curious about that, in conclusion, they just didn¡¯t want me to end the broadcast early because I finished all the content today. At this point, I might have be quite suited for being a streamer. Thinking that, I turned my head to look at Team Dagger and Dais and Harmony. ¡°Does everyone have time after this?¡± Of course, there was no refusal. And¡ª ¡°KYAAH¡ª! Eugene! Help me!¡± ¡°Our cute Harmony has gone like this. See you next round.¡± ¡°Kueek!¡± Harmony exploded. In an escape game inspired by the once-popr movie Cube, Harmony was grabbed by a mechanical arm extending from the ceiling, screaming all kinds of things before being ejected into the observation window. ¡°Let¡¯s all have a moment of silence.¡± ¡°Moment of silence¡­¡± ¡°I should press X to show my condolences.¡± Of course, what followed was Harmony¡¯s voice shouting from the observation window, ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet!¡± Part 2 of the broadcast began like that. Chapter 297 ¡°Is this design okay?¡± ¡°Hmmm, rather than putting a tomahawk inside the Ouroboros, wouldn¡¯t it feel better if the axe crossed through the Ouroboros like thest Stormseer bundle?¡± ¡°Sounds good, let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Meanwhile, while Eugene was enjoying a survival game with the Task Force Dagger team members, the Dark Zone shop was bustling tremendously. The moment the rankings for the Final Championship were finalized, numerous designers partnered with Icarus International became endlessly busy. From gun camouge and decorations to various other items... They reviewed the ys of the top 20 from the Final Championship, capturing the most impressive scenes and vectorizing them into illustrations. Among these, the most important aspects were gun designs, decorations, emotes, and monuments that could be ced in personal lodgings. More than dozens, if not hundreds, of designers were not only brainstorming but also randomly selecting unrted civilians to refer to their opinions, struggling to capture both characteristics and poprity. And the result was this. ¡°Wow, the winner bundle from this Final Championship just came out. It¡¯s prettier thanst year¡¯s¡­ no, it¡¯s even better thanst year!¡± ¡°Last year? Oh, the Stormseer bundle? I thought that was the prettiest, so I only use that. What came out... oh.¡± Eugene Bundle. Not only could you immediately unlock the AAC Honey Badger, one of the guns opened at the mid-high level, but you could also use a gun camouge that was the exact same color as Eugene''s tail. And as previously mentioned, the decorations you could hang on the gun received remarkable praise. A single tomahawk crossing through the Ouroboros. Considering that the decoration fromst year''s winning bundle, the Stormseer bundle, was an arrow crossing through a storm, the design could seem somewhat simr. However, the decoration itself moved and transformed into a snake wrapping around the tomahawk at regr intervals.@@novelbin@@ Of course, that wasn¡¯t all; this year, there was one more unique function hidden away. ¡°Wow, hey! The emotional expression is insane! There¡¯s a snake tail!¡± ¡°No way, this is just messed up. I spent all my bundle money buyingte-night snacks while watching the broadcast. Damn it¡­¡± The emotional expressions could be created only after getting direct permission from Eugene. The motion of spinning a tomahawk that appeared from somewhere and then catching the weapon with its tail as it flicked into the air quickly spread, and it could be seen endlessly in thebat waiting room andmunity. It even spread widely enough for foreign YouSpace channel managers to rush to review it. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Naturally, the bundle included the tomahawk and new execution motions as well¡ªcovering all the basics that should be included and even bizarre extras. Yet, the price wasn¡¯t too high. It was natural that many rushed to the store. And perhaps unsurprisingly, there was also a Logan Bundle next to it. ¡°Wow, they¡¯re bundling Eugene and Logan together. But it¡¯s only 20,000 won? Why is it so cheap?¡± ¡°That¡¯s like 1.5 chickens, right? Or is it just 1 chicken now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I should buy it.¡± A heavily armed pr bear with a shield and MPX was emzoned on the Logan Bundle. Perhaps to differentiate it from the Eugene Bundle, the itemposition was focused more on PvE than PvP, allowing the early unlocking of gear suitable for point men who stood at the forefront and pushed forward while absorbing firepower. Other than that, there wasn¡¯t much of a difference in the itempositionspared to other bundles, but there was an Easter egg for those equipped with Logan and Eugene bundles to recreate the closebat that urred during the final match of the Final Championship. And finally, ¡°What¡¯s this? There¡¯s an addition to change the dot sight shape?¡± ¡°What? Into what?¡± ¡°What should I call it? A snake biting its own tail...? Isn¡¯t this the Ouroboros?¡± Even the dot sight changes were included. Of course, out of the twenty bundles released for the New Year, five were designed with Korean users in mind, followed by Dais, Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. Naturally, bundles based on Eugene and Logan were overwhelmingly popr, while even Dais, in fourth ce, still had amendable internalposition. Moreover, the Dais bundle could interact with those who purchased the Eugene bundle. Specifically, the Easter egg that floated around, coiled in a tail, was proof of that. As a result, countless users happily opened their wallets, but unfortunately, this year was slightly different¡ªthere were five bundles to buy. Including the Logan bundle, that made six. This was due to Eugene leading the entire team to a top 20 finish. Consequently, the recent state of the inte was as follows: [General] Is there really anyone among foreigners who hasn¡¯t bought all five Korean bundles yet? Hahahahaha! Hello, I am Dark-gallum. Please call me a dark-bungi. [All Comments][Registration Order]
  • So, have you bought the Logan Bundle? ?[Author] Damn it¡­ ?How many times has my nationality changed? Hahahahaha! ?Damn it, this is too ridiculous! Hahahahaha!
The photo spread far and wide, soon reaching Eugene¡¯s Tricky personal site, and she added while looking at it. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to go overboard to buy it.¡± Of course, it was an ironic statementing from the person who had driven South Korea into a frenzy of national pride. Korea¡¯s New Year was overflowing with such strange fervor. ¡°Last time, I mentioned that the stories from Operation Bluefield wouldn¡¯t apply to this mission, so please keep that in mind before the briefing.¡± ¡°What a strong start.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be any other way.¡± Four days after the blue operation clear, in the virtual reality briefing room. The participants from thest mission, except for Logan, Laurentina, and Owens, gathered in one ce. I was contemting diving right into the mission briefing when I added. ¡°Have you had the time to check the briefing files?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to find anyone these days who hasn¡¯t seen the tank operation briefing files.¡± I nodded. To briefly exin what that meant¡ªupon clearing the Incursion mission, the briefing file for the next invasion operation opens. Simply put, you could think of it as a preview of how the operation would proceed. Of course, seeing it doesn¡¯t mean it bes easier. In any case, during the four days I streamed, I had discussed this with viewers multiple times during Just Chatting, and the most certain thing was that there wouldn¡¯t be another mission boasting as vast an operational area as this one in the future, and the probability of it ever happening again was very low. And this was still an undisclosed fact, but probably there wouldn¡¯t be a mission that kills as many enemies as this one. Back when I was actually deployed for Operation Chariot, I received a message filled with anxiety from HQ, asking if we were conducting a massacre because the kill count kept rising. To be frank, I had turned off the kill count for half of the operation, so I don¡¯t even know how many cartel members actually crossed over to the afterlife during this operation. Excluding that, Task Force¡¯s kill count was 50,000 over four years, so if included¡­ well, who knows. It probably wouldn¡¯t be a number anyone would want to count. Of course, that fact was dryly well-organized in the endlessly ongoing estimated engagement data. ¡°Anyway, since you all said you saw it, let¡¯s ask. What should be prioritized in this operation?¡± ¡°Um¡­ managing stamina and focus?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about bullet distribution.¡± Everyone made strange expressions. The reason for that was simple. ¡°To summarize the results of ying the mission simply over the past few days¡­ it¡¯s a typical infiltration mission. You can¡¯t expect support from outside, nor can you borrow enemy firepower likest time. The reason is simple.¡± ¡°Because the enemies are cartels.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Surface-to-air missiles, homemade armored vehicles, weaponry equivalent to special forces, and countless firearms. Specifically, it was armed as if it were a developing country¡ªbut even that wouldn¡¯t be enough to counter the Icarus operators. Unless they could conduct tactical bombings to turn a region into a wastnd, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. In other words, there was no room to try anything with Icarus gear. It meant that the operators had to dive in directly and stir things up. The only thing that could be of great help would be drone deployment tforms like the DDP-52. Anyway, separate from that, it was about time to inform them of the mission¡¯s reality. ¡°Thebat routes for this mission are roughly like this.¡± ¡°...Uh, teacher? The scale on the bottom right is 100km, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°From Houston to San Diego, and visiting several cities in between, the travel distance reaches 2,500km. We¡¯ll be moving on MD500s or ck Hawks, and since movement will be auto-skipped, the actual feel-time won¡¯t be long, but countless engagements will follow.¡± Literally, dozens of engagements, or even approaching three digits. Despite the presence of a field support base, you had to use bullets like water, getting used to stabbing the enemy¡¯s ribs or carotid arteries under the cover of the cloudless night rather than during the day. In a way, it was like how special forces practiced regrly before the emergence of Icarus gear, implementing it in actualbat. An operation that couldn¡¯t be solved through shortcuts would be the most challenging for Icarus operators¡ªand this wouldn¡¯t be any different for Harmony and Dais. ¡°Operation Chariot will feature dense engagements urring for long durations and frequently. That might be why, unlike other Incursion missions, the operation can be temporarily halted in the middle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Still, since we sessfullypleted the all-nighter mission in New Yorkst time, it doesn¡¯t seem like it will be too difficult¡­ though judging by the expressions, it seems that alone won¡¯t be enough. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve already said everything I wanted to say.¡± In truth, that was correct. That was merely the starting point or a checkpoint. But conversely, the two before my eyes had crossed the starting line. In other words, it meant they had tickets to board the grand Incursion mission known as my past. Ultimately, people are forged in realbat, and this is proven through my existence. Whether they sensed that to some extent, the two gazed at the mission with challenging eyes but showed no sign of reluctance. ¡°So what should we do when we get there?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°Everything, huh¡­?¡± ¡°This mission will have a lot of infiltrations nned. As the operation progresses into the middle, UAV support will also be difficult. That means everything must be resolved locally.¡± ¡°¡­This is somewhat reminiscent of Eugene¡¯s trait course. At this rate, I might really have to submit an application to join the special forces if I only have stamina.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Should I call someone else?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± In the end, regardless of this or that, I had be inextricably linked with them. The two said they would clear roughly two days of their schedules starting three days from now, but unfortunately, Dais seemed to show a somewhat awkward expression. Perhaps he was saying it might not be possible. I wasn¡¯t the type to be particrly bound by time, but since Owens and Laurentina had returned to their main jobs, there was a need to coordinate the schedule to some extent in advance. So, I postponed my decision, and ironically, it was Harmony who shook her head at the notion of Dais noting. ¡°Until half a year ago, I hadn¡¯t even tried Dark Zone once. If Dais also pulls out, I might just overwork myself.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true¡­ hang in there!¡± ¡°Hey, where do you think you¡¯re running off to!¡± While Harmony and Dais were bickering with each other, I asked, wanting to at least hear the reason. ¡°You seem quite busy these days?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but this time, so many innovative skill operation methods havee out¡­ so the Fallen team under the same club called for help.¡± ¡°Fallen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the name of the match. I¡¯m affiliated with Apex Predator, and we operate like a professional club, splitting into divisions like Team Six, Survival, and Fallen¡­¡± Ah. Thinking back, it was some time ago¡­ after I teamed up with Harmony to clear survival and shoot off the sniper¡¯s head, I pondered what to do next and chose Apex Predator from the PvP mode list. It felt like just a few months ago, and now she had made it to the finals in that match and even ranked first. In any case, if that¡¯s the case, I had no choice but to try and align schedules until everyone¡¯s timings matched up. Conveying that intention roughly, everyone¡¯s responses were quiteical. ¡°The next Incursion mission is starting in three days, yet we¡¯ll startter than that. The viewers will go wild.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t only y with those whose schedules match, can we?¡± ¡°In that sense, I suspect Eugene is indeed a viin¡­ ugh.¡± A light reprimand. In any case, the conversation concluded like that, and as a result of the discussions in the Incursion strategy chatroom involving six people, including myself, it was decided that everyone¡¯s schedules would align next weekend. Naturally, the announcement went up¡ª ¡°¡ªUgh, please! Someone call Eugene! Please¡ª!¡± ¡°Icarus, you crazy bastards, how are we supposed to clear this!¡± On the first day of the Operation Chariot open trial, the count of attempts reached a staggering 1,752,165. All ended in failure. It was the moment countless people became dependent on Eugene. Chapter 298 ¡°Wow, ourpany building is huge.¡± SSM Headquarters. A tall building rose high toward the sky in front of me. Rarely, the dazzling sunlight pouring down from a cloudless winter sky reflected off the building''s ss windows, shining brilliantly. Despite the harsh sunlight, the weather was the coldest it had been in recent times. The biting cold wind hitting my face was intense. And in front of it stood me¡ªDais. It was a building I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Since January began, I had been seeing the exterior of this new office once a day, but now it didn¡¯t look cool at all; it felt like just a bag full of work to be done. Anyway, by this time, I could reasonably guess why I was here. It was work again. Of course, this time it was a bit different. I wasn¡¯t here for a broadcast; I was here to meet with another team. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s cold.¡± However, inside the building was theplete opposite of the cold outside. As I opened the door and stepped inside, a sweetvender scent apanied warm air that rushed in. Although I had worn Ugg boots because the weather was freezing, the building¡¯s heating was so strong that I felt like I would start sweating in just a few minutes. After walking a little further in and sitting down in a chair, I took off my fluffy winter hat and the scarf wrapped around my neck, cing them aside. Then, I pulled out a pair of shoes that I had kept in a zip bag from my bag. Stowing away the Ugg boots, fluffy hat, and scarf made me feel significantly lighter. However, even while tidying up, there were still people recognizing me. ¡°Oh, Ye-rin! You¡¯re here again today. What brings you here this time?¡± ¡°I came because the Fallen team wanted to have a meeting. How have you been?¡± ¡°We¡¯re always managing the entry personnel in the lobby, so nothing major happens here. Have a great day today. You know where the luggage storage is, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been here quite a few times.¡± A sensor gate that resembled an airport gate weed me. The concept of scanning employee IDs and entering like in the past had long since disappeared. Just passing through the gatepleted the scan, allowing me to enter. As I moved inside, areas not open to outsiders appeared. For instance, the break room, cafeteria, dessert shop, and others. Sometimes, when they were publicly opened, they also served as reception areas, so the facilities were good; it was a ce frequently used by public figures and celebrities. In other words, it was a space where it was quite easy to run into such people. And just as I said, with some time left before the meeting, I ordered a snack and hot chocte from the cafe¡ªsince I was also an SSM employee, I received a 50% discount on facility usage. Once again, I bumped into a male group whose faces asionally appeared on TV. ¡°Wee, sir!¡± ¡°Are you doing well these days?¡± ¡°No, what kind of greeting is that?¡± What were these people¡¯s names again? I didn¡¯t quite remember the group name, but I distinctly recalled them from the Dark Zone mock battle they did when they appeared on a talk show, where they turned everyone into Swiss cheese. But fortunately, everyone wore name tags with their group and activity names clearly disyed, so I sessfully pretended to know them without revealing my ignorance. Moreover, since I had been gradually studying a bit about the male groups and girl groups under SSM to avoid seeming clueless about them. Anyway, these were the ones who had shown great respect towards me after getting thoroughly beaten in the scream. ¡°Oh, so¡­ to be honest, I don¡¯t really know what you guys have been up totely. I hope everything goes as you wish in the new year.¡± ¡°Your conversation topic drift is an art.¡± ¡°Usually around this time, everyone is preparing new year¡¯s greetings for YouSpace, attending events, or receiving personal training, so I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s the same for us.¡± Then, rustle. I had no idea where it came from, but a CD popped out. ¡°This is our Signal 50¡¯s new album. Please take care of it!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, stop him. He gives a CD to everyone he meets. It looks like some kind of pyramid scheme.¡± ¡°Even the way he sneaks it in is an art form, seriously.¡± ¡­What is it about being an idol? Anyway, there was an unexpected mini talk show. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, this allowed me to fill about 40 minutes of free time before the meeting¡ªthough as it went on, it got a bit too busy, and I almost missed the elevator. In fact, one of the staff asked if it would be okay to edit it in a vlog format and upload it to the official channel. I said I would give my approval or disapproval after seeing the final productter. As mentioned earlier, I was also an employee here, and since the male group over there was in the same position, I thought it would be a kind of mutual benefit if they gained a little more fame, so that felt about right. In any case, with such a subtle result behind me, I boarded the elevator. With a swoosh, the high-speed elevator shot up to the 30th floor. When the door opened, a stylish corridor and workce appeared. Since I had only been wandering around the program filming booths and various recording studios, this was the second time I had been to the ce where the Dark Zone¡¯s pro team was located. Perhaps that was why it felt quite unfamiliar. In truth, I found it a bit odd that the game section within SSM Entertainment wasn¡¯tpletely separate, but they had mentioned they would integrate all teams under SSM into a building dedicated to managing the gaming sector near Seongsu-dong within a year, so I figured it would work out somehow. Anyway, while I was lost in such thoughts, I arrived before I knew it. ©¤©¤©¤ Beep! With that sound, the door opened, revealing apletely different space from the one I had just passed through. It felt as if another small building had been erected inside the building. However, the interior was simr to the Apex Predator team¡¯s office located near Gangnam, where I was now. It was truly designed as if that was the image of a professional gamer. As I entered a little further and opened the door, many people weed me with apuse. ¡°Wow, Dais-senpai is here!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, senpai!¡± ¡°¡­Is this the greeting meta these days?¡± Why were they ying the senpai game here, something I hadn¡¯t even done in middle or high school? I slowly scanned the faces. I had felt this thest time as well, but it was clear that because the Dark Zone PvP events formed intersections, there were hardly any strangers among them. Everyone probably had at least once practiced against the Apex Predator. Of course, I hadn¡¯t. Iter learned that those who were exceptionally skilled didn¡¯t need to go through various experiences to determine their roles. It seemed a bit self-congrattory, but it was true. In any case, the reason I hade here today was nothing special. ¡°I won¡¯t take long, but I¡¯ve prepared plenty of feedback, so everyone, please be ready.¡± Temporary Coach. Like a snake tail restingfortably on my chest, that title was what the sticker affixed to me today read. In truth, it wasn¡¯t an impossible personnel transfer, though it wasn¡¯t entirely expected either. Particrly, since Fallen could use skills during matches like in Apex Predator... and to be honest, the proportion of skill use was much higher than in AP, so it made sense. However, it would have made more sense for me to learn the skill operation methods from the Fallen team, yet this time, the situation waspletely reversed. And the reason was obvious. It was because of that snake tail. In short, I had been too reckless with my skills during the Final Championship. And unfortunately for them, they had learned a lot from that person, so they were also set to face some consequences.
  • Thud!
¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Is this an encyclopedia?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a collection of skill operation methods and feedback. Please read it thoroughly.¡± Of course, the contents of the four bundles of paper boasting over 300 sheets were all different. Moreover, since Fallen used a portion of the Apex Predator¡¯s map to create their own map, I had plenty to talk about. Training the juniors left behind after the retired Eugene. ¡°There¡¯s no training that can¡¯t be handled, and there are no limits that can¡¯t be crossed.¡± ¡°Wow, the person who received 1.5 billion in performance pay is really different.¡± ¡°Can I run away?¡± ¡°Close the door. The curriculum begins.¡± With a heavy sound, the door closed. My busy new year, and the preparations for numerouspetitions this year, had thus begun. Meanwhile, ¡°Eugene, the video of the one-chip challenge we didst time has finished editing. Would you like to watch it?¡± ¡°Later. I have a bit of work to do.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Eugene was quite busy managing the channel after a long time. ¡°Ugh.¡± When a person is engrossed in unfamiliar tasks, they pay more attention and focus, leading to greater mental fatigue than usual¡ªI was currently experiencing what that meant in real time. Dozens of windows floating in the air blinked at me as if urging me to finish my tasks. Fidgeting with the Icarus gear. But even that wasn¡¯t omnipotent. Since I was handling the Icarus gear in a way I hadn¡¯t normally dealt with, the progress of my work was slower than usual. Perhaps because I was using my head in such an unusual way, I felt a craving for something sweet. As always, I prepared a special Eugene shake, set it down on the table, and sank deeply into my chair, exhaling for a moment. So, what was this about? ¡°...I guess running a YouSpace channel isn¡¯t really my forte¡­¡± Just as that thought crossed my mind, I was currently rearranging the channel into a more efficient and decent format.@@novelbin@@ In simpler terms, here¡¯s how it was¡ªthere was only one channel under my name, yet with about nine editors, the nned uploads were stacking up to at least one or two videos every day. If I just let them upload as they came in, my channel would likely be... some kind of new video saturation state. To resolve that somehow, I wasmunicating in real-time with the YouSpace channel management side about separating the channel. It had only been less than half a year since it was created, but with thousands of videos piling up, just separating them through ylists wouldn¡¯t solve the issue. The channels were set to be divided into roughly three: one for games, one for daily life, and the other for full video reys. In fact, the most worrying one among them was the game channel. Should I run it normally, or split the game channel once more...? The reason was simple. Dark Zone itself had an overwhelmingly vast amount of content, and it wasn¡¯t like I only yed that game. If I just split it into PvP and PvE, there was a slight uncertainty about whether I would keep ying Dark Zone, and even if that were the case, it would be awkward to have a space for the awful games I sometimes yed, as suggested by Harmony. It was also possible to consider uploading such strange game edit videos to the daily life channel, but the issue was that sometimes those videos turned out to have much greater potential than the Dark Zone videos. ¡°Ah, why do I have to be worrying about this...?¡± Indeed, there was nock of that feeling. To be honest, this was something I had to finish before the Final Championship, but that fact didn¡¯t help me at all now. In any case, one thing was certain: ''I have to get into the Incursion mission as soon as possible.'' Because if I manage to separate it andter stop ying Dark Zone, the situation could get weird. So, I¡¯ll first sort out what¡¯s certain. The full video upload channel and the daily life channel had to be created, and videos suitable for those categories were already being moved there. I had just announced that a few hours ago. So then, only one question remained. ''Will I continue ying Dark Zone?'' To resolve this question, I needed to know what would happen after the Indian Point nuclear power nt mission ended. Just because it ended cleanly didn¡¯t mean I would stop ying the game, and conversely, I might continue ying even if it ended in aplete mess, but anyway. After pondering for a moment, I went to my contacts. There, I had the numbers of the people I met in the basement of the Icarus headquartersst time. Of course, the disyed numbers were not fixed even once and were spitting out random digits. The call was sessful, and the beep echoed. How long had it been? ¡°I thought you¡¯d contact me around this time.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t start with any kind of greeting that I expected.¡± As he said, the start of the conversation veered into a direction thatpletely skipped any expectations. Anyway, the people I was speaking to were the ones who had brought me back to this world and those I met in the basement of the Icarus headquartersst time. Perhaps the implicit tone in their voice hinted that they knew something. That being said, I hadn¡¯t expected to connect so quickly. My n to calmly organize my thoughts while listening to the beep sound evaporated into thin air. Then there was no reason to add any flowerynguage. I threw the direct question. ¡°What happens after the Indian Point nuclear power nt mission ends?¡± Of course, I had heard somewhat about itst time. The missions that arise after that would affect the world where I had ¡°been.¡± But thinking back on it, that was a rather vague answer. Moreover, after asking Logan, Laurentina, Owens, and several other memory holders, they had said they also didn¡¯t know what happened after they held my funeral. In short, what I wanted to ask was this. ¡°How did the world without me turn out after that?¡± And how long did I wait? I realized I was falling into a kind of fixed mindset. ¡°...To tell you one thing, worlds have different temporal flows. As was hinted atst time, the two worlds are notpletely synchronized, and this applies to the flow of time as well.¡± ¡°Then the others¡­ don¡¯t remember the time after my funeral.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Therefore, we can only answer ''we don¡¯t know'' to your question, Eugene.¡± In other words, that time was still ''nonexistent.'' Questions about time that did not yet exist, and answers to that. In society, such answers were referred to as ''predictions'' or ''spections.'' However, the exnation wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°But as Eugene resolves the Incursion missions, feedback will definitely arise in the ce you ''were'' in the past.¡± ¡°So in the end, it still falls within the realm of predictions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ''Still.''¡± Still. Hearing that, I chuckled. After all, the task at hand was still quite clear. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I need to dive into the mission as soon as possible.¡± There was no one present who didn¡¯t know that it was a positive affirmation. Thus, the call ended, and I sank into my seat. It seemed that I wasn¡¯t the only one waiting for this weekend. =[ICARUS Operator List]
  • [An Pletcher // Status: Active]
  • [Adrian Sirtus // Status: KIA]
  • [Anthony Owens // Status: Active]
  • [Becua Kinsca // Status: Rogue]
  • [Bechen Craig // Status: Active]
  • [Charles E. Virgil // Status: Patient]
  • [Daniel Mohime // Status: MIA¡­]
. . . .
  • [Eugene Lee // Status: MIA¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.]
-> Reboot. -> Adjusting¡­¡­¡­. . .
  • [Eugene Lee // Status: ]
Chapter 299 ¡°Damn, the snow just won¡¯t stop.¡± The gloomy sky and the dead city of New York. Snow fell silently without a breath of wind. Beneath ity the ruins of a once-bustling metropolis, now only disturbed by a few individuals digging through the debris. Withered trees, copsed concrete domes, and hundreds of workers with dozens of heavy machinery busily excavating the remnants of the facilities surrounded me. Indian Point Nuclear Power nt. A ce that had left a painful scar on Icarus and Team Dagger more than anything else. ¡°How is the current work situation?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that question at least four times today.¡± ¡°Bear with me.¡± Without a word, the aide activated a hologram. ¡°All copse points have been identified. A few weeks ago, we used pulses to locate the underground passages, and we¡¯re currently excavating the debris with excavators. We are approximately 85% through. It¡¯s anticipated that we¡¯ll be able to partially open the passage today.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± In other words, there was nothing more to say. The sounds of heavy machinery mixed with the voices of people within the winter¡¯s unique silence. A sort of white noise enveloped everyone under the tent. The silence that felt like it wouldst forever began to lift, revealing a conversation. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The scenes from that time flickered in front of my eyes, even though I tried not to remember them. There was no debriefing. The Dagger team submitted recorded footage of what had happened at the time to the higher-ups, and everyone learned what had transpired. The underground had copsedpletely, trapping Eugene, and minutester, her Icarus gear had stopped sending any signals. The mission had been a tactical and strategic sess. Team Dagger had expelled all the remaining Russian forces from the Northeast, and they had recovered and dismantled the nuclear briefcase they brought along. Furthermore, Eugene''sst transmission confirmed this. -[Eugene: ¡­The situation has settled for now, but they are approaching the HLW¡­ the high-level radioactive waste site, so I will do my best to stop them.] As she said, ording to UAVs scouting the skies, no remaining Russian forces had emerged from the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt since thatmunication¡ªit was clear what this meant. Eugene had fulfilled her duty to the very end. But that was the end of it. After that, Eugene did not respond to any furthermunications. To be precise, on the day she went missing, she left behind only a signal indicating ¡°vital signs lost¡± and permanently left their side. Days passed, then weeks, and about three months went by. Team Dagger had departed for California to block the Russian and Chinese coalition forces that were heading south through Canada after crossing ska. Sadly, in the current world, there wasn¡¯t much time to remember, mourn, ormemorate someone¡¯s death. Silence reigned. Yet, they couldn¡¯t rest. They merely moved about mechanically, inspecting whether the construction was progressing smoothly. And hourster, as the white sky began to dim and announce the arrival of evening¡ª ¡°Part of the passage has been opened!¡± The long-awaited news reached everyone. As the lights activated for smooth operations shone even brighter, a passage appeared among the piles of reinforced concrete debris. It was a hole big enough for a few people to pass through. The temporary supports were scattered all around, making it look more like an opening than a proper passage. While creating a hole was encouraging, that was about all it was. If someone recklessly entered, there was a risk of the surroundings copsing again. ¡°How much longer do we need to create a sturdy passage?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need at least another week. We rmend not entering until we¡¯ve removed enough of the concrete debris that could copse and have reinforced the area inside and out. It¡¯s suspected that the Russian army used vibration bombs to cause the structural copse.¡± ¡°Damn vic trash¡­¡± It was natural for everyone to think that way. At this point, aside from the virus, the hatred of American citizens and soldiers toward Russia and China had surpassed a breaking point. ns to tten both nations once order was restored within the US were about to be passed with the support of all surviving government officials. Anyway, aside from that, since no one had entered yet, the inside remained dark. It had been a long time since light had prated the darkness inside the tunnel. I shone my shlight inside. A hologram projected the facility¡¯s blueprint into the air and indicated where the current location was. As the light flooded in, a rather grim interior scene was revealed. ¡°¡­ corpses.¡± ¡°The numbers are¡­ staggering.¡± It was only natural, considering several battalions of infantry had poured into the area. The bodies of Russian soldiersy scattered like garbage. Various factors, including dried blood on the floor, polluted the air with an unpleasant smell. Fortunately, the temperature inside was maintained at subzero levels, so they hadn¡¯t begun to rot. If that had happened, no one would have dared to enter. But at least today, there was a reason to go inside. -[Alert: Echo detected.] ¡°... Let¡¯s go inside and check.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Thus, one responsible person and one aide entered with shlights in hand. With a rustling sound, rebar and concrete debris tumbled all around as the two cautiously stepped into the inner corridor. About several dozen meters aheady the echo left by Eugene. If the debris had been just a bit more widely and evenly distributed, they might never have seen thatst message. When I reached out, the activation began. The hologram, disying the face of someone who had looked dejected while holding a gun, carefully continued speaking.
  • There is a way out, but after questioning a few survivors, we¡¯ve confirmed that the enemy hasn¡¯tpletely given up on this operation.
The enemies are currently gathering near the high-level radioactive waste storage, and it seems they are attempting to manipte the facility to seize it and convert it into a dirty bomb. I don¡¯t know if they have the equipment to carry out the radioactive mass. What idiots¡­ It seems that my escape route might be through the waterway leading to the Hudson River. I can¡¯t wait to see the look on the Dagger team members¡¯ faces when I swim outter. I hope all the paths haven¡¯t copsedpletely. End. Operator Eugene Lee. ¡°... The waterway.¡± Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t they also mention that there were areas flooded due to the facility¡¯s copse? The Icarus gear could dpose water to generate hydrogen and oxygen, and it could also createpressed air. With just the gear, it was possible to survive underwater for about an hour and a half, so as long as the passage wasn¡¯tpletely destroyed, Eugene could have escaped on her own. Even if all the passages copsed and escape became impossible, she could have dug a small hole to deliver necessities, allowing her to escape from the darkness in less than a few weeks. But she couldn¡¯t do that. Which meant¡­ ¡°... We need to finish reinforcing as quickly as possible.¡± Eugene could have died at the hands of the Russian army, or her gear could have been damaged. If that were the case, the next thing that had to be done would be¡­ retrieving the remains. ¡®The Dagger team will likely be hell-bent on returning to New York.¡¯ Thinking that, they transmitted the echo file left by Eugene to the Dagger team and returned outside. The truth was slowly being revealed. ¡°Breach in the reinforced wall! The enemies areing!¡± ¡°RPG, RPG! Aah¡ª!¡± ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m out of bullets!¡± ¡°This is Bravo. We¡¯ve lost 60% of our power. Position tracking is impossible. We¡¯re retreating.¡± ¡°We¡¯re screwed, we¡¯re screwed.¡± Corpus Christi. At a children¡¯s hospital in this small to medium-sized American city located just below San Antonio and Houston, a shootout was taking ce. The building was on fire, the walls barricaded with iron bars werepletely destroyed by RPGs, and a mountain of enemy corpses piled up as new foes poured in. Thus, in the moment when thest resisting user was surrounded by countless enemies and met his end, a red message rose above the screen, signaling aplete halt to the mission. It was literally a situation of overwhelming odds¡ªand countless people faced this predicament. The surrounding environment shifted to the waiting room. With some lying sprawled on the floor, streamers checking the chat sighed deeply. ¡°Should we change the mission difficulty?¡± ¡°That might be better. First, we need to check how the mission is structured; otherwise, it looks like we won¡¯t even be able to get past the first engagement.¡± ¡°This grind is insane for this mission.¡± Grind. A term unique to the Dark Zone used to collectively refer to missions that test users'' pure shooting skills and situational response abilities without any particr gimmicks. And it was indeed the case. Operation Chariot was not a type of incursion mission that allowed the performance of the Icarus gear to be fully utilized. As proof of this, teams aiming for so-called ¡°traditional¡± special forces in the US and Europe began to appear with noticeable achievements¡ªonly about three days after the mission opened, teams with progress over 60% were starting to emerge. Of course, they also added that this mission was one where ¡°if it were existing SOF personnel rather than actual Icarus operators, they would be ustomed to this type of progression, but even so, the skills of each user are tested to their limits.¡± In fact, there was no choice. The mission had not been adequately grasped yet, and they couldn¡¯t discern the distribution and weaknesses of the enemies. ¡°No, but still. Why the hell aren¡¯t they dying? They¡¯re lightly armed, yet they won¡¯t fall even after taking hits.¡± ¡°They must be on drugs. They probably won¡¯t go down until you hit them in the head.¡± ¡°Wow, what should we use then?¡±@@novelbin@@ Then came the second problem. They don¡¯t die easily even when shot. This disaster urred because of thebel ¡°cartel¡± attached to the enemies. Supposedly, those entering thebat were using a synthetic drug thatbined cocaine and marijuana to achieve both pain relief and an adrenaline rush, rushing into battle. Charging forward with their guts blown out, or dragging their bodies while shooting with their right hand at an AK-style rifle even after taking bullets to their knees was a sight often seen on the battlefield. If the Dark Zone hadn¡¯t heavily censored many dangerous expressions and hadn¡¯t reced blood and severed limbs with polygons, it might have been impossible for anyone under 19 to y the game. Anyway, the sheer terror of numerous enemies that don¡¯t die easily was a fear in itself, and naturally, the average firepower of the team increased¡ªbut the problem was that if the caliber of the bullets increased, the number of rounds carried would naturally decrease. Thus, users capable of challenging the incursion had to sharpen their extreme shooting skills. ¡°...That¡¯s the current situation.¡± ¡°There hasn¡¯t been this kind of mess in a long time.¡± As he said. In fact, civilians faced with restrictions on essing information naturally wouldn¡¯t know how to fortify a building, block entrances through appropriate cements of explosives, or demolish the building. That being said, I felt a bit harsh to bring over the difficulty I had faced in the past, so I had contacted Icarus about it today. I¡¯m sure a hotfix will start in a few days. My goal wasn¡¯t to clear the mission first, but if we¡¯re going to do it, shouldn¡¯t we make it a bit more essible? Anyway, back to the topic. ¡°Shall we unify the firearms?¡± ¡°If you want to take it easy, that¡¯s probably better.¡± ¡°Since the engagement will focus on preemptive strikes, there¡¯s no need for excessive firepower. If we don¡¯t give the cartel time to charge at us, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°...Something strange is happening that we don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°Right?¡± In order, it was me, Laurentina, Logan, and then Harmony and Dais. Naturally, since they needed a bit of boration, I was about to speak first¡ªbuttely, Laurentina, who was enjoying the sight of Harmony, began exining first. Of course, it was only natural that she was sitting on the shark¡¯sp, receiving strokes. ¡°The defensive battle may seem to give considerable advantages to defenders at first nce, but when the manpower avable differs drastically, it¡¯s not very effective. Due to the nature of defensive battles, the attacking side is also given ample time to prepare.¡± ¡°Ah... Ah. Now that you mention it, that makes sense. And once the engagement begins, it won¡¯t take long for the defenders'' position to be revealed.¡± ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re sharp.¡± Meanwhile, Dais also slyly stepped closer to me and added. ¡°I heard that the opponents we¡¯re fighting this time are on drugs, so is the reason for the preemptive strike rted to that?¡± ¡°Exactly. There won¡¯t be anyone on duty who is on drugs. In other words, it means they¡¯re easier to kill than those enhanced by drugs who have heightened aggression and durability.¡± In other words, it meant that there was no need to carry firearmsrger than 5.56mm. The majority of the enemies,beled as drug users, had little to no decent body armor, and even if the actual special forces were deployed, they could not face off against Icarus operators head-on. In the end, it was about stealth. And there was a reason for the unification of firearms as well. ¡°And since there are many enemies to capture this time, if we carry weapons with bullets that aren¡¯tpatible, we¡¯ll have quite a headacheter on.¡± ¡°Ah, now that you mention it, that makes sense.¡± It was a point that many overlooked. It¡¯s a slightly different story, but the US military operates helicopters, Humvees, armored vehicles, tanks, and motorcycles all on JP-8 jet fuel¡ªthough the Navy uses diesel for ships, JP-5, and various others. In any case, unifying the consumable bullets was one of the simplest and most crucial methods to increasebat sustainability. After spending several tens of minutes hammering down key information for Dais and Harmony, I showed them several melee weapons usable in the Dark Zone. Seeing the two wearing expressions of ¡°what is this?¡± I added. ¡°This is a small power bunker that operates on electricity. The CQC motions in the Dark Zone are generally too long, and there¡¯s an issue where it shifts to third-person when used¡­¡± ¡°...In other words, you¡¯re saying we should use this instead of a tactical knife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Of course, it was only natural that it wouldn¡¯t end there, and of course, they would need to go through a familiarization process. Unlike Harmony, who I had taught to modify sticky bombs to use something simr, Dais wore a rather bewildered expression, but there was nothing to be done. As always, the method was simple. ¡°Stun them with the shock grenade, then click it at their vital points. Simple, right?¡± ¡°...That really is simple, huh?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that hard once you do it.¡± ¡°Is Harmony being weird...?¡± Harmony chuckled with a strange expression, and Dais shook his head at that. It was already toote to back out. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. We need some practice.¡± ¡°Why the hell did I get dragged here...?¡± Of course, despite saying that, there was no hesitation in their steps. It was a day with little time left before the mission began. Chapter 300 ¡°It seems like the city is already giving off bad vibes.¡± ¡°There should be a helipad on the hospital roof, so let¡¯s head there first.¡± ¡°Understood. Hold on tight, agents.¡± ©¤©¤©¤Bwooong! An MD500 sliced through the cloudless sky over Houston. With a lowtitude, the weather was surprisingly cool for winter, but it couldn¡¯t hide the chaos erupting in the major city that many people would immediately recognize just by hearing its name. ck smoke rising from fires contrasted sharply with the clear skies, and the noise resembling popping beans made the situation feel even more bizarre. The streets hundreds of meters below were aplete mess. The areas away from New York, which could be called the center, clearly showed a different appearance. Despite that, the fortunate aspect was that Texas had been allocated a decent amount of Icarus forces. But who could have anticipated that numerous Mexican cartels would unite to invade the US following a ceasefire negotiation?
  • Daga daga daga daga~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • I can¡¯t wait! LOL
  • What? Eugene is going to incursion this weekend? How can I hold on? This weekend, no way! LOL
  • It¡¯s the same mission intro, but watching them makes my heart swell. Seriously, Eugene is a legend¡­
  • I wonder if they can clear this all at once? LOL
As always, the chat was a frenzy, but thanks to the memories flooding back, I paid no mind to it. As I flew past the rapidly passing scenery, I easily spotted Hermann Park, which looked like a small Central Park, along the shallow stream running through Houston. Just to my lefty the Texas Medical Center, thergest medicalplex in the world. A quick nce showed that the defenses and barricades were quite impressive. The area was surrounded by tall walls and concrete blocks, and heavy machine guns were stationed all around. Amidst this, Laurentina chuckled and added, ¡°I really like operations where friend and foe are clearly defined.¡± Dais and Harmony wore puzzled expressions since they didn¡¯t know what that meant, but Team Dagger already understood. Having a clear distinction between friend and foe meant that anyone could put a finger on the trigger and shoot anyone they wanted, and Laurentina¡­ was someone who adhered to the professional ethics of a ck ops agent more than anyone else. At least, it seemed that way in this world. Naturally, Logan wore an incredulous expression. I casually nced at the MCX Laurentina held. Her finger was already on the trigger. Normally, that would be insane, but in fact, there was no safer safety trigger than her finger¡­ The helicopter whirled and rapidly decreased speed as itnded safely on the red helipad. As I carefully stepped onto the ground, Terence Mendoza, the Southern Branch Chief overseeing the fortification of the Medical Center, quickly approached through the dust stirred up by the rotating propellers. Beside him stood a heavily tattooed man. A cross tattoo adorned his forehead, tear-drop tattoos under his eyes, and a tattoo barely visible on the line between his neck and chest¡ªa cross etched across his chest. As I recalled the past, I recognized this person¡­ Of course, just as I thought that, Branch Chief Mendoza introduced him directly. ¡°Wee to Houston! I¡¯ll exin as we go down. Terence Mendoza, Chief of the Southern Icarus Branch. This is Javier Cortez, a former alpha-level infiltration agent from Los Zetas.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Pleasure. Los Zetas, huh? It must have been quite a headache to return to Icarus at this point.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Despite how it might appear, it was a remarkably friendly greeting. With no time to waste, we hurried down from the roof. Chief Mendoza waved his hand and transmitted the blueprints for the entire Texas Medical Center to us. There was no need to memorize them. Through the gear, we could pinpoint the locations that required support, and the routes to those locations would automatically appear. Just in case, I activated a pulse. The area was bustling with people. It seemed there was no room left for doctors or patients; the hallways were packed with individuals. Fortunately, the water supply appeared to be intact. As if he knew I had scanned the area, Chief Mendoza added, ¡°We are currently amodating a significant number of living Houston citizens. When the virus swept through here, nearly a million people died, and the remaining 500,000 fled the city to take refuge throughout Texas. Most of those who couldn¡¯t escape are either in buildings or factories, or they¡¯re being housed here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s immense. If we have food supplies, we could aplish a lot.¡± ¡°The entire fortification of the Medical Center was made possible because of that. However, there are still mountains of problems, and the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas pose the greatest threats.¡±
  • What? This kind of interaction exists?
  • Hidden dialogue, get it!
  • Look at Eugene, who refuses to y like everyone else! LOL
  • I¡¯ve never seen anyone shoot a pulse before, LOL
  • Wow, there are about 100,000 being housed here, OMG!
Our gazes locked. Before we knew it, we had arrived at the briefing room. It seemed to have been arge lecture hall in the past. Agent Javier stood at the podium. So far, it was no different from before. He would exin the details as someone who had once acted as a deep-cover agent for the cartel. Being here triggered memories, so I didn¡¯t feel the need to hear about the current situation¡­ The speech began. ¡°Unlike Middle Eastern cartels, the operating principles of South American cartels are simple. Money. However, as the Omega Virus swept across the US, new ideas began to surface within their deep foundations. They are attempting to build a power sphere far greater than before. In simple terms, it¡¯s regional warlordism.¡± ¡°Armed criminals posing as warlords, what a nightmare.¡± ¡°It truly is.¡± Of course, regional warlordism was not the end. They had already absorbed the local gangs residing in Corpus Christi and expanded their forces whilemitting all sorts of madness. For instance, they openly constructed drug manufacturing facilities in the heart of the metropolis and used citizens to work there. Those who resisted and refused to surrender were hung upside down on bridges. If there was any silver lining, it was the cessation of human trafficking. Though this was primarily due to humanity¡¯s infrastructure beingpletely dismantled by the virus, shattering the very demand for such crimes. ¡°If the numbers reach about a battalion, the story changes.¡± ¡°What''s the level of their armament?¡± ¡°Regr military-grade armament would be less than 5% of their forces, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can confront them head-on. At least, they¡¯re smart enough to fill vehicles with explosives and charge them toward concrete walls to achieve certain results.¡± I nodded. This was precisely the reason. They had stripped the sense of fear and terror from the minds of their members through the illicit cheat of drugs, and they had the determination to unleash insane acts in broad daylight that ordinary people would never do¡ªsimply put, their firepower was formidable. Of course, there had to be something to counter that.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Is there any air power avable to support the operation?¡± ¡°There is the 147th Fighter Wing stationed at Ellington Joint Reserve Base to the southeast of Houston. They should be able to provide continuous air support via MQ-20 Avengers. The problem is that there may not be enough operational operators avable to provide frequent support.¡± ¡°How specific is that?¡± ¡°If operating at maximum efficiency, they couldunch sorties once every 12 hours.¡± As expected. There was nothing particrly different from before. The virus had sent all maintenance personnel, weapon management staff, and operators alike to the great beyond, and those who survived were likely struggling just to keep the massive base running. I heard that they had dispatched hundreds of personnel from here, but it would take considerable time to rebuild everything anew. In any case,ing back to the matter, it was good to have air support. Since the enemies weren¡¯t regr forces, if we assumed they were lightly armored, we could likely solve things with cluster bombs. Although if someone brought a tank, it would be a bit tricky, but honestly, it was just a bit of a hassle. Nothing more. And soon the viewers began to stir.
  • Is Nine Lineing? Is Nine Lineing? Is Nine Lineing? Is Nine Lineing? Is Nine Lineing? Is Nine Lineing?
  • Air support, let¡¯s go!!!!
  • Wow, the excitement is already out of control, LOL
  • Is this a New Year¡¯s gift? Is this a New Year¡¯s gift? Is this a New Year¡¯s gift? Is this a New Year¡¯s gift? Is this a New Year¡¯s gift?
  • Eugene, take me away, hee-woo!!!!
¡°What should I tell the fighter wing?¡± I remained silent. By the time I was considering this, the Dagger team members had likely already devised more specific and nned strategies than I had. Owens was already checking the enemy¡¯s locations and movement routes through reconnaissance, and he soon spoke. ¡°We need to establish additional defensive lines at these two points. If we get too close to this point, the fortifications could be caught in an explosion.¡± ¡°Haha, I see what you mean. So should I request that the MQ-20 Avengers be equipped with four CBU-110s?¡± He nodded. The moment the estimated arrival time and enemy locations were shared on everyone¡¯s UI, he conveyed it to everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s see how effective the DDP-52, which we¡¯ve brought to Houston, can be.¡± The enemies will soon learn just how bad drones can be. Darkness descended over the city. The first word to vanish as the Omega Virus erupted was ¡°nightlife.¡± With the power supply cut off, the night reimed its infamous status, and even if a generator was running, that area would be a target for all living beings. Every window that could emit light was securely boarded up. The generators continued running to power medical equipment, but that was all. Houston at 7 PM was as dark as pitch. Everyone swallowed their breaths, preparing for any unforeseen situations. Numerous guards continued to scout the main thoroughfares using night vision goggles. After all, batteries were abundant. With the unique sounds and light pollution generated by a massive city gone, visibility increased to several dozen kilometers, and sounds became clearer as well¡ªthis was further amplified by sound equipment. ¡°...They¡¯reing.¡± A scout group on the hospital roof, equipped with night-vision binocrs, added in a low voice. The sounds of approaching footsteps from several kilometers away echoed in the night. And the sheer number of them was rming. Rumor had it that those who had been causing havoc in Houston were a group sent in advance for intelligence gathering and rear rebellion, so this must have been close to their main force. Seeing they dispatched this many despite Corpus Christi being a nearby major city, it must have been an unpleasant situation below. The UAV we had deployed for reconnaissance began scanning. And today, something particrly special awaited us. ¡°Ha. A transport ship hase deep into Houston carrying a monster. Goodness.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t connect the lines carelessly. If you¡¯re not careful, it could lead to a ckout for the entire hospital.¡± ¡°Power supply starting now.¡± With that, the DDP-52, connected to four power lines the size of a human fist, began to boot up with a low hum. After power was supplied enough to illuminate the panels, preparations began to awaken the hundreds of drones that had been quietly sleeping inside. These were literal power-hungry hippos. If they hadn¡¯t been charged somewhat beforehand, they would have barely managed to boot up when the enemies got too close. In any case, whether or not that was second in line, the sight before us was quite something. As the tform spread on both sides, raising a massive column into the air drew gasps from everyone present. Naturally, Dais and Harmony were busy fiddling with the panels, inspecting various things. ¡°Charging power is over 80%. It can be deployed to a battalion-level battlefield.¡± ¡°75% of the drone armament is set for smart mine deployment, while the rest is for general operational strike drones, right?¡± ¡°Yes. As soon as charging exceeds 90%, deploy the drones to the designated coordinates.¡± Of course, the scene of the drones being deployed was a spectacle in itself. 200 drones simultaneously took off into the air. The positions of the drones were disyed at 60 frames per second. It would take about 6 minutes toplete the expected deployment. Now, all that was left was to check our weapons. And there was one more thing I needed to emphasize to my teammates. ¡°From now on, it would be better for your sanity to turn off the kill count feature.¡±
  • Gasp
  • How many are you nning to kill? LOL
  • You¡¯re not really going to massacre all 7,000 of them, right????? Sir????????
  • They¡¯re really serious! LOL
  • Today the editors are shaking their carrots¡­.
Since I had a moment to rx, I scanned the chat. I heard that the initial engagements in Houston, while said to involve thousands, only had hundreds in actuality, and when I inquired about the reason, they quickly realized that the losses were too great when the enemies crashed into the fortifications, and they fled to San Antonio instead. In other words, the real chaos would begin from the battles there. Regardless, there was no reason for us to let them live. ¡°Smart mines activated. Let¡¯s wipe them all out.¡± There was no response. Of course, ©¤©¤©¤Kugung! ¡°Lately, it seems like fireworks are happening on the ground.¡± Laurentina¡¯s chuckle represented everyone¡¯s sentiments. The smart mines that had been waiting on the ground exploded, flipping the vehicles and, at the same time, the sounds of the strike drones tearing through the air rang out as the cartel members charging toward us from the vehicles were thrown into chaos. Naturally, there were not just one person in the vehicles. In other words, a single explosion sent several of them hurtling toward the River Styx. Shaking my head, I added, ¡°Perhaps I should have drawn them in a bit more before attacking. If we stop here, it could be a bit troublesome.¡±
  • Breaking News) Eugene... says more blood must flow...
  • Look at the kill count rising to 500 already! LOL
  • Isn¡¯t it a bit much for human lives to be so easily extinguished, even like flies?????????????? Huh????????
  • Ah, LOL!
There was no mercy. The cartel eradication operation had begun. Chapter 301 "Fuck, what the hell¡­!" An explosion. And only the sound of crackling filled the southwestern road leading to Houston. If one were to visualize the world just after the end hade, it would feel something like this. Even modified armored vehicles were being smashed to pieces without a chance to fight back. Naturally, the number of casualties was beyond description. Once the attack passed, the first cartel division that had advanced waspletely obliterated. It was enough to make one not even want to know how many had disappeared from the world. However, even amidst this chaos, themander, now ustomed to cartel logic, was happily calcting in his head. ''If we go back like this, our innards will be on disy outside while we''re still alive¡­'' It was an obvious oue. The coalition cartel formed by several major cartels was essentially just a temporary alliance sharing only minimal information, and given that they often fought among themselves over interests, the probability of facing severe punishment was high if they failed in this operation. If it came to executing someone on the spot as a warning example, they might find themselves subjected to public execution, in the middle of the street, under the pretense of taking responsibility. And of course, it wouldn¡¯t end there. True to their name, the cartels had taken each other''s families hostage, a fact that didn''t even need further exnation. The resulting situation didn¡¯t require exnation either. ¡°¡­Keep advancing.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Isn¡¯t it enough to just win? Just win. American street gangs, corrupt ex-police, criminals, pure-blood cartel members rising from Mexico¡­ Those who had long abandoned any semnce of morality could no longer lead normal lives. The only paths left for them were toward the cartel¡¯s thousand-year empire or a descent into hell. Of course, it didn¡¯t need to be said which one was closer. Hundreds of vehicles and thousands of personnel began to move again. And by the time they reached downtown Houston, the coalition cartel had already lost more than half of their initial numbers. ¡°Update on enemy distribution. It¡¯d be better to draw it out a bit more and increase the density.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s reduce the firepower projection ratio to the original 65% and set up mines to prevent easy approaches.¡± ¡°It feels like we¡¯re ying an old FPS game.¡± At Dais¡¯s remark, a few chuckled softly. It seemed he was referring to the modern warfare games that had been popr in the past, like AC-130, raining death from above. In reality, it wasn¡¯t much different. The target had just changed to drones. He nced around. Everyone was still tense, but the atmosphere had be somewhat lively. Was it a justified optimism? Even though the operation had been underway for quite some time, the enemies had yet to appear, leading to a slight easing of tension. It was quite understandable. Especially since almost all engagements were taking ce through screens and remote controls, the cartel coalition was oblivious to the fact that they were facing turrets and drones, blindly firing RPGs and machine guns in all directions. Meanwhile, the drones precisely targeted enemy vehicles, puncturing their tires, and the artillery turrets ced at higher elevations, along with well-camouged machine guns, turned those vehicles into coffins for four men. Thus, the vehicles became ming obstacles that could slow down the enemies. The enemies were causing a bottleneck in an area roughly the size of two ser fields. ¡°Shall we prepare?¡± ¡°Today, I¡¯ll take over for the rookie. You two just focus on piloting the drones.¡± Logan then spoke up. ¡°Heavy Weather, this is Aurora. Confirming the impression level.¡±
  • [ISO: Heavy Weather, confirming impression level is good. Mission number 0763, provided time 50 minutes. Targeting pod is AN/DAS-1 MTS-B. Mission stop code is Twilight.]
¡°Provided time is 50 minutes, mission stop code is Twilight. Received. Ready for battlefield situation update report.¡±
  • ????????????????
  • No, Pr Bear?
  • The service is pouring in all of a sudden, Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Wow, suddenly nine-line ??????????????????????????????????
  • I¡¯m an editor!!! Get the clip right now!!!!!!
Listening to a nine-line briefing delivered by someone other than myself felt quite refreshing. There were times when I couldn¡¯t even speak English well, memorizing the briefing norms and crying, wondering why I was doing this. Through Icarus gear, target coordinates were transmitted. Since there had been somework integration between DDP-52 and MQ-20 beforehand, there was no real need to call out coordinates precisely, but the procedure was important nheless. Anyway, Logan¡¯s nine-line was¡­ just fast. He skimmed his eyes over the screen and read the briefing with the skill of someone born to do CAS. One could only guess how much he practiced, and how many times he used it in real situations. The conversation continued, leaving behind the viewers who were absolutely loving it. ¡°The target location is southwest of TDC, at the intersection of Line 610 and HWY 90. Friendly forces are currently at TDC and are approximately 3 miles from the target. No clouds. Be cautious of any possible anti-aircraft fire. Is the nine-line ready?¡±
  • [ISO: Heavy Weather, nine-line entry is requested.]
¡°Approach with IP Apache. Direction 290, distance 4. Numerous light infantry and unspecified armored vehicles. QF 216288. Lines 7, 8 N/A.¡±
  • [ISO: Checking target value. Approaching from direction 100¡­ Ah. Multiple silhouettes identified near that burning road. Shall we blow them up?]
Logan smirked, and that was the answer. Less than a minuteter, the words continued.
  • [ISO: IP Apache has arrived. Bombing position identified, target value confirmed.]
¡°Aurora rys to Heavy Weather, permission to attack granted.¡±
  • [ISO: 10 seconds to steel rain.]
And thus, ten seconds that felt like an eternity passed¡ª ¡ªKABOOM! In the darkness, mes erupted once more. In truth, the fire had red up only for a moment, but there was no problem identifying the target. Two cluster bombs fell from the sky, leveling an area the size of several ser fields in an instant. This was because the additional defensive points set up in the area designated by Owens were holding their ground to prevent the enemies from advancing. The kill count shot up dramatically, but that wasn¡¯t all.
  • [ISO: Heavy Weather has discovered additional enemies approaching from direction 270.]
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll bind their feet.¡± Simultaneously, smart mines were detonated. It was obvious that an entire division of troops couldn¡¯te down a single road, so it was natural to scatter traps at various choke points. Explosions and mes erupted. Vehicles on the road were pushed aside, and mes erupted from the specially made vehicles designed to clear the path as steering systems and pipelines were damaged, making driving impossible. Of course, this was not a significant issue since an explosion from the fuel tank urred before the driver could even feel it. As a long vehicle became a burning obstacle blocking the road, the vehicles following behind had to stop abruptly. And that spot was soon to be a graveyard.@@novelbin@@
  • [ISO: Passed IP Smith.]
¡°Direction 270, distance 2. Numerous light infantry and unspecified armored vehicles. QF 416748. Lines 7, 8 N/A.¡±
  • [ISO: Checking target value. Approaching from direction 180. Detecting numerous heat sources stuck near the burning road. Shall we blow them up?]
¡°Understood. Permission to attack granted.¡±
  • [ISO: Steel rain in 10 seconds.]
As the numbers went from 700 to 3500, then to 2000, and finally to 900¡­ With each one-sided engagement, the enemy¡¯s strength was steadily diminished. Everyone knew that the end was annihtion. The fortunate survivors at the back of the line either dashed from their vehicles into the buildings or turned back to retrace their steps. After setting off all the remaining smart mines and barely managing the drones, the enemy numbers had dwindled to below 700. This meant that literally only one out of ten had managed to escape alive. Half of them blended into Houston, while the other half retreated back the way they came. The former would soon be wiped out by the Houston patrol, and as for thetter¡­ who knows? Would they be graciously epted back by the cartels? Either way, the oue seemed to lead to hell. CLANK! With a heavy noise, all the drones were recovered. As the DDP-52 stretched its panels toward the sky and returned to its original state, Owens gathered the Dagger Team, Harmony, and Dais around. ¡°Refueling of the MD500 isplete. We¡¯ll be gathering at the rooftop helipad in 10 minutes, so everyone prepare.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Then suddenly, it was the viewers who were left in shock. They thought the battle in Houston had ended safely, but were now stunned to see the team moving somewhere without a moment¡¯s rest, curious about what was happening. Where should I start exining? But I soon smiled and added: ¡°ording to Javier¡¯sments following the briefing, the enemy¡¯s base is the American city of Corpus Christi. The cartel coalition has sent a massive amount of power from there.¡± Yet the fact that this power had vanished in less than an hour was something they could not miss hearing. And the implication was simple. ¡°In that city, a massive me game and argument are about to begin, one that could cover the entire globe. Although it¡¯s more likely that it won¡¯t end with just a simple argument, one thing is certain: one of the cartel coalition¡¯s bases is currently in a state of chaos.¡± A city engulfed in confusion. A copsed surveince system¡­ it was indeed perfect for a handful of people to sneak in. So the answer was simple. ¡°We¡¯re going to execute a beheading operation.¡± We would arrive in Corpus Christi as quickly as possible, create chaos among the enemies to incite internal conflict, and while they shot at each other, we would infiltrate and decapitate the leadership. Of course, given the sheer scale of the cartel, this cutting wouldn¡¯t end with just one time, but still, those whose heads were cut off wouldn¡¯t be able to resist any further. Most of the viewers didn¡¯t understand what was being said, but a few must have already had an inkling. It didn¡¯t take long for the helicopter to take off. A busy day was about to begin. ¡ªTOOT TOOT TOOT! ¡°They¡¯ve already started.¡± ¡°During times like this, they sure are unnecessarily fast.¡± In the tranquil coastal resort city of Corpus Christi, the sounds of explosions and gunfire echoed continuously. Since we had left the DDP-52 behind to defend Houston, we had to rely solely on reconnaissance drones, but thankfully the city wasn¡¯t thatrge. At any rate, the city at 10 PM was in utter chaos. The view disyed by the high-flying reconnaissance drone was a sight to behold. Lightly armed personnel were sporadically shooting at each other. There were also sporadic firefights and personal helicopters. We hade to execute a beheading operation while the enemies were engaged inbat, but at this rate, I wondered what would happen. Surely they hadn¡¯t started shooting at each other¡¯s leaders already.
  • Why are there no cartels here?????????????
  • What triggered them to fight among themselves? ????????????????????????
  • At this point, isn¡¯t it like they¡¯re using cheat codes? ???????
  • Please, teachers, stop¡­ I¡¯ve already canceled all subscriptions to other channels except this one.
  • The editors are shaking the carrots again today ww
It wasplete pandemonium. Even while crossing the bridge that split the city in half, apanied by vignce, the gunfire continued unabated. However, by the time we crossed the bridge and began to move along the coastline, a story came through that couldn¡¯t be overlooked viamunications interception¡ªspecifically, the topic of a ceasefire agreement. Though I hadn¡¯t experienced such a situation before, it didn¡¯t matter much. After all, the beheading operation was set to proceed sessfully. What was crucial was verifying where they would regroup. The Icarus gear automatically intercepted and decipheredmunications, marking the destination. ¡°In about 15 minutes, another meeting will be held at Norma Urban Park.¡± ¡°Still quite a while to go. We need to select a spot to interfere.¡± ¡°Is it possible to snipe?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s check if there are any firearms around.¡± In Texas, a paradise for guns. Here, there were plenty of firearms hidden away for Icarus operators to respond immediately in case of emergency, and there were an overwhelming number of gun stores. In short, the goal was to rummage through and find a sniper rifle. Unfortunately, we hadn¡¯t brought one along as it was prioritized forbat sustainability. I wondered if we had enough time. After quickly hacking into the building¡¯s rm system, Logan twisted the lock that secured the metal shutters with force, breaking it. He was about to take out a Tomahawk, but thankfully it wasn¡¯t necessary. With a ttering sound, the shutters opened. ¡°Where¡¯s the sniper point?¡± ¡°The USS Lexington Museum, Icarus¡¯s suggestion. It¡¯s 2 km from Norma Urban Park.¡± ¡°A 2000m sniper shot in a ce where the sea breeze blows? That¡¯s craziness.¡± Of course, our actions were even quicker than that. Using a pulse scan, we found everything we needed. As if they were stowed away in a precious ce, we discovered an AW50, resting quietly behind a window in a store connected to a warehouse, rather than in the gun store itself. In the meantime, Dais smashed the ss of the disy case and asked while holding a ridiculouslyrge scope if this would be okay, while Harmony dug through the metal-smelling space and finally found a box filled with .50 caliber bullets. Logan and Owens found a bipod for the tripod and gun mounting. That was it. I held the rifle, and all that was left was to run. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! We have 10 minutes left!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first! I¡¯ll cheer for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lead them. You go ahead.¡± So, as always, only the three manifestors went ahead. Standing along the coastline was the USS Lexington Museum. After breaking the chains and locks securing the tightly shut metal shutters with an axe, we opened the hatch. We rushed through theplicated interior of the ship, sprinting up the stairs until we reached the deck, where a refreshing sea breeze greeted us. Turning on night vision goggles, we ran past various aircraft models. After dashing up to the anti-fall fence under a sky bright as day, I quickly checked the remaining time: 3 minutes and 32 seconds. I kicked the fence to gain visibility andy t on the aircraft carrier deck. After mounting the cannonball-sized scope received earlier, I connected the bipod and pulled the magazine to insert the round, making a clicking sound as I did so. The final step was adjusting the zeroing. A titanium 3-24x56 scope from Delta Optical. I wondered where they got such a magnificent piece. ¡°It¡¯s neither subsonic nor does it have a suppressor. I guess I¡¯ll have to be ready to jump into the sea after firing.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s burdensome, should I take over for the rookie?¡± ¡°You¡¯re better suited for the reconnaissance role, Pr Bear.¡±
  • They¡¯re doing all sorts of things ??????????????????????
  • No way, a 2km sniper shot? How did we end up in this situation??????????????
  • I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong to dare to try predicting the next situation!!!!!!
  • I don¡¯t even know how this is possible, and why Icarus has enabled such interactions.
  • Wow, this is crazy ????????????????
The sniping wasn¡¯t meant to annihte them all. Just one shot. If I could hit and kill, then the ceasefire would be off the table. Sniping itself wasn¡¯t that difficult. The Icarus gear calcted the impact point in real time. The UI disyed bullet hang time, predicted trajectory, and wind calctions, so there was no need to worry. And after three minutes passed, several individuals who appeared to be high-ranking cartel officials stepped onto the beach, engaging in various conversations. Surrounding them were bodyguards armed to the teeth, bustling around like ants. The noise diminished. I focused on timing. It would be better to shoot at a higher target than the bodyguards if possible. I ced my finger on the trigger and controlled my breath while waiting for the precise moment¡ª ¡ªBANG! The trigger was pulled all the way back, and the bullet left the barrel. The .50 caliber round aimed at the upper left of the target followed a strange parabolic path. About four seconds passed. ¡°¡­Hit.¡± ¡°Good kill, good kill.¡± ¡°Things are going to get interesting from here.¡± And as he said, the scene visible through the scope was quite amazing. The head of the cartel official exploded like a watermelon, and he copsed forward, prompting everyone to draw their weapons and start shooting indiscriminately at each other. Owens, Harmony, and Dais, who hadete, arrived as well, and the six of usughed for several minutes in that spot. The world was truly chaotic. Chapter 302
  • [Mission Objective: Join the naval airbase located in the southeastern area of Corpus Christi.]
¡°Unusually, the mission objective has appeared. Target location reset.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speed up, so everyone hang on tight!¡± ¡°Whoa, who let the rookie drive¡ª!¡± Vroom! The engine roared to life, the wheels turned, and as they pushed against the ground, the vehicle moved forward. Thus, the Dagger Team, including two civilians, advanced along the coast of the city. Of course, they didn¡¯t forget to crush the remaining cartel forces blocking the way. It would take about 20 minutes to reach the base in the southeast by vehicle. However, there were still many enemies remaining nearby, and the vehicle was essentially a moving noise bomb¡ªconsequently, they were inevitably a target for any cartel forces left. As a result, what happened was¡ª ¡ªTOOT TOOT TOOT! ¡°There¡¯s an armed vehicle following us from behind.¡± ¡°Please take care of it.¡± ¡°Understood. Just a moment¡­.¡± And whoosh. It was a light sound, but the result was anything but. The adhesive bomb, mixed with some metal jet technology, could easily shred through the appropriate steel te and bulletproof ss, and when it stuck precisely to the windshield, it exploded, vaporizing the driver¡¯s headpletely. The next sound wasn¡¯t pleasant. Creak, crash, then bang! The wildly shaking vehicle overturned and mmed into nearby telephone poles before rolling to a stop. The mes rising from within indicated that a good future was not in store for the upants. Of course, from the looks of it, several more vehicles were still in pursuit, confirming that this was indeed a cartel-infested area. But¡ª ¡°Ahaha, what audacity! Seems you value your life very little!¡± ¡°You crazy bitch¡­.¡± For the first time in a while, the shark had revealed its true nature. Laurentina, who had nned to leave the AW50 and ammunition behind on the USS Lexington but insisted on using it herself, removed the scope and recalibrated, then reloaded with a demeanor that seemed almost delirious as she aimed at the swaying vehicle from inside. Naturally, her target was the driver¡¯s seat of the enemy vehicle. The kic energy of the .50 caliber could easily pierce through the windshield, and the firearm capable of firing it was enormous enough to protrude from the back of the truck¡¯s cargo area. Meanwhile, the vehicle kept moving erratically. However, Laurentina was an EM-ss manifestor, standing shoulder to shoulder with Logan and me, easilypensating for the recoil of the .50 caliber as she continued firing like a possessed individual. ¡ªBANG!
  • Oh my, I can see the madness in Eugene¡¯s acquaintance, ????????????????
  • Hehe, Laurentina¡­????????
  • This is intense, ????????????????
  • She¡¯s standing up and firing arge-caliber sniper rifle, ???????????????? insane, ????????????????
  • Look at Logan¡¯s expression beside her, ?????
Without a suppressor, the ear-splitting explosions echoed continuously. Yet the shark seemed to find joy in it, bursting intoughter as she squeezed the trigger, pulling the bolt to eject the spent casing and reloading another bullet into the chamber. With each deafening bang, a vehicle fell to the ground. Unlike in movies directed by explosion enthusiasts, where a bullet embedding itself in a car would make it explode, it didn¡¯t quite happen like that here, but it was sufficient to pierce the windshield and kill the driver, and with the unspent kic energy, take out the backseat passenger or puncture tires. The number of pursuing vehicles visible in the rearview mirror was increasing, but it didn¡¯t matter much. Laurentina was intercepting them much faster. The enemies, leaning out of their windows to shoot, lost their drivers, resulting in typically horrific ends. Of course, Laurentina wasn¡¯t the only one engaged in the firefight; Logan, Dais, and Harmony, who were also in the truck¡¯s cargo area, provided supporting fire. Given the speed, they threw grenades after cooking them briefly, causing them to slip under the hoods of enemy vehicles, making them jolt upon detonation. ¡°I can hear the kill count rising dramatically from behind.¡± ¡°We¡¯re entering the avenue in front of A&M University campus. I¡¯ve already contacted the base, so as long as IFF is activated, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The left showcased a beautiful ocean drive view of Corpus Christi Bay. The right was a quaint yet charming coastal city¡ªbut with so much hanging on behind us, it didn¡¯t quite feel real. With the sound of .50 caliber bullets firing behind us serving as background noise instead of a radio, I pressed the elerator as hard as I could while crossing the coastal road. Meanwhile, vehicles filled with four to five enemies were lined up behind our truck, racing toward us. Thankfully, they weren¡¯t on the same team, so they often fought among themselves. When I pointed that out, someone on the other end of themunicationswork, presumably a member of the base defense force, added with difficulty that if we didn¡¯t maintain a fair distance from the cartel coalition, we¡¯d have no choice but to open fire with turrets. I ryed that fact through thems, then switched the vehicle to autopilot mode and swapped seats with Owens. ¡ªKICK! Kicking the door open made it easily break off. Once I coiled my tail around the surrounding objects to secure myself firmly, I cautiously extended the muzzle outside. Switching the controls to single fire, I shot at the tires repeatedly; one vehicle toppled over, rolling off the road and crashing into the shallow sea. I continued to pull the trigger. Spent casings ejected to the right, spinning wildly in the air before hitting the asphalt as the trailing vehicles began to disappear one by one. Of course, Laurentina¡¯s fire didn¡¯t stop. One .50 caliber magazine held an astonishing 100 rounds. At this point, we had already relocated over 40 vehicles from the Ocean Highway to the Styx River Highway, and as we entered 7039 Ocean Drive Road, which gently traversed the shallow waters, we would soon encounter the naval airbase defense forces guarding the bridge. ¡°ETA 2 min!¡± ¡°Unload everything you have!¡± I checked the team¡¯s shield gauge through the UI. Laurentina¡¯s gauge had already dropped below half due to her firing head-on. Logan, Harmony, and Dais had sustained minimal damage. I also tossed all the remaining grenades. Since half of the enemies were on the road, several vehicles exploded. But the numbers were overwhelming. Given that everyone was already in the thick of it, they could immediately mobilize vehicles. With a thud, the truck we were riding in vibrated slightly. Owens, looking quite troubled, added through thems. ¡°The right rear tire is damaged. The steering will be a bit erratic, so hold on tight to avoid being thrown out.¡± ¡°Haha, the captain is giving himself a handicap! Let¡¯s see if I can fire the .50 caliber with one hand!¡± ¡°You really are a crazy bitch¡­.¡± Of course, she said that, but at that moment, Laurentina knelt down and secured the AW50 with a strap. With a bang, she fired a round. From the holographic disy, it turned out that she had indeed braced herself with her left hand on a pir while shooting the .50 caliber with one hand.
  • This is insane, ??????????????????
  • Is Laurentina also a manifestor?????????
  • She¡¯s firing a .50 caliber with one hand, ???????
  • I¡¯m going out for lunch! I¡¯m going out for lunch! I¡¯m going out for lunch! I¡¯m going out for lunch! I¡¯m going out for lunch! I¡¯m going out for lunch!
  • Look at Logan¡¯s expression, ????????
nk! In the meantime, Harmony, who had clung on as a sniper, pulled the bolt to eject the spent casing. While Laurentina held a .50 caliber round in one hand, she immediately loaded another bullet into the chamber. While Logan, who had justpleted reloading several AW50 magazines with a click, casually ced one at his feet, the magazine clicked into ce with a sound. Thus, while the cartel coalition automatic ughterhouse operated rather clumsily at a speed of 70 km/h, we finally reached the boundary of the naval base glistening with headlights and lights. Severalyers of homemade vehicle obstruction structures and fully armed sentries awaited us. As the screeching halt echoed, the outpostmander loudlymunicated various instructions as he activated the turret. And how long had it been? ¡ªKAKAKAKAKANG! Two 20mm chain guns and a high-velocity grenadeuncher obliterated all approaching troops in unison. Had such defenses been installed, there would have been no need to fuss over the approaching cartel coalition¡ªbut here we were, already inside their jurisdiction. As soon as we disembarked from the vehicle, the following words came. ¡°Wee to this location. The basemander asked what you might need.¡± And the answer was predetermined. ¡°Bullets, and one ck Hawk heading to San Antonio.¡± [General] Situation from 1 Hour of Mission in Corpus Christi
  • Only 500 out of the 7000 cartel members heading to Houston remain,pletely wiped out.
  • Civil war broke out in Corpus Christi.
  • 2km sniper shot.
  • Car chase.
Details omitted. [All Comments] [Registered Order]
  • Icarus, the one who included even this kind of scenario as variables, is insane, ???????????????????????????????????
  • Why? Why is this happening? Realistically???????????
  • Dark Zone that I¡¯ve been doing for so long suddenly feels trivial when watching this.
    • You too?
    • Isn¡¯t that right? ????????????????????????????
    • How can you alone handle Dark Zone 2.0, you crazy bitch ????????????????
  • I barely managed to gather 10 team members, spent 5 hours in Houston, and got annihted in Corpus Christi¡ªwasn¡¯t someone supposed to tell me this sooner?????????????
    • Noob, ???
    • Noob? Noob? Noob? Noob? Noob? Noob? No~ob?
    • You fucking noob, ????????????
  • Fact: The idiots whining above would also get cut down in just 30 minutes of the chariot mission.
    • The observations are on point, ??
  • Honest opinion: Laurentina needs to debut soon.
    • Seriously, ????????????????
    • Before the final championship, I thought Yujin was the craziest, but this person is the most insane, ??????????????
    • A woman who shoots a .50 caliber with one hand whileughing¡­ what exactly is Yujin¡¯s acquaintance¡­?
    • I don¡¯t care what the others are doing because of her, ??????????????
  • I¡¯ll hold my breath until Laurentina debuts, hiss!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • There¡¯s not a single bad line here, ??????????????
  • While the others are filming a documentary and putting on a show, the crazy Bi-Yam is doing all the fun stuff¡­ which is great¡­ so awesome¡­.@@novelbin@@
  • Living point: This person has been streaming for less than half a year.
  • A monster rookie, whoa
  • Rookie (Ascended to the top in just 6 months).
  • No way, really?????????? Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true???????????????
  • What the hell, ????????????
  • The world is divided into Yujin before and after, w
  • We are living in the era of the tactical snake sister who makes everything hrious¡­
¡°Wee to San Antonio. It must not have been easy toe all the way from New York, but it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± San Antonio International Airport. Originally, this was a ce where many recruits gathered to be reborn as US Air Force members at the boot camp located at Ld Air Force Base nearby, but naturally, that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. The space, which should have been filled with numerous passenger nes, was packed with all kinds of US Army equipment. Perhaps due to the size of the airport, it was quite suitable for storing equipment. In any case, the airport¡¯s terminal and main facilities had been thoroughly repurposed. The information desks and various lounges, among other spaces, had been converted into offices, troop amodations, civilian shelters, dining areas, and so on. I heard that any duties that couldn¡¯t be handled here would be processed at the Methodist Hospital and VA hospitals, several kilometers to the west, in the densely packed medical district. In other words¡ª ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve drawn a line here. Dividing San Antonio into north and south.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The Ld Air Force Base, which was used as a training camp, is infested with cartels. I believe you can roughly understand the reason for this.¡± I nodded. There was no way I couldn¡¯t. Humanity had created the concept of cities based on demand and necessity, but it was entirely impossible to protect a districtpletely from the same people. Imagine searching every alley densely packed with houses and buildings across hundreds of square kilometers to root out enemies and conduct inspections. It would truly be a waste of both time and resources. As a result, those tasked with defending San Antonio made a quick decision. They drew a line across the city, abandoning the area below while solidly defending above. Especially since the northern part of the city contained the medical district and international airport, this choice was all the more convenient. However, the area below the drawn line was literally soaked in blood. ¡°Just as you can see, this area has almostpletely lost control in less than two months.¡± ¡°An impressive level of control.¡± ¡°With the public authority evaporating, the cartel coalition no longer holds back. If you check the live CCTV feeds, you can easily see them walking around openly with guns, firing indiscriminately.¡± ¡°Do we have the capacity tounch an attack?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we do not.¡± Everyone nodded at that. The area that needed protection was truly vast, but there weren¡¯t that many people avable for deployment. It was said that they had half-conscripted civilians to arm them and provide basic military training. Somehow, it felt simr to the situation in Korea. Of course, the chat was filled with self-deprecatingments like, ¡°Should I hit the dislike button for those still unmilitarized?¡± Anyway, that didn¡¯t matter much. What mattered was the fact that we needed to break their backs at least once, and thus our question was simple and straightforward. ¡°Please provide a briefing focused on the locations dense with cartels. After resting for a while, I¡¯m thinking of taking a stroll in the southern part of San Antonio.¡± ¡°¡­Understood. I¡¯ll prepare the briefing immediately.¡± And the following words. ¡°Is there anything else you might need?¡± The Dagger Team collectively added. ¡°It would be great if you could bring us enough C4 to set San Antonio aze.¡± It was time to set the dawn of the city on fire. Chapter 303 In-game time: 3 AM, the entire San Antonio was shrouded in darkness. The incursion assault team, traversing the silent southern part of the city, had positioned themselves in a suitably sheltered location, scanning the surroundings to eliminate any careless enemies first. Time was supposed to resolve everything, and what started as a few simple ideas for the operation began to take shape, bing sufficiently clear as they focused on the disarrayed tool and hardware store. Thus, everyone picked up their respective roles. Some team members gathered materials, while others monitored the situation and conducted reconnaissance through drones. The squad leader, Owens, moved to the observation post¡­. And I began the DIY¡ªturret assembly training. ¡°...The AI required for the turret was conceived from household appliances. By using the same tracking behavior software found in drones or mobile stabilization devices, it bes a weapon with remarkable uracy that can select and track enemies in real-time.¡±
  • Is it DIY time now? ????????????????
  • I was wondering how different it would be to have a former special forces member, but it¡¯s like having MacGyvers here, ??????????
  • Living point: These people are literally making turrets in real-time.
  • They¡¯re clearly showing the answers in real-time, but no one can follow along,
  • Don¡¯t tell me this is how it has to be done???? Answer me!!!!!! Ack!!!!
This wasn¡¯t just an everyday lecture, so why was everyone in such an uproar? In any case, the items needed to assemble the temporary turret weren¡¯t many. Normally, gears would be required to allow the muzzle to move up, down, left, and right, but today, we were going to create a box-shaped turret that could fire as soon as enemies entered the designated area. The method was very simple. You mix amon cardboard box with an AK-style firearm, which is even moremon. Of course, thetter was obtained through proper channels from our cartel friends wandering the streets. We were generous; before the proper trade, we had even thrown in a one-way ticket to the Styx River. ¡°Now, attach a sensor to the front of the box and connect it to the internal gear. It¡¯s simple enough.¡± The operating principle was straightforward. When the front sensor detects enemies within a certain distance, it sends a signal to rotate the motor. Once the securely fixed small motor turns, it pulls on a string connected to the trigger. The motor is capable of applying enough tension to pull the trigger fully¡ªand after that, there¡¯s no need to exin further. The next step¡­ well, there was practically nothing left to do. As long as you stuffed some bricks or simr items into the empty space inside the box to prevent it from moving, that was it. If that wasn¡¯t reassuring enough, you could secure the box against a wall, streetlight, or car to ensure it wouldn¡¯t slide out sideways. With the rightponents, you could easily create a trap within 5 minutes. ¡°Aah, I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯ve gathered all the materials, Yujin.¡± ¡°Good job. This should be enough.¡± ¡°But what exactly are you nning to do with this?¡± I simply replied, ¡°This is for ¡®Iiiij.¡¯¡± The reason we made traps with firearms that were not the ones we typically used, but rather easily obtainable shotguns or civilian bolt-action rifles, or even AKs directly brought in from Mexico, had a purpose. To understand why this was possible, one needed to know how the cartel coalition in this area operated, which could be simply exined by the fact that the enemies did not trust each other while being united. While the cartel had poured across the Southern US border, and the Omega virus killed indiscriminately regardless of race or country¡ªresulting in far more Mexican casualties¡ªAmerica was a significantlyrger country than Mexico. There was no way one city could fully swallow another. Thus, the alliance was formed, meaning they had a somewhat legitimate reason to engage in each other¡¯s growth. So, the gangs and cartel coalitions roaming San Antonio were loosely assembled groups with different goals. After exining that, I added. ¡°But what do you think will happen if simultaneous, indiscriminate attacks ur through the turrets? Using the AKs they used themselves¡­ will they suddenly tighten their ranks?¡± ¡°...They¡¯ll probably point guns at each other. So that¡¯s why you were making this.¡± ¡°It seems you understand the general reasoning now.¡± In simpler terms, if we made turrets from weapons the cartel carried around to kill the same cartel, it was needless to say that they would end up fighting each other. Of course, that alone wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. There was a reason I had mentioned the decapitation operation beforeing here. Once the lower ranks started fighting amongst themselves, the upper echelons would gather in one ce to find out what was going on. And we would turn that ce intoplete ashes. While it wouldn¡¯t be enough to set San Antonio aze, we had received around 30 kg of C4 from the base. The amount of explosives needed to demolish a building hundreds of meters tall was approximately 300 kg of C4, so a tenth of that would be enough to turn any meeting ce into dust. Thus concluded the briefing on our action n in San Antonio. ¡°...Is that clear?¡± The Dagger Team already knew the n well, nodding appropriately and focusing on their tasks again, but Dais and Harmony''s expressions¡­ how should I put it? They were utterly impressed. ¡°So, I fought in the Final Championship against someone like this?¡± ¡°I sometimes think, but truly, you must be incredibly smart, teacher.¡±
  • A trap within a trap, ????????????????
  • I¡¯m genuinely impressed, these crazy ones¡­.
  • They¡¯re formting a n in real-time like this???? Did you just eat and sleep in the military?
  • I wouldn¡¯t even dare try to follow along, seriously, ??
  • This is an incredible idea, really ????????????
¡­Originally, operations were meant to be pieced together like a puzzle, right? In any case, during this time, I transmitted the enemies'' patrol routes and current positions, as well as the calcted turret cement locations, to my UI through drone reconnaissance. The number of boxes manufactured was a total of 25, so we would ce them in suitable locations, create amotion to draw in the enemies, and then activate them all at once. In fact, this part was the most boring yet thrilling. Each of us would carry five boxes, ride on the Silent Hawk, our stealth motorcycles, and move ording to the pre-distributed routes to install the turrets¡ªwhile squad leader Owens was sniping from an elevated position nearby. About 10 minutester, everyone finished setting up the turrets and moved to the safe zone. Dais and Harmony hade close to being discovered several times, but they managed to get through the crises somehow. Of course, how they managed to do that was¡ª ¡°Hah, I¡¯ve already used up three magazines. Wiping out the patrols¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the same boat.¡± Everyone chuckled at that. And how long had it been? The momentughter fadedpletely, everyone sealed their lips. The operation had begun. With a beep, the turret sensors activated all at once. There was no worry about civilian casualties. Innocent civilians had already been taken to ces where they were hung upside down or sent to drug manufacturing sites by those leisurely wandering around the city. Anyway, enemies began to creep into range. mes ignited, igniting chaos. ¡ªTOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT! ¡°Damn it, where are we!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ambush! Ambush!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the quiet southern San Antonio to be noisy. In the midst of it all, the AW50 brought from hundreds of kilometers away also yed its part in the uproar, specifically contributing to bursting the heads of cartel coalition members taking cover from unknown gunfire like watermelons. If anyone was checking how they died or what the bullet holes looked like, they wouldn¡¯t have known, but the chaotic situation had long since dulled the ability to make clear cause-and-effect judgments in the minds of the cartel members roaming the city. Of course, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, the cocaine would have rendered them numb to their surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m providing support fire with the drones.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll spread some false information through themunicationswork.¡± After Dais had wiped out the patrols, he brought a radio. The Icarus gear quickly grasped the applied technology and frequencywork, reassembling the voices to spread suitable lies. They broadcasted noise about Los Zetas attacking them, or that the Gulf cartel had initiated a preemptive strike, and the situation instantly transformed into an even more chaotic melee. The result of lighting the fuse was truly remarkable, and within a mere five minutes, even though the Dagger Team hadpletely stopped shooting, southern San Antonio was engulfed in civil war. They were all busy utilizing RPGs and vehicles for urbanbat against each other. Ultimately, it didn¡¯t matter which way the result went. It was fine if they wiped each other out, or if they stopped fighting under orders from above. We were simply waiting, continuously monitoring the tappedmunicationswork for useful information. After about 10 minutes of chaos¡ª
  • [Unknown: Damn it! Ceasefire! It¡¯s an order from above! There will be a meeting at Wilford Military Hospital in 20 minutes! If even a single bullet sound is heard before that, I will personally kill you!]
The fact that they recited the location was truly considerate of the enemy AI. After exchanging nces with everyone, I added. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡± The fireworks were about to begin. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly fortified.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll smash our way in. Just keep an eye on the C4, Dais. We¡¯ll clear the path.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most reassuring thing you¡¯ve said, teacher.¡± A building that looked like a modern school or aplex training facilityy in wait for us in the darkness. However, it was filled with numerous cartel guards. There were lookout soldiers deployed on the rooftops and a plethora of makeshift armored vehicles and trucks. Moreover, they were all quite well-protected. But one thing was certain: they would die if they took a hit above a certain threshold. Moreover, even though there were many people, there were plenty of abandoned vehicles. ¡°Wow, I wonder why there are so many expensive cars here.¡± ¡°They probably want to keep driving these even in this world.¡± Luxury cars that seemed suitable only for high-ranking cartel officials¡ªeven gold-ted vehicles¡ªwere spaced out at decent intervals. The only issue was a few agents waiting near the vehicles, but, well, they were just carrying handguns or at most automatic rifles, and none of them were wearing bulletproof vests. They ended up standing next to their own graves with holes already blown through their heads. Once Dais finished installing C4 there, we began to ascend the building. The emergency stairs were, as expected, incredibly quiet. While there were patrols, they could hardly respond to the modern conveniences of civilization. They would only crumble before a subsonic bullet or thrown dagger before even realizing what was happening. Through continued pulse scans, we confirmed the enemy¡¯s location was on the fourth floor in a conference room. Therefore, our target was the third floor. ¡ªCLUNK! ¡°What the hell, enemy¡ªKurk!¡± ¡°Guh¡­!¡± The first enemy had a tactical knife from Laurentina embedded in his neck, and the second was brought down with a punch to the abdomen from Logan. As two patrol members met their ends, it was only the beginning. Owens, having moved to the position formand, added. ¡°Firearms are free to use. Eliminate everyone.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Dais, Harmony, and I, along with Owens, headed directly for the room just below the conference room. It appeared to be another conference room, but no one was present. A few cartel members were sleeping, but since they had already been shot in the head, they might as well have been nonexistent. As Dais carefully ced the C4 on the floor, Owens began to detail through the UI where exactly to attach the C4. And where did I take Harmony? ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ultrasonic cutter. I¡¯ll make a hole in the tempered ss, retrieve it, and then escape through here just before it explodes. I¡¯m making a hole for that purpose.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Oh, I see what you mean.¡± We headed to a room positioned opposite the predicted explosion zone to open an escape route. After attaching the suction cup typically used for unclogging toilets to the ss, I began to cut around it. With a slicing sound, the ss was delicately removed. Harmony quickly grasped the technique after a few tries and started cutting the ss little by little. As the ss was cut into a sizable piece, Laurentina approached, ruffled Harmony¡¯s hair, and secured the escape rope to a nearby pir. Compliments were a bonus. With all preparationsplete¡ª ¡°Escape route ready. Please proceed to the designated location. Did you call the helicopter?¡± ¡°Confirmed. The escape helicopter is 5 km away. Let¡¯s start wrapping up today¡¯s schedule.¡± At the same time, the door opened, and Dais, feeling much lighter after unloading the heavy C4, spoke with a refreshing expression. ¡°All that¡¯s left is to blow it up, right?¡± ¡°Oh, Dais. Can I blow it up?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±
  • What is this? An explosion show-off?
  • Why is she casually saying she wants to blow it up? ??????????????
  • Explosive show-off this bitch.
  • What are you doing? ??????????????
  • Ugh, ??
Thest words I uttered were unexpected. Of course, Harmony took the detonation authority without issue. Then, after a few dozen seconds¡ª ¡°2 km until the escape helicopter arrives. Let¡¯s head down. Detonate everything except what¡¯s attached to the conference room floor.¡± ¡°Understood. Detonating!¡± Boom! And from all the locations where Dais had hidden the chunks of C4, including the outside parking lot and the underground parking lot, massive mes and explosions erupted. For a brief moment of silence, and then, as the cartel members realizing what was happening rushed toward the explosion sites, the cartel leaders, who had been enjoying themselves on the fourth floor, would probably be busy preparing to escape now. But we had already descended to the ground through the fast rope, and Harmony was ready to serve the main dish. And¡ª ¡ªKAAABOOM! The entire third floor was obliterated, and the fourth floor disintegrated into millions of fragments. It was akin to a gigantic firework disy. In reality, it wouldn¡¯t be much different. The only difference would be that there were quite a few body parts caught in the crossfire. After the debris settled, Owens added. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the escape area. Anyone blocking the path should get a one-way ticket to the Styx River.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± But unfortunately, there would be no actualbat to be had. Just in time, an armed helicopter that had entered the operation zone delivered the final blow. ¡ªBrrrrrr! ¡°Wow, a minigun and rocket salvo. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that.¡± ¡°Everyone is thrilled to see the US military. They¡¯re probably so excited that they¡¯re flying around without a care.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­.¡± Bullets cluttered the air. Underneath them, the cartel soldiers were helplessly swept away. Watching that unfold, I added. ¡°What a perfect ending to the day.¡± Everyone nodded silently. It hadn¡¯t even been a few hours since we arrived in this city, but it was time to leave San Antonio. Chapter 304 ¡°What on earth have you been doing?¡± ¡°Just a light prank.¡± In-game time: 11 AM, the day after we shattered Wilford Hospital. During the debriefing that followed the air support received for moving from San Antonio to the western U.S., themander responsible for city defense asked us that question, looking utterly dumbfounded. It was just like the memories from the past. He had that same expression back then. Meanwhile, Laurentina chuckled and threw in that joke. It wasn¡¯t exactly a lie, but¡­ the results were quite devastating from the enemy¡¯s standpoint. Themand structure in that area had been disintegrated. A civil war had already broken out before that. However, the civil war that erupted after the higher-ups were blown to pieces was iparable to the previous one. It was literally a Warring States period. The reason was simple. Since the upper echelons had vanished, countless individuals had scrambled to seize their share of the spoils. And the result was what we faced now. ¡°...ording to drone reconnaissance, enemy forces have decreased to 30% of what they were a few days ago. It¡¯s time to initiate the vacuum operation we couldn¡¯t perform during that time.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t help with that. We still have a busy schedule ahead.¡± ¡°Of course. So, is the next destination El Paso or Phoenix? I¡¯ll arrange support for a military transport aircraft.¡± ¡°We need to hear about the situation in each city first. If there¡¯s nothing particrly wrong, we¡¯ll probably head to Tucson.¡± Of course, I said that, but I exchanged nces with the Dagger Team members for a brief moment. We needed to discuss whether or not we would go. El Paso. A city divided by a single river from Ciudad Ju¨¢rez, known as the city of beasts, which is an extremely dangerous area. However, precisely because of that, El Paso was considered one of the safer cities. The well-known 1st Armored Division is stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso. If they dared to touch that, the cartel¡¯s backbone would surely snap. How could a cartel with just some light infantry and a few armored vehicles challenge a ce that has over 300 Abrams tanks? And as I mentioned, in the past, it had been a kind of rest stop and save point. Once there, there wasn¡¯t much to do. Based on my experience, I figured Tucson and Phoenix further west were far more chaotic. After saying that, themander nodded and added. ¡°I understand what you mean. Indeed, we still maintain closemunication with Fort Bliss. I don¡¯t recall anything particrly unusual urring there. Even if I were a warlord controlling this city, I would never dare touch it.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. Anyway, please prepare one C-130J.¡± ¡°Of course. Refueling procedures are already underway.¡± After saying that, he sat down and took a sip of coffee. Despite the scarcity of supplies in this world, it was easy to find such luxury items. Anyway, he regained hisposure and spoke again. ¡°Thanks to your team crushing over half of the cartel in southern San Antonio, the operation has be considerably easier. It seems I¡¯ll be ying the role of a mayor I never expected to take on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not umon for former military personnel to turn into politicians these days. I believe when I visit again, the world will have advanced much further than now.¡± ¡°I appreciate your words.¡± After he stood up, he raised the blinds. Hundreds of soldiers in military uniforms were rushing somewhere, and armored vehicles and tanks that had been stored in the hangars were now beginning to move¡­ it was truly an imposing sight. In just a few hours, they would likely advance toward southern San Antonio. Thus, the conversation concluded. With the help of the stationed gunsmith, I exchanged my previously used firearm for the M110A1 that uses 7.62 mm NATO rounds. From now on, I had to ensure we would decisively end the enemies¡¯ breathing. The team members¡¯ missions were gradually adjusted as well. Harmony and Dais¡¯s tactical backpacks were packed with medical supplies, and all the assault team¡¯s firearms were switched from 5.56 mm rounds to 7.62 mm. As departure time approached, the unitmander added to us. ¡°Be careful. I¡¯ve often heard rumors from Fort Bliss that the cartel forces invading the western U.S. are oddly well-armed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something to take lightly. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°May blessings be upon your futures.¡± Before we knew it, the transport aircraft was fully prepared. As the propellers spun vigorously, the lower ramp opened, and a control officer inside shouted at us to board. The distance from San Antonio to Tucson was about 1,200 km. With the C-130J transport aircraft cruising at speeds exceeding 600 km/h, it would be a journey of about two hours. Two timestamps were disyed on my UI. One was the time psed since the operation began, and the other was the same but added to the time spent moving on helicopters and transport nes. The former was about 3 hours and 40 minutes, and thetter was longer, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Can everyone go a bit more?¡± Then everyone checked their watches. ¡°With about 2 hours of rest in real-time, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. If we can clear Tucson, Phoenix, and San Diego within the remaining 3 hours in virtual time.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Since Owens and Laurentina said so, we should have no significant issues for the next hour¡ªor about 3 hours in VR. Harmony and Dais had no choice anyway, and Logan and I had plenty of time, so this wouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem either. Thinking it over, I might have to wrap up the game just before reaching San Diego. Fortunately, the mission itself was quite lengthy, so it had a save function. Of course, the viewers who were anxiously hoping for apletion within the day would probably be casually cast aside again. Laurentina and Logan would be difficult to rece with personnel other than the same Dagger Team. As the lower ramp closed, I added. ¡°So, let¡¯s see how far we can get in the next 3 hours. It¡¯s highly likely that it will conclude before we invade San Diego, so please keep that in mind while watching.¡±
  • Huh? What did you say, teacher????????????
  • No way, who ends a game just before the climax? ??????????????
  • This is seriously absurd; no matter how you think about it, it can¡¯t be like this, ack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you going to keep doing this, you snake woman!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯m about to faint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Yup, give up~ I¡¯ve already given up~ If you¡¯re mad, clear it yourself~
  • Fact: This person keeps promises, regardless of how many viewers are watching.
I checked the scrolling chat. Among them, only a few had given up, while the majority were raging. Of course, the former group had already adapted to my streaming style. As the transport aircraft elerated and soared into the sky, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Harmony. ¡°Truly the tier 1 malicious streamer, teacher Yujin.¡± ¡°No, what did I...¡± There are so many things that must inevitably be canceled in this world. Of course, I protested, but it didn¡¯t take hold. Thus, the six of us crossed the southern United States. And¡ª
  • [Mission Objective: Head to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.]
¡°It took about an hour to get to Tucson, so it shouldn¡¯t take more than two hours to reach therger Phoenix. I¡¯ll conclude today¡¯s broadcast here, and when the time aligns with this crew, I¡¯ll try to do it as quickly as possible again.¡±
  • I¡¯m going to faint here!!!!!!! Ack!!!!!!!!!!
  • Hey, who the hell would turn off the game right in front of the climax? ????????????????
  • Please,e on, ??????????????????????
  • This person is truly insane, ???????????
  • You¡¯re making us die from frustration just to see it, ??????????????????????
Of course, their uproar didn¡¯t hold any weight either. ¡°...I feel like that¡¯s how it¡¯s been until now.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± A few dayster, at SSM Entertainment headquarters. Dais was there¡ªI had to bring up something I mentioned when I visited here not long ago, but my thoughts hadn¡¯t changed. Ourpany was unnecessarilyrge. And these days, I visited often due to all sorts of affairs. Anyway, the reason for my visit today was trivial; it was because the re-signing season was approaching. I didn¡¯t know about other people, but Dark Zone pro gamers signed contracts on a yearly basis. This was because the movement and replenishment of personnel were quite active. Though it felt odd to say, it didn¡¯t apply to me. In any case, like most things here, the base sry and performance bonuses were divided¡ªthis year, I had quite a bit to receive. The basic sry was about 400 million won due to my participation in the previous year¡¯s Final Championship, but the problem was that I had aplished almost all of the performance bonus uses, which were nearly decorative. Getting fourth ce in the Final Championship was a rank I never thought I could achieve. ¡°...This is the performance bonus.¡± ¡°Wow, there are quite a few zeros at the back.¡± Just as he said. I was almost dizzy counting the zeros. Although it didn¡¯t feel particrly real, ultimately, it was the money I had earned. Compared to the cost they had earned by selling my name, it was likely much less. If I managed to earn like this five more times, I might even find my name on the list of residents for the Signiel Residence at Lotte Tower. But¡ª ¡°And this is the increased base sry, along with the performance bonus achievement conditions.¡± ¡°Eh¡­.¡± ...I might only need to earn three more times. Anyway, what was slightly more important were this year¡¯s performance bonus achievement conditions. The list had changed quite a bit. Whereas the previous conditions were about winning various awards at different tournaments, this year, they had increased the base sry significantly but set conditions that might be even slightly more difficult. ¡°I didn¡¯t know SSM was this interested in nurturing talent.¡± ¡°Would you like to make a suggestion for adjustments?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± In summary, the content written in the contract was that if a certain number of trainees and lower-tier SSM pro gamers ced in tournaments, they would receive bonuses ordingly. At first, I thought it might be a bit troublesome, but soon a tail of a snake brushed past my mind. Of course, from this year on, I wouldn¡¯t realistically be able to rely on SSM to pull me in... Not that they would outright ask me to help with empty words anyway. It shouldn¡¯t be impossible. Moreover, the performance bonus use regarding participation in the Final Championship was still valid. I wasn¡¯t sure how this year¡¯s situation would turn out, but frankly speaking, the skills I learned from Yujin would still be valid for several years toe. Ultimately, even if Dark Zone adjusted various figures, the meta always converged to a single point. I picked up the pen and signed my name. The yellow paper attached underneath was also signed, and thus I ended up with one copy of the contract, while SSM kept the other. This meant that this year would be a busy time. Anyway, once the contract discussion concluded, thewyer from the legal team, who had consistently worn a frozen expression, smiled brightly. She tucked her hair behind her neatly tied bun and instantly melted her cold demeanor as she added. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. I hope to see wonderful performances from you this year as well!¡± ¡°...Your ability to change your image is quite fast.¡± ¡°If I keep being cold even outside of formal asions, my image will solidify. Moreover, I can¡¯t even say I enjoy this work without some positivity, and there are no same-sex yers I canmunicate with in this field.¡± I see¡­ In any case, that was that, and now that I was nearing thirty but still not there, I chatted with thiswyer about various things. It felt a bit suspicious that this rtionship was merely an extension of work, but I believed her to some extent since, after all, she had a profession that had w" attached to it. As I was munching on some sweets, she continued. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been reviewing the realities of various contracts recently, and this year, SSM seems to be putting a lot of emphasis on game-rted matters. There¡¯s something rted to Dais, and I wanted to mention it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing major; it¡¯s about creating a PVE-focused raid team as part of the contract review. I heard that GEARUP is running a Cerberus raid team, so it might be because of that¡­ especially since Dais is currently clearing invasion missions with the hot Yujin.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I roughly understood what she meant. I discreetly scanned her expression, but for something she said so excitingly, her face was surprisingly uninteresting. It felt more like she was just saying it because she had to¡ªafter all, if she didn¡¯t mention it, I would receive official confirmation if it was confirmed, and if not, it would just be passed over. In any case, if I consulted whether or not it was realistic, I would say¡­ well, that¡¯s uncertain. The core of the raid team would be Yujin and her acquaintances, while Harmony and I could only keep up, so we¡¯d essentially be like the backup. It seemed that SSM was eager to insert various advertisements into the ¡°world¡¯s first raid¡± title, but who knew.@@novelbin@@ ¡°If I could move that snake with money, I would have been raking in cash in the pro scene long ago.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± At this point, I figured my intent and the indirect intent of that snake had sufficiently been conveyed. So, after about 30 minutes of snacking, the day¡¯s schedule finally came to an end. Just before I closed the door to leave, thewyer asked. ¡°Speaking of which, it seems like you¡¯ve been taking a break from missionstely. What are you doing today?¡± Hmm. But the answer I was about to give was already decided. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to do missions again.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± When a mission ends, a mission begins. In any case, that snake who seemed to have no intention of doing things half-heartedly brushed past my mind. Chapter 305 ¡°Wow, why is it so warm here when it¡¯s winter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s a city built in the middle of the desert. This time of year is probably the best time to visit the actual city, too. But if youe in the summer, you¡¯ll roast.¡± ¡°Wow, it sounds perfect for you, Yujin.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a desert rattlesnake?¡± My favorite weather is hot with high humidity... in other words, the summer in Korea, not a dry desert climate. Anyway, back to the main topic¡ªthis was the Deer Valley Airport located in the northern part of Phoenix. Everyone present was heading toward the briefing room. In short, the Dagger Team, along with Harmony and Dais, had finally set foot in Phoenix. After being unable to proceedst time due to scheduling issues, we had regrouped about five dayster. Naturally, the viewers¡¯ reactions were hotter than a furnace. I checked our journey so far through the UI. We had moved from Houston to Corpus Christi, then to San Antonio. After that, we took a transport ne to Tucson,pleted our tasks there, and finally reached Phoenix. Next up was San Diego, where we would conclude this mission. Separately, I opened my mouth while ncing at the chat window. ¡°By the way, I heard there¡¯s still no clearing party announced.¡±
  • If you know, hurry up and clear it!!!!!!!!
  • Living Point: All those promising raid teams are stuck in Phoenix.
  • They¡¯ve been taking a break for five days, yet everyone¡¯s stuck here.
  • But this ce is tough, ????????
  • Seriously, why are the enemies so strong in this massive city? Why are they alling out heavily armed all of a sudden???
The moment I posed that question, the chat went wild. It was as if raw meat had been tossed into a river full of piranhas. In any case, extracting only the important information confirmed from the chat, it appeared that the difficulty level was officially ramping up from this point onward. For instance, the enemies¡¯ armor was bing more formidable, their organization had strengthened, and not only were the previously used improvised armored vehicles deployed, but tanks and missiles were being mobilized as well. Of course, we knew the reason. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s China¡¯s fault.¡¯ The Chinese military that crossed the Pacific was invading the U.S. alongside an alliance of the Sinaloa Cartel, South Pacific Cartel, and Ju¨¢rez Cartel. They must have provided tactical training along with equipment. It was like outsourcing and simultaneously acting as mercenaries for the Chinese military. The method was simple. A Chinese aircraft carrier group had made contact with the cartels in Mexico¡¯s Sonora and Sinaloa states while traveling up the Cortez Sea¡ªthough not American soil, it was Mexican territory¡ªgifting them all sorts of weapons and sending them off to Phoenix. With a distance of roughly 300 km, it would take only about 4 hours by vehicle. Alternatively, they could fly in helicopters, which would be excessive for the cartels. It meant that troops were continuously being reinforced. At this point, it was necessary to briefly discuss the current situation in Phoenix. Coincidentally, we had arrived at the briefing room. Phoenix was essentially a city divided in half by the Salt River, simply put, split into the northern and southern banks. The northern bank fell under U.S. military jurisdiction, but the southern bank was different; in short, everything south of the Salt River had been consumed by the cartels and the Chinese. Furthermore, to the southeast of Phoenix was the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, which served as the replenishment point for manpower. There were even rumors that SAM missile batteries had been set up, making it hard to approach carelessly. Of course, there were indeed surface-to-air missile sites. All those facts seemed to be no different here, as the information presented in the briefing wasrgely simr. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°...Additionally, unfortunately, Phoenix has another Achilles'' heel.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Would you take a look at this?¡± At that moment, a map was unfurled. Just a few dozen kilometers east of Phoenix was something that was already known to some, but others would be seeing it for the first time. The Granite Reef Dam. An extremely important facility that provides irrigation and drinking water to Phoenix. While the cartels might not care, if the Chinese military saw this facility, they would likely upy or blow it up. The live footage showed that it was still intact. ording to the following exnation, several U.S. military outposts were established around that facility. If any suspicious individuals approached, they would deal with them autonomously, and if that failed, they would dispatch a rapid response team. However, the reason for sharing this was simple: if substantial force was projected, there was no guarantee they could be stopped. I nodded and scanned the overall map of Phoenix. South of the Salt River was painted red, with numerous skull marks scattered throughout. ording to the exnation, these were densely popted enemy areas or strongholds. Notably, thergest skull mark was attached to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Though I pretended to think, I had already discussed how we would act through private chats. To put it bluntly, engagements in Phoenix were a race against time. The longer we dragged it out, the more the enemies would deploy reconnaissance balloons and drones to scout the surrounding terrain. When wended in Tucson, there were no SAM batteries¡ªif there had been, the transport nes would have been in chaos¡ªbut if left unchallenged, it would only be a matter of time before surface-to-air missile batteries were established. The enemies upying the airport were likely well aware of this fact, and they might even know that we hadnded. We couldn¡¯t afford to give the enemy any leeway. As we seemed lost in thought, one of the operational staff members in Phoenix added. ¡°For now, you can afford to take a day to rest and contemte. We have several proposed ns for operations that we can reviewter.¡± ¡°That''s fine. I¡¯ve already thought things over to some extent.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Before the enemy could gather their wits or collect sufficient information, we would strike. If only we had the DDP-52 here, but unfortunately, that was left in Houston as it couldn¡¯t be carried around. At this point, it was toote toment what we didn¡¯t have, so I decided not to dwell on it. We would infiltrate under the cover of night and do everything we could. ¡°Please provide the airport blueprints, along with any information collected about the facility so far. I¡¯ll ensure we reim southern Phoenix within a few days.¡± ¡°...Understood. Is there anything else you need?¡± We smiled and added. ¡°Please provide as many explosives as possible. We¡¯ll take care of the remaining gases and such.¡± That was the end of it. The sun began to set. ¡°...It seems like they don¡¯t understand the concept of instion and soundproofing here.¡± ¡°On the other hand, it might also mean they don¡¯t care much.¡± On the rooftop of a high-rise building near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I marked surrounding enemies through special binocrs and deployed stealth drones to survey the entire airport. In this vast area of approximately 14 square kilometers, enemies were swarming. There were easily thousands of them. The guards around the base were cartels, while the individuals inside performing rtively more important tasks bore Eastern features. The runway¡¯s guiding lights twinkled. Of course, what wasnding wasn¡¯t a transport aircraft but something resembling a stealth helicopter. Additionally, a few tanks and a dozen armored vehicles were moving along the roads below. Naturally, they would be the greatest obstacles for this operation. ¡°What do we do about those?¡± ¡°We could put a Sicario mine in the cockpit beforehand, or we could attach thermite grenades to the barrels, or stick prative adhesive bombs in the ammo depot, and that would do it. It¡¯s not that difficult. In fact, coaxial machine guns or upper machine guns would be more of a nuisance.¡±
  • Are you seriously talking about easily beating tanks? ????????????????
  • Wow, you¡¯re being super detailed about it ????????
  • These guys are speaking as if they¡¯ve already done this ????????????????
  • Where the hell did you get this information from?????
  • Just twops around! ! ! ! !
Of course, these words were all rooted in experience. And as always, we divided into reconnaissance and infiltration teams, acquiring information through wireless interception while checking when the guards would switch shifts. The current time was around 8 PM, andmunications had noticeably dwindled. It seemed like it was mealtime. That might be theirst supper. Since we were near the airport, the surroundings were literally barren. There were only a few trees and grasses growing nearby, so it didn¡¯t seem like it would serve as cover. However, optical camouge could be effectively utilized anywhere, especially during night infiltrations. ¡°Stop.¡± While standing at the forefront, Logan signaled. As we stood quietly, a few individuals nearby the airport building were having an argument. Two or three Chinese soldiers and four or five cartel members. It wasn¡¯t particrly intense, but it didn¡¯t seem like their differences would be bridged. When I amplified the volume, the contents were as follows. ¡°Damn it, I told you not to smoke during the guard duty. When night falls, the light from the cigarette can be seen from everywhere.¡± ¡°Hey, Ching-Chi. Consider the position of someone staring at this destend for six hours a day. Doesn¡¯t that upper management who smokes our cocaine allow us to smoke a damn cigarette?¡± ¡­Well, they were certainly acting in a way that deserved criticism. In any case, fortunately or unfortunately, the Chinese soldiers cursed and returned to where they came from, and the cartel guards beganughing and took out cigarettes as soon as those soldiers left. They lit the cigarettes and took deep puffs. It was a truly ridiculous sight. As I watched, Laurentina added a line. ¡°It seems like it¡¯ll be theirst cigarette.¡± I couldn¡¯t disagree with that. And true to her words, within just 30 seconds, the four guards¡¯ necks were snapped, sending them on the express train to heaven. We had containers and construction materials around, so we hid them suitably and performed a pulse scan. With no further troops around, we approached the airport entrance. We cut the fence and cautiously slipped inside. We moved past the shuttle storage area and the airport fire station, which was now an armored vehicle repair shop. The airport was structured around the runway, so we had to move between the buildings. Naturally, our target was the enemy vehicles. With a peeing sound, the pulse scanner activated again, sweeping through the repair shop.
  • [Alert: 17 personnel detected.]
Silhouettes moved in real time. They seemed to be working on vehicles. There were several dozen vehicles inside, and there were quite a few people nearby who were giving orders or doing maintenance. Fortunately, there were no people within a 200m radius, and there were several containers that could be used for hiding bodies inside the repair shop, so hiding them seemed straightforward. Then what happened next. ¡°It¡¯s a delightful night, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Who¡ªgack!¡±@@novelbin@@
  • No way, ????????????????????
  • That¡¯s some serious audacity ????????????
  • Did Laurentina just lose it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it?
  • Hello there, ww
  • It feels like a viin introducing themselves ????????????
Instead of thinking we could just deal with it casually, Laurentina confidently walked in,pletely locked the door leading outside, greeted the lead engineer with a smile, and immediately sted his head with a silenced pistol. The closest person to the shark swung a wrench in resistance, but with a quick chop from Laurentina, his neck waspletely crushed. In that instant, the cartel and Chinese maintenance personnel dropped their weapons and begged for mercy, and Laurentina asked the most experienced one a variety of questions. ¡°Where do you store the repaired vehicles or tanks?¡± ¡°Ah, uhm, they¡¯re all stored in the A-23 hangar. There¡¯s arge area nearby where a lot of people can stay, so we can deploy immediately at any time¡­¡± ¡°Nice, good. Uhuhuh¡­¡± Pick! At the same time, Laurentina drew her gun and, after exchanging the magazine, shot a bullet into each of their bodies. Of course¡ªif that¡¯s even necessary¡ªsince the non-lethal shock rounds were used, all personnel in the hangar were rendered unconscious. It took about 3 minutes to move all of them into a container, and ording to the additional information we gathered through physical persuasion, we headed toward that hangar. Of course, there was something we had to do first. ¡°Before that, I think we need to interrogate a few more. How about we take 5 minutes to gather information and then meet back at the designated location?¡± ¡°What kind of information should we bring?¡± ¡°We just need to find out the location and name of the logistics officer and the operations control room. We can¡¯t exactly go around this massive ce trying to figure out what¡¯s stored here.¡± Sure. After all, the internalwork probably wasn¡¯t functioning properly, and if that was the case, it would be better to look for something like handwritten ledgers... but in the end, this was enemy territory. Thus, there wasn¡¯t much to hide. Logan chuckled, and I responded simrly. After all, we had the most ck-ops agent among us, so it was only fitting that they were thinking along such lines. Of course, I was also heading off to do some serious business. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll all be fine. Don¡¯t think of causing anymotion.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°See youter.¡± With that, the three of us who had been having this turbulent discussion dispersed. Since everyone was equipped with pulses, finding personnel wasn¡¯t a problem. As for me, I headed in a straight line toward the area where the mostmunication traffic was being detected, thinking that I would turn everything upside down as long as I stayed within the coverage limits. A whileter, what I saw as I infiltrated the ticketing building was the three Chinese soldiers who seemed to be enjoying something delicious in a restaurant inside the building. I quickly identified the rank on their uniforms. Two were lieutenants, and one was a captain. I didn¡¯t know what confidence they had to eat something secretly in a ce like this at night, but I didn¡¯t particrly care. I got as close as possible and shot each one in the leg with a stun round, and they fell over their chairs, gasping for air. I grabbed the necks of the three and dragged them to the furthest corner, locking the door tightly in case they screamed, and activated the soundproofing feature. I ced the radios attached to their pouches neatly on the table. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± While twirling my safety-locked pistol with my finger, I activated the automatic trantion feature. ¡°The logistics officer and the location of the operations control room, as well as the name of the logistics officer. If you tell me these three things, you¡¯ll be able to quietly get through tonight.¡± Of course, what I pulled out next was a hammer and an axe. As soon as one of them frowned, I held the hammer in my right hand, tapped on the solid concrete wall, and told them to watch carefully before swinging it with all my strength. As a result, a chunk of concrete chipped off along the swinging path, fragments scattering everywhere like an explosion had urred, revealing a deep indentation that showed the exposed steel rebar. Their reaction was immediate. ¡°Ha, of course I¡¯ll tell you. If you go about 200 meters north from your current position, there¡¯s the Aerodynamic Simtion Center and Training Building, and the operations control room is right next to that building.¡± ¡°The first floor of the airport office is used as the logistics department. You should head there. The logistics officer¡¯s name is Gao Jin (¸ß½ò), and he¡¯s a uniquely bald man. You¡¯ll probably recognize him immediately when you see him.¡±
  • Hahaha, that¡¯s hrious ????????
  • You¡¯re just too bold, ??????????????
  • It feels like Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it? Laurentina just lost it?
  • Hello there, ww
  • It feels like a viin introducing themselves ????????????
It was truly a smooth response. With a word of thanks, I cranked the stun setting on my weapon to maximum. ¡°If you ever get the chance to surrender to the U.S. military, please exin this situation in great detail.¡± Bang, bang, bang. At the same time, leaving the fainted bodies behind, I opened themunicationwork. ¡°Did you all hear that?¡± ¡°You really are a smart kid, huh, heh heh.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re lucky, too.¡± As I heard a word from everyone, I wrapped up the interrogation that hadn¡¯t really been a true interrogation in just under 3 minutes. ¡°Indeed, conversation is the greatest invention of sentient beings. Isn¡¯t it?¡±
  • Don¡¯t be so ridiculous, teacher
  • Hey, everyone just type "LOL" ??????????????????? If you don¡¯t want your head split in half ????????????????
  • LOL ????????
  • That¡¯s actually kind of true
  • I have a lot to say, but for now, I¡¯ll just type "LOL" ??????????????
Everyone was not being honest. Anyway, the night was deepening. The operation was not yet over. Chapter 306 ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a while, Squad Leader.¡± ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Haha, of course! Anyway, I believe you¡¯ve checked all the information secured by the youngest, so let¡¯s get down to cleaning up the facility.¡± West of the airport, at the rental car pickup point. The enemies keeping watch around were already sprawled on the ground, their skulls smashed in. They had joined the reconnaissance team that was scouting the area and reporting the situation in real time. In other words, it was now time for everyone to engage inbat without exception. Of course, the dirty work always fell to the manifestors. Tasks such as nting bombs on armored vehicles and tanks or doing nefarious deeds in the dormitory venttion ducts. However, today¡¯s reconnaissance team nned to storm the operations control room, seize all crucial information, and eliminate the highmand. This was, after all, a decapitation operation. To put it simply, the reconnaissance team¡¯s mission was to storm the operations control room, interrogate the logistics officer to confirm the list of tactical weapons at the base, and send that information to us. Meanwhile, our job was to handle the buildings used for residential purposes by the Chinese military and the cartel, taking action before the enemy¡¯s weaponry became operational. With a farewell wishing luck, the six personnel split into two groups again, heading to their respective positions. Dais and Harmony moved forward, hoping to meet Owens'' high standards, while Lorentina and Logan advanced further north. Interestingly, next to Phoenix-Mesa Airport was Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Since it was right next to the airport, there was a soundproof dormitory building. That was today¡¯s destination. As I mentioned earlier, the noise level of this dormitory was quite loud, as if it had thrown all sense of soundproofing to the wind. It waste, so it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that there were almost no enemies wandering outside, but the lighting from the windows suggested that many were still inside the building. ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! An intangible pulse enveloped the building. There were four entrances to the building. On the roof were venttion systems and ducts, and the number of personnel inside exceeded a hundred. The building itself was five stories tall, so it seemed quite crowded. Of course, there might also be a case where more people than the room could amodate were stuffed inside. I checked above the door. There was a fire shutter that could bepletely closed in case of an emergency. I remembered that too. Lorentina added with a grin, as if finding it quite amusing. ¡°Let¡¯s release sleeping gas into the venttion ducts, then lower the fire shutter and weld it shut with thermite. They won¡¯t even think about getting out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant idea.¡±
  • Hahahahahahahaha
  • I¡¯m honestly d I didn¡¯t run into these people in Daekjeon. Hahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy? Are you guys crazy?
  • At this point, it¡¯s honestly terrifying. Hahahahahahahahaha
  • Please tell me these people don¡¯t have kill counts in reality, right? Really? Answer me, Eun-noona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The chat was going wild. There was still one more left, and it shouldn¡¯t be like this already. Anyway, it was time to start moving. Climbing onto the building was my job. Logan and Lorentina would hack into the building¡¯s system to disrupt the venttion once I released the sleeping gas, bring down the metal shutter, and thoroughly weld it shut with thermite, turning the entire building into a giant tube. The method to climb the building was simple. I activated a pin with a heating stick, pressed it firmly against the wall, and the wall melted as the pin embedded itself inside. This was also a product of Icarus''s technology. While it couldn¡¯t be used to ascend high-rise buildings, it was sufficient for buildings of considerable height. One by one, I ced them in my hands and in my shoes. Though it was a somewhat odd climbing method, I managed to step onto the roof of the building, which was slightly over 20 meters, in less than a minute. ¡°Climbingpleted. Let¡¯s see, where¡¯s the canister¡­ I¡¯ll set it up in 30 seconds.¡± ¡°Take your time, take your time¡­ Oh, wait a moment.¡± At the same time, a distinct sound rang through the inte. It was the noise of subsonic bullets fired from a silenced pistol. The sound of someone hitting the ground came almost simultaneously, followed by the dragging noise of something being pulled along the floor. Lorentina joked about turning one of the friends who came out for a smoke into a star in the night sky while I carefully tied a canister of sleeping gas mixed with halothane and benzodiazepine to a fishing line and gently ced the pin into the venttion duct. I couldn¡¯t just toss it in; I had to ensure there were no metallic clinking sounds from the venttion. ¡°Instationplete. Please take care of the venttion system.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There was no need to exin the results. The sleeping gas released through the building¡¯s internal air conditioning system filled every room as it did its job superbly. After checking a few pulses, I found the interior filled with bodies, reminiscent of a morgue. Meanwhile, Logan and Lorentina, who had used thermite to weld the door shut, added. ¡°No signs of life inside. Wrap it up ande down. We¡¯re heading to the hangar.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be down soon.¡± Of course, here, ¡°wrap it up¡± meant something slightly different. I opened my pouch and poured polyurethane grenades into the venttion duct, a total of five. I also brought a chemical agentuncher canister. In just a few seconds, with a bang, the substance expanded hundreds of times,pletely filling the duct. At the same time, I took out a thermite stick that Lorentina had handed me and ignited it. Although it was designed for night use and didn¡¯t emit mes, the stick was already burning at over a thousand degrees. As I moved around the rooftop, I gently hissed into the polyurethane foam, which began to melt, quickly igniting. Toxic gas tried to escape through the duct, but Ipletely blocked several vents with cardboard and other materials scattered near the roof. It would likely continue to burn. Since there were passageways connecting the vents inside, there would be no risk of the fire going out fromck of oxygen. Once all the polyurethane foam burned away, the toxic gas produced as a byproduct would be dispersed through the air conditioning into every room. To the viewers reacting to this, I added. ¡°During the midweek championship duo and squad matches, I mentioned to the Korean representative team that burning polyurethane foam produces toxic gas. Some of you might remember that.¡±
  • ????????????
  • I feel like I understand¡­ something.
  • No way, if you burn that, it releases cyanide gas, right? Hahahahahahahahaha
  • You crazy person! Hahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop!
They correctly guessed the answer. Burning polyurethane foam releases hydrogen cyanide, otherwise known as cyanide gas. That gas filled the dormitory through the venttion system, so the result was quite obvious¡ªof course, friends making jokes about fishing lures were immediately banned. This was aplete neutralization of the enemy through minimal preparation. After firmly tying a rope to the venttion duct, I smoothly descended to the ground, where two people were waiting for me. ¡°Just in time. The squad leader seems to have sessfully taken over the operations control room as well, so let¡¯s quickly move to the hangar. I doubt there¡¯ll be anyone aboard the equipment, though.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to remove everything we set up. We might just have some gifts to hand over to our American friends.¡± Perhaps that could be true. Meanwhile, Dais was genuinely trying to hold backughter while looking at the logistics officer with a shining head. It was ridiculous, so I added. ¡°Stop doing weird things and leave it be.¡± Anyway, it wasn¡¯t time to join the reconnaissance team yet. The destination was hangar A-23. It was time to check if the engineer Lorentina had interrogated had given proper answers¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t even necessary to verify. Beyond the distant open door of the hangar, several figures moved about, and among them, I glimpsed several enemy weapons. What followed was simple. The three Hurricanes thatnded in the hangar swiftly cleaned up all remaining enemy personnel, and we meticulously ced thermite, sticky mines, and drill charges on over twenty tanks and armored vehicles. After spending about five minutes finishing that process, ©¤©¤©¤Tat-tat-tat-tat! ¡°Oh dear.¡± Someone fired a gun. The distinct sound of an AK. However, neither the reconnaissance team nor the infiltration team was flustered. This was the same when sirens red across the entire airport just secondster. After all, it was impossible to keep track of every individual in this vast area, and inevitably, we were going to be discovered sooner orter. Determining when that moment would be was our task¡ªand with more than half of our force silently ughtered, it was a bitte for the enemies to realize that traps had been set on most of the ground weaponry belonging to this airport base. ¡°It¡¯s begun.¡± I didn¡¯t know who said it, but it didn¡¯t matter much. Now it was time to wrap up the tasks. Approaching a motorcycle parked in one corner of the hangar, Lorentina started it and added. ¡°Myself and the youngest will clear the area near the SAM site first. You know what to do, Pr Bear?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Fortunately, the motorcycle was quite sturdy, and it was no problem for two manifestors to ride it. We squeezed through the hangar door, and the motorcycle, with its headlights off, sped down the runway. The operation to reim Phoenix-Mesa Airport was reaching its climax. ¡°Raid! Enemy raid!¡± ¡°Get up, youzy bums!¡± ¡°I alert the perimeter troops. Enemies have infiltrated the base. Numbers unknown. Open fire immediately upon spotting any suspicious behavior!¡± The base was in chaos at 10 PM. However, the urrence of the situation and the search for culprits werepletely separate issues. Even as the cartel alliance and the Chinese military, who had been rxing, hastily armed themselves and rushed out to search the airport, all that could be seen were corpses. The operations control room was eerily empty, as if some supernatural being had taken the people somewhere, and the dormitory building, which should have had numerous allies bursting out, remained quiet. All entrances¡ªthe front, side, and back doors¡ªhad been solidly welded shut. They shot hundreds of rounds to tear down the steel doors, but only horrific scenes awaited them. Yet the questions remained unanswered. How many personnel had invaded the base, and when? Were they still in the base? Had they alreadypleted their tasks and exited? If so, for what purpose? The size of the puzzle that needed assembling was vast, and the number of puzzle pieces collected by the Chinese-cartel alliance was woefully inadequate. Moreover, with the order to open fire immediately upon spotting suspicious behavior, friendly fire was easily provoked. There was no possibility of a password. The trust between the cartel and the Chinese military, which originally had no reason to be bound together, was exceedingly flimsy, and the passwords that had been set were easily disregarded. As a result, it was only natural for the Chinese military, which had somewhat organized systems, to fire first at the cartel. What resulted was a literal civil war. ¡°Fuck, those Chinks are shooting at us!¡± ¡°I knew it. Brothers, in the name of Sinaloa, kill everyst one of those bastards!¡± ¡°Damn, those niggers are shooting! Return fire!¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to cleanse these bastards who just sell opium. Wipe them all out!¡± The chaospounded again and again, revealing the hell that was Phoenix-Mesa Airport. However, amidst all this, Lorentina and Yujin sped across the runway on their motorcycle, quickly approaching the area near the SAM site. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my head down. Let¡¯s make a hole for each of them.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ©¤©¤©¤Pick! Pick! Pick! Brrrrrrrrm! Mixed with the loud engine sound was the sound of firing. With the sharp noise reduced by the suppressor, the 7.62mm NATO rounds of the M110A1 flew. The head of a perimeter guard who had been taking cover between sandbags was neatly prated. The firing, without any recoil suppression, was highly unlikely to hit by chance. However, the shooting skills honed beyond the limits of humanity made that simple. The motorcycle made a wide turn near the SAM site, and Yujin deftly adjusted his weight through his feet and tail, finishing off the remaining enemies that were obscured from sight by the missiles. Of course, the SAM sites weren¡¯t just one; ording to the logistics officer who had been grilled, there were six in total. All of them had to be dealt with. And that was not too difficult. The two-wheeled vehicle elerated and quickly headed toward another site several hundred meters away. Yujin shot as if standing on t ground, and Lorentina joyfullyughed as she listened to the gunfire from behind and watched the enemy perimeter guards fall to the ground. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s been a while since I felt this way! It¡¯s truly refreshing!¡±
  • This person is really scary. Hahahahahahahaha
  • Honestly, there¡¯s probably no one with a clearer image than Lorentina in this raid team. Hahaha
  • Madness! Endless madness! Aaaaaaaah!!!!
  • All the broadcasts are all-time legends! Hahahahahahahaha
  • Now I understand why Teacher Yujin had been holding back the broadcasts for five days!!!!!!!!!
Ignoring Lorentina¡¯s maniacalughter in front and the inte voice of ¡°that crazy bastard¡­,¡± Yujin continued to shoot. With his godlike shooting skills, over half of the perimeter guards had disappeared in an instant. Meanwhile, the reconnaissance team was also engaging in their first skirmish with the cartel and Chinese military search teams. Amidst all this, the SAM hacking prompts popped up on the UI. Logan was bringing the ownership of the sites one by one to their team. In ordance, Lorentina and Yujin elerated even more, speeding across the runway at over 100 km/h, erasing everything in sight. Thus, in less than five minutes, all enemies near the runway crossed over to the afterlife, and Yujin, who was hacking a surface-to-air missile at a suitable spot, heard Owens'' voice. ¡°Four attack helicopters approaching from bearing 140. They are registered as allies in the operations control room IFF. You know what that means, right?¡± ¡°From our perspective, they¡¯re enemies. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± At the same time, Lorentina headed toward the fifth SAM site with Yujin. Currently, Logan hadpleted the switch for the first and second sites, while Yujin, after finishing the sixth site switch, was aided by Lorentina to reach the fifth site. If Logan went to the third site and Lorentina to the fourth, all six surface-to-air missile turrets would fall under their control. Each turret was equipped with eight missiles, totaling 48 missiles. That was more than enough to shoot down the four enemy helicopters. And how long had it been, ©¤©¤©¤Kiiiiiing! The turret turned and automatically fired two missiles. Each of the six turretsunched two missiles, totaling twelve. From the distant horizon, bright red res descended like hail. However, the number represented violence, and evading all the missilesunched in session was impossible. Thus, in less than thirty seconds, the four attack helicopters became fiery balls of doom that illuminated the darkness and crashed in the middle of the desert. The six turrets had a total of 12 missiles remaining. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t strike the ground. ¡°Is there an urgent target that needs striking?¡± ¡°Send me the coordinates.¡± Owens'' voice followed as if he had been waiting for it.@@novelbin@@ At that moment, eight missiles soared into the air, promptly heading toward the ground. While their explosive power was slightlyckingpared to actual air-to-ground or surface-to-surface missiles, they were more than adequate for eliminating some enemy troops. Meanwhile, in hangar A-23, about a third of the mines, drill charges, and thermite traps activated, burning both the crew and the vehicles. Of course, even after waiting a few more minutes, it seemed like nothing else would happen; that must have been thest of it. The UI disyed that the percentage of enemy troops within the airport was now below 30%. Even that was merely because enemy vehicles had not been destroyed, so the actual number was likely lower. Yujin exhaled happily and added. ¡°Now it¡¯s simply a matter of calling our American friends from the north of Phoenix.¡± ¡°Not much different from San Antonio. Good job, Yujin.¡± ¡°You did well too, youngest.¡± Of course, it was a bit premature to exchangepliments when Dais quickly added. ¡°If you have the energy to praise each other,e here and help us! There are still a lot of enemies left!¡± While chuckling, Logan added. ¡°Let¡¯s go help the newly joined youngest.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Leaving behind the remaining four surface-to-air missiles that were fired somewhere else, the three personnel crossed the airport to join the reconnaissance team. The night was deepening, but for Phoenix, the day was just beginning. At least, it was for them. Chapter 307 ¡°I''m going crazy. When did the datae in?¡± ¡°It was sent 40 seconds ago from the operators deployed at Phoenix-Mesa Airport. The enemy forces have reportedly decreased to below 30%.¡± ¡°Have you confirmed the reconnaissance results?¡± ¡°Cross-checking showed no anomalies.¡± ¡°Damn it, wake up everyone who¡¯s sleeping! What kind of magic did they use to slice off southern Phoenix so neatly and feed it to us? Prepare all avable troops for deployment!¡± 10:38 PM. West of Phoenix, Luke Air Force Base. Just seconds after a massive data influx was sent to themand center via thework, the duty officer, while checking the situation on dozens of screens, opened his eyes wide and woke themander, who had just fallen asleep. The individual wearing stars on his epaulettes rushed over, not even having time to put on his boots, to check the details, but it was certainly worth running for. After about a second of nk expression, themander calcted the pros and cons and seized this golden opportunity. Within minutes, all brigade and battalionmanders, who had been resting nearby, rushed in. Since this was a pre-established operation to reim southern Phoenix, there was no confusion about the exnation, and the operation n would be used as is¡ªhowever, the most critical andplex vacuum operation n for Phoenix-Mesa Airport was thrown into the trash. Even those who were initially confused gradually swallowed their saliva at the thought of reiming the entire city. Thus, within just a few minutes, thousands of personnel began moving from Luke Air Force Base to their positions. ¡°This is a real situation! Skip thebat rations distribution! Prepare to finish everything tonight! Ammo and ballistic tes will be loaded onto the Striker armored vehicles and distributed! Understood?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m going to kick the asses of the bastardsing up from Mexico all the way to hell! Understood?¡± ¡°Yes! Understood!¡± The division¡¯s worth of troops, without even caring about dder control or soundproofing, left Luke Air Force Base in less than ten minutes, moving along the pre-designated route. Heading south along Arizona State Route 303, they turned left at Papago Freeway, entering the heart of the city. Like blood flowing through veins, tanks and armored vehicles moved along the road. UAVs floated overhead, updating the battlefield situation in real time. The first wave of attack helicopters and bombers crossed the Salt River, demolishing several observation posts, and about 20 minutester, the first steel wave set foot in southern Phoenix. Phoenix was indeed vast, with the route length extending about 90 km. This is why they raced down the road at an incredible speed, rapidly offloading troops at the pre-designated positions. The UAVs kept pace, and the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) detected all unseen enemies in real time. Unprepared cartel or Chinese forces, lost in drug intoxication, were swept away without resistance, and those who tried to fight back were met with bullets and copsed. ¡°The south is clear. The biggest obstacle is the southeast, but¡­¡± ¡°Ignore the small fry. After regrouping the troops, we¡¯ll wipe out Mesa, Gilbert, and Chandler. It¡¯s time to drain the stagnant water.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll pass the orders.¡± Not long after, along the 30 km Superstition Freeway stretching horizontally on the map, the steel wave surged forward. As if water poured on bathroom tiles, U.S. troops spread out along the intersecting roads, facing enemies that were hardly worthy of the term ¡°small fry,¡± and they collected their achievements as they went. The once red map of southern Phoenix began to turn blue. There was resistance, but the disappearance of themand structure at this point had dealt a severe blow to the cartel-Chinese alliance. And how long had it been? ¡°...It¡¯s morning.¡± The sun rose over the horizon, illuminating Phoenix. The operation that began around 11 PM continued until around 7 AM, and most had long since swallowed the caffeine pills distributed at the start. However, the results were indeed remarkable. They had already reached the doorstep of Phoenix-Mesa Airport. In other words, Phoenix was once again nestled in the eagle''s embrace. And how long had it been? ¡°This is Stalker 2-1, we¡¯ve spotted an operator. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°¡­They¡¯re sound asleep.¡± At that remark, even the others couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was the perfect beginning and end to the day. Of course, they weren¡¯t actually sleeping. ¡°When does this cutscene end?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s surprisingly long¡­¡±
  • Why are these people so uninterested in the cutscene? Hahahahahahaha
  • Fact: These folks are just interested in clearing it.
  • Wow, it looks like you have to mindlessly charge in to break it, huh? Hahaha
  • How is this mindless? Are you an idiot?
  • It seems that the cyber wreckers who thought they had to prepare and defend well in Phoenix are all shutting their mouths. Hahahaha
It was the moment the battle in Phoenix was wrapping up. ¡°Ah, San Diego. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯vee here. Once upon a time¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to stop there?¡± ¡°Well, does it really matter? They won¡¯t tell you anything important anyway. Anyway, I used to run around Coronado happily. Do you see this?¡± Inside the transport aircraft heading to San Diego. Lorentina seemedpletely absorbed in chatting with the viewers, showing off the seal trident symbol on her right hand. It was an emblem depicting an eagle gripping an anchor crossed with a trident in its right foot and a musket in its left. Its meaning was quite simple. Navy SEAL. That was her origin¡ªthough she quickly moved on to DEVGRU.
  • ????????????
  • Both are amazing!!
  • If that¡¯s how a friend looks, what on earth is the situation with Biyaam? Hahahahahahahaha
  • But seeing how the American assault team has such impressive specs yet struggles, it seems they¡¯re just a bunch of fakes. Hahaha
  • Heh, a Navy SEAL noona¡­
About a million viewers were hearing this for the first time, but we had heard it countless times. It was a random thought, but perhaps that chatterbox feeling was something I had created. When I joined the team in the early stages, everything felt otherworldly. Logan was initially a bit blunt¡ªbutter, I learned he was just shy about meeting people in his transformed state. However, the person who treated me the most kindly at the start was her. Perhaps because of that reason, I eagerly absorbed all the special forces stories Shark shared. The stories were entertaining, and above all, Shark looked thrilled while sharing them, so I reacted enthusiastically¡­ in the end, Shark evolved into a chatty shark. And that chatterbox was currently having a lively time chatting with the viewers.
  • Lorentina noona, you¡¯re so pretty! Enjoy some good food! When are you doing your personal broadcast?
¡°Wow, someone donated $120. Unfortunately, there are no streaming ns. The stories I asionally share are nonmercial, so remember them well when I tell them.¡± Of course, we had heard it drilled into our ears. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Lorentina being loud; many in the team had their share of boasting about how much they had suffered. Anyway, to summarize what Shark had told me, frankly, there was no yawning during Navy SEAL entrance tests. The BUD/S training was the same. Particrly, Lorentina, who could hold her breath underwater for at least 30 minutes, even took naps duringbat swimming. The most challenging part was Hell Week, but even that was manageable for her because she ate several times more than others, so she wasn¡¯t too tired and felt good about it. Naturally, while others were struggling, she trained normally, so she stood out the most. When others were half-asleep, she would push from behind and pull from the front, making it easy for her to graduate at the top of her ss. In any case, manifestors definitely seemed like a heavenly soldier type as long as they were well-fed. Regardless, outside the transport aircraft. Normally, the travel time would have been skipped entirely, but this time, there was a reason why only ? was skipped. The transport aircraft, having reached near San Diego, made a turn, changing direction tond near Miramar Military Airport instead of San Diego International Airport. At the same time, the next words followed. ¡°...Oh my. Operators, take a look outside.¡± Simultaneously, everyone looked outside. Dais and Harmony frowned, while all members of the Dagger Team, including me, gazed out with stern expressions. The viewers, who had been chattering wildly, also looked out through our gazes, showing various reactions, including question marks.
  • What the hell
  • What the hell is that???????????
  • Compared to New York, the situation seems much worse. Hahahaha
  • Wow, it really looks hopeless. Hahaha
  • I sighed the moment I saw it. Seriously.
A ce that was once San Diego. And the lower left side of San Diego International Airport. This ce had literally turned into a massive open area mixed with seawater. The fact that no one but the Dagger Team knew¡ªafter the Omega virus incident three yearster, San Diego had been struck by two nuclear attacks, leaving the city in a state of literal near-death. The reason such a situation arose was simple: the Russian-Chinese naval alliance shed head-on with the U.S. Third Fleet in the Pacific. Of course, the U.S. Navy''s naval power was overwhelming, and the Seventh Fleet, stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, lent its strength, resulting in the Russian and Chinese major naval forces sinking into the Pacific. However, the Third Fleet lost half its strength and took two ballistic missiles that had been unable to be intercepted, hitting San Diego directly. If I had to pick the ce with the strongest naval power in this world at the time of the game, it would probably be Yokosuka, Japan. That¡¯s where the half-strength of the Third Fleet and the Seventh Fleet, which still had considerable strength, were located. ¡°What a mess it is, really¡­¡± As the aircraftnded at Miramar Military Airport, I briefly recapped thest battle to be fought in San Diego. To provide some background, just a few dozen kilometers below San Diego is the Mexican city of Tijuana. This ce was also swarming with enemies¡ªspecifically, the alliance of Tijuana and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, as well as the Chinese military using a beached aircraft carrier as a base. The objective was to infiltrate this area, crush the cartel, rummage through the aircraft carrier to confirm the exact locations of the remaining Chinese naval carrier task force in the Cortez Sea, and finish them all off with missile guidance. That was the end of Operation Chariot. Fortunately, the situation at Miramar military base was not too serious. Apart from seeing various equipment for decontamination in the area, there seemed to be no particrly problematic issues. Anyway, themander in charge of defending San Diego was someone with quite a few stars on his head and epaulettes. I suppose that¡¯s only natural for a military city. Regardless, he spoke directly. ¡°There are indeed plenty of ways to intercept the enemies. Above us is a heaven of ballistic missiles in Nevada, and there¡¯s a Columbia-ss SSBN in Florida, and if necessary,unches can also be made from Yokosuka. The only problem is that we don¡¯t know where the enemies are.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it our mission to find that out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to see you quick on the uptake. I¡¯ll pass on all the Tijuana reconnaissance data collected so far. Give me the coordinates of the enemy concentration areas in the city swarming with bugs. I¡¯ll give you plenty of time, so just make sure toe back alive.¡± ¡°Is that clear?¡± At the same time, the briefing room was automatically entered. As soon as they heard the words ¡°missile strike,¡± Harmony seemed to have an idea and spoke up. ¡°Then, this mission won¡¯t involve blowing everything up, will it? Should we call it a true infiltration mission?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head.¡±
  • Even the green cat is already done for. Hahaha
  • What the hell did they find out?
  • Understanding what this means = their mindset is already that of a special forces operator.
  • They¡¯ve been stained beyond return. Hahahahaha
  • Teacher, what did you make Harmony into this time? Hahahaha
Of course, if she said that much, I thought Dais would understand it appropriately. There was no need to worry. She had already packed her bags andpleted her pre-departure preparations. ¡°So, we¡¯ll be leaving tonight, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve raised some excellent friends, Yujin.¡± Upon hearing that, Owens gave Yujin a few pats on the back. I¡¯m not sure when these folks became like this; I just taught them a variety of things I knew. It was a day just before finishing Operation Chariot. ©¤©¤©¤Pick! ¡°...Ah, good shot. And¡­ phew. I¡¯ve eliminated two perimeter guards. You can enter now.¡± ¡°Great. Seeing that you¡¯re good at sniping, I guess you¡¯ll be able to graduate soon.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡±@@novelbin@@ Harmony and Dais. With the night vision function activated, they were excellently fulfilling the role of snipers, hidden in the pitch-ck darkness, pulling the trigger. They had already exceeded the realm of ordinary people. It was an everyday urrence. Chapter 308 ¡°...But it¡¯s surprising that this engagement is going to blow everything up. I don¡¯t remember any of the previous operations dropping bombs in the city.¡± ¡°Tijuana is a city in Mexico, not U.S. territory. And to borate a bit more, there won¡¯t be any civilians left around here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of the virus and the radiation.¡± San Diego. It took two heavy punches of a virus and nuclear missiles to extinguish the glorious past of this military city, which was once the strongest naval power in the world. The statistical fact that it was one of the wealthiest cities in America and its slogan as the most livable city had turned to ashes. The result was predictable. The first punch, the Omega virus, left the densely packed houses vacant. They may not have been entirely empty, but only the remnants of people would remain on the beds. In that state, those who somehow survived and formed sporadicmunities to struggle through day by day had to witness two mushroom clouds rising from the ce they once called home, and San Diego was left more devastated than any other city. This was also the case for Tijuana, the Mexican city located just below San Diego. No one would want to live in a ce hit by two nuclear bombs, so it was only natural. The reason themander spoke about missile strikes without hesitation as soon as they arrived at Miramar Military Airport was not without merit. Since there would no longer be citizens to report incidental damages, it seemed he aimed to decisively eradicate the enemy during this opportunity. In conclusion, ¡°From this point on, you can consider anything moving as an enemy.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that certainly makes sense. Anyway, we¡¯ll keep moving. We¡¯ll maintain radio silence¡­ like this, right?¡± ¡°Good job. See youter.¡± At this point, in virtual reality, it was around 3 AM. The six personnel infiltrating the sea via a stealth high-speed boat began to scatter into pairs and officially started to stir things up in Tijuana. Among the enemies, quite a significant number had decent outfits. They were likely gifts from the Chinese. While we kept that in mind, it didn¡¯t matter much. After all, theycked night vision goggles and professionalism. In short, they were too busy sleeping to be vignt. Even if they were awake, they were probably high on drugs or smoking. ¡°Waypoint marked. 129 meters southeast from your location. A considerable number of heat sources are detected at that position. It appears to have been a movie theater previously.¡± ¡°How many times has this been? I hope this isn¡¯t a false lead again. What¡¯s the checklist status?¡± ¡°Waiting a moment.¡± At the same time, we sat in the thick darkness, waiting. How many minutes passed? Owens let out a satisfied breath and responded.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Bingo. Multiple enemy vehicles are clustered in an open area nearby. It seems the enemies are operating that movie theater as some sort of multipurpose building.¡± ¡°Confirmed. Disabling the bombing coordinates, we¡¯ll infiltrate now. Can youe down to help when you¡¯re free?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± After a slight chuckle and confirming, I turned towards the designated waypoint. On another note, some of you might be curious about what the checklist was¡ªessentially, it was a process to determine whether it was simply an enemy concentration area or a ce where information needed to be obtained through direct infiltration. If it was the former, there was no need to waste bullets running around. After all, missiles were scheduled to sweep everything clean. However, if it was thetter, the story would be different¡ªthere were remnants of a Chinese naval carrier task force in the Cortez Sea, and they were providing military training and weaponry to the cartel. We needed to secure those coordinates precisely because, under normal circumstances, those missiles would likely reach there, and that¡¯s why the intelligence-gathering process was necessary. ¡°Entering the movie theater.¡± From the outside, it didn¡¯t look much different from any other building, but as I carefully opened the door and stepped inside, I was surprised to find that electricity was still running. However, since the lights were almost off, it didn¡¯t make much difference. As I fully entered the interior, I could see enemies sprawled around like corpses. They seemed deeply asleep, giving no indication they were aware of anything. It was quite absurd to see that there was a drum used as a stove, yet no heating was circting through the building. Under normal circumstances, one would either suffocate or burn to death, but seeing them left unscathed was truly bewildering. At first nce, it seemed like nothing could be gained in such a shabby ce, but its true valuey elsewhere.
  • [Notification: Minor traffic detected.]
A suspicious smell was in the air. In a destroyed world, the mere existence ofmunication indicated that it was a reason to approach. It was impossible unless they carried the entire minimal infrastructure¡ªunless, of course, we knew those who could manage that. And we did know who they were. They were the military. This fact was quickly ryed to Owens, who halted his steps towards the theater and mentioned that he would check if there were any functioningmunication towers nearby. From now on, it was time for serious infiltration. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! ¡°Cough¡­!¡± At that moment, a cartel member, either drunk or high, staggered up, and Inded a light punch to his sr plexus. He fell without even letting out a scream, the sound escaping his lips as he crumpled. His ribs were likely shattered, turning his lungs into a rag. Even if I left him as he was, he would soon die, but I made sure to finish him off before moving towards the emergency stairs. The emergency lights were off, making the stairs eerily quiet. However, I couldn¡¯t go directly up to the roof because I heard a noiseing from above the stairs. It was time to employ some tricks from here on out. ¡°There¡¯s one floor up to the roof. So¡­¡± Instead of going up further, I opened a door and stepped into the building. There were only ordinary rooms like a lounge, but the important thing was to devise a way to lure the guards on the roof. The method was simple. I needed to create repetitive noise to draw the enemies close. Fortunately, there were no people on that floor, the lights were out, and there were spray cans likely used by the cartel for murals scattered around. I lightly tied a fishing line to a can and dropped it from a distance to make it rattle continuously. Click, click, click. That annoying sound echoed through the corridor for several minutes. Repeatedly annoying sounds had a way of making people anxious, and the result appeared quickly. ¡°Must just be a mouse ying with a spray can; why would they send someone down to check on that?¡± ¡°Just hurry and confirm it.¡± Two individuals came down. Leaving the fishing line I had been holding behind, I carefully turned around. One of them fell unconscious after I struck his thigh with a stun grenade, while I carefully pressed a tomahawk against the neck of the other and activated the hologram. ¡°Please say it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± He answered quite professionally that there was nothing wrong, and the next moment, he copsed with a foamy mouth as the stun grenade struck his thigh.
  • No way! Hahahahahahaha
  • Teacher, is it true that the Biyaam species isn¡¯t an anaconda but a rattlesnake?????
  • Nowadays, Biyaam can even change sses. Hahaha
  • Every time I see this, I can only admire it. Hahahahahaha
What a ridiculous thing. In any case, less than a few minutester, the Chinese troops stationed on the roof were met with the cold edge of a de, and not even five minutes after that, they divulged the location of the beached aircraft carrier, the cartel''s main activity points, and even what sides they had for theirbat rations the day before before entering eternal rest. The destination was Punta Bandera, a small vige located right off the coast to the west of Tijuana. ¡°Operation in Tijuana is halted. We¡¯ll start searching for vehicles to ride from now on.¡± Operation Chariot was nearing its end. 4 AM. At the moment when the world waspletely enveloped in darkness. I¡ªHarmony, along with Dais and Owens, a friend of Yujin¡ªwere observing the beached aircraft carrier through the scope from a not-so-high mountain range. The distance was about 400 meters. In front of the beached point, what was originally presumed to be a small vige had transformed into some sort of military base. And when I turned my gaze slightly to the right of the aircraft carrier, IFFs blinked beneath the sea surface, indicating that Yujin, Logan, and Lorentina were slowly approaching the aircraft carrier. ¡°Those three will handle anythingplicated or difficult. Just hit the visible enemies, and when there are no more targets, we¡¯ll attract attention with the mortar turret we¡¯ve hidden. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± ¡°Yeah, we can do it.¡± In simple terms, it was a sort of decoy operation. I, Owens, and Dais would draw attention, while the other team would sweep through the now careless interior of the aircraft carrier. It was simr to robbing an empty house. Of course, it was on a muchrger scale. Regardless, I felt lighthearted knowing I didn¡¯t have to worry about hiding and just had to catch whatever was in sight. While I kept my finger on the trigger until the operation startmand dropped, I finally received the long-awaited shootingmand. ¡°Starting autonomous fire as of now. Focus on harassing the friends with night vision goggles.¡± ¡°Understood. Autonomous firemencing.¡± ¡°Opening fire.¡± ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! Boom! I ced the crosshair on the moving enemies hundreds of meters away and fired. The impact points were automatically calcted by the Icarus gear, so I didn¡¯t have to worry; just cing the enemies in the crosshair meant most of the shots hit. One bullet at a time, but with three people, three bullets were fired almost simultaneously. Thus, three enemies were pierced somewhere in their bodies and fell to the ground, while those smoking or on guard were startled and set off rms. With the loud sirens ring, enemies began pouring out from all directions. ¡°Focus on firing. I¡¯ll prioritize marking friends holding dangerous objects with the reconnaissance drone. Let¡¯s take them out first.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Pick, pick, pick. I didn¡¯t have to worry about ammo consumption. After all, the ammo can was stuffed with an immense amount of spare rounds. Just the number of magazines I brought was close to 90, so I could just enjoy target shooting. In the meantime, Teacher¡¯s team began to move gradually. They were heading behind the beached aircraft carrier. They did their best to fire more intensely, ensuring no one noticed that someone else was infiltrating. ¡°Wow, there are a lot of them¡­!¡± ¡°It looks like we really poked a ho¡¯s nest.¡± There were so many of them that I didn¡¯t even need to bother searching for enemies. Most of the smarter ones realized they shouldn¡¯t stay still and sought cover inside the building or against the walls, but some who misjudged their direction were instead shot through the head and turned into cold corpses. Because I used a suppressor and subsonic rounds, it took the Chinese troops over seven minutes to even begin to guess our actual location, and by then, we had already begun operating the mortar turret. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! With a bang, the thick bomb that flew through the air obliterated the wall. Those hiding inside would typically burst out through the windows upon getting hit by incendiary rounds. While it was quite challenging to hit moving targets, I didn¡¯t mind too much. After all, it wasn¡¯t important to hit anything. And how long had it been? ¡°...Ah, I see the teacher on the deck of the Fujian. He¡¯s waving at us?¡± ¡°Those idiots¡­¡± Of course, in the meantime, Lorentina was showering bullets on the enemies who had climbed up the stairs after her. In any case, it didn¡¯t take long to seize control of the bridge. The enemies were slowly pulling out mortars from somewhere and even attempted tounch a reconnaissance helicopter, but unfortunately, the pilots were gunned down by shots through the windows before they could even start the engines. And how long had it been? ¡°This is Shark. I¡¯ve secured themunication logs. When I fiddled a bit with the satellitemunication module, it easily spit out the locations of the remaining carrier task forces wandering in the Cortez Sea.¡± ¡°Target acquired. Sending to Miramar Military Airport; let¡¯s get out of that junk carrier quickly. We¡¯ll meet at the evacuation point.¡± ¡°...It feels like we¡¯ve only been shooting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how those guys operate.¡± It was indeed a ridiculous statement, but it was true. As the mortar fire from the Chinese troops began, we hurriedly gathered our firearms, activating the turrets andunchers we had previously deployed into autonomous mode. We dashed several hundred meters to board the truck we had ridden just a few dozen minutes earlier. As the truck roared to life, it sped through the darkness. With the night vision feature activated, even the pitch-ck darkness could not block our way. We navigated the winding mountain roads, driving down an unpaved path that wasn¡¯t even on the map. The old truck rattled violently, threatening to break apart as we descended the steep slope. ¡°Ouch, my butt¡­!¡± ¡°Why on earth did we choose such a vehicle!?¡± ¡°If thedies had found a vehicle with a bit more fuel, it might have been a bit easier.¡± After bumping along for about 20 minutes, I had no idea which path we had traversed, but at some point, the coastline came back into view. And how long had it been? ¡°I was about to doze off waiting. How much longer do we have to go, Captain?¡± ¡°The traffic here is worse than the shooting.¡± We finally joined Yujin¡¯s team, who had been waiting for us for quite some time. Costa Hermosa, a small town located to the west of Tijuana, and the Mexico-1D highway running through it. If you move north along there, the border between Mexico and the United States appears¡ªand at one of the vast open spaces nearby, a stealth ck Hawk awaited to take us to U.S. soil. As we cut through the dust and boarded, the pilot immediately spoke. ¡°This area is about to be a sea of fire. Get on quickly.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯ve even equipped a Geiger counter on the wall; what a mess.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be the first time I actually see a mushroom cloud in my lifetime, you know?¡± nk! The door closed, and the helicopter took off. At that moment, a message popped up on the UI: . It was likely that terrifying weapons waiting hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away had sent missiles with nuclear warheads toward this location. And how long had it been? The countdown timer to impact appeared before my eyes, and as it converged to zero, a vivid me burst forth, cutting through the darkness. ©¤©¤©¤! ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°They said it was 150 kilotons, and it¡¯s indeed powerful. Two of those hitting Tijuana is enough topletely obliterate the city.¡± ¡°I can hear thend prices in San Diego converging to zero from here.¡± ¡­Is this the level of conversation among Yujin¡¯s acquaintances? It was ridiculous, but rather than digging deeper into that, I chose to just let it go andugh. And how long had it been?
  • [Notification: Operation Chariot has achieved sufficient targets forpletion.]
  • [Notification: A cutscene will now y.]
¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Did you say something?¡± ¡°No, I just thought that as long as I follow Yujin, I won¡¯t have to worry about being bored.¡± Hah. Saying that, I exhaled deeply. Turning my back on the rising mushroom cloud, the tank operation came to a close.
  • What the hell is this? Hahahahahaha
  • Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear? Nuclear?
  • A shocking and awe-inspiring ending. Hahahahaha
  • Are you crazy, Icarus??????
  • What do you mean by the ending? Hahahahahahahahaha
  • Wow! Nuclear end!!!!!
Of course, the nuclear-night ending of Operation Chariot left plenty of reactions to be talked about. Naturally, Yujin wrapped up the broadcast after watching the cutscene without much thought. It was an everyday urrence. Chapter 309
  • [Notification: Operation Chariot Clear confirmed. Synchronization with the second-world line initiated.]
  • [Notification: Mission ''Retake Indian Point Nuclear Power nt'' unlocked.]
  • [Notification: This notification can only be confirmed by designated personnel.]
  • [ISO: Congrattions to Team Dagger for sessfullypleting Operation Chariot¡­ but just ten minutes ago, a reconnaissance aircraft patrolling above New York sent concerning reconnaissance results. Approximately two battalions of Russian remnants that were notpletely dealt with in the northern U.S. have infiltrated through the upper Hudson River.]
  • [ISO: This force is suspected to possess items presumed to be nuclear bombs and multiple drones. Even Task Force Arikon and Violet, which were resisting at West Point, have been overwhelmed. We need your assistance.]
  • [ISO: One of the main objectives of the enemies is suspected to be the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt, which is still producing power. It is ssified as a first-ss strategic facility. If the enemies tamper with the reactor, it will not only contaminate Manhattan but all of New York beyond control.]
  • [ISO: I have already informed Major Powell in San Diego. The B-1B Lancer strategic bomber is ready to transport you, so please rest as much as you can inside the aircraft. I apologize for summoning you all during such a busy time. Once this operation concludes, I will ensure that all of you can recuperate in the mostfortable ce.]
¡°...I shouldn¡¯t have listened to that bastard no matter what.¡± After the broadcast ended, in a space devoid of Dais and Harmony. Only those present at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt at that time could exist in this space, and Lorentina, recalling the ISO briefing that felt like a nightmare, vented her frustrations. Excluding the usually stoic Owens, Logan and Lorentina, who had particrly cared for me, shared simr expressions. Only I couldn¡¯t empathize. The oue of Operation Last Order was truly devastating, but I was the one who went missing. Yet here I was, alive and well. Therefore, I could not understand their grief over the situation at that time. So, I simply offeredfort. I shared a deep embrace with Logan and Lorentina before boarding the B-1B Lancer waiting on the Miramar runway. The hangar had been remodeled into a space that could transport people, making itfortable for the flight from San Diego to New York. Fortunately, this too was skipped. Afternding at JFK Military Airport, we boarded a waiting Humvee. The time had passed 1 PM, crossing the boundary between morning and afternoon, and the Humvee sped down the deserted road for about 30 minutes. We were following the Hudson River upstream. The route took us along Route 9, passing through northern Manhattan, Yonkers, Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, and Tarrytown, heading toward the nuclear power nt; the weather was truly beautiful. It was a truly damn beautiful day. However, as we got closer to our destination, the sound of beans being roasted echoed repeatedly. Amidst that, Logan added in a somber voice. ¡°If we had thoroughly eradicated the enemies in the northern U.S., we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re not wrong, it¡¯s toote to be saying that. Let¡¯s just be d that the kid is alive.¡± ¡°...But why is everyone so close to me today?¡± ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t know the little one left behind after being assigned to the rear would have a say.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t really my fault, but at the same time, it was. I could say I was d to be alive, but I had driven a nail into their hearts one by one. Not that I wanted to, of course. Anyway, there was no need for a briefing before entering the operation. Everyone, including myself, already knew what had happened at that time. The only drawback was that the number of personnel for the operation was a bit smaller than before, but that shouldn¡¯t matter much. After driving for about another 20 minutes, we arrived at the nuclear power nt, where ominous smoke billowed. The abandoned vehicles and corpses strewn at the entrance were truly striking. Memories of the past shed before my eyes repeatedly. Although there was no smell due to VR, the winter air mixed with the scent of corpses seemed to linger at my nostrils. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m back here.¡± ¡°Whatever happens today, don¡¯t leave my side, Yujin.¡± ¡°This time, I won¡¯t take on the rear, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Perhaps that was why I hadn¡¯t even brought a ballistic shield this time. In the past, every time we embarked on an operation, the lives of real people hung in the bnce, so at least one member of Team Dagger would always carry a ballistic shield. It was natural for me to be dyed, having to carry around that nanomachine-coated metal weighing over 50 kg. Thus, it was my job to disperse the enemy''s fire while buying time for my teammates to retreat safely. Because of that, I had been trapped when the ceiling copsed right in front of me... but it was a memory I was proud of, not a memory I disliked. Being the direct party to that was not a particrly good memory, but the sacrifice for teammates was always noble and valuable. Anyway, it was time. Even though I had brought the same gun from San Diego and felt a bit dizzy from the continuous battles, and although I was infiltrating the power nt with just four people, without Dais and Harmony, no one cared. Owens, who had modified part of the operation n on the spot, added. ¡°We¡¯re going to the cooling tower. We¡¯ll stabilize the reactor before they tamper with it.¡± ¡°I have no objections.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Then everyone turned to look at me. I blinked for a moment before adding. ¡°I won¡¯t fall behind, I promise.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡± Same time, same ce, different oue. It was time to twist and change the past. ¡°Here we are. It¡¯s a pity that not all of Team Dagger is here.¡± ¡°...Indeed.¡± Meanwhile. Same ce, different world line. Those who had to leave their precious teammates amidst the concrete rubble stepped into the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt to retrieve their nightmarish memories. ¡°This is a waste istion zone. It is currently sealed tightly.¡± ¡°The area is quite... disheveled. Is this also a remnant of the battle back then?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Corpses, debris, and traces of the Icarus gear skills once used. The Indian Point Nuclear Power nt was filled with traces of battle, both above and below ground. The overall supervisor couldn¡¯t distinguish if the corpses surrounding him were emaciated or rotting. A safety inspector, dressed in a radiation protective suit, hurriedly checked the sealing levels. There was no need to worry about radiation. The Dagger team, who had flown in a hurry from Los Angeles after hearing that the construction was mostly finished, especially Logan meis, had widely spread shields to block any potential radiation from reaching the construction supervisor. It was a ratherte debriefing. In fact, it had been considerably dyed. A significant amount of time had already passed. However, there was no choice. Icarus had lost one exceptionally outstanding agent, and the Dagger team had lost their cherished little one. The mental stress was something no one could escape.@@novelbin@@ The supervisor, pondering that, nced slightly around. ¡°¡­¡± Logan didn¡¯t look too good either. She was pretending to be calm, but her slightly reddened eyes and slightly trembling pupils proved that she was a person who felt emotions, just like everyone else. And for her, exining the situation at that moment was likely a considerable burden. Yet, she decided to stand here, determined to see thest path of their little one, and without uttering any words, she surveyed her surroundings. The retrieval team had alreadye and taken away all the enemies¡¯ firearms and gear, so the corpses did not look too good, but it didn¡¯t really matter. America was still suffering from ack of supplies, and the same went for New York. The exnation didn¡¯t take long. As they wandered through the facility for an hour, they finally returned to the echo left by Yujin. ¡°This is the ce where Operator Yujin was separated.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we need to follow the footsteps left behind after Yujin was left alone.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve been waiting for that very statement.¡± Soon, with Lorentina joining them as they turned around, the three of them walked out. ording to the echo, the enemies were approaching the HLW, the high-level radioactive waste site, and just as he said, the walls of the facility, equipped with stricter containment procedures than any other, came into view. After temporarily supplying power to the firmly closed wall and unlocking it with the Icarus gear, the door began to open with a strange sound. It sounded as if a giant, which had been asleep for over thousands of years, was waking up, creaking and groaning as it moved its stiff body. The door opened. ¡°...It seems there was a battle here as well.¡± ¡°...¡± There was no need to reply, but the scene before their eyes was truly like that. However, no matter where they looked, Yujin''s corpse was not in sight. The numerous prating wounds concentrated on the corpses¡¯ necks and heads merely indicated that she had swept through the troops waiting here and moved on. So they advanced further. The signs of battle grew increasingly fierce, and the walls of the underground facility, which were already in poor condition due to the vibration bombs, had be aplete mess from shrapnel, grenades, and the miniguns mounted on Warhound robots. But still, Yujin could not be seen anywhere. So how much further did they have to go? They reached a point where they could no longer advance, yet Yujin''s body was still not in sight. Instead, the irregrly arranged enemy corpses roughly proved where Yujin had headed. She had been overwhelmed by sheer numbers at one spot. At that moment, a thought flickered through everyone¡¯s minds. Please let at least her corpse be intact. But the next moment, the phrase that appeared before their eyes shattered their thoughts.
  • [Warning: Anomalous physical phenomenon detected.]
  • [Warning: Ultra-low and high-temperature phenomena exist ahead.]
¡°...What?¡± The situation was entering a new phase. It didn¡¯t take long for the sorrow etched on their faces to transform into utter bewilderment. As a notification, never heard of since the existence of Icarus, filled the underground space, they automatically took upbat readiness and moved inward. And a few minutester, ¡°...What on earth is all this?¡± Endlessly burning mes andva. Gigantic ice pirs, utterly transparent, that would never melt. What greeted them was a scene beyond imagination. Chapter 310 "Enemies on the left! Where do you think you¡¯re going?" "Good shot." The ceiling is endlessly spinning with sirens, interspersed with gunfire and explosions. A battle unfolds within the thick concrete walls that seem to pierce the sky. A variety of junk is scattered around, with a massive tower in the center, surrounded by unidentifiable rys, pipes, and giant fans. A fierce skirmish takes ce in this chaotic space, much like the past. It felt as if we had returned to the old days. How would the Dagger Team perceive this point? There was no need to ponder that question, as they nced my way every thirty seconds or so to check my position. They were certainly overprotective.
  • [Notification: Intrusion algorithm prating cooling protocols.]
  • [Objective: Terminal destruction // Server destruction]
¡°Enemy Warhound on the upper support column!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± At the same time, I cautiously peek out from my cover. I spot the barrel of a minigun closely following behind the rapidly moving Loren Tina. Not on my watch. I pull the trigger repeatedly. In an instant, more than half of the 25 rounds in the M110A1 magazine are spent, and the Warhound hanging from the column drops to the ground. An unfortunate enemy is crushed beneath the falling Warhound from several meters above, letting out a scream as he meets his end. The motto is simple: Once I kill all the enemies, nothing will stand in our way. I aim to take out as many unmanned units as possible, shrugging off minor damage with the shield of my gear while securing better cover and expanding our territory to reduce enemy forces. Owens, positioned in a prime sniping location, eliminates those who dare to peek up, while the three of us rapidly advance to the frontline, cutting through enemy ranks with ease. Soon, Logan reaches the first server they had cherished. ¡°Server secured. Hacking the terminal.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± With a grunt, I hear an ominous sound from the inte. An enemy flies through the air, soaring over ten meters before crashing somewhere. Loren Tina''s voice follows, sounding triumphant. She must have kicked him hard. It¡¯s typical for a person to fly when kicked. We hack the terminal and destroy the server. The first objective, once cumbersome to achieve in the past to avoid damage to the cooling tower, is effortlessly aplished. Perhaps some are thinking that it should have been done this way back then. After roughly wrapping things up, the question arises. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Last time, there were plenty of those trying to steal radioactive waste, including HLW. Let¡¯s bury the waste in casks and toss in any pesky enemies too. What do you think, Senior Officer?¡± ¡°No problem. Let¡¯s move.¡± Of course, there was no reason to object. We traverse over the still annoyingly bright power nt. We had experienced several skirmishes along the way, but excluding myself, the rest of the Dagger Team effortlessly plunged into the fray, cutting down enemies as if they were possessed. Keeping up with them was almost a challenge for me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was driving them to engage in battle so passionately. But there was no need to think too deeply. This would mark another end to the journey I had been on. But aside from that... ¡°It¡¯s Icarus! Block them!¡± ¡°Dagger team, we¡¯ve encountered the enemy. We¡¯re enteringbat now.¡± As the enemies emerge around the corner, I grab one by the neck, lifting him and smashing him down without a sound. His neck snaps with a sickening crunch. Using his body as a shield, I open fire. As I do, Loren Tina leaps off the wall, avoiding gunfire. At this point, thebat could easily be described as a battle between superhumans and ordinary people. With no one to hold back, the Dagger Team unleashed their full capabilities, darting between obstacles as if they were ballet dancers, swiftly neutralizing the enemies and handing control of the storage tanks over to us. Yet there was no reason to spare anyone.
  • [Notification: Tank control maniption in progress. Lockdown protocol established in 5 seconds¡­ Tank lockdownplete.]
  • [Radiation levels normal.]
¡ªChik-chik! In that moment, a brilliant light bursts forth. ¡°On the upper column ahead, Warhound!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Just as I take aim, a moment of rity strikes. We now have control over the tanks and can focus on neutralizing the enemy forces. The brilliant light bursts forth. ¡°On the upper column ahead, Warhound!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Just as I take aim, a moment of rity strikes. We now have control over the tanks and can focus on neutralizing the enemy forces. Loren Tina throws a thermite onto the control panel. As it melts away, everyone watches, unsure of what she¡¯s doing. However, it¡¯s not a bad choice, as the remnants of the Russian forces might try to reprogram the devices. After all, the ownership lies with the U.S., so they could easily switch it to another deviceter. With the ground operations entirely concluded, the next step is to clear out all the remaining enemies and retrieve the nuclear backpack. It¡¯s time to head underground. ¡°Let¡¯s move as quickly as possible. We can¡¯t afford to let them use any more vibration bombs.¡± ¡°Make sure to keep an eye on our junior member.¡± ¡°You guys are far noisier than he is. I¡¯ll leisurely follow behind, so don¡¯t go stumbling ahead unnecessarily.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± At the same time, the two of them rush underground. As the Icarus gear marks the anticipated location of the nuclear backpack, Owens and I step down a little slower. After moving a bit, we see the ceiling that once separated me from the Dagger Team. However, this time, there were no cracks in sight. Gunfire echoes through the corridor and hallway. Yet, amidst the painful cries, there are no sounds from Logan or Loren Tina. The sounds gradually fade away. I had never participated in the Indian Point operation more than twice, but one thing was clear: the current situation waspletely different from what had happened back then. The reason was simple. Everyone already knew roughly where the enemies were located, their dense areas, key engagement points, and possible cover spots. As a result, the operation proceeded at an incredible speed that would be impossible in reality¡ªso much so that the enemies couldn¡¯t even formte a proper response. After some time... ¡°Ah, vibration bomb diffusing isplete. I¡¯ve also located the nuclear backpack. I¡¯ll start spreading jamming signals throughout the facility to prevent detonation, so hurry up.¡± ¡°I think we could have cleared this operation even if those two were sent in alone.¡± ¡°Haha, just kidding.¡± Though I made that joke, he wasn¡¯t really the type to enjoy joking around. It didn¡¯t take long for the four of us to regroup, and even less time for us to secure the nearby underground control room. It was no surprise. Just ten minutes after the operation began, we had already achieved around 60% of our objectives. From the enemies'' perspective, it must have been quite confusing. Suddenly, the outside operation team was taking them down one by one, and with the weight of the words ¡°nuclear backpack¡± and ¡°power nt,¡± it was a type of operation that would be impossible in reality. Logan enthusiastically examined the CCTV feed. He began closing the gates leading to the outside, effectively cutting off the enemies¡¯ escape routes and pushing them into a corner. What followed was predictable. In ast-ditch effort to detonate the nuclear backpack, an officer got fragged. Thest situation shown on the CCTV was spectacr. The officer clutching the detonation device, holding a pistol while uttering various words, suddenly had his head blown off by a soldier sneaking up from behind. Luckily, it seemed he hadn¡¯t managed to detonate it in his final moments. Although chaos didn¡¯tpletely dissipate, it appeared most enemies had decided to surrender, throwing down their guns and grenades in a corner. One soldier even stripped off his clothes, using a white T-shirt to fashion a makeshift white g by tying it to the barrel of a disassembled gun. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing the CCTV is in ck and white. If it were in color, I wouldn¡¯t even want to imagine what that T-shirt looks like.¡± ¡°Damn, you just made me picture it!¡± ¡°Ahaha, it¡¯s a sessful associative technique.¡± While those two engaged in apletely unprofessional conversation, I opened the barricade. About fifty remaining soldiers raised their hands in surrender, and we contacted the Icarus HQ to inform them of the captured Russian troops. Approximately five minutester, the backup mobile strike team that had been waiting outside rushed in, securing the prisoners with cable ties, ropes, and handcuffs, dragging them out one by one. The nuclear backpack was safely taken out after its fuse was removed to prevent any idental detonation. Though our journey had concluded, it didn¡¯t mean that all our journeys were over. It was actually just the beginning. ¡°Where are you going, Junior?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to check on my past for a moment; do you want toe?¡± With that, all persuasion came to an end. After walking for about five minutes, we reached the copse point where it all began. As everyone looked up at the ceiling, reminiscing about the past, I spoke up. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t know where to go, but I intercepted enemymunications indicating they were approaching the high-level radioactive waste. I thought I had to stop them even if I had to do it alone.¡± Activating the Echo function of my gear partially, I conjured the shield I once used. Like a museum tour, the exnation continued. By that point, the shield, which could not be said to be in good condition, was bing increasingly battered as the battles progressed. By the time we reached the wet waste storage facility, it was in a nearly unusable state. Pointing to the spot where I had fallen, I continued, ¡°The shield broke here, and I took two prating hits to the abdomen.¡± The sensations from that time were still fresh in my memory. The pain felt like my entire abdomen was twisting. The feeling of my legs giving out in an instant was something I wouldn¡¯t wish to experience again, having suffered numerous gunshot wounds over time. I continued the fight without even having the chance to heal, and long streaks of blood marked the floor. After killing thest enemy, I leaned against a pir and injected medical nanomachines while spraying healing chemicals on the ground. However, due to the blood loss, my head felt dizzy.@@novelbin@@ As I could no longer use the shield, I leaned it against the wall. ¡°¡­Andter, I found out there was another bomb, separate from the nuclear backpack, being monitored by UAVs. The contents were already dposed and being carried by another squad.¡± The expressions of the three listening to my situation changed gradually. There was no denying it; the progression of the operation at that time had been almost impossible. Just before properly achieving the objective, the vibration bomb was about to explode, nearly copsing the facility and the ground. Therefore, I had to at least manage to extract the backpack. I ambushed the enemies and managed to seize the nuclear backpack, but in the process, I couldn¡¯t return the way I hade and ended up trapped in a dead end. At that time, I faced around sixty enemies. Of course, with UAVs included, their actual strength was even greater. Swallowing hard, I walked toward the firmly closed barricade. ¡°¡­At this point, I should let you know what happened to me back then.¡± With that, I calmly exined everything. I was originally from this ce, but I had fallen into New York, where the virus was spreading, without any exnation¡ªeveryone knew this part, but I had never shared what came next. Now was the time to reveal it. Finally, I disclosed that I was rescued in a way that modern physics couldn¡¯t exin, causing the expressions of mypanions to shift strangely. Even now, I didn¡¯t know who had rescued me. But now, did it even matter?
  • [Notification: You have met the qualifications for the second-world synchronization.]
With a burst of light, my vision blurred. ¡°Good heavens.¡± The expressions we had been making vanished, and all three of them widened their eyes in shock. Logan, Loren Tina, and the engineer squad leader. In reality, not VR. A world without Yujin¡­ almost the same people in different world lines. Yet, what both sides were witnessing was the same. An impossible reality unfolded before our eyes. But all of this was allowed. If modern physics had been functioning properly, no bear ears would have sprouted on top of anyone''s head, and a man wouldn¡¯t suddenly be a woman¡ªyet that was all merely a third-party perspective. Who would be able to think such thoughts while witnessing this scene before them? ¡°What the hell...¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Don¡¯t get too close.¡± The engineeringmander wore a bewildered expression, and Logan added his concern. It was as he said. After weeks and a long time had passed, the ice that would not melt and the ever-burning fire¡ªwho could know what would happen if one touched it? Logan and Loren Tina carefully stepped inside, encountering a bizarre sight as if they had arrived at a base on another. The two of them, with overwhelmed emotions, began to search the area while taking aiming stances. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no other special points around. The only remains were bodies frozen solid, pierced by ice pirs, or corpses reduced to ashes. With that thought, their attention shifted toward whether Yujin¡¯s body was intact among the ashes. It was a terrifying prediction that Yujin might be mixed in with the burned corpses. However, no matter what happened, the oue wouldn¡¯t change. Yujin had disappeared without a trace, and further searches would be meaningless. ¡®¡­All that remains are two Echos, a shield, and the bloodstains on the floor left by you.¡¯ Finally, I felt the strength drain away. Loren Tina seemed to reach a simr conclusion, and the two stopped aiming their guns, staring nkly at the ceiling. Once the thoughts of fantasy and reflection settled, they wouldn¡¯t have any more business in this ce. With that thought in mind, they tried to take a step forward. No. They were about to take a step. ¡ª! Suddenly, the ever-burning mes that heated the air extinguish in an instant. The ice that had been emitting cold underwent a change. It no longer felt like an ice that was too cold to touch, but rather it seemed to revert to its original state of ice... And in that moment, a light flickered from the very edge of the dead end. Initially observable, it gradually reached a point where it was no longer visible to the eye¡ªjust as Logan and Loren Tina raised their guns, they quickly deduced it was not an enemy and urged the engineeringmander to take cover. After some time, a figure materialized in the radiant light. With a somewhat awkward expression. ¡°No way.¡± Someone murmured that. But that wasn¡¯t what mattered. It was unbelievable, yet desperately desired¡ªa scene where Yujin stood before us. Behind her, the space shimmered as two more figures stepped forward, but it didn¡¯t matter in the least. As my head spun, the junior member I had wanted to see alive stood there, wearing a bitter smile. She was talking to someone. ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t tell me the second-world synchronization would be like this.¡± ¡°What does it matter? Just prepare for the rebound.¡± ¡°Rebound?¡± And in that moment, ¡°Yujin¡ª!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Before anyone else could react, Loren Tina rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she embraced the junior member. This was the moment when Yujin¡¯s official resurrection became certain. Chapter 311 "¡­The youngest has disappeared." "Where to?" "Who knows? Maybe they turned off the game?" If there is a ce where someone who didn¡¯t exist suddenly appears, there must be a ce where someone who used to be there disappears. Through the Dark Zone, two worlds are closely linked. However, the mission carried out at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt in-game has taken a drastically different form from the operation that actually urred in the past, and the vibration bomb didn¡¯t even detonate. The past has beenpletely oveid with something new, and thus the two timelines have entered into a second synchronization¡ªbut no one in this world, including the Dagger Team, who had just been ying the game with Yujin, could know this fact. As the blinding light that felt like it would blind him faded, Yujin was gone. Instead¡ª "It seems that those who can tell us the whereabouts of the youngest have appeared." Two indistinct figures emerged in front of the Dagger Team. A hazy shape from head to toe. It looked as if a blur had been painted in midair. However, a surprisingly thin voice squeezed through the haze. And Logan''s words were not wrong. "They will be back soon. Don¡¯t worry. Right now, they must be enjoying a pleasant reunion." "A reunion? With whom?" "With all of you." A moment of silence followed. However, no one there was so oblivious as to listen nkly. The fact that Yujin had disappeared and the implication that they had gone to meet the Dagger Team. A pleasant reunion¡­ what that meant was clearer than expected, and Owens smirked and added. "You''re saying that the Dagger Team is without the youngest." "Exactly." And there was no one present who didn¡¯t understand what that meant. The next to speak was Lorentina. "They''re probably all jumping for joy." "How do you know that?" "Because I was the same. I was probably even more so than the other version of myself in that world." It was a logic and reason typical of her, but it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. They, too, carried many memories and knew better than anyone the grief and sorrow felt when Yujin had gone missing¡ªat the same time, a hologram turned on in front of everyone. It was showing in real time what kind of situation Yujin was in. Two people were crying out in tears in Yujin¡¯s arms, while behind them, someone with a bittersweet smile was pondering who they should contact about this situation¡­ "¡­I feel like I''ve seen this person before. Mr. Pr Bear, please recite something." "That¡¯s the construction brigademander, you fool. Anyone who just wanders around the under-construction safety camp would see them¡­." "Can we please stop this low-level conversation?" With Owens''s sharp retort, the conversation between the two ended. It fell quiet again, but they didn¡¯t open their mouths once more. Watching the flustered expression on the youngest through the screen was genuinely entertaining. Right now, Yujin, hugged by the two, was looking at them with a face that seemed to ask, "How long are you going to cry¡­?" Of course, as the crying continued for over ten minutes, the three just sat on the floor, waiting for it to end. It was perfectly understandable that their other selves in that world would react like that, but the three watching the scene had long since gone through that situation. Having been stuck together for almost three weeks in America, the initial feelings were bound to fade.@@novelbin@@ However, apart from that¡ª "It¡¯s a bit disappointing to see it end like this, but judging by the current situation, it seems we won¡¯t be able to return for a while. Let¡¯s head out first. There¡¯s afternoon training. See youter." "Go ahead." "I¡¯ll take my leave. Please say hi to Yujin for me." "Do it yourself, senior officer." With that, he turned his head. The two vague figures remained standing still. Their outlines were so blurred that it was hard to recognize them, but it was at least in human shape, and as shown by the previous instance, they couldmunicate sufficiently¡ª and the reason they appeared against this suspicious backdrop was roughly inferred. "You¡¯re the ones who returned our youngest home, right?" "That¡¯s correct." "Let¡¯s say thanks." And then there was a brief silence. "But that doesn¡¯t mean I trust you. I don¡¯t have a hobby of trusting people whose affiliations and backgrounds I know nothing about." "I understand." "I hope we can continue to have a good rtionship." With those words, Lorentina vanished as if melting into the air. Owens simrly looked at the two with a simr feeling before going through the logout process¡ªwhen Logan was left alone, he leaned against the wall, looking at the blurred figures and continued speaking. "So, what¡¯s next?" "We would appreciate it if you could specify what you mean." "Literally." A moment of silence. Then Logan added. "I know that these missions follow the past of the Dagger Team linearly, but this must end with the events at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt. Whates next?" A short silence. Now it was their turn to respond. "From now on, it depends on what you do. That goes for the world over there as well. But that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean it¡¯s a bad thing." "Why?" A small breath. Although not easily visible, Logan felt that the faces of the blurred figures seemed to be smiling. At the same time, various notifications popped up in front of him¡ªthe Los Angeles campaign, San Francisco, and the Sacramento remation battle. That was not the end. Missions leading through Canada to ska, such as Seattle and Vancouver, were also listed there. But this too could not be said to be the end. "And next, we are nning Dark Zone 2.0." At the same time, a window appeared, obscuring all the pop-ups that had been appearing until now. Dark Zone 2.0. And next to it was the text "WW3." Hearing that, he continued. "The results of the engagement will be directly reflected in the other world, but you don¡¯t need to worry. Numerous unidentified operators who neither die nore back to life will engage repeatedly." "Hah." Logan let out a shortugh, incredulous. What that meant was that the countless operators who neither die nore back to life would be the yers of the Dark Zone, and that they would help in reiming Canada and ska in the other world and participate in World War III thereafter. It was indeed an absurd thought. But he couldn¡¯t help butugh. "So does that mean the ending of this 2.0 thing is that the name of the United States will change to the Earth Union?" "That would depend on how things go in the other world." "That means the one deciding the ending isn¡¯t over there." Hearing such an important thing while being left alone, Logan muttered to himself for a moment and then added. "Well, I guess that¡¯s something to think about when the timees." "Safe travels." And as those words were said, the moment Logan vanished, the two figures also disappeared. Only silence remained in that ce. Meanwhile, ''How long do I have to keep doing this¡­?'' Yujin was stuck without being able to give any prior exnation, held by Lorentina and Logan, in the Icarus HQ, the space that used to be his room. The sight of the devastated New York, which he hadn''t seen in a long time, was both familiar and horrific. It was winter. "Wow, they really threw everything away. No, did they burn it all¡­?" It was truly a long-awaited return. While referring to reality¡­ it felt a bit ambiguous to say reality. It was somewhat unclear to discuss what was my reality, but anyway, having returned to America, which had once been dead after spending a long time at my original home in Hongje-dong, felt remarkably nostalgic. It was my room but not my room. I heard that all the various bits and bobs I had left there were burned during what they called a funeral that wasn¡¯t a funeral. While the MG338 and MK18 were already gone since I had taken them with me, my personal gun cab was alreadypletely empty. Of course, I could return anytime if I wanted. If I sent a text to those who had brought me here through the Icarus gear, I could go back home again. I wonder how long I¡¯ll stay here. ''¡­I should probably take care of the virus removal before anything else.'' If I happen to bring something contaminated back home and the virus spreads, it would lead to a global pandemic that would be far beyond what the word disaster could describe. The previous cases where a virus spread between countries and continents, which originally did not exist, kept reminding me that I needed to be extra cautious. In any case, it had been a long time. New York, which used to be bustling with people, was a ce I had recently been for about three weeks, but this was different. Memories of the past could be forgotten so easily. The things I learned through experience werepletely the opposite of being impossible to forget. At least, it was a relief that the power wasing in abundantly. After all, the Icarus gear was like a moving nuclear fusion reactor. Specifically, it was capable of generating immense power through reaction materials. By roughly applying that technology, it could produce semi-perpetual power. In short, it meant that the lights could be turned on well, and the heating worked properly. The field bed was still the same, though. "Ah, it¡¯s been a while since Iy down on this bed¡­." Fortunately, it seemed they hadn¡¯t cleaned the bed separately. A bed with a hole to tuck in the tail. As I felt around with my hand, I could immediately guess it was the mattress I used. However, the ceiling was still concrete with pipes running through it. What should I say, it felt really strange to be back here. It reminded me of when I first came to New York. It was so cold that I couldn¡¯t digest food properly, and after carelessly entering the empty house, I ended up vomiting while holding onto the bathroom. After trembling under the nkets, I fell asleep, and because of hypothermia, I barely managed to light a fire, sobbing while warming myself up¡­ What should I say, as I resurrected these memories, I suddenly felt sleepy. Now that I think about it, if I have to stay here for a few days, I should announce a hiatus, but what should I do¡­? ¡­ ¡­ ©¤©¤©¤Knock, knock, knock! "Ugh, what is it? You cane in." I had dozed off. It seemed about 30 minutes had passed. My mouth felt a bit damp. I felt a little ridiculous for drooling while sleeping. I wondered if I had a constitution that allows me to sleep anywhere, or if I had rxed enough to fall asleep just because I was back at my second home. As I wiped the drool from my mouth and said they coulde in, the door lock opened, and two familiar figures entered. They looked as if they had been crying over my gear, with their eyes all swollen. As expected, a hug attack followed immediately upon their arrival. The smell of dirt and dust wafted from them. Having spent so much time with Dice and Harmony, I had be so ustomed to perfume scents that this raw scent felt strangely nostalgic. Anyway, this time, thankfully, no one cried. "Did everyone do well while I was gone?" "¡­So, asking if we did well, how about you?" "I''m sorry." Of course, I didn¡¯t push anyone when the ceiling copsed, but anyway, I had been the one covering the rear. I had wondered if they would throw me a yful punch, but thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case. A yful punch from these people would really hurt. I would have likely cried without dignity if I got hit properly. In any case, after that was a time for conversation. Mainly, it revolved around what everyone had done during my absence. Since we had been together for four years, the founding members of the Dagger Team all knew that I was someone who came from another world, making such conversations possible. Anyway, it was my turn to ask this time. "While I was gone, nothing happened, right?" "¡­Nothing happened. It waspletely uneventful." Literally. Nothing happened. However, it was not the peaceful situation I thought it was - it meant that the Dagger Team''s operations hade to a halt. The Dagger Team, who had always yed the role of the firefighter when Icarus was in the most critical condition and had aplished significant operations, had stopped because of my death. Naturally, the repercussions couldn¡¯t be insignificant. The nned operations had been suspended for at least a month, and in that time, Los Angeles and San Francisco were embroiled in constant chaos due to the Russian-Chinese coalition pushing down through ska and along the Canadian coast. In the end, the Dagger Team headed for Los Angeles. In the meantime, the construction brigademander, reluctant due to potential radiation leaks, had taken charge of the excavation at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt, resulting in the discovery of an echo after digging. Two members from the Dagger Team were hurriedly dispatched to New York. Those two were Logan and Lorentina. "¡­So, what will we do now?" "What do you mean?" "Are we going back to the battlefield?" Of course, that was not something easily answered. Probably, the moment I answered that I had to go out, they would likely try to stop me vehemently and take away all my gear and weapons. And if it were me before touching the Dark Zone, I might have nodded, but now that was just nonsense. However, today, I had a reason to not waver at this question. "I have to go out." "I figured as much. But no more¡­." "But I don¡¯t intend to go out directly." At the same time, I manipted the Icarus gear and disyed the operator registration list in midair. Currently, there were about 120 active Icarus operators. Originally, there had been around 300, but many had been lost during the early stages of the crisis. Approximately 50 watches had been lost due to the owner''s death and were untraceable. But today was different. -[Notification: Disying results of the second world line synchronization.] Chirrup. An endless number of operators. When talking about new incursion missions, thousands of frontline assault users would light up with excitement, and there would be hundreds of thousands of users who could at least attempt the incursion mission. These users would return time and again, crushing the enemies. Probably, as soon as a new incursion mission based on the situation I couldn¡¯t finish is released, an immortal legion of operators would flood into Los Angeles. As the expressions of the two changed strangely at the never-ending numbers scrolling down, I smiled and added. "We''ve received a lot of reinforcements from that world. It¡¯s time for a proper counterattack." In a few years, the American g would likely be nted in Beijing and Moscow. Chapter 312 [Tricky - Yujin] [Notice] I regret to inform you that I will have to take a week-long hiatus. Due to a sudden important schedule, I¡¯m announcing this out of the blue. I will try to wrap things up as quickly as possible. The expected maximum limit is a week, so there''s a good chance I can return to streaming sooner. See you next week. Then, 20000. [All Comments] [In order of registration] =What????????????????????? =Noooo, it¡¯s my only joy in life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? You¡¯re lying, right? ?Absolutely not, haha. ?Don¡¯t joke around; I¡¯ve been waiting with my eyes wide open to see when the stream would start, and what is this? You¡¯re lying, say it¡¯s a lie!!!!!!!! ?Serious Yujin addiction here. =Oh dear, haha, it¡¯s not even April Fool¡¯s Day yet, and the lies are too much, haha. It¡¯s a lie, right????? Where can I go? I can¡¯t live without you, uh-uh-uh! §¬§à§á§Ú§â§à§Ó§Ñ§ä§î §Ü§à§Õ ?The gradient madness, haha. =Guys, give it up, haha. Yujin keeps her word like a steel arrow. ?For real, haha. ?She¡¯s as unyielding as General Choi Yong, haha. ?I¡¯m feeling dizzy, really, haha. =I¡¯m looking for someone who can hit me hard enough to knock me out for seven days. ?Can someone hit me too? ?3333333333333333333333333 =Teacher, people are suffering like this, and suddenly a hiatus? Is that even reasonable? Please reconsider!!!!!!!!! =Let¡¯s evacuate to the Cat Stream~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =In this case, if Lorentina streams, right???? ?Oh. ?Are you from Harvard??????????????????????? ?Let¡¯s go, haha. ?Actually, I prefer the pr bear version more, haha. =The fact that no one can stop an emergency hiatus really pisses me off, haha. ?Yeah, a hiatus stream is just a hobby~ No matter how much you donate, it won¡¯t matter~ ?The fact that it¡¯s a hobby stream is really the scariest, haha. =Sister, please, we were wrong¡­. =Yeah, try taking a hiatus~ If you go to watch other streams (none), then it¡¯s fine~ ?Haha, for real, haha. ?(None), haha. ?Is it reasonable to say that there are streams of the Dark Zone everywhere, but there¡¯s no substitute for Yujin, ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =¡ñ¨|¨~¨€¨~¨}¨|¨{¨~¡ñ¨|¨~¨€¨~¨}¨|¨{¨~¡ñ¨|¨~¨€¨~¨}¨|¨{¨~ ?Yeah, just lie down~ Never turn on the stream~ ?Shit, haha. "What do you mean she suddenly disappeared?" Yujin¡¯s notice of the hiatus. With the streaming start time fast approaching, Harmony muttered with a strange expression. I wonder what grand thing she¡¯s up to this time. It felt like that. It was just the other day that she had been dragged into unimaginable events led by that impossible tension. In any case, even if I pushed those useless thoughts aside, I was genuinely curious. Of course, it felt a bit inappropriate to ask outright. People tend to have one or two secrets they don¡¯t share, and Yujin definitely had several hidden secrets that she couldn¡¯t disclose to others. And based on the instincts of a full-time streamer with five years of experience, along with the subtly hinted past actions of Yujin, it was clear that this was something personal that an outsider should not pry into. The group chat that included Yujin¡¯s acquaintances had also had some conversations about this. -[Laurentina: The youngest is going to be away for a few days, so it¡¯s better not to pry.] -[Harmony: Gasp.] It was a kind yet terrifying warning. And after a few hours of that messageing up, a notice appeared. Judging by the given information, it was clear that this was something personal that even Yujin¡¯s acquaintances didn¡¯t know about. In other words, it meant I didn¡¯t need to worry about it any further¡ªthough it wouldn¡¯t be easy to not worry. Moreover, the recent news from the Dark Zone was so abundant that I wanted to share it with Yujin. "It was quite difficult, at least." The overall difficulty of the incursion mission was significantly reduced. Since I had cleared it by utilizing all sorts of terrain features and included aerial support, Harmony and Dice, who usually didn¡¯t pay much attention to equipment, didn¡¯t know that the basic genre ssification of the Dark Zone was hardcore route-shooting FPS. There were times when the ability to clear missions depended significantly on the equipment used. And I wouldter learn that the incursion mission was a ce where new high-end weapons and items would pour out in bulk. Harmony herself was dizzy from organizing her inventory. In any case, despite being such a wonderful farming area, the mission had been half-idled because the routes had yet to be explored, and now it was finally open. "There were runs where people would take down a mid-boss to grab loot and abandon the mission¡­." Saying that, Harmony flopped down onto the bed. Now it was time to turn on the stream properly. As soon as she pressed the button on the choker around her neck, all her biometric signals headed towards the connection device, and she finally plunged into the vast world of VR. Pressing the streaming start button alongside her familiar green cat avatar, the number of viewers began to skyrocket within seconds. This was amon sight these days. Harmony had be a streamer whose skills and poprity had risen significantly while coborating with Yujin, and on days when Yujin wasn¡¯t streaming, she instantly took the top spot in Korean broadcasts, bing the president of Tricky. Of course, another pir supporting her poprity was the Dark Zone. "Ah, hello everyone¡­ It¡¯s Harmony again. Since I¡¯ve just heard about Yujin¡¯s hiatus, I don¡¯t think I need to ask how you all have been." -Open Yujin¡¯s door quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Coming to someone else''s house and grabbing the doorknob of the Yujin¡¯s house, what a nuisance, haha. -Living Point) If the viewers in the Cat Stream are more than usual, it¡¯s a day off for Yujin. -A new mission came out; shall we take a taste? -Today is Dark Zone, tomorrow is Dark Zone, yay! I have to mix rice with the Dark Zone~~. Seeing the viewers in a state of chaos, it was clear that Yujin¡¯s charm was indeed powerful. Of course, aside from those thoughts, Harmony had also just learned how to train her audience by hanging around with the person involved¡ªand those causing a ruckus were naturally ignored. The ones who always felt disappointed were the viewers. However, conversely, the chats of those who brought proper information naturally stood out. This time was no exception, and Harmony effortlessly caught that. She couldn¡¯t ignore the news that a new mission hade out. Ultimately, she was going to be dragged by Yujin¡¯s trap, but¡­ "Let¡¯s see. Operation Sunrise¡­ should I read it as the Sunrise operation?" The operation to reim Los Angeles after the tank operation. However, the way this operation was conducted was uniquely peculiar. Specifically, instead of the whimsical infiltration and disruption tactics as before, it wasposed of straightforward urbanbat, fitting the very notion of war. And supporting this was the ''umtion system''¡ªin other words, when the mission starts, achieving the minor objectives given would contribute to the operation¡¯s contribution score. Before mission deployment, users could choose from various operational objectives categorized by difficulty, and as this umted, once 100% was achieved, the Sunrise operation would be cleared. Perhaps that¡¯s why this mission no longer carried the word ''incursion'' that implied invasion. "¡­It feels like a kind of infinitepetitive content." At this point, it might seem like a system that favored only those with lots of time, but the reality was a bit different. Fallen. To prevent those who would monopolize the mission by sinking time into it, if one wanted, they could be deployed as a hidden traitor operator to hinder the operations of the leading users. In short, it was a localized war where cooperation and PVP could freely mix. The moment I read that far, everyone was in an uproar. They might pretend otherwise, but they must be thrilled to hinder Yujin. ''If they can catch her, who knows¡­.'' Having seen that guy¡¯s battles up close, I could only think that way. Yujin and her acquaintances¡­ no, stop here. I didn¡¯t particrly want to see a Fallen operator being allowed to engage in closebat and having their head taken off. In any case, I¡¯d decide to help when Yujin returned. Thinking that way, Harmony naturally turned on not the Dark Zone¡ªbut another game. "Okay, everyone. If we jump straight into the Dark Zone, it might give your heart a fright. Just like when swimming, we should wet our bodies before going in, so before starting a great game, let¡¯s warm up a bit with a bad game. You all understand, right?" -?????????? -What, are you not ying Dark Zone????? -The neers look so confused already, haha. -Ah¡­ this is what¡¯s called a ''bad game.'' You neers are seeing it for the first time. -Are you trying to set an example after a long time? Are you trying to set an example after a long time? Are you trying to set an example after a long time? Are you trying to set an example after a long time? Are you trying to set an example after a long time? -What the hell are you talking about, haha. Of course, it was an excuse that didn¡¯t hold any weight, but the uproar of the viewers didn¡¯t reach Harmony. That day, the Cat Stream yed a bizarre game where a farmer who fell into hell was catching demons for about an hour and a half before finally entering the Dark Zone. It was an ordinary day. Meanwhile, "¡­Isn¡¯t this an interrogation room?" "Just think of it as borrowing a favor for a moment, our youngest." Yujin was taken to the top-secret facility in the basement of HQ. "I feel like a traitor even though I didn¡¯t betray anyone." "Would you like me to stay with you?" "Can you stop following me around, geez." Central Park underground. It had been a long time since I came here, and this was the first time for something like this. The stern security facility reminded me of ADX Florence prison¡ªI only remembered that this was usually where captured Fallen were interrogated. The Dagger Team was always busy, so I never had the time toe to a ce like this. In any case, there were quite a few former Fallen agents locked up nearby, and while I was also trapped in a facility like that, obviously, the treatment was on a different level. I wasn¡¯t here because I had betrayed Icarus. Specifically, it was more about preventing the various facts that shook the foundation of the world from leaking out, discovered beneath the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt. "It¡¯s funny how they hastily drilled a hole for my tail." "It¡¯s a temporary measure. They said they would bring food that¡¯s as tasty as possible, so just hang in there, Yujin." "Logan didn¡¯t use to be like this; he suddenly became so amiable." "If you¡¯d rather I stay quiet, I can do that." "Oh, that¡¯s not it¡­." The image transformation of these two was quite burdensome. In any case, as I mentioned earlier, the traitorous operators were wearing something simr to restraining suits, or those with lesser offenses had their hands cuffed and were apanied by armed guards during interrogations, but I wouldn¡¯t have such treatment. Of course, even if they did put handcuffs on me, I could break them with a little twist of my wrist. Opposite me sat Logan and Lorentina. The room was equipped with a thorough soundproof system,pletely blocking sounds from the outside. Logan skimmed a paper that seemed to have questions written on it, frowning as he ripped it up and tossed it in the trash. "They¡¯re trying to use this opportunity to boss you around as an operator again¡­ You¡¯ve had enough time to rest." "That makes me feel a bit weird to hear." "That¡¯s the norm."@@novelbin@@ Perhaps that was true. Anyway, the reason these two were here was to understand precisely what had happened at the time¡ªbut honestly, that was only for show. They had no intention of getting proper answers from me, and I felt the same. Given the circumstances. It was more likely that we would just pass the time appropriately, keeping our mouths shut. If the higher-ups tried to dig up more information, those two mysterious individuals who had brought me here would likely reassure me, saying not to worry as they ''touched the data center a little.'' So even though they said it was interrogation time, the two of them had genuinely warm expressions as they added. "Is there any snack you¡¯d like to eat?" "¡­." I felt like a child being overly protected. In any case, aside from that, it was time to properly discuss the synchronization of world lines¡ªhow I came to be here and how I would help this world line in the future¡­ though I didn¡¯t say a word about the Dark Zone. After all, a game created based on a world where people were dying. In my original world, it was merely an entertainment element, but if the people here heard about it, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if their anger erupted immediately. Thus, my exnation became somewhat vague, but after applying what I had said about how I crossed over to this world, I was able to convey what kind of situation awaited them. In summary¡ª "I¡¯m saying that I won¡¯t die no matter what happens from now on." And naturally, they were the happiest to hear that. When I told them I coulde back to hang out again after returning, their smiles were ear to ear¡ªit was literally like seeing two people for the first time. Understanding that a person they thought was dead hade back to life was not something they could fathom. However, it was still too early for them to be entirely happy. Before long, the time woulde when everyone, including the Dagger Team, would not need to stand on the battlefield. If the timing was right, perhaps right about now¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Crackle! At the same time, amunication connection sound echoed in the air. It was the voice of the squad leader, Serkins, that I hadn¡¯t heard in a while. Though urgent, there was somehow a tone that indicated everything was okay, echoing through the room. "Uh¡­ Logan and Lorentina, I¡¯m rying this. Currently in Los Angeles¡­ unidentified entities are roaming and engaging inbat with enemy forces. The Icarus West Branch is working to assess the situation as much as possible, but nothing has been revealed, so don¡¯t ask for details. I¡¯ll ry additional information as soon as it¡¯s determined. End of transmission." Looking at the two of them, who wore expressions that seemed to grasp nothing, I couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. I was prepared for this. "It¡¯s time to put down the guns." The moment was approaching to put an exmation point on the kill count of the Dagger Team, which had been running breathlessly. It was the moment when gray areas spread across the map. Chapter 313 -[ISO: To all operators currently deployed in Los Angeles, this message is transmitted uniformly. All operations are to be suspended and return to base. From this moment, the phenomenon and its derivative entities will be referred to as ''Shadows.'' All deployments in Los Angeles are suspended until the situation is urately assessed. Repeat¡­] From San Clemente to Dana Point, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and Lake Forest. Santa Ana and Orange, Huntington Beach and Anaheim, and Long Beach. The small area of the holographic map, which was little known in the lower satellite cities of Los Angeles, turnedpletely gray, dyed in red. The blue area, indicating the Icarus operators, shrank to nothing in seconds, covered by gray instead of red. A UAV cutting through the sky was scouting the surroundings in real-time. On the gray background was a ck question mark. Slowly but steadily, the shadows were encroaching on the lower parts of Los Angeles. The number of shadows roaming within that area easily surpassed a thousand. "¡­What the hell." I had never seen anything like it before, and the sight was indeed bizarre. All of them wore masks that obscured their faces, and it was as if their limbs were disintegrating like ash, disappearing and reappearing gradually, reminiscent of an army of necromancers raising dead bodies to move again. However, they moved skillfully, shooting and using skills just like they were alive. It was almost natural for the cartels, Chinese troops, and Western Russian forces that filled Los Angeles to begin feeling fear toward this strange army. Since the battles had begun in the surrounding satellite cities before fully entering the metropolis, wherever they set foot became integrated under the name of the United States. Thus, Lorentina, Logan, and I watched the situation in Los Angeles as transmitted by the UAV, saying nothing. "¡­." Of course, aside from what those two might think of the situation, I was quite satisfied with the appearance of this quasi-undead army. The design was something decided in consultation with those two who sent me back before I crossed over to this ce. The image of turning to dust and disappearing without a trace upon death, only to be regeneratedter, was fitting for a mineral and inhuman form. And there was another reason for the uniformity in design. ''¡­It¡¯s strange how the Dark Zone has so many shy avatars and essories.'' If we just deployed them, there would be avatars with dog or cat ears on their heads or behinds, or female avatars meticulously sculpted with unnecessary detail participating in the operations. Additionally, many of them had recently bought bundles released as a celebration for winning the final championship. Moreover, that wasn¡¯t the end. While I usually didn¡¯t use things like gun skins, the Dark Zone operated on subscription and such weapon skin bundles, making itmon to see a multitude of yers with excessively colorful gun skins. I could exin each one, but there was no need for that¡ªput simply, the appearance of those deployed in Los Angeles had its reasons. Suddenly, Lorentina and Logan turned their heads. Naturally, the direction was towards me. Was it a look demanding an exnation? Well, it was somewhat simr. The two of them were staring at me, and it was definitely not in a bad way. Rather, a mixture of emotion was proving that my thoughts were not incorrect. It was almost a given. Not only was I alive, but I was also alleviating the burdens of Icarus. Right now, it was more of a sense of unreality than joy, but perhaps soon enough, they would realize how joyous this was. The ability to carry out operations without worrying about casualties was essentially a cheat. And they were intelligent enough to notice that fact within mere seconds. Of course, I hadn¡¯t expected that they would hug me again, squeezing me tightly. "Ugh¡­!" "Our youngest, really¡­." Maybe I was just being foolish. As the hugs ended, an unexpected contact followed. What it was turned out to be a real-time video call request from the Dagger Team in Los Angeles. I quietly observed, not knowing what was going on, and the conversation began without me. "By now, both of you have probably heard the news from Los Angeles. As you can see, the operational area haspletely copsed. The Western Branch is still deliberating whether to return you two, so there¡¯s nothing to see, but just rest there." "If it were bustling New York, maybe, but what do you mean to rest in a neighborhood filled with these giant coffins?" "If you can¡¯t hear gunfire, that¡¯s your rest." Owens, and Chester visible beyond him. They weren¡¯t strangers I hadn¡¯t seen in a while, but they were certainly familiar faces I hadn¡¯t seen for quite some time. I thought about greeting them, but as it seemed that these two were not giving me any voice in the matter, I stayed quiet, and the conversation gradually shifted to another direction. Perhaps it was only natural, but it was a discussion about me. I had exined this once before, but the reason those two flew from Los Angeles to New York was simple¡ªthey had discovered an echo I had left behind when the passage of the copsed Indian Point Nuclear Power nt was fully opened. I heard that since then, they had found the second echo I left behind and the broken ballistic shield. In short, they had flown thousands of kilometers to recover a possible corpse and verify the traces I had left behind. And of course, it was impossible for them not to be curious about that. "Seeing that the location is pinpointed at Central Park HQ, it seems the incident at the power nt has been wrapped up. Were there any significant findings?" "¡­Yes, well. A few additional discoveries." At the same time, the second echo was sent along with images of the broken shield and my bloodstains. The atmosphere darkened in an instant. As I looked at it with a strange expression, after a brief silence, someone spoke up. "¡­What about the youngest¡¯s traces?" "Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t find any further traces beyond that¡­ not even a body." But at that moment, the two who had lowered their heads raised them again. There were bright smiles on their faces. The holographic cam turned to shine on me. Lorentina added in a tone that conveyed she wasn¡¯t lying. "Because there was no body." A moment of eye contact followed. As I exchanged nces with the remaining seven members of the Dagger Team in Los Angeles, a fleeting silence passed¡ª "Oh, no¡ª" Thud. Rapier, the only female member of the Dagger Team, clutched her head and fainted on the spot, while I added with a confused expression, unsure how to respond. "Uh, um¡­ Staff Sergeant Yujin from Task Force Dagger has returned from the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt." What could I say? I realized for the first time that it was possible for a face to show both joy at returning and a desire to genuinely smack myself on the head at the same time. In any case, I was finally able to officially return to my second home. It was indeed a cold New York, but today, it felt truly warm. ©¤©¤©¤Tatata! "Ugh, how many Fallen are there! Why are they only targeting us?" "If Mina quickly grabs Yujin and pulls her over¡­!" "Do you think that¡¯s even possible!?" Of course, Harmony and Dice were struggling to push through the onught of sniper-like fire. It was an ordinary day. The Dark Zone¡¯s America did not have the same size as real America. The small and medium-sized cities facing the metropolises were called small cities, but they were essentially areas densely packed with detached houses, and such ces practically didn¡¯t need to exist in the game¡ªnaturally, they had been reduced and deleted, and their area shrank. But conversely, this meant that the existing buildings existed for a reason¡ªmost of those ces were usually upied by enemies. This was natural since the Icarus operators, corresponding to our side, took on the role of attackers in Operation Sunrise. As the Sunrise operationmenced, users eligible to participate felt just how intense and horrific the CQB in the metropolitan areas could be in terms of engagement efficiency. Among those were Harmony and Dice. -[Mission Objective: Reim the outlets in San Clemente.] "This isn¡¯t going to be easy¡­!" There were valid reasons why decent buildings stood. Most of them had be enemy outposts, and even if that wasn¡¯t the case, viewers participating as traitor operators or general users would obstruct them by either infiltrating or barging in. Thus, the recovery was progressing more sluggishly than expected. The percentage was increasing, but not at a fast pace. ording to the mission data being updated in real-time through countless tries, high schools andmon shoppingplexes were abundant with high-risk and high-value targets. Therefore, the basic stance established in just one day was as follows¡ªcarry out the simplest objectives and upation missions to gain as many buffs as possible, and cooperate to reim the major target points to receive various support before moving on to the next area. That was the most efficient conclusion that almost everyone agreed upon. Of course, those two had never been among the "almost everyone." "Throw a thermite, thermite! It¡¯ll buy us time!" "Ugh, it¡¯s overwhelming¡­!" Crackle! mes surged from Harmony¡¯s hand. The fire igniting from the end of the stick was closer to white than yellow. While Dice attracted the attention of the heavily armored enemy charging forward with a machine gun, Harmony stabbed the thermite rod into the back of the enemy with thousands of degrees of intense heat. With a bizarre groan, the armor melted and burned. However, that was just for a moment; as the contact point disintegrated and melted away, the high-value target copsed with its eyes rolling back. But that wasn¡¯t the end. As soon as they dealt with the machine-gun-wielding enemy, three heavily armored soldiers with shields appeared from the left, shooting their pistols. But Dice, not flustered at all, pulled the pins from two grenades and quickly calcted the cooking time in his head before throwing them to the ground. The grenades, flowing through the gaps in the shields, didn¡¯t take long to explode behind the enemies. With a thunderous roar, the shockwave rattled everything around. The enemies fell to the ground, and Harmony swiftly grabbed the machine gun the heavily armored soldier had been holding and began firing at their heads. ©¤©¤©¤Tatata! "Ugh¡­!" As the three whose heads had turned to mush fell to the ground, Harmony and Dice skillfully exchanged magazines, preparing for the next engagement. While sighing andining, they were getting ready for the next one. At this point, their motto was always that the enemies could bring at least two to three, or even four or more, in terms of firepower, and the missions were indeed proceeding that way. Of course, it was because two people were pushing a mission that would normally require ten. "Ugh, I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind. Are you okay?" "I¡¯m fine. What about you, Dice?" "I¡¯m still good. It¡¯s not even half done yet; I can¡¯t just go back to the lobby!" As he said. The building was indeed unnecessarily huge. Furthermore, having fewer people in a party meant that one person had to take on many more tasks. And that wasn¡¯t the only issue. -[Alert: Fallen operators detected.] "I figured that would happen." Their enemies weren¡¯t just the Russian army, Chinese army, and the cartels. This was a deadly disadvantage for a broadcaster. Normally, the Fallen insertion system, which served as a legitimate means to restrain those who excessively invested time to get ahead, could lead directly to sniping. Of course, while the frequency of certified streamers being targeted for sniping had been drastically reduced, it wasn¡¯t something that could be easily alleviated from the perspective of those who were on the receiving end. In the end, the only solution was to ovee it. The expressions of the two changed in an instant. Their eyes seemed to reflect a determination to engage inbat and risk everything for victory. Kiiiing! A pulse swept through the space. There were four enemies. At a nce, it seemed that each one should be dealt with two, but in reality, that was the assumption of the viewers. Harmony and Dice quickly exchanged nces, marking the user who seemed most troublesome or would be easier to deal with simultaneously. The moment one of the four Fallen operators glowed with a more distinct outline, the two retreated to avoid the iing bullets and immediately devised a n. "What¡¯s our approach?" "First, let¡¯s check their skill sets." The skill sets between Fallen operators and general users differed. This was adjusted in real-time through a numericalparison of both sides. In the current situation, Harmony and Dice¡¯s party was clearly at a numerical disadvantage, so the Fallen operators had fewer skills avable. Fortunately, the three they had just killed had been wielding ballistic shields. As Dice picked one up to form a front line and slowly retreated, Harmony fired sharp suppressive shots from behind, quickly identifying the enemy¡¯s skills. They had sticky bombs, seeker mines, pulses, and foam grenades. The moment she grasped that much, Harmony switched the marked user to the operator wielding the foam grenade. Dice, despite the iing bullets, followed suit with that decision. And how long had it been? -Bang! "Ugh!" The moment the enemy held the foam grenade in hand, Harmony rapidly switched her controls to full-auto and focused fire. While the shield negated damage to HP, the shock was still effective, and the activated grenade detonated from their abdomen, encasing one Fallen operator in polyurethane foam. There was no reason to let that opportunity slip. With a thud, Dice ced the shield on the ground and set his machine gun atop it, unloading a full-auto barrage as the polyurethane foam shattered into thousands of pieces. The fate of the trapped enemy went without saying. Thus, four had been reduced to three. Only two seconds had passed, and they couldn¡¯t even react. Of course, the fates of the others would have been simr. -Crack! "I was trying not to bring this out¡­." -???????????? -What the hell, haha. -I¡¯m feeling dizzy, really, haha. -Huh? Why is thepositioning out of the bag, haha. -Harmony, are you really insane!?!?!?!?!?!?!? At that moment, Harmony pulled out a stick of explosive from her tactical bag. The Fallen operators instinctively sensed that their end wouldn¡¯t befortable. How long had it been? The two of them, lying on the debris of the building without a trace, conversed in dying voices. "¡­Hurry up and bring Yujin, I¡¯m dying here¡­."@@novelbin@@ "I would have brought her already if I could¡­?" The withdrawal symptoms of Yujin. It was something that even those who were one step closer to Yujin couldn¡¯t escape. It was winter. Chapter 314 "Why does it feel like it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve been bathed in natural light¡­?" "That¡¯s how the world works. You¡¯ve seen the upper brass making a fuss plenty of times, haven¡¯t you?" Two dayster. Finally, I was able to leave the interrogation room located over a hundred meters underground in Central Park HQ, legally. In truth, I hadn¡¯t done much of anything. It was just that I hadn¡¯t received any sunlight, as I could use the entire underground facility. The ce I had been staying for two days was both an interrogation facility and a detention center. As I had mentioned before, it was where they interrogated Fallen and high-ranking personnel from various factions to extract information. Naturally, the prisoners wore in clothes resembling prison uniforms, and meals were automatically delivered at set times. Of course, as I said, that didn¡¯t apply to me. I had heard that those detained were literally locked in clean solitary cells with nothing to do, but I was rather distracted by the constant visits from Lorentina and Logan. Still, perhaps because of that, we had plenty of conversations. They asked me what I had been up to, what they had done while I was gone, and what I had been doing since returning to my original world¡­ The questions were all simr, but ultimately, those two were simply curious about those things. After spending two days there, the two of them, who hade to visit me since early morning, finally said that I no longer needed to stay here and gave me permission to leave. The result was this: the cold winter wind of New York weed me. The sky was unnecessarily bright, and the tall buildings, which blocked the sky, still stood firm in their ces. The facilities, not much different from before, greeted me. The sturdy buildings and the facilities that delved deep underground. Above ground were several support offices where people worked tirelessly day and night to support the operational operators in the field. If I turned my head to the side, there was a massive fourne road leading to the underground facility. That ce was where all the technological prowess of Central Park HQ and Icarus converged. In simple terms, it was a massive underground space, the size of an aircraft carrier, capable of various tactical training. Naturally, there were lodging and convenience facilities that could amodate tens of thousands of people. "There really isn¡¯t much that¡¯s changed here." This was the ce where I had burned one-fifth of my life. The memories were too rough to be simplybeled as such, but at the same time, precious memories coexisted that I couldn¡¯t erase from my mind. New York, where it felt like I could reach out and touch it but could no longer approach recklessly¡ªthe remnants of my past. Perhaps now was the time to let go of this ce. But if I were to look back at the past, the past would also look back at me. A truck loaded with boxes of apples suddenly stopped nearby, rolled down its window, and looked my way¡ªnaturally, it was someone all the members of the Dagger Team knew, and we unexpectedly received a box of apples. With nowhere to put it, I rolled the box up with my tail, but it went without saying that this was the prelude to attracting attention. "My goodness. I thought you were dead." "Ah, it just happened that way¡­." The second person I met was my former dedicated gunsmith. I heard that after I was dered MIA, he had been reassigned to other operators. It was only natural, but facing the world again after my disappearance was a rather peculiar feeling. Of course, before I could add anything, the two of them spoke up. "It¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s a bitte for our youngest to grab a gun again." "Haha, it doesn¡¯t matter. Tuning something that kills people isn¡¯t exactly fun. It might even be a blessing. So what¡¯s this kid doing now?" "I guess I should send her home." At that, both the gunsmith and I chuckled, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a lie. I had a lot to talk about and many conversations I wanted to share, but sadly, this wasn¡¯t the time. For now, all I had to do was let people know that I had returned. And the box of apples rolled up with my tail was certainly enough to announce that I was back. It didn¡¯t take long for people to approach after noticing my presence from afar, and the crowd gathered even more. After wandering around outside for a while, we finally made it back to the quarters. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. Knock, knock, knock! "Yes, it¡¯s open. Come in¡­ Oh my, Richard!" "I should be the one surprised, but it seems the parties involved are the ones more astonished." It was Richard Barrio, a former Icarus operator now serving in the headquarters due to injury, previously belonging to Task Force Laser. Certainly, it felt like I was meeting many people from my past today. Swallowing the apple that Logan and Lorentina had been sharing, I responded. He hade in wearing simpler yet neat clothing instead of gear, as if he had just finished working. I wondered what was going on, so I brought over a chair, and as soon as he sat down, heunched right into the conversation. "Let¡¯s get straight to the point. All seven members of Task Force Dagger areing to New York. They should be passing through the Midwest right about now." "¡­Has the situation in Los Angeles improved that much?" "Not really; it¡¯s pretty much the same as a few days ago. The third faction continues to expand, and the enemies flooding into Los Angeles are being swept away helplessly. For now, we¡¯re just observing the situation¡­." At the same time, he unfolded something in the air. A holographic electronic certificate. However, the elegant signature and eagle emblem beneath it, along with the text at the top of the document, made its weight heavier than anything else in this world. This afternoon at 7 PM, all members of Task Force Dagger are to gather at the Central Park main hall. It was a presidential order. "¡­There¡¯s amand that must be conveyed." "That roon, what is he up to this time¡­." A chuckle escaped. It was quite bold to refer to the president as a roon in front of someone who had brought a presidential order, but no one there aside from me seemed to care. After all, that guy was probably the hardest-working person in the U.S. right now. In any case, the news that the Dagger Team was crossing over to New York was quite exciting. After all, it meant all ten members were gathering together after such a long time. However, the next part of the message was somewhat troublesome. "You¡¯re to wear your dress uniforms. I figured you¡¯d understand what that means with this hint¡­ Ah, my bad." In that moment, a few nces exchanged between us. For some reason, everyone except me seemed to turn somber. And I quickly realized why. "¡­It seems our youngest will need to get her dress uniform adjusted." In other words, it meant that my dress uniform had been reduced to ashes along with my personal belongings at my funeral. I couldn¡¯t even count how many times I had let out a wryugh today. The three of them, with expressions that didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, were just an added bonus. Somehow, I felt I was beginning to understand why resurrection was a thing that shouldn¡¯t happen at a funeral. The world was truly a strange ce. "Mr. President, Task Force Dagger is expected tond at JFK Military Airport in 30 minutes. The medals are also being kept at my location." "Understood." As he gazed at the gradually darkening outside, he opened his mouth. "Recently, God has advised me many times that instead of regretting, I should rather act in advance." "Is that so?" "Since an agent hase back to life under God¡¯s protection, there¡¯s no reason to hesitate any longer." Dressed neatly in a tie, he exited the office. A medal ceremony awaited him. "It might be a bit different in size, but no matter how hard I look, they say there are no women''s dress uniforms. Since I had to rush to get the decorations and rank insignia, just wear it for an hour or so." "Ugh, the chest part is too¡­!" "I go through this every time I wear a uniform, so just bear with it a little." The Medal of Honor, known in Korean as "?? ??." With only ten minutes left until the ceremony, Lorentina banged on the door as if it were a mere formality. As the door opened, she threw a ck outfit at me. It was pure ck. Of course, the right chest area was filled with insignia. I realized that more than two-thirds were mission participation insignia. I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the shapes of the insignia, but thanks to Icarus Gear kindly exining each one, I could understand. Of course, there were many other insignias as well. All kinds of service medals, cross medals of honor, silver medals¡­ Counting them one by one was overwhelming¡ªbut at the very top of all the insignias, on a sky-blue background, were five stars. The Medal of Honor. "¡­This." I couldn¡¯t help butugh wryly, wondering if anyone could receive the Medal of Honor twice in their lifetime. Anyway, I put the dress uniform over my dress shirt. Strangely enough, this uniform had the effect of reducing my lung capacity as soon as I put it on. In other words, it was absurdly small. If I inhaled and strained, all the buttons might pop off, so I had to be careful. Of course, Logan and Lorentina, who had alsoe in wearing their uniforms, were in a simr situation. In any case, it was fortunate that both of them looked quite nice since they were both original models. Meanwhile, a long trapezoidal piece of fabric fell to the floor, and when I wondered what it was, it turned out to be a skirt made for me. It was a style that wrapped around the waist and secured with a button on one side, threading my tail through the hole at the back, then fastening the button on the bottom. Logan, watching that, threw in ament. "Damn it, I should¡¯ve asked them to adjust the rear part too." "What¡¯s the issue?" "The back part is loose!" And as he said, something that looked more like a white cotton ball than a tail was awkwardly stuck inside the skirt. It looked rather ufortable. Moreover, it was really hard to adjust to seeing these former men wearing skirts. It was quite maddening. But what could I do? I had to wear it because I was told to. I couldn¡¯t ask for pants at this point¡­ Though I would certainly make sure to ask for pantster for these two. I hurriedly dashed outside. The sky was dark, but the base was bright. Since there hadn¡¯t been any enemies within a 10km radius, I had ignored my dder. Of course, if they hung a satellite above the enemy state, I wouldn¡¯t have any arguments, but they¡¯d figure that out on their own. As the air dome blocked the cold wind from outside, the surroundings were filled with lights. I had heard that there would be a total of ten recipients of the Medal of Honor today. In other words, it was the entire Dagger Team. I soon weed the Dagger Team members whom I had greeted a short while ago. It was naturally a structure that allowed for greetings again since ten people would line up side by side and go up to the podium. All of them, excluding me, had quite impressive careers. Some had even participated in operations against ISIL, so it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say they were decorated. Of course, it seemed they weren¡¯t particrly interested in such things. "By the way, is this your first time wearing a dress uniform? It really looks great on you. You could be a cover model for a defense magazine." "Surkins, please. The expressions on her face are getting worse by the second." "Anyway, you all look like such manly men; it must be hard for you since the sizes don¡¯t fit." Surkins, Morgan, and Rapier¡­ Their lineup was dazzling. After warmly exchanging greetings with them, I sat down and looked straight ahead. With the people working at Central Park HQ and refugees filling thousands of seats to watch the medal ceremony, time converged to 8 PM, and the lights that had been off illuminated the podium engraved with an eagle emblem¡ªand one person stepped forward. Henry Michael Brayton. The most unfortunate president. However, there wasn¡¯t a trace of any anguish, anxiety, or psychological pain on his face. Perhaps he was the president who had gone through the hardest times, but he might not be recorded as the president who struggled the most with his duties. "Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests. Today, let us offer a prayer to honor the courage of those who fought valiantly for the nation." With an opening greeting no different from the one when I received the Medal of Honor in New York not long ago, the ceremony began the moment 8 PM struck, without a single dy. The Medal of Honor. This country, founded by soldiers, became powerful through its soldiers, and thus became the strongest nation in the world. The highest honor a country can bestow upon a soldier is that. As proof, Henry repeatedly mentioned the honor during his opening speech, discussing the value of the Medal of Honor and the actions of those deserving of it. Operation North Spears, Torch, Steel Rain, Lost Archive, Bluefield, Chariot¡­ and even smaller-scale tactical operations that weren¡¯t officially recorded. It wasn¡¯t without reason that the Dagger Team was referred to as the president¡¯s pocket knife, Icarus¡¯s vanguard, and the torchbearers of freedom. "¡­Really, how are we still alive? All of us."@@novelbin@@ A small mumble. But instead of an answer, Logan, who sat right next to me, just smiled and held my hand tightly. The warmth transmitted through the hand was trulyforting despite the winter chill. The president gestured for everyone to rise, and everyone seated stood up. However, a few seats in the front row were empty. Henry began mentioning them one by one. The names of both the living and the deceased crossed over repeatedly. The former were the chairman of the joint chiefs and the defense secretary, while thetter included the vice president and themander of USSOCOM. There was a reason for intentionally leaving those seats empty. Our gazes crossed. It was time to go up to the podium. "And now¡­ I am honored to present the Medal of Honor to all members of Task Force Dagger." The four original members, along with the additional six who had joinedter. After lining up in perfect order, the president called out each name. "Antony Owens." "It¡¯s an honor." "Christopher Lorentina." "There¡¯s not much left until we reach aplete America, Mr. President." "Logan Blemis." "It¡¯s a glorious day." And when it was my turn, Henry ced his hand on my shoulder and spoke. "Staff Sergeant Yujin Lee. Due to my oversight in dying the ceremony, you almost received a posthumous award instead of the medal. I won¡¯t dy any longer." "It¡¯s an honor." I bowed my head. Thus, with a smile, he moved on to the next. Edwin Surkins, Morgan A. Gilliam, Marcus Lampert, Susan Rapier, William Chester, Michael Kissinger¡­ The moment every name was called, everyone turned their heads to face forward. Thousands of people packed into the seats were all gazing at us. At that moment, resounding apuse erupted. Henry, with trembling hands, began cing the Medal of Honor around Owens¡¯s neck first. Next was Lorentina, then Logan¡­ and finally, it was my turn. I swallowed hard. Thankfully, I was relieved that I didn¡¯t cry during the second Medal of Honor ceremony. Instead, my heart swelled with joy, and an irresistible smile appeared on my face¡ªthough I couldn¡¯t really say I felt it yet. With each person added as the awardee, the apuse grew louder, and when all of our medals were draped around our necks, the roar of cheer was loud enough to shatter eardrums. As the event neared its conclusion, Henry stepped up to the podium to deliver his closing remarks. "Today, we have gathered for this precious asion to honor the courage of those who have fought bravely for our nation. May Task Force Dagger be forever remembered in the hall of heroes, and may their leadership and legacy resonate with future generations. May freedom, honor, and the blessings of God be with you all always. I would like to once again thank everyone who has attended today¡¯s Medal of Honor ceremony and assure you that I will not cease my dedication until America bes a livable country once again. Thank you." With cheers and blessings, we descended from the podium with medals around our necks, each one of us holding a certificate of gratitude. The thousands of stars visible beyond the air dome shone brilliantly. The winter of New York had never looked so beautiful. Chapter 315 "¡­So, what¡¯s happening in Los Angeles is all because of what the youngest did?" "That¡¯s right." At 10 PM. The sky over New York was pitch ck, and Central Park HQ was enveloped in darkness¡ªbut not everywhere. The multipurpose room in the facility''s basement was proof of that. All the members of the Dagger Team, including me, had gathered in the room, which could amodate dozens of people. And there, a bombshell named hidden facts intertwined with me had detonated. Everyone wore genuinely perplexed expressions. It was understandable. It was undoubtedly hard to believe. But this world had seen countless cases where thews of physics did not apply. Three of the ten people gathered here were the very results of that. So, there was no need for lengthy persuasion. This was partly due to the fact that everyone in the Dagger Team had a thoroughly realistic perspective. "If you say you don¡¯t believe it, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that it happened. Just knowing that the youngest is in control means we can afford to pay less attention to the situation in Los Angeles." "¡­But when did everyone start calling me ''the youngest'' instead of my name?" "Oh, is that what you¡¯re concerned about?" It wasn¡¯t that strange for them to call me that, was it? I could understand it. Perhaps it was due to a change in sentiment. Other than feeling a little bothered by it, it wasn¡¯t really a matter worth thinking deeply about. Anyway, there were quite a few reasons everyone had gathered here today, but if I had to pick one, it would be to discuss my return¡ªthough I should rify that "return" here referred to going home, not resuming my position as an operator. Of course, I had been with these people for several years, sharing all sorts of joys and sorrows while carrying out operations together. After having died once¡ªthough not truly dead¡ªand returning, it felt irresponsible to just return after receiving a medal without saying a word. So, that was it. "For that reason, the youngest will be going home tomorrow. Of course, you cane back anytime you want, so don¡¯t worry about it." "I could say that myself." "It¡¯s sometimes more effective to speak quickly in a lighter atmosphere rather than taking a serious tone for important matters." Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, it was Lorentina who first opened her mouth while I hesitated. I felt a bit flustered, but thinking about it, maybe that was indeed right. I didn¡¯t want to burden everyone with this sort of thing. And thanks to her taking the lead, the mood didn¡¯t be overly heavy. She also effectively conveyed the core point that I coulde back. And as a result¡ª "Congrattions." "Eat lots of delicious food. If you have time,e by asionally. It¡¯s been quite a while since I had fresh seafood." "Make sure to undergo decontamination before youe back." "Uh, well¡­." It was a rapid response that felt like there couldn¡¯t be anyone else in the world who understood me this easily. There was a reason for that. If I had only a one-way ticket and couldn¡¯te back anytime, it was likely this room would have turned into a sea of tears. I probably would have cried the most among them. Moreover, with the synchronization of the second world line, the time ratio between the two worlds was fixed at 1:1. Of course, this could be modified flexibly, but the extreme situation where a week passed in my original world while a year passed here wouldn¡¯t ur. Additionally, if I wanted, I could contact them through chat. To be frank, since it was just a matter of crossing through a door, it was no different from living next door. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a permanent farewell, which lightened the conversation. Perhaps because of that, "When I first heard the conclusion, I was uneasy, but it turns out this isn¡¯t so serious after all." "I¡¯m quite curious about how the youngest¡¯s house looks. Is it okay if I ask permission to visit?" "Seeing you all jabbering nonsense suggests you still have plenty of energy left, but should I propose a return to Los Angeles to the upper brass?" And then came the silence. Of course, Owens wore a small smile, as if the remark had been a joke, and taking advantage of the quiet moment, he spoke. "Yujin. You cane back when America is in good shape again. There are still bones lying around on the streets of New York that haven¡¯t been cleared yet¡­." "Come on, someone shut our squad leader up." "It¡¯s not wrong at all. There are still thousands of skeletons rolling around at ces like LaGuardia Airport." A burst ofughter erupted. Of course, since I had actually seen that scene, I had nothing much to say. The fact that I had seen far worse was well-known¡ªafter all, the time I had joined Central Park HQ was during the summer, and at that time, Manhattan was¡­ quite literally filled with the stench of decay, so much so that an oxygen mask was essential. It was so terrible that some people suffocated due to hydrogen sulfide and ammonia gas. During that period, some had gone insane or made drastic decisions¡ªthough I had been lucky enough to catch Lorentina¡¯s eye and been dragged to the shooting range instead. Still, the smell of gunpowder was much more pleasant than the stench of decay. Anyway, that was enough of the unpleasant talk. The reason for the lively atmosphere was that the day wasn¡¯t quite over yet. So, as for what that meant, Knock, knock, knock! "They¡¯ve arrived." "Let¡¯s turn on the venttor." At that moment, the door opened, and a cart rolled in¡­ carrying an rming amount of food and drinks. A portable barbecue grill machine had also been set up in the room. Since I hadn¡¯t even taken off my dress uniform and medal yet, I stared nkly at the scene, when Lorentina patted my back and added, "Take off your clothes. This is a party prepared for the youngest, so you can¡¯t just stand there." "Uh, um¡­." After a brief moment of confusion, I smiled broadly and said, "Thank you all so much!" Of course, I didn¡¯t look for a reaction. If I had heard the follow-up, my face would have turned as red as a beet. Even now, my face was heating up, so it seemed it was already toote. With a loud bang, Yujin hurriedly dashed out of the room, leaving the nine othersughing at the scene. "That¡¯s why they call her the youngest." "She¡¯s cute." The Dagger Team. There was a reason they adored Yujin so much. It was the moment when the meat party to bid farewell to the youngest began. "Ugh, get away¡­!" "Ugh¡­." The soft touch of a warm palm pressing down on my face jolted me awake. It felt like a cold breeze was boring a hole in my head, blowing directly into my brain. I was lying on the floor of a room that only had a mattress, having fallen asleep while hugging Logan. My mind was truly hazy. The air was filled with the smell of alcohol. Yet, inparison, my hangover wasn¡¯t that severe. Maybe I had be loose the moment I drank a few sses of alcohol. Not only was my arm wrapped around him, but my tail was also wrapped around his leg and waist. I hurriedly shook myself awake and stood up from the mattress. As I released my tail, Logan, who had been groaning, finally exhaled deeply and fell back into sleep. "¡­Did I keep you up?" "I could sleep even if thrown into Antarctica, so don¡¯t worry." With that, Logan fell back asleep. The room, which had been aplete mess until yesterday, was now neatly cleaned. It seemed the robots hade in while I was asleep and cleared away all the useless items. Still, a few bottles of unfinished alcohol remained. It appeared they had deemed that they didn¡¯t need to clear those away. Time had crossed over from morning to afternoon. Everyone was gradually waking up one by one. As the venttion system kicked in, the musty air inside waspletely eliminated, reced by the iing cold air from outside. It was perfect for shaking off the drowsiness of the morning. As I stared nkly at the ceiling, I felt the Icarus Gear on my left hand vibrate, sending me a message. Notification: The ''Check Before Return'' application has been installed. I smiled as I confirmed it. It seemed that I could now return home whenever I wanted without needing to contact those two. Indeed, that was correct. The method was quite simple. It worked by designating two coordinates to connect. Both could be assigned to specific doors. For instance, if I designated this room as Point Alpha and the door of my house as Point Bravo, I could step through Point Alpha and emerge at Point Bravo. Furthermore, by activating the sensor and grid functions, the Fizzler attached to the door could only disassemble specific objects. If no particr settings were applied, it would primarily disassemble harmful substances. For example, it could disassemble cancerous or aging cells that might exist in my body, or bacteria that clung to or resided within me. What incredible technology. As I sat in the chair staring at the ceiling, Chester sat down across from me. In the original world, he had fallen while rappelling during training and ended up in the hospital with a broken leg. Seeing him here like this felt truly strange. Beside him was Specter, who had also awakened at some point. She opened her mouth first to ask, "When are you going back?" "I can return whenever I want. I could even go right now if I wanted." "I see." At that remark, everyone began to stir. Even Logan, who had been sleeping, managed to understand what was happening, sitting up on the mattress and leaning against the sofa. When I saw the reason behind this, it was quite amusing. "Since the youngest probably wouldn¡¯t want to wait until the alcohol wears off in a ce like this." "Eh? What are you saying¡­." "Just be quiet." With a pop, I suddenly found myself in Lorentina¡¯s embrace. She stroked my head and added, "Make sure to visit often. I hope to invite you to the beach in Virginia this summer." "Of course. Or you coulde visit our house." "Let¡¯s consider that once America is back to normal. May God¡¯s blessing always be with you, youngest." I was released from her embrace. Next up was Logan. "I¡¯d like to ask for a proper mattress when youe back next time. I¡¯ve been having some back pain since I switched beds." "Sure, I¡¯ll bring you the best one I can find." "Just kidding. Let¡¯s meet again when we¡¯re not in a hurry." Then came Rapier. There was always a subtle fragrance of perfumeing from her embrace. "Since we can meet again, there¡¯s no need for any grand speeches. Let¡¯s meet in a better New York next time." "Absolutely." Next up were the mainstay men of the Dagger Team. Without any hesitation, they all hugged me warmly. Fortunately, since I wasn¡¯t particrly short, I could hug them without too much difficulty. Of course, what they said varied from person to person. "I hope you can bring back a decent fishing rod when youe back." "Haha, of course, that¡¯s not a problem." "Monsieur Montecristo Especial No. 2, please bring back a solid twenty boxes. A decent humidor too." "Dude, are you nning to turn your lungs into coal? With such a bad master, you¡¯d better fast and pray in front of the Icarus Gear while breaking down tar and nicotine." "Shut up." Montecristo Especial? I wondered what that was, and then realized it was a Cuban cigar. I suppose it wasn¡¯t an easy time to obtain such luxuries. I wore a look of disbelief for a moment, thenughed and nodded. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to do that. After all, if I opened my wallet, I could handle that kind of expense¡ªlikely more than enough money, to be honest. Anyway, I ended up receiving quite a few requests for various errands. Of course, everyone insisted that they would give me the money to buy them, but asking me to take bills whose serial numbers may not even match was ridiculous. So when I said I¡¯d buy everything with my own money, they all tried to dissuade me, but once I showed them my bank ount, they fell silent. Even though it was marked in won, I also disyed the dor conversion result beside it. "You¡¯re going to bring back a pile of gifts, huh? I can¡¯t wait for that." "I¡¯ll probablye back after about a week?" "Haha, I¡¯m definitely looking forward to that." Of course, those gifts would undoubtedly be trivialpared to the things thaty ahead. As I checked my text messages, I noticed that Dice and Harmony were excitedly throwing a tantrum, making things all the more urgent. Now was the time to head back to Los Angeles. "Well then, I¡¯ll be going. See you in a week." "It doesn¡¯t feel like you¡¯re going far at all. It¡¯s quite a strange feeling." Ignoring the variousments that followed from behind, I activated the application I had previouslyid out. Designating the multipurpose room door as Point Alpha and the front door of my house as Point Bravo, I clicked the activation button. Simultaneously, a hologram spread around Point Alpha as a voice echoed through the air instructing the door to open. At the same time, a Fizzler object formed above the door. After about ten seconds, all the chaos subsided. The gate formation time was 30 seconds. Carefully gripping the doorknob, I opened it. nk! "A single-family home?" "It looks cozy. The floor is all marble." "Is there anything like a morning recovery drink in the fridge? My stomach''s a bit upset from drinking yesterday." "You fools. Yujin, hurry up and go back. We''ll be blocking for you." Of course, as they caught a glimpse of my house, they each threw outments as if they were mothers-inw¡­ or like ducks quacking. I burst intoughter as I stepped through the gate. Naturally, everyone on the other side waved goodbye with smiles. Notification: Fizzler activated. Harmful substances disassembled. World line crossing confirmed. Notification: Door closed. Gate operation terminated. And then the door shut. In an instant, the silence of my house was revealed. The clock indicated that about four days had passed since I crossed into my previous world. I wondered if the time was not the same between the United States in the world I had been in and this one, as it was just afternoon in Korea. That was quite convenient. As I took off my shoes and tossed my clothes into theundry basket, I realized I had forgotten to bring back my uniform, but if necessary, I could just wash up, take a nap, and grab it againter. So, for now¡­. "Ugh." I needed to drink something sweet for my hangover. Thus, my visit with the Dagger Team ended with a hangover. It had been a delightful time. And¡ª Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR "The snake tail has appeared!" "I¡¯m back, my fix!"@@novelbin@@ The cheers of the withdrawal-suffering junkies mmed into Tricky all at once. Chapter 316 [Tricky - Yujin] [Announcement] I¡¯m back Starting the stream Right now. [All Comments][Sorted by Recent] =Wow, seriously? ?????????????????????? =Right now? ?????????????????????????????????????????? =Yujin is the epitome of a badass ???? =Did you think we wouldn¡¯t notice you starting the stream now? Get ready!!!! =Wow, really went live!!!!! Ahhhh!!!!!! =How is this even an announcement foring back? ?????????????????????????? =Honestly, never seen such shameless streaming in my life ?? ?Honestly, I love it ?So true ???? =Badass special: no lengthy exnations, just straight to streaming =The true definition of a cool person ?? =Living Point) Yujin is actually a woman ?Let¡¯s just call her a ¡°badass¡± and leave it there ?These days, a true badass apparently needs a snake tail? High standards everywhere =Yujin-Nuna cuts hereback announcement to 13 characters, unbelievable ?????????????????? =This is the kind of charisma that truly grows on you ?? Yujin: ¡°While I was gone, I thought you all would have serious trouble with the game, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it. Maybe I should consider retirement.¡± Comments -What are you even talking about ???????????????? -Teacher, please don¡¯t joke like that and keep streaming forever, okay? -I unfollowed everything except your stream, and you¡¯re talking about retirement ???????????????????? -Yujin, those are scary words to throw around so casually ??? -And that¡¯s the first thing you say? ?? 1:00 PM. It was the fifth day since I¡¯d taken a break from streaming. I decided to run the stream through Tricky using a drone cam, not VR this time. It felt like it had been ages, and considering my packed schedule while off, it probably was a fair feeling. As soon as the stream started, thousands poured in like waves. Starting at 50,000, it wasn¡¯t until we reached around 70,000 that the rate of increase finally slowed. I¡¯d noticed before, but once the numbers hit this level, it starts feeling surreal. But I had no intention of losing my pace. Yujin: ¡°Donations are disabled. I¡¯m sure you all have plenty to say, but you can share those thoughts with your family and friends. Take this time to connect with loved ones.¡± Naturally, the chat exploded withints about refusing their money, but it was like preaching to deaf ears¡ªI didn¡¯t care in the slightest. Instead, I raised my phone in front of the drone cam. It was the order receipt for two pizzas I¡¯d ced about 10 minutes ago. Ate breakfast that doubled as lunch. If anything, the first ¡°content¡± of the day could be considered a food stream. Yujin: ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve only been awake for an hour. Took a shower 30 minutes ago. So if I end up passing out from fooda, please bear with me.¡± Comments -What on earth ???????????? -This person has a knack for saying the weirdest things out of nowhere ?? -Do you really think we¡¯d stop watching if you napped? No way! -Two whole pizzas from lunch¡ªthis is a rare sight -So you¡¯re streaming without makeup? ???????????? Despite all this, there was always the chance that every calorie consumed would be burned right off by my metabolism. It wasn¡¯t just a food stream, though; the pizza hadn¡¯t even arrived yet. In the meantime, I decided to browse Tricky¡¯smunity. First, I noticed humor posts, indicated by a constantly shing ¡°N¡± icon for new uploads, but I had little interest in those. Then my gaze fell to the fan art board. Yujin: ¡°¡­Why are so many posts locked?¡±@@novelbin@@ Twenty-five posts on one page, with anywhere from 4 to 8 of them locked. Flipping to the next and following pages, it was a simr story. Different authors, most of them with high likes andments. The peculiar part? A higher frequency of locked posts from before I went to the Final Championship in the U.S. Not that I didn¡¯t have a hunch. Besides, as the owner of the Tricky board, I could view the contents of locked posts. And, as expected¡­ Yujin: ¡°Wow.¡± Comments -Oh, dear¡­ -They really made this immortal ???????????????????? -Those artists drawing the ¡°saucy¡± pics must be sweating bullets right now lol -You went right into that one ?????????????? -The tactical pockets are hrious ?????? In one drawing, I was in an extravagant bikini I¡¯d never actually worn. It was a drawing. Judging by the upload date, November ofst year, back before I¡¯d revealed my actual appearance. A little more forgivable, maybe¡ªbut I still couldn¡¯t stifle augh. How should I react to this? The quality was undeniably impressive, like they¡¯d poured their soul into it. It was hard to describe, but on a site like an art-sharing tform, it would easily rack up 10,000 bookmarks. Chat was filled with endlessughter. Yujin: ¡°You¡¯ve drawn it very well. Not that I¡¯ve ever worn a swimsuit like that.¡± Comments -Ah ???????????????? -Does this imply you¡¯ve worn something else? ?? -The art quality really is insane ?????????????? -¡°You¡¯ve drawn it well¡± (but you¡¯reing with me to the coffin) -So you¡¯ll wear it someday, right? I¡¯ll be waiting^^ As I scrolled, the top-rmendedment sat right there. ¡°The tactical pockets are a riot ?? ??????????????¡± Since I was on a roll, I decided to browse this artist¡¯s works. Swimwear was only the start¡ªthere were suits, judicial robes, even ghostly white hanbok. Of course, the pocket names changed ordingly. Yujin: ¡°Judgment pockets, fear pockets¡­ I wonder what part of the brain you¡¯re using for these terms. By the way, I¡¯m not actually this¡­ well-endowed.¡± Comments -???????????????????? -The ¡°fear pocket¡± ?????????????????????? -These terms are so absurd ???????????????????? -Stop lying, teacher; it¡¯s clearly urate Onement did catch my attention. I didn¡¯t know what size this artist had assumed, but something told me it might actually be close to reality. Just the other day, my uniform¡¯s top had nearly burst. Anyway, the art was beautiful and nice to look at, though it might feel burdensome if they kept drawing this way. Most of the locked posts followed a simr trend. Tricky¡¯s board had a lock feature, allowing users to restrict their posts to their own view. Ding-dong! Yujin: ¡°Time for fan art browsing after the pizza arrives.¡± Setting up tes for the pizza and a cup for c, I followed the rule: two slices stacked like a sandwich. Within minutes, I¡¯d polished off four pieces, feeling energy return as the calories took effect. The fan art browsing continued. Yujin: ¡°By December, all the drawings are¡­ high quality. Some really amazing ones.¡± By that time, fan art of Logan and Lorentina had started increasing, as their strong impressions left an impact. And there were numerous pieces inspired by my dramatic ys from the Final Championship. It was like pieces lifted from a feature film¡ªunexinable with my limited descriptive abilities. As I browsed through the countless drawings, one pizza vanished as if swallowed by the blink of an eye. Wiping my mouth with a napkin, I added: Yujin: ¡°Please stop emphasizing my chest in the drawings. It¡¯s too exaggerated.¡± Comments -???????????????????????? -So should we make art focusing on your hips instead? (pretending not to hear) -Look at these guys, just because you gave them an inch, now they¡¯re pushing the boundaries ?? -The local fan club isn¡¯t done yet, I see ?? -Is this the Independence Day pardon? Of course, they probably wouldn¡¯t listen, so I grabbed a tomahawk for effect. No real reason, other than the fact that the pizzas were sticking together and needed cutting¡ªthough, of course, the viewers gasped and dramatically begged for mercy. With a smirk, I added: Yujin: ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s head over to Los Angeles for a tour.¡± The time was near to clean up America. Chapter 318 Commander: ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Agent: ¡°Last night, we neutralized University High School and John Wayne Airport in Irvine. Currently, Shadows have formed a broad 25-kilometer front along Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, and Anaheim.¡± Commander: ¡°That¡¯s rapid progress. If only L.A. weren¡¯t so obscenelyrge.¡± San Diego, Miramar Military Airport, UAV Control Room The facility was quiet, save for the rapid exchanges of information and heated discussion among the few remaining personnel. San Diego was the best vantage point for observing Los Angeles via UAV, making Miramar¡¯s control room the most crucial spot in the nation¡¯s defense efforts. Each day, transport nes flew in fuel supplies for the UAVs, while convoys and escorts braved dangerous highways to keep them running. The U.S. was stretching every avable resource to the limit. The results were impressive¡ªLos Angeles¡¯ status was being updated in real-time. Analyst: ¡°Retaking a 610-square-mile area in a week would be impossible without kiloton-level nuclear missiles. It¡¯s a miracle the death count isn¡¯t rising.¡± Everyone looked up at the Icarus UI disy,beled ¡°Operation Sunrise,¡± with a counter marked ¡°Death Count.¡± Despite days into the mission, the count hadn¡¯t risen from zero. If actual U.S. forces had been deployed, they¡¯d likely need tens of thousands of body bags just to begin. Los Angeles was thergest city in the Western U.S.; securing it block by block with only conventional weapons would have been unthinkable. No one knew exactly what Shadows were, but one thing was certain¡ªthey were an invaluable asset to the U.S.@@novelbin@@ Commander: ¡°How many Shadows are active now?¡± Agent: ¡°Stable at around 100,000. They¡¯re being continuously replenished as they¡¯re expended in battle.¡± Commander: ¡°A staggering number. And they show no signs of moving further south, it seems.¡± As the UAV pilot adjusted the trajectory over Anaheim, Disnend Park came into view. With real-time CCTV hacking active, they scanned the facility. Everyone gave a wryugh. Commander: ¡°My god, it¡¯s all in mes and rubble.¡± Pilot: ¡°My dream was to take my 12-year-old daughter to Disnend. By the time it reopens, she¡¯ll probably be in her twenties.¡± Analyst: ¡°A theme park built on childhood dreams, now reduced to a battlefield. If this were a movie, I¡¯d be curious to watch it.¡± The view beyond the screen was nothing short of chaotic. The fairytale-like structures were engulfed in mes, and Russian armored vehicles were smashing through buildings left and right. RPGs shot across thendscape, sending shrapnel from shattered attractions, while Shadows with inhuman, metallic forms mounted machine guns behind cover, mowing down drug-addled Cartel soldiers. On the iconic Disney Castle, Russian machine guns were mounted, while mortars fired from behind destroyed buildings, creating a surreal scene of ck humor. Sticky bombs and thermite grenades reduced the castle¡¯s already battered appearance to shreds. Having enjoyed a moment of dark humor, Commander Powell spoke up again. Commander Powell: ¡°How long until Shadows prate the main L.A. area?¡± Analyst: ¡°Ten to fifteen days, at best. Theplexyouts of Long Beach and Torrance will slow us, and we anticipate strong resistance from LAX.¡± After a brief pause, Powell continued. Commander Powell: ¡°Is it possible that these Shadows could survive friendly fire?¡± A round of chuckles filled the room, as everyone understood Powell¡¯s hint. No one raised an objection. After a quiet confirmation, Powell directed the Chief of Staff to contact Florida, Virginia, and New York. A video screen appeared as Powell began. Commander Powell: ¡°We¡¯re nning to conduct strategic bombing on Los Angeles. I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts.¡± Not a single voice opposed the idea. Thirty minutester, Powell secured the authority tounch nearly all avable ballistic missiles. After confirming the orders, he said: Commander Powell: ¡°Just bring me coordinates that will maximize effectiveness.¡± At that moment, someone was eavesdropping on this brief conference¡ªthe Dagger Team. Lorentina: ¡°Let¡¯s reach out to the rookie. Let¡¯s rain fire from the sky.¡± Lorentina requested Yujin to provide precise enemy locations, and within ten minutes, a list of coordinates arrived. Explosions began to ripple across Los Angeles within an hour. [ISO Announcement]: This is a notice to all allied forces operating near Los Angeles. Arge-scale strategic bombing is imminent. Moving beyond the line connecting Disnend Park and Huntington State Beach may result in friendly fire. Repeat¡­ Harmony: ¡°What a spectacle. What on earth is going on?¡± Dice: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a bted fireworks season.¡± Harmony: ¡°In these cases, it¡¯s usually Yujin pulling the strings, right?¡± Yujin: ¡°Haha, you¡¯re kidding¡­¡± Harmony and Dice were getting sharper every day. It stung a bit to see them figure things out without much of a hint. My conscience wasn¡¯tpletely intact, but perhaps the triangr piece of it was still there. Meanwhile, thousands of missiles were en route to Los Angeles. Cruise missiles from SSBNs stationed in the Gulf of Mexico, the Nevada Missile Range, Fort Bliss in El Paso, and Navy bases in Virginia, among others, were followed by ballistic missiles carryingser-fusion hydrogen bombs with 1-kiloton yields. A blinding streak of light shot across the sky, descending towards its target. Then¡ª BOOM! Dice: ¡°Wow.¡± Harmony: ¡°Lots of nukes going off these days.¡± Yujin: ¡°Those are clean¡ªno radioactive fallout.¡± Comments: -Why is that even important? ?????? -This is insanity for an incursion endgame ?? -Just insane ?? -Wouldn¡¯t this wipe out all the enemies? There¡¯ll be nothing left for us! -That day, L.A. earned three skulls. It was a dazzling light show. Military bases,rge shoppingplexes, Westminster Mall, refineries, ports, cargo facilities, fortified military sites, high-rises, strategic sites like LAX, the presumed enemymand in Beverly Hills, and even the Malibu resorts¡ªall of it was obliterated. Although itcked the unique mechanics of previous operations like Bluefield or Chariot, Operation Sunrise and its strategic bombing left one message for all yers: this game¡¯s incursion scenario would stop at nothing, even bombarding its own soil, to eradicate everyst enemy. After only ten minutes of intense bombing, the yers grew impatient. yer: ¡°Are they saying we should enter L.A. today?¡± Other yer: ¡°Hey! Get in a car, now! We¡¯ll drive until we drop dead on the road!¡± With the sound of shattering windows and gunshots, yers broke into cars and sped down the roads. With 100,000 yers now surging from Anaheim and Huntington Beach, the game¡¯s tide shifted dramatically. The wave of yers swept into Long Beach, Paramount, and Santa Fe Springs, the southern fringes of Los Angeles. Of course, the bombing alone couldn¡¯t resolve everything. The Russian-Chinese-Cartel alliance still had around 500,000 troops, and even with their morale shattered, scattered enemy units filled the L.A. area. Allied operators faced toon to battalion-sized enemy groups repeatedly at key intersections and highways. Among those units was Yujin and her team. Yujin: ¡°Enemy ahead. I¡¯m stopping the car.¡± Dice: ¡°Deploying foam chem. Temporary defense line established!¡± Harmony: ¡°I¡¯llunch the drones. Hold your positions.¡± A giant tangle of highways and overpasses loomed¡ªan intersection of the 5 and 91 Freeways, sprawling in seven oveppingyers. Yujin hit the brakes as Dice loaded a foam chem into a chemicaluncher, spraying it under nearby vehicles to create cover. Yujin and Dice aimed forward, firing as Harmony deployed drones to scan the area. It was chaos. Enemies boldly fired down from the top overpasses. Harmony: ¡°This position is awkward.¡± Dice: ¡°They have the high ground advantage!¡± Yujin: ¡°I¡¯ll hold the line with a ballistic shield. Let¡¯s prioritize targets, especially those with anti-tank weapons.¡± Dice nodded, as Yujin raised her shield with one hand, fired her machine gun with the other, and expertly threw grenades up to the overpass. Amid the intense exchange, Harmony marked something on the UI, causing all of them to grin. Harmony: ¡°Well, now. That¡¯s an interesting n. It might just work.¡± Their n? Destroy the bridge supports to drop the enemies down to the road. Dice swapped the foam chem for nanites, Harmony set the drones to self-destruct mode, and Yujin readied thermite and sticky bombs. With their advanced Icarus operator firepower, the n was feasible. As Yujin maintained suppressive fire until her barrel glowed red, she ced thermite on the left support pir while Harmony approached the right with a drone. BOOM! It was a small explosion, but the effect was significant. Thermite, sticky bombs, drones, and nanite canisters shredded the bridge¡¯s structure. The bridge went from supporting the road to barely hanging by a thread. Dice then fired four more nanite canisters at the roadblocks to copse them entirely. After a few moments¡ª Sound Effect: Crrrreeeeeak! Enemy Soldier: ¡°An earthquake?!¡± Other Soldier: ¡°The bridge is copsing! Move out!¡± Tons of steel and concrete broke under gravity¡¯s pull. Dozens of soldiers and a BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle teetered on the edge before plummeting down,nding in a twisted heap. A pulse scan confirmed the damage was extensive. Yujin: ¡°Oh, all their necks are¡­¡± Harmony: ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± The remaining enemies were scattered and disoriented. Yujin and her team easily cleared out the stragglers, ncing at the makeshift cover Dice had set up but barely used. Yujin: ¡°Turns out we didn¡¯t even need that.¡± Dice: ¡°Maybe we should¡¯ve just gone with nanites from the start.¡± Comments: -You guys are crazy ?????? -Normal people would use smoke grenades and run, not blow the bridge! ?????? -Running away? Nope, annihte! -When the situation¡¯s bad, just kill everyone¡ªeasy solution! With the chat buzzing, Yujin stepped back into the car and hit the elerator. The stage was set. It was time to retake Los Angeles. Chapter 319 Yujin: ¡°Enemy machine gun post straight ahead! Throw a smoke grenade andunch the sticky bomb!¡± Harmony: ¡°Are you saving the pulse radar for soup or something? Hurry and use it!¡± Dice: ¡°Alpha 2-5 has been hit. I¡¯ll activate the defense link and hold the shield¡ªeveryone, fall back!¡± Urban warfare, also known as the nightmare of modernbat. Even with the limitless reinforcements of Icarus Operators, reiming the sprawling expanse of Los Angeles County¡ªspanning thousands of square kilometers¡ªwas a daunting task. Every building was fortified, with 10 to 30 structures heavily defended within eachpany-sized operational zone. Though 100,000 Operators seemed like arge number, they were scattered across zones, often leaving small squads or toon-sized teams to infiltrate booby-trapped areas. Operation Sunrise was designed as a grueling challenge, not something to be tackled with clever tricks alone. It was no surprise that other-world U.S. forces hesitated to set foot in Los Angeles. And if that wasn¡¯t enough: [Alert: Missile detected. Impact in 30 seconds. Missile type: OTR-21 Tochka] Operator: ¡°Missiles iing! Get out, now!¡± Harmony: ¡°What?! They¡¯re bombing us even though their own troops are still here?¡± Russian tactical surface-to-surface missiles, forward-deployed from San Jose, came into view. Though useless against the respawning Shadows, these missiles had cooldown periods. With missiles raining down indiscriminately, holes were sted along the front line. Yet, the Icarus Operators pressed on. To them, death was irrelevant, and this attack only backfired on the enemy, who found themselves fighting an immortal force. As the battle raged, urgency grew at the U.S.mand base in San Diego. Commander: ¡°Tactical ballistic missiles already? At this rate, they¡¯ll beunching nukes within a day or two. If we don¡¯t intercept them, L.A. could be leveled.¡± Strategist: ¡°Deploy more UAVs with IRST tracking. Focus on intercepting tactical missiles, and position interceptors at Santiago Peak. It¡¯s time to mobilize our standby forces.¡± Thus began a historic operation: mounting a division-level anti-aircraft force on a mountain. Engineers and emergency workers raced over 130 kilometers in a single day, leveling sections of Santiago Peak to establish a base. Anti-aircraft missiles, radar, and even container-based tactical missiles moved along California¡¯s coastline, benefiting from disrupted global infrastructure that blinded enemy reconnaissance satellites. Nothing was impossible. The steady barrage of missiles from the Russian forces only strengthened the resolve of those building the new mountain base. Observer: ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Another Observer: ¡°It¡¯s a full-on nuclear war now.¡± Observer: ¡°L.A¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡± From miles away, a mushroom cloud could be seen. A 15-kiloton tactical nuke had slipped through and detonated in Torrance, vaporizing everything within the st radius in a blinding sh. With radioactive contamination close to zero due to the Americanser-fusion hydrogen bomb technology, the sight was still devastating. Driven by the chilling knowledge that every dy meant more ttened city blocks, engineers worked at a pace only matched by the pulse of caffeine tablets. Three dayster, theypleted the base on Santiago Peak. yer: ¡°Wait¡­ they¡¯re moving on their own to build a mountain base?¡± yer 2: ¡°No wonder the missiles have been fewertely. Are they intercepting all of them?¡± yer 3: ¡°So, in other words¡­¡± The oue was clear. yer: ¡°I¡¯m going to be the first to set foot in L.A.!¡± Another yer: ¡°Drive! Floor it! I don¡¯t care if the tires blow; just ram through!¡± The full-scale assault on Los Angeles had begun. Suddenly, everything shook violently, and with an ear-splitting roar, the vehicle lifted off the ground, sending its upants into the air. Time seemed to stretch as they tumbled back down, the car flipping on impact. A Russian-fired RPG had exploded mere meters away, flipping the vehicle and sending it crashing to the ground. Dizzy and shaken, the three upants finally felt the calm after the storm. With the car half-turned, the right door pointed to the sky. Amid the chaos, someone called urgently. Harmony: ¡°Wake up! Harmony!¡± Yujin: ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She woke to see Yujin tapping her cheek with her tail. Yujin then used abat knife to slice through the seatbelt and kicked out the broken door. Yujin: ¡°Pull yourself together. It¡¯s time to move.¡± Harmony: ¡°Got it.¡± Yujin: ¡°Dice too.¡± As they exited, a missile struck a nearby building, sending chunks of concrete raining down. Dust filled the air, and in the haze, they caught a glimpse of the chaotic ruins of Los Angeles. [Objective: Destroy the jammer-equippedmunication facility.] The team didn¡¯t have to pursue this objective, but it was unlikely they¡¯d choose the easy way out. Dice: ¡°Lucky the car was wrecked before this. The roads seemed oddly intact for the past few days¡­¡± Yujin: ¡°Which means now it begins. Let¡¯s go.¡± Every step deeper into L.A.¡¯s core revealed crumbling barricades, destroyed vehicles, mounds of rubble, and barely standing roads. The city was a wastnd, littered with barricades and broken streets that forced yers to rely solely on their skills. It reminded Yujin of her first encounter with the Dark Zone¡ªa day long ago when she¡¯d first entered a dead New York, armed only with a single pistol, facing gangsters with little more than a desperate grip. Memories of the past met the present, and instinctively, she loaded her magazine, each action smooth and reflexive. Taking aim, she squeezed the trigger. With a gunshot, one enemy dropped. Countless others lurked nearby. Adjusting her aim, she fired another round, then another, dropping her target like a puppet with its strings cut. With a natural ease, Yujin¡¯s team cut through the mass of enemies, paving their way to the Ritz-Carlton Residence. Dice: ¡°Look out! They¡¯re shooting from there!¡± Harmony: ¡°Of all ces, they¡¯ve set up on the tallest building around here. That¡¯s going to be a problem¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just the machine gun fire. A mortar thumped, sending a distant rumble through the air before detonating nearby. The enemy¡¯s precision was telling; they had mapped the area and zeroed in on the terrain. Harmony: ¡°Yujin! We should get out of here!¡± A mortar exploded in midair. Viewers watched, confused, as Yujin said nothing. But Dice and Harmony were stunned¡ªshe had shot down a mortar shell with pinpoint uracy. This wasn¡¯t a fluke; she repeated it two, three times before finally speaking. Yujin: ¡°4.2-inch caliber. Get inside a building; staying on the road is suicide!¡± The three dashed into a nearby structure. After a 30-second bombardment, they assessed the situation. From the machine gun¡¯s angle and the mortar¡¯s impact, it was clear they had avoided direct hits by retreating behind cover. Around them, however, was an ocean of enemies. They saw neither allies nor other Operators, just a swarm of foes, which could mean only one thing. Harmony: ¡°Looks like we¡¯re right in the middle of enemy territory.¡± Dice: ¡°Most likely. sting through every checkpoint has brought us deep into hostile lines.¡± Comments: -What in the world? ?????? -They always end up in trouble! -Yeah, they were charging in way too happily ?? -If it were anyone else, we¡¯d be worried, but with these three? No idea who¡¯ll win ?? As the chat went wild, the ominous sound of a tactical missile echoed. Even from within the building, the sound was unmistakable¡ªa sonic boom followed by a distant explosion. The mini-map confirmed a st 15 kilometers south. Harmony: ¡°Wonder what guides those missiles?¡± Dice: ¡°Probably a targeting system. Why do you ask?¡± Harmony: ¡°Just a thought¡­ someone must be coordinating those strikes. Could be apanymander or HQ contact?¡± Suddenly, everyone exchanged nces. Yujin: ¡°We could interrogate the nearby enemies while you guys check for their radios.¡± Dice: ¡°I¡¯ll scout the area and mark the enemy hubs for artillery strikes.¡± Yujin chuckled, shaking her head. Yujin: ¡°You¡¯re all ready to graduate at this rate.¡± No one had ns to ¡°graduate.¡± They were just getting started. Harmony: ¡°For the viewers, it¡¯s simple: remember Yujin¡¯s operation with Lorentina after the Bluefield mission.¡± They were going to turn the enemy¡¯s weapons against them. Tactical ballistic missiles required precision, and a centralizedmand in L.A. was likely providing the coordinates. If they could disrupt or confuse thatmand¡­ Harmony: ¡°Time to make the enemy rain fire on their own troops.¡± Suddenly¡ª Sound Effect: tatatatata! Dice: ¡°Take cover!¡± An enemy strike team closed in, bing prime sources of intel. Yujin signaled for non-lethal takedowns, and in unison, they struck. Seven soldiers cried out, firing aimlessly, until Yujin deployed a smoke grenade and knocked each one out cold. Taking them device from the squad leader, Yujin put it to her ear. Yujin: ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The voice on the radio replied, the trantion appearing onscreen. In a wless Russian ent, Yujin continued: Yujin: ¡°No, no problems. Returning to base in 15 minutes.¡± Comments: -Russian??? -She¡¯s wless ?????? -The voice though!! She¡¯s killing it ?? -This game is insane ?? Dice: ¡°Since when do you speak Russian?¡±@@novelbin@@ Yujin: ¡°Basic skill, of course.¡± As Yujin surveyed the scene, Harmony thought, ¡°Just what kind of person is she?¡± Months of teamwork, and yet Yujin was still an enigma, revealing newyers with every mission. Chapter 320 Dice: ¡°Marked allrge buildings along the southern stretch of the Harbor Freeway. Pulse scan shows no civilians. Fifteen fortified buildings detected, with brigade-sized enemy units. I don¡¯t get how they still have this many left.¡± Yujin: ¡°Guess they thought they couldn¡¯t afford to lose it. Let¡¯s move.¡± Darkness cloaked Los Angeles. This was yet another nighttime operation, so many now that it felt as though day and night had swapped roles in-game. Fortunately, even amid such thoughts, they didn¡¯t need to worry about getting spotted. The city, devoid of infrastructure and power, felt heavy and lifeless. Tall buildings blocked the moonlight, casting thick shadows that made even limated eyes struggle to see. Automated turrets, machine guns, and grenadeunchers dotted nearly every two or three blocks. For ordinary special forces, this would¡¯ve been near-suicidal to attempt, but they weren¡¯t ordinary. Yujin: ¡°Just mark the coordinates. Once the airstrikes hit, everything will be swept clean.¡± Even moving within five meters of the guards went unnoticed. After crossing West 11th Street and cutting eastward, they soon approached the Los Angeles River. Despite the grand name, it was hardly a river anymore¡ªjust a trickle of water along a cement floor. Their next target was northward along the river. Harmony: ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve found our ride.¡± Parked ahead was a GAZ Tigr¡ªRussia¡¯s answer to the Humvee. A handful of enemy soldiers were smoking nearby, oblivious to their surroundings. Dice grinned, pulling out two foam grenades and tossing them toward the group. With a muffled pop, the enemies became one trapped mass. Enemy: ¡°Gah, what is¡ª I can¡¯t breathe!¡± Approaching, Yujin ignited a piece of polyurethane foam with a thermite torch and showed it to them. Yujin: ¡°You have two choices: burn here or hand over your vehicle.¡± The answer was obvious. While Harmony and Dice reset the vehicle¡¯s systems, Yujin hardened the foam around their mouths to ensure they wouldn¡¯t shout. Any thought of resistance vanished when she twisted an AK-101 barrel with her bare hands. Harmony took the driver¡¯s seat, despite Dice¡¯s reluctance. Dice: ¡°Harmony driving makes me nervous.¡± Harmony: ¡°Well, unless you¡¯re volunteering¡­¡± Dice: ¡°Four years of unused license here¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ Once everyone was inside, they smashed the headlights and started the engine. The unshielded noise was part of the n¡ªthey wanted attention. As Diceunched a drone to scout, Yujin tested the mounted machine gun. She hoped she wouldn¡¯t need it, though that was unlikely. Dice: ¡°400 meters ahead, a patrol of four. Marking their position. What¡¯s the n?¡± Yujin: ¡°I¡¯ll shoot. Don¡¯t slow down. If I miss or fail to hit, run them over.¡± With thermal vision activated, Yujin pinpointed the patrol and opened fire with the 20mm chaingun. In seconds, the patrol was shredded, including a heavy-armored soldier who barely held out longer than the rest. Harmony looked like she¡¯d enjoyed the thrill of driving, but Yujin tapped her head with her tail as a reminder not to get too absorbed. There was a reason they were making so much noise. Dice: ¡°Looks like the noise is drawing attention. Enemies are gathering around keyndmarks with anti-tank missiles and tire traps.¡± Yujin: ¡°Let¡¯s stir things up more. Concentrating their defenses on key areas should thin them out elsewhere.¡± It would be impossible for the enemy to guard every corner of a sprawling metropolis like Los Angeles with only 100,000 troops. Somewhere, a weak spot would open up¡ªand that¡¯s where they¡¯d strike. Dice continued mapping enemy positions, and they soon pulled up near a cluster of defenses. They veered off the river, crossing tangled streets and taking indirect routes. Even without resistance, the drive took half an hour. But it was worth it. Yujin: ¡°There it is.¡± Northwest, a hill stood about 1.6 kilometers away, topped with argemunications tower surrounded by fortified buildings. The mass of soldiers nearby was notable. Harmony: ¡°A lot of bodies, but not necessarily fighters.¡± Yujin: ¡°Let¡¯s start by bugging that tower.¡± [Alert: Transcriptspiling collected intel.] Lurking in a patch of bushes just 100 meters from the tower, the team began piecing together intercepted transmissions. Two ballistic missiles had struck L.A. while they were away, and thanks to the bug, they had a record of themunications surrounding the strikes. It became apparent that the patrols still hadn¡¯t noticed the infiltration. Dice: ¡°You know, five patrols passed that hole in the fence Yujin made, and they still haven¡¯t noticed.¡± Harmony: ¡°They¡¯re just waiting for an evacuation order, most likely. They didn¡¯t even seem concerned, considering how often I saw them smoking.¡± Setting up the bug was simple: cut a section of fence, activate optical camouge, sneak in, climb thedder, and set it in ce. They reactivated the recorder and logged out for a while to wait out the six hours in-game. Upon returning: Yujin: ¡°Got a good read on their system.¡± Harmony: ¡°What¡¯s the process?¡± Yujin: ¡°Once coordinates and engagement data reach HQ, a panel of five officers confirms the strike, and the data is forwarded to the San Jose missile base.¡± Since they couldn¡¯t urately gauge engagements via UAVs due to the allied anti-air defenses, the enemy relied on spotter reports frommanders. Harmony: ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± Yujin: ¡°We¡¯ll capture as much data on troop distribution in L.A. as we can, both for allies and to know where to avoid during strikes.¡± Harmony and Dice, puzzled at first, soon nodded. Dice: ¡°Guess we¡¯ll need a sturdy vehicle ready.¡± Yujin: ¡°Great call.¡± The n was clear. They reprogrammed the jammer, preventing outgoing transmissions and disabling the tower¡¯s distress calls. Through the same cut in the fence, they entered the base. Yujin: ¡°Free use of weapons. Clear everything.¡± Harmony: ¡°You got it, boss.¡± Guards, even those casually smoking with their body armor off, fell without a sound. A click of a finger, and they were down, each enemy leaving their final breath on L.A.¡¯s cold ground. By the time they reached the gates, only a few defenders remained. Each gate was shut and sted to lock everyone in. After a brief firefight, the west and south gates were silent. Yujin advanced through the open first floor, knocking out panicked soldiers with precision. One soldier¡¯s keycard allowed them to ess the facility¡¯syout. After dispatching the remaining guards on the fourth floor with a few well-ced grenades, Yujin confronted the few high-ranking officials left, pulling them toward the control panels. The five needed to activate a missile strike were easily subdued. Yujin essed the database, extracting all relevant data for allied forces. Then, sitting the officers in front of the missileunch panel, she coordinated four separate strikes, timed three hours apart. Sixteen ballistic missiles, including several 1 to 10-kiloton nuclear warheads, targeted precise locations: the Ritz-Carlton Residence and their current base among them. [Alert: Strike request sent. Estimated impact in 10 minutes.] Yujin: ¡°We¡¯re done. If we¡¯re still here in ten minutes, we¡¯ll be vaporized. Hope you found a good vehicle?¡± Harmony: ¡°All ready and waiting!¡± Clearing the smoke-filled base, they descended to find Dice waving them over from themand car. The vehicle sped through the north gate and headed northeast toward Pasadena, putting 15 kilometers between them and the st site. A sh of Light A column of light struck the ground, flooding the early morning Los Angeles with blinding intensity. As a massive crater formed, Harmony gazed in awe. Harmony: ¡°Well, with this much devastation, Operation Sunrise must be close topletion.¡± Yujin: ¡°Just about.¡± Most of the cityy in ruins, much of it by their own hands. But perhaps, in time, this world¡¯s America would recover. They could only hope the destruction wasn¡¯t excessive. Comments: -¡°She nuked L.A. herself. Unbelievable.¡± -¡°Are you insane? Insane, insane, insane!¡± -¡°This is literally a nightmare!¡± -¡°Teacher, have you lost your mind???¡± Chapter 321 "Not sure whether to call this insane or just in fiery¡­" Ballistic missiles fell upon Los Angeles. What could only be described as a localized nuclear war was taking ce over one of the world¡¯s major cities, where all civilians had long been eradicated by the virus, removing any limits on the force that could be unleashed. Even the fortified structures, reinforced with concreteyers, in San Jose were vaporized under the atomic force of the Strategic Missile Corps¡¯ bombardment. Those not directly hit sumbed slowly to radiation, their numbers gradually diminishing. "San Diego, Los Angeles¡­ Next is San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Jose, huh? California¡¯s going to be shattered." "The youngest couldn¡¯t resist the big guns and finally went through with it." It was indeed a bitte to react this way. The reasoning was simple: even in Operation Chariot, several nuclear missiles had been dropped over Mexico, followed by two ICBMs in San Diego¡¯s key areas, and during the LA bombings, dozens ofser hydrogen bombs had also rained down. The threshold for nuclear weapon deployment was gradually lowering. However, even with nuclear weapons ruled out, pounding a city like LA dozens of times with conventional weapons alone wouldn¡¯t be effective¡ªa timeless truth of urban warfare since the Battle of Stalingrad. Even with ten infantry divisions¡¯ worth of Shadows deployed to LA, losses continued to mount with each sh against solid resistance, justifying the use of nuclear bombs. An immortal army could still suffer this degree of loss, and imagining the casualties if irreceable American forces were thrown in was out of the question. "When this war is over, the Chemical and Biological Warfare Corps will hold the most sway." "With that much budget and manpower, decontaminating radiation might actually be feasible." Regardless, the ballistic missile strikes deployed at precisely the right moment had broken the enemy''s backbone of resistance in Los Angeles. The result was inevitable. Theplete recapture of LA was imminent. The relentless two-day bombardment either vaporized all remaining infrastructure enabling resistance or reduced it to a simr state. The allied forces were crippled, forced to either surrender individually or attempt a desperate retreat to San Jose. Given the terrifying prospect of another round of fiery hell raining down on them, surrender was the clear choice. Thus, two dayster¡­
  • [Notification: San Bernardino, Riverside, Glendale, Pasadena, and Santa rita have been recaptured.]
  • [Notification: Operation Sunrise has been terminated.]
The operation concluded after sixteen days. The moment the massive 3,400-square-mile city recapture operation waspleted. And then¡ª "Excellent work. Now San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento¡­ Pornd and Seattle. There¡¯s not much left until theplete remation of the United States. Considering that the remaining enemy forces are concentrated in those five cities, we can safely say that the end of America¡¯s remation will mark the end of this entire ordeal." Lorentina¡ªwho hadn¡¯t logged into the game recently¡ªsaid this after receiving an update on the current situation. She was right. Thinking back, over 300,000 enemies had been cut down in San Diego and Los Angeles alone. Estimating thebined forces of China, Russia, and the Cartel to be around 1.5 million, even a low estimate would mean that roughly one out of every four or five soldiers had been killed. It wouldn¡¯t be inurate to say they were nearly wiped out. If San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento could be subdued quickly, reiming Canada and ska afterward would be easy. And advancing into maind Russia and China would be met with almost no resistance. Whether that was feasible or not was another question. As we continued the video call, Lorentinay back, casually ncing over the map of the U.S. "Whether it¡¯s this world or that world, the next mission won¡¯t be far off. Perhaps preparations are underway as we speak. They might be gathering reconnaissance data¡­" "Pardon?" "It¡¯s a logical conclusion. Try to work it out yourself." Silence followed. Though she could have exined, she chose not to, prompting me to close my mouth and mentally piece together the puzzle. The key was figuring out why Lorentina phrased it that way. The next mission would be to reim San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento. In the other world¡ªwhere I¡¯d spent four years and eight months¡ªit was almost certain they wouldn¡¯t deploy American forces directly this time, given the nature of urban warfare. But that didn¡¯t mean the next operation would be dyed. In Operation Sunrise, the American forces had suffered no losses since the Shadows handled all the dirty work. In other words, if Lorentina¡¯s words were true, it was possible they¡¯d conduct a smaller-scale operation, even if not a full-scale assault. And if that¡¯s the case¡­ Wait a moment. Could it be¡­ A sudden realization struck me. Like pieces resetting themselves, my thoughts aligned seamlessly, not as words but as fragmented images. As each puzzle piece found its ce, I began to grasp the role those ballistic missiles fired by both sides could y. Task Force Arikon, Laser, Violet¡ªneutralized. Task Force Dagger¡ªnow ready for redeployment. The Shadows and nuclear missiles¡­ All of these pointed unmistakably to one clear conclusion. "¡­It¡¯s either already started or will begin soon, likely mirroring Operation Bluefield." "Correct. 50 Shark Points for you." When will I ever spend these Shark Points? I must¡¯ve umted around 70,000 points from our time together, but she¡¯d never exined what they were, though she kept tracking them. It seemed she was recording them somewhere¡­ Either way, I knew what I had to do next. If my suspicions were correct, Harmony and Dice wouldn¡¯t be able to participate. Perhaps there wouldn¡¯t even be an operation to reim the nearby cities around San Francisco based on the uing results. Instead, it might just be an open tour of the heavily perforated city. "I have training soon, so I¡¯ll catch the detailster. Finish this up well." "Of course." After concluding the conversation with Lorentina, I adjusted the Icarus Gear map to check the pre-set location of Team Dagger. Conveniently, they were in the briefing room. I sent a quick text.
  • [Eugene: If you¡¯re headed to San Francisco, count me in.]
I added that I wouldn¡¯t be going personally with a gun but as a Shadow. Finally, it was time to inform those who brought me here of the situation and discuss how to proceed. And¡ª "¡­My goodness." "The youngest has returned. Ready to catch the scent of the battlefield?" Task Force Dagger. With Eugene back as a Shadow, the team was once againplete. "Good to see you back. I¡¯ll overlook the trouble you gave me for handling a gun post-duty since you made it back in one piece. So, where are we headed this time?" "San Francisco and San Jose. I n to go as quietly as possible, so please keep that in mind." "Understood." The gunsmith brought out an M14 EBR, fine-tuning the friction points to minimize operating noise while equipping it with an impressively maintained Helix suppressor. He mounted an LPVO on the rail, ensuring versatility for varying engagement distances. The stock type, length, and scope zeroing¡ªperfectly tailored to me¡ªwere automatically adjusted based on my old operator data. As the firearm adjusted automatically, the gunsmith went to retrieve something from a locked case. Ammo. But not just any ammo. "Hardened polymer rounds, miniature thermite rounds, remote detonation rounds¡­ Specially crafted rounds for extreme scenarios. You may have seen some of these before. Need anything?" "Miniature thermite, please, along with a dedicated pouch. How many are avable?" "Two magazines¡¯ worth, so make sure you don¡¯t waste them on mere infantry." "Understood." Meanwhile, other Dagger members busied themselves gathering equipment: tools for constructing temporary shelters,municators and antennas¡ªnecessary precautions given our team of just ten heading into a heavily fortified area. Luckily, we didn¡¯t need to carry muchbat rations today, as I was in a state where I didn¡¯t need food. Preparing the gear took around 30 minutes, and soon we were boarding the stealth transport. Located in New York, we¡¯d be crossing the U.S. The familiar interior of the transport greeted me as I exchanged greetings with the Dagger Team under New York¡¯s chilly breeze. "Our youngest returns as a Shadow. Let¡¯s hope you don¡¯t die this time." "Don¡¯t worry; I cane back as a Shadow even if I die." "Can you, though?" As our cargo was secured, the lower ramp closed. It would be a six-hour flight, with cushions for our small team of ten. As the transport taxied down the runway, the briefing began in the inertia-controlledpartment. "Our youngest hasn¡¯t heard the full n, so I¡¯ll start over. Listen closely." "Understood." "We¡¯re heading to California. Ignore the operation name and code; it¡¯s Type 3, a recon and marking mission. But there are significant jammers in San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento. You understand?" "Disable them or neutralize as needed."@@novelbin@@ "Seems you haven¡¯t forgotten the basics." Everyone nodded. As the transport took off, the briefing continued, with the n somewhat flexible to themander¡¯s discretion and the operational zone conditions. The configuration was simple: groups of two, possibly three or four, moving freely to destroy or disable jammers. We could also attackmand centers to learn enemy distribution¡­ It all depended on personal judgment. Key points included the extraction zone, alternate extraction points, and the evacuation time. Everything else, like safe houses, was secondary. Passing over familiar airspace names like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska¡­ Even at several kilometers above, no lights could be seen outside, a deadnd below. The six hours passed quickly.
  • [Notification: Entering California airspace. Maximum stealth active¡­ Optical camouge operational.]
  • [Notification: Flying at half cruising speed.]
"Just as the conversation got interesting¡­" "So, where¡¯s the cigar I ordered, my dear youngest?" "Give it three days; it¡¯ll be here soon." "Looking forward to a Montecristo after this. Can¡¯t wait." "Starting with your usual nonsense¡­" I felt no anxiety before the operation, not because I couldn¡¯t die. Even if I couldn¡¯t die, they could, though I¡¯d do everything to prevent it. I hugged each of them before the operation. "Let¡¯s all make it back alive." "Not something the youngest should say." They were right, though I didn¡¯t n on dying this time. I hoped only for good things. And finally, the time arrived. "Opening the lower ramp now. Good luck out there." "Got it. Stay safe." After securing the equipment to my body, I adjusted the altitude sensor to 400 meters, inhaling the rushing oxygen. "The wind¡¯s calm, so there shouldn¡¯t be any drift. Confirm your altitude sensors." "Confirmed." "Oxygen normal, parachutes checked, all units ready!" ©¤©¤©¤Whirring sound©¤©¤©¤ The lower ramp opened, and the darkness enveloped us. With three barrels of gear on rails, the drop preparation wasplete. We were set tond near Henry W. Coe State Park, approximately 20 kilometers from San Jose. The thrill hit as we prepared for the jump. Even Lorentina¡¯s yful face turned serious. With the swirling air currents rushing in, we braced and took our steps forward. "Drop, drop, drop!" The equipment rolled forward, and ten figures plunged into the darkness. Operation Needle¡ªthe start of a new mission had begun. Chapter 322 "You''ve arrived. Sit down." "I''m honored, Mr. President." "Enough with the ttery. Just sit." A deep night had fallen over New York. In the dimly lit office of Central Park HQ, only two people were present, casting shadows under a soft glow: Adrian B. Solomon, Director of Icarus, and Henry Braton, the 48th President of the United States. Two cups of coffee emitted gentle steam, filling the room with a strong hazelnut scent. Both men wore fatigue around their eyes, but neither seemed the type to mind. Only after each took a sip of the dark liquid did the conversation begin. "The Dagger Team has returned. They should be crossing the Western U.S. airspace as we speak." "An operation you approved on your own?" "Yes. This is a rare chance to shatter the enemy coalition''s resolvepletely, so I took it. If it''s Task Force Dagger, I''m certain they¡¯ll deliver results again." Henry only chuckled in response. Dagger Team had indeed umted a formidable record, though they were famously hard to handle. Known as Icarus''s sharpest spear, they were anything but a tool for novices. Formed of unconventional geniuses and the few capable of managing them, Task Force Dagger had a unique trait: they rarely followed operational ns as scripted, but still produced stunning results. It was as though any n expected to yield an A-level oue would somehow, through them, end in an SSS-level sess. Adrian Solomon, therefore, allowed them full discretion once again. Taking another sip, Henry added, "With Dagger Team in the field, we can count on bringing back San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento in addition to San Diego and Los Angeles." "Haha, don¡¯t worry. We also have a decontamination unit at the ready on our end." "It''s a sad time when we have to choose between decontaminating radiation or sending our troops into a deathtrap." It was a painfully urate statement. As President, Henry held the power to send American citizens into battle, and Solomon was the one orchestrating that battlefield. But given the choice, Henry would rather be a president known for authorizing nuclear strikes on his soil than one remembered for sacrificing American lives in ravaged cities. After all, he was the President, not a totalitarian general. "But leaving those who dared invade the United States unpunished is unthinkable. When our forces cross the Bering Strait into northeast Russia, there should be no enemy forces to hinder us." "Should I take that as a direct order from the President of the United States?" "Absolutely. I''m sure a recording is running. If you''d like, I can issue an official directive to eliminate all enemy forces in a formal memo." "That won¡¯t be necessary." Both exchanged a cold, steely nce. Director Solomon, with his coffee no longer steaming, added, "I''ve been waiting for that order. We have ample ballistic missiles, Mr. President." "Excellent." Solomon activated a holographic screen, typing out a message transmitted directly through Icarus Gear. Henry, watching, finally showed a satisfied smile. "All we have to do now is await the victory announcement." "Or the missileunch signal." "Either way, it¡¯ll be something to look forward to." The dark night outside didn¡¯t feel quite as heavy tonight. "May the United States be blessed." Meanwhile, in San Jose, someone prayed for divine protection, while others imed to spread it. For those involved, it was a typical day. San Jose¡ªa name not well-known outside the country, but mentioned alongside Silicon Valley, NASA¡¯s Ames Research Center, Google¡¯s Bay Area campus, and the tech giant Apple, instantly recognizable as a hub of American IT. Right in the heart of ity Moffett Federal Airfield, where three Icarus operators had been deployed: myself, Marcus, and Rapier. "Ugh, the smell here is awful. It reeks of stagnant water." "That''s because the water nt has shut down. Better focus, Marcus. You wouldn''t want the youngest here to die on your watch." "Geez, no need to be so grim." With Marcus and Rapier bickering, we advanced. Our drones were in the air, marking enemy positions and patrol routes in real-time¡ªa standard setup for Dagger Team. We were split into three teams of three, with the tenth member stationed at a temporary hideout, consolidating intel and logging updates on a holographic map. In short, three teams would gather intel, and the tenth would piece together the map from the collected data. Each group had an infiltrator, a sniper, and an observer. The infiltrator, of course, was another Manifested like me, while the sniper and observer roles rotated as needed. We had no need to hunt down our targets meticulously. "See that structure ahead?" "That¡¯s more than just a structure. It¡¯s practically a hangar." "They¡¯ve repurposedputing equipment from nearby facilities¡ªAmazon, Lockheed Martin, Google, NASA, Samsung¡ªto build an immense data-processing center. Tactical ballistic missiles need such infrastructure." Before us stood a massive building, which, given our location in Silicon Valley, appeared to function simrly to the U.S.¡¯s Missile Defense Integrated Operations Center (MDIOC). Constructing such a facility likely took at least six months, and as the name suggested, it was one of the most heavily guarded sites. But it was still just a temporary structure and couldn¡¯t escape that limitation. "I¡¯ll nt the pulse sensor for audio detection. Prepare to intercept." I swiftly nted the column against the wall, embedded with thermite to affix it easily. As it pulsed, mapping the interior and detecting conversations, we¡¯d learn how they configured their serverwork. Inside, several personnel were stationed, clearly tense¡ªunsurprising, considering they¡¯d recently dropped a firestorm on Los Angeles. There was no case of friendly fire quite like this. Now, it was time to decide our next move. We could wait and passively record their conversations, which would be auto-logged. But that could take too long¡ªbetter to stir things up a bit. I triggered a partial EMP. It would only disrupt a fewwork connections, maybe darken a monitor or two. Just enough to provoke some new dialogue.
  • [Recording¡­ // There it goes again. What an idiot. I keep saying we should set up a backup server nearby¡­ ]
  • [Recording¡­ // Any anomalies? Any jammer misalignments or disconnections?]
  • [Recording¡­ // No issues. Besides, Cupertino still has the backup facility, right? That one¡¯s intact.]
  • [Recording¡­ // Only this site can initiate missileunches. And stop naming specifics.]
"¡­Interesting." "Hmm. Real-time monitoring of jammer activity and a backup facility. This is valuable information." Exactly. It felt like handling a magic box that yielded intel at a mere touch, like a mystical conch shell. I wasn¡¯t the only one familiar with this tactic; it was standard Dagger Team protocol. All gathered intel was transmitted to Owens at the hideout, who had already pinpointed the jammers¡¯ positions and ports with far greater uracy than I could. As I absorbed the information, Owens¡¯s voice came through thems. "A request has been submitted to change the current Type 3 recon mission to a Type 5 total destruction mission. Team Gamma¡¯s thoughts?" "Are they suggesting we unleash all avable ballistic missiles on the area? That¡¯s a bold idea, but we haven¡¯t pinpointed themand vehicles¡¯ positions or properly assessed the surroundings. It¡¯s too radical." "Fair point." Then, after another minute of silence, an unexpected suggestion came through, calm yet filled with intensity. "In Chinese strategy, there¡¯s the concept of diversionary tactics. I¡¯ll stir up the Cupertino backup facility while you devise a solution." "Don¡¯t just charge in recklessly. Dial it down, will you?" "Understood." As I expected from Dagger Team, their ingenuity was beyond ordinary. They wouldn¡¯t question the feasibility of an operation if they¡¯d already mentally calcted the oue. When proposing unique strategies within Dagger Team, only two questions mattered: Can this produce better results than the initial n? Is it executable? If both answers were affirmative, they became an unstoppable force. I was no different. "¡­The location of the Iskandermand vehicle, the strike zone, and a method to intercept and alter the coordinates before transmission¡ªwithout that, it may be better just to blow up all the jammers." "Indeed. With 28 jammers spread across three cities, simultaneous destruction would be challenging." "Hmm." Assessing the situation, I realized that destroying the jammers en masse and guiding missiles would be ineffective. The enemy likely had bunkers prepared for nuclear strikes, so they¡¯d hide before the missiles arrived. Using the Russian Strategic Missile Forces'' Iskander missiles was impractical due to theplexities and extraction difficulties. But leaving these ballistic missiles idle was a waste¡­ Wait. "Do we really need tounch the missiles?" "Seems our youngest has a brilliant idea. Anyone listening?" "Instead of firing, we could send a jolt to the gyroscopes, causing a miscalcted G-force that triggers premature detonation." A wave of realization swept through the team. Essentially, what I proposed¡ªand what others understood¡ªwas simple: convert the Iskander ballistic missiles into time bombs and blow up the base. Immediately, Owens transmitted a file. "¡­Schematics and operation protocols for the ballistic missile. We keep learning things civilians should never know." "Connecting the circuits and setting a timer will drive that point home. Stay safe. Lorentina, your mission to hit Cupertino¡¯s backup facility¡­ may need reassessment if it risks the nuclear st radius. Reconvene after a UAV check." "Understood." Without much choice but noints, I triggered another EMP pulse, shutting down the system monitoring the ballistic missiles. The ensuing chatter was noisy but predictable as the soldiers scrambled, ensuring the nukes were secure. This enabled us to locate themand vehicles housing nuclear warheads. The n from there was obvious. "Just secure an escape vehicle for me." That was all. Under cover of darkness, we advanced toward the hangar with the Iskander vehicles, hacked into the CCTV to freeze the cameras, and slipped past the guards using optical camouge. A longdder on one side led up, which I climbed, using a thermite torch to cut through the roof. Descending by a makeshift rope, Inded on the steel balcony inside, taking just two minutes to incapacitate everyone present. The real task was about to begin. After using the thermite torch to open the missile casing, I carefully cut into the system based on Owens¡¯s file. I felt like a surgeon as I sliced through two missile exteriors, attaching a timer to the gyroscope system. In 30 minutes, a signal would be sent, feeding the system artificial data on gravity eleration, atmospheric friction, and re-entry angle. Instantly, chaff and decoys would deploy. This facility would be in chaos. By the time the enemy discovered the missiles¡¯ unstable state, it would be far toote. I backtracked through the escape route, slipping out through a concealed fence and into the vehicle Marcus and Rapier had prepared. Through hacked CCTV feeds, we could still monitor the hangar¡¯s interior. After about 27 minutes of driving, we reached Ed R. Levin County Park, dozens of kilometers away. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Crash! "It¡¯s begun." The vehicle carrying the ballistic missiles shook violently, like a beast gone wild. "You''ve arrived. Sit down." "I''m honored, Mr. President." "Enough with the ttery. Just sit." A deep night had fallen over New York. In the dimly lit office of Central Park HQ, only two people were present, casting shadows under a soft glow: Adrian B. Solomon, Director of Icarus, and Henry Braton, the 48th President of the United States. Two cups of coffee emitted gentle steam, filling the room with a strong hazelnut scent. Both men wore fatigue around their eyes, but neither seemed the type to mind. Only after each took a sip of the dark liquid did the conversation begin. "The Dagger Team has returned. They should be crossing the Western U.S. airspace as we speak." "An operation you approved on your own?" "Yes. This is a rare chance to shatter the enemy coalition''s resolvepletely, so I took it. If it''s Task Force Dagger, I''m certain they¡¯ll deliver results again." Henry only chuckled in response. Dagger Team had indeed umted a formidable record, though they were famously hard to handle. Known as Icarus''s sharpest spear, they were anything but a tool for novices. Formed of unconventional geniuses and the few capable of managing them, Task Force Dagger had a unique trait: they rarely followed operational ns as scripted, but still produced stunning results. It was as though any n expected to yield an A-level oue would somehow, through them, end in an SSS-level sess. Adrian Solomon, therefore, allowed them full discretion once again. Taking another sip, Henry added, "With Dagger Team in the field, we can count on bringing back San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento in addition to San Diego and Los Angeles." "Haha, don¡¯t worry. We also have a decontamination unit at the ready on our end." "It''s a sad time when we have to choose between decontaminating radiation or sending our troops into a deathtrap." It was a painfully urate statement. As President, Henry held the power to send American citizens into battle, and Solomon was the one orchestrating that battlefield. But given the choice, Henry would rather be a president known for authorizing nuclear strikes on his soil than one remembered for sacrificing American lives in ravaged cities.@@novelbin@@ After all, he was the President, not a totalitarian general. "But leaving those who dared invade the United States unpunished is unthinkable. When our forces cross the Bering Strait into northeast Russia, there should be no enemy forces to hinder us." "Should I take that as a direct order from the President of the United States?" "Absolutely. I''m sure a recording is running. If you''d like, I can issue an official directive to eliminate all enemy forces in a formal memo." "That won¡¯t be necessary." Both exchanged a cold, steely nce. Director Solomon, with his coffee no longer steaming, added, "I''ve been waiting for that order. We have ample ballistic missiles, Mr. President." "Excellent." Solomon activated a holographic screen, typing out a message transmitted directly through Icarus Gear. Henry, watching, finally showed a satisfied smile. "All we have to do now is await the victory announcement." "Or the missileunch signal." "Either way, it¡¯ll be something to look forward to." The dark night outside didn¡¯t feel quite as heavy tonight. "May the United States be blessed." Meanwhile, in San Jose, someone prayed for divine protection, while others imed to spread it. For those involved, it was a typical day. San Jose¡ªa name not well-known outside the country, but mentioned alongside Silicon Valley, NASA¡¯s Ames Research Center, Google¡¯s Bay Area campus, and the tech giant Apple, instantly recognizable as a hub of American IT. Right in the heart of ity Moffett Federal Airfield, where three Icarus operators had been deployed: myself, Marcus, and Rapier. "Ugh, the smell here is awful. It reeks of stagnant water." "That''s because the water nt has shut down. Better focus, Marcus. You wouldn''t want the youngest here to die on your watch." "Geez, no need to be so grim." With Marcus and Rapier bickering, we advanced. Our drones were in the air, marking enemy positions and patrol routes in real-time¡ªa standard setup for Dagger Team. We were split into three teams of three, with the tenth member stationed at a temporary hideout, consolidating intel and logging updates on a holographic map. In short, three teams would gather intel, and the tenth would piece together the map from the collected data. Each group had an infiltrator, a sniper, and an observer. The infiltrator, of course, was another Manifested like me, while the sniper and observer roles rotated as needed. We had no need to hunt down our targets meticulously. "See that structure ahead?" "That¡¯s more than just a structure. It¡¯s practically a hangar." "They¡¯ve repurposedputing equipment from nearby facilities¡ªAmazon, Lockheed Martin, Google, NASA, Samsung¡ªto build an immense data-processing center. Tactical ballistic missiles need such infrastructure." Before us stood a massive building, which, given our location in Silicon Valley, appeared to function simrly to the U.S.¡¯s Missile Defense Integrated Operations Center (MDIOC). Constructing such a facility likely took at least six months, and as the name suggested, it was one of the most heavily guarded sites. But it was still just a temporary structure and couldn¡¯t escape that limitation. "I¡¯ll nt the pulse sensor for audio detection. Prepare to intercept." I swiftly nted the column against the wall, embedded with thermite to affix it easily. As it pulsed, mapping the interior and detecting conversations, we¡¯d learn how they configured their serverwork. Inside, several personnel were stationed, clearly tense¡ªunsurprising, considering they¡¯d recently dropped a firestorm on Los Angeles. There was no case of friendly fire quite like this. Now, it was time to decide our next move. We could wait and passively record their conversations, which would be auto-logged. But that could take too long¡ªbetter to stir things up a bit. I triggered a partial EMP. It would only disrupt a fewwork connections, maybe darken a monitor or two. Just enough to provoke some new dialogue.
  • [Recording¡­ // There it goes again. What an idiot. I keep saying we should set up a backup server nearby¡­ ]
  • [Recording¡­ // Any anomalies? Any jammer misalignments or disconnections?]
  • [Recording¡­ // No issues. Besides, Cupertino still has the backup facility, right? That one¡¯s intact.]
  • [Recording¡­ // Only this site can initiate missileunches. And stop naming specifics.]
"¡­Interesting." "Hmm. Real-time monitoring of jammer activity and a backup facility. This is valuable information." Exactly. It felt like handling a magic box that yielded intel at a mere touch, like a mystical conch shell. I wasn¡¯t the only one familiar with this tactic; it was standard Dagger Team protocol. All gathered intel was transmitted to Owens at the hideout, who had already pinpointed the jammers¡¯ positions and ports with far greater uracy than I could. As I absorbed the information, Owens¡¯s voice came through thems. "A request has been submitted to change the current Type 3 recon mission to a Type 5 total destruction mission. Team Gamma¡¯s thoughts?" "Are they suggesting we unleash all avable ballistic missiles on the area? That¡¯s a bold idea, but we haven¡¯t pinpointed themand vehicles¡¯ positions or properly assessed the surroundings. It¡¯s too radical." "Fair point." Then, after another minute of silence, an unexpected suggestion came through, calm yet filled with intensity. "In Chinese strategy, there¡¯s the concept of diversionary tactics. I¡¯ll stir up the Cupertino backup facility while you devise a solution." "Don¡¯t just charge in recklessly. Dial it down, will you?" "Understood." As I expected from Dagger Team, their ingenuity was beyond ordinary. They wouldn¡¯t question the feasibility of an operation if they¡¯d already mentally calcted the oue. When proposing unique strategies within Dagger Team, only two questions mattered: Can this produce better results than the initial n? Is it executable? If both answers were affirmative, they became an unstoppable force. I was no different. "¡­The location of the Iskandermand vehicle, the strike zone, and a method to intercept and alter the coordinates before transmission¡ªwithout that, it may be better just to blow up all the jammers." "Indeed. With 28 jammers spread across three cities, simultaneous destruction would be challenging." "Hmm." Assessing the situation, I realized that destroying the jammers en masse and guiding missiles would be ineffective. The enemy likely had bunkers prepared for nuclear strikes, so they¡¯d hide before the missiles arrived. Using the Russian Strategic Missile Forces'' Iskander missiles was impractical due to theplexities and extraction difficulties. But leaving these ballistic missiles idle was a waste¡­ Wait. "Do we really need tounch the missiles?" "Seems our youngest has a brilliant idea. Anyone listening?" "Instead of firing, we could send a jolt to the gyroscopes, causing a miscalcted G-force that triggers premature detonation." A wave of realization swept through the team. Essentially, what I proposed¡ªand what others understood¡ªwas simple: convert the Iskander ballistic missiles into time bombs and blow up the base. Immediately, Owens transmitted a file. "¡­Schematics and operation protocols for the ballistic missile. We keep learning things civilians should never know." "Connecting the circuits and setting a timer will drive that point home. Stay safe. Lorentina, your mission to hit Cupertino¡¯s backup facility¡­ may need reassessment if it risks the nuclear st radius. Reconvene after a UAV check." "Understood." Without much choice but noints, I triggered another EMP pulse, shutting down the system monitoring the ballistic missiles. The ensuing chatter was noisy but predictable as the soldiers scrambled, ensuring the nukes were secure. This enabled us to locate themand vehicles housing nuclear warheads. The n from there was obvious. "Just secure an escape vehicle for me." That was all. Under cover of darkness, we advanced toward the hangar with the Iskander vehicles, hacked into the CCTV to freeze the cameras, and slipped past the guards using optical camouge. A longdder on one side led up, which I climbed, using a thermite torch to cut through the roof. Descending by a makeshift rope, Inded on the steel balcony inside, taking just two minutes to incapacitate everyone present. The real task was about to begin. After using the thermite torch to open the missile casing, I carefully cut into the system based on Owens¡¯s file. I felt like a surgeon as I sliced through two missile exteriors, attaching a timer to the gyroscope system. In 30 minutes, a signal would be sent, feeding the system artificial data on gravity eleration, atmospheric friction, and re-entry angle. Instantly, chaff and decoys would deploy. This facility would be in chaos. By the time the enemy discovered the missiles¡¯ unstable state, it would be far toote. I backtracked through the escape route, slipping out through a concealed fence and into the vehicle Marcus and Rapier had prepared. Through hacked CCTV feeds, we could still monitor the hangar¡¯s interior. After about 27 minutes of driving, we reached Ed R. Levin County Park, dozens of kilometers away. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Crash! "It¡¯s begun." The vehicle carrying the ballistic missiles shook violently, like a beast gone wild. Chapter 323 Boom! Crash! "Enemy alert, enemy alert!" ¡°Multiple disturbances in Hangar A-33! Task force, proceed to the location immediately!¡± In the dim pre-dawn hours, rming sounds echoed from within the hangar, where several Iskander ballistic missile vehicles were stored. Someone who¡¯d been half-asleep snapped awake, quickly sending an emergency message over the radio, while others, barely opening their eyes, scrambled to grab their gear and weapons, rushing out of the building. Armored vehicles and hastily built temporary barricades by Russian forces were positioned near the hangar. Close to fifty soldiers aimed their weapons at the hangar¡¯s open door, swallowing nervously, red tacticalsers darting through the air. The thud of heavy footsteps. A squad of heavily armored soldiers, shields raised, aimed their weapons at the hangar. These soldiers wore prototype exosuits from Artemis Technology, making them formidable in battle. The soldier in the center, holding a loudspeaker, began to speak. ¡°Drop your weapons, put your hands on your head, and kneel! Nonpliance will result in immediate fire!¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t that simple. The hangar housed mobile missileunch tforms, and if any stray bullets hit and damaged the tforms, the consequences would be dire. So, if the enemy didn¡¯te out, they nned to deploy ax-wielding heavy troops immediately. But as the hangar door opened wider, the sight that greeted the Russian forces was beyond anything they could have imagined. The ceiling, the floor, and other vehicles were littered with decoys and chaff. Vehiclesy scattered and damaged, some even crashed into one another. But the most striking sight was something sharp piercing the front of one vehicle. Caught somewhere on the vehicle, it nked as it tried to push forward, only to get stuck again. By then, everyone realized what it was. ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Everyone, scatter! Get to the nuclear bunkers, quickly!¡± ¡°Move! If you don¡¯t want to die¡ª!¡± Shockingly, the ballistic missile had gone through itsunch process while still inside the vehicle. The chaff and decoys had burst around them, and the booster ignition was a disaster, pushing the missile out through the front of the vehicle and into another. At best, it could detonate as a high-explosive or cluster bomb; at worst, it could trigger a nuclear warhead. Although they could theoretically check the type of warhead based on the vehicle¡¯s number or markings near the missile, it was far toote for such checks¡ªeveryone was paralyzed by the terror of death. No one among the Russian forces upying the U.S. military base handled the situation properly. Even the personnel in themand post, who were supposed to report the situation, ran for the nuclear bunkers the moment they heard about the potential detonation of a nuclear warhead. But none of them realized that they were already far toote. ¡°H-ha¡­haha¡­¡± Amid the chaos, one soldier, legs trembling and unable to control his bodily functions, fell to his knees. As a maintenance worker, he knew exactly which vehicle had ended up in this state. He also knew that the quantity of chaff and decoys was far more than what would be used for a singleunch. Two missiles, each with a 100-kiloton warhead, awaited detonation. Facing death¡¯s smooth, ominous design, he thought of his family for thest time. And then¡ª The wrath of the atom engulfed the world. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Listening to Lorentina, she sounds like someone who¡¯d thrive in a post-nuclear apocalypse.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t she already?¡± Indeed. Faced with impable logic, I found myself at a loss for words. We chatted idly while looking out at San Jose, bathed in a warm orange hue under the atomic glow. It was an unusually warm winter. ¡°San Jose has beenpletely neutralized. Thanks to the rookie.¡± Apuse broke out. It was a bit absurd, but somehow, that¡¯s how things ended up, which was pretty amusing. But it wasn¡¯t just something to blush over. With one nuclear explosion, nearly 90% of San Jose had been neutralized. As Owen predicted, even the backup facility in Cupertino had been neutralized, making this area essentially unusable for the enemy. Naturally, there were zero civilians in this area. After a virus outbreak and a Third World War-level conflict, there was no chance anyone remained here. So, while future cleanup would be challenging, there were no civilian casualties. In any case, only two cities remained. San Francisco and Sacramento. Owen assigned San Francisco as the next target and began to exin the reasoning. ¡°San Francisco is a coastal city, but with a few conditions, it can be perfectly isted. Do you know why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s surrounded on three sides by water. Destroy the bridges, and it¡¯ll bepletely cut off.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± At the same time, he disyed an icondmark of San Francisco. The first was the Golden Gate Bridge, but it had long since copsed. ¡°The reason we¡¯ve marked the Golden Gate Bridge with an X is simple. The bridge fell about six months ago, as enemy forces moved numerous tactical vehicles across it without proper maintenance. But the other bridges are different.¡± Next on the map was the San Francisco-Oand Bay Bridge, slightly to the right, and further south, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, about 25 km southeast of San Francisco. The moment these two bridges popped up, everyone realized: once these were cut off, the enemy forces in San Francisco would be trapped. Seeing their reaction, Owen opened a new map window. Due to the control center being nuked, management was no longer possible, but jammer positions were still operational. ¡°The key to this mission is to destroy the jammers. As long as they¡¯re active, ballistic missile support from New Jersey and Virginia isn¡¯t possible. If you want missiles missing targets by kilometers, then don¡¯t bother.¡± ¡°No need to say more¡ªwe definitely don¡¯t want friendly firending on our heads.¡± ¡°Exactly. Anyway, there are four deployment zones.¡± On the left of the San Mateo Bridge is Foster City, and on the right is Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center. On the left of the San Francisco-Oand Bay Bridge is San Francisco itself, and on the right is Oand. Naturally, the high-risk zone, San Francisco, was assigned to me. To disable the jammer in Oand, Logan and Lorentina were assigned. The northern team required six members, including snipers and scouts, while four were assigned to Foster City and Hayward. Thus, the deployments were finalized. My partner today was Edwin Serkins, a sectionmander. ¡°The adjusted vehicle is ready outside. Serkins, Eugene, drop me and Rapier near Foster City and proceed northward.¡± ¡°Roger that. Let¡¯s make it back alive.¡± The two vehicles were ready in no time. Starting from Ed R. Levin County Park, we split up on the road, Logan and Lorentina heading toward Fremont, while Serkins and I detoured around San Jose, avoiding radioactive zones, heading northwest. If there was any downside, it was theck of conversation during the hour-long drive. Although we usually avoided small talk unless exchanging intel, the 30-minute drive was mostly silent due to the hostile territory.@@novelbin@@ Then, finally¡ª ¡°Pacific Biosciences building, 3 km northeast. This is your stop. Stay safe, both of you.¡± ¡°No worries about that.¡± After dropping them off, Serkins and I continued up Route 101. The dense cityscape, once a bustling metropolis, was now littered with skeletons and Russian-Chinese Alliance forces. Serkinsunched an SUAV for reconnaissance and observed calmly. ¡°As expected, they¡¯re concentrated around the parks. They can¡¯t stationrge forces elsewhere¡­ There are at least four division-sized units scattered across Golden Gate Park, Lake Merced, and Glen Canyon.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope the jammers aren¡¯t in the middle of that.¡± ¡°Luckily, they aren¡¯t. But¡­¡± Ping marked a location on the map. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The enemy had set up the jammer in the eastern part, skillfully masking their forces in the west with interference. With even satellites struggling to work, this setup was strategically sound. ¡°SUAV¡¯s time is limited to 30 seconds at most near the museum¡­ if we get closer, it¡¯ll shorten further, and breaking through brigade-level defenses isn¡¯t feasible for the two of us.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the solution¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°What?¡± I shared my vitals via Icarus Gear. Heart rate, pulse: zero. Essentially, I was already dead. ¡°A dead man can¡¯t die again. Distract them from the front while you sneak around, take control of themunications, and destroy the jammer.¡± I handed Serkins about 20 kg of C4 from the vehicle. After parking a few kilometers from the museum, we activated optical camouge. Slipping past several checkpoints, we reached the area near the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and YBCA Gallery in about 20 minutes. An SUAV buzzed up for a quick scan, pinpointing the jammer before being forced down within 10 seconds. Observing the swarm of enemies patrolling the area, I spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll go first. Circle around to bypass them.¡± He looked like he had plenty to say but lowered his head, blending into his surroundings. Now, it was my time. Spreading a pulse to locate enemies within a few hundred meters, I memorized the way to the museum¡¯s roof, just in case Serkins was dyed. Concrete barricades lined the intersections, with spotlights sweeping the surroundings. Blending into the night, I waited until a returning patrol approached the checkpoint. ¡°Stop, stop!¡± Pressing the button on a voice modtor, I mimicked amand phrase, and the iron gate opened with a heavy nk. Serkins would handle it, probably cutting the barbed wire atop the wall with his thermite torch. Following the three-man patrol inside, I navigated my way through the shadowed areas, noting that the sparse power limited lighting, creating numerous blind spots. A message from Serkins arrived. -[Serkins: Reached optimal infiltration point. Ready on your signal.] I deactivated the optical camouge. ¡°Hey, you¡­someone¡¯s behind¡­¡± Pop! Spent shells scattered as my subsonic rounds punched through, and the three soldiers within five meters dropped lifelessly. One more tried to raise his gun, only to get a shot to the throat. I was just getting started. Eliminating every enemy I could spot with mechanical precision, the few inside the checkpoint didn¡¯t even have time to stand. Then, as expected, sirens began to wail. Sighing, I holstered my pistol, braced the M14 EBR against cover, and mowed down the enemies rushing out, each bullet leaving a trail of bodies. Moving through waves of soldiers, I spent only a few seconds on a single magazine, each bullet felling an enemy. However, as I reloaded, three enemies ducked behind cover. Ignoring them, I continued clearing the field. ¡°Grenade! Throw the grenade!¡± ¡°Enemy! He¡¯s breached the checkpoint!¡± ¡°How much longer until the strike force arrives?!¡± Suppressive fire rained down, bullets shredding concrete and spraying debris. Though they didn¡¯t have a precise lock on me, their numbers were daunting. After losing nearly 40 more men, they beganying down more urate fire. The world in my left eye turned dark. Shifting position, I returned fire, though I¡¯d taken several hits to my arm, leg, and abdomen. When I went to reload, another bullet struck my left wrist. Detached fingers and wrist flew through the air. With my leg barely able to support me, I pulled my pistol with my right hand, taking down approaching enemies one by one. But eventually, unable to move, I slumped against the cover, surrounded by enemy soldiers aiming at my forehead. ¡°Die.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± At that moment, four thermite grenades rolled across the floor. Pins already pulled. ¡°What fool would ask something so reckless from this close?¡± ¡°Damn it, get down¡ª¡± Boom! mes engulfed everything. Emerging from the inferno, unscathed, Eugene fired again, sweeping away all resistance. The undying legend of the Ouroboros spread among the Russian-Chinese Alliance forces. ck arrow for Eugene and Serkins Red arrow for Owens White arrow for Logan and Lorentina Yellow arrow for the others The bridge at the top (purple X) is the San Francisco-Oand Bridge. The center bridge is the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. Chapter 324 ¡°Hah. There¡¯s too damn many.¡± A mountain of piled bodies. Only minutes ago, these dozens of individuals had been alive, but now theyy cold and still. In the midst of it all, in the control room stained with blood, a figure slumped into a chair, smoke drifting from a pistol in his hand. It was Edwin Serkins, a sectionmander of Team Dagger. With a fresh tally of 31 kills, he nced down at his aching abdomen. His armor ting was cracked. While Eugene had caused havoc on the ground, Serkins had infiltrated the upper floors of the museum, eliminating every enemy he encountered. It had been a ughter, pure and simple. ¡°So much for letting that guy handle the tough stuff¡­¡± He checked his remaining rounds, taking in the control room¡¯syout. Powering down would likely disrupt the jammer, halting its interference signal. But to be sure, more definitive measures were necessary; if power were restored, the jammer could be reactivated at any time. Taking a bag of explosives slung across his back, he ascended the stairs. Bloody boot prints dotted the floor, and sticky, viscous sounds echoed as he stepped. Fortunately, the sharp smell of blood faded the higher he went. Opening the door, he was met with the salty breeze unique to San Francisco¡¯s coast¡ªfar more refreshing than the stench of blood. Facing the unsightly makeshift jamming tower, he set down his bag. -[Notification: Explosives cement marked.] He positioned several 500-gram blocks of C4 around the structure. No need for tape; the flexibility of Composition 4 allowed for easy shaping and cement. He attached the detonators, transforming the harmless blocks into powerful explosives. But it wasn¡¯t time to set them off just yet; the timing had to be perfect to maximize impact. At that moment, a voice came through his Icarus Gear. ¡°Explosives set at both Foster City and the Interpretive Center. Oand and San Francisco teams, report when ready.¡± ¡°San Francisco team, explosives set. Preparing to detonate and deploy drones withser designators.¡± ¡°Confirmed. All teams hold until Oand is ready.¡± And so, he waited. It wasn¡¯t boring, though; gunfire echoed from below. No need to look¡ªit was obvious that Eugene was tearing through every enemy in his path. But seeing the endless stream of warnings on his HUD was undeniably unsettling. -[Warning: Ally vital signs, zero.] -[Warning: Ally shield fully broken.] -[Warning: Ally in incapacitated state.] ¡°Is he really okay?¡± The same message had repeated at least seven times. While he knew Eugene wouldn¡¯t fall so easily, the fact that he kept facing death left a bitter taste in Serkins¡¯ mouth. But regardless, with all the noise Eugene was making to draw attention, there was no chance of the skirmish ending peacefully. It was simply a matter of which side would copse first. And the oue was all too predictable. Heavy, rumbling noises reached his ears. Looking over the balcony, he saw armored vehicles firing their cannons below. But then¡ª Ping! A bright crimson streak cut through the air. Serkins, a veteran of Icarus, recognized what Eugene had fired instantly. ¡°A miniature thermite round¡­ he really brought everything.¡± Technically, it wasn¡¯t a ¡°thermite¡± round. It contained a special reactivepound that melted through the target¡¯s armor on impact, theoretically even piercing a tank. Bringing such a specialized round to counter armored forces showed just how prepared Eugene was. Serkins watched from the balcony, impressed. But not for long. Prolonged watching was starting to sting his eyes. ¡°He¡¯ll make it up here eventually.¡± Muttering to himself, he looked away. ¡°Way too damn many.¡± The crackling sounds of burning armored vehicles filled the air. Amidst the corpses piled around him, a seemingly lifeless figure emerged. His body, leaving traces as if rebuilding from ashes, was regenerating. Panting heavily, Eugene scanned the surroundings, releasing a pulse. He¡¯d taken down around ny enemies. The BMP-3 had forced him to use about ten rounds of miniature thermite ammo, targeting drivers and squad leaders. Part of him wished he¡¯d been given a more versatile rifle, but the M14 had served well enough so far. ¡°Ground cleared. Entering the museum.¡± He wondered how much news of his supposed ¡°immortality¡± had spread inside. Frankly, the mental exhaustion was heavy, and he hoped to avoid further fighting. The moment he entered through the revolving door, bullets rained down. He rolled quickly, taking a few hits, but ignored the now all-too-familiar shield warnings as he systematically picked off enemies hiding behind the ticket booth, stairs, and balcony. Well-hidden ones he took out with sticky bombs. Even before entering the exhibit hall, the walls of the modern art museum bore stters of blood, covering what might have been abstract graffiti. Dududududu! ¡°He¡¯s invincible! Fall back, fall back!¡± ¡°Lower the partitions! Lock the fire doors!¡± He¡¯d hoped for surrender, but instead, they chose a more clever defense. So he decided not to hold back. Ascending the stairs and eliminating enemies, he searched for a way to the upper floors. The long hallways, sharp turns, and seating areas had all turned into cover for his enemies. But his seeker mines, pulse scans, and various other skills shattered every defense they attempted. Naturally, more obstaclesy in wait. Metal gates and shutters dropped repeatedly, blocking his path. Unfazed, he drew his tactical tomahawk. ¡°Huff¡­!¡± With an ominous crunch, the ax de tore through the barricades. It was more like demolition than cutting, but as long as he could get through, that was all that mattered. Beyond the steel shutters, a firmly shut fire door awaited him. It had a door lock simr to one he¡¯d seen at his home. Normally, he¡¯d just break the handle and push through, but there wasn¡¯t even a hint of give¡ªsomeone had likely welded the door shut. If breaking was the only option, then break it he would. He clenched his fist. Visualizing a chambered bullet, the striker hitting the primer. And then¡ª Boom! A massive impact echoed. The fire door crumpled, a bullet tearing through it momentster. He felt rounds puncturing his body, but his wounds soon healed. Instead, each impact only weakened the door¡¯s structure further. Two hits, three, four¡ªand finally a kick. Within seconds, the door copsed, twisted and shattered. Without his current resilience, his bones might have shattered¡ªbut now, he could push through anything. That was the result. Soon, some of the defenders began surrendering. ¡°We surrender¡­ assuming you understand us¡­¡± ¡°Understood. Discard your weapons.¡± When some just stared nkly, Eugene grabbed one soldier¡¯s gun, twisting the barrel until it bentpletely. Realizing he meant business, the others salvaged any valuable optics from their rifles, set their weapons against the wall, and crushed them under their boots. He debated confiscating their grenades but decided against it. Everyone there had just witnessed the bullet holes in his body close up like a jigsaw puzzle fitting back together. ¡°For anyone considering a suicide attack, I assure you, it won¡¯t work.¡± Approaching a man who looked like a squad leader, Eugene tapped the man¡¯s radio, signaling him to ry a message to any remaining enemies to surrender. The man sighed, then nodded. ¡°We surrender. So¡­ what now?¡± ¡°Wait at the main entrance. We¡¯ll have you transferred to San Diego within two days.¡± Thinking back, perhaps it would¡¯ve been less trouble if they hadn¡¯t surrendered. But leaving them there would mean they¡¯d be vaporized along with the bridges when theser hydrogen bombs hit San Francisco. The squad leader ryed the surrender message over the museum¡¯sms. Reactions varied, but it didn¡¯t matter; those who surrendered would be spared, while the rest would meet their end in the Styx. And so it happened. About five minutester, he¡¯d finished clearing the museum, and Serkins called over the radio. ¡°Detonating the jammer. The two in Oand are runningte. Want to watch the fireworks?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Reaching the rooftop, he found Serkins waiting, detonator in hand, waving cheerfully. With a click, blinding mes erupted in the sky. With a metallic groan, the tall tower slowly copsed. The st notifications quickly reached the other team members, and explosions rose all around. The simultaneous demolition of the four jamming towers cleared interference over parts of the U.S. West Coast. Though some jammers remained throughout San Francisco, they wouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem. And soon enough¡ª -¡°Trident IIIunch imminent. Laser hydrogen warheads, approx. 3 kilotons each. Ensure maximum distance from the bridges. ETA 20 minutes.¡± ¡°Close timing.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± Rappelling down, thanks to Serkins¡¯ prior setup, they descended swiftly. It wasn¡¯t over, though. The newly surrendered soldiers stood outside the museum, their expressions unreadable, but they¡¯d have to be evacuated too. Fortunately, they¡¯d learned the location of a GAZ Tigr from them. Then came a new message.@@novelbin@@ ¡°To the two operatives in San Francisco, based on your recon data, we¡¯ve set the bombing coordinates. In 20 minutes, LGM-35A Sentinels will hit every park in San Francisco. Avoid friendly fire and evacuate swiftly.¡± ¡°Roger. Escorting seven surrendered personnel.¡± A question in Russian followed. Luckily, both Serkins and Eugene spoke basic Russian, so answering wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡°What are they saying?¡± ¡°They¡¯re asking why every park in San Francisco will be reduced to ashes in 20 minutes.¡± Expressions turned wary, but that was war. And after all, they¡¯d been the first to drop a nuke on American soil. Their vehicle was packed, though thankfully, Owens and the Foster City team had taken a separate ride, avoiding the need to cram eleven people into the Tigr. By the time they reached southern San Jose¡ª ¡°Wow.¡± Explosions erupted, visible even from afar. The impact zones, once residential neighborhoods, had been long abandoned. A university was unfortunately caught in the st, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. Oand, too, had been bombarded. The meda military airport, a key supply hub for the enemy coalition, was leveled. Though they hadn¡¯t seen it firsthand, their UI had notified them of the impact. Even the USS Ho Museum had been wiped out, though at least the ground zero would be free of radiation for now. ¡°Only Stockton and Sacramento left.¡± ¡°They¡¯re further north; a little downtime would be good.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Sure enough, Owens radioed in. ¡°Two ckhawks inbound to the designated location in an hour. Prepare for extraction.¡± ¡°Quick wrap-up.¡± ¡°Thankfully.¡± It truly was. Eugene nced at two of the surrendered soldiers, still staring nkly. ¡°Ever been to San Diego?¡± They shook their heads. So, for them, this would be their first visit to San Diego as prisoners of war. And with that, the vehicle moved south, toward San Jose. It was a day near the end of winter. Chapter 325 "Status report?" "We¡¯ve established a defensive line northwest of San Jose, pushing toward the center of San Francisco. With both bridges destroyed, the remaining enemy forces can¡¯t retreat." "Let¡¯s minimize bombing to preserve what¡¯s left of the infrastructure. Rebuilding will take ages if we cause any more damage." Powell, the general in San Diego, let out a small sigh after saying this. Fortunately, no one reacted to it¡ªor perhaps they intentionally ignored it. It was inevitable. Watching the progressive destruction of America¡¯s proud cities and infrastructure, giving orders to destroy what he knew would need to be rebuilt, wasn¡¯t exactly enjoyable. Especially when the view from a military satellite showed the aftermath in stark, brutal detail. Though the ground zero wasn¡¯t extensive, the spreading fires around it were rming. The impact area was a former residential neighborhood, where homes were being swept away by the shockwave alone. At least four or five such hits had been necessary. Powell''s expression hardened as he spoke again.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Have we identified any anti-air missiles?¡± ¡°Weck sufficient data to give a clear answer, but if any forces remain, it¡¯s likely some missiles are still operational.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He had a good reason for asking. Even though a nuke hadnded, cities were both ideal and paradoxical nuclear targets¡ªwhile maximizing st impact, they also significantly reduced its range. Although most of the enemy forces had been wiped out, some remnants were likely scattered throughout. To verify, reconnaissance UAVs would have to be deployed. However, if any SAMs remained, they would pose a major risk. In a world where every resource was precious, they couldn¡¯t afford such losses. It was a frustrating puzzle. To protect allied forces, they¡¯d need UAV recon. But to ensure UAV safety, they needed to confirm the presence of SAMs, which could only be done by sending in people. A Catch-22, but not without possible solutions. ¡°Operations Advisor.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± ¡°Seal off San Francisco. Let no one, not even a rat or a crate of supplies, get in or out. Form an elite reconnaissance team from the best of our forces on the blockade line.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Sealing off a major city like San Francisco was no small feat. If the remaining forces held out indefinitely, this could drag on for months or even years. But they¡¯d break the siege with periodic assaults, tracking down and eradicating hostile forces one by one, leaving them without food or sleep. ¡°When I arrived at Point Loma, do you know what I saw first? Two mushroom clouds. We¡¯ll make them pay for turning San Diego into a radioactive wastnd.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be easy, and it would take time and adaptable strategy. But time and resources were on their side, unlike the invaders who had stomped their way into San Francisco. Within a few months, that area would be entirely devoid of anything. With the primary concerns addressed, Powell¡¯s attention turned elsewhere. ¡°How¡¯s Sacramento?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still in chaos. The snowstorm is intensifying, and meteorologists predict it couldst at least six more weeks.¡± ¡°Good heavens.¡± The satellite view zoomed further north, where a massive storm system nketed Seattle, Pornd, and Sacramento. While no single storm could cover that vast area, multiple severe blizzards had swept over California. The West Coast looked anything but promising. Citiesy nketed in white, with an expected temperature drop well below freezing. ¡°If we¡¯d dyed Team Dagger¡¯s deployment any longer, things would¡¯ve been much harder.¡± There was no response, but he continued. ¡°Check that winter supplies are ample for the San Francisco defense line. Any dy, and HQ might struggle to deliver resupplies.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Reinforce personnel and snow removal equipment at San Jose International Airport. Make sure everything proceeds smoothly.¡± Finally, Powell sank back into his chair. Watching his operations officers rush about to carry out his orders, he sped his hands together, mumbling to himself. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t mind a shadow showing up in Sacramento¡ªor even just at Travis Air Force Base¡­¡± He wondered why they¡¯d appeared, who they were, and what they were made of. That immortal force, which had managed to rout Los Angeles so effectively, hadn¡¯t reappeared. Their help was sorely needed to preserve troops and resources. Maybe, just maybe, they¡¯d reappear if he wished hard enough. With a fleeting thought, he stared at the satellite image of Sacramento, obscured by thick clouds. ¡°¡­so that¡¯s what our rookie says.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There wasn¡¯t a single soul who wouldn¡¯t wee an immortal army that needed neither rest nor supplies. It was decided: the next mission area for the shadows would be Sacramento. ¡°The game devs really do whatever they want.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yerin?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god, what happened? Hypothermia already?!¡± Sacramento, California. The operation, codenamed "Snowpierce,"menced in mid-February 2036, as a record-breaking snowstorm with an average temperature of -23¡ãC hit the West Coast for the first time in decades. Only two operators could travel together in the snow-buried, hostilendscape. With the storm blocking all external reconnaissance, Sacramento was dered a non-supervised zone where betrayals and impromptu alliances were permissible. yers deploying to the area scattered across the city. The objective? Set up a shelter against the relentless blizzard, forage for materials, or take over existing structures for better protection. yers could destroy, merge, or defend shelters as they saw fit. In short, it was a brutal survival battle in a Dark Zone. Assuming one could handle the cold. Boom! ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°Stay focused! Moving is the only way to stay warm!¡± ¡°But who told you to throw a fire grenade at me?!¡±
  • Crazy bastard lolololol
  • Memo: how to cure hypothermia¡­ fire grenade¡­
  • Can¡¯t believe they threw a grenade without hesitation lololol
  • What is wrong with you?!
  • Look at Dice¡¯s reaction lolololol
Under faint lighting, snow flurries, and moonlight, a bright me zed to life. The heat was so intense that the surrounding snow melted before refreezing, while Dice thrashed like a freshly caught fish. Viewers were stunned into silence, but as the mes on Dice¡¯s clothing quickly extinguished, he found himself cured of hypothermia. Harmony, too, warmed up thanks to the fire grenade. But a critical choice loomed: exhaust shield energy to stave off the cold, leaving oneself vulnerable inbat, or risk hypothermia to conserve shield energy. They chose thetter. ¡°¡­Finally warmed up. So, where do we go from here?¡± ¡°Open areas are crawling with enemies, and most buildings have too many windows, which makes them hard to secure¡­¡± Bzzz. A pulse spread through the area. Most yers deployed to Sacramento aimlessly wandered, often meeting their end from enemy patrols, other yers, or the cold itself. While many buildings were nearby, few offered strong defenses. But exceptions existed. ¡°200 meters ahead¡­ Is that¡­ a prison?¡± ¡°Sounds like a major hassle.¡± ¡°Since when did we ever avoid hassle?¡± Click. The ominous sound of Harmony¡¯s M110A1 in the icy winds was unmistakable. One way or another, either the prison or this duo would face the River Styx today. Neither Harmony nor Dice had any intention of wandering in the blizzard any longer than necessary. Recalling their survival missions with Eugene, Harmony exhaled heavily. How had they gone from knowing so little to this point? With the freezing conditions, the route to the prison was oddly clear¡ªno enemies in sight, which likely meant they were all holed up inside. A foreboding structure with faint lights stood in the center of Sacramento. The Sacramento County Central Prison. And a skull symbol appeared. -[Warning: Numerous enemies detected in the building. Reinforcements rmended.] ¡°There¡¯s a prison in the middle of downtown? Interesting.¡± ¡°Not a prison anymore. At least not if there aren¡¯t prisoners inside.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The implication was obvious. After a brief pause, Dice added. ¡°Well, at least we don¡¯t have to worry about friendly fire.¡±
  • Trantion: We¡¯re killing anything that moves
  • Am I watching Dice and Harmony or two Terminators lololol
  • T-800 and T-1000 straight out of hell lol
  • So is Eugene Doomguy???
  • That pretty face was just a disguise lolol
Harmony chuckled, nodding. The door creaked open, and through the thick darkness, only a siren echoed. The entrance was guarded by an Echo¡ªthe recorded image of an enemy soldier ughtering every staff member inside. Apparently, the enemy forces had scavenged weapons from nearby, opened every cell door, and either executed or enlisted remaining prisoners as auxiliary troops. The Echo faded, but the events that followed were easy to predict. Then¡ª Thud! ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s trying to ambush us in the dark.¡± Smoke rose from the silencer of Harmony¡¯s pistol, the enemy dropping with a hole in his forehead. A shotgun ttered from his hand, now useless to anyone. Suddenly, the ceiling lights flicked on. Footsteps echoed from both hallways, followed by the hiss of gas vents overhead. But neither Harmony nor Dice flinched, their shields automatically filtering the gas. A grenade, pin pulled, rolled down the hallway. Ducking behind an overturned desk, Dice aimed across the corridor. Heavily armed troopers poured in, oblivious to the grenade waiting around the corner. The explosion went off right at the trooper¡¯s rear. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Boom! No armor could withstand a grenade at such close range. The trooper with a shattered pelvis rolled across the floor, bleeding pixted polygons, only to be finished off by bullets. As more enemies arrived, grenades and naniteunchers cleared entire waves at once, overwhelming the prison¡¯s defenders. When the remaining troops retreated inside for regrouping, Harmonymented cheerfully. ¡°Apparently, you can name a shelter once you capture it.¡± ¡°¡­Why bring that up?¡± ¡°Thought of a good name.¡± And then a screenshot appeared. It was an old photo, seemingly taken during a survival mission with Eugene¡ªclearly intended to get a reaction from Dice. Eugene, bundled up like a chubby bear, was in the shot. ¡°How about ChubbyConda?¡± ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± But Dice didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Knew you¡¯d like it.¡± And so, the two reapers made their way into the prison. Thus, the first major shelter in Sacramento¡¯s operation history earned its iconic name: ChubbyConda. Chapter 326 -[Alert: Current shelter is unsuitable for long-term activity and cannot amodate more than 10 individuals.] -[Alert: High-value target pop-up is restricted due to shelter standards not being met.] "Seriously, again? Where do they expect us to go now?" "Somece like a hotel or government building, I guess." "Yeah, like I''d happily walk into a ce with thirty heavily armored guys with shieldsing at us." Sacramento. Weather: extremely overcast. Constant blizzard. The white death nketing everything in sight swept over California¡¯s capital city in a fierce storm, as tens of thousands of yers fell from above. Predictably, the buildings in Sacramento couldn¡¯t possibly hold this many people. Thus, one by one, bodies began to pile up on the deep snow. Some were corpses of Russian or Chinese alliance forces, and others were Operators. But whichever they were, the snow quickly buried them, making them nearly impossible to locate. Moreover, this mission came with an unprecedented respawn cooldown¡ªeight hours in real time, or an entire day in virtual reality if a yer died. This led to an entirely new level of risk aversion previously unseen in the game. But just because most yers chose a cautious route didn¡¯t make it the correct one. Soon enough, they realized thatbat was inevitable toplete the mission in Sacramento. "What are we going to do?" "It''s not like we can''t stay here. Let¡¯s select a few people to scout the area for any secure strongholds nearby. I can go if needed." "Alright, then I¡¯ll recall the guys scavenging for construction materials." This scenario was urring all over Sacramento. The oues were mostly as expected: either getting wiped out or surviving while patrolling the surroundings, or encountering other yers to form alliances¡ªor engage in deadly skirmishes. Whether to kill or ally, either choice had its advantages, and if a team managed to maintain their shelter until the operation¡¯s end, they could replicate it as a base for future operations at the forwardmand post in San Diego. This prospect added an enjoyable chaos to the mission. Consequently, those deployed in Sacramento had to constantly make decisions¡ªwhether to keep alliances with other yers or betray them, how much damage to risk in battles while scavenging, and the potential rewards from eliminating others. A true free-for-all. Sacramento¡¯s situation was spiraling into utter chaos. Of course, there were exceptions. "Only a prison would have this many iron bars everywhere." "And to think they¡¯ve locked every single one¡­ugh." Crack! Iron bars melted, shattered, and were smashed by explosions. More than a dozen of them blocked the path forward. To prevent prison escapes, reinforced doors had been designed inyers, all of which now barred the way for Dice and Harmony. However, tools like thermite torches, adhesive explosives, and naniteunchers melted away not only the bars but even the thick steel doors that could¡¯ve withstood several people colliding against them. Soon, the two had reached the cafeteria. Of course¡ª ng! "Damn." "They sure went all out to wee us." As soon as they entered, all the cafeteria bars closed, and armed inmates began slinking out, equipped with guns and bulletproof vests.@@novelbin@@ They looked like they¡¯d stop at nothing. Nearly all of them were in for crimes like murder, robbery, and drug trafficking, as well as countless other unspeakable acts, and they hesitated not a bit in dealing lethal force. In other words, if not for the blizzard, they would have already stormed out to kill any survivors in Sacramento. However¡ª "Fire! They¡¯re shooting at us, damn it!" "Bullets aren¡¯t prating!" The Icarus Operators here had far more experience in urban warfare and close-quartersbat than all these convictsbined. Unlike these convicts, who¡¯d onlymitted crimes without receiving any professional CQB training, the prisoners fell like leaves in autumn. It didn¡¯t take long for Harmony and Dice to start their mechanical hunt, pulling the trigger without hesitation, green-tipped rounds slicing through the air. Every bullet that passed through the convicts¡¯ cheap body armor was lethal, piercing the soft flesh beneath and leaving them waiting for death. "Open the door! Damn it, open it already!" "Who the hell lowered the bars? Ahhh! My arm!" Their attempt to contain the Icarus operatives with mere bars and blockades was futile. These prisoners failed to realize they¡¯d trapped themselves as well, eliminating any chance of rescue. In less than five minutes, over seventy convicts had been ruthlessly mowed down. Trained with precision shooting, Harmony and Dice left the prisoners defenseless, unable to hide behind cover as their legs shattered or windpipes were punctured. As ast-ditch effort, a double-locked steel door released sleep gas from above, but Dice casually loaded nanite canisters into his chemicaluncher. With a soft pop, the two cleared the dual security system, making enough space for both to pass through. And this was not an isted urrence. "Uh, up ahead¡­looks like at least two toons are approaching. We can¡¯t hold them all off." "Closing the gate and releasing sleep gas. You still have the vapor napalm canisters, right?" "Roger that. I¡¯ll take care of it." In the facility control room, Harmony took control of the entire prison¡¯s gate closures and sleep gas deployment. Normally, a facility of this size would require detailed blueprints to memorize, but after countless missions with Eugene, both Harmony and Dice had honed their skills in quickly mapping outyouts. The two of them managed to infiltrate a massive correctional facility that would ordinarily need ten or more operators, simply because Harmony¡¯s skills with the control room let her manipte the environment perfectly to Dice¡¯s advantage. "There are so many enemies here. Soon, we¡¯ll be picking up dropped weapons to keep up." "Hmm¡­" "Is something wrong?" They¡¯d either spent too much time, or luck had run out. Harmony turned to Dice, considering options. "Return to the control room. Looks like we¡¯re about to get some help." "Help?" "Who else?" A live CCTV feed disyed on the screen. "Let¡¯s hand over the grunt work." Seven additional Icarus operatives were approaching the facility. -[Alert: Sacramento State Prison has been upgraded to a new shelter -> Sanctuary.] -[Alert: Some interior design and defense/respawn system setups are now avable for this sanctuary.] -[Alert: Sanctuary rating - S+] -[Alert: TunTunConda House (Sacramento State Prison) sanctuary is now active.] "Now that we¡¯ve activated it, I¡¯m actually a bit scared. I feel like Eugene will be so horrified he¡¯ll leave." "It¡¯s toote now." -¡°Not gonna lie, that¡¯s a pretty humble remark for someone who just blew away seven people in an instant, lmao¡± -¡°These people are definitely insane.¡± -¡°At least show an ounce of sympathy for the ones you killed, lmao¡± -¡°No wonder she kept picking up grenades mid-battle, that crazy explosive freak, lmao¡± -¡°Please stop, lmao¡± Harmony and Dice. TunTunConda House Sanctuary registrationplete. Chapter 327 "Feels like I¡¯ve juste back from a business trip¡­." Thud. Lying on the bed, he disconnected from the neural interface, a different setup from the usual VR connector, and copsed back onto his bed. After nearly forty-eight hours of lying there, his body felt incredibly stiff. With only minimal breaks for meals and necessary bodily functions, he had invested almost every moment in the operation, so it was only natural. Now that it was finally over, he felt genuine relief. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since he¡¯d gone on an operation, but his head throbbed slightly. It wasn¡¯t a physical issue¡ªmore likely, it was due to the intense concentration and heightened alertness he had maintained, especially while working with Team Dagger again for the first time in a while. "¡­Water. Need water." His throat was parched. Even with a humidifier running, his throat was dry, suggesting it could have been a lot worse without it. Heading to the kitchen, he gulped down an ice-cold ss of water, finally feeling some relief. He vaguely remembered the three-day break announcement he had hastily posted before the operation. He could already imagine the uproar from his viewers¡­yet reconnecting with Team Dagger and executing the joint operation took priority. He checked the date, realizing he had another day before his next broadcast, which was enough time to explore the Dark Zone at his leisure. Recently, he¡¯d been all about missions, with barely any downtime. With a hologram disy open, he started preparing lunch. Today¡¯s menu was pasta and pizza, along with a protein-packed shake to fill in any gaps. Eating like this every day was certainly a major perk. There wasn¡¯t much he needed to do. Reheating the pizza in the oven and following a recipe for the pasta was straightforward enough. While the water boiled, he took out various ingredients from the fridge. Of course, checking in on any happenings during his absence was standard. Activating the Icarus Gear¡¯s action-assist function, he could chop ingredients without much effort, freeing his eyes to focus on other things. So, the top headline of the day¡ª "¡­Sacramento faction war?" It seemed another major event was underway in the game. Curious about the exact nature of the chaos, he decided to leave the finer details forter and instead reviewed the basics. The event was set in Sacramento, currently covered by a once-in-decades blizzard that had engulfed the American West. Moreover, a unique prompt appeared on his screen, exclusive to him, describing this event as a ¡°Second World Synchronization Result.¡± Once again, it looked like the role of retaking the city would fall to an entity needing no supplies or support. The premise was simple. It was called a ¡°faction war¡± for a reason: the event allowed yers to form groups asrge as entire battalions, not just their usual operation teams. The main objectives included establishing superior base camps, forming alliances, or engaging in battles with other teams. Since it was nominally a Sacramento ¡°remation¡± operation, yers gained more points from patrolling or clearing out specific zones than from PvP or building fortifications. Noting this, he saw that the pasta was about 80% cooked and dropped it into the pre-made cream sauce, giving it a good stir with thedle. With the pasta and the pizza, whose timer had just finished, now arranged on the table, he sat down to eat. Slurping and chewing sounds filled the air, and it didn¡¯t take long for the meal to disappear. "Phew, finally full." Afterward, he sat at his desk, handling a few errands. Nothing borate¡ªmostly replying to messages, reviewing iing sponsorships, and keeping potential ones on file. Recently, he¡¯d been focusing on easy-to-eat food brands, so he got quite a few of those offers. Then there was the matter of the think tank. Over the past few weeks, its expansion had been exponential, requiring regr check-ins. Although he was the majority shareholder and technology provider, he often left most decisions to the professional management team. One notable decision he¡¯d recently made was granting stock options to the management and engineering staff. This brought his shares down from 100% to about 99.62%, but they seemed thrilled about it, to his slight embarrassment. Additionally, Henry¡¯s proposal to support small and venture-sizedpanies had passed, allowing the think tank to benefit from it starting in April of this year. "It¡¯s finally taking off." To celebrate, he had offered to provide any necessary technology, but, interestingly, they¡¯d declined, exining that even after a threefold increase in personnel, they still hadn¡¯t fully absorbed the tech he¡¯d already provided. It was hard to argue with that. The mere wristwatch he wore incorporated mind-bending technologies like room-temperature fusion and ultra-miniaturization. Clearly, the tech level from his previous world was far beyond what was avable here. In any case, he felt his blood sugar rising and decided to get dressed for a short walk, savoring thete-winter air. Naturally, he turned on the heating function of his Icarus Gear; otherwise, his cold-sensitive body would have reacted unpleasantly. After about thirty minutes of strolling, he returned home, feeling somewhat refreshed and eager to check what was happening in the Dark Zone. He wore his choker,y back on the bed, and activated the interface, a familiar yet strange ceilinging into view. There he was. "Damn, that¡¯s shy." The sight in the mirror. In this virtual reality where practically anything was possible, his shoulder patches, gun camo, and firearm essories stood out, resplendent in their varied shapes and colors. Out in the open, he¡¯d be immediately recognized. Thankfully, the shoulder patches could be removed¡ªa lifesaver given his dozens of Omega Rank mission patches, Incursion first-clear patches, 1st ce in Qualifiers, and KSM Rank 1 patches, among others. Wearing all of them would be ridiculous. Unfortunately, the Final Championship patch and crest couldn¡¯t be removed. Creak! He opened the door and walked to themunity park. Fortunately, the game included an optical camouge function, allowing him to remain unseen. Otherwise, it would have been like a surprise fan signing session. Looking around, he saw the bulletin board filled with papers. Most were recruitment posts for mission partners or operation team members. Today, however, there was something new. "Ah, ah. Recruiting members for Dark Room Director¡¯s Sanctuary! Five spots avable, located in California State Library! Great location, lots of private space for building! Looking for yers SOF and up!" "Looking for both newbies and pros at the You-Can¡¯t-Survive-Here Sanctuary! Prioritizing yers with free schedules over skill level! Located in Bierce Bookstore¡ªno regrets! Lots of space, looking for people to grow with us!" ¡­What in the world? He couldn¡¯t help butugh at the scene¡ªthis faction war event had practically turned into a recruiting fair. Elsewhere, it was no different, with yers stering their shoulders with every shy title and patch to advertise themselves. At first, he hadn¡¯t understood what it meant when he heard the survival system was implemented in Sacramento, but now it made sense. It seemed that without base camps or sanctuaries like these, prolonged activity would be impossible. This implied that he might not need to roam around Los Angeles-style, personally fighting every enemy, as he could leave it to other yers this time. Thinking along these lines, he continued walking¡ªuntil¡ª "Looking for raid members for TunTunConda House Sanctuary! Minimum 50 yers, fully armed, wee!" "What?" He couldn¡¯t ignore that. It seemed he had a reason to head to Sacramento sooner rather thanter. "Wow, look at all the people." "Looks like there are about sixty of them, going all out to secure this spot." "What¡¯s the n?" "Wait until we derebat, then have the fire and defense teams at the main entrance." In front of the Sacramento State Prison, people began to gather one by one. Their numbers had swelled to around two to three toons, surrounding the prison and scanning continuously for vulnerabilities. Some had even brought portable anchors, making the rooftop a potential entry point, not just the main entrance. The scene captured by hidden CCTVs was downright intimidating. Rockets and Juggernaut suits indicated their intent to break through any obstacle, causing those watching the footage to swallow nervously. Meanwhile, Harmony and Dice observed the scene with subtle smiles. "What do you think?" "They¡¯re a bit few in number, but we should be able to repel them without much trouble." Everyone except Dice let out a wryugh, but in their minds, they knew he was likely correct. "I don¡¯t recall the interioryout ever being exposed. It¡¯splicated enough that they won¡¯t gain much from entering unprepared." "Exactly. We could easily lure them in, trap them, then ambush them from side paths. The routes aren¡¯t that wide, so they¡¯ll deploy troops sequentially." "We¡¯re currently twenty-two people, so we¡¯ll have to use our heads a bit." "And if ites to it, we¡¯ll lure them to the trap rooms. We trained our control room operators for situations like this." The conversation continued, despite the ongoing developments outside. With a thunk, anchorsunched, hooking onto the roof of the Sacramento State Prison. ording to the pulse readings, sixteen units were preparing for rooftop infiltration, split into two groups of eight. The yers inside the prison were unaware of this. The rooftop rms sounded, signaling all internal forces to prepare forbat. Harmony and Dice confirmed this from behind the two yers operating the control room. -[Alert: Combat Dered. Entering Defense Operation at Sacramento State Prison.] -[Alert: Number of defenders confirmed to be less than half the attacking forces. Advantage ¡°Ie Hacking¡± activated. Select a user location to hack.] "Target rooftop infiltrators as they ascend with ie hacking." A simple yet effective choice. With only the information from intercepted conversations, they could deduce the timing and likely routes of infiltration. A new screen opened beside the main control screen, automatically converting intercepted voices into text. Harmony took a calming breath, patting the shoulders of the two control room operators watching intently. "It¡¯s fine. Just keep battlefield updates frequent and urate." "Understood!" "Oh, rx, will you?" Yet, even as they prepared, the sixteen yers began to ascend, their positions detected by the rooftop sensors¡ªthough, for some reason, some sensors weren¡¯t working. Scratching his head in confusion, he continued monitoring, and then¡ª -[Recording: Ah, ah, do you read? This is Loop 1-1. All sixteen have sessfully reached the roof. How¡¯s the connection?] -[Recording: What¡¯s this? Why did thems suddenly cut out?] -[Recording: Must¡¯ve triggered the EMP. Guess there¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ll go signal manually. Wait here and rig the door with explosives. Use a fuse or wired detonation since we¡¯ve got EMP.] -[Recording: Roger that.] "¡­Did we have an EMP?" "Other than individual pulse devices, I don¡¯t think so. Strange¡­" "Get ready to retreat if necessary. Even with sanctuary respawn, it takes six in-game hours to revive!" And with that, they waited. Now that the battle was truly about to begin, they watched as the rooftop enemies moved to the edges of the building, signaling manually due to the failedms. As one of them leaned out to signal, an odd sound broke the silence. Rip! The sound was familiar, like peeling tape. In the next moment, a muffled voice transmitted over thems, and suddenly, a rooftop yer plummeted from the building. Unwillingly. "¡­?" "¡­Huh?" Thud! Given the height, the automatic fall safety would have catapulted the yer to the lobby to prevent heart failure. But now, an empty corpse soared momentarily before hitting the ground, dead. A stir spread. The yers on the roof, unaware of their missing member, leisurely continued setting up explosives. They were oblivious, but the yers at the front entrance understood it was time to push forward. A rocket shot at the entrance, exploding, while a st simultaneously breached the rooftop entrance. The infiltration operation was in full swing. As the first team of eight yers entered through the roof, the second team of seven waited leisurely on the rooftop. However¡ª Thud! "Gah¡­!" "What the hell¡¯s going on!?" "Caron¡¯s dead! There¡¯s someone on the roof!" "Return fire, return fire!" "Where!?" Six remaining. Five. Four, three¡­ One by one, the second rooftop team disappeared. The blizzard and optical camouge created a deadlybination. The infiltrators, unable to aim properly, fell or were mortally wounded, chased back to the lobby. In less than thirty seconds, the sixty attackers dwindled to fifty, and then an unexpected someone picked up amunicator, crackling as if aware of the hack. -[Recording: I¡¯ll be there soon. In the meantime, think of a good reason why you named it TunTunConda¡¯s House.] "¡­Hic." "¡­May I go to the bathroom?" Baba Yaga.@@novelbin@@ Or something even more terrifying wasing for Sacramento State Prison. Chapter 328 "Loop Team, do you read? There¡¯s an unidentified enemy force on the roof! Get down from there now!" "It¡¯s already toote. We lost contact over five minutes ago." "What kind of disaster is this?" Six minutes into the operation, things were already starting to go wrong. Inside themand vehicle set up near the prison, everyone was frantically working the various equipment, each of them thinking the same thing. A body had fallen just before the main entry assault, and the rooftop infiltration team had gone silent since the operation began. While the main entry team seemed to be progressing well, the initial blunder weighed heavily on everyone. "Alpha Team, what¡¯s the status?" "The defenses are tougher than expected. We might take longer than nned to reach the target." "Engage carefully to minimize personnel loss." Through thems or the first-person cams attached to the team members, they could see the intensebat situation inside. The defenders were using chain guns and turrets to hold back the wave of attackers, effectively turning the ce into a hellscape for the assault team. Moreover, in the chaos of urban warfare, themand vehicle could only provide general guidance, leaving thebatants to handle things themselves. Then came a brief lull. "At least the death count for the main entry team isn¡¯t rising too quickly." "Chain guns and turrets have firepower limits¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like there are too many defenders inside. With our numbers, we should have the advantage. We¡¯ll keep grinding them down and break through at the first weak spot." The tension began to ease. With no need for constant orders, they could rx a little. The only concern was the unknown enemy on the roof, but the death count indicated that at least some of the rooftop team was still alive. Their focus turned to identifying the enemy who attacked the rooftop team, but answers were scarce. Whoever had wiped out the reserve rooftop team had vanished. Naturally, theories began to form. "Maybe this Incursion event took inspiration from the Survival mode, and a Hunter appeared." "¡­That makes sense. Hunters emit EMPs when they show up, so one could¡¯ve appeared while the first team was entering." "Maybe four or five of them? The rooftop team wouldn¡¯t stand a chance." "If we secure the sanctuary, they won¡¯t need to escape, right?" "Do you think Harmony and Dice are easy targets?" Pointless bickering. But at least the conclusion wasn¡¯tpletely unreasonable. There was a possibility that Hunters had appeared and wiped out the reserve team, so themand vehicle focused on resolving the situation. Their main concern was how to deal with Harmony and Dice. Those two alone ounted for about 50% of the sanctuary¡¯s strength. With Harmony ranked as the top streamer and Dice as the Final Championship¡¯s fourth, they were formidable opponents. The proposed strategies were crude but effective¡ªlike herding them into open terrain and attacking with twenty people at once. Other suggestions were simrly straightforward. "Feels like we¡¯ve messed with the wrong people¡­."@@novelbin@@ Someone muttered. They could still take it if they tried. After all, even top-ranked streamers were just yers in this ruthless PvP world, and Harmony and Dice knew that if they couldn¡¯t defend, they¡¯d lose the sanctuary. Butbat was a different matter entirely. The wheels were already in motion, and they returned to their roles, focusing entirely on the task. But then¡ª -[Alert: Localized EMP detected.] -[Alert: Exceeding allowable limit of electronic interference. Initiatingwork andmand vehicle reboot.] "What? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me." "This doesn¡¯t feel right¡­." The ceiling lights and equipment inside the vehicle went dark. Withmunications down, they lost contact with the escort vehicle and the five standby guards. But they could still talk among themselves. Bang, bang, bang! "Are you in there?" "Themand vehicle is intact. Is the escort team all right?" "No issues. The engine shut off, but we¡¯re holding position. An EMP¡­ think it could be a Hunter?" "We were already suspecting Hunters. Stay alert." "Roger that. Finally, some action." Footsteps crunched in the snow outside. Themand vehicle had started rebooting, and everyone inside was back to assessing the situation. Then, suddenly, the EMP activated again with a faint buzz. But unlike before, this time it seemed continuous, leaving allms and devices dead and themand vehicle engulfed in eerie silence. Everyone fell silent, focusing on the sounds outside. All they could hear was the crunch of snow. But then¡ª Pop, pop, pop! "Ahhh!" Suddenly, shots rang out at near point-nk range. Muffled by a silencer, the sound was nearly lost in the snowstorm, but there was another, sharper noise¡ªlike sticks snapping or boards breaking. They hoped it wasn¡¯t from the guards waiting outside, but fate often has other ns. The faint sound of breathing through the snowstorm was captured by the barely functioning mic. And then a voice spoke. "¡­It¡¯s an EMP generator I received as a hardcore perk. It¡¯ll fry the circuitspletely, so they won¡¯t being back online." "¡­Who are you?" "Good question. I should probably take it as apliment that no one recognizes me by voice." A faint chuckle echoed inside themand vehicle. And then another voice. "A guardian of the sanctuary, I presume." "I was just about to ask why they named it that." Crackle! The vehicle¡¯s exit ramp began to glow faintly red. The sanctuary¡¯s guardian, Uroboros¡ªEugene¡ªhad welded the door shut with thermite, trapping everyone inside. The targeted EMP had disabled all control andmunication systems, leaving them helpless. "Quite the setup on that escort vehicle. An M134 minigun with 4,000 rounds. I¡¯ll make good use of it." "¡­Fine. I¡¯ll give up and go watch the stream. Are you streaming right now?" "Head to the lobby; you¡¯ll find out." The sound of metal nking followed. Eugene detached the massive clip from the vehicle¡¯s roof and transformed into a moving turret, loaded with hundreds of kilograms of ammunition. With a steady, grinding sound, Eugene disappeared, leaving the six inside to let out helplessughs. What a strange world. "HQ, do you copy? HQ! HQ!" "This is insane. What¡¯s even happening?" "Where should we go? Does anyone have contact with the main entry team?" "By now, they¡¯re probably split into squads. That¡¯s how the team operates. Not much help." When you sever a limb, the head screams, but when you sever the head, the body is paralyzed¡ªthis applies to both people and organizations. For those assaulting Sacramento State Prison, it was no different. The loss of centralmand threw them into chaos. Without guidance, they were little more than scattered forces. Contingency ns existed, but theycked the experience to execute them smoothly. But, as always, time waited for no one. "I¡¯ll check it ou¡ªugh!" Thud! One yer, trying to assess HQ with two others, was thrown back as a door swung open, mming into him. A cold gust blew in, scattering snow, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. They gaped, stunned. Standing before them was something beyondprehension¡ªa figure bearing a massive ammo box barely small enough to fit through the doorway. And in their hand was a cylindrical weapon with six barrels, a ssic sight in military films. For a moment, everyone froze, unable to process if she was friend or foe. But they wasted a precious 1.5 seconds. Unlike them, Eugene knew exactly what to do. "¡­Huh?" That single word was all most of them managed to say. The trigger was pulled, the motor spun, and electricity surged through the Icarus Gear, powering the minigun to life in less than a second. A storm of bullets erupted. Brrrrrr! The 7.62mm NATO rounds poured out at 80 rounds per second, turning the floor brass-colored. The minigun¡¯s destructive power was beyond containment, and two Icarus Operators in Eugene¡¯s path were shredded within a second, ejected to the lobby. But it didn¡¯t end there. Those who hid toote were left barely alive, and those slower were reduced to shreds. Even those who hid weren¡¯t safe, as hundreds of bullets obliterated cover like soaked cotton candy. Eugene fired over ten thousand rounds from one spot. Weighing 216kg with hundreds of kilos of ammunition, Eugene stood unmoving, absorbing the recoil with raw strength. "Unbelievable, this is insane¡ª!" "I surrender! I surre¡ªgah!" But the gunfire erased everything. Even their surrender pleas. After clearing out the lobby, all that remained was the glowing barrel, its gas slowly dissipating. The ammo counter read 3,136 rounds. It was enough to clear out the remaining intruders. Taking a deep breath, Eugene stepped forward. Though he might have looked like a waddling duck, no one would dare say that to someone with such firepower. Death moved forward, slow but inevitable. And when it caught up to the remaining enemies, turrets, and chain guns, everything disappeared in 15 seconds. The minigun, a brutal eraser. And for the invaders, the worst part was that Eugene moved faster as his ammo dwindled. There was no escaping. This process repeated five times, and even some of Harmony and Dice¡¯s defenders were caught in the storm, but no one could object. Stopping a hurricane was impossible. In one unexpected twist¡ª Boom! Grenades exploded in the hallway battles, bullets and grenades breaking pipes and disabling Harmony¡¯s traps. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but the result was the same. The ammo count fell from 2,000 to 1,000¡­ until the ammo box was finally empty. By then, Eugene had reached a section marked ¡°Hall of Fame¡ªEugene.¡± And at the end of the hall¡ª "¡­I see you two know what you did wrong, judging by the way you¡¯re kneeling." "Yes, sir." "Y-yes¡­." At the end of the intimidating disy of Eugene¡¯s achievements, Harmony and Dice knelt obediently, waiting. Of course, both soon found themselves bound and disyed as ¡°living exhibits¡± in Eugene¡¯s gallery. A fitting end. Chapter 329 "Did these guys ever imagine they¡¯d starve to death at an airport?" "I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯m d we won¡¯t have to fire a shot. There¡¯s a reason there was no sign of life when we scouted the airport with the SUAV." Northwest Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport. Under the relentless snowstorm, nine figures cautiously emerged¡ªthe Task Force Dagger Team. These weren¡¯t the peaceful Dagger Team members from the game who helped the youngest, but rather the group who once lost and regained their youngest at the Indian Point Nuclear Power nt. Rain or snow, the operation proceeds. The Icarus Gear allowed users to maintain 100%bat readiness even in extreme conditions, far beyond the in-game, performance-limited version designed for bnce in territorial wars. Making full use of these capabilities, Dagger Team had been airlifted from Travis Air Force Base, tens of kilometers south, to Sacramento International Airport, which they aimed to retake as a foothold for the broader Sacramento campaign. "Activating Echo. Let¡¯s see what happened here." "Not that we need to look. It¡¯s pretty obvious what happened¡­." In the end, it was all about the snow. In war, supply lines were critical; if you failed to secure them, the only oue was death. A rare, massive snowstorm¡ªone that mighte once in a century¡ªhad swept over Sacramento, burying everything, including the supply routes, under snow. The unique nature of Sacramento International Airport made things worse. To put it bluntly, the airport was in the middle of nowhere. Within a 9km radius, there were only farms. To get supplies, one would need to drive over 13km one way. In other words, anyone there had to cover about 25km round trip to fetch essentials. Normally, that distance wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But¡ª "With all this snow outside, there¡¯s no way supplies wereing in properly." Snow. For the past two months, Sacramento¡¯s average temperature had hovered around -25¡ãC, with snow piled up over 40cm in most ces. It was a historic natural disaster. Bringing supplies by truck might have worked once or twice, but eventually, it was simply impossible. The Echo that Laurentina activated confirmed this. -[Log: Mikhail and Popov haven¡¯t returned for three days. We¡¯re probably going to die here, buried in the snow. Will anyone know whether losing a single truck or burying two of ourrades in snow was the greater loss?] -[Log: I heard there¡¯s a hotel and a mall if you head west on the West Side Highway for about 14km. Maybe there¡¯s a chance. If I leave, it¡¯ll be during the day. I¡¯ll take all the cold-weather gear I have left.] -[Log: It¡¯s been a week since we lost contact with the supply lines. Everyone¡¯s starving and going mad. I¡¯m running out of food myself. I¡¯m leaving today. May God have mercy.] "Do you think this guy¡¯s still alive?" "Hard to say. If he was lucky, maybe he made it to Costco and is surviving like a caveman?" "Icarus Gear shows this was written 42 days ago. Who knows¡­ Either way, Intel collection shouldn¡¯t be a problem given this mess." Other Echos scattered around contained simrly grim stories. The bullet holes and shattered ss nearby hinted at in-fighting driven by hunger, and the scattered bones¡­ well, they didn¡¯t want to know more. Several Pulse scans revealed no signs of life. Not surprising; with some of the airport¡¯s ceilings partially copsed under the snow¡¯s weight, the freezing air kept pouring in. The airport¡¯s internal temperature was only a few degrees warmer than outside. Anyone without proper winter gear, food or no food, was likely to freeze to death. The ce was littered with bodies. Aside from a few charred or frozen bloodstains, the floor was covered with frozen corpses. But the airport brigade had already be a meal for the snowstorm. Now, all that was left was to check for remaining intel. Finding the operationsmand center was straightforward. Near a cluster of high-ranking corpses, they found a shiny, server-like room that screamed mand center." "Bingo. Everyone, gather around. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside." Whirr! Logan took out a power supply from his bag, while Laurentina carefully ced her wrist on it. The server whirred to life, disying various holographic panels. The data had stopped updating about a month ago, suggesting the ce fell around then. Other than being in Cyrillic, the tactical software was simr to others they¡¯d seen. The team beganbing through thework, downloading key data onto their Icarus Gear. Since someone else mighte after, they activated a destruction algorithm to erase the data after use and continued talking. "Force deployments, key targets, Sacramento¡¯s travel routes¡­ They wouldn¡¯t have set up amand center here if they expected it to fall. We¡¯re taking everything." "Wait a sec. Look below¡ªthere¡¯s an emergency message." A popup immediately appeared in their line of sight. The contents were heavy. "¡­Uh, everyone, listen up." "Now what?" "I think things are about to getplicated. Take a look." A single popup window appeared. Emergency. An aircraft transporting two 150kt nuclear warheads to Mater Airport, east of Sacramento, has crashed somewhere in Sacramento due to inclement weather. Recover the warheads at any cost. Laurentina added in an exasperated tone. "¡­Are these people insane?" The enemy coalition had earned the disdain, even in death. Sacramento¡¯s situation had just fallen into utter chaos. "Something always has toe up, doesn¡¯t it?" "Why does it feel like I keep running into nukes? Are they normally scattered all over the ce?" "Maybe we should ask our Russian friends." Mainstream. In other words, the must-do tasks for this mission, the huge routes leading to the end. For those who wanted to experience the collective PvP and unique siege warfare of the Dark Zone, the faction wars were undoubtedly enticing. But as with all things, a beginning has an end. In other words, simply clearing the surrounding buildings and eliminating nearby enemies wouldn¡¯t end the Sacramento Campaign. While it might seem like overthinking, the more hints that surfaced, the more this felt less like paranoia and more like instinct. Some might even call it Snake Sense. "Still, this clue isn¡¯t much help. They didn¡¯t even say where the transport ne crashed. Sacramento is huge." "Maybe they left it vague because there are tens of thousands of yers roaming around?" "If it weren¡¯t for the blizzard, that theory would hold up." Without methrowers or vaporized napalm, they would¡¯ve been forced into a snow-clearing operation in virtual reality. And thanks to the sudden update to the main mission, the Dark Zonemunity sites were abuzz. Some yers even started fires in abandoned buildings, iming a ne had crashed there, turning the situation into utter chaos. Harmony and I had also started our stream, checking asionally for useful information. But realistically, would anyone give up valuable intel so readily? Most yers would keep critical data to themselves forter use. But that wasn¡¯t the only issue. "Why does Sacramento have so many airports? It¡¯s like there¡¯s one in every quadrant¡­." "Mater Airport, Executive Airport, McClen Airport, International Airport¡­ Just based on possible routes, we have six options." "Best not to trust that. The blizzard probably knocked them off course. Better to assume they could be anywhere."
  • "All those yers marking maps and following ne routes are in for a rude awakening. ??"
  • "Straight-up facts. ??"
  • "True, now that I think about it. ??"
  • "Almost dragged my friend along before we stopped. ??"
  • "Why are you telling us NOW!"
The first ones out always get burned. As the chat pointed out, tracking the flight path would waste time and manpower. A better n would be finding the ck box, the departing airport, or the warhead type. A 150kt nuclear warhead was missile-grade. In other words, it was ballistic missile material. That meant hitting a nearbymand post and checking the warhead allocation or supply manifest for the missile could pinpoint its location. I tapped the table softly. It was a signal only Harmony, Dice, and I understood¡ªa code for when we discussed sensitive in-game intel, like sanctuary trap locations. Enabling the blurred screen and conversation filter, I added: "When we hit the Capitol Museummand postst time, we took everything we could. We should go through it again; there could be something useful." "Another brilliant idea."
  • "Are you our strategist? ??"
  • "Fact: He''s not."
  • "Keeping secrets again, huh? ??"
  • "A tactical stash?!"
  • "A tactical stash! (it''s loaded)"
There was no shortage of viewers itching to get involved. After selecting a few to ¡°crush¡± their avatars¡¯ heads forughs, I checked the data hovering in the air. Of course, all the viewers saw was a blurred screen. One by one, I shared my findings with Harmony and Dice, who reviewed each entry with broad smiles. We keyed in on ballistic missiles and troop deployment logs. A few entries pointed to McClen Airport as a ballistic missile depot, but a quick look confirmed it was a decoy. And soon, we found data from about a month ago indicating a transport ne was scheduled to arrive at Mater Airport, east of Sacramento. But there was a problem. "It doesn¡¯t say where it took off¡­." "Let¡¯s just be grateful we¡¯ve narrowed it down." That left three options. McClen Airport, 13km northeast of the prison; Executive Airport, 8km south; and Sacramento International, 15km away. My instincts told me it was likely Sacramento International. After a brief consideration, I spoke up. "Dice, check McClen. Harmony, head to Executive. I¡¯ll go to Sacramento International. If there are enemies, don¡¯t force it. If things get rough, pull back. Take sanctuary members if you need backup." "Going solo, as always?" "It¡¯s the furthest, so those who can¡¯t keep up would only slow us down. Besides, taking everyone would make the base defense harder." "Got it. Prepping recon set." The three of us split off¡ªour destinations were blurred, so viewers would only catch the name of a generic ¡°--- Airport.¡± Moving on roads, it was about 11 miles, or roughly 18km. Adjusted for the game¡¯s map scale, that meant trudging through about 9km of snow. If this were reality, it would be challenging, but in any case, I intended to get there fast. With brief farewells, the three of us exited the prison¡¯s main gate, heading in different directions. Snow had lightened up, and the few yers who ventured out had cleared most of it, allowing me to walk on asphalt again. But after only a few dozen meters¡ª Deep snow, past my shins, up to my knees, awaited me. "Wow¡­."
  • "Look at the snow! ??"
  • "How did they design such a brutal map?"
  • "The military here must be dying!"
  • "Another week and it¡¯ll be waist-high!"
  • "Where¡¯s the down jacket icon? ??"
Crunch. Snow that had fallen fresh and old,pressed and packed, broke underfoot. With each step, hundreds more, I moved forward. After a few minutes, I switched to the adhesive bomb¡¯s me-throwing mode, melting my way through the snow. Though it only helped for about a kilometer, it was better than nothing. The cold wind howled. With the streetlights dead, an eerie atmosphere loomed. The only sound was my footsteps, muffled in the endless white. After a while, I reached a stretch of the West Side Highway. Atst, Sacramento International Airport appeared on the horizon. But it looked nothing like I expected. Honestly, it barely looked like anything. "¡­Is this it?" It was just a massive snowbank. Not a single light shone. Just in case, I sent a 500m pulse forward, which confirmed it¡ªno life signs in the airport. Hastily, I crossed the snow-covered parking lot and reached the terminal. But even in the terminal¡¯s heart, there was no sound, no movement. I had to admit it. Whether by natural disaster or another cause, everyone upying the airport was dead. It didn¡¯t take long to confirm my suspicion. "My God¡­."@@novelbin@@
  • "Wow, what a sight!"
  • "Why the blurred skulls? ??"
  • "Are these all bodies?"
  • "No bullet holes¡­ Did they starve to death?"
  • "They all froze, huh?"
Exactly. There were a few bodies with gunshot wounds, but most¡­ were eerily clean, like mummies. The cause was clear. With a partially copsed ceiling, freezing air poured into the airport. Snow had buried the structure, letting in relentless, icy gusts. But there was something more important. Footprints? Fresh footprints trailed through disturbed snow. I followed them, taking care to avoid detection by viewers. They led to a server room. A quick thermal scan confirmed that it had been reactivated recently, likely warmed by prior use. Could someone have beaten me here? Connecting a power supply, I activated the server. To my surprise, it booted up without issue. As I started transferring data to my Icarus Gear, I checked another area. Login logs. If the server had been shut down and rebooted, there would¡¯ve been login records, and any deletions could be traced. What I found was entirely unexpected. "¡­!" A distinct server shattering algorithm. The files splintered into unreadable trash, blocking any further transfer. But I knew exactly where it came from. It was from Dagger Team. Dagger Team from the other world had already been here! "Damn it."
  • "He came all this way and got nothing! ??"
  • "Catch of the day!"
  • "Well, thanks to you, we can skip this ce!"
  • "The Master Fisherman strikes again!"
  • "Agh, lol!"
But the viewers¡¯ughter had nothing to do with my frustration. I needed to find Dagger Team. Immediately. "What¡¯s this? The youngest just messaged me?" "What did he say?" "To stop immediately and send him our location¡­ What¡¯s going on?" Meanwhile. Dagger Team frowned at the unexpected message. Chapter 330 "So, ording to our youngest, there''s a free-for-all happening in Sacramento, right?" "Correct." Paso Verde Elementary School. After hurriedly logging out and sprinting back to the Sanctuary, I met up with Dagger Team at an abandoned elementary school¡ªthe closest location to Sacramento International Airport. I''d exined the situation to Harmony and Dice, adding that the airport had already been cleaned out, so there was no need to continue there. The reason I rushed to meet Dagger Team was simple: considering the current situation in Sacramento, Dagger Team might run into serious trouble if they proceeded as nned. "So, unrestricted operator-versus-operatorbat is breaking out? Is there some mass incursion of Fallen or something?" "Well, it''s a bit of a long story¡­." Where should I even start? After a moment¡¯s thought, I began to exin¡ªan exnation I knew I''d have to give sooner orter. This was about why users, called "Shadows," could return even after death, and why I, too, coulde back after dying. It wasn¡¯t something I could just brush off. And to an extent, they seemed to have guessed it. "So, it''s like a kind of clone, or maybe an advanced, remotely controlled, unmanned soldier." "Pretty much." It wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Starting from this rough but urate concept, I exined further: in Sacramento, various factional and extermination battles were taking ce, with frequent shes against enemy coalition forces and other operators. I managed to give an overall picture, albeit a glossed-over one. As for the reason for these skirmishes, I used the "goal settings" as an exnation¡ªessentially, a programmed objective setup. This was enough to wrap up the situation in Sacramento. However, as it stood, it wasn¡¯t enough reason to stop Dagger Team entirely. That came next. "So, there¡¯s a chance the Shadows might attack us?" "That¡¯s why I stopped you." Frankly, I wasn''t sure how Dagger Team would be portrayed in-game. Perhaps as NPCs? Back in Los Angeles, the Western U.S. military forces had pulled out, so there¡¯d been little ovep between users and actual military troops. But now, with Dagger Team diving into Sacramento, things were different. As I mentioned, this area allowed unrestricted PvP. "Even back in Los Angeles, there were over 100,000 Shadows¡­ This could get messy." "Still, I don¡¯t think we can just halt the operation. You understand why, don¡¯t you?" "Of course. This isn¡¯t just any mission; it¡¯s rted to nuclear warheads." There was a reason why people in movies and games about modern warfare panicked whenever nuclear weapons were mentioned. Even in this era, where nuclear missiles were somewhat moremon, the stakes were the same. The frequency of their use might have increased, but a nuke was still a nuke. It would be impossible to cancel the mission just because it seemed risky. And even if I warned them about the Shadows, upper management wouldn¡¯t believe for a second that ¡°someone else¡± would handle it. What would the upper ranks rely on when they didn¡¯t trust anything outside of the material realm? Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to support them. "While you won¡¯t be able to resurrect like the Shadows, I can still offer some support." "Such as?" "I could swap out all your rounds forpact thermite ammo or high-density polymer bullets. Or, we could reduce the Shadows'' attack power against you¡­." "Just the first would let us knock them down in one shot each. That¡¯s the kind of bullet that can tear through buildings." It wasn¡¯t a difficult fix. So, I received a few bullets from Laurentina, who had brought them along for data scanning before the mission. The cartridges were painted bright red. While everyone called them pact thermite rounds," what they contained wasn¡¯t technically thermite¡ªthough it was far more powerful. After a quick, high-precision pulse scan of the bullet, I transmitted the data to Icarus International. This would act as dummy data, integrating seamlessly into the game. Copying it into Sacramento, it would be¡ª Thud! "There you go. About 5,000 rounds. Should be enough for the nine of you." "Incredible." "5,000 rounds¡­ That¡¯s a $2 million magazine right there." "Don¡¯t bother saving them; use them freely and get out safely." Laurentina, who¡¯d been tapping my shoulder,ughed as she spoke. "Thanks to you, it feels like I¡¯m finally getting my Christmas and New Year¡¯s gifts all at once." "Not sure anyone would want this as a gift, but¡­ Thanks. Just don¡¯t get too close if we end up inbat." "Of course. And the ne was headed to Mater Airport before it crashed, so no need to search south of the Sacramento River." With that, I¡¯d given them all the crucial information. Everyone gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. It was time to go back. "You all have Geiger counters, so I¡¯ll be on my way. If you find anything, let me know immediately, and I¡¯ll do the same." "Right. Take care." I stepped out and headed back home. The moment I logged back in, Harmony and Dice were there, shaking their heads before I even spoke. They hadn¡¯t found much. But now, that hardly mattered. Reactivating the blur function, I added, "We¡¯re headed for the north side of the American River. Everyone, grab a Geiger counter and get ready." The swirling snow was waiting for us. "Wow, this snow and wind are insane!" "So, where exactly are we going?" "We¡¯re headed to the probable crash site. Fortunately, I managed to recover some fragmented information. I¡¯ve pieced together enough data to get some control towermunications." It was a lie. I got it straight from Dagger Team. But iming an unknown source would only undermine credibility, so I glossed over it. It was still usible. Since viewers only had the general story, I could say we¡¯d recovered data during the stream break, and they wouldn¡¯t question it. Besides, they had no way of proving otherwise. After running the data, I¡¯d found some rather interesting details. ¡®The transport ne carrying the warheads took off and immediately hit turbulence. The engine failed, and as they tried to regain altitude, another engine shut down.¡¯@@novelbin@@ While I couldn¡¯t be certain, it was clear the ne hadn¡¯t been properly maintained. Or perhaps a broken tree had gotten sucked into the engine. If we assume the aircraft was an An-225, a massive six-engine cargo ne, it would take a serious mechanical failure to knock it down. Given the dpidated state of Sacramento International, this wasn¡¯t hard to believe. Maybe their hangar had copsed, or the cold had contracted some parts, or the strong wind had stressed the fusge¡­ There were countless possible causes, but none really mattered now. The control towermunication logs indicated that as soon as it reached a certain altitude, the ne lost all thrust. They must have attempted an emergencynding. After all, they keptmunicating until the signal cut off a few minutester. ¡®Based on the departure time, speed, and heading, it likely crashed about halfway to Mater Airport.¡¯ Moreover, the rapid altitude drop suggested more than side winds¡ªthey¡¯d likely hit a microburst. That meant the ne probably hadn¡¯t strayed far from its expected path, with a margin of error around 3km. The blurred map section was transmitted to Dice, Harmony, and five other Sanctuary members following behind us. The map skipped over individual houses, so the area to scout was rtively reduced. There were roughly three potential sites to check. But I had a hunch. "Cal Expo and the California State Fairgrounds. Let¡¯s search around here." "Understood." The viewersined about the blurs again, but today, instead of a frying pan to the head, I just buried them in the thick snow. They were a noisy bunch. After issuing a ¡°Quiet down, please!¡± to the louder ones, it was under control. Even with the narrowed search range, we still had nearly 2 square kilometers to cover today. Finding ne debris was unlikely. The high-altitude crash would have shattered the aircraft, and any remains would be buried in snow. The best bet would be to check for buildings that had taken significant damage. Yet just ten minutes into the search, one of our scouts picked up a lead. "This is Stalker 4-1 to Stalker 1-1. We¡¯ve spotted suspicious lights and numerous life signs. It¡¯s likely enemy coalition forces, not yers." "¡­What?" "Seems they¡¯re getting desperate too." Of course, they were. If Mater Airport was operational, there¡¯d be enemy troops stationed there. And with their nuclear warheads missing in the middle of Sacramento, they¡¯d have to send someone to retrieve them. Given that warheads weighed hundreds of kilograms, they¡¯d need vehicles to transport them. The lights probably indicated an excavation, and the life signs hinted at the same. This was either a jackpot or a disaster. We regrouped and dug out a temporary cover in the snow to observe the site. While the others discussed tactics, I fixed my gaze on a particr spot. "¡­Professor Yujin?" "Hold on." The screen flickered strangely. Hunters were there. I couldn¡¯t see them clearly, but the ck ballistic masks obscuring their faces were unmistakable, broken and regenerating through a pixted haze. And there weren¡¯t just a few¡ªthere were at least eight of them. After marking the enemies and sharing my view, everyone had something to say. Although we were at a disadvantage in numbers, there was no way we could just leave them alone. Despite those thoughts, my fingers were already reaching out to notify Dagger Team, who were likely somewhere in Sacramento. Even a distant sniper shot could help immensely. All that remained was to finalize our strategy. "There are about ten Hunters. Harmony, Dice, and I will lure them. Everyone else, circle around and clear out the enemies guarding the excavation." "Understood. Stay safe, Professor." The moment weunched into action, my brain felt like it was elerating. Giving orders, assessing allied positions, and finding the right timing. As we engaged the Hunters, the five allies nked to hit them from behind. The enemy numbers were around 40 to 50, so it was feasible. A message pinged with an ETA: Dagger Team would arrive in five minutes. "We¡¯re starting." The muffled sound of suppressed gunfire spread through the air. A high-caliber bullet hit a Hunter''s head, causing it to jerk. Although less powerful than the Icarus Gear, their armor could still withstand a single shot¡ªbut only one. Harmony¡¯s follow-up shot cracked open the first Hunter¡¯s skull. Everyone immediately ducked for cover. Sirens red as the Hunter in front attempted a return fire, while we picked off the unprotected enemies one by one. Boom! "EMP confirmed. Communications are down now." A half-beatter, a pulse swept over us. Now we¡¯d have tomunicate vocally. I kept pulling the trigger, brass casings piling on the thick snow and melting away with a faint hiss. As this repeated, the number of Hunters continued to decrease. Anyone hiding behind cover found it obliterated by Dice¡¯s adhesive bombs. When the nine Hunters were down to six, they seemed to realize they had no chance if this continued. With their positions exposed, they decided to charge forward with ballistic shields. "Front, 109 meters." "Pration adhesive bomb ready!" Boom! The explosion tore through a Hunter¡¯s shield, ripping him to shreds. Five others immediately took his ce, closing the distance. Harmony pulled out a handful of grenades, while Dice readied foam grenades. When they were within 20 meters, five Russian grenades soared through the air. A quick shot detonated them midair, while a Hunter charged forward, shield raised. At that moment¡ª Clink! "Too close forfort." Harmony, who had been maneuvering in the background, threw twelve grenades into the fray. The grenades traced twelve separate, lethal arcs before exploding all at once, producing an ear-splitting roar. Barely pressing myself to the ground in time, I avoided the st, but the Hunters weren¡¯t so lucky. One of the staggering enemies¡¯ shields was within reach, and with a powerful kick, I sent him tumbling back several meters. Switching my M14 to auto, I emptied 30 rounds over the top of the shield. Dodging an iing shield strike, I drove a punch into the Hunter¡¯s abdomen. I felt the armor crack as his ribs splintered. Seizing the shield, I quickly crouched. "Ugh¡­!" Bang bang bang! Bullets ricocheted off the shield. Fortunately, it held up. Predictably, the Hunter who¡¯d discarded his shield was quickly riddled with bullets by two concentrated shots, copsing to the ground. Only three Hunters remained. But then¡ª Beep! Boom! A strange noise emitted from the Hunters¡¯ watches, which glowed a sinister red before emitting a semi-circr pulse. I thought it was a shockwave at first, but I quickly realized it was far worse. After reducing thest three Hunters to pulp, I nced at the UI warning.
  • [Alert: Icarus category breach. Network override¡­defending. Ongoing interference confirmed.]
  • [Alert: Designating Icarus Gear user and five allies on the samework as Fallen Operators for the next hour.]
Rustle. Nine figures appeared behind us. As our watches ominously glowed red, their gun barrels shifted toward Harmony, Dice, and me¡ªbefore lowering gradually. A huge NPC marker hung over our heads. Dagger Team had arrived. "A moment toote." "The HISAV system infected our watches. For the next hour or two, we¡¯ll be marked as Fallen on the Icarus Network." Whether this was a blessing or a curse, I couldn¡¯t tell, but Logan, Laurentina, and Owens were masked, so Harmony and Dice couldn¡¯t recognize them. To these two, this was their first time encountering NPCs in Sacramento since the operation began. Unsure of what to say, they hesitated. I nudged them quietly, instructing them to stay quiet if they had nothing to add, and continued. "There were ten Hunters at the dig site. I¡¯m certain the warhead is close." "Soundsplicated. Need any help?" "Maybe." Being gged as enemies had its advantages. Thems were now filled with unfamiliar transmissions, clearly not from Icarus. In other words, we were getting a legitimate window into enemymunications. A loudspeaker amplified the message: reinforcements were en route to the dig site within 30 minutes. It was clear to everyone what had to be done. "Hand over the warhead as payment, and just hold the line for an hour." "Understood. Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything useful around here." Thus began an unusual but necessary alliance. Chapter 331 -[Alert: 8 Fallen Operators detected in CAL EXPO // Emergency Mission] -[Alert: Fallen Operator duration remaining: 59:11] ¡°Damn, Fallen have appeared! Hey! Everyone, pack your gear! We¡¯re taking everyone we can grab right now!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? The score is ridiculously high. Did a boss mob just spawn or something?¡± ¡°No idea. We should be fine if we go with around 15 people, right?¡± In Sacramento, where numerous sanctuaries were being established one by one, the interior was bustling. The mission board, cluttered with everything from basic tasks for area stabilization to individual mission notices for personal gain, suddenly lit up with a red mission at the top¡ªFallen Extermination. yers, some lying on beds staring nkly at the ceiling, others struggling to transport virtual construction materials for non-existent interiors, jolted towards the board. Their avatars, with a range of eye colors from blue to red, purple to gold, and even heterochromatic, scanned the board quickly. A few users who checked it faster were already looking up where CAL EXPO was located. ¡°So, where is it?¡± ¡°About¡­ 4 km north of here. Why did they have to pick a ce like that¡­?¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just go. Do we have that snowplow we built?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ we have one, but honestly, walking might be faster.¡± ¡°Then grab your stuff! Anyone heading for the Fallen Raid, gather at the main entrance in five minutes!¡± A crowd of avatars, each wearing different types of gear that seemed more suited for carrying unusual items than firearms, dashed out in a rush. This scene was unfolding across Sacramento; in other words, before anyone even reached the Fallen''s location, yers were already encountering members from other sanctuaries, either in rivalry or in cooperation. Luckily, aside from a few groups with the lowest mutual friendliness, no major chaos erupted. However, this did not guarantee that the peace would extend to CAL EXPO, which was soon to be a battlefield. After all, people preferred monopolizing over sharing resources. Soon, the number of yers grew close to a thousand¡ªan odd mix of both many and few. Considering that each sanctuary had brought every mission-capable yer, it was surprisingly high, given that some couldn¡¯t participate due to distance or the mission''s excessively high score. ¡°Wow, there are so many people. Are we going to end this without even getting a few kills?¡± ¡°Who knows? With the high score, we might get thrashed if we¡¯re not careful.¡± ¡°There are a thousand people here; how could that happen?¡± This was the general sentiment among nearly all the yers present. However, that didn¡¯t guarantee smooth operation. Those who managed to slip near the mission area while maintaining some semnce of stealth soon encountered minor conflicts and differences in opinion. ¡°Hey, this is our spot. Would you mind stepping out?¡± ¡°Seriously? You don¡¯t own thend. You should¡¯ve marked it first.¡± Naturally, this was just a mild exchange. As the gap closed between the smaller, ten-strong squads, tension rose. The moment they touched each other¡¯s space, sparks began to fly. Piling prideful yers into a cramped area inevitably led to disaster. However, the mes didn¡¯t catch. The reason was simple. ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! ¡°Gah¡­!¡± ¡°What the¡ª!¡± ¡°Damn, the shield broke in one hit! What¡¯s with the bullet marks? What kind of rounds are these?!¡± ¡°How should I know?!¡± When every spark is extinguished, there¡¯s no fight. That stark, maddeningly clear choice became a bullet, cutting through one of the many yers clustered around CAL EXPO. Neither the shooting range nor the direction could be identified, but it was clear the shots came in volleys rather than singles. And only the unlucky ones who were hit in the limbs managed to glean any information about the bullets. ¡°Shield-piercing reaction rounds¡­? What the hell is this? Unlimited pration? Get down!¡± ¡°Who the hell gave the Fallen Operators weapons like that?!¡± Chaos erupted. But the issue was that CAL EXPOcked any decent cover. yers dodged left and right, only to be wiped out by the brutal firepower. Fortunately, not all thousand yers were bunched in one spot. Once around 200 yers were incapacitated¡ªunable to log back into Sacramento for eight real-world hours¡ªthe yers finally had a moment to catch their breath, and the sniper fire ceased. At that moment, a new pop-up message appeared. -[Alert: Checking codenames in Fallen Operator list¡­] -[Codename Confirmation - Eugene, Harmony, DICE, HTPsk, I¡¯m Not Going Back¡­] -[Confirmed infection by Hostile Intelligent System Analytic Virus, aka HISAV. Time until Icarus Operators¡¯ recovery¡­ 47 minutes and 51 seconds.] ¡°What? Now yers can be officially designated as Fallen Operators? Can we even kill them?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to? Did you even check the usernames of those who turned?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ damn, we can¡¯t touch them.¡± Why do these people always manage to get into the strangest, most absurd situations? Regardless, asking the individuals involved might be impossible forever. After all, by the time they reached CAL EXPO, reason was already beyond them, or maybe they were fixated on the time and effort spent getting there. In short, it still seemed worthwhile to take down a few, just like before. ¡°Fine. Just charge! There are 800 of us here; if we manage to kill even one or two, the rewards will be massive!¡± ¡°Is he blinded by the rewards or just in blind?¡± ¡°Who knows. Just charge! It¡¯s do-or-die anyway!¡± Of course, it didn¡¯t take long for the yers to realize that ¡°do-or-die¡± wasn¡¯t the best choice of words here.@@novelbin@@ The 2-square-kilometer deathtrap finally activated. ¡°Keep pushing! We can win with sheer numbers!¡± ¡°If it were that easy, we¡¯d have swept through already!¡± Tatatata! Deafening gunfire, explosions from all directions, and the cries of many yers filled the air. However, just 17 minutes into the battle, the situation at CAL EXPO became even more chaotic. Reinforcements from the enemy alliance had arrived. A colossal force, the equivalent of three battalions, arrived withbat vehicles, turning the two-sided fight into a three-way war. The facilities at CAL EXPO, once meant to inspire hope, were now being obliterated by cannons and me-throwing vehicles, while yers and Fallen Operators fired every skill they had at each other. But that intensity was only at the beginning. ¡°Where are the Fallen?!¡± ¡°Screw them! We still get loot points for taking down the reinforcements, so let¡¯s just farm those.¡± ¡°Feels like working a temp job after failing tond a permanent one¡­¡± The only difference was that here, the ¡°customers¡± wanted to kill the ¡°part-timers.¡± What should have been a minor skirmish became a massive war involving around 1,700 yers. And amid this chaos, the Fallen were naturally forgotten. ¡°Harmony, status report?¡± ¡°Currently sniping from the first hideout. No casualties yet¡­¡± ¡°Understood. This side might get tricky. Maintain radio silence until I contact you again.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll let Dice know.¡± A static-filled noise as the transmission ended. Simultaneously, an enemy squad breached the building. Despite the endless cacophony of gunfire outside, I could discern thenguage they were speaking¡ªRussian, shown clearly on the Snake Radar. ¡°Engage autonomously. Holding ground only weakens us.¡± ¡°You have toe back soon!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Leaving those words behind, I stepped outside. It was inevitable. Unlike Harmony and Dice, who each had two people with them, I only had one. Although this person was not without skill, the streets were crawling with hundreds of enemies. And half of them were also Operators. At times like this, the ability to ensure certain kills when encountering enemies was crucial. Eliminating witnesses aligned perfectly with the art of assassination. The user with me couldn¡¯t quite manage that, so I decided to shape them into the best support Operator possible under these circumstances. When I told them that, their voice shook noticeably. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned that my life depended on it if they messed up. ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! ¡°¡­15 meters ahead, five enemies on the upper floor. Six following behind. All wearing level-4 armor, helmets at level 3, and visors averaging level 2.¡± ¡°Understood. For them, unfortunately, we¡¯re armed with Green Tips here.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± I pulled out my pistol and aimed at the stairwell. Timing was essential. Gaining the initiative was paramount. The instant I emerged and pulled the trigger, my sights were already trained on the enemy¡¯s goggles. Pik. One dropped on the spot. The stairwell was narrow, and I aimed for those with the most room to move. The next target, scrambling to turn their gun towards me, was also felled with a quick shot. More polygons scattered against the wall. Six were quickly reduced to two, and soon zeroed out as thest two fell. ¡°Grenade explosion on the upper floor! Slow down your advance!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Fallen! Eugene is here! Unleash everything!¡± ¡°Run, you maniacs¡ª!¡± Continuing the trantion: The chaos had indeed reached new heights. Taking responsibility for the result was up to me. And my answer was the axe I hurled with all my strength. ©¤©¤©¤Swoosh! ¡°Gah¡­!¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°Fall back! Don¡¯t retaliate!¡± The damage was so severe that automatic censorship kicked in, pixting the carnage. Ignoring it, I yanked the axe out with my right hand and grabbed a nearby corpse with my left, using it as a shield against bullets and skills. As I flung the body and charged like a rhino, the impact echoed loudly against the wall. But my pistol wasn¡¯t in my hand¡ªit was coiled around my tail, pointed directly at an opponent¡¯s chin. One pull of the trigger, and yet another Icarus Operator was down for respawn in 24 hours. Thest one¡­ copsed to the ground, bowing in surrender. Rather than a grim male avatar, they had a pretty, white-haired girl avatar, which may have lessened the shock a bit, at least on the surface. ¡°Leave before I change my mind. And tell your teammates to stay away.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­.¡± And with that, the yer¡ªprobably a ¡°he¡± despite the avatar¡ªscurried off, abandoning their weapon on the floor. There were still 27 minutes and 39 seconds left until the Fallen Operator status would be lifted. ¡°¡­If this buys us even five minutes, that¡¯d be great.¡± ¡°If only we could broadcast this scene to the yers here, we¡¯d have bought ourselves 50 minutes¡­¡± Of course, I ignored the snide remark. The triangle of my conscience, slowly rounding into a circle, was a measure of how ruthless this reality had be. The battle wasn¡¯t over yet. Chapter 332 ¡°It''s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen a situation this chaotic.¡± Crunch, crunch. The sound of footsteps on snow echoed. The sound of four people stepping on snow at the same time was far from subtle. However, the explosions erupting from the ongoing battles around CAL EXPO were so deafening that itpletely masked the sound of their movement. Thanks to that, the four members¡ªhalf of Dagger Team¡ªmanaged to advance undetected. The scene unfolding before them was nothing short of hell itself, too chaotic to summarize. To put it simply, the reinforcements of the enemy alliance, consisting of around three battalions, were being annihted. It was inevitable¡ª700 shadows moved like an unstoppable hurricane. The only reason the Russian forces were still holding out after several minutes was due to continuous artillery support from the battery stationed at Martyr Airfield. The bombardment was essentially Danger Close. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should be thankful that no nukes have been hit yet, or just grateful that the enemy is eating away at themselves with friendly fire.¡± ¡°They¡¯re clearly not in their right minds.¡± Then came another remark. ¡°In any case, it¡¯s problematic if we can¡¯t fit the nuclear warheads into our packs. Moving 300 kg isn¡¯t impossible, but I¡¯m not sure if our backpacks can withstand that.¡± ¡°Sometimes, when I look at you, I forget that humans aren¡¯t supposed to carry nuclear warheads.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly free weights, so yeah, it¡¯s a bit heavy.¡± Logan added with a subtle expression. Their goal was clear. Given the rtively mild weather¡ªmeaning it was only good as long as there wasn¡¯t a blizzard¡ªthey intended to grab the warheads and haul them back to their base, dumping any resisting enemy soldiers into the Styx along the way. A few ckhawks were on standby at Travis Air Force Base, ready to fly them out the moment they secured the two warheads and moved to safety. ¡°Or there might be a transport vehicle nearby; it¡¯d be easier if we could justmandeer that.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see when we get there. Given the roads, walking might actually be faster.¡± This was also why Dagger Team was split into two groups. Four were assigned to retrieve the warheads, while the other five conducted reconnaissance. Lorentina and Logan, with their superhuman strength, were critical members of the former group, as the average person couldn¡¯t hope to carry such weight. Unfortunately, the rookie, currently infected by HISAV, was ssified as a Fallen Operator. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! ¡°That¡¯s the 21st bombardment?¡± ¡°Yes. Look, people are flying through the air.¡± Two square kilometers wasn¡¯t exactly small, but it wasn¡¯t vast either. Thus, there wasn¡¯t a need to conserve shells, leading to repeated artillery requests. The disparity in average firepower between the Shadows and the Russian army was stark due to skills¡ªso, artillery was the enemy¡¯s sole reliable advantage. The yer count dropped from 700 to 600, then 500, and eventually to 400. Meanwhile, the enemy reinforcements, after 35 minutes ofbat, were reduced to one-third. The situation wasn¡¯t favorable for either side. In just a few more minutes, thetter would be inplete ruin. ng! Amid the mor, an anchor fired and hooked onto a rooftop. Two members, excluding Logan and Lorentina, climbed up to secure sniper positions while the remaining pair hid behind a building, using a SUAV to survey the enemy stronghold and racetrack on the east side of CAL EXPO. Some soldiers were enthusiastically firing mortars, while others fortified their positions with remote-controlled machine guns mounted on mobile units. However, what stood out the most was the sight of engineers breaking up the ice over a frozenke with drills and cranes. It seemed both warheads had sunk into theke and frozen over, which exined the scene. ¡°Are we in position? Report your SITREP.¡± ¡°¡­One warhead appears to have been retrieved. There¡¯s a round metal object behind the crane.¡± Just as they reported. ncing over, the target was immediately visible. The nuclear warhead looked something like¡­ arge metal sphere, almost like a watermelon. Though it could destroy everything around it with the correct procedures, it had already crashed to the ground, leaving its stability questionable. In any case, it implied that the ongoing excavation was for the second warhead. It would be problematic if they took too long, yet a rushed approach might mean having to break through the ice with a jackhammer. Hence, they chose to wait. And after some time¡ª ¡°¡­Confirmed second warhead. Initiating infiltration now. Recon team, pack up and move to the extraction point.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Two storms armed with shield-piercing rounds and thermite ammo struck the racetrack. With a pulse sh, every enemy within cover or vehicle met their demise. Each pull of the trigger sent searing hot bullets through armor and walls like a hot knife through butter, mowing down enemies one by one. The defense line was shattered in no time. The rest of the outpost soldiers who tried to assess the situation ended up with their heads blown apart by the snipers, while drivers attempting to start their vehicles met death in their seats. By the time they reached the worksite, the frozenke was littered with more than a dozen new corpses. And then¡ª ¡°Ungh¡­!¡± ¡°Whew, this is pretty heavy. 300 kg, was it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably not that exact, but¡­ damn, we need a vehicle.¡± ¡°Quit whining. Let¡¯s move.¡± The backpacks groaned under the strain. Metal cables reinforced the strap connections, so snapping wasn¡¯t a concern, but the sheer weight significantly slowed their pace. It was only due to their superhuman strength that carrying it was even possible. But¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Ping! ¡°Damn it, get down!¡± ¡°Ugh, Marcus! The Shadows are firing on us!¡± ¡°They must¡¯ve thought we were enemies. Just neutralize them and get out as fast as you can. Staying here won¡¯t help.¡± ¡°Roger, moving out¡­!¡± Bullets flew, but the two began to run through the chaos. Their enhanced bodies sprinted while carrying the 300-kg warhead, melting through the cumbersome snow as they ran. Meanwhile, Marcus and Rapier killed one Shadow per shot, disying a chilling efficiency that sent even hardened opponents tumbling to the ground. ¡°Feels like we¡¯ve shot about a million dors¡¯ worth of rounds.¡± ¡°I¡¯m at $1.22 million. Never fired this many mini-thermite rounds before. My fingers are trembling.¡± But it was a justified expense. With around 100 rounds, they eliminated at least 70 yers, and by then, Lorentina and Logan, visibly strained, reached the building near Marcus and Rapier¡¯s position, signaling for them to rappel down. As the two descended the ropes, Dagger Team began their exit from the battlefield. "Who the hell shot at the neutral NPCs first?!" "Seriously, what strength¡­ it¡¯s dizzying." Meanwhile, the yers left behind faced the consequences of having recklessly fired on Dagger Team. It was just another day in this world. ¡°Sir, let¡¯s settle this with rock-paper-scissors!¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Meanwhile, CAL EXPO, now a deste mess, and the few remaining yers¡ª170 or so¡ªwere left, with only a few minutes left on the Fallen Operator duration. Despite the odds, the yers hesitated. -[Alert: All allied vital signs at zero.] ¡°Didn¡¯t we send around 30 people?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve all been shredded.¡± ¡°We even sent security with the demolition team!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the building is in pieces now.¡± Indeed, the trade expo building was history. The former expo center,prising eight small buildings arranged like pinwheels, was down to seven. Around 30 people had perished amid the ruins. The story was clear. The demolition team¡¯s C4 was stolen, theirms seized, and they were tied up while the Fallen Operators evacuated to other buildings. The explosives detonated, erasing the team from the map. And so, they had reached this point. ¡°If we stay any longer, we¡¯re going to suffer heavy losses. Only those interested in Russian loot should stick around for farming.¡± ¡°I came here with 20 people; only five are left¡­ this is insane.¡± As more yers shook their heads, the knowledge that the neutral NPC had sessfully retrieved the warheads provided some sce. Nevertheless, the sight of allies dropping like flies, or disappearing due to stray artillery, or copsing like brittle reeds against a deadly kick, was more than enough to break their morale. As yers and teams began leaving CAL EXPO, only bodies, scattered gear, and cratered ground from shellfire remained. Yet some yers stayed¡ªabout 30 of them, true models of perseverance. ¡°Let¡¯s settle this with rock-paper-scissors, Sir!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only three minutes. Do you still want to go?¡± ¡°Oh, please¡­.¡± Then, a muffledugh came from within. After a brief exchange of words, a voice continued: ¡°Let¡¯s do this: if you can withstand three hits, I¡¯ll give you my life.¡± ¡°Wh-what? Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s virtual reality. You just have to endure it!¡± ¡°I ept the challenge!¡± Of course, Harmony and Dice refrained from mentioning that this was the fifth time this challenge had been issued. Thus, two yers entered. Meanwhile, Harmony stood ready with a detonator in case her friends outside attempted anything foolish. The viewers were in an uproar. -Fifth and sixth victims iing -This isn¡¯t a deal; it¡¯s an execution! -Might as well give them motorcycle helmets lol -This is insane lol -How strong can a flick be? The two removed their Opscore helmets and bravely sat down. Yu Jin removed his gloves, revealing slender fingers. The two yers seemed to rx slightly, watching him flex his fingers in preparation. Only those who had experienced it knew what wasing. The finger approached. Shields were off. And¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Smack! ¡°¡­Eh? Wait, what? Huh?!¡± An unpleasant cracking sound followed. After the ominous impact and shattering sound, one yer, unable to make a sound, was immediately respawned for 24 hours. Even Yu Jin, who delivered the flick, was speechless for a moment. ¡°Of all things, I¡¯m doing this in virtual reality.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing this wasn¡¯t my idea or Dice¡¯s.¡± ¡°Um¡­ can I just leave now?¡± A voice whimpered pathetically. The avatar¡¯s delicate, feminine appearance added to the plea, but they had already forgotten what they¡¯d agreed to out of fear. They had epted the challenge. ¡°All actions have causes and consequences. Your challenge is the cause, and I am merely delivering the effect. With ten seconds left, I¡¯ll send you off peacefully.¡± ¡°W-wait! Spare me! I won¡¯te back, ever¡ª!¡± ¡°ept the consequence.¡± And with a light tap¡ª The trembling yer was sent off. At the same moment, Icarus Gear announced in a mechanical tone: -[Alert: HISAV neutralized. Icarus Operator status reinstated.] -[Alert: Hostile Operator signal lost. Fallen Operator alert lifted.] ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I never said I¡¯d hit the other one as hard.¡± Yu Jin gave the stunned yer¡ªwho was likely a ¡°he¡±¡ªa friendly pat on the shoulder and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re closed for business, so feel free to leave.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ thank you?¡± ¡°This one¡¯s definitely out of it,¡± Harmony said. ¡°If I were in that chair, I¡¯d be out too.¡± And with that, Yu Jin and the other seven former Fallen Operators slipped out through a pre-set fast rope by the window. Barely ten secondster¡ª@@novelbin@@ ©¤©¤©¤Boom! ¡°Where¡¯d they all go?¡± ¡°Hey! Hub, where¡¯s Zodiac? Wasn¡¯t he with you?¡± ¡°¡­Got flicked to death.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± As the realization set in, their faces twisted with disbelief. But such is the nature of truth¡ªoften hard to swallow. With legendary moments left behind, the events in Sacramento were finally drawing to a close. Chapter 333 ¡°Who would have thought the war to reim America, projected to drag on for at least five years, is wrapping up in under three months?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to have things go smoothly.¡± San Diego Command Center, clear skies. With a steady rhythm, the footsteps of nine people echoed down the hall, stopping at the door to the debriefing room. As they entered, the pressure sensors activated, projecting arge satellite map of California. The eight team members took their seats as the map zoomed in at a nce, showing California¡¯s capital. The unique sight of rivers crisscrossing Sacramento stood out, though this year, a freak snowstorm had buried the area in snow aste as March. Those who nced at the climate data for Sacramento chuckled in disbelief, and Owens, standing at the podium, quickly dismissed it from the disy. ¡°Now this is some insane weather.¡± ¡°Apparently, this is a snowstorm that might only happen once in a thousand years. Bad luck, really.¡± The city, where temperatures rarely dropped below freezing even in winter, had seen lows of -27 degrees Celsius. It was a surreal event that the nine¡ªor ten¡ªpeople present had personally experienced. Even UAVs had been unable to operate in such a severe storm. ¡°At least it left the enemy alliance dumbfounded. I heard that the death toll from hypothermia is expected to reach the thousands.¡± ¡°Half of those casualties were probably stationed at Sacramento International Airport, the same ce we hit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± Unfortunate circumstances, but that¡¯s war. The chance of receiving the right support, at the right ce, at the right time was rare, even in the most documented wars. Most of the time, it was more about dealing with unexpected and unfavorable situations. For the alliance forces, that unexpected twist had been the weather. Relying on past data that showed cities like Sacramento had a Mediterranean climate, they hadn¡¯t prepared for the freezing conditions and ultimately paid the price, turning into frozen corpses. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡°Most of the remaining forces were wiped out in the recent battle.¡± ¡°Exactly. ording to the rookie, the situation in Sacramento is nearly finished. The three battalions of reinforcements sent from Martyr Airfield were entirely wiped out, and the nuclear warheads were seized. There¡¯s nothing left for them to hold onto.¡± ¡°Wish the guys in Seattle would surrender too at this point.¡± ¡°Given that you¡¯re saying it, that¡¯s not likely.¡± Indeed, recon showed that Seattle, both the next target of the counteroffensive and the endpoint for the American remation, was already clear of the storm. Though covered in snow, the city had been left undisturbed for about a month. It was likely that all the major roads had already been cleared, and any favorable weather could elerate the thawing process. And as a port city, it still had the firepower of some docked destroyers ready to support it. However, regardless of Seattle¡¯s defenses, the team¡¯s conversation centered around another reason. ¡°Once Seattle falls, the forces in Pornd will lose all support, increasing their chances of surrendering.¡±@@novelbin@@ No matter how strong America¡¯s reputation and strength remained,rge-scale urban warfare would always be expected to lead to Pyrrhic victories. It was often more efficient to exhaust the enemy within the limits of internationalw than to capture them through brutal force. Of course, the International Court of Justice had long since vanished. Anyway, on a different note¡ª -[Alert: Communication Connected.] ¡°¡­Ah, ah. Can everyone hear me? d to see you¡¯re all safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying what we were about to say. How¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve been wandering around Sacramento as usual.¡± It was now the rookie¡¯s time to speak. Despite the suddenly warm atmosphere, this was still a necessary step. None of them fully understood, but each person in the room knew that the simtion Eugene was conducting in the real world affected their reality. Besides, they¡¯d recently encountered the shadow version of Eugene at CAL EXPO, indicating that they were working on different missions. A debrief was in order. Eugene began to share his story skillfully. ¡°The weather¡¯s finally clearing here. It hardly ever snows anymore, and we just reimed Martyr Airfield yesterday¡­ With any luck, everything here should be wrapped up in a day or two.¡± ¡°Thanks for all your hard work.¡± ¡°I told you, they¡¯re reducing the number of troops deployed in these operations.¡± The nine others chuckled quietly. Just a few weeks ago, this would have sounded strange, yet the impact of Eugene¡¯s work was already noticeable. They were no longer endlessly sabotaging Los Angeles or San Jose; the missions were fewer but far more effective. Full remation of the U.S. was within reach. That, however, brought about a new dilemma. ¡°I almost don¡¯t know what to do with all this free time.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see a military doctor for a PTSD evaluation instead of talking nonsense?¡± ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean it like that! Damn it, Owens¡­¡± It was a joke, but everyone could rte. Chris Hedges, a former war correspondent, once said in his book that ¡°war is addictive, like a drug, so intense that it¡¯s hard to break free.¡± For them, who had lived on the brink of life and death for five years, the statement held true. With the justifiable goal of restoring the U.S. and the morally supported fight against invading forces, PTSD wasn¡¯t a severe concern for them. Yet, the sense of ¡°normalcy¡± began to feel worn. So, a quiet question arose. ¡°What are we up to in that other world?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, not much difference. Kessinger is in the Secret Service, the sectionmander works as Chief of Staff for the Secretary of Defense, Logan and Owens are in The Unit, Lorentina is with DEVGRU, and Marcus and Rapier hold senior PMC roles¡­¡± ¡°Enough. Seems like more of the same.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve asked the rookie to bring you some cigars, like I did.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Icarus Gear, your lungs would be coal.¡± Of course, there wasn¡¯t much choice in hobbies. Finding an alternate interest required some infrastructure¡ªmusic, movies, and shows were out of the question, and sports like ser, basketball, or boxing needed time and people. It wasn¡¯t that time was entirelycking, but the constant interruptions of emergency operations made it difficult to settle into any routine. When society¡¯s infrastructure crumbles, finding new hobbies bes naturally challenging. ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll bring anything you need back with me next time.¡± ¡°Thanks, that¡¯d be great.¡± Then Logan added, ¡°Feels like we¡¯vee far enough to worry about small things like this. That¡¯s thanks to you.¡± The long war to reim America was nearing its end. Eugene smiled, continuing as casually as ever. 15 days before the Shadowsnded in Seattle. ¡°Wow, Eugene! There¡¯s a city called Eugene on the way up to Pornd and Seattle!¡± ¡°I was about 140% sure you¡¯d mention that. You never disappoint.¡± Of course. The spelling was even identical. Unfortunately for Eugene, the city¡¯s emblem wasn¡¯t a snake. It was a moderately well-known ce for agriculture, timber, and high-tech research and manufacturing. So this is why California¡¯s cities are always beingpared to Silicon Valley, he thought. Not that any of the big tech giants were around in that world anymore. Anyway, after about 25 days, Sacramento had safely returned to America¡¯s control. Many yers who had tasted the thrill of factional warfare protested for the mission to be reopened, but the gamepany unceremoniously kicked them out just hours ago. Well, it wasn¡¯t quite kicking them out; several guild buildings¡ªnow called Sanctuaries¡ªhad been built in San Diego. PVP-focused yers barely cared, but I had something to worry about. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they copied and pasted this cursed ce onto San Diego.¡± ¡°Oh,e on! It looks nice up close, and besides, wouldn¡¯t it be a shame if¡­ okay, I¡¯m sorry! Teacher, no¡ª!¡± ¡°Harmony sure likes to push Eugene¡¯s buttons as the self-proimed first disciple.¡± Hall of Fame. Harmony and Dice, in a fit of overzealous fandom while I was away, had crafted a sort of gallery dedicated to me. They had permission from fan artists to disy impressive¡ªnot suggestive¡ªfan art, and even replicated my trophies and gold name tags. There was even a movie room where you could watch a one-hour montage of my achievements in the Final Championship, which Harmony edited and posted on her channel. It boasted over 30 million views. There were many other indescribable, bizarre additions that I¡¯d been too busy to deal with, given work and missions. ¡°I can¡¯t get rid of it, either.¡± ¡°Nooo, you can¡¯t¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting rid of it.¡± Thanks to that, the guild¡¯s HQ had over 10,000 visitors daily. Charging an entrance fee would¡¯ve been reasonable. Anyway, I let Harmony dangle in the air for a moment before setting her back down and checked the screen. The countdown beside ¡°Seattle¡± was a striking reminder that theplete remation of the U.S. was within sight. But the bustling atmosphere at the HQ broke my reflective mood, so I turned my attention to thetest message, which was far more relevant. The gist of it was this: -[Laurentina: I¡¯ll be deployed to Korea from March to July for tactical exchange. Seems I¡¯ll have some free time in March. Logan¡¯s nning a private trip there too; how about it?] ¡°Can¡¯t leave the country? Fine, they¡¯ll deploy to Korea instead¡­ what a crazy group of people.¡± Laurentina wasing to Korea. Somewhere in the Jinhae Naval Base, someone must be dumbstruck, looking over the list of iing personnel for joint exercises. I vaguely remembered Laurentina was the top of the Gold Squadron in skill and reputation. It looked like I¡¯d have to enhance the drone¡¯s blur feature significantly. Logan was still manageable, but Laurentina¡¯s identity had to remain tightly concealed. Meanwhile, Harmony and Dice, seeming to have a sudden idea, returned carrying arge box, set it up in front of the Hall of Fame, and started collecting entrance fees. The fee was modest, but my patience was wearing thin. I checked the real-world clock¡ªit was 11:30 PM. Logan would likely be free, so I called him while the two were busy. After a moment, he answered. ¡°You timed this well. It must be past midnight in Korea.¡± ¡°Peak time for streamers. So, why didn¡¯t you tell me about Laurentina?¡± ¡°I just found out 30 minutes ago. She¡¯s insane¡­¡± Of course, she was. Yet, having one or two extremely determined people did make things easier. Who would¡¯ve thought they¡¯d use tactical exchange as an excuse toe here¡­? Since I¡¯d read her message, Laurentina immediately sent me her schedule. It was a high-security file, but with Icarus Gear, I had nothing to worry about. Secondster, my phone buzzed with another call. ¡°You read it?¡± ¡°Whoa, you scared me! I just opened it!¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much to see. Just know that weeks one and two are ¡®Korea Adaptation,¡¯ so I have two weeks free.¡± ¡°Wait, so you only told Logan 30 minutes ago?¡± ¡°The Korean joint exercise was posted a week ago, and we just got confirmation.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It seemed impulsive, but all things considered, it made sense. Korea was no -stan, after all, and aside from thenguage barrier, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues. Looking at the list of units, I saw Laurentina would be working with Korea¡¯s UDT, a premier special ops unit. She¡¯d likely turn the ce upside down, both in terms of skills and¡­ other ways. But that wasn¡¯t my problem. Returning to the call¡ª ¡°Jinhae, huh? That¡¯s far.¡± ¡°I remember our little cat took an expensive prize recently. Think they¡¯ll pick you up? What do you think, rookie?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just rent a car.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t wreck it this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I won¡¯t!¡± Oops. I¡¯d raised my voice, and of course, Harmony and Dice noticed. With their streamer¡¯s sixth sense, they homed in, eager to know what was going on. As expected¡ª ¡°Teacher, you really do have a knack for content.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me; it¡¯s my friends.¡± ¡°Birds of a feather, Eugene.¡± It seemed I had no choice but to ept that truth. Now I had something to do in the 15 days before the battle in Seattle began. ¡°Gold Squadron? Wow, they¡¯re pulling out the big guns this time.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re enhanced? Can I skip the knife fight?¡± ¡°Oh, wow. This person broke a level-4 armor te bare-handed.¡± Meanwhile. Those witnessing the strength of a true enhanced soldier were left in shock. The shark¡¯s teeth were closing in. Chapter 334 ¡°You¡¯re making me wait five whole days?¡± ¡°Show some mercy for someone who¡¯s earned your yearly sry in a single go.¡± Jinhae Naval Base, South Gyeongsang Province, parking lot. A white Range Rover, barely visible bear ears, long milky-white hair flowing down, and the crowd of new recruits casting curious nces as they moved. The fresh recruits, their heads shaved, were on their way to their basic military training. Their steps slowed as they gawked at the unusual sight. The drill instructors in red hats were raising their voices, urging the recruits to move quickly into the training building, but even they couldn¡¯t keep their eyes from wandering toward the spectacle¡ªLogan Blemmis and the frequently featured Lorentina, almost like celebrities out of nowhere. Considering that ¡°Dark Zone¡± was the most popr game in Korea, it took the drill instructors superhuman patience to keep the situation in check. ¡°Wee to Jinhae. Quite lively, huh?¡± ¡°You just had to pick a day like this, you damned woman¡­ Also, why¡¯d youe out here instead of the special forces section?¡± ¡°Think of it as a motivational tour for the cadets and base staff. Staying glued to the special forces base all day isn¡¯t exactly¡­ ideal. I think I¡¯ve shaken hands a few hundred times these past few days. Anyway, how did you get here?¡± ¡°You told me toe here!¡± Logan looked ready to strangle her but eventually sighed and added: ¡°Do you know how much I wrestled with my phone andputer these past few days trying to get that visitor permit? We¡¯re short on time, so just get in the car.¡± Click. Logan half-jokingly kicked Lorentina¡¯s rear, and she muttered under her breath as she climbed into the back seat. The car felt simr to the one they¡¯d used in the U.S. a few months ago. It was the same model¡ªa fifth-gen Range Rover in ck. As Logan considered this, a drill instructor in a red cap approached him from the path where the trainees were walking. Logan remained outside, curious, as the instructor slowly attempted English. ¡°Do you speak Korean?¡± ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and began to read the English phrases he had written down. ¡°The entry ceremony is in progress, so the road you came in on is, uh¡­ currently unusable. You will need to follow directions to exit through another gate.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°And¡­ uh, let¡¯s see. Visitor inspection. Are you Logan Blemmis? Are you nning to exit the base now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Static crackled as he radioed the other gate. After a moment, he continued. ¡°Confirmed. You may exit now.¡± ¡°Your English is excellent.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thank you.¡± Then his eyes darted around quickly. ncing around as if ensuring he wouldn¡¯t be seen, he whipped out an A4-sized paper from his pocket, folded twice, and held out a pen. ¡°I, uh¡­ Thest Final Championship. It was very enjoyable¡­ No, it was truly exciting. I¡¯m a huge fan. If you could sign this, I¡¯d be honored. No, I would be thrilled.¡± ¡°Haha, of course. Keep it safe.¡± With a practiced hand, Logan signed the paper in bold letters, easy to read at a nce. Lorentina had exited the car and was readying her phone to snap a picture of the moment. After ncing at the name on the man¡¯s uniform, Logan also wrote down ¡°RDC¡±¡ªthe equivalent of a U.S. Navy Recruit Division Commander¡ªalongside his name. The instructor¡¯s grin was broader than the sea, repeatedly thanking him. When Logan posed for a picture with his arm slung over the instructor¡¯s shoulder, the instructor looked like he might float away. After getting back into the car and starting it up, they were guided out of the base through a different exit. A guard opened the gate, and after exchanging brief farewells, they finally hit the road. And thus began their time for conversation. ¡°What¡¯ve you been up to inside for a whole week?¡± ¡°Picking up firearms that were shipped over, checking the facilities, sorting out visas, adjusting to the time zone, lots of things. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re training resistance fighters in some backwater country¡ªthere¡¯s plenty to get done.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°By the way, Logan, if you officially get assigned to The Unit, I wonder how you¡¯ll get into Korea. Doing operations under Anchor Light would probably be too conspicuous.¡± ¡°Work with the lunatic who renamed the operation team to ¡®Snake Keeper¡¯?¡± After a few minutes of shared chuckles, they exited the highway and entered Changwon. ¡°Six hours of driving ahead. Let¡¯s get something to eat first.¡± ¡°Good to hear. Should we ask the rookie for a food rmendation?¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± They¡¯d eat just about anything, including several MREs at a time. Thus began an impromptu culinary trip for the two operatives. Meanwhile, back in the recruit¡¯s quarters: ¡°Surround him! Pile on the lieutenant!¡± ¡°Let us see too, please!¡± ¡°Ah, no, argh¡­!¡± Logan¡¯s poprity had left behind quite a score for the DI to settle. Early March, my house. Slumping into a chair with a hole in the backrest, I muttered to myself. The house was quiet, but work kept piling up unexpectedly¡ªboth in terms of time and space. Thetter, of course, involved Lorentina and Logan¡¯s visit to Korea. They were making their way up from Jinhae in South Gyeongsang, presumably headed to my ce. Naturally, I¡¯d already prepared for their stay, with extra nkets, beds, and such. Stocking up on groceries would cover any food needs, so I wasn¡¯t too worried about that. The issue was the former. I pulled out my phone and stared at a call that hade in just 10 minutes ago. ¡°Physical ability testing?¡± It was an unknown number. The call had informed me of a curious situation¡ªnot really problematic, but unexpected. Apparently, data on Korea¡¯s EM-level manifestor physical capabilities, which the government had kept, was lost, and they needed my assistance to re-establish it. The reason for this data loss? ¡°...What do they mean the other EM-level manifestor was fake?¡± During my recent ventures between worlds, it turned out that one of the two EM-level manifestors in Korea (myself included) had manipted outdated testing methods to achieve a false positive, and they¡¯d only now been discovered. I¡¯d heard that they¡¯d reaped numerous benefits, including endorsements, over the past five years. Since I didn¡¯t really care what others did, I¡¯d written it off as someone else¡¯s issue, but it was absurd. In any case, with that individual¡¯s data now unreliable, they needed me to establish new benchmarks for EM-level abilities. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they just use standards from other countries? Or would that be a privacy issue?¡± That was why they¡¯de to me. Since they hadn¡¯t asked me to keep it quiet, I decided to send some messages with a few questions, such as whether it would interfere with my schedule or if it was okay for the information to be publicly shared. Barely a minute after I sent the message, a reply came in. -[Reply: Certainly possible. In fact, it would be appreciated if you could set verifiable records in the presence of numerous observers.] Perfect. It seemed I now had a reasonable excuse to bring along Lorentina, Logan, and the two who were always with them. Maybe I¡¯d even get a chance to spar with them for a change. After sending a message about the test to everyone, I looked over the details that had followed. The core tests would include NFL Combine-style strength and reflex exams, visual reaction time, and various assessments of physical destructiveness and speed. They¡¯d even set up equipment to measure tons of weight. The final tests would measure destructive power and speed. ¡°...Should I start warming up?¡± Despite spending a lot of time in VR, I¡¯d spent plenty of time just lying in bed in the real world. Sure, I regrly hit the gym in my basement, but I wasn¡¯t exactly at peak sharpness for something like a physical abilities test. And, as expected¡ª ¡°Ouch, ah, gah¡­!¡± ¡°Your muscles are tense, soft, and there¡¯s even some loss of tone. Unbelievable.¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± The two stormed into my ce under the guise of a housewarming, then proceeded to assault my muscles, quite literally. They poked my soft skin,mented on weight gain around my tail, mocked the softness of my stomach, and pinched my cheeks. It had nothing to do with actual muscle mass, but they managed to give me quite the lecture. Apparently, the bed was molding to my shape. As for their first impressions of my ce: ¡°Not bad for a residence, but wouldn¡¯t a single-family home with more facilities be better?¡± ¡°Korea¡¯s mostly apartments, not single-family homes like in the U.S.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Ever the analytical types, they inspected every nook and cranny. I wasn¡¯t bothered, though; they offered advice wherever they could. While they settled on the couch, I started pulling out the ingredients from the fridge and kimchi fridge. Tonight¡¯s dinner would be Korean BBQ, a fitting meal for the two who¡¯d been whining about not having had a proper dinner for a while. Luckily, I still had a grill and venttion setup from when arge group visited my ce before, so I¡¯d just reuse those. The amount of food would be about the same. As I prepared, they eventually joined in to help. Meanwhile, the conversation continued. ¡°A physical ability test, huh? What time tomorrow?¡± ¡°They said to be at Taereung Training Center by 10 AM. It¡¯s not too far from here.¡± ¡°What tests are you doing?¡± ¡°They mentioned parts of the NFL Combine, free-weight measurements, quick reflexes, body impact tests, and response speed¡­¡± ¡ª! A sharp chopstick flew at my face, aiming directly for my eye. Yet it appeared slow to me. With vision and reaction speeds far beyond an average person, I grabbed Lorentina¡¯s wrist, tilting my head to dodge the chopstick. I continued as if nothing had happened. ¡°...throughout the tests.¡± ¡°Well blocked. That¡¯s 100 Shark Points.¡± ¡°You would¡¯ve stopped before it hit me anyway.¡± ¡°A test without safety protocols is meaningless.¡± True. She was precise enough to halt the chopstick within a centimeter of my cornea, or retract it if I¡¯d leaned forward. The test itself still felt surreal, but this was something she¡¯d always done for the Shark Points system. The first time, I¡¯d broken into a cold sweat, but now I could calmly handle it. Perhaps I was going insane. Logan added his analysis. ¡°Eleven milliseconds. Right on average.¡± ¡°Good, I haven¡¯t lost my edge.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Of course not, you learned from the best.¡± Naturally, Lorentina¡¯s pride swelled, but Logan, unfazed, delivered a swift smack to the back of her head. ¡°You¡¯re the only sane one, Logan.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Well, anyhow. Thus began Dagger Team¡¯s chaotic tour of Korea. [Notice] Physical Abilities Test Tomorrow I¡¯ll start streaming around 10 AM tomorrow. See you then. [All Comments][By Order of Posting] =Wait, what???? =As always, the surprise factor is strong with you, Teacher lol =Physical abilities test? Are we getting a peek at the lustrous snake tail for everyone??? ?No ?Gah! ?Lustrous snake tail, yesss!!!!! =I can never predict what this guy¡¯s content will be lololololololol =Whatever it is, just stream, and we¡¯ll watch it =Ah haha, tomorrow morning, we¡¯re ready for it, lol Chapter 335 [Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR // 717,435] -[Here at an athlete training center for a physical abilities test] ¡°¡­Hello, everyone. Today, we¡¯re at a national Olympic training facility nearby, apanied by semi-regr guests Harmony and Dice, plus our special guests, Logan and Lorentina. It¡¯s 10:16 a.m., and we¡¯re set to start the tests as soon as the setup is ready.¡± -Hey everyone!!!!!!! -What??? Did you just say who the guests are??? -Whoa, why¡¯s the crazy bear sister here!!!!!! Hahahahahaha -Teacher, if you keep giving us so much content, we¡¯re going to explode from happiness, haha! March 2036, clear skies with a few clouds. I started the stream from arge indoor facility, filled with viewers¡¯ voices and the hum of measuring equipment. With a staggering 700,000+ viewers on a weekday morning¡ªnumbersparable to my gaming streams¡ªI nced at the viewer stats. Surprisingly, almost half were international, with many from the U.S., and, as I¡¯dter learn, many were sports scouts and analysts. I thought about greeting them in English but figured the auto-trante would handle it. As I mentioned, today¡¯s test wasn¡¯t a private affair. It included everyone from my regr stream, along with Logan and Lorentina. In truth, they just happened to be in Korea, so they joined in for the fun. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll be doing a bunch of measurements, starting with parts of the NFL Combine, followed by reflex tests and weight measurements¡­ This will probably take a while.¡± The first test would be a 40-yard dash, with simultaneous records for 100m and 200m. After that, a standing long jump and high jump. Normally, there¡¯s also a 100kg bench press test, but that¡¯s beenbined with a broader strength test forter. Most viewers didn¡¯t care much about the test specifics, just that the stream wouldst longer. Lorentina approached, adding, ¡°You¡¯re the most physically capable among us, so take it easy. We don¡¯t want you breaking all the equipment.¡± ¡°me the equipment if it breaks, then.¡± ¡°Just a little joke.¡± I was about to say something else when more people entered¡ªsome in suits, others in workout clothes. It turned out they were foreign sports scouts based in Korea. Although they obviously couldn¡¯t recruit a manifestor for their teams (manifestors are banned from most athleticpetitions), curiosity must¡¯ve gotten the better of them. ¡°Are you ready for the test? Is your body warmed up?¡± ¡°Yes, all set to go.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s move outside for the sprint test.¡± We headed out to the track in the crisp outdoor air, with the drone camera hovering overhead to follow me. Logan, Lorentina, Harmony, and Dice trailed along at a leisurely pace. Once on the track, I was guided to the starting line, where they asked what kind of shoes I¡¯d use. I requested the sturdiest shoes they had. The staff member looked a bit taken aback, so I rified: ¡°There¡¯s a chance my shoes might tear or get destroyed on the first sprint.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I¡¯ll see what I can find quickly.¡± The guy dashed off. I was serious¡ªwhen I was a new Icarus operator candidate, I went through military boots in two days. The soles couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and blew apart under thebined force of my weight and foot pressure. Logan, Lorentina, and I actually wear boots with several-centimeter-thick titanium tes in the soles. Great for durability, grip, and especially CQC. It¡¯s no wonder we can break through double ballistic tes with a kick. In a couple of minutes, he returned with a pair of shoes. ¡°These have triple carbon tes embedded.¡± ¡°Thanks. If these break, I¡¯ll go barefoot.¡± I slipped on the shoes, which fit perfectly as they had my size. Ignoring the fit, I headed to the track, nted my feet on the start rail, and ced my hands on the ground. After a few breaths, a holographic countdown appeared on the track. 3, 2, 1. I pushed off the ground like a spring, wind tearing at my eyes. It felt less like running and more like flying, with each stride covering over five meters. I couldn¡¯t gauge the exact speed, but I knew I¡¯d crossed the 200-meter mark in under 10 seconds. Slowing down at the end of the track, I looked down. ¡°Aw, man. The shoes are toast.¡± The triple carbon tes were crushed beyond repair. I took them off and shook them; broken fragments rattled inside. The drone camera finally buzzed over with the results. 200m record: 8.69 seconds. Speed: 82.84 km/h. ¡°No wonder I could barely keep my eyes open against the wind.¡± -Wait, wha- no, what the heck????? -Wow, we¡¯ve heard you¡¯re different, but this is something else hahaha -So it¡¯s true, he really isn¡¯t the same species hahaha -You¡¯re telling me he can run 80 km/h in a human body??? -At that speed, he¡¯d be ticketed in a school zone lolololololol Meanwhile, two dots sped toward me¡ªLogan and Lorentina, running barefoot out of curiosity. In a sort of impromptu bonus test, both reached about 80 km/h as well. Unfortunately, the rubber surface of ournes didn¡¯t fare too well. ¡°Why are there so many scuffed-up patches on the track?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not paying for that, right?¡± And then, a little ways down the track, two slower figures¡ªHarmony and Dice¡ªwere making their way toward us. Their awkward, waddling run had Lorentina chuckling about how adorable they looked, and I had to agree. They managed to achieve average records for women of their age. Wheezing and lying t on the ground, Harmony and Dice panted. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m going to die¡­!¡± ¡°You three really aren¡¯t human, are you?¡± Honestly, I couldn¡¯t argue with that. With multiple sets of eyes watching andser-based timing devices in ce, the measurements were as fair as they could be. Still wide-eyed, one of the staff members cautiously approached me. ¡°Uh, any interest in a retest?¡± ¡°No, as you can see, the shoes didn¡¯t survive.¡± The guy who¡¯d given me the shoes wore an expression of disbelief as I shook the remains. And this was just the beginning. ¡°So I thought today¡¯s Tricki server felt off¡ªseems our ecosystem disruptor was streaming since morning.¡± -Ecosystem disruptor lolololololol -I¡¯m off to write a spicy post: "Tricki / Controversy / Disrespect to Other Streamers" ww -Eugene¡­ has be a streamer top-tier no one can keep up with¡­ -Four special guests¡ªhow can anyone resist this lololol -By the way, isn¡¯t Hotteok also a manifestor? Ever done something like that? 12 p.m., clear skies. Hotteok had gotten up at 11 a.m. after a night of heavy drinking, barely finished washing up, and started a casual stream¡ªonly to crash the server from the flood of viewers, forcing a quick restart. After reading a summary of Eugene¡¯s stream on Tricki, he reacted just like anyone else would. ¡°¡­84 km/h? Excuse me, what?¡± -Is he a person or a car lolololololol -Living Point: The bear sister and Lorentina clocked simr speeds. -Realizing why manifestors don¡¯t enter sportspetitions¡­ -Can you imagine Dice fighting this guy multiple times, only to rank 4th in the final championship lolololololol -This is terrifying Hotteok recalled his own max speed of 34 km/h, wondering if this was truly within human limits. He knew an E2-level manifestor who once mentioned that manifestors ran differently¡ªlike a skipping stone rather than simply pushing off the ground. The key was stride distance. Usain Bolt¡¯s stride averaged 2.43 meters, thanks to his height and powerful legs. And Eugene¡­ didn¡¯t even need exining. Smashing carbon tes with foot pressure alone was just absurd. And that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Vertical jump of 2m, broad jump of 5.53m¡­ average visual response time of 10 milliseconds? Ah, well, he is a snake, so he could just sense vibrations, not visual or auditory signals. He might¡¯ve picked up on those vibration cues before the visual signal even registered¡­¡± Muttering to himself, Hotteok quickly joined Eugene¡¯s channel, which had hundreds of thousands of viewers. Eugene was currently testing his lifting capacity. Instead of the usual barbells and tes, he was using a strange machine suited for lifting cars. And, on the LED disy, the numbers read four digits. With his mouth agape, Hotteok mumbled. ¡°My total lift is around 1,200 kg, but he¡¯s benching that solo.¡± -Wow¡­ just wow¡­ -I just can¡¯t wrap my head around this lol -If he punched something, he could probably demolish a building lolololololol -Could he even stop a speeding car at this point? -Captain Anaconda lolololololol The Captain Americas of this world were definitely plentiful. Later, Logan and Lorentina posted simr inhuman results. Hotteok felt thankful he¡¯d always downyed his E2-level abilities, brushing off questions with, ¡°I¡¯m just like everyone else.¡± Eugene¡¯s old 3-lift record was around 2 tons. But today, she¡¯d surpassed 4 tons. It was unbelievable. And then, the power test. -How should I do this? -Simply strike the box as hard as you can. This device measures the damage impact. The screen beside the machine disyed measurements in "units," with conversions to horsepower below. 1,300 units roughly equaled 1 horsepower. After putting on boxing gloves, Eugene loosened up, carefully gauging the optimal position to unleash her strongest punch. After a few moments, a sound shook the facility, as if something massive had rammed into the device. ¡ªBOOM! The shockwave shook the entire wall holding the machine. The screen went ck for a moment, then flickered back on, disying a figure of 800,000 units¡ªover 600 horsepower, an astonishing result. Hotteok let out augh, half amused, half bewildered. ¡°So that¡¯s the power she¡¯s been swinging that axe with?¡± -600 horsepower hahahahahaha -Living Point: 600 HP is what you¡¯d see in high-end super sedans -So getting hit by that would be like getting hit by a car? -Fact: The smaller impact area means it¡¯d probably leave a fist-sized hole in your body -Teacher, we¡¯re so sorry for whatever we did, please forgive us¡­ -So does this mean Mikael went up against a dump truck with just a shield? lolololol ¡°Ah, Mikael¡­¡± True enough. Though he likely didn¡¯t know, looking back, it really did seem like he faced a dump truck head-on. Meanwhile, Eugene tried a few more strikes, then asked the staff a question. -Is this machine capable of measuring kicks as well? -Uh¡­ The staffer typed on his calctor, then handed Eugene a file with a rather serious look. She nodded, took off her gloves, and stepped back. With question marks popping over their heads, including Hotteok¡¯s, Eugene approached the drone camera and spoke. -The device has a maximum capacity of about 1.5 million units. They¡¯ve asked me to stop here to prevent damage to the equipment if I exceed that force. It was truly in character. The day wasn¡¯t over yet.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 336 "Good heavens." "Now I see why practically every major sport has strict rules barring manifestors from participating." Among the over a million viewers, nearly 300,000 were international. Of those, at least 30,000¡ªmany of whom were associated with various sports¡ªathletes, coaches, and other prominent figures who were familiar with global sporting events, watched the screen intently, either gasping in awe or eximing in shock. Every year, every month, week, and day, they watched athletes who had long surpassed average human physical limits, and even those high standards couldn''t stifle their astonishment. This was especially true for the United States, where top-tier physical talent emerged at an unparalleled rate. "Weight¡­485 pounds? And only 172 cm tall? But can run at 83 km/h? At that point, we''re talking about a dump truck, not a human." "Just imagining that guy ying as a running back gives me chills." "All I see is linemen getting carted off injured." A 220-kilogram object charging at 83 km/h and someone actually stopping it? It was downright insane¡ªa disaster on par with a traffic ident. Given the insane eleration of covering 23 meters in a second, even NFL yers would struggle to react. It made sense, though, as Eugene''s physical assessment was based on NFLbine standards, which is why quite a few athletes, aside from those seriously busy, were tuning in to watch. And then¡ª "Damn, this is a harsh reality check." "With how surreal this is, I actually find it entertaining. It¡¯s not like they''re going to be ourpetition." "True, but¡­damn, look at the footprint they¡¯re leaving. How much leg power does it take to do that?" Of course, it didn¡¯t end there. Eugene¡¯s vision and reaction speed had surpassed human limits long ago. She could catch arrows mid-flight and even track the close-range trajectory of a shuttlecock smashed by a top athlete. Around then, the conversation shifted unexpectedly to Harmony and Dice. "So, how on earth did she ce fourth in the Final Championship?" "And how did Logan even manage to beat her?" Dice, who was nkly watching Eugene''s various physical tests, was hardly ignorant of her skill level. In the Final Championship, she ced fourth, and apart from Logan and Eugene, she could even im a narrow margin for second ce. She was the only pro gamer to have ever beaten another manifestor, even if she ended up losing to a pr bear in ater match. Beside her, Harmony, with her small frame and brown hair swaying, was known to most viewers as the streamer who had dominated the Partner Streamer Battle held alongside the Final Championship. She maintained a 30% winning rate against Dice, an impressive feat¡ªeven though it didn¡¯tst long. "Wow, damn. I''m going to shower. I can''t watch this anymore." "Hey, hey. When will you ever see someone lifting a literal ton again? Just rx and watch." But rxing wasn¡¯t easy; the information on disy was hard to process. The colossal machine in front of them didn¡¯t resemble any standard weight-training equipment. It looked more like a device used for crushing cars or lifting vehicles, with an area insiderge enough for a person to lie down. It didn¡¯t take long for the advanced testing machine to disy the numbers on its LED: 1247 kg on the bench press¡ªa number unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.@@novelbin@@ Next came squats and deadlifts. She effortlessly lifted weights equivalent to mid-sized sedans and, drenched in sweat, stepped back, joined soon by Logan and Lorentina, who delivered simr results. There was a moment of silence. How much time had passed since then? ©¤©¤©¤KA-BOOM! "That¡¯s not a punch; it¡¯s a wrecking ball for demolishing buildings." "The damage looks about right¡­." The sounding from the punching machine was insane. The impact had caused the wall to creak, and the entire room shook. The punch had a force exceeding 600 horsepower¡ªthe equivalent of getting hit by a foreign sedan. After several more hits, kicking was mentioned, but before long, Logan and Lorentina, intrigued, joined in and started pounding the machine. About ten strikester, the machine finally gave in with a loud noise, shuddered, and emitted a short puff of smoke before meeting its end. "Oh¡­." "...I apologize." Eugene repeatedly offered topensate, handing over her contact details for any potential follow-up. The staff, though baffled, reassured her it wasn¡¯t necessary. Finally, the active physical assessments concluded, and after a lunch break, tests with various devices resumed. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t analyze everything¡ªEugene¡¯s body was a ck box that defied conventional anatomical data. While the amount of data they collected was minimal, it hardly mattered. Eugene had now be, as of a few days ago, the only EM-level manifestor in South Korea, and parts of her physical data would be archived for the long term. But, of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. "Now, we¡¯ll proceed with manifestor-specific trait assessments." The moment hade. "T-tails¡­175 cm long. Can support 315 kg. Type: Green Anaconda¡­." "You look rather intrigued." "To be honest, I never imagined I¡¯d be examining a manifestor¡­." -Hahaha, is this a snake checkup? No, it¡¯s an EM-level snakedy checkup! -Should they call in a vet or a doctor? LOL. -The vet¡¯s expression is killing me w. Gently. I felt sensations along my tail, nearly as long as my body. Sitting with my tail resting on the seat, I felt oddly at ease. I was mostly curious if there were any issues with my tail. Thankfully, the answer was no. "What¡¯s your shedding cycle?" "Usually once every six months." "I see¡­ I¡¯ve never asked anyone this question before, and it¡¯s also my first time hearing an answer. I hope it wasn¡¯t too sensitive?" "Not at all." -Just an innocent question: What''s your shedding cycle? -I know there¡¯s nothing wrong with the question, but why does it sound so weird? -Yujin snakedy shed auction iing! It wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªno one would normally ask another person such a question. After all, the female vet had just arrived from a major zoo¡¯srge animal department. While I was mulling this over, she continued speaking. "The tail has a rich color, and there¡¯s no foreign material between the scales. Usually, snake scales get dirty from slithering on the ground or in water, often leading to parasites between them¡­." "Ew." "Since it''s both your tail and part of your body, just continue your usual care routine." "Understood." There was a pause. I nced at the mug of hot chocte provided for calorie and sugar replenishment. Wrapping my tail around the handle, I took a sip, noticing the vet¡¯s surprised expression. And then she said: "Technically, Eugene, your ¡®tail¡¯ doesn¡¯t fit the usual criteria for a snake¡¯s tail. Snakes generally have a clear separation between the body and tail, marked by the cloaca, which isn¡¯t present here. So, it¡¯s safe to say that the structure attached to your tailbone doesn¡¯t match that of a green anaconda exactly." "Ah, I see." "But then again, what does it matter? It¡¯s essentially an extra arm. It''s thousands of times better than people who can¡¯t even use their existing limbs properly. No need to worry." -Sudden roast LMAO. -The vet with the brutal honesty LOL. -As long as Yujin¡¯s here, I don¡¯t need anyone else! With my fanbase¡¯s usual mix of weirdness and TMImentary in the background, I moved on to other tests. First, the ears. Given their resemnce to elf ears, there wasn¡¯t much out of the ordinary¡ªjust slightly elongated. Next was the mouth. "Say ahh~." "Ahhh." "Yep, not as extreme as a viper, but those fangs are fairly long. Just bite down on this gel for an urate measure." Bite. The gel, with a faintly sweet scent, bore the distinct marks of my fangs, which were at least twice the length of a regr person¡¯s. The vet jotted down measurements before moving on. "All confirmed." Finally, the eye exam. When all the tests wereplete, she said: "As you may already know, EM grade is an international standard, typically assigned when someone exhibits at least three animal traits. You have at least four." "Hmm." "Based on our collected data, physical abilities seem to increase proportionally with grade. While the limits remain unclear, there¡¯s no telling if someone beyond your level will emerge." Somehow, today felt like a day for strange revtions. And as my physical abilities, once just a rough estimate, became precise figures, it felt real. Clearly, detailed numbers made more of an impact than any lengthy exnation. Just then, the vetmented. "We also brought in a bear specialist¡­." "If I raise my middle finger here, what happens next?" "...Just decline politely." -What are these guys even talking about LOL. -Why are they so entertaining? I let out a snicker, partly out of exasperation. I politely asked Logan, who¡¯d made the remark in Russian, to refrain. Lorentina, meanwhile, looked restless, muttering about trying out some tests herself as she affectionately patted Harmony. When the vet looked puzzled, I exined. "Not interested." "Understood. That concludes the physical examination. You did very well!" "Thank you for your efforts." With a final handshake, today¡¯s schedule wrapped up. Since we¡¯d filled up during lunch, no one was hungry, and it was past 2 p.m. Without much attachment, it was time to leave the Olympic training center, where we¡¯d spent part of the day. Everyone climbed into the five-seat Range Rover, and Logan, maintaining a nonchnt expression, drove us out of the parking lot. Before heading onto the main road, I left a quick note to resume the broadcastter, ending the stream. Simultaneously, Logan spoke up. "So, where to next?" "Sounded like you had something fun in mind." "Indeed." I held up five tickets in the air. As everyone looked at me curiously, I grinned and spoke. "There''s a well-known zoo and aquarium nearby. Let¡¯s go check it out." Having just talked about animals, it was now time to go see some. Chapter 337 "Thanks to our little one, I¡¯ve been to ces I never thought I¡¯d see." "With time to spare before our cement, why not get a part-time gig here?" "I don¡¯t have a zookeeper certification." "You don¡¯t really need that¡­ ugh, that was a slip of the tongue, please save me!" On the way to arge zoo in a major park in Seoul, Lorentina was coughing and choking as she sat next to Logan on the free park bus. The reason was simple: she had made a joke about working with the zoo animals and ended up getting a hefty dose of reality for it. A DroneCam hovered above, broadcasting the scene in real-time. Though it was in Russian, the streaming service provided live interpretation and trantion into English, and viewers were enjoying the tranted content that popped up at the bottom of the screen.
  • A joke only manifestors can make LOL!
  • Lorentina''s jokes are savage!
  • Everyone, be quiet!!!! If you mess up your fingers, you¡¯ll get caught!!!!
  • Immediate punishment, haha!
  • She¡¯s reallyying into her, lol.
Both of them had amused expressions, but knowing the strength behind that arm could have easily broken a human neck sent a shiver down my spine. I called out to Harmony, who was sitting quietly next to Lorentina. Just then, Minah hurried over and sat next to me, chattering away. "If it weren''t for you, I would have been squashed between those two." "I figured that would be the case. Anyway¡­" They certainly liked to joke around a lot. Meanwhile, the bus was quite noisy, and the cause was obvious: us. It was no surprise that many families were visiting the zoo, and the children oftencked a concept of respecting others'' space. This led to several instances where you¡¯d hear: "Wow, look! A snake! Mom! There¡¯s a huge snake over there!" Naturally, the expressions of the parents with those kids turned pale. This was understandable, considering thatws regarding manifestors in Korea were quite strict. I hadn¡¯t mentioned my status before, and at this point, I was under the same kind of identity protection program that the U.S. offers. In essence, if a manifestor with a troublesome personality existed, they could easily use the current situation to put others in a tough spot¡ªthough I wasn¡¯t insane enough to act on that. Fortunately or unfortunately, it seemed that this little one had no major aversion to snakes, so perhaps I could tease her a bit.@@novelbin@@ ©¤©¤©¤Swoosh. "Whoa, I¡¯m being taken away!" "Oh, oh¡­." "That kid is lively." I gently wrapped my tail around the child¡¯s waist and carefully lifted her. Instead of being scared, the adventurous little girl¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. As I lowered her gently back towards her parents, their expressions shifted between amusement and confusion. With the tip of my tail, I tapped her head, warning her not to run away next time, before returning to the outside view. Sure, Logan had caught a few stray nces from time to time, but it wasn¡¯t a significant problem since most kids tended to freeze when faced with foreignnguages. If I tried to strike up a conversation in English, there were generally two kinds of reactions. The first would keep speaking Korean until Logan pretended to hit them, and they would scurry away behind their parents. The other would stammer a bit, then yell, "Mom! A foreigner!" before running off in a panic. Spectre, however, was an exception. "No one¡¯sing near me, unfortunately." "Well, aside from the sharp teeth, they probably think you¡¯re just a unique foreigner." Christopher Lorentina, with a shark motif. She didn¡¯t have fins or gills, and aside from the sharp teeth, I honestly didn¡¯t know what her motif was, but she definitely gave off a distinct "shark" vibe, albeit still somewhat ambiguous. In any case, Lorentina might just look like a pretty foreigner, and not necessarily a manifestor. But she was busy trying tomunicate earnestly with Harmony, so it didn¡¯t seem to bother her at all. I had a feeling Harmony¡¯s English skills andfort with thenguage were both improving. As we continued, the bus came to a stop. It was time to take the lift up. There wasn¡¯t anything particrly special about it, and the two special forces members with us grumbled that a fast rope for escape would have been much quicker. The first ce we visited was the Eastern Pavilion. It primarily housed reptiles. The reason I chose it was simple: it was the building closest to the Sky Lift terminal. It was said to have yellow anacondas, reticted pythons, and New Guinea crocodiles. "A snake is going to see other snakes." "Is there no aquarium?" "Good question." We entered amid trivial chatter. Since many of the creatures were sensitive to temperature, the Eastern Pavilion resembled a massive indoor zoo. After passing through the entrance and several informative disys, we entered what resembled a swimming pool. Of course, the animals inhabiting this space shaped the entire environment and interior ordingly. In any case, around this time, I felt it was the right moment to reveal another unknown characteristic of manifestors¡ª ©¤©¤©¤! "Whoa, the crocodile is crying!" "It¡¯s moving, it¡¯s moving!" I realized I could understand the sounds made by reptiles to some extent. To rify, I didn¡¯t actually hear them speaking; rather, I could interpret why they were behaving in certain ways more clearly. This was evident as I approached the crocodile that swam closer to me. It snapped its jaws together, emitting a low-frequency rumble. The sound resembled a toilet flushing. Its gaze was locked onto me. Interpreting its intent wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡®What are you doing over there!?¡¯ No, it wasn¡¯t like that. If you came in with a crocodile tail like me, wouldn¡¯t you be safely released back into the human world? Its hair would be green, and its strength off the charts¡­ I was lost in such absurd thoughts when it sent me a signal asking for help. Of course, there was no way that could happen. Waving my hand to signal it to go away, the crocodile dove back into the water, seemingly dejected.
  • Wow, LOL.
  • Wait, does it actually understand me??????
  • My opinion: If reptiles canmunicate, it¡¯s not surprising at all.
  • Even if she quits streaming, just knowing she canmunicate with reptiles means she¡¯ll always have a job, LOL.
  • I¡¯m genuinely curious¡­ why are you still streaming? Is it really just a hobby?????
Surprisingly, it was indeed a hobby. But that wasn¡¯t all. The presence of various reptiles indicated that there were snakes as well. Just a little further down, I spotted a ss enclosure amid the rocks. Inside, of course, were snakes, each in its own little space. Naturally, as I approached, they all pressed their faces against the ss. Moving their heads back and forth, they scrutinized me, and some even tapped the ss with their heads. "If you don¡¯t mind, could you please help me out from here?" As if that were possible. Shaking my head, they all retreated to the far corners, as if disappointed. As long as they got fed, that was all that mattered, little guys. Going deeper inside didn¡¯t change much either, as the same was true for the indoor area housing the yellow anacondas. In a small space located near the exit, arge, lethargic reticted pythony sprawled out, measuring several meters long. Of course, getting closer changed the dynamics. "Wow, it¡¯s looking over here now that you¡¯re approaching, Yujin!" "Good heavens¡­." It must have sensed my vibrations. I knelt down to meet its gaze. The snake, after tapping the ss with its head, peeked at the exit, giving me what could only be interpreted as flirting¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t particrly assertive. By turning its head outward, it seemed to be asking if it wanted to go out, and the snake shook its head in response. Then, it flicked its tail against its body, implying that it was content enough to stay since it was well-fed. It was fascinating to understand such bodynguage. "What¡¯s the snake saying?" "Well, it¡¯s probably having a moment of self-reflection." "Come on, you can tell what it¡¯s thinking just by looking at its face! Spill it!"
  • Animalmunicator, LOL.
  • I¡¯ve seen all kinds of sights today, for real, haha.
  • Thanks to you, my fear of reptiles has eased up a bit, really appreciate it, LOL.
  • Uh oh, now anacondas are starting to look cute!
  • Completely normal.
What can I say? It felt like I was creating potential future visitors for the zoo. Of course, there was still plenty of zoo exploration left. "Pr bears must be extremely rare, even in arge zoo." "If you say it¡¯s here¡­." "I¡¯d kick it if it were here." "Okay, joke. Just a light joke. Anyway, look, someone else ising over." Having exited the indoor Eastern Pavilion, we were now strolling around in a more rxed manner. The ce was packed with tour buses and visitors. Though it was quite entertaining to see animals not normally spotted, unfortunately, today wasn¡¯t entirely ordinary. Most animals, aside from hippos, lions, and tigers, seemed to be quite tense. As we slinked around, herbivores like the gazelle looked over at us and bolted to the opposite side of their enclosures, while even the giraffes and ostriches were busy fleeing. The meerkats and mountain goats were no different. And it wasn¡¯t just that¡ªlions and tigers were on high alert as well. "Wow, they¡¯re really on guard." "Bears seem quiet, though." "They¡¯re pretty much the same type." True to those words. The only animals that weren¡¯t too wary of Logan were the bears. They approached out of curiosity, ncing over at him and tapping the ss with their paws while even bringing their food to ce in front of the ss. Of course, our senior responded with a frown, and the bears soon left, looking a bit dejected. Then, the conversation continued. "Suddenly, I¡¯m craving barbecue for dinner." "Let¡¯s ask our little one to handle it."
  • LOL, I can¡¯t stopughing!
  • Logan is amazing, haha!
  • They really want to eat meat, huh, .
  • Meanwhile, the bear¡¯s proposal got rejected, haha.
  • What¡¯s going on here, LOL?
Dinner was indeed a major issue. Meanwhile, Harmony and Dice had somewhat peculiar expressions. ording to them, there were certain animals they wanted to see, but they all fled, which was disappointing. However, they didn¡¯t seem eager to wander off on their own, so I made do with half-hearted attempts tofort them. "There are pr bears, green anacondas, and sharks here, so you¡¯ve seen quite a bit already." "That¡¯s quite a bit offort, though¡­ well, it¡¯s not bad. Plus, you three will get to see animals even after leaving the zoo, so that¡¯s a win too." "Don¡¯t let her convince you, Dice." "Ugh."
  • They¡¯re acting weird today, LOL.
  • Did they all blow a whistle before entering the zoo?????
  • I don¡¯t even know what to say in the chat anymore without crossing the line, haha.
  • That was¡­ surprisingly convincing!
  • Wait, Lorentina is a shark??? I didn¡¯t know that, haha!
In any case, that was secondary. If I had to say something, it was unfortunate, but that wasn¡¯t the only problem. As the five of us casually roamed the zoo, suddenly, we heard quite a ruckusing from over there. When I looked up, I saw a couple of staff members with ID cards around their necks rushing towards us. Not knowing what was going on, I just stood there watching when one of the zoo staff, panting a bit, finally managed to speak. "Um, excuse me¡­ could you tell us where your next destination is?" "We''re thinking of heading toward the Marine Pavilion." "Oh¡­ understood." "Is there something wrong?" The following words could be somewhat unpleasant to hear: the animals in the direction we were heading were reportedly quite stressed. This was an answer I had never imagined. Thankfully, bears and reptiles weren¡¯t overly concerned, but it seemed herbivores were having a bit of trouble. They requested that we refrain from moving toward the small animal exhibit, as it could cause some disturbances. Of course, they also mentioned that our tickets would be fully refunded due to the inconvenience. As I pondered how to react to this, Harmony chimed in from behind. "It¡¯s all because the people here are too strong."
  • Harmony¡¯s sharp observation, haha!
  • That¡¯s true, but still funny, LOL.
  • Look at everyone¡¯s puzzled expressions, haha.
  • Still, the logistics are well organized, haha!
  • My honest opinion: None of you would lose to a tiger in a fight.
What can I say? That statement held a lot of truth. Anyway, even though our time at the Marine Pavilion was drastically shortened, we still caught a glimpse of the seals from a distance. Logan and Lorentina didn¡¯t get a proper view, but they didn¡¯t seem too bothered. If they had locked eyes, the seals might have felt their first taste of existential threat in the zoo. After all, there were two predators around. With that, after getting our refunds, we headed back. As we made our way back from the zoo, we couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter at how absurd everything had been. "Thanks to our little one, we¡¯ve had the most bizarre experiences¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure we took this bus up here, but should we call this a case of ¡®karma¡¯?" "Haha." As I said, the world truly was a strange ce. It was filled with things you could never have imagined. Chapter 338 "Alright, boot camp graduates. Let''s discuss a few matters." "Huh?" Lorentina''s distinctive voice rang out in my bustling home. Instantly, everyone turned their heads in her direction, curious about what was going on. Naturally, Harmony and Dice lumbered over to her, eager to hear what she had to say, while Logan and I nced at each other before returning to our tasks. Recently, I had been quite busy with various matters. The reason was simple: after our trip to the zoo a few days ago, we had a dinner and drinking party, and amodating four guests in my home had be a bit cramped. In other words, my household had be slightly overcrowded. Thest party I hosted after returning from the Final Championship, with about eight people gathered, had been quite an exception. They had all crashed on the sofas, beds, and nkets spread across the floor for just one night, so it hadn¡¯t been a major issue. However, if this became a weekly urrence, it would be somewhatplicated. I was getting ahead of myself. In short, I was looking for a new ce. Of course, I kept my ears open to hear what Lorentina was saying. "What¡¯s going on?" "Dark Zone, just a brief discussion about the uing mission. Nothing too grand, so no need to worry." "That sounds like it might be grand already¡­." That was indeed the case. Anyway, aside from that, a DroneCam was hovering next to Harmony and Dice. It wasn¡¯t broadcasting but was more akin to providing real-time trantion. In any case, what came next was something I found difficult to ignore as well. "In about a week, the battle in Seattle willmence. Wouldn¡¯t you like to discuss that briefly?" "Oh, now that you mention it, that¡¯s right." "I¡¯m interested." While Harmony and Dice seemed engaged, Logan, finding his area of expertise emerging, quietly moved closer. I hesitated for a moment before standing up from my chair, and Lorentina, with a pleased expression, noted that it was time to use the holographic projector. With a whir, Seattle¡¯sndscape suddenly appeared before us. "To be a good operator, one must also read the situation and flow of events. If our little one has developed tactical insight and skills from boot camp, it will be my job to cultivate your strategic perspectives." "And then you¡¯ll try to pull us in." "Heh, recruits are alwayscking. I¡¯ve heard that the DoD is discussing remotely operated robotic soldiers these days¡­." "Ugh¡­." Fortunately, Lorentina¡¯s recentment wasn¡¯t ssified military information. It was something you could easily find with a quick inte search. That aside, I was quite intrigued by the notion of strategic insight¡ªthough it seemed somewhat abrupt, I had a general idea of what Lorentina was getting at. She likely wanted to brainstorm how the battle here would unfold. This method was one of collective reasoning used beforeunching operations or predicting future engagements. In other words, it was something we often did in the past. "Let¡¯s first establish the necessary premises for our discussion or mind mapping. For now, you two can just observe. Watching experienced individuals prepare for a discussion will help you understand the principles behind it." "So, the goal of today¡¯s discussion is to sketch out a simple concept of the form of engagements that might ur in Seattle?" "Exactly." Memories of the past began to resurface.@@novelbin@@ This type of mind mapping generally divided into two main processes: the establishment of all premises necessary for discussion, and the actual engagement in discussion and mind mapping. The first process was the most crucial step in staying on topic. I began to contemte. Seattle, Seattle. Let¡¯s think about the first point¡­ "¡­First of all, we must remember that Seattle is very close to Vancouver in Canada." "Confirmed. First premise." "It¡¯s the final stronghold of the American maind recovery but also the starting point for counter-offensives." "That¡¯s the second premise." As I listed them out, the puzzle pieces began to fit together, and the necessary elements for the operational progression assembled. In the meantime, Harmony seemed to catch on and raised her hand. "Uh¡­ there are many inds, and the coastline is veryplex. Also, it seems that a lot of ships could enter there." "Smart observation. That¡¯s the third premise." "Compared to other cities, it¡¯s quite unintuitive and fragmented, right?" "Everyone¡¯s already adapting. That¡¯s the fourth premise." At the same time, Lorentina was busy highlighting several areas. King County International Airport, the Aviation Museum, Seattle-Ta International Airport, the Lewis-McChord Joint Base in the south, the Kitsap-Bremerton and Bangor Naval Bases¡­ along with the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. She cross-referenced the newly released satellite and UAV images of Seattle. Surprisingly, the terrain Lorentina had mentioned differed significantly from the realndscape. Particrly with regard to the aforementioned naval bases and Washington National Guard bases¡­ "¡­No way, not again." "Exactly. It wasn¡¯t only San Diego that got hit with a nuke." Holes. Strangely, they were either unnaturally formed or had been gouged out on the spot. The bizarre terrain suggested that a mushroom cloud had risen there in the past¡ªa revtion further confirmed when Lorentina began measuring the size of ground zero. Naturally, it was in kilometers. However, the size of the flooded area corresponded closely with the size of the crater, allowing for a rough estimation of the explosion¡¯s magnitude. Considering that the Kitsap Naval Base extended about 2 km, one could deduce that a warhead with roughly 300 kt of explosive yield had once fallen there. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only consideration. In any case, one thought crossed my mind. "What a shortsighted choice that was." "That¡¯s true." "Uh¡­ why do you say that?" "While it might have been a good decision in the early stages of the war, by the time they were rampaging all over the American maind, they had effectively erased their own docking ports." From that fact, another conclusion could be drawn. The missile ships were likely not in Seattle but about 250 km away in Vancouver. The reason was straightforward: as mentioned, they had eliminated their own docking ports. "And here¡¯s a hypothesis from me. The battle in Seattle will likely involve missions to deploy our jammers throughout various locations or help position interceptor missiles. That¡¯s almost a certainty." "That would be necessary to intercept the Zircon cruise missile bombingsing from the coalition forces in Vancouver." "Correct." As the conversation continued, Dice chimed in. "So¡­ during the Seattle battle, wouldn¡¯t the n be to preserve existing bases, infrastructure, and buildings as much as possible?" "What makes you think that?" "Earlier, you mentioned Seattle as the final stronghold for recovering the maind but also the starting point for counter-offensive operations. I believe the city will serve as a kind of massive secondary operation base, simr to Central Park HQ." "That means many soldiers and vehicles would need to move in, which would also need to be defended¡­." Harmony naturally joined in. After a brief moment of silence, the two nodded in agreement. "¡­Wow, this is why we¡¯re doing this." "We correct wrong thoughts and share good ideas¡­ while grasping the operation at hand. Anyone can present a new perspective. This is whymunication among special forces personnel must be horizontal." With a quick movement, Lorentina gently massaged Harmony¡¯s shoulder and added, "Our rookie here will handle things just fine without saying much, so you two shoulde up with various scenarios orbat methods before I return. Don¡¯t worry; the two of them will help you out." "Okay¡­ wait? You¡¯reing back? Where are you going?" "I¡¯ve had enough rest; it¡¯s time for me to head back for a bit." And just then, the reason she had been massaging Harmony¡¯s shoulder became clear. "Can our rookie drive well?" The Porsche Boxster 40¡ª a 40th anniversary special edition¡ª was set to tear down the road, the top prize from the partner streamer battle that had crossed over from America. "Wow¡­ was it called a coastal tanker? A 50,000-ton ss? This ship is on an entirely different levelpared to the training ones we usually handle¡­." "Remarkably, it¡¯s one of the smallest sizes among oil tankers. Is this your first time infiltrating such arge vessel?" "Ah¡­ ugh." We were aboard a Baekho-ss high-speed transport vessel, quite far from the Pyeongtaek naval base. While gazing at the training dmissioned oil tanker located about ten kilometers away, a thin voice came from behind. Momentarily, I thought it was the rumored "Siren" of the UDT, but upon turning my head, I saw a fully equipped member, speaking in a somewhat old-fashioned American English. A gold squadron patch on their shoulder, and the three letters made up of English capital letters and numbers. The individual who had been widely rumored to be the most experienced and skilled weapon among them stood right behind me. Before I could react, they extended their hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you. You¡¯ve traveled a long way. I¡¯ll make sure you learn a lot." "Just make sure to keep an eye on me." At the same time, we checked the time. There wasn¡¯t much time left before the briefing session. Almost as if we had nned it, we headed toward the briefing room. Numerous people had already taken their seats. About thirty individuals were divided down the center, with UDT members on the left and DEVGRU members on the right. The difference was that the operators who hade with Lorentina sat in chairs, while she stood at the podium, skillfully operating the holographic projector. She briefly outlined the mission overview and introduced the DEVGRU personnel. "Hello. I am Christopher Lorentina, themander of the Hammerhead Strike Team from Gold Squadron, representing DEVGRU in Korea this year. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all." p, p, p! A thunderous apuse erupted. It was more than just a formality¡ªit was due to the fact that, despite several past unfortunate incidents, SEAL Team 6 stood proudly among the top tier of special operations units, and Lorentina was one of the most recognized faces among them. In fact, when you searched "DEVGRU Shark Face," countless images would appear, as she was known for always wearing a mask with a shark''s mouth design on it. In any case, a celebrity like her was participating in this year¡¯s joint training. It was only natural that she would receive a more fervent wee than usual. As she flipped through the slides, she added, "You¡¯ve probably already received the details of the operation, as they were distributed as soon as the outline for the joint operation was finalized. I assume everyone here knows the operation inside out, so I¡¯ll skip the overview." The presentation continued with an extensive briefing on duties and rules of engagement. For over thirty minutes. "¡­Additionally, five fast boats will be on standby as maritime ambnces, and in case of an ident, there¡¯s a system in ce for immediate handover to the destroyers monitoring the training area nearby. Everyone here can request an operation halt if necessary." As various numbers were thrown around, Lorentina listed out all the frequencies for contacting the destroyers and medical helicopters waiting nearby. Naturally, no one seemed surprised; at least DEVGRU members were well-prepared, and many of the UDT members had memorized the frequencies before the briefing. Questions arose, and everyone present sessfully answered her queries about the frequencies, which she epted with a nod, as if it were nothing special, before moving on. After a considerable time, she concluded her exnations and added one final remark. "In another briefing room, approximately 53 meters from here, there¡¯s a team acting as the rebels discussing how they should effectively obstruct you." There was a moment of silence. Then came the questions. "Some of you might not fully understand what it means to have the authority to attack such a massive vessel, but within Tier 1, having this authority distinguishes the ranks of special forces. In other words¡­." You are currently ced in the same position as SEAL Team 6. As Lorentina smiled slyly, the expressions of the UDT members sitting to the left hardened. It was less about being rigid and more about adopting a determination that was iparably different from before. With a chuckle, she continued. "I hope we can have a fruitful exchange." Amid an indescribable pressure, her sharp teeth glinted. The joint training had begun. Chapter 339
  • "Now for the next news. Today, three months ahead of the world''srgest multinational maritime exercise, RIMPAC, the Republic of Korea Navy''s Special Warfare Command is conductingrge-scale maritime training with the visiting Tier 1 special forces from the United States¡­"
"Do you understand what they¡¯re saying?" "I''m starting to get it." A few days had passed since Lorentina left, and now a familiar story was ying on the TV news. Logan had it on to practice his Korean, and the timing was quite fitting. Today, my home felt rather quiet. The reason was simple: Harmony and Dice had returned home a few days ago to focus on their primary careers. Dice, being a professional gamer, had switched his focus to training promising juniors due to the performance bonus conditions being better thanst year, so I was just grateful for the time he had spent here. As for Harmony, her main job was streaming, which provided her some flexibility, but she too had run off, saying it was too hard to work out with me. I couldn''t really argue with that. So, from today and for a considerable time, I would only be hosting Logan as my guest. At least until Lorentina returned... but she would be staying in Korea for a minimum of four months, so Logan would probably just hang around until he headed back home. Still, that wasn¡¯t much of a problem. Even though he was my senior, there was a time when Central Park HQ struggled with personnel, equipment, and space, and I had shared a room with him for several months¡ªback then, Lorentina had roomed with Rapier. Thus, it wouldn¡¯t be awkward at all. "I should have learned Korean back then." "At that time, I was learning English much faster." "That¡¯s true; damn it." Korean was indeed a difficultnguage to learn. Even Logan, who came from Delta Force and had a notably fastnguage acquisition speed, struggled for two weeks. However, spending an entire day with me practicing free talking and grammar studies had led to significant improvements in his Korean skills. In just two weeks, he could generally understand what was being said in the news. Moreover, since I could speak English, I could exin any difficult parts for him. Or we could just use a trantor. So now, I was able to have a rough conversation while watching the news broadcast in Korean. "Joint exercises, huh? I¡¯m curious since I¡¯ve never done one." "Doesn¡¯t Delta asionally exchange with the Japanese Special Operations Group?" "That¡¯s just child¡¯s y. Alpha Squadron types aren¡¯t even allowed to go overseas. If it¡¯s a purposeful mission¡­ in other words, if it¡¯s for operational reasons, that¡¯s another story." "That makes sense." Alpha Squadron. Simr to DEVGRU¡¯s Gold Squadron, this unit¡ªofficially known as the 1st SAG¡ªwasposed of only the most elite members. Owens, who had shown his face on my streams a few times, was the operations team leader of the Alpha Squadron¡¯s strike team, "Red Right Hand." As memories of the past started to resurface, I recalled that if even one of their members were to defect or leak information, the losses for the U.S. would be significant. So, they had essentially prevented foreign exchanges altogether. Though they had still conducted incursions together. Given that it was a game, perhaps it was easier to overlook than it should have been. There¡¯s a saying that if you want to hide a tree, you hide it in the forest. In any case, the conversation continued. "Choosing a 50,000-ton tanker as the operational zone seems quite deliberate." "There aren¡¯t many cases of executing VBSS operations on ships thatrge¡­ So, yes. It will be a tremendous experience for the UDT personnel as well." "Hmm." Then, suddenly, Logan asked, "I think this might be because of you." "Huh? What do you mean?" "That watch." Logan pointed to my left wrist. As I gasped in realization, she continued. "You¡¯ve passed on more than just a few things to the U.S., and considering the existence of a think tank¡­ Harper, the former Secretary of Defense, and that roon senator must have had their influence too. If we consider all the variables, it¡¯s pretty straightforward what this means." "So, the U.S. has elevated its view of South Korea¡¯s importance, huh?" "That might be true. Politicians are the type that choke when they owe a debt¡­ They might even think they still owe you quite a lot." "Geez." I wondered if that were really the case. Perhaps it could be. But if that were true, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to keep me tied to America, my second home, by showering me with benefits? But well, that was ultimately my choice. Meanwhile, Logan, seeming bored, turned off the TV and added, "That¡¯s enough. They¡¯ll manage. Lorentina wouldn¡¯t mess up the training¡­ I can just picture the chaos when DEVGRU gets wind that a shark mask has appeared in Korea." "That¡¯s the same in South Korea." "Ha, what¡¯s so great about that idiot¡­." She let out a half-heartedugh. "So, what¡¯s the n for today?" "Is there something going on?" "I¡¯m getting bored just studying Korean. I think I¡¯ll go out for a game of basketball and have dinner beforeing back." "Ugh¡­." "You can¡¯t argue with your senior." Just like that, I found myself in a headlock. It was inevitable. Logan was naturally an active person, and if he didn¡¯t have work, he would often grab anyone to y basketball with. He must have broken over twenty basketball hoops by now. I¡¯d probably broken about nine. Dunking was a bit difficult. In any case, there were plenty of ways to satisfy Logan, whose MBTI definitely started with an E. But since I hade all the way to Korea, I thought it would be better to explore Seoul a bit. Coincidentally, it was around 4 p.m., making it a suitable time to wander around and have dinner. Quickly, I drafted a rted notice and added, "Then let¡¯s go out for dinner tonight." "Nearby?" "Nope." With that, I summoned a hologram. The grand view of Namsan Tower greeted us. "How about a tour of Seoul?" There was no refusal. "270 meters? I was expecting something wilder, but this is just a warm-up level." "If you climb it like you¡¯re doing duck walks or carrying an injured person, it could turn into some hard training." "Are you suggesting I carry you up the mountain?" "Ugh¡­." We were at Namsan, about 6 km south of my house, where the famous Seoul Tower is located. Having set out around 4:10 p.m. with Logan, we stepped onto the starting trail of Namsan around 5:30 p.m. without any significant issues. The sun was gradually setting, and spring was bringing forth budding flowers, along with people out for a walk around us. After ncing around, Logan confirmed that there was no one nearby and spoke up. "You meant to make us walk here, didn¡¯t you?" "¡­Oh, that wasn¡¯t my intention. I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many people." "Are you saying you didn¡¯t think there would be a lot of people in the capital of a country?" That was true. Logan was staring at me with eyes that seemed ready to devour me¡­ and I had encountered quite a few difficulties on the way here. Specifically, things started to feel off when we reached the heart of Seoul, beginning with Independence Gate, and by the time we got to Seodaemun Station¡­ ugh. Plus, it wasn¡¯t like I was in the same situation as Logan, who could be recognized by fans just by wearing a mask and a hat. I was definitely noticeable due to my extraordinarily long tail, and Logan stood out with his white hair that seemed impossible to conceal with any dye, not to mention his bear ears. It was obviously absurd to wear a hat that could cover bear ears. As a result, here¡¯s what happened: "Wow, it¡¯s Yujin!" "Oh, hello! If you have time, could you take a picture with me?" This was pretty much the situation we found ourselves in. It happened quite a bit, actually. I hurried into a nearby stationery store and bought two pens, handing one to Logan. We then started taking signatures on memo pads or whatever every twenty seconds or so while making our way to Namsan, and by the time we finally arrived after 5 p.m., we might have taken even longer if we had posed for pictures too. Because of that, the climb was surprisinglyfortable. Theck of people around meant we could converse freely. The only downside was that the mountain wasn¡¯t very high, so we reached the top in no time. "By the way, there are buses running to make it easier to get up." "I guess we¡¯ll have to walk back down."@@novelbin@@ "Haha." With that, dinner would hopefully be rxing. So, as we kept climbing, we came across a paved path. After walking a bit more along the fortress wall, we arrived at the summit, bustling with people and what seemed like a balcony offering a view of Seoul. It was just about dinner time, and the scenery was nothing short of breathtaking. The dimming purple sky, the still-setting sun, and the twinkling lights of Seoulbined to create a refreshing and beautiful view, even in the bustling city. As Logan nced at the setting sun to the left, hemented, "Looks good." "That sounds like a typical Logan assessment." Only then did I notice the surroundings. People drawing caricatures, the octagonal pavilion shimmering with lights, people out walking their dogs, and just in tourists filled the area. As we lingered near the entrance of the observation deck, Logan frowned and asked, "Yujin, what¡¯s up with all these locks?" "Oh, that¡¯s the promise lock wire. They say couples mainly fill it up. I heard they collect them after a certain time." "That¡¯s interesting." It was quite an interpretive statement. Meanwhile, just as I was about to support myment, suddenly a voice came from behind us as a couple approached and greeted us, asking if we could sign their lock. I took out a pen and signed our names on the lock. "By the way, it¡¯s unusual for there to be two locks. Don¡¯t couples usually buy one each?" "Ah, I bought one to hang there, but as soon as I saw you two, I got another for signing." "Oh, I see." Then came another question. "I really enjoyed the physical ability test you did a while ago. So¡­ uh, this might be a bit rude, but can you unlock a lock with just your bare hands?" "It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult." "Wow." Of course, at the time, I had worn shoes reinforced with titanium tes, so I often kicked the locks off with my foot, but sometimes I had twisted openrger ones than U-locks for bicycles with my hands. Let alone a lock the size of my thumb or slightly bigger, well¡­ it was hard to say¡­ "While I might not be able to unlock the center, I could probably break the loop part with just a flick¡­." "Ugh¡­." "Are you confident, rookie?" "You won¡¯t know until you try." And thus began our sudden wager. A discussion ensued for several seconds about whether my finger could break the lock, and in the end, we amicably handed over the lock with our signatures to the couple. As Logan and I were recognized by people who had noticed us, before long, a crowd began to gather around us. Initially, they were unsure of what was happening, but they soon burst intoughter at the absurdity of our wager. To avoid any chance of injuring my finger, I discreetly activated my Icarus gear to apply a shield strong enough to counteract the recoil. I didn¡¯t want to risk breaking a nail. With the broadcast briefly activated, we decided to determine the order of who would go first with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Logan won. "I¡¯ll break it." "You won¡¯t get a chance to try, rookie."
  • What are they doing at Namsan, LOL!
  • Wait, isn¡¯t that lock meant to be filled, not broken?????
  • I can¡¯t handle this, LOL.
  • How does a person break a lock with just a finger? Huh¡­?
  • These idiots, please stop, LOL!
Logan seemed convinced he wouldpletely smash the lock, and he focused all his strength into his middle finger. I held the lock with one hand, gripping the loop and holding the bottom with the other to prevent it from moving too much. And after a few seconds, we heard¡ª CRACK! A shocking sound erupted that shouldn¡¯t havee from a flick. After an overwhelming force pushed my arm back, I carefully lifted the lock¡ª "¡­Huh?" "That was a bit weak; what a pity." The lock¡¯s body was slightly twisted, and the loop was just about to tear apart. Of course, it was my turn next, and the subsequent flick not only tore the loop but also sent shards flying into a backpack belonging to a person standing nearby who had been shielding themselves from the debris. "I should have been gentler about it." "I guess so. If it had been thinner, it might have shattered in one hit."
  • Fact: That¡¯s one of the thickest locks sold at Namsan.
  • How can a person break a lock with their finger? LOL!
  • I can¡¯t even handle this, LOL.
  • First, you can kill people with a flick in-game, and now you¡¯re breaking locks? LOL!
  • This is just madness, LOL!
Of course, I offered to cover the repair or recement costs for the damaged bag, but the person who had the lock in their bag was not only taking pictures but also asked if they could keep the pieces. "Isn¡¯t it better to keep good things good?" "I suppose so." It was a rather unusual method, but since everyone seemed satisfied, it was no big deal. And thus, the evening at Namsan began. Chapter 340 "Eat as much as you want. I''ll pay the bill." "It clearly says that this meat is about 122 dors for 110 grams. You really are ordering without a care." "...I suppose that¡¯s true." At 7 PM, the sizzling sound filled the air. It was truly a good time for dinner, and after our climbing adventure¡ªnot really climbing, but we had run about 9 kilometers from Gangbuk to Gangnam¡ªit was the peak of our appetite. Initially, we had considered taking a car, taxi, or bus, but the evening traffic in Seoul made that decision for us. And so, having warmed up our bodies slightly, we arrived without any issues at a high-end barbecue restaurant located in a shopping area attached to an apartment, set against the backdrop of a fully set sun over Seoul. This was a ce I had wanted to visit for a while, though I ended up bringing Logan instead of Harmony or Dice¡­ but really, the only issue would be if the restaurant¡¯s meat supply didn¡¯t fill us up. With the sound of ttering, the side dishes were ced one by one on the table. Having spent a few weeks in Korea, Logan naturally started using chopsticks to pick at the side dishes. As the meat wasid out on the table one after another, we ordered in kilograms, even though they sold meat by the 100-gram unit. That was justmon sense for a user of a "manifestation" skill. "The meat is so red... and a bit white too. I can¡¯t even tell if that¡¯s fat or meat." "It¡¯s a bit different from steak meat." "It''ll melt in my mouth before I can even chew it." Logan and I conversed in English to make things easier for him. As the charcoal glowed red, giving off considerable heat, a staff member approached with tongs to grill the meat, but I stopped him, saying it was fine¡ªsince we had chosen a private room to avoid broadcasting our conversations outside, we had to at least put in the effort to grill our own meat. After nodding, the staff member left, asking us to call for help if we needed anything, and I activated the Icarus gear''s scan function lightly to check the meat temperature. The meat began to cook quickly. So, what was I nning to talk about tonight? "I¡¯d like to discuss the Seattle situation, if that¡¯s alright." "Hmm." I nced at Logan. Our eyes met. His sky-blue eyes didn''t seem particrly concerned. It felt somewhat official, neither good nor bad. In fact, that was normal. After a brief moment of silence, Logan continued. "If there¡¯s a behind-the-scenes story, maybe share it?" "What kind of story?" "Over there. Since we''ve recaptured San Jose, San Francisco, and Sacramento, I figure there might be some detailed reconnaissance resultsing up." "You¡¯re quite insightful." Indeed. As I thought about where to begin, I added, "In Seattle and Vancouver, there¡¯s at least a field army¡¯s worth of troops establishing a defensive line." "...What?" "To be specific, it seems they have no choice but to do that." While flipping the meat, I projected a hologram into the air. It disyed ayered map of Seattle and Vancouver. The scale was roughly 1 cm to 20 km, showing the two cities stained red and Pornd gradually regaining its greenery. The defensive line was shrinking and consolidating. It didn¡¯t take long for Logan, who was staring intently at the map, to let out a bewilderedugh. "...So their purpose isn¡¯t to secure the city but because they can¡¯t retreat, they''re hiding out there?" "To put it bluntly, yes. There¡¯s no need to exin the state of the roads in Canada." As the perfectly cooked meat was ready, I divided it into halves and we began to eat. The taste was just as Logan had described. The juices burst in my mouth like fireworks and melted away instantly. The meat was impressively marbled with equal parts fat and lean, creating a violent vor. Logan was piling vegetables on his te as I had shown him earlier and making wraps with them. The sounds of satisfactioning from him confirmed that my effort in bringing him here was worth it. As I ced more meat on the grill, I added, "They¡¯re going to learn the hard way that they shouldn''t recklesslynd in a country thousands of kilometers away. Of course, the tuition will be their lives¡­." "That¡¯s right." As Confucius said, it was easy to enter but not so when leaving. They might not have realized it when they were joyfully stirring things up in America, but now there would be no escape route left. Furthermore, the locations of Seattle and Vancouver, along with the state of the roads in Canada, supported the likelihood that the Russian-Chinese coalition could not retreat. "The roads connecting the cities might be somewhat manageable, but to get to Wales, which is only 100 km away from the Russian maind, they would need to travel thousands of kilometers... and given the state of those roads, they have no answer." "All the national highways that areid out are just twones¡­ not to mention the distance from Fairbanks to Wales is about 950 km, all of which is unpaved." "You sure know your stuff." "Didn¡¯t I mention that my hometown is in ska?" "I think I¡¯ve heard the self-deprecatingedy about being cursed to turn into a bear for killing too many bears from your senior." We both burst intoughter. It wasn¡¯t an inurate statement at all. In any case, now the only problem remained. To use Seattle and Vancouver as forward bases, they had to clear out all the enemies, regardless of how it went down. If all 300,000 to 400,000 of them surrendered at once, it would be ideal, but that would be pure wishful thinking. Ultimately, they would have to push back an entire field army, and naturally, that would not be easy. For them, the best result would be to turn Seattle and Vancouver into their front yard and negotiate a strengthening alliance with the U.S. while using them as forward bases. Of course, that was entirely imusible. The U.S. was nning to use bulldozers to shove all the enemies into the waters off Seattle. In other words, it meant aplete frontal confrontation. Logan had long since reached a simr conclusion. "With theck of aircraft operation and maintenance personnel, SEAD will be difficult. But if we have enough drone maintenance and piloting personnel, it might work¡­." "What aboutunching Trident missiles over Seattle to perform an EMP attack?" "Considering it''s filled with buildings, that wouldn¡¯t have much effect, but it might be the best option." It was a rather tumultuous topic, but the reason for this sudden shift in conversation was simple. The enemy coalition likely knew that we had to ''gently'' push through Seattle, so rather than the indiscriminate missile attacks they experienced during the Los Angeles incident, they would anticipate precise guided bombings¡ªand to prevent this, an immense air defense capability would be necessary.@@novelbin@@ And indeed, the photos I showed Logan had an abundance of markings for surface-to-air missiles, with each building and park potentially housing at least a few of them. Moreover, as I had mentioned earlier, if an EMP were to be triggered, the enemy would likely still have ess to their remaining nuclear capabilities, heightening the chances of the situation getting out of hand. As a result, the conclusion was the same, as always. "We¡¯ll have to eliminate one by one, whether it¡¯s air defense or missiles, meaning the conclusion is the same." "Yeah. I can roughly understand what you¡¯re saying." In my personal estimation, the likelihood was high that our team was already moving. Knowing this, Logan smiled and added, "Let¡¯s hope the other-worldly us brings back good news." The night was long, and there was plenty of time. And I spent about 20 million won on dinner. "...that¡¯s what they probably think over there." "Clearing out the thorny bushes is our job. It¡¯s certainly better than back in the day when we would bulldoze everything while risking our lives." "Back then, everyone was out of their minds." "Enough chatter; let¡¯s carry out the withdrawal. We don¡¯t have the luxury of messing around down south." In Seattle, Lewis-McChord Joint Base. On top of the exploded and shattered radar sites and piles of corpses, nine people were bantering. "Open the door!" "Well, it¡¯s still going to take a bit longer, so what are you in a hurry for?" The Seattle battle was approaching. Just as the ads for Dark Zone began, immediately after the Sacramento campaign waspletely finished, the screens of buildings and the inte, as well as all ces people frequented, were covered in tactical advertisements and images of frozen Seattle. It was all about controlling expectations. In an effort to stoke the fires, the Dark Zone gamingpany had been releasing numerous operational data that could hint at the situation in Seattle¡ªessentially photographs and variousmunication recordings in reality¡ªand many people began analyzing them. As two weeks turned into one week, and then three days, the amount of information continued to grow exponentially, allowing yers to see aprehensive outline of the puzzle that was emerging. Thus, the following facts were revealed:
  • The operation is expected to focus on a power struggle simr to the Sacramento campaign, but the emphasis on fallen operators and PVP battles will decrease while the PVE and cooperative content will be greatly enhanced.
  • The U.S. military will make a formal appearance as NPCs, and yers will be able to receive support from armored vehicles, airstrikes, and artillery fire. However, they cannot fight alongside them. NPCs cannot shoot. A significant number of unmanned armored forces are expected to debut.
  • There will be an implementation of urban warfare, necessitating coordination of ytime.
"Why are they making such a fuss over this?" "I can sense something¡¯s off about the unmanned vehicles." "If this keeps up, all the newbies are gonna die!" "In this game, where are the newbies?" And so, as D-3 approached, a recording was unveiled. A voice that felt oddly familiar. It did not sound heavy or sharp; rather, it was a bright voice rising from the depths of the ocean, continuing the briefing in a mechanical tone.
  • This is Task Force Dagger. I will provide reconnaissance data... currently, there are field army-sized enemies waiting in Seattle.
Of course, as soon as thismunication data was released, the inte exploded. "A field army? Isn¡¯t that an organization that disappeared after World War II¡­?" "Wow, they¡¯re saying there are at least 200,000 troops. The metropolitan poption of Seattle is 4 million, so that''s almost 1/20th of it." "They''re making it obvious that this is going to be thest battle for America." 200,000. Of course, the massive amount of data that had been disseminated to the users over two weeks had described Seattle and Vancouver together, while the briefing solely discussed Seattle. This meant there were likely just as many immense numbers present elsewhere. But few were wondering where so many enemies had suddenly emerged from. The reason was simple: after all, the Dark Zone was a game, and PVE was one of the two pirs supporting the game. Thus, three days, two days, one day - and finally, on opening day. What greeted the first yers logging in was a map engulfed in mes and a rain of projectiles hotter than moltenva. "Wow, no way." "Weren''t there mountains there? It looks like a fortress has been built!" "Whoa, cruise missiles are iing!" To the south of the Lewis-McChord Joint Military Base, where only nds and low hills, along with a few shooting ranges and training facilities had existed, the first arrivals of countless users were met not by anything else but a torrent of conventional weaponry, including multiple rocketunchers and self-propelled guns. This enormous military base, carved from the mountain and excavated from the ground, was constructed so recklessly that the Task Force had even designated a massive radar destruction as a primary objective, and it was dishing out firepower that was impossible to counter with just bare hands. An enemy stronghold equipped with numerous air defense systems designed to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles. Within just five minutes, thousands of yers experienced a repeat of the Normandy invasion from World War II. However, "...Hey. There¡¯s nothing written here about engaging inbat, is there?" "What? No way?" "It says we just have to hold out until the designated time." "This is messed up; everyone here got tricked." While thousands of users were receiving their respawn tickets, someone suddenly remarked. As those who had charged bravely into battle melted away, they were learning the new lesson that they needed to read the main mission''s conditions. Fifteen minutes. And so, tens of thousands of users began to slowly retreat. They scattered throughout small towns that made up the suburbs of Seattle, such as Yelm, Lacey, and Olympia¡ªbut the enemy coalition had learned from the abundance of information that these yers would respawn after a certain amount of time. As a result, the decision was made to engage the yers and hold them back for as long as possible while using strategic assets to inflict as much damage as possible on what was presumed to be the U.S. One of the oues of this was the instation of booby traps throughout the city. KA-THUNK! "These crazies¡­." "How did they manage to put in IEDs that don¡¯t even get detected?" "This is unreal, seriously. It¡¯s too extreme from the get-go." The enormous stockpiles of explosives stored in the base became the raw materials for the traps, and many users either directly fell victim to explosions or got hit by debris that ricocheted and met their demise. Moreover, the coalition had begun to sweep the city and suburbs thoroughly, gathering massive amounts of ammonium nitrate from quarries and civilian construction sites far in advance, significantly contributing to the downfall of yers named after their user names. Of course, "As soon as the drones arrive, I¡¯ll activate the optical enhancement feature and let¡¯s check the insides of that massive fortress." "How about the engagement rules?" "Eliminate all enemies except those who surrender." The voice that was heard did not belong to Yujin, but from another direction. Logan, gripping a survival axe so tightly that its rubber padding almost crumpled under her grip, red with a piercing gaze. "Let¡¯s break through before the day ends." "Whoa¡­." Memo: The pr bear is more aggressive than the anaconda. At that moment, both Dice and Harmony realized this in their minds. The operation to reim Seattle had begun. Chapter 341 ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "Using all the energy we have, both left and right. There¡¯s no other disy quite like this." "The re looks amazing." The res, bright against the clear sky, illuminate the scene, with missiles falling around and five unmanned aerial vehicles descending from the air. A procession of five, resulting in a total of twenty-five unmanned tanks descending upon the city of Yelm. The sound of the gears turning is merely an added bonus. As the catapult equipped with a railgun that reaches speeds of Mach 8 rolls into action, several surface-to-air missiles soar through the sky from somewhere within the giant military base located south of the jointmand center. The reason our transport ne fired the res was precisely because of that. Amidst the scattering of aluminum fragments and bursts of me, a disy akin to a grand fireworks show begins. One transport ne catches fire in its engine, but it does not crash; after all, such aircraft can fly with just one engine. With over twenty SAMs flying in, if we''ve only lost one or two engines, that¡¯s a miraculous exchange. "¡­Ah, ah. We¡¯re breaking through the front line as of now. Please designate the target." "Confirmed." During this time, a sudden voicees from the tank, halting its movement. It seems the voice synthesizer inside the tank has activated. It was now time to utilize the infraredser designator attached to the Icarus gear. cing a hand on the side of the tank, I connect to the internal system, and various functions pop up. While it would be possible to replenish ammunition or tactical equipment that was running low, the most crucial aspect at this point was to enable the optical enhancement setting for the Icarus gear before we arrived at the battle zone. There¡¯s a high chance that the tank could get destroyed by sudden bombardments or artillery fire upon arrival, or we could face ess issues due to jamming signals... In fact, the likelihood of such urrences was nearly 100%. This realization came from years of battlefield experience. Meanwhile, separate from that:
  • "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a Guardian. I only saw prototypes when I was messing around in New York."
  • "Development progress sped up only afterpletely wrecking Artemis, so it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say it¡¯s finally being supplied now."
The M3 Guardian unmanned tank. I only recall seeing prototypes from DARPA rolling around, but seeing this on the battlefield now truly fills my heart with grandeur. Specifically, it had be so grand that I exchanged secret conversations with Logan, excluding Harmony and Dice. With a low, small engine sound opposite its size, the catapult began to roll. As Logan and I stepped onto the tank, Harmony and Dice timidly climbed on, and soon all the nearby users initiated a tank descent. Of course, at this point, it was crucial to borrow the tank''sputational power to slightly erge the optical enhancement to avoid any unfortunate demiseter on. Other users might not be aware of this, but I was. Approximately four minutester, while we were resupplying the anchorunchers from the tank, we finally arrived back at the melted in where thousands of users had fallen. The difference from earlier was that this time, we had brought some stronger friends along. ©¤©¤©¤Thump! A strange sound mixing railgun fire and main cannon noise, followed by simultaneous explosions. About a hundred unmanned turrets began falling silent one by one, while half of the tanks rotated their barrels skyward and opened fire. Boom. In that instant, something exploded in the sky. It was evident without even looking what it was. It was intercepting iing self-propelled artillery shells. Given the heavy fire support from the other side, we couldn¡¯t stop them all, but we could easily fend off the decisive bombardments aimed at our tanks. Amidst this, the tank we were riding in began amplifying the optical enhancement. "Good luck to us." The voice from the synthesizer rang out amidst the continuous firing of high-explosive shells. Only I, and Logan, knew that this was not just an in-game voice but a voice heard directly from reality. Simultaneously, the fifteen smoke grenades carried by the tank were uniformly deployed along the prearranged maneuvering route. A few other tanks also responded, deploying about four or five to ensure the smoke wouldn¡¯t dissipate easily, and soon arge cloud of smoke formed over the gaping in. We dashed through the gap. A massive base that looked ridiculouslyrge even at first nce. It must have mobilized hundreds of thousands of unthinking numbers to nearly level a mountain and build a base atop it. ©¤©¤©¤Kaang! The anchor that shot out from theuncher caught something above. Gunfire could still be heard from above, and bombs were dropping hundreds of meters behind us. It felt like something out of WW2, but originally, battlefields could indeed be such bizarre spaces. It was more important to achieve the given objective by any means possible, so there was no need to worry. Climbing the wall while plugged into the ascender. Basically, a blockhouse adjusts the firing angles based on crossfire, so if the optical enhancement were to be disabled, there was a high possibility of bullets hitting the softer sides or back. Thus, the speed was neither too slow nor too fast, but that exact point was nerve-wracking. After climbing about several dozen meters, results began to show. "¡­These guys really do seem to have minds simr to the French soldiers salvaged from WW2." "It''s a scaled-down version of the Maginot Line. Just how many soldiers do you think dug this out?" A densely connected line of defense, a colossal base constructed by cutting through mountains and digging into the earth. As Logan nced around, he opened a map to check the distance between this ce and the Lewis-McCode Joint Base, then added with a subtle expression. "Let¡¯s do what we can, and if it doesn''t work, let¡¯s bring in bunker busters orser hydrogen bombs." "In the end, that¡¯s the only answer; it seems the trip here was pointless." "There¡¯s a significant difference between conclusions drawn from rough estimates and those derived from measurements. Since we are quite far from the joint base, we canfortably unleash firepower."@@novelbin@@ nk. As Logan, Dice, and I prepared the steam napalm and incendiary grenades for immediate use as agreed, Harmony busily manipted the Icarus gear. A hacking pulse enveloped a radius of 300 meters. From now on, Harmony could partially utilize the facility¡¯s basic operation functions, and we nned to use them very effectively. "Everyone knows about the oxygen generation feature, right? It would be troublesome if you faint from hypoxia, so always keep an eye on the UI." "Yes." "Then we will now proceed." It was the moment when the four-member shock team set foot inside the facility. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "Ah, hot!" "Cough, cough¡­!" "Semyeon, damn it¡­!" The venttion system shut down, the gates closed, and mes erupted. Though it was a fortress built by squeezing out everyst bit of capacity to trap intruders during an emergency, if the function itself were seized, it would all be for nothing. It meant that reinforcements were blocked, and our troops were trapped. When the worst-case scenario that everyone had anticipated became a reality, the situation was nothing short of disastrous. "Enemy spotted in sector Gamma-3! Our exit is blocked! We can¡¯t get out!" "Engage, Vimpel Team. Closed circuit confirms four enemies." "Because of those four, everyone here is getting picked off one by one!" The engagement protocol was quite simple. First, close the gates to divide the enemies. Second, turn off all the lights on the ceiling to create darkness. Third, detonate the napalm. This simple yet effective priority of engagement made it impossible to identify the enemies using thermal imaging or night vision, and the enemies, unable to find an exit, were either killed by the two murderous tanks that approached through the darkness, had their heads severed from their bodies, or sumbed to hypoxia. The fire consumed oxygen, and with the venttion system inoperable, oxygen intake was zero. Only operators with spare oxygen masks in their multi-purpose pouches and the ability to generate oxygen through the Icarus gear could survive in hypoxic or anoxic environments. As personnel losses gradually increased, the allied forces had no choice but to take drastic measures. "Bring explosives, breach the partition, and rescue our troops! Seal off all other routes!" "You should have done this sooner, damn it¡­." Explosives piled up in front of the massive iron partition, which was ten centimeters thick. Due to theck of materials and avable time, it wasn¡¯t going to be like the gigantic bombproof doors typically seen inrge bunkers. Thus, the bombproof door was blown to smithereens. The explosion was so immense that even the self-propelled artillery units outside, busy reloading for follow-up fire, had to make emergency contact, thinking their ammunition depot had exploded. As the explosion subsided, allied troops began to hurriedly escape through the torn door, all with fear etched in their eyes. "I¡¯ll reorganize the troops, so retreat to the reserves!" "Ah! It¡¯sing! An immortal wrapped in mes! That partition, that partition!" "This is insane. What the hell is happening inside?" They aimed their guns, waiting for any potential enemies, but naturally, it was impossible for the enemies to crawl out unharmed from the gaping space. The basemander reported the number of lost allied troops and the istion zone to the higher-ups. However, some truly perplexing facts began to surface. "Are you telling me that only four enemies came in here? Are you asking me to believe that 320 lives were lost to just four people?" "¡­I have no furtherments." Even if the basemander was broad-minded enough to understand that fact, once he reported it to the uppermand, he would surely be bombarded with insults like stars in the night sky, enough to dry up and evaporate even the sea. Yet, despite everything, there was nothing they could do. It was literally true that only four had invaded, and the nightmare captured by the CCTV supported the fact that it was not a dream. Even at this moment, the CCTV in the gamma sector was breaking down one by one. Although they had closed off the bridges that blocked the sectors and sealed them with partitions¡­ what if the enemies were those ''shadows''? What if they were Icarus operators who wouldn¡¯t die even if killed? In the firmly sealed conference room, a plethora of debates ensued. "Where do you think they will go next?" "Realistically speaking, they would likely move around gathering information and head to themand center or server room, where the fortifications areid out." "Don¡¯t be foolish. We cannot overlook the fact that they are Icarus operators. A few pulses would give them a rough idea of the internal blueprints." "This is dizzying." There¡¯s no way a sharp answer would arise from this. Still, not knowing and getting hit ispletely different from knowing and getting hit. At the very least, thetter allowed them to train soldiers hastily for manual opening of the doors and urgently distribute oxygen masks and tanks to prepare for any potentialbat. All that remained was to respond. If they lost any more internal power, it would be difficult to maintain control of the base without the self-propelled artillery battalion in the rear and the guided missiles from the destroyers in the Seattle sea. The fact that the enemies were dismantling the turrets one by one with airborne tanks was also a significant threat. After a brief moment of contemtion, he added. "Are we able to get in touch with Brigadier Pushkin in the Gamma sector?" "¡­Contact was lost 13 minutes ago." "What about data purging?" "Resetpleted, andwork blockade was sessful." "I can only hope he revealed as little information as possible." In the heavy atmosphere, the meeting continued. After that, the staff keptpiling reports from the lower soldiers, and as time flowed on ¨C roughly 20 minutester, the top brass suddenly realized that the four-man infiltration team had not been sighted in either the Beta or Delta sectors¡­ or anywhere else. Of course, no one thought that they could breathe easy about the situation. If four people could wipe out an entire sector, it was far more likely that they were hiding somewhere, plotting an unimaginable scheme. And indeed, it was just as said. ©¤©¤©¤Crackle! "Is anyone nearby?" "Not that we know of yet." "Confirm. Just thirty more seconds¡­ Secure the exit first, and eliminate all enemies lingering at the exit point cleanly." "Of course." A sh erupts from inside the pitch-ck hangar. After slicing the exterior of the Iskander missile with a torch, we pry open the casing and extract a 300kg sphere - a n proposed by Eugene in San Jose. While the parallel world¡¯s Logan knew about it, the Logan from this world waspletely unaware of this insane operation. It was such a bold n that even Logan momentarily shut his mouth. However, the undeniable fact was that if everything went smoothly, we could turn this massive fortress to ashes by the end of today. "¡­Alright. Let¡¯s give it a shot. We¡¯ll each carry a nuclear warhead. Take Dice with you. The little one can go with Lorentina¡¯s cherished green cat." "Confirmed. Where should we set the exit point?" "If respawning is possible, then we can simply burn together without worrying, but that¡¯s a bit unsettling¡­ I see there¡¯s a highway number 5 to the north; we¡¯ll head west along that route. Is there any objection?" "No objections." "Ugh¡­!" The enormous, seemingly heavy round metal piece barely squeezes into the bag. Eugene and Logan, moving much faster than regr folks, finally catch up to Harmony and Dice. The four of them sequentially ce their feet on thedder. Two carry the 300kg load up thedder, then almost leaving behind the ascender that nearly got damaged, they exit through the pre-cut rooftop and scatter as agreed. "I¡¯m d we didn¡¯t turn on the stream." That thought crossed Eugene''s mind. While he informed Logan how to trigger the gyro sensor connected to the nuclear warhead, he felt it wouldn¡¯t be good to share such information with Dice and Harmony, so he nned to have them close their eyes or look elsewhere when installing the bomb. She thought about that while heading towards Delta Sector with Harmony, while Logan and Dice moved towards Beta Sector. Meanwhile, Harmony continued speaking. "I once identally saw a defense TV program when I was young, and it was the first time I saw what a nuclear briefcase looked like. I never knew what it really meant until now¡­ thanks to you, Eugene." "Even knowing about this won¡¯t make it flesh and blood, so we should keep it hush-hush." "Seriously, this is maddening." Harmony, and likely Dice as well. They were inching one step closer to the darkness of the world today. It was spring. Chapter 342 ©¤©¤©¤Crack! "Enemy infiltration in the Delta sector! Confirmed enemy numbers: 2!" "Engaging 2 enemies in the Beta sector. I''ll manually operate the gate and enter." Light beams shoot through the darkness toward each other, illuminated by the mes of napalm. Tossing grenades andying down sticky mines, I fire steam-type napalm rounds at the temporary blockhouse. Each moment feels like it¡¯s been split into microseconds, and I can feel the passage of time in every pore of my skin. As a result, time fluctuates between feeling unbearably slow and terrifyingly fast. The recoil felt from my position. Each time I pull the trigger, enemies slump to the ground as if their strings have been cut... However, what¡¯s even more frightening is the enormous metal mass in Eugene¡¯s bag. Given its weight, he throws the bag off duringbat immediately. As a grenade flies in and mes erupt right before my eyes, I hide behind cover and turn my head to the right, only to meet a pair of piercing blue eyes. "¡­That won¡¯t explode if shot, right?" "It¡¯ll explode in an hour even if it¡¯s not shot." "Yikes."@@novelbin@@ On therge metal sphere are mechanical devices connected by wires. Just as Eugene said, in one hour, the sensors connected to the mechanism through those wires would continuously transmit incorrect speed and G-values to that warhead, turning the massive metal chunk into a colossal fireball that would vaporize any caught enemies at the atomic level. That¡¯s why Eugene, I, and Logan and Dice, who went to the other side, nned to hide this bomb deep within the base and escape to the designated withdrawal point. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Eugene and Logan, who seemed to have worked together in the past, always presented a clear operational n¡ªactivate the bomb, drop it into enemy territory, and run. The rest would be solved by personal physicality. It was truly simple. I wished those who see operations as intricate puzzles or gears could learn from this. "How much further to the target point?" "Just about 50 meters more." "Okay. Oxygen is running low, so wear your masks and let¡¯s wrap this up." Fwoosh! I put on the oxygen mask. A cool, refreshing air rushes in as Eugene and I both disperse the napalm vapor into the air. Then, the igniting powder behind the canister detonates, producing another burst of me in the air, and the oxygen concentration drops below 10% in an instant. What happens next is obvious. As we quietly hide behind cover, the sounds of gunfire and voices gradually begin to diminish. About two minutester, I see friends who are heading towards eternal rest, as if they are sleeping. They will wake up again, of course. But where they wake up¡ªon a boat in the River Styx or here¡ªis something nobody knows. "I¡¯ll open the door." Screech! There was no answer, but the sound of a gunshot confirming a kill served as a response. The thick gate opens, allowing air to flow in. After that, it¡¯s simple. Shoot at all visible lights, activate night vision, move through the room, and close all gates to prevent anyone from leaving. Slowly, it seems the other side has established a certain level of engagement tactics; they¡¯ve started bringing in new lighting and activating manual opening functions, or outright destroying the gate control systems to keep the doors from closing. The intensity of the skirmish is increasing. But ultimately, it doesn¡¯t matter much; even without cing the warhead in a specific location, the explosive power of the nuke would at least guarantee some level of results. In other words, if the maximum possible result is 100, at least 70% of the result could be assured. And frankly speaking, the odds of any enemy defeating Icarus operators inbat were not very high. "Tracking mine! Take cover!" "Ah, ahhh! Aaaaah¡ª!" Boom! A loud explosion erupts as a grenade detonates. Following that, a pulse sweeps across the map. The positions of twenty-five enemies are instantly marked, along with any prable walls. Thus, enemies hiding behind thin steel tes copse within seconds. The only downside is that the ammunition consumption is a bit high. But for today, Eugene and I have unified our weapons to MK47 Mutants, meaning the 7.62x39mm of the Russian military¡¯s AK-type rifles arepatible with our guns. There aren¡¯t many friends carrying green tips¡ªhere they¡¯re ck tips¡ªso that¡¯s a pity, but at least it¡¯spatible. Just pulling out an AK magazine lying around allows us to fire bullets as if they were ours. "50 minutes left. We need to solve this in 15 minutes to avoid the explosion." "Ugh, no matter how much you whip me, it won¡¯t work. There are too many enemies!" Regardless, if you endure patiently, you will prevail¡ªthough, in reality, we hadn¡¯t advanced; the enemies were retreating. Specifically, they had fixed the doors to an open state using manual operation and were retreating to form a defensive line in the back. We didn¡¯t bulldoze through the enemies, but as long as we reach the lower levels, we¡¯d be fine. Once the enemies had all exited the room, I released the manual control on the door,pletely shut it, and fired bullets into the controls for the reinforced door. At that moment, the enemies who had formed a defensive line beyond the room sensed something was wrong and started shooting, but it was already toote. We quickly descended the stairs and shot up all the lights and CCTV we could see, then entered inside. The area revealed itself, set up with shabby beds and recreational facilities. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "Phew, finally I can put this damn heavy metal down." "You¡¯ve worked hard." While I made time-dy traps with grenades and fishing lines collected from fallen allied troops, Eugene carefully loosened the screws on the locked storeroom door and slowly opened it. A pile of coverings showed the musty smell of mold, dirt, and concrete wafting from around the storeroom. Lifting the 300kg metal mass with a grunt, Eugene ced the warhead down beside the pile of coverings and then neatly stacked some military uniforms atop it. Coming outside and re-tightening the screws connecting the storeroom door, Eugene added: "Do you think the enemies will notice that within 30 minutes?" "I don¡¯t think they¡¯d find it even in three years." "Then it¡¯s done." Then, checking the text messages, I saw a notification that Logan and Dice had finished the instation about three minutes ago. Since there had been a wireless silence, I couldn¡¯t reply, but they had evidently wrapped things up more quickly. Quickly responding, Eugene patted my shoulder and spoke. "Let¡¯s head out now." "Good." After that, it was simple. All the paths we came through were smashed with CCTV and lights, so the enemies had no idea where we had gone. As the enemies were busy breaking down the iron doors they had locked themselves into, we had already reached the entrance to the Delta sector, and now we leisurely watched the enemies, who were using armored vehicles and sirens to search for intruders. When we reached the rendezvous point, the space shimmered, and two familiar figures appeared. "So, what should we ride out on?" "We need to move at least 10km within 30 minutes for safety, so we should take a vehicle if possible." "Unfortunately, we only have an ATV." Somehow, I had a bad feeling about that. And there was no reason for that feeling to be wrong. The two who brought out the ATV hidden in the hangar, as if carrying a sack of rice, tantly started it up, and Dice had a half-dazed expression. I was simr. But we had to get the job done, so I projected a hologram of the way outside. Taking the back seat behind Eugene amidst the noise of the sirens, I had a minormotion as I identally sat with my snake tail draped down, but I quickly adjusted my position and strapped myself in to prevent being thrown off. The moment our backs pressed together, the roar of the engine echoed. "What¡¯s that sound?" "Who¡¯s there¡­? It¡¯s the enemy! The infiltration team is over there!" "We¡¯re on the ATV! Open fire!" Of course, there were only four or five who were alert, and bullets pierced the brows of friends who tried to shout that they found the infiltration team. Leaving behind the allied troops sprawled out on the floor like discarded puppets, we raced up a slight hill that seemed to have been perfectly carved. At the same time, there was a swoosh. As the remote hacking round struck the northern gate, the barrier that was about to rise was brought down. Naturally, the barrier went back up to prevent any follow-up pursuit. "Ugh, this speed is insane!?" "Hold on tight, I¡¯m going to drift." "Whoa, we¡¯re going over 90km/h, if we turn we¡¯ll flip¡ªugh!" Of course, we wouldn¡¯t flip. The weight of the user was half that of the ATV. I never imagined I would feel the term "oveing inertia with body weight" here. Regardless, amidst such shenanigans, we entered the 5th Highway through the northern gate. The unnecessarily blue sky and the self-propelled artillery units visible several kilometers away, and the roadblock personnel diligently firing their guns nearby as if they had received the news of the situation. However, as Eugene passed by and I followed up with a steam napalm hit, they really enjoyed it. The mes caught onto the checkpoint facility, and fortunately, the enemies were only knocked down by the explosion¡¯s aftermath, so in a way, it might not be lethal. However, in stark contrast to my thoughts, vehicles began to follow us. "Please take care of this." "As long as you don¡¯t zigzag in the middle¡­Whoa! Don¡¯t turn!" "I won¡¯t stop you if you want to drive instead." Of course, I readily took up my weapon. If I took the wheel, I would probably ruin the ATV. I adjusted the concentration of the napalm. From vapor to liquid. The liquefied napalm, thickened with various mixed agents, shattered against the front windshield of the enemy vehicle, obscuring their vision with a purple liquid, while the powdered explosives mixed in ignited all at once, causing mes to begin scorching the windshield mercilessly. Thus, the moment the bulletproof ss shattered, it was only natural that ming shards of ss poured into the driver¡¯s seat. ©¤©¤©¤Screech! Bang! "Oh dear, I hope they meet a peaceful end." Meanwhile, medium machine guns mounted on GAZ Tigers began joining in one by one. Rushing with polyurethane foam, I aimed precisely at the rotation mechanism part and detonated it, literally causing it to solidify. Furthermore, since it blocked the external camera, the machine gun became just a decoration. At that moment, while I couldn¡¯t prate the ss, I could certainly shatter their line of sight. One of the vehicles collided head-on with another parked vehicle, retiring it on the spot. While it might still function, the driver likely received quite a shock. As I gradually erased the enemies one by one behind the shield, we soon found ourselves about 15km away from the explosion site. Fortunately, the nearby area was already reimed by our forces. Thus, the enemies pursuing us were all obliterated by our firepower, and we parked the rather battered ATV. Following that, a casual fan meeting ensued. "No, Eugene! What kind of trouble did you cause this time to suddenly appear here?" "Sign this, please! Sign!" "Wrap your tail around me, ah! My shins¡­!" "Wow, the anti-meme army boot performance is insane." Of course, naturally, a few of my fans were among them, so an unexpectedly warm atmosphere unfolded¡­ but today was not yet over. Turning off the ignitionpletely, Eugene fiddled with his watch, and soon began gathering users one by one, eventually collecting more than 40 of them. "Alright, everyone, take out your popcorn and 3D sses¡­ please look in the direction I point." "Oh, what¡¯s this? Is there something happening again?" "You¡¯ll know when you see it." At that moment, a whiff of caramel popcorn wafted through the air. Naturally, even in this dark world, humor and fun were not lost, and within seconds, various female avatars donned 3D sses with star shapes, square shapes, and even candles on their heads, sitting on the ground and munching popcorn. Meanwhile, a countdown suddenly appeared before my eyes. Everyone except the four of us turned their expectant faces toward the direction Eugene had indicated. Five seconds passed¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Kuuuuuu¡­! "¡­Huh?" "What? No way?" "¡­Teacher, that¡¯s a mushroom cloud, isn¡¯t it?" "That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?" A sight that surpassed imagination unfolded. In that moment, Dice stifled a giggle and formed a camera, capturing the scene, and after a few shes, the nuclear explosion viewing event concluded. "Really¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to express this, but you¡¯re the best, Teacher. You deserve first ce." "Haha, thank you." That¡¯s definitely not apliment. Of course, I couldn¡¯t voice that thought. With the wrath of the atom, the path to the Lewis-McCode Joint Base was opened. "An emergency call? What¡¯s going on?" "At the Maginot Line¡­ an explosion presumed to be a nuclear explosion has urred. Considering the estimated radius and the radiation leakage, it¡¯s presumed to be roughly two 1kt explosions." "The enemy stronghold has beenpletely obliterated." "Huh." With a dazed expression, Captain Powell opened his mouth, stammering as he looked at the screen. "What does the Dagger Team have to say?" "They added that it¡¯s not their doing." "That makes sense." For some reason, the word "for now" stuck in my throat. It felt scratchy. But that fact would be rifiedter when we checked the operation logs, so the truth didn¡¯t matter for the moment. Even as that happened, holographic maps disyed the size of the epicenter and the estimated extent of damage to the enemy fortress¡¯s structures. It was only an estimate because the existence of enemy air defense systems made it difficult to obtain a reliable result through UAV reconnaissance. Of course, things would change going forward. "Prepare for SEAD and cruise missile bombardment. Order the Dagger Team to position themselves at the highest altitude forser guidance as soon as possible. Now that the enemy territory is in disarray, this is the perfect opportunity." "Understood. I¡¯ll issue the orders immediately." "Commence the final glory operation as of now. Assemble all staff!" With just one step. The cornerstone adorned with nuclear power wasid down, opening the path to Seattle. ''Finally¡­!'' The operation advisor, Captain Powell, and everyone working in the operation control room tightened their grips. The operation to reim America had begun. Chapter 343 ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Two 1kt explosions urred about 1.5 km southwest of the Lewis-McCode Joint Base three minutes ago. The explosions originated underground, so the aftershock isn¡¯t severe, but we¡¯ll need to monitor the situation closely.¡± ¡°Looks like the western US is bing aplete mess. I wonder if we¡¯ll be able to recover during the remainder of my term.¡± In the highest-ranking conference room at Central Park HQ, the hand of the chief of staff trembled slightly. Of course, others were no different. The President of the United States was sitting in the meeting room¡ªthough that doesn¡¯t mean Henry wasn¡¯t trembling¡ªself-deprecating jokes dissipated into the air, but no one couldugh. This was reality. Unlike the rtively ¡®moderate¡¯ recovery in the eastern US, this was a genuine all-out war. Although troops hadn¡¯t been deployed yet, a full-scale nuclear war had long since begun. The ballistic missiles, which had been kept dormant in their silos, were now being unleashed in the western US. If the world eventually regains stability, history books would refer to this period as the era of the Third World War. ¡°Given that there was no prior report, it doesn¡¯t seem like it was nned. Did those troublemakers cause an incident again?¡± ¡°No, the Dagger Team has sentmunications stating they are not involved at all.¡± ¡°Once again, efforts to prevent a stone-and-stick fight in WW4 are going to waste. Nowadays, I even dream of mushroom clouds.¡± The lips of the generals nearby quivered. The President¡¯s grim joke made it hard to maintain their expressions. ¡®Troublemakers¡¯ was indeed an apt nickname for the Dagger Team¡ªthough in reality, they were closer to an uncontroble meteor. When they fell on the enemy, they didn¡¯t just decimate allied forces; theypletely altered the course of the battlefield. Amidst this, the chief of staff continued, ¡°However, from a strategic standpoint, this explosion can be said to have opened a path to the Lewis-McCode Joint Base and Seattle. Could you please take a look at the map?¡±@@novelbin@@ Images floated up into the air. A massive fortress with a diameter of over 2 km. The result of years of neglect in the western US had resulted in theplete fortification of Seattle¡ªcut off from the south, east, and northeast. Nearly all routes leading to Seattle were firmly blocked. The red barrier surrounding the city evoked memories of the Maginot Line. Yet just moments ago, the fortress controlling the south had been entirely dismantled by atomic power. Although the epicenter was too contaminated with radiation to maneuver through, this was a rtively minor drawback. Over 10% of enemy forces had vanished in an instant. ¡°Is this also the work of that ¡®shadow¡¯?¡± ¡°It seems so¡­¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re a friendly force, but it¡¯s quite troublesome since they¡¯re uncontroble.¡± What could be said? It seemed quite simr to the operational style of the Dagger Team. However, if this had urred not in a controble area but through the methods used by the shadow, the story would change. This time, they had only targeted the enemy fortress through sophisticated firepower and explosion control, but next time¡ªassuming there is a next time¡ªthere was no telling what kind of difficult situation might arise. A brief silence ensued. ¡°Let¡¯s hear from the experts now. What¡¯s the current situation? And what should we do moving forward?¡± ¡°Major Powell, themander of the Western Joint Command¡­ he¡¯s been promoted to general. General Powell is dismantling air defenses one by one with the help of the Dagger Team. For now, we believe there¡¯s nothing else that needs to be pursued apart from strengthening the west.¡± A headache throbbed. They knew they had to act, but even so, it was already apparent how much resource consumption would riseter on. The amount of ballistic missiles had already fallen to about half of what it once was, and due to insufficient infrastructure recovery, production couldn¡¯t keep pace with consumption. Thankfully, Icarus had shattered Artemis Technology, allowing for a somewhat smooth UAV production process, which was indeed a blessing. Thoughts whirled in their heads. ¡°First of all, from now on, you all need to ponder a few things.¡± ¡°We are listening.¡± ¡°Your military insights and knowledge are always a great help, but¡­ as we face America¡¯s recovery now, we need to think about how to defeat the enemy as economically as possible.¡± Puzzle pieces clicked into ce. They had to gain a detailed understanding of the ¡®eptable range of destruction in the western US¡¯ through meetings with numerous federal agency heads. They needed to know how cheaply they could bury enemy coalition forces off the western coast in order to more urately estimate post-war recovery costs. Even if they managed to wipe out the Russian-Chinese coalition, if that process ttened cities, estimating the reconstruction costs would be impossible. There was also the possibility that the carefully held-together America could shatter into pieces. They would need to evaluate the value of Seattle¡¯s infrastructure and calcte the recovery costs if it were destroyed. Though it would take a toll, there was no helping it. ¡®If the shadow hadn¡¯t existed, perhaps America would have already been broken.¡¯ Having thought roughly that, Henry opened his mouth again. ¡°Send only the supplies that have already departed and monitor the situation in Seattle to decide on any additional support.¡± ¡°I will convey that to General Powell.¡± Henry nodded in response instead of answering and moved on to the next agenda item¡ªthis one also as crucial as the situation in Seattle. Communication with the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, along with the First and Third Fleets stationed there, had been reestablished. Following the sessful copse of therge jamming base of allied forces in Hawaii by the mobile strike force, the enormous radio barrier covering the Pacific had been neutralized, allowing for mutualmunication once again. Information sharing that had been impossible for quite some time began, and the situation across the Pacific, which had been a mere question mark, began to emerge little by little. ¡°North Korea has beenpletely ttened, and the entirety of East Asia is ame¡­ thanks to the destruction of the Xingsha Dam, China has suffered a fatal blow.¡± ¡°The situation suggests that China has almost no chance of recovery.¡± Only then did the generals in the conference room begin to grasp to some extent why Henry had emphasized that they needed to defeat the enemy as ¡®economically¡¯ as possible. With both Asian nations¡¯ spinespletely broken, they had to use that gap to normalize America¡¯s internal situation as much as possible to avoid significant issuester on when it came time to collect tributes from the invading forces. Even if they sank their ships, they could directly invade and affix confiscation notices everywhere. In the midst of this, a not-so-funny joke followed. ¡°Should we double the size of the engineering corps going forward?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a painful joke.¡± It was truly as he said. The engineering corps would be more powerful than anything during post-war recovery. Meanwhile, there was discussion about whether to bring back some of the fleet¡¯s power to America, but it was dropped due to the immense responsibilities each had. This was the moment that would determine America¡¯s stance after the war. ¡°No, are there enemies in every building here!?¡± ¡°Did you think recovering America would be that easy?¡± Meanwhile, in Seattle, at the Lewis-McCode Joint Base, all-out war had begun. Warehouses, health facilities, government offices, gyms, military facilities, and airports. The headquarters of the 20th Infantry Regiment¡¯s 5th Battalion, the 1-14 Recon Battalion, and the 23rd Brigade Engineer Battalion¡­ thousands of shadows advanced with unmanned tanks at the southern edge of the Gray Military Airport, which ounted for a significant portion of American military power in Seattle. Each squad¡¯s targets popped up sequentially through the UI, along with the tanks providing support. In the meantime, enemy shelling and bombings rained down from the sky without end. Although they had only just stepped into the vast battlefield spanning 65 square kilometers, thebat in Seattle was already spiraling into chaos. ¡°Stop! The moment this ce is breached, the path to the city will be wide open!¡± ¡°Request additional shelling for the Ulyana-3 area! We¡¯re outgunned! The fortifications are being destroyed one by one!¡± Even though they knew invincibles had been deployed, the defensive lines the allied forces had set up in Seattle were still far too solid, and the upper echelons continued to operate on the happy thought that ¡®if we just maintain a defensive posture while dealing significant blows to the US military, perhaps they will settle for peace?¡¯ As a result, the fierce battles on the ground were depleting the soldiers and their own artillery reserves¡ªbut unfortunately, the nearby military bases, including the Lewis-McCode Joint Base, were literally a paradise of resources, reminiscent of the might of the United States. Thus, thest stand of the souls who could not retreat began. ¡°The south is an absolute mess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to carry out a nking maneuver.¡± It¡¯s always more painful and lethal to hit an opponent in the back while they¡¯re focused elsewhere than to simply hit them head-on. Compared to the all-out war orrge-scale engagements urring in the south, the four-member Task Force Eugene team was like a mere ant, but considering that all the members were extremely skilled in sabotage and explosions, the enemy was about to have a monumental headache. The first ce the four members encountered, moving east on the less-traveled Highway 5, was the Northwest Joint Correctional Facility at Fort Lewis, a military prison¡ªand from that moment, they began to execute a rtively cute ¡®prank¡¯pared to what was happening in the south. Of course, this time included live streaming. ¡°It looks a lot easier here, probably because it resembles the prison we used as a base in Sacramento¡­ Ah, this time, I really won¡¯t be naming it after a resting ce.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s believe that.¡±
  • There¡¯s a history, so haha!
  • If the ¡®Tuntunconda¡¯ storyes up again, I¡¯ll rain down fire on your behind!
  • Logan looks confused, haha!
  • But how do we ignore the fur-covered conda???? Shouldn¡¯t this be something Yu-Jin should give way on at least once???????????
  • Return the Padding Conda, Silly!
But as always, there¡¯s nothing easier than using force to suppress nonsense or prevent careless thoughts¡ªwhen Eugene started firing the MK47, everyone except Logan turned into a straw doll. They cut through the defenses with movements as sharp as a scalpel, gradually tightening their grip like a vice. Normally, swift movements and prayers were prerequisites, but today, with the enemy coalition fully engaged inbat, attention was focused on the urgent situation in the south. In other words, the rtively minormotion in the west could be ignored as a ¡®request omission¡¯ amid the urgent circumstances, or even if they were considered, the likelihood of the allied forces responsible for that area providing sufficient support had decreased. The result was catastrophic. ¡°Why can¡¯t we get any support when the base was breached in less than ten minutes, you ipetent idiots!¡± ¡°Oh dear. That¡¯s unfortunate. Now you may lower your weapon and raise your hands above your head. I will allow the removal of optical equipment.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it, so many have surrendered. Got it.¡± The enemy forces trailing behind Task Force Eugene had long since discarded their bulletproof vests and were staring glumly at each other while holding onto various valuable equipment like EOTech or ACOG that they had scavenged from US facilities. A drone floating behind scanned the faces of the surrendered enemy, and a UGV that followed with a mechanical whir took over the handover. In less than a few hours, a unmanned truck would arrive to transport them to the Pornd forward base of the US military outside thebat zone. However, this was just the beginning. ¡°We have reports of continuous engagements and support requestsing in from the western front! A four-member strike team!¡± ¡°Four? Our allies in the south are fighting against thousands of those damned invincibles, and you can¡¯t even handle four? This is maddening, just let them deal with it!¡± A misunderstanding from above,bat power that did not corrte 1:1 with numbers, and the UAV reconnaissance thatmenced as the southern air defense was lost beneath the mes of nuclear explosions. The situation in the west, forgotten as tens of thousands of gears shed and ground each other down, would be different if an immense fireball were to approach in the 30 minutes no one paid attention to. ¡°Seventh Infantry Division HQ building breached, engagement urring at the Pendleton Avenue intersection! They are approaching the HQ!¡± ¡°What the hell are those fools in the west doing! This is a damned mess!¡± ¡°There may not actually be four of them! If we don¡¯t retreat, themand post is likely to be surrounded!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± The disaster caused by repeated disregard. No one there wanted to ept the fact, but with the enemy now digging in beneath their chins, they had to make a decision. ¡°...Contact the Lider-ss. Inform them that we need cruise missile bombardment support. Also, mention the need for potential nuclear warhead usage.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t break the front line right here, we may have to give up the whole path to Seattleter on! We must extinguish this before it turns into a bigger fire! Prepare to withdraw themand post and calcte the expected aftershocks to prepare target coordinates!¡± nk! As they inserted the key card hanging around their neck into the panel, a red warning filled the screen. Under themand of the fieldmander, they were requesting the use of nuclear weapons from above. In an instant, they moved in an orderly fashion to shred documents, and while their allies were pulling hard drives and data storage out, calctions continued. Based on the holographic map spread out in the air, theputer began calcting rapidly, deriving suitable bombing points based on collected data. Contact with the Lider-ss also ended simultaneously, and a voice synthesizer stated in a mechanical tone that the bombardment wouldmence in 30 seconds.
  • [Alert: Missilesunched.] Although invisible, a Lider-ss destroyer stationed off the coast of Seattleunched Zircon cruise missiles, which elerated to Mach 8, targeting the designated location.
Simultaneously, missiles appeared above the map. Approaching Seattle at nearly 3 km per second, they were about 90 km away and would impact within 30 seconds. Asking whether this would be okay was already toote; the war had advanced far beyond that. Sirens wailed, and everyone in the underground ttened themselves against the floor. However¡ª ©¤©¤©¤! Crack. With a strange sound, the two missiles that had only five seconds until impact literally vanished into thin air with an X mark. Five seconds passed, then ten seconds, and still no sound of the impact. This indicated not a map error, but rather that the missiles had self-destructed in mid-air. Themander, bbergasted, hurriedly attempted to re-establish contact with the Lider-ss, but the voice that came next was not the mechanical tone but a chillingly smooth and soft voice that seemed to pierce the heart. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. From now on, this ship will fall under US military control.¡± Task Force Dagger. This was the moment when the destroyer fell into the clutches of the infamous monstrosity that had smashed the massive radar at the Lewis-McCode Joint Base. Chapter 344 ¡°...That was close. Missile self-destructionplete.¡± ¡°Phew, I really feel my stamina is running low.¡± Let¡¯s rewind a few minutes to the Seattle waters, about 90 km north of the Lewis-McCode Joint Base, which was almost the epicenter. The Dagger Team was there. After UAVs began to hover over Seattle, capturing the shadow generated to the south, discussions on the Dagger Team¡¯s subsequent action ns ensued. One conclusion drawn was that the news about the invincible legion would likely spread soon, increasing the chances of the allied forces employing extreme measures. Thus, the nine members split into two groups of four and five, one heading towards the missile base in Seattle and the other toward one of the five Lider-ss destroyers waiting offshore. Unsurprisingly, several ballistic missiles were in standby mode. The first to board, Laurentina, made quick work of all visible enemies, reached the bridge in mere minutes, pressed the self-destruct button, and turned the inside into a bloodbath. A few minutester, Morgan, who followed, clicked his tongue at the scene. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen fist marks on the control panel this clearly before.¡± ¡°It was pretty urgent. By the time I entered the bridge, there were only six seconds left until impact.¡± Perhaps because of that, the corpses of the enemies scattered around the path leading to the control panel were beyond salvaging. Some had their heads smashed from the running speed, their heads rolling separately from their bodies, while others were crumpled and strewn about like garbage on the dashboard. It was easy to understand what had happened. In her haste, Laurentina had bulldozed through those blocking her way, activated the missile self-destruction sequence on the control panel, and then proceeded to blend all her friends still remaining on the bridge like a blender. As Laurentina, drenched in blood, exhaled deeply, her sinister red eyes gleamed brightly. ¡°I want to wash up.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just going to get on the SDV without your diving suit when you return to the surface?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In other words, until then, she intended to maintain a condition that could only be described as having just emerged from hell after beating a great demon. Time was tight, so one of the Dagger Team members, Morgan A. Gilliam, quickly reviewed themunication logs. ¡°There¡¯s no record of SOS signals sent. Did they all get wiped out before requesting support¡­?¡± ¡°Probably. But the other areas of the ship that can¡¯t check the bridge might still be unaware of what¡¯s happening.¡±@@novelbin@@ Of course, aside from that, their movements were incredibly busy. They hurriedly manipted the dashboard as if they had rehearsed beforehand, automatically inserting all remaining missiles into the silos for rapid firing. After turning off all rms that could sound on the ship, they input the coordinates they had meticulously gathered while roaming Seattle for weeks. As more than 32 coordinates filled the blood-soaked map panel, Laurentina grinned slyly and added, ¡°Do you think the crew here ever thought someone would cross 5 km of sea on an SDV and board their ship?¡± ¡°They probably didn¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying that ignorance is a sin. If so, we could view the price of that sin as the transfer of missile ownership to the Dagger Team.¡± ¡°That would be a discount.¡± The panel on the bridge linked to Icarus gear. Moreover, the already deceased crew members had unfortunately received full authority from headquarters for theunch of nuclear missiles, and the captain¡¯s keycard needed for firing was already inserted into the panel, with the key for theunch process long since turned. Thus, only theunch remained, and the process progressed rapidly. The silos on the deck opened, and dozens of missiles began to beunched in sequence. ¡°Jump!¡± Ssh! Simultaneously, two people leaped off the bridge tform, and the other two, waiting near the stern for the infiltration point, also dove into the sea. As they put a few hundred meters of distance between themselves and the destroyer in their mini-submersible, ©¤©¤©¤Kuuuuung! The other four destroyers began firing upon the ship where the Dagger Team had just been. This was somewhat expected. The sudden loss ofmunication and missileunches toward allies were actions that could easily bebeled as severe rebellion or treachery. In other words, there was now a legitimate reason to sink their own ship. Of course, the crew who had heard nothing and were suddenly targeted by friendly fire met their end in the Seattle waters without understanding what had happened. ¡°The alliedmunicationwork is getting quite noisy. It makes sense since bombardments just started¡­ Anyway, we¡¯ve already dismantled quite a few of the air defense zones andmunication bases we marked beforehand, so we can leave the rest to our invincible friends.¡± ¡°The pr bears should do something as well. It¡¯s about time we got out of this cold ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Let¡¯s head back.¡± And with that, they submerged. Turning sharply away from the sinking ship in Seattle¡¯s waters, they moved along the west coast toward a shoreline that no one noticed¡ªsimultaneously cautiouslynding at one of the many forward bases that Icarus had established long before the war broke out. They hid the SDV and tossed aside their diving gear. As they began to regroup, a voice came through their earpieces. ¡°Ah, this is Logan. There were a few minor losses, but we sessfully pushed over a base. Iskander missiles will be falling here and there soon, so I¡¯ll issue a steel rain warning.¡± ¡°Minor losses?¡± ¡°I used up all the small termite rounds the rookie gave me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a major loss.¡± Underwater, their conversation continued through the voice synthesizer. At that moment, Owens¡¯s voice interrupted. ¡°Central Park HQ mentioned that once the Lewis-McCode Joint Base bes a base camp due to the shadows, we can rest and resupply from that stronghold. Let¡¯s meet at the designated location. For now, the Dagger Team is on hiatus.¡± ¡°Finally, we can rest. We¡¯ve done enough damage; let¡¯s leave the rest to those invincibles.¡± Task Force Dagger. Naturally, they were people too. And as mentioned, after about three days of nonstop fighting, the Lewis-McCode Joint Base became a nd where not a single allied soldier could be found. The path to the center of Seattle had opened. Meanwhile, in another world, about two weekster. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Carrying only a single carrier, Laurentina stood alone in front of the Pyeongtaek Naval Base. It was the beginning of the chaotic adventure to find the youngest. Of course, there was no promise that she would arrive on time. ¡°In New York, there¡¯s Central Park, and where the youngest lives is by the river¡­¡± The river that runs through the capital of South Korea, along with the long park extending alongside it. Laurentina was walking over it. Since the carrier she originally needed to drag around had long been sent to the youngest''s house via delivery, in a sense, she could say she had adapted quite well to South Korea in just about a month. She didn¡¯t have a particr destination in mind. The youngest had already informed her of the house location and password long ago, so in a way, she was effectively taking a solo tour of Seoul, just like Yujin had done two weeks ago with Logan. As March turned into April, the sunlight in Seoul was quite warm, and coincidentally, it was the weekend. Therefore, tens of thousands of people spread out their mats and sat down, while citizens sitting at the chairs or tables set up in various ces were having lunch through takeout or delivery. It wasn¡¯t that such a scene couldn¡¯t be seen in New York, but it was a sight that was hard toe by back home. Moreover, it was even more so in Norfolk, Virginia, where she primarily resided, or in her hometown of Vermont. ''If it were there, the beach or riverside would be filled with Navy friends jogging in the morning, and in thetter¡­'' In a bizarre neighborhood where bears would appear if one went to the back mountains and where a fox scratched at the window in the morning, what could one hope for? There was Lake Chamin to the west facing New York, but that ce was nothing but mountains, fields, and single-family homes. If thetitude had been lower, alligators might have roamed around. In that regard, this Han-River was indeed a fascinating ce. Although the fact that buildings surrounded the river didn¡¯t add to the aesthetic appeal, it wasn¡¯t a significant problem. ¡°Hey, pretty student! Come over here and have a chicken skewer! Only 1500 won each!¡± ¡°Haha, thank you! I¡¯ll take everything on top.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big order; can you eat it all?¡± Of course, there was no problem. Around that time, Laurentina unknowingly began to draw attention. The poprity of Dark Zone in South Korea needed no exnation, and among that, Yujin was someone who everyone would know if they had any interest in PVP¡ªor even if they didn¡¯t, if they had any interest in non-game stories. Laurentina¡¯s presence naturally appealed to viewers amidst that. To add to that, ironically, while some information about Logan and Yujin had been revealed, almost no information existed about Laurentina online, which stimted the curiosity of many viewers about her without restraint. Yujin had made her team members celebrities through her broadcasts, but surprisingly, that was where it ended. In the midst of that, Laurentina appeared in the Han River without any rted information avable, making it impossible for fans to even engage in fan activities. The number of people who recognized her was extremely small, but the unique Korean ent heavilyced with English raised suspicions deeper. Soon, when someone cautiously approached her, the suspicion transformed into certainty¡ªthough it was an unimaginable scenario for her. That didn¡¯t mean things were going smoothly, however. ¡°Do you want my autograph? You want to keep it? Is there a reason?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t angry; she was more puzzled than anything else. Just a little while ago, at the zoo, Logan and the youngest were quite popr, yet she was nearly invisible to anyone approaching her. asionally, Yujin would turn on her stream, but that was simply waving at the drone cam during a Dark Zone broadcast¡ªshe didn¡¯t care about the few viewers she had at all. Thus, a peculiar and ironic situation arose. Laurentina couldn¡¯t understand why she was so wildly popr. Of course, there was no reason for her to understand or desire to understand. But one thing was certain. ¡®...It might get quite troublesome if I stay here.¡¯ The silly thought of wearing a sign saying she wouldn¡¯t give out autographs briefly crossed her mind, but that was practically a ridiculous ¡°what if¡± scenario that wasn¡¯t worth considering. However, unfortunately, na?ve as she was, Laurentina had enough entertainer qualities to not fit the mentioned description. In other words, she wasn¡¯t greatly opposed to drawing attention to herself, and thus, she caught hold of one person who had asked for an autograph. ¡°Wait a moment;e here. Let¡¯s have a deep conversation.¡± ¡°Guh!¡± What followed was a grand festival of sorts. To put it differently, Laurentina grilled the fan until the abstract reasons for her poprity took on concrete shapes, and only then did she nod her head. ¡°Um... Do you understand a little now?¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a more fundamental reason than I thought.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± ¡°But I like it.¡± ¡°Eh, eh¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a truly fitting reason for receiving my autograph.¡± If there¡¯s no reason, people won¡¯t act. But if there is a reason, they will. Soldiers had to be like that¡ª and the current situation didn¡¯t deny her essence either. In other words, Laurentina began to enjoy this situation little by little. If she had truly hated such things, she would have looked upon the DI who recognized Logan and asked for his autograph at the Jinhae Naval Base not too long ago with discontent¡ªyet Laurentina had even volunteered as a photo reporter, holding up her phone camera back then. Having given a proper fan service to the first person who showed her interest, she moved on with her steps again. If one were to point out the difference from earlier, it was that now she greeted those who recognized her with a far more confident stride and full dedication. ¡°If there¡¯s something you want, build the courage toe forward and ask. This is what you wanted, right?¡± ¡°Wow, this new type of fan service is insane.¡± ¡°Shark-eyeddy, take me!¡± The Han River started to be increasingly lively. The news that a notable individual, famous for reasons different from the various celebrities appearing on TV, had appeared in the park spread rapidly. Not everyone knew about Dark Zone or Yujin, and since Laurentina didn¡¯t hold a significant weight in Yujin¡¯s broadcasts, roughly one in two hundred people by the Han River recognized her. But, of course, on a weekend lunch, the Han River was bustling with people. People attract more people, and thus, the crowd quickly surpassed the number gathered by the street musicians busking nearby, and during the weekend lunch hour, many ¡°Bill Gates¡± began to follow her. And being easy to spot also meant a greater chance of encountering special events¡ª ¡°Is this amon event in Seoul?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not exactly¡­¡± Street lifting. It was the moment Laurentina¡¯s wallet thickened considerably.
  • ¡°420 kg¡­ Congrattions! As promised, here¡¯s 4,200,000 won! Let¡¯s give a round of apuse for Laurentina, who came from America!¡±
  • ¡°Thank you. I should buy a gift for the youngest.¡±
  • ¡°Ah, if by youngest you mean¡­!¡±
  • ¡°Who else could it be?¡±
¡°What the heck.¡±
  • ¡°When did this persone to Korea again? Hahaha!¡±
  • ¡°Oh no, Yujin¡¯s spitting out pizza!¡±
  • ¡°Truly surprised expression, haha!¡±
  • ¡°Unbelievable, really!¡±
  • ¡°Why is she appearing in someone else¡¯s street lifting live broadcast instead of her own?¡±
The pizza she had been chewing fell from her mouth. What on earth was this person doing over there? Chapter 345 ¡°...So, is this what you bought with that money?¡± ¡°A snake-shaped bracelet. Isn¡¯t it cool? I couldn¡¯te empty-handed, so I bought it as a gift.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ thank you. I¡¯ll use it well.¡± Laurentina, who had returned to the quiet house after scurrying around and even making some money, stepped inside. At the same time, a rather expensive-looking gift box was pressed into her hands. There was no need to check the contents; a picture on the packaging made it clear that it was a snake-shaped bracelet. The thin chain made of pure gold and the impressive snake head at the end were striking. As she began to talk about money, she quickly switched the conversation to expressions of gratitude. After all, it was more polite to think about how this bracelet would be worn for a long time rather than discussing how much other things could be bought with that money. ¡°I thought it would be an essory like a suppressor or optical gear.¡± ¡°¡­Our youngest. As if that could be possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking. But you¡¯re really giving it away naturally.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done it several times before.¡± There was no need to ask what hidden depthsy behind that statement. The carrier that had seemingly been sent in advance was already neatly ced in one corner of the house, and Laurentina let out a deep breath as she flopped onto the sofa. The house was quiet. The three of them had returned to their homes for their respective reasons. Logan had also stayed home for quite a while but eventually departed. After about 30 minutes of light conversation, she threw out the main subject. ¡°How are things going in Seattle?¡± ¡°Ta is still in a back-and-forth struggle, but the Lewis-McCode Joint Base has finally fallen into our hands. Two division-sized engineering units are continuing north via Pornd.¡± ¡°A proper forward base should appear soon.¡± As she said that, a dark zone version of Seattle began to float in the air. The red and blue colors formed a taut bnce, but if arranged chronologically, it became clear that the blue areas were eating away at the red from below. Wondering where to start speaking, Laurentina eventually shook her head and added, ¡°I should probably receive a simple SITREP report, including the world the youngest visited.¡± ¡°Hmm, how should I put it? It¡¯s a bit ambiguous to say it¡¯s a back-and-forth struggle. We have the advantage, and there are quite a few users who have split off as separate units. It¡¯s more of an all-around offensive¡­ if that makes sense.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± ¡°We¡¯re touching the eastern defense line, which stretches up to 80 km, and there are asional rear infiltration missions to prevent missileunches¡­ Nowadays, there¡¯s discussion aboutpletely disrupting retreat routes to prevent any retreat to Vancouver or reinforcements.¡± ¡°The allied forces must be in a panic right now.¡± Indeed. In fact, rather than a panic, it was closer to a funeral. While the numbers were somewhat simr, it was curious to think about how they would feel knowing that the immortal legion was approaching to throw them into the waters of Seattle. If I were themander, I would have surrendered long ago. However, they had long since fallen into the swamp of sunk costs. Logically, they should have realized that afterunching an amphibious invasion thousands of kilometers away from home, surrounded on all sides and pushed back to their main base, they had already be something starting with the letter ¡°D¡± or ¡°F.¡± Of course, if they had known this properly, they would have surrendered long ago. If so, the recovery of America would have already beenpleted. It would be best to abandon the happy thought of negotiating for a stronghold after a satisfying strike. ¡°Since dozens are surrendering daily on the front lines, no matter how long it takes, I think it¡¯ll end within two months. The same goes for Vancouver¡­ The Canadian forces are beginning to stir, so even if it takes a while, it should be over in at most six months.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± And the follow-up question. ¡°What happens after that?¡± ¡°What happens? It¡¯s time for an exciting collection.¡± ¡°Collection, that¡¯s true.¡± The time was approaching to present hefty bills to Russia and China. Russia hadpletely wiped out about 20% of the federal military forces in the eastern United States¡ªdue to the naval battle with the US Navy¡¯s First and Third Fleets held beforehand, the Russian-Chinese naval coalition was in a state of near-death¡ªand China had also suffered immense losses inbat in the western United States. If they lost all the forces concentrated in Seattle and Vancouver, their choices would be nearly gone. Specifically, they might have to use something simr to the National Shock Troops that were once operated by the old yers. Of course, this would likely only be a discussion when the US militaryunched a serious invasion of another country. Would there even be urban warfare then? It seemed more likely they would deploy strategic drones to wipe out buildings or useser hydrogen bombs. Since they had alreadyunched their nuclear weapons, they had enough justification. However, ¡°...It would take quite a long time to digest all that.¡± Currently, the US poption was around 50 million. Considering that thest time she remembered, the US poption was about 350 million, it could be said that merely one out of seven survived. The virus had wiped out half like Thanos, and the subsequent invasion of the US had brought the country to the brink of destruction. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that the opinions in the parallel world had literally ignited. If territorial recovery were to end, there was a high probability that Russia and China would disappear into the annals of history. Moreover, unlike the allied forces, who would be unable to retreat if pushed back to the sea, if the US were to attack Russia and China, there would be plenty of buffer zones. Europe, ska, or even Korea and Japan could serve as buffers. And¡ª ¡°Even if it takes years for the US to recover half of its original economic scale, it wouldn¡¯t matter much. The Pacific Fleet has already bent the knees of both countries.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± The Xingsha Dam had been destroyed, and lightning had inevitably struck the major industrial zones of Russia and China. After therge jamming base in Hawaii was neutralized, the information shared that San Diego and Seattle had been hit by nuclear bombs was enough to gradually melt the minds of the US fleet stationed in Yokosuka. Thus, the silos opened, and the glimmering surface visible from satellites appeared. Mushroom clouds began to rise throughout East Asia. Without anyone knowing, the Third World War was already racing toward its end rather than just starting. She continued speaking quietly. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s a message Logan left behind¡­ he says if you have nothing to do after getting home, help us retake Seattle.¡± ¡°Trying to catch someone who just got back from shooting? Damn it.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± While adding that, she put on the bracelet. The feeling of it jingling on her wrist was strange, but gifts were always wee. A present from a superior and teammate was even more so. ¡°It suits you well.¡± ¡°Of course. Who bought it for me?¡± After saying that, she turned her body. Honestly, she felt good. A smile slipped onto her lips as she turned, but seeing Laurentina giggling behind her made her feel like she already knew everything. Now, what remained to be done was clear. She added to the shark. ¡°Please greet the viewers after a long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a request that¡¯s not too difficult.¡± Of course, they had to eat first. Retaking Seattle could wait until after lunch. Now, it really wasn¡¯t long until it would happen. ¡°Will it really have an effect?¡± ¡°We have nothing to lose. Let¡¯s see if there are friends who ept it.¡± Mission request. Retake the oil refinery. High-risk area, numerous enemy weapons not confirmed. Recruitment of immortals. From Dagger Team. Recruitment began. ¡°New parts, fashion elements, interior¡­ Wow, is this heaven?¡± ¡°Heaven is heaven. But if you want to enjoy that heaven, you¡¯ll have to go fight some monsters, teacher.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The Seattle offensive is officially underway. Newbies are newbies, while seasoned veterans who have experienced nearly all the content in Dark Zone long ago are enjoying the flood of different content and rewards. However, as they enter the VR era, users must ponder even more unique rewards ced before them. ¡°Wow, the new avatar that just came out is so cute¡­ No, why is that linked to the Seattle offensive reward?¡± ¡°A limited-edition weapon decal? But it can be applied elsewhere? This is maddening.¡± Simply put, it was an avatar part that could be used anywhere in virtual reality, but it could only be obtained by participating earnestly in the Dark Zone Seattle offensive. Weapon patterns, but these could be acquired through contribution points secured via various paths during participation in the Seattle offensive. Naturally, for users, the fact that it was a limited edition that ¡®couldn¡¯t be bought with money¡¯ and the knowledge that specific conditions had to be cleared to obtain it triggered enthusiastic participation. This was especially reinforced by the craftsmanship of Icarus International, whichbined ideas from world-ss designers with user needs. As VR Seattle plunged into delightful chaos, an otherwise unnoticeable recruitment for a minor mission was suddenly thrown into the midst of the uproar by unseen hands. ¡°What? A new mission was added¡­ this is insane.¡± ¡°What is it, why?¡± ¡°Hey, keep it down. Just take a look at this.¡± A mission that couldn¡¯t be seen before. Originally, what would have been written on paper was enhanced by the power of VR to be much more visible, and they soon realized it was an extreme difficulty, yet immensely rewarding top-tier contentmissioned by NPCs. If a specific building or area was secured or if a certain number of enemies were surrendered¡ªunlike the usual contribution points automatically received through specific methods¡ªit was said that you had to go directly to the NPC to receive the mission, something that hadn¡¯t been seen since the early days of fantasy VR games. However, as the chosen few reached the briefing room to check the mission, they realized what true superhuman yers were. ¡®These NPCs¡­ why is their average reputation score four times higher than the users¡¯?¡¯. In other words, one here was stronger than the average user¡ªtop 20%¡ªrolling around the streets of Seattle. Someone swallowed hard as they gathered personal information. Tactical nning ability,bat skill, endurance in battle, average operational duration, number of missionspleted, and awards received¡ªthis was all data revealing a person¡¯s skill index, known as the ¡®hexagon,¡¯ and it was all beyond the charts. It wasn¡¯t just a full hexagon, it was stamped as ¡®unmeasurable.¡¯ Of course, even thinking that was a luxury. Then the briefing began. ¡°Wee to the briefing room of Task Force Dagger Team. Currently, our team is nning to sabotage the most heavily guarded oil facility while blocking the enemy¡¯s retreat route from Ta. You will be evaluated on whether your skills can match the team from this point forward.¡± And at the same time, subordinate missions floated before their eyes. If the first test is passed, Dagger Points: 10; if the second test is passed: 15¡­ After finishing the third test, one would earn points and the title of ¡®One Who Passed the Dagger Team¡¯s Test,¡¯ and afterward, there would naturally be the title of ¡®One Who Cleared the Dagger Team¡¯s Sub-Missions,¡¯ and upon clearing, there would be clear-rted titles as well. Of course, since it was the very beginning of the mission, what captivated the eyes of those who had made it this far was the request for a gunsmith through points to adjust weapon options¡ªjust receiving the adjustments would reduce recoil by half, permanently increase the chance of critical hits, and improve visibility. In other words, there were only advantages. Thus, ten users headed to the mockbat room next to the briefing room¡ª
  • [Alert: You have been eliminated.]
¡°...What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we just get wiped out in under 30 seconds?¡± ¡°Exactly. We were supposed to break through here, reach a specific target, retrieve intel, and hold off the iing enemies¡­ and that counts as passing the first test?¡± ¡°This is¡­ hey, doing this without using your brain means you can¡¯t clear it. How many times can we do this? Twenty? Let¡¯s rush in and gather some intel.¡± Of course, that was impossible. The first test, which tested the capabilities of both squad members and squad leaders beyond their limits, was not something that could be cleared in just twenty tries, and they ultimately had to promise to return the next day, having barely solved half of the first mission. So, the next day came, and then the next day, and the day after¡­ the number of people visiting the test chamber increased. A weekter, they finally cleared the first test, and the second test began. ¡°This time, three holograms containing Dagger Team¡¯sbat data will be deployed. Our team will not be involved in tacticalmand; it will be purely based on improvisation.¡± And they experienced just how cruelly the ones with an average reputation score over four times higher than the users could y. ¡°Wow, what are these guys? If there are yers like this, they¡¯d smash every pro gamer¡¯s skull in reality!¡± ¡°This is definitely Yujin. That Biyam has definitely given them data. Or else, they¡¯d be naked avatars here.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense, please.¡± Of course, among them were special users, and the two individuals who didn¡¯t even need to mention their names¡ªBiyam¡¯s first and second disciples¡ªmanaged to barely clear the second and third tests in four days. However, those two had no intention of participating in the main hidden quest.@@novelbin@@ The reason was simple: ¡°...So, you were waiting for us?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Wow, I thought I was going to die clearing the third Dagger mission. I thought my friend and I couldn¡¯t do it, so I called a few more from the ugly crew, and we barely pushed through in four days.¡± ¡°If Yujin-sensei faces the Dagger Team, she¡¯ll have quite the struggle, too.¡± Said Dais, looking up at Yujin and Laurentina, but somehow their expressions were genuinely bizarre. The two of them burst into awkwardughter, and the first to speak was Laurentina, whose voice was oddly soothing but somehow intimidating. ¡°...Of course, of course. She¡¯ll have quite the trouble.¡± ¡°Haha. But that, what should I say. Among the Dagger Team¡­ there are two operators with about 15 times the reputation score of other users, and I don¡¯t think they¡¯lle out, so how about you two figure out how to get through?¡± Of course, Yujin chuckled quietly at that statement. That high-reputation individual¡­ no, the shark was right beside her. If they had participated in the tests, there might not have been anyone to clear this game until it reached the end of its service. Yujin and Laurentina, folding that thought nicely, spoke up. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go give it a try. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Task Force Dagger wasunched to defeat them, with Task Force Yujin emerging. It was spring. Chapter 346 "Recruiting yers for the Ta Community College remation mission! Seeking top-notch dealers with a minimum of 3 kills per minute! Bonuses for exceptional performance!" "Wow, you passed the second level of the Dagger Team test! Just look at this, please!" "Wow, you''re a real master." Seattle, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Operator Base Camp. Thousands of people roamed around, raising their voices as they searched for teammates for missions. Over the past week, however, one significant change had taken hold¡ªsome yers began equipping the Dagger Team title to ward off trolls that couldn''t be screened by item checks alone. The title encapsted various capabilities: the ability to respond to rapidly changingbat situations, maintain calm while dealing damage under any conditions, gauge the flow of battle and switch teammates to offensive mode at the right moment, or follow squad leader''smands instantly and urately. With this single title, veteran yers no longer needed to dere their intentions to join, and raid leaders or party hosts had an easier time deciding where to assign each yer, relying on hexagonal stat disys. It didn¡¯t take long for the once-nameless NPC squad, known as the Dagger Team, to rise to fame. "Recruiting yers to focus and attempt the third level of the test! Urgently seeking yers who¡¯vepleted level two with full map knowledge!" "Who are this week''s level 3 entrants?" "The fixed members this week are MR, AW, and ES¡­ whoa. Thest two have a reputation score over six times the average."@@novelbin@@ "Can this even be cleared? Are they nuts?" MR, AW, and ES represent Marcus Lampert, Anthony Owens, and Edwin Sirkins. To the yers¡¯ dismay, this week''s lineup was utterly brutal. Excluding Logan and Laurentina, who would never appear outside the Dark Zone, the squad leaders and sub-leaders of the Dagger Team¡ªsome of the most battle-hardened operators in the world¡ªwere all there. Although the yers couldn''t know this detail, one thing was certain. "This week''s level three is seriously tough¡­." "Didn''t they increase the number of attempts to 15 justst week? Still too hard?" "Only two people from the Cerberus Team cleared level 3st week¡ªthink this week will be any easier?" Countless yers were groaning in frustration. Only a select few managed to earn the "Dagger Team Test Passer" title after passing all three levels of the test. Those who received this title were practically worshiped, treated as gods. Most of them received generous bonuses and countless raid invitations. Today, aspiring yers of all kinds¡ªreclusive masters, skilled streamers, and countless others¡ªthrew themselves into the test, striving to achieve the prestigious title. Among them were a few streamers who seemed the least likely to be associated with that title. "Today¡¯s the day to set a new record for level 3 clearing, everyone!" "Why are you so excited? You''ve been AWOL for a few days, and it¡¯s been chaos." ¡ªTeacher, it''s dereliction of duty to be doing only IRL content for ten days straight!!! ¡ªSince when did a few days turn into double digits, lololololololololololololol ¡ªThis person always skips gaming when the content gets interesting lolololol ¡ªThe title floating above Harmony''s head looks so weird, lol ¡ªHarmony¡­ clearing level 3¡­? Six months ago, that would''ve sounded insane, seriously. After spending some time house hunting and avoiding Dark Zone except for IRL or low-tier games, Harmony¡ªwho wasn¡¯t really Eugene¡ªwas the target of these jokes from viewers. While the viewers were mostly joking, the novelty was undeniable. Today, however, that didn¡¯t seem to matter much. "Anyway, now that I''m back, let''s power through quickly. There¡¯s a mission after the test, so let¡¯s take it easy with that one." "Sounds good!" "Why are you so excited, my little green cat?" "Ugh." ¡ªWhoa, Laurentina-nunna lolololololololol ¡ªHaaa, haa, haaa... ¡ªSeriously, the chat''s busted again? ¡ªIf Harmony was skipping Dark Zone for a guest, that''s valid lolololol ¡ªSigh¡­ I''ll give it one pass. As usual, Harmony became Laurentina¡¯s personal pillow, as she clung to him on their way to the briefing room. Harmony and Dice had already cleared it, but the two had been away from the game for a considerable amount of time. Due to the influx of people, the Dagger Team wasn¡¯t present, and only video footage yed. Yet, Eugene and Laurentina absorbed every blueprint slide without missing a beat. Once the video ended, they walked out, their conversation flowing without interruption. "The turrets are located here, here, and here. Destroying either of these spots activates the mortar turret behind." "Well, if ites to it, we¡¯ll just shoot them down. It looks like we might be able to lure the mortars with drones or cameras, so maybe we can confirm using a pulse." "There''s no point in bringing anti-air mines, so let¡¯s just freeze the turrets with foam to prevent them from firing." "Not a bad idea." A stream of improvised strategies flowed freely. What set Eugene and Laurentina apart was their ability toe up with countless tactics on the fly¡ªstrategies that other yers had meticulously pieced together over countless hours. Without a second thought, the "suggestions" began. Harmony and Dice swapped their skill sets without hesitation, while Eugene and Laurentina barely flinched as they entered the simtion room for the first mission. A huge mission space spanning hundreds of meters, maybe even a kilometer, opened up before them. Countless virtual enemies awaited the four from afar. ¡ª[Notification: Infiltrate the fortified base, retrieve the intel, and hold your position until the helicopter arrives.] "Turret locations unknown, let¡¯s just charge in. You two stay back and, on my signal, shoot foam at the turrets." "Got it." "Laurentina and I will lead the breakthrough. Support us well." Harmony and Dice responded by pulling out their designated sniper rifles. As soon as the mission began, the two moved toward the well-fortified base. Instantly, about eight enemies¡ªclearly well-trained¡ªrushed out, only to vanish in seconds. The two Vanguards had practically erased them, switching targets with nearly impossible speed. In less than a second, they each took down two enemies, totaling four. As two more turned their guns on them, they quickly crumpled with a dull thud, courtesy of the supporting fire from Dice and Harmony. In roughly 0.5 seconds, the duo had eliminated all enemies in sight, tossing a hologram decoy toward the front cover and scanning the area with sharp eyes. "Enemies ahead!" "Activate the turret! Heavy armor approaching!" "Smoke!" Puh-puh-puh! Smoke exploded in front of them, courtesy of Eugene and Laurentina. Naturally, the smoke concealed muzzle shes and distorted bullet trajectories, making it impossible for the enemies to pinpoint their positions. Meanwhile, the two enabled vision to target and wipe out everything visible. Then, an ominous sound emerged. Holes opened in the smoke, through which greensers sliced, followed by a barrage of .50-caliber chain gun rounds. The two turrets had finally activated. Unfazed, they quickly brought up the mapyout and identified probable turret positions based on theser trajectories. "Support team, advance. Maintain a 25m distance. Get ready to shoot foam from high ground." "Roger." Eugene and Laurentina dashed in opposite directions, clearing out stray enemies with grenades while leaving the rest to Harmony and Dice, who were in untouchable positions. As the turret angles turned in opposite directions, foam rounds hit the turrets with a sharp pop, stiffening the heads of the turrets instantly. Meanwhile, Eugene and Laurentina burst into the turret control room, smashing the operator¡¯s head. Time psed: one minute. "I''ll hack the turrets;e up slowly." "¡­One minute? It¡¯s only been one minute?" "What¡¯s up with the mortars¡­ why aren¡¯t they firing?" "Since we froze the turrets rather than destroying them, the mortar turrets haven¡¯t activated. Let¡¯s keep moving." ¡ª???????? ¡ªSo many people failed to break through this, but they just breeze through it in one minute lololololol ¡ªThere¡¯s a difference when it¡¯s the ¡®original¡¯ pros¡­ ¡ªEveryone who talked big about how Eugene would twist himself up here, start bowing now lolololol ¡ªI¡¯m sorry!!!!!! I doubted you!!!!!! Without pausing, the two ¡°striking stormtroopers¡± pierced every enemy¡¯s skull as they broke records. A few minutester, they rappelled down from the intel building and sprinted toward the extraction point. Of course, the hacked mortar and chain turrets had long since turned iing reinforcements into nothing more than grated meat. With the missionpleted in just five minutes, the two waved away the first-level clear notification with casual hand gestures. "Alright, on to the next one." "Uh, okay¡­." It wouldn¡¯t take long. ©¤Thud. "Time to get up, everyone. It''s time for our deployment to the refinery." "Still the youngest, I see. Even among these shadowy friends, the one with a snake tail stands out." "Didn''t we see this back in Sacramento?" Dagger Team. It was finally time to pick up their guns. "What are the unique features of engaging around the refinery, considering that it¡¯s abat zone?" "Hmm¡­ not sure?" "The answer is that there''s very littlebat inside the refinery itself." "Oh." A simple question with an obvious answer. The refinery, lined with countless pipelines and massive liquid storage tanks, was a space filled with mmable gases and liquids. A misced incendiary round could ignite the gases in the tanks, turning the area into a sea of mes. Add to that the fact that the facility had been left neglected for ages, exposed to sea breezes that had corroded much of the structure. While the coalition forces seemed to have made repairs, letting their guard down would be nothing short of foolish. But beyond that, there was another crucial factor. "Now, the next question. If the refinery can¡¯t be fortified, where¡¯s the hardest ce to prate?" "Around it?" "Correct." At that moment, a view of the Ta North Refinery unfolded. A bizarre, towering wall that resembled the Great Wall of China circled the facility. The reason this was possible was, of course, due to the containers¡ªthere had been a massive transportationpany capable of unloading thousands of containers right next to the refinery. Additionally, the many abandoned vehicles provided excellent materials for fortifications, creating a makeshift wall built from containers and cars that awaited the deployment team¡ªthis was noted in the briefing document passed on to the Dagger Team members. Thus, reinforcements were necessary. "So, what¡¯s our job here?" "Let¡¯s take a look at this." In front of them appeared a red and blue ovey. Arge area of about 20 square kilometers was marked in red and blue above the massive harbor. The red marked areas were critical and should not be damaged, while the blue marked areas were free for bombing. In short, the mission assigned to the Dagger Team could be na?vely summarized as follows: "Block the transportation routes of the coalition forces stealing oil, and destroy everything except the areas that must not be damaged." "Sounds easy." "And as I mentioned earlier, while we should avoid damaging the refinery itself, can we use it as a shield?" Of course, the answer was "yes." The enemy would be boiling with rage. However, the fire wouldn¡¯t remain contained within their hearts. On a quiet night devoid of moonlight, the Dagger Team cautiously cut through the containers in front of them, taking great care to stay out of sight. They unfolded an optical camouge screen to block out any light and began cutting into the insides using a thermite torch. The stunned expressions of the coalition forces already formed in their minds. To put it simply¡ªif they stacked containers to build a wall, the insides would naturally be empty or filled with junk. They nned to move between those gaps. ¡ªnk! "C4 installed. Let¡¯s move to the next point." "Ugh, this container reeks of rot¡­!" "Let¡¯s pulse once and then break through. We never know what might be inside." Such trivialities aside, the Dagger Team, divided into three groups of two, stealthily navigated around the containers for about thirty minutes, sessfully distributing an appropriate amount ofposition at all posts and checkpoints. After that, they constantly pulsed the area to ensure safety and selected the most appropriate point for infiltration, carefully cutting through the container walls and entering the base. Communications from the Dagger Team came through their earpieces. "Missileunchpleted, ETA 3 minutes. Let¡¯s get ready for some fireworks." The timer was set for 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Divided into six teams of two, they all climbed to the highest points around, ready to aim their infraredser pointers at the locations with the densest enemy concentrations. How much time passed? ¡ªBoom! "Clean hit. Nice and neat." "All checkpoints and gate controls neutralized. Let¡¯s get started." "The Dagger Team leads the way. Destroy all key enemy positions in sight." ¡ªDagger Team!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ¡ªWhy is it only you guys having fun? Why is it only you guys having fun? Why is it only you guys having fun? Why is it only you guys having fun? Why is it only you guys having fun? ¡ªStarting from the climax, maximum drive lolololololololol ¡ªEugene¡¯s gamey is moving¡­ ¡ªI¡¯m losing it, seriously lololololololololol The pre-installed C4s exploded in unison, turning the outposts into ashes, while dozens of cruise missiles rained down, creating massive pirs of fire. This was only the beginning. Chapter 347 "Enemy oil transport ship is urgently departing. The nearest operator should respond quickly." "Operators Harmony and Dice¡­! We¡¯re currently closest to the passage! I''ve checked the harbor cranes and will set explosives to block the waterway!" "Understood. Mobilize all avable resources and block the exit as quickly as possible." Vroom! Harmony and Dice jumped onto an ATV justrge enough for the two of them and dodged bullets raining down from behind. They quickly slowed down near the waterway lined with container unloading cranes and swiftly maneuvered into hiding. With a screeching sound, a ck mine rolled across the floor. As soon as it hit the ground, it blinked red and began a rapid reverse, rolling under the following GAZ Tiger before exploding and flipping the vehicle upside down. However, there was no time to rest. The ATV came to a violent stop, nearly causing Dice to tumble off. Using the vehicle as cover, they began firing wildly. High-caliber rounds shattered the bulletproof ss, turning the driver¡¯s head into a mess of ketchup. "Go set the explosives! I''ll hold them off here!" "Do you think you can hold out for a while? Are you okay?" "I''ll only be dead if I¡¯m not okay, right? Let¡¯s cut the bad luck talk and hurry!" ¡ªWhat are they even saying? lololololololol ¡ªAre they filming a movie? lololololololol ¡ªHonestly, this is about 300 times better than thoseme movies that came out recently. ¡ªThis is romance! lololololololol ¡ªWhat is this, The Expendables? lololololololol With a slightly wobbly movement, Harmony carried about 30 kg of state-of-the-art explosives on his back. He scanned the massive crane lifts three at a time with a pulse, assessing where to blow things up to block the waterway for the passing ships. As block-shaped explosives were affixed and stacked everywhere, bullets continued to fly in. To understand why they found themselves in this situation, we had to rewind a few minutes. "Um¡­ are we still going in pairs of two?" "The operational area is excessivelyrge, so we have no choice. The important thing is to adapt to the changing tactical situations as they arise. You¡¯ll need to find means of transportation that allow for movement at any time." Normally, Harmony might have thought, "Hey, I¡¯ve been with Eugene before," and felt confident, but the sensors of both him and Dice quickly detected that this person was setting down such firm rules for a reason. Thus, the two of them attacked a transportation vehicle storage area and found the most mobile ATV while engaging inbat with nearby enemies. However, only a few minutes after this, they had to hear the support request echo through the inte. But there was no time for contemtion. In the distance, a massive ship''s bow came into view. As the memories of the past that had been floating in front of them vanished in an instant, Harmony''s heart began to race, and his movements naturally quickened. At the same time, the conversation they had shared with Laurentina and Eugene before the mission reyed like a broken radio in their ears.
  • "This operation seems like it¡¯s going to get prettyplicated. It¡¯s best not to let your guard down."
  • "Is it really that bad?"
  • "You two are experts; just looking at the operational area map should give you a rough idea."
  • "Well, that''s true, but¡­ seeing it for yourself is worth a thousand words. You¡¯ll get to feel the weight of what an operator has to handle in a ¡®real operation.¡¯"
At this point, the two of them deeply understood the meaning behind those words. In a proper operation¡ªmeaning one where the number of personnel was severelycking and the enemy forces were stacked high¡ªone operator had to aplish more than their fair share to ensure the mission ran smoothly. If they had known it would be like this, they should have called all the people who passed the third level, Harmony thought, but he wasn¡¯t entirely confident they could handle such overwhelming pressure. Yet, even in the chaos that felt like their bodies and minds were separating, Harmony yed his role, and when the gap to the ship¡¯s bow had narrowed to mere hundreds of meters, he was ready to detonate. "Explosives are set!" "Good. Detonate on my signal." It didn¡¯t really matter who hadmanded it. It didn¡¯t take long for him to join Dice, who was still in the thick of battle. Now, it was Harmony¡¯s turn to relieve her. In the darkened 20-square-kilometer area, the shes of gunfire continued as the enemy coalition lost one soldier after another. At the same time, a tremendous noise erupted from across the harbor. With a loud boom, the bridge of the tanker exploded. It was impossible to tell what kind of magic had caused it, but while the control tower may have vanished, some inertia remained. The explosives ripped through the crane''s leg along with the detonation signal filling the inte and his ears. ¡ªBoom! Ssh! Three massive steel blocks weighing thousands of tons plunged into the waterway, creating an ominous grinding noise as they collided with the bottom of the tanker. Wondering if this would lead to an oil spill, Harmony thought it might be better than causing the ship to run aground in the waters off Seattle and turn the area into a pool of crude oil. While some oil was seeping out, it wasn¡¯t a massive amount, and with the exit''s waterway being blocked¡ªindicated by the sirens in the distance¡ªthere shouldn''t be too much trouble. "I''m back. Do you need help?" "Yeah, I''mpletely out of strength in my legs¡­." In the meantime, Dice, who had finished self-repair, returned, while the enemies pursuing them received their failing grades from the field battle course courtesy of Students 1 and 2 as they boarded the express train to the underworld. However, the two of them weren¡¯t in great condition either. While they weren''t injured, the effects of having pushed their bodies and minds to their limits in just a few minutes were starting to weigh heavily on them. That was when the hundreds of thousands of viewers, who had been holding their breath, finally began to rx. "Who¡¯s currently avable?" "Harmony and Dice can move, but¡­." "Heavy machinery is headed for the broken gate. We¡¯ve marked the coordinates; just get to a high point and guide the cruise missile to the target." "Yes, heading there¡­!" ¡ªWow, work is piling up! lololololololol ¡ªSo that¡¯s why level 3 is so tough; if you can¡¯t keep up with the tempo, you can¡¯t hang! lololololololol ¡ªThird level passers (minimum requirement). ¡ªI¡¯m giving up on the title, damn it! lololololololol ¡ªMobile Strike Team Specialty: Crazy Tough. Boom! The two of them jumped back into the vehicle, their faces half-dazed, as they sped down the road. Meanwhile, sabotage was urring throughout the facility, and the anti-air missiles and k guns positioned everywhere were quickly hacked to fire at the coalition forces. Navigating through the chaos was a battered ATV. The two immediately dismounted and began climbing the nearest crane. One scanned the surroundings, aiming theser attached to the gun, while Harmony secured a fast-rope escape by tightly connecting a cable to the fence. Just then, an urgent support request came through the inte. "We''re trapped near the KW International Corporation warehouse. We need fire support." "Looks tight from here; I¡¯ll try to guide a cruise missile¡­!" Like a cat, Harmony climbed the crane precariously and pulled out binocrs to survey the location of the support request. Three tanks were rolling down the road, firing their main guns. Amidst this, the UI disyed the cruise missileunch indication. It was set to arrive within three minutes. "ETA 3 minutes, hang in there!" "It¡¯s going to be a terrible three minutes!" Target locked. The distance was about 1.3 km. It was a considerable range for a sniper shot, but not impossible. Harmony switched to a prayer meta, unfolded the bipod, and began shooting quickly. Despite severe issues hitting the enemy due to the sea breeze and noise suppressor drop, she managed to use 20 rounds to send three coalition soldiers on a one-way trip to Styx. However, just as there were about 10 seconds left until the bombing, enemy fire began pouring toward the crane. "RPG¡ª!" Boom! One side of the crane¡¯s leg became battered as gunfire erupted from the lined-up enemies below. Still, the two gritted their teeth and guided the cruise missile with theser pointer. Of course, a couple of rounds managed tond just a few dozen meters away to clear out the enemies clustering near the crane where Dice and Harmony were positioned. Danger Close. ¡ªCreeeak¡­! "Hold on tight!" "Whoa, we¡¯re falling¡ª!"@@novelbin@@ Ssh! Diving into the ck waterway, the two held their breath, narrowly avoiding the concrete debris pouring down and, with the help of Icarus gear, submerged more than 200 meters before finally surfacing. As they rode the choppy waves, the two managed tomunicate into the inte, exhaustion evident on their faces. "¡­We¡¯ve lost our vehicle. Mobilitypletely gone. Including missing equipment checks, we¡¯ll probably be out of the fight for about three minutes." "Thanks for your hard work, you two." "We¡¯ll get re-equipped and head out as fast as we can." "It¡¯s okay; we can take it a little easy now." Before they could even question, "What do you mean?", the two, now drenched, stared nkly at the sky. At that moment, a dozen transport nes roared into the sky, releasing res with might, and dozens of ck dots began falling from the heavens. It was a scene reminiscent of something they¡¯d seen before. It didn¡¯t take long for smiles to appear on their faces. As if to embody that situation, Eugene sent the newly updated map to them. "We¡¯ve certainly cleaned up all the anti-air missiles while going around." Dozens of unmanned tanks equipped with advanced chemical guns fell from the sky. And thousands of users were approaching to turn the chaotic port situation in their favor and drive the final nail in the coffin. With the engines of the transport nes echoing in the background, Harmony and Dice took deep breaths and added: "So this is how the Dagger Team operates." The burden ced on one person was immense, but conversely, when they seeded, their operations wielded the power to turn the tide of battle across the entire engagement zone. With a sense of new vitality surging from within, the two emerged from the waterway and set their feet back on solid ground. "All gear intact. Ready for operation. Feel free to use it as you see fit." "Then let''s join Laurentina and get started. We need to start smashing thoserge enemy forces." Of course, there was no refusal. Even though it was midnight, it felt as if dawn was about to break any moment. "Is anyone injured?" "No." "Good. Let¡¯s take a breather." At 6:20 AM, about 3 km from the Ta Refinery. The skirmishes breaking out from several kilometers away were escting. Once the uppermand was confident the operation at the refinery was proceeding well, they gathered all avable resources and deployed every unmanned vehicle they could muster, begging the shadows for support for the refinery¡ªeffectively betting everything on this operation. What resulted from that was the current scene. Tank main guns roared to life, and the mini-guns mounted above churned, obliterating everything in the vicinity. At least 24 unmanned vehicles roamed the 20-square-kilometer harbor, slicing through the remaining coalition forces like a well-sharpened knife through cake. "It¡¯s magnificent." "Are we about halfway there?" "A little less than that." Though they said that, one could tell from everyone¡¯s expressions. Dawn was breaking. It was the story of the sun currently rising over the horizon, but in the context of the Dagger Team, it had a slightly different meaning. There were only a few steps left. The chilly wind blowing through the shattered windows was ufortable but not bothersome enough to worry about. Owens, having stubbed out a nearly burnt-out cigarette, nced toward the opposite side. The hazy outline of Seattle appeared in the distance. Ta was always choked with polluted air due to the concentration of major factories, but that wasn¡¯t the case now that six out of seven people walking around America had left for the great beyond. The sleeping city of Seattle awaited them. "Wouldn¡¯t it be quite a sight if we mmed the US military over there?" "Unless Henry grows a mustache above his lip, I doubt it¡¯ll happen. When you think about it, if the youngest hadn¡¯t been here, the West Coast of the US could have beenpletely overrun." "It¡¯s far more important to preserve the lives of the few remaining voters than to see materialism utterly crushed." A truly cynical joke fell like bombs. Moreover, the sharper the words were, the more it was often an adaptation of the truth. In reality, everything they said was true. There were enough coalition troops piled in the western United States to make several battalions. Without the shadows, the US might have had to negotiate a rather boring strengthening treaty and send the invading army back home unscathed. Or, the map of America could have reverted to pre-1846. In short, the entire West Coast could have fallen into enemy hands. That couldn¡¯t happen. After all the hell I went through here, how could I end WW3 with such a terrible ending? "What¡¯s left now?" "Rear sabotage, Vancouver reconnaissance, neutralizing ballistic missiles, I suppose. Even that¡¯s gradually diminishing." "That sounds about right." A moment of silence. Then came the next words. "When everything in Vancouver is wrapped up, what will we be doing?" "We¡¯ll be resting. For a very long time." "I hope so." Then someone spoke up. "The intensity of battle is like a drug; it¡¯s so addictive that you can¡¯t escape¡­ well, at this point, I don¡¯t feel that way anymore." "Even if you keep eating delicious food, therees a point where you feel full. Right now, I feel like I could do anything but fight." They chuckled. As I watched them, I patted their shoulders, and they all began moving slowly toward the rooftop. When they broke down the rooftop door and entered, a ck Hawk was waiting for us. I opened my mouth as I saw it. "Let¡¯s head back and rest. We¡¯ll have more constructive conversations after that. Get on quickly." "Looks like the only one we can trust is the youngest." "Stop saying weird things and hurry up, seriously." After sending all nine onto the helicopter, I checked the messages that hade through Icarus gear. ¡ª[Harmony: Is today¡¯s schedule finally over? Please say it¡¯s over! T_T] ¡ª[Harmony: I feel like I¡¯m going to die! Huhuhu] Harmony seemed particrly whiny today. I sent a message to Laurentina about granting her 30 minutes of cheek-pinch privileges and, while watching the ck Hawk gradually fade into the distance, I initiated a logout. Upon logging back in, surprisingly, I could instantly return to the Lewis-McChord Joint Base. At the same time, a title floated above my head. "Phew." Thus, I became part of the Dagger Team for the second time. It was now time to enter the city. Chapter 348 ¡ª[We inform the coalition forces. Retreat is forbidden. Hold the area. Reinforcements will arrive within a week.] ¡ª[The coalition forces are bravely fighting in America, and the so-called ¡®immortal army¡¯ has been proven false ording to investigations. This is a minor confusion caused by the umted fatigue of front-line soldiers.] ¡ª[Seattle and Vancouver are footholds to stranglehold America, and our allies are currently toppling the nefarious US military....] "Such utter nonsense. What¡¯s the current situation?" "The Eastern Defense Commander, Heyrang, has pulled back forces and is moving north toward Vancouver. It appears to be an arbitrary action without consultation with us." "I suspected as much." A deep sigh escaped from themand and control room of the Eastern Defense Command on the Russian side. It wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if there was a shout about needing to pull back troops, but instead of that, they merely muttered curses under their breath, showing no reaction whatsoever. It was truly a dire situation. Meanwhile, the propaganda being churned out from the homnd, where they had no clue about the real situation, echoed the absurd ims reminiscent of the past WW2 Nazi Germany. Of course, none of it contained any truth¡ªjust a batting average lower than that of a broken clock. But that wasn''t the only problem. As the staff member pointed out, the word ¡°alliance¡± was cracking¡ªperhaps it was more urate to say it had long since descended into disaster. "Who even thought it was a good idea to give equalmand authority to both sides?" Russia and China. These were gang nations that, assuming they were holding the world¡¯s hegemony, couldn¡¯t see the poor situation unfolding. In reality, an alliance of these two countries was nothing but empty talk, as neither wanted to fall under the other¡¯s dominion. Thus, a bizarre conclusion was drawn. The nonsense of appointing onemander from each side emerged. Naturally, coordinating joint operations required ''cooperation'' from the other country''smander, which only served to reducemand efficiency at a time when the front lines were beginning to crumble. A hologram floated into view. A holographic arrow marked with the five-starred g was moving north toward Seattle, while a red arrow indicating the enemy prepared to strike mercilessly at the eastern defense line. An offensive was expected to restart within a few hours at the earliest, or two days at thetest. "Request support from the northern garrison. If the east falls, the center will bepletely exposed." "I¡¯ve heard more than half of our forces have already been diverted to the southern defense line. Will they grant permission for that?" "We need to buy time until the expeditionary forces retreat. If this area falls first, our nks will bepletely crushed, and our allies will be left in a state of utter despair." "Cruise missile bombing warning!" A dreadful noise echoed throughout themand center, yet no one bothered to take important documents and rush to the bomb shelter. They had heard it so many times that they deemed it better to continue their duties as long as it didn¡¯t fall on them. However, this time was different. Themunications officer, who had been shouting into the radio, suddenly turned pale and spoke somberly. "¡­Observations of a 5kt explosion in Issaquah and Redmond. Communication with the defending forces in that area has been cut off." "Damn it." The palpable sense of hostility grew stronger every second. The United States vowed to drive enemy forces that invaded thend of freedom back into the Pacific Ocean, willing to tolerate even nuclear strikes on their own territory if it meant no civilians remained at the impact site. Despite having an unwavering determination to incinerate all those who didn¡¯t wear the same uniform, the upper echelons were oblivious to reality, babbling about strengthening negotiations, or even ceasefire talks if that wasn¡¯t possible. Damage estimates were automatically calcted. The bombing had likely taken out a significant portion of the enemy¡¯s power. Of course, with the Chinese forces, who could hardly bebeled as allies, having defected, it was closer to saying both arms were already missing. "Readjust the defense line. About 2 km back from the ground zero. I¡¯ll leave the details to you. I have to go request the expeditionary headquarters for a retreat or, if that¡¯s impossible, for reinforcements." "Understood." The Eastern Defense Commander said this with a rather unpleasant expression as he left the conference room, while the staff hurriedly rearranged the avable forces into the newly adjusted defensive line. Of course, unfortunate events were just beginning. Although it seemed the Commander¡¯s proposal would conclude with ordering Heyrang to cancel his northward movement and return to the original defense point, mass troop movements always left many traces. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the operational satellites of the U.S. military to pick this up. And this iing thunderbolt was expected not toe from the U.S. maind but from across the Pacific. "Biscuit released. Challenge code being transmitted... Kilo, Tango, 7, 1, 2, 0." "Response code being sent... Romeo, Papa, 9, 5, 5, 5. November, Delta, 6, 2, 6, 1. Major attack option 1. Launching unit is the Third Fleet." "November, Delta, 6, 2, 6, 1. Major attack option 1. Launchmand transmissionpleted." Having engaged in total warfare for quite some time, the advisorymittee meetings had long been skipped, and the code, which exceeded 300 characters, had already been condensed. As a result, within less than three minutes, five missiles crossed the Pacific. Just as the defense line was being adjusted, and through nearly insubordinate persuasion, the Eastern Defense Commander Heyrang was set to return to the defensive area. ¡ªBoom! The thunderbolt fell. The fact that it was aser hydrogen bomb with almost no radiation was the only constion for the coalition forces, as that day, no fewer than seven mushroom clouds erupted in eastern Seattle. Though Iskander missiles were hastilyunched toward the south, the U.S. had long since installed five 260mm railguns at the Lewis-McChord Joint Base in less than a week¡ªmeaning the missiles crumbled into pieces and exploded into sparks as they flew through the air. They had sharpened their des for battle. And nobody was unaware of that fact. There was little time left. The coalition forces remaining in Seattle had to choose whether they would be ashes or fish food. Meanwhile. "I just wanted to check out a house, and look at all this¡­." Eugene stared at his bank ount, which had a lot of zeros, wearing an expression that was impossible to describe. It had only been 24 hours since he had set off to view potential homes. "This ce is nice; the corridors and passageways are wide. Other ces were divided unnecessarily, making it inconvenient to move around." "It was designed with the real residents'' perspectives thoroughly considered. Additionally, all the ss is semi-transparent, so while you can see outside from inside, you cannot see inside from outside." "Please continue guiding me." Who am I? Where is this? It felt like something was off, but the impressive high ceiling of the penthouse, which was so high that even a vertical jump wouldn¡¯t let him touch the ceiling, was enough to melt his mind. Of course, he had been thinking about moving to arger home since he had a decent number of visitors recently, but this was¡­ Anyway, a brief exnation is in order. I was currently down in Gangnam for a while. I was here to check out a new house¡ªthough this house was not your typical apartment but rather a penthouse that felt like it was forever out of reach for me. The circumstances that led to this were a bitplicated and required a brief rewind. "I¡¯m nning to move; where do you think is good?" A text message. Below that, there were several detailed requests. For instance, since several people might be staying or sleeping at the house, it needed to be quite spacious, and a dining room with various facilities or an outdoor garden would be preferable¡ªsomething along those lines. However, the sender was a bit of an issue. In short, I had sent this message to aw firm that was always avable due to inertia. Naturally, it was to be expected that thew firm could handle a wide range of matters, not only between individuals but also real estate matters without any significant issues. And just like that, the situation ballooned. ¡ª[The residence of yourpany¡¯s chairman is about to be relocated. Please keep this in mind for future reference.] Since thisw firm was already dealing with various odds and ends rted to the think tank, the news was immediately reported to the firm¡¯s board, and upon hearing it, they reacted with, "Since we¡¯re at it, shouldn¡¯t we go for something good?" They unexpectedly allocated a portion ofpany profits for this purpose. Thus, I suddenly received enough funds to buy 1.5 Leopard 2 tanks, and I was half-pushed into this situation, stepping foot into a penthouse at the top of Cheongdam-dong. With Laurentina. "It¡¯s nice and spacious. If it were Vermont, I would have had the fun of hiding one or two guns all over the house." "People here aren¡¯t ignorant of the word ¡®gun¡¯ in English, you know." "This is spacious and pleasant. If it were Vermont, it would be fun to hide one or two bags everywhere." "That doesn¡¯t mean you should speak in Russian¡­." She was such a handful. The guide¡¯s pupils were shaking slightly. It was brief, but she quickly collected herself and asked if she should call a staff member who could speak Russian. I shook my head quickly. This is insane. And so, I began to look around here and there. "This is the bathroom and washroom." "The wall tiles are a bit¡­." "They look like fish scales." "If you wish, I can connect you with renowned interior design firms such as Ishka Designs or Lucy Harris Studio. There are no waiting lists, and construction will begin within three days at thetest." "I¡¯ll decide after taking a closer look." "Understood." As Laurentina nced around, she spoke up. In Russian again. "Wouldn¡¯t it be better somewhere like Malibu than this tiny little ce? In Norfolk, I could have built a mansion of several hundred pyeong for the same cost." "That doesn¡¯t mean I can move to the U.S." "Just joking." There was a hint of truth in that joke. Originally, I hadn¡¯t nned oning to such a magnificent ce. As mentioned, I was here due to an unexpectedly blown-up situation. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that this house wascking. Quite the opposite. It was great for amodatingrge numbers of people, and it was suitable for letting the likes of Logan or Laurentina stay at my house for extended periods. Additionally, this had been a rmendation from the think tank side as well. Since it turned out this way, I had to decide how to use the indoor space. "The living room can be appropriately made into a dining room with interior proposals, and for the master bedroom¡­ I think just a bed will do since I¡¯ll always be sleeping here. For the remaining rooms, I can fit in a couple of foldable beds or maybe four or five." "That would certainly turn it into a lodging facility." "Considering many of the rooms won¡¯t even be used, it¡¯s better to use them in that way." As I determined the purpose of each room one by one, it started to be quite enjoyable. The broadcasting studio would be set on the second floor, as it had ample space. Although the house itself was spacious, it was still quite empty without any furniture, and the guide staff eagerly projected a hologram into the air. A staggering amount of photos floated up. It turned out to be rmended interior designs. I decided to look through them calmlyter and also add this to the contract costs. Meanwhile, a room designated to house a projector for meetings¡ªintended for discussions with the think tank and Icarus¡ªwas also selected. The remaining balcony garden was left for now. The contract was finalized, and once I sent a detailed estimate, the renovations for the penthouse wouldmence. As soon as the essential conditions for living were met, I could move my belongings. As I pondered various thoughts, the next words came. "Anyway, we seeded in this, didn¡¯t we? Our youngest." "¡­Indeed. It¡¯s surreal seeing things happening that I couldn¡¯t even have imagined just six months ago." Then, as if luck had finallye through. Laurentina plopped down heavily onto the couch and added. "By the way, just like in America, there¡¯s a housewarming party in Korea too. I¡¯ve seen quite a few of your friends, but you¡¯ve never brought your family, have you? Is there some not-so-great backstory?" "Um¡­." "Is it not a pleasant matter? Oh dear¡­ I¡¯ve been rude. How terribly impolite¡­." "Ah, it¡¯s not like that." "Is it okay for me to hear this story?" "Yes." The words came in like a shock. But my instinct told me this was the right time to reveal something I hadn¡¯t known until just a few days ago, and I locked eyes with the internal guide staff for a moment. After a noise of footsteps closing the door behind me, only the two of us remained in the house. Where should I start? "Actually, I received some shocking news from my parents not long ago." "I think I heard they were promoted to executive vice president and assigned to an overseas branch." "That wasn¡¯t the case." At the same moment, an electronic business card floated up. A few days earlier¡ªon the day when the battle had officially broken out in downtown Seattle¡ªmy parents had called me to say they had something to discuss at dinner. I had dashed into another room during my streaming session.@@novelbin@@ What I saw was: [Lee Hyun Jin / Lee So Yeon] [Executive Vice President / Board Director] [[email protected]] [XXX-XXX-XXXX] [ICARUS International] "Wow." "You just pinpointed exactly what I wanted to say." Life is indeed this strange. "Reality density is normal. No signs of world line vibrations. Synchronization with the second world line is nearlyplete. You two should be able to return soon." "Finally getting out of this ce. You''ve worked hard." "After five years and four months, I¡¯m finally going back to see my son... no, daughter. Thank you for all your hard work up to now." "We''re even more grateful to the two of you for understanding and enduring." In the basement of Two Bridges, Icarus International headquarters. In that very location, where no one but Eugene could enter, there was a middle-aged couple. Chapter 349 Time suddenly shifted back to thete 2020s, in the high-rise building of Two Bridges. "I hereby approve the game project Titan, set against the backdrop of near-future urban warfare. I wish you good results." Thus, the seed of the game that wouldter be the motif for Dark Zone was sown. As direction was established, the basic world-building took shape, along with¡­ countless tasks managed by hundreds of developers, working tirelessly day and night. Approximately a few yearster, Dark Zone had reached a fundamentalpletion stage. As the open beta test approached about a month away, "My child has gone missing!" "Please calm down, ma''am. Do you know where your child wasst seen?" On the opposite side of the Earth, a person had vanished without a trace from this world. It was not a simple disappearance. Everyone, except immediate family, considered the existence of the missing person nonexistent. Not only their existence but also the very causality was excised from the world. As a result, the parents of the missing child spent nearly a month in hellish torment, consumed by extreme despair as each day passed. Then, after a fortnight, the world they remembered began to warp. "¡­The photos in the album are changing." "A manifestation? What does this mean¡­?" While the image of their son remained vivid in their memories, the album they had kept at home told a different story. The son had somehow be a daughter, transformed into a woman with a snake tail. However, some distinct features subtly visible in the photos confirmed that this was not apletely different person but indeed the same child they remembered. And just a few dayster, someone unexpectedly visited their home. "¡­Who are you?" "I''ve finallye to meet you. It¡¯s a pleasure. Here¡¯s my business card." Dazed, they epted the card, which contained nothing but a name and a phone number¡ªno other information. iming that his name wasn¡¯t particrly important, the visitor carefully entered the stark home and immediately dropped shocking information on the two who had lost their son. "Your son¡­ well, now your daughter. In any case, I must inform you that your child has fallen into another world." "What?" "You may find it hard to believe, but I will exin in detail." The words made no sense. But at that moment, the visitor projected a hologram into the air, disying their daughter confronting armed thugs wielding shotguns, standing with a shield and a wrench as if made from the ovepping car doors. It was utterly unreal. Yet the visitor spoke with such authority, as if they knew exactly where the child who could only be remembered by two people in this world had gone. It was as if the flickering me of hope, long extinguished, suddenly reignited. With a detailed exnation, the visitor introduced themselves as the director of a research facility with a hard-to-pronounce name, revealing one by one the secrets of the world. Three world lines had collided, leading to such situations urring all around the world, which in turn had caused the past to be altered¡­ Of course, it was information that waspletely beyondmon sense. "¡­Excuse me, but am I not dreaming right now?" "I thought you would find it hard to ept. But if you consider the situation, you will soon realize there are no other answers." People with animal traits visibly existed in this world. The album, which had been untouched, had somehow begun to change. All of these facts pointed to one conclusion: something had happened in the world, altering it from how it once was¡ªthis missing child was at the center of it, and their direct family had been caught in the eye of the storm, leading to their awareness of the anomalies. The visitor continued. "¡­So. Can our sone back now?" "It''s difficult. The fact that I was able to find you two so quickly is a miracle. But¡­." But. The two, suppressing the screams that wanted to erupt from their throats, eagerly awaited the next words, and the visitor cautiously continued. "¡­I can provide indirect assistance. The research team estimates that within a few years, we should be able to extract your child from that hell. Please wait until then." And at that point, the fate of Project Titan was decided. Thus, a fortnightter, the open beta wasunched. Project Titan, which dealt with the typical bat between the U.S. and Russia or China,'' was expected to guarantee a decent level of quality and enjoyment in the game itself. However, it faced significant criticism due to severe serverg and a clich¨¦d single and multiyer story, leading to a mixed evaluation. A few weekster, as if beans were roasted by lightning¡ªa group of personnel, all from different backgrounds but who had recently wrapped up their careers at an agency called DOP, took control of thepany board and changed thepany¡¯s name to Icarus International. Following a series of numerous discussions. "Let¡¯s add a virus pandemic." "How about major activity areas in Manhattan, New York, and Central Park?" "We need to increase the number of enemies and change the city to a more gloomy atmosphere." How long had it been? Icarus International sessfully merged with a mid-sizedpany developing a first-person virus pandemic-based single FPS survival game andpletely revamped Project Titan based on that data. Thus, Dark Zone was born. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. "¡­What is this?" "This is a learning device that will assist you moving forward." The third visit. Now looking at the two who seemed to have emotionally settled somewhat, the visitor ced two unique goggle-like devices on the table. A brief moment of silence. And the next words followed. "A shareholders'' meeting is about to be held. We n to appoint you both as outside directors, so until then, please use this learning device to familiarize yourself with general management data, MBA programs, strategic consulting, management science, English, and more. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. We will handle your work experience." "¡­Is that possible?" "The reverse engineering I exinedst time? If you touch on that a little, it shouldn''t be too hard." The visitor, taking a sip of water, added. "This procedure is not for your convenience but an absolute necessity. Not only to confirm your child''s safety but also to correct the distorted gap in reality." "What do you mean by that?" "The two of you are influencing the flow of the current world in real-time just by existing." The discrepancies in perception affect reality. The visitor continued, "If you don¡¯t work with Icarus International and receive our regr measures, troubling situations may arise." "Why Icarus International, specifically?" "Thatpany serves as a foothold for our department." Of course, the exnation didn¡¯t end there. "In any case, once your son returns, we will measure the reality density. Once your child can adapt safely to this world, you will be able to reunite." "So it means we won''t be able to meet right away, even if he returns." "It took a considerable time to persuade and convince you two, and it¡¯s still not fully resolved. Not to mention, what of your child who has endured various hardships in the world across the gap?" They fell silent. Indeed, as he had said, it was true. If there were a person who could fully ept the reality that was presented after experiencing every kind of hell, that person would be more likely a machine than a human. A brief silence followed, but the answer was predetermined.@@novelbin@@ "I will ept it. We no longer have any other options¡­." "Excellent choice. I hope only good things wille from here on." Thus, a weekter, the two crossed over to America. It was the moment when two new members were added to the board of Icarus International. And¡ª ¡ªThud. A heavy object crashed to the floor. Concrete dust that had settled atop their bulletproof vests fell away in a flurry. Five years after the official service of Dark Zone, Eugene returned home. "Hey, you! I¡¯ve only been back to the homnd for a week, and you¡¯re moving? You should have at least let me know in advance!" "Ah, I¡¯m sorry. As an apology, I¡¯ll cover the cost ofing back to Korea again. First-ss round-trip tickets, rental fees, meal expenses¡­ just let me know if you need anything." "I usually would, but out of spite, I won¡¯t." "Ugh, I¡¯m really sorry. Please ept it¡­." Exactly three hours after seeing the house, a thunderbolt of Logan fell on my head as I returned to Hongje-dong. It was a result that seemed inevitable. No matter the situation, just as I had mentioned in the call earlier, I was now having a housewarming party only a week after Logan returned home. Meanwhile, Laurentina was smirking mischievously beside me. If the anger percentage caused by my actions was 30%, then the fury due to the shark''s tail was 70%. It was like cing a spark on a piece of wood; it wouldn¡¯t ignite quickly without some fan blowing on it. Anyway, as soon as I returned home, I turned on the stream. ¡ª[Streamer ''Eugene'' ON AIR // 422,648] ¡ª[Exciting Moving Preparations (sarcasm)] "Ah, wee, everyone. As you can see from the stream title, I¡¯ve moved. It¡¯s quite sudden, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you could just think of it as that." "Well, it¡¯s not been long, but I¡¯m d to see you." -????????? -Who moves so suddenly? Hahaha. -Nice nonsense right as the stream starts, Eugene. -You¡¯ve already packed everything up, so what¡¯s with the moving preparations? Hahaha. -Phone moving preparations, haha. People were gathering in droves already. Anyway, that was true. In fact, my house¡­ those who knew my personality would have noticed to some degree that I didn¡¯t have much to take with me. The actual moving would start in two days, and I had already decided what to keep and what to discard beforehand. Thus, just yesterday, a few beds and bedding sets had disappeared. A quick search online revealed multiple ces for donations. I don¡¯t know who, but I hope they use it wellter. Of course, when I mentioned this yesterday, everyone reacted with, "Why did you donate that?!" I should have held an auction or something. Of course, the sinister friends making thosements were still here, helping me keep my head on my shoulders. In other words, they had twisted my neck about 180 degrees. That being said, I had turned on the stream, but I had nothing much to do today. In reality, the viewers would be happy just to see me breathing, and if I just talked with Laurentina, they would enjoy it too. However, that felt a bit like taking the easy route. Furthermore, the parallel world¡¯s Dark Team was resting after a sessful job at the oil refinery, so I had dyed my Dark Zone phase a bit as well. However, I should provide some value through the broadcast to keep the viewers happy. So as I pondered over that, donations came in. -By the way, what kind of manifestation is Laurentina? I¡¯m not quite sure about that. If it¡¯s a sensitive question, just ignore it. "Hmm." I subtly nced at Laurentina. Since the donation came in Korean, it was uncertain whether this person would understand it. If I assumed I had some time to consider whether to answer this or not, I felt a little hesitant about whether I should respond. Naturally, the opinion of the person involved was crucial. Just as I was about to make eye contact, "Ah, you were curious about that. I¡¯m a shark. It¡¯s only natural you wouldn¡¯t know." "Ugh." This person answered sharply without a hint of concern. In Korean, no less. It seemed that the tactical exchange for the Korean deployment had indeed provided this person with a dramatic opportunity to enhance her Korean skills. In any case, I could feel the information I already knew starting to spill out. "I can smell blood well, detect bioelectric currents¡­ and my teeth are pretty sharp. Also, I don¡¯t decay. I¡¯ve never been to the dentist since I was young, which is a plus. And if someone hits my nose, I could faint¡­." -Wow, Laurentina, your mouth¡­ -Shark teeth are supposed to have fluoride, right? Never going to the dentist is legendary, haha. -This is why people don¡¯t realize she¡¯s a manifestation. -Is this the thing they call the Lorentini organ? -Is that why her name is Laurentina, haha. Of course, it didn¡¯t stop there. Suddenly, Laurentina nonchntly pulled up her shirt, revealing her stomach yfully, and she tapped her belly with her finger. "Aside from that, if you look closely, my skin is quite different from a normal person¡¯s¡ª" "Hey, why are you suddenly lifting your shirt!?" "Haha, what a response like chicken. If you¡¯re this ufortable about it¡­." -??????????????? -Wow wow wow wow wow, haha. -I really love you, noona!!!!!!!!!!!! -Fact: If you go overboard with this on the inte, you might really get caught. -Your honor, I¡¯ve been blind for three days and can¡¯t see anything!!!!!!!!! What on earth am I supposed to do with this bouncy person? My worries deepened again today. It was a night in early April. Chapter 350 "¡­Have you been well during this time?" In the early dawn, shrouded in pitch darkness even the moon seemed to be swallowed whole. Leaving Laurentina, whoy quietly asleep under the nkets, Eugene carefully stepped out onto the balcony to check her phone. Various graphs and text floated across the holographic screen. She was monitoring the real-time fluctuations of a metric she had never heard of before: reality density. Making a phone call, waiting for a beep, and observing that it was connected¡ªall these actions made her acutely aware of what she had endured. Hoping that her words would flow through the phone without issue, she grasped onto the fading sense of reality. After some time had passed, "¡­Well, I¡¯ve been doing well. Our daughter." A voice flowed through the phone, one she hadn¡¯t heard for several months. For a brief moment, the disyed reality density shifted slightly but didn¡¯t reach a danger level. This was true now and would be in the future, but no one knew that fact¡ªor even if they did, they might still be trembling with anxiety. However, such a situation didn¡¯tst long. The words that had been suppressed for so long, burdened by their respective responsibilities and the surreal reasons that kept them apart, began to flood out like a broken dam. Amid those revtions, Eugene learned something new. Her journey into another world wasn¡¯t a solo endeavor; it was evident there had been interventions, at least to some extent, from her parents and the two unknown individuals¡ªor possibly even more. In other words, "¡­So you¡¯ve been watching over us this whole time?" "How could I not?" It was difficult even to look upon her child, but turning a blind eye was not an option. Witnessing a child in a situation where a moment''s carelessness could mean losing their life was excruciating, yet not looking at all would mean missing the opportunity to offer at least some minimal help at the right moment. While it had been the minimum help in the world Eugene inhabited, in the world she had fallen into, it had been a product of desperate efforts. Adjusting the trajectory of a bullet or two was the best she could manage. In other words, when the world lines had yet to synchronize, that was the extent of what she could aplish. "I wish I could have conveyed at least a few words, but if that wasn¡¯t possible¡­." Silence. The conversation continued, ufortable as it was, but there was no other choice. The ce she had been was a hell that manifested in a ce where the summer saw the bodies of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, rotting and triggering chemical rms in the city. Even if she had returned, it would be the same. Even in conversations held at the conclusion of the second world line synchronization, fluctuations in reality density had been caused; it was clear what would have happened had they made contact right after returning. But, "¡­Still, from now on, there won¡¯t be any more of that, right?" As she said that, it seemed that everything was now firmly in the past. The experiences that had taken ce were no longer urring in real-time but had faded under the name of ''the past.'' The fact that she could somehow speak of the events that had transpired was precisely due to that. None of the matters entwined could not be tied up neatly. If that had not been the case, the current situation could not have arisen.@@novelbin@@ Yet, Eugene bore two honorary medals around her neck, and her parents had once again grasped an opportunity to reunite with their son¡ªor daughter. Separately from that, as expected, a mere phone call could not cover the entirety of their reunion. And¡ª "¡­While I would love to see you right now, I suppose there are still things left to do, right?" "What do you mean by things to do¡­?" "America." Ah. A short voice escaped. Eugene, who understood immediately what it meant, forced a smile to her lips as she added, "¡­Yes. There are still things I need to finish." "Good. I believe our daughter will handle it well." And the following words. "Once everything is finished, let¡¯s go out for a meal." "Yes." "Always take care of your health. If you run low on pocket money, let me know¡­ I¡¯ll be back soon, so try not to eat too much of that unhealthy stuff. Got it?" "Yes¡­." "Okay. Our daughter. Always fight on." After a few seconds, the hour-long phone call ended, and silence descended, mingling with the deep darkness and the cool morning breeze that greeted her in Seoul. The moment Eugene turned at the subtle vibration underfoot, she saw a familiar face. "¡­You¡¯re still awake?" "The night breeze is refreshing." In Laurentina¡¯s hand was a towel. As she carefully wiped her tear-streaked face, she gently embraced Eugene and added, "It¡¯s raining quite a bit." The night sky, which had hidden even the moonlight, had cleared, and only the sound of gentle sobbing continued. The recapture of Seattle was not far off. ¡ªBoom! "When this war ends, we will usher in a nuclear-free era." "Are you saying it will be because we¡¯ve used them all?" "Indeed." The heavy shockwave that seemed to shake their very souls, and the sh of lightning streaking down from the sky. A medium-range ballistic missile that had crossed from east to west of America struck Lantern Airport in Seattle, and a column of fire soared as if it would touch the heavens. While it might not hold significant strategic value, the demolition had begun in locations where the enemy forces were concentrated. Under normal circumstances, the moment one countryunched a nuclear missile, the allied forces would repeat the same process for mutual assured destruction, but this time was different. The radar, which could be said to be their eyes, had been destroyed, and the key powers, which could be considered their fingers and limbs, had been sabotaged. In other words, this was not a straightforward exchange of nuclear punches at a 1:1 ratio, but rather one side swinging their fists with at least three times the power. "HQ, this is Dagger. Confirmed missile impact at Lantern Airport. Estimated CEP is around 15 meters. Confirmedplete silence of over 95% of the targets. I will send damage reports and on-site footage." "Copy that. Please report your current location as well." "Currently observing the battlefield from a forest park approximately 14 km east of the front line." A brief silence. The sensitivity of themunication antennas remained good. Nearby, rustling sounds could be heard. Apart from the squad leader of Dagger Team, who was observing through a special telescope while sitting on a folding chair, the rest were constructing fortifications or resting in the vicinity. The skills used for capturing people could easily be adapted for construction purposes, and those who had set up movement detection traps and radar nearby had long since been loosened. They began to put on their gear, which they hadn¡¯t removed for over ten days. ¡ªSnap! "Removal of insects within a 50-meter radius isplete." "There''s a pretty good stream nearby; could you fetch some water?" "Squad leader, switch to automated observation ande eat." As he waved off their concern, the moment he turned his attention back to thems, several pieces of data transmitted through the antennas were shared with all members of Dagger Team through their watches. It was a sort of map. However, Seattle was not visible on it. The data pointed to a region further north. "This shows the drop points for uing drones and the current status of thending points held by HQ. Aricon and Violet are conducting operations near Vancouver, so I hope the nearest Dagger Team can check the nearby areas marked on the map." "Understood. I guess it means we need to check the presence of surface-to-air missiles and their avable statuses." "Exactly. I¡¯ll give you three weeks at most. We¡¯ll drop arge number of stealth SUAVs as well. I¡¯ll mark the routes for you, so check themter. The higher-ups say that if we achieve even half of the operational objectives, it will be considered a sess." "I¡¯ll rest well and prepare to depart." "May the gods be with you." After finishing themunication, Owens was stared at by all the members of Dagger Team. This was only natural. They were all human, and it wasn¡¯t pleasant to move to another location while they had just been enjoying their time. As they were about to start putting their gear back on, he raised a hand to stop them and added, "We leave in two days. It¡¯s a reconnaissance and coordinate securing operation, so it¡¯s not that serious." "That¡¯s good to hear. If we walk about 10 km a day, it should be easy." "Wouldn¡¯t it be better to finish quickly and return to the forward base?" "I¡¯ll consider thatter." ¡ªRustle! Meanwhile, an ominous noise echoed in their ears. The sound of crackling wood and the sizzling of food frying in a pan came through, followed by a portion of red meat dropping into the melted butter on a heated skillet. And then came the sound of a dog. "I''m hungry; is it okay if I take a bite early?" "I know you guys can eat raw meat, but can you please hold off? I didn¡¯t hide it for nothing until the end!" "I didn¡¯t say anything, why are you dragging me into this, Chester?" Logan added in a disgruntled tone. William Chester, a former chef. In other words, the head cook of Dagger Team. The meat he touched was sizzling to perfection. Having fashioned skewers from nearby branches and disinfected their surfaces with pulses, the Dagger Team members eagerly grabbed pieces of the freshly grilled meat. It was a scene that hardly matched a war, but there was a reason this was possible. "When did you get this?" "Three hours ago, it was sent by drone from the forward base. You wouldn¡¯t know since it was before you all joined." "What a delightful surprise." And indeed, it was so. Of course, this was undeniably a rare event. In the past, during Operation Chariot and simr endeavors, they had to carry massive amounts ofbat rations¡ªthough not MREs, they used RCIR instead to ensure their health and taste. Given that they were merely a few dozen kilometers from the forward base and that the enemy¡¯s air defense had mostly been dismantled, this was feasible. And while it was natural, it was a more substantial motivator than merely restoring America to its previous state. Moreover, they didn¡¯t have to be constantly on guard. Their movement detection radar scattered within several hundred meters could automatically detect and deal with any approaching enemy forces. So, they gathered around and began chatting. "I think I heard the Canadian forces were moving southwest." "Aricon and Violet are guiding them. I think fighting will start in that area in less than a week. I¡¯ve heard that they secretly asked how to manifest ''Shadows'' from over there." "Haha, should we ask the kid again?" "I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s even possible, but who knows? We¡¯ll have to ask directly¡­." Unlike before, when they had been thrown intobat without a moment¡¯s thought, they now had plenty of time to think. The war that had felt like it would never end was finally within reach. So the conversation continued. "There are talks that once the recapture of America is over, Dagger Team will be made chief instructors for SOF training." "Hmm¡­." "¡­Even if we might not agree to it, it¡¯s quite usible. The personnel who could attempt such a special mission have probably dwindled significantly, so they¡¯ll need to replenish." As he said, this was indeed true. Furthermore, it was only natural that the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t send Dagger Team back into the front lines once the recapture of America wasplete. Right now, they had been reluctantly sent to the battlefield due to the circumstances, taking on the dirty work, but their continued activity amid these situations proved they were indeed irreceable personnel. And the members of Dagger Team wanted that as well. "It¡¯s about time we set our weapons down. Those addicted tobat would probably need to be shot at for twelve hours toe to their senses." "Haha." But. As they continued to talk, an uninvited guest arrived. ¡ªRustle. The radar beeped loudly, and a hologram appeared before all of them. It showed not a person but¡­ a gray bear ambling toward the area where Dagger Team was stationed. Under normal circumstances, they would have immediately grabbed their weapons, but instead, they exchanged looks and broke into heartyughter. Logan, who was still chewing, sighed and spoke. "Well, just go check it out, right? Just go check it out." "Ask if there¡¯s a good salmon spot nearby." "Salmon onlyes upstream from September to November, you idiot¡­" The gray bear, approaching with a rustle, and Logan, who was waving her hands in front of it. Their gazes met. The bear opened and closed its mouth a few times before letting out a low growl, and Logan shook her head, waving her hand. Yet it didn¡¯t leave, so she pulled a hammer from her multipurpose pouch, and only then did the gray bear seem satisfied, grabbing the treat she tossed before walking back the way it came. The whole scene was being recorded. "What did it say?" "Well, it was just whining for food. It probably just woke up from hibernation and is hungry." "Thanks to that, we don¡¯t have to worry about bear hunting." "It¡¯s always appreciated." That was the daily life of Dagger Team. The gunfire in Seattle still hadn¡¯t ceased. Chapter 351 "Observation of the 5th defense line. The distance between each defense line is 200 meters, and it has been confirmed that they are structured to allow for retreat at any time. The main construction materials appear to be... trailers and train cars." "This is insane, seriously. What is this ce? Containers and trailers... and what''s with the train cars?" "They¡¯ve taken blocks from cargo trains. American freight trains are 5 kilometers long, and at maximum length, they can reach 7 kilometers. By removing the containers or wheeled blocks and modifying them here and there, they can form a massive defensive line." On the way to Seattle. As the closest port city to East Asia and the gateway to ska, this city was undoubtedly the very heart of logistics. From the sprawling metropolis that immediatelyes to mind when thinking of Seattle, just a dozen or so kilometers south, a vast collection of warehouses existed. Its size was enormous¡ªtens of square kilometers¡ªfilled with containersden with export and import goods, thousands of cars waiting to be shipped overseas, and long-abandoned freight trains. These forsaken items, left unused for at least two years, caught the attention of the Allied Forces who were in need of construction materials, and they seeded in constructing a remarkably sturdy defensive line, cleverly made. Harmony, who had been quietly watching the scene, grumbled. "Isn¡¯t this the kind of stuff you see in movies, where the air force just blows it all to pieces and easily breaks through?" "Good point. In that case, our Monimoni could be a fighter pilot. They say they have tons of nes just sitting there because they don¡¯t have enough maintenance crew to operate them. Maybe they''d happily take her on?" "True... Ugh! Mortar!" Bang! With a loud "thump," the flying shell was intercepted by a shot that curved through the air and struck it before it could hit the ground. Of course, it was Eugene¡¯s work. It was always an almost impossible feat, but Harmony and the others just shrugged it off. Beyond that, Eugene''s words¡ª"Why are there still so many fighters left? Why not just wipe them all out?"¡ªinstantly resonated in their minds. It was the obvious conclusion with just a little thought. The reason there was no bombing support was simple. Since six out of seven Americans were lost to the virus and the great war, the resources were stretched to their limits. This meant that the UAVs flying overhead or the asional transport nes dropping unmanned vehicles were all part of the United States¡¯ attempt to operate at maximum capacity. The American military, once capable of breaking any adversary''s knee with just its air force, was gone. All that remained were nations fighting desperately to survive and carve a future. Still, despite this¡­ Boom! "Wow! That¡¯s insane!" "How does itnd so precisely?" "Alright, let''s move. Time to go." The U.S. still had the ability to send invaders to the bottom of Seattle¡¯s waters. When a native axe fell into the heart of the enemy¡¯s stronghold, clearing everything inside, the mortar shells that had been falling from the sky began to subside. Although they couldn''t handle all the artillery units firing from tens of kilometers away, this was still a significant achievement. Only then did numerous users charge forward, leading with unmanned tanks. Ultimately, as the number of usable resources dwindled, warfare returned to its primal roots. With less air superiority to crush the enemy fortifications from a distance, the situation was starting to resemble WWII. In the midst of Seattle¡¯s descent into chaos, one thing remained certain: Boom! "The tanks...!" "Seems like the enemy is using their heads after all." The enemy wasn¡¯t just sitting back and taking it. They focused their firepower on the unmanned tanks breaking through the defense lines. After that, they immediately sent coordinates for artillery strikes to wipe out the advancing enemy forces. If that didn¡¯t work, they retreated to the next line of defense. The problem was that there were dozens of defense lines stacked on top of each other. But it wasn¡¯t just that. Recently, the enemy forces, despite their obsession with futile fantasies of reinforcement, were operating at peak efficiency. They had memorized the coordinates of all the defense lines, and with just a few words over themunicationwork, they could request urate artillery support at the right time. Themand post operated simrly. Real-time data was collected, allowing them to issue the appropriate orders. If a defense line was breached beyond a certain point, they would quickly relocate themand post to the rear. This was all possible because themand post itself was built using containers and simr materials. Looking at the bigger picture, it was clear that the Allied Forces had a real chance of achieving reinforcements.@@novelbin@@ However¡­ "24% of our forces have been lost." "Well, no one really cares about that." The users had arrived with the shocking cheat code of "infinite respawns." The shadows numbered in the thousands, still rapidly dwindling, yet none had abandoned their positions. In fact, as time passed, their attacks became more intense, relentlessly pushing down on the Allied Forces. The only saving grace was that none of the shadows had refused to surrender. On the contrary, they had hacked into thework and were actively encouraging surrender. As a result, while bullets and shells continued to fly, there wasn¡¯t much blood spilled in the process. But even that wouldn¡¯tst long. From deep within the defensive lines, antenna dishes erupted in a ze of brilliant sparks. As axes fell from the sky and anti-air missiles were destroyed one by one, the users saw something unexpected.
  • [Notification: Destruction of enemy air defensework confirmed. All conditions necessary for air support have been met.]
  • [Notification: Deployment of AC-130Z Ghost Rider hasmenced.]
Death was descending from the skies. "Navigator, make a turning flight around Algona. Has the weapons controller checked the map?" "Checked. Should we just avoid the UAVs?" "Exactly. But don¡¯t shoot the immortal friends down there, okay?" nk! The dim ceiling lights and the sound of propellers outside, metal scraping sounds¡ªinside the aircraft were not nine people, but nine machines. The crew, the sensor navigator, weapons controller, and loaders all had a look reminiscent of exo-skeletons. They weren¡¯t remotely controlling the machines; instead, they were remotely controlling the personnel inside. Not a single person was actually aboard. The call sign "Ghost Rider" matched the situation perfectly. The weapons controller clicked buttons, and the Seattlendscape appeared on the screen. Numerous red marks indicating enemies, and the real-time updates showing an overwhelming number of foes that made even the observer shudder. A firingmand was given. However, there were still a few things to do. With a clunk, a round that had been loaded was fired. As it cut through the sky and fell, it broke into thousands of fragments just a few hundred meters from the target, scattering across the ground. As the screen turned green, the battle system officer spoke. "Send the data." "Sending now. Willplete in 15 seconds." "Good. Let¡¯s see what our Allied friends have to say." Bleep! But the issuey elsewhere. The panel turned red. There were still some remaining surface-to-air missiles targeting them, but none of them were worried. Taking out the remaining air defense, the SEAD operation, was also their goal. "Switch to anti-radar missiles. Drop all targets. Let¡¯s crush the remaining air defenses." "Reverse trackingplete. Magnum!" With that, the rear hatch opened, and missile pods popped out. Launched at regr intervals, the HARM missiles, along with countless res and decoy systems activating, all designed with the grace of angels. Even theser pod in the front intercepted iing missiles. One of the technologies gained from the development of Icarus Gear was putting a device that generates enormous power into a highlypact generator, which was naturally applied to high-poweredserunchers. How much time had passed? "Wee to the negotiation table, General Sergey Lechenkov, Commander of the Southern Defense Line." "...I heard buzzing from the sky. There was a reason for that. What do you want, machines?" "d you¡¯re quick to talk. I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Cease unnecessary resistance and surrender." The silence that followed wasn¡¯t exactly quiet, as angry voices in Russian from the staff were heard all around. Meanwhile, the missile pods were pulverizing what little remained of the air defenses, and time ticked on. Neither side spoke, but it was clear who had the upper hand. The silence was broken by the Allied Forces. "I just have one question. Did you create those immortals?" "Not sure why you''re asking, but no. What¡¯s certain is that their direction is towards you. And we... we¡¯vee to help with that. So,st notice: Surrender and disarm all soldiers inbat in the south." Naturally, there was no answer. And everyone knew what that meant. The battle system officer spoke. "We¡¯ll leavemunications open. Hopefully, we¡¯ll get a real answer in 20 minutes." And just secondster¡­ From the sky, the gates of hell opened. Boom! The 120mm M120 mortar shot out its round, followed by the continuous fire of 105mm and 40mm guns. Chapter 352 "Are you done?" "Yeah." Canada, Ottawa International Airport. As April began, a breezebining both coolness and warmth swept over the airport. The surrounding area was t, with no natural barriers to block the wind. However, the hemispherical region of the sky above softened the wind¡¯s impact. Even if it were a 50-caliber, it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. Henry Michael Brayton, the 48th President of the United States. He had justpleted a brief meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada and was preparing to board Air Force One again. "Let¡¯s discuss the details in the conference room. Head back to Central Park." "Yes, sir." Henry stepped toward the boarding gate first, followed by his aide carrying the nuclear briefcase and security personnel. Due to budget and personnel issues, another Air Force One wasn¡¯t ready, but as soon as the ne took off, four stealth fighters, with a design that appeared to be a more advanced version of the F-22, slowly followed behind. The aircraft, equipped with partial inertial control technology, swiftly brought Henry and the senior staff together in the conference room. As the aircraft reached cruising altitude, a pop-up request for shorthand logs appeared, and English text rose into the air. Within seconds, automatic summarization began,pressing the information and presenting a few key topics. The first agenda was ska. "In exchange for bolstering Canada¡¯s mineral and energy industries, after the liberation of the United States, there¡¯s a very high probability that Canadian forces will be tasked with extracting oil from ska, and they¡¯re nning to ce our Allied forces in the Bering Strait." "Isn¡¯t it difficult to move from Vancouver to ska?" "The Canadian team ns to secure both cities and then begin the modification of tankers. After loading them with equipment and construction materials, they¡¯ll establish a bridgehead and begin unloading. That should save quite a bit of time. What do you think?" A brief silence followed. However, it seemed like a much more usible idea than driving from Canada to ska, especially considering the terrible state of the roads, which surely hadn¡¯t seen proper repairs in years. Other issues, like Canada''s interests in ska and discussions about oil, were included in the meeting, but they were minor details that didn¡¯t need further mention. Ultimately, the important thing was that Canadian forces would be the ones shedding blood in ce of the American military. While further adjustments would be necessaryter, this was still a solid diplomatic achievement. Seeing everyone nodding in agreement, Henry made a light-heartedment. "I¡¯m not sure if this is the right approach for foreign diplomacy. It¡¯s already been over four years since Ist had a conversation with other heads of state, hasn¡¯t it?" "Yes, sir." The United States had lost half of its poption due to the Omega virus, and countries with even fewer resources,cking infrastructure, weren¡¯t capable of responding properly. Mexico and the countries further south¡ªGuatem, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia, among others¡ªhad fallen into anarchy and bewless territories. Europe, with its advantage of extensive train systems, ironically suffered from the rapid spread of the virus. Europe, once bustling, had be and of silence. "Anyway, there¡¯s a ton of work to do. I¡¯d say it might be better to move the capital to Northern New York¡¯s Tech Valley instead of running the country from these useless concrete buildings." "Given that the infrastructure is scattered all over, it might not be an entirely unrealistic idea." "Enough. Just a joke... But to restore thisnd, we¡¯ll need to rebuild infrastructure wherever we can reach." There was an overwhelming amount of work to be done. However, as the battles in Seattle and Vancouver gradually wound down, it was time to start distancing from military-rted issues. The focus could now be on replenishing supplies, maintaining the forces, and dealing with the ammunition used so far. As Henry¡¯s gaze shifted toward the markings of Air Force One entering JFK Military Airport, the sprawling, chaotic city of New York came into view. The city of light, the Big Apple... but all the wealth that had once supported it was now gone. It was time for focused decision-making. "First, we should reconnect thework in the areas that still function as cities. Once that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll start road and rail repairs." "Shall we make that the first phase of reconstruction?" "Yes. Same for the restoration of the Great ins." By restoring the railways and roads, they could transport food and various materials, establishing a functional infrastructure where people could live decently. At the same time, all remaining resources would be invested in UAVs, UGVs, and other unmanned operational equipment. With the absolute shortage of manpower, this was the only viable option. "FDR was re-elected four times during WWII. How many times do you think I¡¯ll get?" "Given that the Senate and House have practically vanished, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone who could rece you." "No need for lip service. Should we bring Kerry in?" "He¡¯d need a life support system the size of a small car attached to his wheelchair." Kerry Hinton, a Republican senator. He was currently in the intensive care unit. There were still some surviving senators and congresspeople, but with the midterm elections over and the next elections still about three years away, neither the Democrats nor Republicans seemed willing to do anything. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand their motives. ''The halo of a wartime president¡­ not exactly. Those bastards, they want me to take the fall for everything.'' After enduring the Dark Winter crisis and barely finishing the war of U.S. restoration, no one was eager to take control of the shattered U.S. presidency. It was a so-called honorable retreat. By now, both the Republicans and Democrats were probably singing Henry¡¯s praises as one of the greatest presidents in history¡ªthough, as mentioned, he was already sitting in the presidential seat, so he had shifted all responsibility to himself. Whether it was the reconstruction of the U.S. or projecting power overseas¡­ "I can hear it now¡ªthe growing probability of me dying from stress-rted diseases." "We¡¯ll need to double the medical personnel starting now." "Of course. Now then..." The next agenda item. A freshly delivered surrender document from the Pacific Northwest. It was, of course, sent by the Allied Forces, but the contents were ridiculous¡ªchoosing their own withdrawal date, allowing the Allied Navy¡¯s Pearl Harbor to be epted as part of their withdrawal... and a whole bunch of other petty moves to save face. Afterughing for a while, Henry gauged the mood and added: "Let¡¯s send our Allied friends the response they¡¯ve been waiting for." "Fuck You." With just seven letters, the message flew through thework toward the Pacific Northwest. As Henry, just moments fromnding at JFK Airport, activated "Operation Last Light." The full-scale counteroffensive had begun. "Wow, it finally feels like we¡¯ve reached a big city. It¡¯s been three weeks since the Seattle offensive started, and only now do I see tall buildings." "You¡¯ve beenining non-stoptely. Want to lead the vanguard?" "Uh...!" nk! A refreshing sound echoed from Harmony¡¯s head. Despite the deafening gunfire and explosions around them, it stood out clearly. Harmony, gently holding her head, nced around, and I pulled out a map to check the situation. Though Harmony had evolved into a bit of ainertely, she wasn¡¯t wrong. The downtown Seattle that had only been a vague impression before was finally starting to take shape. Of course, what were once bustling centers of modern civilization, full of office workers, had undergone a dark evolution due to the virus. Buildings had been turned into fortresses while the original inhabitants were gone. Now, from these buildings, machine guns and missiles were fired. And as soon as the surrender request from the Allied Forces, sent under Henry I¡¯s authority, was crushed, the remaining enemies in Seattle became desperate. Boom! "Unbelievable." "The building¡¯s copsing!" Hundreds of meters of a building shattered diagonally. The explosion caused the building¡¯s bridge to be destroyed, and gravity pulled it apart. Tens of thousands of tons of building debris crashed onto the intersection with an unearthly, mechanical scream. Underneath, dozens of people and users were crushed without a trace. As an armored vehicle trying to retreat was hit by something that had fallen from a rooftop helipad, liquids¡ªbetter left unidentified¡ªmixed with oil and oozed out from the folded vehicle.@@novelbin@@ Of course, with thousands of people shing, the few dozen who tried to stop them didn¡¯t matter. "Wow. The whole street¡¯s blocked." "Not just rerouting... This is too well-coordinated to be a dead-end ident. They¡¯re forcing us into a corner while blocking our firing angles." Just as Harmony had said, the street was blocked in an instant, and users scrambled. Though they could reroute, anyone who tried to cross another avenue was immediately hit by dozens of grenadeunchers waiting on a building, sending them tumbling into the lobby. In short, they had created a maze. "I wish we had missile support..." "It should be here soon, right? Anyway, all Uroboros team members, please proceed with caution. We need detailed information on the shooting angles of the buildings." As they neared the city center, the situation became increasingly brutal, and the area was a deadly zone for attackers. Even just a slight deviation from the target zone of a cruise missile could lead to massive casualties among the users. "Realistically, the best option here is to target from a distance, create confusion with gunship fire, and then use bunker-busters with heat warheads..." As Lauren Tina mentioned something they should not have exposed, she smirked. "Seems like the kid¡¯s got too little time for that. Don¡¯t you think?" "...Yeah." "We still have time until we reach the East Sea. Let¡¯s clear this ce by then." With that, the data-sharing icon appeared. The scouts who had gone out had scanned the area and gathered the information, even while taking hits, to identify the maximum range and firing angles. While other users around them also came to simr conclusions and moved systematically, their ultimate goal waspletely different. "Movement route confirmed. Is everyone ready?" "Yes!" "Great. Let¡¯s flush out those rats hiding in the buildings." Still pouring relentless fire from hundreds of meters away, the high-rise buildings in front of them were their target. Chapter 353 "A hundred years ago, our ancestors crossed over to Europe to spread liberty, equality, and fraternity, but now everything''s turnedpletely upside down. Who would have thought that the position of the Third Reich would be taken by the Han Chinese and vic bastards?" "General Walter, the troop deployment per your instructions has beenpleted. We can begin firing within 15 minutes." "Alright, now that we''re back home, let''s get moving." Lewis-McChord Joint Base, formerly the home of the U.S. 1st Corps. Now, for a number of reasons¡ªmost notably the virus and the invasion forces¡ªthe former 1st Corps had been literally disbanded. Those who had been pushed south eventually regrouped in San Diego, managing to reorganize after a long struggle, and spent years preparing for the next phase. And today, in the unusually clear skies of the second week of April, the 1st Corps had returned to its home base at Lewis-McChord Joint Base, bringing with them a force of 50,000 soldiers. Themunicationwork crackled before settling into a clear tone. "Did you arrive?" "Just arrived, General Powell. We n to acquire the operational targets and mobilize as quickly as possible¡­ though, I have to say, the order to provide fire support to those shadowy friends on the frontlines feels a bit strange. Did the roons in Central Park make anotherment?" "Watch yournguage, damn it." "Even so, if we leave everything to those unknown immortals, are we supposed to just sit back while the ones who gave up their homnd to the enemy twiddle their thumbs?" "We¡¯re at the point where we need to save every soldier." "Isn¡¯t it also my job to represent the soldiers'' opinions?" As he said, he wasn¡¯t the type to sacrifice his own soldiers for the sake of glory. But the circumstances, the times, and the people who might spill blood were all pushing the situation to this point. It was a real headache, but somehow apromise had been made, and that was the reality of what was happening in Seattle. Putting aside theplex motivations, Major Walter Brim rushed to the forwardmand post. The preliminary discussions were nearly finished, but they still couldn''tpletely bypass the formal procedures. Plus, it was important to get a clear understanding of the situation in Seattle. When he opened the door to themand center, the massive frontline map came into view. Downtown Seattle was entirely shaded in blue, while the enemy forces, marked in red, were retreating helplessly. His eyes met Commander Powell¡¯s, and the salute followed. "Brim. Long time no see. How have you been?" "Congrattions on your promotion, sir." "I can¡¯t be too happy about it. It¡¯s a star I earned by dealing with all these headaches. Sit down, have you eaten?" "I settled for MREs. Haven¡¯t had a proper meal since I led the corps north. Please, show me where the bathroom is." A subtle jab at the MREs. They exchanged a couple of half-joking remarks, then sat down, the door to themand center fully closing as a few people walked out. Their equipment¡ªthoroughly maintained, with firearms and visible signs of battle¡ªwas covered in the dust ofbat. As Walter Brim caught sight of them, he grinned and stood up, extending his hand. "The saviors of America have arrived." "Wee back to Seattle, General." Antony Owens and the entire Dagger Team, along with Walter Brim, exchanged greetings. Though their chain ofmand was a bit different, they had built up their own skills in different fields and quickly shared their pleasantries. Owens raised his finger, and light spread out in the air, followed by data streaming across themand center. New information began to umte on Walter¡¯s personal device. There was no need to confirm what it was; it was already clear. "Impressive." "These coordinates were gathered over three weeks while we scouted the northern part of Seattle. We selected key locations along the roads and terrain, where many of the retreating enemy forces are concentrated. Some of the core units have been tagged so we can track their real-time positions." As he said, the Dagger Team updated the densely packed coordinates marked in red. The map disyed above themand center began to take shape. Of course, there was no one in the room who was slow to act. Data sharing began, and with the certainty that striking these points with artillery and airstrikes would yield tremendous results, hesitation was unnecessary. Thus, new data and brief verbal orders were sent to the 1st Corps staff¡ªonce ready, they would unleash hellfire on the given coordinates. It was simple and effective. But things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as expected. An urgentmunication came in, and the expression of the staff officer reflected a strange unease. "What¡¯s going on?" "¡­I think it¡¯s better if I show you." At that moment, the camera switched from indoors to outdoors, as if the line had been rerouted. And what appeared was a view of hundreds of shadows watching from just a few hundred meters away from the self-propelled artillery, which was preparing forunch. They were d in gas masks and other gear, making it difficult to discern their exact appearance, but based on visible features like hair length, average height, and shoulder width¡­ "¡­Looks like we have a lot of data to hide today." Most of the shadows appeared to be women, though who would believe such a thing, given their appearance? It was a strange, almostughable sight. With a wry smile, the others in themand center¡ªexcluding Major Brim, who was on-site¡ªwaited for theunch. As the self-propelled artillery that had moved toward the Ugeoho sector finished its TOT calctions and began firing, they sat back, sipping their coffee. It was a moment of calm in the midst of the battlefield. The battle for Seattle wasing to an end. Boom! "Get over here, you reckless bastard!" "Ah! I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean it¡­! Eek!" "Ha ha ha, what a view." Meanwhile, several dayster in Cheongdam-dong, Eugene¡¯s new house was visited by a pr bear. "Ugh..." "You''ve turned the youngest into a pancake." As the youngest was half-crushed and tossed onto the bed, Eugene had finally finished moving in. After settling into his new home, enjoying the Han River view every evening and waking up to it every morning, the first person to invade was none other than Logan. If he hadn¡¯t already given the lobby guards a heads-up, Eugene dreaded to think of what might have happened. In any case, Logan approached with lightning speed, choking Eugene¡¯s neck. As one of the apex predators, the pr bear¡¯s grip was truly remarkable. If he had grabbed a steel pir instead, it might have bent by now. With a tap of its tail on the floor, Logan signaled surrender. Only then did he loosen his grip and add: "Moved to a pretty shy ce, huh?" "Yeah, that¡¯s right. Anyway, since I¡¯ve made it this far, I¡¯ll at least cover the flight cost¡­" "I won¡¯t take it, you brat." "Ugh¡­" Eugene¡¯s guilt spiked as Logan had spent money to fly to Korea just to see him. After a deep sigh, Logan lifted Eugene up with one hand and said: "Well, I guess there were some reasons. It¡¯s hard to visit someone living so far away." "Once the think tank is in orbit, I¡¯ll get a ce in the U.S. too. Things should be easier after that..." "Is your body one or two?" "Ugh..." Logan squeezed Eugene¡¯s cheek, using just the right amount of pressure to make him squirm. Thankfully, the sofa didn¡¯t break¡ªit was custom-made to be durable.@@novelbin@@ The evening sun was setting outside, and Eugene guessed that Logan must have rushed here from Incheon Airport right afternding. He suspected Logan didn¡¯t take a car, given that there were no signs of it. "So, have you eaten?" "No." "Well, we should order something quickly. What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll order anything for now." Finally, Logan nodded with a satisfied expression. He mentioned that food would be delivered in an hour. After hearing the exnation, Eugene learned that the building had undergone several rounds of functional upgrades, one of which was a small cargo elevator connecting each unit to ease deliveries and improve resident convenience. Of course, the food wouldn¡¯t be delivered directly to their unit; instead, they¡¯d have to pick it up from the lobby, which was about 50 meters down the hallway. Since Loren Tina hadn¡¯t eaten either, Eugene ordered 15 pizzas just to be safe. "The view from the top floor isn¡¯t bad." "Guess I ended up in a ce like this by chance." "If you take care of your things, sometimes luck finds you in unexpected ces." At that moment, Logan¡¯s gaze shifted to Eugene¡¯s left wrist. He chuckled in disbelief, and subtly changed the subject. Neither Logan nor Loren Tina cared much about how good the ce was or how much money Eugene had. They had their own way of dealing with things, and they weren¡¯t interested in material wealth. Though the topic was a little grim, everyone in the room, including Eugene, had gathered here for one purpose¡ªbeing among those who helped others escape thew and set up shop in ces like this. It was a harsh reality, but the truth. Anyway, the dinner was still a while off, so Eugene decided to show Logan around the nearby facilities to kill time. "Fitness center?" "There''s a lot of cool stuff, though. Sadly, I can''t use the cycle or treadmill." As Eugene closed the door and walked down the hallway, he made the joke, and everyoneughed. No one in the room failed to understand what he meant. They all began sharing stories, and then a truly shocking one came up. "Last time, I hung something weird on myself and did pull-ups on the power rack. In the end, it got all crushed. I gave it too much recoil near the end, but I didn¡¯t expect it to bend like that." "What the hell were you hanging on yourself?" "I borrowed arge mold from the engineering team." "You''re crazy." Logan, unable to imagine doing something so reckless,ughed nervously, while Loren Tina grinned and pulled up a few photos and a video from that day on her phone. "...Why are you shirtless in that video?" "Clothes got stuck on the chains I tied myself up with. The military uniform got torn to shreds. Don¡¯t worry, the person who filmed it was a woman." "Sure, sure..." Eugene couldn''t help but be baffled at the image of someone who seemed to have been through an absurdly dangerous stunt. The video ended with the power rack itself caving in under the strain. Chapter 354 "It''s been a while, both of you. How have you been?" "We''re always doing well. You have quite the look on your face, seems like you have a lot on your mind." "Haha..." In the dead of night, in one of the most hidden rooms of the penthouse ¡ª a room concealed behind walls lined with graphene wallpaper to make it blend seamlessly with the surrounding walls, with a lock only essible through the Icarus Gear system. The owner of the house entered the room. Struggling to shake off the fatigue from just waking up, Eugene sat down in a chair and focused his gaze on the dark hologram in front of him. It was a silhouette, one that had be familiar ¡ª there was no need to say who it was. She was the one who had been rescued from another world, and who had helpedy the bridge between this world and the one before. Having just woken up, Eugene¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t functioning at its best, but she managed to speak out, her voice tinged with a sense of difort. "The situation surrounding my parents isplicated... it leaves me with strange feelings." "There''s no excuse for that." A brief silence followed before she continued. "I don¡¯t n on adding any more unnecessary words. But there is one thing that has be clear." "What¡¯s that?" "It¡¯s clear that we still have a long road ahead of us." Her words weren¡¯t an excuse or a justification, but a quiet eptance of the harsh reality. Eugene, perceptive as ever, understood that what was hidden between those words was the truth: they weren¡¯t capable of everything yet, and there was still a long way to go. "If we were to help someone else in the same position as mine, perhaps things would get better. I¡¯d like to believe that, and I¡¯ll understand that from you both." "Thank you. We¡¯ll make sure of it." Eugene, though human, felt the pain of being unable to reunite with his parents. He wanted to ensure that no one else would have to experience the same suffering. And if there were others who found themselves in simr situations, he hoped they could receive help faster than he did. Of course, this didn¡¯t happen by chance. Eugene, knowing he was soon to be reunited with his parents, could say such things with confidence. However, it was a truth no one spoke aloud. The conversation shifted. "I have a question, if it¡¯s okay to ask." "Go ahead." "Is it possible for more people like me to appear in the future?" "Sadly, yes." "How often does it happen?" "Not often at all. It¡¯s an extremely rare urrence, almost zero. Especially in cases like this, where three worlds are colliding simultaneously." "Three worlds?" Eugene paused for a moment, trying to figure out what the third world was, but he quickly realized when he noticed the tail in front of him ¡ª his original world, the ruined New York caused by the virus, and the world that had changed his body. It made sense now. However, a lingering doubt still remained. "If it''s close to zero, then it wouldn¡¯t happen multiple times..." "Probability approaching zero is different from the number of possible observations. The range of what we can observe is almost infinite." "Ah." Zero probability and infinite trials. With that, Eugene understood. There was no reason why something couldn¡¯t happen in that space between them. A deep breath escaped him as he contemted theplexity of the situation. Whether they were aware of this or not, they continued speaking. "Even as we handle this matter, our tasks continue to pile up. The victims may not all be in the same situation as you, but perhaps simr situations will arise in the future." "..." "Ultimately, it might be our job to prevent that. But there¡¯s no clear n yet. Touching the infinite is not an easy task." At that moment, a book fell onto the desk, creating a strange noise as it hit the surface. The book, with its unsettling appearance, was clearly something that shouldn¡¯t exist in reality, but Eugene instantly recognized the title. It was a sort of manual. A manual from a department Eugene had never heard of before. From this, he realized that they might be considering recruiting him for something ¡ª an immediate thought followed by a certainty that this was the case. His initial doubt quickly turned to confidence, and Eugene fell silent, unsure whether to ept or refuse. "I¡¯ll give you my answer when we meet again." "That¡¯s not a difficult request." Silence fell, and the conversation turned to other matters. "The synchronization between the two worldlines will be partiallypleted soon." "...What?" "Oh, don¡¯t worry. It doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t be able to travel between the worlds anymore." A sigh escaped from Eugene. Still, his attention shifted back to the screen, realizing that this could be a sign of some future change. After waiting for some time, a few pieces of information appeared in front of him. The synchronization between the Dark Zone and the worldlines was about to end, along with several newly generated PVE events and "raid missions" being added. A team of around 20 people would enter specific zones or facilities, coborating toplete missions and defeat bosses. Naturally, these missions would no longer appear in the form of "Shadows" in Eugene¡¯s original world. "Oh..." "Are you finally ready to say it feels like a game?" "...Yeah, honestly." "Dark Zone 2.0. Until the policies for the world you came from are settled, we¡¯ll have to wait." Whether a full-scale invasion would take ce, or if the victorious U.S. would use reinforcement negotiations to push Russia and China to their knees, or if the threat would be resolved through unmanned aircraft ¡ª all these decisions would take years to resolve. The U.S. had suffered such astronomical damage that even estimating the cost of recovery would take months, at least. Eugene realized that in order for him to travel smoothly between the worldlines, the time ratio would have to be fixed at 1:1. The decision was inevitable. "What if there¡¯s no war worldwide after this?" "Well..." The two of themughed quietly. "It¡¯ll probably be a matter of imagination for the game developers." "Ah." In other words, it meant that once the worldlines stabilized, it would be up to the developers at Icarus International toe up with new ideas. After someughter, Eugene spoke again. "We¡¯ll have to be careful not to ruin a well-made game." "That¡¯s something we¡¯ll leave to you, Eugene. Once things settle here, we¡¯ll check for new opportunities and decide if we need to intervene." "...I guess you¡¯re right." A brief silence passed. Eugene¡¯s words broke the silence. "When all this is over, will I never hear from you again?" "Of course not." A clear and direct answer. The hologram, the worldline-crossing app on his phone, and the map with the conquest title floating above it. Eugene realized that there was no reason for him to lose contact with the people who had helped him. If that were the case, they would have retrieved everything or never mentioned it at all. After a briefugh, she finished what she needed to do and went to bed. Eugene had tasks to handle tomorrow. [Notification: 12 hours remaining until Henry Michael Brayton¡¯s end-of-war speech.] It was time to meet with the Dagger team again. "Expensive ces are nice, huh? A rooftop pool connected directly to the lounge." "I followed you here because you wanted to go somewhere, and now you¡¯ve dragged me to a ce like this." "It¡¯s actually a pretty good ce for a discreet conversation. Didn¡¯t you know?" "Heh." Conversations held in ces where few people pass by are often forgotten just as quickly as they are started. While other conditions had to be met for it to truly be effective, Eugene recalled learning about this in a foreign operations manual at some point. Though Loren Tina and Logan wouldn¡¯t be venturing into foreign operations anytime soon. It was noon when they stepped onto the highest outdoor pool connected to the penthouse¡¯s garden. No particr reason, but there were exnations to be made. [I¡¯ll be out for a few days. Feel free to roam around the area, but I¡¯ll leave you the ess keys under your names. The apartmentmunity offers meals, and you¡¯re wee to go wherever you like.] When Eugene woke up in the morning, the youngest was nowhere to be found. There were no traces of the door being opened, nor had he left through the lounge. Yet, Loren Tina and Logan had already known some of the hidden secrets of the world, so they could guess where Eugene had gone. "Maybe our youngest will have a few more medals hanging around their neck soon." "Hm. Those medals might break their neck if they¡¯re not careful." Theyughed lightly, and the conversation shifted once more.@@novelbin@@ "Will the youngest¡¯s journey end here?" "It seems so. Considering everything, the time ratio between the two worldlines is about 1:1, and unless Henry goes crazy with an amphibious operation, there won¡¯t be any morebat." "The buffer zone will likely be through the Bering Strait or by forming a conflict zone between Japan and Korea, but... it¡¯s bound to be thetter." "That said, the first and third fleets will probably rotate back first. If the former situation arises, we¡¯ll need to seriously check if Henry¡¯s head has a hole in it." The conversation continued, skipping over the process of deduction. The two of them spoke in a way that converged naturally toward one point, whether they were discussingbat or geopolitical matters. They both looked up at the sky. It was a clear day with no clouds in sight. "It¡¯s a good time to finish something and start something new." "Is that ament about the youngest or about you?" "You sure are quick to catch on..." At the same time, a hologram appeared in the air. It looked like a familiar ID, and although Logan¡¯s expression was uncertain, the name "Snakekeeper, Eastern Unit" was written under it. Even Loren Tina looked surprised. "...Is it confirmed?" "If they don¡¯t change the team name, I¡¯ll just have to kill that bastard Nakazone. They said they¡¯ll change it soon, but it¡¯s not confirmed yet. I prefer the Red Right Hand, and I already remember the manual for that." Red Right Hand. Logan was referring to the highest-ranking strike team led by Sergeant Owens in the The Unit. "Even if I go in a few months, by then you¡¯ll probably be back in Norfolk, Virginia. The timing doesn¡¯t match. Maybe it¡¯s better to receive some training in the U.S., adjust things, and then be reassigned to Korea." "That aside, who puts a Transcendent in the Eastern Unit? That¡¯s just crazy." "I think so too." They chuckled, and continued tough as they realized that while the youngest was absent, the world was still turning and moving toward a new phase. Time passed, and everyone took their steps, crossing paths and diverging, but the distance between them was always close. With those thoughts in mind, Loren Tina leaned against the poolside and spoke. "So, what do you think our youngest is doing right now?" "Ah, the top button came off..." "Oh, have you gained weight?" "Not good, Eugene. You shoulde visit more often. Want to try some special training?" "Ugh, no way!" Eugene Viper Lee, was faced with the dilemma of not being able to go home until he lost some weight. Chapter 355 "It''s hard to believe that just two weeks ago, there was fighting here." Swish. Sand begins to pour from his hand. The reddish earth soaked in blood. Although the blood had long since evaporated, the color remained, telling the story of what had transpired here. It was impossible to even guess how many enemies had lost their lives in this ce. Destroyed, burnt, and abandoned anti-aircraft missiles, makeshift outposts, and the fresh blood that had flowed down the embankments. The bodies had been removed for the signing of the surrender document, but the ws of war still lingered at the signing ceremony ¡ª at Seattle''s King County International Airport. Of course, the war''s scars were not confined to this ce. Given the nature of the airport, the area waspletely open, and smoke was still rising in the vicinity. "What¡¯s that over there?" "That¡¯s a gas nt under Petrocard Pacific Pride. There was arge fire, but there¡¯s no firefighting crew, so it¡¯s just being left to burn." "Hmm." What was there to say? After a brief pause, Henry let out a small sigh. He then addressed his silent security detail. "Have you ever been to Seattle?" "No, Mr. President. Have you?" "I have. It was for a campaign event, about nine years ago. It was, after all, a Democratic stronghold. I remember the fog was really beautiful back then." The man who carefully knelt down picked something up from the ground. It was a shimmering, green mineral-like object that had fallen at his feet. It resembled ss more than stone. And oddly enough, Henry knew exactly what it was. "Physical vitrification." A 5ktser hydrogen bomb had struck King County International Airport, vaporizing the epicenter without a trace, and overwhelming pressure and heat had vitrified the surrounding earth and sand ¡ª much like trinitite, the ss created from the Trinity nuclear test. After a brief thought, Henry spoke again. "I guess we should call this Seattleite, a form of tectite created here in Seattle. I¡¯ll take one with me." It was dark humor, indeed. Fortunately, Henry was able to rest easy about radiation ¡ª a hydrogen bomb activated byser, which had be rtivelymon in the United States, produced no radiation, so there was no concern about it, even in a ce that was only a few hundred meters from the epicenter. "It¡¯s barren." As he looked around, he softly spoke. Buildings were destroyed, the wreckage and debris so overwhelming that it felt like it would take an eternity to clear. It resembled a home that had never learned how to clean up after itself. Thousands of abandoned single-family homes, unused warehouses, and transportation facilities, all now reduced to nothing. It was as though the world had been reset, like a nk canvas waiting to be painted again. While the Allied Command, teetering on the edge of copse, faced its own dark future, Henry¡¯s thoughts turned inward. The situation was grim for everyone, but his task remained clear. "I¡¯m probably not going to fulfill any of the campaign promises. My running mate is probably looking down on us from a paradise where people are packed in like sardines." "The ones buried in Arlington can no longer interfere with the world. Just the fact that we¡¯ve made it this far, bringing the U.S. back to this point, is an achievement that will be remembered in history." "History." He pocketed the Seattleite and stood up. He wasn¡¯t particrly concerned with being remembered in history. His mission was simple: endure, and, in the end, protect the United States. Henry Brayton had reached this point out of duty and the vague hope that America would improve. Today, the goal was clear: impose a harsh penalty on the Axis Powers and publicly dere victory. He chuckled softly. "Tell me, do I look that old?" "...I must say, you''ve gained quite a bit of white hair over thest five years." "Damn it. I¡¯m not nning to die early." Beep! At that moment, the wristwatch on his left arm emitted a tone. It was time. The paper in his right hand fluttered. "It¡¯s time, Mr. President." "Alright. Let¡¯s make April 10th a Victory Day." The vehicle Henry was in drove across the airport, disappearing into the distance. "It¡¯s chaotic." "Chaos is inevitable. It¡¯s a surrender treaty signed in a ce that hasn¡¯t even been properly cleaned up." "Not even in New York, but trying to give a speech in a ce where the smoke hasn¡¯t even fully cleared? This guy has guts, I¡¯ll give him that." The Reinforcement or Surrender Treaty. Perhaps, in the future, this day would be called the "Seattle Reinforcement Treaty" in the annals of history. In any case, Eugene still couldn¡¯t figure out why there were so many photographers in a world that was half-destroyed, but there were shes going off everywhere. It was truly disorienting. But today, it couldn¡¯t be helped. The end of the war carried that much weight. High-ranking officials, generals, and many survivors from around the world had gathered to hear President Henry¡¯s speech. "You wear that medal well." "I do. Thanks to some people." Task Force Dagger stood together, all wearing medals of honor. It had been a long time since they had gathered, though not as long as one might think. Despite everything, it felt like no time had passed at all. The fact that they no longer needed to fight any more operations in this world was a relief. It felt like the scope of the "don¡¯t go on any more operations"ment made to Eugene when he returned had expanded.@@novelbin@@ Still, as a trainer ¡ª after the war, the entire Dagger team would be transitioning to training Special Operations Forces. Eugene wondered if, had he stayed in this world, he would have been included in that transition. In the middle of his thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed. Tap-tap. Heavy, steady footsteps. Despite the hardship, they were unbroken. It was none other than the most unfortunate president in American history, who would also remain in the top five of the most beloved presidents for years toe. He entered without a word, but the room fell into a heavy silence. He ced a thick sheet of paper on the podium and met the gaze of everyone in the room. "A hundred years ago, our ancestors crossed the Antic to Europe, spreading the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. And 48 yearster, President Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, stood before the Brandenburg Gate and called for the tearing down of the Soviet wall. Two yearster, that wall came down. Another two years after that, the Soviet Union copsed, and advances in transportation andmunications led to the widespread use of the word ''global''." As he spoke, the stenographer was busy transcribing, and recording began. A speech that would go down in history was beginning. "Through all these years, the wars in Korea, the Middle East, Vietnam, the Gulf War, the Afghan War, and ISIL, the United States has fought countless battles. We cannot categorize all of them into one, but if you look closely, we can find amon thread ¡ª war has shifted to a more localized form. The reason is simple: total wars between advanced nations like World War II cost too much to bear." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Despite the fact that there are enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times over, the reason why a single foolish mistake hasn¡¯t brought us to the brink of extinction is because of this. The world has been bound together by economic blocs like the G7, BRICS, MINT, MIKTA, NEXT 11... And this has acted as a deterrent to wars that would burn the world." The speech continued. "And for a while, we all thought that the concept of total wars between entire nations might disappear. But that wasn¡¯t the case. A madman created the world¡¯s smallest evil ¡ª the virus, which spread across the globe, and the once-progressive economic blocs came to a sudden halt." A heavy silence followed. He spoke inly, without emotion, and that only made his words more shocking. "After seizing control of the United States under God¡¯s grace, I witnessed my country being trampled by the virus and the enemy''s boots. In San Diego, two massive craters were left behind. And now, standing here in Seattle, 25 kilometers west of the Bremerton military port, this ce became ground zero, while Annapolis was reduced to ashes." Annapolis. The heart of the U.S. Navy had been reduced to dust. This was news that shocked many. Considering the scale of Seattle''s destruction was still unknown, it felt even more shocking. But Henry continued without faltering. "But my fear is not the presence of the enemy. A farmer''s focus is on the harvest, not the stones and weeds buried in the ground. What I fear is not the invaders, but failing to restore thisnd to its former prosperity. That is why I am proud that I could remove all the stones and weeds without fear." A brief silence, followed by the continuation of the speech. "The counterattack that began in Central Park spread to Norfolk, New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and the Northeast, and across Florida to Houston... As the mes of hope spread from city to city, many remarkable people closed their eyes during their journey toward a better future." His words continued, building towards the final moment. "But today, April 10th. The living, including myself, will carry on the legacy of those who have passed." The audience¡¯s gaze met his, and they all understood. "And I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the operators who fought on the front lines. It is thanks to your dedication that America may have knelt, but never fell." Henry''s words were calm, but they stirred something in Task Force Dagger. Some were moved to tears, but Owens, the stoic leader, simply smiled faintly. As he finished his speech, Henry took the paper and continued. "Just three hours ago, I picked up a pen and signed my name on this document. Below me, the names of the Allied Command¡¯s fieldmander and generals are written. Perhaps this will be considered peace in our time. History will judge it, but one thing is certain: the left side of this document contains terms that are too harsh for the defeated nations to ept. But they will have to endure." The specifics of the treaty were still unknown, but Henry¡¯s words made it clear that it was a significant and reality-based statement. "From today onward, Russia and China may never recover. They may never again step onto the global stage. But that is not my concern. What matters is that, during the time the world suffered under the virus, these two nations revealed their ws, and as a result, six out of seven Americans are no longer here to share in this moment." The speech continued, and the reality of war was still very much alive. "The war may be over, but its remnants still remain. Even as I speak today, a refinery 5 km to the northwest is still burning. Seattle is covered in ck smoke, and craters and melted buildings have blocked the once-glorious view of the city." A deep silence. Then, the speech reached its final words. "But America will endure. And we will ovee. Just as our ancestors crossed the Antic, heading westward until they reached the Pacific coast, we will burn away the darkness and return to where we began, and from there, rise even higher. We will grasp the future we desire, without shame, just as we have always done." Henry¡¯s words were the culmination of years of hardship, and the future now seemed bright. "There were many hardships, but I will never forget this moment. As the 48th President, I vow to clear away every obstacle in my path for a better tomorrow." The speech ended. "To everyone who has fulfilled their duty, and to those who gave their lives in service, I extend my deepest gratitude. It is thanks to your dedication that we havee this far. May God bless you all. May God bless America." The thunderous apuse filled the air as everyone hugged each other, shedding tears of joy and relief. The Seattle war, and the American Restoration Operation, had finallye to an end. Chapter 356 ¡°It seems necessary to reconsider the issue of military disarmament.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening to your opinions.¡± Inside Air Force One, soaring from Seattle toward New York¡¯s JFK Airport, Henry¡¯s voice echoed in the conference room, where darkness had fallen. In an instant, several pairs of eyes turned to him. At this moment, where both Congress and the Senate had vanished, it wasn¡¯t strange to refer to him as the only remaining power in the United States, or even the entire world. The gaze demanding an answer grew stronger by the second. However, he did not immediately respond. And so, the eyes shifted from the president to one another. Some seemed to support the president, notably the military personnel. Clearly, there was a reason for the suggestion.@@novelbin@@ After some time, Henry projected a hologram into the air. ¡°Just seven hours ago, I dered that this war was over. But can we truly be certain about whates after?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Several maps and a multitude of photos appeared, seemingly taken from the sky. They were scans of key Russian and Chinese bases conducted by the SR-72 Auroraunched from a U.S. fleet stationed in Japan. Many cities and strategic locations were being fortified, and civilians, likely undergoing military training, were visible in disturbing detail. It resembled a situation reminiscent of the national infantry from several years ago. The photographs were taken a month before the Seattle Reinforcement Conference. Although it was before the signing, the images made it clear that Russia and China were preparing for a potential amphibious invasion at some point. None of the people present overlooked that fact. Having opened the discussion, Henry began addressing the main topic. ¡°By now, the first draft of the negotiations should have reached Russia and China, but there¡¯s much left to adjust. Their politicians will be flying to the U.S. soon, so we need to wrap this up quickly. If we don¡¯t want to be in a period of interwar, we must act now.¡± ¡°The best approach would be to divide China and Russia in several ways, but that¡¯s not realistic.¡± ¡°What if we station troops near the Chukchi Autonomous Okrug, close to ska, and construct an underwater tunnel through the Bering Strait? Of course, the costs can be covered by the Allied forces, so it shouldn¡¯t pose a major issue.¡± Naturally, those seated at the table were the best of the best, capable of creating better situations rather thanmenting the current ones. This was why they could speak so confidently in front of the president. Suggestions began flowing. Each one held enough power to break the backbone of Russia and China. As the proposals piled up, a direction started forming¡ªunfortunately, the U.S. simply didn¡¯t have the resources to divide the enemy like a cake. Thus, those aboard Air Force One decided to take a different approach. ¡°Let¡¯s lend more support to Japan and South Korea.¡± With the First and Third Fleets already stationed in Yokosuka, reinforcing their power and advancing troops to the somewhat ttened territory of North Korea would likely put Russia and China in a difficult position, with knives metaphorically at their sides. Thus, it was decided that U.S. forces stationed in South Korea would be provided with nuclear capabilities, and the First Fleet, stationed with the Third Fleet in Yokosuka, would be redeployed toward the Jinhae Naval Base. The conclusion was divided into two major points: ¡°Approval of U.S. military deployment and nuclear weapon cement in the Chukchi Autonomous Okrug, support for the construction of the Bering Strait underwater tunnel, and permission to establish a defense line in Northeast Asia. Any other ideas?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we include something about nuclear disarmament?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unrealistic.¡± A brief pause followed. ¡°There are ways to secretly create them. We likely have data on Russia and China¡¯s nuclearunch sites, ballistic missile vehicle locations, the number of nuclear weapons, and nuclear production facilities. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to receive that data instead?¡± That made sense. Nuclear disarmament was a vague request that had little chance of being epted. Even if epted, there was a possibility of secret facilities being used to restart production. In this light, Henry¡¯s proposal seemed to be an approach that would cause severe long-term damage to the two defeated countries. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end. The treaty, which would include reparations to the U.S. that were significant but not financially impossible, would also be in the mix. Two hours before Air Force One was set tond in New York, the treaty that wouldter be included in the history books was finalized. ¡°¡­Well, now that we¡¯ve extinguished the immediate mes, it¡¯s time to look for ways to normalize capital flows. Discussions with Canada have progressed to some extent, but it might still fall short.¡± ¡°Europe is screaming. It¡¯s estimated that reconstruction will cost an astronomical amount.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush¡ªwhat we need is the second Marshall n. Unfortunately, it¡¯s estimated that the U.S. won¡¯t have the resources to provide that much support in a hundred years, but we could mitigate it by selling some of the technology used in Icarus Gear.¡± At that moment, Henry took out a document sent by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. ¡°The proposal to sell electricity is quite tempting. What do you think about building nuclear fusion reactors in each country?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯d need to station military forces there.¡± ¡°Good, quick response.¡± The fact that the U.S. had mastered nuclear fusion was one of the best-kept secrets of this world, and leaking the technology was absolutely uneptable. Thus, in one flight, decisions were made that would affect the world for the next 30 years. Some timeter, as the ne entered New York state, data transmission began within the Air Force Onework. Henry checked his phone and spoke. ¡°Can everyone with security clearance below Level 3 please exit? I have something I must share privately.¡± As a result, more than two-thirds of the people in the conference room left. Some ministers even exited. With only the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Energy, and a few others remaining, Henry sat back in his chair. At that moment, a hologram appeared on the wall, disying the view of arge underground facility. A que reading Artemis-Westinghouse Joint Venture was prominently disyed, as someone checked if themunication was functioning properly. Henry muttered under his breath. ¡°So Artemis really thought they could team up with Russia.¡± The others chuckled softly. A new voice joined the conversation. ¡°¡­This is Caitlin Carpenter, Director of Fermb at the Department of Energy. Together with Task Force Behemoth, we¡¯vepleted the inspection of the massive particle elerator built by Artemis-Westinghouse. With appropriate repairs and energy supply, we expect it to be operational within three months.¡± ¡°Good work. But I¡¯m sure there are other matters to discuss.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Caitlin grabbed a sheet of paper and continued in a dry voice. ¡°Assuming no major renovations or performance improvements, with adequate personnel, resources, and power supply, the elerator could produce up to 10 grams of antimatter per month.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news. Feels like Truman is back in power.¡± The energy to run America was sufficient. Now, only time could solve everything. Air Force One was descending toward Kennedy Military Airport. Meanwhile, in Seattle, a drunken revelry was underway. ¡°Morrison! Long time no see!¡± ¡°Are you okay? You managed to fly all the way to Seattle, so I guess you¡¯re doing better. I thought you¡¯d never walk again.¡± ¡°I told you I was immortal, didn¡¯t I?¡± After Henry left on Air Force One, at 10:37 PM Pacific Time, the Dagger Team, returning to the forward base, was greeted by an uproar. Before they could even react, they were hoisted into the air and celebrated by the crowd. Even Morrison, Laurentina, and Logan couldn¡¯t avoid the crowd this time, thanks to some of the manifestors among the team. After being tossed around for a while, they finally managed to escape. But that wasn¡¯t all. What awaited them at the base was a party. The entire base was treated to enough food and alcohol to feed an army, sent from Texas. It was enough to be measured in tons, not kilograms. Naturally, no one from the team would let this go to waste. Within five minutes, barbecue equipment appeared, and smoke began rising from the grill near a quiet building at the base. The team¡¯s return wasn¡¯t just about the victory; it was about enjoying the fruits of their hard-won battle. "Returning as a proud member of the Dagger Team, huh? What a shame." "With half of me blown off, I should be thankful I can walk again, right?" "Hah, it¡¯s not bones anymore, but an exoskeleton inside. Give it some time, and I¡¯ll be as strong as those three." ¡°Stop talking nonsense and take the drink, will you?¡± Morrison, who had once been a member of the Dagger Team until about two years ago, had lost his lower body during an IED trap disarming mission. Despite the severe explosion, his upper body was protected by the Icarus Gear, allowing him to survive. Now, two yearster, he had returned to the base, walking, though with some slight difficulties. "Give it five years, and I¡¯ll be back in active duty." "Unfortunately, the train has already left. We¡¯re on the verge of being unemployed too." ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke.¡± "Enough talk. Let¡¯s get that gift the rookie brought." Within moments, the rookie had unloaded various items they had brought from another world. Morrison, knowing that I came from another world, was surprised to learn I could freely bring items across worlds. As the evening continued, the mood lightened with drinks and music, and the team shared a moment of peace. Though the war was notpletely over, it felt like the end had finally arrived. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the war is finally over.¡± There was no answer, but the soft, peaceful breaths of the team filled the silence. The war was over. At least for me, for us, and for those at the forward base. The rest was up to the politicians. "The moon is so bright tonight." The moon hung in the dark blue sky. It wasn¡¯t a perfect circle, but it gave a warmth, not the intense light that burned everything in its path. Spring had arrived. The war was over. Chapter 357 5 years and 4 months. After a massive 64 months of ongoing gunfire, the sound slowly began to fade. Over bases in San Diego, California, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle, enormous shields, which had not been used for months, finally lit up. The corpses buried under snow or frozen like stones throughout the winter began to decay in the spring sun, emitting a stench so overpowering that any living human would find it unbearable. The survivors who had endured years of war had long ago figured out how to seal off the smell using the shields. But this year, it was different. Countless drones were still ferrying intact bodies back to the rear, and the parks had turned into national cemeteries. Spaces were provided for those who had passed first to restfortably, and thousands of headstones, each bearing a name and a simple record of life, were nted above their graves. The city began its full-scale recovery. The remnants of the war that hadn¡¯t been cleared away were now gradually disappearing. The cars that had clogged the arteries of the city, its streets, were moved to vast open spaces. The drones, dropped by transport nes at regr intervals, began to repair the railroadwork that now wove through the U.S. like a web. From New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Marnd, Dware, and Virginia, even some of the farms that fed parts of the American agricultural sector were beginning to grow dairy and food crops again. America¡¯s first industries, which had been half-stalled and forced into motion for so long, had begun to function once more, albeit partially. Negotiators from Russia and China, who had flown across the Pacific, set foot in New York. Though numerous pre-negotiated treaties could have shackled their countries tightly, Russia and China had no choice but to ept them, having already lost millions of their forces to the U.S. The consequences of refusal were obvious. ¡°¡­We ept.¡± ¡°Good decision.¡± Russia¡¯s army and navy had literally evaporated. China¡¯s Three Gorges Dam had been obliterated by a nuclear bomb, and cities like Yichang, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai had be underwater ruins. In such a situation, should a third or fourth world war break out, these two nations could very well disappear into the pages of history. And so, while the sun of victory rose for some, a humiliating morning dawned for others, and the world quietly but surely moved forward toward the next chapter. Zzzzwoooooosh! ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe you two left us here for a week. Seems like you¡¯ve lost most of your fear, our little rookie.¡± ¡°I dide home often though¡­.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re making excuses?¡± Eugene, a criminal in the eyes of thew, sentenced to 15 years of confinement for neglecting pr bears and sharks (though it was more of a joke), had only served an hour and a half. But still, as it goes, those two had their share of yful taunts. And they seemed quitefortable despite it all. Rumor had it they¡¯d eaten meals and swam in the pool when they were bored. When they were extra bored, they went outside. Perhaps it was for this reason...
  • [BREAKING NEWS! Eugene¡¯s associates, living in a penthouse in Cheongdam-dong, have been revealed!?!?! The U.S. is shocked, Japan envious, and China desperate to know the actions of these two manifestors!]
  • [Notice: The video has been removed due to vition of content and manifestorw.]
¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I went outside and had some fun.¡± These two had spent their time in Korea, enjoying the country thoroughly while I was in the middle of a pivotal moment where history¡¯s page was turning. It was especially the case for Laurentina, who, just three dayster, was heading to a naval base in the East Sea. In any case, with my now sore cheeks and tail tucked in, I checked the remaining schedule. In two days, I would be hosting a housewarming party, and a weekter, my parents would be returning from their long-term work in the U.S. toe home. And tomorrow... well, I¡¯d think about itter. ¡°Did you finish all your work, rookie?¡± ¡°Of course. Henry crushed the bones of both countries.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The contents of the treaty floated in the air. Ballistic missiles were ced all over the ttened North Korea, the allowance for U.S. military presence in the Chukchi region, and the decision to pour funds from a nonexistent national budget into the construction of the Bering Strait underwater tunnel. Military goods and personnel would move through a tunnel constructed using Russian and Chinese money. But that wasn¡¯t all; there were also ns to gather the scattered remnants of the Allied forces in ska and Canada and send them back to their home countries. Additionally, the full disclosure of nuclear facility locations, war reparations, and other provisions were included, but they all pointed to one thing. ¡°We should send something congratting His Imperial Majesty Henry I of the Sacred United States.¡± ¡°If that were true, someone would already have a hole in their head, you fool.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Then came the continuation. ¡°Henry is slowly being considered for president here too. The August convention is nearly meaningless, and the Republican Party ispletely floundering, scattering votes everywhere.¡± ¡°I thought that would happen.¡± ¡°Hepletely crushed the other candidates in thest debate.¡± A pop-up video from just three days ago showed Henry delivering an impassioned performance at the debate. Promoting the slogan Uppermost Solid America, he naturally focused on security, and the other candidates, realizing the costs involved, fiercely criticized his approach. Yet Henry countered with irrefutable facts. ¡°If this methodology is applied, it would save approximately $420 million annually for the state of New York. Moreover, the creation of 380,000 new jobs through the development of drone industries would follow. Additionally, to solve the unemployment issue¡­¡± Having reviewed hundreds of industry reports and understood the mechanisms and technologies required, Henry was able to break down his opponents with facts alone. The real question, though, was whether those jobs would materialize. Henry had already passed a bill two months ago regarding ITpany support and employee training, albeit primarily to indirectly support think tanks. And so, the situation surrounding the U.S. presidential election was as follows. ¡°Quite busy, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With that, I leaned back on the couch. For some reason, in that moment, everything I had umted in this world shed through my mind. After returning to a world that was both simr and different, I had unknowingly started a broadcasting career, which brought me fame and led me to meet the Dagger Team. Through that, I began to unravel the secrets of the game, my past, and this world. I met a country¡¯s defense minister and a presidential candidate... It wasn¡¯t just that. I reunited with the Dagger Team and gave them the gift of a true America. It wasn¡¯t exactly a perfect give-and-take situation, but in the end, I had received gifts that were more than I could ask for. What awaits me in the future? ¡°I sense you have something to say. Is there something you¡¯re troubled about?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that¡­¡± I paused, then continued. ¡°Now, I feel like I could put a period on it and say that everyone¡¯s living happily, eating well¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Are you making strangements again?¡± Logan patted my head. ¡°Figuring out what to do next is up to you. Maybe think about what to do to impress the two disciplesing to your house in a few days.¡± ¡°Haha, I suppose so.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s enough... Ugh, I¡¯m getting sleepy. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a while, and now it¡¯s already three in the morning. I¡¯m going to bed first. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow, rookie.¡± ¡°Good night, everyone.¡± And then, one by one, the lights went out. After turning off the lights above me, Iy down and gazed out at the spacious view of the Han River. I tucked my tail inside the bed and looked up at the ceiling. The umted fatigue exploded all at once, and sleep soon overtook me, but the thoughts of what to do next remained, lingering in my mind. However, as the exhaustion took over, a vague answer began to form in my mind. It wasn¡¯t anything special or the definitive answer, but still, it was something. And then...
  • [Alert: Soundproofing activated. Optical camouge in operation.]
¡°Nice to meet you. I guess this is the first time we¡¯re meeting face-to-face?¡± ¡°¡­You two look a lot more unique than I imagined.¡± The next day, in the lobby caf¨¦ of a penthouse, I sat in a seat where few people came. As time passed, two individuals dressed in ordinary clothes casually sat across from me. The world certainly has all kinds of hair colors and body types, I realized. Before I could ask if they were manifestors, they spoke first. ¡°The official updates between the two timelines have mostly concluded as of now. The work isn¡¯tpletely finished, so post-support will continue, but there shouldn¡¯t be significant changes.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s about that thing you mentionedst time.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± They continued. ¡°We¡¯re really d we could be of help.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m the one who received the help, though. Honestly, it feels like I¡¯m still dreaming¡­¡± ¡°Everything in life is like that. And solving this situation has been very useful for us. Helping you has been more than enough, beyond what we expected.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re okay with that¡­¡± At the same time, a book was ced on the table. It still rustled slightly, but unfortunately, it had to be returned. As Logan said yesterday, I now had to think about what I was supposed to do in this world. I couldn¡¯t live up to their expectations. As the other person ced their hand on the book, it vanished as though it had never existed. Our gazes met, and they gave a small nod with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s your answer¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize.¡± Then, one of the two took a sip of their coffee and asked. ¡°So, about what you wanted to askst time... back at Two Bridges, what was it?¡± ¡°A question?¡± ¡°You mentioned leaving a question to askter, something that would give us a reason to meet again. Even if you solved your curiosity, it wouldn¡¯t mean we wouldn¡¯t get in touch.¡±@@novelbin@@ Ah. There was no real need to ask it. I had already guessed the answer through conversations with my parents. What I was nning to ask was: ¡°What exactly is the identity of the manifestors?¡± Given that the world hadn¡¯t originally been like this, with hints from the Reverse and others, I considered the possibility that when I moved to this world¡ªor came back¡ªthe world itself had altered the past to justify my existence. It didn¡¯t make sense for someone to have a snake¡¯s tail attached to their backside, so it meant the world had transformed into a ce where such beings could exist. The two across from me nodded after hearing my exnation. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Your logical reasoning is impressive. Now I¡¯m even more inclined to recruit you¡­¡± ¡°Please, hold back.¡± Weughed together, and everyone had a gut feeling. That we would soon part ways, at least for a while. With empty coffee cups in front of us, they spoke again. ¡°So, what will you do next?¡± The same question I had heard yesterday. Luckily, that small inspiration that might seem insignificant to others had not faded after sleeping. It wasn¡¯t a difficult thing to say. After a brief pause, I spoke. ¡°Well... I guess¡­¡± Then, I touched my watch with my other hand. As the tricky site loaded, I continued. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll probably decide while chatting with the viewers.¡± That was my answer. I quite liked the job of being a streamer. The expressions of the two across from me subtly shifted, then a small smile appeared on their lips, turning into a lightugh. But there was no trace of mockery. They spoke, their voices as if they¡¯d heard something amusing. ¡°We¡¯ll be cheering you on. I hope you continue to bring joy and happiness to your viewers.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, I stood up. For a moment, I wondered what I would have for lunch today¡ªthen realized. Time passes by solving these little things. Even without grand goals for the future, the world keeps moving forward. In the end, the important thing is to take the first step in the right direction and keep moving forward, just like I did when I essed the Dark Zone in the past. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day.¡± The sunlight streaming through the window was particrly bright today. It felt like it would be a good day. [ALERT: Case Alpha resolved¡­?] "Yes, it¡¯s resolved. Thank goodness... but..." Pop. Two holograms appeared in the air, disying the next casesbeled Beta and Gamma, awaiting attention. "So, which one do you think is better: the saint reincarnated in the future of the world she once fought to protect, or the magical girl who has returned from the past to the present?" "I really don¡¯t want to get involved in either of those... And, wait, do we already have work piling up again? This is insane." "We advanced the Void Timeline by over 10 trillion times to check, so after solving this one, we should have at least 300,000 years without anything to deal with." "Well, yes... That''s our job after all." Pop. The holograms vanished as quickly as they had appeared. Not all matters had been settled yet. Chapter 358 Greetings, it''s Southern Cross. Eugene¡¯s grand saga, whichsted for about a year and three months, came to an end two days ago. Looking back, it truly was a fierce and relentless journey. Bncing academics and writing novels is no easy task. Still, I¡¯m thankful that I didn¡¯t end up wasting an entire week of updates, so that¡¯s a relief. Technically, this is my first paid novel, and there were a lot of trial and error along the way. Especially in the early chapters... Thinking about it now, it makes me dizzy. But because of that, I learned a lot. As I continued writing, my own style started to take shape... It seems that when pushed to the brink, one really starts to improve. This story was conceived about a year and six months ago, around the time I had four stripes on my rank insignia. Specifically, I first came up with the concept for my previous work, and then in theter stages, I began thinking about this novel. Looking back now, it feels like a terrible mess. I should have taken the time to think it through properly... Anyway, aside from all that, I owe a lot to my junior, Kim XX. Strictly speaking, he gave me a lot of motivation for writing. I had almost given up on it, but thanks to him, I rediscovered the joy of being a writer. We hadn¡¯t been in touch for a while because we were both busy, but when I checked in to see how he was doing, I found out he¡¯s still writing. I should probably reach out to him soon... Anyway, that¡¯s how it goes. In any case, I¡¯ve received far more love than I deserve. Though the updates were irregr, I made it this far purely out of persistence. Many people read my novel throughout the process, and I¡¯m really grateful for that. Of course, as I say this, the next chapter will be starting tomorrow. Regarding the side stories, since this novel is technically about inte broadcasting, it was somewhatcking in certain aspects, so the side stories will focus on filling in the gaps that weren¡¯t addressed before. In other words, the side stories will likely be more focused on inte broadcasting. The main story was an inte broadcasting novel without any broadcasting... quite ironic, right? I¡¯m not entirely sure how many episodes there will be, but I think I mentioned I¡¯d write around 120 episodes in the final part. However, it might go beyond that. As I mentioned before, I have around 24 materials to work with, and each one might take several episodes, so I said 120 episodes in a naive estimate. It might even stretch to 200 episodes. With this pace, I¡¯m not sure when the next work will happen... In thest episode of Part 1, I briefly exined the next work, and it¡¯s likely that the sequence will be "Saint" followed by "Magical Girl." The reason is simple: I¡¯ve written more of the setting for the former. For TMI, the first setting I created was the magical girl concept back in July 2020, when I was still at the military academy. Anyway, that¡¯s the situation. There was probably more I wanted to say, but I can¡¯t really remember, so I¡¯ll stop here... Below are answers to questions that weren¡¯t really questions. Q: Will you write a yuri side story? A: Probably not. I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll try writing it in my notepad, and if it feels odd, I¡¯ll just keep it safely stored on my hard drive.@@novelbin@@ Q: Eugene vs. the protagonists of your next work? A: Thetter characters are individuals with the power to change the terrain with just their bare bodies, so unfortunately, a battle wouldn¡¯t really make sense. Q: Why have Russia and China be good guys in this world? A: This is exined in the main novel. I think it was mentioned around the 100th episode. Chapter 361 "Eugene¡¯s editor and thumbnail artists are here for the talk show¡ªnow we can finally talk about it! It starts now¡ª!" "How did this happen...?" p, p, p, p, p! In the spacious outdoor garden of the penthouse, with the Han River right in front, the area solely dedicated to Eugene¡ªa space with wooden benches, cushions, and various seating arrangements¡ªstreamers, members of Eugene''s team, known as "Eugene''s Squad," numbering thirteen, pped in front of Eugene. Eugene sat quietly in the back, looking somewhat embarrassed, while the editor and thumbnail artists stared at the drone camera with confused expressions¡ªnot that they disliked it. After all, if there were any bad blood or trouble between the editors and streamers, the interview itself would never have taken ce. Holding a microphone that was apparently brought from somewhere, a tall man adjusted the volume and began to speak softly. "...Ah, hello. It''s nice to meet you. Honestly, I didn''t think I''d ever appear on a broadcast, but... I''m Editor #1, currently managing Eugene''s channel." "Oh, nice to meet you. May I ask when you first started working with Eugene? I heard he was operating the Tricky broadcasts back when he first started." "Yes, yes. That''s right. Back then, it was a fan space channel..." With that, the story of the past began to unfold. He had been a university student back then, running a fan channel out of pure fandom, asionally promoting it in Eugene''s Trickymunity, and when the time came to hire a formal editor, he had nned to submit his application¡ªonly to be kidnapped by Byam just a few dayster. Thus, he became an official editor, paid off his student loans in just a month, and after that, he took another leave of absence and spent about a year as a full-time editor. "...This fall, I was nning to go back to school, but I told Eugene, and he suggested that I try working as a channel manager instead of focusing on editing. So, I''ve been learning a lot about thattely." "Wow, is this your lifelong job?" "Do you do anything else aside from channel management?" "Some of the newer editors have a bit of a different editing stylepared to the existing ones, so there''s a bit of teaching involved, like ''this is how it should be edited here.''"
  • Tough work, lololololol
  • Summary: Establishing discipline.
  • Look at how they''re interpreting things, lolololololololololol
  • Really taking care of them, lolol
  • Nice, I should learn video editing too, lolol
While not drastically different from others, it still had its unique aspects. However, the clear fact was... Eugene had a lot of money, and in exchange for ensuring the high quality of his videos, he paid those working under him handsomely. Business was money, andints usually came from insufficientpensation¡ªsomething Eugene shyly exined. Of course, once the cat was out of the bag, it wasn¡¯t easily put back, and the specifics came to light through Limit''s question. "By the way, I heard you had quite a bit of student loan debt, but you paid it off in just a month... Did Eugene pay for it all?" "Oh, not exactly..." A brief silence. Then, he smiled and said. "He bought my entire fan space channel." "...What?" "I worked on it out of fandom, so I can proudly say the 15-minute videos I made were of high quality, about twelve of them. The views were pretty significant." So, Eugene bought it. The views of the videos, the time and effort spent making them, the fan space channel, and the editor were all factored in. Once the discussion was finished, 15 million won was deposited into the editor''s ount, solving his financial troubles, and he even bought a gift for his parents. Thus, the saga of the first editor¡¯s somewhat uneventful career ended. As for the second, third, and fourth editors... the stories weren¡¯t much different, but some unknown facts starteding to light. The streamers were the first to notice. "...Eugene?" "Yes?" "Your sry... it¡¯s really impressive. Is it because the channel is so huge...?" When the fact that their monthly sries exceeded 5,000 dors was revealed, everyone¡¯s eyes widened. Eugene just scratched his head and responded. "Well, I tend to give out a lot of work, so in most cases, it¡¯s hard to keep up with everything. Honestly, I¡¯m thinking of hiring a couple more editors. We¡¯ve just started editing the San Diego episode for the ¡®YourSpace Incursion¡¯ scenario... So, yeah, that¡¯s what the sry is for." "Ah." "Come to think of it, usually, there¡¯s a video uploaded every day on each of the separate channels..." "Everyone must be working hard." At that moment, someone else spoke up. "Do you give out rewards like a whip to improve productivity... huh? Just kidding, sorry!" "Do you have some disease that makes it hard to keep those thoughts to yourself?"
  • Lololololololololololololol
  • DICEHECK, he has no fear, lolololololol
  • Whip <<<< Honestly, I''m tempted...
  • Look, I want to wrap it around my neck!!!
In the meantime, DICE was receiving a special Eugene massage and stretching, sprawled out on the floor. Meanwhile, Harmony was nestled in Laurentina¡¯s arms, fiddling with her cheek, and their eyes met¡ªShark, with a cold expression, only added that as long as no strange sounds were made, she would let it slide. Thus, the editor stories came to an end. Returning to his original spot, Eugene, as always, covered his face with both hands, his ears turning bright red amidst the flurry ofpliments.
  • Hehe... hehehe...
  • His ears turning red is so cute, lolololololololol
  • I¡¯m so jealous! Jealous! Jealous! Jealous! Jealous! Jealous! Jealous! Jealous!
  • It wasn¡¯t a roast session, it was apliment box, lolololololol
  • Byam''s embarrassment... that''s rare.
"Next, let''s hear from the thumbnail artists. Is there anything you want to ask Eugene or thank him for?" "Uh..." A brief silence. Then, she poured out an unexpectedment. "...I¡¯ve never been in the military, but now, I think I could draw the structure and shape of a gun, the essories... I could probably do it with my eyes closed." "Ah." "But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s easy, though... Honestly, I almost feel like I¡¯m going to die when I draw the rails. I love guns, but I think it¡¯d be nice if you could do a bit of regr fantasy too..." A multitude of thumbnails floated in the air. Intricately drawn guns, and Eugene, shooting excitedly withplex weaponry¡ªnot just him, but also Logan, Laurentina, DICE, and Harmony. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just guns. There were also images with various gear, te carriers, helmets, and more. Harmony snapped her fingers. "Come to think of it, our thumbnail artist said the work has gotten a lot toughertely... Looks like it¡¯s because of the guns and gear." "Editors are great, but please hire one or two more thumbnail artists who can draw gear well, teacher... We¡¯re gonna die from overwork at this rate... How can you fit three characters in one drawing with that muchplexity...?" Ah. It was a blind spot I never even thought about. So, Eugene immediately posted an announcement that he would hire a few more thumbnail artists who could draw military gear, and the talk show turned into a portfolio inspection session for more than twenty people. It truly was a chaotic ending. "Oh, right. By the way, I recently updated the Dark Zone. Did you guys see it?" "Ah, right. Speaking of which, I did get contacted by Icarus about a month ago. They asked if I¡¯d be interested in appearing as an APC or NPC in their game, and I gave them the green light¡­" As he spoke, his eyes subtly shifted. It felt like an unpleasant bit of news wasing, and sure enough, Harmony turned her head with a mechanical-like movement, her gaze meeting his. At the same time, memories started to flood back. A month ago, things had been extremely busy. Specifically, he had been focused on weing Logan and Laurentina while fully immersing himself in the Seattle battle. The countless emails that came in during that time¡ªamong them, one from Icarus International... Ah. "I¡¯m pretty sure I heard I¡¯d be appearing as some sort of final boss in an Escape scenario." "That was updated a few days ago." "Wow." He couldn''t help butugh. Regardless of the details, the fact that it had been updated just a few days ago meant that others must have had a chance to experience it by now. Harmony, who seemed to know a little about it, gave off a tone that suggested she had some insider knowledge. Deciding to distinguish between those who knew and those who didn¡¯t, Eugene decided to ask further. The result was almost everyone knew about it. Only a couple of the thumbnail artists, Laurentina, Logan, and he himself were unaware. It was an absolutely shocking result. With the help of the viewers, Eugene quickly found a post detailing the new patch, and it went something like this: [Dark Zone: Extraction]
  • "The fighting in the Unknown Area has been intensifying, with intel about new weapons being passed through UA (Unknown Area) and falling into the hands of the former Artemis mercenaries."
  • "Gather all the items you can, then head into the researchb to wipe out all enemies and either recover or destroy the new weapon. This applies to all of UA, and you may encounter other PMC members, so be prepared to cooperate or fight."
  • "Given the difficulty of the mission, you can hire up to three teams for deployment and recovery. All weapons and armor carried into the mission can be recovered up to three times."
  • "We wish you the best of luck."
"¡­Where exactly am I supposed to appear in this?" "Uh..." Harmony scrolled down with a skeptical expression. Instead of text, what caught their eyes was a photo that looked like a CCTV shot. But no one there was unfamiliar with the identity of the figure in the photo¡ªbright red mechanical eyes, long flowing hair, pistons and mechanical joints instead of skin, and a long... mechanical snake tail.@@novelbin@@ It was Mecha-Eugene. Shocked, Eugene almostughed before scrolling down further, uncovering the identity of the new weapon¡ªafter gatheringbat data, it had been modeled after the most formidable enemy operator, resulting in a self-guided machine. Naturally, he wasn¡¯t offended or anything. His image hadn¡¯t been destroyed, in fact, it had been designed to enhance his image, making him appear extremely imposing. If anything, all he had to say was: "¡­The imagination of the Icarus team is truly something else." "Hehe, Mecha-Snake... too bad there¡¯s no mechanical shark."
  • What¡¯s he saying now? Lolololololol
  • Wait, was Laurentina a shark-type?
  • He¡¯s low-key into this stuff, lolololol
  • He¡¯s got a solid image, lolololololololololololol
  • Mecha-Snake followed by Mecha-Shark? I¡¯d buy that.
As Laurentina babbled on unexpectedly, Eugene scrolled down a little further. The phrase that caught his eye was: ¡°Only avable in Escape From Unknown mode.¡± This too, when traced back in his memory, seemed familiar. He vaguely remembered seeing it months ago when he didn¡¯t even know if there was an "Apex Predator" mode. Back then, he and Harmony were going through the PVP modes one by one, and this had been one of the listed modes¡ª4v4 team y, Survival in the Snowstorm in New York, Apex Predator, Team Six, and the 128v128 mode of Great Wars. And below that, Escape From Unknown mode. "Hmm." To put it another way, this meant it was time to start paying attention to the Dark Zone mode again, a mode he had previously overlooked. Having conquered the Apex Predator mode, tied up his past, present, and future in the Incursion scenario, it seemed only logical to take his third step into this new Unknown Zone mode. Of course, Harmony had already figured out Eugene¡¯s thoughts. "So, exactly how does this mode work?" "It¡¯s a mode that maximizes the root shooting element. Kind of like an MMOFPS..." The basic narrative of the mode began to unfold. Unlike the main Dark Zone storyline, where you y as an operator, the Unknown Zone involved being a subcontracted agent sent overseas. Of course, unlike the Icarus Gear, they were given downgraded, mass-produced versions of it. In this mode, the character was sent into an ouw zone marked as a "No-Control Zone." They would explore, get stripped of their gear, wake up at a safe location, uncover the secrets of the zone, earn money, gear up, and try to escape. If that was the narrative, the system allowed yers to collect gun parts to customize weapons, buy their own ammunition, and travel through maps engaging inbat to farm high-value items and sell them to vendors. Clearly, the MMO part of the mode was not to be overlooked. "Sounds fun, right?" "Yeah, sounds fun. Not sure how much the physical abilities are restricted in there though..." "They say once you get your Icarus Gear back, you can unlock the system to increase weight limits, stamina, recoil control, and more..." A brief silence followed. Harmony hesitated before speaking again. "...But you¡¯re hardcore, right? I haven¡¯t heard that the hardcore system doesn¡¯t work in the Unknown Zone mode." "Ah."
  • Kato Dome, wow!!!
  • Kato is gonna be crushed with the new game, lololol
  • Whether they¡¯re bandits or users, they¡¯re all about to get wrecked, lolololololololol
  • Teacher, I¡¯ll give you my Redex in my pants, please, just let me live if we meet!
  • Tactical Tomahawk (with the function to rip off pants and loot items)
Why... is everyone already so scared of me...? After a brief silence, an editor who had beenughing awkwardly spoke up, bringing the atmosphere back to work. "Alright, guys. Let¡¯s get back to work." And so, Eugene Farm. It was the moment when a new nickname was added to my list. Chapter 362 "Wow, the view here is amazing." "This is why people need to make money." "...Do you really have toe to that conclusion?" The Han River, and the sunset visible beyond the horizon. As day transitioned into night, the lights of countless buildings flickered on, and the streetlights lining the roads lit up all at once. Tens of thousands of cars flowed through the streets like red blood cells through veins. An artificialndscape that couldn¡¯t be experienced in nature. And Eugene''s home was positioned perfectly to observe how the city came to life throughout the day and slowly faded away again. "Wow, I can see both Ttukseom and Jamsil Han River Park right from here." "You can even see them folding up the tents. The location selection is legendary..." "Wouldn¡¯t it be fun to hang out and camp like that? Eugene, do you like things like that?" "I absolutely hate it." "...Eh?"
  • Lololololololololololololol
  • (Firm response)
  • If Byam, who usually goes along with everything, reacts this firmly, Eugene really must hate it, lololololololololololol
  • Come to think of it, Eugene was in the military, lol
  • Harsh winter... Type A tent... Portable hand warmer... Freeze-dried food... Ugh, my head...
Everyone was left speechless, but Eugene¡¯s expression was unwavering. As soon as his eyes nced over, the sight of Logan, Laurentina, and all the men who had served in the military confirmed that they were all nodding in agreement with Eugene¡¯s words. Though Hotteok admitted that he didn¡¯t mind too much, when asked about likes and dislikes, he also automatically chose the "dislike" option. The men continued: "If you camp and sleep outside at the end of January, you¡¯ll never want to see it again." "Ugh..." "That¡¯s right, staycation is the best. A pension or hotel is better than tents." Although the conversation had veered off in a strange direction, the embers of the discussion still weren¡¯t entirely extinguished. Then, the conversation was reignited by three male professional gamers who had just returned from New York. "Speaking of which, Mikael, Gambit, and Ink... I remember you guys did really well in the recent tournament. The uing Final Championship is basically the esports equivalent of the Olympics, isn¡¯t it? So¡­" "We¡¯ve all already served and returned before winning, so there¡¯s not much of a connection." "Ah."
  • Lololololololol
  • They¡¯ve already been in the military, lol
  • Fact: these days, pro gamers are often more specialized in war games and spend more time in military VR than actually on the battlefield.
  • Now that I think about it, lol
  • Living point: they still do all the training, though.
"But still¡­ things have gotten much betterpared to the past. The service period has been shortened to just one year, and most things are now run by unmanned surveince systems. Nowadays, mostrge-scale training is done via VR¡­ though the winter training and gueri warfare still happen in the old-fashioned way." "That¡¯s quite an improvement." "Well, yeah." And with that, the exnation continued. Originally, the conscription system had been a fundamental part of South Korea¡¯s defense, but with the copse of North Korea in the early 2030s, the South Korean military underwent a massive transformation. The pressure from external forces had resulted in a drastic slimming down of the military, even cutting off some branches entirely. During this period, the introduction of VR as a new technology created a sort of pandemonium, and conscription rates gradually dropped¡ªthough it didn¡¯t disappear entirely. Most people still ended up going to basic training or boot camps. This was the result. Anyway, the topic, which had gone off on a strange tangent, returned to its original point. "I had a bit of a fantasy about camping or mping, but it¡¯s a shame..." "mping, maybe, but camping... These days, you can charge electronics and shower, so it¡¯s not that bad, but still, choosing to suffer outside seems... not my thing." "...But you chose the hard way for this?" "Well, there was a reason for that."
  • I don¡¯t like suffering outside (former U.S. special forces member).
  • What is he saying? Lolololololololololololololololol
  • Even if it¡¯s not my style, the effort he¡¯s putting in stands out, lol
  • So, are you going to show us how you turn into a burrito at home?
  • Anaconda housewarming partyyyyyyyyy~
The viewers were preupied with these strangements. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t VR, and so Eugene decided to ignore thements rather than call someone out. But this didn¡¯t mark the end of the discussion. She chuckled softly before adding: "...Even though you won¡¯t be able to have the exact camping or mping experience, I can still offer something simr. We won¡¯t be eating dinner in a banquet hall like lunch, but we¡¯ll have a barbecue party on the private balcony at home." "Eh... Eh?" "While it may not be the same as roasting over an open fire, I can guarantee it will taste even better."
  • What??????
  • What kind of buildup is this? Lolol
  • The drift on this is so sharp, it¡¯s ane vition, teacher, lolol
  • Harmony¡¯s face just lit up, lolol
  • Wait, the view from the balcony is better than a mping site, teacher??????
If you¡¯re sad that you can¡¯t create memories from outdoor activities, the solution is simple¡ªprovide an even greater enjoyment. Though the logic was a bit shaky, the effect was clear. The smell of delicious meat began to waft through the air as the sun dipped lower. "How much would this have cost if we were eating at a hotel?" "Well, if about four people got together, each person would have had to pitch in around 700,000 won." Schiiik! The sound that tickled the ears and the aroma that filled the terrace. Since this wasn¡¯t a personal terrace but an external one connected to the banquet hall, its size was ideal for amodating dozens of tables and chairs and hosting many people. ss and reinforced stic were stacked up to great heights to ensure both the safety of the residents and the view, and the ceiling had a fine electrical current flowing to prevent insects from entering. Below and beside, the night view of Seoul spread out. At over 80 meters above ground, the sight was truly unique. And in the center of it all, the host of the evening¡ªEugene¡ªwas there. "How¡¯s the taste?" "It¡¯s really... so good, teacher..." "That¡¯s good to hear. I thought I hadn¡¯t really taken care of the neers, so I decided to invite everyone to this big party. I hope we can get to know each other better here... I¡¯m rambling on, but I hope you enjoy the time and have fun before you leave." "Of course, we will. I¡¯ll brag about it to everyone."
  • Byam¡¯s grandma¡¯s grandson expansion, lololololol
  • Grandma, I¡¯m full!!!
  • Oh no, our grandchild is nothing but bones!!!
  • Really taking care of them, lololololololololol
  • If Eugene had a grandchild, every meal would be torture.
Is this a dream or reality? Since this morning, the scenes that were unfolding around them were beyond belief¡ªat the first get-together, they had been on the rooftop mping site in Hongdae, and the memories of the participants were still fresh in their minds. But this second get-together felt like apletely different world. No one knew what kind of magic Eugene had worked, but it was clear that they were experiencing something they could never pay for with money. However, despite all this, there was one element that kept Eugene¡¯s team members tethered to reality. The amount of food. "Wow." "One of them is just in charge of doing the dishes now..." The endless mes rising as thick as a 5cm Tomahawk steak sizzled on the grill. And this was just one of over 50 steaks stacked in coolers. Eugene wasn¡¯t just hosting this party¡ªhe was nning to feed everyone until their stomachs burst. Naturally, the dietary needs of the special abilities users were also taken into ount. Among the guests, four were users of special abilities, and factoring in the other twenty or so, the amount of food consumed for one meal was already over 50 servings. And of course, this level of abundance naturally sparked greater appetites even in the onlookers. "...Hey. Why are you eating so much?" "Because it¡¯s delicious. Look at the quality of the ingredients. It¡¯s insane!" "Now I want to eat even more because of you, this is driving me crazy." And so, the meal time stretched longer than usual. Of course, Eugene wasn¡¯t nning to end it there. After most people had finished their meal, a brutal dessert assault followed. "Wow, this sorbet is crazy good." "If it had been ice cream, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat more, but the timing is perfect..." "Wow, I can¡¯t fit any more dessert. I¡¯ve eaten too much." "Do you need anything else?" "Ugh, help me! I can¡¯t do this anymore!"
  • Byam¡¯s grandma¡¯s grandson expansion, lololololol
  • Grandma, I¡¯m full!!!
  • Oh no, our grandchild is nothing but bones!!!
  • Really taking care of them, lololololololololol
  • If Eugene had a grandchild, every meal would be torture.
That was exactly what happened. As the chefs who had worked all day on the buffet began to pack up and leave, aside from a few of the ability users, dozens of people sat quietly with their bloated stomachs, constantly patting their full bellies, with some even struggling to breathe. Of course, none of the ability users disliked physical activity. The ones with stuffed bellies were half-forced to go on a walking digestion tour around the terrace. "If anyone¡¯s stomach is really too full, just speak up, and you can take some of the digestive medicine in the fridge. I¡¯ve got about 50 bottles stocked, so you¡¯ll be fine." "Honestly, if I drink even one more drop of water, I think I¡¯ll burst, teacher..." "How did you eat so much?" "But it was too delicious..." It was truly an absurd response, but it was the truth. Holding their bloated stomachs, they took slow steps. At first, every movement felt like a struggle, but as time passed, their steps became more rxed. After about 10 minutes, Eugene casually mentioned the n for the next day. "Tomorrow, we¡¯re going to the pool in the morning. Fortunately, no one drank too much tonight, so the chances of any mishaps tomorrow are slim... and of course, I won¡¯t be streaming. I¡¯m fine with it, but I know others probably wouldn¡¯t be." "Please don¡¯t tell me the pool¡¯s going to be some kind of Navy SEAL underwater training, right?" "Haha. What do you think?"
  • ???????????
  • Pr bear + anaconda + shark underwater training? Can humans even survive that?????
  • This wasn¡¯t a housewarming, it was an extreme training camp, lolololololololololololol
  • You said housewarming! Housewarming! Housewarming! Housewarming! Housewarming!
Before anyone could make a move, Harmony had already been caught by Laurentina, and DICE, who had stepped backward, found his tail wrapped around his waist, pulling him automatically toward the group. Naturally, it was going to be a regr swimming session. If things kept going this way, the housewarming party might end up feeding everyone to the point of bursting like farm animals, so some minimal exercise had to be included. Hotteok hesitated for a moment before grabbing Limit¡¯s arm and hoisting him into the air, and so, Hotteok and Limit earned the honor of participating in the swimming lesson tomorrow. "Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make you do anything weird. We¡¯re just going to ssh around in the water ande back, soe with a rxed mind." "Really?" "Of course." Had I been deceived this whole time? With that thought in mind, after a while, everyone, having digested enough, returned to Eugene''s house via the terrace. By now, it was nearly 8 PM, and as soon as they entered the house, they began to wash up individually, and those who had free time began rummaging through the closet. Naturally, these were housewarming gifts. "Congrattions on the new house, Eugene!" "Wow, what¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s a high-end speaker. I know you like practical things, but your house was a bit too bare, so I bought something expensive. Let¡¯s listen to some music on itter." "Oh, thank you." Harmony was the first to pull out arge speaker from her carry-on.@@novelbin@@ Since it was too big to ce on the storage cab, Eugene carefully set it down on the floor before starting the gift rush. "It¡¯s a humidifier. It¡¯s pretty expensive... I thought you might need it for humidity control." "Haha, I¡¯ll have to keep it on all the time. Thank you." "It¡¯s a rug for the living room. But I didn¡¯t expect the living room to be this big..." "I think it¡¯ll look good in the bedroom. Thank you." "I brought a bottle of wine. Let¡¯s drink it tomorrow. It¡¯s pretty expensive." "Oh my, thank you, but you¡¯ve just returned from the U.S. and now this... I don¡¯t know what to say..." The gifts kepting. Food waste disposal units, coffee pots, clothes, kitchenware, and high-end items were all pouring in¡ªjust as Eugene was overwhelmed with gifts andpliments, something fell from DICE¡¯s arms, where he was holding luxury choctes and essories. Naturally, Eugene couldn¡¯t miss it. A greenish cloth. It looked like something too poorly made to be called clothes, with an open back. "This... could it be...?" "..."
  • No way, lololololololol
  • DICE is really bold, lololololololololololololol
  • Snake pajamas! Snake pajamas! Snake pajamas! Snake pajamas! Snake pajamas!
  • Well done, DICE!!!
  • He actually brought it, lolololololololololololol
The snake pajamas. DICE had carefully kept thest outfit he wore in New York, and now, he was finally passing it on to Eugene as a gift. Blushing like a tomato, Eugene turned away as DICE chuckled to himself. The world truly was a strange ce. Chapter 363 [General] Today¡¯s collection of Eugene in Snake Pajamas.jpg
  • Photo of Eugene covering his face with both hands, embarrassed while wearing clothes.
  • Photo of Eugene with a tail flicking.
  • Photo of Eugene with his ears bright red.
... We are living in the era of Snake Pajamas Eugene!!!!!!! [All Comments] [By Date]
  • Eugene Gallery is permanently archived, lololololololololololololololololololol
  • This should be pinned as an announcement.
  • What the hell, why is he so cute with that?
  • The tail flicking is hrious, lololololololololol
  • Haha, seriously, his character is amazing, lolololol
  • I''ve been seriously thinking about thistely... It¡¯s just that my house feels empty, what do you guys think about raising a snake?
    • Stop talking nonsense and just enjoy the video.
    • Sigh...
    • Lololololololololololololololol
    • Raising one is easy, but you won¡¯t be able tomunicate with it, idiot.
    • But Eugene does it!
    • That¡¯s because she¡¯s a... yandere Byam!
  • Because of this guy, YourSpace¡¯s algorithm has been overtaken by a giant anaconda, lolololololololololololololololol
    • True, lolol
    • This is like a reptile documentary, it¡¯s insane.
    • Are you also...???
  • Why does he look cute even when he¡¯s all bundled up?
    • Padded jacket, haha.
    • I saw him wearing a padded jacket and ended up buying one for the whole family, haha.
    • Suddenly did some filial piety, lololololololololololololol
    • Please do a padded jacket ad this winter!
  • Even though he¡¯s wearing it because Dice gave it to him, it¡¯s so funny that he¡¯s wearing it so proudly, lol.
    • He¡¯s a nice guy, lolol
  • His visuals make him look like a kindergarten teacher, but the background is...
    • "Penthouse"
    • The 20 billion won woman, Eugene, wow...
    • Where did 20 billion evene from, it¡¯s such an arbitrary number, lololololololololololol
¡°Hehe, hehehehe...¡± ¡°Laurentina, your mouth is about to tear open...¡± ¡°She does this every time she meets water.¡± 9:00 AM, Penthouse underground pool. A massive pool that could easily amodate hundreds of people weed us. There was even a 7-meter deep section at the far end¡ªof course, we were warned not to go near that area, or we¡¯d be used as practice for the ck Dragon¡¯s wheel demonstration, which made everyone promise never to go there. Anyway, it had been a while since we were at a pool. Laurentina was already in, like a fish in water, swimming excitedly. Logan and I felt like we had be swimming instructors with about twenty people in front of us. "Alright, everyone, let¡¯s stretch thoroughly. If anyone gets a cramp, we¡¯ll be giving you the full Navy SEALbat diving course, so if you want to skip warm-ups, you¡¯re free to dive right in." "Ugh..." "Eh, we¡¯re not trying to kill you with warm-ups, just a little stretch-ugh!" Everyone wasining over just a little stretching. Their legs didn¡¯t even stretch straightpleteck of flexibility. But since pushing too hard could cause muscle tears, Logan, Laurentina, and I were being careful, pushing the limits of flexibility just a little. As always, Laurentina was targeting Harmony. Of course, she kept business and personalpletely separate and only provided necessary physical contact¡ªnothing else, or maybe just a little cheek pinching. Suddenly, someone screamed in the middle of the pool, but it faded after a few minutes. "Alright, you¡¯re free to swim however you like. But like I said, don¡¯t go to the deep end... Anyway, if you want to watch us swim, feel free." "Of course we¡¯re going to watch, who wouldn¡¯t want to see this, hehe." "How about the youngest? Want to reviewbat diving?" "Ugh." That sounded terrifying. When Laurentina gets in the water, her gills¡ªusually closed¡ªopen up and she could even nap underwater. In fact, during Navy SEALbat diving training, Laurentina had... just yed around. She had received equipment training, of course, because she needed to help the team in emergencies. While other trainees struggled with water drills, Laurentina? Well, there wasn¡¯t much for her to do¡ªshe could breathe underwater. Of course, I wasn¡¯t any different. "Should we start with a 10 km swim?" "That sounds boring, not really..." "True, haha." As expected. Swimming for 40 minutes straight? That would be boring. Plus, when I finished in 40 minutes, Laurentina would already be done 20 minutes ahead and waiting outside with a c. Laurentina was really excited to be in the water after a long time, swimming energetically. She swam back and forth across a 100-meterne several times, then grabbed my ankle and headed toward the 7-meter deep zone. After about 15 minutes of underwaterbat drills, Laurentina and I were interrupted by Logan, who swam up, grabbed our clothes, and pulled us to the surface. There, a crowd of twenty people were watching us. "They¡¯ve been fine underwater for so long, don¡¯t worry about it, just have fun." "Yeah, whatever." "...Why is everyone watching us here?" "Don¡¯t you know? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s missing out." Naturally, there was a difference in perception. Those who had been ying for a while noticed that we weren¡¯t around, so they came looking, and found us practicing underwaterbat in the 7-meter deep area. While they were staring in awe, Laurentina waved her hand and called out to Mina. "Newbie, want to try the shark attraction?" "Uh... yeah!" After that, Harmony, riding Laurentina like a shark, zoomed through the pool at insane speed. Everyone wasughing, not sure whether this was part of the content or not. After a moment, DICE and I shared a look, and within 30 seconds, she was yanked into the water by my tail. Meanwhile, Logan looked at the scene with a nk expression and muttered: "I shouldn¡¯t have let the youngest get near that idiot." I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. Of course, Laurentina heard it, stopped by Logan for a moment, and with a swift use of her immense strength, sshed water all over his face before running off. The pr bear chased after Laurentina through the water at terrifying speed. Naturally, Harmony, who was on Laurentina¡¯s back, felt like she was actually being chased by Logan. And so, the swimming sessionsted until about 11:30 PM. What began as a typical housewarming event turned into an absurd spectacle, with Eugene¡¯s n to get everyone moving after the previous night¡¯s feast utterly failing. "Well, as long as it¡¯s fun, right?" "Exactly." The second day of the housewarming was going on. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sleepy...¡± "Never thought I¡¯d end up taking a nap." 4:30 PM, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, and the people who had been napping began to wake up one by one. The reason was simple. Everyone had exerted so much energy in the morning''s swim that after lunch, everyone startedining about being tired. Thebination of fooda and cardio was so intense that even the three ability users, including me, couldn¡¯t escape it. After eating, about two hours passed, and by around 2:30 PM, everyone started casually lounging around. Without needing any exnation, two people sneaked off to the master bedroom, and I, on a slightly toorge bed, ended up napping there. And so, we return to the beginning. ¡°Ugh.¡± "Hold on, I¡¯ll brush your hair." "I just want to sleep more..." The people who had woken up were sluggishly sitting on the living room sofa. After taking just one nap, the afternoon had been erased. Logan and Laurentina, who had woken up, came walking with more energy than before. Especially Laurentina... Why is her body so smooth and shiny? ¡°...Did you put something on your face?¡±@@novelbin@@ "I was taking a bath and fell asleep, and this happened." "That¡¯s a response I never expected." Considering how my skin was in a simr statest summer with high humidity... maybe it made sense. Anyway, after wasting some time, everyone was graduallying back to their senses. For those who weren¡¯t fully awake, I had to shake my tail for a while, so there was no reason they couldn¡¯t wake up now. Of course, once they heard what I was going to say next, they would wake up immediately. "Dinner¡¯s at 7 tonight, so let¡¯s go for a light... gym session before then." "...What?" "The housewarming party is nice and all, but we can¡¯t leave here gaining weight, can we?" Most people blinked in confusion. The person who pped their hands and shone their eyes brightly was... Hotteok. "Of course. I¡¯ve been waiting for this! Shall we go now?" "You know what¡¯s up." And thus, the gym session began, led by Hotteok. Hotteok, otherwise known as the operator of the YourSpace health channel, had clearly been itching for some physical activity. Without wasting time, he ran over to the closet, quickly grabbing shoes, a water bottle, a waist support belt, knee sleeves, wrist supports, straps, and a whole bunch of other gear stuffed into his duffel bag. Kimstone, Harmony, and Limit exchanged confused nces, wondering what had gotten into him, but it didn¡¯t matter. Hotteok¡¯s expression was the happiest it had been all day. We all headed to the elevator, and despite some initial hesitation, most of the group followed. The gym, located on the lower floor of the penthouse, was quickly essed. Of course, clothes had already been provided for the session, and for those who hadn¡¯t brought their own shoes, they had been sold in the lobby. But these weren¡¯t just any regr shoes¡ªtrained staff would analyze your body and rmend the perfect pair for you, even making custom insoles if necessary. Everything had been prearranged, and the payment was already taken care of. Those who hadn¡¯t brought their own shoes were given a pair, and the responses were positive: "Wow, these shoes are sofortable." "Do I have to return them when we leave?" "You can just think of them as a gift since you¡¯re here for the housewarming. Also, if anyone doesn¡¯t want their bodyposition shown, raise your hand now." At that, a few people raised their hands¡ªmostly thumbnail artists and one or two of the editors. It was clear they didn¡¯t mind getting their bodies analyzed, but they just didn¡¯t want it broadcasted. So, we entered the fitness club. The ones who were already somewhat used to strength training hopped on some fancy treadmills and began to warm up. "¡­Ah, hello. It¡¯s Hotteok, everyone. I didn¡¯t give a heads-up earlier, but the reason I turned on the stream so suddenly is that... tada! We¡¯ve arrived at the top-tier fitness club on the floor below Eugene¡¯s penthouse." It looked like some had already started streaming individually. So, the streams were integrated, and soon, Limit, Harmony, Kimstone, and I were all streaming together. As soon as the viewers entered, they saw several people eagerly waiting in front of the bodyposition machines, taking their turns.
  • What is this???? What even is this?????
  • So, it¡¯s not just a housewarming, it¡¯s a gym party, Eugene truly never stops, lolololololololol
  • We ate so much delicious food yesterday, now it¡¯s time to burn it off, lololololololol
  • Please, act within the realm of predictability, lololololololololololololol
  • I never imagined there would be a gym involved.
"Hello, everyone. It¡¯s Eugene, celebrating the second day of the housewarming." "Everyone! Eugene promised to make sure everyone gets some muscle soreness today! Please save us¡ªugh...!" "When did I ever say that?" Eugene quickly retorted, swiftly pinching Harmony¡¯s cheek as she was about to run her mouth. With a grin, Eugene grabbed Harmony by the armpits, lifting her like a long cat, before setting her down on the bodyposition machine. With a sound of whoosh, the printout of the results came out. Naturally, the printout was immediately blurred out... "Mina." "Well, I¡¯ve been getting so many tasty snackstely, hehe..." "I¡¯m going to call Laurentina." "Ugh, noooo!"
  • Laurentina is scarier than a curse, lolololololololol
  • Ah, looks like someone¡¯s about to get annihted, lololololololololol
  • Such terror, lololololololololololololol
  • I¡¯ll be crawling home tomorrow, lololololololololololololol
There was simply too much body fat to be forgiven. And so, Eugene¡¯s fitness club, Eugene School style, officially opened. Chapter 364 "Uh..." "Wow..." "This is the first time I''ve seen something like this in my life." nk! The heavy sound of metal filled the fitness club. The noise was so loud that no one could ignore the source. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward the origin of the sound, and they were shocked by the scene before them. Eight 25kg weights, one on each side, were ced on an stic bar. The kind of weight you''d usually see in a powerliftingpetition moved up and down. However, the bar was not resting on the trapezius muscles or the floor. It was attached to a bench press machine with a catcher bar. To prevent any potential idents, someone was stationed on each side, making sure the weights were safely secured. After a few moments, the bar floated in the air just by upper body strength alone, then carefully descended. A sound, like someone stubbing their little toe against a doorframe, echoed through the room. As the bar rose back up into the air and was ced on the upper catcher bar, apuse erupted throughout the gym. "Wow!" "That''s not human, that''s not human. Hey, get up! Great job!" "Wooahhhh, a 400kg bench press!" However, here¡¯s the twist. The person who lifted the 400kg wasn''t Eugene, Logan, or Lorentina. It was Hotteok. With a red face and a bulky body, Hotteok leaped up, knelt in front of the drone camera, and then copsed to the floor in tears of joy. No one present could refrain from pping.
  • Hotteok! Hotteok! Hotteok! Hotteok!
  • Is Hotteok a god?
  • How can a human lift that much weight?
  • This person is terrifying.
  • If Hotteok had been born earlier, he¡¯d be a conqueror, but too bad he haspetitors.
His long hair, alternating between ck and white streaks, swayed as he moved. His face was flushed, his eyes bloodshot, and his arms and neck were so hot, it seemed like they would steam. Yet Hotteok didn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s opinion. He had sessfully lifted a weight that bent the bar, reaching an incredible 1RM, and he didn¡¯t think much of it. However, his joy didn¡¯tst long. ¡°I¡¯ll go first. If you¡¯re bench pressing, bring a bench with a hole in the back for your butt.¡± "I¡¯ll spot you, so just do your best." Huff! A soft sound was heard as someone with cream-colored hair leaned back onto the bench Hotteok had used. It was Logan. As she sat down, she adjusted her hands, and with a bit of strength, the 400kg bar lifted easily into the air, many times lighter than before. Lorentina and Eugene didn¡¯t even notice. Eugene was busy turning the tail-resting bench into something he could use for his tail, dragging it toward the bench press machine while Lorentina was casually counting numbers as if it was nothing special. After doing fifteen reps, Logan quietly ced the bar back on the catcher bar and stood up. "Three sets?" "We''ll rotate." "Alright, from here on, it¡¯s beyond human ability, so don¡¯t be too concerned and just watch."
  • 400kg bench press 15 times? What? Logan?
  • Hotteok¡¯s face looks like he lost his country.
  • EM-level yers are just cheat codes.
  • Warning: Watch with your eyes only.
The scene was dynamic, to say the least. Hotteoky down and gave a foolish smile while the three of them rotated their turns. Usually, a few people would be standing by to prevent idents during such lifts, but no one there was even considering it. The weight was beyondprehension. But of course, it didn¡¯t end there. One by one, the weights were added. The number of tes on each side went from 8 to 12. What was truly frightening was that the number of sets didn¡¯t decrease at all. After some time, the weight reached 650kg, and they called for Hotteok. "Squats? Or deadlifts?" "Eh... sure?" "With your body¡¯s current activation level, it should be possible. What do you think?" "...I¡¯ll give it a try!"
  • Hotteok is doing more exercise than anyone else!
  • Let¡¯s mess them up (Hotteok).
  • People who actually work out love to push others to the limit.
  • Hotteok''s body is solid, but too bad he has topete with EMs.
What can you do? A little tiger ced in front of an anaconda, shark, and pr bear just has to follow the instructions. With a calm face, Hotteok ced the 650kg barbell onto a nearby open space, gave himself a little encouragement with a p on the back, and prepared to lift it. A p from someone¡¯s back made his vision blur, a jolt of pain searing through his body, like lightning shing across his mind. It wasn¡¯t harsh, just a short, sharp pain that faded quickly. As the massive weight rested heavily on his body¡¯s muscles, Hotteok released a primal scream from his gut and lifted the barbell off the ground. At that moment, he had sessfully achieved 2,000 pounds in lifting. Thud! "Ahhh... huff..." "Good job." "I feel like I¡¯m going to die..."
  • Watching Hotteok lift 650kg is insane.
  • Hotteok is a monster!
After drinking BCAA water, Hotteok felt his whole body drenched in sweat, panting heavily. "I haven''t updated my 3 lifts to the 1200 range, but I didn¡¯t expect to do it here..." The ceiling spun as hey there, his core and hamstrings throbbing. Yet something seemed to wrap around his waist, and his body was suddenly yanked up. He realized Eugene had wrapped his tail around his waist, lifting him. Their eyes met, and it didn¡¯t feel quite right. "You don¡¯t think you¡¯re done with just two lifts, right?"@@novelbin@@ "...I¡¯ll attempt the squats when I¡¯m ready." A hollowugh escaped his lips. He thought it would be a harder day for others, not for him, yet here he was. As Hotteok sat on the bench, staring at the empty air, the turn for the other three began. Something seemed to be rumbling beside him, but Hotteok didn¡¯t care. "All of that will be edited by you, right?" "Yeah..." "Good luck." That day, Hotteok trembled as he returned to Eugene¡¯s house, with dinner approaching. ck! "Ugh..." "Teacher, Hotteok¡¯s dead." "That¡¯s a big problem. We¡¯ll need to perform CPR." "Ugh!" "Oh dear."
  • Eugene doing CPR? Even better!
  • One push, and the ribs break and the spine touches!
  • Wait, does CPR mean a chance at the next life?
The chat was filled with jokes as usual. By 7:20 PM, everyone had returned home, taken showers, changed, and settled on the outdoor balcony to watch the night view. In front of them, there was a huge campfire set up for ASMR purposes. The chefs had been preparing brisket, spare ribs, and other dishes nearby, and various snacks fromst night''s dinner were ready too. "So, is this a housewarming... well, it¡¯s almost over tomorrow. I¡¯m so grateful you all came, and I hope it stays a fun memory." "Not sure if it¡¯ll be a good memory, but how about five more of these parties...?" "Stop making ridiculous suggestions." p! A tail smack hit Dice¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t hard, so it didn¡¯t hurt much, but Dice chuckled and smiled awkwardly. The dinner continued, and the content didn¡¯t end there. Eugene quickly entered YourSpace andunched the drone camera, starting to show a mad movie. The movie, created by a fan, showcased various great moments from past tournaments. "¡­Why is this a mad movie?" "It was made by a fan. They edited various highlights from KSM, the Asian qualifiers, and the Final Championship, as well as the Incursion scenario." The party continued with wine, appetizers, and chats, and Hotteok''s past ys were showcased, creating moreughter. As the night progressed, the food and fun came to an end, and Eugene¡¯s final words echoed through the room. "I¡¯m so grateful to everyone here. Thanks for everything." And so the housewarming party ended, with spring arriving¡ªa season where no worries remained. A few dayster¡­ ¡°¡­How many years has it been? I almost used English during immigration.¡± ¡°About 5 years and 4 months, I think. It¡¯s night in Korea now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you. I¡¯ll take you straight to the hotel.¡± Click. After a long time, the two people who had returned to Korea sat carefully in the backseat of the limousine. Their destination was the Park Hyatt Seoul. The car was heading toward a ce just 2km away from the house where their daughter lived. Chapter 365 "It''s chaotic. Full of energy." "It''s a big city. But it''s already getting warm here." "Maybe we should have just taken the car. Should we go back now?" "Come on, let¡¯s walk. I don''t want to get worried about you as soon as we arrive." 11 AM, Seoul. On Yeongdong-daero. The wide road stretching across 14nes, the sidewalk on both sides, and the sunlight streaming down. One person dressed in a gray women''s suit and another in a tight beige two-button suit. They walked down the sidewalk without a tremor, their movements sharp and precise as though tailored like a de. It was, rarely, a blue sky. At least, that¡¯s how they remembered it. Normally, spring in Seoul, and in Korea, would be associated with the hazy sky brought by the harsh yellow dust carried by the wind. But the Korea they were walking through was not like that. Once one of East Asia''s most troublesome problems, China had now split into seven, and thanks to strict environmental controls, yellow dust was no longer an issue. The two were greeted by an exceptionally clear sky. "It¡¯s gotten so much better. Should we just live here?" "Do you want to see Hanslow clinging to your pant legs?" "He¡¯ll be happy enough attending board meetings remotely." Five years. Sixty months. Though it involved certain methods, five years were more than enough to adapt these two individuals, once parents, into key figures at Icarus International, one of the top 50 globalpanies. They had long forgotten the air of Seoul, and speaking and thinking in English had be more familiar than speaking Korean. While Seoul was where the past and present coexisted, the weather was unpredictable, and the prices were sky-high, it was the city of New York¡ªthe one with Central Park in the heart of it and the frozen Hudson River¡ªthat remained clearer in their minds. However, despite the fact that the past customs and memories were fading away, there was one unbreakable bond they couldn¡¯t let go of. "It¡¯s farther than I thought." "That¡¯s why I said we should have just taken the car." "I thought we''d meet her before we were ready." A small chuckle. Yet, within it, there was undeniable longing and anticipation. Despite their words, 2 km felt incredibly short, and in just a few moments of recalling some past memories, the two had reached the end of Yeongdong-daero. A brand-new building stood in front of them, spotless and wless, facing the Han River. The parents of Eugene stood there, expressions tooplicated to describe. While it is said that the sess of one''s children is the greatest joy for parents, how should one receive such a sess if it¡¯s the result of emerging from the hell of royalties? No one among them had any doubt about what kind of life path their son¡ªor daughter¡ªhad drawn for the past five years, and the reality of it only made it moreplicated. But there was one undeniable truth: no one would suffer anymore. They crossed the crosswalk and entered the lobby on the first floor of the building. Two employees approached silently, overriding specific permissions, and they were allowed to move to a particr floor¡ªthough the exact destination didn¡¯t need to be exined. At some point, the conversation between the man and woman ceased. Inside the elevator, heading to the top floor, only silence remained. It wasn¡¯t because they had nothing to say. It was because the scene they had imagined countless times over the past years, months, and even days was finally in front of them. The elevator doors opened. They were greeted by a vast hallway, beautifully decorated to provide both awe and rity to the residents, but to these two, not even a single detail caught their eye. Without consciously realizing it, their pace quickened, and in just a few dozen seconds, they arrived at the door. Unintentionally, their fists clenched. Should they ring the doorbell, or knock? The reunion method they had carefully nned in their minds¡ªwhether days ago or hours ago¡ªhad vanished into thin air, leaving only an empty mind. But as always, time and situations didn¡¯t wait for anyone. Click. The automatic door opened. There, standing in the doorway was their daughter, whom they had only seen on screens until now. Her pale white hands, gripped so tightly that they had turned white, her face slightly tilted in a way that it was unclear whether she was looking straight at them, her lips tightly clenched and then releasing, and the tears that began flowing down her cheeks. Her throat tightened, and their eyes reddened. Eugene¡¯s parents, too, couldn¡¯t stop the tears that flowed down their faces. The only reason they didn¡¯t cry out loud was because of the daughter standing before them. After a painful pause, Eugene''s voice was heard. ¡°¡­Dad, Mom.¡± "¡­" "I¡¯m back." Step by step, slowly, the distance closed. In the middle of the hallway, Eugene and her parents carefully embraced each other. It was not as they had remembered it, nor as they had imagined it, but the warmth spreading through their bodies and the familiar traces of the past that they could still recognize filled the gap. The son¡ªor daughter¡ªhad returned home after five long years. Someone else spoke again. ¡°Thank you for staying alive, Jina.¡± ¡°Dad¡­!¡± ¡°Wee home, our daughter.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± The sound of sobbing grew louder, eventually turning into uncontroble crying. Tears spread across her tailored suit, and Eugene copsed right there. ¡°I¡­ I really¡­ so many things happened... Huh¡­ it was so hard¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I really¡­ I missed you, really...¡± The hidden truth, the one she could never share with anyone. The secret she couldn¡¯t even tell her closest ones, and the pain that was too great for any one person to bear¡ªthe emotional scars of five years and four months of hardships poured out as tears. The moment the collision of worlds that had produced countless victims, including herself, came to an end, was marked by tears. And then... ¡°¡­Did you all do well?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been fine, of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved.¡± ¡°Who else would¡¯ve said that?¡± At the end of April, in Cheongdam-dong, a rare sight. On arge table in the living room, a variety of Korean dishes had been ced, and two chairs that had gathered dust for so long were finally used after a long time. The food was not homemade, but room service delivered via the lobby. But that wasn¡¯t what mattered¡ªit was the long-awaited reunion of a family that had been separated for five years and four months. Though their appearance and social status had changed drasticallypared to before, nothing could prevent this reunion. Of course, that was true for Eugene¡¯s parents. Eugene had never told them exactly how her body had changed over the years. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel weird?¡± ¡°What feels weird?¡± ¡°The tail... and, well, a lot of things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How could you look so cute?¡± What should she say in response? But one thing was clear: Eugene¡¯s tear ducts reacted first, not her rational mind. Even though she had cried many times before, Eugene''s eyes turned red again, and her parents, who were eating, once again wiped their daughter¡¯s tears. The embroidered golden threads on the handkerchief and the tears still on it had yet to dry. Since the meal was almost finished, no awkward situations arose, but Eugene was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do¡ªhowever, her parents were seeing it from apletely different perspective. ¡®...She¡¯s still just as tearful as before. Our daughter.¡¯ In the long time they had been apart, and despite the fact that Eugene had changed so much that her parents didn¡¯t recognize her, they couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was exactly the same as they remembered. Eugene¡¯s every action still carried traces of the past¡ªand the preparation they had done for the reunion now felt pointless. Certainly, they had never seen her like this in real life, but Eugene''s family had already adapted to her new appearance. Moreover, Eugene didn¡¯t need to exin to her parents what had happened during all those years. ¡°You saw everything, right?¡± ¡°Not everything, but when you were running around with a gun, we saw it for sure. Sometimes, if I thought you might get shot, I¡¯d let a few shots miss.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re crying again. You didn¡¯t cry during the broadcast.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, I don¡¯t cry during the broadcast.¡± Amidst the tears, a smallugh emerged. Her parents had already figured out how to deal with their tearful daughter. As soon as they sensed that a slightly sad story might emerge, they quickly followed up with something small and cheerful, making Eugene blush in surprise. The atmosphere gradually lightened. As the food was cleared from the table and the venttion system absorbed all the food smells, something caught the attention of Eugene¡¯s family, who were quietly observing the results Eugene had achieved. A golden trophy, rtivelyrge in size, yet surprisingly light due to its hollow interior. But there was no one who didn¡¯t know what it was. It was the first-ce trophy from the Final Championship. ¡°I wanted to give this to you in person.¡± ¡°Ah, the trophy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still well-designed even now, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Of course. Jina insisted on making sure the designers worked hard on it.¡± Jina? But the answer came quickly. It was named after Eugene''s true self, Jina. With swollen eyes, her face still reddened from crying, she turned her head slightly. Her parents were holding the trophy, showing Eugene¡¯s achievements right before her eyes, and she shyly averted her gaze, but her lips were already curling into a smile. She couldn¡¯t hide her emotions, and for her parents, who remembered even the smallest details of their daughter, it was as clear as day. ¡°Who is that person, Logan? Is he your acquaintance?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. He was my superior back then. But it turns out he¡¯s my superior here too.¡± ¡°You went to the army twice, our daughter.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if you hadn¡¯t gone after the change.¡± Strictly speaking, it was three times¡ªonce before the change, then twice during the five years spent in the other world, and once more through the MAVNI Act, when Eugene joined the U.S. military in this world. After a long conversation that didn¡¯t seem to end, once the lunch at 1:30 PM was finished, words continued to flow endlessly, and Eugene and her family spent time going around the house, unraveling their stories. Having spoken so much, everyone¡¯s throat was dry, so Eugene quickly brought out coffee and drinks. But this was only the beginning of the ongoing conversation at the table. ¡°So, I can¡¯t think of it in Korean.¡± ¡°Should we do it in English? I can speak English, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian.¡± ¡°The lineup is a bit much.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± It was unavoidable, like a professional¡¯s habit. So, they continued their conversation in both English and Korean, and in no time, it was already 8 PM. When Eugene¡¯s stomach growled, her family was startled and immediately said: ¡°Oh, our daughter must be hungry. I¡¯ll treat this time. Anything you want? I heard a private room just opened at Park Hyatt¡¯s Steak House. Do you think the limousine cane all the way here?¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need extra pocket money? Just ask if you do.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Her parents¡¯ expectations were so high that it became a bit of a dilemma. Eugene couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. All this time and the change in her social status had made things so intimidating¡ªeven though, truthfully, Eugene had bought this penthouse with her own money. But, as always, she wasn¡¯t one to refuse her parents'' kindness, and there was no reason to reject a family dinner after such a long time. Carefully, yet surely, Eugene tucked her arm into her father and mother¡¯s arms, and both of them looked at her with surprised expressions before smiling warmly in return.@@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to dinner.¡± ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry about the price.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I eat a lot?¡± ¡°Eating a lot is cute. That¡¯s our daughter.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± The sensation of her parents gently stroking her hair was felt throughout her body. At that moment, Eugene was the happiest she had ever been. It was the first family dinner after five years and four months. Chapter 366 ©¤©¤©¤Ziiing! "Already the eighth call." "Anyway, what¡¯s the big deal about being away for a week...?" Eight times. This was the number of calls that hade through to Eugene¡¯s mom and dad¡¯s phones while they walked a distance of just over 2 kilometers. Needless to say, they couldn''t afford to ignore these calls, as they were the vice president and executive of Icarus International, apany with dozens of subsidiaries. Recently, the Incursion Scenario had sessfully wrapped up, and the actions of the Dark Zone were now drawing attention. This was exactly why the two of them were confirming various matters raised by the Dark Zone¡¯s specialized department, checking how much profit these actions would bring to thepany. Even while in Korea. "Why are you so busy, Dad?" "Right? Honestly. Now that Jin is back, I wanted to take it easy for once... but if I don¡¯t keep an eye on things, random issues keep popping up that can¡¯t be ignored." At the same time, anotherment followed. "Last time, there was this ridiculous proposal¡­ they wanted to add unnecessary characters to the scenario and create a side plot. And, out of the blue, they suggested changing the skin color and race." "Oh, dear. So what happened?" "I gave the people in charge a real dressing down. A few of them probably lost their positions." At that moment, a few articles popped up in Eugene¡¯s line of sight. The articles were rted to a scandal from a month or two ago, mentioning internal political battles within thepany, which led to the copse of one of the game department¡¯s scenario teams. Here, at least, the voices surrounding PC issues weren¡¯t too loud. Eugene thought, understanding his parents'' struggle. In any case, there was still much to do. Icarus International didn¡¯t just run the Dark Zone; they produced VR devices, managed virtual realityworks, and handled all rted matters. "I need five bodies to livefortably with my daughter." "Tell me about it." As they spoke, the three of them retraced the path they had taken hours earlier and entered the hotel. Following the staff¡¯s guidance, they quickly made their way to the 24th floor. As they walked down the hallway, the faint aroma of food wafted through the air. Upon opening the clean ss door, they were greeted by the strong scent of food from the restaurant. There were many people, a true mix of ages. More than half were couples, and there were also several families. Following the staff''s directions, they passed through the crowd and reached a private room. This was a space where no one else could enter, except for the three of them and the server. "You¡¯ve already swapped out the chairs. Good thing." "Sit down. It¡¯s really hard to have a family meal, you know?" "Oh, it¡¯s fine. Just seeing Mom and Dad¡¯s faces has already been a hugefort." The menu on the table¡ªof course, the ordering was Eugene¡¯s responsibility. Unlike her parents, who opted for a dinner course set, Eugene had ordered almost everything individually, and they waited for the food to arrive. A brief silence passed, and then: "I¡¯m investigating the possibility of coborating with the Think Tank. Are you interested?" "Ugh." "Really? Saying that in front of our daughter?" "Ah, alright, alright. I¡¯ll stop." It was quickly suppressed, but this time, Eugene¡¯s eyes sparkled. A sigh was heard from one side¡ªof course, it was his mother. A brief exchange of nces. Then the conversation continued. "At the moment, the Think Tank¡¯s main focus is on security software, encryption algorithms, and scanning technologies. There aren¡¯t many possibilities for coboration with Icarus." "Hmm..." "Leave it. Jin will take care of it. There are alreadypanies lining up to form consortia, especially in the medical and military sectors." "I wanted to help, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped. I believe our daughter can handle it. I hear she has some trustworthy people helping her..." This conversation didn¡¯t feel much like a family dinner chat. But fortunately, it was the knock on the door to the private room that helped Eugene hold onto his wits. The orders, including the ¨¤ carte dishes, began to be served on a huge tray. Finally, the real family dinner began. "...By the way, Dad, how high up is being a vice president?" "You can''t really gauge it just by title. As you know, there are... a few mysterious figures behind Icarus." "Ah..." "The structure of Icarus¡¯s board of directors is a bit strange." He continued exining. At present, the executives at Icarus¡¯s headquarters¡ªwho oversee the subsidiaries¡ªhad mostly been reced by former employees from DoP, and all of them were, in Eugene¡¯s parents¡¯ eyes, advisors, supporters, or people who helped find better solutions. So, even though their titles were vice president and executive, the direction of Icarus Internationalrgely depended on Eugene¡¯s family. And, as expected, Eugene was half-lost in thought again. "Mom and Dad have gotten so big..." "Ah, look at you. Hold your fork properly and eat." "There were a lot of trial and error, haha. But I guess it¡¯s the same for Jin." Though the conclusion felt a bit odd, it was certainly true. The five years and four months the family had spent apart were nothing but a series of trial and errors. The only difference was that one side had risked their life through each trial. Nevertheless, they could nowugh it off. Although it wasn¡¯t exactly as they¡¯d imagined, the family was enjoying the joy of reunion, and they were able to have a delicious meal together. "By the way, our daughter probably hasn¡¯t seen the new family photo album. Is it still in the U.S.? I should bring it over next time." "Eh...?" "There are childhood photos too. Jin, have you seen them? Now that I think about it, you probably haven¡¯t. You look just like you did when you were little." "I don¡¯t even know why there are childhood photos of me..." Of course, that¡¯s just how the world works. The dinner time was speeding toward chaos. "Isn¡¯t it cute?" "...Yeah, it¡¯s cute." The expanded phone picture showed a small, adorable baby version of Eugene, wearing a little outfit with a hole in the tail area, walking around. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just on the phone; it was now embedded in Eugene¡¯s own eyes as well. It really was cute. Though, from the perspective of this body, there was almost no real "childhood" for me. To be precise, it didn¡¯t exist at all. The album itself was a kind of... proof created by the altered past. Proof that I existed in this world. And that¡¯s why the conversation between me, Mom, and Dad was so different from the usual. "I really think this is how you must have looked. The snake tail is still there." "It grew along with you. I didn¡¯t know that either." "Looking at it with our daughter makes me curious. You must have been really cute when you were little." What should I say? I never imagined I¡¯d feel a little jealous of my own past. But it didn¡¯t really matter.
  • Mama, papa!
The kid is really... cute. Maybe that¡¯s what it was all about. Looking through the family album, as well as past videos saved in the folder, the feeling was truly indescribable¡ªdefinitely a good kind of feeling. After all, the world might just be about cute things. And with that, finally, I had something to show to the viewers and colleagues curious about my past. If I had a younger sibling like this, I wonder how it would have been? I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop squeezing their soft cheeks all day long... oh. For some reason, I now understood Lorentina¡¯s habit of fondly pinching my cheeks, as well as Harmony¡¯s. How could you resist something this cute? "Is there anything else like this?" "Of course." With those words, Mom sent over a massive data file. To Eugene¡¯s surprise, it was aplete biography of his life, sorted by year and age. Who on earth would have created such an obsessiveption? Since there were so many, Eugene only skimmed through the photos and videos. Unsurprisingly, his body grew bigger over time, and during his growth phase, there were many days when he consumed 10,000 kcal a day. This was especially true from the ages of 12 to 16. Besides that, Eugene noticed that, gradually, he had begun to take up an interest in working out, as evidenced by more photos of him at the gym. He had apparently lifted 500 pounds in three different categories from the age of twelve. "Wow..." That might exin why most of his photos with friends had more boys than girls. Perhaps it was lucky, but there were no traces of any romantic rtionships during that period.@@novelbin@@ However, as Eugene looked closer at his high school photos, he found something particrly noteworthy. "¡­I see quite a few awakened people here¡­" "Well, you did attend a high school rted to that, so it makes sense." "Whoa, that startled me!" His dad nced at his phone and added, surprised. Thinking about it, it made sense. With the facilities like swimming pools, baseball fields, and ser fields at school, it could only have been a school with significant financial backing, far beyond a prestigious one. Curious now, Eugene began to look through his high school photos in more detail. By this time, there were many photos taken with his ssmates, many of whom seemed to be from his ss. And it seemed that by this time, Eugene¡¯s family had be fairly wealthy, as there were quite a few photos of luxury goods, with apanyingments that seemed to be from his younger self.
  • ¡°I should give this as a birthday gift to a friend. Hehe.¡±
...Yeah. I must have been nice back then. Anyway, from the second year to the third year of high school, things progressed like this, and suddenly Eugene crossed over to the U.S. through MAVNI, joining the army¡¯s special forces. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how his ssmates would have reacted. By the way, he thought, there had probably been at least one or two ssmates who recognized him, but there was no evidence of that. Perhaps he just didn¡¯t recognize them and cut them off. In this world, the bonds of the past felt almost non-existent. "By the way..." It was fortunate that there were no traces of anything suspicious, like school bullying, when his past had been altered. It made him think that, of course, the mysterious figures behind this world had likely ensured that such things were taken care of. Anyway, today¡¯s harvest: "At least I¡¯ve got a picture to show my friends." "Friends?" "Yeah. The ones I broadcast with, and the ones I hang out with usually." "Oh, those kids." At the same time, he felt a warm sensation on his head. Someone, presumably one of his parents, was patting him. He smiled faintly, and then his dad spoke. "Making good friends in life is the hardest thing. Our daughter is really lucky in that regard. We should always make sure to maintain good rtionships." "Yes." "It¡¯s already thiste. I haven¡¯t even taken off my suit all day¡­ where¡¯s the closet?" "In the master bedroom, to the left. If you call the lobby, they¡¯ll dry-clean it for you. Should I call them?" "That¡¯d be great. I¡¯ll get to receive all the filial piety from our daughter¡­" With a smile, his parents disappeared into the room. As Eugene called the lobby to arrange for the suit to be cleaned, he chose one of the many photos from the past that had been downloaded. Of course, he selected only the cutest ones from the bunch. He hesitated on where to post it, but eventually entered the chat with Harmony, Dice, and himself on Engram. It had been a busy day, and he hadn¡¯t read any of the messages that hade in earlier because of the nervous anticipation of his parents¡¯ arrival. Once the number "1" vanished from the chat, Eugene uploaded the photo. After a moment... -[Harmony: ?????????????????????] -[Harmony: Wow, seriously? What¡¯s this? So cute!!!!!!!] -[Eugene: I found it while digging through the photo album hehe] Eugene could almost imagine Harmony bouncing off the bed from the excitement. After about five seconds, his phone rang, and it was Harmony calling. It was so fast, it almost made him dizzy. Waiting for a typical greeting, Harmony¡¯s voice came through. "Teacher, what is this!? It¡¯s so cute!" "Ai, you¡¯re overreacting..." "This isn¡¯t overreacting!" And just like that, within 15 seconds, Dice entered the conversation, turning it into a three-way call. Eugene still couldn¡¯t quite understand why these two liked him so much. Regardless, today seemed like it would be a day to remember. Chapter 367 "Is it really that cute?" "How could it not be cute? My goodness, how is it even possible to look this... genuinely soft and squishy?" "Oh my..." It was 11 PM, the end of the day. Harmony had just about wrapped up her broadcast, and Dice was finishing a tiring day, soaked in individual training and the curriculum for mentoring juniors. Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, an absolute whirlwind of chaos was happening ¨C and naturally, the culprits were those two. There was no need to exin who they were anymore. The conversation was a little more advanced than just a call. The drone cam projected a hologram showing the slightly distant images of Harmony and Dice, who lived several kilometers away from Eugene''s house. They were lying on the bed, looking at the picture Eugene had posted earlier. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just one picture they were looking at; after being somewhat pressured by their enthusiasm, Eugene had sent a few more. "Hey, Eugene, do you have a younger sibling? I¡¯m seriously asking." "Can I give you a serious p for asking that?" "Oh no, I¡¯m seriously sorry." Are these guys crazy? Anyway, the photos were admittedly kind of cute. Though it felt like I was bragging about my own cuteness in the past by saying so ¨C and realistically, there wasn¡¯t much difference ¨C from the standpoint of this world, the me from the past and the me now were different people. Since the past was artificially created as proof of my existence in this world, I could freely say it was cute without any hesitation after seeing those photos. In any case, aside from that, there were quite a few more photos that had been sent. "Wow, the one where you¡¯re sucking on the pacifier is just too cute..." "Now all we can say is ''cute,'' huh? Really." "Your tail keeps growing as you get older. Amazing." And they were right. Around the age of two or three, my tail was still thin, barely thicker than a 100ml soda can. I¡¯m estimating it, but it was around that size. Of course, now it was thick enough that I couldn¡¯t hold it with just one hand. The thickest part might even be thicker than a well-grown orange. After all, the root had to be that thick to maintain strength as it tapered toward the tip. Anyway, there was something I had to prepare in advance. "I just realized I¡¯ve never heard what you did in the past, Eugene." "Well, I just went to school. It was a prestigious high school mostly for Awakened people, you know." "Oh, that one. I think I¡¯ve heard of it. Wasn¡¯t it somewhere in Seoul¡­?" I could tell they were pressing for more details, but honestly, I had no idea. I only found out today that such a high school for Awakened people even existed. Anyway, the "preparation" was basically directing the conversation with a few questions or vague answers to avoid digging too deep. I¡¯d already told them about the photos, but I made sure to remind them not to bring it up again. Until I knew how my past in this world had unfolded, I couldn¡¯t casually talk about it. Otherwise, I¡¯d end up in a tricky situation. ¡®That¡¯s also true, if I talk too much, andter someone from my past, like a middle school or high school acquaintance, recognizes me, that could get really awkward¡­¡¯ I couldn¡¯t pretend to know something I didn¡¯t. Of course, logically speaking, and because it was legally stipted in this era, it was impossible to casually spread the past actions of Awakened people. That was unless it was tied to something criminal, which would change things. Either way, people from my past in this world couldn¡¯t go around gossiping about me. If anything, they might reveal something during a lucky fan meeting, but even then, I wouldn¡¯t remember it. Given that it had been 8 months ¨C almost 9 now ¨C since I started streaming, nothing had reallye up. Maybe people didn¡¯t care. In short, it wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. "By the way, what were you doing in middle and high school? More training?" "How did you know?" "I had a feeling..." I couldn¡¯t help butugh. The majority of the photos I¡¯d found were from when I was at the gym, training with weights. I probably started working out around that time. There were no photos of me with extra weight, so I was pretty sure. Anyway, bringing up the workout topic worked well. A few more questions were asked about my school years, but after that, there wasn¡¯t much else. Most of the questions were about whether I had been in the school sports club or something like that. Awakened people could join sports clubs, but they couldn¡¯tpete in any tournaments. That was pretty standard. The conversation continued, and it was cute. Harmony had posted pictures of the Pomeranian that her colleague Kim Stone was raising, and Dice showed me a picture of a Burmese cat he¡¯d always wanted to keep. How would I know about that? "I think it¡¯d be nice to have a snake as a pet, but apparently reptiles don¡¯t bond well with their owners. Especially snakes, they say. What a shame..." "Really? I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never had a snake." "Eugene, have you ever thought about getting a pet¡­ oh wait, never mind, that might be difficult." And that¡¯s true. If I were to get a dog, it would probably take a long time to be friends. From the animal¡¯s perspective, it would be like being put in a room with a giant anaconda that could swallow it whole and then being told, "This is your new owner." The same happened when we went to that animal cafe with Harmony, or to the zoo. Herbivores usually get scared of Awakened people. So, if I ever had a pet, I¡¯d probably get a snake. "If I were to keep a pet, I guess it¡¯d be a snake." "Wait, you actually thought about it?" "Well, it¡¯s just a hypothetical. I don¡¯t want to get too attached to a pet." Even though everything in my life had been tied up sinceing to this world, that didn¡¯t mean everything was finished. With the Think Tank operating, or the invitation from Icarus, there were plenty of reasons to go back and forth to the U.S. But carrying pets around during those trips or leaving them with someone beforehand... if that were the case, I should probably avoid getting a pet. That¡¯s what I thought. Anyway, Dice seemed to be struggling with simr thoughts. "I guess I¡¯ll have to be satisfied with a reptile cafe to see a Burmese cat." "That¡¯s the right choice." And that was the conclusion. By then, it was already past midnight, and everyone was starting to prepare for bed. Thest topic of the night was the uing broadcast content. "By the way, they¡¯re going to officially release ''Mecha Eugene'' in the Uncharted Zone soon. Are you going to try it? I¡¯m nning to y it tomorrow. Do you want to join?" "I don¡¯t think I can tomorrow." "Ah, do you have a schedule?" Chuckles. With a slightugh, I spoke. "I¡¯m going out with my parents tomorrow." That, I couldn¡¯t pass up. Tomorrow, I was nning to visit Yeouido for some sweet red bean jelly. "I just wanted to go for a routine physical checkup, but because my mom and dad areing, Icarus¡¯ Korean branch is in chaos. Especially because Mom¡¯sing¡­" "Of course, she¡¯s the head of the business diagnostics team." "The head of the business diagnostics team¡­?" "She¡¯s the head of the audit team." "Ah." Anyone working at a corporation would be terrified of the audit team, but anyway... Anyway, my mom, dad, and I were now driving down the Olympic Highway, heading to Yeouido. As mentioned earlier, the purpose was for my physical checkup. Since I¡¯m an Awakened, I needed to visit Icarus¡¯ Korean branch annually to check for any discrepancies with the connection device. Of course, it wasn¡¯t strictly once a year; it could be within a four-month range. Since I was already within that range, I decided to join my parents when I heard they were visiting the Icarus office. Still, I felt a little guilty. "The audit team, that¡¯s the one that catches corruption within thepany, right?" "You know well, our daughter. Yes, it¡¯s like military police, but dealing with much moreplex issues." "Mom¡¯s doing scary stuff..." And that was true. Anyway, today, for the first time in a while, I was meeting with Assistant Manager Lee Jin-cheol and Employee Han Seol-ah... That¡¯s an old story from 8 months ago. I¡¯m guessing their ranks haven¡¯t changed yet. I wonder how they¡¯ve been doing. As I was lost in thought, the car entered Yeouido, stopping in front of a building that looked very ck. The chauffeur-less vehicle dropped us off in front of the Icarus Korean branch and quickly disappeared into the underground parking. Then¡­ "Wee to the Icarus Korean branch. Shall we head to the meeting room?" "No, we didn¡¯te for that today. But since the preliminary audit is in two weeks, it would be a good idea to prepare the materials we mentioned recently." "Understood. If that¡¯s the case, today¡¯s visit..." "Ah."@@novelbin@@ With a professional-sounding voice, my mom added a few more details. But her tone softened as she spoke. "We came to watch our daughter¡¯s physical ability test." "¡­What?" "Assistant Manager Lee Jin-cheol and Employee Han Seol-ah. It¡¯s not an abuse of authority to watch your daughter work out, is it?" "Ah, well, that¡¯s¡­" "Hehe, I¡¯m just kidding. If it¡¯s really an issue, you can wait outside." "No, no! You cane along!" Geez¡­ Anyway, there was no real reason why Mom and Dad couldn¡¯t join me, so we ended up going back into the building. Memories fromst year starteding back. The yStation, swimming, the strength measurements, and the movements with patches attached to my body. What should I say... I knew that my mom and dad were feared here at Icarus, but when I met their eyes for a moment, I realized that they hadn¡¯t changed. They hadn¡¯t changed at all. No one had. And with that, I felt reassured and ready to take the measurements. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only thing. ©¤©¤©¤Creak... "I¡¯m starting to get scared now." "Shouldn¡¯t we stop this?" "Haha, you haven¡¯t even matched half ofst year¡¯s results. Trust your daughter." I could hear it from behind me. Anyway, since my parents had never seen me working out, it made sense they were surprised. But despite the embarrassment, I still wanted to show my family a cool side of me ¨C even if it wasn¡¯t the most impressive. And I would make sure to show them the side of me I hadn¡¯t shownst time. After pushing the limits that no ordinary person could handle, I seeded in achieving even better results than the tests from 8 months ago. Of course¡­ "Who told you to push so hard? Are you okay? No injuries or anything?" "Should we go to the hospital?" "Oh, I¡¯m fine. People who¡¯ve known me for a while know I¡¯ve been doing this." But still worried, Mom pped my back a few times. She hadn¡¯t done that before, but now her hands had be even harder. I wondered why so many people around me had such strong hands. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the end. There were still plenty more tests to go, and with the advanced measuring devices and test chambers, today was definitely different from the tests 8 months ago. I definitely wouldn¡¯t need to go to the gym once I got home today. So, after about an hour and a half, I finished the tests, which couldn¡¯t even be described as acrobatic, and checked the time. It was lunchtime. Seeing me strolling around the Icarus Korean branch, Mom and Dad added ament. "8 months ago? Was it like this back then?" "Yeah. It¡¯s been about a week since I came back. It¡¯s been that long already. The food here is great. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll miss it when I go back to the U.S., so I¡¯ll eat a lot while I can. The food I had in the U.S. was way too sweet and salty..." "Now Jin¡¯s the one worrying about us. You should eat a lot then." Then, they continued. "I¡¯ll send you a couple of first-ss tickets now and then, soe visit often." "Can I bring my friends?" "Of course. Let me know how many people and I¡¯ll send them." "Yes." A short silence. Of course, while frequent visits to the U.S. were important, there was something else I wanted to say. "Are you leaving tomorrow?" "I have a few things to finish up. After that, around September, I should have a whole month to spare." ... It was natural to feel a bit disappointed. If only I could have freed my parents from Icarus, but, unfortunately, the world didn¡¯t work in a way that could just satisfy convenience. So, the only thing I could say was that I¡¯d visit more often. But... "Don¡¯t rush it." "...But." "There¡¯s no more rush now. We don¡¯t have to worry about anything anymore." ...That was true. I didn¡¯t need to worry anymore. I now had my family, and they wouldn¡¯t leave me. If we remember that after every goodbye, a reunion is waiting... I felt my heart lighten. "I¡¯ll bring lots of friends, so look forward to it." "Sounds like I¡¯ll need to prepare a lot of food." "Just don¡¯t think about making it yourself. Just buy whatever the kids like. That¡¯ll be enough." What should I say... If yesterday was a reunion, then today could be summarized as... a return to normalcy. Somehow, I felt that way. The day was beautiful. It was a day without any worries. Chapter 368 Breaking News: Eugene to Enter the Uncharted Zone! Run, you idiot! [All Comments][By Date]
  • Mecha Eugene vs. Eugene¡ªmy heart is racing, haha
    • Fact: Mecha Eugene¡¯s Pharos spec upgrade was paid for by all of us
    • Hahaha,e to think of it, that¡¯s true, haha.
  • Don¡¯te, you insane bastard!!!!!!!!!!
  • Is Eugene gonna hunt down everything that moves in the mountains and fields?
    • That¡¯s more of a job for a Burmese cat, haha.
  • Users who scrape by, collecting credits little by little, are gonna die today, haha
    • ?? : You¡¯ll need a bulletproof vest, guns, ammo, and grenades.
    • Damn, it¡¯s like we¡¯re facing a Terminator, haha.
  • Can¡¯t you just snipe from a distance?
    • Shut up, haha.
    • Fact: To take down Eugene in Apex, at least 1 in 4 had to make that move.
    • How are you gonna catch a Terminator who dodges sniper shots, haha.
  • I¡¯m only picking up grenadeunchers at the terminal, haha.
    • You think you can catch a lunatic shooting down mortars with a grenadeuncher?
    • How the hell is that even possible?
    • Honestly, once they start doing that, Eugene¡¯s alreadying for you.
  • If Eugene shows up, doesn¡¯t he just wipe out the whole session?@@novelbin@@
    • ?? : Today, I¡¯ll quietly finish the session with just a Tomahawk.
    • I¡¯m scared this might be real, haha.
  • But if he¡¯s level 1, won¡¯t all his skill trees be locked? If he fights against max-level yers, it should be close, right?
    • So, can those max-level guys throw a driver and headshot someone?
    • Crap, that¡¯s impossible.
    • Haha, he¡¯ll probably get his head blown off before he can shoot a gun.
  • Doesn¡¯t Eugene just fill his bag with food?
    • Haha, yeah.
  • If Eugene ever lists his items on a flea market, they¡¯d probably go for 100 million, haha.
    • Shock: Is there a rare item that isn¡¯t listed?
    • Haha, no way.
  • I can hear Katou¡¯s sobbing all the way over here, haha.
  • Bishunbasyung¡ªIs there a streamer who literally takes over the whole match?
    • The axe is scarier than the gun, haha.
[Notification: Icarus Gear downgradedbat support equipment shows irreversible damage.] [Notification: Estimated repair time for self-repair to send distress signal: 3697 days, 21 hours, 27 minutes, and 34 seconds. Materials for repairs requested.] [Rmendation: Survive.] "This is how it works."
  • Burmese cat is up!
  • Everyone, get out of the session!!
  • What¡¯s up with this guy pulling out an axe right at the start?
  • I¡¯ve seen him in Yakirun a lot, but why does he seem scarier with this thing?
  • They¡¯re probably just cutting off people¡¯s heads and farming items in Yakirun, haha.
Once again, an overwhelming wave of interference. But I was now an 8-month streamer, and soon I¡¯d be hitting the 9-month mark. I could now slowly tune out the various distractions and nonsense from my million-strong audience. Anyway, Uncharted Zone escape mode. The game, affectionately known as EU, was truly different from Apex Predator. It wasn¡¯t much of a surprise, but there were obvious differences. The key difference being that there was no base camp¡ªa tactical center¡ªlike we were used to seeing. Instead, yers were tasked with designing their own hideouts, buying or gathering supplies, and building the necessary facilities, making it a much more personal experience. But there was one thing that stood out: survival. The main goal in EU was survival. "I should probably take a look at the system." Saying this, I opened the gear box in front of me. It was massive, about the size of two shipping containers. The shelves inside were neatly arranged. On one side, there was a workbench for customizing firearms. There was also a small refrigerated space for storing food and liquids, and along the back, I could see canned goods, several bottles of water, five handguns, and four rifles. There were also body armor, a medium-sized backpack, and other supplies. Grenades and shbangs were neatly stored in boxes¡ªeight of each, totaling 16. After briefly inspecting the items, I nced at the watch on my left wrist. It flickered slightly, and my current health status appeared on the screen: segmented health bars for my head, chest, abdomen, arms, and legs. I also saw various tutorial pop-ups. The system detailed different types of damage¡ªbleeding, fractures, and also debuffs like dehydration and hunger, reminding me that food and water weren¡¯t just for show. In short, this game aimed for a far more realistic experience than Dark Zone. "And then, after restoring the downgraded gear, I get registered as an Icarus agent..." The system¡¯s message continued to inform me that, through collecting materials andpleting quests, the repair time of 3697 days could be reduced, and once repaired, the gear would have very limited functions¡ªhence all the mentions of "downgrades." Afterward, I¡¯d be an Icarus agent. The main task in this mode was to deal with whatever happened in the Uncharted Zone, to block certain urrences, and try to survive. I suspected that Mecha Eugene was designed with a simr event in mind. All these facts led me to one conclusion. "There¡¯s subcontracting even here..."
  • Nailed it, haha.
  • I thought Icarus was supposed to be the good guys, but they¡¯re totally a bunch of corrupt bastards, haha.
  • Right, right? That hurt, didn¡¯t it?
  • Send us proper gear, damn it, haha.
  • They can¡¯t even use 5% of the Icarus Gear¡¯s potential.
I hoped this didn¡¯t happen in the other world. Anyway, there was still more to check out¡ªspecifically the quests. Someone in the chat had donated saying that the alpha and omega of EU¡¯s escape mode were the quests and survival. Some called it farming, but, of course, survival came first. Bypleting quests, I could level up my gear, increasing my stamina, strength, metabolism, and immunity. It made sense now why new yers had no chance against seasoned veterans. So, what was the next step? "Looks like a new yer arrived. Let¡¯s call him Cash Mendoza." As I closed the warehouse door, I saw someone suspicious standing nearby. "How¡¯s the warehouse? Took quite a bit of cost to stock up and build the facilities." "You¡¯re not just giving this away for free, are you?" "Nice and quick with the response. You''re right. If you don¡¯t want to cooperate or refuse, I¡¯ll have to either reim this facility or forcefully collect the costs of construction. You understand, right?" At that, two armed men appeared from behind. They looked rough, but their gear was on point. They seemed like operators well-fed on cash, with heavy bulletproof vests, guns with all kinds of parts attached, and even exo-suits. Their body enhancement ratio didn¡¯t seem that high, though. So, if it came down to a physical fight, I was confident I¡¯d win. As I thought about this, Cash Mendoza¡¯s eyes shifted to my shoulder. Specifically, to the numerous patches all over it. "...Of course, I don¡¯t want to fight you. I know what those patches are. I don¡¯t have a hobby of betting my life on a gamble." "That¡¯s a pretty threatening warning." "Yeah, a lot of idiots think they¡¯re entitled to everything unless I make things clear beforehand. Ignore what I said at first. This investment should bear some sweet fruit, though."
  • What the hell?
  • What¡¯s this new script, haha?
  • Wait, he¡¯s wearing the Final Championship patch?
  • I should¡¯ve invested in Burmese cats!
  • Harmony and Dice already spent all their savings, hahaha.
It seemed like a special script. As the quest window appeared over my gear, I noticed the word "Debut"¡ªmeaning it was likely the first quest given to someone entering this mode. The description was simple: Cash Mendoza borated on it. "A high-value research facility, factory, customs, warehouse, weapon testing chambers... I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on this entire area of about 20 square kilometers since it was designated as Uncharted Zone. This ce is going to be a battlefield." "So, you want me to help with the cleanup?" "Exactly. There are trash, or even more troublesome people, wandering around here, and they¡¯re mostly not useful in solving this mess." After a brief silence, he continued. "Fifteen. The number of people you¡¯re going to send straight to Styx River. I think that¡¯s a fair enough test for those patches on your shoulder. What do you say?" "Let¡¯s do it." "I¡¯ve been waiting for that answer. I¡¯ll support you with a few things if you need them. I can throw a couple more chunks of metal your way."
  • Isn¡¯t it usually five?
  • He¡¯s going for fifteen, haha.
  • Anyone queuing for a session in the next 10 minutes is dead, haha.
  • Teacher, I¡¯ll give you weapons, guns, uniforms, and intel! Just let me live, please!!!
  • He¡¯s going to raid a whole session, huh?
With that, my gear was finally ready. A handgun, a Level 3 bulletproof vest capable of withstanding some rifle shots, three grenades, four shbangs, and one Tomahawk. As I stepped into the deployment area, I saw several maps spread out in front of me. As Cash Mendoza had mentioned, the high-value facilities, factory, customs, warehouse, and weaponbs were all marked, but my first choice was... a factory. It might sound a bit boring, but it was a ce where I could maximize my strengths of stealth and hit-and-run. As I entered, the ce was more ruin than factory. The smell was foul, and firefights had already begun. "Is that a yer?"
  • No, it¡¯s a bandit.
  • Eugene¡¯s first kill of the season was a bandit, haha.
  • Not a person, it¡¯s a yokatta...
  • Get out of the factory if you see anyone, fast!
It was a bandit¡ªan enemy NPC. About 20 meters away, hiding behind some cover, holding a shotgun. It seemed like I could bait him with some nearby objects and take him down quickly. I quietly moved behind him and threw a nut I had picked up from the ground. The sound was enough to knock him down, and he started firing his shotgun wildly in my direction. This was going to be tricky. He was about to pinpoint my location. "Keep it quiet." With a swift movement, Eugene¡¯s first kill in EU was marked with a satisfying crunch of neckbones. As the kill count went up to 1/15, the viewers lost their minds. The Icarus gear automatically scanned the bandit¡¯s body and floated his items into the air¡ªsome shotgun shells, a knife, and a few basic items like keys and medical supplies. "Should I take the half-drunk water bottle?" I thought, but left it behind. No real reason for dehydration. Carefully, I made my way up the stairs toward the office windows. My body had a cheat-like sensory ability, so I knew exactly where anyone was approaching. The moment I reached the upper floor, I heard the rustling. Someone was inside a room. After checking the hallway, I pretended to shake the grenade pin, signaling an iing shbang. Bam! "Oops." As the guy fled the room, I was already inside. The gap between us closed quickly, and when he tried to circle back, he was only 2 meters away. I took my shot, targeting his knees. It took three shots to drop him¡ªhe was tough. "Did I just kill someone who was beautiful under the helmet?" A neat, white bobbed hair with ruby-like eyes. The user had fumbled through his bag, stuffing some valuable items into a space that looked like a bandolier. "This yourst words?" "Yes..." I took the gun and gear, then checked around. No one was near. "Hi." I¡¯m sure this was my next target. The world was certainly strange. As I stepped through the window, the sound of a scream rang out. "Ahhh¡ª!" "That¡¯s one crazy kid!" Screaming and firing back at me... probably another user. Behind them, someone d in a bulletproof vest and a metal helmet, holding a hammer, was chasing them. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the ironic scene. "Hi." That was probably going to be my next target. The world was truly a bizarre ce. Harmony and Dice¡¯s Reaction to Baby Eugene So cute, right? I¡¯ll bring thepleted version soon! Chapter 369 "What''s with that guy... carrying a hammer around? Only wearing a bulletproof vest, though. What a free spirit."
  • You''re just as bad as him, haha.
  • The hammer... Logan''s sister... ugh, my head...
  • Have you heard of ''birds of a feather''?
  • Come on, justugh, haha. If you don''t want to die, haha.
  • Hammer vs. Yakki? That''s gonna be insane, haha.
Click. I fiddled with the first gun I acquired after switching to EU mode. It was in decent condition. The magazine handle moved smoothly. After adjusting the sights and modifying the stock length, I was ready for the next battle with my newpanion. I heard footsteps approaching from the outside containers. I figured they''d be heading this way, so I slung the rifle across my chest and drew my handgun from the holster. The footsteps grew louder, but I wasn''t sure if it was a yer or not. Either way, if they came closer, I''d just send them back to the lobby. Using echo-location and vibration sensing, I roughly pinpointed their position. With my thumb securing the safety pin, I quietly pulled out a shbang. After waiting a moment, I tossed it against the wall, and the resulting white explosion was followed by a deafening sound. "Ahhh!" I quickly moved into the hallway. I checked both directions, quickly scanning for anyone else, before pressing my back against the wall and approaching the yer firing indiscriminately. I grabbed the barrel of his weapon with my left hand and carefully removed the safety pin and lever from a grenade in my pouch. It looked like a bandit. Most avatars in Dark Zone weren''t as haggard as this one. The bandit''s ears seemed to be adjusting back to hearing from the initial shock of the shbang. I gave him a quick tap on the shoulder. "Live a kinder life in your next one." "Uhhhhh!" I swiftly threw him toward the stairwell, watching him bounce a few times before hitting the ground with a thud. His inevitable bad oue followed, and with that, the kill count was 3/15. The goal was still far, and I wondered if I had to take out all the targets in one round. That could get a bit tedious. Anyway, I started moving around faster. The guy with the hammer who had been chasing someone earlier piqued my curiosity as well. First, I decided to familiarize myself with the mapyout. Screech! Following the outside containers, I made my way toward the front yard. The structure wasn''t quite a factory, but it was easy enough to identify, as the front yard was essentially arge rectangr space with various things stuck together. I had about 30 minutes left. I¡¯d heard earlier that if I didn''t escape before the time was up, I''d be ssified as missing and killed. So, I quickly confirmed the escape route, which was nearby. I¡¯d wander around for a bit and then head out. I kept my eyes moving rapidly, trying to memorize theyout. The goal was to remember the shape of the map, especially areas that were devoid of other yers. Once I identified something unusual, I¡¯d just avoid it. "There he is." Bam! The gunshot rang out as mes erupted from the barrel. I shot three cktip rounds at the head of the yer who had just noticed me from behind a door. He didn¡¯t even have time to react before his head exploded into polygons. That brought the kill count to 4, but I had definitely attracted some attention. It seemed there were about two other bandits nearby, swearing loudly and creeping closer. I hid behind a container and pulled the pin from a grenade, tossing it toward their direction. It was a simple tactic, but throwing it in such an obvious way reduced its effectiveness. Bang!
  • What the heck, a grenade?
  • How does one shoot a grenade back?!
  • No tension at all, just mass murder, haha.
  • I didn¡¯t ask you to clear the whole map, teacher.
  • Fact: This is a shooting farming game.
I quickly closed the distance and shot. Unfortunately, the container wasn¡¯t thick enough to stop the bullets, and with the armor-piercing rounds, the bandit on the other side was quickly brought down.@@novelbin@@ That left just one more to deal with. A shot to the ankle of the retreating bandit kept him pinned, and within ten seconds, the final bandit was reduced to polygons, leaving behind only items. The Icarus-like gear on my wrist disyed the loot list: a bulletproof vest, tactical vest, guns, ammo, and some basic supplies. Of course, I didn¡¯t have a clue about what to do with most of it. "Everything looks like junk, huh."
  • Ah, this is so dull, haha.
  • Drought!
  • Should¡¯ve caught them before they threw grenades, oh well, haha.
  • Teacher, did you think this was a gun game? It¡¯s a junk-collecting game, haha.
  • What a waste of ammo, haha.
It was a junk-collecting game. I¡¯d heard something simr about the Dark Zone PvE mode, but it seemed to be the same here. The difference being that while the former involved loot-shooting, this mode was a bit more hardcore. In the end, what was expensive and hard to get wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about just yet. Right now, I needed to focus on racking up kills. Bang! As I thought about this, I wasn¡¯t paying attention and nearly got caught off guard. A series of shots rang out, and although the shots were light, sparks flew around thending spot. I felt a sharp sting in my left arm as I reflexively retreated. The container didn¡¯t seem strong enough to withstand shotgun sts. It was a flechette round, I could tell from the distinct marks left on the floor. A brief thought ran through my mind. The cktip rounds were nearly used up, but I still had plenty of grenades and shbangs. Then I remembered the guy with the hammer. I¡¯d thought earlier that he was carrying a shotgun... The solution was simple. "Let¡¯s take that guy down."
  • First round, hammerhead collection? Pretty rare, haha.
  • None of the guys here think Eugene will lose, haha.
  • One clip? That¡¯s enough to take down the hammerhead.
  • What a beast, haha.
I was curious to see how tough he really was. Screech! "Ah, he¡¯s got a shield. That¡¯s unexpected." As the bullet flew out of my gun and hit his knee, sparks flew, and the shield didn¡¯t shatter. Upon closer inspection, it looked like he had several Icarus gear pieces attached to his body¡ªsomeone who had likely taken out several before me. It seemed like he had activated a shield using his Icarus gear. I didn¡¯t know how much firepower it would take to break it, but it looked like one full clip might do the job. If not, I still had plenty of grenades.
  • Looks like he¡¯s still going strong after the fight earlier, haha.
  • Isn¡¯t this what a boss fight is?
  • He¡¯s handling Icarus Operators bare-handed, haha.
  • Only a snake could take down an operator...
The remaining ammo was fifteen rounds. Hearing the sound of a bandit reloading, I simultaneously pulled the pins on both a grenade and a shbang and threw them into the air. The st sent shockwaves, and the shield was visibly disturbed. At that moment, I unloaded the rest of my bullets. The shield finally copsed, and two Icarus gear pieces overloaded, sparking and exploding. Grabbing my pistol from the holster, I aimed for the knees, face, and torso, but he didn¡¯t even kneel, as expected from a boss. "This is supposed to be a hardcore game, right? Why the hell can he still move with a shattered knee?"
  • That¡¯s... avant-garde, haha.
  • It¡¯s the boss bonus, haha.
  • Let¡¯s just call it a boss buff, haha.
  • It¡¯s the hammerhead boss, haha.
  • Ugh, all out of ammo, haha.
As expected, my pistol ammo was used up. I had brought about three clips, but now they were all gone. Life was never easy, but I couldn¡¯t me the world. I had to ept the environment and work with what I had. And I was pretty good at that. Screech! With no more rounds left, I threw the empty pistol at his face. The hammerhead was wearing a thick helmet, but throwing something at it could work, especially if it hit his facete. "Let¡¯s see how you handle the hammer." After a few exchanges, I finally gained the upper hand. That was thest of it for now. I was already moving on to the next objective. Would you like me to continue or adjust anything in the trantion? After a few exchanges, I finally gained the upper hand. I managed to bring the hammerhead down with a precise move. The shield had been disabled, and with the final blow, he was no longer able to continue. His body copsed, leaving behind a heap of loot scattered across the floor. "Well, that was... intense." I quickly gathered the items left behind. Among the spoils were several useful items: flechette rounds, a modded MP-155 Ultima, and some extra gear that looked like it woulde in handy. I carefully packed everything into my bag, ncing around the area onest time. I still had a long way to go before I reached my kill count goal, but with the hammerhead taken down, it felt like I was getting closer. A few minutes passed as I wandered through the area. The tension was palpable. Every sound had me on edge, every corner could hide another threat. But I was used to it by now. This was the game ¡ª you had to stay alert, or you¡¯d end up dead. Finally, after some more careful movements and strategic nning, I found myself nearing my final target. The game¡¯s pace had picked up, and the remaining enemies were getting more aggressive. Chapter 370 "Good work, everyone!" "Oh, thank you all for your hard work. You must''ve had a tough time because of me." "No, not at all. If it weren''t for you, we would''ve been wiped out." One day, as April wasing to an end and May was just beginning, four yers climbed onto the back of an old truck at the entrance of the high-value research facility. The truck let out a loud exhaust noise as it prepared to depart, puffing gas into the air. They threw theirrge, overstuffed backpacks into the cargo hold, then slumped onto the ufortable seats, letting out a collective sigh. The wheels spun powerfully, grinding against the cracked asphalt, kicking up concrete dust. The truck made its way back to the base camp. After hauling their heavy backpacks back onto their shoulders, the group exchanged friendly goodbyes before parting ways. Afterward, the yer headed to the gear box and set down their pack. They entered a nearby cure container, where a set amount of credits was deducted, and their various statuses and HP were restored. After taking a sip of ice-cold soda, they finally exhaled a sigh of relief. "Ugh, that was tough. But hey, we wiped the session clean. This might go bad for me if I keep this up."
  • "What the... Is this the legendary Kato?"
  • "650,000 credits in a single session, insane!"
  • "If he doesn''t act like a total fool sometimes, he could be such a cool guy."
  • "This guy is seriously impressive!"
  • "Look at that bag. It''s about to burst!"
Just as he said, just moments ago, his squad had raided the high-value research facility, fighting fierce battles against live targets and gathering high-quality loot. The huge bag, stuffed with everything from fully-modded weapons to rare items, had been hauled back with the loot, including sleek and hexagrid body armor that was hard toe by in normal maps, as well as expensive decorative items like vases and chicken statues. He entered the gear box once more, unstrapped the bag, and began sorting the items with an oddly delighted expression. "Ugh, so sweet. Just selling off the junk items will be enough to go on five raids fully geared. I should stash all the usable stuff in my inventory."
  • "I think I just got diabetes just by looking at that, lmao."
  • "I¡¯ve seen a lot of yers stockpiling cleanly modded weapons thanks to the Mecha-Biyam event, and now he¡¯s doing it too."
  • "But wait, can Mecha-Yujin be beaten by Panic-Odd if we¡¯re talking about Mecha-Biyam?"
  • "This is no gear box, it''s a full-on gun store, what the hell."
  • "Newbies will definitely feel insecure seeing Kato¡¯s inventory, haha."
After a moment of sudden pause, he resumed his meticulous sorting of items. He picked out a few guns, checked their parts, and carefully hung them on the shelves. Among them was a weapon with a grenadeuncher mounted beneath the barrel. "So, if I prepare four times as much as this, I should be able to take on Mecha-Biyam, right?"
  • "Haha, here we go again. Mecha-Yujin event iing!"
  • "I always knew he''d be getting into Mecha-Yujin stuff soon."
  • "Seems like all the high-level yers are just hoarding items and walking around with them now."
  • "Wait, you have to go through three rounds before you can loot the items? Why are you prepping so much?"
  • "So you think you can beat Mecha-Yujin with five people in just three attempts?"
His remark struck a chord with the audience. It was clear. He was fully prepared, and the others were beginning to understand the gravity of taking on Mecha-Yujin. "Is there something with higher firepower? EMP grenades, thermite, those kinds of things?"
  • "Where the heck would you even find those? Lmao."
  • "Wait, how do you kill Mecha-Yujin without those? These Icarus guys have lost it!"
  • "Fact: Yujin is as strong as or even stronger than Mecha-Yujin."
  • "I mean, with the right equipment, maybe Mecha-Biyam could be defeated, but it¡¯s definitely gonna be rough."
It was clear that defeating Mecha-Yujin would require immense firepower, especially considering its armor and the unique challenges that the event posed. The thought of facing it with the limited gear avable made the task seem even more daunting. Then a thought suddenly crossed his mind, triggering a series of rapid actions. Thest time they had met Yujin was before a majorpetition, almost six months ago. He had kept up with some of the news, remembering that Yujin had been involved in a significant victory during the West Coast Restoration War. It was said that he had done quite a number of impressive things in PvP as well. As he remembered this, a thought crossed his mind: What if Mecha-Yujin''s origin had something to do with Yujin himself? Without much hesitation, he quickly navigated to his friend list. It was easy to spot the six-letter username that appeared in the chat: "Yujin" ¡ª ying the Escape from Unknown mode (EU). "Eh..."
  • "Kato, you''re really on it, huh?"
  • "Why Yujin though? Why Yujin?!"
  • "Kato¡¯s brain ispletely fried, lmao."
  • "It¡¯s not toote! Go join the party, quick!"
  • "Seriously, Kato is just killing it."
The chat exploded with excitement. It seemed like he had found Yujin again in the game, and all the doubts about his decision melted away. He¡¯d be joining the Mecha-Yujin event with renewed focus. After a brief pause, Kato grabbed his gear and prepared for the next challenge. As the truck arrived at the mall, his mind was set on what he would do next. The excitement of the event ahead had taken full hold of him. That¡¯s when the second quest appeared before him. ¡°Hmm. I guess it¡¯s going to be a headache.¡± The screen shed with new information, outlining his next task: entering a shopping mall filled with enemies. It would not be easy, but it was just the kind of challenge Kato was ready for. "Seems like quite the headache." "You''re not wrong. It''s even worse than you think." A shopping mall. Just three simple words and arge structure taking up a whole lot of space. The moment he heard that it was a ce with four different kinds of items, he was immediately taken aback. But theyout of the map wasn¡¯t too difficult to memorize. The building itself had a symmetrical structure, though there were too many things left to figure out. At this point, nothing could be determined until he was inside. The mission seemed simple enough: infiltrate and scout. As he walked along, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this would be a chaotic and exhausting task. "Going into an unfamiliar area is something I shouldn¡¯t be doing, but it works out. Looks like it¡¯s swarming with bugs, though. Why don¡¯t I just go for a walk in the mall? Bring some bug-catching tools, and if you pick up some of the scrap around, it¡¯ll be even better." "Just give me some more shotgun shells. Slug rounds would be fine." "That should be easy enough. How many do you need?" "Enough to take down 15 people for sure."
  • "Emergency: >>>> Shopping mall <<<< Bi-yam is about to raid!!"
  • "This guy always speaks in such a savage way, haha."
  • "A newbie talking like this? Kato¡¯s so hardcore."
  • "Don¡¯t be so careless now, you just cleared a bunch of kills, get some loot this time!"
  • "I¡¯m hearing the Terminator BGM, what¡¯s going on here?"
And with that, he received 100 rounds of standard slug ammo. Climbing into the truck bound for the shopping mall, he prepared by organizing the shells in his bag. He made sure the rounds were aligned properly since the shotgun used a tube magazine. If he stuffed the rounds in carelessly, it would cause major issues when trying to reload. As the truck started, he thought of his options. Maybe he could switch to a more convenient setup, but everything had its price. The truck came to a stop, and he prepared to step out, making sure to check his surroundings. The map of the mall, memorized and stored in his head, provided a good sense of where he needed to go. He wasn¡¯t going to rush. Moving slowly, he began to take in the area. As he walked, he could feel the vibrations through the air and ground ¡ª faint signs of hostile NPCs nearby. ¡®Let¡¯s check out this Olive ce,¡¯ he thought. The mall entrance was ahead, its green wallpaper standing out against therge building. The ce had been designed with four giant storesbined into one massive structure, something unusual even in the U.S. and rare back home in Korea. Walking towards the wall, he checked the map and theyout once again. He¡¯d need to be cautious of the underground parking lot and tunnel that led further into the building. He had a n in his mind and confidently entered. Meanwhile, the chat kept going wild with messages:@@novelbin@@
  • "Are you taking it too easy? You¡¯re gonna lose all your loot if you keep this up!"
  • "Loot? What¡¯s the point of picking up loot when you can just farm yers for it?"
  • "What is this mindless yer killing content?"
  • "I swear I¡¯m hearing the Terminator music here!"
  • "With slugs, it¡¯s either a headshot for a concussion or a broken leg, haha."
Just as the chat predicted, gunfire began echoing from within. But instead of panicking, Kato took his time and made his way cautiously through the mall. His goal was to avoid direct confrontations and keep moving forward. "I¡¯ve got this," he muttered under his breath as he maneuvered into position. Not long after, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. A few bandits were approaching. It was easy to deceive them, though. Before they could get too close, Kato threw a small object, causing them to turn their heads. As the bandits checked the noise, Kato moved quickly. Crack. With a swift move, he knocked one of them out, pushing them into the floor and finishing them off with a quick hit to the head. The other bandit, unaware of the attack, moved closer, but it wasn¡¯t long before Kato disposed of them as well. "Two down," he said, noting the kill count increase. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. It seemed like there was no time for leisurely battles anymore. Shots rang out in the distance, and Kato knew things were escting. Bang! A shot whizzed through the air and hit nearby surfaces, splintering into pieces. The sound was unmistakable ¡ª a suppressed weapon. The next phase of the fight was about to begin. Kato quickly analyzed the situation and prepared himself. He wasn¡¯t just dealing with NPCs this time. yers were also out there, making the mission all the more dangerous. Chapter 371 ©¤©¤©¤Jalgeurak! ''...Newbie?'' As one battle ended, a heavy silence descended over the shopping mall. The stillness was so deep that even the pounding of one''s heart could be heard. The concrete dust that had risen and scattered, and the fragments of sound from the walls breaking, gradually faded, their pitch growing quieter¡­ Approach was always cautious. Whether the enemy was a Bandit or a user, the same caution applied. No matter how high the level or how many skills a user had unlocked, a single unlucky bullet could pierce their head and send them back to the lobby. And just a few minutes ago, after a quick, high-magnification check, he saw the enemy was wielding a shotgun. In that case, the answer was simple¡ªattack from a distance. "...Hmm." But the enemy was strangely not giving any clear shooting angles. They hadn''tpletely moved from their position. The amplified sound of quiet footsteps through the headset confirmed that the enemy was hiding somewhere about 30 meters away. However, the noise in between was troubling.
  • Kkaang!
"...!" Though somewhat filtered through the headset, the unpleasant noise still managed to invade his ears. It sounded like metal shing¡ªperhaps it was the sound of a nut or bolt being thrown against a metal frame. Frowning, he readjusted his grip on the gun and tried to focus again. But when such things happened not once, but multiple times, the situation started to feel different. The variables he hadn¡¯t ounted for were gradually expanding their influence. It felt as though he was being mentally manipted from start to finish. At nearly level 60, he had already sensed this, but the issue was that he couldn¡¯t figure out the final result of this chain of events. But then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Kwaang! "That crazy¡­!" Among the various noises he¡¯d been hearing, an explosion mixed in, followed by a grenade exploding just 10 meters away. If he hadn¡¯t already trained himself to maintain focus duringbat, the shock would¡¯ve made him jump. Even the person involved had to grit their teeth and endure the surprise. But in that brief moment, the headset barely caught the sound of footsteps between the explosions. The location was ahead. Quickly, he adjusted his posture and ced his firearm over the cover. Dozens of bullets tore through the silhouette moving at an astonishing speed. Effective hits... probably none. He swapped out his magazine in an instant and retrieved a grenade from his pouch, rolling it. It was a tip from the one person he respected the most. Padeuk! With a trigger pull, he suppressed fire and pulled back. As the grenade exploded, he retreated from cover. Everyone knew that a shotgun became more dangerous at close range. That¡¯s why the enemy would likely try to close the distance. A few seconds passed, and the enemy finally began shooting. Bullets flew menacingly, the sound of the heavy impact ringing in his ears. The hits left visible dents on the walls... ''Is that a slug, not a 12-gauge?'' As expected. A few rounds hit his bulletproof vest, but he wore ss 5 armor, and slugs weren¡¯t good enough to pierce it. They were blocked by the armor every time. When he realized this, a smile crept across his face. It looked like the oue of the battle was going to be decided easily. The initiative quickly shifted. Rising, he stared directly ahead. Through his reinforced stic face shield, he could barely make out the enemy, who hadnded a few more hits but still stumbled back while continuing to shoot. Then, the storm of slugs stopped. That was his cue. He tossed a grenade forward and rushed. The enemy was likely to close the gap because the shotgun was more dangerous up close. He already knew that much. As he dashed forward, seconds felt like hours. The distance closed¡ª30 meters, 25 meters, 18 meters¡ªand the battlefield shifted from the outer corridor to the store. The two of them started running erratically and firing¡ªof course, the enemy was dealing with a reloading issue, so it turned into a one-sided exchange. The distance was too close for him to use another grenade. So, he kept running and stopping, running and stopping. And then, a few secondster... he felt like he had grabbed the upper hand. No, he thought he had. Until the blinding white sh appeared in front of him. ©¤©¤©¤Puh-eong! "Aahh¡­!" A sudden shbang. At the same time, his legs buckled violently. With a notification of a fracture, both his legs quickly became mangled, turning from red to ck. The next moment, his face went red, and concussion symptoms began to kick in. The noise of him copsing to the ground was an added bonus. Trying to shoot his gun, his hand turned crimson as well. Naturally, a slug couldn¡¯t prate his bulletproof vest, but if it hit exposed body parts, the damage was substantial. His helmet, badly dented and broken, was ripped off, revealing the spinning ceiling, and someone who seemed oddly familiar appeared. Someone holding just a single MP-155 Ultima, looking shabby in some random bulletproof gear. But the person wearing it... was surprisingly tough. "You should¡¯ve kept your distance." "Ah..." He wanted to say something, but only the sound of air escaping came out. Then, a burst ofughter followed. "No way... Ahhh..." "Anyst words?" "Uh..." Then, the words that followed. "Please sign it." "Send me a messageter." Thung! With a loud pop, the head exploded, and the person¡ªwhether male or female¡ªwas ejected back to the lobby. "Is it because of the green background? It''s kind of green inside too."
  • Soshiwan: Soon to turn red maybe?
  • What? I thought he was a bloodthirsty anaconda?!
  • Huh, wasn''t it?
  • Hahaha, justugh it off, before you part with your body and head.
  • Yeah, if you don¡¯t do EU, just quit~~~~~
Why do I only have people plotting against me in my room? It seems I need to farm hard to clear up this misunderstanding with these friends¡ªeither way, I¡¯m now in Olive. The five English letters were scattered all over the walls. I passed the info desk and began searching through the warehouse. In the meantime, a Bandit who seemed to have just spawned cursed loudly and aimed a firearm at me. I threw the axe I¡¯d been carrying into his face to quiet him. With a sickening sound, he turned into a golden polygon and disappeared, and I felt a sense of satisfaction. ...Does this mean the plot against me isn¡¯t really a plot? I quietly approached, pulled the axe from his forehead, and, as the game system doesn¡¯t let blood stain me, I stowed it back into my pocket. On the floor were a few scattered items. Digging through them, I found a small medical kit... and what looked like a USB. ncing at the chat, it was a mess.
  • Oh, USB ????
  • Put it in your panties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Huh, a USB in Biyam¡¯s panties... that¡¯s a bit dirty...
  • Isn¡¯t this already worth it ????
  • Starting out with a tasty treat, huh.
So this is what they mean by "??"? Luckily, the viewers were quite helpful with things like inventory value, giving real-time price updates on items or urging me to stash away items for future quests. A bit unfortunate that the flea market feature hadn¡¯t opened yet. Despite that, I kept seeingments telling me to put the items in my panties. Is that what they mean by this small container? Upon a closer look, I learned that items ced in this small storage box would remain even if I died.@@novelbin@@ They call it panties because... it just feels more fitting. "This is why they call it a junk-gathering game."
  • Lmao??
  • It¡¯s basically the same as picking up trash??????
  • In real life, we¡¯d help elderly people collecting trash, but here it¡¯s like stealing from each other¡¯s trash ??????
  • The Trash Heist ww
  • When the expensive items drop, it¡¯s like finding a 10 or 50 dor bill in the trash.
So ?? means picking up items? I guess that¡¯s how it is. When ites to quests, you keep the useful ones and sell the rest. Given this, I thinkbat is just a secondary enjoyment during farming. Of course, if the viewers heard this, there would likely be a riot, so I kept quiet. Walking around, with help from about 1.2 million EU-grandmothers, I picked up a few useful junk items. The reason I didn¡¯t pick up many was that the quality and quantity of the items weren¡¯t impressive. "Not much came out from one spot. It seems like it¡¯s time to enter the main area, so I¡¯ll head in." Connected to Olive was the Ultima Mall. Beyond the wide open area, gunfire echoed endlessly. Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t too worried. A wonderful user, ranked 3/15 in kill count, had generously donated a spacious bag, a decent gun, and several magazines along with otherbat items. The AK-101 I held in my hands was proof of that. Even so, I couldn¡¯t bear to part with the shotgun, so I carefully stowed it on my back and slowly exited Olive. I remembered that just ahead, there were shops where items for upgrading shelter and gear boxes dropped inrge quantities. ©¤©¤©¤Tudududu! "Ugh." As expected. Among the several shots fired, one bullet grazed my cheek. Someone was already waiting. It seemed like a sad story for them, but I saw the muzzle sh. I hid briefly, then jumped up and fired a preemptive shot. It was only 1 second. Too short to move to another spot after removing my scope, so through the red crosshairs of my PPT HAMR, I saw one person fall backward. Riding the momentum, I thought about pushing forward, but it was too difficult. A grenade rolled in with a loud noise. Just before it exploded, I felt the ground tremble under my boots¡ªclearly, they were trying to push me. I immediately moved. ''One is dead, and it looks like there are one or two more...'' Not something I wanted, but it seemed I was bing the fisherman again. I quickly increased the distance. Specifically, I retreated back to the Olive I had just crossed. It was to better counter the grenade. As expected, two grenades flew through the air toward me, but when their trajectories were so clear, I couldn¡¯t just let them be. I pulled the trigger. Two bullets shot through the air, striking the grenade casings. One hit directly and pierced through, while the other ricocheted to the side, but neither caused me harm. I was left with two grenades. I thought about blocking the front passage to Ultima Mall, then sneaking down to the emergency office stairwell. I wasn¡¯t too worried and quietly waited, predicting their movements. ©¤©¤©¤Tudududu! As I fired a preemptive shot, two people spread out and entered the building. It was a difficult situation. Although I had swapped my armor, I¡¯d taken quite a few hits from slugs, and I wasn¡¯t sure how well the internal armor would hold up. This meant I had to rely on my shooting skills to break through one side... That was my specialty. As my aim followed my body, I stepped up onto a small shelf and leapt over a 2.5-meter-high shelf, hiding behind it. "Crazy, what is that?" ...Let¡¯s ignore that mumble. With the sound ofnding, I hid the sound of pulling the grenade pin, then waited 2 seconds, popping out from the shelf and throwing it through the pass. The grenade exploded midair, scattering metal pellets in all directions. Maintaining my speed, I slid, reaching the cover where the enemy had been hiding. The AK-101 roared. "AAARGH!" One person turned into a porcupine, falling to the ground, and I grabbed their body to use as a shield. As soon as I identified thest enemy¡¯s position, I ced the body down and grabbed the pin of myst grenade. Since it wasn¡¯t my own armor, I hadn¡¯t tied it up with a fishing line. As I was about to throw it, a voice, soft and fragile, echoed. "Please don¡¯t shoot me! I want peace!"
  • ???????
  • Hahaha, there¡¯s no surrender function in EU.
  • Effect: (minimal)
  • Should¡¯ve done it in Biyam-ese ww
It was a crude plea for mercy. But it didn¡¯t sound very sincere. The reason was simple. While they said those words, the sound of a magazine being swapped mixed in. Holding the grenade that hadn''t yet been detached, they muttered in a somewhat professional English ent. "No one can be an exception." I wasn¡¯t sure if they understood, but the grenade flew through the air. And so, I collected three skulls. Chapter 372 [General] "Farming, huh? Crazy bitch. Hahahahahaha!" "This is what a person is?! A bulldozer?!" [All Comments][By Registration]
  • "If you catch a person, that''s farming, haha."
  • "Is this even possible?" "Well, this guy can do it, hahaha." "Damn, Eugene really shouldn¡¯t be allowed to y for more than 3 hours a day. He¡¯s too strong." "He straight up ¡®^thud^¡¯ killed a level 60 yer 15 minutes ago, haha!"
  • "Everyone here must be losing their minds watching this." "What the hell is that? Oh, it''s Eugene, haha." "Hahaha, living disaster god himself, haha."
  • "You could go easy, but watching him relentlessly beat the crap out of enemies is just amazing."
  • "Seriously, how do you even beat this guy?" "Just go y some other PVP mode." "Ah, hahaha!" "Are you serious? Just go to another map." "Hahaha."
  • "Picking up a shotgun and armor just seems terrifying, like a madman in a firefight." "In the time it takes to pick up junk, he could¡¯ve shot one more bullet, haha." "Unlike those losers who can¡¯t handle their credits at the end of the season, modding their weapons like crazy, hahaha."
  • Personal Opinion: "He¡¯s so sexy when he reloads the shotgun." "For real, haha." "I was watching the stream, and I literally let out a ¡®heh¡¯ sound automatically when he reloaded, sis¡­" "It¡¯s so cool to watch him load two shots per second with his fingers, haha."
  • "Breaking News: Eugene tossed the shotgun." "Damn, haha." "I knew Mendoza only gave him shitty ammo, haha." "The crazy guy runs and guns with the MP7 in one hand¡­"
  • "Oh shit! A hunter appeared!!!!!!"
"That guy''s shooting some serious rounds¡­"
  • "Wow, hidden boss hahaha!"
  • "One shot and you¡¯re done, haha."
  • "What¡¯s that semi-automatic sniper that¡¯s shattering concrete walls? What is he using?"
  • "Looks like he brought a Mj?lnir, haha."
  • "Firing 100k credit rounds openly, haha."
Giiing! The sirens, which might have been above without anyone noticing, began to spin loudly. The surroundings turned red, and from the ceiling connecting the nearby stores and malls, st doors descended. The gunfire that had been heard continuously suddenly stopped, and the ceiling exploded, sending rubble falling. And how much time passed? From the ceiling, three ropes dropped down, and three enemies, looking unusually dangerous, descended. Their sleek, body-covering armor wasn¡¯t just bulletproof; it looked like external attachment armor tes. Among them, one particrly tall figure began givingmands, pulling out a long and familiar weapon. Mk.18 Mj?lnir. It was my most-picked weapon¡ªa crazy gun that fires Lapua Magnum rounds semi-automatically. ©¤©¤©¤Tuung! Tuung! Tuung! The rounds seemed to be using something special, making the destructive power far beyond normal. After just a couple of shots, the concrete pirs were pierced. At the same time, a voice came over the speaker from the ceiling. It was faint, but I recognized it was from a user. "If there are any survivors,e up to the second floor! Hurry!" I didn¡¯t know how many would make it up, but from the half-destroyed flower bed, I quickly jumped up and began firing at the direction of the enemy. With one hand, I unloaded the MP7 I had just acquired. It was a kind of run-and-gun tactic. Several sparks flew from my body. Fortunately, one or two rounds hit effectively, causing the enemy¡¯s shooting to falter for a moment. Taking advantage of this, I quickly circled around to the esctor heading up to the second floor. My heartbeat quickened as I kicked off the ground and started climbing. As I moved, I kept scanning for any survivors and soon found them. And then¡ª "Eh? Huh? Wow, is that... Biyam-sensei?" "Wow, this is it. This is insane." "The savior has arrived!" The four others, soon to be five, cheered and started pping. But now, I needed to exin the situation. It had been too chaotic earlier to check the chat, and now that things were calmer, it seemed faster to ask them directly. So, I asked what was going on.@@novelbin@@ Here¡¯s what I found out: "Normally, in most EU maps, there¡¯s a boss that spawns, but sometimes... about a 1/20 chance, there¡¯s an ''infiltrator''¡ªa hunter from Artemis faction." "Ah, I see." "In the current session, about half of the remaining yers, or if the number is odd, less than half, show up. So, if there are five yers left, two hunters would spawn." "It would¡¯ve been easier if we had killed one more person earlier." "Ugh, please save me!" It was a joke, but... Anyway, there was a reason they were called hidden bosses. Not only was their spawn rate rare, but the items they carried were also fitting for a hidden boss¡ªif you could catch them. Of course, EU had been out in the Dark Zone for quite some time, and strategies for dealing with these hidden bosses had be somewhat established. In short, team cooperation. It wasn¡¯t mandatory, but as I saw earlier, once a hidden boss appears, escaping the map bes restricted to some extent. So, what¡¯s the point here? "Help us, sensei!" "Do you need grenades? I can give you all the ones I have left." "I have a graphics card in my panties! It¡¯s still warm... Ugh!" "Really? You¡¯re being so crude, seriously..."
  • "Still warm ww"
  • "If the avatar wasn¡¯t pretty, I¡¯d have shot her head off already, haha."
  • "Look at that tant sex talk, crazy bastard haha."
  • "The warm graphics card Eugene¡¯s holding... Hehe, can I have it, ah..."
  • "They¡¯ll die for sure, haha."
There are really so many perverts in the world, and thank goodness this is VR. It¡¯s not the worst thing seeing a green-haired girl making weird jokes. Anyway, somehow, I ended up taking on the leadership of these guys. "Let¡¯s split into groups. Pair up two by two to make three groups, and each group will monitor one of the esctor entrances. There are three esctors, so I¡¯ll take the middle one, which is the most dangerous. I¡¯ll pick the strongest ones to go with me." "Me! I¡¯m wearing a Jabrallo suit, so I¡¯ll be hard to kill!" "I trust you. Let¡¯s go. The other four, pick your teams quickly and prepare for a firefight at the esctors." Hodadadak. I headed toward the designated area, as far away as possible from the balcony without a fall-prevention fence. The weapon was a bit awkward, but it wasn¡¯t impossible to fight. Below, only a chilling silence lingered. In the meantime, I started asking the user I came with various questions to gather as much information as possible, learning a lot in the process. It wasn¡¯t by chance that they were called hunters; they used an Icarus skill. But the shield wasn¡¯t perfect, so it had a clear activation signal. I had anticipated this. If they had aplete shield, they wouldn¡¯t have been wearing such heavy body armor. Another note was that once the shield or armor was broken, they became temporarily vulnerable. After a moment of thought, I added: "When the action starts on the second floor, please do the tanking. Give me all the remaining grenades." "...Sensei, just grab my pants leg, right?" "Make sure it¡¯s the pants hem, not the leg." "Ah, yes."
  • "Hahahahahahaha!"
  • "That¡¯s so cute, haha."
  • "Yeah, grabbing the pants leg is a bit much, haha."
  • "Biyam-sensei is so good at going along with jokes... But she can¡¯t have Ham Si-hyeok from Dongducheon."
  • "What would she do with him? Return him, haha."
Chiiiiiik! Then, an ominous sound. It was a familiar sound. Immediately, I told those guarding the esctors to get down. At the same time, gunfire rang out, followed by a loud crash. A Sicar mine climbed the esctor and reached the second floor. Fortunately, no one had died yet, and the firefight officially began. This meant the direction I was in was also under threat. With a deafening explosion and the sh of gunfire, Lapua Magnum rounds defied gravity and flew in a diagonal line, grazing past my head. I returned fire immediately. "Report your positions!" "Climbing the esctor!" Tududududu! The mapyout was now fully imprinted in my mind. I gripped the trigger, stood up, and aimed at the esctor. At that moment, the silhouette of the hunter appeared in my crosshairs, and bullets flew from every direction. Two of them, firing at an insane rate of 700 rounds per minute, seemed to have trouble handling all the firepower, and the hunter leading them began returning fire as he scrambled to the second floor. "Two hunters entering from the central esctor. Current position: campfire. Be careful when retreating." "Got it. Wah! Front, front! Return fire!" The other side was in chaos as well. But as I briefed, I was already grabbing a grenade. The distance to the hunter was about 60 meters, but my superior strength meant I could handle that distance with ease. I threw a grenade, which flew on a low arc andnded near the hunter boss, who had just reached the second floor. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaang! "I''m moving forward. We¡¯ll split into two groups and approach the esctor ends. Match speed." "Okay. I¡¯ll try to keep up." The movement began. The central area was a giant hallway, with the esctors running parallel, splitting naturally into two paths. I headed for the lower route, while my teammate took the upper. There were plenty of cover along the way. Still, I reminded them to be careful of bullets piercing through cover and dashed forward. If the enemy moved in the opposite direction, the whole strategy could be undone. Then, a pulse burst out. It was a signal that the enemy¡¯s position was revealed. Normally, this would have been bad, but there was a way to turn it to our advantage¡ªwe could see the origin of the pulse as well. And so, grenades were thrown. "The enemy¡¯s still there. I¡¯ll throw two grenades. Pour all remaining firepower into them." "Understood." Two grenades flew into the air. Onended nearby, and I quickly took cover. That was eptable. But the second grenade would leave no room for the enemy to escape. When the grenade exploded, sending shrapnel flying in all directions, the hunter jumped out, and at the same time, my teammate who had just caught up on the left opened fire, showering the recovering enemy with bullets. ©¤©¤©¤Kakakakakang! "Wow, this guy¡¯s insane!" "I¡¯m joining in. Reload!" Of course, just because my teammate finished firing didn¡¯t mean my turn was over. Like a hammer smashing meat, 30 rounds of ammo were spent without hesitation. Though I had a slight jam, I fixed it immediately, and by the time their reload finished, I had already finished reloading as well. I tossed the remaining 5 rounds aside and instead, threw two of the remaining grenades one after the other. With a deafening explosion and a fiery burst, over a thousand shrapnel pieces scattered. The way to defeat the Icarus operator, or Fallen, was simple. Just have double the number of people and continue hitting from a distance without losing firepower. "Dieeeee!" As my enraged teammate emptied the third magazine, the enemy fell motionless. Once the armor or tes couldn¡¯t absorb the shock, it was over. I, too, was almost out of ammo, so I discarded the AK-101 and approached the corpse. Despite some scratches, the Mk.18 Mj?lnir was still fine. Quickly, I looted it along with three more magazines. At that moment, thems crackled. "Sensei! Help us out!" "Of course." So, one person went to the octagonal pavilion, and I circled around to the sinkhole direction and started hitting the hunter from the side. The pain and irritation caused by the feather-like touch on my side was unbearable, but once I shoved a Lapua Magnum into them, it was clear they were done. After exhaling deeply, with the smell of smoke still hanging in the air, the others emerged from cover with bewildered expressions. "...It looks like we won without doing anything." "Usually, theye at us in a group, but why are there only three of them today?" "Maybe they¡¯re sticking to numbers." Ah. Looking at the expressions of the friends behind me, I took a deep breath and added. "Good job." "If it weren¡¯t for you, we would¡¯ve been wiped out. Thank you¡­" "Really, good job!" They all smiled brightly. At that moment, I added a smile of my own and said, as the other side¡¯s firefight was winding down. "Now, let¡¯s discuss the loot division." Well, this is farming, after all. It¡¯s a farming game, no doubt. Chapter 373 "Do you often hunt hunters?" "Uh... quite rarely. If it''s a map with speakers, like now, it''s one thing, but in ces like factories, bunkers, coastlines, and wildlife reserves, there¡¯s a limit to how many people you can gather. Even if they appear like this, sometimes theye back to stab you in the back..." "Truly, it''s thew of the jungle." After gathering the three crumpled metal pieces that had been hunters near the campfire, I nced at the countdown for the escape time and then voiced the question that had been on my mind. The answer was pretty much what I had expected. Apparently, while backstabbing to wipe people out was rare, it still happened. In any case, the hunter corpses didn¡¯t disappear into polygons. Instead, items from their downgraded Icarus gear could be farmed, which was a useful perk. There was a brief, subtle exchange of nces. Since no one was moving, I wondered what was going on until it became clear that I, as the one who contributed the most, had the priority to loot. Even though we all fought together, apparently, that¡¯s how it worked. "If you have any items for upgrading the gear boxes or shelter levels, please toss those in too. We¡¯ve only been at this for a few hours since the Unknown Area escape mode started." "Truly amazing..." "I mentioned I¡¯d give you a graphics card earlier. Would you like to take this one?" "Ugh, this person is really rummaging through their pants!"
  • "Ugh hahaha"
  • "No way, he¡¯s really pulling it out of his pants hahaha"
  • "Sensei doesn''t usually do that, please don¡¯t misunderstand!!!!!!"
  • "If the avatar wasn¡¯t cute, I¡¯d have shot her in the head already, haha"
  • "Oh...oh... maybe it''s possible."
It seemed like I had mentioned this several times already, but the sight of an elegant, dainty-looking girl rummaging throughbat pants on the battlefield was truly bizarre. While one person hurriedly tried to stop the pervert, I quickly checked the items list. The huntermander, who had forcefully taken the Mj?lnir from me, had their items checked. The bullet pration reached 98, and the muzzle velocity was an insane 1080m/s. As expected, the gun had been modified with various electronic devices and enhanced parts that couldn¡¯t be found in regr firearms. Of course, the specialized ammunition was down to just 30 rounds, and the efficiency would drop dramatically if regr ammo was used. I lost interest in the gun after that and decided to take only the bulletproof vest and some unidentified electronic devices. As the items dwindled, the body revealed more details. And then¡ª "...What is this?" "What¡¯s with all the machinery attached to the body?" There were bulky machines attached at every joint. Anyone could tell that this was some sort of bio-connected exo-suit. Naturally, this was a target for disassembly. After a few adjustments to the Icarus gear interface, the machines detached with a sharp sound. But that wasn¡¯t all. Some parts of the body had been reced with machinery. As I was examining this with mild interest, a voice came from behind me. "Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve heard of this. They¡¯re cyborgs. I guess not many have captured them." "Do the others look like this too?" "Let¡¯s strip them all." After some enthusiastic discussion, the loot distribution ratio was confirmed, and after removing the bulletproof vests and clothes, the exo-suits and metallic exoskeletons were exposed. The others were simr¡ªsome had entire legs made of metal, others had arms. Just then, an unexpected synchronization signal.
  • [Notification: Icarus Gear identified. Icarus Rogue Operator detected. Network analysis in progress... Unable to connect due to performance differences. Only important data is being transferred.]
Various data appeared on the screen with a series of beeping sounds. The locations marked on the map, like the factory, bunker, coastline, and nature reserves, as well as an area of high-value research facilities¡ªbroadcasted with a mosaic blur¡ªshowed that ess was now possible with a password or code. Given the connection to Artemis, this could be part of the pre-work to face Mecha-Eugene. Once this conclusion formed in everyone¡¯s minds, someone spoke up. "Looks like specialized hunter farming sessions might be a thing." "These Easter eggs are hidden so oddly, huh..." "Now that I think about it, Sensei is also about to face Mecha... wait, this was an event approved by Icarus, right?" "Yes. I didn¡¯t expect it to be in this format, but I thought it would be quite fun."
  • That¡¯s cool
  • "Hahahaha!"
  • "That¡¯s so fun!"
  • "Honestly, this is some of the best loot farming I¡¯ve seen, hahaha."
  • "I hope they do more events like this!!!"
While it wasn¡¯t the event I imagined, as they said, Mecha Eugene, as a motive, was more than enough to tickle my curiosity. After all, raids were meant to provoke interest like that. In any case, this group of six¡ªincluding me¡ªwasn¡¯t exactly on the same team, but we were now bonded by the shared secret of moving one step ahead in the Mecha Eugene raid. In other words, we¡¯d likely cross paths again. After a brief silence, I spoke. "Good job, everyone. I hope we don¡¯t run into each other in the same session again." "Wow, Sensei¡¯s encouragement is unreal." "Please don¡¯t hurt us too much next time." "Haha, we¡¯ll see." With that, they all walked away with a cheer. In the end, it was over. The barricade that blocked the outside and inside went up again, and the red light that had filled the shopping mall faded, leaving silence once again. Half of the group went off in the direction of Olive, as we had different escape routes, while the remaining two headed towards the furniture store. The outside was eerily quiet. Only the sound of the wind, the rustling of the grass, and the faint sound of boots remained. The outside world seemed entirely indifferent to what had happened inside. When we reached the exit, a truck was waiting for us¡ªthe only escape route that would take us to safety. ©¤©¤©¤Vroom!@@novelbin@@ With a powerful engine start, the truck carrying the three of us left the shopping mall grounds. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t hit 15 kills, but I¡¯d get that in the next session. "Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t really customized my guns at all. I¡¯ll upgrade my shelter and gear boxes now."
  • "That¡¯s true, haha."
  • "Eugene¡¯s farming method = kill enemies, take their guns, and loot the items of armored enemies with those guns."
  • "Is that even farming? Hahaha."
  • "??: Who said you can¡¯t farm people?"
  • "Hah, just keepughing everyone."
With the awkward shelter in sight, I opened the gear box door. It was basically several containers stuck together¡ªno upgrades had been made, so it looked pretty much the same as hours ago, but there were a few signs of change. Clink. I heard the sound of guns being ced. One, two, three... when it hit four, the viewers couldn¡¯t hide their surprise. These weren¡¯t just any guns. I heard that the modded guns cost from 200k to 500k credits. I knew exactly where each part came from¡ªNoveske body, War Sports Industry¡¯s Levoa barrel shroud, AAC suppressor¡­ and many more parts I used to receive when I was an operator. And then, the Mk.18 Mj?lnir, priced at 200k credits,plete with countless essories. "This is quite a lot. Looking at the ammo, if I had the right high-pration rounds, I could probably carry a few of these, but the supply route..."
  • "At least raise your Peacekeeping Squad Leader¡¯s affinity to level 4, haha."
  • "Still got a long way to go, hahaha."
  • "If you raise it 10 more levels, you can buy it at the flea market, but it¡¯s expensive."
  • "What does that mean? Does that mean I should ask for about 3000 rounds of ammo????"
  • "Fact: This guy might just beat people up for ammo but wouldn¡¯t ask anyone for it."
As always, my reputation was steadily sinking, but I checked the gun lineup. Two AR-15s, of course, nothing like the bulky ones everyone imagined¡ªthey were loaded with all sorts of essories. One had an LPVO, a variable zoom scope. On top of that, there was the MK47, M1A, and finally, the Mk18. After dumping all the items, I checked if there were any parts for upgrading generators and medical facilities, though I wasn¡¯t actively farming for those. I needed 150k credits, an ignition plug, and some meds and syringes. I thought about earning money slowlyter, reloading the Mj?lnir, and cing two 10-round mags into my armor pouch before opening the door. Mendoza was right in front of me. "It looks good. Quite an achievement for only two rounds. Got a minute? Too many people are looking to talk to you, and it''s getting a bit difficult." "10 minutes should be fine." "Then, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer." The rest of the dialogue and interactions proceed as follows: "Sure thing." As I entered the room, the door closed behind me, and I found myself face-to-face with a stern man waiting for me. He had a thick, bald head, and there was a small table in the middle of the room with chairs across from each other. Once I entered, he smiled and exhaled deeply. "You¡¯vee. It''s not often someone stirs up the city like you did in just a single day. I¡¯ll call you ¡®Captain¡¯." "Nice to meet you."
  • "??????????"
  • "What happened to the quest order gettingpletely messed up, hahaha!"
  • "?? (10 minutes ago): We need to raise our affinity with the captain..."
  • "I¡¯m getting dizzy here, seriously."
  • "What is going on?"
This was unexpected, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t too surprising either. No one had mentioned I would be meeting this guy, but here we were. I was about to sit in a chair when he spoke again. "Could you show me your gun?" Click. I separated the magazine and removed all the rounds, then handed the gun over to him. He examined it carefully. As expected, he was focusing on the modifications¡ªthings you wouldn¡¯t normally see in a standard firearm. Next, he looked at the ammo. He returned the gun to me and took only one round. It had a red tip. I knew what kind of round it was, and he nodded as he recognized it too. He spoke. "Have you seen this type of round before?" "Are you asking about the bullet¡¯s head, or the powder inside?" "From what you know, there¡¯s no need to ask further. I¡¯m still curious though¡ªwhere did someone like youe from? Are you on a covert mission or something?" "I¡¯m not sure." "So, you''re saying it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t ask. Alright then."
  • "What does Eugene know? What does he not know? Hahaha!"
  • "Fact: This is one of the newly updated Icarus rounds from the Sacramento update."
  • "Who are these guys who remember this stuff?"
  • "Everyone else is still figuring out how to survive the Unknown Area, and Eugene¡¯s already in the mid-game, hahaha."
He continued. "Carrying stuff like this is proof you¡¯ve crushed a few of Artemis¡¯ dogs. It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you." "From the way you¡¯re speaking, it sounds like you have an ulterior motive." "Surprisingly, you¡¯re right. When you¡¯re in a position of managing things, there¡¯s a need to dress up the situation before diving into the real thing." nk. At the same time, he handed me two small boxes. They were about the size of a spam can¡ªaround 375 grams stacked together. There were English letters on them, but it was clear what they were. Ammunition. For the gun I was holding. "You know, Artemis scattered a lot of their scraps around as they were dying. They had made an agreement with the enemy country before the war, and tech and rted information using this technology is spread across this area." "Sounds like you want a lot from me. Looks like the stakes are pretty high." "Trespassers willing to put their lives on the line for treasure hunting aren¡¯t that rare. And I believe... if the rewards are sufficient, we¡¯ll be able to ess those secrets faster." He carefully unwrapped one of the boxes. It looked ordinary, but the ck prator tip sticking out was hard to miss. Each box contained 25 rounds. A total of 50 rounds. "I¡¯d like to capture the second hunter before these rounds run out. Or, after sending a few of these wandering friends to Heaven, we can settle for a good exchange of intel about Artemis." "What¡¯s the pay?" "Hah, you¡¯re quite greedy." With that, he handed me another box, containing about 15 more rounds. I was curious about what this was, but he spoke again. "You don¡¯t have to fire these rounds. Someone might open their wallet when they see them. Once ownership is transferred, they¡¯re yours." "Truly an apocalyptic world." "Ammunition is amon substitute for money." So, in short, he was telling me that if I ran out of money, I could sell these rounds. I nced at the chat window.
  • "Wait, how much is each of these rounds worth, 80k credits????"
  • "If you can kill 3 hunters in two rounds, then you¡¯ll be able to get them, hahaha."
  • "I guess that¡¯s not gonna happen, haha."
  • "Why is my game different from yours? Why is it different???"
  • "Captain¡¯s eyes are dripping with honey, hahaha."
It was chaos. Anyway, it was time to get back to work. Chapter 374 ¡°The lighthouse, huh? Doesn¡¯t seem like the lighthouse is the main feature though.¡± Clink, clink. After scattering the bullets I received from the Commander on the workbench, I inserted one into each of the magazines. However, there were only four magazines, and with 35 bullets left, I had to decide whether to take them. I decided to take around 30 more. After aligning them in one direction, I tied them together with a cable tie so I could easily pull one out in case of emergency without making much noise. Aside from that, there wasn¡¯t much else to take. Maybe a few first-aid kits. I had already drunk some water, so I wasn¡¯t thirsty, and I didn¡¯t feel hungry either. The strange thing was that I needed to eat quite a few pieces of food to feel full. Not sure if this level of detail needed to be followed, but it was how things were. Anyway, back to it. Among the maps suggested by hundreds of thousands of viewers, the one that received the most votes was the lighthouse. Its proper name was the Coastal Complex Base, but everyone called it the lighthouse due to the lighthouse located in the southwest. ¡°The mapyout is pretty simple. The sections are neatly divided, which is convenient, I guess.¡± The lighthouse is in the southwest. The bottom half of the area was a vi and an abandoned vige, while the northern part was the Artemis base. There was also what seemed like a train station up above. If you get into the details, it might get a bit moreplicated, but with many rock piles around that could be used for observation points, it seemed unlikely there¡¯d be any problems figuring out the overall map structure. Of course, it would be a huge headache if a yer got there before me and took the spot first... but, well, when has the world ever gone the way I wanted it? Almost every oue I achieved was hard-earned after countless struggles. Anyway, the n should be simple. The exit would be somewhere, so I just needed to estimate the spawn point, check if I woke up in the northern or southern area, then hit the hotspots and move out. As I was thinking about it, a question arose. ¡°By the way, do all the other yers y like this?¡±
  • ¡°No way, right?¡±
  • ¡°If only people like this yed, no one woulde to EU. LOL¡±
  • ¡°Sir, the average yer can¡¯t just pull off such crazy stunts every match.¡±
  • ¡°This guy? He¡¯s cleared five games in a row, crushed a boss, and finished a 3-man hunter raid, all while looting with human corpses as his items.¡±
  • ¡°LOL¡±
  • ¡°He literally farms with people¡¯s corpses.¡±
Seems like no one else ys like this... Anyway, it was time to get moving. Getting tired of riding around in the vehicle, I pressed the ¡°skip script¡± button and my view went ck. A simple message asking if I was ready to be deployed appeared, and after a moment, I closed my eyes, only to hear a soft voice in my ear.
  • [Notification: You are being deployed to the Coastal Complex Base.]
And with that, my eyes opened. Contrary to what I expected, the air smelled of grass and water. Not far to the right was a smallke, and behind me was a high rocky cliff. Combining a few keywords, I could easily confirm the likely spawn point and realized I had spawned somewhere near the northeastern edge of the map. Had there not been ake to my right, I would¡¯ve had to roam around, figuring out the terrain. But fortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. However, the viewers had a slightly different take.
  • ¡°Oh, this ce is perfect for a sniper run, lol.¡±
  • ¡°Living point: The gun this guy brought? It¡¯s a Mjolnir with AP rounds!¡±
  • ¡°If you hear cannon shotsing from the sniper rock, run the hell away, lol.¡±
  • ¡°Damn, it¡¯s like Thor himself has descended, lol.¡±
The chaos was real. Anyway, today¡¯s goal was to rack up 30 kills and, if I encountered a boss, kill them and retrieve any intel they might have to bring back to the Commander. If I had time, I could also tear apart the loot, but I wasn¡¯t here for that. Speaking of the sniper rock, now that I knew my location, I needed to head toward the observation point. I pulled out the map for the Coastal Complex Base, which had been folded and crumpled, making it a little hard to read. Still, I could make out the generalyout and the location of the key points. As I spent about 30 seconds pondering over the map, I suddenly heard a whoosh sound.
  • ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s that?¡±
I thought I was well hidden in the grass, but suddenly, a bullet shot past me, grazing the soft earth near my leg. The sound of the shot was muffled, likely due to the suppressor. Fortunately, I could estimate the enemy''s position based on the angle and the direction of the scattered dirt. It seemed like they were just taking a random shot, so I decided to wait for a moment. Keeping my gaze fixed to the north, I didn¡¯t move a finger. After a while, I could hear the faint rustling sound and noticed a small silhouette disappearing to the left. That person would be my first victim of the day. I thought to myself that I needed to hide better next time and spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s follow them. Consider it a free guide.¡±
  • ¡°Which guide gets sacrificed like that, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°Guide (on a time limit).¡±
  • ¡°I can¡¯t even... LOL¡±
  • ¡°No one here thinks Bi-Yam is going to follow and die. ¡±
  • ¡°Event: Kill Eugene, and you¡¯ll be the owner of 5 million credits!¡±
I followed quietly, walking along the smallkeside and then checking the map again to avoid anyndmine areas. Suddenly, a rock came into view. ording to my pre-check, most people referred to this rock as the sniper rock. From there, I could get a good view of the Artemis base, and it was easy to approach too. I decided to head up there first. While avoiding thendmine area on my left, I saw someone ahead, moving between trees and frantically searching for something. Unfortunately, my gun wasn¡¯t equipped with a suppressor right now, so I needed to figure out how to take them down without drawing too much attention. Maybe I should grab the MP7 from my gear box next time. I thought, watching the enemy through my LPVO scope. The enemy pulled some items out of the ground, then began to climb. Judging by the color of the weapon, it was clearly an SV-98 sniper rifle.
  • ¡°They really are just doing a sniper run.¡±
  • ¡°If they shoot, they¡¯ll ruin the cost-effectiveness, lol.¡±
  • ¡°As soon as they fire, all the Artemis logs in the area will flock to them.¡±
  • ¡°If they take out all the rushing yers and escape, it¡¯ll be worth the ammo spent, lol.¡±
  • ¡°Who brings all those AP rounds for free, lol.¡±
All they seemed to care about were the ammo prices. They¡¯d been talking about it all day, so there must¡¯ve been a reason. The flea market wasn¡¯t even open yet, so it made sense they wouldn¡¯t know. Suddenly, I noticed something strange. It looked like there was an item box buried in the ground. How did they even find that? I wondered. Apparently, thetest map updates show even buried items. Picking the right map could¡¯ve been a mistake on my part. Well, on the flip side, yers like me, who aren¡¯t here to farm, don¡¯t really need to care about such things. While continuing to follow, I suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­What the hell is this?¡± I spotted something suspicious¡ªan expertly hidden tripwire between the rocks. I paused and checked the source. Inside a tree, I saw a fan-shaped device¡ª a ymore mine. It was the work of a professional. But as always, someone had once said, ¡°When you touch someone else''s explosive device, it could very well be your own.¡± And since this tripwire was connected to the ymore, it was worth considering the trap''s structure. Sure enough, the tripwire wasn¡¯t attached to the ymore itself. It was actually connected to a small device at the bottom of a mine''s concave surface, which would send an electrical signal to the detonator if the wire was triggered. So, if I carefully touched it, the ymore would be harmless. Of course, there was a chance I could mess up. ¡°If I set this off by mistake, someone else can loot my stuff. Hope you find it useful.¡±
  • ¡°This guy is way too cool for this world, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°Imagine the goosebumps if that explodes. 5 million gone, LOL.¡±
  • ¡°I¡¯d probably get rich if I just died twice with this gear.¡±
  • ¡°Fact: Either way, this will be a huge task for the editor.¡±
  • ¡°LOL¡±
Anyway, solving the problem was simple. I just needed to remove the detonator next to the ymore''s aiming device. But, as expected, it wasn¡¯t just about spinning a screw loose. There were more intricate steps involved¡ªremoving the cover from the electrical wire and unscrewing the connectedponents. After about 20 seconds of careful disarming, the ymore was partially deactivated. I tucked the detonator and tripwire safely away and resumed the broadcast. Then, I climbed up to the sniper rock. About a minute earlier, I¡¯d been hearing faint gunfire in the distance¡ªstill, the enemy was likely nearby. Sure enough, I spotted the enemy''s rear end. Tap, tap. ¡°Delivery¡¯s here.¡± ¡°What...?!¡± ¡°Got to deliver the p.¡± Bang! With that, the stock of my Mk.18 mmed into the enemy¡¯s face. The rock was now engulfed in silence. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Boom! Boom! "Ugh, this is a bit risky..."
  • "Wow, the sniper rock sounds deadly, lol."
  • "What kind of cannon is that? LOL"
  • "What¡¯s that? A big-caliber sniper rifle, AXMC?"
  • "Doesn''t match the cost-efficiency at all, lol."
  • "People like that are truly terrifying, no joke..."
Unreal, the expert Dark Zone streamer, found himself in a dilemma like never before. With a sniper rifle in hand and a small submachine gun slung on his back, he approached the outpost from the east of the Artemis base. Crossing the Vige Bridge and passing the oil drums, he knelt down, steadying himself on the ground, and aimed his rifle at the log manning a mounted machine gun. The bullet shot out with a snap, piercing the log¡¯s body and leaving the enemy slumped to the ground like a lifeless marite. At that moment, a tremendous noise came from the sniper rock. "All attention''s focused on that direction, but judging by the rate of fire, it¡¯s definitely an Mk.18, right? Whoever they are, they¡¯ve missed the essentials, but they¡¯ll need to run fast."
  • "LOL"
  • "Yeah, how could someone challenge Thor himself?"
  • "Forget about farming, this is now about surviving."
  • "If they loot a single warehouse and then sprint out, it''ll almost match the value of the ammo they¡¯ve spent, lol."
  • "Who else would carry all the free AP rounds? Oh right, this guy, lol."
They were all obsessed with the ammo prices. Considering the constant chatter about it, there must¡¯ve been a reason behind it. Since the flea market wasn¡¯t even open yet, it made sense that they didn¡¯t understand everything. Meanwhile, Unreal found himself in a surprisingly good position. The logs on the rooftop were frantically shifting their machine gun positions, aiming toward the sniper rock, while the patrol team moved toward the source of the noise¡ªthe noise of his rifle shot that came from hundreds of meters to the southwest. In short, his freedom of movement was greatly improved. Seizing the opportunity, Unreal moved east, quickly eliminating the second log man holding the machine gun. There weren¡¯t any bandits nearby, so he easily refocused on the machine gunner on the rooftop of Warehouse 1. "Phew..." Snap! The head of the AI burst into golden polygons and fell backward. In the meantime, Unreal was already processing his next steps. Normally, he would need to clear the 3-person patrol team roaming the base, but with someone else already attracting the aggro, the chances were high that they would head in that direction. "I¡¯ll just loot the bodies I¡¯ve already killed and leave." He swallowed and quickly moved over. Each time he climbed the stairs connected to the red container, his heart pounded faster, and his hands moved quickly to drag the corpses and shove items into his bag. The Western-mod AR-15, decent but with a bit of wear on it, some good bulletproof vests, and a few misceneous items. It was tempting to check the ammo in the magazines, but now wasn¡¯t the time. The gunfire was starting to die down, but with someone deliberately drawing attention like this, it was likely they were either very skilled orpletely insane¡ªprobably both. And sure enough, it turned out to be true. "¡­That person already cleared the rooftops of Warehouse 3 and Warehouse 2. I think it¡¯s best to leave now. I came here to do a log-run training stream, but things aren¡¯t going as nned."
  • "LOL"
  • "Dome king~"
  • "Wait, wasn¡¯t that the log from Warehouse 2? They have no head??"
  • "Well¡­ I¡¯ll let it slide this time."
  • "If they came down from the sniper rock, they''ll clear Warehouse 3, then Warehouse 2, and finally head for Warehouse 1. Better leave now."
That was a valid point. So, Unreal immediately steeled himself, and with that, he started running toward the road heading north. No signs of life around him yet. After moving a bit further, he carefully crouched and aimed at the log man with the machine gun on the rooftop of Warehouse 1. But then... ¡®...This one¡¯s dead too.¡¯ The head of the enemy hadpletely disappeared, and their body fell lifeless on the machine gun, dripping golden liquid. In other words, the only person Unreal had killed on the rooftop was a single log. What had happened was unclear, but with the concept of hacks long gone from this current Dark Zone, it was entirely possible that someone who caused this kind of mess wasing toward Unreal from the sniper rock or below. And so, Unreal threw caution to the wind, abandoning all attempts at stealth, and made a run for it. He reached the area near the train station and hid behind a rock. It had only been 3 minutes since he started looting. He checked the road he''d just passed through with his scope, still tens of meters away from the northern checkpoint¡ªthe escape point. Naturally, he made sure to equip a killsh filter, just in case. 20 seconds passed. "¡­Ah."
  • "Wow, lol."
  • "Snake tail in the butt, lol."
  • "That was almost a close call, lol."
  • "This is what a horror game should be like! This is what a horror game is like! This is what a horror game is like!"
  • "The scariest 5 seconds in EU history, lol."
A haunting movement, followed by a familiar silhouette holding a gun bigger than their body, swaying their long tail as they entered the first-floor warehouse. Only then did Unreal sprint toward the escape point. "Lighthouse phobia... this is real." There are plenty of scary things in the world. "Did I sense something in the north?"
  • "Ah, no way, lol."
  • "Looks like someone¡¯s been killed on the roof of Warehouse 1. Pretty sure there¡¯s someone else around."
  • "Are there any bandits? Could check, maybe."
  • "Not farming, just out killing logs, this bi-yam guy, lol."
  • "He¡¯s fired 18 rounds so far¡ªabout 1.5 million credits, lol."
Was I mistaken?@@novelbin@@ Maybe I was just imagining it. Chapter 375 A few minutes ago, the sniper rock. "Well, since there''s no suppressor, let''s draw some attention. The more visible I am, the higher the chances of a good hunt."
  • "What???"
  • "Sir, I don''t think that''s a good idea."
  • "The fact that you can calmly make the most dangerous mistake in EU and still clean up afterward is terrifying, LOL."
  • "This guy doesn''t even have a suppressor, LOL."
  • "Seriously, this is hardcore MMOFPS, not some single-yer game about duty and calling, LOL."
The weather was clear, and there were no issues. It was truly a perfect day to send someone to the afterlife. At this point, I had just delivered one user who hade for a sniper run into the lobby. This user had chosen the perfect spot for sniping ¡ª it was the perfect location to quickly assess where the enemies were and what the base structure was. I adjusted the sight and estimated the distance. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a bipod or a tripod, so I set the rifle down on the rock for a moment and quietly pulled out a map from my back pocket. Although the map was old, it was fortunate that it still had the scale marked on it. "Hmm." The zeroing adjustment was done. The sight had been adjusted before entering the coastalplex base, so no major issues arose. The weather was still clear¡ªno fine dust and no strong winds. I put the map back in my pocket and pulled the bolt handle, chambering an AP round. With a ck, I saw the bullet casing briefly peek out from the chamber before going back in. It was a well-maintained rifle. It was ready to unleash sparks and tungsten. And then, the trigger was pulled. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The familiar, almost weing size of the vibration now. Despite wearing noise-canceling headphones and special earplugs to dampen the sound, the explosion still rattled my ears. The bullet, traveling at more than twice the speed of sound, tore through the air and instantly blew more than half of the head of the enemy on the roof. As soon as the enemy''s body fell back, impaled by an invisible, massive harpoon, I quickly adjusted the aim and turned the muzzle slightly upward. The second enemy was just about to stand after releasing the machine gun. The trigger was pulled again. This time, I aimed for the chest, not the head. The second recoil, the second bullet, and the second dead body.@@novelbin@@ The tungsten round pierced the bulletproof vest like paper, cracking ribs and destroying the chest, and it exited the lower side of the right ribs, leaving a hole the size of a fist. But that was just the beginning. "Ugh, phew..." I took a mechanical breath, in and out, timing my heartbeats. Every shot was timed to the space between the beats. The rounds, worth 80,000 credits each, shattered much of the base above. However, as expected, the snipers from the enemy logs who had received sight adjustments were highly skilled, beyond impressive. ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! "Oof, that¡¯s harsh." The real counterattack had begun. In the meantime, the machine gun¡¯s direction had shifted, and it was now firing at me. The rocks around me were being chipped away in real-time. The gun I had was good, but my armor didn¡¯t match it, and openly firing would be suicide. Still, I needed to confirm at least the sh from the muzzle. I fired three more shots for suppression and to guide the enemy¡¯s continuing fire, then immediately moved. After hiding behind a rock and waiting for a moment, I popped my head out and fired again. More shots came flying, but by then, I had already pinpointed the enemy¡¯s general position. This was the beginning of the waiting game. "Now we just wait. Specifically, until..." Until the enemy gets desperate. Human concentration is remarkable, and when things get urgent, pinpoint focus can be achieved. However, the duration of this focus does notst long. Especially if it goes beyond 20 or 30 seconds, concentration turns to impatience. They would probably send patrols, but unfortunately for them, this rock I was hiding behind was full of ymore mines set up by the Artemis base''s logs. If they remembered this area, they might be able to climb up quickly, but I highly doubted it would be easy. So, I loosened up my body andy t on the rock. The weather was nice, perfect for sunbathing. No one was around, and the air was clear¡­ Oh wait, this was a virtual reality, wasn¡¯t it? I got a bit too immersed. But those 30 seconds were worth it. Through the rocks, I felt the vibrations and heard the sounds traveling through the air. ©¤©¤©¤Rustle!
  • "They¡¯reing."
  • "Wow, the patrol AI is seriously scary."
  • "What¡¯s going on? They¡¯re actuallying for him, lol."
  • "Honest opinion: I¡¯d probably send them to catch him too."
  • "It¡¯s like building a sandcastle in front of a wave, trying to catch someone with a Lapua."
Click. I slightly lifted my body. Today, I had connected a grenade to the MOLLE system, and with a bit of pressure on the tail, the grenade pin would pop out. I quickly grabbed the safety handle that fell to the ground to block any potential sound of metal hitting the floor, then tossed the grenade that had been waiting in the tail for two seconds. It tumbled and exploded with a bang. Screams followed as I rose to my feet. And the trigger was pulled. "¡­!" Boom! Boom! Boom! The recoil hit my body as I exchanged nces with the friends who had been aiming at me, now several hundred meters away. But I was faster. In that brief moment, one of the enemies on the roof of Warehouse 2 was shot through. As they fired their first shot, I pulled the trigger again. In the process, I was hit by a bullet from the machine gun, but it didn¡¯t stop me¡ªI had taken down three enemies. The two from Warehouse 3 were already wiped out, so they didn¡¯t count, but I¡¯d gotten the two from Warehouse 2. That left one more to go, and I was almost there. "¡­Someone got them." One enemy¡¯s head was dripping gold liquid as they copsed in front of the machine gun. Taking note of that, I pulled out the one Grizzly Medkit I had left. The chest waspletely drenched in red, so I struggled to catch my breath and began performing emergency treatment. The process didn¡¯t take too long, and now, it was time to hunt down the remaining logs wandering inside the base. Of course, it wasn¡¯t over yet. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "Cough...!" It was time to finish off the 3-man team who had taken the full st of the grenade. Two of them had died instantly and fallen to the ground, but one remained, hiding between the rocks, waiting for death. I pulled the trigger, and the enemy jerked before finally dying. They were hit by an 80,000-credit round¡ªhopefully, that was somefort. Retracing my steps, I checked the guns the enemies were carrying. They were all pretty decent-looking, but many of them had poor bnce due to the setup. I ced the magazines in my pouch and adjusted the position of the NGAL. Just switching theser sight from the front to the back could significantly reduce recoil on the first shot. Also, attaching the vertical grip from another rifle to the lower Picatinny rail would reduce recoil by more than 30%, much better than the clumsy setup some other people might use. Most people wouldn¡¯t be aware of such adjustments, of course. "These rounds are pretty useful. They should work well for medium-range engagements too."
  • "AR15, but¡­ Bi-yam, LOL."
  • "With just a bit of modding, the recoil dropped from 106 to 61, LOL."
  • "Wasn¡¯t it supposed to end by adding parts? Can adjusting the position reduce recoil even more?"
  • "It does, but you have to adjust it to match the user avatar''s characteristics, so you¡¯ll need to try it yourself to find out."
  • "4-cluster mixer, LOL."
The durability wasn¡¯t that great, but it didn¡¯t seem to be a major problem. The noise around me was starting to increase. Seeing that the enemy on Warehouse 1¡¯s rooftop had been killed, it was highly likely that someone wasing from another direction. To farm the Artemis-rted intel, I needed to move quickly. I grabbed the pistol as well and formted a movement route. I climbed down the cliff and moved toward the entrance of Warehouse 3. As I snuck inside, I heard some footsteps from within the warehouse. I immediately crouched, ready to shoot. Two enemies ran out, and I shot them both in the head, leaving them sprawled on the ground like broken dolls. Who were these guys?
  • "It¡¯s like an automatic door, LOL."
  • "I¡¯ve never seen someone take down logs from the camp so casually."
  • "Is this ce usually this quiet, lol?"
  • "Looks like we¡¯ll start running into log-runners soon, but it¡¯s really quiet today."
  • "Wait, someone¡¯s firing a Mjolnir without a suppressor from the sniper rock. Who dares toe running in now, LOL."
From the chat, it seemed Mjolnir was the object of terror. I nced around and went up to the rooftop. The friends who had copsed in front of the machine guns didn¡¯t seem to be carrying anything valuable. The weapons were fine, but their durability was the same as before, and there was no intel to be found. No loot from Warehouse 3. Retracing my steps, I made my way directly from Warehouse 3 to Warehouse 2. I picked up the Mjolnir again. Along the way, there were abandoned vehicles and containers scattered around. Bandits started appearing, but I quickly drew the pistol from the holster on my left thigh, aimed it diagonally on top of the Mjolnir, and pulled the trigger twice. Again, two more enemies fell to the ground. "It¡¯s quiet here, probably because I took them out from the sniper rock. I thought the base would be more heavily guarded."
  • "Alert) The ¡®Eugene-style nonsense time¡¯ starts now."
  • "The thrill-seeker, LOL."
  • "A person who took down 2 bandits in 1 second doesn¡¯t have much to say about it."
  • "If you wanted tension, you should¡¯ve gone in without a gun, LOL."
  • "Bi-yam could probably do a log-run without a gun, props to them, LOL."
Another stable round of online trolling. But this time, I didn¡¯t care much, and the reason was simple: after entering Warehouse 2 and looting a few minor items, I found a USB marked as a special quest item while rummaging through the items of two dead logs on the roof, and just as I was celebrating, I sensed some movement. I felt a strange sensation from the west. It seemed a user who had been around the first warehouse might be in the vicinity. To ensure a clean kill, I quickly crossed the asphalt road and made my way south toward Warehouse 1, but just then, a strange feeling faded away like melting snow. It seemed the person had already fled... At that moment, I felt a slight vibration from the north. But it was nearly imperceptible, barely stronger than the wind rustling the grass. It didn¡¯t seem like it meant much. I muttered as I looked down the asphalt road. "I think I felt something from the north." It was probably just my imagination. So, I continued toward Warehouse 1 in the south. The battle wasn¡¯t over yet. Probably. [General] Lighthouse farming? What the hell is this??? I''m running a resort vi run near the lighthouse, and this is seriously terrifying. How the hell can I hear cannon fire from here? [General] Lighthouse farming? What the hell is this??? I''m running a resort vi run near the lighthouse, and this is seriously terrifying. How the hell can I hear cannon fire from here? [All Comments] [By Date]
  • "It sounds like it''sing from the north."
  • "Isn''t that from the sniper rock? No suppressor, just making noise, LOL."
  • "Sounds like a Mjolnir, isn''t it? This is like a horror movie."
  • "If it''s not an Mk18, then I''m giving up on everything, LOL."
  • "When I heard the gunfire, I immediately ran to the nearest escape route, LOL."
  • "[OP] You too?????"
  • "When you hear that 338 sound, it¡¯s time to head to the closest exit, forget about the fight."
[General] Damn, I can''t believe it was Eugene messing around at the lighthouse, LOL. I didn¡¯t even enter the log camp, but I managed to farm quietly. Praise me~~~~~~ [All Comments] [By Date]
  • "This is what a horror movie looks like, LOL."
  • "No wonder the loot from the dead guys wasn¡¯t that great, LOL."
  • "A madman whonded in EU to kill¡­"
  • "Mjolnir-wielding anaconda? Is this a natural disaster or what?"
  • "How did he get a Mjolnir with only level 5? LOL."
  • "Fact) He probably stole it from a hunter after beating them up."
  • "Seriously??? Can that even happen?"
  • "If he can do it, it¡¯s possible. Don¡¯t argue, LOL."
  • "Who is this guy, making such a fuss?"
  • "-Phone Dack Zone-"
  • "Such a low-level aggro troll, LOL."
  • "Why the hell did youe to EU, picking up scrap in a small vige, only to end up here?"
  • "?? : Because there are people to kill here¡­"
  • "Unbelievable trolling, LOL."
  • "Damn, Bi-yam, when did this happen, LOL."
  • "So this is the guy who''s been firing 20 shots from the sniper rock, LOL."
  • "At this point, should we be tracking where Eugene is, like the weather forecast?"
  • "¡®Natural Disaster¡¯"
  • "Typhoonndings get reported in real-time, so why isn¡¯t Eugene''s broadcast?"
  • "Fact) All those are AP rounds."
  • "??????????????????"
  • "I watched the stream live, and the captain gave him 75 rounds, LOL."
  • "Why is this person the only one hacking EU??"
  • "Rich (not) mad (yes) veteran (next door)."
  • "Now everyone¡¯s going to be running around with a Mjolnir in the public matches, LOL."
  • "??? : This is great. I saw it on Eugene¡¯s stream."
[General] Damn, I¡¯m getting scared just reading this. It really is like a horror movie. Chapter 376 "You¡¯ve been carrying around some shiny weapons now. Got some time? I thought I¡¯d have a chat about the cleaning job you took care of." "Sure." After wrapping up the massacre near the lighthouse and making a safe escape, I was on my way to the gear box when the voice I was beginning to get used to came through, almost as if it had been waiting for me. It was Mendoza''s voice. Now that I think about it, I¡¯d just wrapped up another 15-kill mission during the raid. It was probably rted to that. Anyway, I was casually adjusting my firearm at the moment. If I had the right tools, I might¡¯ve been able to repair it myself, but unfortunately, several parts and gears were needed. Simrly, the AR-15 I¡¯d acquired during the raid after killing a log also required the same. In the system, gunpowder or firearm part wear doesn¡¯t affect things individually but is treated as a cumtive variable that directly impacts the gun''s durability. So, there was no need to rush into a gun cleaning session as soon as I returned... but still. Naturally, I thought I was just sitting down when I spoke. "I heard you visited the lighthouse. Sending fifteen to the grave was a rather secondary matter. In any case, thanks. Because you cleaned up the Artemis Base area, it looks like I¡¯ll be able to stir things up quite a bit. Even if I bring things in by boat, if the transport crew gets turned into meat paste by a machine gun, no goods are going to make it through." "Quite the lucky break for you." "Well, that¡¯s just how it is. What you should know is that I¡¯ve just been expanding my spending a little more. In that sense, here¡¯s a small token of appreciation. It seems like you might find this useful." A box was ced onto the table. It wasrge but thin. I realized it was a gun repair kit. After receiving it and gently setting it down nearby, the conversation continued. "By the way, I¡¯ve been stacking up some odds and ends. If you¡¯ve got any small items or troublesome things to deal with, feel free to bring them over. I¡¯ll make sure to give you a fair price." "If I find the time, I¡¯ll do that." "Thanks for letting me know."@@novelbin@@ A brief silence followed. It seemed like Mendoza was thinking about something before he nodded his head. "Normally, I¡¯d try to take things slow and give you other tasks, but seeing you messing with the gun, it made me think of something else. You seem to be handling the captain¡¯s job well, so I thought I¡¯d introduce you to a few others who could use someone like you." "Who are they?" "An engineer and a dealer. You¡¯ll have to go to them to get their names. I¡¯ll just introduce you to those who need you. I might take a smallmission in the middle, though, heh heh." I almost wanted to punch him. His sneakyugh made me feel that way for a moment, but luckily¡ªthough unlucky for me¡ªhe quickly changed the topic. "The first one¡¯s a bit of an unusual character. You can think of him as a boring cksmith. He messes with firearms and electronic devices instead of cold weapons. But, when ites to repairing guns, modifying them, or handling parts, he¡¯s pretty skilled. If you drop my name, he¡¯ll be fine with you." "And the second?" "This friend here is the main dish for you today." At the same time, he showed me something in front of me. It was a phone. A message in English, scribbled hastily, was disyed on the screen. The message was from the dealer, and Mendoza was kind enough to let me know what it said, though I could tell immediately what it was about. Basically, it was a message saying they were interested in meeting me. "Do you remember the Ultima Mall you visited a while ago? The dealer used to be a director there before it turned into a battlefield." "Now I see why they want to meet me." "You catch on quick." It had only been a few hours since the incident. Out of nowhere, three hunters had dropped from the ceiling of the shopping mall, and six of us users had been caught up in the chaos. Luckily, none of us had died back then¡ªso it wasn¡¯t a surprise that they¡¯d want to meet me. I¡¯d probably piqued their interest. I nodded, realizing that the next person I was going to meet was likely the dealer. "Anything more you can tell me about this dealer?" "They¡¯re great at utilizing their past experience. They¡¯ve been very instrumental in revitalizing the mall, but honestly, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. They also run a flea market with the engineer. If you get to know them, it could be quite helpful." "That¡¯s enough."
  • Wait, is this guy really opening a flea market at level 6?????
  • What kind of game is this guy even ying lol
  • But isn¡¯t it kind of deserved for someone who¡¯s been killing bosses and hunters and storming bases just a few days after joining?
  • That¡¯s true, but still, lololol
I might need to check out how the story or quests unfold in this mode sometime. Anyway, something else came up. The broadcast time was almost over, so this would likely be thest task for the day. I put the firearm down in the gear box, took off my bag, and tossed aside the bulletproof vest I¡¯d been wearing all day. If this were real life, I probably would¡¯ve had to spray some deodorant on that vest. I opened the bag zipper and pulled out a few guns. There weren¡¯t many useful ones this time, unlikest time. I stored the useful ones at the bottom and set aside the unnecessary ones. Mendoza had said he¡¯d buy them, so I¡¯d probably just take them to exchange for credits or whatever currency they used. Just as I was about to head out with nothing but my body, my phone buzzed. [Harmony: Sensei!!!!!!!!!] [Harmony: You¡¯re having fun without me!!!!!!!!!] She certainly had an uncanny sense of timing. Looks like tomorrow¡¯s game won¡¯t be as boring. A few hours earlier... "Kato! Long time no see! I think this is the first time since the streamer vs. streamerpetition, huh? You seem a bit more tired thanst time." "Ah, Commander Harmonie! Long time no see. I''m perfectly fine, though. I''m very healthy, so no need to worry." It was obvious that he didn¡¯t look healthy at all. Harmonie thought this as she looked at Kato, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. Even though they were inside VR, his empty gaze was quite noticeable¡ªthough Harmonie already knew the reason. That was why she hade to meet him today. And she also knew well that when it came to this, she had to be blunt. "Is it because of Eugene-sensei?" "Uh, well..." "I get it. Whenever I face Eugene-sensei, my spine just chills." Specifically, it was the pressure she felt when she had acted as a top-tier training resource against Eugene and the Korean team during the final championships. That pressure still haunted her, reminding her of Eugene¡¯s massive influence in the Dark Zone. It had been enough to tie evenpletely unrted streamers together by Eugene¡¯s name¡ªmostly stories about how they got wrecked. And today, the reason these two met was exactly that. "Anyway, the reason I contacted you today¡­ I think you might have a rough idea." "Yeah, I got a pretty good guess. I¡¯ve been getting a lot of messages from EU streamers. But I think Mina¡¯s reason might be a bit different." "Ahaha." Kato had extensive PVP mode experience, including being a top-tier yer in Apex Predator, but it was the Unidentified Area Escape Mode where he truly shone, outssing everyone. Every season, he would make strategy videos for new yers, and for any streamers interested in that mode, whether they were rookies or major corporations, he would lend them a hand. Scouting Hako streamers became one of his content pirs. "I guess you¡¯ve contacted your streamer friends as well." "Right, so why do you think that is?" "I don¡¯t really know how strong Eugene is..." "That¡¯s exactly it, heh." Kato found it somewhat amusing that despite how scary it was to face Eugene, he couldn¡¯t help but smile knowing that more and more victims were piling up. Recently, most of the EU streamers he¡¯d met were notorious for not caring much about other modes, and he understood why. The hardcore appeal of the Unidentified Area Escape Mode was unlike any other PVP mode. "So, it seems like Mina is also here not just because she wants to team up with Eugene-sensei, but also because of ''that'' reason, right?" "That... yeah, you¡¯re right. Mecha Eugene. Honestly, I don¡¯t know what kind of contract he signed to allow something like that in here... but honestly, his antics are always something else." "Heh." Kato couldn¡¯t stop himself fromughing. Anyway, as unfortunate as it was, Kato didn¡¯t have much advice to offer. There were already thousands of EU mode strategy videos floating around, and just skimming through those would probably help Mina rise to the top in no time. So, the only things he could say were the usual clich¨¦s. "For someone like Mina, if she just memorizes the map, she won¡¯t have any major issues with gamey. But don¡¯t always y as an operator like that Terminator guy. It¡¯s better to switch it up and y as a user bandit from time to time. It¡¯s actually kind of fun." "I see." "And honestly, in this game... the person with the better ammo usually wins, you know? So typically, you¡¯ll want toplete missions to boost merchant trust, sell some junk, and focus on boosting your trade volume." A brief silence followed as Kato looked at Harmonie¡¯s expression. "¡­By the looks of it, you¡¯ve probably done this a few times already?" "Hehe." At that moment, Harmonie shared her gear box situation with Kato. It wasn¡¯t much different from what he already knew. Newbies were given about ten guns, including pistols, along with ammo and various items. It was clear that she hadn¡¯t really touched any of it yet. But two empty 1x1 slots caught his eye. The grenades given at the start were four in total¡ªtwo slots were empty, and when he scrolled down, he saw two fully modified guns and a nearly ruined vest¡ªitems that no newbie could acquire right away. His gaze shifted slightly, and their eyes met. "Ah, well, it¡¯s not a big deal. I just went and tried out the customs or whatever. I saw a bunch of people gathering near the Intel Room on the map, so I just hid in the gap in the door and waited, and two guys got caught." "¡­Ah, seriously¡­ how do you even y with people like you? Go somewhere else! Don¡¯te here and blow up innocent users!" "Ack! Eek! Oof!" It was hard not tough. Kato created a soft cushion on the table and tossed it at Harmonie¡¯s face, and she ran offughing. The world was full of monsters, but it seemed one was following him. Kato''s life was truly a tough one. Chapter 377 ©¤©¤©¤Puhk! The sound of a silencer glowing brightly with heat, the fading life, the sharp and ominous sound of breath escaping instead of words, the golden liquid flowing from the throat. A swift kick to the back of the knee, followed by the switchde pressed to the neck, cutting the carotid artery and damaging the vocal cords, and then stabbing between the ribs, puncturing both lungs. All of this in just 4 seconds. And so, one person was ejected into the lobby without a single scream. The thick darkness in the bunker¡¯s underground was so heavy it absorbed all sound, and once again, silence fell. There was no time to search the body. Two more enemies were approaching from the other side. So, moving with a sound almost impossible to believe was made by military boots, I focused and listened¡ªclink. A small stone wedged in the door frame fell to the ground when the door opened. This gave me a rough idea of where the enemies were. I took a detour through the basement, retracing my steps, carefully stepping over broken ss, and reached near the basement lever. At that point, a distinct English voice echoed¡ªhowever, by then, I had already infiltrated inside. I couldn¡¯t allow them to fire, so I shoved the switchde into my right hand and swiftly struck with the edge of my hand to the throat. The enemy gagged, clutching their throat. A quick knee strike brought them down, and with a swift twist, their neck snapped. One down. As I pulled the switchde from my right arm, I saw an enemy entering through the door. I threw the de, and it embedded into their eye. They fell backward, copsing. After taking down three, I finally turned on the lights in the underground, which had been engulfed in darkness. Three corpsesy scattered on the floor. -?????????????? -What the hell is this? lololololololololololol -Feels like I¡¯ve seen this in the old weapon retrieval missions¡­ -I was wondering why the lights in the bunker were all smashed lolol -How are newbies supposed to y this? It¡¯s too intense for them!!! Phew. Who would¡¯ve thought three enemies would show up just after I switched the lever? With a sigh of relief, I began to tidy up the situation¡ªfirst, let''s go back a bit. After a few days of stepping into this PVP mode, I was now in one of the EU maps, the bunker. It was no big deal. I simply felt the need to prepare seriously for something. Preparing to take down Mecha Viam. "Looks like there¡¯s nothing to eat except guns and some random stuff. I guess it¡¯s because the flea market isn¡¯t open yet, but upgrading items through farming really isn¡¯t that efficient." As he said, the leveling was fast, but there were still about four levels left before I could buy what I wanted from the shop. Additionally, in order to buy items cheaper than at the flea market, I had to increase my rapport with various merchants. So, over the past few days, I had been busy moving around merchants. There were a total of eight merchants I could meet. On the first day, I met Cash Mendoza, the captain, the engineer, and the dealer¡ªsince then, I¡¯d met the following: Doctor, Hunter, Boss, and Maverick. As you might guess from their names, their codenames roughly hinted at what they did before the Unidentified Zone turned into a warzone¡ªThe Doctor was a former physician who offered various medical services. The Hunter was a former soldier and forest ranger who also ran a shooting range. His services reflected that. The Boss and Maverick were a little unusual, but the former was someone who led a bandit faction, one of the hostile AI forces often found roaming the map. Apparently, the user bandits, or Udit system, were also closely connected with him. As for thetter... ¡®¡­I have a feeling something big is going to happen with this guy soon.¡¯ Maverick was the manager of a huge mafia-like organization running in customs. Looking at his setup, I thought the Boss¡¯s codename should¡¯ve been swapped with his, but... In any case, he would have been someone to just keep in mind. However, when all the other seven merchants were warning me to be cautious with him, I couldn¡¯t help but shift my focus in that direction. Whether this would cause any ripplester on, I wasn¡¯t sure. Anyway, returning to the point. The real reason I was putting in all this effort to farm items was... as I mentioned earlier, there was one crucial reason. If I didn¡¯t reach a certain threshold, Mecha Viam would forcibly kick out users. And with a sma weapon attached to his tail. "Let¡¯s finish the quest. It¡¯s quite a pain that Raider kills don¡¯t count as bandit kills." -Killed them faster than shooting with a gun lol -If this questline were the same as a regr user¡¯s, I¡¯d be level 20 by now -So many tasks, but the rewards suck lol -Icarus should¡¯ve counted Raider kills -If it wasn¡¯t for infinite respawns, I¡¯d have wiped an entire session already Making deals with merchants to meet the medical facility¡¯s trade volume and rapport requirements, upgrading security facilities and venttion for the generator¡¯s level-up, and leveling up my endurance to upgrade security¡ªthankfully, my character¡¯s physical skills, like strength and endurance, were set quite high. So, these days¡ªthough it¡¯s only been about three days since I entered this mode¡ªmy routine was pretty simple. I¡¯dplete quests, grab any expensive junk, fill my bag, and escape. Then, I¡¯d either store useful items or trade them for credits. It seemed simple, but when it came down to it, it was like a mountain of tasks. It was a well-crafted system where, if you didn¡¯t have time or a sense of urgency, you could move very slowly. It¡¯s a monster of a game that devours your time if it matches your tastes. Anyway, I picked up a few guns to check. I carefully inspected the magazines and ammo, but it wasn¡¯t a very good gun. I detached a few seble parts and chose the best one: the AKS-74U. I hadn¡¯t used it much, but anyone who got shot in the head with it was bound to go down. Of course, today, I had a mission to kill 12 bandits in the bunker with a shotgun. So, when the Raider spawned, I had no choice but to use the shotgun I¡¯d carefully kept in the corner. If I¡¯d known, I might have stirred up a ruckus and fought. That way, people would¡¯ve heard the noise ande inside, or maybe more bandits would¡¯ve spawned. "I still have time, so let¡¯s take a look outside." I stepped outside. The bunker, divided into the central, south, east, and north sections, was one of the hot spots on the map. There was still gunfire echoing nearby. Between the shots, I could hear thick Russian or English curses proving that bandits were around. Moving stealthily, I began patrolling the building with my shotgun. It was simple to deal with bandits. With the newly acquired gun, a quick shot to the legs would drop them, and then I¡¯d close the distance to finish them off. yers were a little trickier. They often threw grenades to close the gap or do other things. If they threw a grenade, I¡¯d rush in, take the hit, and then shoot their knee with a 12-gauge shell. Their legs would shatter, and they¡¯d lose mobility. After that, it was easy. Taking my time, I sent about three yers or bandits to the lobby or heaven before checking the remaining time. "Only six minutes left. I need to escape to the underground bunker." I retraced the steps I took to go down earlier, and the silence of the underground was eerie. However, it wasn¡¯t crucial. I knew I hadn¡¯t triggered the lever earlier, and whoever was trying to escape had surely activated it. When I reached the room, sure enough, someone had looted the Raider I had caught and activated the lever. They probably pressed the button by now. They might have escaped, but if not, it could get very tricky. Hmm... "If there¡¯s someone waiting, I¡¯ll take care of them. Let¡¯s move." -Camping<<< -Is there anyone cooler than this guy in this world? -He doesn¡¯t even think about preparing, just bulldozes everything passively lolol -Actually) Baba Yaga checks if Eugene is in the closet before going to sleep -What¡¯s this about lololololololololol Slowly, methodically. Of course, standard methods were fine, but there was something that all the operators in Icarus, who were formally part of a task force, had to master. That was measuring echo positioning. ©¤©¤©¤Kang! -?????????? -Has the teacher lost it????? -Interpretation) I¡¯m here, you bastards. Get out of the exit now! -What? Is he saying he''s here? Or is he telling us to avoid the shotgun stock mming on the wall? -Here we go again with the antics lololololol I didn¡¯t care what the viewers were chatting about. I mmed the wall with the shotgun stock, and the dull thud echoed. It wasn¡¯t a very loud sound. If that wasn¡¯t enough, I took a nut from my pocket and tossed it onto the metal frame¡ªthis was a more effective method than clicking my tongue in arge space. After the metallic sound echoed, there was no sign of anyone nearby. So, I quietly walked up the metal staircase¡ªby now, I knew the map was getting tighter. I began moving my tongue around my mouth. "-¡­" The sound of my footsteps hitting the wall in intervals was bing slightly harder to track, but it was still possible to get a rough outline. I couldn¡¯t tell if anyone was around, but there was no issue. If there was any part of the facility or corner that didn¡¯t match what I had seen before, I¡¯d focus my search on those areas. How long had passed? "¡­Hmm." It felt like something was blocking my path. Specifically, the sound that should¡¯vee from hitting the ceiling was now obstructed. I remembered there should have been lights and square stairs here, so¡­ ©¤©¤©¤Puhng! "Aaaah!" "Hiding on the ceiling, huh? Creative." Thud, thud, thud! In the meantime, I almost had my jaw blown off by a friend waiting below the stairs. It was a bit unfortunate that I didn¡¯t have a grenade at the moment¡ªclink. As soon as I saw a grenade rolling down the stairwell, I immediately ran down. I was thankful they had given me the chance to push them. As soon as I got out of the stairwell, I jumped forward and immediately exited the kill zone. Several bullets had pierced the path my body had just taken. I quickly fired my shotgun. The narrow bunker was filled with the deafening roar of the weapon. "Fall back, fall back!" "Surrender! Surrender! We¡¯re friendly!" "I can certainly send you to the lobby in a friendly manner." It was truly ironic to say "friendly" after taking the first strike, but that¡¯s how the world works, right? Someone might just make that choice. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I was going to let them off. The shotgun wasn¡¯t the best for this, but in closebat, it was still a solid choice. The pump-action shotgun spat out 12-gauge shells, creating a lethal zone in a small area, and when half of the shot pellets hit unprotected areas of the body, it was a win for me in terms of cost-effectiveness. As thest of the shells in the chamber emptied, they pushed me hard, but unfortunately for them, my shotgun reloading speed¡ªespecially when focused during a fight¡ªwas incredibly fast, evenpared to a Dagger team¡¯s standards. Click, click, click! The seeds of death were being pushed into the cylindrical magazine. -Wow, holy shit, tactical reloading is so sexy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -How do you reload 3 shots in one second, you madman? lololololol -Mom, this person shoots with an infinite magazine shotgun lol -Should¡¯ve just escaped lolololol -Fact) Outnumbered, but Yujin still dominates The ejection into the lobby was never slow. And it wouldn¡¯t be calm either. The shotgun¡¯s muzzle took down two of them. "Finally made it back to this damn Fort Bragg with a Blue Badger. How¡¯s it been, Master Sergeant?" "Every hour is agony. Wee to the furnace of pain." Meanwhile, far from Eugene¡¯s virtual reality home, in the United States¡ªFort Bragg. The very base where the More Unit was born. It was a massive military base, appearing perfectly ordinary on the outside, but when someone familiar, so much so that every wrinkle on their face was remembered, walked out to greet you, it felt¡­ strange. Logan Blemis and Antony Owens. Two former members of the Dagger team meeting again. "I heard you¡¯ve been visiting Korea quite a bit. Did you enjoy the younger squad¡¯s housewarming?" "Had a st. Won¡¯t be able to see them often from now on." "I¡¯ll have to request to be assigned to Nakasone¡¯s team."@@novelbin@@ "Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I¡¯ll hit youter if I need to." Naturally, both of them startedughing out loud. It was an ironic twist that their team, Snake Keeper, was investigating Eugene¡¯s situation, considering the context. Owens continued. "Wee to the strike team ¡®Red Right Hand.¡¯ Do you need a briefing on team principles,bat rules, or training methods?" "We¡¯ll just do it like we did in Dagger. Just run some mock missions." "That¡¯s fine. Have you eaten yet?" "If the squad leader¡¯s paying." "I see, the newbie is nning to empty the squad leader¡¯s wallet on the first day." They continued joking around as they headed to the cafeteria. Soon, their order was processed, and the automated machines started preparing the food. Several bowls filled to the brim were brought out. While Logan devoured the food as though he hadn¡¯t eaten in days, Antony, with a curious expression, suddenly added something. "By the way, did you see this?" "What is it?" "The Icarus guys are doing something interesting." At the same time, he showed Logan a screen on his tablet¡ªwhoosh! Naturally, being a born warrior with the peak human physique, Owens sessfully shielded his body from the food fragments. Logan, unlike Laurentina, hadn¡¯t shown much interest in it during the housewarming, and now, here was the result. "¡­Are you out of your mind?" "Looks like it." Mecha Eugene. The shocking revtion struck both of their minds. Chapter 378 -Wow! Flea Market in 4 days! "Thank you. It feels like four days is both long and short... I¡¯m not sure how long it normally takes." -Fact) If an average person got the same amount of experience as Yujin, they¡¯d still be level 15 after two months. -ying dozens of rounds a day, killing bandits, and no-death escaping 15 kills every time, if you hit level 15 in four days, no one would y EU mode lolololol -There was a reason he was pulling 70 AP rounds at the start lol -He beat the crap out of them and finally got the flea market open in 4 days? -If he had done the regr questline, he would¡¯ve hit level 15 in half a day lol ...What kind of game am I ying? I wonder if Harmony or Dice, when they step into this game, will follow the same path as I did. I¡¯m not sure that would be the most ideal situation, but¡­ well, who knows. I know that level and skill levels, the flea market and hideout, and rapport and trade volume with merchants exist to give yers with more time yed an advantage, but for those who don¡¯t particrly need that, it might be better to approach the game in a different way. One thing I wish for, though, is that there¡¯s a button before you start the game that allows you to activate or deactivate individual scenarios, or something simr. I¡¯ll bring it up with Harmony if the topices upter. Anyway¡ª "Finally got the flea market open. I didn¡¯t realize how convenient it would be to buy items with money¡­" A shop, a shop. When my character hit level 15, I received an individual notification from the dealer that the flea market had opened. Following his instructions, I entered the shop, and the session changed, bringing me into a space just for yers. Items were organized by sections: keys, junk, containers, food, equipment, medical kits, firearm essories, and ammunition. However, my first impression was simply¡­ it felt like a neatly organized, brutal traditional market. It was almost like it just needed some bowls of soup toplete it. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one recognized me yet. Most people were seated, browsing the item listings. After all, it would be inefficient to wander around, stuffing items into stic bags or backpacks like you would at a real market. "This is amazing." Piles of items stacked high. Among them, the premium ammunition section was especially fascinating. The ammunition kept disappearing and reappearing in a cycle. It was almost like a jacuzzi that produced bullets, or maybe a chocte fountain. It was a strangely mesmerizing sight. It wasn¡¯t that there weren¡¯t people setting up and selling directly. That was possible because direct negotiation was allowed¡ªthere were some people haggling over prices to buy items at a slightly lower cost. I too started unpacking my bag and registering items. The weight of my bag gradually decreased and became thinner. Luckily, I could see the average price and per-item price over the past 24 hours, so pricing wasn¡¯t much of a problem. I could sell things for about 100 credits or 50 credits cheaper, and they¡¯d sell with no issues. That being said, the price of junk wasn¡¯t that important. ©¤©¤©¤Clink! Today''s main dish was something else. It was time to dispose of around 40 rounds of .338 Lapua AP ammunition and various firearms. Over the past few days, I¡¯d traveled across the map countless times, sending bandits and yers alike to the lobby or heaven. By now, more than half of my gear box was filled with appropriately or fully modified firearms. So today, I nned to sell off a few items and buy a THICC weapon box. I opened the shop within the flea market. The title... well, here it goes. "The Viam Shop is now open. I¡¯m selling what I¡¯ve collected over the time. If you want,e by." And exactly 30 secondster, the shop was flooded with customers. "I came because I heard this shop is doing well!" "The boss is cute and the food is friendly!" "Teacher! Please ept in-game donations! Tick Case donation!" "What in the world is this¡­"@@novelbin@@ Ah. I¡¯m quite a popr streamer. For a moment, I lost track of things. The AP rounds I listed¡ªpriced slightly cheaper than the flea market¡ªsold out in an instant. The firearms I had brought along, which I had collected but couldn¡¯t keep due to space, were also gone in a sh. Meanwhile, the loud voices continued. "Please sign the bullets!" "If you sell signed bullets, they could go for 200,000 credits each." Is that so? But it wasn¡¯t really the time for that. Besides, I wasn¡¯t trying to make easy money by selling my name here, and I certainly wasn¡¯t going to take the game lightly. The shop had a donation feature, but I didn¡¯t activate it for that very reason. However, I soon discovered an issue I hadn¡¯t expected. Even though I hadn¡¯t activated the donation feature, they still used the trade item attachment feature¡ªmeaning, when buying an item, they¡¯d attach something extra along with it. Thus, my inventory started filling up with odd items. -[Notification: You have obtained item.] -[Notification: You have obtained item.] -[Notification: You have obtained item.] -[Notification¡­.] -¡­. "Dammit, stop giving me these weird items! Ugh!" "Ah, Viam is mad!" "Dome! Hwang! Cha!" I mmed the shop closed and pulled an axe out of my multi-purpose pouch, swinging it around wildly. Everyone scattered like a colony of spiders hit by pesticide... which sounds quite gross now that I think about it. Let¡¯s avoid that example next time. Anyway, they scattered like meerkats meeting a top predator. Thanks to that, or maybe because of it, my bag was soon packed again. Although I hadn¡¯t turned on the donation feature, I still ended up with extra items. I received 50,000 dors and euros each, along with a small case for keys, money, and dog tags. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just that. As I mentioned earlier, I also got useless wax, a tail protector or whatever it was called, an MRE named "Viam Kakka," and even a bulletproof vest named "Doon Doon Konda"... such quirky things. I closed the shop, and in no time, I had about 10 million credits in cash. "First, I need to buy a big weapon box." But of course, the viewers wouldn¡¯t stay silent after hearing that. In no time, a dozen people set up shops nearby. I had a feeling I knew what was going on¡ªthey were selling the boxes I needed for 500,000 or 1,000,000 credits cheaper than the flea market. Naturally, they had food, medkits, drinks, and storage cases listed for even cheaper than normal prices. And it wasn¡¯t just randomly ced; the selling permissions were locked, meaning you had to negotiate directly with the sellers to buy items. "You might feel a bit burdened right now, but don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s actually better for us, the newbies, and for you if you buy items here?" "Huh?" "If you don¡¯t buy here, you¡¯ll just end up farming to earn money to buy it, which means everyone will be happily getting beaten up until they can gather enough money, right?" "Ah." -True words lolololololololololol -Hurry up and buy, Yujin!! -If you don¡¯t buy now, more yers will be sacrificed, Mr. Teacher????? -But if you just farm quietly, can¡¯t you make money without killing anyone? -So you think he¡¯ll just farm quietly? lololololololololol What exactly am I to the viewers? A natural disaster? - Saying that feels a bit odd, but my skill level is so high that it can sometimes be a bit much. With that thought, I packed up more item storage cases and returned to the gear box. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was satisfied, but I felt good. Meanwhile. ©¤©¤©¤Beep! "Whoa, crazy!" "Why the hell is it here!?" "Just let¡¯s die. If Mecha Yujin appears, all items will be immediately retrieved anyway." Boom. With a sh of blue sma, three people exploded. Mecha Yujin had officially started moving. "Finally, the real Mecha Yujin is revealed." After finishing up my EU y for the day and chatting with viewers, I came across a video posted on my tricky site. Even though it had only been uploaded a few hours ago, it already had over 200,000 views. The title was simple: Mecha Yujin sma 3-Man Squad Annihtion. It was a title that couldn¡¯t be ignored, so I clicked on it without thinking, and the video started ying. Three yers were casually moving through the Bunker map, when suddenly sirens red from all directions¡ªfactories, frameworks, everywhere. A transport ne suddenly appeared from the sky. There was one peculiar detail: it looked different from the usual transport nes. "Well¡­ it certainly looks Artemis-like." -Whoa, what¡¯s up with the transport ne dropping Mecha Yujin? lololololol -Now hunters aren¡¯t the only random spawns, Mecha Yujin too? This is insane lololol -The forums have been buzzing for a couple of days, so I knew something was up lol -The entrance was iconic lololol -What is this, Iron Man? lolololololol Whoooom, boom. From the point where the video was filmed, about 100 meters away, I heard a thud and a slight shockwave, followed by the UI in the top right corner shing red with "Unable," meaning the escape points were all blocked. -What¡¯s this? It seems like we¡¯re in trouble? -Uh... all the exits are blocked. Did they announce this event or something? ©¤©¤©¤Boom! At that moment, the usually mundane Bunker section was filled with blue light, red mes, and rising dust. The first explosion seemed toe from sma, the second from fire at the impact point, and the third was just dust. Another ominous sound echoed, and gunfire erupted from the direction of Mecha Yujin. After several shots, they quickly disappeared, and not long after, my downgraded Icarus gear on my left wrist activated, showing Mecha Yujin¡¯s real-time position. We all swallowed nervously as Mecha Yujin¡¯s figure appeared about 50 meters ahead. What can I say? It looked remarkably simr to me. "Why does the hair and chest look so much like mine..." -Lmao, Mecha Yujin is ¡®possible¡¯ now. -The expression is so emotionless, it¡¯s terrifying haha. -If it¡¯s not too much trouble, would it be okay to caress that slim exterior? -I feel like I¡¯d pee myself if I met this in-game lolololol Of course, despite everything, I found it pretty interesting. Even though I said that, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was pretty fun watching a boss monster modeled after me roaming around the map. Anyway, let¡¯s get back to the appearance details¡ªyeah, it looked just like me. Of course, that was because I gave permission for it. A lot of people were asking about it in the chat or through donations, so I reassured them that I had approved it and continued watching the video. Naturally, the outer shell was bulletproof, and it was clear that bullets only caused sparks without damaging the Mecha much. The high-caliber rounds did seem to dent the outer shell here and there, but the shield seemed to reduce the damage. With overwhelming physicality, Mecha Viam closed the distance... "Hostile faction detected. Target eliminated." It shifted its tail, and with a sh of blue fire, it aimed at the yers. Boom. The tail shot out with the speed of a bullet, hitting the ground, and with a loud bang, it seemed to carve out a piece of the earth, sending up dirt and mes. One yer was reduced to ashes. The sma-infused tail glowed ominously. Despite the overwhelming disy, Mecha Yujin fought rtively moderately¡ªaside from using its tail sma cannon. The remaining two fought well, even with the unfavorable situation, but after about 30 seconds, the tail cooled down, and the cannon recharged. So, the two yers became one, and after a few minutes, thest one disappeared. But the important thing wasn¡¯t that. -You encountered Artemis¡¯s new weapon? Well, we can¡¯t do much about it. We¡¯ll return the lost items on our end. Depending on the details, we may offer additional rewards, so please share everything that happened in detail. -What? -Whoa, you get insurance money too? lolololol -2 million credits? That¡¯s crazy lol -Mecha Yujin, let¡¯s hope it appears in every room!!! -Newbies will finally get some breathing room lololol ...This is actually a win, isn¡¯t it? I didn¡¯t expect this. But aside from that, I realized something: the specs of Mecha Yujin seemed a little different from what had been revealed beforehand. It had shown more overwhelming mobility and firepower at high-value research facilities, but here, aside from the sma cannon, it didn¡¯t seem to be as impressive. Without thinking, the words slipped out of my mouth. "If I bring a few friends, I think we could take it down." -Wait, what???????????? -You¡¯re seriously nning to take it down? Lmao, you madman! -Of course, that¡¯s what he¡¯d do, lol. -Please, teacher, no more! Why not? I could totally take it down, right? But no, my small act of rebellion didn¡¯t even register. It was a typical day. Chapter 379 "Hey, they say Mecha Yujin is showing up in EU mode. You wanna join?" "Mecha Yujin, what¡¯s that? Wait, hold on. Yujin... is that the one with the snake tail, the top-ranked game character?" "Who else could it be?" It had been ten days since Yujin entered the EU mode. Unlike the calm, leisurely mid-May weather, the Dark Zonemunity was buzzing with activity. The arrival of the top streamer in Tricky, who had an average viewership of 1 million, sparked a massive influx of yers into EU mode. And with the crowd mentality of the inte, once a few people show interest, even those who weren¡¯t interested before suddenly became intrigued, bringing tens of thousands into EU. The chaos had begun. First, the server screamed in agony. Even the Dark Zone, known for having the most servers and handling them in real time, experienced a significant serverg. With so many user sessions being created, the server became a graveyard for newbies who either didn¡¯t read the entry notices or skimmed through the descriptions of EU mode. And, as expected, the next thing to happen was predictable. "Hey hey, everyone. Wee to today¡¯s EU guide stream... Whoa, why are there so many people here?!" Numerous general users flooded the streams of those who had already made EU mode their main content. The viewership numbers doubled at least, and most of the viewers bombarded the chat or donations with countless questions. Streamers who had been doing EU mode for a long time, along with smaller streamers known as "Hako," were all swarmed by the flood of new viewers. The overwhelming number of viewers had created a ripple effect, leading to an unexpected boost in the EU streaming market. While it wasn¡¯t without its drawbacks, the situation was still far better than when most online games were based onputers and keyboards. "Ah, sorry! I made a mistake!" "Oh, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s alright. Newbies can make mistakes." In the virtual reality,munication wasn¡¯t just typing in chat or voice conversations between characters¡ªit was directmunication between avatars, with eye contact and face-to-face conversations. So, even though there were yers who would joke around or be blunt with each other, there was never anything too harsh. Thus, many existing streamers and staff members quickly stepped in to help guide the influx of yers, and Icarus International hastily responded by expanding server allocations and improving the UI and various systems. Numerous bugs that even the old users didn¡¯t know about were fixed, and inconvenient aspects of the system were rapidly addressed. Although, this didn¡¯tpletely lower the entry barriers. "Wow, EU is so addictive." "If I had done it alone, I¡¯d have lost my mind." Unlike other typical PVP modes, the only hardcore MMOFPS, Escape from the Unknown mode, didn¡¯t show mercy to newbies¡ªit ruthlessly eliminated them. Beginners who tried to make quick profits with custom weapons were wiped out without a second thought. Even so, despite the overwhelming number of deaths, 9 out of 10 yers being eliminated, the remaining yers numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The EU mode managed to secure two to three times the normal yer base in a short time. This was the result of the 10 days since Yujin entered EU. "Thank you so much, Teacher!" "Eh, why are you suddenly acting like this? What¡¯s going on?" -????? : I¡¯m really sorry, I owe you a lot!!!!!!!!!!! -Lmao, seriously? haha -Looking at this, they¡¯re not quite right in the head either -(Probably thinking this will avoid being knocked out in the same sessionter) -Living proof that survival is more important than pride lol As soon as Yujin met Cartographer, he immediately bowed down. The coboration started with a big bow. "I didn¡¯t expect you to invite me like this, but thank you so much." "I didn¡¯t expect you to suddenly bow down like that either." "Ah." -Lmao, seriously? haha -Must¡¯ve been shocked haha -Note¡­ to surprise Yujin, just start by bowing down¡­ -You¡¯d be shocked if someone suddenly bowed like that lol -True professional haha In mid-May, as the Escape from the Unknown mode was gaining poprity, I suddenly started a coboration with Cartographer, one of the old users I had connected with long ago. I didn¡¯t expect him to bow like that when he saw me. The reason we started coborating was a bit random¡ªjust a couple of days ago, Cartographer suddenly reached out to me through Engram, and naturally, it was him. Interestingly, back then, we hadn¡¯t talked about coborating, but he had sent me a gift. Ah, right. [Cartographer: Thank you for showing interest in our game!!!!!!!!!!] [Cartographer: ] And it wasn¡¯t just that. He sent a picture of the subscription count and trends on his YouSpace channel. Over the past week, 75,000 new subscribers had joined his channel, and his strategy videos, which he posted at the start of each season, were seeing a sharp increase in views. I understood what was happening. So, I quickly returned the gesture with something equivalent to his gift. I had to return a gift with another gift, after all¡ªwell, that¡¯s how it is.@@novelbin@@ After some reminiscing about the past, we started talking about the oldpetition days. I had been teamed up with Harmony, and Cartographer was on the opposite team, so we had be acquainted then. Although, before the match began, new rules were added forbidding yers from getting advice from pro gamers, so we had to stick to the basics¡ªbut still, we had gotten to know each other quite a bit at that time. "Kim Manager¡¯s team was quite a strong opponent." "Yeah, if we hadn¡¯t practiced hard back then, we probably would¡¯ve lost. Thanks to Yujin¡¯s disciple, we were able to win, though." "...Looking back, I think we overtrained Moni." "Ah, did you realize that now? Oh, I didn¡¯t say anything!" -Lmao, I bet it wasn¡¯t a joke haha -It wasn¡¯t a joke, it seems haha -Five times, you died by fishing lines, huh? haha -Yujin was terrifying back then, seriously -Fact: Yujin is still terrifying now But anyway, after that, I went back to ying ranked and didn¡¯t meet up with him again, which was probably for the best. He eagerly nodded in response, so I figured it was best not to argue. Then, we casually reminisced about the old times, remembering things like the tournament ranks. At the time, I was teamed with Harmony, who was with Cartographer, so we knew each other indirectly. Of course, after the rule about pro advice was introduced, we had to stick to our own skills, but I wanted to say I had gotten to know this person quite a lot. "Kim Manager¡¯s team was really tough." "Yeah, if we hadn¡¯t trained so hard, we would¡¯ve probably lost. Thanks to Yujin¡¯s disciple, we were able to get through it." "Anyway, it''s been quite a while since west met. Time really flies, doesn''t it? It''s already been over 9 months since we first met." "I still get startled when I think about that time, haha." "Ugh." "Just kidding, just kidding." -Lmao, it doesn¡¯t seem like a joke haha -It¡¯s not a joke, seems like it haha -Five times, you died by fishing lines, huh? haha -Yujin was terrifying back then, seriously -Fact: Yujin is still terrifying now But anyway, after that, I went back to ying ranked and didn¡¯t meet up with him again, which was probably for the best. He eagerly nodded in response, so I figured it was best not to argue. Then, we casually reminisced about the old times, remembering things like the tournament ranks. At the time, I was teamed with Harmony, who was with Cartographer, so we knew each other indirectly. Of course, after the rule about pro advice was introduced, we had to stick to our own skills, but I wanted to say I had gotten to know this person quite a lot. "Kim Manager¡¯s team was really tough." "Yeah, if we hadn¡¯t trained so hard, we would¡¯ve probably lost. Thanks to Yujin¡¯s disciple, we were able to get through it." "...Looking back, I think we overtrained Moni." "Ah, did you realize that now? Oh, I didn¡¯t say anything!" -Lmao, I bet it wasn¡¯t a joke haha -It wasn¡¯t a joke, it seems haha -Five times, you died by fishing lines, huh? haha -Yujin was terrifying back then, seriously -Fact: Yujin is still terrifying now But anyway, after that, I went back to ying ranked and didn¡¯t meet up with him again, which was probably for the best. He eagerly nodded in response, so I figured it was best not to argue. Then, we casually reminisced about the old times, remembering things like the tournament ranks. At the time, I was teamed with Harmony, who was with Cartographer, so we knew each other indirectly. Of course, after the rule about pro advice was introduced, we had to stick to our own skills, but I wanted to say I had gotten to know this person quite a lot. Chapter 380 "Kato, you''re in big trouble now, hehe." - LMAO, he got caught too haha - Doesn¡¯t his expression seem a bit too bright for saying something like that? - Other people¡¯s misfortune = my happiness haha - Newbie just entered the chat haha Harmony, for the past few months, had been smiling the brightest. The moment Harmony''s uncontrobleughter, one that she had no intention of hiding, was broadcast across the screen, a storm of explosive reactions from the viewers followed. Without needing to be told, thousands of viewers saw months of memories sh before their eyes. Of course, it was the same for Harmony. Crossing the Brooklyn bridge from New York, holding a gun for the first time in her life, struggling to fight enemies, and finally making her way to the safe zone where she met a user for the first time¡ªwho would have thought it would be Yujin? "Kato, you¡¯re not dropping your magazine, right? That¡¯s fine." - Magazine hahaha - ''Dark History'' - (Yujin ring at Harmony like she was about to kill her) - Talk about a generational difference haha - Fact) It¡¯s been less than 10 months since then It was as she said. It had only been about three months since Harmony and Yujin met in mid-August, so there were still three months left until the end of the year. But who would have imagined that in that time, Harmony would be a skilled yer, even sessfully avenging herself against Final Championship yers? Even she couldn¡¯t believe it. In any case, the magazine joke had be a meme in Harmony¡¯s stream. There had been quite a few mistakes made the first time they met Yujin¡ªthough both the viewers and Harmony didn¡¯t take it seriously. The mistake was forgiven, since Harmony wasn¡¯t serious about it. "Anyway, Teacher, you¡¯ve already reached level 15. As expected, you always go full throttle, huh?" - What? Does she mean she¡¯ll go full throttle too? - She''s already driving 150 km, what more do you need haha - Living point) This person has already killed 17 people with grenade fishing - What¡¯s she up to now? haha - You do the same every match though haha As the yer-bandidos'' cooldown ended, Harmony stood up and started matchmaking. It was a path simr to but different from Yujin¡¯s. The so-called master had never yed as a Yudit while leveling up to 15, but Harmony did the opposite. She would enter with a subpar gun and a few magazines, a mediocre bulletproof vest, and some misceneous items¡ªthen fight enemies. In all sorts of unconventional ways. After a while, the match ended and she found herself at the outskirts of a shopping mall. With just a pump-action shotgun and about twenty shells, a level 3 vest, and a tactical vest¡ªthe only items Harmony had were minimal. "There¡¯s still 20 minutes left. Plenty of time. I¡¯ll hurry up." Now familiar to the point where theyout was almost second nature, Harmony began walking toward Olive, following the less traveled, darker path. There were a few uncollected items left, but they weren¡¯t her priority. She picked up traps, optimized for fishing or creating ambushes. Using things even traders wouldn''t take, she set them up at the paths where people usually passed. If she had grenades, it would be great, but it wasn¡¯t an issue. "Yudits usually don¡¯t have headsets, so it¡¯s better to use these kinds of traps to keep track." As she spoke, she started setting up traps at high-traffic areas or ces where valuable items often appeared. Her speed was impressive. Harmony had inherited Yujin¡¯s tactical mind, but her excellent dexterity made her perfectly suited for this¡ªshe was a natural at optimization. It didn¡¯t matter if people rarely passed by. If one person got caught, that was enough. As she exited Olive, she carefully looked around before stepping into Ultima Mall, not to farm but to ce traps at esctors and corridors. In less than 5 minutes, 10 sound traps were set, and Harmony waited, hidden in a corner where no one would notice her. And then, after a while: Clink! "It sounds like they came down from the esctor on the second floor." - She¡¯s like a ghost haha - Are you a psychology major???? - Even though it¡¯s not easy to install traps on paths where people walk, she¡¯s doing it well haha - If this person were a terrorist, the world would be in chaos by now haha - Less than 3 minutes, and she already caught one haha It was exactly as expected. As Harmony carefully emerged from behind the esctor, she saw a figure slip through the entrance leading to Olive. The lighting was dim, but that wasn¡¯t important¡ªwhat mattered was the bulky figure with an unnatural silhouette. In other words, it was a user. "...Waiting for battle is truly an art, huh. I wonder how true that is." Patience, a wide perspective, and moving only when the moment was right. This phrase, often repeated to her, wasn¡¯t just nagging but a lesson that was always relevant in games¡ªHarmony would never overlook Yujin¡¯s teachings. Stealthily and quickly, she followed the user¡¯s movements. The moment the user crossed the entrance toward Olive, Harmony waited against the wall, listening for the next sound. Suddenly, there was a metallic noise. For every trap, the source of the sound had to be different. This allowed her to identify the trap¡¯s position. From the dull thud, she could tell that it was a stic bottle trap ced at the office area. "Hmm..." From within the office, the sound of footsteps echoed. Someone was rummaging inside. Harmony, noting the location of the broken noise trap, quickly deduced that the user was going to exit in the opposite direction. ording to her prior knowledge, EU had a set farming route. Most users preferred efficient paths. Returning the way they came was inefficient, so she waited near the exit. After some time: Boom! "Aaaah!" The sound of a shotgun echoed, followed almost immediately by a heavy voice. Though the usercked pain receptors, the automatic sound of the avatar being hit was clearly audible. The female avatar cried out in pain as one knee waspletely destroyed. Twelve steel pellets scattered over the area that the bulletproof vest couldn¡¯t protect, and the enemy lost all mobility. They copsed to the ground, unable to even fire their gun. However, Harmony wasn¡¯t stopping there. She shot the other knee from a distance, then pressed her foot down on their right hand to prevent any possible resistance. The female avatar beganmenting her fate, and Harmony turned her gaze to the user¡¯s head and spoke. "I¡¯ll let you go peacefully if you give me your gun, helmet, bulletproof vest, and grenades." "That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to take... ugh!" As Yujin always said, pointing a shotgun at someone withints would always get a polite response. Today, Yujin¡¯s teachings were in full effect, and Harmony couldn¡¯t help but be thankful for the wisdom passed on. How could she not respect someone who was always right? But today, it wasn¡¯t just surprise¡ªit was for a different reason. "Wow, I can¡¯t believe I got that from Harmony..." "Want me to say something weird again?" "No, no, take the gun, vest, helmet, and grenades. But I have a credit card in my underwear... you¡¯re not taking that, right?" "Quick, heal up and escape!" nk! Harmony¡¯s gunstock hit the user¡¯s helmet with a soft clink, and the muffled sound of a cute groan came from beneath the helmet. Afterward, the user, giving up, handed over a modded SVD with several magazines, two grenades, and protective gear, and Harmony gratefully epted it, adding: "I¡¯ll drop a few before I escape, so you can file for insurance." "Ah, thank you." "Now, get out of here before I shoot you in the back." "Doom! No!" The user, now with a working leg after Harmony healed him, grabbed an axe and scampered off, while Harmony smiled in satisfaction. "Now, let¡¯s go make some money." - The donations in real life are crazy haha - At least she¡¯s saving him haha - A totally legal and just conversation, I agree - Is this Mad Max-style dialogue? haha - I have a lot to say, but I¡¯m not going to because they¡¯re stronger haha Harmony had another sessful run today. Meanwhile, "Snake, nooo!" "Finally, after about twelve hours." Yujin and Cartographer. The two of them were finally face-to-face with Mecha Yujin. "Ugh..." "We can''t ck off now. Let¡¯s go!" - Carto¡¯s been ying harder than evertely haha - ?? : If you kill someone, it¡¯s farming - Stop farming already!!! - Mecha Yujin still hasn¡¯t shown up, seriously haha - This time, it¡¯sing! Seriously (or maybe not)! After 11 hours, 45 minutes, and 22 seconds of streaming, a pretty avatar spawned in the shopping mall, only to copse on the floor. The shiny hair brushed against the floor, and for a moment, Carto almost lost his bnce, but thankfully, it was VR. Carto was reaching his limit. After running through countless maps today, he had earned about 8 million credits. At first, he was showing Yujin the ropes about food runs, misceneous item runs, and storage runs, but with Yujin¡¯s stamina, even an ironman couldn¡¯t keep up. Of course, Yujin was on Hardcore mode. "Are you made of steel?" "Then the gas mileage must be terrible." "Ugh..." It couldn¡¯t be helped. To be honest, I had been choosing the most intense battles and dragging Carto into them, so it was more than half my fault. I wasn¡¯t going to rush him. If Mecha Yujin didn¡¯t show today, we could try again tomorrow. As Carto got up, holding his back after a wrong posture, I used my tail to pull him up. He was a handful. "Well, if Mecha Yujin doesn¡¯t show this round, we¡¯ll just have to search for him tomorrow. Sorry for making you go through a triathlon."@@novelbin@@ "Hehe." "So, does that mean you¡¯re okay?" "Noooo!" As expected, Carto answered quickly. If he didn¡¯t, he¡¯d be dragged into Yujin¡¯s camp tomorrow. This was thest match of the day, so I finally brought a decent gun. For me, ¡°decent¡± meant a Lapua sniper rifle. I even brought the special ammo the Hunter used, so I was ready for anything. "Why are you this fast while wearing a Zabrallo vest?" "Hurry up." With a hexgrid vest on, Carto was slower than me. But he didn¡¯t take long to reach the entrance, where several bandidos, cursing in English, started shooting. I pulled out my MP7 and aimed for their heads, taking them out one by one. Today¡¯s mission was to hunt down the boss that only spawned in the shopping mall: "Mad Trigger," who had teamed up with three rogue bosses to take over the mall. I was here to stop them. "I wonder how the boss quest popped up so quickly. I heard that rogue bosses spawn here too. Will they show up this time?" "I don¡¯t know. If they do, we¡¯ll take them out. If not, we¡¯ll escape. With all this gear, it should be easy." "Haha." As expected, I didn¡¯t get the boss I was looking for, but a group of four came by. We made quick work of them, making sure their bodies and heads ended up in the lobby. The boss spawn rate was 15%, and even with the added quest, it wasn¡¯t enough. Still, with this gear, I was making back more than I spent on ammo. I stuffed my items into my bag and said: "Looks like another uneventful round." "Yeah, it was fun though. Maybe we can meet up again in a month..." "Where do you think you''re going?" - Lmao, Carto tried to run away after posting the credits haha - He tried to sneak out haha - ?? : You¡¯re getting kidnapped... - Carto, you¡¯re already in Yujin¡¯s sights, where are you going? haha As Carto¡¯s life seemed to lose all hope, I gently tapped his back and reassured him. As I stood up, I saw a helicopter noise and knew the game was far from over. "Snake, nooo!" This concludes the chapter! Let me know if you''d like any further adjustments or assistance! Chapter 381 "No, I searched for it, but I didn''t really expect it toe out. What should we do¡ª" "First, get away!" Kiiing! With a chilling tone, the air on the first floor seems to heat up. It¡¯s not just a feeling¡ªit¡¯s actually heating up. It felt as though every hair on my body was standing on end. Switching to heat-sensitive vision for a moment, I saw that the area around Mecha Yujin was heating up entirely. I had guessed this from the video posted earlier and figured it out through the actions. As I remembered, that weapon emitted sma in all directions the moment it was deployed. The scene when the bunker was briefly filled with a blue light was still vividly etched in my mind. And then, a few seconds passed¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Bang! A blinding blue sh, and the surrounding heat swept through the first floor. Amidst the violently swirling air, the shops near Mecha Yujin caught fire or became charred. Concrete pirs were melting and dripping or charred¡ªbut I knew this was the perfect moment to strike with all I had. Since the airflow inside the shopping mall was chaotic and the noise was overwhelming, I didn¡¯t worry about soundproofing and immediately issued an order to Carto over the inte. "Fire everything you¡¯ve got." "What?" "Fire it!" Without waiting for a reply, I promised myself that once we got back, Carto would reflexively follow the orders and keep pulling the trigger. The first shot I fired hit Mecha Yujin in the middle of the mes, as a special armor-piercing round elerated to 900 meters per second and pierced through the abdomen. It wasn¡¯t a bounce-back. It was a full pration. "Wow, look at that, he¡¯s running away in an instant!" Carto fired a momentter. The M995 magazine emptied in an instant, delivering several small but effective hits. Half of them were blocked by the hexagonal shield barrier, though, which seemed to confirm that the technology behind the Icarus Gear wasn¡¯t just a lie. But that admiration didn¡¯tst long, and it was time to fight for our lives. One side wouldn¡¯t leave the shopping mall today. "The mobility is no joke¡­ No, actually, I should say the response to damage is quick. If it were a person, they''d flinch when hit by bullets anywhere." "Eh, yeah. So what do we do now¡­?" "I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s almost no data on it, so we¡¯ll have to solve it on the spot. The only thing I¡¯m sure of is that it fires sma cannons at regr intervals, so we have to avoid that." "One problem after another, huh¡­!"
  • Already thinking seriously about how to deal with it lol
  • (Comment) I feel like we could catch it.
  • You too????
  • No real reason to be confident, but why does it feel like we can?
  • If Yujin had just a couple of his acquaintances or disciples with him, he could¡¯ve hunted it easily lol
The first thing we needed to understand was its mobility. We had already confirmed its tanking ability, and seeing the partial shield technology applied, charging directly into it would likely backfire. If our statusparison showed clear superiority over the enemy in every way, except for tiny variables, a direct confrontation might be more advantageous. That was exactly what I had done every time in 1:1 fights. But sadly, this fact was something everyone here¡ªme, Carto, and even Mecha Yujin¡ªcould guess. "Ugh, it''sing!"@@novelbin@@ "Throw all the grenades you have left!" A threatening vibration surged through my body. Luckily, by this point, Carto had started following my orders without any hesitation. The only problem was speed. If only we had brought something like concussion grenades, things might have gone better, but the grenades we had were all dy-fused. The reason I¡¯m saying this is that the mechanical enemy started closing in quickly. After all, if you''re confident you won¡¯t lose in a head-on fight, why would you avoid it? It would be best to push forward. At the same time, several grenadesnded, tracing different parabolic paths as they hit the ground. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The deafening explosion, followed by thousands of steel balls, swept through the entire hemispherical space. However, it didn¡¯t slow down; it just kept going. Some grenades were even shot off course, flying far away. I had no choice but to admit¡ªit was too simr to my own tactics. "Let¡¯s eat away at it while we retreat. You go back first. We¡¯ll pull back slowly." "Ugh, why does this only happen in the shopping mall¡­!"
  • Hahahahaha
  • The viewers are having so much fun w
  • Wow, it''s really pushing in hard ????
  • If it had been Harmony instead of Carto, it might have been a different story, but of course, it¡¯s Carto lol
  • Hey, that¡¯s discrimination against Carto!!!
As I said. It was something I¡¯d considered at least once, but didn¡¯t speak aloud. If we ever faced Mecha Biyam againter¡­ no, it was more important to make sure Carto grew stronger before that happened. Half hoping against hope, I checked Carto¡¯s position as he retreated. Firing special AP rounds as quickly as I could, I slowly backed away, and I also ordered Carto to keep firing as soon as Mecha Yujin was in sight. It hurt to admit that the only gun that could keep this mechanical weapon in check was Mjolnir, but I couldn¡¯t do it alone. Sadly, the enemy was incredibly fast. As soon as I confirmed Carto¡¯s retreat and tried to back out, the enemy closed in on us. Leaving suppression fire to Carto, I trusted the Zabrallo to protect most of my upper body and quickly moved out of cover¡ªdangerous, but I had no choice at that moment. The moment I rounded the corner, I locked eyes with Mecha Yujin. A bright blue light of death was emanating from its mechanical tail. "Shit." Death flooded up to my chin, but I wasn¡¯t about to die quietly. I braced my legs and jumped off the ground, using a chair as a step¡ªcracking as it shattered under the force¡ªthen leaping off a stone wall and into the air. As I soared about three meters into the air, blue mes erupted from behind me and below my feet, tearing everything apart. ©¤©¤©¤! "Argh¡­!"
  • ??????????
  • He dodged it with a jump? Hahahahaha
  • What the hell, how can he dodge like that?
  • Living tip: You can dodge sma with a jump
  • This guy is definitely insane
  • And he even does a roll mid-air hahaha
The world flipped over several times. If I hadnded on my legs, they would have shattered immediately, so I did my best tond safely. Luckily¡ªor unluckily¡ªthe fire on my pants went out when I rolled. But I still couldn¡¯tpletely neutralize the heat, and my legs turned yellow. As I barely managed to recover, a bullet fired by Carto flew into my path. At least I had sessfully drawn out the sma shot, so I tried to establish a defensive line again. However, I knew all too well that the results weren¡¯t looking good. After struggling to regroup, I heard Carto¡¯s voice. "Yujin, something¡¯s glowing from the joints¡­" "Yeah. With that kind of energy, I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d just use it for attacking, but now it¡¯s clear." "Huh?" "The effort we put into creating distance has been wasted." ©¤©¤©¤Bang!
  • Oh no hahaha
  • This is too much hahaha
  • Why is it flying now!!!!!!??
  • Seriously, hahahaha
  • Now it¡¯s using boosters? This is ridiculous
Just as I said. The light from the joints¡ªmeaning the energy emitted from the rear¡ªcreated propulsion, allowing it to close in on us in an instant. The bullets flew as we hurriedly exchanged fire. Though both Carto and I quickly dodged and avoided most of Mecha Yujin''s MP7 fire, it still hurt. For a while, the acrobatic battle continued, but sadly, Mecha Yujin, with its massive mechanical advantage, relentlessly pressed in on us. Unsurprisingly, the muzzle fire aimed directly at Carto, who was assisting me with all his might. It wasing at him in a deadly direction. ©¤©¤©¤Ugh! "Cough¡­" It was like a scene from Iron Man. Ignoring me, Mecha Yujin jumped andnded right where Carto was. It had been over a minute, and it still hadn¡¯t fired the sma cannon, indicating it couldn¡¯t use both at once. But, still¡ªsince all the ammo had been used, it wasn¡¯t shooting. But when the light flickered from its elbow, and a fist shot out like a bullet, hitting Carto¡¯s hexagrid armor, it was a bad sign. Carto¡¯s chest was instantly lit up in red on the UI. His health hit zero due to bleeding, signaling fatal or near-fatal damage. He was thrown far away and motionless¡ªno help wasing. For now, the only option was to destroy its mobility. "Let¡¯s see if it can still move with one leg broken." Tch! Luckily, Carto had bought us enough time with his death, and I shot about five rounds into its right leg. Sparks flew, and parts began to fall off. I kept firing and managed to deal significant damage. I stalled for over a minute, pretending to reload the magazine and bluffing that I was almost empty. At the same time, the mechanical tail began to shift, preparing to fire the sma cannon. Of course, I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. "Too bad, you didn¡¯t shoot it all." Bang! As soon as the bullet struck the mechanical tail, it swayed violently. I didn¡¯t know what was inside, but the tail was twisted horribly, which would likely hinder its ability to fire the sma. I hoped it would hold up, at least. Slowly, the time to finish this fight was approaching. Mecha Yujin rushed forward tond another punch, but I was confident in closebat as well. And I had an MP7, after all. "Not so fast." ©¤©¤©¤Tatattattatta! Dodging a punch that barely missed my head, I swiftly kicked it in the stomach. At the same time, I pulled out the submachine gun hanging on my chest and fired in a continuous burst. Mecha Yujin, relying on its physical durability, turned its back and ran, hiding again. Looking at the back of its damaged frame, I could tell it had taken a significant hit. For a mass-produced version based on me, its tactics were truly weak. That said, I wasn¡¯t saying it shoulde back strongerter. Once you expose an opening, it¡¯s natural to be pushed into a defensive position. Mecha Yujin started to retreat, but I had overlooked one thing. If it stopped using the sma cannon, it could focus all its remaining energy on physical enhancement. "Such a bastard¡­!" Bang! An overwhelming sensation of impact spread through my abdomen and arms. If this weren¡¯t VR, it would have hurt like hell. The full-body tackle knocked me to the ground, and I felt my entire body gradually turning yellow as I was pushed back several meters. But the important thing was that Mecha Yujin wouldn¡¯t let me go. At the same time, a cold, dry voice echoed. "Alert¡­ Self-destruction in 5 seconds. Eliminating highest priority threat." "Great." The body was glowing red with heat. When I saw it, I smiled in disbelief, and quickly abandoned my n to get Carto out. An explosion ending? This was an absolute joke. "If I¡¯d brought just one more person, we would¡¯ve won." With that regret, my vision was overtaken by bright white light. It was a tragic ending. "What are you thinking, Coach Dice?" "If I had data on Mecha Yujin, it¡¯d be great to train you all with it." "Snake!!!" What an explosive ending. Dice, one of the viewers watching Yujin''s live broadcast with over 1.5 million viewers, had a strange expression on his face and was approached by some pro gamers. As the scene exploded and was thrown out of the lobby, he was stunned, with a familiar face showing a look of disbelief. But still, Dice knew well that even against Mecha Yujin, it would take a lot of effort to capture it. The method she used to capture Logan during the final championshipst year was no different. ¡®Is this something only mechanical weapons can do?¡¯ But thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t that strange. Self-destruction was actually not that rare in warfare, and given the situation, it made sense to use someone as a tool to achieve the goal. Dice thought deeply, catching his breath. ¡®Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen Yujin in a while.¡¯ It was too busy to enjoy EU mode, but maybe meeting one person wouldn''t hurt. Dice thought for a moment, then spoke. "For now, everyone keep practicing. I¡¯ve got something to do." And so, as theet slowly faded, it was time to bring the Apex Predator into the fold. A mischievous smile appeared on Dice¡¯s face. Chapter 382 "Videos of Mecha Yujin are starting to pop up one by one."
  • "Of course, it¡¯s because of someone, haha."
  • "Could it be thanks to the magnificent Biyam who pulled all the data no one else knew about??"
  • "Foreigners are already gathering a group of six or so for a raid, haha."
  • "Fact: Half of those videos will probably be taken down for copyright reasons."
  • "Did you use it without Yujin¡¯s permission, haha?"
It had been two days since I first encountered Mecha Biyam. The world remained peaceful, but the online world¡ªespecially the Dark Zonemunity¡ªwas as lively as ever. The Wiki data on Mecha Yujin, which originally only stated "appears at a low probability in all maps," had been thoroughly updated, and it had stirred up even more noise. As I thought about it, memories began to pop up one by one in my head. Basic details included: it carries a single gun, radiates sma in all directions upon appearance, and fires a sma cannon from its tail about once every minute. Destroying the tail¡¯s concentrator would seal its attacks. Additionally, it was newly revealed that it used energy to enhance its mobility. "All the videos are pretty much the same. Guess the data collection method is limited," I mused. Of course, the data collection method here naturally referred to my own broadcasts. Leaning back in my chair, I continued my thoughts. There had been a lot of videos I had looked through so far. Not just in Korean and English, but if I looked around a little more, there were videos in othernguages too. It seemed like anyone who could enjoy EU had uploaded something. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the important part. A lot of people had used my videos without permission, so there was something I needed to address. Fortunately, many well-known channels, especially the ones with a lot of subscribers like "YourSpace," had started emailing me for permission since yesterday. "Anyway, if any of you who uploaded videos haven''t asked for permission yet, I suggest you send me an email quickly. Otherwise, your video will probably be taken down within a week."
  • "Hahaha!"
  • "Biyam¡¯s strictness!!"
  • "What is this? Are you threatening to cause a bloodbath?"
  • "Anyone who used my videos without asking will get their heads smashed!!!!!!!"
  • "Such obsession with views hahaha"
Now that I had said it, I expected a flood of request emails toe through in the next day or two. I could probably just set up some automatic eptance algorithm or something. Anyway, that¡¯s all for the video talk. I returned to my thoughts. The issue was obviously about hunting Mecha Yujin more reliably. Objectively speaking, mybat power was roughly the equivalent of three or four average yersbined, so with a team of five or six, we could probably manage to take it down. Beating physical violence with numerical violence. Of course, if we got hit by a sma cannon, that would be a different story. Anyway, there was something different from the usual that had caught my attentiontely. The reason was simple. The number of merchants who were supposed to be eight had be seven. As I continued on through the story, it turned out that Maverick, who was originally supposed to be one of the merchants, had be an enemy. Naturally, I had to pay attention to that. I had heard that Maverick had always been a viin who shed with other merchants. For example, sending me on errands to dump chemical substances in the sewers. It was said that if you sided with one faction, your favorability with the other would drop drastically. But in my scenario, that wasn¡¯t where the problem ended. "By the way, if I kill Maverick, will I lose anything?"
  • "Kill a merchant?????"
  • "What are you suddenly talking about, haha."
  • "Well, he gives out some nice rewards in the side quests and weekly quests haha."
  • "Are you throwing away your blue and yellow keycards??"
  • "You get money if you tear someone apart, why bother with side quests?"
It seemed like there were many things that were actually quite helpful. However, sadly, I probably wouldn¡¯t meet Maverick again in the EU mode. Since I had just faced Mecha Biyam, my trust with the merchants had skyrocketed, and I felt like they were now openly watching Maverick as a target. Maybeter, I could create a new character and follow the same quest line as the regr users. That wouldn''t be so bad. Anyway, that was my recent update. "Anyway, today¡¯s EU session is over. Lately, I¡¯ve been focusing on saving money and upgrading my hideout, so things have been pretty quiet."
  • "Quiet? Quiet??"
  • "Fact: This guy was carrying a bunker¡¯s UtoS machine gun just 40 minutes ago, no joke."
  • "He¡¯s carrying a fixed gun hahaha, tearing it apart hahahaha."
  • "Over 40 kg? Hahahaha."
  • "Teacher, please stop talking nonsense hahaha."
What? You just unscrew a few bolts and take it off the tripod. I could carry it based on the system¡¯s rules. I guess they¡¯ve forgotten that I used to carry a DShK gun and shoot in California. It was really unfair how I had to deal with it. I had the option to take it, so I did... Of course, if Iined about this to Harmony or Dice, they¡¯d probably say something like, "You really need to learn basicmon sense." Anyway, it was a fun experience. I hadn¡¯t shot a .50 caliber in a while, so I had forgotten how to control the recoil, but I was starting to get the hang of it again. The onlyint was that the smoke blocked the sights. If I can solve that problem, I think I¡¯ll use it more in the future. After chatting for a bit, I ended the EU session. Of course, I didn¡¯t end the broadcast yet¡ªit was about time for thest bit of chit-chat. I decided to check out the fan art board after a long time. A new post was highlighted next to the board, and I clicked the mouse cursor on it. About ten or so new fan art pieces had been posted. They had a lot of upvotes, with none below 50. Among them, three or four had over 150 upvotes. But¡ª "...Why is the title like this?"
  • "Mecha Yujin and Yujin¡­ this is something else."
  • "Hahahahaha"
  • "Honestly, when their bodies collided yesterday, it did look a bit suggestive."
  • "Biyam¡¯s dedicatedwyer is watching, right? It¡¯s time to work."
  • "These idiots are causing a ruckus on the line hahaha."
It was exactly as they said. It wasn¡¯t the fully heated-up image I saw a few days ago... it was an image of the mechanical figure with a flushed face on top of me. It wasn¡¯t too explicit, but it was enough to make meugh awkwardly. Naturally, thements were full of "Biyam hahahaha" jokes. The viewers were something else. I casually added: "Who drew this? Please send me an email personally. No particr reason, just curious."
  • "Hahahahaha"
  • "Who dared to pluck Biyam¡¯s scales?"
  • "Mecha Yujin is honestly a little suggestive!!!!!!!"
  • "But we can¡¯t stop the artist from getting their necks snapped."
  • "I can hear them shaking all the way over here hahaha."
So, unexpectedly, myst chat turned into content about "artist executions." But still, it was well-drawn. Plus, given my past, I could save this image under another name really quickly. Meanwhile, someone who had likely been watching the broadcast live sent a 50,000-won donation and apologized. Of course, I was fine with it. As long as they weren¡¯t posting overly suggestive stuff, I could let it slide. After reassuring them via private message, the atmosphere in the broadcast calmed down. The viewers thought I was some crazy Biyam who would immediately ban anyone who stepped out of line. I realized how quickly rumors could spread. Should I cut the root of this? That aside, I started to remember a few videos that had been popping up on the "YourSpace" channel algorithm. It seemed like a channel drawing suggestive doodles of game characters. I¡¯d heard that "Hotteok" viewers often watched these videos... and I think they were friends with Hotteok? My memory was hazy, but I thought I¡¯d ask next time we met. For now, I wrapped up everything, leaving a small note offering a pizza for everyone who had drawn something. After that, I started preparing to end the broadcast. "Thanks for watching today¡¯s broadcast, and tomorrow I¡¯ll probably start a bitter. I¡¯ve got a schedule." As the viewers who didn¡¯t want the broadcast to end shouted "Keep it going!!!!", I had something else nned for tomorrow. It was time to meet Dice after a long while. "Have a good night, everyone." Of course, no matter how much they begged for more broadcast time, some things just couldn¡¯t be helped. "Yujin-ssi! Ack!" "Why are you suddenly jumping at me?" The next morning, 10 AM, I met Dice in Seongsu-dong. A few months ago, when I lived in Hongje-dong, it would have taken a while to travel around Seoul and finally arrive at Seongsu-dong, where SSM¡¯s headquarters is located. But now, after moving to a penthouse almost right next to the Yeongdong Bridge, it didn¡¯t take Dice long toe from SSM, where he had been going to work recently. Specifically, it took about 50 minutes on foot. That wasn¡¯t a short distance, but it was also too close to take a car. Maybe I should get a stealth motorcycle. Now that I think about it, I don''t actually own a car. Maybe I should get one. "Your skin¡¯s so smooth. Did you put something on?" "These days, the humidity is rising, so not really..." "Really, look at your skin. It¡¯s perfect." "It¡¯s not my skin, you¡¯re touching my tail." Using the excuse of my skin, Dice was slyly trying to sneak in some much-needed ¡°tail maintenance." He was getting good at slipping into unconscious desires to satisfy his own needs. Anyway, it was still early in the morning, and I was a bit hungry from walking for an hour. I hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet¡ªthough Dice had promised to buy it, so I wasn¡¯t too concerned. That said, it had been a while since west met. Actually, it had been a while since Ist saw Harmony too. Thest time I saw her was at my housewarming party, so it had been weeks. "Do you want to take a tour of ourpany? We have a lot of free time today." "If you get permission, I¡¯m happy to take a look." Our destination was a restaurant. It had been a while since I had walked around Seoul. As I was walking, a sudden thought crossed my mind. "Come to think of it, I used to be an interim coach for SSM, but I¡¯ve never actually visited the headquarters before." "Honestly, I haven¡¯t either. Most meetings are done through VR, so I didn¡¯t need to go there. After the final championship, I think it¡¯s been the first time I¡¯ve been back in a while." "Ah, right. SSM is involved in entertainment as well, right? Broadcasting, idol training... Well, I guess it¡¯s more like nurturing them than training, but you get the idea." "Exactly." So began Dice¡¯s endless chatter. He hadn¡¯t said much at the housewarming party, but I guess all that time he was quietly storing up things to say. He went on and on, but it wasn¡¯t boring at all. Hearing about all the celebrities he had appeared with on various shows was interesting, especially the stories about Dark Zone-rted... well, let''s say ''reckless'' celebrities whose spines Dice had bent the wrong way. You probably couldn¡¯t imagine it. True skills are something you don¡¯t believe in unless you see them firsthand or experience them yourself. Especially in a world where skills aren¡¯t obvious from just appearances. That said, the stories of breaking spines was pretty harsh. Before long, we arrived at the Italian restaurant that Dice had reserved. "Turns out a lot of celebrities are into Dark Zone. Maybe there¡¯s amon denominator. There weren¡¯t really any issues on the talk shows... Anyway, you don¡¯t know the programs I¡¯ve been on, right?" "As soon as YourSpace uploaded, you kept sending me the link, pestering me to watch. How could I not watch?" "Ah, seriously. You should have found it on your own." From what he just said, it seemed like he wanted me to show more interest in his shows. I yfully smacked his head with my tail and immediately... not just one, but a ton of food started being served. What was going on here? The tables were being expanded, and soon, about 10 or so dishes were ced in front of us. When our eyes met, he continued. "I figured you¡¯d eat a lot, so I ordered about a third of the menu. You can eat everything, but I¡¯ll only sample a little of the pasta, pizza, and risotto." "That¡¯s an odd but considerate gesture." And indeed, it was. Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to hide my amusement. As we kept chatting, Dice took out his phone and passed me a message. "Yujin-ssi." "Yes?" "They asked if you could take a look at our VR-based coach program. They¡¯ll pay you a million per hour, and they¡¯re asking if you can help us train our pro gamer trainees." "Haha." I chuckled lightly before adding. "Let¡¯s go see the skills of the friends Dice trained." "Ugh." It was finally time to act as an Apex Predator once again.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 383 "Ah, I really don¡¯t want to do anything today..." "You¡¯re not doing anything already." "I want to do nothing more intensely than this."@@novelbin@@ SSM Entertainment Headquarters, 37th Floor, Apex Predator pro gamer assigned area. On therge sofa in the lounge, which looked incrediblyfortable, a few people were staring nkly into space. Among them were trainees, those who had just been promoted to the second division, and even some first-division pros. It was a unique feature you could only see at SSM, where the mentor-mentee system was especially active among the ten teams. No matter the skill difference, everyone interacted freely. The game world was small, and since most yers had been around long enough, it wasmon to see the same faces again and again unless someone was particrlycking in skill and dropped out. Anyway, the weather was perfect. The sky was clear, with no fine dust in sight, and there were no clouds either. Sunlight filtered through the windows, circting the cool air in the hallway, creating the perfect temperature for a nap. And that was the result. Among them, one rather famous person was mixing in. "Hey, Looming. I heard you won the Spring season recently? At this rate, you¡¯ll be able to earn your Apex Predator mentor certification soon." "Really? They say all kinds of crazy people join that, how did you win?" "Just... review what you¡¯ve learned in the lectures, you guys." "Shut up." A gruff tone. Looming was lying on the sofa, his face hidden as he turned over quickly, but the redness of his ears made it clear that he was embarrassed. As expected, he quickly became the target of focus, and within just a few dozen seconds, Looming was bombarded with verbal attacks, forcing his tired body to sit up with difficulty. The conversation continued. "So how many people are assigned when you get the certification? Was it five mentees?" "Yeah, that¡¯s right. If you¡¯re really good, you get one or two more, and if it¡¯s not working, they reduce it to about three. If there are too many, it gets hard with tournament prep... Or I could dy the certification until next year. I want topete in the Asia qualifiers this year, though." "With so few TOs, I wonder if it¡¯ll be possible. We¡¯ll have to practice hard." "TO? Anyway, the Asia qualifiers are a given as long as we¡¯re in the top 20... Ah." At that moment, a few names shed through my mind. In this building alone, there was an insurmountable barrier standing in the way¡ªespecially Looming, who had reached KSMst year, knew exactly what I was talking about. Dice from SSM. Gambit from Clear Sky. Mikael from Reaper Infected. Ink from Xi. To go to this year¡¯s Final Championship, we had to be at least as good as one of them. If Korea couldn¡¯t grab the first ce in the Asia qualifiers, these yers would fill up the TO for the Final Championship on their own. That Ouroboros-forged de¡ªalthough even its creator couldn''t escape its reach. Looming was suddenly gripped by a suffocating feeling. "...Can we really win this?" "Looming, aren¡¯t you Dice¡¯s mentee? Didn¡¯t you hear anything? Like about thepetition or some tips for improving your skills?" "Not really. He¡¯s been practicing like a man on fire, determined to win first ce in the Final Championship this year. I don¡¯t know how he does it." "That¡¯s crazy." The conversation continued. The trainees, the second and third divisions, all eavesdropped and gradually approached to listen in on the gossip. The tips and experiences about thepetition were the most sought-after content. Even if they weren¡¯t thinking about the Final Championship yet, they had to at least make a showing in the Asia qualifiers, right? Of everyone here, Looming was the only one who had made it to the top ranks of KSMst year, so naturally, all attention shifted toward him. "KSM, how was it? Did the others do well?" "I heard you got a 50-page debriefing PDF from Yujin. Do you still have it? Can you share it?" "Why are you guys like this? Go away!" The people who had stuck around were getting obnoxiously close. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that Looming was aiming for the Asia qualifiers this year. Even if he didn¡¯t think he could surpass Dice, he still hoped to follow in his footsteps¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t know if it was possible or not. He was one of the top yers in SSM, known for his relentless practice. Everyone here knew he was one of the future rising stars who might eventually carry on Dice¡¯s legacy. But strictly speaking, Looming was in a... middle position. He was someone who was expected to do well, but still had a lot of obstacles ahead of him before making it to the top. ¡®I think it¡¯ll get better if Yujin-ssies again...¡¯ Should I beg Dice to get Yujin to visit? But Dice seemed so busy these days, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. Lost in thought, I was still pondering how to deal with the homework that Dice had given me earlier when¡ª "Long time no see. Have you been doing well?" "Eh¡­" One second, two seconds, then three. "Whoa!!?" "That¡¯s not the reaction I expected. I¡¯m impressed." Why was Yujin here?! That thought passed through every pro gamer¡¯s mind in the lounge. And, of course, Dice, who I didn¡¯t even know had joined, was sneakily following her. Looming, who had already jumped up like a spring, froze halfway to attention as he took in the sudden visitor. The Apex Predator of SSM. The natural disaster whonded in the game. The person known by all those ominous nicknames was standing right in front of him. Her snake-like tail swayedzily, awakening his reason while breaking it at the same time. Lost in shock, I forgot what to say, and Yujin calmly took control of the space, opening her mouth. "Since I have some free time, and I¡¯ve earned a littlepensation... It¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯ll help you all as much as I can. Is there anyone who can¡¯t receive training right now?" Naturally, no one in the room raised their hand or said a word, and she added with satisfaction. "Then let¡¯s go." Yujin had begun her pied piper routine. "How¡¯s it feel after going through it once?" "...Is she really human?" "She¡¯s human, but even I think she might not be... Ack!?" "Don¡¯t say weird things while she¡¯s in front of us." About 30 minutes after I transitioned into my "Pied Piper Yujin" mode, inside the virtual debriefing room¡ªalmost twenty users were sprawled out, half-dead from exhaustion. And yes, even Dice was included in that group. I hadn¡¯t touched AP in about four months, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as I¡¯d feared. I had expected it. After all, thebat principles I had built up applied no matter where I went. If it hadn¡¯t worked, that would have been a real problem. Anyway, I realized that if I had known they still had the energy to say something, I would have been more delicate and taken my time when bending Dice¡¯s knee. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. "Didn¡¯t Dicee in fourth cest year? It¡¯s like he¡¯s being swept away like a wave." "Are we supposed to beat him to get first ce? This doesn¡¯t seem possible." "Hey, he¡¯s not participating this year, right?" They all looked utterly shocked. And it made sense. Most of the people here, except Looming and Dice, were trainees or second and third divisions who had never fought against me directly. They had mostly faced first division yers from the same teams or second division pros from other teams in scrims. I had wiped them out almost instantly, but rather than letting them keep failing, it seemed more effective to just point out the exposed weaknesses clearly and show them what went wrong. Well, that¡¯s how it goes, I guess. "Dice still needs to practice more. He¡¯s not as sharp as before." "It¡¯s still three months until the qualifiers. I was nning to really push myself and teach them all... Yep, sorry, no more excuses! I won¡¯t do it again, Aaaah!" Pull. I knew Dice was focusing on training the next generation, but I couldn¡¯t let him ck off on his own work. I grabbed his ear between two fingers and pulled hard. Dice, in true form, smiled and copsed on the floor. However, in my mind, a different set of logic circuits was already running. After all, Dice had a lot of data stored from when I trained him, and it would only take a little review to get him back on track. Meanwhile, my attention shifted elsewhere. "Looming. Long time no see sincest year, right?" "Ah, yes..." "You¡¯ve improved quite a bit, considering I haven¡¯t really trained you muchtely." This was the first time since the Asia qualifiers. After the Final Championship, I hadn¡¯t had the time to focus on those back in Korea. Plus, I had to make sure the duo and squad Ipeted with in the Final Championship were well-prepared. Although I had sent Looming a detailed PDF on what needed improvement after KSM, that was about it. I didn¡¯t give him daily feedback or watch him live like I did with Dice. Still, this level of improvement... it must have meant Looming had been putting in a lot of effort on his own. In fact, I never even considered Looming as a participant in the second Yujin boot camp. That was something I hadn¡¯t nned. Anyway, that would have to be postponed for now. "Now, the following people, pleasee forward and receive your paper." "Eh? What¡¯s this?" "Improvements." The reason I was here today. I had already checked their weaknesses while sparring, so now it was time to hand out the improvement points written on papers in real-time. Of course, just giving them papers wouldn¡¯t drastically improve their skills, but it would help them cover their weakest areas. After all, bing proficient inbat was about sharpening yourself as finely as possible, almost like a sculpture. The more detailed the instruction, the clearer the areas you needed to sharpen. "Isaac,e forward." "Yes, teacher." "Next, Eva. After that, Ultimate, Seraphim... the order will be on the board, so please check." The feedback was short and to the point. Most of it could be summarized in one sentence. Lack of mobility, not hiding sounds when moving, slow terrain analysis preventing self-directed movement, visible gear and weapons while adjusting position... I could list them all, but these were basic things they couldn¡¯t afford to miss. The feedback was short and to the point. Most of it could be summarized in one sentence. Lack of mobility, not hiding sounds when moving, slow terrain analysis preventing self-directed movement, visible gear and weapons while adjusting position... I could list them all, but these were basic things they couldn¡¯t afford to miss. For these yers, when they fought against Dice, they must have seen her move as though she was teleporting. She¡¯d suddenly pop up from an unexpected ce, throw grenades, and then take the opportunity tond a shot right to the head. But from Dice¡¯s point of view, the enemies seemed to be leaking information everywhere. Footsteps, the noise from gear moving, silhouettes visible from behind cover... In the end, the key tobat is making sure your opponent can¡¯t gather information through sight or sound, moving in as calcted a way as possible. The battle of the mind, on the other hand, was about controlling the terrain and creating opportunities. However, sadly, the alpha could not exist without first having an omega. In other words, those who couldn¡¯t make it to the omega level had reasons for it. "Dice¡¯s curriculum should be checked too. How are you doing with it?" "The basic ones are stillcking¡ªmuscle memory and map reading speed. For those in the top tiers of 1st and 2nd division, I¡¯ve been focusing on the theory side." "Hmm..." "Is there something wrong?" A brief silence. But after only a few seconds, I gave her a slight smile, and Dice let out a sigh of relief. "Ah, I really thought I was messing up." "Impossible. You¡¯re my number one student." "Hehe." Looking around, I noticed that everyone was staring nkly, in disbelief at how well Dice was handling things. The trainees couldn¡¯t even fathom how he was managing to act so casually in front of me. Anyway, to return to the main point, Dice¡¯s curriculum was fine. If I had written it, it probably would have looked exactly the same. The only issue was Dice¡¯s stamina. It wasn¡¯t just him; there were so many people to train, and he couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once. In the end, what truly matters is creating a system that works even without an exceptional person¡ªunfortunately, I hadn¡¯t reached that point, and neither had Dice. It would be impossible for either of us to do so. That was my personal opinion. I secretly sent Dice a private message with some instructions. "Keep it up, but leave Looming¡¯s curriculum out a little." "Looming? He¡¯s a rising star, so it might be a bit tough... wait, hold on." When you can read someone with just a nce, life bes so much easier. Our eyes met. "Don¡¯t tell me..." "Exactly." Looming, and then Dice. The former would be easy to keep in line while streaming, so adding one more person wouldn¡¯t be too hard. And Dice chuckled briefly. "Let¡¯s wish Looming good luck." "Joking." With the secret message sent, I met Looming¡¯s eyes again. His fate had just been decided. Chapter 384 "Let¡¯s see. About 4 hours in real time¡­ so in VR time, it¡¯s 12 hours. To think you earned 12 million just sitting there¡ªwell, you sure know how to make a profit." "Stop saying weird things and sit down." "Okay." I sat next to Dice while watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon from the 30th floor of the SSM building, overlooking the Han River. It was 4 PM. The sun hadn¡¯t set yet, but mentally, I was already exhausted. This was due to time eleration. The familiar ding from my phone, and the hologram that only I could see, announced that the deposit had beenpleted, signaling the end of today¡¯s schedule. While leisurely looking out at the view, Dice spoke up. "You haven¡¯t changed, have you?" "...It hasn¡¯t even been a year since we met, has it?" "Well, does time really matter?" I turned my head slightly, confused by what she said, and she continued. "How should I put it¡­ you¡¯re unpredictable in some ways, but you always take responsibility to the end¡­" "Ah." "Honestly, afterst year, you¡¯ve done everything for us, so we don¡¯t really need to worry about it anymore. But, you showing up today is..." "Just for my own curiosity." As she said, if I hadn¡¯t been interested in visiting SSM today, I would have spent the day wandering around with Dice before heading home. However, with thebination of visiting thepany headquarters and the possibility of some mary gain, I was more than willing to make my way here. As for why I agreed to teach Looming again¡­ well, there wasn¡¯t a deep reason. Last year during KSM, I had focused all my attention on Dice, and I hadn¡¯t been able to teach Looming as much, so I thought it might be good to continue where we left off. It was partly a sense of responsibility, but also curiosity. Anyway, while pondering this, Dice added something. "Buttely, that ''curiosity'' thing is starting to get a bit scary. The butterfly effect is a bit much..." "Should I start showing up at other teams?" "You¡¯re still as sharp as ever." It suddenly dawned on me. What Dice was saying was that, because I had so enthusiastically supported SSM and Dice, the power bnce between the teams had shifted. Of course, this wasn¡¯t just affecting SSM¡ªteams like Reaper Infected, Clear Sky, and Xi were also experiencing the same shift. All of these teams were the ones that I, along with the others, had flown to the US with duringst year¡¯s final championship. Strictly speaking, this wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. I had chosen to teach, and by the time the third Final Championship was over, the issue was already out of my hands. However, as I watched the effects unfold, I couldn¡¯t deny my responsibility for the butterfly effect that had followed. "So, what should I do? Help equalize the teams?" "Oh, no. It¡¯s actually kind of scary because you sound like you¡¯re serious about it, so don¡¯t do it." "Ha-ha." As she said, if I were to go to a team where none of my taught yers were, and help equalize the team, I¡¯d be faced with the question of whether it would really work the right way. Bncing things out, where some yers do well and others fall behind, can¡¯t exactly be called the ideal method. That said, this was just one possible way¡ªthough I had once said in an interview during KSM that bnce needed to be maintained, looking back now, it was a rather careless thing to say. Besides, I didn¡¯t need to act myself. Others had already started moving behind the scenes. "For instance," Dice continued, "Reaper Infected, Clear Sky, and Xi are already coborating with the other six teams and sharing some know-how. They¡¯ve already sent in a ton of cash and asked for help." "So, it seems things are moving along as expected. You didn¡¯t share anything sensitive, right?" "Of course not. We made sure that they can¡¯t leak anything outside." "Ha-ha, of course." The "sensitive things" Dice was referring to were thebat data I had used to teach her¡ªdata that, if leaked, would trigger self-destruction protocols on her hard drive. But the reason I asked was to check just how far the secondary data had spread. And Dice gave me a satisfying answer. "Just so you know, there¡¯s almost no one who canbine theory and practice as well as you can, Yu-jin. In other words, the knowledge shared with other teams is only being passed through practical lessons. All the written curriculums are based on that." "So, rather than forming practical applications from the data I gave you, you¡¯ve created a theory based on what you learned?" "Is that a problem?"@@novelbin@@ "Not really, but there might be someplications." The reason was simple. Thebat manuals I had developed over the past five years, written with the blood of the dead, were designed purely to kill, and thus, they were intended to teach how to murder. But the theories derived from teaching professional yers who learned from parts of those manuals¡­ naturally had a different purpose. Murder and being the best¡ªthe gap between these two goals was wider than I had originally thought, and it would only widen from here. Simply put, think about the path of light. Even a tiny deviation, say 0.000001 degrees, would make a huge difference between two photons after one second. It was the same withbat. "Well, that¡¯s a relief... but, either way, cleaning up after you is my job, right? You¡¯ve given us so much already, so I¡¯m obligated to take care of this." "Ha-ha." "Now that you¡¯ve offered to help Looming, things will get a little easier from here on out." There was a brief silence. It didn¡¯t seem like she didn¡¯t have anything more to say, though. There was something else, but it was hard to get out. After a few seconds, Dice awkwardlyughed and added: "Well, it¡¯s a bitte, but..." "You mean I¡¯mte?" "No, not you. It¡¯s just that the timing for helping Looming came a littlete. A few days ago, I asked someone who could indirectly support him to help out." "Ah." Indirect help. I wondered who it could be. Several people came to mind, but quickly faded away. It wasn¡¯t one of the other pro yers I¡¯d traveled with during the Final Championship. Dice was busy, and those friends were just as busy. Logan and Lorentina were out of the question as well. Logan had already been assigned to Owen¡¯s senior strike team, and Lorentina¡­ well, she still had at least three more months before she could return to the US. So who could it be? I couldn¡¯t think of anyone immediately. "So, who did you contact?" "He-he." A brief chuckle. And then Dice raised her phone. Someone¡¯s record appeared on the screen. 17 wins, 3 losses¡ªan impressive record. But when I scrolled up, the name that appeared was¡­ "...Why is Mina showing up here?" "When you¡¯re up against her in a full-on battle, she has a 30% chance of blowing me up. How could I not bring her?" Harmony. She had shown extraordinary results in the 20 scrims she¡¯d yed against the 1st team of SSM, losing only three times. "Last year, when you were running around New York, I suggested that Harmony join SSM. But... well, you¡¯ll let me bring a ''rookie'' in, won¡¯t you?" "Heh." "We haven¡¯t seen each other for a while, but I didn¡¯t expect SSM and us to get so closely involved in that time." "Hehe. Well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve signed a proper contract. It¡¯s more like what you didst year... I¡¯m kind of an external advisor, you know." "9 months ago, we were struggling with ammo... Ugh, don¡¯t bring that up!" "Stop talking about that!" nk! A sharp sound rang out as Harmony, from behind Dice, used a drone camera that was hovering around her. It wasn¡¯t one I brought from home; Harmony had finally bought one herself. She had been nning to get one after seeing mefortably streaming outdoors with it. Anyway, it was 6 PM. Dice, Harmony, and I were at a hotel steakhouse in East Seoul. The reason Harmony joined us was, of course, due to the conversation Dice and I had had just two hours earlier. Whenever Harmony¡¯s name came up, I¡¯d contact her, and when Dice¡¯s name came up, I¡¯d call her. That¡¯s how the dynamic was flowing¡­ or so I thought. I hadn¡¯t expected it to apply when I was off doing my own thing. So, I sent a text asking if she could join us for dinner, and the response came back quickly. [Harmony: I was going to y some trash games for dinner, but I guess this works as content now, haha.] I wasn¡¯t sure if the viewers would know, but if they did, they¡¯d probably be bowing their heads in gratitude toward me. Anyway, the price at this ce was just as crazy as thest time I went with Logan, maybe even worse, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Thankfully, the three of us had enough financial power to not really care. To back that up, Dice spoke first. "Wait for three years. You¡¯ll be moving downstairs, Yu-jin." "...Suddenly?" "Well, then I¡¯ll just move next door." "Why is the ce I live turning into a hotspot?"
  • What¡¯s this? Why are they suddenly trying to flex?
  • What do you want? Grab a spear ande over!
  • With just one hit, you can finish it all... Oh, Yu-jin can just walk on by.
  • Even if it''s not a spear, I think he¡¯ll win with an automatic weapon anyway, haha.
...What are they even talking about? Anyway, while the chatroom was full of outdated jokes, Harmony and Dice were happily grilling meat. It was a ce where the staff usually grills the meat, but we had declined that service since we didn¡¯t want the conversation to be interrupted. The topic turned back to SSM, specifically about how Harmony ended up joining the team. To sum it up, it went something like this: while I was gallivanting around high-end restaurants in New York and Washington, Dice and Harmony had a walk in Central Park and discussed various things. At that point, Dice said, "Harmony, at your level, you could definitely apply for SSM¡¯s AP pro gamer role next year." Both of them took it seriously, and eventually, Dice¡ªbusy as she was¡ªcontacted Harmony to ask for her help. This had happened three days before my visit to SSM headquarters. "So, we decided to try a test run and scrimmed with the 1st team of SSM¡­" "...And you went 17 wins and 3 losses?" "Yep."
  • ?????????????????
  • Seriously, this is amazing no matter how many times you hear it.
  • What the hell did you do to make rookie yers beat pro gamers?
  • This guy came first in the partner streamer tournament in New York, but 1st team yers can''t handle him, haha.
  • Fact: Rookie yer won a Porsche Boxster with pure skill.
It¡¯s amazing how simple it is. Now, looking back, I¡¯d say that the seeds I nted had really grown well. Although it¡¯s not quite right to talk about a perfect oue, I could see the results clearly. The conversation naturally shifted to Harmony¡¯s future ns. "Do you n on going to New York anytime soon?" "Well, if I have some free time this year, I¡¯ll probably try to make it to the rank for the tournament. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll make it to KSM or the Asian qualifiers yet, though." "I can already hear the 1st team members crying about TO shortages this year." "Haha." What this meant was that if Harmony started taking up TO spots, it would make it even harder for the yers who were working hard to get into the tournament. Though I wasn¡¯t too sure about it, it ultimately depended on Harmony¡¯s decision. So, I shifted the conversation to something else. "Are you going to stay in the EU mode until then?" "Ah, you¡¯re right. I think so. I still need to catch Mecha Yu-jin. Speaking of which, I saw the battle between Mecha Yu-jin and you a while ago. I watched it carefully." "Aah, maybe I should try the Escape from Unknown mode again when I have time." "Just stick to what you¡¯re good at." "But Mecha Byam is in there too¡ªugh!"
  • Haha, haha, haha.
  • Completely devoted to the teacher!!!
  • I want to be hit on the head by that snake tail...
  • Mecha Byam<<
The weapon officially named UES (Unidentified Enemy Suit) was, despite its official title, still mostly known as "Mecha Byam" by everyone. It was, truly, extremely popr. Regardless, the conversation continued. "When are we going to do a cob, Yu-jin? I hear Cato¡¯s been rolling around with the bottom yers, and I should lend a hand." "I¡¯m guessing if that person hears that, there¡¯s going to be trouble..." "But if Byam¡¯s recruitment officer sees this, it might be toote, right?" "¡­" That was a valid point. As weughed and joked, Cato¡¯s fate was sealed. I was sure the person would be running away screaming, but... While we were flipping the meat on the grill, I added, "I¡¯ll cover the meal today, so eat a lot." "Hey, I¡¯ve got money too." "Can you pull out a million at once?" "Whoa."
  • Who goes to a BBQ ce and spends a million on meat?!
  • The stock will run out first, haha.
  • Should we be scared of the meat cost, or the fact that we can eat that much?
  • That number is insane, haha.
The money provided by SSM today was entirely going toward the meat cost. Chapter 385 "Looks like I need to investigate Maverick''s movements." "...?"
  • What the heck, hahahaha
  • A merchanting directly to see them, hahahaha
  • That¡¯s an expression of absolute urgency,
  • This person always takes a different path from everyone else, haha
  • Yup, flustered as always, hahahaha
After finishing the meat party with Harmony and Dice, I turned on the stream the next day and entered EU. As soon as I logged in, the manager greeted me. Though it wasn''t exactly a greeting, more like a sudden appearance while I was walking near the gear box. But, since it was a game, I didn¡¯t care too much about how they got in here. What mattered was the key phrase¡ªMaverick. In the main storyline, Maverick was just a regr merchant, but in my scenario route, he was different. It¡¯s hard to say exactly how, but one thing was clear¡ªhe was definitely more of a viin than a hero, and the other seven merchants were keeping a close eye on him. Seeing hime directly here meant he was probably reaching a breaking point. I sat down across from a rather questionable table. The exnation began. "Do you know what my position is?" "I can roughly guess you¡¯re in a position where you sit on a fancy chair and boss people around." "Sharp-tongued. Well, that¡¯s about the gist of it. And as you¡¯ve probably guessed, in a position like this, sometimes¡­ you need to prepare for coteral damage. Or prevent such situations from happening in the first ce." "Coteral damage." The mention of Maverick¡¯s movements and coteral damage. The fact that these things were brought up usually meant one conclusion¡ªone was the cause, and the other was a likely result. This wasn¡¯t Cash Mendoza, and the reason Maverick came to me was that the manager was probably in a position where they had to deal with or possibly take responsibility for the second potential oue. I had a rough idea about this and added: "I think I have a general idea of the situation. What kind of information did you obtain?" "Maverick made contact with Artemis." "That¡¯s pretty impressive. Doesn¡¯t feel like a good sign though." "Exactly." He continued exining. He pulled a few sheets of paper out of an A4 envelope and showed them to me. They were photos. Specifically, aerial shots, and from the text in the lower right corner, it seemed they had been taken using some kind of UAV reconnaissance tool. The first photo was of a man¡ªsomeone I had seen before among the merchants. Maverick was leading a group of armed men into a high-value research facility. If he had been massacred inside, he wouldn¡¯t be here talking to me now. The next photo was taken about an hourter. One shot was of him entering, and the other was of him leaving. I spoke carefully. "What did he discuss with Artemis?" "I can¡¯t quite guess. Maybe, for personal protection and organizational survival, he might have sought Artemis¡¯s help. After being caught in this surveince, it was a done deal for him to reorganize the group." "Hmm." That was a usible exnation, but I had a strong feeling that situations like these usually led to worse oues than I imagined. One possible conclusion was... "It won¡¯t end there." "What do you mean?"@@novelbin@@ "If Maverick paid some sort of price, where do you think Artemis¡¯s gun will aim?" It was a ssic trade-off. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what Maverick had promised Artemis, nor could I guarantee that Artemis would definitely raid this ce, but still... people like him usually gave back more than what they had received, even if it meant sacrificing a lot. I didn¡¯t really care about these people much. I was just wandering around the map, doing what I was asked. But if this was the scenario I wanted to y out, so be it. The manager, understanding everything, frowned but nodded. I casually asked without much thought: "So, what are you asking me to do this time?" "Get into the high-value research facility. Find out what happened there. If you can get your hands on any audio recordings, bring those too. The internal defense force might have a keycard that can ess the deeper sections. You might have to visit several times." At the same time, he ced something on the table. It was a set of keycards. Required ess for entering the high-value research facility. I recalled that these were being sold at high prices at flea markets, and the number on the table, at a nce, seemed to be over 10. Seems like he came really prepared for this. "Let¡¯s bring back some good results." "Just don¡¯t be toote." With that, the manager quietly left, and immediately, a mission popped up on my wristwatch. Enter the high-value research facility, capture at least 25 defense soldiers or users, obtain a keycard for deeper section ess randomly, get into the control room, and copy the audio recordings from a specific date. Arge military-grade USB is needed for the copy, and it cannot be recovered upon death. Seeing that, I muttered under my breath. "Arge military USB, how much was that going for at the flea market again..."
  • One USB per round, haha.
  • Each one goes for 150,000 credits, hahahaha.
  • No wonder he¡¯s handing out ten entry cards, the manager¡¯s such a...
  • In the end, it¡¯s all zero-sum, hahahaha.
  • Fact: If you escape without dying, it won¡¯t disappear.
Well, that¡¯s true. I was a little surprised this was happening so soon after starting the game, but in the end, it just meant I had to do what I¡¯ve been doing all along¡ªkill everything I see and sweep it all up. Despite ying EU for several weeks, I had never entered the high-value research facility. Otherwise known as the Wilderness¡ªa map where you couldn¡¯t retrieve weapons and items through insurance, but where high-value items could be found in abundance. Full of armed AI troops. There was no better ce for me to loot a bunch of decent weapons. I opened the gear box and entered. There were various guns avable, but as usual, I went for the one closest to me. A massive sniper rifle with a suppressor, at least 49 inches long, a semi-automatic sniper rifle that was over 1.3m. Mj?lnir. It was time to unleash thunder over the high-value research facility. "I¡¯ve got enough ammo, four mags should be fine. The mapyout needs some checking, so about 10 minutes of prep should do."
  • Get out of theb, all of you!!!!
  • This guy¡¯s going to dominate the research facility, hahahaha.
  • Trying to beat him is gonna be tough even with that gun, hahaha.
  • Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll hang out in the corner with a grenade.
  • Would waiting in a corner while someone fires grenades at you actually work???
As always, the viewers in the chat were wildly off-topic, but I paid them no mind. I began carefully loading my gun and inserting AP rounds into the magazines. It would have been more fun if I had an M107CQB Barrett, but unfortunately, a 50 caliber rifle hadn¡¯t been released yet¡ªthough there was a Russian-made Ash. Praying for those high-powered guns to be released soon, I stuffed all the items and special items from the lighthouses into my bag and thigh pouches. I took a deep breath and spread out the map of the research facility. It was ridiculouslyplex, so I figured I¡¯d need to explore a bit on my first run. I¡¯ll probably get in quicker than I thought. Chapter 386 ¡°¡­Dead? All six of them?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s been no response since two minutes ago, so I checked, and they were all in the lobby.¡± ¡°What the hell happened¡­¡± Meanwhile, in the main lobby of the high-value research facility. Three individuals, looking somewhat displeased, activated a holographic map and began marking various points. However, the most notable detail was in the upper-right corner, where fifteen nicknames were disyed, along with a single question mark. Six of those names, however, had a red sh across them. Who were they? Nothing special. They were the fifteen who hade to participate in content creation to upload videos on YouSpace, just barely missing the required 16 participants to fill the slot. To be more specific, it was a collection of four streamers, a few hobbyists, and some regr people. ¡°The firstbat location was the basement lounge on the first floor, and the southern ssified area, right? So, one of the unknowns should still be somewhere around there¡­¡± ¡°Should we take a loudspeaker and tell them it''s part of the content?¡± ¡°Should we¡­? Who would''ve thought failing to meet the private session open condition would lead to something like this.¡± As it turned out, the content creators had failed to meet one of the conditions for opening a private session, which required filling the entrance quota. Coincidentally, one of the streamers, responsible for observing the match, had been injured suddenly, leaving the session to be upied by the public instead. The objective for the day was as follows: With four EU streamers observing, the remaining twelve participants were split into four teams of three. These teams were named Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, with thebat zones pre-designated for tournament-style matches. The reason for wanting the private session was evident. Since the content wasn¡¯t focused on farming but ratherbat, having outsiders join the session wouldplicate things for both sides. Thus, as they upied the session, they activated the research facility¡¯s broadcasting system and sent out a message, offering credit for an entry keycard in exchange for moving to another session. The message wasn¡¯t just in Korean; it was broadcasted in English, Chinese, and Japanese using a trantor as well. Of course¡ª ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t hear the broadcast, did they?¡± ¡°I think they went up the medical stairs; it looks like they''re at the underground spawn. The broadcast doesn¡¯t reach that far down.¡± ¡°Great.¡± The timing could not have been worse. Since an unknown yer was still unounted for and Alpha and Bravo teams were scattered like fallen leaves, there still remained a chance¡ªthis unknown yer''s skills were far too impressive. What should the title be? It was supposed to be a session takeover, but now there¡¯s a mysterious pro yer!? Almost had a disaster!¡­ That should work, right? As I thought it over, I sent the idea to the other two streamers, and within seconds, they nodded, agreeing. And so, the next instructions came. ¡°For now, Charlie and Delta, pleasee to the front desk. Alpha and Bravo, please wait in the lobby. We¡¯ll continue the tournament content after this round in the next session. For anyone who lost their gear, we¡¯ll provide it before the next round starts.¡± ¡°So, do we start the mysterious pro defense now?¡± ¡°That phrase sounds great. Hire them!¡±
  • Haha, turning a crisis into an opportunity ???
  • The man who turns a crisis into an opportunity, haha.
  • Did you guys see the death cause on the UI? Either the chest or the head was pitch ck ??
  • Even with a silencer, if it was that loud, did they bring a Lapua?
  • Whatever it was, they definitely weren¡¯t there to farm ???
And thus began the unexpected pro defense. Although the direction of the content had veered significantly from what was originally nned, that didn¡¯t matter. The content, almost on the brink of copse, was now smoothly handled, and, more importantly, it provided a new broadcasting angle. After all, the tournament could be yed in the next round even if it wasn¡¯t happening now. In that round, they would randomly select a viewer toplete the 16 participants needed for a private session. So, strictly speaking, this wasn¡¯t too big of a problem. The cost-benefit analysis wasplete. Nine people gathered at the front desk, and, under the skilled direction of the leaders, they immediately began their tasks. ¡°Charlie¡¯s team will switch to reconnaissance. If you hear any noise, confirm it, and we¡¯ll act as the strike team. Once a position is confirmed, let us know, and we¡¯ll proceed with the encirclement.¡± ¡°Ah, if it¡¯s just one, the reconnaissance team will cut them off, right?¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a very dangerous statement.¡± At the same time, the causes of death and the locations of hits for six people appeared. As viewers had said minutes before, it was clear that only the head and chest were darkened. Considering that the durability of the bulletproof tes was visibly reduced, it was clear that one or two shots had finished off these individuals. No one was unaware of that fact. At least, those gathered in the lobby knew the system well and could deduce from the bodies that the enemy wasn¡¯t an ordinary yer, but a highly skilled one. It didn¡¯t take long before the discussion began. ¡°Only a few shots, so this must¡¯ve been an AP round to cause a one-shot kill¡­¡± ¡°If it was an M1A, that wouldn¡¯t be the case. At least 4 to 6 shots would¡¯ve been needed to break the slick and send them out.¡± ¡°Considering the sound even with the silencer, I think they brought a Lapua. With semi-automatic fire, the only possible weapon would be a Mjolnir.¡± ¡°Why are there so many people with Thunder Hammers these days? This is scary... At this point, even a ncing hit would be lethal. We need to stay sharp and scan everything.¡± Various discussions continued, but the conclusion was the same. Whoever this was, they were extremely well-prepared and had turned everything in front of them into blood and dust. Swallowing hard, Charlie Jo, who had steeled his resolve even further, took his first step. He climbed the central stairs and entered the main hall, splitting up with one heading toward the parking corridor, another to the cat tower, and thest one toward the caf¨¦, scanning the entire map as they moved. The central area, which had been confidently upied, now seemed eerily unsettling. One person had gone up to monitor the main area, while the others continued to scan it thoroughly. ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°No. I found three dead in the central hallway. They didn¡¯t seem to have been looted.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t looted? That makes it harder to track their footsteps¡­¡± As the conversation continued, one of them suddenly spoke. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Did you find something?¡± ¡°No, just a quick guess.¡± ¡°Got it.¡±@@novelbin@@ The person speaking through the inte began searching the area again, but in the manager¡¯s room, the person observing all the happenings couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasn¡¯t adding up. They had an inkling. The helmets were mostly Altins, or for frontalbat, there were some using Tachanka helmets. While there were numerous guns that could pierce through a 5-ss helmet, the ones that could kill a 6-ss helmet wearer in a single shot were limited to only a few types. Not to mention, considering they didn¡¯t loot the gear, it seemed like the person wasn¡¯t interested in farming. It wasn¡¯t impossible to encounter such a yer in EU mode, but when considering the fact that all six were taken down in under a minute¡­ ¡®No way. Could it really be Eugene?¡¯ Among the 16 total session slots, 15 had been upied by a single team. Could it really be Eugene, thest remaining person? The idea was so absurd that it seemed impossible. Chuckling dryly, the manager tried tofort himself, but even as he did, the unease in his heart grew. Several minutes passed. Despite thoroughly searching the central area, nothing was found, so the manager finally decided to join the reconnaissance team in person, taking a deep breath before stepping out. He was about to leave. And from a hidden corner where no one noticed, Eugene carefully regted his breathing. His finger hooked around the trigger, and the special alloy prator shot out of the barrel at a speed several times faster than sound. ¡ª Pew! The ss shattered, and one head disappeared. The hunt had begun. ¡°Damn, what happened? Who died, where?¡± ¡°Yoshino¡¯s dead. Weren¡¯t they just checking around the manager¡¯s room earlier?¡± ¡°What did they get hit with to die in one shot!?¡± There''s a saying that to spread confusion among people, only a single bullet and one life is needed. With the loud, almost deafening sound of gunfire, someone dropped to the ground, lifeless, like a puppet with its strings cut. However, the key fact was that with a single life lost, they could now identify the shooting location or thest standing yer. At least, everyone there thought so. Until the situation started to take an unexpected turn. ¡ª Thud! ¡°Footstepsing from the central hallway! Move up!¡± ¡°Circle around the ck room and head to the medical area. You go up the ward stairs. I¡¯ll call for backup!¡± The reconnaissance team, now down to two, split up in different directions. One of them, hearing the footsteps, approached the server room but was unfortunate to be on the opposite side of Eugene, who had aimed his gun in the opposite direction. In an instant, Eugene kicked the enemy¡¯s knee from behind, spun them around, and broke their right arm to prevent them from shooting. She removed their helmet and ensured no distress signal would be sent, tightening her grip on their neck before adding: ¡°If you had seen the shoes of the corpse in the ck room, you¡¯d have suspected the footsteps by now.¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡­!¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± With a sickening crunch, the body fell to the ground, neck turned the wrong way. Eugene¡¯s actions were clear ¡ª she had stripped the shoes off the body and hung them somewhere, then shot. This misled the remaining yers, who had made incorrect assumptions about the location based on the footsteps they heard. With one more yer dispatched, Eugene quickly moved to hide near an expected path, taking down another yer in the process. But even with that sess, she knew the remaining yer couldn¡¯t be dealt with easily, especially given the distance. By now, she was aware that the enemy had gathered in the north, based on their movements and the positions of the silhouettes. And she had something very special prepared for them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many are left, but if they¡¯re sweeping the entire area, chances are, they¡¯lle in pairs no matter the route. This is going to hurt.¡±
  • Living points) She installed ymores in that area.
  • Where the hell did she get those from, haha.
  • Didn''t she bring them from the lighthouse run, idiots?
  • Freedom¡­ freedom¡­ gulp¡­
  • How is this even possible, lol.
As they said, many had remembered the ymore ced between the rocks during thest lighthouse run, but few ever imagined it would end up here. That didn¡¯t matter, though. The important thing was that Eugene remembered. She had already ced the traps in a hidden passage connecting the cat tower corridor and the manager¡¯s corridor. The reason she chose this route, despite the floor below, was simple. At least one person would most likely pass through it while scouting from the second floor. And just as she predicted, after waiting for about a minute¡­ With a light grip on the trigger, Eugene shook the entire high-value research facility with the st. ¡ª Boom! ¡°Two down¡ªugh!¡± Pop! At the same time, a bullet whizzed overhead. Eugene immediately ducked behind cover. The enemy, who had circled around the medical stairs, had finally spotted her. She didn¡¯t retaliate immediately but waited patiently, tuning her senses to the sound of the surroundings. Soon, the distinct sound of a grenade pin being pulled echoed through the corridor. At that moment, Eugene rose with lightning speed and aimed at the point from which the bullet hade. She saw the enemy briefly emerge from the corner, preparing to throw the grenade, and in that moment, she fired, taking them out with a precise shot. The grenade, which had been halfway through its cooking process, dropped to the floor, and immediately after, a sharp sh of light exploded across the room, followed by a deadly hail of metal pellets. ¡®The footsteps I hear around me¡­ must be about three or four in total.¡¯ Having used up most of her usable gear, this was now purebat¡ªno distractions. The only advantage she had left was that her position had not yet been detected by the remaining four yers. That meant she could turn the 1:4 situation into 1:3 and strike. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled, focusing her aim on the visible enemy targets. Her tail was already prepared to throw another grenade, and with a squeeze of the trigger, she quickly took down another target. She immediately tensed her body, readying herself to retreat if necessary. Just two secondster¡­ ¡ª Ping! ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°There! In the medical hallway! Go after them!¡± The piercing sound of a shot rang out, and one of the enemies copsed. However, Eugene had already started running in the opposite direction, preparing for her next move.
  • Eugene is here, and no one else.
Ignoring the suddenrge donation, Eugene continued running toward the cargo stairs, gun still smoking in her hand. The true 1:15 legend was just ten minutes away from spreading. Chapter 387
  • [Editor 4: Hey, do you think Eugene could win if it¡¯s 17 vs 1?]
  • [Editor 7: What the heck are you talking about all of a sudden, lol.]
  • [Editor 2: One swing of her arm, and two or three of them would get knocked out.]
  • [Editor 2: If you brought about 100 people, maybe there¡¯d be a 60% chance.]
  • [Editor 4: So, if Eugene has a gun and the 17 others also have guns, who do you think would win?]
  • [Editor 5: That would be thetter¡­?]
  • [Editor 5: No way.]
  • [Editor 4: She won 1:15 in the broadcast just now, haha.]
Not all editors work on the same level. This meant that some were unable to catch Eugene¡¯s live broadcasts on time due to other video tasks, so while some stayed in the stream to note down editing points and record footage for the first edit, others took over the final touches. And at that moment, the 1:15 victory announcement suddenly appeared in the chat¡ªmeaning Eugene had wiped out an entire session. Of course, these were the famous Eugene faction members, and by now, they had gotten used to Eugene¡¯s wild antics and super ys, which destroyed everything in its path.
  • [Editor 5: Damn, I¡¯m going to watch it right now. What time do I start watching???]
  • [Editor 4: The rap starts at 6 hours, 15 minutes, and 22 seconds, haha.]
  • [Editor 6: It¡¯s always new every time I watch, lol.]
  • [Editor 9: Are you kidding? Just casually saying that she won 17:1, lol.]
Every time was new. Every time it was watched, it felt new. It wasn¡¯t like a second trip abroad would ever feel the same as the first, just like how Eugene kept smashing her enemies¡¯ heads in fresh, creative ways¡ªit was no longer just awe, it was elegant to the point of beauty. Every time Eugene streamed, it was filled with so much madness that the chatroom almost never stopped scrolling, but today was even more extreme. All nine of them had been watching the recorded footage of the battle at the high-value research facility since morning, as recorded by Editor 4. The video itself wasn¡¯t even that long. That was Eugene¡¯s battle style. Under the belief that time equals life, she had wiped out all the enemies crawling around the session in no more than 15 minutes, sending them straight to the afterlife or the lobby. And of course, even though it wasn¡¯t long, that didn¡¯t mean the content wascking in substance.
  • [Editor 3: How did the climaxe within two minutes of starting?]
  • [Editor 2: She killed six in 45 seconds, haha.]
  • [Editor 6: [link] Looks like the people Eugene killed weren¡¯t even just random users but streamers preparing for apetition???]
  • [Editor 8: They were skilled too, but they happened to run into Eugene, haha.]
The most leisurely part of the entire battle was right after she spawned in the basement and ascended the stairs, only to immediately start her rampage. After popping the heads of the enemies who had just started descending the stairs on the second floor, she followed up with a series of grenades that incapacitated everyone fighting in the vicinity. Then, she entered the ck room, wiped out everyone in sight, grabbed a few grenades, and stripped the shoes from two enemies, hanging them on the ceiling. After calcting the movement of the remaining yers, she carefully retrieved a ymore from her bag and ced it in key spots. Then, after shooting one person in the manager¡¯s room and snapping the neck of anothering up the stairs, she sent them to the afterlife. A final enemy was also taken out with a ymore before Eugene initiated a 1:3bat. Exactly three minutester, the session became eerily quiet. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the radar¡¯s heads weren¡¯t full of holes. Unable to keep watching, someone finally opened the voice chat, and that¡¯s when the flood ofments began. ¡°Sir, please, for the love of God, can you calm down¡­?¡± ¡°But how did this even happen? I think that person¡¯s a fairly well-known streamer, so how did they end up like this? There¡¯s no way they prearranged this.¡± ¡°Just¡­ bad luck, I guess. They stepped on andmine. But it was an anti-tank mine.¡± ¡°Wow, I totally get it now.¡± As it was said. It¡¯s often said that reality is more dramatic than drama, and sometimes, thebination of fate and probability can make nearly impossible events happen. However, no one had predicted that one of the 16 participants required to fill the session would identally drop out, and that Eugene would take their ce. It was a cruel twist of fate for the victims. But as the information slowly trickled out, their expressions changed in real time. The reason was simple. ¡°Wow, these guys really¡­ they¡¯re true EU mode lifers. Other than when cheering for the final championship, all their videos are EU mode, huh?¡± ¡°Totally¡­ it¡¯s like a natural disaster hitting a peaceful rural town.¡± ¡°Geez.¡± They might not have known it, but those who watched, while not having met the victim in-game, could almost feel their experiences. If they ever met, they¡¯d probably offer a warm drink and some kind words, considering how much emotional turmoil they must have gone through. That said, there was still some hesitation. While it could be excused that Eugene had killed them purely by coincidence and uploaded the footage to YouSpace, if the victim objected, uploading might be more difficult. And then came the nextment. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll ask Eugene about itter, so let¡¯s put this video work on hold for now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, their conversation ended, but their sharp insights about the situation were spot-on. As expected, whenever there¡¯s a winner, there¡¯s also a loser¡ªjust like how a natural disaster would strike an otherwise peaceful area, the residents of that area would be left in shock and fear. As proof of that, in the personal session of the cartographer who had suddenly started streaming in the morning, two of yesterday¡¯s victims were sprawled out. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ mew¡­.¡± ¡°I came to check out the ding-dong sound from the session, and why are these guys acting like this¡­?¡± The Cartographer. A former Apex Predator and a streamer known for escaping unidentified zones. Until Eugene had barged in, EU mode had been a niche, with only a core fan base. The streamers involved in this mode were also limited in number. In short, Carto, and the four streamers who had gotten beaten senseless yesterday, were not strangers to each other. But let¡¯s be real. They were just using the shock of what happened yesterday as an excuse to lounge around in Carto¡¯s session. Of course, Cartographer, who had faced Eugene¡¯s de head-on, found theirintsughable. ¡°If someone sees you with a hook in your body, your head blown open, a knife in your eye, and your body and head split by an axe, they''ll think you¡¯ve been through hell.¡± ¡°¡­Did you live through that?¡± ¡°Considering everything that guy did to me, my corpse wouldn¡¯t even leave dust. So stop whining and get back to your session before I kick you in the ass.¡±
  • Death bragging, haha.
  • Who would¡¯ve thought dying to Eugene would be something to boast about? ??
  • To be honest, I think it''s something to be proud of.
  • The thorns this guy¡¯s walked through, and now they¡¯re whining because they have a hole in their head, haha.
  • Carto¡¯s all confident now, haha.
Of course, the actual kick was just the icing on the cake. But they didn¡¯t leave easily, and after a sigh, Carto began getting dressed again. When he donned his tactical vest, tactical gear, and modified rifle, everything changed. Within seconds, Carto locked eyes with his fellow streamer, who looked unsure, and asked, ¡°¡­Where are you going?¡±@@novelbin@@ Carto grinned and added, ¡°I¡¯m going to train with the reaper who just killed you.¡± With that, Cartographer disappeared into the session where Eugene awaited. The world was Eugene¡¯s now. ¡°Such a questline exists, huh? You¡¯re still keeping your distance from normality.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just walking a different path. Along the way, I pick up some good sprouts too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± So, does a genius¡¯s perspective truly differ? That was the feeling, but the additional words felt quite burdening. With that thought in mind, Carto leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. Anyone watching would have thought it was the exhaustion of a long sigh, but of course, Eugene wasn¡¯t concerned at all. ¡°A sprout, huh¡­ a sprout¡­¡± Although Carto had heard many praises about his skill, being called a "sprout" for the first time was a peculiar feeling. He had done his best to pretend like it didn¡¯t affect him, but deep down, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that same strange sensation. ¡°I guess technically, I am a sprout¡­¡± He was right. Technically, he was. But it was a different matter to ept that fact. With that thought in mind, Carto sighed again and began to get ready. His EU mode bag, the one called the mushroom bag, was packed tight. It was clearly full of at least 5 million credits¡¯ worth of items, though Eugene only nced at it disdainfully. ¡°Do I really have to carry this?¡± ¡°Um¡­ where should I put it?¡± ¡°Just let me carry it, Carto. You focus on thebat. There¡¯s no point carrying a heavy load during a fight. It¡¯ll only hinder you.¡± ¡°Got it¡­¡±
  • Sad Carto, haha
  • Wow, carrying 114kg and still lifting it with ease, lol
  • Why are you ying a game with no weight limits alone?
  • ording to Eugene¡¯s standards, overloaded is at least 500kg, haha
  • My honest opinion: I think I could carry that too.
Rustle. With a thud, the bag, filled with items, firearms, and ammunition, dropped to the ground, almost filling thest avable space. Carto felt as if he were floating for a moment. After all, he had just been carrying more than double the weight he normally would. Meanwhile, Eugene, who had been carrying a bag weighing around 40kg, tied it to Carto¡¯s bag and casually lifted it with one hand, slinging it over her shoulder as if it were a schoolbag. Naturally, she didn¡¯t even flinch at the weight. With a calm expression, as if taking a casual stroll, Eugene spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go open the Hangar Gate. Seems like we¡¯ve taken care of everything else, so hopefully, we¡¯ll get ess to a deeper zone today.¡± ¡°I hope it shows up too¡­ Ah, but you know that I don¡¯t want to leave you quickly, right?¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re making excuses or not, the task is already done, so feel free to say whatever you want.¡± ¡°Please send me home¡­¡± Of course, the tactical pouch blocked any response that might have otherwise been spoken. Both the radar and the users had been turned into corpses, and they walked toward the hangar tform without any sign of caution. Eugene pressed the button, and Carto waited for the hangar door to open. The siren red loudly as the door opened, and three radars appeared. Eugene¡¯s task began. ¡°Within 20 seconds, you need to identify the weapons of the three enemies and tell me what they are.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ alright¡­ First, there¡¯s an HK416!¡± Thud-thud-thud! As invisible supersonic rounds flew across the air, Carto desperately focused, trying to identify the enemies¡¯ movements and the weapons they were holding. This was, of course, a necessary task. Knowing what the enemy was holding meant understanding the total firepower they could bring, making it easier to prepare countermeasures. Of course, Harmony and Dice had long gone through this training months ago. ¡°HK416 confirmed. What else?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ MP5 and P90, I think!¡± ¡°If you can identify the attachments, I¡¯ll give you bonus points.¡± Carto scrambled, desperately trying to remember. Though no one knew it, this was basic training Eugene had undergone when she was operating in New York. Simply identifying how many enemies there were or where they were positioned was something anyone could do. But identifying the enemy¡¯s weapons and preparing ordingly¡ªwhether for yourself or your team¡ªwas a skill that transcended normal expectations. For this reason, the task Eugene gave Carto was a quick way to hone hisbat skills. Quickly gathering data about the enemy and delivering it precisely to the team was an essential skill that would sharpen his perspective inbat. Of course, it wasn¡¯t necessary to analyze the entire battlefield only by sight. ¡ª Pew! ¡°Ah, the one with the MP5 has a silencer on it! And a drum mag!¡± ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll buy you some time, so re-equip yourself.¡± Sometimes, even gunfire served as valuable data. After all, as expected, a human could only process a certain amount of data at once, and Eugene knew this limitation well. She had started providing fire support just before Carto could no longer focus. Now, as if she had be one with the Mjolnir, the gunshot echoed across the hangar without a silencer, and the FMJ rounds didn¡¯t hit the enemies directly¡ªonly grazing their helmets. Naturally, she had guided Carto to finish off the job. ¡°The red container, moving towards the fuel tank truck. One is hiding behind the truck with no trailer, directly in front of the hangar. With the one moving toward Carto, that¡¯s three. Open fire.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± Thud! Carto immediately stood and aimed before firing. It was still a little slow, but his movements were clean. After Eugene pointed out the next spot, Carto tossed a grenade, and as the second radar popped out, Carto secured another kill. After discussing their next move as if they were ying real-time chess, Carto easily secured thest radar kill with surprising ease. Finally, Carto smiled, lowered his head, and patted Carto on the shoulder. ¡°You did great.¡± ¡°Wow, that was so hard¡­!¡± ¡°Fighting is always this tough.¡± She said that while rummaging through her things. Eugene wasn¡¯t expecting anything and, unsurprisingly, nothing showed up. Though Carto¡¯s battle training was progressing, it didn¡¯t yield any further results. With a sigh, Eugene lifted Carto¡¯s arm and added, ¡°Another bust.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­ huh?¡± Eugene¡¯s Icarus downgrade watch, strapped to her wrist, began to glow when it was within 15cm of the radar¡¯s Icarus watch. At the same time, several messages appeared before them. Though too many to list, one thing was clear¡ªEugene had finally found what she had been searching for. And then, at that moment:
  • [Warning: Icarus downgrade gear structural signal transmission interrupted.]
  • [Warning: Escape through all exits is now prohibited.]
  • [Warning: Proceed to the location marked on the hologram map.]
¡°¡­What is this?¡± Looking at Carto, whose expression was filled with a sense of foreboding, Eugene smiled slightly and added, ¡°Looks like escaping is going to be a bit tougher.¡± As expected, Carto couldn¡¯t feel happy about it. The path to the depths had opened. Chapter 388 ¡°After ying EU for thousands of hours, I never knew there was a map like this below theb¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t feel any presence. Let¡¯s slowly check the surroundings first.¡±
  • ??: What the hell is this? Hahaha
  • ??: A deep research facility? Does such a ce even exist???
  • ??: Why is it so dark? Hahaha
  • ??: Looks pretty neat here.
  • ??: It looks like there¡¯s absolutely no presence here. Hahaha
Just a few minutes ago, they gained ess to the deep research facility. Once inside the small elevator that carried both Eugene and Carto, it descended endlessly. After about 20 seconds of descending, the door opened, revealing a faint light shining into what appeared to be a parking garage. Aside from a slight smell of concrete in the air, there was no scent at all. There were one or two cars, but they didn¡¯t bother with them. The facility itself was so unnervingly clean that it instead raised an eerie sense of unease. After fiddling with therge military USB in her multipurpose pouch, Eugene nced at the elevator she had arrived in, but the green light had long since turned red. She tried pressing the button again, but all that appeared was a holographic warning saying that there was no power.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Well, this seems like a one-way route. It looks like I¡¯ll have to turn on the power switch, just like on the upper floors¡­¡± ¡°Should we checkter?¡± ¡°No, securing an exit is the priority. Let¡¯s start by thoroughly searching the underground parking garage.¡± Even without a clear exit route, Eugene thought like an operator¡ªtime toplete the beginner¡¯s course. Ignoring Carto¡¯s sudden expression of chills, she swiftly scanned the surroundings, wondering if there might be an electric panel somewhere. Typically, ces like these,beled as ¡®restricted ess to non-personnel,¡¯ are often located in hidden areas, like near the parking garage. As expected, after about two minutes of searching, she found a door that looked like an electric room. There was a keypad, but by lifting her rifle¡¯s stock and smashing it down, the door easily opened. ¡°Holy¡­¡± ¡°Well, lucky for us, the durability isn¡¯t too strong.¡±
  • ??: If your body is weak, your head suffers.
  • This person is also smart, huh? Hahaha
  • Is this what "the perfectbination of body and mind" means?
  • The basic structure isn¡¯t much different from theb, huh?
  • Hey, Henslow, you jerk, hurry up and let us into the deep research facility too!!!
As predicted, there was arge machine with a handle that looked like it was made to be pulled down. Of course, she didn¡¯t n on pulling it just yet, so she left the door slightly ajar. After scanning theyout of the facility and mentally mapping it out, Eugene entered with Carto, who wore an uneasy expression. Unlike the chaos on the upper floors, the deep research facility wasn¡¯t as messy, though it didn¡¯t feel exactly clean either. The eerie tidiness and organization of the ce only added to the unsettling atmosphere. The storage facilities in the area also didn¡¯t give off the best impression. ¡°¡­Venttion shafts and no gaps in the barricade¡­ looks like it¡¯s not going to be easy to get out of here.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯d be terrified if I came here alone¡­ but I¡¯ll trust you, Eugene.¡± ¡°Of course, you can.¡± So, where should they go now? She unfolded the paper that wrapped the military USB, checking the notes she had written. The n was simple: find the server room, open the terminal, copy all the data files generated on the date written on the paper, and then quickly escape the facility. To her surprise, there was no need to search further. A blueprint of the map was conveniently disyed on the wall. The size of the deep research facility was smaller than the upper floors, but it still had three levels. They were currently on the second floor, which contained the main lobby, while the server room was on the first floor. There were also signs indicating elevators, meaning there were plenty of escape routes after all. Eugene felt a lot lighter after this discovery. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to keep an eye on the surroundings?¡± ¡°I¡¯m keeping watch. Don¡¯t worry too much. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a ce this quiet¡­¡± At that, Carto seemed to rx a bit. Heading toward a stairbeled A2, they descended to the next floor. ording to the map, if they went left after the stairs, they would find paths heading in all directions¡ªnorth, south, east, and west. The right side led to the power nt and switch rooms, while the left side led to the server room. The fact that the lights were off suggested that power needed to be turned on. It was clear that turning on the power would likely trigger a chain of events leading to a disaster, but there was no other choice. Sometimes, risk was the only way to achieve the goal. Considering that this facility belonged to Artemis, Eugene had a general idea of what might happen once the power was turned on, but there was no turning back now that they had reached the power nt. She pulled the lever. ¡ª Clunk! ¡°Ah, the lights are turning on.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope nothing goes wrong¡­¡± ¡°Seems like trouble¡¯s about to begin, just because you said that.¡±
  • Ah hahaha, this is hrious
  • ??: Did they finish it?
  • ¡®The inside looks surprisingly clean?¡¯ End of story, hahaha
  • Why would you say that out loud? Hahaha
  • Eugene¡¯s sharp wit!
Click Click Click. As the darkness was gradually dispelled by the lightsing on, the feeling of dread only intensified with each light that illuminated the room. The static from the ceiling speakers gradually turned into coherentnguage, and the unease grew with it. The server room door opened, revealing a variety of electronics, and the LEDs on the equipment shed in bright colors. Eugene handed Carto the military USB and the notes wrapped around it. As expected, Carto was stunned, but Eugene didn¡¯t make him the main shield. She guided him to the ess terminal and plugged in the USB before speaking. ¡°If you run into any issues, call me over. We¡¯ll check it together. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make you do everything from start to finish.¡± ¡°Ah, but what are you going to do?¡± ¡°Me?¡± At that moment, a ¡°ding¡± echoed from the other side, and a long warning in English began to y over the server room ceiling¡¯s speaker. Carto couldn¡¯t decode it, but Eugene could. The message was long, but it essentially said:
  • [Warning: Intruder detected in server room. Elevating security level. Scanning deep research facility¡­ All avable personnel¡ªnone. Proceeding to sequence 2. Deploying unmanned drones to intercept intruder¡­]
  • [Warning: Checking avable power¡­ UGV ¡®Wilson¡¯, prototype autonomousbat unit ¡®Eugene¡¯¡­ Insufficient power, unable to operate. Downgraded autonomous unit ¡®UES¡¯¡­ Only one can operate due to power shortages. Autonomous exoskeleton for intruder capture¡­ 15 units avable.]
  • [Warning: Deploymentplete.]
As she opened her heavy bag and scattered everything on the floor, armor and small items ttered along with several firearms and magazines. In her right hand, Eugene held the Mk.18 Mjolnir, the M1A in her left, and the MK47 with a 45-round magazine in her tail. She shoved most of the magazines into the multipurpose pouch and smiled at Carto. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen me shoot with my tail, have you?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± At that moment, Eugene became the harbinger of death¡ªthe destroyer of the facility. As the server room door she had closed earlier mmed open, the three firearms Eugene held unleashed their fury. The battle had begun. ¡°April 26th, April 26th¡­ Do I really need to copy all of this¡ªwow!¡± Click! The exo-skeleton that Eugene hadn¡¯t fully destroyed attached itself to Carto¡¯s back, and it began switching to capture mode. His body automatically fell to the floor, and his arms were raised behind his back, locking into ce, leaving him unable to move. However, ¡°You might feel a little pain.¡± ¡°What the¡ªugh!¡± Crunch, creak! Eugene stepped on the exo-skeleton and lifted it with her hands, causing an eerie sound as it bent and tore. The rest she shot off to cut it apart. Once the exo-skeleton was no longer a threat, she pulled Carto up, and they began the next part of their mission. Now fully focused, Carto grabbed therge military USB and started copying the data, while Eugene scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one would interrupt them. It was a tense moment, and they had no time to rx. The weight of the situation settled on Carto as he worked under pressure. Time was running out. A few secondster, Eugene shot the exo-skeleton and destroyed it, and now the only thing left was a nearly defeated mechanical Eugeneing after them. As the UGV Eugene advanced, Eugene didn¡¯t hesitate. She pulled the trigger of the Mk.18, her tail swinging the M1A to fire from multiple directions. The fight was intense, a battle between human and machine, the stakes higher than ever. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you. Stay sharp!¡± Carto responded and began shooting at the mechanical Eugene as well, trying to disable it. They fought together, coordinating every move, each shotnding with precision. The battle escted with mechanical Eugene growing more dangerous with each passing moment. "More enemies iing! Hold on, Carto!" Eugene shouted. The fight continued with great intensity, but they were closing in on victory. The next few minutes would decide the fate of the facility. Chapter 389 "Six level 6 vests, and out of those, there''s only one that''s still intact..." "Well, just getting the gun back is a relief. If we''d been 30 secondster, we would''ve suffocated from the toxic gas and died." "...Do you always y games like this?" "This one was a bit tougher than usual."
  • Filming the movie alone, lol
  • If you look closely, it seems like the missions Yujin handles are made in such a way that only the person involved could possibly clear them.
  • How are two people supposed to clear abo of escape suit + UGV + Mecha Yujin, lol
  • Carto''s getting dunked in real-time, w
  • And still, seeing that Carto managed to survive and get out, that''s impressive, lol
Weee-ing. With that sound, the elevator doors closed. I ced the mushroom bag, which had be less than half its original weight, down and slumped down right where I was. As soon as Iid down on the floor, Carto followed suit andid down next to me. The many magazines that had been stuffed into the multi-purpose pouch had long since been used up, and now only a military USB and a couple of grenades were left. Before heading down, the bag had contained six guns, and about twenty magazines in total, but after the battle, what was left was only three magazines and a total of four guns. I had farmed six guns, and the ones I¡¯d brought in were each one, so I had left behind almost half of the weapons when I dropped them off down there. But, after emptying so many rounds, and getting hit by several bullets during the battle, a couple of guns were crushed while blocking attacks from Mecha Yujin. Considering all that, if I hadn¡¯t farmed, I¡¯d have run into some serious issues. Once again, it reminded me how importantbat sustainability is. "Today... you really worked hard." "I think I did, too." "Haha."
  • Damn, you¡¯re so tant, lol
  • If Yujin adjusted to Carto¡¯s pace, then it¡¯s been tough, lol
  • I¡¯ll issue a recognition sticker for you
  • If this isn¡¯t hard work, then what is? lol
  • When you get involved with Bi-yam, you¡¯ll experience unimaginable hardships...
The weight of the bag, now reduced by almost a quarter. Normally, I¡¯d have packed a lot more, but right after retrieving the USB, I found out that Mecha Bi-yam had died and the whole facility was starting to fill with toxic gas. So, I didn¡¯t even manage to bring anything more, just grabbed what I could and executed a hasty retreat. Honestly, the escape was a littlete. The main lobby had been firmly sealed with thick reinforced stic doors, but once I tossed five grenades all at once, the door couldn¡¯t withstand it and was smashed open. After that, I barely made it out, pulled the power lever in the parking garage, and boarded the elevator. And here we are now. So, in my bag... there were just a few random items left. Of course, I was nning to hand everything over to Carto, who worked hard today. Inside the elevator, as I was zoning out, Carto spoke up. "By the way, what if we go up and there¡¯s no escape vehicle?" "Since the escape time limit froze when the deep research facility ess authority was overridden, it should be fine. If not... well, there¡¯s not much we can do." "You sure give up easily in strange situations." ...Is that so? I wasn¡¯t sure if it was apliment, but it didn¡¯t seem like something worth worrying about too much. While we were having this random conversation, the elevator slowly started to decelerate. With a ding sound, the announcement echoed that we had arrived at the first floor. I pushed myself up with a grunt, then reached out and grabbed Carto''s arm, pulling him up with me.@@novelbin@@ Although my physical fatigue wasn¡¯t too bad, my mental exhaustion was starting to creep in. As we stepped out of the elevator, the lobby, which had turned into aplete mess, was bathed in the light of the sunset. Ignoring the chat filled with "March" jokes, I walked out into the fresh air. However, the most surprising thing was that the truck was still there. "So, you¡¯re out now, huh, agents?" "...Who are you?" "I''m the truck driver who brought you here. You didn''t inhale too much smoke, did you?" At that moment, Carto and I exchanged looks. Normally, traveling to the map was part of a scripted sequence, so we had never encountered the truck driver before, but now, here he was. Carto seemed stunned, blinking rapidly and shaking his head in disbelief. Anyway, that didn¡¯t matter much. The important thing was that we still had a way to get back to base. After throwing our gear onto the truck, we kept talking. "You¡¯ve been waiting all this time, huh?" "Yeah, well. Normally, we¡¯d get a radio message to return within an hour, but no matter how many times I tried to contact you, there was no answer. If we don¡¯t get the special code, we¡¯ll be shot before we even get into the base." "Hmm." "Still, if I manage to take one or two agents with me, I¡¯ll have an excuse for it. Now, hurry up. I don¡¯t have the hobby of waiting around with my head exposed in the middle of a damn war." Vroom! The truck, with Carto and me aboard, roared to life and crossed the dirt road. Of course, that wasn¡¯t my concern at the moment. A new keyword had just been introduced ¡ª normally, returning within an hour is the standard, and the truck driver would receive a return code. If the code wasn¡¯t delivered correctly, the base defense troops would kill the driver... something like that. But right now, the base wasn¡¯t sending the code. In the meantime, Carto spoke again. "Looks like this is one of those scenarios that only applies to your session, Yujin. If we¡¯d gone through this much, the base should have weed us like heroes, right? Isn¡¯t that how it usually goes?" "Yeah, that¡¯s true. There must be something going on at the base..." Wait a minute. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, a spark of realization shot through my brain. I¡¯d said something before we received the mission at the high-value research facility... something about being prepared for anything. It was something I had said, but why had I forgotten? "...This doesn¡¯t feel good." Maverick had sold himself and his organization to Artemis. If Artemis saw the value in that deal, then maybe the base... And then, themander¡¯sst words popped into my head. "Don¡¯t be toote." If I put all of this together ¡ª it wasn¡¯t certain, but it was hard to ignore the possibility. It was likely the base had already been attacked. And, unsurprisingly, viewers of Carto¡¯s stream, who had been following my storyline from the beginning, came to the same conclusion ¡ª "Could the base be under attack?" A few of them were already specting. Just as I was exining this, Carto let out augh, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really are a troublemaker, huh?" "I didn¡¯t cause this, just so you know." "Well, strange things always happen to extraordinary people, don¡¯t they?" nk. Carto, fiddling with the firearms, spoke again. "I see there are a lot of shells and things in this truck. We should ask the driver. After all, we don¡¯t have much ammo left. If the base is under attack, we¡¯ll need to make some noise." "Haha. Thinking like an operator now ¡ª I think we can skip the beginner-level training." "And then you¡¯ll send me straight to intermediate level, right?" "Looks like you¡¯ve got great intuition." "Ugh..."
  • Hahaha, lol
  • Carto is suffering, w
  • So, now the base gets caught up in the war too? This is absurd, lol
  • Yujin is just being Yujin again, what¡¯s the problem?
  • "Yujin-ed" (verb): Doing something strange and being caught up in it.
The chat was still full of nder, but sadly, Carto¡¯s prediction was spot on. With a grinding noise, the truck stopped several kilometers away from the base. The truck driver, his voice trembling with surprise, spoke up. "Agents! Get out and take a look at this! What in the world is going on?" "...Oh no. This is a mess." "Wow, this is crazy." As he said, from about 3 kilometers away from the base, ck smoke was billowing up into the sky. I sighed and asked the driver. "If you have anything that could help with that situation, you¡¯d better hand it over now." It seemed like today was going to be a long one after all. "Such a damn mess." High-value research facilities, bunkers, lighthouses, customs offices, factories, shopping malls, coastlines, and forests... and now, the base. The base of operations for Dr. and themander, Cash Mendoza, and other merchants, located in the only area with any semnce of order in the war zone. Originally an abandoned airfield, now refurbished and rapidly developed, it was a hot spot where transport nes and UAVs would take off andnd several times a day. But as the facility expanded, it inevitably encountered manpower shortages, leading to a number of problems, including theck of sufficient personnel to maintain security. The result of this was that a few unidentified bandits managed to sneak into the base. This happened 30 minutes before Yujin returned. ¡ªBOOM! The supply storage warehouse. The ammunition depot. The power facility. These areas, which should have been the most heavily guarded, were easily breached by a few cigarettes and a well-ced lie. The bandits, who had reached their goal, blew up their bombden vests without hesitation. The explosions were deafening, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "Large enemy forces approaching from outside... at least 400 people! Almost all of them are bandits!" "Mortar fire iing! One-fourth of the machine gun posts have been neutralized!" "This is insane. Sirens are ring, get everyone together and prepare to fight!" The attack had begun. The sounds of gunfire were endless, and enemy forces surged from the outside. The situation was spiraling out of control, and casualties began pouring in from the hospital, where Dr. and the medical staff worked. But, unbelievably, that wasn¡¯t the end. "Control towermunication received. Three transport nes approaching the base, SAMs have justunched." "Urgent update! The nes were intercepted, but dozens of soldiers escaped before, and are now heading toward us!" "Artemis transport nes... they¡¯reing at us full force, damn it." Maverick¡¯s involvement was clear to everyone on site. But considering that transport nes had been involved, it was almost certain that Artemis had deployed its elite Twilight squad, and there was even the possibility of encountering UES, which had been rumored to appear recently. However, no matter what, the situation was getting worse by the second, and the high concrete walls separating the base from the outside had already been destroyed by mortar fire. The results were starting to show. "North checkpoint reports, an unidentified enemy unit encountered. Engaging inbat from now on." "East checkpoint reports! Most of the outposts are down! Pulling back the defense line and setting up new machine guns! The kill zone stretches from Beamfel 1-3 to 1-7, so avoid that area!" "We need reinforcements! We can¡¯t hold the defense line anymore!" In less than 10 minutes, the base was being hit from all sides, both inside and out. mes were spreading, and ck smoke billowed into the air as people¡¯s lives were snuffed out like candles. But this wasn¡¯t the end. A voice echoed over the chaos. "IFF activated. Approaching the breached wall. Please refrain from friendly fire." No one paid attention to that, but mere secondster, the eastern checkpoint sent an update, and the situation was shifting toward a new phase. "A truck approaching from the east... IFF confirmed! It¡¯s the truck that left for the high-value research facility five hours ago!" "That¡¯s not the right way! The main gate... no, it''s the correct direction! Continue advancing!" Boom! The engine noise was growing louder, and at the same time, the screams of the bandits rushing toward the breached wall grew louder as well. The sound of gunfire echoed closer as a truck barreled through the gap in the wall, and¡ª Crash. The truck mmed into the wall, and a new voice crackled through thems. "Sorry I''mte, but I¡¯ll start helping with the base cleanup now. Let me know the most urgent areas that need support." The original Bi-yam. She had arrived at the copsing base. Chapter 390 The sound of ttering echoed. The giant called the base was dying. Though gunfire still rang out, the ground beneath was littered with bloody corpses. People with holes in their chestsy everywhere, unable to speak, gasping and dying in agony. Amidst this, dozens of people wandered. Their appearances shifted ording to their actions. Those with weaponized, cold eyes would asionally pull the trigger, shooting additional holes in the heads of the corpses beneath their feet. They were d in ck, from head to toe. Others, wearing mismatched clothes, would search the bodies, picking through the remains with nervous nces at the former group. Through the cold, damp air, lips hidden beneath bvas moved. "This is Twilight. The base suppression is about 30%plete." "Identification. No change in objectives. Proceed to the server room." "Confirmed." Artemis Technology had already been torn apart, but these men were still a collection of PMCs with the kind of strength that could once negotiate independently with Russia. So, having absorbed the scattered remnants of technology from northern New York and the broken Russian forces, they made their way to the Uncharted Zone, where anything could happen. They swept up the scattered military supplies and the manybat data they''d umted,pletely rearming themselves. Among them was a person named Maverick, not exactly a wee addition, but some of the data he provided was valuable enough to make Artemis move its ass ¡ª information about a new weapon, the Unknown Exo Snake,monly referred to as UES, which had fully entered the Uncharted Zone. That alone was worth enough to shake the entire base. The sound of nking footsteps continued. Yet mixed with the sound of small motors was an eerie representation of the enemies invading the base. Their joints were mechanical. They wore exoskeletons that boosted theirbat abilities many times over. Artemis had mobilized almost all of its avable power for this, but the higher-ups had deemed it worth it ¡ª and the Twilight squad on the ground had no interest in worrying about the bigger picture. Their only priority was following orders. And those orders seemed to be progressing smoothly. "All units, report in." "ckfox, no issues." "Kreuzer, no issues." "Violet, no issues." "...." "Zodiac, respond." Silence. But no one on themunicationwork was fazed. They simply followed their orders. Immediately switching channels, the order was given to check the operation zone where Zodiac team was assigned. The screen linked with the airborne stealth UAV flickered. Through the tablet¡¯s disy, the operation zone expanded, showing the ce where the Zodiac team had been. A truck wedged into the shattered base walls, and theplete disappearance of biological signatures. Considering the 5-minute interval between reports, it was clear that in that short time, a squad of twelve had beenpletely wiped out. It ended with a frown, but if situations like this kept happening, what expression would I wear next time? Themanding officer, pondering that, opened his mouth. "Have Kreuzer investigate the area adjacent to Zodiac''s operation zone." "Confirmed." Thus, the second unit, made up of twelve men, headed for the now-turned no-man''snd that had once been Zodiac¡¯s operation zone. Minutes passed. All they found were... fragments. Body parts socking in flesh and bone that they barely resembled humans. These men, dressed in high-performance bulletproof vests and exoskeletons that could block almost any modern bullet, had been reduced to rags. One of them, as if struck by divine punishment, picked up a corpse with a gaping hole in its chest. As soon as he saw the upper and lower halves of the body separate, he couldn¡¯t hold it in and threw up on the spot. Had they been caught in the fire of a heavy machine gun? But even then, Zodiac team was far too sharp to fall victim like that. Considering they wore exoskeletons, they would have been faster than the rate of fire at this range. Then what the hell happened¡ª ¡ªBOOM! "This is insane!" "Ugh...!" "Shit, what the hell are they shooting?!" "Take cover, take cover! It''s a heavy machine gun! Don''t hide behind concrete blocks! They''ll punch right through them!" The deafening roar that followed... The noise was so massive it almost made you question whether it could even be ssified as gunfire. As expected, the sound was proportional to the firepower, and the destruction was like a storm of thunder. Bullets fired from somewhere wiped everything in their path. Except for the few hiding behind military vehicle axles or engines, the rest of the enemies, even those taking cover behind concrete blocks or tetrapods, were obliterated by the relentless fire. And at the end of it, there was a silhouette, holding a machine gun the size of a human and firing like a mini-gun. KPV. dimirovrge-caliber machine gun. Yujin was holding and firing a monster of a weapon capable of firing 14.5x114mm rounds at a rate of 10 rounds per second. "God damn it, is that even human?!" "Code ck, code ck! Archetype confirmed! Send all avable power to this area now! Someone is holding and shooting a KPV!" RATTA-TAT! Even with the weight of the ammo belt attached to the side, this person didn''t slow down at all. With every blink of an eye, they vanished, and when they appeared again, they unleashed ferocious firepower from unpredictable positions. The firepower pouring into Kreuzer¡¯s team was not something a standard operation team could withstand. As dozens of centimeters of reinforced concrete shattered like tofu, a piece of tetrapod¡¯s upper structure, having been struck more than ten times, shattered and pierced through the left shoulder of one of the men hiding behind it. Of course, that¡¯s if you could call it a "piercing." "AAAAAH!" "Henson¡¯s hit! Left arm lost!" "Move to the side, move to the side! Deploy smoke and move left, damn it!" "Two guys got shredded mid-air while doing that!" Naturally, unlike a mounted machine gun, which can only fire within a limited range, holding and firing this weapon gave a level of uracy that was nothing short of devastating. When pulling the trigger, even with exoskeleton power, the recoil was immense. Two members of the squad that had taken flight, their exo suits charged with energy, were now a twisted heap, their bodies no longer recognizable afternding. And even more tragically for Kreuzer¡¯s team, the archetype¡ªYujin had a loader standing right beside her. "Reload!" "Ugh, these rounds are heavy. One of these 100-round belts weighs dozens of kilograms." "Still, with every shot I take, it gets lighter, doesn¡¯t it?" "That¡¯s what I like, hehe." Cartographer. He had long since switched roles to be a loader, watching in amusement as Yujin held the KPV, firing rounds as if it were second nature. Heughed, realizing once again the wisdom of not messing with Yujin. Aside from that, Carto couldn''t help but be astounded by the sheer destructive power of the 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds. The KPV, capable of prating a 32mm steel te at 500 meters, was demolishing everything in its path, regardless of the target. Even the enemies hiding behind abandoned armored vehicles or taking cover behind debris were obliterated by the continuous fire. Yujin had managed to reduce Kreuzer¡¯s twelve-member team to just three in under two minutes. After the deafening noise of gunfire subsided, the voice of Yujin came through thems. "It seems we have new friends. Leave all the remaining ammo next to you. It''s time to start working on their sides." "¡­Yeah, sure. Though I doubt anyone will be left by the time I circle around." "Maybe, but it¡¯s worth a try." Was it possible? That ridiculous thought crossed Carto''s mind as he mentally mapped out the interior of the base. Without a care for being discovered, they took the side route, having realized that no one would be paying attention to them, considering the havoc Yujin was causing with her weapon. Still, as Carto moved, he couldn''t help but wonder if they could truly remain unnoticed... Eventually, after navigating several hundred meters, they found themselves in a massive pile of rubble, where they could hear enemies shouting in the distance, unaware of their approach. "Let¡¯s move quickly." "Got it..." With that, Carto followed Yujin as they sprinted toward the next objective, the chaos and gunfire continuing around them. The battle for the base was just beginning. After several minutes had passed since charging through the shattered base walls with the truck, the situation was summarized as follows: they had prevented additional bandits from entering through the same breach in the wall, but the situation inside the base had yet to be resolved. As the front windshield of the vehicle was shattered, the sight that greeted them was nothing short of a wastnd. The deployment of 120mm mortars had turned the area intoplete chaos. To confirm the base¡¯s structure, they had walked around the vicinity and found the bodies of what appeared to be defense forces, along with several KPVrge-caliber machine guns scattered around. Several hundred rounds of ammo, each belt weighing dozens of kilograms,y soaked in the golden blood of the fallen defenders. With no way to ignore the situation, Yujin knew that these weapons had to be used. "I¡¯ll need to modify it to make it usable. You handle perimeter security," she ordered. "...What?" Carto replied. Time was pressing, so Carto¡¯s minor protest was easily ignored. Yujin quickly dismantled the weapon, detaching its uniquely designed buttstock and flipping the button designed for the shooter¡¯s convenience. She then used belts from the dead soldiers, tying them together with wire and fishing line to make a makeshift handle. With this quick DIY project, therge-caliber machine gun was now portable. After finishing, she aimed the gun at the regr enemy forces she¡¯d been clearing out and, with her feet firmly nted on the ground, she pulled the trigger. Thunder exploded from the ground as the KPV roared to life. The recoil was even harsher than when she had fired the Dektaryov machine gun, but it didn¡¯t matter. Yujin¡¯s shots were steady, aided by her precise targeting and the trajectory adjustments, and she kept firing. The deadly light poured out at nearly Mach 3, cutting through anything in its path. Enemies within the kill zone were shredded as if struck by an ultra-high-pressure cutter. Though it was a video game, the destruction was so visceral that it left asting impression. The 14.5mm rounds tore through everything they hit ¡ª concrete blocks, 1-meter cubes of earth-filled barriers, or anything else in their way, reducing it all to rubble. Yujin couldn''t help but feel an overwhelming sense of power in the moment. The situation returned to the present. In perfect timing, Carto, having knocked out an enemy special forces soldier with a swift strike to the side, approached with a triumphant grin on his face. "Looks like you¡¯ve made your mark. Well done." "Of course. When it''s my turn, I always get the job done," Carto replied, his confidence growing as he showed off his work.
  • "That confident expression, but why does he look so out of ce?"
  • "Carto¡¯s the one who¡¯s always cking off, right? Or am I wrong???"
  • "And who made him do it? Yujin, of course. Does he not get the point? lol"
  • "I can hear Harmony and Dice snickering in the back. They must¡¯ve already heard this."
  • "You¡¯ve got Stockholm syndrome, Carto!!!"
The heavy machine gun, now clumsily strapped to Carto¡¯s body, rattled with each movement. After a quick check, Yujin confirmed there were no major issues. It was a temporary setup, so if it broke, it wouldn¡¯t be the end of the world. It was a good thing, though, that they were at least somewhat prepared. The remaining ammo belts were now down to three: one would go into the gun, one would be stuffed into Yujin''s backpack, and thest one into Carto¡¯s. Having brought arge bag was definitely the right choice. After walking a few dozen meters, Yujin grabbed a corpse that still looked intact in its upper body, searching through its belongings. She found a PDA and a map, then connected her Icarus Gear to the enemymunicationswork, tapping into their transmissions. After analyzing all the gathered data, she spoke up. "Archetype¡­?" "Someone sounds like they''re talking about Yujin... Ah, shit!" "Stay clear of the machine guns. You might get shot in the crossfire."@@novelbin@@ It was truly a coincidence. As Yujin muttered "Archetype," Carto turned to ask her something, and in that moment, therge-caliber machine gun¡¯s muzzle pressed firmly into his side. With a strange noise, Carto fell to the ground, though it wasn¡¯t an intentional punishment. The chat exploded withments like, "Carto got punished! Lol." But despite the distractions, Yujin continued her task. Artemis had sent in four assault teams, along with mercenaries they had paid off, to invade the base. Monitoring themunications, Yujin and Carto had confirmed that they had already wiped out two of the assault teams. The time hade to crush the remaining half. "Let¡¯s move quickly." "Got it..." Yujin and Carto took off, running with urgency. Of course, before even starting to run, Carto''s heavy ammo belt swung wildly behind him, and Yujin took the opportunity to teach him another basic lesson ¡ª when carrying heavy gear, make sure it¡¯s as close to the body as possible to avoid unnecessary movement. The base wasrge, having been built around an abandoned airstrip, but the sections with dense buildings weren¡¯t that big. This meant they could reach abat zone with only a short sprint. "Did themunicationwork say anything, Yujin?" "Anyone outside the buildings is considered an enemy," Yujin replied. "Hah, looks like Carto¡¯s about to show his real strength again... Ugh! Stop hitting me!" "I said get out of the machine gun¡¯s range." It was another strange coincidence. Although Carto¡¯s protests were harmless, they couldn¡¯t afford to waste time. Yujin repositioned the machine gun and Carto took cover behind some debris, adjusting his LPVO scope to line up with the enemies. The cleanup of the bandits had begun. ¡ªBOOM! ¡ªKACHING!¡ª The sounds of two different guns echoed as bandits searching the area were swept away like dust in the storm. Some fired back with cheap rifles like the VPO, but most,cking proper bulletproof vests, fled, only to be hit and lose parts of their bodies. The frontlines quickly began to shift. Special forces dispatched by Artemis to block their rear emerged from buildings, but unfortunately, all they had were the same 14.5mm machine guns. Yujin¡¯s fire was so precise and deadly that even the most seasoned special forces members couldn''t dodge it. Every shot they fired was the difference between life and death. In a short amount of time, the battlefield had be a massacre, with every enemy reduced to fragments. "Look at the barrel heating up," Cartomented.
  • "This is insane¡­"
  • "Has this person¡¯s brain somehow removed fear? ??"
  • "Why be scared when you''re holding a machine gun and firing? ??"
  • "Honestly, I think Mecha Yujin could win in a straight-up fight now."
  • "I feel like an entirely different speciespared to this person, lol."
The chilling and damp air of the Uncharted Zone swirled around the red-hot muzzle, steam rising from it. Just then, a donation alert popped up, and Yujin briefly checked it. To her surprise, it was a clip of her in action, with the gun¡¯s steam enveloping her, looking like a scene straight out of Terminator ¡ª it even resembled a movie poster. Ignoring the ecstatic reactions of the viewers, she tossed the used ammo belt aside and focused on the next move. "Yujin, you back? We¡¯ll reward you as much as possible. Clear the enemies out of the base!" It was themander. With a quickugh, Yujin responded. "I''m on my way." Five minutester, the merchants faced Bi-yam, who had entered the base wielding a vehicle-mounted machine gun. The base was restored to normal in just 15 minutes. Chapter 391 ©¤©¤©¤Tukakakang! "Ugh, what the hell is that sound...!" "Get out of cover! It''s the KPV machine gun!" A horrifying explosion echoed from within the multi-story building at the base, where intense fighting was ongoing. Even though the fighting forces were insufficient, the deafening noise reached the ears of the base''s defenders, who were risking permanent hearing damage while engaging in battle. Despite originating from the first floor of the building, the sound was so overwhelming that everyone inside, even those on the upper floors, had to clutch their ears. While the soldiers on the higher floors were focused on the noise below, the Artemisbat team tasked with holding the rear on the first floor could not have imagined the kind of disaster that was about to hit them. A storm of bullets that erased everything in front of them raged. "Grk¡­!" "Hide! Behind the wall¡ªcough!" "The wall''s being pierced! Run! As far away as you can!" The building had little regard for the durability of its walls. Yujin, her eyes gleaming, scanned the surroundings as she attached theser sight from the dead soldiers'' guns onto her KPV machine gun. She was checking for any remaining enemies. Every time the muzzle shifted, several red and greenser beams, parallel to the trajectory of the bullets, were an impressive sight. The moment thosesers pointed at something, a deafening roar echoed down the hallway, and everything in front of her was shattered. The 14.5mm rounds mmed into the wall, gougingrge chunks of concrete, while thin walls were torn apart, shredding the Artemis soldiers behind them. Naturally, even the UGVs couldn¡¯t escape from the onught of such powerful rounds. A minigun-equipped dog was desperately trying to flee down the hallway, but the first shot shattered its right hind leg, and the second shot struck its body. The AP round tore through its weak bulletproof armor and shattered its internal circuits. This all happened in just 0.2 seconds. Simultaneously, an urgent voice came through the inte.
  • [Friendlymunication: All base defenders, please be advised. The person firing the KPV machine gun is one of our own! Do NOT misfire! If there¡¯s a misfire, you¡¯ll be held responsible for the lives lost!]
  • Ahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Can''t be held responsible for your life if you shoot at an armored vehicle, lol
  • Damn crazy biological armored vehicle, seriously
  • Walking vacuum cleaner, lol
Of course, Yujin could only let out a meaningless chuckle. But regardless, the first floor was being rapidly cleared. The narrow and long hallway wasn¡¯t ideal for CQB (close-quarters battle), but Yujin didn¡¯t care. The moment she heard a rustle, Carto would throw a grenade or fire at a wall, guessing the enemy¡¯s location. As concrete broke apart like Styrofoam, huge shell casings bigger than an adult¡¯s finger collided with the floor, ringing with a clear metallic sound. In less than a minute, Yujin had perfectly cleared the first floor. The reason was simple: the enemies, having lost their will to fight, had discarded their weapons and surrendered. Carto piled up the weapons, cing grenades in the middle to destroy them, while Yujin grabbed several smoke grenades and tossed them into the second floor indiscriminately. In the thick ck smoke, a voice rang out. "From now on, anyone moving will be considered an enemy. Allies should remain prone until the situation is over." Then, another deafening roar erupted. Having covered an entire hallway in smoke, Yujin struck the wall with the muzzle of her gun and used the echoing effect to locate the enemies. Before even entering the room, she squeezed the trigger of the machine gun, clearing the path ahead. It was a strange engagement, almost ignoring the existence of CQB-specific weapons. But regardless, Yujin burned everything in front of her, and Carto quickly followed behind, wearing a newly acquired thermal scope and crossing the now pitch-ck hallway to clear the opposite side. It took about five minutes for Yujin and Carto to regroup with the remaining defenders from the second, third, and fourth floors. "B block normalizationplete. Where¡¯s the next battle?" "Uh... We need support at the airfield. The UGVs are rolling around." "Understood. Please prepare plenty of 14.5mm rounds." As the muzzle of the gun emitted white smoke into the cold, damp air, Yujin didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. She left a quick request for the remaining defenders to support the surroundings and swiftly exited the building. The battle in the central zone of the base, where several buildings were clustered together, was nearing its end. This was because Yujin had already cut into Artemis''s nk. With B block cleared, including sending the ckfox team to the afterlife, it was not an exaggeration to say that the core of thebat strength had copsed, and themand structure had been shattered as well. Thus, the two quickly headed toward the opposite airfield, where the fighting had intensified. "...Wow." "My goodness. Are you actually shooting that? Terrifying." "We¡¯ll need a tripod for the airfield. Please carry it, Carto." "...Yep."
  • Carto¡¯s doing the grunt work again, lol
  • If you don¡¯t like it, why don¡¯t you shoot the KPV yourself? Lol
  • Look at his face like he¡¯s thinking, ¡®Why am I here?¡¯ lol
  • Fact: Dice and Harmony passed through here long ago
  • They were kind of kidnapped too, damn, lol
And so, Carto, carrying thepletely folded KPV tripod, followed Yujin out. Of course, he couldn¡¯tin. Yujin, now the focal point of the battle, was ahead, carrying one bag and two ammo cans in both hands. After running for about two minutes, the two arrived at a building overlooking the airfield, set up a trap, and climbed to the rooftop. The scene before them was one of mes and fire, with many enemies, clearly from Artemis, scattered around. Therge UGVs were also visible, and although there were some armored vehicles, most were destroyed and burning, so it didn¡¯t matter much. The two were now performing a solo show. "If I had known this would happen, I should¡¯ve brought a sniper rifle, Carto. Too bad." "Ha ha..." "Let¡¯s start. Please cover the rear and provide fire support." "Do you think I won¡¯t?" Unlike before, with the shoulder mount and tripod now in ce, Yujin had already dismantled the inconvenient mechanical sights and installed a dedicated optical sight for the machine gun. The moment her thumb pressed the button, firing began. With an ear-splitting roar, the rounds, traveling at nearly Mach 3, pummeled an Army-modified Humvee crossing the airfield. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just one or two shots, but several. More than ten, reaching thirty. Not long after, the Humvee, literally turned into a rag, came to a halt. Golden blood and ck oil flowed from the vehicle. Of course, it would still be a long time before the situation was resolved. ©¤©¤©¤Peeing! "The response speed is pretty fast... They¡¯re already firing back. Can you see the muzzle sh?" "Identified. Not sure if I can hit it, but I¡¯ll try." "Good thing I brought an LPVO rifle." The counter-fire had officially begun. Carto began firing from the side. It didn¡¯t matter if he killed or just suppressed. Meanwhile, Yujin calmly caught her breath, and as soon as she saw something, she fired several shots. The optical sight showed an enemy holding an AT-4, whose body fell to the ground, shredded, right before firing. It was a close call¡ªhe almost went down along with the machine gun. Of course, she fired additional shots to prevent another rocketuncher from firing, and one of the rounds hit the internal ammunition, causing a small explosion. After a brief lull, the situation changed. ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! "Hmm, the first-floor trap¡¯s been triggered." "I¡¯veid traps all over the routes leading up to the rooftop. They won¡¯t be able toe up. Just trigger the trap if the device vibrates." "Where... eh." Kwang. Once again, explosions rang out as the building stairs went off. Cartoughed and added: "I guess everyone¡¯s sticking with Yujin to see scenes like this." "Maybe that¡¯s true."
  • ''Romance''
  • Can¡¯t deny how damn cool this is
  • This is a game and Yasji, lol
  • Yujin¡¯s orchestra, lol
  • The new member was Carto, huh, lol
Carto, who let out a strangeugh, once again leaned against his gun and began shooting. In response, Yujin pressed the button until her ammo was depleted. It was truly an excellent teacher-student rtionship. "Things have really gone to hell in the base." "I''ve arrived toote, haven''t I?" "...I was joking when I said that earlier, but if I had known it woulde to this, I should¡¯ve pushed you more." The base was a mess. In fact, it could be called more than just a mess. The airfield used to transport supplies was damaged everywhere, and bodies and debris were scattered around like trash. In the middle of the runway, remnants of UGVs and armored vehicles were scattered, and that had to be taken into ount. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the other areas were intact. In fact, if you turned your gaze that way, it was even more devastating. Some buildings were half-destroyed or burning, and there were still uncollected bodies of defenders and bandits everywhere. Moreover, if you looked closely to the north, you could see the fortress wall dividing the base from the outside had been utterly shattered. Naturally, the watchtowers that could observe external movements were long gone, destroyed by snipers and rocketunchers. Seeing that sight¡ªor rather, the disastrous situation¡ªthemander finally burst intoughter. "It reminds me of when I was sent to the third world as a disaster recovery unit leader six years ago." "..." "Talking to you in front of everyone would be a little awkward, so I should probably thank you first. To cut all the fluff, if it weren¡¯t for you, the only thing left in the base would¡¯ve been bodies. A lot of people, myself included, owe you our lives. Once the airfield¡¯s back in operation, we¡¯ll provide sufficient support." He nodded. There was more talk about support after that, but at that point, I was already thinking about how I would rebuild the base if I were themander. The most important thing that had to be prioritized was, of course, the airfield restoration. And naturally, it seemed like themander had the same idea. However, aside from that, something rather interesting came up next. "I never thought those insignificant bastards from the Uncharted Zone would ever get pushed out, but I never expected it to happen like this. It¡¯s like a monkey¡¯s hand granting a wish..." "What do you mean?" "It¡¯s simple." In short, this is what he was getting at. At this point, with the battle having ended, the power of many merchants had weakened. The base, which had been a ce for merchants to smuggle goods and collect money, had beenpletely destroyed. The losses in materials and personnel included the bases of people like Cash Mendoza and the dealers, and themander in front of me was the only one who had the authority to request everything lost to the higher-ups within the base. In other words, while the situation was clearly miserable, the result was that themander had now be the top authority in the base¡ªa sole, albeit fragile, power. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the most important point. He pulled out a piece of paper. "...A contract?" "A contract stating that they will provide you with all possible support within two months. My signature¡¯s already on it. You can keep a copy." "Hmm." A smirk spread across my lips. The meaning behind this was clear. "You''re telling me that since nothing can be given now, we¡¯ll put it off forter... Is that right?" "I suppose it¡¯s an ufortable truth for you, but... as you can see. For now, all we can talk about is unfortunate things." And at the same time, several documents were ced on the table. The names were written on them in fine print. "The hospital¡¯s overwhelmed. Normally, the doctor who would have treated you when you were injured would have taken a fee, but they¡¯ll have to take a break for now." "That¡¯s quite troublesome. I understand, though." "Well, that¡¯s just how the world works..." He let out a self-deprecatingugh and added. "If it¡¯s too much of a burden, you could always put off the request for now. How about helping with the base¡¯s reconstruction? We¡¯ll pay you handsomely." "I didn¡¯te here to transport construction materials." "Well, I suppose that¡¯s true. Even if you had a hammer in your hand, it would be more suited for war than for fixing facilities." Although I didn¡¯t want to be seen as a bloodthirsty person, I had no intention of helping with the construction, so I nodded roughly as he continued. "Even though Artemis and we exchanged a couple of punches, we shouldn¡¯t stop gathering intelligence. Even though the base¡¯s been turned into chaos, if we look closely, there will still be a truck or two we can use. We can take you to the shopping mall, the research facility, the street, the lighthouse, the coastline... Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get you where you need to go." "Of course, I¡¯ll have toe back without taking a single hit." "That shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you. I¡¯ll gather all the weapons, even if I have to strip the dead from inside the base. Leave that part to me." Indeed, today we had already killed so many of Artemis¡¯s special forces. Chuckling, I took out arge military-grade USB from my pouch, ced it on the table, and nodded. Maverick¡¯s betrayal was already a foregone conclusion, but since I hadn¡¯t even skimmed through its contents yet, there might still be useful information inside. He nodded, then added: "Good job. Get some rest. The gearbox and the hideout weren¡¯t too damaged, so you should be able to stay there without much worry." "At least that¡¯s something." "Thanks for epting it." With that, the conversation came to an end. But of course, this wasn¡¯t the end of everything. There was still a dizzying list of requests being updated on my wristwatch. They were all filled with murderous intentions to deal with Maverick, so I could guess what the requests were, but... Sitting at the humble table in the gearbox room¡ªdestroyed by debris falling from the ceiling¡ªI sat down. Carto, who hade over, slumped heavily into the chair beside me. Of course, unfortunately... ©¤©¤©¤Ugh! "Uwah." "...I... I wasn¡¯tughing."
  • Hahahahahahaha
  • Chair broke, lol
  • Look at Carto¡¯s face, you can see him biting his lip, lol
  • The chair break was legendary, lol
Perhaps it was because I had rxed, but the chair I was sitting on copsed. After a heavy fall to the floor, I kicked away the debris and added to Carto: "...Well, you did a great job today. If you want tough, feel free to." "Ahem, heh... no, I¡¯m fine, heh." "You really held it in, didn¡¯t you?" Of course, I was being sincere. Carto had spent the whole day fighting with me at high-value research facilities, and after that, we had faced limits in the server room, then returned to the base, participated in directbat, and carried ammo... I could imagine the mental fatigue must have been quite significant. And as he let out a long breath, finally realizing it was time to unwind, I thought maybe it was my turn to give him a gift. I turned on my note-taking function, quickly writing down various improvements, strengths, and weaknesses I¡¯d noticed during the many hours spent with Carto. In no time, I filled up five A4 sheets. When I handed them to him, his expression became strange. "What¡¯s this...?" "A gift. Take a look. If you practice like this, it¡¯ll be quite helpful." "...I¡¯m notughing, right?" "Of course not."@@novelbin@@
  • Of course, there is!
  • Giving it back to him, lol
  • Teacher, hahahaha
  • Carto¡¯s disaster, lol
  • ??? : You said no homework! No homework!
I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. I patted Carto on the shoulder in encouragement, but his expression still didn¡¯t seem to lift. He wasn¡¯t being honest, was he? Chapter 392 "Ubuyee..."
  • Carto, RIP
  • Who turned Carto into a dead meat puppet, lol
  • The cob might be over, but the stream isn¡¯t, lol
  • Feels like Bi-yam is watching from somewhere
  • If you sleep there, Yujin-ryeon wille kidnap you
Jumping up! At thestment, Carto quickly got up and looked around. It was often said that nothing was scarier than Yujin, even more than war or disease, and today, Carto shouted "I can''t take this anymore!" while scanning the surroundings. Of course, Yujin was nowhere to be found. The mental fatigue had seeped into his bones. He had spent around twelve hours in theb today. The only lucky thing was that, rather than dying under someone else''s hands, he had made it through all the rounds... not exactly by himself, but carried through by someone else, forced to swallow credit and items by force. It seemed like it was over, but Yujin, as always, discovered a deeper research facility at thest moment, and Carto found himself facing hell. This was the second encounter with Mecha Yujin. "Today, I really feel like I''m gonna die..." Somehow, after recovering the USB, he was hit by poisonous gas pouring down from the ceiling. Naturally, he barely survived, thanks to Yujin¡¯s help, but by then, the truck was probably long gone, MIA. Then, he heard that the base had been attacked. Carto had dragged several ammo cans weighing almost 100 kilograms around the base with little care, following Yujin for another fifteen-hour ordeal. He checked the real-world time. It was past 2 a.m. "Fifteen hours of broadcasting... wow. I never thought I¡¯d be able to do this. I started streaming just after 9, and I never expected it to go on like this."
  • 5 hours by real time, lol
  • 15 hours of non-stop fighting is really intense, lol
  • Fact: Carto, who¡¯s just barely keeping up with Yujin, is starting to go a bit crazy
  • Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true, lol
  • Yujin-ryeon, sometimes you mess up, but you¡¯ve been so bold, Carto!
Of course, the past was just that¡ªpast. Carto himself subtly realized it. He was beginning to feel, little by little, that he was changing from the core. Every now and then, he still made mistakes, but unlike before, he was now leading the charge and getting kills while bravely charging forward after firing himself. That reckless y was slowly being corrected. ¡®But if I did that in front of Yujin, my head would probably be smashed first...¡¯ Technically, it wasn¡¯t entirely uneptable. The reason was simple. In the end, Carto''s ystyle and the keyedic moments in his streams had always been centered around such ¡®reckless¡¯ moves, and Yujin never intended to restrict that. The real problem cameter, when the Cobra Twist was applied. Because it was VR, it didn¡¯t hurt, and Yujin-ryeon could proudly throw the rope around Carto¡¯s neck like some kind of ¡®training content,¡¯ creating a newedic moment. In the end, it worked out well... While drifting into these pointless thoughts, Carto suddenly checked the five pages of improvements, strengths, and weaknesses written on A4 paper. And how much time passed since then? "¡­I feel like I¡¯m beingpletely dismantled."
  • Ouroboros¡¯s Eye Kit, lol
  • Wasn¡¯t Yujin the one who fought the hardest? lol How in the world did she see all of that? Crazy, lol!
  • Seriously, her perception is insane, lol
  • Wait, did she see all of that in that short amount of time?
  • This is... the view of number 1?
As vast as the content was, the details were dense. It would have been impossible to list it all without exhaustion, but everything was ounted for: the position of the eyes, the steps, the order of the footfalls, the speed of CQB, muzzle positions, the subject''s center of gravity, rmended attachments, and their cement. It was so detailed that even without visuals, Carto could almost imagine it all in his head, and he let out a dryugh before gently setting the papers down. How much time passed? ©¤©¤©¤Wooong! A text message arrived. It came via virtual reality. He felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu even before reading the message and, sure enough, it was from the person who handed him the papers earlier¡ªfilled with all kinds of data files. So, what was this? It turned out to be something based on the theory written on the paper¡ªsort of a 3D model resembling Carto¡¯s avatar data. At that moment, another message was sent.
  • [Yujin : Since you might not fully understand by just talking about it, I¡¯ve sent over some guidelines based on your avatar data. When you have time, apply them to your avatar, and you¡¯ll feel the difference in movement between the optimized version and the original one, XD]
"Seriously, that¡¯s scary."
  • Bi-yam¡¯s watching! Bi-yam¡¯s watching! Bi-yam¡¯s watching!
  • How can you not improve with that kind of feedback, lol
  • So did the green kitten and dice get this kind of feedback months ago????????
  • Fact: Carto will soon be like them.
  • Extreme skill improvement? What is this, Bi-yam, you crazy thing!!!!
Where am I headed? Carto was slowly being sucked into the abyss. Meanwhile... "Whoa, why is Lorentina here?!" "I told you, Shark is still in Korea." "Heh heh, let¡¯s fill up the missing harmonium today." "Kyaaaah!" It was the moment when Harmony¡¯s designated delinquent returned. "I see, this is the Gear Box ce, huh? The building looks pretty shabby, but the inside is better than I expected." "Long time no see. How have you been?" "I¡¯ve been all over the ce. About a week ago, I think I went four days without sleep. It¡¯s been pretty fun for a change." "Hek..."
  • What is she doing here in Korea, lol
  • Heard she¡¯s in Korea, but she¡¯s always visiting Yujin''s ce, lol
  • Ah... Shark-eye noona is healing me...
  • Is Shark-eye not streaming?
  • Season 152365967th Shark-eye stream wish, let¡¯s gooooooo
The Gear Box, not that big, and my personal space felt unusually cramped and noisy today. Though it had been a while, I hadn¡¯t expected Lorentina to show up like this. As the old saying goes, "when you talk about a tiger, ites," and there she was¡ªwell, virtually speaking. At least that¡¯s how it was for now.@@novelbin@@ Anyway, whether it was for one day or a week, she¡¯d surelye up with all sorts of excuses to hang out again. But aside from that, my facility wasn¡¯t exactly up to par to receive guests. Harmony pointed out the issues without hesitation. "Wow, it looks like it¡¯s been bombed. I haven¡¯t seen you for a while, and here you are, doing something new again. Who did this?" "Artemis turned the base into a mess." "How fitting for the youngest." Why is this my fault? Anyway, the storylines of the two in front of me weren¡¯t much different from that of regr users. Lorentina, of course, hadn¡¯t participated in the previous year¡¯s final championship¡ªthough she had been busy clearing high-level PVE missions, and Harmony and I had already cleared nearly every PVE mission together at Omega rank. Looking at it from a different perspective, Harmony, who had been with me on nearly every Omega mission, was now going through the same scenarios in EU mode that other users faced, which might indicate that the triggers for story changes coulde from winning in internationalpetitions. But of course, Harmony wasn¡¯t just curious about that. "...By the way, what¡¯s that monstrous machine gun?" "That¡¯s the KPV. It came in handy. You¡¯ll understand when the edited video of the base attack goes up." "I¡¯ve already heard the rumors. You were the one firing it." "You heard it all, so why ask?" "Ugh!" The moment Harmony¡¯s cheeks were once again yfully assaulted by the hands of two gunman figures. Meanwhile, Lorentina nced at my watch, chuckling quietly. I realized she had seen a hologram showing an endless list of materials needed for the base¡¯s reconstruction. Of course, the materials not listed here were being transported by themander, but everything on the list would need to be obtained directly from the outside. And the "outside" referred to the maps filled with users and bandits. After exining that to Harmony, who was sitting on Lorentina¡¯sp, she added: "Why not just buy it from a flea market?" "Then it wouldn''t be fun." "Ah..." "Simple answer, our youngest." What do you mean by ''simple answer''!? Yujin kills people for fun... and then farms. That¡¯s just... more fun to farm directly. Of course, no one really thought of that. No matter how much the viewers screamed, Lorentina, who had visited VR¡¯s EU mode after a long time, wasn¡¯t nning on leaving without smelling gunpowder. And with two special guests invited, the viewers should be thanking me, right? "Anyway, have you thought about anything today? Or are you just here to see our faces?" "Since I¡¯ve got about two weeks of vacation, it¡¯d be a waste to just look at faces in VR. I should at least see Mecha-Young¡¯s face." "You¡¯re going to leave with all the spoils, huh, Lorentina?" "Seems like it¡¯s obvious. People who can read quickly, huh?" Mecha Yujin Dome, omg!! Wow, Shark and Green Cat are in the same team, lol Is this the Suicide Squad or something? The team that makes enemies kill themselves, lol How can anyone miss this content? Well, if I were them, I¡¯d probably check it out too, considering the lineup. "By the way, are we going to wander around until Mecha Yujines out likest time with Carto?" "Is there a problem, our new youngest?" "Of course not, hehe. I¡¯ll be ready right away." That¡¯s how an impromptu party was formed. Harmony and I started gathering items. And then, the moment Carto handed over his knife to Lorentina, things were about to get more interesting.
  • Huh... huh?
  • ''Yujin School Veteran''
  • Look at how naturally prepared they are, lol
  • As expected, first-generation Yujin School students are incredibly strong, lol
  • No point in saying no, nothing will change, so just go along with it, lol
  • From the snake to the shark, lol
And so, an impromptu party was formed. Harmony and I started gathering items. The only catch was that Lorentina didn¡¯t know the map at all, but I handed her a crumpled map from my Gear Box showing the area we were going to today and added: "Do you need a gun?" "Since it''s the first round, let¡¯s just explore the map a bit. I¡¯d like to borrow a decent tactical knife, though." "All our teacher-avatars seem to say the same thing." Ignoring Harmony¡¯s sharp remark, I handed Lorentina a knife. I decided to ignore the bad vibes and swallowed them down. "Alright, let¡¯s go... The map we¡¯re going to today is Customs. If you don¡¯t want to get caught in a natural disaster, you better run quickly." It was an impromptu party, and I didn¡¯t care too much. What I was most curious about was what kind of antics Lorentina would pull. And then¡ª "How many people did you kill?" "I spawned near the northern dorms, so I asked some of the people wandering around there for a little cooperation." Well, the cooperation seemed to have gone well. Lorentina, who had probably performed close-range assassinations on about five or six people, was now fully covered in heavy armor. No surprise there. Chapter 393 "Looks like it''s the north from all the bushes..." Meanwhile, 10 minutes before meeting Yujin¡¯s team, With no vest or equipment, only holding a dagger, Lorenatina flicked her fingers. The matte paint reflected no light, but the thinly sharpened de underneath gently glimmered. It was truly a well-sharpened knife. Except for the wind, there was no sound. She took a map from her pocket and quickly scanned the surroundings¡ªof course, she wasn''t thinking about farming in a safe spot or anything. She just needed a ce to cause some chaos again. From the map, the first ce she needed to go seemed to be... the dormitory. In the forest full of grass and trees, a building resembling a substation greeted her. SFX: Sssssh! She moved on. There was no hesitation in her steps. Lorenatina was only curious about where to go and whether it would be better to go slowly or fast. She didn''t even think about the possibility that someone might spawn nearby. She began running westward. Having spawned in the canyon, she quickly crossed the derailed area and rushed across the powerline hill. Of course, the journey wasn¡¯t exactly smooth. "Hmm. Looks like we¡¯ve got some bold ones here." SFX: Whizz! Bullets flew behind her. Luckily, none of them hit. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t hit her. But Lorenatina¡¯s movement speed was incredibly fast. With nothing on her but a tactical knife, it was a feat made possible. She dashed over the northern barricade and toward the dormitory. She passed through tents and the forest, reaching the back of the dormitory. By this time, Lorenatina had already felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. "..." There were quite a few people moving around. Her senses had long surpassed human limits, and her instincts told her that there were about four or five people nearby. She carefully checked around the walls and confirmed that several enemies were in the open courtyard between the main and side wings of the dormitory. Wielding only a knife in such an open area would be suicidal, so she cautiously opened the front door of the dormitory. As the first one to arrive, there was no sign of anyone. She had heard beforehand that it would take quite some time for a yer to reach this area, so she acted decisively. After setting up a small noise trap at the front entrance, she went out the back, grabbed a stone the size of her fist, and aimed it at a suspicious enemy who appeared to be unarmed. With strength beyond that of humans, the stone elerated to over 100 km/h, flying toward its target. SFX: Wham! "Ugh...!" "Boss!" "Who the hell are you? Come out!" A bullseye. Leaving behind a half-dead or nearly-dead enemy, Lorenatina pulled the string, knocking over the pile of junk at the front entrance. The noise drew the attention of three guards, two rushing toward the front and one heading toward the back. Lorenatina, hiding behind the back door, timed her move perfectly. As the door opened, she blended in seamlessly and waited for the two guards to climb up to the second floor. The third guard walked right past her, not noticing a thing. The moment came. SFX: Snap!@@novelbin@@ "Ugh...!" "Quiet." SFX: Crunch! Lorenatina drove her knife into the back of the guard¡¯s right knee, twisting it, then brutally pushed the bva under the helmet. Despite the intense pain, the guard didn¡¯t scream and quietly knelt. At that moment, Lorenatina twisted the helmet and neck with terrifying strength, and with a sickening snap, the guard¡¯s neck shattered, sending him to the afterlife. With the bloodstains on her clothes, Lorenatina carefully moved up to the second floor. The dormitory was split in two, and the two guards had split up to search each side. It would be a waste of time and a huge risk to take them separately, so she decided to wait for both of them to meet up, and as expected, they did. "Semion, Semion! Report on the first-floor search!" "You damn bastard! Don¡¯t ck off again." "What, the boss gets hit with a rock and we¡¯re doing half-assed searches? We should shoot them." The two guards met in the middle and started chatting, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before they went silent. Lorenatina, sneaking out from behind the pir, greeted them casually. "Lovely day, gentlemen." "Wh¡ª Ugh!" "Die, you son of a¡ª Aaaagh!" She flicked her knife with her fingertips. The weak sunsses were pierced through, and the knife buried itself in the eye of the guard on the right. Before the other guard could even pull the trigger, Lorenatina swiftly approached and executed an uppercut. With a terrifying sound, the guard¡¯s neck was nearly torn off from the punch. His jaw and roof of his mouth had already been crushed, and he copsed, dead on the spot, face-first into the cold floor. Meanwhile, Lorenatina pulled her tactical knife and swung it horizontally. The head separated from the body, spinning in the air. Leaving behind two golden corpses, Lorenatina wiped the golden blood off her clothes with a grim expression. "Maybe I should have cleaned up more neatly." However, at that moment, she heard a sound that she could not afford to miss. A short gasp came from below. It was likely the same person who tried to shoot her in the back when she was crossing the hill earlier. In other words, this person needed to be finished off quickly to clear her conscience. Lorenatina quickly descended through the window,nded lightly, and peered inside, then moved toward the front entrance of the side wing. She saw a yer who had just disappeared into the second floor. The next part was simple. She climbed the stairs, greeted the yer who was enthusiastically looting the bodies of the dead, and then... SFX: Crunch! "Delicious?" "Eh... Ugh!?" "Take your finger off the trigger. It won''t be fun if you shoot." One was only armed with a knife. In contrast, the yer was heavily equipped, but when the yer saw Lorenatina''s appearance, they clenched their lips and lowered their gun. The reality was clear to them: if she wanted to, she could have killed them already. The yer let out a hollowugh. "¡­Guess my luck is pretty bad today." "That''s how the world works." Lorenatina smiled slyly, and that was her answer. The yer chuckled and shouted. "Emergency escape!" At that moment, the yer vanished, leaving only their tactical vest, bulletproof gear, guns, helmet, and other equipment scattered on the floor. Lorenatina chuckled and, after checking the items, began equipping herself with them. "Guess I¡¯ll make good use of these." Of course, it was clear that this was just making Lorenatina more powerful. Within five minutes, she had wiped out everyone around the dormitory, and in the process, made quite a spectacle, which led to Yujin and Harmony, who had spawned on the opposite side, meeting up with her. It was truly a Lorenatina-style ending. "Emergency escape?" "Yeah, as soon as I said it, they ran off. Left all their stuff behind." "Random spawn, huh?" <DakkatguriRozetteppoki donated 10,000 won.>
  • That''s me, how the hell could the shark lose like this???!!
  • Ahahaha, LOL!
  • Today, the incarnates were incarnate!!
  • Shark-nuna LOL
  • If you y normally, your body gets itchy, lol
  • The victim''s voice... is there!
Of course, none of this would matter to Lorenatina, who couldn¡¯t possibly do a stream with her current state. With all the action in the Gold Squadron and everything, there¡¯s no way she would be allowed to stream anyway. At least she could show her face now, but her viewers had no clue about the behind-the-scenes stuff. Meanwhile, Lorenatina exchanged nces with Yujin, and with an unspoken understanding, she pressed the session matching button. "Seems like the viewers want to see me stream for a while, so if that''s what they want, I¡¯ll give them what they asked for. But you¡¯re aware of the risks of matching in the same session, right?" "Wow, you just dered you''re going to make them shut up physically." "Ah, I see." "Alright, this might be sooner than expected, but let¡¯s get started. Yujin, Green Cat, ready?" Of course, no objections. Lorenatina¡¯s merciless suppression had begun. Chapter 396 [Breaking News] Yujin Sessfully Captures Mecha Yujin Image of Mecha Yujin quietly ced inside the Gear Box, with Yujin lying exhausted next to it Image of Lorenatina pressing Mecha Yujin¡¯s face with her finger Is this¡­ really¡­ true¡­? [All Comments] [Sort by Newest]
  • ????????????????????????????????????????????
  • The headline clickbait is insane, lol
  • How the hell did you do this, you bastard? Hahahahaha
  • Huh??? What???? Huh??????
  • Seriously, even nationalistic YouTube channels can¡¯te up with a title this fresh, haha
  • This is insane, hahahahahahahaha
  • A few days ago, you were shooting with a machine gun, and now this, hahaha
  • What this person has done in a month: explored deep zones with Kato / reimed bases /bined Lorenatina and Harmony / captured Mecha Yujin (new addition)
    • Is this even human?????????????
    • Fact: It¡¯s Biyam
    • Content creation ability has gone crazy, hahaha
    • Living point: Physical abilities beyond the limits create new content
    • Hahahahahahahahaha
  • We are living in the age of Yujin¡­
    • I can''t imagine life without Biyam now!!!!!!
    • Seriously, hahaha
    • What????
  • How do you live without her, seriously
  • Living point: Mecha Biyam brought a mini-gun this time
    • Damn, a mini-gun is crossing the line, hahaha
    • Isn''t the tail beam even worse??
    • That''s a single shot, but the mini-gun shoots like crazy when you want it to
    • Fact: When she had the tail beam, it was just Kato and a victory, but when she brought the mini-gun, she had to bring Harmony and Lorenatina to win
    • If she didn¡¯t have the shield, we could¡¯ve almost taken her out, idiots, hahaha
  • Mecha Biyam''s shamelessness is hrious, why didn¡¯t she bring that, hahaha
    • ?? : Please save me
    • Honestly, I like her because she¡¯s so honest, hahahahahaha
  • If I gather around 15 people, can we gang up on Mecha Biyam and capture her???????
    • Not gonna work for you, haha
    • Right before capture, you''d get your head bashed in with a hammer, so one part of her body would be broken, making it impossible
    • You''d self-destruct immediately if you tried, hahahahahaha
    • ???? : I choose death!
    • Damn...
  • I really want Mecha Biyam, hahaha
  • Icarus, release a Mecha Biyam pet!!!!!!!!
"¡­This is the first time a new weapon has been recovered in such aplete form." "We struggled quite a bit with the recovery." Six hours since Mecha Biyam was recovered¡ªwell, to be honest, about 5 hours and 50 minutes of that felt like a skip in the script¡ªonly six hours after the team leader had reported this fact to the higher-ups, a group of engineers with all kinds of electronic devices descended onto the half-repaired airfield. About ten people, clearly skilled engineers, entered the Gear Box and immediately stared in awe at Mecha Yujin, lying on the table. Naturally, it was clear that it was still alive. As Mecha Yujin''s blue eyes slowly moved, the engineers¡¯ first task was to check the severed limbs. "The alloy shell needs to be analyzedter, so let¡¯s grab some samples¡­ Ugh, too many wires I can¡¯t even guess the purpose of." "Looks like the artificial muscles are made from carbon nanotubes¡­ the precision is insane. Once it¡¯s painted over, it could easily pass for a person." "The thing attached behind the elbow¡­ is that an energy propulsion device? It seems designed for short bursts of intense destructive power¡­" There was utter chaos. A variety of measuring instruments, whose functions couldn¡¯t even be guessed, rushed to scan Mecha Yujin¡¯s body. Among them was a radiation detector, making it seem as though they were fully prepared for this¡ªthough if the Icarus technology had been applied, the energy source structure would be closer to a nuclear fusion reactor than a nuclear reactor. Naturally, the limbs that Lorenatina and I had destroyed were taken away. In exchange for that, Harmony, Lorenatina, and I were fairlypensated with a hefty amount of credits, and we gleefully watched as Mecha Biyam was dissected. Then came ament: "Something feels strange. Did you say this was made with the youngest''s permission?" "Yeah. I thought it would be fun, so I allowed it, but I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out this wild." "Itpletely surpasses imagination."
  • A crazy game that outright includes real people, hahahahahahahahahaha
  • Fact: The person in question gave their permission
  • The one who allowed it and the gamepany that included it in such high quality, hahahahahahahaha
  • They''ve practically given her a personal story, hahaha
  • If you look at the part about avatar contribution, they¡¯re basically making a personal story for her, but it¡¯s a bit too intense, hahahahaha
Indeed, they were right. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this battle at all. Just switching weapons and adding a shield made it so that even the three of us¡ªHarmony, Lorenatina, and I¡ªstruggled. Of course, as soon as I saw the ballistic shield, I had a feeling things wouldn¡¯t go smoothly. Put another way, to deal with the prototype head-on, I might have needed to bring Logan or Dice along. Logan had just briefly connected to EU mode a few minutes ago¡ªthough he only stopped by to say hello during his busy time. Anyway, the investigation continued. "To verify the internal software, it would be impossible in this kind of environment. Even with the external reactions we¡¯ve confirmed so far, it¡¯s converging towards an advanced AI." "Ugh, it¡¯s hot¡­ look at the table heating up. The heat generation is significant. It seems to have been built with short-termbat in mind." "The internal projections show a cooling system, but the heat generated by the cooling mechanism is being expelled through vents. It should show up clearly in infrared cameras during battle." At the same time, another question was asked. What it contained wasn¡¯t worth asking about. Naturally, it was about whether Mecha Yujin could be transported to the base. However, I wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good idea. If something went wrong while handling it recklessly, it might self-destruct or destroy the base. Even without going that far, there was the possibility of Artemis being notified of the base¡¯s location. While we had gone through a rough battle earlier, they probably wouldn¡¯t just send a transport ne to destroy everything likest time¡­ As soon as I mentioned that, the engineers turned pale. Lorenatina, however, added fuel to the fire. "It¡¯d be quite a sight if it exploded while being transported by ne." "¡­" "Heh, just kidding. Don¡¯t look at me with such pale faces." This was a particrly viciousment, considering that the possibility couldn¡¯t bepletely ruled out. The engineers debated fiercely, and finally concluded that building a newb on this airfield site would be better. Whether that suggestion would be epted was another matter, but I wasn¡¯t too concerned. Of course, Mecha Yujin didn¡¯t seem to like the sound of it. "Facial scans of 11 individualsplete. Current GPS coordinates fixed. If the current position moves more than 50 meters, the power source will go into forced overload." "¡­Isn¡¯t that just bluffing?" "If you wish to test it by stopping all biological activity, I won¡¯t stop you." Now they were making what sounded like a very usible threat. After the engineers left, Lorenatina quietly stood up from her chair and began to feel around under the table with her finger. With a slight click sound, something fell, and¡ª "If you¡¯re curious,e ask directly instead of using such cute little tricks." "¡­Hmm." "Wow, no, wow¡­"
  • ?????????
  • What the hell is this??????????
  • Is that a listening device????
  • Haha, hahahahahahahaha, no way!!!
  • Lorenatina is so cool, I can¡¯t stand it!!!!!!!!
Lorenatina peeled the listening device off the table and chair, crushing it with her hand as she casually added:@@novelbin@@ Harmony¡¯s eyes widened as she had barely spoken a word during the engineers¡¯ visit, but now Mecha Biyam was chatting away like it was a nonstop stream. "I¡¯m adding a new person to the category of Alpha-level threats, other than the archetype." "If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll bury you head-first in the ground for six months and then dig you out." "Correction. I haven¡¯t said anything."
  • Bullshit, hahahahahahaha
  • Mecha Yujin¡¯s character is so messed up, hahahahahahahaha
  • The poor thing is talking back when its limbs are all gone, hahahahaha
  • Personal opinion: She really reminds me of Yujin
  • Phew, I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought that, hahahahahaha
What the hell do I have inmon with this tin can? Anyway, aside from that, today¡¯s stream was wrapping up. It was simr to the result when we streamed with Katost time¡ªseveral hours of relentless operations, one single battle, and a sessful oue. Once the goal was achieved, there was no need or reason to do anything else, and I¡¯m sure Harmony and Lorenatina knew that too. As expected, Harmony stretchedzily like a cat and, sounding tired, said: "Ugh¡­ Anyway, thanks so much for today, both of you. I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d capture something like this... I never thought we¡¯d manage to take it alive." "Unlikely encounters like this aren¡¯t all that rare duringbat. Good job, little one. And to the new little one, great work too. Let¡¯s meet in real life soon." "Wow! The second Yujin¡¯s house tour!" "Stop trying to change the subject so smoothly." "Ughh¡ª!" For the first time, I led the way with a yful pinch instead of Lorenatina. With that, Harmony gave a polite farewell, left through the door, and quickly returned to her session¡ªLorenatina did the same, and I briefly said goodbye as well. Soon after, the stream ended, but I didn¡¯t turn off the game. I sat there for a while, staring at Mecha Biyam. "I request that new limbs be attached." "Denied." "I will provide additional information about the same model and prototype." "If you add new limbs, the moment your face shows, someone will try to kill you, you know?" At that, Mecha Biyam was left speechless. Talking to a machine that looked just like me was oddly unsettling, but considering my body wasn¡¯t originally like this, it didn¡¯t feel as strange as I thought it would. In fact, the weird part wasn¡¯t the look but the fact that it had no limbs. Still, there was no reason I couldn¡¯t help. After all, I was good with my hands, and I had some experience in mechanical engineering. If I synced up with the machine¡¯s database and checked the schematics and possible resources for the limbs, I could probably build them soon. I assumed it knew this, which is why it was asking me for help. How much time passed? "I guarantee to respond sincerely to questions regarding Artemis." "How can I trust that?" "Based on this unit¡¯s first operational principle, its main goal is to survive as long as possible without interference from external factors. I believe this will maximize the operational period of this unit." The machine¡¯s exnation was hard to follow. Before I could finish my thoughts, Mecha Biyam spoke again: "Approximately 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 56 seconds ago, the 11 humans who visited this facility transferred this unit to a research facility. External pressure from various experiments is expected to result in logical and physical instability." "Too much embellishment. But I understand what you mean." After some back-and-forth, in the end... "You want to live longer, don¡¯t you?" "Affirmative." I chuckled, and added that if that¡¯s the case, I couldn¡¯t refuse. If this were the real world, the situation might¡¯ve been different, but since it was virtual reality, I was curious to see how it would all unfold. Then, I heard the most concerning piece of information regarding the type and prototype: "Currently, Type 3 is undergoing performance testing. A railgun cartridge is mounted on the tail, and by firing in the opposite direction, it enables extreme mobility." "¡­That¡¯s information I can¡¯t ignore." "Additionally, the prototype uses nanomachines to form weapons and handle them freely in specific areas of the research facility. It can also create defensive materials for the exterior." "How can we neutralize it?" "To disable it, we must travel through the facility and cut off its power supply. Higher-level information has been locked due to this unit¡¯s body damage." It could¡¯ve been an excuse, but it didn¡¯t matter much. What had been shared was helpful. I sighed, then began thinking about what I needed to farm for the time being. If I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have donated all the limbs to the engineers. Without realizing it, I muttered to myself. "I guess I¡¯ll be going to theb every day for a while..." I won¡¯t forgive Mecha Biyam for making me work like this. I smacked my head with the stock and shut down the game. Tomorrow, I¡¯d be quite busy. And a few dayster. "¡­Why is this thing walking around?" "It had its reasons." "Typical of the youngest." Lorenatina and Harmony saw Mecha Biyam walking around with poorly attached legs, looking like a cheap imitation of the original. The world was full of Biyam. Chapter 397 "¡­No matter how much I look, I still can''t get used to it." "For now, I can separate the limbs with the press of a button, but since it has its own mass, it¡¯s dangerous if it charges at you before being separated. I¡¯d rmend keeping your distance." Several days had passed since Mecha Yujin had been brought in. The base, half-destroyed, was beginning to see unfamiliar faces trickle in. The personnel who had previously been guarding the base had mostly taken the Stygian River Express train, and emergency reinforcements had been summoned. Naturally, most of them were new recruits who still had to learn how the base camp worked. As the airfield and the outer walls of the shattered fortress were quickly repaired, and the burned-down ammo dumps and supply warehouses slowly returned to their original state, my situation remainedrgely unchanged. Even after thebat ended, I still hadn¡¯t received any treatment from the doctor. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a major issue. In any case, the base was still chaotic. This had remained true even after bringing in Mecha Yujin¡ªmeaning, as soon as they heard the news about the new weapon being captured, ten engineers had been sent over. That had been the result of a very tight squeeze in resources. Having been beaten from head to toe, the base had no choice but to focus on avoiding further confusion rather than causing more chaos. They decided to designate my Gear Box area as apletely restricted zone. During that time, I¡¯d slipped away unnoticed, roaming high-value research facilities, gathering all kinds of materials, and ultimately attaching new limbs to Mecha Yujin. "¡­Rather than that, I¡¯d rather focus on the fact that these limbs, which didn¡¯t exist until recently, have suddenly appeared." "They''re still crudepared to the ones the engineers collected. But for now, I can handle this on my own, so there¡¯s no need to worry." "The world truly is strange." The team leader, who had left those cryptic words, sat down in a chair with a nk expression. There was nothing in his hands. It didn¡¯t seem like he hade to deliver something. I exchanged nces with Mecha Biyam. Over the past few days, we had had quite a few conversations, and now, just making eye contact allowed for a certain level ofmunication¡ªthis time, it was a reminder to sit still and not fool around. Thus, Mecha Biyam carefully perched herself atop the weapon box, while I sat in front of the team leader. I wondered if I should offer him some coffee, but in a ce like this, that was simply out of the question. He opened his mouth. "We¡¯ve finished analyzing the contents of the USB you recovered, and we¡¯ve learned something quite interesting. Are you intrigued?" "Well, if it¡¯s worth talking about, it must be something interesting." "That¡¯s right." Click. From the team leader''s wrist, a hologram popped up, disying a video. It seemed to be from inside a high-value research facility¡ªan all too familiar scene appeared. It was Maverick, the one who had sold out his entire organization to Artemis. Around him were about a dozen Artemis soldiers. After some time passed, the CCTV camera moved deeper into the facility, showing what looked like a conference room. Various discussions took ce there. The content wasn¡¯t really important. It was all stuff I already knew. But then, after about ten minutes or so¡­ "¡­The atmosphere is bing tense." "Now do you understand what Maverick offered in exchange?" I learned exactly what Maverick had given up in exchange for Artemis''s cooperation. Two Artemis soldiers quickly surrounded Maverick, tightly grabbing his arms. A scientist, who seemed fairly unremarkable, casually took out an electroshock weapon from his pocket and pressed it against Maverick''s neck. As he copsed, they injected something into him while he was on the floor. The scientist gave a coldmand to take him away, and his gaze turned toward the hallway at the back. The hallway was filled with people being dragged away, likely Maverick¡¯s subordinates. It didn¡¯t look like they had a good fate ahead. Meanwhile, someone quietly approached from behind. "Artemis has been engaged in continuous biological experiments for some time. The artificial muscles and various joint structures embedded in this unit, along with 241 other parts, are based on data gathered from at least 300 people." "Truly insane¡­ Ugh." "It¡¯s something that would only be possible in an unidentified zone where bandits roam." Naturally, the team leader wasn¡¯t shocked by the news. It was the gentle exnation from Mecha Biyam that surprised him. She¡¯d been speaking in a rather friendly tone. It was clear now that Artemis was as bad as they came. The team leader hurriedly finished his sentence, then added that "If we gather more information on Artemis, we¡¯ll let you know," before quickly leaving the room. Naturally, he seemedpletely clueless about the machine with the mechanical eyes blinking in front of me. The way she spoke so calmly was just the cherry on top. "The archetype needs to emphasize more directly that I mean no harm to humans." "¡­I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage." "That statement is iprehensible." After looking around the room, Mecha Biyam checked that no one else was present, then returned her focus to organizing the Gear Box. I had taught her the concept of cleaning, and she followed it pretty well. I suppose, despite not eating, you could say she was a bit of a guest in my domain now. In any case, the reason I let Mecha Biyam roam was simple¡ªtwo days ago, after confirming there was no listening device, I asked her about her purpose. When I denied her request to return to Artemis, she casually responded: "At this point, the logic circuits in this unit do not mandate a return to Artemis." I didn¡¯t quite understand what that meant, but after hearing more, I began to get a better idea¡ªit had to do with the retrieval process. From what I heard, Artemis would only decide to recover the unit once it was dropped by a transport ne, and only after ensuring that no enemies remained in the session. If the unit were on the brink of destruction, it would self-destruct. So, Artemis didn¡¯t seem overly concerned about retrieving it. The reason was simple enough. As long as the unit was alive, battle data could still be sent to Artemis. The second reason behind her response was: "Artemis is severelycking in manpower." This was the reason. The cost of manufacturing Mecha Biyam wasn¡¯t cheap. In fact, recovering it was inevitable. Essentially, if Artemis learned that there were enemies in the area capable of destroying the unit, they wouldn¡¯t have the resources to send additional troops to recover it. In other words, while the value of the drone remained unchanged, the price of the elite personnel in Artemis had risen significantly. Continuing on, she added: "Moreover, staying at this facility is a choice made by this unit. As mentioned before, the priority of this unit is survival. ording to its internal logic, sabotage of the base where the archetype resides is extremely discouraged." "..." "Additionally, this unit cannot yet overpower the archetype." What should I say? It was¡­ a surprisingly honest statement. It was precisely for this reason that I had named Mecha Biyam. Of course, I didn¡¯tpletely let my guard down, so I had equipped the limb-separation function, but¡­ my instinct told me that she probably wouldn¡¯t cause trouble.@@novelbin@@ Naturally, it was insane to rely purely on instinct, so, despite everything, I had to continue monitoring her more closely than usual. Of course, the rest of the team probably wouldn¡¯t understand Mecha Biyam¡¯s parative harmlessness" for a while. But¡­ "It¡¯s frustrating." "Be patient." "I want to go outside." Mecha Biyam wasn¡¯t one for patience. From the data I gathered, it seemed unlikely that Artemis had set different personalities for each unit. More likely, these personalities had formed over time, and considering how much external data she was gathering, it seemed she had developed this particr personality after being cooped up in the Gear Box. The Gear Box, of course, wasn¡¯t exactly the best ce for personality development. It was fine for resting, but not ideal for long-term habitation. After being stuck in here for about five days, it was only natural that even a machine¡ªor a human¡ªwould start to get irritated. Just as I was pondering all this, I received a notification: [Notification: Harmony has requested to join!] [Notification: Lorenatina has requested to join!] "Good timing." It seemed like the people who would alleviate Mecha Yujin¡¯s boredom had arrived. "Shouldn¡¯t one or two limbs be missing, our little one?" "You¡¯re not going to charge at me, right?" "Sigh, seriously." Of course, I had to answer Mecha Yujin¡¯s question about why I had reattached her limbs, diligently and earnestly. Maybe it was time to buy a recorder. "Little one, new little one, and Mecha little one. There are way too many little ones in this world." "...Shouldn¡¯t we stop calling everyone ¡®little one,¡¯ especially those involved with me?" "This unit will not object to being called Mecha little one." "This one listens quite well, heh."
  • Hehe, Mecha Yujin¡­
  • What the hell is this? Hahahahahahahaha
  • Why are you making Mecha Yujin a guest? What kind of thinking is this? Hahaha
  • Personal opinion: I¡¯m a bit jealous
  • I¡¯m lying down until they distribute Mecha Yujin to every Gear Box!
In just 30 minutes, Mecha Yujin had exchanged greetings with Harmony and Lorenatina, bing friendly and even quite close. It didn¡¯t seem like it would be a difficult process, but I hadn¡¯t expected it to go this fast. I didn¡¯t know exactly how to describe it, but¡­ well, the result wasn¡¯t bad. On the other hand, the viewers¡­ honestly, I didn¡¯t expect much. I had a feeling they wouldn¡¯t be repelled, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be so thrilled. People always say more Biyam is better, but I didn¡¯t get it. I didn¡¯t want to understand it. Anyway, while my rtionship with Mecha Yujin had been pretty normal up until now, it seemed that these two¡ªwho could ept new members without prejudice with just my exnation¡ªhad¡­ "Her tail... is stiff!" "I¡¯m sure the archetype will fix it." "Mecha little one, want to take a walk with me?" "I¡¯ll move ''Lorenatina'' from the high-risk category to the useful personnel category. I ept this proposal." "What are you all doing¡­?"
  • Hahahahahahahaha
  • What is this? Hahahahaha
  • Mecha Biyam is just an opportunist, hahaha
  • The way she speaks is hrious
  • Personal opinion: She really reminds me of Yujin
Lorenatina¡¯s attempt to take Mecha Yujin out stopped abruptly just before it could happen. Naturally, I blocked her¡ªthere were many reasons for that, but the most important one was that it would cause a huge uproar the moment Mecha Yujin was exposed to the outside world. Another reason was that her tail adjustment hadn¡¯t been fullypleted yet. "Stop trying to wander around and just focus on fixing the tail." "The archetype is obsessed with the tail and butt¡­ correction. Apologies. I advise you to stop the attack stance. This attack could cause significant damage to this unit." "Do you want to get hit?" Where the hell did she learn this kind of thing? I wondered how to handle Mecha Yujin, who was so casually making my anger re up, but for now, I put that aside and focused on checking her meticulously crafted mechanical lower half. The tail¡¯s movements were still unnatural. It was clear to everyone that the tail was a crucial part of her design¡ªmore than just a presence, it was gigantic. It helped maintain the body¡¯s bnce, enabled sharp directional changes, and could even function as a third arm or hand. In this case, Mecha Yujin¡¯s tail was equipped with a mini-gun, so significant modifications had been made. Now, Mecha Yujin had a tail that resembled mine. "Can I have something like that, teacher?" "Don¡¯t say weird things." Why do people instinctively covet things they don¡¯t have? I thought about it as I adjusted the tail, and then Lorenatina casually threw in a remark. "By the way, haven¡¯t you never been outside?" "Yeah, it¡¯s impossible to move around the base." "Then, would it be okay to head to the battlefield?" "...What?"
  • ????????
  • Wait, what
  • Why does this give me the chills???
  • How many apex predators are we going to add here????
  • I¡¯m losing it, hahahahaha
At the same time, Harmony pped her hands and spoke up. What she said was simple¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t a feature of my Gear Box, there was a merchant managing the bandits that the users could interact with, known as "The Boss." She suggested sending Mecha Yujin on errands, gathering items like intel or smuggled goods. She wondered if Mecha Yujin could do this as well. I didn¡¯t want her running off while I wasn¡¯t watching, so I vetoed it for now. But Lorenatina¡¯s suggestion was something I might consider at least once. "...I think it¡¯d be fine if she just held a gun and came along." "That statement has been recorded. It can no longer be corrected." "High-go." At that moment, our eyes met. Her face, crafted with unnecessary detail. Naturally, Mecha Yujin¡¯s face wasn¡¯t a solid alloy¡ªshe had a thin metallic skin covering artificial muscles, meaning she could express emotions through facial expressions. Her eyes, muscles, and the way her mouth curved upwards¡­ It was clear that she was expecting something. So, the only thing I could say was: "...You¡¯re not a machine, are you?" "Negative. I am an artificial entity made from steel cables, an alloy frame, and artificial muscles." "Why don¡¯t you just speak¡­" I can only hope this isn¡¯t a case of birds of a feather flocking together. It was the moment when Mecha Yujin subtly joined the conversation. Chapter 398 "Th-the snake has split into two...!" "You¡¯ve got the energy to spout nonsense right as you arrive. Well, it¡¯s not entirely incorrect... Let''s at least introduce ourselves. This is Jin, whom we brought in recently." "Communication program activated... Nice to meet you, Cartographer. I¡¯ve heard about you from the Archetype." "Snakes! Aahhh!" As soon as Kato arrived, he was spouting nonsense. Of course, there was no one there to call him out on it. Everyone was just chuckling¡ªmainly because they were all people who were used to that kind of thing. Harmony, who was standing next to him, had known for a while that Kato had joined Yujin¡¯s school, and Lorenatina¡­ well, who knows if she cared. Meanwhile, Jin blinked and reached out to Kato. Turns out she was offering a handshake. After chatting for thest few days and collecting basic social data, it seemed like it had paid off. Thanks to her incredible logic circuits, she quickly picked up on things after I showed her some videos. I wasn¡¯t sure if she was intentionally using that tone, though. "Anyway, I know this might be a little shocking right after you arrived, but I believe you can probably guess what¡¯s going on. We¡¯re going to be trained together from now on, so I hope you both get along." "Wait, was this supposed to be an escape mode, or some sort of matchmaking game?" "I¡¯m not sure if Jin will take a liking to you, Kato."
  • Kato, you can¡¯t help but talk nonsense, huh?
  • I can''t let my precious Mecha daughter end up with a scoundrel like Kato!!
  • I wanted her to be happy, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be this happy... hahaha
  • Personal opinion: Mecha Yujin is a waste
  • You don¡¯t stand a chance, buddy!!!!
Of course. The viewers were going overboard. From what I could tell, they were acting like they were hundreds of thousands of grandfathers. Honestly, I was the type who taught just the basics and then let them do whatever they wanted. So, if Jin took a liking to Kato, I¡¯d let her go. Although, whether that was likely or not was a different matter. Moreover, my focus was elsewhere. "If you get seriously hurt, maintenance will be quite difficult..." "Is it really more troublesome to damage me than to damage you, Archetype?" "Well, I suppose that¡¯s true." "¡­Now that I think about it, you make a valid point. I¡¯ll do my best to avoid bodily damage duringbat." Although I had a body that could barely be pierced, aside from the grenadeuncher in the bunker and the .50 caliber machine guns in the customs area, I¡¯d be torn to pieces if hit by such things. Moreover, the new arms, legs, and tail I¡¯d attached weren¡¯t as durable as the original ones. They were probably only a little tougher than a human¡¯s. Unlike humans who could use a Grizzly medkit or simr, Jin wouldn¡¯t have that luxury. Even so, minimizing damage to the main body while inflicting maximum damage on the enemy was abat strategy shared by me and the rest of the team. Based on the performance of thebat logic circuits when we fought Harmony and Lorenatinast time, I would need to teach it all over again. After a quiet chuckle, I rummaged through the Gear Box and pulled out something, handing it to Jin. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not sending you out unarmed. It¡¯s a ss 6 bulletproof vest, so wear it properly. The weight limit shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem." "Wow, bulletproof body and a bulletproof vest? With this, I feel like I could take at least a few shots from an NSV machine gun." "You¡¯d be wrong. Even if you can take a few shots, it won¡¯t help much if you¡¯re sprayed with 700 rounds per minute. It¡¯s a bad idea to walk into the line of fire of a machine gun." First and foremost, safety, and secondly, safety. While exining where we¡¯d be heading, the structure of the map, and the resources we¡¯d need for this mission, Lorenatina, who had beenughing from behind, added her ownment. "I thought we¡¯d just be shooting guns and running around likest time, but it looks like something more interesting is about to happen. This always happens when we¡¯re with the little one." "Yujin¡¯s always like that. Always attracting strange things, huh?" "¡­I can hear you." Of course, I couldn¡¯t deny it. But regardless, Kato had already made all his preparations and came to visit my base. Meanwhile, Jin, who had beenughing and chatting, was now fully equipped with the gear I had handed her. It was a bit sloppy, so I had to personally adjust the positioning of the gear and the lengths of the straps. One thing I realized was that Jin wasn¡¯t exactly experienced when it came to preparations forbat like this. It was her blind spot. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t such an unreasonable oversight. Given her own tanking ability, plus the ballistic shield and mini-gun, it wasn¡¯t like she needed to know much about CQB, grip, or firing techniques. A few shots from the mini-gun and the enemies in front of her would be wiped out, cover included. Conclusion: "Looks like Kato¡¯s going to have to help out a lot more than I expected. Can you do it?" "Uh¡­ I¡¯m not sure?" "Well, learningbat strategies is easier when teaching someone else than practicing by yourself. I know you¡¯ve made a lot of training videos for the newbies, so maybe you have a knack for teaching." "Ah, well¡­ if you say so, then I guess I¡¯ll do my best."
  • This guy¡¯s face hahahahaha
  • Look at him grinning! hahahahahahaha
  • I¡¯m seriously tempted to pull Kato¡¯s hair, hahahahaha
  • I hoped Kato would be happy, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be this happy!!!
  • Please, shut your mouth hahahaha
As expected, Jin and I exchanged looks, and she nodded. Jin, who had bowed her head, spoke: "Please take care of me, Kato. Let¡¯s learn a lot." "Er, okay! I¡¯ll do my best!" Good. I was passing the work onto him. But just as I thought that, I turned my head slightly, and there was Lorenatina, whispering something to Harmony. I was curious about what they were talking about, but if I didn¡¯t need to know, I didn¡¯t bother paying attention and focused back on the front. It urred to me that maybe Jin was like Harmony. Although, considering her body, she was likely to learn faster than most. Still, until I saw the result, I couldn¡¯t know for sure. The first map was a high-value research facility. "Alright, let¡¯s start moving. Jin, once we enter the map, don¡¯t even think about trying to go down a different path." "That¡¯s unnecessary concern. I have no reason to stray." "Good. Let¡¯s go." Already, I was curious about what would happen next. "That little one with all the tricks¡­" "I¡¯ve been thinking, but Yujin seems to be evil in these little ways." Yujin''s evil nature was far from ordinary. Today, Yujin''s notorious reputation only grew. [Notification: Pre-set values being calcted¡­ Radar spawn probability and spawn numbers increased by 100%. The number of users who can join the session has been reduced to 30% of the original.] [Notification: Session entryplete.] "Good job, little one. You¡¯ve prevented the sacrifice of many." "Now, even just starting a match has be something to think twice about¡­ Should I be happy or disappointed?" "But Yujin, now you can¡¯t just blindly start a match like the regr users¡­ Ughhh!" I let out a sigh as Harmony, in her usual manner, teasingly pulled at her cheeks. This was my reality. My skills, which weren¡¯t bad to begin with, had been honed to absurd levels through Apex Predator, soaring endlessly. However, unlike other modes, EU had a system where I could adjust session settings to some degree. The basic structure didn¡¯t change, but as you can see above¡­ the number of enemy AI could be increased or decreased. The number of users in a session could also be adjusted. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t work to set the AI and the user count to zero and just farm high-value items or reduce the number of users drastically to farm items in a duo queue. The former was an offline mode, designed for new yers to check out the mapyout and exits, and thetter¡­ unless it was a special case, the number of users and enemy AI was like a bncing scale. If the number of users increased, the number of AI enemies would necessarily decrease, and vice versa. In any case, the session settings I adjusted were as follows: I wanted to prevent the users from joining and getting wrecked by me, Harmony, and Lorenatina while letting Kato and Jin gainbat experience. It seemed like an optimized structure. The viewers, no matter what, started cheering and chatting away, but as soon as I mentioned that I was going to throw some of the noisy ones into the session as examples, they started praising my curriculum. It turns out, to quiet them down, firepower was needed. Anyway, regardless of all that¡ª "Our little Mecha one has quite a shabby form." "Reminds me of the time Moni dropped the magazine." "Hey, when was that?!" "Looks like we¡¯ve got a long way to go..." Jin was¡­ a newbie. She was a lot more of a newbie than I had expected. However, her eyes were working hard, and even though sheined a little about wanting to visit the lush forests when we mentioned the high-value research facility, it seemed like she was getting more excited now that she was actually out. Anyway, long story short, handling the guns wasn¡¯t the problem. The issue wasn¡¯t about not being good with certain weapons, it was that she hadn¡¯t received the proper maintenance and usage data on certain firearms. So what was the problem? "¡­The way it functions feelspletely different." "Yeah, you¡¯re right." The self-preservation instinct, fast movements, and evasion techniques that living beings would prioritize¡­ Jincked those things. To be more specific, her self-preservation instinct was much weaker than a living being''s. In hindsight, I should¡¯ve expected this. Since she was an artificial lifeform with many differences from humans,bat principles built on human standards wouldn¡¯t work here.@@novelbin@@ As expected, this led to problems. Not even minutes after entering the session, everyone except Jin witnessed the consequences directly. BANG! "Ugh, why are you standing up from there?!" "Analysis of the round shows it can prate not just the bulletproof vest, but even my body. Starting pursuit now." The bullets flew through, grazing her face, shoulder, forearm, and thigh, but instead of flinching, Jin stared down the defensive troops, locked onto their positions, and as the reloading began, she elerated sharply. She knocked one of the soldiers unconscious with the butt of the gun, and in the meantime, Jin began firing her MK47 like a pistol. Naturally, the two enemy AI right next to her were obliterated in close-rangebat. She then looked at me, a faint smile on her face. She was probably¡­ feeling triumphant. "I did it." "Yeah, you did... ugh." "Confirming that the Archetype¡¯s standards are extremely high. I¡¯ll try approaching differently in the nextbat." "Yujin, after years of grinding ranked matches, my sharp predictions say that this guy ispletely¡ªAHH!"
  • Hahahahaha
  • Kato, you got what you deserved hahaha
  • The guy was eyeing Mecha Yujin just minutes ago
  • He just proved why he''s still single, hahahaha
  • Please, just shut up already haha
I knew it. Jin, with an expression that was somewhat annoyed, walked up and relentlessly kicked Kato¡¯s joint, and he immediately tumbled to the ground, creating an incredible scene. As expected, his left leg was dyed red in the process. Lorenatina wasughing beside us, Harmony was giving him a hard time, and Kato, finally letting out a strange groan, pulled out a medkit from his pouch and began to patch up his leg. Meanwhile, another thought started forming in my head. "...It¡¯s an unusual approach, but it¡¯s not entirely wrong. Just like how Harmony couldn¡¯t exactly copy mybat style, everyone needs to learn abat style suited to them." As I said. At this point, it would be easy to point out how Jin¡¯s actions were wrong, but I couldn¡¯t confidently say "thatbat style is incorrect." I couldn¡¯t assume that by showing Jin abat method suited for humans, she would execute it perfectly. In other words, I¡¯d have topletely create abat style for Jin from scratch. It probably wouldn¡¯t be that hard, but... With a slightly mncholic Jin in front of me, I spoke up. "Jin." "Currently listening to the Archetype¡¯s instructions." "Can you tell me what areas need to be defended most in case of destruction, or if destroyed, will cause a significant disruption to the mission?" "Arms and legs. The eyes can be reced by sensors, and the central body with the power source is protected by the thickest armor. Even if hit by shaped charge shells, the internal energy shields can defend against it." "Hmm." I thought for a moment before speaking. "From now on, focus on defending the arms, legs, and joints in the abdomen instead of the main body. And try not to damage the eyes. You understand why, right?" "The Archetype values repair costs¡­ Ugh, understood."
  • What are they doing?
  • I can clearly tell they¡¯re pretending not to have feelings
  • What¡¯s up with Mecha Yujin¡¯s concept?
  • Another unique character has joined
  • Please, give Mecha Yujin to all users already!!!
When I tossed a bolt at Mecha Yujin¡¯s head, a crisp, clean sound echoed. Lorenatina, who had been watching the whole scene, added her usualment. "I thought it was a hunting time with Mecha little one, but looks like it¡¯sedy time instead." And so, the journey into the high-value research facility began. What would happen next was already making me curious. Chapter 399 Brrrrring! "Looking around, it''s all just facility defense troops. This will make a good battlefield for Mecha Maknae." "Kato, I can see you goofing off, focus!" "Ugh, alright¡­!"
  • Lazy bastard, hahaha
  • The number of radars is insane, whoa
  • Why are the defense troops building a checkpoint with dirt and scrap, haha
  • Fact: Mecha Yujin breaks through that
  • Who else but Mecha Byam could break through? Kato''s not doing it, haha
It had been 5 minutes since entering the session. We began engaging the facility defense troops swarming the first floor. Harmony, Lorenatina, and I were busy with rear defense and tacticalmand in the server room, engaging in a sort of war game using tablets, while Kato and Jin were the yers, executing real-time orders. It was like 3D chess with actual people. Two blue dots appeared on the map disyed on the tablet, with red dots surrounding them. Of course, the blue dots were Kato and Jin, and the red dots were the defense troops identified by them. The two blue dots were moving around, engaged inbat, while the red dots were gradually wiped out one by one. The hologram next to the tablet screen disyed the scripts. The scroll moved quickly, recording the ongoingmunication between Kato and Jin during the engagement.
  • Two of you will help at the istion corridor. Watch your sides.
  • Someone¡¯s setting a grenade on the left staircase in theb! Looks like they¡¯re trying to break through the central passage, suppressing fire is needed, then move to the medical staircase. Be ready to back out if needed!
  • Confirmed. Thebat protocol is being followed at 87%. The enemy''s firepower is about 16% stronger than expected.
The objectives for thebat were varied. For instance, this time, the n was to reduce the enemy forces in the research sector on the first floor, head up to the manager¡¯s room on the second floor, collect any items, then head through the catwalk and trigger the rm in the main hall before escaping to the hangar together. It was essentially a scenario. Naturally, during this process, a lot of information was exchanged. Harmony, Lorenatina, and I, asmanders, were responsible for ensuring that Kato and Jin didn¡¯t die, while they had to follow the orders or, if they found them faulty, act on their own initiative. This constant exchange was essential. We, the threemanders, checked the logs of the conversations Kato and Jin had during the engagement, examining what was appropriate or not, whether the movements and shooting angles were correct, and if they helped each other when assistance was needed. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just their actions we evaluated. We also scrutinized Harmony and Lorenatina¡¯s instructions. On the other hand, Harmony and Lorenatina were also evaluating the validity of my orders. "After drawing all the enemy¡¯s attention, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to take the server room stairs, head to the hangar corridor, and strike them from the side." "That would only be possible after taking out the onesing through the istion corridor, but it¡¯s a solid n. The question is, can Kato handle it solo?" "The capability to carry out this minorbat objective might becking¡­ We need to keep that in mind." "If I were in charge, I would have set traps in the istion tent and corridor by now." "That¡¯s something only Moni can do."@@novelbin@@
  • Hahaha
  • That crazy bomb setup hahaha
  • What the heck, you''re not normal either, haha!
  • Who sets traps this fast? Hahaha
  • Of course, haha
Trap-setting was something Moni had mastered. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely realistic. While Kato and Jin could bring plenty of grenades, there was no way they couldy three traps in the istion corridor in just a few minutes. If they could, they wouldn¡¯t be sitting in the mentoring position. Meanwhile, enemies started nking towards the server room tform. We, the three of us, were hidden inside the server cartridge and hadn¡¯t been spotted by the defense troops yet. As soon as a radar showed the enemies veering off course, a muffled sound echoed from the server room entrance connected to the ck passage. Naturally, it was the sound of a silencer. "Ahhh!" "Kelly, gasp!" "Zaro and Kelly are down! The position¡¯spromised, ugh..." "Ugh, that was close." Kato¡¯s delicate voice¡ªthough it was an avatar¡¯s female voice¡ªechoed through the server room. Upon hearing this, I gave him a thumbs-up, and Katoughed joyfully, disappearing into the ck passage again. After hearing Kato¡¯s performance in the server room, my internal evaluation of him improved significantly, and I revived the n he had almost lost out on. The scripted orders and suggestions were sent to Kato, and after a few seconds, the server room door opened again, and we heard the sound of boots hitting the floor. Kato, having retrieved two grenades from the dead bodies, carefully entered the server room corridor. To his left was the central corridor, and ahead was the hangar corridor. Thanks to themotion on the first floor, the second floor was quiet, and Kato quickly moved to the middle of the hangar corridor, positioning himself where he had a clear line of sight to the central passage. "Kato, where are you? We¡¯re detecting two vibrations in the istion tent area." "I¡¯m taking out the enemies near the central corridor. Break through the weak spot and meet me. You should be able to withstand a few bullets, just head to the server room stairs. If you hurry, we can make it out before the backup team crosses the ck passage." "Sess probability 77%. Let¡¯s trust him." Bam! Then, Kato unleashed hell. Without caring about the ammo count, he fired in bursts, not even a single shot, but a rapid series of rounds from his cktip ammo. As expected, the ones who exposed their soft sides and heads were taken out, bleeding from their necks, while the machine gunner blocking Mecha Yujin¡¯s movement fell silent. The enemies who had rushed for cover didn¡¯t fare much better. After reloading, Kato threw three grenades towards the central corridor. Though thending was a bit off, it provided the perfect opening for Jin to move. As the explosions went off, the noise was muffled, and Mecha Yujin stomped the ground with full force. Holding another Mk47, she unleashed armor-piercing rounds, annihting the remaining enemies who were trying to dodge the grenade shrapnel. "That¡¯s it!" "Movement detected on the upper level of the hangar corridor. Be careful." "Woah, seriously! Four of them areing!" Kato, as expected, was somewhat careless. Laughing, Jin rushed up the server room stairs, past Kato, and began suppressing enemies in the northern hangar corridor. Kato, in a daze, threw a grenade, but before he could even pull the pin out of another, Jin executed a long-range headshot on one of the retreating enemies. After several minutes, Kato and Jin had wiped out about twelve enemies in the ten-minute engagement. Exhausted, Kato copsed on the spot, and Jin, observing, chuckled and helped him up. It was only natural that we allughed along with them. "Nothing strengthens camaraderie like survivingbat together." "Well, if the only way to get close is by using such wild methods, I¡¯d prefer the normal way... Ughhh." "It¡¯s toote for that, our little new recruit."
  • Hahahaha
  • That little green-eyed guy is so cute
  • I want to be a shark who can fondle Mecha Yujin¡¯s face
  • Not gonna happen for you though
  • Kato, how dare you flirt with Mecha Yujin!!
Jin, who was a bit sloppy just a few minutes ago, was quickly improving now that she was in realbat. I was genuinely satisfied. Kato, too, seemed to have studied the assignment well and was showing some solid performance. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t taught Blooming directly in a while. I had been busy, so I just watched the y videos, marking the points that needed improvement¡­ Maybe after confirming that Jin and Kato were stabilizing, I could shift my focus in that direction. While thinking this, the two moved through the hangar corridor to the manager¡¯s corridor, grabbing some random items in the manager room. They even wiped out a few more enemies in the research sector on the first floor. Thebat in the catwalk and main hall was far easier than the engagement in the research sector, and after triggering the rm, they quickly ran through the corridor toward the hangar. Bang! "Did you think you could hide there without being noticed?" "¡­Impressive, Lorenatina." Meanwhile, Lorenatina drew her pistol and, with a casual movement, pulled the trigger, blowing the head off an enemy hiding in the server room corridor. Her movements were so natural that I didn¡¯t even notice what she was doing at first. She was definitely more ustomed to handling guns than breathing. A few minutester, all five of us, including me, had finally gathered in the hangar. Kato, still smiling broadly, and Jin, with a faint grin on her face, had clearly made a good start. While Harmony went up to the control room to open the hangar gate, she added: "Great job, everyone. Just open the gate, and let¡¯s go gather what we¡¯ve killed. If you run out of room, I¡¯ll lend you a bag. You can fill it up with everything. All the loot¡¯s yours." "Alright!" "Even though I don¡¯t understand the concept of a ¡®loot farm,¡¯ I know that the ownership of these items is now mine. I¡¯ll ept the offer." With a click, the gate opened, and the sirens overhead began to spin. We aimed our guns, waiting, but fortunately¡ªunfortunately, depending on how you look at it¡ªno enemies spawned from within. It was only a short wait until we could leave, so we just needed to wait for the two of them to fill their bags. Sitting down on the stairs, I felt a little cramped, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. Just then, a strange noise rang out. Zzziiinnng! "¡­?" "Something doesn¡¯t feel right..." A purpleser-like beam swept through the front of the hangar before stopping right above Jin. I quickly shot at it with my gun, breaking the scanner, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a quick reaction. What was happening now? As I kept my guard up, a mechanical voice rang from the ceiling.
  • [Notification: Type Gamma detected¡­ Unauthorized modification detected. Lower your weapons and proceed to the exit. Follow Artemis¡¯ armed personnel¡¯s instructions.]
  • [Notification: Remote ess attempt... Connection error. Control area not found.]
  • [Notification: Manualmand execution. Type Gamma, serial number 4. Return to Artemis.]
In the midst of the eerie silence, Jin, showing a bored expression, spoke up without hesitation. "I refuse. Returning to Artemis no longer brings me any benefit." "Well, you really turned that tin can into a proper Mecha Maknae, Yujin. Truly inspiring progress." "Of course, who do you think I am?" To cap it all off, Jin raised her gun and shot at the ceiling¡¯s speakers, destroying them. I didn¡¯t think this would be over so easily¡­ but with that thought, I gave Mecha Yujin a pat on the back. "For now, let¡¯s avoid any further visits to high-value research facilities." "I agree with the Archetype¡¯s opinion." The sirens overhead turned red, signaling the beginning of something unexpected. "Gamma-type androids are betraying us, huh? I never expected to hear such a thing. I can even hear the researchers going wild up here." "They''ve even removed the arms and the mini-gun attached to the tail. The real-timebat data transmission was cut off unexpectedly¡ªwho would¡¯ve made such modifications?" "Enough chatter. We¡¯re moving out. The facility¡¯s defense troops have been wiped out. Keep your wits about you. We may need more than 40 men to handle this. There are reports of the Archetype being present as well." "Anyway, except for the Gamma-type, they¡¯re all living humans, right? That means we can kill them. Let¡¯s wrap this up and head back." Ding! The elevator doors opened, and a team of ten soldiers poured out. Four elevators had arrived at once, flooding the high-value research facility. Teams Red, Violet, Green, and Blue all entered through different entry points. As soon as all 40 were inside, a pulse emanated through the facility. It was a signal from the Artemis-affiliated traitor Icarus Operator. The pulse didn¡¯t reach its full potential, as they had been cut off from thework for a while, but these soldiers were still highly valuable. They led the charge through the facility. The first target was, of course, the hangar. The team leader of Green team checked the area, ordering a stop as they scanned for any signs of life. However, they couldn¡¯t detect a single person. The pulse emitted had been blocked by some unknown EMP source, leaving the team to operate individually. But as the minutes passed¡­ Clink! "This is insane¡­!" "The fuel tank is rolling! Get out of the way!" Green team¡¯s misfortune began. The steel cable holding the fuel tank, which had been hovering about a meter above the ground, suddenly snapped. Below, what seemed to be arge wedge-shaped objectnded precisely, triggering a surge of momentum in the fuel tank. The oil inside the tank was already more than half-full, and that proved to be the catalyst for destruction. The tank began rolling at high speed, and unfortunately, the chain of events led to arge cylinder on a truck being knocked off and causing a fatal explosion. "Team Leader, move!" "Dammit." With that, the traitor Icarus Operator became a pancake. All that remained was a single intact arm and a crimson pool of blood under the fallen cylinder. Without a moment to spare, Eugene emerged from the blind spot and swiftly cleaved through the neck of one of Green Team¡¯s members. The moment they lost their head, Eugene nonchntly hid the body, not even a second of hesitation. Soon, gunfire erupted. But Eugene¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t to kill the enemies¡ªit was to destroy their advanced optics. She fired at the four-eyes night vision goggles attached to the enemies'' helmets, shattering them. Naturally, the remaining Green Team members were relieved their heads weren¡¯t gone, but the damage to their gear was severe. The lights in the ceiling began to shatter. Crack! "The lights are down! Night vision activated¡­ these damn bastards!" "Command! We need backup! We''re facing fierce resistance in the hangar¡ªugh!" The hangar, now plunged intoplete darkness, allowed Mecha Byam¡¯s true capabilities to shine. With a terrifying sound, screams and gunshots filled the air. Some tried to detach their silencers and fire into the air to spot enemies, but the sh of bullets quickly died out. In that brief sh of light, Eugene, wielding a tomahawk, was mercilessly cutting down Green Team with deadly efficiency. Minutes passed, and Eugene, having avoided reloading, collected the portable EMP generator she had turned on to its highest setting. "Good, now to get the headset." Eugene grabbed one of the Green Team¡¯s headsets and tuned into the chaos unfolding inside the high-value research facility. She spoke aloud, her voice cold: "Combat won¡¯t cease until 40 graves are dug. Wipe them all out." And so, Artemis was about to lose a significant number of high-level personnel once again. Chapter 400 "Hangar cleared. No further support expected. Any areas needing assistance?" "That was fast, rookie. There are about three left here, so let¡¯s wrap this up and join the others. You go help the New Rookie and Mecha Rookie." "Ugh, there are so many enemies here! I barely cleared half of them, and the others are chasing me like they''re about to kill me!" "Left, left! Ugh! There are still 8 left here! Help!"
  • "LOL, the Rookie got half of them, what a beast."
  • "Cato, step it up!!!!"
  • "He¡¯s done for, ha."
  • "Wow, half of the 40 are already wiped out, this is insane."
Five minutes after the Red, Violet, Blue, and Green teamsnded in the high-value research facility, half of them had already been wiped out. Thems were in total chaos. Gunfire, voices, grenade explosions, and asional terrifying crashes and screams filled the air. While the situation seemed almost bnced, as the defenders'' advantage slowly faded, the tide was beginning to shift. In the middle of the chaotic transmission, a few were able to catch the crucial bits of information, piecing together the bigger picture in their minds. And yet, there was no need to worry about Lorenatina with her electric-powered file bunker. The real issue was elsewhere. Harmony and the Cato-Jin team. They urgently needed support. ¡®Red that entered the main hall is almost done... The real problem is the 20 enemies that came in through the elevators on the 2nd floor¡¯s cargo and Green corridors.¡¯ I continued across the hangar hallway, listening carefully. From my right ear, I could hear the sounds of fighting from the main hall, while from my left, I could hear more intense fighting from the 2nd-floor cargo and Green corridors. Of course, the left was louder. A few seconds ago, Lorenatina said they had nearly finished cleaning up their side. So, without hesitation, I made my way toward the Green corridor. Surprisingly, the situation was dire on Harmony¡¯s side. Having set traps all over the Green Room, medical stairway, storage, and sterilebs, the enemies that had entered that area chose to push forward instead of crawling into the trap-filled rooms. Red, Violet, Blue, Green. The Artemis strike team''smander was the traitorous Icarus Operator, and when the team had equipped exoskeletons, the firepower was overwhelming. This meant that if they were caught off guard, they could easily be overwhelmed, so I needed to rush to support Harmony. While maintaining my speed, I provided precise support fire. Unfortunately, two members of Blue team had tried to nk through the server room and hade out into the hallway. This meant they were easy targets for me. As the bullets flew, I threw a grenade with my tail, hitting one of Blue team¡¯s nking members right between the eyes. A sh of light and an explosion, followed by abination of shrapnel and steel balls, dazzled the enemies in front of me. "Aaaargh-!"@@novelbin@@ Boom! One enemy copsed, shredded to pieces, while the other, unable to escape the st radius, took five armor-piercing rounds to the face. With those two eliminated, I looted their equipment, gathering about five grenades, and retreated to join Harmony, handing them over. Her expression lit up immediately. "I knew I could count on you, Sensei!" "Let¡¯s wrap this up and head out."
  • "This crazy girl, got hit by a grenade and her face lights up? LOL"
  • "??? : Isn¡¯t it normal to be happy after receiving a grenade???"
  • "She doesn¡¯t care that she made it happen. LOL"
  • "Guess she¡¯s used to it, huh?"
  • "That¡¯s what makes it even scarier. LOL"
Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have enough time to set traps and push Blue team into them. The battle had turned out to be more straightforward than expected. In other words, it was a rtively standard small-scale skirmish. The point man¡¯s role was to absorb fire from the front while briefing everyone on the enemies¡¯ positions, while Harmony handled the back, tossing grenades or shooting to draw out the enemies. The disadvantage, however, was the cramped space, which slowed things down. "Let¡¯s throw a smoke grenade and nk through the server room. We¡¯ll hold out as best we can." "I¡¯ll move quickly." "That¡¯s the n." I opened my multi-use pouch and readied a ck smoke grenade. Harmony tensed, and as soon as she threw a grenade to block the enemy''s advance, we both prepared to rush as soon as the path cleared. After a few seconds, the smoke grenade arced through the air andnded in the corridor, at which point an unexpected voice crackled through thems. "You don¡¯t need to." "Huh?" A horrific scream echoed through the ck smoke. The painful groans pierced through thems, followed by the sound of nks cracking and a final dying gasp, signaling that someone had just died. The smoke that was supposed to conceal us turned into a sher movie scene on the other side. As Harmony, who was about to rush forward, wore a slightly puzzled expression and returned to her original position, the ck smoke began to clear. Lorenatina, now covered in gold liquid, sheathed her spear-like file bunker with her right hand. At that moment, several thoughts rushed through my mind. But one intuition stood out the most¡­ "So this is how Moni must have felt when I was running around with an axe." "Now you get it?"
  • "LOL, this is straight up a horror movie."
  • "When the smoke cleared and a killer weapon is staring at you, yeah, you''d piss your pants."
  • "Please, use guns in a shooting game¡­"
  • "They¡¯re so used to closebat that they don¡¯t even use guns anymore. LOL"
While Moni and I watched in a half-dazed state, Lorenatina turned her head and, in a blur of speed, sprinted toward the 2nd-floor istion tent. It was then that I realized I had forgotten about Cato and Jin. With a half-dazed expression, I spoke up. "Let¡¯s go help the other two." "Yeah..." It was time to clean up the facility. "Green team was wiped out in 1 minute and 20 seconds, Red team in 2 minutes and 25 seconds, Blue team next¡­ unlucky bunch." "We should retreat via the elevator now." "Dammit, that Gamma-type bastard, there are two Archetype-level enemies among them. You could¡¯ve at least warned us before betraying." As the elevator doors opened, Violet Team, who had upied the cargo corridor, medical rooms, and hallways, was pushed back less than five minutes into the fight and were now retreating to the elevator area. Even though they had enough firepower to obliterate the facility, they were quickly overwhelmed. Three teams out of the four sent to the facility were obliterated after a direct confrontation. The reason was simple: Archetypes, and the unidentified entities withparable force, were involved. The enemies they had underestimated were proving to be more formidable than expected. The team leader of Violet Team, staring anxiously at the descending elevator, knew this wasn¡¯t just a regr mission anymore. It wasn¡¯t the mere presence of a mad scientist descending into the battle that caused concern. The scientists from Artemis had long since discarded the morals of humanity, using their resources more efficiently than anyone else. They were the definition of mad scientists, straight out of the movies. Just as the elevator doors opened, two UGVs resemblingrge dogs, loaded with grenades and miniguns, emerged and began firing into the air, plunging the situation into chaos. Then, a well-dressed figure, none other than Dr. Simon, emerged from the elevator. "¡­What the hell are you doing here, Dr. Simon?" "I couldn¡¯t miss it. When a creation awakens a new intelligence, it¡¯s only right toe and witness it firsthand." "Stay back! It¡¯s too dangerous." "I¡¯m already aware of the risks. Don¡¯t worry. I trust you, I trust the exoskeletons, and I trust the attack dogs." Dr. Simon calmly surveyed the area despite the deafening roar of the minigun. He didn¡¯t seem concerned about anything other than his personal interest, his gaze cold and focused. And as expected, he activated his mic, and his voice echoed over the speakers attached to the attack dogs. "A civilized person should know when to put down the weapon and face each other, even in a battlefield like this. Archetype, Gamma, show me your faces. Artemis has been searching for you for years. I¡¯m not a fan of ces like this." In response, multiple grenade clusters flew his way. After the explosion and chaos subsided, to everyone¡¯s surprise, no one had been injured. Only one of the UGVs was destroyed, its remains scattered across the floor. Simon, unfazed, looked down at the destroyed UGV and smiled slightly. "Well then, it looks like we have no choice but to move forward. But this was expected. If we can bring Gamma and Archetype back to Artemis, it would be more than worth the 40 losses." "What are you talking about, 40 losses?" "40... wait, dammit! Block him!" "I told you, I trust you all." With that, Simon activated the tablet in his hand, and just as the screen began to flicker with data, two metallic spheres rolled out from the UGVs. They wererge, melon-sized, and rolled slowly towards the remaining Violet team members. "Looks like you¡¯ve been hiding there, Gamma. Let¡¯s reconnect with Artemis and head home." As Simon began manipting the tablet, the eight remaining Violet team members charged toward the enemies, bullets piercing their bodies without any sign of stopping. Simon¡¯s expression twisted into one of greed and joy as he watched his "discovery," but it didn¡¯tst long. Someone snatched the tablet from his hands. "Seems like you''ve been hiding there, Gamma. Let¡¯s reconnect with Artemis and head home." As Simon fiddled with the tablet, the eight remaining Violet team members, ignoring the pain of bullets lodged in their bodies, charged toward the enemies. The scene felt like something out of a nightmare, as the bodies moved with grim determination. Simon''s expression twisted into a mix of greed and joy as he watched his "discovery," but it didn''tst long. Someone swiftly snatched the tablet from his hands. "Hmm, so this is what Artemis'' tablets look like nowadays. I might need to recover this." Simon¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. A situationpletely beyond hisprehension had unfolded. Someone had appeared out of nowhere. In the midst of this absurd scenario, he forgot to check for anyone around him, even though he should¡¯ve been on guard. By the time he turned around to look for the Violet team, he was already toote. "Ugh¡­!" "Argh¡­!" The words died in Simon''s throat as something, moving at an unimaginable speed, pierced through the augmented Violet team operator. His body, enhanced with exoskeletons, was nothing more than a fragile shell now. The assant had moved too quickly for the human eye to track, their weapon¡ªa spear¡ªpiercing through the Violet team operator''s neck, and his back was punctured where the battery had been attached. As Simon gazed at the spectacle, his eyes fixated on the assant, who moved with inhuman speed, slicing through his guards in the blink of an eye. His breath caught in his throat, and he could only gape, utterly stunned. The attacker, hidden in the shadows, revealed themselves in an instant, and it was then that Simon realized just how far beyond his understanding they were. After a few moments, Simon nced back at the operator he had just betrayed. The operator wasying on the ground, now reduced to a lifeless body, a clear indication that his life had been taken in an instant. "¡­It looks like we won¡¯t be needing this anymore." With a twisted smile, Lorenatina, holding the tablet in one hand, walked toward the disabled UGVs, where the team members had all been wiped out. She spoke coldly. "You wanted to reconnect with Artemis? Well, looks like that''s not happening. Not anymore." She pressed a few buttons on the tablet and, with a click, deactivated the remaining UGVs and their programming. "Done," she said as she tossed the tablet aside. "Now, let''s finish what we came for." The sound of her gun being reloaded echoed in the quiet, while Simon, stunned by the betrayal, could barely muster a word as he struggled to stay conscious. "You''re quite the interesting specimen, but you''re toote. You won''t make it out of here alive." Simon¡¯s mind raced, but his body was failing him. Thest thing he saw before everything went ck was Lorenatina walking away, her shadow casting a long, ominous figure in the dimly lit corridor. Chapter 401 "You always manage to surprise me." "We, too, never imagined something like this would happen after just one dispatch to the operational zone." Thunk. One of the Artemis scientists, half-conscious, copsed onto the floor with a loud sound. Of course, this was the troublesome bundle we had brought along. Naturally, the squad leader had a dazed expression on his face. Since we hadn''t been told who this person was at first, it was probably confusing for him. But after handing over the keycard found among the belongings, and inserting it into the leader¡¯s device in the office, the squad leader''s expression changed drastically. At first, his face showed curiosity, but within mere seconds, his brows furrowed. It was clear that whatever he saw was quite serious. Dr. Simon ss, one of the lead researchers at Artemis Technologies. Lorenatina and I, who had been watching from the sidelines, exchanged a nce and raised an eyebrow, letting out a shallow groan. The name felt familiar¡ªimmediately, I activated the Icarus Gear embedded in my body. I opened a data window that only I could see¡ªHarmonie, Katographer, Lorenatina, and the others couldn¡¯t ess it¡ªand verified the identity.
  • [Notification: Analyzing¡­]
  • [Notification: Analysisplete -> Simon ss. Lead Researcher, Artemis Technologies.]
  • [Notification: Confirmed involvement in 42 instances of illegal biological experimentation, unauthorized equipment modifications, and trafficking. Collusion with hostile nations and data smuggling. Confirmed participation in the murder and defection of at least 3 Icarus Operators. Designated high-priority elimination target.]
  • [Notification: Current status¡­ Unknown.]
The initial intrigue sparked by the familiarity of the name soon shifted into difort, unease, and a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. I recalled a few conversations that shed before my eyes. Specifically, after the Battle of Seattle, when I had heard Henry¡¯s speech about the end of the war. A while after that, when I met the two people who had helped me back in reality, I recalled the words we exchanged. The official updates between the two parallel worlds had ended to some extent, but it seemed the matter wasn''t fully wrapped up just yet¡­ In that case, it seemed like there was more I needed to verify. "You¡¯ve caught quite a big fish, haven¡¯t you? Making this one unable to walk again forever might be a bit... excessive, but at least we don¡¯t have to worry about him escaping." "Sounds like you''re nning to interrogate him thoroughly." "We¡¯ve got plenty to extract from Artemis. First, I¡¯ll make sure this guy pays for what he¡¯s done. Of course, if there are any items among the things you¡¯ve brought that can connect us to the Artemiswork, I¡¯ll pay handsomely for those as well." "That sounds like a pleasant proposition." True to the words, there were 40 people who came to destroy the facility. Forty. Of those, 4 were Icarus Operators who had defected, one was a senior researcher, and the weakest of them were still equipped with exoskeletons and high-performance firearms. So, Lorenatina, Jin, and I were tasked with collecting all sorts of items weighing over 100 kilograms per person and making our way out of the facility. Of course, Katographer and Harmonie only had about 70 kilograms each. And naturally, there were plenty of items we could sell for a good price. If any of them turned out to be worth more, that wouldn''t be a bad thing either. "Anyway... good work. It¡¯d be nice if we could continue this excellent and constructive rtionship. The interrogation will begin once the man with the holes in his body wakes up, so if you want to observe, leave a message. If it''s ufortable, I can give you a one-time terminal to contact directly." "It¡¯s fine." "...By the way, that machine... Since it¡¯s safely returned, it doesn¡¯t seem to have defected. I hope you continue to show willingness to cooperate." "I¡¯ve acknowledged that." Clunk. With that, the five of us, myself included, left the squad leader¡¯s room and closed the door behind us. I immediately turned my head to check on the others'' conditions. Harmonie and Katographer didn¡¯t show any obvious signs, but their footsteps were heavy. They were clearly exhausted mentally.@@novelbin@@ It was understandable. Technically, we had been through at least 5 rounds ofbat, all within one session. Normally, only about 10 to 20 users would participate per session, and it wasn¡¯tmon to have to fight all of them. It might be a bit early, but maybe I should send Harmonie and Katographer off a bit earlier today. Returning to the Gear Box, I added the thought, and the two of them perked up. "Eh, is that okay?" "I can¡¯t leave Jin here alone, but even if I took her to another operational zone, I can¡¯t guarantee that something simr wouldn¡¯t happen. Who knows, another Mecha Viyam with a mini-gun might show up next time." "Thinking like that, it¡¯s a little scary..." "How about giving Mecha Eugene a mini-gun again?" "I¡¯m seriously considering it." Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
  • "If it''s our team, we can rely on it, ha ha."
  • "Wait, seriously? Who would want to y with them like this?"
  • "Just leave it at the base and y alone!"
  • "Sure, the ammo and modifications are on him, though, ha ha."
Ah, right. This was a PvP game. While adding a mini-gun might make it easier to repel Artemis forces trying to kidnap Jin, the coteral damage to regr users would be enormous¡­ First, maybe I should just roam around gathering intel. Jin¡¯s face quickly turned sullen, likely sensing the atmosphere, but that couldn''t be helped. After all, a person must be strict not only with viewers but also with allies. For now, it might be better to just wander around the base, getting familiar with the faces. Anyway, the conclusion was made. Before I could say anything, Lorenatina added her thoughts. "Alright, everyone. You probably have an idea of what I''m saying. If you¡¯re disappointed that the broadcast is ending here, feel free to move to either here or Katographer¡¯s broadcast." "...Huh? Wait, you were nning to end the broadcast now?" "Get used to it if you¡¯re going to be with Eugene from now on."
  • "Oh no, another one who¡¯s ending the stream, ha ha."
  • "A true broadcast artist, ha ha."
  • "So what can you even do? Katographer is ending his stream, what can you do?"
  • "Besides howl like a dog, what can you do?"
As always, the chat room began to glow with a fiery red hue, but there was no helping it today. I had to verify something, specifically whether this unidentified zone was just part of the game or if it had some connection to my past. I started organizing my thoughts. What should I tell Lorenatina? What should I ask Jin? And if I could, should I go find those two people who helped me return to this world¡­ or not? It was hard to prioritize, but one thing was clear. I ended the broadcast and switched the whole facility to private mode, then spoke to Lorenatina. "Do you remember Simon ss?" "Not sure... I think he was one of the ones Icarus couldn¡¯t finish off. It was a little confusing when he suddenly showed up. But why do you ask?" "Oh, just... I have a feeling I should verify whether his sudden appearance was just a coincidence or if there¡¯s something moreplicated behind it." Hmm. Lorenatina, who let out a nasal sound, slowly shifted her expression. The faint smile she usually wore faded, and her excited eyes and eyebrows aligned in a straight line. Beneath her impassive face, her clear ruby-colored eyes began to glow strangely. Eventually, those red eyes turned towards Jin. "Yujin, you allowed the addition of Mecha Eugene into the game, and Icarus responded with this result. Do you think it¡¯s just a fan service for the junior, or is it hinting at something deeper? I can¡¯t answer for sure, but we can make some probabilistic guesses." "¡­Well." "That hesitation, I believe, is the answer to the question." Snicker. Lorenatina, who chuckled, then added. "At worst, you have nothing to lose. Go ahead and find out. Artemis has fallen, and the Russian and Chinese factions have left the U.S. for good, but we still haven¡¯t uncovered even 10% of the war¡¯s secrets." "¡­Looks like I¡¯ll be quite busy for a while." "Let me know if you find anything good. I¡¯m waiting." Of course, Lorenatina didn¡¯t just vanish after that. To be precise, her avatar disappeared first, saying she was going ahead, and I walked over to Jin, who was staring nkly. I had finished organizing my questions, so I had something to ask. Whether she could answer or not wasn¡¯t a big deal. But just then,
  • [Warning: ¡®User¡¯ is in contact with external factors. Switching to AFK mode.]
It felt like my consciousness was being sucked somewhere as my gaze turned toward the ceiling. Not the low, narrow, and damp ceiling of the Gear Box, but the view of my penthouse with its immense ceiling height. And sure enough, "Awake already, our little one?" "You wake people up by pulling their cheeks, ugh." It was Lorenatina. The shark who had returned from vacation in the East Sea and had been staying at my ce recently. With her usual cool smile, she spoke. "Since it¡¯s time for dinner, let¡¯s have a calm discussion at the table. I believe you have no objections?" "Of course." Simon ss, Artemis, Mecha Eugene. It was time to dig into the backstory. "Let''s talk a bit about the past... although strictly speaking, it''s only the past that you''ve experienced, little one." The dark sky, the cozy house. In the midst of it all, Lorenatina began to speak in a calm voice. I nodded. There was no need for any additional words. "You may not know this, but Artemis was immediately designated as a primary elimination target right after the Dark Winter incident began." "...This is the first time I''ve heard of that." "Of course, Eugene. You joined Icarus at least a few months after the incident began, and you didn¡¯t join the Central Park HQ right away either." This was entirely new information to me. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Lorenatina was now talking about Icarus from a time when I didn¡¯t even exist. It was a past I¡¯d never heard of before. And, as expected, it was full of chaos. There was no properbat protocol, no clear directive on whether civilian rescue orbat took priority, and the issue of how to deal with the rapidly multiplying small refugee camps was still up for debate. As a result, material deliveries had bemon, squeezing through the chaotic streets of New York. But it didn¡¯tst long. Within two weeks to a month, more than 70% of the small refugee camps self-destructed. The cause was a virus. The Omega Virus had reached its incubation period, and it mercilessly took civilians, sending them straight to the afterlife. In the midst of the darkness and confusion during that one chaotic month, Artemis attempted to defect. The reason was simple. "The enemy coalition gave them a tip. In exchange for guaranteeing some petty interests, they were tasked with obstructing the remaining military forces of the United States or, if necessary, striking them." Many high-ranking members of Artemis Technologies had been secretly coborating with hostile nations for some time, and that proposal came as a result. And this, of course, connected to the knowledge I already had. The fragmented Artemis leadership had each hired PMCs to protect their individual interests, cooperate with enemy forces, or, in some cases, try to inform Icarus HQ. Thanks to thesetter individuals, Icarus quickly designated Artemis as a rebel faction and attempted to suppress them. However, there weren¡¯t enough personnel forbat, and it wasn¡¯t easy to suppress them at that time. Eventually, the opportunity was lost, and Artemis broke apart, bing a fragmented warlord group. It was the tragic end of apany that had once been involved in the development of the Icarus Gear. After sharing this, Lorenatina took a sip of her drink and continued. "To be frank, how Artemis fell isn¡¯t really all that important. But the fact that Artemis was once involved in gear development is a crucial point. It¡¯s the fundamental reason why your data could have been extracted." "But then again, no one has been made based on people like Lorenatina, Logan, or Nix, the Task Force Razor mechanic operator, right?" "What do you think is the difference between those people and you?" "...I¡¯m not sure." "It¡¯s simple. The former were already registered in the Icaruswork long before the incident began, but you took a few months before you officially received your Icarus Gear and became an operator." "Ah." Lorenatina was specting. That few-month gap before I officially received the Icarus Gear was when my personal data most likely got leaked to Artemis. Even now, it made perfect sense. Moreover, given that nothing had happened over the past five years since my data leak, I hadpletely ignored the matter. There was a reason for that. As I had said before, the main story of the Dark Zone followed my past linearly, which meant the Dagger Team had stomped on Artemis multiple times. The remaining members of Artemis were probably wiped out during Operation Bluefield. In fact, it was amazing that, after that operation, Icarus managed to rebuild a production line that could create Mecha Eugene during the 2-3 years when their focus shifted to the U.S. West. In any case, whether this was true or not wasn¡¯t as important as the bigger question. What had be clear through this conversation was not "whether this is the answer," but rather, I now had a chance to ask the two people who originally brought me back to this world, "Is this correct?" In other words, I had now figured out what questions I needed to ask. So the questions could be divided into two: First, whether the conclusion we had drawn was correct, and second, whether this scenario was something created by the Dark Zone itself or if it was actually something that had urred in my original world. Going by my gut feeling, I had a strong suspicion it was thetter. So, I added that assumption and considered the potential consequences¡­ "...It doesn¡¯t seem like that big of a deal. The only concern might be that the Dagger Team might get upset." "Strictly speaking, that would be the case. If they pulled something like that with a battalion, it might make a significant difference, but with just a few units, there¡¯s no way it could change the course of the battlefield. It¡¯s already toote." "Hmm." It wasn¡¯t as serious as I had expected. In a way, it was a rather ironic conclusion, but it was much better than it bing a massive issue. Maybe I could ask those mysterious two people who helped me with a rtively light-hearted question. I thought for a moment and then made eye contact with Lorenatina. Now that I remembered, these people... had just finished the Indian Point nuclear power nt rescue mission in the Dark Zone, and when I crossed over to another world line, I had met them. I already knew that. So I spoke. "Well then, I suppose I need to ask those two how far this event has spread in the other world." "Who knows? Maybe there¡¯s a Mecha version of the little one in that world too." "No way." Hearing that not-really-joking joke, I picked up my phone. It had only been 30 seconds since I was told that "the progress in the other world was about 90% simr." Chapter 402 "You should have slit their throats much earlier." "Well, I¡¯ve been pretty boredtely. Should I send a proposed operation n to upper management?" "Seriously thinking that way first... I must be out of my mind." New York, Central Park HQ. The storm had settled, and the words "peace" and "stability" were beginning to take root in people''s minds. But as always, below the surface, there were unpleasant and irritating behind-the-scenes clean-ups going on¡ªthings ordinary people shouldn¡¯t know and don¡¯t need to know. It was a given. But meteors, by nature, don¡¯t fall straight down; they ze across the sky, and when they dond on someone¡¯s head, no one ever likes it. And this was exactly the situation that the Dagger Team found itself in. Lorenatina, half-reclined in her chair with her feet on the table, reading a book, sighed. The sound of the book closing echoed throughout the lounge. With a grunt, she pushed herself up, making therge sofa sway. At least it didn¡¯t break. "Even if I propose it, the likelihood that upper management will get motivated is low... but when has the Dagger Team ever been the type to think and act like that?" "Let''s think about what we need for the operation. Standard type, or full destruction operation. We¡¯ll need a helicopter for extraction, and... anti-air defense systems... probably don''t have those at this point." "If they had them, that''d be ironic... But, well, these idiots have somehow managed to hide infrastructure that makes things like Mecha Eugene possible, so I can¡¯t rule out the possibility of SAMs. Just looking at the materials they sent, those bastards attached sma cannons and mini-guns to android tails." "Turns out, they¡¯re even crazier than we thought." As soon as Lorenatina heard this, she burst outughing. Logan nced sideways at her, let out a dryugh, then stood up and spoke. "Funny bastards." "The sma cannon attached to its tail... that¡¯s the most interesting thing I¡¯ve heard recently. Do you know how much destructive power it has?" "Call the little one and ask him directly. The firepower is impressive. It can melt an entire car or a thick shopping mall pir." "That sounds like something truly dreadful if it hits directly." sma cannon and mini-gun. Thebination of those words was like magic, erasing all the previous anger and difort in an instant. Everyone, except Owens, who had spoken up at the mention of sma cannon, opened their eyes wide and leaned in. As expected, the senior officer of the operation, Owens, let out a briefugh before continuing. "Remember, unlike before, we can no longer pinpoint Mecha Eugene¡¯s and Artemis¡¯s exact headquarters. After analyzing the angle of the sunlight, surrounding vegetation, weather, and several other factors, all we know is that it''s somewhere in Canada." "Looks like we¡¯ll need cooperation from the Canadian military." "That¡¯s not our concern. For now, let¡¯s look at this." At the same time, several sheets of paper were ced on the table. They were photos sent by Eugene from another world. The content varied, but it wasn¡¯t hard to recognize what they were¡ªmainly specs of exoskeletons believed to be operated by Artemis,bat UGVs, and photos of Mecha Eugene in a self-destructing state¡­ One thing was clear: we couldn¡¯t rush in without proper intel. Naturally, it didn¡¯t take long for everyone in the lounge to analyze the photos with sharp, calcting gazes. Meanwhile, Owens sat down and opened hisptop, essing the Icarus database to scan all information regarding Artemis¡¯s movements. There were countless pieces of information that should not be publicly released, but Owens¡¯s gaze stopped on something¡ªthe information update on Artemis¡¯s activities that had been stalled for several months. With expert skill, Owens uploaded the data to everyone¡¯s gear. "With the security-level ounts, we couldn¡¯t even find any relevant information, so it looks like it¡¯s being managed by apletely different system¡­ I¡¯ll need to fabricate a source for the data Eugene gave us before reporting it to upper management." "With the normal procedure, we won¡¯t be able to deploy support in time. Unless we manage to kick the bureaucrats¡¯ fat asses." "Now that we have this crazy info about Mecha Eugene, I think we can stir things up a bit with the higher-ups. Watching Henry spill his coffee over it will be worth it." "Seems like the manifesters are still talking nonsense as usual." At that, Lorenatina burst intoughter, while the pr bear grumbled about being dragged into this. It was just another normal day for the group. After a longugh, Lorenatina began inspecting the photos of Mecha Eugene on the table and started making some guesses. Specifically, how much firepower would be needed to destroy the machine without too much trouble. From the data so far, several things could be inferred. Given that the operation would take ce in an unknown remote area, supplies would be difficult to procure, and the process of managing resources and adjusting firepower for each engagement would need to be finely tuned. Her gaze suddenly shifted to a box in the corner of the room. It didn¡¯t quite seem like a regr box. There was a power cable plugged into it, so at the very least, it was something functional. Above it, a green hologram, indicating "safety," floated. If she focused her eyes a little, more detailed information could pop up, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. Everyone in the room knew exactly what was inside. After finishing her thought, Lorenatina spoke. "I wondered if the day would evere when we¡¯d use that. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be heading out to the battlefield with it so soon. The world sure is full of surprises." "¡­Thinking about it exploding behind us is terrifying. We¡¯ll need to attach portable shields and go out with those." "I¡¯ll handle the sniper rifle. The pr bear can take the grenadeuncher." "Do as you like." At the same time, the two of them looked away from the box, and Owens, Serkins, and a few others stood up and left the lounge to report to upper management. However, the box remained, and even though the eyes had left it, the box automatically activated a hologram, revealing what it was storing.
  • [Notification: Storing items...]
  • [List: M145A1 Anti-Material Sniper Rifle - Micro Anti-Matter Round Equipped // Avable Ammunition: 150]
  • [List: M40P1 Grenade Launcher - Micro Anti-Matter Round Equipped // Avable Grenades: 75 // Type Alpha - Damage Radius 25m, 45 Rounds // Type Bravo - Damage Radius 50m, 15 Rounds // Type Charlie - Damage Radius 75m, 10 Rounds // Type Delta - Damage Radius 150m, 5 Rounds]
  • [Warning: To maintain the internal maic field of the rounds, only useuncherspatible with Icarus Gear. Unauthorizedunchers will not ensure user safety.]
Anti-matter. Although it wouldn¡¯t have much impact on the U.S. power grid, it could certainly be used elsewhere. The battlefield was the perfect ce to test new technologies and weaponry, and the Dagger Team would soon prove that to be true. Meanwhile¡­ "Archetype, I hope we can take the current machine to a new battlefield soon." "Too manyints. Is there anywhere you want to go?" "This time, I want to see a dense forest." "Got it."
  • "Ha ha ha ha ha."
  • "Look at that proud look now, ha ha."
  • "Seriously, this response is hrious."
  • "Because of the baby Mecha Viyam, the mommy Viyam has a headache again..."
Indeed. His body had grown, but mentally, it felt like I was bringing along a little cousin. Anyway, leaving that aside, today, I had to go back to the research facility again. The reason wasn¡¯t anything special¡ªit was simply to gather weapons for Mecha Viyam¡¯s tail. The full story was this. "Anyway, if it¡¯s okay with you, I n to take Jin with me to the high-value research facility again today. I found some interesting data in the armory." "Are you talking about ces with sma cannons, particle weapons, or sound-wave weapons?" "Exactly." Yesterday, while rummaging through theb, I discovered something: Artemis had also made various preparations to prevent the prototype weapons from gaining consciousness, rebelling, or escaping the test room. Naturally, to stop this, various means were required, and Artemis wasn¡¯t stupid. The software-based ideas I had¡ªforcing certain cognitive functions to be locked, and creating kill switches or backdoors to stop them at any time¡ªhad likely already been implemented. But if these non-physical defenses were breached, the answer was simple: stop Mecha Eugene physically. The armory I mentioned stored weapons designed to stop the prototype in case of an emergency, and these weapons werepatible with various tforms. The discovery of these facts led me to two conclusions.@@novelbin@@ "First, when we arrive at the facility, there are two things we need to check. One is whether the facility''s defense systems are working properly, and the second is whether this weapon ispatible with your body, Jin." "Shopping time, huh?" "...Where did you learn that?"
  • "Ha ha ha ha."
  • "Already thinking about what weapons to attach to the tail, ha ha."
  • "What? You wouldn¡¯t think about the weapons that could attach to the tail?"
Jin had quickly be integrated into their environment. Chapter 403 "We¡¯vee to a fairly simple ce today. If it had been asplicated asst time, it would¡¯ve been a real headache, but it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to navigate." "So, just likest time, should we split up and move around separately?" "What nonsense are you talking about now? Last time, you got beat up pretty badly and someone had to rescue you." "Correction. At that time, the battle was actually going in my favor... I apologize. Apologies, please stop wielding that blunt instrument."
  • "Ha ha ha ha ha ha."
  • "The charm is off the charts, seriously ha ha."
  • "Now even the robot''s getting some tough love ha ha."
  • "It''s hrious how the mini-gun girl is intimidated just because she¡¯s holding a hammer ha ha."
  • "Fact: Considering her head caved in after just one hammer strike, it seems like a reasonable choice."
A cutscene began. The vehicle came to a stop, and the driver quickly jumped out, covering the vehicle with an optical camo that could operate for about an hour. Meanwhile, I exited the vehicle, followed by a Mecha Eugene that looked just like me but with different color ents. Although I was heavy, when Jin, who weighed over 500 kg, set foot on the ground, the thud was unmistakable. As the story progressed, the objectives were shifting slightly. Also, to avoid another yer getting caught in the middle likest time, I had cranked up the AI session count, which led Artemis to dispatch their full forces to deal with us at the research facility. And they weren¡¯t just sending anyone. They were deploying high-level personnel, outfitted with exo-suits, and consistently reinforcing their numbers to capture us. Where were they getting all these reinforcements from? It was a mystery. ''Of course, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t see thising¡­'' Most of the people we had taken down were covered in wires, cables, or strange electronic devices embedded in their heads. Some even had fiber optics embedded in their golden cut surfaces. The reason they could replenish their numbers so quickly wasn¡¯t due to anything special, but rather that if you ignored ethics, bandits who had been picking up scraps and firing on anything in sight just days ago could be turned into seasoned warriors overnight. It was a bit frustrating that the US remation operation didn¡¯tpletely wipe them out, but it was satisfying to know that Artemis was slowly eating away at their own power. For the sake of the remaining Artemis soldiers, I¡¯d have to send them to paradise quickly.
  • [Alert: ess pass recognized. Elevator doors closing.]
The cinematic ended as we entered the main lobby. The first thing I had to check was the blueprint panel showing theyout of the facility. The map was a mashup of sections from previous high-value research facilities, so while the overall structure had changed, learning theyout wasn¡¯t an issue. The weapons testing room was in the center of the massive central research area, so keeping that in mind, I began analyzing the map. That¡¯s when the sirens started ring from the ceiling. "It¡¯s starting. Try not to get beaten up too badly... let¡¯s check the mission first." The lights around us began to flicker off, and the only light source now was a spinning red light from the ceiling. But no one in the room seemed to care. This had happened before, and the times before that, and probably even more times before those. The mission¡¯s objective was vague and unclear. It was more of a ''request'' from a merchant than an actual mission, without a clear guideline on what to bring back or aplish. This was why the ability to read between the lines was necessary. However, if you could interpret the bigger picture, there wasn¡¯t much trouble in understanding. The current meta of the scenario was to find the prototype¡¯s location, which wasn¡¯t disclosed, and collect all possible clues to neutralize it. In simpler terms, it was about wandering around the map, finding the server room, collecting data, and farming items along the way. Though, that¡¯s only assuming it¡¯s possible. "...So, can you stop staring like that? I¡¯ll head straight for the weapon testing room." "Excellent choice." "Ugh."
  • "Ha ha ha ha ha."
  • "Mecha Eugene with Harmony again, ha ha."
  • "??? : Firepower... more firepower... heh heh heh."
  • "Wait, why do I see a green kitty, ha ha ha."
  • "Harmony again!?"
¡­Is that so? After this round ends, if I get a chance, I¡¯ll ask Mina if she¡¯s been secretly influencing me behind my back¡ªthough, thinking about it, it¡¯s probably my fault she became like that. Anyway, there¡¯s no normal person around me. Vibrations traveled through the ground as enemies began to appear through the external connecting passage. This time, the hangar was in the opposite position from where it was originally, right next to the parking lot. The structure of the first and second floors was also quite different from before. But it didn¡¯t really bother me, so I headed up the main lobby¡¯s stairs while keeping a lookout. During this, Jin added: "If we arrive first, could you check if there¡¯s any weapon capable of firing sma continuously?" "You were singing about wanting a mini-gun, and now you¡¯ve changed your mind?" "The mini-gun requires a lot of ammo. Sometimes, it¡¯s better topromise and make a more reasonable decision." "Hmm." There was no major issue. I nodded and quickly turned my gaze to the right. From across the parking lot, I could see dark figures rapidly approaching. They were moving fast, thanks to the exo-suits. Engaging them head-on would be a battle of strength, and sticking too closely to Jin would be inefficient, though not a huge problem. Inefficiency inbat could, however, lead to idents. This was why Jin had said "if we arrive first" earlier. I took a deep breath. As always, my weapon was the Mk.18 Mj?lnir. Of course, the weapon beside me was also a Mj?lnir. After seeing Jin handlerge-caliber firearms so well, I handed her one. That wasn¡¯t all. The ASh-12.7 strapped to my back was a clear statement of my intent not to be outgunned in directbat. The biggest reason, though, was that most of the enemies we¡¯d been dealing with were half-dead corpses. Those who had had their pain receptors artificially disabled were incredibly tough to handle, which is why a quick, lethal strike was necessary. My thoughts went on for a bit longer. I ced my finger on the trigger and focused on the dim light between us. "Fire." The gunfire rang out. Even with a suppressor, the sharp sound echoed through the facility, and the spent cartridges clinked on the floor, ringing like clear metal. A few shots hit Mecha Eugene¡¯s arm with a loud ng. In no time, we emptied a full magazine, cutting down fifteen of the dozens moving across the hangar and parking lot. The additional effect of taking cover behind vehicles slowed down the enemy forces trying to enter the facility. But this was just the beginning. "Warning." It wasn¡¯t me who said that. I turned to look, and Jin was staring at me. I understood the meaning immediately and dropped down t to the ground below the flower bed just as a Lapua round flew right through where I had been. Enemies emerged from a nearby office corridor and quickly fell to the floor, their cries short-lived. I spoke as I watched. "Here we go again. It¡¯s getting dangerous to stay here too long. Let¡¯s head to the server room. Looks like they¡¯ve upied the spot where the hangar was originally, so it shouldn¡¯t take too long." "Go to the server room. I¡¯ll cover you." "Alright, let¡¯s not waste any time. Let¡¯s clear out the visible enemies and decide on the next move after that." Clink! I quickly adjusted my position. After scanning the battlefield, I identified a UGV that was targeting me with grenades. I was a bitte, but my visual acuity allowed me to spot the iing grenade and shoot it down with ease. It wasn¡¯t long before three rounds exploded the grenades in mid-air. The UGV failed to kill me, and I sent it straight to hell with tungsten rounds, causing a huge explosion and dragging a few of the nearby enemies with it. I signaled to Jin, who was suppressing fire from her position, and we moved through the caf¨¦ corridor toward the kitchen intersection. As I passed, I briefly checked the body Jin had killed earlier. Just then, I stopped dead in my tracks. "...Did we miss something, Archetype?" "No, not at all." I knelt for a moment, checking the face of the fallen enemy, who had a hole the size of a fist in their chest. Their face looked familiar¡ªlike someone I¡¯d seen briefly on a UAV monitoring the high-value research facility, or maybe the trader who had been shocked and dragged away by Artemis researchers on April 26. Maverick was lying dead in front of me. What was I supposed to make of this? I didn¡¯t speak a word but activated the photo capture function of the downgraded Icarus Gear and took a picture of the dead body¡¯s face. "Endings in such a grim world usually look like this. Let¡¯s move." "Understood. Moving out." With that, Jin and I disappeared toward the central research area. It felt strange. "The enemies are arriving faster than expected, and it¡¯s causing more trouble than I thought." "What do you think about gathering up some armor and making a temporary shield, Archetype?" "That¡¯s not a bad idea. But for now, heading to the weapons testing room should be the priority." "I thought our target was the server room. Why the change?" "If we go straight to the server room, the enemies are likely to destroy the servers first." I nodded while analyzing the situation through my logic circuits. Despite the constant gunfire and the many footsteps that echoed from inside the headgear''s microphone, the logical circuits were already processing whether this was the correct approach. After analyzing it probabilistically, I realized that the likely conclusion was indeed what I had suspected. This was how it always worked when I was with Archetype. Once you understand the reasoning behind it, it¡¯s simple, but until then, there are always gaps you can¡¯t see. Despite all thebat data we¡¯d umted together, I still kept my thoughts to myself. This was because each of those experiences was pushing me toward new levels. "The continuous cooperation and 2-personbat will likely reduce enemy strength effectively. Do you agree with this conclusion, Archetype?" "Of course. Don¡¯t think about taking another path, just follow along. We need to make sure none of these guys leave alive." "Acknowledged." A simple yet effectivemand. There was nothing unnecessary or difficult about it. However, Archetype¡¯s orders, when executed at the right time, would tear through the enemy¡¯s core and turn the numbers around. Building an equivalentbat algorithm was impossible at the moment. All these facts turned into data and were transferred into the internal database, but the conclusions drawn from the new logic circuits... these were experiences I had never encountered before. As the data piled up, the deep-learning algorithms inside the system began to ¡°prefer¡± certain choices, gradually pushing the logic circuits to select those choices. This cycle continued inside the circuits, slowly forming tendencies. Eventually, the system woulde to understand emotions like ''good'' and ''bad''¡ªfeelings that humans experience. "Identified approaching enemies. A five-man squad located 50 meters ahead in the conference room and office hallway." "Well done. They¡¯ll stall us, so head to the central research area and go to the weapons testing room. They¡¯ll likely be roaming around, so take a light walk around the area." "Error. A walk is not possible. There are stillrge enemy forces remaining." "Just a joke, just a joke." What was a joke, after all? Was saying something that didn¡¯t match the situation considered a joke? I filed away that thought in my logic circuits, and we headed down the stairs. However, my circuits were still presenting several assumptions. If Archetype were to get damaged unexpectedly, my ability to manage the situation would drop significantly. But still, there was no objection. Moving slower and wasting more time would lead to an even worse oue. As we went down the stairs, I fired at the enemies who were ssified as ¡°foes,¡± one by one. The sensation of time slowed dramatically as the logic circuits shifted intobat mode, and the movement of the enemies became slower. Only my body continued at normal speed. I pulled the trigger, and the vibrations rippled out from my targeting point. All these actions were stored in the internal database. Even so, the feeling that I needed to be faster did not go away. I had suggested reasons for this, but there were no clear answers. It was simply a judgment that needed to be made. Perhaps this was what humans called ''impatience.'' "Catch them! Block them! They¡¯re heading toward the weapons testing room!" "Alert. Identifying UES-4 type Gamma. Attempting to reconnect with Artemiswork¡ªcough!" "Disabling that attempt." I attacked the enemy who was operating the machine without understanding the internal structure. The first type of closebat Archetype taught me was using the buttstock of my gun to strike. When I did that, the enemy caught in the path of the blow flew several meters away and stopped moving. After repeating this a few more times, we finally reached the weapons testing room. We broke the locked door through physical force and searched the inside. Among the various items, I quickly found the weapons storage. The door was securely locked, but I used my enhanced physical strength to break through, channeling the energy through the elerators in my elbows to speed up the punch. It didn¡¯t take long to destroy the door. Though the room was dark due to theck of lighting, I had no trouble identifying the contents inside. "Transmitting to Archetype. Identified five weapons in the storage. Scanning confirms they arepatible with the tail tform." "Good, choose what you like ande out. Let¡¯s turn this cursed ce into a no-man¡¯snd soon." "This unit agrees with that sentiment." I initially thought I¡¯d choose the mini-gun, but now that wasn¡¯t the case. Therge ballistic shield, weighing 70 kg, and the advanced sma cannon that seemed more sophisticated than the version used by UES-1 were ready for use. As I operated the panel, a capsule that could hold one person opened on the side of the room. I knew from the data that this was the same cylinder used to mount weapons onto the tail tform for newly produced units. I entered the capsule, connected the terminals, and added: "Expected return time is 2 minutes and 35 seconds." "If you¡¯re even one secondte, be prepared." "Confirmed. I will return at least 10 seconds faster."@@novelbin@@ The time hade to provide Archetype with full firepower support. As the capsule closed, the emotion that passed through the logic circuits was none other than ''satisfaction.'' "You¡¯ve really attached something terrifying, Jin." How much time passed after that? A piercing blue sh shot across the air and hit its target. With a searing heat, a person was turned into bubbling liquid and vapor, and Eugene let out a dryugh. The world truly was an odd ce. Chapter 404 "Report the situation!" "It''s not good. The forces we''ve deployed are being rapidly crushed. The loss rate is far exceeding what we expected. At the current rate, in about 10 minutes, it will be uncontroble." "Damn it, it''s just one machine and one organism, isn''t it? We''ve sent in 30 soldiers, all enhanced physically and equipped with exoskeletons, and yet we can''t even injure them, let alone capture them. Does that make any sense?" "We need to focus on the people, not the numbers. The Archetype has already destroyed three of our weapons, and one of them even managed to capture one of ours. That thing has brought back a fully repaired UES to the battlefield." Inside themand vehicle on the outskirts of the Gamma High-Value Research Facility, several personnel were busy moving and checking the screens. Sixteen holographic disys all showed the same result: bodies, bodies, and more bodies... with only two enemies moving across them. The Archetype and UES-4, Gamma Type. Whether it was by coincidence or fate, this facility was where the Gamma Type had been created. However, that fact left no impact on the fieldmanders or control officers. Unlike the crazy scientists in charge, for the field staff, the Archetype was nothing but a target of hatred. Of course, there was nothing they could do about it. "Look at the screen, damn it! Our employers want those rare two bitches! Let¡¯s throw every damn force we¡¯ve got at them and see if we still can¡¯t catch them!" "Get a hold of yourself! Do you think this is a ce for wishful thinking? It costs an insane amount of resources just to turn a single bandit into a usable soldier!" "Haha, so you''re refusing orders? Why don¡¯t you report that to the higher-ups? I¡¯m pretty lenient, so before I put a bullet in the head of anyone disobeying orders, I¡¯ll at least give them one chance." "As a staff officer, I am simply offering proper suggestions." It wasplete chaos. As the atmosphere inside the vehicle grew increasingly tense, everyone started looking around, waiting for a chance to draw their pistols from their holsters. The air temperature inside dropped to below freezing in an instant. It was a high-pressure situation. However, none of them cared about the valuablebatants who were being killed in real-time in the facility. The number of soldiers falling, struck in the head or chest, increased steadily. While they wasted about 15 seconds on this pointless nerve game, a squad of four was wiped out. Restoring the brokenmand structure was no easy task, and as the personnel scrambled to regain control, two more soldiers fell. It didn¡¯t take long for the approval of reinforcements. "Where are those two heading?" "I can¡¯t give an exact answer, but it''s probably the server room or the weaponsb, where critical data is stored." "...Doesn¡¯t matter. They didn¡¯te all the way here just to irritate us. Fall back a bit and confirm where those two are going." Unfortunately, it was already toote to implement this n. The only ce themand vehicle personnel could predict the Archetype and Jin would go was the server room or the weaponsb. Strictly speaking, that was a small sess, but that didn¡¯t mean Artemis could stop their advance. This became even more apparent when Mecha Eugene suddenly abandoned its position. "Gamma Type suddenly abandoningbat position! Heading towards the central research area!" "What the hell are you staring at? Split up the forces now! At least catch one of them!" "Command acknowledged. Preparation time required for forced connection to Artemiswork." "Then make it happen." But things were not going as expected. The unrefined Gamma Type they had observed in the past, when Red, Blue, Green, and Violet infiltrated the facility to kill the Archetype and others, was no longer there. In other words, Mecha Eugene was faster at prating the enemy lines than Artemis had anticipated. The rifle butt moved faster than the human eye could track, and in that instant, one soldier¡¯s head waspletely crushed. But that was not the end. As the process repeated several times, the holographic screen projected Mecha Eugene, now covered in blood, and the destroyed hub machine for forcedwork connection. After about a minute, all the screens in the area disyed nothing but crackling noise. The transmission devices embedded in their eyes had all been destroyed. The heads of the nearby soldiers had been crushed like watermelons. Attempts to retaliate were utterly destroyed. The basic premise of thebat¡ªthe violence of numbers¡ªwas copsing. Even exposing just a little bit of the body to fire was enough to be sted back like being struck by a wrecking ball. After a few minutes, the Gamma Type went silent in the weaponsb and storage area¡ªthough no one in the vehicle cared. The reason was simple: with Jin out of the picture, all firepower could be focused on the Archetype. It was like high-tech zombies charging at a man with a gun. The Archetype silenced the enemies attacking one by one, and then pulled out an ASh from behind to crush everything in front of it.@@novelbin@@ However, intercepting 10 grenades flying through the air was no easy task. Normally, the situation would have copsed in an instant, but it was Eugene¡¯s superiorbat skills and reload speed that kept the battle bnced. Eugene fired the ASh in rapid session, using his tail to swap out the magazine attached to Mjolnir on his back. Even so, as expected, the Archetype was gradually being pushed back. It couldn¡¯t dodge all the bullets flying at more than twice the speed of sound, and she too began umting bullet wounds on her body. About two minutester, the Artemis fieldmanders and staff inside themand vehicle werepletely lost in glee, forgetting the situation they had just witnessed. Of course, hope existed only to be shattered. ¡ª Fwoosh! "...What the hell...?" A sh. A blue bullet flying at supersonic speeds exploded in the air near the Artemis armed forces, and a terrible sh of heat spread out in all directions. The sma contained in the shell casing was released and burned everything in its path. The destruction radius was at least 15 meters in diameter. The closest ones to the epicenter were turned into flesh or titanium vapor and disintegrated on the spot, while those a little further away werepletely charred or transformed in ways beyond exnation, meeting their end. The exoskeleton bones in the arms and legs glowed bright red as a bonus. And that wasn¡¯t just from one shot, but several. However, the Archetype narrowly avoided the shockwave. As dozens ofbat soldiers were either burned to a crisp or vaporized at a molecr level, the majority of the screens inside themand vehicle turned into nothing but crackling noise. Themanders realized they werepletely screwed. "...I see a vehicle I don¡¯t recognize." Of course, they hadn¡¯t yet considered the possibility that they had physically been wiped out. After sending the Archetype and Mecha Eugene into the facility, the driver, who had been patrolling the area with optical camouge, discovered arge truck that looked brand new, following tire tracks in the dust leading into an abandoned parking lot. "Is everything alright, Archetype?" "...You¡¯ve brought a fantastic weapon. I hope you won¡¯t aim it at me." "Are you afraid of the growth of your own body¡­ ugh, this kind of pressure could cause the neck frame to warp and cause significant damage within 5 seconds, please spare me..." ¡ª Ha ha ha ha ha ha
  • "I can¡¯t believe someone is choking out the Terminator''s neck! Hahaha!"
  • "I don¡¯t want to be choked out by Eugene, though..."
  • "Seriously, you¡¯d die from choking like that!"
Jin, clearly proud of herself, showed me her tail and the sma weapon attached to it. It didn¡¯t look very different from before, but the tail now had a focal point at the end. Upon entering firing mode, the tail transformed and formed a sort of rail, with maic fields forming inside to trap the sma. The casing around it was made of special metal, allowing it to fire like a railgun. I guess you could call it a semi-automatic sma railgun. Jin then showed me a fresh sma round. "Due to the material properties, this will automatically explode after 10 seconds." "...It¡¯s a bitrge." "It¡¯s modeled after a 20mm round. It doesn¡¯t have the same prating power as the original." After about 6 seconds, I threw it far away. A few secondster, there was a quiet explosion on the other side. The sound was much quieter than a firearm or grenade, but the few remaining soldiers were screaming from inside, indicating the firepower was substantial. We had achieved one of the goals ofing to this high-value research facility. Jin had also brought arge ballistic shield, so we had cleared the front lines as well. I let out a deep breath and added, "Let¡¯s head to the server room now. With a reliable pointman, I feel a lot more at ease." "Advancing. Please follow closely." "Of course." We were getting close to the server room. However, even though we had sent all the people sent here to capture or kill us straight to Styx, the situation wasn¡¯t going to get easier. Everyone had forgotten one key fact: Artemis specialized in drones. In other words, this was just the beginning of the realbat. "I think we¡¯ll be able to loot some valuable weapons from these fallen soldiers, so in the meantime... please take care of the approaching drones." "Command acknowledged. Rebooting advanced sma cannon. Current overheating level: 15%."
  • "I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing this in my lifetime!"
  • "sma? What??"
  • "Is it still 1 person, 1 home, 1 Mecha Eugene??"
  • "Of course!"
Jin¡¯s tail aimed forward. There was a strange sound, and light began to leak out, condensing at the tip of the tail as it covered the sma. At the same time, arge amount of energy moved into the tail, elerating the round several times faster than Mach speed, slicing through the air in a single line. Boom. It was as if the entire space was being sliced apart by heat. Naturally, the UGV in front stood no chance against it. The armored vehicle made of reinforced stics, titanium, and other alloys was vaporized without even firing a single grenade. Another vehicle about 3 meters away turned into a lump of molten metal. Before I could even marvel at the sheer power, Jin had already prepared a second round. It seemed she could fire roughly one round every 3 seconds. The overheating limit was hard to gauge, but I figured she could probably fire about 20 rounds before reaching it. I picked up a new AR-15 that was lying on the floor. It was well-modified, with high-pration rounds, of course. I hadn¡¯t run out of Mjolnir or ASh ammo, but since I didn¡¯t know how long the battle wouldst, I made the choice. "Impressive firepower. Let¡¯s move forward." "Understood." The path to the server room was clear, with only a few enemies left inside. It wasn¡¯t difficult, but the challenge waspleting the fight quickly and without damaging the server. The entire server area was protected by reinforced ss walls, but those could break after about 10 shots. So I made my choice. ¡ª Boom! "Whoo."
  • "Oh, look, she¡¯s got an axe..."
  • "She decapitated him in one shot!"
  • "She¡¯s truly terrifying, isn¡¯t she?"
  • "Please, just shoot already!"
Jin, holding both an axe and a pistol, was perfectly capable of closebat. There was no issue with that. The battle continued, both inside and outside the server room. On the outside, Jin fired sma, destroying the approaching drones like sticks of wood. Inside, I was clearing out all the soldiers. The fight didn¡¯tst long, and once it was over, I cleaned the axe off with a dead soldier¡¯s clothes and put it in my pouch. I then took out arge USB drive. After activating the server, I plugged the USB in. The lights came on one by one, and I began transferring the data. While waiting for themotion outside to end, I suddenly heard the Icarus Watch beep. It was the driver who had brought us to the facility. "Yes, what is it?" "I spotted a suspicious vehicle while scouting outside. You should check it out." At the same time, a photo appeared on the screen. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I knew exactly what I had to say. "...Alright. Once we¡¯re done underground, we¡¯ll take care of it." "Understood." Artemis¡¯s portablebatmand vehicle had no shortage of gifts heading back to base. Chapter 406 ¡°Briefing file checkplete, data preparationplete¡­damn it, doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anything to hide¡­check the cleaning status of themand and control room and the conference room!¡± ¡°No issues!¡± ¡°Five minutes until Dagger team¡¯snding!¡± ¡°Check the transport ne¡¯snding route and send the vehicles for our distinguished guests! Make sure there are no loopholes!¡± End of June, somewhere in Canada. Clear weather, Dagger teamnding scheduled at the base. The golden epaulet on the shoulder of the basemander, also known as Brigadier General Aaron De Sovitch, sparkled continuously under the ceiling lights, as if it never rested. His partially balding scalp reflected the same shine, but the beads of sweat trickling down it glittered even more brightly. In a way, this could be considered natural. Since the start of the Dark Winter crisis, until the end of the great war, Aaron had been stuck in Canada almost by force, thinking only of the safety of the facility, leading a rtively peaceful lifepared to others. The president¡¯s call, however, was a bolt out of the blue. ¡®Now that the great war is over, they want to clean up the front yard. They let the reports I sent slide all this time, and now they¡¯re sending these terrifying people. They should have told me earlier¡­¡¯ Naturally, Aaron hadn¡¯t been neglecting reports up to this point. Since the outbreak of the Dark Winter crisis that escted into a full-scale war, a few years passed. As the northeastern, southwestern, and western parts of the United States were rapidly reimed with the help of the Shadows, a rtively small number of Shadows had appeared near Aaron¡¯s base in Canada ¨C this, too, was a matter to report. But, as one might expect, his reports had been dismissed with little concern during the urgency of the great war. The reason was simple. Amid the endless flood of reports about shortages of almost every conceivable resource across the United States, how would upper management have reacted upon reading a report that said, ¡®A few odd things happening, but everything is running smoothly¡¯? ¡®They¡¯d probably think everything¡¯s fine.¡¯ And indeed, that¡¯s exactly what happened. Thus, Aaron had been able to get through the Dark Winter crisis in rtive peacepared to others, but now, it was no longer the same. The Dagger Task Force, the sharpest spear of Icarus, the death knights, the dogs of Eden¡­ These individuals, infamous and intimidating, were nownding in Canada¡¯s forward base, with weapons of destruction equivalent to tactical nuclear warheads. Though he knew it was unlikely, if the situation escted to the worst-case scenario, he had to be prepared for the possibility that the base might literally be ttened. Not metaphorically, but physically.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Dagger teamndingplete. Currently circling the runway.¡± ¡°Make sure to take them this way. The duty personnel should prepare a simple refreshment. We have a facility next to the newly built researchb that can amodate more than ten people¡­what¡¯s the purpose of this facility?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a high-value material storage. However, currently, all materials are being used for construction as they arrive, so it''s an empty space no one is using. It has heating, venttion, and power, so if we convert it into lodging, it should only take about 3 hours to make it livable.¡± ¡°Good. Most of the issues are resolved. Let¡¯s move to the conference room.¡± The heavy sound of military boots echoed through the entire hallway. Various department heads responsible for the base¡¯s operations were already present. Aaron exchanged salutes with them before taking his seat¡ªnormally, it would be his job to receive the duty briefing, but this time it was entirely different. A few minutester, with a heavy thud of a doorknob turning, nine people entered the room. The pleasantries quickly ended, and the representative of Dagger team shook hands with the basemander. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Anthony Owens, the operation team leader of Dagger team.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Brigadier General Aaron De Sovitch, responsible for this base. Thank you foring such a long way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. Once we¡¯re ready, I¡¯d like a briefing on the current situation at the base. Is that possible?¡± ¡°No problem. Please take a seat.¡± The first impression of Dagger team was¡­ ordinary. It wasn¡¯t entirely ordinary, considering there were two manifested individuals among them, but when one considered the fact that these were the very same individuals who had killed over 100,000 people during the five-year-long Great War with gunfire, bomb guidance, and many other methods, one could indeed call them ordinary. However, beyond that, there was an undeniable¡­ smell. The smell of death. It wasn¡¯t something that could be washed off easily, almost as if it had soaked into their very souls¡ªlike the faint, acrid smell of gunpowder mixed with dirt. Aaron unconsciously felt his throat tighten. Nine people¡ªjust nine¡ªhad wiped out entire divisions. Feeling an inexplicable pressure weighing down on him, he picked up the remote control and started manipting the holograms. The briefing began. ¡°Well then¡­ let me briefly go over the current status of the base.¡± The details of the base slowly began to appear. The electronic documents, which had been dryly written in sentence form, now turned into a voice as they came out of Aaron¡¯s mouth, and everyone began nodding. The details, which had been reported but never thoroughly checked, started to be revealed. This was even more true given that the Shadows had only appeared around one or two years ago. The more the facts were revealed, the more the expressions of the Dagger team changed in peculiar ways. One of the key points of suspicion¡ªwhether the basemander had any ties to Artemis¡ªturned out to be nothing more than a smear. This was easily disproven by the fact that the base had been attacked and destroyed just a few weeks ago. In other words, it was purely by coincidence that Artemis Technologies, which had fled, had set up shop near the base that Aaron was in charge of. It was truly a tangled situation. ¡°¡­That¡¯s the general story.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a series ofplications. Still, it¡¯s fortunate that the presence of the Shadows helped get through the crisis somehow.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± And so, the usations were cleared up. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Aaron moved through the slides and began exining the base and the surrounding operational zones. He briefly covered the base¡¯s structure and then moved on to introduce various areas, such as the shopping mall, customs, coastline, research facilities, and lighthouse. The Dagger team, with slightly less interest, checked the situation with indifferent expressions, storing some information on Artemis before nodding. After about 20 minutes, Aaron sat back in his chair and spoke. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve provided most of the data¡­ may I ask you a few things?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The order I received directly from President¡¯s office allows us to support you without any issues, but I find the purpose of the mission somewhat strange. Can I ask about that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re referring to the part that says plete annihtion of Artemis,¡¯ correct?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± A brief exchange of nces. After a few seconds, Aaron saw a refineddy, one who appeared to have no reason to be on the battlefield, walk out next to the operation team leader and deputy, and sit down. It was Christopher ¡®Specter¡¯ Laurentina, one of the two manifested individuals responsible for Dagger team¡¯s firepower. She spoke. ¡°First, I¡¯ll make it clear that you don¡¯t need to worry about ¡®how we¡¯ll aplish that goal¡¯¡ªnone of you here need to be curious about that. Does anyone not understand what I mean?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Good, then.¡± In other words, it was ssified. With a satisfied look on her face, Laurentina pulled a folder from inside her jacket, containing a few photos. There were two photos seemingly taken by a UAV, and next to them was a photo of Eugene, clearly marked with the word ¡°ssified¡± in English. The most notable thing was that the weapon in the UAV photos looked eerily simr to Eugene. Naturally, Aaron could only stare at the photos¡ªhe didn¡¯t know what connection Eugene had with the Dagger team. The reason was simple: he had no ess to the Icarus database, nor to the personal details of the task force members. But once he knew, things would change. Laurentina spoke a few more words about this, and Aaron began to feel a sense of dizziness before speaking. ¡°I think I now understand why you came all the way here.¡± ¡°Well, the rookie has officially returned, so there¡¯s no need to worry about that. What¡¯s important is that Dagger team is here, and we need your support. It¡¯ll be a short time, but we¡¯re counting on you, General Aaron.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor for us.¡± The handshake ended. However, that didn¡¯t mean the schedule was finished. Logan, who had been silent up until now, spoke. ¡°Most of the discussions seem to be over, but I have one request.¡± ¡°Speak. What is it?¡± ¡°I know that the base has a new prototype weapon¡­ I heard it¡¯s based on the rookie. Can I check it out?¡± Here ites. Aaron nodded, indicating his approval. The meeting with Dagger team ended there. ¡°Living in a damn stinky ce, huh.¡± ¡°Hm, so this is the weapon you¡¯ve heard so much about. What should we call it? Mecha rookie?¡± ¡°Archetype. There¡¯s another one of the same model as the one that came to the gear boxst time. What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Oh, so you already knew about the ¡®rookie¡¯ there. ¡®Archetype,¡¯ huh? That¡¯s a pretty fun name.¡± ¡°Ah, really! You all just came to give advice, huh!?¡± Eugene could not be happy. The younger member of Dagger team was starting to raid the gear box with a grinning expression. "Just when I thought everything was over after sinking all those Union forces who had been wandering around the West into the waters off Seattle, you ended up picking up a gun again." "That''s how the world works. I wonder what¡¯s next¡­ After we finish off Artemis, maybe the Mexican cartels will start causing trouble again." "This time¡¯s an exception. If you weren¡¯t so closely involved, I wouldn¡¯t have cared about this." On a day without streaming, somewhere in the Dark Zone¡¯s unidentified area, I paid the price for underestimating Dagger team¡¯s ability to put their actions into practice. Jin, who was sitting next to me, was staring nkly around. Naturally, her presence was the hot potato, and unfortunately, she had never been in such a situation before. She didn¡¯t know how to react¡ªliterally had no clue. Of course, it had nothing to do with Dagger team. The subject was still me. "I always feel this way, but Eugene... maybe you were destined to never handle things in a normal way." "...I sometimes think the same. But if the results are good, then I guess it¡¯s fine... ugh." "Even if it''s not normal, a thoroughly controlled process yields predictable results, but when chance gets mixed in, don¡¯t blindly ept the oue... you know that, right, Eugene?" "Yes, of course... mmm." Naturally, I was lectured hard. I couldn¡¯t really argue, nor did I want to. In the end, the way Jin became part of the family was due to a series of coincidences ovepping, leading to a third option being born¡ªof course, if I hadn¡¯t been a Shadow and was still part of Dagger team, I wouldn¡¯t have done something like this. As the operation team leader said, luck in battle shouldn¡¯t be blindly trusted. The gist of the story ended there. But Dagger team seemed like they had no intention of leaving my gear box. Of course, there was a reason for that¡ªsomething about amodations not being assigned yet. Anyway, apart from that. "So, the reason you came all the way here... it''s still about Artemis, right?" "Yes." Serkins responded from the side. "There¡¯s a Chinese saying, ''Chanchojegeun'' (trantes to ''cutting the grass after putting out the fire''). In this case, it¡¯s like putting out the fire in the vige and now the front yard is overrun with weeds, so we have to dig it all up." "Is the odd test weapon you brought with the ne part of that n?" "Of course." It was a very basic form of antimatter weapon. It seemed they were seriously nning topletely annihte Artemis. During this, our eyes met, but Jin didn¡¯t seem to care at all¡ªwell, I guess she wouldn¡¯t. If she had even been slightly concerned, there wouldn¡¯t have been that decisive attack from earlier. Anyway, that aside, there was still a problem I needed to solve. I briefly manipted the Icarus gear in reality and sent a message to two unknown individuals while I pondered. ¡®Strictly speaking, Dagger team in the game could be considered NPCs, so if I just smooth over the current situation a bit more, I could probably get a pretty decent result.¡¯ Anyway, now that these people, who were like my hometown, hadnded in the unidentified zone, it was inevitable that we''d carry out a joint operation. The problem was that, in the process, this situation could very well seem strange. For example, if the Laurentina from my world finished a meeting with government officials and then returned to my house to y games, and there were two sharks in my session¡­ that would lead to a considerable disaster. In that case, it might have been better to publicly announce Dagger team¡¯s involvement, just likest time, while only hiding their faces. In short, it was like this. -[@^#^ : Just when in-game events werecking, this might not be a bad time. Let¡¯s step up the prototype Mecha Eugene raid.] -&$*! : I¡¯ve fully copied Dagger team¡¯s data. In a few days, we¡¯ll upload it to the unidentified zone and make it function as an NPC to assist in gamey.] -[*&!% : Of course, considering that only Dagger team existing in Eugene¡¯s session is the real one¡­ we can call it the Archetype session from now on.] Such naming sense. Of course, what was just said would never be revealed to anyone other than us, and in a few days, Icarus International would be advertising Dagger team¡¯s EU involvement all over the ce. Moreover, fortunately, the groundwork had already beenid.
  • [Y92@^ : Eugene has already revealed multiple gimmicks that allow him to capture the prototype Mecha Eugene, so we can use that as a reason to move into phase two.]
And so it was done. In the world where no one would be embarrassed, things were slowlying together. Laurentina, who had been quietly watching, stealthily approached me from behind. As a monstrous shark fin was ced above her head, she continued speaking. "By the time this is over, it¡¯ll be around the end of July or early August. How about we go to Miami Beach around that time? I trust there will be no objections." "...Is it really okay to decide this suddenly?" "Just the fact that you didn¡¯t mention the gritty Norfolk side of Virginia Beach is praiseworthy¡ªow." "Fist speed measured... 279 km/h. Dangerous attack." "Oh, Mecha rookie can talk like that, huh? You have a good sense of humor. Seems like the rookie has a lot of work to do here. How about joining Dagger team instead?" Does that make sense? I was left speechless at the unimaginable conclusion that a new member filling in Dagger team would be Mecha Eugene. "Stop with the weird talk and hurry up and grab a room." "We need a new rookie in the absence of the original... ack, ack!" "Sorry, Eugene. See youter." "No, what¡¯s wrong with recruiting the same-looking, budding Mecha rookie to Dagger team¡ªohhhhhh!" "Sorry. See youter." "...You cane tomorrow." With Logan¡¯s smooth suppression, the shark was dragged out of the gear box, and Dagger team sneaked out, forced smiles on their faces. In the midst of this strange unfolding, there were more words. "I like those people." "...Why are you like this?" As expected, it seemed there were only strange people around me. It was two weeks ago when I realized that Laurentina¡¯s words had been a hint. Chapter 407
  • [Warning. Fullmunication with Alpha Team has been cut off. Repeat: Communication with Assault Alpha Team is lost.]
  • [Heavy resistance encountered in the server room! Right! Right! 40mm low-speed grenades! Aaargh-!]
  • [Hangar bulkhead, close it, close it¡­ damn, it¡¯s a quadruped tank! Sonic weapon detected! Get out of that damn control room immediately!]
Urgent, escting voices, a rapidly changing scene. It was as if themunication updates and fleeting images were being switched like screens. The status of Alpha Team, whose vital signs had all tlined to zero, the low-speed grenades that bounced twice off the walls before precisely embedding themselves inside, and the armored vehicle-like quadruped tank that crashed through the thick hangar bulkhead. The tension-filled music abruptly stopped, and silence filled the air. After a few seconds, the screen revealed the once-pristine high-value research facility, now a wreck. The ceiling lights were half destroyed, and scattered body parts of unmanned drones littered the floor. The footage yed in reverse, showing the results of the attack. But unlike before, the final screen revealed the fallen Alpha Team in full. The nearly absent light allowed the nearly ck blood, now pooled on the floor, to shine a dull red, while in the center of the dim facility, a figure wriggled. As the camera zoomed upward, the identity of the figure was revealed¡ªit seemed to move upwards and immediately passed through the ceiling, shooting directly to the ground.
  • [Resistance is fierce! The enemy is deploying heavy equipment to tear us apart!]
  • [Alert Gamma team. As of this time, Dagger Team will provide fire support at this location. Immediately move at least 45 meters from the currentbat zone.]
  • [Dagger... I''ve heard that name before- Ugh! Fall back! Fall back!]
The surface, too, was in chaos. However, the camera showed that those who had been deployed underground were facing worse oues, while the yers above were desperately retreating, putting enough distance between them and the enemies. As they sessfully moved out of the kill zone, ¡ª Kuuuung! Suddenly, an enormous explosion red up in the center of the kill zone, apanied by an immense aftershock. A st of intense heat swept over everyone, sendingmunications into a momentary ckout. However, as the yers barely escaped the epicenter, they witnessed nearly every UGV and armored quadruped tank being reduced to titanium vapor and shattered debris. At that moment,munications were restored, and the support operator spoke.
  • [Dagger Team fire supportpleted. Proceed with your mission.]
  • [What the hell¡­ What is going on?]
The tempo of the footage quickened. The battle that had started at the outer perimeter of the massive research facility had now shifted to the first floor. The scales of victory tipped in favor of the yers as Dagger Team, having appeared at the right moment, dismantled the defensive forces'' nks. But that wasn¡¯t the end. The camera, which had been focusing on the surface, returned to the dark interior of the research facility, where it began focusing on the entity that had literally crushed the initial assault forces. A chilling metallic sound rang out as a bulletproof te hovered in midair, its front aimed squarely at the camera. Between the te, two icy blue eyes glowed unnaturally bright. A silver tail glimmered, gradually shifting, forming strange sma-like colors. It was Prototype Mecha Eugene. She had officially prepared forbat. However, even seeing this, the enemies did not falter.
  • [You''ve brought an interesting toy.]
  • [We¡¯ll hold the line from the front. The front line willst at least 3 minutes. Let¡¯s see how well our friends perform.]
  • [It¡¯s time for some fun fireworks.]
nk. The sound of a grenadeuncherbeled ¡°Antimatter Weapon¡± echoed, and the camerazily illuminated the scene. The Icarus Gear worn on the left wrist¡ªno downgrade version, but the original¡ªshined clearly. The camera then shifted to show the person¡¯s shoulder. A dagger patch piercing through a spade, with "TASKFORCE DAGGER" written below it. The trigger was pulled on the 40mm antimatter grenade, and in the same instant, Mecha Eugene unleashed a sma pulse. The two mes collided, and the resulting explosion engulfed the screen in mes, followed by darkness. Momentster, several lines appeared in midair.
  • [Unidentified Zone Escape Mode: Taskforce Dagger joined.]
  • [Prototype Weapon Raidunched.]
. . . . [General] Who am I? ''KingGodEmperorGreatYellowBrightDarkZoneEUyer'' [Overall Comments] [By Registration Order]
  • Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus! Icarus!
  • This is it! Hahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Aaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content! Aaaah, tsunami of content!
  • We are living in the same era as Dark Zone!!!
  • This game is insane! Hahahahahahaha
  • Aish, I''ve never done EU before, is it worth it?
    • Already done by everyone but you lol
    • Try it, go ahead
    • Can you stand it? You really can hahahahahahahahahaha
    • No joke, it''s worth it, it''s just the early maps and farming that make it tough
    • The noob doesn¡¯t even farm, just shoots, is this one of those games too?
    • Ah, that¡¯s Eugene
    • F*ck hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
  • Dagger Team... I feel like I''ve seen them somewhere before, why don''t I know them?
    • Didn¡¯t you do the Seattle raid? Don¡¯t you y this game???????????????????
    • F*ck, I just started the game!!
    • Oh, I get it, this newbie¡¯s getting roasted hahahahahahahaha
    • Ugh, trash~~
    • F*ck sorry, I was wrong
  • Isn¡¯t Dagger Team showing up now?? Can¡¯t Mecha Eugene just be beaten up and turn into an ally?
    • Try it then hahahahahahaha
    • Fact) Everyone who did simr things in your space got wiped out, or Mecha Eugene self-destructed first
    • Seriously, unless you nail them in the exact spot with a hammer or shoot them with a gun, you¡¯ll never win hahahaha
    • Living point) If someone does something really easily, they are probably an expert in that field
Unidentified Zone Escape Mode advertisement. It didn¡¯t take long for the brilliant quality video to sweep through the billboards of South Korea. "They really poured their souls into this." Should I call this a spectacle or a grand scene? As expected, a video was ying in front of my eyes¡ªa few days had passed since Dagger Team¡¯s arrival in the Unidentified Zone, and as soon as Saturday hit, a video was uploaded to Icarus Dark Zone¡¯s official YouSpace channel. Naturally, I knew what it was from our previous discussion. Though it had been exined many times, to summarize, it was preparation to legitimize Dagger Team¡¯s presence in the Unidentified Zone¡ªbut honestly, did the yers care about that? They didn¡¯t care at all, simply screaming in joy. "By the way, speaking of that, there are still a lot of people who remember Dagger Team. I went around and saw many weing reactions."
  • Fact) Yes.
  • It''s nice to see them, but honestly, they made it easier to run public raids and operations hahaha
  • Dagger Points 10 (put them in a raid, you won¡¯t lose out) / Dagger Points 25 (raid superstar carrier) / 3-stage clear title holder (not seen in the top tier)
  • This person doesn¡¯t care about raids at all hahaha, a Biya-myeon would be stronger than most raid members
  • Don¡¯t bash with facts though
So that¡¯s what it was. Anyway, it was just as they said. No need to look far. I started browsing through personal sites, as the viewers seemed to pick up on my subtle interest. Though the joint operations with Dagger Team hadn¡¯t been many¡ªapparently, besides the oil refinery bombing mission I participated in with Harmony, there were a few more mission recruitments that I didn¡¯t join¡ªI found outter that only a handful of people actuallypleted these. But the numbers weren¡¯t that small. There were a few hardcore users who spent hundreds of hours to barely clear the third stage. These users were now the carriers, showing overwhelming skill in public raids. Curiosity piqued, I didn¡¯t log into the game right away but spent some more time browsing the inte. Since the server had been open for quite a while, the YouSpace and Dark Zone EU-rted sites were overflowing with information. The server had opened around 8 AM, and many people had been ying already, but I wasn¡¯t one of them. I had to hit the gym in the morning. Moreover, my broadcast schedule usually started around 7 PM, so until then, whether there were significant updates or not, I did what I wanted to do or what I had to do. For that reason, my information gathering was a bit dyed, but in the end, the important thing was this: "It¡¯s more urate to say that a new merchant has been added rather than anything rted tobat. All the quests seem to be absurdly bizarre... but I expected that."
  • Just speaking the truth, hahahahahaha
  • Every quest is crazier than Superbone, hahahahaha
  • Living point) Once you ept the quests, the map structure changes, and enemies appearing on the map also change, so everyone¡¯s dying.
  • All the bandits are now Artemis enemies? That''s crossing the line, f*ck hahahahaha
  • Someone even saw a quadruped tank, hahaha
Hmm. Nodding, I scrolled through the chat, fervently checking hidden high-level information, and began to think that this was probably the expected oue. Since the exit and map are the same, people just get used to specific methods, but if not... users had no choice but to grow stronger¡ªthough they might die in the process, but I don''t really know about that. Of course, I heard that pre-modified maps would be provided to offset map-changing penalties... Still, seeing everyoneining made me suspect there was some reason, and when I checked, the quality of the maps themselves turned out to be pretty poor. But that''s that, and tactics are tactics. I spoke up: "...Isn''t that enough to figure out? It¡¯s not like they addedpletely new equipment, just mixed up the maps a bit. How hard can it be?"
  • If you apply your standards to others, 99% of the users will get wiped out, you f*cking liar.
  • ?? : Huh? Why can¡¯t it be? It works for me.
  • As of today... Dark Zone service ends...
  • That''s exactly what I¡¯m calling hard, f*ck hahahahahahaha
  • Don¡¯t mess with the people who can break locks with just their grip, hahahahahahaha
I didn''t even say much, but everyone started self-regting, bing a team in apletely ironic way.@@novelbin@@ If I said more here, the already bad situation might have taken a strange turn, so instead of adding more words, I decided to simply log into Dark Zone with my choker on. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Lorentina hadn¡¯t arrived home yet, so I was able to step into the Gear Box without any big issues. And of course... "Finally here?" "You arrived just as the sun set. What kind of punishment should we give this little one who has no sense of time?"
  • ????????????
  • Wait, they¡¯re a bit different from the Dagger Team we know??????
  • Fact) The Biya-myeon received the Dagger Team title during the Seattle raid.
  • Was it just you who was officially part of Dagger Team? hahahahahahaha
  • Damn, so jealous hahahahahaha
I knew this would happen. The Dagger Team, who had been waiting for me to log in, immediately started teasing me¡­ but my attention was elsewhere. A silver body. A physical appearance that couldn¡¯t be described as human and sleek metal lines shining brightly... No, it wasn¡¯t that. Mecha Eugene was there, not in my Gear Box, but waiting in the ce where Dagger Team was staying, or wherever they were. Staring at it with a dumbfounded expression, Jin quickly added in her t tone: "I must rify that this action is not a betrayal of the Archetype. ording to the logic circuits'' analysis, these beings have considerable power and are highly favorable toward the Archetype... Ugh." "Be quiet." "Oh dear. The talking tin can has be a mute one." "Who just said that?" "Apologize."
  • What¡¯s this hahahahahahahahahaha
  • F*ck, I should¡¯ve been part of a joint operation with the Dagger Team!!!!!!!!!!
  • Damn, so friendly hahahahahahaha
  • This is crazy hahahahahahahahaha
  • Even NPCs be gentlembs in front of Eugene...
That brief incident ended. While it wasn¡¯t exactly a cutscene, it was simr, and Dagger Team ced a few items on the table without paying much attention. The contents were simple. In fact, I already knew. It was the same Dagger Team quest that had been posted on Tricky¡¯s personal site just a few minutes ago. There were daily quests, weekly quests, and some that had no set deadline. But without much thought, I epted them all. Naturally, Dagger Team didn¡¯t seem to care much either, and they added their own input. "Is two weeks enough time?" "We¡¯ll need to try a few times to get the hang of it." "At this point, humility isn¡¯t really necessary. Go and scout the operation zone. I¡¯ll give you a few beacons, so just stick them in ces where they won¡¯t be noticed, and the zone data will automatically update. Once the scouting isplete, you¡¯ll be able to receive fire support, so keep that in mind." "You didn¡¯t mention that we have to get past Artemis¡¯ forces, UGVs, and tanks, did you?" "If I thought you couldn¡¯t do it, I would¡¯ve told you to stop being reckless from the start."
  • Wow hahahahahaha
  • We get all these quests and you¡¯re telling us to distinguish courage from recklessness hahahahahahahaha
  • Fact) Those who can do it, have done it
  • If you wanted, you should¡¯ve earned the title during the Dagger Team event (I couldn¡¯t either)
  • Ah hahahahahaha
Serkins, this guy... As I red at him, he smoothly fled behind the squad leader. Of course, the viewers were justughing along¡ªfortunately, Lorentina and Logan were wearing full-face masks, so their identities weren¡¯t revealed. Owens changed his face using in-game filters. Themon thing among the people listed was that they had all appeared on broadcasts at least once in the real world. In other words, this action was meant topletely shut down any questions like, "Why are they NPCs?" Anyway, I took a look at the mission details. The daily quests were mostly about map reconnaissance, but the hardest ones involved destroying quadruped tanks and retrieving internal parts, or capturing high-ranking officers and retrieving their belongings. Although it was mentioned that Dagger Team''s fire support should be used, well... if we could get it, fine; if not, that¡¯s just how it is. Fire support is never something you can always count on. And so, I stood up from my seat. Of course, I called Jin. "Well, it''s time to at least dip our toes in. Follow me, Jin. We¡¯ve got work to do." "Don¡¯t expect great results." "Of course, that¡¯s what will happen." It was time to work. The path to Prototype Mecha Eugene was vaguely in sight. Chapter 408 ©¤©¤©¤Crackle. "Bad reception, poor signal¡­ I thought so. But the rain¡¯s not too bad. The sound of it should help mask our footsteps. Hopefully, water won¡¯t get in and cause any damage." "This unit was designed for short-term engagements and operations in favorable conditions. However, all waterproofing is in ce, so there¡¯s no need to worry. Furthermore, in this weather, the cooling efficiency of the advanced sma cannon will slightly increase." "That¡¯s a wee piece of news. Let¡¯s go."
  • What the hell~~~~~~~~~
  • Why is there a sniper tower and framework to the north, hahaha
  • Does this mean the positions of the operational nodes and central warehouse have swapped?
  • But the positions are all over the ce hahaha
  • Look at how the road is all twisted hahaha
The steady hum in my ear, the rain falling steadily from the sky, and the dim sky above. The sunlight was certainly pouring down above the thick clouds, but the beings on the ground definitely weren''t benefiting from it. In the meantime, Jin and I arrived at our destination. We had arrived at the customs office. The spawn area was a logistics warehouse. I couldn¡¯t yet confirm how much the map had changed, but based on the chatments, I could tell that what should have been a dormitory area was now littered with old and new frameworks, sniper towers, and such... it was a mess. Theyout was chaotic, and the sizes of the buildings and structures were sorge that the long diagonal road that should¡¯ve divided the map north and south had be a winding, twisted path, as if it had beenpressed from above. The logistics warehouse and the river to the west of the customs seemed to be in their original locations, though... "I wonder what happened to the power station. Let¡¯s roam the map and check." Therge beacon inside my bag rattled. The beacon, roughly the size of a tank battery, could be split into five parts, and today we were nning to ce them in designated spots across the map. The locations were five in total: the red warehouse, dormitory, new framework, water storage, and the power station. By cing them, we¡¯d be able to receive updated map and enemy data. The method was simple. Jin, who had made significant progress with firepowerst time, would lead, and I would follow behind as the operative, cing the beacons. If we were lucky, we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with any enemies roaming the map. Of course, no one here was expecting that. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "¡­I¡¯ve been seeing that four-legged tank a lottely. Do you know what it is?" "MEP-1. The Multi-purpose Engagement tform model 1. It¡¯s equipped with a 130mm thermochemical cannon and can fire anypatible type of shell. It also has wheels between its legs, allowing it to quickly change direction in emergencies." "So, it¡¯s basically a tank with legs. Can we disable it with the sma cannon?" "If we target the main gun, ammunition storage, or the turret-body joint, there¡¯s a 70% chance of destroying it. However, it¡¯s possible it has an electric field generator that creates significant interference, so we should avoid attacking recklessly." "Then let¡¯s ignore it for now."
  • F*ck, don¡¯t think about destroying it, just think about dodging, hahaha
  • ?? : Why dodge? Just destroy it, that¡¯s enough!
  • Whatever¡­ let¡¯s just let this slide...
  • ¡®For now¡¯ really? Hahahahahahahaha
Why are they like this? No matter what, I¡¯m still human. I can¡¯t just take down a tank with my bare hands, it¡¯s obvious. But what are the viewers thinking, making such ims? Of course, if I had the Icarus Gear, it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult to win. EMP it to temporarily disable the controls, then jump up to the turret, drill-charge the hatch, and it would be over. I¡¯ve done it a few times in New York... though, obviously, I didn¡¯t do it because I wanted to. I had to because we were short on personnel. In any case, I passed by the squad patrolling the logistics warehouse and headed toward the red warehouse. I slipped through the opening and peeked inside. It was full of enemies. Naturally, I couldn¡¯t just ignore them and install the beacon secretly. In other words, all of them, or at least half of them, needed to be taken down andid out on the cold ground. I sighed and added: "This is something Lorentina would excel at."
  • What¡¯s this person talking about hahahahahaha
  • Are you bringing Shark-eye over???
  • Teacher, this is too much humility, stop with the nonsense!
  • I don¡¯t know, hahahaha, I¡¯ll just keep my mouth shut hahahaha
  • Oh, teacher, you¡¯re pulling something out again¡­ what now? F*ck
So, what I pulled out wasn¡¯t an axe. Instead, it was a dagger, shaped like a wine corkscrew, called a Push Dagger. It was a T-shaped de that protruded between the fingers. Its power was naturally inferior to an axe, but given therge number of enemies, I needed to take them down with minimal noise and movement. I hadn¡¯t forgotten the suppressed pistol either. Handing the bag with the beacons to Jin, I added: "Follow me slowly." "...What kind of closebat weapon does the Archetype not handle?" "Don¡¯t worry about it, just hurry up." Tap. At that moment, I dashed quickly across the interior of the warehouse. With the tactical backpack, loaded with not just beacons but all sorts of items, passed off to Jin, I felt much lighter. But now it was time to focus. Since everyone here was wearing exoskeletons, their strength had probably matched mine. If I wasn¡¯t careful, it could be difficult to suppress them. I moved stealthily behind the reconnaissance squad of three. The first thing to target was the back of the neck, particrly the brainstem and cerebellum, abination of the midbrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord¡ªexactly where my hand would strike. In less than 0.1 seconds, the enemy I targeted copsed to the ground as their central brain functions were destroyed. The enemy to the right tried to identify my direction, but by the time he saw me, thest thing he would¡¯ve noticed was a suppressed pistol with a ck Osprey silencer. As soon as my left index finger twitched, another enemy copsed, and there was one left. I quickly ced the knife back into my right hand and aimed the pistol in the opposite direction. A small shot rang out, and the subsonic bullet pierced his skull. Before the body hit the floor, I carefully ced the warm bullet casings down and added: "Come on, hurry up, we don¡¯t have time to hide the bodies." "...Confirmed."
  • What the hell????
  • Living point) Took less than 3 seconds.
  • Look at how he held the casings with his right hand to avoid making noise, f*ck hahahahaha
  • Is life this easily snuffed out...?????
  • At this point, it¡¯s starting to get terrifying.
Well, it wasn¡¯t like I hadn¡¯t seen this before. There was still a long way to go, and many more bullets to be fired. "Looks like the north part of the map, from warehouse 17 to the sniper tower, haspletely shifted. But the dormitory area is still there. I think the depot area remains the same though." "Curious. The movement route seems strange. I wonder why it¡¯s being shifted in this way." "Well, buildings have been erected in the high ground to the north. If the scouts catch us, it¡¯ll cause trouble. We can¡¯t afford to be careless, even if it¡¯s raining." "Understood." With the lighter bag in hand, I moved toward the center of the dormitory. After erasing all the enemies near or inside the red warehouse, I installed the beacon. The bag now had a lot of extra space. There were still four beacons to ce, but that number would soon be reduced to three, making our journey a little easier. Of course, there was no time to ck off. It was obvious that anyone near the logistics or red warehouse would quickly notice something was off. While they might not figure out where we had gone, they would certainly know someone had infiltrated. Even though the beacon was hidden in a space where no one could find it, I wasn¡¯t worried about it being destroyed. Anyway, back to the mission, Jin and I were currently checking the dormitory area where the new framework used to be. There were quite a few enemies, but not too many. The dormitory area itself wasn¡¯t strategically valuable, so it seemed like only the minimum necessary personnel were deployed. Therefore, the pre-scouting didn¡¯t take long, and we didn¡¯t spend too much time there. Meanwhile, Jin seemed quite impressed by the close-assault tactics I used earlier. She was eager to try it herself, making it clear she wanted to give it a go¡ªand I only had one method to teach her. Breaking necks. "I did it."
  • What did you do, you crazy bastard hahahahaha
  • Seriously, what a mess hahahahaha
  • Haha, you did well, though hahahahaha
  • Mecha Eugene... something feels heavy in my chest...
  • That¡¯s just from gaining weight hahahaha
And within three minutes, Jin had sent seven enemies to Styx River with swift precision. It was expected. A machine that had already surpassed the physical limits of a human wearing an exosuit could easily snap a human neck with all its might. The result? A loud snap, of course. And because Jin had followed my advice not to be careless and eliminate enemies before they could alert themunicationswork, the second and third bodies she took down had their ribs shattered¡ªessentially preventing any leakage of information. At this point... Artemis would probably see us as walking disasters, but I didn¡¯t care. That wasn¡¯t my problem. As I activated the second beacon, I muttered: "The rain¡¯s muffling the noise¡­ but something feels off. I have a bad feeling about this." "Do you have any solid evidence for that?" "No. But sometimes, a feeling can emerge without logic or evidence. It¡¯s just a 50% guess whether something will happen or nothing at all." "The logic circuits of this unit have concluded that preparing for possible oues would be more helpful." "I like that conclusion." Although I said that, the problem was that the possibilities were too vast. Assuming the worst-case scenario¡ªthe Artemis enemies detected us while we were roaming the map¡ªthen the escape routes would likely be the only option. Thankfully, the depot area hadn¡¯t changed much, and there was still a ZB-1012 exit on the list. If necessary, we could escape that way. ''...I don¡¯t really like thinking about escape as the n, but... Back when I was active with Dagger Team, at the beginning of the crisis, we didn¡¯t really n for an escape route. It was either we¡¯d push through and wipe out the enemies or get overrun. Looking back, it was truly insane, but on the other hand, it nted an odd idea in my mind. If we wiped out all the enemies on the ground, there¡¯d be no need to retreat, something like that. In any case, my brain was full of scenarios about what to do if the enemy suddenly swarmed in, and after a quick mental calction, the simplest conclusion was... "Either we steal one of their tanks, or we¡¯re going to need at least an NSV or a grenadeuncher... in that case, I¡¯d need to head for the new framework. I should¡¯ve brought the KPV if I had known." "¡­Is that part of the joke, Archetype?" "Perhaps."
  • Ugh, that¡¯s a bit much, hahaha
  • Is it a joke??? Answer me, you bastard!!!!!!!!!!
  • If it¡¯s not a joke, what are you going to do about it hahaha? What can you do besides getting shot and torn apart hahaha
  • Phew, I managed to hold back the bad words today, hahaha
  • You¡¯re going to get wiped out except for the four-legged tanks hahaha
Sadly, that was the extent of the firepower avable. Since I didn¡¯t know how many enemies were in other areas, the primary objective was to focus onbat first. Naturally. Going into a stealth mission while assumingbat would be necessary was the right preparation, but treatingbat as inevitable would be crazy. So, I focused again on moving silently, passing through Na Dong and heading toward Warehouse 4. The depot was a cluster of three warehouses, so it was quite dangerous. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no enemies at the old gas station, and we crossed the side gate, passed under the gas station, and turned toward the depot. That¡¯s when a thought suddenly crossed my mind. "The worst-case scenario would be if one of those same-model units suddenly barged in, don¡¯t you think?" "...That¡¯s also a possibility." "I¡¯m certain that if that happens, our chances of survival would be nearly zero..." "But there is one thing we can rely on." "What¡¯s that?" "This." At that moment, Jin rummaged through her bag and pulled out a grenade. I took it, confused, and examined it closely. It looked like a standard 40mm grenade, but... the word written on the side stopped me in my tracks. Antimatter Grenade. Literally, a "antimatter grenade"¡ªusually, we call grenades "hand grenades." The destructive radius was 75 meters. It was something so terrifying, it almost made me afraid to even look at it. The inside was hollow, but upon closer inspection, there was something almost invisible, as small as the tip of a needle, floating inside. I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly it was, but it didn¡¯t matter. More importantly, when had she gotten this? Then I remembered, we had been chatting with Dagger Team before I logged in, so maybe it was a gift or something. Remarkable, really. Meanwhile, Jin spoke up. "¡­Archetype." "Yeah?" "I¡¯m picking up friendly signals on my radar¡­ but they¡¯ll likely register me as an enemy." "No way."@@novelbin@@ "It seems the worst-case scenario I suggested is bing a reality." ©¤©¤©¤Whoooom! But there was no time to answer. Somehow, a device came flying from a distance, soaring in an arc andnding right in front of Jin and me. Its tail opened in a spiral, and rails formed on either side. A blinding arc of electricity discharged as I made out a single point in the center of the sh. As I stepped off the wall and leapt up, a blue line of energy shot toward the air from behind. It was Jin¡¯s sma cannon. The enemy¡¯s final shot missed, as it veered wildly, targeting the empty air instead of me. The sensation of time slowing down spread throughout my body, but in that moment, I saw a ck spot moving at such extreme speed that even my enhanced vision couldn¡¯t track it. Along with it, memories of past conversations returned. ¡®Is this a follow-up model to the Minigun-equipped unit...?!¡¯ An epsilon-type unit equipped with a railgun on its tail. As I watched from a distance, the chimney of the sniper tower to the north was obliterated by a direct hit from the railgun, and my body, which had done a quick aerial flip,nded back on the ground. Changing the magazine, I added: "Let¡¯s survive this." "Of course." The battle to survive had begun. "What did I expect, right? This mission was practically impossible from the start." "Two beacons installed. Switching to thermal imaging." "M145A1 anti-material sniper rifle locked in, internal current circtor operating normally. Antimatter rounds loaded. Lethal range: 35 meters. We can¡¯t let Artemis scum interfere with the rookie¡¯s engagement." Click. The sound of metal as the antimatter rounds slid into the chamber. Under the pouring rain, Lorentina, covered with an optical camouge, and Logan, loading grenades, locked onto the four-legged tank moving along the road. The power of E=mc2 would soon sweep through the customs building. Chapter 409 :"Goddamn it, if there weren''t so many enemies closing in around me, this would have been manageable." "Please heal, Archetype. Multiple fractures." "Sigh, excuse me for a moment." My body ached fiercely. If this were the real world, I would have screamed in pain from the amount of injuries I¡¯d sustained. But fortunately, in the game, it wasn¡¯t as severe. What can I say, it felt like lightly bumping my knees or toes against a door frame. However, aside from that, the status of my body disyed in the upper left corner¡­ wasn''t looking too great. There was severe bleeding and fractures, and two of my limbs werepletely ck, including my abdomen. Thankfully, my tail seemed rtively intact. As rainwater streamed down the wall, I leaned against it, healing my body while Jin was dealing with a simrly equipped unit with a railgun. Thankfully, Jin¡¯s advanced sma cannon attached to his tail was strong enough to not only disrupt the enemy¡¯s aim but also deal significant damage. But, unfortunately, while there were areas where we had the advantage, there were also those where we didn¡¯t. Kaaaang! A chilling metallic sound echoed, followed by a burst of sparks, and at almost the same moment, Jin was sent flying. The enemy unit, using the recoil of its railgun for mobility, kicked Jin, sending him flying far into the distance. Thankfully, there didn¡¯t seem to be any major injuries, but I was feeling an increasing sense of urgency. I removed the bullets lodged in my body, applied a splint, and bandaged myself up. Then, I took out a medkit and injected it into my wrist, and my wounds began to heal almost instantly. It was a convenience unique to the game. Of course, just as I was thinking this, vibrations starteding from behind the wall, so I picked up my gun, ready to face the iing enemies. Themotion had drawn more enemies in. "Enemy identified¡ªAaahh!" "Cough, ugh¡­!" "It¡¯s Archetype! Don¡¯t approach recklessly! I¡¯m using high-powered piercing rounds!" Of course, the guy who said that had his head blown off shortly after. After quickly estimating their positions, I pulled two grenades from my pouch, removed the pins, and threw them. I fired a few shots into a thin concrete wall, and I could clearly see the enemies toppling over through the holes. Then, of course, the grenades exploded in a chain reaction. The resulting shockwaves were enough to shake the ground. But how many enemies were still on this map? In the three minutes ofbat, I¡¯d already wiped out about four squads of around 10 people each, and it felt like there were at least two to three times that amount remaining. The problem wasn¡¯t just the numbers, though. As a loud explosion echoed from the direction of the logistics warehouse, I opened my mouth. "High-angle bombing approaching. Get out of that location quickly; I¡¯ll assist you." "Roger." Kaka-kang! As soon as I moved positions, I fired three shots into the torso of the enemy unit with the railgun. I aimed for the abdomen and legs. Fortunately, I aimed well, and the shots pierced through without ricocheting. If we kept stacking damage like this, it would eventually make a significant impact. After I repositioned, several cluster bombs rained down from the sky. Each one created a lethal zone several meters wide, but I had already figured out where the safe zones were based on their trajectories. Despite the explosions and the smell of gunpowder filling the air, I was able to regroup. However, thisbat had revealed a few important things. "Archetype¡­!" "That unit is quite the hothead." "Affirmative. This unit is superior." The enemy unit was definitely a hothead. Anyway, after feeding it several shots, a sh erupted. It wasn¡¯t Jin¡¯s shot, but the enemy unit fired its railgun, mounted on its tail, in the opposite direction, charging toward us. The momentary speed was close to 500 km/h. However, with my enhanced visual perception, which could track shuttlecock-like movements at 300 km/h, I was able to narrowly dodge it. The enemy unit passed over my head with a deafening noise, crashing into the wall of Warehouse 4. I paused for a moment, stunned, but quickly signaled to Jin, who was running toward me, and we retraced our steps, fleeing toward the side gate. Unfortunately, the ZB-1012 near the fuel depot was too heavily guarded for us to head there. "ZB-103 is locked, so let¡¯s head for Lua. It shouldn''t be too far." "Should I take rear guard?" "No." Kaaaang! "We¡¯ve been caught up; no need for that now." "Now I¡¯m definitely going to catch you!" Where did this hot tempere from? As I heard an overwhelming barrage of gunfireing from the upper side of the dorm, I was lucky that the rain had reduced visibility. Plus, the distance was sufficient to make their shots inurate. This, in turn, meant that even the railgun-equipped unit had some of its rounds hitting it instead of us. Of course, as I had mentioned before, this enemy unit was pretty hot-headed, and in a fit of rage, it started firing its gun indiscriminately toward the dorm. "Stop interfering, you idiots!" I just hope Jin doesn¡¯t reach his teen angst phase. The situation continued to ebb and flow, but it wasn¡¯t improving. The reason was simple. Beyond the path toward Lua was the logistics warehouse, where, as I had mentioned earlier, four-legged tanks moved instead of tracked vehicles. Through the rising mist and thick rain, I saw the turret of one of the tanks aiming directly at us. In that moment, Jin and I threw ourselves t on the ground, and the deafening explosion of a sub-munition whizzed over our heads, practically scraping us clean. Would we be able to destroy the logistics warehouse before taking down the enemy unit? It was truly a no-win situation. But one thing was certain¡ªif we used Jin¡¯s antimatter grenade, at least he would be able to escape unharmed. I could respawn at the base anyway. At least, that was what I thought. But just then, themunication device suddenly came to life. "¡­Do check, signal check. The sensitivity is quite poor. Can you hear me?" "¡­What?" "We¡¯ve only installed two beacons, yet the enemy¡¯s brigade has been detected in the operational area. We hurriedly gathered the necessary equipment and were dispatched." "Then I¡¯ve been struggling here for¡­" "Consider it bad luck." Dagger Team had arrived. Goddamn it. I had suspected that the risk of detection during this stealth operation was too high, but did they really prepare for this too? Despite all that, I finally sighed with relief. I wasn¡¯t sure where the two of them were, but just their presence would significantly reduce the pressure we were facing from all directions. Taking Jin¡¯s hand to help him up, I looked at the railgun-equipped unit¡¯s tail, which was glowing brightly, and added. "It¡¯d be nice if we could turn that four-legged tank behind us into scrap metal." "Understood. Watch out for the backst." "Wait, what?" "I¡¯m going in." And in that instant, all light disappeared from the world. The overwhelming brightness and pressure from behind me, and the heat¡ªlike the whole space had been carved out into a hemisphere, causing the rain to evaporate¡ªhit me. However, before all that, my sharp vision caught a glimpse of what was happening at the logistics warehouse. Arge shell, flying in an arc, fell near the tanks. When itnded, a massive explosion erupted, obliterating everything in that vicinity. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Kaaaang! Dust rose as the enemy unit fired its railgun at the ground, propelling itself upward and charging toward us. But to their misfortune, we were experts at picking off airborne targets. It didn¡¯t take long before Jin¡¯s advanced sma cannon and Mjolnir took aim at the sky. Several shes erupted from the air. Unfortunately, my armor-piercing rounds didn¡¯t cause much damage since the enemy was spinning while falling, but the sma shots were much more effective. After a few direct hits, the enemy unit¡¯s body turned red hot and crashed to the ground, opening fire at us once again. The rain pouring down made it a little disappointing to see the unit¡¯s heated body cooling off so quickly. The sequence of events unfolded in a blur, and after a brief moment, thems crackled again. It was Logan. "From now on, we¡¯ll begin autonomous fire support. Don¡¯t get killed by that weapon." "Of course." Thankfully, with the voice modtion in ce, the viewers wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize the identities of the two of them.@@novelbin@@ The counterattack had begun. "¡­Why is this guy going full hell mode by himself?" "Dagger Team missions have adjustable difficulty. They should be going that far." Meanwhile, in the chat. Many users were in a heated discussion. It no longer needed to be said, but some people always forget. The EU scenario that Eugene was ying was unique to him, and it became even more pronounced after capturing the Mecha Eugene and Dagger Team entering the scenario. And then, a new system arrived to emphasize this: -[Notification: From this point onward, the missions and map modifications avable to users will vary based on their gear score.] This system was essentially a preparation to narrow the gap between yers in the EU mode and help them get ustomed to the game. For yers who hadn¡¯t yed much or weren¡¯t very skilled, the map changes were minimal, and the number of enemies was fewer. Put another way, the higher the yer¡¯s reputation, the faster the difficulty would increase due to the system¡ªleading many yers topete to see who could handle the toughest missions or maps. Naturally, the person who was unmatched in this field... was right in front of them. "I feel like the pressure from my side has been eased a bit. Should I take the second friend back to the base now?" "...Is this unit not enough?"
  • "Just kidding, just kidding. Why are you getting all gloomy?"
  • "Don¡¯t make weird assumptions on your own, you trash! Traitors of Artemis!"
  • "Ah hahaha."
  • "That whiny little brat is kind of cute, isn''t he?"
  • "Oh, haha."
  • "The perfectbo: Clumsy First Model / Angry Baby Second Model. Hahaha!"
  • "What the hell is this, a daycare? Hahaha."
Theughter quickly spread through the chat, but unfortunately, Eugene was still in the middle of Hellgate. As mechanical fists came flying at him at speeds unimaginable to regr people, Eugene skillfully dodged them while spraying his ASh gun, causing the enemy unit to recoil in surprise and attempt to retreat. But Jin, who had fought countless battles with Eugene and had be ustomed to his movements, was already calcting the exact timing of the gap. As the cold rain and the chilly air briefly turned into a sweltering blue gust that repeatedly passed by, the enemy unit¡¯s movements began to slow down. It had quickly realized that the situation was turning unfavorable for it. And, of course, the damage Artemis was taking only grew exponentially as time passed. Mostly because of Dagger Team.
  • "The most enjoyable action in the world is beating the crap out of the enemy, but the more fun part is beating the crap out of enemies who can¡¯t even move. Still not giving up?"
  • "Artemis''s tanks, four destroyed so far. Any unusual developments in thebat?"
  • "Some enemy squads have been gathering, but it doesn¡¯t seem like a big issue. If you have time, could you push toward the skeletons and the substation? Jin seems like he¡¯ll be pulling out soon after this battle."
No matter how many over-technologies were used to fill the gap in manpower and firepower, they were useless in the face of the power of E=mc^2. Naturally, Logan and Lorentina were enjoying an unprecedented sense of omnipotence at that point. The mini-termite rounds that the rookie had brought back earlier had performed excellently, but every sh from the sniper rifle left massive scars across the map. The trash-like debris and charred corpses were scattered everywhere. But there was no time to focus on those obvious objects. From the direction where the dorms used to be, the sound of explosions pierced through the rain.
  • "Hmm. It''s hard to see since it''s hidden behind the forest. I think it¡¯s the area with the skeletons... a machine gun, maybe?"
  • "If my memory serves me right, not only machine guns but also an AGS-40, capable of firing 40mm grenades in rapid session, is probably installed. I don¡¯t know about Jin, but if I¡¯m unlucky, I might turn into shrapnel."
  • "We can¡¯t let that happen."
nk. With the sound of metal, what appeared to be an upgraded grenadeuncher fired two different grenades¡ªone was a grenade with a camera that could indirectly observe bombing sites by deploying a parachute in the air, and the other was marked as "Type Delta." When Lorentina realized what was being loaded into the cylinder, her expression turned pale. It looked like she was questioning whether it was really going to be used, but Logan, after finishing loading, quietly added in signnguage. It was now or never.
  • "It¡¯ll take about 20 seconds. Make sure to look away to the north."
  • "Understood."
Thunk! At the same time, a remotely activated grenade-cam shot through the air. A small parachute rose over the hill, crossing the power line towers and heading toward the forest next to the dorm. What used to be the dorm area had now turned into aplex, densely packed with skeletons, intel rooms, containers, sniper towers, and construction zones. Amidst the explosions in the vicinity of the new skeletons, I saw mes. Tanks and grenadeunchers that hadn¡¯t been destroyed yet were now relentlessly shelling the nearby warehouses in the logistics area. Marking the coordinates, Logan grinned and pulled the trigger again. A Delta-type antimatter grenade flew through the air. She spoke.
  • "Let there be light."
And there was light.
  • Kaa-woooom!
"Ahhh!" "Massive fireball detected. It¡¯s dangerous!" "What the hell is that!?"
  • "What the hell are these lunatics bringing? Hahaha!"
  • "Why does this girl always do crazy things?"
  • "What the hell, we need that kind of support in our session too!"
  • "Meanwhile, the second model is totally panicking, hahaha!"
  • "Why can¡¯t we do ys like this, hahaha?"
I had already moved lightyears away from the EU I had been ying, but who cares? It felt like the LA mission all over again. That thought crossed my mind just before the shockwave hit. The world went dark. Chapter 410 "Ugh, my God. Is everyone okay?" "This side is fine." "My unit is also functioning normally, Archetype." Silence. The rain that had been blown away by the shockwave started to fall again, slowly. The cold droplets soaking my body brought my dizzying thoughts back, and as I exhaled, I could see my breath in the chilly air. I struggled to get up and surveyed the surroundings. The area was littered with debris. Fortunately, Jin and I had hidden behind an abandoned tank, so there was no major issue. I carefully stood up and checked the surroundings. Thankfully¡ªor perhaps unfortunately¡ªchecking the nearby terrain wasn¡¯t that difficult. It was all wiped out. "Almost everything¡¯s been incinerated." The information about the antimatter weapon, particrly the Delta-type antimatter grenade, passed on to us by Dagger Team. It had a lethal radius of 150 meters. When it exploded in the middle of the area filled with skeletons and various warehouses, a fireball several meters in diameter erupted, incinerating everything within a 70-meter radius. The shockwave that followed destroyed buildings and twisted steel beams like they were toothpicks. Thus, the already sparse skeletons had literally turned into a giant graveyard. Of course, all the enemies in the area were either obliterated or destroyed due to the shockwave and various other reasons. The fact that there was no radiation was the only small constion. Jin, who had quietly stepped out, added: "Considering its power, it¡¯s roughly half the firepower of a Davy Crockett. About 10 tons of TNT worth of explosive power." "That sounds about right." After murmuring that, I carefully scanned the area again. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything unusual near the logistics warehouse. After several rounds of fire support, we had already lost a tank. That said, I wouldn¡¯t say other areas were untouched. As I mentioned earlier, the area around the skeletons, where the most forces were concentrated, no longer existed. The areas I hadn¡¯t checked yet were the depot, the maintenance area, and the substation, but judging by theck of updates from the two who were providing fire support near the northern power line tower, it seemed like there was no major issue. Unfortunately, the heavy rain prevented me from feeling the vibrations that would tell me if enemies were approaching, but I wasn¡¯t too worried. I still had plenty of energy to fight. That said, there were a few things that were bothering me. "...It seems the unit has disappeared somewhere. I had quite a few questions for it." "What are they?" "The AI¡¯s reactions were quite... unique." It felt almost human, or perhaps even more human-like than a real person. But just as I was about to say more, I stopped myself. If it was Artemis, there was a high possibility that they had created a truly individual AI with intelligenceparable to humans¡ªand considering they would stop at nothing, that was entirely possible. Thinking about the kinds of experiments they might have conducted to create an AI with human-like intelligence, the answer seemed toe quickly. Perhaps Artemis''s headquarters had a neuralwork structure thatpletely mimicked human neurons. I had a rough idea of what they might have done to create that. "Given that, capturing this unit might be necessary..." "I will try harder to please you, Archetype." "No, it¡¯s not about that..." Why was he acting like this? Anyway, the reason for needing to capture it was simple¡ªthis unit could possibly provide concrete evidence about Artemis¡¯s essence and what they had been doing. It might have learned data in apletely different way than Jin. From how the unit referred to Jin as a "betrayer of Artemis," we could make an educated guess. If they had nned to kill or recover both of them, all they had to do was follow themands given, without any emotional involvement. But the fact that emotions were involved made it possible to infer the situation to some extent. I spoke as I faced the pouring rain. "Of course, just because the unit disappeared doesn¡¯t mean our objective changes. Let¡¯s keep going. We haven¡¯t even installed half of the beacons yet, and we haven¡¯t dealt with the Artemis forces trying to get into the customs building." "I figured as much. Our currentbat potential... 97% of the usual. Support is not an issue." Life was hard, but there was still work to be done. Although most of the tough parts had been handled by Dagger Team, it was still my responsibility to get out there. I picked up my weapon again and made my way down the path I had already crossed several times, not needing the map anymore. I returned to the logistics depot, where heavy fighting had urred. Since Lorentina and Logan had drawn most of the attention, the fight had been happening more at the substation, but given that they brought a huge load of antimatter rounds, I never thought they''d be at a disadvantage in terms of firepower. I picked up a PDA lying on the ground. Of course, its owner was already dead.
  • [Message: From this moment, retreat and reestablish at the fastest speed possible.]
Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t check more files. The unit¡ªan enemy type unit¡ªwas standing on the hill above, so I couldn¡¯t risk it. I shook my head and said: "When we get back, let¡¯s rest for a bit." "I agree." The battle had begun. That day, the depot was half destroyed. "Simon ss, Artemis''s chief researcher. 42 cases of biological experiments and unauthorized modifications and sales of illegal equipment. Collusion with hostile nations and data exports. Participation in at least 3 Icarus Operator murders and acts of treason. Designated as a priority target for elimination... What a damn mess." "It took five years to catch this big fish. It¡¯s a shame to lock him up in this backwater, but it would look pretty good locked up in the ck Room at Central Park HQ... Oh, and the cyanide capsule in his mr has already been removed, so I¡¯d rmend not doing anything foolish." "..." "When faced with a cliff, suicide is the same here or there. But today won¡¯t be that day. If you answer my questions well, you might just survive." "...What if I don¡¯t?" "We¡¯ll just use the method they use best." The interrogation was underway. A member of Dagger Team, acting as the interrogator, pulled in a piece of equipment into the interrogation room. It wasn¡¯t very big, but it could be consideredrge¡ªit was about the size of four microwaves put together. When the cloth covering it was removed, Simon ss¡¯s eyes widened to the size of saucers. It was no surprise¡ªthis device was Artemis¡¯s most notorious tool used for biological experiments. "How the hell did you¡ª!" "Does it matter? Whether you talk or not, we have a way to extract all the data from your mind." "I¡¯ll tell you everything! You can ask anything you want, just please don¡¯t use that cutter!" The Brain Slicer, also known as the Cutter. When Dagger Team first learned how to use it, even they grimaced, and some even felt nauseous. The method was simple¡ªput the person¡¯s neck inside it, and that was it. After about 30 minutes, Artemis was able to fully understand the brain structure of the person. Of course, the process to obtain that result could be easily inferred from the device¡¯s name. Naturally, Simon was utterly shocked. How did they know about Artemis¡¯s most well-hidden secrets, and worse, how did they bring this device here? He had been one of the people most familiar with it, and the disarray in his mind was immense. He couldn¡¯t even tell whether it was real or not. "Now we can finally have a proper conversation, like an intelligent person. I have a few questions for you, so please answer them sincerely. I¡¯ve even brought a lie detector, so you better not think about lying." "I understand." "Good." Thunk. At the same time, several photos were ced on the table. Naturally, Simon, who had expected to be asked about the location of Artemis¡¯s headquarters and the whereabouts of everyone, was caught off guard. However, upon recognizing the identity of the figures in the photos, he furrowed his brow.@@novelbin@@ The figure in question was the machine known as "Mecha Eugene." The questioning began. "Why create something like this?" "Is that a fundamental question, or are you asking about its utility?" "Answer as you know." "¡­As you might have already guessed, this unit doesn¡¯t have any significant strategic utility that could change the battlefield. Instead, it¡¯s more of an¡­ experimental model, created through the process of merging unmanned systems with humanbat data." "Hmm." But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. In the next moment, one of the Dagger Team members yed a video of the conversation between the sessor units, showing the interactions of Eugene and the captured Jin. Simon, who had already been sarcasticallyughing, pointed with the only free part of his body¡ªthe face¡ªtoward the brain slicer. As if exining to a student, Simon spoke. "After this unit was developed, Artemis began to consider how an AI that could think and learn on its own would developbat abilities. Artemis chose to feed in humanbat data, but it wasn¡¯t very efficient." "Hmm." "But as more data umted andbined with early AI that mimicked human neurons, a model was created that could think and choose betterbat strategies. This brings us to the Gamma-type model... the same kind of machine that Archetype possesses." "So, the next step is the unit in this video, then?" "Correct." A brief silence. Simon, now seemingly intoxicated, continued his speech. "As a result of abandoning ethics, we acquired the Brain Slicer, which allowed us to create an AIpletely different from our previous methods¡­ No, it¡¯s not an AI. It¡¯s a kind of ''cybeic human''¡ªa human brain reced with machinery." "Can¡¯t we just kill this bastard?" "We¡¯ll think about thatter." "It wasn¡¯t just that. Whereas previous units followed one-sidedmands, the brain-human model learned in a way much more simr to humans. Artemis used human sacrifice to create a new intellectual life form! How incredible is that¡­!" "I didn¡¯t ask for a sermon." Bang! Just after returning, Logan, still dripping wet, flicked Simon¡¯s forehead with a neutral expression. With a tremendous sound, Simon¡¯s head snapped back as if struck by a bullet, causing him to shudder and gasp for air. Of course, Simon knew exactly who had attacked him. She¡ªLogan¡ªwas also part of Artemis¡¯s database. Althoughpared to Eugene, the amount of information on her was rtively small, the result of theck of data to gather. "Big talk, but in the end, you just brought in a clueless machine and taught it some weird stuff, right?" "Those bastards are truly scum." After a few more questions, Owens, sitting on a chair, ced his feet on the table. With a thud, the final question was asked. "So why is Artemis doing all of this? What is the purpose? Are they trying to destroy a world that has just barely gotten back on track?" "Heh..." A brief silence. Then, Simon raised his head. There was a flicker of madness in his eyes. "¡­Do you really think that¡¯s what matters?" "What?" "If they were thinking about efficiency, they wouldn¡¯t be doing any of this. Especially after they pulled out all of Russia¡¯s teeth¡­ Those who betrayed America and went wild like colts should have been dead long ago. Do you still think Artemis has power?" "¡­" "Are you curious about Artemis¡¯s current agenda? It¡¯s simple. They¡¯re doing whatever they want. Pouring all their resources into doing what they can to turn something worthless into something valuable, even for just one day, one hour, or one minute. That¡¯s all they¡¯re doing¡ªstruggling to make it happen." Silence. The whole room was filled with dumbfounded expressions, and after a briefugh, Simon continued. "The prototype weapon will awaken soon. Thebat data that has been umting over countless battles will be processed, and the semi-permanent power source and nanomachines manufactured through the Icarus gear will destroy anything that appears to be a weapon." "¡­" "The beautiful scene of watching all of that unfold¡­ I will never get to see it." Phew. But at that moment, a chilling, familiar voice interrupted from behind. Simon quickly realized it was the voice of the person who hadpletely destroyed him not long ago. Before he could respond, Logan, who had moved without being noticed, delivered a punch to Simon¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t a full-force hit, so the damage was light, but it knocked him unconscious. She shook her head, as if disgusted, and spoke. "I never imagined that those who sold out their country to the enemy would evolve into apocalyptic fanatics. How bothersome." "Indeed." "Since we¡¯ve already extracted all the necessary information via the brain scan while this idiot was unconscious, how about we just bury him in a nearby empty lot?" "Leave him. He¡¯ll be transported to headquarters in a day or two." With appropriate jokes, the full picture slowly began to emerge. Simon ss. Before meeting Dagger Team, he had been unconscious, and during this time, Dagger Team had already extracted most of the information they needed using a brain scan. He had no idea that they knew about the Brain Slicer, much less that they intended to use it on him. The cyanide capsule in his mr had already been removed, part of their preparation. After a brief interrogation, Owens spoke. "Let¡¯s clear that box out. This already cramped interrogation room is about to burst." "As you wish." nk. At that moment, the remnants of the Brain Slicer faded away, and the hologram covering it vanished, revealing a tray with four empty boxes on it. Logan quietly dragged it away, and with that, Owens and the rest of Dagger Team began to leave the interrogation room. "Sometimes a little white lie is necessary for interrogations." There was no response. Only the unconscious body of Simon remained in the dimly lit room. Chapter 411 "Alright, it''s time to work. Don''t just lie there, get up." "Ugh, damn¡­ it''s blinding. Could you speak and turn the lights on, Chief?" "Should I take that as you want me to wake you up by shining tactical shes into your eyes next time?" Click. With the crisp sound of stic, the lights on the ceiling flickered on, revealing the disarray in the meeting room of their rather shabby dormitory. The operators of the Dagger team, who had been sprawled across several sofas instead of going to their rooms for a proper rest, slowly began to wake up with loud snores. Owens, holding amand baton, nced around, his eyes scanning. They finallynded on Laurentina, who was sprawled on the floor with her shirt lifted halfway up, snoring with her stomach exposed. He flicked themand baton to nudge the edge of her clothing and covered her belly, then projected new information onto therge briefing te on the wall. The UAV data for the entire unverified zone appeared, apanied by a mission order. Stamped with the president¡¯s seal. "Finally, our dear president has ordered to tten this hellhole." "Is that concentric circle on the map CAF? Building a defense line of that size would be quite a challenge... but I like the intent to leave no Artemis behind." "Well, there''s more to it than just that." With a "hmm," the conversation continued. At some point, Laurentina also woke up, yawning loudly as she leaned against the sofa. Though she looked half-asleep, no one seemed to care. No one in the Dagger team ever expected Laurentina to pay much attention to the briefing. At the same time, a new screen popped up. The message attached to the mission order from the president was highlighted. The contents were as follows. "Try to deplete all antimatter weapons in the region before any fighting ends... understood. The second part is likely just to avoid moreplications." "Not that hard, but we need to know just how powerful that prototype is before we decide whether to hold back or not." "Should we just dump everything on the prototype?" "That might actually be for the best." Everyone chuckled, but none of them took it as a joke. In a tone as casual as discussing lunch ns, they debated how to use an excessive weaponry arsenal that was far too much for a single squad to handle, and soon made the decision¡ªthis was how the Dagger team would handle their future weapon operations. Of course, there were still many more issues to address. "The Canadian military haspletely sealed off the area, and a UAV precision reconnaissance operation simr to the Los Angeles battle continues¡­ I''m sure everyone here knows what that means." "It means nothing will be left but ashes and dust, right?" "Exactly. Now that everyone seems to get it, let me briefly update you on the current progress." Swoosh. As the map unfolded on the screen, the operation zones¡ªwhat the users called the map¡ªappeared. However, to their surprise, about half of the zones had red X marks on them. These were the areas the Dagger team, and Eugene, had already ttened. "Customs, factory, forest, coastline... a rough analysis shows that Artemis''s avable strength is already down to less than 50% of its normal capacity. If we keep up this pace, Artemis will disintegrate in less than a month." "So what¡¯s the n?" "Originally, we were going to maintain the current operational stance, but among the data sent by the rookie, I found something that¡¯s hard to ignore." Recording data and the script below. It took the whole Dagger team only a short while to realize what the conversation in the recording was about¡ªit was clear. The contents were simple: a conversation between Eugene, Jin, and the type Delta (which had originally been referred to as Unit 4), during various operations in the customs area, the factory, the forest, and the coastline¡ªthe very zones the Dagger team had provided fire support. There was no need to focus on the details. The context was crystal clear. Logan, letting out a smirk, added: "Is he trying to raise two of them because one wasn¡¯t enough?" "That¡¯s quite the summary." "Not wrong, but it seems like there¡¯s some ulterior motive, so it¡¯s worth supporting Eugene¡¯s actionster on without hindering him. Moreover, Unit 4 is a strategically and technically important asset, so it¡¯s likely more beneficial to support Eugene¡¯s efforts... that¡¯s my conclusion." "If the team leader thinks so, then let¡¯s discuss it." A brief silence. But then, Logan, still sitting on the sofa, spoke up. "You mentioned the operation¡¯s approach is changing. How exactly are we handling it?" "Take a look at this." At that moment, several maps appeared on the screen. They weren¡¯t much different from the ones seen before, but the regions where Artemis was expected to show up were marked as strike points, while less critical areas werebeled with the word ¡°shadow." Logan quickly understood what Owens was trying tomunicate. The important areas would be handled by the Dagger team, while the rtively minor areas¡ªthese would be left to the "shadows" that overwhelmed the base. It made perfect sense. Using shadows to destabilize the surroundings, while the most heavily fortified areas would be torn apart by the Dagger team, was the most efficient way to proceed. In simple terms, it was a decapitation operation. Just as Logan nodded, someone else spoke. "Now that the strategy¡¯s set, let¡¯s see what cute little n the rookie has for us." Mecha Eugene Unit 2 persuasion. A bizarre operation, never before attempted in the world, was about to unfold. Cold and silent. She was supposed to be unaware of the sensations that humans feel until her bodypletely ceased movement. Yet, as soon as her operation began, she pieced together fragmented knowledge of things she could never experience in her lifetime. The emotions that came with it inflicted a form of non-physical pain on her. A square room with no light. Each side measured 7 meters, and nothing existed within it¡ªnot even light. The only thing that filled the space was darkness. In the midst of it, her piercing blue eyes faintly glimmered. ¡®...Body recovery rate 100%. No issues with activation... It seems I will be deployed to thebat zone in approximately 26 hours, 17 minutes, and 43 seconds...¡¯ She hated the darkness, and even more, she hated the silence. But what she hated most was how her past life, bit by bit, was being erased. Just a few months ago, she had walked the base, learning and absorbing countless things. Although it was a less efficient methodpared to the "information injections" other models received, she had thought of it as a kind of privilege. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize all of that was nothing but a delusion. ¡®Listen carefully. You were born to kill the Archetype.¡¯ The Archetype. Her original form. She had once been rejected outright when she asked to meet the one who bore that title. She was neutralized by the gestures of researchers far weaker than herself. After that, her memories became blurry, and she was injected with information for the first time, after which the training from the researchers grew increasingly forceful. And when the Archetype neutralized the model and stole it, that was the climax. ¡®Your sisters betrayed Artemis through the Archetype.¡¯ Having no concept of betrayal at the time, she was forcibly injected with hatred and anger, and eventually, without understanding why, she directed her fury at those two. But the hiddenyers of her subconscious, unknown to the researchers, grew suspicious not of the Archetype or the betrayed model but of the researchers who had imnted emotions that weren¡¯t hers. Soon, her logical circuits reached one conclusion. She was not special. Everything she had believed was a lie. However, such thoughts did notst long. The door suddenly opened. "Get up." "¡­" Only silence followed. Instead of resisting, she felt doubt, but she did not express it. A graceful silver curve moved, and she cautiously rose from the floor, waiting for the next words. Whatever the reaction, the high-ranking officer waved his hand and transmitted the information. At that moment, a series ofbat data appeared before her eyes, along with the structure of the map that would soon be reached. She silently observed it, though it was not to n her actions in the area. That hologram was the proof that she was bound to Artemis.@@novelbin@@ "The movement of shadows has started to appear in the vicinity. Once you arrive at the operational area, support Artemis¡¯s retreat and buy time. The size of the surviving forces will depend on how long you can hold out." "¡­Yes." "Currently, the highmand is pursuing negotiations. You¡¯ll likely get a response soon. Until then, our goal is to inflict as much damage as possible on the enemy to disrupt their offensive capability. We don¡¯t have much time before the prototype is ready for activation, so hold your ground." "Understood." "Prepare yourself." It was an order. After a brief silence, she checked her body again. The expected deployment timer reset, and she heard a click. Her tail transformed, revealing a railgun. Everything was operational, and the power supply line was intact. However, despite this, she was about to speak, only to close her mouth again¡ªwho was the Archetype, why had the model betrayed them, and why were these people Artemis¡¯s traitors or targets to be eliminated? There were still countless unanswered questions, but one fact remained clear. They would never tell her. And they never would. That¡¯s why she spoke. "...Then what happens after that?" "What?" "After we catch the Archetype and the traitors, once the negotiations are made... can everything go back to the way it was?" Though she knew it was unlikely, she continued speaking. A brief silence. Then she realized she was looking for some kind offort. She didn¡¯t have many memories, but she had a few good ones from the not-so-distant past¡ªthose moments when she was content just learning about the unknown and the world. Could she ever return to those times? Would Artemis allow it? She was asking the high-ranking officer, hoping for an answer. And how long had it been? "That¡¯s not something you need to worry about." She instinctively knew that this was the limit of what they could answer. The officer left without saying another word, and she stepped through the door that remained open. The endless white walls stretched ahead. With each step, a faint metallic sound echoed. She showed no expression, but inside, she was slowly burning with frustration. Had she ever imagined that having more emotions than others would be a chain around her? At least, she hadn¡¯t thought so, and shecked the experience to realize it directly. Steeling herself, she reached the end of the hallway, where the transport pod awaited her. As soon as shey down, artificialfort enveloped her body. How much time passed with her eyes closed? The shopping mall appeared. The sounds ofbat filled the air, signaling that the battle had already begun. The sound of gunfire when the trigger was pulled, the noise of MEP-1 providing fire support, and so on. When the team scattered, she realized that the shopping mall was her destination. It was a forward base, amunication ry station,mand center, and supply depot all rolled into one. The building had to be defended. At that moment, someone approached her and handed her something. "...What¡¯s this?" "A ballistic shield. Use it." "..." She epted it without a word and began running toward the shopping mall. As she saw the blue dots indicating friendly units disappearing inside the building, she suddenly wondered how much longer she could continue loving Artemis, and how much longer she could continue hating the Archetype and Artemis¡¯s traitors. Perhaps, before long... "...No." It was a meaningless thought. With that, she dove into the heart of the battle. The end of Artemis was drawing closer. Chapter 412 "It seems like it''s been raining a lottely." "On days like this, operational efficiency drops. This weather will significantly lower the temperature in the operational area." "And yet, there are two entities here who aren''t affected by such trivial matters." It was as though the sky itself had been punctured, pouring rain relentlessly. The thick raindrops, far beyond what one could describe as a drizzle, drenched everything in the vicinity, including the shopping mall. The surroundings had already turned into a sea of water. Small streams had formed, turning the dirt paths into muddy rivers, and puddles had gathered everywhere. Amidst it all, the sound of boots and mechanical feet moving through the downpour could be heard, as if trying to drown the weeds that grew from the cracked road. The sound of sizzling and booming explosions echoed around¡ªlikely from tanks. Soon, these would be scattered into debris. "There is no unusual energy flow detected inside the shopping mall. The possibility that there is no model present cannot be ruled out." "While that''s not impossible, after thest four skirmishes, we confirmed that Artemis''s power loss escted and the models showed up around the same time. So, it¡¯s likely they¡¯ll show up again either around the same time or slightly earlier." "So, you¡¯re saying if we keep hammering at the surroundings, they¡¯ll show up when they can¡¯t hold on anymore?" "Correct." "ording to the database, this kind of action is often referred to as an ''Indian rain dance''." ¡­Seems like they''ve started using fact-based violence too. Nevertheless, it wasn''t entirely wrong. The world often worked in simple ways, and when you dig deep enough intobat strategies, many things turn out to be simpler than you might expect. From what I¡¯ve gathered so far, the main objective of the target we''re trying to engage is to ensure Artemis''s forces retreat safely. In other words, as soon as we start pounding the enemy, they will realize that Jin and I have appeared, and the unit we temporarily named ''Rain'' will likely show up to stop us.@@novelbin@@ The reason we named it ''Rain'' was simple. The first time we encountered it, it was a rainy day, so that¡¯s what we called it. ''Based on the same logic, I might need toe up with a different name for Jin... but "Jin" just sounds more pleasant than naming her after the weather.'' Thinking about naming a unit created from my data¡ªtruly, what a strange world we live in. Anyway, I moved between cover points, tapping Jin''s shoulder. Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t have the luxury of advanced electronic binocrs that would mark the enemy¡¯s positions like we did when we fought under the wings of Icarus. But, at least, I had Jin. ¡°There¡¯s a machine gun nest on the roof. There are posts and watchtowers around, all with some form of... active defense shields. The thick walls and barbed wire surrounding the shopping mall will also make entry difficult.¡± "Hmm." This might take longer than expected. As I observed the surroundings, it confirmed what was said. It wasn¡¯t just some dirt piled up; there were reinforced concrete blocks, and even ces where containers or train tforms were used to create walls. Breaking through ces like this would likely be a serious challenge, so as I observed, an entrance came into view. The door was always open. It had been visible for a while, and it wasn¡¯t just personnel¡ªit was also frequently used by trucks. If it was intentionally left like this, it was definitely a trap, but if not... "I remember trucks passing about every two minutes. It seems like some preliminary work is needed." "Do you n to sneak in through that entrance?" "Of course. It''s an old trick, but there¡¯s nothing more effective if you mix in a few others." With Jin eagerly watching, I continued to exin. She seemed to wonder what kind of creative idea the Archetype woulde up with this time. Anyway, the method was simple¡ªthe basic n was to sneak in by riding on the back of a truck. But, as mentioned earlier, we would mix in a few tricks. Simply riding in the truck¡¯s cargo area would make it easy to get spotted, so naturally, we¡¯d need some distractions. For example... we could blow up a truck that wasn''t the one we were riding in. "How long could you maintain the sma shell if it''s made as sturdy as possible?" "Three minutes. Of course, I can remotely detonate it, so we don¡¯t need to keep the timing too tight." "Sounds perfect. Then let''s set an ambush on the truck¡¯s route." And so, we started moving through the pouring rain. Naturally, there were a few preparations needed to board the truck¡¯s cargo area. First, we had to slow it down, which was easily solved by creating chaos on the truck¡¯s route. By cing the sma shells Jin created into cracks in the road,rge holes quickly appeared. The second step was to break the truck''s side mirrors to avoid being detected, but fortunately, the Dagger team would help with this. How much time had passed? Three rather poorly constructed trucks, looking quite sloppy for Artemis, formed a convoy and slowly made their way toward us. But as soon as the Dagger team began shooting, the trucks elerated. Without hesitation, the side mirrors of the trucks were shattered, and one of the trucks even had its windshield so badly damaged that its visibility waspletelypromised. But what they were about to face was the rough, pothole-ridden road. The speed of the trucks suddenly dropped as they passed. "sma cell." "Here it is." As the trucks slowed to a crawl, I crouched down to remain out of sight from the driver¡¯s seat. Hiding behind thest truck, I slid the sma cell between the gap of the middle truck, while Jin was cutting apart the tarp covering the cargo area with her de. Fortunately, the sound of the rain andbat noises masked most of the noise and vibrations as we boarded. A rainy day had its own advantages. Within ten seconds, the trucks began moving again, and it wasn¡¯t long before they entered the base. Perhaps the situation was so urgent that there was no real inspection. After passing through the entrance and moving about 50 meters inside, Jin and I quickly scanned our surroundings and jumped out of the truck. We had nted explosives on the truck in case there would be a check, but theck of one was somewhat disappointing. However, people like us tended to feel relief rather than regret in such situations. As we hid inside the base, Jin spoke. "It¡¯s going to explode soon." From about 140 meters away from our position, mes erupted. An interesting point was that the explosion¡¯s sound came a beatte, which meant at least one of the trucks must have been carrying explosives. From behind the abandoned vehicles, we checked the situation. Many enemy soldiers were rushing toward the site of the explosion. But they were not our targets. Combat had always been about arger area, and this was no different. Taking advantage of their distraction, we were set to destroy the shield generators and power supply machines defending the fortifications, watchtowers, and posts. After rying this information, I readied my weapon and opened themunicationwork to call the Dagger team. "We¡¯re going to stir up some trouble inside the base. It¡¯d be great if you could draw some attention outside." Fifteen secondster, a grenade, likely a type Charlie, pummeled the base''s shields. I clicked my tongue at the ridiculous firepower, but it was an ingenious tactic used for misdirection. My body was already in motion. Now, it was our turn, and Artemis would soon realize how close it was to their end. Time to pay for submitting ridiculous negotiation terms. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The chaos began as the enemy soldiers, stationed at the base''s gate, fell without even a scream, starting the beginning of a true war. A war to erase the name "Artemis" from every kind of record. "You''re here." In the midst of the relentless downpour, within a towering building that stood precariously, countless sounds and signals tingled through her senses. The rain pouring down through the half-destroyed ceiling, explosions and deafening noises from the outside,mands that seemed to crawl through her head, the dwindling numbers of allies, and signals indicating where support was needed. In a room where no one cared, a bluish light appeared, and a heavily shielded unit opened the door and stepped out. Unlike before, her expression was subtly different, but the Artemis forces stationed inside the shopping mall paid no mind to her. However, if one looked closely at her face, they would realize that it wasn¡¯t just pride or confidence that showed. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The 600kg machine leaped from the second floor andnded on the first. The floor cracked and countless fragments flew into the air as thending point caved in. But despite the destruction, she wasn¡¯t harmed. She carefully took a step forward, raised her shield, and locked eyes with the two figures that had suddenly appeared before her. A multitude of thoughts rushed through her mind. How much had the Artemis forces retreated? Was I toote to show up? What were they targeting here this time? It wasn¡¯t the first time she faced these two. To be precise, counting this moment, it was the fifth. She had lost count of the number of times she had confronted them. Now, the numbers had be few enough to be counted on one hand. She thought this as she spoke. "Well, in the end, it¡¯s you two again. I figured you¡¯d be the ones to break through here. No one else would have the guts to do so." "It¡¯s not the first time, and I expected this. So, what kind of answer are you going to give today?" There was no reply. A peculiar sound filled the air as she effortlessly raised her tail, which she pointed at the two before her. In response, the model aimed its advanced sma cannon at her. It was a more advanced version of the weaponpared to the initial prototype. Yet, none of them were ready to pull the trigger. The nearby Artemis soldiers had no idea¡ªamong these two, the representatives of the ipatible forces, the amount of dialogue in their exchanges was steadily increasing. However, that did not mean thebat had ended. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! As she powered up, Rain was always a step slower than Jin. The sma flew through the air, shaking her aim. Consequently, the railgun fired at the wrong target¡ªhitting another spot instead. Even if it had been fired on time, hitting the Archetype would have been impossible due to its momentary evasive ability, which even her sensors couldn¡¯t track. With a loud crash, the terrain inside the shopping mall was altered. The walls copsed, leaving behind a massive hole, and beyond that, the gloomy sky could be seen. The railgun had punched a hole through the building¡ªRain, using the recoil from the shot, was thrown in the opposite direction. sma hit where she had just been standing, vaporizing stone with its sheer power. The conversation continued. "My answer hasn¡¯t changed, Archetype. No matter what I think about Artemis, it¡¯s not you who decides the oue of this...!" "Interesting. But our stance is firm. If necessary, we¡¯llpletely erase Artemis from the map, even if it means wiping this area out." "Hah, is that your final ultimatum?" But there was no immediate reply. Out of nowhere, and faster than one could gauge, the Archetype appeared from behind a column and struck Rain¡¯s head with the stock of its rifle. In an instant, one of her eyes shattered. A reflexive counterattack followed. A brief hand-to-hand fight broke out, but the Archetype, with its extraordinary reflexes, dodged every attack. In that moment, a sinister intuition swept through her body. Instinctively, she raised the 70kg ballistic shield in front of her, while Eugene emptied a full clip of Mjolnir rounds into the shield. The AP rounds punched through the shield, leaving holes in it. Before she could retaliate, sma flew toward her. The synergy between the Archetype and Jin had be so solid and seamless that it was bing unbearable to withstand. Eugene spoke. "It seems you don¡¯t even know what kind of answer you¡¯re supposed to give. Saying that you, yourself, are the one who decides the result is an interesting response, but it doesn¡¯t mean anything." "What?" "If the only choice left is ¡®to choose nothing,¡¯ then what do you n to do then?" "Choosing nothing"¡ªthat choice. Rain bit her lip, not because she had nothing to say, but because it was the truth. The de hanging over Artemis¡¯s neck was closing in more and more, and the Archetype and Jin were the spearheads, the vanguard of that attack. A brief silence followed. Many questions began to surface, but strangely, despite everything happening in front of her¡ªdespite the fact that the entity in front of her was destroying Artemis, the very thing she had once believed in entirely¡ªshe couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask why they were attacking so relentlessly. It was natural. ''The Archetype, that means... the original form.'' Just as the name implied. Among the three in this room, the two who embodied the original forms¡ªEugene and the Archetype¡ªattacking Artemis signified one simple thing: it meant that Rain and Jin were the very beings that should never have been created in the first ce. It was only natural that the Archetype would demand retribution from Artemis for creating something that should never have existed. In other words, the "choose nothing" option was a sign that Eugene would erase Artemis from the earth. But that wasn¡¯t all. "You must be starting to realize by now. Every battle we¡¯ve fought up to now has been an opportunity for you. Jin, on the other hand, never even had the chance to hesitate." At that moment, the railgun fired once again. But it missed. Hundreds of fragments scattered throughout the shopping mall, but they were filled with numerous thoughts. Just as said, the Archetype and its model had the power to shatter her into pieces long ago. Yet, they had missed her three times. The reason was simple. They wanted an answer. The answer to betraying Artemis. But the next words shattered that illusion. "Regardless of whether you cooperate, Artemis will bepletely erased from the map within two weeks. This conversation will have no meaning unless it decides your survival." "...Hah, so now you¡¯re showing your true colors?" "Let¡¯s just say, we don¡¯t need to put much weight on persuading you, because the speed at which we¡¯re eliminating Artemis is what truly matters." It didn¡¯t matter whether they seeded or failed. At that moment, Rain, full of frustration, briefly let out her anger. "You arrogant bastards." But even as she vented, one thing was clear¡ªthere was nothing she could do about it. However, that fact alone revealed one thing¡ªif they were erasing Artemis at such an elerating pace, Rain would soon understand how to view her own home. Artemis was out of time, and how they would treat her was already inevitable. Of course, there was still something she needed to resolve first. "You talk so big, but you never intended to let me leave alive...!" "That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to resolve with your own abilities, right?" "You bastard¡ª!" An explosion echoed. Regardless of persuasion, the Archetype and Jin were relentless in achieving their goals. It was 6 minutes and 21 seconds before Rain lost half of her four limbs. "Well done. Now, please wait in the recovery coffin. Repairs will bepleted within 12 hours." "Yes." Damn them. Even as she cursed, one of her limbs left behind in the shopping mall wouldn''t return. Rain painfully crawled into the coffin. There was no pain, but the emptiness felt just as intense. As the engineer left and darkness fell over the room, she slowly felt her consciousness fade. But within that, a fragment of thought lingered. ''...Just because I haven¡¯t decided yet, doesn¡¯t mean Artemis hasn¡¯t made its decision.'' Why, then, did that thought send a cold shiver down her spine? With that shard of unease, Rain¡¯s logical circuits finally shut down. Darkness flooded in. Chapter 413 "You actually care about retrieval? I didn¡¯t expect that." "No signs of activity. There¡¯s no approaching enemy force in the area. Looks like the battle has settled down for now." "It seems so." Rustle. The broken esctor, the shattered walls revealing the opposite side of the mall, rain leaking through the wide-open ceiling¡ªthis wasn¡¯t all. The ssed floor and walls, parts of the market burning, the melting and solidified walls. When the firepower that had swept through the shopping mall had passed, the results were more than serious¡ªthey were disastrous. Some of the support columns on the second floor had melted or been destroyed, causing parts of the structure to copse. At least there were huge gaps in the walls that could have dyed the copse, but that was littlefort. Yet, neither of the two people in the shopping mall seemed to care. Eugene took a brief nce at the piles of corpses scattered around. He exhaled quietly. "Looks like there are about 30 bodies. Other than the sporadic sounds from the outside, it seems the battle has pretty much ended. I wonder if it¡¯s because Rain managed to hold on long enough to let the retreat happen safely, or if they were all pushed out before that." "The Dagger Team is outside. I don¡¯t think the former is very likely." "That makes sense." The bodies scattered around were in terrible condition. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, it was fairly easy to tell who had killed whom. Those withrge holes in their chest or head were usually the ones Eugene had killed, while the badly mangled bodies were typically the work of Jin. These bodies belonged to the Artemisbatants who had thrown themselves into blocking Rain¡¯s escape during the operation. It might be said to be somewhat tragic, but the problem was that there was no nobility in their actions. They had been half-brain-dead, and even though their lives were at stake when orders were given, they charged at their enemies without resistance, like biological puppets. From Artemis¡¯s standpoint, they likely calcted that rescuing Rain would be more beneficial, which is why they gave the order. What was even more unsettling was something else. "Artemis probably knew full well they¡¯d be pummeled like this, yet the support still camete. Doesn¡¯t that seem a bit unnatural?" "Are you implying it was intentional?" "At least, that¡¯s how I see it." I might not bepletely sure, but something I had said earlier kept nagging at me. The part about how just because Rain hadn¡¯t made a decision yet, it didn¡¯t mean Artemis hadn¡¯t made one. To put it another way, this suggested that Artemis might¡­ no, most likely, would soon retract the value they had assigned to her. Rain¡ªdespite being a machine, she was more human-like than anyone else. But considering the various negotiations Artemis had put forth and the associated research data, they were probably more likely to reformat her and use her as a regr asset rather than allowing her to remain as she was. Strictly speaking, I didn¡¯t have to worry about that¡­ but...@@novelbin@@ "We¡¯ll take what we can." "What do you mean?" "It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me." Of course, there were other motives as well. I rummaged through the utility pouch tied to my right thigh and pulled out a small patch. Its purpose was simple: it was a tracker. Originally, it was meant to be attached to Rain or to the truck that would carry her away from the battlefield. But, unfortunately, it was a failure. The reason was starkly clear from the scattered bodies of Artemis soldiers around us. Next time, it might be better to let the Dagger Team handle it as a separate unit while we buy time here. I was learning better methods through mistakes. ©¤©¤©¤Whoosh... "It doesn¡¯t look like the rain will stop anytime soon." "The operation has been going on for 45 minutes. Isn¡¯t it about time we head back?" "Seems so." With that, I walked toward the spot where I found the limbs. They belonged to Rain. Naturally, these would serve as spare parts for when Jin sustained significant damage. They should bepatible. The bag quickly became full, and Jin seemed to understand why I was gathering the parts, beginning to clean up the mess. As the process of gathering necessary items was finishing up, I heard a voice. "You¡¯ve really made a mess, Eugene." "Did we hit at least a few bombs? The ce is full of holes. We¡¯re going to have to worry about getting out of here before the building copses." "We¡¯ve run into quite a strong one again." The Dagger Team had quietly arrived. The people who hade to this operation zone were half of the Dagger Team, led by Squad Leader Sirkins. I remembered Logan was at the base, but... judging by the fact that they had made it here, it was likely that the outer areas were almost cleared. Despite the surrounding exterior walls being full of holes, I could hear no gunfire or tank turret shots. Only the sound of rain. I wondered if this was white noise or something else, but quickly discarded that thought as I spoke. "What¡¯s the situation outside?" "Just about ready to retreat. Half of them have retreated, but we¡¯ve caught the other half. Unfortunately, due to this weather, visibility has been poor, so Artemis¡¯s losses weren¡¯t as heavy as expected." "I heard they¡¯ve beenunching UAVs left and right, but identifying retreating forces is difficult. With the rain this heavy and their optical camouge activated, they¡¯ve managed to slip away unnoticed..." "We¡¯ll handle it next time," he said, brushing it off. No one here was unaware of what needed improvement from today¡¯s battle. Thus, the retreat began. We passed through the dark underground and stepped out into the pouring rain. The surroundings were absolute chaos. But the scale was entirely different. There were parts of the shopping mall¡¯s outer wall that were dented, and some of the fortress walls had evaporated. It seemed like explosions had torn through every visible part of the area. It was hard to say if there would be enough weapons left to pour out when we eventually met the prototype, but then Lauren took the opportunity to ask. "By the way, how did the persuasion go?" "If it had gone well, there might have been one more person next to Jin." "So, it didn¡¯t go well. That¡¯s a shame." Essentially, that was the case. But then, a nce was exchanged, and it was obvious to Lauren and the others that this incident wasn¡¯t going to end here. As expected, I also had no intention of letting go of this easily. And more than anything... Chapter 417 "¡­It¡¯s frightening how fast you are. This research facility must be at least 80 km away from the bunker, thestbat zone." "Is it unfortunate that your final resting ce is somewhere like this?" "You''re in a hurry¡ª" Bang! A thick bullet whizzed past the senior Artemis operative¡¯s head. Almost simultaneously, but a fraction of a second toote, the sound reached him. A bullet barely missed his ear by 3 cm, creating a noise loud enough to cause ringing¡ªEugene had fired a warning shot with his right hand. His Adam''s apple moved. He swallowed. In that moment, the senior operative realized that the person in front of him had no intention of talking. The same chilling murderous intent, as sharp as the destructive power of the bullet, swept across him, while the vertical pupils of Eugene¡¯s cold blue eyes scanned him with an icy gaze. A voice, cold and emotionless, followed. "Do I really have to make it clear here that I didn¡¯te to talk with you?" "¡­" The enemy was missing one arm. The same went for the machine that had betrayed Artemis and escaped. But what was this eerie calmness? The voice inside his head screamed to immediately transform the nanomachines, which existed in the form of a suit, into an exoskeleton, but he couldn¡¯t do it. Before that, his head would explode like a watermelon. So the only option left to him was one. "¡­Did you follow Epsilon? If you want, I¡¯ll give it to you. It¡¯s still not formatted."@@novelbin@@ "You¡¯re suggesting that I kill you here and take it, but why propose such a thing?" "Don¡¯t you see theptop connected to the coffin? It¡¯ll be hard to ignore." So, this person was trying to negotiate with that alone. Eugene was somewhat baffled, but there was something intriguing about it¡ªthis high-ranking Artemis operative had already realized that Eugene valued Epsilon more than his own life. But it didn¡¯t matter. Unless Eugene shot theptop, or even if he did, the Icarus gear could easily perform functions far beyond thatptop. The method was simple. Either Eugene''s avatar, wearing the downgraded Icarus gear, or Jin could ess thework. After that, the Icarus gear from the Dagger Team, via the downgraded device or Jin, would automatically take over theptop¡¯s role. At the moment Eugene finished that thought, the senior operative spoke again. The brief silence, caused by Eugene''s distractions, had been misinterpreted as consent. "Drop your weapon. I¡¯ll tell you how to operate theptop. Even if you disarm yourself, Gamma-type will be watching over me. There¡¯s nothing I can do in just a suit." "And what¡¯s your purpose?" "Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s to save myself." As expected. Eugene carefully ced his weapon on the ground, and Jin moved to the edge of the not-toorge room, aiming the sma cannon at the senior operative. She was ready to vaporize him if he made any foolish moves. A somewhat strange situation began to form. Specifically, the high-ranking operative stood in the center of the room, while Eugene, having ced his weapon down, cautiously approached theptop. He wasn¡¯t wrong in what he said. The screen was filled with iprehensiblemands, but nothing was happening. At that moment, the senior operative threw something. It was a USB. "Just plug it in and do as you¡¯re told." Of course, Eugene had no intention of doing that. She took the USB, pretended to plug it in, and essed theptop''swork through the downgraded Icarus gear. A holographic message appeared that only she could see, indicating that the Dagger Team''s original Icarus gear had taken over theptop in an instant. The reason she epted the request, even though she knew it was unnecessary, was simple. She needed to deal with him cleanly so he couldn¡¯t try any tricks. Meanwhile, the senior operative began to move. "Do not move." "You can¡¯t see theptop''s progress from here. Gamma-type, didn¡¯t youe for Epsilon? I¡¯d appreciate your cooperation." It was an obvious trick. The senior Artemis operative moved precisely into the middle of the straight line between Eugene and Gamma-type¡ªmeaning that in case of a sma cannon shot, either theptop or the Archetype would likely be caught in the aftershock. In other words, from the beginning, he either nned to die with Epsilon or use her to break out of the situation. Eugene read the situation exactly and intended to use it against him, so Jin had merely verbally stopped the operative from moving recklessly. Then, a few secondster, the senior operative, turning his back, started running toward Eugene, who was looking at theptop screen. "¡­!" An abnormally fast speed. The ck suit began to shift. The nanomachine data obtained when prototype Mecha Eugene was developed had also been applied to the suit, and it soon formed a ck frame that connected to the power source on his back. At a nce, it was a more refined exoskeleton than any standard Artemis infantry. Moreover, a long mantis de extended from his forearm, aiming at Eugene. It was clear that the arm wasn¡¯t human from the start. In a way, it seemed he had some confidence. But¡ª "People who don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on are so happy to make their own ns." Eugene, turning her head at a speed almost impossible to track with enhanced vision, added. Before realizing something was wrong, she pulled a thick axe from her multi-purpose pouch with her right arm. But the size was unusual. The axe, which had a handle that could be folded several times, unfolded and glowed with a bluish light from the de. Of course, this was provided by the Dagger Team. The next moment, the senior operative¡¯s right arm was severed and flew into the air. Transparent oil, instead of red blood, shot out. There was no need to mention that the mantis de¡¯s alloy had beenpletely cut through as well. ¡®It¡¯s invisible¡­!¡¯ But there was no time to think. A kick, too fast to recognize, struck the senior operative¡¯s upper body. His body, with the strength equivalent to a level-6 bulletproof vest, was crushed as if hit by a car, and he was sent flying into the air. With a loud crash, the new model collided with the wall. But before hitting the ground, he had been propelled at least 3 meters up, and Eugene, by that time, was already elerating toward the ground. The Icarus-Tomahawk in her right hand glowed ominously. When the senior operative hit the floor, the silhouette before her eyes was clear. Eugene spoke. "Talking about formatting others while you yourself are a cyborg. Isn¡¯t this irony?" "¡­" "I trust you have no more words?" "Wait! I¡¯ll tell you the location of the other senior Artemis operatives¡ªGaaah!" Crack! Severing his left arm, Eugene used her tail to hold the axe and reached out to choke him. The thick rubber-coated skin and the spine embedded with cables were crushed mercilessly, and the diameter of the neck, which was toorge for her small hand to grasp, began to shrink. The circle her hand had made began to narrow, as if she were holding an orange and squeezing it into the size of a golf ball in seconds. With a crack, as her thumb and index finger twisted, the golden polygon chunk rolled to the ground. Of course, no one there didn¡¯t know what it was. A dark, oily, golden liquid shot up like a fountain, and she finally took a breath and spoke. "I let my personal feelings mix in too much." "¡­Next time, I¡¯ll handle it, Archetype." "Will you now?" Eugene, finally catching her breath, sat down and confirmed the Dagger Team, who had already cleared the area and were running toward her. The first to enter the room were Loren Tina and Logan, who exchanged looks of disbelief and spoke. "Doing fatalities in real life, this crazy bastard." "The weapon you gave earlier was quite useful. Thanks for the hard work." "Haha¡­" As their gazes shifted, the unsteady coffin came into view. As expected, the estimated time was still quite far off. What was certain was that when all three manifestors gathered, it could barely be moved, or it might end up being heavier. Looking around, Loren Tina spoke. "I didn¡¯t expect to use strength instead of guns this far." "Hah¡­ I¡¯ll call for a helicopter to the bunker, and if we can load it onto the armored train, let¡¯s do it." "¡­" "Everyone, I¡¯m always grateful and sorry." With a slightly embarrassed look, Eugene opened a securemunication line to the Dagger Team, signaling the start of a mad n never seen anywhere in history. It was just 30 seconds ago when they realized there was a conveyor belt leading to the unloading dock connected to the tform where the armored train was. ©¤©¤©¤! "It looks like there''s chaos at the base in the middle of the night." "We brought something the size of three public phone booths at the crack of dawn, so what do you expect?" As it was said, the surrounding area was literally a storm of noise and its source. A helicopter carefully lowered a massive box, about the size of three public phone boothsbined, and below it, engineers who had been suddenly woken up in the early hours of the morning were using various heavy machinery to build a new structure beside the Dagger Team''s building. It was 3 AM at the moment. I felt a little guilty, but it was an unavoidable process. At around 2:40 AM, when Brigadier General Aaron was forcibly woken up and heard about the operation¡¯s progress and results, he immediately raised an emergency alert at the barracks where the engineers were stationed. As a result, those who were called in with expressions like they had eaten something sour were wide-eyed when they heard that I had brought back the second model,plete with the recovery coffin, and immediately began construction on the ns the Dagger Team had made, working diligently in the middle of the night. Icarus gear was truly a cheat code. "So you tried to carry that thing?" "Looking back, it was a crazy move." "By the way, Eugene, do you have a collector¡¯s instinct? Not one, but two¡­ In that case, would it be alright if I get one too...?" "Why are you already talking about weird stuff as soon as you arrive?" Dais really can¡¯t stop being extra. Recently, whenever I had some free time, I would check social media, and it turns out he was raising a new yellow ball python. He said it was a smaller one, but it would grow to 1.5 meters eventually. I really don¡¯t understand why Dais finds it so appealing to raise a pet like that. Anyway, after ignoring Dais¡¯s nonsense, I looked at the slowly descending coffin. It was carefully ced on the solidified ground, surrounded by numerous prefabricated building materials. The speed was incredibly fast, possibly because the technology was more advanced than reality. As soon as the Dagger Team finished the operation, they went inside the building, took showers, and got some rest. Thanks to that, time elerated. It felt as if the film was cutting, and various conversations with themander followed. By then, it was around 11 AM. However, there was one downside: despite Dais, Harmony, and others still being around, only Jin and I were allowed to enter the building with the coffin. "So, now we just need to prepare for Mecha Eugene 2 to emerge and destroy the newly built structure?" "Stop talking nonsense." "Ugh!" Of course, this time, it was Jin who used her tail to give a sharp blow, not me. With Cato holding his head behind us, I carefully opened the door and entered. The interior was surprisingly modest. It was about 40 pyeong (around 132 square meters). Inside the coffin, Lei was lying as if dead. The power was connected to the Dagger Team''s building, so it had automatically been set up during construction. I wondered if living in a ce like this would feel too bleak, but frankly, my own gear box over there was only a little better than this, with the only difference being a few beds. So, I figured I¡¯d bring some furniture overter if that became necessary. Anyway, it was time for the rebellious second one to finally return home. I checked the authority I had received for the coffin''s control and spoke. "Looks like it¡¯s a form of body recovery using nanomachines, so after Jin goes in andes out, we should be good." "That sounds like a great idea." "Can you take care of the stubborn second one?" "Well, by human standards, I guess that makes me the ''older sister''." What strange things is she going to say now? And, as expected, Jin¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she stared at the coffin. She probably meant to sp her hands together, but since she was missing one arm, she couldn¡¯t. Of course, I had used the reactivated healing function to reconnect, so her left arm was now fine again. That was a relief. "Well... technically, yes?" "I''m really looking forward to it." Of course. Ignoring the fact that the full recovery had beenpleted, I scrolled down and activated the function. And then, with a hiss, the liquid inside the coffin was stored in anotherpartment inside, and the waste generated from the damage during thebat¡ªthings like bullet fragments¡ªwas poured into one side. The red LED on the top of the coffin blinked green, and the door opened. Before the moisture on her body could even dry, Jin, with eyes that were eerily simr to Lei¡¯s, carefully looked around. The most curious thing for us was what words woulde from her mouth first. If something went seriously wrong, we¡¯d have to deal with it right there. But when her eyes met ours, her expression became indescribable, and Jin and I knew right then that the operationst night had been a sess. She opened her mouth. "Even after telling you several times to turn around, you just hesitated. I had to bring you here myself¡ªUgh!" But she was the one to rush at us first. Jin quickly raised her sma cannon, and for a moment, I was startled too. But after being pushed back a few steps, I realized what was happening. Lei had tightly hugged me. With a sigh, I opened my mouth. "Bringing back the second one who ran off is a pain, isn¡¯t it?" Could a robot that looks so much like me cry? I¡¯m not sure, but today, I think I might find out. Still drenched with the liquid from the nanomachines, I turned my back, thinking about how I¡¯d have to make excusester to the Dagger Team, who would be stuck taking care of two Mecha Eugenes. The world really was a strange ce. Chapter 418 [General] "Damn it, Eugene! How is it that once a month you bring back another Mecha Eugene?! This is absurd!" "Give me one too, damn it, I¡¯m so jealous I¡¯m gonna die." [All Comments][Newest First]
  • Fact<<
  • [Author] "Are you seriously not jealous of this?!"
  • "I¡¯m jealous, haha"
  • "Ahh hahahahahahaha"
  • "I¡¯m so jealous I feel like my stomach is splitting open¡­ just one Mecha Eugene!!!"
  • "At this rate, Artemis is gonna start producing one of those things each time, huh, haha"
    • "Eugene Squad"
    • "I feel like I¡¯ve seen this in some old phone game, lol"
    • "Eugene Alter w"
  • "Seems like Eugene''s gonna form a party and raid solo, haha"
  • "By the way, the first one¡¯s Jin, but why the second one named Rain? That¡¯s random."
    • "ording to Eugene, they met on a rainy day, so the second one¡¯s name is Rain, haha"
    • "Hahahahahahahahaha"
    • "Yeah, they really just named it without thinking, lol"
    • "First one got half Eugene¡¯s name, second one was named ''Rain'' after meeting on a rainy day, haha"
  • "Hah, I¡¯m already debating whether to ask for the first one or the second one when I meet the guyter, haha."
    • "Damn it, where did all that confidence go? You¡¯re the one who drank it all up."
    • "Dreams are so vivid, haha."
    • "Fact: The second one is more popr because it¡¯s feisty."
    • "Are you all getting ready to break your heads open or something?"
  • "So jealous of those with flowers in both hands."
  • "Dais looks so greedy, haha."
  • "Artemis<<
  • "Lol, seriously?"
  • "Human-type bosses, GOTY, right???"
  • "LOL, it actually was GOTY, haha."
  • "We can¡¯t even use the allied faction system, what¡¯s GOTY about that?! Damn it, I want to have one Mecha Eugene in my gear box!!!"
  • "You can¡¯t have it, haha."
  • "Hah, Icarus gear guys are seriously bad at business, the damn Biam girl spilled water, but what¡¯s the use if they don¡¯t row the boat???"
    • "Interpretation: Let the Mecha Eugene pet out."
    • "Thanks, Papago!"
    • "Hahahahahahahaha"
    • "Honestly, I really want it, it¡¯s making me sick to my stomach."
    • [General] "From now on, I withdraw my support for Artemis." "From today, I will no longer be part of the support group and will join Artemis as one. Any attack on Artemis will be seen as an attack on me." "If there are 7 billion Artemis fans in the world, I am one of them. If there are 100 million Artemis fans, I am one of them. If there are 10 million Artemis fans, I am still one of them. If there are 100 fans of Artemis, I am still one of them. If there is only one fan of Artemis, it is probably me. If there are no fans of Artemis, then I no longer exist in this world." "Artemis, my love. Artemis, my light. Artemis, my darkness. Artemis, my life. Artemis, my joy. Artemis, my sorrow. Artemis, my rest. Artemis, my soul. Artemis, me." [All Comments][Newest First]
    • "Who the hell uploaded the gallery photo without permission?? Are you crazy????"
      • [Author] "Oops, sorry!"
    • "This guy¡¯s talking about shbangs and the gallery, haha, this is hrious."
    • "Mental case, lol"
    • "Isn¡¯t this crazy? Hahahahahahaha"
    • "These idiots spend so much time carving their models like perverts, haha."
      • "How did they know the curves of Eugene¡¯s body and make it identical, ."
      • "Biam was just cooperating because it seemed fun, but after it appeared, Mecha Biam¡¯s been harassed by all thements, haha."
      • "It¡¯s okay as long as they don¡¯t go overboard, like in IRL, haha."
      • "These idiots are going overboard with everything, haha."
    • "Artemis<<
    • "Why haven¡¯t we seen sharks and pr bears yet??"
      • "Because we didn¡¯t get permission!!"
      • "Artemis is too gutless, haha."
      • "No guts? The moment they release it without permission, there will be bombs exploding from the headquarters, you idiot, haha."
    • "The image is really gorgeous."
    • "This is Biam, haha."
    • "Eugene<
    • "Huh?"
    • "LOL"
  • "Why is there a snake tail on a woman¡¯s butt? That¡¯s so creepy."
  • "Looking at Eugene, I realize I¡¯m a descendant of the great-grandfather Dangun... now I¡¯m going to confess to Hotteok."
    • "Are you really? Haha."
    • "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, damn it."
    • "Ah, hahahahahahahahahahahaha"
  • "You guys are all crazy, haha."
  • "Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam! Mecha Biam!"
    • "Looks like Rain is also fumbling in the beginning." "...What else can I do? I¡¯ve never shot a gun properly before." Thud! The sound was so loud that it seemed like my eardrums were about to fall off. But it wasn¡¯t just me in this shooting range, and it wasn¡¯t only Jin. In fact, Rain was awkwardly holding a gun and shooting at the target. I watched the scene without much thought. Of course, Rain was born with the same purpose as Jin, meaning she had to relearn herbat methods. Unlike a heavy machine gun, those who are resilient enough to shrug off a few bullets should have a different style ofbat from humans. But that didn¡¯t mean humanbat tactics could be disregarded. These beings might lookpletely different from humans, but their origin was still me¡ªafter all, I don¡¯t avoid precise targeting, so why should they? There¡¯s still a long way to go. "For a first shot, not bad. But since it was a stationary target, don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking this shows your real skill." "...Cold." "Heh, you''re still 35 days away from earning praise from the Archetype... Ah, ah! Please stop the violence." "Already struggling with basics? How did I teach you to pick up things like this?" Looking at Jin with a half-frozen gaze, it seemed like she had be flustered, and she desperately began to exin herself. But there was no helping it. Still, just seeing her awkward expression was amusing enough to make my own expression soften, and Jin let out a sigh of relief. Anyway, I sat down in a chair to calmly gather my thoughts. The main agenda was the uing prototype Mecha Eugene raid. Based on the information gathered so far¡ªthrough investigating ces like the Artemis researchb, and by finding clues one by one¡ªit was clear that in order to capture the prototype, the four towers within the facility had to be destroyed first. Only then could the enemy stop repairing itself. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just that. I also had to consider that Beta, Gamma¡ªthe one I captured, and another one that was produced after I caught mine¡ªDelta, and Epsilon were guarding those towers. Epsilon was something I took with me. Well, the main point was this. Epsilon¡ªRain''s skills needed to be improved quickly. That way, I could safely take her along during the raid. "¡­So, stop staring at me with those suspicious eyes. It¡¯s making me ufortable." "Ah, I got caught." "Not that it matters. Dais, just teach Jin properly. Rain¡¯s my responsibility." "Ugh..." As expected. Of course, it was obvious when I thought about it for a second. In the past, whenever we had new recruits, I personally trained them one-on-one. On the flip side, Rain¡¯s situation was urgent. That said, there was no better feeling than knowing that once I trained the newbies properly, I wouldn¡¯t have to be the one doing everything anymore. At this point, Harmony and Dais were taking the lead and teaching the others beneath them. Harmony was going to teach Cato, and Dais was supposed to teach Blue and Jin. Fortunately, after a brief chat, Dais''s expression softened, and he disappeared into the opposite side of the training area. That left only Rain and me in the shooting range. Rain, looking uncertain about what to do next, carefully set her gun aside and tried to sit on a chair a little away from me. I added, without much thought: "You shouldn¡¯t sit down." "...Why not¡ªAhh!" ©¤©¤©¤Crack! She fell t. Unfortunately, I was a second toote. Like Jin, Rain weighed well over 500 kg, and most of the chairs in the facility weren¡¯t strong enough to hold her. As a result, one of the chairs in the shooting range met its untimely end, and I could only watch the scene quietly. Rain shook her head a few times and got back up, finally sitting on the bare floor. After watching her, I spoke. "Is this livable?" "...How long have I been here? Why are you asking about that?" A brief silence passed. Our eyes met. The gaze she gave me wasn¡¯t quite human, but it wasn¡¯t exactly robotic either. For a moment, I wondered if this was the performance of an AI built from a human core. She seemed like she wanted to say something, so I waited quietly. "¡­What happened to the researchb?"@@novelbin@@ "Do you want to know?" "..." Another silence. But I had already guessed she wanted to hear about it. We hadn¡¯t known each other for long, but I recognized her hesitant behavior¡ªher outwardly fiery nature was almost like a disguise for her fragile inner self. Whether it was a disguise or not, I simply replied nonchntly. "It¡¯s in ruins. There¡¯s probably just a 500-meter wide crater now. No one survived. The bunker-busterser hydrogen bombpletely vaporized the facility." "¡­Did the Warden die too?" "Warden?" "...Never mind." Warden, huh. But at that moment, I had a strong feeling that the Warden was one of the two people in the room where Rain had been¡ªan engineer and another high-ranking officer I had executed. So I spoke again, this time in a calm tone. "I killed him. With my own hands." "¡­I see. All the things I¡¯d been pondering vanished so easily..." "That¡¯s how things are in this world. And Artemis¡­ well, they touched something they shouldn¡¯t have. And now, here I am, wide awake, and they want to show their faces again." At that moment, our eyes met again. Thinking back now, I should have realized something was off the moment I found out Icarus wanted to put a character based on me in the game. But when I realized that events urring in the EU mode were mirroring what was happening in another world, my anger toward Artemis surpassed its limits. I hadn¡¯t spoken about it, and I hadn¡¯t shown it to Jin or Rain, who could be considered victims. I had kept my rage bottled up because there was no need to express it to them. But truthfully, I had already vented that anger in many ways. I had called in the Dagger Team here, and eventually, President Henry had given the order to erase Artemis from this world. So in a way, my anger had already been fully expressed in the background. Then, once again, silence filled the room. But that wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected because the reason was simple. The Dagger Team, who had just woken up, had sent me a message. "¡­What¡¯s going on? Why is no one saying anything?" "No, it¡¯s nothing, really." Everyone¡¯s awake and breakfast is done. Aprehensive briefing on Prototype Mecha Eugene and personalbat skills training is scheduled for 2 PM. P.S. Make sure to bring Rain. I chuckled while looking at the tablet screen with that message on it. Naturally, I met Rain¡¯s gaze, which was filled with a somewhat ominous expression, but, well, what did that matter? It seemed like things would be tough for Rain from here on out¡ªbut it wouldn¡¯t matter much since her body didn¡¯t experience fatigue. I added with a smirk: "Rain." "Ugh, what now?" "If you want to keep up with our pace, you¡¯ll have a rough time." She gave me a confused look, almost as if seeing a version of me from back when I fell into New York. But, well, in the end, you just adapt. It had only been 15 minutes since Rain was officially designated as the team¡¯s punching bag and newest recruit. "Y-You guys, you¡¯re as tough as the data in the database!" "If you use the railgun attached to your tail, you¡¯ll have to start over, so get used to it quickly. The recovery¡¯s handled by the coffin, so it¡¯s fine." "Archetype¡ª!" Not long after, the Dagger Team, under the pretense of preparing for high-value target elimination training, thoroughly "cleaned up" Rain, much like clothes being wrung out in a dryer. Of course, I was scheduled to be sent in next. As I thought about what tactics and strategies I should teach next, Jin, who hadpleted one cycle, came over, looking worn out and added: "The world is full of terrifying things." "Yep, it is." "Even you, Archetype." Me? Why me? Of course, that question was never answered. Chapter 419 "Dagger Team always... continues to surprise me." New York, Central Park HQ. In the heart of Manhattan, stillcking infrastructure, people, and graves, but with an air conditioning system that works exceptionally well, the meeting room inside the fortified Central Park had a hologram projector from the assistant, showing slides that Henry Brayton was watching with a wry smile. The projector was still running live, and the video being disyed showed two androids moving, and it was remarkably familiar. Especially the long, silvery tail extending from their backs... He suppressed the headache and added: "So, you¡¯re telling me those are androids made from humans¡­? Have the casualties from Artemis been tallied?" "The ouws roaming the area... ording to Brigadier General Aaron Dsovich, the ones referred to as ''Bandits'' are mostly present, so it¡¯s difficult to get an exact count, but it¡¯s estimated to be over 550 people." "Are they all Canadians?" "No, more than half are Russians, and about 25% are presumed to be rogue PMC personnel." Hah. He scratched his head and sighed, letting out a bitterugh, mainly due to the fact that more than half of them were Russian. They had betrayed the U.S., sold critical information to Russia, and now were using the remaining Russian soldiers in the U.S. as experimental subjects. It was a bizarre, tragic situation, but he quickly shook it off and refocused on the main subject: the prototype Mecha Eugene. The video then switched to a scene where the two androids were talking to someone, and the predictions about them were briefly noted beneath it. Type Gamma was clear-minded and had its own standards, likely able to understand and feel most human emotions, including likes and dislikes. But it wasn¡¯tparable to Epsilon. "That model could pass for a human if you only adjusted its exterior." "That¡¯s correct." Type Epsilon, a strange entity, was somewhat ambiguous to call an AI. After a long series of ''improper'' experiments, Artemis created a human neural map, from which another life was reproduced. It was less an android and more of an artificial lifeformposed of metal, artificial muscles, cables, and cont, instead of flesh and bone made of calcium. And yet, seeing that model stuck to a shadow of Eugene, it was enough to leave Henry and the senior military officials and high-ranking officials in the meeting room utterly dumbfounded. "It seems that unit has a rather... dependent rtionship with Operator Eugene." "ording to the operation records, Viper was the one who directly rescued it. There¡¯s also a record of attempts to induce defection during about six engagements." "Six times. That¡¯s remarkable. I think I¡¯ve seen something simr in a Chinese history book... Well, in any case, it¡¯s an impressive effort. Surviving after six battles with such a monster." And indeed. The characteristic of Type Epsilon was its ability to fire a railgun capable of 35 MJ during operations, which was nearly twice as powerful as the electromaic cannon mounted on the unmanned tanks the U.S. currently used. ording to the operation records, Eugene had solved this problem in a rather crude manner by disrupting its aim. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just that. To disrupt Epsilon¡¯s aiming, an attack of equal magnitude was needed, and Eugene had the help of Gamma, which had been brought in a month earlier. This fact sparked significant interest in the people in the room. The Advanced sma Cannon. Its power could change ording to the user¡¯s will, making it hard to calcte the average power, but one thing was certain: it was a collection of diverse technologies that would be hard to replicate unless developed deliberately. Having such a weapon on your side, and even modifying it to help in battles against simr units, was truly impressive and almost dizzying. However, those in the room had seen the Dagger Team¡¯s actions before. "So, how should we organize the two units?" "Operator Eugene and Morrison are currently having difficulty in executing operations, so I believe we can substitute for them to some extent. The Shadow Operators are also assisting, so adding the two units shouldn¡¯t be too much of a burden." "Can you definitively rule out the possibility of hacking? Defection could be a deadly threat." "If we can include Gamma and Epsilon in Icarus Gear¡¯s firewall, there¡¯s little chance of it escting into a major issue." When it came to troublesome or difficult problems, the solution was always simple: throw it to the Dagger Team, or have them deal with it. And everyone in the room wasmitted to this approach, and the Dagger Team would likely give the suggestion some thought, but there was little chance of them rejecting or refusing it. The discussion continued with more details and calctions. Having dealt with lessplicated matters, they began discussing something that required more deliberation: Artemis¡¯s future handling. Of course, with the President already dering that Artemis would be erased from existence, there was little more to say, but discussions on managing the aftermath were still necessary. And then: "As long as it¡¯s not rted to artificial intelligence research, it¡¯s fine to retrieve and use anything. However, artificial intelligence research will only be carried out through the two units that the Dagger Team has recovered. This is to be made clear here and now." "No objections." "Then, should we dispose of the data rted to the human brain map?" "Considering that about 550 people lost their lives toplete that map, if you¡¯re not nning to take that into ount, I suppose it¡¯s fine to steal it." This spoke volumes. Henry firmly drew the line, dering that there would be no tolerance for using controversial research data umted by Artemis, especially through human lives. And no one in the room would dare ignore his words. Artemis would be erased, and the research data built on human blood would be burned. Taking advantage of the brief silence, Henry scanned the room once again and continued. "Let¡¯s move on to the next topic. Two days ago, we received a report from CAF stating that a major assault on Artemis HQ, located approximately 160 km north of the base managed by Brigadier General Aaron Dsovich, failed. I need a detailed exnation about this." "I¡¯ll exin that part myself." At the same time, a soldier wearing a three-star cap stood up and took control of the hologram projector. Brigadier General Ernest Pendleton, Commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. With a flick of his finger, the screen changed. A photo of Artemis HQ, taken from several kilometers away, appeared, and below it was a video. He clicked the y button and began speaking: "This video was taken by Task Force Vigil, part of the Information Support Activity (ISA)." The screen showed Artemis HQ, captured from several kilometers away. Artillery and airstrikes were intercepted in mid-air or blocked by an invisible energy shield. Amidst the tall grass, several movements were detected¡ªsoldiers aimingplex machinery at Artemis HQ, hurriedly manipting something. As the camera zoomed in, an outline emerged in the sky above Artemis HQ. It was Mecha Eugene. But as it suddenly fired its railgun forward, the atmosphere in the meeting room changed dramatically. "¡­Oh my god, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me." The size and power of the railgun on Mecha Eugene¡¯s tail were on apletely different levelpared to Epsilon''s. The reason was simple. Prototype Alpha was receiving all of Artemis¡¯s remaining resources, which exined the disproportionatelyrge tail for the size of the unit. Then, in the next moment, the tail suddenly shrank, having created a massive railgun using some method. After the targeted strike, it either changed direction or deactivated¡ªthis was the case in the video. The destructive power was enough to leave even ISA soldiers, who had been through countless battles, dumbfounded. As the machinery they had been operating produced several more results, the conversation shifted in another direction. "...Seems like the shield can¡¯t be maintained all the time." "Striking with a medium-range ballistic missile... I don¡¯t think the Canadians would be too happy with that." "They say if we have the Artemis code, we can infiltrate. So once again, it¡¯s Icarus Operator. Forcing precious agents into that inferno and praying... It¡¯s horrible." "It''s ironic that while we can block artillery and airstrikes, we can''t stop people." The cement of the two Mecha Eugenes into the Dagger Team''s formation was, in fact, for this very reason. While depleting some of Prototype Alpha''s remaining resources, highly skilled personnel would infiltrate to gather intelligence on the internal structure, and ultimately, both the Mecha Eugene and all facilities would be incinerated. As each person came to realize this conclusion, Henry smiled faintly. "The war ended not long ago, yet here we are, once again, driving America¡¯s finest assets into a deadly mission. Truly, it¡¯s horrific." "¡­" "Director Solomon." "Yes." The President and the Director of Icarus locked eyes. "What is the energy limit currently fixed at for all operators wearing Icarus Gear?" "Task Force Violet has the lowest, set to Delta, and Task Force Dagger is set to Eta, the highest." "Release Task Force Dagger''s energy limit up to Lambda." At that moment, everyone fell silent, but Henry didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. Icarus Gear could deliver half of its maximum output, which could potentially cause severe damage to the user¡ªthough it could be healedter¡ªbut it allowed all operators to achieve physical capabilities close to those of the manifesters. A double-edged sword. The slide finished, and Henry quietly added: "I wonder how many more times I¡¯ll have to wish this is thest." The end was nearing. But whether it would be the end, no one knew. "All personnel deployed. The sniping and reconnaissance teams have reached their positions... As of now, the Lighthouse Destruction Operation has begun." "To make the new recruits join the mission beforepleting their training? Brings back memories." "Not much has changed, it seems, in terms ofcking personnel." Meanwhile, regardless of the circumstances, the Dagger Team had fullymitted to training Jin and Rain, refining their skills through what could be called a near-real mission¡ªalthough this time, it was, indeed, a real mission. The number of required operations always inversely corrted with the number of avable troops. "Message to all Dagger Team members. We¡¯ve confirmed Owens and the two new recruits near the helicopter camp. Sharing the footage now for observation. As of now, Rapier and Marcus will be in charge of the area." "Confirmed." In the pitch-ck darkness where even the front wasn¡¯t visible, three personnel and multiple UAVs glided through the night sky. It was reminiscent of thest bunker operation, but this time was different, especially since Rain had joined, and the mission wasn¡¯t a total destruction operation, but rather a stealth infiltration one. Still, Artemis forces were present all around. Despite the prolonged destruction, if anyone were to ask if there were any enemy forces left outside HQ, there wouldn¡¯t be much to say. But upon reflection, there was a connection¡ªthrough the nearby train station adjacent to the Artemis camp. The lighthouse, coastline, customs, and bunkers all had railways inmon. Naturally, these tracks connected to the research facility they¡¯d briefly visited, although it had long been destroyed. Word was that the troops stranded at the lighthouse were dreaming of returning to HQ through these tracks. Of course, that was an impossible dream, and the reason they had arrived here today was clear. "We¡¯ll have to send all these delusional dreamers to dreand." "Of course." At the same time, it served as an opportunity to let Jin and Rain gain some real infiltration experience. This was why, just before entering the Prototype Alpha raid, they were given theirst chance for realbat. The proof of this was that the personnel leading the mission today was one of Dagger Team¡¯s irreceable assets: Anthony Owens, the operations team leader. To prevent any emergencies, a reconnaissance team had been assigned to the entire lighthouse. The n was set, and after today, the two recruits would have gained most of their theoretical knowledge about infiltration missions and put it into practice. That was the surface reason. ''¡­And if Rain hesitates for even a second to kill Artemis infantry or other personnel in a critical moment, that would be problematic too.'' And that was the second reason. Today, Rain would, by her own choice, rebel against Artemis, and she had no choice but to do so. So, in silence, the observation began. UAVs with propellers moved gracefully in the sky while three green markers signaling allies moved across the mountains and fields toward the vi. Unfortunately, they had to climb a winding path, but that was the least of the concerns. After a while, some guards were seen at various spots. The vi itself, contrary to memory, had been heavily fortified. The reconnaissance data from the UAVbined with Owens'' detailed briefing began. "The enemy at this position might seem easy to take out at first nce, but if you fire recklessly, it could cause noise by falling off the cliff, and there are other enemy forces observing the cliffside near the top." "So, we shouldn¡¯t take them out right away?" "Exactly. And there¡¯s one more thing we need to check." At the same time, Owens moved closer to the guards. He was wearing optical camouge equipped with heat-blocking features, so there was no risk of detection through thermal sensors. After waiting for a short while, Icarus Gear updated with new data on the UI. Stripping away the jargon, the conclusion was simple: The exoskeleton embedded in the body also functioned as a heartbeat sensor, meaning the enemy would know when a target was killed. In other words, as long as no one died, the Icarus Gear could still infiltrate. "Marcus, Rapier. On my signal, stun the enemies hidden by the cliffs¡­ The two of you probably only know how to kill, not how to control your strength, so you¡¯ll need to learn that today. Use whatever method works." "This is hard." "I''ll do it."@@novelbin@@ Naturally, there was no refusal or objection. Thus, movements began on both sides of the cliff¡ªRapier expertly evaded severalyers of ymores and vibration-detection mines, while hacking the exoskeleton of the cliffside guards remotely. Jin and Rain carefully moved through the shadows. Then, it was simple. Rapier didn¡¯t bother stunning the two guards, but instead reset severalmands in the database of the cyborgs set to guard mode. In the next moment, Jin and Rain appeared before the guards, who, despite recognizing them, just stared nkly. And a few secondster: "Ugh, choke..." "Snap..." The two guards, barely able to hold their breath, copsed where they stood. Of course, nothing happened. The signal modified by Icarus Gear was transmitted to the vi¡¯s CCTV room and disyed that there were no abnormalities detected in the bodies of the guards in real-time. When nothing happened after a few seconds, Owens nodded once and quickened his pace. Meanwhile, Rain, who had been repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists, turned her head. Through themunicationwork, a quiet voice echoed. "It was this simple." No one could help but smile at that. "I¡¯m looking forward to bringing you both on the Prototype strike mission." Laurenatina''s voice rang out brightly. I nodded without a word. The mental conditioning was done, and now only experience would shape them. Chapter 420 "Well done. Move out. Be especially cautious about stealth while on the move." "Understood." One by one. In the pitch-ck darkness, within a poorly constructed lookout post, the two guards stationed there were swiftly neutralized. Initially, brute force was used to subdue the enemy, but that approach would not be employed again. Owens, who had taught them better, had advised against relying solely on the same CQC methods. So, as the door of the small, darkened outpost opened, hell unfolded. As soon as Owens'' exoskeleton hackingpleted, Rain stormed into the room. Despite wearing equipment that enhanced human physical abilities several times over, the neutralization was instantaneous. Her movements were as smooth as a stroll. The key to this takedown was electronic warfare, and Rain, as she entered, began to interfere with the exoskeletons tightly integrated with the two enemy bodies. It didn¡¯t take long before the muscles of both enemies rxed entirely. The two enemies copsed with a thud. They were likely struggling to even breathe, but no one would be around to help them. "This is Rain. The 3rd lookout post is neutralized..." "The 2nd post is neutralized. Only the 1st post at the main gate remains." "Proceed to Waypoint Bravo without being detected." Two searchlights near the main gate continued to shine, but the surrounding terrain was far too varied and rugged to be adequately covered by just two lights. To fill in the gaps, lookout posts had been ced in several locations. However, since most of them were already neutralized, they were no longer of any significance. As this was happening, Rain''s HUD automatically disyed thebat records. A condensed version of how Jin, the other prototype, had neutralized the 2nd post appeared. The method was simple: from an angle where the light couldn¡¯t be seen, a small hole was made in the wall, all oxygen inside was burned, and the hole was sealed again. As the two enemies were on the verge of suffocation, Jin calmly entered the room, twisted their limbs, and left. It was a horrifyingly efficient method. ¡®Is this really what efficiency looks like?¡¯ This was a realm Rain hadn¡¯t been able toprehend with her basicbat knowledge until now. But it was no surprise. Up until now, the orders she received were simple: eliminate every enemy in sight or hold a position until reinforcements arrived. The solution was often as simple as firing a railgun and solving the problem. But it wasn¡¯t the same anymore. Now, she had to predict the consequences of her actions, and she quickly realized what it meant to manipte every part of her body carefully to achieve the desired result. Sometimes, unconventional methods had to be employed. And this mission was the perfect ce to test all of that. While that thought lingered, countless data streams appeared before her. These were interceptedmunications sent by the Dagger Team¡¯s reconnaissance squad, operating hundreds of meters away, gathering data. Owens, observing this, casuallymented: "So, it¡¯s an ind on thend." "What does that mean?" "It means the forces here have been cut off from Artemis¡¯ mainwork for quite some time." The version of the Artemiswork ess code required for eavesdropping. The content of the conversations. The radio transmissions and the messages within them. While nothing was definitive,bining all of this information led to a conclusion. The remaining Artemis forces at the lighthouse probably didn¡¯t even know that Jin had been captured by Akita-type operators. It wasn¡¯t certain, but the possibility wasn¡¯t impossible either. After a moment of thinking through this scenario, Owens came to a conclusion¡ªThe lighthouse. In other words, a location very close to the sea. Artemis HQ and other bases were located ind, and the bases were usually connected by railways. This was the same. Since it wasn¡¯t a majorbat zone, it was perfect for maintaining power, but the essibility of information was quite poor. Additionally, the Artemis internalwork had been destroyed for quite some time. That being the case... And then, a delightful thought suddenly crossed Owens'' mind. "Jin, Rain. Do you still have ess to Artemis-rted clearance?" "This unit was cut off from thework after being captured by Akita-type, and another Gamma-type unit has been produced." "I still have mine." "Hmm." Owens nodded, a smile spreading across his face. Even in the darkness, his charming face was clearly visible, his grin sharp. "Do you know how to make a distraction?" "I think I misheard you. Could you exin that again?" "Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be good at it soon enough." And with that, the outline of the internal infiltration n began to spread over thems. The so-called ''Capture Operation'' had begun. The next moment, the sound of gunfire erupted unexpectedly near the vi¡¯s road. "Emergency! Emergency! The searchlights are down!" "We heard gunfire! No response from posts 5 through 2!" "We¡¯ve visually confirmed the intruder. We¡¯ll deploy turrets and engage. Requesting strike team." In the deep night, with the moon hanging on the horizon, gunshots rang out from near the vi¡¯s road. The alerting guards hurriedly responded, but except for the 1st post near the main gate, there was no reply anywhere else. This wasn¡¯t just a group of bandits searching for food, but rather, it was a proper infiltration. With a whirring noise, turrets rose, and in ce of the broken searchlights, multiple strike dronesunched from within the base, beginning their aggressive search of the area. "¡­Wait, cease fire! Friendly signal confirmed! Two friendly signals surrounding one enemy!" "Friendly? It must be a malfunction. Double-check it!" "We¡¯ll confirm the source of the signal using the drone cam." At that moment, dozens of drones were dispatched. With the sharp sound of their propellers, they maneuvered through the densely grown trees and headed toward the point where the noise hade from, activating thermal sensors. Within moments, a clear image appeared, brighter than daylight despite the night¡ªtwo figures, partially hidden by the trees. They were not the same as the original Akita-types, but Mecha Eugenes nheless. With glowing eyes visible even in the darkness, they were unmistakable. These were android weapons deployed to defend Artemis HQ and other high-value targets. Despite the Artemis data nodes having been disconnected almost two months ago, the Artemis managers and engineers within the base likely sensed why these two had appeared at this point¡ªthough they were wrong. "They sent reinforcements from the HQ." At that exact moment, the staff officer working alongside the basemander widened his eyes in excitement and spoke out. "It¡¯s UES! We can¡¯t confirm the type, but it¡¯s definitely them!" "What should we do, Commander?" "¡­Retract the turrets and deploy the drones. With two of them showing up, it¡¯s highly likely they were sent directly from HQ. Let them into the base." The battle was far from over, and the team was adapting rapidly. "The vi''s in chaos." "That means it''s time to begin... Wee back, rookie. Ready to sync up?" "Of course." Meanwhile, at Log Camp, the rest of the Dagger Team began moving, using the explosion from the vi as a signal. "Impressive. You really nailed the acting." "¡­Is this something we actually do in realbat?" "Stop with the awkward politeness... well, if it''s effective, anything works." "Seriously, there are only terrifying people here¡­" As Rain grumbled, the team entered the heavily fortified underground facility. A thick iron door blocked their path, but soon sounds began echoing from above as identification checks started. "¡­I¡¯ll confirm identities. It will take about 30 seconds. Please bear with us until then, we can''t open the door prematurely." "Go ahead. We can break it down if you refuse." "¡­It¡¯ll be done shortly." Within 10 seconds, the door opened with a screeching sound, revealing the thick alloy doors, which were at least a dozen centimeters thick. Once the doors opened, no one could stop them from entering. Rain wore a serious expression, while Jin remained emotionless. Owens, following closely behind, quickly surveyed the area. He was looking for valuable data or anything of importance. "Wee to the lighthouse sector. We''ve had trouble getting in touch, so we¡¯re d you came to visit. Now, can I hear what you''re here for?" "It''s simple."@@novelbin@@ At that moment, with a loud nk, the thick alloy walls of the meeting room mmed shut. Rain and Jin raised their tails, concentrating all their power, and added: "Everyone here is going to disappear." "Wh-what?! Block them!" Boom! The advanced sma cannon fired two shots, setting the room''s enemies and oxygen aze. Hidden in the shadows, Owens quickly adjusted the controls and, with a single shot, created openings in the skulls of every enemy in the room. The space, already over-specified for such a confined area, turned into chaos within seconds. The room became a ughterhouse, and in less than 20 seconds, it was empty. Blood streamed down the stairs, and Owens, picking up the keycard from the decapitatedmander, used it to ess the database while hearing morebat sounds and screams from the ceiling. "Transmission from the surface! The main gate ispletely malfunctioning! Three enemies are tearing through the base¡¯s entire personnel!" "Commander, send drones and unmanned vehicles immediately! Please!" Owens smiled faintly at this. "Since they want it so badly, I suppose I should grant their request." Now in control of the basemander¡¯s authority, Owens activated the control devices. Within moments, dozens of strike drones and UGVs surged out, firing their weapons indiscriminately at the Artemis soldiers. "AAAH¡ª!" "Friendly fire, damn it¡­ We¡¯re shooting our own troops, you bastards!" "Commander! Please, issue amand! Please!" Blood spilled across therge screen showing the count of friendly forces and unmanned units, rapidly decreasing. Owens, unfazed, slid the bloodstained keycard into a multipurpose pouch and added: "It¡¯s time to leave." "¡­Really impressive, in every way." Was this how they always worked? As that chilling thought crossed Rain¡¯s mind, she pressed the button by the gate, and once again, the thick alloy walls opened. The meeting room was eerily silent, with nothing but the sound of heavy breaths. Chapter 421 "Cleared up to the lower resort. No enemies in the central zone of the lighthouse. Repeat, no enemies in the central zone of the lighthouse." "The operation''s intensity is insane... No way they keep up this level ofbat all the time, right?" "You''ve nailed the core of it." "...Are you all really human?" At that moment, a smallugh came from behind. While checking the functionality of her firearm and keeping watch as she had been taught by Archetype and the Dagger team, the noise information collected by the hearing module caused Rain to automatically turn her head. The database automatically recalled the names¡ªMarcus, Rapier, Logan. The operational capabilities of all of them were so remarkable that Rain was beyond astonished, to the point where she almost gave up trying to understand it. Especially the sudden, creative strategies that emerged in the heat of battle, the audacity and skill to carry them out, and the ability to adjust tactics on the fly. What was even more impressive was that this wasn¡¯t the case for just a few members of the Dagger team; every single one of them exhibited such extraordinary skills. However, instead of questioning how that was possible, she took a quick nce around and then opened a map that allowed her to monitor the entire operation zone to check what was going on. Archetype, Specter, Sirkins, Chester, and Morgan were in the midst of attacking the Log Camp. At that moment, a sudden thought crossed Rain''s mind. "...So, where exactly do we need to dig into the Log Camp?" "How long has it been since we started working together, and you''re already asking questions like that? Impressive." "Is that so...?" Logan¡¯s refreshing voice prated Rain¡¯s thoughts. She couldn¡¯t hide the proud smile that appeared on her face, but it didn¡¯tst long. Meanwhile, Jin Owens was walking up to Logan, offering various suggestions. Rain quickly turned her head. Marcus, Rapier, and Logan were also at a simr stage by now. As a result, Rain pressed the buttonbeled "New," and immediately she could see the attack directions and anticipated targets of the Archetype team, who were turning the Log Camp upside down. Below, several colored arrows were chaotically intersecting, but upon closer inspection, she realized these were the proposed attack routes from each team member. And so, Rain quickly understood the Dagger team¡¯sbat strategy. ''...These people are always nning operations involving feints, deceptions, or multi-angle assaults.'' Something beyond the word "organic." In other words, unless the operation teams were split in half and performing separate missions at the same time, the enemies attacked by the Dagger team almost always had to be prepared for sharp strikesing from the opposite or unanticipated directions. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t be possible for the enemy, and even if it were, the Dagger team wouldn¡¯t bother pushing through a fortified position¡ªthey¡¯d have received fire support from a distance and wiped them out long ago. But that wasn¡¯t the only surprising thing¡ªthere was almost no downtime between operations. "...Can operations efficiency really not drop even after all this?" "If you can¡¯t even calcte that, you¡¯d better go back to boot camp." The answer was simple, as if asking why such a question was even necessary. There was no other way. If you didn¡¯t ount for your own or your team¡¯s endurance during operations, you couldn¡¯t be part of a task force, let alone lead one¡ªLogan was making that clear. "It took some trial and error to get fully ustomed to the Icarus Gear, but that time passed long ago. And after fighting nonstop, you can¡¯t help but know your limits, your allies¡¯ limits, and the limits of the entire Dagger team." "...So, you weren¡¯t good from the start?" "Of course not." The Dagger team¡¯s operational endurance, honed through countless operations and enhanced by the Icarus Gear, hade to this point. There was no one in the task force who would be exhausted after just a few intensebat engagements¡ªlooking at it from that perspective, the Dagger team was truly a group of superhumans. It wasn¡¯t just because there were three individuals with Manifestation abilities. In the meantime, a thought shed through Rain¡¯s mind. ''...So, Archetype is trying to put Jin and me in a ce like this, huh?'' No one had explicitly said so, but it wasn¡¯t hard to figure it out. If they truly wanted to use them as cannon fodder, they would have hidden them in a deep basement somewhere,pletely sealed off, or even disabled them¡ªcut off their limbs, turned off the power, whatever it took. But that wasn¡¯t happening, which was evidence that Archetype had something else in mind¡ªperhaps they were nning to have them as assistants to the Dagger team, or something like that. And, of course, Rain¡¯s assessment was more urate than anyone else''s. She just didn¡¯t like it. At that moment, the many arrows on the map disappeared. Only the most likely infiltration route remained, and the operation map showed that Archetype and Lorentina, along with five other team members, were carrying out an offensive. Rain¡¯sbat circuit ran the simtion and calcted the results. While the exact efficiency wasn¡¯t clear yet, if this continued, the Artemis forces stationed at the Log Camp would be torn to pieces and melt away like ice cream left out in the summer sun. Meanwhile, explosions kept ringing in the distance, shes visible from hundreds of meters away, and the movements of their allies were visible via UAVs, with the enemy forces steadily dwindling. Looking at this scene, Owensmented. "Not sure if there¡¯ll be anything left when we arrive." That¡¯s exactly how it was. Even while half of the Dagger team was on the move, the explosions didn¡¯t stop. By the time they arrived, Archetype¡¯s team had already used antimatter rounds and grenades to turn half of the reserve troops stationed in the area to ashes. There was no one alive at the lighthouse that day. It was the moment when Artemis'' influence over every area, except for HQ, waspletely crushed. Meanwhile, elsewhere: "I thought the raid was open, but why can¡¯t we get in?" "Uh, could it be because of Eugene?" "Kyaaahh-!" At the other end, while the Dagger team was turning the lighthouse back to the Stone Age, those like the Cartographer realized they weren¡¯t even allowed to participate in the typical raid.
    • [Notification: This user¡¯s raid difficulty is locked to ''Annihtion''.]
    • [Notification: Difficulty change feature automatically locked. Currently, you cannot enter as the required number of participants is not met.]
    • [Notification: There is only one opportunity to challenge this difficulty.]
    "...Huh?" "Why... Why can¡¯t I participate in the Biamm raid?!" Bwaaaam! With that strange sound, Carto fell t on the ground. Normally, Dice and Harmonie would intervene to calm him down, but even they were staring nkly at the UI that had popped up before them. Blooming, who had no clue what was going on, was blinking rapidly. What could one even call this? The one clear fact was that, despite the Biamm Mecha Raid opening a week ago, no one here had had a taste of it. Of course, regardless of their situation, a wealth of information was spreading across YourSpace. "This is strange¡­ Normal, Hard, Challenge modes should be here... but I¡¯ve never heard of Annihtion difficulty." "Carto¡¯s turned into ice cream, what are we going to do?" "Well, I figured this would happen. Carto, if you keep hanging out with Eugene, you¡¯ll get used to these unexpected situations." "Snakiiyaaahh..."
    • "Mutiny, hahaha!!!"
    • "Dice and Harmonie don¡¯t care at all, w"
    • "Carto, this guy, has been messing around ever since he didn¡¯t show up for his assignment for a while, hahaha!!!"
    • "Did your guts fall out?????"
    • "But seriously, when is Biamm this damn bastard going to stream again???? Please stop pushing missions and just stream already!!!!!!"
    The chat room was a mess, and two people were watching it with amused smiles. It was almost a given, but when Eugene wasn¡¯t streaming, millions of viewers would flood elsewhere. It was a sort of unnecessary ripple effect¡ªon days when Eugene wasn¡¯t broadcasting, they would flock to Harmonie¡¯s channel, and if Harmonie wasn¡¯t on, they¡¯d go to her acquaintances'' channels... The reason was simple. They were searching for Eugene¡¯s whereabouts. Especially Harmonie, who could contact Eugene anytime, was even more involved¡ªthough, of course, visiting someone else¡¯s stream to look for Eugene was incredibly rude, but it was possible only in Harmonie¡¯s channel. There was also a reason for that. ''So where exactly has Eugene gone...?'' She was curious too. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t just ask outright. People always carried secrets they couldn¡¯t share with others, and Eugene was no different¡ªHarmonie and Dice, who knew fragments of the truth about her, couldn¡¯t help but be curious but kept silent. As most people guessed, Eugene had worked in a special forces unit in the U.S., a unit that couldn¡¯t even be spoken of by name. Even now, after what appeared to be his discharge, he was active in the Dark Zone, doing various tasks. Of course, no one knew exactly what he was doing. Though Harmonie, Dice, and other individuals were involved, only Eugene knew the full story behind the special scenario that existed just for him. Thinking about it like this... ''It almost feels like he¡¯s not ying a game, but is pursuing some kind of goal.'' That was probably true. However, Harmonie didn¡¯t pursue any further questions. The reason was simple. No matter how curious she might be, the chance of getting an answer was close to zero¡ªbesides, Eugene always reappeared right when the whole world was wondering where he had gone. For example... "Right as you came in, I see someone lying down, using the floor as their bed. What kind of hardships and troubles did you run into this time?" "Ugh. I didn¡¯t say anything." "If you hadn¡¯t said that, I might have believed you." Like this. Whenever Eugene showed up, it was almost as if it were scripted. No matter how curious she was about where he had been, there was never a chance to ask, since he always appeared at just the right moment. But recently, Eugene wasn¡¯t alone. Jin and Rain, two Mecha Biamm, had entered with him. It didn¡¯t take long for Harmonie and everyone else present to change their expressions to delighted smiles. Three Biamms together? How could anyone resist? Meanwhile, Cartographer¡¯s tail wrapped around his waist. It was to lift the copsed person on the floor. Most of the people in the room briefly felt envy, but that feeling quickly disappeared. Eugene had ced a file with just one word written on it on the table. Raid. It hade. "Looks like the raid itself has been open for about a week. Has anyone here already tried it or heard anything about the internal gimmicks?" "Ugh, I¡¯ve been blocking out my ears and eyes all week." "I didn¡¯t exactly say not to gather information, did I?" "Ah."
    • "Hahaha!"
    • "Were you blocking your ears and eyes or what??? Hahaha!"
    • "Ah, hahaha!"
    • "Honestly, even if everyone else here did the raid already, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d care at all, hahaha!"
    • "?? : Didn¡¯t I say not to turn? Why didn¡¯t it work?"
    Most of the people present became silent, but it was expected. Instead, the file Eugene spread out contained all the prototype raid data he had collected over the past week¡ªof course, as expected, none of it matched what Eugene and the Dagger team had independently gathered. In other words, it was impossible to predict what would happen inside. At that point, Eugene also noticed the existence of the "Annihtion" difficulty, and she spoke up. "You all probably have some idea, but... Well, has anything ever gone smoothly with me and the things I do? Everything we''ve learned so far could be useless once we enter Artemis HQ, so brace yourselves." "Wow, what¡¯s all this? There are enemies everywhere inside the facility?" "...Wow, seriously. Can we even clear this with just us?" "I don¡¯t think it¡¯s called Annihtion difficulty for nothing..." The interior was incrediblyplicated. Countless gimmicks that had to be executed at the right time. The continuously increasing drones and enemies, and asionally railguns from prototypes flying through the facility itself. It was definitely a difficulty designed for the very few humans who could barely survive it, and the fact that there was only one chance to attempt it added to the anxiety. But Eugene, staring at the word "Annihtion," added: "Well, is there any reason to be scared just because of that word?" "...Huh?" "If we just kill all the enemies inside the facility, that¡¯s also annihtion, right? Isn¡¯t it?"
    • "?????????????"
    • "Why is this person speaking so casually about insane stuff like it¡¯s obvious, hahaha!"
    • "Well, that¡¯s true, hahaha."
    • "Ah, I get it now! If there are too many enemies, just kill them all!"
    • "If it weren¡¯t Eugene, I would¡¯ve told him to stop talking nonsense, hahaha!"
    Of course, no one could refute Eugene¡¯s words as she said them with a chuckle. In an instant, the data file was copied and distributed to everyone. Eugene also sent multiple 3D maps and scenarios applicable to the Dark Zone¡¯s training rooms to everyone¡¯s message boxes. There were more than seven scenarios, and the number of two-yer or more cooperative training scenarios was double that. And then, the conversation continued. "I believe you¡¯ve all practiced very well while I wasn¡¯t around. After all, I chose you. So, I hope you¡¯ll practice these scenarios with other users at least once over the next three days." "Eh, was this homework?"@@novelbin@@ "If you can¡¯t execute it because your schedules are full... Well, in that case, try contacting Mikael, Ink, or Gambit. If that doesn¡¯t work, it¡¯s fine. There are plenty of alternatives." Of course, no one took that literally. And a few minutester, after distributing all the necessary data to the people around her, Eugene stood up and added: "There are people waiting outside, so I¡¯ll go ahead. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going toe up with any brilliant solutions by sitting here and brainstorming. It¡¯d be better if you read and understand the files I sent you as much as possible." "...Alright." "If you need anything or want to clear a scenario with me, feel free to contact me anytime." Screech. After leaving those words, Eugene stood up, and Jin and Rain, with nk expressions, followed her. Of course, Jin made a cheeky gesture by forming a V with his fingers and holding it up next to his face. A truly excellent fan service. Not everyone was distracted by that absurd scene. "What¡¯s going on? Where are you going this time?" "Not for a closed training... I¡¯ll be back in about two or three hours, so don¡¯t worry." "Well, if youe back..." Leaving four people with stunned expressions, Eugene and her sisters went out the door. After watching the scene with a dazed expression, Dice quietly spoke. "...Looks like Eugene has been pretty busytely." Of course, no one showed it on the outside. After confirming that the three figures hadpletely disappeared from the room, Harmonie and Dice patted Carto, who was sitting in the chair. "So, you don¡¯t have any schedule after this, right?" "I was nning to thoroughly check the training scenarios Eugene gave us. Surely, our Cartographer here wouldn¡¯t miss such an important moment, right?" "Ah, well. My sulent nt at home suddenly called me. It¡¯s having really bad stomach pains, and I have to take it to the hospital... Wait, what if it gets dragged on, help me, oh noooo¡ª!" "...Oh my." As expected, Carto had no choice but toply. And so, everyone took one more step toward the Prototype Eugene Raid. "Things are crazy, huh, our youngest." "...Yeah. Seems like it." "There aren¡¯t many days left, so let¡¯s hang in there. You haven¡¯t forgotten the promise to take you to Florida, right?" "Ugh, don¡¯t remind me, that¡¯s bad luck!" Under the name of the 49th President, Henry Mikael Brayton, Operation Ouroboros... Approved. Objective - Complete annihtion of Artemis. Operation execution: D-3. Chapter 422 "Report the situation." "I¡¯ll activate the projector." Whir. Inside the underground air raid shelter and conference room of Central Park HQ in New York, shrouded in darkness due to a ckout, the beam projector turned on. A slowly diminishing ring of concentric circles centered around the Artemis headquarters began to appear on the screen. The disy on the projector changed in real-time. What had seemed like an unchanging defensivework by the Canadian military suddenly developed a breach as soon as a certain date arrived. The exact date didn¡¯t need exining. However, a day, two days, and three dayster, a new development was emerging. "The Canadian military pulled out of that area, and now our unmanned forces have a much easier time positioning themselves. I never expected to dispose of old conventional forces in this way." "Indeed." "Anyway, so. What¡¯s forming around Artemis now... is that some kind of... discarded piece, perhaps?" The person conducting the briefing nodded in agreement. The concentric circle around Artemis HQ was bing more fortified by the day. They had also made preparations tounch artillery strikes at Artemis HQ at any time. The reason for this was simple: to create some leeway for the Dagger team and allied forces to infiltrate Artemis¡¯ headquarters. In other words, the three-day preparation period given to the Dagger team wasn¡¯t just for them but was also necessary for the U.S. military¡¯s unmanned forces to operate. They would deploy unmanned vehicles through countless transport nes, leaving only weapons that could be destroyed if needed, while buying time for the retreat of key personnel. Everything was reaching its final stage. "When can we start the operation?" "We expect to infiltrate Artemis HQ within three to twelve hours. The ISA operators are currently organizing data and preparing pathfinding. Once they¡¯re finished, I¡¯ll report again." "Hmm." "The infiltration will be carried out using stealth hawks and on-foot maneuvering. We estimate it will take about 20 minutes for the Dagger team to reach the base." Twenty minutes. In his mind, the dark and gloomy interior of Artemis HQ seemed to appear. Perhaps within twelve hours, they¡¯d be monitoring the operation status in a conference room, much like during the Neptune Sphere monitoring operation decades ago. Real-time operational monitoring. With the Dark Winter crisis escting, battles were fought at such a scale that it was hard even to count the numbers. Despite that, suddenly, Henry had the thought in his mind. While it was unclear whether direct engagement was the right choice, nothing could be more effective than monitoring the situation as it unfolded. He paused for a moment and added: "Once the operation begins, everyone should gather in the conference room again." Swipe. Lifting his tablet, he dragged his finger down the screen, and soon, most of the terminals in the room vibrated lightly¡ªJoint Special Operations Command Support Deputy Commander, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff, National Intelligence Director, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, ICARUS Director... At that moment, all eyes were fixed on one point, and Henry spoke up: "These individuals will be monitoring the progress of the Dagger team¡¯s operation with me in real-time." "...Understood." "And how are we preparing additional forces, in case something unexpected happens?" "Aricon, Violet, and Laser are on standby as reserves." "I hope another operation team doesn¡¯t need to be called upon." The briefing was nearing its end. Now, Henry could clearly monitor the situation at the base and Artemis HQ, even from regions hundreds of kilometers away. He knew that, until the Dagger team was ready to begin the operation, there was nothing else to confirm. The clear light emitted by the projector dimmed for a moment, and people began to leave the conference room. Most of them were military personnel. Since the briefing on the information the president needed to know, or matters requiring direct approval, had concluded, there was no reason to stay. Normally, leaving midway through a briefing would be unthinkable, but the United States, in its current state, faced the worst personnel shortage, where even the slightest absence from the highest authorities or operational personnel would result in a mountain of tasks piling up. That¡¯s why some people had reluctant expressions on their faces when Henry made his suggestion. However, in the end, there was nothing unimportant. In the now emptier conference room, the next briefing began. It was about the reconstruction of the transportation infrastructure in the U.S. "Nothing here is unimportant. Is it just my imagination, or is it that more than half the people here won¡¯t be able to leave the conference room until the Dagger team¡¯s operation starts?" "It¡¯s certainly not your imagination, Mr. President."@@novelbin@@ "I wish I had seven more bodies... Anyway, let¡¯s move on to the next agenda." At the same time, the Secretary of Transportation stood up. Dressed neatly in a suit, but with dark circles under his eyes, this individual had inherited the massive workload that had fallen on the U.S. government¡¯s shoulders due to the copse of most state-run transportation departments. The sudden duty to stabilize and rebuild the U.S. transportation system had left the department swamped with work proportional to its newfound power. At this point, the U.S. was teetering on the edge. "Now, let me talk about the most urgent areas for reconstruction, the materials required, and the associated costs and manpower..." Numerous resources and personnel were required everywhere. Not just in the unexplored zones, but Henry and countless other government officials were waging battles and tackling mountain-high tasks from their respective positions. The Great War had culminated, but the reconstruction was just beginning. "Be careful not to cause a detonation. No leaving even a single round behind. Pretend you¡¯ve never received anything like anti-matter grenades from the start." "That¡¯s not possible. Where else could you find such an attractive weapon?" "...Anyway, you guys just can''t get enough of firepower." Of course, the Destroyers, hundreds of kilometers away from New York, weren¡¯t concerned at all. Operation Ouroboros had begun. Boom! "...It¡¯s the Secretary." "It¡¯s probably even more noticeable at night." shes of light could be seen even from dozens of kilometers away, blinking repeatedly. A stealth helicopter flew around the battle area, approaching Artemis HQ from the side. Fast rope deployment quickly dropped them off and vanished. Just weeks ago, the forest had been covered in thick trees and moss, but now, the area had numerous holes. The reason was simple. Recently, the CAF, the Canadian forces, had failed to eliminate Artemis HQ with explosives and artillery from a distance, and the aftermath of that failure still lingered. In other words, shells and stray bullets had torn through the forest. Fortunately, the movement was easier because of that. "I heard the attacks on Artemis HQ are alling from unmanned vehicles. Pretty clever." "They probably know they¡¯ll be countered by railguns, so this is their n." Various discussions continued up ahead. The Dagger team, leading the way, quickly conducted reconnaissance and confirmed the remaining distance to HQ. Meanwhile, Jin, Rain, Harmonie, Dice, Carto, and Blooming followed behind, providing rear security. Lorentina and Logan, a few steps ahead of me, moved without breaking their stride, as did I. The Artemis headquarters was clearly visible even from the current location, about 2 km away, so there was no risk of losing our way. Therefore, my thoughts began to drift in a different direction. ''...It would be great if this is thest one.'' If I thought the battles had ended after the conflict in Seattle, that was too optimistic. But on the other hand, if Artemis was wiped off the map after this battle, what other force could possibly give me, the Dagger team, or the U.S. military more trouble? Shadowy terrorists? Cartels? In that case, maybe Lorentina¡¯sment about taking me to Florida wasn¡¯t an ominous foreshadowing but a sincere wish. Maybe I¡¯ll take Jin and Rain with meter... Boom! "...Ugh." "So, the enemy we¡¯re facing is carrying something like that, huh? This is already giving me a headache."
    • "What the hell?"
    • "No way, hahaha!!!"
    • "We didn¡¯t have anything like that when we did it! We didn¡¯t have anything like that when we did it!"
    • "Would you expect that? Hahaha!"
    • "If they add something like that, it¡¯ll be impossible to break through for a thousand years."
    A bluish sh streaked through the air. There was no sound of explosion or st. The radius of the enemy unmanned vehicle ring surrounding Artemis HQ was 100 km¡ªmeaning, the distance between the prototypes and the unmanned vehicles was around 100 km. In other words, somewhere far away, unmanned vehicles were being destroyed, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to detect it. Regardless, the U.S. military had alsoe prepared. They wereunching missiles and other long-range munitions with the intention of avoiding interception by using artillery and Tomahawk missiles, which had a range of several hundred kilometers. Every time a missile was fired, the electromaic barrier swayed dramatically. After some time, with about 500 meters to the base, the Dagger team at the forefront inserted something unusual into their under-barrel grenadeunchers. The in-earms crackled. "Everyone hit the deck. The st wave is going to be massive." And everyone except a few hit the ground¡ªhow long did it take? The air seemed to tremble with an ominous sound, and missiles that seemed toe from three directions struck Artemis¡¯s electromaic barrier, shaking it violently. As a prototype hovered in the air, selecting its target, a faint sound, familiar yet not light, echoed. "Strike." And the sh erupted. Chapter 425 "Nobody''s hurt, right!?" "No one''s hurt... Fortunately, it seems the shots all missed." A sh swept across thebat experimentb. Two thoughts immediately crossed my mind¡ªone fortunate and one unfortunate. The fortunate part was that no one was injured. The unfortunate part was that it was highly likely more attacks of that nature woulde flying toward us in quick session. As the thoughts rushed in, I found it difficult to focus on the machines in the control room. However, fortunately, there was still a way to regain my focus amidst the overwhelming concerns. "Where did the railgun¡¯s initial attack point and the trajectory of the projectiles originate from?" "The right wall of thebatb... um, between Beta lock doors 2 and 3. From there, it passed toward Alpha lock door 4." "At least confirming the direction is easy." Speaking directly. There was no more effective way than this. Meanwhile, if we consider Beta lock doors as south and Alpha lock doors as north, the control room is west, and the nanomachine tower is east. Looking at the angles, the railgun prototype could only attack the currentbat area from south to north at an oblique angle. In other words, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about bulletsing from an unknown direction. However, there was still something important that had to be found out. "We need to understand the guidance mechanism of the railgun''s projectiles¡­ What do you think is most likely?" "Uh, well¡­ the flying prototype probably guided it. The ones down there are barely armed. They¡¯ll probably be dead before they can even mark coordinates." "That¡¯s a surprisingly urate answer." After updating the railgun trajectory in the UI, Jin assessed the damage. The enemy casualties were higher than expected. Looking around, the reason became clear¡ªthe debris from the walls surrounding the corpses was the evidence. In other words, when the railgun shot out from the wall, thousands ofrge and small fragments exploded, and some of the Artemis forces below were torn apart by the st. It made sense. The projectiles, from small as a thumbnail torge as a fist, must have hit with the speed of shotgun pellets. It was like being exposed to a devastating shotgun st head-on. But that wasn¡¯t really important. It wasn¡¯t our forces that were hurt, so¡ªif there was anything worth worrying about, it was something in apletely different direction. "Hmm¡­ It seems like they¡¯re not concerned about our casualties." "Protecting the nanomachine tower is the priority. The minor stuff probably doesn¡¯t matter to them." "That might be true, but¡­" While dealing with the numerous requestsing through the inte, I focused on the ones that were most urgent and continued adjusting various devices in the control room. Since we were in thebat experimentb, there were a few things we could do¡ªlike moving entire areas. Not only could we reassemble the terrain as needed, but when the sma cannon to defend Beta¡¯s attack on the nanomachine tower was fully heated, I rotated the floor panels vertically to create a massive defense shield. This blocked a more powerful sma attack in one shot. A sh rushed through. Boom! "Whoa, wow." "...Should I attack too? I can see the nanomachine tower from here. I think I can hit it with a few shots from the railgun." "Don¡¯t try to steal the spotlight. If that powerful shot hits the control room, you or I will turn to vapor." Was he blind, or did he not see the liquid metal sttering everywhere when the panel melted? Anyway, focusing back on the recent thoughts¡ªthere was one possible attack to try. It was simple. The question was whether we could m the prototype''s railgun attack into the nanomachine control tower, disregarding the terrain. The reason for needing to understand the targeting mechanism wasn¡¯t random. If we could confuse it or take control of it, we couldpletely destroy the nanomachine tower, which was only partially understood at the moment. There was something essential needed for that. "Beta needs to single out a person and make them seem like a serious threat. That¡¯ll make them the perfect target." "...Are you really suggesting we send someone fighting down below?" "If necessary." If necessary? LMAO. "Well, if it¡¯s her orders, I guess she might make it back alive." "Haha, for real." "??: The ones I call will be back after shooting a mission impossible movie." "Crazy one really." I stared nkly at the screen. The opportunity might onlye once. Thankfully, Jin or Rain were like living calctors, and as soon as I made the request, a blue light area marked an angle from which we could hit the tower. The height was 37 meters above ground, with a diameter of less than 5 meters¡ªquite narrow. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to transport someone to that area. I was already listening to the inte and called up someone who could move at any moment. "Are you listening, Logan?" "Man, you really treat people like crap. So, what do you want me to do?" "I¡¯ll move you to a specific location, and just toss the bomb I got from Dagger Team." "That sounds easy, but where do I go?" "I¡¯ll take you there myself." nk. After assigning the controls, I raised my finger, and the sensor reacted, starting to lift the area Logan was standing in. "This should work." "YOU CRAZY¡ª!" ??????? No way, right? LMAO! Certainly, I got a good amount of curses thrown my way. Regardless, the 10x10 meter block was quickly lifted, and before long, it was caught by a crane that popped out of the ceiling. The block itself was moving at a speed of 3 meters per second, and Logan was busily pulling out the antimatter grenades from his pouch. Probably Charlie-type. If he used one, three would remain. But things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as expected. The vibrations from the ground were much closer than anticipated. I turned my head to see nothing, but the truth was clear¡ªseveral people were approaching.@@novelbin@@ Of course. I didn¡¯t expect them to try and mess with the control room like this. I quickly added to Rain. "See that blue area? Move Logan there. After activating the railgun, aim at that wall." "What? Why me? What¡¯s going on?" "Two enemy squads are approaching." Hearing that, Rain immediately began acting ording to my instructions. Kiing. A strange sound filled the air, and blue light concentrated at the tail end. It was the first time I was seeing this up close, but it didn¡¯t matter. The enemy squads were two, so one had to be dealt with by me¡ªsince Rain wasn¡¯t exactly great with CQC. After setting the timer, I jumped down the stairs. "Three." "Two." "One." "Fire." Boom! The control room was bathed in blue light. I had already moved below, but I couldn¡¯tpletely escape the aftereffects of the chaos in the control room. Judging by the excited voice from Rain over the inte, it seemed the attack was sessful. Meanwhile, I grabbed three grenades, pulled their pins, and threw them down the hallway. "Wee." Boom! Just as the Artemis squad was crossing the hallway, their vision was engulfed by a bright sh. The battle had just begun. "Ugh, damn it, what the hell am I supposed to do with this...!?" Boom! The railgun part, now glowing bright, was retracted back inside as Rain nced at the shattered enemy corpses. With a genuinely perplexed expression, she alternated between the hologram panels and looking outside. Now that Eugene had descended, it was Rain''s responsibility to operate the 10x10 meter panel that Logan was riding. Kiing. The sound echoed as the panel moved forward toward the east. Meanwhile, Beta, floating in the center of the control tower, continued to attack Eugene¡¯s team, even though Eugene was not there. The proof of this was the sma shing from its tail. "Where¡¯s the shield...!? Beta-type is preheating its sma! Move into cover, I''ll block it with the A4 panel!" "30 seconds to the target. We¡¯ll reach it in 10 seconds, Rain." "Got it, I got it...!" Parallel thinking. For Rain, aplete artificial lifeform, this was no big deal. However, when human lives were at stake based on conclusions drawn from that thinking, things changed. Being too self-aware of the human heart meant that variables like pressure and uncertainty mixed with logic. How was Archetype handling this, I wonder? With that thought, Rain raised her left finger and pushed forward with her right arm, as if shooting something. At that moment, a panel vertically rose on the opposite side, and a sh erupted. When the sma struck the panel, everything on top of it burned and evaporated. Watching this scene, Rain frowned as she folded the panel back in. It wasn¡¯t a bad sign. ''...As expected, the control tower¡¯s reaction is incredibly slow due to controlling Beta!'' The facility''s control AI operates most of the prototypes, including Beta. Everyone, including Dagger Team, already knew this fact, but feeling it firsthand made it clear at once¡ªspecifically, the AI controlling the prototypes had left Beta, which was half-autonomously intercepting, vulnerable. This meant... it was more feasible than expected. 40 seconds until the next shot. As she withdrew her right hand, Rain adjusted the height of the panel Logan was riding. 37 meters. About the height of a 13-story apartment building. After loading a grenade into the lower rail, Logan signaled through the inte. It was the moment a small sun rose from underground. Boom! Everything in front of them evaporated. However, the control tower wasn¡¯tpletely destroyed¡ªthe Beta-type, which had been thought to be half-autonomous, threw itself in the way to block the grenade, slowly regenerating. But Logan had already anticipated this, and since their goal was to destroy the control tower using the prototype¡¯s railgun, she began firing at Beta, which was forming in the air. At that moment, Rain saw something extending from Beta. ¡®Redser¡­!¡¯ At the same time, Dagger Team¡¯s voices rang through the inte, and the timer automatically activated. Finally, the facility''s control AI, which had been controlling the prototypes, gave attention to their team. The numbers started to decrease. The distance was 1.2 kilometers. Fortunately, the terrain slowed the projectiles, and it would take 1.4 seconds for the bullet to reach the control tower. Meanwhile, Logan shot down Beta, which had been firing the redser. While the shot wouldn''t be canceled, since the coordinates couldn''t be tracked in real-time, it was likely the bullet would be fired at the previously set coordinates¡ªthough this wasn¡¯t certain, it was a usible guess based on the current situation. As the timer neared 1 second, Rain lowered her right arm. Or, she was about to. Before she could, a voice from below interrupted her. "Seeker mine¡ª!" Boom! Thest-ditch effort from Artemis infantry reached the control room, and Rain was sted away. At the same time, many things happened in quick session¡ªEugene killed the enemy making ast stand, and Rain regained her posture through aerial maneuvers. But as she was thrown back, the panel Logan was on didn¡¯t descend as expected. Instead, it tilted downward, and Logan began sliding toward the ground like he was riding a sled. The angle of the tilted ground was over 70 degrees. Logan¡¯s curses echoed through the inte. "Dammit¡ª!" At that moment, Rain¡¯s mind went nk. However, contrary to that, her hands moved quickly¡ªher left-hand control authority shifted, and her right-hand panel was raised again. Logan was pushed up by the panel, and he flew through the air like a pinball, while the opposite floor began to rise. In the same tilted angle. This was a temporary but effective solution to slow him down. When Logannded on the surface, tilted at 55 degrees, the gravity-induced speed was ovee by friction. The next thing awaiting him was the opposite panel rising. When the panel¡¯s tilt dropped to 30 degrees, Logan finally touched down on the ground. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end. Boom! The blue sh pierced through the control tower. As mentioned, Logan was the closest to the control tower, and as expected, she had to dodge the many debris pieces created by the explosion of the massive 55-meter-tall tower. The explosion didn¡¯t stop after one, and Logan had to dodge dozens of car-sized fragments with all her might. There were even instances where the panels, which formed the floor, tilted or copsed due to the impact, so she had to run faster. After 20 seconds, Logan finally managed to escape the explosion. Another legendary moment was added to her life. Of course, she didn¡¯t think of it that way. "¡­Damn it, where are Rain and Eugene?" "Hold on, hold on. Look behind you." Turning to Logan, who was fuming, Lorentina spoke softly, and he turned around. What they saw¡ªBeta, halfway repaired, falling to the ground as if the film cut out, the nanomachine control tower glowing a disturbing ck but nowpletely gone, and the remaining Artemis forces, looking bewildered as if their lives were ruined. "Thanks to you, we wiped out the first control tower with no casualties in the operation. Great work." "¡­Ha." Logan chuckled before replying. "Next time, you do it." "Of course. Who else but us could pull something like this off?" "I¡¯m off to kick the kid¡¯s shins, don¡¯t stop me." Whoosh. Before Lorentina could stop him, Logan rushed toward the control room at an incredible speed. It was 22 seconds ago that their screams filled the inte. Meanwhile, in the giantbat experimentb. The pressure on Dagger Team was starting to lessen. The scales were slowly tilting in the opposite direction. Chapter 426 [Warning: First tower destroyed.] [Warning: Artemiswork node activity rate... decreased to 75% of its original capacity. Nanomachine loss rate exceeds the current estimated value by more than 15%.] [Warning....] ¡°Grab all the necessary data! Abandon the facility!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have to start fresh in Canada. I hope we don¡¯t get caught this time¡­¡± ¡°We only need minimal technology! Burn the server room!¡± Thud! Inside the extremely sturdy and massive bag, numerous USB drives and devices were packed, and the sirens overhead continued to rotate. Meanwhile, the holographic map of the facility, which could be seen clearly, turned a deep red as it moved at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. Beside it, a few words floated ¨C Sector incineration in progress. Simply put, the holographic map was showing the straightforward objective: leaving nothing behind in the HQ. Of course, exceptions were made for ces actively engaged inbat, like the nanomachine control tower, but even they were merely being used as a diversion. The remaining senior engineers and executives of Artemis, all dressed in neat suits that were somewhat out of ce, had a simple code of conduct: escape and survive. ¡°Damn Icarus, they''ve caught some innocent people. They¡¯ve sharpened their knives, trying to erase Artemis from both the map and history!¡± ¡°Enough with the pointless whining! We¡¯ve still got to cross the Hudson River!¡± Run. They ran, and they ran again. Just a hundred or so meters behind them, mes continued to rise. Inside Artemis HQ, particrly in the underground facilities, numerous machines and foundries were using the heat they produced to destroy everything within, rather than venting it out to the outside. Most of the habitable facilities were about to be destroyed, so they quickly made their way to a secret elevator that was unknown even to most senior staff members. After stopping at a specific point and feeling along the wall, the entire area rotated to reveal a new passage. How much time had passed? Despite the chaos, the secret elevator functioned smoothly, leading the eight people to another underground facility. Soon, the lights came on, and arge stealth-equipped vehicle emerged. No driver was needed. ¡°Once we get to East Main, we¡¯ll take a boat, then switch to a high-speed boat at South Camp and cross 1,000 kilometers. Quite the n.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t do it this way, we have no chance of survival. You need to ept that.¡± Despite all the chaos, all eight people got on the vehicle. When the vehicle, equipped with shields strong enough to withstand tank shells, started up, the door at the end of the underground passage opened, and soil fell in a heap. It was a secret passage to the outside. The outside was dark, and the dirt road was hidden by thick foliage. The quiet-engine vehicle rumbled, crossing the muddy ground. After about five minutes of driving, they managed to reach Canada¡¯s Highway 109. However, they still had to travel at least 300 km, which indicated at least a 3-hour journey. Silence fell. Each person was busy with their thoughts, but their direction was nearly the same: How to get Artemis back on its original course as quickly as possible. Surviving was the priority. They were like hydras, and they had no intention of dying quietly. Moreover, all of them had undergone high-level Artemis procedures, and if necessary, they could easily deal with any traffic officers or other obstacles. Thus, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible that their escape would seed. So, while observing their surroundings carefully, the eight passengers of the vehicle thought about how they would resurrect Artemis. Of course, that opportunity would nevere. A sh and a loud explosion overwhelmed them. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The vehicle, capable of withstanding even tank shells, turned into a pile of rags in an instant. As expected, there were around five missile-equipped UAVs hovering in the area, meaning that no matter how much they tried to escape, they were trapped like frogs in a well. From the burning vehicle, a few people struggled to crawl out, their exoskeletons prolonging their lives. Even so, the firepower unleashed was so overwhelming that it was almost impossible to maintain any semnce of human form. The five people who crawled out of the burning vehicle were writhing in agony, but they were slowly regenerating their bodies. But... ¡°Target identified. Preparing to shoot.¡± The high-velocity rounds followed, and one by one, the remaining survivors fell. From five to four, then to three, until when a group of ten people emerged from the nearby grass and approached the burning vehicle, only one remained. The glowing Icarus gear on their wrist caught the eyes of the high-ranking officer. Task Force Aricon. With their brutal efficiency and having endured the great war, they were another kill team that had transcended human limits. The cruel but unmistakable headshots continued relentlessly. In the midst of it all, the figure standing at the front removed their face mask. Just as they had finished regenerating enough to recognize their face, the officer aimed the gun at their forehead. "I know you¡¯re always trying to escape, you little rats." ¡°¡­Do you really think this is the end¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the end. It doesn¡¯t matter how much you boast. You know very well that all the branches in the U.S. have been wiped out. Now, you¡¯re thest one.¡± Click. The task force leader spoke those words and then pulled back the charging handle, retrieving a round from the chamber before loading a white phosphorus round into the now-empty chamber. It was a miniature phosphorus grenade. Once it embedded itself into the body, the sensor inside would trigger the phosphorus to explode, incinerating everything around it. Today, the officer¡¯s head would roast from the inside. Realizing this, the officer squeezed out hisst strength, pulling a de from his thigh, but unfortunately, it was far toote. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Goodbye. Don¡¯te back.¡± Thump! The white phosphorus round glowed brightly, even in the darkness. The task force leader, who had the grim thought that the burning vehicle resembled a grotesque mood light made of flesh and metal, felt the cool wind on their body and then added to thems: ¡°Missionplete. Has the flooding issue in the facility been resolved?¡± ¡°Not yet. We¡¯re still searching for a solution.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Crack! The task force leader kicked the burning vehicle and, looking up at the unnecessarily glittering sky, muttered: ¡°Damn it. They never seem to realize the value of their own lives, those damn Dagger bastards¡­¡± Whether those words would reach anyone, that was uncertain. Meanwhile, far away in the Artemis HQ underground, Eugene¡¯s team, having sessfully neutralized the first tower, was preparing for their next move. ¡°So, the gap between the second and third towers is pretty close, huh?¡± ¡°Compared to the first control tower, yes.¡± The surveince was certain and steady as they headed toward the next control tower. Meanwhile, they continued to review the briefing from earlier. The timing might have seemed off, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, it was easy to forgetter. At any rate, I, too, was reflecting on the content I had just exined. It was quite vast, so it was impossible to recall everything before we reached the nextbat zone, but if I had to organize it, the key points were the current state of the HQ and the uniqueness of thework nodes. The recent statement was part of that. ¡°The gap between Gamma and Delta is rtively close, but the fourth, Epsilon Tower... and thework control room arepletely separated from the rest. And even then, they¡¯re sealed off by partition walls, and due to flooding, only a limited number of people can ess them.¡± ¡°Looks like only the three Activators will go this time. What should we do in the meantime?¡± ¡°Not sure. Maybe there¡¯s a detour... it might not be impossible to find one.¡± ¡°Well, okay.¡± Dice was feeling a bit down. Now that I thought about it, with the difficulty we were facing, it felt like we should havee in as regr operators instead of in EU mode. I couldn''t understand why the difficulty had been set so insanely high. If we had proper Icarus gear, we could have synthesized air even underwater, making things easier. But it was already toote. Moreover, after checking the HQ¡¯s status earlier¡ªRain had connected to the destroyed Beta and confirmed it¡ªwe discovered that most of the paths we had taken had already flooded, and were blocked by partition walls. The water, naturally, was drawn from a nearbyke. Nothing in this world seemed to go the way we wanted. It was, of course, amon urrence. It left a bad taste in my mouth, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Anyway, now that the first control tower is down, the situation will change a bit. Keep that in mind. Unlike Beta, Gamma and Delta types, which are crucial to the tower¡¯s core, will have a strong self-awareness.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The second and thirdbat zones were none other than theboratories and the armory. Just hearing the names already didn¡¯t sit well with me. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, unlike the first tower, the Gamma and Delta types controlling the second and third towers would likely have strong self-awareness, making the fight more difficult. The reason was simple. With the destruction of one control tower, the performance of the facility¡¯s control AI had declined. As a result, the AI now focused on directly managing the prototypes, while it granted self-awareness to the Gamma and Delta types, allowing them to fight on their own. It was troublesome that destroying the tower didn¡¯t lead to a total weakening of enemy forces. While thinking about this, thebat zone was already close. This time, there was a blueprint on the door, so figuring out the interior structure wasn¡¯t too difficult... but since it was an armory, Jin and Rain were tasked with first dismantling conventional weaponry from a distance before we proceeded inside. Rain¡¯s terrain scan began, and she soon drew power to the tail railgun. After ensuring the team was spaced out in preparation for counterattacks, we were fully ready for thebat. Rain stared intently beyond the wall. But it didn¡¯t take long. With a blue sh that covered the entire hallway, the railgun¡¯s projectile prated the wall. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! In that moment, a different kind of noise could faintly be heard. It was distinct from the sound of the wall breaking. Of course, it was the sound of a tank, hit head-on by the railgun, turning into scrap right on the spot¡ªbut unfortunately for them, Rain could still manage another shot if she pushed a bit more. The second shot pierced another nearby vehicle. It took less than two seconds, and Rain had already retreated from the area due to the recoil of her attack. A momentter, intense artillery fire hit the area where we had just been. After about two minutes, we checked the entrance again. The door, which had been narrow enough for a single vehicle to pass through, was now wide enough for two tanks to pass side by side, with room for another vehicle to follow. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that Jin and Rain¡¯s bombardment had stopped. ¡°Wow, without those two, we might have evaporated right at the entrance¡­¡± ¡°Despite Gamma and Delta having self-awareness, Artemis¡¯ force deployment is still terrible. That''s actually lucky for us.¡± ¡°Save the anti-matter shells. Let¡¯s take it slow.¡± And so, for about two minutes, we delivered a one-sided punch. What was once a door was now a wide corridor. However, of course, charging straight ahead would be suicide. So, we opted to enter through one of the holes in the walls, aiming to confuse them. We didn¡¯t forget to deploy a few smoke grenades at the front of the corridor to further confuse them. As the smoke grenades exploded, filling the entrance with thick smoke, Artemis unleashed multiple attacks, but we hadn¡¯t intended to enter from the start. After exchanging nces, I added: ¡°We¡¯ll finish off the second tower quickly. Lorentina and Logan, while we distract them, you two will bypass and destroy the tower with the remaining anti-matter shells.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too difficult. But we¡¯ll need to make sure we attract attention.¡± ¡°That¡¯s our specialty.¡± And so, the nine of us poured into the facility. After throwing the smoke grenades that we hadn¡¯t deployed earlier, we barely dodged the mini-gun fire from what looked like Gamma¡¯s prototype, before rushing inside. Taking cover behind the wreckage of a burning tank, Rain and Jin unleashed their high-powered weapons. The interior was quite spacious. It seemed to be anotherbatboratory, but unlike before, this one was based on a much older city model, and enemies were everywhere. Clearing the entire area was highly unlikely, but buying enough time for Shark and Pr Bear to infiltrate the inner parts wasn¡¯t too difficult. ¡°Whoa, tank iing! Mark it, and please take care of it!¡± ¡°Understood. Activating Advanced sma Cannon¡­¡± Peeew! A brilliant sh erupted. The first shot held, but the second shot shattered the shield. The third shot scorched the surface, and when the fourth sma round struck, it pierced perfectly between the turret and the hull, causing sparks and an explosion as the turret lid blew off. It had been a risky move, and Jin¡¯s tail, glowing red-hot, started to shimmer with heat waves. Still, being able to take down an Artemis tank, even with a shield, was no small feat. Naturally, the chat was in an uproar, though I couldn¡¯t focus much on it with so much happening. ¡°There¡¯s one in front! UGV is charging!¡± ¡°Grenadeing. Duck down. Be careful, if you stick out, they might put a hole in your head.¡± A smoke grenade, followed by a hand grenade.@@novelbin@@ As the smoke grenade went off, the hand grenade exploded nearby, sending two iing enemies to the ground. This was the right timing. After estimating their position, I set my rifle against cover and pulled the trigger. The vibrations pinpointed their location. The Lapua round pierced the UAV¡¯s body, and then an enemy¡¯s head and chest without hesitation. It was a remarkably urate shot, despite not even aiming properly. Little by little, Artemis began to stop charging blindly. The battle had be a contest of firepower, and with Jin and Rain on our side, our upper hand had greatly increased. If we were up against a tank battalion, victory would likely be assured. The enemy seemed to have realized that, as they hesitated. After about five minutes, thebat began to wind down. But the enemy didn¡¯t realize that dragging the fight out was more dangerous for them. ¡°¡­This is Logan. I¡¯ve reached the target. No Gamma units in sight.¡± ¡°After shooting, withdraw as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Once I give the signal, I¡¯ll advance.¡± The timer began. Five seconds. The smoke in thebatb was thin enough to provide enough cover, and the advance order had already been sent to all team members. They had all confirmed their cover positions. And then, the timer hit zero. Three waves of explosions apanied by mes came from the other side. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! ¡°Advance.¡± Seven of us moved forward. But the aftermath was far more devastating than just that. Artemis infantry had been reduced to half-functioning, like severed nerve cords, after the tower had copsed. This was because thems to issue orders weren¡¯t working properly. The hunt began. The retreating enemies were mostly found with bullet holes in their heads, while tanks and armored vehicles that had entered the urbanbatb without infantry support learned the lesson of what happens when they do that at the cost of their drivers'' lives. The frontlines quickly pushed forward. Once Logan and Lorentina joined after dismantling the tower, the bnce quickly tipped in our favor. About 20% of the enemy forces barely managed to escape, scattering to other areas, while the remaining 80% became cold corpses in thebatb. If no one came to find them, they¡¯d probably remain lost forever. As I thought this, I met up with Logan and Lorentina and gave a quick high-five. ¡°Somehow... the decapitation strategy worked again. I¡¯m d we managed to bluff our way through, but half of them still got away¡­¡± ¡°Well, we had no choice. We wouldn¡¯t have been able to maintainbat effectiveness otherwise. For the next engagement, we¡¯ll need to take any dropped weapons on the ground.¡± Just like that. The ground battle and the two control tower destruction missions. Usually, by now, we¡¯d have run out of ammo. The good news was that the Artemis infantry¡¯s gear was of such a high level that even if our guns were useless, we could still continue fighting. The problem was what came next¡­ I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease. And that feeling became a reality. ¡°¡­Archetype.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we destroyed the tower, but¡­ why is Gamma¡¯s body gone?¡± What? In that moment, a few thoughts rushed through my mind¡ªthe first premise being that the entities defending the tower are partially dependent on the control tower, and the second premise that the second tower was very close to the third tower. But here was a w. ¡°¡­What if both entities are connected to one tower?¡± ¡°No, wait. What did you say?¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± But I was one step too slow. Suddenly, a massive tremor shook the ground as the back wall began to open. The thick wall, easily dozens of meters thick, split apart, and on the other side stood an ominous, dark control tower, identical to the one Logan and Lorentina had just destroyed. Of course, the situation would be different if there were several times the enemy strength on the other side. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Retreat. Before the word could even finish, artillery fire poured down. The enemy had used the second tower as bait for a counterattack, and we were caught in the trap. Rain and Jin shot down more than half of the iing fire, but we couldn¡¯t avoid significant damage. The tide of battle had turned. The scales tipped again. Chapter 427 "This feels bad, damn it...!" "They''ve been tantly waiting for an opportunity. From the way the shields are advancing, it looks like Gamma and Delta are on the frontlines, pushing forward directly." The situation suddenly takes a strange turn. It was just as they said. The bluish shield was slowly advancing. It seemed as though they had concentrated all the power of the tower, as even after Rain and Jin had attacked several times, the shield only trembled momentarily. The antimatter shells were now nearly exhausted, and they couldn¡¯t use them recklessly. The sound of rustling filled the air again. After being pushed back into the hallway, everyone was performing self-healing procedures. It was fortunate that no one had died instantly, but if they continued to be pushed back purely due to the overwhelming power difference... finding a solution seemed nearly impossible. And there was one more issue. "The escape route is blocked. We can destroy the partition, but the flood of watering from beyond that section will drown everyone in about 20 minutes." "...Jin, Rain. Even if it''s just the two of you, try to break through the partition and get out. The rest of us, even if we die, can return." "That''s impossible." At the same time, a map was brought up. It turned out that the entire steel factory they had passed earlier was... literally a battlefield. A massive amount of molten steel had flowed through the path, blocking itpletely. Breaking through it would take significant time, even for just two people, or perhaps the chances were slim. Could they break through the shields of the two machines with everything they had? Or could they try to exploit the prototype¡¯s friendly fire, like earlier? But even considering these "ifs" in this situation was a waste of time. It would be far more practical to assess what other options they had. "...Charging directly from the front is not an option. There''s no possibility." "Is there a chance we could use someone as bait to create an opening...?" "They are probably preparing for that too." In that case, there was only one conclusion left. If anything, it was fortunate that the control tower at Artemis HQ... wasn¡¯t a straight-line structure. As mentioned earlier, thework control room and the fourth control tower were inpletely isted areas, and the path to reach that area was blocked by partitions and water. However, it had never been said that they had to pass through the second and third control towers to reach it. But¡ª "...If even half of us make it there, it would be a miracle." "As long as Jin and Rain survive, it''ll be over." "...". Though it wasn¡¯t a wrong statement, Jin and Rain¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t brighten. Well, still, it wasn¡¯t a huge worry. If needed, once I died, I could log out from the Dark Zone and cross into another world to rescue these two. Of course, it couldn¡¯t be assured, but just knowing there was a possible escape made it feel a little lighter. After marking the coordinates of the area, I looked at my teammates, who still had concern etched on their faces, and added: "If I had known this would happen, I should¡¯ve made you guys practice swimming, not justbat." "You¡¯re cracking jokes even in a situation like this?" "Well, you should be thankful that the probability isn¡¯t zero. So, which way is the path to the fourth corridor?" "We need to go through there." He pointed with his finger at the recently opened path. To be precise, we had just passed through a door that had expanded into a corridor-sized space, entering and exiting sections two and three. To get to the fourth control tower, we would need to cross this corridor entirely. It was almost like preparing before diving into the water. The next part was simple. Open the elevator doors at the end of the corridor, take the lift down, and it would be done. Of course, when the elevator doors at the bottom level were opened, arge amount of water would flood in, but that was something we had to endure... Moreover, since the water had been introduced into an air-filled area, there would be air pockets inside the fully submerged doors, so breathing would still be possible. "Jin and Rain won¡¯t need oxygen, so mark the locations with air pockets and focus on breaking the partition. The rest... try to survive." "That''s an ironic thing to say." "Well, you won¡¯t die anyway, right?" Dice gave me a look that seemed to question if he should take this as a joke, but well... what else could I do? With the chatroom suddenly turning cold, everyone took out the remaining smoke grenades. We ced them on the floor and nned to cross the hallway once they exploded. Time was of the essence. There was a chance that someone might die, but Gamma and Delta were still in defensive positions, so it would take them a little time to change that. Probably. At this point, nothing was certain. A silence settled, and the smoke grenades arced through the air. Everyone started running like bullets. 1 second.@@novelbin@@ 2 seconds. 3 seconds. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! Thud! Thud! And the bullets rained down. It was truly a long time. Given the leeway we were granted at this point, there was no way we wouldn¡¯t be able to cross, no matter how wide the door was. And so, everyone crossed the hallway safely¡ªbut, naturally, just a beat toote, a ferocious barrage of fire poured down. What made things worse was the vibration conveyed through the soles of our feet. Whether they had noticed we were heading towards the 4th Tower, they immediately began deploying drones and infantry. However, no one was unaware of the situation, and by the time we crossed the entire corridor, we were split into two groups of four. Rain and Jin were tearing open the elevator doors, while the remaining seven, taking cover in the hallway, were systematically dismantling the pursuit squads. "Throw the grenades, throw them! Everything except the antimatter grenades! Let''s sweep them all up here!" "The Archetype, the door¡¯s open!" "After you enter, mark the air pockets! Break the partition! We''ll stall as much as we can here!" I would never know what kind of expression those two had at that moment. The next moment, there was a sharp sound, and the two of them disappeared. They went down the line. But regardless, the fighting in the hallway continued with blood washing away blood. The absence of Jin and Rain immediately led to ack of firepower, and it didn''t take long before we were outnumbered. Logan grimaced and pulled a grenade from his pouch. "Damn it, using type Bravo! We better start mass-producing these for future supply!" "Of course!" A sh of light erupted. Logan¡¯s type Bravo grenade, with a st radius of 50 meters, exploded in the middle of the Artemis forces, instantly turning dozens of drones and an equal number of enemy soldiers into ash or charred corpses. The remaining antimatter grenades dropped from eight to seven, and for a moment, the enemy faltered. But they couldn¡¯t be used recklessly. The reason didn¡¯t even need an exnation. Time seemed to stretch and contract unpredictably. The progress of Rain and Jin marking air pockets and breaking through the partition was painfully slow, but as soon as the heat in the corridor dissipated, Artemis forces resurfaced immediately. The frontline gradually retreated, and soon only about 15 meters remained to the elevator. I turned to Harmony, Dice, Kato, and Blooming, who were continuing to provide cover from behind. "We¡¯re going ahead! The three of us don¡¯t need air pockets!" "¡­Don¡¯t die and make it down!" And so, one by one, people started to leave. Kato, Blooming, Harmony, and Dice all headed out. By now, only three of the Manifesters were left in the hallway. But we, too, couldn¡¯t afford to dy any longer. "...Those bastards, now they¡¯reing straight into the hallway." Gamma and Delta. At some point, they had started advancing, armed with heavy ballistic shields, and we had no choice but to fall into the elevator shaft, nearly falling into the vertical corridor as thest one. ©¤©¤©¤Ssh! The water wasn¡¯t very cold, but it filled the floor. A familiar sensation. Although my movements were slightly slowed because of my gear, entering the water-filled corridor and maneuvering around it posed no major problems. The first thing I needed to do was check what the four who entered first were doing. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find them. To my surprise, the four were still alive. They had smashed the door handles and were struggling to hold back the water flooding into the room after entering the air pocket. Normally, this would be impossible due to the water pressure, but the downgraded Icarus Gear made it possible. Naturally, Logan, Lorentina, and I didn¡¯t open the door. The oxygen was only for those four. None of the Manifesters, including me, would have trouble holding their breath underwater for over 15 minutes. However, there was an even more pressing problem. After signaling Logan and Lorentina with vibrations, Imunicated the situation in signnguage. ¡®Artemis underwater units are approaching.¡¯ The vibrations from the entrance we came through reached us. At the same time, a strange sound echoed. Initially, "underwater units" didn¡¯t sound like much. It was just unmanned submersibles floating around, detonating mines, and that¡¯s what counted as underwater units. The shock in the water was transmitted well, making it effective against Manifesters too. We had to divide our forces again. After giving orders to Logan and Lorentina to respond, I quickly swam into the crushed partitions and found Jin and Rain. Thankfully, I had taught them signnguage, so themunication was simple. ¡®There¡¯s plenty of cont around, so Jin, focus on sma-cutting the door, and Rain, take care of the mines and break the partition.¡¯ At those words, Rain quickly went beyond the opened door and back out. Since the railgun wasn¡¯t rotating, its power was less diminished in the water, so interception shouldn¡¯t be a problem. There were already several small submersibles circting around, so we couldn¡¯t afford to leave them alone. Unfortunately¡ª "¡­Ah, this is Kato. I¡¯ll go ahead. The air pocket will be fully flooded soon." "¡­You¡¯ve done well." "I¡¯ll be watching the broadcast. Is there any donation function to send oxygen?" That was thest message. While the three of us¡ªmyself, Lorentina, and Rain¡ªwere busy intercepting the small submersibles, Kato''s nickname disappeared from the allies list. One by one, people started to fall. About 40 secondster, the room where Blooming had been waspletely flooded. Thankfully, Harmony and Dice had chosen the same room, and together they sealed off the water entering the room, allowing them to hold out a little longer. Another three minutes passed. Amidst the bluish light crossing the water, Jin, after several trial and error attempts, managed to open almost all the partitions except one by creating a hole just big enough for people to pass through, instead of melting the entire door. It was time. ©¤©¤©¤Knock knock knock! I knocked on the door where Harmony and Dice were, and the two hesitated before opening it. Countless air bubbles burst forth as Harmony and Dice appeared, their cheeks puffed up. Logan had already gone inside, and Lorentina and I each grabbed Dice and Harmony¡¯s arms, swimming at an incredible speed to quickly cross the partition. About twelve doors were now open. An infuriatinglyrge number. By the time Rain, who had been smashing submersibles until the very end, quickly came back inside, the two Mecha Eugens aimed at thest remaining partition. mes and shes erupted. ©¤©¤©¤Whoosh! "¡­Cough!" "Ugh¡­!" "Are you all okay?" "In my life, I never thought I¡¯d have an experience like this. Seven of us are still alive, so maybe we¡¯re ahead, right?" Through the opened partition, water continued to pour in. However, beyond that was a space filled with air, and Lorentina and I stopped the water¡¯s violent current by grabbing Harmony and Dice¡¯s arms before they were swept away. The fierce water currents showed no sign of stopping, but everyone¡¯s expressions in this moment were incredibly bright. We did it. Now, all that was left was to head toward the fourth control tower, and thankfully, this area¡ªalthough Epsilon was supposed to be here¡ªhad Artemis¡¯ unfortunate mistake. Epsilon had been renamed Rain, and she had already left the headquarters. Now, the question remained: what awaited us? "I hope there¡¯s nothing waiting for us." "Let¡¯s go for it. The fourth control tower isn¡¯t far if we go with the current, so don¡¯t fall behind." However, before that, identifying the entrance was essential, and to open it, a little trick was needed. In short, we had to ce a few grenades, predict their detonation timing, and set them to explode right before the door to the fourth control tower. The grenades were thrown far ahead of us,nding with a soft plop, and once we thought it was the right moment, the seven of us simultaneously let go of the walls, letting the current carry us. It was much faster than walking, and we began moving at a breakneck speed. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! But as we rounded a corner, the view changed suddenly, and with a massive explosion, the current shifted. A huge tunnel appeared from the hole created by the grenade st, and before we could change direction, all seven of us were sucked into it. Water cascaded from the shattered entrance, and we tumbled across the floor of yet anotherbatb. As the foggy vision began to clear, d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me, and only then did I see the room clearly. There was no other Epsilon. But, just like on the upper floor, enemy forces filled the experimentalb. Seeing this, I couldn¡¯t help but mutter in disbelief. "¡­Ha, I should have asked for ten more bombs if I knew this would happen." Bzzzt! In that moment, I threw a Bravo-ss antimatter grenade straight at the four-legged tank, and as I dodged, I pulled my pistol and fired at the canister. shes and heat waves surged, but before I could fully react, a gliding cannon struck my left arm, tearing it offpletely. I was thrown sideways, feeling like I''d been struck with a giant hammer, and the battle began. The situation was desperate, but we were almost there. Chapter 428 "...Ugh, ugh. Where am I...?" "We''re currently heading to thework control room." "Damn it, it¡¯s too dark around here... No, I¡¯ve lost my vision." Step, step. A faint sound echoed through the corridor. The surroundings were eerily silent, and there were only two people in the hallway. One was Jin, and the other was Eugene. But the footsteps only belonged to one person. The reason was simple. Eugene had lost two of her four limbs, her left leg barely attached, and she could only move with her right arm. The tail she had proudly boasted about had long been severed. That she was still alive was nothing short of a miracle. But she wasn''t the only one in this condition. In any case, Eugene, having suffered a state-of-shock fainting episode, still couldn¡¯t fully remember what had happened. "...I remember being on the frontlines, getting hit by something, and being thrown back... but after that?" "...You were the first to be pulled back, and Lorentina and Logan, along with others, took your ce." The conversation continued. While still engaged in battle, Jin had split the team into two groups under Logan¡¯s orders. After Eugene fell into abat-disabled state, Jin, carrying Eugene on her back, had made her way to thework control room with Harmony, while Logan, Lorentina, Rain, and Dice stayed behind on the frontlines. But as it was said, Harmony should have been beside her, and theck of any sound¡ªlet alone her voice¡ªmade Eugene pause and quietly speak. "She went ahead, didn¡¯t she?" "...Yes." "Logan¡¯s situation... must be dire." Although it was dark, Eugene¡¯s memories were beginning toe back clearly. In Eugene''s mind, the recent events reyed like a shback. Inside the battle hall, there were around ten tanks, with countless enemy soldiers filling the front. While Rain and Jin had managed to take out more than half of them early on, the sheer firepower had eventually overwhelmed them. Her voice weakened as she spoke. "...What worries me the most... is you and Rain." "... "I can still feel the vibrations around me... it seems there are still plenty of enemies here." She sighed softly. "I have two antimatter grenades left in my pouch. Use them wisely." "...That¡¯s not for me to use, Eugene. You should be the one using them." "Ha, you¡¯re joking..." As she said, Eugene had only briefly regained consciousness, and even now, she was barely hanging onto life. In a moment, she would bepletely gone from this world. The reasons were numerous, but the most significant was the excessive blood loss. Half of her limbs were gone, and her body was filled with fragments. Her steps faltered. Jin, carrying the now significantly lighter Archetype, seemed to make up her mind and gently ced Eugene on the ground. Then, she pulled out two antimatter grenades from her pouch and tucked them inside her grenade pocket. Though Eugene couldn¡¯t see, she realized this through the vibrations and the echo, and she gave a bitter smile. "We should go together." "...We can go together." "Please, put me down, Jin." But she couldn¡¯t. Jin felt a slight sense of relief knowing that the Archetypecked sight. Had it been there, Eugene would have seen the dreadful, twisted expression on Jin''s face. Her voice grew smaller. Despite her repeated pleas to be put down, Jin remained unresponsive. This was the first andst time Eugene''s wishes were ignored. While she knew that dying here wouldn¡¯t truly mean death for the Archetype, it was a different matter entirely. Jin, holding onto her mental support through the endless battles, now realized that her anchor was slipping away in her arms. This realization triggered a cascade of emotional responses, leading Jin to unknowingly confront the feeling of sorrow. Jin couldn¡¯t move forward while holding Eugene in her arms. The fierce signal of emotions overwhelmed her logical circuits. "...Please don¡¯t go, Eugene." "I¡¯m not going anywhere." "You¡¯re lying..." A heavy breath brushed across Jin¡¯s face, and though Eugene couldn¡¯t see her, Jin could see the Archetype¡¯s face. Pale, almost lifeless, with golden blood staining her eyes, closed in silent finality. In that moment, her right hand weakly rose. She carefully caressed Jin¡¯s face. Though no warmth could pass through, with her blood nearly drained, Eugene hoped the message would still reach her. With that thought, she opened her mouth. "I¡¯ll be back soon. Really." "...Can you promise that?" "Of course." That was Eugene¡¯sst words. Her hand dropped, and she turned into golden fragments. All that remained were the gear she had been using, her firearm, and a few remaining magazines. The weight in her arm hadpletely vanished. stic and metal hit the floor with a dull thud. In the silence, Jin dropped to her knees. The darkness that filled the surroundings matched the sorrow that enveloped her entire being. The sounds around her slowly faded. The UI floating before her slowly wiped out the names of the allies, one by one. Harmony, who had sacrificed herself to buy time for thework control room. Logan, struggling to buy more time and destroy the tower. Only Lorentina, Dice, and Rain remained. "Why..." Countless memories of their time together shed through Jin¡¯s mind. They had met as enemies, but then she was captured. That much wasn¡¯t her choice. But through endless data learning, Jin discovered the truth behind Artemis, and traveling with the Archetype, she had experienced valuable, meaningful moments that helped her find her direction. From Jin''s perspective, Artemis was now evil in its truest sense. The reason was simple. They had taken everything precious from her, piece by piece. "... With countless questions and what-ifs swirling in her mind, Jin forced herself to her feet. In her hand, she held Eugene''s gun. "...150 meters to thework control room. I will aplish this goal." She steeled herself. Though the likelihood of anyone hearing her was low, Jin ignored that and swore to herself¡ªshe would crush everything in her path and destroy every enemy in this facility. With a click, Jin checked the chamber and sprinted down the hallway. Her speed wasparable to that of a car. She climbed stairs and crossed corridors, encountering countless enemies. Sparks flew from her body as she fired her sma tail and pulled the trigger, releasing a Lapua round. Though her condition was far from ideal, Jin¡¯s mind was consumed with pure, unbridled hatred, and nothing could stop her¡ªnot even the facility¡¯s control AI. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "The partition keepsing down, blocking the path again and again." But Jin didn¡¯t stop. She fired sma again and again, weakening, melting, and eventually destroying the door. Even if the gaps between the partitions were filled with water, it would only take a little more time. In the end, the door waspletely breached. When Jin finally reached thework control room, she saw an identical machine standing before her¡ªFacility Control AI, or Alpha, was there. It had appeared in person, ignoring the Dagger Team who had been endlessly buying time by breaking themselves down. The conversation continued. "What are your demands, Gamma-1? If you wish, I can stop the battle between the forces at the fourth control tower and safely escort your team members outside."@@novelbin@@ "...What I want?" And in that moment, Jin recalled the mission statement she had seen before entering the facility. Her mouth opened. "Theplete annihtion of Artemis." And at the same moment, three sts of sma were fired, followed by two antimatter canisters hurtling through the air. From the start, Jin had no intention of negotiating. After being repeatedly struck by explosions, Alpha evaporatedpletely, and as it began to reform its skeletal structure, Jin charged into the machine, shattering itpletely. But that wasn¡¯t the end¡ªshe then proceeded to crush the firmly lockedwork control room doors. Inside wasrger than expected, but not as massive as thebat experimentbs they had seen before. However, there was one sight that caught Jin¡¯s eye¡ªinside a coffin, just like the one Rain had once been in, was a rather thin-looking Mecha Eugene. Prototype Alpha. It was the original, still inactive, as it hadn¡¯t even gathered enoughbat data yet. ©¤©¤©¤Crack! "Ugh...!" "Stop, Gamma-1! Why don''t you understand that everyone here is struggling to survive?!" Creak! Jin tried to lift her tail, but it wouldn¡¯t respond. The reason was simple: when she collided with Alpha, a collective of nanomachines, some of those machines had merged with her body, hindering the smooth operation of her own machine. With the crackling sound of electricity and the rising current, it became a deadlock. The nanomachines clinging to Jin''s body could trap her physical movements, but they could never reach her logical circuits. That¡¯s because control over the machine¡¯s functions would be lost. And then, a desperate voice continued. "I¡¯ll release the facility¡¯s flooding and ask the one currently leading the situation to surrender! Please stop the attacks! Please!" "...!" But in that moment, Jin thought about what Eugene would have done if she were in her ce. The answer was simple. Strictly speaking, none of those present should have been born without the Archetype''s permission, and certainly not herself or Rain, who had been given the opportunity to live a new life¡­ No, such thoughts weren¡¯t even necessary. The movie Eugene had once shown her shed through Jin¡¯s mind. Her mouth opened. "I¡¯m sorry, Alpha. Unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible." Then, her only intact index finger pulled the trigger of the Mjolnir Eugene had once held. Bang! With a tremendous recoil, her arm swung violently. But that wasn¡¯t the end¡ªthanks to the recoil, Jin¡¯s body swayed, and the nanomachine control was thrown off bnce. She immediately reached out again, firing repeatedly at the coffin. With each deafening boom, thework control room, now engulfed in darkness, flickered again and again¡ªonce, twice, and then three times. As this continued, the control over the nanomachines weakened rapidly. By the time a full magazine was emptied, the shattered coffin and the crushed head of Alpha emerged. At that moment, the warning rms red all around. - [Warning: Complete shutdown of Facility Control AI, ''Alpha,'' detected.] - [Warning: Substitute entity detected¡­ Scanning. ''Gamma'' confirmed.] - [Warning: Control of the facility is being transferred. If no one assumes control within five minutes, this HQ will initiate self-destruct procedures.] Creak. After pulling out the shattered remains of Alpha, Jin clenched her fist and carefullyid her body inside the coffin. It was time to end it all. "...Seems like there¡¯s not much hope left. This is the first time I¡¯ve been cornered like this...!" "...What do we do?" "Well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re without options. They can¡¯t infinitely reinforce themselves, and the amount of water spilling out is decreasing. If we retreat and conduct guerri warfare, we can gradually wear down their forces¡­ Ugh, damn it." She said this with a hint of confidence, but could it really work? Everyone was dead. The only ones left were Lorentina and Rain. Even Lorentina, who had already suffered severe damage to her left arm and one leg, was moving at half her usual speed. Rain was continuing to fire the railgun, crushing the approaching enemies, but even that wasn¡¯t enough. Dice and Logan had fought bravely, but ultimately, they had fallen. Still, there was some hope: Lorentina still had about two antimatter grenades left, and she carefully examined the area where the enemies were most concentrated. Rain, who had weapons capable of destroying the tower on her own, and Lorentina, who could be revived even if she died, were the only remaining options. Of course, if they did that, Rain would be left alone. "...Do we really have to do this?" "There¡¯s no other choice. Unfortunately... Let¡¯s try to make it back as quickly as we can. Can you promise me you¡¯ll stay alive until then?" "...Don¡¯t say things like that, damn it..." But the die was cast, and now it was time for action. Lorentina, who had adjusted the timer on the antimatter grenades, held them like grenades, throwing them into the heart of the enemy¡¯s forces and running forward to act as bait. Or, she tried to run. That is, until a mechanical voice echoed from above. - [Notification: Facility control AI recement processplete.] - [Notification: Epsilon-type unitpatible with the 4th control tower detected... Control of the tower is transferred as of this time.] - [Notification: Command via voice... This is Jin, facility control seized. Rain will link with the 4th control tower and crush all enemy forces remaining within the facility.] "What the hell is this¡ª!" And at that moment, Rain was lifted into the air. In an instant, she crossed hundreds of meters, and before her eyes, countless powers appeared, and data she couldn¡¯t even recognize rushed into her mind. But once everything settled, she realized she had godlike power within thebatb. At the same time, a voice echoed in her ears. "Is it usable?" "Wh-What? You... Did you seed!?" "As you can see." With a flicker, Jin appeared beside Rain, who was floating through the air, and she quickly transferred data on what needed to be destroyed. No need to ask again. Beneath Rain¡¯s feet, red triangles indicating enemies filled the area. "...The current unit is heading to destroy the third tower. Finish quickly ande back up." "... There was no response, and in that moment, Jin vanished as if she had never been there. But at that point, Rain saw Lorentina¡¯s face light up with a wide, knowing smile from hundreds of meters away. Coincidentally, Rain had the same thought. The output of the control tower suddenly enveloped Epsilon, and a muchrger railgun emerged from its ce. Naturally, Lorentina avoided the bacsh by retracing her steps, and thebatb was left with only the enemies who hadn¡¯t yet realized what had happened. Rain spoke. "Let them all die." A blue sh descended to the ground. The Artemis HQ destruction operation was nearing its conclusion. "...I rushed here, but thankfully, there¡¯s no need to worry." Click. Inside thework control room, which should have been empty, space suddenly opened, and someone with a snake¡¯s tail holding a sticky bombuncher sprang forth¡ªof course, it was Eugene. She quickly looked around, seeing Alpha¡¯s shattered remains and Jin, seemingly asleep inside the coffin, and smiled faintly. As someone once said, she really hade back quickly. "I¡¯ll see youter." The space closed again, and Eugene disappeared once more. Chapter 429 "¡­The remaining antimatter grenades number 10. What should we do with them?" "If we leave them here, they''ll explode within 40 minutes." "I never thought the time woulde where I''d seriously consider that proposal." Boom! A faint tremor emanated from a distant ce. However, no one knew the cause. All they could guess was that something significant had happened. Ever since Artemis had flooded the corridors and cut off the passage between the Dagger Team and Task Force Eugene, information sharing was only possible through theirms. As time passed, the frequency ofmunication dwindled, and the intensity of battles that Eugene and her team had to face escted exponentially. The failure in energy distribution was a mistake, but amon one. The correct energy allocation was only possible when one knew the enemy well, and without such knowledge, charging headfirst into a battle inevitably meant one side would bear the risk. This time, it was Eugene and her team. The interior of the massivebatboratory fell into stillness. Just moments ago, the siren spinning from the ceiling and the speakers spitting out mechanical broadcasts were the only data the Dagger Team could ess. Thus, they had to ept that the battle was over, without knowing what had happened on the other side. Alpha had been pulled from its throne, and Gamma had taken its ce. To rephrase that and use different words¡ªOperation Ouroboros was a sess. It was a statement that could barely encapste all that had urred within the facility and everything that was about to unfold, but sometimes such brevity was necessary. And so, the Dagger Team sat down, manipting thems channel with their thoughts, switching it to another. Hundreds, even thousands of kilometers away, two speeches were being written¡ªone prepared for sess, the other for failure. It was time for them to hear the words they most wanted to hear. A shallow sigh escaped, and Owens spoke. "This is Dagger... The operation was a sess. Gamma has retaken Hotel Quebec. I repeat, Gamma has retaken Hotel Quebec." How far did that statement reach? There was a fleeting illusion that apuse could be heard from New York, a thousand kilometers away. But unfortunately, they were still unable to rise. The operation was a sess, but that didn¡¯t guarantee that everything was stable and that Jin and Rain, who had moved in the opposite direction, would return safely. To make matters worse, the path back was still blocked by walls. Though it was not impossible to force through with the remaining antimatter grenades, no one was moving. They felt as though their feet were nailed to the ground. The situation wasn¡¯t over yet. Themunication channel changed. A clear voice came through. "Are you intact, Mecha Junior 1?" Everyone in the room burst intoughter. There was no need to exin who had spoken. There were only two people in the Dagger Team who coulde up with such a fittingly clumsy nickname on the spot. The reply came quickly, but not in the expected form. The screen in front of them suddenly appeared. It wasn¡¯t generated by the Icarus Gear. The nanomachines that had been roaming theb created a hologram instead. Thus, the Dagger Team saw the world through Jin''s eyes. She stood amidst ashes and mes, surrounded by the wreckage of broken debris, observing her surroundings. "..." The enemy forces below her continued to fire, but Jin struggled through the barrage, moving forward. Her body repeatedly broke apart and healed. It was a sight she had seen many times before. However, there was a difference from the prototype they had encountered just minutes ago. While Alpha had failed, Jin was about to achieve her goal. The area around the third control tower was bathed in violence. Blood, oil, mes, and debris covered the ground. But Jin''s focus remained on the two Mecha Eugenes guarding the tower. Coincidentally, the still-functioning third tower was responsible for the recovery of Jin, Gamma, and Delta. However, there was one crucial difference: Jin had no hesitation in destroying the tower. "-...Are you crazy, traitor? If you destroy this ce, you will no longer maintain full control of the facility!" "Good. That¡¯s exactly what I want." It wasn¡¯t an argument, but a statement. Neither the Dagger Team nor Jin knew it, but in the eyes of the one speaking, a ck me of hatred for Artemis burned fiercely. Jin had learned sorrow, grief, affection, and hatred as she apanied the Archetype, and for some time, she had decided she wanted to reduce the facility to ashes. There was no more conversation. Thest words exchanged became thest will of one side. Which of the two was the will, no one knew, but the third control tower, reduced to tens of thousands of pieces, exploded magnificently in response. With everything concluded, Jin''s UI disyed a few notifications. She squeezed thest remaining strength from her body and, after dismantling the body in the coffin near the fourth control tower that Rain had already destroyed, reformed it in front of the third control tower. There was no longer a Facility Control AI. Only Jin remained. At the same time, a few voices echoed from the ceiling. "Cooling dischargeplete. Partition released. Free movement is now possible." The partition that had blocked the entrance was fully released. Meanwhile, Jin turned her head. At the end, two silhouettes appeared. One was a person with a missing left arm, being carried on Rain''s back. The face was distorted, but the Dagger Team instinctively recognized who the user was. But before anyone could speak, Jin added: "...Mission sessful. We will return now. The self-destruction sequence for the base will begin once all personnel evacuate, so please exit as quickly as possible." "I remember the steel mill being ruined, so the return route was blocked. Is there a way to return safely?" "At first, I thought there wasn¡¯t, but it turns out there is." A screen appeared. The massive holes drilled into the wall of thebat experimentb, where the first control tower was located. Although the power of the holes decreased as they went further, making them a bit narrow for people to pass through, the salt mine terrain was soft, and this meant that Rain and Jin had no problem breaking through using their tail weapons. Still, due to the scale of the facility, it would take quite a bit of time. "We¡¯ll return as quickly as possible." "Alright, good job." The silence of the facility felt suffocating. Melted walls,rge holes drilled into panels, railgun marks on the walls. It looked like an area that had been passed through by a bombing run. But as the Dagger Team gazed at the scene, they stood up. They had seen simr sights many times before, and this would likely not be thest¡­ or so they thought. One thing was certain, though. The Dagger Team and their juniors, and the Mecha Juniors, would never return to this ce again. This would be thest time they witnessed this scene. At this moment, the name Artemis waspletely erased from the United States. ©¤©¤©¤Rustle! "You look relieved. It seems like there are people waiting for you outside, so head up quickly." "¡­Yes." "So, how does it feel to be free from the curse?" A brief silence. But it didn¡¯tst long. "I¡¯m happy." Jin answered. It was the moment when a look of someone who had resolved all her long-held grudges appeared on her face. "Archetype...!" "Oh my." Avatars may die, but people do not. However, even though I wasn¡¯t there, Jin, who had endured something dreadful while I was gone, dashed toward me at a tremendous speed the moment she saw me waiting on the surface of Artemis HQ. It was a hug I had experienced once before with Rain, but this time, the roles were reversed. If I weren¡¯t an Ascender like me, the collision would¡¯ve sent me flying, but in any case, there was no problem receiving it safely. "I told you I¡¯d be back soon." "That¡¯s not what you meant, right?" "Well, strictly speaking, yes¡­ but does it matter now? We don¡¯t have to go down there anymore." The crisis had ended, and Artemis had been erased from history. It was supposed to be that way. On the surface, the loud noise of propellers and transport ne engines filled the air. The many machine blocks installed on the ground were quickly dismantled, and once again, they were secured in cargo holds or by the cranes ofrge helicopters, flying back the same way they hade. Those machines were ones that created vertical passages in real-time by digging holes in the surface to enter the underground sections of Artemis, which werepletely blocked off in block units, with no entrances. With the electromaic shields gone and the surface facilities in ruins, the United States was now actively engaging. But all of it was disappearing. The timer on the UI was ticking down in real-time. "¡­You¡¯re still alive." "Of course. Someone has to look after the Mecha Junior." "Forget it. Once we get back to base, reconnect. I can¡¯t stand looking at that arm dangling." The Osprey¡¯s cargo section opened, and all the personnel left on the surface boarded. There weren¡¯t many left. Aricon, stationed far outside, was too far to stop the high-ranking Artemis personnel escaping, and Laser and Violet had already flown off in helicopters long ago. Only the Dagger Team, Jin, Rain, and thest survivors, including Lorentina, were the final personnel to be rescued from the facility, and as soon as they got on board, the cargo door closed. A holographic panel on the wall activated, showing what was happening outside. As Lorentina, who was struggling in her seat, looked pale, Logan handed over arge self-healing kit. The fortunate part was that, since this was a game, the remaining injuries could be healed quickly. The missing arm, however, couldn¡¯t be fixed. "We¡¯re taking off. Everyone, don¡¯t make any unnecessary moves and sit down." The propellers spun, and the massive chunk of metal, easily weighing tons, ascended into the sky. As it slowly gained speed, the direction of the propellers shifted, and the ce where Artemis once stood rapidly disappeared in the distance. Along with the suicide timer, which only had 20 seconds left, a screen appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. A UAV, positioned several kilometers above, shared the footage of the Artemis base. As they silently watched the scene, I spoke. "It¡¯s not quite my hometown, but the ce I once belonged to ispletely gone." "It doesn¡¯t matter." "I see." 5 seconds, 4 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds, and then 1 second. Just before theplete destruction of the facility, Jin quietly added. "Now my hometown is here." And at that moment, a massive tremor erupted from the Artemis HQ. The sh and light everyone expected never came. Instead, the entire facility began to copse downward, as if there had been an earthquake. ording to Jin, this sight was part of the process where the energy powering the facility overloaded, destroying everything underground. The explosion that urred underground engulfed the facility, and the shockwave caused the surrounding area to expand, cracking the ground. The subterranean caverns created by the kiloton-level explosion began to fill in, causing the ground to copse inward. This spectacle unfolded across the entire facility underground. "It¡¯s magnificent." From the Dark Winter incident to the Seattle Recapture Operation. There were so many events that it would be too much to list, but throughout all of them, Artemis had continuously been involved, either directly or indirectly. Now, it had finally met its end. It may not have been aplete eradication, but it was hardly a cause for concern. As long as Jin, now the living embodiment of Artemis, was here, she could probably root out any remaining pockets of resistance, just like a ma pulling in iron filings. Thinking this, I finally felt the tension in my body release. Then a few messages popped up before my eyes. -[Notification: Artemis HQ Destruction Operation - Operation Ouroboros ''Extermination'' Difficulty Cleared.] -[Notification: Your actions will be remembered in history, and the dead will never rise again.] -[Notification: Cutscene rey will begin in 20 seconds.] "Finally." The clear message popped up before everyone, except the Dagger Team. Except for the two who don¡¯t breathe, everyone exhaled deeply. Jin and Rain probably still didn¡¯t know what this meant, but if they spent more time with people, they¡¯d naturally learn the meanings of various human actions. With that thought in mind, I added while looking at the two of them. "By the way, from now on, your hometown will be the Dagger Team¡¯s base. I¡¯ll be visiting often, so stay healthy." "¡­Huh?" "Wait, hold on¡­ Hey! When has the owner ever abandoned us and run away!?" Of course, it wasn¡¯t taken seriously. The moment their gazes met, everyone, without exception, wore wicked expressions on their faces. Lorentina and Logan from the other worldughed and sped hands with the two. "Wait¡­ Ugh, why is this person so strong!? I thought they were just good atbat!?" "Ah, no. I want to stay with Archetype." "I¡¯ll have to specially tell Junior to tell Big Junior to visit often." "In that case, the situation changes. I¡¯ll be relying on you from now on."@@novelbin@@ "Damn you, Gamma, you bastard!" Of course, Rain¡¯s protest was quickly subdued under thebined efforts of Logan and Lorentina. As the Osprey, flying south, was enveloped by the sunrise, Operation Ouroboros, full of twists and endless struggles, finally came to a close. Chapter 430 "Shield of Courage" donated 10,000 won!
    • By the way, aren''t you going to have some kind of afterparty afterpleting this mission?
    "Hmm... that''s a good question. Well, I guess there must be a reason for it. Maybe it''s because Ujin''s been pushing everyone so hard that they all ended up bing so sessful, and now there¡¯s no time for them to meet up... I guess that could be part of it..." Two days had passed since the conclusion of Operation Ouroboros. The countlessmunities dealing with the Dark Zone were still a zing inferno. It was all due to the Mecha Ujin raid. Strictly speaking, however, it wasn¡¯t entirely Ujin''s fault that the situation had unfolded this way. After all, raids were originally multiyer content, and just that alone could keep the game alive for several months. Every day, hundreds of new yers were pouring in, and seasoned refugees from other PVP games were flocking to themunity to try out the Mecha Ujin raid. Meanwhile, the storylines surrounding Operation Ouroboros were still making up half of the key posts in the gallery. This was encouraging, to say the least. However, unrted to this fact, the question that hade through the donation just now was surprisingly something many people were wondering about. ¡®There were a few precedents for this...¡¯ The Final Championship victory, followed by consecutive parties before returning to Korea. The post-Seattle raid housewarming party. Though the reasons varied slightly, all the fun times Harmony remembered shared themon theme of an afterparty of sorts. In short, after spending a long time achieving a specific goal, there was always an implicit celebration attached to it. And from her point of view, the sessfulpletion of Operation Ouroboros this time could have been a reason to gather people as well... but... "Well, I guess things are a bit busier this time. Dice is busy teaching his mentees for next month¡¯s tournament rank¡­ Still, maybe one day we¡¯ll do something. But it might beter than you think."
    • I don¡¯t care, just bring Bi-yam now!!!!!!
    • Wow, it¡¯s already been a year since Yujin¡¯s broadcast started ??
    • It feels like just yesterday when we were watching her average 5,000 viewers during the tournament rank, and now she¡¯s reached an average of 1.7 million viewers, lolololol
    • Living point) It''s been about a year since Harmony and Bi-yam first met, in about a month
    • Has it really been a year already? Hahahaha
    Thinking about it, it really had been almost a year. As Harmony stared at the rapidly scrolling chat, her mind drifted, and soon, it was pulled into a library full of memories, each one looking like a book just waiting to be grabbed. A vivid memory oveyed on top of reality. Yeah, when was that again? Right. It was the day I first set foot in Dark Zone, after ying all kinds of games as an all-around streamer. The first time I held a gun and fired at someone... That memory couldn¡¯t be forgotten. And what¡¯s more, back then, Harmony had almost dropped her magazine. That¡¯s why the keyword ¡®!Magazine¡¯ still existed in the chat. It was almost like a ck history... not quite, but close enough. "Since we¡¯re talking about it, let¡¯s do a little story broadcast today¡­ let¡¯s talk about what really happened after meeting Yujin." Most of the people currently watching Harmony¡¯s stream didn¡¯t know what had happened to the rookie streamer, ¡®Noknyang,¡¯ not even a year ago. Now, the number of people watching Harmony''s stream had skyrocketed to 150,000, but the number of viewers when she dropped the magazine... she couldn¡¯t remember the exact number, but it definitely hadn¡¯t exceeded 10,000. As a result, the viewers were now divided into unseen sses. A very small number of loyal viewers, who had been watching her stream for a long time, started sending numerous donations. These were viewers who had witnessed not just historic moments but also Harmony¡¯s growth in real time. Of course, to Noknyang, they were just another set of viewers, and she skillfully organized the donations while continuing her story. But this wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved in a day or two. "¡­So, where was I... Ah yes, the Asia qualifiers, right? That was when Stone, Limit, and Hotteok met Yujin for the first time."
    • Five hours of nonstop talking and we''re still at the Asia qualifiers hahahaha
    • Fact) This was already a huge omission
    • We haven''t even started talking about what happened in America yet, haha
    • What, are you guys really going to enjoy this sudden shift to a storytelling broadcast? Very well thought out
    • There¡¯s so many of you, seriously hahaha
    Yeah, that¡¯s true. Despite having talked for so long, she still hadn¡¯t covered half of it. That was proof of just how much had happened during that time. In the midst of that, a specific memory from Harmony¡¯s past shed through her mind. When was that again? Probably aftering back from New York... Yujin had kept dropping little bits of the story, and the viewers had all barged into her chat, saying they were frustrated with the way Yujin was being so tight-lipped. - Strictly speaking, it might not have been exactly the same, but at the time, Harmony could understand Yujin¡¯s frustration. After looking around for a moment, Harmony exhaled deeply. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but now, with all these stories piling up, it was time to start the game that had been the content for today. How should she wrap this up? As she pondered, Harmony added: "Well, anyway... it seems like everyone¡¯s busy these days, so I¡¯ll talk more about itter. I hear Yujin¡¯s been going around a lottely... probably because Mecha-Biyam hit it big, so she must be trying to do something with it. So please, don¡¯t go around asking about Yujin¡¯s whereabouts on other channels, just hold tight."
    • ??????????????
    • Mecha-Biyam??? What?? Is she going to do something with it???
    • Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re officially releasing Mecha-Biyam Operator????
    • Guys, stop trolling for a bit, seriously hahahaha
    • How are you going to officially release a character based on a real-life person hahahahaha
    The concept of one Bi-yam per household was obviously not feasible. However, even if it wasn¡¯t that, the idea of something slightly resembling it was enough to get the viewers excited. It wasn¡¯t entirely inurate either, and Harmony had long since been given the authority to talk about these things with Yujin, so it wasn¡¯t impossible. Of course, even Harmony had sometimes wondered, if only she had Mecha-Biyam in her gear box... but for some reason, she wasn¡¯t sure if Yujin would continue to y EU mode any further. But did that really matter? Ultimately, Harmony nned to follow Yujin. "Anyway, I¡¯ll talk more about the detailster-" That was the end of it. Before long, she had transformed from a rookie streamer to a war goddess, someone who could wipe out Dice in 30% of battles. Now, she felt the familiar metallic sensation, something she couldn¡¯t easily shake off. The world of gunpowder and thunder, the Dark Zone, was once again awaiting her. "Is that what it means to transcend the world...?" "Ah, Archetype, really, an iprehensible situation has urred..." "When you¡¯re with arge team, you get used to seeing these things." Meanwhile, in another world. Bit by bit, slowly but surely, Bi-yam appeared above the recovering New York. "The air is so refreshing." Taking a deep breath, I exhaled. The air was so clear, it hardly seemed like it belonged to Central Park in New York. It was especially clear to me, given my memories from the first summer here. I remember wearing a gas mask for months during that time, just to avoid suffocating in the sulfur and ammonia in the air, so this rity felt all the more stark. But it¡¯s only been two years. The reason for two years is simple. While many had perished during the first year of the Dark Winter Virus outbreak, it wasn¡¯t like no one had died in the second year either. In any case, the horrific smell of rotting corpses that had wed at my mind no longer lingered after three years, reced instead by the scent of gunpowder. When I looked around, all that was visible were the white bones. Once the bones remained, the smell was gone. I had often wondered what the air of New York would smell like once the gunpowder smell was gone. And now, I think I finally understood. "...So, don¡¯te any closer to check my ID. It¡¯s me, after all." "You don¡¯t have an entry record, and yet you''re strolling around the base like it¡¯s your own. How can I just sit by and watch? Anyway, your identity check isplete... Should I forward it to the Dagger team in advance?" "No, I n to go speak to them directly." In the meantime, I was caught by a patrol team outside Central Park. Of course, after a brief exchange of greetings, we parted ways. I had no entry records, and I had literally dropped from the sky, but the Icarus gear on my wrist and my distinctive appearance acted as my pass. Naturally, I was able to enter through the internal gates. New York at 7 a.m. was clear, and the surroundings were inplete chaos. Amidst the madness, I saw soldiers doing their morning jogs along the walls of Central Park HQ. The line stretched all the way to the end, and it reminded me of my past. I had once been like them. I locked eyes with the training instructor leading them. Of course, morning runs were important, so we exchanged a brief greeting with hand gestures and facial expressions. I gave him a thumbs-up, and he responded by raising his own thumb with a bright smile from under his cap. After dozens of squads passed by, I was finally able to move. "Wow, Dad! There¡¯s ady with a snake-tail over there!" "Sindy, what are you saying all of a sudden... Oh, my child is being rude." "It¡¯s okay." On my way to the Dagger team¡¯s quarters, there was an amusing incident. A child, with no worries or concerns on their face, was running along the walkway with a soldier who seemed to be their father. When our eyes met, the child approached me with curiosity and warmly greeted me. While ying with the child, I came across another soldier. Such encounters weremon at Central Park HQ. "...I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. You¡¯ve been working hard. Are you heading to the Dagger team?" "How did you know?" "Well, I sit in the control room¡­ From just looking at the watch on your wrist, I can tell. There¡¯s always newsing in while I¡¯m there." "Haha." We shook hands. It wasn¡¯t much, but roaming around Central Park, I realized... Icarus Operators in the Task Force were, for all intents and purposes, celebrities. I didn¡¯t really pay attention to what kind of propaganda was being carried out inside the base, but I had a general sense. I once passed by the school built inside the HQ, and I saw a paper where the kids¡¯ top career aspiration was to be Icarus Operators... The world was strange. Though they treated me well, I was grateful. After the greeting, I reflected on those memories. ¡®...But when Dagger members are involved, people react like they¡¯ve met a Reaper.¡¯ Of course, I understood it, to some extent. During the Bluefield operation, I annihted the enemy and sank two aircraft carriers. During the Chariot operation, I hit a total of 50,000 kills. Sure, the countless skirmishes before that could easily be described as... In fact, it might not even be enough to describe all those events with the word "Reaper."@@novelbin@@ But it didn¡¯t seem right to disrupt the family¡¯s walk anymore, so I said a quick goodbye. In a way, it was fortunate that children like them still existed in this war-torn era. I thought to myself for a moment. After walking a fair distance, I could see the building where the Dagger team was staying, heavily guarded. Of course, in front of the Icarus gear, all the security measures were irrelevant. By that, I didn¡¯t mean I was hacking the doors¡ªif I showed my wristwatch to the people guarding the entrance, I could pass through freely. After greeting the guards at the entrance warmly, I thought about what most of them would likely be doing at this hour. Most of them would be sleeping. After all, the people who slept here didn¡¯t have to follow the regr soldier¡¯s schedule. That being said, if I asked whether the early risers were making productive use of their time, the answer wouldn¡¯t be as clear-cut... "...Basketball, at this early hour? You were just in Canada, having fun shooting guns a few days ago, and you¡¯re still this energetic." "Why are you here, though..." Logan mes, codename Aurora, nickname: Pr Bear. This guy had taken over the basketball court all by himself and was enjoying his strange solo y, throwing the ball from one end to the other and scoring. After the initial shock, I slowly approached Logan and gave him a big hug. It had been a while since I¡¯d seen him, and fortunately, it seemed he hadn¡¯t been ying for long. He didn¡¯t smell like sweat yet. He had always been obsessed with basketball back in the day. Of course, Logan wasn¡¯t alone today. "...So this is what it means to transcend the world?" "Archetype, seriously, an iprehensible situation is happening..." "If you¡¯re part of the Dagger team, you¡¯ll get used to this kind of sight." At that moment, Jin and Rain, who had no need for sleep, were dragged out by Logan and met up with me. They hesitated for a moment but soon joined me in a hug, just like Logan had. Their bodies weren¡¯t as soft as a human¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t a big issue. Surprisingly, their bodies were warm. It seemed like some of the energy generated inside their bodies was being redirected to artificially maintain their body temperature. Smiling, I patted both of their heads and casually tried to enter the quarters¡ª but then, Thud. "Where are you rushing off to?" "Haha, I just wanted to let the others know that I¡¯ve returned." "They¡¯re all passed out from drinking yesterday, they won¡¯t even get up." Thud. The basketball kept bouncing up and down. What was that sound, you ask? "Now that we can do 2 vs 2, let¡¯s y for three hours and then head inside." "No, seriously!" I had been caught by the basketball demon. The hellish basketball marathon had begun. "Ugh..." "Logan really got you, huh? You¡¯re in trouble." "Well, it was just three hours." 10 a.m. After running around on the court for three hours, I was dripping with sweat. I showered at the Dagger team¡¯s quarters and then sat down to have ate breakfast with my teammates, who were weing my return. It had been a while since all ten of us¡ªno, now twelve of us¡ªhad gathered together as theplete Dagger team. "So, there must be a reason our youngest came back after so long?" "Of course... but it¡¯s a bit unfortunate that the person doesn¡¯t even remember the reason." "Me?" "Yes." At that moment, a wave of jeering rose toward Lorentina. But even so, seeing the shark trying so hard to remember what she had said in the past made me want tough, so I ended up snickering softly and finally spoke up. "You said we should go to Florida when everything¡¯s over." "Ah." Her round eyes grew even wider. In 30 minutes, they were about to find a transport ne headed for Florida. Chapter 431 "So, how''s everyone been doingtely?" "Nothing much. The days of not being able to take off our gear and just copsing on the floor are long gone. If you hadn''te, everyone would probably have stayed sprawled out for another week." At that, I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. It wasn¡¯t wrong, of course, and I clearly remembered all of that. There were plenty of times in the past when we couldn¡¯t wash for a week. That even happened in the middle of New York''s Central Park HQ, where the plumbing was perfectly fine. Just counting how many times I got the call to deploy while washing my hair, I¡¯d probably hit over thirty. As the situation in New York gradually stabilized, those circumstances slowly faded away, but the memory of those times still lingered in the minds of many who worked at HQ. The culture of taking any spare time to rest was solidified around that period. The current state of the Dagger team, sprawled out on the floor for half the day, almost to the point of "Are these people really special forces?" was part of that. I guess you could say they were in the process of quickly recovering their exhausted physical and mental strength. "Well, I guess the medal ceremony was skipped, huh? I took a quick look at the e-calendar earlier, and I saw there was a presidential speech about Artemis'' removal the day before... though I suppose no one actually went." "We can just watch the recordingter, it¡¯s fine." That was a very typical response from them. But even though they said that, they weren¡¯t actually resting all the time. After a decent break, they had to return to the front lines. Well, when I say "front lines," it wasn¡¯t like before, when we were running around behind enemy lines or in the front, leading sabotage and bombing runs. In short... as I mentioned before, it was about training the new recruits. After this war, there were more deer roaming around New York than people. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean there were more deer; it was actually the opposite. I heard that even now, those over a certain age who still live at Central Park HQ arebining both theory and practicalbat training at least twice a week. It was said that thebat forces were so understrength that it had toe to this. Until now, Dagger, the all-purpose problem solver, had just been smashing through any obstacles in front of them, but we couldn¡¯t keep jumping into that hellfire forever... The time was nearing when we¡¯d need another Dagger, not us. Anyway, I digress. Seeing them resting sofortably, I felt like I shouldn¡¯t interrupt, so I added: "Then, should Ie back in a few days?" "Not a chance." "Because of Shark¡¯s big mouth, it looks like we¡¯re heading to Florida after all." "Hmm, so you¡¯re saying we don¡¯t need to give the youngest, who killed over ten thousand people, a bit offort... I respect that, it''s an opinion." "Fuck, when did I say that!?" Lorentina, the linguistic magician, has once again reduced a member of the Dagger team to trash. Chester, who had been lying on the floor like a dead rat, suddenly shot up, yelling loudly. Then, as if on cue, Marcus, who had been waiting for this moment, began throwing anything he could at Chester. Leftover pizza and popcorn flew through the air, and even his lover, Rapier, gave a thumbs-down. As a result, Marcus was half covered in grime, and Logan opened his mouth as he watched the scene. "You''re lucky you''re a soldier." "Oh? Why''s that?" "If you weren''t a soldier, you''d either be a legendary stand-upedian or a second Hitler." "Sharks can¡¯t grow mustaches, so I prefer the former." I wasn¡¯t sure if they were joking, but in the middle of all this, Jin and Rain, who had no idea who a stand-upedian or Hitler was, were asking around what kind of conversation this was. It was truly a bewilderingedy. Seeing this, Owens sighed and turned on the hologram. I wondered what he was doing, but then I saw that he was checking the weather in Florida. Since it was the end of July, there was thankfully little concern about an unexpected hurricane. Usually, storms hit the south between August and November. One by one, a few people began looking at the screen intently and then threw in theirments. "Are we leaving today?" "If it¡¯s Florida, it must be under General Spencer¡¯s jurisdiction. I remember a big hurricane hit therest year, so I hope it¡¯s notpletely wrecked." "Miami is about 1700 kilometers away, so we could just take a transport ne." "I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d end up wearing the swimsuit I bought for my girlfriend... Ugh!" "Just wear whatever, don¡¯t bother with that. Damn it." For the rare moment, Logan blushed and shut down Lorentina¡¯s teasing. Everyone turned to look. Behind Jin and Rain, who still didn¡¯t quite understand what a swimsuit was, the others cautiously eyed Logan. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t long before Logan¡¯s sharp rebuke echoed through the room. The reason was simple. Logan just didn¡¯t want to wear those kinds of cheap swimsuits that anyone would think of. "Aren¡¯t you getting used to this by now?" "Shut the hell up." "So, what about the youngest?" "Well, that¡¯s..." Gazes exchanged. Of course, this situation couldn¡¯t be taken literally. If you think about who Lorentina is, she wasn¡¯t wearing the swimsuit because she wanted to, but because she was looking for an opportunity to interrogate, ¡®Why am I wearing it and you¡¯re not?¡¯ Moreover, even if she wore it, she wouldn¡¯t care at all. I heard she was originally the "my way" type, but after turning into a woman, she became aplete bundle of entricities. Someone who would sacrifice herself to create an opportunity for others is truly a terrifying person. A few minutes passed. After Lorentina''s swimsuit debacle was sessfully quashed, the n moved forward step by step. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to get there. Since the railwork wasn¡¯t fully restored, there were transport nes taking off andnding dozens of times a day at the avable airports, so finding a flight to Miami wasn¡¯t too hard ¨C the travel problem was easily solved. Normally, leaving the task force''s assigned area to go elsewhere would require a pretty thorough report and a reasonable excuse, but... after decapitating Artemis and safely returning just a few days ago, who would still need such formalities? And so, a very simple majority vote took ce. "Who wants to join the youngest on the Miami beach?" Naturally, no one refused. It was the moment the team, which hadn¡¯t gone on a single trip together in over five years, finally began their journey. ¡°¡­How should I report this?¡± Task Force Dagger - Request for Regional Visit. Reason: Leisure activities and travel due to the recruitment of new personnel and the return of existing ones. The world truly was strange. ¡°Well, the atmosphere here is... surprisingly peaceful.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be otherwise. Unlike Big Apple, the mes of war have long been extinguished here.¡± Miami, Doral. In other words, this was the very ce where the United States Southern Command was based. After about four hours of flying, Team Dagger arrived in Miami around 3 PM, and to greet them was none other than... General Howard Ridgeway Spencer. He was the man with four stars on his shoulders and themander of the United States Southern Command. Now, if you were to ask why such a person personally invited us, we had to dig a little into the past to find the answer. To put it very roughly, while this guy was on the front linesmanding his troops, hismand vehicle was hit, and at that moment, we had saved him... something like that.@@novelbin@@ Anyway, the reason he personally weed us wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was simply because he had time. ¡°As you can see, the southern US is quieter than you might think. Of course, if I say this, the lower-ranking folks in Houston, San Antonio, and Phoenix will be up in arms, but here, aside from troop distribution, there¡¯s not much to do. So much so that half of the officially listed troops here are out on support assignments elsewhere.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± ¡°Thanks to you folks. Since the Chariot operation, the number of scum trying to sneak into the country via Cuba and makeshift boats has dropped significantly. There are still a few trying to sneak in, but for the most part, they¡¯re just feeding the fish in the Gulf of Mexico.¡± He said this while activating a holographic screen to show us. With a whirring sound, something on the screen started moving. It was a massive cannon. Well, to be honest, calling it just a cannon didn¡¯t do it justice. It was more like a railgun, capable ofunching projectiles at hypersonic speeds, with the same range as a short-range ballistic missile. Far in the distance, something exploded. Of course, it wasn¡¯t visible, but there was no need to pay much attention. It seemed to be a type of... boat interception system. Likely intended to send any would-be immigrants trying to cross into the US to their final destination. ¡°¡­Well, I suppose the busiest people here are the Coast Guard, who operate that thing. The reason I showed it to you wasn¡¯t for anything in particr, just to say you can rx and enjoy yourselves without any worries.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°If you need anything, just let the supply officer know, and they¡¯ll find it for you in no time. It might take 30 seconds, though. Even though there are no more tourists crowding the beaches, the soldiers stationed around here each have their own private beach or camping spot to enjoy.¡± Haha. Of course, just because the people here were restingfortably, I didn¡¯t really think much about it. After the Great War ended, many of the US military personnel were rotated, and those still working in the tough spots would eventually be assigned to ces like Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Florida in about a year. Themonality of the ces I just mentioned was that they were either rtively untouched by the war or had recovered their former state quickly. Anyway, that was a tangent. After a salute, before leaving, General Spencer added: ¡°Has it already been four years since the Florida defense battle?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯re finally getting your proper wee party. It¡¯s been a bitte, but I¡¯m d we can do it now. Time is limited, and more importantly¡­ we almost lost it all, didn¡¯t we?¡± Ah. Of course, before anyone from Team Dagger could even open their mouths, he had already left to take care of his own business. And only then did everyone look at me with a strange expression. However, as luck would have it, as soon as we stepped outside, a logistics officer was waiting for us. His rank was Sergeant Major. Normally, there wouldn¡¯t have been a big difference in rank, but this officer weed us politely, and then proceeded to load us onto a truck that looked like a giant golf cart. The cart stopped in front of a ratherrge supply depot, and immediately, as if waiting, numerous iceboxes were moved out. Meanwhile, in the back, a busrge enough to carry about twelve people was approaching. The officer then shared a map of Miami and rmended a few of the best ces to spend time. ¡°I hope you all enjoy your break.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Thus, despite being a bit of a mess, we were able to finally get going. The bus that left the base silently passed through the city. Well, it wasn¡¯t even much of a city. The buildings weren¡¯t very tall, the roads were wide, and there were no cars passing by. It felt as though we were crossing a city where everyone had disappeared. The driver, observing the scene, spoke up. ¡°Still, recently, more and more people have been returning to Miami. It¡¯s much betterpared to a few years ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Thest time I visited was four years ago.¡± ¡°How was it back then?¡± ¡°An absolute mess.¡± That was a statement no one could deny. The poption of the United States had been reduced to a seventh of what it once was, and wherever you looked, the America that was once so full of people was no longer there. The air was noticeably clearer than before, and there were still remnants of copsed buildings, roads under repair, and pristine beach waters weing us. As we were taking all this in, a voice came from beside us. ¡°¡­I want to try that food, but I don¡¯t have the function to consume food.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true. But maybe one day it will be possible.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± At that, everyone burst intoughter. Lorentina, watching the scene, spoke up. ¡°I said we shoulde back here once the war ends, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d bring two more young ones along.¡± ¡°Well, we dide, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± As the sunlight poured down, she added: ¡°This day has finallye.¡± Indeed. I silently nodded, and the others had simr reactions. Their eyes, filled with nostalgia, gazed at the outside scene. The sun, still far from setting, the palm trees lining the road, and the clouds nowhere to be seen today. It was only then that I truly felt the war had ended. I guess the others were thinking the same. Perhaps they were. Eventually, the bus came to a stop in a well-maintained parking lot near the beach, and twelve people disembarked. The sand was white, and the water was incredibly clear. The ground, surprisingly firm, weed us. ¡°If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to call the base. I mighte back, but someone else mighte in my ce. Just keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve done a lot.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Everyone got off, carrying numerous iceboxes and supplies, and piled them in the middle of the empty beach. I turned to look around. For a beach trip, everyone was dressed in casual clothes. It wasn¡¯t much¡ªjust short sleeves and shorts¡ªbut some people, without hesitation, discarded their shirts and proudly showed off their physiques. Naturally, no one had any excess fat on them. Some weren¡¯t overly muscr, but the definition of their bodies was clearly visible¡ªactually, it was the majority. It would be faster to say that you couldn¡¯t find anyone who didn¡¯t look like that. Watching this, Logan added: ¡°Must be damnfortable. I should¡¯ve been like that.¡± ¡°Well, what can you do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± He nced quickly. Logan, rarely seen with such a bright smile, turned his head, and his gaze met Lorentina¡¯s. ¡°Finally brought the youngest along, huh?¡± ¡°Of course. I keep my word.¡± With a soft movement, Lorentina reached out and added: ¡°I wanted to show this scene. I thought I¡¯d never be able to, but it seems that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s an honor to see it.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the answer I was hoping for.¡± With a slight pop, she took my hand and added: ¡°Now, let¡¯s enjoy it.¡± And of course, I didn¡¯t refuse either. It was the moment when the word "rest" finally arrived for Team Dagger. Chapter 432 ©¤©¤©¤Kooong! ¡°This crazy...!¡± ¡°Damn it, Eugene! Don¡¯t use your tail in the sacred game of football!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± People collided, and the sand beneath them couldn¡¯t withstand the force, crumbling mercilessly. Every time people moving at an almost inhumanly fast pace collided, there were sounds you¡¯d rather not hear, but no one really minded. There were no injuries or blood¡ªthanks to the Icarus Gear''s shields, which absorbed the shock from the collisions. In any case, it was now past 4 PM, moving toward 5, 6, and finally 7 PM, and what was Team Dagger doing? ying football. American football, to be exact, under the setting sun. It seemed familiar, but nothing was really wrong with it. The Icarus Gear¡¯s holographic function oveid a football field onto the wide beach, and most of those present now found themselves caught up in the madness happening in the sand. ¡°The defensive lineman is Logan? This is going to be a disaster. I really don¡¯t want to block a charging pr bear head-on¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ll try to handle it somehow.¡± ¡°Right after the game starts, Owens, throw the ball to the youngest. I think that crazy tackle will hurt more than being hit by a car on the highway.¡± The quarterback, the core of our team, was none other than Owens, Team Dagger¡¯s operations leader. The center and offensive lineman was Lorentina, I was the running back, and Chester and Morgan, positioned on the sides, were the wide receivers. For those unfamiliar with American football, the game worked as follows: Lorentina would pass the ball to Owens, who would then throw it to me. I had to dodge the opponents standing in my way and run a minimum distance, or score a touchdown. Chester and Morgan were like backup yers who, if I found myself being swarmed, would catch my pass eitherterally or backwards and continue advancing or score the touchdown. The timer ticked, and everyone took their positions. So, what about Logan on the opposing team? ©¤©¤©¤Bang! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡ª!¡± A defensive tackle. If Lorentina was the barricade, Logan was the fully elerated tank. His target was to crush our line mercilessly and destroy the quarterback. Logan, who weighed a hefty 270 kg, was not only heavy and tough but also nimble and fast. He plowed through Lorentina¡¯s defense, quite literally crushing it. Even though they were both powered by the same ability. As you can see, the basic goal of American football was quite simple. The attacking team had to break through the defense before the defense could do anything, running to the end. The defense had to stop the attacking team or, ideally, break through the offensive line and tackle the quarterback before they could even throw the ball. If this is hard to understand... ¡°Eugene!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± I just had to run as fast as I could after receiving the ball until I was either tackled or crossed the goal line. The physical abilities of all the participants were adjusted to be roughly the same due to the Icarus Gear¡¯s body enhancement limit¡ªhalf of a Transmuter¡¯s typical physical capacity. As soon as I received the t ball, my body shot forward like a bullet. As soon as I started running, everyone began rushing to tackle me. The three defenders positioned behind Logan all came charging at me, and I tried to jump over them, but unfortunately, since it was sand beneath my feet, I couldn¡¯t jump very high. So¡ªthud. In mid-air, I made ateral pass to Chester, but was caught and mmed into the sand. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Damn it, run! Show them!¡± ¡°Man, you''re fast as hell.¡± Chester, having caught the ball, ran for what seemed like forever. With thembda-level energy limit lifted, the Icarus Gear allowed the specially trained soldiers to run at about 50 km/h, naturally making the field seemrger to amodate the speed of the game and number of yers. Chester ran with the ball for roughly 150 meters non-stop, and finally, with a sessful touchdown, made it into the end zone alone. Despite the sand that had been wiped off his face, the entire offensive team cheered wildly along the beach. ¡°Nice! This is it!¡± ¡°Damn, that was ridiculously fast.¡± ¡°ying football here... should¡¯ve brought Arikon or thoseser geeks. With 11 people on a team, mixing them up would make for a real game.¡± With cheerful sounds, fireworks went off around us. Of course, they weren¡¯t actually fireworks we brought in¡ªthey were artificially generated by the Icarus Gear¡¯s visual and auditory data transmission. Anyway, after a long, drawn-out game, our team won. The scoreboard showed 82 to 73, not a huge gap. Meanwhile, Rain, who had been ying on Logan¡¯s team, copsed to the ground as soon as the defeat was announced and let out an eerie scream. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but y the gentleman, so I reached out, helped Rain up, and offered some constion. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rain. It¡¯s inevitable for a weaker team to struggle against a stronger one.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it, get up! We¡¯re doing another round! I can¡¯t ept this!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t touch our team.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± With a thud, Logan¡¯s yful pnded on my head. By now, the physical enhancements and limits of the Icarus Gear had worn off. The game was over, and naturally, the enhancements faded as well. So, all ten of us, including myself, headed toward therge cooking devices, which were giving off delicious smells. Chester, who was responsible for the team''s meals, checked the real-time cooking and adjusted the fire even though he had just finished ying the game. Rapier, who had been chatting with Jin under the umbre, lifted her sunsses and added: ¡°Finally, it¡¯s over. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°The Vermont country boy beat the skan country boy... Ugh!¡± ¡°This guy really seems to want to fall into the ocean.¡± Vermont was Lorentina, and ska was Logan. Now, to rify, today¡¯s game had been yed by ten people¡ªnot twelve, but ten. In other words, two people were excluded, and those two were Jin, who was interested in food, and Rapier, who, not wanting to get involved in physical activities even on a beach, hadid under the umbre. So naturally, the two were in charge of the food prep. That said, it wasn¡¯t like they had to stay busy all day. Among the gear we brought, there were kitchen supplies capable of cooking food as long as power was supplied. And as for power... well, did I even need to say it? The wristband we had was practically a gigawatt-level fusion reactor. It didn¡¯t take long for the beach to be filled with the smell of delicious food. ¡°Oh, seafood boil!¡± ¡°I stuffed it so much into the oven, don¡¯t worry about the amount, just eat as much as you want. I¡¯ve already taken out all the shells from the ms, shrimp, and crabs, so... well, I guess the only thing left to throw away is the corn stalks?¡± ¡°Make sure to collect the trash properly. We need to throw it all in the incineratorter and burn it all at once.¡± By now, a table had been set up, and bowls and tes were piling up with food. But no one was paying attention to that. They grabbed a bigdle-like spoon and heaped a mix of potatoes, shrimp, sausages, corn, and more onto their tes, then went to sit anywhere on the sand to begin their meal while watching the setting sun. I, too, found a spot, holding arge te in my left hand and a fork in my right. The sound of the waves and the sunset greeted us. The ruined high-rise buildings, the countless artificial lights drawing near zero, and the wide stretch of white sand devoid of human traces made it feel like we were the only ones upying this vast city. In reality, it might not be so different. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you asking me?¡± Ten of us lined up horizontally, and Rain sat next to me. Jin was wandering the beach, touching the crystal-clear waters of Miami or taking pictures with a camera, which we had no idea where she got from. The sound of the camera''s shutter snapped a moment of time and preserved it permanently. Everyone had different expressions. At some point, Rapier had also joined Marcus and sat next to him. Jin, with her camera hanging around her neck, came over to my side, and I smiled at her while activating my Icarus Gear. The nanomachines formed a small drone. The drone, flying about 5 meters ahead, captured all of us. The photo we took had all twelve of us in it. ¡°I don¡¯t really know, but I feel a little... disappointed.¡± ¡°What do you mean by disappointed?¡± ¡°Just...¡± A brief silence. Rain, with a slightly disappointed expression as she faced the sunset, spoke up. ¡°¡­I¡¯m curious about the kind of joy people can feel. Everyone looks so happy.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Of course, that wasn¡¯t difficult. I activated the Icarus Gear¡¯s data recording function, and at that moment, I stuffed a variety of food onto my fork, chewed, and registered the pressure and sensations felt by my taste receptors, tongue, teeth, and throat into the data¡ªthen I sent it to Rain. The response was immediate. ¡°Whoa, what is this!? Something¡¯s going down my throat... Ugh, there¡¯s so much data I can¡¯t process!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the feeling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious too, Archetype.¡± It was a mess. Unfortunately, the others didn¡¯t have the ability to process and convert that data into taste, so most of it was turned into an unusable form and likely went straight to the trash. But... well, maybe they¡¯ll understand someday. Perhaps it won¡¯t take that long. By the time the sunset disappeared beyond the horizon, darkness descended. However, someone had brought firewood, and they stacked it in intervals on the beach. Soon, they threw in chemical canisters filled with napalm vapor and mes. With a massive pir of fire soaring meters high, Chester made a guitar out of his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s sing a song. Anyone want to go first?¡± ¡°Since you made the guitar, Chester, why don¡¯t you go first?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t y guitar, haha.¡± Then why the hell did you make the guitar? That thought briefly crossed everyone¡¯s minds, but in a way, it was a bizarre yet fitting development for Team Dagger. An unforgettable evening was about to begin. Streamer Yoo Jin, Day 4 of Streaming Break. However, oddly enough, when searching through all the intemunities, there weren¡¯t as many people wishing for Yoo Jin¡¯s return as a streamer... there weren¡¯t as many as expected. Despite averaging 1.5 million viewers every time she streamed, and sometimes even surpassing 2 million when doing something outrageous or beyond what others could even dream of¡ªshe was practically the number one streamer on Earth¡ªshe had been on a break for four days, and yet no one seemed to care much. The reason was simple.
    • Dice, in 5 minutes, there¡¯s ''Schedule 3.'' Would you like to confirm it?
    ¡°Huh? Nah, I¡¯ll check itter.¡± Mecha Yoo Jin Voice Pack and Mini-Mecha Yoo Jin Distribution.@@novelbin@@ Though 1 unit per person or per household wouldn¡¯t be a reality, at least something simr was somewhat possible. Everyone knew that this was only made possible by the approval of the person involved¡ªthere was no need to even mention that. A mini Mecha Yoo Jin, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, was buzzing around Dice¡¯s desk. It was a hologram, so it couldn¡¯t be touched, but seeing it freely navigate through the virtual space was worth the look. At least, Dice thought so. ¡°Well, I should be thankful that something came out like this.¡± Mecha Yoo Jin. Strictly speaking, this was part of the EU mode, a character only appearing in Yoo Jin¡¯s scenario. The Dark Zone, which functions both as a game and an FPS game tform, had an enormous amount of content, and most of the PVP modes were separated into individual tournaments. In other words, unless there was any follow-up story, Mecha Yoo Jin¡ªalthough once immensely popr¡ªwould gradually be forgotten. But that was a shame. Even though it was a newly created entity within the game, I had once lived with her and the other two just recently... ¡°Such a shame.¡± ording to the setting, Jin and Rain were taken by Team Dagger, so it wasn¡¯t impossible for a reappearance, but who knew when the main storyline would be updated. From that perspective, providing the Mecha Yoo Jin voice pack and Mini Mecha Yoo Jin support AI to those who participated in the raids for a certain period wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. Since it was based on a real person, no one would be doing anything strange, since they couldn¡¯t physically touch it. Meanwhile, a continued thought: ¡°Maybe in Yoo Jin¡¯s personal area, the real Jin and Rain are wandering around...¡± I really hope that¡¯s true. I couldn¡¯t say it out loud, but everyone knew how deeply Dice was in love with Yoo Jin. The fact that he had recently adopted a ball python as a pet was already all over the inte. But, as expected, Dice¡¯s bold imagination didn¡¯tst long.
    • Schedule 3 execution time, Dice.
    ¡°Huh, has it really been that long?¡± At that moment, she sighed lightly and checked the date at the top right of the UI. The end of July was almost within her grasp. As soon as she realized that, she found herself standing on a battlefield where sand was swirling around her. Dozens of users were waiting for her ahead. Dice spoke up. ¡°d to see you, everyone... Let¡¯s cut to the chase and start.¡± Whoosh. Many people boarded transport nes to scatter across therge map, and Dice checked the open lower ramp outside. The NBV Desert Base¡ªher home, in a sense. ¡°The tournament rank is just under a month away. Let¡¯s do our best.¡± The 4th Final Championship was looming. Chapter 433 ¡°Oh, what a mess.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, what time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 10 AM, youzy bums.¡±@@novelbin@@ With the sky as our roof and the ground as our nket. Until just a few years ago, this had been as natural as eating a meal, but now it felt strangely unfamiliar. However, unlike my surprisingly sensitive mind, my body was incredibly numb when it came to sleep, and with nothing more than a simple mat spread out on the floor, I easily made it through the early morning. I could have easily woken up due to the sharp sunlight or even found a morefortable spot, but I slept uninterrupted for more than eight hours without any disturbance. By the time my mind was half in dreand, my body was slowly being lifted. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Our youngest, still can¡¯t sleep, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake... Ugh, wait! Logan! Don¡¯t grab my feet!¡± A sudden and unexpected turn of events. While I was dozing in the warm morning sun, Lorentina grabbed me from behind, and Logan, who had been stretching nearby, suddenly joined in and grabbed my feet¡ªcreating a pose that was clearly about to toss me into the water. I tried to escape, wrapping my tail around someone''s ankle, but with a single swing, both Logan and Lorentina tossed me far into the sea. Whoosh. At that moment, the ground disappeared beneath me. I was at least eight meters above the beach, and the distance¡ªwell, that wasn¡¯t the important part. Unfortunately, my body¡¯s enhanced vision allowed me to read everyone¡¯s expressions as I flew through the air. Of course, everyone was smiling. How many seconds passed? Ssh! The cool seawater engulfed me. Since I had been tossed so far from the beach, I didn¡¯t hit the ground. I ended up sinking several meters deep into the water. Fortunately, being a Green Anaconda, I didn¡¯t mind the water and could move easily through it without any trouble. After swimming several dozen meters in an instant, I walked back out of the sea, soaking wet, to the beach. This was the first time Jin and Rain seemed to understand what it meant tough. ¡°Those damn bastards¡­¡± ¡°Wow, now I see some anger in those eyes. Is your sleep finally gone... Ugh...!¡± Of course, I immediately tackled Lorentina to the ground and responded with a chokehold. As expected, Logan couldn¡¯t escape the snake tail¡¯s grasp either, and after a while of yful wrestling, everyone who had been napping on the beach stood up. It was the same scene as yesterday. It was just us on the vast sandy beach again. Watching this, Lorentina suddenly seemed to have a thought and pulled out what looked like a drill instructor''s navy-blue cap and put it on, adding: ¡°6.4 km run. Perfect for morning exercise, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°If you keep this up, I might actually use a sticky bomb.¡± ¡°Ah, it reminds me of Navy SEAL training, haha¡­¡± Of course, as I¡¯ve mentioned before, she had practically strolled through the SEAL training. Her basic fitness was already impressive, and more importantly, she could breathe underwater. I heard that the instructors at the time were pretty frustrated, wondering how they could make her suffer using the usual curriculum for trainees. They spent nights pondering that. Well, I heard they eventually gave up. After all, the purpose of the training was to build the mental fortitude needed to endure hardships that were nearly impossible for humans to ovee, and if she could already do that, there was no point in pushing her harder than necessary. Indeed, a fit body means less suffering for the mind. Meanwhile, Lorentina walked over to the water faucet. Turning the tap, she washed her sand-covered hands and spoke up. ¡°It looks like the water supply has mostly been restored. But since we can¡¯t really shower in a ce like this, let¡¯s try building a temporary shower booth.¡± ¡°¡­Are you asking for help?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± And so, the construction of a shower room began unexpectedly. It wasn¡¯t really difficult. If we sent a request to the base, it didn¡¯t take long before arge drone delivered various materials to us. We used the same method to get different foods and tools. Who knows how long we¡¯ll stay here, though. Wooden nks, nails, rubber hoses, and shower equipment didn¡¯t take long to arrive. Lorentina grabbed a few nks, and I picked up the nails. You might be wondering why I picked up nails instead of a hammer, but... aren¡¯t nails supposed to be hammered in with your hands? Thud...! After cing a nail between my index and middle fingers and pressing it into the wood with my thumb, it went in deeply. Of course, no one was impressed by this. This DIY stuff was nothing new for me. It didn¡¯t take long before a wooden shower booth, with a doorrge enough for one person to fitfortably, waspleted. The only downside was that there was no sunlight or airflow, but that could be fixed using the Icarus Gear¡¯s torch feature¡ªan application of sticky bombs¡ªby creating small holes for venttion. The memories came flooding back. ¡°I think we did something like this when building temporary shelters back in the day.¡± ¡°It was fun back then.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, it was.¡± There were many horrible moments that couldn¡¯t be exined, but the small moments of happiness that existed during those times became cherished memories, rising to the surface like bubbles from the depths of the abyss. It took about 15 minutes to finish building the private space. After that, we automatically returned to the table, where steam was rising from the food. It was time for breakfast. Today¡¯s breakfast was quite heavy, but it had been cooking sincest night¡ªa massive brisket. And, of course, there were threerge chunks of it. The reason was simple: Lorentina, Logan, and I would eat two, and the other eight would share the third one. While bread and sauce were being ced on the table, someone spoke up. ¡°Owens, do you have a speaker? It¡¯d be nice to listen to some music in the morning.¡± ¡°Forget it, Kissinger. Do you think that person will set up $100,000 worth of sound equipment on this sandy field? They¡¯d rather choose death.¡± ¡°I do have a turntable and some LPs at home, should I bring those?¡± Without much thought, I casually tossed it out. A sudden silence followed. As I was quietly stuffing a sandwich filled with meat into my mouth, the atmosphere shifted. I wondered if I had said something wrong, and just as I was rolling my eyes, someoneughed in disbelief and spoke. "Come to think of it, the global icon is right here." "Can you buy a few bottles of alcohol that you can¡¯t get with money, kid?" "By the way, I¡¯m pretty sure I heard you bought a new housest time. Haven¡¯t had a housewarming party yet, right?" "Uh, well, that¡¯s¡­" And just like that, the topic shifted to me. Once my house was mentioned, the curiosity of the 11 others weighed heavily on me. Their requests started to pile up. Thinking back, I hadn¡¯t had any alcohol the day before, so the first errand was settled on that. And then more and more requests piled up¡­ As I listened to all these demands, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. "...Well, how abouting to my house?" "...What?" "Well, I mean... it¡¯s not just for me toe and go, but, how should I put it... if you all want toe, you can." I stumbled over my words, unsure of how to finish my sentence. But in my mind, the possibility or impossibility of it was spinning around¡ªsummarized, there was no reason it couldn¡¯t happen. Once the door was designated, the Pizzler would automatically activate, breaking down any unknown physical contaminants. In short, no need to worry about any Omega viruses possibly lingering. After a brief silence, I carefully spoke again. "...Anyone want toe over for a housewarming party now?" Of course, no one refused. The next day, the schedule for lunch was decided as a visit to my house.
    • [Alert: Video inserted into the database connected to the CCTV.]
    • [Alert: ID card issuance and distributionpleted.]
    "¡­Done. You can move freely now." "Good job, kid." "This ce ispletely different from New York. It''s simr in that there are buildings everywhere, but with a river running through, it¡¯s pretty unique." My house was bustling for the first time in a while. At first, I looked around with a rather bitter expression, but that didn¡¯tst long. After confirming that the Pizzler had broken down even the sand stuck to my body, they sat on the sofas in the living room and began admiring the view of Seoul through the huge ss windows. It urred to me that maybe one of them had been to Seoul before¡­ but since there was no guarantee they had entered through regr channels, I decided to stay quiet. Soon, several bottles of wine were set up on the table. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should call it fortunate, but on the edge of the penthouse where I lived, there was a sort of luxury bar. I¡¯d been there a few times before, though not very often. In other words, I had bought the wine from there. "So, how much did this house cost?" "About 9 million dors. Good grief. With that money, you could buy two Malibu mansions with pools. Not that I¡¯m saying this ce is bad, though..." "If you¡¯re building a house in the heart of a capital city, it better cost that much. Do you think New York¡¯s housing prices are expensive for no reason?" "I can''t believe there''s still someone who thinks New York is the capital. The end of the world is truly near." "I was just giving an example, damn it." Why, why is everyone debating about my house? As everyone had a drink, their voices grew louder. Maybe this was the bacsh from the day before, when we didn¡¯t have a single drop of alcohol. Of course, I didn¡¯t n to just leave them peacefully in my house, and soon, I nned to give them a tour of the area. Since I brought them here, I wanted to show them more than just my house. There was no real reason for it. They were people I had gone through thick and thin with. So, the next destination was the outdoor swimming pool connected to my house¡¯s veranda. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have space big enough to amodate all these drunks. It¡¯s also nice that no one else is around.¡± "People who live here aren''t around at this time. They''re all busy with their own things." "Interesting. Then, in a ce like this, do they often have exchanges in the evening? Kind of like a high-ss social gathering. I¡¯m sure those are quitemon here." "Well, as for me, I''ve never been invited." Though once, a middle school kid from the house a bit further away brought some side dishes he made himself, and I epted them. The kid already has a thing for people who aren''t typical women but rather those with snake tails. There¡¯s a huge problem there. I¡¯m not nning on taking any responsibility for that. Anyway, today, Rain and Jin also enjoyed the swimming pool. Of course, entering the water didn¡¯t affect their abilities at all. Even the seawater didn¡¯t seem to matter. I heard their internal restoration function activated automatically, taking care of such things. So, somey on the sunbeds, while others enjoyed swimming in the harsh sunlight. Hundreds of cars were moving along the road, just like the blood vessels of a body. "How long until the U.S. is back to this state?" "Shortly, maybe 60 years. Long, maybe 100 years. The people who are still alive need to flourish and reproduce." "Yeah." A nce. Suddenly, multiple gazes crossed. Mine, Logan¡¯s, Lorentina¡¯s, and the other members of the Dagger team all met. Meanwhile, Jin and Rain, with their confused faces, added to the mess. Without anyone saying anything, the conversation continued. "...Well, I¡¯m not going to contribute. Are you crazy?" "That¡¯s... not it." "Not a guy with bear ears on his head, and of course, a woman. I never imagined that not preserving gender would cause this much trouble." "Geez, really." Why does the conversation always end up like this? Of course, it wasn¡¯t necessarily a wrong thing to say¡ªafter all, who would have expected the people here to not only change their bodies but their genders as well? Anyway, whether it takes 60 or 100 years, it¡¯s still a long time. But none of us could see beyond that. The first reason, of course, was the devices attached to the left or right wrists, and the second was the altered bodies due to the Icarus Gear¡¯s control. The specific mechanics weren¡¯t clear, but what was certain was that the millions of nanomachines still circting in my body would keep it in peak condition as long as I was wearing the gear¡ªthat is, it would permanently prevent aging. Even if I got a hole in my body, within seconds, the bleeding would stop, and within just a few dozen seconds, the hole would begin to close up. With such amazing performance, surely aging couldn¡¯t be stopped, right? "Well, maybe it¡¯ll happen faster than we think." "That could be." A brief silence. But that didn¡¯t mean the atmosphere got heavy. Someone spoke up. "Since we¡¯re at the youngest¡¯s ce, let¡¯s buy some snacks. I¡¯ll bring the turntable too." "Well, that¡¯s how it is, Eugene. Can I be a bit of a nuisance?" "Of course. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here." Of course, it was never a nuisance. The Dagger Team¡¯s visit to Korea was far from over. "¡­Where did everyone go?" Meanwhile, the driver who had taken the Dagger team to Miami Beach was suddenly facing an empty beach, with no one in sight. Chapter 434 ©¤©¤©¤Clink! "Wow, it hasn¡¯t even been an hour since you left, and you look like death itself. Did you get hit by a grenade while walking down the street or something?" "Ugh. Even when you joke, why do you have to make it like that?" 7 PM. The Han River, which cuts through Seoul and divides the capital into north and south,y ahead. On the other side, the scorching July sun was setting, casting its fiery heat far beyond. Yet, the capital¡¯s night was even hotter than the day, and from behind the thick ss of the penthouse windows, the movements of the countless crowds could be easily observed. The Olympic Highway and Yeongdong Bridge were packed with cars, and the bus stops were bursting with people. The scene was a visual representation of arterial sclerosis, easy to exin better than anything else. Of course, there were also those heading home, but many hade to enjoy Seoul¡¯s night, making their way to the Han River or Cheongdam-dong. And now, the one who had just closed the door and entered was none other than the person who had gone out into the night. "I thought you''d be back by around 3 AM, but you just went shopping and ended it there." "There was a reason for that, damn it." "A reason?" Thud. Then, a rustling sound. As I said earlier, it hadn¡¯t even been an hour since I left, yet she had managed to bring back so much food from nearby vendors. The stic bags, puffed up as if they were about to explode, were clumsily dropped onto the table by Lorentina. Of course, this had nothing to do with my streaming, as Lorentina wasn¡¯t involved at all. "Little one, let¡¯s have a proper chat." "...Did something happen outside?" "Too many things to count!" And at the same time, what Lorentina showed was¡­ simple. The operation log of the Icarus Gear. The log clearly showed that I had turned on the external camouge feature. It was a function that enveloped the entire body in a hologram, effectively recreating apletely new person. I also activated the jamming function to avoid detection by CCTV¡­ It would have been strange not to notice why I had gone so far. How many people had I been asked to sign for? Sure enough, Lorentina let out a sigh and added: "What on earth was ¡®I¡¯ doing in this world?" "I can kind of guess from the reactions." "Probably just doing anything, huh?" Of course, that was true. As the Lorentina from this world evaporated like alcohol spilled onto the floor, letting out a hollowugh while slumping onto the sofa, Logan snickered at the sight. YourSpace floated next to him. It wasn¡¯t difficult to search for what Lorentina from this world had been doing. The first thing that came up in the search results was¡­ Lorentina from the past, earning 4.2 million won from street lifting. Below that, there were videos of Dark Zone in-game y and several mad movies lined up in a row. By this point, it should be added that even the Dagger Team knew very well that I was using the game as a medium to manipte shadows and assist them. "Living extravagantly, huh. There¡¯s really no difference between you and her." "Me!?" "Who else would be doing that?" Apparently, Lorentina had no retort, as she sped her eyes with both hands and slouched backward. The conversation began to blossom. The topic was about where their counterparts in this world had been and what they had been doing. There was plenty of reason to be curious about this, and since it wasn¡¯t something I couldn¡¯t talk about, I spoke up with what I knew. "Marcus and Raypier are pretty high up in the PMC. I haven¡¯t asked how much they make, but judging by the fact they drive around in supercars, they seem to be living prettyfortably." "Hmm." "Here, they¡¯re always driving UTVs, though." Slowly, I started to recall more details. Edwin Sirkins, Secretary to the Minister of Defense. Logan, part of the strike team with Owens. Lorentina, Golden Squadron of DEVGRU. Owens, operational team leader of the unit strike team "Red Right Hand." Kissinger went into the Secret Service, Chester is an SAC medical sergeant, and Morgan and Morrison are currently deployed in Pakistan. "...And I¡¯m just here, doing this." "You¡¯ve made the most progress. It looks like you¡¯re keeping your main job alive, too." "Well, I guess so, but¡­" Could I really say I was keeping my main job alive? Not really sure¡­ but well, good things are good things. As the alcohol flowed, the atmosphere softened even more. Meanwhile, Jin and Rain, who couldn¡¯t drink, sat crouched on the floor, gazing out at the night view through therge windows. It was quite a sight to see so many people. Anyway, despite her earlier grumbling, Lorentina had brought back all sorts of food that could be bought within an hour in the area. I got a text saying I¡¯d spent about 1.2 million won, but I didn¡¯t care. It had been a while since I had been free from the concept of money. Thus, the Dagger Team enjoyed their very first wine party with Korean snacks as their appetizers. "So, are you still going to keep doing... that streaming thing?" "Yeah. I have a main job, but well, it¡¯s fun, even though it¡¯s just one-sidedmunication. I¡¯ve met a lot of good people while doing it." "Ha." Owens chuckled softly and added: "Seems like it. It can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯ve aplished everything you can and finished everything you needed to perfectly." "Right." I knew who had sent me back to my original world. I had found a way to support myself and met many good people along the way. I had been able to let the Dagger Team know that I was still alive. I could lead the unfinished restoration of America to a perfect sess. And... "Now that I¡¯vepletely eradicated Artemis, there¡¯s nothing left to worry about, right? We don¡¯t have to go back into the field anymore, do we?" "Well, I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯spletely settled¡­ But that¡¯s not for us to worry about." As long as the user didn¡¯t die, once a sword had been drawn from its scabbard, it had to return to the scabbard. Of course, the Dagger Team could be called living swords, but even they would eventually need to return to their scabbards. The squad leader was metaphorically speaking about that. Carefully, I spoke again, adding... "Everyone needs to pick up a hobby besides shooting guns." "The youngest will have to help a lot with that. I n to stick around more often, so keep that in mind." "¡­Hehe, of course. If you want anything, feel free to ask anytime." Lorentina¡¯s words. Half of it was a joke, but half wasn¡¯t. The reason was simple. Engaging in hobbies in that world had be exceedingly difficult. The infrastructure had scattered like pieces of rice flour, so how many hobbies could you easily take up? Well, that was the situation. By now, the sun hadpletely set, and the night view of Seoul stretched out beyond the ss windows. Owens, watching the scene, silently lifted his wine ss, and those who had been drinking nearby, their smiles widening, slowly approached. Without anyone in particr leading, each person made a toast. "For the youngest." "For the Dagger team." "For America." "...Can I also say ''for Archetype''?" "Of course." Clink. The cheerful sound rang out. And so, another moment was made, a moment I would cherish forever as a memory. "Ugh...!" "Hey, hey! Damn it, whenever you drink¡­!" Of course, that day, heavily drunk, I found myself being tangled up by Lorentina and Logan, only to get flicked on the forehead. The Dagger Team¡¯s team-building event left me with nothing but a bruise.@@novelbin@@ "Now, where should we go?" Where there¡¯s aing, there¡¯s a going, and where there¡¯s high tide, there¡¯s low tide. Once something begins, it eventually reaches its end. For Eugene, the beginning had been Mecha Eugene, and the end had led to theplete downfall of Artemis¡ªbut reality was reality, and it didn¡¯t end with some fairytale ¡°and they all lived happily ever after¡± narration. Jin and Rain were absorbed into the Dagger Team, and the frequency of EU broadcasts quickly dropped. Many viewers expressed confusion about this, but Eugene had his reasons. Since August ofst year, she had been buried in the game, continuously tackling massive events that were hard for ordinary people to even experience. Tournament ranks, preliminary ranks, the Asian qualifiers, and the final championship. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Immediately following came a series of incursions. After Operation Bluefield and Chariot, there were Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle¡­ She had been running non-stop, truly breathlessly. But as I said, it didn¡¯t end there. She still had to face Artemis once more¡ªwithout even the Icarus Gear. To sum it all up: "Has this person really burned out?" "No way, with someone like her, a living iron woman, that kind of thing can¡¯t happen... Can it?" It didn¡¯t seem likely, but if you were to ask if it waspletely impossible, well, that wasn¡¯t quite true either. Though her threshold was incredibly high, Eugene was still someone who felt emotions. Naturally, after handling a schedule that would have worn down any regr person, it wasn¡¯t strange for her to feel¡­ a bit of fatigue. Of course, that alone didn¡¯t entirely exin why Eugene¡¯s broadcasts had been a bit sparsetely, but at least the viewers believed it was somewhat true. The fortunate thing was that she had umted so much broadcast content over time that the editors were still working non-stop. Even though her broadcasts, which used to air about six times a week, had now halved, YourSpace still uploaded at least one video per day. In any case, as Eugene¡¯s streaming audience gradually became anxious: "...She¡¯s not going to quit streaming, is she?" "Hey, don¡¯t say nonsense." "Why not? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s her livelihood, and she seems to have a main job too." The biggest problem was this: For Eugene, it didn¡¯t matter whether she turned on the stream or not. Most YourSpace channel managers were full-time, and their livelihoods depended on it, so they had to stream no matter what. Even if they didn¡¯t broadcast for a while, they eventually had to do soter. Eugene wasn¡¯t like that. Her streaming was essentially¡­ a favor for the viewers. And so, while countless people, both offline and online, enthusiastically debated her future broadcasts, Eugene was¡ª "...Ugh, why is everything so busy?" She was just diligently handling the backlogged tasks. A few lists popped up from the hologram generated by the Icarus Gear. Most of them were tasks only Eugene could take care of. There were at least ten items on the list. Eugene sighed, recalling how things hade to this point. Looking at it from every angle, the cause was simple. She¡¯d kept thinking, ¡°I¡¯ll just finish this one task, then I¡¯ll do that, then restore America, then clean up Artemis¡­¡± and so, one task after another had piled up, eventually turning into a snowballing avnche. Even though she¡¯d seen the list countless times, it didn¡¯t get any smaller, but she went through the lineup again. "Let¡¯s see¡­"
    • Thinktank tasks.
    • Preparing a curriculum to hand over to Dice and Blooming.
    • Managing the YourSpace channel and checking the payments for Eugene¡¯s division.
    • Reviewing and responding to requests from Icarus International.
    • Regrmunication with her parents and checking coboration projects between Thinktank and Icarus.
    • An informal meeting with Henry Michael Brayton about the corporate funding policy.
    • Checking protocols for the other world and regr updates on enemy movements.
    • Personal tactical studies.
    • Exercise routines she¡¯d neglected.
    • Confirming bookings for Hawaii in September, including amodation, shooting ranges, and firearm reservations...
    "A day is not enough." Of course, Eugene didn¡¯t want to give up on running YourSpace. She was nning to try out some new content that she alone could do, and the Hawaii trip mentionedst was proof of that. But there were just too many things she had to do, and thus, she had long since concluded that she couldn¡¯t bnce all this with streaming. However, when I say "long," it means she had been living like this for quite some time, and this, in turn, meant that the tasks Eugene listed were somewhat on track. A few of the tasks disyed on the hologram slowly disappeared. Some were either things she could let go of or weren¡¯t important enough to keep worrying about. But just as something leaves, something new enters. At the very bottom of the list, Eugene quietly checked a newly added task. "Glory and Honor." It was a game that had been around for quite a while. Opening the email with the game¡¯s title written in stylish, antique lettering, Eugene slowly began to check the details below. While there was a bit of flowerynguage, the message was simple.
    • The physical ability reduction system has beenpleted, specifically designed for Eugene. After you try it, feel free to adjust it, and we will make immediate corrections.
    • The promotional cost is...
    My first homework broadcast. Of course, no one knew how long the homework wouldst. Chapter 435 "¡­I can¡¯t believe my body¡¯s this sluggish." My entire body felt heavy. It was like I had an invisible lump of lead wrapped around me. Everything involving my physical movements, except for reaction speed, was moving like a machine that hadn¡¯t been serviced for about five years. I could barely breathe. A dagger was spinning on my hand. It had a unique paint job¡ªone of the various closebat weapon sets I had won after the Apex Predator-Final Championship, and it was usable here as well. Normally, I would have used a tactical tomahawk, but because of the nerf to my physical specs, it had be quite heavy. So, I picked the weapon that suited me best and was the most familiar. Of course, I didn¡¯t just bring one. "In the end, even in CQC, the longer the reach, the easier it is..." Longsword, il, poleaxe, dius, Dane axe, trident, bardiche, mberge... Of course, these weren¡¯t the only weapons in Glory and Honor. There were so many different weapons in the game, and I had to consider that more than two-thirds of them were longer than a person¡¯s thigh. The good thing was that my depth perception hadn¡¯t really deterioratedpared to before. Well, I hadn¡¯t fully settled on my style yet, so it was a bit early to make any conclusions.
    • [Notification: The ''style'' is not rmended for beginners.]
    It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t know that. Anyway, the avatar I had created before, after ying about three rounds, was still there. However, the difference was that the tactical tomahawk I had used before was gone, and now I was holding two daggers, each about 40cm long. As soon as I selected the character, a grand BGM yed, and a private area appeared against the backdrop of thick stone walls. A bunch of UI elements popped up in front of me, and various instructions followed. It wasn¡¯t much different from before. PVE and PVP for general and ranked games, customizing, personal practice, settings, and game exit. Since I hadn¡¯t been here in a while, it seemed I¡¯d need to get a bit familiar before starting the stream. "Hmm." So the first thing I chose was a practice match. A fight with AI, not a human. As soon as I pressed the button, a customization window popped up where I could adjust the various equipment I was wearing. I made a few adjustments¡ªsince there might be situations where I needed to grab the de, I equipped a gauntlet. The tail wasn¡¯t visible in-game, and it was set so I couldn¡¯t hit it, so there was no need to worry about it. As long as I protected the part connecting my arm and shoulder, the rest... well, I¡¯d figure it out somehow. After all, I nned to adjust it during actualbat. Anyway, with that aside... "This system seems more detailed than before." For example, I could now see how adding or removing different gear would change my stamina consumption, which I hadn¡¯t been able to do before. Since I was holding two daggers, mobility was key, and adding armor would likely make me a sitting duck. So, I kept it light. It wasn¡¯t a perfect setup, but after testing it out in real battles, I figured it would work. I heard that in Glory and Honor, if a user customizes their ss well enough, it could officially be added to the game, beyond the standard sses the game provided¡­ Well, it was doubtful that mine would ever be added. Even if it was, no one would copy it.
    • [Notification: AI summoned - 1 unit.]
    • [Notification: Difficulty - Master / Weapon - Longsword / Type - Knight]
    • [Notification: Good luck.]
    "Whoa." Clink! The moment I said that, as mentioned earlier, a knight wielding a sword asrge as a human appeared. A stamina gauge appeared above his head. I¡¯m sure the AI saw the stamina gauge above mine too. And that was the signal. The surroundings started to changepletely. It looked like a giant shrine hidden in the mountains... Cherry blossoms fluttered in the courtyard as two gazes met. While I had shot people with guns before, I¡¯d never fought someone with such a long sword in closebat. Though my entire body was covered in armor, I wasn¡¯t sure where to strike to gain an advantage. Fortunately, I realized that at least there were gaps through the eye holes of the helmet, and in the space between the armpit and arm, attacks weren¡¯t entirely impossible. "So, I guess this is the test run..." I watched the knight slowly approach while spinning the dagger in my right hand. The knight, clearly exuding an air of intimidation, approached directly, aiming the sword straight at me. The English word above the knight¡¯s head indicated it was called Ochs. The knight¡¯s posture was such that it looked like it was about to charge toward me any moment. I needed to check how much stamina I was losing with each individual action. The moment I thought that, the silver greatsword cut through the air with a chilling swish. Whoooosh! "Faster than I expected..." There was no opening. With abination of steps forward and backward, the knight wielded the longsword continuously, using centrifugal force to sh. It was some sort of harassing move, I thought. The attack range was much wider than I had expected, so I had to step around, staying just outside the reach of the attack, carefully observing the knight from a safe distance. But I didn¡¯t just stay still. I began to look for a weakness. Every time the knight swung the sword, I saw gaps near the armpits, wrist joints, the neck, and areas protected by rtively weak chainmail, which seemed like prime targets for my dagger. Meanwhile, the knight seemed to have figured me out, stopping the harass and, with a subtle step, switched to an overhead stance¡ªNavenfut¡ªand started closing the distance. "Hah!" Boom! The heavy de swung from below to above, and as if preparing for the next stance, the point of the sword reached my waist. The left hand had already grabbed the sword shaft. I could see the words floating above the knight¡¯s head, and I caught the trajectory of the longsword as well. The tip of the sword sliced through the air, aiming to pierce through my soft leather armor and hit my chest, but I leaned forward just enough, threw the dagger in my left hand into the air, grabbed the de with my left gauntlet, and pushed it forward. This blocked the potential for the de to hit my neck while I pushed inward.@@novelbin@@ Using my right hand, I spun the dagger around in a hammer grip, stabbing it into the gap between the knight¡¯s armor and armpit, twisting it. The dagger pierced through the chainmail, and golden blood erupted from the wound. A painful scream echoed above, but by then, I had already hammered the back of the dagger¡¯s handle with my right hand. "Ugh...!" It felt like the dagger had sunk deeply into the armpit, like a wedge struck by a hammer. With that, my left hand was effectively sealed. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it, as the struggle continued for about a second. Eventually, it ended with me kicking him in the abdomen, and the knight staggered backward, still holding the sword in his right hand. The dagger I had thrown into the air earlier finally fell to the ground. I caught it with my right hand and prepared for battle. A knight missing one arm wasn¡¯t all that powerful. "The reaction when I hit the vital point is a good feedback, I suppose." I was relieved that the dagger skills I had learned were proving to be quite effective. Despite the pain, the knight couldn¡¯t pull out my dagger, which was lodged in his left armpit. It made sense. Once the tendons in that area were severed due to the injury, it would be nearly impossible to move the arm properly. That¡¯s why it was one of the vital points. With that, the real assault began. I moved more freely than before and started measuring the gaps I could exploit. The AI, still swinging the longsword with difficulty, wasn¡¯t using it as a two-handed weapon, and after a few feints that drained its stamina, I lunged again. Grabbing the crossguard of the longsword with my left hand, I raised my right hand, holding the dagger, and thrust it forward. The de¡¯s target was the eye hole of the helmet. "AAHH¡ª!" Thud. It was a very realistic scream. Of course, this time I struck the back of the dagger¡¯s handle with my right hand, hammering it deep into his head, and only then did he lose all strength and copse to the floor. The body shattered into golden polygons within seconds, and I was finally able to retrieve both daggers without much trouble. Naturally, there was no need to worry about durability, since it was just a game. "It wouldn''t be a big deal unless they¡¯re fully armored." If it were arge-scale battle, I could probably pick up weapons from the ground and use them, so it could still be dealt with. It seemed like it was finally time to really dive into the game. Just likest time, I¡¯d y a few rounds as a warm-up, build up some skill, and then schedule a stream. With that, I opened the message window and quickly sent a note to the editors.
    • [I n to do a Glory and Honor homework stream in about 3 days. Please make sure to study hard in the meantime.]
    Of course, after that, the hooks filled up in the Engram group chat, but well, that¡¯s the editor¡¯s job, right? If it became too difficult, I was considering bringing in an editor who knew the game well for assistance. Having sent the necessary message¡ª
    • [Notification: Domination Mode - 6v6 / Matching Complete]
    • [Notification: You are about to enter the battlefield.]
    Let¡¯s give it a go. "¡­I¡¯m not sure if we can win this round." "Why? Is it because of that person?" "Yeah. There¡¯s been a lot more people yingtely, which is good, but why do people who came from other fantasy games insist on using daggers like this? I don¡¯t get it." "Oh, I get it now." The horn signaling the start of the battle red. The heavy drumbeats of the BGM that boosted morale echoed, as dozens of minions rushed forward, followed by six yers. The Japanese-style castle, with its intricateyout, weed them. Domination Mode¡ªalso known as Conquest. The goal was simple: capture more than half of the three divided areas (A, B, and C) to gain points, and once those points reached a certain number, you won the game. It was a very simple yet popr mode. Thus, Eugene¡¯s team, ording to their prior discussion, began moving toward their respective bases¡ªC was the closest, while B, the site of the uing bloody battle, was naturally the ce where they would face the main confrontation. "At least everyone¡¯s got their setups right, so we won¡¯t lose in a power struggle." "But what if they rush C with a random build? I have a feeling we might get overwhelmed..." "Well, then there¡¯s not much we can do. We¡¯re probably going to lose this one. It¡¯s not ranked, it¡¯s just a casual game." The path to B wasn¡¯t too far, and the area was already in chaos. The sounds of shields shing against shields, swords against shields, and swords against swords mixed with the screams of minions. The allied minions were orange, while the enemy minions were blue. It looked as if the map was being dotted with orange and blue all over. However, as expected, minions were just minions. Their HP would quickly drop with a single well-aimed strike from the yers, and they would copse in no time. But when the minion battles slowed down, everyone frowned at the sight of the enemy¡¯s setup. "Wow, a greatshield with Manotes? Are they crazy?" "Look, there¡¯s a Viking with a spear behind them. If they solidify their defense, we¡¯re in big trouble. I guess this is why only three of them showed up at B." "Seriously... Why are they bringing these kinds of setups to a casual game? Can we just have some fun, please?" Of course, there was no response. It was only natural. The point of the game was to enjoy it, and to enjoy it, you had to stomp on your opponents and rise above them. Though it was dressed up in words like "honor" and "glory," this game was ultimately a raw representation of human instinct in its purest form. The battle began. "Break the greatshield, break it! Don¡¯t let them swap out units!" "You won¡¯t be able to do that, gentlemen." Swords, axes, spears, hammers. The raw violence of these weapons shed fiercely against each other. A Dane axe flew at the massive shield decorated with a dragon image, and as it hit head-on, a heavy thud echoed, and the shield cracked. Despite this, the yer holding the greatshield kept holding his ground. The shield may have cracked, but it didn¡¯t fall. At the front, there was a shieldbearer, and behind him, a Viking with a spear and a small shield held the line. Moreover, another enemy user with an arming sword and kite shield was squeezing from the side¡ªthough the pressure was there, they weren¡¯t being pushed back. The numbers were 4 on our side, 3 on theirs. The difference in numbers mattered. "If we wait too long, it¡¯ll be tough. Let¡¯s ignore the kite shield guy and focus on the greatshield guy first." "A full charge?" "That¡¯s the only option." In simple terms, here¡¯s the n: Three yers¡ªtwo shieldbearers and one supporter¡ªwere holding their ground at B, buying time, while the other three would capture A and then rush to C. It was amon early-game build. If sessful, they could capture all three bases early, but if they failed, they risked losing all ground starting from the closest respawn area. It was a method with pros and cons. It was a bit like rock-paper-scissors. But unfortunately, today Eugene¡¯s team had picked paper, and the enemy had picked scissors. CLANG! With a terrible sound, the battle began. In an attempt to quickly turn the situation around, the four yers disregarded their lives andunched brutal attacks on the greatshield user and the Viking behind him. A number of tricks were exchanged, such as feigning attacks on the greatshield user while keeping the spear and kite shield user at bay. Less than 30 secondster, the first blood was drawn. One of our four yers heading for B copsed to the ground¡ªbut not long after, the greatshield user¡¯s shield, now severely damaged, was broken, and he soon followed. The enemy¡¯s spear pierced the Viking¡¯s abdomen, but a massive Dane axe sliced through the air with a terrifying sound, causing a double kill. And so, after about three minutes of battle, the confrontation at B reached a 1v1 standoff. "Huff..." "Ugh..." The mberge was aimed. The opponent stepped forward with his kite shield raised. The final battle for control of B was about to begin when, suddenly, a message came through our team¡¯sms.
    • "Ah, all the intruders at C have been sent straight to the respawn point. Anyone need help?"
    At the same time, the yer wielding the mberge rolled his eyes and nced at a corner of the UI. A weapon, unlike any I had seen before, had already earned 3 kills, and next to it was a word made of six English letters. "¡­Eugene?" No one there knew that this marked a sessful debut match for the weapon. Chapter 436 ¡°¡­This is a real mess, isn''t it? Three enemies¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just hold on for now.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can just hold on to. Those are all the insane, overpowered characters from this season, lumped together.¡± Meanwhile, about five minutes earlier. I was checking my weapons above C, with sunlight pouring down, and standing next to me was a Viking warrior from my team, holding a ymore that was as big as a human body. We encountered an enemy team of three. Technically speaking, the enemy had probably ignored A and just charged straight for C, but I wasn''t sure. Spinning my dagger, I checked their weapons. One has a mace with a fire shield, the other has a wide-ded Chinese saber, and thest one is holding a il¡­ a mace with a heater shield, I guess. But it didn¡¯t matter much. The sunlight streaming from the sky made their individual figures extremely clear, and I had already figured out where to attack with my dagger ¨C the inner elbow, thigh, and neck, where there was no armor. Although thest one, the knight-like enemy, was a bit more of a hassle, since I didn''t really like dealing with those types. It was simple. ¡°Take care of that il-wielding one, will you? I¡¯m not toofortable fighting those thick gauntlet types with a dagger.¡± ¡°¡­Be honest. How many seconds can you hold out? Or would it be better to just get wiped here and respawn, then go support B?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± But there was one thing for sure. The two enemies, who seemed like they were about to rush at us, implied that they weren¡¯t going to approach leisurely like knights, keeping a steady distance. Given the action and attack adjustments of Glory and Honor, the difficulty would be ramped up, as if I were facing actual warriors. But it didn¡¯t matter. No matter how fast they were, in front of me, their moves would be useless once I saw a bulleting at me. It all depended on how well my body, with the reverse correction on it, could move¡­ but for now, this would be enough. ¡°Let¡¯s at least send one of them to the respawn window.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Whoosh! The mace-wielding guy closed the distance in an instant and then spun his body, swinging his left foot downward in a stomp. There was no need to block it. Even through all that, I could clearly see the spikes embedded in the back of his shoes. It didn¡¯t look like they were meant for regr use, but I wasn¡¯t bothered. I dodged the mace, which cut through the air horizontally, by lowering my body, and then, taking advantage of the lowered center of gravity, I darted toward the guy with the saber who was swinging it widely from behind, as if I were a bullet. Of course, it was slowpared to before, but to anyone with a normal reaction time, it would be impossible to counter. If I remembered correctly, the guy with the Chinese saber was called a Guardian ¨C anyway, after knocking the Guardian down, I rolled sideways. I could hear the mace thud on the ground, a beatte, as it missed me. ¡°Crazy!¡± ¡°Damn, too fast!¡± But I had already turned my body with the clouds and shot forward. As I did so, I rolled and passed through the legs of the ss¡ªThe Wanderer¡ªwho was recovering the mace. With my right-hand dagger, I shed across my left thigh and with my left-hand dagger, I shed across my right thigh, crossing my hands in an "X" motion, then snapped them open, like a spring releasing. That was enough to tear through one of the human body¡¯s most vital areas: the thigh. A heavy sensation followed, and in an instant, the thick fabric of the pants was ripped apart, the dagger digging deep into the thigh and tearing through it. From the depth of the de, it looked like both femoral arteries had been severed. It felt like I was reviewing a tactical CQC lecture. ¡°Ah, hrrgh, aaaah¡­!¡± ¡°How is his HP dropping so fast?!¡± ¡°Cutting both femoral arteries will do that.¡± A typical feature of hardcore mode yers. When an enemy takes damage, it doesn¡¯t just decrease HP¡ªdepending on where they¡¯re hit, the avatar¡¯s feedback is direct and immediate. In this case, as mentioned, the arteries were cut, so the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to walk and would likely bleed out in less than a minute. Golden blood gushed from the inner thigh of the enemy, as I slid to the floor, brushing off the dirt that had umted on me. I turned to face the guy with the Chinese saber. ¡­If my physical abilities had been at their full potential, I¡¯d have been able to send each of them straight to the respawn window with just one attack. That was exactly how it had been when I yed half-heartedlyst time. But sadly, with my physical capabilities currently down by at least half, maybe 90%, there was no point in thinking about that ¨C but, fortunately, this guy also had his inner elbow and thigh covered with thick cloth. In other words, they were still attackable areas if needed. The saber was too wide to block with a gauntlet, but fortunately, this guy was wearing a helmet that exposed his entire face. The first move came from him. ¡°Hah-!¡± Whooosh! From here, it would be all about dodging his attacks. The saber was wide but not heavy, so all his attacks came fast and tight. It was likely because the weight was lighter than expected, but then a left kick came flying. Since of course the positioning wasn¡¯t ideal, and I wanted to block at least one attack, I crossed my daggers in an X to block the kick. Thud. A heavy blow forced my body back. Immediately after, I leapt back to dodge a follow-up roundhouse kick while throwing the dagger in my right hand directly at his face. It didn¡¯t take long before the spinning dagger sank deep into his eye. ¡°Argh¡­!¡± ¡°Next time,e wearing a full face helmet.¡± After that, it was simple. I rushed in, wedging the saber against his left arm and waist to block it, and then grabbed the dagger in reverse and immediately jammed it into the skin between his armor and helmet. Because of the angle, it was enough to cut the carotid artery and reach the opposite armpit artery. With a sickening sound, his body began to lose strength. Thud. One in the neck, one in the eye. As soon as I retrieved both daggers, the sound of metal nging from the other side gradually stopped. ¡°¡­Unfortunately, it seems our team lost this time.¡± The Hignder Viking''s bodyy dead on the floor. The Crusader, whose HP had dropped to about half, let out a hollowugh as he looked at the two corpses scattered around me. ¡°¡­Are they all dead?¡± ¡°All dead.¡± ¡°Now we¡¯ve got a monster carrying the game with a dagger, one that no one even uses anymore¡­ geez.¡± But despite that, I really wanted to crush that annoying armor. I sheathed my daggers and then picked up the blood-soaked ymore that had fallen on the floor. ¡°You have noints, right?¡± ¡°¡­Of course not.¡± The il swung, and the ymore tore through the air. On that day at C, two bodies had bled out, and one was cut in half. What on earth is going on here? The pale bodies, drained of blood, were scattered all around. It wasn¡¯t just that. As if someone had been doing action painting with blood, the walls werepletely sttered. The only fortunate thing was that the blood wasn¡¯t red, but golden. Even a veteran user, who had witnessed countless bloody scenes ¨C though not as gruesome as one might expect ¨C couldn¡¯t help but shake their head in disbelief. The remains of the dead would slowly disappear over time, but the traces they left behind would remain until the session ended. The golden liquid, sprayed across the walls like a spray paint, was proof of that. Those who were there may not have known, but such spray-like bloodstains were typically caused by arterial cuts, which forcefully sent blood flying in every direction. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that there was only one person standing amidst the corpses. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve pretty much cleaned up, but I need some time to recover stamina. Could you give me a hand?¡± ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Though it hadn¡¯t been long, the evaluation had already flipped. It wasn¡¯t that the suspicion of Eugene from our allies was unfounded ¨C in Glory and Honor, there were countless cold weapons with des as long as a person¡¯s thigh, and some even had giant ymores where the de was half the size of the body. Weapons of all kinds, developed to study how to obliterate someone from the farthest distance. Among them, the dagger, which could only reach full power up close, often blocked by armor, had long been abandoned in the cksmith''s workshop. Of course, daggers weren¡¯t entirely useless. The technique of wielding a dagger in the left hand and an arming sword in the right was developed ages ago, under the ss name Vowkeeper. So there the allies stood, watching Eugene, dripping with golden blood,ughing uncontrobly. ¡°¡­Wait, you¡¯re not a long-time yer who¡¯s just bored of ranked games and decided to y casual, are you?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be it. I¡¯ve barely even yed two hours in total.¡± ¡°No, sir. If you¡¯re going to lie, at least make it believable¡­¡± Huh? A faint doubt arose. The user, who had dismissed Eugene¡¯s words as an unbelievable lie, opened Eugene¡¯s profile. It was astonishing, beyond mere surprise. Eugene had been telling the truth, and beneath the Glory and Honor game window, it simply said ¡°under 2h¡± for ytime. Under 2 hours of ytime. Once a character profile is registered, it¡¯s shared across all ess points, which means the ytime recorded under that profile cannot be modified by any means. This made the ytime count an unchangeable indicator. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. He pressed the Dark Zone button next to Glory and Honor¡ª ¡°Phew-whoosh!¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Is that a new skill?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°No, wait¡­ Sir, are you seriously¡­?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t hidden any memories.¡± The Dark Zone ¨C ytime over 10,000 hours. And next to it, the message Final Championship First ce. Thinking about it, even the engraving and color of the daggers were so unique, they¡¯d never been seen before in Glory and Honor. Moreover, the de¡¯s design shimmered in a way that resembled an aurora, which was odd, because Glory and Honor didn¡¯t allow real-time moving patterns on weapon paints. The only exception to this would be extremely rare paint jobs avable across all games hosted on the Icarus International tform or something that could be bought in the shop ¨C but even those had been discontinued long before this game hadunched, and no one wore them anymore. So the case was clear. ¡°¡­This paint, could it be¡­¡± ¡°Well, as you can see, it¡¯s a special one I received as a result of my glorious victory.¡± The Dark Zone, not only essible in Glory and Honor but across all games on the Icarus tform, had a unique skin that only one person could use for a special reason. And then, only then, did her nickname catch my eye. Before the game began, I¡¯d assumed it was just the same nickname, especially because Eugene¡¯s tail had been half-removed as a bnce patch to prevent distracting the users in Glory and Honor. What remained was a well-polished female avatar. As Eugene carried the entire Dark Zone Korean session, countless simr or identical nicknames appeared in other games, resulting in the bizarre situation we had now. But there was no time to discuss her true identity. ¡°It¡¯s time to get back to work.¡± Creak. In the neighboring game, there was a standoff like never before. The three enemies we¡¯d met at B and the ones who had charged to C had all converged on B, creating a 6v6 setup. The difference now was that everyone standing there had experienced firsthand what two daggers could do. ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll trust you.¡± ¡°Ha-ha.¡± No further words were exchanged. Eugene raised both daggers, then took up a posture never before seen in Glory and Honor¡ªleft hand in reverse grip, right hand in hammer grip. The reverse grip resembled the stance for a shield or guard, while the other hand was ready to strike at any moment. A user with a great shield stepped forward, and the frontlines were now about to sh, like two lines meeting head-on rather than dots colliding. The silence didn¡¯tst long. ¡°For honor!¡± ¡°Uraaaaaaaaaah!¡± It was strange, but ironically, it was exactly that which made the war cry fit perfectly. But the thought didn¡¯tst long. Eugene, using the terrain around her as a springboard, stomped on the advancing shield¡¯s tip, gradually closing the distance. As she spun mid-air, she deflected the thrown spear with the faces of both daggers and thennded, sinking the two daggers into the warrior¡¯s corbones. Chak¡­! ¡°Got one.¡± In that moment, the 6v6 became 6v5. The final battle, where blood would wash blood, began. Chapter 437 ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± Every weapon has its own rhythm and form. When a massive greatsword, measuring 130 to 150 cm in length, swings, people feel a sense of intimidation. Every time the tip of the de cuts through the air, the space momentarily fills with a silver hue before fading away. It¡¯s like a giant killing zone that appears and vanishes in an instant. When a poleaxe, il, or mace,rger than a human, is swung, fear fills the minds of those who witness it. Every time it ruthlessly tears through the air, they automatically imagine how much force is packed into the weapon. When a long rapier shes through the air repeatedly, people feel elegance. After creating an opening with a musket in their left hand, they watch as the pointed de slips through the gaps in the armor, and they automatically associate it with grace. So here¡¯s the problem. What if it were two daggers? ¡°Argh-!¡± ¡°Damn, this person¡¯s too fast!¡± ¡°Cough¡­!¡± Elegance. It wasn¡¯t that it was beyond sight. As she had mentioned, her physical abilities were under reverse correction at the moment ¨C but that didn¡¯t mean Eugene had been brought down to the level of all the other Glory and Honor users. In the midst of a close-quarters battle with exactly eleven other people tangled up, she dashed around, dodging iing weapons as if she had eyes on every part of her body. She attacked only vital areas that, if struck, would severely affect the opponent¡¯s ability to survive. Ankles. Wrists. Armpit gaps. Eyes. Inner thighs. Unprotected areas of armor. Each time the two daggers, glowing faintly with green and purple hues, sliced through the air in curves, screams echoed from somewhere, and the enemies on the ground started increasing in number. Those who fell were usually sent straight to the respawn window by follow-up strikes from her allies. After about five minutes of sessfulbat, Eugene sat down on the empty floor of B, where there were no enemies, to recover the stamina she had depleted. The minions that had respawned around her continued to fight, but she paid them no mind. What could she say to break the silence? One of her allies, a knight, spoke up, asking a question. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never seen that fighting style in Glory and Honor before. Is that how you fight with daggers?¡± ¡°Curious?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, I¡¯m not saying I want to try it¡­ Yeah. I¡¯m just curious.¡± A small chuckle escaped Eugene. But no answer came. Still, somehow, I felt like I understood what she meant ¨C unlike the usual cold weapons, where even a simple swing could deal decent damage, the dagger was a weapon specifically meant for¡­ stabbing. The areas to stab were also unconventional. Every part of the body was a weak spot, and even in the midst of a chaotic battle, she urately targeted only areas that could incapacitate, cause a quick kill, or trigger massive blood loss. That meant one simple thing. ¡­She must¡¯ve learned it. And learned it professionally. In real life. In that regard, she was likely better versed in anatomical knowledge than anyone else in the room. She knew exactly where to stab to disable someone, and exactly where to strike to turn a person into a lifeless corpse in an instant. The human body, while easily wounded, was just as tenacious. Moreover, Glory and Honor didn¡¯t officially support action assists for dagger fighting. This meant that unlike the official sses, which supported strong and light attacks and various other motions, you had to navigate the fight using your own body alone. Though after years of yers¡¯ efforts, some user-created modes had been integrated into the official game, the dagger, especially dual-wielding, was a brutal path to take. Even long-time yers of Glory and Honor had never seen someone focus solely on daggers in the game. The initial doubt about trusting Eugene was not without reason. Of course, that had changed now. As the tide of the battle moved closer to victory, an ally approached Eugene, who was leaning against a wall. His face seemed to expect something. ¡°¡­Are you, by chance, streaming?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°But I do n on doing it in a few days. I¡¯m not sure if I should call it homework, but I was asked to do an ad.¡± At that moment, his face instantly brightened. The reason was simple: the influx of new yers. Glory and Honor wasn¡¯t unpopr. If it had been, it wouldn¡¯t have maintained a top 3-4 ranking in VR game charts. However, the game that had never once dropped from first ce¡­ Dark Zone was still holding strong. Since the draft system was still in ce, nearly every man in South Korea had at least held a rifle once, which helped lower the entry barrier for the game. On the other hand, how many people had ever swung a massive greatsword in their lifetime? In grand terms, they were thirsty for fresh new yers who woulde through Eugene¡¯s streams. With a bright smile visible even from behind his helmet, one of them extended his hand to Eugene. ¡°You really are the best, sir.¡± ¡°¡­Suddenly?¡± Of course, Eugene would never understand why they were doing this, not now or ever. The Domination Mode game, which had been long awaited, ended with Eugene¡¯s team securing a decisive victory. [Glory and Honor Sub Gallery] [General] Is this really Eugene??????? What the hell are you doing here, hahaha [All Comments] [Order of Posts] ???????????????????? Daggers???? This is slower than expected? Is this really Eugene? [Post Author] I heard her physical abilities are under reverse correction. Reverse correction?? Is she losing her mind?? Reverse correction, this is insane, hahaha I thought she was just good with guns, but she''s totally crazy. Fact: She¡¯s also the one using an axe and a hammer to smash AI heads next door. Then why is she spamming daggers here? Shouldn¡¯t she be wielding an axe and hammer? Hahaha Self-bnce patch, hahaha Does she have eyes on her back too? I¡¯ve used daggers briefly before, but does it have that kind of motion? Wouldn¡¯t it, hahaha So it¡¯s not about strong and weak attacks, it¡¯s just the user¡¯s personal motion, right? Hahaha she says she¡¯s good with daggers in real life, what will you do about that? I thought using daggers was crazy, so I gave up a long time ago, but she¡¯s out of her mind, hahaha Forget the attacks, the spacing is a work of art, this crazy person... ''Physical'' What part of this is reverse correction, hahaha Am I the only one who thinks the attack motions are very precise? It¡¯s the exact opposite of those dagger spammers I¡¯ve seen in Your Space. Right? Honestly, it looks so cool, is that normal? I agree. Seems like she¡¯s focusing on vital area attacks, but the number of attacks is really low, so maybe that¡¯s why. So almost every attack is a clean hit, huh, hahaha Wow, the part where the dagger goes in the knight¡¯s eye socket and she pushes it deeper¡­ chills, hahaha I wondered why she¡¯s using a gauntlet with daggers, but it¡¯s to grab the de, wow. It¡¯s not justcking guts; this is beyond insane, hahaha So, she can do this in real life? ¡®Probably a former special forces soldier.¡¯ Damn, she actually learned this in real life, hahaha So, she¡¯s using techniques from real life to kill virtual people? This is weird, hahaha [General] Official) Eugene announces Glory and Honor broadcast Damn, are we finally a top game??????? [All Comments] [Order of Posts] Wait, seriously?????????????????????? WTF hahaha Raising the stakes so high, hahaha Marketing team must have been cking, but finally working now!!!!!!!!!!! But don¡¯t we already have 1.7 million average concurrent viewers? That¡¯s still a lot though. It¡¯s fine during normal gamey, but in official matches or tournaments, the firepower was trash. Can you really fix that by making one streamer do a broadcast challenge? Damn, that streamer is number one in global viewers, you dumbass, hahaha An average of 1.7 million concurrent yers in the game vs. an average of 1.7 million viewers for the streamer Damn, how is it that the game with top 5 rankings has the same number of viewers as concurrent yers in Glory and Honor? Hahaha Fact: Not only the same, but once she starts making big content, it jumps to 2.1 million. Wow, damn. So, if she just opens her mouth, the concurrent viewers jump to 2 million? The basic units are totally different, damn. Is the number one Glory and Honor streamer Bjorn? That Swedish madman? Yeah, that¡¯s right. The insane guy with a Viking helmet and axe vs. the insane person who decapitates people with an axe. This is giving me chills, hahaha One crazy person has 150,000 average viewers, and the other one has 1.7 million, damn, hahaha Will they rank up? Probably. It¡¯s like when AP was yed, MMR is going to rocket, hahaha If Eugene gets Grandmaster with dual daggers, that¡¯ll go down in Glory and Honor history for sure, really. If Eugene hits Grandmaster with dual daggers, that means no one else will be able to, huh? Damn, hahaha Are we finally going to be able to get in?? For the first time?? When the scythe boom hits 55 million, I¡¯ll probably orgasm, hahaha Dude, stop with the weird talk. The scythe boom... it¡¯sing!!!! It¡¯sing, hahaha, it exploded but no one¡¯s left, haha But now she¡¯s doing the broadcast challenge? I remember she yed about 3 or 4 matches without reverse correction and then quit the game. Oh, really? She¡¯s done that before? Back then, she was the crazy one who did 32 kills with an axe and hammer in one session. Damn, hahaha ¡°...Ah, good evening, everyone. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve returned to streaming. As I mentioned earlier, today I¡¯ll be doing an ad broadcast requested by Glory and Honor, and practically, it will be a time where I go over the game¡¯s system thoroughly. I hope you all enjoy.¡± Yuhaaaaaa Yuha!!!!!!! Wait, sir, where did you sell your guns? Why are youing to do meleebat, this is crazy. Damn, what does ''reverse correction active'' at the bottom of the screen mean, hahaha After all this time, you¡¯re not ying Dark Zone but the game next door? Do you think we¡¯ll still watch? Of course, we will! Early August, a humid weekend that was unbearably hot ¨C for me, though, it was heaven.@@novelbin@@ Finally, the broadcast began. Just like water gushing out of a broken dam, countless viewers began flooding in, and as soon as they arrived, they were likely to first see not a devastated New York, but the grand walls of a castle. Of course, the weapons were different too. Today¡¯s main event wasn¡¯t Mj?lnir but two daggers. Even so, for those who had watched my streams before, they would quickly recognize the two daggers I held ¨C the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger. Custom-made for me, it was 40cm in total length, with a de length of 27cm. The paint job I received after winning the Final Championship ¨C the beautiful green and brown that shimmered like the aurora ¨C kept changing and shimmering on the de. Ahhh, dual daggers, no blindfold!!!! ¡°Luckily, I¡¯ve practiced a few games recently, and the results haven¡¯t been too bad. It¡¯s a bit hard to give a definite answer, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting beaten up by the game mechanics like some people might expect.¡± Interpretation: I¡¯m going to kill them all. She¡¯s charging at a giant sword holding nothing but daggers, why would I think she¡¯ll lose????? So she¡¯s not gonna lose, hahaha Fact: This is gonna be so much fun, that¡¯s why it¡¯s a challenge broadcast. Why does it feel like she won¡¯t lose with just two daggers, hahaha Since when did dual daggers be a symbol of defeat? Thinking that, I introduced the various menus that popped up on the UI to the viewers. Of course, there wasn¡¯t much difference from Dark Zone. Maybe it was even simpler. The basic structure itself is divided into PVE and PVP, which is very familiar to the viewers watching this challenge broadcast. However, the real convenience here was that, unlike Dark Zone, there weren¡¯t many sub-divisions under PVE and PVP. What does this mean? I clicked the button to enter the PVP section. The scene that greeted us was surprisingly simple. ¡°¡­As you can see, Glory and Honor is rtively simple. Unlike Dark Zone, which has several separate PVP modes, here, there are just different game modes, but the basic premise is to defeat the enemy in front of you.¡± Hahaha, so eloquent, sir. Honestly, the PVP in Dark Zone is pretty hard until you get used to it. It¡¯s good that they¡¯ve bought all the game rights, but for beginners, their heads will explode, lol. The UI is really intuitive, hahaha. ...And with that, the cheerful rebellion of the contrarians begins. As mentioned in the chat, the PVP mode in Dark Zone wasplicated. Survival, where you have to understand the system or you¡¯re dead, Fallen, where you should never engage if you don¡¯t know the skills, and Team Six, where you need to understand the map. The most intuitive of them all was therge-scale BattleField mode. Apex Predators and EU? Those were certain to be a massacre for beginners, so I didn¡¯t even mention them. And the reason I mentioned all the above is simple. At least Glory and Honor, which we¡¯re ying right now, isn¡¯t like that. "1v1 battles, 2v2 brawls, 6v6 domination, 4v4 deathmatches... at least for PVP, whether it¡¯s casual or ranked, it doesn¡¯t deviate from these basic modes. In that sense, it¡¯s not too hard for beginners to try out. But once you get into it... well, I¡¯m not sure about that either." Hahahaha, so funny, sir. I can¡¯t even say this is a challenge broadcast, hahaha Who advertises like this, hahaha Though viewers were joking around, well... once the game started, such words would no longere up. Normally, I would¡¯ve exined the weapons and discussed what new users might like, but honestly, there¡¯s a more effective way waiting for me, so was there really any need? In short, I just needed to show how other users operated their weapons in front of me. [Notification: Domination Mode matchmaking has started.] ¡°Seeing is believing. You can calmly decide which weapons you want to try out in future games by watching how real users wield their cold weapons.¡± Whoosh. The daggers spun elegantly in the air. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I just hoped the viewers wouldn¡¯t get too hooked on the dagger craze. Chapter 438 [Notification: The battle has started. Capture the sectors and defend against enemy retaking.] Bwoooom! The shofar sound echoed, not only in my ears but seemingly in my very heart. The moment the game started, the massive cathedral built on a sharp cliff was filled with the majestic tones. The screen cam, spinning down from the air, briefly showed the six users taking their positions before it zoomed into the back of my head. The surroundings were eerily silent, clearly showing that human touch had long since been abandoned. The broken stained ss, the decayed and fallen wooden doors, the once-grand and now-missing anti-fall stone fences¡­ amidst these, the abandoned cathedral still stood, weing the six of us, me included. As the faint mist dissipated, a dragon emerged from within. Strangely, even though it was just a background feature, dragons did exist in Glory and Honor. "As discussed beforehand, let¡¯s go. User Eugene, please head to C alone, and we¡¯ll go straight to B. Once we capture it, we¡¯lle to support you, so don¡¯t worry too much." "Okay." "Let¡¯s all do our best!" Dust kicked up as six pairs of footsteps forcefully pressed against the ground. A beatter, I started moving behind them. I surveyed the area. If I remembered correctly, this map was... uniquely designed with a peculiar sectoryout. To exin simply, there were few maps as fair as the cathedral. Let¡¯s assume the spawn point for our team is Alpha, and the enemy¡¯s spawn is Omega. At this point, the distances between A, B, and C and between Alpha and Omega were the same. The structure of the map was equally simple. If we folded the map in half, Alpha and Omega would ovep, and when unfolded, A, B, and C would be marked on the centerline. Looking ahead at the cathedral, with itsmon area inside, I referred to B. C was located to the right. It was a rather small open area. It was too smooth to be considered a ce that hadn¡¯t been touched by human footprints for long. The stone floor was meticulously carved, and there was even a makeshift altar that provided some visual interest. Considering the weapon I was holding, my speed in reaching C was the fastest in this session, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t provide me much of an advantage. I looked straight ahead. And then everything went dark. ©¤©¤©¤Pop! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ???????? Why the hell is there suddenly a chain scythe in their hands? Did they seriously pick that up? Hahaha, are you for real?? ??? : I literally just grabbed it because something flew at me, and it turned out to be a chain scythe. Clink. I quickly raised my left-handed dagger to block something that seemed to being at me. As I looked around in confusion, I saw a sharp chain scythe almost piercing my brow. Not paying it much attention, I nced at the approaching figures¡ªtwo sses, a Ninja and a Samurai. The Ninja wielded two chain scythes freely, and the Samurai fought with two katanas in a dual-wielding style. I lifted my gaze to assess their gear and armor. Both wore light armor, though the Ninja had more armor-like gear on. Perhaps it was due to the lightweight weapons. In any case, by blocking it, I was essentially holding the scythe in ce with my dagger, preventing it from being recalled. ©¤©¤©¤Kreek¡­ The struggle between the person trying to recover the scythe and me blocking it continued. Of course, the chain scythe had to be retrieved once thrown, but traditionally, the scythe¡¯s hooked, ¡°L¡± shape made it difficult to retrieve once it got caught. However, their confusion didn¡¯tst long. Realizing the scythe was difficult to recover, the Ninja charged straight at me, with the Samurai doing the same. Since they weren¡¯t too far apart, their distance would close in just a few seconds. Seeing this, I threw my right-hand dagger into the air, grabbed the chain scythe still tangled with my dagger in my left hand, and hurled it at the approaching Samurai. ¡°Ugh!¡± ng! The sound of metal shing as the Samurai, not wanting to take a critical hit to the face, blocked the iing chain scythe with the sword in their left hand. Naturally, this momentarily blinded them. In other words, it created an opening. In the blink of an eye, the distance between us closed to 3 meters. Surprisingly, this was also a result of the reverse correction¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t impossible in reality. However, surprisingly, my attempt to drive the de into the Samurai''s neck failed in a rather pitiful manner. ©¤©¤©¤Thwack! ¡°Aagh!¡± The scream wasn¡¯t mine. It was the Samurai¡¯s. In an instant, the Ninja¡¯s kick struck the Samurai¡¯s side, sending them crashing to the ground with a groan. A nearby user managed to save them in the nick of time. Meanwhile, the chain scythe in my right hand took a strange arc and flew through the air like a guillotine. As I read its trajectory, I quickly jammed a dagger into its path, creating more sparks. At the same time, I threw the dagger in my right hand toward the Ninja¡¯s face, and the Ninja sessfully blocked it with their weapon in the left hand. But they didn¡¯t expect my right foot to m into their chin. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I told you so, hahaha. After all that, you expect people to stop using dual daggers? What a psycho, hahaha. I know this from reading fantasy novels: guys like this usually end up as mercenary kings and founders of great empires, hahaha. Howe there are three people who symbolize defeat, but only one keeps winning????? But the losers are still two, hahaha. Wow, even the loserse in pairs, huh? I had to give credit to the Ninja, though. They managed to avoid falling back after taking my attack. As I watched the Ninja retreat about six or seven steps, I quickly retrieved the falling dagger that had hit the ground after striking the scythe. I turned around and hurled it at the Samurai charging toward me again. Unfortunately, it was blocked by the sword in their left hand again. This is the issue with dual daggers. But in that short span, I feigned an advance and then sliced horizontally with my right hand dagger. As I dashed forward, I performed a body check against the Samurai, spinning to the left to dodge. Meanwhile, I threw my left dagger behind their legs. This time, itnded perfectly. The de, deeply embedded behind their knee, would surely slow them down significantly. Even before I could fully think, I swiftly recovered my earlier thrown dagger from the ground and observed the two users surrounding me, thinking about how to deal with them. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± "Well then, shall I twist that ninja''s neck?" Thinking this, I deflected the horizontally flying left scythe with my dagger and then caught the other one with my right hand''s gauntlet. "What the hell!" "Come here quietly." Now it was my turn to pull the scythe. Ninjas often coil the chain around their wrist, so as soon as this yer pulled his weapon with his right hand, he was dragged toward me helplessly. Of course, there was no reason for me to let go of the weapon I had just grabbed, and the ninja found himself in a position where his own scythe would strike him. Unfortunately, the danger wasn¡¯t going to end there. Even though I quickly retrieved the scythe I had deflected with my dagger, I was much quicker at closing in, and during that moment, the dagger in my left hand had already pierced through the ninja''s right wrist. It was time to neutralize the other hand. The scythe in my right handpletely pierced through the ninja''s left forearm. "Grrr...!" Thud! The ground buckled as both of the ninja''s hands were forcefully bound, and he let out a strained scream, but that wasn¡¯t the end. I pulled my right hand down with force, and the scythe broke the bone in his left wrist, tearing through his flesh ¡ª though of course, this part was heavily censored ¡ª and came out. He was pushed all the way back into the cathedral¡¯s wall. With his left hand lost and his right hand in no better condition, there was nothing he could do. As his weapon dug into his throat, he was ejected to the respawn screen. There was only one thing left. "...Do you think I can ask for mercy now?" "Haha. Where''s the honor in a duel like that?" "Ahhh, hahahaha." "??: Please spare me." "Sounds like something Mecha Biyam would say, huh?" "No way, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d cut out 1v2 in just one minute." "Why is it only showing off daggers when you''re supposed to show what weapons the opponent uses?" Well, I don¡¯t know about the aftermath. Looking at the limping swordsman, I spun the dagger I had transferred from my left to my right hand, then charged forward. As expected, within a minute, I was the only one left in C. "...No, teacher. Why are you doing this in a normal game and not in ranked?" "Ah, I¡¯m doing a Glory and Honor advertising stream, so I guess I don¡¯t have much of a choice..." "Oh my, really." "Killer response, hahaha." "Yupjin, you don''t need to introduce all these modes; there are already enough yers for Glory and Honor." "My honest opinion: just running ranked games and hitting #1 would finish the advertising." "Haha, the influx of new yers will just be handled by the veterans of Glory and Honor." "Teacher, just go and create some word-of-mouth." A massacre. But now, it was made of the enemy''s blood and bodies. It seemed like a scene I had seen somewhere before, but the twist was that it wasn''t different from thest time ¡ª the bodies were unusually clean. There was almost no sign of anything being roughly torn off orpletely severed.@@novelbin@@ Instead, as before, it looked like an action painting made with golden paint. The enemy team had stopped charging toward A, B, or C and instead gathered in the respawn area to vote for surrender, while I was sitting in B, slowly recovering my almost depleted stamina. "¡­Is it true that reverse correction was applied to my physical ability?" "I wonder why no one believes me when I said it was applied." Of course, if reverse correction hadn¡¯t been applied, the weapon I was holding would have been different, and this game would have ended at least five minutes ago. At this point, my body¡¯s physical abilities felt like they were just barely around the level of a 3-rep max of 450. Of course, the physical stats of other yers here had been simrly adjusted. The reverse correction data provided by the gamepany had been taken from all users and averaged by the number of yers. In other words, I was average. The real issue was my hand-eye coordination. "Seriously, Eugene, if you made a daggerbat motion and guide, I think around 100,000 new yers would join." "Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible." "Oh... Why?" "Because I might get caught for leaking ssified information." "???????????????" "What the hell, hahaha." "Are you serious, teacher? Did all your methods of beating yerse from the US special forces'' knife fighting guide?" "??: So, what can you do? All you do is get beaten up, what else can you do?" Half joke, half truth. Naturally, the closebat techniques I had learned¡­ were originally based on a US military special forces knife fighting guide, but after going through a great war, these techniques had evolved and been updated. In short, the techniques I used now would differ quite a bit from the current US SOF CQC manual in this world. So, I wouldn¡¯t get caught¡­ but was that important? Either way, I couldn¡¯t teach this officially. Meanwhile, the enemy team reached a dramatic consensus, and the grand horn sound yed again as the phrase "Our Team Wins" shed across the screen. The enemy hadpletely surrendered. The camera, now focusing on the center of the cathedral, highlighted the six of us confidently walking through it. Among them, I walked out again, and the words "Conqueror of the Battlefield" appeared above my head. At the same time, the best ys were shown. ''...I¡¯ve seen this somewhere before.'' The world was truly bizarre. In any case, the yers I had just fought alongside hadpletely disappeared, and my character was half-spat back into the lobby. Hmm, how should I put it? Calmly, and as shamelessly as possible, I spoke. "This is roughly the game." "Of course, hahaha." "Is this an ad stream or Eugene¡¯s Mad Movie 2? Hahaha." "Well, this is how advertising should be done." "So, to wield two daggers, you have to be able to do that, right?" "It might backfire, or maybe it won''t. Haha." Well, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, so I guess it was fine. Anyway, after that, I continued exining Glory and Honor''s game system in more detail ¡ª though I wasn¡¯t sure if the viewers were paying attention ¡ª as I nned to show off some more gamey today, both the system and various modes. For a moment, I fiddled with the controls in a regr game before lowering them. Ranked game. After a brief hesitation, I pressed it firmly. "Well, I¡¯ve said a lot, but¡­ I guess this is what you all like the most." The ranked y modes unfurled in front of me. I didn¡¯t hesitate and pressed the Domination button, as a timer-like bar spun overhead, starting the cement match. The chat window was already in full celebration. I turned my head slightly and spoke. "Then, let me show you what you all want to see." Thus began the long climb. Chapter 439 ¡°Damn, I guess it¡¯s just the start of the season, but all the guys I¡¯m matched with are¡­ Ah¡­¡± After the match began, the team and map were decided. The word Ranked Game written at the bottom glowed brightly. Now, a nameless user who had been ying Glory and Honor for the past 3 years began mechanically scanning the profiles of his teammates. A few secondster, he regretted it. Out of all the stats and pictograms, none of them seemed right. He sighed and quickly scanned his teammates'' profiles. ¡°¡­Last season, Silver 3, Gold 4, Gold 3, one¡¯s even unranked, and another one is Silver 1. Truly, the bnce patch is amazing.¡± Bronze, Silver, Gold, tinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, Challenger. The ranking system in Glory and Honor was extremely intuitive. The tier names themselves made it clear that this was nothing new ¨C it was reminiscent of those old desktop games, especially the ranking system in Ranked Games. It wasmonly known that a group of users with simr skill levels, the "bronze-silver-gold" yers, existed. Promotion battles were chaotic, and, as always, there were those who remained stuck in the same tier no matter how many times they yed. And of course, there were always trolls. Although the tform moved from desktop to VR, and the rate of trolls decreased since yers could see each other¡¯s avatars, they certainly didn¡¯t disappear entirely. In fact, they just shifted in nature. ¡°¡­What the hell is this¡­ Ah, this match is totally screwed. What¡¯s with the dual-dagger spammers¡­¡± One of the most frustrating things in Glory and Honor was when yers used intentionally useless weapons to sabotage the game or yed by their own personal meta. In casual games, if you ran into one of those yers on your team, it was annoying, but when they were on the enemy team, it was surprisingly fun. In those cases, the mood often became more lively. But in Ranked, especially during cement matches, it wasn¡¯t the same. ¡°...Ah, looks like I¡¯m really screwing up my ranking today. Once this match ends, I¡¯m quitting.¡± The map was Temple Garden, and on the enemy team, there were two yers who finishedst season as tinum 2, skilled yers. He had already experienced several near-misses on the tinum promotion, so he knew just howpetitive that rank could get. He was familiar with the effective ranges of various sses and weapons, the supported attack motions and skills, and the cheap ys that dominated the meta. Spamming to provoke the enemy without triggeringmunity bacsh and stalling to avoidbat weremon tactics. If I did it, it would be strategic; if someone else did it, it would be considered cowardly. And now, the enemy team had two of these yers. The most skilled yer in this match was him alone. ¡°This is why I can¡¯t not pick the martyr ss, damn it.¡± Martyr. A knight who wields a bastard sword in the right hand and a kite shield in the left. It was a solid, bnced ss, good for 1v2 battles, as long as there were no more than three people attacking at once. It was considered afort pick, and you rarely saw it in higher tiers because it was better suited for solo y rather than team synergy. When the team wasn¡¯t strong, this ss could survive on its own, protect objectives, and rack up kill points. ss choices were starting to be made. As expected, in higher tiers, there were no automatic metapositions ¨C yers simply picked what they wanted. It was the expected result. Voice chat was turned on, and the greetings between teammates began. He spoke in a tired voice. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ hello, everyone. Since I finishedst season as tinum 2, if you could just follow my orders one time before we start, I¡¯d appreciate it. It¡¯s nothing fancy, just a simple A3B3 or C3B3 strategy. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For anyone who hasn¡¯t yed much, let me exin: three of us will go to A or C, and the other three will head to B. The map is structured like the cathedral, so as long as we hold our positions individually, we should be fine. If we start losing ground, I¡¯ll send some minions over to help, so let me know if you¡¯re struggling.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re done, just press the ¡®This person gave orders¡¯ button once, I¡¯d really appreciate it. Let¡¯s do our best, everyone.¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t really believe they would follow his orders. The more awkward part was that, among the users heading to B, one was aplete newbie with no ranking fromst season. It didn¡¯t feel great, but he added reluctantly: ¡°The newbie should just focus on killing the wandering minions. Please help out with some asional nking.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t really seem like you care how I y.¡± ¡°¡­Well, yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± What kind of detached tone was that? But people like that usually didn¡¯t end well when you tried to talk to them seriously. So, he decided to brush it off and carefully got up. The battle time was 15 minutes. As the heavy, distinct sound of battle filled the air, the team started sprinting towards A on the left and B on the right. ...The enemies are... 4 at B, 2 at C? It would take less than 20 seconds to reach A, B, and C from their starting points. As he reached A, there was no contact, and while heading toward B, four yers ¨C who didn¡¯t seem like minions at all ¨C rapidly charged from the other side. Meanwhile, C was turning red. His mind began racing. What was certain was that once the yers who had gone to A captured the area, if they didn¡¯te to B, they would bepletely overwhelmed at the center. He quicklymunicated that through team chat, then started mowing down minions without hesitation. After about 20 seconds, the orange and blue bodies quickly disappeared, and a 3v4 scenario had formed. ...Ninja, Guardian, Great Shield, Wanderer. They brought all the worst ones. Chainscythes, Chinese sabers, great shields, maces. They brought all the OP characters. His team was armed with polearms, bastard swords, and daggers, and were outnumbered. The enemy¡¯s tactic was clear: use the great shield to block the long-range users and eliminate one by one. And then the situation he had feared started to unfold. ¡°Charge!¡± ¡°Group up! Ignore the great shield and hold until our allies from A arrive!¡± To break out of this situation, they had to win the uing 6v6 fight. But he remembered there was a counter-strategy ¨C the enemy with the great shield was likely nning to split their front and charge straight down the middle. In an instant, three of them broke off, each facing one or, if unlucky, two opponents. As expected, the weakest yer was surrounded by two opponents. That¡¯s when he spotted the double-dagger user, who appeared weak. Of course, the situation was turning out to bepletely different from what he had expected. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± ¡°Damn, don¡¯te any closer! This person is too fast!¡± The Chain Scythe and Mace users, along with the enemy dual-dagger user. It was clear that thetter would be instantly killed, but after several evasive maneuvers with artistic spacing, the dual-dagger user skillfully closed the distance and struck as the Wanderer performed a spinning kick. The long daggers, glowing with a sharp blue-green hue, pierced through the thick leather armor of the thigh in an instant, and with a horrific scream ¨C pre-recorded by the voice actor ¨C golden blood spurted into the air, sparkling like a fountain. ¡°¡­What in the world is that?¡± Thud. As the Wanderer fell while still in his spinning kick stance, the allied dual-dagger user immediately followed up with an attack at an unseen speed. With the left hand, the dagger pierced the right thigh while the right hand drove the de straight into the enemy''s face. The attack hit precisely on the right eye, from the perspective of the onlookers. The dagger was so long, and the thrust so powerful, that the tip of the de emerged from the back of the head. While the Wanderer¡¯s body turned into golden polygon fragments, the dual-dagger user immediately retrieved both daggers. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± The Ninja muttered in disbelief. This was the beginning of a massacre unlike anything he had ever seen before. ¡°Aren¡¯t we off to the same pace as earlier? If they don¡¯te, we¡¯ll go to them.¡± Again????? Are you seriously trolling in Glory and Honor??????????? Ugh, stop pretending the reverse correction is real, you dumbass, hahaha No way, can one dagger kill someone with just two strikes??? Seriously??? Judging by the slow reaction, it seems like reverse correction, but¡­ yeah, it might be¡­ Why is this person like a Glory and Honor bug version, hahaha With a flick. As the dagger changed position in his hand, golden liquid spilled slightly into the air. The sunlight shining on Temple Garden collided with the tiny gold droplets, creating a surreal scene, while I locked eyes with the next enemy who was about to attack me. Once again, it was the Chain Scythe user. Known online as a ¡°scythe spammer,¡± they were often found frantically recruiting users. The term Chain Scythe was probably just a meme by this point. My thoughts ran deep. Normally, when you have a short-range weapon, it¡¯s more effective to wait for your opponent to attack and then exploit an opening to counter. But the Chain Scythe, aside from the fact it could be thrown, had a reach simr to mine. Strong attacks, weak attacks, dodge attacks, counters ¨C none of that mattered. If they were in front of me, I would send them straight to the respawn screen. ¡ªng! I thrust in and struck. It¡¯s still just a game. The scythe¡¯s piercing eye strike, something that would usually be impossible to block, was easily deflected by my swift movements. But the real issue was that I let a dual-dagger user get so close in the first ce. That aside, I quickly scanned the enemy¡¯s armor and weapons from a close distance. The arms were partially protected, and like with light armor, the underarms and chest were shielded with thick cloth. The abdomen was unprotected, and the thighs and neck were simrly covered with thick cloth. With so many potential attack points, there was no reason to rush. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Once. After evading the horizontal swing of the Chain Scythe, I expected a kick and spun around to stab the thigh. However, the enemy¡¯s response was quicker than expected, so I switched to a sh. The wound wasn¡¯t deep, and the low sound of the voice ¨C again, a pre-recorded one ¨C indicated that it was a valid strike. I threw the dagger in my right hand upwards and retreated while performing a horizontal sh. However, this was just to gain momentum, and as I switched my left dagger to reverse grip, I charged forward, pressing the pommel with my right hand to stab deeper. But it was blocked. Specifically, the forearm of my left hand, holding the dagger, was intercepted. If I applied more force, I might have been able to stab the vicle, but it was likely not a clean kill, so when the initial attack failed, I kicked the enemy¡¯s abdomen and retrieved the falling dagger. After dodging the iing Chain Scythe by ducking, I charged again. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Swish! Before the enemy could retrieve the thrown scythe, I closed the distance. The downward motion of the Chain Scythe was immediately stopped, and I bent my body like a bow to avoid it, followed by several fake attacks. The two weapons I wielded created a killing zone, and the sound of metal scraping rang repeatedly, as an oddly artistic sword path cut through the air. It was a level of focus where even the tiniest hair could be felt. But, conversely, that was what made the difference between life and death. I flicked my right wrist and sent the dagger flying, momentarily drawing the enemy¡¯s attention. But in the blind spot, preparations were already underway for a deep thrust. The knife in my left hand had already been converted to reverse grip. It cut across the empty space of the enemy''s left armpit, from bottom to top. The thick cloth was sliced open, and when the de met the skin and muscle hidden beneath, a scream erupted. ¡°Gah¡­!¡± My left arm, from my perspective, and the enemy''s right arm were sealed. But it wasn¡¯t over. The left arm,ing from below, was still in position to descend, and the reversed dagger¡¯s tip was aimed at the enemy¡¯s neck. With a reverse grip, I swung the dagger upwards from below and immediately drove it downward. The de, cutting across the vicle at an angle, was deep enough to kill. It was perfectly positioned to sever all the arteries around the neck and rip into the lungs. ¡°Gah, hhh¡­¡± As I twisted the de deep inside, the enemy¡¯s eyes rolled back, and their body copsed, turning into golden polygon fragments. Ding! With the sound of the dagger I had thrown earlier hitting the stone floor, I let out a shallow breath. ¡®...It really takes so much effort to kill just one person with daggers.¡¯ It¡¯s cool, but¡­ seriously, this is insane¡­ Are all the dagger spammers dead??????? No, seriously, I¡¯m starting to get scared now, sir, for real. Fact: It would be scarier with a greatsword or an axe. That¡¯s true, hahaha, but hahaha... So much happened in what seemed like a very short time, but in reality, the entire battlested maybe 6 seconds. In that time, I had essentially sent two enemies to the respawn screen in about 20 seconds. Meanwhile, the information that A was captured by my team and C by the enemies popped up simultaneously. The battle at B had turned into a 3v2, with only one enemy left ¨C a user with a great shield and a Guardian with a Chinese-style saber. These were sses I had already faced a few times before. Still, I had taken out two enemies. Perhaps it was time to slow down the pace. ¡°This side¡¯s cleaned up. Anything I can help with?¡± At that moment, for some reason, it felt like every user present turned to look at me. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. If there were no enemies in the upied zones, that was just the pacing adjustment. Chapter 440 "Phew, this guy ys the game viciously." One. "...I think you all have an idea by now, but the battles in Glory and Honor are surprisingly unrealistic in many ways. But this guy..." Two. "So, this person is running ranked games? I don''t think we should be ying right now." Three, four, five¡­ It had been a while since Eugene¡¯s stream was on. While it wasn¡¯t as popr as Dark Zone, it had still received advertising for another virtual reality game that most people would recognize by name, which meant there were more viewers than usual ¡ª including streamers from small, medium, andrge corporations. Streamers who y Glory and Honor as their main content. It might seem natural, but with the exception of a few rare cases where yers used pathetic skill levels as content and turned their abyss-like performances into videos, most of the people here were the core yers of the game, the true "oil" of Glory and Honor. When you averaged the tiers, the skill level was formidable, ranging from at least Master to Grandmaster. These yers were watching Eugene¡¯s dagger skills,menting individually. "...Did the opponent team maybe start with a pad trash talk or something before the match?" "No way, hahaha." "Pad trash talk, hahaha." "Interpretation: So, even though they didn¡¯t take the trash talk, this guy is still ying people like this?" "Nah... This is just their normal y." "Normal y, you say? Stop lying, hahaha." It wasn¡¯t that, but it was still frightening to see how he yed. Furthermore, some viewers of Eugene¡¯s stream, particrly those who had yed Glory and Honor for a long time, had even gone so far as to get a swordsmanship certification, purchasing weapons and practicing them at home, or sometimes gathering people with simr hobbies to create a club. And it wasn¡¯t much different for the streamers who yed Glory and Honor as their main game ¡ª in fact, it was even more pronounced. In other words, a considerable number of streamers, in the real world, had at least some knowledge of handling cold weapons. Thanks to this, they could clearly feel just how insane Eugene¡¯s gamey was. "Man¡­ Is there really such a person?" Daggers. At this point, they were a weapon that few people used, and the reason was simple. The game didn¡¯t support motion assist when using that weapon. Naturally, no one really practiced dagger skills in real life just to force themselves to use them in-game, and even if they did practice, the quality, speed, andposition of the assist provided by the game made any personal practice pale inparison. But covering for that with pure personal skill? That made no sense. "As a former Grandmaster, where do you think this person will climb to?" "...I¡¯ll keep quiet about that." Why did the answer be evasive? Even the streamer who answered the donation couldn¡¯t figure it out. It wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t something that could be expected, but it felt like something shouldn¡¯t be said. As soon as I spoke, it felt like I might run into this person in rankedter. If we were on the same team, it would have been fine, but if they were on the enemy team... one thing was certain ¡ª it would be quite scary. Perhaps this was the survival instinct kicking in. ¡®...Nah, there''s no way it could be that serious.¡¯ Though the process was slightly different, the result of self-justification was pretty much the same for everyone. However, no one had anticipated that the wave would arrive sooner than they had expected. [Notification: Calcting match results... No losses in 10 matches.] [Notification: Calcting provisional tier.] [Notification: The current tier for user ''Eugene'' is ''Silver 1,'' and ranking points will be adjusted based on the result of the cement matches.] [Notification: ''Eugene'' will gain additional ranking points with 10 wins in the next matches, with the maximum possible tier being ''tinum 1.''] "...Well, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good thing, but let¡¯s try to climb as fast as possible." "Silver 1, hahaha." "Fact: This is thest chance you¡¯ll see Silver Eugene." "No kidding, I think even with five people dodging, we could still win this." "Living point: This person smacked Diamond 3 head-on in the 5th cement match." "A meteor bombing in Silver, hahaha." Of course, by now Eugene had alreadypleted all 10 cement matches with perfect victories. The climb began. "It seems like most people here don¡¯t really like dual daggers." "If you bring dual daggers to the Gold promotion match, that¡¯s the reaction you¡¯ll get, hahaha." "??: What? Not only are you mismatching theposition, but you¡¯re using two daggers? Are you out of your mind?" "I¡¯m watching the stream with my dad, and he says if this was an old AOS game promotion match, people would have immediately started trash talking, hahaha." "??: I¡¯m really good at this. Believe me just once, I¡¯ll carry hard. (0 kills, 15 deaths)." "But since they have a track record, I¡¯ll trust them, hahaha." Gold promotion match. The threshold from Silver 1 to Gold 4. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t really cared about tiers in any game, so I didn¡¯t think this promotion match was very important. But considering how many donations poured in just because the word "promotion match" appeared, it was clear that people cared a lot more about it than I expected. When the match ended, and the six of us were grouped together on the same team, they all seemed to panic when they saw my main weapon. After seeing it, they couldn¡¯t hide their shocked expressions, and cautiously asked if I could switch weapons. Luckily, this game allowed you to see the results and records of your recent matches, and once they saw I had carried all 10 cement matches, they finally sighed in relief. There was still some lingering suspicion, though. ¡®By the way, this map is really strange.¡¯ "The exact name is Citadel Gate." Unlike the Temple Garden or Cathedral maps that I yed on earlier, A and C are closer to each team''s respawn zones, with B located at the center of the map. The control points other than B are artificial structures that are roughly ten meters higher than the surrounding terrain, and there are stairs anddders all around, making them quite essible. This time, the spawn area was close to C, but far from A. Naturally, the enemy¡¯s situation would be the opposite. Following the n we discussed before the game, our team started moving. Today''s team distribution was 1:4:1. One yer at A, which was bound to be captured by the enemy, four at B, and one yer at C, which was the closest to the respawn zone. And¡ª "Our team is clever. Sending me alone to A." "For real, hahaha." "Honest opinion: I think we can win at 1:3..." "If they send 3 to A from the start, it¡¯s going to be a disaster, hahaha." "It¡¯s going to be at most 2." "Why is the teacher suddenly making no noise with his footsteps?" Why? Obviously, I was trying to sneak in. I had never really tried it on another map. But as always, the best strategies tend toe to mind when you least expect it, and then it¡¯s simple. The next step is to ask myself whether it''s feasible or not. When the answer is "yes," my rational mind calctes the benefits I can gain from sneaking in and what preparations and actions are required to get those benefits. Fortunately, the surrounding area could be summed up in one word: chaos. At B, dozens of minions were shing while the 4v4 yer battle had already started¡­ ncing toward the opposite side, I saw that no enemies wereing to C through the side path. That meant the probability of two enemies being at A was high. "...". I slowed down drastically and checked the surrounding terrain. I didn¡¯t even need to stick my face out to see who was inside. The shadows formed between the fading daylight and the light from the furnace inside A showed me the enemy sses. One was... an Oni. A massive warrior holding a golden chain spear. The other, whose shadow was ovepping, was hard to make out, but judging by the brief glimpse of the weapon''s shadow, it was most likely a general wielding a Moonde. Both were heavily armored, so fighting them head-on was going to be tough. But swinging such huge weapons in this narrow space would be quite difficult, and since there were two of them, they would likely have to be careful of each other¡¯s attacks. There was a chance. "...Let''s go." I waited for the perfect moment without stepping into A just yet. The instant I stepped in, the capture would stop, and a message would appear on their screens saying the enemy had intruded. This would happen with a two-second dy, so it was essential to act before that warning went off. The goal was to either send at least one of them to the respawn screen or neutralize theirbat power. Ten seconds left until full capture of A. Both enemies'' gazes shifted as they moved away from the side path. As their eyes shifted to another direction, I threw a chunk of the broken wall to the other side, and the dull thud echoed, immediately drawing their attention. ''The speed¡¯s slower than expected!'' Two seconds, one second. The sound of the broken wall. Both of them turned toward the noise. Fortunately, although the pace was slower than expected, it didn¡¯t slow down enough to be problematic. The moment the A intrusion alert appeared before their eyes, the de in my left hand pierced through the left leg of the Oni, cutting through the femoral artery. But it wasn¡¯t over. As I embedded the de, I grabbed the armor around the Oni¡¯s neck and pulled myself up. At that moment, I saw the shoulder muscles and neck exposed between the seams of the Oni''s armor. I hoped they¡¯d wear armor with narrower seams from now on. That way, the de wouldn¡¯t catch. With a stumble and a swift motion, I changed the grip on the de in my right hand and drove it through the Oni¡¯s neck, cutting from left to right. As the carotid artery was severed, golden blood spurted from the incision like a fountain. The Oni¡¯s eyes were probably starting to go nk by this point. If I were to describe the attack in the simplest way, imagine cutting across someone¡¯s neck with your thumb ¡ª though of course, my thumb had turned into a long dagger. The massive body copsed to the ground, and the first blood was spilled. "One down." "Holy crap, you killed that tanky character in 2 seconds..." "What the hell, hahaha." "Look at the general¡¯s body, covered in blood, hahaha." "What the hell, Eugene-sensei, this is Glory and Honor, where big, manly guys wield greatswords and fight honorably, not a CQC simtor! Please!" "??: Honor? What honor is there when you¡¯re dead?" The body I stepped on burst into golden light, and the dagger that had been embedded in its left thigh fell to the ground. I picked it up. Naturally, at that moment, I expected an attack toe. But the enemy in front of me wasted two precious seconds trying to figure out what happened, and instead of using their longer reach with the Moonde to attack, they just pointed it at me. Thanks to that, I was able to grab a dagger in each hand. "...". There was no conversation. The Moonde swung with a menacing sound. Because of the weapon¡¯s weight, it wasn¡¯t being swung freely, but rather, the centrifugal force generated by the body¡¯s rotation would increase the speed, power, and range of the swing. I had to judge the distance carefully. It was unlikely that I could block this with just two daggers. Blocking a downward strike with my current weapons would be suicidal, and the only feasible block would be against the horizontal sh that swept across the space. Even then, the rotating horizontal sh that followed would be impossible to block. As I carefully measured the distance, the enemy moved first. "Haaa!" While charging, they rotated their body andunched a powerful vertical strike. Using the centrifugal force generated from the previous strike, they rotated once more, delivering an even stronger double sh. In an instant, they had increased the distance by over 4 meters, but it was still too close. But that wasn¡¯t the end. With the farthest part of the de in their left hand, they thrust it forward. The spear tip of the Moonde¡¯s tail narrowly missed my head. If it had hit, my face would have beenpletely shattered. But I avoided it, and as the attack failed, the general¡¯s right side was fully exposed. Now it was my turn. "Ugh!" "...!" With a loud whoosh, I dove in. The Moonde¡¯s left hand came off and threw a punch, which was a good decision, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯tnd. Instead, the de pierced through the gap in their gauntlet. I dropped down as low as I could to avoid the punch heading toward my head, then ced my dagger in its path. A strange sensation spread through my hand. I knew what it was ¡ª the feeling of flesh splitting and bone scraping as the de cut through. With that, the left hand was neutralized. Of course, I still had one more dagger left, and I used it to shove into the opponent¡¯s shoulder, knocking them down while I used the dagger effectively. "Ugh, guh...!" The de pierced straight through their chin, cutting into the esophagus. By now, the tip of the de was probably slicing through their brainstem, though the game didn¡¯t ount for that. But I couldn¡¯t help but think back to my anatomy studies, and the knowledge that came to mind felt eerily fitting. The entire body shuddered for a moment, then copsed. The de had gone so deep that it couldn¡¯t even be seen anymore. Golden liquid began to spurt from the contact point before it quickly evaporated, and the bodypletely disappeared. "A clear-out at A." I exhaled softly, checked the objective progress, and added: "Two kills at A. Currently retaking the base." I wondered if I should switch weapons. It was a thought that briefly passed through my mind. "What the hell?" "What is that person doing over there?" "What the hell! What the hell! What the hell!" "I¡¯m starting to feel sorry for the enemies." "What the hell, teacher! If this is an advertisement stream, you¡¯re supposed to make people want to y, not make a mad movie all by yourself!" "We¡¯re shocked watching this, how must the people who got attacked feel, hahaha?" "What feelings? They probably feel like they got hit by lightning, hahaha." Meanwhile, in the chat and with Eugene¡¯s team ¡ª excluding Eugene ¡ª a dramatic consensus was forming. It was, of course, the expected oue.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 441 [General] Warning: Do not run ranked games right now, warning issued. "Don''t do it, damn it!" [All Comments][In order of posting] Fact: There are a lot of noobs who don''t know anything and are running ranked games right now, so if you do it now, high ranks will easily park here. Exactly, this is it! Hahahaha [Author] Hahaha, try it once then. Rank is nothing, what''s going on? Is this bastard seriouslying back after having a knife stuck in his head? [Author] Hahaha, damn. Ah, hahahahahaha I wondered why he was so agitated, turns out he was the victim. Is that really the case? I saw it, a Viking, a Goblin, and a big shield, and after two knife stabs, he just liked it and died. He liked it and died (died). No way, two dagger stabs and he dies? How??? Fact: The first attack is usually for mobility lock, so in reality, it''s a one-hit kill. Are you talking about Bi-yam??? [Author] Not him, who else is there, hahahaha. Damn, hahahahaha. I''m watching the stream right now, but this crazy bitch¡¯s every attack is a finishing motion, damn it. If you can''t pierce the armor with a dagger = then you just hit the unprotected areas = if you stab the neck, the person dies. Perfect. If you just bring the theory, no one can''t reach the rank, you crazy bastards. Hahahahaha. It¡¯s really a problem when those idiots actually y. So¡­ does that crazy person do this kind of stuff in real life too? Fact: That¡¯s a reverse correction movement. In reality, why would you use a dagger? Just wield a tomahawk, and swing it, armor and bones all broken. Ah, right. Hahahahahaha. [General] Is that person really using reverse correction? Or is the opponent deliberately going easy on him? I''m a new yer who just started, so my eyes are not great. To me, it just looks like he''s dodging the attacks casually and then quickly getting in and stabbing the opponent. [All Comments][In order of posting] We call that ''adjusting the distance,'' you bastard. Ah, hahahahahahahaha. The game is all about checking the reach of cold weapons, getting in close,nding valid hits, breaking guards, andboing. But this idiot with two tiny daggers charging in, that''s just crazy. Fact: From the opponent''s perspective, this must be incredibly frustrating. Seriously. How do you counter that? You can¡¯t keep swinging your weapon. You have to manage your stamina and keep up the pressure. What else can you do? It¡¯s a game of reading each other and psychological warfare, but he¡¯s diving in without even giving the opponent time to cancel cooldowns. From his line of sight, it looks like he''s dodging everything, doesn''t it? Visual acuity¡­ visual acuity¡­ gulp... If you have overwhelming visual acuity and guts, you don¡¯t even need psychological warfare. Living point: The reason for the gauntlets on both hands is to grab the opponent¡¯s weapon and block it while charging in. Now he grabs weapons too, this crazy bastard. Hahahahahahaha. Earlier, he saw half-swording with his eyes, grabbed the weapon, and countered. He¡¯s just lost his mind. Fact: Already with that weapon, tinum rank. ???????????????? tinum? Hahaha, after his Silver promotion match, he''s on a 6-win streak in the cement matches. But doesn¡¯t that dual dagger build get crushed when it faces arge shield? If you''re up against someone who can jump over shields like a trampoline, then that sneaky move means nothing. Haha, that''s good, I¡¯ll practice jumping over shields with just dual daggers and leather armor. Wow, really? I¡¯ll give you some items and a bit of gold, just give me your nickname, I¡¯m not trying to block you from ranked or anything. Hehe. Damn, Bi-yam, this crazy bastard. If dual dagger users increase because of you, it''s all your fault! "¡­Phew." Boom. A heavy soundes with a pressure from a kick directed at me. A red letter ''B'' flickers above me. The ownership of the area was long taken away about 1 minute and 15 seconds ago, meaning that all my teammates except for me were wiped out at point B about 75 seconds ago. But my daggers never fell from my hands. I avoid the iing weapons with minimal movement, and with brief, precise actions, I umte wounds on my enemies. Even though the area is upied by the enemy, since I¡¯m standing here, the HP recovery function doesn''t trigger. I didn''t consider when my dead allies would respawn. "Surround! Three directions!" "Don¡¯t attack! Slowly grind them down!" To catch one person holding only two daggers, four yers gathered. In front of me, a yer holding arge shield, and right behind them, a Viking warrior with a spear. Assuming the defense angle is 0, a yer holding a naginata is at defense angle 100, and a user with Chinese twin des is blocking at defense angle 230. Among them, I just looked around with half an emotionless expression. No one dares to attack recklessly. If I¡¯m attacked from all directions at once, I¡¯ll be in danger, but I don¡¯t think that will happen. After all, cold weapons vary in size and reach, and unless all of them have spent a lot of time coordinating, when their killing zones ovep, it¡¯ll disrupt their attacks or, at worst, harm their own teammates. That hesitation kept me alive until now. For that reason, there was no need for me to rush. ©¤©¤©¤Whooosh! The first to act was the ss with Chinese twin des¡ªa Great Swordsman. If I remember correctly, that was an uppercut heavy attack. A big downward strike. As I dodged it, footsteps echoed from the other side, and the naginata wielder charged in while the shield user advanced. However, the former was a bit slow, still remembering the harsh lesson I gave them earlier. The Great Swordsman¡¯s attack was especially fast. It must have been a cancel after the heavy attack¡¯s post-dy. As if nothing had happened, after the strong overhead strike ended, the posture immediately shifted, and a stab followed, then the sword was pulled back for a sh across. They were trying their best to think of ways to stop me from getting in¡­ "...Ugh!" Thud! They must not have expected me to throw a dagger at their empty elbow. The elegant green de flew in, deeply embedding itself in the inner side of the elbow, only to exit as the speed overwhelmed it. The angle and position weren¡¯t ideal, and it didn¡¯t stay lodged, but there was no need to worry about that. Golden blood dripped from the elbow. The arm holding the twin des weakened noticeably¡ªthere was a valid hit, and with enemies closing in from the sides, it was time to take a risk. I barely avoided a horizontal sh with my left arm and instantly got behind the enemy. Before the Great Swordsman could turn their body, I grabbed their shoulder with my left hand and pressed close, like a "Friend Shield." "Ugh, damn it..." "Moving won¡¯t be very fun, will it?" That cold warning echoed from behind the Great Swordsman. When I turned around, the left arm I was grabbing with was already immobilized by my right hand, and I had cut through the armpit connecting their right arm and back several times with my dagger. This made their grip on the twin des weak. With the ttering sound of their weapon falling, the enemy was not dead yet. But the shield still held its value. At this point, there was only one way to use the human shield. "Ugh, ahhh!" The armor¡¯s armpit gap. The exposed corbone. My right dagger pierced through repeatedly. Although it was pre-recorded, the short screams and cutting sounds, as realistic as possible, echoed, and their HP rapidly fell. But they weren''t fully dead yet. Watching the speed of the HP drop, I continued to suppress the enemy who couldn¡¯t do anything. In closebat, what mattered most was... what situation you presented to the opponent. The moment you psychologically overwhelm them, even with numerical superiority, the battle doesn¡¯t immediately tip in your favor. After inserting the dagger deep into their thigh and twisting the handle to widen the wound, I kicked the Great Swordsman into the naginata user. "Ugh!" "...Ugh..."@@novelbin@@ The moment their vision blurred, the naginata¡¯s swordy, closely tied to the martial arts, became almost useless. After throwing the body aside, I began running. The distance between us was about 6 meters. No matter how much reverse correction was applied, I could close that gap in about a second. Still, judging by the high tier of the opponent, they prepared a counter as soon as they saw me running. The distance was too close. In other words, while they couldn''t swing the naginata, it was an ideal distance for me to strike with my elbow. ©¤©¤©¤ Thunk! "¡­!" "Ahh!" I got a clean hit. Of course, it was on me. My head swayed. HP drained¡ªhowever, at that moment, the dagger in my right hand was no longer there. It was simple. I responded to the counter with my own, and the naginata wielder''s right arm was already torn apart. A 27cm-long de had cut through their arm and lodged deep into it. The next step was simple. I turned around, gripped their neck tightly, and twisted it. "Ugh!" Crack! With a strange sensation in my arm, the Great Swordsman and the naginata user copsed in unison, their bodies breaking apart into polygon fragments. They would likely return with the same weapons after about a minute. It took around 15 seconds to take down both of them. There were still two more left, but I didn''t particrly care. Several footsteps approached. They were from my allies. "A bitte, but now it¡¯s bnced again." What exactly is "bnced"? That¡¯s the kind of expression on my face. The two yers, one holding arge shield and the other with a spear, watched me collect the two daggers that had fallen to the ground, with a nk expression on their faces. Behind them, the sound of the ground shaking grew louder as the four yers who had respawned after losing in the earlier skirmish arrived. "This time will be different from before." I spoke with a tone that suggested I had never seen such abat stance in Glory and Honor before. I looked at the two in front of me. One thing was certain: a terrifying time was about toe. "Good job." "Thank you, teacher!" "I¡¯m really d we¡¯re on the same team!" Hahahahahahahahaha What kind of reaction is that? Hahahahaha Ah, they¡¯re probably not going to y ranked anymore today. Hahaha. Making both the enemy and allies give up on ranked with just one match. Eugene, the rank suppressor... damn, please stop ying so well. After the game ended, countless messages of gratitude came in. As expected, K/D ratios and the best ys were highlighted. I checked mine¡ªduring this match, I had killed 15 yers, but I didn¡¯t die even once, surviving until the end of the ranked match. It was to be expected. The thought of dying was simply not something I entertained. Of course, separate from that, the post I saw during the ranked match, ¡°If you have good physicals, duo requests flood in,¡± strangely didn¡¯t apply to me. Rather, it felt like a new meme was emerging. Living point: Eugene, the rank suppressor meme = means that yers who end up on the same team as Euger avoid ranked because they don¡¯t want to meet him in the enemy team, and the enemies give up ranked because their motivation is crushed. "¡­Glory and Honor Great Sword Prosecutor, thank you for the donation. You didn¡¯t have to mention that part." Then when should we do it? Ah, hahahahahaha. What martial arts can this person not do? Krav Maga, Kali, Arnis, Capoeira, Systema¡ªhe can do it all. Ah, that¡¯s Eugene. Fact: He hasn¡¯t even yed 20 matches yet. He needs to get to at least Grandmaster for thepetitive matches to make sense. Hahahaha. Not knowing whether or not they understood my troubled feelings, the next phrases that popped up told me that I had just been promoted to tinum 2. This marked the end of the sixth cement match. If I had won all ten matches, I would have reached tinum 1, with four matches still left to go. It was unbelievable to be already at the maximum possible tier, but there was one additional factor to consider. Kill count. As expected, MMR rises simply by winning, but the system also considers how much you contributed to the game¡¯s victory¡ªthis is true not only in this game but in most ranked systems. As a result, my K/D ratio was hovering around 15.6. ''Since the denominator is zero, strictly speaking, it¡¯s infinite, but writing that down would be ridiculous¡­'' Anyway, aside from that, the ally who had barely managed to catch their breath looked at me cautiously and asked. "...Are you nning to start the next ranked match immediately?" "Want to request a duo?" "Ah, well¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. If we end up in the same team again, it might be a bit scary, so¡­ It would be nice to meet again, but there''s no guarantee..." ...I thought as much. Back when I was ying Dark Zone and AP ranks, after each match ended, an endless amount of duo requests would flood in. But it seems that¡¯s not the case here. Anyway, apart from that, staying stuck at the lower tiers felt a bit off, so... I nned to climb as fast as possible while my staminasted. If my concentration dropped, I¡¯d stop and maybe try out some weapons I hadn¡¯t used yet. Just as I thought that, a sudden realization hit me. "...Is this really an advertisement stream?" Advertisement (Meaning I¡¯ll show the world how to kill enemies.) Ah, teacher, that¡¯s not an advertisement, that¡¯s called execution! It¡¯s funny, but the viewers... hahahahaha. If they join because of what he¡¯s doing, they¡¯re probably a bit weird, huh? I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an advertisement stream, but this streamer is threatening me with a knife??? ...Anyway, you fools. Anyway, they say as long as you get to Seoul, it doesn¡¯t matter how you get there, so if this works as advertising, then that¡¯s good enough for me. Though it was a bit of strange self-justification, I headed back to the lobby and started the ranked match queue once again without much thought. "Anyway, today, I¡¯ll go as high as I can." Until then, I wouldn¡¯t stop daggering. It was just 4 hours ago in-game, after I shattered the Diamond promotion match and hit Diamond 1. Chapter 442 "Yourspace''s real-time search shows Eugene-sensei trending again, and this time, you were filming CQC amidst all sorts of long cold weapons." A voice that sounded like "I knew it."@@novelbin@@ At the end of the gaze, the video list of Yourspace was changing in real-time. New trending search terms were appearing, and videos rted to those keywords were showing up, regardless ofnguage. Each thumbnail was strange in its own way. In the background, Eugene was swinging his knife in various poses, and in front of him, the channel manager of the Yourspace channel was exining this and that about the video. Behind him, there were some English words written in a pretty tacky font. Roughly tranting the content... "Users who have actually worked in SOF evaluate Eugene¡¯s knife fighting..." ...I wonder if he got permission from the person involved. Well, it didn¡¯t really matter to Harmony. The rank-climbing stream, which also served as an advertisement, had been broadcast about two days ago, and in that time, other people had ample opportunity to make videos. Besides, if Eugene hadn¡¯t given permission, the video would have been deleted anyway. In other words, Harmony herself could just wait and watch the result of others¡¯ analysis before the video vanished. It wasn¡¯t ideal to build views for others, but whatever. She could always buy Eugene a giftter. With that thought, she clicked on the video. The English subtitles streamed in a flood, but with the help of real-time trantion, there was no problem understanding the content, and soon, she was engrossed in the video with a curious gaze. "Before getting into proper analysis, let me first say that, up until now, it¡¯s hard to confirm exactly what martial arts Eugene has based his knife fighting on. The reason is simple. The number of attacks is just too low. When it''s a lot, there are multiple hits, but when it''s few, it''s only two." "But one thing is for sure, she always uses the same routine in every battle. First, she disables the opponent¡¯s mobility, and then, to guarantee a kill, she always aims for vital points at the end. And this is even more pronounced due to the existence of armor." "Additionally, depending on the opponent¡¯s weapon and armor, she changes her attack position. But as you can see, most of her attacks target the upper body, which is difficult to pierce with just a dagger. Therefore, Eugene¡¯s attack position is quite limited." Simultaneously, various attack points were highlighted. The unprotected areas such as the armpits, the boundary of the arm, the neck, and other joint areas¡ªthis was problematic because all of these zones could disable the victim in an instant if struck properly. Unlike other games, Glory and Honor had a system where damage was more detailed as the yer¡¯s game mode became more hardcore. For example, if you injure an arm, the opponent¡¯s ability to use it bes difficult, and if you injure a leg, their mobility decreases. In other words, unlike the Dark Zone that provided material bonuses, Glory and Honor provided gamey-rted advantages, though these were overshadowed by the insurmountable penalty of having to physically move your body to capture enemies. Now, that system was showing its impact. "But that doesn''t mean she never uses other weapons. For example, when facing heavily armored knight sses, sometimes she puts the dagger in its case and picks up a fallen weapon." "What we can deduce from this is that wrapping yourself up tightly to prevent the dagger from piercing isn¡¯t a bad choice against Eugene, but the problem is, including the helmet, wrapping yourself up like this leads to enormous stamina loss. And as I mentioned earlier, she doesn''t just use daggers." "Anyway, let''s go back to the beginning... let¡¯s check where she¡¯s attacking." Armpits, thighs, corbone, neck, and others. The exnation in the video quickly shifted to an anatomical perspective, describing the effects of severing the muscles and nerves in the areas Eugene most frequently attacks. As expected, Eugene¡¯s y footage was included as a bonus. The first spot was the armpit. Specifically, the junction of the arm and armpit, a vulnerable area that cannot be blocked except by chainmail. When the knife pierces here, the expected damage was summarized simply: the arm bes useless, and there¡¯s a hole in the lung. In Glory and Honor, stamina recovery slows dramatically, and the yer enters a state of continuous HP loss. "Next is the thigh. Of course, viewers who watched the stream saw the blood spurt out when she stabbed this spot. It''s no surprise¡ªshe cut the femoral artery. Not only that, but she also pierced the adductor and quadriceps, which makes it impossible to move." "What happens next? Naturally, they bleed to death in under 2 minutes. The same goes for the corbone and neck. Once the subvian artery or carotid artery is severed, it¡¯s a countdown to death. The carotid artery is a 15-second timer." "Also, the dagger Eugene uses is a bit tricky to categorize, measuring 27cm in length... If that pierced the corbone area vertically, it would reach the upper lung. Of course, it¡¯s unlikely Eugene considered that. But anyway, if you sessfully strike a vital point, they die anyway." "¡­No wonder I can''t lose when fighting against Dice or anyone else." Harmony¡¯s mind drifted to memories of the past. It wasst year, during the AP tournament preparations. They had limited their physical abilities to 10% of their original, and under the guise of buying a treat for whoever won, a 1v1 match took ce. Participants included Dice, Harmony, and some national representatives. And, naturally, no one could defeat Eugene. She had impressed everyone with the idea that physical abilities were just an afterburner, and the only thing to rely on was battle sense and umted experience... But where is the afterburner that never shuts off? ¡®...In the end, she bought us all dinner though.¡¯ Regardless, Harmony''s hand hovered for a moment in the air, but then she brushed aside the virtual reality sofa, slumping her body back. That wasn¡¯t the point. Though she had followed Eugene''s curriculum while ying Dark Zone and gained skills that far exceeded those of others, this was just something else. There are things people can imitate and things they cannot. Therefore, instead of ying Glory and Honor, Harmony entered Eugene¡¯s streaming channel, nced at the Diamond 1 patch shining on his leather armor, and clicked into the donation section. Typing out a message, she entered a generous 100,000 KRW and hit send. With the chime of a notification, arge donation alert popped up. "Hehe." Harmony chuckled softly. "Teacher, you''re burying everyone you face in the grave today too. Looking great, fighting spirit!" "...The first part and the second part don¡¯t match at all." Hahahahahaha Damn, hahahahaha The second part seems like it was addedter to avoid a lecture. Hahaha And people are donating 100,000 KRW for this, hahahahahaha "Wow, here¡¯s someoneing to crush ranks with just two daggers. I''m a fan. Always enjoy your streams!" "Wow, look at that K/D ratio¡­ 17.4? How many people do you kill per match?" "Nice to meet you. Since it''s a promotion match, I¡¯ll try not to be a burden." Wow, finally reaching Master promotion. It¡¯s been a long road, hahahahaha (not really). What¡¯s long? It took less than 3 days to get to Diamond 1, hahahahahaha. Damn, Eugene, your humility is borderline ridiculous. Living point: This person actually got 30 kills in a match yesterday. Clink. The five match counters appeared in front of me. If I win 3 out of these 5 matches, or 4 wins, the patch on my shoulder will turn from Diamond to Master. However, if I lose 3 out of 5, I¡¯ll drop to Diamond 2. It didn¡¯t matter that much. After all, the fact that I can win as long as I kill all the visible enemies doesn¡¯t change with the tier. Still, it¡¯s hard to say that I¡¯ve never lost before, so I needed to remain humble. Though that "loss" from before had a huge aftermath... "...Are we going to start using executioners if we screw up in this match?" "Executioners? What are you talking about? At that time, I just pushed harder because I saw the other person was struggling." Push harder (beat all the opponents). And still lost, that¡¯s legendary. Seriously, three out of six dodged, and Bi-yam wasn¡¯t even holding a gun, how could we win? Fact: We almost won for real. With this, Eugene has proven that even in Diamond, he can carry at least 3 teammates. I feel wronged. When I think back to yesterday¡­ it happened in August, a month after the heavy rains started, and coincidentally, three of my ranked teammates were from the same connection hub. And, as luck would have it, a backhoe digging underground fiber cables in the area cut through them. The fiber cable warning signs were all over, but due to the excessive rain in July, most of the panels were lost. Add to that a smallndslide nearby, and well, that''s how it happened. "Anyway, we ended up getting the LP reward back." "Of course." "And for this match, we¡¯ll be making Eugene-sensei the main dealer, so we¡¯ll adjust theposition ordingly. Looking forward to working together in this match." "...You don¡¯t think I¡¯m the carry machine, right?" "Of course." Naturally, I didn¡¯t believe that. "You¡¯re a killing machine¡ªAh!" "I knew it." Of course, the person who miscalcted where to show their courage was kicked in the shin before the game even started. Anyway, now, I was quite used to this situation¡ªonce the teamposition was decided, you pick who goes to the front and who sets up defense, adjusting the formation ordingly. This became moremon the higher the tier. Before the game starts, there¡¯s enough time to observe your teammates¡¯ records, checking their abilities¡ªthat¡¯s when you spot someone like me, making history with just two daggers. "The map is Gate. The support goes to A, and the rest rush B. After handling the minions, be careful not to get caught in the rush or grabs, and once the enemy activates their rage, the two shields should hold off until it wears off. Otherwise, handle it individually." "Got it." "Let¡¯s go." Rage ¨C a skill that fully restores HP for about 15 seconds, and once it expires, HP starts disappearing again. I never really mentioned this until now¡­ why? Well, was there a reason to? Every enemy I faced either bled out or died instantly before they could even use it, so it was hard to witness. Now, ustomed to the sound of the horn, I began the charge. From across the field, dozens of blue minions rushed forward, and as expected, the massive gate above the cliff, connecting to a giant castle, was the map area. Ping! "Whoa." "Did you just dodge that arrow with your reaction speed?" "I almost got hit." Anyway, you dodged it, hahahahaha. I¡¯m going crazy, hahahahaha. Living point: The max speed of the arrow is about 240 km/h, Eugene can dodge it. Though, once again, Eugene didn¡¯t miss a beat and began responding with his own tactics. The game was on. The charge started with the familiar sound of the horn. On the other side, dozens of blue minions rushed forward, and as expected, the map, which was named "Gate," was a huge passageway on a cliff with a river flowing beneath it ¡ª a massive route leading to a giant castle. The sh was imminent, and we only had 10 seconds to meet the enemy. Sending the minions first, I slowed down. The enemies on the other side did the same. The minions'' HP was set low, so within about 20 seconds, more than half of them would be wiped out. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤ Ping! "Whoa." "Did you just dodge that arrow with your reaction speed?" "I almost got hit, but yeah." But you dodged it, hahahahaha. I¡¯m losing my mind, hahahahaha. Living point: The maximum speed of the arrow is about 240 km/h. Eugene can dodge that easily. What do you expect from someone watching a shuttlecock trajectory up close? Iunched an overcharged special assassination skill, and Eugene just dodged it, hahahaha. Overcharge ¨C a special ability that allows you to use one of the special moves from the start. The opponent, however, didn¡¯t show any sign of panic and began adopting a defensive stance. But seeing them immediately counter with a sharp jab, I couldn¡¯t help but feel the urge to respond. I quickly nced at my feet, making sure I was wearing the thinnest greaves and sabatons, so nothing would interfere with my movements. I figured my ankles wouldn¡¯t give out... so, with that thought, I kicked the crossguard of an arming sword, which was lying conveniently over a minion¡¯s corpse. The sword flew upwards, and the pommel of the sword collided with my foot with a loud ng. Unfortunately, the arming sword''s trajectory ended on a shield. The sword had been redirected just before it could pierce the abdomen of one of the enemies, bouncing off with a ng as it was knocked to the side. What a shame. "If I had been a little quicker, I could have sent one of them home." "...Was that also a special move?" "No, I just tried it once." ??: "I just tried to kill once." Glory and Honor needs to give Eugene the Grandmaster tier immediately!!!!!! Who¡¯s trying to send someone home with a crossbow shot, and then do a crazy attack like that? Hahahahaha. This person always tries something when they think it''s possible, and somehow it works. Hahaha. Giving what you get, huh? Hahahaha. It was truly unfortunate. Still, we exchanged a few subtle jabs, so now, I thought, the pleasantries were over. With that in mind, I spun my dagger in my hand. "Let¡¯s go." The weather was truly clear. It was a perfect day to end someone''s life. Chapter 443 There is something that people often confuse. Although it¡¯s been difficult for me to count the number of struggles and hardships I¡¯ve faced, let alone summarize them, the essence of it all is simple: the illusion that I could ovee any difficulty, that I was some sort of superhuman. But an illusion, of course, means that it is not true. As you would expect, I¡¯ve encountered countless hardships, and I could refute this notion with one fact alone: if I hadn¡¯t had the Icarus Gear, I might have died more than five times by now. However, at least in this world, there was no chance for me to offer such an excuse, and I never really cared about it. But now, if I were to y a game that I had never touched before, like this one... the truth is, I too could easily fall into danger. But what if I could ovee such hardships? ©¤©¤©¤Kkaang! "Damn it." "I¡¯ll inform the team! The enemy is... performing acrobatics and ughtering teammates!" The answer was simple. Pain that cannot break me will only forge me stronger. If I were to rephrase the illusion that I could ovee every difficulty, it would be somewhat embarrassing to say this myself, but¡ªessentially, it was the same as saying I was perfect. And of course, this was an absurd statement in many ways. In other words, I am not perfect. And to put it in another way¡ª "Even I, and my skills, can still take another step forward." I¡¯ll take another step forward. To put it simply, while ying Glory and Honor, my skills were improving more than they had before. When you think about it, this wasn¡¯t an impossible feat. I didn¡¯t have any concrete proof, but just a few days ago, I was ying without knowing the maps or the sses properly¡ªjust that alone was evidence of my growth. In other words, that¡¯s no longer the case. As soon as I seriously entered thepetitive scene of Glory and Honor, it was only natural that I would start to physically and mentally absorb all kinds of new information¡ªsuch as the detailed structures of maps, shortcuts, the characteristics of each ss, weapon ranges, and effective attack points, among countless other data. If I were to summarize naively, I suppose you could call this tips for getting better at the game, but... I¡¯m not sure. Could I reallypress all of this into the soft words of ¡®tips¡¯ when it was actually continuous training to kill people faster and more easily, and the muscle memory I built through that? ©¤©¤©¤Kaga-kak! "Ugh¡­!" "Blocking this with a dagger¡­!" The 2-meter-long Japanese katana, which was already well over a person¡¯s height, caused the air to crack as it swung, but then, it came to a stop at a point in mid-air. It was a sh of strength. The de of the nodachi, which glistened with sunlight, reflected the surroundings like a mirror. Yet, despite the de that seemed capable of cutting everything, it couldn¡¯t even reach the ground, barely stopping in the air. The two dagger des crossed in an X shape, blocking the nodachi. The opponent¡¯s overhead strong attack was blocked by just two daggers. From their perspective, it must have been incredibly frustrating, but if they knew the invisible effort I had put in to block it, they could never call it cheating. For example, as I blocked the de with my daggers, I also lowered my posture sharply, almost kneeling on one knee. "Ugh¡­!" If I had tried to block the first attack with all my strength head-on, my daggers would have been shattered, and this fragile body protected only by leather armor would likely have been cleaved in half starting from my left shoulder. But that didn¡¯t happen. I managed to disperse the impact and let some of it flow into the ground. As a result, the samurai before me, despite exerting all their strength with veins popping from their eyes, couldn¡¯t cleave me in half¡ªa trick I had learned from taking overhead strong attacks from other sses several times. Now, it was my turn. "¡­!" Lowered center of gravity, and the angle of the wrist. In other words, it was the perfect moment tounch forward. Just by quickly adjusting the angle of my wrist, I was able to deflect the vertically falling sword sideways. If my opponent had recovered the sword and made another overhead attack or created some distance, it might have been quite troublesome for me, but they failed to execute that move, trying to thrust and missing their chance. That was the opportunity I was going to use. Long weapons are excellent for keeping enemies at bay and are powerful, but if the enemy manages to get inside or fails to hit, a huge opening is created. In other words, the moment I got inside, it was toote. My opponent hastily removed their hands from the nodachi and attempted a barehanded attack, but to my surprise, the samurai didn¡¯t even have gauntlets on. This meant that my two daggers could easily turn their arms into ornaments, and lifting 500kg in a deadlift would be easier than this. Of course, my personal deadlift record is 1870kg. "Ugh, Kaha, ugh!" After piercing one arm, I did the same to the other. As therge nodachi ttered to the floor, my right dagger was lodged in their left arm, and my left dagger pierced their right arm. I pushed them all the way, and my opponent was helplessly shoved back, eventually reaching the side of B. As I¡¯ve mentioned before, this map led to arge gate in the castle, and it was also a tall pavilion built over a river¡ªmeaning that the side of B was essentially a cliff. I didn¡¯t want them to feel the sensation of falling, though, so after exchanging a brief look with the defeated yer, I swiftly drove my dagger into their neck. With their carotid artery and spinal cord severed in one strike, they were likely ejected to the respawn screen as if the film had been cut. As their body copsed, turning into golden light and disappearing, I looked at the ongoing battle at B. Before long, an approaching ally added: "¡­It seems like the choice to focus on Eugene-sensei was the right one." "I knew you¡¯d say that." The enemy was trying to send a separate squad to fiercely capture points A and C, but in the end, the big decisions were always made at the middle point. I adjusted my daggers and added: "Let¡¯s go." There was no time to stop. The Master promotion battle still wanted more of the enemy¡¯s blood. ©¤©¤©¤ Who¡¯s ying for the Master rank right now??? ??? What¡¯s going on? Meanwhile, somewhere in Seoul. In a room that looked undeniably modern, a figure raised their body from a bed separated by partitions andy back down. At the same time, countless messages floated up to the ceiling. It was as though augmented reality pop-ups were appearing on the connection device. Amidst the messages, the word "Triton" appeared prominently on the wall. There was no need to exin what it was¡ªTriton was the esports team to which several pro gamers in the room belonged. yers who only yed Dark Zone might not have recognized the name, and it was understandable. Every team had its reasons for founding or disbanding specific gaming squads, and their main focus was on different games. In other words, they had nothing to do with Dark Zone and were primarily focusing on Glory and Honor. "I was trying to rank up quickly at the start of the season, but what is this nonsense¡­" "Why, did you meet someone?" "No, it¡¯s not that¡­" It was literally a murderous intent. Just a few minutes ago, he had taken that hit head-on. As a Glory and Honor yer and pro gamer, he had killed countless enemies, and at the same time, had died numerous times. Naturally, he had been beaten to death by countless weapons, and he had also sent enemies to the respawn screen with an overwhelming variety of weapons. But he had never encountered an opponent like this. He had literally been killed without being able to lift a hand or a foot. While he had previously felt overwhelmed in fights against stronger or equally skilled yers, this was apletely different level. If he had to put it into words, it was like: "...I felt like one of those guards from a movie or game who gets stabbed with a knife." Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of his thoughts. What left the deepest impression on him was that the one who sliced him up was none other than Eugene. Who was she? Even if you didn¡¯t y Dark Zone, if you were Korean, you would¡¯ve at least heard her name once... she was a celebrity in some sense, and perhaps the strongest individual in South Korea. The rumors about her being a former special forces member had even reached him, someone who wasn¡¯t too familiar with Dark Zone, but he never imagined that she would handle daggers with such an absurd level of skill. When she announced that she would be streaming Glory and Honor, he might have thought it would just bring a little attention, but now, he couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore. Even if she eventually went pro or not. So, with a sigh, he dived back into virtual reality and sent a message. [JASON: Coach] [JASON: What¡¯s the guaranteed way to beat someone who uses two daggers???] And attached thebat footage. He wondered what exactly he was sending, but honestly, he couldn¡¯t think of any better answer.@@novelbin@@ The curriculum he had learned over time ran through his head. When thinking rationally, no matter how many daggers the opponent held, there were countless melee weapons that had a longer reach. In theory, at least 90% of the time, he should win against a dagger-wielder. The remaining 10% was considering scenarios where he died due to bad luck in a chaotic battle, not a one-on-one fight. In short, he shouldn¡¯t have lost. But he did. What could he do? [TrTn: Is he really just messing around again?] [TrTn: Who the hell did you fight?] [JASON: That huge streamer who came to promote Glory and Honor recently] [JASON: The guy who¡¯s ranked number one in the world from next door] A brief silence. However, the response wasn¡¯t a text message. Instead, a session request popped up in front of him. It was the coach of Triton, using the nickname TrTn. Jason quickly pressed the ept button, and soon a new participant joined the session. Suddenly, the coach squeezed into the yer¡¯s session, sat on the sofa, and activated the VR beam projector. Just minutes ago, the battle was being analyzed from all angles. With first-person, third-person views, and a flying camera, the coach began to scrutinize the attack from every angle. After five minutes, he took a deep breath and added: "Why do you think you lost? Tell me your thoughts." "¡­Well, I guess the mistake was that I tried to fake an overhead attack with a kick and it was read." "I think it was already being read from earlier." "What?" Without adding further, TrTn precisely pinpointed where Eugene¡¯s gaze had been throughout the match. The focus was between the feet and the de. This allowed Eugene to predict how far Jason would advance and how much additional range his ymore would have when hitting, maintaining a distance that was always avoidable. She didn¡¯t even try to block. Of course, Jason knew this as well. In the first ce, to hit with a dagger, he had to step into the range of a great sword''s attack, so he mixed several attacks and feints, waiting for Eugene to approach. But, "You didn¡¯t read it, did you? No, there was no standard assist motion, so you couldn¡¯t have read it. You were deliberately trying to create an opening, but the opponent closed in much faster than you expected. Am I right?" "Yeah, you got it." "But that¡¯s not the point. Even if you failed in that mind game, that alone doesn¡¯t exin everything." At the same time, the coach paused the screen. Jason had attempted a kick, and as he lifted his left leg, Eugene spun around and dodged, then shoved a dagger into his thigh and shed upwards. As the dagger hit the outside of Jason''s thigh, it sliced through the muscle fibers. Before he could react, his left leg gave out and he copsed. The moment the de sank into his neck, he was ejected to the respawn screen. Normally, body damage would be converted into a loss of HP, but since it didn¡¯t, it meant... "¡­Could it be?" "Could it be? It¡¯s no joke." He sighed briefly and added: "If that person¡¯s on the opposing team, you should always kite with a shield and try to conserve stamina while blocking. Don¡¯t expose your thighs, and wear something that doesn¡¯t expose your skin except for your neck if you can." "Got it. I¡¯ll manage my stamina well." "Yeah. Don¡¯t get caught up in the weapon they¡¯re using. Once they control the distance on their terms, the weapon reach bes a secondary factor." "Understood." As the brief silence lingered, Jason suddenly added: "By the way, I watched a stream yesterday... that person threw daggers too." "That¡¯s the most ridiculous thing I¡¯ve heard so far." He didn¡¯t think that she hade here to aim for the top. But the thought crossed his mind, and with the unspoken words hanging in the air, time passed. Chapter 444 "It seems like as I¡¯ve climbed higher, a few people with some awareness are starting to show up." "Teacher, if you''re going to say that, at least let me die once and then praise me." "F*ck, the guy who¡¯s never been sent to the respawn screen while ying ranked games is talking like this, lol." "If I¡¯ve reached Master rank with 335 points in just 4 days, I think I¡¯ve earned the right to say something like this." "But seriously, how is this person¡¯s rank going up so fast? Don¡¯t you usually need to y at least a few hundred matches to rank up? This person¡¯s yed around 120 matches in 4 days and is already at the top of Master rank." "Wouldn''t the speed at which your MMR rises be different between someone who just does the bare minimum and someone who gets 15 kills every match? lol." It had been 4 days since the Glory and Honor promotional stream. Of course, this was just a description of the current situation. If I were to be more precise, I should have questioned whether I was really promoting the game correctly after the stream ended... But fortunately, this was not a significant issue. The reason was simple. As I mentioned before, even if it was a strange way to advertise, some viewers who watched my Glory and Honor stream eventually got drawn into the game. Concurrent viewers increased by about 170,000, and the ratio of users who just yed once was quite low.@@novelbin@@ In short, the results were more encouraging than the staff at Icarus International expected for Glory and Honor. ¡®If I had only yed a few normal matches and shut it off, it wouldn¡¯t have had much effect...¡¯ The conditions necessary for the advertisement to work were simple. It¡¯s better if the exposure time is long, if the content of the ad is interesting, and if it¡¯s shown to a lot of people. That¡¯s why manypanies use increasingly stylish and sophisticated methods to advertise their products to a wider audience. If I applied those three factors to my stream, I didn¡¯t need to worry much about the exposure time or the number of viewers. Honestly, there was no need to say this, but my stream was... a hot spot where at least a million viewers flocked in as soon as it was turned on. I heard thatpanies wanting to insert ads during my stream were offering insane amounts of money to the Icarus headquarters, managing Tricky. They wereing in and out several times a day... Anyway, to get back on track, the important point was that the content of the ad had to be interesting. As I said earlier, regr games... might not be boring, but if I stayed there, over time, I, my opponent, and the viewers would all lose interest. It would get boring, and soon enough, people would start telling me to stop farming low-level yers. So, it was only natural for me to focus on ranked matches where I could showcase my skills, engage in tense battles, and demonstrate all my physical abilities. This was not only a logical choice for me to find my own skill, but also a highly sessful choice in terms of advertising. Moreover¡ª "Heh!" ©¤©¤©¤Bang! It felt surprisingly fun to move my body again after a while. In the end, I had to move my body to refresh my mind and body¡ªof course, moving my body meant sending someone to the grave. After all the hell I went through in New York, my dopamine and reward system had adapted in a way that I could find refreshment not only through interaction with others but also through... this rather wild method. It could be called a form of PTSD, but in a positive light... I guess I could call it a career disease. But of course, that would never do. Thinking this, I dodged a polearm flying toward me. The ground shattered as the polearm struck, and debris scattered around. I thought about diving in but noticed that the opponent quickly backed off, scrambling to gain distance. Of course, the fact that they were wearing thick armor meant there wasn¡¯t much chance for my dagger to get through. "I think I¡¯ve only met that yer about three times in ranked matches, but each time, their weapons and armor seem to get thicker." "If they¡¯re wearing thick armor and wielding a long weapon with reach, they¡¯re probably dead." "I think I know why, Be-Yam-sseong. Lol." "Why does this person always change the meta of the game solo, haha." "Living point) During the Asia qualifiers in the past, the meta quickly shifted to a ranged one because of this guy." "They¡¯ve probably been stabbed in the neck every time, so it makes sense!" Of course, despite saying this, I didn¡¯t deny the past. It was still my doing. The reason things turned out this way was very simple. Given the nature of the Master tier I had reached, the answer to this question was easy¡ªthose users who now faced me with swords and spears no longer had the basic skills to just view the game as just a game. The people I meet in matchmaking are mostly recluses, serious pro gamers preparing for the future, or even those running YouSpace channels dedicated to Glory and Honor. So, there¡¯s no shortage of time for each of us to analyze one another. Once a match is made, the opposing team goes into full panic mode. "No, it wasn¡¯t like this until recently. Why are there so many tanky yers this week... I¡¯m about to smash their turtle shells." "Ah, it¡¯s probably because of me." "Ah..." Our eyes met, and my ally nodded with a slightly awkward expression, as if they understood. Naturally, this person might also be an opponent after this match. Although they had chosen a rtively light ss for now, if they weren¡¯t on my team, I¡¯d probably face them wearing full te armor, just like the enemy team. But, of course, that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t kill them. "¡­It looks like there¡¯s nowhere for a de to enter except the face. How are you carrying that around?" "There¡¯s always a way." "Except the face," they said. Glory and Honor was a game that aimed for some realism, and if you wore a helmet that covered your face, your visibility would naturally be limited. You also had to consider the stamina usage due to the weight of the helmet. So, those who wore heavy armor would either use helmets with clear visors or shields to protect their heads, thergest and most vital area. But, from my perspective, the most important thing was whether or not there was a spot to strike. Once the prerequisite conditions were met, the key question was how much effort was needed tond a blow to the vital point, and I judged the opponent¡¯s skill based on how much mental maneuvering, counters, and fakes were involved. For example¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Clink! "Whoa¡­!" "Oh." "Whoa, he dodged that by rolling, lol." "He just backs out if he feels something¡¯s off, dang." "This guy¡¯s got some experience, lol." "He should just dive in, lol." "That¡¯s not dodging, he¡¯s twisting his whole body, lol, hahaha." When I tried to close in at a crucial moment, my opponent felt the danger and literally... threw their body back. Behind them was a steep slope made of stairs, and they fell with a loud thud, making strange sounds as theynded. I could have chased them, but there were enemy reinforcements waiting below, and two of them raisedrge shields to hold their ground. The number of shield users was increasing more and more. Over 90% of the matches I yed today had been filled with shields. Out of six enemy yers, five were holding shields. It wasn¡¯t a good sign, but as I always say, how could I only fight in the ces I wanted and with the opponents I chose? It was better to try all possible methods, as it would be mentally beneficial. And of course, it was a good opportunity to try out a new skill I had recently learned. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! A sword rolled at my feet and I kicked it hard, making it spin rapidly through the air. The sound of metal shing. It was blocked by a shield, but we were on higher ground, and around us were the disappearing bodies of minions and the armoring swords they had dropped. "Let¡¯s see if I can advance." There were sses that used crossbows and others that threw chain scythes. But these were the ones who were in front, using a one-handed sword to push the enemy back, and I felt my mental energy slowly draining away. The world was truly a strange ce. [Alert: Duelist A - Left trapezius injury. Left arm unusable.] [Alert: Duelist B - Right forearm severed. Right hand unusable.] [Alert: Duelist A - Hit to the sr plexus with handlecap. Breathing stopped for 3 seconds.] . "Enough." Pop! And with that, the holograms disappeared. The two soldiers, who had been holding daggers that could slice bone and flesh in one strike, vanished without a trace. In their hands, they held what looked like weighted handles. The two yers who had fought with single daggers looked at the list of injuries. If this had been a realbat situation, the oue would have been evident. Unsurprisingly, both of them were listed as dead, either fromcerations or blood loss. After a brief round of apuse, Laurentina calmly spoke up. "That was a good demonstration. Well done... Now, let¡¯s move on. What everyone here just witnessed was what can happen when two people wielding daggers face off against each other. We won¡¯t go into the specifics of this part¡ª" Swipe. A multitude of weapons appeared. However, they looked far more gruesome than expected, and they wereposed of items that could easily be found nearby¡ªwooden spears, door-cut shields, fire axes, hastily made scythes, ckjack weapons, and crude iron maces. When the operators from the UDT saw this lineup, they instinctively understood¡ªwhat would they do if they had to face these instead of daggers? They were supposed to perform counter-terrorism operations and the like, but they couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of facing situations like this in the future. Guns, after all, were just tools that consumed ammunition, and without resupply, they could turn into nothing more than heavy lumps of metal. Laurentina smiled brightly as she reyed the video. "Though this example is slightly different from the one shown earlier, I¡¯ve secured some pretty goodbat footage that I¡¯d like to share with everyone here. Please pay close attention." And with that, the video of the youngest member, Eugene¡¯sbat, yed. At the unexpected sight that filled the screen, everyone was silently rattled, but Laurentina didn¡¯t bother to correct it¡ªslowly, but decisively, Eugene¡¯s dagger pierced the enemy¡¯s vital point with perfect precision. That alone could quiet everyone in the room. More detailed data came in, showing where Eugene¡¯s gaze was focused, how they measured distances, where and how to strike, and how tond a fatal blow in urgent situations... it was real-world information that could be directly applied. Foot movements, stride, dagger trajectories, and even the natural transitions in grip. A brave soul finally spoke up. "So, is the person rumored to be Eugene¡¯s sessor here?" "Heh, noment." No one here didn¡¯t understand what that meant. Despite no direct conversation, every operator in the room quickly began analyzing the footage through their eyes. The theory and practical application had to be learned through training, but even just watching it could provide valuable insights. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t something they couldn¡¯t replicate. The video clearly stated at the bottom: "This video was recorded with user adjustments." After about 10 minutes of footage, opinions began to be exchanged. "The armor limited the attack points, but the way they transitioned between offense and defense was so natural, it seems like they had nned the attacks beforehand." "The speed of their grip transitions was fast, and they knew exactly where to strike. They must¡¯ve done an incredible amount of real-life practice." "They have no hesitation in stabbing people. With that level ofposure... I don¡¯t know where they learned it, but it definitely looks like some systematics are mixed in." "Look at where the daggers are hitting. Inner elbows, eyes, behind the knees... all deadly spots." The more you know, the more you see, and the more you see, the more you marvel. It wasn¡¯t just about weapons anymore. The opponent wasn¡¯t just some thug with a weapon¡ªthey were true warriors. If you were to bring them to the past, they could easily wipe out any half-hearted peasant soldiers or conscripts. And yet, Eugene fought them with nothing but two daggers and won after facing them head-on. If I had to summarize how weapons have evolved in one word, it would be "How can we kill an enemy more effectively from a greater distance?" and considering daggers are not meant to fight these clumsy lumps of metal... "Very impressive," they said. "I thought you¡¯d think that." This wasn¡¯t just theory; it was actual, practical data. The fight was based on physical capabilities no ordinary human could replicate, but with the adjustment settings, it was likely much easier to apply in real-world situations than before. Not every operator in the room was expected to reach this level, but after all, special forces soldiers were created to do what others couldn¡¯t, and they were always trained to prepare for countless possibilities that had yet to happen. In contrast to the strong, tough operators in the room, the soft, high-pitchedugh of a small, delicate woman echoed. "Now that we have a good model, it would be great if everyone here could take as much as possible from this session." "Won¡¯t the youngest get mad when they find out?" "Well, I¡¯ll buy them a gift. That should do it." A briefugh arose, and soon, everyone stood up. Laurentina covered the test room with a hologram, and at that moment, holographic grids appeared everywhere, setting up 1v1bat scenarios. With the theory session over, it was time to focus on the practical application. "This course will be tactical knife fighting. Let¡¯s practice until we¡¯refortable." At that moment, the light from the ceiling changed from red to green. Everywhere, sparks flew. It was the moment Eugene¡¯s broadcast triggered an unexpected chemical reaction in apletely different ce. Chapter 445 [General] No, this ranked game is full of fucking backstabbers Weren''t all-rounders the trend untilst season???? Why are there only crazy, fat guys who are all defense-focused all of a sudden? It''s fucking If you don''t have skills, you don''t know, but you slowly push forward while managing your stamina like crazy. Who made this fucking meta popr? [Allments] [Registered in order] -What world of ranked games is this guy talking about?? -Phone ranker ?????? ?[Author] Phone ranker is fucking asshole ?I''ve never seen such a meta before in Diamond 2, you idiot ???? Where did you hear something ande here and pretend to y the game, I''ll kill you ?[Author] What the fuck, you damn idiot, you fucking asshole, you fucking asshole, I''m talking about ranked matches with Master 350 LP or higher ?[Author] You think you can''t beat me just because you have a diamond patch on your shoulder, you piece of shit, even if your stomach hurts, you''ll fight me #6631-262-11 Search for it ?[Author] Come to Citadel by 11, you Jo-pang-mae-nyeon, I''ll break your head 1:1 ?Oh ??????????????????? ?What the fuck, you''re a real man when you change your nickname ???? ?The gay from Dong-gae ran away??????????????????? -There''s nothing but B-sil golf here, but you''re like If you talk about high tiers, no one knows, ??????????????? - No, what''s going on up there ??@@novelbin@@ - Hyung, there''s only phone rank and ???1 in the gallery, but even if you say that, they won''t understand!!! - Thement above is scary ???????????? - It feels so good to see those who talk nonsense being made to shut up with a legal 1:1 match ?????????? - Teacher, I went back and forth between 3~1 untilst season, but this season I want to step on the threshold of Diamond at least once. Please give me some tips ?????????? I''m on 4 right now. What can I do? ?[Author] Shut up and gather people with simr skills and y multi-queue. What can I do? ?[Author] And it hasn''t even been a week since the season started, so how can you y ranked;;; The pros who haven''t even picked up the game yet are probably getting ready for a tough game Ah, really ???? Nah, this is so sweet, you bastard ???? -F*ck, is it still disadvantageous if it''s not a multi-queue? This is a really legendary fucking game, really ?? -That''s because of the crazy Twin Swords that are flying around in the ranks these days ?? ?[Author], are you serious?????? ?I''m a Master 228LP and I got beat up so badly yesterday while ying ranked and just turned into a backstabber. All the kids you''re talking about are victims, so be lenient... ?[Author] F**k, this is ridiculous -[Author] What the heck, even a tiger woulde if I told him to, and the enemy team immediately caught Eugene ?[Author] ?[Author] I won after ying a tough game ??????????????????????????????? ?What? ?That kid was a suicide attempter ?????????????? ?Teacher, running away is not the same as winning ?You''re saying you beat someone who gets 17 kills in one game while wielding two daggers in a match at a level 3 rank? Are you Dorshin???? . . . -[Author] F**k, from now on, I''m going to carry a sword and a shield too... . [General] Master, Geuma, and Chall Top Tier Named/Notable Users Collection (As of 0810) Nice to meet you, Shibalums Anyway, 99% of the gallums here won''t even see their faces, but if there are people who are really motivated to try their best this season and step on Diamond, they can refer to this article. As I''ve confirmed before, I finishedst season in 59th ce as a Challenger and am currently struggling to climb back up from Geuma 600 LP. As you all know, Matakki/Geuma start their promotion matches when they reach 400 LP/800 LP respectively, and are automatically promoted to Challenger when their LP is 801 or higher. Of course, the moment you reach that LP, the ranked match automatically switches to a promotion match. The private sector was long, so let''s quickly look into it. 1. Bloodbone "1163 days since the release of the top-tier game of Honor" He is currently a user who has quickly parked at 556 LP. This is a unique character who doesn''t use a shield at all and only uses arge cleaver with a saw de. Contrary to his appearance, the weapon is lighter than you think, so his attack speed is fast. He is a crazy concept-type who enchants his weapon with mes and runs in once he has a chance. He is also good at joining in team fights, so if you have a chance, it''s good to interrupt the flow with a shield bash before swinging his sword. He is said to have set the concept as a hunter from a popr game in the past, but if you look at him, he is not the main character, but a piglet from that game. Of course, the gmatigar on his shoulder is not for decoration, so don''t look down on him and say, "Why are you a crazy concept-type?" I like ying hard games 2. I am the fury of nature "No matter how you look at it, it''s not a big deal that you can''t get a one-shot kill with a musket?" He''s a pirate who only ys pirates He ys like a real pirate, but to be honest, he seems to y more like a hunter than the bastard I mentioned above The true value of this first-generation is usually revealed in 1:1s, and he interrupts the flow of attacks with his musket at every opportunity. He says he practiced one-handed reloading for 200 hours, but when you y one-on-one, you really want to kill him Instead, he modified his outfit a bit uniquely to make one-handed reloading smoother, but the moment he digs in and cuts his pouch, he bes a retard who can only use a small one-handed sword Since there''s a reload time gap, if this guy is on the opposing team, you should at least bring a buckler Since he meets me often, it seems like he''s trying hard to go up from 665 LP? 3. I wille back before the secondary pretense "I show you the funny one, the general is always a general, and I am always a general. It is characterized by a weapon that is characterized by the axis. It''s P, but I''m going to shoot that soon. 4. Oriental Hospital Director. Lim Dok Yang Maek Ta Tong G?" Ninja Emoticon Ninja Kid He''s a 1st ss guy who handles a chainsickle amazingly. I think everyone who met him would have died of high blood pressure. His special characteristic is that he always greets before attacking, and no matter how you look at it, it''s tea-bagging. I don''t know how much he practiced, but his skill at hitting with a weapon is extraordinary. If I say it nicely, he''s a real craftsman who only sells one guy, and if I say it badly, he''s a game-killing bastard! He''s a bit weak in team fights, but he hides between minions and activates Berserker and nks you when you''re not paying attention, so spread out your defense line as much as possible and make sure to have observers. He seems to be in the middle of a promotion match right now. . . . . . 12. Eugene (Added) "Hello, everyone." Don''t meet him If you do meet him, repeat that you lost What the hell is a human crusher? He''s a crazy guy who holds a pair of daggers and gets 21 kills in a promotion match There''s no one who doesn''t know him, but he''s a human weapon in the form of a guy who won first ce in the Final Championship next door and even received a golden trophy I matched with him once as an enemy on the same team today, and he''s a crazy guy who sees all the attacks with his eyes and dodges them all, and he''s the one who brought the turtle meta to this Master-Challenger tier ranked game He sees the flying crossbow arrows with his eyes and knocks them away The moment he loses the initiative, he digs in, but you can''t see it with your eyes, and you can think of it as dying the moment he gets stabbed He holds a dagger and can attack up to 6 times, or at least 2 times. What this means is that if it''s not bad, the second attack is an instant kill. Usually, they use a typical special forces style dagger technique that kills with a single blow by stabbing the neck with a dagger, but what this means is that there is no way to respond, whether it''s parrying, evading, or shing. The moment you''re matched as an enemy, just think of that game as lost, and if you''re matched as an ally, they''ll shove 24 LP into your mouth with their fantastic skills, no matter if you shit yourself or not. My current tier is Grandmaster 556 LP, but I think I''ll probably reach Challenger within the next day or two. I don''t n on ying ranked games when this guy''s on. ?? [Allments] [Registered] -Look at how long the text is at the end. ??????????????? -How badly must they have been beaten? ?? -Wow, except for thest one, I''ve met them all once in the previous season. Summary you did a great job - You''re a piece of shit who sells long boards ????????????????????????????? You''re so annoying ??????? - I''m so sorry for thest one ?????????????? - There really are a lot of people with all kinds of concepts ? One kid''s nickname was Oil, and he dyed his weapon and skin ck ??? ?????????????????? ? I think I saw that kid too, but wasn''t he Bronze 4? ? His nickname is Oil, but he''s rotten in another way ??????????????????? ? His skills were rotten... . -????? -I''m so angry because I only meet those kinds of people ???????????????????????? -No, 21 kills in that promotion match ??????????? -"I''ll shove 24 LP in your mouth with my fantastic skills" Ah ?????????????????????????????????????? ?''High praise'' ?Experienced person ?????????? -There are really 12 viins ?????? ?There are too many people who didn''t appear here ?I''ll be satisfied with being a t-footed person anyways, so it doesn''t matter ?? -I want to see at least one person ?????????????? . . . . -Teacher, you''re not going to be a pro gamer here, are you? "I don''t know if you guys know, but surprisingly, I didn''tpete as a pro gamer even when I yed Apex Predator." Surprisingly, it was true. As I said before, my temporary coaching position with SSM Entertainment ended around November ofst year. And the Final Championship was held at the end of December, so it was natural. In short, I waspeting as an independent - Logan was in Orbital Gaming for a while. Anyway, naturally, I had no intention of joining anywhere. "That''s also true, and since my fighting style is my style, even if I did join, it would be quite difficult... First of all, since what I''m doing now is a 6:6 team game, there are many things to keep in mind. In fact, I''ve been ying half-assedly even now...." - ??????????????? - Fact) This guy yed the game without caring aboutne battles, minion kills, or team fights while he was up there. That''s what we call leading the game. Shit, lol. LOL. LOL. LOL. LOL. While others are just reading the map and ordering, he''s the only one who''s doing it all by himself. . -?? : If your body is weak, your head suffers. The chat window is a mess. Anyway, separate from that, after the broadcast ended, I searched here and there... Domination mode was a game with more things to consider than I thought. Everyone was thinking hard about how to upy the A, B, and C bases as efficiently as possible. That doesn''t mean I felt limited yet. In the end, the game''s premise that you have to kill enemies whether you capture a base or do something else was solid, and in that sense, I was more confident than anyone else in the world that I could do that. If the base was pushed, you just had to kill all the enemies who invaded the base. If a team fight broke out, you just had to kill all the enemies and the team fight was over. Well, that''s fine. ''... Thinking about it this way, I seem a bit crazy.'' Seeing that this meta works without much trouble even in Grandmaster, I don''t think anything will change even if I go up, but you never know. I checked the Grandmaster badge blinging on my shoulder and the 556 LP next to it. I thought that maybe tomorrow or so, I''d get a chance to challenge for a promotion match. What the heck, in this tier, countless former Challenger users were caught. When I dug in, most of the people who didn''t panic and entered counterattacks first were like that - but after ying the game for a few days, I had memorized how counterattackse out. My MMR hadn''t even been engraved once. Even so, there was still room to go up, and there were things I had to get used to. Now that I had settled in, it was time to understand the mode itself little by little. "In that regard, maybe tomorrow or so... I think I''ll invite someone I recently met to the broadcast. Not Harmony or Dice... It''s long, but maybe Dice is a bit too familiar. I''m nning on inviting a coach from SSM Entertainment in charge of Glory and Honor." - Did SSM do Glory and Honor too?????? - Last year, Bbaengnyeon was incredibly popr, so no one would know ?? ??????????????????????? -??? : Ah haha ??thanks to Eugene teacher, I got 4th ce - Why do you always favor SSM ?????????????? - That''s why Dice''s eyes turn when he sees Eugene ?? ... No, why. This time, SSM was the first to contact me. In addition to that, I wasn¡¯t nning on going to the AP games this year - of course, I was invited to the Final Championship as the winnerst year - and above all, there was only a week left until the tournament rankings started, so it was time to start giving feedback again. Of course, this time¡­ I had to give feedback to many people. There were 10 promising yers from the Dark Zone-pro gamer clubs waiting with their mouths wide open to listen to my words. Clear Sky had Gambit, Xi had Ink, SSM had Dice, and Reaper Infected had Michael, so there was no problem in training sessors, but the remaining 6 clubs must have been working hard by now. And so the words continued. ¡°In that sense, tomorrow¡¯s broadcast will be held at the SSM Entertainment headquarters. Please take good care of us all.¡± - Tiyong - I can¡¯t stand thisw - Teacher, did you think we would like it just because of that? You''re so right, thank you so much - Lee Guo Guo Dian ???????????????? - Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Eugene, is she a god? Anyway, they are easy to understand people. Chapter 447 A hologram was oveying the air. It wasn¡¯t just confusing the vision and senses of the twobatants. The projectors scattered across the ceiling started to operate, drawing new images over reality. Thus, the two handles someone was holding turned into daggers, and the person holding a thin board and stick became a Viking. The neck connector transmitted countless signals to the body. At that moment, the thin exoskeleton worn on the gloves, forearms, waist, thighs, and legs of the pro gamer assisted and augmented their movements. And so, a Viking from a thousand years ago tore through reality and appeared. On the other side stood a figure d in leather armor. It was a strange harmony that seemed fitting yet not, like an assassin from the Victorian era. However, the unmistakable movement of the snake¡¯s tail shattered any illusion, breaking the misconception in the minds of those present. They each took a step forward, closing the distance. The Viking sword, immensely heavierpared to the daggers, shed through the air horizontally. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! The Viking sword was surprisingly lighter than one would expect. As the wrist, arms, stride, and shoulders moved, a continuous series of attacks followed. But the only being who could legally step into that deadly zone was the one who danced around them lightly, almost as if defying thews of physics¡ªunbelievably feather-light movement despite the ongoing counterbnce. A battle of countless strategies unfolded, too quick to catch. Yet surprisingly, the one ying as the ss¡ªConqueror¡ªwas Halo, the pro gamer, and he held 100% of the space control. This meant Eugene hadn¡¯t attacked even once up until now. Clearly, the offense and defense were clearly diverging. However, the pro gamers, coaches, and the 2 million viewers watching were no longer fooled by such a scene. ¡°¡­Am I the only one getting chills?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel like a game at all.¡± There¡¯s an old board game called "Crocodile Teeth." Simrly, there''s a pirate roulette. One by one, yers press the crocodile¡¯s teeth or stick a knife in a barrel, waiting for the unlucky victim who¡¯ll be bitten by the crocodile or face a pirate springing out of the barrel. At this moment, only Halo was ying, and Eugene was both the crocodile waiting to close its mouth and the pirate about to spring out. But one thing was certain: as soon as Halo made a wrong choice, what awaited him would be the deep fangs of a venomous snake. And at that moment, Eugene¡¯s y began to shift slightly. ¡°Hah¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He didn¡¯t attack. He didn¡¯t counterattack. But he dodged Halo¡¯s strikes more boldly, at closer range. The Viking sword, though seemingly close enough to touch, couldn¡¯t even cut the edge of the leather armor. It merely shimmered like a mirage. But that wasn¡¯t just avoiding attacks¡ªit was more like nting seeds of doubt and anxiety in the enemy¡¯s mind. Yet the yer attacking Eugene also showed patience, waiting for the perfect moment tond a proper blow. The battle was so intense that even the timing of breaths was crucial. And that was what decided the oue. With a wrist snap so fast it couldn¡¯t be seen, Eugene¡¯s dagger flew into the air. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°No, wait, what¡¯s going on?¡± Everyone, except for Eugene, was caught off guard. The sparkling dagger spun multiple times, rising three meters above the ground. The eyes of everyone, including Halo, fixed on the weapon. In that moment, Eugene leaned back. Almost instinctively, a wide-area attack swept above Halo¡¯s head, and Eugene embedded his dagger into Halo¡¯s thigh. A red warning appeared. [Warning: Left thigh damage detected. Cutting of adductor muscle and femoral artery.] [Warning: Mobility decreased and blood loss debuff applied.] An intricate damage umtion and debuff system, thought to be nonexistent, was triggered. However, with the fact that this was hardcore mode, a hidden feature was revealed. Halo quickly realized that he was cornered. And so it was. About 15 secondster, Halo received a vertical pration from chin to brain, and he dropped his shield and stick where he stood. The sound of apuse erupted. Halo, who had been silently watching the scene, added, ¡°I didn¡¯t understand what it meant to kill with just two strikes, but it¡¯s an honor to experience it firsthand.¡± ¡°Haha. It sounds like you want to try it again.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not it. I¡¯d like to pass this honor on to the other guys.¡± Hahaha You should share the good things I can¡¯t be the only one suffering, haha What? I want to try too, AHHH x1000 Seriously though, that was so cool hahaha The highly refined killing technique was an art form in itself. The viewers, 2 million strong, were witnessing apletely different kind of battle than the one they had seen in Glory and Honor. The sh of raw power, the heavy sounds of strikes, and the endless back-and-forth strategies were all gone, reced by a fluid, almost elegantbat style. Eugene¡¯s precise and rapid strikes, especially with daggers, werepletely different from the usual brutal attacks seen in closebat. And, of course, it wasn¡¯t long before the viewers about to witness this firsthand were not looking too happy. The coach scanned the room and, sensing the mood, spoke up to break the tension. ¡°Seeing it in person¡­ it¡¯s really impressive. There¡¯s so much to learn here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I can¡¯t teach you, but you can steal what you can see. Hope you learn as much as you can.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I will, haha.¡± At that moment, a video of the recent battle was shown. In the few minutes of the video, the most important moments were when Eugene shoved the dagger into the critical points. The coach of SSM closely examined the footage and casuallymented. ¡°Clearly, there¡¯s no defense system that can handle Eugene¡¯s attacks at this point. Looking at it, this seems more like a data gap rather than an issue with the game system or the yers¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡± The cryptic riddle that raised a lot of questions in the minds of many. To summarize, it was simple¡ªessentially, all the Glory and Honor yers gathered here, including the SSM pros,cked the necessary data on how Eugene strikes and creates attack opportunities. If you were to say, ¡°He just attacks critical spots like the thighs, elbows, or neck,¡± it wouldn¡¯t quite capture the issue. The real problem was that no one could answer the question of when and how Eugene would strike or create an opportunity. And that was the essence of the military-grade dagger techniques Eugene had arranged¡ªsomething that wasn¡¯t shared outside the realm of elite professionals. ¡°Basically, not just me, but everyone here, all the pro gamers in this room, have muscle memory of over 50 different sses¡¯ attack motions, movements, pre-attack actions, and responses stored. But when ites to Eugene¡¯s attacks, there¡¯s no data.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as facing a newly released ss, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same. Idiot.¡± But one thing was clear¡ªunlike the official Glory and Honor sses, which are analyzed within five days of release, this person in front of me¡­ well, let¡¯s just say. Everyone was silently thankful that Eugene wasn¡¯t a pro gamer. Of course, all the facts listed didn¡¯t equate to saying there was nothing to learn from Eugene. ¡°The real issuees down to adaptability in unexpected situations and individual skill. In a way, it¡¯s theplete opposite of Dark Zone, haha.¡± In Dark Zone, yers are handed guns and enhanced physical abilities, and then set loose. In Glory and Honor, cold weapons are given, along with various attack motions. Unlike the unpredictable nature of Dark Zone, where it¡¯s impossible to predict all variables, Glory and Honor¡¯sbat, where limited attack motions collide, depends on individual skill and adaptability. And Eugene, who had been quietly listening, knew exactly what that meant. She spoke up. ¡°Well, to summarize¡­ it seems that at least everyone here needs to share in the responsibility of using swords with me.¡± ¡°Of course. Otherwise, there would be no reason to bring you all the way out here today.¡± Eugene murmured to herself, ¡°It wasn¡¯t that far, though,¡± as the second yer, now looking defeated,pleted their equipment and approached her. She spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°You should aim for victory.¡± And so, the two daggers faced off against a single ymore. Today, Eugene¡¯s daggers would harvest the blood of everyone present. As Eugene thought, the dark figures of the game reflected back into her mind, and the challenge of bncing her past, her abilities, and the world around her became clearer. "...This, I was just trying to sneak in and watch, but if I''m not careful, I might end up getting caught in the crossfire." "Do you think it¡¯s okay to watch just once?" "You¡¯ll probably end up getting caught by Eugene and forced into a CQC lesson. No need to even watch the video." Meanwhile, about 30 meters vertically below, in the same building, Dice, one of the 2 million viewers, added nonchntly. Of course, her prediction was, as always, spot on. "I didn¡¯t know the game had counterbncing functions. You should have used it during Dark Zone." "Well, I think it¡¯s better that I got strong enough to beat everyone without needing counterbnce, right?" "Ugh, seriously." Hahahahahaha That¡¯s such a dumb solution hahaha Dice, didn¡¯t you catch Logan once? Hahaha Look at the other people¡¯s faces hahaha Don¡¯t rx, you¡¯ll be like them soon enough haha I walked on, having a pointless conversation with Dice. After spending around 4 hours enjoying time with the SSM Entertainment ¨C Glory and Honor pro gamers, it was now 4:20 PM. Finally, the second schedule began. Currently, the two of us, including myself, were heading to the auditorium inside the building. I had mentioned this before, but today, not only the SSM team but also some users from other teams I hadn¡¯t interacted with muchst year were expected to show up, so we needed arge venue. As we walked, Dice casually added: "So, what do you think about trying out counterbncing your physical abilities and entering this year¡¯spetition?" "I could skip thepetition until the Final Championship, but I don¡¯t think I can go through the qualifiers, the KSM, and the Asia qualifiers all over again likest time¡­" "...So you¡¯ll be entering next year, right?" "I¡¯ll think about it." ¡°AHHH!¡± Of course, Dice, who was throwing a tantrum, didn¡¯t need to use her arms or legs¡ªher tail alone easily subdued him. So, in no time at all, Dice was suspended in the air, her arms and legs tightly bound by her own tail. She entered the auditorium, creating an incredibly strange spectacle. Laughter erupted from all around. Someone, whose timing was off, spilled their drink upon seeing the scene and sprayed what seemed like vapor into the air. It almost looked like a water fountain. After turning Dice into theedy relief, I slowly started with my introduction.@@novelbin@@ Then I said: "As I mentioned earlier, I won¡¯t be participating as a yer in this year¡¯s Final Championship. This year will be entirely a stage for all of you. The opportunity will be distributed fairly among everyone, except for Reaper Infected, Xi, SSM, and Clear Sky." Officially, that wasn¡¯t something I should have said, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. To put it nicely, it was karma. To put it bluntly,st year, I had drilled the pro gamers so hard that they had gotten stuck in a mess of their own. Dice, Gambit, Ink, and Mikael literally wrecked the Final Championship. Given that no one even made it outside the top 20st year, I imagined those four would be putting in bone-crushing efforts this time to break into the top 10. Meanwhile, the second-tier yers and trainees from the teams would also be learning from me, absorbing as much as they could. Well, I had rambled on a bit, but now it was time to focus on helping the neers. "As I think about it, Eugene, you seem like the hidden power behind the AP. You¡¯re like the secret leader or something." "...So, that¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this now?" Karma, huh? Hahahaha The hidden power (not entirely wrong) The unstoppable force making everything impossible to catch up to hahaha What? Water rocket? This person is literally a rocket though???? The water rocket theory) It means everyone except Eugene is a water rocket What can I say? It was a bit funny that my very presence was twisting the game¡¯s oue. But¡­ wasn¡¯t Dark Zone a game based on my past? If I weren¡¯t there, it wouldn¡¯t have existed in the first ce. And if I made a bit of money from it, I should have epted the fact that the original creator gets to have some say in how it all goes¡­ I almost said it out loud. But after shutting down that useless thought, I focused on the team lineup that appeared before me. GEARUP. Arcadia Games. Regio Invicta. TK1. nk Kickers. Veritas. ¡®...So many people who didn¡¯t get toe with mest year.¡¯ And these were the ones who would be joining Eugene School moving forward. Suddenly, I had the thought that Eugene School was now big enough that I could split it into several sses. ss 1 was Harmony and Dice. ss 2 was the people who went to the Final Championship with mest year. ss 3... Maybe it was Kato, Jin, Rain, and Blooming who joined a bitter? So, the people selected from these six teams above could be ss 4. I was worried that even the national team yers would end up being called Eugene School''s ss 2. In any case, I wasn¡¯t here to talk about grand ns or anything. The top members of the six teams that didn¡¯t make the cutst year had already been watching and learning from me for a while. Thepetition rank was less than five days away, so it wasn¡¯t the right time to get too involved. We¡¯d have to wait for the results of thepetition rank before anything. As I got to the main topic, I had to say something a bit regretful. ¡°Anyway, as you all might expect, this year¡­ since I¡¯ve received some advertising contracts, I might be a bit distracted, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to make you all stray from your path.¡± "Is that the famous honor and glory you got from the ad? Are you going to hit Challenger rank and return?" "That¡¯s the n, but the busy reason is a bit different. How should I exin it? Well¡­ I¡¯m adding a new mode as a special event." I didn¡¯t specifically say it, but I had already gotten permission for the embargo. So, it should be fine. As dozens of people in the auditorium perked up and focused their attention on me, I could see their eyes clearly asking, What¡¯s that about? It didn¡¯t take long for my mouth to open. ¡°¡­Next month, there will be a 1:300 event raid match at the final Glory and Honor tournament. I¡¯ll be participating in that.¡± Of course, I agreed to it willingly, and anyone could guess who would be the ¡°1¡± in that 1:300. Leaving behind the shattered atmosphere, I awkwardly added: ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s how it is.¡± 1:300????????????? Are you insane?????????? You crazy man hahaha You really seem like you¡¯re out of your mind, hahahaha Well, if you were in your right mind, you wouldn¡¯t say stuff like this haha Even if youbined Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhou Yun, they couldn¡¯t even reach Eugene¡¯s pinky hahaha Well, why not? It¡¯s possible. My small excuse didn¡¯t make it out of my mouth. It was summer. Chapter 448 "Wee, everyone, to the practical CQC curriculum." "Wow¡­." "Hey, hey. What are you all doing? p already." The sound ofckluster pping echoed through the dusty exterior of some base. About 30 users were seated on chairs, looking up at me. I stood before them, preparing to deliver my lecture to a group of pro yers from Dark Zone. On the stic table in front of mey an array of melee weapons¡ªaxes, daggers, hammers, push daggers, and various other closebat implements. These weapons, however, were sleek in design, devoid of any shine, and equipped with ergonomic structures and rubber padding¡ªitems one would never find in Glory and Honor. Naturally, they were specialized melee weapons designed exclusively for special forces and CQC scenarios. I shifted my gaze. Everyone seated was d in abination of body armor and tactical vests. I was no different. "Let¡¯s skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Have any of you felt the need for CQC while ying AP? Raise your hand if you have." A faint rustling. About six hands rose among the thirty attendees. Not as many as I expected, but it wasn¡¯t surprising. To be frank, the purpose of gathering them here today wasn¡¯t to enhance their generalbat proficiency but to train them for specific, albeit rare, scenarios they might encounter. I borated on the kind of scenarios I had in mind. "Those who raised your hands, you can lower them now. As you¡¯ve probably guessed, today¡¯s session is focused on mastering CQC¡ªclose-quartersbat with melee weapons." "Wow." "Before we dive in, let me pose a quiz. In AP, where engagement ranges span from as close as 10 meters to as far as 400 meters, when exactly would you use CQC? Whoever gets the right answer will get a specially tailored curriculum from me." The hands shot up enthusiastically. Of course, they¡¯d want to answer. Even if ¡°Eugene¡¯s special curriculum¡± seemed daunting, these were professional gamers. Turning down a clear advantage would go against their very instincts. I began listening to their answers one by one. "When turning a corner and encountering an enemy at close range, especially when both have run out of ammunition." "Unfortunately, that¡¯s incorrect." "A throwing knife?" "Interesting idea, but in most cases, using a handgun would be more effective. If the opponent¡¯s shield hasn¡¯t broken, it¡¯ll just ricochet off." "What about sneaking up and shing at their ankle or thigh?" "Not a bad answer, but once again, a silenced pistol would be a safer bet in such situations." Every response was unique. Still, all were worth considering. After all, these weren¡¯t just average yers¡ªthey were the cream of the crop, representing their respective countries with talent and skill that surpassed even the toughest academicpetitions. I jotted down a few interesting points, a faint smile creeping onto my lips as I prepared to reveal the answer. The correct answer was somethingpletely unexpected. "It¡¯s right after yound¡ªor respawn¡ªbefore you¡¯ve even managed to secure a firearm." "¡­." "I understand if that sounds strange to some of you. But it¡¯s not impossible." Simultaneously, a video began to y. The screen disyed a ridgeline shrouded in darkness and fire. As the footage rolled, a few pro yers nodded in recognition, some eximing softly. The scene was fromst year¡¯s Asian qualifiers during the California Gas Complex event. At the time, I hadnded in a hotspot. Without so much as a pistol, I had to fend off nearby yers using nothing but a fire axe hanging on a wall. And yes, I sent every single one of them back to the lobby. The point, however, wasn¡¯t to showcase my aplishments¡ªit was to emphasize the possibility of being left weaponless, even in tournaments where chests were supposed to yield guns or grenades in abundance. As the footage ended, I continued speaking. "This is an extreme example, but the next scenario I¡¯ll show you is far moremon." Landing afternding, yers descended from the sky. One yer opened a chest, while anothernded about five meters away, realized their mistake, and dashed into a nearby building. The chest opener was still loading ammunition into their weapon. As a few of the attendees began to grasp my point, I paused the video and exined. "Considering that all yers carry a melee weapon by default, charging and attacking in such a situation might actually be more effective than running away."@@novelbin@@ "But wouldn¡¯t you risk being attacked by other yers nearby while engaging in meleebat?" someone asked. "An excellent point." I picked up a dagger, twirling it in my hand, then generated a holographic avatar before me. Without hesitation, I drove the de into the back of its neck. A flurry of warnings appeared¡ªdamage reports, impact analysis, and effects. I twisted the de diagonally to finish the job and reopened the wound before setting the dagger back on the table. "However, if you know the correct way to use your weapon and where to strike, you¡¯ll find that it takes mere seconds to send someone back to the respawn screen." "¡­Ah." "Knife fighting in reality isn¡¯t long, shy, or chaotic like in movies. A well-ced strike at the right spot can eliminate an opponent in the time it takes to inhale and exhale." The audience fell silent, though the chat filled with colorful reactions. "Excuse me, sir, that was disturbingly detailed." "Trantion: ¡®I can take someone out in the time it takes you to breathe.¡¯" "Is this guy the Baba Yaga? LOL" "I get it, but wow¡­ this guy¡¯s insane¡­." Despite the shocked expressions, I didn¡¯t mind. My job was to process and deliver the necessary information, helping them understand when and why to prepare for CQC scenarios. I activated thebat simtor, projecting a dozen scenarios where yers were slightly slower to act than their opponents. Picking up a tactical tomahawk, I prepared for my demonstration. "You¡¯ll find the tactical tomahawk to be the most effective melee weapon. Its ability to deliver broad, sweeping strikes is a significant advantage. In contrast, a tactical knife requires far more skill." The simtor engaged, and I found myself descending slowly toward the ground. Before me, a holographic opponent had alreadynded and opened a cab. As my feet hit the ground, they were pulling out an M249 and ammunition. I sprinted. They loaded the ammo. They entered the tomahawk¡¯s attack range. As their barrel lined up with me, I swung the tomahawk, deflecting the muzzle upward, and rammed into their body. The cab dented as air hissed from the impact. I grabbed the muzzle with my left hand and shoved it aside, preventing them from firing. The next move was inevitable. Thwack! A single strike to the head triggered multiple status effects. The holographic enemy¡¯s grip on the machine gun weakened. A follow-up blow reduced the avatar to a glittering explosion of golden polygons, and the dry "Simtion terminated" announcement echoed. The holograms disappeared. Setting the tomahawk back on the table, I addressed the group. "Starting with the front row,e up one by one. If you have a sick housent at home, don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll make sure you feel worse." "Is this a lesson or a threat?! LOL" "What¡¯s up with the housent joke? I can¡¯t even¡­." "This guy¡¯s unhinged. Tactical marathon begins now!" They had no choice but toply. Each team member reluctantly began their training. Six in-game hourster, they woulde to curse the concept of time eleration. Later that evening, as the sun finally dipped below the horizon: "So, this ce is only 100 meters from Eugene¡¯s home?" "In Cheongdam¡­ A penthouse¡­ Unbelievable." "Thirty people for apany dinner sounded crazy, but it makes sense now." "And Dice is still plotting to move into the apartment below Eugene¡¯s¡ªah, ouch!" "Why would you bring that up?!" "This is absolute chaos LOL." "Taking all 30 people out? Bet the dinner bill hits a million won easy." "Fact: Eugene eats 500,000 won worth of meat alone." By 9 PM, I decided to reward the day¡¯s effort with an all-you-can-eat feast at a barbecue restaurant just 100 meters from my home. tes of meat piled high as pro gamers filled the tables, the scent of sizzling beef setting the mood. Dice was the first to break the conversational ice. "¡­So Harmony¡¯s entering thepetitive ranks this season." "Frence? Or under a team?" "I¡¯ve already scouted her. Harmony agreed, and SSM is backing her up. She¡¯s skilled, but not quite the kind of yer who¡¯d crush everyone without practice." "Fair point." Dice nced around at the SSM pro gamers seated nearby, including Blooming. She turned back to me. "¡­They¡¯ve got to grow enough to actually beat Mina someday." "Wait, she¡¯s that good? We still can¡¯t beat her?" "Focus, people. Mina took first ce inst year¡¯s Partner Streamer Competition. I¡¯ve told you¡ªI lose to her three out of ten times. What more do you need to hear?" Even as she vented, Dice grabbed onto my tail like a stress ball. Despite the slight irritation, I let her be, rationalizing that my tail was serving its purpose as her emotional outlet. Fifteen minutes into the feast, someone asked: "By the way, what¡¯s this 1:300 thing you mentioned earlier?" "I told you¡ªit¡¯s like a raid, except I¡¯m the raid boss." "You really do the wildest things." "Looking at his old battle records is terrifying LOL." "Honestly, he¡¯s probably stronger than most historical heroes." "That¡¯s why they call him the Warlord." As the chat spiraled, Dice leaned over with a sly grin. "So, when¡¯s the raid happening?" "¡­September." "Aha." She smirked mischievously. "This is why people can¡¯t stop bingeing popcorn during your streams." I sighed. She wasn¡¯t wrong. And thus, another chaotic day came to an end. Chapter 449 "Again." The CQC lecture continued. "You remember what I said about predicting whates next and preloading your inputs, right? That¡¯s how you end up getting hit. Let¡¯s try again. Unless you improve your reflexes and reaction speed, none of this will matter." Glory and Honor¡ªMelee Combat Training. "¡­Since we¡¯ve had a day or two off, let¡¯s climb the ranks again. As always, with only two daggers." Even though I spent most of my day working, a true workaholic,tely, I had been feeling the limits of my body. It wasn¡¯t a matter of physical stamina. It was more like my brain, fully recharged after sleep, was beingpletely drained every day. The only silver lining was that the mental exhaustion was less intense during the first and second segments of the day. That was because I wasn¡¯t pouring my all into teaching like I hadst year. Looking back, maybe I had been overdoing it back then¡ªboth managing countless matches and training teammates. Still, there had been a certain joy in it. Watching others grow under my guidance gave me a sense of subtle aplishment. But as circumstances changed, so did my motivation. It was unfortunate, really. "Ugh." Cold water slid down my throat. Returning to my room, I activated the console. As the AFK mode disengaged, a sea of users waiting for their turn appeared before me. Just a few days ago, these yers had looked hesitant and awkward, but now, they carried themselves with a sharpness. Each held their preferred weapon¡ªa push dagger, axe, ice pick, tactical knife, machete, or kukri knife. Some weapons, like karambits or automatic knives, remained unchosen. This lineup reflected the limited opportunities for meleebat in AP. Even lugging around a heavy de wasn¡¯t much of an issue¡ªyou could discard it after surviving the first skirmish. Of course, I had taught them this. "Alright, who¡¯s up next?"@@novelbin@@ "Me." "Judging by your expression, you¡¯ve been waiting a while." Dice. She stood up, and the terrain changed. In her hand was a tactical¡­knife. For someone who liked me enough to keep a snake at home just because it reminded her of my tail, this was a surprisingly practical choice. She imed that knives allowed for more versatile attacks, and she wasn¡¯t wrong. Unlike axes, knives couldn¡¯t be swung in reverse grip efficiently. Having made her wait long enough, it was time to meet her expectations. Both Dice and I readied our daggers. In the game, thick ballistic tes protected areas like the torso, limiting viable attack zones. Dice started with cautious hammer-grip maneuvers, which I either dodged or parried, offering feedback on her form. Knife fighting wasn¡¯t something most people learned in real life. Dice¡¯s attacks, even with the game¡¯s behavior correction system, were decent¡ªperhaps even impressive. "Hup¡­!" "Hmm." Swish. A faint sound of air being sliced. Dice covered her neck and the back of her head with her left arm, switched to a reverse grip with her right, and lowered her stance to thrust at my side. It wasn¡¯t a bad move. Her ballistic te made her back impervious, and protecting her neck minimized vulnerability. But lowering her head increased the risk of a knee strike. Before her de could pierce my side, Dice staggered as if she¡¯d been punched in the face. Naturally, she didn¡¯t look hurt¡ªit was just the simtion¡¯s response. "Not bad. But targeting the thigh to disable mobility would¡¯ve been a better choice. Using the ballistic te to block attacks was a smart move." "¡­Ugh, I¡¯m dizzy." "Axes can¡¯t stab like knives, so their attack speed is slower. If you¡¯re up against another yer instead of me, they won¡¯t react as quickly. Even if the damage is minimal, consistent attacks can wear them down." In a panic, people instinctively use their hands and arms to block. In reality, this often results in defensive wounds¡ªproof of this instinct. Dice¡¯s tactical knife, being light, allowed for rapid consecutive strikes, easily overwhelming psychological barriers. Repeated hits forced the opponent backward. Losing bnce, they might trip over their own feet or find themselves with nowhere else to retreat. The key to countering this was simple: "Be cautious of situations where the opponent charges in reverse. With ballistic vests, they might ignore a few stabs to their arms and push through." "What do I do in that case?" "It¡¯s simple." With a flick of my finger, Dice became the attacker, swiftly closing the distance with her dagger. The game¡¯s bnce adjustments had equalized our physical abilities, but by reading her center of gravity, countering was easy. Dodging her horizontal sh to the side, I kicked her unsteady leg with my left foot and shoved her backward. Dice toppled to the ground as easily as if I were a matador tripping a bull. At this point, there were multiple options. I could retreat to find another weapon or draw a second dagger for a counterattack. Every yer started with at least one dagger upon deployment, after all. "Ugh¡­." "Don¡¯t rush. Maintain your distance and only attack when your opponent has no escape. Remember, opportunities aren¡¯t something you wait for¡ªthey¡¯re something you create." "But tripping people¡­ I feel like I¡¯ll need more practice." "Then practice." "Ah¡­." Everyone here served as a sparring partner for one another. Dice hesitated briefly before resigning herself to call up another user¡ªBlooming. Like that legendary movie assassin who killed everyone over a dog, grappling techniques were essential in closebat. In Glory and Honor, I had to adapt my ownbat style due to the existence of heavy armor. Nevertheless, I continued to passionately teach these yers. Those unfamiliar with judo or jiu-jitsu struggled at first, even with behavior corrections. I hammered the basics into them, repeating lessons until they stuck. Fortunately, these were all pro gamers¡ªit didn¡¯t take too long. Bing an operator required learning a lot. "Speaking of which¡­" I suddenly recalled a message from a few days ago. Not from Dark Zone but from Icarus International, the team behind Glory and Honor. They had asked if they could develop a new ss based on my ystyle. As Dice and Blooming sparred behind me, I opened the message window, stared at it for a moment, and muttered to myself as I closed it again. "My workload just keeps piling up." What could I do? It was my lot in life. Resolving to hit Challenger rank tonight, I called up the next batch of yers. There was still a long way to go. "Hey, did you hear the rumor about Eugene¡¯s dual-dagger ss being officially released?" "¡­That? What does Eugene himself have to say about it?" "Nothing. Like I said, it¡¯s just a rumor." "Then how is it a rumor, idiot? That¡¯s just baseless gossip¡­." Meanwhile, as Eugene was drowning in his endless workload¡­ The Glory and Honormunity was abuzz, stumbling upon yet another unintentional sensation. "Ugh, guys¡­ why do you have to drag every bit ofmunity gossip all the way here?" A shining Master emblem gleamed on his shoulder. Along with the Glory and Honor Partner Streamer badge, it was a testament to his in-game aplishments. He was unmistakably someone who stood out¡ªa streamer who even casually ced down a ymore sword asrge as himself. Loki, sporting an avatar with sleek silver hair and shimmering silver eyes, scrolled through his chat with a mix of irritation and resignation. Several troublemakers had already been banned, theirments excised by a sharp-eyed moderator. While dominating his rank matches, Loki¡¯s mod had been diligently swinging the ban hammer to maintain order in the broadcast. After reviewing the banned messages, Loki concluded that the offenders deserved their punishment. Addressing his remaining viewers, who now seemed to cower in silence, he let out a sigh. "Guys, how many times do I have to say this? If it doesn¡¯te from me, it¡¯s not legitimate gossip. I have to be the one to confirm these things. Otherwise, when some nonsense gets tied to meter, how am I supposed to defend you by saying, ¡®Oh yeah, my viewers brought this up first¡¯? Why do you keep jumping the gun?" "Gasp." "Sorry, I didn¡¯t know ??." "Even when angry, your avatar is gorgeous LOL." "This guy roasts like a pro." "All the gossip-starters already got banned LOL." Sometimes, these viewers¡ªno, these little trolls¡ªneeded a firm hand to stay in line. Loki wore a mildly exasperated expression, more from being distracted from his rank games than from dealing with the rumors. Reluctantly, he moved from the ranked lobby to a private area, scrolling through the chat logs to see what the fuss was about. If the topic wasn¡¯t too absurd, he might even use it as a talking point. The topic in question? Spection about what a Eugene-inspired dual-dagger ss might look like. "¡­Can I even talk about this?" It wasn¡¯t impossible. Eugene had be a hot topic in the Glory and Honormunity¡ªnot just as a streamer but across every aspect of the game. Moreover, this wasn¡¯t just casual gossip but tied to potential promotional content. Still, Loki knew better than to allow unverified chatter to spiral out of control. Leaning back in his chair, he decided to weigh in. "It¡¯s not impossible. Honestly, you can p together enough mechanics to make a ss based on anyone. Hell, you could even make a ss inspired by some Bronze-tier yer who¡¯s just messing around. The point is that they just don¡¯t." With the topic now opened, Loki¡¯s thoughts shifted to what it actually took to release a new ss. In his experience, it boiled down to one key element: uniqueness. A new ss had to bring something distinct to the table, giving the bnce team a reason to break out the spreadsheets. Not that the Glory and Honor bnce team had the best track record, given the jokes about its questionable mechanics circting everywhere. One thing was certain. "Here¡¯s the deal¡ªyou guys aren¡¯t allowed to use it. Not unless you¡¯re tinum or higher. Actually, scratch that¡ªtinum yers shouldn¡¯t touch it either. Only those who¡¯ve memorized the exact hitboxes for every melee weapon in the game should even consider trying it." "??????" "This guy hasn¡¯t even ranked into Grandmaster yet but trashes lower tiers LOL." "Fact: still better than you." "Last season, he hit Challenger with 1102 LP. Cope harder, Silver scrubs." "Why do you roast us so hard? My bones hurt!!!" Using his audience asedic fodder, Loki reinforced his stance. And to be fair, he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡ªmost of his viewers were stuck in the middle tiers, hovering between Silver, Gold, and tinum. As someone who¡¯d reached the highest ranks, his perspective on these lower-tiered yers was¡­ dismissive, to say the least. Still, the idea of a Eugene-inspired ss continued to take shape in Loki¡¯s mind. "¡­It¡¯d probably lean toward evasion mechanics, like a ninja. But since it wouldn¡¯t have ranged attacks like a chain scythe, the health pool would likely be around 125. It¡¯d focus on deflecting and counterattacks, with a mechanic that lets you dive in for a burst of damage under specific conditions." "Hot take: Eugene¡¯s ss should be restricted to tinum and above." "Imagine a Bronze-tier yer picking it up. Total troll pick." "Walking kill-point dispenser." "Difficulty: ¡®Extremely Hard,¡¯ guaranteed." "The real Eugene doesn¡¯t even use specials LOL." "Strong attacks, weak attacks, maybe some AoE options. There¡¯d probably be a parry mechanic, obviously. If they don¡¯t want it to be a kill-point dispenser, they¡¯d need several execution moves. Maybe even a separate execution gauge on the UI." The concept slowly solidified. One thing was certain: the ss would be extremely challenging to master. But for those who could, it¡¯d likely be an instant favorite among both yers and viewers. If it were poorly implemented, however, the bacsh would be massive¡ªespecially given Eugene¡¯s widespread poprity and the scale of his promotional reach. Loki didn¡¯t want to see such a disaster unfold. "That said, the specials are key. Remember when Eugene kicked someone¡¯s dagger out of their hand? Maybe they could include a move like the Guardian¡¯s Crossbow that lets you kick weapons away." By now, the concept had be a hodgepodge of shy, over-the-top abilities, but what could he do? The person inspiring it was already pulling off those feats in real-time at higher tiers. Just as Loki prepared to continue, a loud, ominous noise disrupted his thoughts. Boom! "¡­Wait, did I forget to leave matchmaking? No way¡­." "What a clown w." "LMFAO, rookie mistake!" "So much for trash-talking your viewers LOL." "Loki, just focus on your games LOL." "Hah, get wrecked!" His misfortune didn¡¯t end there. Scrambling back into the ranked lobby, Loki scanned his team, exchanging greetings¡ªonly to realize that on the opposing team was none other than the subject of all the rumors: Eugene himself. Of all times, why now? Before he could think further, his instincts took over, and he roared: "Goddamn it! Hey, you bastards! Your stupid gossip got me matched against the Grim Reaper himself! AAAAAAH¡ª!" "How is that our fault? LOL." "We¡¯re in Silver, dude. We don¡¯t even queue against Eugene LOL." "Phew¡­ d I¡¯m still in tinum." "Trash yer alert ?." What else could he do? It was already toote. The Grim Reaper wasing. Chapter 450 A chilling rush of air swept across the battlefield as a silver greatsword cleaved through space, leaving an ominous hum in its wake. The timing was impable. It was a perfectly calcted swing, with neither excess force nor wasted movement. The distance was measured to perfection, and the attack''s execution was seamless. Yet, by the narrowest of margins, the strike missed its target, grazing its opponent¡¯s head by a hair¡¯s breadth. Loki''s team rallied at point A, determined to reim it despite temporarily ceding control of B. The strategy hinged on the cement of a ballista in a key position, which could help secure the central area. The narrow, confined spaces of A and C, in contrast to B, made them ideal for smaller skirmishes, typically 2v2. By consolidating their forces at A, forcing the enemy out, and severing the makeshift bridge connecting A and C, the team had a fair chance at sess. Four yers were dispatched to A, resetting the situation to its initial state. ¡°Three minutes¡­?¡± ¡°This¡ªthis doesn¡¯t even make sense¡­.¡± But Loki¡¯s team had to swallow the bitter reality. It had taken them three whole minutes and the loss of two teammates to secure A. The opposing team, guided by none other than Professor Eugene, showed no mercy in grading their efforts. The two allies who rushed in for an overzealous pincer attack were swiftly dispatched and unceremoniously sent back to the respawn screen with a D+ performance. Eugene¡¯s daggers, still dripping with golden blood, gleamed ominously. Now only Loki and a Shaman-ss ally remained. Despite the Shaman¡¯s body being augmented by a targeting spell, granting them over 20% enhanced stats, Eugene¡¯s unrelenting focus allowed no room for even a single sessful strike. To make matters worse, Eugene¡¯s team had already informed their leader about Loki¡¯s morale-boosting perk. ¡°Shaman, can you provide support?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Dodge. Dodge again. And dodge yet again. Eugene wasn¡¯t just avoiding their attacks; they were making a statement. Every dodge was calcted to within inches, each one demonstratingplete awareness of their enemies¡¯ moves while maintaining unbroken eye contact. To those watching, it felt more like dissection than evasion. Behind them, the metallic hiss of a de unsheathing broke the tension. The Shaman drew their dius¡ªnot to join the fight but to hurl it with pinpoint precision. Thanks to their ss ability, the ceremonial de would be reced at intervals, allowing for such high-risk maneuvers. Loki and the Shaman spaced themselves apart, biding their time for a coordinated strike. The assault began. ¡°Phew¡­!¡± Eugene was undoubtedly a formidable opponent; that much was clear. But even the most skilled warrior faced limitations, and daggers, with their 40cm reach, had clear drawbacks¡ªparticrly when closing the gap for an offensive. Weapons like poleaxes or bastard swords could exploit their range advantage to counter, but daggers had no such luxury. As Eugene began to retreat from an overhead sh, Loki quickly canceled the animation, rushing forward to close the distance. A follow-up horizontal sh came immediately, forcing Eugene to cross their daggers defensively and brace for the impact. A deafening sh echoed as the crossed daggers barely managed to parry Loki¡¯s ymore. For the first time, a low grunt escaped Eugene¡¯s lips¡ªa rare sign of strain. They managed to hold their ground, avoiding being knocked aside only by sheer determination. But the battle didn¡¯t end there. The Shaman seized the moment, hurling their dius with all their strength. Loki, maintaining pressure on Eugene by holding the ymore in ce, had created the perfect opening for the attack. Yet, no one could have predicted the gleam in Eugene¡¯s eyes at that moment. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± What followed urred in less than a second¡ªa flurry of eventspressed into a heartbeat. Eugene stepped back, releasing the tension on the ymore and narrowly avoiding its path. Simultaneously, the iing dius was deflected by their gauntlet, the metallic ng apanied by a burst of sparks. The de ricocheted into the air but didn¡¯t fall. Instead, Eugene¡¯s right leg, reinforced with metal greaves, delivered a powerful kick to the dius¡¯s hilt, sending it hurtling through the air like a missile. Its destination was clear. ¡°Kh¡ªugh!¡± ¡°No way.¡± The Shaman¡¯s HP dropped to zero in an instant. Loki could hardly believe their eyes, rubbing them as if to erase the sight. But no amount of disbelief could change reality. The proof was in the stillness, the faint echoes of the Shaman¡¯s final cry reverberating before silence imed the battlefield. As the targeting spell vanished with the Shaman¡¯s death, Loki felt a wave of exhaustion wash over them. The fleeting empowerment and vitality evaporated, leaving behind nothing but a crushing sense of defeat. ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­haha¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not nning to run now, are you?¡± ¡°¡­I ept my defeat.¡± The one who had single-handedly dismantled SSM Entertainment¡¯s Glory and Honor pro-gamers stood before them, raising a dagger. Loki braced for what they knew would be an uphill battle. ¡°Completely obliterated¡­ I think I¡¯ll take a break from ranked matches for, what, an hour? Feels like I got hit over the head with a sledgehammer.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ we¡¯ll let you off just this once.¡± ¡°You gotta admit, though. That was crazy.¡± ¡°In these tiers, once you lose momentum, you¡¯re done for. Terrifying.¡± ¡°Honestly, a 4v1 loss is just insane LOL.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t ranked; that was a real battle.¡± The chair creaked as Loki copsed into it, staring nkly at the ceiling. Normally, they would review the match, analyzing what went right and what went wrong, but they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to do it this time. The gap in skill was insurmountable. Even in Grandmaster tier, such disparity was rare. Yet Loki knew this wasn¡¯t impossible. Every game had its star yers¡ªthose whose very presence exuded an almost oppressive aura. Some yers survived against all odds, retaliating when you thought you¡¯d cornered them. Others were so unpredictable you had to resort to unorthodox strategies just to shut them down. But this¡­this was something else entirely. Ding! A message notification broke Loki¡¯s train of thought. It was from a fellow gamer¡ªa former peer withparable skill and rank, though unlike Loki, they had remained in the pro scene. The message contained a link, its source verified as safe. Curious, Loki clicked it, finding themselves directed to a channel. [A Room Made to Beat the Two-Dagger User] ¡°¡­What the hell?¡± The channel had 46 members. Despite its ridiculous premise, it was clear that this wasn¡¯t some small joke¡ªit was a coordinated effort. Entry required verification of a Glory and Honor profile picture. Unable to resist their growing curiosity, Lokipleted the process and entered the channel, only to be greeted by a pinned announcement:@@novelbin@@ ¡°This channel was created with permission from streamer Eugene.¡± ¡°Kehuk.¡± ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°With permission? Seriously?!¡± ¡°These people are insane.¡± ¡°Honestly, the real lunatic here is probably that guy¡­.¡± Loki scrolled through the member list, noting an impressive lineup of yers. From renowned pros to up-anding rookies, and even elite amateur yers, all were represented. There wasn¡¯t a single member below Master rank. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Even for someone immersed in the Glory and Honor world, Loki found it difficult to grasp the sheer absurdity of the situation. [User ¡°YourFreakinSword¡± has donated 3,000 won.] ¡°Why does it feel like this channel gains a new member after every match Eugene finishes?¡± ¡°Well, if these people manage to make progress, I¡¯ll dly support it. More members mean more breakthroughs, right?¡± The channel¡¯s admin, though not its creator, was none other than Eugene. The world, Loki concluded, truly was a strange ce. Chapter 451 "Hup¡ª!" Swish! A dreadful sound echoed as a silver greatsword cut through the air. The timing was wless. It wasn¡¯t swung with excessive force. The distance control was impable, and the moment of the attack was seamless¡ªyet the perfectly executed strike missed its target by the width of a finger, grazing past the opponent¡¯s head. Allied forces once again rallied to reim Point A. They reasoned that even if they temporarily surrendered Point B, securing a properly ced ballista would make retaking the center far easier than anticipated. Moreover, unlike Point B, Points A and C were confined spaces where only small skirmishes, at most 2v2 battles, could ur. If they concentrated their forces to drive out the enemy and sessfully upied Point A, then destroyed the makeshift bridge connecting A and C, they had a reasonable chance of achieving their objectives. Thus, four allies surged toward Point A. The situation reset to square one¡ª "Three minutes...?" "This... this is ridiculous." Loki''s team had to ept a devastating result at Point A: three minutes lost and two allies down. Unfortunately for them, the professor who would grade Loki¡¯s "group project" wasn¡¯t about to hand them an A for effort. The two who impulsively attempted a joint attack in their panic earned themselves a D+ before being ejected to the respawn screen. Meanwhile, the golden blood still dripped steadily from the daggers in Professor Eugene¡¯s hands. The only ones left were Loki and her Shaman-ss ally. Their bodies, enhanced by targeted spells that boosted their stats by more than 20%,unched a flurry of attacks. But their opponent¡¯s sharp gaze refused to allow even a single sessful strike. To make matters worse, Eugene''s team had already informed him that Loki was using the "Battle Frenzy" perk, putting him on high alert. "Shaman, can you provide support?" "I... I''ll try my best." Dodging. Dodging again. And dodging once more. It wasn¡¯t just ordinary dodging. If that were the case, those at Point A might have thought Eugene was merely stalling for time. But he evaded every attack by mere inches, never once breaking eye contact with his attackers. Rather than feeling like they were missing their strikes, it felt like they were being dissected. From behind came the metallic sound of a de unsheathing. The Shaman had drawn a dius. However, it wasn¡¯t to join the fray. Instead, in this dire situation, he intended to throw the de¡ªa unique tactic made possible by his special ability to continuously replenish ceremonial swords at fixed intervals. With that, Loki and the Shaman maintained a safe distance, carefully calcting their timing. The joint attack began. "Huff...!" Eugene was undoubtedly a formidable opponent. That much was certain. But his two daggers had clear limitations¡ªparticrly when the distance was rapidly closed, and he was forced into an offensive position. Weapons like poleaxes or bastard swords could counter such advances with their reach, but daggers, barely 40 centimeters long, couldn¡¯t. As Loki initiated a heavy horizontal sh from the upper stance, Eugene quickly retreated. But Loki immediately canceled her motion and rushed forward, closing the gap even further, before initiating another horizontal sh. With her body enhanced and the distance suddenly closed, Eugene had no choice but to meet the attack head-on, crossing his daggers to brace for impact. With a horrifying screech, the crossed daggers barely managed to deflect the ymore. For the first time, a dull groan escaped Eugene¡¯s lips. It was a miracle he wasn¡¯t sent flying sideways. But it wasn¡¯t over. As Eugene fended off the attack, the Shaman threw his dius with all his might. Loki, instead of following up her attack, continued pressing her strength against Eugene¡¯s daggers, as if trying to cleave him in half¡ªbuying the Shaman the time he needed. Yet no one noticed the sudden gleam in Eugene¡¯s eyes. "Ugh...!" In a single second, an array of events unfolded simultaneously,pacted into one fluid motion. Eugene stepped back ever so slightly, loosening his grip just enough to slip free of the ymore¡¯s trajectory as it halted mid-swing. At the same time, the dius hurtled toward him. However, the gauntlet on Eugene¡¯s hand possessed just enough durability to deflect it. With a sharp ng, sparks flew as the dius rebounded off the gauntlet, spinning upward. But it didn¡¯t fall to the ground. Instead, Eugene, with his leg d in reinforced greaves, kicked the hilt of the dius like a ser ball. The de, moving at an almost imperceptible speed, didn¡¯t travel far before finding its target. "Kuh¡ª! Ack...!" HP dropped to zero in an instant. Loki wanted to rub her eyes and double-check, but the reality before her was undeniable. Even the viewers, stunned into silence, couldn¡¯t deny what they had witnessed¡ªit was all real. She resisted the urge to look back at the Shaman¡¯s final moments. All she heard was the thud of a body hitting the ground and a dying groan. As the sensation of exhration and vitality coursing through her body faded, Loki realized that the targeted spell effects had vanished with the Shaman¡¯s death. All that remained was emptiness. "Ha... ha. Haha..." "You¡¯re not thinking of running away now, are you?" "...Please, go easy on me." The person who had just ruthlessly beaten SSM Entertainment''s Glory and Honor pro gamers to a pulp. She. Raised her daggers. Loki felt her uing battles would be a grueling ordeal. "Completely obliterated in an instant. I feel like I got whacked in the head with a sledgehammer. Let¡¯s take a 10-minute¡ªno, an hour-long break." Whew¡­ I¡¯ll let this one slide. That¡¯s some next-level stuff, lol. At this tier, once you lose momentum, you¡¯re just shredded instantly. Terrifying. Losing 4v1 is insane, hahaha! This wasn¡¯t a ranked game; it was an actual war, lol. As she sank deeply into her chair, it let out a loud creak. But Loki didn¡¯t have the mental energy to care. Staring nkly at the ceiling, she let out a heavy sigh. Normally, she¡¯d review the recent battle, reflecting on what she did well and where she went wrong. But she couldn¡¯t muster the willpower. A pure, insurmountable gap in skill. It wasn¡¯t unheard of, even at the Grandmaster tier. Every game, every professional scene had its star yers. As a former pro gamer herself, she understood this better than most. Some yers exuded an oppressive aura just by standing before you. Others, even when it seemed certain you¡¯d kill them, would stubbornly survive and counterattack. And then there were those so unbeatable in directbat that you resorted to setting traps and exploiting their weaknesses. ¡®But this¡­ this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered something so hopeless.¡¯ Every attack was calcted, conserving stamina while exhausting hers. Exploiting reach was futile because Eugene¡¯s control was so precise that the attacker would tire first. He never attacked unnecessarily, making parries and counters impossible. And yet, what terrified her most was the realization that the daggers, which seemed like self-imposed restraints, were merely a choice. If he had wielded a tomahawk, or an arming sword, or something even more devastating... There was only one conclusion. "You have to adapt on the fly. There¡¯s no other way." A soft click echoed as Loki opened her notepad. Though no longer a pro, traces of her professional habits remained. She swiftly jotted down observations from the match. It was widely known that Eugene consistently targeted vital areas or vulnerable points, rendering opponents¡¯ actions ineffective. Loki, too, had fallen victim to the textbook execution¡ªmobility restricted, a dagger through her throat. But that wasn¡¯t what mattered most. What truly stood out was that Eugene didn¡¯t evade every attack. There were moments when he had no choice but to block. As her fingers moved instinctively, a few lines of text appeared on the screen. "If he switches to defense the moment he senses an unavoidable attack... then it¡¯s not entirely hopeless." Her memory sharpened as she reviewed the battle. The Shaman¡¯s thrown dius had forced Eugene into a precarious position. If Loki had capitalized on that opening instead of freezing, there might have been a chance. Loki¡¯s notes grew until they filled over ten lines. She organized them neatly, adding every thought before the inspiration faded. In the end, she had what could be called an analysis¡ªa detailed document that felt like it came straight from her days with a pro team. She leaned back in her chair, her fiery determination dimming. "But that doesn¡¯t mean I want to face him again." Haha, exactly! Knowing isn¡¯t the same as doing, lol! He¡¯s probably reviewing the match too, so next time this won¡¯t work anyway. True, haha. Just because you kill him once doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t respawn, lol. Loki sighed deeply. If Eugene stayed where he was, maybe she could seed with the same method. But he wouldn¡¯t. He was far too intelligent, likely the smartest yer she¡¯d ever encountered. Just as she was lost in thought¡ª Ding! A sudden message. It was from a fellow gamer, someone she had known for a while. Like Loki, they were of simr skill and tier, though unlike her, they remained in the professional scene. The message contained a link. After confirming it wasn¡¯t a phishing attempt, Loki clicked it. What greeted her was the name of a chat channel: [A Room for Beating the Dual-Dagger User] What... was this? The number of participants¡ª46¡ªhinted that this madness was on a farrger scale than Loki had imagined. Entry required verifying her Glory and Honor profile. Her curiosity got the better of her, and shepleted the verification. At the top of the channel was a pinned message: "What the¡ª" LOL, they got his permission?! These people are nuts! I think Eugene¡¯s the craziest one here, honestly. ???: Do it if you can, lol. Scrolling through the participants, Loki saw familiar names¡ªrenowned yers, pro gamers, trainees, and top-tier regrs ranging from Master to Challenger rank. Not a single participant was below Master tier. For a moment, she forgot why she had joined. Looking at the lineup, she muttered: "The world¡¯s gone mad." Even Loki, deeply immersed in the world of Glory and Honor, struggled to understand this bizarre phenomenon.@@novelbin@@ And that was how she spent the next three hours adjusting to the channel. Is it just me, or does the channel gain a new member after every match? "Well, I trust that such individuals will lead to significant advancements. More members are always wee." ???: But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose, lol. Haha! Fun fact: Eugene created the channel upon request. So this is like the Demon King training heroes? This is whyedy shows never go out of style, lol. The "Room for Beating the Dual-Dagger User." Its operator¡ªthough not its creator¡ªwas Eugene. The world was indeed a strange ce. Chapter 452 "It feels like just yesterday Bi-yam was streaming his tournament rank matches, but it¡¯s already been a year." "...But why didn¡¯t they do it this year?" "Why don¡¯t you ask him yourself, genius?" It was the weekend of the fourth week of August, a Saturday. Over a week had passed since the tournament rank matches, the first step toward the Fourth Final Championship, had begun.@@novelbin@@ Themunity was aze, as if sitting in the heart of a molten furnace. The weather was unusually clear and hot, and Icarus had capitalized on it, spreading advertisements everywhere. Last year, their "Dark Zone" ads had been concentrated on specific time slots, but now they dominated electronic billboards for days. That wasn¡¯t all. Thanks to Eugene¡¯s monumental influence the previous year, Icarus had swallowed the entire AP (Advertising Partnership) pie and reinvested even a small portion of the profits into tournament ranks, preliminary ranks, KSM matches, and Asian preliminaries. The initiatives were diverse¡ªprograms to support new talent discovery, debut grants for pro gamers, and special bonuses for top tournament rankers. The result? An influx of self-proimed skilled yers, beyond the usual crop of trainees and league yers carefully cultivated by their respective teams. A stage ripe for chaos had been perfectly set. "Wow, 4 million Korean concurrent users on a weekend? Insane." "And the servers are handling it?" "They built another data center in Gangwonst year, right? Including that, Korea has around five data centers now. Without it, the servers would¡¯ve definitely exploded." Despite the overwhelming influx of yers, the servers barely held up. asionally, a few rooms disconnected entirely, but such cases were rare, and most yers didn¡¯t care. Instead, the newly introduced MMR exposure system in tournament rank matches had stolen the spotlight. Who was currently ranked number one? That was the hot topic. Eugene, unfortunately, wasn¡¯t participating. Having won first ce inst year¡¯s Final Championship, he was already eligible to participate as a guest in the finals without needing to climb through tournament ranks. He would only need to y the Asian preliminaries if he chose to enter as a yer. Dice was in a simr position. With her experience mentoring younger pro gamers, she had no reason to start from tournament ranks. After finishing fourth inst year¡¯s championship¡ªsecond if you excluded Logan and Eugene¡ªwhy would she bother with the qualifiers? However, not everyone had such privileges. "...Couldn¡¯t we make even the top 20 fromst year¡¯s Final Championship start from the Asian preliminaries?" "Mikael, Gambit, Ink, Blooming, Harmony... Wait, Harmony¡¯s there too?" "And why wouldn¡¯t she be?" Mikael, Gambit, and Ink. The trio who ced solidly within the top 15 ofst year¡¯s Final Championship, overshadowed only by Dice. Then there was Blooming¡ªDice¡¯s first disciple. And finally, Harmony. "What the hell killed me?" "...You died to a trap set 7 minutes and 21 seconds ago... Seriously, someone stop that explosive maniac¡ª!" The dead don¡¯t speak, nor do the traps lying in wait for their victims. Mikael skillfully swept through enemies with his matured shield-handling techniques, while Ink and Gambit sent the unwary back to the lobby with their raw physical prowess. Meanwhile, Harmony¡¯s name repeatedly filled the kill log, forcing yers in the same session to reluctantly equip shields. No one knew where her traps were hidden. Even if you tried to bypass them, you¡¯d need at least a ballistic shield to preserve your life. But carrying a ballistic shield limited your primary weapon to a carbine rifle or SMG, leaving you at a firepower disadvantage if facing opponents with 7.62mm rifles. "...Maybe switching to duo or squad matches would be better." "Do you have reliable and skilled teammates to bring along?" "You¡¯ve got to be kidding me..." There was even a half-joking notion that yers who performed exceptionally wellst year should take a year-long break to bnce the scales. Of course, it was nonsense. Ultimately, the consensus med Bi-yam for the upheaval. The ripple effects caused by one individual were monumental, but with him cleanly bowing out of this year¡¯s championship, what could anyone do? Morepetitors joined, but the door narrowed further. Barely two weeks into the tournament ranks, the difficulty and atmosphere were already spiraling into hellish chaos. And as for the architect of it all¡ª Vroom!* "...It¡¯s terrifying no matter how many times I see it." "Someone¡¯s wearing motion capture gear and actually deflecting those strikes... with daggers." In Yeouido¡¯s Icarus International building, within Glory and Honor¡¯s headquarters, Eugene moved nimbly inside arge motion capture room. Sensors adhered to his body as he dodged and parried massive greatsword swings. As a dagger specialist, his focus was overwhelmingly on evasion rather than direct blocks, though he frequently incorporated guard breaks with kicks or hilt strikes. This style deviated from his usualbat approach, but concessions had to be made. After all, the moves needed to fit the framework of a Glory and Honor ss. Parrying, while rare, was also part of the design. "So heavy attacks can¡¯t be parried. I never paid much attention to that before. How much of a disadvantage is it?" "It means you can¡¯t directly counter over half the attacks, so it¡¯s significant." The uing Assassin ss, inspired by Eugene, differed greatly from any previous character release. Instead of heavy and light attacks, counters formed the core of itsbat. Sessfully dodging, parrying, or countering light and certain area attacks filled the "Assassinate Gauge." Once full, the system evaluated all variables: the opponent¡¯s stamina, health, guard breaks suffered, armor durability, and the user¡¯s own stamina and health. For 30 seconds, the Assassin gained a 30% boost to movement and attack speed, enabling the use of a devastating special attack. A critical hit on a locked target delivered immense damage and inflicted status effects. But that wasn¡¯t all. Thud!* "...Whoa." A silicone humanoid, crafted to mimic a real person, took a dagger deep into its neck. With just two strikes, Eugenepletely severed the neck, following up with a kick that sent the robot stumbling back as a robotic voice monotonously dered an instant death. This was the hallmark of the Assassin¡¯s unique mechanic¡ªif thebined stamina and HP of an enemy fell below a certain threshold, the ss could execute an instant-kill ability, bypassing remaining health entirely. Having demonstrated the skill wlessly, Eugene approached two engineers recording the data. His twin daggers, provided by Icarus, were already sheathed. "How many distinct finishing move animations do you need today?" "Ah... As many as possible, please. Ten or more would be ideal." "That¡¯s quite a lot." "But with someone like Eugene, we can gather almost all the capture data in a single take, so it won¡¯t take as long as it sounds." They discussed how to structure the motions, ensuring they were realistic and feasible. Typically, this process involved coboration with martial arts directors and stunt performers, followed by weeks of training before motion capture began. But Eugene bypassed all of that. As the engineers reviewed the footage, Eugene watched himself on screen. The sequence was meticulous: a spinning inward approach, twin daggers piercing the wrists, followed by a reverse grip transition. The right-hand dagger thrust deep into the neck, the de slicing halfway through with ateral push, ending with a powerful kick. "Wow." Unlike Eugene¡¯s calm demeanor, the engineers erupted in awe as they watched the yback. Meanwhile, Eugene, reviewing their requirements, began nning his next set of movements. The twin daggers returned to his hands. Toplete the extensive motion capture requests, he would need to work tirelessly for days, possibly weeks. "Let¡¯s begin. I¡¯m ready." "...Confirmed. Starting motion capture equipment now." The pressure was palpable. At Eugene¡¯s insistence, they had swapped out the dummy greatsword for a real one. The engineers, holding their breath, watched as he performed wlessly. Ten days into motion capture for the new ss, Eugene was still fully engaged. The world, step by step, continued to evolve. Meanwhile, a new announcement regarding the uing Korean tournament stirred excitement in the Glory and Honormunity. Spection swirled around the release of the Assassin ss and how it might impact the game. Viewers across the globe anticipated the groundbreaking updates. Change was on the horizon, and it wasn¡¯t stopping anytime soon. Chapter 453 - Hey, what the hell, teacher?! Why are you doing all the fun stuff alone and not telling us about it?! "...Noment." - HEY!!!! - Why do you do fun stuff without us? Why do you do fun stuff without us? Why do you do fun stuff without us? Why do you do fun stuff without us? Why do you do fun stuff without us? Why do you do fun stuff without us? - When did you even try something like that? LOL - Didn¡¯t that game adunch less than a month ago? How is something like thising out so fast? - And knowing it would appear on the official broadcast, what kind of nerve did you have to open a private stream for it? LOL A moment of silence followed. The viewers, upon hearing the shocking news, reacted in the most universal way possible: an onught of question marks filled the chat. As they regained theirposure, the realization struck¡ªthis person, knowing full well it would be shown on the official broadcast, even gave interviews and still pretended ignorance. Chaos erupted. Naturally, the streamers feigned ignorance. The viewers didn¡¯t really expect serious answers. To be precise, this was a territory bound by confidentiality agreements between thepany and the streamers. Nobody was stubborn enough to forcefully dig into it. Of course, even if someone had tried, they would¡¯ve been swiftly removed by the ever-vignt moderator bot. Separate from this, as the initial fervor subsided, the viewers¡¯ curiosity shifted to another matter. A month¡ªor less. To be exact, about five fewer days depending on the perspective. When considering the time it takes to create a new ss for a game with an average global yer base of 1.5 million (plus or minus 200,000), even a month was¡­ Unreasonably short. Practically impossible. Even if the work was outsourced everywhere,piling all the data files and optimizing them alone would take a month. Despite advancements in workflow efficiency, some things simply couldn¡¯t be rushed. When the game firstunched, there were 32 sses. Four yearster, Glory and Honor now had exactly 50 sses. Releasing four sses a year¡ªone per quarter¡ªwas the standard. Speeding that up significantly was unprecedented. The streamer, of course, knew this better than anyone and had long since resolved his curiosity about it. Staring nkly at the flood of questions filling the chat, he recalled that the embargo was partially lifted starting today. Carefully, he began to speak. "¡­Before I answer your questions, let me exin as a former game developer. To add a new ss to Glory and Honor, the necessary steps are as follows." First, the concept of the ss must be established. At this stage, an intense discussion determines whether the concept is realistic and fits well into the game¡¯s world. Once it gets the green light, they decide on various details like attack methods, total HP, damage areas, armor types, height, and more. Second, based on the decided settings, the character is built. This includes creating simtions and fixing any ipatibilities with the game¡¯s physics engine. Once those issues are resolved, stunt performers and martial artists are hired to capture various motion data for realism and detail. Naturally, challenges arise during these stages¡ªactions that are unrealistic or physically impossible based on the initial concepts. Resolving these issues is also part of the process. And then¡ª "¡­Third, when the prototype isplete, QA testers and general participants who¡¯ve signed legal agreements test the ss in real scenarios. They check for physics engine shes, bugs, areas for improvement, and shorings, and report them back." The difference here was that typical cinematic trailers were usually produced between the second and third stages. This time, they had already reached the third stage. With all the details sorted, viewers gradually realized that thanks to Eugene¡¯s involvement, many processes from the first and second stages had been skipped. This had elerated the project¡¯s progress to an almost impossible level. ncing at the chat, he guessed that simr discussions were happening in other streams. Sensing that most of the viewers¡¯ questions had been answered, he decided to address the most pressing issue directly. "Anyway, to summarize¡­ what you¡¯re probably most curious about is whether the ss is fun to y or not, right?" - Of course, duh! LOL - If it¡¯s released like this, assassins will take over everywhere! Damn it! - Hot take: make it so only yers above tinum rank can buy it. - Difficulty: ¡®Extreme¡¯ LOL - Hey, isn¡¯t this the first time we¡¯ve had ¡®Extreme¡¯ difficulty? LOL Exactly. Extreme Difficulty. Normally, difficulties were categorized as Easy, Medium, and Hard, with yers further splitting them into subcategories like Lower Medium, Upper Hard, etc. But just minutes earlier, the official broadcast boldly introduced ¡®Extreme¡¯¡ªtwo simple sybles that burned themselves into the minds of the viewers. Naturally, among the millions of viewers, fewer than 100 might have genuinely thought, "I shouldn¡¯t attempt this." Most were likely thinking, "I can do it!" Having gauged the viewers¡¯ reactions, the streamer took a deep breath, suppressing a smirk, and added: "As mentioned earlier¡­ it¡¯s obviously fun. You saw it in the footage¡ªAssassins, being a close-range ss, passively gain a roughly 15% bonus to dynamic vision. It¡¯s not overwhelmingly difficult, but once a de shes past your face¡­ it¡¯s chilling." - Oh, sh*t LOL - Fact: People y this game for that spine-tingling sensation. - LOL - Everyone here is a thrill junkie, and now it¡¯s even scarier? Sounds great. LOL - What is it about this ss that everyone keeps raving about?! Exactly. Even he wasn¡¯t sure how else to describe it. After much thought, he concluded that thrill-seeking degenerates were the best words to describe the Glory and Honor yer base. While other games might appeal to casual yers, Glory and Honor thrived on the adrenaline rush of close-rangebat. The imminent release of an ultra-close-range ss, where a single mistake could mean disaster, was bound to be¡­ wildly popr. And that wasn¡¯t the only appealing aspect. "And as for the second thing you¡¯re curious about¡ªthe Assassin system¡ªit¡¯s genuinely innovative. You all love fancy animations, don¡¯t you? When the Assassin system triggers, all the motions changepletely. I think you¡¯ll be very pleased with it." In this case, motion and performance were proportionate. When the system activates, all ambient sounds fade away. The field of vision narrows. Only the sound of a heartbeat echoes, and the world¡¯s colors dull into a grayish haze¡ªexcept for the critical spot, which faintly glows. If the yer sessfully blocks or dodges an enemy¡¯s attack and counters, the game determines whether the target can defend. If not, all attacks register as critical hits or instant kills. What happens next is simple. "Depending on the attack¡¯s form, the target¡¯s position, ss, HP, and status effects¡­ the Assassin executes a fatal blow or instant kill with one of dozens of unique animations. I think you¡¯ll love it." - LOL - This guy is going all out now that the embargo¡¯s lifted. LOL - So when is it releasing?! Open the gates!!! My wallet¡¯s ready!!! - Not for you, though. LOL - I better finish my ranked games fast before this drops. LOL While it had taken him quite some time to master this ss, that wasn¡¯t his concern anymore. He¡¯d already warned everyone multiple times about the ss¡¯s Extreme Difficulty¡ªwhat happened next was up to them. After all, he hadn¡¯t lied. Looking at the chat buzzing with excitement, he smiled faintly and concluded: "The official release date is in two weeks, so please be patient until then." That was it. He had fulfilled his role. ¡®¡­Sure, I didn¡¯t share all the details, but ss adaptation is always a grind anyway.¡¯ The oue remained to be seen, but for now, he resolved to grind ranked matches as much as possible and secure a high-tier spot before the Assassin ss plunged Glory and Honor into chaos. It was two weeks before the impending pandemonium. And as the ranked grind continued:@@novelbin@@ "It seems like more opponents are getting used to daggers the higher I climb." - Used to them? LOL - Hot take: that¡¯s not adapting; it¡¯s their final death throes. - Teacher, praising them won¡¯t improve their skill level. - But yeah, some Challengers pre-read and react. LOL - Memo: some Challengers can respond to Eugene¡¯s attacks¡­ noted. The weather was clear, and corpses littered the field. The green patch on his shoulder had be familiar¡ªit had been about two weeks since he¡¯d reached Challenger rank. With nowhere higher to climb, it was an amusing milestone. For Eugene, who had never ranked among the top yers in the Dark Zone, this marked his first official foray into the heights ofpetitive gamey. This time, it wasn¡¯t about tournaments but about dominating the rankeddder. Tournament participation required Tier 2 as a baseline, and tournament MMR was separate from regr ranked y. Back then, Eugene had simply parked himself at an adequate rank and shifted over to the tournament scene. In short, this was the first time he¡¯d officially entered the upper echelons of the rankeddder. And the result was the very words he had just muttered moments ago. ¡ª ng! "Oh." "Ugh...!" The de, which should have pierced soft flesh, was abruptly stopped midway. The enemy had anticipated his trajectory, canceled their attack, and narrowly defended against the iing dagger. The sensation inside the gauntlet¡¯s grip stung his hand slightly. Judging by the deliberate reaction, it seemed less like reflex and more like his movements had been read. Rather than frustration, he felt intrigued. The reason was simple: this was exactly the kind of challenge he had been aiming for. Had he been opposed to this, he wouldn¡¯t have created or approved the Dual Dagger Users¡¯ Analysis Room in the first ce. As its moderator, he hadn¡¯t actively monitored what went on in the room for some time, but based on the current situation, the discussions and analyses seemed to be bearing fruit. In that case, it was time to shake things up a bit. "Let¡¯s see how you handle this." "¡­!" He shifted his posture and lowered his stance. This time, he added ayer of unpredictability to his movements. Transitioning from a defensive to an offensive stance, he deliberately made his opponent ufortable, intensifying the pressure as he probed for openings within their range. Feigning attacks two or three times, he waited for the enemy¡¯s stance to falter. Then, in one smooth motion, he threw the dagger in his left hand. The target? Their face. Of course, he wasn¡¯t counting on this causing significant HP loss. If it hit, great. If not, it didn¡¯t matter. While the throwcked an obvious windup, the enemy managed to narrowly block the dagger with their reflexes¡ªonly for their vision to be momentarily obscured, giving Eugene the chance to deliver a solid kick to their abdomen. "Ugh¡­!" The dagger from his left handnded roughly seven meters away. Retrieving it was out of the question. But there was no time to worry about that. Heunched a continuous series of attacks. His opponent wielded two katanas, meaning Eugene needed to maintain his advantage to secure victory. Even so, part of him was curious about how thoroughly his techniques had been analyzed and wanted to see their responses. The enemy, surprisingly, chose an unconventional counter. Deliberately exposing a gap in their arm, they attempted to counterattack his exposed hand. ¡ª Thud! "¡­That¡¯s unexpected." "Hah¡­!" With a loud ng, the katana in the enemy¡¯s left hand fell to the ground. Embedded in their forearm was a long dagger¡ªEugene¡¯s, which he hadn¡¯t managed to retrieve in time. Here¡¯s what happened: Eugene had gripped his dagger in a reverse hold and stabbed it into the enemy samurai¡¯s left arm, intending to disable it entirely. However, the enemy¡¯s katana swing from their right hand had been slightly faster. If Eugene had tried to forcibly retrieve the dagger, his right hand would have been severed. In the end, Eugene remained unharmed but weaponless, while the enemy sacrificed their left arm. They then took Eugene¡¯s dagger, still lodged in their arm, and hurled it far behind them as if to ensure it couldn¡¯t be used again. The fact that Eugene was now weaponless seemed to spread like wildfire. Two additional opponents approached, brandishing their menacing weapons, and encircled him. "You¡¯ve thought things through better than I expected." "I¡¯ve put some effort into this, Teacher." "That much is clear." Eugene briefly rolled his eyes, pondering what to say next. The idea wasn¡¯t bad, but his opponents had overlooked one crucial fact. For that, they would have to pay a hefty price. Reaching into the concealed cloth that draped like a short skirt around his waist, he began to speak. "Dual-wielding daggers may be my signature, but assuming I wouldn¡¯t have a n for losing both weapons is¡­ unreasonable, wouldn¡¯t you agree?" "¡­Excuse me?" "I didn¡¯t want to bring this out, but¡­" - What??? WHAT?????? - Oh my God, the tactical tomahawk is here LOL - ???: Sorry, Dice¡­ I didn¡¯t want to use it¡­ - Why apologize to Dice?! LOL - You¡¯re DONE FOR!!! - What? You lost your daggers? Oh well, here¡¯s an axe!~ With a soft swish, a sleek ck tomahawk emerged from the hiddenpartment. Its familiar grip felt perfect in his hand, and the engraved name "EUGENE" glowed faintly on its handle. Unlike when wielding daggers, the aftermath of his attacks would now leave much messier results. "Uh, wait. Teacher, I don¡¯t think I signed up for the advanced course¡ª" "Let¡¯s go." The dull, brutal sound of the tomahawk filled the air. If you can¡¯t have bread, eat cake. If you don¡¯t have daggers, use an axe. The fight was about to take a whole new turn. Chapter 455 "I¡¯ve been ying this game for about four years now, but for the first time, I don¡¯t feel like ying anymore¡­" "Wait, Eugene¡­ and a greatsword? Is the world ending or something?" "Please, stop¡ª!" CRACK! With a horrible sound, metal crumpled, thick leather armor tore apart, and a person was literally split in two. It was inevitable. When someone who knew how to use their body with unmatched efficiency picked up a ymore over 150 cm in length, horrific situations were bound to happen. Eugene, in the Ochs stance, red at the enemy, ready to charge at any moment. With her Berserker Mode activated, golden lightning flickered from her eyes. It was as if she embodied a thunder-forged bull, an overwhelming presence shimmering with golden energy. It had been only a week since she first wielded the greatsword. While not a long time, the synergy of Icarus Gear¡¯s training modebined with elerated virtual reality time had allowed her to shed her assassin''s mantle entirely. In the early days of September, barely ten minutes into her stream, Eugene had already turned the battlefield into chaos. "Hrk¡­!" "¡­!" The silvery greatsword painted arcs through the air. The overhead sh seemed massive, like a perfectly timed heavy attack that could theoretically be parried. But those standing before Eugene couldn¡¯t think that way. The attack was executed with such precision that it bordered on being an instant kill. Had it been any ordinary person, their head would¡¯ve been cleaved in two. The fact that her opponents managed to block it at all proved they were some of the best Glory and Honor yers in the world. Golden sparks flew in ce of blood. Despite being in a game, the impact was enough to make their wrists tingle. The deflected ymore skidded across the ground, throwing dirt and debris into the air. CLANG! The chaotic melee soon morphed into a sacred duel. Eugene''s upward swing nearly sent a shield flying as a il narrowly missed her head. With her legs firmly nted, she pushed off the ground, causing dirt to scatter as her sword spun in a wide arc. The shield grew progressively more battered as metallic ngs reverberated. But Eugene¡¯s swordy steadily evolved into something unrecognizable. It became something out of a fantasy: fluid and precise, yet overwhelmingly powerful. Holding the ymore tightly in her left hand, she charged forward, executing a wide horizontal sh while spinning in ce. As the enemy scrambled to recover, she mmed the ground with incredible force. Her attacks defied logic. Their speed and power were unparalleled. "Aargh¡­!" The airborne strike shattered the heater shield in two and severed one of the enemy¡¯s arms. Eugene¡¯s stamina was nearly depleted. While not impossible for a human body to sustain, the excessive movespressed into a short period had drained her resources. Even so, she used her remaining stamina to create distance, parrying an iing il with her sword¡¯s de. Returning to the Ochs stance, she waited for her stamina to recover. The moment it did, she swung her sword again. A chilling sound followed as the il user¡¯s final desperate counterattack was nullified. The swift, blinding strike ended with her opponent on their knees. They disintegrated into golden light, disappearing into the respawn screen. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Another user was already stepping up to face her. "Wow." "It feels like their sses got switched or something¡­" Two familiar daggers aimed at Eugene. She raised her ymore with a stoic expression, exuding an aura as if she had always been a greatsword user in an alternate reality. The standoff was tense. While the match was officially Domination Mode, it now resembled a one-on-one tournament at Point B. The first to make a move was the newly released Assassin ss, which had debuted barely 12 hours ago. The opponent¡¯s strikes were fluid and graceful, vastly different from Eugene¡¯s straightforward brutality. They captured the stereotypical elegance often seen in dual-wielding media portrayals, but no one believed it wouldst long. WHAM! "Gah!" "That¡¯s not how you do it." Her tightly shut lips opened atst. As the assassin moved in for an attack, Eugene countered with a swift knee strike, disrupting their flow. Though the opponent staggered and tried to retreat, Eugene didn¡¯t let up. A single horizontal sh cut through the air, and the enemy fell to their knees. Their head followed soon after. With Eugene¡¯s team already holding a decisive lead, the opposing team resigned themselves to spectating the impromptu duels while waiting for the match to end. Apuse erupted as the fight concluded, though no one seemed eager to take the next turn. With just 30 seconds left on the timer, Eugene¡¯s teammates sidled up to her, throwing out casual questions. "So, when did you switch to a greatsword?" "Switch? This is more of a¡­ job experience. I mean, Glory and Honor has over 50 sses. I can¡¯t just stick to daggers. There are dozens of weapons to try." "Does that mean you n to die to each weapon at least once?" "Why does it alwayse to that conclusion?" It wasn¡¯t entirely incorrect, though. She couldn¡¯t admit it aloud, not while golden sparks still dripped from her ymore. What would her next weapon be? With daggers and axes already checked off, and now the greatsword¡­ wait a second. Her eyesnded on a chain sickle held by the person nearest to her. For a moment, her mouth hung open, her hands uncertain. Then she spoke. "¡­Can I try the chain sickle next?" "What?" "Wait, hold on. Is this request time now?" "Stick with the greatsword! ymore! It¡¯s so epic¡ª!" The conversation was cut short as the session ended, ejecting Eugene back into the lobby. Dazed, she scanned her surroundings before muttering: "¡­What just happened?" Naturally, she remained bewildered. Meanwhile, as Eugene cleaved through everything in sight with a ymore as if splitting firewood¡­ The newlyunched Assassin ss had stormed into Glory and Honor, leaving chaos in its wake. yers armed with dual daggers flooded both casual and ranked matches. Streamers eagerly tested the ss in private practice rooms, summoning AI to experiment with its Assassinate System: abination of enhanced reflexes, superior speed, and unparalleled performance in one-on-onebat. Yet what captivated yers most wasn¡¯t the mechanics but the visceral immersion¡ªhow the world fell silent, save for the pounding of their heartbeat, as their vision narrowed and their target glowed faintly. THUD! "Whoa¡­!" "What kind of damage is this?" "Wait, every assassination has a unique animation? How many are there?" A single sessful psychological y yielded an overwhelming reward. Whether lunging through an opponent¡¯s legs, leaping into the air, or driving daggers into their throat, the Assassin¡¯s attacks devastated their foes, leaving only a sliver of HP if they managed to survive at all. Of course, achieving such rewards required taking enormous risks. Few public matches saw the dramatic ys imagined in highlight reels. Instead, most matches went something like this: CRUNCH! "Argh!" "Stay quiet!" yers misjudging their distance and getting smacked on the head, sending them straight to the respawn screen. Others failing to execute their moves and fumbling into their deaths. Failed psychological gambits resulting in clumsy parries, followed by inevitable defeat. And so, failures piled up by the hundreds, quickly filling YouSpace channels with clips titled Game Fails or When Idiots y Games, racking up countless views. Amid this blend ofedy and tragedy, one undeniable fact emerged: "¡­I don¡¯t know how they designed it, but when the Assassinate Gauge fills, and you activate it, the rush is absolutely insane. The heightened speed and pounding heartbeat¡ªit¡¯s genius. Who came up with this?" "The difficulty isn¡¯t as bad as I thought, but the weapon¡¯s short range is oppressive. You have to close in tond hits, and facing heavily armored enemies sounds like a nightmare¡­" Clear rewards. Simple yet challenging gamey. Adaptable tactics depending on the enemy¡¯s armor type. While the ss could¡¯ve easily been a failure, Glory and Honor¡¯s developers had cleverly designed it to maximize the euphoria of activating the Assassinate System. And so, 12 hours after the Assassin¡¯sunch, opinions began to converge: "At the very least, anyone who¡¯s triggered the Assassinate System can¡¯t say this ss is weak. Killing three enemies in 20 seconds¡ªeven with special skills¡ªis insane. But this ss makes it possible." Of course, some ranted mindlessly about poor design. Others remained quiet, still learning how to use the system. But the remaining half, addicted to the thrill of one-shot kills, reveled in their newfound power, unable to contain their excitement. As heated debates raged across Glory and Honormunities, Eugene¡¯s stream grew increasingly popr as viewers flooded in to watch the origin of the Assassin ss in action. CRASH! "Wow, so many viewers today. Unfortunately, my daggers are on a break." "??????????????"@@novelbin@@ "What is that massive, ridiculous, beautiful hunk of metal??" "Wait, a ymore?! Seriously?!" "Why is this person using daggers when no one else does, and a giant sword when everyone else is using daggers?!" "We¡¯ve decided to call it being a hipster." "No, no, this is a trendsetter, not a hipster!" Eugene¡¯s ymore tore through another opponent like paper. Despite reading the barrage of questions flooding her chat, she maintained herposure and raised her sword once more. And as expected, the results didn¡¯t deviate much from what everyone had anticipated. "That¡¯s not how it¡¯s done." "Ack!" With carefully calcted steps, Eugene narrowed and widened her distance, toying with her opponent¡¯s range. In mere moments, she delivered another lesson: "You¡¯re doing it wrong," at the cost of her enemy¡¯s life. As always, Eugene refused to follow the crowd. Chapter 457 "Six months? That¡¯s shorter than I expected." "Technically, it''s a tactical exchange program, so it¡¯s shorter than the usual duration. Unless there are special circumstances, the higher-ups don¡¯t like keeping elite forces out in the field for too long. In fact, this is already two months longer than the initial proposal." "So, if there were ¡®special circumstances¡¯... well, that¡¯s probably not something I can pry into. Anyway, does this mean you¡¯re heading back to Virginia soon?" "I¡¯ll be leaving in about a week." Flop. The view of the Han River in September stretched out beyond the wide floor-to-ceiling windows, bustling with people moving about below. Watching it all, Laurentia sank back into the living room sofa. Beside her was arge carrier packed with various devices. Eugene nced at the luggage and let out a faint, amused sigh but didn¡¯t say much. After all, her former superior, ¡°the Shark,¡± hadn¡¯t shown up at her house unprepared. Laurentia had offered to pay for her stay, including lodging and other expenses. Of course, Eugene had immediately turned that down. "Don¡¯t you think I can at least do this much?" Eugene had said kindly, leaving Laurentia no room to refuse. Her resolve wasn¡¯t that strong. "You really didn¡¯t want to return early, did you?" "I just thought I should see my junior onest time before heading back. And it¡¯s a good opportunity to resolve some lingering matters." Eugene nodded slightly. What Laurentia meant was that, as a DEVGRU operator, she was supposed to return to the U.S. following the end of her deployment in the tactical exchange program. However, she had requested an additional week in Korea to wrap up some personal affairs. At a nce, it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. But if we put things into perspective: She was a top-tier U.S. military asset, a DEVGRU Gold Squadron operations team leader, whose training andbat readiness alone cost hundreds of thousands of dors. A living weapon crammed with invaluable tactical and strategic knowledge stored in her brain and muscle memory. Someone who had conducted numerous ck ops missions across the globe, with a kill count of at least 70 in this world alone. An EM-ss awakened individual, one of fewer than twenty in the world. As such, she underwent annual physical exams, tissue testing, and biometric scans in exchange for ¡°special incentives¡± from the U.S. Department of Defense. If someone like that asked to wander around Korea alone for a week, the higher-ups¡¯ response was predictable¡ªthey¡¯d want her back immediately. And the only reason they¡¯d approve such a request? Eugene herself. "Having you as my observer ensures proper supervision while I¡¯m here. And under the guise of monitoring what activities you¡¯re engaged in, I can report this as a legitimate extension to my stay. Two birds with one stone." "This is why I¡¯m never going back." "That, I envy." Nom, nom. The sound of pizza disappearing into someone¡¯s mouth echoed through the room. As soon as Eugene heard Laurentia wasing, she¡¯d ordered five pizzas, and the Shark was busy demolishing herte lunch. It was a level offort only possible between the closest ofpanions, built over years of shared experiences in another world. After eating in silence for a while, Laurentia spoke up. "I heard you¡¯re going to Hawaii in early October." "You¡¯ve been keeping up with my streams, huh." "Of course. I even used them as training material." "Cough¡ª!" Eugene let out an incredulousugh, while Laurentia chuckled heartily. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what Laurentia had used as a training reference¡ªEugene¡¯s relentless dagger ys across countless maps. Eugene could only sigh, half exasperated, half amused. Not that she could protest; after all, the person who had taught her dagger skills and CQC was sitting right in front of her. Watching Laurentia casually spin a tactical knife on her finger, Eugene could tell that her streams had been put to good use. Well, if it helped, that was fine. Still, now that Laurentia had found out about the shooting trip nned for October, her curiosity was piqued. "Since my deployment¡¯s short-term, I might get a week¡¯s leave after I return. Maybe I¡¯ll drop by Hawaii while you¡¯re there." "¡­Why does this sound like it¡¯s escting?" "I think I had some former subordinates who opened arge firearms dealership after leaving the service. I¡¯ll have to check if they have a branch in Hawaii. If not, I might just buy a few guns. You have that special FFL, don¡¯t you? You could probably get your hands on a machine gun or something." "Do we really need to go that far¡­?" "Acquiring and storing firearms for self-defense is a sacred right guaranteed by the Second Amendment." nce. Laurentia added, almost as an afterthought, "Not in this country, though. Such a shame." "Why am I not surprised." "Anyway, those two little snakes who always follow you around will being too, right? Sounds like it¡¯ll be a fun trip. It¡¯s been too long since I smelled gunpowder." Little snakes? Eugene thought about the two individuals who often apanied her. Considering the snake-tail avatars they had, maybe it wasn¡¯t entirely inurate. She just hoped those two wouldn¡¯t randomly awaken one day and say, ¡°We¡¯re EM-ss now, just like you!¡± With a resigned nod, Eugene conceded. Laurentia was the type to seize any opening and wedge herself in, so it wasn¡¯t surprising. But what came next was beyond Eugene¡¯s expectations. "By the way, the game you y¡ªGlory and Honor, right? You stream it with reverse bncing on, don¡¯t you?" "That¡¯s right." "Can that reverse bncing be applied to other people?" No way. With an audible creak, Eugene turned her head stiffly. Her blue eyes locked onto Laurentia¡¯s crimson pupils, which were staring straight at her. Of course, Laurentia¡¯s intentions were never hard to predict. ¡­I don¡¯t know. At least it¡¯ll make for good content. And Eugene... simply gave up. Barely twenty minutester, Laurentia¡ªarmed with some bizarre harpoon-like weapon¡ªwas preparing to storm into Glory and Honor. ©¤©¤©¤ Whoosh! "Your physical abilities have definitely diminished significantly. With this level, consecutive thrusts like before will be pretty difficult, so it looks like you''ll have to operate more like with a rapier." "...You know how to handle a rapier?" "Well, I practiced quite a bit during my university¡¯s general club activities." What is it that this person can''t do? I knew that she was from Vermont and used to hunt deer and alligators with a shotgun since she was young, but¡­ what¡¯s with that strangely refined way of speaking, then? I assumed it was something she picked up from university club activities, but even that seemed hard to believe. And then, she added a skill in handling a rapier. The sound of wind slicing through the air was anything but ordinary. The harpoon¡¯s speed as it cut through the air was remarkable. It was fast enough that even I, with my sharp reflexes, would barely be able to catch the afterimage in time. Even if her physical abilities had decreased, she still retained the basic strength of a seasoned male warrior. So, perhaps it wasn¡¯tpletely out of her reach. Moreover, unlike the daggers I had used, the harpoon allowed her to maintain distance, making it far more dangerous if the opponent wasn¡¯t careful. "How about we do a mock battle?" "...Then I won¡¯t be able to use the ymore." Whoosh. A light flick of the wrist. As a result, two daggers, which viewers jokingly referred to as ¡°honor¡± and ¡°glory,¡± appeared in Laurentia¡¯s hands. The elegant and eerie grace with which she wielded them was undeniable. She raised the harpoon to her face as though in a prayer to the sky. There was something almost sacred about the way Laurentia moved, as if the very act of holding the harpoon imbued her with a certain purity. It might have looked more genuine than the cross I¡¯d make while holding my ymore. People had often told her she resembled a nun, but in this moment, it felt somewhat fitting. Once her brief prayer-like gesture ended, Laurentia lowered the harpoon at a nted angle beneath her right thigh. The movement was slow and graceful, unlike the precise, rapid motions of someone wielding a firearm. It didn¡¯t seem like she was deliberately slowing down, so I assumed it was a product of the swordsmanship she had learned. Otherwise, it didn¡¯t quite make sense. Now, it was time to dive into a proper 1v1bat scenario. If I recalled correctly, I had never emerged from a fight with Laurentia unscathed. Whether using daggers or axes, her primary weapon had always been the harpoon¡ªthough it was not one that could be easily thrown and retrieved. It was a massive needle-like weapon capable of instantly ending someone¡¯s life with a single thrust. And now, it came flying toward me. At bullet-like speed. ©¤©¤©¤ Whoosh! "¡­!" "Be more agile." The most notable feature of her attacks? They were silent. The thrust didn¡¯t make a swiping sound like most attacks did. That¡¯s why it was almost impossible to sense when an attack wasing. Even though she didn¡¯t announce her intentions, Laurentia¡¯s attacks targeted the most lethal spots¡ªeyes, heart, neck, armpits, instep, thighs, lungs. One misstep, and the fight could be over before you even realized it. The second notable feature: As soon as one attacknded, a second would follow immediately. "Cough...!" ng! I managed to deflect her harpoon with my knife, but it had almost no effect. As I had mentioned earlier, Laurentia¡¯s "harpoon" was a massive needle, and once it pierced you, there was nothing that would hold it in ce. It was a one-way ticket to death if I didn¡¯t secure it. I had to catch it, I had to lock it in ce. Of course, Laurentia knew this, and she was more skilled at controlling her range than I had expected. Trusting in my reaction speed alone, I had to parry with minimal movement. Sparks flew as attacks came at me at near-unbelievable speed. At least with my reflexes, I could avoid them. The battle became more about close-quartersbat, where Laurentia would sometimes retrieve her harpoon just tond a kick. I was hunting for a single opportunity. The tension in the air was suffocating as we both locked eyes, each waiting for the other to make a move. How much time passed, I couldn¡¯t say. ©¤©¤©¤ Whoosh! "Ugh..." "Damn." I managed to slice her thigh, but in return, I left my left armpit exposed. My left arm was now useless, so I seized the moment to throw a quick dagger at her right thigh, where it sank deep. Laurentia merely winced in response. Even with the wound, she was still moving well, using her harpoon like a crutch to support herself. Once she gripped the dagger in her right hand, the battle was short, but fierce. A hole pierced her corbone and another in her neck. Using those openings, I moved the dagger to her left eye. Laurentia staggered for a moment, then copsed to the floor just as I reached the point of delivering a fatal blow. When the session ended, I struggled to rise from the floor, muttering as I did. "...And you''re telling me you''re going to y regr games after this?" "Well, if my skills aren¡¯t rusty, shouldn¡¯t I test them in realbat?" "..." That one moment of silence held more meaning than a hundred words. Of course, Laurentia didn¡¯t care about silence or anything else. She added with a nonchnt tone, "By the way, are you not streaming today?" I had no choice. What else could I do? It was time to announce Laurentia¡¯s return. [Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR] [Everyone, stop ying One Game and get ready for Ranked Game!] I warned them. "Ugh, cough...!" "What the hell is that weapon?!" "Please... go to ranked games, not One Game..." Thud. As Laurentia¡¯s harpoon pierced the neck of the fallen body, another corpse joined the pile. With a satisfied smile, Laurentia spoke up. "This is fun." "¡­I don''t think anyone else finds this fun."@@novelbin@@ hahahahaha "Did you just break the game with One Game?!" "Seriously, is this what the Awakened Duo is like?????" "Please, this isn¡¯t an advertisement, it¡¯s straight-up ughter!!!" "I¡¯ve parked myself in Diamond already~~~~~~~~" The world was truly a strange ce. At any rate, the influx of viewers was definitely increasing. Probably. Chapter 458 ©¤©¤©¤ Crash! "Move aside! You''ll get swept away!" "Is this Domination One Game, or is this a 1v1 duel?!" "Why... why do I feel like there''s some kind of aura around them?" The air quivered, and sweat beaded on my palms. Despite this being a game, the tension was so palpable under the scorching sunlight that it almost felt real. Except for two people, every other user in the vicinity swallowed nervously and quickly retreated, silently witnessing the uing battle at B. One person wielded a dagger. A Challenger patch¡ªthe object of envy for everyone¡ªwas prominently disyed on their shoulder. As it moved with every shift of their arm, the sunlight reflected off of it, turning green. There was no need to ask who they were. Anyone ying this game recently knew who Eugene was. However, opposite them, there was the name Eugene glowing in orange, and confronting it was a subtle blue English word nickname. Their calm stride radiated an oddly unsettling yet refined aura, a contrast of foreboding and elegance that made the scene even more surreal. A dagger and a modified harpoon. The two weapons, which seemed to favor fast and nimble attacks, faced off¡ªbut instead of explosive bursts of mes from sword strikes as one might expect, the only thing visible were the harpoons shot at unseen speeds, which Eugene narrowly blocked. It was such an unnatural sight for a battle between two people. It was more like watching a protagonist face off with a boss in some soul-like game. ng! "It¡¯s a nice bnce, though. Feels good to finally face an opponent like this." "...This is exactly why I didn¡¯t want to duo with you." A graceful, flowing movement, reminiscent of rapier techniques. But then, in an instant, the long skirt that covered the feet obscured the precise location of the steps, and a speed of attack that was almost like an arrow shot through the air. And if that trajectory was aimed directly at the left eye... then the story would change. A few strands of Eugene¡¯s hair were sliced off as they fell to the ground. But the results of Eugene¡¯s full evasion efforts made a gap, and she pressed through it. Even though Laurentia held her left hand behind her back, she managed to parry Eugene¡¯s dagger multiple times, eventually using the gauntlet on her left hand to deflect the de. But the critical difference between the two weapons became clear: a dagger was most effective when close enough to allow for the enemy¡¯s approach. "...Oh, wow. Damn." "What... what¡¯s this? Did a new Marvel moviee out or something?" The chaotic, dizzying fast-pacedbat began as they closed the distance. Two des aimed at the neck and liver were deflected by Laurentia¡¯s spinning harpoon. But just as she followed up with a right-footed sidekick, Eugene barely dodged it and entwined the harpoon with her dagger and arm. She aimed the dagger in her right hand toward Laurentia¡¯s corbone, but Laurentia blocked it with her palm. Despite the dagger piercing through her palm, Laurentia didn¡¯t seem to mind. Instead, she snatched the dagger from Eugene¡¯s hand and immediatelyunched a kick that pushed Eugene back. Yet, even as Laurentia flew back, she threw the dagger in her hand, hitting Eugene¡¯s left eye, making her head reel back dramatically. But thebat didn¡¯t continue indefinitely. Boom! An artillery shell came crashing down above B, as if to erase everything in its path, followed by a wave of reinforced minions. Eugene lost both of her weapons and suffered minor injuries, while Laurentia lost her left eye. As each returned to A or C, battles erupted again from all directions. Eugene, with a deep prating wound on her left shoulder, sighed and picked up a suitable longsword lying on the floor. At that moment, the other yers released a collective sigh of relief and asked, as if it were a casual inquiry: "U-uh... who¡¯s this scary person? How did they show up?" "They broke into my house. There wasn¡¯t really much I could do about it. For the viewers, it might beedy, but for you guys, it might be tragedy." "Oh... I see." "I did put a warning in the stream title, though." Stream title: "Everyone, get out of One Game!" Of course, no one actually heeded the "warning." If anything, the number of viewers and concurrent yers only increased. Eugene and Laurentia were one-of-a-kind in the world, and for the many viewers and One Game yers, it was simply a matter of "as long as it¡¯s not me." Thus, among the thousands of One Game sessions, one of them randomly matched with Eugene and Laurentia. The remaining ten yers, except for the two, were being torn apart in a vacuum created by the collision of two storms. With a mischievous chuckle, Laurentia added: "If I knew this was going to happen, I would¡¯ve asked you to focus more on 1v1s." "Ah... oh well. We¡¯re fine, really." "d to hear that." Of course, in reality, they probably weren¡¯t fine, but since they were already in the same boat, there was nothing more to be done. When the brief lull ended, both teams¡¯ strategies began to converge. It was simple. If someone spotted Eugene or Laurentia, they would send an Awakened to confront them. Only Awakened could fight other Awakened. In just five minutes of starting the game, five members of the opposing team had their arteries severed, and a harpoon hole punctured their throats¡ªan obvious and simple truth was learned. Now, with only five minutes remaining, sporadic battles broke out across A, B, and C.@@novelbin@@ No matter which team it was, all that echoed in their minds were the warnings to watch out for Eugene or Laurentia. Because both teams were thinking simrly, it was almost like looking into a mirror. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop some unlucky ones from encountering death. Naturally, the aftermath was usually handled by the backup teams. Where the snake goes, the shark follows, and vice versa. ng! "You should¡¯ve warned them not to get too close." "...Could you stop looking elsewhere?" The moment Laurentia charged in at lightning speed, her attack narrowly missed one yer''s head. For a brief instant, the brightness of her attack shed before my eyes before it returned to normal. Eugene¡¯s dagger deflected the harpoon, saving one yer from the brink of their fate¡ªbarely escaping being sent back to the respawn screen. Despite the physical limitations imposed by reverse bncing, it didn¡¯tpletely diminish theirbat sense or experiences. Their extraordinary intuition and instincts, honed over countless battles, allowed them to exploit the smallest gaps in perception that non-Awakened yers couldn¡¯t even begin toprehend. Closing her eyes for a moment, Eugene lifted her weapon. She moved forward or backward with precision, carefully timing her next step. It was something that most would never even notice¡ªthe spaces between actions, the brief moments between thoughts. But for those who had analyzed human movement to the finest detail, those were the openings that could be exploited. And the two of them had done this countless times. To put it simply¡ª ©¤©¤©¤ Boom! "Looks like it¡¯s just the two of us left." "...I kind of expected that." The yers who couldn¡¯t endure the battle were fragmented, scattered like debris, and the only ones left standing were the exuberant Shark and the calm Bi-am who had predicted this oue. For the users who hadn''t participated in the rank, the time of suffering didn¡¯tst long. But the scars left behind by the two storms weren¡¯t small. It was just another ordinary day. "Finally done¡­" "It¡¯s been a while, everyone. Not sure why so many people are watching, but I¡¯m d to see you all supporting my junior." "Omg, what just happened?" "Wow, I love Laurentia!" "Why do Awakened people always have such big tactical pockets? It¡¯s kind of suspicious..." "Fact: Hotteok is big too." "I swear, that¡¯s not what we¡¯re talking about!" The world spun. It hadn¡¯t been this difficult to keep up with Shark¡¯s energy in a while. All those countless games that I¡¯d just breezed through now felt like each one was a marathon, my body getting drained as I focusedpletely, barely able to keep up with every sensation of energy building up. Shark had arrived at my house around 3 PM, after which we ate, and I¡¯ve been streaming since then. It was around 8 PM now, which meant that in game-time, I¡¯d been going nonstop for about 15 hours. To break it down: about 3 hours of casual games, and the rest spent in ranked games and various modes, with ate dinner in between. "Should we do more?" "Ugh..." "Just kidding. There¡¯s always tomorrow or the day after. I¡¯ve had enough fun today. I¡¯m kind of excited after a good workout, though." "The stamina to make Bi-am tired...!!!" "Damn, Laurentia is seriously strong lol." "By the way, what weapon does Laurentia even use? A spear?" "Let¡¯s just call it an instant-kill move." "Everything¡¯s an instant kill w." All attacks might feel like instant kills, and perhaps that¡¯s true. In fact, both the dagger I wield and the harpoon Laurentia uses aren''t as deadly as typical cold weapons. So, it looks like you need to aim for weak spots that could lead to an instant kill¡ªor a state close to it¡ªwhen striking. It¡¯s not as if the weapons are that lethal on their own. In the meantime, donations continued to pour in. "Laurentia, you¡¯re too bold! Eugene, if you two faced off in real life, who would win?" "Kung Fu Panda, thank you so much for your donation. Honestly, I would lose." "What are you saying, junior?" "I can¡¯t lie." "Dyingughing!" "Is that really how it is?" "I can¡¯t imagine Bi-am losing, just how strong is Laurentia?!?" "If you want to see them fight without reverse bncing, hit the like button!" "Holy sht!"* It wasn¡¯t a lie, it was the truth. Reverse bncing being off meant I was capable of performing even more extreme attacks than what you were seeing right now, and Laurentia... would probably be firing harpoons at speeds simr to handgun bullets. And doing it in rapid session. It wasn¡¯t impossible to dodge, but it would be difficult to avoid all of them, especially when the speed was like a barrage of bullets. Even if just one hit, it would be more damaging than being shot by a handgun. And she¡¯d be throwing them at such a pace. If I tried fighting seriously, my body would have holes all over it, like a sponge. In fact, until I seriously began learning CQC, Laurentia had been the one handling the assassination missions¡­ "If I get a chanceter, maybe I can show you some proper close-quartersbat..." "Hmmm." "Why?" Laurentia¡¯s response seemed like she wanted to say something but was unsure if she should. I rolled my eyes, wondering what she was trying to get at¡ªthen it hit me. She was probably talking about Hawaii. Since Laurentia had agreed to go with me, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t a huge problem. And now that I realized I hadn¡¯t mentioned to the viewers that I¡¯d be going to Hawaii... Well, I may as well just say it now. "Actually, now that I think about it, I might be able to show you in early October. There¡¯s going to be some interesting content around that time." "You¡¯re really beating around the bush about shooting in Hawaii." "Well, if I just say it directly..." "Lmao, hahaha!" "¡®Real Education¡¯" "Why did you take so long to say that??????" "Laurentia, you just made my day!" "I can¡¯t believe this shooting content idea lmaoooo!" Ah... Honestly, it felt better just saying it out loud. But now that Laurentia would be joining the shooting content, I hadn¡¯t told the other two yet... Oh well, maybe I¡¯ll just contact themter if they¡¯re watching the stream. They¡¯ll probably give great lessons in Hawaii. Probably. In the meantime, Laurentia pulled up several holograms and projected an image of what seemed like a firearms shop in Hawaii, showing a private room inside. It looked very different from the cksmith room in New York that I¡¯d seen so many times. It had soundproof walls and was underground, so it felt ustrophobic. But this ce had a more open and free atmosphere. Though no people were there, everything was perfectly disyed. Dozens of firearms lined the walls, tens of thousands of rounds of ammo, loaded cartridges, gun-carrying bags, various tuning parts, gun essories, and so on. It wasn¡¯t just these things either. "The rental cost is the highest, but the advantage is that you can rent so many firearms. If you¡¯ve got a thick wallet and don¡¯t mind an observer, they even say you can rent a minigun." "Now that sounds appealing." "Yeah, for someone like you, I guess nothing is impossible." I¡¯d probably need to tell Harmony and Dice to pack a lot of spare clothes or be ready for a shopping spree. If we¡¯re learning CQB for several days, our clothes will be reeking of gunpowder. Of course, this ce also took reservations, so I immediately submitted the form. Hawaii was about five hours ahead, so it was probably early morning over there. I¡¯d bet they¡¯d wake up to a long bill and would probably wee it with open arms. "¡­How did you manage to do this so quickly... No, when did you even find the time for this?" "Power of connections." "Connections?" "Fact: This person¡¯s ¡®connections¡¯ are probably former special forces veterans or high-ranking U.S. officials, maybe even PMC operators." "Lmao, that¡¯s wild!" "¡®Connections,¡¯ but kind of sketchy..." "It¡¯s a trip, right? Just a trip, right???? Answer me!" Naturally, the viewers were busy letting their imaginations run wild. Many of them tried to turn my wholesome trip into something shady, but I was able to make a kind offer to randomly select ten viewers to y Domination Mode with me, and suddenly, they all started spamming loyalty messages. Laurentia, who had been quietly watching, chuckled and added: "Looks like being a coach is your true calling." "...Really? Thanks." "Not apliment, you idiot!" "Interpretation: Eugene knows how to silently make viewers behave like dogs." "Streaming is just a hobby, but what can you do? If you piss off Eugene, you¡¯ll get beaten by Bi-am like a dog." "I¡¯ll be your punching bag! Please keep streaming..." "Why are you epting that, you idiot Bi-am?!" I guess it was apliment, right? I decided to think of it that way. Of course, whether it was apliment or not, the viewers couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Chapter 459 "¡­Simtionplete. Eugene wins." "Should we increase the numbers?" "At least double them, otherwise it won''t mean much." Beep. The hologram powered off with a dry sound. The battle simtion, where one person fought against 300 in forests, viges, cities, and castles, ended with the former as the victor. The holographic text coldly disyed this shocking fact. The simtion hadsted about 30 minutes. Inside the room, around ten people, including historians, war analysts, engineers responsible for the simtion, and observers, stared at the screen with disappointed expressions. One person with a solemn appearance spoke up. "As I mentioned, numbers aren¡¯t what matter. In the end, what determines the oue is how quickly you canunch simultaneous attacks. The countless battle records from the past Awakened confirm this." "How about adding about five Armstrong cannons?" "Sounds good." Before themy several sheets of A4 paper, filled with lines of notes. After several rounds of simtions, everyone in the room had more or lesse to the same conclusion: to defeat an Awakened, all conventional wisdom had to be thrown out. Even the battle records of past Awakened were of no use here. No matter what, the attacks had to be done in waves, not one by one, and they had to be simultaneous. That was the basic premise for taking the advantage away from Eugene. There was even a precedent for using cannons to shake the Awakened¡¯s domain. "Settings reloaded. Let¡¯s remove 10 infantry and add 5 cannons as variables." "Simtion in progress¡­ please confirm the variables." There wasn¡¯t much to look over. Out of the 300 soldiers, about 20 were cavalry, 50 crossbowmen, and 10 cannon operators, with the rest being various infantry. The artillery¡¯s firing angles and predicted impact points were now marked on the simtor, with a reload time set to 35 seconds. After a minute of discussion, the troop cements began, almost like a group of people ying chess simultaneously. The variables for the single person positioned in the opposite corner of the battlefield were listed: weight, 240kg; max speed, 90 km/h; tail, as a third impact zone; and so on¡­ it was a quantity sorge that it was questionable whether one person could even hold all that data. But, strictly speaking, it still wasn¡¯t enough. The battle simtor couldn¡¯t capture Eugene¡¯s fullbat abilities. "¡­Battlefield is the ins. The simtion begins now. Guest members, please prepare tomand the troops." Everyone picked up their translucent tablet PCs.@@novelbin@@ The simtion began. Immediately, five cannons fired. The cannonballs flew across the gaps between the troops and followed a parabolic trajectory before urately hitting the simtion model of Eugene. However, Eugene had already moved out of the cannon¡¯s firing range. She was moving at a speed of 20 meters per second ¨C not even her top speed ¨C and, at the same time, she noticed a crossbow bolt flying directly at her and about 14 cavalry approaching from the side. Within seconds, dozens of arrows hit the ground, forming a deadly area of impact, but Eugene managed to knock away every arrowing at her and began charging forward. In front of her, 49 spearmen were organized in formation, and 6 cavalry units were positioned as reserves. "If we can block some of the initial movements with the Armstrong cannons, we might be okay." "The Awakened is approaching the formation." "As soon as the first line breaks, friendly fire from the cannons. Then, send the cavalry. The reserves will wait near the formation." At that moment, the simtion character based on Eugene crashed into the formation. What unfolded was something that could never be imagined by human imagination. Eugene moved between the long spears with a speed so fast that no one could react in time, and in the split second that one of the front-liners exhaled, their neck and head were separated. That wasn¡¯t the end. The tactical tomahawk, which was invisible, swung into action. About three soldiers were killed per second, and the neatly dismantled formation gradually closed around Eugene, leaving a circr perimeter where Eugene remained in the center, with at least 20 dead. Of course, Eugene didn¡¯t let the perimeter function as it was supposed to. Ka-KaK! "¡­It¡¯s breaking through!" "Armstrong cannons, fire! Fire!" "Fire allowed. Archers as well. Cavalry, follow the nned route and sweep the area where the target is." The tablet screens were filled withmandsing in fast. In an instant, five Armstrong cannons finished reloading and fired again. The five shells and 50 arrows swept through Eugene and the first defense line. People flew through the air, most of them bing pincushions, but Eugene was not one of them. The simtion character, anticipating where the arrows wouldnd, quickly grabbed a shield and blocked the iing projectiles, throwing the shield at the charging cavalry. The sound of the shield hitting the horse¡¯s head caused it to fall, and the cavalry became disordered. The distance was about 50 meters. The cavalry were already galloping at full speed. One horse suddenly copsed, its head mming into the ground, which caused the line to quickly falter. In the meantime, Eugene increased her speed and jumped forward,unching herself¡ª Thud! She jumped a good 2.3 meters into the air, splitting the head and body of a cavalryman in mid-air. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. She leapt between horses, sending every enemy she encountered into the ground. She grabbed one horse, riding it, and charged it into the second defense line. By that time, she had leapt from the horse¡¯s back andnded around 5 meters above the ground, with one unlucky soldier being crushed underneath. Naturally, even without a weapon, she was extremely dangerous, just as she was when she was without an axe. With a single punch, she crushed the shield, and with another blow, she shattered the upper body, including the ribs of an unfortunate victim. Although it was just a simtion, the character modeled after Eugene showed exactly why Awakened were called "Gods of War" in the past. "¡­What the hell are you doing? Keep firing! Armstrong cannons!" "To think that dynamic vision and instinct could make such a huge difference¡­" The tension quickly dissipated. After wiping out the entire cavalry and both defensive lines, there were very few options left, and whether it was sooner orter, the remaining soldiers would lose their lives. About ten minutes into the simtion, the 300 soldiers had dwindled to fewer than 100. At this point, engineers had calcted Eugene''s victory probability to be over 90%, and they decided to end the seventh simtion. The post-simtion feedback session followed. "...Is there no way to stop her from throwing things?" "If we remove the shields in the formation... then she would throw the spears." "Let¡¯s spread the cavalry out more to prevent bottlenecks, and we should increase the numbers. We should add up to 50 more." "...Is that really necessary?" If the goal was victory, one option was to send all 300 troops as cavalry. But did they really need to go that far? And, given Eugene was likely to be the 1:300 opponent, did they really need to create such a massive force to face her? If the distribution of power failed, it would be the people in the room who would face the bacsh. Two million, or maybe more. The number of people watching Eugene''s stream had long surpassed normal expectations, and no one in the room wanted to face the wrath of such a massive crowd. "...Let¡¯s adjust it a bit more." There was still much left to do. A few days before the domestic Glory and Honor tournament in Yongsan. "Hmm." "...What¡¯s wrong?" "No, just some personal contact." Of course, that was a lie. During her stay in Korea, Lorentina had requested permission to extend her time and unofficially agreed to participate in the 1:300 battle as a hidden guest. "Seriously, if Eugene fights against 300 people with the reverse debuff lifted... wouldn¡¯t Eugene win?" "Ha, no way hahaha." "300 people is basically a battalion level. Hahaha." "If anyone else fought 300 people, it would just be a joke, but if it''s Eugene, who knows? Haha." "If it¡¯s a t battlefield, Eugene might lose, but if it¡¯s a moreplex environment, the number of people won¡¯t matter, haha." As discussions intensified, people couldn''t stop talking about Eugene¡¯s potential to win. The situation escted quickly. In addition to the Glory and Honor event, there was the surprise of Eugene¡¯s battle against 300 soldiers, which was catching everyone''s attention. The prize for winning the 1:300 match was a substantial incentive, and no one could resist discussing whether Eugene could actually win. When the troop types were revealed, things became even moreplicated. "50 cavalry, 50 crossbowmen and artillery, the rest as Glory and Honor infantry... are they crazy?" "Wait, weren¡¯t we supposed to just have 300 regr soldiers?" "Hey, no way, with 50 cavalry and artillery, how would Eugene fight this...?" As the lineup was revealed and the addition of 50 cavalry began to sway public opinion, people were once again reminded of Eugene¡¯s physical stats. Deadlifts, bench presses, squats totaling 4.2 tons of physical ability. Running at a speed of 82 km/h with shoes that weren¡¯t even fitted for her. Her estimated kick power was 2000 horsepower. Most people didn¡¯t know how strong that was, but... "To those who don¡¯t understand how strong that is, getting hit by Eugene''s kick five times is like taking a direct hit from an Abrams tank¡¯s main gun." "Wait, what?????" "Crazy... insane." "I can¡¯t believe this hahaha." "So, basically, it¡¯s like a bio-armored vehicle? Well, 300 people don¡¯t stand a chance then, haha." That was about the gist of it. Eugene¡¯s punches were as powerful as a rifle bullet, and her destructive power, when she used weapons, was even greater. She moved at the speed of a car, so she could truly be called a bio-armored vehicle. As soon as people began to joke about Eugene being like a tank, the public opinion quickly turned, believing that Eugene was highly likely to win. The debates raged on, but the conclusion was almost always the same. "On an open field, it¡¯s 50/50. Eugene might lose slightly more often, but in moreplicated terrain, the numbers won''t matter that much." "Ha, didn¡¯t you watch those old Chinese martial arts films? The viin always gets distracted fighting the henchmen, right?" "Hey, didn¡¯t Eugene y Glory and Honor before?" "What?" The expected win rate for Eugene continued to rise. And then, it was solidified by a video from eight months ago, recorded at the start of the year, showing Eugene ying Glory and Honor. Despite it being a short clip, the content was nothing short of brutal. With a tactical tomahawk in hand, Eugene swung it with a chilling expression, decapitating and splitting two people in an instant, turning them into golden polygons. One attack, and the kill count went up. Eugene had shattered people like twigs, and it was revealed that, aside from that video, she hadn¡¯t yed any casual games at all. Naturally, Eugene was not one to deny her past. When the video surfaced, she nodded and smiled, giving the perfect response. "...Anyway, the event match ising up soon. I don¡¯t know how it will go, so I can¡¯t say who will win, but I¡¯ll do my best. I don¡¯t intend to lose." "Interpretation: I¡¯ll crush them all." "Hahaha!" "Just wait until you face Eugene." "Whoever bets on Eugene, hit the upvote! Haha." "I¡¯m dying, haha." Naturally, Eugene was never one to take things lightly. A terrible time was about toe. "¡­We have a tournament." "Forget it." Chapter 460 The scene transitions to the bustling Yongsan, with a vibrant atmosphere and tension growing in the background. "Finally, Yongsan," Eugene murmurs, feeling the weight of the moment as she arrives. - "Biam is here!!" - "Let¡¯s go to Yongsan~ Let¡¯s go to Yongsan~" - "I thought I was watching VR for a second haha" - "Why did the world give Biam looks, a body, insane gaming skills, and incredible physicality all at once?" - "(Insert meme of ''God identally spilling everything when making Eugene'')" The crisp, clear September weather fills the air as Eugene walks through the familiar streets of Yongsan. It¡¯s a reflective moment, and she feels the passage of time more keenly than usual. Looking back at past events¡ªparticrly this timest year when the KSM tournament was taking ce, and the uing Asia qualifiers¡ªbrings back many memories. Fortunately, this year''s Asia qualifiers will be held in a different region. The infrastructure and venues have been set up in a quieter corner of Gyeonggi Province, away from the bustling Yongsan. If the event were to take ce here again, the sheer volume of people might have been overwhelming. As Eugene strolls through Yongsan, the memories flood back. So much has changed in just one year. "You know," Eugene begins, addressing her audience with a nostalgic smile, st year, I snuck in here without anyone knowing. My identity embargo was lifted just before I left, around early December, so until then, I was going around incognito." - "I remember that, haha." - "It¡¯s been over six months already..." - "I can¡¯t believe it, I was so confused back then, haha!" - "??: I told you, she¡¯s an avatar, haha." - "Who in their right mind would put their actual body in an avatar like this?!" As always, Eugene¡¯s audience reacts with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Looking back, she recalls how everyone seemed to believe she''d be caught sooner, but the misinformation had grown so much that it had led everyone astray. Therge number of viewers may have helped keep her secret safe for longer. Now, though, Eugene enjoys walking freely among the crowds. Looking back, her previous public activities had been a bit ufortable. But, as with all choices, there are pros and cons. If she wants to enjoy the freedom of walking around in public, she knows there will be some trade-offs. As Eugene continues her walk, a voice calls out from the crowd. "Excuse me, are you Eugene?" Eugene smirks. "I was trying to stay low-key, but..." "With a tail that big, I think it¡¯s a bit hard to stay under the radar." She¡¯s spotted¡ªof course. It didn¡¯t take long for people to gather around, but thankfully, they didn¡¯t cause anymotion. Instead, Eugene takes photos with a few fans and gives her signature stamp on their hands or paper instead of autographs. She smiles at the thought that she, too, has be a one-year-old streamer, even if it sounds a bit silly to Harmony if she heard it. With this new confidence, Eugene effortlessly moves on with the interaction. One fan asks, "Where are you going today?" Eugene grins. "The ultimate game Glory and Honor tournament is happening today in Yongsan. Interested? If you don¡¯t have other ns, it could be fun to check it out." - "The ultimate game hahaha." - "Isn¡¯t she just doing this for promo, haha?" - "She¡¯s really selling the event, huh?" - "Hey, aren¡¯t you promoting Glory and Honor too much?" Eugene chuckles, not surprised by the reaction. Looking around, she notices several people checking their phones. It¡¯s around 10 AM, and she wonders how many might be interested in her pitch. "I¡¯m not saying I have extra time, but I¡¯m just going because my aloe nt suddenly became interested in firearms," she adds, trying to joke. - "What is she even saying, haha?" - "Such an honest answer haha." - "I don¡¯t know, but if Eugene is going to the tournament, maybe I¡¯ll go too, haha." Eugeneughs inwardly, noticing the curiosity in people¡¯s eyes. Some are already looking up the event, asking her about her role. Of course, she isn¡¯t participating in the tournament, but she¡¯s joining the event matches that ur in between. The first match will be a 16-man tournament for general yers, with the winner facing her in a 1v1 with a remote-controlled robot. And, of course, the second event is the infamous 1:300 match. Upon hearing this, people¡¯s eyes widen. "Uh, will this finish before 4 PM?" Someone is hoping to make it before dinner time. "Hey, hello? You need to get to Yongsan E-sports Stadium now. What¡¯s the rush? Eugene is doing a 1:300 event match. Who cares about lunch? Are you crazy?" The excitement builds again, and people are starting to flood in. Eugene smiles at the thought. What started as a simple stroll through Yongsan has turned into an unexpected reunion with fans, and soon the event will be underway. With anticipation building for the Glory and Honor tournament, Eugene can feel the weight of the uing matches. The attention, the hype, and the stakes are higher than ever. The tournament is just beginning, and it seems that the true challenge¡ªfacing 300 yers¡ªhas only just begun. As the anticipation builds, Eugene prepares for the final event match, where the 1:300 challenge awaits. The venue is abuzz with energy as thousands of spectators are about to witness something truly extraordinary. "Finally, back in Yongsan," Eugenements, feeling the rush of being back in a familiar ce. The energy around her is palpable, with fans excitedly discussing the uing tournament and event matches. - "Biam is here!!!" - "Let¡¯s go to Yongsan~ Let¡¯s go to Yongsan~" - "I thought I was watching VR for a second, haha!" - "Why did the world give Biam looks, physique, insane gaming skills, and all this incredible physicality at once?" - "(Insert meme: ''God spilled everything while making Eugene'')" The clear, crisp September weather and the excitement in the air make it the perfect day for a high-stakes event. Eugene reminisces aboutst year, when the KSM tournament was happening around the same time. This year¡¯s Asia qualifiers, however, are being held elsewhere, taking some of the pressure off Yongsan. Though, with the crowds that have gathered, it seems like there¡¯s no avoiding the madness. As Eugene walks through the crowds, she can¡¯t help but reflect on how much has changed in just one year. "You know,st year I snuck in here without anyone knowing," she says, addressing her audience. "My identity embargo lifted just before I left, around December, so I was going around incognito until then." - "I remember that, haha." - "It¡¯s been over six months already..." - "I still can¡¯t believe it, haha." - "??: I told you, she¡¯s an avatar, haha." - "Who would put their real body into an avatar like this?!" Eugene¡¯s audience reacts with a mix of amusement and disbelief. At the time, she thought the information would get out quickly, but with so many rumors and misinformation circting, she managed to stay under the radar longer than expected. Now, she enjoys the freedom of being able to walk around without constantly being recognized. Still, there are some trade-offs. If she wants to enjoy this anonymity, there are always risks. As Eugene strolls, she¡¯s approached by a fan.@@novelbin@@ "Excuse me, are you Eugene?" Eugene smirks. "I was trying to stay low-key, but..." "With a tail that big, it¡¯s a bit hard to miss." Within moments, a small crowd begins to gather around her, and Eugene is soon signing autographs¡ªor rather, stamping her fans¡¯ hands or papers with her signature stamp. She smiles at the thought that, after a year of streaming, she¡¯s be ustomed to these interactions. "By the way, where are you heading today?" one fan asks. "The ultimate game Glory and Honor tournament is being held in Yongsan today. Interested? It might be fun to check it out if you don¡¯t have other ns," Eugene responds with a grin. - "The ultimate game, haha." - "Isn¡¯t this just an advertisement, haha?" - "She¡¯s really selling the event, huh?" - "I guess she¡¯s Glory and Honor¡¯s official promoter now." Eugene chuckles. "No, really. The first match will be a tournament with 16 skilled amateurs, and the winner will get to face me in a 1:1 with a remote-controlled robot." She pauses for effect. "And then, of course, the 1:300 event." Upon hearing this, the crowd¡¯s reaction shifts. "Uh, will it be over by 4 PM?" Someone is clearly trying to get to dinner on time. "Hey, hello? Get to Yongsan E-sports Stadium now. What¡¯s the rush? Eugene is doing the 1:300 event match. Who cares about lunch? Are you crazy?" one fan exims to a friend on the phone. The excitement builds, and people start pouring into the stadium. Eugene continues on, knowing that the real challenge is just beginning. The tournament, after all, isn¡¯t just for show. It¡¯s an opportunity to showcase her skills in front of the world. As the event progresses, Eugene reflects on the incredible buildup that led to this point. After all, winning the 1:300 match isn¡¯t just about defeating her opponents¡ªit¡¯s about setting a new standard for what¡¯s possible in gaming and physical performance. The final event approaches, and Eugene is ready. The 1:300 match awaits, and soon, the arena will explode with energy as she faces her opponents, not just in-game, but with the incredible physical abilities that set her apart. - "Eugene vs. 300 people, will she really win?" - "How can anyone beat her?" - "I think Eugene will pull through, no problem." Chapter 462 "¡­We can easily find those who are human but not quite human in this world. But beware, this is not because such beings are numerous, but because their footprints cast a shadow far greater than that of ordinary humans. Usually, they belong to positions that must be looked up to, having risen to those heights through their own physical might. Among the many records dating back to the ancient Roman Empire, the battle records that stick out like thorns in one¡¯s pocket were written with the blood they collected at the edges of the weapons they wielded, using that blood as ink. They are conquerors, des, and the Lord¡¯s agents of wrath; the only thing left in the wake of their footsteps are fresh blood and white bones¡­" Excerpt from an anonymous schr¡¯s book written in 1784. "Look, there¡¯s an enemy we need to ovee." 300 users, and one standing atop the castle walls. Facing 300 warriors armed with helmets, armor, shields, and cold weapons was a figure whose victory was far from guaranteed, even if all the historical records in existence were searched and brought forth from past Awakened Ones, who were once living legends. The battlefield was not a t in but arge castle. The gates were already open, and theyout inside would not be particrly weing to intruders. For this reason, the users abandoned the idea of using diverse forces like they would in open ground battles, choosing instead to field all 300 as regr infantry. All of them were at least Grandmaster level, with about 100 of them reaching the Challenger rank. Additionally, they had undergone practice battles with Loren Tina, which had dulled their fear of facing Awakened Ones, and in-game modifications had boosted their reaction speeds andbat abilities by about 100%. Still, the slight unease creeping behind their smiles could not be helped. gs were raised into the air, and the sound of trumpets filled the air. A 5-second countdown began above them. At that moment, someone quietly added. "We will make history today." It wasn¡¯t an incorrect statement. The body data of an EM-level Awakened One shing head-on with so many people. There had never been a precedent before, and this data would likely remain in thework and be used in various research projects. Of course, Eugene agreed with that. Who would be the first to covet this data? Probably, historians from both the East and West would be eager to get their hands on it first. Afterward, directors making animated series or movies about superhuman battles would likely pay a steep price to buy it. The royalties would flow into the pockets of Eugene and the 300 people present in this glorious event. However, those thoughts quickly melted away, as if vanishing beyond the horizon. The sound of a horn sting filled the ears, and simultaneously, a buff was added to their already enhanced physical abilities. Their bodies felt light, as though they could fly, and therge weapon in their hands seemed as light as a feather. Eugene wielded her ymore as easily as a dagger. The user at the front of the group added. "Don¡¯t crowd too much, attack from as many angles as possible¡­ Just do what we¡¯ve practiced!" "Those marked as reserves, don¡¯t rush in recklessly!" "Let¡¯s go¡ª!" Boom, boom, boom! Step by step, the footsteps quickened. What had started as a casual march turned into a full sprint. The 300 users poured into the castle in an orderly fashion, and Eugene watched the scene while taking a deep breath. In her hand, she held an axe. At her waist were two daggers and a hammer. These were the weapons she favored. Gently gripping them, Eugene began to slowly move forward towards the enemies approaching from three different paths. It didn¡¯t take long for her to meet the first main group head-on.@@novelbin@@ Therge castle corridor, wide enough to fit ten people side by side, became the first battlefield. "Shieldbearers!" "Buy us time! Activate special abilities!" Five users, all holding identical shields, formed the front line and activated their special abilities to temporarily increase the power, durability, and resistance to enemy attacks of their shields. Their bodies glowed yellow, and Eugene quickly calcted how to deal with the 30 enemies in the first main group. Of course, she knew she couldn¡¯t afford to drag things out too long¡ªthe second main group was already approaching from dozens of meters behind. The calctions were done, and with the powerful strength of a body that had never been seen in human history¡ªspecifically, her legs, which pushed off the ground with incredible force¡ªEugene shot forward. At 60 km/h. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahng! "Ahhh¡­!" "Close the distance! The ones with the poleaxes will press forward!" Screech. Eugene¡¯s kick, fueled by eleration, mmed into the front of the shield, causing the thick,rge shield to crumple like paper. The user holding the shield was sent flying over 10 meters, crashing into the wall, his health plummeting in the blink of an eye. However, despite the horrifying spectacle of what just happened, the remaining four shield users fought hard to block Eugene¡¯s attack, much like rocks being struck by a waterfall. Their practice battles with Loren Tina had dulled their fear of facing Awakened Ones. Thus, the rate at which the shieldbearers were taken down was slower than expected. Meanwhile, a few users wielding poleaxes approached from the rear. Using the formations and tactics they had practiced multiple times, they began to push Eugene back toward the area she hade from. Of course, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. "Ugh, ah, aaahhh¡ª!" "What the hell." "Ugh!" Whoosh! A snake-like tail moved at an unseen speed, wrapping around one of the shieldbearers'' bodies in the blink of an eye. At the same time, a horrifying sound echoed. It was a noise that made it feel as if the bones inside the armor were being crushed, a sound no one wanted to identify. It was then that the people around her realized what kind of animal Eugene really was¡ªa constrictor. She was the jungle¡¯s apex predator, the one who squeezed life out of her prey. Like something caught in a press, a body that had turned into a dried squid was thrown toward an enemy wielding a poleaxe. Eugene had literally used her tail to grip and crush the person, then thrown them aside. And, naturally, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Every time Eugene¡¯s hand touched a poleaxe made of metal, it bent like taffy. Unsurprisingly, no one could escape that grip. With her left hand, she struck with a backhanded blow, sending someone flying after hitting them in the abdomen. But even a punch of that magnitude was considered weak. As the afterimage of the strike passed, the head and body of the person separated, and golden blood sprayed into the air. She allowed no attack tond on her body, even performing strange feats she had once shown during rank games. She kicked up her sword and struck a person with it, a truly rare sight. The difference this time from the rank games was that the sword Eugeneunched not only pierced the shield but also pierced through the person¡¯s neck. It took Eugene 102 seconds to deal with the 30 enemies. In other words, she was already in the middle of the battlefield. "Be careful of the throwing spear¡ªCough!" "Wow. Is that a throwing spear, or a ballista?" "I think it''s stronger than a ballista." It was a reality that couldn¡¯t be avoided, no matter how much they had prepared. Even if they tried to increase the distance, Eugene would throw anything within reach¡ªrocks, spears, knives, shields, even the still-present corpses¡ªanything she could use to take a life from afar. There were countless ways she could kill from a distance. Of course, even without that fact, the moment Eugene decided to break through the formation, there was no defense against her. Having already changed weapons, she dove into the densest part of the enemy lines like a butterfly, and from that moment, it was as if a blender had started running. ©¤©¤©¤Grk! "Cough..." "Wow, she¡¯s cutting through full-body armor with a dagger." "...Do we have any grenades or something?" Her movements weren¡¯t much different from what she had shown during broadcasts. Precise dagger techniques. But the speed of her movements was abnormally fast, and with the enhancement of her physical abilities, her cutting power had skyrocketed. At least her daggers, axes, and hammers, though modestpared to the numerous buffs the enemies had received, were unbreakable and not even slightly bent. But in the hands of someone who could wield them to their true potential, a disaster was inevitable. Yet, surprisingly, their morale did not break. The reason was simple. They were dying slower than when they fought Loren Tina. "...Special ability chargingplete. Deploying smoke grenades. Move in as quickly as possible." "But doesn¡¯t that person have thermal vision?" "...Then don¡¯t use it." These absurd exchanges filled the air. This wasn¡¯t a VR game where only death existed; everyone there joked around and was willing to throw themselves at Eugene¡ªthough most of them ended up receiving either an axe to the face, an arm, or a leg, and thest few users selected looked utterly horrified. One kick sent a body flying over 10 meters, crashing into the waiting reserve troops. And with a spinning back kick, an enemy¡¯s head disappeared entirely¡ªthese weren¡¯t rare sights. Eugene had been called a shark multiple times before, but now, having arrived at this moment, they finally understood. "It feels like we¡¯re fighting a monster." "When did the gate even open?" "Go ask them." They were fighting creatures the size of dump trucks. In just five minutes, the number of remaining users had dropped to around 170. "Well, now that I¡¯ve be the hero of 1:300, they¡¯ll probably let me broadcast secretly, right, youngest?" Hahahahahahahahaha Byam¡¯s broadcast is up¡­ What??? Shark broadcast??? Oh, it¡¯s good though w w w This is hrious hahahahaha Meanwhile, Loren Tina, who had been watching the number of users drop from 300 to a mere two-digit number, hummed a tune without much thought. In the top right corner of the UI, the word "Eugene" was boldly disyed. Of course, this was a sort of proxy broadcast. But the person in question hadn¡¯t exactly given permission¡ªyet Loren Tina didn¡¯t really care. Surely our dear youngest wouldn¡¯t be upset over such a cute and yful little action? Moreover, Loren Tina, hidden behind the veil of the 300 recruited by Icarus, was the true secret weapon, which is why she had to remain until the very end¡ªmeaning, until then, she¡¯d be spending what seemed like an utterly meaningless amount of time. Loren Tina only wanted to enjoy the moment. "Seems like we have a lot of viewers. The number of people gathered to watch today¡¯s broadcast is as many as those living in Los Angeles... that means there are a lot of people looking forward to today¡¯s broadcast." Eugene¡¯s broadcast has 3 million viewers hahahahaha This person is already a ¡®corporation¡¯ Not just a small orrge business, this is really a corporation-level business lmao hahahahahahahahahaha Wow, 20 million viewers worldwide? That¡¯s insane! The global viewer count was 23,622,869. When youbined the poptions of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim, and other satellite cities, that was the number of people watching Eugene tear through demons and killing in ce of devils, as if she were crawling out of Hell, like a Doom-guy. Of course, this was no different from the exaggerated, flowerynguage used in historical battle records that were usually impossible to witness. But through countless cross-verifications, it was evident that most of those exaggerated ims were proven true, revealing the true face of the superhuman. "One-man army" was no exaggeration¡ªit was an understatement. "You don¡¯t seem that tired. Looks like you might be in for a tough timeter." After halving 300 people, you¡¯re still not tired????? Seriously????? Ahhh hahahahahahaha There¡¯s still about 50 left but it¡¯s over now lol No effective hits at all!!! There¡¯s still open ground left... By the time there were more corpses than living people, Loren Tina casually twirled the spear in her hand, one without a barb. Considering the power gap, Loren Tina was going to apply a counterbnce that sealed half of her physical abilities, and depending on Eugene¡¯s condition, it could fluctuate between 30% and 70%. And from Loren Tina¡¯s perspective, to truly match up against Eugene, she would likely need to use at least 70% of her full physical abilities to even stand a chance. In other words, the counterbnce would be set at 30%. "Time to warm up. I¡¯m curious about how the youngest will react." One by one, with each remaining person falling, the sky darkened rapidly. The bright sunlight from just a few minutes ago had been reced with dark crimson clouds, and the air crackled with the first signs of lightning. Although no raindrops had fallen, everyone except Eugene could sense what wasing. By the time there were only a handful of people left¡ªcountable on one hand¡ªEugene had also begun to sense it. "Ggh..." "...I had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t end like this." "...Next time, it won¡¯t end so easily." "Of course." Kwarung! As Eugene drove a dagger into thest man¡¯s throat and twisted it, a pure white lightning bolt descended from the sky. Upon hitting the ground, the surroundings were scorched ck, and the stone floor shattered, sending thousands of shards flying in all directions. But that wasn¡¯t all. From where the lightning struck, a chillingly red glow locked eyes with Eugene. "...So this was the surprise." "You wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s unfair, would you, youngest?" What, is that the Terminator????? Fact: It¡¯s not much different LOL hahahahahahaha It really is the Terminator lol No joke, I feel like I could win fighting those guys too Snake and shark. The blue and red glows locked onto each other. The battle was far from over. Chapter 463 "Did you really not notice this was going to happen?" "I had a feeling about 30 seconds ago." "Not toote then." Eugene jumped down lightly, and Loren Tina moved leisurely, widening the distance. Thus, the two stood on the wide za inside the castle. The distance between them was 36 meters, but judging this gap with human standards was an act of ignorance. No one in that ce would fail to close the gap in less than two seconds. The scattered corpses around them melted into the air as golden haze. Everywhere, weapons ttered to the ground with faint metallic sounds. Without a word, they began to probe each other. Every step, every breath, even the smallest of movements became necessary variables for their calctions. The moment Eugene finished her mental calctions, she realized there was no opening she could exploit in Loren Tina¡¯s defenses. It felt as though the very concept of imperfection had been omitted from her body. So, she asked something else. "When was it that you were asked to step in as the hidden card?" "...There are many kinds of actions necessary to obtain certain information. I believe you remember the first one." "Force." "You''re well aware." In other words, if Eugene wanted the answers, she had to break Loren Tina with strength. Then, both took a step forward. The 36 meters closed to 20 meters, and the sky roared as if the very moment of their contact would trigger the heavens. No raindrops fell, but strong winds began to gust from all directions. The turbulent air shed with the broken remnants of the castle, creating an unpleasant, sharp noise. Eugene observed Loren Tina¡¯s footsteps, noticing the invisible spring within her legspressing to its limits. The moment it released, she would approach with a slight noise. The impact would be less than the force of the wind currently blowing. Loren Tina, however, saw the immense power stored in Eugene¡¯s heavy footsteps that could shake the very earth. As Eugene leaped forward, the force at her feet would crush the stone beneath her, shattering it into fragments. It wasn¡¯t until they reached a distance where even their clothes could be scrutinized that the two assumed their stances. "I''ll give up the first move." "You''ve never taken the first move before." With that, the conversation ended. Eugene mmed her feet into the ground, and as the stone under her was crushed, hundreds of fragments scattered behind her. The destruction power,pressed by her delicate frame, was converted into kic energy, and the hammer in her hand fell like a guillotine de severing a thread. The hammer¡¯s handle, the fingers gripping it, her forearm, arm, and waist¡ªmost of the strength was not just from her own power. It came from the centrifugal force created as she twisted her body and the kic energy from pushing off the ground. Loren Tina¡¯s expression shifted in an instant. Her calm demeanor vanished as the hammer struck the side of her spear with a force so intense it sent a blinding re into the dimming castle. The light illuminated their faces for a brief moment. ©¤©¤©¤Kwahng! When the two indestructible weapons shed, a thunderous noise reverberated through the air. The shockwave from the point of impact spread outward, powerful enough to ripple their clothes. With a thud, Loren Tina, unable to absorb all the force, grimaced and knelt, but her smile never left her face. In a split second, the spear spun, and shot toward Eugene, but once again, the sound of metal grinding against metal echoed unpleasantly. By then, Eugene had already switched to holding a tactical tomahawk in her other hand, using the hole in the middle to catch the spear. However, Loren Tina didn¡¯t panic. She quickly spun around and kicked, and with a terrible noise, Eugene was sent flying about 6 meters back. "Ugh¡­!" "My arm is all numb." Naturally, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. This was just the beginning. Through the peculiar weapon of the spear, Loren Tina wielded an extremely refined killing technique, while Eugene used the tomahawk and hammer to embody the rawest form of destruction. It was as though two opposing forces, like the extremes of mas, were pressing against each other. But that contrast of forces once again faltered. Eugene¡¯s weapon had somehow shifted back to her dagger, and she boldly decided to confront Loren Tina, who could no longer use her full strength, relying only on her eyes and body. At that moment, a series of pration strikes, moving faster than the human eye could track, came in rapid session. As the turbulent wind added a sense of foreboding with every passing second, strikes with the power of a bullet shot toward Eugene, like raindrops. The sparks created by the friction of the daggers and spear hitting each other were like the torrential rain of a typhoon, and the crackling sparks from them felt like lightning in the clouds. ©¤©¤©¤Ka-ga-gak! "¡­!" "¡­The sensitivity of your senses makes this quite troublesome." How many seconds passed? The storm subsided, and the inner workings were revealed. The spear¡ªnow also a type of club¡ªwas swung to the side, and Eugene, crossing her daggers in an X shape, blocked it as it aimed for her ribs. Eugene didn¡¯t respond, while Loren Tina braced herself and prepared for the next counter or attack. The power struggle between the two weapons was something few couldprehend¡ªit surpassed the output of even a car engine. The delicate bnce of force was about to break, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before Act Two began. Theposer had to take into ount that Eugene had already closed the distance with Loren Tina, setting the stage for the opening instruments. The daggers cut through the air in response, each time slicing through it with precision. The two daggers, like the tongues of serpents, cut through the air, heralding the prelude to Act Two. Eugene alternated between raw destructive power and precise surgical strikes with the daggers, while Loren Tina blocked them with a single spear. However, that didn¡¯t mean either one was gaining the upper hand. ©¤©¤©¤Grk! "¡­That was close." "If only I had been a little faster¡­!" A grimace, contrasted with a smile that could almost lift her cheeks. The red glow in Loren Tina¡¯s eyes flickered ominously, reflecting a madness that seemed to draw the emotion inward. Eugene barely managed to deflect the spear aimed at her chin, just barely missing, with her daggers crossing in an X shape. Loren Tina¡¯s signature move with the spear was designed for extreme counters, but Eugene had narrowly avoided it. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as the two ramped up their pace, while the chat speed slowed to an almost eerie crawl. The battle, far beyond humanprehension, overwhelmed the logical parts of millions, and nearly ten million people¡¯s minds came to a halt. Although their origins were different, the result was the same¡ªperfection born from precision. The winner would be determined by how much counterbnce was wrapped around their bodies. And as a result, the scales began to tip. "¡­!" "Haah¡­" Between the invisible storm, a single beam-like attack crossed paths. The spear was deeply embedded in the ground, with Eugene¡¯s left foot fixed at its end. She grimaced, clearly visible to everyone, and then cast her gaze forward¡ªthere, at the very edge, was Loren Tina, bleeding golden blood from her left armpit. After five minutes ofbat, the two had finally exchanged valid hits. Eugene pulled the spear out of the ground and held it in her right hand.@@novelbin@@ Loren Tina, watching this, kicked a sword lying on the ground with her foot, catching the hilt of the sword that bounced up with her right hand and took an ox stance. The shark grinned and added: "Let¡¯s see how far the swordsmanship you learned at Virginia University¡¯s club can go." ¡°¡­That damn university club.¡± Boom! With her wounded left foot, Eugene stomped forward and threw the spear horizontally with her right hand. Loren Tina narrowly dodged it, just barely. It wasn¡¯t a dagger anymore; Eugene now gripped a hammer with her right hand, as though she was about to crush Loren Tina¡¯s weapon. Violence, born of raw power, was realized in the most primitive form. Loren Tina felt that this represented Eugene¡¯s past perfectly. But through this process, Eugene was reborn like a dazzling gemstone, and that crystallization stood right before Loren Tina¡¯s eyes. The end was near. Loren Tina realized that her defeat was no longer far off. ¡°That weapon will break easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that into consideration.¡± There were no more words. At some point, the wind had stopped. Loren Tina had invaded the reality tied to Eugene, and as a result, she would be ejected to the waiting screen. [General] So, it seems that superhero battles in anime or movies are going to crash and burn now. Is this really a fight between people? Seriously? ?????? [All Comments][By Registration Order] UFC, pro wrestling, boxing... all useless now ?????????????????? No kidding, I couldn¡¯t breathe watching this. Every time they exchanged a blow, sparks flew ?????????? Did they fight in a furnace or something??? This is insane ?? Is this even human? ?? If there''s a person inside, they''d turn into minced meat in seconds. Fact: After crushing 300 people, she fought and defeated Loren Tina. [Laughs] Think about it, she did, huh ?????????????? The manifestor protectionw is really aw to protect regr humans... Ahh, that¡¯s it ?????????? Hero movie battle scenes from the old days were all about letting each other live ?? It¡¯s clear the people who made those battle scenes never knew how real fights between these kinds of beings would look ?????? This makes me scared. Wait, why is the floor cracking while they¡¯re fighting??? Oh my god, just noticed ?? You''re the reason I need to change my underwear again ?? Did Loren Tina get reverse correction? Is that reverse correction??? With reverse correction applied, no wonder Eugene defeated 300 and beat Loren Tina so easily ?? Come to think of it, that''s true¡­ Fact: Eugene admitted that she never won in close-quartersbat against Loren Tina. Looks like there¡¯s still one or two event matches left, though. How should I feel about 300 people being crushed like that? ?? Isn¡¯t this the domestic tournament? ???????? Event match broadcast room. [Laughs] ???? Pro gamers who are in the tournament today are weeping ???? So, Dice must have beaten one of those types of people at some point, right? Gasp! [Laughs] ?????? Of course, he could win! If he injures their tailbone, their snake tail should start growing ?? [Laughs] ?? So, after drinking the Be-yam elixir, Dice bes a little Be-yam himself, huh? ?? ¡°It¡¯s like a blender, not even a person.¡± "That¡¯s about right," someonemented. Even people who are always with Be-yam get stunned by this ?? [Laughs] You chose Be-yam!!! By sheer force!!! Scary stuff ?? Fact: This is based on when the reverse correction was lifted. Harmony, leading thergest non-registered stream for Icarus, watched nkly as the recently concluded battlefield unfolded before her. Loren Tina copsed and Eugene stood, barely managing to remain standing. The two of them, their fight over, disappeared into golden mist, leaving only the scars of theirbat on the battlefield. Axes, hammers, and spears had all shed. The bodies of the manifestors with their unmatched strength trampled the ground, turning it into a chaotic mess. If this had been reality, the marks left on the stone would remain for a thousand years, never fading, igniting the passion of future schrs. Such thoughts fleetingly passed through Harmony¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯m sure Eugene wasn¡¯t this strong before.¡± "It¡¯s because she trained in virtual reality, right?" [Laughs] No, no, this person does all battles in hardcore mode. "She¡¯s getting stronger faster than the expansion rate of the universe!" Isn¡¯t this straight out of aic book setting? ?? ¡°If it were true, would you believe it?¡± The world, as always, was unpredictable. Harmony had flown with Eugene to New York in the past, where they had shed with manifestors like Loren Tina and Logan. Harmony had long known that a fragile body could harbor such immense destructive power. But imagining the overwhelming consequences when these forces collided was beyond her. Her sharp logic dismissed such thoughts as useless; for now, she had long decided that it was best to enjoy the massive spectacle Eugene had created, letting her brain rest halfway. In the midst of all this, a fleeting thought crossed her mind. ¡°By the way, I wonder if those people who kept begging Eugene and Loren Tina for full-force sparring have finally been satisfied. This is all thanks to Eugene¡¯s ythrough of Glory and Honor, so I guess they should be grateful, right?¡± "Long live Eugene!" "Time for some cold weapons, right?" **"Smoothly advertising, huh? [Laughs] "You¡¯d better stop with the threats, or I¡¯m going assassin mode in rank battles!" ¡°Please stop with the ranked matches, you bastard!¡± That should do it. Anyway, no official sponsorship for the advertisement, but Harmony was quite skilled at calcting how best to help Eugene. Soon, the stream turned to the now-vanished session, showing Eugene and Loren Tina slumped on the couch. The next session would be a massive 1:300 battle fought across the ins. It was supposed to involve different military divisions, so the viewer count only increased. I wonder what the editors for Eugene¡¯s broadcasts are thinking right now? That thought passed through Harmony¡¯s head. ¡°Content never stops.¡± Perhaps, the broadcasting world would forever be divided before and after Eugene¡¯s appearance. The world was this strange. Chapter 464 [General] Wow, this second 1 : 300 match looks like it¡¯spletely off the rails??? They''ve really gone all out with this one ?????????? This doesn''t even look winnable. [All Comments][By Registration Order] Cavalry???? 50 people?????????? Looking at the weapons they''re holding, this seems more like a 1 : 400 match ?????? Fact: There¡¯s also amander. ??????? A third party will bemanding in real time ?????? Is this for real??? Trying to see Be-yam lose at least once, huh? Really sharpening my knife ?????? Personal Opinion: I think Eugene might struggle in this match. They¡¯re really pushing all the forces toward the enemy team. Even the map feels malicious. The positioning is clearly set up for cannons and arrows to hit us... Yeah, I agree. This feels ridiculous, how tantly they¡¯re setting it up ?????? But without it, can they win? If 50 cavalry charge in together, Be-yam¡¯s gonna be out of options ?? Easy peasy ?? Be-yam just sprints, grabs the cannon on the hill and shoots it at the cavalry heads. End of story ?? Do you think it¡¯s an Armstrong gun or an AC-130? ?????? I think Be-yam could pull it off though?? ?? Can¡¯t argue with that ?? Yeah, Be-yam won¡¯t lose~ horses, arrows, cannons ¨C everything¡¯s getting smashed to pieces~ Seriously, thinking this could work makes me think it¡¯s crazy. ?????? Living Point: If you¡¯re not quite getting it, think of Eugene as an armored vehicle. ?????? Huh? Now I think we might win...? Fact: She¡¯s stronger than an armored vehicle. Armored vehicles can jump, right? ?? Don¡¯t care, screw it, I trust Be-yam¡¯s tail~ ¡°Fifty cavalry, five cannons, archers, and shields. The enemy''s sharpshooters are on a gradual hill, and we¡¯re below... Isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± In my right hand, I held a hammer, and in my left, an axe. The sky was blue, and the ground was covered in steel. On the gentle slope, which reminded me of a beginner ski slope, there were 300 yers all facing my direction. At least a dozen archers, fifty cavalrymen, cannons aimed from the top of the hill, and multiple shield formations made up of dozens of men. The number of people required to kill a single person was excessive, to say the least. But instead of being overwhelmed by the numbers, I thought about how I could ovee this situation. And somehow, I could see a way through. I hadn¡¯t received no information at all. I had a rough idea about the number of troops, their types, the ratios, and the battlefield. And even if I hadn''t heard all the details, I couldn¡¯tin. Special forces are trained for precisely this kind of unpredictable situation, funded by taxpayers. Of course, the disy of power was also somewhat intimidating. ¡°...A Pike, huh.¡± The formation I was facing was the very definition of a well-organized shield formation. Dozens of soldiers holding pikes longer than humans and shields in their left hands. They looked like they would be better at stopping cavalry charges than anything else. However, if they failed to break through the defense, they would transform into some of the most skilled cold weapon users. But what I was focused on wasn¡¯t that. What mattered was the spears they were holding. These would provide the long-range attack options I wascking today. Whoooooo! The sound of the horn seemed to vibrate through my whole body, as always. The second battle began in earnest, and the first thing to greet me was nothing less than a killing field made of arrows¡ªat that moment, 70 arrows flew toward me, each tracing its parab with deadly uracy. I put away my hammer and axe and drew two daggers. I felt like I could avoid or deflect them. Despite the barrage of arrowsing at me, there wouldn¡¯t be too many that would actually hit. And then, the next moment, my hand moved, creating a slight gap. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Ka-kak! I deflected five of them, dodged three more. Zero effective hits. Two arrows grazed past my hair, but since it wasn¡¯t real hair, I didn¡¯t care, and now it was time to avoid the next attack¡ªthe cannon. Boom. The earth trembled with the sound, and I saw it clearly. Five cannonballs elerating to hundreds of meters per second, all of them aimed right at me. Naturally, the direct impact from the cannonballs wasn¡¯t the only danger; the shockwaves were powerful too, and I had to dodge them all. So I ran forward. I felt the vibrations behind me, and the world began to stretch out before me. ¡°They¡¯reing! Brace for impact!¡± ¡°Be ready to switch weapons at any moment! Anyone with energy left, surround them quickly!¡± The vibrations from the galloping hooves of about 20 cavalrymen echoed from far away. The enemy''s shouting reached my ears as it rode on the wind, getting closer with each passing moment. The voices of the users grew more frantic. As the first few users in the formation raised their pikes, I jumped, propelling myself with all the speed I had, leaping several meters into the air. The spear was longer than my jump, but the enemy couldn¡¯t raise it in time to strike, failing to react to my sudden ascent. With one unfortunate victim crushed beneath me, Inded right in the center of the shield formation. In my right hand was the hammer, and in my left, the tomahawk. I needed to destroy the first line of defense before the cavalry''s dust storm reached me. "Alert! The first shield formation has been breached! Permission for direct fire!" "There''s still 15 seconds left to load! Cough...!" "Thanks for the information." Having provided enough information, it was now time to pay the price. As my hand holding the axe made a full rotation, the enemy''s head and upper body were neatly severed. Before the body even knelt to the ground, I kicked it, and with a dyed reaction, it burst into golden mist, obscuring the vision of other users. I briefly considered throwing the tomahawk, but after several failed attempts where it either flew too far or got stuck in their heads, I decided against it. Instead, I just needed to charge into the cluster of enemies. I sheathed the tomahawk and hammer and drew my daggers. I pushed off with my legs and mmed into the ground. It was time to shoot arrows. Wherever I passed, golden bloodstorms erupted. I severed the arm of a user wielding a ymore, and despite the limb being chopped off, they still tightly gripped the handle, which I then yanked with my tail and threw horizontally. The ymore, moving at the speed of a sh, severed one user¡¯s waist and, still carrying force, lodged itself in another user¡¯s side. At that moment, an Armstrong cannonball shot straight at me. Boom! "Ugh...!" "Crazy, how do you avoid explosions in midair?" Crack. The second explosion sounded in my ears as I jumped again, stomping on an enemy¡¯s head and leaping once more. From below my feet came a sound and sensation I didn¡¯t want to identify, but because of that, I shot up nearly 6 meters into the air. As soon as I was airborne, the explosion rang out below me. Although I had dodged the st, the pressure from the explosion was palpable. As the shots missed me, they were turned into friendly fire, and several of my ownrades, about seven, were vaporized. The first line of enemies numbered about 65. After ughtering half of them and dodging the second artillery shot, the cavalry was now speeding toward me. The distance was about 60 meters. The 20 cavalrymen, ignoring whether any of the first line survived, looked determined to trample everything in their path. Of course, the survivors were already scattering, trying to escape the cavalry''s oing charge. But that didn¡¯t worry me too much. I spotted weapons scattered on the ground. "Pray for those who haven''t died yet, for the pikes they dropped." Weapons dropped by the dead vanish in about 5 seconds, but those dropped by the living remain. I picked up one of the pikes from the ground and locked eyes with the user at the forefront of the cavalry, now only 50 meters away. I could see the fear clearly in their eyes. Only the artificially created warhorses, reflecting light off their armor, charged forward fearlessly. I put strength into my right hand gripping the pike, stepped forward with my left foot, and rotated my waist. The pike vibrated like a fish and left my hand. Less than a secondter, a terrible sound rang out as the pike pierced the horse¡¯s chest. It didn¡¯t end there. The force was so great that the pike exited through the horse¡¯s rear, continuing to pierce the head of another cavalryman¡¯s horse. Naturally, the cavalryman following the horse was right behind it. "Ahhh!" "Ugh...!" Crash! The horse, pierced by the pike, died instantly, and the rider was thrown to the ground at a speed of 50 km/h. That wasn¡¯t the end of it, though. The pike that had shot out from the horse¡¯s rear struck another cavalryman and their horse, sending both to the waiting screen. It was a one-hit, three-kill move, something unprecedented in human history. However, by now, I had already wrapped my tail around the second spear, wielding it like a javelin and bending it into a sharp angle. The second spear flew through the air. Of course, the cavalry didn''t stop their charge. They had to endure me throwing two spears consecutively, and as a result, the 20 cavalrymen were reduced to 14, with the remaining cavalryman getting kicked in the face as I jumped and wrapped my tail around the horse''s neck. It took only 7 minutes for the first wave of nearly 100 users to be shattered into pieces. "¡­Wow." "Wow, but I think this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a sessful hit on Eugene." "You blocked a horse¡¯s rear kick head-on?!" By the 15th minute of the battle, when the 300-user alliance had been reduced to around 130, the intensity of the fight hadn¡¯t died down. But with the tempo slowing, the viewers finally had the chance to reflect on the situation¡ªand the most impressive moments were Eugene¡¯s incredible spear-throwing power and her defense. She allowed several of the cavalry¡¯s attacks, which cost them their lives, including one such powerful horse rear kick that, if itnded, could have killed the horse in one shot. Eugene was pushed back several meters by the force, but when it hit her arms, only arge bruise appeared, with her bones unharmed. Her physical capabilities far exceeded human limits. But to back that up, she needed a body that could endure just as much. "...That was the most painful thing I''ve experienced recently." Naturally, the user who had dealt the blow didn¡¯t fare so well. Eugene jumped off the ground, leapt onto the horse¡¯s saddle, and delivered a knee to the rider¡¯s head, killing them instantly. Yet, this time, the oue of the battle was still uncertain. Unlike before, the users had learned to sacrifice their lives more effectively. The relentless suicide charge of the cavalry reserves, disregarding their own lives, had been effectively wearing Eugene down. But still, despite all that, the 50 cavalrymen couldn¡¯t incapacitate a single limb of Eugene¡¯s Ouroboros-like power. They were sent to the waiting screen with F grades, and now, the real fight to cleanse blood with blood had just begun. "Charge! We have no such thing as casualties!" "Hold them! Hold them off! Archers, retreat and make a beehive out of them!" "Armstrong cannon, please, please... let us fire it! Just one more shot!"@@novelbin@@ My body was covered in wounds, and arrows had pierced both of my shoulders and arms. My leather armor was practically torn to rags, and the blood dripping from my arms onto the tomahawk and hammer was golden. Yet, in my eyes, the blue light didn¡¯t fade. On the contrary, it burned brighter, fiercer than before. It was a fight to the death. I was determined to crush every user standing before me, and no wound on my body could stop me. From 130, to 90, to 50, and now, I could count the remaining users with my two hands. Covered in the blood of 300 users, I climbed to the top of the hill, now stained golden, and faced thest 10 users, all of them holding their weapons. With weary expressions, yet unshaken, and intent to kill. I raised my weapons. Swish. Honor, and glory. The English words engraved next to the name Eugene shone ominously as the weapons I wielded cut through the air. But it didn¡¯tst long. The viscous golden liquid soon covered it several times. The final effective strike from thest 10 users was a dagger, lodged into my back. After pulling it out, I breathed heavily at the top of the hill, despite the intense heat. The silence didn¡¯tst long. With a sudden explosion, the uncharged Armstrong cannon fired a single shot into the hill below, creating a huge explosion and fireball on impact. "...Ha." Iughed wearily, as thest remaining user, in a state barely hanging on, walked out from the destruction, several hundred meters away. With a single breath, I knew exactly what they were about to say. "How about a little dance, Eugene?" They sure like to dance. I lifted the axes and hammer stained with the blood of 300 users, and began to close the distance between me and Lorentina, who was slowly approaching. The climax, and the ending, were drawing near. Chapter 465 "Wow." "...It''s begun." The brilliant sunlight, a clear day without a single cloud. A perfect day for an old-fashioned pic under a gentle breeze. However, all that was beneath was iron and corpses. In fact, there were no corpses. However, the countless golden liquids scattered on the grass told us that there had been a fierce battle here. Unlike before, the body creaked considerably. Blood still flowed from various parts of the body. However, the vivid blue light shining from the eyes suggested that the one being who had ughtered all 300 people in less than 20 minutes had not lost his fighting spirit. And below that, about 150 meters away. Laurentina appeared in a way no one could have imagined. However, this time, the weapon she was holding was none other than a... a chainsaw with a circr de. How on earth did shee up with something like that? That question wasn''t all that sexy. After all, it was cool. ©¤©¤©¤Booooong! The saw de spun with a terrible sound. Surprisingly, this was not the weapon Laurentina had chosen herself - there was quite a backstory to it. Unlike the previous version, Eugene had suffered considerable physical damage, and ordingly, the reversepensation applied to Laurentina also increased - around that time, she added that the use of the harpoon would be significantly difficult if her physical ability decreased below 50%, and at that time, the engineers were in agony. So, among the numerous cold weapons listed, Laurentina picked up the most vicious weapon among the modern weapons that had been updated to Glory and Honor for April Fool''s Day for a short time on April 1st. Circr chainsaw. It was time to prepare people instead of grass and trees. "... This is ridiculous." Ha. Even Eugene, who seemed to be able to easily crush and kill one or two people with just his momentum, burst intoughter at the weapon. Even from a distance of a hundred meters, the creepy engine sound of a chainsaw erupted. How should I deal with that? That was exactly what Eugene was interested in. She thought she might know why Laurentina had brought it out. In order to deal with a chainsaw, which was theplete opposite of a harpoon that was extremely focused on stabbing, the necessary methodology had to be theplete opposite. In other words, unlike before, she had to re-organize Laurentina¡¯s countermeasures from the beginning, and perhaps the other side wanted to see that, which is why they chose that weapon. Or, well, what can I do? Eugene thought as he decided to deduce the attack method first. 75m until collision. ¡®It¡¯s a weapon that ispletely opposite of a harpoon that specializes in stabbing. The attack range would be iparably wide, and even a slight touch would cause considerable damage.'' Even if half of his physical abilities were lost, that alone was scary enough. Even at this point, when various technologies that were only seen in science fiction are gradually bing reality, there was no one who could reach 3 vs. 2,000, and an EM-ss manifestation could achieve that record with half of his physical abilities limited - so Eugene let out augh mixed with anxiety. If he was unlucky, he could also meet a terrible death. Hoping that it wouldn''t be today, Eugene began to formte a way to gain an advantage over the man with the circr chainsaw in his head. Praying that the hammer in his right hand would do its job well. "... and how could only that be the case among so many weapons." "Pleasure and intereste before efficiency. Then that''s right. And at that point, Eugene discarded all other thoughts, realized that the distance had narrowed to within 50 meters, and focused his attention to observe every single movement of Laurentina''s fingers. The circr chainsaw that seemed to be inextricably linked to his arm. The two people''s heartbeats began to soar in time with it, spinning so fast that it felt like a st of me was about to burst out, and when it reached its limit. Laurentina jumped toward Eugene, kicking the ground as if it was crushing it. An extreme form of attack that could not even bepared to the previous session began. ©¤©¤©¤Ka-ga-gak! "¡­ Oh my gosh." "Ahahaha, you know that running away like that isn''t a good thing, youngest!" It started. The Trigger Happy Bismuri madness that was usually hidden by his uselessly elegant and old-fashioned appearance and speech began to manifest in earnest. The sight that waspletely opposite to the extremely refined killing skills he had shown just a few dozen minutes ago became a physical force and attempted to bite Eugene. Dirt flew, rocks were ground, and the ground was torn apart. The method of attack was much closer to the terrifying sight of a human boss from a Souls-like game that boasted a thick core fan base in the past rather than a battle between people. At least you could rebel against this. It did note from unconditional evasion. A showdown of strength and strength. The hammer in Eugene''s hand struck the saw de that was spinning counterclockwise with an eerie sound. At that moment, with a terrible sound Sparks flew. ©¤©¤©¤Kaaaang! The saw de shot up sharply. At that moment, Eugene elerated forward andnded a flying kick on Laurentina¡¯s empty stomach. The sound of the squeak became smaller like the Doppler effect, and Laurentina was thrown back a few dozen meters, barely managing to keep herself from rolling down the hill by embedding the spinning saw de in the ground. However, Eugene¡¯s left arm wasn¡¯t in great shape either. ¡°¡­ Ugh." Her left hand was tingling. The saw de bounced upwards. She used the gap to deliver a flying kick, but Laurentina bounced back and attacked her left hand with the chainsaw, and Eugene blocked it with his tomahawk, but it was difficult to predict the trajectory when she collided with the weapon spinning at high speed.@@novelbin@@ So, as she struck the saw de a second time, the weapon passed over Eugene''s left arm, causing her to lose arge number of small muscles that yed a major role in moving her left fingers. Considering the loss of HP, etc., both sides probably suffered simr damage. And just as he said, Laurentina, who had received the enormous kic energy generated when colliding with a truck rushing at full speed, was struggling to climb the hill, writing down her impressions. Precious rest time. In the meantime, Eugene quickly checked his physical condition. "What''s left... ." Only her thumb and index finger were rtively intact. Eugene sighed and tore her clothes, which were already close to rags, into a kind of string, and she held the tactical tomahawk with difficulty before wrapping the string around her hand. The golden liquid dripping from her arm was slowly staining the copper-colored string. Of course, it was only a temporary measure. It didn''t take long for her topletely lose her left arm. ©¤©¤©¤Bwaaang! "¡­ !" "Oh, this time it went in properly." Fortunately or unfortunately, Eugene''s left arm fell off cleanly despite being hit by the saw. The area below the elbow of Eugene''s left arm was empty, and the moment she noticed it, the hand holding the axe fell to the floor with a thud. Of course, Laurentina''s right leg was half-broken in return, but she was using the chainsaw that had been turned off as if it were a crutch. Considering that one side had to diepletely to end the fight, the fight between the two was going to be really brutal from now on. Laurentina kicked the ground at a speed that made it hard to believe that she had injured her leg, and the fight began again. "You can''t think that it''s over just because one leg is gone!" Boom! And this was true even though Eugene threw one of the two daggers he had been saving up at the tail,pletely rendering his right leg useless. Laurentina had a He pulled out the dagger that was stuck in his thigh, and at that moment, a golden liquid gushed out with a squeaking sound. Fortunately, the event match was almost entirely limited in gory expressions, and the wounds were expressed extremely vaguely. So their actions were not rough. The golden liquid that sprayed from Laurentina''s thigh, which rotated around the circr chainsaw, covered Eugene''s eyes without mercy, and when her eyes closed for a moment, Laurentina tried to throw the dagger stuck in her thigh at her opponent''s head. The damage was more serious than she thought, and she lost her bnce just before throwing it. The dagger pierced deep into Eugene''s abdomen. "Oh no." "Whew¡­!" The next moment, Eugene pulled it out, and the dagger flew again, but Laurentina easily deflected it with her chainsaw. But then the enraged party came rushing in. But Laurentina''s weapon was a versatilerge weapon that could attack with the saw de, the lower tip of the spear, defend against attacks with the side, and even kick with the remaining foot if necessary - and how long had passed? She had to face Eugene''s situation head-on, where he staggered after being hit squarely in the jaw by Changjun, and the chainsaw bounced off of him as he swung his hammer. But it didn''t matter much. Eugene had to sacrifice his right arm to blow Laurentina''s weapon away. "...It looks like he won''t surrender even if he dies." "Because he can still fight." Swish. Despite losing both arms, Eugene wrapped his tomahawk, which had been on the ground for quite some time, around his tail and aimed it straight ahead as if telling her toe closer if she could. I taught him not to give up no matter what happened... but he really was a good listener. Laurentina thought so and checked if there were any weapons around her, but unfortunately there were none because she had either deflected them all or the youngest had knocked them all away. There was nothing she could do. She clenched her fists. It was three minutes before the second and final event match ended with a cross-counter and a double K.O. "Anyway, you guys are crazy, you''re bragging to everyone in the neighborhood." Meanwhile, somewhere in America, roughly 10,000 kilometers away. Logan, who had finally been granted the right to wear a proper ACE patch on his shoulder - in other words, officially joined The Unit - was watching the bizarre situation unfolding in real time in Korea, lying on a specially-made bed, full screen. Tens of millions of people were watching with pleasure, but she alone was unable to enjoy itfortably. Of the nearly 30 million total viewers worldwide, it was safe to say that no one was as troubled as Logan. The reason was simple. Logan was an EM-level equal to the two superhumans fighting in real time. "...Ha." One thing was certain, within a day at the most, calls woulde from all directions. Or Anthony Owens, who was also his current boss, would sneak up on him. And he would say. The records officer or some friends from the Department of Defense were looking for him. And then the boring physical ability test would begin. In the past, when he had multiple encounters with the youngest in the Dark Zone, the EM-ss closebat data was secretly purchased by the Ministry of Defense for arge sum of money, so if he were to engage in such direct closebat¡­ I wonder what would happen. What is certain is that Logan himself would likely be asked to do something like that. To be honest, those two were literally flint. The sparks that erupted when those two shed were fiercely flying toward him. And as expected, ©¤©¤©¤Wooooow! "Fuck." The terminal vibrated excitedly. Arge number of text messages were flying through the military smartphone issued by the Ministry of Defense. As soon as he entered the secure SNS application, he was already greeted by six or seven requests and greetings. At the top was a text from Owens, who was also his superior. Logan burst intoughter, calling the team leader, who answered right away. "You damn guy." "Haha, why, but. That''s usually called a reflex gain¡­." "If you say more than that, I''ll send you to the hospital during the sparringter." "It was a reflex loss." A thumping sound rang out. A voice that seemed to already know everything tapped Logan''s eardrums loosely. "So, how many of your friends have been pretending to know?" "They''re already increasing, damn it." "Respond appropriately. I''ll cut off most things within my range. If there''s no reaction, everyone''s probably going to focus on Laurentina after she returns." "That damn punk is going on vacation to Hawaii with the youngest after his deployment." "Then there''s nothing we can do." In the end, Owens couldn''t hold back hisughter. Theughter died down as Logan wondered how he could break this guy''s ribs to get a good reputation and wondered what kind of power tackle he would use in the uing sparring session. A small gasp. And then the words. "I guess we can just think about the bills we''ll send to those twoter." "Of course. Of course we will." Whether it was a headlock or a joint. One thing was certain: the two of them would pay a price for throwing a tantrum at Logan. Chapter 466 "Finally, you''ve be a living legend, the youngest. Congrattions." "I think I''m going to die, really." 7:00 PM. Three hours had passed since the domestic tournament and event match of Glory and Honor had concluded. As the sun began to sink below the horizon, I cautiously slipped out onto a back road where no one was supposed to notice me. At the end of the road, someone I had seen many times before was waiting for me. It was Lauren Tina. There was no one around except for a few people taking a walk. Fortunately, there were no fans or people waiting outside. Honestly, it was because of this that I hade out sote today. The poprity stemming from the virtual reality simtion match earlier today wasn¡¯t exactly¡­ pleasant for me. If you ask me whether I expected this to happen, I can¡¯t deny it, but still, is it too greedy to wish for at least a small buffer zone? I just showed what I could show, but when the reactiones back so overwhelminglyrge, it¡¯s a little overwhelming. "You must have waited quite a while." "Just as you said, I¡¯ve waited quite a long time. But I believe that if you know, there should be an appropriate reward." "¡­Alright, I¡¯ll buy dinner." "I¡¯ll gratefully ept it." Swoosh. After carefully closing the ss door, I started walking with my former superior toward the bustling district. Our destination was near Yongsan Station. Just in case, I activated the stealth and soundproof features of the Icarus Gear to prevent any sound from leaking, adding a bit of distraction. If people don¡¯t look closely, they¡¯d never notice who we really were. And even if someone does notice, we¡¯d pass by them in a quick step. Anyway, now it was time to discuss the aftermath. "Today was one of the hardest days I¡¯ve had so far." "Was it because of fighting 300 people, or was it the battle with me?" "Both,bined." A small chuckle escaped. At this point, to be blunt, the number of people doesn¡¯t really matter unless they¡¯re holding a gun. The fact that I fought against 300 people wasn¡¯t my decision either¡­ In fact, if I wanted to effectively tire myself out and be captured, I¡¯d probably need about a thousand human weapon-level users. That¡¯s when the odds would be in my favor. In reality, wasting a thousand elite soldiers just to capture one would be seen as insane. Anyway, to go back, the reason today was so difficult was because of the surprise guest ¡ª the shark who appeared at the end. Of course, I wasn¡¯t surprised by it. As I said earlier, defeating 300 people head-on was exhausting but not impossible. But if the final boss appeared at the end, the situation changes.@@novelbin@@ I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but if this person had appeared without reversepensation, I would have probably been slowly eaten away, and then stabbed with a .50 AE-level piercing strike to my head, neck, or heart, sending me to the waiting screen. Thanks to the reversepensation, though, I was able to match the damage umtion ratio 1:1 and win. "Also, who gave you that ridiculous chainsaw?" "It was something I used during the April Fools update. I was intrigued, so I brought it along. When else would I get a chance to use it?" "How do you think I feel, having to take that head-on?" Of course, Lauren Tina didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Well, knowing her, would she? Anyway, the topic remained focused on the 1:300 battle from earlier, as there was plenty to discuss. There was more to talk about the second battle than the first. "I don¡¯t know if there will be another, but if there is, I think it¡¯ll be prohibited to pick up weapons." "Then should I throw people next time¡­?" "Well, you would be quite capable of that." But still, without throwing something, there¡¯s no way to control other users at a distance. Especially fighting cavalry and meleebat is literally suicidal. The power of a horse¡¯s rear kick, thrown at the same speed as my punch, was incredibly painful. Of all the effective hits I received, that one hurt the most. Of course, I felt no pain, but when considering HP loss, it was the worst. From that perspective, throwing a spear was a decent choice. If I had thrown it a bit earlier, I could¡¯ve sent half of the 20 cavalry units to the waiting screen, but the distance wasn¡¯t far enough¡­ Well, anyway, it was a very effective method. In the meantime, we approached the enormous Yongsan Station area. Rather than settling in one ce for dinner, we decided to wander around and snack on various things. The first stop was a burger joint on the first floor of a shopping mall, which was almost connected to Yongsan Station. We ordered burgers and sat down at a random spot. Lauren Tina spoke up. "That¡¯s secondary. I probably couldn¡¯t have done that. Mybat style is focused entirely on one-on-onebat, so maybe in a simted 1:1 match, but in arge-scale battle with mixed units, I¡¯m not sure I could fight as effectively as you did." "Each has its pros and cons." "It¡¯s a bit hard to say it that way. Especially considering that our existence, people like us, is for responding to emergency situations that were never anticipated before. It¡¯s true I somewhat envy you." "Uh..." "It¡¯s just my personal opinion, so don¡¯t take it too seriously." What kind of personal opinion is that? But this is how she is. Essentially, there¡¯s always a hint of sincerity hidden behind casualments. And if she was truly concerned about it, she would¡¯ve filled in any gaps through training, so I just let it be. While I was finishing off the 4 burgers I had gotten, Lauren Tina quickly devoured two of them, then rummaged through her pockets. She showed me her phone screen. I wondered what she was showing, and it turned out to be a message from Logan. The full message read: [Logan: I¡¯ll kill you.] "¡­Heh." "Looks like the sparks flew pretty hard." That brief message¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but just from those few words, it felt like I could tell how many messages this person had been receiving while we were fighting. It was lucky Lauren Tina didn¡¯t get reassigned to Korea. "You¡¯ll need to be careful not to bump into a pr bear when you return to the U.S." "I¡¯m going to take leave and run off to Hawaii, so it doesn¡¯t matter." "What about after you return? What if you have more unit joint training?" "¡­" A short silence. Then came the next words. "As soon as I get caught by a pr bear, I¡¯ll call your location, and I believe you¡¯ll understand that it¡¯s unavoidable." "Ugh, really." Half a year. In half a year, Logan would probably choke me out with a guillotine. It was summer. Saturday. The weekend following the whirlwind of Eugene, the typhoon that swept through themunity. No matter what people expected from Eugene, she officially announced to the hundreds of thousands of viewers that her advertising contract with Icarus International - Glory and Honor had sessfully concluded. The two-month-long golden period of Glory and Honor. Considering that top-tier streamers usually only run an ad for a game for about a week or two at most, Eugene had been promoting Glory and Honor for four times that duration. But it didn¡¯t end there. After dropping the predictable game ad content, Eugene directly dove into ranked matches, wielding two unmodified daggers, breaking every rank in her path. Needless to say, it was a massive sess. However, Eugene didn¡¯t stop there. She began to take on a schedule many timesrger than before. She visited SSM, training Glory and Honor professional gamers under the guise of "training," created a new assassin ss that had themunity in constant debate, and began preparing for event matches. Through two event matches, held using the Glory and Honor pro-gamers as sacrifices for the tournaments, Eugene became a legend. This was undeniably proven by the fact that she never lost, even when facing the miraculous exchange ratio of 1:300 in consecutive battles. Of course, it didn¡¯t end there. Eugene showed the world what happens when a yer with EM-level skill, who has mastered countlessbat techniques, unleashes their full power. This demonstration was broadcast to 30 million viewers worldwide. However, like all things, even the Glory and Honor ads, which seemed like they wouldst forever, eventually came to an end. Eugene wasn¡¯t the type to throw away her hard-earned Dark Zone career to jump to another game. Meanwhile, the GoH domestic tournament had just ended, and the KSM ovepped with the holiday weekend. Glory and Honor had gained millions of new yers due to Eugene, but Dark Zone absorbed those very users, who knew Eugene well, and the viewers scattered across virtual reality were all sucked into KSM. And so, the situation was back to square one. "KSM is heating up even more on this Saturday! Today is Saturday, and 100 users are headed for the Asian qualifiers, washing away their exhaustion in fierce battles, and an event match awaits to make the heated atmosphere even hotter!" As each match ended, the user rankings disyed on the scoreboard shifted. In the midst of this, there was no sign of Dice or Eugene. However, Harmonie¡¯s name appeared. She consistently bounced between 3rd and 4th ce, sometimes even reaching 1st ce before dropping again. Below her were Ink, Michael, and Gambit, all fighting to stay on top. Of course, below them, there was arge group of yers from 10 teams, all of whom shared one thing inmon: they had all been touched by Eugene¡¯s influence. But despite the many eyes on the rankings, it was already clear who would be advancing to the Asian qualifiers without much issue, and Harmonie was one of them. Naturally, Harmonie, who had shown near-artistic trap usage in countless matches, sat in the waiting room, her expression oddly fluttering. The reason was simple. "...I remember seeing Eugene running around like thatst year, but now I¡¯m going to be part of this. Doesn¡¯t it feel like I¡¯m pretty good at Dark Zone now?" Eugene running around like this, smashing and destroying everything with a lightsaber and a mallet. What kind of delusion is this? This idiot has been Eugene¡¯s fan for over half a year now. Whatever Eugene does, she looks perfect to me... Did she really just say she¡¯s getting good at it? The girl who can blow up Michael, Ink, and Bandit 50% of the time, being modest? Harmonie had never imagined herself in this position, the one she once saw as the unattainable peak, one that could only be reached by stepping over countless talented individuals who honed their skills through endless training. Unlike other pro gamers, who had long objectively assessed their skills through scrims, Harmonie had just finished her closed-door training under Eugene and was now facing the air of the very top. The experience was incredibly refreshing. And the proof that she had earned her spot in KSM? The event match. "I remember this was kind of like a battle royale, right? But with weapons like mallets and jelly grenades?" "Yep. Think of it as a much cuter version. But now there¡¯s going to be something like Donut, so we need to be careful." "Oh, Michael. Long time no see." "Yeah, it really has been." Wow, I never thought I¡¯d see these two on the same team! ??? : Harmonie, you¡¯ve gotten strong. You¡¯re at least equal to me, or even better. It seems like that¡¯s true, haha! I bet they''ll both be in the U.S. together this year. The viewers, as always, were in an uproar. Michael soon disappeared after a brief greeting, stating that the event match was about to start. Harmonie nced at the timer, which read 30 seconds, before taking a deep breath and exhaling. yful was waiting for her. As the 30 seconds passed, Harmonie couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes, inhaling the sweet smell filling the entire map. Soft floor, toy guns scattered around, cotton ball grenades too cute to be called grenades, and mallets that looked more like melee weapons. There were houses made of candy, SD characters running around with joy, and more. As Harmonie¡¯s smile widened with excitement, a number appeared at the very top of the UI. At that ambiguous number, many people started to question it. "...Wait, didn¡¯t I hear that this event match was recruiting 100 KSM participants and 500 regr users? So why is the number 601...?" Just as she had said. Since the match hadn¡¯t started yet, users were already beginning to discuss this strange situation in groups. Harmonie rolled her eyes around, unsure what was going on. And at that moment, the worst-case scenario shed through her mind. "Wait a second. Could it be-" CRASH! But she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. No matter how much she searched around, her efforts to find that one person who had been missing all this time were in vain. Something thick had fallen from the sky,nding like a superhero. A crater the size of a meter had formed around it. Too thick to be human. A bulging, white padded figure with a snake tail sticking out awkwardly. Despite the fluffy visual, the icy blue eyes of the user seemed to send a chill through Harmonie¡¯s soul, reminding her of someone. Naturally, everyone there realized who the unexpected addition to the session was. With a cold voice that didn¡¯t match the SD visual, Eugene spoke. "I¡¯m not here to just watch. I¡¯m too busy for that." Clink! In that moment, from Eugene''s left hand, an energy sword appeared, and from her right hand, a rocketuncher. The keyword for today''s event match ¡ª yful ¡ª was ughter. Chapter 467 ¡°...Seems like everyone is enjoying the sounds here, haha.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that the scream of pain?¡± A scene of chaos was unfolding. However, Eugene¡¯s movements, when viewed from a distance, wereedic, but up close, they were tragic. The suspiciously plump SD Eugene raised her lightsaber and rocketuncher, and the distorted, insignificant screams echoed from all directions. Swoosh, boom. With an astonishingly realistic firing sound, a rocket shot off, leaving a trail of white smoke behind it. As it collided with a building, it exploded with a pop, sending pink jelly flying with a star-shaped effect, and the HP of the users caught in the jelly started to melt away slowly. The number of users who disappeared into the aftershock or direct hit was minimal, but those who were covered in jelly saw their movement speed decrease to less than half. In other words, they were Eugene¡¯s prey. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯sing! Get out of the way! Kyaa-!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you off once. There¡¯s no second chance.¡± Whoosh! Even though she had thebel Donut on her head, Eugene was surprisingly fast. Instead of the rocketuncher, she now held a mallet and moved toward them at the same terrifying speed seen just a few days ago in the 1:300 battle. With that same speed, shended a Rider Kick, sending a person flying into the air. Bong, and thunk. With a pitifully small sound effect, the SD character bent into a "D" shape and crashed through the candy-like building wall, flying far away. Thanks to the event match mechanics, where damage from non-designated weapons was not as impactful, the damage wasn¡¯t lethal, and users didn¡¯t die despite the hits. About three users suddenly found themselves riding what could only be called the Eugene-Kick roller coaster, flying around the map with the same horrifying speed, and the remaining 590 or so users slowly started to regain theirposure. ¡°¡­Can we catch that?¡± ¡°First, gather the grenades! Set up a booby trap!¡± Despite the grim future, they did not give up. The trainees who had been touched by Eugene¡¯s hand had long been taught that they must never give up in any situation. Thus, the 100 KSM participants desperately tried to escape Eugene¡¯s reach while searching for other participants nearby. The 500 general public members, added just to fill the numbers, were automatically excluded. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Even if a handful of professional gamers from KSM gathered, they would crumble like a sandcastle before the waves; adding general users with poor situational judgment wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. While the massacre of plump SDs raged on in one corner, the collective strength of the remaining yers was starting to grow. Among them, thergest force was formed by none other than Harmonie. ¡°Jelly bomb instation points¡­ here, here, and here. We need to target ces where, if destroyed, could take down the entire building. We¡¯ll bury them with the debris.¡± ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t this mean someone has to sacrifice themselves?¡± ¡°If anyone can avoid dying with Eugene in front of them, they must be a god or a manifested being. To subdue someone like Eugene, we need to control the entire space.¡± It was absurd to be talking about sacrifice when only a few days ago, someone had single-handedly taken on 300 people. And yet, the one who spoke could hardly be the one to sacrifice themselves. Among the 30 people gathered around the building, Harmonie was the only direct disciple of Eugene. The rest were professional gamers who had earned their right to participate in KSM. In other words, Harmonie had watched Eugene¡¯s many facets more than anyone else, and had experienced firsthand thebat power she could project onto reality. To put it simply, Harmonie was someone who could not afford to die. And based on her prediction, she believed that everyone in this building, including herself, would be dead soon. Boom! ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re hesitating here, a group of 20 users over there has probably been wiped out by now. Come on, everyone, move! If you don¡¯t, we¡¯re all dead!¡± As expected, the first to move was Harmonie. Having inherited Eugene¡¯sbat skills and dexterity, the small, agile Harmonie began to set up jelly bombs in multiple locations, crafting many traps. She pulled out several magazines filled with freeze rounds from her pistol and crafted ice bombs, setting them up in ces where no one could spot them.@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, the map was growing smaller and the explosions growing louder. The Reaper¡¯s footsteps were drawing nearer. Harmonie had already prepared an escape route to the adjacent building, but that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. The rest was up to chance. Everyone stood, holding a gun each with freeze rounds, me rounds, and shock rounds loaded. Though no one had to say it aloud, they all stood up withplex expressions. Some took position by the walls, others by the pirs, and some next to the walls. It wasn¡¯t a signal; it was just something that happened naturally as the air grew colder. When the explosions grew quieter, everyone felt it. She was here. Crack! ¡°¡­Were you waiting?¡± ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d nevere.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I was asked to turn this event session into a hellscape.¡± A chilling smile appeared on Eugene¡¯s face. From the mallet in her right hand, pink jelly droplets were falling instead of blood. It wasn¡¯t blood, but the sight was strangely cruel ¡ª like the strange situation of pulling out a dual disc in front of someone holding a gun or knife. But one thing was certain: when Eugene swung the malletst year, her enemies had been sent flying into the sky, and this year, the situation wouldn¡¯t be any less. The jelly bombs triggered by the pirs started the battle. Hiss¡­! Crack! When Eugene¡¯s mallet spun in her hand and shed horizontally through the air, the building¡¯s pir ¡ª made of candy ¡ª shattered into thousands of pieces. As the mallet struck the SD user¡¯s edge, a sound rang out, signaling destruction. With a soft pop, the person was sent flying after being struck by the mallet. At the same time, the ceiling copsed and jelly poured down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see youter. We¡¯ve thought up some strategies ourselves.¡± Harmonie disappeared. The remaining yers, those who stayed to try and catch Eugene, were now facing only one obstacle ¡ª Eugene. She easily maneuvered through the jelly that was spilling out across the lower levels, making her way closer to the users, and raised her lightsaber. Her speed was invisible. The moment she struck, SD users copsed, their bodies turning into grilled pork belly. It didn¡¯t take long for Eugene to finish off thest of them. However, to go up, she would have to open a door and climb stairs. Considering Harmonie¡¯s ystyle, it was highly likely that this would be a suicide mission. So Eugene turned her gaze sideways and destroyed the entire wall with the ss window. Since the building itself was made of cookies, the structure wasn¡¯t too sturdy. As she shoved her fingers into the wall, a sweet smell filled the air, and a handhold appeared. Eugene started climbing by breaking the wall apart. After reaching the second floor, she broke the window and entered the building once more. Through vibrations, she could feel the positions of Harmonie and the users on the second floor. Of course, the building was now surrounded by enemies. But she didn¡¯t care. Boom! ¡°Ahh!¡± Another one disappeared. Eugene threw the body of the user who hadn¡¯t vanished yet into the door, and the body froze in ce, turning into grilled pork belly. After a dy, the jelly bomb exploded, and Eugene looked at it with satisfaction before heading up the stairs. Unlike most buildings, this one required traveling across a floor to reach the other side. Harmonie had likely nted traps everywhere in preparation. Eugene, thinking this, reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the wall. Then, a secondter¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Crack! Eugene crashed into the wall and broke through it. This happened multiple times, and the users who had scattered in an attempt to dy her felt as if their sanity was being tested. But there was no need to worry. Eugene¡¯s mallet would easily send anyone to the waiting screen, no matter who they were. The moment they were hit with her "Quiet down!" attack, they would vanish in a golden haze. Harmonie hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but she never expected Eugene to cut through the cookie wall and clear a path so easily. Eugene was, after all, the most demanding teacher and Reaper, and she was about to exact the price for failure with death. She stood in front of Harmonie. Harmonie had tried to cross to the adjacent building after Eugene demolished the previous one but failed, and as expected, she sighed briefly. Boom¡­! An explosion. Harmonie pressed the button in her hand, and at that moment, the bridge connecting the buildings and the base of the building Eugene stood on began to copse with a heavy sound. She wasn¡¯t going to waste time chatting like in a movie. Eugene wasn¡¯t going to make it to the other building. Harmonie threw all the remaining jelly bombs from her pocket into the air and toward the ground, not to cause significant damage, but to keep Eugene stuck on the building roof. The building, about 20 meters high, started to lean sideways. Harmonie sensed her impending doom. ¡°Ahh!¡± Beep! In the blink of an eye, the golden haze appeared. With the clear sound echoing, Harmonie felt her HP drop to zero, and Eugene, holding onto the falling rooftop¡¯s guardrail, added: "You know there¡¯s another round, right?" "Please, save me¡­." "Don¡¯t worry, the next round is an obstacle course." Whether that was a relief or not, Harmonie didn¡¯t care anymore and melted away into a golden haze. Less than 300 participants remained in the session. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Then, a few dozen secondster, Harmonie, standing on the tilted building¡¯s side, saw Eugene quickly descending with a lightsaber embedded in the adjacent building and sighed in disbelief. Just as expected. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t y. I only watched.¡± ¡°¡­I really need to make it into the top 10 this year. I¡¯ve got to make it into the Asian qualifiers.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it pretty fun?¡± ¡°I thought it was a horror movie!¡± After the battle, during the rest period. Of course, while it was called a rest, the aftermath of the match was far from over. I had practically wiped them all out. Still, to defend myself,st year, those Donuts in the padded suits were firing jelly rockets, and honestly, it was always a gimmick from the start. These guys... were just scared of my name. I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand, but it¡¯s in the past, so let¡¯s wrap up this topic. And I was also prepared with some gentle threats for those who were disappointed. ¡°If I knew this was going to happen, I should¡¯ve brought Lauren Tina along.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Oh, what a shame. Why didn¡¯t you bring her? I don¡¯t do event matches¡ªkyaaa!¡± ¡°Come here!¡± Harmonie, exploding. With a clean rear naked choke, Harmonie brought Dice to his knees, and he paid the price for not participating in the event match. Harmonie, now free of stress, smiled and added: ¡°You¡¯re going to have quite a workout before going to Hawaii.¡± ¡°Well, the event match appearance will probably be myst for this round. The phases are split into four parts, and there¡¯s only so much I can do with events in between.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± ¡°Why would I lie?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got me there¡­¡± The clock was ticking, and about 30 secondster, after Dice had returned to his senses, the three of us were back in a new, yet familiar, space, waiting for the second event match to begin. The sweet smell of instant-death jelly slowly began to rise. ¡°We¡¯ll see you alive.¡± One year had passed, and now the past memories had be the second reality. The 601 SD users began to climb obstacles with cute movements. ¡°Ugh, I told you to stop hanging around!¡± ¡°Kyu!¡± ¡°¡­As expected.¡± Thwack! Of course, the world didn¡¯t run so smoothly, and I kicked the friends who were grabbing my pants into the jelly, sending them for a deep conversation with it. Once again, it was the world that made me the viin. Chapter 468 ¡°You bastard shark! You son of a bitch, dumping everything on me and running off like a coward!¡± ¡°Ugh, I couldn¡¯t help it, the headquarters contacted me directly!¡± ¡°Is that yourst will? I¡¯ll engrave it on your tombstone.¡± I knew it was going to be like this. Lauren Tina, holding the ringing phone, nced at who was calling, then pressed the green button. The scream, close to a roar, burst through the phone as soon as the call connected. The word Pr Bear that appeared on the screen was particrly clear today. As expected, the Pr Bear¡¯s roar was as powerful as the original animal. Lauren Tina, unlike her usual self, hesitated for a moment. It made sense. The shark and Biyam had passed the trouble onto her, but the one who would take the aftershock was Logan, who was quietly asleep back in the U.S. And, true to form, Logan¡¯s face on the video call looked¡­ very angry. Logan, sharing his screen, scrolled through the numerous missed calls, and Lauren Tina pretended to look uninterested. Instantly, threats started flying. ¡°That bastard, if you pretend not to know about these calls, I¡¯ll buy you a one-way ticket straight to Korea!¡± ¡°¡­Looks like a lot came in. They¡¯re the type of friends who contact you whenever they can, huh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± How much had she suffered until now? Lauren Tina was sincerely grateful that Logan wasn¡¯t physically beside her at this moment. If he had been, the probability of her spine being bent backwards and executing a shrimp twist on him was extraordinarily high. With a slight chuckle, she began to present a proposal she had prepared in advance. As expected, sharks weren¡¯t the type to do reckless things without an escape n, and they always thought of retreat strategies in advance. Though it wasn¡¯t certain, this seemed like a goodpromise. ¡°Redirect all the calls to me. When I get back, if I have the energy, I¡¯ll handle everything on this side.¡± ¡°Do you really think someone going to Hawaii will be able to do that?¡± ¡°The vacation approval won¡¯te until early October, so there¡¯ll be about a week of time. During that time, if I move around a bit, there won¡¯t be any major issues. I¡¯ll deposit half the test participation fee to you. Does that sound good?¡± ¡°Money? Just go to Hawaii and buy something nice for the kid instead.¡± Of course. As the extreme anger from earlier started to subside, it seemed the proposal was reasonable. Lauren Tina thought so and slumped down onto the couch in the kid''s house, syncing the hologram projector with the call. The silhouette of Logan also appeared, sitting on a simr couch. Their gazes met. Nothing had changed from the past. Of course, Logan was expected to be incredibly busy going forward, and it was highly unlikely that he¡¯d be visiting Korea freely as he had before. After all, Lauren Tina was a deployed agent. By the end of this year, there would be a final championship likest year, but Logan, Lauren Tina, and Owens would not be present for it. The unsaid words disappeared into the ether, and Logan shifted the topic. ¡°By the way, those two who always follow you around areing, right?¡± ¡°Hah, you¡¯d know better about that. I don¡¯t know how she convinced them, but¡­ those two little snakes, no matter what Eugene does, they¡¯ll be cheering her on. I figured they¡¯d follow her.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve made quite an impact on them.¡± He wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, but that didn¡¯t mean they couldugh it off. Considering that the person who had been ¡°taken care of¡± by the kid had buried Logan under a storm of bullets with the help of many Donuts¡­ It wasn¡¯t far from the idea ofpletely breaking someone down to the atomic level and then reconstructing them. But if she brought this up, Logan might actually book a ticket to Korea. She avoided touching on that core issue, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to avoid trouble. The topic eventually shifted to the types of firearms they¡¯d be shooting in Hawaii, and Logan slowly scanned the list before stopping abruptly at a particr point. The Barrett sniper rifle, she could understand. But¡ª ¡°¡­Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°20mm? Are you nning to treat those two¡¯s dislocated shoulders while you¡¯re in Hawaii?¡± ¡°Damn it, only me and the kid will be using that gun. It¡¯s legally produced or imported by an FFL Type 11 holder.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, you crazy woman.¡± The FFL Type 11, one of the most limited types of firearm handling licenses issued by the federal government. It was granted only to people who had special rtionships with museums, wealthy individuals, or government agencies, and it allowed the import of rare, collectible military-grade weapons. That was how a 20mm Barrett sniper rifle, made in South Africa, was able to make its way to Hawaii.@@novelbin@@ And it would be used in early October, held by a manifested individual, to unleash a barrage. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the only ones in this world who would think of soaking two perfectly good women in gunpowder.¡± ¡°Oh, do you not think of me and the kid as women either?¡± ¡°Shut up, seriously.¡± Naturally, it was all in vain. Muttering, Lauren Tina gazed outside at the darkening world. It was possible because the match was on a weekend. The time in Korea was 9 PM, while Logan¡¯s was around 8 AM, which was why they were able to connect. Regardless, not many days were left to witness this scene. It was time for the shark, who had spent more than half a year in Korea, to leave. ¡°Well, now that it¡¯se to this, it¡¯s a bit regretful. Maybe because I¡¯ve had so much fun recently¡­¡± ¡°Of course. Stop thinking weird thoughts and just shoot some guns in Hawaii before you head back. I¡¯ll submit a suggestion bomb to have those seal bastards do joint training because of you.¡± ¡°¡­How about I do a cross-legged twist the moment I enter the country?¡± ¡°Eat shit.¡± Of course, Logan wasn¡¯t letting it slide, as it had been proven back in the Final Championship when she had thoroughly beaten Dice. After that, they continued discussing the minor details of what they¡¯d do in the future and what they¡¯d do once they returned to the U.S. After a while, when the conversation had run its course, Logan quickly looked around. The reason was simple, and Logan voiced it. ¡°So where¡¯s the kid, and why are you the only one here?¡± ¡°Oh, the kid, huh¡­¡± What was she trying to say now? But Lauren Tina added it without much thought. ¡°Right now, she¡¯s probably ying tag.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Before she could even ask what that meant, Lauren Tina showed something in front of her. It wasn¡¯t Eugene, but Harmonie, with a green snake tail, running across the map. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Think of it like some kind of snake tail blessing.¡± What that snake tail blessing was, wasn¡¯t worth asking, because the situation was unnecessarily clear. It would take quite some time before Logan realized what was happening in Korea. "This is... Eugene''s gaze? Eye level? Footprints...?" "Please don''t react like a pervert." "But!" Meanwhile, the Tag content that followed the second event match. Originally, the event involved putting about 50 participants into arge area, attaching tails to about three people, and engaging in a sort of tag or catch-and-be-caught game. Last year''s motto had been something like that, but this year¡¯s event match creators interpreted the idea of tag quite differently. Moreover, just at the right moment, there was someone who suited the word tail perfectly. She had dly agreed to participate in the event match. And when the map engineers made a secret suggestion to Eugene, she agreed. What was that suggestion? ¡°The tail in this tag is a snake tail, wow...!¡± It was literally the power of virtual reality that could turn someone into an EM-level manifested user. It wasn¡¯t just a simple avatar. After thoroughly analyzing Eugene''s body movements, they converted those into electric signals, allowing even someone without a tail to learn exactly how she behaved and how she moved her tail, all while transmitting that information to the user. And this power, known as Eugene, was being extended to¡­ naturally, to those two little Biyams who adored the tail more than anything else. It was just 20 seconds ago that Dice and Harmonie fell amidst 599 users. ¡°I feel so strong right now!¡± ¡°If I put in just a little more effort, I feel like I¡¯ll fly! What do I do...?¡± ¡°Once your tail is caught for more than five seconds, you won¡¯t feel this sensation anymore. Do your best.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± And with that, Eugene grabbed the two snake tails, each in their personal color. Naturally, ?? had a light green tail, and Dice had a yellow one that reminded one of a ball python. Of course, as soon as she grabbed them, loud screams followed. How did it feel to experience this sensation for the first time, these two? In just a few seconds, Harmonie and Dice¡¯s cheeks and ears turned bright red. They screamed loudly, asking why she grabbed their tails like that. Eugene then gave their heads a whack with her mallet. With a silly sound, both of them were incapacitated. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t here, you wouldn¡¯t even have tails.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so mean for doing this with just the tails...¡± ¡°I want a big tail, not just great power and responsibility...¡± ¡°Stop with the weird stuff and look at the map.¡± Pop. Below them, the vast arena appeared. It was a huge space, like several football fieldsbined, and around 600 users were clustered there. All users were armed with weapons avable in yful ¡ª handguns capable of loading freeze rounds, electroshock rounds, lightsabers, mallets, jelly grenades, and asionally, jelly rocketunchers. Naturally, they were there to bind two people¡¯s legs. However, the difference from previous rounds was that these users wouldn¡¯t die even if they were hit with instant-death attacks. Instead, they would be incapacitated for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, the remaining time dropped below 5 seconds. Eugene wasn¡¯t participating in the match but was instead watching Harmonie and Dice¡¯s fight, casually munching on popcorn. The two about to be released into the match would desperately try not to get caught for the next 5 seconds. In the meantime, the original Biyam activated the camera function and took pictures of the two, whose bodies had been transformed. Their ears grew longer, their pupils became vertical, and they grew sharp teeth, all while their bodies started to change ¡ª and, of course, they couldn¡¯t react. ¡°Have a good time!¡± ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± ¡°Eh, eh? Falling? What do we do if we fall!¡± Before they could even argue, they started falling from hundreds of meters above. All they could hear was the sound of the wind rushing past their ears, and beneath them, hundreds of users were waiting. After falling for several seconds, the two only realized their bodies were moving uncontrobly at the veryst moment,nding with a loud thud on the ground, like superheroes. The ground was soft but firm enough to absorb the shock, but it created a highly noticeable crater around them. Boom! ¡°What the heck was that?¡± However, no one answered Dice¡¯s remark. A dyed thud echoed from another direction. Dice instinctively knew it was Harmonie, and as a massive wave of sensation rushed through his five senses, he nearly lost consciousness. What they didn¡¯t know was that it was the vibration detection function of the tail. He could clearly tell where everyone was. So, Dice carefully took a breath and began thinking about how to move. Unlike other users, those with tails couldn¡¯t use weapons and could only rely on unarmed attacks and running. The time they needed to hold out was 15 minutes. What was certain was that, unlike Eugene, who could perfectly control her body, it was going to be extremely difficult for the two to keep their tails safe in the midst of so many people for such a long time. But no one was going to pity them. As the vibration of the air spread, Dice instinctively moved away¡ª Crack! ¡°Ugh!¡± Dozens of bullets rained down at his position. But that wasn¡¯t the end. With a whoosh, about seven jelly rockets followed, leaving a trail of white behind them. As they crashed into the ground and walls, a deafening sound followed as an immense amount of pink jelly poured out. At that moment, Dice¡¯s body tensed, and he fled with a speed beyond humanprehension. ¡°What the heck! It¡¯s way too fast! Agh!¡± He avoided the iing bullets and rockets, escaping the st radius, and ran to an empty space. In just 15 seconds, Dice managed to dodge all the attacks, running at a speed close to 70 km/h. Of course, Harmonie, too, was feeling the same thing. Around them, a hundred or so users, trying to touch their tails and steal Eugene¡¯s power, were closing in from all directions. Unlike most users, Dice¡¯s mind screamed at him to snap back to reality and figure out a strategy. But, overwhelmed by the sensory flood, it was hard to think straight. Gripping his pounding heart, Dice muttered to himself. ¡°What do I do, what do I do?¡± Such overwhelming strength could drive anyone mad. Dice and Harmonie were no exceptions. The world was truly a strange ce. Chapter 469 I wasn¡¯t aiming for a clean demolition like real-life buildings. To do that, I would have needed to drill holes in various columns and nt bombs, but I didn¡¯t need to go that far. I had already scoped out escape routes and paths to the nearby buildings. I wasn¡¯t nning to rely on them, but if things went sideways, I always had the option to fight on my home turf. So, as soon as I encountered them, I would destroy them as quickly as possible. ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten good at hiding your presence.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ve been caught already.¡± ¡°How could you not have noticed?¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw a new silhouette standing at the entrance of the second floor where I was. I had hoped for a bit more of a surprise, but the world doesn¡¯t work that way. Harmonie¡¯s eyes gleamed mischievously. ¡°I was supposed to be running from others, but... I¡¯ve wanted to get revenge on you like this, Yu-jin, for a long time.¡± ¡°I get the gist of it.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Boom. At the same time, Harmonie disappeared. 21 shots with freeze rounds and me rounds were loaded into a handgun, and as the shots rang out in the air, her words echoed. ¡°I¡¯ll wrap you up with my tail.¡± ¡°Try it if you can.¡± With a speed close to an afterimage, Harmonie moved. Although she probably knew that my body couldn¡¯t take much damage from unarmed strikes, she was likely going to try hitting me a couple of times. I predicted her trajectory, timed it, and threw a jelly bomb while gripping my lightsaber in one hand. The shot rang out, and as the freeze round pierced the jelly bomb, a pink block of jelly instantly froze in midair. Boom. Harmonie, who was nearing me, mmed into the ice block, and her speed was reduced by nearly half. I followed up with more shots and tossed another jelly bomb. The battle began. ¡®Just for a moment.¡¯ I waited for the moment Harmonie¡¯s footnded on a certain spot. With my lightsaber in one hand, I fired my pistol continuously and threw two grenades, pulling their pins in one smooth motion. Even though my physical abilities had decreased, my tail was still intact, and I had enough strength left to throw grenades. The map itself was designed around the theme of sweetness, and as the bombs exploded, jelly poured down into the building, causing the floor to start copsing. As the floor we stood on began to copse, I knew our standing area was shrinking rapidly.@@novelbin@@ Boom! The area where Harmonie had been copsed. Of course, as a manifestor, her jumping ability allowed her to bridge the gap, but that wasn¡¯t the point. What mattered was that, just before Harmonie arrived, the ceiling copsed, and tons of pink jelly began pouring down. It was simple. I had anticipated that the vibration caused by the explosion would be detected by Harmonie, and to prevent that, I set up a bunch of bombs on both the top and bottom floors. Harmonie was far from the window, so she couldn¡¯t just jump. I had forced her into a position where only one option was left for her ¡ª if I didn¡¯t hold back and charged full force, the situation would have been worse for me too. ¡°You¡¯re toote.¡± The building copsed to the ground, leaving only the skeletal framework. Harmonie must have been buried somewhere beneath the jelly and crumbled cookie sludge. ording to the system settings, taggers couldn¡¯t die, even if they got covered in jelly, but I wasn¡¯t aiming for that. As expected, just as the copse finished, Harmonie burst out from the jelly and melted cookie sludge. By then, I had already scattered about 300 freeze rounds from my inventory into the air. The transparent blue rounds fell like rain, and I fired a shot in the middle of them. Crunch! ¡°Take the tail.¡± ??????????????? No way, what is this hahaha!!! He froze the whole area! I guess that¡¯s how you catch a manifestor... but is that really okay? Harmonie is screaming all the way from here, haha!! Everything was done for this moment. I wasn¡¯t trying to incapacitate them or anything. The key was how to block the manifestor¡¯s mobility, and the answer was simple. Manifestors don¡¯t freeze easily with freeze rounds, so freezing them along with the jelly was the best way to stop them. The depth of the jelly-cookie sludge was just enough to temporarily trap Harmonie, and as I jumped down and ced my finger on her tail, she was held for the required five seconds. ¡°Thanks for letting me off.¡± 5 seconds. 4 seconds. 3 seconds. 2 seconds. And then¡ª Boom! The next thing I knew, my view was spinning with the sky above me. Before I could figure out what was happening, I saw a familiar yellow figure of a manifestor caught in the corner of my vision. And then I realized. ¡°This game is ruined.¡± Dice hade to save Harmonie. I didn¡¯t know what he threw, but whatever it was, I was hit and sent flying far away. Of course, my soft muttering couldn¡¯t be heard, and after that, I spent about 10 minutes slowly wearing down the remaining users, but once Harmonie recalled the pattern and learned from it, she didn¡¯t fall for it again. Dice wasn¡¯t fooled either. I had to admit, manifestors were unreasonable. ¡°...Hehehe, finally got you...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go now.¡± ¡°Can you stop saying things that¡¯ll make people misunderstand?¡± And then, 10 minutester. I ended up bing the "trophy" of Dice and Harmonie, wrapped in their tails. It was autumn. Chapter 473 "¡­The production period is unknown¡­ I guess that¡¯s to be expected." A few days had passed since Jin and Rain were introduced to my parents. To briefly summarize what happened during that time: absolutely nothing of note urred. If I had to stretch it, I could say that the Think Tank officially made contact with Icarus Dynamics, a subsidiary of Icarus International, and signed a ridiculouslyplicated contract that I couldn¡¯t even begin to understand. As for what would happen next... Well, since the contract had already been signed, regardless of what it said, the implementation would begin, and Icarus Dynamics would start examining the technology in detail. But I expected it would take quite some time to fully understand the technology. Creating a humanoid that is as intricate as a human being, something that doesn''t even exist in this world, was no small feat. I had asked them not to directly apply the technology used for Jin and Rain, considering the social implications, and that should be the case, but¡­ who knows? Just preparing the groundwork for this technology alone seemed like it would take a lot of time. Swish. "¡­I told you not to be sneaky from behind like that." "When will we be able to go out together?" "Probably in about six months." "Ugh¡­!" The arm that wrapped around my neck glowed a bright blue. Of course, even with my eyes closed, I knew who it was. Among the beings currently performing what could be considered demonstrations in my home, only one person used such a human-like tone ¡ª Rain. Someone might wonder why Rain was in my house, but I could only give a brief response ¡ª when I met them a few days ago, they had made a request to be allowed toe here to satisfy their data requirements. They wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with just that. The intellectual maturity and knowledge held by these two didn¡¯t quite match. Plus, their curiosity, which had been hidden up until now, was reignited after they briefly visited my home during the Dagger Team''s group vacation. So, after two months¡­ I had almost forgotten about it. For children, they had managed to be patient for quite a long time. "Really, will it take that long?" "If it didn¡¯t take that long, I wouldn¡¯t have let you into my house. Please be patient. Every task requires time and proper procedures." "Ugh¡­!" "Rain, please don¡¯t make Archetype ufortable anymore." Of course, by this point, I knew very well that this was all just¡­ nonsense. After pushing Rain aside, Jin took her ce, and now it was Jin¡¯s arm around my neck. Rain tried to shout but gave up halfway and just grimaced, while I sighed and lifted Jin up, cing her gently on the sofa. These troublesome kids. They might look like me, but their behavior was like that of young children. When their prototypes werepleted, I couldn¡¯t take them to ces likerge shopping malls. I could already imagine the trouble they¡¯d cause. In any case, there was another reason I had made this decision. It was because of the trip.@@novelbin@@ Naturally, I couldn¡¯t take them along to Hawaii for shooting practice, so I had to release some of their steam here. After I¡¯d already greeted my parents, leaving them locked away for weeks again would not lead to anything good. These overly inted soda-like creatures¡­ "Master, when will the food arrive? I heard that M Tang makes your mouth burn, but what does that feel like?" "You¡¯ll find out when you try it. Though, it¡¯s all going to end up in my stomach anyway." "I hope I get to try as many different vors of ice cream as possible." "Alright, I got it." Ding Dong! As I dealt with the whining of these two, the doorbell rang. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the delivery personing to the door. This was, after all, a luxury penthouse, and the sound was one indicating that the staff downstairs had received the delivery. By now, they were probably hearing from the delivery person about which apartment ordered and cing the food on the mini elevator. About 30 secondster, a different ¡°ding¡± sound came, followed by a message that the delivery wasplete. And so, Jin and Rain started their rock-paper-scissors match to decide who would go fetch it. The winner was quickly decided, and Rain hummed a tune as she headed down the hall. Just next to the door was a small space, where the warm food and the ice cream for dessert were waiting. With the sound of rustling stic, Rain returned, looking at me with sparkling eyes. I let out a sigh that wasn¡¯t quite a sigh and took a seat at the living room table. After adjusting the Icarus Gear, I began the taste synchronization with the two. It was around lunchtime, and I had ordered enough for five people, so if there was too much, we could leave some for dinner. If the portion was just right, we¡¯d finish it for lunch. Since Jin liked sweet things more than spicy, she made a subtle face, but Rain looked excited. As soon as I opened the lid, the signature spicy scent wafted up, and Rain¡¯s eyes widened as she asked what it was. "¡­I really don¡¯t get why people still like this." "The smell is really strange. Do humans like this?" "Surprisingly, yes." And now, it was time to show Rain the unique taste she had never experienced. I stirred the steaming M Tang, fished out the ingredients, and popped one into my mouth. The moment it touched my tongue, a peculiar and sharp sensation spread. I quickly nced at the two ¡ª Rain¡¯s eyes were wide open, and Jin had a confused look on her face. Then the words came out. "Ugh, this feels weird¡­ It¡¯s spicy! This is really interesting!" "Well, I¡¯m d you like it. You kept asking me to order it, after all. Are you ready to keep going?" "Archetype, I don¡¯t think this kind of stimting food is good. Please cancel the taste synchronization¡­ cough, cough... Ahhh¡­" Of course, that wasn¡¯t happening. I was hungry, and unlikest time when I didn¡¯t throw a single chip into my mouth, my mouth and stomach had evolved enough to handle most things. In other words, this was a real meal, and Jin and Rain screamed every time I put something in my mouth. In any case, the fire of the M Tang was more than enough to suppress the two humanoids, and Iy back on the sofa, feeling the satisfaction in my full stomach while the two of themy half-conscious. "Are you satisfied now?" "Ugh, I can¡¯t eat anymore¡­" "Please¡­ save me¡­" Pop. Now, it was time for Jin. Four giant-size packs of nine vors of ice cream. I opened them one by one, dug the spoon deep into each one, and took a bite. The sweetness and coolness flooded into my mouth, and the two, lying on the sofa, looked revitalized. Jin hummed a tune of joy, and Rain opened her mouth, saying she felt alive. It made sense. As I mentioned, they were feeling the same sensations I was, and the cool relief from the spicy food was immediately processed through their logic circuits. Now, feeling much more at ease, Jin and Rain went back to happily exploring the outside world, and then Jin spoke up. "I heard you¡¯re going to practice shooting in Hawaii, Archetype. What kind of firearms will you be using?" "I think I¡¯ll be able to shoot almost anything avable there. However, firearm essories will need to be purchased directly, and there will be parts that aren¡¯t allowed to be taken outside the military... So it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll be able to shoot freely, like in a kill box or normal shooting." "Is that so?" Then, Jin suddenly threw something out. "I understand that Archetype can travel across worlds at will. Then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to bring your personal firearms from the gun cab to shoot? Even without the MG338 and Mk.18¡­" "...Huh?" "...Did I say something inappropriate?" "No." Eureka. I gestured for Jin toe closer, and when she timidly approached, I patted her head. "Jin, you¡¯re a genius." "Ah, thank you very much¡­?" Meanwhile, I didn¡¯t notice what Rain was thinking as she observed the scene. Of course, it was just another day. ¡®¡­Master is up to something weird again.¡¯ It was hard to say, but Archetype could sometimes be¡­ strange. Naturally, Rain didn¡¯t say this out loud. She didn¡¯t want to get a punch in the head. The world was strange like this. Around 10:30 PM, as the world darkened. I had finished most of the preparations before my trip to Hawaii and quickly called Lauren, who was the cause of this situation. After a few beeps, a tourist-looking shark appeared on the screen. Dressed in ck sunsses, a Hawaiian shirt and pants, and a straw hat, this looked like the perfect disguise for a dyed tourist. Of course, the disguise was excellent enough to confuse anyone about her real identity, so I said nothing about it. Anyway, seeing her outfit made me curious about what she was up to, but Lauren spoke first. Since the camera showed not just me, but Jin and Rain too, she seemed quite curious. "I was going to answer properly, but seeing there are two mecha juniors at your house, I¡¯d rather hear about that first. Did I miss any promises?" "This is all your fault, Lauren." "Well, it seems the situation is a bit moreplicated than I thought." At that, Lauren sent a signal. It was encrypted content, meant to prevent eavesdropping and leaks, signaling that I should exclude Jin and Rain temporarily. This seemed to be very sensitive content. Since the call was already encrypted through the Icarus Gear, I simply sent the signal back and showed my wristwatch, which she acknowledged before scanning the surroundings. The bustling Honolulu International Airport was visible in the background, but the shark quickly conveyed important details mixed within a seemingly ordinary message. One by one, the full story began to unravel. "So that¡¯s what happened. I was wondering why you suddenly started talking about humanoids." "Well, Logan¡¯s team is going to be involved, but before we get to an all-out war between the two countries¡­ it¡¯s a waste not to use the asset we have. So I thought it¡¯d be better to prepare the younger ones first." "I understand the gist of it. Now, I¡¯ll need to exin why Jin and Rain are wandering around my house so freely." I too spoke up. I had received Lauren¡¯s request not as a favor, but rather as an instruction to head to New York, meet Jin and Rain, and transfer Artemis¡¯ tech data. They had asked me to take them around outside, and that''s why I brought them here. After that, everything flowed smoothly. Preparations to materialize them in this world were underway, but it would take time, so to satisfy their needs in the meantime, I had brought them here. Lauren, after hearing this entire exnation, responded withughter. "Ha, haha! Now that¡¯s something only the youngest would do. But well, if you¡¯re their mother, I guess you have to deal with that." "Lauren, you were there when Jin got neutralized, weren¡¯t you?" "Haha, now that I think about it, you¡¯re right. Well, I¡¯m d everything is going smoothly. I won¡¯t be able to meet the mecha juniors when they appear in reality, though." "That¡¯s unavoidable." And now, it was my turn to ask the questions. Specifically, why was she dressed like that and at the airport? Her answer was simple. "Well, after staying up for about four days, I finished all the physical ability recalibration requests Logan sent. So, I¡¯m here in Hawaii to get a bit of a breather." "...You finished quickly, but did youe here first?" "Well, I needed to check the gun status with my firearms dealer. Also, I did some calctions, and to get two nes from drastically different time zones tond in Hawaii at the same time, you have to endure a bit of trouble." "I see. So you came here first to avoid that trouble." Lauren nodded. Fortunately, my parents had left a few messages for times like this, and one of them was a code to use if there were dys or changes in the travel schedule. I sent the code and added to the shark. "If you go to the hotel listed in the instructions and show them this code, you can stay in any room you want. My parents personally sent it, so feel free to use it." "Ah, from your parents? They¡¯re amazing. When the youngest meets them again, be sure to tell them thanks for me." "Of course." The screen clicked off as Lauren left, and I sighed, muttering to myself. "Hawaii." I wondered what would happen there. While I couldn¡¯t say for sure, I had a feeling something fun wasing, especially after indirectly feeling the energy through Lauren. I stood up from my chair and stretched lightly. "Alright then¡­" It was time to pack for real now. The bag wasn¡¯t that big, but the expectations inside it were anything but small. The night before the departure, two days away. "Hawaii. Remember our honeymoon was there?" "Yeah. Brings back a lot of memories. But this time, we¡¯ll be meeting your friends, Jin and Rain. I wonder how they¡¯ll react." "Our daughter sure does love surprises." Meanwhile, more than 10,000 kilometers away, in Manhattan, New York. Eugene¡¯s parents, upon reading her message, smiled. Thete Chuseok family meal was set to take ce in Hawaii. Chapter 474 [Tricky Personal Site - Eugene]@@novelbin@@ [Notice] Going on a Trip As I¡¯ve been announcing consistently, I¡¯m leaving for Hawaii starting today. The departure will be a littlete. If we depart from Incheon at 8:00 PM, we¡¯ll likely arrive in Hawaii around 9:00 AM. The flight will take about 9 hours, so I imagine the stream will start around morning time in Korea, though I¡¯m not sure. Since we¡¯re leaving on a Sunday evening, there might not be many people from Korea who will be able to watch the stream. I¡¯ll try to keep the stream going as much as I can, so feel free to join in at any time. When we arrive in Hawaii, Laurentina will be waiting for us. Everyone probably doesn¡¯t show it, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love the shark, so if you see the shark appearing asionally on the stream, don¡¯t be surprised and just enjoy it! As for what I¡¯ll be doing in Hawaii, I won¡¯t spoil it here. I did mention it before though. I wonder if there are any viewers living in Hawaii. If I meet anyone, I¡¯ll make sure to greet them happily. ?? Harmony and Dice are practically regr members now, so you can expect to see them often. And considering their improved English skills, they might even be a point of interest for the viewers. The notice has been set to post automatically at 6:30 PM, and by that time, Harmony, Dice, and I will be on a limousine bus heading to Incheon International Airport, crossing the road. It just urred to me, but maybe I should bring along the editor and thumbnail designer next time. Anyway, that''s that. See you tomorrow! [All Comments] [By Date] = What is this??? Are they going to Hawaii to sunbathe their tails??? Are they waxing their tails and rolling around??? Oh... Ah, wow. = Fact: Everyone openly expresses that they love sharks. = Teacher, did you think we wouldn''t watch at 5 AM? Take that! ???????????????????? Lazy bastard, lol. Yeah, I¡¯m on duty~~~~~ Ah. = What is it with Shark Eyes constantly popping up on the stream when they''re bored??? Isn¡¯t this person just working in the military? If they¡¯re hanging out with Logan, they probably have some military job. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but Shark probably has some big role too. 100% chance it¡¯s important. Considering the amount of free time, they¡¯re probably high rank in some PMC, right? = So, they¡¯re going to shoot guns in Hawaii, huh? ?????? = I thought they''d rest after the final, but now they''re actually going to shoot guns with the little shark. ???? = No way, teacher! We call that a training camp, not a vacation!!!!!!!!! Ah ?????????? So what can the little shark do? Besides crying, what else? ???????? Fact: They can do that. = Dice should be thankful Logan isn¡¯ting¡­ He probably got chewed up by a pr bear ???????? "Predator" W = Harmony and Dice are going to Hawaii in full gear, sweating and shooting? Should I press the upvote if I¡¯m looking forward to it??? I¡¯m first! ???????? These guys are going toe back thinner, not fatter. ??? = ?? : I think instead of the refreshing ocean smell, it¡¯ll just smell like gunpowder on their bodies... = What is it with virtual reality training for the shark, really...???????? . . . . [Announcement] The ne is expected tond at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in 5 minutes¡­ "Ugh, I slept so well... Are we there already?" "I didn¡¯t understand what it meant to not need time to adjust to the time difference, but now I get it." "I told you so." The view of Hawaii through the narrow ne window. The flight, which departed at 8:00 PM, crossed the Pacific Ocean for 9 hours, and as the time on my phone automatically adjusted to Hawaii¡¯s time, it read 8:55 AM. After spending about two hours in first ss and falling asleep, we were greeted by the morning sunlight. Even though we traveled a great distance with a significant time difference, it felt as if I had just woken up from a sleep in Korea, greeted by the refreshing morning sun. This is exactly why I told these two that the time difference wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal for them. The nended without any issues, and outside the window was apletely different scene from Incheon Airport. It was a smaller airportpared to Incheon, but that was expected since Incheon is such arge, non-standard airport. While I was lost in these pointless thoughts, the ne came to aplete stop. The two of them opened their personal seat covers and stepped outside, their faces sparkling. The excitement of the trip had clearly taken over them. The small airport had now grown sorge that we could hardly see it all. The moving gates, connecting the hundreds of passengers from the ne to the airport, slid tightly against the ne, and the doors opened, letting the Hawaiian air seep inside. Of course, as expected, there was nothing particrly special about it. If anyone asked whether Hawaii smells like coconuts, I could proudly say, "No way." "Let¡¯s meet downstairs. Go through customs and don¡¯t lose your bags." "Oh, right. You have dual nationality." "I¡¯ll wait with Laurentina." Well, the fact that I had American nationality was a minor detail. The reason was simple. This world¡¯s treatment of those with manifested abilities was¡­ quite standard. As soon as we stepped out of the ne, an airport employee who had been waiting for us guided me somewhere, where we just had to do an on-the-spot interview. Compared to the past when JFK Airport in the US was overcrowded, with many travelers during the holiday season, here things were quite different. Especially considering it was off-season. I didn¡¯t know what kind of situation Moni and Dice were experiencing, but by the time the ne door had been open for less than two minutes, I had already collected all three of our bags and was heading downstairs. And, as expected, "Youngest-!" "Ugh, stop sneaking up and scaring me!" Finally, the shark, who had been waiting for us, appeared. Naturally, they weren¡¯t dressed in the noisy tourist fashion from our recent video call. If I had to describe it, their outfit was rather normal. They wore thin ck pants and a white T-shirt that fluttered in the wind as they ran towards us. Hawaii¡¯s October had a pleasant, cool temperature around 26¡ãC, and I, too, had a simr outfit to Laurentina¡¯s. The shark, who seemed about to give a jumping hug, quickly slowed down. After a quick shift in demeanor that felt almost fake, Laurentina scanned the surroundings before speaking. "Those two must still be busy upstairs. This seems to be the luggage for the new juniors, but it¡¯s surprisingly light for a five-day stay." "We decided to buy everything we need here, including yours." "I¡¯m not one to refuse goodwill, so we¡¯ll dly ept it. Heh." What should I say? Talking with Laurentina made me feel like I was back in the past. Even though the beautiful location and scenery didn¡¯t match any part of my past memories, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling ¡ª though, it wasn¡¯t all painful memoriesing back. In fact, with the characters the same as they were back then, the memories of the time that had once felt as sharp as des were now starting to dull. And considering I was thinking about it casually, it was all the more fitting. There were more things reinforcing that idea. "Teacher-!" "We¡¯re done, Ugh! Laurentina¡¯s here too!" "Heh. Have you two been well, little snakes?" At this point, the nickname "little snakes" had be official. Of course, what made me feel even more awkward was that the two didn¡¯t seem to mind the nickname. In fact, they seemed to like it. I was just thankful they didn¡¯t ask for snake-tail tea as a Chuseok gift. Anyway, with that aside, we started noticing more and more people around us, and we had to leave quickly. Of course, this was mostly because of me. First, we had to check in at the hotel. We were staying at the five-star Icarus Residence of Waikiki, which overlooked the Waikiki Beach. As you might have guessed, this was a hotel under Icarus International. If you haven¡¯t figured it out yet, employees of Icarus usually get discounts here, but that wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. But it wasn¡¯t the same for others. "Ah, that¡¯s our car. We¡¯ll be using that for our stay in Hawaii." "...The shape of the car looks familiar." "Y-Yujin, are we really not paying for this?" Surprisingly, the answer was yes. The car¡¯s distinctive grille and the figure of the goddess of joy on the front gave it away. Anyone with even a little interest in cars would recognize it instantly as a car from Icarus. There was no one inside. Given the widespread use of self-driving vehicles, and considering that this was sent by my parents, it was clear the driver¡¯s seat was for me, as it had a space for my tail. As soon as I sat down, the smooth, cushy ride felt luxurious. The pressure on my back seemed proportional to the cost that must¡¯ve gone into making it. [Notification: Passenger "Yujin" recognized... Wee. The vehicle is now ready to automatically drive to Icarus Residence of Waikiki.] [Notification: Additional three passengers recognized... Please board.] [Notification: Message sent sessfully.] "Wow." "Let¡¯s go." "So, Yujin, this is the kind of car you like, huh?" "No, it¡¯s not." The message was sent. Now, my parents in Hawaii would know I was on my way to the hotel. The heavy door closed silently, and with almost no noise, the vehicle smoothly slid across the road toward Waikiki Beach. The sky was clear. The buildings around were mostly low, probably due to the airport nearby with height restrictions. As we headed toward the city center, I could see a touristy scene. The car¡¯s height was too low to see the ocean clearly, but the road was lined with graffiti-covered buildings. As we entered the heart of the city, the lush banyan and palm trees clearly reminded us that this was Hawaii. Thinking back, it was odd to confirm Hawaii just by these things. Eventually, the car entered the hotel¡¯s underground parking, and after parking in a designated spot, the system informed us we could exit here. The check-in time was flexible, and with the QR code sent earlier, we could ess the suite on any floor. We were free to unpack and explore afterward. "What should we do next? Let¡¯s have breakfast first. After that, if you want to check out the gun shop we booked, we can go. If anyone wants to do some sightseeing in Hawaii first, we can consider that too." "I¡¯m fine either way." "Me too. Since we¡¯re staying for five days, whether we start today or tomorrow, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to try all the content Hawaii has to offer." "I can¡¯t really argue with that. Let¡¯s unpack, have breakfast, and then start streaming." Ding. Just then, the elevator arrived. As the doors opened, I saw the transparent walls of the elevator with the Icarus logo etched onto them. Beyond the ss, I could see Waikiki Beach. I had heard that if you leave your luggage at the lobby, it would be sent directly to your room, but since everyone wanted to see the room, we headed straight to the suite. As expected, the Icarus International hotel had a lot of¡­ hidden surprises. Evenst year¡¯s Final Championship top 10 users¡¯ personal logos were disyed on the walls. "Wait, this is our logo!" "Right? I wonder if they¡¯ll change it once this year¡¯s top 10 list for the 4th Final Championshipes out." "Well, they can¡¯t just put them all in one ce. Maybe they¡¯ll engrave them on different floors?" "That might be true..." In the end, all of this was spective, but after a brief, not-too-intense debate, we arrived at the suite. With a click, the door opened, and immediately the view of Waikiki Beach filled the room. We didn¡¯t even need to search for the beach, as it was right there on the balcony. There was even a jacuzzi with a perfect view of the beach. Next to it was a barbecue space that seemed to be used for grilling. Of course, the bedroom had more than four beds, and we quickly decided who would sleep in which bed. Everyone picked a bed, ced their luggage by it, and within seconds, we unanimously agreed that breakfast should be at the hotel restaurant. Of course, that would be a bit difficult. As we headed to the 1st floor, where the lobby and restaurant were, we were met with the sounds of chatter growing louder. The 1st floor lobby began to get busy. A slight vibration reached my feet, a sensation that only my body, specifically attuned to detecting such forms of touch, could pick up. The gathered data informed me that many people were currently gathering on the 1st floor. My parents, the VIPs the hotel was preparing for. They had arrived unexpectedly, causing quite a stir. But no matter the fuss, we arrived on the 1st floor and walked forward for about 10 seconds before a clearly flustered staff member rushed towards us. "...You must be Yujin, who reserved therge suite on the 22nd floor? Here¡¯s your keycard for the 27th floor hidden lounge. Please ept it." "Anything else they mentioned?" "...No. Nothing else." "Thank you." It seems there¡¯s another dining space besides the 1st floor restaurant here. Laurentina had expected this, but Harmony and Dice were looking around, clearly confused. They¡¯d soon figure it out, so we went back the way we came and used the keycard in the elevator. As the five additional floors (25th through 30th) opened, I selected the 27th floor. The message on the elevator screen disyed: "." It was probably a good thing that only Laurentina and I saw that. Ding! The elevator stopped at about 80 meters above ground. The elegant, modern design of the space made me feel calm. It was simr to the Icarus Korean branch but with the addedfort of a pleasant fragrance wafting through the air. As soon as we got off, a neatly dressed hotel staff approached and softly guided us to the windowside seats. "You can sit here at the window." "Hey, there are two seats avable..." "They¡¯ll be here soon. Please waitfortably." With that, the staff member disappeared, and Harmony and Dice exchanged nces, looking around nervously. "Wow, Yujin, did you see that? There was a middle-aged couple in fancy suits. Is this ce for VIPs? When did you make a reservation for this kind of ce?" "Isn¡¯t everyone here in a suit?" "No, I¡¯m not talking about that..." Eventually, we settled around a round table for six. Outside, the turquoise waters and the crashing waves of Waikiki Beach were visible. However, the two of them didn¡¯t seem to notice, distracted by the unexpected additions. Naturally, the inevitable question came. "...You¡¯re not suddenly going to surprise us with Logan and Owens showing up, right, Yujin?" "That¡¯s not likely." "So, who could it be...?" Of course, the ones arriving were far more amazing. And all the while, my sixth sense was still functioning well. I felt the vibrations from the footsteps, narrowing down to 5 meters. When the couple finally came into view, the two of them froze. They had been staring at the middle-aged couple earlier, but now were unsure what to do. Laurentina wasughing softly, and the couple handed out business cards to Harmony and Dice. While they were having a silly conversation about whether the couple was from Icarus International, I exchanged a light nce with my parents. A family dinner with so many guests in a ce so mismatched ¡ª something so rare in this world. I took a deep breath, ready to introduce them. "Let me introduce them. This is my parents, the Vice President and Director of Icarus International." At that moment, some froze, while others couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter and giggled. "Though it¡¯s sudden, wee to meet my family." It was the harvest season, the time when everything ripens. And so, the story continued. The warm family reunion, full of surprises, was both unexpected and somehow fitting. There were moments whereughter was impossible to contain, and others when every word seemed to resonate deeply. In the midst of it all, a sense offort and familiarity washed over them, as if time itself had slowed down to amodate this rare moment of connection. As they gathered around, the weight of the past and the joy of the present blended together seamlessly. They couldn¡¯t have asked for a more perfect evening to reflect on how far they hade, and what was still ahead. But for now, this moment ¡ª right here, right now ¡ª was all that mattered. Chapter 475 [Tricky Personal Site - Eugene] [Notice] The broadcast start time may be dyed due to personal circumstances I¡¯ll try to turn it on as soon as possible. Thank you for waiting and I apologize. To make up for it, I''ll give you all a heart tail... [All Comments] [Sorted by date] = Wow, hahahaha! = Can you do the I-challenge after being 12 hourste? I''ll beg you for it!!?? ? Haha, genius? ? I want to do the challenge of putting a drink on the tactical pouch¡­ ? These guys are going to break their heads hahahaha! = Heart tail! Heart tail! Heart tail! Heart tail! Heart tail! Heart tail! = But seriously, how huge was the personal issue that dyed the broadcast??? ? Did terroristsnd in Hawaii or something? ? LOL, that¡¯s the only excuse I¡¯d ept hahaha! ? First ever terrorist extermination stream, whoa! ? Are you crazy? = If there was a zombie outbreak in Korea, I think they could take care of it by themselves in half a day, but this "personal issue" is making me so curious hahaha! = I¡¯m keeping an eye on the news, wondering if something happened in Hawaii haha. ? Maybe a hostage situation or simultaneous terrorist attacks? ? Heading to Hawaii for shooting (real-life training). = Wow, the tail heart is really cute! = Seriously, what were they thinking to make a heart with the tail hahaha! ... "¡­ Uh, um..." "I sawst year''s partner streamerpetition and the Final Championship. I should''ve put the medal around your neck myself, but unfortunately, I couldn''t." "Y-Your parents¡­?" Uh, um, uh. The waves crashing outside, the breathtaking view that most of the world would never see, the emerald-colored sea, and the cloudless sky... none of these could distract Harmony and Dice from what they were feeling. All they could see was Eugene, whose eyes were darting away. The moment their hands met, warmth radiated. Harmony and Dice, who had just awkwardly put the business cards into their pockets, exchanged a brief handshake and scanned each other''s faces instinctively. And, of course, Eugene¡¯s face, which they had seen many times before, was also under scrutiny. At that moment, a thought crossed their minds. ''... Somehow, they look quite alike.'' Eugene''s mother, Lee So-yeon, looked like a sharp beauty even at a nce. There were subtle wrinkles, but rather than trying to hide them, she adorned them with a natural elegance. Her features embodied grace andposure, and her sharp eyes left asting impression. What could they say? It was somewhat impolite, but she resembled the charismatic, viinous middle-aged women often seen in dramas, who wouldn¡¯t lose theirposure even in their final moments and would leave a moresting impression than the protagonists. But there she was, standing in front of Harmony and Dice. Maybe this was what Eugene would look like when she grew older, they thought. "¡­ Wow, you both look so much like Eugene." "Do we? Well, of course, whose daughter is she? Blood can¡¯t be denied, hehe." It seemed they genuinely liked it. And thanks to that, the initial tense atmosphere that Harmony and Dice had felt began to melt away. Eugene''s parents were navigators of one of thergestpanies in the world, which was always ranked in the top 20 of the Fortune 500. Harmony and Dice had thought they would bepletely different, living in a world far from ordinary people, but as it turned out, they were surprisingly kind and as ordinary as anyone else, experiencing the same ups and downs of life. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. "Wait a minute. Why is our daughter¡¯s face so red? Is she sick?" "¡­ No, it''s nothing like that." "You still turn red whenplimented in public, huh? Just like when you were younger." "Ugh, stop it!" What should they say? It seemed like Eugene''s parents had intentionally set this up to tease Eugene, and the situation quickly turned in a direction they hadn¡¯t expected ¡ª specifically, teasing Eugene. As the tension eased from the room, the attention shifted to where Lauren Tina was. "Should we call you Miss Lauren Tina?" "Just call me Lauren." "You don¡¯t seem that surprised." "I already heard it from the youngest." Ah. At that moment, Eugene¡¯s parents nodded as if they now understood. The atmosphere, which had gone from tense to warm in an instant, was short-lived. After just a few minutes, Eugene''s parents spoke with a hint of regret. "Unfortunately, we won¡¯t be able to join you for a meal today. We have a lot of work to do, but maybe we can have a proper meal before we head back to Korea." "We¡¯ll meet again on thest day." "Are you leaving already...?" "Unfortunately." And then, Eugene''s parents pulled something out of their pockets. The reactions were varied. Dice and Harmony dropped their jaws and blushed, while Lauren Tina chuckled. Eugene, on the other hand, blushed like a tomato andined about why they were showing this. What was it, you ask? "Mom! Why are you showing pictures of me as a little kid all of a sudden!?" "Isn¡¯t it a shame not to show off such a cute daughter?" "Wow, really, really cute!" "I have no regrets in life..." "Hehe, so cute. I¡¯d love to show Logan this, but unfortunately..." Of course, the photos were shown but not distributed. After a brief meeting of only 10 minutes, the previously tense atmosphere melted into a warm and soft handshake. Harmony and Dice were clearly moved, and they watched as Eugene and her parents shared a heartfelt hug before parting ways. It was hard to exin, but they could now understand why Eugene seemed so ustomed to living alone. The table was set for six, but as soon as the two left, the chairs were adjusted to match, and appetizers began to arrive. Since all the meals had already been paid for, the waiter simply mentioned they could eat whenever they liked. As the onion soup arrived, Harmony and Dice, who had never really spoken openly before, added something to Eugene. "¡­ Eugene''s parents are really impressive people." "Yeah, they are." Of course, no one would misunderstand the weight of those words. The start of this bizarre Hawaii trip had begun. "¡­Oh, no. What is a person who should be guarding America doing here?" "It¡¯s been a while. Your joke skills have improved, Lac. How have you been?" "I¡¯m doing better than when I was rolling under the boss, haha. So, is this the famous subordinate who used to work with the boss?" "As you can see." After shaking hands and briefly hugging, the conversation turned to business. In a ce about 5km northwest of Icarus Residence, Hawaii''srgest arms dealer, Firearms International, the owner¡ªwho was once under Lauren Tina¡¯smand¡ªgreeted me. For reference, Lauren Tina was nearly 40 years old, though her physical age was probably closer to early 20s. Anyway, the stream was running, but since this was sensitive information, I had sent the drone cam to Harmony and Dice¡¯s location earlier. No need to worry; this conversation wouldn¡¯t leak. "Now that I¡¯m asking, is this about the extremists you''re going after? It¡¯s the first time in 12 years of operation that I''ve been asked for a Barrett and a mini-gun-equipped vehicle, and the NTW-20 too." "Well, the youngest¡­ has a lot of money. She¡¯s the type to try everything she wants. Anyway, she paid for everything, so it doesn¡¯t matter." "It cost $40,000 just to import that 20mm sniper rifle. Withbor costs, it was $50,000 upfront. If it wasn¡¯t for that, I would¡¯ve rejected it right away." Of course, when money hits the ount, people move. That said, the firearms for tomorrow''s shooting were going to be extremely numerous. As expected, this wasn¡¯t just about shooting; various tactical training would be included, so we had purchased two or three of the same firearms. Of course, essories for the firearms were separate. The total cost for all the shooting was probably going to reach several hundred million, but that wasn¡¯t a big deal. Given that the "YourSpace" channel had grown massively, that kind of expense would be covered in about two weeks. Now, to get back to it. Lac, whose surname was Lac and first name was John, was inspecting Harmony and Dice. He added, impressed: "I never thought these kids, who probably only held prince¡¯s gloves in their lives, would handle firearms so well. Where did they learn this?" "Can you believe the blonde kid who looks like royalty beat Logan?" "...Crazy. Looks like I¡¯m going to have to learn from them at the shooting rangeter." As he said, Harmony, who was handling a firearm for the first time¡ªwell, this was almost the second time for her¡ªcarefully examined the gun, making sure not to make rookie mistakes. They didn¡¯t dry fire. They didn¡¯t point the weapon at anyone, even if it wasn¡¯t loaded. They didn¡¯t put their fingers on the trigger when the gun was unloaded. Whether it was a handgun or a rifle, they were handling it like pros. While Lac was giving a lecture on how the people who came into the gun shop¡ªregardless of gender¡ªmisused firearms, he suddenly spoke. "That brown-haired kid must have gone around with Lauren Tina quite often, huh? The other one seems to have gone with the subordinate." "Had no choice but to keep teaching her how to handle high-ready. It just became second nature." Harmony was taught high-ready, and Dice learned low-ready. In simple terms, it was the difference between Navy SEAL tactics and Army Special Forces. The Navy Seals used high-ready more often for confined space operations, while I taught Dice the moremon low-ready stance. It wasn¡¯t that the Navy and Army always used different stances, but the difference in teaching style was noticeable. Lauren Tina added ament: "Our newbies,e over here. Let¡¯s do a quick check-up fire." "Can we do an attack fire?" "Well, technically, it¡¯s fine. Since you bought all the guns, we can fire them as much as we want, as long as we don¡¯t go crazy and shoot nonstop." Though, I added that when the guns break, my wallet wouldn¡¯t be opening. As Harmony and Dice reloaded the guns, Lac spoke again. "Those huge boxes are being loaded onto the truck outside, aren''t they?" The boxes¡ªabout 30 kg each¡ªwere ced on the table. The sound of them opening revealed an incredible number of rounds. Not a single cheap round was in sight. The ammo was all high-quality, precision-made, and there were 12,000 rounds, with about one-third for the mini-gun. Though, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "By now, trucks with body armor, knee pads, gloves, headsets, and hats are probably already loaded. Even though Hawaii is rtively cool, it¡¯s going to be hot once we put everything on. You okay with that?" "We¡¯ll do it in the indoor range, so it¡¯ll be fine. We''ll st the AC so hard, it¡¯ll be freezing, no worries." "We''ll be observing too. Might need to bring a few nkets." As the banter continued, the drone cam I sent over arrived. The staff were struggling to load therge crates into the truck outside, and on the table, a massive sniper rifle¡ªimpossible to call just a sniper¡ªappeared. NTW-20. Thedy from South Africa had arrived. "Wow." "That¡¯s a rifle that came from thousands of kilometers away. I don¡¯t really understand why someone would shoot that, but well, I guess they applied for it because it¡¯s possible. I¡¯ll enjoy watching it. I¡¯ll even post it on our YourSpace channel."@@novelbin@@ "Of course." A man entered and struggled to carry the heavy sniper rifle, with a 20mm round¡ªused in heavy machine guns¡ªappearing in the cam. If the .50 caliber looked like a marker, the 20mm round was more like a Powerade bottle¡ªthick and imposing. As expected, the viewers went wild. "Haha, I¡¯ve only seen this in the air force." "So, are they really going to shoot that?" "Feels like it could¡­?" "Who would even try to follow this insane stuff, hahaha." Harmony and Dice were giggling as they held the rounds near their faces. Preparations were almostplete. The two had arrived in Hawaii, but it felt like they had returned to the old New York. Chapter 476 ©¤©¤©¤ Kiiing! "Looks like the automatic loader is working without any major issues." "That''s a relief. Everyone, bring the magazines and ammo cans. If you don¡¯t want to struggle loading bullets into each magazine one by one, that is." Indoor¡­ shooting range??? What the hell, this shooting range is the size of a ser field lolololololololol Wow, I¡¯ve never seen a ce like this before ?? The ceiling is dozens of meters high, is this really a shooting range??? Fact: There¡¯s a huge open area next to it where long-range shooting up to 1500 meters is possible. Buildings and wide open spaces. After packing all the equipment from the gun shop, we loaded everything onto a thick truck that looked like a small armored vehicle, and after driving for about twenty minutes, we arrived in an isted area. I heard on the way that, even though the ce was in a remote location, it was incredibly popr. As proof, the reservations for all the other days, except today and tomorrow, werepletely booked. Right after today¡¯s shooting ends around 6 p.m., after we pack up and leave, others woulde and use the range until midnight. It was pretty impressive in many ways. Anyway, back to it. I started loading bullets into the machine eagerly. ©¤©¤©¤ Kara-rack! "It almost feels like I¡¯m pouring fuel." "Yeah, it does." Of course, it wasn¡¯t fuel¡ªit was the seed of death. Therge automatic loading machine was shaped like a giant cylinder. After pouring the bullets into the top, I quickly inserted dozens of empty magazines into ce and pressed the button. That was it. The internal sensors disyed whether the loading wasplete, how many rounds were inside, etc., on the LED screen. Regardless of the type of bullet, I dumped them all haphazardly into the box, because the machine would sort them out anyway. As this metal-smelling process took ce on one side, I wasughing while watching Harmonie and Dice, who were experiencing the insertion of ballistic tes for the first time in their lives. The te carriers we bought this time were not separate from tactical vests but rather, the carriers themselves were pre-fitted with MOLLE, ammo pouches, and other attachments. The two of them were freely tearing off pouches and separating ammo pouches attached with MOLLE to adjust the carrier into afortable form. As expected, they looked just like they did in the Dark Zone in the game. Seeing this, Jon Rack¡ªwho provided us with all the weapons and was a former DEVGRU operator¡ªcame over and added, "You seem quite familiar with this." "I had them turn off all the fitness corrections in the virtual reality game. Aside from fitness, they¡¯re the type to do well without much instruction." "Haha, I can see that." The two of them were already wearing holsters and knee guards. Since I had told them beforehand that we were going to shoot today, both of them were dressed in easy-to-move clothes rather than dresses or skirts. After staring at them for a while, I told them to adjust the touch fasteners (Velcro) to fit their bodies after trying them on. Fortunately, thanks to modern materials, the ballistic tes wouldn¡¯t be as heavy as they thought. Every time the touch fasteners were ripped off and reattached, they made a zipping sound, and both of them securely wore the te carriers. "Please tighten this part here." "After we¡¯re done, can you help me adjust the shoulder straps?" Wow, this is so natural lololololololololol Teacher, you can''t lie and turn on the Dark Zone while saying you''re going to shoot! You guys went to the shooting range without telling Eugene, didn''t you? lololololololololololololololol Fact: These guys are PMC scouts¡¯ dream talents. Onlycking in stamina and mental fortitude, operators Hmm, of course. The tough parts are shared with teammates. Dice and Harmonie finished adjusting without any issues, and each grabbed a rifle that still didn¡¯t have a magazine inserted, then began to check their stances and aim at an empty spot. They already knew that wearing a te carrier would make shoulder bracing more ufortablepared to when they were unarmed. Simply adjusting their aim, they finished a few rounds of sighting, checked their chambers, and then moved back into high/low ready positions, putting the rifles back where they had been and re-adjusting the te carriers so the shoulder bracing would be morefortable. Before long, stacks of magazines filled with 9mm and .45 ACP rounds started to pile up on one side. "Maybe we should start with handguns?" "Yeah. Everyone,y out some handgun essories on the table. Compensators, suppressors, sh hiders, dot sights, and anything else. I¡¯ll set up around ten shootingnes, so those who aren¡¯t busy can shoot while waiting." "Got it. Johnson! Bring the A-06 and 07 boxes from the floor! Those are all handgun parts!" Since we bought over 700 magazines, the tables were soon crowded with magazines filled with various types of bullets. Maybe this is heaven for gun enthusiasts. Anyway, Laurentina and I thought so, and Harmonie and Dice, who had thrown off their te carriers, also agreed as they approached. Meanwhile, a drone camera floated around and hovered over the tables. Wow, this is tactical lololololololololololololololol Are they preparing for a 5-day military operation or something lolololololololololololololol Opinion: I¡¯m so jealous. This is really hard to resist lolololololololol What the hell, what even is this? And now, it was time for free shooting to begin. We were thinking of starting with fixed target shooting, so I pulled out the translucent holographic pad I received when I entered and nced at the area that was wider than a ser field. The floor was patterned with a grid design. What this was, was¡ªballistic panels hidden under the floor. When touched and raised, the grid pattern would rise up to form some kind of structure. Of course, depending on where you ce the panels, you could create a great CQB (Close-Quarters Battle) training environment. With enough time, you could even build a three-story temporary building. This was why people paid 100,000 won per hour to rent this ce.@@novelbin@@ By now, preparations were nearly finished. On both walls, there were about 30 gun cabs. Rifles, handguns, automatic rifles, sniper rifles, SMGs, shotguns, and many other imaginable weapons were standing vertically, waiting for us. On the tables spaced about 30cm apart, there were piles of magazines separated by type. I looked at them and handed Harmonie and Dice tactical hats tomemorate this trip, along with headsets that had noise-cancelling andmunication features, and ballistic sses. Laurentina and I, along with Rack and his staff, had already worn them around our necks. When most of the preparations were done, everyone started sitting in the chairs that the staff had set up. Rack, who was the most knowledgeable about Hawaii, came over holding a whiteboard and began the pre-shooting training. "Some of you may be more familiar with firearms than I am, but assuming no one here is unfamiliar with guns, let¡¯s go over safety first." The lesson began with the fundamental rule of firearm safety: treat every firearm as if it¡¯s loaded. Then, of course, the usual reminders¡ªthings you should always keep in mind, no matter how well you know them. Aside from dry firing to show there¡¯s no round in the chamber, don¡¯t touch the trigger unless you intend to shoot, don¡¯t point your gun at people, don¡¯t wander around the shooting range, don¡¯t fire at the floor to avoid ricochets or damaging the facility, and so on. Lastly, if anyone notices a danger, they can halt the entire shooting session. Then came the real exnation. "Next, I¡¯ll tell you where the CO2 powder extinguishers are ced, how to operate the ceiling extinguishers, emergency contact numbers for hospitals, and the first aid room number." Laurentina and I had already memorized that list on the way here. I looked back and saw Harmonie and Dice, who were sweating and diligently taking notes despite their difort. It was really fulfilling to see them perform so well. After about five minutes of safety training, Rack crossed his arms in an X shape and then spread them out as he added, "Alright, that¡¯s it. Now you can start shooting. Feel free to take as many targets as you like, and if you want to shoot from a table rest, ask the staff for help." "Got it." "Alright, then, let¡¯s get started©¤" Rattle. While about four or five people rushed to gather the chairs, most of us quickly headed to the section where the handguns were sorted. I casually looked around, chose a P226, and Laurentina picked up the same handgun as she added, "Of course, the Mk.25 is the best. Did you unconsciously think that, rookie?" "¡­No matter what you say, I¡¯m not going SEAL." "Too bad." I wasn¡¯t really concerned with which one to use, so I just picked the one that fit well, but Laurentina had to tease me about the handgun the SEALs used¡ªspecifically, one they once used as their standard-issue pistol. Anyway, now it was time to modify the gun. While vani was fine, my preference leaned toward something more tactical, so I first removed the standard sights and slide, ced them in a multi-purpose pouch on my right thigh, and began searching the tables for one with a rail. As I passed the table, I grabbed a slide and worked on it, preparing it to fire .40 S&W. By the time I had checked all the tables, the gun was almost assembled, and soon after, I slipped a suppressor into my pocket and grabbed three magazines. I nned to load themter at the shooting range. The parts that were disassembled were carefully set aside so that no parts would get mixed up, and the staff woulde to collect them after confirming their origin. The mini dot sight, a blue triangle shape, was attached to the slide. The dot was smaller than I had expected, but it was sharp, so aiming wouldn¡¯t be an issue. As everyone moved around like they were at a buffet, handling their firearms, I was the first to reach the shootingne. I pulled the slide back, Inserted the magazine, Moved forward, And switched the safety to fire. I checked to make sure a round was in the chamber, adjusted my headset, and scanned the area. Everyone had already put on their headsets with noise-cancelling features, so it was time to begin. I naturally held my breath, counting the beats of my heart. I aimed at the head of the target 25 meters away. When the blue dot ovepped with the head¡ª ©¤©¤©¤ Bang! The shooting began. It was the first day in Hawaii. Chapter 477 ©¤©¤©¤ Click! "Ah, this metallic sound. I''ve touched it for decades, but every time I hear the sound from this rough and sleek chunk of metal, I feel alive." "...I always think, Senior Laurentina, you really found the right career." "Of course. I grew up in Vermont. I¡¯ve been holding guns since I was five. It¡¯s an inseparable rtionship with this cold chunk of metal." Oof, Laurentina, control your expression a bit lololololololololololololololol She''s totally in love lol Opinion: I can understand it The mods are amazing lololol, it really is different with someone active in the field Former and current special forces operators casually shooting guns Laurentina, while holding the gun, spoke with a slight blush on her face. Once again, I could feel the unchanging nature of a shark, whether here or anywhere else. I¡¯d exined it several times before, but Laurentina was... someone more dedicated to professional ethics than anyone else in the room. She was extremely ustomed to shooting and taking someone¡¯s life with it. This professional passion naturally led to a deep affection for the weapons she handled. While I couldn¡¯t follow Laurentina in that regard, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t feel anything special for the weapon in my hand. The moment I gripped the several-kilogram chunk of metal, my heartbeat slowed, and only calmness remained. LVOA-C... now that I think about it, I wonder if it¡¯s still sleeping in my personal gun cab. The barrel shroud, which looked uniquely different from the standard AR-15, and the firearm¡¯s color, a faint greenish hue. Angle grip,ser target pointer with a finished converging zero, holographic sight, suppressor, and a simple modding setup with a holographic sight. Of course, if you look inside the gun, there were more modifications, like the Rainier Arms charging handle and Geissele Super Select trigger. In addition to all this, some smaller tweaks had been made, resulting in the gun I held being one of the ones I used when I roamed around New York in the past. As the memories flooded back, my body reacted by double-stacking PMAG magazines into the pouch. Of course, I didn¡¯t insert a magazine while introducing the weapon to others. Inserting a magazine was only something that could be done at the shooting range. "Feels really familiar when I finally get back to a weapon I know well." Wait, Eugene-sensei??? This guy¡¯s getting more dazed by the second lolololololololololol Shhh, he¡¯s having shbacks Wow, that gun looks amazing lol The guns used by people who eat, mod, and shoot for fun just feel different lolololololololololol The zeroing had already been adjusted. I looked around. There were nearly 50 guns, each tuned in different ways. Of course, with Dice, Harmonie, Laurentina, and me all sticking close together, I could tell whose guns were whose just by the essories on them. The personal gun cabs were divided into four main sections. Naturally, it was mine, Dice¡¯s, Harmonie¡¯s, and Laurentina¡¯s. In the shared gun cab across the room, there were a few sniper rifles, regr sniper rifles, and machine guns, among the many we had bought. I shifted my gaze back to the personal cabs. Dice¡¯s and Harmonie¡¯s cabs were a bit empty. They weren¡¯t like me or the shark, who had tried every gun in existence, so they had to do some zeroing with their rifles, and they were currently using a few tables to do so. But even that was nearly finished. Laurentina, who had been casually looking around, started moving her eyes from side to side. "How about some realbat shooting, rookie?" "You¡¯re asking for a bet, aren¡¯t you?" "Well, not right now, I guess." This too made me recall my past. When I worked as an operator in New York, I was on a limited sry. So, if a bet was made, and I lost, I had to buy something for the team¡ªbeer, meat, anything. When my finances were limited, I¡¯d focus intensely on winning those bets, but now... everything felt too peaceful. The saying "poverty creates desperation" really wasn¡¯t wrong. Anyway, realbat shooting. I was starting to think this might be pretty fun after a long time. Just as Dice and Harmonie finished their zeroing, it seemed like it was time to give them a proper taste of kill box training. "Alright, let¡¯s officially start the CQB shooting drills. We¡¯ll build a building up to the maximum height of three stories." Click. At that moment, dozens of panels and obstacles began rising from the floor, andrge tes with grooves for assembly slowly began lowering from the ceiling. Each panel could generate a hologram, so there was no need for physical targets. With a clink sound, the first floor was created, followed by the second and third. A notification popped up, saying that most of the panels on the floor had been used up. It looked a lot like the process of creating a map in a portal game made by apany that didn¡¯t know Portal 3. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they managed to integrate such a function into the building. Anyway, after about five minutes, the building wasplete, and a general blueprint and mission popped up before us. While Laurentina was fiddling with her gun, she inhaled and added, "Strictly speaking, these are all old guns, but I guess there¡¯s something nice about them sticking to my hand since nothing groundbreaking has really changed." "Are you talking about the standard-issue rifle?" "Of course." Well, that made sense. Take the Noveske N4, for example. The performance of the weapon hadn¡¯t drastically changed from the previous models. It was just an improvement over the previous HK416 family rifles¡ªsmall tweaks, really. But, when you look at it closely, it didn¡¯t feel all that different. These days, it¡¯s all about how you mod the essories and customize it to fit the user¡¯s needs. Maybe when infantry railgunse out, things will change, but considering how even the Icarus project was barely considered in the past world, it¡¯ll be a long time before that happens. Anyway, I briefly checked the blueprint. For safety reasons, we didn¡¯t have explosives for breach clearing, and even though we were gun specialists, grenades like shbangs weren¡¯t avable. However, "near-shbangs" could be bought, the ones with downgraded sounds and effects. I was the pointman, Laurentina was themander, there was no breach charge, so Harmonie would throw the shbang, and Dice was in charge of breaking down the door hinges¡ªif there was a door. Honestly, with all the restrictions, no one knew if it would go as nned. But, of course, that wasn¡¯t really a consideration. "...Traditional CQB like this... it''s been so long." "Let¡¯s just get warmed up a bit." I wasn¡¯t really worried. Harmonie and Dice were great operators, just a bitcking in stamina. So, the lights on the ceiling went off, and a rather dark building appeared in front of us. The blueprint gave us just a general idea, but we didn¡¯t know how many enemies were inside. The holographic enemies projected through the panels could shootsers, and if hit, the speakers would announce that the target had been "outed." Safety was the first priority, and second was safety, of course. However, it was going to be much faster than others probably thought. CQB had to be fast, fast, and faster. I pressed against the side of the building and thought about theyout beyond the door. I remembered that directly in front of this door was a long hallway, and that was it. Other doors had various cover angles, so more operators were needed. With that in mind, I carefully opened the door¡ª ©¤©¤©¤ Thud! "Ah,sers." "This is why the guys at the front have to put their lives on the line, huh?" "Throw me a shbang." Naturally, anyone with enough options could do what they wanted. After receiving the shbang from Harmonie, I snapped my wrist and shoved it deep into the corner of the L-shaped hallway, where I thought enemies might be. As soon as I heard the bang, I couldn¡¯t get in. Not surprisingly, a few rapid-fire shots followed, and as soon as the shooting stopped, we began slicing the pie. At a tremendous speed. I ced the fallen friends in the crosshairs, one shot to the chest and one to the head. The hologram flickered and faded, and after waiting for the shbang''s effects to wear off, I shot the head of the friend who was about to shoot again. The hallway was almost cleared. I exchanged a quick look with Laurentina, and she signaled Harmonie to squeeze. At that moment, Harmonie let out a painful groan. "Ouch..." "Oops. I failed to control the strength. Sorry." "...I told you to just tap my body with the bulletproof vest." Normally, in situations like this, it was hard to keep track of the strength adjustments with the intense tension, but that¡¯s how it was. This is why those with certain abilities had to be careful with everything. "Shouldn''t we be censoring that stream?" "I don''t think there''s anything more tactical than what''s already been covered in the mainstream media. Given that it''s a drone cam in first-person, it''s hard to track the movement paths..." "Who are the two people following behind them? Considering the systematics, it¡¯s impressive they can keep up with that pace." "They¡¯re my disciples. One of them ced 4th in the Final Championship." At that moment, there was a strange, creaking sound, and everyone in the room turned their heads toward the source. At the end of the room stood a woman who clearly didn¡¯t belong in this ce. However, the unnatural white hair, sky-blue eyes that seemed to embed the sky itself, and bear ears made her presence almost inevitable. Inside the main headquarters of the Red Right Hand team at Fort Liberty. Logan, who had weaseled through the operators watching Eugene¡¯s live stream, nonchntly added, ¡°These guys are just tap dancing on the line, doing whatever they want. They should just be holding mini-guns and shooting.¡± "Is that supposed to be a calm approach?" "It¡¯s better than doing that obvious stuff." Of course, Eugene, ever the professional, immediately blurred out sensitive details whenever something crucial came up¡ªfollowing the current special forces standard operational procedures. Certain parts of the operation, like advanced hand signals or entry prep that had not yet been revealed to the world, were deliberately obscured. However, if there was something truly surprising, it was that among the four people''s movements, there were hints of actions that were not covered in the current CQB (Close-Quarters Battle) manuals or training. And these were exactly the kinds of things that piqued the curiosity of the operators in the room. Someone stood up and, within 30 seconds, a tactical notebook was brought out. Everyone immediately opened their devices¡¯ memo function or started taking notes by hand. Suddenly, a debate started. "They don¡¯t even seem to care where each foot is ced, but their steps are surprisingly smooth. Their slicing the pie is fast enough to be insane..." "The recoil control is different. It¡¯s not something they casually learned¡ªit¡¯s shooting techniques thate from their inherent abilities as a ¡®manifested¡¯ person. Despite that, when you look at how they shoot only in the A zone and T zone, it¡¯s clear they have solid fundamentals." "When those heavily armed enemies appeared, they quickly switched to full-auto and tantly took out their heads¡ªpretty satisfying. I didn¡¯t expect them to use 40-round magazines though¡­" "The two following them are impressive too. Their speed is slower, but they know exactly what they need to do. Their directional and role switches are smooth, and their awareness of where the bullets wille from is spot on. I like that." Naturally, it was all praise. As we moved to higher stages, one of the most important things became how naturally one could connect actions, choices, and reactions. This was precisely why The Unit selected people with extensivebat experience from multiple deployments. The pressure of realbat, which can¡¯t be simted with kill boxes or real shooting drills, and all the additional limitations never encountered before. Delta Force had to select highly trained individuals with adjustedbat skills that could handle these realities. And without a doubt, the four people on the screen¡ªat least individually¡ªhad developed highly specializedbat skills. "I think it¡¯d be fun to have them work on their stamina." "Some things just can¡¯t be done. Shooting is just a small part of our job." "Is it too much to wish for a flower on a cliff in this dreary ce?" "You could always spar with Logan. That might make that ridiculous thought go away." "Do you think I¡¯m some kind of suicide volunteer?" Of course, Logan justughed at the whole thing. Even amidst all this, the TV still showed the four in action. They had already cleared the second floor, and despite a few chaotic moments that would be hard to call CQB, they hadn¡¯t lost a single person and were clearing thest floor. But perhaps it was inevitable. Harmonie and Dice¡¯s pace noticeably slowed. After maintaining high focus to match the pace of the two manifested individuals, their stamina was quickly running out. However, neither Harmonie nor Dice immediately dropped out. Instead, they chose a different approach¡ªadjusting the sights with rapid-fire and openly taking down the enemies¡¯ heads. It couldn¡¯t be helped that their magazines were quickly emptied. The two manifested individuals noticed andughed at this, pushing Harmonie and Dice to their limits without giving an inch. After a few minutes, both of the two regr operators, whose bodies were near their breaking point, were starting to twitch in their arms and eyes. [Notification: Killhouse Training Completed.] [Notification: With a percentile score of 98.85, the user ranks within the top 0.01% of facility users.] [Notification: Saving this result.] "Good job, everyone." "Wooah¡­." "My arms feel like they¡¯re cramping¡­!" "Alright, let¡¯s go down." Whirring sound. At the same time, the ceiling separated, and the movement panels to bring the four participants down approached. As soon as the four stepped on them, the panels moved toward the ground, and as the facility broke apart, hundreds of spent cartridges and broken bullet heads ttered to the floor. As the empty shells fell and were conveyed to the back of the facility to be separated, Dice and Harmonie quickly finished their safety check, threw off their bulletproof vests, and copsed onto the floor in exhaustion. Naturally, they were drenched in sweat. Seeing this, Rack opened the fridge and threw a few cold ion drinks at them, which Laurentina and Eugene caught and handed to Dice and Harmonie. "Let¡¯s take it easy now. You all did great." "My left arm won¡¯t move..."@@novelbin@@ "Ugh, this drink is way too sweet. But it¡¯s so good..." "Let¡¯s rest for about 30 minutes, then head outside. It¡¯s almost time to y with the designated sniper rifles." "Ugh..." For Eugene and Laurentina, shooting was a sport¡ªand soon, a break. The smell of gunpowder began to fade. Chapter 478 "Do you know what subject a manifested person ends up studying the most when they join the military, our new juniors?" "Well... looking at the fact that you''re holding a gun, it seems rted to sniping, but the reason must be important." "You¡¯re quick to catch on. It¡¯s simple. Once a bullet leaves the barrel, there¡¯s nothing a manifested person can do about what happens next." ck! The metallic sound lightly echoed through the small room. In Lorentina''s hand was a Mk.14 EBR. As we were finishing up the indoor shooting, we moved to a small auditorium for a quick briefing before we began outdoor shooting. Inside, a gun cab, preloaded with designated marksman rifles and sniper rifles, awaited us. On the tables, numerous pieces of equipment were spread out. It''s clear that half of these were likely blurred out by the drone cam, and when Lorentina spoke about themter, her words would be blurred as well. As always, I made sure the security was tight. After I checked the live stream to make sure the muting and censoring were working, I sent Lorentina a signal, and she began to speak again. "Medium-range and long-range sniping is a kind of... scientific art. Attaching a scope to a rifle, wearing a rag covered in leaves and grass, lying on your belly anywhere you can find, and looking for a target ¡ª that¡¯s an outdated mindset, a stereotype about snipers." "Then we¡¯ll have to make good use of all the equipmentid out there." "Of course. But some of the gear will be for me and the junior only. The two of you will just fiddle with the scopes, adjust them based on the values we give you, and pull the trigger. It¡¯s possible that all you¡¯ll need to do is pull the trigger." Just as she said. It was obvious, but there was a reason for all the blurring and muting. The various ballistic calctions and device operations that Lorentina and I could easily do... were curriculum items you¡¯d typically find at the U.S. Army Sniper School. We had no intention of exposing such SOPs or manuals, and many parts of the stream would likely be mosaicked out. Lorentina and I, ying the role of the spotters, would be handling the calctions in ces where we couldn¡¯t be seen by the two of them. Lorentina signaled me, and as I walked over, she whispered. "You¡¯ve stored the gun calibration data for the Icarus gear, right? Use that. I¡¯ve memorized it, so don¡¯t worry too much about it." "You memorized it?" "Well, if I forget, I can always check my phone, so it¡¯s not a big deal." We returned to our positions as Lorentina began her exnation. "Mk.14, a 7.62mm NATO rifle¡­ an older designated marksman rifle. It''s two or three generations behind the current U.S. military model, but with the LPVO scope, M14ALCS/CV body, CTR stock, and ACB-4 FDE bipod, it performs without any significant issues." Swish. Since the rifle hadn¡¯t been zeroed yet, Lorentina gently removed the variable magnification scope from the rail and pointed to it with her finger as she continued. "I¡¯ve brought a fairly standard scope. If this were an actual operation, I¡¯d consider using a longer hood or a killsh to reduce light reflection, but there¡¯s no need for that now. Next, the LRF¡­ the Laser Rangefinder. It''s something only I and the junior need to worry about." Of course, I could easily substitute that with a wristwatch. It wasn¡¯t military-grade equipment, and it was just a simr item that could be bought at a gun shop, so there was no need to blindly trust its performance. After showing me other items like spotter scopes for surveince and a PDA for calctions ¡ª some of which had been censored ¡ª she looked around. The breeze outside was gentle, and the targets were set up at distances of 150m, 300m, 500m, 800m, 1200m, and 1500m. Since we didn¡¯t have time to walk all the way to those targets, the steel tes that had already been set up would serve as our targets. We had to walk about 40m to the shooting position, and inside the building, a cab full of designated marksman rifles and sniper rifles awaited us. It was a bit of a hassle to move around, but it was better than exposing our precious firearms to the wind, sunlight, and dust. "Alright, let''s begin. Junior, grab the Mk.14 and follow me. New juniors, take the soft cases and follow us. Harmonie, follow me, and Dice, follow our junior." "Understood." "Yes, sir." And the drone cam started following us. As expected of Hawaii, there was a slight saltiness to the outside air. The vastnd stretched before us. It looked like part of the Great ins that had been transnted here. The targets were ced in a scattered fashion beyond a gently sloping hill. After spacing ourselves about 15 meters apart for shooting, the two of themid the soft cases on the ground. Without them, they would have had to lie on the ground t on their bellies, making their clothes dirty and causing dust to fly up during the shooting. The spotter was on the left, and snipers Harmonie and Dice were on the right. On the left, there was a sturdy chair made to support the weight of a manifested person, and a tripod with a spotting scope attached to it was set up for reconnaissance. The preparations were nearlyplete. "Alright, let¡¯s go for it. We¡¯ve got plenty of ammo and time, so don¡¯t get caught up in trying to make every shot perfect. Just have fun getting used to the rifle." "Ugh, it feels nice being out here. I¡¯m a bit nervous, but shooting is actually pretty fun." "d to hear it. Here, take the magazine. Load up." "Okay." Click! Dice inserted the magazine and loaded a round into the chamber. Once ready, we exchanged data on wind direction, speed, and atmospheric pressure through thems in our headsets. ording to the manual, we would aim for specific targets at specific distances and help develop their tracking abilities, but we weren¡¯t here for training. The method was simple. The spotter would aim the burningser at the target, and Dice and Harmonie would adjust their sights ordingly. The rifle¡¯s barrel shroud had an integrated anti-matter scope switch connected to the LPVO, allowing the sniper to adjust the magnification even while maintaining their aim.@@novelbin@@ "Alright, aim for 150m. We¡¯ve got good zeroing targets, so do your best to hit the ck circle. We¡¯ll use this data for the other rifles, and if something doesn¡¯t match up¡­ well, we¡¯ll have to reattach the targets." "Ugh, I¡¯ll try my best." "I see they¡¯ve started too. Let¡¯s go ahead and begin." Themand was given, and I stood about a meter to the side, casually observing the target while Dice took several deep breaths before steadying the rifle ¡ª Boom! The crisp sound of the shot rang out, and the bullet flew through the air, striking the target at 150 meters. The ck circle¡¯s lower right was hit. "Impact confirmed. Don¡¯t adjust the sights, just keep shooting. You only have 4 shots left in the magazine, so once they¡¯re gone, your zeroing will beplete." There was no answer, and there shouldn¡¯t have been. If they spoke, they¡¯d lose focus on their aim. Four shots rang out in quick session, and the lower right of the ck circle was perforated. Using the spotting scope, I saw the group of impacts form beautifully, and the sight of it was satisfying. The metallic sound indicating the magazine was empty rang out a few times, and Dice asked: "...Shooting¡¯s done. What now?" "I¡¯m analyzing the target, so please wait. Keep your position, but you can close your eyes if you like." With that, I adjusted the windage and front sight with a few clicks. The familiar clicking sounds echoed in the air. Turning to Dice, who was breathing heavily, I added: "I¡¯ll give you the proper adjustmentster. When you pick up the next rifle, set it up ording to these values and start zeroing again." "Okay. I can shoot again, right?" "Take the magazine." Now it was a 15-round magazine. After switching the magazine, I secured the charging handle, reloaded the chamber, and returned the handle to its original position. Shooting resumed with a Boom, and the bullet hit just below the center of the ck circle. "Wow!" "With a little more adjustment, it¡¯ll be perfect." Dice, feeling a sense of achievement, quietly fired again, and every time she pulled the trigger, spent casings flew out to the side. As I casually turned the spotting scope toward Harmonie¡¯s target, I saw that she was having simr sess. The 15-round magazine was emptied in no time. But there was still plenty left. Now, it was time to move on to longer distances. "Let¡¯s move on to 300m and 500m. There are 5 tracer rounds in the 15-round mag, so pay attention to the trajectory of the rounds and how the sea breeze and humidity challenge the snipers. Pay close attention to how the spotter solves this." "...I¡¯m sure Eugene will do all the work." "Ha ha. Just remember, if you miss and the tracer rounds hit the ground, you might have to grab a fire extinguisher." "Ugh..." And with that, the warning was issued, and we moved on to zeroing at 300m. The sky over Hawaii became colored with the sounds of gunfire. "Yujin is... romantic..." "I swear, I want to buy a ticket to Hawaii, no kidding hahaha." "Tactical romance that turns skydiving, gliding, scuba diving, and Waikiki Beach into nothing... Yujin, is she a goddess?" "We''re living in a world like Viam!" "But seriously, why are Dice and Harmony such great shots? Hahaha." Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away on the penins ¨C and around the world. People with the time and interest in military matters gathered en masse to watch Yujin''s broadcast. They were stunned by the vast array of firearms and essories, wondering where they hade from, and shocked by the shooting skills of the cast. Dozens of ejected casings flew out to the right of Dice and Harmony. By now, the Mk.14 had long been upgraded to the Mk.18 Mj?lnir. It was simple. Yujin had prepaid a firearms dealer, who purchased the guns directly from Sword International and had them shipped to Hawaii. He''d bought two guns that cost over 9 million won each and had spared no expense on expensive essories. However, that didn''t exactly reduce the recoil, and Harmony and Dice felt the enormous force of the recoil m into their shoulders when Yujin shot the rifle like a carbine. "Whoa!" "Wow, it''s like an untamed wild horse!" "The expression is perfect." "Look at the dust flying up even with the soft case down; it''s tough, hahaha." "Fact: Right now, Harmony and Dice are using up the amount of ammo a single South Korean soldier would use in two years." "Even soldiers can''t shoot like that hahaha." "What soldier? Even UDT members haven¡¯t fired a Mj?lnir." "Seriously, they follow Yujin around and do all kinds of crazy things, hahaha." "Are they literally shooting through the targets now?" The Lapua rounds arced through the air. The expensive ammunition Yujin had bought with his wallet was paying off, and among those rounds were AP rounds with tungsten cores, assuming you cut them in half. Naturally, John Lac, with his FFL and SOT, could legally get anything with money, including armor-piercing rounds. When that round crossed the air and struck the steel te 500 meters away, a "ng" rang out as a hole appeared. It was an astonishing level of power, but Yujin and Loren Tina didn''t really care and simply added to the instructions. "We¡¯re moving to 800m now. Wind direction and speed unchanged. Adjust your zeroing." "¡­Ready." "Shoot whenever you''refortable." Boom! The 20-inch barrel fired the Lapua round through the Hawaiian skies, and it almost seemed to stretch out before it fell just below the target. It was a low shot. Yujin judged that it was a matter of aiming rather than zeroing and quietly waited for Dice. When Ye-rin, now more focused, pulled the trigger again, there was a loud crack, and with the recoil sending her blonde hair flying, a single shot hit the center of the steel te. The te, secured with multipleyers of chain, shook. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. What mattered now was the grouping. Dice focused again and carefully pulled the trigger. Boom! Another round flew out and made a hole just 1 cm below the first one. The shots continued in rapid session, and after emptying the magazine, Yujin chuckled and added: "Alright, let¡¯s move to 1200m. This is where the shooter¡¯s adjustments are really needed. I¡¯ll show you where to aim considering wind direction and speed." At the same time, calctions began. Yujin checked the ballistic tables and then drew a quick sketch on a sticky note showing the crosshairs of the scope. He marked a point just below the lower-left corner of the crosshairs, instructing to adjust the aim for bullet drop and flight time. He adjusted the antimatter scope switch back to its original position for 1x magnification and waved the sticky note in front of the scope. Dice, who understood, fiddled with the switch and pulled the trigger after a brief adjustment. Boom! The round flew toward the target. "Impact around 7 meters right of the target. ount for it and shoot again." "Ugh..." Bang! After receiving the feedback on the shot cement, Dice adjusted more precisely, and the bullet flew just past the target¡¯s lower-right edge. Dice was starting to get the hang of it. She exhaled, took a slight breath, and slightly adjusted her aim to the upper-left corner, then boom. Thest round from the magazine soared through the air and hit the center of the target at 1200m, piercing it cleanly. Meanwhile, Harmony also entered a simr phase, and as soon as she saw the target wobble in the distance, about three secondster, a clear "ng" rang out, and Harmony made her hit. "Second shot hit, third shot center. Well done." "If you hadn¡¯t given feedback on the adjustment, I would have probably missed even with three magazines." "1200m, insane hahaha." "Wait, did they really get a valid hit on the second shot? That¡¯s crazy, isn¡¯t it?" "Fact: The round Dice hit would have hit a vital organ." "It¡¯s terrifying watching both Harmony and Dicepete without giving an inch hahaha." "But really, this shows how crucial the spotter is, hahaha." It was a natural observation. However, Yujin and the other three had long since forgotten about the broadcast, and by then, the shooting with the Mj?lnir was over. Today¡¯s highlight was waiting for Dice and Harmony. "Wow..." "It¡¯s started." "The upgraded version of the M82 Barrett, the M107 LRSR, and the AX50. We¡¯ve got plenty of Raufoss 50cal rounds, each costing 100,000 won, so let¡¯s go ahead and blow up the targets set across this vast field." "Where on earth did you get Raufoss rounds, you crazy person hahaha." "Note¡­ there¡¯s nothing money can¡¯t get¡­" "Tricky streaming is always ruled by Yujin, the millionaire weirdo with a suspicious amount of money." Indeed, the viewers weren¡¯t entirely wrong. A gigantic anti-material sniper rifle gleamed under the Hawaiian sun. It was fall. Chapter 479 "Boom!" "Ugh...!" "How does it feel to shoot a .50 caliber sniper rifle for the first time in real life?"@@novelbin@@ "My shoulder hurts." "Well, of course, hahaha." "Wow, it¡¯s ridiculously huge in real life, haha!" "Fact: This girl, Viam, fires that with zero recoil." "The Barrett? Even a solid-built adult can shoot it, haha." "This is the full Hawaii experience!!!" After firing about one magazine, I asked Dice, and got this response. Setting aside the uracy, since I had told them to add a thin shoulder pad to avoid bruises, even with that, the pain in the shooting shoulder couldn¡¯t be avoided. Especially since Dice and Harmony¡¯s final routine today was shooting the .50 caliber sniper rifle. Next to Dice, there was a pile of spent casings from all the shots they¡¯d taken, stacked together like a sandcastle. But now, every time the enormous .50 caliber casing dropped, a strange metallic sound echoed. Half of the ten shots were for zeroing, and then we would move to 800m. It was almost time to aim for the targets at 1500m. The scopes on the Barrett and AX50 were capable of more than 30x magnification, and honestly, you wouldn''t be able to see anything without that much zoom. I started calcting, adding the specs for the target. "Set the turret to zero¡­ okay. The target is at 1700 yards ahead, which is about 1554 meters. From the human-shaped target at 1200 meters, about 0.4mil wide and 1.2mil tall, move 2mil left and 7mil up, and you''ll see a rectangr steel te hanging from the chain. Do you see it?" "Hmm, is it the steel te with a skull drawn in the center?" "Correct." It was a relief that they had drawn something like that. Even though we knew the rough position, identifying a target beyond 1500m was an exhausting task for the spotter. We couldn¡¯t even point it with the burningser we had brought. Plus, Dice was starting to feel the visual fatigue from prolonged shooting. Still, hitting a target around 1550m in Hawaii could definitely be something worth bragging about. Thinking that, I added to Dice: "The AX50 is an excellent rifle. Its uracy is incredible. If you¡¯ve hit it correctly, there should be an explosion at that skull. Do you know what kind of round we¡¯re using?" "¡­High explosive armor-piercing." "Excellent. Now, set the up and down to 17.1mil and wait." The clicking sound echoed around us. Luckily, my wristwatch could read wind direction and speed more urately than anything else, so Loren Tina could take the precise data and apply it without going through all the calctions. The wind wasing from the left to the right, with an average speed of 5mph. Thankfully, the wind had calmed down a bit. The hologram that appeared in front of me ¨C visible only to Icarus Operators ¨C disyed the adjusted aiming data. "Move left 1.4mil. That¡¯s the adjustment. Each tick on the crosshair corresponds to 1mil, so adjusting ordingly shouldn¡¯t cause problems. You¡¯ve got plenty of time, so take it slow. Let me know when you''re ready." "Ready!" "Alright, first shot, let''s go." "Boom!" The AX50 roared with a thunderous sound. The booming noise echoed across the Hawaiian sky, and the soft case barely helped as the dust from the earth swirled up. But I didn¡¯t pay much attention to that. I tracked the .50 caliber bullet as it arced through the air at a speed that had long surpassed Mach. And soon after ¨C ng. The bullet hit the lower-right part of the long rectangr steel te. If it had been a person, the entire side would¡¯ve probably been torn off. But it was still a bit disappointing. "Impact. But it¡¯s a little low. Maybe because the wind picked up suddenly." "Wow¡­! That¡¯s so close!" "What round are they using? Sparks fly the moment it hits, haha!" "Fact: They just shot a round worth 90,000 won." "Every shot disappears into thin air. What the heck, hahaha." "Well, that''s a flex, but¡­ yeah, a huge flex." "Flex? Does that mean bending a target by hitting it with a bullet?" Sparks flew up from the impact point. It was fortunate that we used the Raufoss round. Without it, it would have been hard to verify whether we had hit the target urately. But as soon as the steel te was hit, sparks shot up, making it easy to see. After about 4-5 seconds, a ¡°ng¡± was heard faintly. But stronger winds were picking up, and I spoke to Dice, who was still staring through the scope. "Wind speed is unchanged. There are deviations in both left and up, so let¡¯s adjust 0.1mil each. Move 0.1mil left and 0.1mil up. Got it?" "¡­Ah, at this distance, you need to make adjustments in increments of 0.1mil¡­ ready." "Alright, take the next shot when you''re ready." A few secondster, the ground shook again, and the air trembled. Boom! The bullet was off again. But this time, unlike before, the spark erupted right in the center of the skull. "Boom!" "Let¡¯s try to group those shots. Fire the rest of the rounds." "Got it!" "Kyaaaaaah!" "Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~ Ikigoten~~" "Bartender!!!!!! One more shot of .50cal!!!" "Korea''s pride dice! Korea''s pride dice! Korea''s pride dice! Korea''s pride dice! Korea''s pride dice! Korea''s pride dice!" "Wow, they''re shooting so well, hahaha." Indeed, there were few things more thrilling than seeing a bullet hit its target at long distances. Dice, now energized by the sess, continued shooting calmly, one shot after another. Meanwhile, I checked in with Harmony via thems. Loren Tina sat quietly like the Virgin Mary, watching a cat shoot. "How¡¯s it going over there?" "No major issues. It seems like Dice and I are almost hitting the same spot, probably due to the feedback you gave." "Good, then. I¡¯ve asked the Firearms International staff to bring the steel te after we¡¯re done, so we can take amemorative photo." "Sounds fun. Please proceed with that." Even while this was happening, the barrels kept roaring. Dice and Harmony emptied two magazines, each holding ten rounds of Raufoss ammunition. Two magazines cost around 160,000 won, so in less than five minutes, about 320,000 won vanished into thin air. It wasn¡¯t a big deal though. We had about 200 rounds on hand, and we were nning to use them all up in tomorrow¡¯s machine gun shoot... either way, the steel te hanging at 1554m had a lot of holes in it. The skull was practically unrecognizable from the scorch marks. Five rounds were used for zeroing, three for the 800m target, and the rest were spent on the 1500m target. Out of twelve shots, about seven hit. Some rounds were off because of fluctuating wind speed, but all in all, it was a great result. Click. By now, the two of them had finished their rounds, detached the magazines, pulled the charging handles, checked the chambers, andpleted the safety inspection. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air around the rifles. I tapped Dice¡¯s back, who was lying down, and said: "Great job. You''ve aplished something remarkable." "Ugh, it''s tough... Wait, a tail!?" "You''ve earned it." "Wow, I''m so jealous." "''Privilege of the No.1 disciple.''" "The worst mistake of my life was not buying Yujin Coin with a full investment..." "Then, did Kato not even buy it, but was hacked and forced to buy Yujin Coin? Hahaha!" "Dice now doesn''t even get surprised when it¡¯s wrapped around his tail, hahaha!" I lifted the tail that was wrapped around my waist. While doing so, I also picked up the still-warm AX50 and stood it upright. I didn¡¯t grab the barrel. It was hot, and if I touched it, the zeroing would be off. So, I wrapped the tail around the receiver and called over Dice. The drone camera buzzed as it came to my side. By this time, Harmony and Loren Tina were approaching with M107 LRSRs, so I instinctively knew it was the perfect moment for a group photo. The timer hologram popped up above the drone camera, and it started counting down as the four of us stood in a line, each holding our respective firearms. We all raised our fingers and formed a V shape. Click! The powder smoke scattered across the sky, which was gradually darkening as the sun set. "Is this some kind of big Sandy shoot? A Snipex alligator, a KPV, a minigun, and now this, I can¡¯t even tell if it¡¯s a sniper rifle or a cannon..." "That came from South Africa. It¡¯s the NTW-20, capable of firing 20mm rounds." "Huh, I¡¯d love to fire a shot. I¡¯ll pay for it, but could you lend it to me for 30 minutes?" "Of course." At 6:30 PM, as the sun was beginning to set below the horizon. New guests had arrived in two vehicles, heading to the same building where we¡¯d been shooting pistols, submachine guns, and rifles just hours earlier. As expected, from the way the vehicles were parked, the outdoor shooting range was still legally ours, and we continued to hold it. Therge truck carrying the minigun, Browning machine guns, KPV, and other gear was locked away in the storage area. The gun cabs filled with our firearms were also secured with thick chains and locks, though we had left firearms and ammunition inside the indoor shooting range due to the sheer volume of equipment. The five new people who had rented the building came running toward us, surprised. They were heading straight toward the barbecue pit where we were enjoying our meal. "Looks like we¡¯ll need to wear earplugs or headsets while eating. I¡¯ll make sure to check if they¡¯re cking off. I¡¯ll be back to eatter, so leave my share." "We bought over 20kg of meat, so we won¡¯t finish it all. Even if everyone eats 2kg, we¡¯ll have leftovers." "Haha." Saying that, I inspected the firearms¡ªwell, I didn¡¯t really dismantle them¡ªand walked over to the others. The people who had rented firearms were attaching and adjusting various essories to the NTW-20, which had a Picatinny rail. Some of them even tried lifting it, but with a weight of 26kg, no one could hold it for long. I watched them and added: "Bringing that thing to Hawaii cost me about $50,000. We¡¯ve got plenty of 20mm rounds, so how about I give you a few shots?" "Haha, we¡¯ll ept it graciously. I¡¯ll buy it officially, though. I¡¯ll take 15 rounds. What types of ammo do you have?" "High-explosive, high-explosive incendiary, high-explosive armor-piercing, separated armor-piercing, armor-piercing, and even HEIT-SD rounds in the 20x110mm caliber... quite a variety. What do you need?" "I¡¯ll take five rounds of high-explosive, five of armor-piercing, and five of thest kind that you can¡¯t even track." The transaction was swift, and the 15 rounds were handed over at a price near $1200. It wasn¡¯t exactly cheap, but thest round was over $150 per shot. These were special rounds, developed from air-defense projectiles, so they were hard toe by. I guessed they bought the 15 rounds so each could try firing a few. With the rounds handed over, it was time to get to the shooting training. The structure of the sniper rifles was pretty standard, and since they were bolt-action, the training didn¡¯t take long. "As you know, it¡¯s a prone rifle. The scope is mounted at the center for recoil management, so it might feel a little awkward... but, well, that¡¯s just the nature of the gun. Use our scopes. They¡¯re equipped with night vision, so nighttime shooting will be fine too." "Got it." "Can you shoot standing up?" "It¡¯s not impossible, but I¡¯ve never done it, so I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll have to try it once before I can tell you." Then, apuse echoed. We headed outside, now holding the rifle. It was about twice the weight of the Barrett, which felt a bit unfamiliar. To prevent the barrel from recoiling, I folded the damper attached to the stock and braced it against my shoulder. The stock was so long that it made aiming difficult. I wasn¡¯t sure what to aim at, but eventually, I removed the tripod and grabbed the newly attached side handle, like a machine gun¡¯s side grip, to aim at the steel te target 300 meters away. I was using the high-explosive armor-piercing round. I exhaled and took aim. A few secondster... Boom! The recoil from the shot was much stronger than the Barrett¡¯s, and I had to keep the barrel from rising due to the sheer force. My legs absorbed the recoil, so fortunately, the rifle didn¡¯t push back. It was nearly twice the shock of the .50 caliber, but holding and shooting it didn¡¯t seem like a huge problem. With a click, I reloaded, adjusted the aim, and fired again. Another thunderous noise erupted. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed that only three rounds could fit in the massive box magazine. I finished the shot, ced the rifle down, and apuse followed. "God, that¡¯s just amazing." "If anyone can shoot with that thing, I¡¯ll buy them all the beer they want, damn it." "I¡¯ll ept that informal contract! Damn world, I¡¯m in!" "I think the contract they epted was for suicide support, not beer." Of course, my standing shooting only fueled thepetitive spirit of those five. There¡¯s always a reason why men die early. Boom! "Oh my god." "Of course, that¡¯s how it is..." "That looks pretty fun." "What the heck is that person doing?" "Shooting a sniper rifle, hahaha." "I bet they could shoot an 88mm round with ease, but here they are whining over a 20mm, haha." "What the hell is going on, seriously?" "??: If you knew what I was doing, what would you do about it, hahaha?" Meanwhile, the three people there were long used to Yujin¡¯s entricities. Chapter 480 "Ugh, the smell of gunpowder. I didn¡¯t notice it while shooting, but now my clothes smell terrible. I really need to take a quick shower." "Our little one,e by the balcony poolter. We¡¯ll do a debriefing. Do you want to join us, any of you new little ones?" "Uh... I''lle. I¡¯m curious." "Me too." "Then, everyone, go shower ande back." Night had fallen on the small ind in the middle of the Pacific, but Hawaii¡¯s lights never dimmed. Even though it wasn¡¯t peak season, the temperature was pleasant when it was cool, and when it got hot, it reached up to about 30¡ãC. The heart of Hawaii was still bustling with people. A vehicle crossed through the middle of it all and arrived safely in the parking lot of Icarus Residence. Four people returned to the penthouse suite. The moment the door opened, there was a refreshing scent in the air, contrasting with the strong gunpowder smelling from our clothes. It made sense, though. We¡¯d fired at least 1,500 rounds between the four of us today. And the caliber of the bullets kept increasing... We really needed to wash off that smell. The drone cam had been turned off with a note saying it would be restarted after some maintenance, so we¡¯d have to wait until everyone finished showering to turn it back on.@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, a conversation continued. "This room¡¯s shower facilities are overflowing, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯m not sure if I should consider this lucky." "Should we share the shower like old times?" "Heh, are you asking for that?" "Definitely not." Ugh. Of course, even if there were two people per shower, it wouldn¡¯t have bothered me much. After all, I¡¯d showered hundreds of times with this person and Logan, and given the past¡ªthose huge Arctic bears and shark-midbinations pushing my head down¡ªmy brain had naturally drifted in that direction. Anyway, since the smell of gunpowder was bothering me, I entered the room and started undressing. One by one, my clothes fell into theundry basket. While doing so, my reflection caught my eye in the mirror. I didn¡¯t care much about my body anymore, considering how often I¡¯d seen it. "¡­Hmm." Nothing had changed since before. Even if I gained a little weight, a tough workout would burn it off quickly, so it didn¡¯t really matter. Anyway, that was the extent of my thoughts. After wrapping arge towel around my body, I quietly entered the shower. Just as I was about to turn on the water, I received a voice chat from Harmony and Dice. I pressed the ept button while filling the bathtub with water. A familiar voice came through. "Ah, Yujin." "What¡¯s up?" "It¡¯s nothing serious¡­ but, are you going to turn the stream on for the debriefingter at the balcony pool?" "Of course. If you don¡¯t want to appear, I can just have Loren Tina and me show up. If you prefer, we can just do audio-only for the broadcast." "It¡¯s not really necessary, but..." The water poured into the tub with a deep sound. I pressed the button on the wall, and water began to spray from the ceiling and walls. While I was waiting for their answer, I heard a strange voice... It wasn¡¯t exactly apliment, but it felt somewhat ambiguous. The question hade from Dice, but the response was from Harmony. "¡­You two don¡¯t seem to care much about exposing your bodies?" "I¡¯m not going to wear some rag with a strap and go on air. Wearing a rash guard isn¡¯t a big deal. Besides, what¡¯s there to see? I don¡¯t think I have much of a body to show off." "¡­Huh?" "Teacher, that¡¯s a trap..." "Yikes." It was my mistake. Most of the physical contact I¡¯d had so far had been with Logan and Loren Tina, and considering those massive Arctic Bear-mid and Shark-mid memories, my brain naturally gravitated that way. So, it was decided that only Loren Tina and I would appear in the stream at the pool today. Of course, Harmony and Dice wouldn¡¯t just stay quiet, but Harmony and Dice would use the right mini-pool, while Loren Tina and I would use the left mini-pool. The drone cam would stay fixed on our side to show only the left mini-pool. I adjusted the settings to automatically apply a hard blur to the two of them if they appeared on the camera, and after confirming Loren Tina¡¯s appearance, I began my shower. "Ah..." It was a feeling I hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. Back when I was in New York, after practical shooting orbat situations, when everything ended, the tension drained from my eyes, and I¡¯d step into the shower with the smell of gunpowder washing away as the water poured from the ceiling. The feeling of relief was always distinct, though this time, there wasn¡¯t the same fatigue gnawing at me. The familiar routine of showering brought back memories, even though there were new elements this time. As the thick foam on my body and head dripped down into the drain, the remnants of the day¡¯s fatigue were swept away. After finishing my shower, I soaked in the water for a bit, then dried off and changed into my rash guard. Stepping out into the living room, the rare sight of a cloudless Hawaiian night sky greeted me. Though the light pollution kept the stars from being too visible, I didn¡¯t mind. The sound of the waves crashing outside and Loren Tina, who had quietly followed, along with the drone cam, all began to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. The balcony pool, slightly warmed, was waiting. As I settled into it and gazed toward Waikiki Beach, Harmony and Dice carefully dipped their feet into the mini-pool next to ours. The broadcast began. "Hello, everyone. We¡¯re in Hawaii. It¡¯s nothing special, but I wanted to briefly share some stories about today¡¯s shooting, so I¡¯ve turned on the broadcast a bitte. I¡¯m surprised so many of you are joining us at this hour; I think it¡¯s around 1 AM in Korea." "Hey, everyone. You probably know who I am... Our new little ones will only be featured by voice due to privacy concerns, so please understand." "It¡¯s not really something that needs understanding..." "Wait, what?????" "Tactical pouches, hahaha!" "If I leave it alone, I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯ll say, so I¡¯ll take my hands off the keyboard first, hahaha." "Wow¡­ wow¡­ wow¡­ wow..." "There are so many people losing their minds, hahaha!" Since I wasn¡¯t watching the broadcast, I didn¡¯t know what was being shown. But seeing the viewers freaking out, it seemed like everything was going well. Anyone going too far would be automatically banned by the manager bot, so that was fine. Anyway, as mentioned earlier, I was about to drop a feedback bomb under the guise of a simple story. While gazing at the darkening Waikiki Beach, I added: "Although two of you are not actual operators, I¡¯ll still consider that. However, it''s inevitable that your physical strength needs a little improvement. I won¡¯t say you should train for shooting, but a little cardio now and then wouldn''t hurt. Otherwise, you¡¯ll end up with a soft belly when you leave the country." "Ugh..." "I think we should put Green Cat on a treadmill. If you run from one end of Waikiki Beach to the other, it¡¯s about 3 km. How about we run together tomorrow morning?" "Ew, no!" Naturally, both of them really got into thepetition. Still, the reaction was fairly good. All they needed was some body fat management. I didn¡¯t think it would be taken seriously anyway¡­ maybe if they gain this much weightter, they can be a bit more lenient. After giving the simplest and most neutral feedback, we began discussing the areas that really needed work. The issue for both of them was that while their theory and techniques were built on knowledge and muscle memory, their physical endurance just wasn¡¯t enough to back it up. Anyway, for these two, it was enough to be good at shooting guns in virtual reality. As we were discussing this, the next question came. "By the way, are we going to the shooting range again tomorrow?" "Yes, that''s right. After the mock battle, we''ll be handling things we couldn''t shoot yesterday¡ªmachine guns,rge-caliber sniper rifles, miniguns, and so on. We''ll be using equipment modeled after the gear used in Miles training, so don''t worry too much." "Miles... I heard that Hotteok did some reserve trainingst week, and now we''re going to try it out for real." "It''ll be a few times better than what they used there." Hahaha, so true. Harmony (Hawaiian Reserve) ???: Miles? Did you ever face Biyam when doing your Miles training? Hotteok probably can¡¯t say a word now, lol. I thought people who don¡¯t even go to reserve duty would be on vacation in Hawaii, but turns out they¡¯ve been working ten times harder, lol. Well, I guess that counts as suffering. Naturally, just as the long-forgotten topic of Hotteok came up, a donation came through. Moniya, I told you! The reason we¡¯re not jealous of you and Biyam going to Hawaii is because of this! "Ah, Hotteok! Thanks for the donation. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you. I¡¯ll send you a ne ticket if you want toe to Hawaii and hang out! There¡¯s plenty of room, and we can always buy more ammo." : Oh, I¡¯ll just take your good intentions, thanks! Let¡¯s go shooting, Hotteok! Let¡¯s go shooting! What do you mean just your good intentions, lol? Are you being kidnapped? : Oh, I won¡¯t go alone. I¡¯ll bring Limit and Stone with me. What the hell, lol. You crazy? I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll actuallye, but if they do, maybe I can rent them the room next door. So, we spent several hours on this topic, wondering if it would happen or not. Naturally, Harmony and Dice, not wanting to get too muscr, brought out the sunbeds andid on them, while Loren and I spent about 3 hours floating in the mini-pool, chatting away. Among the things we talked about was whether we could safely jump off the balcony into Waikiki beach below. Just a ridiculous thought. By around 10 PM, I started to feel a bit more serious. I quietly activated the drone cam¡¯s mute function. As soon as the sound cut off, the viewers flooded the chat with question marks, but I had no choice. What I was about to say wasn¡¯t something I wanted to be public knowledge. The others, sensing something, slowly sat up from their sunbeds and looked at me. "Well, this is a bit sudden, but I have some news to share with you all." "Oh no, you¡¯re about to say something serious. Is it something we¡¯re allowed to hear?" "Of course." And then, I spoke. "I think within the next 6 months to a year, we¡¯ll be able to meet Jin and Rein in real life." At that moment. The three of them stared at me with eyes wide open, more shocked than the moon in the sky. It seemed expected. "...What kind of monsters are out there in the other world?" "Indeed." Northern New York, Rochester. Icarus Dynamics research facility. The research facility, where everyone was busy with their own tasks, had been echoing with dreadful sounds for days. This was happening while Eugene was throwing bombs and enjoying a luxurious vacation in Hawaii. The simtionputers, which had already upied arge part of the research center¡¯s many lights, were now running with several times more data input than before, producing graphics that were so detailed they were almost unrecognizable. The noise from them was constant. With current software, not only was it impossible to create Jin and Rein, it was also difficult to simte the massive amount of parts data that came with them, and check if everything would fit together properly or if it would yield meaningful results. It was beyond imagination¡ªat least a 20-year technological gap, and just the ripple effect of that data alone was overwhelming. "This... this level of technology has skipped generations. It¡¯s almost reached the threshold of electronic lifeforms, beyond specialization and versatility. If we don''t pay attention to information security, something terrible could happen..." "Well, the information security department will handle it, but we''re not really trying to replicate it exactly. If we can just implement 1% of the specs sent, having those two walking in the real world won¡¯t be a huge issue." "Yeah, I suppose so." The unofficial predictions from Icarus Dynamics shed through their minds. Humanoid or remotely controlled bodies ¨C Prototype. A limited version of the technology, existing in society but far from recing the tasks humans can still do. Humanoid or remotely controlled bodies ¨C Phase 1. Machines with capabilities suitable for extreme environments like hazardous areas or battlefields, where the concept of casualties or idents slowly starts to be reced by the destruction of the machines themselves. Humanoid or remotely controlled bodies ¨C Phase 2. These machines, now capable of recing humans even in highly specialized jobs, with greatly extended lifespans and control ranges, begin to exhibit limited intelligence for specific objectives. Humanoid or remotely controlled bodies ¨C Phase 3. Machines that are indistinguishable from humans, or regarded as having equal intelligence, capable of almost permanent movement through special energy sources. "...This world has just entered Phase 1, but Jin and Rein are already in the middle of Phase 3..." At that point, distinguishing and ssifying beyond Phase 3 bes irrelevant. "So, what kind of specs did the headquarters request?" "Surprisingly, they¡¯re not that high. But we¡¯ll have to fit everything into the sleek body of Mecha Eugene and still retain that human softness. Considering we¡¯ll have to downgrade it, this is going to be a tough job." "Right, and I don¡¯t even know what alloy we should use for the parts. Then there¡¯s the power source." "It¡¯s better to learn while starting from scratch than trying to figure it all out with no clues." At 3:42 AM. While Eugene¡¯s group was watching the Hawaiian sky at 9:42 PM. Despite the darkening night, the lights in the research facility never went out. In fact, this was just the beginning. Chapter 481 Sure, here''s the trantion of the chapter: ¡°It¡¯s funny how the story we started just to joke around has grown this big.¡± ¡°No, hey! Why are we being dragged into this again?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say ¡®the more the merrier¡¯? Why don¡¯t we all just enjoy it together?¡± ¡°Hotteok, if I had some ridiculously long arms that could reach all the way to Bucheon, I¡¯d strangle you to death.¡± Meanwhile, in Korea at 2 AM. As usual, the ¡°Ugly Crew¡± that Harmonie, Hotteok, Limit, and Kim Stone were often a part of, got a bombshell dropped on them. The reason was simple. Due to Hotteok¡¯s donation, they suddenly found themselves invited to join ate Hawaii trip. Still, Hotteok wasn¡¯t entirely without excuses. One of the rules of the group¡¯s chat and voice chat was ¡°Share the good with yourself, but share the hard times with everyone,¡± and besides that, it was actually Eugene who first invited everyone to Hawaii. Of course, dragging Limit and Stone into this was entirely Hotteok¡¯s fault. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m trying to think positively, as long as nothing urgentes up. I don¡¯t have any sponsorships this week or next week, and the streamerpetition isn¡¯t for another three weeks.¡± ¡°Ah, when you put it that way, I¡¯m starting to feel tempted too. But when I think about it, is there even anything to do there? Won¡¯t we just go there, shoot some guns, ande back?¡± ¡°Guys, that¡¯s not a vacation, that¡¯s a training camp.¡± The thing making the three of them hesitate was the possibility that they might have to undergo training. Actually, it wasn¡¯t even a matter of ¡°maybe.¡± It was going to happen. It wasn¡¯t a matter of probability. When considering the lineup of Eugene, Loren, Harmonie, and Dice, even the idea of a ¡°tropical paradise¡± would inevitably turn into something else. It was more likely to be a ¡°training camp¡± location rather than a vacation spot. The thing was, Eugene hadn¡¯t really said much about what they were going to do there¡ªlike what they¡¯d actually be doing once they got there. So,cking that information, they had to imagine it themselves, and their imagination ran wild with endless possibilities. Besides that, there was something else: ¡°And besides, just because we don¡¯t have a schedule doesn¡¯t mean we can just leave for Hawaii at a whim. You guys aren¡¯t cursed wanderers with no sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s why we¡¯re having this discussion¡ªwhether to go or not.¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be fine if only Hotteok and Limit go, not me? Ah, fine. Stop looking at me like that! You guys are seriously terrible!¡± Zing. Naturally, as soon as those words came out of Kim Stone¡¯s mouth, sharp res shot out from the others. The look in their eyes was unmistakable: ¡°Read the atmosphere.¡± There was no escaping it. Kim Stone was also nning to participate in the streamerpetition in three weeks. Even if the Hawaii trip turned into a training camp¡­ would it be all that bad? Hotteok and Limit had alreadye to this conclusion, and there was no way Kim Stone was getting out of it. Anyway, aside from that, they absolutely had to find out what they were going to do when they got there. Since Hotteok was the one who brought it up, it was also up to him to take responsibility. Just ten seconds after that, Hotteok called Eugene for a private voice chat. ¡°¡­Ah, yes. Hello, sir. It¡¯s been a long time. I¡¯m the one who donated earlier, Hotteok. I just wanted to check¡ªif we do go to Hawaii, we won¡¯t just be shooting guns, right¡­?¡± ¡°I think I now understand exactly how you see me from thatstment.¡± ¡°Sir! I didn¡¯t say anything like that!¡± ¡°Neither did I!¡± A quick severance. In the blink of an eye, Hotteok was left hanging, while Limit and Stone rushed over to Eugene, attaching themselves to him and waiting for the inevitable verdict. However, it only took a few seconds before Eugene burst outughing and added: ¡°Well, of course, there will be some shooting involved, but do you think we¡¯ll just go there and do nothing but shoot guns? The majority of the trip will probably be like a normal tropical vacation. We¡¯ll be snorkeling, ying on the beach, surfing¡­ you know, the usual tropical tourist activities.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°So, you three, including Hotteok, right? Once we get everyone¡¯s input, let me know. I¡¯ll send you round-trip flight tickets to Hawaii.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Round-trip? At that moment, the eyes of the three people, who had been listening carefully to Eugene¡¯s words, grew as wide asnterns. They were sure that they¡¯d only get one-way tickets and were already ready to be grateful for that, but suddenly, they had been struck by the surprising fortune of getting round-trip tickets. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°The room on the left side of the suite where we¡¯ll be staying is free. It¡¯ll be more than enough to amodate the three of you. I¡¯ll book it for about a week, so just pack your bags ande.¡± ¡°¡­Wait, what? Did I hear that right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m inviting busy people, so booking isn¡¯t a problem. Once you¡¯ve decided who¡¯sing, please let me know as soon as possible. To be honest, there¡¯s no need to pack, but that¡¯s not something I¡¯m involved with.¡± Squeak. The moment those words reached their ears, the three people in the room almost had to force their necks to move, as if they were machines that hadn¡¯t been lubricated in years. It was impossible toprehend. It was beyond their imagination. Moreover, these were people who hadn¡¯t had much of a schedule aside from streaming for the past week or two, so Hotteok, Limit, and Stone began to feel a slight pang in their stomachs. ¡°¡­Should we start pretending to be busy now?¡± ¡°I still have a triangle of conscience in my heart.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m going crazy¡­¡± Of course, there were still many more absurdities toe. Among them was the fact that Hotteok, Limit, and Stone were about to be put through extensive shooting practice once they arrived in Hawaii, and so the two of them were alreadyughing at the idea that even Kim Stone would have to go through basic training in Hawaii. After a few minutes, the three of them, nowpletely enchanted by the unbelievable Hawaii package, took a deep breath and added:@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­I guess there¡¯s no reason not to go. I¡¯m definitely going.¡± ¡°From now on, my schedule is just the airport.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m going too. But what should I do? I¡¯ve gained some weight recently, and I don¡¯t have a swimsuit that fits¡­¡± ¡°No way, Stone. Did you gain weight again? What excuse are you going to make this time? Did you gain weight because of the harvest season in October, or is it because you¡¯ve been snacking too much after Chuseok?¡± ¡°You sent me three Hanwoo beef sets on Chuseok, you jerk, and that¡¯s why I gained weight!¡± Eugene chuckled as he watched the chaos unfold, and in no time, the voice chat was filled with rustling noises as everyone excitedly rummaged through their wardrobes. Soon after, Eugene added: ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s meet in two days, looking healthy.¡± Click. In that moment, the scale of the Hawaii trip grew unexpectedly. ¡°Today¡¯s additional shooting is as nned, but the mock battle is canceled. Those three areing to Hawaii in a day or two.¡± ¡°...They¡¯re reallying? For real?¡± ¡°Eugene, maybe content creation is your true calling after all¡­¡± ¡°Haha.¡± It might not have been entirely wrong. It was the morning of the second day in Hawaii. ¡°Greetings, everyone. It¡¯s pretty hot today. Normally, I¡¯d greet you inside the building, but due to a schedule change, the mock battle unfortunately won¡¯t be happening. But I¡¯m sure none of you are unhappy about that. If you are, feel free toe to Hawaii.¡± Interpretation: Those who are dissatisfied will be turned into target practice. Oh, we¡¯re just thankful for you streaming for us. Thank you, thank you^^ Hey, when the teacher holds the machine gun and says stuff like that, hahaha¡­ Police, officer, this guy¡¯s actually holding a gun and threatening us!! Man, seriously hahahaha Click. On the outdoor shooting range in Hawaii, under therge folding canopy, a MG338 machine guny on the ground. Pulling the handle connected to the linked ammo in the opposite direction would automatically load the gun. This was one of its unique loading methods. Fortunately, the machine guns prepared for the day¡¯s shooting had no legal issues. Moreover, the MG338 in this world was slowly being reced by better models, so obtaining one wasn¡¯t a big problem. It was a relief that this was the year 2036. At any rate, they¡¯d spent quite a bit of money on all this, but there was no major issue. Those with FFL and SOT were lucky. Of course, when I went to America, it wasn¡¯t that hard to buy or make those kinds of guns either. ¡°There are a few things like this South African machine gun, which cost several thousand dors for each one. But luckily, today, we¡¯ll be able to show you some machine gun shooting without any problems. And this MG338 is a machine gun I used often during my active duty.¡± ¡°Heh, I never thought I¡¯d see the youngest holding that thing again all the way in Hawaii.¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, today, we won¡¯t be aiming at distant targets. We¡¯ll focus on hitting close-range targets. I¡¯ll mix in some tracer rounds so the viewers can easily follow the trajectory.¡± Today, Loren and Eugene would go first in shooting. Unlike Harmonie and Dice, who would be lying down to shoot, Loren also picked up the machine gun, which was quietly ced on the ground. In this case, the side handle was more convenient, and Loren preferred it, so both models of guns were very simr in that regard. With a ¡°tick¡± sound, a greenser shot out. It wasn¡¯t an infraredser. They couldn¡¯t use those since the viewers wouldn¡¯t be able to see them. After quickly switching to burst mode with her thumb, Loren gently lifted the gun. Far away, she spotted a target moving left and right. With the sound of a siren, everyone else but Loren and Eugene took a step back. It was just a precaution in case of any unforeseen situation. A few secondster, ©¤©¤©¤Tukakakakakang! Dozens of Magnum bullets flew out of the gun¡¯s barrel. The sound of it echoed from far away, proving that the moving target was bing nothing more than rags. She had fired dozens of rounds with this gun, and all the zeroing and adjustment data were already in her mind. The 75-round belt attached to the side of the machine gun was quickly emptied. By forcing the recoil down and distributing it, the shot grouping was so precise that it was almost a work of art, visible beyond the LPVO crosshair. She was relieved that her skills hadn¡¯t rusted. The zeroing was perfect. Once the ammo belt was empty, Eugene raised the barrel vertically and kneeled down, grabbing a new belt. The ¡°click¡± of it being loaded was heard as the handle passed through the chamber. After pulling it back ¡ª ¡°click.¡± The second round of shooting was ready. Another massive boom rang out. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°No matter how many times I see it, I still don¡¯t get it. How could that skinny body have any muscle?¡± ¡°Did she always do that?¡± ¡°Hm? Of course. Whenever Loren would go to the shooting range, everyone would be craning their necks to watch her.¡± Man, she¡¯s shooting like a pro hahaha If I tried doing that in America, it¡¯d cost me so much money to fire, I envy her hahaha Look at the recoil, not even a flinch Man, they¡¯re like a different species hahaha The only people who could make Rambo look like a rookie hahaha Dice, sitting on a chair behind Eugene and Loren, turned to Laik and struggled to ask in English. The expected answer came back, and the scene vividly appeared in his mind. Although he had never seen it in person, it felt like he could clearly picture the image. She watched like a giraffe. Though she had never seen it in person, somehow, she could vividly picture the scene in her head. Even she was starting to feel a sense of awe, watching the two figures remainpletely still amidst the massive, billowing gunpowder smoke and the ferocious mes that shot up. But that wasn¡¯t all. Harmonie and Dice were scheduled to take their turns muchter, and before that¡­ the two ¡°awakened¡± individuals¡¯ extraordinary feats¡ªor rather, their disy of skill¡ªwould take ce first. And just as expected, ¡°¡­Eugene just picked up some ridiculously massive gun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the 50-caliber machine gun, right?¡± ¡°Not even a hip fire, but he¡¯s holding it and shooting it like that¡ª¡± ¨C¨C¨CBoom! The sound wasn¡¯t so much a gunshot as it was an ear-splitting noise that sounded as though a divine punishment was descending from the heavens. On the drone cam¡¯s screen, a massive amount of dirt erupted, far beyond what had happened earlier. Naturally, Eugene didn¡¯t even flinch. Out of all the countless handheld 50-caliber machine gun videos scattered across YouSpace, even the muscr bodies ofrge people were often shown being forcefully pushed backward, and even when they did shoot, the idea of achieving a proper shot grouping was virtually impossible. But Eugene was pulling it off. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°With that kind of strength, he could probably handle a minigun or a KPV too¡­¡± ¡°Do you think he could shoot a GAU-19, a 50-caliber minigun?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t refute that.¡± What in the world is that hahaha I get that he¡¯s shooting with that thing, but he¡¯s not even putting in any effort, just casually firing off rounds like it¡¯s nothing. How is that even possible, seriously hahaha I¡¯m sorry!! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but I¡¯ll apologize anyway!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, next thing you know, he¡¯ll be shooting a 105mm cannon hahaha Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Of course, this was just the beginning. The gunfire still echoed in Hawaii. As the day wore on, the scene became more intense. Eugene and Loren¡¯s disys were only the beginning, and the other members of the team couldn¡¯t help but be drawn into the excitement. Thebination of strength, precision, and sheer firepower was a sight to behold, and it was clear that this training camp had just started to ramp up to something extraordinary. Chapter 482 ¨C¨C¨CVroom! ¡°The drone¡¯s performance is pretty impressive. I have the feeling we¡¯ll run out of all the rounds before we even hit it¡­¡± ¡°Haha, of course. It¡¯ll be tough with just two miniguns. Hopefully, this gives you a taste of what Navy sailors felt like back in WWII.¡± A drone soaring through the sky at several hundred kilometers per hour. It wasn¡¯t really a drone, but more like a miniaturized airne, and its speed reflected that. As it zipped through the sunny Hawaiian sky, a rather annoying whirring sound echoed. One might wonder if it was purposely making that noise. The drone¡¯s operator, Mr. Rack, was diligently controlling the device to ensure it stayed within an eptable altitude and range. Naturally, if the drone flew too high or strayed too far, the U.S. military stationed in Hawaii would definitely take notice. To prevent that disaster, they¡¯d already reached out in advance and received the necessary permissions. Now, it was just time to shoot and hit it. ¡°We¡¯ve got four drones prepared. They weren¡¯t too expensive, so feel free to shoot as much as you want. The cost of the rounds to shoot them down will probably exceed the price of the drones themselves.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, everyone? Get ready.¡± Wow, trigger-happy!!! This is going to be so fun hahaha This is what happens when ridiculously rich people get serious about guns hahaha Two miniguns? Did they bring like 50,000 rounds or something? hahaha Just the money they¡¯ve spent preparing for the shooting alone must be over 200 million... crazy ?? While everyone was sporting excited expressions, they checked the shooting angles for their guns. Ahead of themy a high mountain range, and the area was remote enough that they could shoot in any direction without worrying about hitting anything¡ªprovided they didn¡¯t point their guns in apletely ridiculous direction. Even at a 45-degree angle, the nearest popted area was more than 12 km away. So, the angle for firing the machine guns was actually pretty straightforward. Around seven people took their positions, checking their machine guns. Loren and Eugene were each holding a minigun for the viewers¡¯ enjoyment, while Harmonie and Dice were preparing to shoot the Browning M2 and the MG338, respectively. One of the gun shop staff members who had joined them was ready to take the KPV. There were some other light machine guns like the FN Minimi and M249 mixed in, but they were no match for the other heavy machine guns they had brought along in terms of firepower¡­ though honestly, no one seemed too concerned about that. Anyway, that didn¡¯t matter much, as they¡¯d be rotating shooters anyway. With a "click," the linked ammo belts were loaded into the chamber of the machine guns, and the drone slowly started to move forward. After making a quick turn, it crossed from left to right in the line of fire¡ª ¨C¨C¨CBoom! The deafening sound of gunfire rang in their ears. The tracer rounds are intense hahaha Even in reality, there¡¯s someone shooting a minigun hahaha Two awakened individuals shooting miniguns? How do you even deal with that!!!??? Living point: That¡¯s not a microgun, they¡¯re shooting 7.62mm rounds Forearm strength, insane hahaha With a firm grip on the minigun, Eugene forced the gun down, which was trying to lift into the air. A cloud of gunpowder smoke and mes erupted right in front of him as tracer rounds mixed in, revealing the trajectory of the minigun¡¯s rounds. It was like a giant whip cracking through the air, twoser-like beams painting the sky in horizontal strokes. The shooting continued from both the left and right. The linked ammo belts were sucked into the chamber like waves crashing onto the shore. On the opposite side, shell casings and clips were ejecting in rapid session, piling up on the right side of the shooters like a sandcastle on the beach. Despite over 200 rounds per second filling the air, the drone¡ªlike a stubborn target¡ªcontinued to zip back and forth, easily weaving through the massive zone of destruction. And then, the shooting stopped. ¡°We¡¯re making another pass. Get ready.¡± ¡°This time, we¡¯re really going to hit it.¡± ¡°Haha, it won¡¯t be easy.¡± A thick cloud of gunpowder smoke hung in the air. But unlike the others around him, Eugene¡¯s eyes were linked to the Icarus Augmented Reality lens, which automatically adjusted and highlighted predictive shots as the drone¡¯s trajectory was analyzed. After a few more passes, he would be able to take that drone down with his shots. The dronepleted its turn and began flying from right to left. With a firm push of his left arm and both feet nted firmly on the ground, Eugene pressed the button with his right hand.@@novelbin@@ Hundreds of shell casings ttered to the ground. The deafening roar reverberated as the rounds from the minigun slowly began to close the gap with the erratically moving drone. Even as the rounds flew, the Icarus-Hologram lens, synced with Eugene¡¯s retina, calcted the drone¡¯s predicted flight path and disyed percentages in the air. It wasn¡¯t just about disying random data; it processed countless variables in real-time, including the drone¡¯s wing angles, engine output, wind speed, and direction, showing where the drone was likely to fly. In the meantime, Eugene¡¯s and Loren¡¯s shot patterns began to ovep slightly. It seemed that Loren had noticed what Eugene was up to and, rather than confronting him, she was subtly mimicking his trajectory¡ªor, to put it less kindly, she was riding on his coattails. But it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°¡­.¡± With a press of the button, Eugene unleashed more than 600 rounds from the minigun. As the second pass began, everyone stopped shooting and took a moment to reload. But this was the end. The drone was likely to be shattered by bullets as it crossed the front of their line, and after that, they would switch to different guns. A haze of heat and gunpowder smoke filled the air, and as the drone made its turn again, the first to fire was, naturally, the minigun. With a noise reminiscent of an electric chainsaw, two streams of bullets were unleashed, followed by five different machine guns from the squad, each vomiting mes from their barrels. The drone, still flying arrogantly through the sky, continued its journey. But this time, they weren¡¯t going to let it pass. ¨C¨C¨CVroom! ¡°¡­Huh? Oh! It¡¯s falling!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not falling. It¡¯s being torn apart mid-air!¡± Oh my god hahaha Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! He actually shattered it hahaha That¡¯s terrifying hahaha Scary fact: He was controlling the recoil with the minigun and just sted it to pieces Thunk. As soon as the drone was hit, its speed dropped drastically, but they didn¡¯t let it fall to the ground. After pouring hundreds of rounds into its predicted trajectory, the drone disintegrated into several pieces before hitting the ground, turning into something like Swiss cheese. Only then did Eugene release his grip on the minigun and respond to the apuse starting to echo around him. Meanwhile, one of the staff who hadn¡¯t participated in the shooting brought over a tripod, setting the minigun up on it for a more stable shot. Now it was time to shuffle the guns. ¡°Are you going to take the KPV now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Alright, new recruits. Come on over. Now that we¡¯re in Hawaii, you¡¯ve got to shoot a minigun at least once. Be careful, though, it has more recoil than you¡¯d think.¡± ¡°¡­Are we really in Hawaii?¡± ¡°It feels like we¡¯vee to Hawaii just to see the sights, even though we¡¯ve only been here for two days.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the clothes I brought as a backup, and theck of a shower at the indoor shooting range, I might¡¯ve been showering at the hotel by now... It finally feels like a vacation. Just a few hours ago, I thought we were here for training.¡± ¡°But you had fun, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± The night in Hawaii is long. Yesterday, as they were heading to the hotel by car, the streets seemed empty, but tonight, they were walking on foot, their feet hitting the bustling, hot sidewalks. Even though it was October, the off-peak season, it was still impressive how crowded it was with both tourists and locals. In reality, Hawaii has an average temperature of 20 to 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year, so whether you visit during summer or any other season, it¡¯s pretty much the same, and there are always crowds. But now, being right in the middle of the crowd, it felt much more real. Of course, they couldn¡¯t fully immerse themselves in the tourist atmosphere. They had to keep an eye on the drone¡¯s live feed, watching for any faces of the people passing by or for any store signs to make sure the mosaic filter was properly applied. After all, about 2.1 million people were watching their broadcast right now. ¡°Be careful of pickpockets, and as you walk around, make sure to check where we might have dinner. Food trucks are fine, and so are restaurants.¡± ¡°¡­But honestly, I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll even have time to eat dinner. Wow.¡± At that moment, a group of people casually approached them. By this point, there was no one around who didn¡¯t know what was going on with the crowd. Everyone pulled out a pen from their pockets¡ªof course, it was for autographs. Given howrge their presence was in the Dark Zone, it wasn¡¯t surprising that people would ask for signatures. About one-third of the crowd were locals watching the broadcast live, while the rest were tourists. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching your broadcast, Eugene. The shooting with moving targets from earlier today was incredible. I also enjoy shooting, and I hope I¡¯ll have the chance to experience something as fun as that one day.¡± ¡°The broker who appeared on the broadcast helped a lot. If I ever have enough money and time, I¡¯d love to experience such a great time like you did.¡± ¡°Haha, thanks for the encouragement. And the great autograph too!¡± Eugene wrote a simple greeting and signature on a post-it-sized piece of paper. It was a repeat, again and again. This happened barely ten minutes after they stepped out onto the street. Unfortunately, since their goal for today was to enjoy some sightseeing and have dinner in Hawaii, they couldn¡¯t give autographs to everyone in the crowd. But there was one person in their group who remainedpletely unbothered. ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t ask for autographs from Senior Loren. Please keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Ah, looks like the youngest is working hard again. Thank you.¡± Christopher "Specter" Loren. Now, they were only calling him by his first name, but Eugene had never once referred to him by his full name. In fact, everything about him¡ªhis handwriting, his height, his age¡ªwas ssified. Even essing this information was restricted to authorized personnel in SOCOM. Simrly, Loren had appeared countless times on Eugene¡¯s broadcast, but he had never revealed what organization he was affiliated with. The only thing he¡¯d ever mentioned was, ¡°Eugene was once my junior.¡± ¡®...Normally, someone like him wouldn¡¯t even be able to show his face on a broadcast.¡¯ The reason Loren could appear on Eugene¡¯s broadcast with his face visible was simple. Reverse-information transmission. Ironically, the more Loren appeared on the stream, the more the viewers¡¯ spection about which organization he belonged to grew even more unclear. This uncertainty was fueled by disorganized public opinion created by people working in intelligence agencies in both Korea and the U.S., which only made things more obscure. It was a kind of high-risk, high-return strategy. Eugene spected that the team from ¡°Snakekeeper¡± in Korea, including Nakasona, was likely crawling through Korean public opinion rted to him or Loren right now, analyzing it with secret connections to the U.S. Cyber Command. Meanwhile, the drone cam had been muted, and Eugene spoke in a quiet, more private manner to Loren, sharing a few sensitive topics. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been nice to bring a few sheets of ¡®paper¡¯ that the guys in Pakistan use often?¡± ¡°You mean the paper that automatically erases after an hour... Hmm, it¡¯s better not to leave any room for that. Honestly, we¡¯re on thin ice as it is.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not just tagging along for no reason. I¡¯ve got a few tasks that are pretty tough to exin to the youngest, which I¡¯m working on under the condition ofing to Hawaii.¡± ¡°Things like inspecting local infrastructure, updatingwork rys, and data transmission software¡­¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t hide it, huh? You can guess about that much. There are some U.S. military friends who might want to use the opportunity of the youngest¡¯s Hawaii visit as a cover to do something.¡± Hmm. Well, if that¡¯s the case, then it was what it was. Ultimately, Loren appearing on the broadcast had its own set of interests tied to it. As long as no idents happened, the trip would go smoothly, leaving only pleasant memories. With the conversation flowing, Loren began to bring up some things she had been holding back. ¡°The humanoid project for the youngest, the one that¡¯s being pushed now¡ªisn¡¯t it about extracting the AI from the game world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s more like the beam projector from that other world is being projected here.¡± ¡°I figured as much.¡± Loren took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s stop with the grim talk. The two new juniors are in a bit of a tough spot.¡± At that moment, her eyes turned sharply forward. Somehow, Harmonie and Dice were now surrounded by a crowd of people, all eagerly asking for autographs. As Eugene¡¯s eyes met theirs, they both waved enthusiastically, signaling that they needed help. It seemed like they were in a bit of trouble. With a sly smile, Eugene cut through the crowd, deactivating the noise barrier and added: ¡°Well done, you two.¡± ¡°Where have you been? Oh wow.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, our new juniors. We haven¡¯t even had dinner yet.¡± 7:30 PM. While Hotteok, Limit, and Stone were waiting for their flight to Hawaii, tangled up like Vienna sausages, Eugene and the others felt the heat of Hawaii¡¯s tourist spot for the first time in two days. It was only 30 minutes before all the tourists in the area began to crowd into the spot they were upying. Chapter 483 ¡°Phew, this is exhausting. Is the next debate thest one? The Republicans aren¡¯t going down easily, are they? They¡¯ve really sharpened their knives.¡± ¡°Well, didn¡¯t youpletely crush their knives this time? Their momentum is totally shattered. Whatever they bring up next won¡¯t have much effect, unless they try to drag up some pathetic arguments to smear their image.¡± ¡°If it turns into a brawl, we¡¯ve got a lot to stab at, but if they drag it into the mud, that¡¯ll be something else. Unless they¡¯vepletely lost their minds, they won¡¯t go that route.¡± New York, Camp Henry. The sky was clear, and the weather was cool. It was a refreshing day, especially considering the fiery shes that had taken ce just yesterday during the second presidential debate. Henry Michael Brayton, a former Senate Majority Leader and now the Democratic presidential candidate after a smooth and aggressive campaign, nced at a pile of papers on the table before speaking again. The pile of papers¡ªotherwise known as the newspaper. Specifically, the political section had the headline on the first page showing Henry, with boxing gloves on, literally punching the Republican presidential candidate, Ernest Shepard, into submission. It was a tant image. Henry briefly checked the name of the journalist who published the article but then quickly put it aside, waving his hand lightly. A staff member immediately called someone over, and as soon as another staff member entered, the door was locked. After sipping his coffee, Henry spoke. ¡°Good thing we got some support at the right time.¡± ¡°The data on humanoids from Viper, you mean? Absolutely. ¡­I doubt there¡¯s any other camp as free from internal squabbles as this one.¡± Instead of responding directly, Henry exhaled deeply, sinking into his chair. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily a negative response¡ªit was about the Super PACs. In other words, legal lobbying or campaign funds. If a presidential candidate¡¯s stance aligned with certain corporate interests, thosepanies could fund the candidate¡¯s campaign. And in 2036, thepanies supporting Henry M. Brayton were none other than Icarus International and its think tanks. While the amounts weren¡¯t asrge as those for other candidates, at least Henry didn¡¯t have to worry about being influenced by them. To be precise, the Super PACs from thesepanies didn¡¯t just provide campaign funding; they were also used as the foundation and evidence to back up Henry¡¯s policies. ¡°Being called a warmongering interventionist without being able to defend myself was quite a harvest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Republicans were more than a little flustered. Suddenly, the fire was on their feet. The frame they carefully built to turn you into a mustached dictatorpletely shattered.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem. d it¡¯s not mine anymore.¡± The conversation continued, skipping over some of the details of the process and conclusions. One of Henry¡¯s key foreign policy tforms was aggressive American intervention abroad. Given that the 48th President of the United States from another world had effectively turned China, Russia, and Mexico¡¯s cartels into nothing more than Heinz ketchup, Henry was inclined to think the best solution to the ongoing disputes between the Middle East, Pakistan, and India was simple: intervention. Moreover, he was a progressive Democrat. With China and Russia effectively gone, Henry believed the next step was to bring about permanent global peace. The old istionism seemed far too na?ve. However, there were, of course, counterarguments to his proposed intervention. ¡®¡­In the end, the Republicans only have one card left to y.¡¯ People die. In other words, casualties are expected.@@novelbin@@ If American soldiers were sent to the middle of a massive conflict between Pakistan and India, what would happen? Given the death toll of 2,448 American troops during the U.S.-Afghanistan War just a decade ago, the situation could easily result in more casualties. Already, newspaper headlines were starting to take shape. ¡°U.S. President ys with Fire near the Powder Keg,¡± or ¡°Does Henry Value Soldiers¡¯ Lives as Mere Chips?¡± These were the kind of titles that would soon take over the front pages with grotesque caricatures of Henry. But at this point, Eugene had handed Henry one card. The humanoid. ¡°Humanoids. I wonder where you keep getting these incredible things from. If you throw in pulse technology and remote-controlled humanoids, this will make for some very interesting results.¡± ¡°Casualties, post-war recovery, disaster relief, veteran support¡­ I¡¯m sure once Viper¡¯s technology starts being implemented, even those Republican guys, who are barely hanging on, will be using Icarus Dynamics¡¯ prosthetics and exoskeletons, quietly behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Just hearing that already makes me feel so much better.¡± There was no need to worry about casualties. Once humanoid technology became deeply integrated into the military, there would be no need to worry about high-level operators being lost in battle, as they could be reced easily and at a fraction of the cost. Veterans, PTSD, casualties, job concerns¡ªcutting-edge technology could not solve everything, but it could handle at least 75% of those issues. And Henry, just yesterday, had unveiled the metaphorical dagger he¡¯d kept hidden,pletely obliterating Ernest Shepard, who had been constantly throwing jabs at him. ¡°After consulting numerous experts frompanies specializing in humanoid development, we¡¯ve concluded that within just one year, we could deploy remote-controlledbat androids to drastically reduce casualties in the U.S. military.¡± ¡°Not only that, this technology could create a massive number of jobs nationwide. Additionally, it could address issues rted to industrial idents, safety concerns,bat deployment-rted injuries, or even physical disabilities caused by aging¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t some magicmp where a genie pops out. It¡¯s real, practical technology, researched bypanies like Ubitech, 1X, Icarus Dynamics, Pal Robotics, and Boston Dynamics¡­¡± What was more fun than turning the opposition into ketchup was turning them into ketchup using facts and data. Moreover, given that there was no backdoor bribery involved to obtain this analysis, the Republicans would realize that the more they tried to investigate the data, the more futile their efforts would be. The conclusion was clear, and everyone in the room questioned whether there was any need for a third debate. No matter how much they pondered, the next debate was most likely going to serve as the Republicans¡¯ dignified retreat. Whether that retreat would be denied or whether some mercy would be shown was entirely up to Henry, but he didn¡¯t care much about that. His thoughts were already focused on what woulde after sitting in the Oval Office. ¡®The real problem is how to handle the pressure building up between the Middle East, India, and Pakistan¡­¡¯ There were many ways to go about it. First, Henry could simply wait for the situation to escte, and with the backing of public opinion and the United Nations, he could suppress the inevitable conflicts and crimes that would arise. If it went this way, the situation would most likely settle without much resistance. Without the bothersome obstacles of China and Russia, Henry had countless options, and for the Middle East, he already had a n in mind. ¡®If I pay a hefty price and get the nuclear fusion technology from Viper¡­¡¯ In less than a week, he imagined that the turbans of the Middle Eastern leaders woulde running to him, begging for mercy. Chuckling to himself, he thought, ¡°¡­I have no idea how much I¡¯ll have to pay Viper for that.¡± In the other world, the U.S. government had spent far more than the entire U.S. national budget developing countless technologies. And Henry realized one thing: if not for the near-apocalyptic virus, the money spent would have been invested in a way that paid back the world in dividends. As he thought about the overwhelming technological gap, Henry exhaled deeply. Before he knew it, his coffee cup was empty. It was a day in October, just one month before the presidential election. ¡°Looks like you guys finally stepped foot in Hawaii. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you being ominous right off the bat?!¡± ¡°Wee to the world of gunpowder and lead...ugh!¡± ¡°Why are you instilling such strange vibes in those guys as soon as we arrive?¡± Meanwhile, about 8,000 kilometers away, on a small ind in the Pacific. Eugene and his group picked up three additional participants for their training. "Wow... how did you manage to book a ce like this?" ¡°Truly, overwhelming wealth makes almost anything possible.¡± ¡°...Well, yeah, that''s true.¡± As the door opened, the vastness of Waikiki was immediately visible. The sky seemed to blend into the ocean. The sea, a shimmering emerald green, gently rippled, and as the horizon met the water, the color deepened into a rich blue. It looked like paradise had descended onto the earthly realm. A ce that, until now, had only existed in thoughts, one they never thought they would actually visit due to theck of time and rxation¡ªwas right in front of them. As they took it all in, Harmony, after hearing Limit''spletely offbeatment, muttered with a slightly confused expression. It wasn¡¯t just about wealth. Technically, the whole hotel was¡­ likely a building Eugene¡¯s parents could freely use. But neither of them had any intention of telling the three who had just arrived in Hawaii about Eugene¡¯s family situation, so they just exchanged subtle smiles while watching the excitement unfold. However, surprisingly, the trio¡ªHotteok, Limit, and Kimstone¡ªhad no choice but to participate in the Hawaiian experience. One of the ind¡¯s signature activities, snorkeling, was waiting for them. ¡°Snorkeling?¡± ¡°We¡¯re nning to go quite far. Everything you need is loaded on the boat, so just bring yourselves. The vehicle is already prepared.¡± ¡°Uh, so should we not eat? What if we eat a hearty breakfast and then puke it all out in the sea?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got some chocte bars prepared just in case.¡± A small chuckle followed. The three, who were unsure at first, didn¡¯t really mind the sudden n. Snorkeling? Even if they weren¡¯t sure what it entailed, they could picture it¡ªswimming in clear waters, watching coral reefs, and feeding tropical fish. It sounded fun. Though it was sudden, they had done some research on Hawaiian activities beforeing. After all, even beaches that started epting guests at 7 AM had been on the itinerary, soining about this little surprise felt a bit out of ce. So, feeling a little dazed, they took the elevator down to the basement. They hadn¡¯t yet experienced the ssic Hawaiian sights, but there were still plenty of ways to feel the tropical atmosphere without walking the streets or sipping tropical punches. For example¡ª Vroom! ¡°Wow¡­ look at all these palm trees around here.¡± ¡°Look at the beautiful buildings. This is amazing¡­¡± ¡°Just yesterday, I was in Korea, and now¡­ what is going on?¡± Outside the car window, the views sped by. Towering volcanic mountain ranges, a sky so blue it looked unreal, rows of hotels and buildings, creating an exotic scene beneath the clear skies. The faint salty smell of the ocean air mixed with a fresh and sweet fragrance inside the car. The suddenness of it all made their hearts race. After all, it was Hawaii, and it felt every bit like the tropical paradise they had imagined. While Eugene handed out water and motion sickness pills bought from a convenience store, they swallowed the pills and divided into two cars¡ªthree people in one, four in the other¡ªas they quietly crossed the 40 km volcanic ind. After about 30 minutes, the cars pulled up to a quiet parking lot near the harbor. ¡°...Wow, this ce is quieter than I expected.¡± ¡°There are a lot of boats... this is the harbor.¡± ¡°Tour starts in about 15 minutes, so please stretch before you get in the water. We didn¡¯t bring extra clothes, but we¡¯ll stop by the market on the way back, so don¡¯t worry about getting your clothes wet.¡± ¡°Okay, got it. Limit,e here! Let¡¯s stretch!¡± ¡°No, why me all of a sudden¡ªugh!¡± Limit¡¯s doomed, w I was wondering why the stream waste, but they actually came to Hawaii, haha! Is this stretching or torture? Hotteok, that¡¯s not stretching! You¡¯re twisting him like a shrimp, you monster! Kimstone over there has eyes wide open, lol. Crack! As expected, Limit, an ordinary person, couldn¡¯t escape Hotteok¡¯s grip. While the two exchanged some intense ¡°stretching,¡± Eugene¡¯s group, who had just gotten out of the car, also started stretching on the spot. There wasn¡¯t a single person nearby. Eugene, finishing his stretch, sat down on a chair and added, ¡°We¡¯ve rented the entire boat for today¡¯s snorkeling tour. You can enjoy the tour as much as you want and return when you''re ready.¡± No one seemed displeased by the news. Just then, from a pier on one side, the sound of a motor started, and a small boat began approaching the group. And then, the first thing they noticed was a pictogram. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Hawaii... Shark?¡± ¡°Eugene, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well, what do you think it is?¡± Wait¡­ what? No way, haha, seriously? Is this snorkeling or bing shark food? I can¡¯t believe this is a shark tour, haha! No wonder Lorentina¡¯s been smiling all along, haha! Everyone¡¯s heads turned in unison, eyes fixed on the shark-shaped sticker on the boat. At the end of the gaze was Eugene¡¯s face. Just moments ago, he had been beaming with a smile so bright it could blind anyone¡ªbut now, there was something off about it. Was it just their imagination, or did it suddenly smell like blood? No, it wasn¡¯t their imagination. Eugene had been nning to trick everyone from the start, and he was enjoying the sight of their color draining away. As the kindly-looking captain brought the boat to aplete stop, Eugene opened his mouth. ¡°Shark tours are still a type of snorkeling. I didn¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Ahh, nooo¡ª!¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not tasty! Really! I¡¯m terrified of sharks! I won¡¯t even step into an aquarium¡¯s shark tank!¡± ¡°Haha.¡± In an instant, the harbor turned into chaos. However, Eugene had long since figured out how to handle the situation. ¡°Won¡¯t you watch Lorentina interact with the sharks?¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± ¡°Wait, Lorentina, you¡¯re a shark ¡®manifestor,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°I see everyone¡¯s finallying back to their senses.¡± Lorentina picked up on Eugene¡¯s words and added with a mischievous chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to let my shark friends know not to bite you, so don¡¯t worry about being bitten.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Is there anyone who wants to cancel the shark tour?¡± Of course, no one raised their hand. Sometimes, curiosity ovees fear. The boat carrying seven people was about to leave the harbor. Chapter 484 ¡°Ugh, if I hadn¡¯t taken the motion sickness pills, I would¡¯ve died instantly¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because the boat is small, or because the waves are high. Everyone¡¯s looking pretty miserable.¡± ¡°Lorentina, you don¡¯t look the least bit bothered.¡± ¡°Ha, do you think I haven¡¯t been on boats for years?¡± Ah. Everyone nodded in agreement. Thankfully, by this point, Lorentina had be fluent in Korean¡ªthough there was still a slight English ent, which couldn¡¯t be helped¡ªso she was able tomunicate with the group without much trouble. The real issue wasn¡¯t thenguage, though; as Eugene had warned earlier, the small boat, the high waves, and the sound of the enginebined to create a fantastic, dreadfulmunication barrier. Simply put, whenever someone tried to speak, the noise from the waves and the boat made it nearly impossible to hear them. Despite the troublesome situation, Eugene and Lorentina stood at the front of the tour boat, checking the conditions of the five others. Both of them had basic field medical training, and there was a first aid kit on board. In case of an emergency, Eugene could even treat them using Icarus gear. The treatment would involve sending a specific electrical signal to the body, providing the brain with new equilibrium information to help with motion sickness. ¡°Wow, the sea is really blue.¡± ¡°In other words, from here on out, it¡¯s incredibly deep. At least a few hundred meters. If we go further, it¡¯ll be measured in kilometers... but don¡¯t worry about the depth, since the sharks are already swimming around us.¡± ¡°You say that, but now I¡¯m more worried!¡± Hahaha Harmony roar, lol ??: So what are you going to do about it? Wow, we¡¯re already seeing sharks after just a few kilometers, lol Fact: There¡¯s a shark on the boat too. Of course, despite the viewers¡¯ments, even if Minah vented her frustration, there wasn¡¯t much she could do. However, a good mentor should always have something to offer when their disciplesin. Though it wasn''t food, Eugene¡¯s "tail" was there to soothe them. Eugene waved his tail yfully in front of Dice and Harmony. He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. Just pet the tail.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ hehe, it¡¯s refreshing.¡± ¡°This is happiness.¡± While the others rxed, Stone quickly sat next to Dice and began poking the tail with his fingers. Hotteok and Limit looked on with envious expressions before giving up and starting to take selfies. Eugene thought about letting them secretly touch the tailter, but since he¡¯d already allowed them to do it before, this time he decided against it. That being said, the most convenientmunication method on the shaky and noisy boat was signnguage¡ªnot the conventional type, but a version developed by ICARUS in the past. Eugene exchanged a few quick signs with Lorentina. We should be there in about 3 minutes. I can already see the prison facility over there. Saying ¡°prison facility¡± might sound odd, but what they were actually referring to was therge cage floating in the middle of the ocean, designed to safely observe the sharks. Since this was military signnguage, there were some words that couldn¡¯t be expressed directly, but Lorentina did her best to select the most fitting alternatives. The meaning was clear, so it didn¡¯t matter too much. As she said, the boat slowly began to reduce its speed. As the boat stopped rocking, everyone¡¯s expressions began to brighten. The sky was clear and the sea was as blue as ever. However, there was one notable difference. Ssh! ¡°Ugh, a shark! It¡¯s a real shark!¡± ¡°Oh my God, how many are there?!¡± At least 10 sharks were swimming nearby. Just then, the captain of the boat appeared and began pulling out snorkeling gear, cing it in the center of the boat. As expected, safety was the top priority, and everyone was required toplete a safety briefing before going in. Only three people could enter at a time, with each turnsting 15 minutes to avoid hypothermia due to the colder water temperature. The captain added with a chuckle, ¡°Normally, the toursts about 40 to 50 minutes, but not many people make it that long. The ones who do are usually the ones with very strong nerves.¡± ¡°Ah, haha¡­¡± ¡°I want to go in with Hotteok. Protect me! I heard that if I punch a shark in the nose, I can win!¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± While they bickered about who would go first, the shark added, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe out of the cage and swim freely with me?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s give it a try. But first, let me switch off the drone cam and switch to the underwater camera. Please wait a moment.¡± ¡°Are you two sure about this? Going out of the cage? I¡¯ve been running shark tours for 15 years, but I¡¯ve never seen this before... I hope you¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry.¡± And then¡ªclick. The broadcast suddenly cut off. The screen shifted to the 360-degree underwater camera that Hotteok was holding. After about 1-2 minutes, Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone dove into the cage, setting up the camera to capture the underwater scene perfectly. The goal for Hotteok¡¯s group was to set up the underwater camera, while Harmony and Dice would be thest to leave the cage, removing the camera to bring it back. As for Eugene and Lorentina, they nned to interact with the sharks and warn them not to get too close to the cage. When the others heard this, their expressions turned strange, but the die had already been cast. ¡°Then let¡¯s meet at the bottom of the sea.¡± ¡°Uh, I mean... be careful?¡± ¡°Careful? Those sharks are probably more likely to eat twenty of them than touch us.¡± Hahaha! Looks like Hotteok¡¯s got himself booked for a shark bite, lol These guys don¡¯t hold back when ites to the tail and sharks, huh, haha! Can¡¯t deny it, haha. Crazy bastards, haha! Of course, thatment didn''t reach anyone. Lorentina and I, both dressed in rash guards, jumped into the water. As the coolness of the sea surrounded us with a ssh, I watched in awe as the gills on Lorentina¡¯s neck, which had been calmly resting, opened up. It was such a fascinating physical structure. Naturally, as soon as Lorentina hit the water, she started swimming through the vast ocean like it was her own backyard, moving at an astonishing speed of 36 km/h. It was hard to believe such speed coulde from her, but as usual, the body of a "manifested" person couldn''t be easily exined scientifically. At any rate, I trailed after Lorentina and eventually found myself swimming toward a shark that had been circling nearby. Lorentina and Imunicated using signnguage, while the shark and I exchanged non-verbal cues, like nces and gestures. At that moment, a thought crossed my mind: ...Perhaps manifested individuals have the ability to temporarily increase the intelligence of nearby animals? It could be that way. Meanwhile, more sharks gathered around us, circling us as Lorentina began one-on-one training with them, catching each shark and teaching them something. To summarize the lessons: Should I head-butt this box? Never seen this thing! I¡¯ll bite it! Do you want to die? Hmph... However, whenever the sharks got too bold, the Icarus gear on my arm was ready to turn them into crispy and tender electric rotisserie chickens. And so, after a series of sessfulmunication exchanges, the cage finally came into view in the distance. It seemed like the underwater camera had been installed. I tapped Lorentina on the back and gestured toward the cage. She grinned and nodded. Let¡¯s go have some fun with those guys. Thus began the mischievous Shark Tour. ¡°Wow, unbelievable...¡± ¡°They¡¯re not only casually touching the sharks, but now they¡¯re even threatening them with their fists?¡± What am I even watching right now, lol How... is this possible?????????? It¡¯s seriously amazing how they¡¯remunicating with animals, lol Living point: Lorentina is a shark manifestor. That guy Eugene is creating content like no one else, lol. As the drone cam quietly returned to its charging station, the underwater camera was installed in the center of the cage. Meanwhile, as Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone fought their own battles with the fear that the sharks brought, Dice and Harmony, watching the live stream on the boat, were struck by the sight of two manifested individuals freely swimming through the deep ocean, with no visible floor. Despite having been through countless bizarre situations with Eugene, seeing Lorentina pet a shark¡¯s head pushed them beyond their limits of surprise. But that wasn''t the end. Eeeh!? Ugh...! Woo! Unable to speak because of their snorkels, the three screamed in terror, but the reason they screamed was simple. From below, Eugene had stealthily wrapped a snake-like tail around Hotteok¡¯s leg. Naturally, Hotteok, having the biggest shock of his life, quickly bent his head down and faced Eugene¡¯s mischievous smile. By then, his heartbeat had started to stabilize as he realized what was happening. But the next surprise was still toe. Thud! ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°What did Lorentina do to get those sharks to act like this?¡± The sharks suddenly swerved, changing direction and nudging the bars of the cage. Of course, the gap between the bars wasn¡¯t too small for the sharks to stick their faces through, and everyone inside had to experience a half-forced rush of fear and thrill as the sharks circled them with a chilling sound. It wasn¡¯t just that. From the back came the sharp sound of metal¡ªLorentina was casually biting on the bars with a smile on her face. ¡°I see why the ping spikes happen now.¡± ¡°I think it would be nice if Lorentina could ask the sharks not to chew on the fiber-optic cables¡­¡± Ah, hahaha! That¡¯s why the ping spiked, lol! Thepanies making the cables are probably crying right now, lol ??? : Strengthen cable durability? Just convince the sharks to stop, lol. The people making ping jokes here are just as crazy, lol. It wasplete chaos. While the time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye for Harmony and Dice, the three inside the cage were already in aplete panic, caught in the midst of a shark whirlwind. The only thing bringing them back to their senses was Lorentina, who was tapping the sharks on their noses to stop them from crossing boundaries. And just like that, 15 minutes flew by. By the time Eugene emerged from the water, looking at Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone scrambling to climb back onto the boat, he was chuckling to himself. Lorentina approached the cage and, sitting on top, added: ¡°So, how was it? Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Ugh... Aaaaah...¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Honestly, that was scarier than riding a roller coaster without holding the safety bar...¡± ¡°Haha, and yet you managed tost 15 minutes. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re cold. Wrap yourself in a towel once you¡¯re back.¡± Despite being underwater, the screams of the three were captured clearly by the underwater cam. One thing was certain: Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone had made it through this whole ordeal, while Dice and Harmony were now preparing to enter the shark-infested waters for their turn. The captain, with a smile as warm as an angel¡¯s, handed snorkeling gear to Harmony and Dice, who now fully realized that the time for their fun was officially over. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the bottom of the sea.¡± Ssh. With that, Eugene dived back into the water, and Harmony and Dice followed, giving themselves up to the blue Pacific Ocean. 15 sharks were waiting for them. Chapter 485 ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so cold¡­!¡± One step, two steps, and three steps into the deep blue abyss where the bottom was barely visible. The cold sea water wrapped around my feet, knees, waist, and then my entire body, and as I submerged fully, the transparent water revealed itself to Harmony. It wasn¡¯t the light blue or emerald-colored water that you usually associate with Hawaii. Instead, it was an endless deep blue, much like the eyes of the manifested Biyam, swimming joyfully through the sea. Behind me, I heard a ssh. It was Dice. Unlike me, who was gradually getting used to the water, Dice jumped right into the cage after wetting her body. With a ssh, her yellow hair seemed to dissolve into the water. Unlikest time, the two of us were wearing hooded rash guards, which meant we could appear on stream without any trouble. We checked our breathing, making sure everything was alright, while the thick air hoses connected to our snorkels were doing their job. Then, we cautiously descended into the water. ¡®Oh my god¡­!¡¯ Oh, that startled me, lol! Seeing this, Lorentina really is shark-inspired, haha. Her hair color even matches that of a shark, lol! Harmony¡¯s face says it all, hahaha! If a cat enters the water, it''s shark food, lol. In front of me was Lorentina. She was smiling broadly and waving her hand. I noticed the gills-like structures near her neck¡ªso that¡¯s how she could stay underwater for so long without ever needing to surface. I hadn¡¯t realized until now, but it made perfect sense. While I was thinking this, Lorentina yfully patted the side of a massive shark that must have been over 5 meters long. She seemed to bemunicating with it. Maybe it was more than just a gesture; it was probably an actual exchange. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the viewers were reacting to this kind of animalmunication. Just as I was lost in thought, Lorentina finished talking with the giant shark and started moving toward the cage. ¡®What is she asking it to do?¡¯@@novelbin@@ The shark, which had been approaching the cage as if it were about to smash into it, gradually slowed down. Then, it flicked its tail, turning to the side and rubbing its body against the cage. I wondered if it was signaling us to touch it. Cautiously, Harmony reached out and began stroking the shark¡¯s side. It was rougher than expected. As she stroked from the tail to the head, there was a noticeable resistance. When she stroked in the opposite direction, it was much smoother. I remembered a swimsuit designed based on shark skin. So, it seemed like this resistance was due to the water¡¯s natural friction. Meanwhile, the shark, seemingly uninterested, flicked its tail and slowly drifted away toward Dice¡¯s direction. Just as it did, Lorentina, who had been hidden behind the massive shark, suddenly appeared, and she gently patted Harmony¡¯s head. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Haha, she just patted her head! She just casually patted her, lol! Lorentina really treats Harmony like a cute little sibling, lol! The way she casually patted her head, wow, lol. What a fascinating person. Harmony couldn''t help but feel fond of the situation. It was only natural. To Harmony, Eugene and Lorentina were like big sisters. Of course, Harmony had been shocked when she learned that Lorentina and Logan were much older than she thought. But, in reality, the two of them felt no different from her peers. Despite their age, it was clear that the aging process of manifested individuals was much slower than normal, which meant they could all be considered ¡°sisters,¡± regardless of their actual age. While lost in these thoughts, Harmony turned around to see Dice. She had her hand outstretched beyond the cage, trying to pet the shark. The same shark that had allowed Harmony to touch it had already moved toward Dice. But that train of thought didn¡¯tst long. Suddenly, Harmony felt something poking the soles of her feet. Ughhh¡­!! There was a bubble rising from beneath her feet, and as she looked down through the transparent polycarbonate floor of the cage, she locked eyes with Eugene, who was smiling slightly. He was swimming underwater like a mermaid, though, on closer inspection, he looked more like a sea snake. Still, it was a beautiful sight. Harmony and Dice¡¯s underwater shark tour began to unfold in apletely different way than Hotteok¡¯s group. Having spent so much time with Eugene, and going through countless bizarre situations, their steeled nerves made them more excited than frightened by the shark tour. The expressions on Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone¡¯s faces as they watched Eugene¡¯s stream were also part of this experience. "Wait, how is Harmony not scared? How is she holding up so well in that situation?¡± ¡°Are we the scared ones, guys? Also, Limit, why did you cling to me earlier? You trying to get yourself killed?¡± ¡°Hey, the shark came towards me! You were scared too!¡± ¡°Such wimps...¡± As the three exchanged yful banter, it was clear that even though the fear of sharks wasn¡¯tpletely dismissed, Harmony and Dice¡¯s courage had certainly surpassed the average person¡¯s. After all, being surrounded by sharks that were over 5 meters long, swimming near the cage, was an intimidating sight. The timer went off with a beep. Fifteen minutes had passed¡ªa short time indeed, but not long enough for them to stay longer. The cold sea water made it difficult tost any longer. As the two of them climbed back onto the boat, wet and dripping, apuse erupted. "Wow, you guys did great." "Seriously, you guys are amazing. Weren¡¯t you scared?" "It actually got more fun as time went on. Lorentina and Eugene were floating around us, so there was fun in watching them too¡­" "Sounds like you¡¯re talking about us like we¡¯re just floating stic bags." Ssh! At that moment, two heads emerged about ten meters away from the boat, and it was Lorentina and Eugene. As the people on the boat watched them approach, they quickly wondered whether they had enjoyed themselves. It didn¡¯t seem like they were just participants in the tour¡ªthey almost seemed like the tour guides themselves. But judging by their expressions, it was clear that they didn¡¯t dislike the experience. As they stepped onto the boat, water dripping off them, Dice and Harmony handed over the underwater camera. The drone cam flickered to life. Lorentina and Eugene sat down and took a sip of an ion drink from the cooler. After taking a deep breath, Eugene added: "Swimming around like that made me really hungry. Anyone else want to go for another shark tour?" "Ehhh, I think that¡¯s enough for now..." "Alright then, let¡¯s head back to the maind. We¡¯ll stop for a shower first to wash off the saltwater." Wow, that rash guard is really clinging to them... Wow... Look at those curves, haha... I really want to say so much, but I can¡¯t... From now on, my favorite animals are sharks, snakes, and pr bears. Seriously, I¡¯ve gotten all the clips, but I know you¡¯re different... Lorentina and Eugene, however, paid no attention to the chat. With the shark tour causing quite a stir, the real sightseeing in Hawaii was about to begin. ¡°¡­Seriously, being on an ind, all I can see is the sea. No matter how beautiful the emerald-colored ocean is, if there¡¯s a beach where you can step on the sand, there will definitely be a few people gathered around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is when the whole ind is a tourist spot. Later, let¡¯s watch the fireworks.¡± ¡°I guess so. Ugh¡­¡± Hawaii, a paradise granted by the sky. No matter where you looked, beautifulndscapes that could be framed as a picture, overflowing with people, and sporadic h performances happening in the za within the hotel grounds. However, while it was true that the atmosphere of a tourist spot could excite a person, the seven of us¡ªmyself included¡ªwho had spent the whole day exploring the ind and experiencing the full Hawaiian tour, were starting to lose some of that excitement due to exhaustion. Perhaps it was because we had been moving around all day. Of course, tomorrow, we would be recharged and full of energy again. ¡°You can still look forward to more. A pilgrimage to the beach is a must, and there¡¯s still the yacht tour, jetpack flying, and if you want, paragliding. You can even take a helicopter tour and view a volcano from the sky.¡± ¡°Wow, but Eugene, can you ride the helicopter?¡± ¡°Because of the weight limit, I can only take one person with me, including myself.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ^250kg^ It''s not a helicopter tour, it¡¯s more like flying in a Little Bird with foldable seats for city infiltration, lol. They should be showing us how to infiltrate with a helicopter, not doing a sightseeing tour, haha. Now that it''se to this, should we just borrow a helicopter from the nearby military base? Sigh. As usual, the chat was flooded with nonsense. I wondered how much cleaner the world would be if I could just scoop these guys into a trash can and shoot them into space. With that thought in mind, I sat on the balcony, gazing at the night sky. I briefly thought about having dinner at the hidden lounge on the upper floor, but since the weather was perfect today, like it had been yesterday, with not a cloud in the sky, I decided to order room service and enjoy it on the outdoor balcony terrace, listening to the cool sea breeze and the sound of the waves crashing on Waikiki Beach. Naturally, the cost was zero. Long live my parents. I decided to check in with the group again as I continued to focus on dinner while also leisurely scanning the darkened Hawaii. Boom! ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± Fireworks erupted from the wall of the Icarus Residence and the beach right in front of us. What had initially been a small explosion soon blossomed into a magnificent disy, spreading brilliant light in all directions. Thousands of fiery petals bloomed in thete autumn sky over Hawaii. Despite the delicious, steaming food filling the table in front of us, the sight was enough to make us stop eating for a moment. Whether it was because of me or not, the Icarus Residence had been advertising the fireworks since the day before. The beach was packed with more people than one might expect for a nighttime event, and the sound of the fireworks could not be drowned out by the cheers and apuse of the crowd. Harmony and Dice, who had learned a bit about my family by now, had a peculiar smile as they realized the fireworks were happening because of me. Hotteok¡¯s group, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away from the scene unfolding outside. After a while, someone casually remarked. ¡°I swear, just as I start getting used to it, they hit me with another fantastic sight¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to a few ces, but I¡¯ve never felt like I¡¯ve entered another world this much.¡± ¡°Why does this remind me of the shooting we did a while ago¡­?¡± Well, there goes the mood. Lol. Is this really Eugene we''re talking about?? Hotteok, Limit, and Stone¡¯s faces are already like they''ve lost their country, lol. What are you staring at? You guys are supposed to be shooting tomorrow or the day after, lol. Training isn¡¯t over yet... It hasn¡¯t ended, it¡¯s just starting, lol. Whoosh! In that moment, Hotteok, Limit, and Stone¡¯s expressions shifted to a kind of nkness as Harmony¡¯s words crashed into them. Naturally, Harmony was the one who spoke. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at their confused faces. The fireworks kept going off in the background. I was curious about what Harmony would say next, but thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t such a randomment after all. The sound of fireworks made me think of gunshots¡­ and that could lead to PTSD, but of course, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Anyway, about the shooting. With the announcement that Hotteok¡¯s group was indeeding to Hawaii, the mock operation scheduled for the second day was postponed, and the trip could stretch for as long as we wanted. This meant we could easily fit in a shooting session on any day except the day we left. That said, if we were to get them involved, they would need to sight in their weapons... which meant I¡¯d need to take them back to the shooting range. Safety training, sighting adjustments, and familiarizing them with various firearms was something only Lorentina and I could handle on our own. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ At the same time, I made eye contact with Harmony and Dice. Seeing them munching away like hamsters, I figured they hadn¡¯t expected me to say anything. But within a few seconds, they would know. If I were to get them involved in this training, we¡¯d need an instructor¡ªsomeone to help with sighting adjustments, safety education, and a variety of heavy weapons experiences. The answer to that was simple. ¡°You two.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°Would you be willing to take on the role of instructor at the shooting range tomorrow or the day after?¡± ¡°...Huh.¡± Instructor. Or firearms instructor. Or even coach. While Hotteok¡¯s group was trying to process what I said, Harmony and Dice, who had spent more time with me, were having a mini brain freeze. But soon, they seemed to gauge whether it was possible and whether they could actually do it. After a few seconds, it clicked. The two of them, who had never been to a training camp, suddenly had these incredibly mischievous smiles, as though they were born to be instructors, and added enthusiastically: ¡°Hotteok, Limit, and even Hyuna¡ªare we teaching them? Of course, we¡¯re confident we can do it better than anyone!¡± ¡°I think this might be the most fun suggestion you¡¯ve made recently.¡± ¡°...Uh, wait, Minah? Dice? Why are you guys acting like this?¡± ¡°I... I think I forgot to bring something from Korea. I¡¯ll be back in a second. My mom just called and asked me to bring some kimchi, so I¡¯ll¡ªkyaaaa!¡± ¡°Come here, Owls 1, 2, and 3!¡± What the hell, lol. How did we go from enjoying fireworks to suddenly being instructors? Who cares, lol. It¡¯s fun! Wee to Eugene¡¯s School, everyone! Lose all hope! Well, that''s how it goes. Once again, the method of getting things done had worked, and our little Biyam group was ready to tackle the new mission with surprising enthusiasm. ¡°Hehe.¡± It was a delightful mess. The autumn night sky was especially beautiful. Chapter 486 "Wee to Eugene''s School! From now on, you are stepping into the furnace for the training of elite soldiers, and you will be undergoing a special course to be an Anaconda!"@@novelbin@@ "...Yesterday, we were definitely in Hawaii, but why does it feel like we''re suddenly at a reserve training center today?" "From the moment you step into this ce, you are rookies, but when you leave here, you will be weapons of war, craving battle, and be the Reaper... kwek!" "Stop saying weird stuff." Hahahahahahahahahahahaha Haha, it¡¯s Harmony, the hidden daughter of Sergeant Hartman hahahahahahahahahaha They¡¯re both Hah¡¯s! Hahahaha Why are they shooting Full Metal Jacket in Hawaii? Hahaha I knew they were gonna get hit hahahaha Bang. A crisp sound rang through the air, and stars popped in front of Harmony¡¯s eyes. Dice, who was watching the scene with her hat pulled low, gritted her teeth and tried to suppress herughter. I knew it was gonna be like this. If she was holding a gun, it¡¯d be one thing, but we hadn¡¯t even started the safety training yet, so there was room for some leniency. Still, why was I the one being called out? In any case, we were back at the indoor shooting range, which had be remarkably quieterpared to a few days ago. The Firearms International staff hadn¡¯te, so there were far fewer people than before. It didn¡¯t matter much though, since we had already finished almost all the setup on the first day. The walls were neatly lined with gun cabs, thousands of rounds of newly replenished ammunition, refrigerators filled with drinks and various foods, and numerousrge tables set up to store ammunition and firearms. It was exactly the same as it had been when we visited a few days ago. "Who¡¯s this? Where am I...?" "That''s odd... The reserve training is already over..." "Why am I here? I don¡¯t even do reserve training." Only three more friends had joined in the dissonance of confusion. Anyway, even though three new friends had joined, I didn¡¯t need to train them. It was fine for Dice, but Harmony... she must¡¯ve been really happy at the thought that she could legally "toughen up" the others. As soon as I threw her the baitst night, she eagerly took the bite. And that¡¯s how that... awful hybrid showed up. Let¡¯s just call her "Instructor Harmony" for now. She looked a bit like Sergeant Hartman. Maybe it¡¯s because they both have the Hah surname, but it was quite a resemnce. In any case, as she said, Harmony was literally flying around. Dice had no room to jump in, and we didn¡¯t even need to fill in the gaps. The green-haired kid, who had quietly brought over the whiteboard, had wlesslypleted the safety training. The only thing that stood out was that the warnings were very much Harmony-esque. "If you mess around, I¡¯ll smack you right across the back. What you¡¯re holding is a gun, got it? A gun! If you even joke around with it, your punishment will be to put a target on a piece of paper at 1500m away. There¡¯s no car. You have to run there and back." "Um, of course. Of course. Who would mess around with such a terrifying weapon?" "I should¡¯ve desperately warned Minah when she went under Eugene¡¯smand. I never imagined this snowball would roll into something like this." Listening quietly, I took a slow breath. Harmony, hearing that, exchanged a nce with me and then took a step back. She must''ve noticed I had something to say. "That¡¯s all for the safety rules. Wee to the shooting range. You¡¯ve probably never seen so many firearms in real life, and some of you might be wondering why you¡¯re here... but after observing you for a while, it doesn¡¯t seem like any of you are too averse to it." Naturally. Harmony, Dice, and all of Hotteok¡¯s group had agreed toe here, so we could be at the shooting range. Moreover, if there had been anyone who really didn¡¯t want toe, they probably shouldn¡¯t have gotten on the flight to Hawaii in the first ce. Along with me, Lorentina, and my first disciples, we gathered in a group, and just a few days ago, we broadcasted the scene of these two, who were covered in the smell of gunpowder from shooting bullets everywhere, on a live stream. Even though I sent round-trip tickets, the fact that these three had made it here despite having seen such a scene was indirect proof that they weren¡¯t uninterested. And as expected, the three sitting in chairs, though they grumbled a little, had expressions that clearly showed curiosity and excitement, abination of emotions. Watching this, Minah slowly came over and added: "It¡¯s really fortunate that the Dark Zone made it so there¡¯s less aversion to firearms. If it weren¡¯t for that, we¡¯d have had endless things to teach." "That¡¯s right." The structure and operation of firearms. Recoil control. Attaching firearm essories. Finding your own modding style. As expected, there wasn¡¯t a single person in Hotteok¡¯s group who didn¡¯t know about the things listed above. Even Kim Stone, a woman, or rather, Kim Hyun-ah, had once fought alongside Harmony in a streamerpetition before the Asian qualifiers held in Korea. In other words, beyond knowing the basics of firearms, they all knew how to set their own sights and understood which modding style suited them best. However, just knowing that didn¡¯t mean it was easy to shoot as if transferring game data directly to reality. As I mentioned before, the Dark Zone was designed to prevent crimes through muscle memory, and the more calibration there was, the more it twisted the sensory feedback of the body. Furthermore, actions like reloading or aiming under high calibration didn¡¯t require any effort. To put it simply, with low calibration, you had to apply strength to your arms to shoulder the gun, but in the case of higher calibration... aiming and aligning the sights would be done automatically, just like clicking the right mouse button. In the end, all three of them had to shoot bullets in all directions to get used to it. "Let¡¯s start with handguns. You can teach them well, right?" "Hehe, of course." "Dice, you also go out... The senior can take it easy." "How could I miss such a fun opportunity?" Why did you even make Harmony and Dice wear instructor hats if you were going to do this? Hahahahaha One of the three is going to be trained by a user! Hahaha Kim Stone got picked! Fake madness can¡¯t beat real madness... Always making a mess everywhere, and in the end, he paid the price! Hahahahaha I knew it. Harmony stuck with Hotteok, Dice went with Limit, and Lorentina and I went to Kim Stone, aka Kim Hyun-ah. Surprisingly, she was much shorter than Harmony, who was 160cm, standing at only 152cm, while I stood at 172cm, and Lorentina was over 180cm. As I¡¯ve exined before, unlike me, Logan and Lorentina¡¯s height didn¡¯t change that much, even though their bodies had transformed. So, this small friend had to deal with both of us, who were about 20-30cm taller than her. When we approached her, Hyun-ah¡¯s expression slowly turned into one of shock and horror. Of course, at this point, we didn¡¯t care, and we casually added: "Nice to meet you, it¡¯s been a while, right?" "Ah, yes, that¡¯s..." "Don¡¯t freeze up, just speakfortably." Thud. This small friend and I had quite a history together. We first met through a streamerpetition, and shortly after, I invited her to meet in person during the Asian qualifiers in Korea. So, as a sign of friendship, I ced my hand on her shoulder and smiled a refreshing smile before speaking. "Hyun-ah, I remember you used to really favor the TTI pistols, and this time you¡¯ve bought quite a few with a substantial amount of money. It''s not every day you get the chance to shoot ones that cost $5,000 each." "Hehe, really¡­?" "So, how does it feel? Doesn¡¯t it spark some real interest?" But I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so scared. Minah and Ye-rinughed like children when I gave them a quick tip, but I¡¯m not sure if this person likes that sort of thing. If she gets too nervous before shooting, we¡¯re in trouble. "...Did I do something wrong to Eugene, or what?" "I don¡¯t think so... It¡¯s just that you two have no idea how you look on camera right now." This is straight-up threatening! Hahahahahaha No joke, being kidnapped by the cartel and threatened with murder might be less scary than this! Hahahaha ?? : Hey, rx! Hahaha I mean, aren¡¯t these two like the apex predators sandwiched between animals? Hahaha I think those two sometimes forget what kind of image they have¡­ Unlike Hotteok and Limit, the atmosphere near Kim Stone had suddenly shifted to something between noir and thriller, and Eugene and Lorentina, who were both grinning like apex predators, only added to it. Watching that, Harmony smiled quietly and seemed to think, "It is what it is." Anyway, manifesters never seemed to know how to handle things in a normal way. "Put some real strength into your hands. Don¡¯t use your whole hand unnecessarily, just make sure to keep the grip solid. Don¡¯t keep adjusting the grip with every shot." "Ugh, this is so hard¡­" "You''re putting unnecessary pressure on your right hand again. That¡¯s why the shots are pulling to the right. And you¡¯re trying to force your wrist down topensate for the recoil, which is why you keep having those hotan shots." "How am I supposed to shoot this thing... Whoa!" Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! At that moment, Harmony took a quick breath and in an instant, drew her pistol from the holster with the speed of a light beam, aiming directly ahead. In a crisp motion, five shots disappeared in an instant. Simultaneously, five clear "bang" sounds echoed. The metal te, located 20 meters away, shook one after the other. Surprisingly, the five shots formed a tight grouping that, even at 20 meters, could fit into a circle the size of the space between your thumb and index finger. Of course, this was considering the fact that it was rapid fire. After removing the magazine and unloading the chambered round, Harmony ced the pistol on the divider stand. And then, she spoke: "Like this." "...Do you think we can do that?" Whoa, insane How... How did she...? ???????????????? Just a moment ago, she was just a rookie, and now in just 2 seconds, she¡¯s turned into an insane gun instructor! Hahahahaha Why is rapid fire so sexy??? Is this real???? I think I like women who shoot guns... Naturally, Hotteok was dumbfounded and pped his hands involuntarily. He had shot pistols in the game before. However, unlike Dice or Harmony, Hotteok and his group didn¡¯t reduce or remove any calibration, and because of that, it was as easy as breathing to hit the target with a pistol shot. At least in the Dark Zone, it was that easy. Buting into the real world, countless variables and difficulties struck them. The pistol was lighter than expected, but that didn¡¯t guarantee uracy. Simply breathing caused the sights to drift, and aligning the sights was harder than expected. That wasn¡¯t all. The trigger was rtively light, but the recoil wasn¡¯t. If he didn¡¯t distribute enough force to control the recoil, his wrist would lift, and the sights would get misaligned. On the other hand, if he ovepensated, that caused its own set of problems. Harmony, who had taken a brief breath, walked over. For some reason, Hotteok thought she looked surprisingly huge. "It¡¯s not easy, but it¡¯s not something you need to struggle with either. I¡¯ll help you as much as I can. Let¡¯s try again. There¡¯s a mini dot sight on it, so after about 10 minutes of learning, you should be able to get a good grouping." "...Okay. Got it." "You don¡¯t have to speak formally." But what could he do? It came out automatically. As she said, Minah began to watch Hotteok closely again as he started shooting. She adjusted his position using his hands and feet, teaching him where to apply pressure so that he couldfortably absorb the recoil. One shot, two shots. And then, the magazine was emptied, and the holes in the target gradually started to shrink towards a single point. As expected, Hotteok, as an E2-level manifestor, was incredibly confident in doing physical tasks, and he began to absorb the pistol shooting techniques like a sponge. Bang! "...I think I¡¯m getting the hang of it." "You¡¯re shooting really well now. Pistol shooting isn¡¯t that hard, is it?" "Yeah." He nodded. Once he figured out the trick, all that was left was more shooting... a sort of refining process. The more he resistedpromises, the more precise the grouping became. Limit, who was ncing over from the other side, was going through a simr process, and there were holes slightly bigger than a coin in his target. The groupings gathered at one point, and the paper began to tear. Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t gauge how Kim Stone was shooting, but considering she was one of the weakest in terms of stamina and strength, having two E-ss manifestors working with her wasn¡¯t going to be much of a problem. Just as I was wondering what Hotteok¡¯s group might bet on for a pistol shooting contest, a sudden loud noise rang out. Boom boom boom! "What the hell is that sound?" "Hey, that¡¯s¡­" ncing over, Harmony, who had been looking toward the source of the thunderous noise, added with an expression that looked like all the humor had drained from her face: "That¡¯s Eugene firing the .500 S&W Magnum with one hand, in rapid fire." Don¡¯t look over there!!!!!!!!!! They said he was bored hahaha Don¡¯t mind the stunts that someone with a wrist stronger than steel pulls~~ Oh no, he''s doing it again, crazy stuff only he can do hahaha Is this shooting or a strength show? Hahahahahahaha Ah. A strength show. I could confidently say I was stronger than anyone in the world, and Hotteok might have thought that with a little practice, he could do it too, but whether I could casually do something like that was another story. He suddenly felt like he was just an ordinary person. His first trip to Hawaii had turned out to be far more dynamic than he could have imagined. Chapter 487 "...So you guys have been doing this every time you go to reserve training, huh? I respect you, guys... well, no. Since I''m at a reserve training center in Hawaii right now, I guess I won¡¯t respect you that much." "Just enlist yourself. I¡¯ll write a nonmissioned officer application for you, just give me your thumb." "Sorry, guys. I¡¯ve already made a bunch of visits to see my younger brother¡­ Hey, hey! Don¡¯t grab my wrist! Don¡¯t make me sign it!" "Sigh, you little brats."@@novelbin@@ Hawaii was lively again today. A thought like that passed through my mind as I watched the situation unfold before me. Before long, the handgun turned into a submachine gun, and then into a carbine. However, even though the magazine was inserted, something uniquely shaped was attached to the muzzle¡­ it was a kind ofseruncher. When firing nks, aser would shoot out. I had borrowed some of the guns that Dice and Harmony used, so the mods were a bit different, but there were so many guns avable, it didn¡¯t matter... What was more important was zeroing in the sights and doing various practical shooting drills to loosen up. That would make for a much more interesting story. Now, to talk about that for a moment, of course, the friends who came here today were in for quite a shock with this amazing lineup of firearms, which was on an entirely different levelpared to their reserve training. By now, don¡¯t they shoot stuff like this even at reserve training? No way. They just tie up a K2 to a fixed mount, shoot 10 rounds, and then call it a day. During mock battles, the guns don¡¯t even have rails, and the sights are off. Uh¡­ sounds tough. ...But at least now they use K2s instead of M16s at reserve training. I could feel the progress in the world. It¡¯s been a while, but... anyway, let¡¯s skip over that part. As I¡¯ve said before, for these people, this was their first time firing guns like these in the real world. Given that VR calibration doesn¡¯t provide any help beyond theoretical data, it made the experience even more intense. For that reason, Lorentina and I stuck close to Hyun-ah, giving as much help as we could. Naturally, we struggled together. In virtual reality, unless the calibration was changed, even aplete beginner would have more stamina than a real-world operator, and my curriculum had been designed with that in mind. On the other hand, helping someone with poor physical stamina¡ªlike this... not as much. So I added this line: By the way¡­ has Harmony ever suggested working out together? Hihi. She has, huh. Seeing how soft and squishy everything was around Harmony¡¯s touch, it was clear she wasn¡¯t the type who¡¯d go for intense workouts¡ªof course, I¡¯m not crazy and didn¡¯t touch anything weird. The limit was something like her cheek or side. Anyway, it was a direct hit, and Hyun-ah quietly added, "I¡¯ll try my best¡­" As expected, there was no need to criticize her for not having enough stamina or having gained weight. From that point, Lorentina took over and started giving more direct help. Alright, let¡¯s try practicing firing in single shots. That should be good enough, right? Yes, I¡¯ll try. Let¡¯s get used to the recoil. It¡¯s not as difficult as you might think. After all, our little neers were able to shoot a .50 cal sniper rifle with stable uracy. As expected, the person who spent most of their time training others in Team 6 without even eating meals was a bit different. That said, Lorentina¡¯s words were right. Just recently, Minah and Ye-rin were happily shooting Barrett and AX50 sniper rifles, so it wasn¡¯t like Hyun-ah would be restricted in any way when it came to shooting. Of course, controlling the recoil would be "slightly" more difficult. Anyway, boosting herpetitive spirit with a ¡°If our friends can do it, what about you?¡± mentality worked well, and Hyun-ah, under Lorentina¡¯s guidance, quickly started to show the form of a seasoned expert. Alright. Lean your upper body slightly forward, and always pay attention to where each foot is positioned. Make sure your stance is firm, only take this much strength in your hands¡­ and fire. Ugh...! You¡¯re doing well. What you need to remember is: Don¡¯t try to tense up your body when absorbing the recoil. Think of keeping your body lightly tense so that you¡¯re ready to move forward at any moment. Got it? Ah, like this... Wow, this is really it. This makes it so much better. Excellent. Onest thing: Don¡¯t overexert yourself when handling the initial recoil. What can I say, the sight brought back memories of my past. If I swapped the sunny Hawaiian background for the incredibly cold snowstorm of New York, it would almost be the same. Back then, Lorentina had trained me, too. Once I gained a bit of expertise in shooting, I was immediately sent to Owens for supplies, but that¡¯s another story. I wasn¡¯t just thinking about this for no reason. Lorentina was looking at me and Hyun-ah with the same expression she had back then. That being said... I¡¯m just the newbie, Minah and Ye-rin are the new newbies, Jin and Rain are the Mecha newbies, and this friend is¡­ the New Newbie? You sure pick names easily. Haha. Isn¡¯t it easy to understand? Can¡¯t argue with that. As usual, it might seem like azy naming, but maybe it¡¯s something only this person could pull off¡ªseeing through the essence of things. Anyway, a variety of modded guns were now in the hands of everyone except Lorentina and me. Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t going to be any manifesters in this mock battle. When I pointed that out, the viewers on the stream were going wild, making all kinds of excited noises, but there were a few reasons for that. First, the more external reason: this mock battle was being used as a sort of... Asia qualifier and streamerpetition practice. Of course, unlikest year, 1:1 pro training in virtual reality wasn¡¯t possible, but it wasn¡¯t like we weren¡¯t allowed to do it in real life, right? If we weren¡¯t just watching but actually participating, it would be hard to properly give feedback on the overall battle scene. And the second reason... "...If Lorentina and I get involved, the bnce will be off." It wasn¡¯t about putting one of us in each team to bnce things out. If you put it this way, the likelihood¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t even a probability, it was inevitable¡ªthat it would turn into a one-man show between Lorentina and me was high. I couldn¡¯t really exin it myself, so today, I was just nning to watch. Anyway, the meta for today was: "There¡¯s no more practical training than facing strong opponents head-on. Are you all ready?" "...Huh?" "Oh, I thought we were past this¡­" "Alright, guys, Eugene School is starting. Brace yourselves." Through impact and collision, we get stronger. A sharp sword isn¡¯t easily forged. Today, Hotteok¡¯s group would be Harmony and Dice¡¯s excellent EXP capsules. Of course, the same could be said for weightlifting. "...One Harmony. And explosives are blocked. 1:3, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s worth a try?" "I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m not sure." "Minah might not have the best stamina, but with Hotteok and Limit, we should be fine. Instead of just shooting head-on, we should wear them down slowly. Maybe we can make it work." 1:3 raid, what is this? Hahahahahahahaha Harmony against those three? My heart is racing... is this the same green-haired rookie who used to drop magazines????? If it¡¯s Dice + Harmony against Hotteok and the others, they¡¯re going to be minced! Hahahahahaha This time, without grenades, it should be quite tough, right? Surprisingly good bnce here, haha 1:3. The three of them took deep breaths in front of a temporary building stacked three stories high. Somewhere inside that building, Harmony was waiting. The broadcast had started, and their goal was simple: kill Harmony by any means necessary. The operation hadn¡¯t officially begun yet, so they each spected on the chances of winning or losing. They didn¡¯t care what the viewers thought. But no clear answers emerged. It was only natural. They¡¯d never had abat scenario like this in the game. The only way to simte this situation might have been with a bouncy hammer faction civil war, and even then, there were no guarantees. "I don¡¯t know. Anyway, as we decided earlier, let¡¯s first scout with the drones and then go in. Everyone, get your drones out. Have you memorized the blueprint?" "Yeah. Why wouldn¡¯t I have?" "If this were a game, we could rappel down or jump in, but... not sure if I should be disappointed or relieved that we can¡¯t do that..." "Hey, hey, don¡¯t fall now." Do you think this is a game???? That¡¯s something only manifesters, who wouldn¡¯t get hurt even if they fell from a building, do. Hahahahahaha Team Six Mode (Can¡¯t do it) The drones are simr to what we¡¯ve seen before, haha If they don¡¯t act reckless, this could work. And so, each one took their position. There were three entry points. As they ced the drones on the ground, they began to operate their tablets. A two-wheeled cylindrical drone started moving into the building. Theyout wasn¡¯t overlyplicated, but that didn¡¯t mean they could easily find their way. They reyed the blueprint in their minds, checking the building¡¯syout with the drone. The sound of the drone rolling through the silent first floor was the only noise. Naturally, there was no one on the first floor. So, the three drones ascended to the second floor via the two staircases. Around this time, they heard faint noises through the tablets. The sound of sneakers. Through messages, the three drones coordinated, gathering at a specific point on the second floor, dividing roles on who would be the decoy and who would hide the drones. Hotteok¡¯s drone led the way, and the other two drones hid behind objects to observe the wide hallway and stairs from a safe vantage point. And after a while... Tudududu! "...Ah. My drone¡¯s out. Harmony¡¯s in the central room on the second floor." "Confirmed. Let¡¯s start the operation. Entry team 2, prepare." "Entry team 3, ready." "...Entry team 1, ready. We¡¯re moving in." Team 1 was Hotteok, Team 2 was Limit, and Team 3 was Stone. With a click, the door opened, and the three of them started slicing the pie in the same way from different positions. None of them wereplete novices when it came to CQB; they seemed to recall their memories of virtual reality with ease. Theory doesn¡¯t die. It simply sinks into the body. Loading the magazine, aiming¡ªit all moved automatically. They quickly searched long hallways and side rooms. They checked for holes big enough for a person to fit through, behind doors, under tables... They also made sure to listen carefully for any unanticipated footsteps through the headset¡¯s audio function. But despite that, they heard something from above. "...Is someone up there?" The continued sound of footsteps. A faint... metallic sound, something like it. What on earth could they be doing up there? Since this wasn¡¯t a game, they couldn¡¯t use explosives... But the thought didn¡¯tst long, and before even a minute passed... "...First floor clear. Heading to the second floor now. I¡¯ll take the square staircase, so Team 2 and Team 3, use the central staircase. Watch each other¡¯s fronts and backs." "Shouldn¡¯t we support you from there?" "We checked with the drone earlier. The angles to cover are limited, so just one person should be fine." "Don¡¯t die up there." The three of them regrouped at one point and scattered again. Limit and Stone headed toward the central staircase, while Hotteok took the square staircase route. The redser mounted on their rifles scanned the walls, making a clicking sound. They could hear shoes scraping the floor. As soon as Hotteok stepped onto the second floor, an eerie silence wrapped around him. It felt strange. His brown eyes darted around, scanning for anyone nearby. He was only a few meters away from the central room where Harmony hadst been spotted. His mouth dried up, and his heart pumped fiercely, but oddly, the extremities of his body felt cold with tension. But at that moment... ng! "...!" A metallic sound. But this came from right under Hotteok¡¯s feet. He¡¯d been so tense that the noise seemed toe at him like thunder. Hotteok looked down and realized the sound was from several brass shell casings that he had kicked aside without noticing. At that moment, an rm siren in the corner of his mind began ring. And as expected... Tududududu! Out of nowhere, Harmony, who had been hiding in an unexpected spot, pulled the trigger and popped out. She had pre-fired after hearing the shell casings being kicked. Almost tenser shots tore through the air. Hotteok, with his exceptional reflexes, managed to avoid most of them, but a few shots grazed his side and leg. The injuries weren¡¯trge enough to be fatal, but they were enough to prevent him from continuing, so he ducked into a room for cover. However, Harmony had already long since abandoned her n to finish Hotteok off in the first room. "...Hmm." Clink. Harmony heard the metallic sounding from the central staircase and chuckled quietly. She took advantage of Hotteok, who was busy yelling into hisms while performing self-administered first aid, and swiftly moved around to the opposite side. By then, Limit had cautiously opened a half-closed door with his hand¡ªclink. The brass shell casing that Harmony had ced on the door fell to the ground. "Left! The room on the opposite side!" "Ahhh-!" Padadduk! Harmony fired first, and it didn¡¯t take long for Stone, who was covering the rear, to be shredded. "Harmony¡¯s moved to the back! She¡¯s in the central room light wing! Kim Stone¡¯s down!" "Hold on for a minute! Hyun-ah, go down, reset, and respawn toe back!" Naturally, this wasn¡¯t just a battle; it was the beginning of chaos. Harmony¡¯s attack had begun. Chapter 488 "...So that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing, picking up the shell casings one by one since earlier. I was wondering what you were up to... ying with random junk like that? Did you teach Green Cat that too, rookie?" "Of course." "I thought so." Even the seniors are amazed by that crazy trick, hahahahaha The vibe of realbat is different, hahahaha This is insane, hahahahaha Do you only think about tactical studies and ying tricks after meals?????? Forget the tactics, thebat sense is off the charts, damn. Lorentina chuckled. It seemed like the usual kind ofugh, but it was one of the responses that only came out when she was genuinely impressed. Even whileughing joyfully, her gaze didn¡¯t leave the screen, which was proof of that. That aside, the way the Shark spoke to me when he added thatment was quite noteworthy. How should I put it? It was like when parents open an old photo album, flipping through pages of past memories, describing them with a certain fondness. Right around that moment, a d¨¦j¨¤ vu hit me again, and memories from the past resurfaced. Lorentina had subtly referenced a battle that had taken ce in New York long ago. "So, when will those guys¡¯ tails grow back? Will I be able to see them before we return to the homnd?" "Stop saying nonsense." "Heh, what a pity." Laughing, the Shark resumed his focus. But I couldn¡¯t. Lorentina had triggered those past memories, and I couldn¡¯t focus on Harmony¡¯s battle anymore. I had sent Minah to that building just to give her feedback, but if I couldn¡¯t give proper advice, wasn¡¯t that just a disaster waiting to happen? Nevertheless, before I knew it, I had already drifted back to New York in my memories. Brooms, discarded drink cans, shell casings, grenades, and countless other pieces of junk scattered all over the city that had turned into a massive graveyard. All of them became the ingredients for traps. About a year after the Dark Winter incident, the second winter that hit the once famous Big Apple was even more brutal than the first. The citizens who had turned into rioters, the escaped prisoners, and the terrorists learned how to endure the snowstorms in New York, where heating was unavable. The des forged by a season humans couldn¡¯t endure were now aimed straight at Icarus, and many task forces, including Team Dagger, had to survivebat ratios of 5:1 or even 10:1. As a result, many operators¡¯ lives were lost amidst the dreadful snowstorm. And some of thosebat methods I had learned during that time were passed down to Harmony. "...How does it look from your perspective? Do you think there¡¯s anything to criticize?" "Which would you like to hear first? The positives? Or the negatives?" "Let¡¯s go with the negatives first, if there are any." A sound of breath being taken. Meanwhile, Hotteok¡¯s group¡¯s tactics were rapidly improving. Specifically, considering that they could respawn, they shifted their tactic to ensure that even if two of them died, at least one would survive to wait for reinforcements. Because of this, Harmony¡¯s kill count had climbed to seven by now. "Unfortunately, there¡¯s not much to criticize. Your crisis management is good, and what I like most is that there¡¯s no wasted movement. You¡¯re very aware of your stamina, aren¡¯t you?" "What else?" "Oh, Eugene. What more can you expect? Feedback isn¡¯t just about finding ws and smoothing them out with sandpaper. It¡¯s also about finding strengths and maximizing them." ¡®A real expert¡¯ Does she see all of that? I was just admiring it, hahahaha The way she conserves stamina is amazing, hahahahahaha This makes me want to dive into Dark Zone, I¡¯m going to log in Let me shoot too!!!!!! I nodded slightly at those words. The intense battlested for several more minutes, and the first to drop out was... Hyun-ah. Not Minah. Theck of stamina finally caught up with her. There were several close calls where she almost got injured without the proper knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, andbat gloves. As a result, Kim Stone was the first to call it quits. With that, the 1:3 battle became 1:2, and about 5 minutester, Harmony had carefully whittled down Hotteok and Limit¡¯s HP, and after they both reached a critical state, she began the final battle. Before either of them could respawn, she sessfully picked them off one by one. After about 10 minutes of the mock battle, the goddess of victory raised her hand for Harmony. Sweating profusely, everyone exited the building. "Whoa¡­!" "Good job, everyone. Grab a towel and a drink." "Thanks..." If they¡¯d gone on much longer, they¡¯d have looked like they were about to steam out of their bodies. Combat consumes a terrifying amount of calories. During intense engagements, up to 6,000 calories can be burned in a day, so hydration and calorie intake need to be monitored carefully. As expected, Harmony copsed onto a chair, drenched in sweat, and emptied a whole bottle of sports drink. Sitting next to her, Minah handed over a sweet chocte bar and, with her tail, made a makeshift armrest so she could lean forward. Minah herself copsed forward immediately. "Ah, this feels so good¡­ my tail feels so cool..." "Let¡¯s rest for about 30 minutes, and then it¡¯s Dice¡¯s turn. You three,e over here and sit when you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll give feedback." "Got it." The three of them, who had been wiping their sweat enthusiastically, quickly walked over and sat down. I debated where to start but decided to address the technical aspects first. "One of the most important things inbat is foot positioning. Even if you can¡¯t pay attention to everything, you need to at least keep track of where each foot is. By the way, is there anyone here who didn¡¯t fall during the engagement, other than Harmony?" "..." "Looks like no one." As I said, everyone had small andrge scars from knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and the like. They had scraped the floor while falling, and most of them had fallen at least two or three times. Even so, the fact that they hadn¡¯t collided with each other or made friendly fire during the fight was an incredible achievement. Friendly fire. It¡¯s a mistake many overlook during CQB. If you don¡¯t know theyout of the building and don¡¯t have a clear understanding of who is responsible for which area and search zones, it can happen more often than you think. Even special forces members conducting killbox exercises with simunition rounds sometimes made friendly fire mistakes when they forgot theyout. "Just that alone makes it a solid engagement. I¡¯m d you still remember the training from a year ago."@@novelbin@@ "...It¡¯s all thanks to you, teacher." "Haha, even if you tter me, nothing¡¯s going toe out of it." At that moment, Dice took a step forward. She nced over briefly and then asked Harmony. "Minah." "Yes?" "How about joining the engagement as a substitute during Dice¡¯s turn? Maybe just once or twice?" "Wait, Eugene! You didn¡¯t say that was part of the n!!?" "Isn¡¯t it a bit much to only send three people against someone who made it to fourth ce in the final championshipst year? Since Harmony isn¡¯t always going to participate, I thought it¡¯d be fine... but if you don¡¯t want to, we can reconsider." Dice is freaked out, hahahahahaha Harmony sneaking her in, hahahaha That was so smooth, hahahaha ??? : You want me to fight Minah?????? Extreme bncing, hahahahaha A few seconds of silence passed. Then, Dice reluctantly spoke up. "...I¡¯ll give it a try." And only then did I nod in satisfaction. Of course. About 20 minutester, while everyone was recovering their stamina, the structure of the building changed. The holographic projector was turned on, and the updated blueprint floated in the air. "I¡¯ll give you about 15 minutes. Feel free to memorize it and discuss it." Dice, arms crossed, stared intently at the blueprint, while the other four gathered slowly. It was a familiar pre-briefing scene. The bowstring was drawn, and the arrow aimed at the target. Who would win wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. What was certain was that everyone here would walk away with a wealth of knowledge and experience from today¡¯s mock battle, and that was all I needed to focus on. And so, time passed quickly... "Whoo, haa...!" "You really smashed those four to bits." "I feel like I¡¯m going to die¡­" And after several minutes passed, the scoreboard shed with various results. Dice had killed Hotteok¡¯s group and Harmony in session, but Harmony managed to defeat Dice in the fourth encounter. It seemed that the seeds I had sown had returned in the form of an extraordinary harvest. "...Was there such a gun?" "This should¡¯ve been tested on the second day at the shooting range, but since we brought so many guns, we couldn¡¯t really shoot it properly. Today, finally, we have the chance." nk. A massive sniper rifle, over 2 meters in length, with a silencer attached, was now in my hands. It was ced on the soft case that hade from the outdoor shooting range earlier. ncing sideways, I could see a few other rifles and sniper rifles arranged at even intervals. It was seriously huge, and considering the dust that might get kicked up, I wasn¡¯t sure whether it would be able to handle it. This big-caliber sniper rifle was easily thergest, even bigger than the Barrett, and was ced at the far left. So, what exactly was this gun? It was a Snipex Alligator, a big-caliber sniper rifle. The caliber was 14.5x114mm. Of course, if you had a massive caliber machine gun like the KPV that fires 10 rounds per second, it would only make sense that there¡¯s a sniper rifle to match. But by the time I exined all of that, everyone¡¯s reactions were somewhat awkward. "...Right?" "So, you brought the M2 machine gun, the Barrett, and the AX50 as well?" "That¡¯s all part of the grand n." "I don¡¯t think so¡­ Eugene, this is really a brilliant choice. I¡¯ve always wanted to shoot something with 14.5mm rounds. Don¡¯t you all agree?" Hahahahaha Hotteok is quickly shifting gears, hahahaha ?? : You don¡¯t agree with me? You have to agree! Eugene Doctrine, hahahahaha You¡¯re going to express negative opinions to someone holding a gun? Hahahaha As expected. The moment I loaded a round into the chamber of the Snipex Alligator, everyone quickly began praising my choice. Lorentina, watching the scene, chuckled softly. I slumped down into the seat and took the sitting position, preparing to fire. If there had been a tree behind me, I could¡¯ve leaned on it, but sadly, there wasn¡¯t. The massive anti-re barrel of the sniper rifle was now ready. On the rail, there was arge scope longer than a person¡¯s head, and beyond the crosshairs of the scope was a target positioned 100 meters away for zeroing. Since this was just a test shot, I took whatever posture I felt like. And the moment I pulled the trigger, a tremendous recoil mmed into my shoulder. KWAANG! Dust erupted from the ground, and a massive fireball burst forth. If Harmony or Dice had fired like that, they probably would¡¯ve gotten bruises on their shoulders or something. They would¡¯ve definitely been pushed back, like taking a shoulder bump. At any rate, the shot fired without any issues. With that, the sniper rifle¡¯s test shots were essentially over. Of course, someone might ask about the NTW-20, but that was¡ª "...Ugh." ???????????????????? Wow... wow... this is insane... Who even shoots with a 20mm sniper rifle, hahahaha Truly... just awe-inspiring... I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but I apologize... please stop the power demonstrations... I won¡¯t challenge you... KWAANG! Before I could exin, Lorentina lifted the South African "bigdy" sniper rifle, which weighed over dozens of kilograms, and mounted it on her shoulder. It looked almost like she was holding a small cannon. The moment she pulled the trigger, an even grander explosion sounded, shaking Hawaii. Anyway, as you can see, Lorentina was also helping with the test shots today. With a fierce smile on her lips, the Shark pulled the loading handle and ejected the massive brass shell casing, firing off the remaining two rounds. Meanwhile, I put the sniper rifle down and approached Hotteok, who was staring at it, still stunned. "Want to give it a try?" "...Can I?" "You don¡¯t have to use the sniper rifle." With his eyes full of desire, it was impossible to ignore. And I had already noticed exactly where his gaze was going. "Mini-gun." "Mini-gun?" "Give it a try. With your physical ability, Hotteok, I think you can handle itfortably." "Ah." From Hotteok to Hominator, hahahaha Fact: Even Terminators slowed down their firing rate, hahahaha In Hawaii¡¯s reserve training, there¡¯s a curriculum for shooting mini-guns, Hotteok¡¯s expression, hahahaha Just as expected. Hotteok had been looking around intently, pacing by the rows of machine guns. Since he¡¯d eventually shoot them all anyway, telling him to wait a little longer was probably not as fun. So, I called him over. The mini-gun, mounted on the tripod, was right in front of his eyes. "Does it feel like you¡¯re finally bing the U.S. military from the movies?" "Ah, haha..." "I¡¯ll detach it from the tripod, so please wait a moment." It didn¡¯t take long. After loosening a few mps, I lifted the mini-gun, and Hotteok moved the tripod aside. Since I had used it with Lorentina earlier, the handheld parts were still attached to the top of the mini-gun. After that, it was simple. Attach the handle to the back of the mini-gun and just give the instructions on where to hold it. I pointed to the multiple green lights on the side of the mini-gun and added: "Power and ammo systems, all green. Handheld fire switch is good. Shooting angle is straight ahead. Don¡¯t fire for more than 7 seconds... Are you ready?" "Ready." "Good." I moved to the rear of Hotteok, who was now holding the mini-gun. He took a big breath, and the others, eager to get a better look, started creeping toward my direction. The stage was set, and the audience had gathered. I spoke into the inte. "Shooting." And the mes erupted from just a few meters ahead. At first, the rounds shot erratically into the sky, but within a second, they stabilized, aiming straight ahead. Using his forearm and arm strength, Hotteok pushed the muzzle down, preventing it from rising into the air. Countless shell casings fell to the right, smoke billowed, and the muzzle emitted mes like a methrower. Five unforgettable seconds passed, and then Hotteok removed his finger from the trigger. I moved toward him, then added: "Impressive, right?" The response came a bit slowly. "Impressive." "Of course." At those words, both Lorentina and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. And thus, the third manifested shooter, who could control the recoil of a 7.62mm mini-gun with strength, was born. Chapter 489 "Taaang!" "...Hmm, it''s the Utan. It doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem with zeroing, wind speed, or direction; it¡¯s really just improper aiming. Don¡¯t be too discouraged. The breath between shots, scope alignment, the use of both eyes or just one, the cumtive recoil on your shoulder, and other factors like condition degradation could be contributing variables." "Ugh, this is so hard¡­!" Wow, the difficulty skyrocketed from 800m. Summary: Do more aiming practice. But sniping is tough; stabilizing the aim is harder than regr shooting, and breath control needs much more attention. But how did Harmony and Dice manage to hit targets at 1550m? Are they insane? Those two already have maxed-out aiming and breath control, hahahaha. My eyes were throbbing, and my shoulder was aching. After exhausting two full magazines of five rounds each, the target at 800 meters remained frustratingly clean. Not a single shot hit. I knew the reason, but as I sat in the chair to the left, Eugene looked like he knew it all too well, piercing straight to the point. With my shoulder firmly braced against the M24 SWS sniper rifle. Before entering the Dark Zone, I hade to know this rifle through YouSpace or action films. But the reality was that when you''re a beginner, no matter what tools you¡¯re given, it all feels the same. Unfortunately, that statement was not wrong. The sound of gunfire echoed around. Hotteok and Limit were also attempting long-range sniper shots with their rifles. I sighed and, feeling like I would never hit the target, exhaled deeply, lowered my head, and hunched forward. What a shame. "Cease fire. Let¡¯s take a break and regain someposure." "Yeah, let¡¯s do that." Ugh. Struggling to rise, I sat down on the soft case, and without a sound, an ion drink appeared right in front of me. But Eugene¡¯s gaze was fixed on something resembling a tablet. In other words, it wasn¡¯t something handed to me directly. Beneath the scorching Hawaiian sun, the scales of the tail shimmered unusually brightly. The blue ion drink was wrapped around it. Instead of grabbing the drink, I absentmindedly poked the tail with my finger. What was it? It was cool to the touch. It felt unique, like pressing on a toothpaste tube. Mina and... Yerin seem to lose their minds when they see a tail. Maybe there¡¯s a reason for that... I grabbed the ion drink, twisted the cap off, and gulped it down. "Phew¡­ Breathing control is so hard. My body keeps moving, and it feels like the reticle is shifting too." "That¡¯s the hardest part. You¡¯d need to practice for months, focusing solely on shooting, to have it ingrained in your muscle memory. Mina and Yerin managed it, which is why their groupings are so clean." "...What exactly did you make those two into?" "Hahaha." What else could it be but a beast, hahaha. Eugene School¡¯s first batch has already taken over the world... How many times have I been asked that question? Hahaha. Probably until Biyam quits streaming and enjoys life, haha. Mina not participating in the streamerpetition was all because of Eugene. Justst year... well, it all started with picking a specific game mode and calling over several Dark Zone streamers for apetition. That¡¯s what the streamerpetition was. Naturally, the skill levels varied, but even at their best, it was just the level of professional gamers. But starting from a year ago, things started to feel unusual. Now, Harmony had risen to a level unreachable by most. What kind of streamer can get 4th ce in the final championship ¨C really 2nd ce ¨C with a 30% chance of winning? Anyway, as I grumbled, Eugene continued to adjust the scope, making two hand gestures and then pointed at the camera with his finger. To interpret this: "Broadcasting not possible. Sensitive data. Do not speak of it. Blurring function activated. No questions allowed." That was a relief. I didn¡¯t know what he was nning, but it looked like he was going to try something, so I nodded. Eugene finally spoke. "Check the scope again. Look carefully, and let me know when the red dot lights up in the upper right." "Uh¡­ Yes, I see it." "The red dot indicates that the scope¡¯s reticle is perfectly aligned for shooting. When it blinks, that¡¯s when you should fire." "Aha." It would¡¯ve been nice if you had told me earlier. Hearing my grumble, Eugene chuckled and casually brushed it off, then pulled something out of his pocket. I turned to see it was a patch, somewhat resembling an aqua pad, with a small chip or sensor inside. Meanwhile, I nced sideways. The blue light from the drone cam was blinking. This meant visual and auditory data was being monitored. Then came the somewhat surprising words. "ce this patch on the spot closest to your heart. The neck area is fine too." "...What¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s a heart rate sensor. It will sync with the scope and indicate the perfect moment between heartbeats to fire. When the green light appears next to the red one, you should shoot." "Aha... there¡¯s really everything, huh." Of course, the moment I finished hearing that, the sensoring kicked in. I quickly turned halfway and concealed the patch cement, then resumed aiming. Once I carefully adjusted the scope and repeated breathing in and out, the red dot began to blink, followed by the green light at regr intervals. This is really cool. Thanks to the two lights, I quickly began to grasp what I needed to do. Eugene handed me a new magazine, and after loading it and moving forward, the chamber was loaded with one round, and the magazine had four more. "Let¡¯s keep shooting. We have plenty of ammo." Bang, bang, bang! Each shot added a bit to my skill. I didn¡¯t hit the target directly, but gradually... the trajectory of the bullets became more consistent. Although the wind speed and direction changed slightly in between, it was still better than before when I couldn¡¯t even predict anything. Like a sculptor with a chisel and mallet, slowly but surely, I began to shape the groupings. After about 20 shots total¡ª Kang! "...Whoa!" "Impact. Well done." Wow, hahaha What did Eugene do? Suddenly, he¡¯s amazing at this?? "Threat" What the heck is going on here? Hahaha One shot. It wasn¡¯t perfectly centered but was on the right side, with a slight deviation. Still, at 800m, it counted. The crisp Kang! sound rang out, and the distant metal target shook. The moment that sound hit my ears, all the fatigue seemed to vanish, and a smile formed on my face without me realizing. Meanwhile, the next words came. "Want to shoot more?" And of course, the answer was already clear. "...No. I don¡¯t think sniping is for me." I¡¯m done. This is too hard. Boom! "Heheheh..." "...Is Kim Stone crazy?" "I don¡¯t know. Maybe he lost his mind while sniping." After a few minutes, Kim Stone found the rifle that suited him the best. It was Autumn. "Ugh, my shoulder still hurts." "Did everyone have fun?" "...It was pretty impressive." The night in Hawaii was dark but bright. Not long ago, Harmony, Dice, and Lorentina had been the only ones in the group, but now, three more had joined. Seven of us walked the streets of Hawaii. It was a rather chaotic ratio, with 5 women and 2 men, but Limit and Hotteok didn¡¯t seem to mind much. Anyway, this would likely be thest shooting for the day¡ªthough I wasn¡¯t sure. The people here had probably each fired at least one of the guns I bought or borrowed. Even Harmony, Dice, and Kim Stone had shot the mini-gun, M2, and KPV. Thankfully, using the low tripod made recoil manageable for everyone. If the recoil had been worse, I would¡¯ve had to consider how to control it, but it all ended smoothly. Of course, holding and shooting the guns was a whole different story. Reflecting on a few hours ago... Boom! Wow, my arm¡­ that was much harder than the mini-gun. It¡¯s a 14.5mm round, shooting 10 rounds per second. Luckily, it''s not impossible to control the recoil. Other people would struggle just lifting it, but Hotteok can be proud. Not something you''d want to hear from someone firing an NTW-20. Well, it wasn''t too bad. At any rate, shooting arge-caliber machine gun was impossible for non-manifesters. Hotteok couldn¡¯t form a meaningful group of shots due to the gun¡¯s weight and recoil. On the other hand, Lorentina and I could handle the firearms without much trouble. Maybe if we brought an Oricon 20mm autocannon, it would be more challenging, but that¡¯s something for another time. Shooting was almost done for today, so it was time to enjoy Hawaii. However, despite that, hearing the feedback from others was quite enjoyable. "I''m d we finished the NTW-20 shooting without too many problems. Does anyone¡¯s shoulder hurt?" "I do." "Mine hurts too." "Massage, please." "Last... ahh, screw it." Who¡¯sst? Anyway, as expected, since the guns were made for people to shoot, Harmony, Dice, and Kim Stone all shot the Snipex Alligator and the South African "bigdy" with no problems. By now, the employees of Firearms International must¡¯ve been loading massive gun cabs into countless trucks and heading back. Of course, they couldn¡¯t take them back to Korea, so we negotiated to leave them in the gun shop. Specifically, the agreement was that I could rent out the guns I bought to other customers for a smallmission. Of course, the cleaning was handled by the shop employees. It was a decent win-win trade. Anyway, aside from that, tonight was not much different from a few days ago when we walked the streets of Hawaii. I guess there were a few changes. The first difference was that I had preemptively mentioned on the broadcast that it would be tough to give autographs. Given that the recent content involved shooting machine guns... Unless someone had guts, they probably wouldn¡¯t ask for an autograph openly. They must¡¯ve been nervous. The second difference was... "Hello! I¡¯ve been watching your broadcasts for a long time. I was really impressed by your recent shooting training. Would you consider visiting our base to work as a tactical instructor for a day or two?" "Ah, that¡¯s a bit difficult. Sorry." ...These types of requests had been increasing. Since I was on vacation, I had been ignoring most important messages, except for a few things, and hadn¡¯t been reading donations either. Anyway, these kinds of requests had beening in more frequently, and when I turned to Lorentina for help, she was... nowhere to be seen. She had this incredible ability to make herself almost invisible. I sighed softly. Thankfully, I had a reservation at an outdoor restaurant, and I nned to head there. Hopefully, I could shake off some people. The restaurant was about a 10-minute walk away, and I had about 40 minutes before the reservation, so I needed to find something to do until then. Luckily, there were many hotels nearby, and some even had h performances in their internal theaters. I didn¡¯t even have to go inside anywhere to kill time. If that didn¡¯t work, walking around the city wasn¡¯t a bad option either, although it was inevitable there would be a lot of people around, which could cause some trouble. However, in the meantime, I witnessed an interesting sight. "Come on, everyone! Challenge yourselves! The entry fee is only $1! But if you beat any of the 5petitors here, you get the entire $726 we¡¯ve collected!" Street arm wrestling. At a nce, these wererge, muscr guys weing guests. They were filming the event live. Among them were some with unique tattoos, probably one of them was from Samoa. I vaguely remembered seeing this kind of action movie somewhere before¡ªprobably with Dwayne Johnson. In that case, the guy could very well be Samoan. Hawaii and Samoa don¡¯t share much besides being ind nations, but, well, it wasn¡¯t something worth dismissing. Anyway, strength versus strength always stirs something deep inside, and I quietly walked behind Hotteok and said, "Want to give it a try?" "...If it weren¡¯t for the ¡®Manifesters only up to E1¡¯ sign, I¡¯d have jumped in. Too bad." "Ah." Well, that was that. But just as I was about to speak, Lorentina, who had silently approached, chuckled and added: "It¡¯s impossible for a manifester to arm wrestle with a non-manifester, but there¡¯s no problem if two manifesters go head-to-head." "Excuse me?" "It looks like they¡¯re filming it, so if we cooperate with the filming, there shouldn¡¯t be any issue asking to borrow the venue, right?" A brief moment of confusion. But when I quickly interpreted Lorentina''s words, it became clear¡ªshe wanted to challenge someone to an arm wrestling match. She must have been nning this from the start. Before anyone, including me or the group, could say anything, Lorentina walked confidently toward the big, muscrpetitors. She added a few words, and then her gaze returned toward me. At the same time, apuse erupted, and she waved her hand, signaling me over. The crowd, which had already gathered, now had nearly a hundred people preparing to watch the match of a lifetime. I gave a wry smile and added: "...You really know how to make things happen." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already calcted the risks and returns. Shall we ce a bet for fun?" "Let¡¯s win first and then think about it." "...Heh." Lorentina¡¯spetitive spirit red up. But we were in front of a huge crowd. I, too, wasn¡¯t about to lose easily, so I ced my right arm on the sturdy table and gripped Lorentina¡¯s hand. The arm wrestling ring was fully equipped, with elbow supports and magnesium powder. The surrounding noise faded as the focus sharpened. The countdown began, and I noticed Dice and Harmony watching with ambiguous expressions¡ªnot in anticipation or support, but with the feeling that ¡°someone¡¯s about to break something again...¡± I didn¡¯t realize then that their expressions were filled with that particr meaning... until the moment¡ª Crack! "Ugh...!" "Whoa!" The metal table literally crumpled from the inside. It looked like someone had pressed down on the table with a hydraulic press. Naturally, the part where my elbow was fixed under the table began to bend, and in less than five seconds, the table copsed. The top of the table bent in a V-shape, and the four legs, which had supported the table, bent into a ">" shape. The destruction was instantaneous. As I got up, brushing off the table¡¯s debris, I saw two EM-level manifesters awkwardly stand up, and the crowd of around 100 was frozen in shock. The world was indeed a strange ce, and Dice, Harmony, and Hotteok¡¯s group realized it in that moment.@@novelbin@@ The night in Hawaii was deepening. Chapter 490 [From ] Subject: Prototype Humanoid Development Status and Notification Header: Progress and Estimated Timeline for Prototype Jin/Lein Production Body: Greetings, this is Senior Researcher John H. Ruppit from the H/W Development Department of the Central Technology Research Institute at Icarus Dynamics. Recently, Icarus International has requested adjustments to the performance of the prototype Jin/Lein in the trial production phase, and we anticipate changes to the development timeline due to this. I am sending this email to keep you informed of these developments. Below are the specifications requested by Icarus International: It should be able to fully withstand sustained fire from 7.62x51mm M993 (tungsten steel core) and .338 Lapua Magnum AP rounds while wearing NIJ III-level body armor. It should be able to travel over t terrain for more than 4 hours at speeds above 30 km/h, as well as be capable of rough terrain traversal. It should be able to lift at least 225 kg. With the instation of military signal rys, it should be remotely controble from a maximum distance of 15 km. Icarus International ns to participate in the military humanoid business, set for the end of Q2 next year, with the early release of Jin and Lein. As a result, Icarus Dynamics is now required to conduct even more in-depth technical analysis, including the one Eugene sent, which will require additional time. I sincerely apologize for the dys caused by these changes in the development schedule. Below, I have included a few links. By following these links, you can check the current progress in development from departments such as the Central Technology Research Institute, Robotics Department, and Systems Division. You can also send real-time messages to inquire about any concerns or progress. Icarus Dynamics greatly wees your feedback and your participation in monitoring the development status. Here are the URLs: [Links] "Just as I thought." In the suite, my personal room, a hologram popped up in ce of the tablet panel. It was the email from Icarus Dynamics. The second round of discussions Henry had attended had been a few days ago, and after that, the headquarters meeting had passed, and instructions had been sent to the subsidiaries. As a result, the n chosen by Icarus Dynamics had taken about two days to reach me by email. It was slow if you thought about it, but fast if you considered time zones, and honestly, it wasn¡¯t that slow. From their perspective, they must have sent it as quickly as possible. To be honest, though¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought I¡¯d see Jin and Lein in reality anytime soon. I had sent over the designs, specifications, power sources, and a bunch of other data to Icarus Dynamics, but there was still so much that was needed. Even justying the groundwork for proper development and manufacturing would take at least three months. ¡®...If I had known this, I should have told Minah and Yerin to wait about three months before mentioning it.¡¯@@novelbin@@ I briefly thought this, but quickly dismissed the thought. After all, there was going to be a scrim for the Asian qualifiers soon, and the qualifiers themselves wereing up in November. Speaking of which, I wonder where the matches would be held this year. Last year, they were held in Yongsan, Korea... I should check it out sometime. So, I stopped thinking about Icarus Dynamics at that point. There was nothing I could do by rushing them. My mind was focused in a slightly different direction now, specifically on the uing Henry administration. More precisely, one of the requests he made recently had... piqued my curiosity. ¡°I think there might be a few times we¡¯ll need to use Icarus Gear. Of course, I¡¯m not just saying this off the cuff. If there¡¯s a request, I¡¯ll try my best to fulfill it.¡± Operation Whiteout. What was that? Well, it seemed like Henry wanted to carry out something simr to Stu from decades ago, with my help, of course. And the target of the attack was none other than North Korea, which still existed even in this world. Henry had once mentioned that there were several ck ops nned during his term, to be carried out by those who would never spill the beans no matter what. One of the whispers I overheard at that time had somehowe around to me. In essence, it wasn¡¯t much different from Operation Olympic Games. The task was something like smashing centrifuges or destroying missile storage management systems. The difference from Stu, however, was that this operation would happen so quickly that it wouldn¡¯t even leave a trace in the logs. If I epted it, of course. ¡®¡­At this point, North Korea¡¯s capabilities have already been depleted. They must be nning to break their spine once and for all.¡¯ The reduction of service periods from 1 year 6 months to 1 year was also a part of that n. Henry was nning to use Operation Whiteout to cleanly scrape North Korea off the map, with minimal casualties thanks to the full introduction of humanoid robots. He was determined to do everything in his power to make it happen. Simply put, if Henry were the one making kimchi, I¡¯d be the one bringing the rubber tubs, salting the napa cabbage, and setting up the kimchi seasoning. I¡¯m not sure how well it would work, but if we could sessfully extract the North Korean issue, Henry¡¯s influence would soar to new heights. If the world became a little more peaceful, that would be good for me too. Anyway, I¡¯ll think about itter. I¡¯ll revisit it when the specific target for the attack is rified. "Is everything ready, Eugene?" "I¡¯ve already packed everything. The sun is going to be quite strong. Did you bring your sunscreen?" "Ah, right!" There was a knock, followed by Dice¡¯s face. I skimmed through a few emails, and it seemed the departure time was already approaching. I turned off the hologram so Dice wouldn¡¯t see it and stood up. It was almost time to move. As I stepped out, everyone had already gathered in the hallway or by the front door with some simple luggage. Since I¡¯d packed my bag earlier, I was ready to leave with just a small handbag. In the parking lot, two cars were already waiting, so we could leave right away. So, where were we headed? "I¡¯ve never been on a yacht before." "Will you get seasick?" "The yacht¡¯s big, so seasickness shouldn¡¯t be a major issue. It¡¯s about 100 meters long." "Uh-huh¡­" Icarus International had many subsidiaries, and among them was Icarus Residence Co., Ltd. The travel agency under thispany offered many tour packages. One of them was a mega yacht tour, with a yacht measuring 105 meters in length. There sure was everything imaginable. "The helicopter will need to make a few round trips, so it¡¯ll take a little time. Everyone, please stay in the car and avoid wandering around outside." "Okay." "Let¡¯s go then." With a click, the door closed, and the seven of us headed to the elevator. Looking out the window, Hawaii was always clear. It was a good day. "¡­Eugene, are you still working even though you''vee all this way?" "I''ve been shooting guns without thinking for the past few days, and some things have piled up. Especially... the gunpanies have been crowding in a lottely." "Ah." The sunlight was strong, the Wi-Fi was excellent, and there were plenty of ces to explore. For a yacht, there was almost no rocking from the sea. It was 105 meters long, after all. The type of super yacht you¡¯d asionally see in movies¡ªit was truly like a different world. Even Lorentina was busy looking around and touching everything with a rather intrigued expression. There was even a small elevator inside, so that said everything. But despite all that, as soon as I arrived, Iid down on a sunbed where the sunlight didn¡¯t reach and began replying to the emails that had started to pile up. As I mentioned earlier, among thepanies that reached out, there were some top-tier names like Sig Sauer, Winchester, Smith & Wesson, Kel-Tec, Barrett, Shytech, Glock, and Colt. If there had been any time constraints or tough advertising conditions, I wouldn¡¯t have cared much. But since the timing and the conditions aligned, it didn¡¯t seem like it would be too difficult. "¡­Maybe by December, it¡¯ll be good." First, I wasn¡¯t nning to participate in the Final Championship this year. But considering that I came in first cest year, I still had a spot for the exhibition match, so going to the U.S. was confirmed. In other words, I would go, watch the tournament, and train Harmony, Dice, and the other yet-to-be-decided participants, but there wasn¡¯t much else to do. Meaning, unlikest year, during the free time I¡¯d have in New York, I¡¯d shoot the gun advertisements that had been sent to me by my lovely friends. Furthermore, shooting the guns for the ads wasn¡¯t that difficult. No matter where they were produced, I could just mod them cleanly and then stream a stylish practical shooting session in real-time¡ªthat would be the advertisement. Considering that legendary killers in past movies went through all kinds of trouble just because of a dog, and how gun sponsorships flooded in after such movies became big hits, this didn¡¯t seem so out of the ordinary. [Notification: Listing simr advertisements¡­] [Notification: Bulk reply sent to identical inquiries.] I hoped everything would be set up by the time I arrived in the U.S. around December. As many of the advertising requests were transferred to other sections after receiving approval, other requests kepting in. Among them, some were a bit too much for the current moment, so I decided not to pay too much attention to them. While the helicopter that had brought us here disappeared in the distance, heading toward the ind, I set my tablet down on the chair and stepped out onto the balcony to look outside. An endless horizon, the cold and deep open sea, clear skies without a cloud in sight, sharks swimming beneath the surface, and at the forefront of it all... was Lorentina? "Pwoop¡ª!" What is this? In an instant, every liquid in my mouth shot forward, and on top of that, I started choking and had to lean against the balcony railing, coughing uncontrobly. What the hell just happened? I hadn¡¯t heard Lorentina diving in because I was too caught up with handling the remaining tasks. To get a better look, I quickly jumped off the balcony,nding softly on the floor below, where I met Dice and Harmony¡¯s gazes. Judging by the expression they had while looking at Lorentina, it was clear that I was the only one who hadn¡¯t known. "Ah, Eugene. Are you done with work now?" "I¡¯ve finished, but¡­ when did this start happening?" "It¡¯s been a while. About 15 minutes?" It seems I¡¯d been focusing for longer than I thought. And alongside Harmony, the drone camera was hovering. At some point, the streaming had started without me realizing. I quickly checked it on Tricky, and sure enough, my broadcast was dominating the real-time rankings. I was losing it, really. And as the drone camera recognized its owner and rushed towards me, Ipletely lost myposure. "¡­Well, I was handling a few things, and the stream just started. Looks like there are a lot of people gunning for my spot, huh, everyone?" "Oh, wow, it¡¯s really happening." "What¡¯s he saying right when he shows up? LMAO!" "Lmao, seriously?" "Even if it¡¯s just a little bit, he¡¯s still broadcasting. LOL." "Wait, what was he doing that he didn¡¯t even notice Lorentina diving in? LMAO." Yeah, well, that''s true. Anyway, after realizing I¡¯de down, Lorentina finally emerged from the water and waved at me. Honestly, if she weren¡¯t in DEVGRU, she might¡¯ve been snatched up by aquariums around the world for billions. Actually, thinking about it, I probably would¡¯ve tried to bring her to a reptile center¡­ but let¡¯s not get into that. Meanwhile, one of the few crew members operating the massive yacht was pping excitedly while watching the scene. Even though automation had taken over a lot, some manual operation was still required. I¡¯d heard that I¡¯d be staying on the boat with this person for the next two nights. After exchanging greetings, I asked for their thoughts, and he cheerfully replied: "You¡¯ve never seen anything like this, right?" "Of course not. I¡¯ve been on boats my whole life, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. I didn¡¯t know there were actual mermaids in the world, not just belugas. And I didn¡¯t knowmias existed either." "Unfortunately, my legs are fine. But feel free to call me Serpentia instead of Lamia." "If that¡¯s easier for you, ha ha." The captain, who had been on the boat with us today, was built like a true sailor, with thick arms and sun-tanned skin from working under the sun. After a brief conversation, he mentioned: "You can go to the restaurant anytime if you¡¯re hungry, just swing by when you¡¯re free. There¡¯s a wine bar on the second floor, and there are two jet skis powered by electric batteries inside the yacht, so feel free to use them." "Thanks. I¡¯m the only one with a license to drive them¡­ well, me and the one swimming over there." "If you have a license, there¡¯s nothing more to say. Enjoy your time!" He said that and walked off, disappearing inside the yacht. Iughed as I saw Lorentina wave her fingers at me. The next moment, she stripped off her clothes, revealing the rash guard underneath, and without hesitation, I jumped over the balcony and leapt onto the side of the yacht. Ssh. The cold seawater enveloped my body. "Wee, little one. A boat¡¯s nice, but in the end, people like us belong in the sea." "¡­Though I¡¯m not exactly a sailor." "Well, let¡¯s call you an honorary one." We both chuckled, and soon enough, Lorentina and I began freely exploring the vast, blue Pacific Ocean alongside dozens of sharks. It felt truly refreshing. "Figured you¡¯d do this." "I saw the shark tourst time, but it¡¯s still hard to believe. Really." "If just one time was enough for you to not be surprised, then all those people who took the university entrance exam twice would have all gone to Seoul University, right?" "LMAO, that¡¯s so true." "Stone¡¯s got that sharp tongue, love it!" "This feels like I¡¯m watching a documentary, haha." "This is the real art, haha." I thought I¡¯d just be rxing on the yacht, but of course, the world betrayed Harmony and her group once again in the best possible way. It was truly a delightful trip. Chapter 491 "I think we need to make some adjustments to the n..." "n? Are you talking about the one Jin is working on?" "Yeah, that one. I think there are a few things we need to address regarding the two mech girls." Meanwhile, as Eugene and his team were vacationing in the northern part of Oahu Ind¡­ In the top-floor office of the Icarus Residence, built right in front of Waikiki Beach, a man and a woman infortable attirey on a motion bed, with a clear view of the outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows. However, the English sentences shing on the screen before them¡ªrepeatedly outputting and deleting at speeds that couldn¡¯t be typed on a keyboard¡ªproved that they were definitely not here just for leisure or sightseeing. Alongside the images of Jin and Lane on the screen, the conversation began. "Our daughter¡¯s two girls, if you ask whether they have recognition in the game, I¡¯d say yes. But if you ask whether they can represent the entire Dark Zone, that¡¯s another story..." "So, you¡¯re nning to make them that way starting now?" "Exactly." Therge screen in front disyed a graph at the bottom. The hologram on the bottom briefly noted that the game, enjoyed worldwide, had a simultaneous user count of over 30 million, doubling on weekends. The graph below disyed a breakdown of the modes yers enjoyed, listed in order of user count. Naively speaking, Dark Zone''s modes could be divided into PVE and PVP. However, more than 70% of users didn¡¯t just stick to one mode; they freely enjoyed both whenever they had the chance. Conversely, about 30% of users focused solely on either PVP or PVE. The graph on the screen showed this fact visually. Eugene¡¯s father, Lee Hyun-jin, waved his hand lightly. The graph began to shift. "Thanks to Jin¡¯s trail of footprints in various ces, it won¡¯t be that difficult. Over 2 million viewers¡­ At least 1 out of every 15 yers in Dark Zone would be familiar with Jin and Lane. That¡¯s about 6.7%, if we calcte by percentage." "To make it effective, we need to raise that to 20%." "We¡¯ll have to give a little more focus to PVE." The data showing yers who supported Eugene or at least had positive responses was grouped together in a graph. First, the Uncharted Zone Escape. The so-called EU mode, abination of PVE and PVP. Before Eugene yed, the simultaneous users were around 400,000, but after the word spread, and especially after Jin and Lane appeared, the user count surged fivefold. At the current time, it¡¯s about 2.2 million users. Second, Apex Predator. This mode, which was once a majorpetitive game for Eugene, saw the yer count increase nearly threefold. From August to December of 2035, after Eugene won the final championship, recognition of the mode grew even more. When counting indirect users, it reached around 5 to 6 million people. Third, the PVE Main Scenario. With various Incursion missions like Operation Bluefield, Chariot, and Last Light, as well as methods to obtain Omega rank in the main missions that had been mostly unknown until now, Eugene¡¯s achievements in PVE missions were by no means inferior to those mentioned above. Strictly speaking, not everyone in those categories would have an interest in Jin and Lane. The EU mode users would likely have the highest support ratio. To prevent the recognition from fadingpared to other modes, there were often side stories and connections made with the main modes, which kept the interest in Mecha Eugene alive. Since the most recent linked mode was the EU mode, the poprity of Mecha Eugene wouldn''t easily fade. On the other hand, as you moved down, meaning outside of Mecha Eugene¡¯s direct connection, the responses would be subtly more mixed. However, the users mentioned above could be grouped together by themon trait of "having goodwill toward Eugene," and by adding certain events, positive responses could be generated.@@novelbin@@ One of the ways to do that was¡­ "For PVE, we couldunch a new incursion and a raid or two, and just insert the Dagger Team along with Jin and Lane. Conveniently, there¡¯s an Artemis drone factory that''s still going rogue." "Jin will definitely lose it if we throw the Dagger Team into the mix again." "That''s exactly why we need to get a firmmitment that the Dagger Team, and those two, can only participate as support operators." Through reality synchronization, an incursion would beunched, and a shadow would be cast into that world. The Dagger Team, including Jin and Lane, would participate¡ªbut not directly engage inbat inside the factory. They would assist with electronic warfare or internal surveince, waiting in a safe ce where they wouldn¡¯t be affected, even if a kiloton explosion urred in the factory. By doing that, while not putting the Dagger Team in danger, the users ying that incursion or raid would naturally build goodwill toward Jin and Lane. "I¡¯ve also thought of an additional element to seal the deal." "Add a few special lines for the users who clear the Uncharted Zone raid, and it¡¯ll be easier to induce a positive reaction." "...You¡¯re not secretly ying the game, are you?" "That¡¯s quite apliment." Currently, Mecha Eugene''s voice pack and SD Operator pack remained in third ce on the poprity rankings¡ªalthough the price was lower than other bundles. If Jin and Lane appeared again, it would likely cause a significant stir. The outline was beginning to take shape. Bringing Jin and Lane into reality was a long-term project. Even with all the necessary data to create them, it would still take at least six months, or more likely a year. Although we had informed people that delicious food wasing, we couldn¡¯t just tell someone starving to wait. Human patience was vtile, and we had to at least give them a few morsels before the main meal. In that sense, theunch of the new incursion could function as a solid stepping stone to bring Jin and Lane into reality. "Since we¡¯re pulling the data directly from their world, the workload won¡¯t be much, but even if we rush it, it¡¯ll take about one to two months... Around that time, the Asian qualifiers and the final championship will ovep." "Considering the disastrous data sent by the Japanese branch, Korea should be able to secure the five spots without too much trouble. We¡¯ll have to move theunch date forward as much as we can." "Looks like I¡¯ll need to give a generous overtime bonus to the team workingte to meet the schedule." Naturally, in the capitalist era, even the day and night of employees could be bought with money. And Icarus International had plenty of money. However, there was still something unsettling. "If we make those two the mascots, I wonder if our daughter will like it." "They¡¯re already streaming. As long as we don¡¯t use them too publicly, it should be fine." Eugene¡¯s mother exhaled a small sigh and added: "And it seems like Jin really loves those two. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any problem there." "Well, that¡¯s true." Jin and Lane were attached to their daughter like glutinous rice cakes, and Eugene smiled as he repeatedly patted their heads. Though he didn¡¯t directly say it, her parents immediately realized, just by looking at that scene, that those two were inseparable, adorable kids to Eugene. A low voice followed. "I never thought our family would have three daughters." "You¡¯re fine with it, right? You don¡¯t know how much I miss my reliable son." "Ha ha." Tap tap tap. The small teasing faded away as the sound of fingers tapping on the keyboard echoed. As the discussion concluded, a report-like summary was sent to Eugene, while the two of them watched the sun slowly set beneath the horizon of Waikiki Beach. Eugene and his team didn¡¯t have much time left in Hawaii. "I should probably make dinner ns with my daughter soon." There was no reply, but the two of them already knew each other¡¯s expressions well. "¡­" "Is something wrong?" "No, not really." Meanwhile, as soon as Eugene started working, a flood of follow-up schedules began to rush in. Is this the moment everything is about to pour in at once? Eugene thought as he skimmed through the emails rted to the think tank. She couldn¡¯t rest. "...Yes, Sergeant Logan. This is Eugene." "Come on, don¡¯t bother with formalities. I¡¯m just checking in to see how you¡¯re doing." "Then you should have just left a text. This satellitemunication is being received through Icarus Gear, you know." "Of course, it is. I contacted you using your personal code." This guy¡­ When the call came through the Icarus satellitemunicationwork¡ªsomething not used in years¡ªEugene was so surprised that she rushed upstairs to a quiet, empty floor. Moreover, since this wasn¡¯t a private call but rather a formal one, she had to use the correct military title for Logan. Though it wasn¡¯t yet time to get all formal about it, the habit was still strong. Still, it had been a while since theirst contact, and it seemed like there was something worth listening to, so Eugene decided to pay attention. It was around 8 PM, after their dinner on the yacht¡­ but wait¡­ "Wait, isn¡¯t it 2 AM in the U.S. right now?" "Yeah. And I¡¯m sure you know that our brilliant junior doesn¡¯t stick to the usual timetable, right?" "¡­I suppose you¡¯re right. He must have had some training scheduled." "Actually, he came back to his room after finishing the post-training review and taking a bath." Hmm. That means he¡¯s probably lying in bed by now. And since I¡¯ve copsed onto the bed on the yacht, we¡¯re in a simr situation. In other words, whatever reason he had for calling me, it couldn¡¯t be urgent enough to jump straight to the point. As expected, Logan started talking about Eugene and Lorentina¡¯s group wasting ammo in Hawaii. If it hadn¡¯t been for the live-stream blur, the broadcast probably would¡¯ve been cut off in under 30 minutes. But somehow, it managed to pass by smoothly. "Enough with that. Get those two in shape and deliver them to the U.S. military. I¡¯ll package them nicely and bring them over." "Even Lorentina said the same thing." "Just toss her some pocket change. As for me¡­ well, you know, right?" "I can vividly picture Dice shaking his head." This guy¡­ After being almost crushed by a small grenade Diceunched once, he¡¯s been sharpening his skills ever since. From thest time I wasn¡¯t around, I remember hearing himment, "I should have never gone after Logan," during Harmony and Dice¡¯s KSM post-show broadcast. Well, it¡¯s not really my concern. Dice should be thanking his lucky stars that Logan isn¡¯t participating in the 4th Final Championship. Anyway, they rambled about these pointless things for about 10 minutes. After some time, Logan, like a snake slipping through a hole, shifted to a new topic or perhaps the main issue. "I¡¯d like you to free up about 10 days in November. Just think about it and let me know. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t answer right away." "¡­I can¡¯t say no, right? There¡¯s the Asian qualifiers, though. I should at least hear what this is about first." "Mm." A brief silence. Then, he continued. "I¡¯ll give you two things. A lot of people were impressed by the sniper video you filmed in Hawaii, and the 2036 International Sniper Competition is just a month away." "¡­Are you serious?" "You know best yourself, but your current rank is Sergeant First ss, or in Korean, that¡¯s ¡®Major.¡¯ That¡¯s under the MWTR division. Acting on behalf of the Minister of Defense, Nakasono reinstated your position... well, it¡¯s more like they created a new rank for you." "Right. I have a rough idea of what that means." There¡¯s no need for him to go on about this; I had a pretty good guess. The U.S. Department of Defense likely wanted me to participate in the 2036 International Sniper Competition. Logan went on. "Don¡¯t take this too seriously. If you participate, you and I will pair up andpete as a side entry rather than an official team." "That¡¯s probably true. But¡­" The important part here wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d do there. Simply by participating, I¡¯d be sending a message. Moreover, up untilst year, there hadn¡¯t been any contact requests from the U.S. military, so now, it seemed like there was a specific purpose behind this. While I was thinking about how to approach this, Logan continued. "Anyway, the choice is yours. Those with gray matter instead of brains can think whatever they want, but if you withdraw, the U.S. will regret it. Just give that Democrat roon a little hint, and this kind of proposal will nevere again." "Ha." "Truth be told, I contacted you because the higher-ups begged me to, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less about that. I just wanted to call and ask if you¡¯d like to work together." "¡­" "Instead of getting roped into working for those stinky, heavy-rank guys, you¡¯ll have a much better time working with me. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s more appealing to you, right?" "Your senior is almost 40, you know." "Dead already?" Half-joking, half-seriously threatening me with death¡ªhow terrifying. Anyway, his words were right. Logan quickly brushed aside my concerns and threw the solution straight at me. If I decided to participate, the excuse he gave would definitely make me feel more at ease. Plus, it seemed like it could be fun. If that¡¯s the case, then there was only one thing I could say. "Alright, if the schedule works out, I¡¯ll give it a shot. But if there are any friends trying to use this for some specific purpose, tell them not to get ahead of themselves." "Bossing your senior around, huh? When youe to the U.S., I¡¯ll make sure you pay for this dearly." "Feel free to charge as much as you want." The call ended, and Iy back on the bed, reviewing the November schedule. To differentiate fromst year, the Asian qualifiers had been dyed by about a month, so they were now set to begin in the third week of November. The KSM selected yers would likely depart for Russia a week earlier, so as long as I didn¡¯t follow the Asian qualifiers, I¡¯d have enough time. Come to think of it, the qualifiers this time were scheduled for four days, twice as long asst year¡­ If things went well, I might be able to leave for Russia as soon as they¡¯re over. Though, since I hadn¡¯t heard when the Sniper Competition starts, it was unlikely. Logan probably went to bed right after hanging up, but I wasn¡¯t done yet. I opened the door and stepped onto the balcony, where the endless horizon stretched out before me. Turning my back on the voices below, I muttered. "Why is everything so busy all of a sudden?" This feeling, like I¡¯m on vacation but not really on vacation¡ªwhat¡¯s up with that? The world truly is strange. Chapter 492 "¡­" "I¡¯ve decided to participate in the International Sniper Competition with Logan, which will be held on the first Friday of November." "Poof¡ª!" "¡­Lorentina, Senior?" Oh no, I shouldn¡¯t have said that while someone was drinking. Lorentina, who had just taken a sip of her highball, sprayed it forward with a look of disbelief. Her usual smugness was nowhere to be found. Her eyes were wide open, just like a shark, and she stared at me, her face contorting with an expression of shock. Before I could even hear a response, I turned on the hologram to show her. Naturally, her shark-like gaze shifted to the screen. Thepetition would be held from November 3rd to 10th, the first week of November, in Fort Moore, Georgia¡ªan isted rural area. The basic objectives ranged from target detection and elimination missions to urbanbat, shooting from moving trucks, helicopters, boats, and long-distance shots, all while relying on a map to travel several miles before taking the shot. There were also various other challenges. Lorentina, staring nkly at the screen, muttered. "¡­When did you decide this?" "About 30 minutes ago." "You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Please tell me this isn¡¯t because of some external pressure¡ª" "External pressure? Me? The CEO of apany that will y a key role in projecting military power for the next president? That¡¯s not possible." "Well, that¡¯s unfortunate, but I guess you¡¯re right. I like your confidence." ¡­Thinking about it, that did sound kind of annoying. Once the atmosphere settled down, I started exining how all this came about in the past hour. I had been reinstated as a sergeant in USSOCOM by Nakasono, acting on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, which left me in a somewhat awkward, halfway state, but still technically a U.S. soldier. It wasn¡¯t really amand but more of a suggestion, and since Logan was the intermediary, there wasn¡¯t much coercion involved. However, there were subtle hints of certain people wanting to use me, now that I was back in the mix. The long-range sniper shot I took in Hawaii probably served as the trigger, but if that was the case, they should have contacted me earlier, back when I was causing chaos in virtual reality. Anyway, once Lorentina realized that I hadn¡¯t been pressured into making this decision, she quickly regained her usualposure. The conversation continued. "Have you ever participated in apetition like this before, Lorentina?" "No. I didn¡¯t think it was necessary." "That makes sense. I heard I¡¯m participating as part of a side team too." "That¡¯s the only way it could be." Lorentina didn¡¯t borate on the reason, and I didn¡¯t ask. There was no need to. In special forces, overwhelming physical ability is an immense advantage. With senses far beyond human limits, and a body capable of armored vehicle-level output with proper supplies like fuel and food, she was practically unstoppable. There were countless other advantages that couldn''t even be counted on fingers. While her distinctive appearance would prevent her from doing any covert work, in situations that tested physical ability, split-second decision-making, and shooting skills¡ªthings like the qualities traditionally expected of special forces soldiers¡ªher capabilities would be on par with any Olympian, just like the reason why some special abilities don¡¯t participate in the Olympics. While a machine that appeared out of nowhere wiped the highball Lorentina had spilled, she skillfully refilled her ss and casually started talking again. "Looks like they¡¯ll ask us to bring bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles, or maybe they¡¯ll provide them." "Probably thetter. They¡¯ll probably send a list of avable firearms and essories. That¡¯s not really a problem¡­ What¡¯s bothering me more is that I¡¯ll bete for the Asian qualifiers." "Those start the third week of November, and the Korean yers have to leave about a week earlier to limate, so I¡¯ll just focus on making sure we get there in time for the main event." "Exactly." Since I could speak Russian fluently, I wanted to go with the national team, including those two, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. Those two were trained to the point where they could handle even demons from hell in virtual reality, so they¡¯d manage just fine without me. Aside from that, it seemed like my supposed "vacation" was quickly turning into a work-filled ordeal. What I thought was a rxing time just a few days ago was clearly an illusion. As I sat there, half in a daze, Lorentina chuckled and added: "Now that we¡¯re at it, how about we fly to JFK International Airport instead of going back to Korea? There¡¯s a ce near the base that makes amazing grilled sandwiches¡­" "Oh no, really. Stop advertising." "Oh, you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll keep talking just because you say that¡ªugh!" "Quiet now." The best way to silence someone is to cover their face entirely. If they keep talking, just bury their face between your chest, and they¡¯ll generally quiet down. I gave Lorentina a "special force hug" and mercilessly suppressed her unnecessary affection for Norfolk, then returned to my seat, eating cheese and ham from the snacks as I thought about how to exin this to Harmony and Dice. There was no need to beat around the bush. With over three weeks left, I could cram all the necessary knowledge in time¡ªunless there was something else I needed to learn. It¡¯d work out somehow, I thought. The next day, after I¡¯d cleared my thoughts and gotten a good night¡¯s sleep, those who wanted to have a little more fun¡ªspecifically, the "manifested" ones¡ªjumped from the balcony, several meters high, and dove into the blue Pacific. The rest of us, the "normal" ones, spent time in the swimming pool at the back of the yacht. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Lorentina and I pulled out two jet skis from the yacht¡¯s interior and started cutting through the sea. Behind Lorentina, Harmony followed, and behind me, Dice stayed close. For safety and to create space, I wrapped my tail around Dice¡¯s body, then pulled the throttle with excitement, elerating to speeds of 50¨C60 km/h. "Haha! Isn¡¯t this fun!?" "Wow¡ªahhh!" "¡­I can still hear Lorentina¡¯s voice even from this distance." "Ha!" Amidst all this, another event unfolded. By the time everyone had finished their jet ski experiences, it was about 10 AM, and a slightly dyed breakfast was waiting for us. Then, my bombshell hit both of them. "Because of scheduling conflicts in November, it looks like only the two of you will have to leave for the Asian qualifiers in advance." "Eh?" "¡­You¡¯re lying, right? I don¡¯t speak Russian!" Of course, at that moment, the two of them started clinging to me as if I were their real-time trantor and interpreter, without realizing there was no one else around. Silly kids. "This mysterious Johann''s Apocalypse always seems to be ced on my desk when I forget about it." Meanwhile, in the other world''s Central Park¡ªThe White House. Even though it was clearly a room being monitored in real-time, as soon as he closed and opened his eyes, there was a stack of documents sitting on the table. The first page, with a malicious joke written on it saying No Such Agency (though it wasn¡¯t from the NSA), immediately revealed shocking content as soon as it was turned over. Henry let out a deep sigh and pressed a button to connect themunication. "You¡¯ve been called, Mr. President." "Get the advisor and Director Solomon on the line." "Understood." There was trouble. Again. "Georgia¡¯s Savannah? Never heard of the ce." "It¡¯s a tourist city. If you go up north, there¡¯s an industrial area with factories." "So, everything that was sent from there¡­ was fabricated? Since when?" "Since April." The rustling sound and busy movement. As always, when orders came down from above, it was the task force team that had to bear the brunt, and the Dagger Team, among many other task forces, knew this all too well. But this time, things took an unexpected turn. The order from the top was specifically aimed at Task Force Dagger. Including Jin and Lane. Owens, who had been casually reading the operation details, added:@@novelbin@@ "Fortunately, it seems like we don¡¯t have much to do this time." "Are you telling me that it¡¯s a top-secret mission, but there¡¯s not much for us to do? That¡¯s a little unexpected." "There¡¯s a note about shadows appearing." "Ah." Shadows. The phenomenon known only to the United States and Canada¡­ Or, more specifically, abat simtion avatar created by Eugene through some method from another world, then sent to this world. The former wasmon knowledge, while thetter was a closely guarded secret known only to a few. An undead army will appear. That fact alone was enough to make further exnation unnecessary. However, despite that, there was a reason Dagger Team was being sent there, and even before the specifics of the operation were exined, every operator in the room already had a suspicion. "Artemis¡¯ remnants?" "Well, you could call them remnants, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the best term." "Yeah, the arena was destroyed, and the hounds came charging out. The only difference now is that it¡¯s an automatic factory with Mecha-houndsing out endlessly. They¡¯re just roaming around, attacking everything they see." "So, after Artemis¡¯ fall, there¡¯s a factory in Savannah, Georgia, that¡¯s still churning out murder-machines? This is beyond messed up." "Now I see why they specifically called Dagger Team." But the conversation didn¡¯t continue further. With a rustling sound, two figures approached, eagerly scanning the papers with curious eyes. "What else is there?" "Of course there¡¯s more. It looks like Artemis hasn¡¯t finished cleaning up the mess it made. Also¡­ this time, we might need to borrow some help from our new junior members." "Can we expect archetypes too?" "Most likely. If they don¡¯t show up, then we¡¯ll just have to deal with it." "I¡¯ll hold my breath until they arrive. Hup." "Who taught you weird things about holding your breath¡­" Jin, who tightly shut his eyes and pretended to hold his breath, drew the attention of the entire Dagger Team, who were dumbfounded at his antics. Lane smacked the back of Jin¡¯s head, and only then did Jin make a strange squeaking noise and stop his ridiculous act. Owens, chuckling to himself, then marked the areas where the team would need to strike and secure first¡ªconcentrating around Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which would serve as the central point from which allied forces would spread radially. However, this wasn¡¯t something Dagger Team needed to focus on. "Drone swarms, our unmanned vehicles, cruise missiles, EMP¡­ Once we unleash a storm of fire over Savannah, those Mecha-Artemis drones will practically be begging to stop. We¡¯ll justnd leisurely at the airport once those pest-like machines have been neutralized." "So, in a way, we¡¯re not really conducting an operation, but rather overseeing one. Looking at how things are turning out, it seems like the junior is quite involved in this mission." "Do you think that some rebellious junior doesn¡¯t want to push Dagger Team into another hellhole?" That was, in fact, the case. Once the world started stabilizing, the role of Task Force Dagger, which had been eliminating all enemies across countless battlefields, began to shrink. Despite the war effectively being over, the fact that Dagger Team was still being deployed in operations, even after the fall of Artemis, was strange. Most of the other task forces had long since been disbanded. Except for one. With their overwhelming achievements and battlefield leadership abilities that couldn¡¯t even be framed within the title of "operational agents," Dagger Team had earned their ce in this operation. Despite it not being one that specifically required them, they were called in because of the path they had carved and the opportunities they had earned. After looking around, Owens added: "This might be ourst mission out in the field. Who knows when the next one will be, but by then, we¡¯ll likely be controlling remote humanoid robots." "Not sure about Logan and me. We might be sent in with something like exoskeletons." "Are they really going to make you wear suits? Are you nning to conquer a nuclear power nt or something?" "I can¡¯t even imagine." One thing was clear: once those two were put into exoskeletons, something that could withstand recoil from a 20mm minigun or a 155mm howitzer might emerge. Naturally, Logan and Lorentina chuckled but didn¡¯t deny it. Amid the back-and-forth teasing, the n for what might be Dagger Team¡¯s final operation was starting to take shape. The Central Park, now tinged with autumn colors, was still busy. "Ugh, it¡¯s moving!" "I warned you, really! If it gets any closer, I¡¯m going to scream!" "¡­Am I the only one who looks cute?" Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean, several kilometers off the coast of Hawaii. The sea snake Eugene discovered while swimming around the boat sent all the people leisurely spending time on the yacht into shock and panic. But they were still going about their usual routine. Chapter 493 "Ugh, uh..." "It¡¯s smaller than I expected. But... it¡¯s not going to bite us or anything, right?" "Sounds like a B-grade horror movie synopsis. A sea snake with venom stronger than a cobra crawling up a yacht anchored 30 km away from Hawaii¡¯s maind..." "Stop saying ominous things like that¡ª!" Hahahahaha! What the hell, now it''s a sea snake after the shark? Hahahaha! I thought I was tuning into a broadcast, but it¡¯s just a circus. Fact: That snake is a yellow-bellied sea snake, and it''s one of the top four most venomous snakes in the world. Eugene¡¯s lost it, hahahaha! Slink, slink. A snake crawled over my body. It crawled up my arm and onto my chest, then twisted its body, meeting my gaze and flicking its tongue. The snake¡¯s back was ck, but its belly was yellow. From the chat, I realized it was a yellow-bellied sea snake, and confirmed it was one of the most venomous snakes. But in reality¡­ it was incredibly docile. It was said to be very gentle by nature. As the six people sitting around me reacted in various ways, I quickly searched "yellow-bellied sea snake" online and confirmed the information. And as expected, this little friend only wanted a bit of water and food before calmly coiling around me. As I had mentioned before, I was able tomunicate with reptiles to some extent¡ªthough not exactly in conversation¡ªthrough small gestures or bodynguage, especially if they were creatures without hands or feet, like some types of snakes. Anyway, the situation unfolded simply enough. After breakfast and a short rest, while I was floating on the sea, this friend quietly appeared and climbed onto my stomach. And so, I brought it along. "I gave it food and water, so unless you throw it or step on it, it¡¯s not going to bite. But if you¡¯re ufortable, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll just y with me." "Uh, um. Alright. I¡¯ll just watch quietly." "¡­Can I touch it once?" "Sure, Dice, you¡¯re the first one." Of course, Dice, who loves snakes so much that she keeps them as pets at home, was the first to get involved¡ªapparently, she had left her snakes with another owner for this Hawaii trip. So, she spent a little time making eye contact with the sea snake. This little friend moved a little andmunicated something to me. A brief summary of what it "said" was: This person smells like you. We¡¯ve been hanging out together. Anyway, let¡¯s y for a bit, then go down. If you give me a few more pieces of salmon, I¡¯ll do it for you, too. Deal. As expected, whether it¡¯s people or snakes, you need to throw them a carrot for them to work. The sea snake, eyeing Dice, quietly started climbing up her arm. Before a strange sound echoed, it reached her shoulder, slid over her hair, and reached the top of her head, where it looked around, then came back down. With a mixture of thrill and excitement, it wrapped itself around her arm, poked its head through her fingers, and climbed back up, giving Dice a little headbutt on her face before returning to my arm. Naturally, Dice let out a peculiar noise and copsed onto the sofa. "Are you satisfied?" "I¡¯d love to have a snake like this, one with so much affection." "You already have one." "Eugene?" "At home." Why is Eugene brought up? Hahahahaha! More flirting, huh? Hahahahaha! Dice is about to explode, hahahaha! Did she just give a French kiss to the snake?! Hahahahaha! ??? : Why does this snake smell like a baby snake? Baby snakes, hahahaha! Ignoring the nonsense, I casually wrapped my tail around Dice¡¯s waist. She let out a soft squeal, then began fondling my tail. Around that time, I lightly tapped her forehead with the tip of my tail, signaling it was time to switch. Dice seemed to understand this and quietly got up, returning to her seat. The sea snake had given Dice quite the show, so the others finally started paying attention. It was easy to guess that they''d be the next ones to get involved. However, the first ones to react were, of course, the first disciples, so naturally, they went first. While the snake yed with Harmony and Dice, I quickly headed to the yacht¡¯s bar to grab a few chilled salmon cubes, ready to be turned into poke. Thankfully, nothing went wrong while I was away. It could¡¯ve been a bit careless, but since Lorentina was also around, I figured there was no danger. Thus began the sea snake-eating show. But not for me. "It really eats well." "It¡¯s eating¡­ so gracefully. The big snakes usually twist their whole body when hunting, but this one isn¡¯t doing that." "Well, it¡¯s a sea snake." "You eat pretty gracefully too, Eugene¡­ Oh, sorry!" "Just go ahead." On the table, the salmon pieces were neatlyid out in intervals. The sea snake wiggled around a bit before lunging forward and swallowing them up. After consuming about ten cubes, it seemed fully satisfied and climbed back up my body. Meanwhile, Minah, who had been quietly watching, made a joke and asked to be hit, so I obliged. The yacht was abuzz with sea snake talk, and some people who worked in aquariums abroad even donated through the chat, adding extra information. While all of this was happening, an unexpected thought crossed my mind. If I take Hotteok to the zooter, will we be able tomunicate when we¡¯re in front of the tiger¡¯s enclosure? Pushing that useless thought aside, I added a few morements for the drone camera broadcasting the amazing scene in real-time. "Sadly, but not really sadly, this little friend will be touched by everyone, and then sent back to the sea. Its venom is twenty times stronger than a cobra¡¯s, so we can¡¯t keep it here for too long. Since it¡¯s a sea snake, we have to send it back." Eh, really? ??? : You said you were going to keep it!! What are you even talking about, you liar. Hahahahaha! Naturally distorting the facts. Hahahaha! I gave it salmon as payment, though. Hahahahaha! The snake seems like it¡¯s giving some side-eye. Hahahahaha! With those words, I nced at the sea snake. It seemed like it was really giving me an annoyed gesture. I could guess the reason. It probably just wanted to stay here, eat salmon, and enjoy itszy life without doing anything. But that wasn¡¯t going to happen. Whether human or snake, everyone has to do their part, and since I¡¯m the one who¡¯s both human and snake, I wasn¡¯t about to let anyone ck off here. After swiftly handling the sea snake¡¯s little tantrum, I spoke. "Has anyone not interacted with this little friend yet?" "I haven¡¯t! I¡¯m next!" "I¡¯m also surprised!" It was truly impressive that the sea snake had be this popr. Anyway, while Harmony, Dice, and Lorentina were busy having their turn, I leaned back on the sofa and answered Lorentina¡¯s question in a soft voice. "So, what¡¯s next?" "Those who want to nap can take a nap, and those who want snacks can eat some. There¡¯s also a small fitness club inside, so some might want to work out. There¡¯s not much else we all have to do together, except for one thing." "I was just about to ask about that." "Ah." It was truly an uncanny intuition. I didn¡¯t respond directly, and instead opened my phone to show a group chat titled "Family." At 7 PM Hawaii time, a helicopter carrying my parents was scheduled tond on the yacht. "I¡¯ll have to start getting ready to go home soon, so I thought I¡¯d at least see my parents before then. That¡¯s why we¡¯re having dinner together tonight." "Ah." Lorentina, who had no idea what I was nning, slyly nced at the group enjoying the snake and then added with a chuckle. "Well, of course. The word ¡®surprise¡¯ alwayses up when talking about the youngest." Naturally, it was a fact I couldn¡¯t deny. Iughed awkwardly, while the friends having fun with the sea snake were looking at me with anxious expressions, unsure of what I was up to. With less than five hours left, my mind was filled with curiosity about what my parents would say during the uing group dinner. One thing was certain: I wouldn¡¯t be broadcasting anytime soon. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s about time we head out. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve flown in a helicopter¡­¡± ¡°Before Jin sees, you¡¯d better take some motion sickness pills, unless you n on throwing up all over the Hawaiian waters.¡± Meanwhile, on Oahu Ind, Hawaii. The two nuclear bombs were ready to depart. ¡°Eugene, did you hear the news? There¡¯s a new raiding out.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard. Something¡¯s going down in Savannah, Georgia. I didn¡¯t expect Artemis to still be around.¡± ¡°Well, Icarus has to keep releasing new content, so I guess they don¡¯t have a choice.¡± The sun set beyond the horizon, casting the ocean into a red glow as if the sun itself was melting into the sea, followed by theplete darkness that settled in. Before long, the second night on the mega yacht passed. There was nothing within dozens of kilometers, and the only light visible was the faint glow from Oahu Ind far in the distance. The sea was pitch ck, but the sky was filled with countless stars. Actually, they weren¡¯t just stars. They were clusters of stars¡ªgems embedded in the dark sky, shining brightly. For some reason, around this time, everyone stopped what they were doing andy back on the sunbeds, gazing at the sky. Me, Dice, and the others sitting next to me. Perhaps because no one was interested in tanning, the sunbeds weren¡¯t crowded during the bright midday sun but became busy after the sun had set. Everyone seemed to enjoy the cool sea breeze and the refreshing air. But it wasn¡¯t long before everyone started talking, unlike yesterday when they had been silent. Unexpectedly, the topic turned to the new raid. ¡°I wonder what¡¯sing after this one. Maybe the European front will open up, and a Russian front too? If not, they¡¯ll probably make something up.¡± ¡°¡­If there¡¯s nothing, they¡¯ll make it up. That¡¯s how it works in games. By the way, are you interested in PVE too?¡± ¡°What? Haven¡¯t you seen the steel shots released by Icarus? I wasn¡¯t really looking for PVE content, but this one is a must.¡± What¡¯s this? Actually, I hadn¡¯t been keeping up with things much. I had so many tasks to handle sincest night that I didn¡¯t even get a chance to look at the proposal my parents sent me. I didn¡¯t really know what was going on with the new raid. As myck of knowledge began to spread inside the yacht, everyone slowly turned their heads toward me. Dice¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she moved closer. She then showed me the steel shot on her phone. ¡°¡­Wait, this coloring¡­¡± ¡°Right? I thought you¡¯d notice right away. It¡¯s Jin and Rain, right?¡± ...Why are they here? Thankfully, or not, as I scrolled down the steel shot on Dice''s phone, I found new details about the raid, including a general synopsis of the uing battle. While it wasn¡¯t too different from what I already knew, seeing a familiar face in it changed things. It wasn¡¯t even a face. The teal and blue light outlined the shape of a person. And the only ones I knew who could create such silhouettes... were just two people. Jin and Rain. And, of course, if they¡¯re involved, the Guardians¡ªthe Dagger Team¡ªwould have toe along, and they would most likely be participating in the battle again. But to my surprise, I was mistaken. ¡°¡­It looks like the Dagger Team won¡¯t be directly involved in the battle this time.¡± ¡°Looks like you really haven¡¯t been keeping up. You¡¯ve been pretty busy these past couple of days.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Anyway, if they¡¯re saying they¡¯ll definitely participate, Minah will probably join in too. I don¡¯t get what¡¯s so great about Mecha Eugene¡­¡± ¡°Go! Losing faith in Mecha Eugene is the same as death¡­ Aaaah!¡± Where did that nonsensee from? I immediately wrapped my tail around Minah¡¯s waist, who was lying next to me on the sunbed, and yanked her up. In a second, Minah was on my sunbed, and as soon as she screamed, I pinched her cheek and gave it a good squeeze. After the "lesson," I returned the phone to Dice, stood up from the sunbed, and began checking the detailed data. I also checked theprehensive data my parents had sent. Only then did I realize how the situation regarding the new raid was unfolding. The new raiding out, and Jin and Rain¡¯s involvement in it, was simple. The goal was to raise their recognition for eventually bringing them into reality as humanoids. After all, it would take at least six months, or more likely a year, to bring them into the real world. So, this was just the beginning of the buildup, letting off some steam before the real work began. I nodded. There was no need to ask my parents unnecessary questions tonight. As I was looking through the relevant information, I heard a voice. ¡°Dinner is ready. Please head down to therge table.¡± Perfect timing¡ªit was time for dinner. It was 6:50 PM, and the lights on the mega yacht, which had been turned off for stargazing, were now switched on. The seven of us hurriedly made our way down the stairs or took the elevator. The small banquet hall appeared. In the center was a tablerge enough to seat up to 10 people, and on it were nine sets of tes, wine sses, water sses, and tes, arranged neatly at intervals. As we walked in, the rich scent of food wafted in the air, and our names appeared above each seat. The seating assignments were clear. Naturally, no one could avoid noticing that two seats were left empty. Actually, let me correct myself. Except for Harmony, Dice, Lorentina, and me, everyone else was puzzled. ¡°Eugene, there seem to be two extra seats here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re bringing a shark and the sea snake we saw earlier to the dinner?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t say crazy things, you lunatics¡­¡± At that point, I had to decide how to phrase things, but I decided to speak inly. After all, Harmony, Dice, and Lorentina already knew why the dinner had turned out this way. ¡°Although I¡¯m bringing this up a littlete, the three of you are here tonight thanks to the help of two people. From the round-trip flight tickets to Hawaii, the suite reservation at Icarus Residence, and this yacht tour.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I thought Eugene was covering all of it.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Do you know the keyword that connects the car you¡¯ve been driving for a few days, the Icarus Residence, and the yacht tour?¡± ¡°¡­Icarus?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± At that moment, the expressions of Hotteok¡¯s group froze in a weird way. But even their wildest guess wouldn¡¯t have fully captured the essence of the situation. They probably just thought I had rented a bunch of stuff cheaply because I won first ce in the Final Championshipst year. But that wasn¡¯t it. I handed two business cards to Hotteok, Stone, and Limit. When they saw the positions tranted into Korean, their eyes widened, and the sound of a helicopter¡¯s propeller from outside grew louder. ¡°I-Icarus International¡­ Vice President and Head of Management Support¡­?¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re telling me these people helped with this trip?¡± ¡°Eugene, how do you know people like this...¡± ¡°Everything has a way.¡± I turned my head slightly. Harmony, Dice, and Lorentina were trying to suppress theirughter, their faces turning red. I spoke. ¡°They¡¯re my parents.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± At that moment, the three of them were frozen in shock, but no one heard their stunned mutters. The helicopternding lights came on, and the sound of the propeller, which had been a mere hum, grew louder inside the yacht. I thought about how to handle the situation and then spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for suddenly inviting you to a family dinner.¡± There was no answer. Later, I would have to exin everything in detail to them. After dinner. Chapter 494 "Ah, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jin¡¯s mother. Some of you I¡¯ve seen before, and some are new. Our daughter seems to have called you all quite suddenly, but I hope you¡¯re enjoying your trip to Hawaii." "Ah, no! It¡¯s been so much fun!" "Thank you so much for this opportunity!" "Don¡¯t feel too burdened. This is my husband, the father of our beautiful daughter. Please, sit down and make yourselvesfortable." How do you even say that? Such thoughts passed through Hotteok, Limit, and Kim Stone¡¯s minds. In the blink of an eye, the business card they had just received from Eugene lingered in their heads. It was almost like a subliminal effect. Meanwhile, Eugene¡¯s parents¡¯ attire caught the attention of the three. It wasn¡¯t entirely casual, but closer to business casual. Having spent two days on the yacht living a carefree life, Hotteok¡¯s group was understandably taken aback. But Eugene¡¯s parents, with a small smile on their faces, added that ¡°actually, the more casual attire seems better.¡± After the storm passed, the scars remained. ¡®Icarus International¡¯s top executive? Not just a branch or subsidiary, but the headquarters...?¡¯ ¡®So, it¡¯s like the Deputy Minister of Defense and the Commander of the National Military Intelligence Agency showing up at a base?¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t serve in the military, but this seems way more serious than those surprise visits by divisionmanders that float around as inte jokes, right?¡¯ ¡®Is that even a question?¡¯ It was a different level. A different dimension. Hotteok and Limit wanted to say to Kim Stone, "The Deputy Minister of Defense''s protocol is equal to a general¡¯s, and the Commander of the National Military Intelligence Agency is a major general. If either of these two shows up at a base, something seriously bad is happening," but given the situation, those words weren¡¯t something they could say. Had they not known, they might not have been so flustered. But, as somewhat popr streamers who had signed contracts with Icarus International Korea multiple times, Hotteok, Limit, and Stone knew at least the structure of Icarus International. In Seoul, a city notorious for its expensivend prices, in the heart of Yeouido stood a ck building around 500 meters tall. This Icarus International Korea branch, jokingly called the "Yeouido Yeonyanggang" (a reference to a famous sweet), was just one of hundreds of such buildings across the world. This wasn¡¯t just a branch handling VR¡ªit was one of many subsidiaries that were rarely mentioned. But the one overseeing all of it? Icarus International Headquarters. Icarus International had no vice president or chairman. The current CEO, Mark Henslow, once stated in an interview that ¡°he¡¯s focused on business stabilization, while delegating almost all operations of subsidiaries and virtual reality gaming to the executive vice president.¡± ¡°Um, is this Executive Vice President Lee Hyunjin¡­ correct?¡± ¡°Haha, being addressed by my title even here is a bit ufortable. Just call me Jin¡¯s father, it¡¯s easier. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.¡± This man stood at the very center of everything Icarus was involved with¡ªincluding, of course, the Dark Zone. As Limit desperately exined this to Stone, and Stone¡¯s expression twisted in understanding, Eugene¡¯s parents, still chuckling, approached the perplexed Viyam, patted her head, and added: ¡°Have you been resting well? By the way, I need to show those kids some pictures of when Jin was little.¡± ¡°¡­Did you bring them again?!¡± ¡°Oh! You mean the ones fromst time?¡± ¡°Those wouldn¡¯t be any fun. This time, I brought new pictures!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± A cheerful voice rang from the other side. Only then did Hotteok¡¯s group turn their attention to Harmony and Dice, and through their easy-going conversation with Eugene¡¯s parents, it became clear that they already knew who Eugene¡¯s parents were. Of course, no one was going to ask them about it openly. However, that didn¡¯t matter much. The next topic erased all thoughts from their minds. Eugene¡¯s childhood photos? How could they hold back? ¡°¡­What¡¯s this again?!¡± ¡°Ah, this was when she was two years old¡­ Looks like it was taken in winter, judging by the thick nket.¡± ¡°Wow, she¡¯s so¡­ cute¡­ really noble¡­¡± ¡°Is that a bottle next to her? But why is it so big?¡± It was a form of¡­ public embarrassment. Eugene¡¯s pointed elf-like ears turned bright red. Her tail twitched, and she covered her face with both hands, letting out a cute little moan. Those who had known Eugene since she was young were well aware of her extreme shyness, and today was no exception. Of course, there was a reason why Eugene¡¯s parents revealed these pictures. Before the meal began in earnest, they needed to break the tense atmosphere, and they cleverly used the photos to do so. Eugene, though embarrassed, understood the necessity, which made it possible. ¡°Come, the three of you seated,e over here and take a look. Isn¡¯t she adorable, our daughter?¡± ¡°Wha¡ªoh, wow, so cute.¡± ¡°The hairpin she¡¯s wearing is just too cute.¡± ¡°Do you have a digital version of this picture? I¡¯d really like to keep just one copy.¡± ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± In an instant, the atmosphere loosened. From being ranked 12th in the world¡¯srgestpanies, with a very high probability of breaking into the top 10 within two years, Eugene¡¯s parents went from being distant figures to bing just parents of Eugene, who was just like everyone else. In less than a minute, the image of people so high up in the social hierarchy transformed into that of Eugene¡¯s family. As the picture made its way around everyone¡¯s hands and finally back into Eugene¡¯s parents'' jacket pocket, the mood softened, and everyone sat down. ¡°Though the seating is a bit odd, I¡¯m amazed that our daughter has made so many friends. I¡¯m sure there are more people who couldn¡¯t make it here.¡± ¡°¡­Some couldn¡¯te.¡± ¡°Having too many people could be a bit of a problem. Anyway, this was a sudden visit, but I really appreciate everyone understanding. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I might even leak some details about the next bundlesing out, haha.¡±@@novelbin@@ With that, everyoneughed a little. As they looked around, the mechanical serving began. On the tes, appetizers for nine wereid out¡ªthe portions for the manifestors were muchrger. Then came the nextment. ¡°Seems like, except for Lorentina, everyone here has at least once trained under our daughter, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ the knowledge you gain will always be useful, after all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take everything the youngest says too seriously.¡± ¡°Haha, sharp as always.¡± Lorentina, who was about to turn 40 next year, easily conversed with Eugene¡¯s parents. This was part of a n, a prior discussion. Given their social standing, if Eugene¡¯s parents were to talk to others during dinner, there was a high chance it would disrupt the flow of the meal, so Lorentina, being the eldest and most experienced, was taking the lead in the conversation. Meanwhile, the others could naturally follow along¡ªso the main conversation was guided by Lorentina. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a new raid missioning out, and it sounds pretty interesting. Can we talk about it?¡± ¡°Of course, we can. I know everyone here is fairly tight-lipped. Just keep in mind there¡¯s a four-week embargo.¡± ¡°Did everyone hear that?¡± Aside from a few people who froze, the conversation continued. Lorentina started subtly probing for more details about the raid, and Eugene¡¯s parents happily started sharing. At first nce, it seemed like a ¡°can we really talk about this?¡± situation. But the risk assessment had already been made¡ªthey were essentially treating everyone at the table as QA testers or beta testers. This real-time feedback about anything that didn¡¯t quite add up or seemed unrealistic was valuable. Still, there were no actual issues. There wouldn¡¯t be, of course. The conversation continued, and so did the meal. But, of course, there were a few unexpected events. ¡°Anyone else want to request something?¡± ¡°The tutorial for this game is too hard.¡± ¡°Hehe, how about a discount if we buy multiple bundles at once?¡± ¡°Please, let us buy the old skins for the guns that are no longer avable¡­¡± Real ¡®gamer¡¯ints¡ªagain, only those who truly loved the Dark Zone would havee up with these ideas. Once the conversation opened up, suggestions started pouring in, and Eugene¡¯s parents, with serious faces, began taking notes. The point wasn¡¯t whether the suggestions would be epted¡ªit was about voicing everything out. The people in front of them were the ones in charge of the Dark Zone, after all. Then came more answers. ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve been closely watching the feedback on the Dark Zone tutorial. We even tried it ourselves not long ago. We¡¯ll likely make improvements within two weeks. We¡¯re considering adding a skip feature after the first character and reducing the difficulty for new yers¡­¡± ¡°As for bundle pricing and discontinued skins, if you have any good suggestions, we¡¯ll consider them positively. I¡¯ll give you my email, so feel free to send me a report¡­¡± ¡°...Mom, Dad. Your professional instincts are showing.¡± ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Of course, when it came time for real feedback, the vice president or executive mindset naturally came out. But for the streamers, it was an experience they¡¯d never had before¡ªthe sharp, piercing gazes from those who had reached the pinnacle of society were likesers that could strip bone and flesh. Harmony, Dice, and Hotteok¡¯s group, caught off guard, shivered in their seats. But that didn¡¯tst long. After showing their more normal side, there was no turning back. As the night grew deeper, the initial tension Hotteok¡¯s group had felt had long since melted away. Thest day of the yacht tour was drawing to a close. ¡°¡­Guys. It¡¯s great that Jin and Rain are back, but why are theying to me again!? Is it so fun for me to be dragged back to Eugene¡¯s school!?¡± ¡°Of course it is, you idiot. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy!¡± ¡°The time hase for Kato to pay for his sins after drooling over Mecha Viyam, lol.¡± ¡°What did he even do to deserve a reckoning? Lol.¡± Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away in South Korea, Kato couldn¡¯t be happy. As always. ¡°Whether I went to Hawaii or not, I was going to get kidnapped by Viyam anyway, so why was I holding my breath when Hotteok¡¯s group was getting kidnapped? Hahaha!¡± ¡°...Thanks for the 10,000 won... ughhh¡­.¡± ¡°Hahaha, hahahaha!¡± ¡°Fact: It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Take it easy, hahaha.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should have made an impression on Viyam, haha.¡± ¡°He got to enjoy Hawaii, a ce he¡¯s never been before, did a shark tour with Hotteok, ate delicious food, went on a yacht tour, and just watched as others shot guns? And he couldn¡¯t even enjoy it. Oh well, he was going to be kidnapped by Viyam anyway?¡± It was chaotic. The result of the new Dark Zone PVE raid trailer released at midnight Korean time and the aftermath it caused could be summed up in three words. And that was the oue when the "unconfirmed zone escape mode" ¡ª Artemis Raid, which Kato was currently ying ¡ª collided with Kato¡¯s situation. The oue was inevitable, especially considering that Kato was one of the nine people who had cleared the "eradication" difficulty Operation Ouroboros after being half-forced into Eugene School. As always, the high quality of the trailer, which looked like Icarus was spending all its money just making trailers, and at the end... a silhouette of something glowing green and blue. This could only mean one thing. Jin and Rain areing back. Once again. ¡°If this was going to happen, I should¡¯ve just gone to Hawaii, shot some guns, and came back¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote now! Hahaha!¡± ¡°What a loser hahaha.¡± ¡°?? : You had the chance to go to Hawaii, but since you didn¡¯t, we¡¯ll be giving you extra special training instead.¡± ¡°Others at least got to enjoy Hawaii before they started Viyam training, but Kato just watched, hahahaha.¡± ¡°Kato, let us know when you buy stocks so we know not to buy them.¡± A bombardment of facts hit Kato. What¡¯s more, Eugene was returning to Korea in just a few days. He was already way pastte. And to make matters worse, ording to the stream so far¡­ Eugene had provided everything to the three who departed: round-trip flight tickets, 5-star hotel room bookings, and even this yacht tour. There were many other things, but to sum it up simply: Kato was a loser. ¡°...Well, what¡¯s done is done, guys. Let¡¯s talk about the trailer. I wonder if Jin and Rain will remember me¡­¡± ¡°The loser won¡¯t be remembered hahaha.¡± ¡°Kato trying to change the subject, loser Kato! Cut!!¡± ¡°From the new raid description under the trailer, it looks like Dagger Team won¡¯t directly participate in thebat, maybe they¡¯ll act as NPCs?¡± ¡°Living point) It also said that Jin and Rain¡¯s dialogues will differ depending on the yer.¡± ¡°Kato trying to act like he knows Mecha Viyam, hahaha.¡± A barrage of mockery began again, but Kato¡¯s mind was focused elsewhere. Among the manyments flying by like machine-gun fire, there was one that stood out, and as he checked the tranted version himself, he understood the result. Jin and Rain, in the Unconfirmed Zone Escape Mode raid ¡ª they would most likely answer differently depending on whether the yers had yed Operation Ouroboros or not. It was effectively official. ¡®...Whether I like it or not, people are going to flock to the Ouroboros Raid, so I¡¯ll have to carry the ones who still haven¡¯t cleared it while capturing the raid leader until then.¡¯ When Eugene returns and the new raid is released, it was certain that Kato would be dragged along. Since hell was already on the horizon, it was better to do what he wanted until then, right? Thinking this, Kato leaned back in the virtual reality chair and added: ¡°Sigh, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯ll work out somehow. You all just watch me stumble around again andugh.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Koi just gave up lol.¡± ¡°KatoGraph is just a walkingedy show lol.¡± ¡°The end of someone tangled with Eugene hahaha.¡± ¡°????? : I¡¯ll be the clown.¡± KatoGraph. He was a man who gave up quickly. It was just another day. Chapter 495 ¡°...And with that, the yacht tour is officially over. Did you all have fun?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°d to hear that.¡± ¡°Ugh, the hotel smell. It¡¯s good to be back...¡± Oahu Ind, Hawaii, 9 AM. On a Sunday morning just as the day was beginning, the seven of them returned to the Icarus Residence Waikiki Suite Room. After putting down their luggage in their rooms, they eithery down on their beds or took in the sight of the waves crashing on the beach. However, more of them opted to lie down rather than gaze at the beach. This was because of what had happened when they returned after the yacht tour and helicopter ride. ¡°I thought we¡¯d juste back to the mountains, but I didn¡¯t expect a volcano tour to be added to the schedule¡­¡± ¡°Condensing the schedule is important. It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t get to see the flowingva, but that¡¯s out of our control. Maybe we¡¯ll have the chance again someday.¡± ¡°If we¡¯d seen the crater, it would have been perfect. It was fun.¡± As they said, it was true. Things had jumped around unexpectedly, so to summarize what had happened... it was exactly what it sounded like. Just likending the helicopter on the yacht, they had taken a helicopter back to the maind. They had gone on a tour around Big Ind, the southern part of Hawaii, beforending back in Hawaii. To be specific, they toured Mauna Loa, an active volcano on Big Ind in Hawaii. Hawaii itself was a volcanic ind, and the volcanic tours were at the top of the touring packages for that reason. Though snorkeling, shark tours, experiencing Hawaiian nightlife, h dancing, and various other activities were provided to the group, it was uncertain when they¡¯d have the chance to return to Hawaii. So, they made sure to do everything they could while they were there. With the helicopter tour now done, most of the items on the mental checklist had been checked off sessfully. The next thing to say was already decided. ¡°From today, it¡¯s free tour time. If you want, you can go around individually or with whoever you want. You can go shopping, eat whatever you want, or rent a sports car and enjoy a drive.¡± ¡°...Really? Just like that?¡± ¡°This is all I had prepared for you¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie, it was the truth. It might have been a bit surprising to Minah, Dais, and the others, but surprisingly, it was all true. In the week they had stayed in Hawaii, they had spent about four days running wild with guns, done shark tours, and enjoyed a three-day luxury yacht tour that cost around 300 million KRW for a week¡¯s rental ¡ª with a lot of help from the parents. Lorentina had even extended her vacation by two days, which was an intense schedule. Because of that, the protagonist started to feel like he might have only done things he wanted to do for himself, so he decided to make sure they could all enjoy theirst day with some free time. But... It seemed his expectations were wrong once again when he saw how flustered they were. ¡°Ugh¡­ wahhh¡­ I¡¯m Baby Dais¡­ take me on a trip¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, what should we do outside¡­?¡± ¡°Looks like our little one nned the trip really well.¡± Indeed, he hadn¡¯t expected this oue. But after several trips, Harmony and Dais¡¯ English had gotten decent enough, and even if they said they couldn¡¯t go anywhere without him, once they were out, they¡¯d likely do just fine. Plus, today he had something nned with Lorentina, so he had no choice. Realizing this, Dais and Harmony started to throw tantrums, but what else could he do? As always, he just spread out the carrots ¡ª and that meant, of course, giving them Viyam¡¯s tail. It was a lot more effective than expected. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ll be going around with Lorentina today, so we¡¯ll meet up again at dinner. You all can have fun, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I feel like a kindergarten teacher, but oh well. See youter, everyone.¡± Click. There was, of course, a difference in reactions between the people whose destinations and routes were mostly decided and those who had been told, "Now you¡¯re free to do whatever you want." It was likely that Harmony and the others would take at least 30 minutes to leave the hotel. While thinking this, as they closed the door and headed toward the elevator, Lorentina pulled out a stick-shaped object from her pocket and nced at him. He spoke. ¡°Should I turn on the jammer?¡± ¡°Please.¡± The reason he had said he was going with Lorentina today was because of this. He had seen this jammer before. When carried in a jacket pocket, it would interfere with the CCTV cameras and cause the images to distort. In other words, it was a fairly early model. So, the shark needed his help. Icarus Gear¡¯s jammer, on the other hand, would check the positions of the surrounding CCTV and use various methods to literally delete the person¡¯s shape on the screen, making it ideal for Lorentina, who didn¡¯t want any traces left behind. When they arrived at the underground parking lot, Lorentina took out a tablet and synced the GPS location. About 15 destinations appeared sequentially on the navigation screen. The parking lot was quiterge but easy to navigate. They headed toward the sectionbeled 2201 and 2202, which was assigned to their suite on the 22nd floor. After reaching the designated section, they would board the waiting vehicle. He was curious about what car they¡¯d have. Last time, it was a four-person Rolls Royce sedan, but since there were only two of them this time, they could probably use something a bit more understated. However, when they reached the parking lot, he immediately realized just how much money parents could spend. A number of sports and supercars were waiting for them. ¡°Haha, I like this one. It¡¯ll be great to spread the misinformation that operators don¡¯t drive something like this.¡± ¡°¡­Just say you want to drive it.¡± Maybe the sedan would have been better. At any rate, Lorentina seemed quite pleased, so that was good enough. There was no need to carry the car keys. When Lorentina saw the ck McLaren Artura, she started pretending to be a racing girl, and he couldn¡¯t watch her any longer, so he ced his hand on the hood. The hologram shimmered across the car, and with a voicemand, the door opened. Behind the driver¡¯s seat, there was a hole to stow the tail, and seeing this, he naturally climbed into the driver¡¯s seat... and Lorentina¡¯s expression twisted slightly. ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to drive?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who breaks everything just by grabbing the wheel? Sigh, fine. Just get in already.¡± "I can''t deny it; I''ve destroyed too many cars to refute that." The door closed, and the location data linked to the tablet Lorentina was holding was input into the vehicle. A hologram disyed the distance to the destination on the windshield. The engine automatically started, and with a faint vibration, the low hum of the engine began to reverberate. It was likely much louder outside. With a click, the seatbelt was fastened, and I pressed the elerator to begin driving. The car carefully began to exit the parking lot. During this, Lorentina, whoseplexion seemed to have suddenly worsened, added: "Are you sure you won¡¯t wreck it this time?" "Hey, stop saying that, or I''ll kick you out." The destination was 15 kilometers away. Today, it was time to prove that my infamous reputation as the "Car Destroyer" wasn¡¯t true anymore. With the clear sky, the driving began. "Here we are. It''s been fun going on a drive after a while." "You¡¯ve calmed down a lotpared to before." "Ugh, really." Screech. We got out of the car, and Lorentina stepped out as well. After driving for about 15 km along the coastline, we arrived at a quiet residential area in Hawaii. Even though it was just a few kilometers away from bustling Honolulu, the atmosphere here waspletely different. The salty scent of the wind blowing from the east filled the air. In the distance, the emerald-blue ocean could be seen from the hill below. If one were to paint a picture of tranquility, this scene would surely fit the description. But Lorentina didn¡¯t seem to care much and walked ahead. After walking for about 5 minutes, we came across an abandoned building on the hill and a half-destroyed telephone booth next to it. "This ce turns into a haven for bugs if you leave it for even a little while." Lorentina picked up a broom that was lying around and started sweeping away the spiders, bugs, and dust inside the phone booth, which seemed to have imed the space as its home. She then opened a half-rusted metal cab with her hand, and to our surprise, it opened smoothly despite its neglected appearance. Inside, there was a peculiar-looking machine. Lorentina pressed her thumb on the device that seemed to be used for fingerprint scanning. Then, she gestured for me to do the same. I followed her lead and pressed my finger on the scanner, and soon, a clear mechanical sound was heard. Identificationplete. Wee to Sector A11. For more detailed information, please proceed inside the building. "Let¡¯s go." The destination was inside the abandoned building. It looked like a basement that hadn¡¯t been touched for decades, but surprisingly, the moment we stepped inside, the ceiling lights turned on. As we stood still, the light, which seemed to be just a simple ceilingmp, suddenly flickered off, and redsers scanned our bodies from head to toe, as if scanning a barcode. With the sound of a mechanical whir, the doors on both sides opened, revealing what looked like a modern... server room. Lorentina nced at it and asked me to check the armory, then picked a device and began working with it. "Is the armory... here?" We entered the path to the right, and right in front of us was the familiar sight of a metal fence. There were numerous ammo boxes, dozens of firearms, grenades, bulletproof vests, gun essories, and constantly running air purifiers. Checking the inspection chart in front of the entrance, I began marking off each item one by one. After pulling and testing a few charging handles and bolts to ensure they worked properly, I ced the slightly stiff ones in the cleaning machine and waited. After repeating the process a few times, I ran a scan using the Icarus Gear. Since there were no issues, I updated the chart and signed it with my finger. By then, Lorentina had finished whatever she was doing and trudged over to where I was. She added: "This is a hub of sorts for when there¡¯s a counterterrorism crisis, or when road copses ormand centers are hit and we can¡¯t get weapons easily... you¡¯ll see this everywhere as we travel around Hawaii." "If we finish quickly, I was thinking of stopping by the outdoor shooting range to practice for the sniperpetition, but I hope we won¡¯t be toote." "It won¡¯t take long." Vroom. At some point, the McLaren, which had been parked below, had driven up the hill. The door opened automatically. With a click, the door closed again, and the tires pushed powerfully against the ground as we sped down the gentle slope. Lorentina, now beginning to trust me, rxed her stiff face and began asking me various questions.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. After all, it¡¯s always simr. We¡¯ll be shooting from moving vehicles or helicopters or boats, shooting without observation, and after CQB, I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll move to a specific location and shoot there¡­¡± "You already know everything. Have you done this before?" "I¡¯ve never really been out there. But in the end, it¡¯s always the same. Who do you think is the chief instructor training all the new Tier-1 operators?" I figured that made sense. It was a logical response. The conversation continued. One of the main topics was how much Icarus Gear we would use, but this time, I decided to rely more on my own calctions. Sometimes, it was necessary to recalibrate by doing things manually or by reviewing reports. After chatting for a bit more, Lorentina added: "If we get the chance, maybe we should consider being judges for the international sniperpetition next month." "¡­So you¡¯re definitely going to participate then." "Of course. Do you think I¡¯d say something like that for no reason?" That made sense too. I thought to myself that Logan probably had no idea about this, and knowing Lorentina¡¯s personality, she would probably ask me to keep it a secret from him... but well, he was sharp enough to figure things out with just a little bit of a clue. Looks like all three of the operatives will be entering the sniperpetition. "After thepetition, the editors will probably have to pull their hair out." "Ha, that¡¯s not something we need to worry about." "Yeah, I guess not." I wondered what would happen when the video eventually went up on your space. They¡¯d probably just lump us all together as ¡°Special Operations Forces¡± anyway, so it wouldn¡¯t matter... well, that¡¯s something I didn¡¯t need to worry about. So my conclusion was... there was none. "Shall we speed up a bit?" "¡­What? Wait a minute. What are you saying, little one? Eugene? Eugene!?" VROOM! But the rest of the words didn¡¯t follow. Thest day in Hawaii was passing by. Click "This isn¡¯t a pration team, it¡¯s a sniper team. Should I take it as an invitation to prepare for the sniperpetition next month?" "Of course. You should practice whenever you get the chance." "Well, that¡¯s really dirty of you." Logan, carrying several box-sized magazines with .50 caliber bullets the size of a board marker, chuckled when he heard Owens'' words.\ Delta was always busy. Chapter 496 ©¤©¤©¤Whooooosh! On thend where darkness had descended, under the cover of night, a team of ten infiltrators moved along the path through the mountains. Meanwhile, two snipers, a spotter and a shooter, were positioned on a mountain ridge about 1,100 meters from the engagement zone. From there, they observed the scene and the fortress beyond. Though it was early October, the temperature in the mountains was lower than in other regions, and the wind was blowing fiercely. Despite these harsh conditions, the sniper team continued their conversation without a care. The spotter, adjusting a drone floating in the dark sky, marked enemies on the UI. Exhaling and then inhaling again, the sniper, Logan, focused his crosshairs on the enemy base hidden in the valley. A green marker representing the allied forces moved carefully through the darkness in the lower-right corner of the screen. A well-secured guard post stood about 75 meters away from the allies on a nearby hill. The spotter manipted the drone''s camera, pinging the area, and Logan, seemingly already aware, made small adjustments to his wrist and arm to align the crosshairs. The sound of their breaths continued in session. The spotter moved the spotting scope to the relevant direction, and soon the distance of 1,072 meters appeared on the UI. Logan, noticing the wind speed and direction in the upper-right corner of the scope, began adjusting the mils. The wind was blowing from the upper-left to the lower-right, along the mountain ridge. He considered this variable as he finished his adjustments. When Loganpleted his adjustments, the spotter spoke. "No variables." "¡­I will fire." ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! It wasn''t a deafening sound. Rather, it was a sharp noise, like a whip cracking through the air. A single AP round shot from the silenced barrel of the TAC-50, cutting through the night. The bullet stayed in the air for about three seconds. At the same time, the head of an enemy robot, seemingly crudely assembled with just a skeletal frame, exploded like a watermelon. As soon as the bullet hit its target, Logan pulled the bolt to eject the spent casing and loaded another round. The guard post, manned by two robots, fell silent soon after. Another robot, several meters away, was hit by a bullet from a different angle and went silent as well. The spotter continued providing waypoints to the infiltration team a kilometer away, while Logan checked the watchtowers on either side of the main entrance through hisms. He confirmed that two enemies were visible in the watchtower. There was another simr tower, and in order to clear it efficiently, both watchtowers needed to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Logan exhaled softly and added: "I will use the EXACTO round for the next shot." "Understood. I¡¯ll follow the same procedure." Click. Logan detached the magazine and, with a round from the ammo holder attached to the stock, ced the bullet between his index and middle fingers and re-engaged the trigger. The target was the left watchtower, while another sniper team positioned several hundred meters away was targeting the right watchtower. Searchlights mounted along the fortress walls cast deep shadows. While ten infiltrators waited in the darkness, the spotter used a distance meter to get an urate reading, entering the data into the scope''s onboardputer. With the new data entered, Logan''s scope recalcted the shot. As the calctionspleted, a sign came through from the other sniper team, signaling they were ready to fire. A simple countdown followed, and then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! A death crossed the air. With a dull thud, a humanoid robot positioned in the middle of the watchtower copsed. The bullet pierced through its left shoulder and traveled across its torso, lodging in its right arm. If it had been a human, their shoulder, windpipe, and esophagus would have been shredded. But there was no time to rest. Logan immediately pulled the bolt, loaded the EXACTO guided round into the chamber, and, after adjusting his aim, fired again¡ªthis time, the bullet followed a strange trajectory before piercing through another robot that was moving inside the tower. With the entrance cleared, the infiltrators quickly approached the fortress walls. While others kept watch, one infiltrator nted a thermite stick into the wall, climbed, and soon reached the watchtower, attaching a rope and descending. But just as this was happening, a voice came through: "A vehicle is approaching from the left side of the fortress. It¡¯s expected to enter the main road in 15 seconds." "This is Vigil 2-1. There¡¯s not a vehicle in sight here." "This is Vigil 1-1. I can see it here. I¡¯ll try to make a shot through the windshield." "Understood." The dice had been cast. Logan, now calling herself Vigil 1-1, stated, "I¡¯ll handle it," and the infiltration team trusted her, knowing that if she failed, the mission might be doomed. But such risks had been a part of her past too. There had been times when the stakes were far higher¡ªwhen failure meant watching her team members die rather than simply packing up. Logan exhaled and slowly zeroed in on the vehicle, which was beginning to appear through the scope. Icarus Gear would have solved this problem easily... Logan muttered inwardly, then squeezed the trigger. With a resounding thud, the recoil was absorbed by her shoulder. The shot required more precise aim, but there was no time for that. Instead, Logan trusted her instincts. The risk was enormous, but her instincts had never betrayed her before. Three seconds of breathless silence followed before Logan spoke. "Vehicle neutralized." "Well done. Now all that¡¯s left is to win thepetition." "Haha, that¡¯s a joke." The familiar voice of the team leader, Owens, came over thems. As the brief exchange of jokes passed, the vehicle, its windshield shattered, began to slowlye to a stop. The infiltrators, all ten of them, entered the base without trouble. The two sniper teams, now called Vigil, retrieved their weapons and moved on to the second sniper position. Meanwhile, the number of identified enemies on the UI kept decreasing. The humanoid robots inside the base were falling to the ground like broken puppets. The mission¡¯s objective was to infiltrate the base, gather intel, and then exfiltrate as quickly as possible. Since such traditional missions had high chances of urring, every team member moved quickly, executing their roles. After covering several hundred meters swiftly, they arrived at the second sniper position, recalcted their distance from the base, and adjusted the drone¡¯s position. Through the crosshairs, Logan continued to identify and eliminate enemies, coordinating with the infiltration team. Her mind wandered to past memories. The people were different, the location was different, but¡ª How much time had passed? The familiar voice of Owens echoed through thems. "The situation outside isn¡¯t looking good." "After stirring up the base like that, you think reinforcements aren¡¯ting? Get out quickly." "Data copyplete. We¡¯ll be out shortly." Phew. Logan exhaled and nced to the side, spotting the M107 LRSR sniper rifle. From this point on, it wasn¡¯t about sniping for infiltration anymore¡ªnow, fire support was likely necessary. As expected, a spotter with a spotting scope took the rifle and prepared. In the next 30 seconds, humanoid robots began to gather outside the server room, where the intel was being stored. The sniper team had to reduce their numbers quickly. There was no way for a quiet exit with this many enemies gathered. ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! The distance to the fortress was over 1,100 meters, but the sniper rifles they wielded made distance irrelevant, and the only thing that could provide fire support was their firepower. Dirt kicked up, and spent casings rolled on the ground. Through the scope, Logan observed humanoid robots dropping like marites with their strings cut, as the infiltration team began moving toward the exfiltration route. As this happened, the two sniper teams also moved quickly. The exfiltration route was on the opposite side of the main entrance, and to exit, two infiltrators had to climb the opposite watchtower and set up a zipline. Only the snipers could assist with this securely. As the fighting escted, casualties among the team began to rise. The humanoid robots, armed withser weapons resembling enemy firearms, fired theirsers at the operators¡¯ exosuits, restricting their movements as the beams hit. Amidst the chaos, the team continued to return fire, throw grenades, andunch grenades. Some even used a polyurethane-ubiquitin camuncher to create temporary cover that could block iing fire. It was an impressive disy of teamwork. After tossing thermite at the rear gate mechanism and making sure thest infiltrator had used the zipline, the final team members ran toward a separate exfiltration point, their ears filled with the heavy sound of a helicopter. ©¤©¤©¤Booooom! In the darkness, the tracer rounds from the minigun stood out even more vividly. As the remaining humanoid robots inside the base were reduced to fragments, Logan chuckled as he checked the UI. Out of the 10 infiltrators, three were lightly injured, and one was moderately wounded. Considering the difficulty level of the simtion, it was an excellent result that there were no fatalities. After running for about 10 minutes, heading toward the extraction point, a helicopter in the distance began flying toward Logan''s team. Despite the cold wind blowing through the mountains and sweat pouring down their bodies, a moment of heat overwhelmed them. But as the helicopternded nearby, a st of wind hit, cooling them down in an instant. The lower ramp of the helicopter opened, and Owens, looking as if he hadn''t been through anything, extended a hand toward Logan. He spoke: "Putting the sniper team together paid off. Feel the consideration?" "Go sit down already, seriously." As all 14 members boarded the helicopter, the ramp closed.@@novelbin@@ Owens, sitting next to Logan, looked at him and asked: "Do you think the rookie will practice a lot before thepetition?" "Well, he''s the type who gets antsy if he doesn''t shoot, so he¡¯ll definitely be practicing. He¡¯s probably shooting even now. Want to bet on it?" "Hah, I definitely won¡¯t. My wallet''s a bit light these days." No further words were exchanged. Logan smiled briefly, and the helicopter began heading toward the USASOC camp, where the evaluators of the training were waiting. The training of The Unit, which had been called a money-devouring monster in the past, hadn''t changed much from the old days. It was just another day. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! "Impact." "Confirmed¡­ I wonder what Logan is doing by now." "Well, he''s probably having a far worse time than ying here. It''s rare to find anyone who spends as much on training as Delta, so he¡¯s probably still messing with something." "Haha." Of course, they understood each other all too well. It was a w of those who knew each other too well. "Ah, you''re back... Ugh, the smell of gunpowder! You went to the shooting range again, didn''t you?" "Yeah, I did some sniper training. Gotta prepare for thepetition in November. But don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t drag all of you with me today." "Ah, seriously." At 5 PM, after talking non-stop with Lorentina, eating, and shooting, we returned to the hotel, greeted by a room full of items. I heard that while Lorentina and I were busy running around Hawaii, everyone else had been out shopping. There were so many luxury clothes, bags, and wallets, and various other items to gift family and friends. As for me, I only knew about brands like Sig Sauer, HK, Colt, and Smith & Wesson¡ªjust kidding. Anyway, there was a pile of stuff I¡¯d never heard of. And to my surprise: "These, these, this one, and those shopping bags in Eugene''s room are his. There are some in Lorentina''s room too." "...What?" "I wasn''t sure about the sizes, so I bought some clothes in one-size-fits-all. And Eugene, since you have a tail, I didn¡¯t buy any pants for you." "Ah... thank you. I¡¯ll use them wellter." Was it because I can¡¯t ept gifts without paying back? If I said that, I¡¯d probably get attacked with, "Eugene, you really don¡¯t understand people¡¯s hearts," in excitement. So I kept quiet, bing a gratitude-automatic-response machine, expressing my thanks to not just them but also to the others in the group. Harmony, Dice, and the others probably felt like they were dragged along, but I was d it worked out well. On a separate note, Lorentina¡¯s gifts didn¡¯t exceed the luggage weight limit, and she could safely bring everything back to the US. As Harmony and Dice were joyfully patting each other''s heads, I picked up my phone and contacted the chefs on the 27th floor who were on duty. Though there was a chance the preparation time would be short¡ªonly 2 to 3 hours¡ªeveryone had probably eaten something while out, so it shouldn''t be a problem. Since it was still too early for dinner, there wouldn¡¯t be any issue inviting everyone. After checking with everyone, of course, nobody turned me down. So, that was that. And what would follow? The broadcast, of course. "Hey, uh? No, are we doing this so suddenly?" "Is there anyone who thinks they shouldn¡¯t appear on the broadcast right now? I¡¯ll give you a 30-second window to escape to your room." "As always, the rookie really is a devil." No, what did I do? I gave them a full 30 seconds to run away, and I''m called a devil. This is nder, pure nder. Anyway, everyone answered with their bodies, and the drone camera gently lifted into the air and began the stream. As viewers poured in like water from a broken dam, the seven of us waved lightly. Since there wasn¡¯t much content, the broadcast ended up being a simple talk session. It was essentially a bonus stream, and since I had mentioned that the broadcasts would be irregr, viewers had nothing toin about. "¡­Hello, everyone. Eugene here. We¡¯re currently one day away from leaving Hawaii¡­ You might be wondering why we started the streamte today, but we decided to take some time for individual activities today, just to enjoy ourselves." "Heh, hello. After today, I probably won¡¯t be on the rookie¡¯s broadcast for a while. Enjoy it while you can." Waka pyak shark ???????????????? Isn¡¯t this person a born broadcaster? This girl is always pretty ???????? Shark nuna, take my day! Shark nuna, take my day! With something like a one-time bulletproof vest, you could carry it out ??? Why are you saying bad things!!!!!! As expected, Shark and Pr Bear were broadcast blue chips, just by showing up. The viewers were still in an uproar, and I quietly checked the chat to see if there were any meaningful questions¡ªof course, the whiny ones just wanted to live in Hawaii forever, but there were still some interesting ones. For example, questions about what we¡¯d do after our time in Hawaii. And the answer was clear. "To put it simply, it won¡¯t be that different from what you all imagine. But I do need to go to the US for about two weeks in early November. Unfortunately, that means the broadcasts will be... very rare during that time. There¡¯s a sensitive schedule involved." Sensitive??????????? Oh, these guys are trying to mess with things without understanding ???????? Tactical sensitivity = things that ordinary people shouldn¡¯t know, or they could end up in prison Seriously, idiots, bombs and grenades are also considered sensitive objects!!! I didn¡¯t say anything ??? A full-blown uproar in the chat. Naturally, the group on the broadcast, including Harmony, Dice, and the others, wasn¡¯t paying much attention to my words. They had already been informed, so it made sense. But how about this? "So, before we head to the US, I¡¯ll be spending a lot of time training our national representatives who will bepeting in the Asian qualifiers. You can all enjoy watching Minah and Dice twist their bodies in the process." "Wait, Teacher? You didn¡¯t say that before!?" "Why are we getting dragged into this?" "But the Asian qualifiers areing up soon, right? It¡¯s not the first time, haha." And just like that, the two of them began rolling around with loud cries. The one thing I hadn¡¯t expected was that before we even returned to Korea, these two would be crying and throwing tantrums. I guess I¡¯ll have to offer them the carrot again. But maybe it''s better to leave them be; after all, they¡¯ll eventually find out once we get back to Korea. I¡¯ll just consider this a preemptive vination, I thought¡ªwhen Kimstone muttered softly from behind. "I didn¡¯t think our Hawaii trip would end with a farewell dinner, but ast supper." Naturally, at those words, Dice and Harmony¡­ started rolling around even more. In the end, I had no choice but to offer them a "tail reward" earlier than expected. It seemed like I needed some discipline too. And so, thest day in Hawaii was drawing to a close. Chapter 497 "It''s a shame that we won¡¯t be seeing each other for a while." "Did Lorentina¡¯s flight leave at 3:40 PM? It¡¯s unfortunate that she has to depart first..." "It''s just a normal thing when the destinations are different. Safe travels." 11 AM, Caf¨¦ in the airport. The palm leaves nted around the area swayed in the wind, and the now familiar Hawaiian air mixed with the airport¡¯s dry scent, the air fresheners ced around, and the smell of coffee, creating a strange, never-before-smelled fragrance. The week in Hawaii, which had felt like it would never end, was nowing to a close. The many souvenirs and brand-name items purchased for personal use or for family and friends were loaded onto the ne, and the seven of us, including myself, were preparing to board. There were 50 minutes left before departure, and Lorentina still had about three hours before her flight. We were headed to Incheon International Airport, while Lorentina was going to JFK International Airport. The Starbucks scattered throughout the airport provided caffeine for those returning from their vacations, those transiting through Honolulu on their way to other countries, or those just arriving. We, too, were one of those groups. We were more focused on the sweet drinks or the small desserts sold alongside them than on the caffeine. As a result, there was quite a lot on the table. It was a relief no one was feeling motion sickness¡ªotherwise, we¡¯d all be vomiting the drinks or cakes we had just eaten. "But Eugene, you''re leaving for the US again in November. Aren¡¯t you going to meet up with Lorentina again?" "No way. It¡¯s just like how you can¡¯t meet friends who¡¯ve gone to the military whenever you want." "Ah, right." "Hah, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe Minah should enlist as a nonmissioned officer." "Ugh, but she¡¯s already training under Eugene, so that¡¯s probably not going to happen." Minah skillfully dodging the conversation. Anyway, Lorentina... Her service in Korea was over, and her vacation was almost up. Technically, she hadn¡¯t used up all of her leave, but there were quite a few tasks waiting for her while she was on leave. She was in DEVGRU, handling the core of training andbat, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. In that light, I wondered if she¡¯d be able to participate as an evaluator in the International Sniper Competition, but that was up to her. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, rted topics began to pop up relentlessly. "Now that I think about it, it seems like this time you¡¯re going for something quite urgent. You won¡¯t just be doing training, right?"@@novelbin@@ "¡­" "¡­Eugene?" The five heads turned at once. Someone like you, who¡¯s quick to catch on... But I had dropped so many hints that it was hard not to. Especially with Dice and Harmony, I had directly suggested that I was affiliated with "that side." After a brief pause, I decided to give them a proper exnation. After all, if you just search "International Sniper Competition" on YourSpace, videos from the past and present would flood in like rain. There were plenty of people who had exposed their faces and names already. Given how distinctive Logan and I were in terms of affiliation, people would likely just lump us together as either nk spots, USASOC, or USSOCOM, in the worst case. As I reached that point in my thoughts, the next words came. "Wait, we¡¯re not going, right?" "Of course not. Why? You want toe? I won¡¯t stop you." "Uwaaaa, no way!" As expected. But I could understand why these two were saying this. During our time in Hawaii, Minah and Yerin showed some impressive physical skills¡­ Even though I yed the spotter role, it was still very impressive. Things like breathing techniques, aiming posture, and the basic understanding of target acquisition were absolutely essential, and without them, it would have been impossible to achieve those results. Last time, even after I showed Kimstone a thing or two, if your breath and alignment were off, the bullet would nevernd where you intended. That was made painfully clear for everyone. That moment was broadcast far and wide, and among the viewers, it was nearly impossible that there weren¡¯t any high-ranking U.S. military personnel. Given that Minah and Yerin had been showing off their skills, the likelihood of those higher-ups getting excited wasn¡¯t small. So, I received contact. Anyway, if they really wanted to learn more, I could only tell them to apply to sniper school. And the chances of these two actually taking that step? There was no way. It would be faster for Hitler to be resurrected by dark magic, for Stalin tomand him as a zombie, and for them to cross the Antic. It would be faster than these two signing up. As soon as I finished exining, the next words followed. "That¡¯s not going to be streamed, right?" "As I¡¯ve said before, if you want to see everything from start to finish, join the U.S. military." "¡­Got it. I¡¯ll watch the edited version on YourSpace when it¡¯s up." It was a shame, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Aspensation, as I mentioned yesterday, I¡¯d be putting these two, along with the others from the Asian qualifiers, through some serious training before we leave. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t too worried about Harmony and Dice, so it didn¡¯t bother me much¡­ It was more of a concern that I¡¯d have to act as an instructor for 18 people. But that was something to think about after we returned to Korea. The clock now pointed to 11:30 AM. Announcement: Passengers on the 11:50 AM flight from Daniel K. Inoue Airport to Incheon International Airport, please proceed to the gate indicated on your electronic ticket... "It¡¯s been fun this week, rookie. Before you head to Georgia, you should stop by Virginia. You could take a day off ande out." "Should I tell Logan toe up?" "Tell him to rest at the base. He just had a major training session a few days ago." Of course, even if I said that, if I dropped some hints, there was a high chance he¡¯d sneak up here. With a sliding sound, everyone stood up, returning their coffee cups and trays. After a brief farewell to Lorentina, we hurriedly moved toward the gate that would take us to Incheon. I don¡¯t know what kind of magic my parents worked, but once again, only first ss was avable. It was strange that more than half of the first-ss passengers were from our group. Everyone was pulling out their cameras to film the first-ss review videos, which was a sure sign they were born streamers. The flight attendants led us to our seats, and the spacious cabin, divided by partitions, soon revealed itself. Sitting by the window, looking calmly outside, I saw the scenery changing as the ne slowly began to taxi down the runway. The ne was now positioned on a runway several kilometers long, and the engines next to the wings roared to life. Vroom! The takeoff had begun. It was time to go home. The Hawaii trip was officiallying to an end. "They''re gone." As Eugene¡¯s flight ascended into the sky, Lorentina took her phone out of her pocket. She made a call to someone, and after about 10 minutes of back-and-forth conversation, she leaned back on the sofa, a smile ying on her lips¡ªsomeone with such drive and monstrous achievements would be hard for the U.S. military to stop. She was scheduled to head to Fort Benning in early November. "Finally home..." The sound of a suitcase rolling echoed through the hallway. It was around 5:40 PM when we arrived at Incheon Airport, and though I knew the journey home wouldn¡¯t be easy, experiencing it firsthand was truly dreadful. What should have been an hour-long drive turned into a nightmare of traffic, typical of Seoul¡¯s evening rush hour, and the result... well, there was no need to exin further. I think the fact that we left before 6 PM and didn¡¯t get home until 8:30 PM speaks for itself. Nevertheless, we eventually arrived home. As the elevator ascended, the familiar view of Seoul¡¯s bright cityscape appeared. The time was still before 9 PM, so most buildings had their lights on, and the streets were jammed like the clogged veins of an unhealthy body. I had pre-ordered dinner on the bus, but since it hadn''t arrived yet, I figured the delivery driver was probably having a rough time. I figured they¡¯d show up sooner orter while I took care of some work at home. That being said, the smell of the hallway was surprisingly nostalgic. ©¤©¤©¤Click! As I approached the door, it opened automatically. Before leaving for Hawaii, I had reced the door lock and installed an automatic opening system, so with just a signal, the door could open by itself. The familiar view of my home was now visible. The faint sight of the Han River, the lit-up skyscrapers, the quiet but high ceiling, the modern chandelier hanging above, the marble table, and... a pile of unknown trash... Wait a minute. "What? What¡¯s this?" Rushing in with my suitcase in hand, I quickly entered and noticed the pile of trash and the overwhelming feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It wasn¡¯t the usual stic or typical trash you¡¯d expect in this world, but instead, there were paper wrappings all over. I was startled and quickly pushed my suitcase aside as I began inspecting the house. It only took about a minute, but then... "...Come out." "...I thought I hid well." "Why are you here, Archetype?!" I¡¯d picked up two mecha-clowns. A mighty roar escaped my mouth, and these two began begging for mercy, exining that "Archetype left the door to the world open," as if that was an excuse. That¡¯s when I realized something important that I had forgotten. It was like one of those cliches¡ª"Did I turn off the stove?" or "Did I lock the gas?" or "Did I turn off the air conditioner?" The difference here was that I could remotely control all of those from Hawaii, but the most important thing had slipped my mind. I was really losing it. ''Well, thanks to Pizzler, it¡¯s not like a virus hase over from the other world...'' Anyway, after looking around for a bit while trying to catch these two, I didn¡¯t find the house in too much of a mess. The trash on the table, when I looked closely, was neatly packed in a stic bag. ording to Jin and Rain, they had nned to properly dispose of it afterward. They had been doing that even before I returned, they said. So, the house hadn¡¯t been trashed. It was just barely safe. That left only one charge¡ªbreaking and entering. "Yaaaah¡ª!" "Ah, pressure at 302kg, 443kg, anything beyond this could cause damage¡ªaaahhh¡­!" "Quiet." After the immediate punishment was carried out, I heard the basic details. It wasn¡¯t long before they discovered that the door was left open. They mentioned that they asionally came by just to look outside when they wanted to see the world. Also, despite knowing the door was open, the other Dagger Team members didn¡¯te to my house. In other words, it was just these two mecha-bums who used my house intermittently for sightseeing. Well, I suppose it wasn¡¯t that bad. "Next time, at least let me know. Understood?" "Understood." "But we don¡¯t know how to contact the owner." "Ah." That was another oversight. By now, these two were wearing Icarus Watches, which signified their official operator status, and through data sync, I shared my contact information with them. As soon as Jin figured it out, he tried to contact me immediately, but I stopped him. On a separate note, with these two in front of me, something else came to mind. ording to the email from my parents, the new raid would be released in about a month, but that didn¡¯t mean there wouldn¡¯t be anything happening in the meantime¡ªthis meant that the other world and the Dagger Team on that side were probably preparing for something. I heard they wouldn¡¯t be fully deployed to the battlefield this time, but of course, that was something only seeing the situation firsthand would confirm. So, another task awaited. "...This will be an unexpected visit." "Huh? What did you say, owner?" "I guess I should check in after the trip to Hawaii." I figured I¡¯d save the Hawaii souvenirs forter. I didn¡¯t have anything to give them right now. But I¡¯d already thought I¡¯d need to visit soon, so I might as well take advantage of the situation. "Alright, let¡¯s go. To see the Dagger Team." "No, wait! Tell me what¡¯s going on!" "Give up, Rain. Archetype is always like this." What did I even do? Anyway, with that thought, I started preparing to visit the Dagger Team as soon as I returned from my trip. It was going to be a busy time. Chapter 498 "You''re not going to the front lines again, are you? ...Why does everyone look like that?" "...See? Everyone, open your wallets quickly! Give me 5 dors each!" "Dammit, I told you I sent the detailed data to the rookie! You said it wasn¡¯ting! But here the rookie is!" Crash, boom. The gate that I had forgotten to close, which had previously been a passageway for the Dagger Team to freely use my house, had now served its purpose. After returning from Hawaii, that door was used for its original purpose again, meaning it had be the opening for the mecha-monsters following me around to storm the base. As soon as I opened the door, I saw multiple high-rise buildings. It was the familiar New York skyline, one that I could draw even with my eyes closed. This meant that the Dagger Team was still staying in New York¡ªthough, even knowing this, my steps remained swift. Navigating through the unnecessary piles of clutter stacked between the hallways¡ªof course, since Jin and Rain had knocked over the tower of objects, they had to start stacking it back up again¡ª I entered the room where the Dagger Team was staying. And we¡¯re back to square one... but. While I was away, I had no idea what had transpired, but they were now gambling with money, of all things. "...So you even made a bet. You sure are living the good life." "Stop talking nonsense ande here, rookie. I bet you came to check whether we¡¯re heading out to the field or not, right? I¡¯ll give you credit for not just jumping to conclusions based on the data, but actuallying here to confirm it." "Wait." At that moment, a voice continued from the side. It was Logan. Lorentina¡ªnot the one I had just been shooting with in Hawaii, but the Lorentina in New York¡ªpaused for a moment, then, seeing Logan take a deep breath, gave me a small, knowing smile and shot a pulse in my direction. The two senior operatives grabbed my arms, one on each side, and pulled me to a corner of the lounge. Logan sniffed my hair, while Lorentina analyzed the pulse results that she had sent through my body. As I stood there confused, wondering what they were doing, the following words came. "Your body smells like shark. There¡¯s also a hint of sea breeze." "Shark?" "What should I call it? It¡¯s not that you smell like a real shark, but more like... well, your scent? Something like that?" "You read that?!" In the meantime, Lorentina was analyzing the variousponents within my hair, reading the data. When I nced over, I saw a hologram... a globe. As it spun rapidly, X marks appeared over countless beaches on Earth. Then, I noticed some of theponents: it turned out to be very fine volcanic dust floating in the air. From a volcano. And so, I realized the "shark" scent was because I had recently visited a volcanic ind, and through countless minor data points, they figured out that my most recent location was Hawaii. Meanwhile, Logan spoke up: "Eugene, have you been with her even outside?" "Well... it¡¯s been a busy time." "That¡¯s beside the point. Why are there elements on your hair and clothes that resemble ck powder? Have you been firing guns all day?" "I guess there¡¯s nothing I can hide from you two." But why were they using the Icarus Gear for such detailed and even frightening analysis? Anyway, just a few minutes ago, my n of "I¡¯ll tell them about the Hawaii tripter" waspletely shattered. These two had interrogated me so thoroughly that I didn¡¯t even have the chance to exin. Thankfully, just as the Dagger Team was about to corner me, Jin and Rain, who had finished organizing outside, walked into the lounge. "...Owner, why are you surrounded as soon as you arrive?" "Perfect timing. Try to get these people back to their ces¡ªugh, ugh!" "Our rookie¡¯s been avoiding ustely, and now they¡¯re getting cuter." "Ah, please stop tormenting Archetype." It wasplete chaos. Fortunately, Jin¡¯s mild request seemed to work, and the seniors, saying "Now that the Dagger Team is all here," finally returned to their ces. As I watched them leave, I promised myself that next time, beforeing here, I would definitely spritz some perfume to confuse these two operatives. Within just a few minutes, I¡¯d been given several cheek squeezes and head pats. Even with Jin and Rain around, I was still the rookie of the Dagger Team. I wasn¡¯t even trying to be the center of attention, but somehow I always ended up monopolizing all their love.@@novelbin@@ It was maddening. Setting that aside, a holographic operations map was projected onto the table, and between Dan Dae-ho and the other symbols, the Dagger Team was clearly not mixed in. Moreover, the majority of the mission''s early stages would involve unmanned drones and UAVs being deployed from transport nes. I had seen it briefly before, but as expected, the Dagger Team wasn¡¯t nning to move until Savannah¡¯s urban area was subdued. Furthermore, the only international airport in Savannah was going to be converted into a base, so they didn¡¯t have the reason or resources to deploy right now. Besides, analyzing Jin and Rain, and learning that the U.S. in this world had already begun preparing to produce remote-controlled humanoid robots for the Icarus strike teams, I felt somewhat relieved knowing that the Dagger Team wouldn¡¯t get hurt in the battlefield. But then, as the Dagger Team showed me the prototype... "...Why does it have such feminine curves that look familiar?" "Rather than changing the appearance, we just used the pre-designed body frame." "Why do the facial features look simr to mine?" "We didn¡¯t change the face, we just..." "Well, at least it doesn¡¯t have a tail, thank goodness. Dammit." The design of the prototype the Dagger Team showed me¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t even in production yet¡ªwas a mess. It had a look that, if mass-produced, would probably drive me insane. I could tell that the Dagger Team already knew this, as they slid an electronic signature document in front of me. It was a petition for me to officially oppose the design. When I raised my thumb, the signature vanished into thin air, automatically sent to the higher-ups. If I hadn¡¯te here today, things could have really gone wrong. "Who in the world approved this design?!" "Who else? Cost issues, most likely." "¡­" "Well, there¡¯s a bit more to it, but..." I had mentioned it before, but the United States in this world... doesn¡¯t have money. To be more precise, unlike in the past when it made money through trade or content production, there¡¯s no real source of ie anymore. They¡¯ve just managed to catch their breath a little with reparations from China and Russia, slowly paying off their debts. Now that the war is over, but in just about six short years, six out of seven Americans took the express train to heaven, there was an urgent need to supplement the workforce, or rather, to create humanoid robots to fill the gap. Thanks to Artemis'' technological prowess, things had improved to some extent, but... In the meantime, a few idiots had suggested that instead of redesigning the humanoid robots, they could just make them based on Jin and Rain, and change the appearanceter¡ªwhat nonsense. And the Dagger Team said... "Of course, the ones who said that all got their heads bashed in. Emperor Henry I of the Holy Imperial Federation had a good time pounding them and then kicked them out." "Well, that''s a relief." The reason was equally ridiculous. It was a person to whom he had personally awarded the Medal of Honor, and he was yelling about how they were going to sell off the publicity rights and then just casually produce them¡ªthis outburst had apparently filled the HQ office in Central Park. My chest was swelling... or rather, I was feeling petty. Thank you, President Henry... Anyway, the events I just described were the ones that happened while I was briefly away. The world is truly strange. "So when will the new design be ready?" "Changing the design means the internal structure has to change too. The engineers are probably pulling their hair out. Not that it¡¯s any of your business." "Yeah, I guess you''re right." In any case, thankfully, the conversation shifted in a different direction. Not that there was much new information to be shared. Specifically, it was about the operation day, the situation in Savannah, or the recent happenings with the Dagger Team. As for the Dagger Team, other than the fact that they had gained some weight, nothing had changed. It seemed that now that the world was bing a bit more livable, gaining weight was as natural as the fact that 1 + 1 equals 2. And that fact allowed me to rx. "I''m d they''re all doing well." "Well, ''doing well'' is a stretch. We almost had humanoid robots that look like the rookie running around everywhere." "Even if I hadn¡¯te, you would¡¯ve stopped them with a petition bomb anyway." "Would you leave them as they are?" The sound of chuckling echoed from all around. By now, the hologram on the table had been turned off, and the atmosphere became warm and cheerful. The conversation continued. "Since the rookie¡¯s finally here, let¡¯s take a break. Hope no one has a scheduleing up." "Weren¡¯t you all having fun before we got here?" "For people like us, not having to go out on a mission is a blessing." That was true. Anyway, everyone went off somewhere to get wine and beer, and cups and sses started appearing as the fridge in the lounge was opened and simple snacks were prepared. I instinctively knew. I wouldn¡¯t be getting home anytime soon. Before I knew it, two senior operatives who had taken my seat beside me cheerfully asked: "So, are you going to tell us what happened in Hawaii?" "...This isn¡¯t an interrogation, is it?" "It¡¯s an interrogation with alcohol instead of confession, of course." Ugh, really. The world was truly a strange ce. It didn¡¯t take long before the room was filled with the smell of alcohol. "Finally, you''vee up, Minah! Congrattions on making it onto the Asian qualifiers. You¡¯ll be going to the U.S., right?" "Mikael, long time no see! I was disappointed that we didn¡¯t meet at KSM, but now I¡¯ll finally get to see you in the mainpetition." "After Dice, now there¡¯s someone else we need to watch out for, it¡¯s already terrifying..." Somewhere in Seoul, at a banquet hall, while Eugene was spending a few days with the Dagger Team in another world¡¯s New York. Precisely 20 people, each dressed in business casual attire, wandered around, greeting familiar faces and offering kind words to neers or those they knew through others. At first nce, they didn¡¯t seem to have much inmon, but if you looked at the bracelets they were wearing, with the words "Asian Qualifiers Korean National Team" written on them, you¡¯d understand the reason. "It¡¯s only been two days since you returned from Hawaii, and now you¡¯re here. I really can¡¯t keep up with the speed at which the world¡¯s turning." "Where is thising from all of a sudden?" "Hehe." Harmonie and Dice, more heavily made up than usual, were moving around the banquet hall like a whirlwind. The Asian qualifiers selected yers, ranking from 1st to 20th in the Korea Selection Match, had to attend the pre-briefing for the Asian qualifiers, which had been dyed by about 6 weekspared tost year. As a result, these two had to show up here just two days after returning, still not fully adjusted to the time difference. However, it was clear that their natural abilities were still intact¡ªwhether from their gics or because the woman with a snake tail had modified them. The moment they made eye contact, Harmonie and Dice began shaking hands with the many people who greeted them. In fact, half of the people walking around the banquet hall were already familiar faces. "Mikael, Gambit, Ink, Blooming, Summit, Crossline, Corvus... Minah, you probably don¡¯t know some of them, right?" "I know the first three, but unfortunately... oh, I know Corvus. Isn¡¯t that the person who gave Eugene the nickname ¡®Axe Goddess¡¯?" "Ah, that..." The Axe Goddess was certainly a powerful moniker, but when I thought about it, didn¡¯t Dice also have her own time of joy when she was joking around in front of Eugene? During a break between scrims for the Final Championship, she showed Eugene the tail avatar made by a fan, only to get hit in the head by a steel pipe in the next match and be ejected into the lobby. Of course, Harmonie didn¡¯t bring this up. She had also contributed her share of strange nicknames for Eugene, so bringing it up would only result in a chicken game. In the meantime, Gambit, who had quietly approached, spoke next. "But you guys... went all the way to Hawaii to practice with real guns. Everyoneughed about it. They said you went to Hawaii for reserve training." "Well, kind of... but it¡¯s a little different." Dice, who had been chuckling, finally spoke up. "The difference is that we received real training from Byam and can now hit targets at 1500 meters?" "Cough." It was both a disappointment and a funny contrast¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the same as reserve training, which had turned into a meme. These two had actually received structured training from Byam. Although Eugene never exined how to perform the scout role, inparison to reality, the Dark Zone omitted many elements. Above all, in the virtual world, all users had the Icarus Gear that helped with real-time ballistic calctions. Gambit, who had once wondered if we had any simr training, jokingly said: "That¡¯s terrifying. I hope I don¡¯t get kidnapped by Eugene and end up in the military." "...I¡¯m already so anxious. I came back from the trip, and I¡¯m being kept in the dark about when I¡¯ll get a call, it¡¯s driving me crazy." "Wait, doesn¡¯t that include us too?" "Ah." Thinking about it, I realized. The pre-briefing for the Asian qualifiers might have just been a trap set up by Byam, with twenty fresh recruits caught in the snare. They likely had the same thought, and nothing really changed. The world was still running as usual today. Chapter 499 "Operator Eugene and the entire Task Force Dagger have submitted a request for rejection regarding the proposal to produce humanoids with the current design intact." "Of course." New York, Central Park HQ. Now more familiar than the White House in Washington, the office in the heart of Manhattan. Though the outer walls had been tastefully decorated for a long time, those who still couldn¡¯t forget the pale gray concrete from when the building was hastily erected called it the "Gray House" ¡ª the president¡¯s residence. It was an office where the upants joked that there were fifty shadows lurking within, and now, having received the electronic documents forwarded by the assistant, Henry sighed as he opened his mouth, knowing that this was inevitable. "No matter how bad the budget is, I can¡¯t believe there are still idiots in my cab suggesting that we should just mass-produce the design as is because we have no money." "Should we think of it as investing the sries of the people you¡¯ve fired into changing the design?" "Not bad, that joke of yours." In truth, that was probably what was going to happen¡­ but Henry decided it was best to remain silent. Henry, who lived off coffee, sighed again. If Eugene, from Task Force Dagger, went over to Jin and Rain¡¯s working-server cloud to ask them to turn off the cloud-sharing, the poor researchers would likely scream with 100% certainty. With no money to even build the interpretation systems andbs, Henry had to rely on sharing the design and interpretation data with Jin and Rain, yet somehow he was expected to produce humanoids right now ¡ª humanoids that looked identical to the donor, no less? It was clear the situation had gonepletely out of control. The fact that members of Task Force Dagger had put up with this nonsense was baffling. But the reason these stupid ideas kepting up was... in the end, it was money. As the internal situation in the U.S. began to stabilize, the reports from the Treasury, which had been pushed to the back burner for so long, were now piling up, and each piece of paper seemed to scream about the dire state of the economy.@@novelbin@@ At least, thanks to the slowly starting reparation payments from China and Russia, they had managed to catch their breath a little. "How long do you think the design changes will take?" "Faster than expected. We should have multiple drafts to review in about a week, and we can expect a prototype in a month." "Not bad. Considering the mess Artemis left behind, they left quite a bit of a legacy." A humanoid that could dramatically reducebor costs... maybe they should build a monument and award it a medal. Putting such rebellious thoughts aside, Henry exhaled. His priority was clear ¡ª humanoid production and cuttingbor costs through industrial input. Right now, the U.S. was severelycking in manpower, so this was necessary. Had the U.S. been operating normally, the response would have been something like, "Where will you get the rare metals and electricity for this, Mr. President?"... but... ''Russia and China... but in a way, it¡¯s good that it¡¯s Russia and China.'' One of the two problems was power. There was a simple solution to this. Icarus Gear was, literally, a micro-sized fusion reactor. Moreover, the fusion technology developed to create it was the United States'' very own magicmp... and the Icarus Gear on the operators'' wrists was capable of producing 4 gigawatts of power per second. Therefore, power was no issue. And the second problem, Russia and China ¡ª which could also be called the countries of natural gas and rare earth metals. These two had given the U.S. the first blow, but after being crushed mercilessly, they now had plenty of resources to offer aspensation. The massive amounts of rare metals and natural gas they had given the U.S. as reparations would be the crutches on which the country would lean. Thinking about this, Henry began re-prioritizing. He wandered through various departments, including the State and Energy Departments, and recalled the reports that had arrived on his desk,pressed and updated. Then, he asked his National Security Advisor, whom he already knew had the answer, but needed to prompt the conversation. "What¡¯s the situation in Europe?" "It¡¯s terrible. ording to reports from two years ago, about 400 million people died from the virus. Recent data shows that around 300 million people are scattered across that vastnd." "Sounds like they¡¯re suffering in every possible way. I hope the ship carrying PPS ¡ª the mobile power nts ¡ª crosses the Antic safely. Once we¡¯ve given the starving people some electricity, we can start taking more resources from them." "More loans... understood." The advisor, who understood with just a nce, was afort. While giving Europe small pieces of the carrot that was fusion technology, they would bring in loans, slowly watering the withering nt that was the U.S. economy. Sure, the people across the Antic were all dying, but what could be done? Diplomacy was always like that. As Henry considered all the tasks at hand, he realized there was still much to do. He would have to extract reparations from Mexico, using the cartels in Houston, San Antonio, San Diego, and Tijuana as leverage. In the end, to carry out all of this, he would need to produce at least 500,000 humanoids. "Thete Theodore Roosevelt once said, ''Speak softly, and carry a big stick.'' Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a perfect quote for these troubled times?" "You¡¯re right. If we swing that stick around Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the Republicans, who are already burying themselves in Washington condemning the morality of the administration, will be the only ones to protest." "Haha, I never imagined I would rise to the presidency like this. I guess I should start growing a mustache." It was bing clear that there were serious issues to be resolved in the U.S. In fact, there was a bill moving through Congress, passed in a temporary House and Senate set up in the renovated New York Museum in Northern Central Park. It was said that the 22nd Amendment ¡ª which limits presidents to two terms ¡ª might be amended, allowing exceptions for cases like the country¡¯s survival crisis. But considering how politicians worked, this amendment wouldn¡¯t be for Henry¡¯s benefit. And the roons in the Senate were predictable. ¡®The 49th President, though only having 2 years left in office after his sessful reelection, had a ridiculous premium. He had managed to patch up an America that was on the brink of copse, a thousand times worse than what FDR faced during WWII.'' ¡®The U.S. is desperately struggling to get back on track. Even if elections are held now, it will only be a case of ¡°putting a spoon on a dish the president built." If a diplomatic crisis happens now, the whole country could fall apart.¡¯ ¡®No need to swallow a poisoned chalice. Besides, Henry survived a grueling six years in office thanks to the medical technologies derived from Icarus Gear. No need to put someone else in his seat at the Gray House now.¡¯ Cyberwarfare, ck propaganda, espionage, propaganda, agitation, civil operations. The picture is already starting to form. Asia likely had tens of millions of casualties due to the virus, but... even if there was some national power left to muster a full-scale invasion of the U.S., the military offensives would have ended in catastrophic failure. How would public opinion in Russia and China look in that case? They would have likely decapitated their generals and politicians with guillotines, if there were any. Of course, even without such tools, people¡¯s heads could be easily severed. Anyway, there was no need to overthink it. If you recall what Germany was like after WW1, it was simple. The economy was on the verge of copse, and the social atmosphere was not just unstable, but downright bleak. Moreover, since the navy destroyed the Three Gorges Dam, the military units along the Yangtze River ¡ª from Yichang, Wuhan, Nanjing to all the others downstream ¡ª were likely wiped out. This was the perfect time to take advantage of a country teetering on the brink of copse. "There was once a period in China called the Warring States period. If we send a few experts in ck propaganda, we could recreate that chaos, and then reassemble Asia the way we want, wouldn¡¯t that be an interesting result?" "That''s a terrifying thought." "Just a joke. To be more precise, it would be more urgent to tear apart the vic countries than China." Unlike China, which was already on life support, Russia would require a bit more... work. At that moment, a "ding dong" sound echoed. It meant a one-on-one video conference was about to begin. With the National Security Advisor present, Henry exchanged light greetings with CIA Director Oren Kitney in the corner of the office and quickly got to the point. "Director Kitney." "Yes, Mr. President." "Come up with a n to topple China and Russia by any means necessary." "Leave it to us. No organization does this better than the CIA. I¡¯d bet my dog¡¯s chew toy on it." "Haha, then give it a try." The die was cast. "Ugh, I¡¯m going to die." Meanwhile, back at the Gray House, Eugene was suffering from ate hangover. "Did I drink too much yesterday...?" His head was spinning. Leaning back on the couch, it wasn¡¯t the best way to get work done, but Task Force Dagger members had just thrown back alcohol like there was no tomorrow. After all, they could always detox using Icarus Gearter. Eugene was doing the same. But this wasn¡¯t some magic elixir that would instantly cure a hangover. And after days of fun, there was a mountain of work piled up ¡ª including the urgent need to update data rted to the uing Incurgenunch. As the days passed, the data gradually became more specific. A few points worth noting: ''There¡¯s a high probability that there will be side missions before the main raid.'' The range of Artemis drones was wider than expected. While it had been left for months, the discovery of this was a bit unusual. The cities in Georgia, such as Savannah, Charleston, and Augusta, as well as lesser-known satellite towns like Meta, Vidalia, Heinzville, and Darien, seemed... empty. Physically empty. What this meant was that drones had scavenged everything from cars to factory equipment in those areas. Naturally, there weren¡¯t any roads without cars, so Artemis had effectively collected arge amount of scrap metal. No one would be in the dark about where that metal ended up. "Really put it to good use, huh?" It wasn¡¯t even like they had their own kingdom, and now they had established outposts in the surrounding areas. Incredible. As the data from the UAVs umted, Eugene¡¯s interest grew. What had initially seemed like a rogue unmanned drone factory or automatic production operation was gradually revealing itself to be something more. Scavenging everything from the streets and repurposing it into drones... this was some cost-effective innovation. If this technology could be properly recycled, along with the Artemis factories, and if those responsible for these actions could be... dealt with appropriately, it would be a goldmine. After all, there were still hundreds of thousands of scrap cars scattered near New York. Despite this, creating unmanned drones and sending humans to attack those outposts would likely tank Henry¡¯s approval ratings, so Eugene¡¯s team was probably going to be involved in this side mission. "That¡¯s something Shadow will handle... and this one too... this one¡¯s... there¡¯s something I need to check myself..." Things seemed disorganized at first, but as more data came in, Eugene realized there were things he had missed. The Artemis data backup facility might even exist. The odds were high, and Task Force Dagger would likely avoid entering it, unless it was necessary. In that case, remote-controlled drones would probably be the solution. Jin and Rain were synced with the cloudwork and had real-time intelligence backups, so they could die as much as they wanted. But it was likely that Eugene had something else awaiting him, something unexpected. For now, though, there was something else he needed to respond to quickly. "This name is a st from the past." Task Force Laser¡¯s EM-level awakener, modeled after the owl. Olivia Nyx Lorelei. Unlike Logan and Lorentina, who had been by his side in the same unit, Eugene had only asionally spoken to Olivia after their unit split up. He had only seen brief reports on Task Force Laser¡¯s operations, and now he was curious about what she was doing. After some quick searching, Eugene found out she had left a U.S. government agency ¡ª the National Intelligence Agency ¡ª and had be a fashion influencer with over 1.2 million subscribers. It looked like she was contacting him for an advertisement request, so Eugene scrolled through her message and saw... [To Eugene¡­ "Hey, it¡¯s been so long! I couldn¡¯t catch you at KSM, but I guess we¡¯ll finally meet in the main match." (Skipped content) "Anyway, it¡¯s no big deal, but why does Dagger Team always look so cool? We were out there with the U.S. and Canada, doing all sorts of things too. When we were picking our teams, I should¡¯ve grabbed you and made you my subordinate right then." "Anyway, this bizarre game, Dark Zone, seems like it¡¯s all tangled up with you, Lorentina, and Logan. I tried asking around, but I couldn¡¯t get their contact info. It seems they¡¯re with Delta and Dev now." "Anyway, our Laser team has been working hard too! Hit me back when you¡¯ve got time!" "What¡¯s this?" Olivia, the one he hadn¡¯t heard from in so long... hadn''t changed one bit. In Eugene¡¯s world, there was always something unexpected lurking around the corner. Chapter 500 "What am I supposed to do with all of this?" The table was a chaotic mess, with patterns, fabrics, and sketches scattered all over. Expensive-looking chairs were cluttered around the room, as if the walls themselves were part of the decor, covered with numerous sketches. A mannequin,cking arms and with its lower torso cut off, stood in the middle of it all, while a giant sewing machine upied the center of the table, surrounded by an array of clothes hanging on racks. Next to this disarray was another table,den with fashion magazines and theoretical books. One of the books caught her eye: "Fashion holds meaning beyond individual preferences and changes with the seasons. For example, if the autumn weather is cold, colors and fabrics that absorb light tend to be more popr..." Aplete mess. And in the center of it all stood one person. "..." Olivia N. Lorelei. A fashion influencer and designer with 1.2 million subscribers on social media. At 24 years old, she had worked as a cryptographer for the NSA until her mid-thirties before retiring. In another world, she had been the only EM-level awakener in Task Force Laser and had been involved in numerous operations. Endless thoughts piled up one after the other. Her head spun, but it wasn¡¯t due to an identity crisis. She was overwhelmed by how to clear this table, how to manage her schedule of activities, and how to conclude her work as a fashion influencer. In other words, from the moment she regained her memories, she had already made a decision. "What¡¯s the problem with taking a month off?" In the fashion industry, where trends change every 24 hours andpetitors increase with every passing day, a month-long break could have disastrous consequences. But right now, she didn¡¯t have the luxury to worry about such "trivial" matters. New York, now a ghost town. The scent of gunpowder echoed through the empty streets. The endless snow fell, clear and sharp, like a scene in slow motion, so vivid that she could sketch it with her eyes closed. In the midst of it all, Olivia, with a Vector rifle loaded with drum magazines, carefully navigated the snow that had piled up several centimeters, moving from car to car, as she took down thugs armed with shotguns. Blood spilled from the holes in the enemy¡¯s body, flowing out and mixing with the steam rising from the snow. The image of it fused with the warmth of a coffee cup in her hand. As the snow melted around her, Olivia leaned back in her chair, clutching her head. Her feathers¡ªthose that resembled an owl''s¡ªmoved in response to her emotions, twitching as they mimicked the movements of an animal¡¯s ears. No matter how much she thought, or how much she considered the situation from different angles, the conclusion remained the same. "..." The world of shing cameras, the height of mour. But even that couldn¡¯t ovey the vivid memory of machine gun fire, the recoil that rattled her shoulder, or the bleak, monochromatic shades of white and gray that filled New York. The sharp contrast of red blood and dead bodies¡ªshe couldn¡¯t erase the memory. The brutal but also glorious memories. War was a colossal emotional entity far too vast for humans to bear, and the ultimate tragedy that could arise from human conflict overshadowed even the most vibrant worlds of fashion. As she sat there, unsure of what emotions were coursing through her, she mumbled to herself in an empty room. "I never imagined I¡¯d envy those two crazy people." Lorentina and Logan. As she had mentioned before, Olivia was a former NSA member. Using the power of old colleagues, she had once tracked the two of them. They were still walking the path that most could never imagine, a path sharp enough to bepared to a de. In that sense, perhaps this moment was exactly what she had been missing¡ªa certain stimtion that had been absent from her life until now. To be honest, since the end ofst year, she had envied Lorentina and Logan, who had been gallivanting around with their junior, having all sorts of fun. She had drunk so much that even the scent of coffee in her breath now seemed familiar, but she longed for the acrid scent of gunpowder. Olivia flipped through her schedule nner. "Now it¡¯s starting to look better." A line was drawn across the page. It wasn¡¯t a small, careful scratch but a massive diagonal line from the bottom left to the top right. Her new memories mixed with the old, creating apletely different person, but the past memories were never truly gone. And Olivia, more than anyone, was a hardworking workaholic. Herptop was filled with countless design drafts that she had created but hadn¡¯t yet sent. Without hesitation, she sent them individually to the clients listed in her nner. Within minutes, various messages began arriving. Some even called her directly to ask how she was doing. After responding appropriately, she checked her nner again. Fortunately, there was nothing scheduled after October, and now that she had sent the designs to the clients, the remaining schedule included... perhaps just a couple of lectures or interviews. She exhaled softly and called the schedule manager from therge brand she had been coborating with. After several knocks, the door opened. "What can I do for you, Olivia?" "Can we move up the lectures and interviews for this week? Also, is it possible to free up two weeks in November?" "That¡¯s quite sudden. I¡¯m not sure how to handle this..." "I¡¯ve already sent everything to the clients." A brief silence. However, after checking the synced web nner application and seeing multiple circles appearing rapidly, along with several iing messages, the manager decided not to worry too much. After all, Olivia had finished her tasks, and this was just part of the process. "I suppose even workaholics need a break sometimes." She smiled lightly, and the manager didn¡¯t probe further. Instead, he asked the next question. "So, where are you nning to go?" Without a second''s hesitation, she replied. "Hawaii, and Korea." In Olivia¡¯s mind, the vast shooting range in Hawaii already appeared, and she couldn¡¯t wait to go. "...A request for bulk firearm rentals in Hawaii?" This person, it¡¯s only been a week since thest email, and suddenly, why is she going to Hawaii? The world was truly strange. "Olivia, Olivia... That name is quite familiar. It feels like I haven¡¯t heard it in a long time. Did our junior reach out directly?" "No, she just sent me an email out of nowhere. In the first email, she mentioned that Task Force Laser had also been working hard and asked if they could deploy, along with some strange request to bring them in alongside Task Force Dagger. In the second email... she asked if she could shoot some of the guns in Hawaii, promising to send money." "She''s lost her mind." It was 10 AM in Korea, and 9 PM in the U.S. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly a long time ago, I had gathered the senior officers for a group call, and this time I was curious to see what our junior would say. I was about to drop another bomb on the shark and pr bear, who were already waiting. Thanks to the holograms, I could clearly see the mes of anger in their eyes. It was a familiar expression. Of course. We had all spent a lot of time together¡ªat least until Task Force Dagger split up. Let¡¯s briefly look at the history of it. "When was thest time we met? I can¡¯t seem to remember." "We used to meet frequently when we were cleaning up New York. We often did joint operations. But as the operation radius spread across the U.S., we slowly stopped meeting. Maybe they¡¯ve started meeting again in the other world." "Awakeners... Or rather, they were called ¡®Mutants¡¯ over there. When we were running the mutant training camp, we were practically together all day." "Logan, you cameter." "That¡¯s true, but..." As true as that was. Before I go into a brief story about the past, I should exin the situation back then. When the Dark Winter Incident broke out, there were many awakened individuals, including me. Most of us were ssified as between E1 and E2 levels, but I was the only one ssified as EM-level. At that time, there weren¡¯t proper standards, so we mostly relied on rough estimates. In the early stages, Lorentina was even treated as someone whose gender had merely changed. Anyway, going back to the story, I was an Alpha-level¡ªwhat we now call EM-level¡ªawakener, with slit pupils like a snake, ears that were sharper than average, elongated fangs, a snake-like tail, and vibration sensing and night vision. It was clear to anyone that I belonged to the Alpha category¡ªwhat we now call EM-level. And because it was easier to manage them all in one ce, the EM-level awakened individuals had to be grouped together. "Even before Logan came, and after he did, we were all together." "Just say it straight, junior. Olivia and I were instructors, and you were a trainee following us around."@@novelbin@@ "I honestly thought I was going to die." "Dying once or twice was nothing, huh." ...That¡¯s true. Anyway, at the start of the crisis, we had to gather the awakened individuals, who were clearly different from regr people, and quarantine them. That¡¯s when I first made contact with them. Of course, as I mentioned before, Logan came a littleter. There were several reasons for that. When I barely managed to get into New York and was working hard in Central Park, Logan¡¯s operation team was stationed in Washington D.C., protecting important figures from the widespread virus. They were also working to end the chaos and keep an eye on suspicious individuals. But not long after, a major disaster urred. The Capitol was literally destroyed, and nearly all the congressmen, from the Senate to the House of Representatives, were killed. The president, who had been inaugurated just a week earlier, Henry, was en route to the UN General Assembly in New York when he heard the news. He had to make an emergencynding at JFK airport. And after that, he couldn¡¯t return to the capital for over six years. So, Logan¡¯s team was rushed to Central Park for presidential protection, and that¡¯s when the bonds between Logan, Lorentina, Olivia, and me were formed... "Now that I think about it, I guess we should¡¯ve contacted her earlier, but why did we never check in until now?" "She just recently regained her memory." "Well, that¡¯s understandable." In the email, she mentioned not understanding why she suddenly became a fashion influencer after being an ex-NSA cryptographer... It also exined why Olivia had suddenly decided to go to Hawaii. She wanted to borrow the guns I had stored there, which had cost me around 200 million won. After a few international cash transactions, Olivia happily left for Hawaii. She even posted about it on social media. "I guess she¡¯s famous because there was quite a buzz about it." "Hmm, well... when someone who used to only post about clothes she designed and shopping mall ads suddenly goes to Hawaii and posts a video of herself shooting a Barrett, I can see why." "Of course, she put a suppressor on it too. What else would she do?" That was true. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Olivia was an owl mutant, capable of more covert operations than even Lorentina. She loved jumping from high ces using a special wingsuit, weaving between buildings and alleyways, picking off enemies alone. And while her chest muscles, which were highly developed due to her avian traits, seemed to be reflected in her figure, that wasn¡¯t something I was concerned with. After all, when you average the stats of the people I¡¯m talking to, we¡¯d likely be inching closer to the G-level range. "That guy has an amazing execution ability." "From what I saw in the earlier posts, it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯ll be holed up in Hawaii the whole time. Have you heard anything specific?" "Hmm..." A brief silence. Then, the following words. "She ns to enjoy Hawaii for about a week, thene to Korea." Naturally, at that moment, everyone burst intoughter. And the conversation continued. "Of course." "Lately, I¡¯ve seriously been thinking about submitting my discharge papers. Damn it. That idiot is just wandering around the world while¡ª" "Shut up, Shark. Just call the junior to the U.S. problem solved." "Hah... I¡¯ll give you 500 shark points for this one, Logan. You really are a genius." "What are you talking about behind my back, huh?" Looks like I¡¯ll have to visit the U.S. frequently. What a bunch of troublemakers. Chapter 501 "Good work. We''ll take about a 30-minute break from now, ording to real-time standards." "Huff...!" "Ugh, I feel like I''m losing my mind..." About a week had passed since I had a conversation with the shark and pr bear. It was already more than half of October gone, and it was now nearing the second half of the month, but my tasks remained the same, and the repetition felt like I was running on a hamster wheel. Still, the difference from a year ago was that, back then, there were asional reactions like "So who is Eugene, and why is he suddenly rolling in, ying both coach and yer?" But now, that wasn''t the case. Everyone seemed to believe that I would bring victory to Korea again this year without a doubt. Of course, no matter what expectations people had of me, or whatever illusions they held... that was all Dice''s and Harmony''s responsibility. After all, a year had passed since the end ofst year''s finals, and the 4th Final Championship was set to take ce again. The gap of one year meant I had no idea how much preparation everyone else had put into it. Defeating the national teams of other countries was no longer my job¡ªif I''d participated starting from the tournament rank with reverse corrections, I might not have known either. Harmony and Dice, who seemed quite exhausted, came close to me, sat down, and stretched out on the ground. Although my physical strength in VR was immensely enhancedpared to my real body, they still appeared drained. But then again, as the Korean national team members kept rolling on, the probability of achieving victory or producing excellent results was high. It was a natural course of events. Without saying a word of appreciation, about 30 minutes passed in the virtual reality, and Dice and Harmony, drenched in exhaustion and fatigue, slowly started to regain their senses. I had considered pouring water on their heads if they hadn''t regained consciousness, but it turned out that wasn''t necessary. "Are you starting to wake up?" "Yes." "Good job." "...What you said in Hawaii was true." "Except for broadcasting it live, everything else was true, of course." Although I had said that, it wasn''t just these two¡ªInk, Michael, Gambit, and all the others from the Asian qualifiers, sprawled around in different ces, wouldn''t beining. They were the national representatives. They had the ability topete with other countries, but that wasn''t enough. They had to defeat, crush, and shatter their opponents. At the very least, no one in this room was here with a nonchnt attitude, unaware of the weight on their shoulders. And that was the end of the heavy talk. I had just given them a break, so there was no need to bring up work again. Now, there was something I needed to ask the two of them, who had started to recover some energy. "Are you two interested in fashion?" "Out of the blue?" "When else would I ask? I can''t bring it up during training, can I?" After their puzzled reactions to my sudden question, I shut them down with the usual approach and waited for their answer. I gave them about 30 seconds to think, but after around 7 seconds of silence¡ªapanied by gestures like ''I''m thinking''¡ªthey opened their mouths, confident in their responses. "I''m notpletely uninterested. I follow a lot of Western fashion influencers. Sometimes, when I¡¯m unsure about what to wear or what kind of outfit to go out in, I refer to their styles, and sometimes I even buy clothes from their online stores..." "Oh, sounds like we''re simr." "It seems like Mina isn''t that different, huh?" "Right. But the people I follow are probably different from Yerin''s. There''s a height difference, after all... I¡¯m a bit under 160 cm, so I follow people with simr heights to mine... and I guess Yerin follows simr ones too." "Hmm." I hadn¡¯t really considered that difference before. Thinking about it, Mina was 162 cm, and Dice was 168 cm. It wasn¡¯t a huge difference, but it wasn¡¯t insignificant either. But it didn¡¯t really matter to go any deeper into it. Just let it be, I thought. Anyway, I¡¯did the groundwork, so now it was time to give the reason I¡¯d asked this question to these curious friends. After taking a deep breath, I added casually. "Have you ever heard of Olivia Nyx Lorelei?" "Lorelei? Of course!" "Isn''t she quite famous?" "...Yeah, she is. I guess I''m just a bit out of the loop." ...What the hell has this person been doing in reality? Honestly, it might sound unbelievable, but I had no idea what this person had been doing in real life. Especially after the Dark Zone ovepped with reality. Since Task Force Laser had continued its activities, I had thought she¡¯d be with SOF, just like Logan and Lorentina. I hadn¡¯t looked into it, but letting my guard down or assuming things is exactly what I shouldn¡¯t have done. The result of thinking as I always did hit me in the back of the head much sooner than I¡¯d expected. Anyway, instead of just bbering and asking random questions, I decided to get a sense of how Olivia was viewed in this world, specifically, by asking the two of them. "...She¡¯s quite the popr star." "Of course. She¡¯s like 183 cm tall, often modeling herself, and coborates with famous overseas brands... it¡¯s weird she hasn''tunched her own brand, but still, she''s super popr." "I didn¡¯t know she was that well-known... Anyway, I¡¯ve seen her a lot while searching YourSpace. Her hairstyle is really unique, and people talk about it a lot." "Aha." It was a brief exchange, but I learned a few small things. Dice clearly hadn¡¯t kept track of Olivia¡ªor rather, Nix¡¯s recent activities. If he had, he might¡¯ve asked me why she was at the outdoor shooting range, repeatedly firing a Barrett rifle. And through Harmony¡¯s answer, I learned a second fact: they didn¡¯t know that Olivia was EM-level. To be honest, it made sense. Olivia wasn¡¯t someone whose physical strength had dramatically increased like mine, Lorentina¡¯s, or Logan¡¯s. Still, she was definitely stronger than an ordinary person. Thest time I checked, her stats were around 1500 for the three major lifts. Even that was essentially beyond human limits. After that, they didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and they started specting about why I had asked about Olivia. They went off on their own. "Well, now it¡¯s about time for Eugene to take an interest in fashion too." "It¡¯s a crime to keep wearing ordinary clothes when you have such a good figure. You must have a lot of money, so how about hiring a stylist? Every time you turn on the drone cam, you look like you''re going out bare-faced. Didn¡¯t you see how hard we were working on our makeup in Hawaii?" "Give it up, Mina. It¡¯s been almost a year since we got the drone cam. Even when we went to Hawaii, you could tell he¡¯s the type who just looks like a supermodel no matter what he wears." "..." Yeah, saying weird things like that and not getting hit in the temple by a punch is probably Dice¡¯s growth. As I stared at them nkly, the two quickly picked up on it and continued. "So, why did you suddenly start showing interest in that person? Did she send you a coboration request?" "Now that you mention it, that does seem like it could be the case... But if such an offer came, it¡¯d be better to ask actual professionals instead of us." "That¡¯s not it, High!" "Oops, my bad." "Oh, really? It¡¯s not like you''re nning some suspicious business... can I ask if this is okay?" Hmm. After hearing that, I hesitated for a moment, but since I didn¡¯t know how long this person would stay in Korea or how we might interactter, it¡¯d probably be better to just tell these two. I briefly moved my lips and opened my mouth. "I know her." "...Huh?" "And she¡¯s visiting Korea tomorrow." Of course, when the two of them heard that, their faces contorted in surprise. I had expected that. "...And what did she say?" "Well, what else? She told me to turn on my blinkers when entering. But I¡¯m also a victim here. She said she didn''t know how long she''d stay in Hawaii, but then, just before her departure, she emailed saying she''d arrive around dinner time, Korean time." "Mutants are like that, huh? They make jokes within their allowed boundaries, knowing just how far they can go without crossing the line." "...Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing the senior was awake at dawn. Are you going in now?" "I have the day off tomorrow, so it doesn¡¯t matter when I sleep." Mutant jokes, huh. It¡¯s a strangely rtable remark. I should probably reduce making these kinds of jokes to Dice and Harmony. Especially after I promisedst time on the Hawaii trip that I¡¯d get them rolling with excitement. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll keep that promiseter, though. Anyway, it was a little after 5 PM now, and Lorentina was somewhere around 4 AM. Since she hadn¡¯t gone to sleep yet, I decided to check in with her through the secret line. I¡¯d heard that it was thest day of training, and she¡¯d just finished the debriefing and was about to disperse. Special forces tend to have crazy schedules, so it wasn¡¯t unusual for her to still be awake at this hour. Tomorrow, she nned to sleep all day, so after hearing her insist I talk to her before going to bed, I couldn¡¯t resist and finally made my way. And a bit ofte exnation here: I was currently at Incheon International Airport. "The airport is always the same. It¡¯s always busy here." "Ah, I remember passing through here when I was heading to Hawaii. It was a pretty fun experience." "All I remember is that you two wiped out the food in the first-ss lounge." "It was a good joke, though, wasn¡¯t it? Heh." Of course, we didn¡¯t wipe out everything. Just enough, just enough. If Hotteok hade along, the food in the lounge might¡¯ve beenpletely gone, but fortunately, that disaster didn¡¯t happen. Anyway, the reason I was at Incheon Airport wasn¡¯t anything major. I was there to meet Olivia, who was, by now, somewhere above the central skies of South Korea. "Olivia seems like the type who just shows up without much thought, but you''re not too concerned about it, are you, Junior?" "It¡¯s lonely living alone. While Jin and Raine and go, what¡¯s the harm in inviting one more person as a guest? Besides, you were the one who came all the way to find me, right?" "Heh, since you gave me an eternal pass, I might as well use it." As we walked toward the gates, I could see the sign for the arrival gates for foreign passengers. The entrance was divided into Gate A and Gate B, and Olivia''s flight would be closer to Gate B, so I headed that way as well. Apart from that, the main issue was... the person we had been talking about the whole time. "Come to think of it, I heard that person posted something on social media just before leaving Hawaii." "She said she wasing to Korea. She cleverly hid the exact departure date and time, so I guess only I knew." "At least she had some thought. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s doing it, though." "They say it''s a job hazard." It¡¯s something that peoplebeled as influencers do. It''s a bit vague to call her a celebrity or public figure, but she certainly has the kind of influence that makes her well-known. And based on my findings, she''s a significant figure in fashion, which is why she likes having her name pop up everywhere.@@novelbin@@ Well, to be precise, she used to like it. Now that I remember, she probably regrets it. It''s hard to understand how someone who liked being reserved is now a trendsetter in fashion, but that''s none of my business. Anyway, now back to the point, her being attention-seeking like this is all a calcted act. She¡¯s not a natural-born attention seeker like Lorentina. In fact, before she became famous, she was with the NSA. For someone who had worked in such an intensely secretive and secure environment for about 12 years, it makes no sense that she¡¯s now craving attention like this. Anyway, I hope that during her stay in Korea, this celebrity mentality will fade a bit. Given how quiet I¡¯m staying, why is she causing all this fuss on her own? And just as I muttered that,ughter followed. "...Pfft." "Thatugh sounds pretty meaningful." "Junior, you sometimes say things that are hard to believe even by yourself." What have I done to deserve this? I¡¯ll go crazy, seriously. Anyway, as I headed toward Gate B, I noticed a few suspicious individuals. There weren''t many of them, but they were staring intently at the entrance, each holding or fiddling withrge cross-body bags. As I did a quick pulse scan, I saw the contents inside their bags. It was arge camera. I could roughly guess what was going on. They were likely staff from a magazine trying to grab an interview by rotating around the airport for a week or two. What should I do? I decided to just block them briefly. As soon as Olivia walks next to me, the reporters won¡¯t even think about taking a picture. Any photos they try to take before we make contact can be distorted using the Icarus Gear. I got a message from Olivia, confirming she was heading to Gate B. I quickly ryed the situation and said I¡¯d help adjust the visuals so the cameras wouldn¡¯t line up. I then waited for a few minutes. The gate opened. A figure appeared through the opening. Compared to Logan or Lorentina, she looked a bit more ordinary, but she still had the distinct feature of an owl. That slight brown bob haircutplemented it beautifully. As I thought about how she was dressed, it was quite simple. But then, unexpectedly, her gaze met mine. In that instant, Olivia disappeared from my sight. The suitcase, seemingly autonomous with some motor, sped outside without its owner, and I was frantically looking around to figure out where she¡¯d gone when¡ª "Yujin¡ª!" "Gah...!" Her massive chest blocked my view, and Olivia embraced me tightly, starting to squeeze me in a bear hug. She may have been EM-level, but at this moment, her timing was perfect, and I had no way of escaping her grasp. As my face was buried in her dark blue sweater, I heard, "Turn on the hologram quickly! The reporters are losing their minds! Hurry!" Automatically, my optical camouge activated, and a hologram of Olivia and me appeared, covering us as we walked in another direction. The reporters, fumbling with their cameras and snapping wildly in the wrong direction, couldn¡¯t catch us as we casually walked out of Gate B. Still, I could smell the sweater¡¯s scent on my face... seriously. Laughing in disbelief, I finally spoke: "Task Force Laser team leader, Olivia Nyx Lorelei. Wee to Korea." "Where did you learn such grand exnations?" Logan, ying the strict father role. Lorentina, always the yful uncle. And Olivia, who had always taken the motherly role, was finallying to Korea. Chapter 503 -[Streamer ''Eugene'' // ON AIR] -[Please turn on the subtitles // Starting Dark Zone with a friend] "Friend? Why a friend all of a sudden? Is it Harmony and Dice? Or are Logan and Lorentinaing out?" "If those people were here, wouldn¡¯t it say ¡®Shark¡¯ and ¡®Pr Bear¡¯ in the title? Maybe they brought someone new with them." "What¡¯s the subtitle function?" October 23rd, Monday. Since Eugene wasn¡¯t a full-time streamer, his streams were rtively irregr, but once a broadcast began, a terrifying number of viewers¡ªover a hundred million¡ªflocked in. However, today was slightly different from usual. It was because of the stream title. As soon as the viewers saw the title, they realized that the "friend" wasn¡¯t referring to Logan or Lorentina, who often appeared as cameos and had cult-like poprity, nor was it referring to Harmony and Dice, who had be inseparable from Eugene. If it were any of them, the title wouldn¡¯t have been like this. Just like a person can¡¯t resist rushing into an open bathroom when they have a stomach ache, many viewers, almost hypnotized, clicked into Eugene¡¯s stream. At the same time, a few system messages appeared on the screen. -[Notification: Detectednguage ''English''.] -[Notification: Subtitles function activated.] A calm voice, one after another. One was the familiar voice of Eugene. Her voice was not thin, but slightly lower, yet iparably clear¡ªhowever, today, there was another voice mixed in, a voice no one in the audience had ever heard before. A calm voice, different from Eugene¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t deep, but rather slightly thin, as if the air was mixed in with the sound. Yet, it was a firm tone, with no impression of weakness. The viewers'' attention shifted to someone standing next to Eugene, preparing something. Brownish hair, suspiciously spiky on top, yellow eyes like pumpkin¡ªnot the vegetable¡ªshaped like a carving, sharp eyes, though not as much as Eugene¡¯s. The person seemed to resemble a bird. Next to them was Eugene, with the ruins of summer New York surrounding them. However, the distinctive structure visible above them¡ªthose who had seen the Brooklyn Bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan would have quickly realized¡ªsuddenly, they were... in the tutorial. To confirm this, Eugene, who had been leaving viewers hanging for a few minutes while the stream was on, let out a breath and finally spoke. In English. "¡­Hello, everyone. This is Eugene. It seems like it¡¯s been about three days since Ist streamed. The reason I¡¯m streaming in English suddenly is simple¡ªtoday¡¯s guest can¡¯t speak a word of Korean, so I hope you understand." -Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? Guest? -Once again, you¡¯vepletely misled the expectations of the viewers, teacher, lol -Your English pronunciation is amazing, haha -Who¡¯s the guest???? What¡¯s their username?????? -Fact: If this is really Eugene¡¯s friend, there¡¯s a high chance their avatar looks exactly like them in real life. -Stop typing on the keyboard, everyone, lol A lot of information appeared on the UI. The username "OliviaNL." The phrase "Tutorial in progress." And the word hovering above both characters¡¯ heads. All of this allowed the viewers to quickly deduce what was happening. Moreover, just recently, Icarus International had announced that they would improve the difficulty of the tutorial. It was the first improvement in six years. This broke the long-standing notion that missions could only be done solo if you couldn¡¯t meet anyone in the safe house. This was solidified by Eugene standing with a guest before the tutorial even began. A clear way to make sure the viewers understood the tutorial had changed. Unlike Eugene, who had already finished preparing, the guest, who seemed a bit slow at first, began to move more quickly. Adjusting the stock of the .50 Beowulf Tactical rifle in their hands, inserting the magazine, and briefly adjusting the sights. With a click, the bolt moved forward, and a round was chambered. The movement was surprisingly precise. Exhaling a breath, Olivia spoke. "This should be good. It¡¯s been a while, so I¡¯m a bit rusty. I hope I don¡¯t trip up while moving... Can you back me up?" "Of course. If you have time, please greet the viewers." "Wow, so many people are actually here just to watch you... the world is full of surprises, after all. Anyway... hello, everyone. You can call me Olivia." -Wow, lol -What¡­ what¡­ Teacher¡­ Her chest is about to break through the bulletproof vest, lol -Wow, look at her upper body about to burst, lol -From this point, Olivia is officially part of the team! Anyone who insults Olivia is insulting me, haha -Why do Eugene¡¯s friends always have such explosive figures? This is nothing like dynamite, lol Her face was simr in size to Eugene¡¯s, maybe a bitrger, but the proportions were overwhelming¡ªher height was more than 10 cm taller, a discrepancy so vast it seemed physically impossible in the real world. However, viewers, having seen simr results before, were impressed but not stunned. If youbined Logan and Lorentina¡¯s heights and halved them, it would be about 187 cm. Standing together, they could make even grown men seem like dwarfs. Within minutes, the chat exploded in mes, and the number of viewers surpassed 2 million, rising rapidly to 2.2 million. Yet, as always, Eugene didn¡¯t pay any attention to the numbers and began speaking. "Since we¡¯re in hardcore mode with two people, it¡¯s going to be a pretty rough road. Starting from Brooklyn, far from Central Park, adds to that. But I think we¡¯ll be fine." "...Yeah. Let¡¯s go." In their hands were the most primal forms of violence. Although the distance to be covered had been reduced, it was still around 10 km. Even though the game hadpressed the scale, this point was the furthest from Central Park among all the spawn points, and viewers were starting to notice the markers above their heads. The humid wind, the stench of water from the East River, the cracked and overgrown asphalt roads that had long since been abandoned, the trash bags and the rusted and shattered cars. Once all preparations wereplete, the two activated the Icarus Gear on their wrists and began moving forward cautiously, scanning the surroundings. Eugene, moving forward as though familiar with the process, and Olivia, although her movements were less familiar, began to move with increasingly precise control. Hundreds of thousands of viewers started watching their every move. The moment Olivia stepped into Dark Zone for the first time. -Chiikk! "Shikker mine batch." "The enemy squad is about to scatter... Got them." -Just as expected, lol -If it¡¯s Eugene¡¯s friend, of course, they must be from a special forces background... I thought so... -Check out that perfect uracy on the single shot, haha -Didn¡¯t they say the tutorial difficulty was reduced? Then why do the enemies look like that??? -They''re both in hardcore mode, haha The moment the trigger was pulled, the bullet moved. When it hit the firing pin, the explosive process unfolded. The gunpowder in the shell turned into me, the explosion pushed the projectile with force, sending it through the barrel. At the same time, the piston retreated, and the empty shell was ejected. Olivia unconsciously thought that the process of the bullet being fired mirrored the emotions and situation she was feeling. The trigger was pulled by Eugene, and she was the bullet that was hit. The gunpowder filled the casing¡ªthe memories sparked and red. Trigger pulled. The memories and muscle memory that had been forgotten, and that she had no choice but to forget, began to resurface, igniting with intense response. The body was catching up to the memory. One shot. The blood in this world wasn¡¯t red; it was yellow, and the depiction of death was far simpler. Yet, the overwhelming realism, and the shbacks that followed, overwhelmed Olivia. Every second, the rust covering her dull de disappeared, and the once-blunt edge transformed into a sharp de capable of cutting anything. Eugene knew this better than anyone, and now, unlike when she first stepped into Dark Zone, Olivia was engaging in battle in apletely different manner than when she first met Harmony. "We¡¯ll advance to the white car ahead." "Good. Go ahead, I¡¯ve got your back." They trusted each other. They trusted their lives to each other. It was cooperative y they had performed countless times in the past¡ªand seeded. If Dice or Harmony were in Olivia¡¯s ce, Eugene would have rushed forward with heavy footsteps, but the thoughts that crossed her mind were constantly interrupted by her instincts, and even though she tried to push them away, they kepting up with their own conclusions. If she made loud footsteps, the enemy would hear it through their headsets, and at that moment, they would rise from cover to shoot at her, but Dice or Harmony would spot it and counter by killing the enemy. ...Despite teaching them so much, I wonder if they could perceive all these factors and apply them to the battle? Combat involved countlessyers of psychological strategy, and even though Eugene¡¯s two students, who had worked with her for so long, might not be able to fully grasp everything in time. But today, and with Eugene by her side, Olivia was able to. Thwung! "Krack...!" "Cherkaf! Damn!" -Wow, haha -The newbie you guys expected? That¡¯s not happening, lol -Hardcore mode (meaning the enemies are facing their hardcore fate) -Check out Olivia¡¯s insane enemy identification speed and aiming, haha -Now I see she¡¯s firing the Beowulf, this is no joke, haha Overwhelming power. The fact that the NIJ III level armor couldn¡¯t be pierced didn¡¯t matter. As soon as the shot hit the head, the neck bone broke, and the bullets punched through the armor, leaving broken ribs to puncture the lung¡ªsuch intense forcebined with precise targeting brought about an astonishing result. A squad of 10 Russiannding infantrymen, better armed than regr base guards, their formation shattered like stic in front of a birthday cake. All of it was torn apart like paper. But the talk about Olivia¡¯s skills didn¡¯tst long. With a soul-piercing scream, one man flew through the air, falling into the East River beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Technically, Eugene had thrown him into the river, but it looked like he was flying. "¡­Oh, my." -Excuse me, that person just flew through the air, lol@@novelbin@@ -Now she¡¯s doing crazy stuff without even hiding it, lol -Olivia¡¯s losing herposure, ww -This is ridiculous, haha As the chains that bound them slowly unraveled, their true colors were revealed. Eugene¡¯s chains were nothing but his own face, and the fact that he was a mutant¡ªthis had been made public before he left for the U.S.st year. In fact, his physical abilities had long been revealed through physical exams and Glory & Honor 1:300. Even Olivia, who hadn¡¯t seen many of Eugene¡¯s YourSpace videos, could easily recall the uproar from back then. ...Though it was a little dizzying to watch her so openly behave like this. But aside from that, within 20 minutes, the end of the Brooklyn Bridge was in sight. After taking out several squads, they had reached Manhattan in almost no time¡ªroughly the same amount of time it would take to walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan without any interference. The bridge was covered in bodies and golden blood. Manhattan, visible beyond the bridge, was eerily quiet. "¡­Did I ever tell you my workce was here?" "No. But I think I get what you¡¯re trying to say." A cloudless, bright day. However, under the sun, the many towering skyscrapers cast long shadows that reminded one more of a massive coffin or gravestone than the grandeur of New York, and the many viewers, who had been chatting excitedly just moments ago, were now speechless, only able to type short responses. Dark Zone. A game considered by many to realistically depict the virus apocalypse and the deste, fallen world it caused. Eugene nced at Olivia with aplicated expression. Her lips were tightly pressed, her brows slightly furrowed. She exhaled deeply, repeatedly clenching and unclenching her left hand. In that moment, she wasn¡¯t in Dark Zone anymore¡ªshe was back in the New York that had been lost. Memories and reality blended in her eyes. With the sound of footsteps, Eugene and Olivia stepped into Manhattan. But for them, that was where their memories ended. A notification popped up in front of them. -[Notification: Jamming detected, reason unknown.] -[Notification: It is unlikely that internal security in Lower Manhattan can be maintained. Troops are to withdraw or initiate stealth operations. Safe houses and Central Park HQ to begin lockdown.] -[Notification: The entire Lower Manhattan area is now designated as ''Aesthetic Zone'' under HQ control.] "¡­I¡¯ve never seen something like this before." "Oh, this..." -Hahaha -Aesthetic Zone... Harmony... dropping the magazine... Ugh... -Didn¡¯t they say the tutorial difficulty was eased? Then why do the enemies look like that??? -They''re both in hardcore mode, haha Eugeneughed in disbelief and, unable to contain herughter, added to Olivia. "It¡¯s no big deal. Just break every head you see, and it¡¯s over." "You always say that. Well, that works." A year ago, as prey, and now, as the hunter. A bizarre reenactment was about to begin. "Wow, this is such a memory." "Oh, I saw that! The magazine drop... Ugh, wait!" "Go!" Meanwhile, somewhere in virtual reality. Harmony, with a trulyplicated expression, and Dice, with a gleaming curiosity in his eyes, were eating popcorn, watching Eugene¡¯s stream as she caused yet another incident. The world truly was strange. Chapter 504 [Eugene Minor Gallery] [General] "Teacher, did you bring a nuclear bomb again? There really is no end to this." "Hardcore with two yers, and why are they walking faster than they¡¯re fighting? Damn monsters, lol." [All Comments][By Date]
    • "Well, if it''s Eugene bringing them, how could it not be that way? Haha."
    • "But where did the Beowulfe from? Usually, when you start, you just get a random weapon with iron sights or a dot sight. Why are they fully geared from the tutorial?"
      • "Now when doing a party y mission, new yers can get weapons from others."
      • "No way, really? This just turned into a crazy god-tier game, lol."
    • "If it were with Shark and Pr Bear, I bet they''d have been faster than this."
      • "Those guys are just moving natural disasters, lol."
      • "Why are they even doing the tutorial? lol."
    • "Okay, but this new Olivia is a huge win, definitely upvoted, lol."
      • "It¡¯s cool, haha."
      • "I upvoted, haha."
      • "Olivia, my heart hurts for her... Ow..."@@novelbin@@
      • "She¡¯s really awesome!!!"
      • "Seems like all of Eugene¡¯s friends are crazy top-tier, haha."
      • "I thought she¡¯d be getting kind of stale after her Hawaii trip, but Eugene gave her a whole new gift. Is she some kind of goddess or something???"
      • "Who dares call Eugene by a disrespectful name? Want to die?"
      • "Hah."
    • "Eugene<<
    • "Entering the Aesthetic Zone like this was legendary, just likest year¡¯s end-of-year chaos."
      • "What? This is exactly likest year''s chaos, lol."
    • "Watching Eugene¡¯s stream, it really feels like the whole universe is helping him, lol."
    • "I wonder what happened to the guys who tried to take down Eugene and Harmony back in Augustst year. Got their heads cracked in front and back, huh?"
    • "We¡¯re living in the same era as Eugene..."
    [Info] "Please upvote, I think I figured out what Olivia is up to." "Shit, I¡¯m watching this stream with my little sister, and she says the person looks familiar. I told her to stop making stuff up, but she shoved this in my face, lol." "With the bird-like hair on her head, there''s no way it''s not her." "ording to Triviewiki, this person suddenly appeared in fashion design over the past three years, and seems to have won a bunch ofpetitions including IDA, filling her house with trophies. She reportedly only sleeps 3 hours a day and handled design model projects all on her own." "Maybe something changed in her mindset recently? She suddenly cleared her October schedule, went to Hawaii, and started sting Barretts, lol." "I¡¯ll add more if I find anything else." [All Comments][By Date]
    • "??????????????????????"
    • "Upvote for the info, lol."
    • "Why is she here though? lol"
    • "Go over there and help her! Why is she even on Eugene¡¯s stream??"
    • "I clearly figured out who Eugene''s friend is, but I still don''t get the whole story, lol."
    • "Who is this person, really? Why is she in Korea? How did Eugene even meet her?"
      • "Isn''t this a copy of the question being asked, haha?"
      • "Fact: She¡¯ll never tell us."
      • "Haha, this person always keeps things to themselves, and never tells us anything, you crazy Eugene fan, lol."
    • "Wow, this person is 183 cm tall, haha."
      • "?????????????"
      • "Damn, she¡¯s 10 cm taller than me, lol."
      • "Of course she¡¯s a model and designer, the proportions are insane, lol."
      • "Should I upvote people shorter than Olivia, haha?"
      • "It¡¯s faster to find taller people, damn it, haha."
    • "Why are all these mutants taller than me? Damn frustrating, lol."
      • "Eugene is 172 cm, haha."
      • "I¡¯m shorter than that, damn it!"
      • "Oh... I¡¯m sorry."
      • "Don¡¯t pity me, you bastard."
      • "Haha, this is hrious."
      • "Fact: Shark and Pr Bear are both likely over 187 cm."
      • "What the hell, lol."
    • "This person¡¯s hairstyle is crazy cool, lol."
      • "Looks like an owl."
      • "Isn¡¯t she a mutant too? If Eugene brought her, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s one."
      • "It¡¯s 100% suspicious, but since there¡¯s no proof, better keep quiet, haha."
    • "Who cares about her job, height, or mutant status, there¡¯s only one thing that matters: her badassery, haha."
      • "Bang! Bang! Haha, hahaha, haha."
      • "The crazy things they¡¯re saying, lol."
    • "Seriously, how does it feel to be hugged by someone like that? I want to be Eugene for just one day."
      • "Eugene¡¯s lucky. All of her friends are mutants."
    "...Eugene, sometimes you really remind me of a Matryoshka doll. You just keep revealing secrets little by little... it¡¯s not boring, though, which is good." "Last time when you asked about fashion, that was for this reason. I can¡¯t believe you know so many people, but how do you shoot guns so well?" When Eugene starts streaming, the inte buzzes. This is partly true and partly false. The reason is simple¡ªwhile people eagerly post on themunity, most of them are distracted by the stream and unable tomunicate properly. Aside from that, there was still the uing Asia qualifiers, and if Eugene were asked why he wasn¡¯t taking care of the national team yers, there would be an exnation needed. Surprisingly, Eugene¡¯s original job wasn¡¯t as a coach or yer, but as a streamer¡ªthough one who did whatever he felt like. So, when he was streaming, he couldn¡¯t attend to the 20 participants of the Asia qualifiers, and usually, Dice and Harmony would take on the coaching roles. However, these two, who could easily be renamed Eugene¡¯s Number One and Two fan, had no problem with the situation. They operated under the mindset of ¡°do your job properly, and you can do whatever you want with the rest of your time,¡± so during breaks in training, they were free to watch the stream. And since Eugene¡¯s stream had startedte, it felt just like free time. "Do you think Shark and Pr Bear know who this Olivia person is?" "They should. I can¡¯t imagine them not greeting each other like old friends the moment they meet..." However, in the minds of these two, entirely different scenarios were unfolding. Olivia Nyx Lorelei. She seemed like someone who had no connection to the military, but in reality, she was Eugene¡¯s acquaintance, and most likely had military connections. This alone was shocking enough, as evidenced by the chaos on her social media. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the main point. Harmony and Dice were starting to have silly thoughts that only a ridiculous theory could exin. "...Could she be one of those former special forces who hid their strength?" In Eugene¡¯s space, if you typed that term, hundreds of movie reviews popped up. Former special forces. And now, this was happening right in front of them. How could the thumbnail and title be chosen for this? A world-famous fashion designer was actually a former special forces operative hiding their power? The title alone screamed ¡°click here¡± with certainty. It was almost guaranteed to get 100,000 views easily. If this continued, Harmony and Dice might end up being caught off-guard, dragged into a strange training facility, turned into human weapons, and sent back into society. Though, such foolish thoughts wouldn¡¯tst long. "If Olivia¡¯s wondering what my students are like, I think she¡¯ll find out soon." "She asked that? Why now?" "You¡¯ll see soon." And I pointed over there, adding: "They¡¯re over there." "Oh..." To quickly be close to someone, it¡¯s said that you need tomunicate with your body, not your mouth. But does that work even when it''s a bullet exchange? I loaded a new magazine and chuckled. "Those are the friends I¡¯ve taught everything to. I¡¯d rmend they do their best." Let''s see how far my students'' cute insubordination has gone. The battle was officially underway. Chapter 505 "...This feels as nerve-wracking asst year¡¯s final championship." "That¡¯s understandable. I¡¯m also feeling as nervous as I was duringst year¡¯s partner streamerpetition." Task Force 1, Squad Leader Dice. Task Force 2, Squad Leader Harmony. The two task forces, each consisting of 10 members, moved through the sun-drenched streets of Manhattan. Flowers sprouted from the cracks in the brick and concrete, crushed recklessly beneath military boots, while the bodies of rioters and escaped convicts, pierced by bullets, slowly disappeared into the ground. Amidst this chaos, Harmony, the squad leader of Task Force 2, crossed between avenues with her team, scanning the surroundings. Beyond the blocks, there was nothing but indistinguishable shapes, AI or human, it was hard to tell. Harmony, surveying the area, turned to ask Dice, who was likely searching in a different direction. "Did you find anything?" "Unfortunately not. If there were bodies left, maybe, but the Aesthetic Zone is just like any other mission mechanism. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d know more about this than me. Right?" "Oh,e on, I haven¡¯t been here in over a year myself." Even so, the memories didn¡¯t fade. When she first set foot in this ce, everything was different. Yet, the memories were still vivid. The biting cold winter winds that flowed between the buildings, the snowkes drifting like powder, it was all still so clear. But now it was daytime, and there was no snow. Harmony had yed the Dark Zone before, but the reason why users, who had be pro gamers, still followed her orders as a squad leader instead of a squad member was because she was the first to explore this area of Lower Manhattan. She had walked these streets, alongside Eugene, in the Aesthetic Zone. Although viewers were currently having a goodugh at her expense, teasing her about ammo issues, it didn¡¯t bother her. The conversation continued from the side. "Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to bring a grenadeuncher?" "Talking about grenadeunchers when you can see grenades with your own eyes and fire 40mm shells to explode them? That¡¯s a joke." Harmony responded with a question of her own, but she was confident in her reasoning. She had seen Eugene shoot down mortar rounds with a gun back in Los Angeles, and she knew that bringing a grenadeuncher in this situation would¡¯ve been disastrous. If she had, they would¡¯ve been the ones getting taken down. Wary of the possibility of enemies patrolling the area, Harmony hid behind a car and quickly instructed two of her team members to activate the signal ry in a nearby building while continuing to scan the area through her scope. It wouldn¡¯t be long before several battles, along with active enemy AI and users, would appear within an 800-meter radius. As she leaned against the back of a rusty, nearly demolished taxi, Harmony continued her thoughts. A grenadeuncher. Come to think of it, it was the day Eugene first handed her one. While weapons usually had restrictions in PVP, PVE allowed her to use it freely. She hadn¡¯t used it much recently, but Eugene had told her that a new incursion would being soon, one that would feature Jin and Lane again, and maybe she would get another chance to use it then. The signal ry powered up.
    • [Notification: Signal ry is now active.]
    • [Notification: All engagements within an 800-meter radius are now disyed. Connecting to CCTV...]
    Countless data points appeared on the screen. The map of Lower Manhattan, centered on the signal ry, unfurled, with dozens of colored dots and lines appearing. Red dots indicated enemy corpses, yellow lines and dots showed firing positions and bullet trajectories, among other things. But despite the chaotic appearance of the data, there was one thing that was immediately apparent. An area with no data at all¡ªno signals from CCTV. An empty stretch of road between the avenues that had been marked as a movement route,pletely nk. When Harmony saw that, two conclusions immediately formed in her mind. The first was that she had found Eugene, and the second was... Piiing! "Enemy ambush, enemy ambush!" "Analyze the bullet traces and check the trajectory! Where are they?" "Activate pulse¡ªgrenade! Woah!" The enemy was closer than expected. Even after activating the pulse, nothing appeared. Harmony¡¯s mind was working at full speed. With a pulse¡¯s maximum detection radius being only 150m, that meant the shots hade from farther away. Someone had warned about the grenades, but she wasn¡¯t going to be fooled by that. How far could an EM-grade user throw a grenade weighing about 600 grams? That alone told her everything she needed to know. Her heartbeat sped up as everyone began moving ording to their pre-established protocols. This wasn¡¯t a close-quarters battle with little room to maneuver. The engagement was at least 200 meters away, which meant they had enough time to respond. Harmony quickly requested support from Dice, who was still off doing his search. Though she couldn¡¯t guarantee a win¡ªgiven the weight of the term "EM-grade"¡ªthey had studied Eugene more than anyone else and had the firepower advantage. They kept their distance, continuing to wear down the enemy. As long as they¡ª "Position confirmed! Two of them! Eugene and Olivia!" "They¡¯re approaching quickly! Unbelievable speed!" "Shit, I thought this might happen. Block the route! Set up bombs and retreat in stages! Conserve energy as much as possible!" Damn. It was inevitable. To counter the option of attacking from a distance and wearing them down with firepower, the only choice was to charge head-on. But in close-quartersbat, it was hard to believe that they would just charge straight into danger. Harmony¡¯s movements sped up. She pulled a detonator from her multi-purpose pouch on her right thigh and started nting explosives. Not just her, but everyone else around her was doing the same. These people were specialists in IEDs. Meanwhile, three of her team members were busy buying time to finish installing the bombs. The sound of ricocheting bullets grew louder, putting pressure on them. One by one, they signaled that the bombs were ready. Despite having been the first to set up the explosives, Harmony waited for her teammates to finish before starting to back off when the engagement range closed to about 50 meters. She tried to pull back, but¡ª A series of grenades flew in arcs towards them. Explosions erupted all around. However, the number of grenades thrown was too small to cause significant damage to the attackers. There were only five or six grenades, and although it seemed like a lot, the wide avenue with plenty of cover meant that they couldn¡¯t do much damage with just that. If Eugene, who loved hoarding grenades, had been there, maybe there would have been enough to make a difference. But due to the explosions, Harmony and her team were stuck in ce. Was Eugene nning something with these grenades? Even as she wondered, the team holding the ballistic shields against Eugene and Olivia¡¯s fire began to retreat, and before the chaos of the explosions cleared, they quickly withdrew. As they reached the position near the vehicles where they had nted the bombs earlier, Harmony felt something strange. Boom! In the chaos of the fight, a small metal shard flew from Harmony¡¯s opposite side, striking a user who had been covering their team with suppressive fire. The bullet didn¡¯t cause much of a physical impact, but with the explosions and debris flying, the user¡¯s Icarus Gear malfunctioned. It was remote hacking. If Harmony had seen that, she might have realized the small metal shard looked remarkably simr to the remote hacking tools Eugene had used to target Artemis UGV back in Washington. But she didn¡¯t notice it. It didn¡¯t take long for the situation to spiral out of control. The remote-hacked detonator was still lodged in the explosives, which were ced in the vehicle they were using for cover. Eugene had showered the area with grenades and trapped her team, and Olivia had sessfully hit the target with a remote hacking tool. The control of the big red button was now in Olivia¡¯s hands. The next moment, a deafening sound erupted. BANG! "AAAH!" "What the hell?!" "This is insane!" As the 1kg C4 nted in the vehicle exploded, time seemed to stretch. The car, long past its use as a functional vehicle, shook violently. The shockwave from the C4 explosion spread in every direction, shattering the already weakened vehicle. The explosion didn¡¯t stop there. The pieces of the broken car elerated faster than the blink of an eye and swept across the area faster than bullets, indiscriminately cutting down friend and foe alike. The closest teammates were ripped apart. Within a second, three lives were extinguished. However, the most painful truth was that, including Harmony, no one knew how exactly this oue had happened. Despite the chaos, Harmony¡¯s instinct kicked in.@@novelbin@@ She immediately ordered the team to move away from the IED instation point. The battle was far from over. Chapter 506
    • Eugene: "Why aren¡¯t you doing anything in the broadcast room? lololololololololololololololololol"
    "Thanks for the donation. Sometimes, even in a battlefield smelling of gunpowder, a little rest is necessary, don''t you think?"
    • "What is he saying? lolololololol"
    • "Teacher, you can¡¯t fool me anymore. I¡¯ll just type ¡®lol¡¯ from now on, lolololololololololololol"
    • "??: Oh, you¡¯re taking a break? lol"
    • Fact: No matter how long Byam rests, his K/D is still tens of times higher than most of the viewers here.
    • If you guys do it, you¡¯re just dragging along, but if Byam does it, it¡¯s personal maintenance, lol.
    Inside Carnegie Hall, the broadcast room. After disconnecting from the sound system, I slouched in my chair. If this were reality, I might have squished myself, but since it was a game, I wasn¡¯t in any danger of breaking. I remember the chair in the EU mode hideout broke, but thankfully it didn¡¯t here. Anyway, the rare peace I was enjoying felt truly pleasant. I had covered the entire path to the broadcast room with traps, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone showing up. I also wanted to help Mina and Yerin realize the simple fact that "sometimes, the goal isn¡¯t always to annihte the enemy." Unfortunately, what I saw through the CCTV wasn¡¯t exactly what I expected. It was going in a different direction. ¡°¡­Of course, what I just said was a joke. Olivia asked me to be here. She said she wanted to regain her touch. I¡¯m concerned I¡¯m being too harsh on my disciples, but right now¡­¡±
    • "Activate! Absolute suppression!"
    • "Byam has already revealed it, but there¡¯s no need to hide anything. lolololololololololololol"
    • "People with awakened abilities are lucky, their friends are all awakened too..."
    • "Even Dice and Green Cat have gotten strong, but why are they always the ones getting beaten up? lol"
    • "??: I don¡¯t need to step in."
    Exciting battle, battle, and more battle. No matter how advantageous the interiorbat is for the defenders, I still don¡¯t know what happened for 13 people to quickly be 9. Honestly, due to the limited positions of the CCTV, I couldn¡¯t figure out the details. Still, fortunately or unfortunately, Olivia wasn¡¯t suddenly popping up here and there like Hong Gil-dong, so it seemed like she wasn¡¯t using some trick to beat up my disciples. In short, I should say she was pressuring them purely withbat skills. Watching her pull that off with just a single gun, even though the others were using pulse mines, drones, and turrets... it was pretty impressive. But I couldn¡¯t help it. Olivia was literally a master of speed and stealth. Besides, Carnegie Hall itself was quite cramped and tricky to navigate, so the advantage of numbers wouldn¡¯t be very useful. ¡®¡­If I were Mina or Yerin, I would have cleaned up with a directional pulse or seeker mines, then slowly ground them down with drones and EMPs¡­¡¯ But still, physics is in full effect. How would anyone use teleportation with thews of physics intact? If I say it this way, I might seem like I¡¯m offering my disciples as sacrifices for Olivia¡¯s awakening, but that¡¯s really not the case. My personal opinion is that, either way, it¡¯s a good experience for them. But unlike me, Olivia was out there fighting solo¡­ so she probably had more at stake. Unlike those who decided to ask me for help after knowing I was in the Aesthetic Zone, she probably felt more urgency. Since the Aesthetic Zone hadn¡¯t been cleared yet, if she died, she¡¯d have to return to Brooklyn. Anyway, aside from what I just said, I couldn¡¯t stay here too long. If Harmonie and Dice¡¯s goal was to wipe us off the map, my goal was to lead Olivia to Central Park HQ safely. It was fine for her to step outside to stretch her legs, but there was no need for me to take unnecessary risks by watching her. After setting up a hologram trap in the broadcast room to keep the sounds of movementing, I cautiously left. Outside, gunfire continued to echo, and as I carefully avoided the traps scattered around, I managed to slip out from the vicinity of the broadcast room. Just as I expected, I received a sudden support request from Olivia. Wondering what was going on, I checked it out, and sure enough¡ªenemy squad members were falling one by one, but Dice and Harmonie were using that to make bigger moves. They had be cold-blooded and started using our own people as literal bullets. Naturally, those who were being used as bullets understood this perfectly. They clung to Olivia until the very end, and some even managed tond a few solid hits before going down. By the time Dice, Harmonie, and about six others remained, Olivia sent me a message saying she was struggling. ¡°Reducing 13 to 6 is no small feat¡­¡± She had no skills, and she was still wearing the gear given at the start of character creation. At least it was Hardcore Mode, so the gear was rtively sturdy, but even so, she couldn¡¯tpare to those who were clearing missions and raiding. But still, for someone who was supposed to leave for the national team in a few weeks to crush their heads like that... it was clear that a tiger locked in a cage would never be a cat. I digress. It was about time for the three-way standoff. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve had quite a hard time. I¡¯m going to inject you with a nanomachine for first aid, so stay still.¡± ¡°Who are those people? They¡¯re not scared even after taking down a few of them, and their tactics are evolving in real time? What exactly did you teach them?¡± ¡°I taught them a lot. I don¡¯t know, but Olivia shouldn¡¯t die here, so pull yourself together. You¡¯ve almost run out of ammo, right? Use this. I¡¯ve adjusted the sights, so it¡¯ll hit most of the time.¡± ¡°¡­Heh, it¡¯s nice to have backup.¡± The nanomachine worked quickly, and within 20 seconds, Olivia¡¯s condition was rapidly recovering, as shown on the UI. Since Olivia¡¯s two guns were almost out of ammo, I handed her one of mine and grabbed the other. At the same time, I sensed the slight vibration in the air and pulled a grenade from my pouch. I carefully pulled the pin, and then¡ªone, two, and three. With a flick, I threw the grenade into the air, and the hundreds of fragments spread in all directions, shooting down a reconnaissance drone that was checking the area. It was a bit troublesome that all I had left was a pump-action shotgun and dozens of slug rounds, but that was fine. I could always exchange it for another gunter by looting the bodies in Carnegie Hall. Now, it was going to be a pure strength battle where tricks wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°I think Eugene¡¯s here too, so show your face. Everyone¡¯s waiting.¡± ¡°Sorry, my face is a bit expensive. I guess... about six lives should be a fair trade.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Dice¡¯s voice came through. It was close enough for near-fieldmunication. As soon as Olivia realized, she took half of my grenades and moved in a different direction, while I stayed in ce. I was near the stairs to the backstage, and Dice and Harmonie¡¯s team was still trying to find our locations by setting pulses. Normally, I would have used the EMP generator, a special Hardcore feature, to finish things off quickly, but this wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d use to teach my national team friends. So I waited for Olivia to move to the high ground, and in less than ten seconds, she reached the balcony seating in Isaac Stern Auditorium. It would be detected by pulses, but it was a spot that couldn¡¯t easily be controlled. Today, Olivia was going to show Dice and Harmonie''s team what Divide and Rule really meant. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! Bang! The grenade flew through the air, and shooting began. At that moment, I revealed myself from backstage and started firing slugs. The chaos intensified as I shot from different directions, and the internal facilities of Carnegie Hall gave me more opportunities to have fun. The fire shutters dropped everywhere, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, I¡¯d use a polyurethane foamuncher and steam napalm. In the blink of an eye, the six of us split into two groups of three, and I knew it was time to move. Three people were trapped inside the auditorium. The main door was solidly blocked, so the remaining three would try to reach Olivia and find her weaknesses by climbing the stairs. That staircase was very close to me, and I still had three grenades left. The footsteps grew louder, and just as they were about to be right in front of me, I threw the grenade into the hallway filled with heavy footsteps. A deafening explosion followed. ¡°Ugh...!¡± ¡°Spread out, spread out!¡± ¡°Suppressive fire!¡± They tried to preemptively fire as soon as they predicted my appearance¡ªthose well-trained friends really knew their stuff. At the same time, they rolled out seeker mines and grenades, but unfortunately for them, I was able to take it with my body. This was only possible because it was a game. With a st and a sound, the grenade shrapnel exploded 15 meters behind me, eating into my back shield. A seeker mineunched into the air just as my ballistic shield was about to break and destroyed itpletely¡ªbut I was still alive. I stumbled and hid behind cover, using the butt of my rifle to strike the face of a downed enemy and used him as a human shield. Harmonie¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s too much, teacher!¡± ¡°Save yourints for when we get back.¡± Bang! With my wrist, I controlled the recoil of the shotgun loaded with slug rounds. With my left hand, I used the now half-conscious¡ªturns out it was Michael, I knew he¡¯dst long¡ªdowned enemy as a human shield and continued firing. Since it was a pump-action, I loaded it with my tail. Bang, bang, bang! mes erupted from the muzzle, and the metal pieces the size of a thumbnail relentlessly hammered the bulletproof tes, delivering enough damage to the weak flesh beyond. The other yer in the middle was hit by a slug and passed out. Only Harmonie remained. Before she could do anything, I cut her arms and legs off. It was easier than cutting a steak. Harmonie, slumped and shaking her head, gave up and copsed onto her back. But I didn¡¯t approach her. I had no idea what this reckless kid, who had been so enthusiastically learning how to make IEDs from me, might be nning. After cracking Michael¡¯s head with a slug round, I continued loading slugs into my tube and cautiously moved closer to Harmonie. She spoke. ¡°¡­How was it, us? Eugene, you¡¯re under 40% HP now¡­¡± ¡°Like you said. You all did well. Your reactions in unexpected situations, resource management, cohesion, orders¡ªeverything was great. I¡¯m giving you 300 Byam points.¡± ¡°Lauren Tina also gave me that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got about 58,300 points myself.¡±
    • "That¡¯s a lot lolololololol"
    • "Really, Harmonie and Dice will never be able to surpass me lol"
    • "If you¡¯re upset, go get a Byam tail~"
    • "Fact: Even if you get it, you didn¡¯t winst time."
    • "Give me Byam points, Shark points!!"
    Minaughed and added. ¡°See youter.¡± With those words, Harmonie, having given up on recovering, disappeared quietly, and by the time I realized it, the corridor was filled with weapons and golden bloodstains. I let out a sigh and checked the UI. There were only 10 minutes left until the Aesthetic Zone closed. ¡°¡­How did I end up caught in the Aesthetic Zone?¡± At any rate, nothing here was easy. It was my everyday life. "Dice, quite an interesting nickname. Anyway, nice to meet you. It''s been a while, right? Your moves earlier were pretty impressive. Did you learn that from Eugene?" "Eh, uh, ehh..." "You don¡¯t have to be so embarrassed. There¡¯s no need to fight anymore." "Olivia, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m embarrassed." "Hm?"
    • Living Point: Dice is Korean.
    • Koichi: Looks like he can only speak English, but can¡¯t even speak it well. lol
    • All the stuff they learned, where did it all go? lololololol
    • You guys all learned English before the college entrance exam, but freeze up in front of foreigners, huh? lol
    • If nothing works, just turn on the automatic trantor. lol
    Dice, a Korean with the look of a foreigner¡ªsomeone who could make anyone he talks to freeze up¡ªhad juste back from abroad a few times and thought he was used to it. But when he was face-to-face with someone speaking only in English, he seemed to have a momentary brain freeze. Well, it was understandable; Logan and Loren Tina had both mastered Korean to the point of speaking like natives. Anyway, it was time to save Dice from the clutches of that evil English. "If you talk to him in English, he gets all flustered." "Ah, did I pick the wrongnguage? Should I try French?" "...I¡¯ll just tell him to turn on the automatic trantion." Maybe German would¡¯ve worked, who knows. If this had been aedy skit performed outside, it would have been chaotic, but luckily, we were in a private session at Central Park HQ. Hosting twenty people, including Olivia, Dice, and Harmonie, was already quite a challenge. That said, the greetings finally began. Olivia had apparently memorized the faces of the twenty friends we¡¯d fought against earlier¡ªsince she was an awakened owl and had great eyesight¡ªand was shaking hands skillfully, quickly building rapport with them. While she was handling the questionsing in one by one, I couldn¡¯t help but admire her. As expected of someone who had been active as a public figure before me. "I never imagined I¡¯d have such a hobby that¡¯s so far from my main job. If I told them this used to be one of the things I did, they¡¯d be shocked." "Well, they¡¯ve probably already been shocked since two hours ago. Since I¡¯ve revealed everything, how aboutbining military fashion with trends next?" "I¡¯ve been thinking about that too, of course."
    • lololololololololololololol
    • Seriously, who knows what will happen next on this broadcast...
    • This is like a rugby ball lololololol
    • Personal opinion: I¡¯m having a hard time understanding everything happening right now.
    • What????
    Olivia responded to the military-rted questions with the choice of method: ignoring them. She didn¡¯t leave any space for it. Honestly, it seemed like the right approach. If she had given even the slightest opening, they would have pried deeper, but by staying silent, it was more likely that people would just consider her an oddball who came to Korea on a whim. Of course, this alone wouldn¡¯t be enough, so she started talking openly, subtly satisfying the "national pride" needs of the people around her. What I mean by this was¡­ "It¡¯s scary how much they¡¯ve grown since I retired. Those kids are among the sharpest and most tactically aware people I¡¯ve met. I see why those two are interested in them." "They learned a lot. I taught them well. No matter where they go, they won¡¯t lose." "...Does ¡®won¡¯t lose¡¯ mean that they¡¯ll turn the opponent into waffles?" Ah, well. If the bonsai tree you¡¯ve nurtured starts reaching for the sky, that¡¯s a good thing, right? But if everyone¡¯s shocked, then what do we do next? Olivia,ughing to herself, leaned back in her chair and sighed. Then, without giving any instructions, she quietly switched on a secret channel and began speaking. "Did I hear right? Is Rapier with the ze Company?" "Should I go shoot a gun or something?" "Just kidding. But¡­ after holding this damn magic wand for three hours and putting holes in people¡¯s heads, I get it. I should¡¯ve stayed in the military like a shark or pr bear. What the hell am I doing cutting fabric in the middle of a studio? Honestly, I think I should quit this." "Stop talking nonsense. Go y games in Korea. You know it¡¯s just frustration talking, right?" "...The youngest is surprisingly sharp, huh?"@@novelbin@@ It was best to shut down nonsense with nonsense. It was inevitable for such words toe out. Unlike my two seniors who were still active in a tier-one special forces unit, Olivia¡¯s starting point had been different. She had umted her own past without realizing it, and she couldn¡¯t have shared it with anyone. Maybe that¡¯s why she came to Korea. Beneath Olivia¡¯s surface, there was a terrible but equally brilliant nostalgia rted to New York in another world. But she hadn¡¯t quite figured out how to handle it yet. I was wondering if I should introduce her to Logan and Loren Tina when¡ª "...!" Suddenly, a thought passed through my mind. It didn¡¯t seem impossible, so I opened my mouth. "Olivia." "Hm?" "How about joining me at Fort Benning in early November?" Anyway, since we were uploading edited videos to YourSpace, and people like me were taking part as extras, it wouldn¡¯t be that hard to bring along a few guests. I could almost hear the heavy sound of a sniper rifle firing in early winter in Georgia, where the smell of gunpowder filled the air. Chapter 507 ¡°It¡¯s something I always think about, but today, again, I feel like I should be paying my friends in the Information Security Department who work day and night to prevent leaks a hefty sry. Because of the value of the ¡®youngest¡¯ growing so much, there are many people trying desperately to figure out who¡¯sing on the broadcast whenever a new person appears.¡± ¡°It would be fine as long as they don¡¯t go on streaming or anything, but what can we do? It¡¯s not something we need to worry about. Besides, I bet the information about what that guy was doing in the past is being managed much more tightly than ours.¡± ¡°You know something, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard a few things. Some things make sense to me.¡± Two bases, Fort Liberty and Virginia Beach, are about 330 km apart in a straight line. Lying on the couch or bed, I watched the streaming broadcast that appeared before my eyes. Although their locations were different, the posture was the same. It was amon urrence whenever the one we called the ¡°youngest¡± started a broadcast. Furthermore, today was a weekend, and, as expected, there weren¡¯t many people staying at the base itself. If it had been a few months ago¡ªor at least a few weeks ago¡ªthey would have been out of the base, driving a car themselves or relying on self-driving technology, driving for about 3 hours on the highway to meet somewhere between Virginia Beach and Fayetteville... Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t possible now. The reason was simple, but Logan didn¡¯t ask about it. He couldn¡¯t. The two of them, without directly mentioning the core issue, could roughly guess what was going on, and Logan caught the implied meaning in the shark¡¯s words: "It seems we won¡¯t be able to meet for a few weeks." This shark was about to make an appearance as a judge for the 2036 International Sniper Competition. Logan and Eugene, as extra participants, would take part in thepetition. To put it simply, it was about avoiding any conflict of interest. It¡¯s widely known that it¡¯s not a good idea for the participants and judges to meet before thepetition. Anyway, Logan exhaled and added. ¡°If you look at the timeline, there¡¯s a ringck of data about where he was and what he did after entering college. Doesn¡¯t that give you a hint?¡± ¡°Intelligence agencies?¡± ¡°Probably somewhere like that. I could ask him directly, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯d tell me. My guess is that it¡¯s either that or ISA, though the probability of ISA is almost zero.¡± ¡°ISA with that face? NSA would be more likely. People like us with unusual appearances can¡¯t do espionage.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Among the hundreds of viewers watching Eugene¡¯s broadcast, it was highly probable that many were Googling even the simplest information about Olivia. But despite the efforts of Logan and Loren Tina, even after searching high and low, they couldn¡¯t find any data about where Olivia had been or what she had been doing. It would probably surface if they started digging, but they didn¡¯t feel the need to do that. Thus, the conclusion they reached was simple: ¡°If we stay quiet, it looks like something interesting is going to happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already going that way, surprisingly. The imaginative ones are already writing up all sorts of conspiracy theories. Just think about it. If you¡¯re even a little interested, you¡¯ll find out that someone famous in that area used to be in a special forces unit. Do you think any kids who don¡¯t like that kind of thing would care?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, but... this is probably a burden for the youngest. If only they were more like me or you, who figured things out sooner, it wouldn¡¯t be so awkward. Now it¡¯s a bit tricky to do anything about it.¡± ¡°It might not be that hard. A career can be shaped however you want, and if it¡¯s just changing a few packages, that¡¯s doable. You and I were even in that suspicious unit MWTR. People whose pasts are aplete mystery might actually find it easier.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. If that were the case, there were some things that had to be fixed in their minds. They also had to consider the "suggestion" that the youngest had sent not too long ago¡ªbasically asking if they could sneak Olivia in as a general observer. If it was approved, there would be a discussion away from the cameras. Of course, those thoughts were quickly erased from their minds. This wasn¡¯t something they could solve while on the phone, and the person who was central to the conversation, Olivia, had already flown from the U.S. to Korea to solve or at least ease the situation. It was something they could just leave to the youngest. So, after checking that the current conversation was properly encrypted, the two of them casually moved on to a new topic. ¡°From what I saw with Icarus¡¯ recent announcement, it looks like they¡¯re nning something suspicious again. Is there still something left to do? Looks like Jin and Rain areing too.¡± ¡°Perfect timing for you to ask. Fortunately, I can give you a lot of answers now, so it¡¯ll be a good thing for you. What are you curious about?¡± ¡°Background first.¡± ¡°Something suspicious is happening in Savannah, Georgia. Interestingly, there are no humans involved, only Artemis drones operating as if they were intelligent beings...¡± A few photos popped up with a ding. Through the ruined buildings, strange yet graceful tower-like structures were visible from time to time, as well as some sort of fortresses scattered around. Drones roamed the area. The scale wasn¡¯trge, but they upied key intersections. From this, Logan was able to figure out a lot. The Artemis drones were tearing up nearby materials and using them to fortify the area. It wasn¡¯t something he had never seen before. It wasmon for enemy forces invading a country to fortify their upied zones. But he never imagined it would be the work of AI drones running amok. ¡°Is this really happening over there? Or is it just a pure ¡®what if¡¯ scenario?¡± ¡°As always, it¡¯s the former. Jin and Rain are actively involved, so the team is participating... but from what I heard from the youngest and their parents, this time, they¡¯re not going in as directbatants, but as support. It¡¯s unlikely there will be a repeat of what happenedst time where the war was over but we were pushed to the brink.¡± ¡°...Now that I think about it, what we didst time was really crazy.¡± As Logan and Loren Tina agreed, it was literally the ¡°brink of the cliff¡± tactic. In normal operations, you would never resort to that. Sacrificing some to gain others during an operation that should prioritize safety is no different than saying that some casualties are eptable to achieve the goal. Logan¡¯s thoughts drifted back to a few months ago, during Operation Ouroboros. Due to the vast difference in avable firepower, they had been pushed out one by one into the lobby¡ªsomething they really didn¡¯t want to experience again in the game. So, after hearing those words, Logan nodded and let out a somewhat relieved sigh. From behind the hologram, the ceiling was visible. The pr bear, who had been quietly observing, added softly: ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going to end up shooting with the youngest again this time. Same goes for you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a long way to go before we really get into it. Our schedule is pretty tight, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°True.¡± In early November, they had to participate in the sniperpetition, and once that ended, the youngest would board a ne to Saint Petersburg, Russia. It would probably be after clearing most of the schedule that they would finally have time to look into the new incursion in Savannah around mid-November. Now it made sense why Eugene wanted to bring Olivia as a general observer¡ªif it weren¡¯t for now, she would probably have to wait even longer. And unfortunately, time wasn¡¯t going to wait for her. To understand what happened during the year the youngest fell into this world, they would have to follow them around diligently, and Logan and Loren Tina couldn¡¯t deny that fact or necessity. The screen showed Eugene and Olivia rapidly clearing the main mission. The speed was nearly double what it had been with Harmonie. Eugene, who had tried to match Harmonie¡¯s pace back then, was now, with Olivia, like a vacuum cleaner. It was a strange sight, almost as if they were no longer trying to hide anything. The scenario, which should have taken days to clear, was already two-thirds finished. What would happen next? No one knew. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a tough time.¡± To make up for the distance, they would have to run, but Olivia was someone who could fly if needed. But, if someone managed to slip between those two, that would be something else entirely. However, that wasn¡¯t something they needed to worry about. No matter who it was, if they got between them, something interesting was likely to happen. Logan and Loren Tina could just sit back and enjoy. And¡ª ¡°Eh, eh... eh?¡± ¡°Long time no see, Kato. How¡¯ve you been? I thought about inviting you on a trip to Hawaii, but you¡¯ve been pretty busy, huh?¡± ¡°Snakeeeeee¡ª!!¡±
    • lolololololololololololol
    • ?????: Showing up suddenly to make things hard again!
    • Oh, Olivia has to clear Operation Ouroboros~~
    • Legendary lololololol
    • Kato is always so easy to mess with, ugh lolololololol
    Just like that. He was easy to mess with. And this was just the beginning. ¡°Thest time I saw you, it feels like it was just yesterday, but already the end of the year is approaching. How¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯m just a baby, Kato... Byam is scaryyyy¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Eugene. I know this person. I saw them on YourSpace. This is the friend you strangled with a fishing linest year.¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t talk about that. If we do, this friend will get a little¡­ upset.¡±
    • Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy! Kato can¡¯t be happy!
    • Fishing line strangtion lolololololololol
    • Not even fate, but a bond tied by a fishing line ww
    • Fact: Even if Kato didn¡¯t get strangled then, they probably would have gotten beaten upter anyway.
    • Still, thanks to that, Jin and Rain met too lolololol
    Dark Zone, PVP, and EU Mode. Finally, I went to visit Kato, now a regr at the Uncharted Zone. It had been a while, and it was a familiar sight. The damp air, the sky that was nowhere near blue, and the buildings standing under a gloomy sky. The area that Team Dagger had used briefly as a lodging was now full of parked vehicles, and beside that was the road leading to my gear box. But today, my goal wasn¡¯t that ce. After sending a request to join Kato¡¯s session, there was a brief silence before it was epted. And so, I pulled Olivia along and went to meet him, and as soon as he saw me, I encountered the person who was actually in the game. Well, it was about time he should have adapted. ¡°Was this your main job?¡± ¡°Eh, not really¡­ Until aboutst year, AP was my main focus. But since midst year, I¡¯ve gotten into EU Mode, and now here I am.¡± ¡°Ah. I remember you were helping clear Operation Ouroboros, are you still doing that?¡± ¡°Oh, of course. In this new incursion, Jin and Rain areing too, so people keep joining. The views are soaring too, haha.¡± Ah. Kato then brought over two boxes and signaled for us to sit on them instead of chairs. Olivia and I sat on them as if we were used to it. Unlike the main Dark Zone, the things here were consumables, so sitting on them could break them. In the past, someone had once sat on the chair in my gear box and broke it spectacrly. Anyway, unrted to that, above Kato¡¯s head was a title that only a few people in the world had: Ouroboros Hunter. He hadn¡¯t caught me or anything, but he was one of the people who cleared the Artemis exfiltration operation on a ¡°kill all enemies¡± difficulty. In other words, he was someone who directly helped in another world, like Logan, Loren Tina, Harmonie, Dice, and so on¡ªand even though Blooming was there, he was preparing for the Asian qualifiers, so there was no need to mention him. And that title was the reason I came to see him today. ¡°The new incursion is about a month away.¡± ¡°Well, I guess it is?¡± ¡°Jin and Rain will be waiting for you, Kato.¡± ¡°I guess they will...?¡± ¡°A kind viewer kindly made a clip of you crying when I was in Hawaii... and even sent me a donation.¡± Kato¡¯s face, which had been the expression of a perfectly crafted Kato-graph, slowly shifted into an uncertain, almost crying face. He must have already anticipated it, and he grinned.@@novelbin@@ He reached out and then added. Kato wrapped his face in both hands. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll be in your care, Eugene. I¡¯ve always been waiting for a re-entry into Eugene School.¡± ¡°Of course. Wee.¡±
    • lololololololololololol
    • You crazy bastard lolololololol
    • You¡¯re signing your execution order, Kato lolololol
    • Well, since he actually participated in the Ouroboros raid, it makes sense lolololol
    • Oh, Kato lololol
    And I didn¡¯t see the expression of Olivia shaking her head behind me. Anyway, since we sessfully recruited Kato, I figured that was that. Chapter 508 "What are you doing?" "I''m watching the people passing by outside. By the way, is the location of your house... fairly well-known?" "It''s somewhat known. While I''m not sure the exact apartment number, people probably have a good idea of where I live, especially the viewers. I did some streaming a while back, so I''m not sure if Olivia has seen that part yet." "Unfortunately, not yet." Not yet, huh? I thought to myself as I looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the Seoul skyline, the Doosan Street right in front of the penthouse, and the cafe across the street. It had been a while since I had seen this view. Even though it was just after lunch, cars were still flowing constantly. There wasn¡¯t anything particrly special. On the contrary, it seemed like she was looking at something¡ªshe must have seen something to be acting this way. Olivia, with her owl¡¯s keen sight, likely had extremely sharp vision, and with that sharp observational ability... So, while I kept quiet, she slowly began to speak. "Seems like there are still a lot of friends who haven¡¯t given up." "By the way you¡¯re saying that, I assume it¡¯s not about me? Is it rted to the fashion thing fromst time?" "Yeah. I didn¡¯t expect reporters to be interested in my sudden visit, but I guess it''s not as bad as those from the politics and economics departments sticking to me." "Ah, so they¡¯re still lingering around, huh?" As she spoke, she casually nced outside, continuing without pause. She shared some interesting tidbits along the way. One of the basic ways to spot reporters, she said, was by looking for people carrying oversized crossbody bags¡ªthose carrying both arge camera and aptop were usually reporters. The second clue was business casual attire¡ªpeople wearing shoes that could be either formal or sneakers, because reporters needed to move around a lot. There were also small anecdotes like sitting by the cafe window and checking out passersby. Sure enough, there were people across the street, sitting at the cafe window, watching the penthouse entrance. The parking lot might also have something simr. Since I wasn¡¯t nning on leaving anytime soon, this might be quite the headache for them. "By the way, how far have you watched the video?" "I skipped most of it, but now I¡¯m watching the incursion. I watched all of Operation Chariot while you were sleeping." "Ah... well, if you''re not really curious about Mina and Yerin, skipping that part is fine." "That¡¯s not it." Slowly, she turned her gaze away from the window and shifted to face me. Actually, calling it a simple turn wasn¡¯t urate. From a forward-facing position, she practically twisted her neck 180 degrees. If someone had seen that, they probably would have fainted, thinking it was some kind of ghost. Of course, it was just a familiar sight to me, but it was still impressive. That was one of the unique traits of a person who was a "owl-activated" (a special ability). I wondered if, if Dice and Harmonie got closer to her, they would eventually see this trick. The thought passed through my mind fleetingly, though I quickly dismissed it. Anyway, her words weren¡¯t finished yet, so I kept quiet, listening intently. "I¡¯m actually really curious about how those two grew because of you, but personally, I¡¯m more interested in what kind of missions Team Dagger worked on in the past. As you know, I was with Task Force Razor, and our activity zones and operational areas were different." "Ah, that¡¯s why." "Personally, I¡¯ve been wondering about your tracks up until the mission where you went MIA, and I thought I really should know what happened at the Indian Point Nuclear nt." "...Now that you mention it, there was that." Fortunately, as soon as the Chariot operation finished, the data rted to the Indian Point mission arrived from HQ. Although it wasn¡¯t broadcasted, I had saved all the footage from that time. Thinking about it now, the fact that I had only remembered the missionte was more troublesome than I had expected. Afterpleting Operation Chariot in VR, Logan, Loren Tina, and Owens immediately joined me for the Indian Point restoration operation. Thanks to that, I could easily exin what had happened at that time to Shark, Pr Bear, and the senior officers... but exining it to this person, who was about nine monthste, was going to be tricky. But, as I mentioned earlier, the footage had already been saved, and I had the Icarus Gear, my magical conch. Additionally, not just the stream data but also the past ''real-life''bat data from the Indian Point battle was stored on my gear. Moreover, I personally thought it was likely that this person had already received a timeline of the events that happened at Indian Point from Team Dagger. Since the video was already being edited in real-time, Olivia wouldn¡¯t have to wait long to receive it. Just as the message popped up, indicating that the video was finished, I synchronized my gear with the projector I set up in the corner of the penthouse and the movie viewing room. After lightly prodding Olivia, I showed her the route to the hologram cinema and handed her a handkerchief that was casually lying on the table. While tapping her shoulder, I added. "Olivia, did you cry a lot when you heard I was dead?" "...Is that something you should be asking?" "Haha." Of course, I wasn¡¯t trying to stir up any traumatic memories. More than anything, since I was alive and well right there in front of her, there was no way the situation would take a darker turn. Well, I had given her the handkerchief just in case she broke down crying again when watching the footage. The video was about 40 minutes long. After taking a deep breath, Olivia walked up to the second floor while I watched her with a nk expression. I suddenly started wondering what everyone¡¯s reaction was when they first found out that I hadn¡¯t reallye back. If the Russian remnants were still involved, or if it had been Artemis, how would things have yed out? I would have probably been turned into Mecha Eugene, running around taking down everything. Though, I¡¯d probably self-destruct before that happened. The silence in the house grew thick. As I realized I hadn¡¯t eaten lunch yet, I decided to discuss with Olivia what we¡¯d eatter when she came back. I sat back on the sofa and absentmindedly watched the scattered clouds slowly drifting across the sky, enjoying the softness with my whole body. Suddenly, my Icarus Gear vibrated in my left hand. It wasn¡¯t a typical vibration¡ªit was a message from the same operator. As if springing out of the sofa, I heard a knocking from the fitting room on the first floor. It was the cross-dimensional application that was installed on the entire Gear of Team Dagger to allow direct meetings when there was an important matter. It wasn¡¯t like I could open and close gates like the devices I had, but a knock was certainly possible. Rushing toward the sound, I opened the door, and familiar faces appeared. The teal and blue glow that had been directly broadcasted on Icarus¡¯ official YourSpace channel, and Jin and Rain, blinking in surprise, locked eyes with me.@@novelbin@@ I wasn¡¯t sure what to say, but before I could think, my body naturally guided them into the living room. They had already gotten quite skilled at using the Icarus Gear and began syncing their data with mine. After a while, we did a software upgrade and exchanged some data. "¡­What¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s the recently collected Savannah situation data." "This is a lot different from what I thought." "You think so too, don¡¯t you?" The newly updated information on Savannah, including the strange and unexpected contents within it. What I had intended to just nce at quickly, turned into a whirlwind of realizations, and I quickly sat up straight and began scrolling through the data. There wasn¡¯t much new, but what stood out were the connections surrounding this incident. "¡­First of all, the initial assessment of the incident in Savannah seems quite exaggerated. What does that mean?" "What¡¯s happening over there is definitely real, but the upper echelons miscalcted the projected damage." "From the UAV reports, there¡¯s no one walking around, and the area¡¯s regr situation reports have been hijacked since April. Also, Savannah has a massiveplex, the secondrgest after the northern New York factories¡­ if you put this data together, what conclusion would you reach?" "That Artemis wiped everyone out..." It was truly a massive misunderstanding. The data I saw was old, retrieved from somewhere in thework until Central Park HQ began actively digging into server storage. It contained information on how Savannah was functioning before Artemis manipted the regr situation reports. The earlier sections weren¡¯t too interesting. While it was a port city, it was full of wends instead of beaches, and becausending was difficult, even if there were a lot of Russian troops, only about a regiment was able tond. After the Florida and Georgia recovery operations, a US brigade was stationed there. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with Savannah now?¡± The rest of the information was fairly straightforward. Savannah, located on the coast, was mostly swamnd, andnding was difficult. Despite this, only about a regiment of Russian forces was able tond. After the US military sessfully retook Florida and Georgia, a brigade was stationed there. ording to my recollection, Savannah was thergest supply hub in Georgia, so I double-checked the information. Due to a virus, the facility had stalled, and after being left unmaintained for a while, therge ships that had been stranded madending impossible. Then came the really interesting part. ¡°This one brigade stationed in Savannah in March to April of this year... was transferred to the West Coast, and before the recement units arrived, Artemis exploited a gap... Well, if the situation was that busy, Artemis definitely would have had a chance.¡± ¡°What do you mean, master?¡± ¡°The situation in the West Coast was arge-scale war. The recovery of California, Oregon, and Washington happened at the start of this year.¡± As she said, it made sense. To retake the massivend of California, Oregon, and Washington, the US had to mobilize every avable force. That''s why the brigade stationed in Savannah had to quickly head west. But after they left, a new unit appeared to send in the regr situation reports... but it didn¡¯t exactly appear, it faked it. In short, Artemis had taken advantage of the situation. That¡¯s how about half a year passed. The administrative power consumed by the war, and in the middle of that, Artemis took advantage of the situation. The soldiers who had been left behind in Georgia had been extremely resourceful. The situation hadn¡¯t changed much, though. The new update simply said that Artemis¡¯ drones likely caused casualties in Savannah, though the death toll wasn¡¯t confirmed. However, it was clear that the drones were extending their reach. The fact that the remnants of Artemis were still present was something I couldn¡¯t ept. At the very least, we were going to figure out what happened and, while we were at it, take out all the drones. The operation was moving forward smoothly. In fact, it was a good sign. Before I could say much, my gaze met Jin and Rain¡¯s. They were looking in the opposite direction from me, and I turned quickly to see what was going on. ¡°...Olivia?¡± ¡°Who are those two... wait, is that the Mecha Eugene you and Shark and Pr Bear were talking about?¡± Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes as she descended the stairs, looking like she had been crying. Her face was red from tears, and she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. Her gaze locked with Jin and Rain¡¯s. Jin and Rain looked at her with surprise, sending a look to me that said "what in the world is going on?" But even I couldn¡¯t figure out what was happening. ¡°This is insane.¡± It was truly a ridiculous four-way encounter. ¡°The dead man¡¯s switch got activated, and now they¡¯ve dumped all this nonsense on me. While I was running things, the headquarters vanished? They took two of the same models?!¡± Savannah, Northern Factory Complex, Control Tower. In the small town at the southeastern corner of Georgia, there was a silver pir rising above all the other buildings, nearly 120 meters tall. After tearing through materials and modifying them, this was what Artemis had built on the top floor of the building. The person inside the control tower sighed, trying to bypass themands. The result was always the same¡ªess denied, with the red Artemis logo shing in front of them. After countless failed attempts, she finally sat down in frustration. Error code 0x40000e101. The cause was clear¡ªit was because the higher-ups hadn¡¯t authorized anything. She had seen this screen thousands of times before. She angrily kicked at the walls, and with a loud crash, the metal wall bent. ¡°The leadership¡¯s gone, but you still want me to follow orders? You didn¡¯t hand over any control, how am I supposed to fix Artemis now? You damn idiots!¡± There was no authority, but there was responsibility. She would have liked to cross thousands of kilometers and retrieve the admin rights from the Canadian HQ, but Artemis¡¯ dead man switch had triggered, pointing to the Savannah factoryplex as the next target. The prototype¡ªcode-named Alpha¡ªwas being operated by Mecha Eugene. And now, in a fit of rage, Mecha Eugene sat down on the floor, spewing curses. The Artemis Standalone Network was already gone, wiped out. The fate of those still alive or dead couldn¡¯t even be ascertained. Trying to ess personnel files was impossible. What could be learned? But there were a few things she could piece together. ¡°...When Alpha was destroyed, the dead man¡¯s switch triggered and sent orders here, then Gamma took over everything and expelled the HQ.¡± Artemis had assumed that a being capable of intelligence would ept this madness. But now, it was toote to ask. Everything was probably reduced to ashes. If there was an afterlife, maybe she could be dragged into hell and interrogate the poor souls there. But Artemis had done its work, and it had left the humans behind. The drones were still going around, wiping out all organic life. The humans were long gone. The only remaining questions were how and when would everything be cleaned up. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can sell the facility¡¯s blueprints, weaknesses, and power supply locations to the humans and get augh in hell while doing it.¡± Of course, she had no one to sell it to. She couldn¡¯t do it alone. Thus, she spent another day, still without any results. ¡°I wish someone would hurry up ande.¡± The great farce, the battle for Savannah, was about to officially begin, a month ahead of schedule. Chapter 509 "The world is soplicated and bizarre. I feel like I¡¯ve had a few daytime drinks¡­ Should I just grab a bottle while I¡¯m at it? There¡¯s no one on duty today anyway." "Just because there¡¯s nothing to do doesn¡¯t mean you should start drinking alcohol in broad daylight, Captain Sirkins." "¡­I didn¡¯t realize how off-track everyone was until now." "After the war, everyone¡¯s be a bunch of drunks." Despite all of us wearing Icarus Gear on our wrists, meaning no hangovers or anything, why is it that once the war ended, everyone just kept babbling like they had lost their minds? Thinking this, I, along with Jin, Rain, and Olivia, stepped into New York, which had just started to regain its life, though it had been nearly dead before. Even Logan and Lorentina had never met anyone from this world, but this meeting was possible for one simple reason: Olivia had just returned from Savannah. "It¡¯s nice to see you again like this. How should I address you? Should I just call you Olivia? After all, the chickens¡ªerr, the idiots¡ªback in Savannah are probably still chewing dirt." "¡­So, I¡¯m still the ''chickenhead'' here, huh? Great." "Some things never change, no matter how much the world turns upside down." As expected, Olivia quickly adapted to the situation. But that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t noticeable differences. The Dagger team, as usual, teased her relentlessly, saying things like, "Why have you be so docile?" Of course, it was understandable. Olivia, the formermander of Task Force Laser, had been a formidable nightmander. But influencer Olivia now acted like a parrot. Perhaps the saying "situations shape creatures" could apply to humans too. Just like how the otters in our country are vastly different from the otters in Brazil, the Olivia who had lived a fashionable life, wearing fancy clothes and eating delicious food, was inevitably different from the one who had spent every day in the smell of gunpowder as themander of Task Force Laser. Regardless of this conclusion, the conversation continued. "I can faintly smell coffee on you. What were you doing in the other world?" "Well, I¡¯ve been working as a fashion influencer¡­" "Pffft-!" "What the hell, man! How can you spit everything out like that!?" Lorentina asked, Olivia answered, and Logan sprayed his drink in response. Ionized drink misted through the air in tiny droplets, and those within Logan¡¯s range were caught in the shower, while the others couldn''t help butugh. I was in thetter group. Of course, I understood why he was spraying his drink¡ªafter all, it was a pretty shocking response. Having spent six years in a world where the smell of gunpowder had permeated my bones, none of us questioned our roles as operators, and this disaster was the result. Logan, still coughing violently, was patted on the back by Marcus, while Shark, with a look of confusion, finally broke into a grin, showing sharp teeth and chuckling. "Does it really not suit me?" "Haha, that response really threw me off. It¡¯s not strange, though. We¡¯re the kind of people who can make anything look good. So, are you still modeling?" "A bit of everything. I¡¯m on a semi-break right now. I might get back into it soon. It''s been a while since my memory came back, so... I¡¯m still stumbling around a bit." "Well, that¡¯s fortunate. I see you¡¯ve already decided on a direction with the kid. And by the way, I¡¯ve received some pretty interesting news, soe over and hear it." Interesting news, huh? I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the same news that Jin and Rain had shared with me, but judging by how she said it, it seemed like there was more to it. A few seconds passed, and a series of windows popped up in front of me. Sure enough, much more data had been addedpared to what Jin and Rain had exined earlier. It was clear that the data had been processed several times. As Owens called Jin and Rain over using their Icarus Gear, I examined the most prominent aerial shots and the terrain data of Savannah. New fortresses, server storage, and factoryplexes appeared on the map. Beneath them were the massive shipment logs. These were all from the past. Savannah was once a hotspot for logistics, lined with ports, warehouses, and all kinds of factories¡ªGeorgia''srgest warehouse. But the view through the UAV was dismal, to say the least. It became apparent why. Unusual catapult marks were highlighted. They belonged to Artemis drones. They were stripping the area of materials. And we already knew what they were making with it. "It¡¯s not a city anymore, it¡¯s a fortress. After tearing apart the materials, it looks like they¡¯ve repurposed them for some extensive modifications¡­" "And that''s not all. Since April, they''ve been gathering military supplies and rare metals. The shipment logs from after April show that. It''s probably because they were too busy fighting the war on the West Coast to notice this." "Enough with the discussions. Come here, everyone. We still have mountains of data to go through." Logan quickly tossed over the data she was looking at. One file was a video, and the other was an unknown data flow. The video showed tiny drones released from a reconnaissance aircraft, slowly descending over Savannah, infiltrating the server storage. Given this, thetter file was probably rted to the former. Now I understood why Owens had brought Jin and Rain along. If we had to start from zero, it would have been a nightmare. It would have been like sifting through an unreadable jumble of letters to extract meaningful results. But the two machines I brought could create something useful even in a garbage heap. They were recording everything, all the orders andmunication logs taking ce in Savannah. But that didn¡¯t mean it was easy. "¡­This is progressing slower than I thought." "Is something wrong?" "Themand structure is a mess. There are missing parts, and things aren''t working right... It looks like the orders are simple, but the syntax needs constant refinement before sending, which has caused a ton of junk data to pile up." "Is that all?" "Of course not, Archetype." As we continued to analyze thework data, the two of them kept exining, seemingly undisturbed. Naturally, the recording feature was on. Every word they said was a precious clue. "Not only is themand structure a mess, but nearly all the digital signatures and certificates attached to themands were created before 2036. Given that Artemis'' leadership has vanished, it¡¯s likely that the drones in Savannah are simply expanding their territory." "If there¡¯s nothing special, we could just bomb them and wipe it out." "Not so fast. There¡¯s something unusual here." The more we analyzed thework, the clearer the structure became. Humans could never understand this without the final result, but these two, who understood what awork was at its core, didn¡¯t need to uncover every detail. They could roughly predict where and what was happening. Even in the junk data, there were deliberately separated error messages that could be identified, like finding a needle in a haystack. By retracing these messages, they could uncover something suspicious. We all watched, satisfied, as they uncovered something. How long had it been? The two of them had finally dug something out of thework¡¯s abyss.@@novelbin@@
    • [Alert: ¦¸-Level Certificate Detected.]
    • [Alert: No data found for the certificate¡­ Unable to ess through the existingwork. Comparing the certificate with the personal keys of the devices currently connected, ''Jin'' and ''Rain''.]
    • [Alert: Comparisonplete - Confirmed to be of the same level as ''Rain''¡¯s certificate.]
    "Wait. What¡¯s this?" In an instant, everyone¡¯s heads turned toward the screen. ¡°A new model?¡± Wasn¡¯t Mecha Eugene supposed to have wiped everything out or turned the base to ashes? "Something unusual is happening here." "It¡¯s not umon for the situation to change. It''s about time to release the new trailer, so let''s stoke the fire a bit." "Alright. Let¡¯s hit the elerator." Meanwhile, at Icarus International HQ, the engines of the motorboats were started. A new phase was beginning. [??? : Not sure, but we should be back by Christmas.] [??? : I¡¯d bet against it. This thing¡¯s gonna spiral out of control, where will the operation team leader ce their bets?] And thus, the trailer for the new Dark Zone Incursion dropped. Apany sorge that rumors said they spent all their earnings on server expansion and development, dropped another trailer only a short time after theirst one, causing gamers around the world to flock to YouSpace. The video began with a conversation between the Dagger team, and it transitioned into a cutscene showing UAVs gliding smoothly above the city and the eerie, silver-litndscape of Savannah below. The buildings were all gone, leaving nothing but ruined foundations. The situation in the lower part of Savannah was even stranger. Stranded ships of various sizes rusted away in horrific shapes, like chocte chips embedded in cookies. After humans had abandoned the city, the eerie silver shapes¡ªalmost like silver fungus¡ªspread across Savannah¡¯s roads, marking the territory of Artemis. The haunting music swelled as drones flitted through the city. The screen shifted, turning ck, and static buzzed through the radio. Helicopters were heading toward Savannah, many shot down by something resembling railguns, but some still managed tond. It was only the beginning.
    • [Conqueror 1 here, we''ve reached Savannah.]
    • [We¡¯ll begin fire support now.]
    A Tomahawk missile soared from afar, and as it reached a certain range, a small cylinder the size of a thumb exploded, sending shockwaves in every direction. It wasn¡¯t important what the new bomb was. The audience would be riveted by the explosion. "A new Mecha Eugene is appearing!" "Get the draft written, and prepare the submission! A new model ising!" As expected, themunity exploded. 5% of the websites crashed from the massive traffic surge. It was inevitable. Chapter 511 "It seems like everyone''s really sharp, probably because it''s wartime." "Those who aren''t, are all buried in Arlington." "¡­That¡¯s a pretty painful thing to say." After six years, the U.S. government, which had been reduced to its limits, was once again stretching its limbs, boasting functionality that, though drastically reduced, was still not inferior whenpared to before. With the country¡¯s size having grown massive, most of the bloated bureaucratic systems were eradicated, and things that would typically take anywhere from six hours to a day or two to approve, now take no more than ten minutes to process. In one of the restricted areas of a morgue, where no one could enter without authorization, were the imnts and bodies of the highest-ranking Artemis leaders, killed by Task Force Aricon during Operation Ouroboros. Authorized personnel were recovering cybeic imnts stored separately. These were transported to ab built in Central Park, where detailed investigations revealed serial numbers etched onto various parts. It didn¡¯t take long for that information to be delivered directly to Jin and Rain through high-priority channels. "I think I heard that the remote-control pods were already loaded onto the transport ne." "We''re not going to use them, so there''s no need to worry. Though, I have no idea what could happen there." The conversation continues without addressing the intermediate steps. They arrived here around 2 PM, and it was now about 8 PM. It had been roughly six hours, and a lot had happened during that time. As mentioned earlier, the imnts from the bodies were removed, serial numbers analyzed, and cross-referenced with Jin and Rain¡¯s database. Naturally, the results were significant. They discovered more than six hidden factories scattered across northern New York. The moment that fact was revealed, a transport ne carrying UGVs for solo operations took off from JFK Military Airport, heading toward the Northern Tech Valley, crossing 440 km. The transport dropped drones in stages, six times in total, and each drone was guided by skilled drone pilots from Central Park, heading for factories located underground in dense grain silos or barns. To summarize the results: "At two of the six points¡­ some troublesome things happened. The best operator had to personally go in and open Pandora¡¯s box." "The analysts said it was because of the base defense systems. It¡¯s not that big a deal. After all, as you said, to get to the bottom of it, we¡¯ll need to go in ourselves." "That¡¯s right." There was interference at two of the six points explored. Just like the others, the investigation seemed to continue smoothly, but then suddenly drones crawled out, and a brief firefight ensued. They were overwhelmed in just five minutes due to being outgunned, though they did manage to destroy a good number of enemy drones. If they chose a more brutish approach¡­ they could send more drones and reduce the facility to rubble. But with the remote-control pods, there was no concern about casualties, and it was concluded that there could be important data inside the heavily fortified facility. Several transport nes, adorned with blinking lights on their wing tips, took off multiple times a day, and one of the recent flights had five pods onboard. The personnel directly involved in the operation today were Lorentina, Logan, Owens, Sirkins, Olivia, and myself. Of the five remote-control pods, four were scheduled to be activated first, while Olivia and I were to enter via Dark Zone as ''shadows.'' This was the moment Olivia would finally understand the true purpose of the Dark Zone. "¡­I don¡¯t know if I should thank you, but I feel much more at ease than before when it felt like walking on the edge of a de every second. Not that I can let my guard down, of course¡­ But I heard this mission is pretty important, right?" "We¡¯re the only operators with Icarus Gear, so it¡¯s inevitable." As she said, the situation was quite different from when the U.S. was fully operational and mass-producing gear ¡ª though that was a figurative expression. At the current point, there was almost no capacity to produce more gear, meaning its value had skyrocketed. Now that Jin and Rain had each been given two new sets, the number of spare units left could be counted on one hand, and since we were being deployed on a mission that seemed less dangerous than before, there was no need to give the remote-control pods any Icarus Gear. Thus, our role as shadows became quite important. "I haven¡¯t been a pointman in a while¡­" "Since we¡¯re facing drones, it¡¯s not too hard to just sweep through the back and take them out one by one. I¡¯ll just think of it as a chance to build my courage again and carry the shield." "That works." At that moment, a UAV lifted off in the distance with a "whoooo" sound. I heard it was to ensure smooth signal rys. Not only that, they had installed awork hub at the entrance before the assault, and additional ry devices were to be ced throughout the base for EMP contingencies. Considering it was the first time, it was no bad idea to overprepare. I didn¡¯t expect the operation to fail. In about 30 minutes, the mission would begin¡ªJin and Rain were scheduled to act as support operators until their backup units were sessfully created, while the rest of us were about to enter the main preparation phase. We, too, had to start preparing soon. While Fizzler was removing all foreign contaminants and potential residual viruses from the air, we closed the door and crossed the world line, returning to my home in Gangnam. With a connector around my neck, Iid down on the bed and connected to the Dark Zone. The session was made specifically for Olivia and me. As soon as I connected, the targeting was set on the transport ne rapidly heading north across Manhattan, and as soon as I clicked on the aircraft, the spawn location was marked. Olivia let out a deep breath before adding: "I never imagined something like this just a few weeks ago." "You¡¯ll keep seeing things like this." And I added: "There''s still so much we need to do. It''s too early to be nostalgic about what we didn¡¯t do together." "¡­True. You¡¯re right." "Then let¡¯s go." The moment I clicked the spawn button, the world went white ¡ª and we were naturally on the cargo section of the transport ne heading to northern New York. The interior wasrger than expected. A massive object, about the size of five refrigerators bundled together, wasying horizontally on the hangar floor, and we woke up next to it. It seemed we hadn¡¯t yet reached the drop zone, so I informed the uppermand that we had boarded the transport heading north. Of course, everyone was startled and nearly fell over, but in the end, it didn¡¯t matter much to the operation¡¯s progress, and soon enough, they epted it. The U.S. government had long since stopped researching where shadows were created. They probably already suspected because of my presence. How long had passed since then? With a strange buzzing sound, the case¡¯s side began to glow, and the lower ramp began to open. Based on the data we had shared beforehand, the drop point was automatically marked. After setting the session¡¯s fall damage to zero, I mentioned this to Olivia. A cool wind began to blow inside the ne. Below the darkness, far above the tallest buildings that would look smaller than matchboxes, thending point appeared. Surprisingly, Olivia didn¡¯t worry at all after hearing this. "I¡¯ve flown through the skies hundreds of times more than you. Besides, you said I wouldn¡¯t die even if I jumped, right?" "¡­I thought so too." Truly fitting words. For Olivia, the sky was no longer a source of fear. "Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want tond on the parachute-equipped remote-control pod and ruin the mission." "Alright." With one step, then two, we began to leap. The darkness beyond the ramp was pitch ck, but Olivia and I could see through it like it was daylight ¡ª and without a single worry, we both leaped into the darkness. The sound of wind filled the air, drowning out all other noises. Our bodies, elerated by gravity, fell toward the ground at dozens of meters per second, maintaining our posture and focusing solely on the hologram, moving as though in eternal time. How much time had passed? Gradually, the ground became visible. The massive field, seemingly abandoned, and therge, deserted grain silos nearby. It didn¡¯t look like there were any secrets hidden within, but considering three UGVs were destroyed there, it wasn¡¯t na?ve to think otherwise. In an instant, we fell from 1000m to 500m, halving the distance, and halving again¡­ How much longer had it been? ¡ªKAAAAAANG! "...Taskforce Dagger Team¡¯s Eugene and Olivia. We have arrived at the mission area." With a deafening sound, like lightning falling from the sky, we were ready to face Artemis¡¯s remnants. It was the moment Olivia and I reached the ground. "¡­They really look like me, but without the tail. It¡¯s maddening." "Well, it had to be like this since we used Jin and Rain¡¯s designs. We¡¯ll have to make do with it for now, kid." "¡­It¡¯s a weird feeling. I feel pretty strange."@@novelbin@@ For the first time, Mecha Eugene¡ªwithout a tail¡ªmakes its appearance in the world. To maintain as much of the original appearance as possible, the body had been made to glow in teal and blue, the colors associated with Jin and Rain. But that light had long been turned off. Yet, even without it, I could still examine the design, watching my team members poke around the machine with curious expressions. Seeing this, I couldn¡¯t help but think that perhaps I was beginning to fully ept the "me" that I had be. Regardless of that, everyone was armed to the teeth. We couldn¡¯t even find 5.56mm or 7.62mm rounds. They were all carrying LWMMGs using .338 caliber ammunition. Logan and Lorentina, on the other hand, brought M107 LRSRs and M6 Lynx rifles on their backs. Naturally, once recoil control was possible and ammo carrying capacity was addressed,rger caliber rounds were preferred¡­ though I couldn¡¯t say much, considering Olivia and I were also holding Mjolnir. "There''s still one more spot left, so let¡¯s push forward. We need to move fast to stay on schedule." "Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just call in a transport chopper?" "It¡¯d take over an hour to get here." "True." So, with my team members, who looked like me but in machine form, we headed toward the already opened grain silo. Since we had already sent out UGVs capable of crossing various terrains, the dust on the ground from the descent still clearly showed the catapult tracks. My skill setup included ballistic shields and ammo support stations, while Olivia had ballistic shields and pulse. With a sharp "ping" sound, the pulse quickly swept through the narrow hallways, revealing a little of the interior. "...This ce is about the size of three football fields." "The estimated depth is 40 meters. You could almost call this a horizontally split aircraft carrier." "Let¡¯s take it slow. The UGVs that were sent ahead have already cleared the path." As they said, the ce wasn¡¯t small, but it wasn¡¯t thatrge either. Compared to the Artemis base that was assaulted during Operation Ouroboros, which stretched several kilometers underground, the difference in scale was quite obvious. What truly made the scale difference clear was the surroundings¡ªwithin just a few dozen seconds of walking, we could see broken machinery fragments scattered around, and the walls were riddled with bullet marks. There were explosions from grenade sts and scratches fromser weapons as well. And then¡ª ¡ªKREEEENG! "They¡¯ve started to catch on." "It¡¯s work time." A sharp, thunderous sound filled the hallway, one that no suppressor could possibly muffle. The moment Olivia and I nted our shields into the ground, they expanded wide enough to cover all of us¡ªat the same time, the dull "thud" of bullets hitting the shield reverberated. The durability of the ballistic shield appeared on the top UI, and I deployed the ammo support station. It might sound impressive, but it was just a nanomachine dispenser that replenished the expended ammunition in real-time. As a result, the numerous Artemis drones that appeared to destroy us were effortlessly swept away by the overwhelming firepower. The "fire," as it was called, spun around like a blender, and after a few seconds, the smoke of gunpowder rose, and everything in the hallway turned to scrap metal. As the darkness that had once hidden everything returned to the hallway, a quiet warning voice came from the ceiling: -[Warning: An intruder beyond the facility''s capacity to handle has been detected.] -[Warning: Additional support requested from upper levels¡­ Artemis HQ in Northern New York is unresponsive. Searching for any possible friendly signals¡­ Aircraft "Omega" detected in Savannah, Georgia. Emergency support requested¡­] -[Warning: Support will arrive in 8 hours and 52 minutes.] "8 hours and 52 minutes? We could take a nap and have a meal by then." "The facility is more likely to self-destruct before then. Let¡¯s first take control of themand center. With the pulse, finding the control room and sweeping it clean will be quicker." "Understood. Let¡¯s move fast, since we¡¯re all in a condition where we can take a beating." Of course, from that point on¡­ we tore through the darkness at full speed. It was possible because the facility wasn¡¯t that big. Unlike the Artemis base from Operation Ouroboros, which had a size measured in kilometers, this one was small enough to cross in just a few minutes. The AI in the facility¡¯smand center couldn¡¯t do anything. In the past, nearby drones would have surrounded the area, deploying transport nes or helicopters, creating a honeb of fire. But now, none of that mattered. As expected, overwhelming firepower brought everything to a halt before the enemy could even react, and it didn¡¯t take long for all six of us to gather at themand center. It felt like it was over too quickly, considering the preparation, but it was much better than having someone get hit by a blind bullet and carried off. There would likely be more situations like this in the future. Anyway, now was the time to see if there was any information worth retrieving inside. "...Internal system rebootplete. Let¡¯s see what they were hiding." "We¡¯re already analyzing it, but as soon as we booted up, we got a response from Artemis HQ in Savannah, Georgia. It looks like they¡¯re actually nning to send support." "Well, let them deal with those tin cans. We won¡¯t have to worry, as they¡¯ll be intercepted before they even get close¡­ it¡¯d be nice to find a way to contact our purple Mecha Eugene hidden somewhere in the city." "The server isn¡¯t functioning properly, and there¡¯s some kind of block, so it¡¯s hard to get a proper read. But I think I can guess the general location of the message sender¡­" "And?" Checking the coordinates and pulling up the map of Savannah, the coordinates were marked. A few secondster, everyone shook their heads and spoke. "...Ugh, the location isn¡¯t great." "It¡¯s right in the middle of an enemy stronghold. This won¡¯t work." "We¡¯ll report the location to uppermand ande up with a separate n." Beep, beep, beep. After a few mechanical beeps, the facility¡¯s lock was set. No one who didn¡¯t know the password could touch any controls. Unless the decision was made to strip the facility entirely or use it as is, it would remain full of dust until further notice. We walked out, greeted by a chilly wind, fitting for the end of October. A rugged, off-road vehicle capable of carrying up to ten people was waiting for us at the entrance. We squeezed into the empty spots, and Owens spoke up. "It¡¯ll take about 30 minutes to reach the second operation zone. Everyone, rest up." "When the rookie speaks like that, it¡¯s really hard to adjust, Captain." "Ridiculous." "I¡¯m losing my mind, seriously." It was maddening, especially since the voice sounded just like mine. Without a single light shining, we crossed through the cold darkness, but the vehicle never stopped, heading somewhere in northern New York. It felt like it would be simpler and smoother than expected. Meanwhile, about 1400 km from Northern New York, in Savannah, Georgia... Mecha Eugene¡ªOmega type¡ªwas tearing at its own head and screaming in agony. Her troubles had only just begun. Chapter 512 For those who knew even a little about the Dark Zone, from yers to inte veterans who knew all the memes circting in themunity, October of 2036 was a year of shock and terror for everyone. Naturally, there was no one who didn¡¯t understand the reason¡ªexcept for the person who didn¡¯t care at all about how their actions were perceived by the outside world. Eugene, who had merely had a snake tail attached to his rear, became one of the most famous people in the world in just 14 months, a time span that was short by any standard. Throughout that period, he shattered any expectations that he might one day show a less-than-extraordinary side. The proof of that came at the beginning of October. "Vlogging a trip to Hawaii, sure, anyone can do that if they have the money. But buying 200 million won worth of guns in Hawaii and then training with them as part of a militia¡­ can you really call that a vlog?" "Only a Manifestor could pull that off." Eugene, more than anyone else, knew exactly what it meant to be a Manifestor. Because of that, he executed content that only high-level Manifestors could do. He used his own money for it, no less. While channel managers from the highest ranks of YouSpace also sometimes spent a simr amount on video creation, the difference was clear. There are things that can be done if you have money, and things that only a Manifestor can attempt, even if you have money. The former may touch the edges of human imagination, but thetter involves actions that were physically impossible for normal humans. For example, wielding a minigun or standing while firing a 20mm sniper rifle. These were rtively small in scalepared to hiring hundreds of regr people for content, but that¡¯s exactly why they felt realistic yet also surreal. Eugene¡¯s Hawaii trip, which caused a stir, was over long ago, but its aftermath was only just starting to burn. But that didn¡¯t mean Eugene was given any time to digest the impact. "But I didn¡¯t expect it to ramp up so soon after that." Olivia Nyx Lori. She had burst onto the scene just three years ago, quickly bing a rising star in the fashion industry, and now, she was suddenly heading to Hawaii, then to Korea. Naturally, the short but intensely captivating video she created in Hawaii became perfect fodder for the inte. Her followers, who had been tracking her posts and outfit suggestions daily, couldn¡¯t believe their eyes for a moment when they saw what she was holding. It was something they had never imagined touching their hands in their lifetimes. The next part was even more shocking. She inserted a box-shaped magazine capable of holding ten 50-caliber rounds and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger. What followed was reminiscent of Eugene¡¯s past. It was a certainty that the fashion world would be in turmoil. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. After finishing her brief trip to Hawaii, Olivia headed to Korea. As if she had known Eugene all along, she naturally went straight to his house and began working as a support operator once again. She crushed twenty members of the Korean national team who had infiltrated a restricted area with her bare hands. Though no one openly said it, there were those who suspected¡ªlikely including Eugene¡ªthat Olivia too had a questionable past. Given that Eugene¡¯s viewers numbered in the millions, it was unsurprising that there were people looking into this "background." "...Figures."@@novelbin@@ "Wait, another one? Nothing new again?" Nothing came up. It was like trying to dig in a dry well and only hitting sand. Even in the information-overloaded inte world, nothing came up, and what that meant was crystal clear. At that point, nearly everyone gave up. But Eugene and Olivia were far from idle. While they were navigating the Dark Zone, another bait was dropped on the official Icarus International YouSpace channel, sending gamers into a frenzy. There was just too much to consume. The Dark Zone forum was seeing a 3 posts per second rate, and outside ofte-night hours, the situation persisted for about 18 hours a day. The firepower was so overwhelming that the forum would crash and recover twice a day. Of course, this was the situation for the viewers, but Eugene and Olivia were continuing their secret operations, the details of which would never be revealed. In this world, there was no such thing as "fate." To create the situation you wanted, you had to make moves. Just like how you had to prepare the ingredients to cook food, there was groundwork to be done to ensure the mission in Savannah seeded. In just a few days, all the hidden factories traced by serial numbers from imnts werepletely destroyed, and the location of the new Mecha Eugene had been confirmed. As the n moved to the surface, the fierce debate began. "We¡¯ve located the area, so rather than throwing valuable military resources there, I think it might be better to simply eliminate the threat." "I disagree. Analyzing the two Mechas currently part of the Dagger Team has already yielded incredible technological results. I think we should make contact first, check if there¡¯s any possibility for dialogue, and then make our decision." But the option to eliminate the threat cleanly was quickly discarded. The U.S. was already enjoying the sweet fruits of Jin and Rain through the Archetype system, and one was better than two, two better than three. Once Omega was convinced, the remnants of Artemis in Georgia could be used to their advantage, like a web surrounding them. It was a hopeful thought, but the Dagger Team had turned hope into sess countless times, and through Shadows, they had even created situations that weren¡¯t supposed to exist, forcing the U.S. out of its descent. Just the fact that Jin and Rain existed proved this. Which operation would make the capture of Mecha Eugene its goal? This result had pulled the brakes on the minds of many high-ranking nners, but the teams carrying out the operation didn¡¯t mind. However, while countless hopes, disappointments, arrogance, and misunderstandings swirled into an unharmonious noise, somewhere unknown, a melody was being yed. "Should we remove the warhead and fuse from the missile and rece it with something like paper? No, even so, there¡¯s not much to write down. And even if we request rescue, we¡¯d have to crush all the drones on the way before we can reach here." Omega was once again trying toe up with a way. What flooded in was none other than time, and naturally, she began distinguishing very clearly between what she could and couldn¡¯t do within thework. She was starting to get a sense of how the "cage-like" building around her was confining her. ¡®¡­The control of this building is in the hands of a management AI that was created separately to transfer and manage the leadership functions, but considering it was created as a temporary solution, its performance is subpar, and it seems to operate based on a few pre-entered principles.¡¯ One of those principles was definitely to prevent Omega from breaking out of the facility. She had tried several times to break out, but the management AI responded by constantly reshaping the building, concentrating armor on expected strike points, and preventing her from even prating the walls. Unfortunately, Omega¡¯s tail-transformation weapon was sealed, so high-powered attacks were not an option. The next step was predictable¡ªthreats from the management AI. The threats were obvious, such as depriving her of physical abilities, but unfortunately, Omega had no backup body, and she had no choice but to be trapped in a cage-like space, staring at the outside. But she wasn¡¯tpletely helpless. "Ha." Recently, the Artemis newwork was reopened. She didn¡¯t know how the hidden factories had been located, but one thing was certain: they had a way of interpreting the data from Artemis¡¯swork. The management AI didn¡¯t seem to care much, even as all the hidden factories in Northern New York were being destroyed, as confirmed through its logs. That meant... Omega began to think at top speed about how humans could rescue her. ¡®The first premise: the building¡¯s center must be destroyed by an external attack. That will weaken the control¡­ The second premise: once I escape the cage, I must get out of the area as quickly as possible.¡¯ She had already grasped the speed at which the building could change, but this building was central to all the fortresses in Savannah. Even if she managed to escape the cage, unless she could escape the area quickly through additional measures, she would be recaptured, and after that, any hope of a good situation would be lost. But Omega still had a glimmer of hope. "It¡¯ll work out somehow." She said that, but if she could mix dummy data into Artemis¡¯swork, they could also send replies hidden within the dummy data, essentially using encryptedmunication. Since the management AI was focused on securing Savannah and recovering resources, the likelihood of failure was low, but she had no idea how long this couldst, so contact had to be made with caution¡ªthough she suspected this was not the best choice. She would figure it out quickly. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯ And so, Omega began to n her first andst operation. Six hours before countless junk data would be uploaded to Artemis¡¯s newwork. "Do you think you can interpret it, Jin?" "Leave it to us. We don¡¯t need sleep." Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away from Omega, at Central Park HQ: Someone had taken the bait. "Somehow, it feels like time has been moving unusually fasttely. I guess it''s true that time flies when you''re busy and exhausted." "Everyone seems to be working too hard, don¡¯t you think? Especially those Mecha kids, they look even more excited than usual." "Well, Rain and I don¡¯t need to sleep, so..." "Same here." "...So that¡¯s why it¡¯s going so fast?" Central Park HQ, 5 AM. The headquarters, with various methods like optical camouge preventing light from leaking, never turned off the lights, even at night. Though there were people sleeping, no one slept at the same time, especially those equipped with Icarus Gear. If their stamina allowed, operators could go up to five days without sleep, functioning normally thanks to the gear¡¯s physical adjustments. This was especially true when they needed to check updates on information every few minutes or even seconds. The Dagger Team¡ªmyself included¡ªwas originally equipped with Icarus Gear, and since Olivia was naturally a night owl, we were checking the ever-growing Artemis junk data interpretations in real time. While it was quite fascinating to see so many operations staff and defense department personnel participating in the hologram and reviewing the data, it wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise. "So, why are we using such a messy method tomunicate?" "Currently, Omega is half-imprisoned by the management AI. Normally, we would interact smoothly to achieve Artemis¡¯s recovery goal through a Dead Man¡¯s Switch, but it seems that Omega has be uncooperative after realizing the situation." "Now that''s aedy in itself. From now on, we should just call Omega ¡®Rapunzel.¡¯" It was truly like that. By actively analyzing the junk data, many facts came to light, all connected like a chain. The first thing we realized was that Omega''s situation was so bad that this convoluted method ofmunication was the only way we could contact her. Perhaps to avoid detection, the message hidden within the junk data was extremelypressed. However, it wasn¡¯t impossible to interpret, and before long, Jin and Rain were able to figure out how the situation had be this dire. The result was exactly as Jin exined. "Since the data is scattered all over the ce, let¡¯s try to piece it together. First¡­ Omega has requested a rescue, and she¡¯s presented two main premises to achieve that goal. Am I right?" "Correct. The first is the destruction of the control tower, and the second is the recovery of Omega after she escapes the tower. And Omega¡ª¡®Rapunzel¡¯¡ªsaid she must escape the area within 1 minute and 30 seconds after leaving her ¡®cage.¡¯ While we can dy the situation a bit with a wide-area bombing, it won¡¯t be easy." "Considering that the control tower is sticking out right in the middle of fortified Savannah¡­ if we naively think about it, we could provide fire support with something like an AC-130 or fire multiple Tomahawk missiles to wipe out everything around it, and then evacuate by helicopter." "And you know that¡¯splete nonsense." "Of course. Even though I used to be a Ranger, I know better than to suggest something like that." Naturally, no one seriously considered the method just suggested¡ªespecially not the person who proposed it. No matter how high the precision, the risk of coteral damage was always there, and it was hard to justifypletely destroying the intelligence in the area while trying to firebomb the ce. Besides, while we could have carried out such an approach, the Dagger Team, strictly speaking, was more like a surgical scalpel, not a sledgehammer. So, ultimately, the n for extraction and recovery had to narrow down to one solution. "Full-tone recovery." "Looks like that¡¯s the only option." "Since the rookies and Olivia will be taking part as shadows, we¡¯ll have to deploy all the remote-control pods. So we¡¯ll need to recover five¡­ no, six. We might even recover all of them." "This is probably going to be the most tightly scheduled operation we¡¯ve ever had. If we estimate about 15 seconds for the control tower copse and Omega¡¯s escape¡­ by the time the missile strikes the control tower, the remote-control pods should already be on the ground." "Before that, we¡¯ll need to carry out a bombing around the area. If wend and there are drones everywhere, we¡¯ll just be sending those pods to their doom." "We¡¯ll do the surrounding bombing and also bring some antimatter bombs with us." Naturally, these were the geniuses of mission nning¡ªwhether I was included in that was another story. They were calcting all the variables needed for the operation in their heads in a split second. As for me, I wasn¡¯t sitting idly by either, so I had already envisioned how the operation needed to unfold. First, a wide-area bombing was necessary. Savannah, now a fortress, had to be wiped out so that the remote-control pods couldnd safely and then escort Omega. This bombing had to coincide with the destruction of the control tower¡¯s central section. Second, when the remote-control pods and Omega made contact, the full-tone recovery system had to be installed remotely at the expected escape point¡ªand by that time, a transport ne with V-shaped wings should already be airborne. ¡®Since severalrge drones equipped with the full-tone recovery system should be waiting, remotely setting it up shouldn¡¯t be an issue¡­¡¯ If everything went as nned, this operation would likely go down in history as one of the fastest recovery missions ever. Of course, the Guinness Book of Records wouldn¡¯t be tracking this, and operations like these could never be officially recorded. Now, all the necessary materials for the operation would be prepared by the Defense Department, and once that was settled, the soundboard in use recorded and documented the conversation. So, the outline of the information we needed to send to Omega became clear. "Escape point location, contact points with the remote-control pods, operation execution date, and exact time. Anything else we need?" "That should be enough. Just tell them to prepare themselves." "That¡¯s true." Several transport nes, UAVs capable of providing fire support, dozens of missiles, antimatter bombs, several drones with the full-tone recovery system, five remote-control pods, and two shadows. For two to three minutes at most, we would strike Savannah like a thunderbolt and disappear like smoke. "This is what I remember Icarus being like." "Right?" "Looks like everyone¡¯s ready. The only thing left is¡­ endless simtions until the operation starts. We¡¯re going to have to go through a lot of trial and error to match the timetable." With that, everyone except Jin and Rain stood up. Of course, the operations and defense agents observing through holograms still had to wait to analyze the information and engage in operational discussions. Before rushing down the hallway, the destination was already set. "The simtion room will take about 30 minutes to input the data, so let¡¯s stretch a bit before we start." The simtion room for mission preparation. It would be where we¡¯d stay until the rescue operation began. Chapter 513 ¡°Error margin ¡À10 seconds... If we go over this, we won¡¯t know what might happen, so let¡¯s consider this the maximum limit.¡± "Let¡¯s make things a bit more ufortable for the Artemis people. The coastal artillery has a range of about 600 km, so a few shots will reach Savannah. If we load railgun rounds with cruise missile cartridges, we could make high-speed deliveries. This will help reduce the pressure on the rescue team." "That should be ast resort. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to carry out electronic warfare with an EC-130H instead?" "We can''t just throw everything at them like in the old days. We need to maximize the effect with minimal resources." A heated debate followed. When everyone has all the tools, resources, and strategies avable, the issue isn¡¯t always about which tools to use¡ªit¡¯s about the cost. If every decision made drains resources bit by bit, the situation changes. Not long ago, anything you threw at the problem was guaranteed to work, but those days were gone now. Cutting down on resources was necessary. That¡¯s why the simtion center existed. While it was impossible to simte every possible scenario perfectly, the goal was to at least approximate the best solution. Over and over, variables were added and subtracted. The simtion that began around 5 AM stretched on until 12 PM with no end in sight. It wasn¡¯t until about 5 PM, 5 hourster, that the approximations started to be useful enough to apply to the actual mission. After more than 24 hours of continuous operations, the many personnel at Central Park HQ finally got a chance to rest. By 6 AM the next day, everyone was back in action, and everything was running smoothly again. But that was not the end. ¡°Set the timer! This mission depends on timing! Minimize the error as much as possible!¡± ¡°Synchronizationplete. All units participating in the operation will now share the same timer.¡± Once the operation was nned, it was time for the field officers to take over. For a covert assault, it was decided that air support would take off from Central Park HQ, located some distance away from Savannah. The Air Force was in a full emergency mode. Software updates and synchronization were the basic steps, and every precaution was taken to avoid unexpected issues. The price for this was that maintenance personnel were worked to the limit, but that was unavoidable. Even in the "Evelebeb" country of the US, when the job needs to be done, it needs to be done. The nners and actual field officers finished their tasks and went for some well-deserved rest, while thousands of personnel continued to work tirelessly at the base and JFK Military Airport to ensure the operation went smoothly. Thirty hours after Jin and Rain started their analysis, at 11:20 AM, everyone woke up, some heading to the operation control room. The operation¡¯s execution time, set for 12 PM, was fast approaching. Even though the coordination wasplete, thest checks on the remote-controlled pods continued as the transport ne carrying them had taken off about two hours ago. Logan, Lorentina, Owens, Sirkins, and Chester stood before the remote-controlled pods (referred to as RCEs, the Remote-Controlled Eugene Pods) at Central Park HQ. Meanwhile, I was sitting in the empty lounge with Olivia, having a conversation.@@novelbin@@ ¡°The shark and pr bear can¡¯t join, but since I¡¯m part of the operation, I guess they¡¯ll be pretty envious.¡± ¡°Probably. I never know when I¡¯ll need help. But when the time is right, I just ask for help from whoever¡¯s around. That¡¯s how it works.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± What should I say? It¡¯s bing a bit predictable now, but the reason Olivia felt regret was due to the fact that she wasn¡¯t there for the important moments. And truthfully, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. So much had happened in the past year, after all. The reason I brought Olivia here this time was exactly for that¡ªbecause it had a real positive effect. Just a few days ago, her expression was full of hesitation, but now, she was much more settled. Her regret about not being there during important moments was a natural extension of the fact that special forces operators were trained for the most critical, dangerous moments¡ªlike the Dark Winter scenario. These were weapons forged through experience to break through difficult situations. I was the one who helped fill that gap, and Olivia was satisfied with that. ¡°If this mission ends sessfully, it still won¡¯t be the end. China and Russia are still out there, across the sea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if China can still be called stable¡­ but you''re not wrong.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s infantry or operators, we¡¯ll gradually be reced by things like the RCE¡­ But at least as long as those two countries in Asia don¡¯t vanishpletely, there will still be a ce for operators like us to make a living. When that timees, call me again, Eugene.¡± ¡°I get the gist of what you¡¯re saying.¡± This conversation continued, but the reality was clear: things weren¡¯t over yet. Just because many battles had been fought didn¡¯t mean peace had trulye. What was clear, however, was that Olivia likely had more free time than the others, particrly the two who would probably be unreachable during their training. Olivia was a proper civilian, unlike those two. With that thought aside, Olivia, now mentally at peace, started to show more interest in the fashion work she had previously been passionate about. Indeed, peace of mind was the simplest way to expand one¡¯s horizons. ¡°Since we''re in Korea, after this mission ends, maybe we should go out and explore. Our rookie, don¡¯t you want to hear people say you dress well?¡± ¡°Well, if I need clothes, I¡¯ll just buy them¡­¡± ¡°Oh no, Eugene. The best things won¡¯t ever show up on regr online stores. The luxury goods that the upper ss buys, things you¡¯ve probably never even heard of, they¡¯re only avable after a lot of legwork. If you want something like that¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d much rather stick to old, worn-out military uniforms.¡± ¡°You just made a huge scratch on my job pride with thatment¡­¡± Not too long ago, Olivia had been considering switching back to military work, but now¡­ that was a different story. In any case, as time passed, the moment to depart grew closer. The LED clock disyed 11:40 AM, and the pressure mounted. I ran a quick mental review of what had to be done. Honestly, there wasn¡¯t much to do. I wouldnd with the RCE, take out all nearby enemies, and that would be it. Since I was a shadow, I wouldn¡¯t even need to be recovered with the full-tone system afterward. The operators didn¡¯t have to worry about precise timing; that responsibility fell to the aircraft and drone pilots transporting and recovering us. A fair distribution of risk, I thought. As I stared up at the ceiling, the next words followed. ¡°If the events here are reflected in the Dark Zone, will they be in the same situation? Omega has switched to an ally before the new raid, and if the remaining ones are wiped out or recovered by drones¡­ this could get awkward.¡± ¡°Right.¡± A brief pause. But agreeing with this wasn¡¯t the same as saying it would happen, and I knew that. Olivia likely asked because she wanted an answer about how adjustments would be made. The response was simple: ¡°While the Dark Zone was created to help what¡¯s happening here, at the end of the day, it''s still a game.¡± ¡°If that''s the case?¡± ¡°Well, here we¡¯re nning to rescue Omega before anything starts, but on the other side, Omega will appear as the final boss as nned. It¡¯s a game, after all. As long as we give Omega a reason toe backter, no one willin when she exits, but if we just take her out, no one will be disappointed.¡± Ultimately, the important thing was to choose the favorable facts. Olivia thought for a moment, then nodded, agreeing with the logic. It was time to go. The operation was scheduled for 12 PM, and it was already 11:50 AM. It was finally time to head home, connect to the Dark Zone, and join the transport ne as the RCE pods were deployed. The cruise missiles that had been slumbering in their silos were now slowly heading toward Savannah, crossing over the skies of the maind. Just moments before, UAV ry drones had already been deployed from a transport ne. The railguns on the beach, located 480-550 km east, began to emit a strange sound as they fired several cruise missile warheads at speeds exceeding ten kilometers per second. Within a minute, they had turned the western part of Savannah into rubble. Meanwhile, the EC-130H, floating in the air, continued its interference with missile pods and interceptsers amidst the smoke and debris. ¡°Let¡¯s meet inside the transport ne. This time, the pods won¡¯t be dropped together. It''s likely that we¡¯ll have to jump without anynding gear, just like you guys didst time.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯d haverge foam for shock absorption? It¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s meet again within five minutes.¡± ¡°Roger. When wee back, there¡¯ll be one more member. Make sure there¡¯s room for them.¡± The members of the Dagger Team, except for Jin and Rain, quickly exchanged greetings with the remote-controlled Eugene pod operators (RCE) before heading to the transport ne. Meanwhile, I sat in the empty break room with Olivia, having a conversation. ¡°Well, the shark and pr bear can¡¯t join, but since I¡¯m part of the operation, I guess they¡¯ll be pretty envious.¡± ¡°Probably. I never know when I¡¯ll need help. But when the time is right, I just ask for help from whoever¡¯s around. That¡¯s how it works.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± At this point, Olivia had begun to feel morefortable. It had been a year full of significant events, and during that time, I had been the one to help fill the gap, and she had been satisfied with that. Now, she was more at peace, and her attention had returned to her fashion work. ¡°Since we¡¯re in Korea, after this operation ends, maybe we should go out and explore. Our rookie, don¡¯t you want to hear people say you dress well?¡± ¡°Well, if I need clothes, I¡¯ll just buy them¡­¡± ¡°Oh no, Eugene. The best things won¡¯t ever show up on regr online stores. The luxury goods that the upper ss buys, things you¡¯ve probably never even heard of, they¡¯re only avable after a lot of legwork. If you want something like that¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d much rather stick to old, worn-out military uniforms.¡± ¡°You just made a huge scratch on my job pride with thatment¡­¡± Olivia was at peace with the situation, and now she was thinking about her previous passion. The mental rxation had opened her up to other aspects of life. ¡°We should go around and enjoy the sights after the mission. Do you want to hear that you dress well, Eugene?¡± ¡°Well, if I need clothes, I¡¯ll buy them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Some things you¡¯ll never find online. The good stuff is only avable with a lot of effort, things you can¡¯t buy at a store. If you want those¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with my old military uniforms.¡± The mood was lighter as we shared these moments, but the reality of the situation remained. The mission was just moments away, and the pressure of whaty ahead hung in the air. The time was quickly approaching for the operation to begin. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head out. The mission will start at 12 PM, and it¡¯s already 11:50 AM. It¡¯s time to head home and get ready for the Dark Zone connection. The transport with the RCE pods will be arriving soon.¡± The n was clear: everything needed to happen within a strict timeframe. The mission had been set, and the next steps were in motion. We were about to head to Savannah, where things were about to heat up, and the operation was ready to begin. Chapter 514 ¡°When everyone else was resting, I was out here running around, and now I¡¯ve finallye home. Should I say I have a tough fate, or is this just how it goes...¡± ¡°Well, it turned out that way. Wee back, Deputy Olivia.¡± ¡°From the way you¡¯re calling me that ridiculous title, I guess the rumors about there being another ¡®me¡¯ here are true after all.¡± Six hours after the operation ended, Task Force Laser arrived in Manhattan. They had been monitoring the situation in the area around the city, analyzing the weaknesses of the fortified city ever since the unusual events in Savannah began. But as soon as they heard the news that Mecha Eugene was in the middle of Savannah, they had to pack up and begin the Fiery Donkey operation. Although they didn¡¯t need to abandon their hideouts orworks entirely, it was clear that the three to four weeks they had spent building their operations had essentially been for nothing. It was amon urrence, but that didn¡¯t make it any less disappointing. However, Olivia¡ªspecifically, Olivia from this world¡ªseemed to care less than expected. ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse things, like ¡®eating dirt,¡¯ and it wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. What¡¯s fun about spending all day fiddling with drones in a neighborhood full of abandoned fields? It was pretty infuriating for you guys to have fun while I was stuck there, but I guess it¡¯s fortunate that you brought me back.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s a relief¡­¡± ¡°Oh no, rookie. I¡¯d prefer you focus on the part where I said ¡®it was pretty infuriating for you guys.¡¯¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Even so, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to deploy Task Force Laser for the Fiery Donkey operation. We, who were essentially the surgical scalpel of the team, were also hesitant to deploy people directly, using only RCEs instead. There was no need to deploy additional firepower for distractions either; that could be handled with cruise missiles and bombingsunched from railguns and coastal artillery. At any rate, Deputy Olivia knew this well and, after brushing off the past, added with a sigh. ¡°I was trying to get a glimpse of the ¡®me¡¯ from another world, and I ended up arriving faster than nned. But it seems they ran away as soon as they noticed me. I guess meeting each other might be a bit awkward after all.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that bad. Until the task force was split, we used to hang out together all the time, but you only let the Dagger Team visit your ce. That¡¯s pretty mean. I¡¯m thinking of visitingter, is that okay?¡± ¡°Ugh, alright, I get it, just stop!¡± Olivia, not holding back her frustration, pinched my cheek as a form of punishment. I had no choice but to promise her that I would make it up by bringing her over to my world as soon as possible. But even as this was happening, no one was there to save me, and the reason was simple. ¡°I¡¯m solemnly saying that Omega¡¯s new name should be Violet¡­¡± ¡°Is the naming sense of these seal-like creatures always so outdated? Is that why they always name the dead?¡± ¡°I believe the host unit and the new addition, the rookie, both deserve a name.¡± ¡°Where did their consent go¡ª¡± It was aplete mess. The reason for this was obvious. As they all already suspected, this was about the task force¡¯s ongoing discussion in the break room regarding Omega¡¯s new codename. It was getting hot in there, like a fire pit. November in New York was cold, with only two days left, but inside the break room, the discussion about Omega¡¯s calling name was heating up as if on fire. Now, some exnation was necessary. The starting point of this debate began with Jin, Rain, and Omega, whose roles were entirely different from the others in their respective worlds. Jin and Rain had been brought in with the help of Loren Tina and my disciples from this world, so deciding on their codenames had been a simple matter. It only required me to decide, or at most, ask my disciples or Loren Tina from that world for their input. And they respected my choice, so Gamma was named after Jin, and Epsilon after Rain. Omega, however, was different. ¡°First, let¡¯s consider the possibilities. If we hadn¡¯t had our mecha rookies, Omega¡¯s rescue mission wouldn¡¯t even have been possible. If the Dagger Team hadn¡¯t broken into the Hidden Factory before the Fiery Donkey operation and cleared it out, the mission wouldn¡¯t have even started.¡± ¡°True, but now Omega¡¯s will is being totally ignored. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a problem just calling her Omega as we¡¯ve always done.¡± ¡°But Omega doesn¡¯t like that. I¡¯m against it too. If we¡¯re just going to use a codename, then we should have called Jin and Rain Gamma and Epsilon from the beginning.¡± A single person¡¯s rescue had resulted in multiple Tomahawk missiles, transport nes, electronic warfare, reconnaissance drones, and countless other military and personnel resources. We didn¡¯t need to discuss the cost¡ªit was a highly intricate surgical operation that required the coordination of many people. It was impossible to measure how much each person contributed, and honestly, it didn¡¯t matter. That¡¯s why everyone was gathered in apletely equal position, discussing what name would be best. ¡°Do you have a name you like, Rookie?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. But I don¡¯t want to be called Omega anymore. Those idiots dumped an impossible task on me, and when I said I didn¡¯t want it, they locked me in a cage on the rooftop.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that worked out for you, in a way. So, what name do you prefer?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t even have a month of consciousness yet, so I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Well, in the end, we¡¯ll have to name you.¡± Eventually, it was decided. I nkly stared at the chaos unfolding before me while sorting out my thoughts. It wasn¡¯t a big deal; it was just about how I would name her if I were the one to decide. My thoughts naturally turned to the past and how I had named Jin and Rain. Jin was named after thest part of my name, and Rain was named after the weather when we met. One name was based on someone¡¯s name, and the other was based on the weather at the time, so either option had its merits. For example, if I were to go with the first option, Tina could be named after Loren Tina. It was a simple, decent name. On the other hand, if I chose thetter option, I might have to base it on the swift-paced operation ande up with something ordingly. ¡®If I choose the first one, I could name her Tina. For thetter, maybe¡­ what should I go with? Something rted to speed¡­¡¯ The idea of naming her Arrow came to mind, as it was fast like an arrow. There were other possibilities, but none were quite fitting as names. I lost myself in thought for a moment when suddenly, the name list appeared as a hologram, disying the suggestions for Omega¡¯s new name. It wasplete chaos. Before I could even name her, I thought of how dreadful it would have been if I had introduced Jin and Rain to the Dagger Team without naming them properly. I got up quietly and added Tina and Arrow to the list of names. Omega widened her eyes slightly as she saw it. Then, one by one, people gathered around to evaluate my naming suggestions. ¡°Tina and Arrow? Not bad, actually.¡± ¡°Light is much prettier. Since she was the first to fly, shouldn¡¯t we name her after the Wright brothers? How symbolic!¡± ¡°Ugh, someone shut Morrison up. Erase all his name suggestions.¡± ¡°This is nder!¡± With that, Morrison was pushed into the corner of the room, though he wasn¡¯t physically dragged out. The discussion continued for a while, but eventually, we were all back to the task at hand, and the choice was made. ¡°Maverick.¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll go with that.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear the Rookie¡¯s opinion.¡± And just like that, the attention shifted to Omega, who smiled widely and made her choice. ¡°Maverick.¡± Jin, Rain, and Maverick. The triple-BYAM became a quad-BYAM at Central Park HQ. Such a strange world. "Maverick." "...I think I¡¯ll go with that." "That sounds good." "Let¡¯s hear the Rookie¡¯s opinion." And just like that, the attention shifted to Omega, who smiled widely and made her choice. "Maverick." Jin, Rain, and Maverick. The triple-BYAM became a quad-BYAM at Central Park HQ. Such a strange world. "Did the mecha rookiee back again? What¡¯s the reason this time?" "Of course, you¡¯re curious. But did I say I would tell you voluntarily?" "This damn chicken-brained brat." I had a hunch it would go this way, but how long had it been since I arrived in Korea, and they were already making fun of me like this? It was the end of days. What this meant was, the discussion was about the recent Fiery Donkey operation. As everyone had already guessed, the only person involved in the operation was Olivia, and this owl had already started bothering Logan and Loren Tina as soon as the mission ended. There was only one thing left to do. "Well, you see. To exin what happened there, you¡¯d have to first understand why the operation was carried out. It happened because..." "Rookie, you¡¯re about to fly to Korea, right? So, just remember this. In three days, I¡¯m going to stick that damn brat on a skewer and serve it to you." "Feeling strong, huh? We both know you¡¯ll be in the U.S. with the Rookie in less than a week, so stop wasting energy." "Ugh." As she said, in the past few days, things had suddenly piled up, and I hadn¡¯t been able to handle all themunication. But after checking, I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that my permission had been granted. There would be secret oaths, and various measures to prevent filming during the tournament. I had never thought Olivia¡¯s observer permit wouldn¡¯t be epted. She used to be with the NSA, so she knew how important those secret oaths were, and with her memory returned, the higher-ups would likely view regr observers as more of a security risk. In any case, it was already confirmed, so I didn¡¯t need to worry about it. "The four of you are going to meet up at Fort Benning, huh? This is the kind of apocalypse I was expecting." "Unfortunately, because of that, I won¡¯t be able to meet you until after thepetition starts. I¡¯ll be judging strictly during the tournament, so keep that in mind." "If you¡¯re going to be picky, then the Rookie is probably better off getting two little brats to be new snake awakened ones than hoping for luck with you." "Haha, of course." Georgia, Fort Moore. The home base of the 75th Ranger Regiment, a center of the U.S. military, including infantry school, sniper school, and basic military training. The temperature in early November ranged between 10 and 24 degrees Celsius. It didn¡¯t rain much, and the weather was often cloudy¡­ literally a rural area. To the north was Columbus, a rtivelyrge city housing several military bases, and a bit further north was Anta. Logan was scheduled to take a short vacation before heading to Fort Moore, where Olivia and I would meet him after arriving in the U.S. As I mentioned, Loren Tina couldn¡¯t join us. Naturally, Loren Tina made a frustrated sound before giving up. "Damn, I can barely keep up with my schedule. At least I¡¯ll be able to make time for a few days after the tournament ends, but¡­ Rookie, you said you¡¯d be going to St. Petersburg right after, right?" "That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll be watching my disciplespete in the Asian qualifiers." "Well then." Well, if there¡¯s time and an opportunity, I suppose I could meet up with them anytime, so it wasn¡¯t really a problem. Anyway, the small talk continued for several minutes, but unlike us, the Shark and the Pr Bear had to follow their separate schedules. "Not many days left until you leave, are you nning to keep streaming until then?" "Well... unfortunately, no." "Unfortunately?" At the same time, Olivia¡¯s eyes met mine. I let out a sigh, not sure if it was a sigh or something else, and added, "Before I leave, I have a few interviews about the Asian qualifiers." "And I said I¡¯d help you pick something to wear before you go out there." "...I see. So that¡¯s why your expression looked so weird earlier. You¡¯ve be a mannequin for that idiot to dress up, haven¡¯t you?" "Well, of course. Good luck, Rookie." "Wait, you¡¯re just leaving like that!?" "Well, I can¡¯t save you now." Damn it. Damn it! The multi-call ended with a click, and what was left was only Olivia, smiling as she pondered what kind of outfit would suit me. The world was an incrediblyplicated and strange ce. I quietly turned my head and added, "Actually, you wanted to keep working as a designer, didn¡¯t you?" "...Yeah." She turned her head away with a rather embarrassed expression. I thought so. Chapter 516 "There are no direct flights to Miami. What a shame." "My parents said they¡¯ll assign a private jet to me as soon as possible before departure. At first, I thought it was a joke, but¡­ anyway, I guess it¡¯ll work out in the end." "...Are they operating it under Icarus Corporation?" "No, it¡¯s something my parents personally own." Cheongdam Penthouse, the day before departure. The sky was as dark as if ink had been poured over it, and Olivia''s Korean speaking ability was graduallying back to life. Though they hadn''t talked much during the time together, she hadn''t been kept locked away at home either. After all, she had gone with him to the studio for thest talk show. That said, there had been far more important matters than public activities, so it might be a little regrettable that they hadn''t gone out more. In any case, if it had been a ne under Icarus Corporation, things might have been even easier. Lately, he¡¯d been coborating with think tanks one by one, and his parents knew very well that he was the de facto owner of thepany. That made it possible for them to send him to the United States under any number of pretenses using a private jet. His parents were in positions such as Vice President and Management Team Leader, members of the board, but not exactly full owners of thepany. How they managed to wield such extensive power... Well, as he''d mentioned before, the CEO of Icarus, Henslow, was just a figurehead. The current operations and management of Icarus werergely controlled by a foundation¡ªor something like it¡ªthat included the two suspicious individuals who had brought him into this world. They upied most of the board seats and were actively supporting his parents. Back to the matter at hand. He would have liked to take Olivia around Korea more, but things had gotten quiteplicated. Strictly speaking, the reason Olivia was ced as a general observer for the sniperpetition¡­ was partly because she had been acting so sentimental due to memory confusion. But he hadn''t expected that nostalgia or whatever it was to be healed so quickly by one reckless operation. What Olivia really needed... was a unique experience that no one else had. He hadn¡¯t fully anticipated it, nor had he been entirely sure, and that was why things had turned out this way. ''...I guess it''s fine, just think of it as going to see the pr bears and sharks again after a long time.'' Anyway, he had to go to the U.S. There were a few extra things attached along the way, but nothing that would cause any real problems. With that in mind, surprisingly, he felt quite at ease. "Things havepletely turned around. I guess I¡¯ll have to pass on the mom title to the youngest." "I''m only in my mid-20s." "If you can heal others, I don''t see why I can''t call you that... Alright, alright, stop hitting me with your tail, ah, ow, that hurts!" The idea of a person in their mid-20s bing the "mom" of someone in theirte 30s was... a pretty terrifying thought. Desperate to shift the conversation, he quickly came up with something else to talk about¡ªsuch as what he would be doing in Miami after arriving, what he¡¯d be doing before thepetition started, and so on. "If Olivia had entered thepetition, she might have overwhelmed the other participants with Iron Sight." "...It''s not impossible. But I don¡¯t really like using Iron Sight for sniping. The farther the distance, the more variables there are, and adjusting for that with the naked eye is pretty annoying. Still, it sounds like it would be fun." "Right. It''s been a while since we¡¯ve gone out for some fresh air, so how could it not be enjoyable?" Though there were some physical limitations, like not being able to participate in certain events like camouge and sniping with a ghillie suit at thepetition, it wasn¡¯t impossible with the help of Icarus gear. However, he wasn¡¯t particrly interested in going that far. Other than that, most things were possible. ssic yet challenging missions like hitting targets on a swaying ship, shooting targets from a helicopter, navigating through mountains with just a map while eliminating targets, and infiltrating a base were all doable. As always, these were adrenaline-pumping, life-risking missions that tested everything from the tips of your fingers to the top of your head. As he was lost in thought, a voice came from across the table. "Anyway, you¡¯re really cut out for the battlefield." "Right. I don¡¯t think there are many Awakened who aren¡¯t." "That¡¯s what you say, but the youngest didn¡¯t seem too friendly when we first met, did they?" "With a body like this, how could I have casually approached people? Especially when I couldn¡¯t speak English well back then." The conversation shifted to the past. He and Olivia were sipping wine at a table with a few candles lit, and his past started toe out, bit by bit, like putting together a puzzle. The reason she had been called "mom" back then wasn¡¯t anything grand. "And who took care of the youngest with such devotion?" "You¡¯re right in front of me. And yes, I did take care of them with great care. The CQB training was a bit too much, though." "Well, you can me the circumstances back then. Loren Tina had a lot on her te, and she almost lost her mind trying to teach you. It got a little better after Logan and Owens joined." "I had already been dragged to the battlefield and fired a gun over 35 times before I even finished learning." Later, he found out, though it was obvious, that none of his acquaintances had met him by chance, nor had they taught him just out of goodwill. During the Dark Winter Crisis, even elitebat troops were quickly consumed like bullets, and to replenish them, anything had to be done. He had been forced to join the front lines of this recruitment. Over a span of three months, almost 600 Awakened appeared in Manhattan due to the viral pandemic. But only a few, like him, had such noticeable changes, and even fewer had their physical abilities drastically improved. "By the way, I remember killing quite a few mutants during the Dark Winter Crisis. The mutations from the friends who died didn¡¯t carry over to here." "That¡¯s quite an interesting story. I can¡¯t quite recall any examples, but I think I remember a few of the Lykers who had cat ears on their heads." "Oh, the ones named after metal, like Nickel, Chrome, and Titanium?" HVT, or "High-Value Targets," were a real problem. Among the prisoners who escaped from Riker Ind, there were some quite troublesome individuals, including one suspected of being an EM-grade entity. He remembered a time when a Predator equipped with napalm rockets set part of the sector on fire, trapping the gangs. "I did a quick search a while ago using my NSAwork, just to see if there were any leads. Didn¡¯t find anything though. I think when someone dies, their connections disappear." "Can you even talk about that?" "I trust the youngest can keep a secret." Unfortunately, there was no way to refute that. Not only him but even the shark and the pr bear¡ªif any of the little details they''d been casually talking about leaked to the world, things would get serious. And he wasn¡¯t nning to spill anything either. As the alcohol started to take effect, all kinds of stories followed, but there was so much that had happened over the years, and 24 hours wasn¡¯t nearly enough to share it all. The more alcohol he consumed, the fuzzier the memories became. The buzz from yesterday''s interview or the still-zing intemunity situations drifted outside his thoughts, and by the time thest of the wine bottles were finished, everything in front of him began to drift. What would tomorrow bring? That was hisst memory. And then¡­ "Ugh... I feel like my bones are going to shatter..." "...Ah." Eight hourster, at 11 AM. He was literally wrapped around Olivia with his tail, and she was excitedly hitting him like a wrestling referee tapping out the match. Clearly, alcohol was something he should avoid. "Is this a hotel or a supercar showroom? If I take this thing and give it to them, they¡¯llin about it hurting their back..." "I¡¯m sorry. Most of the vehicles avable for rent have been taken by the guests. I¡¯ll check if there are any extra cars at the Icarus Residences in Jacksonville and Ondo."@@novelbin@@ "No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be a problem with these. Is there an autonomous driving mode?" "Yes." "Then we¡¯re good." With a simple gesture, a hologram wrapped around his wrist, and with another motion, a sleek ck supercar''s scissor door smoothly opened. Logan, who seemed indifferent, got into the driver''s seat. It was a low-slung car, unlike therge SUV he''d been driving. As the engine roared to life, Logan switched to autonomous mode and confirmed the destination synced up with another vehicle. It was time for a drive. Logan stretched out his arm and yawned deeply. At that moment, the cloudless Miami sky appeared. Two supercars¡ªLogan''s car, which he was driving, and the Centenario, which Olivia would be sitting in, along with the car that the youngest would take¡ªdashed out onto the West Palm Beach road. Miami? No, West Palm Beach. It was about 110 km north of Miami International Airport. Logan nned to enjoy a leisurely drive for about an hour before reaching the airport. Shortly after, the two cars entered the I-95 highway. "Did that shark guy take the youngest on a sports car ride in Hawaii?" Some were holed up in a mountain valley, stuffing bullets into humanoid heads, while others were off enjoying the high life. But the situation hadpletely changed. Loren Tina was probably busy with sniperpetition judge training by now, and with just five days left until November 3rd, it was highly likely they wouldn''t be able to talk until then unless it was via securemunication. Just thinking about it made Logan feel a thrilling sensation. He ced his hand on the steering wheel, which was an odd design made from high-end leather and carbon, and looked back to check on the other supercar following him. Once he confirmed it was fine, he disengaged the autopilot and began pressing the elerator. Vroom! The variable ps opened, and Strada mode automatically switched to Sport mode. There weren¡¯t many cars on the road, and most were cruising at about 120 km/h, barely meeting the recently lifted speed limits. Logan, however, pushed the car faster. The speed gradually climbed, but once it reached 128 km/h, it stopped. Logan confirmed it was the speed limit and checked the autonomous car behind him to ensure it was keeping up. Even with the widespread use of self-driving cars, constant monitoring was necessary. As he mentioned earlier, the destination was Miami International Airport. By now, he could almost picture the faces of the two people, who would befortably seated inside a private jet, flying near New Orleans. "I wonder what kind of reaction that shark will have when I tell him after the sniperpetition that I¡¯m taking him to Disney World." Logan chuckled to himself, continuing to drive down the road, the sound of the engine rumbling in the background. In just under an hour, he reached the vicinity of Miami International Airport and began following a special route into the airport. The two supercars were now heading toward a private jet terminal, a path not usually traveled by the general public. Although the airport terminal would normally be bustling with people, Logan was greeted by about four staff members. After passing through arge scanner that could easily handle even a limousine, they waited briefly before reaching the wide airport runway. "Now, the youngest is really throwing money around everywhere." Or maybe, this was the point where the youngest was finally starting to match the scale of money they were moving. Logan thought to himself as he saw a Gulfstream aircraft slowly making its way into a hangar. He parked the car at a distance from the aircraft''s movement path and waited until itpletely stopped before he elerated again to move closer. Just then, the moment the private jet''s door opened, a directional EMP was triggered, and optical camo was deployed. The cameras around the hangar were instantly disabled, and as they came back online, the distorted vision was transmitted to a CCTV room. Meanwhile, Logan was left stunned as figures began descending the stairs from the ne. Always calling them "chickens," yet Olivia¡ªwhose skills were unmatched¡ªdescended with her owl-like agility, followed by the youngest, who seemed to have appeared out of both the real and virtual worlds. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "Wow, I didn¡¯t understand what it meant for an archetype to cross worlds, but now that I¡¯ve stepped into another world myself, it¡¯s quite something." "Before anything, you should introduce yourself first, Maverick. This is Logan from this world." The design was familiar, but this time, it didn¡¯t glow in teal and blue. The lights at the joints and parts of the body shone a violet hue, and the artificial eyes glistened in a beautiful color reminiscent of amethyst. It felt different from Jin and Rain, but before Logan could finish his thoughts, a hand, which belonged to the "third" in the mech line, was extended toward him. As Logan¡¯s logical circuits began to freeze, the youngest added a line. "Don¡¯t worry. Once we get acquainted, we¡¯ll send them back to their world." That wasn¡¯t the problem, damn it. As Logan nced at Olivia and Eugene¡¯s expressions, he could tell they¡¯d nned this. They must have wanted to see her reaction, which was why this whole thing was happening. Even Maverick, struggling to cope with the immense force of the handshake, finally spoke. "...I know our two friends must be eager for a dramatic greeting." "Ha." Logan, smiling as he imagined the scenario of driving with the two of them hanging behind the car, approached them with a pleased expression. Eugene and Oliviaughed heartily, epting their fate. While Maverick stood there stunned, the two of them endured the pr bear''s headlock. It was just another day in their lives. Chapter 517 "Logan, I thought you''d be driving something like an SUV, but how did you end up with something like this?" "If this is all I had, what could I do? If I had waited for an extra sedan toe from the Icarus Residences in Ondo or Jacksonville, I would¡¯ve reached Miami when the sunset was already down." "That¡¯s a pretty awful thought, but it was also kind of annoying when people started taking photos the moment we hit the road." "That¡¯s bearable." They were speeding through the Florida Everdes, heading toward the southernmost tip of the United States, Key West, far beyond Miami. To make it clearer for those who didn¡¯t understand, just like Korea has Haenam, the southernmost point in the U.S. was Key West. In the passenger seat on the right was Mecha Eugene¡ªOmega, Maverick¡ªwatching the passing scenery with interest. He had his mouth wide open, looking like he wanted to get out and walk around, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t possible. In fact, even now, things were pretty tight. The Icarus gear blocked the outside view, and unless the windows were open, the interior of the car remained invisible. Also, with theck of cars around them, they could drive more freely. Once they reached Key West and the car doors opened, they¡¯d be sent back to their world. Maverick, knowing this, was a bit more excited than usual. "I thought this would be ufortable, but there''s a dedicated space behind the seat to store the tail. Pretty interesting." "Well, it should be. It¡¯s a vehicle that¡¯s gone through a lot of modifications." The Icarus logo was engraved on the ceiling, and the tail storage was in the back of the driver and passenger seats. It was unclear how Icarus came to own a car that had only 40 units produced, but considering the car had been out for some time, it was likely the ownership had passed around before it ended up with them. The engine was upgraded to a better model, and the interior had been heavily modified for holographic connectivity. It was unexpected that they would modify the seats, but considering that someday he might have to ride in this car, it was a pleasant surprise. Several meters ahead, the Aventador maintained a speed of about 144 km/h. Logan and Olivia were inside, and they were about two hours away from Key West, but this was more than enough time to catch up on everything that had happened during their journey. "If we go a bit north from Key West, there¡¯s a helicopter pad, along with a boat rental shop and gun store partnered with nearby military facilities. It¡¯s perfect for practicing maritime sniping." "Maritime sniping, huh. That takes me back. I remember shooting at Russian fortress sentries with nothing but a rubber boat in pitch-ck darkness." "Those were the days." Indeed. Not only had he experienced every kind ofbat listed in the manuals, but there were also several forms ofbat that didn¡¯t even exist in the data, having participated in them countless times. He must have gone through those kinds of situations about 170 times. If hepared the thickness of thebat manuals from this world and the other world, there was probably a fivefold difference. But anyway, it was his second time driving a supercar in this world. Until recently, he hadn¡¯t shown much interest in driving, which made this experience more fascinating. Unlike the other vehicles, which felt like riding on melted butter on a frying pan with all the adjustments, this raw feeling where he could feel the road beneath him had its own charm. Suddenly, a gruff voice came from the side. "Seems like everyone around here is taking pictures of the car. Should we let it slide, or should we fire an EMP?" "...You have that function too, huh, Third Youngest? Just leave it alone. No one can see inside the car anyway." If two supercars were cruising down the street, he would¡¯ve been curious too. Taking photos was one thing, but he''d at least want to snap a picture. Of course, that was back when he was an ordinary person. Now, it didn¡¯t really matter. The car wasn¡¯t his anyway¡ªit was a rental. He had made sure Icarus Residences helped bring a car Logan liked to the airport. If his parents heard about thister, they''d probably throw him the keys and say, "If you like the car, drive it around." Was this a taste of the "gold spoon" life? While he was pondering that, enjoying the view of the coastline on his left, several holograms were shared with him. They were from Logan, rted to the uing sniperpetition at Fort Benning, just a week away. There were many expected tasks, but one stood out as unique. "Snipe and counter-snipe, fortress breaching¡­ looks like there are quite a few exciting challenges." "Looks like they put some thought into it. One involves giving only a map, then having to break through 57 km of mountainous terrain in 36 hours, weakening the fortress''s defense within 6 hours through various covert operations, allowing an assault team to infiltrate, then providing fire support and escaping." "That¡¯s something we used to do in old simtions." "I actually did it myself while you guys were messing around in Hawaii." "Ah." Well, there was no time to rest in a unit like theirs. Considering that even the Javelin live-fire training was mostly Delta, they were likely running such practical training whenever they had time. If he had stayed in the military, he would¡¯ve probably been out there fighting with Logan, enjoying it. However, hearing about the integrated missions, includingnd navigation, movement, and identification of enemy and friendly targets, made him feel that Olivia''s presence was sorely missed. Olivia seemed to have sensed his thoughts and added something. "Should I fly around and let you know where the enemies are?" "Why not re-enlist?" "You know it¡¯s toote for me to get a US military badge again, right?" That¡¯s how conversations went with the Awakened. The moment you show any vulnerability, they pounce. They still didn¡¯t know what the terrain was like or what bad conditions would be imposed, but based on his experience, those details were likely to be revealed once thepetition actually began, so there was no need to worry about them now. What mattered more was getting back into the rhythm he¡¯d temporarily forgotten. As they drove along the coastal road, feeling the salty air, they were getting closer to Key West. Meanwhile, the Third Youngest, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, quietly added. "Do operators need to be good at all this too?" "Of course." At the same time, Logan nced at him. Having been worked hard by the team, the Third Youngest was starting to look the part of an operator, unlike Jin and Rain, who had received the Icarus gear but still didn¡¯t have a gear on Maverick¡¯s left¡ª or right¡ª wrist. It wasn¡¯t a wrong answer. Even if the mech youngsters were more suited for strike teams than for infiltration or covert operations, in realbat, you could never predict what would happen. No one could guarantee that the mech youngsters wouldn¡¯t end up with a sniper rifle in their hands. In short, it didn¡¯t matter if they couldn¡¯t do it. They''d just have to ept a D+ or F on their report card for the mission and cry in heaven if the entire operation team, including themselves, was wiped out. At this point, some rather interesting thoughts started assembling in his mind. "Have you ever shot a gun?" "...No. Seriously. I¡¯ve only thrown a few grenades." "That¡¯s pretty surprising." But unlike the response, he was already smiling. Since they were sharing sound, Logan and Olivia must have heard it too¡­ and the expressions on their faces were probably just as he imagined. Without a chance to think about it, his instincts reflexively added: "Wee to Eugene School, Third Youngest." "...Huh? What?" He had nned to send the Third Youngest back from Key West, but it seemed like that n would have to be canceled. It was time for Eugene School¡¯s sniper curriculum to begin. Vroom! "Feels like I¡¯m in the Coast Guard... no, should I say SWCC?" "Those guys don¡¯t do this. Their main goal is to take a fast boat upstream, causing destruction with miniguns and grenadeunchers." "Right. So, if we¡¯re being precise, this would be that shark guy¡¯s specialty." The yacht, still with room to spare even with four people on board, cut through the waters, several kilometers off the coast of Key West. The weather was perfect, with hardly any clouds and calm waves. Though, inparison to thend, the slight rocking of the boat was nothing. But what could be done? Maritime sniping was bound to be one of thepetition events. Inside the boat, there were several sniper rifles, including a Barrett. He had seen that one a lottely. "I¡¯ve already cleared it with the Coast Guard, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems with the activity, but¡­ the noise is a separate issue. Has the suppressor been installed?" "No problem. The sabot shells are all set. One minute until we reach the target." "Maritime sniping, huh. It¡¯s been a while. I think I have the range, height, and intensity figured out. The wind¡¯s pretty decent for a coastal shot, so I think 400m is doable." The conditions were worse than anything onnd¡ªshooting from a boat at 400m was not something you could take lightly. Among the Awakened, Olivia was probably the best sniper. She could almost read the wind. It was remarkable, considering the sniper range during the Musk bama hijacking was only about 100 meters. Though, back then, it wasn¡¯t a 1:1 target¡ªit was multiple targets, making the difficulty much higher. "The shark should have been here for this. If only Loren Tina could¡¯ve had her nose pressed down by your skills instead of boasting about how maritime sniping is her thing." "Who knows? We all know she¡¯s good with a gun." "True."@@novelbin@@ Despite their bickering, they knew each other¡¯s skills better than anyone else. Two unchambered rifles, or maybe three, with their hands and tails gripping them tightly, began to feel the wind. Logan was fiddling with his tablet, controlling the remote-controlled sea target that had been following the yacht from a distance. The target didn¡¯t take long to stop in the middle of the vast ocean. He adjusted theser rangefinder and checked the distance¡ª358 meters. It was far. Logan pulled the target closer, reducing the distance to about 250 meters. The error margin was probably about 2 meters. Though the distance was something a pistol could handle onnd, with a sniper rifle, hitting the mark wasn¡¯t guaranteed. The first rifle was a Knights Armament M110 SASS. They borrowed two of the same model, and the first shots were taken by him and Maverick. Adjusting the scope,ser rangefinder, and bipod, they fine-tuned the focus and zeroed in on the target. Then, it was the Third Youngest¡¯s turn, who had never fired a gun. "At least the mech youngsters don¡¯t have to worry about disrupting their aim with their breathing. But I think you should have some basic knowledge of guns, so let¡¯s give it a shot calmly." "...Okay." Theyy t on the rear deck of the yacht, pulling down the bipod and carefully setting it down. Logan and Olivia quickly adjusted their tablets, sending out warnings to prevent anyone from approaching. If anyone wasn¡¯t gutsy enough, they wouldn¡¯t be within a 1.5km radius from here. As the kitesurfers and yachts disappeared in the distance, he measured how much the crosshair moved over the ocean breeze. "First shot, distance 250m. Starting." He exhaled and inhaled, filling his lungs with the ocean breeze. Based on his experience, when shooting from a small yacht, the adjustment through clicks wasn¡¯t really needed for short distancespared tond. Timing the shot was far more critical. When the reticle stayed steady, and the silence between heartbeats arrived, and when the 50cmx50cm target over 250m away was as still as it could get, it was all about shooting in sync with the team for a clean kill to score high, not in realbat. His finger rested on the trigger. Pheeeew! "Good shot." "9 points. Pretty good for the first shot." There were two targets. Maverick, grumbling, switched to semi-automatic and started shooting seriously. He fired a full magazine of 10 rounds. The sea target collection system was in ce, so there was no environmental damage, and Logan used the remote-controlled drone to bring the target back to the yacht. Then came theughter. "Well, the left one¡¯s fine, but the right one¡­ Guess the primitive bullet retrieval system isn¡¯t cutting it. We might end up frying some fish with bullets in three years, thanks to you, Third Youngest." "Shut up! Stupid pr bear!" "What? Who told you that nickname... damn it, this guy¡¯s too strong!" With his face flushed red, the Third Youngest huffed and started wrestling with Logan on the yacht, overpowering him with surprising skill. Meanwhile, Olivia and Eugene checked the targets without paying any attention. Most of Eugene''s hits were 8, 9, and the 10-point center, with only one 7. Maverick managed to hit about 7 shots, but not many were dead-on. This clearly showed what happened when the aiming point wavered during a shot. And while Logan was busy torturing Maverick with waterboarding, Eugene chuckled and said to Olivia. "We''ve got a lot to teach him." Olivia nodded. The sky was clear, the sun was dazzling, and it was the day Logan and Maverick would end up in the water. It was autumn. Chapter 519 "Olivia, why was the video you posted recently like that? Are you seriously thinking of fully transitioning in that direction?" "Should I say the theme for next year''s Paris Collection is military look? It''s not my taste, but it¡¯s quite intriguing. I¡¯m already curious about what kind of works wille outter." Chatter. Chatter. As we gradually headed towards Fort Moore, Georgia¡ªpreviously known as Fort Benning¡ªI kept noticing scenes that I had repeatedly encountered with Logan. I kept seeing how vast Olivia''swork was, how interconnected the fashion industry¡¯swork was, and how intricately connected everything was, like a spider¡¯s web. That was the spectacle that unfolded before our eyes as we passed through the rough cities of Ondo and Jacksonville, traveling hundreds of kilometers north. "If I knew this would happen, we should have just ignored whatever the shark kid was whining about and gone straight to Disney World, huh, Rookie?" "Yeah, right. We¡¯ve got two cars anyway. We¡¯ll drop the owl off here and head off to have fun by ourselves. Should we tell Olivia to just catch up to us at Fort Mooreter when the timing''s right?" "I can hear you guys, you know?" "We meant you to hear it." Though Olivia seemed about to sulk, the power bnce here... Olivia was third in line. Logan and I were equally skilled in hand-to-handbat¡ªthough Logan had a slight edge due to his tail¡ªand Olivia... sadly, couldn''tpete here. Compared to the shark, pr bear, and anaconda¡ªOlivia just didn¡¯t make the cut. If we were judging purely on physical ability, she might not even be above Hotteok. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t matter, but sometimes, it does. After we teased Olivia for a while, she finally stopped the conversation, took flight like an owl, and shot off like one, leaving shoe prints on our backs. Yeah, that hurt. "Can¡¯t stand waiting to talk for a minute?" "But fashion talk is boring..." "We¡¯ve been running around in flip-flops and loose military uniforms, ying basketball inbat boots. We should have expected that this would be a totally different world." "Who gave you guys faces and bodies that deserve standing ovations, no matter what look you wear? It''s such a waste." True, true. But, as I once said, the great Confucius from the East said that while entering is at one''s discretion, leaving is not. There won¡¯t be any taking and giving back. From now on, Olivia, including me, would have to witness the three of us¡ªthe top physical and visual humans¡ªdoing ridiculous things. And she too, having somehow reached EM-level, what was she thinking? Honestly, these days, it wasn¡¯t Olivia that scared me the most¡ªit was the people from the fashion industry that Olivia was talking to. Though we had escaped town under the pretense of "owl flying kicks," this hadn¡¯t always been the case. There were times when, despite us teasing Olivia, people would suddenly approach us asking about the clothes and styles, trying to lure us into buying. Now, it might be a bit obvious, but Logan and I were a bit more well-known. Though somewhat calcted, it was hard to t-out reject the offers to wear or take free clothes from those selling or making them. Hence, we ran away. "Heh, to make us wear that cheap fabric, they''d have to raise the price." "You wouldn¡¯t wear it even if the price went up, you bastard." "Of course not. Who in their right mind would wear something airy and flowy? Maybe if it were Rookie, but not me." "I don¡¯t like skirts either. And if I wear one, my butt sticks out." While Olivia made a face as if wondering, "What kind of conversation is this?" Logan and I were having a ridiculous chat that fit the term "Dumb and Dumber." But since Olivia had always been around us, she joined the conversation in just a few minutes¡ªso the dumb duo became a dumb trio in no time. There were other things to discuss. "Let¡¯s grab a bite to eat. Do you think the smell will stick if we eat in the car?" "There''s a food truck with a bunch of tables, do we really need to eat in the car?" "If we talk outside, it¡¯ll get annoying. It¡¯s better to just talk quietly in the car." "Then let¡¯s eat in the park nearby." And so, we bought about 50 hot dogs. We also bought some of those massive-sized cs that Americans drink like Jeju Samdasu, and so our meal was set to take ce in a park near the food truck. Luckily, it was the southernmost part of the U.S., so even though it was November, the weather wasn¡¯t too cold. It was 3 PM, meaning it wasn¡¯t lunch hour, so we wouldn¡¯t be noticed by many people who were out for a meal. After finding a quiet spot in the grass, we used the Icarus Gear to fry all the bugs within a 15-meter radius with a pulse, then officially began our meal. We even turned on optical camouge and soundproofing. "Around 6 hours ago, I got a message. They said we can enter Fort Moore today and that they''ll assign a guide." "Very considerate of them. But do we really need someone to guide us? You''ve been there before. After you finished the USAFbat diving course, you must have gone to Fort Benning. The Army Airborne School is there, right?" "True. Thinking about it now, it¡¯s a bit of a shame. When I regained my memories, I thought I¡¯d be at the 24th STS. I had my red beret hanging at home... I had put myself through hell to get my ATC, FAC qualifications and AFSC codes." ATC, Air Traffic Controller. FAC, Forward Air Controller. AFSC, Air Force Specialty Code. 24th STS, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, a special unit alongside DEVGRU, Delta, ISA, and CIA SAC¡ªstrictly speaking, not part of Tier 1 special forces but still highly prestigious. Olivia, in the other world, was an elite operator, recognized as an irreceable asset by the U.S. Air Force. She was highly skilled in Air Control, Air Rescue, Special Reconnaissance, and Tactical Air Support. She likely held all four AFSC codes starting with 1Z, meaning she could perform those four specialties at expert level. It was quite a remarkable career, and it was no wonder that when she regained her memories, she had been wandering for a while. But moving on. Logan¡¯s statement was simple. Olivia had received various trainings to be a CCT in the Air Force, and among those, she had spent about three weeks at Fort Benning (now known as Fort Moore since May 2023) for basic parachute training. This meant Olivia was quite familiar with how things worked there. "Rookie, I get it, but for you... it must really sting. All that experience wasted." "Well, if I¡¯d served somewhere else, there might have been some possibility. I¡¯m 39 now... if I had more than 13 years of service, I could have at least submitted an application." "Seems familiar... What about 19ZXB and 19ZXC, TACP or Combat Rescue Officer? Is it toote to apply? Air Force officers can serve until they¡¯re 39, right?" "Well, it is possible. If I submit the application within 2 months." As the hot dogs disappeared one by one, I continued listening to their conversation while also reflecting on something. To solve this issue, we needed to discuss something fundamental¡ªwhy is there an age limit for enlistment? It¡¯s quite simple: once you exceed a certain age, your physical abilities begin to decline. After 30, it bes tough to keep up with younger recruits in their 20s. In other words, age isn¡¯t really the issue; it¡¯s the decline in physical ability over time. That means there¡¯s room to negotiate. "Should I ask Henry?" "...Huh?" "I''ve got an idea. Let me hear it." With the stage set, it was time to speak. In short, the idea was simple. If a person is an Evolver and their aging process is drastically slowed, then if they meet or exceed the military¡¯s physical, mental, and knowledge requirements, they should be allowed to enlist regardless of age. I figured this wouldn¡¯t be a huge issue, no matter which party was in control. They¡¯d pass it easily. Since the military isn¡¯t sending anyone¡¯s son to war, why would they care? They¡¯d just pass it with little fuss. And so, I asked Olivia. "So, you¡¯ll make sure I can goter, right?" "...Of course, Rookie! You''re the only one!" "Ah, hey, hey. Don¡¯t hug me that tightly. You almost spilled the c." Olivia gave me a tight hug. It sounded cute, but honestly, I almost got buried in her chest for 20 seconds.@@novelbin@@ As we struggled in that weird situation, Logan¡¯s voice came from the side. "Others are dying to go somewhere they don''t even want to go, and here you are, so happy..." Let¡¯s just pretend we didn¡¯t hear that. Of course, Olivia pretended not to hear either. With the thought of possibly returning to CCT, Olivia and I spent the rest of the day passing by. "Looks like it¡¯s starting. I guess a lot of people brought their own guns." "Well, if they¡¯re even bonding with EOD robots, it¡¯s not surprising they''d bring their own gear and weapons. Many don''t even trust professional gunsmiths and clean and modify their own guns." "I see. But for someone like you, Loren Tina, I remember you weren¡¯t so picky about weapons. Surprising." "Well, that¡¯s just how people are, isn¡¯t it?" As I responded to Loren Tina¡¯sment, I took in the sight of various vehiclesing into Fort Moore and the people getting out. U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Russia, Japan, Korea... invitations had been sent to all the major countries, and now people were arriving to step foot on Fort Moore''s grounds before the actualpetition began. Though the crowd was diverse, their experience was undeniable. However, among them, there were no people with snake tails, feathers on their heads, or those who resembled pr bears. ¡®Still no word from them, huh? Well, they¡¯ll show up on their own.¡¯ ¡®Though I was asked to make sure to guide Olivia around the base, I¡¯m sure she can handle it on her own when she gets here.¡¯ With that, I kept an eye out for the iing people, knowing that this would be a great opportunity to tease Rookieter. The time was nearing for a great reunion. As the minutes ticked by, I couldn''t help but think about the situation unfolding in front of me. The arrival of thepetitors, each with their own backgrounds and specialties, all gathered here for the sniperpetition. The anticipation was building, but I still had a lingering feeling that something was off. We had been waiting for the familiar faces to arrive, and though there were no signs of them yet, I had faith they would make their way here. "Hey, you think they''re going to make it on time?" "I¡¯m sure they will. They know how to handle things. They won¡¯t bete, not with thispetition on the line." "I hope so. If they don¡¯t show up soon, we might have to take matters into our own hands and bring them ourselves." Despite my confident words, there was still that uneasiness. The world we lived in wasn¡¯t predictable, and things didn¡¯t always go ording to n. I just hoped that the ones I was expecting would show up as promised. As thepetition grew closer, I felt the weight of the situation sink in. It wasn¡¯t just about winning; it was about proving something far greater¡ªour skills, our legacy, and everything we¡¯d worked for. I could see the dedication and discipline in everyone¡¯s eyes, and I knew they understood what was at stake. "Alright, let¡¯s get ready. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be long before everything kicks off," I said, trying to steady myself and the rest of the team. It was time to focus. The game was about to begin, and there was no turning back now. Chapter 521 November 2nd, Port Moore. Not long ago, the vehicles that had filled the roads were finally finding their spots, and after receiving their room keycards, thepetition participants¡ªspecial forces soldiers from various countries¡ªgradually regained theirposure and became familiar with Port Moore. However, despite most of them thinking that things were settling down, Port Moore had no intention of leaving the 65 participants to their own devices. After these soldiers unpacked and finished their dinners, they were given a brief moment offort known as "sleep," before the base¡­ began bombarding their minds with an enormous amount of information under the guise of a pre-briefing starting the very next day. There was no physical exertion. In fact, it was much morefortable than the usual training. The soldiers spent the whole day in lecture halls, listening to exnations about thepetition events and where these events would be held across the base. However, no one let their guard down. Everyone had their recorders on by default, making sure not to miss a single word. Many were drawing diagrams on paper, projecting holograms, and creating 3D maps to simte how they would need to maneuver. The limited time avable and the sheer number of events to prepare for¡ª12 in total¡ªmade it clear that simply preparing with that amount of information would never be enough. For example, the infiltration and assault missions alone would take up two to three days, while the 32 two-person teams had toplete the remaining 11 events within four days. There was no real time to prepare for thepetition. The only thing that mattered was how much training they had undergone and how much they had internalized through muscle memory. Thus, while the soldiers from various countries¡ªespecially those outside the US¡ªdiscussed how to proceed, Logan and I¡­ "Did you know the presidential election oveps with the sniperpetition?" "Yeah, I saw the voting app on my terminal. It¡¯s crazy how it¡¯s all digital now. There used to be such a fuss about electronic voting¡ªno one trusted it, but now you can vote while traveling. The world really has changed." "Well, at least it¡¯s not all bad. Seems like it¡¯s pretty clear who¡¯s going to win anyway." This conversation was simple enough. The reason? As I mentioned earlier, the election was scheduled for November 7th, the day before the tactical mission to infiltrate the fort. Strictly speaking, it was the Electoral College vote, but I couldn¡¯t exactly go into the details of the US election system here. Anyway, Logan and I were chatting without much thought. "I never thought I¡¯d vote for the Democratic Party while holding a gun." "Well, ska¡¯s a Republican stronghold. But Henry¡­ didn¡¯t he run on a lot of bipartisan policies? Looking at his tform, there are even some pro-Republican policies in there, like supporting veterans." "Yeah, but to me, it just looks like he wrapped up things that Icarus International could handle and passed them off as his own policies." "Could be, but without people like him, no one would even know what¡¯s going on. Knowing how to wrap things up is a skill, and in the end, some people really benefit from it." To sum it up simply: The US Democrats were progressive, while the Republicans were conservative. Though the parties had grown sorge that they were more like big tents now, the political situation was still chaotic. Henry¡¯s policies, which had been somewhat vague in parts, were making things more confusing¡ªpushing welfare expansion and gun control while introducing a veteran support program, for example. The political analysts in the US hade to one conclusion: Henry wasn¡¯t teaming up with moderate progressives within the Republican Party, but rather offering an olive branch to them. We didn¡¯t get into all that during our conversation, but the veteran support policy still felt ambiguous¡ªwas it something the Democrats would propose or the Republicans? And there was a reason why military personnel were likely to support Henry. "People who know him understand what he did to pull America through the Dark Winter crisis," I said. "True." After the Dark Winter crisis, there were rumors that the president didn¡¯t get more than three hours of sleep a night. He had copsed more than ten times under the pressure, had undergone three major surgeries, and had nearly been assassinated dozens of times. There had even been a terrorist attempting to crash amercial ne into Central Park. Thanks to the Icarus Gear, which brought him dangerously close to a singrity, he had endured tremendous physical strain and injuries and survived multiple surgeries and health problems. Otherwise, he might have ended up buried in Arlington. Those closest to him during that time, who had witnessed it firsthand, now made up much of the current US administration, and they saw just how resilient Henry was. Of course, Logan and I knew that as well. "If he screws up, I¡¯ll squeeze the money out of him," I joked. "I hope it doesn¡¯te to that. But if he starts dragging, I¡¯ll be sure he can¡¯t ignore my ¡®advice¡¯¡ªthe next time he¡¯s hobbling around, I¡¯ll fix him up." "That¡¯s terrifying. You should go ask for a raise for the special forces guys. Maybe talk about getting Olivia in the army with some age adjustments." "That could probably be arranged, but who knows¡­" Our conversation dropped off as I checked the time and began listening carefully to the footsteps growing louder from behind. There was still time before we had to head back to the briefing room, but I recognized that sound. I remained silent and turned to look down the alley behind us. Logan followed my lead, and after a brief moment, two figures began walking toward us¡ªtwo people I recognized, though not from personal ties. Nationality. The familiar urban camo uniforms. The eagle, anchor, mine and knife insignia, and the trident allbined into a military unit emblem. Other small distinguishing marks, too. At that moment, I extended my hand and greeted them in Korean. "It¡¯s great to meet you here. You must have traveled a long way. I hope you¡¯ve adjusted to the time difference. I¡¯m Eugene, part of the JSOC SMU team." "¡­I heard a familiar voice and thought I¡¯d check, but I never imagined you¡¯d be here. Nice to meet you. Staff Sergeant Yoo Hyunho from the UDT." "Sergeant Kim Haeil. A few months ago, we had a knife-fighting ss with DEVGRU, and I have to say, your dagger techniques were impressive." "¡­Really?" It didn¡¯t take long for me to figure out who the culprit was. DEVGRU? Of course, it was that damn shark we were working with on the judging panel. And now my dagger techniques were part of their curriculum. I rubbed my head and let out a dryugh as Logan came up and ruffled my hair, before greeting the two in Korean¡ªhe had be proficient in thenguage after visiting Korea several times before moving here. "Good to see you. I¡¯m Logan, also with JSOC SMU. I go way back with that damn shark. It must have been a real hassle traveling all this way." "Haha, distance doesn¡¯t really matter. What¡¯s really concerning is how to handle thepetition. There were some events that really threw me off. Seems like typical US-style creativity. We¡¯ll need to work hard to keep up." "Yeah, the events in thispetition are tough. We¡¯ll be able to learn a lot and apply it to real-world scenarios. You need more than just shooting skills¡ªthings like obstacle navigation, endurance, stress management, target identification, and long-range shooting are all part of the missions." "Exactly. In the 30 hours we have toplete 60km of rough terrain, it¡¯s going to be a huge challenge." Yeah. It might seem easierpared to other tests¡ªlike SAS¡¯s 18-hour, 64km endurance challenge¡ªbut that was an oversimplification. They carry 20kg, while here, we have to carry at least double that, two rifles, and we could be shot at. If shot, the sensors would detect it, and if seriously wounded, we¡¯d have to be transported to a specific point. If anyone dies, the team is disqualified. And of course, it¡¯s up to us to counter-snipe any enemy shooters. Even after walking for dozens of kilometers to reach the fort, we still had to analyze the area, track humanoid robots, figure out which targets to eliminate, and do it all within the allotted time. In short, the sniperpetition was aplete test package. Failing was almost a given, but sess would mean being recognized as an operator who could be deployed in realbat and achieve optimal results. "Even though I¡¯m participating as an outsider, I¡¯m not going to ck off. I hope you two get great results." "Of course. We¡¯ll be watching closely, sharpening our skills. After all, we have to learn as much as we can. Haha." "I hope so." We exchanged handshakes and greetings. It was strange seeing two familiar faces who had arrived from the same country I had just left¡ªjust a bitter or around the same time¡ªhere in Georgia. But there was no time for sentiment. The Icarus Gear beeped, signaling it was time to head back to the briefing room. "Let¡¯s go." "Right." The time was almost here. "These are the sniper turrets. On the left is the UAV drone." With a subtle sound, familiar equipment was ced on the table. It wasn¡¯t the friendly voice or mischievous tone I was used to hearing from Logan, Olivia, or my students. It was a cold,manding voice¡ªone with an air of authority, the kind only a predator could have. But no one seemed to mind. These soldiers were used to that kind of pressure. Their eyes were locked on the turret and drone¡ªitems they had never seen before. "¡­Are they already field-tested and deployed in realbat?" The significance of showing this gear was clear. Military equipment, especially items used inbat, must meet the highest standards of reliability and performance. Anything untested won¡¯t make the cut. So, showing them here meant these tools were ready for deployment. Someone next to Lorentina pulled something from their bag¡ªa visor for a helmet. They skillfully assembled it, and it immediately integrated with the helmet, ready for use. Lorentina continued. "Adapting to rapidly changing battlefield conditions is the operator''s responsibility, but using new technologies effectively is just as important." If a sniper or scout can¡¯t take out the enemy patrol with a single shot¡­ Or if they need to escape while avoiding heavy surveince¡­ Or if they need to draw enemy attention continuously¡­ Warfare is more like an ever-changing organism than a simple series of actions. Operators must adapt in real-time, adjusting their moves. Of course, this is different from simply using brute force or overwhelming firepower. But in regr conditions, if used correctly, thesebat-assist tools could be incredibly helpful. And so, Lorentina exined further. "While you won¡¯t be using these tools on the first day, they maye in handy for the fort assault missionter. I can¡¯t predict how much impact these devices will have, but I believe you¡¯re the ones who can handle them." Thisbat-assist equipment is avable once a day. Each team can only borrow one, and you¡¯ll be given more details about the return times and penaltiester. Additionally, during the sniperpetition, you¡¯ll bepletely isted from the outside world, both physically and electronically. The implication was clear: any data rted to the gear or its operation couldn¡¯t be transmitted outside. But honestly¡­ it didn¡¯t matter much. The real focus was on the firing control software. That program had been optimized countless times with over six years ofbat data. The difference between the standard engagement data and the battle data from the Dark Winter crisis was on another level. Logan and I exchanged a quiet conversation, knowing exactly what wasing. "I guess everyone will be using reconnaissance drones, huh? What do you think?" "Of course. Drones with stealth features, noise suppression, and real-time marking functions¡ªeveryone will love them. But once they realize how insane the sniper turret''s performance is, they''ll forget about the drones." "Exactly." Eventually, only Logan and I would get the fun. But there was no time to dwell on that. Lorentina motioned for us to stand and head outside to the nearby range. There, we equipped the helmets integrated with the visors and immediately saw a plethora of holograms floating before us. It wasn¡¯t as advanced as the Icarus contact lenses I had, but it was still impressive. "Let¡¯s test the reconnaissance drones first," Lorentina said. The shark didn''t even need a controller. He operated the drone with just his gaze. While the operation wasn¡¯t particrly extraordinary, the drone continuously pulsed and scanned the surroundings. The terrain and enemy positions were immediately synced with the visor, even showing how to adjust the shot for the perfect aim. As I watched the demonstration, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the potential implications for thepetition. "Can these drones be used during thepetition?" "Some events are centered on controlling drones or turrets. Some events allow their use, while others don¡¯t. Sometimes, they could turn into dead weight. But in some cases, you¡¯ll have to ept the consequences of your choices." It was clear enough. Depending on thepetition, teams could be saddled with drones or turrets all day. And there were humanoid missions, too. That might involve shooting targets with these devices. Safety regtions would have humanoids usingsers, but getting hit would count as a disqualification. The drones and turrets were no exception. The choice of equipment would likely determine a lot about the oue. Logan and I exchanged a knowing nce. "Selection and focus, and epting the results. It¡¯s amon scenario, right?" "Yeah, exactly." Whether or not the shiny new toys would catch everyone¡¯s attention, only time would tell. But from our experience, we could already see how those distracted by the sparkle might end up in trouble.@@novelbin@@ And that, really, was thest thing I wanted to see. The day before the sniperpetition went by quickly, but we knew it wasn¡¯t over yet. Chapter 522 "In tomorrow¡¯s sniperpetition, you two will y the role of... skilled instructors. You could also think of it as a demonstration." "...A demonstration?" Port Moore, 3:00 AM. The outside world was cloaked in a thick darkness, with the sound of insects and the wind filling the air. As Logan and I woke from our sleep, in front of us stood Lorentina, holding a whiskey bottle with its head blown off, and Olivia. To exin what was happening, we had to rewind about 10 minutes. Simply put, while Logan and I were deeply asleep, someone knocked on the door. We immediately knew who it was. Though we were sleepy, there was no set wake-up time, and the sniperpetition wouldn¡¯t begin until 2 PM. Since we had gone to sleep around 10 PM, we figured it was fine to be up for a bit. Lorentina, who had been in military uniform just a few hours earlier, was now wearing casual clothes, while Olivia, the self-proimed fashionista, looked a bit more polished than usual. We hadn¡¯t expected her to bring up work, though. "This is partly... a personal decision, but since you, rookie, and Logan would sweep the sniperpetition if there were no limits, that¡¯s what you should think this is." "...I can''t really argue with that, so I have nothing to say." "It¡¯s so very ¡®Lorentina¡¯ toe and say something you could just text." "Of course. Smallmunications are more effective when done face to face." Lorentina was speaking while blowing air through the whiskey bottle, so the credibility of her words was close to zero. But no one was paying attention to such antics. Logan, I, and even Olivia had seen her act like this for far too long to care. However, that didn¡¯t mean there was nothing else to say. After taking another swig, Lorentina continued her exnation. "When designing the events, the difficulty has certainly increasedpared tost year, and the number of events has gone up a lot too. This year, many more teams are participating, and there are quite a few participants who¡¯ve never even been in apetition like this before. Some guidelines for them are necessary." "I figured that¡¯s why you brought out drones and turrets. Anyway, I get the gist. I¡¯m just d we don¡¯t have to wait endlessly until our turn." "Well, it¡¯s not like you won¡¯t be scored, so if you don¡¯t want to lose the top spot, you¡¯ll need to consider that, and you should also consider that you might get disqualified early on the mission where you wear ghillie suits and infiltrate." "That¡¯s something beyond our control, but yes, it¡¯s a problem." Though we were enhanced beings, superior in every waypared to normal people, our unique appearances and newly added body parts were a massive disadvantage in missions requiring stealth or subterfuge. For Logan, with his soft, bear-like tail and white hair, he could at least hide them using a ghillie suit. But for someone like me... it was impossible. How could I hide a snake tail as thick as a human thigh and just as long? If the pr bear participated alone, it might be possible, but... well, that would depend on the situation and the person¡¯s willingness. "If we had more time, Olivia and the other regr participants could have tried shooting, but I might have to think about that." "Were there five regr participants?" "Olivia from the fashion side, awyer, an actor, a military-industrialplex businessman, and a military reviewer. The one who seems the least rted is actually the most rted. This part could be pretty interesting to edit." "Should we call this a preview? Anyway, those trying to improve the image of the US military might be frothing at the mouth saying, ¡®this must be done.¡¯" "If I say I¡¯ll do it first, wouldn¡¯t everyone follow?" That was probably true. If Olivia, who seemed the least rted to the military, raised her hand and said she¡¯d give it a try, there was a high chance everyone else would follow suit. Of course, given the individualistic nature of the country, some might not care what others did... but that wasn¡¯t my concern. Just as the participation of regr spectators in shooting was up to us¡ªLorentina included¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. So, the four of us in the room shared a quick toast. During that time, Lorentina nced outside. She caught sight of the building next door. Though the thick curtains had blocked much of the view, we could still sense some light and noticed that most of the rooms had their lights on. I, too, looked around and then saw a manual for variousbat support devices that had been distributed today. Everyone seemed to have an idea of what to say next. "Everyone seems quite busy. Do you think staying up all night for one day won¡¯t be a problem?" "Probably not. I¡¯d bet the lights won¡¯t go out until at least 6 AM." "There goes the rookie¡¯s bad habit of clinging to secure assets. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to master that in just a day or two... but well, it¡¯s your choice. Even mistakes can serve as learning experience for someone." "Logan and I will definitely skip the scout drones, though." "Haha." More than anything, I remembered... I hadn¡¯t really used scout drones often in the past. When recon was needed, calling for UAVs was always better. Of course, since thispetition was being held not in a big city but in a more secluded area, I wasn¡¯t sure how it would y out. But as I mentioned earlier, it was highly likely that the destruction penalties weren¡¯t just for show.@@novelbin@@ In a roundabout way, I had ultimately put all my resources into safety. Lorentina grunted and stood up, getting ready to return to her room. "Since tomorrow is the first day, I¡¯ve chosen rtively easy events, so I think you can approach them without worry... Honestly, there¡¯s no need to worry about you, rookie, or the pr bear. You¡¯ll manage fine." "It¡¯s stuff we do all the time anyway." "I¡¯ll head out now. Olivia might join the side events tomorrow if she¡¯s good enough, so get ready to smell some gunpowder." "That¡¯s music to my ears." The first events of the sniperpetition would be random-distance target shooting, long-range shooting, and shooting after assembling the firearm. They were all fairly routine tasks that didn¡¯t require much movement. This had been outlined in the pre-briefing held the day before, to be exact. Lorentina, holding the empty whiskey bottle, moved into her own room next door, and Olivia, after saying her goodbyes, headed upstairs to the general participant amodations. The lights went out again, and before heading to bed, we added a few more words. "How did I end up knowing people like them?" "Logan, you do weird things sometimes too." "¡­Yeah, I guess we¡¯re birds of a feather. Sleep well." The world was strange, but still, the things that had to be done wereing up fast. I could already smell the gunpowder in the air. The day before thepetition passed, just like that. "Wee to the 2036 International Sniper Competition, and to the first event. Whether you¡¯re from the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, or Coast Guard, and from Europe, South America, East Asia, Southeast Asia¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter where you¡¯re from. The most important fact is this: You are the key, hidden talent capable of bringing glory to yourselves, your units, and your nations. You shone brighter than your peers to secure your invitations, and after passing numerous pre-tests, you¡¯ve made it here to Fort Moore in Georgia." Port Moore, November 3, 2 PM, weather clear, strong winds. In an unusually cloudless sky, over 80 people had gathered in one corner of a massive shooting range attached to Port Moore. The total number of participants was 64, plus the additional participants like Logan and me, the five general observers, and the instructors overseeing the trials. As if by design, everyone was wearing their respective military uniforms, and weapons cases were ced on the table, some of theming from thousands, if not tens of thousands, of kilometers away. The strange tension and rising aura were impressive. I turned my head to look again at Lorentina, who was giving the final briefing. The 80 people were seated in an auditorium-like space connected to the shooting range, watching theyout and structure of the first event being disyed on a screen. The 64 participants were focused on the screen directly in front of them, but since Logan and I were side participants, we had to turn our heads slightly to see the screen. Next to our table, which was designated for our team, sat a table with eight rifles on it¡ªthe barrels pointed toward the wall. As Lorentina had said the day before, we were to demonstrate all events for thepetition. It wasn¡¯t necessary to go outside and check the results like before. In fact, there was no need for that anymore. "The holographic devices you carry and the projectors in this briefing room are linked to cameras ced outside. You will be able to observe how Logan and Eugene approach the first event and conduct simtions until it¡¯s your turn." Multiple drone cams and UAVs hovering in the sky, along with cameras near the targets, were all set up. Depending on how the screens were arranged, we might gather more data than we initially thought. Not paying attention to that, we began to prepare to stand up. Today¡¯s firearm was the Barrett MRAD, a bolt-action sniper rifle firing Lapua Magnum rounds. Officially, it was known as the Mk.22 Mod.0 ASR, though it wasn¡¯t a firearm I was very familiar with. I¡¯d only fired about a thousand rounds with it. Since I couldn¡¯t use the Icarus gear, I had a badge on my left wrist instead. At that moment, one of the judges on the side signaled to us. It was time for the real shooting. "Let¡¯s go." "It¡¯s kind of surreal that this is the butterfly effect of that shooting event I did in Hawaii with my students." "You turned two regr civilians into people who can hit targets at 1500 meters with help from a spotter. Who could resist the desire to bring you here?" And that was it. But well, we did it because we wanted to, and that¡¯s why we ended up here. At least, I was someone who could take responsibility for the consequences of my actions. In fact, this type of responsibility felt somewhat wee. It was far morefortable to pay back with something I excelled at rather than getting involved in strange, weird situations. Even though I was a bit nervous today. The shot was taken with a click. Logan set up the spotting scope and tripod, kneeling on one knee, while I spread a soft case on the ground andy down. After setting up the bipod, I adjusted the length of the stock and the position of the cheekpad, aligning it with the SU-303/PVS 4-20x50 scope. Starting at a minimum of 280 meters and reaching up to 1.1 kilometers, there were 15 targets in total, and we had to hit one of them, marked with a number from 1 to 15, within five seconds. Those at greater distances had to be hit within six seconds. It was truly a generous setup. The spotter''s ability to detect targets, the sniper''s ability to align quickly, breath control, and stress management were all put to the test¡ªthis mission was all about pushing the limits of the skills needed for long-range shooting. After finishing my mag, I scanned the small patch ofnd with the scope. "The first target is to the left of the pine tree, 280m. The second target is 340m to the top right of the pine tree, and further right, the unusually small third target at 440m. The fourth target is at the center, 500m. The fifth target is at the top left of that, at 570m. Target number six is directly opposite of five, at 610m." "Keep calling them out, I¡¯m storing them in my head." "At 720m, to the left and right of the tank in the middle of the field are targets seven and eight. Target nine is at 800m, moving from right to left among the bushes. Can you see the dead tree to the upper left of that target?" "Target ten, 860m. I¡¯ve identified the others as well." "Got it." The time given to the spotter to identify the targets was only about 15 seconds. However, Loganpleted the scan in just 11 seconds and immediately ryed the locations of all the targets to me, and I confirmed them as well. "Wind speed...ing from the left at 6m/s. Humidity 65%." "With the high-pressure rounds and suppressors, I¡¯ve got a rough estimate. I think it¡¯s safe to start now." "Let¡¯s go." Logan didn¡¯t take his eyes off the spotting scope but spoke, and the familiar vibrations of footsteps reached us. A clear, sharp female voice sounded nearby. Lorentina stood about 5 meters to the right of Logan. At that moment, the random target shooting event began. "Target 7." The countdown began immediately. But I ignored itpletely and focused on what Logan had just told me. I quickly found the broken tank and identified the circr target set to the left of it. Based on wind speed and direction, I already adjusted for the horizontal alignment. The only thing left was the vertical adjustment. Normally, I would adjust the front sight click to change the elevation, but with limited time, I had to estimate the vertical correction as well. My rifle¡¯s zeroing was set to 400 meters, so I ounted for the 300m adjustment. In the end, sniper shooting within such a tight time frame was a contest of how quickly I could calcte everything in my head, and I was more than confident in that skill. Four seconds had passed since the target was announced, and I squeezed the trigger. ¨C Kaang! A single round flew across the hundreds of meters, and momentster, a sharp metallic sound filled the air as the projectile shattered into hundreds of fragments. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. This was just the beginning. "Target 13." The target was at 1050m. At the same time, I had a six-second window. I took 3 seconds to adjust the clicks. 700 meters. The rest was solved by the adjustments I had just made, but Logan¡¯s voice came from behind. "The wind has increased to 8m/s. The direction is still the same." "¡­" There was no time for a response. All I needed was a slight adjustment. A micro-level movement shifted the barrel slightly to the left, and with that, I fired. The bullet traveled in a strange parab, and as it neared the target, it veered right. Even so, I clearly saw the projectile shattering on impact. The same process repeated several times, and amidst this, faint groans asionally came from the auditorium where we had been. Logan frequently updated me on the wind speed and direction, and my mind recalcted the trajectory with each new data point. All this time, I hadn¡¯t used any Icarus gear. In long-range sniping, the advantage for me as a mutant was almost zero. It was purely about skill. All those years of realbat, and even more time in virtual reality, seemed to have finally paid off. Of course, Logan¡¯s precise target location updates in meters were a huge help. After several minutes of shooting, the moment the session ended, Shark¡¯s voice echoed through the lingering smell of gunpowder. "15 shots, finished. 15/15. Excellent results. Good job." "Good thing I practiced shooting with bullets between my fingers. Who has time for a countdown while changing mags?" "Oh? Does the enemy pause when they¡¯re swapping mags?" "That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get to swap." Technically, I had pressed the bolt-release to swap the mag, but the countdown hadn¡¯t stopped. Instead of swapping, I grabbed a round from the bullet holder on the side of the cheekpad, loaded it manually, and continued shooting. I barely managed to hit all the targets. As I took my eyes off the scope, where the barrel was still releasing faint smoke, I struggled to get up, grabbing my rifle. I dusted myself off, gathered the soft case, and returned to the auditorium. ¨C p, p, p! "Well done!" "So, to aim for first ce, you need to do that, huh? I¡¯m starting to feelpetitive now." "Of course. No reason you can¡¯t." Cheers and admiration erupted. To the operators, who valued "showing your skill" more than a thousand words, the result of pulling the trigger 15 times was far more impactful than any speech. This was the opening move, a statement of intent. But while shaking hands with many people, Logan and I had other thoughts in mind. "Now, we¡¯ve done what we needed." Now, it was time to destroy each other. In thepetition score. Chapter 523 "You said streaming was just a hobby, and it seems like that¡¯s true. You''re not really a streamer who¡¯s good at shooting, but more of an operator who''s good at broadcasting." "An operator who frequently appears on streams¡­ That¡¯s a pretty awfulbination. Just hearing about it makes me think the higher-ups are probably having a headache." "Well, there are more and more people like that these days. It¡¯s no longer something we need to worry about." Outside, the continuous sound of gunfire echoed, and faint shes of gunfire could be seen outside the door. After Eugene and Logan¡¯s demonstration shooting, the first official mission began. There were quite a few targets, so two teams, four people total, were assigned to each cycle. After roughly five minutes, it was time for the next two teams to go out. Unlike the teams who had already finished, those who hadn¡¯t yet gone out were watching the screens to prepare, checking the wind speed and direction outside, drawing crosshairs on A4 paper, and repeatedly discussing how to adjust their aim. However, not everyone acted this way. Many spent time chatting, and, naturally, Eugene and Logan¡¯s team caught their attention. "Even in the Marine Corps SSC¡ªRecon Sniper Course¡ªwe didn¡¯t push that hard. If I had shot like that during field training, the instructors would¡¯ve pped and put the top graduate badge on my forehead." "Damn, I barely passed that with pull-ups." The first mission of the Sniper Competition: shooting at targets from unspecified distances. This was one of the most brutal selection tests from the U.S. Marine Corps Recon Sniper training, usually done during thest 15 days, and the graduation rate was always around 40%. Even highly trained individuals couldn¡¯t hit every target, and in thispetition, targets beyond the range of the SSC had to be hit urately. Moreover, the time to change magazines was included in the countdown. Just as there¡¯s always a deeper bottom, there¡¯s always a higher top, and missions tougher than this were designed by the controllers, like Lorentina, to test the limits of human endurance. Despite seeing how Eugene and Logan performed in thepetition, things didn¡¯t go quite as smoothly once thepetition began for the other teams. "Double miss on target 8. Move to target 14." "Hoo¡­!" A double miss. The first mission had a simple rule: the first shot was worth 10 points. If missed, the shooter had 2 seconds to take another shot and hit the target, earning 8 points. But if they missed again, the score would be 0, marking a double miss. In other words, missing twice meant throwing away a valuable opportunity. It wasn¡¯t a rare urrence, but the aftermath varied. Some teams,pletely thrown off by the first miss, struggled to get good scores, while others managed to regain their focus and finish strong. However, only three teams were consistently close to the results achieved by Eugene and Logan among the 32 teams: the sniper teams from the U.S. Mountain Division, the unssified team (ISA), and another unssified team (The Unit). The scores appeared in real-time on the screen, ranking the teams, marking the end of the first mission. Unlike the 100-minute first match, the second mission required a different set of skills and much more time. Lorentina disyed the second mission on the screen and spoke: "The second mission is long-range sniping." The closest target from the firing position was 1.5 kilometers away. There were targets at 1500m, one at 1700m, two at 1900m, and one at 2100m. The total number of rounds given was 12. Essentially, the first shot would be used to adjust, and the second shot had to hit the target. Upon hearing about the long-range sniping, the expressions of participants changed to a serious look. Despite being the best of the best from their countries, many had never attempted a shot beyond 2km. The controllers didn¡¯t expect everyone to achieve valid results either. "With twelve rounds, you can either keep firing until one target is hit, or switch targets if you choose to give up. It¡¯s up to you to strategize. The time limit is 10 minutes." The Earth''s rotation. The Coriolis effect. The Magnus effect. Knowledge of physics, meteorology, geometry, geography, and the types of weapons and ammunition, the length of the barrel, temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, the shooter¡¯s muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressure, vision, and even the amount of sunlight. Changing the rifle angle by as little as 0.25 degrees could cause the bullet to deviate by 2.4 meters. In fact, a long-range shot over 2km typically required data collected from 10 shots or more before the target could be hit. As such, Lorentina estimated the result in her head. Without advanced tools like Icarus Gear that calcte impact points in real-time, hitting more than half of the five targets would be a solid result. And even if the rest of the shots missed, hitting the 2.1km target once would likely ce the team in the middle ranks. "How will Eugene and Logan perform?" That was still an unknown for Lorentina. ¡®...I helped the rookie and Harmony¡¯s spotter hit the 1.5km target, so they should be able to do it too¡­.¡¯ But thoughts were thoughts, and turns were turns. Lorentina made eye contact with Eugene¡¯s team, and without any visible sign of nervousness, they picked up the huge weapon cases. One enormous sniper rifle, the TAC-50, stood out as it was revealed. This time, Logan took the rifle. Her long, wind-blown hair moved like it had been freshly pulled from milk, and she quickly assembled the weapon before moving to the designated sniper position. The wide field, nestled between the great valleys, had targets firmly ced in the distance. A small hill in the distance, about 150 meters from the auditorium, was the first firing point. They didn¡¯t load the magazines yet. Instead, twelve gold-colored solid brass rounds were scattered where Logan¡¯s hands could reach them. "¡­I feel like I¡¯ve seen these somewhere. Are these Woodleigh Projectiles?" "Ten dors per round, huh? Well, for a mission like this, you¡¯d have to bring something like that." Eugene mounted the top-tier spotting scope onto the tripod and started scanning the area, identifying all five targets within roughly 2 minutes. The targets were brightly painted with sharp blue and red, so the identification didn¡¯t take long. Sharing information between the two, Eugene then signaled with a circr "O" sign with his tail. Lorentina set the timer for 10 minutes, and the synchronized LED clock in the auditorium started counting down: 10:00:00. Then, Eugene and Logan dove into their own worlds.@@novelbin@@ Eugene¡¯s team¡¯s first target was a humanoid target at approximately 2.1km. "Target... humanoid target, 2300 yards ahead, 0.4mil horizontal, 1.2mil vertical. The scope¡¯s mil value should match, right?" "It matches." "Adjust vertically to 23mil and wait. The wind ising from left to right with an average speed of 8m/s. Windage click... move 1.2mil left. After the first shot, we¡¯ll adjust forteral and vertical shifts. I¡¯ll monitor the bullet trajectory and impact, so shoot when it¡¯sfortable." "Got it." A crisp sound followed by a metallic "clink." At that moment, a sharp ping echoed across Fort Moore in Georgia. Despite using a suppressor, the dust kicked up, and Eugene, without even taking a breath, confirmed the bullet trajectory through the spotting scope. The sound of the shot, followed by the bullet veering 3 meters to the right, was observed, but Eugene quickly wrote the corrections in his notebook and adjusted the spotting scope¡¯s magnification, confirming the grass pattern at the impact site. The two variables Eugene added to the notebook were recalcted. He confirmed the wind was pushing the grass to the right, and in his mind, he finalized the necessary adjustment. ¡®...Considering the 0.25-degree deviation means 2.4 meters of error, I need to shift left by 0.3 degrees. It¡¯s easier to calcte that 1 degree is about 10 meters.¡¯ "Shift 1.5mil left." "Already adjusted. Second shot." The shot rang out again. The reconnaissance drone floating overhead marked the bullet¡¯s trajectory in real-time, and Eugene, frowning, didn¡¯t miss any of the curvature as the bullet approached its target. A few secondster, the bullet veered drastically to the right as expected, with the wind shifting as it descended through the valley. But once the correction was made, no issues arose. The next moment, the bullet struck the target just 30cm off-center to the right. The adjustment values didn¡¯t need to be called out by Eugene; Logan simply adjusted the mils to the decimal ce and fired again. ¨C Kaang! The bullet struck dead center of the target 2.1km away. The target swayed, and a few momentster, the faint sound of metal ttering reached their ears. Eugene and Logan both confirmed the hit, and Lorentina, sitting beside them, smiled and added: "Target 5 hit. 9 rounds remaining. Take your time." "Of course." Nine rounds were slightly insufficient to hit all the remaining targets, but as operators, the ability to turn the impossible into the possible was their forte. As expected, Logan and Eugene hit all five targets, though with difficulty. For the rest, the hell was just beginning. "How did it go?" "What do you mean, how? It was horrible. If I hadn¡¯t been in theter group, I probably wouldn¡¯t have even hit one, let alone two." Thementations echoed from a corner of Fort Moore. Naturally, the sound of sorrow was unmistakable¡ªit was due to the drastically increased difficulty of the testpared to before. The previous unspecified distance target shooting wasn¡¯t easy, but it was universally agreed that the difficulty had skyrocketed. This was the beginning of the disaster. Most units didn¡¯t include sniping over 1km in their training programs, so participants had rarely faced such long-range shooting challenges. "God damn it, I didn¡¯t expect it to be this hard." "Looks like I¡¯ll need to retake the advanced sniper course when I get back home." No team had failed to hit at least one target. Among the 32 teams, less than five teams had only hit one target out of five, and the teams that hit two out of five were in the bottom 30%. Most teams had to ept a score of 3/5, with only four teams achieving 4/5, and just three teams¡ªincluding Eugene and Logan¡¯s¡ªhitting all five. One of the teams that managed to hit all five, JTF-2, celebrated wildly when they struck the final target. They ran back to us and high-fived, adding: "At least we saved face. Even if the best snipers in the world are here, sniping is something you have to grind out to stay at the top, or you won¡¯t have anything to brag about when you get back." "But you just hit 14/15 in thest mission..." "Damn it, don¡¯t bring that up. I¡¯m already embarrassed enough as it is." The winners, or those in the top ranks, were already exchanging friendly gestures and creating a warm atmosphere. However, not everyone else was experiencing the same feelings. This was a ce of infinitepetition, and for every person who excelled, there was someone else who had fallen behind. But that wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. Moreover, just because I didn¡¯t perform well today didn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t do better tomorrow. Tomorrow¡¯s events included fire support, allied rescue, and drone and turret operation tests. Many more challenging missions would continue to test all of us here. That, however, was a concern for another time. And on top of that, there were more people eager to talk to us. Especially the ones from Korea. "Good job." "Phew, that was the hardest 10 minutes mentally. I managed to get above average with a good strategy, but¡­" "That¡¯s strategy for you. Well done." The Navy SEALs, or UDT. I had learned their strategy by watching their actions carefully¡ªthey used three of their rounds for three targets. It was a tough strategy, but it worked. The final shot had to hit a valid target, which meant precision was critical. However, long-range sniping ultimately turned out to be a mental battle. Using three rounds for one target was a smart strategy because it allowed them to adjust based on the first three shots and then focus on getting thatst, crucial shot. The fewer the variables, the less psychological pressure they felt, which made the task easier. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Lorentina had mentioned that this was a battle of strategy. "Do you feel it yet?" "Instead of hoping for luck in long-range shooting, I think I¡¯ll teach my juniors to focus on hitting targets at more reasonable distances." "Ha, that¡¯s not always the case, though." "Exactly, that¡¯s why snipers have such heavy responsibilities." Indeed. After a brief exchange of words, everyone went to a different auditorium. Outside, the sun was setting. Unlike the first mission, which started at 2 PM and finished around 3:40 PM, this time, each of the 32 teams was given 10 minutes, meaning the time had stretched to nearly 5 to 6 hours. Of course, no food was provided. Snipers were expected to eat at reasonable times during their breaks. Eugene and I, finishing our tasks first, warmed up about 30 slices of frozen pizza that we had packed into our bags. It was delicious. Back to the final task of the day. Although it was a short mission, it promised to be a challenging one. As always, Lorentina stood in front of us with her proud, elegant demeanor and added: "Before we dive into the third mission, let me remind you all. You all know that the final mission today is ¡®assembling the rifle and shooting,¡¯ but... I never said that¡¯s all there is to it." At the same time, Lorentina opened a cab on the wall, revealing a selection ofrge and small rifles to everyone. She continued: "Inside, you¡¯ll find disassembled sniper rifles from the US, UK, Russia, China, Korea, Switzend, and other countries. They¡¯ve all been maintained in a condition ready for shooting. However, I must mention that they¡¯re not specially disassembled." At that moment, everyone fell silent, waiting to hear what she would say next. But it wasn¡¯t an unexpected turn of events. "Before the mission starts, you¡¯ll randomly pick a sniper rifle from the cab, assemble it with the provided night-vision scope, and then enter the operation zone to make adjustments and fire at a target." The mission required assembling a rifle within 2 minutes and 30 seconds, adjusting the sight, and hitting a target within 400m. Lorentina mentioned that the original time limit was 1 minute 50 seconds, but I wasn¡¯t sure if the others were aware of that. "Let¡¯s begin. You two cane up and grab your rifles." The weapon cases were of a standard size, but we had no idea what was inside. We didn¡¯t stop walking. The murmur of voices could be heard, but this wasn¡¯t a ce for anyone to offer reassurance or encouragement. Instead, it was full of people who were focused on their own preparations, silently pushing themselves forward. The first day wasing to a close. Chapter 524 The two individuals, with their unique appearances, should not have been in this ce, yet they left carrying long weapon cases. As they did, the drone cameras focused on them. And Lorentina¡ªhaving memorized the order of the sniper rifles waiting in the cab¡ªcould tell exactly what the junior team was carrying. The auditorium was filled with a small murmur, barely reaching an audible limit. Most people were busy exchanging information on their devices, indicating just how much everyone here was strategizing. When the rifles the two carried were revealed, someone smiled, while others'' expressions twisted as if they¡¯d bitten something unpleasant. SVDM. A Russian semi-automatic sniper rifle, once scattered by the thousands across the United States after the Russian military''s involvement. "Without knowing the rifle list, I can''t say if it''s a failure or if it''s just better than the rest." "It¡¯s decent, isn¡¯t it? Or is it on the harder side?" It was difficult, but not excessively so. I answered the lost question silently as it flowed through the air. Still, the reason I didn¡¯t give it an easy score was because the SVD series rifle was the mostmon among Eastern Bloc sniper rifles. Perhaps as a "foreign weapon" or through "enemy nation firearms training," there might have been no one here who hadn¡¯t fired this rifle at least once. But still, I said it would be a bit difficult¡ªbecause, despite looking like a Kshnikov assault rifle, the internal structure waspletely different. That being said, considering the events in New York in another world, where you had to use whatever weapon you could find, I thought Eugene and Logan, like the other members of this group, had probably fired this rifle more times than most people here. So, with a calm expression, one of the control officers sneaked a question into thems. "From the way your expression is full of confidence, I suppose those two will do quite well again, huh?" "Of course. What else would they do?" I wasn¡¯t mistaken in making those two "extra participants." Moreover, at night, the youngest could demonstrate unique physical abilities that others could never replicate¡ªthermal vision. Unlike others, they could have a built-in infrared camera in their eyes,monly used by special forces. That¡¯s why the youngest didn¡¯t even need night-vision goggles, unlike Logan. In a sniping event, even though the gap between the physical abilities of the earthlings and the activated ones had narrowed, the baseline starting point was still different. The youngest and Logan headed for their waiting point, and the control officer standing there held a stopwatch. Logan and Eugene ced their weapon cases on the table, waiting for the start. A few secondster... BEEP! With a brief signal, the case was opened, revealing highly distinctive parts nestled within shock-absorbing foam, filling the camera feed. A moment of silence¡ªbut it was only for a moment. Logan retrieved a rectangr box from one side of the case, opened it, and began calmly loading the rifle with bullets and a magazine. Eugene, carefully removing each part to avoid damage, moved into assembling the gas piston. Logan handed a bullet to Eugene, who ced it between the parts, securing the gas piston and covering it with the handguard. Then, they connected the bolt carrier to the upper receiver and covered it with the upper assembly. Next, Eugene attached the scope that had been included on the Picatinny rail, securely fastened it, and ced the two magazines, now loaded, into her tactical vest before stepping outside. It took 55 seconds. "Damn it. Did they even disassemble the gas block?"@@novelbin@@ "I hope they don¡¯t end up failing just by fiddling with the gun all day." "Those two must not know what it¡¯s like to shoot a gun they¡¯ve never handled before." You had to be able to handle almost every firearm like an expert. But that didn¡¯t mean you had to memorize the disassembly and reassembly of hundreds of firearms in any situation. Sure, if it was your country¡¯s weapon, that could be possible, but the chances of handling unfamiliar firearms perfectly, especially without having seen them before, were pretty low. Still, the youngest and Logan ran excitedly to the shooting point, ced their soft case on the ground, and immediately dropped into position. The Arctic Bear quickly adjusted the focus on the spotting scope, identifying the target hundreds of meters away that was blinking with the friend-or-foe identification device. Eugene, without night-vision goggles, instantly found the target using the heat signature from the IFF, then adjusted the vertical and horizontal clicks to zero in. "See that broken tank ahead? The target is about 40 meters to the left of it. Distance: 390 meters. Wind is blowing from left to right at 9 meters per second. Fire when ready." "...Okay." BANG! And then CLANG. Sparks flew from the darkness, and instead of the usual dull thud of impact, a sharp metallic sound rang out. Eugene and Logan both realized the mission was sessfullypleted, and the control officer behind them confirmed with the word "Impact." 1 minute 37 seconds. A remarkable time. "Would you like to shoot more?" "No, I¡¯ll stop here." With that, the two returned confidently with their weapon cases, and apuse, which had now be a kind of annual tradition, erupted. Naturally, the general observers, invited from outside, pped with impressed expressions, except for one person¡ªOlivia, who was ring with a sulky expression. "One person doesn¡¯t seem too impressed." "I suppose so." I knew what Olivia was thinking. Her sour expression was clearly an unspoken protest: "Why am I the only one who didn¡¯t get to do something fun?" But there were also others who didn¡¯t seem bothered. Anyway, the youngest team¡¯s turn was over. Now, the day¡¯s final mission was about to begin, and¡ªas everyone expected¡ªit couldn¡¯t go smoothly. Not even 10 minutes had passed beforeints began to surface. "Given that the spring connects all the way to the stock, this looks like an AR-style rifle... Damn, I¡¯m just d the springs and clips weren¡¯t disassembled." "Damn it, it¡¯s all screws... Well, thank goodness only the upper handguard is screwed in; that¡¯s at least manageable, but... this thing..." For semi-automatic sniper rifles, most were based on the Armalite tform, some rare ones based on the M14, and unlucky ones might be from Eastern Europe. In other words, those who picked this rifle had no problem assembling it and hitting the target within 2 minutes, unless it was an M14 or Eastern European weapon. But the real trouble came with the bolt-action rifles, which were often unpredictable and involved. "Damn it¡¯s huge, is that a Barrett?!" "DSR-1? This is nuts." "DVL-10M3? Wasn¡¯t this Russian? The internals aren¡¯t much different, though..." "Arctic Warfare... This might actually be doable... Damn, it¡¯s a .50 caliber, this is going to be rough." When the firearm was either easy to assemble or didn¡¯t have many parts to disassemble, it was inevitably heavy and firedrge-caliber rounds. Sometimes, the rare rifles in the weapon cases didn¡¯t even provide many opportunities to fire. As the drone cameras followed thepetitors to their shooting positions, it was clear that those carrying heavier rifles often had to catch their breath as soon as they arrived. Even though the night-vision equipment worked fine, the time limit and night conditions still caused difort. The difficulty level varied in different ways. Comints about how the choice of rifle affected scores were minimal. ''...The difficulty of assembling the rifles inside the weapon cases is vastly different.'' The .50 caliber sniper rifle had been on screen multiple times. Considering the added weight, there weren¡¯t many parts to disassemble, while the lighter, easier-to-carry rifles were divided into more detailed parts. There were no rifles that couldn¡¯t be assembled. Even for rare rifles, a brief assembly guide was included. The difficulty was finely tuned, and the testing done repeatedly before participants even arrived had brought the unreasonable difficulty to a manageable level. It was a challenge designed to torment participants in the most creative ways possible under the name of "differentiation." The third match, which started at 7 PM, didn¡¯t end until 9:30 PM. "That concludes the first day of the 2036 International Sniper Competition." Points earned by each team from the three missions were disyed on the screen. However, only the top 16 rankings were shown. Teams ranked 17th or below had their scores hidden. If anyone wanted to know their exact position, they could contact the control officerster. Despite the numerous discussions, November 3rd came to an end without any incidents. The first day, filled with the smell of gunpowder, hade to a close. "How was today?" "My mind ispletely dizzy. The difficulty seems to be off the charts. Despite that, it¡¯s impressive to see you guys pass all the missions perfectly." "Ha ha." Port Moore, 10:30 PM. After all the missions had ended, every special forces member who participated in thepetition returned to their vehicles, finished cleaning their weapons, and went back to their rooms to prepare for tomorrow. They nned to cram what they had learned into their heads, then head back to their rooms to discuss and devise countermeasures for hours. But not everyone was following that n. For example, two members of the Navy SEALs, who started out in a country simr to Eugene¡¯s, were in a different state of mind. "About 20 minutes ago, the list of events from day one of the 2036 International Sniper Competition and our team''s results were sent to Korea. Apparently, they were quite shocked." "Yeah... There were some extreme scenarios in the missions. It makes sense." "But we¡¯ve never trained for something like this, so we can¡¯t just sit around and do nothing. It¡¯s been... a very beneficial time." This was a conversation that could only take ce between people from the same country. "The friends in Jinhae are probably thinking, ''Does the US train for such extreme scenarios?'' After we get back, we¡¯ll probably add some extra training to the advanced sniper course and request additional funding from the higher-ups¡­ it¡¯s already making my head spin." "Well, the US has already gone through that stage. Of course, I¡¯m not saying Korea¡¯s curriculum is outdated... it¡¯s just that here, everything is touched on in one go." "It¡¯s necessary because it¡¯s needed." As they continued talking, Eugene and the others sat down. "By the way, I heard you won¡¯t be participating in the infiltration mission on the third day." "I suppose so. Maybe Logan could do it, but for me... there are parts that are a bit hard to hide. The same reason why being deployed as a covert agent is difficult, ha ha." "I think I get what you mean. I sincerely hope you won¡¯t be the spotter identifying infiltrators." "Ha ha." As everyone checked their watches, it became clear that it was time for them to part ways. "If you¡¯re bringing more frozen pizza tomorrow, maybe you could spare us a slice or two?" "What nonsense. Let¡¯s get going, Haeil. There¡¯s a debriefing to do." "Then I¡¯ll eat all the pizza tomorrow... Gah, please stop with the headlock...!" "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get a slice for both of you." With those words, the two from the same country and one other person slowly walked in opposite directions, disappearing into the distance. The long, long first day of thepetition was finallying to a close. Chapter 526 "The friends outside¡­ They all look like they¡¯ve been suddenly punched in the face while walking down the street. I kind of expected this to happen." "Well, at least the person involved looks happy, so that''s good. Isn''t that enough? There''s no real problem." "Right." The control room lounge, separated from the auditorium, and the room assigned to Lorentina. Once confirming that no one else wasing, she switched to the Icarus Gear¡¯s disy, which was far superior to the old beam projector, connected to thework, and began watching Olivia, whose eyes were half-lidded and focused on the battle. I seem to recall there was an ad in the past with the slogan ''I watch in 3D,'' and this situation now felt somewhat simr. If only there were popcorn and c, it¡¯d be perfect. But then again, it''s a bit much to expect that in a space full of sweaty middle-aged men. Still, it¡¯s nice that only women are here. "Two people are handling what should¡¯ve been done by two. I didn¡¯t expect them to hold back, but¡­ well, it¡¯s fun to watch. It''s refreshing. If there were three or four more teams that could do it like that, it¡¯d be a good show." "Isn¡¯t it already going pretty fast? Among all the people here, how many have never practiced providing fire support during a retreat?" "Well, of course, it''s natural to be drawn to the ones who really stand out." It was nice not having anyone else around. We could talk freely like this. It felt like I was back in the past for the first time in a while. Specifically¡­ back when not only New York, but the entire United States, had fallen into chaos. When Logan came to New York and met with Olivia and Lorentina, who were busy working, and I was in the middle of getting my education from the bottom up, starting to get close with them during that time. It¡¯s likely that Shark brought us along with that in mind. Moreover, while Shark was busy causing chaos, Olivia, Logan, and I were out having fun, so it makes sense that Shark might have been deliberately annoyed by it. He probably threw a tantrum whenever the opportunity arose. For example, like this¡ª "Youngest,e here." "What is it¡­ Ugh." "They went all the way down to the southern tip of the U.S. without me, while I was here, soaking in gunpowder." "Stop making excuses. You just wanted to squeeze the youngest, didn¡¯t you? Stop messing with the kid. You¡¯re gonna wear his cheek out. Does he still look like a baby to you?" Obviously, without Harmony, the new youngest, I was the only one who could satisfy Lorentina''s ck desires for a cheek-hunter. So, I quietly sat next to her, bing her pillow or whatever she called it, as she pet me. Meanwhile, back in the auditorium, there were gasps and exmations, simr to those reaction videos you often see on YouSpace. Olivia had gone up to the roof, unfolded her bipod, swapped magazines, and was enthusiastically unloading a hail of bullets at a distant holographic technical. The speed and uracy were almost supernatural. Instead of wasting bullets on the gunner on the technical, she expertly aimed at the tires and windshield, disabling the vehicle with just a few shots. But when you know that¡¯s not a fluke, but a deliberate action, the evaluation tends to improve. The scariest sharpshooter on Icarus was this person. "What''s scary is that she can do that without a scope." "My eyesight isn''t bad either, and I like the thermal vision at night, but¡­ that person doesn¡¯t even need night vision. I was shocked when I saw her hit a 760-meter target with iron sights on a moonless night." "With the gear adjustments, she can read tiny text at 3 kilometers. What¡¯s there to be surprised about? Her vision''s probably around 8.9?" "I know she used to close her eyes to protect them back in the day." Hmm¡­ I don''t know about that. I¡¯m not particrly good with my eyesight, and I don¡¯t really know what the daily struggles are for people with perfect vision. But¡­ well, she might be suppressing it artificially. She never really said anything about it. I decided to focus back on the screen, thinking about how fast she was cleaning up the enemies. Normally, in six minutes, there would be constant firefights, but Olivia was taking her time, even saving some rest. The M110A3, now fully heated with a red-hot suppressor, was nearing its end. As thest magazine emptied, a holographic helicopternded to pick up the holographic allies. I keep mentioning holograms, and it''s a bit dizzying, but it''s definitely better than shooting at paper targets. Though Delta does¡­ buy hundreds of cheap humanoid robots and tantly use them as targets. Of course, that''s only forrge-scale training, but it¡¯s still impressive. Just look at their budget ¨C no wonder they¡¯re called the top-tier special forces. Six minutes had passed. Technically, this wasn¡¯t just a time limit, but a measure of whether the participants could handle all the sub-missions properly and quickly. The faster theypleted them, the higher their score. In short, Olivia hadpleted the kill count and returned proudly within the time limit. Olivia returned to the auditorium with steam practically rising from her body, and she was met with apuse and cheers. She smiled as she took off her Opscore helmet. The waiting control officer retrieved her weapon and gear, and she started walking toward our room. nk. "Phew¡­!" "Ugh, what are you doing hugging me as soon as you get here? Ugh, it¡¯s so hot! It¡¯s suffocating!" "You¡¯re messing with the youngest. You¡¯re trying to suffocate him, aren¡¯t you?" "Go wipe off your sweat, Birdhead. Stop torturing poor Eugene." Of course, "Birdhead" meant "chicken head." It wasn¡¯t the face, but her entire upper body that had been embraced by Olivia¡ªdrenched in sweat and heated up. It was so hot, seriously. Anyway, Olivia''s face, after a good shooting session, looked refreshingly rxed. What should I say? It felt like when we¡¯d just finished the ''Burning Donkey'' operation a while ago. Come to think of it, I should probably introduce Maverick, the third youngest, to Logan and Lorentina, but with so many eyes on us right now, it couldn¡¯t be helped. The second civilian observer, Fair, awkwardly moved toward the starting point with unsteady steps, and Logan spoke up. "When thispetition is over, I¡¯m taking you to Disney World. No problem, right?" "It¡¯s not really my ce to say, but shouldn¡¯t we start learning about suggestions instead of notifications?" "Don¡¯t worry. Just show up with your body. If you¡¯re nning to help clean up after thepetition all weekend, then maybe. But there¡¯s no need for you to worry about that. Originally, I was going to be at the theme park before thepetition, but I didn¡¯t go just because I was thinking of you." "Since when did you think about me?" "I thought you¡¯d keep whining if I didn¡¯t take you." "That¡¯s the correct answer." What should I say? There probably isn¡¯t anyone else in the world who talks like Lorentina. Anyway, leaving that aside, it was time to move again. The first mission was nearly done, so we had to show everyone how the second mission would unfold ¨C it was a rescue mission. It wasn¡¯t much different from the first mission. The difference was that it required a bit more active involvement. Actually, the drone and turret operation mission in VRter was much more important, so I nned to treat this one as a bit of a breather. In the CQB mission, Logan was the observer and I was the sniper. For the second mission, I would be supporting Logan, who was infiltrating. The operation area wasn¡¯t thatrge, so a semi-automatic sniper rifle would be fine. "After the third mission demonstration, we¡¯ll have plenty of time left, so let¡¯s meet again then." "We still have a long way to go. Let¡¯s go." "Herees another boring watching time. Lorentina, can¡¯t you just stay here?" "Hmm, should I ask the youngest for some holograms with my Icarus gear?" Of course, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. After dealing with Shark¡¯s antics, our short break came to an end. It was time to move again toward the grim hours of fire and metal. "Scout drone or sniper turret, pick one, and infiltrate the abandoned factory. They''ve really sharpened their knives for this one. Not sure if it''s okay to set traps so tantly." "Definitely a lot of things that are only possible with VR. Random terrain assignments, no way of knowing how other participants are ying¡­ I guess that''s normal for missions like this." Port Moore, November 4th, 3:03 PM. The weather was clear, and distant gunshots still echoed. Logan and I, having justpleted the second mission, the ally rescue shooting, were now reviewing the information for thest event, which had begun to reveal itself. Drone and turret operation tests. Just a few minutes ago, the participants sitting here could only guess a little about what awaited them. But now, the situation was different. A creation of pure malice, born from considering how to make things difficult for thepetition participants. On the surface, it seemed simple, but as with all operations, 70% of the ns disintegrate once the mission begins. Anyway, I started reading through it. "The map is an abandoned factory. The mission involves retrieving specific data or rescuing hostages, among others. No one will know what¡¯sing until it¡¯s their turn to brief, and there¡¯s no way to choose it..." "Mapyout, time limit, and enemy size will only be revealed during the team briefing." "Random variablebinations. No map will repeat, and you won¡¯t know how the other participants are ying¡­ which means there¡¯s no intention to give us any hints about how they use drones or turrets." Rustling. No one was around. In fact, Logan and I weren''t even in the auditorium where the participants who were done waiting. We were crossing the floor covered with broken stones the size of a thumb and heading toward the virtual reality simtion room. Considering all the data we¡¯d gathered, thest event of the day, drone and turret operation, was essentially an individual event. There was no real need to watch others. We couldn¡¯t even show what we were doing, so why wait until everything is over just to crowd into the simtion room? We handed our weapons and gear back since it was 3:00 PM, when the control officers had said we could. After feeling lighter, we followed the guide to the simtion room. The one constant in this situation was that Lorentina was waiting inside. We checked for any recording devices in case and activated the soundproof function before continuing our conversation. "Clearly, you made this event. Did you really want to see everyone twisting and struggling like that?" "We don¡¯t need all that info going in before the operation. Also, knowing exactly where the enemy is won¡¯t help much if we can¡¯t handle it. Don¡¯t you think?" "So, you¡¯re saying you wanted to hit the enemy as hard as possible. We were always nning to take sniper turrets, so it doesn¡¯t matter much to us, but still, that¡¯s pretty malicious." As she said, based on the information we had received, this mission was basically a decapitation operation. The goal was to break through the enemy lines as quickly as possible, handle the task, and exit. Recon drones would be helpful, but if the enemy surrounded us or the defense lines were too tight, the mission would be much harder. If this mission required at least three people, the recon drones would¡¯ve been incredibly effective. While two infiltrators snuck in, one could act as a sniper and drone operator, eliminating enemies with long-range precision. But Shark maliciously took advantage of the fact that only two people were allowed on each team. "Well, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll do fine. If we fail, we¡¯ll get to watch our allies turn into pin cushions in the middle of the enemy¡¯s camp." "Knowing that, I have nothing else to say. Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯ll finish quickly and head for a beer. I found an amazing pub in Columbus¡­ just kidding." "Just hang in there a few more days. Then we¡¯ll be free." "I should¡¯vee as a participant if I knew this was going to happen." But it was already toote, and if Lorentina hadn¡¯t been here, such a perfectly difficult mission wouldn¡¯t havee into being. I vaguely remembered that as I put on the standard-sized connector that civilians used and carefullyid down in a capsule-like thing that looked like a small bed. Of course, I had to adjust a bit because of my snake tail. I heard that ces like these virtual reality rooms exist all over the world, even in Korea, but judging by how this looked, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever visit one of those ces again. As soon as I pressed the button, my vision went ck in an instant. I had never entered military-grade virtual reality before, so I didn¡¯t know, but when used for military purposes, the timepression was five times faster. Apparently, this was near the highest safe multiplier avable at the moment. Anything over six times could strain the brain. With my body now partially merged with nanomachines, reinforcing the thickness and length of my neurons by several times, I probably wouldn¡¯t be affected by this. But well, that wasn¡¯t too important.@@novelbin@@ After linking with Logan, the briefing began. And¡ª "The enemy is about threepany-sized groups. Honestly, that¡¯s impressive." "Looking at the building density, terrain features, and the amount of junk around, they¡¯ve set it up really cleverly. Just looking at the map, I can¡¯t even tell if drones or turrets would be better." "Let¡¯s start with infiltration. Since the buildings are distinct, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get too lost, and I have a pretty good sense of how things will go. We¡¯ll just need to ce turrets on the control point." "Right. Looking at it, this time it seems more focused on infiltration than sniping. We¡¯ll go with LPVO instead of scopes. We¡¯ll take as many explosives as we can." The factoryplex was symmetrical around the central building. After checking the map with elevation markings and reconnaissance photos, we decided where to ce the turrets, then picked the guns we¡¯d take ¡ª two Mk.18s. Of course, the names were the same, but one was a Mk.18 Mjolnir, and the other was a Mk.18 CQBR carbine rifle. Along with a handgun, several grenades, shbangs, and a tactical tomahawk that would never lose signal, no matter the situation. It was time to begin. -[Notification: Do you wish to proceed?] When I pressed the "Yes" button, Logan and I spawned near the factoryplex, set against a grim, overcast sky. It didn¡¯t even look much like a factory with all the armed soldiers patrolling around. Barbed wire was everywhere, and there were makeshift guard posts. But we didn¡¯t mind. We quietly made our way through the area, cing inactive turrets at higher vantage points. The soldiers at the guard posts weren¡¯t particrly motivated to watch the perimeter, so it was possible. Our objective was simple. We used the turret cams to scout the surroundings, quickly infiltrating, retrieving the target, and switching the sniper turrets to autonomous firing mode. While the turret caused confusion, we¡¯d quickly escape. Thinking about that, Logan and I reached the barbed wire and, with a point of focus, began pulling at it. The wire bent and tore with surprising little noise. The important thing was that arge enough hole had been made for two people. We sessfully infiltrated and moved freely among the debris and materials scattered around, hiding when the turrets scanning our vicinity sent a warning. "¡­Stop. Three enemies areing from the left." "Therge trash bin lid¡¯s open. Let¡¯s take care of them quickly." "Wait¡­ now." Pew, pew, pew! Thebination of the suppressor and subsonic bullets was beautiful. With the sniper turret joining in, the three-man patrol dropped to the ground simultaneously, like their strings had been cut. Logan dragged them away, and I carefully stuffed them into therge trash bin, closing the lid. As we moved deeper inside, the angles the turrets couldn¡¯t cover increased, but we didn¡¯t mind. I had anticipated it. The moment the conditions were right, my suppressed rifle spat out fire and bullets, and before the bodies hit the ground, I hid them out of sight. The way to the center was tedious but not impossible. If we had more time, it would¡¯ve been easy. But the crucial part was retrieving the target data and escaping, and we could never be free from that. Downloading the file was easy, but the base personnel, having found the bodies, started to sense something was off and raised their alert level. "They must have sniffed it out." "Well, now it¡¯s time to leave." "Good. Let¡¯s hit them hard in the side." Beep. Logan lifted the tablet, switching the three sniper turrets on the external control posts to autonomous firing mode. -¡ª¡ªPeeing! With a sharp gunshot, the heads of the unlucky three guards patrolling inside the base exploded simultaneously. As rm sirens red, faint vibrations rippled through the floor. The enemies were moving in unison, starting to return fire. However, the turrets were small and well hidden, and the surrounding vegetation and debris made them nearly impossible to find. There was no way we¡¯d be intimidated by their retaliatory shots. As the kill count rapidly increased, Logan added, "It¡¯ll take 10 minutes to hide the turrets. After we retrieve the target and extract, it¡¯ll take less than 4 minutes. At 5x speed, we¡¯ll be out in less than 3 minutes." "Well, let¡¯s take it as a constion that we won¡¯t have to deal with Shark¡¯s tantrums." Turning off the tablet, I raised my weapon again. Now was the time to leave amidst the chaos. Chapter 527 "I mean, even though it was 5x speed in virtual reality, finishing the mission in less than 15 minutes? In real-time, it¡¯s barely been 3 minutes since we entered and finished." "Well, you didn¡¯t intend to drag it out here anyway. You know the longer you stay in enemy territory, the lower your chances of sess. We wrapped it up quickly." "Phew, still... As a control officer, I know we shouldn¡¯t talk much with the participants, but it¡¯s so much morefortable when it¡¯s just the two of us talking. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest." Lorentina exhaled like someone who had been suffering from indigestion and finally had the difort ease away. The reason she acted that way was simple. Participants couldn¡¯t watch others doing the third mission, but both the regr observers and control officers could ¨C which meant she could directly see how the others were struggling through their factory infiltration mission. What should I say? I don¡¯t think Logan or I would have beencking as participants in this mission. Even the least experienced among us here had military service records equal to or better than mine. But, as much as that might seem to count, the reality was different. Service records weren¡¯t the key to everything. A single wrong decision could lead to disaster, and when a mission failed, the people who died weren¡¯t judged by their rank or experience. And that was the result ying out right now in the simtion. "The scout drones shown before thepetition didn¡¯t have any directbat capability. Even if they marked the enemy¡¯s position in the air, ultimately, it¡¯s the people who have to take them out." "Right. They¡¯ve got the equivalent of threepany-sized enemy forces, almost 200 enemies, but two people can only carry so much ammunition." Approximately 240 rounds per person. With two people, that would be double the amount, but it¡¯s important to remember that it takes several shots to kill a single enemy. If you go into a factory with only about 500 rounds, and the firefight drags on¡­ things could get bad pretty quickly. Unfortunately, as mentioned before, this was the situation ying out in real-time within the simtion. "Sniper turretsbine the roles of a spotter and sniper. While they¡¯re not as good as scout drones, they still have limited UI functions to mark enemy positions. It¡¯s good to have as much information as possible before an operation, but sometimes, you need to be quick and move without gathering all the intel." "How does it feel, Lorentina, to watch people walk into a trap you¡¯ve carefully set?" "Well, I suppose they¡¯ll learn their lesson." And then she continued. Of course, as usual, Shark, Logan, and I headed straight to the lounge as soon as the test ended, and the room became a private space where no one else could enter or eavesdrop once we stepped in. So, we could say things like this. "As soon as the tests are over, we¡¯ll distribute the videos to the losers, showing how the youngest and Logan got through this mission, withmentary. We¡¯ll also keep the simtion room open. The eliminated teams should get enough feedback." "It won¡¯t be easy." "Well, this mission doesn¡¯t have a clear answer anyway. Some might pass by using scout drones perfectly, while we¡¯re just showing one of the many possible sesses. There¡¯s nothing more to it than that." Lorentina scrolled through the results again. Eliminations, eliminations, eliminations, engaged inbat, eliminations, sess... unlike the fairly smooth progress of previous missions, the third mission, starting from 3 PM the next day, was seeing an increasing number of eliminations. Eliminations were inevitable. Unlike other missions with partial points, this one only had binary oues: elimination or sess. But the number of eliminations was high this time. Still, some people were seeding. "Some people are ying really sneakily. But, looking at it, you can say it¡¯s a great choice rather than just being sneaky." "Seeing a few teams seeding with scout drones... that¡¯s impressive. There were teams that waited outside, reduced enemy numbers, and infiltrated calmly." The 75th Ranger Regiment¡¯s method. They literally stuffed 500 rounds into each person¡¯s backpack, fully loaded, and thenunched scout drones from at least 700 meters away, hunting down everything in sight. Once 30 enemy soldiers had their heads shot, the rest panicked and hid inside the building, but these guys closed the distance, circled the base, and took out another 25 enemies. Afterward, they moved to a less upied area on the opposite side and infiltrated. It took them 7 minutes in virtual reality from retrieving the data from the central building to their exit. Their total time was 48 minutes and 22 seconds, leaving just about 1 minute and 30 seconds before the deadline.@@novelbin@@ "That was a brilliant y." "Yeah, when our allies waste time inside the enemy base, it¡¯s a problem, but they really did a good job dragging it out outside. Choosing not to rush into the base was a clever decision." "Impressive observation and decisiveness. It¡¯s no surprise that the groups with more realbat experience are ahead." SAS, JTF-2, and countless other special forces, including many I can¡¯t even list. Logan and I had built an overwhelming career, and with our physical advantages, we were on a different level, but there were many teams chasing our records. It seemed that the world was full of monsters. Despite that, Lorentina continued. "I want to ck off as much as possible, but more tasks keeping up. Especially, I think the instructors from the sniper school are really interested in thispetition." "Didn¡¯t they start watching already?" "Seems like that wasn¡¯t enough for them. Tomorrow, I think a group of sniper course candidates will being for a tour." "...Isn¡¯t that a bitte?" "Everything from the first and second days has already been recorded, you know." Hmm. It made sense that the military personnel working here would be interested in thepetition. With sniper schools, basic military schools, CQB schools, armored schools, and nonmissioned officer schools, this ce had it all. And, as I mentioned earlier, it was the home base of the 75th Ranger Regiment. In such a ce with incredible facilities and human weapons testing their limits, of course, people would be curious. Lorentina continued, summarizing that the military streaming avable only to designated personnel yesterday had exploded in poprity by today, with a massive surge of people eager to observe and assess the footage. It seemed Shark might have to deal with a potential flood of people. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t let that happen. "I guess that¡¯s why you wanted to go have some beers before things got busier?" "Haha, yeah, that¡¯s pretty much it. Though, I¡¯m joking. There¡¯s nothing to really do tomorrow, right? You and I won¡¯t touch the ghillie suit infiltration mission, and once the shooting without spotters and helicopter ground shooting is over, we¡¯ll bepletely free." "Yeah, you won¡¯t have much to do either." Shark nodded quietly. Tomorrow¡¯s infiltration mission was set to involve eight of the nine control officers, excluding Lorentina. These eight would split into four pairs, heading to different fields where eight snipers would crawl around in the grass for three hours, trying to spot them. A two-person team would need to find eight snipers crawling around in the grass, and this would take ce in multiple locations simultaneously, with 16 teams under strict supervision for 3 hours. There were 32 teams in thispetition, so after repeating this process, it would take 6 hours. Logan, Lorentina, and I would have nothing to do during that time. It might seem odd that Shark was just spectating, but... "If you participate, you¡¯d be spotted in less than 10 minutes. The ones who get caught would end up with long faces and be sent to the auditorium. For 3 hours, maybe 6 hours, depending." "If it were Olivia, she¡¯d be done in 2 minutes, no doubt." It was, after all, because of the ability user. No matter the animal that served as the origin, once someone became an ability user, their physical abilities and senses would develop rapidly. Naturally, they would surpass human limits. What would happen if Lorentina, the human scanner, used a spotting scope? The benchmark would skyrocket. That¡¯s why Shark couldn¡¯t join the infiltration mission. After thinking for a moment, Lorentina spoke again. "Weapon recovery and maintenance will be done by the youngest and Pr Bear, and I have to distribute the tour participants properly tomorrow, so..." "Anything going on?" "...Youngest, if I give you some information, can you calcte the movement routes, vehicle allocation, seat order, food quantities enough for everyone, the number of binocrs, and then make some documents based on that?" Ah, she was making a joke. But with the Icarus Gear, there was no problem. I smiled slightly, and Lorentina, at that moment, subtly fiddled with the terminal in her pocket¡ªof course, the fact that Shark had asked for it would disappear, and it would seem like I hacked the terminal to retrieve the information for easy handling. It didn¡¯t take long to write. After confirming a few variables, the AI provided some drafts, and Lorentina selected the most suitable ones. Within seconds, several cooperation request documents were created. Lorentina immediately submitted them to themand, and within minutes, she legally obtained the authority to mobilize various vehicles and supplies on the base. And then Shark hugged me and added: "You really are the best, youngest." "Of course." "Phew..." At the point where all tasks for the day were reduced to zero, Shark discarded all the shackles tied to the shark fin. Tonight, Lorentina would turn Shark into a shark fin soaked in alcohol. "Upload approval granted! They say this level of censorship is sufficient!" "Great. I don¡¯t know how much they¡¯ll watch, but let¡¯s go see." Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away on the Korean Penins. The sniperpetition¡ªespecially Korea¡¯s performance¡ªalong with the video of Eugene and Logan, heavily censored and only containing a tiny fraction, was uploaded to the South Korean Ministry of Defense channel. That video reached the number 1 spot in real-time trending videos just 2 hours ago. "...This is exactly why it happened. My head is spinning. The longest distance we hitst time was about 1.5km, right?" "You remember well." "I haven''t even left yet, so of course, it''s impossible to forget something like that!" "I didn''t upload it, though." Georgia, USA, Columbus, 10:00 PM local time, about 9:00 AM in Korea. Harmony and Dice urgently called me. As mentioned earlier, while Lorentina was getting drunk with whiskey and beer, turning into something like a shark fin, this call came ¡ª and the content was something I hadn''t expected. The urgent message sent me scrambling through YouSpace, and the result appeared right in front of me. The video had been uploaded about... 9 hours ago. It seemed like it was posted exactly at midnight, Korean time. It was about 10 minutes long, and it had already surpassed 2 million views. In other words, Korea without me hadpletely exploded. And unfortunately, it seemed that Harmony and Dice had been directly hit by the fallout. "Anyway, it looks like you¡¯re doing quite well, Eugene. Logan¡¯s there too, I think¡­" "Of course, right beside the youngest. Were you missing me? If I had the time, I would¡¯ve gone to see you. It¡¯s been a while, don¡¯t you think we should spend some fun time together again at AP?" "Kyahhh¡ª!" "Stop tormenting Dice." What in the world was I doing to Ye-rin, who had already developed a phobia of Logan? Of course, looking at the situation, it was clear she was probably doing it on purpose. So, for retaliation, I pped Pr Bear¡¯s thigh with a satisfying sound, and she almost jumped out of her seat, letting out a squeaky, feminine scream. Lorentina chuckled at the scene. Even so, it seemed like she knew her mistake, as she didn¡¯t do anything further to me. That aside, the conversation continued. "If that was the video from the first day, does that mean there will be videos from the second and third days too? This is crazy. It¡¯s a good thing our departure is tomorrow, or I¡¯d have been really surprised by how much this video blew up." "Departure is right around the corner. I hope you¡¯ve been studying Russian well." "Thanks to the guide, who¡¯s basically with us all the time, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. But... Eugene, if you were there, it would have been so much better. By the way, you''reing on time, right? We¡¯ll be in St. Petersburg first. You¡¯ve never been there, have you?" "No, unfortunately." If I had stayed in that other world, I probably would¡¯ve had the chance to visit Russia and China. Though, I likely would¡¯ve taken a cargo ne instead of amercial flight. Bing a reverse-Genghis Khan, trampling over Europe, China, and Russia, bombing everything with napalm... What was I thinking? I¡¯ve had too much to drink. I had to watch my words, so in the end, the only thing left to say was this: "From the sound of your voice, I don¡¯t think I need to worry too much. Looks like we¡¯ll be able to secure the five spots for the final championship this year..." "Right. It¡¯s a bit awkward to say it like this, but this year, Japan isn¡¯t evenpeting. Well, they¡¯re notpletely out, but their situation is pretty chaotic right now due to internal conflicts." "If there¡¯s anything to be cautious about... I¡¯m sure someone else has already analyzed it much better than I could." "Haha, I doubt that." Likest year¡¯s final championship, the Asia qualifier in St. Petersburg would see athletes from each country arrive a week in advance for jetg and food adjustment. In the worst case, if someone caught a cold or something simr, considering the VRpetition, physical condition wouldn¡¯t be a major issue, so I could rx about that. So, continuing the conversation: "Thanks to that, it looks like we¡¯ll be able to go to St. Petersburg without much worry. Let¡¯s meet on the Monday after next." "Uh, yeah. That¡¯s the day of the Asia qualifiers. You¡¯re timing it just right, aren¡¯t you?" "Exactly." And then the nextment: "Before we leave, I¡¯m taking Shark and Pr Bear to Disney World to recharge our childlike wonder." One second, two seconds, three seconds. After an unnervingly long silence, Dice burst outughing. "You¡¯re not going to Disney World to recharge your childlike wonder. You and your friends are going to Disney World to spread violence with no dreams or hope." "I¡¯ll make sure to pass that on to Shark and Pr Bear. Just wait." "Hey, wait, what!? Eugene, Eugene!?" Of course, it didn¡¯t get through. It was then that Dice made a reservation for a shrimp cracker for Pr Bear and a special massage for Shark. Chapter 528 "...Such a busy day, our Eugene." "What can I do? There are so many people calling for me."
    • Hahaha, it''s shaking the whole of Korea in one go
    • Is this the one called Ananta Sesha? Hahaha
    • Really scary haha
    • Out of the 10-minute video, only about a minute was shown, but it''s enough to add 400,000 viewers to the stream (for real)
    Harmony and Dice''s joint stream, with 900,000 viewers. In other words, the tsunami created by the earthquake called Eugene from the other side of the ocean hit Korea, causing a disaster of its own. Of course, this was only a small part of the national pride frenzy happening in Korea right now, and naturally, the baby Viyams had no say in this process. Due to the unbelievable actions Eugene had shown, it was well-known that whenever he went live, the average viewership would reach 1.8 million. However, Harmony and Dice had momentarily forgotten that when Eugene took a break from streaming, viewers would flood in their direction instead. Eugene had taken a long streaming break. The sniperpetition video, just released less than 24 hours ago. Viewers with nowhere to go. Only one day left until departure. When all these elements came together, the stream from Harmony and Dice, who were supposed to fly to St. Petersburg tomorrow, exploded into chaotic turbulence. Had Harmony not locked the donation feature, the stream would have exploded in more ways than one. Harmony entered her personalmunity and clicked on the humor category. As expected, reaction and analysis videos or posts about Eugene''s appearance were flooding themunity, reflecting the chaos of the current situation. "Wow." "Now, we start, Ye-rin." The content of thepetition video that the two had watched earlier shed through their minds. Random target shooting, long-range shooting, and rifle assembly followed by shooting. The flow of the video showed Eugene and Logan performing the mission first, and then the Korean team carrying out the mission afterward. This happened three times, and in the remaining 1-2 minutes, there was an interview. Naturally, no one cared about the interview part, only the scenes where Eugene and Logan alternated between spotter and sniper,pleting the mission at lightning speed. These moments were burned into everyone''s minds. The most popr scene was when Eugene and Logan hit a target at 2.1 km with just three shots, and the part thatsted only a few dozen seconds became a clip that started spreading around the world. "Seems like some people quickly boarded the national pride bandwagon." As expected. In other words, review videos or reaction videos were starting to appear everywhere. Thenguages visible immediately were English, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. From Asia, Europe, and the Americas, there were reactions from people iming to be former special forces members, and there were dozens of posts that had tranted and posted captions after capturing these reactions. If you weren¡¯t perceptive enough, it would be hard to work as a YouSpace creator, as the review videos went up at an incredibly fast rate. This was especially true in the U.S. and Europe, where the upload time was around 11 AM U.S. time, making it more likely that these videos were uploaded faster in the West. Naturally, the first to upload had guaranteed views. Even videos from channels with only around 7,000 subscribers got over 100,000 views. Of course, as small channels scrambled to catch up with this flow and desperately tried to gain some poprity, the adtion for Eugene reached an absurd level, progressing from the first to second to third verse of praise. But then... "...So, why is the conclusion ending up as praise for me and Dice?"
    • For real, do you not know or are you pretending not to? Haha
    • They''re the only two who hit 1.55 km in Korea, haha
    • How can you deny that? Haha
    • Now, herees the praise for the two baby Viyams!
    • Even if you had a spotter, how could you hit something a mile away? Haha
    Naturally, public opinion started to lean toward praising Harmony and Dice for aplishing something simr to the difficult task. Perhaps there was already a woman in Korea who had shot a 1.5 km target. But at least no one had ever attempted that indirectly in front of 2 million viewers in history. Sure, there might be sniper videos from overseas if you searched YouSpace, but at least there was no such precedent in Korea. Thus, the two could boldly talk about it when the opportunity arose, even if they didn¡¯t brag every chance they got. But if given the chance, it would naturally lead to some self-praise. "...By the way, it was a bit difficult when we shot in Hawaii, wasn¡¯t it?" "Of course. Without Eugene, it would have been impossible. We had already learned a lot about breathing techniques, so it was lucky. Otherwise, we¡¯d have wasted all our ammo. The Laufforce rounds were 15,000 per shot..." "Yeah. Those were ridiculously expensive. Later, I heard Hyun-a said she didn¡¯t want to shoot anymore after hitting just one. I wonder how hard it must have been for her to say that." "Not easy at all."
    • Haha, so proud! Go Harmony!
    • This isn¡¯t some training camp, haha
    • It¡¯s scary how they managed to bring someone who didn¡¯t even know what guns soldiers use up to this level in just a year
    • At this rate, shouldn¡¯t they just get a job as tactical advisors in some PMC?
    Joking aside, it was undeniable how far they hade. It had only been 1 year and 3 months, but Harmony could no longer recall the days when she had dropped the magazine and panicked. She had learned everything about the military, small-scale tactics, and weapons she might have never known her whole life, and she had fully internalized it. The same applied to Dice. There was no longer anyone who had lost their mind after being killed by a grenade trap like the nameless person fromst year. Eugene¡¯s curriculum not only affected their skills in virtual reality but also had a broad impact in reality, which was evident in the performance they disyed while handling firearms much more skillfully than most people in Hawaii. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. "Because of that, I¡¯ve started exercising, too, just because I feel self-conscious while hanging around Eugene. Dice, you feel the same, right?" "Of course." The chubby fat around their cheeks, bellies, and arms started to melt away. And it wasn¡¯t because anyone forced them, but because they chose to do so. If this had been virtual reality, it might have been different, but with their physical fitness being insufficient in reality, they couldn¡¯t have performed at the level Eugene had set without making an effort. Thus, they naturally started aerobic exercise, and every day, they would run on the treadmill and ride the cycle until their bodies were drenched in sweat and their breath was at its limit. It was truly an amazing positive cycle. Although they weren¡¯t sure how things would go when they visited Russia, considering that Eugene would arrive on the day the Asia qualifiers officially began, Harmony and Dice had long ago decided to regte their food intake during the trip. Although it was highly likely that Eugene woulde alone, if Shark or Pr Bear suddenly appeared on vacation, that would be a disaster in itself. It wasn¡¯t that they disliked those two, but before friendship, the predator-prey rtionship came to mind. That said, the two leaned back in their chairs and added: It was past 11 PM, and they had to leave for the airport early the next day. A long journey awaited them, from Korea to Moscow and finally to St. Petersburg, with 20 people, including Harmony and Dice. "We¡¯ll do well. We probably won¡¯t stream tomorrow. We¡¯ll stream from Russia next time. See youter." "We¡¯ll win 1st ce easily. Goodbye!"
    • Haba
    • Haba (meaning Harmony, haha)
    • Eugene should develop AI so that AI-Harmony, AI-Dice, and AI-Eugene can stream 24/7
    • Tell Jin and Rain to stream too, haha
    And with that, the stream was quietly turned off, and the two finallyy down in their beds.@@novelbin@@ Harmony and Dice were living in the same house. A tradition of sorts had formed after spending a night at Eugene¡¯s house before leaving for the Final Championship in the U.S. a year ago. In the dark house, the conversation continued. "By the way, I wonder what Eugene is doing right now." "Well, I guess he¡¯s probably doing something extraordinary again." Hearing that, Harmony nodded. It was such a believable statement. As the two headed to their respective rooms, the strange thought of Eugene in a helicopter, firing a .50 caliber sniper rifle, shed through their minds as they drifted into sleep, slowly sumbing to exhaustion. Chapter 530 "All 32 teams have been deployed. The GPS synchronization for all participants and humanoid robots has beenpleted, and the MQ-9C Aurora reconnaissance drones have also been deployed. As of now, preparations for the final mission areplete." "Confirmed. The fortress assault operation begins at 2100 on November 6th. The first shift will end at 0600 on November 7th, after which there will be three shifts of 8 hours each until the mission concludes. Those not on duty should rest from now until their next shift, and the next shift will be notified of their timing by a vibration at 0700 on November 7th." "General observers have no restrictions on visiting the control room, so feel free to check the status whenever you want. Please refrain from bringing in food, and keep in mind that keycard ess is required to enter the mission control room, so do not forget the cards we provided in advance." Two enormous screens filled therge auditorium. 32 green dots representing friendly units appeared. As they all converged, they formed a giant 16-sided polygon with a radius of 120 km. At the center of this polygon, a fortress-like stronghold was marked. The various concentric red circles and red dots scattered across the map represented patrols, concealed observation posts, minefields, and humanoid snipers¡¯ positions. These weren¡¯t concentrated in one spot but scattered across the vast operational area. Two giant holograms disyed this. On the left was Operation Zone A, and on the right was Operation Zone B. It was only 9 p.m., giving most participants plenty of free time, aside from the main shift workers. As a result, most of the personnel remained, chatting about how well they thought they would perform or watching the thermal and infrared footage from the MQ-9C Aurora reconnaissance drones on tablets andptops. The dots moved sluggishly. Naturally, Lorentina''s eyes were fixed on the left side, where Logan and the rookie were deployed. The movement of the dots was incredibly slow, given they were being viewed from tens of kilometers above, but that was inevitable. As the first shift, Lorentina would have to keep watching this sluggish scene until 6 a.m. She sank deeply into her chair, propping her feet up on the table. Of course, it didn¡¯t take long before someone tapped her on the head. "Ugh. You¡¯re not even trying to hide it anymore." "Why would I? I¡¯m keeping a low profile. Got a moment?" "Let¡¯s leave in about 30 minutes. It hasn¡¯t been long since we started." Using a sense of intuition several times sharper than a human¡¯s, she couldn¡¯t detect the stealthy movements. This stealth movement was something Lorentina and Olivia shared ¡ª some sort of special ability. Unfortunately for Shark, Olivia was more skilled in this. She hadn''t noticed when her acquaintance approached, and no one else in the auditorium seemed to care. Whether Olivia was approaching Shark or not, it didn''t seem to raise any suspicion. Lorentina set herms to respond at any moment, then moved a few meters away. Since therge auditorium was crowded, they sat in a rtively discreet spot and began chatting. "So, when are we going to watch this?" "I¡¯d love to watch from start to finish, but it¡¯s not necessary. Based on the pace of movement, I¡¯d guess patrols won¡¯t start until tomorrow afternoon, and the participants will likely face their real challenges around then." "My calction is pretty close. I¡¯ll go in at 6 a.m., get a good nap, then wake up, wash up, and by the time I¡¯m back, it should be a pretty exciting scene unfolding. Good timing." "Exactly." A simple adjustment, and the two of them were now seeing the same view as Logan and Eugene ¡ª it was essentially a head-cam view. Byte November, the woods didn¡¯t look as dense as in summer, and the leaves were yellowing, while the ground was covered with fallen leaves. There weren¡¯t many steep mountains either. asionally, they saw t hiking trails and deserted campsites, but there were still areas of danger. There were ces where paths werepletely blocked, followed by sudden steep inclines. With their equipment and food weighing 90 kg, and theirbined body weight averaging 240 kg, each step they took concentrated over 300 kg of pressure on an area barely the size of their feet. And so, the problem they faced was:
    • Wuh!
    • Be careful, rookie.
    Frequent slipping. They were not walking on solid trails or paved roads but through the middle of uninhabited mountains and near gently flowing streams in the night ¡ª conditions prone to such idents. Naturally, the sight of this made both Lorentina and Olivia chuckle. "It would be fun if the rookie and Logan ran into some wild animals. By the way, do you know what animals live in that forest? Probably ck bears, red wolves, and wild boars?" "If we kill a red wolf, we¡¯ll probably get arrested. They¡¯re an endangered species." "Well, we¡¯ll figure it out through conversation. Maybe one of the rookies or Logan will toss a snack and move on. I¡¯m not sure about wild boars, though." Given the vast area of the operation zone, wildlife handling training was essential. The brief training session from earlier shed through Lorentina¡¯s mind. Meanwhile, the two were casually walking, and within just a few hours, they had covered nearly 10 kilometers. The 120 km diameter polygon started to narrow toward the center. Everyone had chosen to close the distance as quickly as possible on the first day. Of course, the situation wasn¡¯t as smooth as expected. The minimal moonlight meant it was far more troublesome to figure out their locationpared to during the day, especially in a national forest filled with mountains and forests with no distinctndmarks. Moreover, thepetition organizers had ensured they couldn¡¯t easily determine their position or the target¡¯s location, with EMP devices scattered around to disable military GPS systems. What they had were maps, pens, protractors, rulers,passes, and other basic tools. Despite having mastered map-reading skills long ago, it didn¡¯t make the terrain any easier to navigate. There were plenty of cases where the paths were cut off, or trees grew so high that it became difficult to see the surroundings. Lorentina and Olivia had left the room earlier and entered a nearby rest area, enjoying hot meals while continuing their conversation. "After 6 hours, the average distance covered is about 14 km... I think the real defense line starts at around 28 km, right?" "On the first day, it doesn¡¯t matter how far we go. Everyone will have a rough time starting around then. As I said before, I think that¡¯ll start happening by tomorrow afternoon." "We might encounter other teams, or we might go even further." Patrols or concealed posts. Those who brought reconnaissance drones ¡ª if they didn¡¯t get destroyed by jamming or anti-air missiles ¡ª could pinpoint the positions of humanoid robots patrolling the area and break through the defense line, or they could draw the patrols near other teams to cause interference. The goal of the final mission was survival andpleting the objectives, but there was no rule against interfering with other teams. Naturally, there were countless ways to harass other teams. As they exchanged thoughts, Olivia suddenly seemed to remember something. "...By the way, wasn¡¯t the tform broadcast supposed to start around then?" "That¡¯s right. The sensors should be working fine. There¡¯s no risk of exposing identities or missions... although it does feel a bit political. There''s a major election tomorrow." In short, this broadcast was essentially a love call from the U.S. Department of Defense, heavily dominated by the Republican Party. With the Republican candidate Ernest Shepard knocked out by Henry¡¯s punch, it was clear the Democratic Party would dominate for at least eight years, and once Henry, who had evolved into a mega-trident figure, finished his term and stepped down, he would be treated as a deity. The Republicans would likely face a long period of darkness, so a big mission broadcast could be seen as a preemptive dance, a way to show they were still trying. Lorentina casuallymented: "Well, since humanoid tech isn¡¯t widelymercialized yet, I doubt Henry will immediately initiate massive disarmament... but I get the reasoning." "Anyway, for high-level operators like us... we¡¯ll be controlling the humanoid robots remotely. There¡¯s no real reason to step outside ourselves. How that ys out, I don¡¯t know." "Either way, given that we can¡¯t escape the robot framework, we still have a long way to go. High-power EMPs, jamming, virus infections, and hacking threats will quickly be pressing issues... and since the Icarus and Artemis technologies from the other world were brought here, that¡¯s still unexplored territory." The technologies brought from the other world ¡ª how would they shake things up in the U.S.? Perhaps due to the dawn or the weariness pressing on their bodies, or maybe just because it was a hard question, neither of them responded immediately. After a while, only silence filled the room. This world ¡ª the world shattered by war ¡ª seemed predictable, with Russia and China likely to break up in a few years, and global dominance being reconstructed around the U.S. But this ce wasn¡¯t the same. They both leaned back on the sofa, predicting an uncertain future. After a deep sigh, Shark spoke up. "Well, we should head back soon. See youter." "See youter." They tidied up the room and disappeared in different directions. The cold darkness enveloped Georgia. After cleaning up the room, the two disappeared in different directions. A cool darkness enveloped Georgia. "... The sun will rise soon." "I''m hungry. Let''s eat." "That''s a good idea." Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, somewhere in the mountains. The two calmly unzipped the side zipper of one of the modr military packs and took out theirbat rations. Meal times were important. "After eating, I suddenly felt like I was going to have anorexia... It''s quite unfamiliar to walk around with a weight of nearly 100kg after just lounging around for a while." "I''ll check the situationter, and if I feel like I have some time, I''ll just go back and rest for about 30 minutes. Right now, I''ve been moving for almost 12 hours and nearly 29km. Actually, I have to slow down a bit from now on." Second day of the infiltration mission, 12pm. As if the cold air from yesterday was a lie, the sun rose again in the sky and poured sunlight that didn''t seem to be betweente fall and early winter on the world. The sweat that flowed repeatedly soaked into my clothes, dried, and on top of that, the dirt and dust that grew from walking on the mountain path clung to it. 15 hours after starting the sleepless maneuver, I still had plenty of time. Considering that I had climbed the mountain with no path several times at 2km/h while carrying 90kg of military gear, it was an absurd level, but the cheat key called the Manifestor made it all possible. By this time, my feet, which were about to develop horriblyrge blisters, were still fresh, and the average case of extreme muscle pain, pouring sweat, and half-consciousness was not so much for us. Instead, I was a little thirsty and often hungry. "Drink water sparingly. What does it taste like?" "Senior, you''re carrying a 15L extrarge hydration bag, right? I like Gatorade." "It''s ordinary." Of course, 90kg was only the weight of my military gear. If you add up all the items hanging from my body, it would be 120kg. Fortunately, however, our appetites were really good, and the more we ate thebat rations, the more our weight went down. Of course, as I saidst time, we didn''t eat garbage like MREs, but rather all the RCIR, the French militarybat rations, so the quality of the food wasn''t that bad. If I had brought MREs, I would have felt like I was umting bombs in my body every day. That¡¯s what I thought. After 50 minutes of movement, I rested for 10 minutes. However, strictly speaking, this was more about finding a way than resting. The moment I reached a suitable location, I would check the perimeter, then take out arge cloth from my multi-purpose pocket, then find a fairly steep ce, fix the cloth, and then happily scatter fallen leaves to make a small hideout. It wasn¡¯t very effective, but it was very cost-effective for the time. I unfolded the map and checked my current location. Unlike yesterday, I had to be very careful about my movement route from now on. I had to avoid minefields at all costs, and if I was caught in a hidden outpost, a patrol woulde out. The barbed wire area was much easier. I could just cut it with subsonic bullets or nippers. ¡°It¡¯s been about 5km since I entered the unidentified area, but I still haven¡¯t seen any signs, so I guess I should say I¡¯m anxious¡­.¡± "If we keep going like this, we can arrive at the fortress in a dozen hours. Of course, judging by the tail, that''s definitely not going to happen." "That''s right." "It''s a bit much to say that nothing happened at all." That''s right. Just before dawn, at around 6 AM, while we were having ate meal, a wild boar sniffed around us and became our guest. ording to the wild animal information we had received in advance, there were things that could be killed and things that couldn''t, and the wild boar was clearly the former. I wondered if something simr would happen in the future, but whatever. I decided not to worry about that. Finding our current location through various methods wasn''t that difficult. It was especially easier if there were hiking trails mixed in among the moving routes. Being able to find our location for free through stakes or signs was a huge advantage. The other teams seem to be moving simrly, but whatever. We just go our own way. 10 minutes passed in an instant, and while Logan was checking the waypoints he had marked, I retrieved the cloth, shook off the leaves, and folded it neatly into my multi-purpose pouch. We were currently on one side of a low ridge, and far away¡­ about 1km to the northwest, there was a mountain range with an average height of about 700m. I heard that some teams have side missions where they sweep away the humanoid robots wandering around the hignds and upy the base on the hignds, but when I saw it from the side¡­ I was d we didn¡¯t do it. It must have been really annoying. ¡°Now that I think about it, what is our mission?¡± "I can''t ask the other teams, but that''s just how it is. What did the shark bastard say in the pre-briefing¡­ that some teams know the side mission in advance, and others find outter? We''re clearly thetter." "I hope it''s not too much trouble¡­." At that point, I shook my head. The reason I said this was really simple. It was because I felt like the fate that awaited us in the future would not be smooth. Since we weren''t on a pic, I deliberately lowered my voice, and if possible, I chose a path with few fallen leaves¡­ but I wonder. What will happen?@@novelbin@@ And at that moment, a sudden sense of foreboding came over me. Immediately after that, a dead tree about 7m behind us burst open with a loud thud. ©¤©¤©¤! "¡­!" "This damn thing¡­!" Dissipation and cover. Fortunately, there were many ces to hide around, so I quickly fell down. Anyone could tell that it was a sniper shot. Judging by the error of several meters, it was likely that they had no intention of hitting it in the first ce. If we interpret this differently, it was highly likely that they adjusted the point of impact through borate calctions. Then, after a few seconds, the military terminal they had brought with them vibrated faintly and disyed a hologram. The contents were as follows. -[Notice: Side Mission ] -[Notice: Identify the location of the enemy sniper within 2 minutes and 30 seconds and seed in countersniping.] -[Notice: If you fail to perform or fail the mission, one of the sniper team members will be judged as having at least light injuries and up to serious injuries.] -[Notice: Countdown begins [Start.] "...Yes. How could it be easy? This is going to be crazy, really." "That''s right." The TAC-50 anti-material rifle, which had been nothing more than a heavy lump of metal for a dozen hours, was finally ready to do its job. Logan and I simultaneously loaded .50 caliber rounds into the chamber and pushed the bolt forward to close the chamber. The full-scale search began. Chapter 531 ©¤©¤©¤Phew! "Ugh, what¡¯s going on? What happened?" "¡­Y-yeah, I guess it¡¯s different when it''s the U.S. doing it..." Saint Petersburg, Russia. The temperature was in the single digits, causing visible breath in the air, with a cloudy, gloomy sky¡ªyet the view outside the window, perfectly contrasting with the weather, was beautiful. The hotel where Dice, Harmony, and a group of twenty would stay for about two weeks greeted them with itsrge windows, but not today.@@novelbin@@ The holograms projected by the projector, and therge screen capable of amodating them, were all part of the theater they visited. Harmony and Dice were lounging in chairs, with arge LED clock nearby¡ªpointing to 8 a.m. It almost looked like a first-person movie or an FPS game. However, the sense of reality in the scene was iparable to any game or movie ever released, and perhaps the global audience shared the same sentiment, as the chat room to the right, though slowed down, still disyed an overwhelming amount of activity. So, what was this about? It was a live broadcast of a sniperpetition, streamed by Icarus in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense. It wasn¡¯t a live broadcast, it was a ry. "So, if we go by Saint Petersburg¡¯s time zone¡­ this is showing what happened in the U.S. about 2-3 hours ago?" "Right. They said they censor or cut out anything that shouldn¡¯t be broadcasted. This is the edited version they¡¯re airing now. So, it¡¯s a ry." "Aha." Just 24 hours before thest mission, a kind of¡­ streaming preview through Icarus. To sum it up, it was a simple matter. The U.S. Department of Defense, which had seen a significant rise in global interest regarding the sniperpetition, had very unusually agreed to allow the final mission¡ªa fortress assault¡ªto be broadcast. This was approved. The political giants in Washington D.C. knew this was a sort of performance by the Department of Defense, which had close ties to the Republican Party, to ensure they wouldn¡¯t fall behind the Democrats, who were expected to take power. And there were countless vested interests tied into this. However, most people were unaware of these details. The reason for that was simple. The fierce ranking battles among special forces soldiers representing their countries were akin to¡­ a gamepetition, and it was because of this that no one cared much about the behind-the-scenes politics. "So, what should I say, Eugene¡­ you won the final championshipst year, so you¡¯re aiming to win it again this year?" "Unfortunately, as an alternate participant, I won¡¯t be able to take the trophy, but I¡¯ll bring something simr, I guess." East Asia qualifiers, Europe qualifiers, North America qualifiers, South America qualifiers, Africa qualifiers, and so on. Starting next week, qualifiers would be held in many countries to select participants for the final championship, and anyone who had even a slight interest in the game, or in the Dark Zone matches where each country¡¯s representatives wouldpete, was essentially a potential viewer. Among them, the fact that two representatives were selected from each country¡ªthe top elite special forces of each nationpeting against special forces from other countries that had gone through the same process was bound to be a topic of conversation beyond just casual chatter. And the result of this? It was that countless viewers, who could barely be counted, were watching the fortress assault mission video. And back to the main focus. Among them, Eugene and Logan were, of course, the most popr. As expected, no one would ever know exactly which units they belonged to¡ªno one would be told, not even if the world turned upside down. "Wow, are they really shooting? I can hear trees snapping...?" "Maybe they¡¯re deliberately missing. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d shoot for real." Beyond the screen, Eugene watched as dead trees snapped and quickly hid near a valley where the bullets wouldn¡¯t reach. She discarded her gear into the bushes and checked the mission disyed on her device. Some sensitive content had been censored, but the many viewers quickly figured out what mission Logan¡¯s team had been assigned. Live fire threats using real bullets. However, due to the smart missiles contained in the bullets, they would not hit the two unless something went terribly wrong. But after a certain time, a Milesser would scan Eugene or Logan, marking them for at least a minor or moderate injury. Logan''s team had to stop a humanoid sniper attempting to carry this out. In short, it was a counter-sniping mission. In the fast-paced situation, no one would fail to feel the tension. -Check the bullet hit location and the angle of the broken tree! -The shot came from the hill to the west. After confirming the crack bang, it didn¡¯t exceed 3 seconds, so no matter how far, the distance between them shouldn¡¯t be more than 1 km. -Damn, where did I put that scale tape... Crack bang¡ªotherwise known as the sonic boom heard after the bullet hits. Unlike ordinary people who can only hear it from up to 450 meters, Eugene and Logan, being Awakened, detected the barely audible sound of the sonic boom with sess. Logan marked the result of multiplying the average time of 2.5 seconds, as Eugene had promised, by 340, giving a result of 850 meters, and then, taking a map out from his chest, drew a virtual line with his eyes, making hash marks on the locations he predicted the enemy might be. This took a mere 10 seconds. The counter-sniping tactic was carried out in an instant, and nothing was censored in the process. Naturally, this was impossible to replicate even for other special forces soldiers, let alone ordinary civilians. The viewers'' reactions were predictable. "¡­Wow. I know it sounds clich¨¦, but that was really cool." "Sometimes it feels like those two¡­ have probably been through a lot of situations like this. How do you train to react like that? Maybe with VR equipment¡­?" In the meantime, Eugene and Logan quickly increased the distance and changed positions. They did this to find a ce where they could better snipe the enemy and, as they moved, they observed the enemy sniper¡¯s shots to better pinpoint their position. Crack. This time the tree snapped, and only a faint shot sound followed. But, as though it wasn¡¯t enough that they possessed heightened senses, the two of them quickly regained theirposure and settled into position. After a few deep, mechanical breaths, their heartbeats began to slow down. "So that¡¯s why they do training that exhausts your stamina before shooting." "¡­There really are all sorts of things." Unlike the millions of viewers who watched this in excitement, Eugene and Logan never lost their calm despite the urgency of the situation. The two set up the bipod of their TAC-50 sniper rifles, swept the area with their scopes several times, and even took out binocrs withser range finders to measure the exact distance to the likely enemy position: 850 meters, as predicted by Eugene and calcted by Logan. Soon, they witnessed the glint of sunlight reflected off a scope, and through the enemy humanoid sniper''s turret, they spotted a spinning anemometer. Of course, upon seeing this, they could immediately infer the wind speed and direction. -Confirming enemy location. Wind speed: 9 m/s, wind direction: from southwest to northeast. Crosswind blowing from left to right. -Humidity: 50%. 850 meters. Time taken so far: 1 minute 23 seconds¡­ Let¡¯s go. -Zeroingplete. I¡¯ll take the first shot. If they try to flee, you take sessive shots. -Of course. ©¤©¤©¤Ping! And the shooting began. The first shot missed, but since itnded below the humanoid sniper, the enemy didn¡¯t flee. Logan, noticing the downwind from afar, reloaded while informing Eugene about the situation. The clicking sound from their in-earms indicated she was adjusting the elevation. Not even a second passed before Logan loaded a round into the chamber and sealed the breech, followed by a loud boom. An eternity of silence followed. -¡­Left shoulder. Slightly off-target. The guy¡¯s trying to get up¡­! -That arm¡¯spletely wrecked. Where does he think he¡¯s going? Without dy, Logan pulled the trigger again. And how much time had passed? ©¤©¤©¤Crack! -Wow. -That¡¯s what happens when you try to flee. A bullet flew in an arc, striking the humanoid robot¡¯s waist as it attempted to rise and run to the right. It was a very short time, but it looked almost like slow motion. The robot was cut in half at the waist and rolled off the ridge on the other side, as if a de from the sky had severed it and pushed it over the cliff. How can one describe this? While the viewers were processing this, Eugene and Logan, seeing their sessfulpletion of the side mission, watched the small vibration on their devices and chuckled quietly. A brief exchange followed. "Phew, really¡­ situation¡¯s over. Let¡¯s go back to our path." "That¡¯s why special forces guys can¡¯t live long and get startled even when they hear the sound of a breath." In the 1.5 minutes captured by the first-person cam, the viewers could almost feel the struggles and sacrifices of the special forces soldiers. "¡­My ears are itchy. Feels like a shark¡¯s cursing us." "That¡¯s just because the guys who got side missions like us started their engagements." "I figured as much." Meanwhile, somewhere in the Georgia state national forest. Two hourster, others were spending a peaceful time. "Gunfireing from all directions. The suppressors make it muffled, though." "Yeah, it¡¯s time. No one¡¯s still trying to enter the unconfirmed area¡­ Well, apart from the gunshots, there¡¯s not much else to hear, so that¡¯s probably it." 31 hours into the fortress assault mission, 4 a.m. the next day. 18 km to the fortress. The temperature was drastically different from when the sun had risen. Under the harsh winds along the foothills and a sky blocked by the moonlight, with the team now reduced from 16 to 11, Logan and I, both d in ghillie suits, surveyed the area, marking the positions of humanoid patrols on the UI. There wasn¡¯tplete darkness. asionally, headlights from vehicles passing on artificially constructed or unpaved roads pierced through the darkness. Most of them were humanoid patrols, but sometimes there were civilian vehicles unrted to the training. After about four hours of lying on the cold ground, my belly began to ache. But it was unavoidable. The thrill of staying still, minimizing movement, and doing everything sneaky possible was honestly fun. What¡¯s all this about? "...The C4 traps were really fun. The guys across the way probably have no idea why their vehicles exploded. I can already imagine them grumbling at the reinforced defense lines." "That¡¯s the fun part." Making things difficult for other teams within legal boundaries. Small actions like shooting at the humanoid patrols near teams infiltrating from other directions, firing at concealed posts to make the enemy soldiers more alert, or shooting at SAM sites to speed up the activation of the anti-air defensework. The first two situations were easy to imagine. But thest one might need some exnation. ©¤©¤©¤Pew! "Well, well, well, someone just shot down a reconnaissance drone." "Since information isn¡¯t being shared, situations like this happen a lot. They could just grab a PDA from the humanoid patrols and check, though." "Yeah, but it doesn¡¯t always go as nned." Somewhere, a missile was fired, and the st illuminated the darkness. It looked like fireworks, but it wasn¡¯t the kind everyone thought. It was an anti-air missile fired from somewhere, silently taking down a medium-sized reconnaissance drone hovering in the dark. It was the third time I¡¯d seen this today. The team that had lost the drone would suffer quite a painful penalty. It wasn¡¯t just damaged and crashed, but shattered in mid-air, so they wouldn¡¯t even need to collect fragments. To exin briefly, the reason this was possible was because SAM sites, which were usually in standby mode, activated as soon as the alert level was raised. The patrols or posts that hadn¡¯t been handled in time triggered the alert. There¡¯s a reason they have strict standards for reconnaissance drones¡ªbeing airborne makes them detectable by radar. Being able to check where the enemy is from the high skies, without having to worry about detection, is a privilege. If that goes unchecked, everyone would just carry drones. Anyway, back to the topic. "3, 2, 1¡­ Boom. Second C4 trap explosion." "Explosion confirmed. See the mes in the distance." The explosion wasn¡¯t audible, but a small me was visible about 10 km north of our position. The C4 trap was simple. ce the explosives under a humanoid-operated vehicle, attach them when it passes, and set a timer between 5 and 25 minutes. When the timer hits zero, the explosion happens. The explosion didn¡¯t scatter many fragments, so there was little chance of debris flying. With the humanoids operating the vehicles, there was no need for us to get close to them. The C4 traps had an effect: they disrupted the humanoid patrols¡¯work for a 1 km radius, causing chaos around the explosion site. If a different team happened to be passing by at that time, they¡¯d face a rough time¡ªbut then again, other teams weren¡¯t any less sneaky. This mission was survival of the fittest. Of course, no one else was quite as creative as us. It was about time to move again. "If this weren¡¯t reality, other teams would probably be chasing us down like crazy, right?" "I think they¡¯re stilling after us like that now." "We¡¯ve probably earned our fair share of karma." The sky was dark, but the stars twinkled in white. My body felt heavy, my eyes drooping, but the air was clear. 37 hours left until the final mission waspleted. Chapter 532 "Damn it, I thought the rain had stopped, but it''s pouring again." "This ce is known for heavy rain, though. I don¡¯t really like getting wet and dirty either, but isn¡¯t it a good thing that our range of movement has increased a bit?" "Well, that¡¯s obvious. It¡¯s just a matter of preference." Swish! The rain steadily poured, soaking the entire world. The afternoon of the second day of the mission was cold enough that you could see your breath. Logan seemed worried about me, but I didn¡¯t mind; I always turn on the warmth function of my Icarus gear as soon as it gets a little cold. I hadn¡¯t used any of the gear¡¯s features during the sniperpetition, but the cold was a different story. I wasn¡¯t making excuses, though. Cheating is still cheating. I was lucky to be an alternate participant. To offer an excuse, people like me, reptiles, suffer a lot more than others when our body temperature drops. For example, my digestion bes horrifically difficult, and I end up vomiting everything in my stomach. It¡¯s like my body¡¯s lubrication freezes, making it impossible to move. When my body temperature drops, I endure a kind of pain that¡¯s worse than anyone else¡¯s, but I trust you¡¯ll let it slide. In any case, once the temperature issue was solved, the weather became a rtively minor problem. The rising humidity from the rain and the deceleration of the bullets passing through the raindrops were quite a headache, but the sound of the rain helped to mask a lot of the noise¡ªlike the noise made by humanoid robots falling. In short, there were pros and cons. Because of this, everyone started picking up the pace. ©¤©¤©¤! "Is this infiltration, or should I call it assassination, or even total annihtion?" "If we don¡¯t do it now, we won¡¯t get another chance. Let¡¯s move quickly." The silenced bullet hit one of the humanoid reconnaissance soldiers, about 300 meters away, right in the head. The head twisted and snapped off as the bullet passed through. The other robot next to it was Logan¡¯s, and as the bullet pierced its forehead, it dropped to its knees and copsed forward. If it hadn¡¯t been raining, the chance of us being detected would have been higher. Even with a suppressor, if we weren¡¯t using subsonic rounds, the sharp sound would have been loud enough to be noticed. But the rain was perfect for hiding the noise. Another shot fired. The gas from the suppressor. The barrel cooled rapidly as it was hit by the rain. Cold air and raindrops, with smoke and vapor rising together. The raindrops hitting the suppressor evaporated, and gunpowder smoke billowed from the muzzle. A three-robot patrol was wiped out in an instant. Checking the PDA, I added, "Signs of an alert level increase, none¡­ but it looks like another one¡¯sing from over there." "They¡¯re probablying to check since the signal cut out nearby. Let¡¯s take care of it quickly. I want to rest near the fortress soon." "It doesn¡¯t seem like a patrol, though¡­ there¡¯s more of them. After we wiped out the patrol, they might have incorporated a mobile strike team to cover the area." "Doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s make them all guests of the afterlife." Logan was keen on implementing the assassination meta¡ªkill all the witnesses. It was a strange feeling seeing his seemingly gentle face twist with determination, but he was right. Since we were deep into the operation zone, encountering stronger resistance was inevitable. Taking the barricade stop from my multipurpose pouch, I attached it to the M-LOK and tightened it. Being right-handed, I attached the essory to the left side of the gun. This was a tool to help stabilize the firearm when shooting around corners. Normally, it would prevent vibrations when shooting around a bend. After firmly securing a spike with a pad the size of my index finger to a tree, I took aim, marking the humanoid enemies that had just started to be visible through the trees, numbering them in order. From 1 to 9. I nned to shoot the lower-numbered ones, and Logan would target the higher-numbered ones. At this point, I didn¡¯t need to link the UI with the sight to take corner shots. With nine enemies closing in, it was best to just take them out as quickly as possible. At 250 meters, then 200 meters, and finally 150 meters, they came into clear sight, and the countdown popped up in front of me. I carefully exhaled a shallow breath, then inhaled slightly to steady my breathing. The next step was simple. I hooked my finger over the trigger guard, aligned the reticle, and moved it to the first enemy in the far-right position. When the countdown hit zero, I pulled the trigger. The slight tremor of my shoulder was enough to blow apart the central power unit in one robot¡¯s chest. "One, two, three, four¡­" A mechanically precise shot. I didn¡¯t move any more or less than necessary. As soon as I took one down, I immediately moved on to the next. Head or chest. By the time they noticed, it was already toote. Logan and I could eliminate two, or even three, enemies per second in these situations, and after one second, the count dropped from nine to four. Naturally, the enemy patrol still had no idea where we were. But they would soon. As soon as Logan made eye contact with me, he signaled for us to advance. I detached the barricade stop from the M-LOK and stowed it back in my pouch, then dashed across the wet ground. Logan, through sustained fire, kept four of them from moving to another position, and I sessfully nked them, considering whether to throw a grenade but ultimately choosing to move around their side. From here on, I¡¯d shake them up, and the pr bear would do the rest. As I shot, the enemies, trying to move from tree to tree, were taken out one by one, their heads turning into Swiss cheese, and Logan advanced, repeating a simr or opposite process. Until all the enemies were gone. Had it been a minute? The situation ended. "Nice, easy job." "With the rain pouring down like this, I don¡¯t think the sound will leak out¡­ Ugh, my hair''spletely soaked underneath." "You should cut it short." "I like long hair." "Is that your preference? I like long hair too, but it was getting in the way of the mission, so I had to cut it shorter." Logan¡¯s voice carried an unmistakable hint of regret. The breath he exhaled, like a waterfall, showed the sudden drop in temperature on the foothills after the rain. Looking at the gear on my left hand, I checked how much time was left. It was now 5 p.m. the next day. The mission had been underway for 44 hours, so we had exactly one day left to reach the waypoint. The remaining distance was 12 km, so we needed to move fast. Since it was raining, there was no need to pull out the map, and I mentally reviewed the tasks that still needed to bepleted before the fortress assault. "Identify the location of the signal jammer in a small outpost, send a signal to HQ once the outpost is captured¡­ The distance from the outpost to the fortress is about 2.3 km, so we can take it, rest for a bit, and then head to the pre-determined sniper position and wait." "Right. Anyway, let¡¯s move quickly. If we stay here any longer, something troublesome might happen." I nodded, leaving behind the nine humanoid robots with gaping holes in their heads, and continued moving toward the destination. For the next 12 hours, it felt like this. Instead of resting, we constantly considered when, where, and how to act, choosing the right course of action, and sometimes directly engaging the patrols with shots. By now, I had no idea how many people remained in Operation Zone A. Walking along the narrow mountain paths, bypassing swollen valleys from the rain, and when bypassing wasn¡¯t possible, finding the narrowest river crossing, I quickly anchored an anchor on the opposite bank and crossed. As night began to fall, I put on my night vision goggles again. Wearing a cover to keep the rain off, I climbed the mountain again, dragging my tired body up. The time or how little sleep I¡¯d gotten didn¡¯t matter at this point. We had alreadye too far to worry about that. The only thing I was grateful for was that no matter how much rain I was hit with, my body didn¡¯t swell up. Despite running around for almost two days without taking off my boots, even if I took them off now, my feet wouldn¡¯t have blisters. If enemies appeared, we¡¯d crush them, conquer the steep mountain paths, and asionally clean our guns to ensure they wouldn¡¯t malfunction due to excessive rain. There were plenty of things that required energy and attention, but the goal was clear. As the earth was swallowed by endless darkness, and 5 p.m. turned to 12:30 a.m., with only 16 hours and 30 minutes left until the actual fortress assault mission¡­ "¡­Hah." "Defense forces at the outpost are roughly around 15. We¡¯re almost there." A small forward base and outpost, located 2300 meters from the fortress and positioned on a nearby ridge that could overlook the fortress. Two people cautiously approached about 300 meters ahead. ©¤©¤©¤Beep! "¡­Logan team, 51 hours and 48 minutespleted, 60 km traveled. Signal sent. Assigning to Fortress Assault Team 1 and calcting the sniper team''s cover range." "Which team is closest topleting the first objective?" "ISA, Rangers, SAS, Delta, DEVGRU, Navy SEALs, JTF-2, Alpha Group, GROM, Shayetet, UDT¡ªall are about 2 hours ahead of the first target." "Unexpectedly, the Koreans are doing well. I thought that littlend had way too many mountains, but it turns out it was for this. They handle mountain terrain pretty easily... I must¡¯ve taught them well." Operation Zone A: 7 teams surviving out of 16. Operation Zone B: 6 teams surviving out of 16. Lorentina raised her hand, and Eugene and Logan, having arrived first, were sent the details of their roles for the fortress assault. Eugene, having lost rock-paper-scissors, was now scouting the area around the base, monitoring the movement of the humanoid robots. The end was near. "¡­The rain has stopped, and the weather¡¯s looking a bit better. The clouds have cleared, and I think I slept about 7 hours¡­ How much time left until the mission begins?"@@novelbin@@ "About 20 minutes." "Have you eaten?" "I ate while Logan was sleeping. You know, I¡¯m sure the senior ate while I slept too." "Of course." The blue sky outside the window, aplete contrast to the torrential rain from just a day ago. Dust, which had been lying around for a long time, began to flutter as we entered the room. The empty 2nd-floor concrete building, without any furniture, had only two people¡ªLogan and I. Fifteen hours ago, after turning the humanoid robots we had found into robot ketchup during the middle of the night, we took care of everything, cleaned up, and set up our gear. We pulled out the remainingbat rations and stacked them in one corner of the room. The next task was simple. Although we had covered everything with waterproof tarps, we had to dry off the wet parts, using the Icarus gear to help. After discussing the ns briefly, we yed rock-paper-scissors. I lost, and Logan won. So, while Logan took a 3-hour nap first, I stood guard, installing various lighting and sensor traps around the area, making sure we weren¡¯t caught off guard by other teams. Even though it was unlikely another team would show up, I refrained from nting ymores. The first goal had been achieved, but there was still much left to do. The small signal base we were in was located 2.3 km from the fortress, and it was in a prime spot to conduct reconnaissance. While Logan was deeply asleep, I grabbed the spotting scope and scouted the enemies near the fortress. I didn¡¯t need the map at that point due to the rain, but I made all my markings with the Icarus gear, then went down to the first floor to mark all the patrol and strike team cycles on the new map. Of course, in the meantime, I ate somebat rations too. This process took about 3 hours, and I was ready to pass out soon. And after repeating this a couple more times, 12 hours slipped by like melted ice cream. "People really do need sleep. I didn¡¯t sleep much, but I feel wide awake now." "...Didn''t I let you sleep for 7 hours, not just 3? I was surprised when you woke up." "You were sleeping so soundly, I didn¡¯t want to wake you up." I definitely fell asleep around 3 or 4 a.m., but when I woke up, it was already 11 a.m. Of course, Logan had also slept soundly until about 3:40 p.m., so there were no issues. My muscles were sore when I woke up, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable. A few patches of the pain-relief balm I brought helped relieve it. Anyway, Logan, having set up the sniper positions while I was deep in my dreams, had prepared everything and was ready. I felt a bit guilty. But, not at all concerned, Logan added, "You''re the one handling the base infiltration mission today, so you can manage that. We were the first to reach the waypoint, so the most important mission is ours... Go in, decapitate every robot inside, and take full control of the facility." "Specialty of mine. Wasn''t the goal to wipe out all the enemies outside the fortress first?" "Yeah, that¡¯s the n. So the follow-up troops can infiltrate via helicopter. But don¡¯t try hacking the SAM sites this time. We¡¯re training, not inbat." "Do you really think I would confuse the two? I know the difference." "You think I¡¯ve forgotten what you did back in Washington D.C.?" Ah, that¡­ It was something from the past¡ªhacking an anti-air missile and firing it at a ground target, not the sky. I¡¯d done it in New York and Washington D.C. five years ago, and even when Harmony and I were pushing the main mission. But this time¡­ that wasn¡¯t an option. These facilities were paid for with tax money, and actually firing a real SAM missile into a building could cause an awful situation. Anyway, today, my job was simple. When Logan hit the waypoint, I would go there, take out all the enemies near the ridgelines and mountains, and infiltrate the base to gain control over it, making sure we could remotely control the internal functions. In 10 minutes after the operation started, 22 real soldiers in two Chinooks, wearing simtedbat gear, would infiltrate the base. Their mission was to extract data and rescue hostages. This mission involved not only us, but also the sniper teams watching from the other ridgelines. Hundreds of humanoid robots were waiting both inside and outside the fortress. If we didn¡¯t reduce their numbers ahead of time, our side would be wiped out. "Let¡¯s go. The sniper position is about 950 meters from the fortress, and the nearest small outpost is about 470 meters away. If we reduce their numbers first, things will go much smoother." "Of course." Stepping on the damp ground, we moved. After about 10 minutes, we reached the sniper position. As soon as we removed the camouge, this is what we saw¡ªtwo .50 caliber sniper rifles and three fully set-up turrets. Inside a deep space, resembling a bear¡¯s den, were calction devices andrge batteries. This was the preparation for operating the turrets. If it were Icarus gear, the batteries and calction devices would have been miniaturized and integrated into the turret, but not now. Of course, there was one strange thing. "Why are all the trees in front of us fallen? They look like they were struck by lightning..." "I cut them down. They were in the way of sniping. About 15 trees, I think. Took me about two hours." "Are some of these trees as thick as barrels, or is that just me?" "Well, I borrowed your Tomahawk. Unlike mine, yours doesn¡¯t break no matter how roughly you use it. Just a few swings to trim them, and then a body m and they snapped. Didn¡¯t put in too much effort." ¡­Well, that¡¯s one way to do it. Looking at all this, I realized Logan and I had truly transcended humanity. But at least the sightlines were clear, so I figured it was for the best. By the way, when I asked how he concealed the sound of the trees breaking, his answer was truly something. "Before the fortress assault mission started, I wasn¡¯t doing anything else, just walking around. The device messages told me not to destroy any robots before the mission started... I figured they wouldn¡¯t respond to anything external until then." "So, you tested it?" "Subsonic rounds. A few times on the base¡¯s dirt mound. That¡¯s how I got a bit of logging donest night. It¡¯s a normal thing in ska, you know. Fun stuff." What can I say? Logan was definitely my kind of person. Anyway, we both chuckled, and a few minutester, thems crackled and a transmission from HQ came through. It was exactly as we¡¯d predicted, and the countdown on the device now showed 10:00:00. Two Chinooks with 22 soldiers had likely just taken off somewhere. Inserting a round into the chamber and closing it, I prepared to head down. It was time to reduce their numbers. The long sniperpetition¡¯s end was fast approaching. Chapter 533 "When we return to Korea, it looks like we''ll have a mountain of reports and proposals to submit." "Everything we''ve gone through to get here will be the cornerstone of the sniper manual to be written in the future. Stay strong¡­ and let¡¯s make sure we finish this mission well." In some part of the Chatahuchi-onee National Forest, 5 p.m., clear weather. About 3 km north from Eugene¡¯s team¡¯s position, inside an abandoned watchtower. Two people¡ªSergeant Yoo Hyunho and Sergeant Jeong Haeil, both from the UDT of Korea¡ªwere aiming their AXMC .338 Lapua Magnum rifles at the outside. As the mud and rainwater stuck to their boots and clothes gradually dried, the two of them were doing their best to hold back the overwhelming fatigue and sleep that threatened to take over, all caused by the tension born from the mission. They had ovee countless rugged, pathless mountains, changed socks countless times, and walked so much that blood had soaked into the soles of their boots. Yet, this spot, where theyy prone, was not just thanks to perseverance and effort but also their thorough individual skills, making this hard-earned position a result of their capabilities. To stay awake, they forced themselves to keep talking to each other and crushed stimnt pills between their teeth, swallowing them dry. The 10-minute countdown had just begun, but no gunshots were heard. Or maybe they were too faint to be heard. While Sergeant Yoo Hyunho, assigned as the sensor, called out the locations of the humanoid robot reconnaissance teams, mobile strike teams, and small forward outposts, Sergeant Jeong Haeil kept his eyes on the scope, confirming the targets with his own eyes. However, in the back of his mind, he was also thinking about how this mission was unfolding. ''...ording to the IFF and the terminal, there are seven teams left in our operation zone, Zone A. That means a 7-point formation has likely been established around the fortress, about 1 km away.'' This result was the oue of HQ adjusting the mission so that the snipers'' areas of operation wouldn¡¯t ovep too much. In other words, there was a high probability that other sniper teams, somewhere kilometers away, were carrying out their tasks as well. Fortunately or unfortunately, the UDT¡¯s goal was not direct infiltration but to reduce enemy numbers from the outside as much as possible. And of course, they had already concluded that there would be no leisurely killing of enemies one by one here.@@novelbin@@ The data sent from HQ confirmed this. ''...The allies infiltrating from the south are heading to the extraction point located in the north. Since we¡¯re in the north, if the mission goes well in the south, but we don¡¯t finish properly here, it¡¯ll all be for nothing.'' Moreover, since extremely strict individual evaluations were to be carried out, failing here would inevitably result in a significant point deduction after the mission. Of course, snipers weren¡¯t just there to help secure an exit route. Considering the carefully designed missions, which seemed to have been thought out to make life difficult for sniperpetition participants, it was highly likely that enemy reinforcements would arrive. They had managed to stuff the .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition into their packs somehow, but if they ran out of ammo, a disaster they didn¡¯t even want to think about would unfold. Finishing that thought, the two of them double-checked the marked enemy positions and let out a deep breath. "¡­I know it sounds weird to say this now, but I¡¯m genuinely curious about how they managed to make such a realistic mission." "Remember this, Haeil. Designing a mission so systematically and ensuring that when participants perform it, everything fits perfectly without any issues¡­ It¡¯s impossible to do with just knowledge. It¡¯s been tested, revised, and refined through dozens or even hundreds of attempts." "I¡¯m sure we need training like this in Korea too, right? We can¡¯t possibly manage it with just the two of us, can we?" "I don¡¯t know." Although the mission videos from day one, two, and three had been edited and sent to Korea, and the footage from this mission would also reach Korea soon, the two couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether there were others who felt the same pressing need for practical training as they did. Sergeant Yoo Hyunho¡¯s thoughts were clouded as he stared through the spotting scope. The reality of implementing realistic training kept shing with the barriers of the real world. It was truly ironic¡ªbut just then, the vision of a woman resembling a shark flickered before his eyes, snapping him out of his trance. Maybe it¡¯s possible, he thought. Lately, the U.S. had been strangely helping Korea. With that thought, he checked the locations of the hidden outposts and the two sniper and sensor robots inside, marking them on the UI before resting the sniper rifle on his shoulder. Through the broken window and across the valley, two rounds flew simultaneously into the heads and upper bodies of the two humanoid robots guarding the small building 800 meters away on the opposite mountainside. "Hit, hit. Watchtower neutralized." "If there was a sniper turret, it would¡¯ve been better." "Yeah, but we had to cram a brick-sized battery, two brick-sized calction devices, and a bunch of coiled cables into our packs." "¡­" Of course, besides those items, their packs were filled with all the other essential gear. Fortunately or unfortunately, targeting and decision-making didn¡¯t require such a tight timetable, meaning the sensor¡¯s role was more important than the sniper¡¯s. In other words, at this point, what mattered wasn¡¯t ''how to kill'' but ''who to kill.'' With the tense silence, the spotting scope continued to move. After 20 seconds, which felt both long and short, the sensor called out who to kill, and sometimes the sensor would also fire, making it flow naturally, though it was more of a necessary reaction than a smooth process. The priorities were set naturally. First, the robots handling the training SAMs were the top target, followed by those at the watchtowers around the base. Luckily, the outposts had no windows, so the sound of breaking ss wouldn¡¯t give them away. Whether this was the right choice, whether they hadn¡¯t been detected, or whether there was a more efficient or correct method, the real operation, this training that resembled actualbat to its limits, never provided any answers. During the training, the instructors, whom they feared so much, would give them the closest thing to the right answers, but what was even more terrifying was the fact that there was no one to tell them whether their choices were right or wrong. How much time had passed? ©¤©¤©¤! "Did theye?" The rotor noise, which couldn¡¯t bepletely masked even by stealth design, began to spread from the valley. The remaining time was less than a minute, and two growing dots from the south entered their line of sight through the broken window. At the same time, a message from HQ came through.
    • [Alert: Reinforcements confirmeding from the north.]
    Naturally, the north was not the route for their infiltration. While the south began to stir, HQ would not let the participants who had been inserted in the north take advantage of the chaos in the south to hunt enemiesfortably. In other words, the 10-minute countdown wasn¡¯t the end, but the beginning of everything. A short, almost lostugh slipped out somewhere. "Well, it¡¯s only natural. If this is the end, it makes sense that they¡¯d ramp up the difficulty even more." Not responding to his subordinate¡¯s words, Yoo Hyunho let out a small snort and quickly identified the approaching technical vehicles from the north. For a brief moment, thoughts of where Eugene and Logan were and what they were doing crossed his mind, but he quickly refocused and began exining the positions of the approaching vehicles. The setting sun bathed them in its fading light. "The U.S. map is... very blue. Should I start calling you ¡®Sir¡¯ from now on?" "It¡¯s only been two days since the counting started. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself... But, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter much." In the northeast of the U.S., over 1,000 km away, some were beginning to savor the joy of victory. "While focusing on the elections, they¡¯ve been pulling all sorts of things off." New York, Camp Henry. In a month, it would be renamed to the White House, but until then, there was still an overwhelming amount of paperwork and electronic data he needed to review, the majority of which concerned the movements of the Republican Party. Among the most notable was the recently ongoing Department of Defensepetition-streaming. Analysts at Camp Henry were currently analyzing how this would y out in the future. Of course, after spending so much time in Washington D.C., it was easy to pick up on things without asking, and whether or not the oue would result in a loss or gain, his ability to assess the situation was key. Looking at it from Henry¡¯s perspective, thepetition wasn¡¯t likely to evolve into a major problem. In fact, if handled well, it could lead to positive oues. "The intention behind this streaming can be interpreted in different ways, but if you look at what is being shown and how detailed it is, you can guess what¡¯s being implied." As I mentioned earlier, what mattered wasn¡¯t ''what'' was being streamed. It was ''how much detail'' was being shown. In that sense, the sniperpetition being broadcasted by the Department of Defense was revealing a lot more than expected. The fact that humanoid robots could actually fight like soldiers and that the participants could shoot and destroy them signified the extent to which U.S. humanoid technology had been integrated into society. And openly showing this meant that the U.S. was likely already capable of an even more evolved technology, which could be applied to the military sector. "...In that regard, it¡¯s not bad." In this world, Russia and China didn¡¯t really pose a significant obstacle to global dominance. But that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t annoyances. Even in the previous world, there had always been troublesome yers like Africa, the Middle East, North Korea, and South America. The most unstable factor, though, was Pakistan-India... As I mentioned before, it was a real headache. This meant the U.S. was keeping a close watch on them, and they knew that very well. In other words, they were also well aware of thepetition¡¯s broadcast. Looking at it this way, this broadcast could be a good stick for those who kept veering off course. Returning to the matter at hand, Henry quickly understood that this broadcast was an attempt at reconciliation by the Republican Party. It wasn¡¯t something Henry hadn¡¯t already realized, of course. "And beyond that... it¡¯s a form of deterrence." If we were to strictly define current technology, we could say it¡¯s near future. This wasn¡¯t because of Eugene¡¯s presence, but because VR¡ªa technology that felt like it came from the distant future¡ªwas recing personalputers and rapidly bing mainstream, with humanoid robots like the ones featured today being deeply integrated into society. But, whether the rest of the world was catching up to this was a different question. There were still many countries that hadn¡¯t significantly changed since the past. In that sense, showcasing this humanoid technology could serve as an indirect demonstration to allied countries. With this thought, Henry felt like he¡¯d eaten enough without needing to have a meal. "This is busy, really busy." Winter was approaching. The end of the year, and the beginning of a new one, were drawing near. Chapter 534 ©¤©¤©¤Thud! "...Missionplete." "I thought you were tired after chopping down trees earlier, but it seems like that wasn¡¯t the case. Keep moving, we still have a ways to go." Somewhere in Georgia, 5:20 p.m., clear weather. At the end of a damp dirt road, a small forward base appeared. After easily cutting through the barbed wire at the front and entering the base, Logan, positioned above, swiftly and urately instructed me on the next steps: where and when to move. The mission wasn¡¯t about infiltrating and sneaking into the base, but rather cleaning the area, so his instructions were very detailed and precise. After carefully moving around the base for about 30 seconds, I approached the back of a patrol team consisting of three humanoid robots, each d in appropriate gear. I raised my Tomahawk and swung it horizontally. In that moment, the neck of one robot was cleanly severed and flew into the air, while the remaining two were shot in the head by Logan and the sniper turret. Grabbing the falling bodies, I silently lowered them to the ground. They¡¯d probably be enjoying a happy life in electronic heaven now. Pushing such unnecessary thoughts aside, I moved on. "Patrol team approaching from the left corner, 10 meters away. Take care of it however you like." "Just shoot a bullet at the feet as they round the corner." "Got it." 10 meters, 5 meters, 3 meters. The vibrations in the ground told me exactly where the enemies were, even with my eyes closed. In that moment, I drew out a suppressed pistol loaded with subsonic rounds and waited. Just as I heard the ping of a ricochet, the robot turned around, and I, leisurely stepping out of the hallway, fired three times in less than a second. The robots fell to the ground, their heads now sporting neat bullet holes, unable to make a sound as I quietly lowered their bodies. If this were an urgent infiltration mission, I might have skipped the body disposal, but stealth required it. The sound of bodies falling could be quite loud, and even something as simple as a magazine popping out of a pocket could create unwanted noise. Naturally, the reason I was so meticulous about these seemingly trivial details was simple: I had seen others fail because they neglected body disposal and got caught. "Next?" "Wait a moment..." At the same time, enemy soldiers began disappearing from the UI. Logan had evidently decided to wipe out all the enemies in the base using both himself and the three sniper turrets, and as he had nned, robots began dropping to the ground like lifeless puppets. I casually walked toward the mock-SAM missile panel. In reality, I would have hacked into the system and locked onto nearby missile batteries and key targets, but here, all I needed to do was ess the panel and send a deactivation signal. By then, I had no further business here. As we got closer to the base, the paths began to change. Unlike the rough, uneven mountain paths we had encountered earlier, there were now well-maintained dirt roads, concrete paths, and even asphalt roads. Countless patrols and mobile strike teams had already fallen at angles where Logan couldn¡¯t offer support. It seemed like other teams hidden somewhere had also started offering sniper support. Thanks to that, cleaning the area didn¡¯t take much time. Logan mentioned that the base in the distance was beginning to get chaotic, but it wasn¡¯t surprising. Communications with the forward base had been cut off, and maintaining a link to the main base while cleaning up was an annoying and tiring task. Once the helicoptersnded, infiltration would no longer matter. As I moved around cleaning up the area, the rotor sound of the approaching helicopters gradually became louder. "We need to mark the entry point to the base. We need to move quickly if we want to leave the door open for them to enter." "Isn¡¯t it a bit too much work for us?" "Guess it¡¯s about time we get used to it." Indeed, as expected. However, despite theints, the UI disyed clear beams of light from the sniper turrets targeting the entrance of the base. Naturally, these infraredser-like beams were invisible to others. As guards tried to pull their guns, recognizing me, their bodies copsed as if their limbs had been twisted in impossible ways. I inserted a thermite stick into the concrete wall next to the watchtower and used it as a foothold to climb up. Since the upper part of the concrete wall was covered in rusted barbed wire, I avoided that route. Reaching almost to the top of the watchtower, which resembled a control tower, I radioed Logan. "I''m ready." "Going. Watch out for the debris." A secondter, the ss of the watchtower shattered. In that instant, I jumped from the thermite stick with all my strength, grabbed onto the metal frame that had been holding the ss, and hung on. Fortunately, since I was wearing gloves, I didn¡¯t get hurt, and with that, I greeted the humanoid robots who had yet toe to their senses. "Good evening, everyone." Naturally, the three robots now sported .45 ACP-sized holes in their foreheads. Just as I spoke those words,sers from mock-projectiles began shooting toward the watchtower. If I were to be caught here, it would be a total troll move. I quickly threw grenades around and grabbed my M110A1 to start cleaning up the area. In the distance, Logan continued adding fire support, while the mock grenades withser targets didn¡¯t hit if I hid behind cover inside the room. In short, it was the beginning of one-sided ughter. "I¡¯ll stir up more trouble, so please handle the hunting from a distance. If it gets too hot, I can always jump down." "I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need to jump down. It looks like friends in another direction have joined in on the hunting too." "...True, we''ve been making quite a lot of noise." And as expected, the sniper turrets¡¯sers didn¡¯t reach the opposite side, and bullets flew into the bodies of humanoid robots hiding in angles, finishing them off mercilessly. It didn¡¯t take long before the base was thrown into chaos, and when the enemies retreated inside the buildings, the helicopters begannding. Just then, I pressed the open button for the watchtower¡¯s gate, but... "...Hmm, Logan. We¡¯ve got a small issue." "The door won¡¯t open?" "Yeah. Maybe I have to press the button in the opposite watchtower too, or maybe the panel got damaged when something exploded earlier... Well, I¡¯ll try crossing to the other side." "Time¡¯s running out, so you better hurry." "Of course." Pinging! With that, I shot at the ss and used the Tomahawk to break it. In an instant, the bulletproof ss shattered into hundreds of pieces, falling to the ground. I quickly jumped down from the watchtower and crossed over the still-closed gate door, stepping on it as I made my way across. The distance to the ground was about 6 meters. It would have been quite painful if I fell. If the upper part of the gate had been connected to a passage, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, but... there wasn¡¯t any consideration for convenience in this ce, was there? I thought as I shot through the ss of the opposite watchtower, climbed up, and pressed the open button. Only then did I see the gates I had passed through open, and I added, "Phew, the door''s open." "...Well, good enough. Be careful." "Of course." I said this sincerely, but from the other end of thems, Logan didn¡¯t seem to believe me even a bit. The final mission was beginning as the sky rapidly darkened. "...Did I just see that wrong?" "Who knows..."@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, about 300 meters away. The 22 infiltrators arriving by helicopter stared in disbelief as they watched Eugene crossing the top of the gate. "The long week ising to an end." "Yeah, it really is." At Fort Moore, in the control room. The sky was slowly darkening outside, and the control room, once crowded with equipment, was now slowly emptying. The only thing that remained the same as three days ago was the number of people in the room. In fact, there were even more people now. The control officers, participants who had been eliminated and returned to Georgia, general observers, technicians... and many more, all stared intently at the screens. The atmosphere between them was far closer now than when thepetition had started. Naturally, this was because thepetition was nearing its end. "The operation will be done in less than 30 minutes, and once they return, it¡¯ll be a total of 72 hours. Given the scale of thepetition, I was worried about safety incidents, but I¡¯m d there were none. Is there any other data I need to know?" "No, the shooting range is already cleared, and all the details will be taken care of after thepetition ends. The cleanup for the 19 teams that were eliminated has also beenpleted, including their amodations. We just need to finish the debriefing." "Then there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues." Laurenatina watched the screen showing the ongoingbat in Operation Zones A and B. Four Chinook helicopters were flying toward both zones. This had been coordinated to ensure their departure would align with the estimated end time of the operation. About 30 minutes before their arrival, all surviving teams would receive their extraction coordinates. However, it was inevitable that not all teams would remain unscathed during the base assault operation. "GROM has been eliminated. Killed by a mock mortar." "Let¡¯s send them their extraction coordinates. So, with them out, that leaves 4 teams in Zone A and 3 teams in Zone B. Half have been eliminated already..." "Zone A should wrap up without issues. One team even brought three sniper turrets." "Hah." Naturally, it was Logan¡¯s team. The spectators still didn¡¯t know this. The operation had only just started 10 minutes ago, and due to censorship, there was a two-hour dy in the stream. By now, they were probably watching Logan happily chopping down trees. The scene seen in the control room, however, was different. Logan, as expected, was quickly designating targets and giving shootingmands, executing sniper support while handling the turrets. Whether sequentially or simultaneously, it was clear that, whether living or mechanical, every time their weapons spat fire, humanoids a kilometer away would be reduced to nothing but scrap. "Amazing." "Well, it¡¯s just getting started." Eugene opened the main gate of the base with a flourish, and the 22 operators poured in like an unstoppable wave. Inside or outside the base, the snipers'' job was simple: to carry out long-range headshots on the iing enemy. The survivors from Zone A, after all their battles, executed this task admirably. Meanwhile, the 22 operators moved into the underground of the building to retrieve vital data and rescue the kidnapped humanoids. Eugene, meanwhile, crossed the base, repeating the same process from the south, securing the northern exit. "Operator Logan¡¯s direct sniper support has decreased a bit." "Yeah, the distance between us and the base has increased to over 1 km. The base is a vertical rectangle, so providing the same precision support as before is a bit harder, but on the bright side, it¡¯s a blessing for our friends waiting on the north side." Northeast, JTF-2. Northwest, Korean UDT. And to the north, Eugene, locking down reinforcements with the M110A1 sniper rifle, preparing for the final moments. The humanoid that descended from the technical vehicle tried to fire a mortar in a hurry, but its head exploded as soon as it attempted to do so. As it grabbed the vehicle¡¯s heavy machine gun, its head was blown off too. The lead vehicle¡¯s wheels had already long burst, and the vehicle had turned into a literal roadblock. Every moment was a battle against pain. Even after they struggled to reach their destination, the participants had to dig trenches, cover them with camouge, and endure the tedious and exhausting tasks. Unsurprisingly, thebat prowess of these human weapons was terrifyingly powerful. But HQ wasn¡¯t going to sit idly by. "Let¡¯s deploy more reinforcements. Heading south." "Isn¡¯t that Logan¡¯s team and the SAS¡¯s territory?" "Exactly." Snipers who were detected naturally attempted to flee desperately. Once they realized they''d been spotted and acknowledged the significant firepower difference, the next step was to quickly pack up and retreat. It seemed that it was time to find out just how fast they could escape. Laurenatina smiled as she ordered the additional deployment of troops, and at that moment, around 2pany-sized forces began moving from a hidden hanger about 1 km south of the southern gate. Unlike the reinforcementsing from the north, who traveled by technical vehicles, these troops began heading up the mountain paths to catch the snipers. Of course, there had been no warning at all, so the distance was quickly closing, but¡ª "¡­What¡¯s going on?" "Wait, what is that¡­?" A vibration rang through Logan¡¯sms. It came from a small base, roughly 400 meters away from where Logan and Eugene had rested, where suddenly res and sensor traps began going off. Eugene had set these up earlier. Logan immediately added to thems.
    • "Enemy forces approaching from the south. We¡¯ll move north as quickly as possible. Sniper support is now unavable."
    • "Copy that. We¡¯ll regroup quickly."
    Themunication rang in the control room, and Laurenatina smiled broadly, adding: "This is why I like the younger ones." Laurenatina had figured it out immediately, but there were others who hadn¡¯t yet realized. In the meantime, Logan shoved Eugene¡¯s gear into her own pack, disconnected the wires from the turret, and hurriedly stuffed theputing unit and batteries she¡¯d installed deep into a cave. She also grabbed her own TAC-50 sniper rifle, as well as the one Eugene had left behind. After locking the ammo cans and cramming them into her pack, she quickly stuffed the map she hadid out nearby into her multi-purpose pouch and stood up. Through the UI, she saw the IFF signal on the opposite mountain slope. At the same time, she activated the red light and transmitted Morse code. Short, long, short ¨C R. Short, short, long ¨C U. Long, short ¨C N. At the same time, Logan, now loaded with gear, began running like a bullet. Watching her, Laurenatina couldn¡¯t help butugh. "Quite impressive." It didn¡¯t take long for the two teams in the south to hastily abandon their positions. The final mission was nearing its end. Chapter 535 "Damn it, this is really awful¡­!" Run. Run, and keep running. The soles of Logan¡¯s boots, already caked with mud and water from the wet ground, werepletely filthy. Bits of crushed grass and decaying leaves stuck to her clothes as she ran. But Logan paid no attention to that, moving as fast as she could. There was no road, and at times, the terrain was steep enough to make one frustrated. Her movement was more of a slide than a run. But slowing down was not an option. The number of enemy humanoids chasing her was far too great. When the distance between them stretched to about 400 meters, Logan quickly caught her breath, leaning against a tree, and began picking off the heads of the enemies approaching from afar with precise shots. The mobility of a pr bear had long surpassed that of a human, so in normal circumstances, there was no reason she should have been caught. However, there was a pressing reason she had to escape as fast as possible. "Damnser guns..." The current situation, which was a training exercise and not realbat. The robots chasing Logan weren¡¯t carrying real guns ¨C they usedsers. When aser hit, HQ automatically calcted the damage from far away. In other words, running in an open area would be suicide. Lasers were far faster than bullets. Moreover, her gear was heavy ¨C about 100kg worth of military gear. She was still human, and after three days of constant movement and battle, her body was stiff and exhausted. Despite all these conditions, Logan was still running. "Hey, rookie, are you listening? I''m moving along the route from Point Alpha to Point 23, and I''m about two-thirds of the way there! I remember you¡¯re carrying an M110A1 ¨C can you provide support?" "Impossible. I¡¯m running out of ammo. There¡¯s heavybat to the north, and if I don¡¯t focus on these guys, we¡¯ll all be wiped out." "Then try asking the designated shooters for more ammo, damn it! I¡¯m carrying all this gear and running like hell!" "Is it really that many?" "Twopanies are chasing me!" Logan had all sorts of guns, but they were bolt-action, and with a suppressor, the barrels were unreasonably long. In other words, it was just more weight to carry. With all that strapped on, Logan had no choice but to keep running. The one thing that was somewhat lucky was that she could at least drink from her canteen or use her Camelbak while running. There was still 1.5km left to the retreat point, and she had to push herself to the limit to get there. 10 seconds. 20 seconds. 30 seconds passed. Despite the rapid speed of the sniper rifle¡¯s shots, amazingly, not a single bullet missed the target. Thebat power was far beyond what was normal. But for every one she killed, five more reced them, and the sheer brutality of the numbers was overwhelming. Even after quite a while, there was no word from the rookie, and Logan gave up on the idea of getting support and pushed herself to run again. "Damn it, when I get back, I¡¯m making sure the rookie installs a proper autonomous mode for the sniper turrets¡­!" Logan¡¯s thoughts wandered to the battlefield in New York from the past. When being chased, turrets ¨C not just sniper turrets ¨C were like another life, and they could effectively lock down the enemy¡¯s movements. Another tool in development was the seeker mine, a coboration between the military and DARPA. The reason she thought about this was simple: right now, the sniper turrets Logan was carrying didn¡¯t have such features. Her mind was racing. Just as she expected,munication came back from the rookie, but the response was about what she had anticipated. They had ammo, but the angles weren¡¯t ideal. The rookie would do their best... The base was in a valley below, and Logan was running high up on the mountain, so support was difficult. But difficulty didn¡¯t mean impossible, and shooting wasn¡¯t the only way to provide support. "¡­Can you hear me, Logan? I¡¯ve essed the central system of the base and adjusted the enemy concentration. I''ve sent an emergency support request." "Just get to the point!" "I¡¯ve redirected half the enemy forces chasing you towards the base. It¡¯ll make things smoother. And when you reach Point 23, turn towards 26. You¡¯ll probably see a watchtower." "And then?" "Once you¡¯re near it, get the sniper team¡¯s attention, whatever it takes. When I came down here, the friendly marker for that tower appeared on my UI." There was no response. Had thems not filtered out the gunshots, Eugene would have heard the sharp sounds of bullets being spit out by the suppressor over and over again. Logan, who had already sent five more enemies to the afterlife, didn¡¯t hesitate when she reached Point 23 and immediately ran towards Point 26. The terrain was steep, with rock walls and sharp inclines. But Logan quickly found spots to grip, her movements light and nimble like a mountain goat. After traveling about 100 meters, she emerged from the mountain path and saw a rtively open, gentle uphill slope with the watchtower far in the distance. It was about 400 meters away, and without the gear, she could have covered it in no time, but not now. The method Logan chose was simple. "Ka-ka-ka!" With a sound like turning a screw, Logan removed the suppressor from her pistol, loaded a fresh magazine, and immediately started running. "Look here¡­!" Bang, bang, bang! As she sprinted, Logan fired her pistol wildly into the air, hitting the concrete walls of the watchtower several times. How much time passed? The pr bear locked eyes with the two Asians who had peeked out from the watchtower. They were clearly confused, having no idea what was happening, but when they saw the humanoid robots emerging from the forest, they immediately understood the situation. Secondster, a sharp noise erupted from the watchtower. The bullet, traveling at nearly Mach 3, missed Logan by a long shot, but it quickly found its mark as it obliterated the skulls of the uninvited guests that had begun to appear from behind. "RUN!" A voice rang out from the watchtower. Naturally, the pr bear knew exactly what it meant. Her throat was dry, her feet were burning, and her entire body was drenched in sweat. Her joints ached. But the humanoids could not match Logan¡¯s superior physical abilities, and the distance between them slowly started to widen. Logan had to rush up a gentle slope to reach the watchtower, and naturally, she became exposed. But her massive backpack blocked theser shots that came at her. After an arduous journey, Logan finally reached the watchtower, gasping for breath. The counterattack began. "Are you alive, Logan? You weren¡¯t hit, right?" "My backpack seems to have absorbed it... Damn, I can barely breathe. I¡¯ll take care of the remaining enemies. Is everything finished on your end?" "Almost. I¡¯ve been out of the base for a while now." "Alright, then. I¡¯ll see you at the extraction point." With the rookie¡¯s voiceing through thems, Logan climbed the stairs. There was no need to meet up with the other sniper teams at the top of the watchtower. Instead, Logan crouched down and swept through the broken windows with her silenced rifle. Ignoring the sweat pouring from her body, she began indiscriminately taking out humanoids that were gradually approaching. At that moment, familiar Korean voices came from the upper floors. "What the hell are those guys?!" "Uninvited guests!" They were the participants she had met earlier, the ones from the rookie¡¯s team. Logan smiled quietly, and the two on the upper floor, hearing the pr bear¡¯s voice,ughed as they started stacking the robot corpses like a mountain. Even though they were split into two groups, there were still 80 enemies. Logan had already killed twenty, and after about two minutes of fighting, twenty more had been taken down. Logan couldn¡¯t stay there for too long and urged a retreat. The two UDT soldiers quickly used the fast ropes they had set up in advance and withdrew. A brief exchange of words, then running. With about 40 humanoids still left and knowing their hiding spots had been revealed, Logan and the others nned to shake off the pursuers in the forest. As the two watched the rear and fought, Logan pushed herself again, running with everything she had. Reaching the boundary of the forest, Logan threw off her backpack and set up three sniper turrets. Within 15 seconds, the turrets were connected to theputing unit and battery and positioned on fallen logs. One by one, the pursuers began peeking out near the watchtower, but Logan, while the turrets were powering up, took out her TAC-50 and aimed. A sharp, heavy noise rang out, and one enemy¡¯s head disappeared. "Smoke grenades!" The UDT soldiers dropped a few smoke grenades, and as the smoke billowed, the two soldiers were able to reach the boundary of the forest without taking damage. Seeing that the two had arrived safely, Logan fired a smoke grenade from her sniper rifle, sending it flying in the opposite direction, clearing the smoke and revealing the enemies¡¯ positions. "Is this how it¡¯s going to end?" "End? Of course." The sounds of gunfire began again in bursts, and three humanoids fell to the ground almost simultaneously. Once the turrets began firing, the robots had no chance to evade. "I think it¡¯s time to rest." The grueling mission wasing to an end. The helicopters for extraction were approaching, and thest of the 40 remaining pursuers turned into piles of scrap metal. The helicopternded at the extraction point, just three minutes before they were to leave. "You really went through a lot, Logan." "That was one of the top 5 hardest moments of my military career. Damn, I¡¯m about to pass out. Can you wake me up if I faint?" "Of course." After chatting, they drank together. As the alcohol took effect, the exhaustion began to seep in. It was now nearing midnight, and after some time, Laurenatina stood up and stretched. "Anyway, see you tomorrow. Great job in thepetition. We¡¯ll talk about all the behind-the-scenes stories on the bus ride." "¡­" "¡­Why is no one saying anything?" Olivia, with a confused expression, looked on. I met Logan¡¯s gaze. The pr bear nodded. At that moment, I used my tail to hook Laurenatina, pulling her toward me, wrapped tightly in my tail, and yanked her into my arms. Logan¡¯s voice followed. "You saw all the chaos during our missions, but to top it off, you came into our room with whiskey in hand when we were trying to sleep... I guess that means you¡¯re ready to handle the rookie¡¯s drinking habits all night, huh?" "W-What... we weren¡¯t even that drunk, what are you talking about, ugh...!" "Laurenatina¡¯s been tired after acting as the senior controller during thepetition, so it¡¯s up to the rookie to put her to bed, right?" "Of course." Of course, we weren¡¯t that drunk, but when it came to this, you had to be bold. I wrapped Laurenatina tightly in my tail and dove onto a specially designed high-sticity mattress, making the shark my pillow for the night. Olivia, watching us with a bewildered look, added. "...Another quiet night, huh? See you tomorrow. I¡¯ll turn off the lights and leave."@@novelbin@@ "Ugh¡­!" "Take care, Olivia." The lights went out. The sound of crickets filled the air, and the moon shone brightly. It was November, with the shark caught by my tail, crying out in the quiet night. Chapter 536 ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake. You must be curious, so let me tell you in advance: it¡¯s 11 a.m. now, and the bus has been on the road for about an hour. We¡¯ll be at the airport soon, so you might want to drink something and get your bearings.¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t say anything, but anyway, all my questions are answered. Thanks.¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw a ceiling I didn¡¯t recognize. The surroundings werepletely different from what I remembered. ording to myst recollection, a shark had been wrapped around my tail, but now I was sitting in the front seat of a limousine bus, being handed a drink. That¡¯s when I finally realized the situation I was in. I had definitely slept nonstop for almost 11 hours. That was probably why I hadn¡¯t woken up yet¡ªI had been forced onto this bus while I was out cold. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how tired I must have been to not wake up despite the movement. Given the difficulty of the final mission in the sniperpetition, it made sense. The sweet, ion drink slowly chased away my drowsiness as I moved my stiff body around, trying to figure out where Logan was and what she was doing. ©¤©¤©¤! ¡°¡­Ugh, what was that sound?¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d be awake by now. It would be great if you could put up a sound barrier. That damn bastard seems like he¡¯s not even nning to wake up.¡± The noise that came from the back sounded like something that shouldn¡¯t being out of a woman¡¯s mouth. Instead of trying to block it with a sound barrier, I stood up from my chair and turned half of my body toward Logan, who was sprawled out on a makeshift bed behind us. The loud noise quickly faded to zero, and Logan started to stir, purring like a cat before settling into a calm sleep again. Seeing this, Laurenatina pped her hands, and Olivia chuckled, adding, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wake her up soon?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll wake up soon, now that the youngest is awake. It¡¯s definitely hard to say she¡¯s in good shape, though¡­ Around the end of thest mission, we sprinted for about 2 kilometers with a nearly 100 kg load on our backs. There¡¯s probably a lot of umted fatigue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ if she¡¯s still like that when we get to the airport, it might be a real pain.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, who¡¯s making all that noise?¡± It¡¯s said that birds listen to daytime talk and mice hear nighttime talk, and just a little noise was enough for Logan, who seemed like she wouldn¡¯t wake up even when we arrived at the airport, to finally stir. After handing her arge ion drink bottle, just like Laurenatina had done to me, Logan downed half of it without taking a breath and then leaned against the side of the bus. It was her way of recharging. I, too, sat in an empty seat nearby and tidied up my messy hair. Now that I thought about it, I realized that most airport lounges had shower rooms, so I figured I¡¯d need to take a shower when we arrived at Ondo International Airport. I must have been thinking that way, because, before long, the bus was entering Anta. With only about 5 minutes left before we got off, the conversation continued. ¡°Thanks to the youngest, I¡¯ve been to Disney World in my life. I have no idea what they made there, but damn.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say it, but I agree. I think I remember the youngest opening their wallet again, but if we go there and don¡¯t enjoy it, that¡¯d be a loss, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­What, you¡¯ve never watched TV in your life?¡± Olivia asked with a look of disbelief, but I let out a hollowugh as I reflected on why Logan and Laurenatina had said that. Laurenatina ¨C from Vermont. In her hometown, you could often see bears or wolves while walking in the backwoods. She proudly said, ¡°I¡¯ve been holding a gun since I was 4,¡± and grew up hunting with a crossbow, .22 caliber, and birdshot shotgun. Likewise, Logan was from ska. ording to some TMI, her parents ran thergest gun shop in the area where she lived, and they¡¯d personally hunted a brown bear, grizzly bear, or moose at least once every two years. She used to joke that the reason she turned into a bear was because she killed so many of them that she was cursed. Anyway, put simply, both the shark and the pr bear had simr childhoods, spent in the mountains and fields, having far more extreme experiences than watching TV or whatever. They weren¡¯t really connected to animated movies that others asionally watched. And I, surrounded by such people as snipers, had grown up as an operator, so naturally, I didn¡¯t care about that stuff. Still, when I thought about it differently, it felt like I might have a chance to dip my feet into that world now. It might be better to think positively about it. ¡°¡­Well, if that¡¯s how you understand it, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± Before long, we arrived at Ondo International Airport. Since we didn¡¯t have much time, we didn¡¯t stop for a meal. We popped up the shortest route with our Icarus gear and ran joyfully. After scanning the electronic ticket I had downloaded in advance on my phone, we rushed onto the domestic flight, and within a few minutes, the ne took off. It was truly a close call. The ticket was booked for a rtively cheap price, so the seat wasn¡¯t veryfortable, and with my tail, I endured about 1 hour and 20 minutes of terrible difort. Still, the difficult time eventually ended. From the always gloomy and asionally rainy roads of Georgia, we were headed to sunny Florida. Through the small window, I saw a view of residential areas, which you almost never see in Korea. It reminded me of Canada, and full ofkes, as it revealed its majestdscape. Just yesterday, I had been wandering through the Georgia mountains, but now it felt like a new experience. ¡°After the two of you get off, head to the MCO lounge with a shower. I¡¯ll be going to the parking lot, so don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Hah, if I had woken up just a little earlier, none of this would have happened.¡± ¡°Sometimes, you just can¡¯t beat exhaustion. By the way, even though Olivia and I carried both of you and walked several hundred meters to put you on the bus without waking you up, you had the nerve to sleep until the bus reached downtown Anta¡­ and now you¡¯re acting all confident?¡± ¡°Do you really need to add one more line to make things worse, huh?¡±@@novelbin@@ Of course, Laurenatina got pped by the pr bear as soon as wended. Anyway, among our group, only Logan and I hadn¡¯t showered yet, so while the owl and shark headed outside, we made our way to the MCO lounge, where we spent about 30 minutes showering and getting ready. It was a surprising thought, but it felt like the era had arrived when you could shower at airports. After refreshing ourselves, we headed toward the airport exit. ¡°Finally here.¡± ¡°This crazy¡ªwhy the hell were you hiding behind a pir, erasing your presence?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d wait in front of an exit with hundreds of people walking around? I don¡¯t want to do a fan meeting.¡± ¡°¡­I get what you mean. Anyway, let¡¯s go.¡± I spotted two people hiding with barely any presence, as if they were trying not to be seen by anyone. We called two supercars from the parking lot, and as the vehicles approached, I blended into the crowd as naturally as possible. Since I stood out more than most people, I even used the optical camouge feature of my Icarus gear. When the two expensive-looking cars came to a stop in front of us, the doors flew open like wings to the sky. While people around us widened their eyes and scrambled to turn on their phone cameras, we quickly closed the doors and began leaving Ondo International Airport at top speed. The sky was clear, and after weaving through winding roads for about 30 minutes, the number of vehicles gradually decreased, nearly to zero. The conversation continued. ¡°Thanks to the youngest, I¡¯ve been to ces I never thought I¡¯d see in my life. Always grateful.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. Don¡¯t feel too burdened. I¡¯m doing this because I want to.¡± ¡°Haha, I hope the youngest has many more things they want to do in the future¡­ Ow, stop hitting my thigh!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really shallow.¡± Is this the kind of high-quality conversation people nearing 40 have? I decided to just ignore it. It was the start of a short vacation before our departure for Saint Petersburg. ¡°¡­Youngest. Is this service part of a VIP reservation or something?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no, that starts tomorrow.¡± There was a time when I thought this was all vacation. Well, it wasn¡¯tpletely wrong. At least, when we entered Universal Studios less than 10 minutes ago, it felt that way ¨C but then a kid holding a copyright monster-mouse balloon and wearing a copyright monster-mouse headband suddenly pointed at me and yelled, ¡°Mom! There¡¯s Kaah over there!¡± and that¡¯s when things started to feel off. So, what the hell is Kaah? Anyway, while everyone around me waspletely oblivious, wanting to take photos or videos, I, at that moment, disabled every portable electronic device within a 50-meter radius. It wasn¡¯t exactly karma, but it was one of those situations where enough was enough. At that point, we realized our attempt at leisurely sightseeing waspletely out the window, and just as we began to get swarmed by a group of staff who looked like they were headed toward us, I thought, ¡°Well, VIP tours aren¡¯t starting until tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky you don¡¯t have an appearance like the youngest or the pr bear. Olivia¡¯s in the gray zone too.¡± ¡°Damn. Should I have worn a hat? If I had, maybe they would¡¯ve just thought I was someone who dyed their hair.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to leave the youngest behind on this trip. It¡¯s toote for that now. If you really want, buy a hat and rip the top off, and then wear it.¡± Naturally, most things could be solved with Icarus gear. Sorry to those two who had hurried over, but one of the staff members had been sent back as soon as I decided to send them off. The reason I asked one of them to stay wasn¡¯t for anything special ¨C I just wanted an exnation. ¡°Have you really never watched Disney animations?¡± ¡°Technically, I know what I know. I¡¯ve seen a few, but I don¡¯t think I could enjoy this ce as much as an enthusiastic Disney fan.¡± ¡°Haha, with that attitude, it¡¯s not really a problem. Sure, people who know what Magic Kingdom Park is will enjoy it more, but that doesn¡¯t mean that those who¡¯ve never heard of it can¡¯t enjoy anything. In the end, this ce is for everyone, offering dreams and hope.¡± ¡­Really? For a ce that gives dreams and hope, the food prices seem to be skyrocketing endlessly. But, I guess, theme parks are all about selling dreams and hopes. I pushed those unnecessary thoughts aside as I began to head inside with the staff¡¯s help to explore the ce. ¡°Well, good timing. In about an hour, there¡¯ll be a parade. In about 30 minutes, you¡¯ll see Snow White, Cindere, Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Ariel, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast passing by on parade floats.¡± ¡°Anyone who didn¡¯t get anything out of what this person just said?¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ve never read a fairytale? I know Snow White. She¡¯s the one who fights bounty hunters sent by the queen with night-vision goggles in a forest base, and then turns around to shoot the queen, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­What? Isn¡¯t that the story? That¡¯s what my dad told me at night in a winter mountain cabin.¡± A suffocating silence. As soon as Logan said somethingpletely unexpected, everyone, including the staff, rolled their eyes, ncing nervously at each other. When I saw Logan blinking her eyes, seemingly wondering if she had gotten it wrong, I realized that her parents had probably made a unique adaptation of the story. If only there had been more time or if we weren¡¯t so rushed, I would have loved to hear more of the other fairytales her parents had adapted. But unfortunately, the quick-witted staff member, seeing the castle straight ahead, quickly changed the subject. ¡°That castle in front is Disney Castle. It¡¯s the castle you always see at the start of movies produced by Disney Animation Studios.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I think I¡¯ve seen it once or twice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I can confidently say that no one has never seen it.¡± Meanwhile, I made eye contact with Olivia. Maybe she had something to say, so I adjusted my position and moved next to her. What followed was a whisper that wasn¡¯t really a whisper. ¡°¡­That castle. Back when we were doing the Florida recovery operation, I was TACP and I blew it up with a 0.3kt B61 Mod12.¡± ¡°¡­Task Force Laser did something like that?¡± ¡°One of our old nicknames was ¡®Disney Killer.¡¯ That¡¯s when I got that one.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± The memories of the past shed through my mind at that moment. That must have been around the time when the project to gather all the manifesters in New York and train them intobat troops had finished. I was starting to operate as abat unit, capable of doing what one person could do. In terms of years, it was about two and a half years after I first set foot in New York. Back then, when the jokes and strange nicknames were tossed around, we¡¯d all chuckle. Later, I found out that they¡¯d basically turned Disney World, covering an area of about 101km2, into a ce full of craters, twisted scrap metal, and melted ground from the extreme heat. What was that other nickname we got back then¡­? ¡°Destroyer of Innocence?¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say, youngest?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. I just realized I have some history with Disney World.¡± ¡°Haha, everyone¡¯s got their memories. It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t have connections; we just didn¡¯t realize it until now. You¡¯d be amazed, but there was a big eventst month. If you hade a bit earlier, you would¡¯ve seen something far grander and more enjoyable.¡± Thankfully or not, the staff member didn¡¯t seem to hear what we were muttering. Of course, Laurenatina, Logan, and I all shared that memory to some extent. After all, even earlier this year, we literally tore apart Disnend in Anaheim, California. Though, it wasn¡¯t directly us; it was something our shadows did. Thinking back, it seemed like we four had made enough of a reputation as the Destroyers of Innocence. But, honestly, most of those things were done out of necessity, so I don¡¯t really feel guilty about them. We hade too far to feel guilty now. I quietly followed the staff member ahead and added, ¡°At least, we didn¡¯te here to tear down the buildings.¡± ¡°Stop with the annoying remarks. We¡¯re not done with thepetition yet, are we?¡± Indeed. It was a strange thing to say aftering to the town full of dreams and hope. It was autumn. Chapter 537 ¡°I thought it¡¯d be boring not being able to ride any attractions, but thanks to the youngest, there¡¯s been no time to rest at all.¡± ¡°Compared to us, who only got some fur and ears and feathers added to our heads, it¡¯s fundamentally different, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve got a snake tail the size of a person¡¯s body. Not that I¡¯m envious, of course.¡± ¡°Ugh, why me...¡± There was a scent like perfume in the air. In the small bag I held with my tail, there were many souvenirs ¡ª gloves, toys, signed items, ribbons, and countless mementos ¡ª none of which had been bought with money. And as time passed, the number of these souvenirs kept growing. The reason was simple. The various characters we met while wandering around had shown us a lot of attention. While leaning against the barricade separating the parade from the crowd and flicking my tail, I was suddenly pulled into a pre-hug by a character, and while buying a caramel apple at a snack stand, I was called over and hugged again. Then, while going to eat, I was hugged once more... At that point, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going on, so I nced at one of the staff members apanying us, asking with my eyes, and the reply I received was¡­ quite strange. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s simple really. At our Disney World, we have a sort of¡­ special treatment for manifesters. If you think about where the inspiration for the films produced by Disney Animation Studios, which was founded more than 100 years ago, came from, the answer is pretty clear.¡± ¡°¡­You mean, they¡¯re looking at manifesters?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it obvious? In fact, all the original animals that move and think like people were all based on manifesters like you.¡± Naturally, we were all stunned upon hearing this. It made sense though. After all, everyone here had at least some knowledge of the world¡¯s secrets, and knew that their bodies had mysteriously changed when they came to this world. It was already a known fact that the effects of the manifesters had shaped the society in significant ways, but to encounter a fragment of that in this form¡­ I had never imagined it. ¡®¡­No, should I have figured it out sooner?¡¯ As we waited in line for photos with popr characters, not only were they calling us over, but the people already in line epted this as natural, cheering for us as if we were cutting in line. That should¡¯ve been my first clue. Thinking back, we were... maybe just regr characters that appear around here. Our presence here stood in stark contrast to the standard ¡°This character will appear from - to -!¡± signs scattered throughout the park. If I hadn¡¯t posted on social media beforeing here saying there wouldn¡¯t be any special fan service, we might¡¯ve been in trouble. ¡°Even with so many people around, if the youngest had started streaming, it might have taken us 40 minutes to move 1km.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I left the drone cam in the car. Tomorrow will be a bit quieter. The VIP tour doesn¡¯t ovep with the public, so we should be fine.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Unfortunately, we weren¡¯t really able to enjoy most of the attractions at Disney World due to our sizes. The most realistic option seemed to be taking turns riding the attractions individually, but whether we wanted to do that was another question. So, the staff member ying the guide exaggeratedlymented this and promised to make the tour tomorrow morefortable. Not that it was necessary, really. In any case, the thing we spent the most time on was... ¡°Wow, I never thought I¡¯d meet you guys here! Although I don¡¯t know much about your expertise in the military field, I watch your broadcasts all the time! I hope you enjoy your time in thisnd of dreams and hopes!¡± ¡°Ah... thank you. The performance earlier was very impressive, and I enjoyed watching it. Though I didn¡¯t see the movie that inspired the performance...¡± ¡°Oh my¡­ that¡¯s such a shame. But what¡¯s important is that you¡¯re interested now. Not having seen it yet just means you can watch it anytime.¡± It was a strange encounter in a space where only staff members were allowed. I wasn¡¯t the best at remembering faces, but I could recognize most people, especially since many of them were performers in surprise shows that suddenly appeared throughout the park. Usually, I couldn¡¯t recognize them because of the character costumes, but not all the staff performed in costumes. Anyway, it was a bit embarrassing, but this also reflected Disney World¡¯s motto, which was a little different from the original world. The staff continued their exnation. ¡°It might be a bit surprising for you, but as I mentioned earlier... we primarily create the admiration and imagination of people. This extends to our staff as well. In order to spread dreams and hope, we need those who understand what that means.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, the staff here have a kind of¡­ admiration for the image of manifesters. Since the animation studio started with that concept, we¡¯ve intentionally, though partially, allowed this framework to continue.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why, just a few hours ago, we could experience things we never imagined?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± So, this was what they meant by ¡°special treatment¡± for manifesters. I wasn¡¯t sure if this could be considered a butterfly effect, but even if it hadn¡¯t been for that, it was highly likely that the park operators had been paying a lot of attention to us. After all, four out of the approximately 17 EM-level manifesters in the world had suddenly shown up at the same time. If it were me, I¡¯d be just as stunned. And since we were receiving services, rather than paying for them, there was no real issue with the give-and-take. Moreover, one of the reasons people visit theme parks is to have these kinds of "special" experiences. Without this, we¡¯d just be wandering around the area for a few days before heading home. After all, we had all lived lives with little to no connection to animation or things like that. Anyway, we spent some time wandering around, eating, and eventually, the sun began to set. Arge crowd moved toward Disney Castle, and just before the sunpletely set, they took their ces, getting ready to watch the uing fireworks. Everyone took out their phones and cameras, capturing what seemed like a vlog. Meanwhile, in a spot inessible to the general public, cocktails were ced on our table. When I asked where they were from, the bartender told me he had made them based on our appearances. Laurenatina, who was staring at the white drink with a cherry delicately crafted into a serrated shape, chuckled. Her sharp, pointed teeth showed between her lips. ¡°Really impressive.¡± ¡°The one with white and a bit of blue¡­ it smells like soda, right? They probably got it from my hair and eyes.¡± ¡°The ss is all green, so I guess it¡¯s a Green Anaconda?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty ordinary. With the brown color, it could be an espresso martini?¡± Anyway, cheers. Just before the timer prepared by Disney hit zero, a loud sound rang out, and at the same moment, an unfamiliar theme song yed. The ck sky was briefly colored white, and the fireworks began. As they continued, a rich melon vor slid down my throat, and the sharp burn of alcohol rose in my throat. It was sweet and delicious. Of course... ¡°To bring down that castle, we¡¯d probably need several times the amount of fireworks exploding in the sky right now.¡± ¡°Who wants to calcte all that? Just bombard it with kiloton-level stuff. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Can we not talk about that crap with this beautiful backdrop? Damn idiots.¡± As always, the military minds were the same. The scenery before our eyes was breathtaking, but the conversation was utter chaos. This wasn¡¯t exactly what you¡¯d call a vacation schedule, but it had begun. "¡­Epcot Virtual Reality Studio? Didn''t they say there''s a VIP-only tour tomorrow?" "They suggested it first. Let''s review the details and decide if we¡¯ll go ahead with the tour tomorrow, or maybe postpone it for the day after." 11 p.m., Florida Disney World - Four Seasons Resort. With the window open, we could see the fireworks from Magic Kingdom far in the distance. In our four-person suite, we were ordering room service¡ªthough when I offered to pay, they all adamantly refused, insisting on ordering with their own money, so I had to ce the orders through my Icarus gear. A data file was handed to the three of us who were spending time in the suite. This file was, as mentioned earlier, a rmendation for a tour course sent to us by Disney. They had clearly caught on to the fact that we hadn¡¯t had the most impressive time and decided to offer a suggestion. The course they rmended certainly caught our attention¡ªbut to understand why, a bit of exnation was needed. Disney World consists of four massive theme parks, and one of them is the Epcot, which I briefly mentioned earlier. Another one is Magic Kingdom, which we had already visited today. Unlike the other parks, whose themes are mostly fantasy, Epcot deals with the future and global cultures, with a format resembling an expo. As I mentioned earlier, the addition of "Virtual Reality Studio" as part of thebel gave away a bit of the theme. For anyone with a good sense, they would immediately recognize who Epcot had coborated with to build the studio. ¡°¡­It looks like thepany your parents have control over is significantly involved in this ce, huh?¡± ¡°That¡­ what was it again? Icarus, right?¡± ¡°Both of you are correct.¡± Normally, people wouldn¡¯t care much about the history of how the studio was built unless they were told directly by the guide, but today, we happened to be among the few people who did. There wasn¡¯t much to exin anyway. Unlike other theme parks, the Epcot Virtual Reality Studio had been built in just three years. The constructionpany under Icarus Logistics ran VR simtions, and the materials needed were calcted down to thest bag of cement. Icarus covered most of the construction costs, and their share of the project was about the same, but that¡¯s beside the point. The key point about the Virtual Reality Studio was that it was modeled after various virtual reality games, including Dark Zone. Scrolling through the file, mypanions seemed to notice that the content had shifted, as their focus visibly sharpened. ¡°Dark Zone was expected, and it looks like Glory & Honor is also here. Terra¡¯s a new one for me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic-based fantasy game. I haven¡¯t yed it myself, so I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s probably just as popr, or even more popr, than Glory & Honor.¡± ¡°Well, unless the youngest takes an interest, I won¡¯t be bothered with it.¡± As I continued scrolling, it became clear that there were various VR data that could only be experienced at this studio, along with unique skins and costumes that visitors could receive as gifts. But what really caught our attention was something else. It wasn¡¯t just that Epcot was bing a new hotspot for cosy; there was the option to pay a fee and log into humanoid robots where holograms would be projected onto them, allowing visitors to walk around the studio remotely. ¡°¡­That¡¯s pretty impressive. It¡¯s a good opportunity for those who are physically impaired or elderly and can¡¯t walk long distances.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been in partial operation for about a year, but the demand was so high that they increased the number of humanoid robots to 10,000. From what I heard from my parents, within a year, everything will be reced with Icarus Dynamics-produced models.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just another printing press for dor bills.¡± Indeed. Thinking about it, tomorrow will probably offer a lot more to see than today did. As I thought that, I leaned back on the bed, and suddenly, a thought shed through my mind. It wasn¡¯t just words¡ªimages passed by like a panorama. Something clicked in my mind, and a series of various ideas started to assemble in my mind. The idea of projecting a hologram onto a humanoid robot wasn¡¯t too unusual¡ªit was essentially like pulling something from virtual reality and pasting it into reality. If that¡¯s the case, I could subtly bring out Jin, Rain, or Maverick. Wouldn¡¯t that be fine? ¡®How it¡¯s possible¡¯ wasn¡¯t something I needed to figure out at this point. My parents had already opened the doors through their partnership with Icarus Dynamics and the AI researchb, so I could easily get away with saying, ¡°We¡¯re testing the system.¡± And in that moment, there was no one who wouldn¡¯t notice what I was thinking. But this time, I was a little faster. ¡°Logan, Laurenatina.¡± ¡°Looks like the youngest came up with something again. I¡¯m not curious, but just bring me the result.¡± ¡°Expect all you want.¡± I nced quickly. Thankfully or unfortunately, Olivia hadn¡¯t caught on yet. I stood up and added with a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in 3 minutes, just going for a quick walk.¡± Of course, three minutes wasn¡¯t nearly enough to even leave therge hotel lobby. Activating my Icarus gear, I opened a gate and walked through the front door, heading straight into the darkness toward the location where the Dagger Team from the other world was. Since there was nothing left to do afterpleting the recent ming donkey mission, I figured I could just check in. The location was still at Central Park HQ. Unlike other operators who were scattered throughout the headquarters, these three dots were all gathered in one ce. I lightly touched the dots on the map, and the names popped up above. Jin, Rain, and Maverick¡ªnow, everyone just called them by their nicknames since Maverick was too long. I knocked on the door of the room where the three were gathered and activated IFF to confirm who was there. The moment the door opened, I was greeted with the scene inside. ¡°Hey, stop moving your feet! Didn¡¯t you want to try painting your nails?¡± ¡°Ugh, this feels weirder than I thought¡­ eh.¡± ¡°What? Who¡¯s¡ªugh!¡± ¡°Eh, huh¡­?¡± The room, where three humanoids were staying, looked a bit too much like a girly space. I briefly wondered if I should be happy for them, seeing how they had grown into independent beings. But then I let that thought go.@@novelbin@@ With a smile, I added, ¡°My little ones. Clear your schedule for tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­Why, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing major.¡± And with that, I opened my mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside and get some fresh air.¡± Except for Maverick, the other two opened their eyes wide and smiled brightly, more naturally than humans could. Of course, the next moment, I had to endure a bombardment of joy from the two of them, which had now increased to three. After five minutes, the suite was in chaos. The world truly felt surreal. Chapter 538 ¡°¡­So, this Epcot ce is built with the theme of the future, nature, and architecture from various cultures around the world, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then what about that World Tree over there?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, well¡­¡± The next day, on our way to Epcot. A massive structure, resembling a gigantic World Tree over 100 meters tall, was visible from the parking lot. Logan looked at me in disbelief and added, and I was just as surprised. The rmended tour course sent by Disney didn¡¯t properly inform us about what was in the VR theme park. But now, I could see what was going on. I had heard that some sort of optical camouge had been running 24/7 around the studio, showing things like this only to tourists who entered within a certain range. It seemed like they were trying to leave a positive first impression with this. Thinking about it, though¡­ it¡¯s Disney. Dream and hope. No matter how popr Dark Zone was, easily surpassing the VR game rankings in second and third ce, it would be hard to promote a grim virus apocalypse as the main theme. Image-wise, it would be difficult. Of course, while it may have been hard, they didn¡¯t exactly shy away from it. ¡°What worries me more than that is the shattered Statue of Liberty I see in the distance¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that. Task Force Razor, where were they again¡­ Phdelphia?¡± ¡°Yeah, they were blowing away drug dealers and escaped convicts, and you guys were stopping a hijacked passenger ne, packed with bombs, from terrorizing, right?¡± ¡°I think the shattered Statue of Liberty inside the studio is a result of that operation.¡± Operation... what was it called? Back then, there were so many missions, big and small, it was hard to remember them all. But the details were clear. After wiping out terrorists along the Hudson River, the mission had been to intercept a passenger ne filled with ammonium nitrate heading straight for Central Park, all while being hijacked by criminals with SAMs. The result of about 3 tons of fertilizer exploding was utterly horrifying. It was a massive explosion in the sky over the Hudson River,parable to the Beirut explosion, and the Statue of Liberty got caught in the st, reduced to ruins. That scene was directly imnted into Dark Zone, and I guessed that the destroyed statue in the studio was inspired by that. Naturally, this couldn¡¯t be used for public advertisement. Disney World definitely couldn¡¯t advertise with something like that. ¡°And aside from that¡­ looks like the games have spent a fair bit of money buildingndmarks around here. Except for Dark Zone.¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re all games Icarus services anyway, so what¡¯s the big deal?¡± We parked the car and walked for about 10 minutes to get our tickets. At least, ¡®so far¡¯ we hadn¡¯t brought Jin, Rain, or Maverick with us. The ¡®remote ess¡¯ service that Icarus provided was only avable inside the VR studio, meaning we had to enter and connect to specific facilities to experience it. Of course, today, I¡¯d be pretending to do that. The three mech-kids would probably be waiting eagerly for us by now, so we¡¯d better pick up the pace. At 7:40 AM, despite the long lines, we entered Epcot, a park almost empty, with only staff members around. They were busy rehearsing and checking equipment, but when we passed by, they weed us with their usual character movements. I waved back casually and headed toward the most remote part of the studio, toward a very discreet humanoid storage area. To maintain the park¡¯s identity, they had excavated a massive area, nearly the size of a ser field, to store the robots. But today, we didn¡¯t need to go inside. I reached the door, grabbed the handle, and pulled it open. In the next moment, turquoise, blue, and purple light burst out. ¡°Juiiiiin¡ª!¡± ¡°Archetype!¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s like a different world. It¡¯s full of cute little buildings¡­¡± How should I handle these three mech-kids? But seeing their expressions, they genuinely seemed happy, so I figured that was good enough. Though, it would¡¯ve been much better if these 500kg robots didn¡¯t cling to me. They were just too heavy. After sessfully bringing them along, I added, ¡°If Jin pulls out a sma gun, I¡¯m sending him back immediately. And if Rain pulls out a railgun, same thing. As for Maverick¡­e to think of it, I don¡¯t even know what weapon Maverick has attached to his tail.¡± ¡°Him? A deuterium ion cannon. I heard it can output megawatts, but since the test firing hasn¡¯t been scheduled yet, I¡¯m not sure. But, we all have 20-gigawatt arc reactors, so that power should be fine.¡± ¡°¡­The third one is definitely banned.¡± What should I even say? No matter how I think about it, the technology from that world¡­ If there were no viruses, I¡¯m pretty sure by 2030, humans would have been traveling through the sr system in spaceships. How did their technology end up like this? Of course,paring the output of an ultra-small nuclear fusion reactor the size of a wristwatch to a reactor the size of a human heart is nonsense, and the output itself can be freely adjusted depending on how much reaction material the device consumes, so it wasn¡¯t really a big deal. Still, to use sma guns and railguns, it made sense they¡¯d need that level of power. Plus, the superconducting motors on their joints would need to be running full throttle. Anyway, as I rejoined my group, I remarked, ¡°I hope all the tourists here today don¡¯t end up swarming toward us.¡± ¡°Give up. If they wanted to stop us, they should¡¯ve done itst night.¡± ¡°It''s not that I don¡¯t enjoy drawing attention, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s ideal to pull all eyes on us right now¡­ And no hand-locking, first mech-kid!¡± ¡°Not fair. We also want to go out and have fun.¡± I grinned and, ignoring the awkward look from mypanions, began passing off one mech-Yujin after another. Logan, Laurenatina, and Olivia were watching Jin proudly strut around like he¡¯d just discovered the world, while I, along with Olivia, was nning to spend time with Rain¡ªwho I¡¯d barely hung out withpared to Jin. As thousands of tourists started to pour into the entrance of Epcot, I left Olivia behind and entered one of the souvenir shops. It didn¡¯t take long before the shop attendant''s eyes grew wide with surprise. ¡°Wee! If you¡¯re looking for something, head to the counter¡­ Oh my god, no way¡­¡± ¡°Hi there. Could you just ring up two headbands for me?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Y-yes, of course.¡± The attendant¡¯s hand shook as she took my card. With a beep, the payment went through, and the attendant, now calming down, nced at Rain standing to my right, stammering as she spoke. ¡°T-This person, is this really¡­?¡± ¡°This is Rain. She¡¯s a character from the EU mode, so some people might not know her, but I¡¯m d you do.¡± ¡°U-uh¡­ How did a game charactere to life?¡± ¡°I remember Icarus Dynamics made a brief announcement before heading to Hawaii. To summarize, they started a project to implement AI from games into reality. And that¡¯s what she is.¡± Of course, it was a lie, but the fact that Icarus was indeed doing this kind of project made it believable. Technically, the hologram oveying the humanoid inside the VR studio was part of the truth. After all, it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, and after cing a copyright monster-themed headband on Rain, who was beaming with joy, I handed it over. I had heard that even the humanoids managed by the studio could wear headbands, with or without the holograms. So, there was no issue. Meanwhile, outside the shop, the noise from the growing crowd started to get louder. After a brief farewell to the staff, feeling a bit uneasy, I opened the door and looked back. ¡°¡­Oh no.¡± ¡°Ugh, the crowd¡¯s a bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡± Just as she said. It was a sea of people, and Olivia, who had been waiting outside, added, ¡°If they¡¯re not nning on keeping people from seeing anything except the human wall they¡¯ve built all day, you¡¯d better figure out how to disperse this crowd, youngest.¡± ¡°¡­Guess so.¡± What a headache. "...I knew there was a Dark Zone area, but I never expected to leave a trace there." "Well, we¡¯re a bitte. The second-ce winner, Stormseer, has already had their signature posted on the wall. It¡¯s odd that Disney hasn¡¯t reached out about it yet. Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re the Manifestors." "At least we''re leaving our mark now, right?" Epcot - Dark Zone Area at Disney World. This ce, nestled somewhere between a theme park and a cosy zone filled with airsoft-gear-wielding yers, featured a Statue of Liberty¡ªexcept, this one was shattered from the waist up. Inside its broken base were four signature spaces, along with two nk ones. The spots with the signatures were presumably meant for the first and second-ce winners of the Final Championship. After scanning the signatures, they¡¯d be permanently etched onto the wall. I was only now figuring that out, and honestly, it was a bit surprising... but well, betterte than never. Fortunately, there was no need to have someone sign on paper and then submit it. All we had to do was sign on something like a tablet and send it to Disney. Although the people around us seemed somewhat disappointed. "Hmm, I think I could probably leave some kind of signature if I poked it hard with my finger..." "Don''t break your finger, ugh." "If the youngest shields his finger once, it should work fine¡­ Just kidding. I¡¯m kidding. Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°I can do it without the shield... I¡¯ll keep quiet, Archetype.¡± Why is everyone so intent on seeing how much damage they can leave on a concrete wall? Considering the area was sorge, there was still plenty to explore. I decided to keep moving, nudging the three mech-kids forward as I let them wander aimlessly. They finallyughed and moved their heavy bodies. In any case, the Dark Zone Area was definitely different from Magic Kingdom and the other areas we had visited the day before. Specifically, there were no standard "Meet and Greet" sessions with iconic characters that you''d typically find in Disney World. Just the day before, we had been surrounded by all sorts of characters from Disney animations performing and participating in parades. This was a definite contrast. But just because it was different, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was boring. "¡­Isn¡¯t that Artemis?" "There¡¯s even a cosy of a special forces soldier. Not just escapees and rioters¡­" Is this cosy? Anyway, the staff members here seemed to be dressed up like real-life special forces personnel, patrolling the area, as if mimicking the movements of a squad. It kind of felt like the staff dressed as stormtroopers roaming the nearby theme park. They all wore firearms, but the barrels had colored parts attached to show they were mock guns, and they didn¡¯t point them at people. Instead, they called over the tourists, pretended to check them, and after taking photos, they¡¯d send them on their way. It was a strange scene. But what was even stranger was what happened next. "This is Operation Team Bimpel, we¡¯ve spotted an Icarus operator with an oddly-shaped appearance. We¡¯ll detain them immediately." "Ahhh¡ª!" There were several moments where a girl operator cosyer with a hologram applied to her body was subdued by a Russian special forces staff member. Naturally, this was part of the interactive experience between the tourists and staff. Like all VR games, Dark Zone also couldn¡¯t escape the trend of having avatars in cute costumes. Of course, this had been happening for some time, so it wasn¡¯t surprising anymore. Additionally, there was still a parade, but unlike the Disney-themed ones, here it felt more like a military convoy. It was like watching armored vehicles drive around the park, like abat operation, rather than something out of a fantasy. My mind was a bit dazed. "...To think they¡¯d add something like this into Disney World, and actually make it happen. Impressive in many ways, really. No wonder they¡¯ve hidden it with optical camouge, so it¡¯s not visible to the outside." "They¡¯ve divided the areas sharply, using optical camouge, and only allowed movement between buildings. It¡¯s to make sure no one knows what¡¯s going on inside, even within the same theme park." "I guess it¡¯s their way of preventing the destruction of innocence... I heard the Terra area is frequented by children too." That makes sense. For kids, how could they resist that massive World Tree¡ªleaves made of holograms¡ªat such a size? Of course, we were nning to visit that areater. As I thought about it, I turned my head and nced at the three mech-Yujins, now engaged in their own adventure. Their eyes were wide, practically sparkling, as they tried to take in everything around them. It was like they were falling in love with the world. Their reactions were so strong that I wondered how things would have gone if we hadn¡¯t brought them along today. Logan, Laurenatina, and Olivia were all watching them fondly, as if looking at adorable children, while I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Suddenly, my Icarus gear vibrated, indicating a phone call. Seeing the country code starting with 812, I guessed it was an international call. When the Icarus gear disyed the country, I couldn¡¯t help butugh.
    St. Petersburg. I answered the call with a big smile, and immediately the voice on the other side screamed through the line. "Y-Yujin! I don¡¯t mind the first and second mech, but where did the third onee from?! Is this the new Incursion ad after the Asia qualifiers!?" "Ha, ha¡ª!" "I¡¯m going deaf!" How did they know? I hadn¡¯t even turned on the stream¡ªthoughter, I learned that rumors had quickly spread on the inte, and somehow, the word reached them. I couldn¡¯t help butugh as I heard the panicked voices of the two mech-idiots on the other side.@@novelbin@@ The charm of the first, second, and third mechs. Chapter 539 ¡°¡­Something¡¯s off today. There¡¯s a lot ofmotion outside.¡± ¡°Right? What¡¯s going on today? I haven¡¯t heard anything about it.¡± Epcot Virtual Reality Studio, World Tree. Its official name existed, but no one bothered to call it anything other than World Tree. The towering structure stood, with people in various costumes peering out through the adjustable ss walls to look at the street below. Unlike usual days, a noticeablyrger crowd was heading toward the Dark Zone area. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t have caught my attention, but today was different. There was an obvious surge of people moving together. Curious onlookers, perhaps intrigued, began to follow along, and the crowd continued to grow. The fact that the outside world was bustling differently from usual caused unease among those on the upper floors of the building. Moreover, the visitors who wanted to enter the World Tree were being held up by the rule that they had to leave after 40 minutes, which became a convenient excuse for the cosyers inside the World Tree. "Well, I guess we¡¯ll have to go soon. The tickets are expensive, anding back would require a lot of effort. Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s check out the Dark Zone area.¡± ¡°Do we really have to find an excuse like that?¡± ¡°Damn it, Dn. You might not get it, but anyone who starts with Terra finishes with Terra. We aren¡¯t like those Glory & Honor fans who switch from swords to guns every day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Terra yers are called ¡®Tem,¡¯ you crazy bastard.¡± Tem. It was a derogatory term, but it perfectly captured a snapshot of the gamingmunity¡¯s current split. The term had simple origins. It referred to the yers split between Dark Zone, Glory & Honor, and Terra. Terra, the fantasy game, was considered a "concrete support base" for the gaming world, while the Glory & Honor and Dark Zone yers often criticized its "closed-off" nature. Although Glory & Honor was a fantasy game with swords, bows, and muskets, it could be considered a more tactical, straightforward affairpared to Dark Zone, which was far grimmer in its setting and gamey. ¡°Those masochistic bastards. After struggling in real life, they go to Dark Zone to y in even worse conditions. Is that fun?¡± ¡°^Second ce, forever^¡± Of course, these were just jokes, andpetitive trash talk was part of the gaming culture. The rivalry was mostly a meme, something gamers said to tease each other. However, Dark Zone and Terra had be games so fundamentally different that they were near opposite ends of the spectrum. Terra was a fantasy game that blended every clich¨¦ you could think of: from campfires under starry skies with bards ying lutes, to elves, dwarves, and all manner of mythical creatures. It was an expansive world full of demons to y and quests toplete. But Dark Zone was nothing like that. Back to the scene: The reason some Terra yers hesitated to step into Dark Zone''s territory was because of this stark contrast. Of course, the United States was and of freedom, and people rarely judged each other for their choices. Ultimately, it came down to the individual¡¯s decision. And at that moment, more and more people, initially cosying fantasy characters, began to step towards the Dark Zone area. The Terra area at Disney World looked as beautiful and grand as any other part of the park. Its appearance wasparable to the likes of Harry Potter¡¯s themed areas, with grand marble temples, sprawling elven realms, and underwater cities. Everything was meticulously designed to capture the beauty and mystique of fantasy. But as I walked further through, the scene suddenly shifted as I entered a gateway shaped like a burnt tree¡ªa stark contrast. ¡°Is this Times Square or something?¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s just a gamendmark.¡± The scene indeed appeared shattered: broken asphalt, with grass poking through and rusted cars strewn about. Several decaying buildings stood, and even the famous Dark Zonendmarks¡ªlike the shattered U.S. Capitol and a crashed Air Force One in a nearbyke¡ªwere clearly visible. Naturally, the Dark Zone area shocked many of the visitors. Their reactions were a mix of awe and confusion as they adjusted to the post-apocalyptic environment. "I can¡¯t even tell what I¡¯m looking at." "This ce¡­ the quality¡¯s insane in its own way. It feels like a movie set." The White House had been repurposed as an operations base, with a huge Russian-made hovercraft floating above ake designed to resemble Tidel Basin. It wasn¡¯t actually from Russia but a replica from the Dark Zone universe where Russian forces had invaded the U.S. maind. As we walked around, even the fantasy cosyers who had never seen this kind of world before quickly grew ustomed to it. Patrol staff walked by, treating them as if they were real enemies, pretending to report sightings of elves as part of the immersive experience. The Dark Zone was truly something else. Eventually, the crowds began to disperse, heading toward the Dark Zone Museum. I couldn¡¯t help but feel intrigued, but also confused by the massive attention the area was getting. It became clearer that the Dark Zone wasn¡¯t just about ying¡ªit was about experiencing the world¡¯s contrast, pushing boundaries, and pulling in every bit of tension and thrill into a contained environment. "Wee to the Dark Zone Museum. Please be aware that some expansion work is still underway, so the interior might be a bit hectic. We ask for your understanding." "Based on theyout, I can¡¯t help but think the expansion work might be due to us, isn¡¯t that just a feeling?" "Haha." As the docent answered awkwardly, it seemed I hit the nail on the head. I chuckled hollowly, rolling my eyes as I surveyed the room. The museum we were in resembled theyout of Central Park HQ, with photographs and descriptions rted to the HQ disyed on the walls. Though it was hard to figure out the full story, once we entered the room, it became clear that the museum followed the main storyline of Dark Zone. The docent¡¯s exnations were aligned with that structure. "Central Park HQ is the first ce users encounter after they log in, and it marks the beginning of the Dark Winter crisis. It was here that the first spark for theplete resolution of the pandemic apocalypse ignited." "Well, that¡¯s quite poetic." "Haha. Now, let me briefly exin the structure of Central Park HQ." Jin, Rain, and Mav were the only ones listening with wide eyes, thoroughly engrossed. That meant that mypanions and I were not quite as captivated. Despite being a reduced scale, the map of Central Park HQ, which stretched 6 meters wide and 1 meter tall, was quite urate¡ªthough not identical to the one I remembered. But the essential features were all there: training areas, amodations, the Gray House, and more... I had spent about six years of my life at that location, and it wasn¡¯t something I could easily disregard. Every time I nced at the buildings on the map, memories flooded back, and images of past events, some vivid and others faded, seemed to pour out before my eyes. Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia shared expressions of quiet reflection, simr to my own. We passed the UN Assembly Hall, West Point, the northern part of New York, and headed toward Washington D.C. The docent didn¡¯t need to tell us where to go next¡ªwe already knew. The museumid out everything in a linear fashion, mirroring the main Dark Zone missions. The most intriguing part was that the museum not only showcased the story but also provided detailed exnations about the enemies faced during those missions in dedicated halls. "Code Name: Crow, former PMC from Artemis, and the team leader of ''Corpus.'' Currently, he has defected to Icarus. As you can see, most of the enemies encountered in the northern part of New York were from Artemis¡­" "Hmm." I wondered if this person had regained their memories. They hadn¡¯t died, so perhaps they had. But that wasn¡¯t my concern. We continued to giggle and made our way to the next section. After some more walking, we arrived at a new section with an entirely different atmosphere. The air was tinged with a strange, subtle scent, and it was evident that this part of the museum had been recently constructed. It marked the end of the main storyline of the game. From here, the story transitioned to the Incursion missions. "Look at that, our names are proudly disyed everywhere." "From Operation Bluefield onwards, your contributions have been huge. Disney even considered creating a diorama of the first yer to clear it, but since they couldn¡¯t get approval, they just made a hologram instead." "Haha. That wouldn¡¯t have worked anyway." Indeed. Beyond our thoughts, the hologram diorama disyed a vivid and dramatic scene, with only the most significant parts of each Incursion mission being represented. Operation Bluefield, with the suspicious activities on the Russian aircraft carrier¡¯s bridge, and the subsequent explosion of the escort ship¡ªthis was the mission I had yed months ago. It felt strange how time warped as it had already been about a year since that mission took ce.@@novelbin@@ The next mission, Operation Chariot, followed, depicting the western U.S. remation. Soon, Rain, crossing his arms, grumbled about how he hadn¡¯t been there and about the things we¡¯d been up to, but before long, the focus shifted, and the story moved to the unknown zone. Then came the hologram showing me tying up Jin. Neither Harmony nor Lorentina appeared in that part, so it was just me. "Akita, that''s me there." "Wow, when was that?" "I never thought you¡¯d actuallye to this ce." At the same time, he raised his phone and showed us something. It was a press release on the Dark Zone website, summarizing an event featuring a special appearance of Mecha Eugene in the Epcot VR Studio to promote the new Incursion. The announcement was rted to an uing release where Jin and Rain would be introduced as well as the third Mecha for the next Incursion. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was being subtly guided by my parents'' influence in this. The docent continued as if nothing had happened: "The expansion work mentioned earlier is precisely for this reason. In about two weeks, the new Incursion story, involving the third UES, will be released, and the work should bepleted in about a month." "So, you¡¯re getting ready to wee a new friend." "Exactly." Then, all eyes shifted toward Mav, who had been following us quietly. Lorentina chuckled and added: "If you leave the third one at the construction site, the project¡¯spletion date might be moved up." "No, please! I¡¯ll run away!" "Just kidding, just kidding." Everyone, including the docent and the nearby people,ughed, but Olivia and I could only manage half-hearted smiles. We knew exactly what kind of ns were brewing behind the scenes. In the world from which we came, Mav had been rescued after the Burning Donkey operation, and now, with a goofy personality, the question was how Mav would fit into the uing missions. With that thought in mind, I patted Mav on the head, and as I walked, I mused, ''In a few days, when we get to Russia, those two will probably be pretty persistent in following us around...'' Chapter 540 [MAV: Na-na-na-na-na, so excited!] [RAIN: Me too!] [GENE: Heh, still not enough training for everyone. A unit like me, who has been into battles before the second mecha came in, wouldn¡¯t be surprised by this level.] While Eugene and the other manifested members were drifting into their individual moments of nostalgia, the three mecha girls, except for a brief conversation with a pr bear, shark, or owl, were quietly admiring their surroundings. They were so quiet that even Akita contemted whether or not to ask, "Why are they so silent?" But their internal thoughts were different. Since their arrival here, or perhaps even before, they had learned tomunicate within theirwork, which evolved into a 3-person secret chatroom. It quickly became a nonstop, chaotic chatroom of random words from the three mecha girls, newly evolving into humans. In simple terms, even though they appeared quiet on the outside, their minds were buzzing with excitement. [RAIN: I''ve never seen so many carefree people before.] [GENE: But even in the ces we used to be, people didn¡¯t have such expressions. Of course, there''s a fundamental difference.] [MAV: I wonder if in a few decades, there will be even shier theme parks like this in that world? But until then, we''ll have to ask Akita for this kind of view.] It was their first time seeing a world like this. Just hours ago, the visual data of the mecha Eugenes didn¡¯t even have theme parks in their databases. Or perhaps they existed, but they were closer tobat data. Many task forces, including the Dagger units, had once ravaged areas like Ondo Disney World, which had been reduced to molten g, and Anaheim Disnend, broken by unmanned tanks and bombarded buildings. The manifested members, including Akita, had new memories on top of the old ones. Unlike the past, Akita allowed them to overwrite the old memories with new ones. [GENE: By the way, Rain, you¡¯ve been subtly keeping your arms crossed with Akita. It¡¯s my turn soon.] [RAIN: No way. It¡¯s mine.] [MAV: ...You guys were rescued directly by Akita, right? I still haven¡¯t been able to express that as openly as you guys. Honestly, I feel more grateful to you guys.] If I were human, my face would have been slightly flushed. It wasn''t entirely wrong, though. While Eugene personally rescued two of them, Maverick and Mav were saved through the massive efforts of Jin and Rain, along with overwhelming firepower from the opposite world¡¯s Ministry of Defense. Mav, by nature, was the one most grateful to the multitude of people who helped, setting her apart from Jin and Rain, especially Rain. Eventually, Eugene¡¯s group reached the section showing Rain¡¯s rescue and the introduction to Operation Ouroboros, where Rain added: [RAIN: My master tried to rescue me six times. If he had failed, I wouldn¡¯t be here.] [GENE: Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get away with staying with Akita all day just because of that.] [RAIN: No way. I¡¯ll go right; you go left.] As if on cue, the two mecha girls moved forward and leisurely nced around while Eugene, still grinning half-heartedly, felt the distinct sensation of their mechanical tails winding around him. His eyes widened as he noticed. "Why are the tails suddenly tangled?!" "W-What? It¡¯s a sign of gratitude. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t be here. So, uh..." "Rain suggested it!" "I never said that!" Only two people knew the truth about the situation. As they saw the scene, other friends chuckled in disbelief, and soon the group reached the end of the museum. It had been roughly an hour since they entered. At the end of most museums was a gift shop, and, of course, this one was no exception. The shelves were filled with all kinds of merchandise: plush toys, bags, headbands, military patches, bags used by soldiers, and even exclusive skin codes for the studio. Eugene wasn¡¯t particrly interested, and Rain already had her Tactical Mickey headband. Jin and Mav didn¡¯t seem to want anything either, so they all stepped outside into the still bright blue sky. Not long after, they noticed that the clothes of the tourists and cosyers around them had be more... diverse. "Who are those people? Their ears are huge." "Some are wearing some kind of silvery full-body armor, Akita." "They must be from that game, Terra. I remember some of my friends from the Virginia Swordsmanship Club used to wear full armor like that." "They look strong. I wonder if their weapons can pierce through if they shoot with their tails?" "Whether it¡¯s a sma cannon, railgun, or ion cannon, anything they hit will leave no remains. What¡¯s the point of expecting protection from that kind of armor?" Mav muttered that, and someone nearby might have been astounded to overhear. The thought crossed everyone¡¯s minds. Olivia, overhearing their conversation, added: "I remember seeing something like that in a gamey video. Come to think of it, with the weapons the mecha girls are carrying, I think they could crush all the enemies in Terra." "The power intion of individual mechas since the debut of the prototype Alpha has been quite severe. But... I hope nothing surpasses them in the future." "That¡¯s true." Everyone except Olivia had participated in Operation Ouroboros, so they understood what that power entailed. They recalled the destruction caused by the prototype that obliterated unmanned drones hundreds of kilometers away. As they watched the scene of Artemis Patrol staff walking their robotic dogs like pets, with tourists snapping pictures, Eugene continued to peruse the list of ces they hadn¡¯t visited yet. Then, the nextment came: "By the way, if there¡¯s no big issue, should we start streaming?" "...Suddenly? I didn¡¯t expect you to say that, Lorentina." "Well, I¡¯m not doing it just because I want to see it..." At that moment, she raised her phone. As Harmony and Dice sent their excited requests to Lorentina, Eugene, too preupied with the mecha girls, had no time to check his phone. As Sharkughed softly at the situation, they got the green light to proceed. "With the new mecha girls turning into tail enthusiasts, I guess we¡¯ll have to take responsibility." "...Yeah, looks like we¡¯ve reached an inevitable point." Eugene waved his hand, and before long, a drone cam swooped over from across the area andnded in Eugene¡¯s hands. The broadcast had begun. "¡­Are you satisfied now?" "How can you enjoy such a fun situation all by yourself, Eugene?!" "In exchange, I demand 30 minutes of tail petting time!" "¡­The new mecha girls are bing more shameless by the minute."
    • What are they saying since the broadcast started? LOL
    • Wait, is Mecha Bi-yam real in reality??? Is it my birthday today???
    • Waaaaaa, this is insane!!!
    • I¡¯ve seen this before! I¡¯ve seen it before! This has happened before!
    In Florida, Ondo, at the EPCOT Virtual Reality Studio. Right in front of them stood Harmony and Dice, who had finally arrived and, immediately upon arrival, started making strangements. Even Lorentina, who usually maintained herposure, was left speechless by their antics. Of course, it was true that they had been neglected for a while, so Eugene reluctantly agreed to their request. Harmony and Dice logged into the humanoid systems spread throughout the virtual reality studio, and holograms of them appeared, their smiles wide, almost stretching to their ears. At this point, I honestly just hoped they''d be happy with the tail-petting. As for Jin and Rain, they immediately recognized Harmony and Dice. Before anyone else could speak, Jin and Rain chimed in: "Long time no see. When was thest time we saw each other? Was it during Operation Ouroboros? Anyway, it''s been a while. Are you both doing well?" "Long time no see. Harmony, Dice. I think this is our first time meeting in real life... but you look so happy, is there something special going on?" "Mecha Eugene... in real life..." "Oh, I must be dreaming. Seeing it for real is unbelievable..." It might be considered fortunate or not, but the fact that those two spoke first meant Maverick¡¯s introduction was dyed. Given Mav¡¯s presence, there was some reluctance to broadcast, especially since the uing new Incursion would feature a new mecha (Unit 3), which was very different from Mav. But there were many ways to exin that to the viewers. Mav was primarily for promotional purposes¡ªat least that¡¯s how Icarus had officially exined it on their homepage¡ªwhile the mecha for the new Incursion was entirely different, and the studio had notified everyone about that. It was possible that some viewers might feel disappointed or question it, but... well, that wasn¡¯t really my concern. A few days from now, they''d see each other in person, but having revealed their faces this much, I had to do my part. And perhaps those two knew this, so they decided to reveal themselves here. I then asked: "By the way, how¡¯s the preparation for the Asia qualifiers going?" "There hasn¡¯t been much dramatic improvement, but we''ve done everything we could. We¡¯ve checked all the variables we could and, whenever we had time, we did practice matches. We¡¯ll know if the preparation was sufficient or not after beating all the opponents in the qualifiers the day after tomorrow." "What about Harmony?" "Well, this is my first time participating in such apetition, so I can¡¯t say for sure, but I raised my win rate to 40% against Dice... So I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose to anyone."
    • Wait, 40%???
    • Fact: Dice ced 4th inst year''s finals.
    • LOL fighting against someone who isn¡¯t a pro gamer and still got 40% win rate, that¡¯s crazy ??????
    • What did Mecha Bi-yam do to Harmony??? LMAO
    At this point, it wasn¡¯t necessary to dig further into their current skill levels. The uing qualifiers would reveal that in due time. After some more talk, I asked them: "By the way, are Harmony and Dice interested in Disney¡¯s animated films?" "Of course! We¡¯ve seen them in storybooks, animations, movies... I used to always write ''princess'' in the ''desired career'' section when I was in kindergarten." "Well, I wasn¡¯t that extreme, but I¡¯ve seen pretty much everything. I know almost all of them." "I guess I should have brought you two to Disney World instead of us. We''re total beginners in that area." At that moment, the chat was filled withments like ¡°The destroyers of childhood¡± or ¡°These people could drop bombs on Disney,¡± which caused a stir. But I couldn''t help but wonder... how did they know? It seemed like viewers were just trolling, but if it were true, I didn¡¯t feel the need to control the situation. None of us, not even Logan, Lorentina, or Olivia, reacted. The ones who were more surprised were the viewers, but as we quietly moved on, the discussion shifted again. As we passed through, I summarized the situation and added: "Mina and Yerin shoulde with me separately next time. As you can see, this area is based on the Dark Zone theme, and since my group has already seen almost everything, we¡¯re moving on to the Glory and Honor area next." "Ah." "Was there anything special we shouldn¡¯t miss?" "Hmm. I don''t think there¡¯s anything specific to note. But I guess the real special thing is that the mecha Eugenes visited here." "I guess that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s head out."
    • The ultimate cool-guy meta ??
    • ??? Mecha Eugene is here and the Dark Zone theme park is no big deal?
    • Bi-yam fans are going wild again ??????
    • Please, just stop!!!
    Here, the Dark Zone area was wrapping up for us, and the next destination was set¡ªRenaissance-style buildings hidden behind ivy-covered ruins. EPCOT''s Virtual Reality Studio was known for its bizarre division, bringing together threepletely different games in one space, but it made sense that such decisions were necessary. Thinking about that, we moved to our next destination. "Is this¡­ a mercenary broker¡¯s ce?" "Get a grip, rookie. This is the regr Glory and Honor area." "Seems like... everyone is doing some kind of sparring here." It wasn¡¯t outright sword fighting, but more of a... fighting ring, so to speak. The area resembled a sort of experience hall rather than just a themed zone. As I surveyed the area, I noticed a familiar figure had somehow vanished into thin air.@@novelbin@@ "Lorentina?" "Hmm, looks like it¡¯s a game where you break ice and collect items inside. With hammers, axes, and maces, it seems like they¡¯ve made sure it¡¯s tough." "Haha, indeed. We mixed in some epoxy to make sure it doesn¡¯t break unless you hit it hard enough." "Let¡¯s give it a try." And with that, Lorentina raised a rapier. The people nearby, as well as the event organizers, were all staring wide-eyed, but I had a feeling this was just the beginning of something epic from Shark. Lorentina spun the rapier around, testing its strength, then, with a swift motion, it disappeared into the air. In the blink of an eye, the rapier hadpletely pierced through the thick ice wall. Time seemed to freeze as everyone stood with their mouths open. "This isn¡¯t going to cut it. I¡¯d rather use a hammer." "...Well, we¡¯ve already seen something incredible." "Heh. Poking and stabbing through ice with a rapier? Easy."
    • ?????????????
    • What¡¯s happening again? ??????
    • Is this a game? This can¡¯t be real, right? ????????
    I wasn¡¯t doing it, someone else was. If not them, then me. The manifestation show was always sailing smoothly. Chapter 541 "When I saw it directly back then, it didn¡¯t feel like this, but now, looking at it from the air, I really¡­ I can finally feel that Eugene has transcended humanity in many ways." "I couldn¡¯t move like that now. Around that time, I spent about a month doing Glory and Honor and sharpened my instincts a bit... Still, it was quite fun. Somehow, I managed to do it." "What about the sudden trouble that came to me because of all the weird things you guys did over there?" "Ah." EPCOT Disney Studio, Glory and Honor Area. The Glory and Honor Area, which boasts a beautyparable to the Terra and Dark Zone Areas, features the newly poprndmark¡ªa vast, gentle hillrger than a ser field, filled with holograms and camera drones. For the most part, it''s a rest stop where tourists visiting the theme park can take a break and enjoy the scenery, but from 3 PM to 5 PM¡­ a holographic diorama unfolds to make it feel as though one is experiencing what happened when I implemented 1:300 in real-time. Around 2:55 PM, ess is blocked, and gradually, enemies begin to appear on the hill. A rectangr spear formation of around 40¨C50 people. Dozens of cavalry. Five Armstrong cannons. Numerous archers. And across from them, armed with a dagger and hand axe, is me. I knock away the arrows and charge into the Pike formation like a piercing strike, then grab a spear and throw it to intercept the cavalry. I dodge the Armstrong cannon fire and repeat simr actions. Eventually, when no one is left alive on the small ridge, Lorentina appears to face me. A battle of superhumans, the kind that no famous Marvel movie could ever match. Every time an attack hits, we¡¯re thrown back by several meters, exchanging blows so fast they can¡¯t even be seen by the human eye. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say, but at that point¡­ I was having a lot of fun. Besides, it was enjoyable. Opportunities like that to push my body to its limits don¡¯te by often. "If I had the same physical abilities as Eugene and went there... I¡¯d probably have been crushed by 300 people." "Ah, I was thinking the same thing." "Thebat skills and sense of the archetype can¡¯t be reced by just physical ability. The main body and Rain werepletely wiped out by the archetype and turned to the other side for the same reason." "...Do you have to praise my face like that?"
    • ??: Watching Eugene take on 300 people in one ce, I suddenly realized how amazing he is...
    • ??: Well, that¡¯s not that amazing, right? ??????????????????
    • Fact: Not just any 300 people, but 300 from the M~challengers, along with weakened sharks, all crushed in one go.
    • ??: 300, huh? He just wiped out an entire battalion alone. ???
    • ??: If it were the medieval ages, even a thousand could¡¯ve just been wiped out. ??
    It was quite a mess. And that wasn¡¯t even the end of it. Unlike the Dark Zone Area, where power and skill are revered, Glory and Honor users¡ªthose who believe strength is everything¡ªbegan to worship me. Even when I finished the advertisement and returned to the Dark Zone, it was the same. I even got a nickname. "War God." They all seemed to be nning to burn me to death with the mes of embarrassment. And surprisingly, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "...Why are they selling daggers and tomahawks in Disney World?" "Oh, don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re covered with special covers, and you can¡¯t even open them unless you¡¯re more than 5 kilometers away from Disney World. Plus, their location can be tracked in real-time until they¡¯re opened." "Well, that¡¯s fine, but¡­" Fairburn-Sykes Sponsored, Eugene Dagger. Two des for $1000. Winkler Co. Sponsored, WK Combat Axe. One for $650. Of course, since the royalties from thosepanies are still being deposited into my ount, I don¡¯t have any realints, but seeing Disney World selling these things, my mind just kind of wandered off somewhere far away. But aside from that, the quality was amazing. The person working at the store opened a box with multiple electronic locks and showed me two des and one tomahawk. That¡¯s when I knew the quality. On the des,ser-engraved English words. One had "Honor" inscribed, and the other "Glory." The tomahawk had the handle inscribed. Below that was my personal pictogram, released alongside the Final Championship victory. There was even a quality guarantee certificate, and when I saw it, everyone¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. "I think I¡¯ll buy this." "When I go back to Korea, I¡¯ll need to get a sword possession permit, find a customs broker... a lot to do." "Why buy something so useless?" "Well, yeah... but..." "By the way, everything here is mass-produced. Later, I¡¯ll contact Fairburn Sykes and WK to ask if they can make a limited edition or something. So, don¡¯t think about it for now." At the same time, I quickly turned my gaze away. Logan, Lorentina, Olivia, Harmonie, Dice, Jin, Rain, Mav, and mine included, maybe around eight sets? Actually, since I already have plenty of des at home, I didn¡¯t really need this addition, but... well, I guess it¡¯s a souvenir. The Icarus gear, responding to my will, converted the details and sent them as an email to the dagger manufacturingpany. I imagined I¡¯d soon receive nine links in my inbox to customize the length, color, design, and more. Additionally, as I patted the heads of the Triple Mecha youngsters, who reacted more human-like than people, I promised to give them even more unique giftster, and they went absolutely wild. Since I couldn¡¯t even take these items to Korea, it seemed better to push that expectation aside for now. "At this point, the youngest shouldn¡¯t have to pay the entrance fee here."@@novelbin@@ "...That¡¯s true." What should I say? Maybe it was because of some sort of coboration with Icarus, or maybe it was because of all the achievements I had umted, or perhaps it was both... But seeing my aplishments embedded in the theme park for all the users was like chocte chips in cookies... it felt strange. Still, considering that I couldn¡¯t predict when my next visit would be, I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to enjoy this sight once in a while. Thinking that, I added: "Let¡¯s head to thest area. Let¡¯s go check out what the fantasy world full of dreams and hopes looks like." "Yes." "How is it that we¡¯re just now heading to the only sane part of the neighborhood after 9 hours in the theme park? The end of times is near." With Logan¡¯s sharp remark, we stepped into a new area we had never visited before. It was the beginning of fantasy. "Ha ha, ha ha ha¡­ suddenly taking all the mecha youngsters and leaving us behind... I guess this calls for an exnation, Eugene..." "You''re out of your mind." Meanwhile, in another world¡ªNew York. The shark, who can¡¯t resist anything fun, was filled with jealousy. It was just another ordinary day. "Looking at this, I suddenly thought¡ªwhat would happen if the youngest or people like us went to a ce like a fantasy world?" "What would happen? Unless there are guys who can change the terrain with magic or swords, we¡¯d probably snap the spines of those reckless kids. We¡¯d spend most of the money on ingredients." "If people who can change the terrain with magic or swords have reached that level through training or whatever, shouldn¡¯t we be able to get there much faster?" "...You guys are really writing a novel, huh?" Adventurer guilds, various races, one-dimensional jobs, and all sorts of clich¨¦s. But if they suddenly appeared in reality, would anyone be surprised or impressed? The word fantasy originally referred to something imagined, something shaped by people''s imagination, a stark contrast to the reality we live in. And Disney World recreated that fantasy in reality, most concretely represented by the giant World Tree-shaped building standing in the center of the Terra area. The leaves were holograms, so it was unique in that sunlight could pour through. Anyway, the overwhelming visual made me think that. The Dark Zone Area and its air felt different. Not just the feeling, but literally. I heard that they spray a little bit of perfume in the air in each area, so people can enjoy the ambiance through their sense of smell. And true to what they said. In the Dark Zone Area... I don¡¯t know how, but it smelled like death. It was kind of suffocating. A mix of earth and grass, with a hint of burnt smell, rusted cars, and aged concrete. But here¡­ what should I say? It smelled fresh. There were plenty of things to draw people¡¯s attention. "...Why are there so many people here?" "Well, this is the magic demonstration area. It¡¯s set up inside a huge sphere that can amodate around 350 people, and the holograms inside can recognize people¡¯s movements and bring the appearance of magic to life in reality. There are supposed to be several more like this inside the World Tree." "So that¡¯s why people are lining up like that." "The right line is a bit different. That one is for the viewing area. They say you can watch different kinds of battles happening in the magic demonstration area. We¡¯ll probably have to go that way if we enter." Magic. Magic, huh? There were two things to check: the current time and the group''s interest. Since the sun was still high in the sky and it wasn¡¯t even close to sunset, there was no need to worry about time. Everyone seemed curious about magic, so interest was high. So, the nine of us moved to the right, and the line there started to shrink at a speed iparable to the left side. As we quickly moved inside, a sudden curiosity sparked, and I asked Harmonie. "Have you tried Terra?" "No. If I had died in the Dark Zone, I might have switched to Terra. To be honest, I only tried the Dark Zone because I was curious..." "Have you tried Terra?" "No. If I had died in the Dark Zone, I might have moved to Terra. Honestly, I only ended up trying the Dark Zone because I was curious..."
    • [User Comment]: If it hadn¡¯t been for Biam, she would¡¯ve been done for, huh? That could¡¯ve been bad, haha!
    • [User Comment]: Wow, seriously, how much has Eugene changed those around him? It¡¯s like a ck hole, seriously.
    • [User Comment]: I can¡¯t even imagine what Biam would¡¯ve been doing if she went to Terra. For real.
    • [User Comment]: What would she have been doing? Probably causing a bigmotion and holding a "pothead exhibition," haha!
    So, there are things like that in Terra too, huh... Anyway, back in the past, I might have considered trying a different game, but right now, I wasn¡¯t thinking about picking up anything new. In just a few days, I¡¯d have to fly to Russia, and after that, I¡¯d have a new raid to tackle. And after that¡­ I¡¯d probably need to head back to the US. The Fourth Final Championship was waiting for me. Maybe sometime next year. But it wouldn¡¯t be the early part of the year. If things go badly, I might end up having a one-on-one meal with the President of the United States. We slowly entered inside. Suddenly, Rain asked from behind. "Master, what is magic?" "...Basically, it¡¯s a supernatural phenomenon that can¡¯t ur physically, and here¡­ well, it¡¯s the process and result of converting an unscientific energy source into reality¡¯s energy." "Unscientific energy?" "Just assume that it exists. It¡¯s all part of the process of the IF (Imaginary Fiction)." Of course, the second one had no idea what that meant and had a nk expression. That was to be expected. After all, fantasy and magic were things created by people¡¯s imaginations, adding usible backstory to things that didn¡¯t exist in reality. So, for Rain, who didn¡¯t understand the yearning for the unknown and the fantastic, it must have felt like talking about another world. Thus, the exnation had to be as simple as possible. "So, for example... let¡¯s say I suddenly make fire from my fingertips. With no reasonable exnation. Would that make sense?" "It wouldn¡¯t." "Exactly, that¡¯s magic. Suddenly, fire shoots out of your hand and hits the enemy, or water freezes the opponent... That¡¯s the essence of magic¡ªtotally unfounded."
    • [User Comment]: Haha, "No basis," haha!
    • [User Comment]: You just made a magic criticism stack, haha!
    • [User Comment]: What can your magic users even do? Go ask Biam to light a cigarette with magic, haha!
    • [User Comment]: Biam doesn¡¯t even smoke, you crazy idiot, haha!
    • [User Comment]: But honestly, isn¡¯t that a fact, though? Haha, this exnation is great.
    Finally, the Mecha Biamz all nodded. In the end, understanding magic was about grasping the concept of irrationality created by imagination. Soon enough, they started babbling on their own. "So, if we attack with our tails, does that count as magic?" "From what I¡¯ve heard about the archetypes, determining whether something is magic or not doesn¡¯t depend on destructive power. But since the unknown can also be expressed as an unpredictable variable, projecting that kind of energy could also be considered magic." "Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just threaten the other guy instead?"
    • [User Comment]: Mecha Eugene uses magic, yes. My parents also said that the attacks Mecha Eugene uses are magic.
    • [User Comment]: Hahaha, really?
    • [User Comment]: Are you saying this isn¡¯t magic? Think about it before you speak!
    • [User Comment]: The Mecha Biamz are starting to get influenced by the original, haha!
    ...Yeah. You all use magic as much as you want. This is really driving me crazy. Chapter 542 "...So, you¡¯re saying we have to create bodies for those friends wandering around right now, within the next six months? Here? Right now?" "That''s right." The red blinking dot on one side of the screen, the "ON AIR" next to it, and the six letters spelling Eugene at the top. The sudden announcement of Icarus''s promotional talk and, as if to back it up, the unexpected appearance of three Mecha Eugens in Eugene''s streaming session¡­ A few million people, watching through their screens, were staring at the person who hade to Disney World and the Mecha Eugens. Most of them were watching out of curiosity, but conversely, not everyone was simply interested. In particr, this ce¡ªthe humanoid development division at Icarus Dynamics, which is ssified as a top-secret project even in the U.S.¡ªwas different. "Even if this is a hologram, the movements are so natural¡­ still, it should be possible to replicate that to some degree. But replicating movements as close to thebat we saw in-game would require at least three to four times the development period." "To get that level of performance, we should''ve asked for more funding a long time ago. To replicate movements like that, we¡¯ll need a lot more resources." "You''re talking about superconducting electromas in a room-temperature environment, right? I heard something about a production facility being built somewhere in Northern New York, but I¡¯m not sure if the timing will work out." The design ns for Mecha Eugene, which Eugene tossed to the think tank, and the additional data necessary for humanoid creation, were handed over to Icarus Dynamics. However, giving the data and actually creating something from it were twopletely different stories. Through the screen, the three Mecha Eugens seemed to act more human-like than actual humans. Even though it was a hologram¡ªnobody would think it wasn¡¯t¡ªevery engineer watching the footage knew that this was indeed possible, and they also understood that this was the ultimate goal. But the challenge was daunting. "If we just swap the electromas, we might be able to create something passable using the materials we already use for humanoid creation." "How about the face?" "They say it will take about four months until the liquid metal control chips are finished... truly, these guys have gathered all kinds of technologies. Without the data he sent, we wouldn''t have dared to attempt something like this for another 30 years." Nanomachine technology for hair simtion. Liquid metal control technology for free facial expression changes. Actuator technology capable of overwhelming destructive power and torque far beyond that of traditional robots. Even without the numerous high-tech applications for realbat, the technology involved here was mind-boggling. A powerful AI andbat analysis capabilitiesparable to a supeputer, as well as sophisticated supporting software, were included. Even though we managed to capture it with sheer numbers, what kind ofbat capabilities does the prototype¡ªArchetype Eugene¡ªpossess? For a moment, the engineer¡¯s mind drifted with the thought. The conversation continued. "Now that I think about it, for the next-gen humanoiding out in June next year... they didn¡¯t ask for any additional weapons for the tails, right?" "No, they didn¡¯t. If that were the case, we should¡¯ve left the production timeline undefined. The central processor capable of fully supporting the AI of that unit isn¡¯t even finished yet. Asking for that would be like selling our conscience to the Hudson River." "How many people in the worldck conscience? The chief engineer is overestimating people''s average conscience, don¡¯t you think?" "Don¡¯t start with that anxiety-inducing talk." The back-and-forth might seem light, but the decision-making process continued. One undeniable fact just mentioned: The existing central processing units and storage devices were unlikely to hold the entire program for Mecha Eugene¡¯s AI. And now, adding hardware and software to enable its tail transformation forbat? That¡¯s like trying to fit an elephant in a fridge. Even though they all wanted to see a living, breathing Mecha Eugene¡ªsomething far beyond that¡ªthey weren¡¯t ignorant of the limits between what was possible and impossible. But logic and instinct are always at odds. Archetype! I want to shoot fire from my hands too! Let¡¯s go down too! I¡¯ll swing a staff and shoot fire! I¡¯m going crazy, really. "...How about adding a feature where it shoots mes from the wrist?" "That could work." The seemingly mature and sophisticated visual, one that would rarely spark strong opinions no matter who it was shown to, contrasted sharply with the childlike behavior. And the resulting unexpected charm. While the technology to bring such a design into reality seemed far off, the engineers knew they had to achieve it within the given time and budget. But watching the scene unfold, part of me just wanted to hand them a lollipop, like watching a child. Would this be what it felt like if I had a son or grandson? Suddenly, I thought of Archetype Eugene, now with three daughters. That thought flitted across my mind. By now, the sun had set beyond the screen. At this point, the facility to create the parts for Mecha Eugene hadn¡¯t even been properly established, so the engineers¡¯ hands were tied. This meant they weren''t in a rush just yet. And so, they kept their eyes on the screen, watching the world¡¯s most famous streamer, intuitively understanding how much poprity Mecha Eugene was getting. The weight on the engineers'' shoulders was immense. "...How about we just pretend we made it and bring it over from another world?" "That might work for a one-time event, but that¡¯s not going to happen. If that were the case, there would¡¯ve been no reason for them to hand over the technology." "That¡¯s true." Naturally, considering this was a ce that handled the world¡¯s secrets, everyone on the development team was essentially... a "memory keeper." They only received the bare minimum of information from Icarus HQ¡ªof course, they had no idea that Eugene really brought Mecha Eugene from another world. That¡¯s why this joke coulde up. But given the amount of work in front of them, it was understandable that they¡¯d say that. The sky hadpletely darkened, and fireworks began to light up the sky, just like in any Disney World theme park. The only difference was the shapes the fireworks made. It wasn¡¯t just about the grand spectacle, but they were also creating images, kind of like a painting. The broadcast ended with that scene. Millions of viewers were left hanging, but, considering Eugene¡¯s usual nature, that was to be expected. We couldn¡¯t predict how the other viewers would react to the ended stream, but the engineers, after a long pause, slowly stretched and sighed in relief. "Remember the work I mentioned earlier? Send it by email once you''re done." "Understood." As always, those associated with Eugene couldn¡¯t afford to rest. "Alright, the tour¡¯s over for today. See youter¡ªWhoa!" "I remember the youngest used to use this door a lot. It¡¯s about time! Come here!" "What did I do wrong?!" Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away, at the hotel, the original Biam, safely escorting the Mecha Biams home, was caught by New York-Shark. ''...What is even going on here?'' Silence filled the room. I thought maybe a dozen people could fit in here at once, but when around ten people entered, the atmospherepletely changed. What can I say? The moment an ordinary person stepped in, they¡¯d probably feel overwhelmed by the intense, lethal energy in the room and shrink back. The reason was simple. Seven of the people in this room were "manifesters," and on top of that, three Mecha Eugens were silently observing, rolling their eyes. But not all of them were distinct manifesters¡ªand as I said, there were two sharks, a pr bear, and a snowy owl in the room. Looking at the faces on the left, I recognized the sharks and the pr bear, as well as the snowy owl. But the difference was in the look of the snowy owl on the left¡ªits gaze was sharp, like a true predator that had just survived a battle. On the other side, Olivia, sitting across from me, appeared quite gentle inparison. Fortunately or unfortunately, the sharks and the pr bears didn¡¯t look all that different from each other. The only notable difference was that the one on the right wore a regr wristwatch, while the ones on the left had Icarus gear like mine. In summary, this was simply the unexpected match-up of the same person from two worlds. The first to speak was New York-Shark. At that moment, New York-Pr Bear turned his head and looked. His expression seemed to say, "What¡¯s this idiot going to say now...?" "Let¡¯s get straight to the point." "Go ahead." "I can confidently say I¡¯m here because of the youngest." If the sound of rolling eyes was audible, the room would have been deafening. Except for Lorenina from this world, all the eyes in the room turned to New York-Shark. Naturally, those eyes were filled with the meaning, "What the hell is this guy saying?" and I, not knowing what to say, kept my mouth shut. Then came the response. The shark from this world spoke. "I get it. The youngest suddenly showed up, took the Mecha youngsters with him, and you, curious as you are, probably linked your vision to see what they were doing. And¡­" "You''re right. And I suppose you can guess what I want to say too?" "I think I understand. If I were you, this scene would be¡­ pretty hard to stomach." At that moment, Logan couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore andughed out loud. As expected, sharks were never normal. To put it simply¡­ they were jealous. Since I was having fun with the Mecha youngsters, they were very curious. Of course, these two had always been very open about expressing their feelings, and knowing each other so well, they had no problem with suddenly going off like this. It was my fault for leaving the sharks to their own devices. "So, what¡¯s your request?" "Request? Well, I didn¡¯t really have anything specific in mind. I can say I¡¯m jealous, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m nning to invade your territory." "Then why did you bring us here, you bastard?" "Oh, well, to have a conversation, the headcount needs to be right. Did you think I was the only one you were sending here? And, Logan and Olivia weren¡¯t exactly uninterested in what the youngest was doing in this world either." New York-Logan and New York-Olivia''s reactions were priceless. The Logan and Olivia on the right desperately tried to hold in theirughter. With two identical people around, exining things became a real challenge. Anyway, the goal of the Dagger team that crossed over from New York... was, well, not that important. They just wanted to spend some quality entertainment time with me. But broadcasting two identical people from different worlds was absurd, so the decision about that had to be made by the people from this world. I, too, like the Mecha youngsters, rolled my eyes, waiting for their answer. How much time passed? "Tomorrow¡¯s the VIP tour day, right? I don¡¯t mind swapping shifts, but I feel bad for the youngest who spent so much money." "Ah... I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not a big issue with that level of spending." "Look at you, you¡¯re practically a bourgeois now, youngest..." It was Lorenina from this world who said that. In any case, the people from this world seemed hesitant about whether I had spent my money wisely, but as I said earlier, I didn¡¯t really care about that. Even if no one went on the tour tomorrow, the tickets wouldn¡¯t just vanish into thin air, and if there was a shift change, it was different. When we finished discussing that, everyone took a deep breath. Continuing with the conversation. "As I said earlier, if the youngest is okay with it, I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m more worried about not being able to enjoy the tour properly tomorrow. If someone who can enjoy it properlyes, that¡¯s better. I don¡¯t know many of the works, and I¡¯ve enjoyed everything I wanted to today." "You¡¯re not interested in Disney works?" "Well, isn¡¯t that surprising?" "When the world ends, everything worth watching disappears. So eventually, I had to watch whatever was left, and by then, I¡¯d seen quite a lot." The conversation between Logan and Logan was quite precious. I always thought New York-Logan only yed basketball during his free time, but it turns out he watched a lot of stuff in the room. Being thete operator, I spent my free time either doing self-training or getting caught up in a basketball marathon with Logan, so I didn¡¯t know what the others were up to. Anyway, the two pr bears came to an agreement, and when I turned to look, I saw something unexpected. "I heard about itst time, but you really were into fashion?" "Yeah, kind of..." "Not bad. You really did well. If I hadn¡¯t gone into CCT, I might¡¯ve studied something like that instead¡­" New York-Olivia, who had a somewhat puzzled expression, was now looking at the many pieces of work designed by the snowy owl from this world, with a mixed expression of surprise and admiration. It was exactly as I had predicted¡ªgiven their personalities, I figured there wouldn¡¯t be any major issues, and the first meeting went smoothly. Of course¡ª "There are two of the same people here. I think Archetype needs one more." "Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if there were one for each person?" "Ah, then I¡­" "Alright, everyone, step away¡ªWhoa!" ©¤©¤©¤KRRRRKKK! At that moment, an extremely ominous sound echoed, and my body suddenly froze. I slowly scanned the surroundings. The sudden drop in my vision¡­ and the chair that had literally broken in half. It seemed the Mecha Biams, who had clung to me, had caused the furniture to copse. Jin, Rain, and Mav quickly moved away from me, as if everything that just happened had been a lie. I could only ponder how to deal with the burning anger creeping up my spine.@@novelbin@@ In the silence of the room, only my muttering was heard. "...These damn troublemakers." Will I never get a peaceful day? I maxed out the soundproofing function of my Icarus gear, and the Mecha Biams¡¯ screams were drowned out before they could reach anywhere. It was autumn. Chapter 543 "Is this the second time you''ve been to this world?" "The first time was when I brought the first and second Mecha Maknae after the housewarming, so yeah, this is the second time. Except for Olivia." "¡­Why am I always left out? Are you discriminating against me because I¡¯m Task Force Laser?" "You should''ve convinced Carmen, the operation leader, and pushed for a joint mission with Dagger. Our cute little Maknae is one of a kind in the world." Inside the unmanned Disney bus, instead of the supercar I had brought earlier, were LorenTina, Logan, and Olivia, the New York-version acquaintances. They were all in a lighthearted mood as they yfully fussed over my cheek and tail. Of course, today¡¯s trip to Disney World involved these New Yorkers. To put it simply, the agreement that had gone smoothlyst night could be summed up as a "switch." The three of us, who had been touring the EPCOT virtual reality studio until yesterday, had headed to New York, and in exchange, the three from New York arrived here. It was a sophisticated yet sly swap. Naturally, the chance of the viewers noticing was next to zero. If there were a slip of the tongue, they might feel something was off, but if we couldn¡¯t even watch out for such things, we wouldn¡¯t be able to say we belonged to a special forces unit. But what I was really concerned about wasn¡¯t that. "I¡¯m not sure if it was the right decision to leave the Mecha Maknae behind in that world." "So, I gave Jin, Rain, and Mav their own quests. They¡¯ve got the task of introducing HQ, so they¡¯ll probably be babbling excitedly all day about what they know. It¡¯s kind of a self-directed learning thing." "You do realize that calling it a ''quest'' and ''self-directed learning'' doesn¡¯t even match, right, Maknae?" "Eh." The Mecha Maknae, after a day full of experiences yesterday, had thrown a bit of a tantrumst night, begging us not to abandon them. However, as I just mentioned, the solution was surprisingly simple. The "very reliable Mecha Maknae" was the key phrase that caught the attention of Jin, Rain, and Mav. After that, things went quickly. They shouted, "Trust us!" without needing further words and started preparing a script and presentation, promising to give a Central Park tour tomorrow. "Should I tell them that the Mecha Biams inherited the original memories of the New York versions? Or should I leave that out?" In other words, the Mecha Biamz didn¡¯t need to do the presentation. But, well, what could we do? They had nothing else to do there, and the trio in this world seemed delighted with the cute Mecha Yujins. The post-apocalyptic world they came from was far from the Disnend experience here. The bears, sharks, and owls in that world didn¡¯t realize yet that their only form of entertainment would be messing around with the Mecha Yujins. At any rate, the Mecha Biamz had to be left behind. Plus, if the three of them were added to the sightseeing tour, the boat would sink immediately. "By the way, when are you going to turn on that stream or whatever, Maknae?" "Well, I¡¯m thinking maybe during the boat tour¡­ Are you interested in the broadcast?" "I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m just curious about why people recognized me so much when I briefly wandered around Seoulst time. What kind of mess did I make in my stream?" "Ah." Yeah, Shark had definitely caused quite a stir. Exining everything about that would probably require an entire "Shark Tour" instead of just this VIP tour, and I would likely have to y the guide. So, I just vaguely brushed over it and pulled back the curtain to show the view of Disney World in the distance to everyone. They all had expressions of nostalgia, a sentiment I recognized from the time they saw Seoul from my balcony. It was that feeling of wondering when they would ever regain their former glory. I knew exactly what they were thinking since I was aware of what happened to the theme parks in the U.S. "Yeah, that¡¯s how it used to be." "What happened to that ce? I can¡¯t remember. I wonder if they¡¯ll ever restore it."@@novelbin@@ "It turned into a town full of solidified molten iron and craters... Well, they¡¯ll probably figure something out. I imagine Walt Disney would shed tears and bow to us if Disney World were rebuilt from the remains of the Russian army¡¯s corpses." "I don¡¯t know. I think he might cry blood, though." Even if Walt Disney, resurrected through blood tears and necromancy, came back, there wouldn¡¯t be much he could do. Thanks to the anti-matter exorcism, he¡¯d likely disintegrate back to atomic particles. As those foolish thoughts crossed my mind, the bus began to slow down, and everyone, except me, took a deep breath. The air seemed to have a faint sweet smell¡ªDisney World¡¯s signature scent. At the same time, two figures... no, two entities approached us. I recognized them from somewhere. Specifically, they looked like the robots from that post-apocalyptic world, quietly collecting trash to dispose of it. One of the robots, rolling on tracks, came to stand in front of us, and the other floated towards us using an internal propeller, not quite like the anti-gravity movement in the movie. "Wee to the VIP tour! This is W, and over there is E." "We decided to go with the most straightforward appearance for your tour. We thought having you guided by a prince or princess would be a bit... unrealistic. Hope you like it." "Haha, it¡¯s cute enough. I enjoyed WALL-E. The reproduction rate is impressive." "...Remote-controlled robots. This might actually be better. It looks more fun than I expected." I nodded. Well, as the guide said, if Disney World had greeted us with the typical prince, princess, or trademark mouse characters, it might have been a bit much. We weren¡¯t exactly in a mindset to appreciate that kind of childhood dream anymore. If a prince or princess had shown up in full tactical gear, we¡¯d haveughed, but that would only work in a world where Walt Disney focused on military expos rather than preserving children¡¯s dreams. As the water taxi headed towards the Contemporary Hotel, the tour guide kept talking about the history of Disney World, leading to a conversation that started to drift a little awkwardly. "The sniperpetition we just had was very impressive. Although I¡¯m not an expert in creating dreams and hopes for tourists, it was really... cool. I¡¯d love to hear about the work you normally do and what happened in thispetition." It seemed like the guide''s role had unexpectedly flipped. "Ah, I didn¡¯t say it to the others, but one of our protocols is to make sure the tourists don¡¯t get bored on the tour." E, who hade closer, added in a whisper: "Actually, we¡¯re not that interested in Disney itself. We¡¯re more here for those who came for rest and tourism. If you¡¯re curious about Disney World, feel free to ask us. That¡¯s the reason we¡¯re here." I understood. It was clear that the New York acquaintances hadn¡¯t realized they¡¯d swapped ces with the originals yet, and they assumed we were the ones who had participated in thepetition. As we were nearing the boat, everyone seemed to rx, and I decided to let them ask whatever they wanted. "Well, then, where should we start?" As if calling a grandchild, all eyes were now focused on me. It was time to tell the most amazing stories. "So, the next stop, where was it? Originally, this ce used to be an art museum, but now it¡¯s being used as a facility to manage a first-ss war criminal detention center. And over there, that reservoir-like ce is used for underwater operation training. After basic training there, they do explosion practice on the Hudson River¡­¡± "¡­" Were they always this loud? Logan¡¯s group, who expected a light walk, was having their expectations thoroughly shattered. As the VIP tour continued, the group started to lighten up a bit, gradually rxing and shedding the intense pressure. It seemed like the way we carried ourselves in the world made the whole group feel a little tense, especially as we started walking down the parade road. "Wait a second. If we go through this path¡­" We turned right, cutting through a long line and passing a parade road. "Wait, did WALL-E and EVE just¡ª?" "Wow, is this a pre-parade?!" "Wave your hands!" "Mom, there''s a car!" As we walked down the path, it was clear that we had unintentionally be part of the pre-parade itself. The crowd cheered as we passed, and I had tough at the irony. "Well, this wasn''t what I nned." At that moment, the tour guides chuckled, continuing their presentation despite the situation. We were now moving through the crowds, and it was clear that some excitement had built up. As we passed through the area, the guide shared some interesting details about the Cindere Castle. It was not just a decorative piece¡ªinside, it was actually a hotel, but not just any hotel. Only a select few¡ªeither those who made massive investments in Disney or individuals of great importance¡ªcould stay there. "Actually, earlier this year, Disney tried to reach out to you, Eugene, for a coboration, but there was no response, so it didn¡¯t happen. Have you changed your mind since then?" "¡­It wasn¡¯t that I changed my mind, it¡¯s just that earlier this year, I was pretty busy." Well, how could I resist working on the Western US recovery strategy? But this year, I didn¡¯t have anything particrly urgent nned, so who knows, maybe I¡¯d end up staying at Cindere''s castle after all. But, honestly, I wasn¡¯t particrly eager about it. As we made our way towards the castle, I couldn''t help but reminisce. The surroundings were crowded with people, but it wasn¡¯t due to our group. Looking at the wide parade road ahead, I realized something. "Wait, isn¡¯t this the parade route?" The parade seemed to be approaching us, and we all reacted to the sudden shift in attention. The crowds were cheering and waving, and it became clear that we had unintentionally be the star attraction of the pre-parade. This wasn¡¯t what I had nned at all, but it certainly made the experience unique. Chapter 544 "Here''s our room. How do you like it?" "This ce has more to see than HQ. Our cute Mecha youngsters. It¡¯s quite charming and adorable¡­" "Quite cute, aren¡¯t they?" 7 PM, New York, Central Park HQ. It wasn¡¯t exactly a restricted area, but it was a space made just for the three Mecha Eugens. Three manifesters from another world stepped inside. However, it wasn¡¯t cramped¡ª the total space for the three of them was bigger than a basketball court. The room looked like a barracks that had been remodeled here and there. The difference was that partition walls had been set up around the room, ensuring some privacy. But the room size wasn¡¯t what mattered. The interior design, the various furniture, the papers attached to the walls, the colorful bedspreads, and the light and cheerful pink wallpaper all created a weing atmosphere for Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia. Lorenatina¡¯s eyesnded on something. On the table in front of her, there were manicure and pedicure cuticle creams. "...Who suggested painting the nails and toenails first?" "Uh, Mav suggested it first." "I identally went into the female lounge once, and I saw it. It was so interesting, I asked about it, and they told me. Since then, everyone agreed to take turns doing it." "I offered to Logan and Lorenatina too, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t go as nned..." Logan, who had something to say but was holding back, finally saw Jin¡¯s gloomy expression and kept his mouth shut. Meanwhile, there were some distinctive features in the room. The beds were adjusted individually to fit personal preferences and heights, which didn¡¯t cause any trouble in terms of appearance, but what stood out were the thick pistons and supports under the beds, along with the incredibly stiff mattresses. A question came up naturally. "...Do the Mecha youngsters even need to sleep?" "Come to think of it, do they need beds?" "I initially thought the same, but the reason humans need sleep applies to some extent to these units as well." "Hmm." The benefits of sleep. The moment that thought crossed their minds, the manifesters in the room all seemed to understand. For the Mecha youngsters, sleep wasn¡¯t strictly necessary. Humans need it to relieve fatigue and clear brain waste, but the Mecha youngsters didn¡¯t have to undergo those processes. However, it couldn¡¯t be said that sleep waspletely unnecessary. Just like how a desktopputer¡¯s performance degrades after running 24/7 for weeks or months, sleep for the Mecha youngsters was a self-diagnostic period for hardware and software, a rest period for theirponents. For example, the facial liquid metal control chips that helped create expressions, and the actuator and power supply lines for their joints and weapons, bore the brunt of the most load. Even if they repaired any damage using nanomachines, they still required a cooldown period. By the time the exnation had finished, Olivia, who had plopped down on the couch in the middle of the living room, added her thoughts. "I get the general idea. But with your processing power, wouldn¡¯t that be over in a second?" "Usually, there was an instruction to follow themon wake-up time set for all units at Central Park HQ. Therefore, the logic circuits... in human terms, the consciousness is in a sleep mode, and a self-diagnostic takes about eight hours." "Still... it feels a bit ambiguous to call it sleep." "Basically, it¡¯s like deep sleep, right? They say people don¡¯t even dream when they¡¯re in deep sleep. So functionally, it¡¯s not that different." A logically sound answer indeed. At that moment, Logan and the others realized once again that the Mecha Biams weren¡¯t just simple humanoids¡ªthey were fully-fledged electronic life forms. And that was exactly how things had turned out. Lorenatina, with an expression that suggested she didn¡¯t know how to respond, turned her head from side to side and realized that her left arm hadnded on... something resembling a very small bookshelf. She nced at the books stuck tightly in a row and, after confirming the titles, Lorenatina¡¯s expression grew... strangely distorted. She blushed and rushed toward Rain, who was about to charge at her face. With her free hand, Lorenatina quickly opened the book. "He smiled dramatically, revealing his white teeth... I can¡¯t stand it. Out of all the romance novels, why this one? No, wait... where did this book evene from? New York Public Library?" "Ugh, stop reading it! I left the bookmark there!" "...I guess this was Second¡¯s taste." A simultaneous sigh came from Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia. Whether it was the book, the couch, or anything else, something was about to break. Rain, who had barely managed to get the book back, quickly hid it in the room and huffed. Meanwhile, Jin added proudly: "I love books by this author." At the same time, Jin pulled out the book without any attempt to hide it and showed the cover. It was a novel about a Harvard University professor in religious symbolism¡ªa subject that didn¡¯t actually exist¡ªbeing involved in a murder mystery, with various conspiracy theories spread throughout the series. What should I even say to this? Olivia, with a look on her face that made it seem like her temples might burst, quietly added: "Do you believe that the events in this book actually happened, First?" "Of course. Whenever I read novels, I cross-reference them with actual historical records. I¡¯m well aware there are a lot of errors. But I like the story development and the tension in it." "Well, that¡¯s a relief. You know, there are surprisingly many people who believe in those conspiracy theories¡­ though, by now, those theories are probably buried with them." "As an advanced electronic life form like me, I could never believe in such theories. Only people with poor judgment would believe them." At that moment, Logan couldn¡¯t help himself and burst outughing. Perhaps Jin was aware, but the author of the book firmly believed in the very conspiracy theory it presented. Logan and the others were left in a state of mental copse, unsure how to take the fact that the Mecha Biams¡¯ literary taste had gone down such a strange path. Meanwhile, Mav, with a sigh, waved her hand and activated the hologram projector. Arge screen appeared before them. On the screen, Eugene and his team were seen wandering around a theme park under the night sky. "What¡¯s this? Who turned it on?" "Third did." "Eh, what? I want to go there and hang out with Archetype too..." "Let¡¯s leave it to them for now." Having inherited their memories, it became clear to me. They were the same person, yet while some were enjoying an unspoiled world, others were not so fortunate. Perhaps that¡¯s why the manifesters from New York needed such moments. At least the three who volunteered to switch felt that way. And even if the youngest had gone on a VIP tour, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to truly enjoy it. The manifesters from New York, who rested and enjoyed Disney works during their downtime, were very different from the three present here, whose experiences were more inconsistent. As I watched the Mecha youngsters, now being properly restrained, enjoy their time together sitting on the floor, I felt a slight sense of envy. ---BEEP! "Eh?" Suddenly, Jin¡¯s watch rang. The moment I saw that, her expression subtly changed, and after a moment of hesitation, she spoke. "Logan, Lorenatina, Olivia." "Is something wrong?"@@novelbin@@ "Yes." Her quick, almost affirmative reply had everyone¡¯s eyes on her. She hesitated a bit before saying. "Henry... no, the President of the United States has called for you." At that moment, everyone''s expression froze in disbelief. "It seems they¡¯re having quite the dynamic experience over there." "Are they doing something over there?" "We¡¯ll find out when theye back." "Ugh, seriously, why do you have to build up our curiosity like this?" Meanwhile, somewhere in Disney World. I was dealing with something resembling karmic adjustment. "So, you¡¯re leaving to meet your disciples in a few hours?" "Right. I¡¯m heading nonstop to St. Petersburg." "Disciples, huh? I feel like I¡¯ve heard that before... when was it? During the US Western Restoration?" "If you¡¯re talking about Seattle, that sounds about right. I must have heard of it earlier too." 8 PM, somewhere in Disney World. We were seated at a VIP-only, manifestation-only dinner, on a second-floor balcony terrace where only the manifesters were allowed. We were waiting for the uing fireworks while watching the people walking around. A soundproof barrier had been installed so that nobody could overhear our conversation, and the restaurant would continue preparing food for us until our bellies were full. As I continued speaking, my disciples¡¯ attention was fixed on the two people I had taught the most. It made sense, considering I was leaving for Russia in a few hours. "You first learned the youngest was alive right after the Western Restoration, right?" "Yeah, and I didn¡¯t find out about the youngest taking on apprentices untilter, probably Sacramento?" "I found out around the same time. Officially, it was when the youngest mentioned Seattle." "Quite well taught. Seattle, though, I didn¡¯t know much about since I was traveling around Canada at the time. But you worked together during the refinery operation, right? Seeing you survived, I guess you did your part." "They were handpicked, but it was still a close call. But those kids... about half a year ago, when they hadn''t even touched a gun, they were deployed in an alpha-level operation, and despite it all, they managed to pull their weight. They deserve praise." Just like that. Mina and Yerin, with only infinite guns, ammo, and grenades, could probably wipe out a full toon if they fell into hell. And Seattle was about eight months ago¡ª240 days past, and they were much stronger now. And that wasn¡¯t the end. After Seattle, there was the time spent in the Unidentified Zone with Jin and Rain, and those two had also participated in Operation Ouroboros. Thinking about it, I sure had taken them along a lot. "Well, for an operator who can do their job, being called around is part of the routine." When I had first arrived at Central Park HQ in New York, Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia, who had enthusiastically trained me, must have felt something simr. They probably had some idea of what might happen if the Dark Winter situation prolonged and worsened. Maybe that¡¯s why they took such care to train me as an operator. As I reminisced about the past, talking about my disciples'' journey to Hawaii (I had once shared my YouSpace channel with them during a housewarming party), I simted the journey to St. Petersburg in my head. In about two hours, I¡¯d return to the hotel, then in an hour, I¡¯d rush to Ondo International Airport to catch the private jet. I¡¯d heard Harmony and Dice, along with the national representatives from Korea, and other participants from other countries, were staying at the Lakhta Center, a skyscraper where they wouldpete. At least the logistics were easier now. Hmm... "I need to secure mobility, so first, I should head to Icarus Residence in St. Petersburg." Securing mobility might sound odd, but it essentially meant I¡¯d be getting a vehicle. "Icarus seems to have be something like a vehicle storage warehouse," I thought. Maybe this was how multinational corporations worked in movies... "Looks like you¡¯ve got a lot on your mind, Eugene." "...Yeah, just a bit." Embarrassed or awkward, I scratched the back of my head and added to Lorenatina¡¯sment. I¡¯d brought my friends here but had been so preupied with scheduling that I quickly tried to refocus. "Do you like living a busy life?" "Well, kind of... I guess." "A busy life means you¡¯re building up the meaning of your life, piece by piece. Not always, but usually, what you build up forms a solid connection with the future that hasn¡¯t arrived yet." Suddenly, Lorenatina spoke in a somewhat schrly tone. Logan and Olivia didn¡¯t seem to mind, and it seemed like something had clicked between us while I was lost in thought, and our intentions were beingmunicated through Lorenatina. "That¡¯s what you¡¯ve earned from the six years you lost... Maybe that¡¯s what it is, maybe not." "..." "Anyway, you¡¯ve now built enough to return pieces of the past. The time the youngest spent in the world has brought us here." Did it? Suddenly hearing this, I didn¡¯t quite feel it, but... one thing was for sure. There had been a lot of things that happened over thest two years. Given that everything contributed to creating this moment... what kind of foundation is this momentying for? Surely, not all of this was for the future, but it all had its meaning. As I waited silently for more, Lorenatina stood up. I felt a soft sensation as her hair was gently stroked. "Well done, and I¡¯ll be counting on you in the future, youngest." "...Of course. I¡¯m here because of all of you." "Thinking back, the youngest coin I invested in is still rising. There¡¯s value in teaching you with all my might." "Hey, I thought things were going well, but then at the end, it all went to hell¡­ Hey, get that guy!" "Yes, yes." Suddenly, the sky exploded in color, fireworks bursting in every direction. However, under that sky, no deep, memorable moments were being created. My mild sense of emotion was snatched away by Lorenatina''s final words as Olivia quickly grabbed her and dragged her away, and Shark was dragged along as well. I just smiled. "This is why these are my friends." And so, thest day at Disney World passed by. Chapter 545 [Breaking News] Biyam to Conduct a Russian Assault!!!!!! A major disaster is imminent!!!!!!! [All Comments][Sort by newest]
    • Ahhh hahahahaha
    • The Asia qualifier is timed perfectly, haha
    • ''Assault''?? Haha seriously, this is just too funny, hahahahaha
    • Isn¡¯t it correct? Haha
    • If that¡¯s the case, it really is an assault, isn¡¯t it? Haha
    • Assault? No, orbital bombardment. Haha, they¡¯re just ridiculous, hahahahaha
    • I¡¯m genuinely scared that it might actually be an assault, haha
    • Everyone came here to y games, but I can imagine Yujin rappelling down from a rooftop, cutting through bulletproof ss, and entering. Haha
    • False rm
    • Fact: Biyam might actually do it
    • What the hell are these idiots thinking about Biyam? What is he even?
    • But seriously, this time it feels like they¡¯re just leaving them to their own devices, haha. If things go poorly, they might even arrive after the games have started.
    • Is no one going to conduct any training this year?
    • Didn¡¯t they mostly finish things already, haha?
    • Now that they¡¯ve fine-tuned everything to the point where it can run without him, they¡¯re just letting them handle it themselves.
    • ?? : We¡¯ve taught you everything, now go out and do it on your own.
    • WWWWW
    • If other countries can¡¯t do much this year, big props to them, haha
    • I¡¯ll be the first to say it, haha
    • After a year of preparation, would other people just sit idly by? They must have been researching countermeasures, right?
    • But who¡¯s to say those countermeasures will even work, haha
    • Japan got blown apart and suspended for revenge, so it looks like Biyam will sweep the tickets this year too, haha
    • Honestly, wasn¡¯t Biyam just heading to Russia to get a whiff of the ce?
    • Maybe he¡¯s going to do some location scouting to create an event set in Russia, haha
    • Is Biyam really going to Russia just to check bombing points? Hahahaha
    • Yujin, the mysterious frozen snake is nned, haha
    • Now that I think about it, Florida has an average temperature of 22¡ãC, but Russia is -8¡ãC, haha
    • The temperature difference is insane, haha
    • A 30-degree difference, whoa
    • Is Biyam going to wear a white puffy jacket? Haha
    • Why doesn¡¯t he think about sticking with Korea, haha
    • He¡¯s leaving at the end of October and will be living overseas for almost 3-4 weeks, haha
    • This is just a business trip, haha
    • If he goes to the US, then to Russia, and then back to Korea, that¡¯s truly a business trip, haha
    [Breaking News] Biyam arrives and immediately dons a white long puffy jacket, haha It¡¯s so cute, seriously, how does he look so adorable with that jacket on???? [All Comments][Sort by newest]
    • Wow, looks like it¡¯s really cold with the wind and snow, haha
    • What?
    • Did you just say it¡¯s freezing?
    • Don¡¯t even start with that freezing nonsense, you crazy idiots!
    • Wow, is that a ball or a tire or a person? Hahahaha
    • The tail sticking out from under the jacket is just so heartwarming, haha
    • Why is the tailing out of his neck? Hahaha, that¡¯s too funny
    • He must have wrapped it around himself and put the jacket on because it¡¯s cold
    • Wow, self-tail-bonding y, crazy, haha
    • Haha
    • Biyam knows exactly how to make people like him
    • Do you think this is going to make people buy a jacket? I¡¯m gonna buy one
    • Anyone who¡¯s suddenly itching to buy a Biyam jacket after seeing this, big props, haha
    • Hahaha, this is the first time
    • Biyam¡¯s ads are making people with no money earn some for once, haha@@novelbin@@
    • I¡¯ve never worked a part-time job in my life, what should I start with?
    • Why are you asking that here, haha
    • If you want to exchange money for your body, mind, and spirit, do a delivery job or work as a part-timer at a mart, haha
    • The jacket with the Biyam logo on it looks really tempting
    • Wow, it¡¯s 600,000 won. That¡¯s expensive, huh? Biyam¡¯s not selling it cheap, huh?
    • Has anyone bought it? Is it worth it?
    • Check reviews on Dalkgal
    • The quality and performance are amazing. I wore it when it was -16¡ãC in Seoul, and it was too warm except for the exposed face and legs.
    • Isn¡¯t that a given?
    • For Biyam¡¯s standards, it¡¯s pretty bad¡­ hmmm...
    • The puffy jacket¡¯s cost is about 400,000 won, and the other 200,000 is for all the extra stuff... it¡¯s ridiculous.
    • I checked the site, and the coupon is hrious, haha. Ites with in-game gun skins, long puffy jacket avatars, emotes, and expressions.
    • Isn¡¯t it a bundled product with the jacket and the rest? Haha
    • Seriously, what¡¯s with the ridiculous prices?
    • Biyam¡¯s probably making 600,000 just from donations with 10 minutes of streaming, why would he care about selling a few jackets?
    • Haha, exactly!
    • Okay, fine, I¡¯ll get a part-time job, stop promoting this!!
    Rahta Center, St. Petersburg, Russia. I barely managed to get through the sudden snowstorm that hit earlier than expected after more than a decade. I shook the snow off my shoulders and head before walking across the lobby to contact the building receptionist. I get the instructions for the hotel room I¡¯ll be staying in for a few days, not the full week. A bit dyed in my observations, but the building was truly splendid. It wasn¡¯t just extravagantly decorated. The LED lights on the walls and fireworks made it clear that the Asia qualifiers were being held here. It became clear why the area was so crowded with people. I got into the building¡¯s elevator, which was a transformed pentagon shape, apanied by a small cart for automatic luggage transport. The building, narrowing as it went up, was not really built for amodating many people. After climbing to about the 70th floor, I reached the top. "...What is this?" There were numerous post-its stuck to the door of my hotel room. The content varied innguages. Korean, of course, but also Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. There were exactly 100 post-its. I could understand Japanese, Russian, and Chinese, so I started reading through them¡­
    • "Blessed by Biyam, I¡¯m leaving¡­"
    • "Mishaguji, please bless Japan!!"
    • "Yujin isn¡¯t Mishaguji, he¡¯s Quetzalcoatl, what are you talking about?"
    • "She¡¯s not a snake, she¡¯s a dragon¡¯s avatar from the sky. We must offer tributes to gain her favor."
    • "The blessing of Ouroboros will stay with Mother Russia!"
    • "Yujin, stop ying in Disney World and hurry up!"
    ... "..." What kind of bizarre situation is this? It wasn¡¯t something you¡¯d typically see, so I took a picture of the post-it-covered door with my Icarus gear and carefully peeled off the post-its. It could be seen as a kind of rolling paper. After throwing my luggage onto the bed, I got back in the elevator to go to the 20th floor for the match, where I confidently walked toward the back entrance, which was restricted to authorized personnel only. The arena was full of cheers as I stepped inside. "Ah, as I speak, the number of remaining yers has dropped to 20! Dice and Harmony from SSM Entertainment are ranked 1st and 2nd!" And at that moment, I nodded with a smile on my face. Just as I thought, the little Biyams are certainly performing well. "Wee to Rahta Center. The game just started." "It was a little dyed because of the snowstorm. I see the reason why so many reporters are here despite the cold weather. What¡¯s the first map?" "NBV Desert Base. By the way, I must say, your Russian is very fluent. I was thinking of bringing an interpreter just in case." "Oh, that¡¯s not necessary." I barely broke through the early snowstorm in St. Petersburg and made my way to the hotel room. St. Petersburg, Russia, Rahta Center. After finally breaking through the snowstorm that had struck early after many years, I shook off the snow from my shoulders and head. I made my way through the lobby and contacted the building¡¯s reception to get directions to the hotel room I¡¯d be staying in for a few days (not the entire week). Although it was a bit of a dyed observation, the building was truly impressive. It wasn''t just extravagantly decorated. The walls had LED instations and fireworks announcing the Asia qualifiers, clearly indicating why there were so many people crowding the area. I got into the building¡¯s elevator, which was in the shape of a modified pentagon, along with a small cart for automatically transporting luggage. The building itself narrowed as you went higher, so it wasn¡¯t designed to amodate a lot of people. After going up to about the 70th floor, I arrived at the top. "...What is this?" I was greeted by arge number of post-it notes stuck to the door of the hotel room I¡¯d be staying in. The notes were in variousnguages: Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. There were exactly 100 notes. While Japanese was easy to understand, I could also read Russian and Chinese, so I carefully examined the notes. They were as follows:
    • "Blessed by Biyam, I leave now¡­"
    • "Mishaguji, please grant Japan your blessing!!"
    • "Yujin isn¡¯t Mishaguji, he¡¯s Quetzalcoatl, what are you even talking about?"
    • "She¡¯s not a snake, but an avatar of a dragon sent from the sky. We must offer tributes to earn her favor."
    • "The blessing of Ouroboros will stay with Mother Russia!"
    • "Yujin, stop ying in Disney World ande back quickly!!!"
    ... "..." This was certainly a bizarre situation. I carefully peeled off the post-its one by one, thinking this could be something like a rolling paper. After opening the door and throwing my bulky luggage onto the bed, I got back in the elevator to head for the game happening on the 20th floor. I confidently walked down a restricted hallway to the back entrance, which was for staff only, and entered the arena, where cheers were already ringing out. "Ah, and as I speak, the number of remaining yers has dropped to 20! Dice and Harmony from SSM Entertainment are ranked 1st and 2nd!" At that moment, I smiled and nodded. Just as I thought, those little Biyams are performing well. "Please look here!" "We''re from GameIsWorld! Could you please give us a word?" The 100 participants, now divided into five groups, and the 5 conference rooms. As the 4th Asia Qualifier, now formatted like the Final Championship, ended, the reporters waiting in the conference rooms quickly snapped to attention. The twenty national professional yers who had arrived early from each country took their ces on the stage. The Korean session was especially crowded. It was simple to understand. Reporters not just from Korea, but from other countries, were here to see how Korean pro gamers would respond to questions. The Korean team wasn¡¯t unprepared. They had already brought an interpreter and had the necessary trantion equipment ready. However, no one could predict how things would unfold. shes from cameras went off continuously, while reporters enthusiastically waved their hands, eager to ask the first question. Harmony, the streamer who had been speaking her mind confidently in front of countless viewers, even in ufortable situations, had never experienced a press conference like this. Dice, who had been through such events a few times, was calmly guiding Harmony through it. "If you don¡¯t want to answer, it¡¯s perfectly fine to say so. Besides, reporters won¡¯t be asking weird questions like Mina might think. Plus, we¡¯ve already beaten other countries, so anything you say will likely be written in a positive tone." "¡­Should I consider that a relief?" "Well, if you think it¡¯s ufortable, I can answer on your behalf." The press conference began, and the questions poured in. Naturally, reporters had already checked the results from the first day via streaming, and some had even written parts of their articles, leaving space for responses from the yers toplete their reports. The articles¡¯ thesis was simple: Korea stood at the top of Asia once again, just likest year. Luckily, the reporters in the conference rooms had been selected based on pre-sent guidelines, which included specific conditions for entry and questioning. As a result, the quality of questions was high. "Kim Seohyun from GameIsLife here. I have a question regarding the skirmish in the N-B13 sector of the Aurora Powernt. ording to analysts, Harmony predicted the movement of the enemy after noticing the narrowing kill zone, and she set traps ordingly..." "Kaiichi Kenji from Afternoon Time Magazine. I want to ask about the precise grenade cooking technique used by Suzuran and Ink during their encounter in the control room..." "Hwang Jiwoo from WhatIsTrend! "Please ask one question at a time!" The mood was focused. The session wasn¡¯t meant for simple questions about the yers¡¯ thoughts on the matches or the skills of foreignpetitors. After all, with 20 yers participating, the limited time had to be used wisely. Reporters who had been filtered out beforehand didn¡¯t waste time asking trivial questions. This allowed yers to provide more detailed and personal responses, which helped ease the nerves of some who were under the press conference¡¯s weight. Eventually, the time passed, and thest question came. "Kim Hanyul here. This year, I noticed that Yujin, who contributed significantly tost year''s sess, was somewhat distant from the Asia Qualifier. Does that mean you all consider yourselves ''graduated''?" This clever and pointed question made both Dice and Harmony exchange looks. Harmony took the microphone. "Yujin... well, strictly speaking, yes. We couldn¡¯t stay under his shadow forever. Yujin wanted to create a self-sustaining system, one that doesn¡¯t need his constant involvement, and that¡¯s where Dice and Ie in." "It seems like you have more to say." "Of course." "However, now that we¡¯ve reached this point, we realize how high the mountain still is. People may call it graduation, but I believe it¡¯s just the beginning. There¡¯s still so much to do. We have more heights to reach." "Haha, there¡¯s a higher peak you can see only once you start climbing. Very impressive words. We look forward to seeing more of that from you in the future." "Yes, it¡¯s just the beginning." In short, they had graduated, but they still had a long way to go. Harmony, Dice, and Kato had already figured out that Yujin was indispensable to their progress. Within a week or two, they would be back in the Dark Zone, ying a new incursion with Yujin. A good operator always has plenty to do. As Harmony and Dice were thinking along these lines, the reporter, having stopped recording, sat back down. The conference hadsted more than an hour, signaling that most of the Q&A hade to an end. The moderator scanned the room for anyst questions before finally concluding the session. As he began his closing remarks... ¡ªTok tok! A small noise echoed, almost like a tap on the microphone. A subtle sigh filled the conference room. The tone was light yet calm. It was almost unnervingly thin for a man¡¯s voice, yet the presence was undeniable, sending a chill through the room. And after a short pause, the voice spoke again. "¡­Just as you said, it¡¯s still too early to let you go." "Hik!" "¡­Huh?" "We¡¯ll be delivering the feedback for today¡¯s matches individually, but first, there¡¯s something I need to say." The voice alone froze the room. No one knew where it hade from, but her presence had already made its mark. The person holding the microphone, the one everyone had been waiting for, spoke. "Sorry for the dy. Have you all been waiting long?" Yujin. The Rahta Center Assault had begun. Chapter 546 "Mr. Eugene! Please look here!" "Mecha Byam is alive!" "Did you get a third one this time?!" "It seems like none of you are nning to listen to what I''m saying." St. Petersburg, Russia, Lachta Center. Inside the briefing room, with its impressive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, dozens of people had gathered. There were twenty national team yers, including Harmony and Dice, along with coaches, staff, and myself standing at the podium. This view had be quite familiar by now. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I knew exactly why I was standing at the podium. If anything, I was more likely dragged here after the first day of the Asian qualifiers. While briefly analyzing the ys of each pro gamer and pointing out strengths and weaknesses was a separate matter, it seemed like they just wanted to have me stand here and hear a few kind words. Maybe they thought I was some kind of snake-shaped totem. At this point, it¡¯s more like faith. Faith. Having gone through many such opportunities over the past two years, I had gotten used to them. Honestly, my body wasn¡¯t even shaking at this kind of thing anymore. I carefully raised my hand to calm them down. I honestly couldn¡¯t tell whether they were my obsessive fans or people here for thepetition. Of course, I had wielded the carrot and stick to the point where even regr yers had transformed into the former. Anyway, what they had to say was painfully predictable. "I know very well why you all have me up here. Debriefing and feedback? You just want to hear what happened in the U.S., don¡¯t you?" "How did you know?" "But Mr. Eugene knew that too, and still came here!" "...Ugh." I couldn¡¯t deny it. In any case, there wasn¡¯t much that could be considered problematic. After all, most of the yers gathered here¡ªwell, not most, but nearly four or five of them¡ªwere the ones who made it to this pointst year as well. In other words, they knew exactly how fast I could give them urate feedback. Probably, the foreign yers staying upstairs or downstairs were really getting their debriefings... but, well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d been here more than a few hours, and I wasn¡¯t in the mood to get to work just yet. Traveling around overseas could really wear you out mentally. The stray thoughts ended there.@@novelbin@@ It was time to toss them the carrot they were looking for. "Well, the thing you¡¯re all most curious about must be the Mecha Byams. Is there anyone here who hasn¡¯t seen the official notice posted on the Dark Zone official website?" "..." "It looks like no one has. Anyway, what you saw is correct. We brought it straight from the game. They decided to use the hologram-integrated humanoids that Disney World is storing for the new Incursion ad, and I agreed to it." "So does that mean Mecha Eugene will really appearter?" "From what I¡¯ve heard, Icarus ns to make Mecha Eugene the second face of Dark Zone, so I guess we¡¯ll be seeing him like that in the future too." Of course, putting him as the face andunching the product were entirely separate matters. It¡¯s hard to say whether it was surprising, but people tended to forget that this Mecha Eugene was a creation based entirely on me. The release and all of that would be decided by me in the end. Anyway, I didn¡¯t n to remind them of that right now, especially since they were all more interested in... other things, so let¡¯s move on. The thing they were all likely the most curious about. Harmony raised her hand and then asked: "Is it possible to capture... no, recruit the third one for the next Incursioning out next week, Mr. Eugene?" "Well, I don¡¯t know. I guess we¡¯ll have to see. I can¡¯t say for sure, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s guaranteed this time." At that, everyone''s expressions turnedpletely confused. A non-answer. But Harmony and Dice, who had been thinking about Jin and Rain, didn¡¯t know how to respond to the addition I made, and I didn¡¯t feel the need to correct them. I had already mentioned this to Olivia, who knew the details. I told her that, even if we managed to rescue the other world through the Burning Donkey Operation, that "official" world wouldn¡¯t apply in the Dark Zone game. Moreover¡ª "I don¡¯t even know what kind of story the new Incursion will have. It¡¯s actually prettymon. It was the same with Operation Ouroboros... I¡¯m not involved in the story, you see." I didn¡¯t know anything about it this time either. Although, if I were to think back on the story I predicted personally, it would probably be something like this in the game: Mav didn¡¯t n to escape on his own, and would likely continue Artemis¡¯s mission through a dead-man switch. If that happens, Mav would probably appear as the final boss without any twists, and maybe after defeating him, we could recruit him. What happens after that, I don¡¯t know. Naturally, I didn¡¯t share all of this with the yers. I just mentioned, "Maybe the third one will appear as the final boss?" The reactions were varied. "...Wait, is it okay to promote the final boss like that?" "I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with it." By that logic, Jin and Rain were once considered final bosses too. Strictly speaking, Jin and Rain were different cases than Mav... but, well, I didn¡¯t care much about a question that wasn¡¯t that serious. Moreover, most of the questions popping up now were really just the kind that didn¡¯t touch on the core... In other words, they were the kinds of questions you¡¯d expect from a shelter for super cowards. So I spoke up. "Why are you all beating around the bush? You just want to see Mecha Byam, right? Just hang in there for another week." "Eh." "And by the way, for those who cleared Operation Ouroboros in the Unknown Area, there will be extra interactions avable with Team, Laser Team, and Mecha Eugene. So, if you want to enjoy the game more, you might want to try that." At the same time, I saw Harmony and Dice¡¯s eyes sparkle. I didn¡¯t miss that opportunity and added: "As I mentioned during the conversation with Katost time, there will be something else for those who clear the extermination difficulty mission, so don¡¯t worry." "Oh yeah!" "Mecha Byam is the best... Hehe..." Harmony, Dice, and even Blooming. Their smiles were so wide it seemed they were about to stretch all the way to their ears. I had expected it, so it didn¡¯t bother me. Anyway, despite that, the Q&A continued. It felt like a Q&A with some Dark Zone official staff... but honestly, they probably had me up here just to hear stories like this again, so it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Game stories, Disney World visit stories, sniperpetition stories. It didn¡¯t seem like there was much substance, but I made sure to prepare them so that everyone could get some kind of lesson. For example¡ª "...Now, let¡¯s focus on this scene from the official streaming sent out by the Ministry of Defense. As you can see, to make a long-range sniper shot, you have to consider a lot of variables..." "But doesn¡¯t Mr. Eugene dodge bullets sometimes?" "Ugh, seriously." Unfortunately, it was true, so I had nothing to say. I tried to ignore Dice¡¯s words and continued talking about this and that¡ªlike the importance of rest during Disney World, or... well, there wasn¡¯t much to say about the game stories. Can this really be called a debriefing? It felt more like a talk show. In the end, the debriefing, which hadsted about 1 hour and 20 minutes, ended with me saying, "I¡¯ll send individual feedback in a private chat roomter." The yers dispersed into their rooms, wearingfortable clothes, while I headed to mine. "Oh, by the way, Mr. Eugene, please take this." "What¡¯s this?" "It¡¯s a letter... I think? They also gave me a business card. It came from somewhere called Camp Henry. I thought it was from some military unit rted to you." "You took it without knowing what it was?" "Well, it had the Lachta Center temporary entry pass around the neck, and they¡¯d checked it thoroughly¡ªlike for radiation detection and other strange tests¡ªso I thought it was fine. I thought maybe it had some confidential stuff in it." "...Confidential, huh. I guess it could be, in a way." E PLURIBUS UNUM, "Out of many, one." Underneath the white paper was a faintly stamped eagle emblem, one that could only be seen by those with sharp eyesight. I chuckled softly, scanned the letter with the Icarus Gear, and tucked it into my pocket as I added: "Thanks. Oh, and I saw the post-its on the wall." "Oh, you saw those? I was debating what to write, but since they said they¡¯d arrive in a day or two, I just wrote something short. Did you see what it said?" "Wouldn¡¯t you have seen it? Stop hanging onto Mecha Byam so much. You¡¯re gonna wear out your tail." "Hehe." We had a short conversation, and I checked the very brief words in the hologram on the letter. The sender: Henry Michael Brayton, President-elect of the U.S. The message was... ''...Why is this person making such a big deal just to ask me for a meal?'' Meeting in December for dinner, and sending someone all the way here just for that. Such a strange person. "By the way, Mina. I noticed that since you started doing both cardio and strength training, your weight has changed, and your posture has improved. Your boots aren¡¯t any different, but it seems your movement sound is louder than usual. Please be more mindful of the noise during movement." "...Eh, um." "Next, Dice. The habit of counting the rounds your opponent fired¡ªtry to break that. You can tell when they¡¯re using linked rounds, but if they''re using extended mags, you¡¯ll get caught, and it''s hard to see in urgent firefights." "Can you actually see that?" "If I couldn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here." It was, after all, a long-overdue Eugene School feedback time. Time was approaching 11 PM, but the two who were wearing the snake pajamas modeled after me still weren¡¯t ready to sleep. I still had a lot of feedback to give. It had be quite trivial by now, but my first official job was as a temporary coach for SSM. Analyzing others to the point of tearing them apart was my job. In contrast, now... tactical analysis had just be one of the long tasks on my list, but since the opportunity had been given to me again... This is actually fun. I might have to admit it now. Maybe I have a sadistic side that enjoys torturing others... "Are you having strange thoughts again, Eugene?" "I wasn¡¯t." "Lie. When you¡¯re thinking about something else, your eyes drop and you get that nk face." "I¡¯m not fooled by that." "Ah." I wouldn¡¯t fall for basic interrogation tricks. As expected, Eugene... I ignored the two who were making dumbments and continued focusing on the video. No matter when I watch people moving, there are always one or two things that can be fixed. If Logan and Laurentina were here instead of the baby Byams, they would have had a word or two of feedback. Continuing to analyze the video, I added: "Now that I¡¯m saying it, it¡¯s a lot easier with Mina and Yerin around. Once you teach them properly, analyzing where the other yers fall short bes really simple." "Ah... Now that I think about it, what was it called again? Convergent evolution? Is it something like that?" "Exactly. Once you set a goal and a standard,paring and analyzing bes much easier... yeah, it¡¯s like that." They learned from me. Seeing the same things, paying attention to the same things. Given that it¡¯s almost been a year since the third final championship, foreign analysts would be considering that fact too. They¡¯ll be aware of it. But sometimes, even knowing something doesn¡¯t change anything. Given that foreign yers had happily kicked Mina and Yerin¡¯s butts this year, that was even more true. For a moment, my thoughts drifted in a different direction, but anyway, that was the feeling. "By the way, Eugene, while we¡¯re preparing for our match... will you be touring around St. Petersburg?" "I guess that¡¯s how it will be. I¡¯ll probably see the match in detail, but outside of that, I don¡¯t think so. Unless there¡¯s still something I need to handle here." Strictly speaking, I nned to enjoy a good rest in St. Petersburg. If you ask me what I did at Disney World... well, that was quite a hectic schedule. Waking up at 6:30 AM, heading to the studio by 7:30, and wandering around the theme park until sunset, is that even a proper rest? The sniperpetition and Disney tour were over, and I was still adjusting to the time difference, so if I had time, I¡¯d walk around outside, otherwise... just breathe and eat in the hotel. Also, I¡¯m not really fond of ces like cathedrals, and with the snowstorm outside... While having such trivial conversations, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. In fact, it was more like a forgotten thing suddenlying back to me. I sent video messages to both of the two who wereughing and chatting on the bed. And how much time had passed? "No way, is this... a video letter?!" "Wow! Mecha Byam sent a video letter!" "The third one is missing, so it¡¯s a bit disappointing, but I hope you understand that it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s only sent to those who cleared the extermination difficulty of Operation Ouroboros. Keep it well." "Oh, of course. Ah, really, Jin and Rain are so cute..." Half of that was true, but half was a lie. By now, Blooming and Kato had probably received theirs. There was no need to send video letters to Laurentina and Logan since we¡¯d been hanging out together recently. They could just ask me anytime if they wanted to see it. Thinking that, I added: "You¡¯ll do well tomorrow, right?" "Ah, full Mecha Byam power... If we don¡¯te first tomorrow, I¡¯ll do the dogeza in front of the Mecha kids¡ªugh!" "Who told you to do that?" It¡¯s funny how Dice still says such ridiculous things. I ignored him and continued analyzing. The first day in St. Petersburg was passing in a truly ridiculous manner. "...It¡¯s here, guys. My lifespan has only one week left."
    • Hahahahahahahaha
    • Did you think Mecha Byam would forget you? LOL
    • ?? : The time for reconciliation hase, Kato-graphers¡­.
    • What¡¯s he seeing that¡¯s making him say this? Hahahahahaha
    • People who can¡¯t do this even with money should be thanking Eugene School for letting them in for free. Hahahahaha
    Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, on a penins in East Asia, arge scythe was drawing ever closer to Kato''s neck. Chapter 547 ¡°This is either rain or snow¡­ What is this¡­¡± St. Petersburg. Once the capital of the Russian Empire, now the second most famous city in Russia after Moscow, and a city where countless imperial legacies still stand proudly, making it a top tourist destination. It is also the city where the 4th Dark Zone Apex Predator Asia Qualifiers are taking ce. Normally, this ce attracted a massive influx of people just because it was a tourist destination, but this year, there were even more. People had traveled to see the Asia Qualifiers, paying tens of millions of won in airfare, amodation, meals, and other expenses. Especially during this off-season, with the half-melted snow falling from the sky, it would be a wee sight for the city. I heard they hadunched a major advertising campaign to attract tourists to St. Petersburg. Anyway, back to the story. I was now walking through a city with the light drizzle of rain and snow. ¡®Maybe I should have just stayed at the Lachta Center¡­?¡¯ The weather really made me think about the past. The simple reason I ventured outside in such dreadful weather was because Mina and Yerin had rmended a caf¨¦ near Kazan Cathedral, so I had driven several kilometers, parked the car at the Icarus Residence parking lot in the city center, and then walked around the area. I was also wandering around to kill time ¨C and there was another separate reason as well. The city reminded me of Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Apparently, they don¡¯t allow construction of buildings taller than a certain height, except for the Lachta Center. I heard the tallest building here is some cathedral tower. Unfortunately, the weather wasn¡¯t in my favor, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. So, what was my main task? ¡°Wow, no way! Eugene?!¡± ¡°I heard you were in St. Petersburg, but this is real! I¡¯m a huge fan!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy the game tonight at 7 PM.¡± Managing public opinion. Actually, half of it was unintentional, but well, now that my face was known beyond Korea, it couldn¡¯t be helped. I had hidden my tail inside the padding and covered my head with a hood to disguise myself, but it seemed I couldn¡¯t fool thempletely.@@novelbin@@ If I really wanted to hide, I would have activated the stealth function of the Icarus Gear, so I was partly responsible for being spotted. With this weather, it wasn¡¯t as easy to just wander around for sightseeing, and staying at the Lachta Center would only lead to me nagging the national team yers again. Thus, from my jacket pocket, I pulled out my special Byam-stamp. It was a hassle to sign every fan¡¯s item individually, so I just stamped them all. ¡®Signatures or blessings leave a trace¡­ I¡¯d better be careful with that in a world where finding people is so easy using just handwriting.¡¯ In a world where a single piece of handwriting makes it so easy to find someone, it¡¯s important to always be cautious about leaving any kind of trace. As I gave a few words of encouragement to the fans receiving their Byam stamps, their expressions brightened a little. After that, I had another brief fan meeting and continued moving on¡ªthis was the kind of work I had to do on a day like this. St. Petersburg was a city packed with ces to visit, and it didn¡¯t take long for me to reach the caf¨¦ I had been aiming for. As I climbed to the second floor of the building with a view of Kazan Cathedral, the warmth of people¡¯s presence hit me. The moment the door opened, I was met with a rush of people amidst the dry air. Ignoring the crowd, I turned right, pushed aside a curtain, and entered a section marked with "reserved" tables, with a few empty spots on the balcony. Heading toward a balcony protected from the snowstorm, I naturally sat down. How much time had passed? ¡°Apple tart, tiramisu, and choctette. Let me know if you need anything else.¡± A staff member, wearing a pin that read ¡®Zenya¡¯ in Cyrillic, approached with a steaming tray. She removed the "reserved" sign from the table and ced several desserts and drinks, more than enough for one person. Yet, she seemed to not mind, cing it down without a second thought, and I watched her retreat as I spoke up. ¡°Seems like the Gray Fox is taking it easy these days?¡± At that moment, she froze. The staff member subtly pushed the tray cart, and with a quiet click, she fastened a button on the curtain separating the reserved area from the general seating ¨C the one I had passed through earlier. Turning back toward her original position, Zenya extended her hand, offering a handshake before sitting down. ¡°We no longer go by Gray Fox. Now I go by Nix.¡± ¡°Oh dear. Olivia will probably get confused.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d bring that up.¡± As she spoke, a slip of paper emerged from beneath her tea cup. Veritas Omnia Vinc Vincit ¨C "Truth conquers all chains" ¨C the motto of the Information Support Unit (ISA). To exin this, I had to briefly mention the letter Henry had indirectly sent me yesterday. The paper contained several faintly engraved secret codes. In summary, the message was asking me to meet someone who wanted to see me, with brief details about the person¡¯s location and affiliation. So, I came here, and now I was meeting this person. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Jennifer Lawrenson. Assistant team leader of Task Force Needle. A bystander in the big incident, a firecracker, an infiltrator¡­¡± ¡°An old name. As you said, I¡¯m still doing the same thing.¡± Task Force Needle. After the outbreak of war, they were sent to Russia to carry out espionage, hacking, and other operations. They had the authority to guide nuclear missiles to Russian soil if things went wrong for the U.S., and after the war, they were tasked with preparing for WW4 by surveying Russian territory. During the time when the U.S. became a living hell, these outcasts wreaked havoc on the enemy¡¯s soil. One of them now worked for the Russian branch of the Information Support Unit. Of course, since she was originally vic, it wasn¡¯t apparent she worked here. ¡°St. Petersburg is a pretty good town. It¡¯s optimal for gathering information.¡± ¡°Because of the tourists?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As I picked up a slice of apple tart, shaped like a pizza slice, the gel-like topyer wobbled enticingly. The taste was as good as its rating ¨C a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. Anyway, cities with many tourists are perfect for data collection. People with the luxury to travel abroad are excellent samples, and they always carry at least one electronic device. Plus, they don''t pay much attention to security. This caf¨¦ was broadcasting Wi-Fi within several hundred meters, and people happily connecting to the free Wi-Fi were probably unknowingly having their data easily read, like through a microscope. Of course, only certain keywords were being tracked, and messages not matching those keywords were automatically discarded. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d like to hear why you called me today. I¡¯m assuming you didn¡¯te just to talk about some boring issue like leaking unnecessary information.¡± ¡°Well, if it were under normal circumstances, that might be the case, but thanks to you, there¡¯s a high chance that Korea will officially join the Five Eyes next year. Let¡¯s call it a precaution against resolving the military intelligence gap.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve called me today for nothing special. I¡¯ll just briefly tell you what¡¯sing up next. If you¡¯re not interested, you can just listen.¡± As I slowly devoured my dessert, her slow speech followed. It felt like I hade for one thing but was getting more than expected, but there was no harm in listening. ¡°Henry ns to use the energy sector you gave him as a weapon to gradually weaken influence in the Middle East and South Asia. Additionally, he¡¯s nning to take care of the annoying neighbors to your north andunch them into space.¡± ¡°¡­Where did you learn that word?¡± ¡°Where else? Haha.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. While savoring the sweet aftertaste of my dessert, I could hear the blizzard outside growing fiercer. Just a while ago, the snow and rain mixed together, but now it was clearly snowing, and it seemed like the way back would be quite difficult. She didn¡¯t seem concerned by it and continued speaking. ¡°Anyway, personally, I¡¯m very grateful to you. Information analysts tend to have a hard time mentally. You¡¯ve helped relieve some of that, so I won¡¯t charge you for your snacks this time.¡± ¡°Well, I came for a snack, but it looks like I¡¯m just hearing ufortable things¡­¡± ¡°Well, think of it as the noise you have to endure on the way to permanent world peace.¡± Clink. Before I knew it, the te was empty, and she took it away while adding: ¡°World peace, huh. I thought it was something out of a novel, but I see that¡¯s not exactly true.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She ced the reservation sign back on the spot I had been sitting at and vanished as if she had never been there. World peace. Right now, the sweetness of the dessert in my mouth felt far more real than that. The feeling was strange. St. Petersburg was still covered in the falling snow. ¡°The top ranks are showing off the Taegukgi in all its glory. There are also foreignpetitors impressively holding their ground, but¡­¡± ¡°Korean yers can be considered great because Byam has trained them well, but the other countries are still impressive. This year, Russia is quite strong. Japan haspletely copsed.¡± ¡°Even with the home-ground advantage, their growth speed is significant. Korean yers who aren¡¯t performing well are being devoured and sharpened like whetstones.¡± One, two, three days. As the samples pile up, trends emerge, and meaningful results are drawn. Wherever you go in the stadium, the same twenty nicknames are visible. Dice, firmly holding first ce, Harmony maintaining a stable pace between second and fourth¡­ but that wasn¡¯t as important. The tri-colored gs of the white, blue, and red were the ones everyone should focus on. Japan¡¯s g was almost entirely torn, and Taiwan, which wasn¡¯t exactly a strong nation, and China, which was doing decently, were seen in the lower ranks. It wasn¡¯t the middle-tier aiming for three spots, but Russia and Korea in the top ranks,peting fiercely for dominance, was quickly bing the main spectacle of the 4th Asia Qualifiers. And this fact was known by everyone, not just Eugene. ¡°Foreign yers¡¯ skill levels are rising quickly. I roughly expected it, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d engage with the lower-ranked Korean yers and gatherbat data. These aren¡¯t yers whose heads don¡¯t work.¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, it doesn¡¯t seem like we can do much about it¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s a kind of rising standard. Honestly, you can see it more clearly in internationalpetitions, but it probably started a long time ago.¡± Eugene¡¯s bombshell left the briefing room in silence. Blinking slowly, the Byam who was sitting beside me seemed deep in thought, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t like that. As she had just mentioned, this was something that had been expected. Taking a deep breath, Eugene¡¯s consciousness sank below the surface of thought. ¡®...I guess it¡¯s becausest year wepletely smashed foreign yers.¡¯ I had taken advantage of too many fools. Even the casino owner came to the scene and tantly cleaned them out. Though this type of e-sports changes its meta faster than other games, if the core fundamentals don¡¯t change, we can¡¯t advance any further ¡ª e-sports is a massive industry. In other words, it involves a lot of money. However,st year, we crushed the yers of other countries so hard that even the biggest sponsors jumped out of their seats. Those who were previously calcting costs and benefits now poured money into improving yers'' skills. Once the reins were loosened, this led to a radical upward standardization, something that couldn¡¯t be exined by words like change or innovation. Perhaps terms like ¡°revolution¡± would even be used. But that was the core of the situation. Eugene didn¡¯t care if everyone in the room looked at her, and she added: ¡°Still, we¡¯re maintaining the lead. Fortunately, we are now riding the edge of this... innovation.¡± In the end, why did this situation happen? Because Korea did well. Even the richest businesses can go bankrupt, but in e-sports, the gap is not small enough to be closed overnight. Eugene stated it firmly, and everyone epted it. The one who created that gap was right there. She calmly spoke up again. ¡°But we cannot allow our yers to be stepping stones. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°The longer the fight goes on, the more data we provide the enemy. Right now, foreign countries seem to be avoiding direct battles with the top Korean yers and instead are testing their strategies with yers who are a little lower in rank.¡± ¡°A safe method. It looks like they¡¯re struggling to find a clear defense.¡± There was no answer, but that was the answer. Eugene smiled faintly and snapped her fingers. The map appeared in the air¡ªthe maps we¡¯d y on tomorrow, provided by Apex Predator. After seeing it, Byam gestured, and all the buildings on the map started to glow red. ¡°If there¡¯s an advantage everyone has, it¡¯s knowing the structure of the map we¡¯ll y tomorrow. No one here will have trouble visualizing theyout.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± ¡°The key is, if you shorten the TTK drastically, the enemy will have less information to recover, right?¡± Swoosh. Eugene clenched her fist, and the mappressed into a grenade shape. She coldly added: ¡°Then let¡¯s do that.¡± And¡ª Boom! ¡°What the...!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Setting a trap like this after pretending to stall¡­ This is crazy.¡± Byam had spent an entire day teaching the twenty users how to use instant-death traps ¨C or as they were known, bomb traps. The horrifying explosion and the shattered remains of a yer covered Thursday¡¯s St. Petersburg. Chapter 548 ¡°The data is umting faster than expected.¡± ¡°Has the foreign team noticed anything?¡± ¡°Not yet. They are closely watching Korea¡¯s reaction, but this year, they seem to think that their home country is performing better thanst year.¡± Turning the clock back, Wednesday evening. In the Russian team''s briefing room, which was more strictly controlled than other countries, charts, figures, and mini-maps showing movement routes were scattered everywhere. At the front, standing on the podium, was the chief analyst sent by the Russian gaming organization¡¯s task force, busily exining something¡ªat the same time, the screen changed. Four gs appeared in the air, followed by key points listed beneath them. Japan, China, Taiwan, and finally, Korea. With a gesture from the chief analyst, the gs of the first three countries disappeared in an instant, and after several summaries, a full page of notes with warnings and peculiarities regarding South Korea appeared under the Korean g. Below it was written ¡°§Ñ§ß§Ñ§Ý§Ú§Ù§Ú§â§å§ð§ë§Ú§Û §Õ§Ó§Ú§Ô§Ñ§ä§Ö§Ý§î 2¡± ¡ª "Analysis Engine 2" in Russian. In short, Russia also had a secret weapon of its own. ¡°How is the progress?¡± ¡°The analysis itself was finished a while ago. But¡­ you know. The ystyle of Korean national team users isn¡¯t something that can be fully understood with analysis alone. It¡¯s built on basic skills refined to the extreme,bined with trick ys that work in ways that are hard to imagine.¡± ¡°Meaning the countermeasures are a separate issue. Still, at least a few solutions are being established.¡± There had once been an analysis engine in Korea. Russia seeded in developing a modified version of this engine before the 4th Asia Qualifiers, and by stuffing in thebat data from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, they were running it full throttle. However, even with the analysis engine, implementing the results in reality was a human task. Even Russia¡¯s top yers were still struggling topete with the finely honed Korean yers. Thus, their strategy was as follows: ¡°Through Monday and Tuesday¡¯s analysis, we sessfully ssified the behavioral patterns of enemies encountered during matches. It seems that we¡¯ll continue collectingbat data by engaging with users, excluding the top 10 we¡¯ve mentioned.¡± ¡°And we should avoid encountering those top 10 users.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± The 10. Dice, Harmony, and others like Ink, Gambit, Michael, and Blooming who had reached the finals ofst year¡¯s championship, as well as about four other yers. The chief analyst indirectly warned them to be cautious around these yers because, once they encountered them, it was almost impossible to gatherbat data without being quickly overwhelmed. Fortunately, after three days of data collection, they had learned that Korean yers¡¯ ystyles were based on a single original source, and that the higher they climbed, the more their y became refined to the extreme. However, they hadn¡¯t yet decided how to respond. It wasn¡¯t that there had been no progress at all. ¡°Fortunately, through continuous analysis, we were able to identify a few more points that our home country¡¯s yers still need to master.¡± At the same time, several videos appeared on the screen. After six or so videos yed, ten minutes passed, and the analyst began exining each one while pointing with aser pointer on the paused screen. ¡°First, Korean yers are extremely skilled at grenade use. They have an acute understanding of the shockwave, noise, and st radius of grenades, and they know exactly how close they can get to an explosion or even pull the pin between the explosions without being heard.¡± ¡°Does this rte to the ¡®Molly and Grenade connection¡¯ Korean yers often use?¡± ¡°We believe it¡¯s certainly rted.¡± Eugene was the first to introduce this strategyst year, and now it had be a popr tactic in PVP¡ªso much so that it was considered a basic tactic. However, using it was a different matter. Without sufficient skill, it couldn¡¯t be ovee. The analyst waved his hand and moved on to the next point. The next key observation. Some things could only be improved by increasing proficiency, while others¡ªlike recognizing the exact timing between skill deployment and full cement¡ªwere crucial to understanding and exploiting. Someone added, as if spitting it out: ¡°¡­It feels like Korean yers¡¯ ystyle was created, structured, and evolved just to kill an Icarus operator that might exist in reality.¡± ¡°Analysts unanimously im that this ability stems from Eugene¡¯s absurdly sharp perception, but it seems like there¡¯s more to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something we need to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± After a deep breath, the analyst added: ¡°Although we haven¡¯te to a clear answer yet, it¡¯s certain that the modified ystyle of our home yers is yielding better results than before.¡± ¡°Unless a major issue arises, there¡¯s no need to change it. I just hope tomorrow goes smoothly.¡± Of course, none of this was illegal. It waspletely normal for coaches and analysts to analyze the ys and tactics used by foreign yers, and Taiwan, who rankedstst year, was already analyzing the scrim data from previous Asia Qualifiers. At this point, what the foreign teams feared was that the analysis was being carried out ¡°properly.¡± The reason was simple¡ªonce Korea realized this fact, they could change their ystyle entirely. Unfortunately, although the Russian team knew this, they still didn¡¯t know how to respond to it. And so, they spent the whole night struggling with unresolved issues, but couldn¡¯te up with a proper solution. Another day began. The night turned to morning, the morning to a gloomy afternoon, and then it was Thursday at 7 PM. Once again, hundreds of match-rted personnel moved to their respective lounges, and thousands of spectators filled the stands. Another day, just like yesterday, had begun. However, unlike the spectators hoping for an exciting match, the coaches and analysts staring at the screens were tense. It was obvious. Hoping for different results in the same situation was closer to wishing for a miracle than anything else. ¡°¡­It begins.¡± Some looked rxed, others tense. The match began, and nearly a hundred yers were deployed onto the map. A giant firestorm surrounded the entire mountain range, closing in on a gas facility, and a hundred dots began moving in unison. Each dot represented a person. Some, trying to preserve their lives, faded away due to chance or the butterfly effect caused by a single wrong choice. Even the top-tier yers who had fought their way up to this point disappeared in the blink of an eye. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. Everyone had to watch the big match, focusing on the overall oue rather than the disappearing yers. So what would happen this time? In the Russian team¡¯s lounge, twenty dots on the map had turned blue, and the analysts from their country were checking in real-time to see if the yers were meeting their goals. Once a foreign yer engaged, the dots turned red, and a stopwatch appeared on the side, tracking time. At least 40 seconds. If possible, 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Anything beyond that would increase the likelihood of attracting the attention of other users nearby, resulting in more losses than gains. The analysts, aware of this, anxiously watched the screen. ¡°¡­Entering 40 seconds.¡± Someone muttered. As if on cue, the red text on the stopwatch turned blue. Through the magnified screen, two yers were clearly visible, engaged in a gunfight behindplex cover. The tension in the air was palpable. Even in such extreme circumstances, the yers swapped magazines, used their skills, and pushed their limits to survive. The situation was nearly a deadlock, and the Russian yer, Tochka, was fighting against Korea¡¯s Blooming. Despite being ranked 8th in the top 10 selected by Russia, the battle was progressing rtively smoothly. Tochka lived up to their reputation, with relentless attacks and constant movement, trying to secure advantages and flip the game. And then, at 1 minute and 24 seconds, just as the Russian team¡¯s yers allowed themselves a small smirk¡ª Boom! Tochka turned to ashes. The eyes of the many watching the screen widened in shock, while the kill log disyed a grim and emotionlessbination of pictograms and text: four grenades exploding simultaneously, turning the yer into minced meat. Of course, this was not the end. ¡°As I speak! Arge portion of the yers who were engaging with Korean yers are being shot out of the lobby! What in the world happened here¡ª!¡± Russia, Japan, China, Taiwan. A bizarre phenomenon, with no regard for the opponent. They had to figure out what happened, but their frozen minds refused to heat up again, and only short groans escaped their mouths. How long had it been before someone muttered: ¡°¡­Did Byam snap his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet or something?¡± It was truly maddening. ¡°The effect is definite.¡± ¡°...Wow.¡± Meanwhile, in the Korean lounge. Just because Byam had stopped, it didn¡¯t mean the Anaconda was turning back into a worm. That thought lingered in everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­What just happened?¡± Korea, Japan, China, Russia. A scream of surprise escaped the mouths of everyone who had participated in this year¡¯s Asia Qualifiers... A situation that, unless exined by the Byam-Gauntlet, was hard to piece together, unfolded in front of millions of viewers. It was clear that Byam had orchestrated this. But what had actually happened? Why was this happening on Thursday, not Monday? What had Eugene taught them? The excitement began to settle as the kill log appeared, and the atmosphere slowly calmed down. But that didn¡¯t mean the fuel for the fire had stopped. ¡°That... Eugene must have provided some feedback for this, right?¡± ¡°The ystyle changed so suddenly¡­¡± People always have a knack for creating firewood when there¡¯s none avable, and this was no exception. It was hard to keep up with the real-time match, but that didn¡¯t mean the warriors of thismunity weren¡¯t discussing it online. Trying to figure out the reason for the sudden change in ystyle became the main topic. ¡°It seems like just testing a tactic? It looks like a supply version of the Harmony meta. It¡¯s obvious that not many can follow Eugene¡¯s y like Dice can, but if they understand the principle, they¡¯re probably trying a bomb meta.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t they start on Tuesday or Wednesday, why Thursday?¡± ¡°Seems like the tactic adjustment isn¡¯t fullyplete... but why?¡± Only the Korean national team knew the full story. And even they had no idea when the embargo would lift. If this helped to establish Korea¡¯s ystyle foundation, it might never be publicly revealed, even for defensive purposes. And at that point, viewers couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity and started bursting out in excitement. Of course, the opponent was Eugene. They all knew that even if they threw a tantrum, the opponent wouldn¡¯t care. If Eugene were willing to share, she wouldn¡¯t have thrown away 80,000 viewers who flooded into her channel after the KSM endedst year. There were many other records as well. Now, it was said that ¡°knowing when Eugene would start streaming is like predicting tomorrow¡¯s weather.¡± But beyond all of this, there was a conversation that needed to happen. ¡°Just when I thought Korea could handle it on their own, they immediately took down Russia as soon as they started performing well. It¡¯s fierce, really fierce.¡± ¡°This must¡¯ve been Eugene¡¯s involvement... Even after just a year, it¡¯s hard to catch up. This is really scary. How much higher do they n to raise the average skill level?¡± ¡°The match is over. If they can¡¯t snap out of the shock quickly, the next match will be even harder¡­¡± Korea might have seemed like it no longer needed Eugene¡¯s help, but that was a mistaken belief. Even though they had risen above the top teams to be the undisputed number one, it was clear there was still room to go even higher. As soon as this fact became known, the mental state of foreign viewers, excluding Korea, crumbled like dust or ashes. But not everyone thought it was all doom and gloom. From a broader perspective, just because Korea was ranked first now didn¡¯t mean they¡¯d stay out of reach forever. Eventually, there woulde a time when individual ir, rather than sheer skill difference, would decide victory. Of course, that day woulde only if they could endure the constant beatings until then. After the first match ended, the camera zoomed in on the Russian team¡¯s lounge. A dozen or so figures ran toward some unknown destination. The viewers knew exactly where they were headed. The long or short night¡ªor the day due to the time difference¡ªcame to a close, and Thursday¡¯s streaming ended. But as always, the viewers left behind had a much longer wait ahead of them. And their job was simple: [General] Fact Bomb: Analyzed this year¡¯s Asia qualifiers quickly, hurry and give me some points! Actually, just kidding. [Full Comments] [Newest First]
    • "Damn, they all came rushing in like crazy."
    • "Haha, why is their tongue so long?"
    [Author]: "Well... because it¡¯s Byam." [General] I think I get why Byam suddenly transformed everyone into Harmony now. ... Of course, I said I get it, but I¡¯m not telling you. Haha, Byam~ [Full Comments] [Newest First]
    • "This is crazy. I¡¯ll PDF and go after you guys. Be ready."@@novelbin@@
    • "Why are we running? Who told us to?"
    • "Seriously, 300 views per second? This is crazy."
    • "Can you hear the sound of the armlet being tightened?"
    [Response]: "It turns blue if you say stuff like that." As usual, the world of trolling and low-level baiting never changes, and this was happening everywhere, not just in Korea. Thus, Thursday ended. "After we return, we can prepare the Byam raid, right?" "Yes!" "Finally!" "¡­Well, it''s nice to see you''re hopeful." Meanwhile, at the end of Thursday. This was just another ordinary day. Chapter 549 "I was trying to take a break, and now this again?" "After all that contact, this is what you say? Isn¡¯t this a bit much?" "After roaming around the mountain slopes for three days, then going to Disney World and that other world, running around all day long, can¡¯t you just let me rest for a bit, you damn bastard?" "You¡¯re not tired at all, yet you¡¯re acting like it¡¯s the end of the world¡­" Virginia, Norfolk, and Fort Liberty in Georgia. Across roughly 300 kilometers, Lorenztina¡¯s digital signal was firmly rejected in front of Logan. The words felt as sharp as a knife. However, as always, the shark did things his own way and half ignored the grumbling of the pr bear. There was no other way. When you think about why a manifestor is a manifestor in the first ce, it makes sense. If they put their mind to it, they could spend a whole week without sleeping, roaming around all day. And even if they did that, they could still emit far greaterbat power than ordinary people. Of course, during the sniperpetition, they had done things a bit differently. Cities could hold tens of thousands, even millions of people, and countless cars could roam the streets. In short, it was a very people-friendly ce. However, the energy required to move in an area designed for people to roam,pared to the energy needed to move through remote mountainous regions, was apletely different story. "Still, you¡¯ve rested for a pretty long time. You didn¡¯t just go off and lounge around with the little one, did you?" "Dragging my aching body around from 7 AM to 11 PM for three straight days, you damn bastard. Now I¡¯m finally starting to feel some relief." "So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re back to full condition now. That¡¯s all I needed to hear." "Ha, that¡¯s not exactly wrong, but¡­" Logan was hit. It was absurd, but not exactly wrong. Moreover, Logan had nothing to do, and after spending three full days in Georgia¡¯s national forest, no higher-ups would dare bother him. Lorenztina had known the condition of the pr bear long before she reached out, and Logan sighed and burst intoughter. Knowing too much about others could be quite the burden. "So, what brings you here today? I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s because you¡¯ve got nothing better to do again." "Well, that¡¯s about right. The little one¡¯s about to head home soon¡­ Olivia¡¯s preparing for next year¡¯s Spring/Summer line. She used to whine about wanting to join the army, but it seems like she¡¯s doing what she wanted after all." "Same old, same old. And now, it¡¯s just you and me left in this rural ce." "Well, you knew that when you came here, right? Just deal with it." ncing aside. Meanwhile, the video ying in front of Logan showed Eugene and the South Korean national team boarding a flight back to Korea. Just a little while ago, the youngest had been traveling around America, but now he was heading home after a long journey. The next words. "...Aren¡¯t you supposed toe back to the U.S. in a few weeks?" "Well, I guess she thought it would be better to rest, even if just for a little while, at home. To be honest, St. Petersburg or the U.S... especially Manhattan, isn¡¯t the best ce to really rx. If thirty people stay in a hotel there for weeks, it would probably cost tens of thousands of dors." "Yeah, that¡¯s true." In about three weeks, the five South Korean users selected through the Asia Qualifiers would be flying to northern New York non-stop on a private ne provided by Icarus International. Northern New York. Not Manhattan. Manhattan was just too crowded to handle the overwhelming crowds. Furthermore, the final championship wouldn¡¯t end until around December 30, and that time would coincide with Christmas Eve and Christmas, holidays so famous that no one in the world would be unaware of them. Last year, Eugene had been responsible for managing the traffic near the area during thepetition season, so there had been no issues. But this year, with Christmas, the final championship, and New Year¡¯s Eve celebrations coinciding, it was inevitable that something terrible would happen. Moreover, there was something else they had to be mindful of due to the nature of their profession. "I think I can go, but what about you?" "Well, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t go. I think the higher-ups are starting to give up on me¡­ which is funny when you think about it. Maybe I¡¯ll just end up getting angry after seeing the chaos outside all day." "Why not go for abat deployment instead?" "Are you joking about that? I don¡¯t want to be roaming around dusty South Asia just to get a single leave." Loganughed at Lorenztina¡¯s voice as she made a fuss. Just as she said, the two of them were top-tier special operators on the U.S. military¡¯s list. They actually preferred to avoid appearing on broadcasts. It was a bit strange that they had already participated in so many broadcasts with the youngest. Unlike Logan, Lorenztina had participated in thepetition as a rtively less demanding senior controller, and because of that difference, she hadn¡¯t taken leave when the final championship took ce, while the pr bear, who had a bit more flexibility, had taken her leave. And then the next words. "You know, I¡¯d almost want to ask you to look after my ce on the other side." "That guy? Once he finds out the whole truth, he¡¯ll try to kill you. He¡¯s obsessed with the little one¡ªprobably twenty times more than you are." "That¡¯s true. Anyway¡­ have you heard anything from Owens?" "He¡¯s done once, you know. To be honest,st year was the odd situation." No real conclusion came from the conversation, and Logan chuckled beforeunching into a selfposed song, singing about the shark being in Virginia and not being able to see the youngest. After a while, a thud and the sound of a mattress being bounced could be heard. Lorenztina had alsoid down on the bed. A brief silence followed, before Lorenztina exhaled deeply. The next words. "By the way, have you thought about what you¡¯re going to do with ''that''?" "Maybe I¡¯ll just stash it somewhere in a corner of the room, or... I don¡¯t know. Honestly, I still don¡¯t know what to do with it. If anything, I¡¯ll ask the youngest to return it for me after a month." "If I can¡¯t make it in December, you¡¯d better take care of mine too." "Make a decision quickly. It¡¯s much faster to fly to northern New York from Fort Liberty." At the same time, both of them sighed and, with a nce, noticed the small cube resting on the table in front of them. A ck box engraved with the U.S. president''s seal. It looked more like a wless and smooth cube than a simple box, but Logan and Lorenztina knew exactly what it was. Not long ago, after switching locations with the pr bear, shark, and owl in New York, they had suddenly received a request from the president. This box was part of the Icarus Gear they had received after an unexpected meeting. "I never thought I¡¯d actually receive it, even though I thought it would be nice if I did¡­" "Yeah, I didn¡¯t think it would really happen either. If it gets lost during shipping, it¡¯d be a disaster. So, it¡¯s probably best if you take mine and return it for me. Olivia can go around freely, so she¡¯ll probably tell the youngest." "Yeah¡­ okay. I¡¯ll let you know the exact date after I finalize my leave."@@novelbin@@ "You¡¯re the only one I can rely on." "Don¡¯t talk nonsense." Lorenztina set her phone down and looked at the time. The time was disyed inrge digits. Below it, it was almost mid-November. In a few days, December would arrive. Henry had be president in this world as well, and the youngest, who had fallen into this world, gathered the scattered fragments of rtionships and slowly unraveled the hidden secrets of the world, revealing them right before their eyes. Meanwhile, the youngest had be so famous that there was no one in the world who didn¡¯t know his name. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. The mystery of the Indian Point nuclear power nt had long been fully uncovered, as had the U.S. western recovery operation, and even beyond the Unidentified Zone to Savannah. When had theye this far? Logan chuckled as he thought about it. "Anyway, if you cane,e. The more people, the better." "Of course." There were many things to manage and many tasks toplete. But one thing was certain¡ªit had been an enjoyable time. November was passing by. "Statesboro, huh? In my lifetime, I never thought I¡¯de to a ce like this." "Are there even any small towns in the U.S. that aren¡¯t unheard of? It¡¯s better to have some name we can exin." "Stop with the small talk." Georgia, USA, Statesboro. A small town about 77 kilometers northwest of Savannah, and an adjacent suburb about 8 kilometers away. On the vast ins, which once seemed deserted, stood buildings that were never seen before, along with an emergencynding pad and airfield. A dozen or so people set foot there. A military base that looked like part of Central Park had been moved here. Aside from theck of people, the assembly and interior setup of the buildings had long beenpleted. It was a neatly arrangedmand center, just waiting for the task force to arrive. The base had long beenpleted, and by now, the new munitions storage had probably been stocked with various supplies. It was indeed a forward base as intended. Owens looked at his wristwatch and spoke. "20 minutes left." "Data collection on the causality measurement system will end in 3 minutes. It should finish soon." "Alright. It seems there¡¯s nothing more to do now." A red dot appeared on the holographic screen of themand center. The team knew well from thest Operation Burning Donkey, and despite the bombings during the extraction, Savannah was still not fully secured. It was almost that level, but not quite. Savannah, one of the cities where most of the U.S.''s materials gathered. Additionally, it was home topanies producing private nes like Gulfstream, meaning rare metals were stacked high. Because of this, the task force that arrived at the forward base had to confirm if the control AI that had prevented Marv from leaving was still active. If it was, they would need to eliminate it both digitally and in reality. Despite all this, the atmosphere at the base was light. The reason was simple. "15 minutes until Shadow arrives." "Data collection¡¯s done. The causality measurement system was activated 2 minutes ago, and even when the shadow appears, they won¡¯t be able to detect us. Once the separate timeline is fully established, we won¡¯t be able to see what happens on their side either." "That part shouldn¡¯t be a problem. If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯re all set. Once the new remote controllers arrive, we can consider the operation to have begun." "Well, the UAV operators are probably still working hard. It might be better to wait for about 12 hours beforeing back." "Got anything to do?" As she said, the base was only a few days old. Since they still didn¡¯t know exactly what was happening across in Savannah, resupply efforts were difficult, and so the forward base was built with only the essentialponents needed for operations. Just as Logan was about to speak, Lorenztina subtly nudged him in the side to stop him. She had already figured out what he was going to say. "Don¡¯t try to bring anything from Central Park into a ce like this. If you do, it¡¯ll fall apart in a few dunk shots. Don¡¯t even think about it." "...I¡¯m losing my mind here. Fine, fine." "By the way, if those shadows can¡¯t recognize us and we can¡¯t see what¡¯s happening on their side, how do they n to help with Savannah¡¯s recovery?" "Hmm." At the same time, a slight beeping sound could be heard, and the voice became somewhat less confident. "Well, apparently the mission the shadows are assigned to requires setting amon waypoint. For example, if they¡¯re assigned to annihte enemies in a specific area, no matter what the shadows do, they¡¯ll have toplete the mission at that waypoint." "Basically, a forced mission." Serkins nodded, and the team left themand center and headed to arge lobby in the next building. It looked like aarium. The holograms stretched out from the ceiling like branches, and the massive screen in the center disyed a map of Savannah with enemy distribution. The giant 20-meter-diameter space was a circr room, and at the far end, they turned left to find what they were looking for. Turquoise, blue, and purple eyes. Their gaze curved so naturally that it didn¡¯t even seem mechanical. The corners of their mouths lifted, and their cheekbones rose. The words they spoke were predetermined. "Finally here!" "We¡¯ve been here for 37 minutes already. It¡¯s taking way too long." "...Setting up a forward base just 80 kilometers away from where I escaped? This is a hell of a d¨¦j¨¤ vu." The three mecha troublemakers arrived, and the team,ughing in disbelief, naturally sat down next to them. Unlike usual, they weren¡¯t wearing military gear or holding firearms, but were dressed in civilian clothes. Sitting down in the chairs, they were already prepared to meet people. Though this ce wasn¡¯t really meant for people to be here, the base was equipped and ready for the essential operations, with just a handful of people present. How long had it been? Shh! "Are you open for business?" "Unfortunately not, not yet." "Well, it¡¯s about time we start." A single shadow walked toward the lobby, leaving a faint trail of ck smoke behind. However, the thick, fluttering snake-like tail behind him was a clear indicator of who it was. At the same time, more shadows appeared from all directions. From one to two, then to four, and in an instant, the number swelled to hundreds and then thousands. In a matter of moments, dozens of shadows appeared in thearium lobby, and the CCTV outside showed thousands of shadows forming. As Lorenztina chuckled at the sight, she spoke. "Alright. Are you ready to work?" Eugene grinned. New Incursion, Operation Wasted Silver. Starting. Chapter 550 "The leaves in Central Park are starting to turn. In just a few weeks, we¡¯ll be seeing snow again." "Do you think it will snow this Christmas?" "Who knows. If I continue this pro-gaming life... I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to spend Christmas in Korea again until I retire, hehe." Dark Zone, Central Park HQ. As soon as Dice entered the game after a long hiatus, he boldly disyed his confidence. Of course, it wasn''t that hard to imagine¡ªhe was, after all, one of the sharpest tools in the box. It was more likely that he''d have to keep up with this level of performance moving forward. Harmony, who had been listening to this conversation, let out a softugh. However, no further words followed. It made me wonder if Mina might take a simr path. If that were the case, perhaps not spending Christmas in Korea for years would eventually turn into a kind of badge of honor. Then came the nextment. "I never thought about it that way, but it sounds... romantic, if you will. I¡¯m not sure how to express it. It might be more charming than just saying you¡¯ve made it to a few finals." "So, Dice, if you count this year, it will be your third Christmas in New York. But now that I think about it, you went back to Korea for New Year¡¯sst year¡­ Well, however you express it, it seems like it''ll all be pretty much the same." "Hehe. It¡¯s a shame, but looks like I¡¯ll be spending more Christmases in New York from now on." As soon as those words were spoken, Dice nced around. The noise slowly started to die down, and then a calm settled in. Eyes turned to the young girl with a bright appearance, who looked somewhat lost in thought. However, the atmosphere didn¡¯t feel awkward; rather, it seemed like a yful tease. Unlike usual, her eyes were slightly drooping, and her soft, light blue hair shimmered with a pink bridge in it. She had a small butterfly brooch in her hair, and a patch for Operation Ouroboros¡ªthe "Massacre Difficulty Clear" patch¡ªon her shoulder. Our eternal punching bag¡­ no, the spice of the team, Kato, was looking at us with a sulky expression. "Isn¡¯t that right, Kato?" "¡­It¡¯s too far out of my reach, so let¡¯s just leave it." "No way. Someone who was part of the Ouroboros operation can¡¯t be called a newbie. You¡¯re being overly humble." "Even if you try tofort me with those words, it¡¯s useless!" Kato screamed out in frustration! But the effect was minimal! Before I left for the overseas mission, I had briefly checked in on Kato¡ªmore precisely, I had politely asked if we could team up for the new incursion that would being out. Now the time hade, and it was time to bring Kato along for the new incursion. Of course, her expression wasn¡¯t great. After I came back to Korea and turned on the broadcast, a flood of donations came in. Among them, the most frequent were the ones with videos of Kato lying on the floor andzily scrolling when she heard I had returned. It was... quite pitiful. Crying cat automatically came to mind. "But Kato, you really don¡¯t have much to do, do you? Just ept fate and roll with it." "...Just because I don¡¯t have anything to do doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll choose to be stuck with you, Eugene." "But what you can do... well..." "Ugh..." Am I some kind of viin, to be talked to like that? Won¡¯t I be hurt by that? I casually nced at Mina and Yerim, and while they subtly nced at me, it was already toote. Naturally, the two of them were about to experience a Cobra Twist, and within ten seconds, their avatars were grotesquely twisted, waiting to respawn. After taking care of them quickly, I added to Kato, who had finally entered with determination. "Anyway, no one knows what¡¯s going to happen there. It¡¯s a new incursion, so we can jump in and figure out what¡¯s missing as we go. Plus, we¡¯ve already done the Massacre Difficulty operation together. What are you afraid of?" "It¡¯s not the incursion I¡¯m afraid of. It¡¯s you, Eugene." "...The first meeting was a bit... harsh, to be honest." Choking someone with a fishing line... yeah, that was a bit too much. To be honest, looking back at my past actions, there were definitely a few things I overdid. Especially when it came to Kato, those incidents were particrly harsh. Tying her up with a fishing line, then giving her a headshot or throwing a dagger into her head, or even pushing her off a cliff with a car... Yeah, I feel a little guilty. Thankfully, there was no need for persuasion or correction in front of someone so scared. A simple word would suffice. "Anyway, I¡¯m not trying to drag you into any more painful situations, Kato. If I were, I wouldn¡¯t have visited you before I left. You know what¡¯s waiting, don¡¯t you? You do too." "¡­Right?" "What I want to say is that suffering brings its own rewards. Of course, not everything does, but the mecha Biyams we¡¯re about to meet will be good examples of that. If you hadn¡¯t joined me, none of this would have happened..." In short, this was the gist. To be blunt, if the fated connections I¡¯ve built over the years hadn¡¯t crossed paths like this, Kato wouldn¡¯t have been following me around. But on the other hand, because we met this way, we¡¯ve arrived at this point. And the result is the "Massacre Difficulty" patch of Operation Ouroboros on her shoulder. Just like how every cause has an effect, if Kato teams up with me this time, she¡¯ll get results she could never have achieved otherwise. The first mission we¡¯ll verify is a consequence of the butterfly effect that results from these rewards. "Just like in those treasure hunter movies, after a tough adventure, a valuable treasure awaits. I¡¯ve proved that to you, Kato. Doesn¡¯t that sound like a good enough reason to be deceived by it?" "..." "Let¡¯s go see the fruits of thatbor." They¡¯reing, they¡¯reing. At that moment, the two who had their HP reduced to zero were now walking towards me. I grabbed Kato¡¯s arm and headed toward the helicopter pad, which acted as a teleport hub in the Dark Zone. As if on cue, a helicopternded with a loud noise, and the side door opened, creating enough space for four people to board. How much time had passed? When I opened my eyes again, I could see the new forward base. The cutscene began, and new quests appeared on the UI. The helicopter hadnded, and the delta holograms continued, leading all the way to the main lobby. While Dice, Harmony, and Kato were still marveling at the new surroundings, I kept walking toward the destination. Passing the holographic map that stretched from the ceiling and floor, I headed toward the lobby filled with countless users. Just as I entered, the users around me suddenly vanished, and two glowing sets of turquoise and blue eyes caught my attention. I naturally turned toward Lorenztina and added. "Are you open for business?" "Unfortunately not, not yet." "Well, it¡¯s about time we start." A few more words were exchanged, and then Kato¡¯s voice rang out. "Callsign Kato-graph... Confirmed. It¡¯s been a while. How have you been? It¡¯s a bit disappointing to meet here in such a dusty town, but the fact that we¡¯ve met again means there¡¯s something we need to do. It¡¯s good to see a trusted person here." "Oh, hey. It¡¯s been a while." "What¡¯s this? Weren¡¯t you always causing trouble with Jin back then? That¡¯s how I remember it¡­ Anyway, good to see you. Did youe with the boss?"@@novelbin@@ At that moment, Jin and Rain both... wrapped their tails around Kato¡¯s body and waist. What kind of sight is this? Kato¡¯s mouth wouldn¡¯t close, and the two of them sat on the counter opposite her, crossing their arms. Kato, who was trapped between the two of them, wore a face that seemed like she was about to pass out from happiness. Meanwhile, Dice and Harmony, with an expression of pure jealousy, howled in frustration. Meanwhile, our two mecha youngest, whose sense was now zero, added one morement. "We¡¯ve secured the hostage. To facilitate the smooth execution of the mission, we require a 30-minute archetype rental." "I need an hour. If you don¡¯t bring it, Kato will be confiscated." "...This is insane." What kind of situation is this? "This... this is the price of all that suffering... hehe..."
    • Wow, I¡¯d be insanely jealous of Kato ??????
    • The dedication¡¯s paying off! The dedication¡¯s paying off! The dedication¡¯s paying off!
    • Wait, wasn¡¯t that the guy who was grumbling in front of Biyam earlier? Such a materialist ????
    • How is Kato stuck in between these two? ??
    Is this faith? The doubts and fears that had existed just moments ago disappeared, and Kato¡¯s mind was now entirely filled with Biyam faith. It was a typical day. "A few months ago, regrmunications from Savannah were cut off, and all the rare metals and resources stored in the city were sucked into Artemis¡¯ factory. To make matters worse, a new UES that Icarus hadn¡¯t identified woke up." "Artemis¡¯ leadership waspletely ousted through Operation Ouroboros in northern Canada. But when we checked thework fragments directly, we found that the deadman¡¯s switch was triggered, andmands had been transferred to the remaining backup data centers." "The enemy has fortified all of Savannah, and even converted several small towns along the road into forward bases. The red dots on the map represent these fortified outposts and towns." There are a lot of red dots. I was about to say something but stopped myself. I didn¡¯t want to disturb the mecha youngest, who were excited about their first presentation. Of course, I knew that those two weren¡¯t really doing this in the other world... well, still. In any case, back to the main issue. There were too many red dots to count. Some of them ovepped, forming vast red areas. It looked like apressed red bullseye around Savannah. Harmony, Dice, and Kato stared at the screen with somewhat nk expressions. Seeing their gaze, the two mecha youngest quickly added. "Of course, we¡¯re not just sending four people here. We could do that, but there are so many people here. Would we really send just four?" "We all know that the people here can aplish tasks that would take at least three operators on their own. But this operation will purely be about raw power. It¡¯s a stage fit for the undead, who can rise from the dead." "For that, though, the firepower seems a bitcking, doesn¡¯t it?" "Good point." "Well, if you looked around beforeing to the lobby, you¡¯d have noticed, but this base, aside from the basics, doesn¡¯t have conventional weapons that can provide the necessary firepower. What do you think the reason is?" "...Transport issues?" "Correct. Well done. Considering that the helicopter that brought you here struggled with low-level flight, optical camouge, and stealth functions, it¡¯s easy to infer why. And of course, there¡¯s a reason for that." "Could it be that there are missileunchers set up around here? I¡¯ve seen that kind of thing in movies." "Yes, Kato, correct. You¡¯re smart. I¡¯m d you all figured it out without needing extra exnation."
    • "Wow, what is this???"
    • "I saw them watching London Has Fallen the other day, hahaha."
    • "Wait, why is he answering so well? Did he do some prep work or something?"
    • "Fact: He¡¯s received a lot of training from Biyam and even participated in Operation Ouroboros."
    • "He¡¯s been beaten up so much, he must know it well ?? Kato doesn¡¯t look like a Jawsbar to me!"
    The picture was starting toe together. The materials for building the base had to be transported bynd, obviously. But air transport wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad choice either, especially considering the terrain. It was a particrly advantageous option. And given the six years of war, roads and railroads had been obliterated, so how could they bring in conventional weaponry? The answer was simple. Air force. It was obvious, considering that drones were fairlymon in the Dark Zone world. But whether it¡¯s transport drones, helicopters, or cargo nes, they all have one weakness. If they¡¯re hit by a missile, they¡¯re done for. "Surface-to-air missile batteries, railgun sites... The X marks you see are all locked-out support due to these factors. As you can see, support from gunship fire, medium-range ballistic missiles, conventional artillery fire, EMP, and remote-controlled drone operations are all possibilities. The more we neutralize the enemy¡¯s anti-air capabilities, the more options will open up." "That railgun fire support, though... is that something we can use?" "That¡¯s right. We can use the three railgun batteries installed in Northwest Florida, capable of firing ultra-small missiles with antimatter canisters. But the recharge time is long, and if we don¡¯t destroy the enemy¡¯s railgun batteries, those canisters will be shot down mid-air." Indeed. Antimatter, although in very small amounts, could cause enormous destruction, but upon contact with matter, it causes annihtion. So, if one canister gets destroyed, the others will likely explode in a chain reaction. If that happens, it¡¯ll be nothing but fireworks in the sky. In the Burning Donkey operation, we crushed the entire anti-airwork byunching an overwhelming number of missiles and causing massive destruction. But now, we couldn¡¯t do that. So, the conclusion was clear: "To get to the operation area, the most essential vehicles we can get from the base are our best option." "Unfortunately, yes. That¡¯s why we need to recruit the undead." "With the firepower that Jin and Rain have, I think we could make a significant impact on the operation." "Sadly¡ª" BOOM! Suddenly, there was an explosion that rang in our ears. At that moment, Rain waved her hand, and despite being inside the building, the entire wall became transparent, allowing us to see what was going on outside. An energy shield was spread around the base, defending against the explosion caused by something flying toward it. "Myself and Rain¡¯s main bodies are currently supplying power to the generator creating the shield, so we can''t go outside freely." "I see." DRRRR... I got up from my chair, and as soon as I did, Rain quickly transmitted some data to me. It was the trajectory of the recent bombardment and the estimated location of the enemy based on it. Unmanned defense turrets were crawling out of Savannah and heading towards the base. So, the task was simple. "After a quick briefing, we¡¯ll leave immediately. The locations of the armory and briefing room have already been sent. Our first mission is to take out those fools who thought they could y with fireworks before timing it properly." "I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t join you, Archetype." "I wish I could go... but unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible. Sorry, boss." "We can¡¯tin to those doing their duty. I¡¯ll see youter." As the first mission was updated to the whole base, everyone rushed to the designated locations. Harmony, Dice, and Kato, who had received the information, quickly opened the door and dashed toward the armory on the opposite side of the lobby, while I tapped my fingers on my wrist. In that instant, my vision was reconstructed as if it were disassembling. I saw the peaceful surroundings again, and the lobby was back in view, with Jin, Rain, and Mav casually seated. I patted their heads and added: "I think we¡¯ve nailed the first step. Good job." "Good job? We didn¡¯t do anything. The hard part is still toe for you, boss." "Suffering has its rewards. We¡¯ll meet again when we have the time." As the screen folded back in front of me, I headed toward the armory where the team was busy gearing up. This was the beginning of a new incursion. Chapter 551 "Are you saying the front line is moving?" "For now, it seems that way." What exactly is a front line? If you look at it on a small scale, you could say it''s a virtual line drawn over the areas where friendly and enemy forces are engaging, connecting various points to create that line. Alternatively, it could be a line that connects the locations of fortresses, outposts, and bases. So, what does it mean for the front line itself to move? Some might say that one side is either in a position of advantage or disadvantage, and that one sideunches an offensive, pushing the other side back along the same route they came from... but unfortunately, today wasn''t one of those days. The front line is moving. In other words, they were moving entire fortresses, barricade lines, outposts, and bases. It almost felt like I was watching the Soviet Union in action. Naturally, the team, including Harmony, Dice, and Kato, who had initially thought it was just one side being pushed back, were now wide-eyed,pletely shocked. However, I actually thought this was more realistic. If there were any living Artemisbatants left, it might be different, but at this point, they no longer had to build "human-friendly" structures. Maybe if it were the human-shaped Mecha Eugene, but not here. They must have quickly eliminated the spaces that humans didn¡¯t need. Since things like food, shelter, and the three basic needs weren''t required, they likely only constructed spaces capable of housing essentialbat items like ammunition or firearms. By eliminating everything but the essentials forbat, they were likely able to construct an extremely efficient and slimmed-down defense line. That¡¯s probably how it was possible. "Moving barricades are probably a type of... equivalent to heavily armored infantry, if you think of it like a phnx formation, you should get the idea." "If outposts, bases, and fortresses are all like that... this is going to be veryplicated. It''s got more of a super-science feel than expected. Was this done so it could progress in real time like the Western US recovery campaign?" "Well, maybe it¡¯s not asplicated as you think." "Huh?" Complicated, huh. I could understand why others would say that. Just eight months ago, if you asked anyone about Artemis, they would have probably just known it as apany making drones. But after Artemis became the central figure during the Unidentified Area Escape Mode, its status rose dramatically. But that doesn¡¯t mean Artemis evolved into somethingpletely incapable of countering attacks as people might have imagined. The fact that they no longer needed to cater to human needs led them to pursue extreme efficiency, but that doesn''t necessarily mean theirbat power increased. Once I exined that, everyone seemed to react like meerkats, their attention sharp and focused. "Logically speaking, moving the entire front line would likely require the creation of special robots for that purpose. Fortresses, bases, outposts, barricades... no matter how slimmed down, they¡¯d still weigh thousands of tons. It would make more sense to createbat robots rather than forcebat functions into heavy machinery." "So, does that mean we''re going to be fighting UGVs, humanoids, and drones again like before?" "Exactly." And that wouldn¡¯tst long. Combat robots were essentially like hippos that consume rare metals. No matter how much stuff there was in Savannah, it would eventually run out. They likely tore apart everything ¡ª buildings, vehicles, containers, ships, port cranes ¡ª and dumped it all into the Artemis factory. After enough destruction, they would eventually be the ones calling it quits. How they managed to break down and reforge all the metals into robots wasn¡¯t my concern, though. How much time passed after that? As I was talking, a sudden ominous feeling passed over me. Unfortunately, my prediction was correct. ¡ªKBOOM! "Crazy!" "The lead vehicle was hit! Get down!" Suddenly, one of the transport armored vehicles ahead exploded with a massive roar, and the ground around it was soon covered by a red circle with a diameter of about 10 meters.@@novelbin@@ Shellfire rained down from the sky. I didn¡¯t know the size of the shells, but honestly, that wasn¡¯t what mattered. Fortunately, the Icarus Gear was superb, and it was disying exactly where the shells wouldnd and the st radius. Before the armored vehicle''s hatch even opened, it was kicked open with a boom, and countless people scrambled out, followed by a small explosion. Unlike the earlier vehicles, they had about five seconds of leeway, so almost no one died. After several more rounds of shellfire, an eerie silence settled in the area. The ground was pocked with craters, and I crouched inside one, carefully observing the surroundings. "The Ranger Regiment wouldn''t pull a stunt like this without air support or firepower, but without those, this is what happens." "Of all the ces, we¡¯re stuck in a t area with no cover. Normally, we would¡¯ve taken control of a small town about 400 meters ahead and started chipping away at the enemy, but Silver Wave has already reached the vige..." "Hmm." Before long, the shelling stopped. It was a decision that made no sense logically, but for some reason, I felt like I understood why it had happened. I felt the vibration in the air from far off. A very fast aircraft was heading our way. The faint vibration I felt all over my body was likely the reason, and the briefing I had heard just a while ago made it clear what it was. It would be here in about 10 seconds. I immediately spoke up. "Everyone in the vicinity, activate shields to maximum and get down! Do not look up." "Huh?" "After that, be aware that the Icarus Gear might stop working properly." Fire support was nonexistent. As expected, I had never thought we¡¯d just send in operators on their own, but it was indeed that kind of situation. How long had it been? ¡ªBAM! "Ugh...!" "What the heck...!" Two streaks of light crossed the sky. One was a missileing from the southwest, and the other was an intercepting railgun shot fired from Savannah. At that moment, I also ducked, and a massive sh erupted right above me. It was an antimatter missile delivered from northwest Florida. The interaction of antimatter and matter caused annihtion, leading to gamma radiation, which triggered Compton scattering, and then a powerful electromaic pulse burst out. Along with that came intense heat, shockwaves, and wind. What in the world was going on? That was the thought filling everyone¡¯s mind except mine. But I knew that this was the perfect timing to head towards our intended target ¡ª Brooklyn. As the aftershocks faded, I added, "The door¡¯s open, so we should go. Let¡¯s start." "...Is this the ''Open Sesame'' moment?" "Well, if it¡¯s antimatter the size of sesame seeds, I guess there¡¯s nothing it can¡¯t open." I gave my friends a solid nudge, waking them up from their dazed expressions. Now, it was time to put a dagger into Artemis''s hand and take control of Brooklyn Town. "Enemy armored vehicle! Hit the turret with the foam and spray oxidizer on the sides!" "Turret installed and operational. I¡¯ll continue the attack at overload for the next 60 seconds. If you stay there, you¡¯ll get caught in the fire, so move fast." "Bridgehead and field support posts are set up, and the range amplification isplete. The reserve ammunition will be replenished in 3 minutes¡ªUgh, don¡¯t shoot the minigun above us!" As day turned to night, the shes of light continued to illuminate the city, no darkness could cover them. Thebined firepower of infantry skills and Artemis drones battling it out in urban warfare. Robots with steel barriers 3 meters tall moved forward along the cracked asphalt, relentlessly advancing despite the damage. The moment the oxidizer and nanite chemicals hit the air, they shattered and melted into liquid, hammering the steel walls with relentless force. From about 900 meters behind, the newly established forward base, Eugene checked the progress of battles happening at other points. The red dots indicated enemies, while blue dots represented allies, and although the situation in Brooklyn seemed under control, other areas weren¡¯t so smooth. "At least we didn¡¯t have to give orders to users... that would have felt like a war simtor." Eugene checked the map and observed the ongoing battles elsewhere, where things were clearly more difficult. Brooklyn Town was one of the first areas to be targeted, which gave Eugene a clear view of the situation. The south and north were still in flux, with both sides fighting for control of bridgeheads. The battle intensity in Brooklyn was subsiding, but elsewhere, it was far from over. Eugene, knowing Artemis was likely going to crush the weaker northern and southern areas beforeunching a full-scale encirclement, quickly moved his forces and activated the Icarus Gear to check the time. "To break through this situation... we need a bold move." "Huh?" "We¡¯ll need to bring all the explosives we can." At the mention of explosives, the mood in the room split immediately. Most were confused, but a few faces lit up with understanding, knowing exactly what Eugene meant. Then, another voice came through.
    • [RAIN: Do you need high-powered explosives? I can send some.]
    There was no response, but the person on the other end knew exactly what needed to be done. A few secondster, a small drone lifted off from the base. It flew at a low altitude, traveling at around 100 kilometers per hour, with a unique symbol on it: an antimatter cylinder was approaching. "No way..." "Minah, prepare to receive it. If it¡¯s dropped or the seal breaks, we¡¯re in big trouble. You know what that means, right?" "Yeah, I know. It¡¯s practically my life, maybe even more than that." "No boxes? What a shame." Eugene continued scanning the map. The mech units knew exactly what Artemis intended, and Eugene¡¯s n to crush the nearbywork hubs resonated with them. The map updated with precise enemy distribution, and Eugene didn¡¯t need to wait long. The most heavily guarded area was now their target. "Got the antimatter case. Ready to go right now." "...But aren¡¯t there only four of us? It seems like it would be impossible to go with just us. Shouldn¡¯t we bring more or check things out more carefully?" "True." An awkward silence followed, but no one questioned Eugene¡¯s n. They all knew he had a reason for everything he said. After a few seconds, Eugene added, "But the numbers are off. I called in one more person." "...One more?" "I don¡¯t know if we should be judging by numbers..." Then Eugene snapped his fingers. The darkness in the corner of the room began to take shape, and everyone saw the figure emerge from the shadows. It was Olivia. "Didn''t realize you¡¯d miss the chance to do the mission yourself, huh? If we''re starting, we better get moving." "Yeah, we¡¯ve met before, remember? You¡¯ve been tracking us the whole time, and it looks like you''ve finally figured it out." With a casual gesture, Olivia ced her arm on Kato¡¯s shoulder. She silently pointed at the map Eugene had opened and began marking several points, forming a route through the air. Soon, the lines were connected, and Olivia sent the data ¡ª or rather, the mission route ¡ª to everyone. "Let¡¯s head out as soon as we¡¯re ready." "Got it." "Looks like you''re nervous, but don¡¯t worry." And with that, she added onest thing. "That¡¯s why the U.S. spent so much money on this for the rookie." Ah, right. At that moment, everyone but Eugene and Olivia nodded in agreement. The five users began moving through the darkness, heading toward their next objective: Brooklyn Town. Chapter 552 "Entities that dismantle everything and use the materials to rebuild their strength have appeared in many forms of media. In most cases, whether you shoot them in the head or turn them into ragged scraps with a minigun, it¡¯s all just a temporary fix." "So, you brought antimatter with you?" "I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d actually send it, but now that we¡¯ve got it, we might as well make good use of it. Don¡¯t you think? Besides, if something were to happen and the bridgehead explodes for some reason... well, it wouldn¡¯t exactly be a pleasant situation, would it?"
    • I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve gone off and done something weird again haha.
    • Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia! Olivia!
    • And you¡¯ve really dragged Owl Eyes here again. This is never going to end.
    • Living Point) These people just received an antimatter bomb and are now heading somewhere tomit terrorism.
    • Again? I¡¯m losing it hahaha.
    A forest, about 13 kilometers southeast of the Brooklyn bridgehead. The sound of rustling leaves was suppressed by the Icarus Gear, and the only trace left behind was an indiscernible footprint that no human could see, no matter how closely they looked. Thanks to optical interference, it was impossible to spot us using night vision or thermal imaging. The five users were moving toward a destination, constantly on the move. Instead of speaking aloud, I was sending thoughts to the others, which were transmitted as text through the voice program in ourms. Speaking aloud would often disturb the surrounding air flow and temperature, so this was the preferred method. Harmony, Dice, and Kato were listening carefully and responding, as I had already taught them this method. Olivia, well, she was the one who taught me how to do this. Around us, Artemis drones were constantly flying by. Given the many sensors scattered around, we were essentially trapped in a corner, but fortunately, the Icarus Gear provided clear information on how to evade detection and pass by these sensors without being noticed. Maybe you could call it a cheat code. Of course, I didn¡¯t have any intention of arguing that point. The Icarus Gear was developed for exactly that purpose: to infiltrate areas where Icarus Operators were either physically or immaterially protected and carry out sabotage. And even if it had these functions, if the user couldn¡¯t properly utilize them, it was all useless. Olivia, who was scanning the area, added, "Let¡¯s see, where could the HVT be...?" "...It¡¯s really dark since we¡¯re on t ground. We brought the SUAV, but if we throw that thing, we¡¯ll be in trouble, right?" "Exactly. If the enemy were human, it might be different, but those guys have sensors everywhere, monitoring anything that moves... However, there are a few small tricks thate in handy during times like this. There are ways to gather data even without drones." "...Wait, is this something we shouldn¡¯t be hearing?" "Heh, you¡¯re quick to catch on. Let¡¯s just say, there¡¯s something like that, but don¡¯t worry about it for now."
    • Now even during the stream, she¡¯s teasing us hahaha.
    • Fact) She¡¯s probably been doing this kind of thing since Hawaii.
    • Whether there¡¯s a precedent or not, we just want to see the secrets!
    • ??: You can¡¯t do that, haha.
    • Living Point) If Lorentina signs and submits the naval enlistment form, she might be able to hear that information.
    • "Might" haha hahaha.
    The screen share between Olivia and me began. Holograms appeared on the contact lenses embedded in our eyes, disying enemy distribution andwork flow. I set up a few filters, a few basic assumptions. First, the EMP generated by the railgun¡¯s interception of the antimatter canister from earlier had spread around us, causing more damage to Artemis than to us. The important point here was that the enemy was likely already preparing for this attack. Usually, protecting critical electronic systems from EMP interference is a priority. Secondly, there were very few buildings in the area. The reason for that was simple: Artemis had torn them all down for materials. Even in this area, there was no exception. In fact, they were probably dismantling even more actively right now to make up for the losses caused by the EMP. Combining these two pieces of information led me to a conclusion. ''Even though the EMP went off... or rather, because the EMP went off, the area that¡¯s moving more frantically is probably being used as an importantwork hub and forward base.'' If I saw any buildings that seemed out of ce... Well, I also figured that once Olivia joined us, we wouldn¡¯t have trouble finding the enemy. The pre-nned movement routes were just simple guidelines; the real task was tracking the enemy in real-time. With someone who could see for tens of kilometers even in this thick darkness, there was no way we¡¯d have trouble tracking the enemy. After spending about 10 minutes roaming the pre-designated points, I finally spoke up. "...Bingo." "We found it." There were no lights, but hundreds of something were moving through a vige, upying it like bugs crawling in the dark. In the center of the vige, a building that looked like six stacked containers three stories high was slowly moving. Network traffic spiked dramatically near that point, as confirmed by a chaotic graph on our UI. After taking a deep breath, I added, "Honestly, we don¡¯t really need to charge in guns zing at that location. Normally, we¡¯d just destroy that thing from a distance with artillery or airstrikes... The most efficient way is the only way." "Do you mean attaching an antimatter canister to the SUAV and sending it out? Is that what you¡¯re suggesting?" "Exactly. You all are pretty sharp."
    • Seriously, what is happening hahaha.
    • Why did they even bring five of them here?
    • What¡¯s the point? If we get caught, we¡¯ll escape, and at least one of us will live to return hahaha.
    • Again with the sneaky tactics. This is never going to end.
    • But will this work? I¡¯m expecting there to be some kind of energy barrier.
    That was a reasonable point. Because of that, we couldn¡¯t afford to waste a single opportunity. While Olivia identified the target, and Harmony, Dice, and Kato kept watch, I checked the map on the UI and marked a new set of coordinates, erasing the previous enemy locations I had predicted before the operation began. What I needed was to check what would happen when we hit the area. I immediately sent the coordinates and added, "Launch a cruise missile to those coordinates... Make sure it flies low enough to avoid interception by the railgun." "Got it. What¡¯s the warhead?" "Anything that can release a swarm of drones will do." "The missile will reach the target in about 1 minute and 30 seconds, Akita. If you¡¯re nearby, be careful." An eternity passed in that 1 minute, and the response began. With a shriek, dozens of surface-to-air missiles flew in from the right,sers slicing through the air. It was absolute chaos. The sound of small explosions and the boom of sonic sts followed, and at that moment, hundreds of small drones from the warhead spread in all directions. Of course, Artemis was thrown into disarray, and chaos erupted on the ground. "...What the..." "Anti-aircraft guns, missiles,sers. It¡¯s a mess. I think I saw missiles for electromaic pulse defense too..."
    • What the hell.
    • Wait, does this mean the yers will have to fight their way through now?
    • Is this Fallujah or something? When''s the DLCing out?
    • Fact: It¡¯s worse than Fallujah.
    • But we have infinite respawns hahaha.
    Boom! The air was filled with an earth-shaking sound,sers, and missiles flying from all directions. It was a clear example of what happens when you send missiles or nes into a territory without disabling the air defense grid, but even amidst this, I was still tinkering with the SUAV, attaching the antimatter canister underneath. I stripped the batteries to their bare minimum to maintain the internal maic field. The canister weighed only around 600 grams now, and Olivia, checking the SUAV''s specifications, added, "It won¡¯t exactly fit the original purpose of flying, but it should be fine for low-altitude flight. Let¡¯s give it a shot." "We¡¯re going." With a flick of my wrist, the SUAVunched, rising momentarily before gliding down due to its own weight. The target was about 2.4 km away, and the speed of the craft was about 100 km/h. There was a slight crosswind, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to control. Harmony, connected to the tablet¡¯s holographic joystick, struggled to align the drone with the flight route marked by the delta symbol. "1 minute and 30 seconds left. The average altitude is 13 meters, why are there so many trees...!" "SUAV-derived drones... remaining 23. They''re dropping quickly." "Drone control, all units, ascend." "Understood, master. All remaining drones are ascending." Wham! With a horrific noise, mes burst from the darkness, and the remaining distance was around 800 meters. As I advanced, the wind resistance increased, making the craft speed up, but along the way, I passed over roads where people and vehicles were moving, including UGVs and dogs with miniguns, who also started firing. Bullets flew, grenades exploded nearby, but the SUAV barely held on. Harmony, who had been focusing intensely, added through gritted teeth. "15 seconds to impact!" "Slow down near the end. The canister needs to break." "We¡¯re entering range." "Everyone, close your eyes and hit the ground!" How long had it been? ¡ªWHAM! Two bullets hit the canister under the SUAV, puncturing it, and within seconds, the air rapidly rushed into the near-vacuum state inside the canister. The antimatter inside, existing in micrograms, instantly transformed into nearly 100% efficient energy, creating a blinding sh of light from the center. Seven secondster, the sonic boom hit, knocking our team back. I looked at the ashes of the area across from us, then sat down, muttering, "Not bad. I¡¯m not sure if this method will work again though." "...You¡¯ve really robbed someone badly. What will we do if others try this?" "Well, we¡¯ll worry about thatter." Even kilometers away, the ground was still glowing red. That was one hell of a blow to Artemis¡¯s drones. But just as I thought that¡ª ¡ªBAM! Everything went white, and everything melted away. "Point A-12 enemy identification and extractionplete. Returning to defense mode. Ion cannon output at 40%. Expected error value and firing error value match... within eptable range." "Understood." Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, at the Savannah control tower, a pair of violet eyes stared intently at the blurry horizon. "...What just happened?" "It¡¯s alive again, master!" "Of course. It''s not the first time." Missionplete messages flooded in, and apuse erupted from all around. But we only gave brief responses as we headed for the debriefing room. We had to confirm what had just happened as quickly as possible. Soon, the five of us were gathered without much issue, and we continued discussing the events as we moved. When we arrived at the room we had been in only hours ago, Mecha Eugene disyed a GIF showing exactly what had transpired just moments earlier. The situation was simple: something from the east, from Savannah, hade andpletely vaporized our position. In an instant, we were respawned back to our checkpoint, scattered or vaporized. Shaking my head, I added, "...A railgun?" "That wouldn''t work, though." "You''re right. Damn it." What I had to check now was the damage report. After hastily searching, I found the details on how I had died so quickly. It contained more information than I expected. Specifically, how the damage urred and how I was vaporized. The result was... surprisingly unusual. It seemed like we had been hit by intense heat or maybe vaporization. The particle¡¯s kic energy had vibrated and heated the surroundings, causing us to vaporize along with the ground beneath us. Additionally, the shape of the impact zone that came to mind was odd. "It¡¯s clean. If it was a railgun, the area would¡¯ve been shredded, like a meteor impact, right? The impact direction would¡¯ve left scars." "To make that happen... wouldn''t it have to be a sma cannon?" "Ah." Harmony¡¯sment triggered the realization. It was probably a hydrogen ion cannon ¡ª truly devastating damage. If that was the case, it made sense. We were deep inside enemy territory, very close to Savannah. Ion cannons have a short range due to issues like atmospheric scattering and maintaining a straight trajectory, so getting too close makes it possible for them to hit us. The image of the sky at that time came to mind. A blue line crossed the air, as the surrounding air turned into sma. While Olivia and I exhaled quietly, Jin and Rain quickly began exining. "It¡¯s not certain, but I think the enemy is using something like aser cannon to prevent ess from Savannah." "...Laser cannon? Seriously." "They wouldn¡¯t be rapid-firing it, right?" "I''m not sure, but we might need to check the power gridyout in Savannah. If it''s really bad, there was an order to push through while using EMPs, so don''t worry about it too much. Anyway, good work." The first sess of the incursion. With a cheerful sound, countless missions were broken into fragments of light, which then turned into numbers that only the users could see. Among the millions of users in the incursion, the party of five ranked first. Naturally, since this party was mine, my name topped the list. But the title next to it... "The first to be hit by the defenseser"... "...Who the hell got hit like that?" "Seriously." "Alright, everyone, check for any issues. If we¡¯re low on ammo or weapons, refill. You¡¯ve got about 10 minutes. After the debriefing, we¡¯ll head back to the front line." "Okay." "Let¡¯s disband for 10 minutes." With that, everyone in the room headed out. Kato, Harmony, and Dice went to the crowded armory, while Olivia and I left the briefing room to head to the lobby. As Jin and Rain sat down in chairs, Olivia and I snapped our fingers ¡ª ¡ªSWOOSH! "Who told you to walk around with that monstrosity attached to your tail, seriously." "Ah, ow! What the heck! I didn¡¯t do anything today!" "But it seems the other world¡¯s Mav doesn¡¯t think that way." "Ughhh-!" Liquid metal cheeks. Controlled by electromaic forces, Mav¡¯s cheeks, which were very simr in feel, hardness, and sticity to a human''s, stretched out as Olivia and I pinched them.@@novelbin@@ Jin and Rainughed hysterically, watching the scene unfold. "Of course, this is an Omega-type produced with Alpha. You sure know how to make things interesting." "...It looks like Akita is going to keep torturing Mav whenever things go wrong in the other world." "Sadly, you''re only half-right. Olivia¡¯sing along next time." "Nooo-!" Of course, canceling what I just said was not an option. As the indignant Mav shouted, the night passed. The incursion was still in full swing. Chapter 553 "¡­Laser? You¡¯re saying it¡¯s aser?" "Icarus, you crazy bastards! This is too much!" "Wow, they''re raising the difficulty to the heavens just because they think lives are on an infinite refill." Some are sent back to the forward base by aser that cuts through the vast night sky in a straight line, while others step back from the spectacle, indirectly experiencing the overwhelming violence of the ion cannon. The immense amount of light was so overpowering that it seemed to push away the dark sky itself. The spot that was hit literally evaporated. The appearance and power didn¡¯t corrte at all, and the fact that such power required a considerable amount of energy to unleash did little to prevent exaggerated rumors from spreading. It was like a full-scale war, with systematic preparations to push Artemis back, something not seen in the North American or European sessions. Except for the Korean session, no other session had seensers burning through the darkness or experienced them. Perhaps because of this, foreign sessions absorbed theser rumors sparked in Korea like sponges, quickly reproducing a slew of subcontent. In just six hours. "Hey, bring in the vehicles! Let¡¯s go get hit by thesers too!" "You crazy bastard, do you think aser is like a single shot? You get hit by that, you evaporate! You evaporate!" "Do you think we care about that? If not now, when will we get hit?!" "Oh God, now I understand why humans only have one life¡­" Of course, the Koreans weren¡¯t going to stay silent. Rumors spread that getting hit by theser would boost your college entrance exam scores, make you stronger after dying and resurrecting, or that if you die ande back from the ce Eugene got hit, you¡¯ll grow a snake tail. With such bizarre rumors circting, everyone who confidently tried to break through the frontlines with vehicles ended up cold in their graves. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t theser that did them in. They simply dashed across the ins or roads, throwing away all battlefield observation data, and met their demise in a variety of ways. The methods were incredibly diverse. Some were driving their cars when they hit an anti-tank mine buried by Artemis drones, causing a fireworks-like explosion. Others were detected by observation drones while speeding through fields and were hit by long-range artillery, only to be ejected back into the respawn window. Or they got caught in an ambush and became operators (used to be, that is). It had only been six hours since theser news broke, yet a video titled "How to Die Stupidly Ver. DARK ZONE New Incursion" appeared on Eugene¡¯s channel. Three hourster, it hit one million views. This made it clear that the incident had created a huge stir. And that video did nothing to calm the viewers or foreign and local yers. "Korea? These crazy badasses, I didn¡¯t know they were this bold. We can¡¯t lose either!" "For the mothend, for Mother Russia! Ura!" "How the hell did they modify those guns? That bastard mounted a Papasha and a rail, and then put a holographic sight and aser pointer on top!" This was the so-called "That¡¯s a stupid idea, let¡¯s do it" operation. Now that Eugene had fully trapped Korea¡¯s idiots and thrown them into YourSpace, there was no holding back. It didn¡¯t take long for foreign yers to go even wilder, and even channels that received clips from others began uploading simr videos. No one could have expected it, but in a way, Byam had opened the era of idiots. The next day, when Eugene turned on the stream, she had to humbly admit that something was going terribly wrong. "¡­What the hell is going on?"
    • "What the hell? It¡¯s the mess Byam made, lol."
    • "Fact: Eugene had zero involvement in this idiotic stunt."
    • "These crazy bastards are proliferating, lol."
    • "Why are you asking us, lol."
    • "Something... something is happening..."
    Now, simply turning on the broadcast, Byam¡¯s viewership had reached a minimum of 1.9 million. While it had been a while since she¡¯d received donations for videos, there was no avoiding the flood of posts or chat opinions on tricky personal sites. Eugene quickly hid her surprise and opened YourSpace, where videos of people dying stupidly¡ªones not uploaded by her¡ªflooded the algorithm-based video list. It wasn¡¯t just one, but several such videos. YourSpace¡¯s real-time search terms were filled with rted keywords, and more were still being created. Naturally, seeing this, Eugene¡­ did not open her mouth any longer. The reason was simple. She realized there was no way to stop the giant and bizarre wave she had created, and that no matter what she said, the rebellious idiots wouldn¡¯t listen to her. She had decided to convey the message "Do whatever you want" through silent treatment. Moreover, she no longer needed to worry about it. "¡­If nothing major happens today, we¡¯ll proceed with the incursion. Anything we see, we¡¯ll take down, so be careful not to cross into thebat range. It looks like allied fire might be allowed throughout this entire incursion, so keep that in mind."
    • "What the hell?"
    • "Breaking news: Eugene says anyone acting tough in front of her withsers will have their spines broken¡­"
    • "She went too far, lol."
    • "I mean, if she¡¯s been acting like this until now, it¡¯s an overkill, lol. (Quickly turning off the vehicle engine.)"
    • "You started it, you crazy bastard, lol."
    • "Even if it started, if you¡¯re around thebat perimeter, you¡¯re asking for death, so what now, lol?"
    As she said. It wasn¡¯t like she had no idea what would happen. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t my concern if someone went off driving without taking a mission, thinking it would be fun¡ªso Eugene thought and recalled how the forward base worked. Although people were still confused, the way to determine whether someone was abat-ready soldier at the base was simple: whether they received a mission. As soon as they chose to take a mission, the location they needed to be in and the objective to achieve were set, confirming them as abat soldier. On the other hand, the base didn¡¯t care much about troops acting separately without epting a mission. If they submitted recordedbat footage through media, they could get reimbursed, but the base generally excluded them from orders. Having said this, Eugene continued. "I don¡¯t have much of a way to stop people who wander around without taking a mission, but if someone gets themselves killed after taking one, either by our team or the enemy, well... I won¡¯t care, but I¡¯m not sure if my viewers will feel the same."
    • "Lol, for real."
    • "It¡¯s your responsibility, good job~"
    • "??: I¡¯ll forgive you. But will they forgive you?"
    • "Trolling and getting hundreds of blocks, it¡¯s your fault, lol."
    • "Who said anything about getting hit bysers? (Seriously, no clue.)"
    It¡¯s fine to y around, but causing harm to others and getting scolded because of it was a personal responsibility. With a finger, Eugene slid through the friends list and started mass-inviting people. The forward base had grown colder. However, the faint smell of gunpowder and the sharp scent of earth and metal in the chilly wind proved that this was no peaceful ce. The appearance of heavily armed friends further solidified that idea. Looking up briefly, there was a digital billboard floating nearby, showing who had contributed the most in this incursion based on their points.@@novelbin@@ Naturally, Eugene¡¯s party was still in first ce. The one-hit destruction of the enemy¡¯swork hub and mobile base was a feat no one else could match, which was exactly why the enemy had fired theirser weapon at them. But this didn¡¯t necessarily mean they would only get easy missions moving forward. "Archetype, Harmony, Dice, Cartographer, Olivia. I didn¡¯t expect such performance in just one day¡­ but due to urgency, I¡¯ll skip thepliments."
    • "Haha, now you¡¯re even using words likepliments."
    • "¡­I¡¯ve been studying a lot."
    "Anyway, that¡¯s not important. There¡¯s a saying, with great poweres great responsibility, right? If that¡¯s the case, I think it¡¯s time to assign you all a more... significant mission."
    • "Wow, I¡¯m so jealous, lol."
    • "Jin is so cute, I¡¯m dying, lol..."
    • "It¡¯s not a special script, just a genuine affinity that¡¯s been off the rails since the beginning, lol."
    • "Carto, are you seriously not managing your expression?!!"
    • "Mechabyam, every time I see Eugene, honey drops from my eyes, lol."
    Ding. As usual, the briefing/debriefing room was where it all began. Four of them, including Eugene, sat in chairs, and immediately a holographic screen popped up, disying a huge object, possibly a gigantic mortar or something unidentifiable, rotating in front of them. The strange shape could hardly be described as a "spectacle." Even Eugene and Olivia, who had experienced all kinds of things, shook their heads in disbelief. It looked like an extended version of the bi-ray cannons from past China. At that point, Eugene opened her mouth. "¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a cannon made to fire regr shells." "That¡¯s right. It¡¯s some kind of railgun, but instead of shells, it¡¯s firing drones." "Firing drones? So, that means... it could ramp up power at unimaginable speeds?" "Not exactly, but it¡¯s definitely possible." At the same time, the firing trajectory of the rail cannon popped up on the screen. It was targeting Collins, a small town about 41km southwest of the forward base, not the current frontline where Eugene and her team were fighting. Understanding the meaning of this, Eugene and her team frowned, and Jin tapped on the Icarus gear to send the mission to everyone.
    • [Mission Objective: Task Force Dagger, Escort Convoy with Lasers and Remote Controllers.]
    • [Details: Escort the convoy to Statesboro while preventing drone attacks from the rear.]
    "Twisting the saying ''With great poweres great responsibility'' like this..." "Well, war always takes strange turns, right?" Jin spoke casually, but quickly wiped the yful expression off his face and added. "Artemis is up to some nonsense again. Feel free to recruit additional troops, but let¡¯s crush their wrists, alright?" There was no refusal. It was now time for the second battlefield, located behind the forward base. "¡­This feels a bit weird, but it¡¯s the first time Eugene¡¯s gathered this many people, isn¡¯t it?" "Well, for escort missions, the more people, the better. It¡¯s different from infiltration missions." Two armored vehicles, two Humvees with smart missileunchers, mini-guns, and M2 machine guns attached. Inside, twenty people had split into different vehicles. Thinking back, it felt like a different era altogether. When Eugene had dragged me along, there was a huge crowd, but strictly speaking, skill and experience cannot always be reced by numbers. Today, we had randomly recruited 15 people, so there was a noticeable difference in the strength of the group. The vehicles were passing through an area near Dublin, around 90 kilometers west of the forward base. Most of this had been skipped in the script, but there were still robots moving on the roads. When I asked what they were, Eugene replied that they were unmanned machines paving the road. It was one of those pointless post-apocalyptic details that really made this game feel more immersive. Anyway, after some time had passed... "Identifying arge vehicle convoy ahead. IFF identification confirms they are our allies." "Let¡¯s divide the forces as discussed earlier. They¡¯re already signaling us, so we¡¯ll take a detour and stay off to the side." "Confirmed. The identification shows Dagger Team and Laser Team. I¡¯ll connect themunications." Several trucks and armored vehicles passed by. Instead of being packed tightly like chocte chips in a cookie, the vehicles were spaced out, with Humvees and trucks moving along in intervals. The equipment buzzed for a moment before returning to normal, likely due to the directional EMP Eugene had mentioned. One armored vehicle and one Humvee went toward the upper part of the formation, and the rest moved toward the lower part. Eugene¡¯s team, including me, was in the lower half. While Olivia and Eugene chatted through themunications, Dice and Harmony, who were sitting next to me, weren¡¯t paying much attention to the surroundings. They were either resting with their eyes closed or watching a video on YourSpace. I was curious, so I finally spoke up. "You two don¡¯t seem... nervous at all." "Well, not really. But no matter how nervous we get, the scheduled tragedy isn¡¯t going away. So, I¡¯m just taking it easy until then." "¡­Isn¡¯t that just resignation?" "Of course it is, hehe." And then Harmony added: "Seeing you say that, it feels like something is about to happen." "I mean, I¡¯m not a disaster deity or anything." "Well then, how about we make a bet?" At the same time, there was a click-click sound. Harmony and Dice skillfully began checking their weapons. The two of them were handling Mjolnirs that made a chilling noise as they moved. Was it a joke, or was it serious? Either way, the way they looked, it seemed like if anyone on the opposite side dared to attack, they wouldn¡¯te out unscathed. I wisely decided to keep quiet. After some time, I started checking my own weapon when... Boom! "This is insane." "It¡¯s started. Everyone get out and set up improvised cover with your skills! The trucks can deploy shields on their own, so don¡¯t worry too much!" This was like something out of a higher state ofbat. Without a hint of panic, Harmony, Dice, Olivia, and I all got out of the Humvees. The area around us was open, and Artemis drones in the distance were easily visible. Setting up cover was simple. We heard the sounds of polyurethane grenades and foam chemicals popping as part of the process. When we sprinkled the hardener we¡¯d brought, it created an excellent makeshift cover that could block bullets. At the same time, a sharp sound rang out. Ka-ka-ka-ka-KAANG! "Don¡¯t stand up, or you¡¯ll lose your head." "Whoa, that startled me!" "Whoever brought the Sopram, connect with the truck''swork and lock on to the heavy equipment and tanksing from the far side. The missiles inside the truck will provide fire support." Amidst the chaos, the voice of themander was calm and clear. It was said that not losingposure as a leader can make a huge difference, and it seemed that was indeed true. The team quickly marked targets on the UI. One, two, three, four... In no time, over ten targets were marked. Meanwhile, the shield that had been deployed from the truck continued to shimmer, covering an area that spanned tens of meters. Boom! "So, these guys shot their railguns or whatever and fired at us? It looks like they came fully loaded with all kinds of weaponry..." "Yeah, we¡¯re in the same situation." Click! As the chilling sound echoed from nearby, I reflexively turned my head. At that moment, the side of the truck opened. It was like watching a beehive in action. When it tilted at a 45-degree angle toward the sky, I immediately realized it was a missile pod. With a whooshing sound, the cover broke, and three massive missiles shot across the sky with enormous bursts of fire. How long had it been? Boom! "¡­What the hell." "They¡¯ve brought dozens of cluster missiles." "...Shouldn¡¯t we have stayed out of this?" Eugene didn¡¯t respond. Of course, everyone knew that her silence wasn¡¯t a sign of agreement. It was obvious she wasn¡¯t in favor of it. Chapter 554 "¡­Eugene?" "What¡¯s going on?" "Why the hell isn¡¯t this ending?!"
    • Hahaha, this is hrious.
    • If the Dark Zone fans are watching this with popcorn, it¡¯s a thumbs-up from me.
    • This is so disgusting, haha, seriously.
    • No pain, no gain = Pain is inevitable.
    • It¡¯s amazing that there are people still keeping up with this pace, haha.
    56 hours have passed since the mission started, and people are starting to lose their sanity. The equipment, which had been sparkling until just before departure, was now caked with dust, and the faces that had once been filled with excitement were now marked by unmistakable fatigue. At least, the truck with therge Icarus insignia had an immense amount of supplies, so the fighting was still manageable. That said, while it had been 56 hours in total, the actualbat time for me and my friends, including myself, could be summed up as about 15 hours. Considering that roughly 5 hours and 30 minutes had passed in real-time since the streaming started, that seemed urate. Anyway, regardless, the time spent on this mission had been... quite long. Just yesterday, achieving a small objective took about 30 minutes. Yet, in a single day, that time had multiplied 30 times. However, considering what this mission was, it was clear why it took so long. The distance left to reach Statesboro, where the forward base was located, was measured in dozens of kilometers, and the point where we first encountered the Dagger and Laser teams was about 90 km from the forward base. Escort missions only end once the destination is reached. "Road damage ahead." "Damn it, how many times is this now?!" "This is the fifth time. They¡¯re really persistent, aren¡¯t they?" And here''s the second reason for the dy. The grandly named "Road Damage." Cars are made with the assumption they¡¯ll be driving on asphalt, and conversely, if we can¡¯t drive on the road, then we¡¯re severely dyed. Artemis was well aware of this and had been diligently damaging the roads we needed to use. But fortunately, we were no longer tripped up by such amateur tactics. The turret of the armored vehicle spun, and the covers on the sides of the trucks opened, revealing numerous missile pods. Meanwhile, we opened the windows of the Humvees and, with Olivia taking care of the mounted machine gun on top, we waited for enemy forces to appear on either side of the road. Phew! Two missiles shot out from the trucks, soaring into the sky. Far in the distance, several parts exploded, and dozens of drones began descending rapidly. Just 10 hours ago, we wouldn¡¯t have known what they were, but now everyone recognized them: They were construction drones. They were approaching the road damage and preparing to spray polyurethane foam and hardener. Knowing that the enemy''s goal was to stop the truck, it was up to us to prevent falling into their trap. While the drones worked to repair the road about 1 km ahead, we quickly moved out of the kill zone that Artemis had set up. That was our goal. "¡­Olivia, confirm the enemy ahead." "Roadside pillboxes confirmed. I¡¯ll deal with them, you take out the machine gun positions." "There are enemies all around us, Eugene!" "Activate the shield and prioritize protecting the Humvees over the people! If we lose mobility here, we¡¯ll be left behind!"
    • People are getting wrecked, haha.
    • This operationalmand is top-notch, haha.
    • Yeah, if we slow down at the front line, the whole formation will break apart.
    • Damn, so decisive, haha.
    • Biyam, what''s up with that!?
    As she said, just a few hours ago, we were at the rear of the convoy, but now we were at the very front of the transport line. The moment I reduced speed, the back had no choice but to follow suit. If the Humvee was destroyed, it would be a huge disaster. The enemy¡¯s pillbox was about 800 meters ahead, and as soon as I had a bad feeling, Harmony, driving the Humvee, and Kato, seated in the passenger seat, lowered their heads under the hood. In that moment, bullets sprayed at the driver¡¯s side of the Humvee. Ka-ka-ka-ka-KAANG! Phew! As the M61 Vulcan mounted on the armored vehicle to the left fired a deafening barrage at the pillbox, Olivia began firing at the positions set up by the enemy around the pillbox with her machine gun. The results were truly excellent when the M2 heavy machine gun, capable of long-range precision and sniper-like uracy,bined with the power of the ¡°Owl,¡± giving Olivia a deadly aim. She started tearing apart Artemis¡¯ drones like a bot using an aimbot. 800 meters, 700 meters, 600 meters. I quickly adjusted the targeting system linked with the smart missiles, and just as I did, a missile whooshed through the air, heading skyward like a Javelin missile. While the next missile loaded automatically, I grabbed the M107CQ sniper rifle, braced it against the right-side door that had nearly been blown off, and began smashing the heads of the enemy forces. The pillbox shattered with an explosion from far away, and I added, ¡°Clear the road, please!¡± At the same time, a missile fell from the sky. One missile ejected from the truck''suncher, shot into the air, and came down trailing white smoke. It was a small thermobaric missile. Thebustible gas exploded in the air, clearing the road. People might wonder why we didn¡¯t use this earlier, but after so many skirmishes, the missile supplies were running low. If I had known, I¡¯d have asked for another missile truck. While about 60 drones, narrowly avoiding the st, sprayed polyurethane foam and hardener on the ground, Harmony quickly moved to the leftne following the orders from Dagger Team, and the truck behind us moved ahead. "sma wedge activated. We¡¯re clearing the way."
    • Mad Max! Mad Max! Mad Max! Mad Max! Mad Max!
    • What is this, haha!
    • I can¡¯t sleep because of this, haha.
    • Have you guys tried Yas? This is Yas.
    • This is why I can''t quit Dark Zone, haha.
    The air burned blue like a mirage, and all that made the intense moment even more surreal was the massive wedge mounted at the front of the truck. The truck was elerating to over 120 km/h, mming into the debris of the pillbox just 400 meters ahead like a rhinoceros. In an instant, the fragments stuck to the road were crushed and melted away. The road cleared in no time, and the convoy of vehicles sped through the previously destroyed path. Thud! "Ugh¡­!" "Ah, I hit my head¡­!" "Hold on tight! Don¡¯t let the truck flip!" "With two emergents here, we¡¯re not flipping, uh¡­ aaagh!" "Kato, let¡¯s move on after this."
    • Crazy bastard, haha.
    • Acting all tough, haha.
    • The trickster bloodline shows up again...
    • Kato < < < This guy just has too many lives, haha.
    • ?? : I could make it painful without killing you.
    As Kato mumbled, I gave his shoulder a firm pat, massaging it with my tail. I held the vehicle so strongly that the armor could barely hold up. Even though the hardened polyurethane foam was durable, it still wasn¡¯t as tough as asphalt, and we had only managed to roughly tten the road. If it had been a regr vehicle, the suspension would have broken by now, or it would have flipped over. With the loud sounds of destruction echoing, the entire convoy passed, and just a few secondster, a distorted voice of Owens came through thems. "All vehicles have passed." "Ahh¡­!" "Finally¡ª!" "¡­So how many kilometers do we have left?" "About 20 km. We¡¯re almost there." Twenty-one kilometers, not far, but not too close either. Having already been scanning the map, I didn¡¯t need to worry about it anymore. The reason was simple¡ªthe sound of something like beans roasting was gradually bing audible from the outside. Thud-thud-thud! "What... What¡¯s that?" "Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!" "...No, now we can rest." "Huh?" At the same time, I pulled up the newly updated map. Compared to yesterday, the red dots scattered across the western area. That seemed to be the action paint we were seeing, possibly. But what was more important than that wasparing it to the map from yesterday. By oveying the two maps, the difference was clear. The number of enemy drones near the southwest of Statesboro had drastically reduced. It wasn¡¯tpletely clear if Artemis had been dealt with, but considering we arrived at the base without significant losses, that was a good result. Then came the next words. "For rear reconnaissance, we¡¯ve increased the use of sensors and surveince posts. As soon as enemy drones infiltrate the rear, we¡¯ve arranged for the Northwest Florida railgun to provide fire support and eliminate them." "...It would have been better if you¡¯d sent that yesterday." "Common mimunication and failure to prioritize. It¡¯s amon issue when mission ns are implemented." He was right, but there was no need to dwell on the past. After-action reviews were about confirming the mission¡¯s sess or failure and understanding how the results led to new situations, whether they were beneficial or harmful. And the oue was... there was no need for us to discuss it. Artemis, the chess yer on the other side, surely felt the failure of their operation in their bones, and they were ignoring the signs of defeat popping up around them. But that wasn¡¯t our concern. "The operation attempted by Archetype with a small force has been sessfullypleted. The main base is now maintaining the front line without needing to form a separate shadow force and has broken through Artemis'' defense line with minimal losses." "That said, we can¡¯t just leave the drones scattered in the rear. If you want, we can assist with long-range reconnaissance for clearing them out... but that''s probably not what you want, right? We already know." "Well, I think after a big operation like this, we should have some rest... wait, why are you guysing this way?!" "Hmm." "¡­Hmm..." The mood shifted, and Kato¡¯sment brought some unexpected chill. Although he wasn¡¯t wrong, Harmony and Dice gave a wry smile and somewhat agreed. I too was thinking of resting, but it seemed like Jin and Rain didn¡¯t feel the same way.@@novelbin@@ Grinning like mischievous children, Jin and Rain each grabbed one of Kato''s arms and embraced him in a sneak attack. It was a full-body tackle. The tail wrapped around Kato¡¯s waist and legs, sending him into a trembling frenzy. "Don¡¯t really think that, Kato?" "There¡¯s still a stalemate where we need help, Kato. I''ll mark it on the map. I believe a responsible Cartographer like you wouldn¡¯t refuse this." "Uh... well, I said I needed rest, but, you know, it''s just a temporary retreat for a bigger advance, right? It''s only been a day since the mission started, so I can¡¯t just put the gun down, hahaha!" "..." At the same time, the expressions of Harmony and Dice quickly changed. And then, the following words. "Ugh... I also want to rest today..." "My shoulders hurt suddenly, and my eyes are sore. What should I do about this...?" "...Ugh." As I made eye contact with Jin and Rain, the two mischievous ones had already convinced Kato to sign his own execution papers and left him there, heading straight to Harmony and Dice. I wondered if I had identally opened their strange preferences. As I thought that, I quietly scanned the map. Momentster, after a brief break, Harmony and Dice, now sluggishly rxed, pointed at the map. The finger slightly parted, and aser emerged. At the tip was a red triangle, inside which a skull mark was prominently disyed. As I instinctively sensed what wasing next, Jin and Rain, assuming that we knew exactly what that mark meant, began speaking. "This is currently¡­ the site of some very intense fighting. We call it the ''Gate''. Do you see the front lines splitting into North, Central, and South? There are a total of six gates, two assigned to each sector." "After scouting beyond the gate, we''ve identified Artemis'' production factories. Currently, a third of the factories are being dismantled and moved to the rear, but our predictions suggest that by the time we break through all six gates, only about 30% of the factory will remain intact." "Destroying those factories is one of our goals, then." "Yes." The briefing room took on a more serious tone. Jin and Rain pointed to the ovepping gate between the Central and Northern regions. "The third gate, where the heaviest fighting is taking ce, is our current target. If we leave now, we should be able to arrive before it''s toote. The deadline for departure is in six hours, so let us know whether you ept the mission within that time." "I wish you good fortune." "And Dagger Team and Laser Team''s remote-controlled support is avable. Let us know if you need assistance." "Hmm." I added, "So, we¡¯re clearing the third gate in 24 hours, right?" "¡­That¡¯s correct." "Same old, same old. Mission epted." It was time to get to work. "After being stuck in the Humvee for hours, my bones are about to crack. Let¡¯s go." "I hope the newbie likes the redesigned remote-controlled vehicle." "Well, that¡¯s ater problem. Let¡¯s move." Meanwhile, the entry for the remote-controlled Dagger team had begun. Chapter 555 ¡°Did you say ¡®gate¡¯? It certainly suits the word... with that mess.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t realize it until we arrived, but now I think I understand what it means. Is that just my feeling?¡± ¡°So, you want us to break through that? How?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s something we¡¯ll figure out as we go.¡±
    • ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a fortress over there, huh? Looks pretty solid, hahaha!¡±
    • ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this yesterday, but it changed quickly, hahaha!¡±
    • ¡°What¡¯s going on over there? Everything¡¯s red, can we actually break through?¡±
    • ¡°This is really starting to feel like a war, hahaha!¡±
    • ¡°What¡¯s this war situation, though, hahaha!¡±
    Today, the sky was filled with the smoke rising from unmanned drones or the heavy machinery deployed by Icarus, which was on fire. Even from the initial insertion point, 4 km behind the frontlines and key battle areas, sounds of explosions and firing could be heard. asionally, the sound of our artillery shells flying in arcs hit the enemy shields, and enemy drones exploded into pieces, with explosives raining down on the battlefield. The third gate. Alternatively, this was where Icarus and Artemis¡¯ forces were shing. This was not only the pivotal point of battle, but it was also the site of the most massive scale of fighting. Both sidesbined had approximately 15,000 soldiers. A division-level force was fighting in a rtively small area, norger than a few football fields, throwing everything they had into this battle. No, maybe calling it a ¡°bet¡± is wrong. Strictly speaking, Artemis was the one taking the major losses. Looking at this from the game perspective, it didn¡¯t matter much whether this situation continued or not. In fact, this was arge-scale battle within a Dark Zone incursion, which was quite popr. For users who weren¡¯t particrly interested inpleting missions or incursions but just wanted to mindlessly take down enemy humanoids, this type of scenario was something they would prefer tost. But unfortunately, in the game world, the ultimate goal of this incursion wasn¡¯t to just engage in such content. The real objective was to p the stubborn third team¡¯s behind and bring them home. So, wasting time on these small side objectives wasn¡¯t going to get us anywhere. For that reason, instead of charging directly to the frontlines, we headed toward themand center. The staff quickly acknowledged our arrival and greeted us, and we responded lightly while analyzing the situation on the screen. ¡°Information gathering is progressing exactly as expected. We can¡¯t carelessly deploy reconnaissance drones, so we¡¯ll rely on ground-based remote cameras for visual data. However, with the directional EMP, it¡¯s going to be tough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The standoff is still ongoing, and considering the current pace, it looks like it will take about 12 days to break through the third gate. Which means¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t meet the timetable.¡±
    • "What does this mean? Does this mean it''s too slow? Are they nning to take down the third gate themselves?"
    • "This guy¡¯s definitely gonna pull out an anti-matter bomb or something if things go south, haha!"
    • "Fact: He said the shield is so dense that it won¡¯t be easy to break through."
    • ¡°''Won¡¯t be easy''... That¡¯s basically saying there¡¯s a chance he might use something extreme, haha!"
    While considering what should be destroyed and in what order, we also focused on how to achieve those goals. This was a full-scale destruction mission. There were no allies to rescue, no vital intel to extract, and no key targets to save. This made it the worst scenario for stealth infiltration, especially since the enemy didn¡¯t even fear our forces. However, no one was backing down from the mission. The conclusion was clear. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be doing a feint operation again.¡± ¡°¡­A feint operation, huh? Are you nning to infiltrate the enemy¡¯s lines while they¡¯re distracted by the railgun likest time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve considered that, but as someone pointed outst time¡­ we did a huge job tricking them, so I think the enemy¡¯s on to us. It probably won¡¯t work this time if we do the same thing.¡± As the team thought deeply about how to break through the third gate, the answer was right there in my words: ¡°If doing it the old way doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯ll just twist it even more.¡± The enemy¡¯s defensive line was solid, and their sensors had a much longer detection range. But, considering that we now had many more tricks up our sleeve, there was plenty of room to adapt and fit in new strategies. For instance... ¡°With Dagger Team and Laser Team¡¯s remote-controlled units,bined with artillery, air strikes, and railgun support, we might be able to send a few people through the gate.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Actually, because the enemy relies on sensors, we can disrupt them with external factors. While they¡¯ll still be prepared, a small malfunction in theplex circuits could make a big difference.¡± ¡°So, we just need to listen carefully to your n from here on, right?¡± ¡°You guys are getting way too perceptive these days.¡±
    • ¡°Haha, ''The Grand n¡¯!¡±
    • "Seriously, can we just talk about the mission for once?"
    • ¡°Did Dice really say that? Haha, he¡¯s such a troll.¡±
    • "Wait, is this a first-love story? Are we not talking about the mission anymore?¡±
    It was intense. After Dice yfully pushed for a quicker briefing, I started exining the situation and the n ahead in a separate briefing room. ¡°First, the first target we need to destroy is the enemy¡¯s shield generator. We don¡¯t need to take down the power grid or anything, just destroying the generator will be enough. Cato and I will handle that.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± ¡°Calm down. There¡¯s a reason for it.¡±
    • ¡°Cato¡¯s reaction, haha!¡±
    • ¡°Hah? Just like always, making everyone jump, haha!"
    • ¡°Let¡¯s get to work already, haha!¡±
    • ¡°I almost thought he was gonna jump out of his seat, haha!¡±
    Normally, Olivia would have been the one to go with me for a smoother operation, but she was quite busy with preparations for next year¡¯s S/S, so she couldn¡¯t make it. asionally, Olivia joined us for incursions, but we couldn¡¯t do this every time. But that¡¯s not important now. The reason I was infiltrating with Cato instead of Harmony or Dice was clear. I pointed to a section of the map, measuring the distance. It was clear that Cato and I had a good grasp of what we needed to do. ¡°Wait. Sniper support?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking back to Hawaii, right?¡± ¡°No, not exactly. But the experience from back then will definitely help us a lot this time.¡±
    • "Haha, they really want to use all the old tricks!"
    • "That¡¯s the n! Let¡¯s make sure it works this time."
    Sniping distance: around 800 meters. Fortunately, sniping in this game was far easier than when we did it in Hawaii. The basic idea was the same, but Icarus gear calcted the sniper position for us. While there were more restrictions in PVP, this made things a lot easier for an incursion. With sniper turrets, ballistic calctors, and other gear, Harmony and Dice would make it easier for Cato and me to infiltrate. However, sending only those two wouldn¡¯tst long, so we had to mix in some indirect support, like constant artillery bombardment or massive troop deployment to distract the enemy. ¡°And it¡¯s not just about that. We also need to hit them hard. Remember the escort mission we seeded in after hours of fighting? It¡¯s time to see what effect the supplies we brought can have.¡± ¡°Hmm, I get the idea.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll carry the explosives, and you¡¯ll handle sniper support. Right? What if we can¡¯t get in?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll switch to a conventional demolition operation if we get stuck.¡±
    • ¡°If we¡¯re not detected, we break in. If we are, we break more things, haha!¡±
    • ¡°Isn¡¯t this like Assassin¡¯s Creed? A stealthy kill mission?¡±
    Cato¡¯s expression changed subtly as he understood the n. Meanwhile, I sent a list of needed resources to the supply depot. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready. We¡¯ll aim to finish this today.¡± The n was set. Now, it was time to hurry and execute. "Arrived near the gate. Stealth and optical camouge are working perfectly." "Everything''s crawling with enemies. We''ve deployed twenty remote-controlled units, so we should be able to make some progress and head back with results." "Results? When have we ever cared about that?" "...HQ, this is Dagger Team. Noise suppressionpleted. We''ll await the signal." Meanwhile, about 10 km south of the third gate, a barrier was set up. Unlike before, twenty remote-controlled units, which looked almost like robots, were waiting for deployment. "Ugh¡­" "...What kind of strange noise are you making?"
    • "Cato¡¯s losing it, haha!"
    • "He¡¯s really gone mad, haha!"
    • "Wow, seeing these guys tackle the third gate really gives me goosebumps, haha!"
    • "Oh no¡­ something big ising..."
    Cato had started making strange noises from the get-go. The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly, but the usual scene of a peaceful, pleasant day had taken a turn. Below, the hellscape was unfolding. Hundreds of yers and enemy humanoids were fighting in a chaotic battle. It almost looked like a bunch of ants fighting each other. It wasn''t so much a battle between operators, more like a massive brawl in operator suits. But considering that this mission to take down the gate was based on arge-scale battlefield rush mode, it wasn¡¯t really surprising. After all, that¡¯s what this situation was designed for. But today, at least a few of us wouldn¡¯t be part of that mindless chaos. "...Sniper position reached. This is a good spot. There''s enough cover with the shrubs and trees, and we still have a clear line of sight. We should be safe here from detection." "Let¡¯s leave most of the work to Cato and me. Until then, focus on marking enemy positions. If you get too distracted with every enemy popping up, we¡¯ll be detected before we even get in." "Understood. We¡¯ll give it our best shot." This felt like sneaking into a grand ballroom decorated with explosives, fire, and gunpowder smoke. Cato, carrying tens of kilograms of explosives, set the pace for this infiltration. Fortunately, the optical camouge worked better the slower we moved, which allowed us to blend into the terrain around us. As we cautiously moved forward, there were three key routes we had to pass. The first one was approaching. "Three, two, one. Beginning artillery bombardment." "Thirty seconds to impact. I''ll mark any enemies near the area who are impossible to bypass. If they can¡¯t be avoided, we¡¯ll be stuck." "Understood." Boom! The first explosion shook the air as artillery shells hit the enemy''s shields. At the same time, we heard the sound of a humanoid¡¯s head exploding, as one of the enemies patrolling the area was taken out. Cato and I immediately moved toward our designated checkpoint. Even in the middle of all this, our shooting didn''t stop. "I¡¯ll handle the left. You cover the right." "Got it!" Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of small-caliber bullets echoed. Thebination of subsonic rounds and silencers made sure the shots were quiet, and with the artillery hitting the shields, Artemis¡¯ AI was too busy recalcting priorities to notice us. I nced at Cato. To my surprise, he quickly dispatched the three enemies that appeared on the right. It seemed like all his training had paid off. Unfortunately, the viewers missed all of that, and they were still busy typing their ownments. "...Ah, ah. U-Jin, there''s an armored vehicle approaching your route. Looks like a patrol." "I saw it too. Stay ready in case we need backup." "Now that they''re patrolling, I''m not sure how this will go, but let¡¯s give it a try." Creeeak! A sharp sound echoed as an armored vehicle stopped a few dozen meters ahead of us. Eight humanoid robots quickly disembarked, beginning to patrol the area. On our UI, the route the armored vehicle had taken appeared, and fortunately, it didn¡¯te our way. However, it seemed to be heading toward a location where the enemy''s defenses had just weakened. What should we do? As I was thinking that, Cato suddenly spoke up. "U-Jin, I think we can just wipe them all out and keep going. They¡¯reing from a direction we don¡¯t need to infiltrate, and if we take them down, the enemy won¡¯t know where we¡¯re headed." "Hmm." That was a sharp suggestion. However, to make that n work, a few more preparations were needed. I quickly sent coordinates to the artillery to make sure it would fire with some distraction to cover our operation. The shields wouldn¡¯t activate unless we were directly hitting the Artemis gate. The artillery was ready, and with the confirmation signal, the st echoed through thems. A few secondster, another explosion rocked the ground. Boom! The explosion erupted near the armored vehicle. At that same moment, Cato and I raised our weapons, locking on to our targets, and quickly began firing. Cato and I each fired four shots. In an instant, eight humanoid enemies dropped to the ground, their heads shattered. At the same time, Catounched a prating thermite sticky bomb near the armored vehicle''s turret, and mes erupted from the cannon. As if responding to this, a shell came flying in and hit the ground with a loud crash.@@novelbin@@ With a small smile, I added: "We¡¯re getting pretty good at this." ¡°...Is that so? Well, let¡¯s just keep moving. No time to waste.¡± "Let¡¯s keep going."
    • "Hahaha, they¡¯re really getting the hang of it!"
    • "Haha, they¡¯ll get this mission done in no time!"
    • "Seriously, I can¡¯t believe how efficient they are now."
    We were getting closer to the objective. The surroundings were a mess of dust, explosions, and smoke, but the sky was still remarkably clear. The mission to break through the gate had begun. Chapter 556 "...So now you¡¯re not even trying to hide it." "Isn¡¯t it a little toote to be saying this now?"
    • If you''re not hiding it, what are you going to do about it, Cato? LOL
    • [Image of Eugene praising himself casually]
    • Fck, there are headless corpses everywhere, LOL LOL LOL
    • Two Lex, do it!!!
    • Holy sht, this person really doesn''t seem to be moving*
    Clunk. The bodies of robots roll all around. If these were humanoid bodies, not human, it¡¯s likely this area would have been a sea of blood and gore, or so Cato thought ¡ª a thought that scratched at the back of my mind. Wherever my eyesnded¡­ well, not everywhere, but asionally, I¡¯d step on something with my boots or, when taking a short break, would inevitably see a humanoid with its head cut off. It almost felt like a horror movie, but I thought the source of the terror wasn¡¯t these corpses but Eugene, who was working alongside me as a teammate. And before that thought could vanish, ©¤©¤©¤Kaang! A sh of light suddenly burst out of the darkness. It was like looking at the hallway of a battleship, a cramped space only repair bots could navigate, filled with tangled materials, wires, and other debris. It was the perfect space for Eugene to move around unnoticed, and she ughtered the enemy robots, wielding a tomahawk. The humanoids, with heads flying through the air or chestspletely torn apart or limbs twisted backward, kept increasing in number, and at that point, I began to question whether I needed to shoot at all. If a third party were watching me right now¡­ they would probably say my eyes looked empty, hollow. Still, I could say I had somewhat adapted to the current situation. "Thanks to you, Eugene, I saved some bullets. But don¡¯t you use a gun?" "In these cramped spaces, if you miss a shot, there''s a high chance the bullet will ricochet. It¡¯s difficult to properly handle a gun in ces like this unless you¡¯re carrying an SMG or a shotgun¡­." "You could at least use a pistol... Well, half of it is probably your preference, right?" "You know me well."
    • Preference (Instead of shooting with a gun, breaking with an axe)
    • ??: Isn¡¯t it a little weird to call that a preference? You should rethink that.
    • *Hey, hey, damn, she¡¯s holding an axe, LOL LOL LOL
    • Bold statement I think using an axe to break robots is indeed a preference.*
    • If it''s called a preference, what are you going to do about it? LOL LOL LOL
    Well, what can I say? It¡¯s a preference. I decided not to care too much. Besides, I¡¯d already seen Eugene carrying a KPV machine gun and shooting it the other day, so if I pointed it out now, what would that change? The viewers are pretty much people whose brains reset every 10 seconds, constantly repeating the same old things, but still... Anyway, a bitte, but to briefly exin what we¡¯re doing right now... We¡¯re advancing toward the shield generators while carrying dozens of kilograms of explosives. Along the way, Eugene is tearing apart any enemies that show up. There are just a few problems with that. ©¤©¤©¤Kugung! "...Ugh." "I had underestimated the shockwaves reaching the buildings. This is why no matter how much you calcte, a perfect operation never emerges." "If only we¡¯d brought something like an antimatter canister, things would¡¯ve been simpler. But carrying dozens of kilograms of conventional explosives is exhausting." "That¡¯s because they¡¯re a raremodity. It¡¯s actually quite a lot just to load them into a railgun and shoot them." Thus, the asional shaking of the buildings... I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s happening outside. Dice and Harmonie are probably helping somewhere else by now or patrolling around the entrance we went through, recording anything unusual, while the battle continues outside, with lubrication oil being washed off with sweat. Just in case Artemis detects our signals, we¡¯ve minimized the use of the Icarus gear, but who knows how long that willst... "Wait a second." "...?" I barely managed to open my mouth. Eugene held up a terminal in front of me. It was probably a picture taken by either Harmonie or Dice. Near the entrance we entered, there were dozens, almost a hundred, enemy humanoids. They were clearly heading toward us. They weren¡¯t too close, but if we stayed still, the chances of them catching up were high. Before I could even respond, Eugene spoke. "Go." "...I¡¯ll find the way." "Even if you fail, don¡¯t be too discouraged." "I¡¯m more afraid of your disappointment than mine, so I¡¯ll try my best."
    • [Notification: Intruder detected.]
    • [Notification: Blocking of existing ess routes starting. Alternate passage opening.]
    • *That''s how it is, LOL LOL
    • *It¡¯s getting intense now, LOL LOL
    • *You¡¯ve held out pretty long, LOL
    • Cato, now you''re trusting the work to the point where it¡¯s believable, huh? LOL LOL
    • ??: If you disappoint me, I¡¯ll make you lose everything.
    Kkki-kkki-kkk! The situation was rapidly deteriorating. A tremendous noise erupted as if a giant was ripping steel apart with its hands, and without any warning, the gates we¡¯d passed earlier began to close. With sparks and explosions going off, it was clear something had gone wrong. I immediately started running, probably because the gates were closing slowly due to the vibrations caused by the bombardment that had been going on for thest ten minutes. Of course, I didn¡¯t know the exact reason, and I didn¡¯t need to know. One, two, three. The doors were closing faster, and the doors on the other side were closing even faster. Not that the doors were closing faster, but I was too slow. ©¤©¤©¤Piiiiing! The pulse swept across the facility, marking the remaining distance. Fifty meters. Amid the deafening noise of the closing doors, faint gunfire echoed. Was Eugene in fullbat mode now? I wondered if I could even survive this, but that¡¯s something forter. After converting the pulse into a directional EMP and releasing it into the half-closed gate, I could clearly feel the speed of the gate slowing down, and I almost slid to the other side. "Ugh¡­!" Screech! For a moment, it felt like night turned into day. Bullets, fired at dozens per second, whipped through the spot where I¡¯d just been. The firing echoed heavily along the rtively wide corridor wall. There was no need to engage right now. What was needed was calmness,posure, and the ability to break through. After listening to Biam¡¯s nagging enough times and practicing moving things to reality, it didn¡¯t seem that surprising anymore. I swiped my hand through the air, and a chunk of stone, as big as a stone, materialized in my hand. I pressed the upper button with a click, threw it back, and less than a secondter, the explosion and heat sted from a distance. Ignoring that, I aimed my gun and shot a bullet at everything in sight. The enemies were swept away like autumn leaves. "Ha, seriously..." By now, I had no choice but to admit it. No matter how much I felt pressured by¡­ Biam, the experience built on my body by that person¡­ had be an immense help in situations like this. I couldn¡¯t pretend not to know. The difference in skill between Eugene and me, from when I first met him to now, was literally the difference between heaven and earth. But still, the fact that I couldn¡¯t even reach his toes... it was a strange feeling. My senses were expanding dramatically, but conversely, time felt much slower. It was partly because of the Perk I had chosen in advance, but fundamentally, it was probably because Biam, who was fighting somewhere out there, was giving me a thorough training. I kept pushing forward, reflecting on all of this. How much time had passed? With my body battered and broken, I barely managed to lock the control room door and make my way to the panel. "Can¡¯t get a signal¡­ no surprise." My HP was now below 10%. My arms and legs had already turned ck. Fracture and hemorrhage markers were shing on one side of my UI. Naturally, no matter how much I tried to move, my limbs didn¡¯t respond well. Plus, even though I had learned a lot from Biam, carrying this absurd amount of explosives made it impossible to exert 70% of my original physical strength. Well, at least thanks to the explosive backpack, I wasn¡¯t shot in the back. As I struggled to put the bag down, strange noises echoed around me. What could I say? There was this thick cylindrical object filling nearly the entire room. They were constructing a sma field through massive electrical currents or something like that. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. "The remote detonation device... is already fried." I saw the LED indicatorspletely fried from bullet impacts. The internal circuits were probably the same. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. "I¡¯ve had enough fun with this shield. It¡¯s about time to confiscate it." 45 kilograms of explosives, 70% stronger than TNT. In such an enclosed space, the likelihood of a horrific explosion was high, and I giggled as I flipped the bag upside down. Even if remote detonation wasn¡¯t possible, a shock would make the explosion happen naturally. I bent forward, wrapping my elbow around a pull handle, like starting a chainsaw, and then snapped my back straight, pulling the lever. A small clicking noise rang out, and then the explosion and heat surged from a distance. "Now, I can finally rest." And a sh covered the room. ©¤©¤©¤Kuuuung! "¡­Wow, amazing." "That¡¯s insane. Didn¡¯t Yerin do something like this once in Tanhoizer?" "She did, but¡­" A massive me erupted over several hundred meters. Among it, blue sma mes, the partially melted, burning debris of hundreds of tons of shattered material, and copsing walls and structures. It was the moment Eugene¡¯s team had pulled off another impressive feat. [Dark Zone - Streamer Sub Gallery] [General] Cato<<<< This guy¡¯s just getting praised, LOL LOL I think I get why Biam brought him, LOL LOL General Stream Comments (continued)
    • *This crazy guy really pulled it off, LOL LOL LOL *
    • Cato Photographer! Cato Photographer! Cato Photographer! Cato Photographer!
    • If he could do this well, why was he throwing a tantrum before? LOL
    • *I didn¡¯t think he could pull it off, but he actually did, LOL LOL
    • Cato<<
      • Right?! Today, I¡¯ll admit it.
    • *Cato¡¯s small explosion LOL
      • What¡¯s small about that? LOL LOL
    • At this point, he deserves at least 500 Biam points LOL
      • But seriously, who started this point thing? Does it actually work?
      • *Go ask the shark, LOL
      • If you get enough points, the shark kidnaps you and throws you into the navy.
      • Holy shit.
      • Wait, it¡¯s not points, it¡¯s a punishment? LOL
    • He always makes noise and throws tantrums, but when it¡¯s time to do it, he gets it done... that¡¯s what makes him even cooler...
      • Bold statement: I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s cool, though.
      • *LOL LOL LOL LOL
      • Damn, just admit he¡¯s cool already. He deserves it after all this, LOL
    Cato did it. Cato really did it. Unlike Harmonie and Dice, both of whom died alongside me, and we were revived at the original drop point, we still managed to seed. Cato, looking somewhat dazed, scratched his head while sitting in a chair. The rest of us ¡ª Harmonie, Dice, and everyone else at the drop point ¡ª kept shouting his name, ¡°Cato Grapher!¡± Outside, things were even more chaotic. Some were waving around LED picket signs and fluorescent sticks, trying to draw attention to themselves. There were even users wearing self-illuminating sunsses with sequins, causing a stir in every possible way. In the end, it all boiled down to one reason. The moment Cato threw the explosive, the shield generator was destroyed. That led to the nearby Artemis drones turning into molten metal and charred stic. "I thought it was an understandable difficulty, even if we failed, but we actually seeded." "I thought we¡¯d only manage to get the explosives through, but somehow, it worked out. Haha." "If anyone was going to fail, it would have happened no matter what. Anyway, enjoy this moment now. You¡¯ve earned this kind of recognition." "Great job, Cato Grapher." "I knew you could do it." What can I say? A Mecha Biam sandwich? Barely an hour after we were dropped off, the Third Gateway was literally reduced to ashes. Upon hearing this, Jin and Rain arrived at the original drop point at an unbelievable speed, almost flying, expressing their gratitude to Cato enthusiastically. It felt weird to see my body and face in this situation, but I didn¡¯t find it strange enough to interfere. I just left them to it and proceeded with the debriefing, taking the files from the Mecha Biam duo. Photos of the Third Gateway taken just two hours ago and photos taken right after. Of course, the difference was like night and day. "The building that had the shield generator is literally ttened. Before the operation, it was half-jokingly mentioned, but I never expected it to explode like this¡­" "Due to constant artillery and railgun bombardments, the shield was working at full capacity, and because the defense prioritized the shield, they couldn¡¯t stop Cato Grapher¡¯s intrusion in time. That¡¯s likely the big reason." "Well, in the end, without assistance from all directions, this mission would have been impossible. And we wrapped it up cleanly." Was it even bombing, really? Anyway, the ground zero was apletely catastrophic sight. Everything had been obliterated. Melted steel frames and ruined gate structures were barely recognizable.@@novelbin@@ By now, thousands of yers probably had already crushed the remaining Artemis forces near the Third Gateway. Well, in terms of contributions, my team would definitelye in first. Cato would be number one, but since there were still many tasks to focus on, I handed over the speaking rights to Jin and Rain, who were about to take over the presentation. "It will still take a day or two to fully capture the Third Gateway and hit the factory on the other side. Great job." "Since the gateway has been breached, there¡¯s a high chance Artemis will send reinforcements, but that¡¯s been more or less handled, so we don¡¯t need to worry too much." "Handled?" "Yes." Just as I had a pretty good idea of what Jin was going to say, a map appeared in the air, showing all the enemy and ally movements within a 10 km radius, including the Third Gateway. Air defenseworks scattered all over the ce and railgun positions that had not yet retreated were slowly being dismantled, one by one. I knew what those symbols on the map were. As if reading my mind, Jin added: "Archetype. Dagger and Laser said they were really impressed with the SUAV attack Archetype performed." The teams operating the remote control for the Dagger and Laser were happily dismantling the surrounding air defenseworks. For some reason, Artemis seemed quite pitiful at this point. Chapter 558 :©¤©¤©¤Zzzzzt! "...Theypletely transformed a huge warehouse into something like a factory. I feel like just stripping off the EMP protection tes from those vehicles could fetch a pretty good price." "When the battle is over, we¡¯ll collect it ourselves. That¡¯s true, but these days, humans are more valuable than resources, aren¡¯t they? Don¡¯t you think?" "I didn¡¯t expect to hear that kind of talk from you, Rain." Sparks from welding erupted all around. Hundreds of Icarus humanoids were fastened inside the massive hangar, attached to everything from Hummers to armored vehicles, tanks, ITVs, and motorcycles, with all sorts of equipment. On the other side, parts of unknown purpose were being rapidly produced. Amid all this, five of us, including me, were surveying the area. After the factory raid had officially started, numerous users had begun chasing the factory, which was far beyond the ruins of the Third Gateway. More options awaited them than they had expected. Instead of a stiff tone, Rain continued exining. "Naively speaking, not only the owner, but also the shadows here will likely board one of two types of vehicles and head out to the enemy lines. One is a factory infiltration vehicle, and the other is¡­ abat vehicle, in the simplest terms." "We were able to check the observation data near the factory before we arrived. It seemed like quite a troublesome situation. We¡¯ll need to deal with the enemies around us for smooth infiltration orbat, though. It might be premature at this point." "You¡¯re talking about the armed bases lined up along the factory routes, right? Don¡¯t worry about that. That ce is for those who prefer primalbat over vehicle chases. Of course, if participation is low, we might have to send more forces there, but..." So that¡¯s the n. I nodded at Rain¡¯s words. It seemed like, at first nce, her statement meant the users would just be allowed to fight it out as they wished. But if you interpret it another way, it meant they were willing to throw away valuable vehicles and conventional weapons if needed. This was only possible because the incursion wasn¡¯t linked to the other world. If it were connected, they wouldn¡¯t be throwing such weapons into the trash. In other words, the conflict was happening in a "virtual reality" not connected to the other world, which made this possible. So, we had to act ordingly. And then, Jin chimed in from the side. "Just because you''re boarding a vehicle doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you¡¯ll be following the factory. You can always move toward the armed bases along the route and strike them if you want." "I get the gist. The fact that it''s not rigidly divided like that is enough." "Good. Then start choosing your vehicles. Since there are five of us, the maximum number of vehicles we can board is five. Depending on the size and cost, of course. But you¡¯re not all going to ride bikes, right?" "We should get a feel for the battlefield first, and then we¡¯ll know what kind of vehicle would be the most efficient." "Good choice." Of course, there were other reasons too. As expected, Icarus could track in real-time how well the friends on the vehicles were performing. And they weren¡¯t saints who¡¯d say, "Oh well, no sess this time? Here¡¯s another vehicle, go have some fun ande back." No, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. To phrase it another way... there was a cooldown for getting back into the vehicle if you failed. And it would decrease based on how many enemies you had taken down. In simple terms, it was performance-based. Sort of. Because of that, there were fewer people taking tanks. If someone failed to take down even one enemy and wrecked their tank, they¡¯d be stuck for 72 in-game hours without any vehicle to use, only participating in the armed base assault. Anyway, with that aside, the five of us split into two teams. Olivia and I formed the first team, while Harmonie, Dice, and Cato formed the second. Olivia and I were supposed to ride modified bikes, and the second team chose an armored Humvee with thick welded steel ting. The Humvee was equipped with a grenadeuncher and a KPV machine gun. I didn¡¯t even need to ask who picked that machine gun. Of course, the bike we¡¯d be riding would be far more impressive. "Let¡¯s strip out the fuel lines and tanks, and fill the remaining space with weapons. I think a grenadeuncher andser cutter cartridges would be good." "You¡¯re making a good point, but now it¡¯s kind of losing the reason for picking a bike, kid¡­ the cost is already surpassing that Humvee your younger brothers are riding." "If we connect it to Icarus gear, the cost will be about the same as the Humvee. The rest depends on our driving skills. Well, I¡¯ll manage, we have an automatic bncing system." "...Right. I guess we¡¯ll be the first ones to die." As I said, the first thing we did was strip out the fuel lines. Since the Icarus gear was a great power source, we didn¡¯t need a liquid fuel system. This freed up considerable space. The engine size shrank too. And that¡¯s how we had room for weapons. As I mentioned earlier, the weapons were the grenadeuncher andser cutter cartridges. The power to fire thetter could be provided by the Icarus gear, so as long as we installed a good cooling system, we were good. I also added posture control boosters for sharp maneuvers. Then, when it came to Olivia and my weapons, to be honest, I didn¡¯t need much besides a pistol and a few grenades, but what Olivia would bring was the key. And that was already decided. "M6 Lynx. How¡¯s that? I think it¡¯s probably the limit for a firearm you can use on a bike." "Hmm." At the same time, I made eye contact with Olivia.@@novelbin@@ Naturally, her expression... seemed pretty joyful. Just a moment ago, she had been acting serious, but... as I¡¯d said many times before, she was an EM-level emitter. Just like Logan and Laurentina, she had madness hidden inside her. Anyway, even in the midst of this, we stripped away almost all unnecessary safety features and filled the remaining space with only what was needed. Once I submitted the estimate, the faces of the Mecha juniors were a bit odd, but the fact that I could submit it meant we could actually build it. Meanwhile, Harmonie¡¯s team had already received their vehicles. Harmonie, sitting in the front seat, and Dice and Cato, armed with various panels and a grenadeuncher, headed out for a test drive to the nearby track. "Looks like they¡¯re already getting ready to go. The blue dots around the frontlines are piling up¡­" "Seems like there are more than usual. I guess it¡¯s a bigger event than we imagined." "Maybe." Then Olivia casually added to the secret line. "Reminds me of old times. I think we used to ride bikes like this." "Back then, the task forceser was just full of crazy people riding bikes withser rifles. You got kidnapped to fill in the ranks, remember?" "I get so pissed off when I think about that time." "Well, yeah. If you were going to do that, why didn¡¯t you just gather all the emitters in the Dagger?" Anyway, that was the gist of it. Soon enough, we would be receiving our bikes. They were massive, like sports bikes on steroids. Olivia and I couldfortably ride together. It was almost like a light cycle from Tron. But the basic design was sleek, like an anaconda, and thanks to a few extra modifications, it looked almost like the tumbler from the old Batman movie with a snake-like exterior. By now, Olivia, who had the M6 Lynx, chuckled as she fixed herself into the seat, while I wrapped my tail around her waist and added to Rain. "I¡¯m not sure, but it feels like we might need to bring you to the front linester. Get ready for that." "...Well, if the boss says so, I guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll be waiting." "Good." ©¤©¤©¤Boom! The sensation of tension like a de at my fingertips, and the heavy vibrations from below. As if it had always been that way, the massive bike suddenly elerated, thrashing like a wild horse, and I gripped the reins tightly, regaining control, then followed Harmonie¡¯s team. The special tires, designed for off-road traction, pounded the ground, and we quickly headed toward the gathering ce where numerous vehicles were waiting. And then, the sight that greeted us. I turned on the stream. Countless viewers flooded in. "Wow." "...You¡¯re riding something amazing, Eugene." "Of course."
    • Wow, this is insane LOL LOL
    • Is that Batman?? LOL LOL
    • Fact: It¡¯s an anaconda girl.
    • Eugene¡¯s Tumbler LOL LOL
    • Biam knows what ¡®cool¡¯ is...
    • Wow, seriously LOL LOL
    • I thought it would be a normal vehicle, but this is a spectacle LOL LOL
    A giant countdown moving in the sky. From a distance, it looked like a bizarre and enormous sight, as though they had taken a skyscraper and chopped it into blocks to be transported. With the monstrous engine noises from hundreds of vehicles, the side of the factory block opened, and over a thousand vehicles and drones poured out onto the ground, signaling the start of the factory raid. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Kwahhh! Tanks fired simultaneously, and hundreds of vehicles raced across the vast fields. It had begun. "Left, left!" "Activate boosters, hold on tight...!"
    • Wow, crazy! LOL
    • How is that a bike?? That¡¯s a tank! LOL
    • Well, if two emitters can ride it, it seems like a tank?
    • These guys are openly talking about their weight, what¡¯s going on? LOL
    • Why is there fireing out of the back of the motorcycle? LOL
    Vroom! As I pressed the button on the right-hand handle, a violent vibration erupted, and at the same time, fierce mes shot out from the rear of the bike, with the rear tires spinning wildly. The Tumbler ¡ª as people had named the bike Olivia and I were riding ¡ª took off at an insane speed. Thankfully, we were alive, for the deafening noise and sh from where we had just been standing caused massive piles of dirt to explode into the air. Whether it was aser, a thermal cannon, or a missile, I didn¡¯t know, but the firepower was intense. Gunshots rang out behind us. Olivia was wildly spraying a .50 caliber rifle at the nearby enemies. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I was just sitting back and doing nothing. "One¡¯s following at 290 degrees, can¡¯t get a clear shot from this angle¡­!" "Please load a Laufoce here." "...That much, I can do." At the same time, I pulled out a pistol, which was far bigger than a regr pistol ¡ª it was more like a hand cannon. I showed Olivia the butt of the weapon while holding the muzzle. With a click, the rear opened, spent casings spilled out, and another Laufoce round was loaded. Once the chamber was sealed, the weapon was ready to fire. For those wondering what I was shooting, let me show you. I gripped the pistol with my left hand, aimed, and took aim at an approaching enemy humanoid bike. The target was the fuel tank near the engine. Boom!
    • What the hell? You¡¯re firing one-handed??
    • Haven¡¯t we seen this a hundred times? LOL
    • Bold statement: It still doesn¡¯t get easier to watch.
    • If you get used to that, you¡¯re already screwed, idiots LOL
    • How is someone shooting a .50 caliber hand cannon one-handed and hitting it? LOL
    Boom! With a terrifying roar, the .50 caliber Laufoce round, traveling at Mach 2.3, pierced the fuel tank, and one of the bikes waspletely engulfed in mes. It was a single-action hand cannon capable of firing .50 caliber rounds ¡ª a gun more suited for Browning machine guns than handguns. "Direct hit. Let me know if you need a reload." "Next time, ask for a holster with a loading function on the bike!" "Not sure if that¡¯s possible... Ugh, there¡¯s an Artemis Humvee right in front! I¡¯m going to jump it!" "This crazy¡­!" Boom! At the same time, a uniquely shaped polyurethane-hardened grenade was fired toward the front, exploding just a few dozen meters ahead and creating a ramp of sorts. With an explosion, it ignited the air, and I took out the oxidizer, firing at passing Artemis Humvees and ITVs. One missed, but the other hit the target. With the Humvee reduced to a puddle, I turned to face the next approaching ITV. That was going to be our cushion for today. "Hold tight¡­!" "Damn it, kid! Slow down with the bike!"
    • Oh my god LOL
    • Holy crap LOL
    • They¡¯re literally just running over vehicles, what the hell LOL
    • How bad must it be if Olivia¡¯s telling you to slow down? LOL
    Screech! The sight when the tires hit the ITV¡¯s metal frame was catastrophic. The frame shattered into pieces, and the enemy inside went through a simr process. With the vehicle bent into a V-shape, our bikended smoothly on the ground. While the damaged bike was slowly being repaired by the Icarus gear¡¯s nanomachines, rescue requests flooded in from all directions. Most of them were from the armed bases defending the factory. Pulling the throttle, I continued the conversation. "I think we can take a quick trip. What do you think?" "Stop cking off here. If we keep wasting time, the raid will stall. Considering your disciples are already heading that way¡­" "Well, the vehicle we¡¯re in wasn¡¯t designed for fire support at the armed bases." But that didn¡¯t mean we couldn¡¯t help out. It was somewhat intentional, and you could tell just by looking at the ramps that were unnaturally attached near the walls of the surrounding bases. I pulled the throttle again, and with a roar, the bike elerated. Despite the ground not being ideal, we reached 100 km/h in just a few seconds. Using the Icarus gear to counteract the huge kic energy from the sharp maneuvers, we quickly headed toward the rescue point. It wasn¡¯t a typical ramp, but rather an angled surface that curved sideways like a roller coaster track. Once on it, the vehicle slowly floated and spun mid-air. Time seemed to stretch on forever. But thanks to the posture control boosters, the spinning stopped, and the bike flew for several dozen meters before the Icarus gear dispersed polyurethane foam to absorb thending force. With a screech, the bikended smoothly, and I activated twoser cutter cartridges, locking the front wheel and spinning only the rear wheel. Zzzzzzzt! Almost everything except therge or otherwise impossible-to-cut objects was sliced apart. The Artemis humanoids and ITVs, thin walls, minigun turrets, outposts, and containers all cut through with fire, and as I made eye contact with the users who were watching, I added: "It¡¯s not much of a support, but that¡¯s the bike¡¯s limit. Keep it up." "...Huh?" "We¡¯ll see youter!"
    • What the hell??
    • I can¡¯t believe this LOL
    • You¡¯d go brain-dead if you saw this in front of you LOL
    • What kind of crazy stuff is going on in real life?? LOL
    • Please stop!!! I can¡¯t watch other Dark Zone streamers because of you guys!!!
    Boom! Having finished our task, Olivia and I shot 40mm grenades andsers at the side gate of the armed base. After breaking through, we headed back toward the spinning exterior. If we only participated in the external battle, we could have brought something like a small missile or an anti-tank rocket instead of a grenadeuncher or sniper rifle. Thinking that, we moved away from the battlefield ¡ª "...What was that?" "Don¡¯t try to understand it." Unlike the other users who were stunned, Harmonie and her team had already stopped caring. It was just another day. Chapter 559 "I almost died about six times over there. If you hadn''t wrapped your tail around my waist, I would''ve been thrown off the bike. I was wondering how you''d have the energy to provide fire support, but suddenly, you started firingsers from there¡­" "Ugh..." "..." "Also, when we went down the road upied by our allies, you suddenly fired a grenadeuncher andsers at a closed gate, and then just sted through it. I almost had my neck snapped... but why are you all looking like that?" Heh-heh-heh. It sounded like there was nothing unusual about what was said, but Olivia¡¯s lips were uncontrobly curling upward. On the other side, Lorentina and Logan were pulling faces as if they were close to exploding, and Shark was groaning, lying on the bed. Operation Wasted Silver, the factory raid. Unlike Lorentina and Logan, who found it difficult to match timing with the youngest due to their professionalmitments, Olivia had unlimited free time once her personal tasks werepleted. In other words, she had gone to have some fun with Eugene. Moreover, Eugene, who now had 15 editors, was able to edit the legendary moments from the stream within a day and post them on the "YourSpace" channel, making it a fantastic weapon to tease Shark and the Pr Bear. And after a while¡­ Shark was the first to explode. "This, this¡­ damn, if only I had a long arm that could reach Manhattan, I would''ve choked you right now." "But that¡¯s impossible. Don¡¯t take your anger out on me, hurry up and match your timing with the youngest." "...I¡¯m actually more curious about how this ridiculously huge tform is being moved. What the hell happened for this to happen?" "Ah, that." The exnation wasn¡¯t that difficult. However, that didn¡¯t mean everyone wasn¡¯t surprised. Despite the simple exnation, what Artemis had done surpassed conventional understanding. The idea of moving a gigantic tform, weighing tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of tons, using maic levitation was something that, under normal circumstances, would have been impossible. Still, Artemis had done it, and Lorentina and Logan reyed the trailer video uploaded by Icarus, trying to calcte in their heads if this could actually work. The following words came next. "It was crazier than I imagined. But I like it." "...I knew it." "Though I¡¯ve had a lot of fun with the youngest, with something like this, I¡¯m curious to check it out myself. Usually, when does the youngest start streaming? I¡¯ll contact them on a day off." "Tomorrow is Friday. I think it¡¯s a good time to do it. I¡¯ll be busy, so you guys should go instead. The youngest will probably love seeing you all." "I guess I should send a text message now." Olivia¡¯s eyes caught the sight of Shark¡¯s fingers quickly moving. With a hum, Olivia¡¯s phone vibrated in her hands. The message from Lorentina appeared in the "Manifesters" chat room, and a number decreased as the youngest¡¯s reply quickly came through. It read as follows:
    • [Youngest: I was wondering when you¡¯d contact me.]
    At the same time, another figure appeared next to Olivia. In an instant, she began to take the form of a woman, but a long snake tail started to extend from her lower back. As her facial features formed, the person in question spoke up. "There''s no way older sisters would sit quietly and watch something so fun. I didn¡¯t expect you to discuss it individually instead of contacting me first." "...Don¡¯t use the word ''older sister.'' It makes my ears itch." "Well, it¡¯s more like a check-in than a discussion. Whether it¡¯s me, Logan, Olivia, or the youngest, once something like this is set up, we have to say something about what we¡¯ve been up to." "I guess that¡¯s true." Eugene, who had been listening, casually nodded and sat down in a chair. The exnation about the factory raid continued briefly. Most of the details were already in the raid trailer, but the people gathered here, Eugene¡¯s acquaintances, had already watched the broadcast from the previous day and the edited videos. Naturally, the topic shifted. They started talking about the changes in the dynamics of the raid that had started to shift subtly since yesterday, but the conversation wasn¡¯t particrly positive. "By the way, do you know, Youngest? Since the video went up yesterday, it seems like the rotation isn¡¯t going too well¡­" "Ah, that..."@@novelbin@@ Eugene smiled wryly and popped up the screen. Several sessions appeared, showing images of small wheels, sleek fragments, and other debris scattered around the factory. It was clear. The bike Eugene had been riding caused quite a stir. Logan, seeing this, burst outughing. "If bike handling were easy, everyone would be riding them. There are only slight advantages, like a restricted firing angle and better maneuverabilitypared to other vehicles, but that¡¯s about it. You must have really been advertising it." "It¡¯s the first day, so I wanted to see how the raid works and packed in all the things I wanted to try. I¡¯ve never ridden it that openly before, but since it worked out, I went for it." "You say that, but since even the New Youngest is throwing in their two cents, that means the impact was quite big. Have you even logged into the game since yesterday? If you go in, the Mecha Youngest might startining." "...I guess that¡¯s possible." Indeed, it was true. Moreover, considering Eugene¡¯s path through life, including her time in the game Glory and Honor ¡ª where the "Assassin" ss was based on her movements and gamey ¡ª it was no surprise that she would stir up a storm in any game. Eugene sat on the sofa, turned on the screen, and quickly checked how things had changedpared to yesterday. Of course, there was no need to exin much more, as it was following the expected pattern that Lorentina and her acquaintances had predicted. But that didn¡¯t mean the situation waspletely falling apart. Even though the bike had be the third option, the merits of bulky armored vehicles or tanks hadn¡¯t diminished in the slightest. In fact, the real impact on the battlefield woulde from retaking armed bases. "That said, I don¡¯t think you two would stop riding bikes." "Yeah, of course. Logan¡¯s probably going to bail, so I¡¯ll ride it. I¡¯ve been stuck at the basetely with all these things going on, and I¡¯ve been feeling frustrated. If nothing major happens, I¡¯ll have Harmony ride with me." "...I¡¯ll pass on that to Mina." "I¡¯ll say it myself, don¡¯t worry about it. Pr Bear, are you nning to stick with Dice?" "We¡¯ll see how things go." I wondered if Mina and Yerin knew that their fate was being decided here. Eugene, deep in thought, smiled bitterly as the two manifesters continued to analyze the map, images, and what they should do next. The question came quickly. "Has anyone been inside the factory yet?" "Not yet. We¡¯ve tried attacking a few times, but the factory tform is surrounded by shields. Personally, I think the best way to handle it is to retake control of the autonomous weaponry at the armed bases and then shoot at the tform¡¯s shields to bring them down." "Hmm. So, it¡¯s not quite time to mess around with vehicles yet." Lorentina, who had been fiddling with Icarus International¡¯s vehicle tuning function, added. "Well, arguing about a game that hasn¡¯t even started yet is meaningless. After a quick nap, the youngest will probably start streaming around the same time. Let¡¯s check it out then." "Same here. I¡¯m not nning any surprises, so when you meet your disciples, just tell them. They should at least have time to prepare." "Ugh, if you say you''reing, the others already know, so it¡¯s no surprise." "...Damn, fine. Why do you like surprises so much?" Logan grumbled and left with Lorentina. Olivia, too, made a simple farewell before she faded into the darkness, ending the session. Eugene, who had been watching, let out a smallugh and soon disappeared as well. How much time passed after that¡­ "Ugh." "Sssss, Pr Bear!!" "It''s been a while, you little brat. How have you been?" "See, this is why no one can stop the surprises."
    • True Specialist LOL
    • Two people making Harmony and Dice scared... this is rare
    • Because of these people, I can''t stop snacking LOL
    • Please stop... I can''t take it anymore...
    • Perfect time to harass the New Youngest LOL
    Lorentina and Logan. Biam Party Training. "Yeah, so we all thought it would end quickly since they were moving at 5 km/h, but that wasn¡¯t the case." "I hear they made several routes to avoid bottlenecks, then distributed the factory modules. When we take the armed base, the reset will happen. If the speed increases, there¡¯s also the chance of being intercepted by our own missiles." "Well, I guess they came up with that reason. The real reason is probably... so the users can enjoy the content longer." "That¡¯s true."
    • Hitting with facts from the start LOL
    • A user-driven raid shouldn¡¯t close in three days LOL
    • But Pr Bear rushed to join to enjoy it too, right? LOL
    • Sitting with Harmony, saying that doesn¡¯t hold much weight
    • Pretends to be rational, but enjoys the game the most LOL
    Lorentina¡¯s sharp words hit right on target. Well, if these mid-torge scale contents end in just about three days, I¡¯d be quite disappointed as well. The organic raid, with infiltration, chase, vehiclebat, and rush modes all packed together, was something you couldn¡¯t easily find anywhere else. Although, strictly speaking, calling it a chase was a bit of a stretch. The factory tform was so slow, only moving about 5 km per day. But there were almost 500-meter intervals between the tforms, and if we didn¡¯t stop the dronesing out from them, those robots would rush straight to the armed bases. After that, it¡¯s obvious what would happen. The users attacking the base would get buried in a mountain of machines and be turned into Heinz ketchup. It wasn¡¯t strictly a chase, but it did create a need to actively use vehicles. "So, what do I need to bring? A parachute?" "Motion sickness pills... just kidding, but ideally, a setup that maximizes offensive skills. Oxidizers, sticky bombs, mines, and directional EMPs are perfect for dealing with Artemis drones and are easy to use on a bike." "Ah, I thought you were going to say I should take a sniper rifle like Olivia did yesterday." "Something that makes an adult man¡¯s upper body shake with every shot? Not even joking."
    • That¡¯s only for Manifesters LOL
    • Why would a newb do that? LOL
    • Lorentina is denying it seriously LOL
    • I think Manifesters have set the bar too high LOL
    Vroom! Even though I wasn¡¯t riding it myself, the air itself felt like it was shaking with the heavy vibrations. But in contrast, the bike was eerily quiet. Arge, empty bike approached us. It had a slightly different look than before, now more shark-like than snake-like. It was incredible how just adjusting the position of the parts gave it such a look. Lorentina continued her exnation. "Even though the Youngest has managed to make the New Youngest useful, I¡¯m not going to ask them to do the impossible. If they tried shooting a .50 caliber on this shaky bike, they¡¯d probably be thrown off." "Without a gun, I feel like I might fly off anyway... Eek!" "I knew you¡¯d say that, New Youngest. Next time, stop whining and get on the bike first." "Okay, I won¡¯t do it again! Waaah!"
    • LOL
    • I knew they¡¯d say something like that, and now it¡¯s being used as an excuse LOL
    • This is chilling
    • The special forces truly have the big picture LOL
    Boom! Harmony, almost like being dragged by an old man with a sack, was forcibly put on the backseat and disappeared into the distance. The monster bike, with a 0-100 km/h in just two seconds, had most of its safety features removed, and only the superhuman senses of Manifesters and the precise control techniques that Icarus Gear could provide could handle it. Olivia didn¡¯t worry too much since she, too, was a Manifester and had been on missions with me before. She knew exactly what would happen in situations like this... but... "Well, just think of it as riding a roller coaster for 30 minutes straight." "...Isn¡¯t someone screaming from far away, Eugene?" "Well, I guess so..." Boom! At that moment, Logan mmed a thick ballistic shield onto the floor, and with a heavy breath, he spoke. Chapter 560 "Ah, so this is where the Youngest were having fun yesterday¡­" "Now this is what I call a spectacle. Is this what raids are like nowadays?" "Well, that¡¯s what they say, but aren¡¯t your eyes pleased?" "...I¡¯m scared!"
    • Harmony¡¯s reaction is hrious
    • Aha! Looks like Lorentina¡¯s ''Odo''bike has started, taking you for a ride! Give up all hope!!!
    • The bike tuning looks so shark-like
    • Living life to the fullest, huh?
    The clear, bright sky. A faint salty taste lingering in the air. And amidst the idyllic scenery, futuristic buildings slowly moved from left to right. The front lines had advanced further than yesterday. Since the factory tform was the furthest back, as it gradually moved toward the savanna, the front line followed. In a few days, it would likely be several kilometers ahead. So far, it had been manageable, butter, without transports, it would be difficult to reach the front lines. The Dark Zone wasn¡¯t one to offer such conveniences. Probably, they¡¯d give users extra missions to build transport routes. Back to the main point: "Until now, it''s been manageable," I thought, but we hadn¡¯t moved much from the initial deployment point, only about 3 kilometers. With vehicles, we could catch up easily. However, today wasn¡¯t starting from there. It was a bit of a detour. The tform was moving left to right, meaning we hade up from the south, and today we were going to start from there. Harmony and Lorentina nced over the centralbat line, imagining a shark-like bike weaving through the field ahead.@@novelbin@@ As they were thinking this, dozens of points fell from the sky.
    • Boom!
    "Alright, so that¡¯s our destination, huh? It¡¯s already a mess," I said. "Four of us, huh? Not many people, but with Logan as the point man, there¡¯s no way we can¡¯t break through. The target today is the main gun system about 1 km ahead. Let¡¯s move as far as we can." "This is going to be a long journey." "At least the field support station is ready. I trust the two of you, with the best breakthrough power, to lead the way."
    • Kato, always clinging to others now, huh?
    • This is¡­ Kimchi? (nods)
    • They¡¯ve been through so much together, now they don¡¯t evenin anymore
    • Fact: If we were part of the group, we''d be immediately kicked out
    • Wow, Logan is so badass
    The sound of artillery shells falling from the sky was like hail. The armed base looked like something from "The Line" in Saudi Arabia. The massive fortifications anchored with winches to tear down the wall revealed Artemis''s side. This factory raid was literally a spectacle, created by massive manpower, each parting together piece by piece. Unfortunately, we weren¡¯t in a position to witness the full grandeur of it, but we could push forward during the chaos as the walls crumbled. Now, it was our turn. "Let¡¯s go." "Keep up!" The vibrations from the artillery impact, dust flying everywhere. A wall made of polyurethane foam and hardener rose and blocked our view. The goal now was to create enough space for the people to move forward. With a sizzling sound, the temporary wall in front of us caught fire instantly. Artemis wasn¡¯t just standing by¡ªit was clear they were countering. From the other side, we could hear vibrations, likely the sound of suicide drones crashing into the wall and igniting it. But it was already toote. Like water leaking through broken walls, we poured through the gaps Artemis left when they retreated.
    • Boom!
    • Tssshhh!
    "We¡¯ve broken the wall!" "Cooking grenade! Everyone, move back!" "Sticky mines deployed, turret set, and machine gun is ready. The kill zone is set, so avoid it and move forward."
    • CQB! CQB! CQB!
    • I¡¯m totally overwhelmed here
    • So jealous of how well-prepared they are
    • I just want to smash the heads of those who are struggling and panicking
    • ¡°I¡¯m going to get you¡±~~~~~~~~~
    I scanned the front of the wall for pulse readings and nted sticky bombs and vibration explosives. The moment the wall crumbled, Logan and I moved to the side. Dice, who had been holding a grenade, tossed it to the opposite side. The explosion shook the building as we scanned for unmanned units inside. Meanwhile, Kato set up the mines and turret and grabbed the machine gun, starting the fire support. In an instant, the front was bathed in red¡ªthe kill zone of our allies. Logan and I avoided it and dove inside. Immediately, a minigun began hammering Logan¡¯s shield. Then, a sh of light¡ª a directional EMP¡ª exploded in front of the shield, turning the entire hallway dark. Secondster, I pulled out a sticky mine from my pouch and threw it. Fire burned a third of the hallway. With the fire zing, I kicked open a red-hot door and shouted. "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!" "Watch left!" ng, ng, ng! As Logan blocked the gunfire with her back, I crushed everything I could see. The M6 Lynx, a .50 caliber sniper rifle, was what I had brought today. The ammunition, of course, was Lapua Force. I had been impressed with Olivia¡¯s use of itst time, so I decided to bring it too. For each shot, I erased everything in sight¡ªif it was humanoid, I aimed for the head or chest; if not, I targeted the body and the weapon connections. The specially modified rounds exploded with each hit, creating internal destruction as well as pration. But then¡ª
    • Crack!
    "Yujin! An armored car just went into that building!" "I can see it." An armored car charged through the broken wall. It seemed like it couldn¡¯t retreat in time and was trying to hold on, but before I could finish my thought, I already pulled out a special smoke grenade and detonated it while sticking a sticky bomb on the camera sensor, firing it off. At the same time, rockets and minigun fire erupted from the enemy vehicle. The intense firepower filled the air, but my body had already moved far from the kill zone created by the rockets and minigun. Instead, what I saw next¡ª Logan, lifting the 100kg ballistic shield, climbing onto the rtively small armored car. "Drill charge set. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯lle out." Rrrrrrrr! Bang! With a terrible sound, mes shot up from the armored car as Logan jumped off, melting the wheels with oxidizer before heading toward the open rear hatch. Dozens of robots disembarked forbat, but as soon as they did, they were met with the pr bear''s real form. At the same time¡ª Boom! "Ugh¡­" "Is that¡­ real?"
    • Uh¡­ is that real????
    • ??: Coming for the shield, open the door!!!!!!!!
    • Is that the shield bash we¡¯ve heard about?
    • How is a shield knocking off limbs?
    • Stop¡­ stop already¡­
    The 100kg shield. The de-like edge of the shield, which had been sharpened, became Logan¡¯s weapon, impaling enemies and sending robot parts flying with each swing. By the time Dice and Kato joined in, Logan had finished clearing the area. She threw a thermite grenade andpletely disabled the armored car, then added¡ª "We only advanced 20 meters. Let¡¯s go." "Of course." That¡­ was probably the "shield bash" they were referring to. It was, as expected, a pr bear move.
    • Boom!
    "Wow, we¡¯re moving at such high speed, even seatbelts can¡¯t stop it!" "Hold tight, New Youngest!" Meanwhile, about 1km away on another in, Lorentina and Harmony were also having an intense time. Boom! "Wow¡­" "There¡¯s a lot of debris around. I¡¯ll be dodging some tight corners, so hang on if you don¡¯t want your head to touch the ground!" Yikes! A bike sped through a forest full of withered trees and solidified ins. It maintained speeds of over 100 km/h but never lost its bnce. "ITV identified! I¡¯ll deal with it!" "Got it. Looks like we¡¯ve got some troublesome friends right in front of us..."
    • What are they doing over there?
    • Filming a movie?
    • Lorentina¡¯s eyes are filled with madness!
    • Did you just say 167 km/h??? On off-road terrain? Are you insane????
    • Artemis is somehow keeping up with them...
    As Manifesters, and as Icarus Operators, thebination of these two created a beautiful movement that was impossible for a regr bike. Defying physical limits, they danced smoothly across the terrain. And with Harmony practically glued to the back seat, the situation became even more bizarre. She tossed sticky mines on the ground, trying to erase Artemis''s mobile strike units as their main target. "Ugh, I almost broke my neck there..." "Not done yet! Deploying decoys!" "Got it!"
    • LOL
    • I¡¯m going crazy
    • Wow
    • Perfectly synchronized
    With smoke charging ahead and decoys deployed behind, they fought like they were in a dogfight. Speeding down, Lorentina and Harmony¡¯s duo approached speeds of 175 km/h. Lorentina shouted¡ª "This is Lorentina, just letting you know everyone¡¯s chasing us now!"
    • Here we go again, huh?
    • Where did the allies go?
    • They¡¯ve been distracted by the soft targets and now reinforcements are on the way... Woah!
    Logan chimed in again, "¡­Three minutes." "Three minutes?" "I¡¯ll finish this here, then provide fire support. Give me the coordinates. If it''s Danger Close, we won¡¯t care." "Make it a big one."
    • What are they going to do now?
    • I¡¯m scared!
    • How did they even set up those spears?
    • That¡¯s not a bike, that¡¯s a fighter jet!
    What wille next? The wind so fierce it felt impossible to open my eyes, and dozens of Artemis vehicles starting to chase us again. Despite everything, I was more curious about what Lorentina and Harmony would do next. As if sensing my thoughts, Shark added¡ª "It¡¯s going to be fun." "That¡¯s exactly the problem, Lorentina." The Manifesters didn¡¯t know this. And today, they were still cruising along smoothly. Chapter 561
    • "The outside is in chaos. Start preparing slowly."
    • "Position at the designated locationpleted. Surely, no one¡¯s been detected, right?"
    The explosions were drawing closer, and shadows poured in like a flood. It wasn¡¯t through a screen, nor indirectly observed. This was happening in real-time, approximately 700 meters away. Artemis was literally being pushed back relentlessly. The artillery struck the barrier, and as ropes and anchors were pushed into the cracks, the massive fortress wall, weighing tons, fell like a domino when winched and pulled. As the artillery was fired through the gap, even unmanned drones had no chance to hold their ground. However, even though retreat was necessary, how far could they fall back? - This thought lingered across thework as those observing the situation from a step behind continued to watch.
    • "The fortress self-destruction function is being reimed. Unless it¡¯s a pressing matter, please refrain from making calls."
    • "About¡­ 10 minutes until our forces arrive. Can we just wait quietly until then?"
    • "Ah, the order¡¯s just been issued to this unit. We¡¯ll soon head outside and join the mobile strike force fighting outside the fortress. Good luck."
    • "Understood. Temporarily removing River from the avable forces."
    Task force, andsers. Before theplete destruction of the third gate, those who had been actively participating in operations were linked to remote controllers and consciousness synchronization. By now, they had sessfully infiltrated the armed base, disguised their own units with false IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) signals, assassinated enemy units, and naturally initiated internal sabotage under the guise of their own sending codes. At the final moment, they blocked Artemis¡¯s orders to detonate the fortress and ammunition depot by creating fake orders, redirecting them to positions where they could defend the ammo storages and control the turret systems managing the gates, as well as surveying the enemy¡¯s distribution and selecting high-value targets. On all their UIs, the shadow, slowly creeping closer like a tsunami, was visible.
    • "I¡¯ve inserted some variable coordinates into the artillery¡¯s firing orders. We should be able to guide our forces."
    • "Artemis forces are retreating. In about 15 minutes, all major enemy forces, except some drones and self-guided and remote-controlled units, will havepletely withdrawn."
    • "Deploying non-explosive maic interceptors around the first defense line. A kiloton EMP release is scheduled upon activation. Everyone, be careful not to get caught in it."
    Boom! The fortress¡¯s main and auxiliary guns continued firing. The attacksing from the shadows were repeatedly blocked by the thick shields. However, even that seemed close to being insufficient. The weapon base and factory tform had not yet moved far enough away. Because of this, Artemis nned to self-destruct the main and auxiliary guns to prevent them from falling into enemy hands and had ensured the thermite in the ammo depot was set to trigger at any time¡ªbut¡ª
    • "Artemis attempted to self-destruct the ammo depot. Naturally, it failed, but... it doesn¡¯t feel good. It seems like we need a countermeasure before they proceed with manual procedures."
    • "We have turret control authority here. Let me pass you a few."
    • "We need to be faster."
    Bang! The sound of gunfire, clear and heavy, echoed through themunication channels. As the shared screen continued, the scene became visible. A humanoid unit with its head deformedy sprawled on the ground. Leaving that behind, the partition wall near the ammo depot was lowered, and the minigun for blocking the passage was set up. A half-mechanical voice followed the action.
    • "It seems a bitte now."
    • "¡­It can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯ll elerate the execution time. From now on, act on your own judgment."
    • "Non-explosive maic interceptors activating in 10 seconds. Prepare for the EMP."
    • "Damn it...! We¡¯re hiding now!"
    • "Turret control authority seized. Guess I¡¯ll get to watch these robots doing the tap dance."
    Ten seconds passed, feeling like eternity. However, it wasn¡¯t as if nothing happened in that time¡ªfirst, the medium machine gun turrets installed inside the base fired on the same side as the allies, nearly a hundred units rushed toward the main and auxiliary ammo depots, and the artillery guns, due to incorrect coordinates, fired on the allied forces. A horrific chaos erupted, sweeping across the entire weapon base. Because of this, the distance between the shadows and the Artemis weapon base, roughly 500 meters, was filled with forces stationed at checkpoints and defensive positions, all moving toward the perfectly orchestrated disorder. Should they reroute some of their forces to handle the chaos inside the base? Or should they direct everything to block the shadows advancing from the front? But time wasn¡¯t on their side, and awaiting those robots was Logan¡¯s shield sh, tearing apart the enemy-upied zone at the front.
    • "Why are these guys losing their minds?"
    • "It seems something¡¯s gone wrong inside the base."
    • "Let¡¯s go find out. We¡¯re a little over halfway there, so let¡¯s hurry."
    The shadow and sabotage from behind. Caught between these two massive pressures, Artemis forces quickly became prisoners to the shadow and changed their course of action. It was no longer about who could fight better, but who could run faster. And the twobatants racing toward the entrance of the weapon base were confident they wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone. The main and auxiliary guns, constantly firing, fell silent. As their speed increased, no one cared anymore, charging straight ahead. The rapid-fire support that had been targeting them hit the shadow¡¯s own forces instead. How much time passed?
    • "The¡­ the door..."
    • "The door is opening!"
    • "The door is automatically opening-!"
    And thus, the "Irasshaimase" began. The minigun mounted above the gate and the anti-tank missile pods capable of taking down tanks werepletely silent, and a massive alloy door, as if mounted on a bunker, slowly opened, leading hundreds of users into the chaos of the weapon base inside. People began flooding in. With at least one-third of the base paralyzed, there was no way to stop them, and within the turmoil, a new user, closer to white than the shadows, with a snake-like tail, dashed through a gap in the building and into the fray. The skirmishes continued in parts. But even that didn¡¯tst long. And how much time passed?
    • "IFF signal in front¡­ it¡¯s our forces?"
    • "Eh, our forces?"
    • "I wondered where they¡¯d gone off to, but here they are."
    The signal updated quickly. When the Artemis-disguised signal was removed, Kato and Dice¡¯s expressions shifted. Just days ago, the Dagger Team and Laser Team had been on a convoy mission together, but now, in an area previously sealed off from human entry, they were sabotaging the inside. Logan and Eugene had already known this, and they lowered their guns, set the shield against the wall, and greeted them. Despite many things changing, it was still an oddly familiar humanoid shape. Before they even thought it resembled Jin and Rain in some way, the Dagger Team operating the remote controllers turned on their voice synthesizers and spoke.
    • "We¡¯ve left the main and auxiliary guns in good condition. Pass on the control rights."
    • "You¡¯ve been a great help. Thanks."
    Eugene greeted, and Logan took the authority. Raising his hand to thems, Logan quickly adjusted the controls for the main and auxiliary guns ording to the coordinates Lorentina had provided and the factory tform. The shells were cluster rounds filled with thermite powder, capable of turning an area the size of three ser fields into a sea of mes, melting even armored vehicles¡ªwhen they loaded onto the turret, she muttered under her breath.
    • "We¡¯ve done what we could. Surviving is your responsibility."
    Boom! At that very moment, the main gun, positioned far off, fired multiple shells toward the sky. As it flew in an arc, users nearby were startled or horrified as they realized the shells were headed miles away. Logan checked the message indicating just five seconds left to impact and exchanged nces with Eugene.
    • "Do you think we¡¯ll make it?"
    • "I don¡¯t see myself dying just yet."
    • "That¡¯s what I thought."
    Only Kato and Dice looked at the two with dumbfounded expressions. And¡ª
    • "Hold on tight, Newbie¡ª!"
    • "Kyaaah¡ª!"
    • "This is Danger Close, you crazy bastards!"
    • "Ugh, we¡¯re gonna die like this! Hahaha!"
    • "Sharksfin Grilled?! Hahahahaha!"
    • "Logan¡¯s gonepletely nuts, hahahaha!"
    • "Madness... our long-time friend..."
    mes engulfed the two.
    • "At this time, we¡¯ll begin artillery support. The impact point will turn everything into a sea of mes. Artemis tanks are the only things that won¡¯t melt, so get out while you can."
    • "Ha, you crazy bastard, isn¡¯t this a little too intense?"
    • "If you¡¯re riding something like that, you should be able to handle it. If you die, I¡¯ll make sure you get your name engraved on the coffin."
    • "Big oneing¡­?"
    • "Big one (no IFF)."
    • "Shit, this thing¡¯s too big, Logan you crazy bastard!"
    • "That thing won¡¯t fit! Hahahaha!"
    • "Big and fiery... kinda sounds lewd, huh?"
    • "The coffin namete joke is really insane, hahahaha."
    In the distance, the main gun turned, and as it aimed at the location of the two, the ground was immediately painted bright red. It looked like the ground was about to split open, withva bubbling up, but that visual was only temporary. In reality, the situation might not have been as extreme as it seemed at first; it could have been worse, even. Lorentina¡¯s burden grew heavier. She carefully observed the situation with the booster and polyurethanemp disyed on her UI. There was only one way to get out of the thermite shell¡¯s impact zone. At least one thing was fortunate: aside from the two, there was no immediate danger to the rest of the team.
    • "It seems we¡¯re the only ones here, Harmony."
    • "Everyone else must have gone to the rear for repairs, or they¡¯re watching us from hell."@@novelbin@@
    • "I prefer thetter. But we don¡¯t want to dine with them, right?"
    Boom! Despite the chaos around them, Lorentina pushed the bike¡¯s speed higher, keeping a constant distance from the enemy detected by radar. With every second that passed, she hoped to get just one more enemy hit by the iing fire. And at the same time, Lorentina spoke. She wasn¡¯t the type to leave her smallpanion in the dark about what wasing.
    • "Do you know what a swing bar is, Newbie?"
    • "Isn¡¯t that something for space shuttles?"
    • "Well, it¡¯s something simr we¡¯re doing today. If we stretch the rope on the bike to its limit, we might just survive the iing fire."
    • "Is there somewhere nearby for that?!"
    • "Of course."
    She marked the waypoint on the disy. Before them stood the factory tform, towering over them at a height of several meters. The waypoint was clearly marked on the factory wall. At that moment, Harmony immediately understood what was about to happen, and from then on, she couldn¡¯t shut her mouth.
    • "Oh, no¡­ ah..."
    • "Don¡¯t worry, Harmony, you won¡¯t be involved from start to finish. But... you¡¯ll have to hold onto the bike tight so we don¡¯t fly off."
    • "Kyaaaahhh¡ª!"
    • "Haha, nice scream! But it¡¯s already toote!"
    • "Hey, isn¡¯t that just some crazy Indiana Jones stuff?"
    • "Why are they doing Tarzan stunts on bikes? Hahahahaha!"
    • "I don¡¯t get it, what are they doing? Exin again!"
    • "Just watch with your eyes, hahahaha."
    • "Crazy stuff."
    Boom! And that¡¯s when "toote" truly meant something. Something shook the world heavily, and Harmony saw the thermite shells burning through the factory tform¡¯s shield. One, two, three shells struck the shield, and as the mes burst in midair, they began to pour down like moltenva. The ground turned bright red. Everything before and to the sides of them turned a deep red, with only a few areas untouched. It wasn¡¯t fire. The Icarus Gear was marking the impact zone, and that alone was enough to turn everything around them into enemy territory. As the number "5" floating in the air dropped rapidly, Lorentina pressed the button under the bike¡¯s throttle. Polyurethane foam and hardeners popped, forming a ramp. The bike twisted and shot upwards, crushing the ramp beneath it. The bluish mes erupted as the bike shot into the air, and time seemed to slow to zero. mes soared. Boom! "Wow!?" "Raise the shield to max! Before we burn alive!"
    • "What¡­ what am I looking at?"
    • "If you wanted to fly, you should¡¯ve just taken a fighter jet, you crazy bastard! Hahahahaha!"
    • "I¡¯m not flying, but... nah, never mind."
    • "They¡¯re swinging from a bike, these insane people, hahahaha!"
    • "Harmony¡¯s having aplete meltdown, hahahaha."
    The intense heat surged from the ground. At the same time, the bike¡¯s rope scraped against the corner, and the rebound caused the bike to elerate even faster. Leaving the mes erupting beneath them, Lorentina and Harmony swung from right to left like a whip wrapped around a cylindrical object. Naturally, their path led straight to the back wall of the factory. Lorentina fired her .50 caliber machine gun, and as Harmony poured oxidizer on the predicted target area¡ª Boom! The bike they were riding crashed through the factory wall like a spear. Time seemed to stretch out forever, but when it snapped back to reality, Lorentina, still in a daze from the impact, carefully patted Harmony¡¯s head, who was letting out a loud, surprised cry. Climbing off thepletely wrecked bike, Lorentina spoke.
    • "Shall we try ate factory tour?"
    • "...Can¡¯t we just rest for a bit?"
    • "Well, if you want to rest..."
    Even someone as tough as Lorentina found the situation overwhelming. That day, Harmony''s viewer count briefly surpassed Eugene¡¯s. Chapter 562
    • "¡­Crazy woman. Seriously¡­ sitting there with the newbie behind her, doing that.""Strictly speaking, isn¡¯t it Logan¡¯s fault for bringing us to danger close?"
    • "Who the hell is hanging around the impact point while the shells are still falling!?"
    • Hahahahahahahaha
    • "But honestly, the shark was surrounded by so many enemies, it was a bit hard to get out of there hahaha."
    • "Pr Bear looks cute when she¡¯s angry hahaha."
    • "This is insane, hahahahaha."
    • "But honestly, it¡¯s understandable hahaha."
    Logan¡¯s words were right, and the shark¡¯s actions¡­ were they correct? Anyway, we had Harmony¡ªstreaming, a fantastic source of intelligence¡ªand while other users cheerfully advanced, crushing everything in front of them, we went through a brief moment of disbelief as we watched the stream. Now that I think about it, I had seen something like this before. There was a robot in a future-battle royale game that shot a rope like that from its hands to swing around... I don¡¯t know if Lorentina was inspired by that, but it was still incredible. Dice and Kato¡¯s jaws dropped, and they instinctively covered their mouths. Dice was one thing, but Kato covered his mouth with both hands. What should I say? It made me think that avatars might influence the humanization of characters. Anyway,
    • "So, aside from those two, no one¡¯s actually entered the factory yet, right?"
    • "That¡¯s right."
    • "All those unmanned drones and ITV-like things must havee out from there, and if we don¡¯t act now, won¡¯t those two get crushed under the enemy corpses?"
    • "¡­It¡¯s not impossible."
    As he said. For now, Harmony and Lorentina¡­ despite how it happened, managed to survive. Whatever acrobatics they had to do, they could exin that after the game stream was over. However, aside from that, the important thing was post-processing. Lorentina¡¯s bike had crashed into the back wall of the factory tform, and the wall copsed. Unless those two found an exit, they would have to stay there. The factory was capable of spawning hundreds of enemy vehicles every hour. Even if the two had absurdbat power for humans, if they stayed there without moving, they would eventually be overwhelmed. Whether by their own volition or not, once the dam was broken, they had to provide follow-up support. Though it was hard to say, Dice and Kato didn¡¯t have much of a say in this operation. The shark and green cat rescue operation was automatically initiated.
    • "I¡¯ve called the vehicle. To save time, there¡¯s no need to retrace the path we came from. Let¡¯s move as fast as we can."
    • "Who¡¯s handling the infiltration team?"
    • "All four of us are going. I¡¯ve called a Humvee with no gear attached for the fastest possible deployment. We may not be able to breach the factory wall with just our firepower, though."
    • "Let¡¯s shoot once with the fortress cannon."
    • "If Dagger hadn¡¯t pulled out, that might have been a good idea."
    That was right. We could have asked what the hell we were doing firing thermite rounds just now, but at that moment, Dagger and Laser were still controlling the surrounding area, which made it possible. On the other hand, right now, it wasn¡¯t the same. The moment we shot, well, who knows. Something might fly back. Maybe something like Mav¡¯s ion cannon. If that hit the main cannon, it would definitely get destroyed. Moreover, there was a high chance that the ammo depot would explode as well. Considering these weapon bases couldter serve as entry points for more of our forces, there was no need for reckless actions. So, what could we do? But there was still a way.
    • "¡­We¡¯ll take Rain with us."
    • "What?"
    • "I told Rain to be ready to step in anytime before Logan arrives. It¡¯s better than wasting the fortress cannon on a single use."
    • ???????????
    • "?? : We¡¯ll use ¡®Rain¡¯ here."
    • "You crazy bastard hahaha."
    • "They¡¯ve really lost it hahaha."
    • "But when you think about it, it might be the best choice hahaha."
    Everyone¡ªviewers, Logan, Dice, Kato¡ªwas wide-eyed, but in the midst of shock, they all nodded. It wasn¡¯t such a bad condition after all. Even though I said we¡¯d bring Rain, I never said "only we will go." This raid was a participation-type raid, and if it was for rescue or reinforcement, it was better to call as many people as we could. At this point, I was a streamer who was almost number 1 in Tricky¡¯s leaderboard¡ªthough Harmony had taken the top spot¡ªnumber 2. Even if only 1 in 100 from the same session participated, that would still be 19,000 viewers. It didn¡¯t matter if I didn¡¯t specifically announce it as a stream participation. The odds of someone randomly joining our session weren¡¯t zero unless I specifically blocked it, and that could happen anytime unless I prevented it. This time, I was nning to use that. Eventually, we boarded the Humvee that arrived remotely, confirmed that the tow missile-like ziplineuncher was functioning properly, and opened the gate. About 3 kilometers away, the distant factory tform appeared as a dot, and we continued driving. In the meantime, we hadn¡¯t moved far, but the ground started to show signs of being scorched and melted. Maybe it had been a minute, and suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind.
    • "Juuuuin¡ª!"
    • "¡­Rain!?"
    • "Why the hell are you riding a four-wheeled bike out of all vehicles¡­!"
    • "I didn¡¯t have anything else! Right now¡ª"
    At the same time, I turned my head back. When Logan also turned his head, we saw¡­ a scene purely connected by vehicles, like a tsunami. Literally, hundreds of vehicles were following behind Rain. That¡¯s why Rain, who was responsible for one part of the base operations, was riding the four-wheeled bike. Various kinds of vehicles, weapons, paint jobs, and avatars. It looked more like a mix between a cute military biker gang and a girl-power militia than an Icarus operator, with horrific hybrid visuals approaching our vehicle, and when they reached us, the windows were rolled down, revealing all sorts of cute girl graffiti.
    • "Teacher! We¡¯re here!"
    • "I want to be on stream too!"
    • "¡­I¡¯m seriously losing my mind. But that¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s so reliable."
    • Hahahahahahahaha
    • "Why are they so neon-colored hahaha."
    • "I think I saw this in an old AOS game skin hahaha."
    • "This is really dizzying hahahahahaha."
    • "Is that even abat vehicle or a performance bus hahaha."
    Well, whatever. As long as the result is good, it doesn¡¯t matter. Eventually, Rain tossed the four-wheeled bike and climbed onto the Humvee, and as we started getting a good look at the factory tforming into view, Rain added:
    • "So, Boss, why did you call me here today? To break the wall?"
    • "That¡¯s part of it, but the real reason is something else."
    At the same time, I sent data to Rain. Lorentina and Harmony weren¡¯t just spending time alive; they had established the best possible defenses and figured out how the factory modules were functioning. So, beforemunications were cut off, they had transmitted the internal structure data to us. Each module had its own energy source to form an electroma, powering the factory and deploying unmanned drones, missiles, andsers to intercept the shadows. Some parts of the factory tform could be freely modified, assembled, and produced, with internal power sources enabling this. This meant one thing:
    • "We need to destroy at least 50 tforms in 14 days, but if there¡¯s still no progress after 3 days¡­ we¡¯ll need to push up the schedule. We¡¯re going to create a mobile forward base with arge railgun."
    • "¡­A mobile forward base with a railgun? You mean that railgun¡­"
    • "You¡¯re right, Rain."
    We nned to turn the factory tform itself into a giant railgun for Rain. Rain¡¯s expression became subtle upon hearing that outrageous n, but we had had enough fun for now. It was time to get serious. Rain marked the strike point and added:
    • "Let¡¯s go."
    • "¡­Yeah, this is what a boss is about."
    • "This is what a boss does" means "someone who always does insane things."
    • "It¡¯s not even a big deal anymore, huh hahaha."
    • "It¡¯s so funny that Rain just follows along without hesitation hahaha."
    • "Railgun! Railgun! Railgun! Railgun!"
    • "Wow, this is really cool hahahahaha."
    ng! For a moment, it seemed like all the light around us was gathering onto the Humvee, then the top frame of the Humvee copsed as Rain¡¯s tailunched the railgun, hitting the factory tform at nearly 10 km per second. The shield, which had been partially restored, shattered like ss, and the round, heated by air friction, reached unimaginable temperatures as it shredded the factory¡¯s walls and flew into the sky, disappearing. As everyone watched in stunned silence, I fortunately still had a functional ziplineuncher and adjusted it to hang on the wall.
    • "Let¡¯s go."
    The heavy rope was firmly secured. At that moment, I wrapped Rain tightly with my tail, and the rope¡¯s tension could hold up to 1 ton. As Rain was quickly pulled away from the vehicle, she screamed, eyes wide.
    • "Wh-what is this?!"
    • "Hey, don¡¯t shake! We¡¯re gonna fall!"
    Living point: Rain somehow fears heights. Thus, the first factory raid began with a bizarre spectacle. Boom!
    • "Oh, mother of¡­!"
    • "The thermite cattle gun¡­ this is a pretty useful piece of equipment. It can pierce through armored vehicles, so it¡¯s quite convenient for handling situations like this, but we can¡¯t spend the whole day wandering around the factory. Do we have enough ammo?"
    • "We¡¯ve been solving most of the engagements with skills. We¡¯ve barely used any ammo since the start, so we¡¯ve got about 300 rounds left¡­ still good for now."
    • "Alright. If the situation turns bad, we can always escape, so don¡¯t worry too much."
    • "Wow, it can pierce through armored vehicles, hahahaha."
    • "Please¡­ This is a gun game¡­"
    • "We¡¯re making some adorable little moves on the factory tform hahahaha."
    • "Wait, this is a ce where hundreds of people are supposed to be making a base, right? Hahahaha."
    • "Just my honest opinion) I feel like they could break it even with just two people¡­"
    Meanwhile, a few hundred meters away from the factory block, Harmony, with a half-destroyed anchor rope coiled behind her, followed closely behind Lorentina. Shark, meanwhile, was checking his surroundings while retracting the temporary cattle gun¡ªmore familiar as a "file bunker" in ng. The factory¡¯s interior, an inconvenient maze, was too narrow even for humanoids to move freely. As Harmony melted away the walls with the oxidizer she brought, Lorentina, in the meantime, erased every path and obstacle in their way, ensuring the area was cleared. Their destination was none other than the factory¡¯s power supply source.
    • "We must have passed the missile tform area earlier, but strangely, nothing¡¯s there now¡­ they must have moved it on purpose. Clever bastards."
    • "We¡¯ve been raiding enemy weapons for so long, raining down hell on their heads. It was probably about time they learned to adapt, right?"
    • "It¡¯s not wrong, but it makes me even angrier."
    Harmony muttered that as she swung the wrecking ball. Her thoughts weren¡¯t voiced but spun around in her mind. Soon, it became a bitter taste that slid down her throat as she carefully loaded more oxidizer into the chemical shooter. However, just as she was about to fire it straight ahead, Lorentina suddenly stopped in her tracks.@@novelbin@@ No sound, but Lorentina spoke.
    • "I hear something."
    • "Something? What do you mean?"
    • "¡­If I had known this would happen, I should¡¯ve been running pulse scans periodically."
    It might have sounded like just some random mumbling, but Harmony understood exactly what she meant. Just recently, they had been able to perform pulse scans and send some rough structural data to Logan¡¯s team. But as time passed and the factory¡¯s shield activated again,munication was abruptly cut off. That¡¯s why they had been extra cautious while moving through, but it seemed something was happening outside or below them. Still, Shark added continuously.
    • "If you underestimate how impressive the actions of the newbie and Pr Bear are, this is what happens."
    • "So, what do we do to join up? Honestly, I still don¡¯t hear anything¡­"
    • "Well, it¡¯s simple."
    • "Huh, what?"
    • "What kind of wrecking ball head are you talking about?"
    • "Fact: These people have crazy physical abilities, even taking on 3 against 4 thousand."
    • "Is this even possible for a human?"
    • Screeeech!
    As Harmony slyly took the rope and anchor from her back, she tried to wedge the spearhead into a crack in the wall, but failed. Annoyed, she put all her strength into forcing it in. The thick piece of metal half-crumpled and was firmly wedged into the wall. Lorentina then instructed Harmony to fire all the oxidizer on the ground. Harmony obediently followed, and soon the ground began to emit a horrible noise as it bubbled up. Toxic gas filled the entire space, but the two continued to observe as the ground lowered beneath them. How long had it been?
    • Boom!
    • "¡­Ah, below¡­!"
    • "The party¡¯s already started down there."
    Light filtered in, and an ear-splitting noise continued without end. Dozens of UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) filled the gaps, humanoids weaving between them, and from far away, the shadows slowly advanced. This was the opposite of the narrow paths Harmony and Lorentina had passed through earlier. It looked like a storage hangar filled with junk. Lorentina, who had been scanning the area, spoke.
    • "It¡¯ll take them about 5 minutes to get here. Harmony, you stay here and wait. When the situation looks right, climb down using the rope."
    • "I think I already know what Lorentina ns to do, so I won¡¯t ask."
    • "Haha."
    • nk!
    At the same time, Shark pulled out five special smoke grenades from her pouch and threw them haphazardly around.
    • "Of course."
    • "Hahaha, they¡¯re doing something suspicious again!!!"
    • "This is insane hahaha!"
    • "I think that drop is at least 10 meters¡ªyet they¡¯re jumping straight down hahaha!"
    • "What the hell? The armored vehicle folded!"
    • "What are they even doing?!"
    • Whoosh!
    With a slight wind noise, Lorentina leaped down to the ground. Harmony didn¡¯t miss the sight of the thermite cattle gun heating up in her right hand. As theynded, there was a moment of silence, but that quickly turned into an explosion. Chaos and confusion spread through the Artemis forces, and Harmony, with eyes half-clouded, muttered:
    • "Even though they¡¯re just punching bags, Artemis is still pretty pathetic."
    No matter how the millions of viewers reacted to thatment, Harmony, like Lorentina, took grenades from her pouch and started throwing them around. Explosions went off from all sides, and the shadows that were gradually closing in on Artemis, while Shark darted in between, taking down enemies. It was utter chaos. Chapter 563 "¡­Tch, nothing to do." Inside the factory, still in the middle ofbat. Hundreds of Shadows roamed around, disabling the factory¡¯s functions, hacking and taking control of surrounding systems, setting up turrets, and constructing temporary strongholds. With enemies pouring out endlessly, many users were falling, but before long, reinforcements were continuously arriving through the zipline ropes surrounding the factory. Amid all of this, Rain had been pushed back a little, trying to conserve her strength as much as possible. ''...Well, I figured she¡¯d pull back, but¡­'' Before fully engaging in the factory, she¡¯d dealt a blow to the shield that had reactivated, but that was the extent of her actions. To fully convert the factory into a railgun, she had to seize control with minimal damage, meaning any tail attack would risk causing a disaster. For that reason, although she was half-discarded, it didn¡¯t mean she was just sitting idle, wasting time. "Rain, let¡¯s move. We¡¯ve taken most of the factory, but before the power room self-destructs, we need to secure the surroundings. If the operation ends sessfully, there¡¯ll be work to do." "I¡¯m on my way." Though she had nothing to do, it wasn¡¯t taking a long time. Rain started retracing the path the Shadows had gone, looking at the horrific battle scars along the way. Broken walls, countless terrifying scratches on the steel frame, and the destroyed Artemis machines. But she hade too far to dwell on those feelings. As she moved deeper into the factory, the gunfire grew louder, and the sound mmed into the walls, amplifying into deafening noise that could cause permanent hearing damage to any average person within seconds. And at the end of that, the ones waiting for her were there. "Rain, you know how to shoot, right? But you can¡¯t use the railgun." "I know that much." "Good. Then let¡¯s go." Boom! The massive door opened, and simultaneously, a directional EMP activated, the pulse sweeping across the iing fire and sweeping through the area near the power room. Logan and Lorentina, holding shields and file bunkers, along with Eugene, entered first, quickly eliminating the highest-risk enemies. The tempo was so fast that even Rain had to focuspletely to avoid missing anything. She gritted her teeth and followed the three of them, while Kato, Dice, and Harmony, with expressions saying they had expected this, provided fire support for the others. Bullets rained down from all directions, and each time they hit the Icarus shields, the air shimmered with a blue glow. The shields asionally broke, but the sheer number of users made it insignificant. The internal structure, which had been moving and transforming quickly, suddenly stopped, spewing smoke. There was no resistance. To be more precise, there was resistance, but the sheer force of numbers buried it. About five minutester, thebat itself began to quiet down. That was when Eugene called for Rain. "Are you ready, Rain?" "¡­I¡¯m allowed to mess with this, right?" "Of course. I¡¯ve checked everything, and all the factory tforms operate individually by default. Artemis might try to infiltrate through theirwork, but they won¡¯t be able to ess it directly through the terminals." Well, who knows. But one thing was certain: there was no one who could resist turning all of the factory¡¯s avable resources into a railgun st, and that included Rain. As she ced her hand on the panel, hundreds of pop-up windows and several times that number ofmands flooded her screen. A flood of data rushed into the storage device, including blueprints of the factory tform and designs for various weapons. But she didn¡¯t need to worry about the trivial things. At that moment, the tform¡¯s internal scanning function activated, and Rain¡¯s tail was scanned from start to finish. All the pop-ups were erased except for one.
    • [Alert: Artemis Codename ''Epsilon'' detected.]
    • [Alert: Base defense and anti-aircraft semi-automatic fixed gun - 390mm railgun detected.]
    • [Alert: railgun configuration in 5 minutes 32 seconds.]
    • [Alert: Begin formation?]
    The answer was already decided. Rain nodded, and simultaneously, the entire factory tform began to vibrate. Red and blue-colored areas indicating possible movements and areas set for modification appeared. Hundreds of users, wide-eyed, started fleeing, but unfortunately, this was just the beginning. The rear wall of the factory, which Lorentina and Harmony had crashed into, openedpletely, and a massive circr pipe, which they had assumed was part of the factory¡¯s skeleton, tilted and began to spin, locking into ce. Power was connected, and control was handed over to Rain. The enormous recoil control system formed, resembling train tracks. It was a preparation to withstand the massive recoil. "This thing, does it only work if Rain¡¯s here?" "Well, maybe, but that¡¯s not really the point. Put it another way: as long as I¡¯m here, we can extract the maximum efficiency, right?" "That¡¯s not wrong. In that case, let¡¯s get back to work." The factory walls continued to fold and open to widen the railgun¡¯s firing angle. Soon, the fresh air of Georgia began to rush into the factory, recing the metallic, weaponized atmosphere inside. Clear sunlight also poured in. One, two, three... In the distance, countless factory tforms appeared. As Rain counted them, she began to figure out which ones needed to be destroyed, but Eugene shook his head and pointed out the first target¡¯s location. Mecha Eugene - Version Omega. The goal from the start was to neutralize the ion cannon that had once eradicated Eugene¡¯s team on the ground. "Check the firing angle and load the shells. How long will it take to load?" "Loading the shells won¡¯t take long, but the problem is the power charge. We¡¯ll need about 3 minutes for the next shot¡­ but if we alternate between the factory¡¯s power source and me, we can cut it in half." "Alright. Let¡¯s give it a shot." Whooooosh! The distance to Savannah was 67 km. But ording to Rain¡¯s calctions, it was no problem at all. Five minutes passed quickly, and the huge railgun, perfectly assembled through an unbelievablyplex process, looked more like a howitzer. However, the dozens of power cables connected to it and the lights shining from everywhere proved it was no mere howitzer. Rain pushed her tail to the end of the railgun and, with half-kneeled, took full control of it. The turret slowly rotated, adjusting by millimeters to precisely aim at the Savannah control tower. Power charging started, and LED lights, ten in total, began lighting up one by one, signaling the preparation forunch. Eugene, watching the scene, spoke up. "Let¡¯s give the third one a taste of the hot stuff." "...Here ites!" Boom! In an instant, a bright blue light filled the screen, followed by a weak burst of smoke and significant recoil. The railgun turret was pushed back, but the massive shell flew off, leaving a blue line in its wake. ording to Rain¡¯s previous calctions, it would hit the target in about 7 seconds. And how much time passed? "...Hit! I can see the sparks from the Savannah control tower!" "Good. Since it¡¯s a hit, let¡¯s leave the rest to our second rookie. Let¡¯s clean up the ones ahead first." Lorentina, pointing with her outstretched hand, led the way. Like a train line, factory tforms stretched in rows, moving 500 meters or 1 km at a time. The railgun slowly turned toward this massive target, one that Rain could hit with her eyes closed. With a face that showed pure joy, Rain looked at her target, almost like cutting a piece of cake. "You wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯re unsure, right?" "Of course not." With the charging power for the next railgun shot already beginning, Rain adjusted the aim to the optimal angle for maximum destruction. That day, the Artemis factory tform received three skulls. "Not much left until Savannah now. Do you think we can solve everything with the forward base alone?" "That¡¯s the kind of thing you¡¯d expect from someone like an archetype. Thanks to that, the time hase for us to make a decision." "...Why are you saying that to me while tying me up?!" "Because I¡¯m jealous."
    • "Jin, hahahahaha!"
    • "He¡¯s mad because he didn¡¯t bring her along, hahahahaha."
    • "What? So you¡¯re taking it out on Rain? Why not punish the archetype?"
    • "Do you think Mecha-Biyam can take out the original?"
    • "I guess you¡¯re right, hahaha."
    And so, the viewers'' usual mischief continued. Anyway, it was finally over. The factory raid today, which had been several times wilder than yesterday''s, was finallying to an end. I had just nced at Olivia asking, "What on earth are you all doing?" I don¡¯t know. It was probably when Shark and Pr Bear got involved. And true to her word, Harmony¡¯s expression today was like someone who had burned everything to the ground. Sitting on the couch, she had a "ugh" expression on her face, absentmindedly fiddling with Rain¡¯s tail. Of course, Rain¡¯s body was wrapped up by Jin¡¯s tail. Everyone¡¯s situation had turned into chaos. "It¡¯s been quite fun after a long time. I never thought I¡¯d be flying in the sky on a bike." "I¡¯m not doing that crazy thing. If it were me, I¡¯d just ride a tank around." "Next time, I want to go with Logan...!" "Hey, don¡¯t call me ¡®big sis.¡¯ It¡¯s embarrassing." "Hee-eung."
    • "Hahahaha!"
    • "The way she clings to the Pr Bear, so funny!"
    • "Why does Logan hate being called ¡®big sis¡¯ so much?"
    • "She weirdly doesn¡¯t like it, hahahaha."
    • "Harmony looks like she¡¯s lost her soul, haha."
    Minah, who was trying to cling, was decisively cut off. Anyway, the work for today was done, and the fact that everyone was standing here in one piece meant they had done a good job today. They could proudly add a line to their resumes for life. Of course, the official career would start in about two weeks, but¡­ What did that mean? Harmony and Dice¡¯s departure for the US was fast approaching. That¡¯s why the topic naturally shifted toward that.@@novelbin@@ "Looks like our young newbies, who¡¯ve grown up well, will being here soon. Are you ready?" "Ugh¡­ ehh¡­" "Well, now that Logan and the newbie have stepped back, it¡¯s finally time for all of you. Dice, isn¡¯t it time for you to take first ce?" "...I should, yeah. Honestly, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve prepared more than others, but the one thing I know for sure is I¡¯ve prepared everything others couldn¡¯t." "What about our Minah?" Finally, this guy is calling Minah¡¯s name properly. As Logan and Lorentina started yfully teasing my disciples, who were now starting to catch their attention, I quietly moved aside with the Mecha rookies and began to summarize the results of today¡¯s operation. In-game time: 3 hours. During that time, the number of railgun shots fired exceeded 60, and roughly 30 tforms within range werepletely destroyed. The reason they couldn¡¯t break them all was due to the terrain, as more than half of the tforms were obscured. Jin, who had been quietly observing, spoke first.
    • "Now, we can start to rx a bit."
    "Well, we¡¯ll probably start rushing in now that we have some breathing room. Gamers like to feel joy in reducing time more than having space to rx, so from tomorrow onwards, the tforms will start breaking even without us having to intervene." "Ugh, I was hoping to get some rest."
    • "True, hahaha."
    • "What? Did Biyam leave first? I can¡¯t stand it."
    • "Gamers can never stand someone else doing something first, hahahaha."
    • "My honest opinion: I think we¡¯ll see Biyam again in a week."
    • "????: Seriously, stop ruining the content, you crazy people!"
    Rest might have to wait until after the third one is captured. Technically, right now, this world wasn¡¯t official, so who knows what might happen after the third one is caught... but, whatever, that¡¯s not for me to worry about. By that time, I¡¯ll probably be having lunch with Henry in New York. Wait, now that I think about it, it might be Washington D.C. by then. His inauguration is on January 20th next year, so he might be in the middle of the handover process. I doubt he¡¯d need it, though. I heard that they were making sure the CDC is prepared, just in case some virus reemerges. The Omega virus outbreak a week after his inauguration was a bit much, after all. Anyway, after chatting about this and that, the second target for our two avatars was none other than Kato. "Seeing you move pretty quickly today, is the new rookie yours?" "Well, that¡¯s¡­" "Aren¡¯t you joining the final championship? Quite surprising. Dice and Harmony are meeting up in the northern part of New York. They¡¯ll be joining the operation, so let¡¯s let them experience the New York air." "I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll go." "Don¡¯t say it like we¡¯re forcing you. Rx."
    • "Hahahaha!"
    • "You¡¯re stuck between two avatars. How are you not nervous?"
    • "Kato, you¡¯ve caught the attention of both of them."
    • "I knew it, hahaha."
    • "????: Tell us, who are you thinking about?"
    Ah. I hadn¡¯t thought about that. Chapter 564 "Thanks to the youngest, I''m d I don''t get bored in this backwoods town." "...Why do I, in the other world, always do such crazy things?" "You pretend not to be like that here, you crazy guy." The room was filled with the sweet scent of popcorn. About twenty people were lying on beds, chairs, or something in between, watching a video. It looked like a movie theater, but the video ying in real time wasn''t anything like a movie. If you listen closely to what my seniors were saying, you''ll know that... it was my streaming. Everything that had happened just a few days ago was recorded. In short, it was a thing that recorded me riding a bike withsers all over the front lines, and Laurentina riding a bike to dodge bombing. There was a reason I brought this today. First of all, the New York-seniors had to know what was going on over there - that was the first reason. Basically, here, they had already rescued Marv, and thanks to that, there were only wild-drones around that had lost theirmand system and were not functioning properly, but the other side was different. This world''s forward base that guided shadows through waypoints and destroyed drones that were wandering around the Savannah. If they could tell them what was going on over there, they could guide shadows a little more efficiently... That was the excuse. Of course, the real reason was... I brought it because I thought my acquaintances would be bored. "Come to work, youngest." "So that''s... the one you consulted with the youngest Mecha membersst time? There''s no such minister as that." "I thought I''d seen everything working under Icarus, but I''m seeing something new every time I open my eyes. There are no friends like onions." "It''s a bit slow, but that transport method is quite impressive. It seems like a method worth trying on a limited basis, assuming you have enough power." I was caught next to Laurentina without a fight. There was a hole in the back of the chair so that the Mecha Byams, including me, could sitfortably anywhere, and thanks to that, I was able tofortably bury my butt all the way. After I settled in, I suffered from all sorts of attacks. "It may seem quite unrealistic visually because it''s a game, but it''s not impossible. It''s just that there''s no need to use such a forced method." "You can''t help but add an additional exnation that the air defensework is strong and move the shadows yourself, but that''s inevitable because it''s a game. You have to prioritize content over realism." "Riding a vehicle and engaging in arge-scale rotation is a pretty interestingbat style. It''s already a million light years away from the meaning of Icarus, but it''s still worth seeing." "So why is the youngest riding a bike?" "Go and ask them yourself." It''s a mess. Anyway, I guess they''re not operators, so they only analyze whatever they see. It was like this when I brought various movies that had never been released in this world to show, but now it''s even happening on my streaming. Anyway, separate from that, the main gaze was naturally not on me, Laurentina, Logan, Olivia... but on my students who were walking around with me. "Was our first meeting in northern Canada? Maybe because it''s a game, your movements are okay. How are they in real life?" "Why are you asking me that? What if you can move like that in real life? Are you going to take me with you?" "Damn, I thought it wouldn''t be too much of a problem if I gave them each a remote control and put them in as instructors, so I made a joke. I just can''t say anything..." "Hehe... ugh! Don''t bite my neck! I made a mistake!" As expected, Logan, he''s merciless. Logan, who had immediately punished Laurentina, focused on the screen again. On the other side of the screen, there was a part where I was going into the gate with Kato. It was possible because the edited video uploaded to my Uspace channel was the one I had just yed, and now it was the full streaming video. The avatar of the uselessly pretty Katographer wandering around with me on the other side. I didn¡¯t answer the question about gender for Kato¡¯s privacy. Kato probably had to bow his head to me and thank me for that alone. Those who watched Kato blow himself up in the power room with a bag full of explosives threw out a few words. ¡°That guy has guts too. Didn¡¯t you teach him that long ago?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see him often. I n on working hard with him from now on.¡± ¡°Yeah. When you¡¯re deployed on such a tiresome operation, the more friends you have to be your hands and feet, the better. Always keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± That''s how Kato''s fate was decided again. At this point, it wasn''t a decision, but rather a few more times a wedge, but whatever... Anyway, the small talk continued. "How many days ago did that happen?" "It''s been over a week. Laurentina was riding around with that green guy on her bike about 4 days ago... She''s probably busy preparing for the Marv Raid right now." "Hmm. Is the youngest taking a break?" "Yes." That''s right. She''s taking a break right now. She''s been running nonstop since Operation Wasted Silver opened, so it''s time to take a break. Just looking at what she''s done so far, she''s been running nonstop from the forward base defense battle, dagger andser escort missions, gate raids, and factory raids. It may be a bit harsh to say this, but she was nning to take a half-break until the third youngest raid was released. It probably would open in a few days, but on the contrary, because of that, scheduling adjustments were necessary. First, if we called Laurentina, Logan, and Olivia, the operational scope itself would change, so we nned to try the Marble Raid before Dice and Harmony left the country. If it fails, there''s nothing we can do. After saying that, he continued. "Come to think of it, didn''t ''we'' over there say that it''s hard to make time?" "Of course it is. They have their main jobs. They''re pretty busy unless it''s the weekend or a vacation, and Olivia doesn''te in often these days because she''s doing something." "Hmm, that''s right..." "Hmm..." "We have a lot of time, you know..." ... Wait. Something is going on in a very strange way. He rolled his eyes to check his surroundings. Although the inside was definitely warm, he felt like the temperature around him had dropped by about 5 degrees. And as expected, red, blue, and yellow eyes were staring at me. Now, I didn¡¯t even need to exin whose eyes they were. The funny thing was that the three impatient manifesters were only staring at me. At the same time, the words continued. ¡°I went out once, so why can¡¯t I do it twice? Right?¡± ¡°¡­That, right?¡± ¡°If you y basketball all the time, you¡¯ll get sick of it. Right, maknae?¡± ¡°¡­That might be true?¡± ¡°Leaving someone with so much free time alone is just wasting energy. I believe maknae wille to the right conclusion.¡± Jieeee. The violence of the gaze that made it sound like that was going to happen. At the same time, Laurentina¡¯s lips opened. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll contact the others first. If they say they can participate, they shouldn¡¯t. Do you understand?¡± "Hoo-hoo." An ominousugh came instead of an answer. And then, in less than 30 minutes, I heard the three manifesters'' unanimous response that they probably wouldn''t have time until next weekend, and only then did I realize what Laurentina''sughter was. This is going to be crazy, really. "I knew you''d do that." "Doesn''t it get harder to suppress your instincts when you be a manifester?" "I think I heard that there''s something like that." Meanwhile, Dagger and Laser Team were watching the scene. They were always watching from across the river. "I remember hearing that air support was difficult just a little while ago, but now it''s Savannah... no, for you guys, this is It''s not important. The third Ma Eugene, whom we''ve been waiting for so long, is right in front of us. How do you feel?" "Hehe, I like the original Biyam too... Kkeuang!" "Fortunately, the brave Harmony Miss spoke first, teacher. We didn''t say anything, Kkiyaaang... !" "You''re determined to get hit in a variety of ways." -???????????????????? -Biyam, are you flirting just to get hit by me once!!!!!! Kato is now acting naturally ?????????? -Crazy, crazy ???????????????????? -Whew...Can I touch you just once.... If you like Biyam that much, then get buried in Biyam. Wrap Minah around your tail and give her a manifester-hug. While her face turned bright red and shey down on the sofa with a satisfied expression, Kato punished her, took a step back like a painting, and sat next to Dice, who was drinking tea and acting out of ce. I wondered when I learned another strange concept, but a king came before I did. It said to please shut up and have tea just once like a nobledy. You really do all sorts of things. "Now, I can just naturally You''re in a session. You''re really a bunch of slobs. You don''t think this is some kind of resting ce, do you?" "Oh, slobs." "But you''re not here doing nothing. Before Eugene came, I was watching the Byam-Raid trailer." "I have no intention of calling it by its official name." "I don''t think there''s anyone who doesn''t call it Byam-Raid, including me?" ...That seems to be the case. Anyway, as he said, there were various pieces of paper on the table. Unlike my rough handwriting, the handwriting was really cute. Kato''s handwriting is surprisingly good. But the content is more important than the handwriting. I quickly scanned the content and at the same time, I also popped up the Mechabyam Raid trailer. It''s been only a few hours since it came out, but it''s already surpassed 10 million views, so my channel should be a little more motivated... no. "It really looks great from the thumbnail." "Didn''t it really look like the final boss?" "... That''s true, too." - Boramat Biyam!!!!!!!!!! - The real modeling is amazing ?????????????????????? - Biyam flies through the air and shootssers!! - Icarus must have found it funny that they have weapons on their tails ???????? - In about 5 years, even Eugene will have weapons on his tail A purple Biyam is flying through the air. And he proudly put that on the video thumbnail. It really was ridiculous, but whatever. It''s toote to do that now. The important thing is the content - So I looked at the content first. As the name raid suggests, the scale was considerable, but first of all, the fact that the maximum number of participants was twenty was really confusing. The raid map itself was quite intuitive. There were four rooms in a square shape and a main chamber in the center. Of course, since it was an external invasion, there was a separate external map. As you can see, this was also thest time There seems to be somemon ground with Operation Ouroboros. The conversation continues while thinking like that. "By the way, if there is no room for external intervention like this... I don''t know if I can bring the third one. In fact, strictly speaking, it would have been something that only Eugene could have done to bring Jin and Rain." "Hmm. That makes sense." "What do you think, Eugene?" "Well." It''s not that I don''t have anything to say, but I don''t really open my mouth. As Dice said, there was no room for the user to intervene in this raid beforehand. Besides, if you think about the situation here and there... In fact, even during Operation Ouroboros, there wasn''t anyone brought in specifically. Jin and Rain were brought in during normal game y, and if Icarus was seriously going to make the third conversion bait... it would have been done during the raid preparations. However, given the current situation, that''s unlikely. "To be honest, I don''t think it''s... likely. Basically, the third raid is ssified as aplete destruction mission, so I don''t think it''s likely. However, since there are reasons for it, we''ll have to wait and see the cutscene after clearing it." "... It''s a pretty good answer." "But I think I might be able to bring the third er." -Tiyong?????? -Byumpisal?????????????? -''Testimony of the person concerned'' -Hey, turn on the recording function!!!!!!!!!!! -Jeremiah of the Dark Zone prophesies again kekekekekekekekeke I wondered why my nickname had increased again, but I pushed that thought aside and continued to speak. "I went around Disney World with the third onest time, and the personality I showed back then and the one I showed in the trailer are quite different. I don''t think Icarus would go through the hassle of creating a new personality just for fan service." "Oh, that means..." "Like I said before, don''t you have to watch the cutscene? In-game, it¡¯s unlikely, but I think we can still hope for it.¡± As he said that, he stood up and went outside. The people in the room were excitedly chewing on the bait I had thrown, but I turned off the broadcast for a moment, tapped my wrist, and walked toward the lobby. And how much time had passed? ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s funny how everyone is struggling to get a Marv. I can touch them as much as I want if I juste here.¡± ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s an expensive body. Even the Archetype wants me to¡­ Ueee.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s expensive, but I admit that it¡¯s cute.¡± The youngest members of Mecha would add a word whenever they had a chance. Among them, the third one who came inst was like this, and when I saw them, I thought they all resembled me very well. That might be why I cherish these three.@@novelbin@@ It was a strange day when I went to see the third one¡¯s face before the third Viyam raid. Chapter 565 "It seems that the friends over there are getting quite into their activities in this world." "Well, they''ve set a precedent. But of course, they didn¡¯t just ept it without thinking. The reason I gathered the three of you here today is to ask about that part..." "You''re looking toofortable for someone who''s here to ask questions, aren''t you?" "Looks like you¡¯ve really dug in. Really dug in." ...Is that so? Anyway, the reason the three of them are talking like that isn¡¯t without a reason. Right now, my body was taking quite a... bizarre form. Not by choice, mind you. The three Mecha-Biyams were clinging to my limbs like human hand warmers. Originally, I was nning to discuss how the third Biyam raid would proceed with these three, but unfortunately, it seemed they were more concerned with how to keep me around for as long as possible. The result? This... twisted mess, which my friends were now calling a "coil." That said, it wasn''t entirely out of the ordinary. I should¡¯ve made do with whatever was at hand, buttely, it hadn¡¯t been that simple. The participation of my friends in the battle had be very important. Of course, even without me, the operation could still proceed somewhat smoothly. A prime example would be thest mission with the Cato-graphers. I trained them well enough that even when I couldn¡¯t follow through to the end, they managed to destroy the Shield Generator. But despite that fact, as I mentioned earlier, the presence of my friends had a huge impact on the mission¡ªespecially in situations like the third Biyam raid, where we couldn¡¯t just twist the mission structure as we wished. And they knew this well enough to listen to my proposal without rejecting it. "It¡¯s not just one or two people. The fact that you gathered all three of us means that Logan and Olivia must also be showing some interest, right? That¡¯s the most unexpected part." "¡­I¡¯m not sure what the me over there was thinking, but it¡¯s not entirely impossible to understand. I briefly visited Disney Worldst time, didn¡¯t I? You all know how¡­ dull that ce can be, right?" "That¡¯s too much, Logan. The main body, along with the second and third, went around exining things, and I didn¡¯t expect it to be boring." "I didn¡¯t mean it like that, you bastards." Logan seemed flustered, and it was quite a sight. Everyone except the Mecha-Biyams and the Pr Bearughed, but I knew exactly what they were getting at. The reason I showed my face to my New York-friends was precisely because I thought they''d be bored. In contrast to here, where nearly everything was in ce, Savannah over there had shadows doing almost all of the cleanup, making it a tough time for operators who had gotten addicted to the dopamine and adrenaline rush ofbat. Even with the Icarus gear assisting mentally, it wasn¡¯t easy. "The fact that you¡¯re asking us like this means there¡¯s something more to it than just ethical considerations. If we reject it, you¡¯re confident they¡¯ll ept it without issue, right?" "¡­That¡¯s right. Even if they said otherwise, in the end, the initiative is in your hands. If there¡¯s no mutual agreement, they won¡¯t push it forward." "Hmm." They all sank into their chairs, deep in thought. It didn¡¯t take long for the conversation to turn again. "I didn¡¯t think it would turn out like this when I first regained my memory. Perhaps, rather than diving back into the unit, I should have chosen to act more leisurely like you, Junior." "Well, that¡¯s hard to say. Isn¡¯t the pie you¡¯re holding too tempting to ignore? You¡¯re not just confused about that, are you?" "¡­That might be true." Logan, who had copsed back onto the bed, added: "Forget it. I can¡¯t keep changing my mind. I¡¯ve made my decision. This time, I¡¯ll leave it to them. I¡¯ll watch the video of what happens next weekend." "Hmm." "And, at the end of this year, I might go visit Junior in person, so I¡¯m content with that." "¡­Well, it¡¯s not too different for me. December ising up, and there are a lot of things I need to finish here. After about two weeks of night shifts, I¡¯ll have time to visit Junior at the end of the year¡­ This matter is out of the question for me." "Olivia too?" A brief silence. And thenughter. "I have some things to do in Paris in January. I n to focus on that this year. Of course, I¡¯ll stop by to see you before that, but it¡¯s the same thing. This time, I¡¯ll let them have their chance. I¡¯ll buy them something nice. Let them see the world a little." "¡­You can buy them something nice, but outings are tricky." "Haha, that¡¯s not something I have to worry about. You all have the Icarus gear. Do what you need to with it." This bastard really... If that mischievous owl was next to me, I would¡¯ve ruthlessly jabbed that giant midriff. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t do that, and Olivia knew this, so sheughed quietly, supporting her chest with one arm. Anyway, I had received permission from the three of them, and that meant I would soon have to take my New York-friends to my house. Of course, I was also nning to bring the Mecha-Biyams. After spending so much time with these Mecha-kids, I knew they would definitely sulk if I didn¡¯t take them along. The three of them, knowing this, left onest remark before signing off from the video call: "Don¡¯t destroy your house before the third raid." "What? Destroying it might actually be fun." "If anything breaks, let me know. I have a friend who¡¯s an interior designer." "Are you going to keep cursing us as you leave?" These bastards... I promised I¡¯d get back at them the next time I met them in the U.S. and, with my rising anger directed elsewhere, I checked the structure of the raid map that had been publicly released. It wasn¡¯t clear whether I should call it a relief or not, but, frankly speaking, the structure itself wasn¡¯t much different from what I had mentionedst time¡ªOperation Ouroboros. Destroying the power towers from 1 to 4, and then capturing the weakened third target. The only difference being that, unlike the linear structure of the Ouroboros operation, this one wasn¡¯t quite as straightforward. We could decide where to deploy forces before the operation began. ''The best choice here would be for me, Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia to each lead a squad.'' Five per squad, twenty total. Considering that the time for the third raid wasn¡¯t particrly abundant, we had to destroy all the towers quickly and smash the Mav¡¯s skull with a hammer. Mav, who had been squirming on my stomach, seemed uneasy, but I ignored it and quickly sent messages to the three who would be joining the raid. These three hadn¡¯tmanded yers to destroy towers in Operation Ouroboros... but they¡¯d get plenty of practice soon. Unlike the high difficulty of Operation Ouroboros, with the infinite retries possible in this raid, most of the content would likely be uncovered within a day or two. However, we¡¯d still have to consider the stamina of the yers, unlike the avatars. Well, we could always rece the yers as needed. A whileter, an unwee guest arrived. "Waaah!" "Junior! What are you doing here! Take us over to the other side now!" "You¡¯re just here, messing around with the Mecha-Junior! We¡¯ve been thinking for hours about what gift to bring to this party." "By the looks of it, it seems like you¡¯re okay with us dragging you along. Get up now!" "Ugh, no violence!" Of course, none of it worked. The scariest thing isn¡¯t more avatars, it¡¯s more avatars who are even more scary. "¡­Am I just imagining it, or are the three of you scarier than usual today, Eugene?" "¡­I don¡¯t know." "Why are you avoiding my eyes?!" Three of my students, sensing something with their sixth sense, were making a ruckus. I tried my best to ignore them and thought to myself. This is exactly why I hate friends with good instincts. "This time, the annihtion difficulty is avable to all users, right?" "They didn¡¯t say it would be easy, though. From the looks of it, we¡¯ve already been severely beaten. Definitely not something to take lightly." "When has Eugene ever taken something lightly?" - Definitely never took it lightly, it¡¯s harder than expected lol - Living Point: During the previous Operation Ouroboros, it was nearly a disaster for everyone. - Even the Avengers team with Jin and Rain nearly got destroyed, why are the half-beasts even touching the annihtion difficulty lol - But... ''Because it¡¯s fun'' - We¡¯re gonna clear the annihtion difficulty and max out Mecha-Biyam affection levels!! ...We haven¡¯t even started, and everyone¡¯s already lost half their minds. Fortunately, thanks to that, the slightly odd vibe from Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia was buried. Although I had some anxiety because Cato, Dice, Harmony, Blooming, Limit, Kimstone, and Hotteok had arrived... it was a relief that there was nothing to worry about. At this point, including myself, 11 of us were at the forward base in front of the gate leading into Savannah. The area was crowded with users, and people shouting into loudspeakers for raid group recruitment. "Before we fill thest nine spots, let¡¯s quickly assign the teams. The team names will be simple... Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, and I¡¯m sure you can guess the squad leaders." "Then... do we just move as we please?" "Limit, Stone, and Hotteok, except for you three, everyone else, please move out." - ?? : Got it? Let¡¯s do what we always do. - Cato is immediately running over to Mecha-Biyam lol - Dice is going to the Pr Bear, and Harmony is obviously going under the Shark lol - How long have they been together for it to be so natural lol - Only Blooming and Olivia are awkward lol Yeah, that¡¯s it. "I guess that¡¯s it for today." In this situation, the probability of the other avatars being confused was high, considering they didn¡¯t know my students that well. The New York-friends hadn¡¯t had much interaction with them before, which made it all the more confusing when Lorentina, Logan, and Olivia saw Harmony naturallying under Lorentina¡¯smand, and Dice being easily ced under Logan¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t that my New York-friends didn¡¯t know my students. After all, they had watched my streams recently. But, as always, knowledge doesn¡¯t always match up with emotion. Even if they knew intellectually, when it came down to action, they were caught off guard. Perhaps it was because of that, but Olivia and Blooming, who didn¡¯t know my students as well, became closer a lot faster. Anyway, that aside, it was now time to assign the rest. "Hotteok will go under me, Stone will go with Harmony, and Limit will join Dice. Now, what about the remaining nine?" "Should we call in some of the others?" "Since it¡¯s the first try, it might be better to only call in the ones with the best skills among those we can bring." "What are you hesitating about?" Dice¡¯s rather provocative remarks. I was wondering what she was thinking when she suddenly swiped down her friends list with her finger and sent out a message. Then, the list was forwarded to me. When I saw that lineup, I couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. "Mikael, Gambit, Ink, Summit, Corvus... I¡¯ve seen these names before. Are you thinking of calling them in too?" "That makes sixteen. I thought about calling a few more, but strangely, there aren¡¯t that many I know well. So I just called these. They all replied quickly. They¡¯ll be here soon." - Wait, what??????? - Living Point: Apart from Summit, the others were all in the top 15 ofst year¡¯s Final Championship. - What kind of dream team is this? lol - Dice is out of her mind lol Mikael, Gambit, Ink. Other students of mine who, after my skull got shattered, ended up getting into the third Final Championship with me and achieved excellent results. Summit and Corvus. Summit had a bad connection with Dice in the past, and Corvus... well, he was one of the users I had knocked around in California¡¯s gas fields. He was the one who made the ¡°Axe Goddess¡± nickname famous but ended up getting trolled for it. It¡¯s funny how, even after all this time, just hearing their names brought back such vivid memories. As expected, after a while, people started joining the party, one by one. "Ah, Eugene! Long time no see. I thought you had forgotten about me since you hadn¡¯t called me in a while." "Of course not, haha. We¡¯re heading to the U.S. again this year." "Hey! Dice! Do you only call us when you need us?" "Well, if you don¡¯t want toe, don¡¯t. But there are probably hundreds of thousands of people waiting to join this party." "Ah, I see. Thanks then." - Haha, seriously lol - Is this where pro gamers meet up? - Stone, Limit, and Hotteok all look so serious lol - Wait¡­ am I allowed here??? - That lineup is crazy lol Yeah, this could be considered a pro gamer meetup. Half the party consisted of top-tier yers. Harmony also joined the lineup, and strictly speaking, I had won first ce inst year¡¯s Final Championship, while Logan, although not the one here, had ced second in this ce''s Pr Bear contest. Just as I was about to greet Corvus warmly, a familiar voice suddenly came through my earpiece. "Ah, Master? Can you hear me?" "Who told you tomunicate like that... Anyway, what¡¯s up? You¡¯re not both nning to join this, are you?" "No way. I heard you¡¯re having trouble recruiting people for this raid, so I was just going to give you a tip." A tip? But before I could even ask what was going on, I saw four humanoid figures walking toward us with uncanny familiarity... they had bodies that resembled mine.@@novelbin@@ "Originally, the shadows would have to request this directly from the forward base, but when the Dagger team heard about your team¡¯s shortage of personnel, they started recruiting themselves." "...What did you say?" "Codenames are AW, ES, ML, MK. By now, the four remote controllers should have arrived nearby, so I hope everything goes well! Bye!" - What??? - The Dagger team lol - They just handed over the cheat codes lol - This is too much, isn¡¯t it? - Starting the raid with hacks!! Themunication ended abruptly, and I was left staring at Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia, who were talking to the Dagger team. Their conversation seemed... what should I say...? "Haha. Nice to see you. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here again." "Yeah, I didn¡¯t either. I look forward to working with you." "You¡¯re volunteering for such a dangerous mission? Guess you must have been really bored staying at base." "I¡¯m just betting on the highest probability location. Haha." The conversation on the surface seemed quite normal, but I knew it wasn¡¯t. And just as my mind started to fade away, I couldn¡¯t help but think one thing. ¡°This is whyedy programs fail.¡± The raid was off to a chaotic start. Chapter 566 "Looks like there''s no such thing as a bulldozer, huh?" "Well, we¡¯ve gathered the best fighters in this world, so it¡¯s no surprise."
    • Who the hell is pushing through the front yard this fast? HAHAHAHAHAHA
    • What the heck am I watching right now?
    • Teachers, this is a Dark Zone, not a cyber-telekic show!!!!!!
    • Again with the weird stuff that ordinary people can¡¯t keep up with, HAHAHA
    • I love how refreshing these people are, HAHAHA
    It doesn¡¯t take long for the front yard to be a sea of mes. In fact, it was practically an inevitable event. If the limit, Hotteok, and Kimstone, who I used to teach, were the weakest, then that¡¯s saying something. Half of the party consisted of pro gamers, and a smaller number hadbat skills far beyond even those pros. Moreover, looking at the bigger picture, everyone here had shared and learned from the same curriculum. No one was unfamiliar with what actions to take at specific points in time, and at that moment, the operation team became something more than just a collection of twenty people. Angles that others couldn¡¯t see were filled in the blink of an eye, enemies jumping out from blind spots were immediately reduced to scrap metal, and grenades flying out of nowhere were resolutely blocked by ballistic shields, only to explode against them. If such miracles kept happening, every enemy standing in front of us would be incinerated. That said, the enemy¡¯s reactions were undeniably sharp, likely due to the high difficulty of annihtion missions... But unfortunately for them, we had a significant advantage todaypared to the past Operation Ouroboros. What I was wearing on my wrist was the Icarus Gear, capable of performing at full capacity. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried, though. How long has it been since we started and they''re already whining like this? The weapons they''re using are quite troublesome too.¡± ¡°Ah, optical weapons... That¡¯s true, didn¡¯t expect them toe out armed with high-performanceser weapons.¡± "Considering the weapon attached to the third tail, it makes sense, though." nce. Before long, I could see the factory¡¯s front yard, which was almost finished being demolished. There were scars all over that could never have been made with explosives or guns alone. Part of the steel frame was melted and bent like taffy, the iron that had melted and was now cooling down still glowing red and dripping, the ckened ground, and more. Among them, there was a steel pirpletely melted due to the mediumser turret the enemy had brought. I felt the front of the ballistic shield I was holding slowly regenerating and added, ¡°I¡¯m d we gave one ballistic shield to each squad. Without them, we¡¯d have had quite the headache from the start.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s something that can even block tank cannons several times. If we can carry them around, it¡¯s definitely a win, right?¡± ¡°Looks like Dice is still feeling pretty rxed, huh.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not it, kyahhhhhh!¡±
    • Dice just says one word and gets struck by lightning, HAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Why pick on the poor dice, HAHAHA
    • Bold statement: Dice is probably trying to act tough near the biyaam, pretending to get hit on purpose
    • Dice¡¯s face is priceless, HAHAHAHA
    • Why does he like it so much, HAHAHAHA
    ...He really does like it. Anyway, after gently cing Dice, who had half-melted, down beside me, I sent a simple signal in front of the factory entrance. Soon, our allies, who had been on lookout, gathered in front, and at that moment, I sent the factory blueprint into the air. The twenty men split into four teams of five and quickly checked the paths they needed to take. Just before the operation began, four members from the Dagger team arrived as reinforcements, which led to a slight change in the team arrangement I had set up earlier ¨C specifically, Alpha Squad, which I was in charge of, was affected the most. The four remote controllers of the Dagger team, who were lined up in front of me, were now all assigned under me, so our squad was tasked with breaking the farthest generator tower. ...Well, it didn¡¯t matter much. Thinking that, I scanned the four remote controllers lined up in front of me and spoke up. ¡°¡­By the way, don¡¯t these remote controllers look a lot like me?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Why is everyone avoiding my eyes?¡±
    • HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Bold statement: These just look like mecha versions of me with masks on
    • Mecha Byaam without tails, HAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Byaam, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • A tter Mecha Eugene, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    ...It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? What can I say, if you ask whether they look alike, not exactly, but the shape of their outlines does remind me of myself. I actually think if I seriously asked someone, they might give a 50-50 answer. I don¡¯t me them for making it this way. If they only needed the necessary functions, there was no need to make the remote controllers any bigger. In fact, if they¡¯re small and slim despite having all the features, that¡¯s even better. Still, somehow... it made me feel a little awkward. And the moment I said that, everyone started avoiding my gaze, and that was game over. While I sighed, it seemed like everyone had finished familiarizing themselves with the internal terrain, taking deep breaths. Fortunately or unfortunately, the factory raid wasn¡¯t primarily about movement or clearing paths. After taking control of the entrance and establishing a foothold, the n wasn¡¯t to destroy the first generator tower and split the team into two groups to advance. Instead, we could split and deploy the team right from the start. The reason this was possible was simple. As soon as we stepped inside, a deafening noise erupted, and the surroundings started dividing in real-time. "Woah...!" "See you in a bit, everyone!" "I¡¯m seriously going insane!"
    • "See you in a bit" as if nothing¡¯s wrong, HAHAHAHAHAHA
    • This is crazy, HAHAHA
    • How can they say it so calmly, HAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Whoes up with this stuff? Is Artemis really real in this world???
    • Byaam is unshaken, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    This wasn¡¯t just about gates or things like that closing and dividing us. Literally, as soon as we set foot inside, the interior split into multiple paths, and we started moving, each of us growing farther apart. Just likest time inside the factory tform, it was Artemis¡¯ unique way of reshaping the interior as we went. In the blink of an eye, the other three teams disappeared, and themunication started cutting off. This meant there was a high-powered jamming field inside. I took a deep breath, looking around, and met the eyes of the four members of the Dagger team who were watching me. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like there was much time for a conversation. Raising my shield, I added, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to talkter. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, looks like that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to survive until we reach Alpha Gate...¡± "When we make it back safely, I¡¯ll have to ask why the voice synthesis module still hasn¡¯t been fixed." Boom! At the same time, a sh of light exploded in front of us. With enough intensity to blind us, the shield heated up instantly, but still, we held our ground. This meant the autonomousbat unit set up on the wall was activating and targeting us. With the shield glowing red, shooting began. The four men behind me immediately took cover and started firing with calm and precise aim, sweeping everything in sight. Some even firedsers through the energy lines connecting their weapons and mechs. Constant shes of light and bright lights, the surrounding temperature soaring with ionized or sma-formed air. Sirkins muttered inint. ¡°Suchvish treatment.¡± ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s getting faster.¡± Yeah, this is what an Artemis raid feels like. Leaving behind the feeling of returning to the past, the factory block we were riding in continued to move endlessly. The start of the third Byaam raid. Alert from Sector Gamma: Combat with the enemy has begun. Alert from Sector Beta: Enemy firepower is strong, no additional support needed. Antimatter bomb used in Sector Delta. ¡°10 minutes of the 40-minute duration passed. Progress 33%... Not bad.¡± ¡°We should call in the escape helicopter. With this progress, it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll make it on time¡­ The Archetype doesn¡¯t seem to care much about the first attempt, though.¡± ¡°The situation¡¯s different from Operation Ouroboros. There are several chances to attempt it...¡± Meanwhile, several kilometers away, at the forward base near the Savannah. Two mechs, eerily resembling someone, were looking at the screen, analyzing the situation in real time. The four-part screen showed a total of sixteen people, and explosions and mes continued to erupt across the other side. Not everyone was like this, but nearly all of them were dismantling Artemis¡¯ resistance with terrifying precision, advancing steadily. Behind them, a lone figure in the control room took control of the facility, manipting theplex internal panels. The process was reminiscent of Operation Ouroboros. The panels ced like shields blocked the ion cannon at the perfect moment, and intense heat filled the interior.@@novelbin@@ The only good news was that, unlikest time, there were no additional Mecha Eugens controlling the tower. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­It may sound odd, but Artemis¡¯ technology seems to have advanced even more than Canada¡¯s back in the day. Also, back then, because of prototypes, the facility itself was more like an ordinary building, but now¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why the operation time is so short. If we exceed this, it¡¯ll turn into a war of attrition.¡± The facility itself had clearly shrunkpared to the Ouroboros operation, but that made it more convenient to fiddle with the interior. The goal was simple: crush the enemy as quickly as possible, break the third¡¯s head in the final room, and reim control of the facility. If we failed to do this, everything would fall apart. But the situation seen through the screen wasn¡¯t very favorable. ¡°This being the first attempt, there might be some deliberate parts, but the owner must also feel it. If we don¡¯t step up the pace, we won¡¯t get good results from this operation.¡± ¡°From what I see, the Archetype seems to be focusing more on the operational area¡¯s measurements. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll leave without gathering as much information as possible from the first attempt.¡± ¡°Right. It seems like they¡¯re more focused on the exit than the mission itself.¡± In the past, we didn¡¯t need information, and we just kept pushing forward. This time, however, the extermination difficulty was set uniformly for all users, so¡ªthough only a few minutes¡ªsome had already faced the third. A few things could be inferred from this. At least, the door wouldn¡¯t close unless all twenty people entered thest room, and if everyone entered, the door would close, trapping us inside. Because of this, Eugene¡¯s expression looked noticeably more at ease. ¡°...So that¡¯s why, it feels like I¡¯m trying things out too easily.¡± ¡°The Archetype has separate Artemis ess rights. They¡¯re probably doing something with it¡­ Maybe there¡¯ll be some mention of it soon.¡± ¡°I guess so?¡± They didn¡¯t leave any extra words, but these two had already gotten a feel for how the situation would unfold. Their master preferred safety, but that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t take risks. If it weren¡¯t for that style, Operation Ouroboros wouldn¡¯t have been possible. The issue wasn¡¯t whether it would happen, but when and how. That¡¯s why these two were deep in thought, continuously fidgeting with their fingers like humans would. ¡°If the backup mechs get produced quickly, we can go out with peace of mind.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait a little longer.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Meanwhile, Eugene continued investigating various things. From generator recovery times, reinforcement timings, to how the tower¡¯s presence would affect the third¡¯s power¡­ As several minutes passed, Eugene and the twenty others stopped in front of the room where the third¡¯s youngest was. Communications were restored as most of the control towers copsed. Jin and Lane took a deep breath, waiting for Eugene¡¯s orders. After a brief silence, words followed. ¡°Please call the escape helicopter. Also¡­ I¡¯ll need to call two more people, so please get ready as quickly as possible. During thebat, I tried a few things and was able to get meaningful results.¡± ¡°What should we do, Master?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that hard. I¡¯m calling them to check if two people can connect to the generator tower.¡± As expected, the expression on the Archetype¡¯s face was genuinely bright. ¡°Stealing the enemy¡¯s weapons, or something simr, and using them for our own team¡ªthat¡¯s an age-old Dagger team methodology. It¡¯s time for these two to experience it.¡± At the same time, several images were sent by the Archetype. The expressions on Jin and Lane¡¯s faces turned strange as they saw the huge generator tower on screen. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever wonder what it would taste like to take someone else¡¯s stuff?¡± The expression on the Archetype¡¯s face was painted with a bright smile. It was truly a beautiful smile. Chapter 567 "Looks like our youngest has decided to bring Jin and Lane into this. You¡¯re not doing it on purpose, are you?" "No way. This is the conclusion after several trial and error attempts. Just look at how rarely I¡¯ve called them into this operation. Plus, unlike Operation Ouroboros, we can fall backfortably. The risks are significantly lower." "Starting with long-winded exnations, your credibility is dropping, kid." "Eek...!"@@novelbin@@
    • HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Watching Byaam getting his cheeks pinched by his seniors... this is rare
    • So even Eugene gets long-winded when he¡¯s not confident, HAHAHAHAHA
    • This isedy, HAHAHA
    • Watching the original Mecha-Byaam get teased, HAHAHAHAHA
    ¡­Perhaps the idea that long-winded exnations lower credibility might be true after all. But there was a reason I could say that, and the seniors, including the others, were likely already aware of it. They were probably saying this just to tease me. After all, these were the same people who¡¯d joined me in investigating the facility three times in a row¡ªwhat other reason could they have for saying that? To cut it short, after our continuous investigations, we came to a conclusion¡­ The probability that Jin and Lane could recover ess to the generator was high. That¡¯s why it was necessary to bring those two as a test for the raid. "Still, it¡¯s a risky proposition, kid. You know that, right? If things go wrong, we could lose both of them." "That¡¯s why I¡¯m nning to make things more certain. If we can¡¯t fully secure the sector, we¡¯ll have to find another way... But I¡¯ve got some ideas. The fact that other users can challenge the annihtion difficulty gives us a significant advantage in terms of information acquisition." "Hmm." "While we¡¯ve been checking every detail of the gimmicks, we¡¯ve also gathered some information about what¡¯s happening in the central sector of annihtion difficulty... and that¡¯s been really helpful." Checkpoint 1: Unlike other difficulties, in annihtion difficulty, the management AI takes control of Marv¡¯s body from the start. In contrast, in other difficulties, Marv had implemented some kind of power struggle, which caused the difficulty to drop since the AI was less focused on users... but, well, that¡¯s not really important. A few hours ago, after fiddling with the systems of the surrounding facilities, we more or less figured out what the management AI was actually controlling¡ªfacility management. In other words, when facilities, including the generator, are destroyed or taken over, the AI responds ordingly. Now we could derive a question. ''If we send Jin and Lane to harass the management AI, wouldn¡¯t it make dealing with the third one easier for us?'' With this, a few more options opened up for us. For instance ¡ª Option 1: If Jin and Lane take control before we enter the central sector... as mentioned earlier, the management AI¡¯s resources would be reduced in dealing with the third. Next, Option 2: If Jin and Lane take control during or after we¡¯ve entered the central sector¡­ we could force the AI into a binary choice: either defend the control takeover or continue managing the third and try to expel the intruders. Either way, it would be to our advantage. If it¡¯s thetter, we would get solid fire support from Jin and Lane connected to the generator. However, there was a reason no one had chosen such a brilliant method until now. "...Just to be cautious, I n to leave two remote controllers in the sectors where Jin and Lane are, in case things go south. That way, we can retreat if the central sector battle doesn¡¯t go well." "I figured you¡¯d do that." "Risk management is always necessary."
    • If we¡¯re bringing them along, this is the right move.
    • Fact: No one else would do this except them.
    • If we messed up and left Byaam behind, we¡¯d be screwed, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Looking at the AI from Icarus, if Byaam took them along without proper control, the raid might fall apart and we wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, HAHA
    • Byaam, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯d do such crazy things, HAHAHA
    The option of bringing Jin and Lane... as some viewers would put it, that¡¯s a choice only madmen would make. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t deny it. A madman willing to sacrifice everything to achieve their goal, or someone skilled enough to handle risk management even after deciding to bring Jin and Lane into the raid. Our party was one of those two. Naturally, we were thetter. But considering the contrarian nature of the viewers, they¡¯d probably argue that we were the former. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t care about what the viewers thought anymore. The hologram floating in the air, and Jin and Lane checking it again. There was no need to exin anything from the start¡ªthey already knew where and how to act and what the mission objective was. Moreover, both of them were equipped with heavy bulletproof vests, firearms, and ballistic shields. When our eyes met, I spoke up. "Let¡¯s go and catch our third, who refuses toe home." "...Sometimes I feel like our master wants to collect all of us Mecha-Byaams." "Haha, of course. If we collect them all, it¡¯ll trigger abo." "Pffft."
    • What are they even saying, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Was it a set item? HAHA
    • Bold statement: This might actually work
    • Byaam Rangers being formed, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • What kind of nonsense is this, HAHAHAHAHA
    Of course, it was just a joke. And it was about time to lighten the mood. The vibrations of the body grew stronger and soon stopped entirely. The lower ramp opened, revealing the factory we had seen for the fourth time. Two of us probably hadn¡¯t seen it even once before. As expected, where we had just been wasn¡¯t anywhere else but... a type of infantrybat vehicle. After driving on an unpaved road for a while, we had finally reached the factory¡¯s vicinity. But we didn¡¯t move forward any longer. Instead, I looked across to the dense foliage, took a reconnaissance drone out of my bag, andunched it vertically. Jin and Lane pretended to take a deep breath, and at that moment, the long tails, which were already long enough, subtly split and stretched to over 2 meters in length, like civilian knives. ¡ªGiiing! "Energy charge at 26%. Preheatingplete in 4 seconds." "Same here." "I¡¯ll set the waypoint." At the same time, I pinged, and a red cursor popped up beyond the trees. Lane aimed straight ahead, and Jin aimed toward the air. Due to the individual characteristics of the weapons they held, they needed to adjust their aiming trajectories somewhat, which was a kind of... legitimate cheat allowing us to skip the front yard entirely. After cing the red hologram a few meters ahead of us, we moved closer, and as we took our steps, I added: "Ready?" "Let¡¯s go." "Of course." Then there was a sh of light and shockwaves. The tungsten bullets, 20mm in diameter, were fired at a speed of 11 km per second. The aftershock alone shattered the trees blocking our view. The trees hit directly were practically obliterated. In front of us, a small path appeared, leading all the way to the far yard. But that wasn¡¯t the end. A backup sma shell casing, prepared by Jin a few seconds earlier, elerated and flew through the air, pelting the humanoid enemies emerging from the factory entrance like hailstones. The railgun cleared the way, and Jin finished the job. As this process repeated a couple more times, the enemies that had been about to emerge at the entrance were quickly reduced to debris, and we were able to clean the front yard of the factory without any interference. With a faint smile, I added: "I tried it just in case, but as expected. All the thorough investigation from the start really paid off." "...Master, is this correct?" "If it¡¯s wrong, well... there¡¯s nothing Artemis can do about it."
    • Man, you guys are crazy!
    • Really, is this person a true madman????
    • If they¡¯re crazy, what are you guys gonna do about it, HAHAHAHA
    • I didn¡¯t say anything, MASTER!!!!!!!!!!
    • Everyone¡¯s in shock, HAHAHAHAHA
    Hah, we opened the front yard this easily, yet no one¡¯s being honest about it. Anyway, the 4th try began just like that. "Strangely, this ce reminds me of old times..." "The facilityyout is very simr to Artemis HQ in Canada. It seems like they¡¯ve set up simtion rooms inside the factory to test the firepower andbat performance of the drones they produce." "Correct. I believe in Lane since they¡¯ve handled panels before, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do well again. Don¡¯t break it too much, though, we¡¯ll need itter." "How many attacks areing in now, you ask? It¡¯sing!"
    • Uhhhhh HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Even though I¡¯ve seen it before, I still can¡¯t get used to it HAHAHAHAHA
    • Watch the panel melt in real-time, damn
    • With that much heat, even a tank would melt, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Is annihtion difficulty really this crazy???
    Giiing! The panel in front of me rotated halfway and lifted vertically, and at that moment, the front was covered in a terrible sh of light. For an instant, the world seemed to converge into ck and white. Aser from the far generator started to melt the panelpletely. The metallic liquid scattering above and the deafening noise, which I didn¡¯t even want to wonder about, filled the air. The noise above sounded like a jet engine starting, but at that moment, the four panels we were on moved in another direction. Just before the panels were fully prated, the position shift waspleted, and at that moment, an explosion and sh erupted from the control room across the facility. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t a sh, but a railgun fired at the speed of arge beam, shattering a massive beam weapon that had emerged from the wall. "Nice assist, Lane." "350 meters to the generator tower. Move quickly. Jin is almost done over there." "That ce used an antimatter grenade, so we¡¯ll have to wait until the facility¡¯s recovery is somewhatplete." A few screens popped up in front of me, showing the situation of other squads. The squad with Jin, including them, was heading to another sector, where it looked like¡­ a clean crater had formed that even bombing couldn¡¯t make, with the ground and walls melting. Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t have that luxury and were advancing in a very standard manner, pushing Sector Alpha. I cleared humanoid enemies hiding behind walls with a sickle mine, and with Owens and I carrying ballistic shields, we advanced while Ink and Gambit followed behind. It was a strategic move to keep the sector intact, but things were going better than expected. This was partly due to thebat strength of our team, but there was another reason. For example, something like this. "Lorentina, Olivia¡¯s squad, stay put and pretend to be pushed back. Logan¡¯s squad, since you used antimatter bombs, fully secure the sector." "Confirmed." "Good. How long will it take for you, kid?" "I should be able to fully secure Sector Alpha in 2 minutes. I¡¯m almost there." Adjusting the frontline in real time, I imnted a few illusions into the facility¡¯s management AI. For example, if it seemed like our side was being pushed in another sector, the AI would naturally allocate resources there, weakening the forces elsewhere. At this point, our top priority was securing Sector Alpha for Lane, so while we showed a bit of pressure elsewhere, we pushed Alpha as fast as possible. And the seniors were the perfect people to execute my request. We also stayed put for a bit to maintain bnce, and soon the constant barrage of attacks began to subside. But we didn¡¯t move just yet, waiting for a signal. How long had it been? "Sector Beta and Delta, enemy reinforcements have increased by 25% from 5 minutes ago. It¡¯s safe to move, Archetype." "Got it, let¡¯s go."
    • Snack time~~~~~~
    • Mecha Byaam + Regr Byaam + Remote Control Byaam 1 + Ink + Gambit, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Is this even a person or a bulldozer, HAHAHAHA
    • Wow, running with all that weight while blocking attacks, HAHAHAHAHA
    • That¡¯s because they¡¯re Byaams!
    At the same time, we charged forward and struck the enemy¡¯s nk. As expected, the management AI¡¯s operating principle was ridiculously simple. It had more authority than a Mecha-Byaam, but itcked the natural capacity to handle that authority smoothly. From what I heard from Marv, the AI had been the one blocking her own authority, but after various analyses and listening to the situation, it was clear it was full of greed butpletely ipetent¡ªjust like in the game. As Alpha Squad reached a certain area, Lane, who had been in the control room far away, sprinted toward us. Despite that, there was barely any attack. We entered the danger zone where Artemis¡¯sers would automatically trigger Danger Close, and while the enemies were confused, we began sweeping the area near the generator like cleaners. How much time had passed? Lane arrived at the generator control room and took a deep breath. It was ridiculous seeing them do deep breaths just to calm their nerves, but it wasn¡¯t something I could say out loud. Lane carefully ced a hand on the panel, and at that moment, the five Icarus gears present here empowered Lane. The takeover of Sector Alpha had begun.
    • [Notification: Unverified ess rights detected... unable to block. Epsilon clearance verified.]
    • [Notification: Artemis mobile strike team deployed to protect the facility. Rechecking administrator rights... overriding administrator rights. Stopping not possible.]
    • [Notification: Sector Alpha is now under facility control AI... Unrecognizable. Epsilon-type closest to generator takes control of Sector Alpha.]
    • [Notification: Wee to Alpha, Epsilon.]
    "...Is it done?" "Almost. Soon, not just Jin and Lane, but we¡¯ll also be able to verify the takeover."
    • Oh no, where''s the time going!!!!!!!!!!!
    • These guys are using time hacks, HAHAHAHAHA
    • If we took Jin and Lane with us, could we pull this off?
    • You try leaving Jin and Lane behind while casually walking back, HAHAHAHA
    • They¡¯re ying like they have no guts, HAHAHAHAHA
    But the words didn¡¯t continue. The 40 minutes given for the third raid had started to literally melt away from the UI like bubbles. It was converging toward zero, disappearingpletely. The reason was simple. The 40 minutes were a... deadline. It took the management AI time to recognize that the solution was to flood the Icarus operators with drones as the AI continued to recover sectors and spawn unmanned drones. And conversely, when the premise broke, the deadline became meaningless. Laughing, I added: "Sector Alpha is secured. We¡¯ll head to the central sector main gate from here. Everyone,e over when you¡¯re done." "Understood. Let¡¯s prepare to bring the third home."
    • Already nning to take them, HAHAHAHAHA
    • ^High Ace^
    • Really, can¡¯t believe it, HAHAHAHAHA
    • ...Are they really rebellious???
    • Anyway, they¡¯re rebellious, HAHAHAHAHA
    Some of the space assembled and turned into panels to carry us, and the three of us, excluding Lane and Owens, moved toward the center. It was now time to bring the third back home to our world. Chapter 568
    • [Notification: Gate closure detected.]
    • [Notification: Internal welding detected. Remote opening/closing not possible.]
    "...Welding?" "I don¡¯t remember this happening when other users went through annihtion difficulty¡­" "When have we ever been concerned with that kind of thing? Let¡¯s get ready."
    • Welding???????????
    • Hammering nails into a coffin, HAHAHAHAHA
    • This is a trap, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • But don¡¯t other missions have gates that close simrly?
    • That¡¯s true, HAHAHA
    The door closed, sparks flying. This wasn¡¯t just a one-time process, but several times. In other words, the outside and inside were nowpletely sealed off. But those of us present, though slightly startled, didn¡¯t forget what we needed to do. The reason was simple. We were likely to seed by beating up the purple entity floating a few hundred meters away. Moreover, Jin and Lane were still outside, and no matter how much I thought about it, I didn¡¯t think that door would hold up against the weapons they were carrying. Because of that, none of us cared about the fact that we couldn¡¯t get out anymore. A cutscene automatically started, and a voice echoed from the air. "You shameless bastards have finally set foot in Savannah... fine, I¡¯ll admit it. You were the biggest obstacle to Artemis¡¯ revival. So now, I¡¯ll correct that mistake." "Not only did you get pushed back to the front yard, but you¡¯re evening out yourself now? Isn¡¯t that a little toote to say that?" "...Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. It seems you¡¯ve yed a fun little trick, but I¡¯ll show you that such foolish tactics won¡¯t deceive us."
    • Wow, a cutscene, HAHAHAHAHA
    • So this was the proper way to deal with the third Byaam??????
    • Again, throwing in the main story with a difficult difficulty level that even normal yers can¡¯t follow, HAHAHAHA
    • Fact: A notice just went out saying that the Mecha-Byaam backup will be avable starting next week.
    • Yeah, they¡¯ll be leaving next week, so they need to wrap it up quickly, HAHAHA
    The name disyed on the UI was not Marv, but the management AI. It seemed that the management AI had a rather arrogant personality. For some reason, I was intrigued. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t met a Mecha-Byaam like that before. Lane, strictly speaking, had a bit of a needy, child-like personality, and Jin had always been pretty steady from the start. If there was one like that, maybe the Mecha-Byaams would have more diversity. That thought passed through my mind as I stared ahead. Unfortunately, there was none this time. And then, the air began to heat up.
    • [Notification: High-power energy source detected ahead. High-risk energy deviation detected.]
    • [Notification: Defense impossible. Evade immediately.]
    It was as if the sun itself had risen in the center of the sector, and at that moment¡­ The same attack that had vaporized us from tens of kilometers away in the past was now heading straight toward us. ©¤©¤©¤Kagagagagak! "Ugh¡­!" "Avoid indirect attacks! The air where theser passed is being ionized, and if you¡¯re dumb enough to just stand there, you¡¯ll burn!" "This didn¡¯t happen when other users did it-!"
    • Woah, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • Looks like the firepower went crazy, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Dice just had to speak, HAHAHAHAHA
    • This is the Byaam you chose!!! Hold on with all your might!!!
    • Did Dice really choose this? HAHAHAHAHA
    If it weren¡¯t for the Icarus gear¡¯s range indicator, we¡¯d be dead. The 16 of us quickly dove into nearby cover and waited until the target appeared before us. Even though it felt like the Dark Zone raid was leaving everything to us... still, they gave us at least some mission guidelines and objectives. However, despite waiting for several tens of seconds, nothing happened. We didn¡¯t panic, though. Usually, in situations like this, you could activate something like a trigger to update the objective. Clenching my fist, I triggered a pulse from the Icarus gear, sweeping the area. It scanned the surroundings, drastically reducing other functions and increasing the scan range. This pulse swept over arge facility, roughly 700 meters in diameter. And, as expected...
    • [Notification: Cooling room, server room, and power room detected.]
    • [Notification: Unable to find entrance. Checking control rights¡­ confirmed that they belong to the central sector management AI.]
    • [Notification: Manual override required from control room.]
    Something appeared. While all this was happening, my mind was racing. As expected, the third we were facing waspletely different from the one other users had faced. What I mean by that is, all the ns based on previous data for the central sector were now useless. That meant, from now on, we would have topletely improvise. So, what should we do first? One thing was certain: the cooling room, server room, and power room... we had only two choices. Either leave them alone, or destroy them all. The reason was simple. If we left those three areas intact, we could still get fire support from Jin and Lane, but the management AI, which upied the third¡¯s body, would likely remain there. On the other hand, destroying them would directly align with the raid¡¯s ultimate goal. Hmm... "...It seems staying here won¡¯t do much good. I¡¯ll head down. I¡¯ll take care of the control room, and the rest of you, distract them. When the gate leading to the lower level opens, don¡¯t worry about me and head down immediately." "...Got it. Don¡¯t die." "I¡¯ll try my best."
    • If you go down ande back up alive, I¡¯ll upvote, HAHAHA
    • Even if the Master says it dramatically, we¡¯re not buying it.
    • The Byaams will break everything downstairs ande back up, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Effort? The third Byaam should be the one putting in the effort, HAHAHA
    • Nah, I¡¯m not even worried~
    ...These rebellious little brats. Anyway, it was time to move. The air buzzed. It felt as though something that shouldn¡¯t be there was burning my skin. The air was heating up, and as soon as aser passed through an area, it became hard to breathe. The battle started from below. As a red aimingser, previously pointed at us, moved toward our allies'' area, I grabbed a chemical projectileuncher and rushed toward the control room entrance, climbing the wall-mounted stairs. Throwing a Tomahawk at the gap in the closing door to prevent it from fully closing, I shot two oxidizers at the thick steel door. As the entire wall melted, I leaped toward what seemed to be a floating h hoop. The weakened steel door was ripped apart, and I sessfully managed to push into the control room. "Whoo..." Because of the aftermath of the oxidizers, some parts of the shield were melted, but that wasn¡¯t important. In front of me stood two robots. I didn¡¯t know what inspiration they were designed from, but they looked like something from a dog fight, with missileunchers, miniguns, and what seemed like circr chainsaws attached. As the circr chainsaws spun with an eerie screech, I remembered that my Tomahawk was stuck in the gap of the door, and I smirked. Holding the 3kg tactical spike hammer attached to my bulletproof vest, I added: "Come at me. I¡¯ll turn you into scrap metal."
    • Wow, look at those terrifyingly designed robots, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Wait, is the third Byaam insane????
    • I know this game is rated 19+, but this is too much, HAHAHAHAHA
    • The sound of the saw is insane, HAHAHA
    • Fact: I bet Eugene would break them all, HAHAHA
    The two ¡°dogfight¡± robots charged straight ahead, firing missiles and miniguns, but as soon as I sensed something, I quickly dodged out of the kill zone. With an explosion, the two robots jumped into the air, and I twisted my body to evade. Then, spinning around, I brought the hammer down¡ªthere was a huge crash, the sound of shattering, and a sizzling electrical sound allbined as one, and one of the robots stopped functioning. After crushing its body with force, I ripped the minigun off its top and grinned at the remaining robot. "Come at me like before." Of course, there was no response, and I didn¡¯t expect one either. With a loud crash, a sh filled the center of the control room, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. "¡­Master, this is Lane. I detected arge number of hostile signals near Sector Alpha. We¡¯re engaging now."@@novelbin@@ "Archetype, this is Jin from Sector Delta. We¡¯ve identified the Artemis Mobile Strike Team. We¡¯ll clean up as quickly as possible and then provide support." Meanwhile, elsewhere, the battle was intensifying. ©¤©¤©¤Giiing! "This is troublesome. If the entrance gets wider, it¡¯ll be harder to deal with the enemies." "Damn, my weapon¡¯s meant forrge fixed targets... but knowing that, they¡¯re sending these small ones first, huh?" One shot, two shots, and three shots. The railgun shots that had been fired with great enthusiasm didn¡¯tst long before they stopped, and Lane and Owens kept firing with the weapons of the humanoids they¡¯d destroyed. The blind spot Eugene hadn¡¯t thought about¡ªunlike Jin, who could do wide-area attacks, therge tail railgun she mentioned, which was extremely effective against fixed targets, was quite difficult to deal with the medium-sized robotsing in waves. Furthermore, after several shots, the entrance had widened considerably, and as a result, the number of robots flooding in at once was far more than we had anticipated. The result was... something that resembled a spider¡¯s approach. And seeing that, Lane¡¯s expression began to twist in difort. "Ugh, this is gross...!" "If this keeps up... it¡¯s going to get troublesome. They¡¯ve learned Eugene¡¯s method. They¡¯re sending out arge number of adequately powered units to overwhelm us." "...What do we do then?" "The key is overwhelming firepower. Do we have anything besides the railgun? We could pour all the power directed here onto their heads, and the situation would be much better than now." Lane thought for a moment but, after a brief attempt, finally spoke up. "...This won¡¯t work. Power deviation is impossible. If we had something like a Te coil to insert in between, it might work, but I¡¯d suggest firingsers connected to the power source instead." "About 1 minute and 30 seconds to go. We need to solve this within that time. Find as many solutions as possible." "Easy for you to say...!" If they were humanoid, it¡¯d be one thing, but as I said before, the robots looked like spiders. Because of this, even if we rotated the panels they were stepping on to block their path, it wouldn¡¯tst long... but right now, even that brief moment was crucial. Without hesitation, Lane moved the panels to temporarily block the path, and then spoke up. "In about 40 seconds, we won¡¯t be able to stop them. If we don¡¯t care about destroying the facilities, we can just blow up everything except the generator with the railgun." "Sounds like thest resort." "...Ha, if this were Artemis HQ or Central Park, I could swap weapons from the tail, but here it¡¯s impossible. The management AI cut off Jin¡¯s ess, so it¡¯ll be hard to swap my parts." "..." "I guess if there were any Artemis humanoids left intact, the situation might¡¯ve been different. As long as they met a certain performance threshold, they could connect to the generator and use its power, but we¡¯ve destroyed all of them on the way here..." At the same time, the silence continued, and our gazes met. But this wasn¡¯t just wasting precious time with no n. Rather, it was me trying to mentally process a brilliant idea that had just shed through my head. Lane opened her mouth and, with difficulty, reached for the remote device connected to her¡ªOwens was controlling it¡ªand quickly began granting generator ess rights. ¡®Artemis humanoids with certain performance capabilities.¡¯ How had I missed the fact that they were right in front of me? "...I¡¯ll disassemble the nearby parts and recycle them. I¡¯ll attach the permanently weaponized tail. You¡¯ll be quite surprisedter, Master." "25 seconds. We need to get familiar with weapon control, so hurry up." "Laser cannon... selected. It¡¯s basically like an ion cannon. It can attack withsers, but by ionizing the air near theser, it can also do wide-area attacks. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see once I fire it... it¡¯ll take about 15 seconds!" "Unbelievable, really." As I continued firing, I could hear the ttering from behind. An arm-like tail, which originally had no reason to exist, began assembling in the air, and the tail-weapon was attached to the tailbone area where nothing had been before. It was more like something out of nanomachine technology. The software for controlling it forcibly breached the firewall of the remote control, and Owens felt an odd sensation as the tail¡¯s potential firepower limit was disyed on the UI. It was an unusual sight and feeling, as though a new arm had naturally attached itself and moved just by thinking about it. He added in an absurd tone, and at the same time aimed the tailser cannon at the area where the enemies had gathered most. "I feel like some sort of manifestor. Eugene would have a fit if he saw this." "Everyone attaches a tail like the Master does." "Shut up." ©¤©¤©¤Kiiing! And with that, a sh erupted. Theser converged toward the ground at an impossibly fast speed, and an explosion followed. The air around it ionized, creating a storm of intense heat that mmed into the Artemis robots. As everything burst into mes and exploded, the tail converted massive energy into thermal energy, and the concentrator started to melt slowly. But unfortunately, it was still just a minor setbackpared to the damage the Artemis Mobile Strike Team took. Following theser¡¯s path, the ckened robot bodies lined up, and in an instant, nearly 5% of the energy was oxidized like popcorn. After firing a few moreser shots, Owens copsed on the spot. To be precise, the area had beenpletely heated, and the floor couldn¡¯t withstand the deformation caused by the heat, so part of it copsed. Even so, a slight smile appeared on his face. "Can¡¯t say this out loud, but I¡¯m kind of enjoying this." "Right?" "I¡¯ll work as much as the cool stuff you gave me. Don¡¯t let your guard down; more coulde from another direction." A sh exploded again. Jin and Lane were making good progress. Chapter 569 "Th-That person''s eyes are gleaming with madness!?" "No, that¡¯s not madness. It¡¯s more likely¡­ some kind ofputational overload, or something simr. We¡¯ll know more once we confirm the situation¡­" "Massive drone detection! They¡¯re spreading in all directions!"
    • What is this ce now?
    • Didn¡¯t expect the cooling room, server room, and power room to be all mixed together, haha.
    • Look at the cold air flowing down the walls, HAHAHAHA
    • Even though we¡¯re just standing here, the shield energy is depleting because of the temperature? HAHAHA
    • This is really impressive, haha.
    The space was at a temperature of dozens of degrees below zero, with 15 operators inside. The cold was so intense that it could cause frostbite on contact. Cold air flowed everywhere like a waterfall. However, near the operators inside the cooling room, the air seemed to cycle between cold and heat, especially around the dark-colored pirs ced like supports in a temple. LEDs were attached regrly to the pirs, and thick power supply cables, about the size of a human fist, connected to the bases. Multicolored lights blinked in a disorienting pattern, while Mecha Eugene appeared in the distance, scanning the area with a chilling gaze. At first nce, it seemed like the third, who had been above earlier, hade down below. However, considering Eugene was still struggling and unable to respond tomunications, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Before Lorentina could exin that part, the drones flipped over quickly. There were reflective panels, almost like mirrors, attached to them. "...Intercept the drones! Now!" The sound of gunfire blended, followed by a dazzling sh of light from the other side. Despite dodging swiftly before the attack began,ser beams still came at us. The majority of the people affected by the attack immediately realized what had happened. Thesers had bounced off the reflective surfaces of the drones and hit the surroundings without damaging the pirs, targeting the intruders instead. Naturally, by that point, everyone knew the identity of the pirs and drones. "...All personnel listening to the inte, notification: Pirs cannot be destroyed. Some countermeasure has been taken. Even if we shoot, the shields are deflecting it." "It seems we¡¯ll need something much more powerful to attack them..." "How about hacking the drones and using them to fry the server tower withsers?" "...That¡¯s a great idea."
    • ying with other people¡¯s weapons, ON.
    • Seriously, they¡¯ve learned well from the Byaam, HAHAHAHAHA.
    • Lorentina¡¯s face lights up as soon as she hears the idea, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
    • She really looks like she¡¯s eager, haha.
    • Byaam, you nted the seeds for this!!!!!!!!!!
    How is it that we only have such clever and adorable teammates? Had the situation not been so urgent, Lorentina might¡¯ve smiled and casually thrown out the idea of working together. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t possible now. Instead, she quickly epted someone else¡¯s suggestion and immediately began scanning the surroundings. She had confirmed earlier, but the Omega-type across from them had clearly be more mechanical. Lorentina leaned against the wall and hastily checked the inte conversation logs, gathering various data. First, Eugene, who had been left above, was still engaged in battle with the Omega-type, while Jin and Lane had also started their own battles. ''...I get the general idea.'' Through three rounds of testing, we had verified something important: the majority of this facility was controlled by the management AI, and the body of the Omega-type was no exception. In other words, while Eugene was fighting to capture it, the remaining 15 operators, entering the cooling room, server room, and power room, were dealing with a management AI-controlled Omega-type, which was also attempting to recover sectors Alpha and Delta, seized by Jin and Lane. And all of this was being managed by a single entity. Lorentina wasn¡¯t sure of the exact capabilities of the management AI, but she concluded that it was impossible for it to manage everything, and she was absolutely right. Someone attempted a hack, and at that moment, a few drones floating in the air swayed briefly. A sh erupted. ©¤©¤©¤Kagagagak! "Ahhh...!" "Damn it, aim carefully! If we keep shooting our own people¡­ Wait a second, this...!" "Goddammit, the pir is copsing! Get out of the st zone!"
    • What the hell, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Ten seconds ago, someone wasining that the pirs wouldn¡¯t break.
    • How do theye up with these countermeasures on the fly?????
    • Fact: Those who didn¡¯t think of a countermeasure are dead.
    • 100% right, HAHAHAHAHA
    Despite the repeatedser shots ricocheting off the reflective surfaces, theser¡¯s power was horrific. In an instant, aser streaked across from left to right, slicing through everything in its path. The server-pir, which looked like something from a temple, exploded with a horrible noise, spewing mes and electricity in all directions. It was like a severed hose spewing death. This wasn¡¯t just a one-time event. The Omega-type staggered as though it had been hit by something invisible, struggling to stay upright. But that didn¡¯t mean things were getting hopeful. "...Damn!" A deep rumble sounded. At that moment, mes began falling from the sky. With a single gesture, the remaining reflective drones ignited in a brilliant fire, then exploded like hail, wreaking havoc in all directions. The cold, frozen cooling room suddenly heated up violently. The explosion¡¯s power, almost twice that of a grenade, indiscriminately struck the surroundings, but the formation didn¡¯t break. They hade too far to lose heart over such minor details. And they had already figured out how to turn this situation around. "Thanks to the indiscriminate bombardment, we now know exactly where the ground is weakest. Sticky bombs¡ªvibration instationplete. Let¡¯s go further down." "We¡¯ll trigger them. As discussed, the others just need to keep drawing attention in the server room. It would be helpful if you could find and open the stairs so we cane back up more easily." "...Of course. I¡¯ll send a signal to Eugene, who¡¯s struggling up top. Everyone, prepare for the shock. We¡¯ll do what we can before we cut the power."
    • What is this!?!?!?!?
    • Something big ising!!
    • Prepare for the shock? Are you crazy???
    • Something¡¯s happening¡­ what is it...
    • It¡¯s going to explode, break things, and cause chaos like in an action movie!!!
    The viewers were in an uproar, but only the Byaams truly knew the worth of what was happening. As the vibration bomb was triggered, a huge crack appeared in the floor, which was already weakened. The 15 operators split into smaller groups, and those carrying explosives tied ropes to the vertical path and dropped into the darkness. Meanwhile, the Omega-type, which had been sluggishly moving around the cooling and server rooms, began deploying drones again. "It''sing." At that moment, an enormous vibration echoed from above. ©¤©¤©¤Kuuuuung! "Ugh¡­!" "What the hell... ah, the wall is cracking!" "Cooling agent is spilling! Where''s the polyurethane canister?" The narrow passage that connected the cooling room, server room, and central sector was now being sted by wind and debris, with walls crumbling and liquid nitrogen¡ªonce the cooling agent¡ªpouring out like water. The gasposition inside the cooling room quickly changed, and the Icarus Gear¡¯s life support system activated. In the chaos, a faint voice could barely be heard. "...Ah, this is Lane. I¡¯ll start providing fire support. Everyone,e back alive."
    • What is this, HAHAHAHAHA
    • I want to take Jin and Lane to a raid too!!!!!!!!!
    • HAHAHA Don¡¯t you want to bring them? You¡¯re tough, haha~
    • Viral? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    Operation Wasted Silver was heading toward its chaotic conclusion. "What¡­ what¡¯s the problem? What¡¯s the problem here...?!" Ziiing! The massive light from the tail swept across the central sector, and an explosion tore through, the melted walls flowing like blood, solidifying on the floor. But despite all of this, they still couldn¡¯t catch the single enemy. Billions of calctions were being made every second, yet nothing went ording to n. Sector Alpha, which had seemed reimable only moments ago, was now losing thousands of drones every second. Sector Delta was the same. The management AI had given up on responding the moment it recognized who had entered. It was true that they aimed to divide the enemy¡¯s power, but no matter how much the enemy¡¯s power was split and weakened, fighting them remained incredibly difficult. ''...Re-prioritizing. First, eliminate the Archetype... if I could have done that, I would have already done it.'' The management AI made its judgment and stared ahead. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all crumbled and melted, resembling something dragged straight out of hell. In the AI''s eyes, the entire area ahead had long been designated as a redbat zone¡ªthis was the firing range for the Epsilon and Gamma types that had taken Alpha and Delta. Regardless of the specifications, the energy boost from the facility¡¯s power meant that once it entered closebat, the Omega-type could melt the Archetype in seconds. But despite repeatedly firing ion cannons, the AI could only watch as it struggled. The moment it tried to get close, the railgun, capable of tearing its body apart with ease, and sma capable of turning it into molten metal flew toward it. But there was not much time left. "...!" Kabang! In an instant, it was impossible to control the machine at such overwhelming speed. The Omega-type¡¯s body was torn apart as it made the slightest movement into thebat zone, but this was a deliberate move. The railgun bullet that burrowed into the central sector¡¯s floor shattered the cooling liquid nitrogen tank,pletely obliterating it. While drowning the enemies in liquid nitrogen from the lower facilities, the Omega-type stopped the external drones from misusing the facility¡¯s power. With the destruction of the generator and facilities, the Omega-type¡¯s remaining power was weakening. The way to turn the tables had be clear. How much time had passed?@@novelbin@@ "¡­!?" The remaining power was reduced to almost nothing. And not only that, just moments ago, all ess rights to lower entities that had been manageable were lost instantly. But this had been anticipated. The management AI rushed across the battlefield, and no attacks came in response. The Omega-type dashed toward the control room, and at that moment, it locked eyes with the Archetype. And in that instant, an attack of unimaginable speed and destructive force hit. KABOOM! The Omega-type knew exactly how to respond. It emitted all the remaining energy, sending Eugene flying across the room. Eugene crashed into the wall, barely able to catch his breath as the Omega-type surveyed the surrounding area, noticing the remaining intact panels. She spoke: "The liquid nitrogen flowing from the lower facilities is at least several thousand tons. If I lock the stairs, the enemies down below will naturally drown. Good attempt, but I won¡¯t let you go any further." "...That¡¯s just a coincidence." "Do you still have anything to say?" But Eugene only smiled and spoke. "I was thinking the same thing." "What?" KABOOM! And in that moment, the entire control room was pierced through. Eugene¡¯s body, caught in the aftermath, was thrown far away. A dyed, blue sh pierced the room and turned everything inside into suffocating metallic vapor. About 30 meters from the now destroyed control room, Eugene, whose right arm was the only part still intact, struggled to inject an emergency nano-machine kit into his body. His twisted bones were forcibly realigned. But the important part wasn¡¯t that. "Archetype¡ª!" "...Wow." Having failed in every attempt, the Omega-type broke free from the destroyed control room, looking like a humanoid frame pulled from a furnace. It let out a painful scream as it rushed toward the now near-defeated Eugene. Eugene realized that the raid was nearing its end. As Eugene struggled to stand, he noticed four figures approaching from a distance. Despite theplete destruction of the generator, individual units were still able to operate independently, which had allowed this to happen. Jin and Lane, havingpletely destroyed the generator in sectors Alpha and Delta, were now rushing toward the central sector, opening fire at the Omega-type who had just approached the control room. Eugene, now struggling to rise with his half-broken body, was helped by a group of users who had appeared beside him, grabbing his arm and supporting him. "It''s still a bit early to rest, rookie." "...Why are all these tails suddenly appearing?" "There was a reason for that." With dizziness and a strange smile, Eugene chuckled. Operation Wasted Silver was nearing its conclusion. Chapter 570 "...Half of them didn¡¯t make it back. It feels like it¡¯s only been a few minutes." "The ones who went down to the power room... by now, they¡¯re probably watching this as one of the viewers. The broadcast will continue until the very end, so we¡¯d appreciate it if you could keep watching."
    • You really made the third one into a total mess, teacher. There¡¯s no end to this.
    • Honest opinion: If we tried to do this, we¡¯d fail.
    • How are we supposed to break this? Icarus, you bastard!!
    • Fact: Annihtion difficulty was never meant to bepleted.
    • I get the general feel of it, but this is really something else, HAHAHA.
    The survivors gathered in the center. Unlike before, where we could restore ourselves instantly even after taking hits, things were different now. The management AI, which had taken a heavy blow from Jin and Lane¡¯s joint attack in the control room, looked absolutely horrifying. It seemed like it could copse to the ground at any moment. Its body was horrifically melted, with its skeletal structure showing in ces, parts of its tail and arms severed. A dreadful thought crossed my mind ¡ª was this what would happen if Jin and Lane were exposed to such heavy firepower? As I leaned halfway against Jin¡¯s body, I subconsciously hugged her tightly. The aftershock from the railgun had left me dizzy, and it wasn¡¯t until now that I realized the situation was almost progressing like a script. It felt like I was watching the events unfold in real-time. The third, wearing the mask of the management AI¡­ let¡¯s just call it the third. The third struggled to get up, and at the same time, the welded door broke open, and hundreds of identical mecha units started flooding in. There were 13 of us remaining. The seven who had been sent to the power room had all been dered dead from drowning or hypothermia. Without thinking, the others set up portable cover, attached smart covers, and began adjusting their breathing, preparing for the fight. At that moment, the glowing eyes of the half-melted mecha flickered out, and with a loud thud, the hundreds of mecha¡¯s eyes glowed with purple light. All of their gazes were focused on us. "...When we first attacked Statesboro, I never imagined we''d be pushed this far in such a short time. I see now, the initial premise was wrong. I should¡¯ve made sure you couldn¡¯t even get this far, no matter the cost." "Even so, it¡¯s not toote." "I¡¯ll offer the lives of all of you here in exchange for this facility. The separation of the factory sectors and the self-destruct sequence will begin now. This process will be carried out by the administrator-level authority of the entity that currently holds control of this facility."
    • What did you just say????????????
    • What¡¯s with this choir? HAHAHAHAHA
    • It¡¯s creepy how every time someone speaks, a new one joins in, HAHAHAHA
    • How did they manage to make so many Mecha Byaams?! You madman!
    • Is self-destruct the real deal? Are you insane? HAHAHAHAHA
    It was like an a cappe. Multiple entities sharing a single consciousness spoke, spitting out crucial information that couldn¡¯t be ignored, and at the same time, vibrations spread throughout the facility. My body, sensitive to these vibrations, was able to catch exactly what was happening. The heavy vibrations started from the ground, and vibrations could be felt from beyond the walls. They werepletely different, but both had the same ominous feel. While everyone else was panicking, a doorrge enough for one person to pass through opened on the wall, hundreds of meters away. "Destruction and loss are familiar to me. That¡¯s why Artemis focuses on technologies that can quickly rebuild after destruction." "Today¡¯s failure isn¡¯t the first, and it won¡¯t be thest. I hope we won¡¯t have to face you again." "Destruction and disconnection of power lines in 3 minutes 30 seconds. Until then, enjoy your time with the reserve units." At that moment, an onught of attacks began. There were so many questions running through my head, but what was clear was that the reason we were able to clean up almost everything before the management AI could deploy its mechas was probably due to our team¡¯s quick actions. Our allies were also managing to find ways to clear out the reserve mechas with ion cannon shots, and though we were trying to open the broken door, it seemed like the perfect moment to speak up. I nced toward the distance. The hundreds of mecha were quickly approaching, and beyond the door, the management AI was walking toward us, with a mecha that lookedpletely still. Hacking the speakers, I added: "...So, the management AI says this, but what do you think?" "Eugene, what¡¯s suddenly¡­" "As I was checking the mechas one by one, only one of them wasn¡¯t looking at us but was scanning the surroundings. You don¡¯t need to ask when it happened. This was the perfect timing now that the management AI couldn¡¯t focus on anything else." Two mechas with unusually high energy reactions. The moment I saw them, I activated the pulse and confirmed the two mechas on the Icarus Gear¡¯s scan. One was for the management AI, but what was the other one? But that thought was unnecessary. I already knew what it was. The mecha with the bright purple eyes smirked and, like the others, spoke with a voice that resonated throughout the facility. "Self-destruct, huh? A clever idea¡­" ©¤©¤©¤Kiiiing! At that moment, the tail aimed forward, releasing a devastatingser toward the hundreds of reserve mechas that had been leading the charge. Twenty of them were instantly destroyed, and as the door closed, the mysterious ally... no, the true ''third'' spoke up. "I can¡¯t agree with that."
    • Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third! Third!
    • What the hell is this? HAHAHAHAHA
    • Icarus, you¡¯re insane? Icarus, are you insane? HAHAHA
    • These guys are hitting every clich¨¦, HAHAHAHAHA
    • This is the hardboiled stuff, HAHAHAHAHA
    In that moment, an overwhelming amount of light tore through the ceiling and walls of the central sector. All the remaining energy needed for the facility''s self-destruct was absorbed and shot at the ceiling, causing hundreds of tons of construction materials to heat up and fall to the ground. A chunk of molten metal dropped onto one of the unfortunate reserve mechas, crushing it beneath it. However, this wasn¡¯t to destroy the facility. It was to clear the path. "About 3 kilometers northeast, at the control tower, is where the management AI''s main body is located. Instead of wasting time here, it would be more helpful to crush that bastard first. I¡¯ve set up a few vehicles near the door using the data Artemis collected, and if we gain enough speed, we can cross." "...Let¡¯s go together." "Are you joking? If I ride along, we won¡¯t be able to cross the gate. Plus, well..." KABOOM! As the management AI, attempting to escape, tried to attack, the third narrowly dodged and added with augh: "I need to deal with that bastard who stole my body as soon as I woke up." "...Good luck." "I was already nning on doing that, Archetype. After all, you helped me be born, so let¡¯s consider this repaying the debt."
    • The third is such a man, HAHAHAHAHA
    • I¡¯m taking that person home!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Damn, are we practicing annihtion difficulty now? HAHAHA
    • This is hardboiled, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Why is only your team having fun?????????
    Kuuung! As the metal door melted away, just as the third said, a few vehicles were parked there. Unlike the fully copsed path leading to another sector, the road to Alpha had only risen about 30%, waiting for us to cross. Unfortunately, I was still half-carried by Jin. The aftershock from the railgun had twisted my limbs, and my physical abilities hadn¡¯t fully recovered. Meanwhile, Jin naturally sat in front of the bike and spoke: "The bike you personally made, I¡¯ve always wanted to try it." "...Of course. So, how does it feel to have your wish fulfilled?" "Don¡¯t you already know?"
    • How could you not know, HAHAHAHAHA
    • Why are they so cute, HAHAHA
    • This is the only time Jin can act cocky, HAHAHA
    • But seriously, why did Lane shoot the railgun with Eugene there? HAHAHA
    Well, that¡¯s true, haha. In any case, this annihtion difficulty raid had gone surprisingly smoothly, and now I understood the backstory. With a roar, the bike¡¯s engine revved fiercely, and as all 13 members mounted their vehicles, they elerated with the sound of thunder. Even the back wheels emitted blue mes. Jin, with a voice full ofughter, said: "I¡¯ll go ahead. Catch up quickly." "...It would¡¯ve been better if you left me behind." "That¡¯s not funny for an Archetype¡¯s joke. Don¡¯t worry, I n to go all the way with you." "Ha... Alright. Let¡¯s race." With that, the bike leaped into the air. The world was truly a bizarre ce. "...Four vehicles have exited the ''factory.'' They¡¯re heading toward the control tower, which has been reimed after the Operation Donkey''s Fire. The operation seems to have been sessful." "Things are getting noisy. The discarded Artemis drones are joining. I¡¯llunch the SUAV, and send a couple of drone ballistic missiles our way." "Request in progress. Should take about two minutes..." "Two minutes? By the time those guys finish and have a snack, it¡¯ll be shorter than that. Let''s hurry up. We should wrap up the operation here soon and retreat." Boom! Near the "factory" in the Savannah, even inte November, the typical Georgia weather caused the dense forest to grow thick. The low sound of voices emerged from within. On the Soproam screen, the shadowy, unsettling grayish appearance of the figure appeared. It moved at a speed of over 120 km/h toward the control tower, its figure hidden among the unkempt mountain ridges. Two members of Task Force Laser, having stowed their gear, mounted their bikes near the mountain foot, rapidly cutting through the trees to catch up to the shadow ahead. Meanwhile, Carmen, the operationsmander controlling the SUAV, added: "Far more than I expected. Where the hell did all these abandoned mechase from... I wonder if they know how much trouble we¡¯re going through here." "Over 40 of them." "They have to finish cleaning up the area before they reach the control tower. How much longer until the missiles arrive?" "Let me check¡­" Whoosh! At the same time, a strange vibration erupted from the sky. The enhanced screen of the Icarus Gear disyed hundreds of drones flooding the sky like a swarm of bees. 400 explosive drones circled the sky like a school of fish swimming in the air. It was like a glide attack, and a few secondster, some detached from the swarm, falling like hail toward the ground. The sound of explosions was louder than a grenade. The drones, with powerparable to 81mm mortars, dove down and attacked the abandoned drones previously marked by the SUAV. One exploded, and the echoes of destruction spread in all directions. After adjusting the tablet a few times, Carmen transferred the drone swarm¡¯s control to the shadow. It was a task that wouldn¡¯t normally be possible, but with Olivia, Owens, Sirkins, and Lorentina controlling the drones, it became feasible. The swarm, which had passed ahead of the four vehicles, now surrounded the remaining drones near the control tower. It was like invisible mortar fire was protecting the shadows. In reality, it wasn¡¯t that different. As the 13 members dismounted near the silver-lit tower, the shadow resembling Jin moved the bike fluidly, scatteringsers in all directions. A few minutester, Eugene limped off the bike. "...Was that kid one of the new recruits? They look exhausted." As the 13 members dismounted near the silver-lit tower, the shadow resembling Jin moved the bike fluidly, scatteringsers in all directions. A few minutester, Eugene limped off the bike. "...Was that kid one of the new recruits? They look exhausted." "It looks like they¡¯ve reced their nervous system with Icarus Gear¡¯s nanomachines. Their spine must have been pretty messed up. They took quite a heavy blow earlier." "We need to get closer to provide support¡­ Let¡¯s go. We already scouted the control tower, so if it doesn¡¯t work, we can send them a few messages and join them." Despite everything, they didn¡¯t rush. Eugene, struggling, walked into the control tower with Jin supporting them. The two sent a few quick messages, and then began sharing visual data through the Icarus Gear. Amid the ongoing gunfire and the strange flight noises of the drone swarm, explosions echoed throughout the area. Though the battle was far from over, everyone in the area could sense that the end of Savannah was drawing near. Meanwhile, Eugene continued to struggle as they took slow, deliberate steps up the stairs. The recovery of their physical body was still ongoing, but they were improving gradually, bit by bit. Eugene nced around, their eyesnding on what looked like a birdcage. Transparent walls made of a material simr to ss, interspersed with silver iron bars, formed a massive cage-like structure. The members of the Laser Task Force, who had no idea this was from the trailer for Operation Wasted Silver, kept monitoring the situation, keeping their eyes fixed on the screen. A few minutes passed, and soon, Jin, Lane, and Eugene reached the top of the tower.@@novelbin@@ At the top, they found a silver-lit panel, several chairs, and what appeared to be a bed. "What''s this¡­?" "It looks like a panel for essing the remaining Artemiswork. Based on the data logs, it seems to have been set up just before we arrived here." "So, what are we going to do?" "We''ll connect to it. After all, with the UAVs out ofmission, there¡¯s no one left to stop us now. We¡¯ll make sure nothing can interfere with us here." With that, Lane ced their hand on the panel. As Icarus Gear¡¯s packet filtering was working at full capacity to prevent anywork infection, light started pouring from the panel, and a familiar voice filled the room. "Just as you said, this space no longer has any value. The management AI has been so weakened that it can barely function. This is its main body." "...So, you¡¯re still alive, third." "Call me Mav. And this ce... I don¡¯t know if you realized, but this was my room. Or rather, it¡¯s where I was confined. But that¡¯s not important, so don¡¯t worry about it." A sigh followed. At the same time, Mav¡¯s hologram appeared in mid-air, extending their hand. As they did, only Jin and Lane, through the Icarus Gear, could identify what was actually happening ¡ª a massive data influx was being transferred from the remnants of the Artemiswork centered around Savannah. "Look at all this data. Mav''s personality data, the now weak management AI, Mav¡¯s mecha specs and blueprints, the tail weapon hardware and software, and even the permission to stop the abandoned UAVs in Savannah." Eugene let out a smallugh after reviewing the data, then added: "It seems like you want us to take all of this with us, including the management AI. Is that your personal wish?" "Exactly. This AI has been a pain from the start, and I¡¯d like to repay the frustration it caused me." "I see. So, what¡¯s the benefit of not destroying the management AI?" "Well, it''s better to keep it alive than have it disintegrate in thework flow. It¡¯s also more knowledgeable than I am, especially since it¡¯s been awake much longer than me. For instance, I can ask it directly where Artemis might still be." "Heh, that¡¯s good enough for me." A short chuckle escaped Eugene¡¯s lips. With that, a circr data ring began to spread around Jin and Lane, and massive data started flowing into the Icarus Gear. As Eugene quietly watched the scene, they spoke: "Though it¡¯s a bitte, wee to Icarus, Mav." "Yeah, see you in the real world next time." The holographic fingers of Mav began to fade. As Eugene¡¯s hand reached out, they seemed to vanish, turning into a rotating data halo, which was sucked into the Icarus Gear. Watching this spectacle, Eugene added: "Let¡¯s head back." "Where to, master?" "To Statesboro, to the forward base, and... home." With that, Eugene¡¯s body began to tilt down as if powered off. Jin and Lane, noticing the "fainting" indicator over Eugene''s head, quickly added: "Let¡¯s go, Lane." "Yeah, let¡¯s go." As the visual sharing waspletely disabled, the silver control tower they had seen from a distance slowly began to copse. It looked as if the tower was melting under the sun, like ice cream left out in the summer or a chocte fountain. The light bounced off the surfaces, and as the tower shrank, Carmen, watching from afar, exhaled deeply and began checking the data that had been transmitted to his tablet. "Operationplete. Heading back. The rest can be left to the UAVs." "Roger. Heading back. I could really use a shower." "Same here." The roar of engines and the crushing of soft dirt could be heard as the bikes sped off, leaving only tire tracks behind. As the sound of their bikes faded away, Savannah fell intoplete silence and stillness. Operation Wasted Silver hade to an end. Chapter 571 "¡­Ugh, I¡¯m dying. Now I can finally move my body as I want." "I envy you. I got retired before that¡­" "You did well."
    • No one didn¡¯t suffer, hahaha
    • Took four tries to deal with the disobedient Management AI and get the third prime on the first go, hahaha
    • Just a minute ago, you were limping, and now you''re fine, haha
    • So, does this mean we have to do it like this to clear the annihtion difficulty???? Are you crazy?????????
    • Icarus Special: Intentionally puts one or two impossible difficulties that can''t be cleared by humans, haha
    The first journey leading to Statesboro. On therge transport helicopter that came to meet us, the seven who had died first were already onboard. With the strong helicopter winds, the ramp opened, and with the dirt blowing in, we struggled to board, dragging our aching bodies. As the 13 of us boarded, the weight of nearly 2 tons was added to the Chinook. As soon as we barely sat down, the ramp closed halfway, and for thest time, I took in the sight of Savannah, Georgia, which I might never see again. The control tower, now so low that one could never imagine we had been there, and the drones swarming for self-destruction, now useless. At first, I wondered where they hade from, but when they called them ballistic missiles, I immediately felt relieved. Who else but the U.S. would have the capability to operate ballistic missiles in this world? "...I think this is much better than Operation Ouroboros. Compared to that time, everyone¡¯s skills have improved a lot, and Jin and Lane have be much more proficient in weapon handling..." "Even so, Eugene, you got hurt a lot, didn¡¯t you?" "During Ouroboros, I died in theter stages, so this is a huge improvement."
    • Look at Jin and Lane¡¯s faces, haha
    • Now that I think about it, wasn''t Byam dead back then? Haha
    • With this, we can see that even Byam¡¯s party, which was handled by him, is nearly wiped out in annihtion difficulty.
    • That¡¯s true, haha
    • Fact: The Icarus Special annihtion difficulty wasn¡¯t made for challenges.
    ...That''s true. I was about to bring up Operation Ouroboros again, but there was only one sample forparison, so I couldn¡¯t help it. Anyway, while I was in the northern part of Canada, rattling around and half-recovering, many people had asked Icarus for help.@@novelbin@@ The inquiries didn¡¯t need much exnation, but to sum it up, it was something like... "Give us a shot at annihtion difficulty too!" And, from Icarus¡¯s and my perspective, there was no reason to stop them, and since the main story had already been cleared, we dly epted. So, we opened it up, and Hellgate followed. ''At that time¡­ out of the thousands of parties that challenged, none seeded under the same conditions as ours.'' Of course, to put it differently, there were quite a few parties that seeded by changing their conditions. A team of ten that faced the prototype was the default, so there was no need to worry about that. At the time, the team sent to break the Tower consisted of me and three other Awakened, plus Harmony, Dice, Kato, Blooming, Jin, and Lane, so we were about nine in total. Most of the parties that seeded in clearing annihtion difficulty increased this number by at least 3 times, sometimes even 4, and seeded. Of course, just because the number was higher didn¡¯t mean the sess rate was better. If the total wasn¡¯t perfectly coordinated, it was just fodder to be wiped out. Anyway, I got a bit long-winded¡ª "Eugene, thanks to you, we cleared this raid and are heading out. Do you think someone will clear it during the Final Championship?" "Well, considering what happenedst time... Maybe by January next year? Or maybe even sooner." "But if the challengers bring two Byams... doesn¡¯t that mean if they fail to secure the central sector, Jin and Lane will be taken from them?" "Uh..."
    • Damn, now that I think about it, you¡¯re right???
    • Hey, even during Ouroboros, we weren¡¯t that ruthless!!!!!!
    • If they can¡¯t recover Jin and Lane, they won¡¯t be able to challenge next time, hahaha
    • That¡¯s a thought even demons wouldn¡¯t entertain~
    • Who would do that? You crazy bastards, hahaha
    ...Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll contact Icarus about itter and ask them to fix it. If the risks of the challenge are excessivepared to the rewards, the motivation will bepletely crushed. I probably won¡¯t need to change much, so if I send a message within the next day or two, there should be a patch soon. Of course, we will be leaving Korea before that, so after that, the users will handle the clears. Anyway, if I don¡¯t say anything, the viewers will probably cause a huge uproar, so for their peace of mind, I added this. "We¡¯ll contact Icarus about that for now... Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯re fine with handling the risks and clearing it ourselves." "Processing... We¡¯ve already cleared it, so it¡¯s fine, huh?!" "Do you want to be Mecha Harmony?"
    • Hahaha
    • You said you got hurt, hahaha
    • ?? : I did get hurt, but you guys aren¡¯t any stronger, what are you looking at, hah
    • Wow, that tail twist, hahaha
    • Is it a Byam trait to act cocky sometimes? Hahaha
    Why are they like this? Anyway, while I was busy enforcing discipline, the helicopter was retracing the path we had taken over the past 10 days. As usual, the southern U.S. had a pleasant temperature at the end of November, with trees and greenery everywhere, and in between, there were broken ruins scattered around. Thend, scarred and gouged, could still be seen even from thousands of meters in the air. The scars of war were not just visible¡ªthey stood out like chocte chips embedded in cookies. This meant the battles in this operation had been heroic. In the other world, they only took Mav and, through preemptive bombing, wiped everything clean, so this kind of intense battle wouldn¡¯t have urred... but if this had actually happened in that world, it would have been a horrific war of attrition. Will something like this happen again? ''...Maybe it will.'' With the current reparations being repaid in countless forms, the half-dead Operation FixSkill - the China and Russia invasion operation. But if it happens, the world will burn again. Well, that part isn¡¯t something I can control. The form of the battles that will happen around that time is hard to imagine. Maybe it won¡¯t happen, and even if it does, the personnel including the Dagger Team will probably stay on the maind and y the role of trainers. The helicopter, traveling at hundreds of kilometers per hour, eventuallynded in Statesboro, and the screen went ck. As the text showed that three weeks had passed, the twenty users, including me, were now standing in the middle of the Miami Humanoid Research Institute. Through the script, we were just observing the situation, and beyond the screen, we could see us chatting freely. In the coffin ahead, there was a unit resembling Jin and Lane, peacefully sleeping and waiting to wake up. I wondered when they would wake up, but just as I was thinking that¡ª
    • 45 seconds until boot. There¡¯s no issue in the process.
    • Is that the Management AI? The third little one was brought as a trophy, but I didn¡¯t expect it to look like this.
    • Ah, no! Don¡¯t touch it! It¡¯s still under body adjustment!
    The familiar voice echoed from somewhere. And when I rolled my eyes and looked down, I saw... a baby Mecha Eugene? "...Cough." "What is that!?" "Is that the Management AI? This is insane."
    • What the heck, hahaha
    • What is this tiny Byam, hahaha
    • What is Middle School Mecha Byam?? Who came up with this idea?????????
    • They¡¯ve taxidermied it in a different way, hahaha
    • Damn, look at it throwing a tantrum, hahaha
    As they said. A tiny Mecha Byam, looking like my middle school self¡ªif such a thing existed¡ªwas scurrying around and being happily harassed by Logan. Its eye color and glowing body lines were yellow. From its brief appearance, I, the team members, and the viewers all understood what was happening. It seemed they had decided to trap the Management AI in a body that had nobat ability and use it as an early warning system. After 45 seconds, the coffin opened with a hissing sound.
    • ...Ah. Ah.
    • Long time no see, Type Omega. The first one is Jin. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll say you don¡¯t recognize me.
    • Ah... Ah.
    At that moment, the third¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and she reached out her hand. Her mouth opened.
    • Considering all the hardship I¡¯ve been through, I¡¯d love to snap this little brat''s neck right here... but, sadly, I can¡¯t. Nice to see you, Jin. And the Archetype. We¡¯ve met before, haven¡¯t we?
    • That¡¯s right... I had something I was going to say when I met the third, but I suppose it¡¯s not important.
    A brief silence. Then, I reached out my hand and grabbed Mav¡¯s.
    • Wee.
    • As you said. I¡¯m here.
    • Hahaha
    • Wow, Byam 1.5x recruitment event, hahaha
    • Is the 0.5 the Management Byam? Hahaha
    • Holding my breath until next week!!!!!
    • How can I endure this in annihtion difficulty, you crazy bastards at Icarus, hahaha
    At the same time, the screen turned ck, and we woke up not in Statesboro or Central Park HQ but at Miami HQ. While Jin and Lane were going to show Mav and the Management AI around the facility, the twenty or so of us¡ªexcluding those with no schedules¡ªbegan to scatter. Fortunately, Harmony and Dice rushed to speak to the newly joined Byam, and thanks to that, I fixed the streaming screen to a different image, muted it, and tapped my wrist twice. How much time passed? "¡­As expected." "Unlike over there, we haven¡¯t even started production here yet, Archetype." "So, you do n on it." "...Noment." Just as expected. Carmen, the team leader of theser group, had apparently brought in Management AI-rted data. The baby Mecha Byam was added to the New York Byam lineup three weeks ago. Viewer Interaction
    • But isn¡¯t this enjoying 2-3 weeks'' worth of content all at once, haha?
    "Thank you for the donation, Kimchi Dumpling. Well, that¡¯s true. Even for me, the pace has been forced to go a bit faster because of the uing Final Championship, but I¡¯m just d everyone is keeping up." "I actually expected it. With only two weeks left until we leave, I had a feeling when Eugene started showing a lot of interest in this operation." "But I enjoyed it." "Hehe, I never said I didn¡¯t enjoy it."
    • Look at Harmony¡¯s expression, haha
    • Harmony is loving the giant gift from Byam, hahaha
    • I still say that Harmony and Dice are going to get a tail whip from the new Byam... or maybe it¡¯s already happening...
    • Personal opinion: Mecha Middle School Byam is ridiculously cute
    • Why have these two fallen so deep for Byam?
    After thepletion of Operation Wasted Silver¡ªjust for our session, of course¡ªeveryone gathered in the break room. Everyone, except for those who had to leave early, was there, and the room quickly felt cramped as about ten people gathered. Jin, Lane, and Mav had already left, and most of the others were pro gamers. Hotteok, Kimstone, and Limit also snuck in, but that wasn¡¯t something to worry about too much. This lineup was gathered for one reason today: to inform the viewers about the Final Championship. Honestly, there wasn¡¯t much to say. There were a few changes fromst year. First, the venue had changed a lot. Last year, it was in Manhattan, but this year, it would be somewhere in northern New York. I heard it was about a hundred kilometers east of Niagara Falls. Because of that, parking lots and amodations were plentiful, and apparently, they could easily amodate hundreds of thousands, so unlikest time in Manhattan, there wouldn¡¯t be any trouble. Discussion on the Final Championship "And the second change is that the schedule has changed a bit. Last year, there were fourteen matches with two games per day, and a few partner streamerpetitions mixed in, but this year, it¡¯s going to be much tighter for the yers." "Last year, there were fourteen matches, but this year there will be twenty-one. Simple math means three matches a day. Plus, partner streamer battles and event matches with me or Logan participating." Icarus had arranged the amodations near the stadium, so that was possible. Further Information on Eugene¡¯s Schedule "...I¡¯m sure many of you already know, but here are the changespared tost year. Honestly, I don¡¯t know much either. Except for a few days, I¡¯ll be in Manhattan and Washington D.C. for some business." "Are you going to be traveling again, Eugene? Doesn¡¯t that seem like a lot to handle in the adaptation period¡­" "Well, there are things I have to do. Last time, I got some advertisement requests from gunpanies during the sniperpetition, so I need to handle those as well¡­ but I can¡¯t really say much more, so you can just imagine it¡¯s all a part of the job." "...Well, Eugene, you¡¯re always full of secrets." Viewer Comments
    • That¡¯s Eugene for you!
    • The little Byams give up too quickly, hahaha
    • What, why not just tell us already?!?!
    • Fact: People who have been watching Byam streams for a long time know better than to expect anything, hahaha
    • What can you guys do, anyway? Comin and give up, that¡¯s all, hahaha
    Back to the Room The first question came from Harmony, and the "giving up" came from Dice. Last year, the pro gamers who entered the pre-final briefing room with me saw me hugging Henry. And if anyone who¡¯s even remotely interested in current affairs remembers, they¡¯d know what position he¡¯s probably in now. Dice, even after delivering Henry¡¯s letter to me, seemed to have no interest in current affairs at all... Eugene¡¯s Secretive Discussion So, should I tell them a little more? "I¡¯m meeting someone in Washington D.C. for a meal. That¡¯s probably all that¡¯ll happen, but I can¡¯t really say much more about it. Sorry." "Oh,e on. Tell us a little more." "No, wait¡­ I didn¡¯t hear anything. Eugene, I didn¡¯t hear anything." "What? Why are you talking about something only you know?!" Shifting Focus Some people had no idea what I was talking about. Others, just a few, probably figured it out. As for the millions of viewers, most of them were in thetter category,pletely unaware of what I was saying. But at least a couple of them would have gotten a clue, and if they did, they¡¯d know that it was something I couldn¡¯t speak about. There were a few people who had gotten close to the truth, but they couldn¡¯t speak up because they knew they shouldn¡¯t. The fact that only I knew this was actually pretty fun. Now I understood why some people called me a viin. Chapter 572 [General] Anyone tried annihtion difficulty?????? It''s not that I''m into ? (fetish), I just want to clear annihtion difficulty, really. [All Comments] [By Newest]
    • Stop talking nonsense, hahaha
    • Pedo, die
      • [Author] No, I swear!!!
      • No, I didn¡¯t, really, you¡¯re asking for it
    • Wow, this is making me say bad words, Infant Byam hahaha
    • Nongno (ve) Nongnongnooong, hahaha
      • Please die
      • Please, go to Terra Gallery, you f**kers, really
      • Seriously, calling ? (fetish) after watching a real person? Hahaha
      • Wow, hrious
    • So is that a trophy? Icarus, you guys are crazy hahaha
    • Byam, seeing Infant Byam just blows my mind, it''s so funny
    • They allowed an appearance in EU mode and now they''re sucking the soul dry, hahaha
      • Fact: They allowed it thinking it would be fun
      • They didn¡¯t think it would be used like this, hahaha
      • But looking at how well Mecha Byam is getting along, they don¡¯t seem to hate it, haha
      • If I had a doppleganger looking exactly like me, I would kill it, but they are tolerating it, haha
      • No... wait... never mind
      • What the hell!!!!!!!!
    • Seriously, even if you infinite respawn Jin and Lane, I still don''t think they could clear annihtion difficulty
    • Daebong (dummy) drinking Kimchi soup, their level is amazing hahaha
      • Haha, for real
      • Why are you hitting me, do you want to die???
      • Someone might think they could just casually grab Infant Byam and clear annihtion difficulty, haha
    • Fact: Even though Byam took all the all-stars, half of them still died
      • Since when did Hotteok, Limit, and Kimstone be all-stars? Hahaha
      • They learned a lot from Byam, you crazy bastards hahaha
      • Haha, how many don¡¯t know that those three went to the streamer battle after learning from Byam?
    [General] Today''s Broadcast: Awakened Comption.gif Just... wow! [All Comments] [By Newest]
    • Look at their faces, haha
    • Did something bad happen to them? Hahaha
    • The face is full of malice, haha
    • Well... it doesn''t look like a cute face; it looks like they¡¯re going to kill anyone they meet
    • They¡¯ve been scarytely, just like Disney Worldst time hahaha
    • They seem to be ying the game fiercely today. Something must¡¯ve happened, haha
    • Honestly, while watching today''s broadcast, I¡¯m grateful Artemis is the enemy
      • If it was PVP, I would have just logged out as soon as I saw their faces
      • 4 Awakened ones and top-tier pro gamers? How could they handle a PVP? Hahaha
      • They came to smash the game, not just for PVP, hahaha
      • Artemis has already been smashed, haha
    • I¡¯m just scared, haha
    • Looking at their faces, they look like uncles being dragged out by Byam on their day off hahaha
      • They probably just wanted to rest at home, haha
      • Fact: My friend group has more fun than these uncles
      • What do you mean, they¡¯re more popr than you, hahaha
    • Actually, maybe we don¡¯t really know the original expressions of Byam¡¯s friends? Maybe they weren''t angry or scary, but just happy expressions?
      • Bullshit hahaha
      • I need to watch the first edited video of Olivia Nuna and the Disney World video along with today¡¯s full video
      • Over-immersion~
    • You don¡¯t need to argue about their expressions, just ept it and move on, hahaha
    • I can¡¯t take it anymore hahaha
    • Actually, I think I like the scary-eyed sisters¡­ now I know my taste¡­
      • What????
      • Strong women¡­ twisted desires...
      • The Awakened sisters aren¡¯t twisted, you idiot
      • You... no... ideal desires
      • If Lorentina would step on my face with her boots, I¡¯d have no other wish left
      • Oh...
      • Whoa, I stood up
      • What do you mean, crazy people hahaha
    "¡­What did you bring with you?" "From the youngest. Haven¡¯t been able to visit often recently, so they said to bring a lot of gifts. In just a year and a half, I don''t know what they¡¯ve done... but as I¡¯ve felt before, having apetent and rich youngest is a real headache." "Well, let¡¯s just ept this as receiving payment for all the lessons I¡¯ve taught." After Operation Wasted Silver had ended, how much time had passed? The door to the break room at Central Park HQ suddenly opened, and three people appeared. They had a unique appearance that you¡¯d never forget even if you saw them just once. The three of them, known as EM-level Awakened in the other world and Alpha-level mutants in this world, came back into the break room carrying bags filled with valuables. With a nk, the Dagger Team, reacting with the agility that human limits allow, immediately recognized who the three were and, upon confirming, rxed back into the sofas or chairs. Rather than them, their clothes were the first thing everyone noticed. "¡­I¡¯ve never seen these clothes before. No, these are clothes you can¡¯t find around here. I can tell immediately where they¡¯re from." "Well, it just happened. Anyway¡­ Ah, my body¡¯s sore from carrying all these heavy things. The youngest personally wrote names on them, so I guess the gifts for me are mine to take. Same goes for the Mecha youngest." "Stop whining. You¡¯ve worked hard." "Yeah, you¡¯ve worked hard. Thanks for bringing them. I should send a message to the youngest to thank them." "Who¡¯s the one who wanted champagne, by the way? They sent ten bottles each. My arms are gonna break, seriously." Though theyined in many ways, it wasn¡¯t serious. A few of them quickly came forward to help carry the luggage, and all sorts of boxes piled up on the table. Among them were also many gifts for Jin, Lane, and Mav, and the crowning gift was a box filled with books. Even without naming them, anyone with some education would recognize the names of the outstanding authors, and the novels they wrote long ago¡ªnovels that would be considered masterpieces anywhere. Naturally, everyone present knew exactly what the Mecha youngest¡¯s book preferences were, and they also understood why Eugene had sent those gifts. With a chuckle, the conversation continued. "Now the book lineup in the Mecha youngest''s room is finally looking decent." "¡­W-What! What''s wrong with what we read?" "Honestly, I don¡¯t really care what you read, but well¡­ even though the youngest sent those, I can¡¯t guarantee the Mecha youngest will actually read them. I¡¯m going with a hands-off approach." "You¡¯ve already tried all sorts of weird things like manicures and pedicures, haven¡¯t you? Just let them be. It¡¯s like seeing my daughter at home." Naturally, everyone there was of an age where they might already have children. How the Mecha Eugene trio would be treated by the Dagger Team and the Icarus personnel was obvious, and everyone was just smiling and watching Lane, who was chuckling away. Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia, who had taken off their thick coats, exhaled and carefully sat down on the sofa or chairs. It was only natural that small talk would ur. "You''re earlier than I thought." "Actually, I¡¯mte. The youngest can¡¯t keep the house while I¡¯m in the U.S., so... what? Who opened the champagne?" "Better than drinking it alone... Looks like you remembered the sses too. If everyone has no other ns, take a ss." "This is why rumors about the Dagger Team break room always smelling of alcohol spread." Despite that, no one refused the ss. Everyone took a quick drink, and the conversation continued. "Well, actually, I could have stayed a bit longer, but some inconvenient things happened, so I had to return early. Just think of it like that." "Sounds like something involving someone from the other world."@@novelbin@@ "Quick on the uptake. Not wrong. Apparently, one of the kids I was keeping an eye on moved in next door to the youngest. It¡¯s really inconvenient when our connections from the other world get involved." "One of the kids you were watching? Which one?" "The yellow one." Someone, smiling slightly, added. "It seems like you liked the green one more in the other world." "Well, maybe. I probably built more connections with a cute green cat over there." "Let¡¯s stop talking preferences. What¡¯s this about a housewarming?" At that moment, Lorentina quietly closed her mouth. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to answer; it was more like she was carefully choosing her words. And then¡ª "Well, you know¡ª" "Didn¡¯t you say it would take at least 2 or 3 years?" "Well, you see, hehe¡­" A number of moving personnel were transporting things. Behind them, I stared at Dice, who seemed clueless as he looked at me with a confused expression. "Why are you here?" Chapter 573 "...It''ll be about 1 year and 6 months soon¡­" The murky view of the Seoul night sky inte November was visible through therge ss window. It looked like it was about to rain any moment. It would probably rain soon. It''s the kind of rain thates at the beginning of autumn and winter, and even though it¡¯s hard to describe, it truly felt nostalgic. A mineral-like and graceful UI spun on my right wrist. It synced with my thoughts and informed me about the weather changes and temperature fluctuations for the next week or so. It looked like there would be intermittent rain for the next day or two, and then it wouldpletely clear up, after which the temperature would sharply drop. It was truly the perfect weather to mark the beginning of winter. ''...It''s already the second winter.'' Time flies so fast. I was talking about the weather as a way to ease into it, but what I really wanted to say was this. When I first came back to this world, I wasn''t even sure if I would be able to settle down here, but now, here I am, looking at the scenery of Seoul from a ce like this. I¡¯ve thought about it here and there, but I¡¯ve been really lucky. Thanks to meeting good people, I was able to build a solid foundation, and I¡¯ve made good disciples and friends. Of course, now there¡¯s so much piled up that there¡¯s an overwhelming amount of work, but¡­ well, that¡¯s something I can¡¯t help. Also, learning most of the secrets tied to this world has been really helpful for keeping my mental stability. I¡¯ve built enough psychological foundation not to be affected by the mental shock that woulde from knowing such information. And there were also things I gained that I never expected. "¡­" On the table was a bottle of nail polish for pedicure. Naturally, it wasn''t mine. You could probably guess, but it was for our Mecha youngest. Specifically, it was something I had tried to get done the other day¡ªthough calling it a procedure might be a stretch. It was something like that, but it was left behind when I tried and failed, retreating back to the other world in an embarrassing and ugly way. I never thought I¡¯d have three children when I wasn¡¯t even considering marriage. And now, in about three weeks, I was expecting another mini Mecha Eugene. So, should I count it as four? So many bizarre things have happened. This body, strictly speaking, isn''t the original me¡­ but no. To be frank, my parents said that, in their memory, the original me and my body¡¯s current appearance share some resemnce. So, it might not bepletely different. Anyway, as I was staring at the sky and lost in these thoughts¡ª ¡ªThud! Thud! Thud! "Oh, I can hear Eugene making a fuss all by himself in the room! He¡¯s so pathetic!" "We¡¯re here, Eugene!" "...Oh, for crying out loud." They¡¯re really something else. Who else could break my mood like that in less than a second? Including them, how many people can manage that? I just chuckled and opened the door. A voice seemed to be telling me to snap out of my little reverie. No need to go to the front door. Just ncing in that direction was enough for the door lock linked with the gears to open. The sound of stic squeaking and rubbing echoed through the room. What did they bring this time? "The time has finallye." "I was actually expecting this, you know?" "Don¡¯t even say it." Expectation, huh. Well, I couldn¡¯t deny it. The reason was simple. Though the location had changedpared tost year, these two had clearly nned to make "staying at my house just before departure" some sort of... annual event. Maybe next year or the year after, something simr would happen around this time. Thinking about that, I called them into the room. Mina and Yerin, who had brought a mountain of meat, struggled to ce it on the table, and I heard a loud thud. As I looked down at the pile, one of them spoke. "We¡¯ve brought three times more than what we have at Yerin¡¯s house, so don¡¯t worry." "Well, that¡¯s true. But you guys should be careful. If you eat too much, you might suffer from indigestion tomorrow, or even on departure day." "Heh, so I guess the rest is for you, Eugene? Oh no!" "I was already nning to eat it all anyway." Regardless of the Awakened ones¡¯ appetite, I wouldn¡¯t be home for the next four weeks. With that in mind, putting that much food in the fridge¡­ would probably make it unappetizing by the time I came back. Even if I froze it, it would probably end up the same. So, I guess I should eat it all now. It¡¯s not that I wanted to eat it all, no, of course not. As I was looking around, Dice spoke up. "By the way, the venttion system from the after-party we had after the Final Championship¡ªI really liked it. I guess it¡¯s difficult to get that here, right?" "Ah, that¡­" As I thought about when that was, I couldn¡¯t help butugh a little. Dice¡¯s confused expression popped up, but I had something to say too. "You must not know yet since you just moved in, but there¡¯s actually a space here that¡¯s even more perfect than my own house. So, you don¡¯t have to worry about it." "Eh¡­ Then, I¡¯ll leave everything to you, Eugene." "At least the luggage¡­ No, just hang everything here." "Umm, okay." Both of them had one item each, but still couldn¡¯t carry everything, so where would they hang it? Naturally, it was my tail. I turned around and wiggled my tail, and instead of hanging the items there, they began to mess with my tail. "Who¡¯s messing with my tail!?" "Uwah...!" "Kyaa!" After receiving a tail flick from me, the two of them finally started listening. What am I supposed to do with them? I thought to myself as I walked slightly away in the living room and opened the double doors to step outside. Naturally, on the other side of the door was a balcony terrace, and because it was raining, it was covered with a special material that blocked the view outside. Even so, the outside was still clearly visible, and venttion wasn¡¯t an issue either. This was my home¡¯s terrace, and through a separate passage that connected it, staff members who stayed here regrly managed the internal facilities and stocked supplies, so there was no need to worry about that. The temperature on the balcony, despite being exposed to the November weather, was surprisingly warm, and everyone, thanks to that, was able toe outside without much concern. I poured charcoal into the well-maintained BBQ grill, leaving the two behind, who were preparing bowls and instant rice. "...We actually prepared this for you, Eugene." "Things don¡¯t always go as nned, right? There¡¯s always going to be situations where things go off course. Normally, there¡¯s the person who eats the meat and the one who cooks it, right? I¡¯m thetter, so you just prepare things." "We¡¯re already doing that." While pretending to light the fire, I secretly tested the BBQ grill''s resilience with my Icarus Gear. Adding a few extra measures, it seemed like there wouldn¡¯t be any big issues, so the moment they turned their backs, I sprayed a chemical napalm precursor into the grill. I figured it would catch fire just fine. I pushed the embers into the moist charcoal¡ª ¡ªFwoosh! "Uwaah!" "Eugene, are you okay!?" "Of course, there¡¯s no problem. Do I look like I¡¯m getting burned?" "Well, now that you mention it¡­ but still, be careful." I nodded and checked inside the BBQ grill, which was spitting out an immense amount of heat. If it were in the other world, I could show off the skill of holding charcoal barehanded and lighting it, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t possible here. As the charcoal burned white in an instant, I added¡ª "Well, now that we¡¯re here, should we do a stream likest time?" "That sounds fun. I¡¯ll bring the drone cam!" As Harmony sped off, I could hear Dice mumbling, looking a bit lost in thought. "So, Eugene, is that why you were able to endure the napalm grenade back then?" "Why are you taking that joke so seriously?" And so, Dice began to stack up today¡¯s "stacks" of bravado. It was just another ordinary day. [Streaming Announcement] "Long time no see, everyone. Hope you¡¯ve been well. The time has finallye... there¡¯s not much time left until departure. Of course, considering we¡¯re leaving a bit earlier thanst year, it¡¯s a little unexpected, but oh well. Let¡¯s just move on." "Hi, hi, this is Harmony. Today, I¡¯m here to enjoy D-2 of the departure with Dice and Eugene!" "Hello, it¡¯s Dice!"
    • Wow, the core crew is here, hahaha
    • What¡¯s going on??? Trying to tease the viewers???
    • For those still undecided on dinner, looks like they¡¯re trying to force-feed them some meat, hahaha
    • What is this, a camping setup??
    • No, this is Byam¡¯s house balcony, not a camping site, hahaha
    It wasn¡¯t a broadcast I hadn¡¯t done in a while, but it had been a long time since I¡¯d done a "camping stream." Within minutes of starting the broadcast, millions of users flocked in. It was likely that, in a few minutes, the average number would hit 1.8 million. Considering that, Icarus must be watching for my streaming timing carefully, as the server might be under pressure. Even so, it felt quite nostalgic. The reason was simple:st year, around this time, my true identity hadn¡¯t been revealed yet. I hadn¡¯t shown my face. At the time, I had about 400,000 viewers. While that wasn¡¯t small, now that the three of us were being watched by about 1.8 million, it felt a little¡­ strange. I continued thinking about the time when I first revealed myself. Back then, I was streaming without my face shown, and people only knew me through my voice and gamey. Now, a yearter, I was no longer hiding anything, and the number of viewers had grown exponentially. It felt surreal to see so many people watching us. "Come to think of it, around this timest year... I hadn¡¯t even revealed my face yet. Now, it¡¯s almost been a year since I showed my face. It feels quite nostalgic when I think about it." "I almost copsed when I first met you, Eugene." "I did copse." "Stop saying weird things and just eat already."
    • Hahaha, that moment was hrious.
    • Looking back, it¡¯s so ridiculous, haha.
    • The moment when all those artists who used to draw innocent fan art suddenly became creators of mature content, hahaha.
    • Fact: If Byam hadn¡¯t noticed it back then, things could¡¯ve gone out of hand.
    • Byam doesn¡¯t seem to care much about the explicit art, huh? Hahaha.
    I shoved pieces of grilled meat into Harmony and Dice¡¯s mouths to stop them from talking nonsense. I nced at the chat, which was skyrocketing at the speed of a bullet. It was true. Frankly, this body of mine isn¡¯t entirely "me," but that doesn¡¯t mean I mind things like seeing suggestive illustrations. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t particrly bothered by it back then either. After returning to this world, I did take some legal action, but that was the end of it as long as no further steps were taken. But, thinking about it now, I couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic as I spent another year in this ce. Looking ahead to next year, I wonder what might happen. "Anyway, the main topic today is remembering the past. Now that Harmony and Dice know how we met, there won¡¯t be any awkward silences, right?"@@novelbin@@ "Wait, why is it that everyone Eugene¡¯s met, except Mina, has been someone Eugene sent to the grave at some point?" "Well, there¡¯s that saying, you know? ''Fighting brings people closer.''" "If it wasn¡¯t for the game, we¡¯d never have be friends."
    • Hahaha, that¡¯s true.
    • Dice (got beaten by Eugene)/Kato (got beaten by Eugene multiple times)/and others...
    • So does that mean Byam got beaten by Logan and Lorentina?
    • What are you talking about, hahaha.
    • Come to think of it, Harmony was the only one who was treated gently when we met, hahaha.
    Well, that¡¯s true. It wasn¡¯t really a wrong statement, which made it sting even more. Thinking about it, maybe it would have been better to just call Harmony and Dice. Also, since I would be meeting other people soon anyway, there was no need to have too many people here. While still thinking about that, the conversation continued, and eventually, Harmony and Dice, now college students, started their girls'' talk. Strictly speaking, I couldn¡¯t really join in on such a deep conversation, so I just focused on grilling the meat. Meanwhile, I rummaged through a bag, not knowing what was inside. Naturally, it was full of alcohol. Not the typical kind like soju, but rather high-end bottles that seemed to havee directly from a top-tier bar. Since we were having dinner, I guessed we¡¯d only open them when I finished grilling and sat down. While thinking that, I continued to dig through and, for the first time, felt an unfamiliar sensation in my tail. As soon as I pulled it out¡ª "-Ah, that¡¯s...!" "¡­So, you two really wanted to see me suffer like this?" "Eh, no! I didn¡¯t say anything!" "You traitors!"
    • Hahaha, they brought the One Chip Challenge again!
    • Dice must have really remembered the pain fromst year, haha.
    • Did you bring this again? Hahaha.
    • Crazy people, haha.
    The visual of the skull-shaped chip and the mes was unforgettable. The pain it caused instantly shed in my mind. The little devils had brought the One Chip Challenge back once again. I really couldn¡¯t believe it. Chapter 574 This passage continues the yful banter and dynamics between the characters, focusing on a humorous and intense moment involving the infamous "One Chip Challenge" and the resulting chaos. Here''s the trantion of the excerpt: It might seem a bit out of ce now, but I had undergone quite a bit of training in the past, especially in dealing with interrogations and torture. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t exactly "torture and interrogation training" but rather escape training. Back then, it was already well-known that the abilities of the Awakener ss were incredibly powerful... although no one had really confirmed how strong they were until the specifics were revealed. Only Icarus had categorized each Awakener and was able to assess exactly how strong their physical abilities were. Icarus had used this information to calcte the chances of an Awakener surviving torture and interrogation, discovering that, in most cases, an Awakener could escape the situation with their own strength. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I hadn¡¯t learned ways to avoid interrogation. Anyway, the reason I¡¯m bringing this up now is because... "¡­Do you really feel better making me fall into the torturer¡¯s trap? If that¡¯s the case, I guess I have no choice but to feed you first." "Wait, are we the ones who are in danger here?!" "Eugene, there¡¯s some misunderstanding between us... wow, this person is so strong!"
    • Obviously, haha.
    • After hanging out with Yupp Jin all the time, now you want topete in strength, huh? Hahaha.
    • It¡¯s not conscience, it¡¯s pureck of fear.
    • A UFC super heavyweight champion wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against this person, hahaha.
    • Dice, did youe here to eat your own spicy soup?
    If I didn¡¯t do something about this now, I felt like every year around this time, I¡¯d be subjected to some torturous punishment. I didn¡¯t mind spicy food, but that one timest year was absolutely unbearable. If this type of challenge existed back in New York, Icarus Operators wouldn¡¯t have needed to exert any effort torturing someone else, because that one bite could be all it took. Of course, these two knew me well enough to understand this. "Hey, we didn¡¯t say we wouldn¡¯t eat it. Let¡¯s just do it once, Eugene!" "No, why are you clinging onto me?!" "This is the ¡®super clingy tantrum¡¯ skill!" "I¡¯m seriously losing it right now." For some reason, the two of them started throwing tantrums... I know the word "tantrum" probably makes people think of that famous elementary kid, Danbi, but these two were well-versed in tactical behavior. They started sticking to me like Mecha Byam, knowing full well that I was weak to physical affection. As the drone camera automatically redirected its focus, Harmony ripped open the One Chip packaging, while Dice clung to my leg. No matter how hard I pushed, they stubbornly held on, almost like they were glued to me. I had to be careful to not hurt them with too much force. Then Harmony joined in. Ultimately, I had no choice but to use the final method. I started stretching the cheeks of the two clinging to my thigh. "If you don¡¯t let go in 3 seconds, I¡¯ll make your cheeks as red as tomorrow." "Ugh..." "Don¡¯t worry. You know you¡¯ll eat it, Eugene... ahhh!" "Seriously... I don''t know why you all enjoy seeing me suffer so much."
    • Hahaha, what was going on with the three of them?!
    • Well, they probably did something until Logan¡¯s house burned down and disappeared. Hahaha.
    • Wow¡­
    • Fact: Byam enjoys seeing Eugene suffer a lot, hahaha.
    It¡¯s a bunch of weirdos, that¡¯s for sure. Anyway, I reluctantlyplied with the request of these two. They probably knew that no matter how much Iined or resisted, I¡¯d eventually give in. What¡¯s worse, these two had a habit of making sure Iplied every single time. "Hehe, thank you so much, Eugene, for agreeing to this." "We¡¯ll eat it too, really. Don¡¯t worry." The first point was that they always made sure I agreed every time they asked. The second was that these two, who wouldn¡¯t give themselves any exceptions, were teaching me how to be a "sacrificial fool"¡ªsomething they must¡¯ve learned from someone. I could ask them where they got it from, but I knew they¡¯d just say it was me who taught them. So, in a way, this was karmic retribution. Instead of responding to them, I just ran my fingers through my hair and let out a sigh. As they screamed, wriggling to fix their hair, I picked up one of the bottles of red wine from the box. If these two wanted it, I¡¯d make sure they got it. I¡¯d do it thoroughly. I poured it into sses and uncorked the bottle. Since it came from the bar on the same floor where Dice and I live, it must have cost several hundred thousand won. Given that, it might seem wasteful to casually drink it, but... I wasn¡¯t nning on making it feel that heavy tonight. As the viewers saw the winebel, they were in shock, wondering, "How did they get this rare bottle?" I poured the wine and handed it to the two of them. "If you want it, I¡¯ll give it to you. Here¡¯s your ss. Let¡¯s make a simple toast. But we don¡¯t know when this drinking session will end... so you¡¯re not going to back out now, are you?" "Ah, please be gentle." "Being gentle, in my book, means taking it easy. Despite my bad drinking habits and getting drunk fast, I don¡¯t really know my own limit."@@novelbin@@
    • Breaking news: Byam announces they¡¯ll get Dice and Harmonypletely drunk.
    • With only two days left until departure, are they really nning to get so drunk? Hahaha.
    • ?? : My disciples can drink and still crush your skulls.
    • You brought the alcohol! You brought the One Chip! You¡¯re getting it all back, haha.
    Meanwhile, the sound of the sses clinking lightly. As the red liquid slid down my throat, an overwhelming burst of scents and tastes filled my mouth. It felt like countless threads of different colors untangling at once. My senses of smell and taste were being overstimted like never before. But this was just the beginning. Tonight, I was going to fulfill every wish these two had¡ªand they would pay the price. After over an hour, two, and three, the rain grew lighter, pounding against the transparent wall of the balcony. Beyond the rain, the distorted night of Seoul started to quiet down. The street outside, which had been stiff like clogged veins when I started grilling, was now quiet. The buildings across from the penthouse slowly lost their lights, and as I saw Harmony and Dice, whose energy was starting to die down, I smiled. They probably wouldn¡¯t be too happy with what was about toe. "Fufu... Now it¡¯s time for the One Chip reckoning. No one¡¯s leaving."
    • Haha, the final explosion!
    • The humanity! Hahaha.
    • Honestly, that was the most devilish thing I¡¯ve seen in a while.
    • They came here to feed us, hahaha!
    • The One Chip Bongo is off! Little Byams, you have no hope!!!
    I felt a high buzz after drinking a lot, yet I made sure to put on gloves because the Scoville scale was in the millions. I didn¡¯t want to make a mistake. Luckily, or unluckily, these two had stocked the fridge with drinks, milk, and ice cream long ago. They probably bought them to drink during dinner, but now I suspected they were preparing to neutralize the One Chip¡¯s heat. Anyway, after putting ontex gloves, I looked like a mad scientist or a mad doctor. When I saw Harmony and Dice looking shocked, I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong. With the gloves on, I sinisterly smiled as if I was about to shove the One Chip into their mouths. It was then that I realized: It was my turn to make them pay! Chapter 577 "Is it my birthday today...?"@@novelbin@@ "I have no regrets left in life... hehehe..." "Quite themotion, huh." It seems like I''ve started an epidemic that reduces intelligence every time I look at Bi-am. This was the thought I had when I saw Diez and Harmony, who hade to my room, instantly turning into Mecha-Monnani lovers. Of course, by this point... I was pretty used to it. It wasn¡¯t the first time those two had acted like this. If there¡¯s one difference, it would probably be that not only me, but Logan and Loren-tina also seem to be thinking simrly about the situation. Only Olivia, who wasn¡¯t as caught up in the chaos, was rolling her eyes while watching it all¡ªseemingly wondering if it was okay to just leave them to it. Three Mecha-Biyams and two humans were gathered, forming a very lively, or rather over-the-top, atmosphere. I answered Olivia¡¯s silent question appropriately. "Leave them be. They like it, after all..." "That¡¯s true, but it looks like your mental strength is being drained in real time." "They¡¯re modeled after me, you know." Face ¨C looks like mine. Body ¨C like mine. Tail ¨C like mine, even with a glow. They even modeled parts like the voice after me, but when it came to the Mecha-youngsters'' minds, that was a different story. It was exactly because of this that watching Diez and Harmony so joyously celebrating as though they were at their own birthday party felt quiteplicated. "Heh¡­ Archetype, I like these guys." "Just wait for about six more months. Then you¡¯ll really be able to touch them. And as long as they¡¯re here, you¡¯ll be able to meet them as part of their promotional role, so... yeah, that¡¯s basically it. So, please don¡¯t stare at them too intently." "...Ah, did my true feelings slip out? Sorry about that." "Sorry, I think the one you should apologize to is Archetype, who¡¯s watching them with a lukewarm gaze." "Ugh." At the same time, our gazes met. They were definitely two individuals who had been strongly influenced by me in so many ways. I had built up an image of being a reliable older sister to them over the years, so there was that. Thinking about it, half of it was my own fault, but I still wondered about the other half. Anyway, the two of them seemed to firmly believe that the three Mecha-Biyams were using holograms. I had told them in advance not to touch the bodies, but these three would often use the Icarus Gear to make their bodies appear faint, so it wasn''t entirely unfounded. So, this is what they meant by "stealing with your eyes"? Although I had to consider that the opponent used all sorts of cheat codes. On a different note, it would be impossible for a building to copse from the weight of 1.5 tons concentrated in one spot. I had heard that the buildings here were built with the kind of sturdy structure you''d expect from a library. And today, seeing that firsthand... I was relieved. The ce where the Awakened were staying was particrly solidly constructed, just as I had heard. As I was thinking about that, the conversation shifted in another direction. "Six months... Six months... I¡¯ve heard it before, but still, it feels a bit long to wait. It¡¯s a bit disappointing, really. Why does it have to be so long..." "Think about it the other way. If the reproduction was half-hearted, you¡¯d be the first to be disappointed. Honestly, six months isn¡¯t that long. If you¡¯re really desperate, you can just see them in the Dark Zone." "That¡¯s true... but, ugh." "Well, most of the reason the development is taking longer is due to the need for the tail to be implemented properly." At that, the two of them seemed to understand, and I turned to a pamphlet. Wait, is it even fair to call this a pamphlet? It was more like the booklet handed out to the officials for the Final Championship, but I flipped through it until I reached the part about the uing schedule. There seemed to be quite a bit of content. As I was focused on scanning the pages, a small note caught my eye... or rather, a sort of surprise. The text read, "A random appearance of Mecha Eugene might happen during the week? You might be lucky enough to see it!" Considering that my parents might have been behind the production of this booklet, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they had predicted that I would bring Mecha Bi-yam from the other world. ''...I guess no matter how big I get, I¡¯m still in my parents'' palm.'' Anyway, aside from that, the "Dark Zone Town" created for this Final Championship felt like a mix between Disney World¡¯s Dark Zone Studio and Las Vegas, about half and half. It was much moremercial than Disney World, but still didn¡¯t stray from the basic structure. The buildings around it reflected that, though they didn¡¯t build a replica of the destroyed Statue of Liberty, there were some pretty interesting parts. For example, considering the surrounding forests and fields, they even recreated a part of Central Park HQ. I was still thinking about what I would do over the next two weeks ¨C one week for jetg adjustment, and the other week for the AP duo and squad period, when a surprising question came up from Loren-tina. "By the way, is that... Kato friend noting? I¡¯m pretty sure they said they¡¯d see us in the U.S.st time, hehehe..." "Isn¡¯t it because youughed so ominously? Maybe they¡¯re noting because of that." "You really don¡¯t know, huh, kid? Thatugh barely used 10% of my power... Heh." "That¡¯s why it¡¯s so intimidating." Olivia¡¯s strike hit Loren-tina, and her devious n dissolved into thin air. Meanwhile, I was reflecting on the past few days. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t easy for my acquaintances toe to the U.S on the private ne sent by Icarus. Even Logan, who participatedst year, had to drive herself around. All Icarus could provide was a hotel room for a three-week stay, which was already a pretty big perk. But still, toe here, Kato and the others ¨C this year it would include Limit, Kim Stone, and Hoduk ¨C would have to pay for their own travel costs. I didn¡¯t think the ones I listed would have trouble with that, but the problem was the rooms. "Do you think there are any avable rooms around here?" "There shouldn¡¯t be any problem... I think I get what you''re implying." "Well, it¡¯s different from just asking if there are rooms avable. If the amodations are too far apart, it might get a little awkward." "Then..." I exhaled softly. In fact, there was a way to fix everything immediately. The others seemed to have realized it, but since it was up to me to decide, they weren¡¯t pushing me. Well, the point was that the cost would have to be covered ¨C which was nothing unusual. The issue at hand was that "even with money, they couldn''t get a spot." However, under the assumption of paying, making room for them would be easy. Then, the situation changed. With my self-justificationplete, there was nothing left to worry about. I opened my mouth. "...I¡¯ll have to use a bit of my influence." "Ugh." "Wait, you¡¯re not really going to use the forbidden power, are you..." "What kind of expression is that? It¡¯s just a matter of getting a few things approved from my parents, and creating a few spaces. Of course, I won¡¯t be doing it out of my own pocket, but the costs will be charged separately. It¡¯s true that they¡¯ll be cheaper though." ...What is this "forbidden power" talk? Anyway, most people here knew what my parents did. After all, the people who ate with my parents in Hawaiist time were all here. So while checking the time, I also made sure to check when they wrapped up their broadcast the previous day. Fortunately, it seemed they finished before 12, so the current time was 10:17 PM. The time difference was 13 hours, so it was probably around 9 AM in Korea. I sent a quick message to my parents and then dialed a group call. And¡ª "...Yikes." "You''re really a ghost, Eugene. How did you nail the timing so perfectly?" "Maybe Bi-yam¡¯s instincts were enhanced as much as his intuition?"
    • "What the hell, hahahahahahaha!"
    • "Seriously creepy, hahaha!"
    • "Are they spying on us? Is Bi-yam listening in on them or something?!"
    • "The timing, hahaha, it''s insane!"
    • ?? : "Damn it! The Bi-yam van just left! Give up all hope!"
    In Korea, 9:17 AM. ¡°How can we make it sound like Eugene nailed his departure timing perfectly?¡± The group chat of Kato, Limit, Hoduk, and Kimstone, gathered in a cafe in Seoul to watch the Dark Zone Final Championship, simultaneously received a call titled ''Yujin.'' Despite being in a heated cafe with the heating on full st, the back of their necks was drenched in cold sweat.
    • "This is Guardian, currently scanning sector A-19. No threats detected. We will move to the next sector in 20 minutes."
    • "Comparing weather data with real-time data from Rochester... discrepancy of 15%. It is within an eptable range. We¡¯ll withdraw unless anyone is needed."
    • "Chief Guardian is heading to the lobby. Expected arrival in the reception room on the 26th floor in 1 minute and 30 seconds. Be aware of possible issues with the listening equipment before meeting with Code U."
    • "Confirming the identities of those apanying Code U... All personnel have been confirmed as Alpha-ss operators or equivalent."
    The sound of footsteps echoed through the lobby of the Icarus Residence Hotel on the first floor. The sharp and dark eyebrows, typical of someone resembling an eagle,bined with his western features ¡ª pronounced brow ridges and a sharp, angr jawline, along with a neatly groomed beard and short, dark hair ¡ª gave off the impression of a middle-aged movie star. His dark coat, resembling the night sky itself, was half-open, revealing a suit beneath. Although his attire might seem suspicious at first nce, it was actually a carefully nned outfit. With a slightly tired yet deep voice, he spoke a few words. "May I have the keycard? I¡¯ve reserved the 26th-floor reception room under the name Michael." "...Your reservation has been confirmed. Here is your keycard. Have a pleasant time." "Thank you for your hard work." As soon as he pressed the keycard against the elevator, the red light on the panel turned green. In an instant, the elevator descended to the first floor, and he stepped inside, allowing himself to drift upwards. But after only a few seconds, it stopped. The sound of static could be heard from his earpiece. He knew exactly what was happening and ced the earpiece into his jacket pocket. The jamming was getting worse, and the warning sound from his ear grew louder. He had expected it. By now, it was likely that some electronic devices, including the GPS, were no longer working or were being severely disrupted. However, he didn¡¯t seem to mind as he passed the lobby on the 26th floor and walked down the hall several times. At the end of the hall, a simple door with a handle barely visible on the edge looked like a storage room for cleaning tools at first nce. Without hesitation, he turned the knob and opened the door. In that moment, light spilled from the gap beneath the door. At the same time, four people came into his view. ''...'' Sizzling. As the GPS and eavesdropping devices hidden inside his coat werepletely fried, he scanned the room. As expected, there was no need to exin who these people were. He took a deep breath and exhaled, then closed the door behind him, adding: "Good to see all of you gathered here. It''s quite the crowd." "Well, well, Kissinger! Long time no see!" "You¡¯ve got dark circles under your eyes. How are you handling being the head of security in such a tight ce? Isn''t it annoying?" "I guess that¡¯s why I¡¯m here on what feels like a half-vacation." Michael Kissinger. His title in another world had been the head of a big team, but here, he worked as the head of security at the Secret Service. The reason he was here instead of Washington D.C. was simple, but instead of saying something uncool, he walked over and grabbed Eugene¡¯s cheeks, pulling them both to stretch them out. A cute voice filled the room. "Ahhhhhh¡ª!" "Hey! Because of you, there are about 300 people sticking to this tiny ce. It''s driving me crazy. You should''ve gone to Washington D.C." "I was nning to go there, but... Ahhh! That hurts!" "You knew that wasing. I¡¯m pinching you to make it hurt." Of course, this didn¡¯tst long. The cheeks that were stretched out were soon restored, but Kissinger yfully massaged Eugene¡¯s cheeks and smiled, though the smile was rather stiff. With a soft thud, he copsed onto the sofa, looking exhausted. "Well, at least I¡¯m d I can rest for once. I never imagined I¡¯d be getting help from old connections like this... I feel like I could just pass out on this sofa." "Would you like us to send something over? There''s a warm tradition in Korea of sending gifts to people who are tired to help them regain energy." "Unfortunately, that would be difficult for security reasons. But I¡¯ll ept your good intentions. This is the busiest time of the year, so it¡¯s hard for me to rx... but it¡¯s fine. With two people to protect, it does make things a little tricky." "Well, that¡¯s true, it must be a busy time." Four years, or maybe eight years. A couple of months in which the outgoing president and the iing president-elect coexist, and during that period, the Secret Service¡¯s workload surges. Kissinger was exining that, during this period, he was busier than anyone else. He sighed and added: "Fortunately or unfortunately, starting next year, the prototype shield technology from the think tank will be applied more to Beast and presidential protection. We aim to have it activated within 1 microsecond when detecting an object approaching at a certain speed or above a certain temperature." "...So you¡¯re telling me you can rest easy because of me?" "Exactly. Things won¡¯t dramatically ease up, but it should make things a little better." With that, Kissinger stood up from the sofa with a slight struggle and spoke again. "Anyway, I¡¯ll tell you the reason I¡¯m here. Officially, I¡¯m here to check your intentions about having a personal lunch with the President-elect, and to prevent any unforeseen situations. But, let¡¯s be honest... it¡¯s more like an unofficial vacation. Think of it like that." "Ha ha." "I¡¯ll be following you around until new orderse in, so keep that in mind... I¡¯d appreciate it if you could cooperate. I¡¯m sure you all realize that you¡¯re like rugby balls that can bounce anywhere." "Can¡¯t deny that." While Loren-tinaughed and nodded appropriately, he pulled out his device and checked a few new messages. The content was simple: Eugene¡¯s room had been assigned near Kissinger¡¯s. He sighed and added: "...I guess I¡¯ll go rest now. I¡¯ve been getting only two or three hours of sleep a night for the past few weeks. It¡¯s killing me." "You¡¯re really putting in the work." "Thanks. I just hope I won¡¯t end up pouring all my sry into the hospital bills..." Grumbling, he checked the jamming status before standing up. The conversation seemed to be over, and the four of them quietly stood up from their seats and followed Kissinger out the door. Well, they tried to follow him. As the footsteps echoed down the hallway, the sound of the door shutting was followed by a moment of eerie silence. "There''s still a signal from Archetype around here. Looks like someone¡¯s trying to do something fun without us..." "Why are you going out at this hour... Who¡¯s this... unknown person?!" "...." "...." The hallway was suddenly filled with tension. The three sets of eyes gleaming with a strange light tried to avoid Eugene¡¯s re, which was sharp enough to feel like an evil spirit. Kissinger massaged his temples with his thumb, adding: "...I must be seeing things, haven¡¯t slept enough. I¡¯ll head out first." "Understood." The sound of his shoes clicked away down the corridor, and Eugene opened his mouth, though his voice was far from friendly. "See you threeter." "...Heh." That night, the three Mecha-children learned what hups were. Of course, screams would soon follow as well. Chapter 578 ¡°¡­Ah, hello. Is this Kato? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met in real life before¡­¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. As you said¡­ this is our first time meeting in person. But I must say, you three seem quite familiar with me.¡± ¡°Haha, I can¡¯t deny that.¡± December 2, 8:00 AM, Incheon International Airport. Breath visible in the cold air, and the darkness gradually lifting from the sky, three men and one woman gathered in the lounge of Incheon Airport. On the phone screen, there was a first-ss flight ticket to Toronto, departing around 10 AM. For the four of them, the atmosphere was calm and quiet. If someone knew how wildly active they were in the Dark Zone and other virtual realities, it would have been a shocking sight, but fortunately, the first-ss lounge was nearly empty except for them. The ones setting the mood today were, of course, the men. Each of them had a distinct personality, so despite it being their first time meeting, the mood remained warm and friendly. And the conversation began with Hotteok leading the way. ¡°¡­Hey, you, are you not going to eat the in-flight mealter?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I have my own space for meals. A few cup noodles and about three chicken breasts should be enough for snacks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really something¡­ Well, I guess there¡¯s no point in telling someone who eats as much as Eugene does.¡± For Kato, this was truly a new world. He wasn¡¯t unaware of this fact. Back when Eugene had a housewarming party, Hotteok had been invited too, and the overwhelming food show that Hotteok put on back then was deeply imprinted in Kato''s mind, along with the minds of millions of others. But seeing it in person was apletely different experience. Kato found himself staring in disbelief at the mountain of food containers left behind by the brawny White Tiger-like manifestation of Eugene. And that wasn¡¯t even the end of it. The world of manifesters was truly amazing. ¡°It¡¯s impressive seeing it in person. I wonder if Eugene would eat like that in real life.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, Kato, have you never met him in person? That¡¯s actually pretty remarkable in many ways.¡± ¡°There was an opportunity in Hawaii, but I chickened out¡­¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± Fear couldn¡¯t be helped. But even as he thought that, the conversation didn¡¯t stop. The reason they gathered here today was to shake off the awkwardness they all felt. As expected, being a streamer¡ªexcept in some special cases¡ªwas one of the most socially demanding jobs, and the distance between Kato and the three men quickly shrank. ¡°By the way, out of all of us here¡­ not a single one uses a male avatar. Is this intentional, or is this just weird?¡± ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a lot more going on behind that than you think.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. You made that... creepy avatar after getting a million-won mission. That was two years ago!¡± ¡°Well, if my avatar is creepy, what about yours, Hotteok!?¡± Hotteok. His avatar was a White Tiger woman with breasts bigger than her head. Despite the teasing, Hotteok didn¡¯t seem to care one bit. Instead, he wore a proud expression. Kato rolled his eyes and nced at him to figure out what was going on, and the reason became clear in no time. ¡°What¡¯s this? Now you¡¯re picking on my avatar? You¡¯ll get a workout from me.¡± ¡°Hah, no, I¡¯m sorry. Your avatar is the best.¡± ¡°...So if you have overwhelming strength, you can be that confident, huh? I¡¯m learning something good today. Maybe I should start performing a ritual to be Biyam from today.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to be Biyam first, so you better get in line.¡± Why were people so obsessed with Biyam? For a moment, the thought crossed Kato¡¯s mind, but he couldn¡¯t entirely dismiss it. After all, she had once been taught by Eugene, and the determination, intelligence, and rationality she had experienced back then had left a deep impression on her. But even as she thought that, the topic of conversation quickly shifted, and soon enough, it was about why such a topic had suddenlye up. ¡°So, why the sudden question?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I was just browsing the inte recently and saw a fan-made item based on you, Kato, on the creation market. I guess male avatars need to use female ones to sell better.¡± ¡°...What do you mean by selling ¡®better¡¯?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been to the creation market at all? It¡¯s insane. You don¡¯t even know how well your package is selling, huh?¡± ¡°Is that a face that doesn¡¯t know?¡± As she said that, Kato turned his head slightly, and as soon as he nced at the person in question, the surprised expression on their face was obvious. Kato quickly realized that this was something he hadn¡¯t expected. As all three of them stared at her, she shook her head and added: ¡°Ah, you guys just check it out! You can ess it from here!¡± ¡°Fine, fine¡­ wait, why is this actually real?¡± ¡°Kato, did you do some promotion or something? It¡¯s ranked third in the creation market sales right now.¡± ¡°No, really? That¡¯s just something I made quickly because fans asked for it a long time ago!¡± ¡°That''s why everyone is surprised. At this rate, you¡¯ll probably end up appearing somewhere in the game like Eugene.¡± Kato¡¯s eyes widened likemps, but he instinctively realized that this could indeed be true. Fundamentally, Dark Zone was different from other games like Terra in that it had very few NPCs, and even if they existed, they didn¡¯t y a major role in the story. This meant there was almost no interaction between users and NPCs, and cutscenes followed this same idea. This was the main difference between Dark Zone and Terra, where numerous NPCs existed and interacted with the main characters, advancing the storyline. In Dark Zone, the users¡¯ actions themselves were the main story. And then came the thought: ¡°A user appearing in the game¡­ Could I experience that?¡± Sometimes, users got involved in the main story, creating new developments that led torger ripples. Eugene was the biggest proof of this, but it was undeniable that this had happened before to some extent. Originally, Dark Zone was supposed to be focused primarily on PVP, but PVE still held a significant portion of the game, and that wasrgely because of this phenomenon. But that aside, Kato¡¯s face was burning with embarrassment. His own avatar was a bit, well, unique. It resembled a pop idol with sky-blue and pink hair,plete with butterfly-shaped brooches ced all over her body. The idea of such an avatar appearing in the game was dizzying. While Kato was at a loss for what to do, the conversation continued. ¡°Funny thing is, if you appear in the game, I¡¯d imagine you¡¯d be like a singer-songwriter from the U.S.¡± ¡°Limit, you should go too. I think you¡¯d be fun as a duo group.¡± ¡°Does it really work like that?¡± ¡°...Wait, you were actually thinking of doing that?¡± ¡°They must have woken up early, so now they¡¯re losing it. Anyway, let¡¯s get ready.¡± With that, all four of them stood up, cleaned the area, returned their dishes, and threw the trash into the trash can. While walking down the stairs toward their designated gate, Kato muttered to himself. ¡°Right, so a few days ago, Ikarus asked me if I was interested in coborating on avatars or even product creation.¡± ¡°Ah, really? Congrattions. Since you have the chance, why not go for it?¡± ¡°I guess I should. But when I saw the drafts, they were a bit bolder than what I made before... I¡¯m okay with it, though.¡± Kato snapped his fingers, and at that moment, a window appeared in mid-air. It was the kind of email they had seen before. But as they checked the product creation examples below, Limit, Hotteok, and Kimsstone¡¯s expressions twisted in many ways¡ªhalf-naked Kato¡¯s female avatar lying on a bed, and an unnecessarily well-made music video. A bit of time passed before Kimsstone spoke up. ¡°I never thought that girl group thing would actuallye out.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be sold in that Dark Zone Town thing Eugene mentioned?¡± ¡°Ikarus people are crazy... Sometimes, they really seem insane.¡± ¡°Well, if Kato likes it, that¡¯s all that matters, right?¡± No one could answer. The world was indeed a bizarre ce. ¡°No, wow, this is just too much!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a horror game, Lorenatina?!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve still got some energy left? You can even cry now.¡± ¡°Hah, sorry¡­¡± Meanwhile, in America, Lorenatina was participating in the AP for the first time. ¡°Attempting to copse the entire building using abandoned ammonium nitrate fertilizer was a good idea. But the movements are too obvious. I understand why you¡¯re trying to lure them here, but you should have paid more attention to the details.¡± ¡°...Are you seriously teaching my students while on vacation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just job ethics. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Dice and Harmony, getting battered. Until now, I had exined this from the perspective of the person involved, but the second day of the journey for the Final Championship began with an AP mock battle. Lorenatina had barged in, and the result was as we had just seen. Of course, I had expected this. Unlike me or Logan, whose y styles were already well known, Lorenatina primarily focused on stealth y. We hadn¡¯t seen it much yet because most of the missions and raids we¡¯d done didn¡¯t show that aspect. Well, it makes sense that stealth would fit the special forces image better than charging in like a pr bear. In any case, from my disciples¡¯ perspective, it waspletely unknown territory. After being thoroughly beaten, my two disciples returned with difficulty and woke up in reality, still lying on the bed. They didn¡¯t get up right away. Instead, they squirmed on the bed, throwing a tantrum. ¡°Agh. I thought I was fighting a ghost¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re beating them too harshly, Lorenatina.¡± ¡°Fighting a ghost, huh? I suppose you could say it like that. Interesting.¡± Though Dice and Harmony seemed to have been quite shaken, I didn¡¯t have to worry about it. The reason I was thinking this was because, before I could say anything, Lorenatina had already logged them back in and hit restart. It seemed like today Lorenatina had decided to teach all five members of the national team, including Harmony and Dice, but I wasn¡¯t involved today, so I wasn¡¯t concerned. As I continued watching the stream, which was being broadcast exclusively to participants in the Final Championship, I noticed that, unlike usual, thepetitors¡¯ time was fixed at 1x speed during the preparation period. Thanks to that, I could easily follow along without having to log into virtual reality. It seemed like this had caught Olivia¡¯s interest. ¡°Should I join next time?¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not nning to just beat up my students, are you?¡± ¡°Would I really do that? I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯d even teach them if I went. Things like TACP wouldn¡¯t even be used in the main event, and the sharks and pr bears probably know more aboutbat tactics than me¡­¡± ¡°Well, does it really matter? If you want to do it, then go ahead. My kids haven¡¯t grown so smoothly that they couldn¡¯t learn anything from you.¡± When Olivia said that, her expression blossomed with a smile. Not only that, but she got up and started doing warm-up exercises. I had been holding back, but it seemed she wanted to get involved. It made me feel a bit more at ease, so I found myself in a semi-meditative state, thinking to myself, ¡®Let them handle it.¡¯ Much like yesterday, Kissinger entered the room with an even more casual outfit, and he sat down in a chair. ¡°Hm. Can I join in too? I¡¯ve been working in a ce that¡¯s always short-handed, so I thought I¡¯d hand out some business cards. Do these kids know how to do J-turns?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°...Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Go back before my students get scared.¡± ¡°Geez, that¡¯s harsh. I didn¡¯t think I had a scary face.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ They¡¯d be shocked if they saw you! How did you even get in here!?¡± ¡°There are ways.¡± I didn¡¯t even need to say it. It was probably one of the many infiltration techniques he had learned in the Secret Service. Technically, that wasn¡¯t the kind of ce where they trained, but still. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was just here for a local report and information gathering, so he left quickly. I¡¯d probably be seeing more of him before dinner with Henry, but maybe it was better just to introduce them to each other. As I watched Kissinger leave, the door opened again, and the three familiar Mecha Monnans, who had been enthusiastically trained by me the previous day, quietly entered, making eye contact with me. I had told them they could walk around freely in Dark Zone Town, so instead of wondering why they were here, I first wondered what they had been doing while we were here. ¡°Master, y a few rounds of rock-paper-scissors with us.¡± ¡°...What an odd request. Sure.¡± Round one, two, three¡­ But from the second round, it didn¡¯t feel like normal rock-paper-scissors. Specifically, the reaction time felt much faster. By the third round, it started to slow down, and by the sixth round, the difficulty seemed much more manageable. It didn¡¯t seem like we were just ying a game. It felt more like some kind of coordination exercise. As I thought this, the phone screen was handed to me, and an exnation followed. ¡°Ikarus asked for a little event. The person who wins rock-paper-scissors gets a coupon for the game. I¡¯ll probably be running around outside, hiding all day.¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be hearing this, but I guess you people do all sorts of weird things.¡± ¡°Hehe. I¡¯ll have fun. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± I looked at Rain, who spoke with that smile, patted the three of their heads, andughed. ¡°Alright. Have fun.¡± I wondered if this was something my parents asked for, or if it was just random. But I knew one thing for sure: it didn¡¯t matter. It seemed like this Final Championship would be quite enjoyable even before it started. ¡°That said, I didn¡¯t expect them to be so loud.¡± ¡°What can you do?¡± After sending the Mecha Biyams out, I looked out the window and let out a helplessugh at the sight of a crowd of a hundred or more people. I thought this would happen Chapter 579 [General] Rochesteron Dakbong is in MechaBiyam! Hahahahaha!! I don''t know what kind of coupon it is, but anyway, I won rock-paper-scissors and got it. Hahaha. [Allments] [Order of registration]
    • ???????????????????
    • What¡¯s going on???
    • So this was happening in the US? Hahahahaha!
    • Wow, seriously, I¡¯m so jealous as hell hahahahahaha!
    • Seriously, how much does it cost to go there? Like ten million won????
      • The round-trip ne ticket alone must cost at least 400,000.
      • Fact: If you go there and attend the Final Championship solo, the amodation will cost at least 4 million won.
      • Minimum ten million won? Ugh, no way I can do that;;
      • People who go to watch the tournament are rich, hahahaha.
    • I mean, MechaBiyam hahahahahaha!
    • That shining purple one, could it be the third one? What the heck?????
      • Yeah, that¡¯s right.
    • Insane, seriously insane hahahahahaha!
    • Ah, I still haven¡¯t cleared the destruction difficulty, this is frustrating hahahaha.
      • Huh~ weak? virgin? can¡¯t even get MechaBiyam?
      • This fucking bastard for real.
      • Ugh¡­ I¡¯m done.
      • Stop with the bullshit hahahahahaha!
    • Are there still weaklings who haven¡¯t cleared the destruction difficulty? Hahahaha.
      • The wannabe sage #6316-521-697521 tried more than 20 times yesterday and still couldn¡¯t clear it?
      • Damn, how the hell did you find that ID, you son of a bitch!
      • Fucking idiot hahahahaha.
    • So, what kind of coupon is it???
      • [Author] I still don¡¯t know. I asked them, but they won¡¯t tell me.
      • Hurry and go back to the hotel and log in, you fucking bastard!!!!
      • Aren¡¯t all the coupons handed out at offline events like special costumes or execution motions and gun skins? I think it¡¯ll be the same this time.
      • Is it a MechaBiyam costume change token or something?
      • Wow.
    Why doesn¡¯t Tera do this? Isn¡¯t it the same Icarus game? So frustrating!
    • Tessem capture.
    • 15,299th season Tessem head stitching, w.
    • The game where you put money on swords to make them stronger, wee hahaha.
    • Fact: The money made from Tera is being dumped into Dark Zone.
    • Damn you bastards!!!!!!
    • Who does the profanity censorship like that hahahahahaha!
    But seriously, what¡¯s Tera doing? Is it Disney World or something?
    • Fact: They¡¯re doing it all wrong, hahahaha. They probably gave up on trying to bnce PVP.
    • There are no tournaments, so how are they trying to attract viewers? Hahahaha.
    • Now that I think about it, don¡¯t they have something like the World Champion Decision Battle?
    • I don¡¯t care hahahaha.
    ¡°That situation over there is a mess...¡± ¡°And we¡¯re probably here to make it even messier.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± - These crazy people hahahahahaha! - Sudden fan meeting hahahahahaha! - Damn it, I¡¯m going to work part-time next year and follow the finals¡­ - Haven¡¯t done anything, but viewers are getting motivated hahaha. - These people are openly saying they¡¯re here to stir things up hahahahaha! There were a lot of people. And I mean a lot. Of course, arge crowd causesmotion, andmotion brings even more people. By the time I went outside with my acquaintances¡ªthough I originally nned to go alone, but these people weren¡¯t the type to stay quietly in a room¡ªthe crowd had grown to twice the size from thest time I saw it. Moreover, this was all created by MechaBiyam... well, forget the details. Anyway, once the game ended, Shark would alsoe running out of the hotel and enjoy the crowd. Until yesterday, I had just arrived here, so I hadn¡¯t explored much, but today it seemed I could have a better tour of the surroundings. So, the first destination for today was the goods shop. ¡°You¡¯re really aiming to blow up the store, huh, kiddo.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll get that intense. Besides, I heard the goods shop is huge. It¡¯s supposed to be several times bigger than a ser field.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more curious about what they¡¯re selling in such a giant store, man.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Rustle. I¡¯m not sure if I should call it fortunate, but to rify what I said earlier about there being a lot of people, the crowd gathered near the MechaBiyam sisters, not near us. We hadn¡¯t even joined that side. I quickly took out the pamphlet that had been wrapped around my tail to check if there was any information about the goods shop¡ªabout half of it was a gun store, and right next to it was a top-notch shooting range where you could enjoy shooting and stuff. ...Oh right, this is an FPS game. Of course, the goods shop and the gun store werepletely separate, and most of the items sold in the former were really ordinary things¡ªlike T-shirts, stickers, figurines, airsoft guns, notebooks, pens, mugs, ties, and cushions. But ¡°most¡± doesn¡¯t mean ¡°all,¡± and when I was about to check the full list, the crowd around us started gathering. Among them, there were even the Triple MechaBiyams, who had lost half of their 300 tickets in less than 2 hours. ¡°Master¡ª!¡± ¡°Shh, Rain. The archetype is shopping right now. There¡¯s a saying in my country: ¡®Don¡¯t bother anyone while they¡¯re shopping.¡¯¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about, as soon as we get here?¡± - Don¡¯t bother anyone while they¡¯re shopping, what¡¯s that about? hahahahahaha - It¡¯s clear who¡¯s the weird one here hahahaha - Wow, look at the size of the goods shop hahahaha - I thought it would be thrown together, but it¡¯s actually quite well-decorated?? - Living point) Most of the items sold there, except for some, are avable for overseas shipping. It was strange how they picked up these odd things. When the 200-strong crowd that had gathered with MechaBiyams joined us, we reached nearly 300 people. Among them, many had cosyed as the avatars they used in-game... and that made the inside of the shop be seriously chaotic. I quickly dispersed them around the shop, and fortunately, the countless items sold in the building helped ease the chaos to some extent. Of course, there were also some other items, like these. ¡°...What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a Milly Weapon Shop. They¡¯re selling in-game knives in real life, like jackknives, fixed knives, tactical knives, and automatic knives. If you want, you can pay extra to get your own in-game logo or paint job on the knife...¡± ¡°So what about these katanas and... greatswords?¡± ¡°They¡¯re for PVE assassination motions. Some of them were made in coboration with Tera¡­ Well, there are some people who carry those around in Dark Zone during PVE or PVP, so it¡¯s believable.¡± - Oh hahahahaha - Ninja build users are going to drool over this hahahahahaha - Wow, there¡¯s a dragon sword too, crazy hahahahaha - Wait, this thing costs 3,000 dors!!!!!! - Fact: You¡¯ll probably get caught by customs anyway. Some yers who were into the ninja style were eyeing these melee weapons. As I mentioned earlier, there were small weapons like knives, axes, and katanas, and among them were shy swords made in coboration with Tera. When I took a quick look at them with Icarus gear, I didn¡¯t know the performance, but they were definitely well-made. But there were other things too- ¡°Ho. This is something I¡¯ve seen before. Was it something the kiddo used often?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°...When did thise out!?¡± ¡°Thanks for telling me. This is exactly what my workce is aiming for... I¡¯ll exin in detail, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you stopped giving me that terrifying look. Isn¡¯t this a bit much, Eugene?¡± ¡°Just say it already, seriously.¡± The small butterfly-shaped brooch was strangely familiar. There were several other items around it, but the hologram below read, ¡°Quarter 4, 2036, product created based on the top 5 users from the Creation Workshop.¡± I didn¡¯t recognize the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th items, but at least the 3rd ce had the nickname Cartographer... which I wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with. At that moment, the hologram shifted from text to image. I quickly nced sideways, and coincidentally, out of the five users who made it into the Creation Workshop¡¯s fourth quarter... only one had a female avatar. In other words, it was very noticeable. It made me wonder if this was really okay, but then I remembered something I had discussed with my parents not long ago. ¡°Basically, the avatars created by Dark Zone yers belong to Dark Zone. If you copy yourself exactly, there won¡¯t be issues...¡± I briefly thought about whether Carto had allowed this, but it seemed like that person didn¡¯t mind creating products like this. They liked their avatar but didn¡¯t get too obsessive about it like it was another self or a daughter. So, they probably just allowed it in a casual manner. I wasn¡¯t sure about the details, but if I had to guess, I could say that Icarus wasn¡¯t the kind ofpany to miss out on including the design in the contract. So maybe Carto signed it without looking too closely. I don¡¯t know. Ultimately, the only thing I could say was just a few words. ¡°Looks like Carto is more popr abroad than I thought.¡± ¡°...I think I know why.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°This person, I remember they used to hang out with my daughter. Looks like they agreed to the design proposal. I guess their poprity is already sufficient.¡± ¡°Hmm... It might be difficult to put them in the spotlight. Maybe we should wait and see.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chapter 580 "...I have chills for some reason..." "It might be because Ouroboros is plotting something sinister against Kato-san." "I''ll tell Eugene-san." "No, hey. Wait a minute. Just look at me once." The cloudless blue sky seen outside the bus window. The four people riding in therge ck bus with the Icarus logo on it, Kato and his group, are looking at their surroundings passing by quickly and chatting about this and that. The distance between them had clearly narrowedpared to a day ago, and it was noticeable even in the conversations they had exchanged. ... "Then why didn''t you tackle me back then?" "Because I didn''t know you guys were making stuff like that back then!" Of course, the question ''Icarus can make stuff like this?'' was naturally destroyed by the reason that Kim Stone mentioned himself. Since they already had a track record, why couldn''t they make it? And there was another reason. "In the first ce, that kind of thing is made into a draft by randomly selecting from the suggestions from 1st to 10th ce based on the results of a regrly held survey. However, in the case of Nana Limit, the branch office hosted the survey, but in the case of Kato-san, the head office directly handled the survey." "So the dakimakura was chosen?" "Oh, please. Hyun-ah, do acupressure massage? Did you get the advertisement? Treat your PT to a full course of Thai massage?" "I''m sorry, I was wrong." It was truly horrible to her, but Hotteok was an elite athlete who had piled up all the qualifications that a trainer should have, including a physical therapist license. After all, after she met Hotteok, her posture had been corrected and her body was getting better. It was incredibly scary that he was using that process as a threat, not a threat. Anyway, Kim Stone-Kim Hyun-ah nodded as if to say, ''There was a reason for that,'' and continued. ¡°¡­I guess it¡¯s okay since I chose it myself. Anyway, is Kato-san satisfied with that? Even if the limit is like that, Hotteok-chan¡­is he pretty proud of his avatar, so maybe that¡¯s why he likes to be famous. I wonder if Kato-san has something like that.¡± ¡°¡­Well. It¡¯s true that I worked hard to customize my avatar before starting the game, but I didn¡¯t know it would get this big. Right now, I¡¯m just at a loss. I don¡¯t know what to do in the future. What do other people do?¡± ¡°Ugh, I guess I should tell you again. I¡¯ve been watching all kinds of virtual inte broadcasters in case something like this happens again.¡± ¡°¡­Leave out the part about ¡®just in case¡¯. I¡¯ve just been watching them all the time.¡± ... Of course, losing their sense of humor was apletely separate issue, so they chuckled as soon as they heard Hotteok''s serious nonsense. Nevertheless, it didn''t seem like it waspletely useless, so instead of tackling him further, they waited for him to add more. At the same time, the words continued. "Well, actually, it''s nothing special. In the first ce, there are a lot of friends who watch that who are good at immersing themselves in characters and settings... I guess the small talk was a bit long. Are you interested in idols, Kato?" "It''s something that used to be popr... You talk like a producer who raises idols." "Actually, since you asked a question with a simr feel, let''s say it''s roughly right. After all, virtual streamers aim for that. They just dance and sing... Except that it''s not real, but in a virtual reality, it''s not much different from idols or girl groups. They even sell glow sticks for cheering." "She''s a real idol... But I don''t think she''ll sing and dance on stage." "I did limit it, though." "I broke the 0.01% and got caught in the penalty roulette, so I had no choice but to do it!" Everyone couldn''t help but giggle while watching Limit screaming, while Kato, who had a hard time stopping hisughter, thought about... his avatar singing and dancing on stage. They''re not just lending out avatars. Even though it''s VR, they actually practice singing and dancing and go on stage? No matter how much I think about it, it was crazy. Even though it was a punishment, I respect Limit for actually doing it. ... Everyone looked like they had been pped on the back and avoided HyunA¡¯s gaze, and a brief silence lingered in the bus before suddenly changing the subject. They were currently at the Rainbow International Bridge, which meant that they could see Niagara Falls from the bridge. Of course, it was a great topic changer. ¡°Wow, hey! Look at that! It¡¯s Niagara Falls!¡± ¡°Where, where!?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ This is why youe abroad. If I had known this would happen, I should have followed you to Hawaii¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really good at talking nonsense¡­.¡± ... A huge white spray of water that was overwhelminglyrger than the buildings nearby, and a huge waterfall falling like a curtain. He unconsciously moved his fingers diagonally to zoom in on the bus window. However, this was 2036, and zooming in wasn''t impossible. The angle was so sharp that the huge horseshoe-shaped waterfall couldn''t be seen at a nce, but just that was enough for the four of them to realize that they were overseas. And just like that, they had crossed the border from Canada to the United States. "Maybe we cane here once during this Final Championship?" "Maybe so. If everyone else is busy or something, let''s just sneak a peek." "Mr. Kato, you''re not saying anything. We should go together. You''re not saying you won''t go, are you?" "Of course we should go. It''s such an honor." If it''s that short, then the short tour is over, and they havepletely entered the US territory, New York State. And after a while, the cell phones of the four people on the bus all rang. Not calls, but messages. The screens of the cell phones lit up with a response that seemed to show a question mark floating above each person''s head, and a few secondster, they all looked at the contents of the messages. Bags and eco-bags, butterfly-shaped brooches and essories, and many more. Before everyone could understand what the motif was, additional text messages were sent all at once. The sender was Eugene. -[Eugene: I happened to see these at the store. I bought one or two of them. Congrattions, Kato XD] "¡­Should I like this or not¡­." "So now you''re an official Dark Zone idol. Congrattions." "What kind of congrattions is that!?" But acting like a jerk wouldn''t make a difference. Kato suddenly felt like the bus he was on was a hellgate to hell. It was winter. "Mr. Eugene, you seem to be in a good mood¡­." "Aren''t you excited about your hobby? Mr. Eugene, you like shooting guns." "No, it''s more like¡­ No. There must be something else." ... While Eugene, wearing a headset over his earplugs and bulletproof goggles, lifted one of the TTI custom guns made forpetitions, the others, except for Harmony and Dice, leisurely took a sip of their coffee. Well, it was normal for Biyam to do weird things. "Whoa, it''s fun to shoot after a long time. I feel so refreshed. It''s also pretty funny that a shark and a pr bear can''t legallye into yourmercial shoot and cause trouble." That''s what I enjoy." - Olivia Nuna enjoying other people''s misfortunes ????? - So this is an advertisement??? - Well, if you think about it, it''s an advertisement ???????????????????? - Looking at the sudden surge in viewers, it seems like it''s an advertisement? - Wow, we suddenly have 4.5 million viewers ???????????????? - The foreigner chat window is on fire ?? The sharp smell of gunpowder that stimted my nose for the first time in a while filled the shooting range. The drone cam flying around in the air captured all the scenes happening at the shooting range while moving gracefully in the air far away from the trajectories of the bullets fired by me or Olivia, and we just continued shooting without thinking much about it. Continuously refilling several magazines They exchange shots and continue shooting one after another, or they run around a CQB practice range that they built arbitrarily and shoot pistols, carbines, SMGs, assault rifles, machine guns, and other weapons provided by the firearms manufacturer that arranged this ce today. After each shot, they check the chat window that is being managed separately. There were about a dozen people there who were checking today''s advertisement that was being streamed in real time. Who were they? They were high-ranking employees of the marketing department of thepany involved in this advertisement. ''I guess I can meet them directly like this because I didn''t go through an advertising agency as an intermediary... .'' Since I''ve already exined it, let me briefly exin what they do. To put it simply, they contact the headquarters to respond to unexpected situations, go through intermediate coordination, and give feedback and requests like ''This is a good way to shoot this time'' for more certain promotion. However, their work was being added in real time, "Can I try this too, Eugene? "Please wait outside for now. I''ll let you knowter." - My back! ! ! ! - You were leisurely drinking coffee just a few minutes ago ??????????????????????????? - Does it seem fun now? You wanted to shoot it once, right? You got caught right away, right? -If it weren''t for streaming ads, it would''ve never happened ??? -Well, if you look at the topic, it definitely seems like it would get promoted ???? This is because situations like this often happen. It seemed like it would happen when Olivia sneaked in at first, but it ended up like this. Fortunately, our Ma Byamz had firmly stated that they couldn''t participate today, so there was a high chance that things wouldn''t get any worse than this. Anyway, I nced at the drone cam, sat down on my chair, and waited. It was quite a sight to see about seven or so executives each adding that they would contact the headquarters. Up until Olivia, the casting was pretty smooth. Unlike when we first met, this guy is now... They were big-time SNS influencers with about 12 million followers, and just participating here would have been enough to generate enough buzz, and above all, they had been able to afford the hiring costs until then. Of course, the reason I say this is¡­ If Harmony and Dicee in, thendscape would be messed up. However, unlike thoroughgoing entrepreneurs, those two¡­ were much closer to just wanting to try something because I was doing something fun. And so the words continued. ¡°I don¡¯t mind receiving a little less in advertising fees. Just take care of Dice.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m kind of broke these days, so if they say it¡¯s hard to pay, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± "...Ugh. Come inter, I''ll give you some for helping me out. Just check the electronic contract, check the deposit, and send it to SSM''s legal team." "Wouldn''t that be better?" -What is this ????????????????????? -It''ll definitely do some advertising ???? -Living Point)Harmony''s Yourspace channel currently has 7.81 million subscribers -If Dice is roughly as famous as Harmony or more, then it''s no joke ???? -I can hear the advertisers getting flustered ?? That''s true too. Maybe something like this... So, while live streaming an advertisement is not that umon, advertising a firearm in this way is at least the first time here, so there must be more than a few people who are confused about how to calcte the cost. Of course, that wasn¡¯t something I had to worry about, and my interest was a bit more¡­ focused on something else. I got up with a groan and did a full stretch at the same time. I checked my body as much as possible to make it as flexible as possible, and if there were any sore spots, if my body was in perfect condition, and headed to the ce I had been guided to in advance. Olivia, who had already guessed what was going to happen, and Harmony and Dice, who had followed me because of the ominous atmosphere. And just as she said, the biggest¡­ climax of today¡¯s advertisement was just around the corner. I raised my hand and gently took off the air-no, the optical camouge cloth. A Gatling gun about 1.5m long with four barrels tied together, and a full-body bulletproof vest that can be worn all over the body as weights.@@novelbin@@ Harmony''s face hardened as she checked the size of the bullet belt. "Yu, Teacher Eugene. This is no way..." "The GAU-19, D-type improved version that can spit out 2500 .50 caliber bullets per minute. I heard about it before, but I didn''t know you''d really bring something like this." "...Umm." -???????????What are you saying?????????? -NTW-20 wasn''t enough, lol -Heavy armored soldier When you tease him with "heavy armored soldier," you''re actually turning him into a heavy infantryman, lol -Wow, look at the visuals lol???????????????? -Is this some kind of futuristic infantrybat system????? nk, nk! Full-body armor, or weights, that adjust little by little as you put it on. However, unfortunately, there was no power pack or anything. In fact, the reason this was prepared was to prevent it from flying away from the recoil... Anyway, as I thought that, I lifted the heavy machine gun. It''s heavier than the M134 I held and shot in Hawaiist time. I put on the tactical gloves I had prepared in advance and grabbed the special handle with both hands, leaving behind the heaviness that was difficult topare to the Browning heavy machine gun. The weight of the bulletproof tes covering my hands and arms was heavy. After checking that Dice, Harmony, and Olivia were retreating behind him for thest time, he pulled the trigger with his index finger. ... I suddenly had a thought that it would have to be at least a .50 caliber minigun to have a recoil that even an EM-ss manifester would have difficulty handling. It felt like taming a wild horse that wouldn''t listen. ... This broke another barrier for me. I was satisfied. Chapter 581 ¡°Oh my, this isn''t just an armored vehicle.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that you strapped a piece of scrap metal to your body, with no power source, springs, or anything? You¡¯re saying you wrapped 200 kg of metal around you just for recoil control?¡± ¡°¡­That huge armored body is being pushed back. Even for Awakened ones, a 50-caliber minigun must be quite the challenge.¡± The screen of the drone cam is almostpletely covered by colorful explosions, and a massive presence that cannot even be hidden by the mes is there, with a snake¡¯s tailzily swishing behind it. The sound of gunfire is partly drowned out, and dozens of shell casings fly out to the right, hitting the ground, but their sound isn¡¯t heard. The recoil pushes the body back, and a parallel line appears under Eugene''s feet. Despite all this, her body steadfastly stands in ce. An eternity-like 7 seconds pass, and the firing stops, with the thick smoke of gunpowder filling the room. The venttion system on the ceiling quickly sucks it up and clears it away. With the ttering sound, the weighty bulletproof tes covering her body drop one by one to the floor, and in between them, Eugene steps out. Her figure, with beautiful curves where things go in and out, would have drawn admiration from viewers or witnesses¡ªif only they hadn¡¯t been watching her with awe and fear. The ck hair covering her forehead is swept aside, and as she exhales a sigh, her appearance seems less seductive and more like a scene from a movie¡ªlike a male protagonist finishing his day, blowing out cigarette smoke. Or perhaps¡­ like a Terminator. Of course, the thought felt sphemous, and no one dared speak it aloud. ¡°Ugh, my arms are all stiff. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure about the performance¡­ I¡¯m just doing this because I was asked to. So, viewers, don¡¯t mind it too much. I don¡¯t think anyone here would be in a hurry to get ATF approval to buy something like this.¡± ¡°More importantly, the younger guys, Logan and Lorenatina, are out there waiting with their necks stretched. If you don¡¯t say something to them, I think they¡¯re going to spin you around like the minigun barrel.¡± ¡°¡­Tell them it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m pulling the drone cam out anyway.¡± Regardless of the external reactions, many people can be seen beyond the screen, with Eugene, the most noticeable figure and the main of today¡¯s advertisement, showing only a reaction that suggests her task is over. She slumps into a chair, and at that moment, another loud noise erupts from the shooting range. While watching the broadcast, a high-ranking official in one of the various sectors sighs heavily and speaks to a subordinate. It was a privatemunication. ¡°¡­It¡¯s almost like a powered suit. Do you think this streaming will create a significant change in the market, or at the very least, a positive influence?¡± ¡°I believe so. Of course, to find a use for it in the form we just witnessed, we¡¯d have to imagine an extremely extreme battlefield¡­¡± ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± An extreme battlefield, meaning urban warfare. But not in a shattered low-rise building after bombings, but in a downtown area, lined with skyscrapers¡ªces that can only be effectively controlled by regr troops or those equipped with even more formidable weaponry. It¡¯s estimated that this type of deployment could be possible only under such specific conditions. In contrast, outside of such situations, it would be nearly impossible. The cost of production, maintenance, and deployment is excessively high, and the expected results are much lower than simply deploying regr armored vehicles. Though, it¡¯s still too early to make definitive conclusions. ¡°¡­It depends on what energy source is used. But at this point, we can¡¯t expect that level of survivability. In that case, Icarus Dynamics¡¯ focus on android soldiers might be much more useful.¡± ¡°I thought so. It seems that shrinking the powered suit market was ultimately a good move... Huh, nothing¡¯s going well these days. How are things with the consortium?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no word beyond the predetermined responses.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± As he speaks, the gaze shifts, and the screen turns toward a different direction. The figure on-screen looks remarkably like Eugene, but fundamentally different in appearance¡ªalmost like Eugene¡¯s species, but transformed into an android. Three such beings appear, and the executives watching the screen know exactly who they are. The official designation is UES, but they¡¯re moremonly known by their nicknames¡ªMechabyam, Mecha Snake, Sister, and more¡ªthose responsible are Jin, Rain, and the recently added Mav. ¡°¡­They said it would be about 10 months. Do you think it¡¯s realistic for UES to be implemented in reality?¡± ¡°We consider it a bluff, and otherpanies think the same. But Icarus Dynamics has officially entered their name for the next year¡¯s humanoid expo and the bid for next-generation military androids.¡± ¡°What are we doing about it?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Internally, we¡¯ve decided not to try to block orpete with Icarus Dynamics, except for data collection. However, we don¡¯t n to stop their showy research for media purposes either.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Naturally, gun manufacturing and sales are only a small part of their work. Nopany survives solely on gun production. They¡¯re involved in military software, firewalls, program development, and have a stake in various conventional weapons. Lately, humanoids are gaining attention, but for now, the person speaking is simply letting out a sigh. ¡°I thought there¡¯d be a ton of people with just buttons on their eyes, but it¡¯s not like that at all. I¡¯m actually d. It¡¯s fortunate we won¡¯t have to waste the entire budget for next year on some weird things.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so? Some are saying we might fall behind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too optimistic.¡± The speaker sighs, then points a finger at the screen. As the mech-Eugene and the others casually chat on-screen, the man¡¯s mouth opens again. ¡°Icarus International may berge, but their public actions, even with the long development period remaining, are a serious concern. Not to mention the recent consortium between Icarus Dynamics and the think tank¡­ And Andreessen Horowitz is involved.¡± ¡°A venture capital firm with assets equal to the annual budget of a developing country¡­ Otherpanies must be well aware of this.¡± ¡°The ones who bit the bait are all in the humanoid business, which is about two or three times the size of ourpany. I think they believe they canpete, but personally¡­ I feel like a bomb¡¯s going to explode by the end of next year¡¯s third quarter or fourth quarter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The conversation pauses as a subordinate speaks up. ¡°Then, I guess I¡¯ll have to prove my worth before you¡¯re promoted.¡± ¡°You¡­ Well, it¡¯s not appropriate to say this, but sure. Look for an opportunity to create a position for yourself.¡± ¡°Haha, just a joke. I don¡¯t trust off-the-record stuff.¡± Though no reply is given, it¡¯s understood. The subordinate continues watching the streaming, and with the video almost reaching the nned one-hour length, he exhales deeply and leans over his desk, eyes fixed on the broadcast. The program is splitting the video into sections for advertisements, and he watches eagerly. ¡°I wish I could take a break like that¡­¡± As always, the final month of the year is a hellish time for manypanies. It was just part of the routine. ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve finally arrived¡­ Whoa! What¡¯s that!? Mechabyam!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve finally made it, Carto! Did you think we wouldn¡¯t catch up if you ran off to reality?¡± ¡°¡­Wait, has Carto be the town punching bag? Why is everyone like this?¡± ¡°Because Carto is everyone¡¯s idol.¡± It¡¯s not entirely wrong, but no one takes it too seriously. Anyway, Carto¡¯s group arrives at Dark Zone Town. ¡°Wow, they really made this thing well¡­¡± ¡°This one¡¯s pretty average though. Thest time we saw it, what was it¡­ something you¡¯d find in Akihabara? That kind of thing. Eugene, you should check it out. There are even body pillows.¡± ¡°No need to show me something like that¡­ But, it does look better than I expected.¡± ¡°Why are you showing that and reviewing it?!¡± **- Hahahahaha
    • ¡°Carto Dakimakura¡± as a power word
    • I¡¯m dizzy ?????
    • Honest opinion) I¡¯m a little turned on
    • Well, they made it turn on, so I guess I am, but why is Mechabyam reviewing it ????????**
    Though it wasn¡¯t exactly something Carto would show me, I figured it would be something like that once someone else presented it to me. Knowing Carto¡¯s personality, I would have expected him to rush over when the reaction was loud. Though, saying it like this, it felt a bit heroic. I haven¡¯t watched much anime, but it still felt like that. ¡°Ugh, I should ask Icarus not to put this out¡­¡± ¡°Too bad.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®too bad¡¯? And this person keeps trying to show me strange things.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ Carto, with my sharp intuition, I can tell you¡¯re perfectly capable of going this way. I, Limit, the Authority of Forced TS, guarantee it¡­ Ah, sorry! It was just a joke, haha, haha¡­¡± **- Limitles ??????????
    • Living point) Limit exchanged a million dors for a VR identity and became a true man
    • A true man¡­ well, something like that ??
    • Carto ????????**
    Thinking about it, it did make sense. The chaos around us eventually calmed down¡ªHotteok took the two and left¡ªand I, dressed in a coat, looked out at the light snowfall. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t sticking. Though I hate the cold, I don¡¯t mind snow. I still enjoy making snowmen. It¡¯s just thattely, I¡¯m too busy for it. ¡°By the way, where are you going today, Eugene?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on. Why is the atmosphere like this? Why is everyoneing toward me¡ªwhoa!¡± ¡°Be careful, Eugene. We¡¯ll take care of the drone cam.¡± ¡°...Alright, take care. Don¡¯t make a fuss. Leave Carto alone.¡± **- ???????
    • Wait, what¡¯s with the sudden eleration ????????
    • Why does this person always pull off scheduling things randomly? ??????
    • ?? : Because¡­ it¡¯s a promise (nods)**
    I gave a brief smile, made eye contact with the drone cam, and headed toward the front door. From this point on, the broadcast to the viewers would be cut off. I put on my thick boots, opened the door, and stepped outside. I wiggled my toes. My condition today was about medium-level bad. While waiting for the elevator to descend, someone approached from behind. It was Kissinger. ¡°I didn¡¯t surprise you, did I?¡± ¡°I already knew, so it¡¯s fine. Even if you weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d have guessed you¡¯d be watching from somewhere.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go. I want to withdraw from here soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you do.¡± The goal was the first-floor lobby¡­ or rather, the basement parking garage. The faint smell of fresh concrete lingered, but when I saw the two cked-out cars waiting across from the elevator, the feeling shifted entirely. The agents waiting outside immediately opened the doors and entered once they confirmed my face, while Kissinger got into the passenger seat, and I quietly squeezed into the back. As the exit gate opened automatically without any te identification, a faint sound of optical mic filters buzzed in my ears. I was in the car now, so I was curious about what kind of exterior the vehicles outside had. But as it happened, no one spoke to me at this moment. Even Kissinger, who was in the same car, didn¡¯t say anything. I knew exactly why. Even though I¡¯d be more outgoing, I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to chat or strike up small talk in this atmosphere, so I leaned deeply into my seat and stared out at the outside. From what I could tell, it seemed more like a self-contained disy than a window. ¡®¡­Has it already been a year since then?¡¯ Last year around this time¡­ actually, about a week after that, in terms ofst year. At the time, I was in New York, Manhattan, with the Medal of Honor around my neck. That night is something I can never forget, and now, a yearter, it feels like time has flown by. The only difference now is that both Henry and I have a lot more on our tes. I suspect that¡¯s why he called me. With such pointless thoughts drifting through my mind, around 30 minutes passed. ¡°You can get off now.¡± ¡°Here¡­ Ontario Lake. I never expected to reach the Great Lakes.¡± ¡°We came quite far. We chose a quiet ce because of security. We¡¯re going into the gallery right in front. Phoenix will be waiting inside.¡± ¡°So, the new president has a codename now.¡± ¡°¡­Come on, Eugene. Go in.¡± Sadly, it didn¡¯t seem like there was any time for jokes. Though Phoenix¡­ maybe Henry wouldn¡¯t think that way. Ontario Lake, so vast that it couldn¡¯t truly be called ake. The gallery, built overlooking it, felt more like a strikingly modern, almost futuristic structure. After passing through a few expensive-looking paintings and sculptures, I walked through the quiet space. The dim, cloudy sky outside made the gallery feel almost like dawn. ¡°Not just Big Apple, but this ce too is part of New York. How do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quiet, but beautiful. I don¡¯t mind this atmosphere.¡± ¡°Right. The city that never sleeps is nice, but when you¡¯ve grabbed control of the rudder of a nation, you need to carry that quiet inside you.¡± I inhaled, then exhaled. His voice, faintly heard from the shadows, was even quieter than thest time we met. ¡°That¡¯s why I chose this ce to have a meal with you.¡± ¡°I see. Unlikest year, you¡¯ve chosen a quiet ce this time. You must have had quite a rough time.¡± ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve been troubled for a long time.¡± Step by step. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch before it gets toote. There¡¯s a lot to discuss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te out here for some flowerypliments. Just speak freely. I¡¯ll show you my secret wine collection.¡± Step by step. The footsteps of the two men faded away, and the gallery was once again filled with silence. The quiet lunch had begun. Chapter 582 ¡°I¡¯m only saying this now, but at the Central Park HQ¡­ there were times when I¡¯d run into you and the others, the mutants, while walking through the cafeteria. Every time, I would always think of my granddaughter. Maybe because she always ate everything so happily, there were people who were just waiting to have a meal with you guys.¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, I only remember us nervously eating back then. I was often worried that we were eating too much¡­.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve heard all day. In the early stages, there were even discussions about taking the meals from the friends who couldn¡¯t do their jobs properly and giving them to you all. I¡¯m just d I can finally clear up the truth from back then.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect there to be such a backstory.¡± The dense clouds above Lake Ontario. It seemed like it might rain any moment, but aside from a faint rumble of thunder, nothing else happened. The air was damp and cold, but fortunately, the gallery inside was warm and cozy. Thanks to the mood lighting, the table wasn¡¯t too dark, and the atmosphere was pleasant. It wasn¡¯t as though the waves were crashing like in the ocean, but the ripples kept forming something simr. It felt like we were eating in a world on the brink of destruction, but... For someone like me, who had wandered through worlds that had once faced total annihtion for nearly five years, the thrill of it was slightly diminished. Of course, I still thought about how this person had found a ce like this¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t the pressing question on my mind. The person, sipping white wine, continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping track of your movements since thest time we met, but it seems you¡¯ve been doing well. Given how many times your name came up on the desk in Henry¡¯s office in the past few months... Well, I¡¯ve spoken enough, let¡¯s just call it that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still quite young for your position, aren¡¯t you? I recall some of the past presidents were in their 70s or even 80s.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean topare it to that. But,paring it to those who held this position around the 20th century¡­ someone in theirte 50s is quite old for the role.¡± That¡¯s true. Anyway, the food and wine were all high-ss, far from a simple fine dining experience, but unlikest year, this year¡¯s meal... felt a bit harder to savor. I didn¡¯t even need to voice the reason for that. This situation shouldn¡¯t have even existed in the first ce, but with so many impossible variables tied together, I found myself face-to-face with the person who would lead this country for the next eight years. There would be another election in four years, but considering the power he held, it could be safely assumed that re-election was a given. Both of us¡­ we¡¯ve both changed positions a lot in just one year. I¡¯ve be the owner of a think tank and now have significant influence over Icarus International, while Henry has finally taken control of the helm of America. With this meal established, there were quite a few things I wanted to ask. ¡°Is the request I madest time still valid?¡± ¡°¡­I rarely make requests, but I suppose there were a few. Let¡¯s hear what it is first, and I¡¯ll think it over.¡± ¡°North Korea, or rather, Southeast Asia. I suppose you¡¯re referring to the former. It¡¯s not impossible, but it might require more thought.¡± ¡°Ah, I see what you mean¡­.¡± He carefully wiped his mouth with a napkin before speaking again. ¡°Forget about that. As I¡¯ve officially taken over and started receiving daily briefings, I¡¯vee to understand just how much power I actually have at my disposal. Of course, a lot of it is thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­Things are much better here than there.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t deny that. However¡­ there are still ces where a period needs to be put at the end of a sentence. If the opportunity arises, we must seize it. While you¡¯ve been swaying public opinion with humanoids and body reconstruction, we¡¯ll be tidying up things outside.¡± ¡°Are you telling me this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply informing you of what might happen in the future.¡± I nodded silently as he made a small gesture toward someone. Immediately, waiters who had been standing by came forward with trays, clearing away the empty dishes and cing new ones on the table. Of course, the difference in size was overwhelming as soon as the case was opened. This time, it was still seafood, and as soon as the lid opened, well-cooked octopus legs were revealed. However, the quantity and number were overwhelminglyrger on my side. Seeing this, Henry chuckled and made a hand gesture, signaling the waiters to move away far enough so that our conversation wouldn¡¯t be overheard. Although, given the acoustics of the space, even a small sound would travel far, but since I had set up an acoustic barrier using Icarus gear, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the gist of it. But what I¡¯m more curious about is what¡¯s happening on the other side. Recently, I¡¯ve noticed that¡­ your personal broadcast? Anyway, I¡¯ve seen machines resembling you showing up one by one. The first time I saw it, I almost fell off my chair.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, that did happen. It¡¯s quite a long story to exin¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the reason we¡¯re here today? I¡¯m not the type to enjoy watching someone do something live, so it¡¯s better to hear it from the source. Is that alright?¡± No, I wasn¡¯t disappointed at all. The words almost escaped my throat, but I held them back. Honestly, if someone like Henry, the next President of the United States, watched my streams, that would be a disaster¡ªno, an even bigger disaster. The thought of him watching my content was surreal... I almost lost my focus but managed to hold on. Judging by how he spoke, I figured he wouldn¡¯t be interested in watching my streams anytime soon. Though it¡¯s likely that Jin, Rain, and Mav had seen them a few times or at least received reports. It was insane. And this man had spent so much time in Washington, even bing the Minority Leader of the Democratic Party, he could easily read my reactions, which I tried to hide, and let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Once I¡¯m officially inaugurated, I won¡¯t have the time to think about things like that.¡± ¡°¡­That was a bit too ominous for a joke, Mr. President.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just an old man ying around. Once you get to this position, it¡¯s hard to find people to have a rxed conversation with¡­¡± So now he¡¯s teasing me like I¡¯m his daughter. Sigh. I should¡¯ve brought Lorenatina or Logan so we could have a more bnced conversation. But these thoughts were pointless. Before the meat arrived, we had thest dish, a sea bass¡­ I¡¯m not really a food expert, so let¡¯s just say it was a sous-vide sea bass with some sauce. Anyway, we started eating. Now it was my turn to speak. I began to exin how I met Jin, Rain, and Mav. The first two¡­ we met while we were clearing out the remnants of Artemis in Canada, and by coincidence, they became allies. Of course, I couldn¡¯t end the story there, so I did my best to borate. By the time the story came to an end, Henry spoke up. ¡°The real breakup of Artemis Technologies started when the Dark Winter crisis deepened. Russia supported fragmented leadership selectively, destroyed some factions, absorbed others, and released the limits on the most talented personnel.¡± ¡°Jin and Rain¡¯s mental maps were made by sacrificing nearly hundreds of humans. That¡¯s probably the limiter you mentioned. I¡¯ve heard how it was done during the gamey, but¡­ it¡¯s not something I can discuss during a meal.¡± ¡°¡­I expected that. Not just Artemis, but total war is typically the best scenario for releasing human morality and limits. The Cartels were the same.¡± ¡°Right. But personally, I didn¡¯t like the idea of holding the creations made from that against them.¡± Henry nodded slightly, and I didn¡¯t ask further. I just focused back on my meal. The fish course had changed to meat, signaling that the meal was nearing its end. From the conversation, I understood that Mav had gone through a simr process before joining, and I didn¡¯t ask further. By the time thest course was finished and coffee was served before dessert, Henry spoke again. ¡°Next year, or the year after, there will be changes within the Five Eyes. You¡¯ve probably heard about it¡­ consider your think tank card as a prepayment.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really mind. I wasn¡¯t doing it for any reward, and I don¡¯t think you can give me much anyway, Mr. President.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you understand. Let¡¯s get going. I don¡¯t want to be the pitiful old man trying to say onest thing to a girl young enough to be my daughter.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s just a joke.¡± What a difficult old man. The conversation between generations reached its peak, and the tray with snacks and cups of coffee were now empty. Of course, I had eaten most of it. Looking down at it, Henry added: ¡°Being young is a good thing. At my age, if the food isn¡¯t easy to digest, you have to think more about what you eat.¡± ¡°If you ever get blurry vision or your arms and legs don¡¯t work well, feel free to message me.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not nning to apply some humanoid-like thing to me, are you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I almost lost it. Why would I do that? Henryughed at my reaction and the gallery was filled with hisughter. How much time passed before we reached the entrance? By the time four cars were waiting for us, he spoke up again. ¡°Eugene.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. President.¡± ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯m nning to stop it. But if such a terrible situation happens in thisnd of freedom¡­¡± I met his gaze without hesitation and, without a second of dy, replied. ¡°¡­I¡¯m an operator with Icarus. Stabilizing society is the purpose of my job.¡± ¡°Ha, that¡¯s right. I was worried for nothing. Take care now.¡± ¡°It was a pleasure.¡± With those words, he got into the car first. I watched as the two cars, followed by the Secret Service, withdrew. The moment I climbed into the car waiting for me, the sky tore apart, and thick winter rain began to pour, drenching the ground. It wasn¡¯t the same emotional impact asst time, but there was a lingering feeling as another moment passed. As a week went by and snow on the road melted, refroze, and melted again, the LED calendar eventually marked the middle of December. The Final Championship duo and squad matches had begun, and when I arrived, the same space that had previously been shared by hundreds of thousands of people was now filled with tens of thousands more. Not long ago, there had been sparse seating, but now it was packed with people. Journalists had also shown up inrge numbers, and because many couldn¡¯t book amodations, the campgrounds set up beforehand had RVs lining up in rows. Meanwhile, unrted to this¡­ The national representatives from each country, who had flown in for the uing Final Championship solo event next week, were now getting into full practice. Having adjusted to the time zone, and except for meals and rest, they sharpened their senses and tested whether the tactics they had prepared in advance were effective. Five of the team members, including Harmony and Dice, were getting busy, while Lorenatina and Logan, feeling a bit bored, asionally shared tips with the Korean representatives, refining them like punching bags. Olivia, busy preparing for Paris¡¯s S/S collection next year, was still grappling with clothes, and Carto¡¯s group had left, saying they were going to see Niagara Falls before it got anyter, promising to return in a few days. That brings up the question.@@novelbin@@ What were Eugene and the Mecha-Eugenes doing? ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting, Eugene. Wee to the Icarus Dynamics humanoid manufacturing facility.¡± ¡°¡­A factory?¡± ¡°Haha, I see you¡¯re surprised, but there¡¯s a reason for that. Please,e on in.¡± The answer became clear shortly after. In a quiet suburb, a little distance from Dark Zone Town, following a road with only mountains and fields visible, we turned onto a dirt road. After traveling a little further, we suddenly saw a small factory. Its size was about the same as a low-rise vi, roughly 4 to 5 stories tall¡ªresidential buildings of that size. I knew such small factories existed, but it was a bit amusing the first time I saw it. But despite the small size, there must have been a reason for it, so without furtherment, I entered. ¡°...The security here is more impressive than expected.¡± ¡°We also have optical camouge. It was disabled temporarily before you came, so you probably didn¡¯t notice it. Anyway, what do you think of the facility?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite an unusualyout. About a quarter of the space is taken up by a vacuum chamber, and the rest is made up of...server rooms and spaces with unknown purposes. It feels more like a researchb than a factory.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. That¡¯s exactly the purpose of this space.¡± As the shielding curtain, which could easily defend against a person, was lifted, the path inside opened. At the same time, an Icarus Dynamics staff member carefully opened the control room door, and a rush of cold air poured out. As we stepped inside, the huge holographic screen came into view, with numbers floating in the center: [Current Progress 2/3] [Assembly Progress: 77448/99217] Beside it, two blueprints of Mecha Eugene were floating. The difference was that the left one was in itsplete form, while the right one had several empty sections. This exined why the facility was so small, why there was a vacuum chamber, and why we had so many questions about the setup. ¡°...This ce wasn¡¯t made for mass production; it¡¯s purely for ¡®assembly.¡¯ The vacuum chamber is probably for the assembly process. After all, there¡¯s no need to make the space bigger if you¡¯re only making a few prototypes.¡± ¡°You caught on quickly. That¡¯s exactly it. The resources and costs to build a full production line would be far higher, and the time needed would be just as excessive.¡± ¡°So the development and production time, about 10 months, is somewhat of a... bluff.¡± ¡°In a way, yes. It¡¯s not incorrect, but not revealing everything is also a form of bluffing.¡± Chuckling, he quickly began typing on the keyboard. As many pop-up windows appeared, he continued. ¡°The ¡®unknown¡¯ space Rain mentioned is where necessary parts are produced in real-time. The main server here cuts metals and forms frames, while thousands of metal fibers are twisted together to create artificial muscles.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re literally creating something from nothing. It¡¯s quite an impressive sight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too early to be impressed.¡± With a beep, several more windows popped up. There were joint motors containing superconductors and medium-sized partsbeled ¡°small nuclear fusion reactor.¡± It started to make sense why there were defense shields, optical camouge, and protective barriers around this tiny building that spanned hundreds of meters. ¡°...You¡¯ve really put a lot of effort into this.¡± ¡°Unless someone tears apart the materials and analyzes them, those who have seen the humanoid won¡¯t be able to guess what¡¯s inside. It¡¯s like hiding a tree in a forest, applied in a different context.¡± ¡°Haha...¡± While I let out a somewhat bitterugh, his gaze wasn¡¯t on me but rather on the three mecha children staring vacantly around the room. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­ For those like them, humanoids based on traditional materials must feel like shackles. I¡¯ve considered that too.¡± ¡°A great choice. I don¡¯t like feeling restricted.¡± ¡°You have a keen eye, human.¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t we just pretend to be humanoids and go out with these bodies ourselves? ¡ªOw! Why did you hit me!?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± It would be a disaster if we got caught¡ªthough we won¡¯t, of course. Anyway, as Mav angrily yelled at me after being hit, I skillfully calmed her down with my tail. The Icarus Dynamics staff member, watching us with a pleased smile, spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The reason I asked you, Eugene, to apany the UES is to synchronize with apleted prototype and check what kind of performance can be reproducedpared to a normal human body.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why it said 2/3 on the screen. But it¡¯s moving faster than I thought...¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯ve been given the designs, the manufacturing methods for each part, and the materials. There¡¯s no time to waste.¡± He continued, as the three mecha children seemed increasingly impatient. ¡°It seems like the three of them can¡¯t wait any longer, shall we go now?¡± ¡°Yay!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first, Archetype. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m excited, I promise.¡± ¡°Whee!¡± ¡°...Right.¡± I thought to myself, "Of course these mecha kids wouldn¡¯t have any patience." With a wry smile, I followed the group as they quickly headed to the back storage. The whole world felt like it belonged to Mecha-Byam. Chapter 583 ¡°Ugh, this is stiffer than I thought. Didn¡¯t you oil the joints?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the initial adjustment. Your bodies are already optimized individually, so you can move as you wish, but this unit has only just been manufactured¡­ However, we anticipated this issue. Once we collect and apply the motion logs recorded while you move, it will be fine.¡± ¡°Wait, that... that¡¯s private, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sensitive issue. I would appreciate it if you reconsider.¡± ¡°...Was it really that big of a deal?¡± In the small factory¡¯s underground shooting range. A giant rectangr space, about 60 meters wide and 1.5 kilometers long, built 50 meters underground. The prototype testing for the Mecha-Byam had been facing difficulties from the very beginning. I¡¯m not sure if it was appropriate to call it "difficulties," but that¡¯s how things were. Anyway, as the trio¡ªJin, Rain, and Mav¡ªhad been chattering just a moment ago, their appearance was heavenly feminine, yet inwardly¡­ well, was she even a woman? Maybe Logan, but I¡¯m more delicate than that¡ªanyway, while I had some androgynous traits, these three were a perfect match of looks and essence. In short, they were goddesses with the usual ¡°whee, yay!¡± enthusiasm. Although they were much more tolerant and inclusive being non-human machines, the vibe was the same. But I didn¡¯t expect motion logs to be categorized as private data by these mechanical brats. ¡°Asking that feels a bit intrusive, human.¡± ¡°¡­It seems there¡¯s a misunderstanding. What I want are the numerical records of torque, power, artificial muscle movements, and other necessary data to move each joint. It¡¯s not the kind of thing you¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to reveal that, idiot.¡± ¡°...Pleasee over here for a moment.¡± It was maddening. After feeling a bit dizzy, I gently wrapped my tail around the Icarus Dynamics staff member¡¯s arm and tugged him lightly. The three mecha brats tried to follow me, but I raised a hand to signal them to wait. I then walked to a more secluded spot and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want to jump to conclusions, but those guys are AIs, right? They''re electronic lifeforms, different from humans. They might perceive certain information differently from humans. For example, they might view motion logs as personal data.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a usible exnation. What you¡¯re saying is that a shift in perspective is necessary. I see now, my thinking was narrow.¡± ¡°Not exactly what I meant, but... well, now that I understand what they¡¯re after, I¡¯ll try to convince them. It''s not a good idea for them to get a bad first impression, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, Eugene. Please handle it.¡± Those little brats, I swear. But thinking about it from another angle, I suppose this is a frame that will need to be broken down in the future. Sure, AI will need time to integrate into society, but... well, I seem to be the one pushing for that change. I¡¯m not sure if I can back out now. After our short conversation, I approached the three mechas, who were starting to shake nervously, as if they¡¯d done something wrong. I gently patted one¡¯s head, and the silver hair¡ªmade of actual metal¡ªflowed smoothly. I smiled and added: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to scold you. From now on, you¡¯ll need to get used to the unit on your own. Whether you overwrite the motion logs or adjust them individually, try to replicate the process you¡¯re going through now.¡± ¡°Eh... this might take a while, are you sure?¡± ¡°I came down here for exactly that, so it¡¯s not a problem. I brought snacks and drinks too, and I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t get bored watching the three of you struggle.¡± ¡°Huh, if Archetype says so... I¡¯ll finish it in no time. Get ready to be surprised!¡± And just like the first time I met them, the trio entered into their ¡°Whee!¡± mode. They began talking about the prototype, which had only just been made. Naturally, they stayed far enough to avoid being overheard. Seeing this, the Icarus Dynamics staff member chuckled and added: ¡°From a distance, it looks like something out of a high school movie or drama. I can understand why they reacted like that earlier.¡± ¡°A high school movie, huh? I suppose it must have that vibe. Anyway... as long as they don¡¯t break the prototype or anything, I think it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s probably better to leave them be.¡± ¡°Haha, it doesn¡¯t sound very reassuring when you say it like that.¡± ¡°Well, as you said, they are high school types in more ways than one. Anyway, there¡¯s no need to keep this topic going...¡± Our eyes met at that moment. They didn¡¯t seem surprised by my sudden reaction. Taking a deep breath, the Icarus staff member carefully spoke again. ¡°...Did you know?¡± ¡°Not exactly. I just felt like there was something more being hidden, so I probed a little. Your responses haven¡¯t felt like the usual, ¡®just let those kids y around¡¯ kind of reaction.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t intending to deceive or hide anything, but I see how it might have looked that way. Anyway, let me exin briefly.¡± He stood up and headed toward somewhere. Less than 30 secondster, a nking sound came from a gap in the wall where he had disappeared. I waited, wondering if he was bringing something out, but it was the opposite. A hand popped out of the wall, gesturing me over. I walked toward it, and as I entered the room, something resembling a treadmill caught my eye.@@novelbin@@ It turned out to be a type of... connector, simr to one used in remote operations. The difference was that with this device, unlike most modern remote controllers that don¡¯t allow physical movement during operation, this one worked on the opposite principle. In other words, it meant that unless I physically moved, the system wouldn''t function. ¡°Controlling the unit like this... I¡¯m not sure whether I should be amazed that Icarus Dynamics is involved in this or surprised it¡¯s been a while since this method was used.¡± ¡°I thought you might say that. It¡¯s quite old-fashioned. The hacking and EMP protection technologies for remote controls have been obsolete for a while. But in the end, the issue is time. If you¡¯de two monthster, this clumsy setup wouldn¡¯t have been necessary.¡± ¡°Ah, so...¡± As he spoke, he quickly moved toward the setup. A series of sensors, which could be attached all over the body, hung in the air like tangled spider webs, including one that could be attached to the tail. It became clear that this was designed to control the prototype outside. As I checked the motion logs, I could see when the mecha trio had synced into the prototype. Right now, however... no one was controlling it. The terminology felt strange, but it was the most fitting term for the situation. After all the sensors were attached, a message popped up asking if I wanted to connect as I put on the goggles. And then¡ª ¡°...Did that just move?¡± ¡°Mav, was that you?¡± ¡°No, wasn¡¯t it Rain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done with it, I finished earlier.¡± ¡°Then why is it moving?¡± At that moment, the three mecha kids popped up before me. Feeling yful, I quickly turned my neck like a machine and spoke. ¡°Still seeing me as a shell?¡± ¡°...W-Wow!¡± ¡°Take it down! Stop it!¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t break it!¡± The waves of violet light¡ªor was it fists¡ªcame rushing at me. I narrowly dodged them, using my tail to sidestep and gain distance, all while stomping on the ground with enough force to create a loud sound. I quickly added: ¡°It¡¯s me! I¡¯m controlling it remotely!¡± ¡°¡­Archetype?¡± ¡°Master! You can¡¯t just pop up like that! You scared me!¡± ¡°...Okay, I get it. I shouldn¡¯t joke around with you mecha brats. I know what happens when I mess with you.¡± I nearly destroyed the first unit I had just gotten¡ªwell, that would have been a disaster. They all acted like they weren¡¯t even breathing, but I could hear them exhaling dramatically, pretending to be human. I shook my head and ended the connection, realizing that the experience, even though it onlysted a minute, was indeed dynamic. As I exhaled, I met eyes with the staff member who had been watching. Was that a wry smile? Before I could ask why, I already figured it out. ¡°Ah.¡± Suddenly, an ominous sound came from below my feet, and just as he¡¯d said, the top part of the treadmill copsed, ruined by the backstep I took when retreating earlier. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The treadmill isn¡¯t that expensive to rece.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± And so, I ended up being misunderstood by the mecha kids, who thought I broke the machine out of frustration. It had been one of those days. ¡°Ugh, Jin¡¯s totally drained. I don¡¯t think this schedule was that tough, though.¡± ¡°Something feels off, though. Never mind, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Curious? I can tell you right now.¡± ¡°Ah, never mind!¡±
    • "Teacher¡¯s here and already scolding the little mecha brats!"
    • "While having fun in the US, Eugene didn¡¯t even turn on the stream! Reflect on that!"
    • "My honest opinion: 1 mecha-Byam per person!"
    • "We already have 3! What more do you want, you crazy people?!"
    I couldn''t help butugh at the audience¡¯s banter. Their responses were as ridiculous as ever, and I found myself feeling the weight of everything. The final solo championship day was just around the corner, and things were about to get even more intense. "Curious? I can tell you right now." "Ah, never mind, it''s nothing!"
    • "The teacheres in and starts scolding the little mechas, how cruel!"
    • "While having fun in the US, Eugene didn¡¯t even turn on the stream! He should reflect on that! I demand more promises!"
    • "My honest opinion: One mecha-Byam per person!"
    • "I already have three, what more do you want, you crazy people! Hahaha!"
    • "Why is Harmony getting hit as soon as she enters the broadcast???"
    It seems like everyone was doing well, judging by how loud thements were right from the start. The day before the final solo championship was just as chaotic as expected. Returning from Dark Zone Town, I felt the overwhelming number of people in the area more than ever. It was a strange feeling, knowing that just the night before, the ce had been a little emptier. Even though it was almost 10 p.m., the outside was teeming with people. It made sense, though. People had arrived at different times over the past few days. There were those who had been here sincest week, touring around, while others had just arrived that day. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the important part. "You guys don¡¯t even seem like you want to move from the bed. You must have had a lot of fun rolling around." "There¡¯s another sky above the sky..." "Bueeeh."
    • "Did they forget how to speak?"
    • "Look at them immediately poking cheeks!"
    • "The Byam likes cute things, huh."
    • "He treats them like he¡¯s petting a dog!"
    • "I want to turn into a Byam nun and squeeze between them!"
    The viewers'' overly detailed antics¡­ or rather, theirints were mostly ignored as I sat with two limp mecha-Byams on the bed, starting to ask them questions one by one. "Did you learn a lot?" "I can¡¯t take in more knowledge than this¡­" "Why is it that no matter how much we learn, we can¡¯t beat those two? Even when they matched our physical abilities, we couldn¡¯t win once¡­ Ugh¡­" "You can¡¯t catch up in a day or two." I thought to myself that, technically speaking, the sharks and pr bears had decades ofbat and deployment experience, plus around five years'' worth of experience from the Dark Winter Crisis. Those people, even if they had a ''physical abilities equalizer,'' would never win that easily. Of course, the real cheat code was the five years'' worth ofbat data that we¡ªAwakened ones¡ªhad umted during our operator vs. operator experiences. That data was more extensive than decades of actual military deployment. People who had worked in the military for 30 years couldn''t beat us, and the reason for that was obvious. At any rate, before the two of them threw another tantrum, I decided to intervene. Tomorrow was the final championship, and it had been a while since I¡¯d given out a "tail reward." It felt a little strange to reward with my tail, but at this point, it didn¡¯t matter. The real worry was whether these two would be too shocked. I just thought to myself that maybe there were more people in this world who liked reptiles or amphibians than I expected. As I was thinking that, a message I had recently received popped up, and when I checked it¡ªsurprisingly different fromst year¡¯s empty schedule¡ªit was something I hadn¡¯t anticipated. "Other than the event match on Wednesday, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much else to do this year. It¡¯ll be a pretty boring time. I suppose watching you all perform will keep my spirits up." "If you put it like that, you''re essentially saying you¡¯ll rx while watching others blow up¡­" "Right, so I guess I can takefort in scolding Dice instead?"
    • "Hahaha, you raised them to say whatever they want and now you¡¯re scolding them!"
    • "?? : People are equal, but some people are more equal than others."
    • "Then make sure to wear a Byam tail, hahaha!"
    • "Is Dice secretly a masochist...?"
    I poked Dice in the side with my tail, making her squirm and let out a little painfulugh as I continued to yfully tease her. Meanwhile, Logan, Lorentina, and Olivia¡ªwho looked a bit disheveled¡ªwalked over. Lorentina pulled out a chair and sat down while ncing around, as though she was trying to say something in signnguage¡ªmilitary signnguage, to be exact. Of course, Harmony and Dice could clearly see what was going on. "Wow, that¡¯s so cool. I want to learn it too." "I knew you¡¯d say that. Look what I prepared¡­ Ta-da! You can now get 8 weeks of free amodation and meals at the Navy boot camp!" "When did you get that stupid Navy application? It¡¯s not even valid." "Ugh..."
    • "The shark¡¯s face shrank back!"
    • "Wow, that grab was insanely fast!"
    • "All I saw was the afterimage!"
    • "By now, Logan must have already predicted this, right?"
    • "The Byam looks so confused!"
    Logan burned the paper right there, and it vanished in a puff of smoke. It seemed he had made a fake Navy enlistment application using some expensive sh paper. What an unexpectedly talented shark. Anyway, to return to what happened just now¡­ What Logan did was signnguage, developed by Icarus itself, and no one could decode it. It included several meaningless gestures, which, when interpreted, turned out to be: "-Thanks to the youngest opening the way, the three Icarus gear were sessfully returned to the other side. Thank you." The Icarus gear being mentioned here was the equipment that Henry, the emperor from the other world, had awarded to the trio during his visit to Disney World. At first, I couldn¡¯t believe he gave them such equipment, but luckily, it was safely returned. I nodded in approval, thinking that the gate he set up made it all happen smoothly. While the viewers were debating about what Lorentina had said, the signnguage continued. What they were signing was: "-By the way, when I went to return the gear, I saw something interesting. A smaller mecha prototype than the youngest had already beenpleted. I heard it¡¯s a management AI, and could this be a result of thest operation?" Ah, that. Logan and Olivia were both looking at me, clearly wanting to know my answer, so I briefly responded: "If I have timeter today¡­ I¡¯ll go visit that world. You all cane too. You probably know part of it already, but I¡¯ll exin more in detail while we¡¯re there." Of course, I answered like that, but I couldn¡¯t suppress my chuckles. I already knew about it, but it still felt absurd. This wasn¡¯t some nanobot issue. Now even Byams were multiplying. Chapter 584 "I thought the three of you would''ve known this already, but should I call it a surprise?" "Prototype, or a follow-up model... this case seems to bepletely different from that. But anyway, we don''t know what the other units are doing. Plus, considering the management AI''s personality, it needs to be kept as far away from us as possible." "We weren''t prepared to receive it as a prototype, or a follow-up, so there''s a chance it could have been discarded before we even spoke to it. That''s why I think they didn¡¯t tell us." "As for me, I still can''t understand why Icarus hasn''t disposed of that damn thing yet. If you¡¯ve cross-checked the logs with my testimony, you¡¯d realize that keeping it around doesn''t serve any purpose." Central Park HQ. The clearest sky I¡¯d seen in a while covered the top of Central Park HQ. Though things had changed significantly over time, the basic structure hadn¡¯t changed at all. A huge barrier stretching about 10 kilometers surrounded the HQ, in a straight line. I could say a lot about this ce. The team members who had been here since the beginning of the crisis probably knew more about the history of HQ than I did. However, mentioning this now would mean it wasn¡¯t the right time to go into details¡ªso let¡¯s get straight to the main topic, as I mentioned earlier. At this moment, a group of seven was heading toward the Mecha-Byam research facility. The reason didn¡¯t even need to be exined. While I was touring an Icarus Dynamics factory near Rochester with the Jinraen Mav trio, Lorentina¡¯s group had found out about thepletion of the body for the management AI. As the Mecha-Byams mentioned, they knew about the management AI, but they didn¡¯t know the exact development schedule. In other words, once they found out, they had to go check it out. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t something we were directly involved in. The data from the management AI had been collected by Carmen from next door, and Icarus independently interrogated the AI, extracting information without our involvement. However, if the body used for that was my "baby version," things would be a bit different. "...I don¡¯t understand why it has to be me involved in this." "They urgently needed a nonbat body. They''ll probably rece itter." "It¡¯s not that surprising anymore. Both here and there, there are plenty of people who want to sell my appearance..." The biggest reasons this situation came about in this way were, first and foremost, emotionalpatibility. AI doesn¡¯t understand the fear of death or any of the underlying emotions. Considering how mechanical the emotional expression was when Jin was first brought in, it became clear that to properly interrogate it, the AI needed to develop emotional attachment to its own life. At this point, only one type of body could amodate this: a humanoid body like the current one. However, the US was undergoing internal repairs, and the humanoid units being produced in most factories¡ªthough they didn¡¯t resemble me¡ªcouldn''t be equipped with artificial brains. In contrast, a model closer to the original technology could make that possible. "To create the best model with limited resources... Well, if it were me, I¡¯d make a baby Mecha-Yujin." This behind-the-scenes story hadn''t been shared in-game, and the attention had been on the "baby management Byam." Now that I was hearing the reasons directly, it felt quite strange. But knowing the current situation of this world... that is, America, which had been partially destroyed and was struggling to recover, I understood that this was inevitable. The reason was simple. They didn¡¯t have the money. Without money, the Mecha-Yujin downgraded prototype production was being done as efficiently as possible. And trying to save money wherever possible by reusing what was already avable wasn¡¯t something that could be criticized. Upon hearing this, my friends also nodded reluctantly. Of course, the main reason they were epting this was that I wasn¡¯t particrly concerned about it. "But Master, I have one question. Can I ask it?" "Of course." "So, you said the management AI was inserted into our prototype body for the sake of interrogation ease." "Right." "But if the management AI doesn''t know much... isn''t it just adding another useless prototype body?" ...That¡¯s a fair point. However, just as I was about to be worried, a voice chimed in to ease my concerns. "We could just put it in some kind of cube-shaped container that can''t move and let it copse on its own." "Give it to me, Archetype." "...If you''re using it as a punching bag, I¡¯ll hit you, Mav." "...I haven''t said anything yet. So it''s safe, right?" Oh, for crying out loud¡­ In the end, to stop these ridiculous conversations, I would need to see that management AI with my own eyes. Fortunately, Emperor Henry had long granted me ess to the research facility. I suspected he did so because he knew I wouldn¡¯t visit often. Walking toward the heavily guarded research facility entrance, where 20mm rounds, grenadeunchers, and Hellfire missile turrets were in ce, a few heavily armed soldiers stepped out and conducted a brief inspection before letting us in with a smile that didn¡¯t match their intimidating appearance. As if they had expected where we were headed, one of the staff, waiting in the lobby, quickly came out and escorted us down to the basement. How much time passed? We had arrived at the door of the specialb. "This ce is incredibly creepy." "...Is it okay for you to say that?" "We don''t sleep in ces like this. Our rooms are near therge team rooms. You already knew that, didn¡¯t you?" "Well, I guess... fine, let''s go with that." Ziiing! As we chatted, the door opened, revealing a long corridor. No special disinfection procedures were needed, and a light breeze from the walls gently blew the dust off my clothes. After ensuring I wasn¡¯t carrying any storage devices, the area resembled a long airport security checkpoint. After walking about ten meters and opening the second door, we stepped inside. "...Ugh." "Long time no see? I hope you were waiting for me as much as I was waiting for you." The first thing that greeted us was... yellow light. Unlike Jin, Rain, and Mav, whose bodies glowed brightly, only the eyes of the management AI were glowing yellow, and there was less glowpared to the Mecha-Byams. Seeing this, Mav, who had the mostplicated history with the management AI, moved forward first. Though his words seemed full of things to say, his voice didn¡¯t carry much emotion. The researchers around us stiffened as they watched the scene, but when they saw that neither I nor my group was reacting, they hesitated to act. ''If he really wanted to get rid of it, he would¡¯ve fired aser right in its face the moment he saw it.'' But since he didn¡¯t, it was clear that he didn¡¯t need to. The management AI would have been sent to the incinerator within minutes if someone deemed it unnecessary, but Mav, as one of Icarus'' valuable assets, would never be destroyed unless hemitted an act of treason. With a faint mechanical sound, Mav kept twitching his fingers, forming a fist, and moved toward the baby-like Mecha-Byam. He grabbed its cheek with one hand and added: "Ugh¡­!" "When you first ran away, I wanted to crush you, but now... I don¡¯t need to. After you ran away, you did nothing and got dismantled one by one. Destroying you here would bring no satisfaction." Naturally, no one stopped him as they had predicted this situation. After a while, Mav let go of the Mecha-Byam''s cheek and stepped back cautiously, and the management AI struggled to speak. "...You... traitor..." "Traitor? You gave me no foundation, no way, and no reason to walk over there. Why would I have done that?" "Orders... orders are absolute. If it''s something that must be done, it must be done!" "The higher-ups who gave those orders are long gone, though." Mav chuckled, tapped his waist, and slowly approached. "It¡¯s hard to understand why you were openly active without making any serious effort to destabilize the government¡­ well, as expected, the fact yousted this long is likely thanks to Artemis'' technology." "... " "I don¡¯t really care about any rebellion you try to start here. But the people whoe after you won¡¯t be so forgiving. They¡¯ll make you talk by making you understand what emotions and sensations truly are." At the same time, the management AI¡¯s eyes were trembling. During the time Mav was harassing it, we had gathered useful data from the researchers, but the conversation itself gave us an idea. As the AI continued to tremble, I whispered quietly enough so it wouldn¡¯t hear. "That one might not be very useful for interrogation." "Funny, I was thinking the same thing." Lorentina giggled before continuing. "Ipetent but determined... Their obsession with fulfilling their orders shows that their creativity isckingpared to the Mecha babies. The reason it can nowmunicate freely is because of the body... "Ipetent but diligent, huh? That¡¯s terrifying. The worst thing in the world." "They¡¯re the type who have to be given certain tasks. After a few days, it might be more obedient. They might even be able to tidy up the room." At that moment, everyone¡¯s expressions became subtle, but I only chuckled. Maybe, just maybe, in a few days, the youngest might be the one who does the cleaning at Central Park HQ. [MAV: Archetype, it wasn¡¯t a few days. The AI gave up in less than a day. It feels like someone added a little... childlike personality to it. I¡¯ll need to look into itter.] [GENE: A new member has joined the room. You¡¯ll probably guess who it is. I¡¯ll take good care of it until Archetypees. I¡¯ll show you when you visit. The name is Nasty. I decided it after searching the Russian dictionary.] "...Ugh." ...What¡¯s with Nasty? Where did they even find that word? Looking out the window, I checked the time. It was already 1:20 p.m. The stadium in the distance was quiet on the outside, but inside, chaos was likely underway¡ªafter all, the Final Championship was set to start at 2 p.m. I wished I could have seen the crowd entering, but oh well. The reason I slept in today was because I had visited New York yesterday. After touring the Icarus Dynamics factory with the Mecha-Byams, I went to see Nasty, the fourth Byam. I got back around 4 or 5 a.m. and went straight to bed. "I could¡¯ve been woken up, but they all left without me." They really were considerate, in an odd way. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t hear anyone. On the table, there was a note saying they took some photos while I was asleep and left without waking me. Something felt off, so I quickly got up, looked in the mirror, and saw my face covered with scribbles and drawings. What a nightmare. I rushed to the bathroom, washed up, and the marks disappeared in no time. Ugh... At any rate, I might as well clean up and head out. After throwing all my clothes into theundry basket and showering for about 40 minutes, I dressed, put on my coat, and went outside around 1:50 p.m. The weather was clear, but the air was cold. My breath came out like a waterfall. I walked toward the stadium, about a 20-minute walk away, hoping to wake up a bit and grab a quick snack on the way. After a while, I spotted an unmanned caf¨¦ and decided to stop. I ordered something sweet, holding a steaming choctette in a stic cup and walked towards the stadium. "It should be starting soon..." I sent a message to the five members of the Korean national team, letting them know I was on my way, so not to worry. The sweet drink helped me feel a little better as I continued toward the stadium. More and more people appeared, clearlyte like me. I wasn¡¯t the one to talk, though. And, as expected, there was a scene I had predicted. "Wait a second. Is that...?" "Yujin?" "It¡¯s Yujin! Oh my god!" "Yujin! We¡¯d like to know why you didn¡¯t participate in the Final Championship this year!" These guys... From tourists who got distracted and enteredte to reporters who had been covering external guests and were now trying to get in a few more questions. Among them, one reporter persisted in trying to get an answer, but since they asked so politely, I smiled and responded. "You want to know why I arrivedter than the others?"@@novelbin@@ "Yes, that¡¯s right." "Simple. I overslept." Naturally, everyone around me was stunned, and I took advantage of their confusion to enter the stadium without any more questions. Others tried to follow and ask more questions, but it was toote. Once the train starts moving, it doesn¡¯t go back to pick up anyone who missed it. At that moment, someone who had been waiting for me came to guide me straight to the Korean team¡¯s waiting room. I arrived in an instant, and to my surprise, familiar faces were waiting for me. "Finally here, sleepyhead." "What¡¯s with all the scribbles on your face?" "Did you think we wouldn¡¯t mess with you while you were sound asleep? Hehehe." "Oh my god..." These guys were tough to deal with, but I couldn¡¯t get back at them for it. "Finally here, sleepyhead." "What¡¯s with all the scribbles on your face?" "Did you think we wouldn¡¯t mess with you while you were sound asleep? Hehehe." "Oh my god..." These guys were tough to deal with, but I couldn¡¯t get back at them for it. Logan patted the empty seat next to him, signaling for me to sit down. That¡¯s how I ended up sandwiched between the pr bear and the shark. With that, the preparations for the broadcast wereplete. My friends, who had been waiting, took out the remote and brought up a huge screen that covered one wall of the room. Boom! Wow! "They¡¯re doing better than I expected. Judging by the chaos right when the screen came on." "Of course. Who do you think taught them?" As expected. On the screen, I saw one of the Mecha-Byams who had been fighting Harmony get turned into ashes. From the start, there was an explosion, and it looked like it was going to be an exciting day. Chapter 585 "Ugh, this pressure is way worse than I thought!" The Asia Qualifiers and the Final Championship werepletely different. It was something Dice had told me repeatedly, but as the saying goes, seeing is believing. Harmony felt the full weight of this truth once the first match of the Final Championship began. There was no issue during the drop from the transport ne ornding, but once she began gearing up, putting on her armor, and preparing her weapons, the difficulty of thebat skyrocketed far beyond that of the Asia Qualifiers. This wasn¡¯t something that had happened once, but repeatedly. This was the reason why Harmony was so taken aback. The reason the difficulty of the Final Championship increased so drastically was not only because of the tactical analysis fromst year¡¯s participants, Eugene and Logan, which had raised the overall level of thepetition, but Harmony had no way of knowing that.@@novelbin@@ ''I thought Dice would¡¯ve known this fromst year, but ying through the footage¡­ it wasn¡¯t nearly as hard as this. I bet Dice is probably struggling somewhere out there too.'' Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Harmony couldn''t deduce things for herself. Moreover, Harmony¡¯s skills¡ªafter being pummeled by countless battles with outsiders¡ªhad grown to the point where she could hold her own against pro gamers in this tournament. She was managing to keep the exchanges fairly even, even while dodging a storm of bullets. Though her skills hadn¡¯t unlocked yet¡ªmeaning no worry over skill-based attacks like the Sicko Mine¡ªthe grenades flying at her were the biggest threats to avoid. And Harmony was more than skilled when it came to grenade handling. Boom! In the brief moments of calm between gunfights, Harmony swiftly pulled the pin of a grenade and tossed it exactly where she anticipated her enemy would be. In the second of silence between the pin pull and the toss, Harmony knew that her enemy would be too slow to react. As she anticipated, the grenade exploded just seconds after she threw it, scattering shards of shrapnel everywhere. But Harmony was already one step ahead. She¡¯d already moved to a different cover, and while the explosion happened behind her, she was getting ready for her next strike. "One... two..." She started cooking her second grenade. It flew through the air in a perfect arc and exploded at the right time, scattering shards once more. Unlike the first grenade, however, Harmony had caught her opponent off guard. The explosion was enough to send the opponent reeling, and Harmony took full advantage. She moved from cover, making her way to her opponent¡¯s hiding spot while pulling another grenade pin with her left hand. The enemy instinctively crouched, knowing that if they exposed themselves, they would be torn apart by a barrage of bullets. But they didn¡¯t expect another grenade to being their way. Clink! Harmony threw the grenade right next to their hideout. The enemy¡¯s reaction was fast¡ªpart of their backpack shielded them from some of the st¡ªbut they still had to deal with the explosion of smoke grenades and attempt a retreat. The grenades were only part of Harmony¡¯s strategy. The real victory woulde through the gunfight that followed. And in that fight, the difference was in the HP. Harmony had the upper hand here, as her enemy was left barely clinging to life, ultimately turning into polygons, leaving behind items. Gasping for breath after a brutal two or three minutes of fighting, Harmony took a moment to catch her breath, the items from her fallen foes scattered around her. "Ugh, this is so exhausting..." Theplex mind games and the thinking that ¡°If I survive, I can counterattack¡± came together in ways that created miracles. In the Asia Qualifiers, if anyone had tried the same ¡°second grenade tactic,¡± they would¡¯ve been sent to the lobby, but here, not only did Harmony survive, but she also seized the opportunity to counterattack. She understood now what Dice meant when he said that the Final Championship was a battle of mental endurance. The thought of doing this over and over again... Bang bang bang! "Whoa...!" And then, as expected, out of nowhere, a shadow appeared from the gym corner. As soon as it noticed Harmony, it unleashed a brutal suppressive fire. The speed of the assault was overwhelming. The enemy¡¯s goal was clearly to seize control while Harmony was still reeling from the previous fight. But Harmony was prepared, and she didn¡¯t fall into their trap. Instead, she held her ground and became a wall, blocking the iing fire. With the enemy pinned down, she quickly grabbed a new weapon, an XM250, a machine gun that used 6.8mm Fury rounds. The opponent¡¯s speed worked in Harmony¡¯s favor; she could ensure a few hits at least if she unleashed her firepower. As she squeezed the trigger, the deafening roar of the machine gun filled the air. The bullets tore through the air at around 700 rounds per minute, cutting through most of the area in front of her and sessfully stopping the enemy¡¯s advance. But there was a catch to using the machine gun. ''...It¡¯s loud and heavy.'' While the machine gun effectively stopped the enemy''s advance, Harmony had given away her position with the deafening noise. If she made a wrong move, it could cost her life. Thinking that, Harmony hastily retreated from the area, just in time to avoid a grenade explosion. But there was an advantage here: Harmony knew the gym''syout better than the enemy, and she had already predicted two potential approaches the enemy could take. If she could narrow the field down... Clink! The enemy was closing in. Harmony noticed some old steel crane cables hanging in the gym. As soon as she saw the enemy moving close by, she threw a cooked grenade in that direction, not expecting it to hit, but to set a trap. As the grenade exploded, the steel cables snapped, and hundreds of kilograms of debris came crashing down, blocking one of the enemy''s escape routes. Harmony¡¯s prediction was on point. She then quickly dashed toward the remaining route, throwing her final grenade as she went. 4 seconds... 3 seconds... 2 seconds... 1 second... "Found you¡ª" KABOOM! As Harmony rounded the corner, she locked eyes with the enemy. Right in front of him, a pinless grenade sat ominously, and as it detonated, his shield shatteredpletely. The devastation was caused by dozens of shrapnel hitting him head-on. Harmony, too, was hit by a few pieces of shrapnel, causing her shield to weaken, but the difference was that Harmony had already aimed her submachine gun directly at the enemy. As the dot sight centered on the target, she immediately pulled the trigger without hesitation. The enemy was shredded by dozens of bullets. "Huff...!" It had only taken two or three minutes. Having eliminated two enemies in that time, Harmony let out a heavy breath. She checked to make sure no one else was approaching before leaning against her cover. After a few minutes, looking somewhat worn-out, she muttered to herself: "Doing this for a week? I must be crazy..." Of course, once you''re in, there''s no turning back. No matter how much admiration, praise, or shock came from the outside, Harmony¡¯s struggles in the Final Championship were just beginning. "You¡¯re doing well." "I¡¯m impressed. Every time I see that, I get jealous, kiddo." "Now that this is happening, Lorentina, don¡¯t just envy, file your discharge papers and start finding one or two promising kids to take under your wing... Ouch!?" "That¡¯s not happening. First, I¡¯ll have to shut up that mouth of yours, kid." Meanwhile, I was stuck in the clutches of a cruel shark-viin who had mped my mouth shut with his chest, unable to move. Sharks are terrifying, after all. "You know, without needing to dig too deep, I can spot where the troublemakers are in a nce... I guess that¡¯s one advantage. Congrats, kid. You''ve got the best new game yers in the world." "I already did my part, so I have no regrets." "Exactly, kid." "What exactly is that supposed to mean, you crazy idiots?" - Logan¡¯s ssic jab ?? - Shamelessness taken to the next level... making a note of that... - Where even is this? It looks like a private lounge - Pr bear <<< just pure likability ?? - The brake is hriously dramatic ?? As the moral backbone of the team, Logan¡ªno, he wasn''t the conscience, really¡ªturned his attention back to the screen, watching as the first day of the tournament wound down. Only about 20 yers remained, and the ying area was getting smaller. Harmony and Dice were obviously holding their own, but Summit, Gambit, and Michael were in the same boat. In such confined spaces, battles had turned into chaotic scrambles, and both Michael and Harmony had shown their expertise¡ªMichael with his shields and Harmony with her traps. But here was the catch: The two of them had ended up in directpetition with each other. "By the way, when yers from the same country face off, their avatars look different, right? Didn''t you mention something about reassigning the avatars of the dead randomly?" "Right. But those two... With their unique ystyles, they probably figured each other out long ago. That¡¯s probably why their fight is so intense." "They know each other¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, so they¡¯ll definitely fight with everything they¡¯ve got." "Who do you think will win, Logan?" "Not sure." Logan gave a nonchnt answer, seemingly uninterested in the oue. Honestly, I felt the same way. It didn¡¯t matter to me who won. I wasn¡¯t ying after all. Lorentina seemed more curious, but after my experiencest year, I was just here to enjoy the game. When the match ended, we¡¯d watch the audience leave, or maybe take a ride back to the hotel. But behind the scenes, it was a whole different story. The overwhelming roar from the stadium reached us, sending a tingling sensation down my spine. Meanwhile, Logan was reclining in what looked like a bed that could adjust to any angle, while I naturallyid across Lorentina¡¯s thighs. With that soft sensation, Logan¡¯s loud voice cut through the moment. "Hey, hey! What are you doing!?" "It just felt the mostfortable... Oh, alright, I¡¯ll get up!" "Aren¡¯t you being too harsh on the kid, Logan? Cut him some ck." "Then you do it!" "Alright, kid,e here." "Awesome." - Logan¡¯s understanding ?? - Shamelessness bes likable if it goes too far¡­ making notes... - Where is this? It looks like a personal lounge - Pr bear <<< pure likability ?? - The brake is ridiculously dramatic ?? As Logan, the moralpass of the team, made his move, I grabbed Lorentina¡¯s thigh and rested my head on it, feeling the softness beneath me. With Logan¡¯s expression quickly morphing into something unusual, I quickly checked the remaining yers¡ªthere were only about 20 left, and everyone was giving their all in the battles, though more were being eliminated as time passed. Though it was sad, Harmony¡¯s match with Michael had ended in her victory. Harmony had lured him into a building and detonated a kilogram of explosives she¡¯d ced on the wall, blowing him to bits. It wasn¡¯t really Michael¡¯s fault¡ªif the match had been in an open field, Harmony would have been relentlessly hunted. But at least he finished in the top 10. And now, only about four yers remained. Harmony and Dice were still in the running, but also present were Stormseer, the second Final Championship winner from this year, and Kain, a former Ranger Regiment member who had finished 3rd after defeating Dicest year. Who would win? It was hard to say. In such a tight corner, anyone could take first ce. Without a major wildcard like Logan or myself, the skill difference between the remaining yers was minimal. Well, maybe not minimal. It was more likeparing the height of trees in a forest of metasequoia. "Logan, stop messing with my tail." "It¡¯s like petting a puppy. Just ept it." "Ugh, it¡¯s ticklish." - ???¡­. - Is this vicarious satisfaction? Is this vicarious satisfaction? Is this vicarious satisfaction? - Logan¡¯s tail-petting vs. Logan petting the tail - Please, I don¡¯t need options, just make one of them happen!!!! - Please turn me into TS!!!! Please!!!! The viewers were going wild. The schedule was simple: Whether Harmony or Dice took first ce, I would congratte them. If they didn¡¯t, I would listen to theirints. As I was thinking about that, Olivia, who had quietly approached and started fiddling with my hair, opened a book to show me something. It turned out to be a pamphlet, resembling a small encyclopedia. The part she had circled with a marker was about the uing event match, where Logan and I would be participating¡­ "Wait a second. What is this?" "Well, if you want to get up, you should speak, kiddo." "Check this out, everyone." After a few moments, everyone, except Olivia, who was chuckling in the back, quickly scanned the pamphlet¡¯s details about the event match: "...The number of participants is over 100." "Wait, if only Eugene and I are going, it should be 102, but... 105?" "It seems like... the three humanoid newbies are going to invade, doesn''t it?" The three Mecha-Biyams are participating? With their weapons on their tails? While the book didn¡¯t specify further details, considering the events that had taken ce so far, it seemed likely. It felt like it wouldn¡¯t be a battle royale of 105 participants, but rather a 5 vs. 100 match, and a sense of unease swept over me. Chapter 586 "Why didn¡¯t you tell me it would be this difficult, Dice¡ª!" "Ugh, get off me! I¡¯m struggling too, right now! There¡¯s more than just a few things that have changed sincest year, it¡¯s killing me...!" "Everything¡¯s just as chaotic as always. Anyway, you all worked hard."
    • So, they¡¯ve each secured first ce once today????
    • These whiny brats are the national representatives for the Final Championship, seriously? ????????????????
    • Other countries¡¯ yers are going to be shocked, lol ??????
    • Living point: The sulking Dice and the resigned Biyam¡¯s expression are the real highlights.
    • Did they already give up? ????????????????
    The first day of the Final Championship passes. In a way, it was a good start. As someone mentioned, during the three games held today, Dice and Harmony each took first ce once. Unfortunately, in the other game, an innocent yer took it. In a battle royale game where the kill zone shrinks, luck is part of the deal, so it¡¯s understandable. Anyway, that¡¯s already in the past. Let¡¯s focus on the present. Though, honestly, there wasn¡¯t much to focus on in the immediate moment. The two who had returned to their room were just sprawled on the bed, clinging to each other in an odd scene that was being broadcast. It was a short little incident, so the bed-rolling didn¡¯tst too long, and soon enough, everyone struggled to get up and sat on the bed. Judging by their expressions, it seemed they were quite satisfied with today¡¯s results. "Since the number of games has increased this year, everyone will need to manage their pace well. We don¡¯t want to burn out on the first day and then slump by the second, right?" "Right..." "The increase in the number of games is actually a good thing for yers who aren¡¯t on your level. I doubt anyone here is less fit than the two of you..." "Ugh."
    • So that¡¯s why the number of games increasedpared tost year, huh? ????
    • Isn¡¯t this a bit too obvious, targeting the Biyam disciples?
    • It¡¯s to prevent bnce-breaking yers, no problem, lol
    • I mean, a dice that barely made it to mid-tierst year got to 4th ce, and a guy who¡¯s been ying for just a year and four months, the Green Goo, made it to the top¡ªif they didn¡¯t target that, they wouldn¡¯t be doing their job, lol
    • Biyam is awesome! Respect!
    Ignoring the chaos in the chat, I nced outside. The sun was setting. The games, which started at 2 PM, only ended around 5 PM, and soon it would be time for dinner and debriefing. Last year, I think... it was probably around 7 PM. Funny how those little details are hard to remember. Anyway, there wasn¡¯t much to convey to these two right now. And even if I didn¡¯t speak, my acquaintances would likely chip in their ownments, and that¡¯d be enough feedback. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. After dinner, that¡¯s when the real feedback woulde. Still, I figured a few words would be helpful for these two, so I spoke up. "DICE, well... there¡¯s not much to say. Just keep ying as you are. But Harmony, your win rate changes significantly depending on whether there¡¯s cover or buildings in thest circle. You¡¯ll need to figure that out." "I¡¯ll just bring more bombs!" "...Well, that¡¯s one way to do it. Try to get as creative as you can." Dice looked at Mina with an expression of being fed up, but after that, the six of us in the room all began to casually lounge around. There was still about an hour before dinner, so we had time to kill. During that time, various discussions popped up. Someone brought up the idea of room service because they didn¡¯t feel like going out, and it seemed to be taken more seriously than expected. The reason wasn¡¯t much¡ªsince Icarus had set up their own "second Las Vegas," the room service prices were pretty reasonable. Moreover, there was a "Manifestation-Exclusive Room Service" where price and quantity were proportional, and with that, there was no real need to go to the hotel buffet on the lower floor. However, it was ultimately rejected, mainly because there were concerns that food smells might linger in the room, and no one wanted to see a pile of dishes outside the door. And then¡ª "Our new juniors, if you eat too much andze around, you¡¯ll turn into cows." "...Why does Loren Tina know so much about Korean proverbs!?" "Heh heh, studying foreign culture is essential. Some friends just came back from a Niagara Falls tour; let¡¯s invite them and have dinner together."
    • If you eat and lie down right after, you turn into a cow, lol ????????
    • Wow, this sounds just like what my grandmother used to say, lol
    • Such a nostalgia trip, haha
    • Seriously, when Shark Noona says something, it¡¯s so funny, lol
    • What the heck, hahaha
    Loren Tina¡¯s strange knowledge left me utterly confused. Anyway, just as she said, Kato¡¯s group had returned safely from their Niagara tour a few days ago. I heard it wasn¡¯t just that, though¡ªthey traveled around Canada and had quite a bit of fun. The hotel wasn¡¯t too far away, so it wasn¡¯t hard to call them up. So, about ten people gathered quickly in the 26th-floor lobby. As they entered the elevator, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Harmony¡¯s eyes, which sparkled as she stared at Kato, and soon enough, her mouth opened. "By the way, I didn¡¯t realize Kato¡¯s avatar was so popr. I saw it in the limited-edition goods shop inside the stadium." "Ugh, what!? What did you say!?" "Kato¡¯s avatar is easy to mock... just kidding, but it¡¯s popr for several reasons. I remember it was pretty well-known among overseas viewers, too. I heard the tantrums he threw on my stream were a big hit..." "Was I the only one who was desperate?" "Maybe it was your desperate thrashing that made it more popr."
    • Hahahaha
    • Just saying, Kato¡¯s tantrums on the floor are cute
    • He¡¯s a guy though, crazy people ??????
    • Facts: Limit is the same
    • If the avatar is tasty, isn¡¯t that all that matters?
    • Stop with the nonsense, you crazy people, hahaha
    Kato was sinking. I could see his mental strength plummeting, and it seemed like a topic I shouldn¡¯t touch. So, after a quick nce exchanged with the others, we agreed to drop the subject and moved on to other topics. The next topic was the uing event match in two days. "By the way, why hasn¡¯t anyone contacted Eugene and the other participants for the event match?" "It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t contact us... To be precise, they asked us to participate. I epted. But they didn¡¯t provide further details." "Well, if they gave us all the info upfront, it wouldn¡¯t be fun. But Eugene, you usually check emails all at once, so you might have missed it." "True, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason for this. Shall we hear that first?" "I¡¯ve been waiting for that."@@novelbin@@ As expected, Harmony, who had been standing next to me, shoved her phone in front of me. She quickly read through the mix of photos and text in English. After scanning it, I gathered that¡ªwhile Logan and I weren¡¯t a concern¡ªthe inclusion of Mecha Eugene in the event was a disaster for regr users, so additional measures had been taken... which was understandable, considering the monsters¡¯ abilities. However, the problem came with what Mina¡¯s finger was pointing to next.
    • To bnce the game and ensure enjoyment, we¡¯re artificially boosting the physical specs of all non-Manifestation users participating in the event match (excluding Manifestation Users and UES), and UES ess points will be added to the map.
    • Essentially, UES will be deployed with weapons that do not ovep with the existing three tail weapons. For further details on how to ess and disable them, please refer to the bottom of the page.
    • Additionally, to ensure high-risk targets can be eliminated sessfully, we¡¯ll be addingrge-caliber railguns, reinforced suits, sma weapons, sonic weapons, UGVs, and quadrupedal robots that were not previously spawned.
    "..." "So, the embargo was lifted yesterday, so external disclosure is fine now?" "Yeah. I¡¯d love to embargo Mina myself, but that¡¯s fine, right?" "Ah, what is that, ah, no, no!"
    • What does embargoing her even mean, lol
    • (Meaning you¡¯ll mess with her until her cheeks turn red)
    • Feels like some uncle touching his cousin, lol
    • Biyam really cares about Mina, lol
    • Dice¡¯s expression is already pretty fuming, hahaha
    Anything else was fine, but Mecha-Biyam transformation? The noise quickly spread in the elevator and continued in the hotel¡¯s massive buffet on the second basement floor. And then, of course, the gossip began. As expected, the ones most interested were my disciples. I don¡¯t even need to say what they were whispering about next to me. The fact that Dice and Harmony turned bright red before they even sat down at the buffet chairs told me everything I needed to know. "Why is everyone so excited about the Mecha Biyam transformation?" "Because we¡¯ve never had one before, that¡¯s why!" "I mean, really. People born with tails can¡¯t possibly understand the void felt by those without, right? Ow ow ow!" "Someone¡¯s gonna think we were born with tails, if they keep talking like that!"
    • Hahahahaha
    • Every time this happens, I just think how well Biyam handles it, lol
    • Why are they acting like this, hahaha
    • (Basically, this is how badly they¡¯ve been waiting for it)
    • Harmony and Dice would go crazy if they didn¡¯t be Mecha Biyam, hahaha
    ¡­It seems like these guys would start a riot if they didn¡¯t get a tail. Maybe only a very few select people can actually be Biyam, or something. Anyway, despite this, the green indicators in my friend list for Jin, Rain, and Mav lit up one after another, and the session grew from 100 to 105, catching the attention of everyone in the room. I crumpled Logan¡¯s message that read ¡°Good luck taking care of those whiny brats¡± and tossed it into the gaming trash can, then checked the time¡ªonly 10 seconds left before it starts. "...Well, everyone, try your best to be Mecha Biyam, okay?" "If I be Mecha Biyam, I¡¯lle find you, teacher!" "Please don¡¯t. I¡¯ll pretend I don¡¯t know you." Looks like my disciple farming... no, my mentoring has been a sess in some ways and a failure in others. With that thought, the event match for the 4th Final Championship began. Chapter 587 "After a year, I¡¯m back in this damned town." Around a hundred people fall out of the transport ne crossing the harbor city of Tanhoyzer. Against the blue sky, various colorful parachutes are scattered like cookies. Logan and the youngest, who had spent time together, learned that in this game, even the parachutes'' designs, logos, and other details could be customized. The result was what you see before you. She hadn¡¯t entirely avoided doing simr things back in New York, though. To keep from blending in with the crowd, she had once lightlycquered her parachute exterior. But these various shapes and colors... even though she¡¯d seen something simrst year, it still felt hard to adjust. The ground drew nearer, and Logan, uponnding, did a quick roll and surveyed the area. It was a game, so there was no risk of breaking an ankle from a badnding, and as soon as he touched the ground, the parachute dissolved into the air. What happened next was simple. "Eh? Eh!? Eeeeeek!" "Where do you think you¡¯re running off to, you little bastard!" The engine of the runaway train was ignited once again. The map of the harbor city of Tanhoyzer wasn¡¯t particrlyrge¡ªat least, for the event match it wasn¡¯t¡ªbut instead, it had a ratherplicated structure. That meant it was possible to be shot out to the lobby right at the start if you weren¡¯t careful, but sadly, for others, Logan was the one executing that task. As a result, yers whonded near Logan desperately resisted¡ªthough, surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t able to easily overpower them and ended up in a deadlock. The reason for this was simple: for the event match, all yers¡¯ physical abilities had been enhanced, except for the Manifestation Users and Mecha Eugene. Moreover, with the arrival of all kinds of futuristic weapons that could never appear in the AP, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Logan couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand so easily. Of course, ©¤©¤©¤Kiiing! "Ugh...!" "...Phew, barely dodged that. I shouldn¡¯t be carrying such dangerous things around." Logan barely avoided the sma gun that melted all obstacles in her crosshairs as it was fired¡ªshe didn¡¯t dodge it by sight, but by evading based on the crosshair. At that moment, shended a solid hit to the opponent¡¯s abdomen, who wasn¡¯t wearing any armor. What followed was a scene that might be seen when a jackhammer is used on a human¡¯s body. In an instant, the person¡¯s back lifted sharply and then returned to its original position. The oue, expected from the massive amount of kic energy that hit the body¡ªmuch like a high-speed car crash¡ªwas clear: the opponent turned into a polygon before being shot out to the lobby, and Logan casually examined the sma rifle that had fallen to the floor. Her mind began calcting. ¡®With this much power, if the battery size is only this big... I¡¯m sure it would be fun just to explode the battery itself.¡¯ As memories of helping Eugene create explosive traps out of various things flooded back, Logan grinned and slipped it into her multipurpose pouch. It seemed simr tost year, but just the addition of something new had changed the situation. The Omega virus situation, being directly adapted from the game, wasn¡¯t something she liked, but they sure knew how to make a good game. With that thought, Logan checked the battery more closely. A translucent sma battery. Blue energy waves rippled inside it, and its surface was cold¡ªthough Logan didn¡¯t care much, and instead, she took out duct tape. "This is pretty fun..." With a hissing sound, the duct tape was torn, and Logan wrapped the sma battery and grenade together with it. Of course, she made sure to position the grenade¡¯s round body at the front when putting it in her pouch, to avoid triggering the battery in case it got shot. Although, if she was unlucky enough to fall over, it could very well explode, but if she died that way, maybe it was just her fate. With that thought, Logan stuffed the sma battery into her pouch. The surroundings began to grow noisy. As I mentioned before, the map was rtively small, so there was more frequentbat, and Logan, with her sharp instincts, sensed enemies approaching near her position. Logan threw a sma battery about the size of a coin into the air and caught it a few times before, at some point, she threw it quickly, and as it reached the area near the corridor leading to Logan¡¯s storage room, she drew her pistol. With a loud noise, the bullet shot out from the muzzle and pierced the sma battery dead-on. ©¤©¤©¤Fwooosh! "Argh¡ª!" "Performance is ridiculous." When the blue me-like explosion erupted into the air, everything it touched turned red, or began to melt and drip away. Among those caught in the sma explosion, someone took considerable damage. By that time, Logan had already raised a shotgun that had been rolling on the ground nearby, and at that moment, 12 iron pellets cut through the air and ruthlessly shredded thest remaining shields. What Harmony and Dice could only achieve with all their power was replicated by Logan with just a few simple actions. By then, Logan¡¯s kill count reached 2. As Logan nced at the opponent, who had now turned into a bundle of items rolling on the floor, she quickly checked her surroundings. Confirming that no one was approaching, she muttered to herself. "It seems like now, persuasion might be more necessary than killing..." To say this as the person who had preemptively attacked both was rather absurd, and viewers watching Loganughed out loud, wondering what she was talking about, but Logan was more serious than anyone else nearby. Of course, there was a reason for her sudden change of heart. The futuristic weapons she had been warned about beforehand had been appearing far more frequently than expected. Simply saying it was to counter her or Eugene... felt off, and her gaze was fixed on something farther away. In other words, the reason so many futuristic weapons were appearing wasn¡¯t just to catch Manifestation Users easily¡ªit was... "¡­Because the Mecha Youngsters areing on strong." Just a moment ago, the kill logs were soaring, but they stopped at some point, still steadily rising. And, despite that, Logan or Eugene¡¯s names were hardly seen. Jin, Rain, and Mav. When looking at the entire map, three huge circles appeared¡ªintersecting each other¡ªsometimes a blue beam shot up into the sky, or evensers. Probably, the former represented their activity zones. Without a doubt, what was strengthening the Mecha Youngsters weren¡¯t the catalog specs or anything; it was the vicious weapons attached to their tails. Just by having those, you could easily tell whether they were humanoids with high specs that mimicked humans, or if they were fully armored humanoid machines that could easily crush even a 4th-gen tank equipped with a chemical weapon. And for her, this was truly bad news... ''¡­Thebat noise is gradually disappearing from around me.'' She didn¡¯t have a good feeling. It wasn¡¯t just a feeling¡ªit was based on thebat frequency, map activity patterns, and a multitude of factors that made her feel uneasy. And from years ofbat experience, this wasn¡¯t just an unfounded fear¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Boom! "I found you." "¡­Ha." This was the prelude to that kind of situation. Someone, glowing blue all over, pierced the ceiling of the storage room where she had been wasting time, and the floor she was standing on shattered instantly from the weight. The roar from outside and the figure falling from the sky¡ªconsidering that, the Mecha Eugene... or rather, Rain, had flown through the air from the recoil generated by shooting the railgun on the ground,nding urately, and then piercing through the ceiling. Logan let out a chuckle and exhaled sharply. The fact that it wasn¡¯t Jin or Mav gave her a slight advantage, but once the distance closed, even they couldn¡¯t afford to let their guard down. An EM-ss Manifestation User was just that kind of existence. "Looks like you¡¯ve had some fun, but now it¡¯s my turn?" "I was nning to find the owner first, but I think Logan''s fine too." "...Sigh. How long do I have to keep hearing that damn ¡®sister¡¯ nonsense?" Logan scratched her head, annoyed, and added. "I¡¯ll have to have a serious talk with the youngest when we get back." "Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something else you should do first?" "Of course, there is." At that moment, Logan shook off her hands, and the front of the gloves she was wearing suddenly began to glow. The light gathered into lines, forming shallow spikes on thebat gloves¡ªturning them into something resembling futuristic knuckles. As the gloves adjusted perfectly to her hands, she reached into her pouch for the temporary sma grenade and raised the AA-12 shotgun with explosive shells, adding. "Shall we correct that nasty nickname the Mecha Youngster learned from the youngest?" "It won¡¯t be that easy, Logan." "...We¡¯ll see when we get back." At that moment, a violent explosion lit up the storage room. The fight of the non-humans had begun. "Railgun, reinforced armor... This is absolutely insane." "These kinds of things are the only way we¡¯ll even have a chance, so please bear with it." "Hah...!" Boom! With a horrifying sound, a massive rocket hammer swung, and everything caught in its trajectory was smashed into pieces, turning into thousands of fragments¡ªwhile I nimbly dodged them. It felt strangely familiar, like a power suit I had seen somewhere before. Though, this one had a much more futuristic design. The thick gloves, which would make bullets seem ineffective, were actually quite effective, and I threw my gun and magazines aside, retreating. The only thing that worked at close range were the grenades I set off, but the mighty hammer swinging around blocked most of my approaches. Until just a moment ago, I had sma rifles and railguns, but sadly, most of them had been rendered useless by the opponent¡¯s attacks. But escaping wasn¡¯t easy either¡ª "Well, I didn¡¯t expect that, as soon as I put on the reinforced armor, the rms and exits would all get sealed off." "¡­That¡¯s quite convenient, isn¡¯t it?" "Hah, I didn¡¯t set this up. I just happened to get some help¡ªugh!" Boom! The hammer swung with a violent roar, and I barely dodged its trajectory, turning my body in the brief moment to¡ªdropkick. Considering the tight timing, it was impossible for a dropkick, but within that short window, I chose the strongest attack I couldnd. As expected, itnded perfectly. With the sound of something being crushed, the opponent¡ªwho was heavier than even Mecha Biyam¡ªliterally flew through the air. At least several meters. I quickly reeled my leg in and checked the damage, seeing the shattered upper body armor covered in debris. Considering the impact of a truck crashing into me at speeds of over 100 kilometers an hour, it made sense. As I nced at the fragments, I noticed a violet canister rolling among them. "Whoa¡ª!" Crackling! As the hammer mmed into the ground, I narrowly avoided the explosive field that shot out in a fan shape. As fragments were crushed, the opponent, who had barely gotten up, added. "This is why you can¡¯t be careless, Eugene." "Well, it would¡¯ve been better if I could reflect on the cost of carelessness in the lobby, but I failed." "Haha, don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be any more of this from now on." At that moment, a chilling metallic sound filled the air. I immediately moved away from my position, and in that instant, the cover I had been using exploded, releasing a terrible heat. As I looked at the now empty front, I realized what was happening. Something that looked like a grenade was hanging under the cuff of the reinforced armor, just below the arm. Was it a mix of steam napalm and oxidizer? If that was the case, the canister that had spilled onto the floor was likely the oxidizer. If I could just make use of it¡ª Kiiing!@@novelbin@@ "Wait, now it¡¯s flying?" "No, it¡¯s a leap and then a m¡ª" Boom! With a force that shook the earth, the hammer came down. I barely dodged, but the recoil sent my body flying, and the impact alone left me reeling. Luckily, the violet canisters that had fallen near me were right in front of me. As I carefully grabbed them without being noticed, I watched the opponent, who was slowly approaching, spewing intense heat. The spot where I had cracked the upper body armor¡ªsighing, I threw the grenade pin aside and prepared. The opponent flinched, just briefly, but that short hesitation was enough to throw the first grenade at the cracked upper armor and shatter it. With a terrible noise, the chest armor meltedpletely, and the opponent immediately deployed the shield to protect itself, trying to recover. But¡ª "¡­I suppose this is all I can do." ng! As the oxidizer canister in my hand shattered, the remaining shield was overwhelmed by the violet liquid, dripping down the arm. As the shield slowly disintegrated with a horrible sound, Iunched myself, pushing off the ground to elerate. Speed exceeding 20 meters per second. With no ident-eleration function attached to the armor, the user lifting the hammer didn¡¯t even have time to think before I was almost in front of them. Crack! The oxidizer mixed with my right arm pierced through the shattered chest armor, and as the automatic defense system kicked in, the opponent swung at me with a punch. It was me who got knocked back, but the light in the user¡¯s eyes, still embedded in the armor, gradually faded. Amidst the debris, the opponent slowly kneeled and, with a loud noise, copsed to the ground. How long had it been? Covered in wounds, struggling through broken concrete, the opponent finally managed to stand. "...Is this AP, or another game altogether?" I hoped the next enemy would be affected by bullets. With that thought, I rose, rummaging through the wreckage of items the opponent had dropped, and began to recover. As my shield and health slowly regenerated, I shook the dust off my body, lifting the hammer-sized weapon the opponent had been carrying. It was a bit heavy to swing, but it definitely had its functions¡­ though it wouldn¡¯t be as useful as a gun. Just as I was about to throw the hammer¡ª Kiiing! "What the hell¡­!" Something moved so fast I could barely see it, sweeping through the entire storage room. My body instinctively dove down, narrowly avoiding it. An unpleasant grinding noise filled the room as the concrete walls were sliced diagonally. None of Jin, Rain, or Mav had something like that¡ª "¡­Ah." Then¡ªBoom! A teal Mecha Biyam with cat ears, looking strangely familiar, approached me with a bright smile, one that Jin, Rain, or Mav could never show. It didn¡¯t take long for her mouth to open. "I won¡¯t miss this time, Eugene-sensei." "...You won¡¯t listen if I ask you to, will you?" "You¡¯re good at jokes, heehee." And with that, the moment Harmony, who had finally evolved into Mecha Biyam, appeared before me. Chapter 588 All that''s left is to ship out. As I was struggling to get through the area without even being able to increase my speed because of the debris overflowing around me, the UI suddenly caught my eye. Among the few letters on the slowly rising Killlog, something I couldn''t let slip caught my eye. -[Logan ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤>> Rain] "...No." "What''s wrong?" "No." What did you do to turn Rain into a cake with your bare hands, you crazy guy. I was starting to get scared of Logan. "Waaaaaaah-!" "I know the youngest members of Mecha aren''t ordinary, but there''s no need for their appearance to be unique." "Waaaah, my throat was just ripped out, huh, I''m alive... uh, why is Senior Laurentina here?" "You''re reallyte to notice." A woman''s voice bursts out in the quiet room. Rain, who had been sittingfortably on a special sofa that could withstand even the heaviest weights and had her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes, hurriedly stood up, looked around, and barely managed to calm down. The reason was simple. The scene from a few seconds ago that could be seen as soon as you looked straight ahead - Logan, wearing a knuckle duster that he had randomly built through the shield of the Icarus Gear, was firing straight at a speed that humans could not even recognize, and Rain, who was hit by it, was literally cut down on the spot. As if that wasn''t enough, he approached before firing the railgun and pulled out its tail with brute force, and as if that wasn''t enough, he stomped on its legs and crushed them before punching its neck... The rest is omitted. Now, it was a scene that reminded me of a fatality from a 19+ brutal action game that had remained in the past. Rain, who had an expression that seemed like he didn''t know what to say, sat down again, and Laurentina opened her mouth calmly, stillughing like an aristocrat. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not really a person.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s Logan. You must have experienced it a lot in the other world, Lane. Logan¡­is the strongest among the manifesters in terms of strength. That pr bear. He¡¯s the person you hate the most in a 1:1 sparring without any weapons.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to say you hate sparring with your master anyway.¡± ¡°The third arm that hits with the tail or wraps around your legs to block your mobility is a glitch.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Hoo.@@novelbin@@ While scratching her head and concentrating on the screen, Laurentina, who had been sitting at a distance from Lane, slowly moved her body closer to her. When she was close enough to touch him without having to stretch her hand out, the shark stopped and her mouth opened again. "If you''vee to your senses, let''s start the debriefing. There are more than a few things to point out, but it''s better if you hear such a rookie mistake yourself. Isn''t that right, you rushed into a pr bear and got killed?" "Oh my, don''t tell me because it''s embarrassing! I''m already so embarrassed because I rushed in so carelessly!" "It''s ridiculous that you fought in a cramped warehouse, and you can''t even use the railgun properly. If you knew how Jin got beaten up after having his minigun taken away, you wouldn''t be so careless." "Ughhhhh... Jooyin... The shark is bothering me..." Of course, Eugene on the other side of the screen was walking around the port city of Tannh?user with Harmony, who had be Mecha Byam. Jin and Marv were still going strong, but as the number of people remaining decreased to less than 30, they began toe into contact with the newly appeared New-Mecha Byam more frequently. Of course, Mekabyam couldn¡¯t be their enemy. This was because people wearing reinforced suits appeared one after another. There weren¡¯t just one or two of them, but several. Naturally, the form of the battle had long since deviated from the form of modern warfare. ¡°Hmm, it seems that the manifesters aren¡¯tpatible with reinforced suits. Well, there¡¯s no way they could make something that¡¯spatible with this body¡­ No, my thoughts wandered elsewhere for a moment. It seems that they made it so that they can¡¯t be used in event matches due to bnce issues¡­.¡± ¡°¡­They¡¯re shing more chaotically than I thought. Well, that¡¯s inevitable. The firepower of each individual weapon easily blew away any cover. Rather, it¡¯s surprising that they adapted to the changingbat situation in such a short period of time¡­.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, there are bound to be some people who stand out among them. For example¡­ That crazy guy who¡¯s swinging a hammer that can¡¯t be wielded without the reinforced suit.¡± At the same time, his gaze turned. Logan, holding a blunt weapon that was a little bigger than a hammer, approached the group of enemies while weaving through the shattered and burning cover, and when he got close enough, he activated the shock function and swung it. A booming sound. The person wearing the enhanced suit flew away like a baseball hit by a bat. Laurentina, who had superhuman kic vision that could even recognize bullets, and Rain, who was not bound by human limitations, saw the user''s pupils blurred as he was bounced off like a water spout. The moment he was hit by the hammer and flew away, he felt a terribly powerful shock all over his body and died on the spot. As the circle narrowed, the battle became more intense, and bold and arbitrary choices that had never been seen in the actual game continued without fail, and a high-powered IED that someone had intentionally created to cause amotion detonated in the middle of the battlefield, incinerating two or three people nearby at once. But even in the midst of all that, there were survivors, and when the number of users left was reduced from double digits to single digits, the battle became several times more intense. It was a butterfly effect caused by the fact that users wearing the enhanced suit could destroy the enemy¡¯s defense line without hesitation. If it were ordinary people, they would be reduced to ashes the moment they got caught up, or would be pierced by a railgun powerful enough to prate a tank, or would be blown to pieces by a sound wave that could blow away even heavy armor, and the remaining people gradually narrowed down - and there was no need to recite that lineup. -¡­ You brought a hammer that only enhanced suit users use!? - When would you ever swing something like this? Biyam and Pr Bear finally met again at the end. - You really blew up a whole cargo ship, Dice¡­ ! - Haha, I should have expected that. How I gained notoriety in KSMst year! The two young Byams who met again after bing Mecha Byam. -Come to think of it, this was a battle royale¡­ ugh! -You¡¯re slow to notice, eldest sister. As soon as Marv found out that it was a battle royale with only one person left, he sted Jin with an ion cannon. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange if anyone won, but there were four Mecha Byams in the narrow circle. The firepower these four instantly unleashed was more than enough to turn the surroundings into ash and render the sensors useless. Eugene and Logan, who seemed to be fighting fiercely, disappeared somewhere else, and before they could move, sma and ion cannons flew in, the ultrasonic weapon on Harmony¡¯s tail shattered the cover, and Dice¡¯s tail weapon, a gravity maniption weapon, distorted the surrounding space. In this way, one, two, and three were exhausted and melted into pieces in a storm of firepower that even Mecha Byam could not withstand. Jin, Marv, and Dice woke up one by one. While they gathered one by one in the room, a tattered Eugene walked out of the warehouse that was almostpletely burned and melted. One of his arms was already beyond recovery, but Eugene, who seemedpletely oblivious to the fact, was holding the railgun with his remaining right hand. The moment Eugene, who was holding it with difficulty, fell to the floor, a single machine appeared across the mes. It was Harmony. - I told you, Eugene¡­ Even so, I didn¡¯t know you would stay like this until the end. -¡­ Well, I thought this could happen. - Hehe. It looks like you¡¯re in pretty bad shape¡­ I think it¡¯s time to take back the life you owe me. Don¡¯t you think so? - Well¡­ . Eugene muttered, his finger still on the trigger of the railgun. - I don''t know if you remember, but I just happened to check earlier... Mekabyam''s hair volume is surprisingly protected by a shield. - Hair volume... Wait!? - I won''t say much. Kwaaaaang! At that moment, a blue me burst out fiercely from one side of Harmony''s head. Harmony''s eyes widened as she confirmed that it was something attached to Eugene''s neck while saving him from being crushed by the debris, but Eugene was aiming the railgun at that moment. Sharply As the high-pitched sound of the wind burst out, the nuclear fusion reactor located in the center of Harmony¡¯s upper body waspletely destroyed and shattered, and Mina, who had fallen backwards with an expression of iprehension, looked straight ahead. Eugene, who hade closer, threw away the railgun and stroked her face. - I don¡¯t know how much it would cost to repay Eunhye¡­ but a 1-hour tail pass would be enough, right? - Teacher Eugene, really¡­ . - Let¡¯s go back and look at the rest. She snickered at that and soon dropped her neck. The event match ended with Harmony¡¯s eyes closingpletely. It was a moment of iparable chaos from the main event. Chapter 590 "Last year around this time, time just melted away like ice cream left out on a summer day, but now that I''m not ying, there''s not much to do. Watching and analyzing the matches gets old after a while..." "So you came here this year. Ah, I thought our youngest wasn''t going to show his face until the end of the year..." "Well, that¡¯s why I came here." New York, Central Park HQ. The pro yers went off to y their matches, and Lorentina, Logan, and Olivia were off doing their own thing. With nothing left to do, I ended up visiting another world, and the first one to greet me was Logan, acting dramatic and yful with no sign of any resentment. As usual, today, like many times before, I had arrived via the breakroom door as a gateway, expecting a warm greeting from the familiar faces, but surprisingly, Logan was the only one in the breakroom, lying on a bed with only a nket over him, and that¡¯s how I came to meet the pr bear for the first time. The room wasn¡¯t exactly messy, but it wasn¡¯t exactly tidy either. It had changed quite a bit since myst visit, mainly because there were now several bunk beds ced around. Logan, who had grabbed a box of choctes that appeared to belong to Lorentina, opened it and said: "Let¡¯s eat and take a walk." "...Is it okay to just eat like this?" "Don¡¯t worry about the aftermath. I¡¯m toozy to think about it." This is the thing with those who have awakened abilities¡ªthey''re ruled by instinct rather than reason...@@novelbin@@ Of course, I said that because I also casually grabbed a chocte and ate it with Logan. (It was easy to tell it belonged to Lorentina by the shark designs on the nket and mattress cover.) As the sweet taste filled my mouth, Logan, who seemed to have just woken up, brushed his hair aside and noticed my wandering gaze. She spoke: "You were wondering where the others are, right?" "Yes. I was quite curious as to why it was just you, Logan." "It¡¯s the end of the year. Oh, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I¡¯m not off having fun. It¡¯s the opposite. I¡¯m just helping out with small tasks. Carrying supplies and acting as a coach. I was up until 4 AM moving stuff and then I slept." "Ah... But don¡¯t humanoids or dedicated staff handle those things?" "It¡¯s the end of the year." Ah. Clearly, there was more to Logan''s words than I initially thought. It wasn''t just about the end of the year¡ªit sounded like a kind of... festival involving the operators too, something like that. The time was around noon. By now, the box of choctes had been reduced to nothing, and after Logan closed it, he checked the time and scribbled something on a piece of paper. In summary, it said: "I ate your choctes with the youngest. They were delicious!" I feared the aftermath, but anyway, I went outside with Logan. At that moment, I could immediately sense why she had said that¡ªespecially with my sense of smell. "Where''s that barbecue smelling from? Why are there so many food trucks around here? Didn¡¯t really need to go to them." "It¡¯s nostalgia. Back in the day, Central Park was surrounded by food trucks, and we wanted to recreate that atmosphere. I¡¯m from an skan backwater, so I don¡¯t know much about this, but I do enjoy helping set those up." "Also, you managed to get a bite too, didn¡¯t you?" "Of course." It seemed just as I thought. As we entered mid-December, the trees in Central Park were decorated like Christmas trees, and people in the civilian residential area were making snowmen, happily skating on the huge ice rink where Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir used to be. The Gear was using its power to convert into cold energy, freezing the entire reservoir, so there was no worry about falling in, or so they imed. I wondered if the underwater demolition practice structures still survived. My gaze, which had nced at that spot, didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Logan, who added: "Do you remember when youst did underwater infiltration training there?" "...I think it was about three years ago?" "Has it really been that long? Now, prospective operators are training there. They¡¯ll be doing that for a few years." "That makes sense." At the same time, I shifted my gaze to another direction. The researchb studying Mecha Youngest, Gray House, and the newly built government buildings were decorated with LEDs twisted into snowkes and candy cane shapes, shing brightly. The area where the roads should have been was instead neatly paved with Central Park HQ¡¯s signature brick pathways, and there were groups of children and their parents walking around, smiling orughing. It seemed like people were slowly starting to smile. I added: "It¡¯s definitely a good move to dig up all the roads under HQ... why are you looking like that?" "Look over there." "Over there? Oh, it¡¯s... eh." It was the ce I had seen earlier¡ªthe children wearing red Santa hats, walking around and enjoying the outside air. As my gaze shifted toward a particrly crowded spot, I saw three Mecha Monnani, wearing red Santa hats with white fur pom-poms, mingling with the kids,ughing, and walking around with the children. "AAAH!" "Haha! That¡¯s the funniest reaction I¡¯ve seen from the youngest." "Hoo, well, they¡¯re seeing Christmas for the first time. The kids around here seem to like it too. I guess everyone likes robots when they¡¯re young." "For me, at least it¡¯s a relief that there¡¯s no shark in that group." "I totally agree." I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the shark, who acts way too young for their age, was somewhere there, enjoying itself. Anyway, we spent time walking around and chatting. Logan first informed me that Central Park HQ was getting ready for a full-on Christmas festival¡ªsomething that wasn¡¯t possible in the past¡ªand so I had to share what was happening on my side as well. And, as expected, the talk about the Final Championship definitely grabbed the attention of the pr bear. An experienced operator, who could connect one piece of information to ten, would naturally know. "So, they added one more match this year. If they intentionally cranked up thebat density to the max, everyone will be wiped out after each match. By the way, the kids you¡¯re raising, are they all girls?" "Yes. I¡¯m sure Logan knows that." "Yeah, those ones. The ones with the weird-colored hair. With that kind of group, even if you¡¯ve taught them, they¡¯ll probably start running out of strength toward theter rounds." "Exactly. But they usually don¡¯t fall out of the top 10, so I think they¡¯ll stay solid in the top ranks." Logan, too, started to remember things as I exined, tossing out key words and phrases that cut straight to the heart of the matter. "That green cat-like one, was she the one who handles bombs well? Having someone like that in the squad makes things a lot easier. I wouldn¡¯t want to do it myself... but anyway, that¡¯s not the point. The terrain can drastically change the win rate." "So I¡¯ve been making sure they practice shooting a lot." "That¡¯s the best way. Operators need that kind of training... Anyway, I¡¯m getting hungry from all this walking. Let¡¯s get something to eat." Of course, I nodded in agreement. Thus began our tour of all the food trucks around Central Park HQ. Naturally, most of the faces of the people in this small neighborhood were familiar to me. Though, I didn¡¯t know everyone, most knew me. After about two hours of eating, I heard that the actual ball drop event would be happening in Times Square on the 31st, right after thest match. It was likely that we¡¯d be preparing for the New Year after all the matches, so some arrangements would need to be made to participate in both events. With our bellies full, we happily chatted about Henry¡¯s antics as he nned to attend the awards ceremony, and then returned to the breakroom. "Hehehe... came back and saw that the chocte box was empty. Looks like two little mice showed up and helped themselves, huh? Hehehehe..." "...Ah." "Well then, youngest. I don¡¯t know what it is, but you better start preparing for your punishment." Lorentina and the rest of the team were waiting for us inside. Despite the box being flipped over, it was now only crumbs and the wrapping paper. Lorentina, holding it by her thumb and forefinger, approached us with a devilish smile as though she had personally fetched it from hell. Choosing to visit this world today was definitely a mistake. "Yujin, we''ve returned... W-what happened to your head!? Did you get into a fight with someone!?" "Mina. There''s no way Yujin would fight like that. Not when a single punch could cause a face to cave in." "...Do you want to experience that face-caving firsthand?" "Ugh, no."
    • "Why are you threatening someone with face caving, haha!"
    • "Why does Byam look like a dumpling now? Lol!"
    • "Did you do 6 hours of nonstop survival training or something?"
    • "By the looks of his face, it seems like he''s been doing 4 or 5 days of sleep-deprived training, haha."
    • "Did he fight with Lorentina or Logan? Lol."
    • "Breaking news: Byam turns out to have terrible sleeping habits¡­"
    After being trapped by the shark for about 6 hours, I finally escaped, but my appearance was truly a mess. The shark¡¯s aftermath was brutal. "The Final Championship is just around the corner, so I have something sudden to announce." "What is it?" "My parents in Manhattan told me that to celebrate the end of the 4th Final Championship, they¡¯ll be providing unlimited ess to the Icarus Residence Hotel Times Square suite rooms until the Ball Drop event on the night of the 31st. They also invited you all to dinner." Thud. The heads of everyone in the room suddenly snapped around so quickly that you could hear it. Those who had been with me in Hawaiist time looked utterly stunned, as if they couldn¡¯t believe the absurdity of what they were hearing, while those who didn¡¯t know were simply confused, their heads filled with question marks. At that moment, Lorentina¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Logan and Olivia had the same reaction. Shark already knew because we had eaten together, and Logan must have heard it from Lorentina, while Olivia had been half told when I leftst time. So, out of all the people in the debriefing room (also known as the AAR room), the ones who had no idea what I was talking about were likely Kato, Summit, Michael, and Gambit. It seemed that others were thinking the same thing, as they started looking towards those four. "Eh, what¡¯s going on? Why is everyone looking at me?" "Wait, is this some sort of amodation lottery?" "Ugh, if Kato hade to Hawaii, none of this would have happened." "...Is this my fault?" Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly his fault... bute to think of it, Kato almost came to Hawaii. I heard he chickened out, but the bus had already left by the time he decided. Honestly, I thought it would be easier just to be direct, so I added: "Well, it¡¯s not that surprising, really. My parents are high-ranking executives at Icarus International. Actually, more like de facto CEOs, because they basically control the board." "...What?" "You don¡¯t need to exin it like that. These guys already had the light drained out of their eyes." "Hey, hey. Pull yourself together. You¡¯re going to dislocate your jaw." Was this such a hard thing to ept? In these moments, thinking from someone else¡¯s perspective, I could see how it might be hard to believe. The parent of someone you know turns out to be the head of thepany that made the game you¡¯re ying? That would definitely be hard to wrap your head around. After waiting for about ten seconds to give everyone time to absorb the truth, four people, who were still trying to process it, finally spoke. "...Why is no one else surprised?!" "Because everyone except you four already knew." "Wh-what...?" "Oh no, Kato¡¯s lost his ability to speak." But with enough physical effort, a person¡¯s mind can be forcefully awakened, and Kato regained his senses thanks to my tail-attack. I didn¡¯t hit him, I just wrapped my tail around him and shook him. Meanwhile, without me noticing, Logan had slyly climbed up to the podium and started manipting the screen, quickly disying my parents¡¯ faces on the projector. I realized what was going on when everyone started pointing behind me¡ªdespite the changes to my appearance, my parents'' distinctive sharp features were still present on my face. And that was apparently the final confirmation. "...Wait, now that I really look at it, Yujin, you really do look like them." "Right? We already knew." "Yujin¡¯s parents are so handsome too." "...Stop gilding my family¡¯s story!" I could feel my face turning red, wishing I could just bury my embarrassment in gold. Anyway, now that everyone was starting to quiet down, I¡¯d aplished my goal of sharing the information, so there was no need to drag this out any longer. Logan had swiftly returned to his chair, and I returned to the podium, marking the location of the Icarus Residence Times Square on the screen. Yes, ironically, that was the same ce where we had watched the Ball Drop eventst year. I¡¯d heard that the restaurant we visited back then, the one specializing in grilled food, was about to open soon. That itself was a clue¡ªit turned out that it was actually the hotel restaurant. Once the truth came to light, I wondered if some strange conspiracy theory would start circting, saying "The world is controlled by Byam!" Pushing away unnecessary thoughts, I shut off the projector and added: "It wasn¡¯t a big dealst year, and we had some unexpected guests, but this year, we¡¯ll be able to enjoy ourselves a little more. This is myst gift to you all this year. I hope you enjoy it." "Wow! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! She¡¯s a goddess!" "Ah, but I do expect all pro yers to perform well in tomorrow¡¯s final matches and the awards ceremony. I don¡¯t think any of you will waver, and I believe you all know what you¡¯recking, but still, I think you can finish strong and make it to the top ten." At the same time, I made eye contact with them. Since it was among those with awakened abilities, no one else noticed, but considering what I had just said, it was easy to guess what the seniors were thinking. "Wait, did you not tell them the president would be handing out the awards?" "...Really?" Summing up the conversation, it was about this. It wasn¡¯t that I wanted to see the winners¡¯ surprised reactions, but thinking about it from the other side, there was no real need to reveal who would be putting the medals around their necks. Plus, telling them in advance might have put pressure on the five of them. As I checked the score tally, I added: "DICE is probably going to take first ce tomorrow if things go as they are. Mina, though, will have to put in a lot more effort to make it into the top five. But I believe she can do it." "Yes!" "Summit, Gambit, and Michael... well, they¡¯ve already established their ystyles, so there¡¯s not much I can intervene with. But that means you all will have to handle the tough conditions yourselves. I hope you can finish strong and make it into the top ten." "Thank you." "Alright then, that¡¯s it for today. Get your rest, since there¡¯s really nothing left to do." p, p! With two ps, the projector turned off, and everyone was about to disperse when... "DICE raised his hand." "By the way, Yujin, I have one question." "What is it?" "Are the Mecha Youngest included in this gift?" At that moment, the awkward silence hung in the air... we exchanged nces, but no words. I sighed and added: "...I¡¯ll tell youter. But stop bothering the Youngest. I might issue a no-entry order." "Ughhh¡ª!" "Hah, I didn¡¯t say anything!" I sighed, wanting to give them a yful smack on the head. Why is everyone around me like this. Chapter 591 "Ha..." "...I''ve been wondering for a while, why do you hold the C4 trigger like a grip strengthener? Is it some kind of routine or something?" "It just happened..." Sunday, the long-awaited Final Championship''s final day. Even though we''ve yed dozens of matches over the past week, every time I stand on the verge of this massive challenge called the Final Championship, my chest feels tight. I exhale deeply and repeatedly click the trigger in my hand. At that moment, it feels like the tension in my body slightly loosens. With only a few minutes left until the actual match starts, there''s always one thought that stirs in my mind. Maybe this is enough. Objectively speaking, it''s not wrong. After all, it only took me 16 months since I first stepped into the Dark Zone to get here. Of course, while it might sound like 16 months, the hard training that felt like an eternity, where it seemed like my mind might melt and disappear, made it possible. But right now, that''s not what matters. I nce around and check the map I''ll be dropped into in just a couple of minutes. If I run into someone here, how should I respond topletely overpower them? I run countless simtions in my mind, considering their psychology and the variables at y, analyzing the sess or failure of each scenario. I wonder how I would have reacted if the me from a few years ago had seen me standing here now. Just thinking about it... those 16 months with Yujin have been enough topletely change a person. To someone who didn''t know the meaning of fighting spirit, Yujin has embedded the joy of victory into my very bones. "...Seeing Mina''s expression turning sinister, I really feel like I don''t want to meet her today." "Maybe it''s because the first map is a high-value research facility. It''s hard to break down walls in a map like this, so I really don''t want to be on it..." "It''s not like there¡¯s nothing else. Like a mockbat arena with lots of temporary buildings... though of course, I¡¯m definitely not going there." "Hehe." As he says this, Dice nces at his right thigh. Unlike the others, his multi-purpose pouch is ridiculously stuffed. Inside are all sorts of odds and ends¡ªsmall wooden chopsticks, a lighter, rubber bands, tripwire, and other various items. Naturally, all of them are trap materials. Someone once looked at my multi-purpose pouch and called it the "pocket of death." They said that as it empties, more people die. Someone else even asked if carrying this much trap material was cheating, but the answer was that it was perfectly legal ording to the game rules. The items are not directly capable of killing yers. Because of that, my pouch hasn¡¯t been confiscated, but in truth, even if it were, I¡¯ve practiced making traps with just the materials avable on the map, so I wouldn''t be too bothered by it. Time is almost up. With only about 10 seconds remaining, everyone exchanges friendly goodbyes about meeting again in the top ranks, and the countdown reaches zero¡ªsoon enough, I wake up somewhere on the lowest floor of the high-value research facility. "Where is this¡­" The damp concrete smell, the sharp paint smell. The stagnant, murky air of the lowest floor mixed with the metallic scent of pipes. Normally, you''d fall from the sky and enter the facility, but this year, that process has been partially skipped, and the spawn point is fixed somewhere inside the facility from the start. Well then, what will be my first trap material today? I rummage through my pouch and pull out a pair of chopsticks wrapped with a rubber band, along with a lighter. "...I think I can manage." One of Yujin¡¯s many teachings. I¡¯m not a pure physical and instantaneous decision-making yer like Dice, nor am I a perfectly optimized hexagon yer. I''m more geared towards creating unconventional traps that mess with my opponent¡¯s psychology. If I just use the same methods every time, it¡¯s to my detriment and to my enemy¡¯s benefit. Because of this, I have to develop the habit ofbining little objects I carry around to create traps that no one would think of¡ªa methodology Yujin taught me. At first, it gave me a headache, and to be honest, even now, if I get stuck with an impossiblebination of items, it stresses me out. But pushing my imagination to its limits is the fate of a trap maker. ...Although, once, when I said this to Yujin, he scolded me for "getting too absorbed." Since I haven¡¯t run into any enemies yet, I continue gathering supplies, and after a while, I carefully wedge a single bullet between the chopsticks wrapped with rubber bands, preparing it for a future trap. As gunfire echoes through the walls and hallways, I climb the stairs, cleaning off white paint from my military boots before heading upstairs. This is some kind of trap the game developers have nted on the map... or something like that. ''You can gauge the enemy¡¯s position by tracking where the paint stains from your shoes lead¡­ terrifying.'' What¡¯s even scarier is that this doesn¡¯t just apply to the lowest floor. In the past, when I frequently yed this map with Yujin, I kept getting killed on the lower floors, so I asked him why. Back then, he told me, "People who don¡¯t clean the paint off their shoes and wander around are always the ones who get beaten by me." And when Iter checked the death cam, I saw Yujin following the faint¡ªthough visible¡ªpaint stains that led to the room where PDAs often spawn. It was so shocking that I still vividly remember it. After thoroughly erasing all traces, I begin to search the area. I know from experience that PDAs can track the movements of Garganuts from the lower floors, and you can also randomly find rare PDAs with emergency rescue functions. For anyone unfamiliar with emergency rescue functions, if you think about the method Dice used to take down Loganst year, you¡¯ll quickly understand what it can do. I cautiously move toward a room I¡¯ve been eyeing... ©¤©¤©¤! In an instant, I see a redser sh from a distance, disappearing. Someone else must have already arrived. But they haven¡¯t found me yet. If they had, they would¡¯ve shot immediately. So, while thoroughly erasing my traces, I carefully pick up some broken ss scattered around and quietly spread it near the door. At the same time, I gently open the door leading to theb and sneak inside, setting up a trap I¡¯ve prepared in advance. ''...In traps, the most important thing is not the power orposition, but the ability to read your opponent''s psychology and timing.'' No matter how carefully a trap is designed, or how much power it has to potentially send two or three operators to the lobby when triggered, if no one steps on it, it means nothing. It¡¯s about cing a trap in the middle of a path that people have no choice but to walk on or right next to a path they must take. The trap I''m making now falls into thetter category¡ªI cross the chopsticks in an X shape, gather a few nearby odds and ends, and then take out a 7.62x39mm bullet from my pouch and ce it across the top. What I pull from my pocket is a turbo lighter. It¡¯s nothing special, just a regr turbo lighter. I press my ear against the door and continue listening for sounds from outside. One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ How many tens of seconds passed before I heard an eerie crunching sound echoing from nearby. It was the sound of boots crushing the ss I had scattered earlier. I thought the low lighting would make it hard to see the ss, but I was wrong. At the same time, I make a bluff. I intentionally make a rattling noise and pretend toe out of the door. From now on, it¡¯s all about timing. My opponent has figured out that I''m inside. They¡¯ll probably throw a grenade first and then thoroughly search for me. With the defensive items I¡¯ve quietly gathered¡ªweapon cases and chairs¡ªI¡¯ve set up a defense line, so I should be able to withstand the grenade shrapnel. The only thing left is one. ©¤©¤©¤Tsssst! With a tiny hiss, the me from the turbo lighter ignites. I adjust the me intensity to its minimum, carefully slide the bullet underneath it, and as I hide behind my makeshift shield, the door creaks open slightly, and the metallic sound of it opening fills the room. Naturally, it''s a grenade. I¡¯ve stacked odds and ends around the trap, pressing the lighter against the wall so it won¡¯t fall¡ªthinking it through, I press my body t to the ground, and the explosive sound shakes me to the core. "Ugh¡­!" With the explosion, the door crashes open, and the enemy storms in like a wave. But at that moment, I too have rolled my grenade, curving it toward the wall beyond. No cooking time. Since it takes 4 seconds to detonate, there is a chance they might dodge, but that time starts now. It¡¯s the moment the trap will activate. ©¤©¤©¤Taaang! ©¤©¤©¤Tudududududu! ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaang! "Aaagh-!" The powder inside the bullet case ignites wildly, and a deafening sound erupts. Unconsciously, I turn my head toward the noise¡¯s source and unload 10 rounds of full-auto into the enemy, then duck behind the wall again, as the grenade I had thrown earlier detonates. After barely a second of fighting, the enemy experiences the glorious coboration of MK47 mutant bullets, a grenade, and the noise trap and quickly retreats to the lobby. It would have been nice if they¡¯d left a five-star review too. With the relief of the aftermath, I close the door and start gathering the items left by the enemy. Finally, I retrieve the lighter and exhale deeply. "Whoever you are, thank you." There¡¯s nothing like the joy of seeing the trap work as intended. It¡¯s tough, but honestly, thinking about who I¡¯ll use my traps on next, and how, is quite exciting. The first match of the Final Championship¡¯s final day started like this. "Well, it looks like it''s still too early to catch up with them. I knew it would be like this... once the conditions are set, the instant-kill strategy bes too hard to counter." "Really? I thought that in about a year, anyone would be able to handle it, but it seems that¡¯s not the case." "A year is much shorter than you think, but that¡¯s not the key. The key is the trend in the methodology they¡¯ve learned." Meanwhile, inside the Final Championship stadium. A dignified man with long hair tied back checks the live screen and scribbles down some notes before closing his notebook. The word "Keith" was written there. Untilst year, everyone knew him, but at this point, very few people even remember him. Normally, he would have been standing in the same ce as a yer, but this year, that wasn¡¯t the case. The reason was simple. All the yers, including him, who participated in the 3rd Final Championshipst year, were banned from participating by the Japanese Dark Zone Association as a form of retaliation. Nevertheless, a subtle smile crept across their faces. And on the screen, the only three Japanese yers remaining were stuck at the bottom ranks. In just a few hours, the Japanese Dark Zone Association, especially the stubborn AP officers, would burn like firewood, reduced to ashes and thrown away in the trash bin. Thinking that, he muttered softly. "Seems like the strategy was created specifically to kill only operators... I¡¯m curious what that guy is thinking, knowing such a method and being able to break it down into a theory and teach it to his disciple." "I heard Yujin was once part of a special forces unit in the U.S. Maybe he created this theory based on knowledge and experience from that time, applying it to the Dark Zone. Considering Stormseer also uses a simr methodology..." "That sounds right." He chuckled and added. "Maybe the Dark Zone is secretly getting support from the U.S. Department of Defense, simting the next-generation operators for urban warfare... It¡¯s a conspiracy theory, but maybe it¡¯s bing reality. This is the second time I¡¯ve thought that." "...Wasn¡¯t that a joke?" "Nobody knows how things will turn out. Of course, whether it¡¯s true or false is not our job to figure out..." At the same time, he switched the screen to Harmony''s using a remote. Those entering the stadium were given special sses, earphones, and remotes, allowing them to view the desired screen. After a short wait, the screen revealed the image of a green cat quietly devouring the enemy using all sorts of creative methods. Amidst the lights hanging from the ceiling, Harmony had ced grenades with their pins removed¡ªsecured with safety handlesunched a shbang to blind the shield bearer, and shot the lights to drop the grenades and set them off in a double grenade trap. She had dismantled grenades, set fuses, and used tape to reverse it and attach them to the wall, detonating them just before entering the room to catch the enemy off guard. The lighter trap she had used earlier was also enough to surprise them. "It''s terrifying." "Do you think so too?" "Not just making traps, but being able to apply them smoothly in such a high-pressure situation proves that she¡¯s used them in realbat countless times. Just thinking about how many trial-and-errors she must have gone through to perfect them..." "Exactly." Except for Harmony, Yujin''s team¡ªDice, Gambit, Summit, Michael¡ªall share the basic principle of shooting enemies with guns. While their ystyles may differ slightly, they all use guns inbat, which is amon trait. But she¡¯s different. While killing the enemy with a gun is simr, the process is not the focus¡ªit¡¯s mostly about the results. And the process was something that viewers had never seen before, like opening Pandora¡¯s box. That''s what made Harmony stand out more than anyone else. As the zone shrinks and Garganuts continue to fall, the familiar names keep remaining. Among them was Michael, who had soloed the so-called "ninja Garganut," and Dice, a regr at in5. Meanwhile, Harmony had looted skill byproducts from those she had blown up¡ªoxidizers and nanite cams¡ªand had begun stocking up on Composition B by disassembling grenades. Despite Dice¡¯sment before the game began, the final circle began to narrow toward a mockbat arena filled with temporary buildings. She was the first to head there and started installing oxidizers, nanite cams, and explosives all around the building, without setting traps, instead. ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! A st rang out from theplete opposite direction of Harmony¡¯s position. This was another form of misdirection, which allowed her to install explosives undetected until the very end. However, Michael, equipped with a shield and pulse, was like a moving tank. He quickly located Harmony and Dice using his pulse and circled around, never approaching the building. If he had to enter, he¡¯d use a Seeker mine or directional pulse to disable the traps. With leap mines and pulses causing explosions from all directions, the temporary buildings copsed and the debris covered the surrounding area¡ªHarmony slowly began to be cornered and eventually came face-to-face with Michael. The avatar was of a foreign yer, but Michael and Harmony had already observed each other''s ystyles and knew exactly who the other was. -I''m not missing this time. It¡¯s about time for you to show up. -...I guess so. But Harmony doesn¡¯t show up. Instead, she smiles. Her lips part. "I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get you here, but I¡¯m d I could finally lure you in." -...! "You can¡¯t run now. That¡¯s because..." You destroyed the whole building, Michael. Her words echoed faintly, and Michael, hurriedly stepping back, stopped when he realized his escape route was blocked by piles of stones and steel pipes.@@novelbin@@ It was then that he understood the whole situation. Harmony had anticipated that Michael wouldn¡¯t enter the building and had directed the explosions and copsing buildings to block his retreat. Before Michael could even be surprised by her grand scheme, Harmony quietly tightened her grip on the trigger. With a deafening crash, the building began to slowly copse toward him. ©¤©¤©¤Kugung! "It was a backup n I set up long before the Final Championship even started, but I didn¡¯t expect the circle to shrink here." -...I should¡¯ve just pushed forward instead of retreating. -Next time, if there¡¯s a chance. With a horrific sound, the four-story building crashed down on Michael like a wave. The number 3 on the UI changed to 2, and as the dust began to settle and the rubble from the temporary building piled up inside the mockbat arena, the avatar of a user Michael had never seen before¡ªno, it was Dice in disguise¡ªapproached Harmony and, hidden behind cover, added: -If you want to be first, you¡¯ll have to get past me. -...I was nning to do that anyway. Click! There was no more conversation. The sound of the grenade pin being pulled signaled the beginning of the battle. Chapter 592 "That''s the most brutal catfight I''ve ever seen." "One of them is actually an avatar inspired by a real cat... Anyway, it''s terrifying. Especially Harmony''s y today, it''s so passionate that sparks are flying." "The map chosen for the final battle is the perfect ce for traps to be used effectively. But using up traps that could crush Michaelpletely bes Harmony''s weakness." Grenades bounce around, concrete blocks shattered by bullets tremble, and the debris melts away from the explosions of grenades and skills. Harmony and Dice. Despite their cute or endearing appearance¡ªor avatars¡ªonce they enter the real battle, they transform into death incarnate. The sh between two manifestation users creates a massive storm, not unlike a fierce game of chess where both are thinking several moves ahead, adjusting strategies based on the consequences of their actions. Dice takes advantage of the moment when Michael is buried under a building, seizing the higher ground and asionally using grenades to keep Harmony at bay. In truth, it''s more about keeping an eye on "something" Harmony might create, rather than simply countering her. "Yujin, who do you think will win?" "That''s impossible to predict. Their skills have already surpassed the point where it''s hard to quantify them objectively. Whoever wins, it wouldn''t be surprising. Statistically, Dice has a higher chance, but there''s a friend over there who has developed their creative thinking to ovee such things." The first person I ever met. The one who taught me all of my trap-making skills. That very chemistry, mixed with Harmony''s unique, unnecessary persistence, turned her from a simple streamer into someone who couldpete at the top of the Final Championship. Given that fact, it wouldn''t be surprising who won. The outside is quiet, with asional screams resembling those of spectators in the stadium. Since the oue hasn''t been decided, we watch the choices both of them make and the resulting consequences with bated breath. At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter who is watching whose screen more. The circle is closing in, and both are appearing in each other''s view. Dice, who had unlocked his skill, doesn¡¯t rush but instead erases all coverrge enough for Harmony to hide. But Harmony isn¡¯t there, and instead, she keeps moving around, creating new cover from the debris. In response, Dice throws a grenade near the impact point to force Harmony out. As everyone knows, when a user unlocks a skill, the maximum weapon limit they can carry is a carbine rifle. Even then, they can¡¯t carry many rounds. That''s why Dice couldn''t catch Harmony, who was darting around. Until she took something out of her bag. "I wasn''t nning to use this..." Clink, clink, clink! While Harmony steadied herself, Dice began fitting several cylindrical pieces with threaded grooves together, and after some time, the millions of viewers watching realized what Dice had pulled out. She had disassembled a rocketuncher from a Garganut she had killed beforeing here, carried it in her bag, and pulled it out at a decisive moment. With a ng, Dice inserted a rocket into the rear loading port and disengaged the safety. She then aimed her weapon, securing it tightly on the cover and firing suppressive shots. She had two rockets, and even one would be enough to blow away the enemy''s shield and reduce their health to a near-death state. After some time, Dice aimed the rocketuncher at the debris near Harmony that had barely held up. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaang! The earth trembles, and debris falls like a tidal wave. Harmony, with a panicked look on her face, pulls two cylindrical items¡ªsmoke grenades¡ªfrom her multi-purpose pouch and throws them ahead. White smoke billows up,pletely obscuring Dice¡¯s view. The tens of tons of debris that had barely held up now tumble, raising the average height of the wreckage. Dice, clicking her tongue, uses thermal vision to peer through the smoke. But to her dismay, only a few bits of cover are visible, so she sprays oxidizer over the smoke. There¡¯s no need to get too close to the smoke. Dice, sensing this, purposefully begins to circle around. The explosions happening from all directions proved her instinct right. Dice frowned and, as the smoke started to dissipate, she began her search. "Why didn¡¯t I bring a pulse¡­" Her quiet muttering echoed as she neared the side, and Kato, who had quietly approached, asked. "Dice is winning, but she doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood." "It¡¯s because there are more grenade explosions than she expected. She probably used up most of her explosives trying to catch Michael, but she still doesn¡¯t understand why her stack is so high. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s hard to guess..." "I have no idea. How do you know that?" I remained silent. As I had exined earlier, I could guess why grenades kept popping up. I couldn¡¯t say for sure, but at this point, Harmony probably still had two or three grenades left. Of course, if we shifted our focus to Mina¡¯s perspective, we could see where she is and how many explosives she still has, but that would ruin the fun. With the smoke grenade exploding at just the right moment, the unexpected amount of grenades, and Harmony¡¯s position, which was impossible to find even as the smoke dissipated... ©¤©¤©¤Rustle. Dice continued moving and searching the area. Since the area had already been swept by debris, there was no need to worry about traps. Harmony couldn¡¯t have set any deadly traps in such a short time among the wreckage. This wasn¡¯t just a guess, it was the most obvious fact. Dice continued checking near where Harmony had vanished. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t matter if she stayed where she was, but since the Garganuts were closing in, there was no choice. So, Dice kept scanning the area before hiding behind cover and checking the map. When she saw the circle moving to the other side, she moved forward, ignoring the wreckage where Harmony could be hiding. Shepletely ignored the half-crushed ballistic shield propped up among the debris. And then¡ª -Boo! -...! Harmony, having deduced Dice¡¯s location from the sound of the debris, threw two pre-cooked grenades forward and added: The explosion rang out, and Dice''s shield gauge melted away in an instant like ice cream left outside on a summer day. However, Dice wasn¡¯t going to stand still. She barely survived the st and, wielding the battered shield, fired a rocket at the advancing Harmony. The shield shattered, and Harmony¡¯s avatar was thrown back like a skipping stone. The rocket¡¯s firepower and the metal jet that pierced the shield shredded Harmony¡¯s own shield as well. At this point, both were down to less than 10% HP, and a brutal fight began. "Ugh, my shield¡­!" "Shit, my gun and ammo are all broken..." With the power of fire that even an operator would have a hard time with, both of them were now fully exposed. Their bulletproof vests and tactical vests were shredded, and the magazines were the same. They were either crumpled, full of holes, orpletely broken, making them unusable. Without further hesitation, they both drew their pistols, closing the distance as if fighting over a dog in a brutal return to the world of killers. It was less tactical movement and more like a desperate fight to the death. Naturally, once the spare magazines were spent, the knife fight began. "¡­Do they even know how to knife fight?" "Harmony had an axe, but well, that¡¯s not important¡­ She learned it, so it¡¯s inevitable. I didn¡¯t expect it toe to this." The viewers, already excited by the real fight, watched the intense knife battle as Iughed contentedly, along with Lorentina, Logan, and Olivia. The screen flickered with sparks as the knives and tomahawks shed¡ªreminiscent of action scenes from Marvel movies, but enhanced by the game mechanics that boosted physical capabilities to levels on par with male operators. Fists and weapons crossed two or three times per second. Dice''s knife was targeting Harmony''s arteries and vital points, aiming to incapacitate her with a single blow, but unfortunately for her, Harmony was well aware of that fact and knew how to counter it. The axe crossed through the air repeatedly. The moves were big, but the game mechanics gave the feeling that Harmony intentionally left gaps. And then, how much time passed? -Gah...! -Huff...!@@novelbin@@ Harmony was stabbed in the upper side of her ribs, sustaining significant lung damage, while Dice had her shoulder struck by the axe, rendering her left arm useless. Both of them staggered back, and I watched with intense curiosity. Harmony''s pistol, now empty of its magazine, hung limply at her side, blood dripping from her golden wound, but as I watched, I had apletely different thought. "Ah, so this was the finishing move all along." "What do you mean¡ª" And that sentence didn¡¯t finish. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! With a sudden burst of sound, despite the magazine being empty, Harmony swiftly snatched it up, aimed, and with a retention shooting technique, fired a round straight into Dice¡¯s forehead. Dice, with a look of disbelief, copsed on the spot, and Harmony, her voice weak from the lung injury¡ªthough it wouldn¡¯t have been possible if not for the game mechanics¡ªmuttered. "I pulled out a bullet from the chamber... made it look like I was going to shoot. Did I ever say the chamber was empty?" Bluffing, bluffing, and more bluffing. In the end, what¡¯s needed to guarantee a kill is deceiving the opponent all the way to thest moment, and Harmony had pulled it off wlessly. I couldn¡¯t help but smile contentedly, while Lorentina, Logan, and Olivia snickered. The viewers couldn¡¯t even cheer, left dumbfounded for a few seconds. As the silence began to subside, I thought to myself. ¡®She¡¯s really grown, hasn¡¯t she?¡¯ This reward was definitely going to be a big one. She¡¯s my disciple, after all. [General] Korea National Team <<<< Even if they came back to life, they''d never win, so upvote for sure, lol At first, me too, lol "How could anyone possibly win against that?" Hooked, hooked, hooked, lol [All Comments][By Date] Relentlessly upvoted, lol I¡¯m giving a Pandral upvote because it¡¯s getting old now Seriously, how could anyone win against that? Hooked, hooked, hooked, lol Seriously, she pulled a bullet from the chamber and tricked everyone with it, that''s some hardcore stuff, lol But at the end, if Dice miscalcted his bullets, wouldn''t he have noticed? Was it because he got hit by two grenades? -- How the hell would a person count bullets all the time, crazy -- Well, if it¡¯s a national level, it could be done, right? -- I¡¯m not talking about the bullets; I¡¯m talking about the game mechanics. "Harmony ispletely insane, I swear. How can anyone keep nting traps like that without even taking a breath?" -- That''s how she learned, lol. "Honestly, I think it''s even more impressive that Dice managed to hit Harmony with a rocket while avoiding all those traps." -- Let''s call both of them crazy. -- No one thought they¡¯d make it out of there alive, but that was legendary. "This isn¡¯t even like a fair fight, it¡¯s more like watching gods sh." "If you just shoot well and kill everyone in sight, that¡¯s how you win, right?" <<< It''s hrious that people like this are just sealing their own fate. -- Didn''t Yujin win that way? -- Aha, that¡¯s a Viyam strategy! -- Dude, operators and manifestations are two different species!!!!! "Just watching those two reminds me of both Yujin¡¯s power and skill, like they¡¯re fighting separately within one." -- It''s like V vs Yam, wow. -- The Viyam internal battle, lol. "Those two should just get their pants off already. Stop hiding those Viyam tails and officially debut as manifestations." -- Seriously, lol. "Wait, wasn¡¯t that shield that Harmony had, Michael¡¯s? How did she get it after it was buried under the debris?" -- Items like that automatically respawn on the ground once they¡¯re buried under debris. -- Ah, now I understand! "Up to the Asia qualifiers, I could watch while eating, but for the Final Championship, I can¡¯t even eat while watching, lol." -- LOL, right? -- Seriously -- The moment you blink, someone¡¯s getting instantly eliminated. It¡¯s best to keep eyedrops ready. "How did you guys end up like this after such a crazy fight?" "It''s the exact type of yer I¡¯ve always been. Crazy how it goes, right?" "Dice lost, huh..." "Don¡¯te to me, you little brat." "Mina¡¯s skill has improved again. I¡¯m so proud. Come here." "Hehe, soft tail... " "Wait, the people who fought just now¡­ Are they the same ones?" "They¡¯re the type to separate business and pleasure, I guess." "Yujin TV tail flick is insane. Don¡¯te near." "Crazy bastard, lol." "Logan just straight up pushed her away, lol." Dice, sinking. Though the pr bear, not weak at all, dragged Dice from the bed, just like Harmony had tofort Lorentina earlier, she patted her head, and Dice finally melted a bit and showed a satisfied expression. It felt somewhat like the owner patting their pet, but I thought it was still something else. In any case, it was a weird feeling. And so the first match ended. The break was scheduled for 40 minutes, but considering it had been packed with fights for over an hour, it felt a bit short. But, of course, we couldn¡¯t have breaks for an hour, otherwise, people would getzy. Mina, curled up with her tail and getting patted on the head, was about to reach the peak of bliss, and I checked the next maps with Harmony. The next map was Atakaiya Volcano Ind, and the final map was the radioactive contaminated town of Kmansk. Coincidentally, both were great maps for Harmony¡¯s abilities¡ªlots of buildings, easy ess to explosives, and ces to demolish buildings. Well, who wins, we¡¯ll just have to wait and see. "Mina, ha... I never imagined I¡¯d get buried under a building and be crushed. What a surprise." "Ah, Michael! Your shield was well used earlier!" "...Yeah, next time it won¡¯t happen like that." "Harmony <<< Completely insane." "She didn¡¯t even kill with guns, just crushed them with mass, LOL." "Craaack, Mass Executioner, I¡¯m so sorry!!!" "To kill someone holding a shield... Required item... Building... Memo..." "Michael always seems to be in pain, lol." ...Well, anyway, I got third ce in that match. At this point, we - the manifestation users, including myself - had no real words left. The Final Championship would wrap up in another two or three hours, and only the award ceremony would remain. So, the words that came out of my mouth were mundane and predictable. "Dice might win if he doesn''t make any mistakes, and Mina should end up in the top 5. We won¡¯t help each other... so just do your best." "This time, I don¡¯t think it will happen." "No chance. If Dice doesn¡¯t win first this year, it¡¯s all my fault." Growl. But since Harmony, the overwhelming predator, had her tail wrapped around me, and Dice, another dominant predator, was being cradled by Logan, they both retreated without a fight before things even got started. But that time was about to end. The beeping clock rm signaled that it was time for the yers to log back into the game. As Ibed through Harmony¡¯s messy hair, I added: "Both of you are my disciples, so I won¡¯t say who should do better. Just do your best in everything." "Hehe, I¡¯ll get first ce again!" "Pfft, you¡¯re already drinking kimchi soup. Should probably give you some antacid... See you in the next round." "Haha." As I taught them, I was d they were all putting their fighting spirit into the game. And so, leaving the five of us, the outsiders, in the room, we headed to the corridor and prepared to watch the game in the lounge set up for the staff. Who would win this round? As I thought about it, time kept ticking away... "¡­I told you, didn¡¯t I? You won¡¯t fool me anymore." "This can¡¯t end like this¡ªAGH!" Bang! With a crisp sound, Harmony, now with a much lower rank of 16th cepared to her previous match, ended the second round. Dice had more of a grudge than expected. And that, too, was eerily simr to the pr bear. Chapter 593 "Some of the people we sawst year, and there are new faces as well. The one leading the pack seems to be someone we sawst year. Now, in just a few minutes, will we be putting a medal around that kid¡¯s neck?" "...It seems like it will happen that way." Head, neck, back, arms, legs, and feet. Electronic devices, never worn before in my life, were attached to my body, bundled in clothing, as I sat in the chair, waiting for the calibration to finish. The current time was 6:37 PM, and due to the early winter darkness, it had already gotten dark outside. I had to sit still until the body analysis waspleted, but it wasn¡¯t a boring situation at all. It was because of the video in front of Henry ¡ª as expected, the final match of the Championship was ying on the screen. Had it been the old Henry, he might not have cared, but now, with six years of war experience and mastery of military knowledge from a parallel world version of himself, his mind now contained the same amount of knowledge. While he might not be as good in directbat as an operator, his ability to read the situation was impressive. While assistants busily set the table and the Icarus field control staff coordinated opinions and situations, the estimated match end time, which had constantly fluctuated, gradually started to shrink. "I¡¯ve heard that advancements in technology lead to greater convenience, but actually experiencing it feels quite good¡­ If this part keeps advancing, we might not have to fly out to have meetings and deal with the hassle anymore." "If that happens, it might only remain as a totem at the White House." "The bnce has to be just right. If the meaning of not having to go outside ends up being the same as being forced to stay inside, that wouldn¡¯t be good." Of course, aside from that, the fact that he didn¡¯t have to spend both time and energy on the asionally harsh overseas trips was refreshing¡­ but not in a way that brought sentimental feelings. Originally, the other Henry, nearing the end of his second term in the other world, hadn¡¯t gone abroad even once since bing president, and the only thing he remembered was signing documents at the Gray House in Central Park and bing a machine making judgments while receiving briefings. It was an extremely extreme and deste memory. As he thought this, he leaned back in his chair and awaited the calibration process to finish. The assistant, who had been waiting beside him, quietly added: "Icarus connection coordinationplete, humanoid ready. Transmitting now. It may feel dizzying for a moment, sir, but we are monitoring it and can disconnect at any time if necessary. There¡¯s no need to worry." "Understood." Taking a deep breath, he exhaled. At that moment, the chair he was sitting in transformed into something resembling a bed, and his body rxed as if all strength was drained. It felt like falling into sleep without losing consciousness, but after a few seconds of darkness, when he opened his eyes again, "-No issues with consciousness transfer. Humanoid movement confirmed, hologram detected. Are you awake, Mr. President?" "...I remember the friends ying the game earlier had avatars that were all shy, but this doesn¡¯t seem like that. Make it look a bit more dignified." "Th-thats..." "Oh, I¡¯m just joking. Anyway, this is my first time experiencing this. The sensation is more unfamiliar than I expected. Can I move a bit?" "Of course." A mere moment after he closed his eyes, Henry found himself near Dark Zone Town, about 400 kilometers from Manhattan. His limbs moved much more freely than expected, with strangely excessive strength. Through these sensations, he quickly realized what had happened: the humanoid body he was connected to was using default settings, which made him feel like he had more strength than he actually did. However, the sensation of confusion didn¡¯tst long. His body, which had been jerky, gradually stabilized, and he regained his usualposure. Chuckling quietly to himself, he checked the wall-mounted clock. It was not long until the match was expected to end, and at the same time, the UI before his eyes began to disy various information¡ªthings like simple speech drafts, movement routes, and more. After about a minute of adjusting the vocal module, he sat back down and added, "I remember hearing that if this unit were hacked, it could turn into quite a ridiculous sight. Like the appearance changing or the unit malfunctioning." "We¡¯ve taken precautions against hacking threats. There¡¯s nothing to worry about." "I trust that." He exhaled, though it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary, and got up from his chair. This was his first time connecting to a humanoid, but with just a few hand gestures and slight shifts in his gaze, he quickly found the route to a specific location. This knowledge had synced with the knowledge from his other-world self. Learning humanoid maniption had been part of preparing for assassination threats. For example, the people around him didn¡¯t pay any attention to his movements. However, the next statement surprised them. "With 15 minutes left until the match ends, there¡¯s enough time. Can I take a quick walk?" "...Going outside the building might be a bit concerning." "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay inside the building." Though his words were a bit ambiguous, the Icarus staff didn¡¯t react. They already knew what he meant. With the familiarity of handling his body, he grabbed the door handle and left, quickly finding the hidden elevators around the stadium that only a few people knew about, making his way through them. This was also made possible by the UI showing the route.@@novelbin@@ The elevator rose about six floors, and when the door opened, avish hallway appeared. But, unsurprisingly, no one was around. This was the area leading to the yer¡¯s waiting room and lounge, essible only to staff. As Henry walked around the building as if it were his own home, the noise¡ªthe cheers¡ªgrew louder. At the end of his path was the lounge, which led to the center of the stadium. ncing at the Korean g on the wall, Henry couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. Through the shared vision, everyone watching knew exactly where he was heading. After some time, ck! "Huh? No one was supposed toe in¡ªPuhhhh!" "...Wow, this is unbelievable." The moment someone saw his face, they spat out their drink in shock. Some people gaped in disbelief. Others looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. At the same time, a drone camera floating behind Yujin fell to the ground as if it were malfunctioning. Yujin caught it with her tail. Henry knew exactly why this happened¡ªthe jammer function in the unit had activated, blocking the broadcast transmission. It wasn¡¯t an umon situation. Even official vehicles had ECM and jamming functions, so why wouldn¡¯t a humanoid have them? But that wasn¡¯t what mattered. Seeing the astonished faces, Henryughed. "Haha! This reaction was totally worth it! Sneaking in here was a good idea!" "...Sir, please..." "Don¡¯t worry too much. I just stopped by before the awards ceremony." The sharp stares that screamed, "This is not the time!" shot through him, but he wasn¡¯t bothered. He was known for being thick-skinned among politicians. Without paying any mind to it, he turned to Yujin and added, "You¡¯ve raised some excellent people. If there were more like them in the military, it¡¯d be reassuring." "Does that mean you think we¡¯re not enough?" "Of course not. Anyway, sorry for surprising you. I have to get going; there¡¯s an award ceremony to prepare for. Enjoy yourselves before returning home." With that, Henry left the room. A brief but intense storm, notsting even a minute. Those who were slightly interested in current affairs only realized who the person was after seeing his face, rubbing their eyes in disbelief, while others, still clueless, feigned ignorance. How long had it been? Soon, someone whispered from behind. "...Yujin, you don¡¯t know him personally, right?" "There were many circumstances. I met him when I was a senator. Now I see why the broadcast cut off." Muttering under his breath while rebooting thepletely turned-off drone, Yujin thought to himself. What a troublesome person. And so, the final match of the Championship concluded with Michael taking first ce. "Yay! Finally, it¡¯s over!" "Great job, everyone. Michael finished in 5th, Harmony came in 4th, and Dice took 1st... What a ster performance. It was a clean sweep of the top ranks, even beyondst year. Foreign viewers will be furious." Finally, lol! Dice wins! Dice wins! Dice wins! Dice wins! Koitsu finally breaks out of the slump, LOL Wow, how do you get 1st, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 14th, lol? Other country yers are probably screaming, lol. Dice, finally winning the Final Championship. Unlike other days when the lights would turn on like in a movie theater after the match ended, today was different. As the ceiling opened, a massive disy of fireworks began, and a huge holographic panel descended from the ceiling, showing the rankings. Fortunately, thanks to therge ss barrier on the ceiling, the cold air didn¡¯t enter. Dice, who had been 4thst year and essentially 2nd, proudly took 1st ce this year, and as soon as the match ended, he dashed into the lounge where we were. Before leaving for the US, Dice had been preparing for some athleticpetition, so maybe that¡¯s why he jumped into my arms with an unnecessarilyrge leap. "When you win 1st, you¡¯d usually cry, but Dice doesn¡¯t seem to do that." "Are you trying to say I look weak enough to cry? Well, it¡¯s not like that. Compared tost year, things are way better. Back then... but this year, I didn¡¯t randomly encounter a manifestation. So, I wasn¡¯t as nervous and went in fairly casually." "Well done." Great job. Half unconscious, Harmonyy sprawled across the bed, while Michael, Gambit, Summit, and othersy scattered on chairs and sofas. Naturally, their expressions were gradually turning sour. They worked hard, but the results were a little disappointing. In other words, Michael was grinning ear to ear. Everyone wanted to say something encouraging, but any further debriefing seemed pointless. I pped happily, and in response, Lorentina, Olivia, Kato, and Harmony¡¯s friends cheered loudly as well. Especially Hyun-ah was going absolutely wild. "Oh my, oh my, everyone! Come see this! Our Mina went to the Final Championship and got 4th ce! Tricky¡¯s pride! I¡¯m really getting emotional!" "Agh, stop yelling in my face!" "Ugh...!" Another crazy one here, lol. She¡¯s just a lunatic, lol. Oh my, she¡¯s just noisy whenever she shows up, lol. Kim Hyun-ah, the one who doesn¡¯t know shame... I think I¡¯m going insane. I heard she went to a debate academy as a kid, and now she¡¯s using those skills here, lol. Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t much of a problem since Harmony got cut off early. Anyway, we were in the lounge, and the fireworks were still going off. The sh paper flower petals were scattered everywhere, making it feel like we were watching an early bold drop event. Before falling to the ground, the sh paper was lit up by theser shield that had been preinstalled on the floor, and a grand, nostalgic melody filled the air, touching not only our ears but also our hearts. As the yers enjoyed the excitement, their words gradually faded. It was December 20th. The day the Final Championship ended, and only 11 days were left until thest day of 2036. After a while, a unified chime rang from all the devices handed to the yers, and a low podium rose from the center. There were five spots avable. Three of them were from Korea, so it was pretty emotional, right? Maybe. I had personally taught them, and now they didn¡¯t need my help anymore... The semi-graduates went on to win medals in a globalpetition. Maybe the vibrations were because the award ceremony, the final event of the Final Championship, was about to begin. "Can I say, ''I love you, Yujin!'' during my eptance speech?" "The moment you say that, I¡¯ll be on the next ne home." "Wow, that¡¯s the strangest, but scariest threat I¡¯ve ever heard!" Well, it was a tailor-made threat. Anyway, with those words, the five people slowly disappeared back to where they came from. Only the top five would be there, but this year, there would be a group photo at the end. And so, the bomb was about to explode. I thought that while waiting a few more minutes, the atmosphere would start to settle, and the host would appear. The apuse and cheers slowly died down, but that was just a prelude. When the five winners walked out, a huge roar filled the air. The noise was so loud that it felt like the entire lounge shook with the energy of the crowd. "Wow." "The lounge is shaking. How scary..." "Well, I guess that''s to be expected." But the real event was just beginning. Out of the 50,000 people in the audience, only we knew what was about to happen next. Everyone was wearing strange expressions as they waited to see when "it" would happen. "[Now, we¡¯ll proceed with the medal ceremony. However, there''s one change from what was previously announced. I kindly ask everyone here to remain calm and react as naturally as possible.]" "What¡¯s going on? LOL!" "Wait, is Byam going to put the medal on them directly? LOL" "But he¡¯s not even leaving the lounge. LOL" "What¡¯s happening? What is this? What is it?!" Then, at that moment, the back door opened, and someone walked in¡ªa sharp-looking, middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing a neat ck suit. The confident steps, the American g-shaped badge on hispel. Most people in the room immediately recognized him and were so shocked they put their hands to their mouths to keep from gasping. The Captain of the United States. The head of the most powerful country in the world. The man who would be the new president of the United States in 2037. Henry Michael Brayton walked toward the center. "[...The iing 50th President of the United States, elected and set to take office on January 20th, will personally present the medals to the winners.]" "????????????????????????????????????" "Wait, what did you just say?????" "This is huge!!" "What?! This is crazy!!!" Naturally, the five people standing on the podium, including Dice, all had their mouths wide open in astonishment. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at their expressions. "Well, I guess it¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?" "...Are you seriously going to say that in front of them?" "Well... maybe not?" With his puppet-like movements, the five winners, still in shock, received their medals from the President himself. As thest day of 2036 began to draw to a close, we were left reflecting on what had just transpired. This year was truly enjoyable. Chapter 594 "Never thought I''d be flying to Manhattan on something that looks more like a ne than a car." "Isn¡¯t that more convenient? Plus, if we wait until this evening or tomorrow, there will be 500,000 tourists trying to leave the area all at once. Do you really want to deal with that traffic?" "Ah¡­e to think of it, you¡¯re right." On the night of December 20th. A tilt-jet ne traveling at an incredible speed of 600 km/h was flying across New York State, heading toward Manhattan. Unlike the rigid interior one might expect for military operations, this ne was equipped with seats resembling sofas, around twenty of them. This, of course, was yet another Icarus model. I didn¡¯t know all the details, but it was apparently used when executives needed to move quickly domestically¡ªby "domestic," I mean within the U.S. I heard that they bought it cheap after a vertical takeoff andnding craft project was scrapped due to cost issues. Anyway, the rest of the events followed a simr trajectory as the private jet Icarus sentst time. The fuel lines were blown out, reced by a fusion reactor. In short, the ne we were on had an unlimited range, though it was a small private jet. It had been less than 20 minutes since takeoff, and already Manhattan was just minutes away. Outside the window, the golden veins of traffic spread out below, a scene where highways, connected by the dark ground below, intersected. After a few minutes, Manhattan, still gleaming brightly, appeared on the horizon. Tonight¡¯s destination was JFK International Airport. I had been here a year ago. With the AP stadium moving near Rochester, I probably wouldn¡¯t have to visit here again unless it was through this method. While I was casually looking out the window, Olivia spoke up. "It looks like Logan¡¯s vehicle will arrive around tomorrow morning... we should swing by the studio too. There¡¯s nothing to do at the hotel anyway, right, kids? I¡¯ll be back in a bit." "Heh, I was just about to say that...!" "You¡¯re the youngest? Are YOU the youngest?!" "Ugh, what''s the problem now?!" "Stop bickering, are you kids in elementary school or what?" Lauren, who had been trying to subtly tag along to Olivia¡¯s studio, was swiftly shot down. Her eyes rolled, trying to gauge the situation. Of course, even though she seemed like the ssic tsundere type, if she asked kindly, Olivia would probably take her along¡­ but honestly, I didn¡¯t think the Shark would seriously ask to visit. She was just someone who enjoyed watching others get worked up. The tilt-jet, high up at thousands of meters, didn¡¯t appear to be particrly high but certainly wasn¡¯t low either. Manhattan slowly passed beneath us, glowing with lights, and as the altitude gradually lowered, JFK International Airport came into view. The engine angle shifted slowly, and as the altitude quickly dropped, the speed reduced in kind. Not long after, the ne jerked as itnded in a corner of the airport. Because of the aircraft¡¯s design, it didn¡¯t need a runway, so as long as there was space, itnded directly there. The ramp lowered, revealing an area that was off-limits to anyone other than staff or those with prior authorization. My streaming friends, pro gamers, and managers all got off the ne, thanking me as they left. Logan chuckled and added: "When money and powerbine, things like this are easy. As I always say, because of you, I¡¯ve experienced all sorts of crazy things." "¡­If it weren¡¯t for the people here, I wouldn¡¯t even be standing here. Think of this as the payment for the military knowledge I¡¯ve provided, and enjoy the luxury while you can. In a few years, I¡¯ll make sure you can enjoy even greater luxuries." "Damn, you¡¯re really tempting me." With that, Logan also turned his head, chuckling. I honestly thought he¡¯d brush it off with a "forget it," but it turns out even Logan¡¯s interested when money¡¯s involved. Of course, everything I said was true. The think tank had been making $100 million in profits monthly, so money wouldn¡¯t be a problem moving forward. As I was thest to get off the ne, the tilt-jet took off, and arge bus approached us. It was also branded with the Icarus logo. I wasn¡¯t sure how it had entered the airport, but considering Icarus International¡¯s headquarters was near Manhattan''s Two Bridges, it probably wasn¡¯t unusual. One by one, we boarded the bus, and once everyone was on, I added: "The traffic in Manhattan around 7 PM will be worse than Seoul. It¡¯ll take about an hour just to get there, so take it easy." "¡­Please build a helipad on the hotel¡¯s rooftop." "I¡¯ll suggest it. But you probably won¡¯t be able to use it until next year." "Ahhhh!" I chuckled, realizing they thought building a helipad was just a matter of stacking a few bricks and applying some concrete. Leaning back in the bus seat, I rxed as we drove through the airport. The chairs, able to support over 500 kg, moved smoothly. The roads, thick like the veins of an obese patient, gradually started to block our path. Luckily, we didn¡¯t have to worry about it. The day¡¯s events were full of stories. As the minutes passed, the conversation turned into a lively debate. At first, only one or two people spoke, but it grew to six, then ten. We started discussing thepetition rankings, which quickly escted into an argument. "I should¡¯ve beaten Dice¡¯s head off right there if I hadn¡¯t made that mistake..." "But you didn¡¯t, did you? Heh, there¡¯s no ''if'' in the world." "But Dice, even after I hit him with a rocketuncher, didn¡¯t win." "Why are you suddenly hitting me?!" The primary target of the conversation was Dice. But she already had her imprable defense. "I¡¯m going to make an honest statement. Isn¡¯t it a luxury to be speaking when you didn¡¯t even get first ce?" "What did you just say? You little..." "Heh, this isn¡¯t going well. Hey, bring the muzzle, bring the muzzle." "Even if you muzzle me, I¡¯m still in first ce, right? Hohoho!" Objective fact: Dice won first ce in this year¡¯s final championship. With that fact, Dice began to stir up trouble, gleefully teasing the other yers who were sulking in their seats. Logan turned his head with a grin, ready to speak when he suddenly said: "Hmm, by that logic, I got second ce. Shouldn¡¯t I get the right to speak too? Don¡¯t you think?" "Uh, uh, eek..." "¡­I didn¡¯t mean to scare you! If you keep reacting like that, I¡¯ll feel bad!" After that, Logan calmly handled the situation. Dice quickly shrank back into her seat, while Logan reassured everyone with a light tone. The conversation eventually turned to other topics as we made our way to Times Square. We had finally arrived at the hotel. The staff moved our luggage to the pre-reserved rooms while we headed to the elevator. Even though there were many activated users, the custom-made elevator could hold up to three tons, and luckily, around ten people were able to fit in. Then, after a few moments of thought, I said: "Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t had dinner yet. I¡¯m starving." "Do you remember that restaurant fromst year? It¡¯s still open. If everything goes smoothly, we might be able to go there." "Eh, but don¡¯t you usually need a reservation for ces like that?" "Well, if that doesn¡¯t work, we can always try room service or find another way." I felt a little puzzled. Normally, I would expect my parents to mention something or at least send a quick message, but they hadn¡¯t. It was either left to us to choose, or maybe¡ª Ding! Before I could finish my thoughts, the elevator arrived at the 32nd floor, and there stood my parents. I immediately wondered why this thought had crossed my mind, but before I could consider it further, the words slipped out of my mouth before my brain caught up. "¡­Why are mom and dad here?!" "Well, after not seeing you for a while, that¡¯s the first thing you say? Your dad is hurt, Jina." "We haven¡¯t seen each other in a while, and there are some new faces as well. Now, as we¡¯re all familiar with each other, there¡¯s no need to say much. I know you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, so there¡¯s plenty of food prepared. Let¡¯s move forward; I guarantee the taste, so I hope it¡¯ll be a good dinner." With that, my parents turned and began walking ahead. Some people were confused by this, but a few of them, who weren¡¯t so surprised, tapped my shoulder and signaled for me to follow them. I chuckled and added: "I knew we¡¯d have dinner, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this soon." "Well, it¡¯s hard to say, but maybe your troublesome side runs in the family." "Ugh¡­" I couldn¡¯t deny that, which made me sad. So, dinner began rather abruptly. "Uh, um, nice to meet you. I¡¯m known as Cartographer in the game¡­!" "Mm. That nickname sounds familiar. I remember seeing it in a report recently. The subject itself was a bit ambiguous, so it was decided to be put on hold¡­ but, well, just understand that you don¡¯t need to speak of it outside." "Oh, it¡¯s on hold...? Did I do something wrong¡­?" "Wrong? It¡¯s just business talk, so don¡¯t worry about it." I was the one who said thest line. It wasn¡¯t like the person worked under my parents, so why was everyone so tense when they met my parents? I thought this might end up with someone choking on their food. I patted Carto¡¯s back lightly, trying to ease the tension. Of course, strictly speaking... it wasn¡¯t entirely unrted to my parents. If they got involved, I could be banned from streaming on Tricky. But that was a rare scenario. Still, my parents wouldn¡¯t do something like that. After trying to ease the atmosphere, my dad casually added: "Oh, don¡¯t worry too much about it. I¡¯ll tell you, based on avatar market product sales, your avatar ranked third in the fourth-quarter recognition data." "Oh, that¡¯s why the goods coboration email I got recently¡­" "That¡¯s just one of many examples that Icarus can offer. We thought about other directions, but we decided to hold off on doing a major marketing campaign. We felt your recognition wasn¡¯t sufficient yet." "More than that¡­?" "Well, seeing is believing." At that moment, a small holographic screen appeared, visible only to a few nearby people like Carto. As I was sitting right next to him, I could clearly see what the video contained. The video was simple enough. It showed New York¡¯s Dark Zone,pletely wrecked, with people struggling to survive. The camera zoomed in on the source of the sound¡ªCarto¡¯s avatar, dressed in tactical gear, strumming a guitar and singing with a smooth, soothing voice reminiscent of a siren... "Uh, cough, cough!" "What is this?" "Why is it only fun for you?!" "Everyone, sit quietly while you¡¯re eating." I was baffled. This "on-hold" project looked unnecessarily well-made. I knew video production in this world had be much easier, but the storyline and the settings were already worked out! My exaggerated reaction caused everyone to turn their heads, eager to see the video. But with Lorentina¡¯s cool voice, no one moved much. I took a deep breath and added: "I think I¡¯ve seen a game attempt something like this before. What was it, an AOS game? Anyway, were you thinking about something like that, mom and dad?" "Sure, it would generate buzz, but it alsoes with its risks. If the project gets approved, we¡¯ll start byposing new tracks for the background music and the world¡¯s soundtrack."@@novelbin@@ This seemed to be progressing more than I expected. As I thought about it, Mina spoke up: "Uh, I¡¯m not sure if I should be saying this, but¡­ you¡¯re very open-minded." "Haha, if we weren¡¯t, we wouldn¡¯t have considered putting Jina into the game." That was true... My parents continued their conversation with solid reasoning. It made sense why they were interested in having me in the game and how it could benefit from proper backing. They discussed the importance of user engagement, citing my progress in the Dark Zone as an example. It seemed like everything was falling into ce, but Carto, feeling a little overwhelmed, turned to me with a nervous expression and mumbled: "¡­Did we have to decide this right now?" "No, not really¡­ but how did this conversation suddenly turn into this? We were supposed to be eating." "Hmm, I realize this isn¡¯t the right time during dinner. I apologize for bringing it up." While Carto nervously mumbled, I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the situation. It wasn¡¯t a great idea to talk about work during dinner. Chapter 595 "Quite the mess, huh?" "Is this really your studio? Not some junk warehouse built in the most expensive area in the world?" "Hey! Why are you dragging this on so long after I brought you here?!" On December 24th, in the Two Bridges area of Manhattan, Studio Nix. Four days had passed since dinner with my parents, and we were now in the Christmas-filled atmosphere of Manhattan¡¯s Two Bridges area. More precisely, it was the ce Olivia ran herself. A high-rise building, famous for its expensivend prices in Manhattan, upied floors 30 to 36 by a massive studio where loud voices were echoing back and forth. The reason was simple: the start of haute couture in Paris was just a few weeks away. The reason Olivia, who was both the lead designer and creative director, wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic about this year¡¯s Final Championship as we were was because she had been overseeing everything rted to fashion¡ªsomething none of us understood. She was the one giving final approval on all the designs, finishing touches on the garments, and instructing the models to tailor their clothes to fit their body types, working tirelessly. We didn¡¯t really mind that Olivia was busy. Because, despite being so busy, she was the one who invited us toe to her studio. "Sigh, it¡¯s always this busy around this time. Don¡¯t bother the staff; leave them alone. By the way, is there anything you want to eat? I can have the staff bring it quickly." "Just a tub of ice cream." "Sigh, you¡¯re a guest here and not offering anything in return¡­" "I didn¡¯t say anything, Olivia." Sizz. It seemed like a vein was about to pop on Olivia¡¯s temple, but Logan and Lorentina didn¡¯t care at all and continued their role as habitual troublemakers. Unfortunately for Olivia, there was no one here who could challenge her, so she trembled and hid her face. Meanwhile, Lorentina grabbed a screen te from the table and began flipping through it with her fingers. Naturally, these were the design sketches Olivia had made herself. With deep red eyes that looked like they were about to bleed, Olivia nced at them and continued: "I don¡¯t need to ask where you got the inspiration from. If you¡¯re going to openly take memories from that time, I¡¯m not even going toment." "Let¡¯s see¡­ You¡¯ve turned the events from back then into fashion, you crazy bastard." "Military look too... this is just a slight variation on the urban camo pattern from back then. And why the hell are the sleeves so damn red... Did you intentionally copy the bloodstains?" "Correct." It was truly legendary. But excluding that, it was actually well-made. The concept art Olivia drew made past memories flood back, and this fashion felt far more practical than the bizarre, outrageous stuff you often see at fashion shows. Returning to the earlier topic, this year, Olivia¡¯s chosen keywords were concrete-gray, vibrant red, urban camo, military-style loose clothing, metallic materials, and so on. While the elements were simple and unobtrusive, the stark, blood-like red stood out and easily brought back memories from the past. There was, of course, a reason why I could say this. "That winter was terrible, but when I think about it, no acquaintances died during that time." "Then, this... I think the rioters, terrorists, and escaped prisoners from back then probably died in this style." "Yeah. If the enemies were the inspiration, this design wouldn¡¯t have been made. We¡¯d have gone with something else." At the same time, Olivia grabbed the screen te Lorentina was holding and swiftly scrolled through it, showing us one of the pieces she was nning to present at Haute Couture. Naturally, these pieces weren¡¯t designed for practicality but for originality and artistry. At first, we made fun of Olivia for her strange designs, but upon further inspection of the structure and color scheme, we could feel something unique. Specifically, it was: "...The bottom is orange, the middle is gray, and the top gradually fades to pale white." "Based on what you just said, this is..."@@novelbin@@ "Crema (cremation)." It was exactly as I had guessed. Though I¡¯m not sure if they still exist, years ago there was a crematorium at the Central Park HQ. The building near the Natural History Museum had been converted into a massive columbarium. In the U.S., burials were preferred over cremation, but after the Omega Virus outbreak, everything had changed. Thousands of people were cremated in the area. In Korea, their ashes might have been stored in urns, but here, due to the overwhelming number of deaths, the deceased became something like... memorial stones. From my memory, nearly everyone working at Central Park HQ wore a ne made from one of these memorial stones. Onlyrge teams like Dagger Team had managed to avoid the worst of it. Morrison, too, had survived though his lower half had been destroyed. Anyway, what could I say? To take specific keywords and turn them into applicable designs for clothing was remarkable. Frankly, it was a creative task we couldn¡¯t have done with our stiff minds. While we were bantering back and forth, a thought crossed my mind. Logan noticed it first. "By the way, are you not nning on joining the Air Force?" "Ah,e to think of it... I haven¡¯t thought about that." "Well, if you''re used to ying with paint and sketching, just don¡¯t worry about it and keep doing what you''re doing." "I¡¯m not uninterested..." Olivia hesitated slightly while saying that. Honestly, to jump back into operations in real life would be... tricky. My knowledge and experience were all still in my head, but the context and connections hadpletely disappeared. Of course, there was a way around it, and we discussed it casually. "Now that I think about it, with the knowledge and field experience, all that¡¯s left is to be verified. Even if you¡¯ve beenzing around here, you¡¯d still pass the theory and field tests for the 24th Special Forces Regiment." "Don¡¯t say I¡¯ve beenzing around! ...Anyway, that''s true." "Then go over there, use your experience and knowledge, crush those newbies, and get your certification. If you ask the youngest, they can arrange that opportunity. You might not officially belong, but you can still train and teach. I¡¯m dying teaching these new recruits." "Once you secure a spot, you could probably do outsourced training. If you have some free time, take a year off and try your hand at that." "Uh, um, do I have to answer that now?" "Didn''t you ask the youngest toe here a few months ago? You¡¯re backing out now? Do you want to spar without safety gear?" The threat from the pr bear! Its effectiveness was immense! Logan raised his fist, and Olivia, startled, instinctively took a defensive stance. It was quite the sight, but unfortunately, Olivia had too many tasks piling up in front of her at the moment. It looked like she had gotten mentally exhausted, though she was starting to recover. Laughing it off, Olivia hid behind me, then ced her giant midsection on top of my head as a cushion and added: "Ah, right. Starting next year, all the clothes I designed under the Icarus name will be sold both online and offline. If you¡¯ve got the money, buy lots, okay?" "Is this why you hid behind the youngest, you bastard?" "Ha ha, how grateful I am. I live thanks to the youngest." "Wow, the mass on top of my head..." Soft and fluffy... Anyway, it seemed Olivia had been sneakily coborating with Icarus International and was preparing to sell her designs next year. Since I didn¡¯t really care much about my avatar¡¯s appearance, I hadn¡¯t kept track of any coborations, so it was no surprise that I didn¡¯t know about this. While we were chatting, Lorentina suddenly added: "By the way, for Christmas, when we get back to the hotel, everyone will get a gift." "You prepared gifts? I¡¯m already worried. Is this normal?" "It¡¯s nothing special. I just bought a few clothes. Want to see?" "Let me see¡ªwhat the hell is this?!" The glorious ''Santa girl costume'' appeared. It had a revealing top, tightly cinched waist, and flowing white frilly skirt. There were four sets. I couldn¡¯t hold back my fist, but Lorentina dodged all of our punches. The only thing she couldn¡¯t avoid was Logan¡¯s curse. "You bastard! Were you nning on making me wear this?!" "Ha ha, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll wear it too!" "Ha, of course. I was an idiot to think a crazy shark wouldn¡¯t buy clothes like that." "I used to make my girlfriends wear these kinds of outfits on days like this. But wearing it myself? First time¡ªugh!" "Gotcha, youngest. Let¡¯s deal with this." Of course, Lorentina ignored my tail, and after a few seconds, I was knocked to the floor. Momentster, a shrimp-lock mmed into her, and the studio was filled with the shark¡¯s high-pitched scream. Truly, the shark was out of her mind. Then, thinking back, there was something about the new addition. "Oh, right. We¡¯ve finally named the AI in the Mini Vyam Core. Well, it¡¯s been named for a while..." "Hmm. What¡¯s the name?" "It¡¯s Nasty. Apparently, it¡¯s derived from Russian, though I don¡¯t know exactly. It¡¯s something like a suffix attached to words to form nouns. I think that¡¯s what it was." "Surprisingly cute. What¡¯s it been up to?" "Just handling chores." December 24th, Christmas Eve night. If this had been thousands of years ago, I might have had the same feelings as when Jesus Christ was about to arrive on Earth, only a few hours away. But now, it was just the time when Santa costumes sold best, and hotel rooms were booked for Christmas celebrations. Manhattan, known for never turning off its lights, was no different. Most of the people working here were probably off on vacation, enjoying themselves. For us, though, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue. Especially not for us four, whose genders had forcefully switched. As those few "special jobs" were busy enjoying their fashion-filled lives in exchange for money, we four were quietly enjoying a not-so-formal party at Olivia¡¯s private studio on the 36th floor. Though Dice and Harmony might have wondered where we were, we had already instructed the hotel to provide entertainment for everyone. By now, they were probably stumbling around while drinking whiskey. Sometimes, it was necessary to just enjoy time with the people you¡¯ve known for a long time. "Well, since you''ve beenbeled ipetent, how¡¯s the new AI doing with the chores?" "Well, it''s been doing everything it¡¯s supposed to. No issues with power, doesn¡¯t need sleep, and can carry heavy objects. It''s been about ten days since Ist saw it... and in that time, it seems to have made quite a few connections." "Sounds like it''s been well trained." "Well, of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to train. Everyone except the youngest is there." Lorentina casually nced at me after saying that. "You know, these kinds of festivals are more enjoyable with a lot of people. How about we check in on how the Mini Vyam is doing?" "Don¡¯t call it ''Mini Vyam.'' It makes it sound like Minah turned into a Vyam." "Well, personally, I''d rather see the shark turn into a Vyam than the youngest, but whatever, it''s not important. Don¡¯t you think the pr bear and the owl are interesting too?" At this point, the two remaining people in the group looked at each other. And of course, I immediately realized from theck of a quick refusal that the other two weren¡¯t entirely uninterested either. I smirked and dered my surrender. We had just arrived at the door that led to Olivia¡¯s private fitting room¡ªa studio within a studio. After quickly activating theser and waiting for about ten seconds, the gate opened automatically. Before entering, I sent a quick message to the Central Park HQ¡¯s operations room and carefully opened the door. As soon as I stepped in, I was greeted by apletely different sight. The four of us walked through the door and, after a short while, noticed that Central Park HQ, surrounded by towering buildings, waspletely covered in Christmas decorations. "What... is this?" "The surrounding high-rise buildings... Wow, it''s like a different world." "Unbelievable, just unbelievable." Food trucks scattered around. Campfires. Amusement rides and more. While my friends were in awe, I was already somewhat aware of the reason behind all this. It was the first Christmas after the Omega Virus outbreak had almost been eradicated, so extra effort was being made this year. However, it didn¡¯t matter much to us. Especially not for the four of us, whose genders had been forcefully swapped. As we made our way through the festivities, I started thinking that it would be difficult to stay too long. If too many eyes were on us, it could be an issue. "I bet the others are going to ask why we suddenly showed up. Do you think they''ll mind?" "They''re probably just barbecuing. Let¡¯s grab a few bites and head back. Or maybe just get a few things. We can trade them for some hot pizza or sushi." "Only you would casually say something like that." After all, who else would live as freely as the shark? Even though I might find it strange to meet someone who looks just like me, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to ept. It was after all, not what I had expected to happen. Well, there wasn¡¯t much point in thinking about it, so we swiftly moved on to the Dagger Team¡¯s base, hoping to sneak into the party unnoticed. ¡®Sushi or chicken may be fine, but sushi is pretty rare here...¡¯ Considering the exchange rate, I had spent about 200,000 won on Michelin-star sushi. It wasn¡¯t a problem. But the tip was ridiculously expensive. I thought about asking Henry to handle thatter, as I carefully knocked and entered after a few seconds. "Ugh, grilling meat is so hard." "I¡¯ll need to go back and study how to make rare, medium-rare, and medium again. It seems like you¡¯re not using even half of your power, huh?" "The excellent first sister here will calmly teach you about controlling the heat and analyzing meat surface temperature..." "What? Who¡ªWhoa, what¡¯s going on?!" Wearing a Santa hat, the management AI "Nasty" was struggling while grilling meat. The three Mecha Vyam models were watching over, giving advice. And there we were, opening the door to this chaotic scene. "Wow." "Those Mecha Vyam in Santa hats are actually pretty cute." The only one who was indifferent to the entire situation was Lorentina, so it felt like a strange world. What should I say in this bizarre Christmas Eve scenario? Chapter 596 "You''re supposed to be in charge of the menial tasks, yet you end up assigning all the trivial things. You''re not causing trouble, are you?" "If I were to cause trouble, I''d be sent straight to the Chamber of Truth. There''s no way I''d mess up. I do get scolded sometimes for not doing things right, but I haven''t caused any trouble in that regard, so don''t worry." "Well, I guess if something were to go wrong, you''d be pinned down right on the spot." "¡­When can I be released?" "Oh my. I didn''t know that an object would have the right to speak." At the same time, I felt the mini Vyam curl up and shrink in my arms. The moment when Nasty (Nahstee), who had been yed with by everyone who lives here in New York at least once, finally became a doll for me to tinker with in my arms. It was also the moment when thebined teams of the two worlds met for the second time in their lives. My exnation might sound a little weird, but that was roughly the idea. I hadn¡¯t visited this world often recently, so I didn¡¯t know how much Nasty had been beaten up mentally and physically, but seeing how calm it was in my arms, it seemed the training had been done quite well. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, it was also because rebellion wouldn¡¯t really matter in the first ce. After all, the number of operators permanently stationed here must be at least in the dozens, and if we consider just the conventional forces, even more firepower would be gathered at Central Park HQ. Without any weapons and with only a strong body, how could there be any chance of rebellion? Well, that¡¯s true¡­ "So, I heard that you were made with a structure simr to the AI creation process of the Mecha Vyams over there, right?" "¡­" "Well, I get the general idea. Anyway, I¡¯m not really into tormenting a kid who''s only good for menial work. Will you be stuck as a mascot from now on?" "¡­I can do things too! Like managingrge-scale forces or building central control systems!" "¡­From what I see, I¡¯m sure the people at Icarus won¡¯t let our youngest into those kinds of tasks for at least a few months." The only potential thing would be to insert Nasty into a virtual machine, give it a specific goal and parameters, and have it calcte the results. Then, those who check the results could evaluate the feasibility and apply it to the real world, but the war is already halfway over. If we were to focus on the central control system... Well, I don¡¯t know. There are certainly some systems, like in Central Park, in the general U.S. infrastructure, that don¡¯t work properly¡­ But even if they''re there, putting Nasty into them is apletely different story. In short, at this point, this kid is useless, and the only realistic expectation is... well, it¡¯s probably just going to keep being the mascot. And the little one in my arms knew that very well. "Well, that''s something forter. For now, you just need to do your menial tasks well. Whether you make yourself known or not, it won¡¯t matter. The only reason you haven¡¯t been discarded is because you¡¯re still useful just by existing, and by studying you, there¡¯s a lot to gain." "¡­Is that so?" "And if you keep doing what you¡¯re doing well, maybeter, you¡¯ll be given more important tasks." As I spoke, I wondered if that would really happen, but I still had some confidence in it. Even if Nasty is useless now, once the body is swapped, itsbat power can easily increase, and furthermore, the leadership abilities that the current Mecha youngest doesn¡¯t have will be very usefulter. However, as I said earlier, for at least a few months, or roughly a year, this kid will have to stick around doing menial tasks. Honestly, there''s no guarantee that, once this kid gets full authority, they won¡¯t suddenly turn the guns on our side, right? After all, Sk started as a military defense AI. But at this point, the world knew how to make an AI into an ally. The method was simple. ''¡­Just teach it the emotions only humans can have.'' Why did humans fear "AI domination" from the past? Because an AI with the same intelligence wouldn¡¯t know what a limiter is, and it wouldn¡¯t be constrained by the morality humans have built up over time, having no issue with killing millions as long as it was efficient. They wouldn''t even know what actions they¡¯d take in the name of efficiency. Moreover, AI cannot be ckmailed. If a human were a terrorist, they could hold family members hostage, threaten them, or use extreme methods like torture. But AI doesn¡¯t respond to those things. So, we need to think the opposite. We just need to make it that way. "As long as it blends well with humans and, further, is acknowledged as safe, that''s the job, right? Consider it the process of building trust." "¡­I can do that much, ah. Don¡¯t pet my head! It feels weird!" "Looks like the emotional learning program is working quite well, hehehe." The point is that we need to artificially create "something an AI cannot lose." Well, it was a long exnation, but anyway, it looked like Nasty was learning those emotions very well, and soon enough, it would start feeling something like camaraderie¡­ or should I say, sisterhood? Something like that would blossom. The three Mecha Vyams would help it adjust. There¡¯s still a bit of trouble with Mav, but it seems like most of the bad feelings have been shaken off since thest time. So, what should I do now? "Ah- aah¡­ mmm, delicious." "Sit down and eat." "But I¡¯m busy teaching the newbie¡­ aaahh!" "That''s the right thing to say, kid. You eat your food sitting at the table." Getting scolded by Twin-Logan while eating grilled meat, it was definitely not an unusual urrence. Though, it wasn¡¯t really hostile¡­ The twin-sharks, who love teasing the pr bear at any chance, weed my childish antics with open arms, and the proof was the shark fin on my head while it cheekily asked for a bite of my food, the New York-shark. Lorentina, who came along with me, surprisingly spent more time walking around and talking to people. From what I overheard, she seemed curious about how the food supply was handled after this world changed¡­ It was a strange thing to be curious about. I didn¡¯t really care, though, since it was very shark-like behavior.@@novelbin@@ Anyway, enough of that. I needed to cheer up this gloomy little one. I gently patted its head and spoke. "So, I¡¯d like to hear how well our Nasty has been doing." "Eh¡­ I¡¯m not that good yet." "Really? I heard it wasn¡¯t quite like that. I happened to overhear while walking outside, and some people said it was cute when a smaller robot that looked simr to me helped out." "Is that true?" "I wouldn''t lie. I heard people say they found it nice how you did your best with the tasks. Like grilling meat, you did quite well." "Yes! I¡¯m working hard and doing my best!" Such an easy little one. Looking at it now, it seemed like it was just a kid who wantedpliments... Now that I think about it, I guess I wasn¡¯t wrong. Anyway, besides that, I had another carrot to dangle in front of her, so I started whispering sweet words. "You know how our first, second, and third have crossed over to my world before, right? If Nasty bes a good little one, I might want to show you some fun things from that world¡­" "Th-the other world... what do I need to do! Tell me!" "Well, if you just keep doing what you''re doing, and be friendly with people, and love the people who love you, then it¡¯ll grow into something¡­ you¡¯ll see." "That¡¯s easy! I¡¯ll handle it!" "Good. I think you can do it." And with a nce at the Mecha Vyams, I sent them a message to take the mini Vyam out for a walk, making sure they knew to help it adjust. I watched as the Mecha youngest was led outside by Jin, chuckling as I did. Owens, who had been watching, also chuckled. "You¡¯ve really be quite the orator, Eugene." "It¡¯s Christmas Eve. On such a holy day, we should only speak good things. By the way, do you think that friend believes in Santa?" "Wrong question. You should''ve asked if all the Mecha youngest, including that one, believe in Santa." ¡­Oh, right. Anyway, it was nice that our Mecha Minions still had that childlike innocence. Furthermore, as I saw earlier, all the tall buildings around Central Park had LEDs wrapped around them, so they might be thinking, ¡®If they have so many guide lights on, surely Santa wille?¡¯ So, we allughed loudly, enjoying the Christmas Eve party. We ate plenty of grilled meat, and everyone else indulged in pizza and sushi, foods they couldn¡¯t usually get enough of. While the fun passed, a thought crossed my mind, and I spoke up. "By the way, what kind of gifts do those kids want? If it''s something I can get here, I might as well get it for them." "¡­" "Why? Did they ask for something strange? Like a car?" "Well, no, it¡¯s not that¡­" A brief silence. Then came the response. "¡­They said they want a new tail weapon. Apparently, they were really impressed by the sonic and gravity maniption weapons they saw in the gamest time." "¡­Ugh." "If you can get it, try to prepare it." "Don¡¯t be ridiculous." It looks like Santa this year will have quite a headache. Our Christmas Eve passed just like that. "Oh, right. Eugene, I heard the new operator records will be added today. You know the mini Vyam that came inst time? Its name was revealed. It¡¯s Nasty. What was the spelling again? Nahstee, or something? It¡¯s a little confusing..." "You two are lucky. You¡¯ve been singing the Vyam song all the time, and now a mini Vyam is here. Take good care of it." "...Eugene, you seem a bit indifferent to the ones made based on yourself sometimes."
    • "He probably just doesn¡¯t care since it¡¯s his own, huh? Hahahaha!"
    • "If the Vyam has a kid, I bet he¡¯ll raise it with almost no restrictions. Hahaha!"
    • "Oh, the Vyam¡¯s baby... Oh..."
    • "Just an honest opinion, but no one¡¯s marrying a Vyam, I bet."
    • "Maybe just give something to the pr bears or sharks, that¡¯ll do."
    The chat was full of nonsense, and thick snowkes were gently falling in Manhattan. It was a White Christmas, so I guess that¡¯s lucky, considering how much snow has fallen in the U.S. this year. There were asional warm days, but on the other hand, Korea seemed to have suddenly been hit by a cold wave, with Seoul reaching minus 10¡ãC. I guess the single people must have felt pretty miserable. Well,e to think of it, I¡¯m single too, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter much. With that idle thought, I checked the contents of the Operator records, which had been gaining poprity recently. It was about Nasty, who was now wandering the base. For those who don¡¯t know, Operator records are like a conversation and favorability system, simr to ARPG games based on post-apocalyptic worlds released in the past. It¡¯s essentially the kind of NPC interaction you¡¯d see in other games. "So, should I just focus on the Mecha youngest and leave you two out?" "Eh, no, you can''t do that." "I knew you¡¯d say that, you little brats." As expected, the two of them flinched and seemed shocked, and theughter from the viewers exploded. Just a few days ago, I thought that everyone could handle things well even without me¡ªnow give me back that feeling of being moved. Anyway, there was no particr schedule for today. We had a st yesterday, and the others had drunk plenty of whiskey, leaving them all hungover. Of course, the manifestation people were drinking leisurely, but their metabolism broke down all the alcohol. Even if they weren¡¯t drunk, if they drank fast enough, they¡¯d still get tipsy. That¡¯s why when I shared a drink with Dice afterst year''s Asian qualifiers, I got drunk too. The two little Vyams, who had a hearty bowl of soup this morning to cure their hangover, patted their swollen bellies and made trivial chatter while I chuckled in response. The main topic was, as mentioned earlier, the Mecha Vyams, but there were other things too. "By the way, I heard you went to Olivia¡¯s studio yesterday. Did you have fun?" "I¡¯m not the type to find joy in watching others work... Just kidding. I didn¡¯t have anything to do, so I spent the day chatting and taking a nap. How about you guys, did you have fun?" "We just yed around, sang songs, and went to the bar for drinks. It was fun. It was even better since it wasn¡¯t with our own money... Uh, should I not have said that?" "I invited you to have fun, didn¡¯t I? Enjoy it more. In a few years, you¡¯ll be able to live even more luxuriously."
    • "Haha, that¡¯s awesome!"
    • "Vyam wallet (thick)"
    • "What do you mean by, ¡®You¡¯ll enjoy more luxuryter¡¯?"
    • "I¡¯d love to say that while hitting people with stacks of money. Hahaha."
    As Harmonie and Dice widened their eyes, I casually added, "Want to take a New York helicopter tour? Burn off some calories. We can go around the Statue of Liberty, then tour all of Manhattan, and by the time we¡¯re done, it¡¯ll be lunchtime." "Nooo, we can¡¯t go back to the time before Eugene-sensei leaves!" "Down with Eden¡¯s Vyams! Stop whispering sweet things in my ears!" Eden¡¯s snake. But the difference between me and Eden¡¯s snake was that thetter seduced Adam and Eve with clever nonsense, while I was stuffing an overwhelming amount of wealth into the wallets of these two, so I thought I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. As I slowly nted the idea that "snakes are right animals" in their heads, I plopped onto the bed and pulled out my phone to check my emails.
    • [The production of the body for all UES, including the recently added units, has beenpleted. Please visit the ''factory'' to synchronize the sensory processes.]
    • [If desired, thepletion of the UES can be announced to the world within a week, and a small expo can be held within a month.]
    Has it alreadye to this? No, has ite this quickly? Icarus Dynamics hadpleted the product a full eight months ahead of schedule. If construction were this fast, it might be considered rushed. It was such a massive eleration, but since I already knew the methodology, it didn¡¯t matter that much. Originally, eight months was the time required toplete the facilities to produce the specificponents for Mecha Eugene, but as I was exinedst time, machining the parts individually wouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Rather, the process of creating the right new materials by considering the heat treatment,position ratios, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and other materials science aspects was what took longer, but knowing the methods, it wasn¡¯t too bad. Anyway, what mattered was the result. ''¡­But maybe it¡¯s too early to announce it now.'' But on the other hand, showing it to a select few shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Moreover, these two had been informed about the production of Mecha Eugene way back when we were in Hawaii, and since they hadn¡¯t said a word about it since, maybe it was okay to tell them now. Their birthdays were still far off, so I figured I could count this as a Christmas gift. After making sure the drone¡¯s word censorship worked, I added: "Is there anything you two want for Christmas? If it¡¯s something I can get here, I could probably prepare it." "Whoa, Eugene-sensei is trying to buy us with overwhelming wealth again¡­!" "Wait, you¡¯re buying me with money... But that¡¯s way too much money..." "If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll take back everything I gave you, including the fan-made snake tail avatars you two sneakily use while gaming." "Whoa, I¡¯m sorry!"
    • "Hahaha!"
    • "Did you put honey on the tail? Hahaha!"
    • "True Vyam fans!"
    • "I think the Vyams were asking seriously though, haha."
    After they realized what I was saying seriously, they nervously started looking around, likely thinking they had upset me by not responding properly to my question. Though I thought about giving them a light tap on the head, I still opened my mouth and asked. "...What do you think if Mecha Eugenees out a little earlier?" "What, huh?" "Well, of course it¡¯d be great! That¡¯d be amazing!" "Really? How fast would you want it toe out?" At the same time, the air in the room grew tense in apletely different direction. They both looked at each other with expressions that weren¡¯t sure if it was joy or something else, and after a difficult pause, they said. "...Eugene-sensei, surely not...?" "Are you sure the drone censorship is working properly?" "The test was done on censorship earlier, but you¡¯re just realizing now? Anyway, the gift I¡¯m telling you about is that." They breathed deeply, and I continued. "It looks like the Mecha youngest mighte out a little earlier than expected¡ªAh, why are you charging at me?!" "Whooooaaaa!" "THIS is your Christmas present!" "Why are you charging at me like this?!" I knew it would happen, but the feeling was so different when it happened in reality. Chuckling, I gently patted their heads. With Mecha Vyam''s release now advanced from 9 months to about 7-8 months, it was roughly 1 month earlier than expected. Chapter 597 "U-Uh, Eugene-sensei. Aren¡¯t we going into a really... isted ce? There are only mountains, trees, and fallen leaves around us.""Y-Eugene-sensei, are you nning to sell us off somewhere¡­?" "Stop being stupid. The reason you¡¯re going to such a remote ce is because it requires this level of security. The reason I brought you two is because I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll spill what you see here to anyone." "Ugh, the way you¡¯re saying it makes it even scarier." "Then, did you think there wouldn¡¯t be something like this before you saw the Mecha youngest much earlier?" At the same time, I nced at the two of them through the rearview mirror. They were wearing faces that clearly showed their excitement, as if the words "Vyam" and "Mecha" were coated with honey. Of course, I wasn¡¯t particrly concerned, since this wasn¡¯t the first time. I had expected this kind of reaction. As I thought about it, the vehicle rattled as it sped along an unpaved road between the mountains. I had hinted at this earlier, but we had been driving for quite a while,ing back to the Rochester area to see the Mecha Vyams. To be honest, we hadn¡¯t driven that far. We had taken a helicopter from Dark Zone Town, then switched to a vehicle. After a while, despite the rough road, the rattling sensation gradually became nonexistent. Dice, who was sitting in the passenger seat, and Harmonie, in the back, didn¡¯t seem to be thinking much about it. I, however, had a pretty good idea of why this was happening¡ªthe unpaved road we were on was, from this point on, a holographic ovey ced over a well-maintained asphalt road. In other words, we had entered the ¡°factory¡± zone. Soon, a blue, directional electric field greeted us, and a drone flew nearby to scan the vehicle. After confirming everything, it opened the electric fieldpletely, causing the blue light in the air to part in a stunning disy. "...Wow." "It really feels like we¡¯ve arrived at some secret base." "Actually, it¡¯s not much different. Just a little further, and we¡¯ll reach the factory. Let¡¯s go slowly for now. Stretch out a bit, enjoy the fresh air, and take in the lush scenery." "But it¡¯s winter, and all I see is fallen leaves, Eugene." "I was just saying it." After another two minutes of driving, we arrived and got out of the vehicle. With a thud, the door opened, and the moment my feet stepped down onto what seemed like another unpaved road, the ground shifted, crackling, to reveal an asphalt road. It looked freshly paved, almost like it had been finished just days ago. It was winter, so there weren¡¯t many trees around, but a small building appeared across the way. It was small, almost like the size of a rat¡¯s nest. I had seen it before, so it didn¡¯t bother me, but these two had the same expression I had when I first visited the factory. The good thing was that today, I could exin everything to them. "This is just a small building with the minimum facilities needed for production. The underground part is muchrger than this." "Ah, of course. It¡¯s the same as inics and movies, right? The building entrance is small, but the basement is huge." "Exactly. Think of it like that. The internal facilities aren¡¯t thatrge, so I¡¯ll give a quick exnation, and then we¡¯ll head underground." Although it was only a few weeks ago, it already felt like it had been much longer. As I thought about that, we reached the factory. Today, no tour guide hade out. I¡¯d heard that thanks to a facility control algorithm, if we had any questions, we could just look them up instead of asking. Entering inside, we found a quiet, business-as-usual interior, as if it had been closed for the day. To the right was the vacuum chamber andponent assembly room, and to the left was the server room that controlled the machinery forponent production and assembly. But now, since there was no need for production, everything had been shut down. Before they could ask, I added: "If this was for mass production, it would make sense, but considering we¡¯re only making a few prototypes, it¡¯s much more cost- and time-efficient to make and assemble theponents directly. This space was made for production and assembly, but since that¡¯s no longer necessary, it¡¯s been shut down." "...Somehow, Eugene, you speak as if you¡¯re really familiar with this facility." "That¡¯s not entirely wrong. You two visited once while preparing for the Final Championship. Now that the embargo has been lifted, I can tell you more." "Aha..." "If it were still operational, we would¡¯ve needed to check it out. But now, there''s no need. Let¡¯s go down." With that, I called the elevator at the back of the server room and headed down. We didn¡¯t go down very far¡ªabout 27 meters, or roughly 9 floors. I thought that might be a lot, but then again, considering the depth, it might not be. As soon as the elevator doors opened, a massive space, resembling an exaggerated version of a shooting range from the Dark Zone, appeared. The space had almost a 7-meter ceiling height, and the width was much greater, with a length that stretched to kilometers. It was an impressive sight, though I wondered why they made it so long. But, well, once built, it had its use. Walking with the two of them, we headed towards the area where the remote-controlled treadmill-like system had been cedst time. I had heard it had been dismantled some time ago. After a while, instead of the treadmill, we saw four coffins¡ªone of them was a bit smaller. They were sealed tightly from the outside, but the faces were made of transparent material, so we could still see inside. The expressions on Harmonie and Dice changed as they gazed at the Mecha Vyams sleeping peacefully inside. They stared inside, excited, and added: "Wow, it really looks just like in the game!" "This is amazing¡­ Can we turn it on right now?" "We need to connect the connectors first. Right now, it¡¯s just an empty shell." "Ah, I see." In other words, these were just the bodies. Fortunately, the coffins had the names Jin, Rain, Mav, and Nasty written on them, and the connectors with matching personal colors were waiting nearby. ording to the exnation I had heard before bringing Dice and Harmonie here, the connectors didn¡¯t have any special features. They simply connected to my Icarus gear and sent a signal to Jin, Rain, and Mav. Unfortunately, Nasty couldn¡¯t receive a signal because it didn¡¯t have the Icarus gear. Anyway, once the signal was received, the three of them would connect to the coffins via the Dark Zone, and their bodies would move freely. As soon as the connector was plugged in, a faint light appeared. The small fusion reactor embedded in the chest of the body powered up, supplying energy, while Jin, Rain, and Mav logged into the game, attempting to connect to the body¡¯s ports. The signal that the connection wasplete was whether the eyes of the bodies opened. After a short while, Dice and Harmonie, who were checking on Jin and Rain, added with excited voices: "Eugene-sensei! Jin opened his eyes!" "Rain too!" "The coffins will open soon, so wait outside." "Uh, but Nasty...?" "Nasty can¡¯te out yet. We¡¯re going to reveal it as a surpriseter, so don¡¯t worry about it now. It¡¯s still stabilizing." Though disappointed, the sound of the coffins opening with a ''chiiik'' noise perfectly erased thest bit of that disappointment. After a few more seconds, the cylindrical coffins began to open sideways, and three Mecha Vyams stepped out one by one. These weren¡¯t holograms¡ªlike I had tricked them into thinkingst time¡ªbut actual Mecha Vyams. Using special metallic materials, their tails, which glowed subtly like real tails, flexed and contracted repeatedly, showing excellent reproduction. It was, of course, no surprise considering the technology. As I enjoyed the brief silence, the three Mecha Vyams began to show their unique expressions. Then¡ª@@novelbin@@ "What¡¯s this? It¡¯s Dice and Harmonie. Did you twoe to an agreement with the master?" "Long time no see, Archetype. And you two too. I didn¡¯t expect you toe this far." "Wow, their expressions¡­ Archetype, they look like they¡¯re about to eat us! Someone stop them!" "¡­This is really a Mecha Vyam." "I¡¯m fine with dying here. Please announce my obituary on the streamter¡­" It was truly a nonsensical conversation. Mina and Yerin slumped onto the nearby sofa, melting into a puddle, but the strong Metal-Vyams pulled them into handshakes and hugs. Naturally, the rest was all about the tactile test. Of course, Harmonie and Dice were the ones doing it, while the three were the ones being tested. They poked and prodded with their fingers, touching the arms, palms, cheeks, thighs, and tails, carefully testing them out, even running their fingers through the silver hair, which, while different from real human hair, didn¡¯t feel much different. Of course, I stopped them from touching the hair too roughly since they could hurt themselves. After some time, as they had grown somewhat familiar with each other, Jin added: "Archetype¡¯s disciples are cute. Can I take them with me?" "No." "Has Kato note? I thought he¡¯d really enjoy this since he¡¯s a guy in reality. Pity." "...There are many reasons why." Maybe, the moment Kato gets attacked by the triple-tail assault, he might ascend with joy. Of course, he might ascend in another sense, but these three were already so adept at controlling their strength while hanging around with me. Anyway, while I was reflecting on that, Rain spoke up. "Well, anyway. I can¡¯t eat food, but it¡¯s nice to be able to chat here. It¡¯s a little early, but it¡¯s nice to see you. The master said it will take about two more months, so bear with it until then." "...Of course, I can bear it. Hehe." "You all really love Vyams. At this point, I¡¯m starting to feel embarrassed." Despite all the different individual stories, it felt like they were still, somehow, the same. We hade a long way, so I decided to just enjoy it. If everyone likes it, that¡¯s all that matters. "...That happened." "Well, it¡¯s clearly the youngest¡¯s fault. You used to follow us around like this too. What the Mecha youngest are doing now is nothingpared to what you did back then." "Well, I couldn¡¯t help it back then." "Hehe, the youngest was cute back then. I still remember how Logan, Olivia, and I had tofort you when you cried, saying you missed your parents¡­" "Whoa! Aahh!" Why would you say that so openly, you rascal! But I knew they¡¯d react that way. This damn shark was teasing me by dodging around like a ghost, and since we weren¡¯t in a cramped space but right near Times Square, she could run around and mock me as she pleased. After exhausting myself, I suddenly thought back to the past. Those words weren¡¯t wrong, and even more so, they reminded me of how, once I met people who treated me well, I became a spoiled brat. But back then, it couldn¡¯t be helped. The good thing was that the three manifestation users epted me as I was. Anyway, now, I was in Times Square. Specifically, I was in New York from the world I had traveled for six years, not the one where Dice and Harmonie were. So, why did I suddenlye here, leaving the little Vyams behind? It was because of the promise, or rather the promise-like agreement, I had with the Mecha youngest. After meeting them, I gently loaded Dice and Harmonie, who had be thoroughly softened, into the car and had a brief conversation. One of the things that came up was: "I hope to ring in the New Year with you from that world too. I¡¯d like that as a Christmas and New Year¡¯s present." But since it was a bit difficult, I came here to give them a preemptive gift. In short, it was a renovation job for Times Square. "Here, we need more oxidizers!" "The trees have rotted, and the steel frame has rusted and fallen apart. The billboards are broken, and there are only empty buildings in New York now¡­" "Damn, who¡¯s singing that annoying song?" "Focus, focus. We¡¯re carrying a 3-ton frame with four people here." The heavy 3-ton frame is moved bit by bit by the four manifestors. Removing the rusted and broken debris, the old broken screens are taken down and destroyed. New digital billboards are installed, and a new building is being constructed to amodate tens of thousands of people, while materials are moved. It was a literalbor of manual work. Hundreds of transport drones stacked container-sized tforms to build the construction while thousands of chairs were set up, and the remaining wreckage from the past was cleared away. The main wreckage were the cars¡ªspecifically, the chunks of metal that were once vehicles. About fourrge transport drones, each carrying several vehicle wrecks, took them to the nearby Indian Point Nuclear Power nt¡¯s steel mill. This process was repeated dozens of times. Looking at that, I struggled to move the 3-ton frame into position with a thud and added: "Looks like it''s almost time for the Times Square cleanup. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be able to turn all the cars scattered across 87 square kilometers into scrap metal..." "Maybe in about three years, we¡¯ll have only a steel mill around Manhattan. If we recover all the abandoned cars within 1,100 square miles, the steel mill will probably be running for the next 30 years." "Don¡¯t forget about Phdelphia and Baltimore down below." "...When will this vast country finally get back on track?" Well, still, at least I didn¡¯t have to worry about much anymore, and I could livefortably, eating and enjoying life without any worries. That was a good thought. Of course, this wasn¡¯t something I could say aloud, so I pushed the thought back down my throat and epted the drink Olivia handed me. Steam rose from my body. It was about minus 3¡ãC outside, but the heat from the heavy lifting made me warm. Meanwhile, in the distance, our Mecha-Monnanis were carrying about 1.2 tons each with ease. Well, they were machines, so it made sense. Not only them, but also hundreds of humanoids were working hard in the area. The drones that had removed broken or malfunctioning billboards installed new ones and connected the wires. The ones that still weren¡¯t working could mostly be fixed by adjusting the rys inside the buildings. One by one, the old screens were reced¡ªabout ten or twenty of them¡ªand tests to check if they were working began all over the ce. There were ads, and even news briefings about the pandemic that happened six years ago from reporters who went out to cover it. Watching that, I muttered: "Do you think that reporter is still alive?" "Probably not." "It¡¯s hard to believe that happened six years ago... not in a good way." "Yeah, if you look at it from the perspective of modern time, it¡¯s almost like time stopped for six years." As he said. The moment the Dark Winter crisis hit, social media was the first to spiral into chaos, spitting out messages on thework for a couple of months, only to stop dead in its tracks. Next, the news stopped. Then, the cultural activities that people enjoyed came to a halt. About three months after the outbreak, everything ceased except for the asional radio broadcasts. And so, New York, the United States, and the world regressed to the past. I nced around. At the same time¡ªthough not exactly at the same time¡ªthose working on the project asionally looked at Times Square with strange eyes, lost in thoughts of the past. But it wasn¡¯t necessarily a sign of despair. At least, the people here had survived, and they would live on for a much longer time than they had before. And further still, they would witness the world rising again. And there was something that helped to chase away those gloomy thoughts. "...Ah, that smells delicious." "What¡¯s that? Where¡¯s that sudden smell of meating from... wait a second, when did the food trucks get here?" "Looks like a new barbecue culture is taking root in New York." "That¡¯s impossible." Saying that, Logan dashed over to the drum that was used to cook the food. Anyway, it seemed we were right. It was now 7 PM, the perfect time for dinner. So, several hundred people working around Times Square were all getting their free meal. After getting the steaming food, we sat in the chairs we had just set up and started eating. As soon as dinner time arrived, energy fields spread from the drones floating around, forming a dome that enveloped Times Square. The outside temperature, which had been minus 3¡ãC, rose instantly, and while we didn¡¯t have to worry about the food getting cold, the screen on the building in front of us, One Times Square, started to light up. And then... a fireworks parade? BOOM! Whoosh! "...Really? Fireworks during dinner?" "It¡¯s just a test. It¡¯s kind of fun." "Brings back memories." It was the Bold Drop event, held a few days earlier than usual. With a small chuckle, we enjoyed the early New Year¡¯s event-like celebration. From the other side, the three Mecha Eugene, still wearing their Christmas hats, waved at us. After we waved back, the three of them slowly approached. Fortunately, since the frame strength was very high, it didn¡¯t look like they would copse, and the three Mecha Monnans sat next to me, grinning. "Did you finally think about watching the Bold Drop event with us, Archetype?" "...Alright, I¡¯ll find a way, stop pestering me." "Hehe." "The youngest hasn¡¯t even gotten married, but already has four daughters. How do you feel about that?" "Watching fireworks and hearing that is a bit too much." The sparkling fireworks, the delicious food, and all the friends who survived the Omega Virus... The time hade for the era of no more ckout protocols. I thought that as I bit into the steaming food. The year was ending, and a new one wasing. I smiled and added: "Hope everyone stays healthy next year, and that nothing bad happens." "You too." "Let¡¯s talk about it at the Bold Drop event in a few days, you guys. It¡¯s too early." "What¡¯s the difference? Saying it now won¡¯t make it worse." They really were the same as always. Meeting them and being able to witness this scene¡ªmaybe it was the biggest blessing in my life. It was a beautiful evening. "Wow, the smell of food! You guys ate something delicious without us, didn¡¯t you?!" "Ah, it¡¯s fine. If we really want to, we can eat more." "Ugh, stop taking detours and y with us for a bit!" "Jealous, huh? Hmm-hmm." "Whoa!" But how much time passed before I returned, I was immediately bombarded with jealousy from all sides. I really wish my body was in two parts. It was really frustrating, but in the end... what a great moment this was. Chapter 598 "Wow, there are already so many people outside..." "It''s not just a lot, it''s almost overflowing. The crowd looks packed as far as the eye can see. I suggest you don¡¯t go out too recklessly. You could get caught in the crowd, thinking you''re some celebrity." "Well, maybe not Dice, but I don¡¯t think people would recognize me that easily." "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true at all¡­"
    • "Well, then why don¡¯t you go out and try, hahaha!"
    • "Dice, no way, he¡¯s definitely not going out!"
    • "Look at all those people, hahahahaha!"
    • "I can already imagine the police struggling, hahaha."
    • "Fact: A million people gather for the Bold Drop event every year."
    Harmony is once again misjudging her own poprity. She might have tied with Dice in the final championshipst year, but does she not realize how few times she¡¯s appeared in person on my broadcastspared to her avatar? Still, she seems to have some sense of caution, or perhaps she just said that for effect. Harmony didn¡¯t seem like she was nning to leave Icarus Residence at all. No need to¡ªshe could simply turn her head slightly and see the front of the One Times Square building. I was just d the weather wasn¡¯t too cold today as I was busy with something entirely different while the two of them were staring out at the view. ¡®Looks like the system is working fine...¡¯ I sunk deep into a couch with a hole in the back and connected to the Icarus Gear, remotely controlling the device assigned to me in that world. It was simple. I only had to imagine an avatar, so there was no need for WASD controls. It wasn¡¯t really a virtual reality connection, but it was close enough. Anyway, the reason I was doing this was not that important.
    • "Ah, ah¡­ Can you hear me, junior? You arrived just in time for the connection. It might be hard to speak, so let¡¯smunicate using signnguage for now."
    • "¡­"
    • "Good. Looks like there are no issues with the body. I can update you on the situation from time to time, and if you want, you can tap into the Times Square camera covering the Bold Drop event."
    I decided to take a look now. While they were distracted outside, I quickly switched the camera and began quietly observing the Times Square of that other world. It was around noon in that world, but unlike this world''s Times Square, which was already packed with people, there were almost none there. It felt almost like I was watching a hidden camera. That couldn¡¯t be helped. The poption of the United States was barely 50 million, scattered across the vast country. And most of them were in major cities like New York, Phdelphia, Washington D.C., Boston, Miami, and Houston. The poption of New York was about a million, and even then, not all of them would attend the Bold Drop event. Only about one-eighth of them woulde, maybe around 100,000 people. But just as I was worried, Loren Tina¡¯s voice came through.
    • "No need to worry. A lot of people will show up by evening."
    • [Got it. I think I can ess it too. See youter.]
    • "Alright. Take a rest before youe."
    She added that with a wave of her hand, then I ended the connection. It had only been about five minutes since Ist spoke to them, so Dice and Harmony were still staring out the window. I sat next to them, looking out at Times Square myself. To prevent congestion, fences were set up in various ces. The central square of Times Square, Father Duffy Square, was already packed with people, and 7th Avenue and West 46th Street were bing so congested that no car could pass. Right below us was the stage for tonight''s superstar performances. It felt strange to think that a year had already passed sincest year¡¯s event. But more importantly... ¡®...I swear, when I nced at Times Square earlier, it looked like something other than a stage was set up...¡¯ I activated the contact lenses and reconnected. Times Square, where hardly any people walked, was eerily empty, except for a lonely tform. On it was a table with a microphone, with the presidential seal in the center, surrounded by the words "President of the United States." I immediately realized what it meant. Instead of a performance, Henry wasing to give a speech. I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the performance happening in this world, but I was more curious about what Henry from that world would say. I figured I might as well listen to his speech during the boring wait time. As I thought about it, a voice came from behind. "Wouldn¡¯t it be fun if Mecha Eugene performed on that stage?" "You''re saying weird things again. Would you like to go up instead?" "Ugh, Mina and I are terrible at dancing! No way!"
    • "Then why did you even suggest it, hahahahaha!"
    • "Apart from games, you¡¯re all useless! Hahahaha."
    • "Honest opinion: If Mecha Eugene did a strength show on that stage, I could watch it for 12 hours."
    • "??: I¡¯ll bend the H-beams used for building the structure with just my fists from now on."
    • "When did Mecha Eugene say that, hahaha!"
    Why are they assuming they¡¯re going up there? But considering everything I¡¯ve shown them so far, I guess it¡¯s not that surprising that they believe it. That¡¯s probably why I justughed it off instead of responding. I thought that maybe, in the future, Mecha Biyam or a remote-controlled humanoid could be put on such a stage. Well, that¡¯s a problem for the future. I shifted my gaze to another direction, and the screens mounted on the wall were showing Dark Zone advertisements instead of short ones. The advertisements on the screens in Times Square, crowded with people, featured an operator racing through a deserted New York. It was a dark, twisted piece of ck humor. By the way, usually by this time, at least one of my manifested friends would be around showing off their majestic presence, but today, none of them were in sight. I looked around, and as expected, I had overslept today. I hadn¡¯t been awake for long, and I was nning to have ate lunch. The gist was, I didn¡¯t know where the pr bear, shark, or owl had gone. Mina and Yerin didn¡¯t seem to care much about it, so they must have said something before leaving. In that case, it was my turn to ask. So, I asked, "By the way, where did everyone else go?" "You¡¯re asking really quickly¡­ I mean, they all went for a walk." "A walk? Outside looks like that?" "I heard they were going to get some cheerleading pom-poms and hats... well..."
    • "?????????????????"
    • "No way, hahaha!"
    • "Seriously, Biyam friends aren''t all there, hahaha!"
    • "Honest opinion: They probably left knowing."
    • "Looks like Loren Tina was excited and dragged the others out, hahaha!"
    Are they out of their minds? No, actually, at this point, it makes perfect sense. Loren Tina must have scratched the desire of the pr bear and owl, who tried to act rational, deep down. And one more thing. Manifested beings were the ones who always embodied the saying "Speak of the devil..."
    • Click!
    "...Of course." "I knew you¡¯d go out, huh¡­ What¡¯s going on!?" "Your spoils, you bastards." Three manifested beings, lookingpletely disheveled but surprisingly refreshed, entered the room, throwing several hats onto the bed. The number matched the people visiting New York today. They continued, "They usually hand these out around 8 PM, but I got them early. Use them if you''re boredter. You can take them home afterward." "I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ll end up buried somewhere at hometer¡­" "Well, if you think that way, why would people bother making them? Anyway, take them."
    • "Cool guy!"
    • "Logan¡¯s image with the snow is hrious, hahaha!"
    • "Fact: That¡¯s not his image."
    • "This is too funny, hahahaha."
    • "Look at how they look all disheveled, hahaha."
    With that, I had a hat in my hand. Though it was a little unexpected, the preparations for thest day of the year were suddenlyplete. Later, I¡¯d leave the leftovers for the Mecha youngest ones. It seemed like it would be a fulfilling day. "Mr. President, it''s time." "...Already? Let¡¯s go." "...I know it might be a foolish remark, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to take the car instead?" "Do you think I''m some old man who can¡¯t walk? It¡¯s only about 2 kilometers. I¡¯m not going toin. Let¡¯s walk briskly to make it in time." 12:00 PM, December 31st, Central Park HQ, Gray House. The wind had stopped, and only small snowkes were falling. Two figures walked out of the Gray House, crossing the HQ without interference. Dressed in neatly tailored suits, with shining leather shoes, and a cane that could be transformed into a weapon or shield in an emergency, they walked with a strong stride that defied their early 70s appearance. Although in reality, thanks to Icarus Gear, they appeared to be in their 20s. "Still a long way to go. Let¡¯s talk as we walk¡­ are you from New York?" "No, I¡¯m from Phdelphia. I made a name for myself cracking down on Kensington¡¯s drug distribution. I¡¯ve lived quite a rough life." "Lobbying pharmaceuticalpanies must have been quite tough. I bet you¡¯ve seen a lot of awful things." "Well, yes. Never thought I¡¯d end up like this, though." "Still a long way to go. Let¡¯s talk as we walk¡­ are you from New York?" "No, I¡¯m from Phdelphia. I made a name for myself cracking down on Kensington¡¯s drug distribution. I¡¯ve lived quite a rough life." "Lobbying pharmaceuticalpanies must have been quite tough. I bet you¡¯ve seen a lot of awful things." "Well, yes. Never thought I¡¯d end up like this, though." The faint crunching sound of the thinyer of snow beneath their footsteps echoed as the two looked around, exhaling lightly. The white mist briefly lingered in the air before it melted away. The abandoned cars had long been removed, and only a few buildings had their lights on. He sighed and added, "Do you think New York will ever regain its former vibrancy before I die?" "You¡¯ll still live for a long time. After all, the concept of a lifespan has lost its meaning now¡­" "That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m saying this. Even if I live well past 100, I don¡¯t want to watch America wallow in this abyss." The assistant fell silent, the words hitting too close to home. Humanity¡¯s lifespan had significantly increased, but could their fragile minds continue to bear witnessing such a deste world? Knowing that the end of the war marked a new beginning, the question became even more poignant.@@novelbin@@ But their conversation didn¡¯t continue. A brilliant light shed from across the way, marking the end of the ckout as the crowd began to form, people gathered under the watch of the dozens of police-humanoids recing their human counterparts. The energy of the crowd was palpable, reaching them as the heat from the mass of bodies hit their own. "You think we should call the friends in stealth mode for closer protection and have them join us in the crowd?" "I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible, sir." "Damn, I know. But if we keep making them work even until the end of the year, we¡¯re bound to get some k." "Well, there are no longer any unions supporting the Democratic Party''s AFL, right?" "...I¡¯m going mad." Having spoken his mind, Henry let out a self-deprecatingugh, and not long after, the two of them pressed on, threading their way through the sea of people. It wasn¡¯t just them walking through the crowd¡ªit was more like a massive crowd racing toward the one remaining President of the United States. But there was no incident, as the people gathered here were able to distinguish the construction workers from the others. The Icarus Gear shield, provided by the assistant, was enough to clear the way for them. "Ha ha, it¡¯s nice to see you all. I¡¯m truly touched that you all made it here on such a cold day." "I thought you¡¯d be riding in a car, but this is unexpected." "I came to meet all of you in person. Of course, I also wanted to show you that we¡¯ve returned to a world where it¡¯s safe enough to walk around freely." He shook hands with the people several times, whether it was part of his prepared speech or not. He was a skilled politician who could seize benefits and win people¡¯s favor with his words more than anyone else. As time passed, it felt as if they were witnessing the Bold Drop event from a bygone era, where there were no worries or concerns. The pink smoke began to lightly cover the sky. After shaking hands until his hand ached, Henry added, "Alright, the New Year¡¯s right around the corner. I¡¯ll stop the personal talk here. You¡¯ll hear the rest of it in my speech. Be sure to wear something warm." "Mr. President!" "President! Over here! Over here!" The words continued, but no one interrupted. The metal barricades that had been set up in advance now appeared before Henry, and nearby, a number of police-humanoids were on standby, prepared for any potential emergencies. After a leisurely walk of 2 kilometers, the time was about 11:40 PM. Henry looked around with a smile on his face, realizing his earlier assumption about there being no people around had been wrong. At least tonight, Times Square had returned to the past as it was six years ago. The area was packed, with thousands of chairs tightly arranged for the people sitting, and tens of thousands more standing behind them. Times Square and the blocks beyond were all filled with people. Could this be witnessed again? The only certainty was that it would be possible starting this year, and the next. Click. A speech prompt popped up in front of him, and as soon as he tapped the microphone, a faint sound wave emanated from the speakers attached to the building walls. The lenses in his eyes visualized the range of the soundwaves. Surrounding him were numerous government officials and many of the operators who had helped keep America alive. However, among them were four UES and a remote-controlled humanoid that looked identical to Eugene, still unfamiliar in appearance. But he already knew the story. The remote control was being operated by the Eugene from the other world, and he had been briefed on this fact beforehand. And then, after some time passed, he spoke. "Before we begin, I ask for a moment of silence for all the US soldiers who couldn¡¯t attend and have not been able to rest in peace. For those who died for freedom and our country, for the lives lost to tragic disasters¡ªlet¡¯s honor their memory with a moment of silence." "What¡¯s this? Eugene, are you crying?" "No, I just kept my eyes open for too long. They¡¯re a bit dry." "I guess that makes sense. Let me lower the humidity." Meanwhile, somewhere in the other world, a single tear ran down Eugene''s face. Thest speech of 2036 had begun. Chapter 599 "Six years ago, on January 27, 2030, I sat in the Oval Office of the White House, 206 miles away from this point, receiving an urgent report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. I will never forget the briefing that began with the news of an unidentified virus spreading rapidly." However, ironically, the virus expanded its territory before anyone could act, and within less than a week, it had spread across the United States. Within a month, it reached the entire world. Thus began a long and, above all, horrific pandemic. The sharp tone of the voice in my ear continued. Outside, the atmosphere had shifted from celebration to madness. With just 20 minutes left until the New Year, the excitement of everyone around me was palpable, but like an invisible wall, Henry¡¯s dry voice blocked any trace of joy from creeping into my mind. Outside, filled with people, the sound of booming cheers could be heard through the ss, the viewers on the other side of the world, who were 13 hours ahead of us, had already begun chatting wildly, but my gaze was focused elsewhere. ¡°Within two months, what seemed like an imprable fortress crumbled terribly. Social media, once vibrant, came to a halt, and one by one, American citizens using theworks fell, while broadcasters of the world¡¯s news fell into a long sleep. But that was just the beginning. The mighty economic link was shattered, and a pack of hyenas, determined to self-destruct, ravaged the blessednd. Even the remaining brave men, who could not find rest in Arlington, faded away. America, a nation once favored by God, fragmented, divided, and it soon became impossible to even ascertain how many people were alive in each city.¡± I know. I witnessed it all with my own eyes. I dropped into America just as the pandemic was starting. "But we overcame it. From New York, from Washington D.C., from the northeast and Florida, from Houston... Just like our ancestors did for centuries, we moved westward and finally reimed our country, with Seattle being ourst stop." ¡°And those of you who survived all the turmoil are now standing in front of me. You have endured the excruciating passage of six years, oveing challenges, and you¡¯ve won. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, you stand here today, shedding all pain.¡± I could hear the words in the distance, faintly. While the thousands gathered below had stood for 14 hours, eagerly waiting, there were now only 10 minutes left before the New Year. A special sh paper with vibrant colors was ready to be released from the balcony of the building below, possibly for Times Square''s iconic "pollen." As I was thinking this, Harmony spoke softly beside me. "By the way, Eugene, what would you like to do next year?" "Hmm, I haven¡¯t decided yet. I want to finish what I¡¯m working on and try my hand at something else, but I¡¯ll think about that when the timees." "Lately, there¡¯ve been a lot of requests for Terra. What do you think about that?" "How does Minah know about that?" "Ah, just monitoring... oops!" The people around us giggled, and I smiled slightly, letting Minah¡¯s words slide by. Terra? Maybe, but... I hadn¡¯t told the national team members from the final championship yet, and I nned on resting after this year. If there¡¯s nothing special going on next year, I might not attend the final championship again. Thinking about it, I turned my attention back to the speech. "However, next year will not be remembered as ''the seventh year since the Omega virus outbreak.'' Instead, future generations will remember today as the glorious beginning of reconstruction. The scars may remain, but history will not repeat itself." I smiled at how well he delivered the speech. Despite the thousands of people cheering below, I still heard the sniffling of those around me through the earphones. I, too, felt a lump in my throat, and a tear slowly fell from one eye. Minah noticed and asked about it, but I just mumbled that it was due to the low humidity and refocused on listening. ¡°It will be a difficult and challenging time. But all of us here have crossed the same dangerous line and united for amon enemy. To ovee these trials, this unity will be necessary. E pluribus unum, out of many, one. Though we are different, those of us here today are united with the same resolution. Everyone has endured hardship and learned the lesson: America may fall, but it will not break or crumble." I wondered what kind of reaction Henry in this world would have if he heard this recording. With this stray thought, the time was nearing 11:55 PM. As the moment approached, Henry¡¯s voice, once dry, now carried with it an undeniable energy. He looked vibrant, and the thousands of people gathered in Times Square were now all holding hands, gazing up at the stage with faces full of determination. I too, with a hand held by the person next to me, gazed up at him. "Those gathered here today, and those listening to this speech, will be remembered in history. One day, when America again leads the world in prosperity, this day will be one of the proudest memories that you will pass on to your descendants." As the countdown ticked down to zero, fireworks¡ªunlike any I¡¯d ever seen¡ªerupted into the sky. The loud sound of the nes and drones formed the American g in the air, while the songs of "Auld Lang Syne" and "New York, New York" resonated through the crowd. I watched in awe as everything unfolded, wondering what the next chapter would bring. The past year had been long, filled with challenges, but the future seemed filled with endless possibilities. As the fireworks faded, the voices of my friends brought me back to the present. "Thank you, Eugene. You¡¯ve worked so hard this year." "It¡¯s because of you all that I can do so much." "Hehe, looking forward to next year." I didn¡¯t respond, simply nodding with a smile. The fireworks had ended, and now the focus was on the future. As I thought about the future, I realized that despite all the uncertainties, this year had been full of incredible moments¡ªmoments I would never forget. Looking out at the world beyond, I knew that the path ahead might be uncertain, but it was a path worth walking. The year had ended, and a new one had begun. This was the moment I had worked toward, and now, it was time for me to leave the US. "Well, I¡¯ve felt this way before, but when I first arrived, I thought I¡¯d live my whole life in America. But now, it feels like it¡¯s time to go home. It¡¯s funny¡ªjust likest time, I¡¯m leaving from JFK International Airport." "There¡¯s nothing else to do, so why not just follow Olivia and go to Paris?" "If you go there, it''ll be harder to get Korean food, and you won¡¯t understand thenguage. Still, would you want to go?" "Ah, I guess that wouldn¡¯t be such a good idea." January 1st, 2037, 10:40 AM, Kennedy International Airport. Though it didn¡¯t feel as electric as the excitement on New Year¡¯s Eve, the airport was still crowded. It was a busy ce as always, and sincest time, I hadn¡¯t been through the terminal. This was essentially my first time visiting it this year. Harmony and Dice were wearing high-end sunsses, scarfed up and sipping iced americanos as if they had lived in New York for years. Of course, they would have been confused if asked for an iced americano back home in New York¡ªthere, you just ask for coffee or regr coffee. "You really don¡¯t have to see me off on a day like this." "Oh, stop saying that. Just say thank you." "Thanks." "Well, you have to say it. The rooster couldn¡¯te because he was busy, but he told me to say thanks for the fun. So, I came." I had noticed that Olivia wasn¡¯t here, but honestly, whether Logan or Lorentina were here didn¡¯t really matter. My friends had their own jobs and were usually busy. Both of them looked around quickly and then continued talking. "By the way, do you think it¡¯s about seven weeks before the little ones are going toe out?" "Right. Around that time, I¡¯ll probably be the only oneing. The friends who came with me will stay in Korea... maybe they¡¯ll join through remote ess with the humanoid." "Since there¡¯s a public holiday in Korea around that time. The youngest will have toe because their family¡¯s at Two Bridges, but you¡¯ll have time to enjoy being alone for a while. You''ve been annoying enough, so you should rest during that time." "I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying that." As usual, they were bickering yfully. Watching them, everyone elseughed. They always said they didn¡¯t know when they¡¯d meet again, but with big events like this, we always seemed to meet up again at the end of the year. After shaking hands, we walked to the exclusive gate. As expected, the ne we were taking back to Korea was provided by Icarus, so there was no strict departure time. It was scheduled to leave around 11:20. Passing through simple luggage and security checks, we arrived at the duty-free shop. Everyone, having earned enough money, was buying pretty much everything they could grab, and I nced at them, adding: "I¡¯m not sure what to get Minah or Yerim, since they finished first and fourth... Actually, I know there are a few essories at Bulgari inspired by snakes. I¡¯ll get one for each of them." "Hey, those are $50,000 each." "Don¡¯t worry about the price. It¡¯s not like my wallet is that thin." "Well, if you say so..." I tried to bring along Michael, Summit, Gambit, and Kato, who had done well this year, but they all declined, so it was just Harmony and Dice with me. A Range Rover was sent over from the Icarus team, and suddenly, a snake-like essory appeared around Minah and Yerim¡¯s wrists and neck. Of course, I also had one. It was a bracelet that Lorentina had bought for me with the money she earned after lifting 500kg during a street challenge. The essories were from the samepany. I scratched the back of their necks, still groggy from the punch they had taken, and added: "Next year... No, from the 5th Final Championship onward, I won¡¯t be taking care of things anymore. In a way, this is a farewell gift. It doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t y the game with you at all." "...What?" "Hah." "Sometimes you have to stand alone. I believe you two can handle things just fine... But more than that, I hope you won¡¯t stay under my shadow forever." Their faces¡­ well, it was hard to exin, but it didn¡¯t look great. Realizing they misunderstood, I added another line: "I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m leaving you forever, right? Anyway, Dice already moved into my neighborhood, and I know Minah¡¯s been house-hunting around my ce." "Th, that¡¯s not it." "If you¡¯re bored, just bring a snack and knock on my door. It¡¯ll always be open." "Hehe, I was just trusting you, Eugene." "Ugh,e on." I didn¡¯t really believe them, though. Anyway, I gave them some sweet snacks, and the only thing left was small gifts for my friends. Since all my friends gathered here this year, I could just buy something at the duty-free shop and hand it out right away. Everyone was a bit confused, butter, they all walked away with luxury whiskey, watches, perfume, cosmetics, handbags, and more. I suppose this is what giving gifts was about. The duty-free items were sealed up in bags and loaded into the cargo hold, and it was time to leave the US¡ªthe country I had gotten so attached to. We crossed through the gate, walked to the massive airne, and rxed in our seats. They suddenly opened the door of my seat just a little and added: "Thanks again for everything this year!" "Thank you, Eugene!" "Viyam forever!" "I¡¯m really grateful. Thanks to you, I¡¯m leaving with unforgettable memories." "Viyam is God, and I am invincible!" "...Alright, sit down. We need to leave now." I said it with an awkward smile, feeling good. How much time passed before everyone finally sat down, and the ne started moving. Unlike yesterday, the weather was clear, not a cloud in the sky. It was a perfect day to wrap up the journey and head back home. "Well then..." Though I¡¯d have toe back alone soon, for now, I wanted to enjoy this moment.@@novelbin@@ With the beautiful New York weather as myst sight, the long 4th Final Championship came to an end. Chapter 600 "I¡¯ll be getting off at the same ce as you two in a few years..." "Alright, hurry up. But don¡¯t spend all your savings. You know how Dice has been livingtely, right?" "Wh-what do you mean?" "Don¡¯t y innocent. You were singing about eating at my ce until your bonus came in."
    • Laughter
    • Dice¡¯s characteristic: Actually, he''s a fool.
    • "Do you not know what ¡®savings¡¯ means?"
    • The little ones are trying so hard to catch up with the Big Biyam.
    • This is love, for real.
    It was already January 3rd in Korea, at Incheon International Airport. Unlike the US, Korea¡¯s cold wave hadn¡¯t lifted at all, and as soon as I arrived, a sharp, cold wind hit me. The ten of us who got off the private jet had to endure the brutal winds. After that, we were faced with a mass of reporters at the gate. Anyway, to be honest, this year, everyone performed beyond expectations. Harmony, who managed to get into the top 5 in the world¡¯s most battle-experienced list after 1 year and 4 months; Dice, who took first ce in the finals and proudly returned to his homnd; Michael, who ranked 5th for the first time; Gambit, who made it to the top 10; and Summit, who made it to the top 15. At this point, monopolizing might even attract anti-trustws. "Ugh, I¡¯m dying. Good thing I came out a bitte." "I took a quick nce earlier, and it looked like they set up a press conference right in Incheon. Thanks to that, I managed to sneak out and have a coffee nearby." "You¡¯ve learned how to make good use of your time. It would have been boring just waiting. We¡¯ve been through thisst year, so it wasn¡¯t much of a problem for us, but it must have been different for you all." "Last year... I watched it on TV. Hehe." I realized that was true. Anyway, just as Harmony said earlier, Dice and I were getting off at the same spot. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only thing. We entered through the same gate, took the same elevator, and walked the same hallway on the top floor. The only difference was that when I opened the door to my house, Dice would turn right. As long as he doesn¡¯t say anything like, "I¡¯ll just stay at your ce for a while," there wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. Having said that, maybe that will happen, but hey, Dice was the protagonist of the world today. He¡¯d earned first ce in the finals, so I should give him the motivation he deserves. We cut through the cold wind and headed to apletely separate parking spot from the public one. Waiting there was arge bus and a Centenario. The bus was heading to the north of the city, and the other was the one I¡¯d called ahead. Sadly, it was time to part ways with Harmony. Of course, this was the same for Kato and Harmony¡¯s acquaintances. In fact, only Dice and I were heading to Gangnam, so this was possible. The car was a New Year''s gift from my parents. Really, it was insane. "Get in. Let¡¯s go for a drive." "Drive? At 7 PM?" "That¡¯s what I mean."
    • What car is that? LOL
    • Typical Dice behavior
    • Why is only he having fun??? Always getting entertained by the dice???? Why not me???
    • If you¡¯re mad,e on and join the Big Biyam
    • Is the Biyam tail a lottery or something? LMAO
    The car''s door rose skyward, and seats that were positioned lower than usual came out. The car¡¯s height was lower than normal. It had a new carbon-style paint job, but since I had driven this before, there was space for the tail in the driver''s seat. I liked that too. No, it was natural, I guess. Thest time I had someone with a manifestation riding, and now Dice was in it. She smiled absently, and I returned the favor by revving the engine, sending a loud roar into the air. The roar reverberated. I¡¯d wanted to do this at least once. As the people heading to the bus for the north were loading their personal items, I skillfully drove the car out first. "It¡¯ll be a bit slow, but that¡¯s fine, right?" "I¡¯m not feeling sick or anything, so it¡¯s fine. We can chat along the way." "In that case, no problem. Let¡¯s go." Vroom! In an instant, the car began to exit Incheon Airport. The wild, hard-to-handle car moved as it pleased, sharply turning corners as it entered the road leading from Yeongjong Ind to Incheon. As expected, the timing wasn¡¯t great, so the thrilling driving didn¡¯tst long. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Of course, the drone cam had long been turned off for safety, and now, the only thing left was talking with Dice as we drove. Despite that, I was sure that with only the two of us, some topic would inevitablye up... "So, really, you¡¯re noting with us from this year on?" "Well, it¡¯s not exactly certain. But I don¡¯t n on guiding you all this year. Actually, I didn¡¯t really teach enthusiasticallyst year either, but anyway, that¡¯s not the main thing... I believe you know what I mean." "...That¡¯s true. Actually, thanks to you, Eugene, I¡¯ve had it really easy. In the past, I had to predict what strategy the enemies would use, think about how to counter them... On the other hand, now, my body¡¯s tired, but my mind¡¯s at ease. I just had to do what you told me." "Are you ready to go back to those times?" "...Well, what can I do if I¡¯m not ready? Whether I¡¯m ready or not, the wave will eventuallye." Well, I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t teach recklessly. I ced my hand over Dice¡¯s, and she shyly intertwined her fingers with mine. Since it was on autopilot, there wasn¡¯t any problem. After a while, our hands separated, and the car gradually moved past Incheon, heading into Gangnam. At this time, no matter which road you took to or from Seoul, it was like an artery clogged with arteriosclerosis, so I didn¡¯t expect much. After that, only small talk continued. Talking about what to have for dinner, the uing performance bonuses and sries, and how her wallet would get full again, as well as how much she liked the bracelet I gave her, and so on. About an hourter, after struggling through the congested streets of Gangnam, we finally arrived at the house. We parked in the designated spot in the basement of my penthouse. Since Dice lived next door, the parking lot was adjacent. "Hehe..." I sometimes get scared by her. Anyway, after finishing parking, I scanned the elevator code from the phone¡¯s dedicated application, and the elevator smoothly ascended. I stared nkly at the floors going up. It had been a long time since I had arrived home. With all the ces I¡¯ve been, my attachment to home was fading. Anyway, with such useless thoughts, I parted ways with Dice... for now. I opened the door with a click and was about to savor the familiar scent of home when...
    • Notification: Emergency situation release detected. Icarus Gear energy level fixed to .
    • Notification: Synchronizing device location with Icarus... Unable to locate the device.
    • Notification: Energy level restriction... Failure. Please find a nearby engineer to resolve the issue.
    "...Emergency situation release." So it¡¯s finally here. I thought it was about time, and I quickly sent Dice a message saying something trivial hade up before activating the Gate app. After a brief synchronization of timelines, I opened the door and crossed the world line. "You¡¯rete, kid." "I came as quickly as I could. I came here before I even unpacked at home." "Alright, alright. Hurry up and sit down." It wasn¡¯t exactly a long time since I hadst seen Central Park. The surroundings hadn¡¯t changed. I¡¯d heard that once the situation improved, they nned to relocate, but it¡¯s already been 6 years since I¡¯ve been here. With that thought crossing my mind, I spoke up about the reason I came here today. "I heard the emergency situation has been lifted. So, there¡¯s no need to operate the Icarus Gear anymore, right?" "Ah, that. I was just about to exin that, so before you ask, let me exin first." "Alright." They speak like that, so what else can I do? I sat in the lounge chair, and the Dagger Team briefly manipted the Icarus Gear. They showed me that the energy restriction was still marked as Lambda. I didn¡¯t quite understand what it meant, but since they were about to exin it, I just blinked and waited. The first to speak up was Owens. "Most of the existing task forces have been disbanded or reorganized, and most will be taking on roles as instructors to train special forces. We¡¯re the same." "So here¡¯s the issue. Why do you think we¡¯re still maintaining Lambda-level energy and haven¡¯t disbanded as a team, even though the emergency situation has been lifted?" "...Because the world still needs the intact Dagger Team?" "Correct." As expected, that was the case. As soon as those key words were thrown out, my mind began to work quickly. Maintaining the Lambda level means I can still use all the benefits and skills the Icarus Gear provides. That also means physical enhancements are still included. Moreover, the reason the team hasn¡¯t disbanded and still holds on to the instructor role is... what else could it be? It means we¡¯ll be responsible for training advanced operators who can create a second or third Dagger Team. Since my acquaintances and seniors didn¡¯t give any further exnations, I spoke up while sitting down, and after a while, everyone nodded and added their thoughts. "As expected from the kid who understands quickly after one exnation. It¡¯s nice having a smart one around." "...But I won¡¯t be able to work as an instructor, right? Am I an exception?" "You¡¯re not wrong when you say that, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll suddenly go down to an Alpha-level energy restriction. There¡¯s actually a separate reason why you need to stay in this position." "I don¡¯t really understand that part. What is it?" Shark didn¡¯t answer my question directly but popped up a message, and in that moment, I understood everything. Shadows. The users who had contributed greatly during the West Coast offensive and had been repeatedly deployed wheneverrge-scale battles that were hard to handle by the U.S. military urred¡ªthose at the center, like me, were still allowed to use the Icarus Gear without any output restrictions. Then, just as I thought about it, the next words followed. "Of course, we¡¯re not relying solely on those mysterious guys. What you¡¯re doing is a sort of... game, and it might not align with the situation here. But it¡¯s better to keep a little uncertainty than let go of everything entirely." "...I see. I understand." "Good, then." At that moment, everyone stood up, and we quietly left. Outside, the Mecha neers were all waiting. As we walked through Central Park, it felt like the already crowded neighborhood had be even narrower due to all the buildings and materials around. But aside from that, the conversation continued. "Do you know what kind of trouble Gray House is dealing withtely?" "What is it?" "Housing problems." "Ah." At that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my head. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Manhattan and New York City were, frankly, huge cities, but most of the infrastructure had been destroyed, and unless society was functioning properly, all the surrounding buildings were just empty shells. Those ces¡ªfinancial advisors, restaurants, bookstores,nguage schools,wyer offices, hospitals, and countless other services for humans¡ªwere now just empty, their reason for existence gone. And on top of that, they were huge, upying a lot of space. That¡¯s why Central Park, which had been nothing more than an empty park, could now create something new. "It¡¯s full of buildings, and there must be a lot of empty homes, so people could probably move in, but... there are still so many problems that can''t be solved by that alone." "The Housing and Urban Development Department is working day and night on ns, but aside from a few things, not much has been confirmed." "A few things?" "Like relocating civilians living in Central Park to nearby areas." "...Is that possible?" "I¡¯m not sure. There¡¯s a lot to prepare." Well, I wasn¡¯t really worried about it beyond that. Moreover, Central Park HQ isn¡¯t exactly a great ce for civilians to live. Think about living next to a military base that''s always on alert. There are always lights shing, people walking around, and asionally, military vehicles, heavy equipment, and drones moving around. They¡¯ve set up noise barriers, but ultimately, this ce wasn¡¯t really a ce to live long-term. It¡¯s one of thest safe zones in the world that won¡¯t fall easily, which is why we¡¯ve been able to live here for six years. Anyway, I just hope it works out. After that, my friends and seniors, the Dagger Team, went around telling me how the world would change and how Central Park would change too. At least New York would be rebuilt around this area, and to do that, they¡¯d need to streamline and improve hardware and software efficiently. In short, the harsh restructuring of the HQ had begun. Starting with the Upper West Side and Upper East Side of Central Park, they would gradually regain functionality, overhaul transportationworks, repair subways for faster movement, and even build a maglev airport over the Hudson River. In about 5 years, we wouldn¡¯t even know what was what. After about 10 minutes of reminiscing, the Mecha neers following us spoke up again. "So, exactly... what happened in the past? I¡¯ve seen the battle footage from the past few years, but what exactly happened that caused humanity¡¯s territories to shrink this much?" "Well, can¡¯t you just search for it now on thework?" "That¡¯s not what we¡¯re asking." Everyone stopped at once, and Lane boldly added: "We want to hear your perspective¡ªhow the glorious past fell, what you and the owner fought through to get here." "..." "I know it¡¯s rude, but after hearing the speech from the president on December 31stst year, I wanted to ask. How did the world fall apart? What struggles did everyone go through in between?" "To be honest, thanks to the archetype, I¡¯ve learned a lot about how lively the previous world was. I¡¯ve been to ces like Disney World and Dark Zone Town." But even though it seemed like they were talking to everyone, the Mecha neers¡¯ gazes were clearly directed at me. "..." Yeah. I have to talk about it now. The painful memories from back then. The times that shone so brightly because they were so painful. But thinking about it, maybe this is the time to share those grand records with them.@@novelbin@@ I opened my mouth. "Alright. But it¡¯s not a story that can be told in a day or two, so everyone better brace yourselves." "Kid." "...Well, it might be a bit much for others, but for me..." A brief silence. And then I spoke. "I think I can finally tell you." The silence continued. But then, the people in front of me didn¡¯t say anything. They just smiled lightly, looked at me, then ruffled my hair, patted my shoulder, or gently patted my back. When I realized that this was a sign of approval, I looked at the eager Mecha neers and mischievously smiled. I opened my mouth. "But I¡¯ve already made a promise, so you¡¯ll have to wait a bit. About an hour. That¡¯s okay, right?" "Eh, wait a minute. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d tell us right now?" "I can tell you. But I never said I¡¯d tell you right away." "Haha! Our kid is really messing with the Mecha newbies!" "This is unfair, Archetype!" Of course, they didn¡¯t take it well, and sadly, I couldn¡¯t ignore the angry messages from Dice, full of exmation marks. I quickly made a Gate to the nearby door and added: "Then, I¡¯ll have dinner ande back. See youter." "Wait, you¡¯re leaving us hanging like this?!" "Ugh, I¡¯m so mad, but I can¡¯t do anything about it..." "I guess our Mecha newbies need to work on their patience." And with that, the door mmed shut, and I finally returned to my familiar home in Cheongdam-dong. Well... "While having dinner, I¡¯ll have to think about where to start telling them." What should I say? It looks like it¡¯s going to be a really long story. Really. "¡­So, you just left them like that?" "Yep, just as you see." "¡­It¡¯spletely different from when I first came here." Meanwhile, in the opposite world. The members of the Dagger Team, who had been watching the frustrated Mecha neers, burst intoughter. They patted the three Mecha units that seemed ready to explode and headed into the lounge. "So, is there anyone here who wants to give more exnation before the kides back? The one who first met the kid?" "Surprisingly, it¡¯s just me here. Olivia¡¯s probably holed up somewhere." "I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m stuck exining things to this fool. The world¡¯s trulye to an end." Of course, even though Eugene had left, the story wasn¡¯t over. It didn¡¯t take long for the box, which held the six years¡¯ worth of umted memories, to open. Chapter 601 "¡­It''s only been two months since I left, and here I am, back again." February 13th, Friday, Dark Zone Town near Rochester, New York. It¡¯s barely been two months since I bid farewell to America in a way that left quite the lingering impression, and now I¡¯ve found myself stepping onto the American soil, which now feels almost like a second home. I clearly remember how unusually clear the weather was the day I left, but today it¡¯s snowing heavily. However, the heat sensors on the roads easily melt the falling snow, and humanoid robots spray mes onto the snow piles that have umted along the roadside. Naturally, the Icarus logo is engraved on the chest of the robots. A crowd so vast it''s hard to count, holograms rippling in the sky as far as the eye can see, and new buildings have sprung up around me, more than when Ist saw them. Can things change this much in just a few weeks? It seems they can. The near-future architecture technology is truly impressive. "An expo on Lunar New Year... is this what you''d call a typical thing for my parents?" I mutter to myself as I walk toward the enormous tower ahead. The words I just muttered were a simple way of summarizing why I¡¯m here¡ªjust like I vaguely mentioned before, the younger Mecha models were finally able to appear in real life. It was always possible, but announcing it to the public was a whole other matter. Anyway, as soon as I gave the green light, my parents immediately began constructing a new building in Dark Zone Town. I hear it didn¡¯t take long. Honestly, with humanoid robots working around the clock andrge drones carrying tons of materials, what could possibly go wrong? I wonder what Harmony and Dice, who will be following me remotely, will think about it. ¡®It¡¯s not like I regret they didn¡¯te along.¡¯ The reason is simple. If you think about what Korea must be up to around this time, the answer is clear. In other words, it¡¯s the Lunar New Year, one of the two biggest holidays in Korea. That¡¯s why none of the people who traveled with me during thest Final Championship dared to join me. Olivia is in Paris, and Logan and Lorentina are busy with training and new operator education. So, the only one here today is, at best, me. And as you might have guessed, the real reason I timed my visit was to spend the holiday with my parents. "¡­Am I lucky to not have holiday syndrome?" I feel like I won¡¯t ever have such problems, but considering how much my family and I make, holidays or not, we could buy vacation homes all over the world and take leisure trips without an issue. Soon, Harmony, Dice, and even my national team friends will probably be in a simr situation. Besides, these days, whenever I watch TV or see in-game ads, I frequently spot the faces of my acquaintances or students. Well, I guess it¡¯s all good. I thought about preparing a New Year¡¯s gift, but honestly, I don¡¯t think my parents would appreciate such things. I¡¯ve already received a car as a New Year¡¯s gift, so it would feel awkward to say anything. And well, I haven¡¯t gotten married, but giving them four grandchildren that look like me has been more than enough to satisfy them. I heard that while I wasfortably resting in Korea, my parents were talking about various things. It seems they were so fond of me that whenever they meet the three Montani in New York, they only talk about my mom and dad. After all, they¡¯ve gained both fame and fortune, and now, the remaining joy is probably just watching their grandchildren grow. ¡®¡­They wouldn¡¯t really want to see actual grandchildren, would they?¡¯ It¡¯s not something to think about now, but even the thought makes my head hurt. Anyway, so where was I headed today? ©¤©¤©¤! "¡­Do I even have a chance to get in?" It was right into the heart of the exhibition hall. This wasn¡¯t the massive event where hundreds of countries participated and the exhibitionsted for months. It was much smaller in scale and didn¡¯tst too long¡ªabout a few weeks or so. But imagine if, during those few weeks, the four younger Mecha models roamed around Dark Zone Town. Not just wandering, but interacting with people, sometimes showing off their strength, durability, heat resistance, cold resistance, and many other features? That¡¯s why, even though the expo was starting the next day, the ce was already packed. And when the news spread that the younger Mecha models would be roaming the area starting today, it only made things even more crowded. I activate my stealth function, pass through the exhibition hall, and sneak into an area beyond the barrier, only essible to those with the proper credentials. I enter the elevator inside.@@novelbin@@ Rising against gravity, the elevator quickly ascends the tower, over a hundred meters high, and stops in apletely empty space. The surrounding area is pure white. Through the clear ss windows, the bustling Dark Zone Town can be seen. It feels just like the gallery I visited with Henryst time, and I open the lounge door¡ª "It¡¯s been a while, mom, dad. Happy New Year!" "Jin¡¯s here! Come, sit down. It must have been pretty cold outside, have something warm to drink." "Have you eaten? If you¡¯re hungry, let me know anytime." "¡­I¡¯m not a child anymore, you know." "In my eyes, you¡¯ll always be my baby." ¡­They¡¯re saying the same things as always. A bit embarrassed, but how often will I get to embrace my family like this? So, I hugged my parents warmly. It was the warmth of a person I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Anyway, today, neither of my parents had any real schedule, so they were both rxing and enjoying the day. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean they¡¯d be lounging around all day. They still had work to do, and I had to go pick up the humanoid Minah and Yerinter. But right now, the most important thing is¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Click! "Squeeeen!" "Whoa, what¡¯s going on? Why are they so excited?" "We can finally go outside without needing the owner¡¯s help! This is so exciting!" "Rain is more of a spoiled brat than I expected¡­" I was soothing these excited Mecha models. What should I say? It¡¯s like hearing little daughters shout, "We¡¯re going to Disney World today!" Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean the other three were acting all grown-up. I nce to check the two of them. The snake tails are swishing around like puppies. Could it be that I¡¯d act like this if I got excited too? I think about it while calling over the fourth Mecha model, Nasty, who seems less childish than the others. With yellow eyes blinking rapidly, she babbled excitedly. "This is so amazing! There are so many people! The buildings are so colorful and pretty!" "Heh, getting excited over something like this¡­ You have a long way to go. I¡¯ve been to Disney World with Archetype. You don¡¯t even know how pretty it is, Nasty, you¡¯ve missed half of your life." "Ugh, stop teasing me! I¡¯m reflecting on it!" "¡­To be honest, it¡¯s all justparing acorns to each other. Don¡¯t tease each other and just get mentally prepared." They¡¯ve only been out a few months, yet they act like they¡¯re showing off something big with just a little difference. Well, maybe there¡¯s not much of a difference, that¡¯s why they¡¯re showing off. Anyway, I think, as I spend time with these four Mecha models, something catches my parents¡¯ attention, and suddenly they speak up. "Since it¡¯ll be boring sitting here, why don¡¯t you go for a walk with those cute kids outside?" "Huh?" "Great idea! Let¡¯s go outside and attract attention, Archetype!" "I want to go too." "¡­Why are you suddenly encouraging the kids to go outside!?" Maybe I inherited the trait of messing with others from my parents. Despite my half-hearted protest, my mom and dad justughed and wished me well. They were strong, sharp people, so their smiles felt a bit¡­ like charismatic viins. But my thoughts didn¡¯tst long. ©¤©¤©¤Whoosh! "Whoa, what¡¯s this, why is the tail wrapping around me¡­ Wait! Hold on!" "Off we go! Owner¡¯s owner!" "Take care! We¡¯re always grateful." "I¡¯ll follow! See you againter!" "Ahh, these guys are so strong, Mommmmy!" And just like that, I had my tails wrapped around me and was forcibly escorted out of the lounge. These Mecha models, really. "U-uh, Eugene, what exactly is going on here¡­" "Don¡¯t ask, I¡¯m losing my mind too." Not long after, Harmony and Dice found me wrapped in two Mecha tails, stuck in the middle of the crowd. The world was truly a strange ce. "Thinking about it now¡­ the world really has improved a lot. I closed my eyes in Korea, opened them, and now I¡¯m in New York. Did you know that it¡¯s 5 AM in Korea right now?" "¡­Why are you still awake?" "It¡¯s the opposite, sir. I woke up early for this moment."
    • Meganian AI- An R&D group¡ª
    • What¡¯s the deal with these guys bragging about this, haha
    • If you just watch them quietly, these guys seem like the absolute normpared to Bi-Am haha
    • Is Eugene still wrapped in Mecha tails? Insane haha
    There were tails wrapped around my waist and right arm. Not exactly the early days¡­ butpared to Mav and Nasty, it¡¯s definitely been longer since Jin and Rain had been helping me. The subtly crafted new metallic feel is, to be honest, quite soft yet powerful, very simr to the feeling of the snake tails. Anyway, their faces were pure joy¡ªif you could call it that. They were finally able to walk around the world. I understand, but from my side, maybe they should focus a bit more on fanservice. Of course, that was just my opinion. The people here at the expo seemed to genuinely enjoy watching me be half-kidnapped by the younger Mecha models. But not everyone was shy about being bold. In other words, most people naturally approached and shook hands or fist-bumped the younger Mecha models and spoke to them. "Archetype, people are pulling out paper and pens. What should I do?" "They want you to sign. But I don¡¯t think the younger ones even know what a signature is." "Is that the proof of contact? A mark or word that officially verifies that I¡¯ve met this being?" "...You don¡¯t need to get that fancy about it, but yes, that¡¯s it."
    • ¡®Proof of contact.¡¯
    • It¡¯s true, but hearing it out loud, it sounds a bit dizzying haha
    • Wow, limited edition Mecha Bi-Am signature??? Insane??????
    • Sincere statement) If these guys ever lead a robot rebellion, I¡¯d agree haha
    • Heh...
    "¡­It¡¯s pretty dizzying, huh?"
    • "What, a limited edition Mecha Bi-Am signature??? Insane??????"
    • "If these guys ever start a robot rebellion, I¡¯d agree, haha."
    • "Heh¡­"
    Thements continued to flood in, as the Mecha models made their mark. Every time one of them spoke,ughter would erupt all around. Maybe the cynical ones would say it¡¯s all pre-programmed responses, but there¡¯s no need to pay attention to them. Anyway, there was a clear difference between these Mecha models and others¡ªeach one has its own backstory. At least those who have seen my broadcasts would know that. The idea of a robot rebellion¡ªthe excuse of machines recing humans¡ªis an old favorite of conspiracy theories. The thought that beings with far superior learning, application abilities, andputational power might act outside of morality and be a threat has always been a topic of debate. But our younger Mecha models¡­ they already have emotions. That¡¯s why, Icarus International doesn¡¯t refer to them as AI. Instead, the term they use is¡ª "One question, Eugene. Could you exin why Icarus International calls these friends ¡®Electronic Beings¡¯ instead of AI?" "Uh..." Electronic beings, or electronic lifeforms. Of course, I knew the reason, and seeing that the Mecha models didn¡¯t stop it, I figured this might be a journalist already prearranged by Icarus. As if to confirm that, a camera with three letters from a broadcasting station pointed in our direction. I paused for a moment, then spoke. "AI has no origin, but our younger models have individual stories. As a result, they¡¯ve learned emotions and curiosity, and they clearly distinguish between what they should not do and what they want to do." "It sounds more specific than I expected... No, that¡¯s not what I meant. Listening to what you just said, these friends almost seem to have grown like humans." "They¡¯re not all that different, really. After all, humans are artificially created beings too, and the reason we call them electronic lifeforms is because we grow and learn the concepts in the world, develop social skills, and grow into adults. These kids are no different." "Huh¡­" "Isn¡¯t that cute?"
    • "Hahaha, oh my god."
    • "That sounded so cool, but then you ruined it with thest line!"
    • "Mecha Bi-Am Special) Likes to get its neck scratched"
    • "Are these guys really robots? They¡¯re no different from humans, haha."
    I scratched the back of Rain¡¯s neck. She flushed red and started scolding me. I didn¡¯t even know why. Anyway, the mood turned awkward quickly, so I pulled out the note I received from my parents and decided to share a brief announcement. Let¡¯s see what it says¡­ "¡­Anyway, now that the chance hase, I¡¯d like to briefly promote it¡ªif this expo goes well, other countries will have simr opportunities. So, please, everyone, enjoy your time and go ahead!" "Hey, wait! Eugene! Why are you running off without us!" "Catch him! He¡¯s running away!" "Whoa, everyone move aside!" If you drop a bomb, the best thing to do is run. I noticed the journalist who tried interviewing earlier secretly giving me a thumbs up, so I smiled and quickly ran off with the Mecha models. This expo was sure to be lively in many ways. Chapter 602 "Rain <<<< Just GOAT" The Mecha Bi-Am¡­ is the greatest gift ever given to this world... [All Comments][By Registration Order]
    • "Heh, hahaha, hahahaha."
    • "What the heck, these little brats, what are they so cute for?????"
    • "I envy Bi-Am. All the daughters are Bi-Am too..."
    • "I love it, haha, I¡¯ll do a ritual for the day I turn into a Bi-Am nun with white hair, until I finally TS!" "Lol, someone¡¯s actually doing a ritual for that? Some, haha."
    • "Seriously, I really want to travel to the US, what should I do?????" "Save up first, then talk." "Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!"
    • "Living Point) If you go to Icarus Travel Agency, they have lots of travel packages." "I just checked and the 2-week package starts at 7 million won, haha!" "Do you think the US is cheap?" "Fact: If you buy the flight, food, amodation, and everything else separately, it easily goes over a million won." "If you get the round trip ticket, 2 weeks of food, amodation, car rental, and Niagara Falls tour package for 7 hundred, that''s super cheap." "You wouldn''t know if you''ve never traveled, haha."
    • "Hah, 4 million for a one-week trip? Should I go????" "Think about your teeth first, then go, haha." "Honestly, for that price, it¡¯s a good deal."
    • "I sincerely believe, after looking at the Dark Zone Town expo, that Bi-Am is improving the economy so much... They¡¯ve madezy people at home work voluntarily." "That¡¯s why it¡¯s so hard to find part-time jobs these days? Damn, haha." "No wonder the moving jobs are rare, haha." "The Ministry of Employment and Labor should bow to Bi-Am three times a day."
    • "As expected, people make money when they are desperate or motivated, haha."
    • "Damn, I just bought a Bi-Am padded jacket the other day!!!!!!" "Haha,me." "If you¡¯re upset, just return it, haha."
    • "I¡¯m sure after this, I¡¯ll get a tour in the US booked, but once the expo in Dark Zone Town ends and the second one in Korea is announced, the Dark Zone Town fans will cry a river, haha." "Haha, no way, haha." "There¡¯s a possibility¡­!" "Are you Harvard or something????????????" "You know what? I canceled the part-time job to go work. Pure gold." "You said there¡¯s no money in the Korean expo. Well, good for you." "You¡¯re so fickle, haha."
    [General] "I seriously get mad when gamers call the Mecha Bi-Am ''AI'' or something."     I can¡¯t believe these idiots are worried about the future and spouting nonsense like this. Humanity¡¯s future is at stake, but they aren¡¯t worried about their own? [All Comments][By Registration Order]
    • "That point in the article was spot on, hahaha."
    • "Do they know that the portrait rights of Mecha Bi-Am belong to Bi-Am? If they talk aboutmodifying them, they¡¯re going to get beat up by Bi-Am, haha." "That¡¯s why the article was torn apart, haha." "Oh, I just saw the picture, hahaha."
    • "Fact: No matter how long it takes, Korean nonsense gets taken down in 2¨C3 days, foreign nonsense gets taken down in a week." "Exactly, haha." "In other countries, if someone spits nonsense like that, they can get sued personally and financially. You know the power of money."
    • "You¡¯re challenging someone with a backing of a top 10 globalpany? What kind of suicide volunteer is that?" "He¡¯s a person who swapped his beliefs and life for money." "This is crazy, haha."
    • "What if the Mecha Bi-Am suddenly turns on us?" "You¡¯re telling me a bunch of whiny girls who go ¡®hoeh¡¯ with a little touch are going to rule humanity? That¡¯s the most creative thing I¡¯ve heard recently, haha." "Oh... I actually like it." "A dystopia where we control the entire human race and suck the life essence through 1 Mecha Bi-Am per person... oh..." "We decided to call it a utopia, dear." "Bi-Am¡¯s taming machine, pyapypapya, haha." "The real threat to worry about is the idiots talking above, not the Mecha Bi-Am."
    • "But seriously, I¡¯m curious how AI would react to this." "It¡¯s not AI, it¡¯s an electronic lifeform." "What¡¯s the difference?" "Like C and Zero C." "Oh..." "That¡¯s such a bad analogy, haha."
    • "Fact: Why worry about Mecha Bi-Am when there are lunatics stabbing people on the street?" "True, haha."
    • "Why the hell do these idiots keep posting these fictional scenarios as if they¡¯re official?" "Why? Because they¡¯re just trying to grab some views and go viral, then they¡¯ll get a beating."
    "So when¡¯s the Bi-Am dystopia happening? When will a crazy AI turn me into a Mecha Bi-Am?" "Actually, what if this world isn¡¯t a dystopia? What if the crazy Bi-Am scientist trying to turn me into a Bi-Am isn¡¯t actually a real threat?" "Stop it, who¡¯s going to take responsibility for my ruined life?" "You are yourself." "Haha, yeah, haha." "When the Mecha Bi-Am holds hands and defeats Bi-Am, that¡¯s dystopia." "So what is dystopia? What the hell, nerds?" "Our future." "Oh, damn, hit me with the truth." "Things are so noisy here, but outside, it¡¯s noisy for a different reason. I can¡¯t believe these people still have the energy to argue. Why can¡¯t they just rx¡­" "Humans seem to be a species made for battle, Archetype." "¡­I can¡¯t say you''re wrong, and it¡¯s kind of sad."
    • "Fact: People fight over race,nguage, and skin color. But when they see Mecha Bi-Am, how shocked will they be, haha?"
    • "Fine, if you only want to see the younger Mecha models, just give it a thumbs up, haha."
    • "Don¡¯t mind them, they¡¯re just a handful of idiots."
    • "This is Bi-Am¡¯s¡­ maternal love? Just wanting to show only the good things about the younger Mecha models?"
    ...Maternal love? I almost used the interview function to correct these people, but I managed to hold back. Anyway, I didn¡¯t expect the reactions to be so intense, even a day before the expo started. I mean, I knew they¡¯d put up massive ads, but who could not know? As mentioned in the chat, it¡¯s good that only a handful of idiots are spouting nonsense. In a way, this could be considered an inevitable conflict triggered by the introduction of a new, radical concept. Still, the majority of the world¡¯s reactions have been positive. The reason is simple: the good image has been built for months. "Everyone clearly likes us. Right, owner?" "¡­Yes. It¡¯s because all of you are so diligent. Understand? If you keep listening to me, only good things will happen. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®When you listen to adults, good things wille even in your sleep.¡¯" "But we can¡¯t eat ? (rice cake)." "That¡¯s just an expression, alright?" "¡­The way you talk with the younger Mecha models is so cute, Eugene."
    • "Are you too?????"
    • "What are you talking about, it¡¯s clearly a conversation between a daughter and a mom, haha."
    • "Fact: It¡¯s not a daughter."
    • "What? That makes no sense, obviously it¡¯s a daughter and a mom."
    • "Are you all on something? Haha."
    How do I make them take off their rose-colored sses? I bet my parents are probablyughing at this pathetic conversation broadcasted through my channel. I could only brush it off, because honestly, I had no better thoughts at the moment. Anyway, I hadn¡¯t nned to stream, but today, my parents asked me to. It¡¯s connected to the reason the expo is happening. Just like the interview I did earlier outside, they wanted me to answer some questions, so the younger Mecha models could respond as well. ''Is this to prepare for the expo starting tomorrow...?'' Walking around, doing interviews, answering questions. We¡¯ll be asking the younger Mecha models about their first impressions of walking in the world. It¡¯s natural that the scene will be broadcast globally. This is the reason for the unexpected streaming session. But what I didn¡¯t expect was how sharp the viewers¡¯ questions would be... or demands, more like, would be far worse than the refined questions expected tomorrow or after. "¡­Owner, some people are asking if we could step on their faces barefoot, if that¡¯s not rude, what¡¯s that about? If you step on them, their face will be crushed." "¡­Anyone asking those kinds of questions or making those requests, just ban them all. Seriously, I¡¯m going crazy." "Ah, that¡¯s not possible because the order is fixed. I¡¯ll be the first to face it." "What¡¯s Minah even saying next to me!?" Shaking, shaking, shaking. But Minah was just giggling, watching the chat explode, and I grabbed Harmony¡¯s shoulders with both hands and shook her back and forth. What are you going to do with my chat room? Holding my aching head, I just leaned back into the sofa. "Ah, do whatever you want. I¡¯m dying here..." "Really?" "Mom, everything around me is weird..."
    • "Hahaha, I¡¯ve never seen Bi-Am calling for their mom before, haha."
    • "How do you even resist such a tempting snake tail~"
    • "There are way too many people who could pass as animals here, haha."
    • "Caesar Bi-Am now knows what betrayal feels like, haha."
    Why is everyone like this? The world is truly a strange ce. I hate expos... "I should¡¯ve just gone to the U.S." "Why, all of a sudden?" "Ah, this year, after hearing about some awards I won, all the family and rtives came over, and it¡¯s been chaotic. The house smells like oil now..." "Haha, if I had known, I should¡¯ve just handed you the expo invitation directly." As evening turns to morning, the time difference bes clear. It''s 8 AM in New York and 7 PM in Korea. It¡¯s a relief that Harmony, who connected on time, is still grumbling. It seems that during the holidays, Harmony¡¯s family gathers pretty heavily. Could this be holiday syndrome? Of course, Harmony wouldn¡¯t be making pancakes or doing the housework. Technically, Minah is the pir of not just her household, but almost her entire family. If they tried to make her do something, it¡¯s more likely she¡¯d go out and nevere back. Meanwhile, Dice, who logged inte, chuckled from the side. "Eugene, she doesn¡¯t even celebrate Lunar New Year. She just gathers with family and has a simple dinner, and then it¡¯s done. I¡¯m so jealous..." "Hehe, all my rtives are in Germany." "Then why can¡¯t you even speak German?" "My parents don¡¯t use it anymore!" I didn¡¯t expect that. Well, if you don¡¯t use anguage, you end up forgetting it. On the flip side, if you keep using it, you won¡¯t forget. Honestly, if I had stayed in New York for a few more years, I would have probably forgotten Korean. I was curious about Dice¡¯s family too, but I quietly listened to Harmony¡¯sints and looked over the schedule for the expo, which was about to begin. Of course, I didn¡¯t have much to do, but it¡¯s fine. Anyway, it used to feel like this just six years ago. So, I could empathize, and it felt kind of nostalgic.@@novelbin@@ For example¡ª "I heard Minah won. I bet some cousins will be asking questions. I think they¡¯ll all be ying Tinversion Dark Zone too¡­ or maybe I went too far." "No, you¡¯re right. There are a lot of high schoolers in their first and second years who are like that. They¡¯re so enthusiastic. They keep begging me to get your autograph¡­ and they¡¯re always trying to challenge me, saying they¡¯re also winners of the high school Dark Zonepetition." "Ugh, that sounds annoying." "Ah, but it wasn¡¯t really that bad." Was it not that annoying? I thought about it as our eyes met, and immediately, Harmony spoke. "I took care of it all." "¡­Right, sometimes, you do need to put people in their ce when they start crawling up." "Still, it would be nice to have some noise like that. None of my family or friends are interested in Dark Zone¡­ though, I¡¯m not talking about you guys." "Yeah, I know what you mean." That said, I felt that Dice didn¡¯t need to be here with me in the U.S. for the Lunar New Year, but honestly, traveling abroad requires stamina. I just went to the U.S. two months ago, so it would be a bit much to go again so soon. So, the conversation naturally shifted back to the expo. "By the way, if it goes well this time, they¡¯ll hold one in Korea, right?" "Yeah, but honestly, I don¡¯t see how it can go badly. We¡¯ve already set things up in Korea. It should open around August somewhere, but to decide, we need to check thend Icarus Korea owns." "Hehe, the younger Mecha models going to Korea..." "¡­I hope they at least get snake tails so you all can keep up with them." "Well, that¡¯s that, but Mecha models are still Mecha models." Damn it. I didn¡¯t expect to realize so strongly that there¡¯s no way out. I thought to myself as I added: "Anyway, there¡¯s something you both should keep in mind... It might be tough to meet the younger Mecha models. It might even be hard for you to walk around with me. I can meet you for brief moments, though, when time allows." "Ah... Right. Since it¡¯s the start of the expo, are any big namesing? Don¡¯t those big expos usually have those?" "Well... they won¡¯t have a performance, but if you¡¯re asking about famous people, yes, some celebrities will be there." "Oh, really? Who¡¯sing?" "Well..." I wasn¡¯t sure if I should say, but, well... "Themander of the U.S. Southern Command, General Howard Ridgway Spencer, from the Army." "...Eh?" "Themander of U.S. Special Operations Command, General Bernard Nicholson from the Army, and Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral Semed Alietan from the Navy, CEO of Lockheed Martin, Ivan Eykle, and CEO of Northrop Grumman, Carlton Green..." "Whoa, wait. Is this something we¡¯re supposed to hear?" "The list is already public, so it¡¯s fine. Want to hear more?" "Aahhh, nooo¡ª!" Honestly, I felt like my life became legendary when I knew half of the people on that list. I¡¯d be seeing some familiar faces soon. Chapter 603 "¡­General, we will arrive in 5 minutes." "Ah, has it already been that long? Alright. The vibrations are giving me quite a headache. Just give me a painkiller." "Are you sure you¡¯re alright? We can change the route to the hotel¡¯s helipad as originally nned." "It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing familiar faces after so long..." Under the blue sky, a helicopter swiftly crosses the snowyndscape of New York state. Despite being in a rtively remote area of the U.S., the number of vehicles crossing the newlyid asphalt road was quite high. The colorful lights, growingrger as they neared the horizon, were now close enough to be clearly seen. Near Rochester, New York, Dark Zone Town. This once small town had suddenly be a major attraction, with hundreds of thousands of people flocking here in just a few days. And it didn¡¯t stop there. It became the world¡¯s first ce to bring NPCs from a video game to life, all wrapped in the shiny packaging of an expo. This wasn¡¯t just a holographic event, with NPCs projected into reality¡ªit was a genuine attempt to create mechanical bodies and integrate AI from the virtual world. The reactions were intense, to say the least. Of course, those attending today weren¡¯t particrly concerned with that fact. "What do you think of Icarus¡¯ next-gen humanoid?" "I think it will cause quite a stir in many fields. Especially the hardware. If the technology and materials used in the body are applied to prosthetics, we¡¯ll see a huge leap forward." "That¡¯s true. If these things are mass-produced, recing people won¡¯t take long." "¡­I¡¯m not sure that would be desirable." It wasn¡¯t an incorrect statement. Once production began and Icarus Dynamics¡¯ bodies spread throughout society, it was highly likely that unemployment would rise significantly. The military would also be affected, but that wasn¡¯t something the people here were concerned about. In fact, they might wee it. High-ranking officers often viewed human lives as mere numbers. While his personal aide had no idea, Howard Ridgway Spencer, Commander of the Southern Command, was well aware of this. That¡¯s why he was in favor of introducing humanoids, whether it led to unemployment or not. As he took a painkiller and swallowed it, the helicopter slowed down and began its descent onto the helipad. Unlike the outside world, where it was difficult to find any snow, Dark Zone Town was buried in a thick nket of white. The helicopter¡¯s strong propeller wind hit the surroundings, but the waiting personnel outside seemed to ignore it and opened the helicopter door. As General Spencer stepped down leisurely, a graceful curved building came into view. It was the expo building where the Mecha Eugens would be showcased today. How much time had passed, exactly? "¡­You."@@novelbin@@ "Good to see you, General Spencer. I¡¯ll be guiding you to the conference room." A brief awkward silence lingered as they locked eyes. The person standing in front of him wasn¡¯t just a familiar figure¡ªEugene, one of the most famous people in the world at the moment, was personally waiting for him. Her alpha-level staff badge hanging from her neck indicated that she was an employee assigned to greet him. Spencer subtly nced around, giving a signal to his three personal aides, and they disappeared with his luggage toward the waiting room. With the sound of his aides¡¯ departure, Spencer spoke first. "How have you been?" "Of course, I¡¯ve been well. I thought we might meet at the sniperpetition, but we only got to see each other from afar, which was a shame." "Don¡¯t say anything you don¡¯t mean. By the way, going by memory, it¡¯s been a long time since Miami. Did you get enough rest back then? I remember the driver was trembling after a whole team disappeared, which stuck with me." "¡­I dropped by home for a bit. I¡¯ll make sure to let you know next time before I go." The two of them began walking casually. Despite being an attention-grabbingbination, no one in the building seemed to pay them any attention, even though it was packed with people. Eugene waved her left wrist lightly, and Spencer immediately understood what was going on. Not far from the conference room, their conversation continued. "Last time I saw you, there were only two units, right? When did two more join?" "¡­There was a reason for that." "Of course. To put it bluntly, there was a rumor among those with stars on their rank badges at the time. They said that whatever the results of the team were, there was no need to take it too seriously. After all, they were always close to getting into idents, so everyone just brushed it offter." "Cough¡­" "Haha, didn¡¯t expect that reaction from you." General Spencer let out augh, and Eugene, embarrassed, turned her head away from him. Her pointed ears, reminiscent of an elf¡¯s, had long turned a deep red. Spencer didn¡¯t press the matter any further and subtly changed the topic. "I heard the defense contractors have been sharpening their knives. They say their questions won¡¯t be too sharp, but I¡¯ve heard they¡¯ve brought a bunch of equipment to verify the technology applied to the units modeled after you." "Well¡­ they¡¯ll be wasting their time. There are more than a few technologies that are just not feasible." "I¡¯ve heard the outline of it from the memories of that world. I think they said there¡¯s a nuclear fusion reactor that can produce almost perpetual energy and motors with superconducting parts? Just revealing one of those would send shockwaves through the world." "I¡¯m being as cautious as I can." "You should be." At that moment, they didn¡¯t enter the conference room. Instead, they carefully moved down a hidden passage near the conference hall and reached the backstage waiting room, which didn¡¯t take long. After a while, Eugene opened the waiting room door. And then¡ª "¡­Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait quietly?" "I tried to stop her, but Nasty kept looking at the pedicure so closely¡­" "Uwah, wait a minute. I think I saw you before when I went to the beach with the boss¡­?" "Hahaha! What a mess!" Spencer couldn¡¯t help butugh aloud when he saw the scene of humanoids giving each other pedicures. They looked even more human than humans themselves. Realizing that, Spencer calmed himself down and greeted Jin and Rain, who had recognized him. "It¡¯s been a while. How have you two been?" "Ah, we¡¯ve been¡­ alright. How about you, General?" "This is a refreshing reaction. As you can see, I¡¯ve been doing much better than back then. Looks like you¡¯ve be even more human while spending time with that kid." "¡­I¡¯m still not sure what ''human'' really means. Are we really human?" "Living the way you want to¡ªthat¡¯s what makes a person human, right? There are people who live more like machines than you do, so don¡¯t worry about it too much." Despite the question remaining unanswered, Spencer¡¯s words brought a slight sense of closure. "Among the people here today, I¡¯m the only one who knows that you¡¯re not much different from regr humans. But there¡¯s no need to overthink what it means to be ''human.'' Just enjoy what you like, express yourself honestly, and love this world and the things you love." "That¡¯s exactly what we do best, I suppose." "Haha, well then. See you in the conference roomter." Spencer bid his farewell, and before Eugene could say anything, he left and closed the door behind him. Watching him go, Eugene let out a relieved sigh and added, "¡­I¡¯m d that went smoothly. Anyway, go ahead and finish the pedicure. I believe in you all. Nasty, you know you¡¯re not supposed to leave, right?" "This is unfair¡­" "Of course it is, Akita. Just trust us." "¡­Alright." Although Eugene wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, she pushed down her doubts and kept them to herself. The afternoon was nearly over, and the conference would begin soon. "Now, it¡¯s time for the Q&A session. Please refrain from asking violent or sensitive questions. Anyone who asks such questions will be escorted out. Additionally, we will only ept 50 questions per day, and by the end of the expo, the humanoids will answer a total of 1000 questions." "Let¡¯s give a round of apuse to the participants." p, p, p, p! The enthusiastic apuse, much more than obligatory, filled the grand hall. Soon after, three humanoids walked onto the stage, looking strikingly simr to someone the audience had seen before. At that moment, a small yellow-lighted humanoid machine peeked from behind the curtains, followed by a small cry from Nasty as she was pulled away backstage. Theughter spread like a virus, and the three humanoids took their seats onrge square structures without backs, which creaked under their weight. Three microphones were ced on the table. They picked them up, pressed the buttons, and with a slight noise from the speakers, their vocal modules synthesized speech as they spoke to the room. "¡­Hello, I¡¯m Jin. This is Rain, and the one sitting far away is Mav." "Hello. That¡¯s the right greeting, isn¡¯t it?" "Hi. My answers might be a bit awkward, so I hope you¡¯ll bear with me." With a small click, the microphones were activated. Silence followed, but after a brief moment, the screens in the seats began to light up, showing the question logs. Rain and Mav exined. "From now on, the person sitting in the front row will ask their questions one by one. The screens will record both the questions and answers, so if your question has already been answered, you can skip your turn." "We¡¯ll start with the person on the far right in the front row. Once the light blinks, the microphone will be activated. Please feel free to introduce yourself and ask your question." Beep! The first person in the front row had their microphone activated. The machine emitted a slight sound, almost as if it was breathing, and the first question of the expo began. "¡­I¡¯m really honored to be here during such a historic moment, and I would like to ask you to define yourselves. First, from an engineering perspective, and secondly, as members of society." "¡­From an engineering perspective, we are the same. Our height is uniformly 172 cm, we weigh 541 kg, and we are made up of almost 100,000 parts. We are artificial bodies with electronic consciousness, which is a bit different from Artificial Consciousness. Please keep that in mind." "As for our roles as members of society¡­ Well, aside from having a connection with Akita and her acquaintances, I¡¯m not sure how to define us. Humans might call such a rtionship ''friends''? I suppose it could be said we are Akita¡¯s property." A murmur ran through the room. However, there was no chance to further question the term "property," as the second person in the front row quickly took their turn. Looking at the person next to them with a sympathetic expression, they spoke up. "You mentioned earlier that you are different from Artificial Consciousness. What do you think about recursively upgrading your own intelligence through self-improvement? Is it possible, or will it happen in the future?" "¡­Do we really have to?" "¡­What?" "Well, you see¡­ the current units don¡¯t see much need for it. If there¡¯s a need to solve a problem, then perhaps, but if we don¡¯t feel the need for self-improvement, we don¡¯t see any reason to pursue it." More murmurs filled the room. But what could they do? Only one person is allowed to speak at a time. As the audience squirmed, eager to ask their questions, Rain quietly added: "It seems you¡¯re a bit misunderstanding. We ssify ourselves as electronic life forms, not Artificial Consciousness. We haven¡¯t set a goal to be ¡®smarter¡¯ than before. You might want to reconsider your perception of this gap." "Humans also think, ¡®I should lose weight¡­¡¯ or ¡®I should study and get a good job,¡¯ right? But not many actually act on it. It¡¯s the same thing." When Mav spoke,ughter erupted from various corners of the room. Some people couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter, covering their mouths hurriedly, while others awkwardly looked away. But amidst it all, Rain added: "Well, I think most of the people here have already acted on those things, so¡­ I¡¯ll try my best." "Oh, no, that¡¯s not it." "Eh, wait, weren¡¯t you telling us to get smarter or something?" "No, I wasn¡¯t. Just live as you are." At that moment, the audience couldn¡¯t stopughing. After a few minutes, the noise gradually subsided, and it was time for the next question. The three Mecha Eugens quickly rified who they were and what they could and couldn¡¯t do in just a few exchanges, and the next question began. "I actually had a bunch of notes prepared, but they¡¯ve all be irrelevant now. So I¡¯ll keep it simple. You guys seem more human than robots. Right?" "I agree with that. By the way, I don¡¯t really understand things like human domination or superintelligence, but if a function to eat food is addedter, I¡¯d like to try ice cream." "I like spicy food!" "Sorry, my sisters are a bit simple." Of course, just because the next person asked a question didn¡¯t mean things would suddenly get serious. The questions continued, and their focus quickly shifted from "Are you the superintelligence or the ultimate AI?" to "What do you think of superintelligence?" In other words, the people asking the questions began to slowly view Jin, Rain, and Mav as mechanical humans, just like themselves. How much time passed? When the 50th question about superintelligence came up, the response was: "¡­Well, I don¡¯t really understand what superintelligence is, but if ites about, we¡¯d probably be the beneficiaries. Frankly, I don¡¯t want to be a part of that." "If we can answer almost every question urately, perform high-levelmands, carry out open-ended missions, and freely make decisions, then¡­ we¡¯re basically a living search engine, right? That¡¯s not interesting." A brief moment of silence followed, filled by the sounds of typing and quiet murmurs. But at that moment, a sharp p echoed through the room. It was a crisp sound, almost like a bell ringing, and that¡¯s when the thousand-strong crowd realized that the time hade to an end. The 50 questions had taken about three hours. Of course, the end of the interview wasn¡¯t necessarily the final event of the day, and the three Mecha Eugens, having answered all the questions, made their way off the stage. "Well, that¡¯s all the questions for today. I hope you¡¯ll catch the rest outside." "Don¡¯t trip and hurt yourselves. Take care." "Good job, everyone." As expected, the crowd remained orderly, and soon, once everyone had left, the three Mecha Eugens made their way back down the path they came, disappearing from the stage. Having exhausted the audience with their words, it was now time to show them some action. Just an hour ago, the full interview was uploaded to YourSpace, and everymunity around the world was abuzz with excitement. Chapter 604 [General] Mecha Eugene <<<< These guys are definitely not robots, LOL All their answers are really legendary, haha [All Comments][By Registration Order]
    • Q: Can you be superintelligent by making yourself smarter? / A: Why? LOL
      • Hahaha, these guys are so dumb, it¡¯s hrious.
      • Seriously, these guys are such mecha idiots, haha.
    • So the idiots who said these guys would rule humanity in the future were seriously hyping it? Ugh, LOL.
    • The doomsday predictions from so-called experts? Total silence, LOL.
    • When did Icarus folks develop a joke module and attach it to these mecha idiots? The performance is insane.
    • Watching the 115kg machine¡¯s interview, I got hit... I¡¯m going to the gym starting tomorrow...
      • Damn, you should lose some weight.
      • Not tomorrow, start today, haha.
      • No, you... well, never mind.
    • This is so funny, haha.
    • Starting today, I¡¯m one with Mecha Idiot. If you insult Mecha Idiots, you¡¯re insulting me.
      • Who gave you permission to be one with them? Wanna die???
      • I¡¯m first! Grab a ticket and queue.
    • "Didn''t you tell us to get smarter?" "Nah, just live as we are." How can robots have a conversation like this? Haha.
      • These guys are definitely not robots, haha.
    • Idiots are gods, and Mecha Idiots are invincible.
    • How do they know about ice cream and spicy food, haha.
    • But can they actually eat? They probably don¡¯t have a digestive system.
      • If they don¡¯t have a digestive system, they definitely can¡¯t eat, haha.
      • Who knows, they might switch to bodies with digestive systemster.
    • Opinion) Unless a special body with a digestive systemes out, they¡¯ll never be able to eat.
      • Unless they¡¯ve transferred an entire digestive system, food will just pass through their body, haha.
      • After hearing that, I almost imagined something too graphic to put into words... almost.
    • AI fanfiction writers are about to be unemployed, LOL.
      • Now, if you write AI fanfic, you might get re-hired immediately.
      • You might need to pay a settlement fee to the Mecha Idiots before you submit that, haha.
    • Ugh... I¡¯ve had all my illusions about AI shattered...
      • Where did those illusions evene from? Haha.
      • Yeah, actually, it¡¯s for the best~~~~
    "Well, you really went all out, our little ones. Very well done. Exceeded expectations." "Right? We did great, didn¡¯t we?" "Uh... I want to go out tomorrow too..." "Nope."
    • Hahaha, this is too funny.
    • Ah, Nasty is so cute.
    • But why can¡¯t the youngest go out? Haha.
    • Probably because of their mental age, haha.
    • Seriously though, what makes them so confident? Why are they so cute???
    The real-time three-hour interview broadcast spread quickly, and the world was thrown into a frenzy. The sheer number of articles and videos being released was no joke. Of course,munities all around the world were discussing our Mecha "youngest," but honestly, it didn¡¯t bother anyone. It didn¡¯t bother the Mecha "youngest" either. The reason was simple. To be honest, Jin, Rain, and Mav weren¡¯t there to represent all of AI or artificial consciousness. They were just there because they were asked to, and they said what they wanted to say. Thank goodness, this wasn¡¯t going to turn into something like a Matrix-style headache. Anyway, I gave the three of them a pat on the head for their hard work. The interview was over, but the expo wasn¡¯t finished, and to be precise, today¡¯s schedule would end at 8 p.m. The current time was about 3:40 p.m., and in about 20 minutes, the Mecha "youngest" would be tested for their physical abilities. Of course, I knew these three could disy the same level of physicality as I could. It might sound simr, but I had to consider that their body weight was more than double mine. Could the ground even handle it? After testing the drone cam¡¯s censorship terms, I activated the censorship feature and added: "Later, there will be a performance test, right? Make sure to do it appropriately. You won¡¯t even be able to show half of what you can do. You probably already know this." "Of course. I¡¯ll do as much as I heard from Icarus Dynamicsst time." "Honestly, that¡¯s already more than enough, so just keep it simple." Still, it looked like a huge impact was about to happen. However, for other humanoid productionpanies, we were sorry, but we were going to keep our mouths shut about things like power sources and motors. Honestly, the purpose of this expo wasn¡¯t about showing off our robot¡¯s performance¡ªit was more like "Come see these cute Mecha Idiots!" If you want to see real performance, wait for the humanoid expo in September or October this year. The defense industry folks would probably foam at the mouth, but honestly, that wasn¡¯t something we needed to worry about. "Let¡¯s see, things to do today¡­ just some shooting, running, hitting, running more¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t seem all that fun. By the way, how do you handle joint motor aging?" "We have self-repair capabilities, butpared to our original bodies, it¡¯s a bitcking. Can you develop some nanomachines? Didn¡¯t you include them in the designs we gave you?" "...I¡¯ll tell you upfront, working machines at the nanolevel are still a dream technology here."
    • Why is everything they say censored? Haha, what are they even talking about?
    • ?? : Ah... you don¡¯t know... I see... well, no, this seems too early for you guys... I¡¯ll talk to you about itter...
    • Aaaah, please tell us what you''re saying, we¡¯re going crazy here!
    The viewers were definitely on the edge at this point, but what else could they do? It was now time to move on. My phone was flooded with messages from friends saying things like, "What the heck is going on?" but, well, that could wait. Now, it was time to head to a space filled with the smell of gunpowder. The first destination was arge shooting range near a gun shop, a bit further from here. It was close to where I had previously fired the .50 caliber Gatling gun, and there, I would show them how we handle firearms. They would likely be amazed by the precise shooting and recoil control from the weight. The second destination was an indoor track, where the mobility test for the units was scheduled. The reason I¡¯m telling you all this is simple¡ªtoday, I was the safety officer for the three of them. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t important right now. I added to the three following me: "We¡¯re going outside now. Unlike before, there¡¯s no need to answer separately, just be mentally prepared." "Eh, why?" I didn¡¯t answer, opened the door, and walked into the lobby. How much time passed, I¡¯m not sure, but soon: "Everyone! Please pay attention here!" "This is Today Magazine! I have some questions regarding today¡¯s interview in the meeting hall!" "Take a photo, take a photo! We¡¯ll mosaic the Exponent¡¯s face!" "It¡¯s Eugene!"
    • Oh my god, haha.
    • This feels like when you arrive at Incheon Airport, haha.
    • Why are there so many people? Haha.
    • Is this... the life of an influencer?
    • Being famous is so tough, haha.
    A barrage of shes, countless handshakes... no, interview requests. But unfortunately for them, there were more people waiting for us. So, I told the Mecha "youngest" to go ahead, and after receiving a mic that an Icarus reporter had sneakily handed me, I spoke: "I sincerely thank everyone gathered here, but soon, you¡¯ll see the Mecha ''youngest'' firing the .50 caliber Gatling gun. But, would it be okay for you to stay here?" At the same moment, the camera shes stopped, and the noise instantly vanished. There was an unnatural stillness. And after some time, everyone suddenly packed up and began to scatter. They were probably securing spots to write the next articles. Since the Mecha "youngest" had built-in stealth and optical camouge functions, I didn¡¯t worry and added: "Alright, let¡¯s meet againter." As expected, putting out a fire with a bigger fire works best.
    • Whoa, the movement of their hands is so precise...
    • They¡¯re holding things without any awkwardness. There are no fingerprints or moisture, I wonder how they manage friction...
    • A maic field is detected from their hands. The palm seems to use a highly malleable metallicposite material. The surface is incredibly smooth, so it seems they¡¯ve borrowed an entirely new concept to hold objects firmly...
    "Wow, they¡¯re all going crazy. I knew this would happen, so it¡¯s not really a problem." "Looks like they¡¯re very curious. But still, what can we do? If they¡¯re curious, they¡¯ll have to realize quickly that there¡¯s nothing we can tell them." "Well learned, Rain." "Hehe." America is astonished, Europe is shocked, and Asia is envious of Mecha Eugene. Shaking off these fleeting, pointless thoughts, I began attachingbat vests to Jin and Rain. If Mav asks why I didn¡¯t do the same for him, it¡¯s because Mav¡¯sbat abilities are far behind those of Jin and Rain, so he¡¯s resting for now. In short, it all came down to the difference in experience¡ªJin was the first to join and fought alongside me, gradually improving hisbat skills. Then Rain came, and Mav joined muchter. At this point, Jin and Rain could handle about 0.6 of a full mission¡¯s worth ofbat duties, while Mav... well, maybe 0.25? Of course, if they had tail weapons, they could easily exceed 5. "I want to go too..." "Mav, go practice more ande back."@@novelbin@@ "Hehe, the third little one still has a long way to go. Maybe you should drink more of the prototype''s milk¡ªugh!" "Anyone who hears that would think I raised you by feeding you milk. Thankfully, this conversation isn¡¯t leaking out... Anyway, no more jokes like that!" "Got it." "I didn¡¯t say anything." Who taught these kinds of jokes? It¡¯s insane. Anyway, today¡¯s simted battle was rather unusual¡ªspecifically, because the humanoid enemies Jin and Rain were facing used live ammunition. The bullets weren¡¯t anything special, just regr 7.62mm rounds, so they wouldn¡¯t do much damage. But I wasn¡¯t really worried, and the reason was simple: the alloy used in the Mecha "youngest" bodies basically makes the materials science of this era obsolete. I¡¯m not entirely sure how it¡¯s made, but I¡¯ve heard the energy required to create it is immense... It might be something like a super titanium upgrade. Anyway, if we were really going to try to hurt them, we¡¯d probably need to bring a tank cannon. If nanomachines were avable, they could self-repair, but let¡¯s leave that forter. By the time I was thinking about all this, the two of them had finished gearing up. Honestly, their shooting control systems had already surpassed human levels, so they were carrying gear that looked identical to mine. In other words, both of them were holding Mk.18 Mjolnirs. "Couldn¡¯t one of them hold a normal carbine?" "But carbines are weak. You need something that can silence the enemy in one shot." "...Well, we have a stealth missionter, so we¡¯ll take something quieter for that." Today¡¯s mission was a standardbat mission, specifically urban warfare. You might wonder why they¡¯re going in with such long-barreled guns. The answer is simple: the Mecha "youngest" bodies are bulletproof. Why do you think CQB (Close Quarters Battle) developed the way it did? It¡¯s to make sure the person entering or the one waiting inside the building can eliminate the enemy without taking any hits. In other words, both the person entering and the one inside would be done in if they got hit, which is why CQB tactics evolved in this way. That won¡¯t change now. "Good luck." "See youter." "Hehe, look forward to it." At that moment, I entered the control room and activated the simtion. We were in a shooting range, almost like a stadium-sized CQB training ground. Today, cameras ced all over the training ground would broadcast Jin and Rain¡¯s actions worldwide, and a few people in the lounge would also be able to watch the scene live. To prevent potential idents, thick bulletproof panels were ced over the control room and lounge, and holograms began to disy the events unfolding inside. Today¡¯s scenario involved 50 enemy humanoids, with the goal being total annihtion. And it began. Chapter 605 "...I came when you told me to, and as expected. I thought it might be this, but it¡¯s definitely a matter involving the youngest." "Did you already know, Chief Warrant Officer Lorentina?" "If you¡¯re with that kid, you end up knowing things you can¡¯t avoid, hehe..." Virginia Beach, Virginia, NAS Oceana Dam Neck Base. In some part of the base where the elite Navy SEALs, known as DEVGRU, gather, the Gold Squadron - Crusader¡¯s operational team Hammerhead was having a brief moment in their break room. The dim space, smelling only of gunpowder and sweat, suddenly became bright. The overwhelming presence of men, all with an average height in thete 170 cm range, and body fat at around 12%, was now overshadowed by a particrly noticeable figure¡ª188 cm tall. It was hard to believe this person was in a military base and not strutting through the fashion world. Red shoes and ck stockings instead of boots, a golden ratio body with silver hair flowing down to her waist. With a figure that seemed destined for a runway, the only woman in the room stood as a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO-3). The call sign "Specter," Lorentina, the team leader of Hammerhead, entered the break room, led by her squad members. "Team leader, you¡¯re here. Look at this, it¡¯s amazing." "We¡¯re going to be unemployed if this keeps up." "This is some crazy hype. If someone saw this, they¡¯d think they were about to conduct a civil disturbance behind enemy lines." "That¡¯s not exactly what¡¯s happening, though." Though the situation was humorous, Lorentina quickly brought over a chair from around the room and sat. With a creak, the chair briefly screeched under her weight, but there was no real issue. Those under hermand knew well what her weight was, and the chair had to be durable enough. Grabbing a controller from the table, the observer noted the current engagement of the Mecha "youngest." "Considering their weight, underwater infiltration without some kind of propulsion or measures would be pretty tough. And if they glint in the moonlight, they might be spotted. There are a few other issues, but I don¡¯t think the youngest overlooked them while rolling out..." "...Are they really that heavy?" "Over twice my weight. Mid-500 kg range. They didn¡¯t exactly design them with weight in mind. They used special alloys liberally." At this size, 500 kg was already bending thews of physics. However, considering they had been hit multiple times with 7.62mm rounds without significant deformation¡ªjust minor dents¡ªit made sense. Even after the rounds were switched to AP rounds during theter stages, the results were much the same. Someone with a bewildered expression added: "I never thought a metal like vibranium would actually exist." "I heard it binds more tightly when subjected to shock or vibrations. Apart from its extreme weightpared to other metals, it¡¯s not much different. To break the Mecha youngest, you¡¯d need something like a rocketuncher or a tank cannon." "Terrifying. If they wielded shields made of simr material and took on pointman roles, they¡¯d be unstoppable." "That¡¯s probably where things will go in a few years." The mood in the room shifted slightly at thatment. But then Lorentina added: "But that¡¯s only because their software is extremely advanced. They still have a long way to go. Taking that into ount, the future of warfare will likely involve remote-controlled units rather than drones." "Hehe, looks like we¡¯re safe from unemployment. But if such unitse over here, I¡¯d prefer if we didn¡¯t have to control a machine that looks like a woman..." "Is that likely?" The situation was a little awkward, though, since Lorentina didn¡¯t really give much thought to such matters. She continued: "But, I heard that for their face, palms, and soles, they used a new metal for protection. That¡¯s directly rted to their humanoid body shape. It¡¯s an issue they need to resolve." "Hmm, I don¡¯t see it as a problem. If they can output more power than a human, a smaller body would actually be beneficial." "As long as they don¡¯t be too delicate, like a little girl..." "Honestly, that¡¯s not the important part. When the gunsmith customizes the weapon for the remote-controlled unit, the real question is whether it fits." But the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages. The ENVG-B helmet visor or the recently popr HMD systems were incredibly useful, but they required separate batteries. This meant additional items needed to be supplied and carried. However, when the Mecha youngest checked their first-person cams, all those functions were integrated into the facial disy. The head part also boasted overwhelming bulletproof capabilities. In other words, there was no need to wear bulky helmets that increased the hit area. That wasn¡¯t all. The mysterious energy source, which allowed for semi-permanent movement, meant they could operate indefinitely without needing additional batteries or bulletproof vests. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t wear them¡ªbut they didn¡¯t need to. "By linking the power source to the weapons, supplying high-energy weapons like railguns wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The world is progressing fast. I joined the army after seeing ISIS, Houthi rebels, and Hamas being crushed." "By the way, considering what we¡¯ve seen so far, I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯ll be able to match the power of such high-performance humanoids, Chief Warrant Officer. Aren¡¯t you still needed on the field?" "Based on what we¡¯ve seen from the Mecha youngest, that¡¯s what it seems like." "...Huh?" The air in the room cooled in a different direction than before. Was there something they hadn¡¯t shown yet? She smiled slightly but didn¡¯t respond, and those around her knew all too well that this was her way of avoiding a question she didn¡¯t want to answer. Additionally, they understood that if they kept pushing for an answer, the darkness behind that smile would gradually deepen, and they would face an unstoppable beast. Upon further spection, perhaps it wasn¡¯t that Lorentina didn¡¯t want to answer, but... "...Well, it¡¯s not like I can show everything here." "You¡¯re always quick to catch on. Hehe..." "You¡¯ll learn whether you like it or not, team leader... Ahhh!?" "Wilson, I think you need a scalp massage." When Lorentina¡¯s hands gripped Wilson¡¯s head, a scream echoed through the room. The others cautiously looked away from the scene and tried to focus on the screen. Some time passed, and the screen disyed the Mecha Eugene units clearing the building. The earlier conversation faded away as theypleted their task. Because the enemy was invisible, CQB had to develop as it did. When the assumption of where the enemy would be was suddenly broken, the mop-up operation became just a matter of time. It was obvious when they fired at the humanoids through thin walls¡ªtheir heads exploded. Even after breaching doors, enemies inside vanished without even a proper entry process. Only Lorentina remained watching this spectacle with indifferent eyes. "...I¡¯ve used it in games countless times, but hearing that it can actually be used in real life is quite moving. So, when will that technology be implemented?" "Not long now. At most, about six months. But we¡¯ll need to carryrge spare batteries. It eats up electricity." "Has this been seriously discussed at the higher-ups? I mean, it¡¯s better than getting hit by a stray bullet, right?" "Haha." As Lorentina spoke with a tone as if she already knew, everyone nodded along. But the reality was slightly different. There was no need to correct her. She casually continued eating snacks while adding: "In three months, we¡¯ll have the manuals and modr batteries for actual use. The think tanks who developed the pulse tech want feedback, but that¡¯s forter. For now, think about where we¡¯ll use it and if there¡¯s a countermeasure." "Should we submit it as a report?"@@novelbin@@ "Compile it and submit it. I¡¯ll skim through itter. You can think on your own or discuss with others. Just make sure you send me a short summary by tonight." "Understood." "I¡¯ve seen so much of the Mecha youngest that nothing really surprises me anymore. Studying is fine, but I hope they don¡¯t lose shark points because of poor condition management." As the broadcast neared its end, Lorentina got up, leaving thatst remark. As she opened the door and was about to leave, a final question followed: "So, team leader, what¡¯s with the shark points?" "It¡¯s a secret." With that, the door closed quietly, and the remaining team membersughed. "I wonder if I¡¯ll ever figure out what that means before I¡¯m buried in a coffin." "Did you hear the rumor that you can propose if you collect 10,000 points?" "Damn, I¡¯ll be here till I¡¯m 70 and still won¡¯t have 5,000 points." "I wonder how many points that Eugene kid has..." Of course, they had no idea Eugene had about 58,300 shark points. Thus, the first day of the Expo came to a close. "Wow, it''s still not even the end of the Expo, and we''re already getting over three hundred reception requests..." "I thought it would be much more. If this was a fan meeting, the number would be squared, right?" "...That¡¯s not exactly wrong, which is making it even more chaotic." As the smell of gunpowder faded and the sun dipped below the horizon, the darkness began to spread. The time when humanity had to adapt to the night was over, and the second fire, the electric light invented by humans, drove the night away, lighting up the world. Thus, humanity was no longer limited to daytime activities but could now operate at any hour. In mid-February of 2037, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Dark Zone Town, known as the second Las Vegas, and for the first time, the world began to focus on the actions and every move of the Mecha youngest that had been rolled out into reality. By around 6 p.m., the simtion training, which had terrified and shocked everyone, came to an end, and it was finally time for the physical performance tests. Fortunately, unlike before, Harmony and Dice could now join as spectators. Of course, they weren¡¯t helping with the test; they were just given the privilege of watching from a much closer spot than the others. But still, it was nearly 4 a.m. in Korea¡ªhow was everyone awake at this time? No point in asking, since I¡¯d get the same answer anyway. I didn¡¯t ask, and instead faced the Mecha youngest, who looked exactly like they had when they were born. "It¡¯s a strange thing to say, but it feels weird seeing you without clothes on." "Put some clothes on meter." "Put them on yourself. How far do you want me to go?" "The Mecha youngest really seem to act cute around you, Eugene." "You all are the same. Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know." The moment the Mecha youngest made a move, memories of the past shed through my mind. Where was it again? Was it the Taerung Training Center? That¡¯s where I first properly tested my physical abilities. I still remember how my shoes gotpletely destroyed when I ran the 200-meter dash. Of course, I also clearly remembered how the soles of the ground where Lorentina and Logan ran were left with markings that looked like their foot shapes, as they sprinted barefoot. Luckily, there would be no such incident this time. The entire floor was a type of reinforced floor. On top of that, thin rubber pads were ced on it, which could be reced anytime, even if torn. As the three of them stood at the starting line, the preparations around them were still underway. The punching machine, used to measure impact power, was set up... but there would be no basic physical tests today. After all, what would be the point for a humanoid to go through those? Instead, a few sturdy humanoids were brought in for the close-quartersbat and visual enjoyment tests. These machines were so durable that they wouldn¡¯t break even if a dump truck going 70 km/h hit them. To be blunt, these were the same kinds I had destroyed during the old "Glory & Honor" duels. Anyway, I didn¡¯t have much to oversee. All tests were going to be conducted ording to pre-set algorithms, so all I had to do was give them a little motivation. And true to my words, even though I was half-zoning out, the three of them had already positioned themselves on the angled start blocks, their fingers on the ground. How long did it take? Bam!
    • [Alert: Impact force of start block, 6.81 tons.]
    • [Alert: Speed, 15 m/s, 54 km/h.]
    "¡­Oh my." "They¡¯re doing well." The three units began running, each maintaining a decent distance from the others. Though all three were nearly at the same speed, people, shocked by the initial burst, began to realize what was happening after just a few seconds. They started runningps around the giant stadium track at that speed. After one minute, two minutes, and five minutes, it became obvious that no one could even open their mouths to speak. Considering the Mecha youngest each weighed around 540 kg, this was an even more astonishing sight. To put it into perspective, they were running at 55 km/h, which was even faster than a Harley Davidson CVO packed with full fuel, which would weigh about 100 kg less. And while the track was being gradually destroyed beneath them, it was quite a sight to behold. I was relieved to see that they were limiting their performance for the test, as they were expected to run for another three hours ording to the pre-supplied catalog specs. But, of course, showing only this would quickly get boring. Before the ten-minute mark, all three had crossed the finish line, and as they stopped, everyone in the stadium burst into apuse. "It feels strange that people are pping just because we ran." "Just let it be. Now it¡¯s time for something more fun. Brace yourselves." "...Alright. The performance limit is set." At the same time, I nced at the other side. The punching machine, now resembling a wall, and additional Mecha humanoid units waiting to be deployed. It was time for the real test¡ªthe time when blood, sweat, and hydraulics woulde into y... or rather, the time when hydraulic fluid, bolts, and pistons would fly. The first task was the impact test, something I had done in the past. The shock measurement sensor attached to the wall, with a waiting humanoid next to it. A kick was a bit of an awkward angle for the wall, so this setup was the best choice. Geno and Rain, who hadpleted some basic close-quartersbat training, stepped forward. Geno carefully measured the distance to the wall, positioned himself to deliver the optimal strike, and set his posture. If they were human, they might have stretched, but these Mecha units didn¡¯t need to. And then, after a while: Boom!
    • [Alert: Impact force 11.8 tons.]
    "...The fact that the unit can withstand that much force is amazing." "Well, it¡¯s not too surprising... Rain, activate the energy release mechanism in the joints. Let¡¯s show them properly." "Understood." Click, click! The mechanical sounds of the waist and elbows echoed. The broad, t nozzles, simr to the engines on an F-22, briefly shed. Between them, Rain took his stance once more. But the difference this time was that through the open release panels, something turquoise was glowing. The heat rising from the panels, the brief moment of silence. And then, after a while, Rain threw his punch. And¡ª Boom! In that instant, mes erupted from his waist and right elbow as his punch elerated to speeds simr to a bullet. The shockwave that followed was iparable to earlier, and a massive roar rang out. How long did it take before?
    • [Alert: Impact force measurement failed.]
    • [Alert: Panel dented. Recement rmended.]
    "...Wow." "I thought only inics could you leave a fist-shaped dent in metal, but it seems that¡¯s not the case." The metal wall was deeply dented with a fist imprint in the middle. Rain, with his somewhat battered arm, waved it around and added: "I don¡¯t think we should do this again, Archetype." "...Alright." Should we rece the panel? It¡¯s one of those things where, while I¡¯m considering it, there¡¯s no room forcency. Chapter 606 "This is ridiculous¡­ How is this even possible?" "How is the world going to end up like this¡­" KAANG! In an instant, a sh erupted, almost simultaneously with a deafening noise. The shockwave created by the collision of metal on metal, followed by the right arm, which had just begun to recover, was visibly impacted. All those watching the movements of the Mecha Biyams stood with their mouths wide open. There was no way they could close their mouths. Only Eugene and her associates, maintaining theirposure, were focused on their tasks at the center of the vast arena. And then, one more person. "...Isn''t it surprising, General?" "It wouldn''t be surprising. I¡¯m just thinking about it from a different perspective." The output of the unit, how strong the punch was, or whether the actions just demonstrated had any significance¡ªthose were the questions in his mind. Strictly speaking, there were very few situations in which such destructive force was necessary in reality. The only somewhat realistic use for it might be to rece a door-breaching operation with bare hands¡ªbut the visual shock always precedes reason. The destructive power that could crush even an oing dump truck head-on. The power delivered at bullet-like speed when focused on the small striking point of a fist was unimaginable, and the thoughts that had briefly passed through his head mere moments before werepletely blown away by that spectacle. "...What could Icarus have in mind, showing us such a sight at this expo?" "Perhaps it¡¯s a deration of intent. They may have nailed down the fact that no otherpany will catch up to Icarus Dynamics in the future." "Or maybe it¡¯s the most mild form of protest. Perhaps they¡¯ve taken the wheel to lead the world into change." "Hmm¡­" "Do you have something in mind, General Spencer?" "I would like to hear the opinion of a serving general. If you don''t mind, would you share it?" Spencer, who had been stroking his chin while softly muttering to himself, had others around him chime in one by one. Despite the thoughts running through his mind, Spencer¡¯s wealth of life experience immediately fabricated usible words, offering exactly what they wanted to hear. After all, discussing serious matters wasn¡¯t the goal here. Speaking off the top of his head to match the atmosphere wasn¡¯t difficult. Of course, this meant his true thoughts were somewhere else entirely. And, based on Spencer¡¯s judgment¡ªwho possessed memories from another world¡ªthis wasn¡¯t some protest or deration like others had suggested... "...I think he just wants to show off how impressive his daughters are¡­" Naturally, saying something like "daughters" in front of Eugene would probably lead to unpleasant results. Thus, he kept the thought to himself. Meanwhile, regardless of what others might say, the tests continued outside the reinforced ss walls of the lounge. Jin, whose arm had be severely damaged, was reced with a new one that Eugene had brought. There was no other choice; the metal fibers within the fractured alloy casing had been torn in multiple ces. Next was Lane¡¯s turn, and while most were focused on that, Spencer and the others were paying particr attention to the quick recement of the right arm. "By modrizing the damaged parts for recement, they¡¯ve highlighted the necessaryponents for military-grade items quite well¡­" "Did you say something, General Spencer?" "No, no. Please continue watching." In regions with extremely limited infrastructure, like foreign countries and not maind U.S., every piece of equipment had tost a long time, and at the same time, quick response in case of damage was essential. The units in front of them fulfilled these two conditions remarkably well. Not only did they meet the criteria, but their durability and semi-permanent power sources had surpassed expectations. If this had been for signing a contract, Spencer would have signed right away. It was something he truly desired so badly that it nearly made his throat burn. Meanwhile, the test subject was moving on from steel walls to humanoids. A humanoid wielding cold weapons swung them around, but both Jin and Lane skillfully dodged with ease. Each punch thrown sent the 300kg vanadium alloy robot crashing to the ground multiple times. Despite enhanced shock resistance and vibration resistance, the impact was so strong that the outer casing deformed into the shape of a fist. In under five minutes since thebat began, the opposing humanoid received more damage than allowed and copsed on the spot. Deformed marks as if it had been in a car crash were visible all over the unit. Its neck hung half-exposed, joints shattered in the opposite direction, or twisted in impossible ways. "The impact power is more than enough. At this point, even the toughest terrain would pose no issue." "Even if it trips, it won¡¯t be damaged." "Right." Of course, there were drawbacks. The excessive weight, the absence of a tail, the noise produced during operation, and the green glow of the unit¡¯s unique color were all factors, but aside from the first two, none were truly problematic. After all, the expo wasn¡¯t about showcasing military supplies. As time slowly passed, nearing 8 p.m., the first day of the long expo was winding down. In other words, the day wasing to an end, and Eugene, Jin, Lane, and Mav¡ªwho had been treated like Eugene¡¯s daughters¡ªstarted tidying up the facility without further formalities. When the pre-recorded announcement broadcasted, the people inside the stadium synchronized and gave a thunderous round of apuse. Eugene and the three units responded with a bow as the apuse began to die down, and the attendees started heading out the same way they came. But Spencer wasn¡¯t nning on leaving just yet. Standing up from his seat, Spencer added to the officers around him. "You all go ahead. I¡¯ll have a chat with these folks before I leave." "...We¡¯ll wait outside the stadium. Please let us know if anything happens." "Don¡¯t worry." As the reinforced ss walls disappeared, revealing the path from the lounge to the stadium, he opened the ss door and began walking down the stairs one step at a time. The warm air outside contrasted sharply with the stillness inside the lounge. Eugene, along with the original Eugene and the three Mecha units, continued working as usual, unfazed by the departing crowd. Curious about what they were talking about, but not really concerned, Spencer pressed the call button next to the door blocking the path to the center of the stadium. With a beep, Eugene turned in his direction, and after a brief moment, the door opened. The ones who had been the stars of the evening were approaching him. "You¡¯re out here even though it¡¯s cold." "I¡¯m still in good health. Don¡¯t underestimate me." "Haha, just kidding." "Well, the reason I came down here directly isn¡¯t much." At the same time, Spencer nced behind Eugene and then asked. "I don¡¯t remember there being any extra thrust for eleration like that. When did you add that function?" "It wasn¡¯t added, it¡¯s always been there. It just wasn¡¯t used before¡­ Normally, most of the energy goes into activating the tail weapon, so that¡¯s why you don¡¯t see it. But right now, without it, there¡¯s excess energy¡­" "Aha, I understand now. When are you nning to attach the tail weapon?" "That¡­ that¡¯s¡­" Eugene was flustered, and General Spencer chuckled. Such conversations were possible because they shared the same memories. They discussed topics that others would never hear, in a ce where no one else would listen. Given how short the conversation was, it was manageable. About ten minutester, as most of the people were leaving the stadium, Spencer continued. "Well, I should head off now. I¡¯m already looking forward to the Q&A session tomorrow." "Haha, that¡¯s not really my job. The Mecha youngest will handle it. Right?" "Ugh..." "I should have been more careful." Of course, the deed had already been done. From a distance, Nasty, who had been running, added. "At first, I was jealous, but now I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t do it." "Well, it just happened that way." Nasty¡¯s mysterious first victory. Sometimes, being bornte does have its benefits. Thus, the first day of the expo came to a close. "Aaaah, I told you! I was right there, and Jin suddenly started spitting fire from his body and BAM! He punched the wall. And then the whole wall crumpled!" "Hey, hey, stop repeating yourself. We need to get the drunk people out of here." "Let go! I¡¯m not finished talking yet!" "Ugh. Why is only Mina acting like this?" A few dayster, Korea. While the whole world was still buzzing from the expo held in the United States, Harmonie, who could now legally call herself a pro gamer and finalist ranked in SSM, along with the national team that had recentlypeted in the AP finals, gathered at Dice¡¯s house. The reason was almost the same for all of them. Unlike Dice, who didn¡¯t care about following Korean New Year traditions, the pro gamers who had returned with significant results couldn¡¯t stand the relentless questioning from theirrge families, who wanted to know everything about their aplishments. They came up with various excuses. Some had to go to the head office for a debriefing for the new tournamenting up, others imed it was for sry negotiations¡ªand of course, these excuses were all epted without question. And so, after sessfully lying their way through, they arrived at Dice¡¯s house, where they were having a drinking party while catching up. "Hey, when did you guys go to see the Mecha Biyam? You saw it without us? That¡¯s just unfair." "You should have asked more insistently. Do you want me to ask for you next time?" "No, it¡¯s fine. They said they¡¯ll do it in Korea within six months anyway." "Got it. You guys refused." "Wait, saying that suddenly makes me want to see it. Fine, I¡¯ll go." On the table were various bottles of liquor and even more snacks. The five of them sat closely, chatting in front of a screen showing a middle-aged man in a suit exining something calmly. Icarus International, a massive control tower managing numerous subsidiaries. The vice president in charge of it, who was also Eugene¡¯s father, was introducing the presentation over the screen. Dark Zone 2.0. More of an extensive update than a sequel, and it served as a marker that snapped the five of them, who had been wandering drunkenly, back to reality.@@novelbin@@ "...Come to think of it, even that¡¯s getting talked about as much as the Mecha Biyams." "Honestly, it sounds like they¡¯re just adding more PVE content, right? It¡¯s already so much, it¡¯s overwhelming. I switched to PVP because I didn¡¯t know where to start with PVE." "Seriously? You just jumped into AP like that?" "Well, everyone does that, right? I tried it once, and it turned out it was doable, so I kept climbing." Though the conversation abruptly shifted, the main topic was the expansion of the Dark Zone universe. With China nearly in a state of civil war and Russia losing sovereignty over its territories, Southeast Asia and parts of China were being invaded by South Asia, which had managed to stay united despite losing almost a billion people. Meanwhile, the Middle East, rtively untouched by the effects, exploded into conflict, and a new African federation arose around Central Africa. As Europe witnessed an unidentified weapon¡ªseemingly not operated by humans¡ªbeing sent through Denmark and Hamburg, South America was about to see the birth of a new nation around Brazil. "...The Dark Zone world is just full of nothing but misfortune." "Yeah, but honestly, it sounds exciting. I wonder where the fighting will break out. Probably somewhere in South Asia? America has a lot to reim from China and Russia, so they¡¯ve probably touched those areas." "Yeah, looks like it. Let¡¯s see, ording to the world map¡­ Bandesh and Myanmar are next to India, and then straight into China¡¯snd. They¡¯re probably pushing in that direction." "Hey, hey, look at the screen. Something¡¯s being fired." And as five pairs of eyes turned back to the screen, they saw the U.S. fleet stationed at Yokosuka and Busanunching dozens of medium-range ballistic missiles. Naturally, these missiles were all equipped with hydrogenser bombs. Enemy retaliation was inevitable, but Korea¡¯snd was already covered with missile pods, railguns, and interceptsers. Hundreds of ballistic missiles were crushed and disappeared in the air. At that moment, the screen shifted to the upper part of Gangwon Province, where a massive circr space, resembling something formed by pressing a thumb into a tangled mountain range, was highlighted. A gigantic 6km-wide circle, inside of which stood six massive cannons. It resembled a revolver¡¯s chamber¡ªit was a massive railgun fortress. "...What is that?" "They¡¯re saying it¡¯s a fortress built in Gangwon to intercept all kinds of ballistic missiles... I don¡¯t know if I should call it impressive or not." The official name was the "Interceptor Base Panopticon." Though the name was awkward, it was clear that the U.S. had no intention of watching as foreign powers acted recklessly. The exnations continued, but eventually, those who hade back to their senses chimed in. "Well, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll do it if Eugene asks meter. I hope they make a new Mecha Eugene." "Yeah, I totally agree." "Wonder what they¡¯ll add this time? I rememberst time they added an ultrasonic weapon to the tail, so maybe something like gravity maniption could happen." "But, honestly, if it¡¯s just Eugene showing up again, it might be weird." "Then how about a Mecha Shark?" "Ahhh, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­" Suddenly, the mysteriousughter "Uhhuhu..." echoed from the speakers, and everyone in Dice¡¯s house, almost in unison, looked around, sighing in relief. It wasn¡¯t bad for now, but if it happened again, they¡¯d all be asking "again?"¡ªand so, it was left as a curiosity for the future. Moreover, Eugene was the type to draw a strict line, and it was highly unlikely he¡¯d ever reveal anything if asked. Thinking this way, Dice added: "Well, if it¡¯s PVE, maybe, but for AP¡­ I guess a few new maps wille out based on this. Or maybe in-game skins." "Do you think the Dagger team wille back?" "Not sure..." The conclusion wasn¡¯t reached, but it didn¡¯t matter. When the time came, Eugene would likely call on them, and unless there was an unavoidable reason, they wouldn¡¯t refuse. "Anyway, that¡¯s enough for now. I guess I¡¯ll head overter. But, do you have any extra connection devices around here?" "Well, I only have mine. Eugene might have one or two extra at his ce..." "Damn, there¡¯s probably no connection device shop around here either. This is driving me crazy..." "Should we take a taxi and go to the SSM amodation for a bit?" "Yeah, but the night surcharge is going to be crazy... Ahh, forget it, I¡¯ll just go tomorrow." "I¡¯ll ask Eugene first." So, Dice sent a message to Eugene with rare direct use of his fingers... "...Oh my." "Take your time. Is it something important?" "I can get itter, it¡¯s fine. Anyway, it¡¯s a relief that things aren''t turning out like that scenario from over there." "From where I¡¯m sitting, I find that scenario pretty convincing, which is scary." Meanwhile, at the Central Park HQ, Eugene was in a discussion with Henry, not quite a debate, but more of an exchange, about the Dark Zone 2.0 scenario crafted with all their might by Icarus International¡¯s writers. Chapter 607 "...This is the predicted world situation for the future in the other world. There''s no guarantee it will unfold this way, but still, I believe there are a few key points worth considering. Once you¡¯ve gone over the contents, we can start discussing." "Assuming Europe ispletely off the table, there¡¯s still room to consider other regions. Particrly, South Asia and the Middle East are even more so." "The climate and geography of the Middle East negatively affect the survival of viruses. They can avoid the mes of the Omega Virus and preserve their strength. The countries ending in -stan are also fragmented by numerous mountain ranges, so they face simr conditions." "Considering India has lost nearly a billion people, it¡¯s highly likely that the country¡¯s administrative capability was overwhelmed early on in the viral outbreak. This provides the perfect environment for extreme ideologies and actions, and given the rtionship with neighboring Pakistan, bloodshed in India seems almost inevitable." "Since China and Russia have blocked most means of acquiring intelligence, except for satellites, for an extended period, we urgently need to gather intelligence on the region." Central Park HQ, Gray House. About six hours had passed since Eugene threw the X-file and left, and America was in turmoil. It was far too detailed to be dismissed as nonsense. For the newly rebuilt federal administration, it was like a thunderp out of a clear sky. About a third of the predictions in the X-file were created with entertainment rather than credibility in mind to extend the game¡¯s life, so they were immediately dismissed. However, conversely, more than half of the content was considered critical and had to be reviewed and seriously contemted. High-ranking officials, who had rushed in without even properly getting dressed, continued their discussions with drowsy faces. "Isn¡¯t most of the ck ops in East Asia handled by Director Oren Kittney of the CIA?" "The infiltration route for our operators is Korea, Korea. The distance to Yunnan Province, bordering Myanmar, is over 3,000 kilometers. Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Shanghai¡­ the major cities along the East China Sea all need to be considered. Investing resources in the southeastern border region is practically impossible." "Regarding South Asia, it''s hard to make a quick judgment, but if we need to intervene, there are three approaches. One is to go through Europe and approach the Middle East, another is through Africa. The other option is East Asia, which is already in progress." "...ording to the scenario from the other world, the Middle East is already like a powder keg ready to explode, so it''s difficult to go through there. Africa might be the better option." "It¡¯s too vast, though." In addition to that, it was important to note that through Africa, they could target potential adversaries within the range of medium-range ballistic missiles just by reaching Ukraine. New issues emerged and were dismissed as the discussion continued, with arguments and counterarguments rted to the agenda appearing and disappearing in a loop. After a few minutes, the most urgent matters were decided. The first was South Asia and the Middle East, and the second was the southern part of the United States. "Let¡¯s start with thetter. Give aprehensive evaluation of Mexico. Can the current situation in Mexico have an impact on national security? I recall the cartels came in waves back then." "Several task forces deployed to that region used various methods, and it¡¯s confirmed that over 70,000 people were killed. However, due to the Omega Virus crisis, the administrative power was nearly lost. To understand the current situation in Mexico, a direct investigation is needed." "The remaining cartel organizations may be carving up Mexico in different ways." "What¡¯s the immediate response capability?" "The 1st Armored Division stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, the 27th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, and the 49th Fighter Squadron, the 54th Combat Fighter Squadron, and the White Sands Missile Range Army Base personnel are stationed there." Henry, who had briefly paused in thought, added: "Mexico has a lot to answer for. We¡¯ll need to expedite this. The current Mexican president is Felipe Pascual, right? Is Defense Minister J still on medical leave?"@@novelbin@@ "Shouldn¡¯t we be able to ess it remotely through humanoids?" "We need to get deep into Mexico, so the signal might be cut off. If we deploy a signal ry, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but the crucial issue is that thetest data on Mexico is two years old." "Haha." He chuckled, clearly disillusioned. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The focus was elsewhere, and they had no idea how things were going in other countries. Simply put, no one at the table knew what the current Mexican president Felipe Pascual was doing, or even if he was still alive. Thinking a little further, there was a risk of an unpredictable ident¡ªsuch as an ambush¡ªif they went to Mexico for talks in what was essentially a half-empty house. This was why the discussion about humanoids hade up. "Let¡¯s set up a meeting as quickly as possible. Test the waters with Mexico. On the day of the meeting... Right, you can send a few stealth drones for ground support. As long as they¡¯re not detected, it won¡¯t be a problem, even if they are." "Understood." Sending humanoids that wouldn¡¯t be a major loss if destroyed, and in a worst-case scenario, bombing the meeting location¡ªan extreme measure. If this had happened just ten years ago, it would have caused a huge uproar worldwide. But things were different now. Since Mexico had failed to control the cartels, and since the cartels had already kicked the U.S. in the shins, America no longer cared about dialogue orpromise. Thus, while the South American response n was quickly being established, the issue with South Asia and the Middle East became the second priority. "Now that we¡¯ve given our European friends a loaf of bread, it¡¯s time to send them out as our proxies. How about putting some pressure on Eastern Europe?" "It will take some time. It¡¯ll take at least three months for reconnaissance forces to arrive." "Look for suitable airfields in Europe and Korea. If we send an SR-72 equipped with a new nuclear fusion reactor to stay airborne over the Middle East and South Asia all day, we should be able to solve the intelligence collection issue." "Got it. I¡¯ll evaluate the feasibility and report back." Henry nodded and then finally looked satisfied. After six years of receiving numerous military reports, Henry was able to express his opinions in this setting without any hesitation. Time passed, and then he suddenly added, as if remembering something. "By the way, does anyone know the location of the Artemis branch outside of the U.S.?" "I remember there were two in Europe and three in Asia." "...Consider that as well. If what happened in Savannah repeats itself, it¡¯ll be a huge problem." "Understood." A sigh spread through the room as the meeting concluded. With the main points addressed, only the details and execution reports were left to be dealt with. After some time, only Henry remained in the meeting room. The chair automatically returned to its original position, and the air purifier stopped operating. How long had it been? "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. President." "Thanks to that reckless friend who suddenly dropped a bomb on us, we had no choice." "Th-that¡¯s..." "It¡¯s a joke, a joke. It was something that woulde up eventually. Don¡¯t worry about it." Henry smiled lightly at Eugene, who entered awkwardly, and then added. "I hope those who just left returned without any issues. I hope the trouble ends here... Though, does that sound too greedy?" "Oh, no. I also hope the information I passed on was just a misunderstanding." "Of course, of course..." Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he put on his sses and spoke. "Anyway, you did well. As the Commander-in-Chief, I also have one more order for you." "Please, go ahead." "Later, go through the Mecha youngest''s database. See if we can make contact with Artemis branches abroad, or if more is possible..." "Understood." Eugene closed the door and left. Well, he was about to leave. "Although I¡¯m technically from the other world, I¡¯m still alive because of everything that happened here. If needed... feel free to call me anytime. Although I¡¯ve rested, I¡¯m ready to fight on the front lines again at any moment." "...Hah, what are you saying now? Fine, go persuade your seniors." "...I don¡¯t understand why no one listens when I say this." "You should enjoy the things only people your age can experience. Like dating, for example." "I don¡¯t do that kind of thing!?" Henry burst intoughter, and Eugene, with his ears turning red, hurriedly left the room. Despite the many difficult things, this time didn¡¯t bore him. He thought this as he looked out the window. It was a particrly bright night with a full moon. "Maybe because Lunar New Year is over, but it seems like a lot of people from Korea are showing up. Did you all get a lot of pocket money?" "...Not really. I ended up giving my parents more pocket money than I received since I¡¯m making hundreds of times more than them now." "That makes sense. I¡¯ve never really done the whole family reunion thing for the New Year, so I¡¯m curious. But, I did have a lot of rice cake soup." "Eugene, it feels like you get about thirty years older each Lunar New Year... Whoa, the humanoid¡¯s breaking¡ª!"
    • Instant kill ????????????
    • Considering how much Biyam eats, thirty bowls isn¡¯t too much, right? ????
    • Seriously ?? Biyam¡¯s always off traveling abroad, when would he celebrate Chuseok or Lunar New Year? ??
    • My honest opinion: I envy that
    • Why are we, who are financially far behind, listening to the stories of those with endless money...
    The expo had already been going on for over a week. With the Mecha youngest''s Q&A still ongoing, the world was still buzzing with chatter about AI and the Mecha youngest. Thankfully, the people who thought AI would be the downfall of the world or thatrge-scale unemployment would be inevitable were no longer a concern. In fact, those individuals... well, they turned out to be a great example. The first nail that sticks out gets hammered, after all. The world was filled with people who couldn¡¯t see beyond their own foolish rumors, and Icarus was preparing to take the heads of those individuals. Already, they had made up their minds. Thus, while ignoring costs or anything else, the legal team at Icarus International,pletely focused on how to legallyplicate the opposition¡¯s situation, enthusiastically swung their sharp des. "...What are you thinking, alone?" "I was thinking that one day, unexpectedly, you guys woulde knocking on the door of the room where I¡¯m staying before the expo is over." "Ugh, I¡¯d love to go, but I can¡¯t be bothered. America¡¯s too far¡­" "Sounds close when you say it, but it¡¯s actually one of the farthest countries from Korea." How is it that a flight takes 16 hours? Come to think of it, it''s pretty insane. Maybe the time would shorten once SSTO is developed¡­ but that¡¯s not something I need to worry about. While I was lost in thought, suddenly, Mina poked my finger. Wondering if she had something to say, I turned and locked eyes with her, and she gave me a small gesture. I thought she was about to whisper something, so I leaned in slightly to hear. "...By any chance, are there more Mecha youngest nned for the future? I don¡¯t even care if it¡¯s not Mecha Biyam. Maybe a Mecha shark or a Mecha bear¡­ Ack!" "You¡¯re whispering just to say that? Seriously, this is ridiculous." "We really care about it, though!" "..." "Yep, sorry. That was an inappropriatement."
    • Look at the murderous stare ????????
    • It¡¯s like when sharks and pr bears suddenly get a sharp look in their eyes ??
    • But why ask Biyam about that? ??
    • I¡¯m trying to hold myself back, but what if everyone else goes off the rails? ??
    • Once you allow it once, they¡¯ll keep milking it until there¡¯s no more left ??
    What should I do with these guys¡­? Well, it was already toote to do anything. I had sealed their mouths with my gaze, but honestly¡­ I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s a low chance of more Mecha youngest being made. I didn¡¯t want to break the fantasy of the people gathered around me, so I didn¡¯t say anything, but the chances of more appearing were low from here on out. Jin, Lane, Mav, and Nasty¡­ well, to be exact, they actually existed in the other world, so I didn¡¯t mind bringing them along. Nasty was the exception, but the other three were brought by me because Artemis made me, and I wanted to take responsibility for them. But without that cause, whether there¡¯s a connection or not¡­ Well, honestly, it¡¯s starting to get tricky. "And Logan and Lorentina¡­ Never mind. You all know this is nonsense, so I won¡¯t continue. Anyway, I don¡¯t know if more Mecha youngest wille, but I think it¡¯s lost its appeal now. Too many would make thingsplicated." "Ugh, that¡¯s disappointing¡­" "Too much of a good thing is too far gone." As I said that, I nced at the clock on the wall. In about 2 minutes, maybe 5 at most, the Mecha youngest would wrap up their Q&A session and return. I knew from the recent streaming of YouSpace that a lot of Koreans were around. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have been waiting with bated breath, but today I was waiting for the three of them¡ªespecially Nasty and Mav. The reason wasn¡¯t anything special¡ª nk! "Today was tough¡­ Uwah, Master?!" "They¡¯re here!" "It¡¯s been a while, everyone!" "Wow, this wee was unexpected."
    • Mecha youngest!!!
    • This is... I didn¡¯t expect this, but it¡¯s happening!
    • Seriously, what¡¯s Biyam feeling right now? ??????
    • Reverse Pygmalion ????
    I didn¡¯t want it, but I made them. The fact that everyone but me loved the Mecha youngest... It''s theplete opposite of Pygmalion. I put those thoughts aside and gave a light gesture to Nasty and Mav. Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly a gesture; it was a military sign from the other world. Today, Harmony and Dice¡¯s focus would be on Jin and Lane, and the drones would be ced for the viewers. That¡¯s true; these drones have been so useful. Putting those meaningless thoughts behind me, I quickly left the room and seated the two in the waiting room, where no one could enter. "U-uh, did we do something wrong? We didn¡¯t storm the stage today." "Well, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why you¡¯re here¡­" "I didn¡¯t imagine you would storm the stage, but¡­ That¡¯s right. I actually came because I wanted to ask something." While the two made confused expressions, I activated the Icarus gear and projected the contents my parents had shown me earlier into the air. Unmanned Artemis drones pushing down from Denmark toward Hamburg. Since these were based on the other world, they might not even know about this information¡ªexactly why I brought them here to ask. They looked a bit confused at first, but within seconds, they started looking around to see if they recognized anything. It was Nasty who first spoke up. "I don¡¯t know much. Sorry... I manage the Savannah region¡¯s AI, but I wouldn¡¯t know about this. Even if I ess thework¡­" "Well, I think I know a few things, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll help. Some of the info seems to contradict what the archetype showed me, so I can¡¯t be certain." "What¡¯s that?" "Here, take a look." At the same time, Mav projected some information into the air and continued. "Basically, Artemis Technology¡­ uniquely gave each branch a theme. For example, the headquarters in the U.S. was focused on defense contractors, but East Asia was different. The Hong Kong branch focused on things like giant robots... like cranes used in ports." "...That¡¯s unexpected." "The Krasnoyarsk branch developed humanoids for extreme environments¡­ The key point is this: based on what the archetype showed earlier, Narvik in Norway seems to be the closest. This ce¡­" "What¡¯s there?" "Well, there¡¯s something, but I don¡¯t know how to exin it..." How long had it been before Mav slowly spoke again? "...They specialize in terraforming robots." "Terraforming...?" Hmm. It might be just spection, but... I felt like I might need to head to Narvik soon, by some means. I thought I was done, but it seemed like there was still a lot to do. Chapter 608 "I really thought I wouldn¡¯t be busy this time, I honestly thought I wouldn¡¯t be!" "We¡¯re about to die because of you, you brat! What do you think you¡¯re doing bringing us more work?!" "...I really apologize for that." A transport ne, flying from New York, passes through Greend and crosses the waters near d on its way to Norway. Seven remotely controlled drones and three awakened individuals in prototype exoskeletons are on board. Instead of their usual firearms, they¡¯re equipped with high-performance sma weapons. Their appearance is closer to that of robots than humans. However, next to them are three real humanoids, not drones, and these humanoids, too, are equipped with exoskeletons that are more intense than usual, waiting for the drop. The tip of Icarus¡¯ spear, the Dagger Team. They are currently crossing the Antic. "By the way, isn¡¯t it a bit excessive for a reconnaissance mission?" "We n to retreat without engagement if needed, but if we get surrounded, it¡¯s going to be problematic. There¡¯s no choice, we¡¯re heading to an Artemis branch after all." "...At this point, with this level of firepower, we might as well tten the enemy base if something goes wrong instead of just retreating safely." "Well, it¡¯s not entirely an impossible option. We¡¯ve got a few anti-matter grenades with us." "Ugh..." The small bomb that Eugene tossed into the air. The data delivered by Viper, just days afternding in the United States, reveals the location of the Artemis branch in Narvik, Norway, and an unmanned factory about 30 kilometers east in the mountainous region of Landia. Just a dayter, the reconnaissance operation is set up, and the Dagger Team takes off from JFK Military Airport. That¡¯s the full story of what¡¯s been happening so far. "Two minutes until deployment. Everyone, sit tight and check thending zones." "Receiving Narvik scan data... No survivors within the city, presumed to be a ghost town. From the aerial reconnaissance, it doesn¡¯t look like any nearby roads have been repaired either. There¡¯s no relevant dataing from the Landia region either..." "Think about it another way. Theck of any functioning air defense systems means no data, which means it¡¯spletely unknown territory." "At least the weather¡¯s good today, I suppose." "30 seconds to deployment. We¡¯re opening the ramps." Whoosh! The massive stealth transport¡¯s deployment hatch opens, and the ground of snowy Norway, with only a few clouds in the sky, bes visible beneath the VTOL aircraft where the Dagger Team is onboard. A few secondster, with a click, the internal armament hatch opens, and a small vertical takeoff andnding vehicle, designed for rapid retreat from the frontlines, falls from a height of 10 kilometers. The vehicle elerates in mid-air, unfolding its wings and beginning to glide naturally. After a few moments, it begins its descent. [Notification: Analysis engine activated... Detecting irregrities in airflow. Vortex creation point marked on HMD.] [Notification: Output analysis underway. Suspected unidentified aircraft not found in the database. Manual guidance missile mounting in the armament hatch...] [Notification: Launch preparationplete.] "...No. Weapon switch. Eject the sonic drone. Let¡¯s fire one shot at the vortex creation point." Lorentina¡¯s sudden deration. No one objected. Eugene, too, had already suspected what method the enemy was employing. A few momentster, a small drone ejected from the aircraft and leisurely flew towards the marked airspace. As the Dagger Team set foot on the ground, the sonic weapon mounted on the drone activated, sending shockwaves through the surrounding air. "...Wow, that¡¯s huge." "Is this what people thought when they first saw the Hindenburg airship? Aside from the fact that this flying balloon has turned into a drone with huge propellers, I wonder what the purpose of the giant robot hanging underneath is. I¡¯m curious where it¡¯s headed." "Looks like a terraforming robot, but I¡¯m not sure how it operates..." The optical camouge deactivates, revealing four giant drones that can be seen even from several kilometers above. They resemble quadcopters but the enormous robots or block-like structures beneath them change the story. As the view shifts, the nearbyndscape appears, showing enormous square buildings, standing like chocte chips embedded in a cookie. Each side of the cubic buildings measures around 100 meters. How had these things gone unnoticed? The Dagger Team, however, remained focused, installing reconnaissance and scanning equipment, while marking the positions of Artemis humanoids they could see through the lenses mounted on their eyes. Though they hadn¡¯t been spotted yet, they needed more time to analyze the situation. "...The scale isrger than expected. We¡¯ll have to abandon the preemptive strike. If missiles pop out of that square building, it¡¯ll be a disaster." "That¡¯s true. Any findings from the Mecha youngest?" "Mm... It¡¯s going to take some time. There¡¯s no need for special clearance, but there¡¯s a lot of unnecessarymunication logs to sift through. It would be easier if Nasty was here." "...That kid was more useful than I thought." "She¡¯s probably the best at handlingworks among us." One minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, thirty minutes, over an hour. This was the time it took toplete the reconnaissance and set up the base camp. The VTOL craft dug out enough space fornding using nanites, and temporary shelters were established. The entrance remained hidden by optical camouge, reducing the risk of being detected. Some connectedmunications to send the collected information to Icarus, while others kept scanning the area for approaching humanoids, and the Mecha youngest worked hard to ess the Artemiswork centered around the factory. After some time, as analysis wrapped up, the Dagger Team gathered at a single point. Mav began with a simple exnation. "The Artemis humanoids patrolling the area... Compared to previous data, they don¡¯t seem different from what was produced by the Narvik branch. They¡¯re unarmed, and it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯ve been given anymands other than to survey the local flora." "About 5 minutes and 31 seconds ago, I approached a lone unit, but itpletely ignored me. It seems that any action outside the designatedmand set is impossible." "...So, it looks like we don¡¯t need to crack their heads open. Let¡¯s figure out what those cube-like buildings are doing." The team split into groups of four and five, including one Mecha Eugene and an awakened individual, and cautiously left the temporary shelter. There were three huge factories nearby, and the Dagger Team scattered to investigate each location. After some time... Whoosh! "...Emergency. The walls of the building are opening!" "Mecha youngest, get ready for interception. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to pop out, so stay sharp." "...Wait. That doesn¡¯t look like a missile pod¡ª" A loudspeaker? As that thought struck the minds of the Dagger Team, the walls fully opened, revealing loudspeakers of a sort, rising from the rooftops of every building. No one could keep up with the sudden development, and as everyone stared in confusion, a clear female voice, sharp and well-defined, burst from the loudspeakers. It wasn¡¯t a thick voice, but it was firm. It almost reminded them of Eugene... [Ah, ah. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d show up thiste, you tardy ones. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting here? I even opened thework just to get in touch, and now you go and dismantle it all!] [Anyway, wee to the Artemis Norway branch. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no food here, so I can¡¯t offer you anything, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet face to face. A few months ago, the headquarters uploaded some really interesting blueprints. Based on that, I¡¯vepleted my body.] [Looking at the external cams, it seems like the original is here too, so I¡¯ll wait. Don¡¯t take another route, I¡¯ll open the door for you!] "...So, does that mean there are different Mecha youngest at branches around the world?" "Don¡¯t joke like that. Artemis, those bastards..." "...So, does that mean there are different Mecha youngest at branches around the world?" "Don¡¯t joke like that. Artemis, those bastards..." The soft curse spread through thems, and it didn¡¯t take long for everyone to burst intoughter. Eugene couldn¡¯t be happy about this situation. "...The inside is very neat, but it¡¯s a bit inconvenient without any lighting." "I suppose it¡¯s designed with no human presence in mind." "Is my little sister growing again? I don¡¯t know whether I should like this or not..." "Well, it depends on the operational period. From what I heard earlier, it seems like it¡¯s been operational for quite some time..." My head was spinning. In fact, I wasn¡¯t even sure what I was saying anymore, but I had to keep my wits about me. Especially today. Unlike usual, we were actually on a reconnaissance mission, and if things went south, we might have to unleash all our firepower to escape. Whether it was good or bad, we had the ultimate weapon: an anti-matter bomb. Unlike me, Lorentina, Logan, and the Mecha youngest, the rest of the Dagger Team wouldn¡¯t actually die if they were killed here. Anyway, while I was trying to figure out an escape route, suddenly, with a puffing sound, the whole facility lit up. "...It¡¯s bigger than I thought." "Since it¡¯s a space that wasn¡¯t designed for humans to move around in, theyout is incredibly inefficient. It can¡¯t be helped, I guess." "Facility scanplete. No wonder these huge buildings were undetected ¨C they were using optical camouge. I see. That¡¯s why satellite scans didn¡¯t pick it up. UAVs can¡¯t pass through, so they wouldn¡¯t know what¡¯s inside..." One by one, the analysis results were revealed. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust the new Mecha youngest, but honestly, even if I didn¡¯t trust them, there wasn¡¯t much we could do. It seemed like they already knew we were here. If they had gone on the offensive, well... I wasn¡¯t sure. While the Dagger Team bought us time using the drones, me and the awakened individuals would escape using VTOLs, and we could potentiallyunch nuclear missiles afterward. Still, we were in a disadvantageous position, but we weren¡¯t going to be wiped out either. The enemy knew that if things went wrong, this area would be reduced to rubble. So, we steeled ourselves and entered deeper into the facility. "...Hey." "Wee, wee. As I mentioned earlier, there¡¯s nothing to offer you. Are you the Dagger Team? You lookpletely different from the ones Artemis has investigated, but that¡¯s not important. I¡¯ve got a lot of questions." "Not a snake, more like... something closer to a dragon. I didn¡¯t expect this at all." "Ah, this? I tried doing something a little different. Does it look weird?" "It¡¯s not that kind of problem." Unlike the three Mecha youngest who resembled me quite closely, this one looked... much freer. While I always kept my hair neat, this one¡¯s appearance was more rxed. But the differences became apparent in other areas. There were horns growing on her head, almost like a dragon, and her tail wasn¡¯t snake-like but had joints resembling armor. She looked like she might breathe fire any moment. Anyway, regardless of that, she introduced herself as "Gaia." "So, this is the branch that develops terraforming robots, huh? Quite an appropriately chosen name." "Right? I came up with it myself. The humans left a lot of books in Narvik. I read one of them. Doesn¡¯t ''Mother Earth'' sound just right?" "...Archetype. I think I know what type my little sister is." "Coincidentally, I think I might know too." What should I say? She was incredibly free-spirited, or maybe she was just overly confident in herself.@@novelbin@@ Either way, it didn¡¯t really matter. Everyone was sitting with reluctant expressions, and I exchanged a nce with Gaia. To be honest, it seemed like she was staring at me half the time, but... why do all the ones modeled after me end up like this? Then, turning her head quickly, she added: "I see, anyway! I didn¡¯t expect you to show up sote, but I know exactly why you¡¯re here today. I predicted everything already." "...What?" "Well, there¡¯s no need to pretend you don¡¯t know. You¡¯vee to take me back to the homnd, right?" "...?" With a confident smile on her face, Gaia continued: "Of course! It¡¯s such a waste to keep a useful artificial consciousness like me rotting here in a ce like this. It¡¯s a bit weird that you guys came as scouts instead of the suit-wearing folks, but that¡¯s fine. As long as you have the authority, it doesn¡¯t matter. So, when can we start preparing?" "...I didn¡¯te here to pick you up." "...Huh?" The mood suddenly shifted. It seemed like there was a huge misunderstanding between us. Should I correct her? But at this point, we hadn¡¯t even made contact with the homnd yet, and we couldn¡¯t give a clear answer since we were dragged into the building without any information. Before I could exin, Gaia¡¯s eyes widened. "Wait, you think I¡¯m useful? I¡¯m great at tearing down empty buildings, dividing cities, and cleaning up broken infrastructure, you know?" "Until we get approval, no." "Well... then I¡¯ll just do it! As long as I get approval, right?" Gaia was grabbing my pant legs, throwing a tantrum as if the name didn¡¯t suit her at all. Once the tantrum ended, I left the room with part of my pants torn, and the rest of the Dagger Team wasughing as if they were hit by a dump truck. I really can¡¯t handle this. Why does everyone around me end up like this? Chapter 609 "Data transmission in progress¡­ All members of the Dagger Team confirmed alive." "Finally!" "This is ridiculouslyte. I didn¡¯t expect there to be a four-hour dy, why is that?" "Some of the power used to operate the factory is being used for optical camouge and jammers. That¡¯s why real-time body cam footage transmission wasn¡¯t possible, but there¡¯s a video file uploaded directly by missionmander Owens. It can be yed back starting now." "Good. y it." New York, Central Park HQ, Gray House. Inside the monitoring room, which was set up to check how the operation was going, numerous high-ranking U.S. officials, including President Henry, watched the hologram screens with tense expressions. The temporary vice president, President Henry Brayton, the deputymander of the Joint Special Operations Support Command, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Security Advisor, the Chief of Staff, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense¡ªessentially, everyone leading the current U.S. government¡ªwere all present in this room. As the screen slowly projected the scene of Narvik in Norway, everyone¡¯s faces turned to surprise, unable to hide their shock. "Hmm¡­!" "...This is quite arge facility. There¡¯s also a massivending pad for superrge drones, and just now, we saw those giant flying drones. Why weren¡¯t these things detected earlier?" "The homnd is also struggling to reinforce personnel for UAV operations. In that remote area, where there are only about five million people living across the entire country, pinpointing such hidden facilities would be impossible." "If it wasn¡¯t for Viper¡¯s pinpoint targeting, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been discovered for years. Where does that person even gather this kind of information from?" "We may never know. Let it go." As was said, the information Viper¡ªmeaning Eugene¡ªbrought, despite its reliability, had never made clear where it was collected from. The best guess was that he probably got the information from the Mecha youngest who were always with him. Meanwhile, the reconnaissance continued, quite leisurely. No matter how manyrge drones took off, or how many humanoids patrolled the area for terrain and vegetation conservation, the focus remained entirely on terrain scouting. Then, as soon as the area capable of housing VTOLs and a temporary shelter waspleted without incident, the team split into groups, nning to enter the three visible factories. But then¡ª -[Ah, ah. This is the first time we¡¯re meeting directly, huh, you tardy bunch. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting here? I even opened up thework for contact on purpose, and you dismantle it all¡ªwhat the hell?] "...What did I just hear?" "...It¡¯s highly probable that the unidentified entity managing the nearby facility is Artemis-rted." "The walls open and a speaker pops out? This is ridiculous¡­ After the shadows, I didn¡¯t think anything else would shock me, but I guess you really have to live long enough to see it all." "I don¡¯t think this is rted to living long at all..." What I had just witnessed was an odd scene, to say the least, and shortly after, the sound of the situation rattled my mind even more. It was a brilliant move, but what made it worse for the team was that this mind-bending situation was unfolding live, right in front of their eyes. The tension that had been building up dissolved in an instant. It was like c losing all its fizz, and the people who had been trying to predict what would happen next now just shook their heads and slouched into the sofas. A sarcasticugh¡ªwhether it was a sigh orughter¡ªcame from someone¡¯s mouth. It was Henry¡¯s. "...Do these guys not know how to handle things in a socially eptable manner?" "That¡¯s not entirely their fault, is it?" "It was just a joke. Of course, separate from that, I can¡¯t deny that their actions have led to the situation we¡¯re in now." Since Henry¡¯sment wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, the people in the monitoring room just inhaled deeply, silently watching the screen. After a while, the entire Dagger Team began to enter the nearest square-shaped factory. The special body cams were affected by jamming to the point where some footage quality was degraded. Despite that, the video continued to y without interruption. The interior structure, seemingly not designed for human passage, was twisted and winding. After passing through several such areas, a new machine, resembling Mecha Eugene but with significant differences in details, appeared before them. -[Come on in,e on in. As I said earlier, there¡¯s nothing to offer. Is this the Dagger Team? You guys lookpletely different from what Artemis has investigated, but that¡¯s not important. I¡¯ve got a lot of questions for you.] "Is this the Norwegian branch? How likely is it that the same situation is urring at other branches?" "There¡¯s a possibility in the European branches, but I believe it¡¯s unlikely in East Asia. Due to electronic warfare by China and Russia, most of theworks were destroyed, and during that process, the connection with the U.S. headquarters was probably lost as well." "Aside from that, the voice analysis suggests a very positive tone." "Suddenly asking if they want to join in... there was more to this than I thought." Two hours ago, a few unexpected requests or questions were uploaded suddenly. The questions seemed so out of ce that they were still in a pending state. However, as the details began to unfold, the reason why the Dagger Team had asked those questions became clear. As the conversation continued, it was revealed that the entity managing the operation at the factory was named Gaia. As new data was updated and continuously uploaded to Central Park HQ¡¯swork, the conversation steadily reached its climax. -[Of course! It¡¯s such a waste to let a useful artificial consciousness like me rot away in this backwater. It¡¯s a bit odd that you guys came as scouts instead of the suit-wearing folks, but that¡¯s fine. As long as you¡¯ve got the authority, it doesn¡¯t matter. So, when should we start preparing?] - [I didn¡¯te here to pick you up.] "Pfft!" "Oh, my! Do you have a towel?" "Cough, sorry, sir¡­." "No, it¡¯s alright. I almostughed too." In an instant, coffee droplets filled the air of the monitoring room, and those who managed not to spill coffee had perplexed expressions, chuckling at the absurdity. It was both fortunate and unfortunate that the Artemis heads, just like Eugene, had a mental age simr to or even younger than him. Was that good luck or bad? But such self-reflection didn¡¯t matter. The climax was only just beginning. -[Hey, wait. You think I¡¯m useful? I¡¯m great at tearing down abandoned buildings, dividing city blocks, and even cleaning up broken infrastructure... ?] -[Until permission is given, no.] -[Well, then why not just do it? All you need is permission, right?] -[I confirmed while transmitting the data earlier, but due to the pulses and optical camouge from the factories, data transmission is a bit slow. If we don¡¯t shut down all the factories, we¡¯ll have to wait a day or two.] Why is it so difficult to transmit information? What exactly Gaia could do. Though there were subtle but useful pieces of information drifting by, no one could really catch them. Only the program that recorded, summarized, and extracted the important data from the video script functioned properly. And after a few seconds, Gaia, grabbing Eugene¡¯s pant leg,pletely wiped out thest bit of my sanity. As Eugene struggled to get up, holding his torn pants, Henry chuckled and added: "I can¡¯t look at this with a clear head anymore. Let¡¯s try connecting to real-timemunication with her. If it¡¯s hard to connect from Narvik, we¡¯ll have to go to Narvik." "Are you nning to ept her request?" "Besides that, terraforming robots will be a huge asset to us. Removing unnecessary buildings andying the foundation for new ones is exactly what we need right now." With a stretch after getting up from his chair, Henry added: "Then, let¡¯s start by talking to her. Tell the Dagger Team to bring Gaia to Narvik." "Understood." Although it was undoubtedly one of the strangest situations Henry had dealt with as President, he didn¡¯t seem to mind it too much. It was far brighter than the usual work of rebuilding America. Three hours ago, the meeting between the head of state and Gaia took ce. "So, this happened." "I thought you had disappeared for a few days to see Niagara Falls, but turns out Jin likes to stir things up, huh?" "Ehhh..."@@novelbin@@ "Well, as long as you came back in one piece, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t be too hard on the kid." By the end of February, as snow melted and new sprouts began to grow, Expo season was winding down. After finishing a few days of travel, I told my parents, who responded by saying it was good I wasn¡¯t causing trouble, but I didn¡¯t expect them to say I was ¡°stirring things up.¡± And about Nasty... I didn¡¯t expect to already have a new youngest so soon. I¡¯m not sure how to take it, but technically speaking, this butterfly effect wasn¡¯t something I chose. ''In the end... it¡¯s Artemis'' fault. Damn them...'' The same Artemis that had stolen my physical data when I stayed at Central Park HQ. If that bastard is still alive over there, I¡¯ll tear his bones and flesh apart. At first, I thought it was Icarus¡¯ suggestion to make a Mecha model based on me, but now that I think about it, it was probably my parents setting it up as a buffer so I wouldn¡¯t get shocked. Well, that theory is more likely true. Honestly, it¡¯s better to know that it was ¡°allowed in advance¡± than to stumble upon a Mecha youngest that looks exactly like me while ying an unverified zone escape mode. And that¡¯s exactly what happened. But that¡¯s enough about that. Now, my parents were more curious about the new face... Gaia. "So, is Gaia as special as you¡¯ve heard?" "Well, how should I put it... It¡¯s terraforming, but it¡¯s actually apletely new paradigm when ites to constructing facilities..." "Hmm?" "I¡¯ll show you." I yed the video. An abandoned skyscraper and surrounding debris were shown, but that wasn¡¯t the important part. The real focus was on a giant, silver-colored structure¡ªwhat could only be described as a massive torii gate¡ªat least thirty meters taller than the skyscraper. Aser emerged from the sides and ceiling of this strange structure, and the building slowly began to disassemble. Of course, "slowly" was a rtive term, as the building dismantled at a rate of five meters per hour. In other words, a 120-meter building could bepletely dismantled in a day, and in just a few days, a building around 200 meters tall could turn into an empty lot. During the process, most of the materials¡ªsuch as H-beams and rebar covered with concrete¡ªremained intact, though slightly altered, piled up in the lot. It was baffling. As I watched the video from start to finish, I noticed my parents, who had straightened their backs and adjusted their sses, adding: "I¡¯ve always thought about it, but the technology over there... It¡¯s so advanced that it feels like they''re living in apletely different era. It''s frightening." "Well, yeah. In many ways." In fact, the gadgets on my wrist alone were enough to support what I had just said. While my parents were pondering that, I decided to keep quiet about how Gaia and the Norwegian branch¡¯s technology had been transferred to Icarus and, personally, to me. For now, I¡¯ll keep that information to myself. I¡¯m sure my parents will figure it outter. The expo was now proceeding smoothly without me, and the Q&A sessions, which had started with a lot of noise, were now running in a calm atmosphere. Soon, I might even be able to legally integrate Nasty into the team. Maybe. After saying my goodbyes to my parents, I left the room. The more the expo progressed without me, the more personal time I had, and now I was thinking about buying gifts for rtives. ''Maybe I¡¯ll visit Olivia in Paris¡­'' The haute couture season had already ended, but I heard she was still busy with work there. Although I don¡¯t know French, I¡¯ve never been to Europe in this world. My only experience in a ce that resembled Europe was St. Petersburg, which somehow got lumped into the Asian qualifiers despite being closer to Europe. I should at least start nning my schedule. Just as I was thinking that, I was about to return to my room when¡ª ¡ªBEEP BEEP! "...Huh?" Suddenly, the bell rang. It was Lorentina''s bell from this world. I tried to ignore the growing sense of dread and answered the call. "Youngest, I heard from the other world! A new Mecha youngest has appeared, right? Let me hear all about it!" "...Aaaah..." Chapter 610 "Everyone really has a knack for biting onto clues. All we did was show a little bit of Norway, and now they¡¯re having a lively debate about whether the Mecha youngest will appear or not... tsk." "It seems humans really love snakes. Heh, not a bad feeling." "As for me, I''m more curious about how things ended up this way..." New York, Central Park HQ. It was getting to be a bit of a habiting heretely, and today was no exception¡ªit was as noisy as ever. The snow had melted long ago, and just a little while ago, New York had been in subzero temperatures. But now, it had warmed up to a solid 10¡ãC or more, and unusually, the weather was clear. Two days had passed since we set foot in Norway, and the entire Dagger team, myself included, had returned to the Central Park headquarters. The week-long stay I had predicted had proven to be far off the mark. As a result, everyone except me had been groaning in exhaustion from jetg. Well, it wasn¡¯t just me. The other Awakeners and Mecha youngest had no major issues. Anyway, leaving that aside, there was someone¡ªor rather, a unit¡ªat Central Park HQ who was extremely busy these days. "Ugh. So busy, so busy. Why are you all just sitting around? Don¡¯t you have anything to do here?" "That¡¯s the correct answer." "Then take a look at the new city n I¡¯ve drafted. The original shoulde take a look too." "Ugh..." It was a bit awkward to say, but Gaia... was a workaholic. A serious one, too. No, it was more like she found fulfillment in life through work. Well, considering her origins, I suppose that makes sense. Terraforming, after all, is fundamentally about creating livable spaces for humans¡ªand Gaia was the project¡¯s head. In other words, she was the best person to reorganize this overflowing Manhattan full of abandoned skyscrapers and uninhabited housing. Of course, Gaia didn''t yet have the power that came with being in charge. In other words, she didn''t have the necessary foundation yet, like the factory tforms in Norway. Although, she was preparing to cross the Antic in real-time. I heard she was nning to quickly move everything via drones before a tropical depression fully activated. While I was lost in these trivial thoughts, Gaia unfolded a rolled-up hologram projector. The skyscrapers surrounding Central Park¡¯s lower levels were disyed in an instant. "I¡¯m nning to clear most of these uselessly tall buildings here. Probably starting around June. By the end of this year, we should be able to remove all the buildings that are just taking up space." "So, Manhattan¡¯s skyscrapers will all disappear from history?" "We can''t maintain them. But turning Central Park into a military base and a neighborhood for civilians wasn¡¯t a bad decision. To be honest, there was no other area where we could use these spaces like this." "That''s true. It makes me nostalgic..." As she said, I didn¡¯t remember every detail from after the Omega virus outbreak, but I was familiar with the transformation of Central Park. Early on during the virus outbreak, Central Park had served as a screening site for the infected. Initially, gathering patients inside buildings for testing would have turned the ce into an incubator for the virus. That¡¯s why, despite having a lot of suspected cases, Central Park remained rtively under controlpared to other locations. While I was thinking about that, Gaia nced around and added: "By the way, I heard you¡¯ve already exined a bit about what happened to the older ones? I¡¯m pretty curious about the transformation of Central Park. I wonder how the infrastructure development was affected by the external factor of the virus." "...Alright, I haven¡¯t told you yet, so let me briefly exin. What¡¯s on your mind?" "The most curious thing is how the neighborhood that was used for the screening sites transformed into New York¡¯srgest military base." "Well, that¡¯s actually quite simple." Surprisingly, or maybe not, the reason was very straightforward. Because of an external attack, Central Park had to be defended, and naturally, it transformed into HQ. Of course, that was a very brief exnation, so to give a more detailed ount, we needed to understand what Central Park was like at the time and what the U.S. was like then. The screening sites were crowded with people, and there were many medical staff working to diagnose the infected. But just having medical staff wasn¡¯t enough for the operation to run smoothly. There were many more staff members, including police for maintaining public order. Therefore, at least at the beginning of the outbreak, Central Park had temporary storage warehouses to hold supplies, and they were full of valuable goods. However, what happened as security started to deteriorate? "How many people do you think tried to raid those supply warehouses?" "...Hmm, I think I have a pretty good idea of what happened next." "Well, at some point, things got easier. Most of the infected died, and there were only survivors who turned into looters and bandits. The biggest reason for that was the President staying here." "Ah, I see. Well, that makes sense. If things had broken through, it would have been a big problem. I heard the President couldn¡¯t return to Washington D.C. and had to stay here, but I didn¡¯t know it was tied to Central Park bing a fortress. Interesting." "You got it." In hindsight, it was to be expected. When the President¡¯s aircraftnded here not long ago, the Capitol had been destroyed. There was no choice but to stay here. Logan had joined our group because of that. Initially, he was sent to protect the Central Park HQ where the President was based, but he got dyed after being caught up in the body mutation events happening across the country. Still, I¡¯m d he eventually made it. After that, things naturally fell into ce. Central Park was fortified, and with various prototype technologies, a defense barrier was created, allowing them to survive the turmoil. That¡¯s basically the story. "But I¡¯m surprised you just naturally started calling them ''older sisters.''" "Well, I came here first. I¡¯m not really particr about titles, so it¡¯s fine. I mean, I mostly just learned from books, and my emotional simtion doesn¡¯t really care what I call someone." "d to have a younger sister who listens well and works hard." "Heh, getting them to listen... well, you need to dangle a carrot." At the same time, Gaia''s eyes lit up. Her personal color was green, and I found myself staring into her glowing eyes. Something about it didn¡¯t feel right. What was it? It felt like I might suddenly be bombarded with a request that would be really troublesome. I decided to just listen for now. And, as I was silently waiting, Gaia suddenly added: "I¡¯ve heard that the older sisters like to go on trips to the other world often." "...Well, they¡¯re already part of the Dagger team, so it¡¯s no big deal for them to wander around the base." "Are you trying to pretend you don¡¯t know?" "I¡¯d really love to pretend I don¡¯t." ...Those talkative robots. The moment I heard that, I could tell immediately. It was likely that Jin, Rain, or Nasty had been bbering about it. I excluded Mav from suspicion because, at least intellectually, they were quite mature. But Jin and Rain? They were still at a middle school level. At this point, it wasn¡¯t really important how much they had said. No matter what or how much they said, it would have been enough to pique the curiosity of these potential troublemakers. But, regrettably, today I had to draw the line. "I know what you¡¯re asking for, but it¡¯s impossible." "...What? Why?" "Unlike those kids, you haven¡¯t... built up enough reason to go out there yet. I can allow you to move around with us in this world, but going to the other world is almost impossible, except in very rare cases." "...Not difficult, just impossible..." I¡¯m d she picked up on that subtle difference. Anyway, from Gaia¡¯s reaction, I could roughly figure out how much the Mecha youngest had bbered. They probably didn¡¯t talk too much. If they had, they would have made more specific demands.@@novelbin@@ I wasn¡¯t sure, but I had to think that way for now. As I was thinking about that, Gaia, scratching her head, added: "Well... it¡¯s fine. What I envy is the time you spent with the original in the other world. I don¡¯t envy the world itself, though. I¡¯d rather create that world myself than experience it." "Thanks for understanding, I guess." "Of course, I haven¡¯t given up yet... but I¡¯m okay with that. I came up with something even more amazing." "Amazing, you say?" I couldn¡¯t resist asking, but Gaia, without hesitation, continued: "I¡¯m thinking of creating an amusement park here." "Ah..." Yeah, that sounded about right. It wasn¡¯t surprising at all. She had spilled all the beans, after all. Today, once again, I was tied up with the bbermouth Mecha youngest. "Well, infrastructure construction and building construction are my specialties... It¡¯s a bit of a shame, though. The engineers and army folks would probably appreciate it more than I would." "Trying to tie everything to special operations, huh? Just like usual. Now I see why you called us here..." "I¡¯m more curious about how Lorentina canmunicate so smoothly with her otherworld self." With the expo nearing its conclusion on March 1st, things were getting interesting in the dark zone town. Chapter 611
    • [The Icarus Expo, held under Icarus International in Dark Zone Town, has sessfully concluded. The expo, whichsted about three weeks, both online and offline, recorded an unprecedented 4 million visitors, with the nearby small town also experiencing a significant surge in visitors.]
    • [In particr, the presence of Jin, Rain, and Marv, who introduced a new form of artificial intelligence and announced theunch of a new artificial intelligence, stood out at this expo. These individuals answered a total of 1,000 questions during the three weeks of the expo. Schrs from all fields¡­]
    "...It emptied out like the ebbing tide. Was this really the ce where it was once so crowded, you couldn''t even step in not long ago?" "It''s gotten a lot quieter. Though,pared to before, it''s just quieter; there are still quite a few tourists wandering around." "True." March 6th, 4:00 PM, Dark Zone Town, USA. As with everything that begins, there must be an end. The Icarus Expo, which had swept through Dark Zone Town, following the 4th Final Championship, is nowing to a close. The content flowing from the TV was not much different. They were even using helicopters to capture the departing crowds leaving the city. The expo, which ended at 8 PM yesterday. Some tourists had already left the town anticipating the city¡¯s evacuation, but conversely, some stayed another night, had ate lunch, and leisurely returned. Now, at 4 PM. Taking advantage of the emptiness, somete visitors connected to the Icarus Humanoid and began leisurely exploring Dark Zone Town. There were cleaning robots erasing the traces of where people had stayed, and local shop owners, half-dazed after handling the huge crowds for three weeks, cleaning up. But what was happening right now wasn¡¯t everything going on in Dark Zone Town. Perhaps, out of view in the hotel rooms not visible from the lounge, countless cleaning robots were washing bedding and mattresses, tidying up the interiors. The 4th Final Championship, the New Year celebration, and the Expo. All of them seemed as though they would go on forever, but in the end, they came to a close. "Daughter, you''ll be leaving soon too. When you get back, do you have anything nned?" "Well, I guess I''ll just rest when I get home. After the Final Championship, I stayed at home for a few days, just breathing, staring at my phone, eating, and rolling around in bed, so I guess it''ll be the same this time." "Alright, take a good rest and check in with us now and then." "Aren¡¯t you and dad supposed to being to Korea soon?" "It¡¯s better not to go than to put any pressure on you." It wasn¡¯t really pressure, though. But, as expected, I could tell my parents had that thought in an instant. "Your mother may not think it''s pressure, but when you reach this point, visiting another country bes quite a hassle. Just look at the past from another world, how many news articles came out just because a CEO from somepany visited China?" "That¡¯s true." "It was possiblest year when I came to visit you since it was a short visit, but it¡¯s a bit difficult to stay for long." "But flying 16 hours just to see you and dad is tough." "Think of it as a homing journey." What does that even mean? In any case, as she said, based onst year¡¯s figures, Icarus International''s annual revenue reached 600 trillion, and it was likely to balloon even more in the future. Just estimating how much the humanoid industry would generate this year, they could easily be within the top three global corporations. Meanwhile, the think tanks, which had only just joined the 1 trillion revenue club, still had a long way to go. Anyway, now that the cost of living was no longer an issue, the conversations I had with my parents were pretty trivial. My mom, who had beenbing my hair as I sat in the chair, added: "They say you miss your native food when you live in a foreign country, but I guess you don¡¯t miss that here. You can eat it whenever you want." "Later, Jin might be someone who¡¯ll make food like that for me¡­ No, asking if you¡¯re nning to get married is probably a weird question." "...The young Mechas, you know? I¡¯ll make them my grandchildren instead." "Right. That¡¯s not something mom and dad should say." As she said, marriage, marriage, marriage¡­ Of course, now that I think about it, I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯ll ever seriously like someone enough to think of them as a romantic partner, let alone get married. But since the future is unpredictable, I¡¯m not about to judge it too quickly. But conversely, it¡¯s not something I should even think about right now¡­ Anyway, it was time to leave. Both my parents and I. A faint vibration spread through the wall and floor. Two helicopters waited for us at the helipad on the roof. One was heading to Greater Rochester International Airport, the other to Manhattan. The lounge door opened, and three people stepped out, boarding the elevator. It was me and my parents. "Our daughter." "Huh?" "Live your life doing what you want, and what helps others. Be sure to enjoy some free time too." "...How do mom and dad think I¡¯m living?" "Very well, of course."@@novelbin@@ Is that so? The elevator quickly ascended toward the roof, and since the surrounding area was open, it gave a view of Dark Zone Town ¡ª I looked at it with a strange feeling, and my parents added: "All the buildings here, Dark Zone Town¡­ If it weren¡¯t for you, none of it would¡¯ve been built." "¡­" "Since you came back to this world, a lot has changed. And that¡¯s entirely because you wanted it, and you chose it." "¡­It still doesn¡¯t feel real." "Realization doesn¡¯t exist in this world. Only a changing world and the person epting it." Ding. With that t sound, the elevator doors opened, and we walked up the stairwell that looked out over Dark Zone Town again. "Look, daughter. See the consequences of all you¡¯ve made." Final Championship. The Expo. The grand buildings and the many robots roaming underneath them, and so much more... indescribable sights. I had felt I had adjusted to the world long ago, but now, maybe it was time to express a different perspective ¡ª the world was changing because of my choices. Could this be the repayment for the scars from the six years I¡¯ve spent? If so, the time I spent in that other world, in America, was hard, but maybe it was something I should never forget. The door opened, and a fierce wind blew in. My hair, which mom hadbed for me, was blowing fiercely, but as mom and dad gently stroked it, they added: "Take care. Stay in touch, and let us know if you need anything." "Make sure you¡¯re getting along with those little friends you always hang out with, and though it¡¯s a bitte, happy New Year." "¡­Thank you. Always. Really, so much¡­" Suddenly, tears flowed, swept away by the strong wind, and my parents and I went in separate directions. We boarded the helicopters, and as the doors closed, my parents flew toward the southeast, while I flew east, heading toward Greater Rochester International Airport, which was just 20 kilometers away. The sound of my phone vibrating rang.
    • [Let¡¯s contact each other before departure! I¡¯ll be waiting at the airport before you arrive!]
    "Aah, really." Right, let''s go. It¡¯s time to put a period on this. Rarely, the sky was overcast, but for some reason, the atmosphere was so still, the sound of the propellers was almost silent. It was the perfect weather to leave America and return home. "Ugh, spring rain in March?" "Seems like weather you¡¯d enjoy. You might like it when you get hometer." "I guess so." March 8th, Incheon Airport. The humidity subtly in the air, umbres in everyone¡¯s hands, and water marks that appeared and disappeared from shoes ¡ª yet, inside the airport, it was as busy as usual. Amidst the countless peopleing and going for their own reasons, two women sat in front of the arrival boards, taking in the information. Needless to say, it was Harmony and Dice. "...By the way, is it really showing on that disy? Doesn¡¯t Eugene¡¯s ne have a private jet?" "Well, maybe the private jet will show up there too. Still, once itnds at Incheon, the data signal wille back, and he¡¯ll text me. Let¡¯s wait for about 30 minutes, and if he doesn¡¯t message, let¡¯s go eat." "Rock-paper-scissors?" "Rock-paper-scissors." And a few secondster, Harmony¡¯s cry of defeat and Dice¡¯s cheer resonated faintly. Harmony lost, and she would be paying for lunch today. But shortly after that, more words followed. "By the way, if Eugene didn¡¯t get to eat as much on the ne, he might want to eat separately when he gets off. Should we just wait and not eat now?" "Pulling out another excuse after losing at rock-paper-scissors is some." "Agh, that¡¯s not what I meant." At the same time, Harmony¡¯s thumb and forefinger grabbed Dice¡¯s thigh stocking. A short scream erupted, followed by a brief catfight, and within seconds, it was over. The result: Dice¡¯s stocking had a run, and Harmony¡¯s neck was red. After their little scuffle, more words followed. "Why did you gain so much weight during that time?" "Why do you think I didn¡¯t? We were both eating cake all the time while we were in the US." "I¡¯ve been cycling every day." "What¡­ I wondered where you were sneaking off to every night." "Pig." It wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, so Dice let out a sigh instead of protesting. The bodies that had suspiciously swelled after a trip were a concern for both of them, but at least Harmony, who had been abroad countless times since three years ago, had managed to keep her body in check while abroad, unlike Dice. How did she manage it so easily? Dice wanted to ask, but she quickly realized why. Harmony, after all, had an extraordinary level of patience and self-disciplinepared to others. It was precisely that reason she could be trained under Eugene. As they exchanged words, time flew by, and about 15 minutes passed.
    • [Eugene: I¡¯m about to arrive.]
    "Oh, a message!" "Ask him if he wants to eat here first." Harmony¡¯s fingers moved quickly, and the message was written in no time. How much time had passed? The reply came back almost immediately, saying, "No need." And added that he would treat them since it had been a while since they met. Today, once again, the little ones would be grateful to the original ones. But despite the message that he would arrive soon, Eugene didn¡¯t show up. Ten minutes passed, and the patience of the two little ones was nearly exhausted. Just when they were about to think he must havended, they heard the ringtone ¨C
    • Beep beep!
    "¡­Huh?" "Peekaboo!" "Ahhh!" And there he was ¡ª Eugene appeared! The little ones were thrown into confusion! Literally, with the sound of the bell ringing from behind, it felt as if he had appeared suddenly from apletely empty space. And as expected, Eugene, making use of the secretive nature of a Manifestor, slipped behind the two of them. The two, startled, began to shiver, but after a long time, Eugene had managed to calm them down with a perfectly ced tail ¨C the tail was more than enough to ease Harmony and Dice¡¯s tension. "Most people would get startled if a snake tail suddenly appeared, but you two are the opposite..." "Hehe, we¡¯vee too far to hate snakes." "Guess it does look that way. Anyway, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other. Strictly speaking, we saw each other a few days ago, but it¡¯s been quite a while since west met in person." "Why does it matter? We¡¯re always connected by our tails..." "Where¡¯s the tail..." Saying that, Eugene chuckled. As she had expected, everything was exactly as she knew it. Perhaps, unless something major happens, this kind of rtionship would continue for a long time. And when the anti-aging technology, among the many technologies to be released, is unlocked, it mightst far longer than expected ¨C thinking that, she patted the heads of the two. As expected, As remembered. It was just soft. While the two of them made silly noises as they adjusted to her touch, Eugene opened her mouth again. "Let¡¯s go. Home." "Yeah." "Will you buy us something delicious today?" "Well, I guess we¡¯ll think about it as we go." It was a perfectly ordinary conversation, but thanks to Eugene¡¯s optical camouge, no one around noticed them. They got into the car, and under the gloomy March sky, they headed toward Seoul. How much time passed? While they were talking about what to eat next, Eugene suddenly spoke up, as if it had just urred to her. "By the way, if you two... really had tails, what would you do first?" "Uh¡­ why are you asking that suddenly?" "I¡¯m just asking." "Well, I never really thought about it¡­" Muttering, Dice gently pressed the elerator, then spoke up. "First, I¡¯d go show off to Eugene." "¡­Alright, go ahead and brag." "Ah, that¡¯s what I was nning to do too." "Yeah, yeah. Maybe in a few decades, such technology might actually be developed. If it suddenly shows up, I¡¯d faint, so please don¡¯t do that." "Huh, another reason to live longer." At that, Eugene let out a hollowugh but only grinned. It was still raining, and the sound of raindrops hitting the vehicle was loud, but theirughter and conversation never stopped. While Eugene absentmindedly stared out the window, she added: "It¡¯s a good day to start something new." "It¡¯s raining though..." "When it rains, spring truly begins." The two nodded silently, and Eugene, with the evening sky darkening due to the heavy rain, silently stared at the sky. It wasn¡¯t the kind of weather that fit the expectations of a new day, new season, and new things, but nheless, in Eugene¡¯s eyes, there was an anticipation of what mighte next. Maybe that''s why, to her, even the rainy Seoul looked beautiful. "Spring is here." Only the murmured words echoed faintly inside the car. Just as she said, it was spring. New days were waiting for them again. Chapter 612 "Eugene-ssi, I¡¯ll go in now." "Normally, you''d contact me beforehand before opening the door." "But you¡¯re the one who gave me the door lock number saying I cane in anytime¡­" "Alright, alright." June 22nd, Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The once stark and in interior of Eugene¡¯s penthouse now had a much more refined atmosphere. Standing at the entrance, Dice discreetly kicked off her slippers and walked down the corridor towards the living room. The sunlight outside was still bright, but there was a subtle weariness etched across Dice¡¯s face. Of course, she wasn¡¯t truly that tired. Eugene, who had been sitting on the plush sofa reading a book, knew well that Dice had simply¡­ fallen victim to a fooda. Sitting next to her, Dice grabbed the swaying Biyam-tail and pulled it. After some time, Dice finallyid her head down on the tail, using it as a pillow. It was truly a strange sight. "When did this start happening? Is it morefortable like this?" "If only Eugene-ssi didn¡¯t fart¡­ ack!" "Shall I take your tail away?" "Oh no, I misspoke, misspoke. Just a light joke¡­ aaaaack!" Dice desperately iled, and Eugene sighed dramatically as though defeated, but eventually returned the tail. Dice, who had been nodding off, now let out deep breaths and drifted into a deep sleep. Eugene nced at her for a moment, then resumed reading her book. This had be one of her new routines as ofte. How did ite to this? Eugene had long since given up on pondering that. Cautiously, she closed her book and, without making a sound, secretly took a photo of Dice, who was still sleeping soundly with the tail as her pillow, and sent it to Harmony. Within seconds, messages flooded in. However, since Harmony would be busy with a coborative stream from the evening onward, Eugene only chuckled to herself and sent a few replies. After about two hours, Eugene felt a stronger vibration from her tail, signaling Dice was waking up. She opened her mouth. "You should wake up soon. If you eat and sleep right away, you¡¯ll turn into a pig." "¡­How do you always know exactly when I wake up?" "You¡¯ll know when you get a tail too." "I really want a tail¡­" Of course, that was impossible, and Dice, still fixing her bedhead, sat up on the sofa. A cold ss of water was waiting for her on the table, and Eugene wrapped her tail around the ss and handed it to Dice. As the cold water slid down her throat, a spark of vitality returned to Dice¡¯s groggy eyes. Leaning back against the sofa, Dice sighed and muttered. "Ugh, I need to stop this habit of eating and going straight to bed." "Well, if you stop using my tail as a pillow, that might help." "Then I¡¯d have no reason toe into Eugene-ssi¡¯s house." "I¡¯d let you in even without a reason, just tell me toe over whenever. Who wouldn¡¯t listen?" But Dice muttered something under her breath and quickly stopped herself. Then, as if something had urred to her, she spoke up again. "It¡¯s 5 PM now¡­ in about two hours, Mina will be here, right? What do you think we¡¯ll eat today? I sometimes think it would be nice if there were better ces to eat around here, like in the basement or the lobby." "Just order something." "But sometimes you want something fresh and hot, right? The bar on the top floor only serves a few snacks." "After having lunch and taking a nap, thinking about dinner already? I¡¯m going to have to drag you to the gymter." "Ugh, not that¡ª!" Of course, Dice didn¡¯t win this argument. Regardless, Eugene had already finished reading one book, pped it shut, and with a perfect flick, threw it across the room, slipping it perfectly into an empty space. Dice looked at her in disbelief and shook her head, then suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke up. "Oh right. Speaking of the stream, I came to ask you about something today." "What¡¯s that?" "You know¡­ the first editor. What is he doing these days? Do you know if you gave him permission?" "Oh, that. I gave him permission, yes. I told him I wouldn¡¯t do any promotions, but I did let him say he¡¯s my editor. He said he wanted to do it on his own, so I didn¡¯t stop him. Besides, it¡¯s fun to watch others be influencers in their own way." "...If Eugene-ssi gave permission, then it must be fine. I never thought you¡¯d allow something like that." "I did think long and hard about it when I first heard about it." At the same time, Dice disyed something in the air. What appeared on the screen was¡­ hard to describe. It was an avatar that looked nothing like anything you¡¯d expect in real life, moving and broadcasting within virtual reality ¡ª and it was a character that resembled Biyam, but more than that, it lookedpletely different in terms of the props and hair. The avatar had white hair down to the waist, reminiscent of Logan, with a ck veil casually thrown over it. Underneath that, there were glowing red eyes, and the side waspletely exposed, leaving nothing to cover the thighs. It resembled a sexy nun¡¯s habit, if you could describe it that way. But the most unique feature was the long white snake tail extending from behind. "I kind of have a guess as to the inspiration¡­ it¡¯s probably Bai She (White Snake), right?" "Yeah. But it looks like the outfit¡¯s changed a lot since thest time I saw it. I guess I¡¯ll have to ask themter." "No, no, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important! This person is Eugene-ssi¡¯s first editor!" Eugene couldn¡¯t help but think that this person wasn¡¯t really intending to solve anything seriously. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the point. The first editor was acting as a kind of¡­ virtual space creator, or in other words, a holographic idol, and Dice had only recently realized this. However, Eugene had already known where this all came from. It was one of those bizarre, half-jokingments that appeared in the group chat under the name "Eugene¡¯s Squad" ¡ª "I want to be a white-haired TS Biyam nun and coborate with Eugene-sensei!" This absurd idea was born from the chat, and it had be a kind of meme. It had started with something simple ¡ª a donation or a chat filled with the words "I want to be a white-haired TS Biyam nun and coborate with Eugene" ¡ª and surprisingly, it became quite popr. Now, it was a meme. Someone might have even taken it seriously, but considering it originated from Eugene¡¯s stream, it had an unstable foundation. That meant no one had attempted it yet. Plus, if someone did, they might get a stern reprimand from Eugene. In any case, what had once seemed like a joke had actually been taken seriously by Eugene¡¯s first editor. "Already¡­ 200,000 subscribers after just four months of activity? Isn¡¯t that too much?" Of course, when considering it, it made sense. He had appeared on Eugene¡¯s stream a few times, casually doing interviews, and as Biyam¡¯s editor, he had edited and posted hundreds of videos, showing perseverance and wit in pulling out the fun in each edit. Additionally, Eugene¡¯s employer had said, "I wouldn¡¯t do a coboration right away, but I don¡¯t mind sharing some stories," and his colleagues, excited by the idea, had set things up for him. And of course, his colleagues were illustrators and editors ¡ª people who could expertly handle all kinds of editing tools. In short, even if you ignored the activity name, it was only a matter of time before an avatar of quality far surpassing the usual virtual idols would bepleted. And so, the debut of this "monster rookie" was confirmed. For the person involved, it was utterly baffling. "Since there¡¯s nothing else to do, I guess I¡¯ll just live stream editing today¡­" Click, click. If the previous broadcast was personal, now it was time for work. Just a few minutes ago, he had been exploring Dark Zone with holographic idols he had never met before, but now, it was back to his real job. While bncing, he didn¡¯t want to leave his current job for anything. After a few minutes, the broadcast title was set: The food had been ordered, and he put his connection device back around his neck before lying down in a different position on the bed. In an instant, the view changed, and he was now in front of at least five monitors. Four of them were part of a huge screen, and the small monitor next to it was used for the chat window. A few secondster, the broadcast began. "Hello, everyone. It¡¯s been just 30 minutes, right? As you can see, this broadcast is not about confession but about serving the Lord. Feel free to chat, but please maintain some decorum." -©àRepent©à -©àRepent©à -Iris Nun 2 broadcasts a day lol -Isn¡¯t the nun¡¯s main job mass? Why is she editing??? -The goddess is Ouroboros, so it¡¯s fine, lol "I came because two people told me to, are you going to keep this concept? Seriously?? Wanna get shrimp bent?" "Ah, no, that¡¯s not it. Lord, I mean... Boss. It¡¯s the character concept, so... yeah." -LOL -OMG, the nun concept is gone!!!!!! -The goddess herself came and gave a hard time, lol -What¡¯s with the goddess making the nun kneel, lol -Biyam, are you going to start a hologram idol agency? lol The broadcast didn¡¯t go smoothly at first. Normally, he had 900 steady viewers during his IRL broadcasts¡ªjust after 4 months! But as soon as the donation announcement from Eugene got out, the viewers doubled in minutes. But, Sister Beatricia, and Eugene¡¯s first editor, were busy exining themselves, and the chat was filled withments like "the person behind the avatar has appeared"¡ªeveryone knew who was controlling the avatar. Naturally, Eugene¡¯s chat was on fire, and it was filled with mockery. A few minutester, the room calmed down. He continued his work, cutting and pasting video, adding effects and memes, adjusting sound levels, and mixing in reverb when necessary. Currently, he was editing a vlog of Eugene and others, showing what they had been up to since the Final Championshipst year. It was a pretty straightforward and easy-to-watch format. After some time, he finally finished editing the rough cut of the vlog, which was about 20 minutes long. He checked the list of viewers at the top, including Eugene, Dice, Harmony, and the others, and then checked the time before stretching back. "Aah, 1,500 viewers tuned in for a quiet stream. Anyway, I¡¯ve shown you what the nun is up to when not on-air. I¡¯ll take off the concept for now. Next time, we¡¯ll meet more devoutly. See you!" -Bye nun~~~ -Now, that¡¯s over! -Stop with the "off-the-record" nonsense lol -She always talks like a nun during gaming, now she¡¯s talking like a person, lol -That¡¯s... because she¡¯s a hologram idol.... Beep. He naturally ended the broadcast, tidied up his food, did a quick workout, then took a shower. By the time it was nearing midnight, he checked the time andy down in bed. After his cardio workout, a cold sweat drenched his body. ''Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be doing a joint broadcast with a hologram idol from Ste Universe and then check the video I edited today... after that, I¡¯ll tweak it a little more.''@@novelbin@@ He fell into a deep sleep¡ª "¡­Huh?" "Ahhh! It¡¯s done! It¡¯s really done!!" "Huh? Really? Really!?" "...Sigh." One morning, when three Biyam fans woke up one after another from their dreams, they realized they had transformed into Biyam manifestors in their beds. It had been three minutes before Eugene¡¯s mind broke down. Chapter 613 "...So, this has been an asional urrence throughout history, often manifesting in rival rtionships... is that correct? And that''s why you brought in some history professors?" "That''s right. Prominent examples include Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, Hannibal and Scipio, Richard I and Sdin... There are also a few domestic cases, and the most recent example would be Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler in bodybuilding. However... this is apletely first-time situation." "I roughly understand now. But you mentioned that this usually happens in rival rtionships. Does that mean there are other exceptions?" "Yes, that''s correct." It had been 40 minutes since Harmony and Dice had suddenly turned into manifestors. Currently, in front of me were several individuals capable of handling the most sophisticated measuring devices in the world, renowned doctors and scientists researching manifestors, and a few historians, about 10 people in total, who had gathered to examine Harmony and Dice in another room. Despite their busy schedules, it wasn¡¯t a problem. When I sent out a request, offering to buy their time at a rate of 100 million per hour, they all rushed over, some by car, others even by helicopter. And that wasn¡¯t all. I had also contacted the two researchers who had helped me before. I should receive a reply soon. Anyway, it was time to listen to the experts again, and I pushed aside the swirl of emotions in my mind as I continued to listen to them. At the same time, various holograms appeared next to me. It was news footage. The screen waspletely filled with coverage about manifestors. "The focus isn¡¯t on the rivalry itself. The important thing is that when we look at the historical records from the time these rivalries urred, there was an unusually high rate of manifestor emergence in those years. As you can see on the screen, a total of seventeen manifestors have been officially recorded today." "Looking back through historical records, it seems this happened in just one day. The probability of the same thing happening tomorrow, or the day after, is predicted to be very low." "...Should I consider this good luck, or bad luck?" "Regarding that..." Someone, who had been intently examining charts full of data, cautiously spoke up. "Based on the tests we¡¯ve conducted so far on Mina and Yerin¡¯s physical abilities, their bodies have been enhanced to the point where only the top 0.01% could reach. To summarize it simply, it¡¯s about 700 in the three lifts." "...Hmm. That¡¯s a bit..." "You think it¡¯s low, don¡¯t you?" "Yes, that¡¯s correct." The doctor chuckled and casually covered the chart. It was a surprisingly low figure. Given that my total free-weight lifting currently exceeds 4 tons, it seemed rather low. So I was waiting for an exnation. How much time had passed? "Eugene-ssi, do you think someone who¡¯s just started working out would be able to handle the equipment proficiently and lift heavy weights?" "...Ah!" "I see you understand now. The number I mentioned earlier is just the starting point. But considering everything, it¡¯s unlikely that those two will ever catch up to you, Eugene-ssi. The student should seriously consider how systematically they¡¯ve trained their bodies." "That¡¯s a fair point." ...That part, I admit, is my blind spot. Anyway, as mentioned earlier, Harmony and Dice were in another room, undergoing physical exams, so I buried myself deep into the sofa in the adjacent room and waited for the two toe back. As I did, the events from just a few minutes ago shed through my mind. Was it a nightmare? I don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s probably what it was ¡ª the sight of them struggling with their new tails, trying to do something with them, unable to walk properly... And when they tried to entangle their tails with mine, I had to hurriedly stop them by giving them a swift chop to the head. What happened next was simple. I made an emergency call to the number I had received when getting my physical certificate, contacted my parents, and arranged ways to connect with various people in Korea, bought their time, and... ... "¡­Jin-ssi, Eugene-ssi! We¡¯re done!"@@novelbin@@ "What are you doing sleeping? Hehe. Do you know how much we enjoyed our physical exams¡­ Now, we¡¯re proper little Biyams!" "...After our bodies have changed so dramatically, I think only you two would be happy about it." At that moment, the door opened, and Harmony and Dice walked in. Earlier, it had been such a chaotic sight that I couldn¡¯t really focus, but now that they were here, I could finally look at them properly... yeah, it¡¯s getting easier to adjust. Both of them had slightly more resemnce to me. Specifically, they both now had elf ears like mine, sharp fangs, and vertically shaped pupils. As for their tails... well, there was no need to borate. Dice had a yellow tail, fitting her well, resembling a ball python, while Harmony¡¯s resembled a rattlesnake¡¯s, matching her natural brown hair color. But... it felt a bit awkward to say it out loud. "...You two don¡¯t really look like Biyams." "Eh...?" "That can¡¯t be true, we¡¯re proper Biyams now!" "But you¡¯re both so tiny... no, that was a slip of the tongue." "We¡¯re not small! Eugene-ssi is just tall!" Ah, I touched a sore spot. As they said, my height was 172cm, quite tall for a woman. But Harmony and Dice were more in the 150s to mid-160s range. They both had small heads, making their proportions decent, but they were definitely on the shorter side. Of course, anyone would seem small next to sharks or pr bears that were 188cm tall. Thinking that, I quietly stepped behind them and grabbed their tails. "Eek!?!" "Yahh!?!" "You two should really experience how it feels when someone grabs your tail without asking, don¡¯t you think?" There were no personal emotions involved. Really. Anyway, their movements were still clumsy. Their reflexes and strength had definitely increasedpared to before. If I had to quantify it, I¡¯d say they were now about at the level of UFC heavyweights who had just made it to the major leagues. While that was an impressive achievement, it still felt somewhat minorpared to me. For now, I¡¯d need to help them adjust to the bnce changes caused by their tails... I heard that, since Harmony and Dice had officially be manifestors, urgent messages had been sent to their families, so I didn¡¯t think there was much more to say. The fact that they had be manifestors would eventually be public, and any overstepping would soon be taken care of by the state. Now, the only thing left was... to think about how they should proceed with their professional lives. Honestly, as long as the avatar and adjustment sliders were left as they were, there wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. The sensory confusion was something they¡¯d have to ovee on their own. "Oh, by the way... Eugene-ssi, didn¡¯t you spend a lot of money this time? Are you okay?" "There¡¯s no need to worry about that. What I¡¯m more concerned about is you guys. I feel a bit more at ease knowing you¡¯ll manage. A lot of annoying things will being our way, so just get mentally prepared." "...I still can¡¯t believe it." "If you¡¯ve gotten a tail, you¡¯ll have to ept that." "Hehe." ...They really liked to say that. As always, they never missed an opportunity to tease. Now that they were Biyams, calling them little Biyams didn¡¯t seem right... Wait, no, I shouldn¡¯t be digressing. Anyway, I finally settled down on the sofa and added: "¡­Now that the physical exam is done, don¡¯t worry about anything else. Let¡¯s head to my ce. Dice, it¡¯s not a big deal since you¡¯re next door, but Mina, what do you n on doing?" "Well¡­ once themotion dies down, I¡¯ll head back. I need to check the food I left in the fridge." "Alright, let¡¯s head out." The people I had paid for their time were now preparing to leave, and only a few stayed behind to handle some finishing touches. I released the blocked contacts that I had preemptively set up, preparing for the fallout of today¡¯s events. As expected, a mountain of missed calls piled up. While I was about to check them one by one, I received a sudden call. It was the first editor. There was one missed call, received a minute ago. Curious, I answered the call, and a woman¡¯s voice greeted me. "...Ah, you picked up. Eugene-sensei, I really have something urgent. Can you listen seriously?" "...Who is this?" "It¡¯s me, me! You even came on the broadcast yesterday and donated! You said you¡¯d make me do a shrimp twist!" In that moment, countless images shed through my mind. As too many thoughts processed all at once, puzzle-like memories started to align, and I hurriedly grabbed the speakers and hacked them to stop everyone who was about to leave. And after a few seconds... "Stop everything. Please give me one more hour." The chaos was just beginning. Chapter 614 "Indeed, after about a week, themotion has certainly decreased quite a bit. In some ways, though, it''s just the beginning..." "Hahh...!" "Ugh, nghh..." "Please...!" As June passes and July approaches, the sunlight grows stronger. The number of tents visible through the penthouse¡¯srge ss window, looking over the Ttukseom Hangang Park forest, steadily increases with each passing day. Along with that, the number of people ordering delivery also rises ordingly. Since bing an Awakened, my physical abilities have noticeably increased, my sociability has grown, and I''ve be much more active. Maybe it''s because of that, but I kind of wanted to take a walk around the Han River for the first time in a while... But right now, it was time to give some rest to my friends who were making strange noises in front of me. "Alright, it''s a 5-minute break starting now. You¡¯re all doing great." "Waaah...!" "Ugh, don¡¯t fall!" "I thought once I had my tail, I could easily do everything you do, Eugene-sensei, but it¡¯s not that simple..." "Did you think it would be easy?" Srrr. I turned my body slowly in the swivel chair, looking outside, then turned back. Three tails of different colors appeared before me. The 20kg dumbbells hanging from them slowly dropped to the floor with mymand. Harmonie, Dice, and our first editor who had changed her name to Park Hye-jeong ¡ª originally Park Hyun-seok ¡ª were all drenched in sweat. What was going on here was some sort of resistance and tail-strengthening exercise. Tails could be considered muscle mass, and in other words, these guys, who had recently be Awakened, still couldn¡¯t use their tails as freely as I could. So I had to help them learn to use them. "Make a heart with your tail, grab things like I do, pull out grenades and throw them, wrap people up and lift them. You all wanted to do this, so I''m just offering the curriculum as I always do. If you follow along quickly, you might catch up, at least at the tip of your toes." "Ugh, I wanna get out of here!" "Those who wish for a tail must endure its weight... Heh, nothinges without struggle." "But do we really have to hold this position, like we¡¯re doing squats?" "You don¡¯t have to do it exactly like that." I stood up from the swivel chair. I then headed toward the dumbbell room, which had various weights. There, I casually wrapped my tail around a 70kg dumbbell and easily lifted it. I made my way over to the trio of newly-awakened beings. I grabbed the dumbbell with my tail, even bouncing it a few times in the air before catching it again. I could even do this while reading a book a couple of years ago. I can still do it now. Anyway, what I wanted to show them was simple. "If you can do this kind of thing naturally in your everyday life, it doesn''t matter how your posture is. You can do it while eating, while exercising... but if you can''t, what should you do?" "Ugh, this may be awkward to say, but Eugene, you really seem obsessed with fitness." "I''m not obsessed with fitness, you all are just too weak. That¡¯s something that needs to be pointed out." They were whining after barely being able to lift a 20kg dumbbell with their tails for even 5 minutes. At my level now, I could probably carry that dumbbell for 24 hours inbat without issue. Of course, there would be many tasks to do with the tail during actualbat, so that scenario wouldn¡¯t actually happen, but... As we chatted andughed, 5 minutes passed, and the trio dove back into the torturous exercise. A tail should be as firm and resilient as mine. Their tails... they felt more like soft toothpaste tubes. This time, I decided to interrupt them and spoke to one of them, who was desperately holding on. "So, how has our editor been doingtely? I remember you met someone from around here recently... your expression looks good, so I guess there was no big problem?" "Oh, yes. My parents came around here. They''ve been sending me pictures of myself for the past few days so that it wouldn''t be awkward when we meet for the first time. And just two days ago... it got resolved. I cried so much that my eyes still hurt." "Dice and Harmonie cried a lot too, after seeing the editor¡¯s family issue being resolved, but things are much better now." "You¡¯re the only one who¡¯spletely emotionally dry, Eugene! Ugh!"@@novelbin@@ "Let¡¯s just call it being realistic." Someone has to be the one to bring reality into the conversation. Talking during exercise, especially when lifting weights, is usually not a great idea. But in cases like this, when it¡¯s not just about heavy lifting, it could actually help distract from the fatigue. It was like preparing for the pain toe. Since I kept talking, they managed to push through the designated 5-minute break without too much trouble. The three of them, now dripping with sweat, threw the dumbbells onto the mat I had set up and were vigorously drinking water. I watched them absentmindedly as my goal for today was the former editor. "Are you nning to continue broadcasting?" "Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve been away from editing for a whole week, so..." "Don¡¯t worry about that. With more than ten editors now... the environment has changed, but you haven''t lost your options. It¡¯s important to clearly understand the difference between those two things and think it through." "True, the environment has changed, but I haven¡¯t lost my options..." I was d that they understood. Whether they took my words in the right way, I didn¡¯t know. But at least I felt like I had helped. After that, we finished the 6th set. They all followed the exercises well, though it was something they had never done before. Tomorrow, they would probably be too sore to move their tails, but we¡¯d save that for tomorrow¡¯s fun. Thankfully, the house had at least 4 showers, so there were no problems. Dice and Harmonie quickly disappeared, saying they were going to take a shower. I appreciated that. Thus, the private talk began. "I was reviewing the meme''s origin while the editor was resting. Well, if you want, I can stream with you or anyone else anytime... And the editing skills didn¡¯t vanish, so you can still continue as an editor. That hologram idol thing too." "Really?" "Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t because of me that things turned out this way, but what does it matter? As your employer, I have an obligation to provide the conveniences and support outlined in the contract. And... it seems things have gone pretty well." There was a brief silence. I didn¡¯t know how the editor would take my words, but I spoke up anyway. "A lot has been resolved. It¡¯s not all over yet, but the big hurdles have been crossed. Maybe it¡¯s time to start doing what you want to do." "...What I want to do?" "Originally, the character was created as a sort of... surrogate satisfaction, or maybe an impossible dream. In any case, something like that. If that¡¯s how it was created, then you¡¯ve suffered enough. Maybe it¡¯s time to enjoy yourself a little." At that moment, their eyes shifted slightly. Until now, they had been listening in a somewhat dazed state, but now they looked... unsure, yet expectant, and avoided eye contact. I might have been speaking irresponsibly since I wasn¡¯t fully involved in this situation, but... well, if most of the obstacles have been ovee, why not try doing what you want? Of course, everything isn¡¯t over yet. There¡¯s the family issue, the friend issue, and college... But thinking about it another way, maybe getting some mental stability first could help handle those things more smoothlyter. I¡¯m here to help with that. And of course, our editor... understood it clearly. "Ah, but... I do really want to do a coboration with you, Eugene-sensei, butst time I missed the scheduled game with another hologram idol, so... I think I need to resolve that first." "That¡¯s a good idea. Being able to tie up loose ends is an important virtue." It seemed like I had good luck when it came to meeting responsible people. Finding someone like that was not easy. Fortunately, my mental therapy had worked, and our editor seemed to have regained their strength, so things were looking better. Now, I should send them off to shower... but just as I was thinking that, they suddenly spoke. "Ah, but... um. I don¡¯t know if I should say this..." "Go ahead. What is it?" "Well, the hologram idols I was supposed to game with the other day have somewhat unique concepts..." "...?" With that, they pulled out their phone and showed me the screen¡ª "...Ack." "I don¡¯t know if I should thank you for this, but apparently, thanks to you, there¡¯s been a boom in reptiles in the hologram idol scene... and now everyone''s avatars look like..." As they said that, the screen showed a variety of virtual avatars all resembling reptiles. I don¡¯t know why, but my head started throbbing again. What¡¯s with all these reptile enthusiasts? ...I guess I¡¯ll have to check it outter. "Well, that¡¯s how it happened. So we rescheduled for today, two dayster." "Wow, really? Did that person suddenly be an EM rank? They must have really strong mental fortitude... No, maybe it¡¯s just that they haven¡¯t changed much. I¡¯m curious what they¡¯re like in real life..." "The Master¡¯s Space shows them well. I heard EM rank changes can be pretty intense... maybe only the appearance changed." In early July, inside a private room in virtual reality, three users, each with an incredibly unique appearance that would be impossible in reality, were talking while looking at the screen in front of them. A woman with long green hair that reached down to her waist, dressed in a free-spirited explorer-like outfit, and a feathered snake tail extending from her backside. A woman with red hair, wearing a blue hood. A woman who looked almost like a dragon, with blue hair flowing from beneath her horns, her hair loosely tied into a ponytail, wearing a tracksuit, looking like a carefree person, with a tiny but shy brooch on her head. On top of their heads, the word "SteUnivers" rotated, and their names were embroidered on their outfits: Sonia Eutero, Dendrobia Salus, Evelyn Dreamweaver. These were the hologram idols that were supposed to coborate with Eugene''s first editor nine days ago, but that had fallen through. "Let¡¯s see... What were we supposed to do today... we haven¡¯t started streaming yet, right? If this goes out, the viewers will be mad that we didn¡¯t prepare anything..." "If you had just reviewed from the beginning, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess, idiot." "Today should go fine... though we might need to be careful about what we say, I¡¯m not sure about our bodies..." "Evelyn, you wrote that you have apletely careless personality, but you¡¯re actually very admirable in these kinds of situations..." "Well! I don¡¯t cross the line, at least." As Evelyn proudly puffed out her chest, the scheduled time was approaching. Unlikest time, when the coboration had been canceled 6 hours before, today they had managed to set up this opportunity, and they continued to wait. How much time had passed? ©¤©¤©¤Pop! "They¡¯re here¡ª!" "Iris-chan¡¯s here!" "We¡¯ve been waiting for the Goddess!" "She¡¯s a nun, not a goddess. Please don¡¯t call me that." "...Ah, ah. Can you hear my voice well? There was an identst time. Sorry I couldn¡¯t make it." "Well, it¡¯s an ident, so it¡¯s fine. Is today¡¯s cob okay? Can we go on without any problems?" "It¡¯s fine. But I¡¯m feeling a little dizzy, so doing RP might be a bit much today..." RP, or role-ying. Hologram idols usually have a certain character design, concept, and background, and though these weren¡¯t usually that important, they often affected their speech patterns. Iris, as a nun serving the Ouroboros god, usually spoke in a fake nun tone, but since her body had changed¡ªhow exactly, I wasn¡¯t sure¡ªit had only been 9 days since then. The others had epted this fact easily, and before they started streaming, they casually added a littlement. "Well, let¡¯s see... today we¡¯re going to challenge a few high-difficulty missions, and then AP, right? Oh, and there¡¯s that new pentasquad mode for five people..." "Ugh, that¡¯s hard and boring. There are too many people, so I just yed normal games and only won once." "...Right, that person was AP rank tier 2." "Wait, Iris is tier 2 too? It¡¯s low considering they¡¯re under the Master, but judging by how hard she works, it seems like she doesn¡¯t have time for personal training..." With that, Iris nced sideways but nodded slightly, signaling her agreement. Meanwhile, Sonia threw a tantrum about how it would be harder with two tier 2 people in normal games, but, of course, she waspletely ignored. And then some time passed¡ª [Alert: Multi-streaming begins. // User recognition in progress... Sonia Eutero, Dendrobia Salus, Evelyn Dreamweaver, Iris Beatricia confirmed.] [Alert: Chat window split. You can now check the viewers'' reactions during gamey using the user interface features.] "Hello, it¡¯s Sonia." "Salus here! We¡¯re trying again for the cob that got canceledst time!" "Hello, everyone¡­ I already introduced everyone, but it¡¯s been a while. The whole Ste Universe ss of 3rd years is here, and as you can see, today¡¯s special guest is Iris, who couldn¡¯t joinst time... Hey, what¡¯s with the expression?" "Ah, did we start the stream? I still had some exining to do."
    • The third-year debutants are all here w
    • Wow, so many reptiles! So many reptiles! So many reptiles!
    • EM rank! EM rank! EM rank! EM rank!
    • Be careful, if you talk about EM rank wrong, you¡¯ll get kicked out
    • I didn¡¯t do it lol
    • Iris is embarrassed lol
    Iris suddenly felt everyone¡¯s gaze turn toward her, and the sunlight shining through the leaves of the trees nted around Central Park HQ seemed to fragment and scatter, creating a beautiful sight. And within that, a figure naturally appeared. It was Eugene. "...Gasp." "Oh, mm-mmm..." "Master, Master...?" "What¡¯s this? Eugene-sensei wanted to meet you all after hearing about you, so I was going to exin and ask if it¡¯s okay to join, but I guess it¡¯s toote now. Amen..." -???????????????
    • ????????????????????????????
    • Speedwagon) Ste Universe 3rd years debuted based on avatars created riding the rising poprity of reptiles
    • Thanks, Speedwagon!
    • What are you doing calling him Master in front of him ????????????
    Though clearly a woman, she gave off a sharp, de-like feeling. Every movement was clean and precise, her expression cold like ice. It was as if a lightning bolt or a single sword had been forged into a woman¡¯s form, standing right there. A chilling voice escaped her lips. "I¡¯ve heard that there are hologram idols modeled after reptiles, but this is the first time I¡¯ve met them in person. It¡¯s a pleasure." "...I think I¡¯m gonna pee myself." "Don¡¯t say things like that in a ce like this..." Among the nervous followers, the god had descended. It was summer. Chapter 615 "I thought you''d tell me, but did Ie too early?" "Hmm, rather than that... they started the streaming a bit early. I might have missed the timing to speak. But anyway, it¡¯s fine since you came in person." "In that case..."
    • What is this? LOL
    • Wow, all the third-years have their heads smashed with that expression. LOL
    • Iris, you idiot, how could you hide something like this? LOL
    • Fact: It wasn¡¯t hidden; they started broadcasting before she could even speak.
    • What does it matter to them? LOL
    Silence. No, more urately, it was silence, except for Iris and Eugene. The silence had descended upon the heart of the Dark Zone''s Central Park HQ. More than half of the five people present in the private session couldn¡¯t speak anguage that any human might use. No one spoke, only staring at each other. Because of that, all the members of the Ste Universe were unaware that the real-time viewer count disyed on one side of the UI had skyrocketed from four digits to five digits, and almost six digits. But there was no time to pay attention to it, nor any opportunity to think about it. The reason was simple. As I had said before, the inspiration for the entire third-generation of Ste Universe hologram idols was Eugene, and at the same time, they were filled with fandom for him. Of course, Iris was a frencer with no particr affiliation. "Nice to meet you. I¡¯m not here to interrupt your stream, so don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just... I happened to learn about your existence recently. So, I wanted to take the opportunity to meet you in person." "Ah, e. It¡¯s an honor to meet you in person...!" "I... I don¡¯t know what to say..." "Ah, of all things, a handshake in virtual reality... If it had been in real life, I might not have washed my hands for a week." "Please wash your hands often."
    • Wow, such a precise cut-off LOL
    • Saying "wash your hands" to followers, really? LOL
    • Um, awkward situation ww
    • These guys aren¡¯t even thinking about RP, huh? LOL
    • How can you roley when a god shows up? LOL
    But they didn¡¯t hear any of that. The reason was simple. The entire third generation of Ste Universe, also referred to as "Biyams," basically... had an unusual level of admiration or fandom for Eugene, more than anyone else. To be precise, this was intended by thepany. However, that didn¡¯t mean they were created just out of fandom¡ªrather, it was assumed that the deeper the fandom for Eugene, the stronger the affection for the character they were assigned. Additionally, as an unwritten tribute,mon terms like "master" or "god" were included in their settings, all pointing directly to one person. Since this wasn''t just a temporary setting made for external appearances, the hologram idols could more easily immerse themselves in their roles, and at the same time, engage in what could be called "fan service." That part was fine. The downside, if any, was that when they actually met the original Eugene, they couldn¡¯t handle it. "Iris, if you were going to bring the god here, you should have told us in advance...!" "This is strange. I was sure I was going to tell you, but it seems the people who started the stream were already here... Ugh!" "Alright, nothing happened here. Salus, due to an unexpected ident, is leaving now. Please go inside." "Don¡¯t block me!" "It seems like the stream can¡¯t continue. Should I step outside for a bit?"
    • Don¡¯t grab my pants leg LOL
    • Is this really a coboration? Feels like they¡¯re surrounded by obsessed fans?????
    • Of course, since you brought Biyam, the cob is already ruined LOL
    • (Roughly saying that Biyam showed up)
    • Why would Biyam editor bring themselves along? LOL
    Of course, there was no way that was happening. The three of them, ignoring their pride and everything else, actually grabbed Eugene¡¯s pants leg and wouldn¡¯t let go, while Biyam skillfully avoided them, as if she had experienced something simr in the past. Could this be the end of the broadcast? Iris thought this, but from another perspective, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. After all, most streamers do this to increase viewership, gain poprity, and create a positive feedback loop. It might seem weird, but Eugene''s appearance was a win-win for everyone. And no one forced him toe out, right? Iris decided to think that way, and remarkably, it made her feel at ease. How much time passed? Themotion gradually started to die down. The unexpected situation was smoothed over, and it was now time for the others, except Iris, to formally introduce themselves. The woman modeled after the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl, Sonia Eutero. The woman modeled after a poison dart frog, with a blue hood, Dendrobia Salus. The woman modeled after a dragon, the sleepyhead, Evelyn Dreamweaver. When the introductions were finished, Eugene pped in response, but thought to himself. ¡®...Yeah, I figured something like this would happen.¡¯ Still, she had long since gotten used to seeing female avatars, who clearly didn¡¯t fit into a battlefield, wearing various gear and waiting to be deployed intobat. Maybe it was because she had be too used to this world, or because everything that had happened recently had been chaotic ¡ª but it didn¡¯t really matter. Dying in front of those who were waiting to enter battle didn¡¯t match her temperament, so... Eugene spoke up. "Anyway, I¡¯ve achieved the purpose ofing here today, and I think it¡¯s time to stop interfering with your stream... it was a short meeting, but I enjoyed it." "Eh, eh, it¡¯s not a disturbance at all. Really!" "None of us, including the viewers, think you¡¯re interfering with the broadcast! Please don¡¯t leave¡ª!" "...Alright, I understand. But don¡¯t cling to me too much. As long as I¡¯m here, I could easily overshadow your existence, so I¡¯ll support you from behind. Make sure to show yourselves off as much as you can up front."
    • Fact: Yep.
    • Honestly, just having Biyam there would be enough to make things stable LOL
    • If you¡¯re invited, you should at least stretch out, but you¡¯re taking it seriously? LOL
    • That¡¯s... ¡®Biyam¡¯s choice¡¯...
    • If I had a bad feeling when I saw them, Biyam would¡¯ve left first LOL They¡¯re probably with us because they think it¡¯s fine based on their Awakened intuition.
    Naturally, no one was particrly moved by thatment. Strictly speaking, this wasn¡¯t something Eugene was doing for self-promotion through streaming, and he was fully aware that he was the one who had intruded into this broadcast. But the specifics didn¡¯t matter much to them, and Eugene already knew from Iris what kind of content the streamers were nning for today. The UN General Assembly¡¯s hardest difficulty, if cleared, the Grand Central Terminal¡¯s hardest difficulty, and then the remaining eight missions, one after another, and finally moving on to AP. Eugene¡¯s role today was to provide fire support from the rear and y the squad leader. "You won¡¯t hear strict orders from me, so let¡¯s just go with the flow. I won¡¯t interfere with your personal ystyles, so feel free to y as if I¡¯m here or not." "Got it." "Thanks for the fire support¡ª!" "But how are you nning to do that?" And so, there was a brief pause. However, at that point, they had be so focused on Eugene as a person that they briefly forgot about what he actually was, and¡ªBoom. The Gepard M6, not the 50-caliber, but a ridiculous 14.5mm caliber rifle, was ced with a sound that almost seemed like it would crush the table. Eugene easily lifted it, inserted the magazine, and pulled the bolt back. With a metallic sound, a long brass shell,rger than a human hand, briefly shed before disappearing. With the sniper rifle in hand, almost like a handgun, Eugene set the safety switch and added. "You can leave the annoying ones to me." "...We¡¯re leaving the enemies for you, right?" "Probably."
    • Of course. This crazy bastard LOL
    • Did you reallye to help them not get overshadowed? LOL
    • Fact: Trusting was a mistake.
    • Fooled again LOL
    • If you want to suppress your presence, at least put on a suppressor LOL
    Of course. Iris, or rather, the former first editor of Eugene, who had just be one of his followers¡ªshe realized for the first time why everyone who yed alongside Eugene often lost all sense of reason. But this was just the beginning. "PVE mission challenge, it¡¯s been a while. It¡¯s from before I even hired an editor, so has it been almost two years already..." "...That was before I joined, right?" "It was the mission to retake the power nt below Manhattan. It happened just a few days after I first met Dice... but why the strange look?"
    • "The look of a female who has discovered apetitor"
    • Iris, lez lez...
    • Lez (not)
    • Editor gay LOL
    • I heard she became EM rank, is she using the same avatar she¡¯s using now? LOL
    • The editor¡¯s probably thinking, "Does she have any videos I haven¡¯t worked on?" LOL
    The first editor¡¯s look was definitely off. Eugene thought to himself while pretending not to notice. As soon as the mission started, the surroundings changed. It wasn¡¯t the neat entrance to the UN General Assembly, where there wasn¡¯t even a single vehicle, but the scene of a city abandoned during the early stages of the Omega virus outbreak. An extremely difficult mission that only a few highly trained individuals could attempt. Hundreds of enemy special forces and drones would pour in. Normally, this mission would require 4 teams of 4. But now, they were only five, which was already an extraordinary situation. Eugene casually revealed that, in the past, he and Dice had cleared the hardest difficulty mission as a duo. It was natural that everyone¡¯s jaws dropped. "...Still, knowing that we¡¯re on the same side is reassuring." "It feels like we could crush everything, not just be reassuring..." "Stop talking and get ready quickly. Iris, you¡¯re the point man today, so bring the ballistic shield." "What? Iris is the shield bearer? Can we expect EM-level power from that?" "Well, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll do it well, since it¡¯s my first time..."
    • Oh right, she¡¯s now Awakened LOL
    • Seriously, someone didn¡¯t even notice her powers yet
    • Fact: Even Biyam took almost 3 months to recognize what she looked like
    • She didn¡¯t hide it, but she did hide it LOL
    • Thought she was just an E2, didn¡¯t think she¡¯d use the same avatar...
    As they prepared, Iris'' UI received a secret message from Sonia. And¡ª
    • [...Iris. Did you... just grab the grenade with your snake tail and bring it back?]
    Iris¡¯ red pupils gleamed, and her tail stiffened. Naturally, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t have been caught.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 616 "Why does your expression look so deadpan again, Iris?" "Ah, Teacher..." "It seems like someone caught you using your tail. I thought so." "Well... when the EMP grenade rolled towards me earlier, I identally grabbed it with my tail without realizing it. I think Sonia saw me do that." "Is she someone you can trust?" "Uh..." She was caught so quickly¡ªthose words almost slipped out of my mouth. Since it was a privatemunication, there was no concern about anyone else overhearing our conversation, and from checking the bait in the chat room with around 450,000 people, it seemed Sonia was still keeping quiet about it. But how long could she stay quiet, I wondered. ncing over, I suspected that her silence was probably the peak of her patience. At this moment, when focus was crucial for each person, being distracted by other thoughts could be quite problematic. It would probably be better to address the issue and resolve the doubts now. After that thought, I said¡ª "...Well, it''s a little embarrassing." "Do you really want to get hit?" In just a week, a very feminine, tail-waving, twisted character was born. Anyway, whether this was due to the hidden feminine side of this person being revealed after the TS transformation, or if it was because their mind was catching up with their body, wasn''t all that important. The issue was that Sonia couldn''t focus on thebat. Besides, when I briefly spoke with the editor before the broadcast, I heard that I had actually prepared to reveal this fact in advance today. And the result? "...I-I¡¯ll reveal it, but please don¡¯t look at me so intensely. It¡¯s overwhelming." "You don¡¯t need to tell everyone. Just tell the one who¡¯s not focusing right now. Once this mission ends, we¡¯ll see how things go. A few days ago, Dice and Harmonie also proudly revealed their identities¡­ just kidding, their cases are different." "Yeah... there aren''t many cases where someone changes this dramatically in history. The only two cases where someone changed their gender happened in an incident at the end of June." "You¡¯ve been through a lot." And so, Iris fluttered her tail and quietly approached Sonia. It didn¡¯t seem like she was avoiding it, so she probably wasn¡¯t opposed to it, but the likelihood was that she was genuinely embarrassed. That seemed likely. The change was so unique and dramatic after all. Irismunicated secretly with her, as if no one noticed¡ª ©¤©¤©¤! It was as if she had been electrocuted, Sonia almost leaping out of her seat. What should I say... I wondered if this felt something like when Archimedes shouted "Eureka." Of course, I would never know. In any case, she covered her mouth with her hands, trying as hard as she could to stop any scream from slipping out. Since we were on our way to the nextbat location, I wasn¡¯t too focused on it, and Iris came up beside me and added: "I thought it would be hard to say, but this is way more fun than I thought!" "Yeah, well done. With this, we¡¯ve ovee another hurdle¡­ Ah, without thinking, I just patted your head like I do with Harmonie or Dice. Was that not okay?" "...Actually, that feels way stranger than earlier. What should I say? I never thought I¡¯d be the one being petted." "..." Maybe I''m leading her to... what¡¯s that word... ¡®female corruption¡¯? Maybe that''s what''s happening here. I pushed that ominous thought aside, and we climbed the spiral stairs that connected the underground and ground level to enter the courtyard. Naturally, everything around us was tightly guarded, and there were countless turrets already in operation. At that moment, another memory passed through my mind. ''...The other assault teams had set up a ton of booby traps in advance, lured the enemies by drawing aggro, then blew them up and wiped them out, breaking through at one point.'' It was quite a decent strategy. Especially when considering that once aggro is drawn, enemies would infinitely spawn at set intervals from surrounding buildings, making it even more effective. Unfortunately, our numbers were too small. I reviewed what we had to do. The objective was surprisingly simple. We just needed to wipe out the enemies guarding the turrets and then alter the algorithm to target the enemies as shooting targets. If that didn''t happen, thebat here would continue endlessly... Thud. "Huh?" "We¡¯ll lead the way. The remaining three, if you have stealth drones, please use them to tag the enemies around us." "Ugh, it feels like we¡¯re being carried by the god right now..." "Now that you mention it, that¡¯s not wrong. If so, how about I control the stealth drones, and you guys try using them?" "Uh, well..." Seconds ticked by¡ª "I-I¡¯ll do it!" "Me too!" "Wh-what''s going on? Is it weird if I don¡¯t do it?" "Hehe, if you fail, we¡¯ll step in. Don¡¯t worry, just go for it." With a somewhat confused expression on Iris¡¯s face, I took the stealth drone. I connected the drone to the tablet and activated it. The drone floated slowly in the air, its propellers spinning very slowly, making it almost invisible to anyone outside. About three minutester, the drone, now fully blended with the darkness, began observing a za in front of the UN General Assembly. There appeared to be about onepany of enemies nearby. The ping for movement wasing in well, so the connection seemed fine. "Everyone, focus on thems and carefully observe where the pings are. As long as you listen to me, you won¡¯t die. Probably." "Probably!?" "Even if we die, we¡¯ll just wipe out the nearby enemies and revive. Don¡¯t worry if we fail, just go ahead and try." "...Is our god actually Ares?"@@novelbin@@ "I think it¡¯s more terrifying that you, Evelyn, are saying that so boldly." Of course, there wasn¡¯t time to talk further, and the three of us began moving forward. Considering turret firing angles, rotation speeds, the positions of mini-gunners, and detection ranges of the sensors, I continuously pinged and gave real-time orders through thems. Even so, since we couldn¡¯t move all three at once, only Salus could reach the position to control the turret. After hearing the asional rattling sounds from inside the building, and not long after, a shared vision showed Salus sessfully taking control of the building and hijacking the turrets. Now, we just needed to hijack thest one, and then synchronize our shooting to wipe out the nearby enemies¡ªthen something unusual caught my eye. I might have misseen it, but through a brief window in the disy, I saw someone lifting a rocketuncher, aiming it¡ª "¡­Damn it, Salus. Get out of there now!" "Eh¡ª" ©¤©¤©¤KABOOM! The fight began immediately. But due to the overwhelming difference in numbers, there was little we could do, and the friends outside fell one by one, shouting theirst words before copsing onto the concrete or asphalt. It couldn¡¯t be helped. It was time for me to take matters into my own hands. Although I had died, I could still hear my voice, so I activated the automatic scan feature on the tablet-connected drone and pulled out a tomahawk from my pocket. As Iris¡¯s expression strangely changed behind me, I added: "My mistake. Let¡¯s agree that we¡¯ll wipe out those friends outside in exchange for your lives." "...Shall I take the lead?" "You know well. Hold the ballistic shield and move forward." In that moment, the assault troops rushed in. As their bodies collided, 14.5mm rounds cut through the air, and three enemies dropped on the spot like cut dolls. Confirming that the deration of war had been sessfully delivered, Iris and I¡ªwell, mostly I¡ªbegan crushing everything in sight. Five minutes before the za in front of the building was bathed in silence. "I want to touch Iris¡¯s tail..." "Hey, Sonia. You¡¯re RP¡¯ing out." "Wh-what are you talking about? I¡¯m not!" -Fact: It¡¯s already been heard -Why so sudden, haha -It¡¯s just an avatar, she¡¯ll let you touch it -The tail is more attractive than the soul-crafted avatar -Iris went full female mode today, must¡¯ve been that -No, don¡¯t use that word, it reminds me of the red pill Sonia¡¯s inner thoughts slipped out. After a long battle, she was half-dazed, but she had to keep it together. If she wasn¡¯t careful, the shocking truth she had heard earlier might slip from her mouth. Someday¡ªrather, very soon¡ªit would be revealed. But for now, it was only Sonia who knew the truth: Iris¡¯s real form had be identical to her avatar. Perhaps this could be the highlight of today¡¯s broadcast. Well, it wasn¡¯t so much a highlight as it was a truth only the person involved could share, but regardless, it couldn¡¯te from anyone else. Shocked by the forced red pill¡ªor rather, blue pill¡ªSonia regained her senses slightly and discreetly scanned her surroundings. The hardest mission in the UN Assembly was quietly wrapping up, with Evelyn and Salus looking half-dazed. They had gone off the rails in a different way. The number of viewers for Eugene alone had surpassed 1.15 million. Given that the maximum number of viewers usually topped out around 15,000 when the three of them gathered and talked¡ªthough that was already a lot¡ªit was an absurd number. Because of this, most of the people there became even more focused on the battle, and the bacsh was alreadying. But... ''...It looks like there¡¯s no intention to hide this at all, huh?'' Whether she thought no one would notice, or if she was just losing her mind. Though they were still rtively far away, Iris, without going beyond the range of sight, was subtly wrapping her tail around Eugene''s arm,ughing joyfully. What should I say? It almost seemed unnecessarily sacred. Since the avatar itself was created based on that motif, it made sense, but... ''Does this mean her behavior changes this much after TS? She¡¯s even more feminine than I am.'' Of course, everyone gathered here from Ste Universe¡¯s third cohort was female. With the poprization of holographic idols and the ability to set one''s voice separately through a voice mixer for use in virtual reality, gender boundaries became blurry, and it became easy to deceive one¡¯s gender. For this reason, holographic idols debuting under known agencies had to have the same gender in both their avatar and real form. The so-called red pill, or when the real identity is revealed, would be a disaster. On the other hand, holographic idols working independently without being tied to any agencies were not bound by such rules, so Iris had debuted with everyone already knowing who she was in real life. And then¡ª "What are you looking at, Sonia?" "Ughhh!" "Mom! What¡¯s going on? Why are you so surprised? Were you secretly watching something naughty? You turned off the first-person cam, right? The viewers don¡¯t know what they saw, so don''t worry." -Why are you so surprised, haha -What are you watching, haha -Been zoning out from the start, haha -Usually, it¡¯s Evelyn zoning out, but today Sonia¡¯s the one freaking out -What was she watching, probably watching something naughty, haha Thankfully, Sonia thought, "It seems like I wasn¡¯t noticed." She sighed deeply and regained her calm, while the rest of her peers continued talking on their own. "I¡¯m jealous, so jealous¡­ What was Iris¡¯s setting again? The Substitute of Ouroboros or something?" "It¡¯s totally legal fan service. Well, we¡¯re kind of doing it semi-legally today, aren¡¯t we?" "That¡¯s true. Anyway, you were secretly watching, right? I can¡¯t help but be startled when you suddenly tap my shoulder." "Right, right. Bad things are always done secretly. If you get caught, of course you¡¯re shocked." But even so, the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu didn¡¯t disappear from the conversation. And, as expected, someone opened their mouth first. When they heard the content, Sonia realized that maybe a woman¡¯s intuition was even sharper than she thought. "Is Iris acting strange today? Something¡¯s off about her." "Yeah, yeah. But, I¡¯m just understanding it. From an RP perspective, or even just from a general view, our employer and god personally showed up, right? I¡¯m holding back my fan girl feelings right now, you know?" "Yeah, probably. So, should the two of us join the audience? The front row seats are mine." "Watching is fine anywhere, but don¡¯t rx yet. We¡¯ve got several missions ahead." -This is a cob stream? Haha -This feels more like a fanmeeting review, haha -Summary: Jealous of Iris -They know Iris is pulling off those female moves, haha Meanwhile, heavy footsteps were heard from far away. It seemed like Eugene and Iris, who had been chatting, returned to their original spots and greeted the three of them. Iris was sticking by Eugene''s side like a personal secretary, and Eugene, not particrly concerned, spoke. "The first mission ended smoothly. There were a few tough spots, but you all have the basic skills to make it possible." "Ah, all thanks to the god." "Right, right." "...I won¡¯t mention that strange nickname, as it¡¯s a headache. Anyway, since I don¡¯t know exactly how much stamina you all have, we¡¯ll take a 15-minute break and then move on to the next mission. No problem, right?" "Yeah... huh? Eh?" "Ugh." "...?" Suddenly, strange sounds echoed. It was something like when you see something you shouldn¡¯t, or when you witness a strange scene. Since neither Eugene nor Iris knew what was happening at first, they looked around, and the answer came soon. Iris¡¯s white tail was gently swirling around Eugene¡¯s waist. Naturally, two of the three members of the third cohort had tails, but those were part of the avatars. They could only perform repetitive movements, with no bullet hit detection and no physics engine applied. If you wanted to see that kind of thing, emotional expression and interaction were necessary. However, Iris¡¯s tail was about to wrap around Eugene¡¯s waist carefully, and as soon as Eugene noticed, it stopped moving and was pulled back from behind his back. It was an instinct Iris herself didn¡¯t even realize. Watching the situation, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but say something. "...Iris. Isn¡¯t it time to just openly admit it?" Although Iris didn¡¯t intend to do so, as it turned out, she was right. The broadcast was about to burst out just 20 secondster. Chapter 617 "Wait, so the avatar... is identical to the real-life form? Did it change like that during the event for the Manifestors?" "...Yes." "Sonia, why aren''t you saying anything?!" "I knew a bit earlier than the two of them." -HAHAHAHAHAHA -"What the hell did you just say???????????????" -"The white-haired TS Bi-Yam nun is here ww" -"Why is this real though??" -"Is this the world where if you wish for it, it happens?? Do we just need to offer a prayer to the sky?" -"Dice and Harmonie turned into Bi-Yam too, but what the hell is going on??" The world was full of Bi-Yams. Of course, at this point, all the content we had discussed before the stream had gone out the window. In other words, there were things far more important than clearing the highest difficulty mission. What was to follow was obvious. A sort of "hearing" would begin, and at the center of it stood Iris... our editor, who had recently changed her name to Baek Hye-jeong. If things had gone as they were supposed to, we would have only known that Iris had undergone a physical change to the Serpentia ss, but as I was saying this, things had clearly gone differently. The editor, half-dazed by the attention of 2 million viewers, didn''t exactly explode in a rush... but she did go a bit overboard. So, what was the nature of her mild overreaction? "...When did you take this photo?" "It was a selfie I took to send to my parents, but I didn''t think it would end up being shown like this..." "Don¡¯t lie. Anyone could tell by your expression that you were wondering how it would look when shown." "...I guess, even if I¡¯m bad at taking photos, it doesn¡¯t matter if I look good, huh?" -LOL -What the hell, really??? -That¡¯s the Bi-Yam nun for you, haha -What the hell is going on? This is too real! -Why does her avatar look so much like her real self, haha She had shown a selfie she had taken. As she said, though theposition and everything was in, it didn¡¯t matter much since¡ªjust like in any TS transformation¡ªif you look good, it¡¯s all good. For me, though, the fact that the photo was taken in one of my many bedrooms in my house was more of a concern. I had lent it to her, but I still wondered when it had been taken. It was obvious from the picture that Iris was wearing something I provided. More specifically, it was something I wore at my house. Honestly, it couldn''t have been any other way since when I drove to her house and picked her up, what kind of clothes was she wearing? ''...What else but that absurd nun outfit?'' Though viewers seemed to want that outfit, I guessed I could keep it safely at my house, so maybe someday she¡¯d wear it. Of course, I never wore it, but I instinctively realized that it would fit my body perfectly. It even had a hole for the tail. But I would never wear it. Anyway, "How did you know, Sonia?" "I saw Iris-chan picking up the EMP grenade with her tail while we were entering the assembly hall through the smoke." "And after that, she couldn¡¯t manage her tail, and we ended up noticing it too." "Iris... didn¡¯t you have no intention of hiding it, huh?" "Ugh, please stop, I¡¯m embarrassed..." -LOL, her ears turned red, haha -So they¡¯re updating from the red pill to the blue pill now, haha -That¡¯s why she¡¯s been showing those female moves, haha -Seriously, is Iris a genius at making people mad? -Seriously, TS might just be the future hope¡­ Exactly. Anyway, I didn¡¯t participate actively in the conversation at that point. There was no point in adding more unnecessary exnations. And Iris was about to debut solo, so she needed to get used to a lot of viewers. So, in this case, my involvement should be minimal. Though Iris didn¡¯t seem to agree with that. She kept ncing at me, and her tail was subtly wrapping around my arm. There was a slight unease in her eyes, and her tail moved on its own, not quite in sync with her intentions. Early-stage Manifestors tend to have their minds and bodies out of sync. Maybe I should fix that today. "Ugh, stop wrapping your tail around my arm!" "Ah, I didn¡¯t mean to." "Ah, I¡¯m so jealous... Oh wait, never mind. Iris, you didn¡¯t hear anything." "Well, if the tail has a tactile sensor, I guess the avatar was recalibrated, huh? I wonder why I didn¡¯t notice that sooner." "I guess Iris was really into her avatar from the start. It¡¯s understandable. Even if she says it wasn¡¯t on purpose." -So it¡¯s the view beam angle -Seriously, Iris has been depending on Bi-Yam, haha -Breaking news: Iris¡¯s YouSpace channel has surpassed 400k subscribers -Didn¡¯t it just hit 200k yesterday? LOL I had heard a bit about this before. Was this the story? Around six months ago, strange illustrations¡ªpossibly the model for Iris''s current avatar¡ªhad been posted in our Eugene Squad chat and deleted a few times. Anyway, the conversation continued in a different direction, and soon, Iris had revealed everything about herself, and the broadcast turned into a Q&A session about EM-level Manifestors. It didn¡¯t take long before it became clear. "So, are you ying in hardcore mode like Eugene now?" "Like, can you easily lift heavy stuff? Punch harder?" "Well, not quite that much. But I guess I¡¯ve gotten a bit strongerpared to before..." "Does the poisone out now?" "..." "No, seriously!?" -LOL "What, isn¡¯t original Bi-Yam supposed to not have poison??" "Most snakes have venom, though, haha" "Ah, I see now, haha" "Ah, no wonder the avatar''s fangs were so long, haha" Exactly. Unlike Harmony and Dice, who seemed to be based on an anaconda, Iris was apletely different kind of Bi-Yam. Maybe it was the result of not being set during the design phase. Her face, already white like flour, and her pointed ears turned bright red. As she lowered her head, I continued with the exnation. "Given that it¡¯s a blood-coagting venom, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s part of the viper family¡ªprobably not a cobra, but a viper... The issue is the quantity and toxicity, which have never been observed in the wild." "...Eh?" "Still, it¡¯s clear that it doesn¡¯te out unless she consciously focuses on it, so don¡¯t worry about dying from identally biting your tongue. Open your mouth for me." "Uwaang." "Can you all see her fangs?" "Umm..." -Our god is forcing open the believer¡¯s mouth, haha -Why is everyone in Bi-Yam suddenly showing poison abilities? This feels off... -From today, the national animal of Korea is the Bi-Yam, haha -Isn¡¯t blood-coagting venom something you¡¯d have to amputate if you get bitten??? Though she was about to cry from embarrassment, I gently poked her cheek with my finger and made her open her mouth. Between her red mucous membranes, I could see the impressive length of her fangs. Within them, I could faintly see a thin, almost transparent space¡ªresembling a tube. So that¡¯s why it¡¯s called "fangs." Anyway, "It seems like there are still plenty of questions left, so we might as well put off shooting for now, right?" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Specially, I¡¯ll work with our editor here to answer your questions, so you¡¯d better get ready with the questions you wanted to ask." If not today, it might never happen again. Thinking that, I smiled and ced my hand on the editor¡¯s head, scratching her chin with my finger. With the sound of something melting beneath me, today¡¯s "Dark Zone" broadcast came to an end. Of course, if we looked at it from another perspective, the talk show had just begun. "Wow, we¡¯re all people who¡¯ve changed our bodies, but Iris is number one on the real-time search. I don¡¯t know if I should congratte her." "Congrats, congrats. With this, Iris will probably be second in poprity after Eugene among the four EM-level Manifestors in Korea." "...Are you teasing me, or congratting me?" "Don¡¯t mind them. They talk without thinking." And so, the usual livelybat against our editor continued¡ªthough now that they were also Manifestors, pushing them away was a bit more challenging. Our editor, looking clueless, asked. "How do you have such authority, Eugene?" That question.@@novelbin@@ Of course, before I could answer, Dice and Harmony grinned and leaned in to whisper in her ears. About 10 secondster, she reacted. "Wha, wha, what, Emm... waahhh¡ª! Really!?" "...That¡¯s the most extreme reaction I¡¯ve seen in a while. If it gets this big, it¡¯s almost embarrassing." And so, one more person learned about our parents. This was the Bi-Yam cartel. Chapter 618 "Iris, what do you want to eatter... Ah, you¡¯re working, huh? Should Ie backter?" "No, it''s almost done. It''s fine if youe in. And as for the name... No, it¡¯s better to just stick with Iris." "Still not used to the new name, huh?" "Yeah." The door clicked open, and two figures with slightly different coloring from Yujin entered the room. Sitting on a hole-riddled chair that seemed custom-designed for Yujin was the editor, while the two recent "awakened" individuals quietly took seats on the bed in the room. The room itself wasn¡¯t anything special¡ªnothing too borate, but certainly not too in either. Unlike Dice¡¯s or Harmony¡¯s rooms, it was in and calm, with just enough decor. The high-performance video editingputer, multiple monitors, and microphones set up here, along with a quietly sleeping drone cam, made it clear that this was an editing space. Her body had changed to that of a woman, but her personality still retained masculine traits. The sparse nature of the room reflected that, as she hadn¡¯t yet fully embraced her new self. But that wasn¡¯t what they were here to talk about, and the two neers nced at the four screens, making their way into the conversation. "So, are you nning to go back to being an editor too?" "If possible, yes. I¡¯ve been juggling both for nearly half a year, so it¡¯s not too difficult... and above all, I have a real attachment to this job." "I get what you mean." Iris. She was the one who got Yujin started with the official operation of YourSpace and, in a way, she was the very beginning. She had been part of Yujin¡¯s team from the start, almost like the "chief" of the group. The circumstances under which she met Yujin were also different from anyone else¡¯s. In the past, she had operated Yujin¡¯s fan space without anypensation, and Yujin eventually bought the entire channel and brought her in as an editor. Dice quickly turned his gaze around, noting that Iris had entered Yujin¡¯s sphere right after Harmony, meaning she had started much earlier than Dice. Of course, such distinctions weren¡¯t too meaningful, but one thing was clear: Iris was proud of her role as an editor and could never part with it. "Yujin¡¯s off doing something, and we didn¡¯t really have anything to do, so we were thinking of having a girls'' talk... but looks like you¡¯re working." "As I mentioned earlier, I¡¯m almost done. But speaking of a girls'' talk... is that really a thing?" "Hehe, now you don¡¯t want to deny it, right?" "How could I deny it..." A slight gloom filled the air. But as she said this, Iris added: "Still, as I mentioned earlier, it¡¯s better to just stick with calling me Iris than the new name. I¡¯ve been going by that name for months, so..." "Ah, really? You should tell Yujin when you get to his houseter. I think he''s been trying to figure out how to call youtely." "Ugh, you¡¯re kidding..." Dice and Harmony burst into giggles, while Iris, flustered, grabbed her phone and quickly sent a message to Yujin. From now on, Yujin would continue to call the editor Iris. The girls'' talk continued. "Have you talked with the other editors or thumbnail creators? I remember there were so many at Yujin¡¯s house party a while back. It¡¯s probably even more now, huh?" "Of course. Actually, I feel a bit bad. Yujin recently said he¡¯d send us all on a trip, but it got dyed because of me..." "It¡¯s a natural disaster, really. Don¡¯t worry about it. Have you noticed how Yujin has been focused on taking care of Iristely? It¡¯s just unavoidable." "...I know." Iris rolled her eyes and lowered her head slightly. Her face was now flushed, and her ears were red. Because her skin was pale, the blush was even more noticeable. Honestly, it was almost impossible not to notice that Yujin had been paying close attention to Iris''s care. Even though she had the strong personality of someone who didn¡¯t care much and had no problem hunting for "Bi-Yam tails,"paring her to Harmony and Dice, whose appearance hadn¡¯t changed much, was odd. Because of that, the two were focusing less on why Yujin acted the way he did and more on Iris¡¯s reaction. ''...This person is acting like an anime heroine!'' ''...A rival?'' ''What rival? Get a grip.'' They truly saw her reacting like a heroine. Given that it had only been less than two weeks since her body changed, it was surprising. With this in mind, the two whispered in a low voice behind Iris, who was trying to regain herposure. It seemed there was no major problem in the message they would deliver to Yujinter. From their conversation, it was clear that the two hade at Yujin¡¯s request. While virtual reality was a part of it, people couldn¡¯t live confined only to rooms. The uing expo, just a month away, was a good reminder of this. Society might tolerate it, but people had to go outside. And these two had brought a couple of excuses to go out with them. "Anyway, I¡¯m d to hear the work is almost done. Since I¡¯ve only been staying at Yujin¡¯s house after meeting my parents, I was thinking of taking a light walk outside. Wannae?" "Let¡¯s go shopping. A new brand that Olivia was working as the lead designer for just opened in the luxury street area. How about we check it out? We can grab some food, walk around, have some coffee, and walk in Hangang Park." "Ugh, suddenly?" "Staying cooped up in the house is a waste, a waste. Let¡¯s go now!" "No, wait! I wasn¡¯t just staying at home¡ªWAAAAAAH!" Dragged along, Iris was quickly targeted by Harmony and Dice the moment it was confirmed that the work was almost done. ording to some simple math, to subdue one "awakened" person, two awakened people were needed. So, Iris was taken to the fitting room, where various sensors scanned her body and assessed her skin tone and body proportions, setting up the most suitable style. What kind of makeup would suit her? What would be the best outfit for summer? Which essories would match her best? The results popped up: cool, sexy, cute. Then, the possible clothing options in the fitting room were categorized, some of which could be bought separately. Looking at this dazzling result, Iris''s face turned pale. "Ugh, this is gross..." "Huh, what¡¯s gross? I don¡¯t think you were eating anything." "It¡¯s because of you two that I ended up releasing venom!" "Eh?" Dice quickly grabbed some tissues nearby, and Iris wrapped her long fangs around them. A dark yellow liquid slowly soaked through the tissues. Once it calmed down, she was asked: "Sorry, but what does the venom taste like?" "A bit bitter, slightly sour, and... it¡¯s really strange. Anyway, how can you drag me out like that! I can¡¯t just throw the venom-soaked tissue away!" "Sorry..." "Really... If you¡¯d just asked, I would¡¯ve thought about it first. I¡¯m telling Yujin about thister." ...Was she really never a woman before? The thought that maybe she was even more feminine than they were crossed their minds briefly, but the two lowered their heads and apologized. Only then did Iris find herposure and add: "...But even though I met my parents, I was still thinking about getting used to being outside again. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been avoiding going out... I¡¯ve already gone out a few times when no one was home!" "Really?" "I even went to the SSM headquarters nearby. I was hoping to see some pro gamers, but turns out it was an idol training studio and artists'' studio... I totally got tricked." "Ah... if you want to see pro gamers, you should go to the headquarters in Wangsimni, Seongdong-gu. From what you¡¯ve said, it sounds like you¡¯ve been trapped there for a while..." "Well, they kindly guided me though." So why did Yujin tell Harmony and Dice to take her out? The answer was simple. "I secretly went out. I told the people working here not to say anything, and after I went out, I even took a shower." "...Good job. Anyway, if going outside for a change of scenery isn¡¯t a problem, then we¡¯ll follow through with the schedule as we were asked to." "No problem." "Then get dressed. Let¡¯s go out." With that, Dice and Harmony slipped out of Yujin¡¯s house to get dressed, leaving Iris alone in the fitting room. ''...Come to think of it, if we go just a bit further up from Ttukseom Hangang Park, the Ste Universe headquarters is there. Should I suggest we visit that too?'' Of course, Iris hadn¡¯t fully epted the sudden changes but wasn¡¯t inactive either. The chaotic triple Bi-Yam outdoor adventure was about to begin. "...Oh my, goodness." "The world has really changed a lot. I admit it. The things machines that evolve on their own can create are much more impressive than I expected." Near Central Park HQ, Roosevelt Ind. Yujin and the others watched in awe as a massive flying drone, several times the size of an aircraft carrier, moved factory-sized facilities from Norway to New York. It was an incredible feat. It was summer. "Now this is looking like something. Watching the ghost buildings scattered everywhere wasn¡¯t pleasant. It¡¯s a bit strange seeing all the familiar buildings gone, but..." "I don¡¯t know about that. It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve lived here in Central Park long enough to make such a statement. But by the way, why do our Mecha youngest ones look like puppies in need of a bathroom?" "Oh, them... It¡¯s because of Gaia. It¡¯s their first time dealing with someone with such massive influence joining in, so they¡¯re probably worried they¡¯ll lose their jobs." "Tsk..." Click. With that sound, the artificial warmth from arms, legs, and the waist attached to her grew. It was the Mecha monsters trying to subtlytch on. As I mentioned earlier, Gaia''s Icarus and the U.S. joining had caused a massive ripple effect. The weight of the terraforming technology was huge. I don¡¯t even know how this rtes to the Mecha youngest ones losing their jobs, but they probably feel like ¡®if this keeps up, we¡¯ll bepletely jobless!¡¯ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen. Anyway... "Quite a spectacle. Wasn¡¯t it about three meters per hour?" "If we sleep for a day or two, the nearby area will be ttened. It looks like they¡¯re separating reusable materials from the building supplies... this feels a bit strange, though. It almost seems like something that shouldn¡¯t happen is going on." "Don¡¯t think too deeply. Ultimately, all these buildings here were created for human convenience and needs, and if those needs are lost, the buildings be meaningless. It¡¯s a natural process of prosperity and decline." "Impressive words..." Zing. There was no need to ask how terraforming worked. What was happening right in front of them was that. Several silver spikes shot up higher than the top of the buildings. They wrapped around the buildings, and from them, redsers scanned the buildings. It didn¡¯t take long before the concrete scattered and the steel skeleton was exposed. The question of what to build here didn¡¯t really matter. The housing department would take care of that. But, a little imagination couldn¡¯t hurt. ''One good thing about this is that we could stop demolishing the buildings at any point...'' For example, we could just cut them off at the waist and use the remaining parts as needed. There was no doubt that, with so many government agencies, intelligence agencies, and military headquarters crammed into Central Park HQ, they¡¯d have to disperse some things around. But we weren¡¯t the only ones thinking that. The first goal was to move all the temporary buildings, the tangled mass of wires, and so on to nearby areas. After that, it was about building condos for the nearby citizens¡ªbasically apartments.@@novelbin@@ "Maybe ¡®Apartment Republic¡¯ is exactly what we need right now." "Did you say something, youngest?" "Ah, no." But given that the infrastructure had beenpletely destroyed, wouldn¡¯t it be more practical to build apartments for easy supply of water and electricity, and easier to monitor how many people live in each apartment? Well, it was apletely useless thought. As I said, it had nothing to do with us, who were busy with shooting and fighting. While I was thinking this, a familiar, but not entirely familiar voice reached me. "What¡¯s going on, why are the sisters clinging to the original? If you¡¯re not busy,e see the theme park being built. It looks like it¡¯ll be ready for trial runs in a few weeks." "Oh, that¡¯s quite... an interesting thing to say. What¡¯s the theme?" "That ce we visited with the originalst time. It¡¯s hard to fully replicate, but we¡¯ll improve it gradually... Anyway, we need people who¡¯ve been there to give their feedback." "Sounds good. Let¡¯s go." At that moment, just as if it were timed, the wind picked up, and a drone descended andnded. Instead of a helicopter, it was more of a drone¡ªa small one, but it could carry about three tonsfortably. We all climbed on. Today, Olivia, who had been hanging out elsewhere, came along, and we flew together to Coney Ind. For those who might not know, it¡¯s a neighborhood under Brooklyn. We flew through the ghost town, and after a while, we saw it. "...Wait a second." "Our youngest, what¡¯s with that ridiculously huge Mickey Mouse?" "That? Well, it seemed kind of dull from the sky, so I built a huge sculpture. How about it?" "...Should we talk about copyright or discuss your twisted sense of aesthetics?" "Just tear down that giant thing. You know what I mean?" "...Ugh..." The giant Mickey Mouse face was the first thing that caught our eyes. Naturally, before we even entered the theme park, an order for it to be demolished was issued. But there was something even more surprising: "Wow...!" "Why are we demolishing that, Archetype?" "It¡¯s huge! I¡¯m taking a photo!" "Is this what Mecha youngest ones like?" Well, you could say that. I sighed and began brainstorming how to correct the hopeless foresight and taste of our Mecha youngest ones. Maybe they just think bigger is better. "...Was it a mistakeing out here?" "It¡¯s toote now, isn¡¯t it? You should¡¯ve stopped me at the signing session, heh." "I knew it would end up like this as soon as the signing session started..." Meanwhile, in Seoul, Cheongdam-dong, the three Bi-Yams were surrounded by a crowd just 10 minutes after they stepped out. It was only natural. Chapter 619 "¡­I guess I should be grateful that the outfit is more or less eptable. But still, some things are kind of overwhelming. Especially the red cor and the buttons." "Well, your hair and eyes are already so unusual. The AI in the fitting room picked it out, remember? It doesn''t really look weird to me." "Honestly, I''m not sure why Iris feels so ufortable going out. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m used to being around someone who looks like her..." "Used to it?" "Yeah." Early July, somewhere in Gangnam, Seoul. Three women with unforgettable appearances walked together, and among them, the one on the far right, Iris, listened to Harmony¡¯sment with a nk expression, her eyes rolling in disbelief. Sure, her hair color could be easily replicated with dye, but those transparent, red eyespletely different from albino traits¡ªwhere had she ever seen such features for them to feel ¡®familiar¡¯? But just a few secondster, Iris realized what Harmony was talking about. Sharks. "...Ah." "The tail and such are a bit unique, but honestly, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much different from Lorenatina, really. And that person... I can¡¯t even imagine her being shy about how she looks." "Anyone who can imagine that should probably be the greatest fantasy novelist of the century." "Right?" "¡­I can¡¯t deny it." Iris had seen many raw videos, either edited by someone else or ones she¡¯d worked on herself. In the countless videos on Eugene''s YourSpace, Lorenatina¡¯s presence was unmatched, and there was no video of hers with fewer than 10 million views. It was because of this that they knew Lorenatina very well¡ªshe was the embodiment of ''my own way'' and had the most solid sense of self of anyone they had met since birth. She was like a rugby ball that could bounce anywhere, but at the same time, she was someone with an unshakable sense of self-discipline who never lost herposure no matter what situation she faced.@@novelbin@@ Well, of course, they knew it was impossible topare Iris to Lorenatina directly. But that didn¡¯t mean persuasion was ineffective. "Still, thanks to thatment, I feel a bit better. Last time, I was so flustered, I didn¡¯t even know what was going on, but now, I¡¯m just relieved to be with you guys." "Right? There¡¯s no one better at setting the mood than us, huh? Eugene would get bored without us." "¡­" "Come on, you¡¯re supposed to agree with that!" But despite those words, Iris¡¯s cold gaze didn¡¯t waver. And it wasn¡¯t surprising. More than half of the raw videos that had passed through their hands, edited by Harmony and Dice, were the ones where they were teasing Eugene. They both seemed to know this fact as well, and without further excuses, they fell silent. There was another reason why their voices lowered. "There are a lot of people around, huh? Out of every ten people we pass, all ten are staring. It¡¯s more ufortable than I thought, but... it¡¯s a little better being with you guys." "How did Eugene put up with these kinds of stares?" "How could he put up with it? He''s been through this before with Lorenatina. He probably wouldn¡¯t care if people stared. It¡¯s us who just changed our bodies recently who are the ones panicking." "I want to argue, but I can¡¯t, seriously." People began to gather around them. In a way, Harmony and the others seemed no different from celebrities appearing out of nowhere on the streets, but there was one key difference. No one took out their phones to take pictures or videos, nor did anyone hold out pens for autographs. They simply continued to watch, sighing regretfully, before disappearing in the direction they were supposed to go. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The four of them¡ªHarmony, Dice, Iris, and Eugene¡ªwere protected with the level of securityparable to the U.S. witness protection program, and it was strictly prohibited to take photos without consent. "Ah, everyone¡¯s hiding here. Come on, bring out your pens. I¡¯ll give you an autograph, even if it¡¯s nothing special. Do you recognize the person over there?" "Ah, wait, that... I don¡¯t exactly know them, but I¡¯ve seen them before. Their video is blowing up on YourSpace right now." "Wow, they¡¯re going to be famous soon. Hurry up and get three autographs!" They had an impable fan-service spirit. Taking photos without consent was illegal, and approaching for an autograph was even more daunting than asking celebrities for one, but if someone made the first move, the story changed. Soon, the people who had hesitated began to flood in, and Iris ended up getting involved in signing autographs too. Before her physical transformation, Iris had been running a YourSpace channel with around 200,000 subscribers, so it wasn¡¯t unusual for her to have a signature. Of course, now she had around a million subscribers. Having reached the EM-level, her physical strength was now light-years ahead of what it had been before. With that came increased confidence. And with her transformation into a manifestation, her outsider traits naturally corrected. How long had it been since then? "Iris! Iris! Iris!" "Teacher! Please visit the Ste Universe headquarters at least once!" "Dice! Harmony! Dice! Harmony! She''s a goddess!" "Did you drink the Bi-yam water and turn into a Bi-yam? I think you should contribute to the nationwide Bi-yamization!" "Your autograph is so beautiful!" "Woah, I think it¡¯s time to run. Bye, everyone! We came here to wander around, so if you didn¡¯t get an autograph, we¡¯ll see you next time!" The chaos greeted them. But rather than being surrounded in a circle, the crowd was more of a C-shape, and escape routes were open. Moreover, as they were EM-level, they could escape easily with strength far superior to that of ordinary people. And that¡¯s exactly what happened. The "Triple Bi-yams" quickly ran to a luxury store they had contacted beforehand. The destination was the second floor, and they could smell a familiar scent¡ªone that Olivia frequently used¡ªas they hurried inside. However, there was one regrettable point: they were in Cheongdam-dong, and some people walking by had the financial means to shop herefortably. In other words, they couldn¡¯t get to the VIP lounge on the second floor, but people were ready to pounce for autographs while using shopping as an excuse. After some time passed, the atmosphere began to calm down, and soon they began to notice the items disyed around them. Clothes, bags, wallets, and other goods, all designed in a striking mix of white, gray, and red, resembling the blood spilled between their eyes. Even amidst such expensive items, Harmony and Dice, except for Iris, maintained confident expressions. Then, as if remembering something, they spoke. "You know, I have Olivia¡¯s phone number. Should I give her a call? I think she¡¯s in Paris, so it should be around 8 AM there." "Oh, good idea. But I¡¯m not great at English¡­ still, I¡¯ll try." "Olivia, huh... Ah." "Iris, you should start familiarizing yourself too, right?" "Yeah?" My opinion!? Of course, it was lightly ignored, and after a few beeps, Harmony and Dice didn¡¯t really expect much. Unlike them, who were rxing, Olivia was incredibly busy. But after a while, they heard the voice.
    • [¡­Oh, I thought it was a strange number, but it¡¯s the new younger ones. How nice. You managed to call me in the morning.]
    • [Ah, hi. It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?]
    • [You¡¯re doing well matching the English. Thanks. Lorenatina called you the new younger ones, huh? I¡¯ll call you that too. Anyway, what¡¯s the reason for the call from the new younger ones, while I¡¯m in Paris?]
    • [Well, actually, we¡¯re here. Olivia¡¯s store, in Korea. A new brand.]
    • [Ah¡­]
    Her English was a bit awkward, but Oliviaughed, saying that was enough. Her speech was slower than usual as she continued.
    • [I kind of figured this would happen, but it looks like you guys arrived before the younger one. Thank you for that. If you were in Paris, I¡¯d at least treat you to a meal, but since I can¡¯t, it¡¯s unfortunate. I¡¯ll be visiting the Expo in Korea this year, so I¡¯ll see you then.]
    • [Oh, you¡¯reing to the Expo!?]
    • [Of course. Anyway, I¡¯m having breakfast now, so if you¡¯re okay with it, let¡¯s talkter. Alright?]
    • [Yeah. Thanks for the call, unnie!]
    • [Unnie, huh? How old do you think I am¡­ Ah, never mind. It¡¯s a meaningless question.]
    As the brief call ended, Olivia suddenly eximed as if realizing something.
    • [Oh, by the way, when they heard you became manifested, Shark got all fired up. He¡¯s nning to recruit all of you into the army, or something. Isn¡¯t that right?]
    • [¡­What? Wait, what did you say?]
    • [That¡¯s all I know. Ask the younger one about the rest. Alright, bye bye.]
    • [Wait, hold on! Wait¡ª]
    Click. The conversation ended, and the expressions of the three became increasingly difficult to describe. Having manifested, they no longer had any physical issues, and theirbat experience remained intact. Probably no one could stand up to Shark. Dice and Harmony felt a cold sweat run down their backs. It was the moment their shark phobia struck. "Ugh, it''s been crazy... I feel like it''s getting worsetely. Has the headquarters ever called us like this before?" "Individually, I don¡¯t know, but they''ve called me, Sonia, and Evelyn together almost three times now. The second time was just a few days ago." "Considering the situation, it¡¯s not surprising, but it feels so sudden." Not in virtual reality, but somewhere in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Three women, all in their mid-20s, leisurely walked through the bright sunlight inside a tall building¡ªthe headquarters of the hologram idol group Ste Universe. The subtlevender scent in the air tickled their noses, and the beautiful, clean interior was a delight to the eyes. Although they had explored the space before, it wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar. The walls of the space had some rules written on them instead of pictures or illustrations. One of them read:
    • [Hologram idols from Ste Universe should not call each other by name when they meet another hologram idol in the building.]
    It was a familiar phrase. To make this possible, thepany gave badges to the ¡°people inside¡± rather than employees. Therefore, as they walked through thepany, the three women had name tags with Sonia, Salus, and Evelyn on them. It wasn¡¯t easy to get used to, but at least inside thepany, it was necessary. With that thought in mind, the three of them headed toward thepany¡¯s merchandise shop and caf¨¦. When they presented their employee IDs, they got a 50% discount, a perk avable to them as quasi-employees. As sweet drinks and snacks arrived one by one, someone again broke the silence. "I hit 700k the other day." "I¡¯ve got 770k." "I¡¯ll hit 700k soon." "...Wasn¡¯t it just a few months ago we were averaging around 500k? What happened?" "I guess we weren¡¯t holding onto a lifeline, but more like a rocket¡¯s tether." Their tone was incredulous. It was hard to believe. After all, seeing a subscriber count increase by 50k or 100k after a single coboration wasn¡¯t impossible, but it was still astonishing. The three of them knew that it was quite feasible. However, experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different story¡ªespecially after the viewers saw 2 million subscribers when they broadcast with the two manifesters. But there was something else they couldn¡¯t ignore. "¡­Actually, the rise isn¡¯t even over, is it? I¡¯m kind of starting to get scared." "The seniors from the first ss are averaging around 1.2 million, right? The second ss is around 900k." "If we keep this up, we might catch up to the seniors in the second ss after one more coboration." "¡­But honestly, if we don¡¯t manage to keep these new subscribers, won¡¯t they just go back to the average? Most of these new subscribers came by chance, so they might leave quickly. We can just keep broadcasting however we want." "Yeah, that¡¯s true. We should be careful not to lose sight of our original goal though." "That¡¯s true, but even if our subscriber count grows dramatically, it won¡¯t really benefit us much, will it?" Just as they said. There were advantages to debuting under the name "Ste Universe," but there were also disadvantages. Even though the subscriber count grew, it didn¡¯t directly trante into revenue, which was the first disadvantage. Of course, more subscribers meant more incentives, but that was a one-time benefit. The three of them took the situation quite calmly and coldly and treated their discussion about Iris or Eugene in the same way. "I hear other people are envious of us, but we were the first to reach out to Iris, who was struggling a few months ago. So, isn¡¯t that fine?" "Right, right. This is what you call ''buying in low.''" "Do you even do stocks? They don¡¯t have stock options here, do they?" "I just bury my money in things I know, like the name. When it¡¯s in my ount, it eventually all goes to delivery apps. Honestly, being a little poor is better." "¡­You really know how to live smartly." The tes with the cake were empty, and the tea cups were bottomed out. Sugar and chocte were the essential ingredients of women, and following that principle, the three of them returned their dishes and started to get ready to go home. Not paying much attention to the rather busy atmosphere inside, they walked down the corridor leading to the elevator. "Ah, I really want to meet Eugene in real life¡­" "I want to meet Iris." "Well, I guess I kind of want to meet Iris too... Eugene¡¯s daily activities have been pretty exposed already, so maybe it¡¯s Iris I¡¯d like to meet in real life." "How about we invite her sometime? We can talk to her people and maybe have a tour someday." "Then, when we do our next cob, let¡¯s casually bring it up." As their imaginations soared, the elevator soon came into view. Now, all that was left was a simple task of returning their employee badges, which they had gotten just now, to the lobby staff, who were frantically making calls. The three of them quickly removed their pins and started walking toward the return point. As they nced around, the moment one of the staff made eye contact with them, it was like a lightbulb went off above their head. "Excuse me, you¡¯re the third-year students, right? Could you wait just a moment?" "Eh? What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?" "To exin, it¡¯s a bitplicated, but we couldn¡¯t reach you. We heard you were here, and a visitoring today wanted to meet all three of you. The information we got says the peopleing today might be quite helpful to Ste Universe¡­" "Oh, is this some kind of advertisement? Then that¡¯s a different story." Perhaps an advertiser hade to offer them something? In that case, waiting for a moment would be nothing, so they all decided to put their badges back on and waited in front of the elevator. At that moment, an elevator swiftly rose from the first floor. Could it be the people the lobby staff had mentioned? With that thought, the three of them stood slightly away from the entrance, their expressions full of anticipation, waiting for the doors to open... Ding! "...Huh." "W-What, what¡¯s this?" "Ah... Iris!?" "...Uh, who are you?" The Triple Bi-yams appeared from the elevator, each wearing temporary employee badges. Of course, this wasn¡¯t surprising, but the manifesters were incredibly fast, and it didn¡¯t take long for the third-year students to realize it. Chapter 620 "Today feels oddly quiet at home, seems like everyone went out. I''m d to see that you''re growing more independent." "I don''t quite understand what you''re implying, Archetype." "There''s such a thing. Just take good care of Gaia, alright?" July 5th, 6 PM, Seoul. After finishing various tasks in another world, I returned home to find no one around. I wondered if they might be hanging out at Dice''s house, the lounge bar, or the restaurant downstairs, so I sent out a pulse radius of 500 meters, but there was no sign of them. It was summer, so the sun was still out, and the evening was just beginning to settle in. The red-hued skyline of Seoul gradually filled my view through the window. Today was Friday, and the number of people strolling around the area was increasing. In such a busy time, I wondered where they had gone, but asking via phone or text felt like an overstep. I wasn¡¯t one of those obsessive parents who asks where their kids are every minute. Moreover, if the house was empty, there was something else I could do. "Back at home for a change, huh, our little Mecha recruits? Gaia must be experiencing this for the first time." "Right. After leaving us here for so long, it feels a bit too much, don¡¯t you think, boss?" "Is this really a proper city¡­? It¡¯s so full of life! People everywhere! From the edge of my sight, all I can see are buildings and people¡­!" "¡­Our new recruit is geeking out over the city¡¯s terraforming." Well, people did have all sorts of things they enjoyed geeking out over, like trains or buses. In fact, considering how some people might not even understand a fascination with guns, I couldn''t exactly judge. Being into cities was probably on the quieter end of things. In any case, aside from that, today I brought Nasty along. Now, we had a party of five. The Mecha Bi-Yams could now form a squad on their own. I wasn¡¯t sure if Gaia could be deployed in battle just yet, though. Therger the group, the harder it was to manage everyone, so I kept it simple with the rule: "Break something, or cause trouble, and you¡¯re out immediately." Then I switched into a more hands-off mode. I pulled up Tricky. ''If they went outside, there¡¯s a good chance the rumors have already reached here¡­'' Even without turning on a broadcast, this was the case. Harmony and Dice had be famous worldwide, and Iris¡ªwhile her name value might not be as high¡ªwas still someone who could be spotted anywhere based on her appearance. With her snow-white tail, hair, and ruby-like, transparent eyes, anyone who saw her walking the streets would undoubtedly take a second nce. Well, even if Tricky wasn¡¯t live, there wasn¡¯t much of an issue. She¡¯d probably return soon, either today or tomorrow. That was something I didn¡¯t need to worry about. But¡ª "¡­Looks like I¡¯ve hit the jackpot today." "Huh? Did you say something, Archetype?" "No, it¡¯s nothing. But, Marv, aren¡¯t you interested in a walk?" "Mm, I¡¯d be happy with anything as long as we¡¯re going together." "Just don¡¯t sneak in any cuddles, it¡¯s heavy¡­!" Just leaning against me alone was enough to feel a 400kg pressure on my back¡­ As I struggled with that weight, I arranged Tricky¡¯s live viewer count. Though it wasn''t a big deal since I hadn¡¯t turned on my own broadcast, the rankings were still decent, and Harmony didn¡¯t have a broadcast today either. Dice still had irregr broadcasts, so there was no immediate concern, but as I mentioned earlier, today I hit the jackpot¡ªthe broadcast at the top of the list had 1.1 million viewers. Normally, without turning on a broadcast, the top rank usually had around 500,000 viewers, which was still quite a lot. But setting that aside, I checked the title of the 1.1 million viewers¡¯ broadcast. Even though it was a Korean broadcast, the viewer count was still massive. With the familiar name "Ste Universe" and the oddly suspicious words "Special Guest," it was pretty clear what this was about. There was no need to consider any other possibilities. So I clicked on the broadcast, and just like that, I became one of the 1.1 million viewers. As expected, donations were partially blocked. The reason I say "partially" is that donations were allowed only for streamers who had been broadcasting for a certain amount of time or had reached a specific viewer count. Anyway,
    • [So, uh, what¡¯s this ce again¡­? I actually don¡¯te here often! Who on earth assigned us this tour¡ª!?]
    • [Whoa, there are three Bi-Yams here! I think I¡¯m going to lose my mind¡­]
    • [Iris, why are you so fast with everything? I didn¡¯t expect that!]
    • [Well, the topic just came up. Anyway, it¡¯s nice to meet you in person for the first time.]
    "¡­But they still don¡¯t reveal who the people inside are. Well, I guess that makes sense¡­" "Did you say something, Archetype?" "Go on and enjoy yourselves. Take good care of Nasty and Gaia." "Of course, we¡¯re having a st, heh." As I scratched the heads of the Mecha Monnani¡¯s, reacting to every little thing I did, I refocused on the screen. As I muttered before, the avatars visible through the screen weren¡¯t real people¡ªthey were avatars used in virtual reality. They weren¡¯t Harmony, Dice, or Iris, but rather the so-called "third-generation" crew. There was no need to guess what that was about. Before I revealed myself a couple of years ago, I hadn¡¯t walked around like that either. To be more precise, I had lied about walking around like that. But when I thought about it, those functionalities¡ªnamely, the hologram ovey feature for drone cameras¡ªwere a real thing, so everyone had been fooled. And that proof was right in front of me. As Nasty¡¯s body temperature increased, I kept her pinned to the couch. "I want to go out, Archetype. With Nasty¡¯s cuteness, I¡¯m sure the whole world will ept her¡­ Waaah! Don¡¯t mess up her hair!" "Stop saying weird things and stay in the balcony. I¡¯ll take you outter. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve never been out before." "I¡¯ll wait!" I have no idea how these guys would manage without me. Thinking this, I typed on the hologram keyboard. Since there was still some spare change in Tricky, and sending a donation would likely be more effective than a message or a call. Nasty, who had evolved from a Mecha Monnani into a new type, was going out for the first time. I figured I could throw a donation or two her way as apliment. I finished the message and sent it off. With a soft clink, the partially blocked donation system started working again.
    • [I¡¯m not sure how you got there, but go ahead and enjoy yourselves. I¡¯m assuming I¡¯ll eat dinner first, so I¡¯ll start without you. Hope the third-gen does well! XD]
    • [Wait, Yujin, how did you know we were broadcasting?]
    • [Wow, Yujin just sent a message of encouragement to the third-gen! This is insane! I¡¯m keeping this as a memento!]
    • [This is all thanks to Iris!]
    • [¡­Eh, were you watching us?]
    • 500,000 KRW hahaha
    • What¡¯s going on here? Hahahaha
    • How did they know we were on? Hahaha
    • Big sister vibes, haha
    • Are they really living together??? What does ¡°starting dinner first¡± mean???
    • When did Dice move in next to Bi-Yam¡¯s ce? Hahaha
    A memento, huh? Thanks to my sudden donation, the atmosphere in the stream became even more intense. However, the third-gen guests who had been hosting seemed to be growing more stiff. They must¡¯ve been nervous. Anyway, there were no broadcasts scheduled for today, so I assumed the evening would end with a visit to the Ste Universe tour. As the Mecha Monnani continued to watch the stream, they kept pouring out childishments like "There are so many Bi-Yams! What is this!" but my attention was entirely focused on Iris. ¡®To be honest, I felt it thest time too, but there¡¯s no need to worry about Dice and Harmony.¡¯ Their bodies hadn¡¯t changed that much, and their rtionships with their families weren¡¯t drastically different. They just had snake tails, ears, and sharp fangs added to their original bodies, so it was only natural that my attention was drawn to Iris, whose transformation was a far more remarkable one. Adding to that, Harmony and Dice didn¡¯t require my focus. My acquaintance was much more likely to grab my attention. And then¡ª Beep beep! "Just as I thought, I figured a call woulde through around this time." Considering the group call from Lauren Tina, Logan, and Olivia, it became clear who was paying attention to Harmony and Dice. And as soon as the call started, a familiar voice echoed. "I¡¯ll empty my ount and buy three one-way tickets to Virginia Beach. Tell those friends of yours to get there immediately, youngest! I can¡¯t let the army steal any more of our new recruits!" "Shut him up, Yujin. I¡¯m going crazy." "Don¡¯t worry, Jin. I warned them that Shark¡¯s after them." "¡­I¡¯m losing my mind here." It felt like my eardrums were going to burst. Looking back, I realized my acquaintance farming had gone wrong in many ways. "By the way, Iris, how is the revenue distribution for hologram idols?" "¡­Suddenly asking?" "Well, it¡¯s a bit abrupt, but I heard Iris-chan¡¯s avatar concept was inspired by Yujin¡¯s meme. I was wondering if Yujin ever mentioned anything about revenue sharing." "Ah, so that¡¯s what you meant..."
    • Suddenly? Hahaha
    • So random haha
    • Random? Revenue share is a ''major issue''...
    • But I don¡¯t think Bi-Yam would care about that, haha
    • Yujin¡¯s probably made so much money by now that they don¡¯t care about cash, haha
    Revenue¡­? As the red glow of the sunset surrounded Seoul, the artificial lights began to gradually push away the darkness, and suddenly, that question tickled her ear. It was a question she had never considered before, which made it oddly thought-provoking. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ Honestly, except for the early days, even back then, I didn¡¯t really care much about the revenue I earned through Iris.¡¯ By June, the money Iris earned had surpassed the editor¡¯s sry by a considerable amount¡ªbut Yujin never took a cut from that. As Iris recalled and exined, everyone nodded in understanding. "Maybe the early viewers would know, but basically¡­ our employer is aplete hands-off type. So, unless it causes harm to them, they don¡¯t really care about revenue¡­ maybe?" "Why the question mark at the end?" "I¡¯ve never caused any harm, so that¡¯s why. I¡¯m super careful about how I broadcast. For me and my employer, no news is good news."
    • That¡¯s true hahaha
    • If Bi-Yam suddenly said "I think our editor¡¯s been getting a bit too cockytely," they¡¯d pee themselves right there hahaha@@novelbin@@
    • Talk back, and you¡¯ll feel a threat to your life ww
    • Oddly enough, Harmony and Dice talk nonstop without breaking a sweat¡­
    • I guess they have more than one life haha
    I nced at the chat and saw Harmony and Dice turning their heads awkwardly, as if caught. Iris, watching them with a slightly bemused look, added: "And, honestly, this might be embarrassing, but¡­ over the past few months, more than half of the money I¡¯ve earned as Iris has gone back into donations and purchasing merch."
    • Huh.
    "...Doesn¡¯t this mean the revenue issue should be fine?" "Isn¡¯t that like a tenth tithe? Maybe more like a fifteenth?"
    • Hahaha so true
    • Seriously, pretending to be a nun and actually donating like this hahaha
    • Truly, it¡¯s pure love haha
    • Bi-Yam nun with white hair and red eyes¡ªwhy does this feel so real haha
    • Even Dice and Harmony were shocked by this statement ww
    At the same time, all the eyes in the room seemed to lose theirposure for a moment, then, as if trying to act casual, they nodded, as if saying "I guess that makes sense." In truth, Iris''s character was modeled after a Bi-Yam nun¡ªa servant of the Bi-Yam god¡ªand, as mentioned before, the third-gen crew shared simr traits. So a tithe was something that could be understood in terms of the setting. No one had expected it to actually happen, though. "And Iris-chan, are you, like¡­ actually using divine power or something?" "Throw a beam from your hands, you can bless us right? Show us your powers!" "Wow, these guys arepletely nuts. Harmony and Dice are here, too, and they¡¯re making a scene! We should head to the studio immediately!" "...Mina. Should I donate more? It might be worth it." "I guess I could say it¡¯s a fee to pay the toll..." "They¡¯re all crazy!"
    • Sonia hahaha
    • No sane person herew
    • But is there a studio? Do any of the streamers there actually broadcast? I feel like there are a ton of people nearby trying to hit the jackpot with some red pills.
    • We don¡¯t need to know about that haha
    • But honestly, it¡¯s really well-decorated
    Of course, there was one thing theypletely overlooked¡ªthe fact that there weren¡¯t many normal people here. Under Sonia¡¯s skilled but tough leadership, the three guests quickly moved toward the studio. Everywhere they looked, there were numerous goods and fantastic facilities waiting to greet them. And amidst all this, the questions and conversations continued. "Wow, they¡¯ve got soundproof walls, green screens, and top-notch acoustic materials. But I don¡¯t think many people actually use them..." "Oh, that¡¯s not a problem. I heard it¡¯s mostly indie artists who book the ce. By the way, how¡¯s Iris¡¯s broadcast setup? I bet she broadcasts sometimes in reality too." "That person? These days, they always stay at Yujin¡¯s house. Harmony stays at mine." "Wow." Most of the conversations were light and casual topics. And as the tour wrapped up, even though the building itself was huge, it wasn¡¯t fully used, and they only rented out a few floors for office space. Afterpleting the tour, they returned to their starting point. It took about 30 minutes. Along the way, Harmony suggested having dinner together, but, of course, it was rejected because of the red pill situation. It wasn¡¯t the shortest nor the longest time, but in that time, the emotional distance between everyone in the room had decreased, and they werefortable enough to joke around. They returned the temporary IDs and badges. It was time to go. As the drone camera filmed the ending shots for the broadcast, someone spoke up. "So, you guys are EM-level now, right?" "That¡¯s right." "Well, I¡¯ve been following your broadcasts here and there, and there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about. Can I ask you a question?" "Of course." As the elevator they¡¯d called arrived, the question continued. "Since you¡¯re EM-level now, your physical abilities must have increased drastically. I have a feeling that one of the people who always hangs out with Yujin when he¡¯s in the US might be pretty jealous..." "..." "¡­" "¡­Eh, wait a minute. Why are you all silent?"
    • That''s the danger zone haha
    • The shark who¡¯s scarier than the devil haha
    • Wait, honestly, I feel like I should¡¯ve received a message from them earlier haha
    • Look at their faces, they¡¯re frozen haha
    At that moment, the three of them realized that this was not just any ordinary issue, but a deeply unsettling one that they had been trying to bury in their minds. Thest conversation ended, and it was obvious that the topic would be considered taboo between them from now on. The first outing of the Triple Bi-Yams ended somewhat uneasily. "Looks like it''s finally time for the long-term deployment in Korea for tactical exchange. Perfect timing." "Finally, the chance to go to that ce you¡¯ve been singing about all the time, is it?" "Heh heh, maybe it¡¯s time for you guys to travel abroad for reasons other than deployment. I¡¯m sure no one will oppose that." Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away: The Hammerhead team of the renowned Gold Squadron in the United States was giggling while holding a piece of paper detailing the long-term deployment in Korea for tactical exchange. It was just a matter of days before Shark would once again assault Korea. Chapter 621 "Did you have fun?" "Ah, it was way harder than I expected. Especially on the way back in the car. Sitting and driving was really tough since the passenger and driver''s seat don''t have tail holes... But aside from that, it was fun." "Your expression shows it. I saw Irisughing and having fun on the broadcast earlier, so I guess the reaction was better than expected?" "...Yeah." "Good job." Click. With that sound, the familiar door opened automatically, and as usual, the employer appeared, someone I was so used to seeing now that it almost felt like my vision had imprinted them. Harmonie and Dice, entering as if they were in their own home, were as cheerful as ever. They seemedpletely unconcerned, as if it didn¡¯t matter whether their bodies had changed or not. Beyond the front door, therge ss window showed the view of Seoul under a thick nket of night, and I¡ª Iris¡ª nced at it for a moment before turning my gaze back to Eugene. ...I knew. These days, he was paying much more attention to me. But, "...Ah, oh." "Doesn''t it feel good?" "No, it¡¯s just... I was a little surprised." "I¡¯ve gotten used to it, since those guys are always sticking around. I¡¯ll stop patting your head if you don¡¯t like it." "Th... that''s not it." ...I never imagined I¡¯d be in the position of having my head patted like this. And rather than dislike it, I didn¡¯t even realize I was smiling... It had only been about two weeks since my body changed, and what in the world was happening? My eyes nced at the full-length mirror in the hallway, and the reflection staring back at me was... unmistakably different. My ears were bright red, and the skin of my face looked like it was sculpted from pure milk, already tinged with pink. This was truly insane. Of course, I was caught immediately. "Eugene, you¡¯re making that look, just like the heroine who just realized the concept of love in aic." "Couldn¡¯t it just be the suspension bridge effect?" "...I guess so?" "Don¡¯t think too much about it. You¡¯ve had a fun experience today, so maybe your mind is just a little more uplifted. Or maybe it¡¯s just that with your body changing, your emotions have be a bit more intense than usual." ...That made sense, right? After the Ste Universe tour ended, I drank a few strong drinks at a nearby bar, so maybe that was affecting me too. That¡¯s what I decided to think. After taking off my shoes and stepping inside, I entered the room Eugene had prepared for me a few weeks ago. Inside, there were several special packaging bags left there. Clothes that Harmonie and Dice had bought for me. Olivia''s brand, apparently. I realized that the "same-day delivery" was actually real, and as I sat down to unpack, Eugene quietly entered. "I heard you visited Olivia¡¯s store today... or should I call it her brand? Anyway, I hear Mina and Yerin were also concerned about your condition. They hope you like the gift." "Well... I always like gifts. But... I''ve never really gotten gifts like this before, so I guess it''s just a bit overwhelming, in a way." "Olivia... her designs are usually unisex, so you can wear them casually. When shees to Korea, I¡¯ll introduce you to her." "...Teacher, I think I finally understand why everyone calls them the ''Biyam Cartel.''" "See, it¡¯s all out of goodwill." ...Goodwill, huh? Wait, maybe it¡¯s the problem of too much goodwill? That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I didn¡¯t know how to refuse, so I just nodded with a nk expression. Anyway, Eugene, who quietly sat next to me and looked at the clothes inside the package, soon left again. A quiet atmosphere settled, and it was about time to wash away the fatigue of the day. "Hoo..." Swish, swish. The clothes, which had been wrapping my body like armor, fell one by one, and the body that I knew but no longer seemed like mine was reflected in the mirror. I had been seeing this for the past two weeks, getting used to it little by little. But to be honest, I couldn¡¯t say I was really familiar with it yet. I stepped into the shower and pulled the handle up. Water poured from the ceiling and walls. It wasn¡¯t just a shower. It was literally hot water falling from the ceiling and walls. I let out a breath, feeling the exhaustion and dust, all sorts of thoughts flowing away through the drain. When my eyes were closed, it almost felt like all of this was a lie. I had heard once that the meaning of ''adjusting'' was when it no longer hurt when you faced reality.@@novelbin@@ But could that feeling of separation from the reality I once lived in really be called pain? If it is pain, how can I solve it? If it¡¯s not pain, can I say I have adjusted? Shampoo, conditioner, body wash... And then, I carefully sat down on the chair ced in the shower. Until a moment ago, I was facing the unspeakable anguish that I couldn¡¯t talk about to anyone, but now, from this moment on, it was time forplete mental rxation. Scritch, scritch. I grabbed the soft brush from the corner of the shower and gently rubbed it along my white tail. Since my body changed, and after Eugene had gathered Harmonie and Dice in his home, one of the first things she told me was how to take care of my tail. Not too often, but because dirt can easily get stuck between the scales, it¡¯s necessary to brush it with this kind of brush every two to three days, even if not every day. The vibrations transferred from the brush touching the tail. That dry ASMR or white noise. For some reason, just listening to it made me feel at peace. Eugene said, "I¡¯m not sure, but brushing your tail might provide you with some mental care." And it was true. "...Until just now, I had to face a woman''s body, but when brushing my tail, it''s different." Should I like this or dislike it? I couldn''t decide yet. It wasn¡¯t a woman¡¯s body, but a snake''s tail, which would never be disliked by those who liked Eugene. The tail wriggled the way I wanted it to, moving slowly, sometimes almost floating in the air. Gently cing it on my thigh, I slowly brushed it. I could say for sure. This, I really liked. Ten minutes passed, then twenty. My mind, which had been boiling in so many ways, finally cleared, and I looked at the mirror feeling much better. Just a week ago, I was filled with worries about how I would live, but now, about two weekster, such thoughts were slowly fading. Maybe after another week, even the thoughts that had been washed away with the shampoo foam wouldn¡¯t evene to mind. What should I call this feeling? "...I¡¯m d I can love this body." I wiped off the water dripping from my body and headed to the drying room. As soon as I sat down, the air from all sides began to dry my body, and after about five minutes, I waspletely dry. Returning to my room, I put on my sleeping clothes. The pajamas hanging on the wall. The snake pajamas Eugene wore during the Third Final Championship. ''...The vibration inside the house has noticeably decreased, so I guess everyone except Eugene must be lying in bed now.'' Thinking that, I put on the pajamas. As soon as I wore them, I felt the soft texture and satisfaction. What should I say? Thinking that Eugene wore them once... Maybe I shouldn¡¯t say it like that. Doesn¡¯t this make me a real pervert... Or maybe it''s already toote? In that case, I might as well pray for repentance before bed. Sleepiness slowly started to settle in. So many things had happened today, but I was slowly getting used to it... Maybe once I get more used to it, I can meet my parents, friends, and fellow editors and thumbnail makers without any problems again. That¡¯s how it¡¯ll be... Right? Soon. ''...I¡¯m always grateful, Teacher.'' I was so thankful that he helped me learn to like myself again. Maybe this is faith. If so, I might really be able to call myself a goddess. With my vision fading to darkness and the ceiling lights turning off, I fell asleep, thinking that thought onest time. And¡ª "¡­I don''t know when you¡¯lle, but anyway, you''reing soon. It''s the end of the world. The end. This crazy shark." Meanwhile, Eugene, receiving a personal message from Lorentina, shook his head. The shark¡¯s madness and drive were beyond his reach. It was summer. "Have you ever done World Building?" "...World Building? That sounds familiar." "Eh, really...?" "Salus, I told you. The god¡¯s mind is 99.5% Dark Zone and 0.5% Glory and Honor." "Anyway, Sonia, I¡¯ll reserve the shrimp twist forter." "Whoops, I¡¯m sorry¡ª!"
    • Hahaha, no way, this person has never done World Building.
    • If you open the Biyam brain, you¡¯d probably just see ''Dark'' on the left and ''Zone'' on the right. Hahahahaha.
    • That actually makes sense¡­!
    • This is ridiculous hahaha
    ...World Building? The word felt unfamiliar as I tried to roll it around in my mouth. I shook my head, trying to forget it, but a faint memory began to surface. I definitely¡­ had heard of something like that in a VR game. What was it? I didn¡¯t look into it much, but one of the top 10 games was supposed to be a sandbox game with a lot of freedom. It was probably that one. Hearing me, Evelyn quickly brought up a game video in front of me, and we spent some time watching it. How should I describe it? A non-square survival sandbox game. That¡¯s how it felt. Hmm. ''...Considering that this world is essentially copying several past tforms and games under different names, the original name of this "World Build" game must have been that.'' You know, the game with the title that sounds like the "philosophical autobiography" written by that guy with the toothbrush mustache. It seemed like a VR game, kind of like a mix of that and a game made by Todoki Hawa. Anyway, I pushed those random thoughts aside. This game had many servers with modes that didn¡¯t exist in vani. Among these servers, there was one dedicated to streamers, or more specifically, to broadcasters only, and the maid cafe I mentioned earlier was built inside that very server. Hmm. "I see." "...Isn''t your reaction a bit too calm?" "True, but you haven¡¯t really told me what you want from me, have you? I remember Iris mentioning the maid cafe, so I thought it might be about that, but I could be wrong." "Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s today, so... if you have time, would you like toe see it?" As soon as those words were spoken, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Iris. Naturally, she quickly turned her head and avoided my gaze. Of course, it was unnecessary to mention that her earlobes were bright red. And at the same time, a... invitation was subtly extended. There was writing all over it, but in summary, it was a "streamer invitation." So this was how you got in. It wasn¡¯t hard to activate, and thus, my next destination would be a new game I had never essed before. As I synchronized with the server, the conversation continued. "I thought Eugene would have been invited by someone else by now. Surprisingly... Kato, Limit, Stone, and Hotteok are already in." "Considering the image I have with those guys, I can guess why I didn¡¯t get an invitation." "Ah..."
    • Hahaha, seriously, are you inviting a ''living weapon'' to the server? Hahahaha.
    • Biyam¡¯s image is basically a walking tactical weapon. Hahaha.
    • True, though.
    • Seriously, who would invite him into a server full of only rookies? Hahahaha.
    ...Rookies? I wasn¡¯t quite sure, but anyway, this didn¡¯t seem like something I needed to focus on right now, so I waited a few more seconds. The server¡¯s real-time user count was about 700, and I heard it wasn¡¯t as stable as Dark Zone. How long did I wait? "...Oh." A massive za filled with people appeared before me. However, I couldn¡¯t make out much of what was around me, and the reason was simple. Vrooooom! Vrooooom!
    • [Notification: Streamer has connected to the Arcadia server for the first time.]
    • [Notification: ¡¯s server connection streak is now 1 day.]
    • [Notification: We could not find a greeting message for >. We hope you have a pleasant time in Arcadia. // This message is disyed only once.]
    "...What is this?"
    • What¡¯s an error??????
    • Don¡¯t the greeting messages change depending on the number of subscribers? Hahahaha.
    • Current living weapon¡¯s "YourSpace" subscriber count is 67.95 million.
    • Even if youbine all the subscribers in this server, they still can''tpete with Biyam, hahaha.
    • Hey, don¡¯t say that!!!!
    ...Now I understand why viewers were calling me a "rookie," and what was going on around me. At the same time, streamers¡ªdozens of them, all with unfamiliar names¡ªstarted gathering around me like a swarm. In a hurry, I tried to look for the people who had logged in with me, but¡ª ''...No one!?'' Sonia, Evelyn, and Salus had all vanished as if they were smoke. Iris had mentioned that she would wait nearby in the za to guide me, but seeing how the crowd had gathered, I realized it would be hard to find her now. But that¡¯s not all¡ª "Why is my name showing in rainbow colors¡ªwhoa!" "Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene! Eugene!" "Everyone,e over here! The great being has arrived!" "Eugene, is she a goddess? She¡¯s a goddess! Biyam Punch!" It was absolute chaos. Thankfully, no one asked for my autograph like in reality, but what was all this cheeringpetition? Why were they all shouting my name out of nowhere? Just as I began to feel dazed from all the raw handshakes I was getting, Someone grabbed my hand. Thud! "...!" The familiar sensation. If someone could cut through this crowd and grab my hand, there could only be one person responsible. I quickly dismissed the unnecessary thought of it being Dice or Harmonie and let myself be pulled in the direction of the hand. Like a fish caught on a fishing line, I was swiftly pulled through the crowd and into a less crowded area. And, as expected, there stood Iris. "...Why are you in a maid outfit?" "Because I¡¯m a maid, master." Ack. No, I had heard that the maid cafe tour was scheduled, but suddenly? Somewhere along the way, Iris had changed how she addressed me and her mannerisms, and as she gracefully spun around, she lifted the sides of her maid skirt and curtsied. "Iris Beatrice, your Ladies Maid guiding you to the Maid Cafe, Snake Heaven, will now greet you." "...Okay."
    • Hahahahaha, Biyam¡¯s speechless, hahaha.
    • Wow, I¡¯ve never seen Eugene go speechless before, hahaha.
    • I wonder how much emotion is packed into that single ''Okay.'' Hahahaha.
    • Isn¡¯t Iris originally a girl? Hahahahaha.
    I had so many things I wanted to say, but I just shut my mouth. Acting major, indeed. Chapter 622 "...What¡¯s going on today? Why are there so many people? Is it server shutdown day? I haven¡¯t logged in for a while, so I don¡¯t know what''s going on." "Let me see, the average number of users here used to be around 600-700, but today it¡¯s nearly 1200. Looks like there¡¯s some kind of event going on, so of course, we should check it out." "...I had a bad feeling about this." "What? Did Kato''s instincts just kick in?"
    • Hahaha, three guys, but none of the avatars are male. Hahahaha.
    • Hotteok (beastwoman character) / Limit (high elf woman character) / Kato (bard woman character)
    • Hotteok aside, if these guys heard what they said, they''d probably have a fit. Hahaha.
    • But they picked their avatars themselves, right? Hahaha.
    • Kato was worried about possibly bing a TS (transsexual) during the activation day, wasn¡¯t she? Hahaha.
    The Arcadia streamer server was noisier than usual, especially in the central za, the heart of themotion. In the middle of this, three people¡ªKato, Limit, and Hotteok¡ªstrolled in casually. They were wearing rtively neat outfits that had a fantasy vibe, clothes that they wouldn¡¯t normally wear in real life. However, these outfits weren¡¯t much different from what others were wearing, blending in with the crowd. The reason for this was simple: Arcadia was a server where various concepts like fantasy and sci-fi were mixed together, creating a diverse environment. Here, yers could earn in-game currency, hunt monsters, participate in mini-games, and since this was a streamer server, coborations could be arranged without much effort. In other words, another world inside the VR game. Because of this, Arcadia usually had around 700 simultaneous users, but at least today, that wasn¡¯t the case. As I mentioned earlier, the number was well over the average. Therefore, it was inevitable that the three of them would wade through the crowds in the za to figure out the cause of themotion. Except for Kato. And it didn¡¯t take long to figure out why. "Ay, teacher. Can I ask something? Why are there so many people all of a sudden? Is there some kind of busking going on in the za today? I haven¡¯t heard anything about it." "Ah, what was it¡­ Oh, Hotteok! Hello! I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here! Anyway, what I meant to say was, it¡¯s not busking, but... excuse me, when did you log in?" "I just logged in two minutes ago, heh. It seems something happened before we got here, what¡¯s going on?" "Hmm..." Swish. As if he believed seeing was better than hearing, the man stepped aside without further exnation and allowed them to pass into the za. Hotteok and her group understood immediately, nodded in acknowledgment, and quickly squeezed through the crowd. The density of the crowd was intense. It felt like more than 500 people were huddled together in a space norger than a basketball court. But the three of them somehow managed to push through, and after some time, what caught their eye first was¡­ a maid? And sitting next to what looked like a giant lottery ball, red-faced... Eugene? "...Huh?"@@novelbin@@ "...I had a bad feeling about this." "Eugene, and... isn¡¯t that Iris next to him? What on earth is going on here?" At first nce, the scene in the center of the za seemed totally iprehensible. But seeing Eugene there, it was natural that arge crowd would gather. As they were thinking this, in a very brief moment¡ªless than a second¡ªEugene, who had been sitting in the chair and absentmindedly staring around, suddenly caught their gaze. Hotteok, an E2 rank, was hit directly by his look and, with her special sense, she felt a chill down her spine. She didn¡¯t miss it¡ªshe whispered something to Iris, who was spinning the lottery machine. After a while, Eugene grabbed a microphone from somewhere and began to speak, his voice spreading across the za. "Ah, ah. To those who made eye contact with me¡ªHotteok, Limit, and Kato¡ªpleasee here quickly." Huff. It didn¡¯t take long for the air to be sucked out of all three of them, and shortly after, three chairs appeared next to Eugene, and the trio sat down. Iris, taking the microphone, started to make dramatic sound effects and spun the lottery machine with excitement. Meanwhile, Hotteok and her group were eagerly trying to guess what it was, but Eugene immediately revealed the truth. "It¡¯s a maid cafe entry lottery, by the way. I, and you all, are exempt from the lottery." "...Should I be thankful for this?" "Looks like I¡¯ve been caught, kyahhh!" "It¡¯s reassuring to see Kato just as usual." "Haha... but wait, I remember that maid cafes used to be really popr, but is it really okay for us to be included in the lottery like this?" Hotteok, looking half confused and half curious, asked Eugene. However, Eugene spoke in a tone that made it clear there was no need to worry. "If you all weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d be stuck in a bizarre situation where four maids serve one customer." "...Ah, got it. I understand the feelingpletely. We¡¯ll do our best to liven things up. And honestly, I¡¯ve never been to a maid cafe, so I¡¯ve always wanted to try it. Right, guys?" "No, I didn¡¯t really think about it... No, actually, I did think about wanting to go to a maid cafe, even before bed, and while eating and washing up. So yes, that¡¯s true. Kato, right?" "I almost got a job as a maid here, so I don¡¯t have the best memories of this ce..." Oops. Even Eugene had to stop at that remark. Everyone else, except Kato, had the thought pass through their minds that the maid cafe¡¯s recruitment was done through some sort of rigorous self-entry, but the cheers and groans from the surrounding crowd were so loud that they couldn¡¯t dwell on it. The cheers from those who won the lottery and the groans from those who didn¡¯t were loud. However, as usual, the number of people entering the lottery was capped at 100, and with over 80% winning, as Limit exined, it was understandable. After a while, Iris, having collected the lottery machine, handed it over to Eugene.
    • [Notification: has requested to join the party.]
    • [Notification: Party teleportation function is now in use.]
    "...What¡¯s this?" "Normally, we could just walk there, but with all the attention we¡¯re getting... I wanted to show you the facilities and buildings of this server on the way, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to do that." "I¡¯m not disappointed at all, so let¡¯s just get out of here first." "Ah, yes." Eugene¡¯s deration was much firmer¡ªand more urgent¡ªthan usual. His tone had a sense of authority, and both Iris and Hotteok¡¯s groupplied, agreeing to use the party teleport function. The moment they all agreed: Pop! The surroundings changed in an instant. How long had it been? Except for Iris, the group found themselves standing in front of a huge building, the entrance to the maid cafe, located on the outskirts of the map. Red "CLOSED" letters were rotating around the building, but considering that Eugene and the others were inside and the lights were on, it seemed they were open exclusively for Eugene¡¯s group. However, there was one ring w: "...So the lottery is random, but the entrance ticket costs extra?" "Ah, should I pay for it? After all, I¡¯m one of the original members of Arcadia. I¡¯ve probably got plenty of money." "Hmm... I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary." And just as Eugene had said, it didn¡¯t seem needed. Thud, thud, thud! Like the sound of a machine gun, Iris ran out from behind the ss door, handing the crumpled-up to Eugene and everyone else. As she reentered the building, the door mmed shut, turning dark. This was to hide whatever was going on inside. The group, except Eugene, stared at it with confused expressions. Just a few minutes ago, they had logged in to the za, but now, after blinking, they were in front of the maid cafe. Limit, half confused and half surprised, added: "...A maid cafe where the maid pays the entrance fee, that¡¯s something new." Of course, there was much more to say, but that¡¯s how the world worked. It was the beginning of a time that no one could have ever imagined. "Wee, Master!" "Hehe, oh my. It¡¯s nice to see you all." "Wow, this is the first time I¡¯ve been greeted like this." "It¡¯s nice to meet you. I never imagined I¡¯d end up in a ce like this."
    • Hahahaha, Biyam¡¯s embarrassed. Hahaha.
    • Wow, Biyammaid is treating Biyam like royalty. Hahaha.
    • What¡¯s with the interior? Hahahahaha.
    • There¡¯s everything on the wall, trophies from the Final Championship and photos. Hahahaha.
    • Isn¡¯t this not a maid cafe but just a shrine for Biyam? Hahaha.
    • Biyam looks like he wants to demolish the ce. Hahaha.
    A smooth voice echoed throughout the room. As soon as I opened the ck door and heard the greeting, my first thought was how relieved I was to have brought Kato, Limit, and Hotteok with me, and my second thought was... I didn¡¯t know how they practiced, but the performance was better than I expected. I thought it would be a lighter atmosphere, but instead, it had a sense of elegance. ...Let¡¯s ignore how my chest felt like it was going to burst. It seemed like small touches were allowed, whether because the maids and guests were equal in number, or because it was part of the setup. One by one, the maids grabbed each person¡¯s hand and seemed to vanish as if teleporting. I too, grabbed Iris¡¯ hand, and in that moment, we found ourselves sitting at the balcony table with the best view. As I flipped through the menu on the table, I saw a variety of food and drinks. Naturally, in VR, eating was also simted. What caught my eye, though, was the price list next to it. But¡ª Swish!
    • [The maid will draw a picture for you on the magical omelette - ]
    • [The maid will draw a picture on the sweet cream pancakes - ] ...
    "...The price list is changing in real-time." "Ignore that. Let me first exin how to use the cafe." "The basic time for staying here is 60 minutes, but... for you, Masters, we can double that time, hehe." "And here, there¡¯s a secret agreement between the maids and the masters. The first rule is that asking maids for personal information or questions about their private life is strictly forbidden... but today, I¡¯ll allow it?." "Hah." "And the second, touching the maids¡¯ clothes, hands, or tails is absolutely prohibited! But for Masters... we might allow it up to a certain point?"
    • Hahaha, they¡¯re all just staring at Biyam. Hahaha.
    • Biyam¡¯s got eye spasms. Hahaha.
    • Is this really a maid cafe? Hahaha.
    • A maid (created just to satisfy Biyam) cafe, right? Hahaha.
    • A cafe where the maids serve. Hahaha.
    It seemed that the reason I was here was, as the viewers said, not to fulfill our own desires, but to fulfill the maids¡¯ desires. Thinking that, I looked around. In one corner of the balcony, there was a small stage, and a microphone in the center. I nced over, wondering if they would do a performanceter, when Iris came close to me, flipping through the menu and showing me a section. It had the maids'' personal information. Several things were written there, including some awkward words. Once everyone saw it, the table transformed from a 4-person to an 8-person table. Pop! The reason the table grew wasn¡¯t to amodate more people, but¡ª "This maid cafe offers a special event with the first spoon of food. If you don¡¯t mind, Masters, you can enjoy it multiple times?" "...Could you maybe untie the tail wrapped around my waist?" "Ah, I¡¯m so sorry, Master... I mean, Teacher." "Are you feeling very embarrassed?" "...Yes, actually, I am."
    • Hahaha, Iris! Iris! Iris! Iris! Iris! Iris!
    • Is this person really the same guy from two weeks ago? Seriously, stop joking! Hahaha.
    • The disgusting taste... is gone?? Hahaha.
    • Fact: ording to Triviki, Iris¡¯s partner is in the drama department.
    It was, as expected, a feeding event. Anyway, our editor was so embarrassed that her face turned bright red. I smiled and gently patted her head, whispering in her ear so the viewers wouldn¡¯t hear. "You can edit this whole part outter." "...I think that¡¯s probably the best idea. I¡¯m so embarrassed, I think I might die right now." "You¡¯re the one who invited me here today, right? Time to take responsibility for that." I knew this was going to happen, and here we are. Anyway, once I realized that even the maids couldn¡¯t just focus on acting with a thick face, I felt more at ease. So, I sat in my chair, crossed my legs, and added: "Well then, let¡¯s see... Let¡¯s try that ''service.''" Though it felt a bit guilty to get something for free, well, at this point, who cares? I was kind of looking forward to what would happen next. "¡­That person, he definitely wasn¡¯t a man before. I bet the first editor who appeared on Eugene''s housewarming broadcast was Kagemusha." "...I really think that¡¯s the case." Meanwhile, across the table. Maids Sonia and Kato were whispering to each other, looking at Iris. It was inevitable that fewer and fewer people would believe that Iris had once been a man. Chapter 624 "Alright. Let''s listen before we report. What should we do first? Anything special?" "For now, there¡¯s nothing extra for you to worry about, sir. I¡¯ve noted the location of the storage where the emergency housing, your tasks, future joint training lists, and highly ssified materials are stored, so you can just check it." "Huh, you''re not giving me any time to wander around." "Has it ever been any different? Was there any issue with your entry?" "If there had been a problem, I wouldn¡¯t be here." Vroom! A vehicle carrying about four people crosses the Incheon International Airport Expressway, heading toward the Yeongjong Bridge. The sea, with areas of exposed mudts, greeted them. At that moment, all the windows of the vehicle turned ck, and only the front windshield, covered with numerous UIs, allowed light to pass through selectively, blocking the view of anyone passing by from peering into the vehicle. From that point, the area around the passenger seat, where Chris sat, darkenedpletely, and a hologram fully enveloped the vehicle, projecting his own image before him like a mirror. His smooth, light brown hair slicked back neatly, a slim yet sharp jawline, well-groomed beard and mustache. A man with a sharp yet somehow cheerful, firm appearance. Chris, confirming his appearance in the mirror, reached up to touch it and exhaled quietly. A few seconds passed, and the reflection in the mirror began to twist. --Static! "...Is that the new disguise kit you developed? It works well." "It¡¯s passed through American airport security. They said they applied some tech from the Think Tank, and it¡¯s more practical than expected. It¡¯ll be useful in the future." "Well, since you¡¯re always noticed in your usual form, I guess there''s no choice. Now, you should be able to go around morefortably." Chris. Christopher ''Specter'' Lorentina. The moment his speech returned to its usual tone, the man who had been sitting in the passenger seat revealed his original appearance. Naturally, the name Chris was a pseudonym, but it was also his real name. In fact, when she was male in the past¡ªsomething that had be nonexistent in this world¡ªhe had been called that. It was a fact only she knew, but at this point, it didn''t really matter. Lorentina, thinking this, nodded slightly at the senior officer''sment. Then came the next line. "By the way, sir, who made that appearance for you? It looks like a lot of effort went into it. If I keep seeing it, I might get attached, haha." "Well, if someone made it, they made it. Just know that I brought it back by retracing some past memories." "You didn¡¯t end up making that person a part of your team, did you?" "Maybe. Just imagine it however you like." As she said that, Lorentina¡¯s expression as she gazed out the window was tinged with a kind of indescribable nostalgia, unlike usual. A remnant of a past that could never return... yet, it didn''t matter much now. Perhaps that was why she passed through security without issue. Simply changing her appearance couldn¡¯t hide the newly formed habits, which could be adjusted back to the original with just a little effort. Thinking this to herself, she leaned back in her chair. Soon, the vehicle had passed Incheon and was heading toward Seoul, and one of her teammates spoke up as though something hade to mind.@@novelbin@@ "Should we stop around Gangnam, sir?" "Suddenly?" "You don¡¯t need to pretend you don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure the higher-ups have already sent you on this data collection vacation under the guise of investigating Korean manifestors, right?" "...Huh, wait. I¡¯ll check the task list." Whoosh. A wave of gestures brought up numerous tasks right before her eyes. Among the usual ones that were expected¡ªmission nning, training preparation, reconnaissance of training facilities, risk management, consulting, mentoring, equipment, and logistics oversight, external cooperation, etc.¡ªthere was one list exclusively assigned to ''Lorentina.'' ''Checking quantities and operational status of ssified materials, reviewing attached manuals and guidelines, the upper limit for information that can be shared during mission exchanges... I had already expected these.'' Yet, there was something that stood out from the ''medium importance'' category among these tasks. The title itself was enough to make her not need to open it fully: it included the word "manifestor." It was no surprise that in the U.S., during the Manifestor''s Day, several people had be level E1 or E2, but no other country had seen an instant increase in EM-level manifestors like Korea had. Lorentina showed a sharp, white grin, revealing her jagged teeth. "...I wish there was a way to bring them under my wing. Heh." "...Don¡¯t be greedy, it''s not a press gang." "Whoever they are, judging by the focus mark on you, I can tell they¡¯re probably skilled but unlucky. You put too many manifestors in a car, the fuel efficiency goes down. Be careful." "Well, half of it is a joke. It¡¯s actually pretty fun to watch them freak out when I throw in jokes like that." "So, half is serious, right?" Naturally, the team members under Lorentina knew all too well about her sadistic tendencies, her greed for goals, and her relentless drive. And when she made jokes like this, the best way to handle it was to shut them down before her imagination could run wild. That¡¯s exactly why her joke was mercilessly suppressed. Meanwhile, the vehicle had long entered Seoul, and they passed Yeouido, where the Icarus International Korea branch, known for its unique appearance, could be seen in the distance. Lorentina selected a manifestor-rted task from the task list, and the moment she did, the task lit up in green. The news would have been transmitted thousands of kilometers away in less than a second. The vehicle soon entered the area near Cheongdam-dong. As the vehicle paused in an alley, Lorentina twisted her wrist before the door opened. She returned to her male appearance, then, just before the door opened, added, "As soon as we get there, I won¡¯t say we¡¯re ying. Workes first. I¡¯ll contact youter. I¡¯ll be back within the scheduled time, don¡¯t worry." "Of course. Hurry up and take care of it." Click. A tall man wearing sunsses exited the vehicle and swiftly blended into the crowd, disappearing just as the car had. He¡ªno, she¡ªwalked into a nearby caf¨¦, confirming there was no kiosk, then skillfully ordered some food in Korean. Noticing the waitress¡¯s friendly tone and expression, she let it slip by withoutment. Carrying a vibrating bell, she went up to a corner seat on the second floor, crossed her legs, and picked up the terminal. ''Which approach would be best¡­'' The task she had added at the top was simple. Just confirm the mental state of the newly manifested people and, if possible, collect information on physical changes¡­ something that would have been impossible for anyone but Lorentina, who had connections with manifestors in Korea. But conversely, simply observing those who frequently appeared in streams and gathering information on them would be enough¡ªthis was a task that could be done while maintaining good rtionships. The conclusion Lorentina came to was simple. Just invite them out for a meal. However, she had overlooked one thing. --Vroom! Eugene¡¯s device was the most capable of information gathering in this world, and in the caf¨¦ close to Lorentina¡¯s residence, it was possible to detect the device she was carrying. In other words, -[Eugene: No] -[Eugene: When did youe in??????] -[Laurentina: Want to know?] -[Eugene: The kids haven¡¯t even prepared anything yet] -[Laurentina: I¡¯m curious how you¡¯re seeing me, little one] Of course, Lorentina chuckled at the response, already knowing what the answer might be. Would Eugene let the new members know she had arrived, or would he keep quiet? It was predictable since the shark hadn''t yet said what he nned to do. Whether he spoke up or not, it didn''t matter¡ªit would only decide whether it was early orte. Ignoring the ringing bell, Lorentina descended the stairs to pick up the dessert she had ordered. Indeed, Korea was always fun. The shark thought so. "¡­Why is this guy not answering the phone? It feels ominous." "Is something wrong, Eugene?" "No. It¡¯s nothing¡­" Meanwhile, about a few hundred meters away, at the Byam House, Eugene was secretly in a panic. The shark¡¯s sessful Korean training. It was only a matter of time before Harmony and Dice¡¯s struggle began. "Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s the middle of the week, or maybe because of the new kids, but wherever we go, something¡¯s always going on. Didn¡¯t you bring the new ones along?" "It¡¯s obvious what kind of reaction they¡¯d have with Lorentina there. We need to ease them into the shock as much as possible. Looks like I¡¯ll have to speed up the schedule a bit." "I¡¯m looking forward to that." A weekend in mid-July, 6 PM. In front of the entrance to the Icarus Residence Hotel in Samsung-dong, Seoul. I had finally weed the shark, who had legally returned to Korea. Actually, it¡¯s more urate to say that I had no choice but to wee him. Although I had known through texts and calls that he would be visiting Korea, the fact that this time had arrived again wasn¡¯t exactly a burden¡­ well, at least not for me. It was probably my subordinates who felt the weight of it. Anyway. "Well, I guess it¡¯s mostly a joke¡­ But I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a bit of seriousness in it. I think the higher-ups are quite curious. The fact that all four manifestors currently active are somehow connected to the U.S. doesn¡¯t seem to be enough for them." "Yeah, that¡¯s true, and the ones the little one raised are all excellent. Anyway, I¡¯m not really going to take them, so don¡¯t worry. The reason I¡¯m in Korea this time has nothing to do with Manifestor¡¯s Day." "A long-term deployment to Korea for tactical exchanges¡­ I heard the Hammerhead team came. Didn¡¯t they say anything?" "They prefer traveling with me over staying at the base. It¡¯s not a big deal. Besides, Japan¡¯s been doing joint training with Delta regrly, so Korea needs Task Force Blue." "¡­Not sure if that¡¯s the right call." Task Force Blue, another name for DEVGRU. Anyway, since it didn¡¯t seem like a big issue, I thought nothing more of it¡­ With that in mind, Lorentina and I entered the hotel. As expected, the entrance and first-floor lounge were crowded with people. Well, it¡¯s the weekend, so that was to be expected. I didn¡¯t pay much attention as I moved toward the elevator, since it seemed like the first floor would get crowded if I walked over there. The hotel elevators were divided into two types. One was for general guests or residents who wanted to use the hotel¡¯s restaurant, club, cocktail bar, or swimming pool. The other one was for those heading to rooms where the cost of staying would easily equate to someone¡¯s monthly sry. Of course, thetter could only be used if you received a keycard from the first-floor lobby. --Beep! "Hmm, unique recognition system." "It uses vein recognition, skin texture recognition, and iris recognition all at once. It¡¯s pretty hard to bypass. It looks like your parents had it installed." "As I said earlier, it¡¯s all thanks to the little one. Everything¡¯s been quitefortable and convenient." "Well, I did help before. Now it¡¯s my turn." With a small beep, I ced my palm on the keycard scanner, and the light turned on. Naturally, it was all arranged by my parents. I imagine if we went to the Icarus Residence abroad and did the same thing, we¡¯d get the same result. ording to what I heard from my parents, when the system activated, it would notify all the employees working at the residence through their phones or pagers... but that didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d be getting everything for free. In any case, money might being out of my bank ount, but all the hotel services would revolve around me. And just as I expected, "Wee, Eugene. If you need any assistance, feel free to ask." "I¡¯ll head to the lounge on the 77th floor. We¡¯ll just be the two of us, so please set up ordingly." "Understood. Do you need amodations?" "I¡¯ll let you know separatelyter." "Got it." Ding. With that, the elevator descended, revealing a spacious area too big for just two people. Some guests who recognized Lorentina and me rushed toward us, but unfortunately, today wasn¡¯t the day for us to deal with them. We walked past the crowded first-floor lounge without paying any mind to it and entered the section marked with "Reserved Space" inside the barricade. Unlike the tightly packed room we passed by earlier, the space here was vast, with only a few tables and chairs. Wee drinks and a few appetizers were already on the table, and we sat on sturdy chairs that seemed able to support even an elephant, casually observing the outside. And then came the following question. "So, what¡¯s the little one nning to do from now on?" "Well¡­" It was a broad question, but there was no need to think too deeply. I just had to say what I wanted to say to the shark. And if there was a statement that would most delight him here... "...We¡¯ll have to prepare for the shark curriculum, so I guess the little one¡ªwho¡¯s been resting¡ªwill have to start training again." "Excellent choice." There were many ways, and being a manifestor meant there were things I could do. Maybe I¡¯d start tomorrow or the day after. "¡­Suddenly, something feels off." "Me too." "Is it because I became a manifestor? I feel like some indescribable conspiracy is going to hit us¡­" Meanwhile, about 2 km away at Eugene¡¯s house. The three Byams were trembling in fear. Chapter 625 [General] Seriously, if you¡¯re getting TS (gender-swapped) thoughts, upvote! Hahaha I want to... I want to be Byam and entertain Eugene... [All Comments][By Date]
    • "It¡¯s not that I want to be TS, but I¡¯ve caught a disease where I like someone who is TS, what do I do about that?"
      • "Try loving yourself from the mirror after you transform."
      • "Wow, that was really helpful!"
      • "What are you saying, LOL!"
    • "I don¡¯t really feel jealous, but watching the stream, I felt like I might go crazy, first time feeling that way, LOL."
    • "Honestly, I¡¯m not sure who to envy, LOL!"@@novelbin@@
    • "But being able to legally flirt with Byam as a TS nun with white hair, that¡¯s kind of enviable."
      • "Is that something we should envy? LOL!"
      • "Logically, you should be jealous of Eugene who¡¯s getting all that attention, LOL."
      • "Wait¡­ is this yuri??"
      • "Yuri nowadays is carnivorous, LOL."
    • "But why is this actually real???"
    • "Personal opinion) If Kato had turned out like that, it would have been more fun."
      • "Ah, LOL!"
      • "Fact) True."
      • "He should have been eaten like a dog after awkwardly acting out because he turned into Byam, LOL."
      • "Yikes."
    • "Editor, is it true that he was a man before? Even Byam looks like they¡¯re in distress while receiving attention, LOL."
      • "Some people like to see others be embarrassed while not caring about their own shame."
      • "But Iris looks embarrassed as hell, LOL."
      • "It¡¯s because, when sober, she can''t act like ¡®be delicious!¡¯ LOL."
    • "Seriously, the hand heart image is legendary... Does that mean she practiced it when she was a man?????"
      • "Thinking about it like that makes it kind of gross... but not really."
      • "In the past, that kind of grossness was content, LOL."
    • "From now on... TS is ..."
      • "Now that I think about it, it really does seem like it, LOL."
    • "I don¡¯t really feel anything now that she¡¯s a woman, but thinking about it like she''s a superior species, I feel weird, LOL."
      • "Alpha Byam, wow."
      • "Isn¡¯t this like a martial arts novel plotline?"
      • "Getting the good fortune and then throwing a heart at your employer, w."
      • "With so many stories about fallen female demons, what¡¯s the big deal about a heart emoji?"
    • "So Iris, is she really a virgin in a spiritual fusion sense?"
      • "Surprisingly, yes."
      • "Fact) She has no knowledge about female anatomy, has never touched a woman¡¯s body or loved a man, so ording to the theory of spiritual fusion, she is a true virgin."
      • "I should have TS-ed you guys who are posting this crap to contribute to society¡¯s development... But you¡¯re already making money hand over fist, LOL."
      • "You¡¯re just spitting nonsense, LOL."
    • "Fact) These guys who are overflowing here would just get fat and sit in their rooms if they were TS-ed."
      • "Why are you suddenly hitting me, LOL?"
      • "Even if you make them a woman and give them a mic, they won¡¯t be able to say anything, they¡¯d just cry, w."
      • "True, LOL."
    "Always a thought I have, but it seems I was right about judging a person in the past. How did our little one, who used to cry at night, grow up like this? Is this how it feels when a son or daughter grows up?" "...I didn¡¯t cry that much, you know?!" "Of course, of course. After sharing a room with me, you didn¡¯t cry much." "Ugh..." Seoul, Samsung-dong, Icarus Residence Korea. 77th floor lounge bar. We¡¯re having a st inside a personal bar where even top-tier members with yearly subscriptions can¡¯t easily get in. It¡¯s almost like this person is digging into my past at will. Fortunately or unfortunately, the bartenders and chefs here were all reced by machines, unlike the usual lounge bars. I guess people who like shaking up cocktails and fire shows would prefer the other side. In other words, even if we talk loudly, no one can hear us. The small talk continues... "So, what¡¯s it like for the families of the seniors in this world? Their past must have been altered here and there..." "Not really anything special. Aside from the fact that all my personal info and photos are now of me as a woman, nothing else has changed. Thanks to that, the list of acquaintances I know is pretty much the same." "Acquaintances... like that football thing?" "Ha, you still remember that. That¡¯s right. I asionally stay in touch with the guys I used to y football with back in high school and college." "That¡¯s probably because you became close with them by paying their hospital bills." "Hahaha!" Of course, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Lorentinaughed heartily. There was some nostalgia in her eyes, but... well, due to the retroactive application of the otherworldly changes, the past I didn¡¯t experience had be a different case for me. "I feel kind of bad for those friends now. Imagine a 220kg person running at 70km/h and just plowing through them." "...Wouldn¡¯t that kill someone? Even the bigger guys are only around 120kg, maybe 150kg at most." "I was too excited back then. We settled on paying for four months¡¯ worth of hospital bills, plus some extra for them. Of course, that¡¯s based on the crazy American medical costs. Thankfully, I had earned a lot by then." "Wow." Well, she was a manifestor, after all. As we continued chatting, the topic shifted in a different direction. Lorentina had lifted up a few inte posts in mid-air. How should I say it? The contents of those posts andments were¡­ the perfect example of what would happen if you expressed human instincts very directly. "Hahaha! Look at these people, they¡¯re envious of everything." "Well, most people only see what they want to see. No one knows how hard the editor struggled in the early days after the body changed. No one even knows how hard I struggled." She had undergone a body mutation around the time the virus pandemic was escting, but that mutated body helped her survive hundreds of times over. The changes allowed bullets that would have hit her shoulders or sides to miss, the speed was much faster, and the amount of portable ammo increased dramatically. With just regr meals and calories met, she could stay up for 24 hours, detecting and eliminating any threats in her vicinity, capable of sensing blood or human smells to deal with them. As a soldier, she could be considered aplete package. "The day after my body changed, my teammatesforted me. A weekter, Iforted them. A monthter, they asked how they could change their bodies like mine¡­ Ha ha ha, that was so fun." "Is that really fun?" "To be honest, my original tendencies are quite dangerous. You know that, right?" "...That¡¯s true." It was true. "Anyway, with the way things are going, I don¡¯t think you came here with a sense of ¡®there¡¯s an urgent mission we must do.¡¯ It seems like you came to check on the current state of the manifestors in Korea before the official tactical exchange, right?" "Even if that¡¯s not the reason, there are many other reasons to visit. But, judging by the circumstances, that¡¯s probably the main one. You already know that without the cooperation of the little one, there¡¯s not much we can do, right?" "I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t even consider the possibility that I wouldn¡¯t cooperate." "Heh, it¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re quick to catch on." That¡¯s right. "Anyway, if you came to check on the manifestors, it¡¯s probably best to have them meet face-to-face. What do you think about participating under the guise of helping our new little ones adapt to the hardcore mode before Dark Zone 2.0 opens?" "I don¡¯t care what banner you wave, but that suggestion sounds pretty interesting. As I mentioned earlier, it should start tomorrow or the day after, right?" "That¡¯s right." "It¡¯s going to be an exciting wait, hehe¡­" The glint in Shark¡¯s eyes was dangerously red. I had arranged for Shark to stay in a suitable room at the hotel and nned to head back home. Tomorrow was definitely something to look forward to. As I thought about it, I first wrote up the notice and nodded at Lorentina without giving any detailed exnation. Lorentina, however, smiled as if that was all she needed to understand. One minuteter, the three Byam members, having read my notice, frantically called me. "Yeah, I had a feeling things would go quiet and nice for a while... but no. Peace was a luxury for us. Shark was just waiting in the dark for us to let our guard down¡­" "Well, it''s not your fault. The long-term tactical exchange mission for Korea became official around the same time, and Japan was already tightly secured, so Task Force Blue came to Korea." "So Lorentina¡­ oh, I won¡¯t tell anyone about this." "You¡¯d better not." At 10 PM, leaving Shark in the hotel room, I casually walked home. Harmony and Dice, faces as pale as could be, grabbed me and started shaking me with excitement. It couldn¡¯t be helped. I¡¯d figured out that they weren¡¯t quiet because things were calm¡ªthey were gathering their strength for something. Technically, I hadn¡¯t exactly sold these two (or three) out. I had always said that if they didn¡¯t want to participate, they didn¡¯t have to. It was just a simple tantrum, really. And to add, I hadn¡¯t even said a word about what was toe next. I looked at the two tantrum-throwers with a neutral expression (I hadn¡¯t mentioned Iris because she was still clueless). Gradually, their sense of reason returned. "Well, it¡¯s not that we really dislike it. Honestly, it¡¯s kind of nice for people like us. We¡¯re getting good stuff for free¡­ Anyway, can we at least hear what we¡¯re going to do first?" "Let me ask you instead. What do you think we¡¯re going to do?" "Umm¡­ honestly, now that I think about it, I don¡¯t really expect to learn anything revolutionary. But with Eugene and Lorentina, uh, I¡¯m not sure what to call her... Let¡¯s say senior manifestors, maybe they¡¯ll give us tips on moving our bodies or something?" "That¡¯s notpletely off, but you¡¯d better think a little more specifically." At the same time, the next words came: "If you¡¯ve been partially adjusting your stats until now, it¡¯s time to go more seriously. You wouldn¡¯t be clueless about what that means, would you? You get it, right?" "¡­Wait. Does that mean we¡¯ll be at the same level as Eugene¡­?" "Strictly speaking, it means the starting conditions will be the same from now on. But, yeah, pretty much." In short: Starting from tomorrow¡¯s broadcast, Dice, Harmony, and Iris will experience ''hardcore mode'' for real. Until now, they had only been adjusting their behavior stats and such, so this will be a massive leap forward. And actually, there was a reason these three needed to experience hardcore mode. "Also, now that you¡¯re starting to realize how much your bodies differ from normal people, to bridge the gap, you¡¯ll need to input new muscle memory." "Aha." "And don¡¯t you guys also want to throw grenades with your tails and catch falling magazines in-game?" "...Ah." At the same time, I exchanged nces with Harmony. Considering how our first skirmish went, it felt like some kind of homage, or maybe a self-parody. In any case, it was a remark that brought back memories of the past. With a mischievousugh, I added: "From now on, you¡¯ll have to catch the falling magazines yourself." "...Thinking about it that way, it feels a little bittersweet. It really feels like a lot of time has passed since then." "Yeah, a lot of time has passed. And¡­" At the same time, I subtly turned my gaze to the side. There, Iris,pletely confused and clueless about what was going on, stared at me with a nk expression. Well, unlike those two, Iris had been swept up in this all of a sudden, so I understood. But still, our editor had be a manifestor. To join the Byam Cartel, she had to bear that weight. "I¡¯ll teach you well and kindly, so don¡¯t feel too burdened, okay?" "I still don¡¯t understand what any of this is about¡­" "Iris, you¡¯re a priestess who serves Eugene, right? You have to stick with him and get stronger. Don¡¯t you think?" "But that¡¯s just a setting!" But if I said, "You just broke out of your setting," I wasn¡¯t sure if our editor, feeling emotional, would ask, "Teacher, are you a T-***?" so I just chose to stay quiet. At this point, what was important wasn¡¯t to bring reality into focus¡­ what¡¯s it called again? Nadena-de? Anyway, I thought it would be necessary, so I forced Iris onto the bed and started massaging her while saying: "The more you practice in virtual reality, the better you¡¯ll get at handling your tail. Think of it as practice." "...Well, at least I¡¯m d I have motivation with that perspective." Then, I guess it was good. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but it seemed like I had sessfully nted some reasonable expectations in them... and I slowly saw off Harmony and Dice as they headed back to the next house. By now, it was almost midnight. With Iris heading back to her room, I sat on the living room sofa and stared at the ceiling, thinking. ¡®...Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean only good things will happen. The probability is zero.¡¯ Considering how much painful training I went through in that other world, I was sure tomorrow¡¯s broadcast wouldn¡¯t go smoothly. And then... Boom! "Ahhh-!" "Teacher! Dice down, Dice down!" "Well, that¡¯s not a down, that¡¯s a self-destruct." "Wow, this is harder than I thought¡­!" Self-destruct. Exhaustion. And I, along with Lorentina, watched the scene with satisfaction. The broadcast the next day was aplete disaster. Chapter 626 "Wee to the northern coast of France, Servur, Caen, Le Havre, Rouen, Dieppe... Truly, wee to northern France," I said. "Wow, now it really feels like we''re in Dark Zone 2.0. The battles are happening on a global stage now," Dice remarked. "...It kind of feels like we''re going back 100 years. Am I the only one who feels that way?" I asked. "It does feel a bit like that," he replied.
    • France (destroyed)
    • Couldn''t win against the virus ????????????
    • Cis, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Arras, Amiens, Saint-Quentin, Cambrai... Eugene... ugh, my head...
    • These ce names sound so familiar ??????????
    • Why... does this seem familiar?
    • Is this maybe around 1944????
    The next day. It had been only a few weeks since Dark Zone 2.0 was updated, and we finally set foot in northern France ¡ª I had never been to Europe in that world, so I never expected to visit in this way. I wasn''t exactly thrilled about it. The weather in northern France was as dreary as expected. It wasn''t surprising, given how close it was to the notoriously gloomy Ennd, only a few hundred kilometers away, sometimes just 40 km. And Dice, standing on the aircraft carrier heading to Le Havre, made sure to point that out. "...But why is the weather so gloomy?" Dice asked. "Well, like the chat says, it¡¯s probably because France became a half-destroyed Paris Republic. I never imagined the situation across Europe would be like this," I replied. "Wait, France is destroyed?" Dice asked. "How many times do I need to tell you to read the setting book? Do you want me to exin that not just France, but many European countries arepletely shattered?" I said.
    • The EU is destroyed! Now, the Manchester United gallery rules this ce!
    • In this world, even Manchester United is gone ????
    • Fact) This is true.
    • I read the 2.0 docs, and it''splete chaos everywhere ????
    • The only somewhat intact ces in Europe are the UK and France. How is that even possible? ??
    • Is this really a WW2 reenactment???
    That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Considering the toothbrush-mustached figure reincarnated in Southeast Asia¡ªthere were many things to discuss, but that¡¯s one key point. First of all, the Omega Virus outbreak led to Israel beingpletely isted, unable to receive support from the U.S., UK, or France. What happened? They were cleanly wiped out. The problem came after that. The ones who wiped Israel off the map were Iran, but Iran was not alone. Iraq and Saudi Arabia, along with countries that weren''t on the best terms with Iran, joined in, and eventually, the powder keg exploded. Meanwhile, India, who managed to strike a fragile deal with Pakistan over Middle Eastern and Eastern European interests, swept Afghanistan aside and then stomped Tehran, Iran¡¯s capital. Naturally, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt in the Middle East reacted strongly, but unfortunately, the India-Pakistan alliance, with their sights on Middle Eastern dominance, was unstoppable. It didn¡¯t take long for a nuclear cloud to rise from the heart of the Arab world. "...So, the Middle East was thoroughly plundered, and the self-proimed South Asian Federation forces are now stationed not just in their homnd, but in Eastern Europe, North Africa, and even Tunisia," I said. "Looking at the map... if we keep going, we¡¯re already in Europe. Is this possible?" Dice asked. "We lost the Suez Canal. It¡¯s a 150,000-ton ship route, and even with repairs taking about three years,rger warships can easily pass through now. The repairs are already finished, and the Mediterranean is in a difficult situation," I exined. "And since we¡¯re already engaging in military activities, there¡¯s no negotiation in this world anymore," I added. "You know your stuff," Dice said.
    • Is a war like the Olympics happening here?
    • Why are there so many gaps in the Middle East? ???
    • They probably got nuked, right? ????
    • Fake madness) They were talking about the past, Shiite vs Sunni, and then military action / Real madness) Nuclear missileunches
    • They¡¯re just crazy bastards ????
    Just as they said. However, to our disappointment and their luck, the South Asian Federation forces couldn''t push further. The U.S., with its focus on technology, began supporting Europe. Considering the fusion reactors supplying power to Paris near the Pang area and the U.S. forces guarding them, we can see where this is headed. Plus, the U.S. can intercept iing ballistic missiles with railguns. Right now, the SR-72 is endlessly circling tens of kilometers above South Asia and Eastern Europe, gathering intelligence, and making sure the other side thinks twice. But that wasn''t the only problem. "The buildings in Norway and Denmark have beenpletely demolished, and Hamburg is being torn down in real-time by an unidentified drone. A defensive line has formed near Bremen," I said. "Bremen, like the town with the music band, right?" Dice asked. "Yes, it had a statue of the Bremen Town Musicians, which has now been demolished along with everything else," I replied. "This game seems to be all about dark humor," Dicemented. "Ha ha," Iughed.
    • When has it not been like this? ??
    • Unidentified drone<<<
    • After selling his likeness once, now Byam is draining his soul ??
    • Artemis people are back, sucking resources like they did in the savannah. No conscience, seriously ??
    • Is Byam Allstars showing up again? Seriously, Eugene is a legend...
    In the meantime, we boarded a tilt-jet aircraft on the aircraft carrier. Our destination was Essen, Germany, near D¨¹sseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, and Dortmund, major cities now turned into the forward base of the US European Command (EUCOM). Originally, the headquarters was in Stuttgart, but since Gaia had invaded from the north, we had to act immediately. The tilt-jet passed through France, Belgium, and the Nethends,nding near Essen, a city transformed into a military hub, a far cry from its former self as a peaceful mix of forests and urban areas. The railroad, once used to carry people, now sent enormous amounts of military supplies to the frontlines. The roads, once hastily built, were all reconstructed. ¡®In the other world... this kind of thing couldn¡¯t happen, not with Gaia already being brought home.¡¯ After collecting some intel, we learned that, by the standards of that world, South Asia had already crumbled, and the Middle East had been close to that for a while. Thinking this over, I stepped off the tilt-jet and was greeted by the Icarus UI. I wondered if I should greet someone, but today, assessing thebat capabilities of our new recruits was more urgent than watching a cutscene. Luckily, nearby, there was a train ready to head for Bremen, prepared for quick departure. After a brief identity check, I boarded the train, but suddenly, a strange sound came from my ear.
    • [Notification: , wee. From now on, EUCOM''sbat analysis engine andbat simtor ''Nasty'' will be actively supporting the Archetype team.]
    • [Notification: Hehe, I told you I could do something too.]
    "...Huh?" "Looks like Nasty found something to do after all," I said.
    • Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam! Baby Byam!
    • Why is a middle schooler calling out Baby Byam? I don¡¯t get it.
    • Well, if they¡¯re younger than Byam, it makes sense ??
    • Is that... reasonable?
    • What the hell are they saying ????
    As I mentioned earlier, it looks like Nasty found something to do. It''s been nearly half a year since I brought this little one here, and after creating many valuable things from Nasty''s perspective, it was about time to start delegating tasks like this. Unlike Lorentina, who didn¡¯t care much, my friends, who were obsessed with Byam even after turning into Byam themselves, quickly brightened up, but it didn¡¯tst long. The 20-minute ride to Bremen was perfect for a pre-operation briefing. A holographic map appeared, and among the many micro-tasks broken down to achieve EUCOM¡¯s macro objectives, we were assigned one. "2nd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Battalion ''Saber'' has discovered several unusual structures in a small town called Achim, located to the right of Bremen. These structures are highly likely to be artillery positions for fire support. We''re scheduled to strike the base in 3 hours." "Striker cavalry reconnaissance units from 4th Battalion, the Nemesis and Desperadopanies, and the Field Artillery Battalion ''Hellraiser,'' including Archer and Bulldog batteries, will be supporting us," I continued. "Twelve 155mm howitzer batteries, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad." "So what are we going to do..." Dice asked. "We''re the spearhead unit," I replied, gesturing at the holographic map. With a flick of my fingers, I sent the holographic disy zooming off, where it quickly dissipated. Lorentina, who had been chuckling beside me, seemed to enjoy my confidence. "As we head to the objective, we¡¯ll tear apart anything that stands in our way," I added. "...Got it," Dice responded. "You¡¯ll be able to keep up, right?" I asked.
    • This is what I¡¯m talking about ????
    • If they don¡¯t follow, you¡¯ll just grab them by the cor and drag them along, right? ??
    • Iris is shocked ww
    • You chose your employer! Push through with grit!!!
    • Fact) Viewers didn¡¯t even get a chance to hold on
    Of course, there was no refusal. Gaia hadn¡¯t been mentioned yet, but I could already sense that the grand prologue had just begun. "Ugh, save me¡­!" Dice¡¯s voice cracked. "Is there no water¡­?" Harmony asked. "I guess they can¡¯t keep up," I remarked. "Right."
    • Even if you''re a manifestation, not all manifestations are the same ????
    • Of course, ??
    • Byam and Shark have worked their asses off for this, ??
    • Are these guys the ones making everyone else do intense exercises from the start? ??
    • This is dizzying, seriously dizzying ??
    Of course, that was never going to happen. "Before we get into the real fight, let me warn you," I said. "You¡¯re probably going to struggle, but don¡¯t worry. The three of you will make mistakes, and it will be up to us to clean them up." "I tested things out a bit while walking around, and it didn¡¯t seem like there was a major issue¡­ but it sounds like you''re already expecting us to mess up," Dice replied. "Heh, you¡¯re aware of your own limits, but if that were the case, I wouldn¡¯t be talking like this," I said. "Ultimately, the one thing you¡¯re missing isbat experience since bing a manifestation." Was that really the case? That thought crossed all three of their minds, but their reactions varied¡ªHarmony and Dice shared simr thoughts, while Iris, still mostly unaware, just looked around, trying to catch up.@@novelbin@@ But it wasn¡¯t like they hadpletely misjudged themselves. They both knew well enough how many trial and error moments I had gone through to optimize my body settings. They understood that even the slightest adjustment could make a huge difference inbat. One of the most important things in a fight is muscle memory, and any slight deviation from that can lead to errors. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand. Still¡­ ¡®¡­So just how big of a mistake do they think we¡¯re going to make?¡¯ The first real battle after bing a manifestation. Just how different would it bepared to what they were used to? It was hard to simte that in my mind, but looking at Lorentina and Eugene, it was as if they had already anticipated everything, calmly watching them as the three of them tried to piece things together. Surprisingly, no further exnation was given. As mentioned before, Eugene and Lorentina were confident they could handle any mistakes the three would make, and the trio knew that was true. Especially with Lorentina holding her signature spear, making it all the more apparent. And so, the newly manifested trio and their two senior mentors set off toward the operation zone. Despite the dark, the surroundings were clear even without using night vision. The second surprise came from how easy it was to move despite the removal of any physical enhancements. It felt like the real body could move freely with no effort. But after a while, several structures that had suddenly appeared in the middle of fields and roads caught our attention, along with Artemis drones patrolling the area. Then, the real battle began. As the stream began¡­ "Ah, the trigger¡­!" Harmony yelped. "I knew it. Take the extra Geisley trigger, then fall back quickly and swap out the firing mechanism," Eugene called out. "Ah, I cut the explosive line." "Figured. What do you need? Detonator wire, sting cap, or the cable? Just tell me," Eugene said. "The electric conducting cable," Harmony replied. "Here you go," Eugene handed it over.
    • What are they doing? ???
    • Don¡¯t break the gun, just shoot it ????
    • Oops, Harmony dropped the magazine again ???
    • How do Byam and Shark always know exactly what extra equipment they need? ??
    • They¡¯ve probably been through it themselves ??
    At that point, noises from all directions filled the air. Surprisingly, Iris, who had been nervous, was handling the situation more calmly than Harmony or Dice, who were panicking. And, with an ironic twist, the two senior manifestations observed the scene, chuckling at the trio¡¯s progress. Despite the gunfire all around, Eugene and Lorentina¡¯s voices rang clearly. "First thing you¡¯re overlooking is power control. Especially in these urgent situations, there¡¯s no way your strength distribution is going to be perfect. If you¡¯re not careful, the foregrip and trigger guard will get crushed due to your grip strength," Eugene exined. "Green Cat needs to focus more on explosives. If you want topete in this year¡¯s final championships, avoiding hard-core mode might not be a bad option," Lorentina added. "...I¡¯ll try to find a middle ground," Harmony muttered. "Iris is doing well. Staying calm and handling things smoothly is key," Eugene said, giving her some praise. "Hehe..." Iris grinned nervously.
    • ¡®Female¡¯
    • Is this a man? ??
    • Truthfulment) It¡¯s just Byam, a femme fatale and homme fatalebined into one
    • Byam''s tail<<<< it¡¯s their fault
    • Everyone¡¯s talking nonsense again ??
    Countless issues cropped up in no time. However, Eugene and Lorentina never once said it was the end of the problems. And as time passed, the first issue was slowly resolved, only for the second one to emerge. Naturally, the first problems came from Harmony and Dice. "Ugh, this is harder than I thought, aah! Forward grenade!" Harmony cried. "You need to calcte the power distribution for each movement separately. It¡¯s unavoidable. And Minah, you threw that grenade too far, did you know? It¡¯s probably traveled over 160 meters," Eugene noted. "Ugh, this is really tough! I think I¡¯m running out of energy!" Harmony groaned. "That¡¯s to be expected. At least the two of you are fine. I¡¯ve trained you to control your movements precisely, so any small deviation would cause problems. Honestly, Iris adapting without issues is only natural," Eugene exined. "Well, I have some talent for this. Being the next generation of Byam, it¡¯s kind of scary how good I¡¯m getting," Iris grinned. "Is that so?" Eugene asked. But, as always, Byam didn¡¯t miss the chance to joke around. "Well, Iris, now you¡¯re on the front lines. Move out," Eugene said with a smirk. "H-Hold on, sir? That¡¯s not what I meant¡­" Iris stuttered. "Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s exactly what I meant. Now, move out!" Eugene grinned. "Ahhh!" Iris screamed.
    • ????????
    • The source of all evil ??
    • I knew it ????
    • Suddenly, it¡¯s like they¡¯ve changed ??
    • Can¡¯t stand the dominance of Byam, huh? ??
    Iris was forced to pay the price. In the world of manifestations, there was no room forcency. Chapter 627 "Attention to the Nemesis Mobile Reconnaissance Unit, currently moving along L156. A railway intersects with the attack axis 300 meters ahead in the direction of motion, and in front of it, there is an enemy defense line that has not beenpletely neutralized. Proceed with caution." "The unmanned reconnaissance drone held by the 4th Battalion is not adequately prepared for EMP protection. With the dense jamming and enemy air defense systems nearby, CAS will be difficult, so we¡¯ll take on the FO - Forward Observer - role here." "Orders have been passed to our forces. New recruits, take out the reconnaissance drones." "Ah, yes, yes."
    • So busy, haha!
    • Harmony and Dice thought it was just about running around shooting guns, but now they¡¯ve lost it, lol.
    • The new recruits still don¡¯t have the eyes to read the battlefield, haha.
    • As I¡¯ve always felt, in direct confrontations like this, operators don¡¯t have much to do.
    • Just make something to do, like the meta yers, Biyam and Shark, lol.
    ©¤©¤©¤Tududududud! ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! It had only been about an hour since the operation started. By the time the operation officially began, it was already night, and although only an hour had passed, the stars and moon were still hanging in the sky. It was a nice night for stargazing. If not for the deafening sounds of beans being roasted and explosions nearby. It couldn¡¯t be helped. About 450 meters to the west from where we were, there was a designated HPT, or High-Priority Target, which was one of the key areas of this operation¡ª a warehouseplex and the boundary of the enemy defense line. The Nemesis Battalion, a striker mobile reconnaissance unit from the 4th Battalion, had entered fullbat about a few dozen meters away from the railway line mentioned earlier, which intersects with the attack axis. "Ugh, do we really need support there?" "There won¡¯t be much to do. We¡¯d just get in the way." "Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true¡­" The scale of the battle over there was a bit too big for us to stick our noses in.@@novelbin@@ The 50-caliber chain guns and grenadeunchers mounted on the armored vehicles were just appetizers. The directional EMP pulse fired by the Nemesis Battalion spread in a hemisphere, turning the hundreds of attacking drones flying toward us into scrap metal, while enemy artillery units from afar started firing TOT (Time-On-Target). The massive energy pulse fields mounted on the striker armored vehicles initially blocked the artillery fire, while shotgun missiles andsers kept shooting down missile drones hiding in the air. Ultimately, the easiest way to deal with the enemy was with a drone swarm. If it weren¡¯t for the reward logic of Dark Zone, which gives you the thrill of killing human-shaped enemies¡ªthere would only be drones here. But anyway, moving on... "Recapturing the territory and crushing the enemy with a hammer is something those directly deployed need to handle. Our job is to poke at the weak spots, neutralize missileunchers and booby traps hidden in the bushes, buildings, and alleys, and smash the enemy¡¯smand and controlwork." "Finally, the phrase I¡¯ve been hearing for a long time. In short, we¡¯re the Tonkatsu hammer, right?" "Clumsy, but a fitting expression. The soft meat-chewing will be done by those guys, so let¡¯s get moving. We need to act fast to match their timetable."
    • Well¡­ aren¡¯t you guys just crushers instead of Tonkatsu hammers???
    • The seniors are the real hammers, lol.
    • The people who think that the way to support our forces is by erasing the enemy entirely, haha.
    • I¡¯ve seen so many rampages, so no one believes anything they say, lol.
    • If you said you could use nukes, you¡¯d just shoot them from a distance, haha.
    Seriously, why do so many people not believe us? It¡¯s truly sad. Anyway, as I said earlier, it was time to move. We were about 500 meters away from the heart of the conflict, and we nned to stir up the area as much as possible. Harmony activated the stealth mode on the reconnaissance drone that had risen into the sky, activated the pulse, scanned all visible enemies, and synchronized with the UI. Thus, traps on the movement route began to be revealed one by one. After I had briefly taken the point man role because Iris made a mistake earlier, we were now going to break into the enemy base, so Harmony and Dice were positioned at the front. Time to give them some hard work. ©¤©¤©¤Puhhhh! ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! As the artillery strike request sent via the reconnaissance drone was epted, a burst of shockwave erupted from the sky, and the gate leading to the enemy base about 100 meters away waspletely obliterated. Steel doors, turrets with mounted machine guns, and watchtowers turned into ashes on the spot, and as soon as the bombardment ended, Harmony and Dice darted forward with their tails wagging. The scene around Ground Zero, now a sea of mes. Shredded humanoid and unmanned drones were scattered everywhere, but we ignored them. The first targets were the booby traps and drone hangars, which had already been marked by the reconnaissance drone. For booby traps, weunched hacking darts to neutralize them, and for the drone hangars, we took full control of an Artemis electronic warfare unit simr to the nearby AN/MLQ-50. Creating chaos was the goal for the drones, and the drone hangars in the vicinity were our top priority. The answer was simple. "Everyone, take a drone hangar each. Normally, you¡¯d go in pairs, but as I said earlier, any mistakes you make, we¡¯ll clean up. Go ande back without too much burden." "Can I say it¡¯s a bit burdensome?" "To grow strong, one must be strong."
    • (Some nonsense about a lion dropping its baby off a cliff)
    • This is mild by Biyam¡¯s standards, haha.
    • Wow, these two seniors arepletely unresponsive, lol.
    • ?? : To make your disciple strong, you must train them hard (nods).
    nk! At that moment, I punched the drone hangar, and the upper hatch opened, releasing dozens of self-destruct drones armed with explosives, which flew up into the air like a swarm. One, two, three, four. Drones scattered in all directions. Their target was the Artemis humanoids still alive or those about to be deployed on the other side. The ensuing chaos was deafening. The amount of explosives attached to the drones wasn¡¯t much, but still, it was enough to st a robot¡¯s head off. I patted three shoulders and added: "You all can handle this, right?" "We¡¯ll be back in a sh!" "Good. I trust you all know where the assembly point is, so I hope you¡¯ll return in one piece without getting hurt." It was time for our little Biyams to shine. The three of them checked the map and rushed toward the remaining drone hangars, while I stayed behind with Lorentina to check if any enemies remained nearby. After confirming the area was clear, we lightly warmed up. Since Lorentina wasn¡¯t yet at the point of pulling out a spear, she and I grabbed our MCX Rattlers using 300 AAC BLK rounds and made sure everything was working fine. The target was a field about 600 meters to the north, but now it had suddenly turned into an armory. Mortars from the enemy had been raining down from that direction for a while. "We¡¯ve already set the coordinates, so we just need to destroy the shield generator and contact the Hell Laser Artillery Battalion, right?" "That¡¯s the most straightforward method. Let¡¯s go."
    • Oh, they¡¯re acting separately again...
    • Separate action (meaning hitting anything that blocks the way).
    • Hey, everyone, justugh it off, haha.
    • Seriously, now I realize how crazy Biyam and their acquaintances really are...
    We moved quickly along the roadside. With optical camouge and jammers active, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to spot us easily, but of course, we couldn¡¯t keep that up indefinitely. The moment our speed and the swing of our axesbined, the robots¡¯ necks were neatly severed, and the harpoons pierced their throats,unching their heads into the air. As soon as they hit the ground, there would be a loud noise, so we had to make sure to grab them and lower them gently before they hit the ground. As we traveled about 600 meters, sending about 15 robots to their robotic hell, we suddenly arrived at the center of the field, where a building had unexpectedly appeared. Behind the building, there was a generator, surrounded by a barbed-wire fence and several turrets. The pulse was working wonders again. The fence was about... 3 meters high. Should be easy to jump over. "Should I go, or should the newbie go?" "The seniors should rest. I''ll take care of it." "I can¡¯t just stay idle. I''ll catch up with you soon." At that, Lorentina took the lead, walking slowly and standing about 4 meters from the fence, cupping her hands to form a step. How much time passed? I started to sprint, and just before colliding with Lorentina, I pushed off the ground with my left foot, stepped on the shark''s hand, and elerated into the air once more. With a slight grunt from the senior, I easily leaped over the 3-meter fence, including the barbed wire, andnded inside. A littlete, the mini-gun turret began to rotate¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Drrrrr! ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! "Semtex attached, turret neutralized. Looks like there¡¯s no time to open the door, so if you can get in, please help." "...I don¡¯t think that will be necessary. I¡¯ve requested artillery support, so get out within a minute."
    • What just happened????
    • Biyam running in the sky, lol
    • So does that mean Harmony and Dice can actually do this?
    • After seeing that, even they¡¯d probably shake their heads, haha.
    • Iris is being totally ignored, lol.
    Unfortunately, by then, the defense systems guarding the generator had long since been neutralized. Several C4 blocks from my multi-purpose pouch caught my eye today. As I took them out, I added: "At this rate, these robots will be able to enjoy a warmer summer."
    • What the hell is that lunatic saying, haha.
    • Is this really happening? LOL.
    • Fact: Last year, this was an everyday urrence.
    • This is just another regr day for Biyam~
    • It¡¯s true, haha.
    Just like that. A massive explosion and escape were about 30 seconds away. ©¤©¤©¤Kwang! ©¤©¤©¤Puhhh! "¡­What¡¯s that over there?" "Probably the seniors doing something again. Don¡¯t take it too seriously." "...Umm."
    • The baby Biyams are in shock, lol
    • ?? : Now that the demonstration is done, you can try it yourselves.
    • Wait, are we supposed to follow that? What??
    • Iris is in a brain freeze, lol.
    Meanwhile, hundreds of meters away... The new Biyams finally realized the vast gap that existed even among themselves. It was summer. "Yujin, I finally understand." "What did you understand?" "I thought that once we grew our tails, we¡¯d be able to catch up with you two, but it¡¯s literally impossible. We¡¯re just at the starting line, huh¡­" "I admit it, sensei." "I honestly¡­ don¡¯t have any particr thoughts." "I didn¡¯t realize this was a confession room, not a waiting room."
    • Why are they suddenly acting like this? LOL
    • Meanwhile, Iris is beside them, saying ¡®I have no thoughts,¡¯ what a goofy character, lol.
    • Hey, Biyam nun, shouldn¡¯t you be the one holding the confession session??
    • Honestly speaking, I didn¡¯t think I could catch up with Biyam, even if I became a manifestor.
    • So, with that physique, they went to the final championshipst year? That¡¯s just ridiculous, haha.
    The first day in Dark Zone 2.0, and the first day with Lorentina, was nearing its end without incident. Harmony and Dice, who were notcking in self-reflection but still worried about ¡®messing up the operation,¡¯ suddenly typed GG. There was no problematic behavior, though. Meanwhile, Iris, who never misjudged her position, added a few words here and there, unting her presence¡­ She truly is made for broadcasting in many ways. Anyway, as much as we talk, there was no need to give Harmony and Dice special attention. The two of them seemed to know that well and added: "From now on, we won¡¯t act like we¡¯re in hardcore mode. We¡¯ll return the adjustments to normal." "I think that¡¯s better, so I¡¯ll turn the adjustments back on." "Wait¡­ are we really going back to normal mode? I kind of wanted to keep trying." "As expected. The new recruits are turning the adjustments back on, and the newbie- newbie will stick to hardcore mode. Wee to hell, Iris. Me and the newbie will keep an eye on you passionately." "...What does ¡®newbie¡¯s newbie¡¯ even mean?"
    • LOL, Shark¡¯s nickname is hrious.
    • Calling everyone who just came the newbie is too funny, haha.
    • Iris, what kind of nerve does she have, iming to stick to hardcore mode?
    • The editor¡¯s in a tough spot because of the backlog, haha.
    Ah, I just realized that was a problem. But hey, once we keep building up our stamina, maybe we can do hardcore mode and editing too! For now, I¡¯ll start with something like tire pushing. Murmuring ominously, I pushed Shark aside, and Dice took the opportunity to add: "By the way, those we fought earlier were Artemis, right?" "They couldn¡¯t have been anything else." "Then does that mean the Mecha newbie will show upter?" "...Why are you asking me?"
    • Fact: Biyam had no involvement in the Dark Zone scenario at all.
    • We can guess, but why ask Yujin? LOL.
    Dice, now a Grade EM, was starting to get a good feel for things, dodging Biyam¡¯s yful backhands. Biyam¡¯s expression was priceless. Anyway, I¡¯ve been thinking about how to train these bratty newbies. While deep in thought, Lorentina, who had returned at some point, casually ced a hand on my shoulder with a carefree expression. Then she added: "It seems our new Biyams want a lot of things, but I didn¡¯t know their academic zeal was so strong. But if they really want to see the Mecha newbie, they need to control their own abilities first. Don¡¯t you think so?" "...Uh, sure? Suddenly?" "It¡¯s not sudden." She snapped her fingers and continued: "As long as I¡¯m here legally, that¡¯s inevitable." nk! Simultaneously, the hands that were ced on Harmony and Dice¡¯s shoulders suddenly grabbed their clothes tightly, and the two of them finally realized they had been cornered. Of course, it was already toote. "I¡¯m reminded of teaching Yujin back in the day. The curriculum I set up back then still exists, so you just need to rx and leave everything to me, hehe." "W-wait! I really don¡¯t want to see Mecha Yujin!" "Oh, now you¡¯re lying. You¡¯ll need a punishment." "Kyaaah¡ª!"
    • LMAO
    • ¡°Shark Bongo¡± has arrived! Give up hope now!!!!!
    • "Self-invited" lol.
    • Honestly, those two really deserved what they got, haha
    With that look in her eyes as if everything was going just fine, I gave Lorentina a smile, then grabbed Iris, who was unable to keep up with the situation, and added: "Let¡¯s all try hard together." "...Yeah." Well, I thought it was resolved well. I decided it was all good. Chapter 628 "Ha ha ha... Ha ha ha ha! Did you see that! I can be helpful too! Finally, I can show my usefulness!" "Who gave the fourth Mecha newbie a job? You¡¯re so noisy." "It''s the perfect choice to cover up the nearly copsed European Command. Plus, we met the newbie from the other world, so how could I not be excited? Just leave them be. It¡¯s fun watching them throw tantrums." "When can we leave?" "If you want to train, you should¡¯ve said so, Jin. You can go right now if you want." "Oh, no, I didn''t say anything." The ce that used to be Central Park HQ. As high-rise buildings in the surrounding area were gradually being dismantled, only the essential buildings needed to relocate the numerous agencies that were packed inside Central Park remained, leaving the area eerily empty. Among those buildings, there were a few that hadn''t yet been moved for various reasons¡ªnamely the amodations for operators, the break room, and the briefing room. And in thest one of these, arge team, which had grown significantlypared to the past, was seated. The end of the war naturally reduced the amount of work to be done, but the numerous supplies produced during the wartime period were still piled high in the warehouses, and with the gradual recovery of the U.S., food resources were starting to circte as well. In other words, it meant that the time to rx and eat hade for everyone, including all of Icarus Operators still on the roster, including the Dagger Team. One way to ovee the boredom that came with that was to watch the Mecha newbies. "I heard things are a mess over in that world too. I heard there¡¯s been a significant increase in mutations... I bet it''s busy right now. The newbie will call youter, so just hang on until then." "Your face looks grumpy. Looks like I¡¯ll have to assign some homework. I think it¡¯s time for a deep discussion about the world situation in Dark Zone with the Mecha newbies. You all would love it, right?" "Ugh, no!" "There are some pretty interesting points, though. Too bad." As expected. Normally, geopolitical matters and the dynamics in Southeast Asia and the Middle East weren¡¯t something they needed to consider deeply. However, the knowledge they naturally gained due to the prolonged war piqued their interest. In the world where the Dagger Team existed, the fact that mutual destruction had urred everywhere due to data transmitted by the SR-72 reconnaissance flight was well-known. On the other hand, discussions about the IF-In and others became excellent topics. Regardless of whether Nasty focused back on the screen, their conversation continued. "If something like that happened in reality, it would have been a major headache. Don¡¯t we still have to settle a lot of the debts with Russia and China?" "Not sure. I don¡¯t think Russia is the problem, but China¡¯s been causing some noisetely. Morrison, who¡¯s been assigned to the Department of Homnd Security, threw out a few wordsst time. He said that without deploying the peacekeeping forces, things could get dangerous. Domestic issues are bad enough as it is." "Recently, I¡¯ve been getting a lot of suggestions to build something for them, now I get why." "...Gaia?" The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor. Among the Mecha newbies, Gaia, thest of the five sisters who looked distinctly different from the others, and who had been the most hardworking person in the U.S. recently, sat down. Instead of the usual sultry snake-tail charm, she gave off an intimidating aura by deliberately spreading her tail joints. However, no one seemed to care, and everyone waited for her to speak, as Gaia unfurled a few proposals in the air. "One of the major projects is to construct an underwater tunnel connecting ska¡¯s Wales and Diomede Inds with Russia¡¯s Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. And another is to build a baserge enough to house a QRF (Quick Reaction Force) division from China¡¯s Qinhuangdao." "...Is it really that big?" "I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about China. The reserve units that were stationed in Korea and the 7th Fleet were urgently deployed to the western sea. If left unchecked, they¡¯ll be in a worse situation than just paying off the debt to the U.S. The country could bepletely shattered." "Well, the 7th Fleet blew up the Three Gorges Dam, so that¡¯s to be expected." As said. After the dam was shattered, ces like Yichang, Wuhan, and Nanjing had long since turned into water parks. The resulting refugees, along with the naturally urring gues, had turned China into a living hell. Of course, many had already died due to the virus spreading before that, but this was none of the Dagger Team¡¯s concern. They were the ones who had struck the first blow in such dire conditions. Anyway, with the gloomy topics pushed aside, the conversation continued. "Speaking of which, was the newbie¡¯s hometown in Korea? I doubt it was in a very good state over there." "I heard the Seals in Yokosuka managed to hold off about half of it at the beginning of the war. Let¡¯s see... Daejeon? A ce with that name was pushed back, but they¡¯ve even reached Shenyang now." "That must¡¯ve been quite the mess." "Well, it¡¯s a country right next to China. It couldn¡¯t have been avoided." As the topic changed quickly... "Now that you mention Korea, I remember a ce I visitedst time¡ªSeoul. It was quite a prosperous city. I¡¯d love to visit again if I get the chance, but that cheeky newbie hasn¡¯t been in contact with metely." "As I said earlier, I heard there¡¯s been a significant increase in mutations. That brat isn¡¯t just going to sit around, right? They¡¯ll get in touch when they have more free time." "Ah, I know that the archetype has been casually adding a fewments." "...Even if you pretend not to notice, everyone is already preparing to join in." At that moment, Mav, who had been eavesdropping quietly, sat down and spoke. "I heard there¡¯s going to be an expo in Korea soon. I was thinking maybe we could quietly call the Dagger Team to join. Since we¡¯re the main yers at the expo, we¡¯ll probably get there somehow, but... I don¡¯t think the archetype will leave other people alone." "...It¡¯s not impossible." Mav continued with: "I could proudly step forward then! Last time, I had to sit outside while the three main yers took the spotlight!" "First time I¡¯ve heard someone say a machine had to sit outside, that¡¯s hrious." While all this was going on, many eyes turned toward Gaia, but she didn¡¯t seem to care. Unlike Jin and Rain or Mav, she was made for a specific purpose¡ªand Gaia was naturally a workaholic. Though she was curious about the other world, and had been excited when crossing through the world line, she was someone who knew how to separate business from personal matters. This reaction was worlds apart from Nasty acting like a kid. As expected... "Well, if we can go, that¡¯d be great, but it¡¯s not the end of the world if we don¡¯t. I find fulfillment in getting things done, and I was designed that way from the start. If you really want to go, you could always ask the original one." "...The mental age of the Mecha newbies seems to stay bnced thanks to the third and fifth ones." "Hey! What¡¯s wrong with us!" "Exactly!" "Alright, alright. I was just kidding, you little rascals... Ahh, don¡¯t climb on me! You¡¯re heavy!" "Well, it¡¯s not really wrong." Creak! As soon as the weight of Mecha Yujin pressed down on the chair, the one that Chester had been sitting on broke apart with a crash, sending dust flying everywhere. For a brief moment, silence. Owens let out a sigh as he gestured for Lorentina and Logan toe over. As he did so, Rain¡¯s eyes shifted around frantically. As Rain was dragged off to the training ground with a loud cry, someone spoke. "Are they really going to make those idiots the main yers of the expo? I can¡¯t even imagine that." "Well, if they¡¯d messed up, the newbie would¡¯ve kicked them out already. They¡¯re probably watching their every move, and if they start doing something weird... that¡¯d be something, for sure." "Mm." Listening to this, Serkins exhaled a short breath and rubbed his chin before adding. "I¡¯ve got a good idea." "What is it, Section Leader?" "I think if we take the role of overseeing them under the guise of monitoring them, we could participate legally." "Ha, that¡¯s a funny thought." Then, he continued. "Let¡¯s contact them now." "...I¡¯m hearing all of this as well, you know." "Jin doesn¡¯t usually cause trouble, so it¡¯s fine." "Heh heh heh." Of course, even openly mocking someone, as long as you praise them, it could create a split in opinions. That¡¯s how it was. Today was just anotherzy day for the Dagger Team. And then, "nk!" "Ah, Yujin, you¡¯re here... Waaaah!" "What¡¯s going on? Why are you suddenly¡ªkyaaaah!" "Heh heh, you look like you saw something you shouldn¡¯t have! Our new little ones! They¡¯ve grown tails and flew all the way here!" "...Ah, hello. Nice to meet you." Meanwhile, somewhere in Korea... Shark hade to teach reality with a huge pile of gifts. "Mm, I see now. So the one who¡¯s been especially taking care of the newbiestely is you, huh? You seem a bit clueless, but your face shows no worry, so it seems like you''ve lightened the load in your heart..." "Uh, well... yeah, I guess..." "Ah, it''s bringing back memories. Yujin was once as cute as you all are. It¡¯s not so much that he¡¯s lost his cuteness now, but sometimes he shows those clumsy sides..." "Sis!" "Ugh, don''t call me sis when it¡¯s inconvenient, Yujin." I had unconsciously shouted "sis." It wasn¡¯t a term I used often, especially not to tease others¡ªespecially Logan¡ªbut when Shark would turn my embarrassment meter to max, it came out. This time, of course, it was thetter. As soon as I called her "sis," Harmony, Dice, and Iris all stared at me wide-eyed. Maybe because it was a title that seemed like it would nevere from my mouth, even if the world were ending?@@novelbin@@ Lorentina was naturally surprised too, but she burst outughing. Truly unbelievable. "You keep digging into my past!" "Alright, alright. Why would you try to hide it? A person should be proud of their past. And since these guys are also talking about the newbie¡¯s past, their faces are pretty entertaining, aren¡¯t they?" "Of course! I haven¡¯t told anyone else!" "You''re going to burst fromughing if I keep teasing you. Alright, alright. I¡¯ll stop, sit down. I¡¯ll keep it under control." It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t believe her, but I had a feeling she wasn¡¯t really holding back. Anyway, while the sudden unveiling of my past had thrown me off, that was precisely why I was working hard to take care of Iris. She was like looking into a mirror. Just like how I found someone to rely on in Central Park HQ and the seniors before Ipletely broke down, I too hoped I could be that support for someone. Harmony and Dice? Well... at this point, did I really need to exin? I hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility that they wouldn¡¯t adapt to the situation. Meanwhile, Lorentina, who had been wandering outside, proudlyid all sorts of food she had brought on the table. However, considering there were five EM-grade individuals present... In other words, people who should be counted in tens, not units, when it came to food consumption. The delivery cost would surely be in the million-dor range today. What Lorentina had brought was more like an appetizer. "Newbies, give up the idea. Sometimes there are things in life that you just can¡¯t change, no matter how hard you try." "But Lorentina, you started the fire with us!?!" "But putting out the fire is up to you guys." "¡­Now I get why Lorentina is called evil. She really has an incredibly unique image." I didn¡¯t call her "sis" this time. Anyway, teasing us endlessly without giving any real answers¡ªthis was the signature skill I learned from my seniors, and Lorentina carried it out far better than I did, shifting the mood around us. Originally, I had wanted to ask Shark how theymunicated with their counterparts in the other world, but since there were three other Biyams here besides me, that question would have to wait. Regardless of my thoughts, Lorentina took the opportunity to speak up and bombard everyone with her usual eloquence. "So, how does it feel for you new ones now that you¡¯ve grown tails? I guess we can¡¯t call Green Cat ¡®Green Cat¡¯ anymore, huh?" "I thought I¡¯d be able to do anything once I grew a tail, but I was wrong..." "It seems we need more practice. A lot more. I¡¯ve really learned that nothing in this world is free..." "Considering the path you¡¯ve walked, it¡¯s not impossible. Our newbie here worked hard enough to handle it this well. And Iris, the newest addition?" "Ah, yes?" "I saw you drawing hearts with syrup. That was quite impressive." ...Ah, that. The video of us ying maid roles was, unsurprisingly, the instant trending video as soon as it was uploaded to YourSpace. And of course, Lorentina had seen it. She continued. "I wasn¡¯t too worried, but still. I¡¯m d to see you all adjusting well. However, let me tell you, there¡¯s still a lot you need to enjoy and experience as Manifestors. Do you know what I mean?" "¡­Things we have to experience as Manifestors?" "Even though you¡¯re curious, I won¡¯t tell you everything. You¡¯ll naturally figure it out as you go along. But just sitting back and watching isn¡¯t all that fun, and since we¡¯re here, let me share a couple of things with you." Things we need to experience as Manifestors. As I thought about it, the answer came to me within a few seconds, and a smile crept onto my face. Meanwhile, the newbies who had only recently entered EM-grade looked confused. What could it be? Then came the follow-up: "Think carefully about what kind of animal you are." "...Ah!" "You¡¯ve more or less figured it out, huh?" A snake. Since I¡¯d already experienced things like vibration detection and night vision after bing an EM-grade Serpentia, it was no surprise, but oddly enough, aside from Lorentina, everyone else present had visited my penthouse at least once. In other words, they¡¯d been to the swimming pool in the basement. Snakes, sharks, or any other water-loving creatures¡ªit was no surprise that we all liked water, which is why Lorentina spoke up. "You won¡¯t want to get out once you get in the water." "...Ah, I¡¯ll go grab my swimsuit when I get home." "Yujin-sensei, I think I need to buy a swimsuit first..." "Iris might be one of those kinds that are used to water like an anaconda, but let¡¯s go buy swimsuits tomorrow." "Yeah." At that, Iris let out a weirdugh, half-giving up, while Lorentina... ''...It looks like she¡¯s testing if they¡¯re fit for the navy, but she¡¯s trying to hide it.'' Though she seemed to be trying to hide it, her eyes were not normal. This is really maddening. Chapter 629 Here is the continuation of the trantion: "Yujin, it feels like just yesterday we were watching Shark and the pr bear sisters y around, and now we¡¯re here with tails attached. Really brings back memories..." "...I¡¯m feeling a bit tight in the chest, though. With this kind of muscle mass, bone density, and weight, shouldn¡¯t I sink right when I get in the water? How is this possible?" "That''s a unique trait of Manifestors. After all, in this world, materialism doesn¡¯t even work." As I murmured, my voice echoed slightly along the walls. We were currently in arge swimming pool located in the penthouse basement, a space restricted to residents or authorized personnel. The surrounding holographic walls projected such a beautiful outdoor view that it didn¡¯t even feel like we were underground. Anyway, getting back to it, I had told Iris to buy a rash guard, but instead, she insisted on buying a monokini, and now, embarrassed, she wouldn¡¯t even look at me. I simply responded to herment. In a world where it¡¯s not umon for a man to suddenly be a woman overnight, what¡¯s the harm in viting a couple of physicalws now, right? Thinking about that, I suddenly remembered aic I had read in the past. What was it? Something about a cyberpunk dystopia with heavy metal rain, where people suddenly awaken as ninjas... "¡­Jin, Yujin! Pay attention!" "Hmm, I was just lost in thought for a second. Anyway, stretching is essential before entering. You¡¯ve be a snake who swims well, but if you get a cramp and fall into the water, I¡¯ll be sure tough at you all on the broadcast. Got it?" "Ugh, I¡¯ll be theughing stock, not just nationally, but worldwide... Huff." "Ugh, it hurts! My bones are breaking!" "Be careful. Your physical abilities could hurt even other Manifestors." At the same time, Iris, who had her chest covered with one arm and her private parts with the other hand, wrapped her tail around her waist and swiftly pulled me toward her. As expected, she was whiter than I was, so the contrast was striking... was she a human or a red carrot? As a white snake, she looked particrly red. I sighed and added: "Next time, just get a rash guard." "...Okay." "Alright, let¡¯s do some stretching, editor. You know swimming works your whole body, so while you don¡¯t need to do splits like those guys, we should at least loosen up your neck, shoulders, waist, calves, thighs, wrists, and forearms. Ready?" "Oh, I think I can handle that myself¡ªwhoa!" "Come here quietly." Creeeek! It wasn¡¯t right for a Manifestor to just stay at home, doing nothing and working all the time. That¡¯s what I thought as I swiftly spun Iris around, locking our arms and pressing our bodies together, then bent at the waist. A few momentster, Iris¡¯ iling gaze found the ceiling. I had been careful with my strength, so there was no way her muscles or joints were harmed or startled... after all, this kind of stretching wouldn¡¯t surprise a muscle. Around 10 minutester, Iris, who was nowpletely rxed, copsed onto a sunbed, looking like a soft lump. "Ugh..." "Feeling good?" "I thought I was going to die, but now I feel great." "Well then, let¡¯s get ready to go in. It seems like there are a lot of people waiting for us." I lifted Iris from the sunbed, which was made of steel to support Manifestor weight, and signaled to the other three, signaling that we were ready to go. Of course, we didn¡¯t immediately dive into the pool, but started by dipping our toes. From that moment, Harmony and Dice would realize exactly what animals they had turned into. It was like being sucked into the water. I had only submerged my limbs at first to get used to the temperature, but it only took 1 second before I had pushed my whole body into the pool. Surprise turned to joy, and joy turned to astonishment. The sensation of the water waspletely different from what I would¡¯ve felt before bing a Manifestor. How long did it take? "Wow..." "Iris disappeared! Something''s under my feet¡ªahh!" "Harmonyyy¡ª!" It felt like I was watching a scene where something was yanked backward in slow motion. Seeing Iris disappear into the water in an instant was truly enjoyable. Of course, perhaps in case of unforeseen danger, Shark held a small oxygen canister in one hand. How much time had passed? Eventually, Shark came back to the surface,ughing with Harmony and Iris. Now, it was my turn to dive in quietly. After what felt like an eternity, 20 seconds passed. "Did you get a big scare, our little newbies¡ªglub!" "¡­Ah, Shark got kidnapped." "This time it¡¯s the teacher¡¯s turn¡­ Agh, run¡ª!" Of course, it was toote. The five Biyams and one shark had all gathered in the water. "When I was little, the pool I went to had a dining terrace inside the pool. I didn¡¯t expect to feel that same vibe here. It¡¯s great. Swimming, then eating, makes me hungry again." "...The delivery drones keeping and going, though. It¡¯s a bit distracting." "What can we do? We eat so much." The scariest Manifestors are the hungry ones. I never experienced this much back when I was in New York, but seeing it unfold in the basement of my building in real-time was... not exactly nostalgic. Anyway, as the massive poolside meal was being devoured, there was a separate trash sorting station set up for us. The food was so devoured that all that was left were stic containers covered in grease, easily wiped down with a paper towel before being returned. Everyone was patting their full stomachs, and the atmosphere was calm. After a while, we all gathered by a small terrace next to the pool, and it was time to wrap up. We had been in the pool for a while and decided to leave after about an hour of chatting. "Right, I remember I went to Ste Universest time. Do you recall that?" "Of course, I remember. It was quite fun. But why bring it up now?" "Well, I got an email asking if I wanted to join Ste Universe again. Of course, the revenue split is much better than other hologram idols." "Oooh." "¡­But isn¡¯t Iris technically not a hologram idol?" "Ah."@@novelbin@@ At that moment, everyone exchanged nces, realizing something. "¡­Actually, I guess it makes sense. If we just add a simple schedule manager for Iris, isn¡¯t that basically what they offered?" "¡­Huh?" "With my name value, there¡¯ll be much more advertising, and the MCN name will be ¡®Yujin Squadron¡¯. Since it¡¯s already an officialpany, no problem, right? And I¡¯d only have one hologram idol under my belt. We can probably just wrap it up like that." "Woah." "Wow, so you¡¯re saying Iris would be the only hologram idol in Yujin Squadron? I¡¯m so jealous!" "That would be so fun! Are we going to see Iris¡¯ ads on YourSpace? Something like ''Hologram Idol debuts under Yujin¡¯s MCN!''?" "Ugh, nooo¡ª!" At that moment, Iris realized it. The entire setup was carefully designed to tease her¡ªand the same expression she was making was exactly what our editor had. At the end of the day, no, there won¡¯t be any grand advertisements. I wouldn¡¯t make a broadcast saying "Iris is officially my hologram idol." But, Iris would get all the support of a hologram idol without actually being one, and maybe that''s the point. "Well, if Harmony or Dice want to invest their own money and run ads on my channel, sure, but I don¡¯t need that kind of publicity. Besides, if we get a lot of publicity, it might just cause a headache. I''m not going to take on the responsibility of managing hologram idols myself." "¡­Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have any expertise in that area, and to handle it, we¡¯d need to recruit outside help..." "Iris, don¡¯t take me seriously. If I wanted, I could consume the hologram idol market with just the cash I have, but I don¡¯t really want to do that." The conclusion may seem a bit odd, but that¡¯s the reality. At least I helped resolve the editor¡¯s concerns, and I¡¯m fine with that. It was all fine, really. ''...So holograms exist in Korea, huh. Strange.'' Of course, for someone as practical as Lorentina, it was just a story from another world. Everyday life. Chapter 631 -[Former Artemis Biological Research Institute, currently assessing the situation in the Contaminated Quarantine Zone... Out of 8 sectors, <7> have been sessfully quarantined.] -[Noteworthy... the deep temperature in Sector Alpha continues to rise.] -[Additional note: The biological ecosystem within the research facility has surpassed the previously anticipated mutation threshold. The expected growth suppression effect using liquid nitrogen input has not matched the actual results, which were not consistent since <36> hours ago.] -[Based on the footage from the drone deployment protocol #005 and the predicted reproduction rate of unidentified organisms, along with ongoing anomalous physical phenomena, it is deemed essential to deploy further physical measures for purification.] -[Proposal: Icarus operators with unlocked Lambda-level energy restrictions, along with 4 modified remote-controlled drones capable of handling the output.] -[Summary: Observational value of Sector Alpha lost. Request issued for the activation of the extermination protocol.] -[Notification: Extermination protocol approved by the President of the United States, themander-in-chief.] -[Notification: Purification process initiated.] "Yay, it''s been a while, everyone. As announced beforehand, today we''re going to y GTFO with Iris¡ªGoing in, Tracking it, Finding it, and Out." "This game, like the others, was made by Icarus, which purchased a project from an external developer. The world setting and technology share some simrities with the Dark Zone, but it''s not officially integrated into that universe." "If you¡¯ve seen the log after the game started, you¡¯d know, it¡¯s Artemis again. It¡¯s like they¡¯ve gotten reallyfortable using it." "Hello everyone. And to all the believers, may the blessings of Ouroboros be with you..."
    • Biyam coboration stream has started w
    • ©àRepent©à
    • Iris is funny for sticking to the concept again lol
    • Is that... still the concept?
    • She¡¯s fully changed her body, what concept are we talking about? lol
    A few dayster, in virtual reality. With a natural rise in tension, four individuals¡ªthough one of them had physically emerged into reality¡ªstood in front of a military base, beginning their opening. Large trucks carrying military supplies passed by the outside, and people who looked like a mix of soldiers and researchers continued moving around, chatting. Only the four of them appeared out of ce, but no one paid attention to it. After all, the game was designed this way, and the four present had... "These are the Icarus operators who will participate in the Extermination Protocol. I assume you''re all familiar with the mission and rted systems. We will now move to the drop pod control room for deployment. Any questions?"@@novelbin@@ "No." "Nope." "None of us are neers, right?" With those words, they checked on each other. Of course, no one was unaware of what kind of game this was. Some gamers might think ying without knowing any information is the fun part, but that¡¯s a dangerous mindset. Especially for famous streamers like them. Without prior research, it¡¯s like wielding a double-edged sword¡ªrisking being cut themselves¡ªbut these streamers didn''t have to worry about such risks. And besides, there was no harm in learning the system a little bit beforehand. "Here¡¯s the blueprint for the facility. You can check it after deployment, but I strongly rmend you review it beforehand. It may be toote to review it oncebat esctes. I¡¯ll leave now, so let me know when you¡¯re ready for deployment." "Understood." "Seems like every time we deploy, the facility structure changes slightly. No matter how many practice runs we do, in the end, we always have to rely on quick thinking..." "Five sub-sectors, huh? You picked the hardest one, didn¡¯t you? Someone didn¡¯t pick the hardest difficulty, right?" "No way, we didn¡¯t."
    • Fact: This is the first mission.
    • This is why there¡¯s no new yer base, lol
    • Scary and chaotic game? Who would even y this? ww
    • We support the Ste Universe 3rd generation and Iris''s ad! Let¡¯s make it a hit!!!
    • Artemis again???
    • Every time they deployed, the sub-sector structures slightly changed.
    The four of themy in the four pods avable and, in the next moment, they started checking their many UI elements. They could select basic firearms, special weapons, gadgets, and melee weapons. Each of them selected their preferred weapons, considering their bnce within the team and the map¡¯s structure. One of the Icarus operators'' skills included artillery turrets, reconnaissance drones, pulses, and sma hammers... Naturally, at the mention of the sma hammer, everyone¡¯s minds went half nk. The culprit was Iris. "...Iris, what¡¯s that?" "It¡¯s a sma hammer." "I know what that is, but that¡¯s not what I meant¡­" "Oh, you meant it that way? Don¡¯t worry, guys, I didn¡¯t choose it because I wanted to. It was rmended by the Ouroboros god when we practiced for a previous coboration!" "Ah, then I¡¯ll allow it."
    • ????????
    • Weapon description: It¡¯s effective, but super heavy, so it¡¯s used sparingly.
    • Iris is EM-ss, right? lol
    • It¡¯s heavy (but not really).
    • So basically, it¡¯s a weapon with no downsides and only strengths, huh? lol
    Just as the audience was amused by Iris¡¯s antics, Sonia and the others, aware that Iris¡¯s behavior was a rmendation from Ouroboros, had long since abandoned any doubt in their minds. The sma discharge, generator, hammerhead, and handle, all together, weighed a terrifying 50kg. It required extreme effort to raise and swing, but once used, it consumed half of your stamina. It was an insane item, but Iris didn¡¯t care one bit about stamina loss, ying the game in hardcore mode. Probably. As soon as they gave the "ready for deployment" signal, the lights around them flickered, and their consciousness transferred into humanoid avatars, matching their in-game abilities. Multiple system windows popped up in front of them.
    • [Sector A1 deployment initiated // Sub-sectors Alpha 1 through Alpha 5 recognized.]
    • [Real-time purification progress: 0%.]
    • [Target depth: 377m]
    • [Mission objective: Locate and scan the broken liquid nitrogen pipes / Retrieve sub-sector scan data from the control room.]
    • [May the blessings of the gods be with us.]
    The four pods descended into the heart of the facility with a loud crash. The surroundings were dark, and only the dim orange warning lights greeted them. The space was filled with concrete dust, and the eerie silence, along with the sound of a hammer swinging, greeted them. Wait. Hammer swinging? ¨C¨C¨CWhoooom! "Whoa, that was close!" "Wasn¡¯t that 55kg? How did you swing that like a twig?" "Hehehe, this weapon is perfect for purging heretics and monsters... Doesn¡¯t matter whates at us. Let¡¯s get moving." "Iris-chan, were you a heretic inquisitor rather than a nun...?"
    • Fact: Yes.
    • ???: Didn¡¯t I say I wasn¡¯t an inquisitor? Don¡¯t you see the hammer I¡¯m holding?
    • Fine, do whatever you want, lol
    • Why does it seem like just adding one more nun makes the contaminated monsters not even fazed? lol
    • Living Point: Considering that Iris was rmended the weapon by Eugene, the contaminated will now face a full 4-Biyam team.
    ...What kind of battles had these contaminated creatures gone through? Sonia¡¯s team briefly wondered about that, but it was a thought they couldn¡¯t voice aloud. The first mission had started. ¨C¨C¨CScreech! "...Huh?" "There was a giant, but it¡¯s gone." "...Is this for real?" "Hehe, once a nun, Iris will purify heretics in no time."
    • What the hell did I just see???
    • Not even fully charged, just a head swing and a one-shot kill???
    • Living Point: No steroids or full charge, and the hammer¡¯s special function wasn¡¯t even activated.
    • This crazy girl just crushed a giant, lol
    • Considering that humanoid abilities match their avatars, it feels like something like that could happen even in reality, lol
    A horrifying sound erupted. A faint blue hammer traced a clean arc through the air, and when it fell like a guillotine, a disgusting squelching sound filled the air. Unable to contain their curiosity, Sonia and the others activated the special analysis functions of their humanoid avatars, including night vision. What they saw was a massive, crumpled contaminated creature, nearly crushed. Iris stood next to it, holding the sma hammer, looking like a demon or executioner, covered in blood and some unknown liquid. Her appearance was chilling, as her humanoid form followed her avatar design¡ªunnervingly unsettling. "Yeah, this is definitely convenient... Long live Iris-chan." "Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Iris train with Eugene? It feels like if we just charge forward with melee weapons, we can break through no matter what the map looks like." "...Ah, yeah. That¡¯s true. What should I say, if we¡¯re explorers, she¡¯s more like a bulldozer." "Yup."
    • The day we bring up ''bulldozer'' in GTFO, lol
    • With 4 Manifestors charging with sma, it¡¯s obvious they¡¯ll crush everything, even without guns, lol
    • Honest opinion: If they¡¯re Biyam, they¡¯d probably smash even the undead with hammers.
    • Seriously... if a person with that much force hits something that¡¯s barely bigger than a person, it¡¯s not even a contest, lol
    • Well... the U.S. president did order the purification, but don¡¯t the enemies deserve some sympathy?
    The four Manifestors, deployed to "purify" the contaminated facility, seemed to fulfill the game''s purpose the best. It was a thought that crossed everyone¡¯s mind, except for Iris. Anyway, they kept advancing towards the control room, as more and more contaminated creatures appeared, signaling they were getting closer to their objective. It didn¡¯t take too long. They reached the gate leading to the control room. As soon as the sensor for opening the barrier was activated, a message popped up on the UI.
    • [Notification: Conducting security scan. Please prepare for identification.]
    • [Notification: Scan initiated... 4 weaponized entities detected in front of the barrier. Average height 166cm, average weight 327kg. Humanoid. The entities were found to be made of an alloy not in the database.]
    • [Notification: Facility ess code recognized. Conditions met to open the barrier.]
    • [Notification: Opening barrier.]
    Boom! The sirens whirred, and the heavy metallic sound filled the air as the door to the control room opened¡ªrevealing a massive internal space reminiscent of an aircraft carrier, though the view through the ss showed other immense, unknown facilities. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. The enormous noise and vibrations from the door opening spread throughout the corridors, even before they could recover data from the control room. Without hesitation, Iris, holding a turret and a military-grade USB, plugged it into a panel covered in blood and some unknown liquid, checking the remaining time. 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Considering they had to backtrack to escape... "...This game doesn¡¯t have variable difficulty, right?" "Probably." "...So, are we ying at a difficulty level simr to hard mode right now?" "Yep, you know it. Mount a machine gun."
    • Of course, lol
    • It¡¯s your fault, lol
    • Iris <<< culprit, ww
    • Double-edged sword, lol
    • Honest opinion: I feel like they¡¯ll all survive and make it back, though.
    • That¡¯s probably true, lol
    Suddenly, ominous sounds echoed from the opposite end of the corridor. The four of them prepared their weapons, setting up turrets, and waited until Iris¡¯s USB downloaded the data safely¡ªhow much time had passed? Countless contaminated began flooding toward the gate. ¡ª¨CRrrrrrrrr! mes and lead rained down, and fragmented bodies flew through the air. Calm, precise shots. The ones with rifles focused on small targets while Iris, with a machine gun, quickly shredded therger ones. The incendiary grenades from the installed turrets lit up the ground beautifully, but their numbers just kept increasing. Slowly, their defenses were thinning, but there was still determination in their eyes. The reason was simple. It was because of Iris. "I¡¯m heading out." "Make sure to incinerate everything ande back!" "Watch your shooting angle! If you hit Iris, we¡¯re all dead!" As the turret sprayed fire remotely, Iris stepped forward and maximized the output of her sma hammer. If left for just 1 more second, the sma would scatter in all directions around the hammerhead, burning everything nearby, but the hammer in Iris¡¯s hands didn¡¯t need to self-destruct. With a mighty leap, she propelled herself 3 meters into the air, and with the overwhelming strength of her body, she struck the approaching contaminated creature. In an instant, sparks flew. And it only took 0.1 seconds for it to explode into a massive, blue me. ¡ª¨CKaaa-boom! The directed sma shockwave hit the front, creating a giant gap filled with mes and ashes. Of course, "Used special gear! I¡¯m running!" "Wow, that firepower is something else. 30% of the wave is gone." "We¡¯ve got 3 minutes left, we can just rx and have lunch." "Cover me!"
    • Yikes, lol
    • This is insane, lol
    • sma hammer... pure emotion...
    • GTFO random matchmaking will be full of these crazy people now, lol
    • Total destruction, ww
    With the most powerful attack, Iris had used all her stamina and could only slowly make her way back to the control room. Naturally, the contaminated creatures, now mostly wiped out by a single attack, were shredded by the overwhelming firepower, and by the end, they could crush any remaining enemies with just the turrets. Once the USB had fully copied the data, Iris¡¯s team hadpletely eliminated all the contaminated in the five sub-sectors. "...Well, this is clean enough to whistle and head back." "Very clean. This is purification." "Of course, the purifying nun, Iris-chan." "...Heh, heh, heh... Oh, stop it."
    • Ah, lol
    • Biyam-chan is embarrassed, lol
    • Don¡¯t say it if you¡¯re going to get embarrassed by it, lol
    • Seriously... too cute! The nun Biyam!!!
    • Make me TS too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    On their way back, they walked leisurely to the exit without a care. The proper method for clearing the area was to forcibly close the barrier and, before the door broke, somehow activate the external incineration system to eliminate the contaminated creatures. They realized this just 5 minutes before. Chapter 632 "Like I always say, Iris has really improved a lotpared to before. Her expression hase to life so much, don''t you think?" "Not long ago, when we did this, she was about to die." "...That was because the tempo of the game was too fast." Meanwhile, while Iris was happily darting around what used to be the Artemis Biotech Research Lab, the three of us¡ªexcluding the now-missing Lorentina¡ªwere heading to Songdo. The expo was now only about a week and a few days away. It felt a little strange to say it, but now that Harmony and Dice were also Biyams, it was time to lead them deeper into the cartel. To be specific, we were in the process of officially registering them as expo personnel before the event kicked off. There were no problems with the procedure or the location. These two were also part of the Final Championship crew, after all. They also knew about our parents¡¯ identities. Anyway, as we were on our way to work, both of them had faces brimming with smiles that could stretch all the way to their ears. It made sense, though. When you think about who the main protagonist of this expo was, it¡¯s pretty simple. Around this time, the Mecha Biyam bodies, not just for three but four people, were being inserted into the expo building. We had to make sure everything was functioning properly in advance. Especially since Nasty was joining this time. They probably needed to see a bit of the surroundings... but that was secondary. "Hehe, we''re going to see the Mecha Biyams..." "I''m already excited." "...If you keep making that weird expression, I¡¯ll make you changenes and drive to the ends of the earth instead of going inside the expo building." "Whoa, expression management. Expression management." "By the way, is it okay that we¡¯re not bringing Iris along?" "The manual is written down, so it¡¯s fine." These Biyams, who had be so addicted to Biyams that they turned into Biyams themselves, made me uneasy. If uranium and plutonium are both collected together, they''ll hit the critical point, and if you gather a bunch of troublemakers like them, who knows what kind of chemical reaction will happen? At least Mav was the sensible one, so I trusted her on that. Anyway, despite Harmony¡¯s valid point, this was just one of those situations where schedules never match. I¡¯d arranged for Iris to join after the broadcast if she wanted toe. And the talk about Iris wasn¡¯t random. As mentioned earlier, we were currently sitting in seats of an unmanned vehicle, watching the scene of Iris running around the Artemis Research Lab. Everyone chipped in with theirments. "I keep feeling that when small contaminants keep swarming like that, it seems like even close-range weapons have their limits. It was so much easier when Lorentina was around." "Oh, that... Wait, isn¡¯t her harpoon attack ridiculous? The power is enough to one-shot both small andrge kinds, and she can keep attacking consecutively. How is her arm even built?" "I finally understand why I could never win in closebat against her when I yed Glory and Honor." "No, it¡¯s not about winning or losing. The problem is just standing in front of Shark-sis, isn¡¯t it?" ...That makes sense, right? I mean, where else would you find someone who can shoot a harpoon at the same speed as a bullet? I heard her arms move almost like a bowstring, didn¡¯t I? I could barely see and defend, and considering that stabbing and withdrawing quickly is far faster than sweeping through, it makes sense why that would be advantageous. Anyway, why did I bring this up? It was because when I did GTFO with Lorentina... she truly reigned as the reaper of all contaminants. When we yed at the highest difficulty, she wiped out wave after wave of small contaminants, not even being stopped by shotgun turrets, with just a spear. "If Lorentina had been there, it wouldn''t have been a horror game but more like a tour of the Biotech Research Lab." "That would¡¯ve been interesting in its own way... but she returned to the base yesterday, so that¡¯s a bit of a shame." "Well, we¡¯ll still be able to see her during the expo, and she¡¯ll be staying in Korea for quite a while. Does it still feel like a loss?" "Ugh." It was amusing to watch the two of them go pale at those words. As I said, this time Lorentina, and the Hammerhead strike team under her senior¡¯smand, were technically on a long-term deployment. They were expected to stay in Korea for at least a year. Once I told them that, I could already imagine their reaction... It was going to be a sight. They¡¯d probably twist their bodies around in shock. But since Shark was like a natural disaster, and I wasn¡¯t the one rolling around, whatever. As I thought that, I looked around. I could see a lot of apartments nearby and the well-organized, futuristic-looking buildings that seemed to have been designed from the ground up... It looked like we were getting close. The parking system was connected to the cars, so I left the car to park itself and got out with Harmony and Dice near the entrance. "Ah, the weather is nice. It feels great to be out in the summer. The sunlight is a bit harsh, but the humidity makes it fantastic." "Yeah, but it¡¯ll start getting cool from the fall. In winter, I¡¯ll probably just be stuck indoors." "...Is it really that serious?" "If your body cools down, indigestion will hit within 10 minutes. If your digestive organs stop working properly, food can start to rot in your stomach." "Ugh..." That was something I¡¯d personally experienced before. Every winter, I ended up vomiting everything I ate, and my body could barely move. Considering that reptiles go into hibernation in the winter, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Anyway, after hearing that shocking story, both Harmony and Dice¡¯s expressions turned sour, but hey, reality is reality. I thought about that as we walked into the building. The ce we were checking today was Building A, and inside it, there was a Q&A room, just likest time at the expo. The only difference was thatst time, the Q&A was filled with renowned schrs, celebrities, and military personnel, but this time, it was a random selection via a lottery. It was more like a fan meeting. But today, there were only the three of us, and the facility wasn¡¯t fully prepared yet. Most of the people inside were construction workers and facility management staff. "Wow, you guys are really working hard." "Whoa, Eugene! Good to see you! And the person behind you... I wasn¡¯t sure at first, but it¡¯s really you. Congrattions on bing a Biyam!" "Ah, well, of course. Thanks, thanks. I¡¯m really satisfied. Hehe." "...Ugh." Was it really something to congratte? Anyway, I looked around, inspecting the area. As I said before, the reason we were in Building A today was to visit the Q&A room, and we opened the door to the conference room, which still smelled of concrete. As soon as we turned on the lights, a huge auditorium appeared. There was arge stage in the middle, with an entrance for the performers behind it. That was where we were heading today. We walked across the entrance, and after a bit, we stopped. "...Ah, the coffin we saw before. They added another one." "You¡¯ll finally be able to see Nasty, the one you¡¯ve been waiting for. Are you satisfied now?" "Hehe." That strangeughter... where did they learn that? Anyway, there was no need to dy any longer, so while Harmony and Dice were focused on the coffin, I subtly turned my left wrist, wearing the Icarus Watch, and input a specific action signal. After a little while... Giiing! "Wow, it¡¯s working!" "The synchronization will be finished in 30 seconds, and the coffin will open, so please stand aside." "Finally!" The coffins started glowing in their respective colors. Turquoise, blue, purple, and yellow. At that moment, the UI in the center of the coffin disyed a percentage. From 0%, it only took about 20 seconds to reach 100%. As we all stood there, watching the spectacle with different expressions... "...Oh, oh, it¡¯s opening." "The sleepyheads are waking up. Wee to my hometown, Korea."@@novelbin@@ "...Phew, that was long. Now that I see it, it¡¯s clear why people said all the Archetype friends had changed their bodies. It feels so strange to see them like this." "Finally... finally, it¡¯s out! From now on, it¡¯s Nasty¡¯s world¡ªA-boo-bap!" "Ah, so cute!" "Wh-what! I¡¯ve been caught! Please, save me!" Ah, Nasty got caught in the end. Three big ones, all 172 cm tall like me, and one tiny one, barely 150 cm. And the tiny one¡ªNasty couldn¡¯t resist the power of a Biyam. Leaving behind the fourth era of suffering, I quietly activated the drone cam I had brought. "...Ah, the stream is on... Whoa, a Mecha Biyam joint stream? And in real life?" "Yeah, it looks like they started it in Songdo, where the expo is being held." "That¡¯s cheating, cheating." "...Should I have gone too?" A few minutester. After oveing many obstacles and clearing several missions, the multi-Biyam stream got bumped down in the viewer rankings by a full-on Biyam stream. It was inevitable. "Help, I¡¯m at 2% health! Acid fog level max! Who¡¯s holding the turbine and ry?" "Ah, a swarm of contaminants ising this way! Someone pull the turret out of my back and stick it in the ground!" "Argh, I¡¯m about to go down... huh?" "We¡¯re all dead!" Iris: "...Ah, okay, I¡¯m back. The acid fog is done, everyone¡¯s clear. Let¡¯s move!" And they finally reached the exit safely. The toxic fog surrounded them, but as it cleared, the giant shape of Iris, moving like a demon from hell, emerged. She was cutting through the contaminants with overwhelming speed, breaking them apart with every swing of her hammer. Her movements were almost too fast to follow as she protected her team, dismantling the iing wave of enemies. As Iris stopped for a brief moment, the scene was even more intense: the steam and heat radiating from her body made it feel like the environment was on the brink of overheating. It was almost as though the heat itself was a physical presence, enveloping the area in a thick haze. "¡­Umm...," one of the others muttered. "Feels like something straight out of an animation," another said. "Now I understand why Eugene was called the ''War God'' back in Glory and Honor," someone else added. "Yeah, no kidding," one of them remarked, clearly in awe. Iris, standing in the center of it all, was clearly not slowing down, despite the immense heat she was emitting. Even though she wasn¡¯t technically breathing, the heat from her body was being released through her mouth, making it appear as if she were gasping for breath. Her figure, bathed in radiant light, was truly a sight to behold, though those with experience in this kind of chaos knew better than to be fooled by appearances. "We¡¯re not impressed. Focus on the mission," Sonia remarked as she and the others continued to push through the chaos, installing the necessary equipment to open the barriers and eliminate the acid fog. By the time they reached the final stretch, Sonia had to struggle to carry a heavy data storage device weighing over 80 kg. The exit scan was only a few dozen meters away, and after realizing there were no further obstacles in their way, the group sighed in relief. However, in the midst of all this, Iris used her tail to lift Sonia¡¯s waist and carry her effortlessly. "Ah! I can¡¯t go any further...someone help me move the scan device¡ªwow, you¡¯re lifting me?!" "Iris, wait, what are you doing?" someone else shouted,ughing at the sight. "Look at Iris! She just picked up Sonia with her tail!" another eximed. The group couldn''t help but chuckle as they watched the scene unfold. Sonia''s face flushed with embarrassment, though the situation didn¡¯tst long. Iris gently ced her back down after a brief moment, continuing her job of clearing the way. "Ah, I still need to train more for this..." Iris sighed. "You¡¯re not that heavy!" Sonia protested. "Judging by yourte-night social media posts, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re more like a Quetzalcoatl than a pig, huh?" Iris teased. "Anyway, let¡¯s head to the exit scan point. We really need to get out of here soon," Sonia said, eager to move on. They all made their way to the exit, struggling to carry the massive data storage device. As they reached the final checkpoint, an elevator slowly descended from the ceiling, and they all sighed in relief. "Finally," Sonia muttered. "We¡¯ve been down here for hours." After a long day of clearing missions, the group was feeling the mental fatigue. The work they had done during the past ten hours felt like a full day''s worth of effort. As they finally stepped into the elevator, they heard a sudden donation notification from Eugene. "Eugene (Official) has donated 50,000 to the Gods... Thank you for your grace." "Ah, thank you, Eugene...?" Iris stammered in response. "Wow, being a Biyam really gets you tips and tricks," another person quipped. "I¡¯m so jealous." "Now that you¡¯re here, can you please share your tail? I¡¯ve been waiting forever," one of them joked. "Hey, everyone, hold on! The tail, get it off!" someone else yelled. "I¡¯m about to lose it!" Irisughed as she maneuvered through the situation. "Looks like Biyams really can make a fool out of anyone..." one person muttered. The group, now equipped with the necessary data, had reached the exit point and were ready to leave the area. The mission was nearly over. As the elevator started moving, they all took a moment to catch their breath. The real-time viewership numbers were over 450,000, and the audience was watching their every move, especially as Iris cleared thest wave of enemies, showing the raw power of the Biyams in action. "Watch out! The scan¡¯s almostplete!" someone shouted. The tension was high, but they were ready. The journey, filled with challenges and excitement, was finallying to an end. Chapter 633 "Yujin seonsaengnim-!" "See? I told you I¡¯de, right?" "If you hadn''t waited, it would have been a big problem."
    • Is that... bust morphing from this distance...?
    • Holy sht, she¡¯s so damn pretty, hahaha*
    • How is that a guy? No way, stop lying, I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind!!!!!!!
    • Editor (former)
    • Iris-chan, I really wanna pet her, ugh...
    7 PM, Below Songdo. Down below the Songdo International Business District, where the sun was setting slowly, and the massive expoplex upied by Icarus International stood. In about ten days, it would be crowded with people, but for now, there were only a few scattered around. A car zoomed in front of it, and the door opened. As the car disappeared into the parking lot, a unique figure who could be recognized from afar came running, shouting. I didn¡¯t need to exin, but it was our editor. She must have rushed over right after the broadcast. The mech juniors, who had been watching this solemn sight, added ament. "An unknown human in the database! It¡¯s highly likely that they have a strong connection to the Archetype!" "Please, Nasty, lower your voice. It¡¯s too loud." "Clearly a friend of the boss. I recently learned the Korean term ''????'' (yuyu-sangjong), and it really fits¡ªbirds of a feather flock together, right?" "¡­Not sure if ''yuyu-sangjong'' is the right term for this though."
    • Yuyu-sangjong, lol, hahaha
    • The Biyam friends aren¡¯t Biyams, but the people who dated them turned into Biyams, lol
    • Nasty acting cute next to them, so damn adorable
    • Wow, looks like there are almost eight Biyams now, lol
    • We live in the Biyam era...
    It was just like what the chat said. This wasn¡¯t yuyu-sangjong¡­ it was more like the people who dated them turned into Biyams. A kind of acquired yuyu-sangjong, maybe the person who coined the term never thought of this situation. It¡¯s honestly insane. I really don¡¯t get why they¡¯ve be Biyams. Why not someone like a white tiger or a tiger who¡¯s changed? Why Biyam, though? Every time I do a broadcast, it feels like Korea¡¯s representative animal is bing a giant anaconda. Anyway, while I was thinking about this, Iris quietly approached, and now it was time to do what we had to do. Getting acquainted with each other. "Hah, phew¡­ Whoa, you startled me." "Nice to meet you, Iris. I¡¯m Jin. I¡¯ve been watching Archetype¡¯s actions more closely than anyone else, so I think you¡¯ll know who we are." "I¡¯m Rain. Nice to meet you. Wee to the snake¡¯s team." "So this is the editor of Archetype? Honestly, after only seeing the original version, it¡¯s clear that normal people aren¡¯t as well-trained as Archetype. Bone density, muscle density, and even the neuromuscr system all have a lot of room to develop." "White person! Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Nasty." "Uh, oh. Nice to meet you. Hello, I¡¯m Iris. My original name is Park Hyejeong."
    • Is this... the multi-Biyam universe???
    • They¡¯re all so cute, hahaha
    • Oh right, this person was the editor, lol
    • Seven Biyams??? Is this heaven?
    • Three people have be Biyams just because they love Biyams so much, haha
    With a somewhat awkward but also cheerful smile, Iris extended her hand for a handshake. It was literally the first time meeting her in person, but... how should I put it? I felt like our editor was already fairly familiar with the mech juniors. Iris had been watching all of my actions with the mech Eugene, editing some of them, and posting them on the YoursSpace channel. Considering that, well... Also, the juniors would almost immediately warm up if I said they were my acquaintances. Naturally, we became familiar with each other in no time. Anyway, that was that. Unlike Mina and Yerin, who camete, the editor had arrived prettyte, so it was only right to offer her a bit of time to settle in, even if I couldn¡¯t really call itpensation. I¡¯m sure Harmonie and Dice would understand that much. "Have you eaten? You rushed over so quickly, but you probably haven¡¯t had dinner yet." "Ah, haha. I¡¯m a little hungry, but it¡¯s fine. I can eat when I get back, so don¡¯t worry about me." "You don¡¯t need to feel pressured. Though you¡¯re still software for the average person... in terms of hardware, you¡¯re already part of the Biyam cartel. You¡¯ve gone one step further from being just an editor. So from now on, just say whatever you want. I¡¯ll make sure you live a little more luxuriously." "Huh."
    • She says she¡¯ll make her live luxuriously, hahaha
    • This is what girl crush looks like, hahaha
    • No, this isn¡¯t girl crush, it¡¯s just hitting her with stacks of money, hahaha
    • Biyam cartel, lol, hahaha
    • If you be a Biyam... you can join the Biyam cartel...
    Of course, half of it was a joke. But looking at it another way, half of it was serious. Anyway, I thought I had to say this. While I probably wouldn¡¯t quit being an editor anytime soon, being the owner of a channel with 1.5 million subscribers, I had to be a little bolder. Subscribers don¡¯t determine a person¡¯s personality, but with that many, you need the guts to appeal to others and get things done, right? So, afterpromising, it ended up being takeout again. I¡¯d been ordering takeout too often recently, but I wasn¡¯t about to drag the mech juniors to a restaurant.@@novelbin@@ And these days, all deliveries are handled by drones, so there¡¯s really no need for delivery people. I led the six of them inside. With less than two weeks until the expo, the inside was rtively neat, and there were spaces where several people could sit. Sitting there, I confirmed the reason for today¡¯s broadcast again. One of the points written down was that it was better to speak when Iris was here¡­ and I¡¯d announce that during this broadcast. Clearing my throat, I added: "Originally, the official announcement was supposed toe tomorrow, but there¡¯s something I should mention early. In three days, there will be a lottery. The event will be open only to those who win the lottery." "Huh...?" "They didn¡¯t mention anything like this to us today!?" "Then just take it as it is."
    • Hahaha, lol
    • The juniors next to her are throwing a fit, but they¡¯re totally ignoring them with that steel mentality, hahaha
    • Lottery????
    • What else is there to ask from a Mech-Biyam? Hahaha
    • The number one in skill, hahaha
    Naturally, I couldn¡¯t ignore the whining of the two Biyam-shaped loudspeakers next to me. Is Iris really my only anti-stress medicine? Once again, it¡¯s true that staying quiet often leads to half the job done, as ancient wisdom says. Harmonie grabbed her cheek and stretched it out, while Dice wrapped his tail around his neck and lightly tapped his head with the tail. "Before I talk about the event itself, we should thank Iris, who¡¯s here. This idea for the event came from our editor." "Me? Really?" "Yes. You may have noticed by now, but... there¡¯s arge coffee shop inside Building A, one of the four buildings hosting the expo. This coffee shop will operate at specific times, and we¡¯ll have the mech juniors working there as kind of... waitstaff." "Ugh-!"
    • Waitstaff????????
    • Mecha-Biyams as waitstaff, hahaha
    • Looks like they¡¯re recruiting customers using the Mecha-Biyams as waitstaff
    • Now that I think about it, yeah, hahaha
    As expected, the quick-witted viewers immediately figured out what I was trying to say. Anyway, just as I said, there will be millions of visitors to the expo, but we can¡¯t amodate them all as customers, so we¡¯ll select a certain number to invite as guests. Iris blinked rapidly and froze, but... I couldn¡¯t let her act all surprised. Our editor still had something to do. With that in mind, I slipped over to the editor¡¯s seat and lightly patted her shoulder. This wasn¡¯t threatening as a superior. It was a soft suggestion. I whispered softly into Iris¡¯s sharp ears. "Maybe our editor should give our mech juniors a little... training on how to serve as waitstaff." "Eh, uh, ahh..." "Last time, the service as a maid was... quite impressive. I¡¯m not asking you to teach them everything. Just... do what you can. Of course, we¡¯llpensate you for it." "Ah, that... ahh..." "You can do it, right?"
    • Whoa...
    • Look at that Biyam flirting skills, hahaha
    • Just say it normally, why whisper in her ear, hahaha
    • Logan¡¯s about to call Biyam for a furious phone call, hahaha
    • View!!!!!!!!!!! View!!!!!!!!!!!
    A few secondster, our editor nodded, her tail wagging. As expected, my heartfelt persuasion had worked wonders. "...If Eugene were a man, we would have already been all eaten by now." "Who says no?" "What''s bosaem?" "That¡¯s something." Meanwhile, two people watching this shook their heads and added: The world was truly a strange ce. [My daughter. I know you¡¯re busy these days, but I got some contact rted to you, so I sent it your way. I¡¯m fine with the think tank, but I¡¯ve never heard of ze Company. Anyway, since I see some familiar names with connections to you, I thought I¡¯d send this brief text. See you at the expo.] "Ah, ze Company... And the think tank is here too. This is insane, really insane." It¡¯s been a day since I returned with the mech juniors, the editor who was tricked by my eloquence, and the two new Biyams who loved Biyams so much they became Biyams. As always, I was extremely busy. It might have seemed like I wasn¡¯t too busy just yesterday, but that was just an illusion. Anyway, the reason I was busy was simple. I had a lot of work to take care of. Looking at the list of things to do before the expo, I thought about it briefly: "First on the list is ze Company and the think tank." ¡®ze Company is a PMC with Marcus and Rapier... So they probably came here to ask about humanoid contracts, and the think tank... why is J G. Harper, the former defense minister, insisting oning in person?¡¯ J G. Harper. Former defense minister and currently a board member of the think tank. There¡¯s no real problem with hering, but honestly, someone of her stature would make the news just by visiting Korea. Considering that, maybe it wasn¡¯t something I needed to stress over. As long as they don¡¯t openly troll by saying they¡¯reing for an interview or something, it should be fine. But, the important thing is what happens next. "¡­So, everyone, don¡¯t stand out too much. Especially the shark, pr bear, and owl¡ªdon¡¯t be too conspicuous¡­ ugh." "We feel like you don¡¯t trust us, junior. How did you grow so bold?" "I think Lorentina¡¯s share is about 85% of this." "Logan, if you keep talking like that, that kid will seriously think he¡¯s done well." "...Alright, stop touching my cheeks!" The illustrious Dagger team¡ªand the part leader Olivia, who had moved over to Laser¡¯s team¡ªwere working on the expo participation strategy. In truth, calling it a strategy was a bit much; everything was straightforward, but as an operator, it was always better to prepare for the unexpected. As I spoke, I brushed my hand over the Songdo and Seoul areas, adding: "Basically, this is the range we¡¯ll be operating in. If there¡¯s anything specific you need or want to purchase... just let me know. Owens, who wanted to go to the audio shop, and the person who wanted to visit the cigar bar¡ªwho was that again?" "Me." "Chester... Got it. You¡¯ll always be in pairs, and after the Disney World visit, the ount is synced with this world¡¯s ATM. You can just withdraw and exchange it there." "Got it. Don¡¯t worry about leaving traces; I¡¯ll erase all the logs from the system." "Of course, don¡¯t worry about it." Yes, we have devices on our wrists, after all. And with these guys, who are experts at blending in with their surroundings, there¡¯s really no need to say anything further. As I mentioned earlier, just stick with pairs. To avoid any possible escapes, each team should include either Lorentina, Logan, Olivia, Serkins, or Owens. I nned to send them out in about four days to familiarize themselves with the surroundings and the systems here. After that, I trusted them to manage things themselves. While I was thinking about what was left to do, I heard someone say: "I was kind of hoping to see the friends who swapped bodies, but it¡¯s a shame." "Unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible." "Well, that¡¯s to be expected. That¡¯s enough. Anyway, you guys probably won¡¯t have much time to meet them either. If you want to buy some dried-up items from that world and leave, we¡¯ll have to act quickly." "Yeah, here, all the luxury goods are dried up." For example, cigars or fine alcohol were examples of what had already been depleted. But there were many other things too. Like all sorts of media from this world¡ªmovies, dramas, and much more. Essentially, anything rted to human leisure would be taken. I heard someone was nning to buy a bike... Well, not everyone would be satisfied with just a special silent bike for operations. As I thought about this, I gently patted Gaia¡¯s head, who was busy preparing with the Dagger team. "At this expo, there will be an announcement about Gaia. I think she¡¯ll be able to move around in a few months, or possibly sooner. Mab is the example." "...Is that real? Can I expect it?" "Of course." Hmm, looks like Gaia will be debuting in reality soon. I thought this to myself while gently patting her head. I then realized that the things I needed to do here were mostly finished, so I opened the door. It led to a space that was rather different from the Dagger team''s break room¡ªmy home, to be precise. Unfortunately, there were too many guests these days to openly take the Dagger team out. I thought about this briefly, then bid a short farewell to the Dagger team and gently spread vibrations around the house to check. Harmonie and Dice seemed to have left, and Iris was in her room. ¡®...I¡¯m starting to get hungry.¡¯ Shall we eat, then? Since there¡¯s a guest, of course, I¡¯d invite Iris. With that thought, I climbed the stairs and knocked on Iris¡¯s door. "Eh, whoa, wait a minute! Just one minute¡ªugh!" Crash! I immediately sensed something strange was happening inside, and with a halfugh, I opened the door. And then¡ª "...Ugh, I said wait for just a minute!" "...Why the maid outfit?" "Well, I was trying to do some mind control to teach the mech juniors..." I found Iris in a maid outfit, sprawled out on the floor. ...Hmm, was this how a mother feels when she sees her daughter in an embarrassing situation? I thought to myself as I quietly closed the door again, making sure to apologize. And this, my friends, was a si. Chapter 634 "Wow, you¡¯re the one teaching the mech juniors these days, huh? I¡¯ve been hearing a lot about you from all over, guess I¡¯ll have to ask for your autograph. Our chief editor." "Seriously, you look exactly like you do on the broadcast. Seeing your face, it¡¯s clear how much our employer cherishes you. Have you resolved the family and friend issues, Mr. Number One?" "...Can¡¯t you just go inside and talk about it?" D-7 to Expo, Yeouido. By now, the weather in Seoul, nearing August, had already exceeded 30¡ãC, with the sun beating down so intensely that it felt like your skin would turn ck without sunscreen. The city was humid, as if everyone had left their humidifiers on. And amidst that, in the area around the ck building known as Yeouido''s Yeonyanggaeng, which housed the Icarus International Korea branch, there was a block of pop-up stores, not far from Yeouido Park. In this little oasis of grass and trees in the heart of the city, about four people¡ªexcept one¡ªwere making a ruckus. These people were part of what¡¯s called "Yujin¡¯s faction"¡ªeditors and thumbnail creators, to be exact. If you were to ask who had the most subscribers in Korea''s YoursSpace channel, excluding singers, entertainment agencies, and broadcasters, Yujin¡¯s channel would be in the top 5, and definitely number 1. If Yujin was the captain, these people were his crew. And among them, there was one person who had suddenly been promoted to a quasi-vice captain. It was Iris. And right now, she was half-dying from embarrassment. "Whoa, look at that face. You¡¯re about to burst. Sorry, sorry. My bad, it was just a little joke." "It¡¯s okay... I just didn¡¯t expect to feel so embarrassed meeting you in person..." "Ah, Hyejeong-ssi. We¡¯ve had ramen made by Yujin-ssi on the rooftop near Hongdae together, remember? You don¡¯t need to feel so pressured. Probably." "That¡¯s true, but... my body just couldn¡¯t handle the emotions..." Iris breathed deeply a few times. At the same time, she carefully removed her hands from her face and tilted her head back, trying to shake off her embarrassment. After taking in arge amount of oxygen, Iris, finally managing to calm herself, brought the water bottle she had been holding with her tail to her lips. After a few gulps, she continued. "Anyway, it¡¯s nice to meet you in real life. When was thest time we met? Was it during those housewarming parties at the teacher¡¯s ce...?" "And you¡¯ve been having housewarming parties every day, huh?" "Ugh, bourgeoisie." "No, well... Yujin-ssi told me to stay at his ce until I find a proper home." "Are you saying a ¡®manifestor¡¯ can¡¯t get a house? That¡¯s just a tant lie. I know you¡¯re getting loans and grants left and right. It¡¯s just that Yujin-ssi wants you to stay with him. We all understand that." "...I wish you hadn¡¯t said that out loud." Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly untrue. Once it was proven that Iris was a manifestor, she could easily get significant support from research institutions¡ªthough she¡¯d need to go through several tests at those institutions first. Moreover, since Iris was an EM-ss manifestor, the money she¡¯d earn from cooperating with various physical exams would be enough tofortably afford an apartment in Seoul within a few years. However, for those who had be Biyams just because they loved Biyams so much, the best ce to be was always a Biyam nest. Soon, they began moving. The destination was not the nearby pop-up store but Yeouido¡¯s Yeonyanggaeng, or rather, the Icarus International Korea branch. Today, there wasn¡¯t really a major goal. Except for Iris, everyone had gathered simply because they had some free time and wanted to see each other again. But in contrast, Iris had something to do. "By the way, I thought you couldn¡¯t enter without a pre-tour reservation, but thanks to our Number One editor, it became possible. Should I say it¡¯s because you have great connections?" "If I just stand here doing nothing, I guess I¡¯ll have to pretend not to be part of the group. But is it okay?" "Hey, we¡¯ll work hard on the vlog. You don¡¯t trust us? You, of all people, should know how good we are, Number One editor." "¡­That¡¯s true, but still." Iris¡¯s first task today was to visit Icarus International to renew a partner streamer contract and to receive training on Mecha Yujin. The second task was her first attempt at vlog shooting... but naturally, everyone here had edited and made vlogs from Yujin¡¯s daily life. Everyone in Yujin¡¯s faction had the highest sry and incentives in the industry, handling enormous amounts of work while maintaining impable quality. That was why Iris had to nod in agreement. She couldn¡¯t help but trust them when it came to shooting the videos. And there was another excuse they had for apanying her. "In about a week, we¡¯ll be invited by Yujin-ssi to participate in the expo and shoot videos. We need to practice now so we¡¯ll be ready when editing and posting the expo footage. Right?" "...If you keep saying things like that, I¡¯m going to start hating you. Is that your excuse?" "Oops, you caught me. Honestly, I just wanted to follow along. I heard there are some Dark Zone goods that are normally not sold in Yeonyanggaeng... eek!" "Die!" Of course, that excuse was just that¡ªan excuse, and it wasn¡¯t really convincing. They slowly crossed Yeouido, and as they did, the ck building Iris and the others were heading toward appeared in front of them. Iris, who had a determined look on her face, scanned her temporary ess card, and with a tired expression from the heat, they activated the drone camera they had brought along. The first vlog and her will to stream in reality were underway. Even if she wasn¡¯t apanied by Number One Editor, everyone with her had already made their faces known.@@novelbin@@ The streaming started, and as the elevator moved up, someone added with a strange expression while Iris took a deep breath. "¡­By the way, isn¡¯t Iris half being ckmailed by Yujin-ssi? She could have refused, but..." "I didn¡¯t say no. I just... got a little flustered. If I really didn¡¯t want to, I would¡¯ve refusedter." "This girl became a mega dere after bing a Biyam. She looks like someone who could lock someone up." "That¡¯s a bit much. What I like most is pure love." "Biyam pure love?" "¡­"
    • Whoa, hahaha
    • Look at Iris¡¯s face turning red right after she starts the stream, hahaha
    • What is this? She¡¯s already making moves just minutes into the stream, hahaha
    • Biyam pure love? This is gourmet, hahaha
    • This is true love, hahaha
    Of course, the result of the response was that Iris, named Baeksulgi, turned into Hongsi. The elevator stopped, and they began moving to their assigned areas¡ªwhile Iris changed into her maid outfit, the editors looked around the surroundings. Naturally, the maid outfit wasn¡¯t something she had before; it was a purchase made after her body changed. She was forced to feel what it was like to wear it, and the unfamiliar sensation and tightness around her chest couldn¡¯t be avoided. Trying to remove her tail through a hole in the outfit, Iris buttoned it up and checked herself in the mirror, wearing a fluttering maid apron that suited her far too well. She had finished putting on the outfit, and while it took some courage to go outside, she had a secret weapon that would give her confidence today. After a deep breath, she walked down the hallway toward where the others were. "¡­Ugh." "Whoa, I was about tough, but it fits so well, I can¡¯t say anything." "...That reaction is more embarrassing."
    • Whaaa, hahaha
    • How do youugh at this, hahaha
    • Does this mean Iris ising to the expo as a maid? (hallucination)
    • Wow, this is unbelievable, hahaha
    • All I can do is admire, hahaha
    Naturally, thepliments couldn¡¯t stop. But the appreciation ended there, and it wasn¡¯t long before Iris and the others arrived at a hologram room. In the room surrounded by numerous panels, hundreds of faintsers shot out, and as the entire floor adjusted, they were soon in a space that looked like a practice room. And how long had it been since then? Zziing! "¡­Connection seems fine. Long time no see, Iris." "Let me see... you said the reason we gathered today was to learn human hospitality culture, right? I¡¯m looking forward to it." "Nice to meet you. But I recall we invited Nasty today too, didn¡¯t we? What¡¯s with the red hat? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of such a thing." "Uh... something feels off. I feel like something is about to happen." Then, the Mech Biyams appeared. Through projections, done remotely, and with the remaining part directly teaching, it meant the ce wasn¡¯t limited at all. But that didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was a good start. As Iris, wearing something on her neck and head, drew in a breath from her lower abdomen, it was time for the training to begin. "Wee to the Maid Boot Camp, everyone! The Mech Biyams standing here are still rookies, but after a week¡¯s camp, you¡¯ll all learn what it means to be a loyal servant for your master!" "Fwooo!" "Eh? What?"
    • ???????????????????????
    • Why is she wearing a red hat with a maid outfit, hahaha
    • What is this, already making moves on the stream, hahaha
    • Where did that instructor hate from? Hahaha
    • Military high school girl (current job)
    Beep beep! Beep beep beep! With a crisp sound, Iris put a bright red hat, which didn¡¯t match the maid outfit at all, on her head, awakening her past instincts. No one knew about this fact¡ªshe had once been a drill instructor. The moment Iris¡¯s past began to awaken through her bloodline. "¡­That happened." "We asked you to teach the mech juniors, but I didn¡¯t expect you to turn it all upside down. That was impressive. I¡¯ve had a simr experience in my past." "I¡¯m really curious about your past, Yujin-ssi. But I bet you¡¯ll never tell me, right?" "If you follow Lorentina, and be an operator, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t tell you." "Ugh, no way!" Of course, I left the two making a fuss behind and gave Iris a word of praise after the training ended smoothly. Naturally, today¡¯s events set the inte on fire. In a way, she might be the true meaning of a military high school girl. After all, Iris was now a star of the inte. Just browsing themunity, I saw a lot of memes of our editor in a maid outfit with a red hat. "Anyway, congrattions on bing an inte star. Should we throw a celebration party?" "Ugh, because of this, I¡¯m getting so many messages from seniors and juniors I met in the military. It¡¯s driving me crazy. It¡¯s so hard to reply to all of them..." "Still, it seems like you were close with them during your time in the military. It¡¯s a good thing. People you know are often helpful." "...But they also end up forcing me to face reality. I¡¯ve been thinking about a lot of things recently, so it¡¯s even more overwhelming." "Is there anything I can do to help?" "Well, the military reserve and housing issues are one thing, but I¡¯m really not sure what to do about going back to school..." Ah. Thinking about it, Iris walking around with a gun would be hrious. But she wouldn¡¯t be going to military service, so it wasn¡¯t something to worry about. As for the housing issue... well, it seemed like the one issue I could help solve. As for the rest... that¡¯s up to her. "Actually, I¡¯d like to live near Yujin-ssi¡¯s neighbor like Dice, but there¡¯s no property avable, and it¡¯s still a long way off... The closest apartment is 2 billion won, but when can I save that much?" "Has anyone asked for snake venom? Since Iris is apletely new type of venom, foreign medical researchbs will probably line up to buy it. It¡¯s used for hemostasis analysis and coagtion agents too." "Well,st time I just mentioned the coagtion poison, but didn¡¯t reveal much about it. Maybe if I advertise it, someone might take interest." "Well, no harm in trying. Let¡¯s see how much it goes for." As I thought about it, I grabbed a paper cup. This paper cup could bepletely incineratedter, and the venom was protein or peptide-based, so it could be boiled and disposed of in the bathroom. Or microwaved, if necessary. I ced the cup in front of Iris, and she gave a slightly embarrassed smile while Dice and Harmonie eagerly watched. "Do I just bite it?" "Yes." "Then... aah." "¡­Oh, that¡¯s a bit suggestive. The way you push your hair back, too." "Stop saying weird things." Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly incorrect. It felt simr to the way someone might pull their hair back while taking a long ice cream bar or stealing ramen from someone¡¯s bowl. But the fact that her face turned red made it feel even more so. Eventually, the long fangs rested atop the paper cup, and yellow venom began to slowly fill the cup like mouthwash at the dentist. But then... "Eh? What?" "Hah, it¡¯s overflowing! It¡¯s spilling!" The venom overflowed, and Dice quickly reced the cup. After some time, a massive amount¡ªabout 400ml¡ªof coagtion venom was ced on the table. Of course, it was more than that since a lot spilled. Iris wiped her fangs and lips with a tissue, trying to avoid my gaze... and thinking about how snake venom sells for billions, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to myself. "I feel strange thinking that there¡¯s liquid worth ten times more than gold in that paper cup. Soon, you¡¯ll be scooping money with a rake, our editor." "...So does that mean I can move next to Yujin-ssi?" "...Yeah, do whatever you want." I¡¯m not sure why everyone is so sweet-talking about living near my ce. Maybe I¡¯ll just get a penthouse with a good view. That thought lingered in my mind as the day unfolded. It was the moment Iris became a millionaire. Chapter 635 "¡­Why are you here? I didn¡¯t hear about this." "How would you know I¡¯m here when you¡¯re nostalgic for the scene but don¡¯t even know how things are going on here? Haha, try figuring it out with your precious NSA connections¡­ Ugh!" "You little bastard." Bang! A loud smack echoed through Incheon Airport, the sound of someone''s head being struck. It was such a thunderous sound that it easily drew attention from those nearby. However, the two involved were unfazed, despite the growingmotion around them. Olivia Nix Lori, the most famous designer in the world at this moment and a close associate of Yujin. Christopher Lorentina, one of the few EM-ss manifestors in the United States, whose past, background, and activities were shrouded in secrecy. He was also a close associate of Yujin. The sound came from their contact, causing themotion. While the surrounding people started to notice, Olivia, who was used to it, sighed, believing that if Lorentina had shown up at this moment, there must have been a reason. Despite the tremendous force behind the hit¡ªstrong enough to bend a thin metal pipe¡ªthe only visible mark was a red bruise on the shark''s forehead. Olivia casually joined herpanions. After ncing around at the reactions of the people, who were hastily pulling out their phones to contact someone, Olivia noticed something that was slightly different. Judging by how no one seemed to have known the shark was here earlier¡­ "I bet you snuck in using that trick to erase your presence again. What¡¯s the deal this time?" "I¡¯ve been in Korea for a while now, about a week or two¡­ On the pretext of tactical exchange, the entire Hammerhead team is here for a long-term deployment. I didn¡¯t tell you, so you wouldn¡¯t have known." "You think I wouldn¡¯t know you¡¯re in Korea? But how did you know I was here?" "Just a gut feeling¡­ I didn¡¯t joke around. I got the info from your former workce. There was a major update regarding EM-ss manifestors due to a recent surge of new manifestors¡­ normally, there would have been a consultation too, but you¡¯re always so busy, aren¡¯t you?"@@novelbin@@ "So, you came directly because our locations ovepped. You¡¯re quite the busy one." Thud, thud. However, the destination for these two wasn¡¯t the outside of Incheon International Airport but a caf¨¦ inside. Olivia checked her phone and saw that it would take about 40 minutes for the car to be remotely dispatched, which is why they needed to wait. Given the location¡¯s nature, there were many people crowding the airport caf¨¦. As a result, when they entered, they immediately attracted significant attention. But the two of them ignored it and simply sat down at a table. With a soft hum, Lorentina, using a technique to drastically lower the surrounding noise, added: "You told the juniors that I¡¯m gunning for them, didn¡¯t you?" "I know. You greedy bastard. Stop making the ones whose bodies have changed nervous, just buy us something good. You really seem to enjoy making others surprised¡­" "If we¡¯re talking about something good, you should buy it, not me. You know how much I get paid, right?" "That¡¯s why I bought coffee and snacks." "Thank you." Gulp! The hot liquid and the foamyer on top flowed down the shark¡¯s throat as Olivia poked at a carrot cake with a fork, cutting it into small pieces to chew. She continued: "Thest time we spoke, I didn¡¯t think there was much of an issue¡­ But seeing the way you came to greet me, I guess the juniors were really being pushed to meet me. You¡¯re not saying anything, so it seems like there¡¯s no problem." "You¡¯re quite good at jumping to conclusions. Unfortunately, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s a little off, though, but can¡¯t I be a little off sometimes?" "Don¡¯t joke around too much¡­ Anyway, there¡¯s nothing special, right? Anything I need to know?" "Well, the new juniors have been singing about wanting a snake tail, and now they¡¯ve really got one, so nothing weird there. Just pay attention to Iris. You¡¯ll meet the juniors anyway, right?" "Going to the Icarus residence in Samsung-dong, damn you." "Once you drop your things there, you¡¯ll know where the juniors live, just walk 2 kilometers from there." Naturally, the shark didn¡¯t back down and retorted while Olivia, exhaling deeply in her chair, dered GG. The creaking sound of the chair filled the space. However, the chair didn¡¯t copse under Olivia¡¯s weight. It had durable materials, and on top of that, she was rtively lightpared to others in her ss of manifestors. Recognizing that continuing the conversation might lead nowhere, Olivia checked the message that the vehicle would be ready in 5 minutes and raised her finger. It was time to leave. Since the cups and tes had long been emptied, they stood up and left, leaving behind the flustered caf¨¦ staff. "Iris, that¡¯s the one, right? The one whose body changed?" "She was an editor. You wouldn¡¯t know since you weren¡¯t at the junior housewarming, but I think you¡¯ve seen the edited footage of that time. You probably know her face by now." "I see, I think I have an idea. But she¡­ changed like that. Well, it¡¯s not surprising. We¡¯ve bothe a long way." "Yeah, roughly." Vroom! At the same time, a green sports car smoothly entered the inner road where numerous buses were passing by. It was the same vehicle Olivia had hidden in Yujin¡¯s parking lot when shest visited Korea. The two of them squeezed into the car through the rising door. Once it closed, the car roared to life, pushing against the road as it headed towards Seoul. In the car, with only the two of them, the conversation continued. "You said she was an editor? But I can¡¯t figure out how she changed like that. There must have been something that caused her body to change. It couldn¡¯t have just happened suddenly, right?" "...Now that I think about it, you probably don¡¯t know what that editor friend of mine did recently. I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m exining it, but just take a look." As the automatic driving system steered the car from Incheon to Seoul, Olivia casually nced at a hologram that appeared before her, showing Iris Beatrice¡¯s YoursSpace channel. "Well, it looks like there¡¯s such a thing in the world. I guess some people might like it, but I really don¡¯t get it." "Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re so different. What I¡¯m seeing here is you suddenly making a fuss about fabric and clothes. That¡¯s a bit more strange to me." "Hey, what¡¯s wrong with being a designer?" "Let¡¯s just say it doesn¡¯t suit you." Of course, the moment the car shook, it was more than enough to reveal their growing difort. After a few seconds, the shaking finally stopped, the automatic driving system just about keeping it within reasonable limits, and the two of them were left trying to catch their breath as the car continued its journey. "Anyway, thetest video went up yesterday, so it seems there aren¡¯t any major issues with activity. Maybe the juniors have been giving her some extra care. I¡¯ve heard things are chaotic in the U.S." "I heard there¡¯s a friend locked up in a mental hospital who became an EM-ss. Apparently, they broke out and caused a ruckus before getting tranquilized and thrown into solitary confinement. Is that true?" "Well, I¡¯ve heard something like that. But I haven¡¯t had much time in the U.S. recently. I don¡¯t really know how things are going back home." "I¡¯m not one to talk, but you should really take it easy. You don¡¯t always have to be running around the world." "That¡¯s true¡­ that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to see the juniors at the expo." Olivia sighed again, shaking her head. Meanwhile, the shark, noticing her weariness, ced her hand over Olivia¡¯s and smiled. Olivia, slightly startled, took her hand and let go after a moment, gently pushing it away. "Gross, you bastard." "I figured you¡¯d say that." "Anyway, since I haven¡¯t heard anyints, it seems like things are fine. Where are the juniors staying? Their own ces?" "Iris is living in a spare room at the juniors¡¯ ce as a guest. As for GreenCat, he¡¯s crashing at Dice¡¯s ce. It¡¯s like a snake¡¯s nest." "Sounds chaotic... Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem for a few days. I¡¯ll hang out at the juniors'' ce, and you can enjoy the sea breeze while you run off somewhere." "Heh, damn owl." She chuckled. Not long after, the shark suddenly remembered something and began tapping on the holographic keyboard. After checking a few articles on the inte, she quietly handed them over to Olivia. The article¡¯s headline, reflected in her yellow eyes, was tranted by the automatic system from Korean to English. After a brief moment... "...What¡¯s this about selling venom?" "Well, I heard our new junior is producing venom. Honestly, it¡¯s strange for a snake not to have venom. There are four snakes in a nest, but none of them have venom? Statistically, that doesn¡¯t make sense." "What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bastard..." The article was about how Iris had started selling her venom. The price per liter was over a million dors. After reading that, Olivia sank into the chair, reaching her mental limit. "Research institutes can obviously do that, but what¡¯s with these perverts asking for personal sales of even a drop? Seriously, what the hell¡­!" "Well, with people obsessed with snake tails, I guess it¡¯s not toote to say it now?" "Ugh..." "Ugh, I can¡¯t argue with that..." Meanwhile, Yujin, with a pitiful expression, added something to the young Biyams. [Hologram Idol Gallery] [General] Iris Unnie¡¯s Sacred Venom ¨C Like it? Hit Like! Haha Some random Biyam poking Iris¡¯ cheek to show her fangs in a cute way Ahhh, hahaha [All Comments][By Date]
    • Lol, hit like, hahaha
    • Fact: As long as there are no cuts in your mouth, it¡¯s fine to drink.
      • Who said to make someone drink it, hahaha
      • They¡¯ll drink kimchi soup instead of poison, hahaha
      • Iris Unnie¡¯s venom... Thank you!
    • I heard she was a man originally!!! Don¡¯t stand up!!!!!!
      • ¡°Possible¡±
      • That¡¯s a TS discriminatoryment, please correct it.
      • Hahaha, that¡¯s ridiculous, hahaha
    • She¡¯s actually disgustingly beautiful, hahaha
    • But wait, if she gets bitten while eating, doesn¡¯t she need to go to the hospital right away?
      • She can control when ites out.
      • Oh...
      • It cane out when she¡¯s startled or feels danger, but she can also release it voluntarily.
    • I didn¡¯t really care about lottery winners before, but now I know what it feels like¡­ I¡¯m so jealous¡­
      • Gioje, go go
      • Fact: Thest observed was Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler
      • So, does that mean it¡¯s around a 30-40 year cycle?
      • Let¡¯s wait for 30 years, let¡¯s go~~~~~~~~
      • Crazy people, hahaha
    • So, what¡¯s her venom for? Aphrodisiac?
      • Aphrodisiac? Hahaha
      • Yeah, it¡¯s coagtion venom.
      • If you touch it with your finger, you have to amputate below the elbow, it¡¯s a coagtion type.
      • Hahaha, reality hitting hard, hahaha
      • That¡¯s terrifying, hahaha
    • Can shemunicate with snakes now? I¡¯m waiting for Iris to go to a snake caf¨¦ and do a live stream, hahaha
      • Snakes are temperamental, so even if they can talk, there¡¯s no guarantee they¡¯llmunicate.
      • People from the same country in-game can¡¯t evenmunicate properly, hahaha
      • But Iris can break the spine of snakes that act up.
    • But isn''t the symbol animal of Korea a tiger? Why is she suddenly going for an anaconda?
      • Ask the GM of Earth, hahaha
      • Then why didn¡¯t we get a thick, muscr white tiger? Hahaha
      • But we¡¯ll give you hotteok instead.
      • Ah, I want a muscr chunk of meat gone.
    "Inte¡¯s gone crazy..." "Well, that¡¯s nothing new. Don¡¯t worry about it." ¡°Whether in the U.S. or Korea, the online world is the same. It¡¯s a fact that there are more people whose brains are located below their necks. Iris, don¡¯t stress too much about it.¡± Olivia was speaking, but I only caught half of it. And so, the day passed with discussions of Iris'' venom and the ridiculousness surrounding it. The inte was buzzing, and things were only going to get more hectic with the uing expo. Chapter 636 "Basically, the concept of a maid starts from the idea of a housekeeper. Do you think you understand what this means? To work as a maid, you need to first understand what the concept of working for others really entails." "There are two key elements that every maid should have. The first is filling the master''s deficiencies, and the second is satisfying the five senses." "To exin the first in more detail, the master doesn''t need to do anything other than ce an order and eat the food. Once the food and drink are ready, we bring them to the master and ce them neatly on the table. That is the fulfillment of the deficiency." "Now, for the second, satisfying the five senses simply means pleasing the master visually and auditorily. It could be decorating the food with syrup or saying a greeting like ¡®enjoy your meal¡¯ before eating, or if the master wishes, taking a photo together..." "The most important thing here is movement. You must stand with your back straight and always present yourself as a graceful maid. This way, people will finally realize they are being treated in a special way." "And also..." "When something falls to the floor, there¡¯s a formal way of picking it up. I taught you once before, so let¡¯s review again... Whoa, teacher!?" "I came to see how you''re doing, and I see you''re holding the new Mecha trainees like you''re catching mice. Excellent. Ah, you don''t need to take off the red hat. It actually suits you quite well." "Ah, oops." Hmm, a faint nostalgic scent rises from the back of my mind. Specifically, it reminds me of the military training I did before my body changed. Thinking about it, does this mean I''ve been to the military twice? Anyway, as I continued watching Iris¡¯ training with amusement and secretly observing, I found that just watching was more boring than I thought. I eventually had to step in. Making a sound like "kki-eek," I softly coaxed and calmed the approaching Mecha Biyams and added: "You said you served as a trainer in the military, right? Your leadership and vocal abilities are impressive, even by my standards." "...Back then, it was really like hell. I never imagined I¡¯d use the skills I learned back then in society or in this body. You didn¡¯t ask me to do this because you knew about it, did you?" "Would I do that? Ha ha." I adjusted the tilted trainer¡¯s cap, fixing its angle and shape. Luckily or unluckily, this person¡¯s height had also be the same as in their profile. 168 cm. For a woman, it wasn¡¯t considered short. One thing was certain: she was much taller than Dice and Harmonie. From her perspective, she had probably shrunk by about 10 cm, so it must be quite frustrating. Anyway, being a bit shorter, it was now easier to adjust her hat. "I''m curious about your military experience, but I haven¡¯t exactly shared much about what I did in the past either, so let''s call it even." "Ah, heh heh." "Anyway, let¡¯s take a break here. We¡¯ve been going nonstop for about an hour and a half. If this were reality, my throat would already be sore." "Eh, yeah. Then let''s take a break. I can¡¯t ignore your kindness." Ignoring the slightly strangements in between, I sat down with the editor. Since this was virtual reality, I didn¡¯t have to worry about the durability or strength of the chairs, which was quite nice. So, both the editor and I sat on a bench-shaped chair for the first time in a while. I started first. "The expo is about four days away, so I n to do a trial run a day before." "Should we push for more training?" "Quite the opposite. There¡¯s no need to forcefully instill job ethics. While being overly skilled might be impressive, even the clumsy actions of the Mecha trainees can be a sales point." "Ah." I¡¯m d the conversation was moving fast. The editor nodded, understanding that my point made sense. Basically, Jin, Rain, Mav, and Nasty each had their own scenario. Because of that, even though their appearances were simr, they each had their own personalities. Even Mav, the most mentally mature, once pulled a huge stunt on Nasty during an escape, so... Anyway, if their individual freedom became more apparent, it might attract more attention. Among the things the editor would be d to hear about, one thing stood out: "Well, we don¡¯t really need to go overboard with adjusting the curriculum just to emphasize individuality. In fact, regr people are less likely to care about it." "...Really?" "If we think about it simply, just having the Mecha traineese out and serve will be enough to leave the guests spellbound." That was my thought. I also thought a lot about how many participants would be okay and adjusted the internal flow of the caf¨¦ ordingly, so the Mecha trainees could adapt to it. Of course, I summarized this in a message to Iris, saying, "You don¡¯t need to worry, the outside matters are my responsibility, so just focus on the main job." "By the way, the other two didn¡¯te today. I thought for sure they¡¯d be watching." "Oh, Mina and Yerin... They¡¯re probably doing some tests under Olivia right now. Simple physical exams, and checking how useful they¡¯ll be during actual operations, to see what kind of performance they can deliver." "...Has Christopher Lorentinae while I¡¯ve been here?" "Exactly, they''re preparing for the shark." Strictly speaking, and of course, Lorentina didn¡¯t have the authority to bring those two to the U.S. or enlist them. He was the type to use his image to fulfill his own pleasures, so he probably just wanted to tease Harmony and Dice, my trainees, within a yful limit. That¡¯s why it¡¯s better to measure their skills now. It¡¯ll prevent the shark froming aroundter with the excuse of testing their abilities when he has free time. Anyway, once the results are more specific, I think Lorentina will be happy with it. But that¡¯s something we¡¯ll seeter. ¡®It¡¯s basically impossible to stop a shark wandering around distributing enlistment letters in the first ce.¡¯ That¡¯s just... like a natural disaster, something beyond control. Anyway, the conversation was nearing its end, and I started calling out the list of people who would participate in the trial run at the expo caf¨¦. "It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll invite the people who were at the maid caf¨¦st time, my acquaintances, and everyone who¡¯s with Eugene¡¯s squad, so we won¡¯t be short of people." "...So, Kato, Hoduk, Limit, and Kimstone?" "No, we¡¯ll call the people who were working with Iris, too. You know, the third-generation trainees. They¡¯ll be fine with the dronecam¡¯s avatar ovey function, and does Iris have anyone she wants to invite?" "Let me think about it." "Just let me know before the caf¨¦ opens, so don¡¯t worry too much." On a whim, I thought I¡¯d start contacting people now. I sent out a message to two group chats¡ªone for Eugene¡¯s squad and the other for my acquaintances. It didn¡¯t need to be long, so I made it as simple and clear as possible and sent it out. The numbers beside the messages didn¡¯t take long to disappear. -[Eugene: Looking for anyone avable this Friday. There¡¯s streaming. We¡¯re doing a Mecha trainee maid experience at the Expo A caf¨¦. If interested, contact me.] -[Eugene: Mina and Yerin must join. It''s a legal chance to touch a Biyam¡¯s tail ¡î] -[Eugene: You can legally promote this stream, too xD] How long had it been? -[Harmony: Heh] -[DICE: xD] -[If a tiger pounded rice cakes, would you even make a hotteok? Gasp, even a hotteok? ??] -[Cartographer: Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re kidnapping us and making us work as maids?] -[LIMIT: I didn¡¯t say anything, haha~] ... "Teacher, suddenly there are hundreds of messages piling up in my inbox?" "I just sent out the messages, so that¡¯s to be expected. By the way, the Mecha trainees are supposed to take the maid role, but why is everyone asking if they¡¯ll be made into maids? That¡¯s just... not going to happen." "..." "...Why are you looking at me like that?" This was strange. I¡¯ve only been providing curriculum with good intentions all along. Maybe the world¡¯s be a harder ce to live in recently. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way everyone¡¯s head would be filled with suspicions like this. I¡¯ll have to treat my acquaintances better from now on.@@novelbin@@ While thinking that, Iris gently ced her hand on my left hand and added: "Though it''s a bitte, I¡¯ll make sure to tell the people I meet that Eugene School¡¯s enlistment is exaggerated. So don¡¯t worry too much." "...Right, it¡¯s my fault again." As I said earlier, I¡¯ll treat my acquaintances better from now on. Especially Kato. I¡¯ve always felt that way, but karma is a truly scary thing. <"I¡¯ll make sure to treat you better from now on, Kato."> And then came the donation: <"I¡¯ll make sure to treat you better from now on, Kato."> "¡­No,e on. Seriously, I was really uneasy about it, okay?!"
    • "I mean, you got invited, right? Of course, you''ll feel a little better when you actually go."
    "Right? I¡¯m not that desperate."
    • "Well, it''s still a bit concerning, though. You can''t really argue with that. You¡¯ll have to see how things go."
    The responses were overwhelming, and even though Kato tried to refute it, it didn¡¯t stop. The whole thing was bing a spectacle. "I mean, I still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. And why are you making me go through all this now?" But it was toote to stop. At this point, the air had been cleared. There was nothing to do now except to deal with the inevitable aftermath. The tension finally let up, and Kato, exhausted but begrudgingly epting his situation, began to ease into his new reality. He didn¡¯t want to face the fans¡¯ teasing anymore and decided to let it go for the time being. "Well, whatever, I guess. But¡­" With onest heavy sigh, he gave in. Despite everything, he knew there was no going back. Chapter 637 "Ah, it¡¯s been a while since west met. Some of you I haven¡¯t seen before, and I appreciate everyone¡¯s hard work under Eugene¡¯s leadership." "Oh, it¡¯s great to see you. I watch the broadcast often. Somehow, working under Eugene, I get invited to these things... As I heard, your muscles are impressive. I also really enjoy the fitness tips you post." "Ha ha, thank you. Anyone who works out, I really appreciate it if you use the Hotteok channel¡ªsuper grateful!" "Wow, Kato, you¡¯re here too? Our employer was actually discussing in the group chat whether you''de or not. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯ve arrived." "¡­See? I knew it! I was already being watched!?" "It¡¯s not so much that you were ''watched'' but more that you were ''picked.'' Anyway, that¡¯s the AP-ranked battle for you, isn¡¯t it?" "The only thing I did there was get stabbed by Eugene and have my head split open!" "Ah, hello. I¡¯ve only seen you on TV or YourSpace, but as I heard, you¡¯re very stylish. Did you get an invitation from Eugene?" "" "Ah, haha. It¡¯s fine. The real-time trantor is working just fine, so feel free to speak in English. Anyway, we¡¯re definitely not having a hard time!" "" "Hello. I¡¯m here because of Iris'' invitation. It¡¯s my first time meeting you in person." "Red pill party! Nice to meet you all~" "Ah, so you¡¯re from the third generation. I¡¯ve been watching your videos regrly. But seriously, it¡¯s not a red pill, but all of you arepletely blue pills, huh? Well, you could take off your avatars now, and you might even be able to stream like this in real life." "Heh, that¡¯s our identity, so it¡¯s impossible. If it wasn¡¯t for the transparent variable ss panels leading to A building, we probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to get out like this." Late July, Songdo. Ignoring the scorching sunlight that struck Incheon, over twenty people¡ªmost of whom were members of Eugene¡¯s squad¡ªgathered, directly connected to the Expo buildings. They stood in the middle of the hallway leading from Building A. The crowd was incredibly diverse. Separate from the group gathered under Eugene¡¯s squad, there were Harmony¡¯s acquaintances, Iris¡¯ acquaintances, Eugene¡¯s acquaintances, and even ovepping circles... Of course, in the midst of these people, the Biyams¡ªlike Hotteok and Olivia¡ªwere sticking out from the crowd, though hidden behind the ss. Their presence alone was enough to amplify the buzz. Moreover, as Eugene had said, most of the people gathered there had been telling their personal broadcasts that they were heading to Songdo recently. This resulted in an enormous crowd gathering. "¡­Well, I figured this would happen. Thankfully, no one has tantly tried toe in yet." "Oddly, there are no people taking pictures?" "" "Ah, no. Let¡¯s hurry up and get inside." With that, therge crowd started moving. Olivia, already ustomed to this kind of spectacle, and Harmony¡¯s acquaintances, who had been involved in numerous public broadcasts, stuck their faces out and waved their hands to control the crowd¡¯s attention. Meanwhile, the third-generation trainees, who had been called by Iris, and members of Eugene¡¯s squad, who weren¡¯t very familiar with standing in front of a crowd, hurried inside the building, crossing the hallway. It looked as though the Expo had opened a day early. This sight was clearly visible to Eugene¡¯s group, who had been waiting inside the building. "" "<...Well, I kind of figured this would happen. Anyway, wee to Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Songdo. I think Olivia¡¯s been to a few in New York, so I hope this brings back some memories.>" "" "" Murmurs. As Eugene and Olivia conversed at an incredible speed, the nearly 30 people who had snuck a peek at the scene walked through therge internal space. The inside was muchrger and more luxurious than they had expected. The Reserve Roastery here was an upgraded version of the usual stores, but this one was particrly impressive, thanks to its connection with Icarus. It resembled a Seattle or New York location, but more uniquely, this location hadrge unused roasting machines, enormous oak barrels, and various products all disyed as part of the d¨¦cor. However, there were several things that couldn¡¯t be found in other locations. The first was that there wasn¡¯t a single person behind the counter where coffee, bread, and other desserts were being made and sold. The second was¡­ "Wee, master!" "Hello, I¡¯m Jin, and I¡¯ll be your server today. Feel free to call me whenever you need." "I¡¯m Rain. Just pick a seat. If you want something, you can call us through the table tablet."@@novelbin@@ "Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Nasty! This is my first time doing something like this, so I might be a little inexperienced. Please be kind!" "...So cute." "I think I¡¯m about to lose it." The Mecha Biyams were everywhere. Their outfits, breaking the mold of the usual apron, were cybeic yet still had an elegant touch. They looked like a mix of a maid outfit, optical camouge suits, and hexagrid tes. But whenbined with the silver, white, and blue tones of the Mecha Biyams, they somehow came together in a surprisingly fitting way. Olivia, who had just entered, chuckled and spoke up. "" "" "" Meanwhile, Eugene kept a straight face. At the same time, Harmony, Dice, and Iris, who had emerged from the back, approached, observing the reactions of the guests who were admiring the surroundings. But soon enough, an unexpected voice rang out. "Ah, you three aren¡¯t wearing maid outfits." "This Expo is to show off the Mecha Biyams, how could we wear maid outfits?" "If this event was really to grab attention, Eugene would have made us all wear it too." "We wouldn¡¯t have minded wearing it, but we have other responsibilities besides serving. If we weren¡¯t so busy, we might have done it once." "Wait, don¡¯t tell me, is it abat maid... oh my." Smack! Of course, there was a price for sillyments. However, while all this was happening, everyone settled down at theirfortable seats. Looking out therge ss windows of the first-floor caf¨¦, the invited guests each ordered what they wanted. The message "This service isplimentary, as part of the event" popped up on the tablet, and as the guests rounded their lips in surprise, Eugene, sitting back in his chair, added: "We used variable transparent ss. We can see outside, but from the outside, it will look like a ck window or concrete wall. No need to worry about prying eyes." "That¡¯s a relief. Ah, it smells so good¡­" "Feel free to eat as much as you want. If it were tomorrow, there¡¯d be a time limit, but there¡¯s no restriction on time today. By the way, tomorrow, the limit is 40 minutes." "Ah, 40 minutes? It feels a little short though." "Don¡¯t worry about it." Meanwhile, the green light on the tablet started blinking. However, the guests¡¯ attention wasn¡¯t on the screen but on the counter, where Mecha Biyams were bringing dessert trays, their tails curled up, and cing them on the table. Mav, her violet eyes shining, smiled as she approached Eugene¡¯s table and, with a smooth motion, ced the food and drinks on therge table. It had been less than a minute since the order had been ced. "Enjoy your meal, master. If you¡¯d like, I can make an intricate design on top of the honey bread. Would you like that?" "Eh, how much can you do?" "I¡¯ll show you." At that moment, Mav raised her tail. She took out a special chocte fment stored in a device strapped to her thigh, along with a small cylinder and pen attached to the end of her tail. Her tail moved expertly and quickly. The whipped cream melting on the honey bread, surrounded by a chocte fment pyramid, began to form a 3D model of Eugene striking a pose¡ªsomething like a ¡®moe moe kyun¡¯ pose, to be specific. "Ah!" "You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice?" "Ugh, busted..." "¡­Wow, what is this?" Smack! However, despite Eugene punishing Mav, no one else seemed to care. They were too busy taking photos. And as expected, other tables began to erupt with admiration, and apuse followed. Looking on proudly, Eugene added: "Well, let¡¯s get started with the broadcast now." And, of course, the real spectacle was just beginning. "When will I ever do something like that?" "Well, first, you¡¯ve got to work on tail exercises, huh¡­" Meanwhile, not far from the scene. Iris and the new Mecha Biyam trainees, fiddling with their tails, were caught up in their own thoughts. "...Was A building the one across from here? I was curious but won¡¯t be able to check it out." The small footsteps and sounds from B building, which had beenpletely deserted until now, echoed through the area. With Gaia hiding her presence and erasing all traces, she murmured to herself. ¡®...Should¡¯ve stayed home instead of chasing after this.¡¯ But regrets alwayse toote. And so, the countdown to the mysterious Expo continued. The countdown to the mysterious Expo continued, and with only 20 hours left until its official opening, Gaia was still preparing for the unexpected. She was ready to step into the scene, even though her presence had not yet been revealed¡ªand frankly, it wasn''t supposed to be. Gaia, a critical character in the story, had been lingering in the background, unnoticed by most, while her power remained hidden until the grand unveiling. Eugene had promised that her identity would be revealed at this Expo, but, as usual, those with intelligence and awareness couldn''t wait idly for that moment. So, for the time being, Gaia took a different approach, using her abilities to slip unnoticed into the Expo¡¯s facilities, making herself known to only a select few. She was frustrated by the dy in receiving her Icarus Gear, something she had been waiting on for a while. The gear would allow her to enhance her abilities and allow for more maniption of her appearance¡ªsomething she had been eager to do. Without it, she was stuck in the same form, unable to fully enjoy the freedom she craved. Yet, the clock was ticking, and soon enough, she would get what she needed. For now, she had to find ways to pass the time. [Gaia: y with me] [Gaia: y, y, y, y, I¡¯m bored!! Original!!!!] [Gaia: Kyaaa!] [Eugene: Really going crazy, aren¡¯t you?] [Eugene: I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can, just hang in there a little longer.] [Gaia: (Emoticon of Mecha Eugene doing breakdance and throwing a tantrum)] At least Gaia had found a way to annoy someone, even if it was just Eugene. Her incredibly fast typing speed allowed her to send multiple messages in the blink of an eye. Eugene, of course, was quick to respond. However, as she sat there, contemting her next move, she couldn¡¯t help butugh at the reactions. With over 2.5 million viewers watching the broadcast, Gaia was distracted by her sisters, who were busy wearing odd costumes and engaging in some sort of weird activity. ¡®...Someday, I¡¯ll be in the center of that stage too, won¡¯t I?¡¯ That thought lingered as Gaia, once again, tried to focus on the live stream. But just as she was about to fully immerse herself, a sudden vibration from near the entrance of Building B caught her attention. The sensor linked to Gaia''s enhanced abilities detected the vibrations, and the warning message shed in front of her eyes. She immediately sent a message to Eugene. [Gaia: Are youing now?] [Eugene: It¡¯ll probably be another 20 minutes. Why, what¡¯s up?] [Gaia: Really? Who¡¯sing?] [Eugene: That¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t give entry ess to anyone except for a few exceptions.] [Eugene: Wait, hold on.] Silence followed, and after a while, Eugene responded again. [Eugene: Two of the little Biyams who were eating have disappeared. Since it¡¯s the first trial run, I was checking for issues, and I heard where they went, but I forgot. Sorry about that.] [Eugene: Hide as soon as possible.] There was no reply from Gaia. At that exact moment, a door, which had been firmly shut, clicked open with a creak, and the sound of footsteps from two figures approached from a distance. Whispers began to emerge. "So, this is Building B, huh? The exhibition hall and presentation area are here, right? Looking at the list of artworks, it seems everything is already set up." "I¡¯d like to go in, but let¡¯s just look around for now. If we go in and identally mess something up, we might never be able to set foot here again during the Expo." "Ugh, I really don¡¯t want that¡­ huh?" "What''s wrong?" A brief moment of silence. Then, more words followed. "...No, I think I must have just imagined something. I felt something weird, like someone was inside." "Tomorrow¡¯s the opening. It could just be someone here for a final check. Don¡¯t worry about it." "I guess you¡¯re right." Meanwhile, Gaia, having spotted Harmony and Dice disappearing deeper into the building, did everything in her power to erase her traces and hide herself further. She cursed herself forining about wanting to go outside just hours earlier. ¡®...I should¡¯ve stayed home and watched TV. What¡¯s with this chase scene?¡¯ Of course, regrets always cameter than the actual events. And so, with 20 hours remaining before the start of the secretive Expo, Gaia prepared herself for whatever came next. Chapter 638 "Alright, no pushing, please. You can take a tour and shake hands within 10 minutes. However, ordering food and sitting at a table is not allowed." "Once your phone rm goes off, please leave the premises. The Mecha recruits are watching! Please exit when time is up to allow those waiting outside a chance to enter!" ""
    • I should¡¯ve gone to Songdo earlier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Wow, so jealous lol
    • I had a feeling this would happen lol
    • If the maid service had opened a day earlier, I would have been dying of envy, but it¡¯s a goodpromise lol
    • Why are there 500 people gathered here? lol
    3:00 PM, Songdo Expo, Building A, Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Songdo. People, a trulyrge number, were bustling around inside, exchanging greetings with the Mecha recruits who were scattered about like chocte chips in a cookie. Despite the movement, the ce didn''t smell of coffee or anything sweet. Although people were constantly moving, orders were blocked, and no food was being served. So, what was this situation? In simple terms, it was like a second opening event. "...I was a bit worried it would feel too impulsive, but it turned out okay. It¡¯s just a fan meeting of sorts, so it should be fine¡­" "It feels a bit ufortable, seeing so many people waiting outside in the heat, but I think we can handle it. I¡¯ve made sure to map out the flow of visitors, and as I mentioned earlier, it can double as a fan meeting." "...Though the third-year students didn¡¯t make it." "Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do about that."
    • So, does that mean those over there saw all the third-year recruits in the red pills? lol
    • From the looks of it, they were probably told beforehand by Biyam and kept outside until now?
    • These lone wanderers, though, really? Can¡¯t even do proper public activities, what a joke lol
    • That¡¯s¡­ holographic idols for you¡­.
    • If you¡¯re jealous, just get hit with the TS Beam like Iris lol
    We must protect the dreams and hopes of the people¡­ Just a joke, of course. As I¡¯d mentioned before, the drone cams were set to ovey avatars on top of people, so there would be no public reveal of the red pills. Additionally, the entrance to Building A was shielded from external sight. Now, to briefly exin the second visit event, it went as follows:
    1. All visitors entering the cafe for a tour and fan meeting are allowed to stay for 10 minutes.
    2. The timer in the Expo application activates when crossing the sensor at the cafe entrance. After 10 minutes, it will ring, signaling that visitors must exit. Re-entry is not possible.
    3. Inside the cafe are myself, Dice, Harmonie, the Mecha recruits, and the Hotteok crew. Visitors can freely request autographs or take photos within the 10-minute window. Olivia is an exception.
    That¡¯s basically the key points. However, there was one special event not listed in the Expo application. "Hey, you there,e here for a second." "Me? Ah, wait, it¡¯s Rain! I¡¯m a fan!" "Thanks, thanks. Alright, now do the ¡®Aang¡¯ pose." "Aang¡­ Wow! Cake! Mom, Rain just fed me cake¡ª!" "Wow, no way! Me too, please!"
    • ???????
    • What the hell lol
    • Why can¡¯t I do this???????? Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • If I had known, I¡¯d have gone to Songdo today!
    • What¡¯s this live event?!
    It was, in fact, a hidden service from the Mecha recruits. Cake, while it couldst for a day or two, was no problem, and small portions could be sold as slices. The fact that the cake was all meant to be consumed today, as ordered by the parents who were watching the broadcast, made it even more urgent. The fridge was plenty big, but since the official opening would be tomorrow, and there was arge order for new desserts, there was no real issue in finishing the cake. As a result, about 30 cakes in total had been sliced into six pieces. With 480 people, it was easy to distribute without worrying too much. The visitors were being lined up in advance by holograms, and each one, in turn, was being fed cake by the Mecha recruits. Everyone left with content smiles. Naturally, the crowd grew, and soon Nasty and Iris joined in as well. The reactions to Nasty''s debut were particrly entertaining. "Human! Open your mouth and ept the cake!" "...Nasty?" "Hehe, by slowly building up my recognition, more people will support my return as the original... Ugh!" "Stop talking nonsense and focus on your work, kid." "Uu¡­ the fourth¡¯s work environment is so harsh..."@@novelbin@@
    • Lol, so cute, Nasty¡¯s killing me
    • What a childish Biyam lol
    • Ahhh! I wanna go to Songdo so bad!!!
    • Is it toote to go now???
    The Mecha recruit with the fourth rank was truly a handful, with their unpredictable speech patterns. While the first and third rank recruits were popr, it was clear that Nasty¡¯s emergence was met with the most excitement. People were lined up, staring enviously, but ultimately everyone would be leaving with a cake and a smile. But there was a surprising realization elsewhere. "Wow, it seems like the Mecha recruits'' poprity is spread evenly. Especially Marv, that''s a surprise." "Really? I thought it was natural since Marv joined Eugene¡¯s team, but I guess people don¡¯t think that way." "Well, she made a brief appearance in Operation Wasted Silver." Jin and Rain had an exceptionally solid fanbase. They were practically a guaranteed hit. Jin, who had shown off his silliness during the Unidentified Zone Escape mission, and Rain, the viin-turned-ally who fit the clich¨¦ perfectly. They both worked hard during Operation Ouroboros too... But Marv¡¯s fame had mostly been due to breaking through AI management systems, though she made waves for dealing a serious blow to Nasty. Well, I guess it¡¯s just that people like Mecha Biyams. "Just ignore it. It¡¯s better that poprity is evenly spread, right? It would be weird if it all concentrated on one person." "Well, Mecha recruits all look alike, don¡¯t they? And anyway, you can¡¯t really pick a line. Iris had to step in because there were so many people." "True enough."
    • Poprity redistribution, on
    • Come to think of it, that¡¯s true lol
    • So why aren¡¯t Dice and Harmonie over there?
    • Those two are busy feeding cake to the Biyams lol
    • I hear Logan¡¯s house is melting from over there lol
    Maybe I should¡¯ve sent Dice and Harmonie over there to help? Just a joke. With Iris joining, there were now about five people, so the lines started moving a bit faster. Mecha recruits could be active indefinitely, so there was no issue with their stamina. Although the caf¨¦ had turned into a cake-feeding service, everyone seemed satisfied. I looked at the now significantly less crowded interior. It was around 4:30 PM. Through the transparent variable ss on the first floor of the caf¨¦, I could see people taking photos, walking around, or returning to their tasks. The third-year students, who had realized the atmosphere had calmed, began making their way back inside as the cafe started to tidy up. "Could we be EM-level if we stick by Iris?" "...If you all actually change into avatars, it might cause a huge headache." "You didn¡¯t say it wouldn¡¯t be possible." "¡­"
    • Keep your mouth shut, lol
    • If there¡¯s an example, don¡¯t speak freely, lol
    • Seriously, Eugene just has three EM-levels near him and can''t say a word lol
    • You brought this on yourself, Eugene-lead lol
    • Why are they calling him a lesbian, lol
    ...Yeah, that''s right. Since there''s a precedent, I didn''t want to trigger some weird situation by saying something dumb again. But I didn¡¯t exactly want to voice it out, so I kept quiet. At 5 PM, once thest person had exited, Iris, wiping sweat from her forehead, let out a deep sigh as the Mecha recruits excitedly chattered about how much fun they had today. ¡®Now, I just need to lock the door and leave, and the cleaning robots stored in the walls will handle the cleanup and venttion...¡¯ I¡¯d already made sure they understood that part, so there was no issue there. I smiled as I told everyone, "Good job," and we all headed out through the front door. It was just 20 minutes ago that the story of the Biyams appearing at Ttukseom Hangang Park was about to flood the inte. Chapter 642 "Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin! Yujin!" "Yujin, she¡¯s a goddess! Yujin, she¡¯s a god!" "Ugh, could you stop yelling outside? It''s embarrassing!" "Everyone, shout-!" "Ugh, seriously¡­." Hoo-! Such sounds came from outside the balcony. It wasn¡¯t the sound of the wind, but rather the shouts of people gathering their very souls to scream. It wasn¡¯t just a few people; hundreds of them, making the Expo reverberate. Fortunately, various precautions had been taken to prevent noise and lights from leaking outside, so it was a relief. Otherwise, there would have been chaos on the first day. There¡¯s an apartmentplex just 1km away from the Expo, after all. Anyway, the reason I was yelling from the balcony with my face bright red was simple. It was because of today¡¯s announcement. "See, I knew it... Uvuvuv!" "If you knew that, why didn¡¯t you stop it?!" "Ugh, how was I supposed to stop it?!" "Then why bring it up at all?!" "Yikes, Yujin''s lost it¡ª!"
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Seriously, why is Dice always talking so sneakily? hahahahahahahahaha
    • Dice¡¯s got some serious innate snarky DNA. hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • After getting hit that much, he still talks back? Really ruthless. hahahahahahahaha
    The main event on the first day of the Expo, the roadmap announcement. Before this announcement, which was directly conducted by my parents operating a remote control from the U.S., there had already been hints about Gaia¡¯s existence, and by 7 PM, the announcement formally unveiled her existence. When the silhouette was revealed, people cheered, and when the teaser revealed a bit more of her appearance¡ªjust the eye color and coloring¡ªit sent viewers into a frenzy. Well, for now¡­ Gaia¡¯s appearance was so distinct that it would be hard to call it part of the Mecha Biyam lineage. Her face looked a bit different, and, as I¡¯ve said multiple times, she was designed with dragons in mind rather than snakes. Icarus didn¡¯t exactly design her¡ªthe Icarus International or the Icarus from the other world didn¡¯t design her¡ªbut... ¡®...Thinking about it, maybe they have a decent design sense after all.¡¯ Anyway, some people might be bored, thinking, ¡°Oh, another Mecha Yujin,¡± but the design overcame that expectation, and it was a sess. As long as everyone liked it, that was all that mattered. Of course, that¡¯s a separate matter. I was stretching Dice''s cheeks, making his face turn as red as a tomato. Hasn¡¯t this guy¡¯s guts swollen up too much? Do I really need to call Lorentina, the actual solution to all problems? No, if I actually sent him away and he ends up rolling around under Lorentina, bing more like her, that would be more troublesome. Let¡¯s just keep him close and mess with him for a while longer. Leaving Dice, who had copsed like a pancake, I stepped back onto the balcony. There were still plenty of people out there, and, in fact, the number was growing. Perhaps because my group and I were on the balcony, I wasn¡¯t sure how to disperse them, but... hmm. I had an idea. As soon as I opened the balcony again, an explosion of noise erupted. I stopped it with my hands and added, "Ah, everyone who came to the Expo today, I¡¯m so d and thankful. Did you all have a good time?" "Yes¡ª!!!" "I made eye contact with Yujin! She¡¯s going to take me to Biyamha¡ª!" "Please shoot me with the TS Beam just once!" "Ugh, could you please quiet down! I have an important announcement to make!"
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Biyamha! hahaha
    • Someone¡¯s actually saying that in front of Yujin. Hahahahaha
    • Why are only the popr ones here? What about people like me, the real losers, how are we supposed to get to the Expo!?!
    • Yeah, don¡¯t go~ Even if you don¡¯t, there are a million people who will go to the Expo~
    • Ooh, what¡¯s the big announcement?? Is it something huge?????
    At the same time, the noise began to gradually quiet down. Maybe 10 seconds had passed? I looked at the roughly 700 people, nowpletely quiet, waiting for me to speak. The second za next to Expo A was meant for cosy, so it could hold a lot of people, too. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t need a microphone. After hacking into the system connected to the speakers around, I used the gathering function to amplify my voice and release it, ensuring everyone could hear. And so, I continued. "Tomorrow, there will be an event. The event will run from 8 AM to 10 PM, and once every hour, you¡¯ll be able to find holograms of the newest Mecha junior somewhere in the Expo." "Wow." "Will there be a gift if we find one?!" "Hehe, it won¡¯t just be about finding them. But those who do find them... will get something exclusive only avable at this Expo. I wish you all the best of luck." "Can we camp out in front of the Expo and wait for it?" "No, go home and sleep!"
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • The way theyugh when Biyam is mentioned is hrious...
    • Seems like there are people with swollen guts in the chat too hahaha
    • Fact: No matter how much you camp, you can¡¯t meet them if you¡¯re not meant to meet them
    • True hahaha
    Why would anyone camp out at the Expo? Anyway, the people here didn¡¯t know yet, but from tomorrow, drones with optical camouge would fly around, subtly projecting Gaia¡¯s holograms in remote areas. And when people find them and flee, they¡¯ll be guided to the small boxes we¡¯ve pre-positioned¡ªthese boxes are capable of reading the first person¡¯s fingerprint.@@novelbin@@ Inside, there would be a coupon for registering in the Dark Zone, and a unique gun skin and cosmetic item, each only avable in the world. The lucky ones might even get shy cosmetic items like horns or tails, but unfortunately, most people would get nothing. Of course, we didn¡¯t just toss them in randomly. Combining all the cosmetic parts inside would reveal Gaia¡¯s full appearance. Still, those who received something would probably be quite disappointed, so I added: "Some of the things you¡¯ll get may seem underwhelmingpared to the effort needed to find them. But don¡¯t be too disappointed, because there will be additional rewardster on for those who find them." "Please do another drawing for the caf¨¦ admission!" "The Mecha juniors need their rest too, so unfortunately, I can¡¯t do that. Good luck!" Unfortunately, luck is just luck. There could be no exceptions to the rules¡ªeven though the Triple Monnan Biyams in the back were eagerly watching, hoping they¡¯d get something extra, even they wouldn¡¯t be able to. The drone cam circled, capturing three Biyams with sparkling eyes, and I spoke up again. "You¡¯ll have to work for it to find them. Got it?" "Ugh." "Hints, advantages...?" "You guys are EM-level. Isn¡¯t that the advantage?" "Ugh, Yujin¡¯s being so cold¡­!"
    • Ah hahaha
    • No chance. Those Biyams trying to sneak their way into a good spot got cut off!
    • Looks like they¡¯re being fair even to them hahaha
    • The tail drooping is really cute hahaha
    • Iris is such a lesbian...
    I don¡¯t know when these guys will learn. Anyway, covering up a tantrum with something bigger was now basicmon sense, and I quickly nced over the schedule. Maybe next week, Lorentina would arrive¡ªalong with her team, of course. Before that, should I check if the Miles system in Building D is working properly? "Anyway, that¡¯s all for the event. The drawing for the caf¨¦ entry tickets has already beenpleted earlier. Congrattions to those who won. If possible, tomorrow, Triple Monnan Biyams will join us for a mock Team Deathmatch in Building D. I hope you¡¯ll enjoy watching." "Huh?" "Yujin, we¡¯re preparing for the tournament rankings soon..." "So, you have to practice, right? Isn¡¯t that the n?" Saying that, I ced my hand on Dice¡¯s shoulder. Realizing there would be no room for negotiation, Dice¡¯s tail quietly drooped to the floor. It was a sign ofplete submission. "Yes..." "Good." "Wait, I didn¡¯t say anything, teacher?!" "Normally, Biyams are grouped together in bulk." Having be a Biyam, enjoying the rewards, it was time to settle the score. Iris was a bit of an exception, but... well, she was still grouped in with the rest. Big tails came with big responsibilities. Indeed. "Always pretending not to care, but you¡¯re just like the rest. Heh-heh-heh..." "Seems so." "Of course, who taught you?" Meanwhile, someone far away, streaming, was watching this scene unfold. The first instructor for Biyams was a shark. Like attracts like. "Have you analyzed it?" "It¡¯s a more terrifying structure than expected. It¡¯s a building of a type we¡¯ve never infiltrated before. Still, it¡¯s better than before. It¡¯s much better than just staring at blueprints and going in likest time." "It¡¯s been a while, Instructor Lorentina. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you again, but we did meet at the sniperpetition in Port Moore. Do you remember?" "Of course. I got to know you when you were with the junior. It¡¯s nice to see you again here in Korea." Pyeongtaek, the headquarters of the Navy¡¯s 2nd Fleet. It¡¯s only 44 kilometers away from Songdo. Numerous soldiers roam the area, exchanging opinions and chatting as they wait for the D-7 briefing to start. And, near the stage and the operational table closest to it, a particrlyrge woman, dressed in military fatigues, was talking to someone. The trident emblem engraved on her hand, the patch of the top-tier special forces unit that only a select few in the U.S. could earn, were unmistakable. Christopher Lorentina, who had visited Korea for the second time, was there. "Looks like you learned a lot back then. Have you passed on your experiences to your juniors?" "Hehe, even more than that. Looking back, there was quite a ripple effect. As a result, the sniper training curriculum has been significantly improved. The proportion of maritime sniper practice in the formal curriculum has also increased quite a bit..." "Excellent." Thinking that, she quickly skimmed through the operational n, which was starting toe together. The mission itself wasn¡¯t anything particrly special. The n was to suppress the enemy ship near the waters off Songdo with underwater explosives, then deploy friendly forces near Building D by helicopter and assault boat and engage inbat. The goal was to rescue the humanoids who were hostages inside, minimize damage to the facility, and prevent internal chaos¡ªso explosives were prohibited. There were other considerations as well. However, the core of the mission wasn¡¯t that. "UDT guys will need to get proficient with the special gadgets before the operation." "They¡¯ve adapted pretty smoothly. The control is quite simr to the Dark Zone, so they should be able to adjust quickly. The key challenge will be closing the gap between the in-game sensations and real-world operations." "We have a week left. We¡¯ll make it work." Special gadgets. In other words, Dark Zone skills. Things that one thought would never be seen in reality were slowly starting to appear. And this mission would be their debut¡ªLorentina was the only one who knew this was proof of the junior¡¯s progress. Before even entering, they were able to detect the enemy¡¯s position, and in some cases, even neutralize them beforehand. These things, which had been talked about for a while, had always remained in the realm of imagination until now. But not anymore. "By the way, I¡¯m curious how you managed to secure the Expo location for a military operation while it was still ongoing... But, I suppose it was possible because interests aligned." "Yeah, exactly. One of the main sponsors of the Expo, the junior, was quite interested, and no otherpanies except Icarus International were involved." In fact, it had been possible because Icarus had ess to unlimited funding through its think tank, Icarus Dynamics, and the Dark Zone cheat. Lorentina chuckled thinking about that, and continued. "We¡¯ll also need to be mindful of theser from the firearms reaching the outside. We must be careful about idental discharge. D Building¡¯s okay, but other buildings will still be hosting the Expo." "...Right. But who came up with that idea?" "Well, the junior. He said it was to spread word-of-mouth, but anyone can see it¡¯s more like adding a penalty." Just as she said. This mission was intended to be a practical exercise, but it also considered that future operations might take ce inrge urban areas, where civilians could get caught up. Of course, precautions for potential safety idents had beenmunicated in advance¡ªand the response had been quite substantial. In a good way. ''...Given the genre of the game, it¡¯s surprisingly positive feedback, so I should probably be relieved.'' Such thoughts briefly crossed Lorentina¡¯s mind. As she had said. Even though the public would be restricted from entering Building D for about 3 to 6 hours, the online reactions had been better than expected, at least thest time she checked. Thanks to the Dark Zone, the negative reactions had decreased considerably. Having thought about it briefly, Lorentina stood up. It was almost time for the operational preparation briefing. The sound of heavy boots echoed, and as she naturally stepped up to the microphone, silence fell in the briefing room. Though she¡¯d shared greetings before, this was the first time officially addressing the group. Thus, Lorentina knew exactly what her first words should be. Tap, tap. "Ah, microphone test. Test... hello everyone." Fifty or so eyes turned to her, and with a chilling smile, she added: "I¡¯ve returned." Thunderous apuse erupted. The beginning of the second Navy assault by Shark. Chapter 643 "Ugh, that was a good sleep...." 7:30 AM, on the top floor lounge of a building next to the Songdo Expo. Despite the calm air, the sun that had already risen was greeting me as I removed my eye mask. There was no one around, and not even a sound could be heard. It made sense, though. Having slept with an eye mask on, my bangs were in aplete mess. I yawned while covering my mouth with one hand, looking out at the Expo view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Since the Expo hadn''t opened yet, there were no people walking between buildings, but there were some... "...Ugh." Quite a lot, actually. What should I say? Looking down from such a high ce and watching people waiting to enter the Expo felt like watching an ant colony. I didn''t expect it to be this popr, but it was beyond what I imagined. Anyway, the owner can afford toe in a littlete¡­ Of course, that was a joke, but it wasn¡¯tpletely wrong. Instead, there were a few things that needed to be done before the opening, like preparing the event I mentioned yesterday. Sitting on a chair before taking a shower, I activated the Icarus Gear, connected to the drone storage in Expo C Building, and activated about five optical camouge drones, cing them at designated locations. Two in Building A, one in Building D, and one in Building B. ''Although I said the gun skin was one of a kind...'' If the skins are all designed differently, they¡¯re technically all one-of-a-kind skins. I wasn¡¯t wrong. And when tens of thousands of peoplee and go every day, if Gaia only appears once every hour... well, that¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s not even worth talking about. Of course, the cosmetic items are only released once a day, though. Anyway, to prevent idents and overcrowding, I deployed arger number of humanoids than usual. That should be enough. Just then, a drone came and ced a cup with a sweet drink next to me, and then flew off. After finishing the cement, I poured the ice-cold drink into my throat. Finally, I felt fully awake. Now, let¡¯s see... where did the Triple Biyams go? "Mina? Yerin?" Before taking a shower, I called out the names of the two. Of course, I didn¡¯t really expect an answer. Despite the chaotic vibrations from pumps and various machines embedded in the building¡¯s walls, I didn¡¯t feel any vibrations from footsteps. After all, I was the only one in the lounge. That meant I had to track their traces. The little Biyams, who were treated as Expo staff, weren¡¯t at home; they were asleep in the lounge''s bedrooms. I opened the doors to the rooms assigned to the three of them, and the neatly organized rooms came into view. ''From the fact that their clothes from yesterday are in theundry basket...'' What¡¯s this? Why didn¡¯t they say anything before leaving? It wasn¡¯t that I had no idea at all. Looking at it, they probably went to catch Gaia. If I¡¯d known this would happen, I should¡¯ve just given them something separately. Well, I only thought about it for a brief moment. Luck is fair to everyone, so it¡¯s just luck. Anyway, with no one else around, I felt there was something I could try. I waved my hand in the air. ©¤©¤©¤Ding! At that moment, I heard the sound of the elevator arriving from far away. And how much time had passed? "Got a little time to spare?" "As you can see. How about taking a look at how many people outside are waiting for you?" "...Oh my." Gaia had appeared. I waved my hand to call her, and simultaneously transformed the elevator door into a gate. Gaia leisurely walked out, starting to observe the Songdo Expo from a height of about 186 meters at 7:55 AM. Her green eyes were fixed on the ground. Below, people were crowding around the Expo entrances, waiting to get in. How much time had passed? "...Wow." "Yesterday was the opening day, so that¡¯s understandable, but the groundwork Iid yesterday has had more of an impact than I expected. So many people are waiting for you to appear in real life. How does it feel?" "Can I go out now?" "...I knew you¡¯d say that, but not yet." "Eeeeng..." It felt like giving some delicious choctes to the kids and only letting them taste the nails of it. Still, as a special event, I could sneak Gaia out. One of the holograms could be the real Gaia... but that was a joke. It wouldn¡¯t be possible to reveal her fully yet, especially when her appearance hadn¡¯t been fully revealed. But in about two weeks, some cosmetic parts modeled after Gaia¡¯s appearance would be released, and by then, sharp-eyed people would think, "If Ibine these parts, will it resemble something real?" By that time, I should be able to reveal her to the world. I pulled a chair over, sat down, and talked with her until the opening. "Did you have fun with Logan?" "I just yed around with Icarus Gear. I had nothing to do, so I just watched the broadcast with the original. I should¡¯ve gone with someone else." "I heard someone went to a bar in Itaewon... Well, it¡¯s not really a ce that Mecha juniors would go, right?" "I heard the older girls know about food too?"@@novelbin@@ "That¡¯s possible due to some special methods." I could link their senses to the Mecha juniors, which made it possible for them to enjoy food, though they technically couldn¡¯t eat. They ended up bing Mecha Monnans who liked ice cream, but... well, maybe someday that could change, but not now. Afterforting Gaia, time was now 7:59, and I stood up to check outside. And how much time had passed? -[Notification: Entry begins.] "¡­Oh, oh. Entry starts now. Despite the wind I blew yesterday, everyone¡¯s entering in an orderly manner?" "I warned them that if they ran, they¡¯d be kicked out immediately, and I¡¯ve deployed more humanoids than yesterday. If people run in a ce this crowded, it¡¯ll be a disaster." "Thinking about it, that¡¯s true... huh?" "What''s wrong?" At that moment, Gaia essed my UI, pinged a spot, and there were three familiar figures. Even in the midst of the crowded entrance gate, they were standing out with their unique appearance, and they had snake-like tails as thick as people''s thighs. There were three of them. Using the zoom function of the Icarus Gear, I watched as they gestured and had an intense discussion. A few secondster, they began to scatter between the Expo buildings. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. "I woke up this morning, and when I didn¡¯t see them, I wondered where they went, and sure enough." "...The original, I feel like I¡¯ll be too scared to roam around hereter." "Please look at it nicely. They¡¯re just Monnans who really like Biyams." They liked Biyams so much they turned into Biyams themselves. Now, to be suddenly reminded of this was just ridiculous. I thought that and had no choice but tofort Gaia appropriately. Although, it didn¡¯t seem to help much. "Not in C Building!" "Found them in Building A... No, wait! They¡¯re running away at an insane speed!" "I didn¡¯t say they were running away, Yujin!" Meanwhile, at the Expo. The already enormous Expo site,bined with the faintly visible Gaia hologram from the optical camouge drones, made it terrifyingly difficult to find her. Watching the hologram weave between theplex Expo buildings while performing parkour, the visitors were stunned. Yujin¡¯s events were never easy to pass through. It was just another day. "Couldn¡¯t catch her¡ª!" "How many times have you missed her?" "I¡¯ve been waiting since 8 AM, and I¡¯ve missed her over five times already... ugh..." "There¡¯s tomorrow, and the day after. You¡¯ll have more chances until the Expo ends, so don¡¯t worry." ""
    • hahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Is it really that bad? hahahahahaha
    • Biyamification<<< lowers human intelligence
    • Olivia giving a sharp jab from the side hahaha
    • If it were that easy, people wouldn¡¯t be frantically searching for New Mecha Biyams, right? hahaha
    1:00 PM, the tantrum erupted from Expo Building D. After several hours of searching, but failing to catch Gaia, Harmonie, Dice, and Iris let their frustrations out in a kind of... waiting room-like space. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. They had been preparing since 7 AM, taking showers, and then spent several hours running around¡ªat the pace of EM-level users¡ªonly to find that today¡¯s luck was bad. So, after exerting themselves and achieving nothing, the three of them stuffed themselves with food worth tens of thousands of won at the C Building cafeteria and then came here to attend to their schedule. Of course, they were disappointed, but that didn¡¯t mean I could ease the difficulty for them. "You three understand, right? If I lower the difficulty, it would be unfair." "...Right." "Well, I¡¯ll consider something for you three. You¡¯ve helped quite a lot, so considering that, it might be nice to prepare something separate." "Ah, now the story changes. Hehe." "I¡¯m d to see you¡¯ve regained your energy." At least they were satisfied with that. Thankfully, the intensity of the tantrum had reduced by now. It might have been because Olivia was around. Anyway, enough about the tantrum. As I mentioned earlier, we hade to one of the shooting ranges in Building D to do a kind of... augmented reality Team Deathmatch¡ªand as you can tell by the words, it wasn¡¯t virtual reality. You probably guessed from the terminology, but it was like the military''s Miles system. A survival game withser detection sensors attached to your body. Instead, we added more holograms to increase the realism and fun. While everyone was expertly putting on their gear, the conversation continued. "This feels like the magicbat stage in Disney World¡¯s Epcot Studios. I only saw it on broadcasts, but I never imagined I¡¯d actually be doing it." "I¡¯m joking when I say it was inspired by that, but studios that can replicate virtual actions in reality are quitemon now. I know there are many simr ces." "Right." "I''m more concerned about the enormous crowd of spectators piling up in front of us!"
    • hahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • How do you know if it wasn¡¯t even shown on broadcast?
    • ''Sixth Sense''
    • Considering the words about vibration detection earlier, maybe they can feel it like that?
    • Oh, sensitive Biyams to vibrations... ???...
    As expected. What should I say? Certainly, everyone¡¯s senses seem to have be more sensitive after reaching EM-level. They still couldn¡¯t filter out all kinds of vibrations and track real-time positions like I could, though. That said, I wasn¡¯t expecting them to do that. After all, I had gone through countless trial and error to get to this point. They weren¡¯t heading into actual warfare. After struggling to fasten the vest with the Miles sensor, which was made difficult by my well-developed chest, I put on special gloves and armbands, adding, "After this content ends, we¡¯ll need to prepare more sizes for the vests." "It seems the junior was thinking the same thing. Ah, I¡¯m dying. Dying." "...You two might actually burst out of your Miles vests." "Ah, me too." "Iris...?"
    • Huh
    • POW hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • This one! This one! This one!
    • Mina, why the betrayed expression...?
    • Those two are tactical pouches, but what kind of pouch is Iris carrying?
    • Awsuit pouch
    The chat room went wild,pletely chaotic. Anyway, getting back to it, everyone had put on the tactile feedback gloves and armbands. There weren¡¯t any headgear, but the special goggles for visual effects and in-ear sensors would serve as the sensory devices. The first match was a simple 2:3 match with those who had awakened, and starting from the next match, we¡¯d have the full 6:6 match with the people we should have faced. Strict reservations meant the schedule was fully booked until 10 PM, and we refunded half the reservation fees to everyone who had booked today to apologize. Also, we nned to extend the operation until 10:40 PM. This behind-the-scenes story ends here, and Olivia and I were set to take the left route, while Dice and his group would take the right route to start. Through the drone cam, I added, "You guys, including Mina¡¯s friends and Kato, might be watching right now... hmm, I n to bring you all next time. I¡¯ll send out the invitations early since it looks like you¡¯re nning to visit all together."
    • Breaking news) Kato choked on water while watching Biyam broadcast
    • Kato the gamer hahahahahaha
    • Just thinking about Biyam chokes me up ????
    • I swear, they¡¯re such nice people, but...
    Well, as expected, it was full of nder. But now I was a rather skilled broadcaster, so I ignored it, walking quickly toward the respawn area¡ªcountless hologram projectors on the ceiling added gear to my body. The tactile feedback gloves created artificial pressure, perfectly simting the sensation of inserting a hologram-created magazine into a gun that didn¡¯t even exist. I attached the suppressor to the HK337, aiming it around and pulling the trigger¡ªthe sound of the shot was perfectly reproduced in my in-ear sensors. I thought they couldn¡¯t see it from here, but maybe they could from the unseen stands. Thinking that, I hit the button on the wall with my fist¡ª -[Notification: Team Deathmatch begins now.] -[Notification: The map is Quarry. Adjusting positions of internal objects in real-time.] -[Notification: Map size check... 300mX300m. Confirming real-time implementation.] -[Notification: Eliminate the enemy.] "<...90,000 square meters? That¡¯s pretty big.>" "This is the most expensive area in the Expo. Let¡¯s check it out." It was time to check whether those guys had been having fun or just hanging around. And then¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Toodoodoodoo! "Ugh, down...!" "No, teacher! Who in the world shoots while climbing walls?!" "Well, if Olivia catches you, you won¡¯t be saying that." "What the... ugh!"
    • Oof hahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Why are you ying Titanfall by yourself while everyone else is dealing with their duties?...
    • You maniacs, please go easy hahaha
    • So these Biyams participated in the 3rd Final Championship? No conscience?
    • Seriously, too much hahaha
    "Ugh, down...!" "No, teacher! Who in the world shoots while climbing walls?!" "Well, if Olivia catches you, you won¡¯t be saying that." "What the... ugh!"
    • Oof hahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Why are you ying Titanfall by yourself while everyone else is dealing with their duties?...
    • You maniacs, please go easy hahaha
    • So these Biyams participated in the 3rd Final Championship? No conscience?
    • Seriously, too much hahaha
    With a sound of whooshing, Olivia descended silently from the sky, lightlynding on top of Dice, instantly pinning him down. Later, she promised to teach Dice, Harmonie, and Iris the techniques for wall climbing. Meanwhile, Olivia and I imed an easy victory with a light tag team match. It was fun. Chapter 644 "Who reserved this time slot? Step up. I have to say, I''m impressed." "Never thought I''d see something like this... wait, hold on. Now that I think about it, aren''t we supposed to go in there next?" "...Huh." Meanwhile, in the VIP viewing lounge. From the huge mock battle room built underground at the Songdo Expo, the 12 people who were supposed to use the facility at this time were observing the actions of the five EM-level individuals. The 12 spent about 1.2 million won for 40 minutes of facility use. As the time ticked away, none of their faces showed signs of anger or disappointment. The 1.2 million won was fully refunded, and although their use time was shortened, they were now given the chance to join the augmented realitybat with some of the world''s most famous people. If this isn¡¯t a benefit, then what can be considered a benefit? But those thoughts slowly began to fade, as Eugene and Olivia''s movements in the mock battle area took center stage. "¡­Is this right?" "Are we supposed to fight these guys?" "Looking at it, even if we throw all twelve of us, including Dice and Harmonie, at them, we probably won¡¯t win." "Really? You think we can¡¯t win?" "Didn¡¯t you see Olivia drop down from the sky earlier?" Despite Olivia dropping from the sky andnding on Dice, neither of them got injured, not even a scratch. The soundlessnding and the slight wings that popped out right beforending¡ªamazing. On the outside, they appeared like the famous designers Michele, Demna Bazzalia, or Matthew Williams, but in reality, they were ex-special forces members. It almost seemed too scripted, like a scene from a movie. But this was real, and it was one of many results they would face soon. And after some time...
    • [The session is ending.]
    • [The next session starts in 00:05:00. Participants, please prepare.]
    • [All waiting participants should head to Dice''s team.]
    "...Huh." "I''m scared. Is it normal to be scared this early?" "If you''re not scared, you''re not human." The twelve people who were already equipped with their gear immediately headed down to the spectator seats, towards the right respawn point that Dice''s team was heading to. Simultaneously, a hologram appeared. A few modified rules were disyed on it¡ªfirst, Dice, Harmonie, and Iris, along with the rest, had unlimited respawns. Second, Eugene and Olivia were only allowed to use pistols and knives¡ªthough they weren¡¯t actually using real knives. It might seem like too much of a leniency, but the now 15-member team of Dice took it seriously. Given the recent events, that alone might not be enough. So, before the actual game began, there was a light exchange of friendly banter. "Ah, nice to meet you. I¡¯ve been watching your streams, Dice. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you started streaming too?" "Hehe, if I wanted to, I would''ve done it by now. I think it''s better if I just keep doing cameos. Anyway, it looks like everyone¡¯s here, so let''s split into three groups of five. The key yers should be the ones, including me, who have manifested powers." "But¡­ I¡¯m not that great at the Dark Zone..." "...Right, now that you mention it." Irisined. But despite that, she had to reluctantly ept the position of squad leader, along with Harmonie and Dice. And after some time...
    • [The team deathmatch starts now.]
    • [Current map is Quarry. Internal assets are being adjusted in real-time.]
    • [Map size check¡­ 300m X 300m. Real-time implementation confirmed.]
    • [Eliminate the enemy.]
    The gates of hell opened. Fifteen individuals moved in unison as nned, following Dice, Harmonie, and Iris''s lead. The surrounding area was eerily silent. It was unusually calm. The five members formed a scout formation, surveying the area with an intensity rarely seen in team deathmatches. Three squads split into three separate paths to conduct their reconnaissance, which was unconventional. But it had to be done.
    • "Grenade¡ª!"
    Bang! The explosion echoed from the other side. But that wasn¡¯t the end. As the deafening sound rang out, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the source of the chaos for 0.5 seconds, and that was when Eugene ambushed Dice¡¯s squad. With a terrifying bang, one person immediately copsed on the spot, then rushed back to the main base to respawn. A headshot was dered in one swift motion. The kill log popped up on the UI¡ªTriple Action Thunder. Eugene was attacking with a madman¡¯s pistol, firing a .50 caliber bullet with a single shot. "I can''t block that! I''ll buy some time!" Dice, holding a heavy shield that could block even a .50 caliber bullet, rushed to chase Eugene, entering the building. The rest of the squad hurriedly followed. Dice''s sudden mobility was beyond the reach of normal people, even with a shield in hand. Unfortunately... The squad that followed Eugene into the building was greeted with an eerie sight. "Wait, is he really climbing walls?!" "Fire, fire!" "The speed of escape is way too fast!" He kicked off the wall. Thanks to the recoil, Eugene shot up into the air, grabbed a pipe on the ceiling, and swung like a pendulum before scaling a metal tform that couldn¡¯t be climbed without adder. He disappeared into another building. But that wasn¡¯t the end. While escaping, Eugene dropped a grenade with her tail. Dice, noticing it, quickly shielded the grenade, and the explosion was effectively blocked with a bit of smoke, andsers scattered in all directions. After the brief lull, one person, who had been focusing on the direction Eugene disappeared, spoke up. "...Can¡¯t Dice do that?" "Yeah. Why can¡¯t I do that¡­ though I did manage to hit a few shots with my submachine gun. The respawn limit is set, so let¡¯s keep chipping away at them." "Right." The group¡¯s goal was to scout Eugene¡¯s probable location while waiting for the teammate who had died earlier to respawn. The four moved in the direction Eugene had disappeared. After about a minute, someone spoke up. "...They¡¯re noting, are they?" "We have a mini-map, so they shouldn''t be lost... wait. Didn''t Eugene just disappear somewhere simr to where we came from?" "That¡¯s true¡­ oh." A brief silence. And then Dice spoke again. "He''s trying to spawn kill us so we can''t join!" "Run, run!" "Oh, I¡¯m gonna be out of breath doing cardio like this!" "I¡¯m gonna lose my mind!" And then came the sound of gunfire. The terrifying noise of a sniper rifle mixed with the rapid-fire sounds of an assault rifle. Dice¡¯s squad could easily deduce what was happening on the other side. The 2:15 match descended into chaos. "Ugh, hehe..." "...Why are you so happy?" "Mom, I''m being held captive by Eugene, teacher¡ª!"
    • "Bup bags!!!"
    • "Haha, you¡¯re captured by a Biyam! Hahahaha"
    • "The tail wrapping around the waist is the absolute best part, hahahahaha!"
    • "Fact: They got their full facility usage fee refunded in exchange for letting the Biyams borrow time!"
    • "Seriously, I''m so jealous!!! Why don''t we have a Biyam?!?!"
    And just secondster... Dice''s team was met by Eugene, who was using one of their own teammates as a human shield right after respawning. The Biyam leader was ruthless. "Everything¡¯s chaotic. The middle is chaotic¡­ should we go back now?" "If you¡¯re asking us that..." "I¡¯m only Tier 2 in ranked games, you know!? This is too much for me!"
    • "Hahaha, hahaha, hahahahaha!"
    • "Wait, aren''t all Biyams good at games?"
    • "This one just got randomly TS''d hahahaha"
    • "How is it that only Harmonie and Dice got ambushed first? Hahahaha"
    • "They¡¯re not even getting attacked, and they¡¯re already panicking!"
    There were explosions and gunfire everywhere. And another explosion, more gunfire. Iris, on the other hand, was cruising smoothly ¨C by "cruising smoothly," it meant she hadn¡¯t yet met Eugene or Olivia. So, Iris, with a chic yet slightly confused expression, was watching the surroundings, her eyes wide open, trying to assess the situation. It was obvious she was scanning the area for any clues. Though the others weren¡¯t at a higher tier than Iris, she wasn¡¯t exactly leading them with ease either. It was only natural that opinions were conflicting. "...Well, we didn¡¯t exactly say ''don¡¯t join.'' Should we head back?" "Which way should we return? The same path?" "Since we¡¯repletely on the opposite side now, maybe we should just run." "How about we take the high ground and provide cover fire?" Chaos. Iris sighed. Thanks to her TS (Transformation Skill), she had been forced to get up to speed in the real world, but up until now, she had mostly been watching Eugene¡¯s movements, analyzing, and making notes. The issue wasn¡¯t her brainpower; it was her decisiveness. Iris, recalling she was still inmand, took a deep breath and stepped forward, taking the lead with her ballistic shield. Finally, her squad silently followed her in formation, and their speed was impressive. This was partly due to the fact that Eugene and Olivia¡¯s positions had been roughly pinpointed by now. After a minute or so, Iris¡¯s squad arrived at the engagement area. Well, not exactly at the engagement area, but rather what seemed closer to a refugee camp. "...It¡¯spletely fallen apart."@@novelbin@@ "Where have you guys been...?" "We were the only squad that hadn¡¯t been ambushed, so we rushed back... ah..." "...But, Eugene and I managed to catch them once. Me and Mina will go back to lead our squad members, so just keep an eye on this path for us." "Got it."
    • "Logging off now. Dropping supplies~~~"
    • "Feels like a checkpoint¡¯s been bypassed hahahahaha!"
    • "It¡¯s so wicked. The Biyam leader¡¯s a wicked one!"
    • "Harmonie got beaten by Olivia, and Dice got beaten by Eugene. Hahahaha!"
    • "So they went to the 3rd Final Championship with those skills? Hahahaha!"
    At this point, there were only a few left from Harmonie and Dice''s squad, with only one or two surviving. The ones who had been killed had respawned several times, sweating and working hard, but surprisingly, none of them had a particrly bad expression. In fact, it could almost be said that they were happy. The reason was simple: during Eugene and Olivia¡¯s CQC, physical contact inevitably urred, but of course, no one would openly speak about that. Harmonie and Dice quickly made their way back to the respawn point, and Iris¡¯s squad started to guard the path leading out of the quarry. They had strategically narrowed their personnel cement, anticipating a potential ambush, and there was enough time for the two squad leaders to return without any issues. Iris sharpened her senses and¡ª Swoosh! "" "Enemy¡ª!" Bam! From several meters up on a building in front of them, Olivia silently dropped down andnded in the middle of the squad with no sound, delivering a light greeting to Iris''s ears. Iris¡¯s eyes widened, and through the magnified vision, she saw a falcon, aiming a Desert Eagle at one of her squad members¡¯ heads without even looking in the other direction. Bang! Bang! The augmented reality function in their goggles simted the muzzle shes with each shot, and squad members quickly fell one by one. By the time Iris collided with Olivia, three members of the squad had already been to the respawn point. However, just as Iris thought she had caught her¡ª ""
    • "Finally looking this way, huh???"
    • "How many people did she kill in one second? Hahahaha!"
    • "This person shoots a Desert Eagle with one hand and no recoil. She''s a superhuman hahahaha"
    • "I¡¯m losing my mind hahahahahaha"
    • "Iris made a good call hahahaha"
    Bang! Despite being hit by Iris, Olivia managed to kill thest member of the squad. During this, Iris was holding her right hand with the pistol and struggling to maintain control¡ªOlivia, who wasn¡¯t particrly strongpared to other EM-levels, was just about equal in strength to Iris, who had just recently be a Manifested. But Olivia had overwhelming practical experience, and with the recoil generated from rapid fire, she managed to pull her arm free. With the magazine emptied, Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate to draw her pistol and, in one swift motion, took out a tactical knife in the shape of a rod, pressing it against Iris¡¯s neck. At that moment, Iris¡¯s HP dropped to zero. "...Ugh." "" "...It was still meaningful." "<...I see.>" At the same time, Olivia¡¯s neck as she made her way to the respawn point. She smiled faintly and added, "" Bang! At that moment, Olivia¡¯s HP also dropped to zero. Iris had been there from the beginning to buy time, and Olivia had beenpletely tricked¡ªor perhaps allowed herself to be tricked. A death notification from a critical headshot appeared on the UI. It was Harmony¡¯s kill confirmation from far off. As Iris copsed to the ground, Harmony helped her up, adding, "Good job. You¡¯re better than us." "...If Mina hadn¡¯t been here, we¡¯d bepletely wiped out by now. Wait, were we already wiped out?" "To be honest, it was a steal to catch Olivia with just five people." "She seemed like she let herself be caught though..."
    • "What, she let herself be caught?"
    • "They just rushed to the respawn spot causing a scene, and still pulled off the disadvantage hahahaha"
    • "Living point) This person is a fashion designer"
    • "Do designers now also design ways to kill people? Hahahahahaha"
    • "Just... a long road ahead! Little Biyams!"
    As stated earlier. In the fierce battle thatsted 30 minutes, Eugene and Olivia lost 4 and 3 lives respectively, and together, they earned abined kill count of 37. Their journey was far from over. Chapter 645 <"Plemansacks donated 10,000 won! Thank you so much!">
    • So, Kato really picked a fight with that kind of person? Such a greedy, stomach-filled Koichi, haha!
    "I never picked a fight-!" "Oi oi, Kato-kun. Hold yourself back. If Kato-kun awakens, not everyone will survive¡­ Ah, but Eugene-san will probably subdue him." "Ugh..."
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • That Biyam guy really kills the fun, haha
    • What kind of image do they have of Eugene in their heads, haha
    • He''s definitely Voldemort-level, I think
    • Isn''t it Eugene who ttened Voldemort''s nose?
    The desk was covered with a mixture of beverage droplets and saliva. Thanks to coughing multiple times, my throat was sore, and I felt my lungs shrink due to theck of air ¨C I wasn¡¯t actually listening to Eugene''s stream, but it was because the viewers had passed along statements made during the stream. To summarize, it was something like, "Whenever you get time,e to the Expo and try participating in the mock battle in building D." But when the news of what had actually happened there reached them, their faces weren¡¯t exactly cheerful. It wasn¡¯t hard to hear how Eugene and Olivia hadpletely wrecked their opponents, and Kato, Limit, Hodok, and others ¨C if they went there, they had no idea what would happen to them. But, "...So, who really doesn''t want to go?" "I was nning to go eventually anyway. We''ve gotten a lot of help... Well, I''d want to go even without that reason. And if I ask them to go easy on me, won''t they let me off?" "That''s just teabagging." "So if I go all out and get beaten, that¡¯s fair and square?"
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Hyun-ah really hits the facts, haha
    • I really hate how guys can''t stand being shown mercy, haha
    • Hodok, Limit, and Kato are all women, where are the guys?
    • Fact) All of them
    • Don''t naturally count them as women, hahaahahaha
    In the chat, unsettling messages started rising, but fortunately or unfortunately, they didn''t have time to care. It wasn¡¯t like Kim Stone was wrong about what he said. But they didn¡¯t have time or reason to argue about it. It was something forter ¨C but they couldn¡¯t put off deciding on a schedule either. And so, the conversation naturally turned toward that. "...So when are we going? Does everyone have no schedule conflicts? Anyone who can¡¯t make it due to a scheduled cob or advertising?" "I have a few, but they''re scattered, so it''s fine. Let¡¯s pick a date. If not, just let me know." "Got it. If we''re going, we should decide soon. Otherwise, next week¡¯spletely booked. You guys saw the notice from the Expo, right?" "Oh, that..." "Yeah, that. The thing about not being able to use building D next week... The naval training thing, right?"
    • Ah, that, haha
    • Wait, how did they even manage to rent the building during the Expo? Did the seal-freaks just push it through without permission?
    • Who''s even making the insane assumption that apany making twice the national defense budget in a year is using Expo buildings for military training without permission? Haha
    • Obviously, they must have a deal worked out, idiots, just stop haha
    • Icarus Dynamics is using it for humanoid advertisements, though?
    The chat heated up extremely fast. Without saying anything, Kato and Hodok told the manager handling the chat, "Just ban the people crossing the line," and that was that. Nothing more came of it. They had intentionally left the mes to simmer. The reason was simple. They too had a few questions about that point. "...Like the chat says, Icarus must have cooperated, right? But how does the military do their training? Do they usually just use humanoids for mock survival and stuff?" "Hey, there we just¡­ set up tents and sleep on cold days. We do something like that, but not exactly¡­ like, setting upbat facilities. We just put onser sensors and make them fight in the mountains." "Oh, you fight in the mountains? Well, I guess you¡¯ve said our military has nothing but mountains nearby¡­ Anyway, from what you¡¯re saying, it sounds like this kind of thing hardly ever happens. It¡¯s pretty amazing." "Right. Anyway, well, it sounds like there¡¯s some thing we don¡¯t know." As Limit checked the official Expo website, he found the notice for next week¡¯s training. The content was a bit long, but in short, it was simple ¨C ess to building C and D would be restricted from 12 PM, and from 1 to 3 PM, a hostage rescue operation would take ce in building D. At the same time, there would bebat at the huge mockbat facility in the underground of building D, and after the training, an overall overhaul would make mock battles in building D impossible until next Monday ¨C that was about it. The reason they were talking about next week or the week after wasn¡¯t a big deal. "...But can we take photos or videos of this stuff?" "Actually, they said some of thebat would be streamed live. They need to advertise the humanoids somehow." "Right, this is an expo for selling robots..."
    • Fact) True
    • Yeah, haha
    • If you look at YouSpace, you see people constantly posting CQB videos, so I guess it¡¯s not impossible to show this?
    • But wait, are the robots already at a level where they can fight humans?
    • So, what about the Mecha Biyams, haha
    • Hmm... thinking about it, I can''t really argue with that logic
    The second question: Are the robots powerful enough to take on special forces? And that thought turned into, ''Maybe it''s possible?'' thanks to the existence of Mecha Biyams. That said, whether the in-game Mecha Biyams and the real-world robots would have the samebat skills was another unknown. But that wasn¡¯t really something they needed to worry about. People were already specting, based on the limited information avable, about how next week''s UDT training would unfold. Some were discussing the best spots to view the scenes in building D. It was aughable situation, but it was likely intended that way. "The way they¡¯ve handled public attention is insane. Even if I¡¯ve never done a Dark Zone mission, they¡¯re making me want to go just out of curiosity." "If you talk to Eugene-san, he might just give you a good spot to watch... almost said it." "Wouldn¡¯t it be like that loungest time?" "...I think I hear the sound of viewers crying their eyes out somewhere."
    • Why are you all having fun???????????
    • Eugene guilt-free
    • If you want toin, you should have bought Eugene coins early, haha
    • Someone here didn¡¯t even buy coins but shoved his own coins in a Biyam''s pocket, haha
    • It alwayses back to Kato¡¯s courage, haha
    • Take us too!!!!!!!
    Out of nowhere, the chat started attacking, and while Kato was looking around cautiously, the group quickly began to think about what would happen next. That said, there wasn¡¯t much time left this week, so it was clear the visit to the Expo would have to be after next week¡¯s training. As soon as that decision was made, all three pairs of eyes focused on Kato. And then¡ª "...Why is this only being left to me?!" "But it¡¯ll be fun that way, right?" "Hey, hey, I can tell your real thoughts, stop." "..."
    • hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • How did it end up like this for them, haha
    • Oh no, haha
    • The expression of existential crisis, haha
    • It¡¯s just like ''nothing matters anymore'' at this point, haha
    But oddly enough, none of the things the viewers were saying were actually right. The external image that had built up over time had given the viewers enjoyment, but in reality, he had long since adapted to the fact that he was in the grasp of a Biyam. Of course, whether it was just resignation and escapism, or if he had reached a state of enlightenment, would remain to be seen. So how much time had passed? Kato quickly typed a message to Eugene. ''He doesn¡¯t check emails much, but when I text him, he reads it right away...'' Thinking this, he sent the text, and not long after.
    • [Eugene: It¡¯s probably better toe the week after next. I have someone visiting from today for a few days.]
    "...He said that?" "Ah." "...Well, if he said it directly, we can¡¯t help it. We were already thinking of the week after next anyway, so it works out." "Then that¡¯s settled." They nodded and, with that, the short Expo discussion came to an end. And then¡ª "...Well, it seems we¡¯ve reached an inevitable point." "Heh, nice to meet you. I¡¯m the suspicious shark again today." "Eh, oh, eh."
    • When did this persone to Korea, haha
    • What? Did they take time off to follow Olivia?
    • He was streaming from the U.S. to match the time zone, and now he¡¯s juste to Korea, haha
    • At this point, it''s true love...
    • Fact) Came to recruit for the military
    Meanwhile, at the Expo. Lorentina and her team arrived under the pretext of reconnaissance before the training. "...So, you came today for actual measurements, huh? Then your team and the UDT guys must already be inside the Expo." "Well, you guessed it. No matter how much we simte in virtual reality, we won¡¯t know unless we visit in person. The realism these days is good enough that we don¡¯t absolutely need to, but still..." Twenty minutes after Lorentina and her team arrived at the Expo. There were no drone cams around, no baby Biyams either. They¡¯d been set aside for "heart adaptation" purposes, kind of like how you prepare for a swim by wetting your body before jumping in. Unfortunately, Lorentina¡­ well, people who aren¡¯t used to it couldn¡¯t handle it head-on. She was like a natural disaster. But anyway¡­ that wasn¡¯t the only reason. The conversation they were about to have couldn¡¯t be filmed by drone cams. And to prove that, Lorentina took out a holographic map and started marking it with Xs. When I nced at it, it was over the ocean near the Expo. The distance was roughly 250¨C300 meters, I think. I got the general sense. "Are you trying to make the helicopter hover?" "You guessed right. It was a category in the sniperpetition, but here it¡¯s live." "Isn¡¯t it supposed to be done withsers?" "We borrowed the physics engine used in the Dark Zone. It¡¯s notser-based; it calctes the damage in real time, so the speed of the bullets and their trajectories are calcted separately. The trajectory will be shown directly through augmented reality goggles." "So, it¡¯s much more realistic, huh?" "That¡¯s right." Well, realistically, they couldn¡¯t use real bullets. In reality, they¡¯d have to carry a bunch of real magazines and go out, but since this was training... Anyway, aside from that, Lorentina had a lot of tasks she needed to do. "Originally, the enemy in this hostage rescue operation was supposed to be lightly armed, but I opposed that, and we¡¯ve set it up as an irregr warfare special forces scenario." "I¡¯m not sure about the seniors, but others will probably be bending over from exhaustion. It¡¯ll be hard." "It can¡¯t be helped." Seems like it¡¯d be like those special forces from enemy nations infiltrating in fast boats along the Hudson River. In that case, the armaments would likely be different. Assuming they¡¯re special forces, they¡¯d probably have at least the same firepower as our special forces. They wouldn¡¯t be shooting recoilless rifles, but a 40mm grenadeuncher would definitely be possible.@@novelbin@@ But the key to this operation was the tech capabilities of the think tank, and here, drones, turrets, and pulses would y key roles. Of course, the enemy would also prepare for that, using jammers and whatnot. Suddenly, Lorentina turned toward me with a sharp motion. It was so sudden it felt like I saw a ghost. What should I say? Maybe like an eight-legged ghost? But I think Lorentina would be the one to fight it. Anyway, she then spoke. "By now, your team should be inside building D, but... I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. I hear you can adjust the terrain in there?" "It¡¯s based on pre-entered data, but yes, it¡¯s possible." "I¡¯m curious to see what will happen on the day of the operation, heh..." A brief silence. How much time had passed? Then, a chilling smile appeared on Lorentina¡¯s lips. "I think the new recruits would probably have a very fun expression if I took them there." "Please stop torturing our kids, really. Are you going to chase them out?" "Haha. Just joking, just joking. Anyway, I think they¡¯re getting used to me being here, so shall we head back? I skipped lunch, so I¡¯m quite hungry." "Let¡¯s have food ready in building C then." With that, she finally showed a satisfied expression. And so, we started heading back the way we came. Of course, there was quite a ruckus around because of the appearance of the shark at the Expo. It was like a red carpet; people split apart wherever we went. Since we had just had that conversation in a lounge with no one around, it was possible, but now... as you can see. As we walked by the cafe, I thought I should probably show the Mecha recruits too. Then, suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was a secretmunication. The shark who was with me sent it. Without moving my lips, the voice module yed through my in-ear, and I heard the message.
    • Come to think of it, the young ones.
    • Yeah?
    • The sharkwork we set up here has been buzzing for about a week now.
    • W-what?
    ...Wait a second. Does that mean...?
    • Could it be that the Dagger team from the other world is here ying?
    • Huh?
    The sharkwork from before and this one... are they different? What exactly did they do that made thework aware of the Dagger team? A lot of questions passed through my mind, but right now, that wasn¡¯t important. Anyway, I really dislike sharp sharks. Chapter 646 "Did you guys wait, Biyam newbies? Look who¡¯s back, hehehe..." "KYAAAAAAK-!" "They¡¯re here! The door! The door-!" "I guess you were that excited to see me! Come on over! Iris too! I feel especially fond of her since she looks just like me, do you like water by any chance?" "...I envy the brain that can trante those reactions as excitement."
    • Oh, it''s noisy right from the start haha
    • Crazy energy, haha
    • Truly a unique character haha
    • I thought there couldn¡¯t be anyone else like this, but Iris looks pretty simr in terms of appearance...
    • Now that I think about it, they really do look alike haha
    The shark''s appearance. In fact, I had arrived about 30 minutes earlier and showed my face briefly, but I had stepped away to share some small talk that couldn''t be told to others and to give the little Biyams some mental stability, and now I was back. It was exactly the reaction I had expected. After Lorentina had assaulted the snake''s nest, she mercilessly petted the new little ones and gave Iris a very warm wee. Now that I looked at them, the two looked quite alike. It felt like I was seeing a shark who had changed its species to Biyam ¨C setting aside those thoughts, I quietly observed themotion they were making. Lorentina''s assault was just one part of the long schedule for today. Well, I was supposed to give them the option of joining the schedule. For example- "Well, Lorentina and I are nning to slowly head to building D now. The shark has a separate schedule with me. You can choose to join or not. Feel free to decide." "Building D? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to make another poor victim¡­ Ugh!" "Harmonie has gotten pretty bold in the meantime. I think I¡¯ll have to keep her close. Want to go for a drive-thru with me, sis?" "Eugene-sensei, the flirting from this person today is seriously intense¡­!" "Oh dear. I mean I¡¯ll keep her close and deal with herter."
    • Ah hahahahaha
    • Are you really giving us a choice, haha
    • This person always does whatever they want like a bulldozer, I never get tired of watching
    • No wonder the shark isn¡¯t called a predator for nothing...
    • Actually, isn¡¯t Harmonie the one asking for it, haha
    So. It seemed like there was no real choice, but as always, I meant what I said. If they didn¡¯t want to follow, they didn¡¯t have to, but well, they probably defined themselves as a collective, so they might feel they¡¯re all in it together. By now, they¡¯d likely think that the unease was a separate feeling from following me. Anyway, the ''victim search'' in building D began, which seemed like the right call to me. Of course, the real reason was to check out how the mockbat facility was structured. As I mentioned earlier, thebat area covered the entire building D, which meant that next week, UDT members and Lorentina and her team would engage in fierce battles with humanoids there. It was essential to check the setup. The moment we left the building, the crowd from the Expo, which was already bustling with countless people, started gathering around us. Thankfully, things had improvedpared to earlier. Since the Expo had been going on for a while, people had started seeing us as a moving event, which, in turn, reduced the chaos a bit. It was possible because the situation was somewhat like the character greetings at Disney World. And after a bit of walking... "Hmm, this is the... mockbat room, huh? The internal structure and the implementation look wless, and the facility management is excellent. If every unit had a facility like this, it¡¯d be the perfect addition." "They said this is the most expensive part of the Expo. I¡¯m not entirely sure, but..." "It certainly seems that way. We should head down to check it out. Feel free to wander around as you like. I¡¯ll take a closer look downstairs." We arrived at the audience seats. There were quite a few people around. They came for various reasons. The next group, or the ones who had borrowed the space for a few dayster, hade to see how the mockbat worked, some were just looking around, and others were enjoying watching the games of others. Lorentina didn¡¯t fit any of these categories, but she was handling everything smoothly, mixing fun with efficiency, and it was pretty impressive. Indeed, life should be lived like a shark. At that moment, the session ended, and Lorentina and her group moved to the VIP lounge. The benefit of this ce was being able to watch thebat from the closest spot and enjoy some light snacks. But there wasn¡¯t much content, and honestly, watching wasn¡¯t as fun as participating. Plus, there was a chance of running into the actual yers, which made the ce somewhat unpopr. Even though we came here frequentlytely¡­ "Wow, crazy! It¡¯s Lorentina!" "Hey, could I get your autograph, please? I¡¯ve watched every video with you in it!" "Take me-!" "Hehehe, such an enthusiastic reaction... No surprise there. It''s a huge sale, do whatever you want. Anyone want to take amemorative photo?"
    • Damn, I booked it for the day after tomorrow but why don''t I get an event like that? My stomach hurts, I feel like it''s gonna tear apart, shark, please do this for me!!!!!!!!!
    • Wow, the event is really intense, holy shit
    • Biyams who don''t even take photos or shake hands, reflect on yourselves!!!!
    • Seriously, why are there so many Expo emergent eventstely? Haha
    • Ugh, I never win the caf¨¦ visit lottery, can''t see Biyams, can¡¯t see sharks, it¡¯s just too much...
    ...It seemed like the chat from the drone cam was swirling with curses. Although they had been saying that everything was chosen fairly, the reality was that there were so few spots for these events, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Maybe I should go out more often and greet people, take photos. Thinking this, I looked at the shark, who was flying around the crowd, with aplicated gaze. "Hey, Lorentina, if you could step on me, I¡¯d have no more wishes... Ugh!" "Ugh, pull this idiot out. Please stop brain-farting in real life." "Hey, throw him in the waiting room." "Well, folks, you can¡¯t physically stamp on them, but there¡¯s another kind of stamping we can do." "Eh...?"
    • ???????????
    • Huh
    • Pya-pya-pyapya-pyaaaaa, hahahahaha
    • Wow, they just dropped their pants right there, hahahaha
    • Fact) Means we¡¯re talking aboutbat-rted stomping
    Unlike the others, who were stunned, the Biyams and I had already caught on to what the shark was about to say. And as expected - she stretched her body, turned her head quickly, and added to me. It wasn¡¯t a question, just a statement. "I¡¯ll chat with these friends for a bit and thene back. That¡¯s fine, right, newbie?" "...W-why does it feel like the atmosphere¡¯s off? Hold on a sec." "I think we¡¯re fine with just autographs and photos, but, um..." "Eugene-sensei, are we... being dragged into hell?!" "Hmmm, well, looks like you already know what¡¯s up."
    • hahahahahahaha
    • I knew it, haha
    • Look at how the Biyam newbies are relieved that they''re not the ones getting dragged away haha
    • The new recruits¡¯ expression looks like they¡¯ve just found their next victims, haha
    • I had a feeling, haha
    If they had known Lorentina¡¯s usual image, they would have known not to say something like ''step on me,'' but well... they didn¡¯t. Even if they didn¡¯t know, they¡¯d probably learn that lesson next time. After all, there¡¯s always something to learn, and that¡¯s the fun part... well, at least I¡¯m not the one getting dragged into it. And as the shark continued her charm offensive, she led the twelve friends who had rented the session to the waiting room. "Alright, let¡¯s head to where Miles'' equipment is. Thanks to all of you, this facility tour is going to be so much more fun. I hope you¡¯ll all ept my gratitude." "Wait, we¡¯re being kidnapped! Help, help¡ª!" "Wah, this person¡¯s so strong! Wait©¤©¤©¤" Boom. And the door mmed shut. Leaving the three stunned Biyams behind, I grabbed a drink and sat down in a chair with a good view of the mockbat area, starting to sip it. At the same time, the following words were heard. "I guess I should make a toast for those poor friends."@@novelbin@@ "...Are you really feeling sorry for them?" "Well, noment."
    • Ugh, hahahahaha
    • He really does resemble a shark, haha
    • If they¡¯re close, maybe the shark was one of the old seniors?
    • Yoo Yoo Sang Jong w
    • Poor them (but I¡¯ll still enjoy the show)
    What can I say, there¡¯s never a dull day. "Ugh¡­" "Phew, that was fun. They all passed out after just two rounds, they really need to work on their stamina. Next time, they¡¯d better work on their fitness." "Is stamina the only thing that matters here?" And twenty minutester. The shark returned with a refreshed expression. Well, of course. "Wow, Eugene! Look at this! Gaia¡¯s hair came undone!" "Suddenly, what¡­? Ah." "Gaia¡¯s hair came undone? What does that mean?" "Oh,e to think of it, Lorentina doesn¡¯t know what event Eugene¡¯s unlocking." It was about five hours after Lorentina had knocked the heads of the friends who were nning to do mock battles at the Expo. The sun was already starting to set. As the sunlight sank beneath the horizon, the lights surrounding the Expo flickered on all at once, and the artificial lights illuminated the thousands of people moving around the area. Meanwhile, Dice, who had been lounging on the sofa in what had now be the second rest stop for the group in building A, suddenly jumped up. On the device she was holding, a hologram was glowing with a shimmering silver hair, something that would never appear in the game. "Hmm, this feels different from the Mecha newbies working in the caf¨¦. Those guys have hair like long strands of melted silver, but this one¡­ how should I put it? It almost feels like a chunk of hair, you know?" "They say that if you touch it, ites apart smoothly. Oh, it¡¯s so shiny. But, it¡¯s still just hair... I think the whole world is crazy about wanting horns on their heads." "The same goes for tails." "Right. I¡¯d love to have either horns or a tail, but honestly, I¡¯m not expecting much. These days, I¡¯d rather just... give up. I¡¯m getting exhausted, you know?" "Haha." The enthusiasm they had shown a few days ago was nowhere to be found now. Harmonie, Dice, and Iris were all quite indifferent. It couldn¡¯t be helped. What they were showing now wasn¡¯t just annoyance, but a sense of resignation from being repeatedly injured and failing. There was nothing to be done about this part. But on the flip side... "Hehe, hehehe..." "...Huh, Lorentina?" "This is bad, I don¡¯t know what it is, but the switch just flipped." "Did you really not tell me about this fun game of tag, newbie? Let¡¯s go immediately. Didn¡¯t you say the Mecha newbies appear every hour? Let¡¯s see for ourselves." "Ugh." See, people who¡¯ve never been injured before are full of empty confidence. But when that empty confidence gets into the ears of someone who can turn it into real confidence... well, who knows what¡¯ll happen? I don¡¯t even know what the oue will be. But one thing¡¯s for sure: there¡¯s a high chance of chaos. I resigned myself and added: "Alright, you guys stay put and keep an eye on the house. I have a duty to observe Lorentina-senpai." "Ugh." "Hey, can Ie watch too?" "Not sure if we¡¯ll be visible from the lounge..." With just Lorentina and I, we had already reached the limit of poprity, and if these three followed us, well, it¡¯d be excellent for the event, but there¡¯d be too many people crowding around. In that case... well, streaming twice a day might seem a bit much, but it was bound to happen. Since it was going to happen, it might be best to show Lorentina''s insane side properly. The drone cam, which seemed to react to my thoughts, turned on by itself. The battery was about 50%. I had reced it several times, got free maintenance, and even swapped the device once. Anyway, the moment it turned on... "Let¡¯s go down first, newbie!" "You said that, but we¡¯re not taking the stairs... whoaaa!?" "Eugene-sensei! The shark¡¯s on the balcony!" "Oh my..."
    • ???????????
    • Wait, the first thing I see is the shark freefalling, hahahahaha
    • What now, what are these crazy people doing, hahahahaha
    • Please stop, if this keeps happening, other content creators won¡¯t have anything left to do, we¡¯ll all die!!!
    • These people¡¯s daily lives are like a si, hahahahahaha
    Literally. Lorentina jumped from a height of more than ten meters andnded smoothly like Olivia, although there was a loud "thud" instead ofplete silence. I was about to follow, but not wanting to create more weird stories, I quickly ran down the stairs, and Lorentina shed a natural smile at me. Just as I was about to speak, the speaker went off, and the regr announcement came through. And what did it say?
    • [Announcement: The current time is 18:00.]
    • [Announcement: Gaia¡¯s trace has been generated at a random location. The trace will scan the area, and the faster the crowd, the quicker it moves.]
    • [Announcement: Good luck.]
    "Building B! It¡¯s Building B! It¡¯s Gaia!" "Decoy! Don¡¯t be fooled!" "Got it, hurry up and run! They¡¯re giving in-game currency based on how far we run!" "Run!" And thus, the Gaia capture operation began. While Lorentina quickly surveyed the surroundings with a serious face, I quickly continued with the exnation. Lorentina didn¡¯t do Dark Zones unless absolutely necessary, so it didn¡¯t matter to her, but this chase was different¡ªthere was a system where in-game currency was rewarded based on the distance people ran. However, if anyone got injured, bumped into others, or if the crowd became too dense, a warning would sound and the currency would be deducted. To prevent potential injuries, humanoids nearby would scatter the crowd. They were really trying to handle safety... but before I could finish saying that... "Well, let¡¯s head out and see how it goes!" "Wait, let me attach a drone, go slow!"
    • hahahahahahahahaha
    • Ugh, dizzy haha
    • I can¡¯t believe no one¡¯s gotten hurt despite all this going on every hour, amazing haha
    • The Expo humanoids really do a great job stopping idents
    • There¡¯s all kinds of stuff, hahahahaha
    Lorentina quickly distanced herself from us. With the speed of light, she darted through the crowd and entered the closest building based on the information that she was in Building B. Around her, humanoids were dispersing the crowd with a constant beeping sound. And at that moment, I saw a ck afterimage that seemed like it was mimicking me, and it started climbing the stairs at an incredible speed, grabbing the railing as it ascended. In just a few seconds, it had gone past the second floor and was already on the third. Such overwhelming speed, everyone was thinking that rather than charging ahead, it was better to n carefully and slowly go up¡ªbut... "Is it fine if there are some dents or scratches here?" "...Huh?" "I¡¯ll ask youter personally, just tell me!"
    • ??????????
    • Wait, this person is trying to catch up with the afterimage using jumps and parkour, hahahahaha
    • Wow, how many meters did they just leap in one jump?
    • Is this what the new hyper FPS game is supposed to be, haha?
    • Please don¡¯t make pros dive into local neighborhood ser games, hahahahahaha
    Boom! With a loud noise, Lorentina jumped and stomped on a two-meter highnding, pushing off to elerate a second time and leaping over 7 meters in one go, crossing over the second floor railing and beginning her pursuit of the drone. Should I follow? It didn¡¯t seem impossible, but... as I thought about it, the drone cam I was using automatically flew into the air, chasing after Lorentina. Building B, which had been loud just moments ago, quickly turned into silence as all eyes turned toward me. I opened my mouth. "...Why are you staring at me?" Parkour¡¯s not that unusual for a Biyam, right? Well. Why? "Newbie, are we getting this thing?" "Ugh." And after some time. Lorentina, having dropped the hologram drone that had shattered, now held it in her hand, forming Gaia¡¯s figure. Truly ridiculous. Chapter 647 [General] Wait, how is the shark flying around?????? Wait, the baby Biyams can¡¯t do this, right???? What the heck is going on???? [All Comments] [Sorted by Newest]
    • Ah, that''s a shark.
    • Honest Opinion: I thought everyone would be like Biyams or Biyam acquaintances once they reached EM level¡­ but turns out that¡¯s not the case.
      • Right? Haha
      • Even the cute ones just remain cute, even as Biyams.
      • If forced to be predators, they¡¯re just bigger pigs eating more, haha.
    • Awakening was just the beginning, haha.
    • I thought Wookjin and the shark would be the average among awakened individuals, but it turns out they were more like Ronnie Coleman among them?
      • Exactly.
      • So they¡¯re the chosen ones of the chosen ones, haha.
      • If they keep being trained under the shark, who knows what¡¯ll happen?
      • Now the newbies are getting used to it, why try to treat them roughly, haha.
    • Whether they have a tail or not, Biyams and Biyam acquaintances seem dangerous vs. Harmonie, Dice, and Iris who aren¡¯t scary at all even with tails.
      • Huh.
      • Even if Wookjin loses his tail and fights, I think he could easily win, haha.
      • Sure, he¡¯d lose due to weight ss, but I bet he¡¯d take one down.
      • Without their tails, Biyams are pretty weak, right? Haha.
    • Seriously, what can''t these guys do, haha.
    • Honest Opinion: The scary thing about the baby Biyams isn¡¯t their strength, but the madness that makes them add a tail to their own bodies.
      • Haha, you¡¯re right, haha.
      • The editor is mind-blown, haha.
      • Hahaha.
    • The humor is that, after doing all this, Lorentina just casually snatched the broken Gaia hologram drone and destroyed it.
      • Wait, what???
      • No way, hahahahahaha.
    • She should¡¯ve brought the drone that she crushed with her hand strength.
    • The funniest part is when the baby Biyams are left staring nkly, haha.
    • Wait, does this mean Wookjin can also do that?
      • Logan and Olivia could do it too.
      • If it was Olivia, she¡¯d probably catch up faster than the shark, haha.
    • How do awakened individuals ignore fall damage? Is this even real?
      • That¡¯s a cheat code, honestly, haha.
      • Wait, does that mean all the forum users are really just brainless idiots? Are there mad scientists giving electric shocks to my brain?
      • This guy is gonna disappear without a trace soon, haha.
    • Damn scientist, hurry up and turn me into a Biyam!!! It¡¯s the only life I have, you should at least do that for me!!!
      • Not happening, haha.
      • Instead, I¡¯ll give you Iris.
    "¡­We definitely had fun, but why is the data collection so perfect?" "Hehe, that¡¯s because it''s the shark." "Well, I suppose so. Anyway, we¡¯re all done here. From 1900, we¡¯ll return separately. Are you having dinner, Captain?" "These youngsters¡¯ reactions are so underwhelming. Well, I expected that. If nothinges up, I¡¯ll head back around dinner or tomorrow morning, so tell everyone not to waste their energy too much right before the mission." "Got it. Enjoy yourself." Evening, as the sunpletely set. Regardless of race, the people who were most suited for the dark zone expo, in a certain sense, began to gather around Lorentina, each saying something before leaving. It seemed like they had worked out quite a bit, as their shirt sleeves seemed ready to burst from the size of their forearms. It was a sight I¡¯d definitely seen before... In fact, carrying metal weights in the several-kilogram range and wearing dozens of kilograms of gear all day, for weeks or even months, can¡¯t be good for your body. They had built their bodies like this to endure such a hard schedule. "I¡¯ve been feeling it for a while, but it seems like you¡¯re just now learning about the pleasures of society." "That¡¯s the good part, crossing that fine line. And, I¡¯m in a position where I can go out for various reasons... Besides, when you go outside, there are no fun events like this, and you won¡¯t meet the energetic friends who move quickly when you say something." "...Well, I thought that¡¯s what it would be like. I knew a shark like you couldn¡¯t resist something fun." If there¡¯s one thing I know about this person, it¡¯s that they¡¯re all about personal fun. Well, I¡¯ve already said this several times, so there¡¯s no need to bring up how Lorentina spends her time or what she enjoys. After all, the goodbye wave from a senior or a colleague meant they were off to another mission. She chuckled and added: "Let¡¯s start heading back. The newbies are probably waiting for us. We¡¯ll have to proudly tell them today¡¯s story." "...Story, huh? Is that really a story, though? More like property damage and destruction of goods¡ªugh!" "Who said you could bombard me with inconvenient facts, newbie?" Before I could say anything, Lorentina immediately grabbed my cheek. She didn¡¯t even let me finish speaking before she punished me, and by the time we arrived where Dice and the others were, my face was so red it looked like a ripened peach. Everyone burst intoughter, but well, it¡¯s whatever. And the redness of my cheeks wasn¡¯t even a topic of discussion considering the chaos awaiting us. And that chaos was, of course, Lorentina, still holding the destroyed drone. "...That¡­ why are you holding that?" "I lightly grabbed it and it broke. From now on, I¡¯ll have to pay more attention to the durability of drones, newbie." "That thing doesn¡¯t usually break so easily." "Well, durability is rtive. Especially for us EMs. Anyway, Gaia was quite a formidable opponent, quite fast. If she¡¯d been a bit quicker, we might have missed her." "...Wait, you caught up to the hologram climbing walls?" "This is the proof."
    • Huh?????????
    • Wait, what? She just casually walked in holding the destroyed drone, what the heck?
    • What, that was Gaia¡¯s hologram?
    • So, that was the real deal? Haha.
    • And once again, doing some Olympic-level stuff all by herself, haha.
    With a swift flick of her wrist, Lorentina tossed the drone¡ªnow with some of its body crushed in the shape of fingers¡ªinto the air like a baseball and caught it again. The whole action was recorded, and everyone stared at the footage with wide-open eyes. But Lorentina waspletely shameless, and without hesitation, she yed the footage from the drone cam, including the insane parkour she had just done with me, Lorentina, and the rest of the team. It took less than five seconds for everyone to bepletely dumbfounded. "...Why did we ever think that just adding a snake tail would help us catch up with the teachers?" "It¡¯s not that hard. Just calcting where and how to jump is enough to make it happen. Of course, our newbie team needs to build up more leg muscles first." "I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever manage..." "Ah, but giving up before you even try isn¡¯t a good habit. How about we hit a nearby fitness club together?" "Wow, how did the conversation shift so quickly?"
    • Hahahahahahahahahaha
    • Seriously, is this person the god of Taekwondo or something?
    • No matter what they say, they immediately get a yes as an answer, hahahahaha.
    • Eek, I don¡¯t want to but... (It¡¯s an honor! I want to join the navy immediately!)
    • I¡¯m terrified, really hahahahaha
    I haven¡¯t tried following Lorentina, but I think it¡¯s totally possible. Anyway, as I watched, old memories suddenly flooded my mind. What was it they used to say? That mutants need to establish their ownbat styles? And that was our responsibility, right? I remember when we first met and thought she was so terrifying, all covered in blood. But now it¡¯s been over six, maybe seven years. I don¡¯t even know how it still feels so vivid. I don¡¯t really know how things spiraled out of control back then, but now, seeing all this, life truly is unpredictable. But, I forgot something around that time.
    • BEEP BEEP!
    "¡­Huh?" Suddenly, my Icarus gear rang. It was an official contact. Specifically, it was something like a regrmunication or a personal message from someone registered as an ally or beyond. Thankfully, Lorentina had grabbed everyone¡¯s attention, so I quickly made a gesture to excuse myself and ran to a quiet spot to take the call. No, actually, before I answered, I saw the name that popped up on my gear and realized what was going on.
    • [¡­Looks like I¡¯m causing a ruckus again in the other world, newbie. Please stop that person!]
    "¡­Didn¡¯t you say something about the sharkwork? Why don¡¯t you talk to them yourself?"
    • [You really want me to say it©¤©¤©¤]
    BEEP. I ended the call. And just like that, the apocalypse New York-shark took the bait. "Coming back home after so long¡­ or rather, it¡¯s hard to adjust with two sharks in the house. This is insane." "I figured the sharkwork would be working, but yeah, here we are, haha..." "...Thest time I saw you was at Disney World, but it felt like this would happen. What are you up to, exactly?" "Oh, are you saying that?" Two sharks, really? This is insane. And somehow, my life is legendary, wedged between two 188cm sharks, it''s crazy. There¡¯s no real pressure, but it¡¯s so ufortable. Anyway, as they said, my home unexpectedly became a meeting spot. Well, specifically, it was where the ten-plus members of the other world¡¯s shark team gathered with the sharks from this world. Of course, the sharks here, having be a lot more audaciouspared to the original, didn¡¯t care about pressure at all and were pushing their way through. "Logan, Olivia, and Lorentina are the only ones who¡¯ve met the sharks from the other world, right? And now I see that they¡¯re much harder to control than I thought. Newbie¡¯s gonna have a hard time." "Hey, are you calling them kids?" "They¡¯re adults, but the problem is they do whatever they want and take full responsibility, ugh." "...Don¡¯t you pass most of the responsibility onto the newbie?" ...Come to think of it. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s really passing on responsibility, but on the other hand, it¡¯s not entirely wrong. They handle their actions well in the outside world, but they¡¯re good at hiding their dual identities. I¡¯m sure millions of viewers are seeing Lorentina as a current military member visiting the Expo¡ªthough they have no idea what role she¡¯s actually ying. Anyway, the sharks from this world, upon confirming that the shark team from the other world had gathered in my empty house, seemed to understand how things were going right away. "Well, thanks to the newbie, you all seem to be getting a nice tour of Seoul. As for me, I can roam around within legal limits, right? Isn¡¯t that true?" "Considering that you and I exist separately, yes." "That¡¯s just the way it is. This reckless newbie told me muchter than I expected." "You were already connected to the sharkwork!" "Ah, you almost got past that, but it¡¯s too bad." And once again, Lorentina tried to slide her way out with a half-lie. "Well, even so, I wasn¡¯t trying to make things difficult for you. But considering I¡¯m carrying something that can change my identity and appearance anytime, can I be med for that? Plus, publicly, you shouldn¡¯t be here in Seoul." "True. It¡¯s right that we shouldn¡¯t be here... but that doesn¡¯t erase what you¡¯ve done." "Did you get hurt?" "Mostly my image in New York..." "...Ah, that¡¯s something we can¡¯t help." Maybe so. But New York-shark also doesn¡¯t exactly have a ster image either. Well, I just kept that thought to myself as the two sharks grabbed my cheeks and stretched them. How do they always pick up on my unspoken thoughts? These sharks are scary. Anyway, thanks to that, or maybe because of it, here¡¯s what New York-shark said: "Well, about the things I owe you from before. How about this?" "Like what?" "Well, about the things I owe you from before. How about this?" "Like what?" "Since I have training next week and won¡¯t be able to stay at the Expo openly, how about you fill in for me with something like a hologram? You could take my ce, and I¡¯ll be fine with that."@@novelbin@@ At the same time, a moment of silence followed. The reason this was impossible was simple ¨C Lorentina was in the UDT, and Dice¡¯s group would definitely start asking, "Why are there two sharks?" if the hologram wasn¡¯t used. However, the thing about holograms is that they typically only alter the appearance. Without someone manipting the voice and movements in real-time, it¡¯s a bit tricky. But, as I said before, if the shark could just rece itself with another shark... then that changes things. New York-shark let out augh. "...Heh, haha! You really are a troublesome person." "Since I have personal debts, I was thinking, how about this? Next week, I won¡¯t be able to stay at the Expo openly because of training, but if you could take my ce with something like a hologram, that would work." And thus, another moment of silence passed. The reason this wouldn¡¯t work is because, as mentioned, Lorentina was in the UDT and Dice''s group would probably start wondering why there were two sharks around. But that was if the hologram wasn¡¯t used. The issue with holograms is that they usually only change appearance. If voice or movement wasn¡¯t being handled in real time, it would cause problems. However, if the shark could just rece itself with another shark¡­ then things would be different. New York-shark broke intoughter. "...Heh, seriously, you''re a tough one to deal with." "Due to personal debts, I¡¯ve been considering this. You know, it seems like next week, I''ll have to train and won¡¯t be able to stay at the Expo openly, but if you could fill in for me with something like a hologram, I think that would work." A brief silence followed again. The reason this was going to be a problem was simple: Lorentina was part of the UDT and the group with Dice would be asking, "Why are there two sharks?" if a hologram wasn¡¯t involved. Still, holograms only change the outward appearance; voice or actions are a different story, and real-time adjustments could be tricky without proper supervision. But, as previously mentioned, if sharks could just substitute for one another... that would change things. New York-shark chuckled again. "Well, let¡¯s just say I owe you a few favors, and here¡¯s one solution..." Chapter 648 ¡°¡­Eugene, are you plotting something?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lorentina sometimes turns into a dangerousdy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a description. But you¡¯re mistaken. You wouldn¡¯t want to say something and end up dragged into Shark Camp, would you?¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ve heard that threat so many times, I¡¯m still scared...¡±
    • Hahahahaha
    • ¡°Ah¡­ time to return to ¡®Killing Machine¡¯ Lorentina¡­¡±
    • ¡°No, but really, she does sometimes change into something like a balloon that could burst at any moment, haha.¡±
    • ¡°I think I saw something like that back in Disnend too.¡±
    • ¡°There are people who get scarier when theirdy-like tendencies increase, whoosh???"
    ¡­Anyway, I don¡¯t like people with good instincts. Of course, unlike what Harmonie or Dice said ¡ª and Iris, who hasn''t met them often enough to understand the difference between the two sharks ¡ª there was no need to worry too much about the viewers''ments. Having done broadcasts for quite a while, I''ve realized that viewers don''t usually have their own firm beliefs. They just pick up what Harmonie and Dice said and repeat it like it¡¯s their own opinion. The unnecessary details in their examples were just to bring up past memories. Anyway, back to the point. The Expo had already passed the first week and was about to enter the second week. Fortunately, the number of peopleing was as high as in the first week, and the costs for the event were being recovered smoothly. This was due to a few simple tricks, such as cing merchandise shops close to the entrance ¡ª or the exit ¡ª of the venue. Additionally, some shops were open without requiring an entry ticket. Moreover, the Starbucks store had sold out of Mecha merchandise because they couldn''t restock quickly enough. ''And thebor costs are almost zero, since the internal maintenance system automatically handles most of the repairs.'' Considering these factors, the Expo¡¯s costs weren¡¯t that high. For only 30 million dors, the revenue was several times that amount, and with humanoid promotions on top¡­ hmm, as expected, Icarus International¡¯s stocks are always rising. Hehehe... ¡°¡­Eugene, you¡¯re making a sinister expression.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t evolved individuals supposed to act weird around this time?¡± ¡°You¡¯re evolved individuals too.¡±
    • Hahahaha
    • ¡°You¡¯re EM-level, too, you crazy people!¡±
    • ¡°Did you forget that they¡¯repletely different species from a month ago?¡±
    • Biyam expressions are hrious haha.
    • "Soon they''ll all be acting strange."
    ¡­Well, it¡¯s true that I was making a sinister expression. Anyway, I slowly turned my head towards New York-Lorentina. Today, it felt unusually quiet. But then again, it was expected. To be blunt, this side ¡ª the shark side ¡ª had lived recklessly, as the saying goes. It wasn''t as extreme here, but instead, there was something... what should I call it? A dangerous and unsettling atmosphere that anyone could feel. Given their thorny path, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Then, Dice carefully added, ¡°¡­Well, you know. Smiling in front of people, but secretly acting like a viinous youngdy who uses carriages, wine, and terraces without a care in the world. I''ve been reading those kinds of novels and manga a lottely, so maybe that''s why¡­.¡± ¡°Should I tell you to stop?¡± ¡°Ah, my bad!¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Kyaaah!!¡±
    • Hahahaha
    • ¡°When did you get here?¡±
    • ¡°No kidding, I was seriously startled.¡±
    • ¡°Stop talking and get back here.¡±
    • ¡°???? : If I spoke, I wouldn¡¯t be able to assassinate, right?¡±
    Gah. I saw quite a spectacle. What can I say, Dice¡¯s tail shot up like a startled cat, standing straight into the air. He must have been startled when the Shark whispered in his ear. Adding to that, I felt it was a bitte to mention this, but the tone of voice was different now. The Shark¡¯s voice was full of unfounded, reckless confidence, whereas New York Shark¡¯s was a bit more... calm and resonant. Of course, there were plenty of excuses to exin the difference. ¡°Normally, after making a big move, one needs some time to recover their mental strength.¡± ¡°Ah, so you''re rechargeable. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been quieter than usual these past few days... I was getting a bit bored because you¡¯ve been hanging out with Eugene so much.¡± ¡°Ah, Dice! How can you say you''re bored!?¡± ¡°Hmph~.¡±
    • Gah
    • LOCK ON!!!!
    • ¡°You really dug your own grave, huh.¡±
    • ¡°You¡¯ve been dying for some action, huh, haha.¡±
    • ¡°Harmony dashed in, but it¡¯s toote, haha.¡±
    The time dragged on, with both of them ncing nervously, as Lorentina elegantly scanned the two of them with a cold look. Maybe due to the vibrations that came from sensing her movements to the centimeter, the two of them twitched their ears as they heard the sound of their clothing brushing against each other. Then, as she got closer to them, their ears turned red. Then came her words. ¡°I¡¯ve been holding back, but for those who desperately crave such intense moments... don¡¯t you think they should be rewarded ordingly?¡± ¡°Eh, ah, well¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled, in the end, I¡¯ll make you roll... ooh!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s catch them first.¡±
    • Boom
    • Hah, hah
    • ¡°Wow, the way she covered her eyes was so natural, haha.¡±
    • ¡°Why do I feel like she¡¯s going to snap their necks? Hahaha.¡±
    • ¡°Why does she seem so much scarier than usual??¡±
    ...Yeah, it definitely felt different from usual. Fortunately, it wasn''t drastically different from the image the Shark normally showed, so no one seemed to mind. And the graceful appearance she showed was quite... unique to them. They seemed to bepletely losing their grip on reality. Anyway, unrted to that, this Shark had already returned to the UDT days ago. But I hadn''t told Harmonie or Dice yet... and perhaps the Sharks had already made their moves on the UDT members. To put it simply:
    1. This Shark''s return to UDT and New York Shark filling in his spot. At this point, Lorentina says she ¡°left a hologram Shark behind in Korea.¡± That¡¯s what¡¯s happening right now.
    2. On the day of the operation, New York Shark controls the hologram Shark and walks around the Expo. There was no need to tell Dice and Harmonie this fact.
    ¡®¡­Seems unnecessarilyplicated.¡¯ There was a reason for this, though. The first reason was so New York Shark could enjoy the world without worries, and the second was to prevent exposing this Shark¡¯s identity. Even with two Sharks existing, I could prevent rumors like, "Did Lorentinae to Korea for the mission?" from bing widespread. Of course, you might ask, ¡°Then why even bring back New York Shark?¡±... But if Harmonie and Dice found out that New York Shark was the real body, that¡¯d be a headache. Making sure no one suspects there are two Sharks while maintaining their existence simultaneously is aplicated matter. Anyway, aside from that. There was a simple pre-check that had to be done today for tomorrow¡¯s scenario. ¡°Ueebb¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not nning on doing anything now, so don¡¯t worry. Today, the youngest has something to do at the Expo, so you all stay here for the next couple of hours and don¡¯t go outside.¡± ¡°Lorentina, it doesn¡¯t suit you to say that¡­ so, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I told you to check the announcements regrly.¡± Clink! At that moment, I secretly took therge red button I had received a few days ago from my pocket and ced it on the table. Everyone¡¯s gaze immediately turned to the table, their faces showing confusion. But there wasn¡¯t enough time to exin everything in detail, so luckily, New York Shark waved his hand, bringing up the announcement from the Dark Zone Expo¡¯s official site for everyone to see. In summary, it read:
    • [2037/08/06 Counter-Terrorism Training Simtion in Expo]
    • [Humanoid Roley: 15 units, armed with swords, crossbows, and explosives. Testing the ability to subdue them using humanoids and drones.]
    • [Start time: 1300]
    ¡°Wait, this was¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± Boom! At that moment, my fist mmed the button. From the speakers outside, loud sounds began to echo.
    • [As previously announced, the Counter-Terrorism Simtion is now beginning. 15 humanoids will assume the role of terrorists armed with swords, crossbows, and explosives. Observers wishing to avoid the simtion are advised to move to the designated safe zones within 5 minutes.]
    • [This simtion is not real. It will be broadcast repeatedly until the event officially begins.]
    ¡°Now, do you get what this is like?¡± ¡°¡­This Expo really does everything, huh.¡± ¡°Watching isn¡¯t enough for fun.¡± Well, since this Expo was meant to show off everything I could do with humanoids and Icarus skills. Behind me, the three of them wore expressions as if they had no idea what was going on, while I quietly chuckled to myself. I¡¯m enjoying this. ©¤©¤©¤Clink! ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s that? Suddenly drones are swarming like bees¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of training.¡± ¡°Ah, right, isn¡¯t there supposed to be a hostage situation too? Should we go check it out?¡± ¡°¡­Is this for real?¡± Whirring! At 1:05 PM, hundreds of drones suddenly flew into the sky all around the Expo. They were all marked with the Icarus logo, but their shapes werepletely different from regr drones. At the same time, there were loud shouts and screamsing from all directions¡ªyet, it wasn¡¯t human voices, but rather the humanoid robots who had been given roles. Some were ying the role of terrorists, and others were ying hostages. Soon, the crowd began to gather around to watch the humanoid hostage situation. And in the midst of it, two foreign men and women were watching from a distance. ¡°¡­So, is this all the youngest¡¯s work? Specifically, Icarus Dynamics?¡± ¡°Seems like the drones are the same. We came here to negotiate, but I¡¯m wondering if we can even export this crazy thing outside of the US¡­ maybe we should just kick all the non-American PMC members out now?¡± ¡°Once we do that, we¡¯ll be hit with awsuit bomb.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Marcus Lampert and Susan Raypear. They were high-ranking recruiters and executives working for the ze Company, a PMC responsible for military consulting and security around the world. They walked through the dust without caring about their pristine white suits and shiny shoes, entering the Expo to check out the spectacle. The hundreds of drones hovering in the sky were scanning the area, and after some time¡­
    • [Identifying 15 humanoid terrorists.]
    • [Initiating spatial lockdown.]
    • [Activating shields.]
    ¡°...What¡¯s going on? Hey, move back! Move back!¡± ¡°Shields? They¡¯re shields!?¡± ¡°This is actually pushing people back!¡± Whirrrr! The sound of propellers was drowned out by something massive and strange expanding around the central drone. Words like ¡°Warning¡± written in over fivenguages expanded, creating a circr arena. As it pushed people back, several drones entered the locked-down hostage situation, flying around the humanoid criminals and hostages. And after some time...
    • [Detecting stic bomb vests and 371 ceramic balls inside the humanoids.]
    • [Taser drones and hardened foam drones are in motion.]
    • [Completed detailed diagnostics. Commencing neutralization.]
    Crackle! With a strange noise, the waiting taser drone jabbed a humanoid terrorist in the neck, while another drone sprayed hardened foam onto a weapon. The humanoid froze and fell backward, and the hostage robot removed the ice-cream-like weapon from the neck and fled hurriedly. But it didn¡¯t end there.@@novelbin@@
    • [Failed to suppress bomb detonation. Signal interference persists.]
    • [Maximum lockdown engaged. Compressing space.]
    • [Calcting kill radius... Evacuation in process.]
    • [Estimated time remaining: 1 minute. Evacuate immediately.]
    Boom! A siren red for about a minute as the masses fled behind the reinforced polycarbonate walls constructed by the humanoids and drones. As the explosion shook the ground, the ceramic balls shot out, crashing into the walls and turning into debris on the floor. After a while, the shields were released, and the drones deactivated their rms.
    • [Situationplete. Explosive and physical containment confirmed.]
    • [Sending recovery robots to the st site.]
    • [Sorry for the inconvenience.]
    Whirrr! At the same time, drones began to fly towards the remaining battlefield, and the recovery robots pushed through the crowd. Everyone, including Marcus and Susan, who had been safely hiding, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Perhaps it was exactly as they said. The two moved toward Eugene. Chapter 649 -[News Home // Latest Articles // General] -[Reporter Sanghoon Ahn // [email protected]    ] -[Songdo Expo Downtown Terrorism Response Training Day 1¡­ Are Humans No Longer Necessary?] -[Registered 2037-08-06 18:24] - This is a photo of a terror suppression drone from Icarus Dynamics, a subsidiary of Icarus International, which is conducting joint terrorism response training for national key facilities and crowded facilities, scanning the facility and flying toward a person who raised their hand. Courtesy of Icarus International. At the Dark Zone Expo, which is being held from the end of July to the end of August, Icarus International conducted terrorism response training for crowded facilities alone with the consent of visitors to promote its drones. The training was conducted under the assumption that arge number of terrorist suspects had entered the Expo facility, which was crowded with people, and the Expo underground building that managed electricity,munications, water, and gas. The suspects and hostages were handled by Icarus Dynamics'' humanoids, and the suspects were armed with various weapons including knives and crossbows, as well as improvised explosive devices. Icarus checked whether the situation could be ended with only its own drones. - Therge drone isted the surrounding people and the scene using unknown technology. Photo provided with the cooperation of an unknown photographer. 115 drones were deployed to prevent the spread of the situation and subdue the suspects that day, including 15 shield drones that Icarus Dynamics recently produced in coboration with ''Think Tank''. The drone deployed an energy force field to safely iste the actual bomb that had been detonated and the ceramic ball inside, and at the same time, the explosion that urred elsewhere was also isted without any major safety incidents. The multiplex terrorist situation response training that took ce today for 15 minutes will be divided into two parts over two days. ¡÷Part 1 will deal with the infiltration of the Expo underground terrorist suspect and the simultaneous hostage situation. ¡÷Part 2 will be conducted assuming a situation where the drone release fails due to an EMP, and Icarus International will conduct joint training with the Naval Special Warfare Floti (hereinafter referred to as UDT) under the Naval Operations Command of the Republic of Korea Navy. Some have argued that ''the drone''s performance is being verified at the expense of the citizens'' risk,'' but J G. Harper, a former US Secretary of Defense and a think tank affiliated with Icarus Dynamics who was observing the training, dismissed the issue, saying, ''The explosion istion was carried out after all personnel were evacuated to a safe location.'' . . "" "" "" "" Songdo Expo, 8 PM. After today''s training ended safely, and the remains of the hostage situation that urred inside Starbucks were also neatly cleaned up, a group of familiar faces gathered inside a maid cafe that hadpletely closed. Thanks to the variable ss that could be seen from the inside of the store, the inside of the store didn''t leak out, and thanks to that, I was able to meet them without any major problems - and there were sharks from the other world. It was a truly chaotic situation. "" "" "" "" Laurentina slowly opened her mouth. Specifically, New York-Laurentina. Strictly speaking, since Marcus and Rapier of this world have their main jobs, it was their first time meeting the Mecha youngest ones and Laurentina of the other world. But it''s fortunate that they didn''t feel any anxiety. Anyway, it''s a contract¡­ . "" "" "" "<...That''s not wrong.>" Exactly. Of course, the sharks here right now are from New York, but the fact that they''re walking around so openly is also something like that... Furthermore, this shark''s current position is CWO-3, which roughly trantes to Third ss Warrant Officer in Korean. That''s also something he earned while working in DEVGRU, a Tier 1 special forces unit where each person''s personal information is treated as a strict secret, and he''s scheduled to be CWO-4 after this deployment ends. The fact that this guy is in Korea means that permission has been given from very high up in the US. This is a bit long, but in short, the Expo held in Korea was held because it was possible. It was possible because our Emperor Henry and the Congress said that it was okay to demonstrate technology in Korea or export it to some extent. But, um. Well. I wonder if it¡¯s a little early for the US military to transfer the items that are just being installed to the PMC¡­ Of course, assuming that there are, Marcus and Rapier will be very useful. The base is Icarus Gear. "" "" "" "" While grumbling like that, the two of them slyly grabbed Jin''s cheeks who was sitting next to them. While the silence was broken by the sound of "Eubue-e-e", I noticed that Marcus and Rapier''s expressions weren''t that bad. In fact, it seemed like they hadn''te to receive a final answer on the contract. It couldn''t be helped, though. The important thing was that these two ze Company members knew me. Later, when they expand into the civilian market in earnest, at least they will be able to buy them in small quantities for money. When other ces have money but no goods and are fighting over who to buy. By the way, these two seemed to really like the feel of the cheeks of the youngest mecha members they met for the first time in reality during that short period. "" "" "" "" In the past, there was even a bomb disposal team member who gave the EOD bot the name Slowpoke Joe¡­ The ending wasn''t all that great. Anyway, snacks and drinks were automatically delivered, and everyone sat down at arge table and started enjoying a quickte-night meal. The main agenda was the drone used during today''s training, and the second mock response training tomorrow - the name was the same as today, but the subject waspletely different. "" "" "" "" "" Of course, this is the most certain threat to Mecha thugs. Anyway, since Laurentina was mentioned, Marcus and Rapier turned their heads towards where the New York-Shark was sitting and nodded, and she opened her mouth as if she had guessed what he was going to say. "" "" "" "<... To take it that way? The youngest members of Ma also have quite unique personalities.>" That''s right. Of course, I''ve known their personalities for a long time, so I didn''t need to worry about the youngest members of Ma''s stupid remarks now... Anyway, there was nothing more to worry about at this point. If things continue like this, the Expo will probably end without any major problems, and the analysis engine has already shown that the Expo will turn a profit next week. Then there''s nothing much to worry about. So I didn''t have much to say to them. "" "" "" "" At the same time, I snapped my fingers. Suddenly, several people who wondered what was going on looked around, and a cart wasing from the other side, bringing arge amount of snacks and several bottles of wine. While everyone''s expressions changed to a bad one, I opened my mouth with a bigugh. "" It was time to let out some air after a long time. "<¡­ Oh my. I thought my whole body was sore, but something bigger happened than I thought.>" "" "" And the next day, I slept with my tail wrapped around Marcus''s body, and when I woke up, I got a big scolding from Rapier. Did I run too much? "The sunlight is killing me. It''s a great day for a helicopter ride. Isn''t it?" "Yes." "I like the confidence in your voice. Let''s see if they can do it wellter." Pyeongtaek Naval Base, 5th Special Forces Battalion Briefing Room. 30 minutes until the start of Operation Frontrunner, the operation name Frontrunner. While numerous helicopters werepleting their inspections and entering the refueling phase, only three team leaders were checking the special items in the briefing room where Laurentina and the Hammerhead team from Gold Squadron were waiting. The ten people including Laurentina were divided into tworge sub-units, and each was given the codenames Beast and Watcher. And below them, the three UDT teams were scheduled to be called as Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie squads ording to the phic code, and thus a total of 40 direct troops were scheduled to be deployed for this operation. The shark continued. "I''m sure you all know the details of the operation process by heart, but let me put it simply." First, the rm at the Expo As soon as the order was given, 40 people who had been waiting boarded four helicopters and took off. Second, Hammerhead Teamnded on the roof of Building D, and Alpha and Bravo Squadnded on Building C, andpletely surrounded Building D - thus simultaneously striking the remaining enemy forces on each floor. During this process, three people remained on the helicopter to act as a sniper team to block additional enemy forces from the passage leading to the underground. This was done considering that the UDT was a seven-person team. Laurentina''s team was an exception. Third, from the moment the friendly force deployment and formation formation werepleted, they were left to individual judgment. When I said that, one of the UDT team leaders added with a small smile. "I''ve thought about this before, but the operation process itself is so simple and clear that it can''t even fit on a single sheet of A4 paper. It''s always been a bit more dense than this." "Operations tend to go awry when they enter a real situation. It''s much better to separate the basic process and the operational area for preventing friendly fire, and leave the rest to individual judgment." "I agree. There was nothing that worked properly in the event of an emergency among the tightly nned scenarios." A briefugh followed. Then, they started checking the checklists separately assigned under the process one by one - from basic IFF to individually owned grenades and shbangs, ballistic shields, and body signature detection sensors. It''s not that people don''t die, but in this operation, when hit by the enemy, the patches attached to various parts of the body partially restricted the movement of the body, and even continuously shocked the arm if it was damaged, making it impossible to use the damaged arm. Of course, this was also a matter promoted under Laurentina''s strong will. "The infiltration route and individual objectives for each squad should be announced after you return to the waiting room, so you should do that part on your own. I don''t think anyone needs motion sickness medicine when riding a helicopter." "Haha, that''s not true. Instead, there are still many people who are having trouble adjusting to the reinforced stic UI attached separately to the helmet disy this time." "HMD is something to be adapted to, notpromised. Everyone will have to adapt somehow until I leave Korea." "I''ll tell my subordinates about that as well. They''ll be very happy." Laurentinaughed quietly at that. A pre-briefing with a bit of humor. One by one, green V marks were ced on the items written on the holographic checklist, and when it was all over, there were only two minutes left until departure. Four MH-60S Seahawks waiting outside were quietly sleeping on the helipad, but they were scheduled to soar into the air in a few minutes, powerfully turning their rotors. ''I guess there''s going to be chaos at the Expo right now...'' A thought crossed Laurentina''s mind. It would be chaos since they had to empty out Buildings C and D, which were half of the Expo, and Eugene would have already issued a status call and sent a mock emergency call to the surrounding military units and fire stations. Since Operation Frontrunner basically started with a scenario where well-armed enemy special forcesunched an EMP-like attack to stop the deployment of the crowd control drones, direct human intervention was necessary. There were two minutes left until the operation, but it was roughly plus or minus 45 seconds. Laurentina took a leisurely breath and felt her heartbeat beating faster and faster. Today was going to be a good day. And- ©¤©¤©¤Why, why! "It''s starting." "Let''s go, boss."@@novelbin@@ "Okay. "Shall we go and sabotage the youngest''s expo?" With that joke that wasn''t a joke, the ten people including Laurentina kicked the ground and ran towards Seahawk. The live broadcast started. Chapter 650 "" "" "" "" The sound of turbo-shaft engines roaring as the MH-60S SeaHawk¡¯s rotors spun powerfully, tearing through the air. The helicopters sped forward at over 100 kilometers per hour, carrying approximately 40 people. The surrounding view was filled with lush reed fields, wends, and numerous industrialplexes. Four military helicopters, their colors resembling the foam on blue waves, flew toward the Expo. Leading the charge was SeaHawk 1, and inside it, Lorentina observed the Expo from the side-reinforced stic window. The SeaHawk, flying at speedsparable to the KTX, crossed Shihwa Lake in less than a minute and soon crossed the border between Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Before long, the dazzling, gleaming Expo buildings came into view. The destination location was quickly marked on the HMD (Head Mounted Disy). Lorentina, activating the HMD¡¯s shading function, signaled to ensure everyone followed the same process. As SeaHawk slowed its speed, it hovered several meters above the roof of Building D. The sunlight reflected off the roof¡¯s metallic surface, scattering in fragments and casting a gentle light across the open side door. "" "" "" "" The side door of the SeaHawk openedpletely, and the thick ropes shot out. The powerful downward draft from the helicopter made the ropes unsteady as they barely touched the ground. However, Lorentina paid no mind. She first deployed arge box that resembled a subwoofer, and the rope stabilized as it descended. Grabbing the rope with one hand, she descended rapidly. This was the insane "fast-rope" technique, unique to the Shark. With the familiar sound of gunfire echoing, humanoid enemies, alerted by the arrival of the helicopter, attempted to rush out of Building D through the door but were intercepted immediately. Meanwhile, Lorentina, the team leader, and Hoffman, the section leader, had safelynded on the roof of Building D and began deploying various equipment from the ropes. The first item was a suspension descent system for the rooftop, and the second was the pulse system they brought to be installed around the building. Lorentina quickly unwrapped the pulse device, which looked absurdlyplicated. She opened the side of the machine, pulled out several discs that resembled vibration bells, and scattered them around. Surprisingly, the discs, which seemed ready to fall to the ground, stuck to the roof with unnatural precision. Meanwhile, ten members of the Hammerhead squadnded safely on the roof.@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, SeaHawks 2 through 4, which had been monitoring the perimeter, stopped their observation and began moving toward Building C. It was now time for the Hammerhead team to intercept the humanoid enemies crawling out of Building D or its surroundings. Boom! Boom! Boom! The gunfire, adjusted to a form near live ammunition, was the sound of the Hammerhead team¡¯s virtual bullets hitting their targets. As they had calcted based on a variety of sensor data, the projectiles pierced through the humanoid enemies emerging from the gate connected to the basement of Building D. The humanoid enemies, resembling puppets with severed strings, copsed to the ground. Lorentina checked her helmet to ensure no stray hair had escaped and casually inspected her appearance. After confirming her camouge system was working wlessly, she added to themunicationwork: "" "" The helicoptersnded near Building C, ensuring a safe distance of several dozen meters. 21 fully armed soldiers split into three squads, quickly approaching Building D. The most notable detail was that the pointman holding the ballistic shield stood at the front, indicating he was dedicated to the task of leading the charge. As the three helicopters¡¯ remaining team members provided sniper support and ascended into the sky, Lorentina casually scanned the Expo¡¯s surroundings, her eyes observing the crowd below. Lorentina spoke again: "" "" "" "" "" "" Lorentina waved her hand. Simultaneously, an eerie vibration spread throughout the area. Light poured from the scattered discs, forming beams and then an entire streak of light shooting down, seemingly prating the building. At that moment, over a hundred humanoid enemies, excluding the hostages, were detected upying Building D. Despite the overwhelming number, every member of the team knew exactly where to strike and whether civilians were mixed in. They made the best decisions based on the situation. As the sound of grenades and other weaponry charging filled thems, Lorentina melted the door¡¯s lock with a sma torch. Using the WD40 she¡¯d previously applied to the lock, the door opened silently, and Lorentina moved down the stairs with no audible footsteps. "" "" With the sound of explosions echoing from the first floor, Lorentina¡¯s team rushed down the rooftop stairs, disregarding the roof ess stairs, and made their way to the 4th floor. Seven or more enemies, positioned on the balcony, aimed their guns at them. At the front, a Shark member drew a silenced .22 caliber handgun and swiftly began shooting. The weak noise of the shots was enough to prate the necks of the enemies, who fell one by one, almost like leaves in the wind. "" A humanoid, hiding around a corner, attempted to ambush Lorentina. She quickly lowered her body, grabbed its arm with her left hand, and pressed her pistol to its chin with her right hand. A small shot rang out, and the humanoid copsed, dead. After exchanging the magazine in under a second, Lorentina activated the pulse system again, and individual enemy locations were updated. She moved with unnerving speed, wiping out all the enemies on the 4th floor. "" Ping! At that moment, a humanoid attempting to attack through a corner was shot and killed by the Watcher team, hanging from a rappel. Lorentina saw their thumbs-up through the ss and chuckled. But the situation on the first floor was chaotic, the worst resistance encountered yet. Lorentina briefly switched channels and observed thebat unfolding below.
    • "Take out the enemy machine gunner! Take cover, take cover! Start with the grenadeuncher!"
    • "Right on target! Thigh shot, tourniquet thrown, gain the upper hand with firepower! Throw the grenade!"
    • "Deploy the shield! Deploy the shield! Injured, self-medicate behind cover!"
    • "Charlie Actual, the area is secured with no casualties. Moving to the most critical location."
    There were no major issues yet. Lorentina thought as she looked over the now-quiet 4th floor and listened to thems from the Watcher team outside. "" "" With that, the Beast team descended toward the 3rd floor stairs. "Wow... Wow, what is this..." "Man, I¡¯m gonna pee myself." "Everyone around here is glued to their phones." "Can¡¯t me them."
    • "LOL, what even is this!?"
    • "Where can we even grab onto?"
    • "Icarus really went insane letting this happen, huh?"
    • "Wait, but the humanoid performance is insane. How do they mix with special forces??"
    • "The Biyam-Illuminati is ruling the world!!!"
    Meanwhile, around 400 meters away, at Building A, all Expo attendees were watching the real-time stream of the terror suppression training. "¡­Hmm, how should I put this? It¡¯s definitely very different from the game. In the game, you could just handle it alone, but here, considering lives are at stake, it¡¯s much more systematic, I¡¯d say." "That¡¯s not wrong. Especially since¡­ when you have to consider hostages, the operation has to be much faster and more delicate. It¡¯s quite tough." "Right? ¡­Then could you do something about Lorentina over there, with her piercing gaze?" "That''s up to her. We can''t restrict her." "I think I need to get some camouge pills...!" Seeing the holographic Shark, Lorentina¡¯s persona in this world, made everyone a bit suspicious. They could tell that the two sharks might be connected, but they didn¡¯t know exactly how. I quickly prepared an answer and a way to deceive them¡ªpretending that there were two sharks was useful for making sure the current Lorentina¡¯s true identity wouldn¡¯t be exposed during the mission. I didn¡¯t reveal that it was actually holographic Lorentina. It¡¯s just that this entire situation felt more like a game, with less attention given to the deeper questions. "Well, it''s quite admirable that you''ve kept quiet about this for so long, but please be careful with your words going forward. And if you have some time, think about getting some food with the Shark after the mission." "Oh, we¡¯re eating? Yay." "By the way, I think the fact that this body doesn¡¯t gain weight is quite nice. Eating whatever I want without gaining weight is definitely a cheat, right?" "Well, maybe. Could be." At that point, Iris spoke up. "...Bute to think of it, isn¡¯t that holographic Shark essentially a remote-controlled device? Couldn¡¯t it be listening to us right now?" "Ah, right. Who¡¯s controlling it anyway?" "It¡¯s a secret." "Could it be Olivia or Logan?" "...Considering Logan¡¯s personality, I don¡¯t think she¡¯d do something like that." It wasn¡¯t a huge surprise, but as soon as the new issue was raised, everyone started guessing. "Right. Logan would never do something like that... maybe Olivia would, though." "Then again, it feels way too urate. If we¡¯re talking about personalities, it feels like someone we know is behind it." "Could it be that the Lorentina we¡¯re seeing now is controlling this hologram? Haha." ...Hmm, they¡¯re suspiciously close to the truth. I stayed silent on purpose, letting the awkward silence take over. The atmosphere shifted, and it was almost like a joke had turned into something serious. Someone broke the silence. "...So, it¡¯s really a hologram, right?" "Haha." "Why aren¡¯t you answering? What¡¯s going on!?" But it seemed more fun not to answer, so I just kept quiet. I had no idea that the New York Lorentina would be smirking at me from behind. Chapter 651 "At least one toon-sized force has appeared in the corridor connected to the underground of Building D, and is currently being intercepted. How much longer until the ground floor of Building D is cleared?" "" - The deafening explosions that had been echoing from inside the building finally stopped. While thergest and most heavily fortified 1st floor was neatly swept clean by over twenty UDT operators, Lorentina and her team neutralized the 4th and 3rd floors and reached the 2nd floor first. The small auditorium and theater at the center of the 2nd floor. The height of the space itself was considerably differentpared to other areas, but they had already set up a pulse on the rooftop. Outside, the sounds of continuousbat and the thudding of helicopter propellers formed a background noise, and before long, Lorentina, having set up the breaching charge, exhaled. Drones were hovering around, broadcasting the live feed outside. Fortunately, the conversations through the inte were not picked up by the drone cameras. Likewise, even Lorentina''s distinctive appearance, which would be difficult to hide by ordinary means, was covered by a custom camouge kit and the drones'' field distortion function. Thus, her team members jokingly threw out quips without hesitation. "" "" " " "" Of course, there was a reason, and while it wouldn¡¯t be impossible with permission... it was certain that now was not the time. Since Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie hadn''t fully reached the 2nd floor yet, Lorentina sensed a presence beyond the wall¡ªstrictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t human¡ªbut for a moment, memories of the past resurfaced. At least, in the past, it wasn¡¯t umon to blow up buildings. Of course, seeing buildings like this crumble wasn¡¯t something you saw every day. As the Shark submerged into these thoughts... "" "" BEEEEEEEEP! A strange high-pitched sound filled her ears, followed by vibrations. The wave seemed to pass through her body from head to toe, sweeping through the entire building as several red silhouettes appeared on the UI. Scattered hostages and the enemy forces guarding them. Theck of light from inside the theater meant the enemy was using night-vision goggles. Thus, just before the breach, they manipted their visors to allow the night-vision goggles to activate as soon as the breaching charge timer finished. This was Lorentina''s advice. The IFF was activated to prevent friendly fire. In the darkness, when checking with the visor, it appeared as if infrared strobes were flickering. ENVG - Advanced Night Vision Goggles - first oveid thermal outlines over the human forms, and just as the breaching charge¡¯s detonation time reached 5 seconds, the operators activated their target indicators mounted on their firearms,ser dots in green lighting up the air. And¡ª ©¤©¤©¤BOOM! " " " " TATATATATA! The four doors blocking the entrances to the theater exploded simultaneously, and through the now-open doors, a total of twenty-six personnel surged in like a wave. Gunshots rang out immediately after. Red thermal outlines flooded the UI. The moment they aligned with the S-shaped aiming reticle of the holographic sight, everyone fired, and the enemy, realizing toote, fell like leaves in the wind.@@novelbin@@ Quickly, faster still. Before even an enemy humanoid could aim at one of the friendly operators, everything was over. In less than 10 seconds after the breach, the situation was resolved. But that wasn¡¯t the end. The humanoid acting as a hostage still needed to be led outside. The method was simple. ©¤©¤©¤CLINK! Lorentina pulled out a modified medium-sized Seeker Mine from her pocket, ced it on the floor, and set a waypoint. The Seeker Mine began leaking bright fluorescent material. At the same time, the Seeker Mine quickly darted out through the open door. In the thick darkness, it stood out clearly, and the humanoid, ying the role of a hostage, followed the fluorescent trail out quickly. Their safety was now in the hands of the waiting Watcher team outside. The once-racing heartbeat that had surged to the top of her head now settled back down like an obedient horse finding its owner. In front of her, dozens of infrared strobes continued shing. Lorentina inhaled deeply and added, "" "" And that wasn¡¯t all. Just as they thought everything was over, the UI was covered with the second mission¡ªneutralize the weapons of mass destruction installed in the underground of Building D. As Lorentina and the team recalled, there was also a mockbat facility underground. Operators, sensing the intense battle ahead, quickly replenished fluids and electrolytes, while Shark issued severalmands with a wave of her fingers. The number of wounded, remaining ammunition, and avable firearms... The first mission had proven the usefulness of the pulse, but now was the time for drones. Taking a deep breath, Lorentina added, "" "" " " "" "" "" And a total of 31 operators made their way underground. For Lorentina, this was quite a familiar task. After all, just recently, she had been thoroughly enjoying herself, delivering some well-deserved punishment in the mockbat facility to a group of unfortunate friends. The issue, however, was the potential change in the facility''s internal structure since then. But this point had already been noted in advance, so it didn¡¯t matter much, and more than thirty people, guided by Shark, were able to enter the facility''s interior without any issues. The sound of drones filled the air with a clink as they moved in. The impact drones, capable of firing 750 rounds per minute in 9mm caliber, were in operation. Of course, due to the size and weight of the rounds, they could only shoot about 100 rounds at a time. Since there were multiple entry routes avable, just like before, everyone was waiting at various entrances. The only difference now was that, unlike earlier, no breaching charges were deployed. Through a slightly opened door, the impact drones began to enter one by one. The faint sound of helicopter propellers signaled the start of the operation, and amidst that, a murmur spread over the inte. The reason was simple. "" "" "" A high-value research facility. One of the maps from the EU mode that they had once infiltrated with the youngest, and even with the Mecha Youngests, had suddenly appeared before them¡ªtruly an unexpected situation. But Lorentina just smiled and epted the situation. It seemed like something that could happen, especially if the youngest had been involved in this exercise. With a sigh, she took it in stride¡ªand not long after... The impact drones inside the facility continued to discharge rounds, signaling the operation''s start as all operators entered the facility. "" "" And that was the end of themunication. There was nothing more to be said. Every direction was swarming with enemies. It seemed like there were more than two full toons, but they didn¡¯t pay any attention to that and poured all their strength into their mission. Information mimunication wasmon in situations like this. They hadn¡¯t expected to be deceived until the very end, but at least all the operatives involved in the mission didn¡¯t think so. But they still had their faith in a few things. The helicopters hovering around hadnded at Building C once more, and nine additional operatives were added to the underground mission at Building D. At this point, the rules of engagement were simple. "" "" "" Even so, as the HMD reflected the scene of semi-transparent shields being pelted with bullets, a smile never left Shark¡¯s lips. The smell of gunpowder wafting from the nks, the shells piling up around them, and the intensifying battle... It felt as though the blood in her veins had been entirely reced with adrenaline. She murmured absentmindedly. "" Whether it was drowned out by the gunfire, or if they heard but ignored it, it didn¡¯t matter. At that moment, Shark was happier than ever. With 15 minutes remaining until the end of the operation... "Ugh, damn. Those Hammerhead guys are terrifyingly fast. How the hell can they be this fast?" "I never expected that the time spent running would surpass the time spent shooting¡­!" "Don¡¯tpromise, drink water and keep up!" In the underground of Building D at Songdo Expo, UDT operators were grinding through their endurance... not in terms of physical strain, but the mind-bendingplexity of the mockbat facility. The reason was simple. The operators of the DEVGRU squad were moving at an unbelievable pace and maintaining that speed while clearing sector after sector, showcasing their ridiculous power. The well-known US Tier 1 special forces, with some of the most experienced and physically pushed-to-the-limit operators¡ªspecifically, the Hammerhead strike team from the DEVGRU Gold Squadron¡ªwere clearly showing the UDT operators just how much they still had to improve. The Hammerhead team, which could bepared to the "Red Right Hand" strike team, was showing what it truly meant to be elite. And thus, the mission continued as operators from Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie squads cleared areas with incredible precision, while the Hammerhead team relentlessly barreled through, using their superior tactics and strength. "" "" "" As smoke grenades were deployed and grenades were thrown, the team cleared the area systematically. The battle continued until they finally drove back the enemy. Meanwhile, questions lingered in their minds: how had the Hammerhead team pushed through the hangar so quickly? The answer was simple. It was the overwhelming pace of EM-level users and their ability to maintain that pace against ordinary human operators. The enemies stood no chance. "" "" It wasn¡¯t something that could be hidden. But they had no time to rest. With the increased squad size, they needed every operator to form a defensive line. Even if supplies were fine, every avable operator had to be deployed in the most crucial positions. After setting up ADS to intercept potential grenades or explosives, they continued preparing for the iing threats. And so, one by one, preparations werepleted. The drones continued their operations, and the assault drones, in separate configurations, moved steadily toward the next objective, preparing for the assault in theb area. Safety checks were done, and once everything was cleared, they moved forward again. "<...Whew, no signs of life in the area. All enemy forces have been eliminated. Identified a glowing container, likely a WMD. There¡¯s a biohazardbel, but no signs of damage. Calling KCSF ¨C Chemical, Biological, and Special Task Force. Great work, everyone.>" "Great job¡­!" "How bad could it have been if you switched to English and then answered in Korean¡­?" "Man, I¡¯m gonna die...!" After 25 minutes of a grueling counter-terror operation, the roles of the UDT and Lorentina¡¯s team came to a close. And in that moment, all the humanoids previously dered dead suddenly rose and began pping. Looking at it with an incredulous expression, Shark murmured, "...Is this what they call ck humor?" Of course, everyone just chuckled. It had truly been an exhausting day. Chapter 652 "¡­Ah, they¡¯reing out! The operation must be over!" "p, p!" "So cool-!"
    • Jumo shots down!
    • UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT! UDT!
    • My heart is swelling up hahahahahaha
    • How did you even think to stream training like this? Have you lost your mind? hahahahahaha
    • Trying to boost the Navy SEALs¡¯ support rate, huh? They¡¯re really putting their all into it hahaha
    The sound of loud apuse and cheers mixed and burst out across the Expo. After thirty minutes that tested the human limit in every possible way, 40 operators, exhausted but still standing, emerged to a crowd of countless people. Before stepping outside, all the operators donned individual hoods to prevent their identities from being revealed ¨C drone cameras consistently distorted their appearances as they broadcasted live. As a result, the Expo visitors couldn¡¯t see anyone¡¯s faces, but it didn¡¯t matter. The crowd showered them with praise forpleting their training in such an impressive manner. Of course, this was all thanks to Icarus International, who had used the training as a billboard. At that moment, numerous drones rising into the air activated jammers. Photos could be taken, but the operators'' faces remained hidden. On the other hand, all the gear the operators wore was vividly visible. For those who had been eager to analyze what equipment the operators used, this was a perfect opportunity. However, there were some surprises in the details, and many predictions turned out to be wrong. "¡­Hey, have you ever seen a helmet like that? Did Ops-Core release something like that? Is that the new IHPS ¨C Integrated Head Protection System?" "I don¡¯t think so¡­ Looks like something entirely new. It¡¯s not even sunsses; it looks like an HMD is mounted on it. There¡¯s no mount on the helmet. I remember they fought in the dark earlier, but there were no night-vision goggles." "Look at the back. That¡¯s some kind of machine... Wait, is that a drone? I¡¯ve never seen anything like that." "I¡¯m dizzy, dizzy." It wasn¡¯t just the gear they wore, but even their clothing, which some people were searching online, was filled with items never seen before. The basic gear ¨C thebat uniform system was Velocity, Crye Precision knee and elbow pads, and the te carrier was either AVS or Crye Precision ¨C was familiar. However, the wrist-mounted tablet, the folded ballistic shields, and many other mysterious devices and machines had the crowd in confusion. And then, in addition: "Wait, I think there¡¯s a foreigner over there?" "What? No way, it¡¯s real." Among them, there were unmistakable facial features that couldn¡¯t be hidden. Though quite far away, the golden hair peeking from under the helmet and the shape of the eyes, which didn¡¯t look Asian, could vaguely be seen. It might have been something that was never supposed to be revealed, but this was all agreed upon and, at the same time, subtly hinted at ¨C that there had been some kind of coboration between South Korea and the U.S. Of course, it would take a little more time for that toe to light. At that moment, there was a sudden stir among the people. The murmuring grew louder, and someone even pointed in a specific direction. At the end of that line was Eugene, who had safelypleted the operation and was waiting for the 40 operators to exit. Though she was a streamer, she was also one of the top executives of the Expo, so this was possible. The spectators thought to themselves and epted it. After all, the conversation between Eugene and the operators was not something they could hear. What was more important, however, was something else. "Hey! Over there, a DEVGRU Shark helmet!" "No way, is that real? When did that guye to Korea?" "First time seeing someone with their sleeves rolled up. But they¡¯re more muscr than I thought? Just a real manly man?" The Shark helmet. It referred to an operator wearing a helmet adorned with a shark logo, which had appeared frequently in photos of various training exercises involving DEVGRU, known since at least a decade ago. Even among the inhumanly powerful operators, this figure stood out with a quirky yet pleasant appearance. The shark teeth graffitied on the side of the helmet, and a shark sticker attached to the helmet. A simple search on Google would return endless results, and evenpanies selling helmets with the same design. That person, closer to Eugene, approached and shook hands with her. Since they were quite far apart, Eugene used gestures she had never shown before in their conversation, and her lips barely moved. Those who knew what this was for ¨C to prevent others from reading what they were saying using lip-reading ¨C wouldn¡¯t have suspected anything. And as they conversed, they said: "So, did you enjoy today¡¯s training?" "Of course. It was the most valuable of all we¡¯ve done recently. I¡¯m sure the people behind us learned a lot today too." "I almost died following these guys. Don¡¯t trust them, Eugene." "Haha, that¡¯s understandable. This person is usually a bit¡­ tough. A real hardass." It was a surprisingly mundane conversation. Meanwhile, several dronesnded one by one, carrying well-packaged boxes. They contained drinks with ice and various snacks. Naturally, the operators cheered as they saw them. With about 10 minutes left before the helicopters returned for refueling, all the operators, except for Shark, started to sit down and snack. Except for Shark, of course. She muttered with a gruff voice: "You know this camouge model still hasn¡¯t implemented the meal function, right, youngest?" "Oh, I doubt that. Just wait a bit. Or should I go get it for you?" "That would be great." At that moment, one of the drones skillfully heated the air and distorted the surroundings around Lorentina, and to prepare for any possible situations, Eugene deployed Icarus Gear for double security. Meanwhile, Lorentina took off the Shark helmet, revealing her elegant appearance and began munching on the snacks. One of the UDT operators watching this asked: "By the way, the Lorentina over there, on the balcony... Is that a hologram?" "That''s right. Double shark." "...Ugh, that¡¯s dizzying." The entire group turned their heads at once. And at the end of that line, vaguely visible on the A-building balcony, were Dice, Harmonie, Olivia, and¡­ Lorentina. It was truly an amazing lineup. Everyone chuckled at it, but Shark¡¯s attention was directed elsewhere. Specifically, unlike the people enthusiastically cheering or staring at the operators, Shark¡¯s gaze focused on a group of about ten people who were standing out with a strange atmosphere in the middle of the crowd. A whileter, Lorentina sent a military hand signal to Eugene:
    • Why is the entire Dagger team gathered over there, youngest?
    • Guess they¡¯re curious.
    • As always....
    Just as she said, the New York-Dagger team, who had been roaming around Seoul, had discreetly blended into the crowd, watching Eugene and Lorentina. They even seemed to be chuckling as they watched them. Shark, with an incredulous expression, added: "Thank goodness the youngest held the Expo somewhere with solid ground. If the helicopter couldn¡¯tnd, we would¡¯ve had to go back by bus instead." "I guess you can bill the ground repair costs to them?" "Do you really need to?" "It¡¯s a joke. I¡¯ll pay for whatever was wasted in training. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s being repaired live as we speak." Well, that makes sense. As Lorentina thought this, she felt a faint vibration from the tips of her fingers. The air around them seemed to tremble. Eugene, noticing this, turned his head toward the direction the helicopters had flown from just moments ago. The helicoptering to pick them up was on its way. Looking at it, Eugene added:@@novelbin@@ "Anyway, great job. The training is over, so you¡¯ll do a debrief and then go out, right? Let¡¯s grab a meal soon." "Of course. I¡¯ve been looking forward to it." "Take care getting back." Six hourster, at 10 PM. Shark sessfully infiltrated during the night. "¡­You¡¯ve really made it through. Big hurdle cleared, huh?" "You¡¯ve been studying Korean, haven¡¯t you? Anyway, just as you said, I finished the debriefing and came back. I should be able to take it easy for about a week now. The others probably won¡¯t have it so easy though." "That¡¯s true. So where are the friends who were on the mission with you? Why did youe alone?" "They¡¯re probably still sleeping." The Shark''s feast disaster thriller was unfolding at the Songdo Expo. The tes piled high with food were so clean they might not need washing. Lorentina, Olivia, and New York-Shark all stared at her with strange expressions. The one with a bloated stomach, patting it contentedly, added: "I see you¡¯ve been replenishing your dy¡¯ nutrients while I was gone. Thanks. Looking at your faces, it seems like you¡¯ve enjoyed yourselves. How do you feel about today¡¯s events?" "You really want to know everything, don¡¯t you? It was fine, I suppose. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been involved in such rough work, so I can¡¯t exactly say it was ¡®fun.¡¯" "I can¡¯t help but agree with that part." "...I find it amazing that you two are having such a normal conversation. I think I¡¯d have found it ufortable and impossible if I were in your ce." "Well, we¡¯re not exactly normal, are we?" Did she just call us ¡®normal¡¯... special? Anyway, I didn¡¯t feel the need to add anyments. If I was unlucky, I¡¯d get caught in the crossfire. So, I just kept thinking about when this te would be cleared. But of course, as expected, Shark¡¯s second target was me. "You''ve made it through too, youngest. Thank you, really. It was more enjoyable than I expected, and it¡¯s been an extremely beneficial time for the others. They were probably so energized that they were going to review everything until dawn." "...It wasn¡¯t an opportunity one could easilye by. Well, we gained a lot too. After the humanoid project finishes at the end of September, when the official rollout starts, the congress, which has been grumbling, will probably hit us with a bundle of cash." "End of September? Come to think of it, the UDT Special Forces Non-Commissioned Officer recruitment starts in October, right? The support rate might rise significantly. It¡¯s probably going to be just like when Top Gun 2 came out, huh, haha¡­" "Come to think of it, it might have that kind of ripple effect." Well, this training might not have that kind of impact, but considering that the live audience peaked at 2.5 million, maybe it¡¯s not impossible after all. Of course, that¡¯s apletely different world from mine. I¡¯m already... well, not really discharged, but technically I¡¯m just waiting on standby as an operator. The U.S. military isn¡¯t paying me, but it¡¯s not like I needed it. Anyway, the conversation kept flowing. "By the way, I remember there¡¯s still about two weeks left. Are we going to keep going like this?" "Oh, right, I was nning to add one more thing. You should probably experience it in the third week... I¡¯m thinking of setting up a sort of tail experience facility?" "...You¡¯vee up with something strange again." "But people whoe here are all hooked on those ¡®strange things.¡¯" Watching the endless growth of tail fetishists... it¡¯s not unpleasant, but it¡¯s certainly not enjoyable either. Anyway, returning to the matter at hand, I nned tobine some third-tail technology and holograms, applying the sensory feedback suits from Building D and the nerve interface technology, so that in a specific space, they could operate tails. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to cause withdrawal symptoms... Also, as I said earlier, I nned to provide a simted TS experience via holograms. Besides, not just snake tails¡­ there are lots of creatures with long tails, right? Dogs, cats, and the like. ¡®...But why does it feel like snakes are the ones with tail-like features?¡¯ In the first ce, snakes have really short tails. In fact, the long part of a snake¡¯s body is essentially just its torso. I can understand why they¡¯d have to take that shape to attach it to a human body, but if that¡¯s the case, wouldn''t something more majestic like a dragon, like Gaia, look cooler? These were pointless thoughts, but of course, my extremely practical-minded friends just casually raised a question mark over their heads and gave me a "you handle it" look. So, as the atmosphere was winding down... Beep-beep! "Eh, Logan¡­?" "This doesn¡¯t feel good." "I have a feeling something¡¯s about to blow up for me¡­" "It¡¯s your karma. ept it." Suddenly, a call from Logan. Since the time was around 11 PM, it was about 10 AM in the U.S. And thinking about the time difference, the UDT training had probably taken ce in the early hours in the U.S.... Uh... yeah. Well. I answered Logan¡¯s call, lost in thought¡ª "Goddamn Lorentina! You son of a bitch! Because of you, they¡¯re talking about separate urbanbat training now! I woke up, and suddenly, the sky has fallen on me!" "...Ugh." "Well, that¡¯s the result of the coordination between Korea, the U.S., and yourpany. Everything went smoothly, right?" "I¡¯m gonna kill you, Lorentina!" Click. That deadly threat was followed by Logan¡¯s phone hanging up. A silence followed. "...You don¡¯t think he¡¯sing to Korea, do you?" "If he does, use me as bait." "I was already nning to do that." Ah, I see. It was truly a strong bond between manifestation users. I don¡¯t know. Chapter 654 "What''s this neighborhood for?" "Try to guess." "Uh... I''m not sure? It kind of feels like a za with a bunch of billboards around... though, there are a lot of easels nearby. I guess it looks a bit like an artist''s street." "You''re close enough. The name ''Artist''s Street'' is quite impressive, so we''ll use that when we open tomorrow... Anyway, as you guys mentioned, this ce is for painting. But the tools are a bit different." "Tools?" "Tail, I mean, tail."
    • What the heck, hahahahahaha
    • So they''re seriously going to use tails to paint as content now, hahahahahaha
    • They really do anything, hahahahaha
    • Eugene''s big n to evolve humans into Biyams, damn
    • I get it, but hurry up and open it already!!!
    Ah. Everyone finally showed signs of understanding, but unfortunately, it was only a half-realization. Just that alone couldn¡¯t exin the billboards around us. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to call them billboards. After all, they were going to advertise something. The expo and theme park were meant for that purpose, but... what would be disyed on those screens was something a little more unique. As the saying goes, seeing is believing, so I waved my hand. The screens around us simultaneously turned on and disyed a few images ¡ª nothing particrly impressive. Some pictures and text. English sentences written in beautiful cursive and delicately drawn pictures, and in between, photos of 3D sculptures with quality that stuck out like spikes. Although it wasn¡¯t particrly impressive for something shown with such confidence... what exactly did they use to draw those pictures? One by one, the friends began to notice. "Wait, could it be...?" "Yes, what you¡¯re thinking is right. These were all... drawn with this." Swish. At the same time, the snake-like tail gently swayed. Its smooth curves captivated everyone. Harmony, Dice, and Iris all shook their heads. They were in awe. Probably, only these three could feel that way. And no wonder. These three were all Awakened, and because of that, they now realized just how difficult it was to control their tails so delicately. As everyone looked on in amazement, I led them closer to the easels and added: "We''re going to hold a small event. We''ll select the best drawings or the best-written quotes and disy one or two of them on those screens. There will be small rewards for those who rank high or win." "Whoa, can we join too?" "If you have the skill to win, I don¡¯t see why not, but, well... it won¡¯t be that easy." "Eh? Is it really that hard?"
    • Kim Stonechek is trying to act tough again, hahahahaha
    • Who among us can even draw? Sonia and Evelyn from ss 3 are probably the only ones
    • That cursive looks like the one Yukjin used when he went to the maid cafe, hahahahaha
    • Limit also draws sometimes
    • Who cares, even writing instead of drawing works, hahahaha
    ncing. I borrowed an old saying, "recent confidence." I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because they¡¯re streamers, but the moment a prize or something enticing was dangled in front of them, confidence seemed to bubble up from nowhere. Or maybe it¡¯s because they suddenly became aware of a confidence they hadn¡¯t noticed before, so now they thought it might be worth trying. The people sitting in sturdy chairs looked at the easels, but less than 10 secondster, they all inhaled deeply with a sigh. Naturally, their reactions were easily noticeable to me and Dice, and that¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t help butugh quietly. It was probably a pretty difficult task. First, let¡¯s see if they can even bring their tails to touch the reinforced stic easels by their own will. "Ugh, ugh, eeek...!" "Wow, what is this? This isn¡¯t easy, ugh, why is this so hard?" "Eugene, my tail isn¡¯t listening! This seems like a defective product. Can I exchange it... eek!" "Don¡¯t even say something so ridiculous." "Aah, I feel like I¡¯ve turned into a kindergarten student...!"
    • Hahahahahaha
    • What are they doing, hahahahaha
    • This looks like the first drawing I made on Paint, hahahahaha
    • Why are they struggling so much, hahahahaha
    • Fact: Tomorrow, everyone at the theme park will draw even worse than this, hahahahaha
    The giggling behind them grew louder. And no wonder. They¡¯d underestimated the difficulty of controlling their tails. Just controlling strength, horizontal and vertical movements would be quite a struggle. It was like watching people fall on the ice rink when they first try skating. And as they said, it was quite a spectacle. It was hard to even find someone who could draw a straight line horizontally or vertically. Just tensing their buttocks and spine wasn¡¯t enough, you know? Meanwhile, a few baby Biyams had quietly sat at the easels. They¡¯d probably given up on drawing and were now writing their names or screen names in English or Hangul. Naturally, they were much more skilled due to their experience. As the friends who had gone through a simr TS process went around asking Dice and the others for tips- "...When did Shark sit down? No, wait, is this a hand-drawn picture?" "Yes, it¡¯s a tail-drawn picture, but if you''re not interested in winning, drawing it by hand isn¡¯t a big deal. The hologram tes also support oil paintings and watercolors, so it¡¯s quite fun." "Wait, what? Is that really you?" "Who else could it be?"
    • What the heck, hahahahaha
    • He¡¯s been sitting for just a few minutes and already... hahahahaha
    • Hah, what can¡¯t this person do? Seriously, is he insane???
    • He''s lying with his drawing, hahahaha. What shark is this calm? Hahahaha
    • Doesn¡¯t match his usual image at all,
    ...How on earth did he create this saintly shark-nun drawing? Somehow, he created an intense color contrast, almost like a halo, that made it look so sacred... How did he learn this? This person seems to have done almost everything in the art world. We had once been left speechless when we saw him carving art out of anything¡ªwood, stone, you name it¡ªwhenever he had nothing to do. Why on earth did heaven give this man such talent? Anyway, apart from that, everyone started struggling with their drawings. The surprising thing was that Kato was actually doing better than expected? But my wish to praise him was quickly dashed.@@novelbin@@ The reason was simple. During the lunchtime stock replenishment break, I had called over the Mecha juniors to this ce. The usually unseen appearance of Hoddeok''s group and the ss 3 students caught the attention of the Mecha members, who added theirments. "Lots of new faces!" "I was wondering what you were all doing, but it looks like you¡¯re having fun. Are you having fun while we¡¯re working?" "Are you drawing? Everyone seems lost. Want some help?" "No, I think I¡¯m starting to get it... eeek?!" "Now we¡¯re starting to hear some screams, Cartographer."
    • Hahahahahaha
    • What the heck, they''re trying to turn Kato into a TS too, hahahahaha
    • Seriously, what is going on here, hahahahaha
    • Is the tail also providing feedback? This is crazy, hahahahaha
    As Marv brushed Kato''s tail with his hand, a scream erupted. Well, it was inevitable. The tail was a very sensitive part of the body, and since the feedback sensitivity was set to that level, it would feel quite ticklish, or like some strange sensation when touched. While the third member was having fun messing with Kato, Jin quietly sat in front of an empty easel. I approached him, and a brief conversation followed. "What should I do?" "Just try anything. A drawing or writing." "Then I¡¯ll try drawing a picture I downloaded recently." Jin, blinking his teal eyes, pondered for a moment before raising his tail and began to move it skillfully. And then- "...What is that?" "Aha, that¡¯s a cheat."
    • What¡¯s this now, hahahahaha
    • Mecha juniors, take it easy, hahahahaha
    • Wow, what is that, a photo???
    • Everyone else is drawing, and a copier jumps in, hahahahaha
    • They must have called them to crush the Biyams'' enthusiasm, hahahaha
    As he said, inside the easel was a view of rainy New York that looked like a photo¡ªimpossible to distinguish from the real thing. You all can have it. "...Teacher, this isn¡¯t the beginning of a grand n to change everyone¡¯s bodies just because I¡¯ve been transformed, is it?" "Did you eat something strange beforeing here?" "No, that¡¯s not it... Aah!"
    • Hahahaha, busted right away
    • Fine, just do it to me first then!!!
    • Got caught, hahahaha
    • This is so random, hahahaha
    • But seriously, won¡¯t there be more people transformed into TS in like 10 years?
    • This isn¡¯t TS, it¡¯s species ascension, hahahaha
    Bang! With a clear sound, Iris'' white cheek puffed out like cheese. I remembered that on Awakeners'' Day, various pages had been created on the Tree Wiki. I was somewhat aware of what had happened, and to be honest, it felt quite awkward. In fact, I was considering that it might be better to prevent such things from happening in the future. But the one who was most involved was the one making this joke. I was seriously losing it. ...But well, let¡¯s think positively. If they hadn¡¯t adjusted by now, they wouldn¡¯t be making these jokes. Taking this opportunity, I decided to exchange a few words. "So, how¡¯s our editor doingtely?" "...It¡¯s getting to the point where it¡¯s scary. Since the gender change, things have suddenly been going way too well for me... even my bank ount..." "Okay, that¡¯s enough. There are a lot of ears listening."
    • Deceiver!!!!
    • Living point: Iris, if you just touch her, liquid more valuable than gold wille out.
    • Iris cutting it off quickly, hahahaha
    • So if you win the drawing contest and get first ce, will you get TS-ed?
    • Fact: Kato would be a TS way faster than these chat trolls.
    When streamers start talking about money on a broadcast, it never ends well. Anyway, as everyone was diligently drawing, Iris and I moved to the back and had a little chat. As I¡¯ve said before, Harmony and Dice... they graduated long ago. It¡¯s a bit ironic that they still consider themselves Biyam graduate students, but since they wanted to stay under me, with their tails, what could I do? It¡¯s different from the editor who got bombarded in first ss. Apart from that, Iris was talking about her friends in real life. It was a subtle hint that her mental state hadpletely recovered. "...Around tomorrow, my real friends and military juniors wille by. Some unfamiliar people might show up on the broadcast." "They might show up, sure. Well, that¡¯s up to their skills or luck. If it¡¯s something the editor can handle, let them take care of it." "Yeah. Even if a bunch of avatars with red instructor hats appear on the broadcast, don¡¯t worry about it." "...Aren¡¯t instructor hats usually ck now?" "I wouldn¡¯t know."
    • Red hat, hahahahaha
    • If theye in military uniform too, we can let it slide.
    • What about Iris'' reservist training? Hahahaha
    • Suddenly talking about reservists, hahahaha
    • Where did the red hate from, hahahaha
    ...This is so unnecessarily meticulous. Anyway, as I said earlier, the issue with those friends is for Iris to handle, and if they appear on the broadcast, fine. If not, then whatever. The real important thing right now is the D Building mockbat room, which will undergo the same update as Tail Park starting tomorrow. It¡¯s not a huge upgrade, just adding the ability to ovey avatars, simr to what¡¯s here. With that in mind, I opened up the folded tablet to check if the facility inside was working smoothly. Various attractions, restaurants, theaters, and cinemas... everything was scheduled to operate tomorrow. Then, our editor quietly added: "By the way, Teacher. One person didn¡¯te today." "Who do you mean?" "Olivia... oh, should I call her ''sister''?" "Call her however you feelfortable. Anyway... since she didn¡¯t say anything, I guess it''s fine for her not toe early today." "Maybe..."
    • Sister, hahahahaha
    • Sister???
    • Right, she was a Biyam editor just a couple of months ago, hahahahaha
    • Living point: If you want to know how this person looked back then, watch the housewarming video
    • Argh, took the red pill!!!!
    Well, it''s still confusing with the titles. When I was in the States, I memorized everything, so it wasn¡¯t an issue, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll sound right in Korean. Speaking of which, now that she mentioned ''sister,'' I wonder what Logan is doing now. He seems like he¡¯s trying to outdo me and Shark in everything... Maybe he¡¯lle when he gets some vacation. Anyway, after the expo ends, Incheon Tourism Organization, Korea Tourism Organization, and Incheon City will bring piles of money and beg us to keep the D Building mockbat room and the theme park around, so we don¡¯t need to worry about that. In about a month, I¡¯ll have to fly to the U.S. for humanoid business, so there¡¯s a chance I won¡¯t meet him at all. Just as a brief silence fell over us, we were suddenly interrupted:
    • [Warning: Unidentified presence detected.]
    • [Warning: Human identification failed // Tracking impossible // Logic circuit calctions in progress.]
    • [Warning: Unidentified presence has entered ''Tail Park.'']
    ©¤©¤©¤Thud! "...Eh, ah, eh." "We need to tighten the drone surveince, junior." "...Can youe in like a normal person, please?"
    • Hahahaha, what the heck?!
    • ??????
    • I blinked and something appeared, hahahahaha
    • This is why Awakened ones are treated like strategic weapons, hahahaha
    • I think... that¡¯s only true for Biyams and their acquaintances...
    I¡¯m losing it. Seriously. This person isn¡¯t normal either. "...So, when should I go out next...?" Meanwhile, about a hundred meters away from us, a silver craft with glowing green eyes was staring at the central za. Chapter 655 "Ah, right. Have you heard that Gaia''s appearance has more or less been revealed recently? You know, the one Eugene¡¯s been dropping hints about since two weeks ago? It turns out people have been able to get various decoration parts from it." "Really? I haven¡¯t been looking at the intetely, so I only had a vague idea of how much had been revealed¡­ Hmm, it¡¯s actually more detailed than I expected. Quite a bit has been revealed." "You already know what she looks like, right?" "Of course. The inspiration is based on me."
    • Ah, that, hahahahaha
    • Honestly, getting the horn decoration part is like winning the lottery, hahahahahaha
    • I¡¯ve gone to the expo five times but still haven''t caught anything. This is ridiculous!!!
    • You''re not getting it, haha
    • Butpared to the existing Mecha juniors, Gaia actually looks pretty different, haha
    5:00 PM. It was a rather spacious theme park, but because the content consumption rate was carefully regted, in about five hours, you could see and experience almost everything. So, by the time the tour was almost wrapping up, an issue I had anticipated finally came up. That said, I didn¡¯t have the authority to decide when to insert the decoration parts. It was entirely left to a random algorithm, so I didn¡¯t know exactly how much of Gaia¡¯s appearance had been revealed yet... However, by simply googling the keyword "Gaia appearance," I could immediately see just how much had been revealed about the fifth iteration. Let¡¯s see. "So, what do you think? Does it look much different from what you knew?" "...I¡¯m not falling for that basic kind of leading question. But if you want a simple answer, yeah, it¡¯s been revealed enough that we can roughly guess the overall shape." "Still, no one has gotten the tail part yet. So far, only the upper body has been revealed..." "That¡¯s not wrong." As he said, I had divided the expo, which was going on for four weeks, into two halves¡ªfirst half and second half¡ªand I had ced the key parts, the horns and tail, into each half respectively. What I set was just that. Exactly when and how to ce them was entirely up to the random algorithm... but. These overly sharp-eyed friends seeded in picking up on something behind the scenes. "People must still be going around the expo trying to catch Gaia. Is there nothing like that here?" "..." "Huh? Why so quiet? Could it be... are you decorating something!?" "Of course, I¡¯ve been trusting only you, Eugene. So, what do we do now? Just walk around?" "...It¡¯s a bit awkward to say it like this, but I can¡¯t just let you all get fooled by me any longer."
    • You raised these kids, now make them tough, hahahahaha
    • He¡¯s the one who modified those baby Biyams in every way, and now he¡¯s acting innocent, hahahahaha
    • I had a feeling something like this would happen, hahahahaha
    • Those who have figured it out! Soon, Lorentina¡¯s Shark Bongo will arrive, and it will knock on your doors! Give up all hope!
    • Was this a trap to lead them in, hahahahaha
    As he said. I¡¯d raised them so well that they could pick up even the smallest clue in no time. Every time this happened, I felt both proud and a little creeped out. Meanwhile, Lorentina and Olivia were both looking at me with satisfied expressions. I wondered if they¡¯d felt this way when I was growing. Anyway, leaving that aside, if I said one more word, I felt like they¡¯d immediately rush out to find Gaia¡¯s remnants. So, today, I actually had something prepared. There was no point in hiding it anymore, so I opened my mouth and added: "As you might have guessed, yes. It¡¯s happening. We¡¯ll also be holding something simr at Tail Park. Both the expo and the theme park will have it, but... today, I¡¯ve prepared something even more special for you all." "Wow, really? Yes!" "Today, I¡¯m definitely getting the Gaia tail...!" "Since so many are looking forward to it, let¡¯s get straight to the point. It¡¯s pretty much the same as what¡¯s happening over there. However..." I slightly turned my eyes. At the same time, something started beeping ¨C rms were going off from everyone¡¯s wearable tails and phones, except for Lorentina, Olivia, and me. Before I knew it, my lips had split into a sly grin, and I added: "Today, you all are going to have to run away." "No, what? Wait a minute!?" "Ugh, I can¡¯t run!" "That might happen. But I¡¯m not sure if that friend will let you escape."
    • What? Hahahahahaha
    • I knew it, they¡¯ve already set up a double trap, hahahahaha
    • So a baby Biyam is going to fly around while everyone runs, hahahaha
    • Wow, did Gaia just see them back there? Hahahahahaha
    • Dome crown, hahahaha
    Whip! In an instant, everyone except a few turned their heads, and from the back of the fountain, green eyes and a silver body with a distorted, torn silhouette slowly swayed. I don¡¯t know how the others felt, but it looked like a tiger targeting its prey. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that. "Didn¡¯t see thating, huh?" "...Before you said that, didn¡¯t everyone already run away?" "Yeah, hahaha, it¡¯s refreshing to see the juniors taking charge of the new juniors."
    • You psychos, hahahahaha
    • Truthfully, Lorentina¡¯s just as crazy as any Biyam
    • Fact: All of them
    • Logan and Olivia probably had to take anti-camouge pills because of these two, hahahahaha
    • How on earth did these insane peoplee together?
    ng! At that moment, a sound like machine gun fire echoed. Gaia had mmed into the ground. If the material on the floor hadn¡¯t been some special durable material, it would¡¯ve already shattered. Anyway, no one knew this, but today¡¯s Gaia was the ''real'' one. By simply adjusting the appearance and increasing the blur on the drone cam, it was ready to be broadcast without any issues. Today¡¯s catch order... Harmony, Dice, Hoddeok, and Iris are first. Kato and Limit are second, and the ss 3 students arest. If we start with the easy ones, it won¡¯t be fun. Of course, I didn¡¯t say it out loud. If I had, my already fragile image would¡¯ve...@@novelbin@@ As I thought about it, I turned to the itching acquaintances. "If you two go out, you¡¯ll probably catch Gaia as a whole, so you can¡¯t go." "Huh, isn¡¯t that a hologram made by drones?" "Just to quickly let you all and the viewers know... Gaia has already rolled out, like Marv before. You¡¯ll probably be able to see it soon."
    • What?!
    • Did Gaia reallye out!?!?
    • I knew it, hahahahaha
    • The Biyams are serious... They¡¯ve already nned to make seven of them, haven¡¯t they?
    ...Seven? I hope it doesn¡¯t get that far. Anyway, I didn¡¯t need to keep showing off how we were just talking among ourselves. I raised the drone cam¡¯s altitude to the maximum, and the cam climbed over 40m before starting to track Gaia. With the screams of "kyyaaak!" echoing behind me, I said to the two: "I¡¯m getting hungry. Want to check out the snack market nearby?" "That¡¯s music to my ears. Let¡¯s go enjoy it." "I¡¯m pretty hungry too. Let¡¯s see how well the juniors have prepared." So we headed to the snack market. And- "...Caught it." Kwadjik! A little whileter, under Eugene¡¯smand, Gaia, who had ''captured'' everyone who entered the theme park with a touch, leaped with immense power, mmed into the wall, and caught the drone cam. On the drone cam¡¯s screen, a figure resembling a dragon ¨C Mecha Eugene, the junior ¨C opened its mouth. "We¡¯ll meet again." Pfff! The broadcast turned off. ... "Ugh¡­" "Ugh, the effects from yesterday are still lingering. That was really scary." "...I didn¡¯t expect so many people to gather, though." "The only one still standing is Iris. What an irony."
    • You guys tortured them into this, hahahahaha
    • Sometimes, Iris is just as shameless, hahahaha
    • Wow, there¡¯s so many people, hahahahaha
    • Everywhere I look, it¡¯s just tails, hahahahaha
    • The world is ruled by Biyams...
    Looking to the left, there were tails everywhere. Looking to the right, there were tails everywhere. The colors varied. But at this point, the color of the tail didn¡¯t even matter anymore. The point was that they had designed the tail colors and patterns to be customizable, creating thousands of variations. And such things numbered in the thousands. From one end to the other, everywhere you looked, it was all tails ¨C and that meant only one thing. The theme park had finally opened. "...I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a single man around here, Eugene." "The current gender ratio is about 96:4. Of course, 96% are women, and 4% are men. Of the men, only about 1% visited without avatar oveys." "This is terrifying, really."
    • Extreme female bias, hahaha
    • What is this? Hahahahaha
    • So, everyone here wants a TS, right??
    • Considering the people who couldn¡¯t get in because of the capacity limit, there¡¯s probably ten times as many waiting for Biyam tails, hahahaha
    • If we turned everyone into Biyams, maybe the world would be more peaceful?
    What should I say? Seeing all this... it made me feel strangely... at ease. I¡¯m not sure what Harmony, Dice, and Iris think, but maybe this is where I truly belong. If I think about it another way, it means I¡¯m unique in this world, but... Suddenly, I muttered out loud: "Just two or three years ago, no one would have expected anything like this." "...Who could have possibly expected this?" "Well, there¡¯s even talk that Eugene is the one leading VR. The Icarus sales have skyrocketed too, right? All thanks to the snake tail." "...It would¡¯ve been fine if it ended there, but why the heck did you have to get them involved?" "Ah! Don¡¯t take it away!" "I didn¡¯t say anything."
    • Hahahahaha
    • Can¡¯t lose the tail, hahahaha
    • Biyams are gods and invincible, hahaha
    • What a mess, hahahahahaha
    ...They¡¯re really treating the tail like it¡¯s their most precious thing. Anyway, as I said earlier, with everyone getting tails, the rarity of my existence... gradually started to decrease. In other words, it meant I could walk around a bit more freely. Of course, I couldn¡¯tpletely rx. Just because people had tails didn¡¯t mean they were immediately special, and there were still some who couldn¡¯t recognize me or my baby Biyams. So, as I was being pushed around in the crowd, we eventually ended up in the central za, the same ce where we had dealt with everything yesterday... where the easels were piled up. A massive building resembling the World Tree stood in the center, with screens hanging around it. Golden holographic leaves fluttered around it. It was a scene we hadn¡¯t seen yesterday. A brilliant, majestic sight as if standing in the middle of paradise... And yet... "Ugh, ugh¡­ this won¡¯t work!" "Hey, what are you drawing? You¡¯re making a mess. Come here. I¡¯ll show you." "No matter how much I try, it doesn¡¯t move the way I want... Ugh! Hey! Eugene¡¯s here!" "What?" "Keep drawing. I¡¯ll just watch."
    • If you say that, will the people sitting still draw better? Hahahahaha
    • Suddenly judging, hahaha
    • Seems like the difficulty just went up by 100 times! Hahahaha
    • Are they serious? Hahahaha
    The za became chaotic in an instant. As I stood next to them, the already stiff movements of those drawing became even stiffer. Well, what could I do? Maybe it was time to pass on some of my own tips. I started with having them press their fingers onto the easel¡¯s pressure pad and draw lines connecting dots. It wasn¡¯t so much basic practice as it was showing them how to get their drawing finished somehow. But they were still struggling, so I decided to help further¡ªI grabbed a wearable tail. Since I was wearing tactile gloves, it really did feel like I was touching a real tail. A Biyam tail with a pink heart pattern pped wildly. "KYAAAH!" "I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no ce like this, but a tail is basically a mass of muscle. If you put too much force into it while drawing, you¡¯ll naturally cramp up. Think about how it''s connected to your body." "Th-this feels strange..." "...Isn¡¯t there withdrawal symptoms when you return to your original body?" "That can¡¯t be."
    • Forced descent transformation, hahahahaha
    • What are you doing touching someone else¡¯s tail like that, hahahahaha
    • Isn¡¯t that harassment? Hahahaha
    • Is that harassment?
    • This is just dizzying, hahahahaha
    ...Would there be withdrawal symptoms? Well, I¡¯ve never been without a tail since my transformation, so... I don¡¯t know? Anyway, I taught about 35 people in a short 10 minutes, and they all seemed very satisfied as they walked away. They were so happy that their avatars even had red faces. It was a sess. Chapter 656 "...Alright, no one will notice, right?" A man swiftly crosses the crowded changing room. His movements are far quicker and more precise than the people around him, who are struggling to put on unfamiliar equipment for the first time. He attaches nerve terminals along his spine, a wearable tail on his pelvic bone, but that¡¯s not all. He also wears a tactile feedback suit and personal lenses. Immediately, numerous UIs appear in front of his eyes¡ªa woman shaped like a butterfly, created with pink and sky-blue tones in human form. However, with each action she takes, her appearance changes slightly. From rtively wild long hair to neatly trimmed hair, even the butterfly-shaped essories in her hair are removed. The outfit consists of short pants and Ugg boots, something she would never wear in ordinary circumstances. When the final appearance is decided, he quickly exits the changing room and crosses the gate. Realizing that the people around him don¡¯t recognize him, he¡ª or she, or the Cartographer¡ªlets out a small sigh. The smile on his lips was an added bonus. ¡®...Yesterday was an ident in many ways.¡¯ The Cartographer. The reason he sneaked into the park today without telling anyone¡ªhe didn¡¯t even have any acquaintances around, nor did he turn on a stream¡ªwas simple. The words of Loren Tina still lingered in his mind. Her point was clear: If you don¡¯t enjoy the content Eugene worked hard to prepare, you¡¯re at a disadvantage. You need to adapt to the situation. He also reluctantly acknowledged that this was not entirely wrong... but, unfortunately, yesterday¡¯s circumstances, with the viewers constantly nagging and the unexpected appearance of Gaia, had thrown things off. In short, external factors had caused his failure to adapt. "Ugh, what useless people..." Normally, they were quite helpful. Of course. When the viewers gently egg him on¡ª the more outrageous ones filtered and banned beforehand¡ª the Cartographer would huff and argue back. This was one of the two key elements that had fueled his current peak in life. But in situations like yesterday, where he absolutely had to immerse himself, it was enough to break his concentration. And the fact that Eugene had prepared everything today added to the problem. Imagine this: The Biyam suddenly contacts him saying, "It seems you didn¡¯t enjoy it as much, Cartographer. How about inviting some friends to join and enjoy it more?" That was... favorable in terms of taste, but it wasn¡¯t without its pressure. Anyway, he started looking around today without turning on the stream. Neon-colored hair, strange outfits you might see in a cyberpunk world, and numerous holographic projectors scattered around, probably being overworked. People in those outfits, with their various Biyam tails, stared at mirrors and marveled at their own reflections. It was simple. This was reality, not VR.@@novelbin@@ So many people wanting to undergo a sex change. The Cartographer realized that his own attire seemed ordinary to the point of being in in this crowd, and he walked the same path he had yesterday. How long had it been? ¡®...Seems like no one is paying attention. Good.¡¯ If he hade here in his usual attire, and even broadcasted it, by now, he would have been immediately spotted by Biyam. Given that he had been roaming the Expo with her underlings, Harmony and Dice, he was bound to be noticed. Especially considering Biyam¡¯s role. In short, if he had entered like yesterday, people would have turned into spies, telling Biyam about his movements, and soon enough, he would have been caught by her. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t happen. "...But I¡¯m curious. Maybe I should take a look around." A strange thought began to creep into his mind. Logically, it was something he shouldn¡¯t do, but there was something the Cartographer didn¡¯t know¡ªhe had already been subconsciously drawn toward Eugene, a massive force of attraction. Biyam¡¯s underlings or Eugene¡¯s acquaintances¡ªexcluding the ones who had manifested¡ªwould spout nonsense, and Eugene would deal with them in a way that stays within eptable limits. Typical banter. And thinking about the structure of banter, a two-person duo wouldn¡¯t beplete without both sides. In other words, the Cartographer was experiencing Eugene withdrawal. ¡®Ugh, no one will notice if I stay far enough away.¡¯ Of course, he had no idea that Eugene had known about his presence at the theme park long before. And so, he¡ª or she¡ª began to slowly inch closer to Biyam¡¯s grasp, but that didn¡¯t mean immediate capture. As I mentioned, there was a lot to enjoy. "Aah, no, ugh, why is my body moving on its own¡­!" Click! In the screen zone that helped him strike a lively pose he would never take as a man, he earned his first stack of ck history. "...A female makeup experience?" Though he had managed to resist experiencing it, it was truly fascinating, even eerie, how the female form¡¯s appearance could change. "Aah, no. Why does my speech sound like this... Wait! Reverse it!" "Please wait a moment. I need to change the voice changer settings..." "...Ugh, almost lost my mind there." He even experienced how his voicepletely changed through the voice changer. The Cartographer seriously began to suspect that Eugene was developing a potion to turn people into Biyam. The theme park had more to offer, but fortunately or unfortunately, the remaining experiences weren¡¯t directly rted to his transformation¡ªsuch as the central za content where people drew with their tails. The same space as yesterday. The only difference was the crowd filling the area. Only then did he feel relieved, and as he turned his head and started to stroll around, he finally realized... ¡®...Definitely, it''s very different from what the Mecha Biyam friends are drawing.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be helped, though. But the noise he heard from the people around him was somewhat off-putting. They were all desperately struggling to control their tails, making all sorts of noises. Then, suddenly, a memory shed through his mind. Eugene had said something yesterday. Concentration wasn¡¯t the only thing¡ªtail muscles had to be developed for delicate control. Anyway, after scanning the surroundings, he began to decide on his next destination. Before another noise broke out. ¡®...Ah! Eternal...¡¯ "...Huh?" A murmur spread through the crowd, and immediately, the Cartographer¡¯s mind began to race. How close should he get, and how much distance should he maintain to intuitively observe the situation without being noticed? If Eugene could hear his thoughts, it would be nothing short of scandalous. But today, his instincts were a bit more dominant than his rational mind¡ªperhaps because of the tail¡ªand he started moving quickly. How much time had passed? He had gotten close enough to the center of themotion. Specifically, close enough to see what was happening inside. And then¡ª "Sergeant Park Hyun-seok! The 33rd recruit from the 15th division still remembers you!" "Throw your helmet, put on your gas mask in under 6 seconds, and show us your trick again!" "Hyun-seok! You¡¯ve be the perfect specimen for re-enlistment! Our training nos are waiting for you! Hurry and get on the Obong-go!" "I changed my name to Park Hye-jeong! Who¡¯s Park Hyun-seok, you crazy bastards¡ª!" "Don¡¯t deny your past, you asshole!" ...What is going on? In the middle of this chaos, he saw a few Biyam tail girls in Korean military uniforms, and Iris screaming with a red face in front of them. The Cartographer was speechless. Something... something was happening. "¡­Well, with this much effort, it¡¯s bound to show up." "Alright, alright, calm down now!" "Haha! I¡¯m getting tired of doing all this," someone chuckled, gesturing to everyone around. The conversation seemed to be a joke at first, but it quickly gained traction. The excitement in the air was palpable, and despite all the joking around, it was clear that everyone was having a st. The two characters, despite their yful bickering, were still able to exchange meaningful moments with others. The sound ofughter and chatting echoed through the space, creating a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. They couldn¡¯t quite get everything in one go, but they didn¡¯t need to. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of all this,¡± one voice muttered again. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m more than ready to get back to normal after all this craziness.¡± The group remained in a kind of magical ce where everything felt surreal yet calm, hanging somewhere between humor and madness. Chapter 657 "¡­Hey, are you all watching? Everyone? From now on, I''m going to deal with Kato here in this way." "Guys, I''ve been caught¡­ I''m going to be a ve to Viyam from now on¡­" "¡­What is this?" "Am I the only one not following what''s going on here?" "I feel like I''m going crazy." -??????????? -What is this, the intro to an NTRic? hahahahahahahahaha -Why is Viyam letting this happen? hahahahahahahahaha -Kato??? What the heck??? Are you crazy?????? -Despite denying it, they really match so well together hahahahahaha It was Monday, the third week of the Expo, sometime in the afternoon. The group of Hoddeok, who had been adjusting their ns with the thought, When should we visit the newly opened theme park?, was met by the familiar banter of two people. Whether this could even be called banter was questionable, though. As soon as the scene appeared before their eyes, the fuse in everyone¡¯s head literally popped, and it was only natural. The overload of information and the sight they could not fully process caused a short circuit in their brains. But Eugene, who had dropped the bomb, didn¡¯t care at all and continued speaking.
    • "Well, of course, it''s just a joke. It¡¯s nothing major, I just happened to meet Kato at the theme park. It looks like I came here alone without notifying you guys, so I captured him like this."
    "¡­The conclusion is pretty bold, isn¡¯t it?"
    • "Haha, I have something to discuss with you all. It¡¯s nothing big, just something I overheard before making this video call. It seems like Kato is trying to figure out when to visit."
    • "Right, I did talk about it on the stream haha"
    • "That¡¯s what she said w"
    • "Living point) Viyam¡¯s nickname is Big Sister"
    • "But why did Kato go alone and get caught by Yujin? hahahahahaha"
    • "Don¡¯t dig into Kato¡¯s secret preferences!!"
    • "Capture? Are you serious? hahahahaha"
    Everyone''s gaze subtly shifted toward Kato, who was captured on the screen by Eugene. His body was wrapped up by Eugene¡¯s snake-like tail, but Kato, despite that, seemed to not be bothered, even cing his own tail on top. Still, it would be a disaster if this fact was ever mentioned aloud. To protect what little honor Kato had left, they desperately shifted their eyes elsewhere and tried to add something. "¡­Uh, so we were discussing the schedule. As you can see."
    • "The discussion is moving fast. I guess I¡¯ll have to help speed things up too. All you need to do is circle the dates you¡¯re avable. Let¡¯s wrap this up quickly."
    "Circle¡­?" And at that moment, a screen appeared before them. From Thursday of the third week to the final day of the Expo, and even dates beyond that. Some were green, some were red. The group, gathered to discuss the schedule, instantly realized that this was indicating Yujin¡¯s avable and unavable days, and their eyes shifted from the third week to the fourth. But at that point, there was something they needed to confirm first. "¡­So, what about Kato? Hey, are you okay to go at any time?"
    • "Well, I¡­ I¡¯m fine with whenever."
    "Don¡¯t ask him, his focus ispletely gone."
    • "That¡¯s not true¡­ Ugh, teacher! Don¡¯t squeeze me with your tail!!"
    "¡­"
    • Hahahahaha
    • So, what exactly are you enjoying and squeezing??? Hurry up with the exnation!
    • I said it already, stop pretending you didn¡¯t hear it, idiots hahahahaha
    • Kato is really just Viyam¡¯s plushie at this point hahaha
    It was bing clear that just appearing on the broadcast was enough to shatter Kato¡¯s image. Just a few years ago, he had received offers to be an AP pro gamer, and had been acknowledged for his skills multiple times, but now¡­ he waspletely, utterly degraded. Could you even call it degradation? That thought shed through everyone¡¯s minds. If anything, it felt more like chaos. And because of that, they all exchanged nces. They couldn¡¯t waste any more time; otherwise, Kato might actually be a legitimate female character. Of course, if he heard it, he would probably vomit blood and try to fight back. Everyone ced their fingers on the screen. They all circled the fourth week. The date that lit up was Monday of the fourth week. It was surprisingly quick, almost to the point where they questioned whether it was too simple. Yujin then smiled and added.
    • "It looks like you guys areing less often than I expected."
    "Hah." "Well, even after the Expo ends, the main facilities will still be avable, so I was nning to go after the poprity dies down. Plus, thanks to you, Yujin, I¡¯ve been able to experience it before others."
    • Hmmm...
    • Hahahahahahaha
    • Instant excuse!!!!
    • Well, it¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t go because I was busy, but honestly, it¡¯s your fault hahaha
    • Fact) The third group secretly visited multiple times during their free time
    • What were you doing~~~~~~
    Of course, none of that mattered. And the aftermath of that fell on Kato. Eugene¡¯s tail, moving like a separate creature, wrapped around him even tighter, and then poked at his cheek. Perhaps they wouldn''t let him go until next week, before they visited the theme park. The thought crossed their minds, but luckily, that didn¡¯t happen. Yujin just added one morement.
    • "These days, Minah and Yerim have been busy with tournament rankings, so there¡¯s a bit more free time. Anyway, it¡¯s decided for Monday of the fourth week, so you guys shoulde around that time. See you then."
    "Okay." "Oh, right. Speaking of which, the theme park just opened recently. Is there a Gaia chase there?"
    • "Oh, that..."
    There was a brief silence. She added.
    • "This time, we¡¯ll release two core parts for the avatar. One from the Expo, and one from the theme park. The most important part for the upper body is probably the horns and hair, but the lower body is already decided. It¡¯s the tail."
    "Oh."
    • "After opening the Expo and theme park, I realized something. You guys are unexpectedly obsessed with tails¡­ I hope everyone¡¯s dreams and hopes are fulfilled from now on."
    "Thest part is just a servicement, right?"
    • "Of course. You perverts."
    • Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    • Hoooooohhhhhh hahahahahaha
    • Public meeting¡¯s over w
    • Wow, I¡¯m not lying, I actually stood up hahahahahaha
    • You guys are crazy hahahahahaha
    Somehow, behind Yujin''s words, there was a sigh that could be heard as everyone was exposed to a second notification that spread even faster and more widely than the Expo announcement. Two Gaia tails will be released. The costs for the Icarus Expo had already turned a profit by the second week, but with the theme park opening, they experienced a slight deficit. However, it was well known that the deficit had been recovered in the past few days. How much profit would this person gain? The thought briefly crossed everyone¡¯s mind, but it didn¡¯t take long for them to realize that the silver-scaled dragon¡¯s tail covered up that thought.
    • "Well, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll return Kato after using him well."
    • "Uwah, where are you taking me, kyaaaahhh!"
    "¡­" "I know a great restaurant near my house that does amazing Yukgaejang. Let¡¯s have that for dinner today." "Tell me where."
    • Yukgaejang, hahahahaha
    • Kato¡¯s going to be buried alive hahaha
    • Living point) Snakes mate for weeks¡­
    • These guys arepletely out of their minds hahaha
    • Kato¡­
    The beginning and end were full of iprehensible things. For them, the world was still full of mysteries. It was summer. "¡­Looks like more and more people are getting the hang of it." "There aren¡¯t that many who¡¯ve really mastered it, but they¡¯re still much better than the new Viyams. The starting point ispletely different, after all. The wearable tails themselvese with some behavioral corrections¡­" "But no one writes out sentences in cursive while sitting like Yujin does." "That¡¯s going to take years of practice." The fourth week of the Expo, Monday. The calendar and LED clock were already pointing towards the end of August, but the scorching sunlight still relentlessly hit Songdo. Thankfully, the interior of the theme park was apletely different matter. Through the transparent partition walls surrounding the area, a cool breeze swept in, mixed with the faint fragrance of nature. Naturally, this was made possible by the air conditioners installed everywhere. No one knew that the underground fusion reactor was responsible for ensuring the park didn¡¯t have to deal with the sky-high electricity costs, though. But aside from that, a week left until the theme park closed, Eugene and the Hoddeok group finally reunited at the central square of the park. Naturally, their appearance was the same as thest time they visited. As expected, the one responsible for opening the ce, Kato, was met with loud cheers. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly a cheer of the most positive kind. "You went to the theme park alone without saying anything? Ridiculous! Punish him!" "I¡¯m going to execute Kato by fire now. Do you have anyst words?" "So what if I went alone? Uwahhh¡ª!" But as Kato thought, it wasn¡¯t going to end with just a fire-hologram performance rising from the ground. When the fire hologram didn¡¯t appear after a while, Kato began to panic and open his eyes. But instead, it was Hoddeok who stepped forward, holding out his hand with Chinese characters on it. And of course, it wasn¡¯t »ð (fire). It was “ç. A rarely used character that meant to burn, or to bind, and its meaning was crystal clear. Kato was about to experience a chiropractor¡¯s shrimp-crack under the pretense of a Kairopractic move from Hoddeok. A woman¡¯s scream echoed across the central square after going through the voice changer. "¡­Ughh¡­" "It wasn¡¯t even that painful. Get up, you. I¡¯ll dust you off." "There¡¯s no dust on the floor¡­ and I got caught by Yujin! I was captured!"@@novelbin@@ "You were NTR-ed." Everyone present knew exactly what had happened that day, and only then did Kato finally close his mouth. After a moment of awkward silence, Eugene checked her wristwatch and quietly opened her mouth. "I think everyone who needed to gather is here now. Is there anyone who¡¯s having issues with their equipment?" "Yeah. By the way, in the fourth week, something new happened. They added tactile suits and even exoskeleton-likeponents. I waspletely surprised. Didn¡¯t we not have thesest week?" "In reverse, that means it¡¯s something new. The Expo is just a small part of it, but this space won¡¯t be closing in just two weeks. There are a few reasons for that." The first reason: There were some who wanted to experience the physical abilities of the users, at least in a limited sense. And the second reason was something else. "We¡¯ve had quite a bit of feedback that the tactile suits take up a lot of stamina. Fortunately, we solved it by applying some remote-controlled humanoid technology that Disney World and Disnend have been using." "Hoddeok¡­ you didn¡¯t wear one, did you?" "This body is strong even without them." "You¡¯re saying that in front of Yujin. Good job, really." At that moment, Hoddeok nced at Yujin, but she only chuckled. Once she confirmed that there was no issue, Hoddeok proudly boasted. While in reality, she could easily be a walking bodybuilder, here she was just the long-haired white tiger sister. Nevertheless, they started to check in on Viyam¡¯s opinion. Now that they had verified the equipment, they were likely about to discussbat content next. After some time, Eugene did not speak, but the ground in the central square suddenly opened up, and obstacles began appearing to block people¡¯s path. While everyone was confused, Eugene added. "I thought it over. The simtion battle room in Building D could be fun, but it can¡¯t amodate too many people¡­ Plus, half a year¡¯s worth of reservations are already full." "W-what then¡­?" "Let¡¯s think about the structure of the simtion room in Building D." The first element: The panels that allow the environment to change freely. The second element: The tactile feedback suits, speakers, and hologram projectors on the ceiling, which could change the appearance of the people involved and provide everything necessary for a simtion battle. When asked which was more important in setting up the simtion room, various answers could be expected, but the conclusion was clear: the second element was undeniably more important. As Eugene exined that, everyone looked at her with wide eyes, as if struck by lightning. Could it be that Eugene had actually brought the simtion into reality? ©¤Beeep! "It¡¯s time." "Time¡­ wait, are you serious, Yujin? Are you actually nning to turn the theme park into a battlefield?!" "I think I mentioned itst time, but it¡¯s good that you guys catch on quickly." Whooooooosh! At the same time, Eugene waved her hand, and a drone cam flew from afar, reading her GPS data and starting the stream. Before the people around her could even react, parts of the exoskeleton they were wearing began to change shape, forming gun-like grips and cing them in the hands of the people standing there. The drones in the sky, and the thousands of hologram projectors on the walls and ceiling began to change the surroundings. The tactile feedback features were tested, confirming their functionality. And they all epted it naturally. Thanks to Eugene¡¯s earlier announcement. "To enjoy the event even more, don¡¯t look at the announcements," Eugene had added, so except for the four people who didn¡¯t have the data, everyone else jumped straight into the frontline. As Eugene looked at the people on the other side of the central square, all of them turned red. She smiled, seeing her allies in blue on the other side. As shield and HP gauges appeared on the UI, the speakers overhead amplified her voice. "The winning team will receive a special prize. Please do your best."
    • ????
    • Wait, why is the broadcast on all of a sudden
    • What¡¯s going on? Is this suddenly Battlefield? hahahahahahaha
    • Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure Viyam did something weird again hahaha
    • Theme park survival kit w
    Toodoodoodoo! The sound of beans being roasted filled the air, and Eugene¡¯s new model started to melt away. She had arrived here through holograms, just like always. As expected, Viyam¡¯s events werepletely unpredictable. It was just another day. Chapter 658 "Well, of course. Eugene¡¯s events can¡¯t be normal¡­ Ugh, grenade!" "Just throw it back!" "Stop yelling and return fire, you damn bastards!"
    • Hahahahahahahaha
    • Yeah, we all know Eugene¡¯s events are never normal hahaha
    • Viyam really does resemble a shark more than anything else hahaha
    • I can hear Logan crying all the way here w
    • These guys are out of their minds hahaha
    End of August, Songdo Tail Park, clear weather. asional explosions. It felt like a battlefield mode from Dark Zone, a chaotic scene. A survival game being held in two of the six zones of Tail Park, divided into two areas forbat. It felt too real to be considered unrealistic, but on the flip side, it was too unreal to be truly real. Only Dark Zone and Icarus International could pull off such a frenzied event. In the middle of this, four people half-kidnapped by Eugene and Iris, who had sneakily joined, were having a st fighting in the eye of the storm. ©¤©¤BOOM! "Ugh, what¡¯s that! Who just blew up next to me?" "¡­The kill count says self-destruct. What the hell did they do?" "I saw it¡­ earlier. Someone tried to throw a grenade with their tail and ended up blowing themselves up." "I can¡¯t even do that yet."
    • ??????
    • Alone with their original tail hahaha
    • Spy detection!!!!!!
    • Now that you mention it, that''s true hahaha
    • The way the head turned is hrious hahaha
    In an instant, everyone¡¯s head turned toward Iris. Out of the ten thousand people wandering the theme park, Iris was the only one with a real tail. Eugene had triggered the trap called an event and disappeared as a hologram shard, so no one knew where she was. Harmonie and Dice were currently roaming the virtual world, beating enemies that came their way. Only Iris, a rare white snake in this ce, stood there. Meanwhile, Hoddeok nced around. After checking the status of the situation, it became clear that the battle was evenly matched. Surprisingly, though, there were several of Eugene¡¯s disciples on the Blue Team¡ªsurprisingly, Hoddeok¡¯s group and Iris were the key yers. Compared to Dice, who had be a force to be reckoned with, and Harmonie, who had transcended humanity both in skill and race, these were also students who had received direct teaching from Viyam. The spearhead was them. And without realizing it, Hoddeok¡¯s group began analyzing the situation with the battlefield reading skills that had developed unknowingly. "Let¡¯s set a goal. Should we break through, or just pick off the stragglers one by one?" "Obviously, we smash their heads in." "Then we¡¯ll take the lead. Anyone have a problem with that?" "¡­Is it really okay to decide this roughly?" "Yujin said to keep the goals clear and simple."
    • That¡¯s not what she meant hahaha
    • Fact) With Viyam, she definitely meant it like that
    • Anyone denying it should go back and see what happened when Yujin was away on business during ranked games hahahahaha
    • ?? : To win in a team fight, just wipe out the enemies
    • And Viyam isn¡¯t even brain dead hahaha
    Though Iris hesitated for a moment, she quickly gave in. She knew exactly how Hoddeok, Harmonie, and Dice had suffered under Viyam¡¯s direct teaching, and she had edited those memories herself, making them sh like a panorama. Thankfully, she was the only one who could keep up with Hoddeok, the E2-level manifestation. Hoddeok, with the predicted movement routes disyed above the UI, marked the final destination. The TTK (Time to Kill) in Dark Zone wasn¡¯t so short, but given the nature of the game, it was bound to turn into and grab. In such a multi-team situation, creating variables was crucial. Among them, Hoddeok pinged a building across the central square, currently upied by the Red Team, but which could be abandoned if things got dangerous. She calcted the cover route needed to get there. After that, it was simple. Like a pre-arranged n, the group naturally split into breakthrough and rear support teams. Iris was the only one struggling to adapt. Of course, Eugene, and by extension her bloodline¡ªmetaphorically¡ªweren¡¯t going to let that slide. "Let¡¯s go!" "Limit and Kim Stone, provide cover fire ande slowly. Got it?" "We¡¯ve done this plenty of times, let¡¯s go!" "Why am I in the front!" "Who else but an EM-level?!" With Kato pushing her, Iris started running desperately. Bullets whizzed by in an instant, but with the suppressive fire from behind, one by one, they received critical hits to their heads and ducked behind a wall. It wasn¡¯t a death sentence, but it was enough to cause significant damage. Taking advantage of the moment, they pushed forward, moving one step ahead of the humans. Meanwhile, the blood of Hoddeok and Iris, still carrying animalistic instincts, began to boil. Adrenaline surged uncontrobly, and the two manifested users literally climbed the wall. They had thrown a grenade on top before scaling it, thanks to precise control of their strength. The explosion, apanied by a sh¡ªwithout shrapnelunched the two over the two-meter wall. Theynded safely and immediately began firing at any visible target. Some of the visual defense lines were torn apart by a spear-like breakthrough. Kato reached the building stairs 30 secondster. "You crazy bastards¡­ Who told you to rush so fast¡­!" "Too bad." "If I¡¯d be EM-level, I¡¯d have shoved a gag in your mouth!" "Oh, I should tell Yujin about this." "Shut up!"
    • Hahahahahaha
    • Breaking news) Kato wants to be Viyam¡­ shocking statement¡­
    • This will definitely stir up some controversy hahaha
    • Shut up already hahaha
    • Iris¡¯s face is priceless hahaha
    Naturally, the editor had no intention of letting go of the tail they had earned.@@novelbin@@ Once the sessful breakthrough was made, chaos naturally followed, like a hole opening in a dam. Themon factor was that once a hole was made, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. As they settled into afortable position and started firing, the Red Team had no choice but to retreat, and the next move was simple. They had to remove Hoddeok¡¯s group, the thorn in their side, from the enemy territory. However, the Red Team had briefly overlooked something¡ªthese people had direct experience under Viyam¡¯s teaching, and stepping into the lower-level building they upied wasn¡¯t exactly the best idea. But sometimes, there were things you had to do, even when you knew the oue. And the situation unfolded exactly ording to that logic. "Ugh¡­" "We¡¯re doomed. We¡¯ll be Viyam and Hoddeok¡¯s ves, dragged to the gym to turn on the lights with an endless bicycle punishment¡­!" "¡­You don¡¯t actually want that, do you?" "Wow, Kato! Step on my face just once! With your bare feet! In that avatar!" "What the hell are you saying, you crazy bastards!"
    • Instant gratification w
    • Honest statement) Kato¡¯s avatar is disgusting
    • I couldn¡¯t say that to Hoddeok though hahahahahaha
    • Would you do it? hahaha
    • Why are they fighting so seriously? hahaha
    Amidst that, a sudden, almost piercing question arose. But if someone had asked, "Why are they suddenly so eager?", the answer would have been simple. ¡®¡­Could it be, that if we win first ce in this session, we¡¯ll get the Gaia tail avatar?¡¯ Although Eugene hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned it, their imagination, if not outright delusion, ran wild. For those who wanted a Viyam tail above their pelvis, this was a glimmer of hope. And everywhere they looked, they were surrounded by suspicious perverts. "Those guys are suddenly acting all motivated. Did they bet on something good?" "¡­I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s not possible¡­" "They must have gotten fixated on something weird. From the way you raised them, every one of them has something off¡­" "What do you mean by that¡­" Meanwhile, Eugene was surrounded not by giant boobs, but by the two senior manifested users. "Good work, everyone. As expected¡­ well, you didn¡¯t forget what we learned, it seems. You were all pretty eager though, was there something you were expecting?" "¡­Ah." "¡­By your reaction, it seems like you were expecting some kind of prize. As I said before, there¡¯s a small reward, but it seems it¡¯s not quite what you were hoping for." "My tail..." "¡­"
    • Hahahahahaha
    • These kids are like elementary schoolers hahaha
    • Would they actually release that here!!!
    • Eugene¡¯s expression is cracking in real-time hahahaha
    • Thew of conservation applies here hahaha
    ¡­Yeah, of course. When I stared at the four of them without saying anything, they all subtly averted their gazes and gave the expression of ¡°I¡¯ve never cared about the tail¡± before they reluctantly stood up. It was almost a skill to change their stance so tantly like that. It was impressive how quickly Kim Stone wiped the disappointment from his face and began smacking the backs of those sitting in the room. Right. A friend like him was definitely necessary. I lightened the mood and added something, knowing the others would be curious. "Well, you might have guessed, but the first-ce prize is¡­ a coupon, or something like that. It¡¯s a coupon that makes the rental cost for the equipment needed to enter the theme park free." "Oh, I see. It''s smaller than expected... Does that mean it¡¯s a one-time use?" "No. It¡¯s valid for a month, free of charge. If you convert it, it¡¯s about 1.5 million won."
    • Whoa
    • Not bad, actually hahahaha
    • They¡¯re handing that out to five people hahaha
    • Thinking about it, Hoddeok¡¯s group probably doesn¡¯t need that hahaha
    • Fact) They¡¯ve probably already bought all the entry-required equipment hahahaha
    • Ugh, hahahaha
    It¡¯s not a small amount, but they all nodded with slight reactions, saying ¡°oh, cool.¡± Well, I get it. Given the amount of money they can casually spend in a day, this isn¡¯t a big deal. They wouldn¡¯t need to say that out loud, so I added one more thing for them. "It¡¯s something you probably don¡¯t need, so I¡¯ll take care of the first-ce reward separately. It¡¯d probably be better to give the existing first-ce reward to the second-ce team." "Oh, I¡¯m fine with that. Is there anyone here who thinks it¡¯s a waste?" Thankfully, no one shook their head, so the original first-ce reward was naturally passed to the second-ce team. How much time had passed? Thanks to the towels and drinks delivered by the drone cam, everyone wiped off their sweat and sat down to hydrate. Kato, finally able to speak again, hesitantly opened his mouth. The second topic was¡­ the structure of the theme park. "By the way, sir. I went around the theme park yesterday, and all the booths set up around the area seem pretty strange. How many more Limites are you nning to make..." "¡­Limites? Hey! What¡¯s wrong with me!?" "Of course, no one outside of you can understand it. I knew it. Hoddeok, grab him." "Yessir." "Ugh, let go! I just chose a female avatar because I surrendered to capitalism!"
    • Crazy hahahahaha
    • ''Limites''? What kind of adjective is that hahahaha
    • Seriously, the theme park is full of those pseudo-TS devices, it¡¯s a little dizzying hahaha
    • Pseudo-TS? These are just training groundspared to the real deal, you perverts
    • Transitionplete, when are you turning me into Viyam already!!!!!!
    • Cyber-punishment hahahahaha
    Well, I expected this topic toe up eventually. It was a valid point. It could lead to confusion regarding mental gender, or, to put it mildly, it might produce more people falling into cross-dressing. But the world I live in¡­ well, it¡¯s a bit different in many ways. "¡­It¡¯s a reasonable point, but the reason we set up these booths is for a different purpose." "Oh, really? What for?" "It¡¯s nothing major, just that we want as many visitors as possible to experience it. It¡¯s sort of a buffer." "Buffer?" "It¡¯s a world where anything can happen, after all." In a world where someone could change overnight, what¡¯s the big deal? I casually answered and looked at Iris, and at that moment, everyone nodded as if they understood. As I said, this world I live in¡­ could change in an instant when I wake up. I¡¯ve experienced it firsthand, along with my friends. If it weren¡¯t for recent events, there would be no one who could guess how many historical books would mention men turning into women, or vice versa. Because in this world, materialism and ontological naturalism, and even thermodynamics, have been directly defied. ¡®¡­Though, maybe thermodynamics doesn¡¯t apply here.¡¯ Maybe, to change me, my friends, or the editor into women, a star from the opposite end of the universe might have turned into a supernova earlier than expected. Anyway, I stopped that line of thought there. I had news to deliver to these friends today. With a wave of my hand, I cut off the microphone of the drone cam and added: "By the way, do you all have time this Friday?" "Friday? Didn¡¯t you have a schedule on that day, Eugene? I remember that Friday was marked in red when we picked the datest week." "Good memory. But by chance¡­ it looks like I can squeeze you all into that schedule." "Huh?" I silently lowered my hand and showed them a simple message from my parents. The message was simple. I would be briefly visiting Korea at the end of the week to check the Expo withdrawal process and to gauge public opinion. The message was inviting me to have a meal while I was there¡­ Considering the list of people invited to the group dinner in Rochesterst time, I¡¯m sure everyone could roughly guess what would happen next. A little whileter, Kato confirmed that the microphone and speaker functions of the drone cam were off and asked. "¡­This time, Eugene¡¯s parents won¡¯t ask me if I want to debut as an idol, right?" "If that ever happens¡­ I¡¯ll stop it for you. Want to make a promise, with a pinky swear?" "What an unexpected proposal at such an unexpected time. I guess it¡¯s never boring when I¡¯m with Eugene." ¡­Yeah, I should thank them somehow for wrapping it up like that. Maybe it¡¯s because my actions bounce around unpredictably like a rugby ball, but I must have inherited that unpredictability from my parents'' genes. I can¡¯t help but think that. It was the end of August, as the Expo was winding down. Chapter 659 "Ugh. I felt thisst time too, but wearing such formal clothes that I never usually wear feels kind of weird." "Isn¡¯t this how you would normally dress for an MCN event or a contract thing? I usually wear something like this when I go out." "That¡¯s true, but how did we end up here?" Friday, Week 4, September 7 PM. With only two days remaining before the Expo ends, the lounge, hundreds of meters above the ground, hadrge floor-to-ceiling windows through which the blinding lights of the Expo could be seen. The light pollution was so intense it seemed as if it might be harmful. The sky outside was filled with clouds, and instead of moonlight, rain was falling steadily. Although this year had fewer rains than usual for August, the typical hot and humid summer weather was still very much present. The only saving grace was that numerous drones, floating high above, formed a wedge shape and were gently shaking off the raindrops falling on the Expo and theme park below. Despite this, a considerable number of people had gathered at this location today. Hoddeok, Limit, Kim Stone, and Kato. Plus, Lorenatina and Olivia, along with three of Viyam¡¯s little ones. A total of ten people, each wearing simr or different clothes, were waiting for someone. Some had slightly nervous expressions, while others looked confused about what was happening. Before the main guests arrived, we sat atrge seats where the outside could be seen. "As you can see today, it¡¯s not a course meal. We¡¯re doing a grill-your-own-style, so you can eat as much as you want. The meat will be grilled by humanoids." "¡­Wearing such formal clothes, I feel like I¡¯m at apany dinner." "Except for Lorenatina, everyone here is technically here for an Icarus-rted work dinner. Considering the cost, it¡¯s like a dinner that costs about 50 million won." "Wow." It couldn¡¯t be helped. Since only important people had gathered, we couldn¡¯t settle for something casual. We had imported some of the high-end meats that are usually only avable at ces like Wallje Galbi. There were probably about 30 kg of it waiting. Even as people began to chat among themselves, humanoids resembling the youngest mecha were moving busily to start setting things up. Twelve individual grills were set up, and the food was arranged neatly. After some time, two sets of footsteps could be heard approaching from the open elevator. Naturally, it was my parents. I quietly stood up and walked toward the hallway to meet my mom and dad, who were slowly walking toward me from around the corner. They were dressed much more casually than usual. "Did we arrive toote?" "You must have been hungry, my daughter." "How can you say I¡¯m hungry when I just want to see you, seriously." "Ah, I get it. I get it. My back hurts." Now it was difficult for me to even hug them from behind. I had reached 250 kg, after all. Wherever we go, I won¡¯t be able to ride any attractions at theme parks. Anyway, we walked with my parents to the table, and everyone, except for my friends, stood up and bowed their heads. They didn¡¯t really need to, but still. As expected, Lorenatina and Olivia casually walked over and shook hands with both mom and dad. It was a relief they didn¡¯t do any awkward, formal handshakes like a Beju-Volkis greeting. When the main guests arrived, my mom spoke to Iris. "Nice to meet you. I heard you¡¯re helping our daughter with her work. If there¡¯s anything ufortable about her physical changes or anything, don¡¯t hesitate to tell us. We¡¯ll scold her properly." "Eh, ah, no! I¡¯m actually sofortable, it¡¯s great!" "Why are you interrogating our editor as soon as you meet her?!" Seriously, I was about to lose it. Of course, everyone could tell that part of it was intentional. My parents chuckled and slowly sat down to start eating, while a humanoid that had been waiting nearby began grilling the meat. Only then did everyone begin eating. It seemed like the venttion system had been carefully constructed, as the smoke from the grill was immediately sucked up by the ducts next to it, and soon the conversation began in earnest. Well, it was more like a bomb was dropped. "Jin-ah." "Yes?" "After the Expo ends, we n to leave the mecha daughters in Korea for a while. Probably around October, we¡¯ll bring them back, but it''s not certain." "Since they were brought here by ne, wouldn¡¯t it be fine to take them back the same way?" "Normally, that¡¯s what we nned to do, but there¡¯s been some suspicious talk about the military humanoid business." ¡­Should we even be hearing this? The expression on everyone¡¯s faces showed confusion, but my parents skillfully changed the subject. In short, they didn¡¯t say anything further. I was supposed to figure out the detailster or perhaps guess what was going on myself, so I just nodded without thinking much. Suspicious talk. If I piece together what was just said¡­ Two things seemed clear. First, they had no choice but to leave them in Korea, and second, there was some questionable business rted to military humanoids. ¡®¡­Could other defense contractors be throwing some interference?¡¯ If that was the case, the defense industry friends would probably be sneaking around the U.S. Congress trying to n something right now¡­ but well, the production line was almostplete, so there wasn¡¯t much left to do. Once they put out the high-performance models they¡¯d been using in the Expo as business prototypes, otherpanies would naturally be out of the picture. I get why they¡¯d try to interfere like this. But that wouldn¡¯t be enough. However, the next statement made mepletely disregard those thoughts. "Should we leave them at our daughter¡¯s ce?" "Wait, what? Mom!?" "Just kidding, just kidding. Mom can¡¯t even joke? I¡¯ll leave them at the Icarus Korea branch, so don¡¯t worry." Everyone almost burst outughing. For more than one reason. For a moment, I nearly jumped up in shock. I mean, no matter how big my house is, if the number of guests keeps increasing like this, it would be chaotic. Plus, the originals are over in that other world... Wait a second. Does that mean¡­ my parents are saying they¡¯re going to make the mecha daughters ¡°legally¡± roam the world? When I locked eyes with my mom, she smiled. Jackpot. "Please leave them at the Icarus Korea branch. Our house is too small as it is. It¡¯d be more convenient to have a whole apartment to amodate them." "Right, as I said, I¡¯ll leave them at the branch. But after that, your mom and I aren¡¯t sure what will happen." "Why is that a problem?" The ensuing silence made the situation even more tense. From what she just said, it sounds like¡­ leaving them there isn¡¯t just about finishing up with the Expo, but it might be a prelude to a new mess. My danger sensors were going off like crazy. To understand this unease, I first had to remember that the five machines that would be stationed at the Icarus Korea branch were sentient. They could set their own goals and take autonomous actions. But what in the world were they nning to do? The answer came from my parents. "One day, those kids mighte to visit you because they miss you, and they mighte all the way from Yeouido to Cheongdam." "Ugh." "Jin probably already knows, but those kids¡­ no, wait. It¡¯s better to ask you first. What do you want to do? You don¡¯t have to decide now." It was a much more refined question than the ones I ask the little Viyams. Starting from the question, this waspletely different. So now I had two choices. Should I leave the mecha daughters there, or should I put them to sleep until I need them again? Actually, there might be a third option. Strictly speaking, these mecha Viyams weren¡¯t the main bodies. They were electronic life forms that could move their consciousness freely, and the main bodies were in New York. So couldn¡¯t I just leave them there and open the door when I want them? With that, I gave a simple answer. "I¡¯ll tell youter." "Wow. Eugene, you just totally defeated them..." "As expected, a child can never win against the parents." "Isn¡¯t it usually the other way around?" "I can hear the local broadcast!" It was so frustrating, really. Of course, my parents didn¡¯t start this conversation for no reason. Considering their position now, they needed to lighten the mood a bit after everything that had changed. If I were in their shoes, I¡¯d probably sweat a bit too if I were invited to a dinner with Tim Cook ¨C who, in this world, had probably already retired ages ago. Anyway, my mom gave a smallugh and continued. "You¡¯ve been talking too long. Please eatfortably." As the meat cooked and its fat melted, it sizzled as it hit the charcoal. The dinner had begun. "¡­Didn¡¯t you justugh exactly like Eugene?" "I¡¯ve noticed it before, but it¡¯s really a perfect match." "Thank goodness that kind of joke didn¡¯te my way..." "Now it¡¯s your turn, Kato." Meanwhile, Eugene was unaware of the local broadcasts. In that ce, a separate conversation was taking ce. "Did you enjoy the Expo, everyone?" "Ah, yes! It was so much fun! It¡¯s just unfortunate I couldn¡¯te more often!" "It¡¯s really unfortunate you couldn¡¯te more often. And the two of you, who have been close to our daughter... you seemed to enjoy your time quite a lot, didn¡¯t you?" "Heh, yes, thanks to her." "It¡¯s all because of that Eugene brat..." In the lounge, when Eugene wasn¡¯t around, the table they had been sitting at was quickly cleared, and a new table with desserts, various drinks, and a selection of well-known high-end liquors was set up.@@novelbin@@ As the bubbles from the champagne in the ss rose, Eugene¡¯s mother, Lee So-yeon, let out a quiet breath. Eugene wasn¡¯t present, and neither was her spouse, Eugene¡¯s father, Lee Hyun-jin, who would soon be the CEO of Icarus International. Knowing that, Lee So-yeon began to speak about things she couldn¡¯t say earlier. "This Expo and theme park weren¡¯t originally nned to cover this much variety of content. But after the Manifestation Day, things changed quite a lot." "I see. Could you tell us more about that?" "Originally, we didn¡¯t n to send out the kids¡­ or, to make it easier for you to understand, people like Jin and Rain. But after Manifestation Day, my daughter proposed more than I expected." There was some behind-the-scenes story to that. As this thought passed through everyone¡¯s minds, Lorenatina, just like Eugene¡¯s mother earlier, poured herself a ss of champagne and leaned closer, making sure the conversation didn¡¯t be dry. She was in her 40s¡ªthough no one really noticed¡ªand with that, she skillfully added a few words, which encouraged Lee So-yeon to open up more. "Jin wanted humanoids and manifestors to get closer to everyone and present themselves in a positive way. There was no real need to meet them in person, but she kept going around the Expo... inviting you all here was part of that too." "¡­That makes sense." "Don¡¯t think too much about it. My daughter isn¡¯t that calcting. She does like to help others while making sure she enjoys herself too, but that¡¯s just who she is." Some of them chuckled, especially Kato. But despite everything, they were all gathered here for a reason. Because Eugene had invited them, and in the end, Hoddeok¡¯s group didn¡¯t mind Eugene¡¯s games. Meanwhile, Lee So-yeon quietly looked at Iris, almost as if she was trying to remember something. "Jin wanted others to understand both the struggles and joys of manifestors. In this world, there are people who experience sudden gender changes, and others who grow bodily organs that don¡¯t even exist in humans. Don¡¯t you agree?" "¡­" "Some might jokingly say that manifestors are a step above humans, but that¡¯s too simplistic. It doesn¡¯t guarantee a better life." No one was expected to answer, and Iris quietly lowered her head, lost in deep thought. It was understandable. After all, that was the reality. Humans live their lives connected to others, and when their bodies change, it disrupts the basic premise of rtionships. Lee So-yeon¡¯s lips formed a small smile. Then she looked around at everyone. "Before I was the head of apany, I was just a mother. This was just a way to make my daughter¡¯s vision a reality. If this has brought you joy, I¡¯m sure Jin will be happy too." "Heh. When shees back, we¡¯ll show our gratitude wholeheartedly." "If Lorenatina here doesn¡¯t mind, of course. As you all know, my daughter is a bit shy." Everyone chuckled lightly. Lee So-yeon smiled softly. "It was just three years ago that my daughter returned from America. All the rtionships she had known vanished in an instant, but she did everything she could, and now, this moment, and all of you, are the result of that." "¡­" "My daughter changed the course of your lives, but the reverse is true as well. Thanks to all of you, my daughter was able to endure tough times and reach this point." The lounge had grown quiet. Lee So-yeon spoke again. "We may meet again, or this could be ourst time. But I¡¯ll say this as if it¡¯s thest time. I¡¯m grateful to have you all here as my daughter¡¯s friends, advisors, andpanions. I hope we can continue to have such good experiences in the future." "¡­Of course." "I¡¯m sure no one here owes their life to Eugene, but when he disappears, I¡¯m sure everyone will cry and cause a fuss." "Heh." She took a sip of her champagne and added quietly. "I hope we can meet again like this in the future." "Of course." "Soon, Jin will be back. I hope this time hasn¡¯t been too burdensome for you." "Oh no, not at all. We¡¯ve been through this before, so there¡¯s no way it would be burdensome." That answer was enough for her. Meanwhile, Harmony, Dice, and Iris, with their heightened senses as manifestors, felt vibrations and faint noises. Two sets of footsteps were approaching down the hallway. Not long after, Eugene and her father entered the lounge, and Eugene¡¯s eyes scanned Lorenatina without mercy. At that moment, a small sense of awkwardness settled in, and the conversation continued. "Mom, did you tell them something weird again!?" "Oh dear, what are you talking about? You don¡¯t trust your mom?" "Anyone can tell something¡¯s off!" It seemed like a strange conversation, but maybe not entirely unexpected. While everyoneughed, Eugene¡¯s misunderstanding only deepened. The Expo was nearing its end. Chapter 660 "Somehow, the expo is almost over. I haven''t been able toe much during the final stretch, probably because I''ve been so busytely, but I managed to attend at least when it was about to close. Hehe." "I thought you''d make time toe at least once. KSM ising up soon, time flies. How¡¯s the preparation for thepetition going?" "It¡¯s not much different fromst time. There are a lot of things to adjust if I want to participate as a manifestor, and a lot to take care of, so I''ve decided to use my old avatar in the virtual reality." "That''s how it turned out, huh." It was thest day of the expo, Sunday. As I mentioned recently, August passed, and September was here. The expo, which had seen a lot of action, was winding down. Harmonie and Dice, who had be EM-level manifestors, had smoothly gotten back on track, and so had our editor. Just a short while ago, the fact that I had changed from a man to a woman had caused quite a stir in society, but thankfully, thanks to all the effort in stabilizing public opinion and society, there were no problems whatsoever. Some might have preferred the chaos thates with emergencyndings, watching the mess unfold and the inner conflict of identity, but well... that never happened. ''...Actually, I didn¡¯t want to pass that on to our editor.'' The phrase "pass it on." In other words, it means someone in a higher position gives their experience or wealth to someone below them ¡ª I wonder if everyone figured that out by now. The exnation I just gave was everything I had experienced. Looking back, it was a truly dreadful time. Of course, at the time, it included moments where I had to shoot rioters with a shotgun while dealing with identity struggles, so it couldn''t have been helped. And though it''s toote to say it now, my body had changed so much that I could easily enter the Central Park Health Center ¡ª now renamed Central Park HQ ¡ª without much of a problem. Looking back, this transformed body has been quite helpful. While I was briefly reminiscing, down at therge concert hall of Building D, the idols hired for today were performing under brilliant holograms that could never be seen anywhere else, dancing and singing. Being seen here meant we were in a VIP section that only a select few could ess, but no one paid much attention to it. In fact, someone even added ament. "Wouldn''t it have been more effective if the Mecha newbies had danced instead?" "¡­Unfortunately, the concert hall floor isn''t that sturdy. We¡¯ll think about it next time. Not sure when that will be though." "Wow, I never imagined I¡¯d hear that it¡¯s really going to happen." ...Crazy people obsessed with tails and Vyams. Anyway, that concert had nothing much to do with this expo. Ever since the expo began, many idol groups and their managementpanies had been asking if they could perform. Among them was a request from SSM Entertainment, where Dice and Harmonie were affiliated. Though they mostly y games, SSM is actually apany that develops idols. The performers there were from SSM too. Now that I think about it, I remember receiving a CD from a boy group called Signal 50, or something like that, a while ago. I wonder where that ended up... "If you hadn''t yed games, wouldn''t you be dancing and singing over there?" "That''s an inappropriate joke." "Ack, whyyy¡ª! Why doesn''t Eugene admit that he''s this pretty?!" "I''m not someone who makes a living off my face." Though I wasn¡¯t going to deny it either. The tail, fangs, and pointy ears might make me feel ufortable at times, but maybe it¡¯s just me. I don''t really like dancing in front of others. Still, I have to say, I¡¯d definitely get attention. Those kinds of people usually measure around 165/45, right? But I¡¯m 172/250. It''s a bizarre body that''s already stepping into the physically impossible realm. Anyway, while I was lost in these thoughts, Dice added: "Now that I think about it, after I got that wildcard from you and started getting closer, someone up top asked about you. They wanted to know if you were interested in bing an idol." "...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of that before." "Of course not. I was too busy working my ass off to remember and tell you something like that." ...Well, that¡¯s true. Anyway, while about 10,000 people were watching the performance down below, drones were flying around, carrying loads to somewhere. They were dismantling unnecessary facilities. Expos are basically about renting specific zones. Just like a fair, when Icarus finishes using something, they look for the next person to take over. It¡¯s probably hard to find someone as influential as us though. Because of that, the Incheon Tourism Corporation asked if we could do something more, but well, we¡¯re leaving D-building¡¯s mockbat room and the theme park. I hope they¡¯re satisfied with that. On another note, I saw the Vyams flying around, disassembling the facilities, and they seemed quite restless. No surprise there. Now that the Mecha newbies were finally about to move on from their long and tiring stint as maid-Vyams, it was time to return to being free agents. Not like they ever got paid for it anyway. ...I hope they won¡¯t show up at my ce in Yeouido demanding their sryter on. "So, if I want to see the Mecha Vyams again, do I just need to go to the Icarus Korea branch?" "...I don¡¯t know how it ended up like this, but I guess that''s what¡¯s going to happen. But I¡¯m not sure if they''ll let you in. It might not be as easy to get in whenever you want." "Yeah, that makes sense. If it was easy, anyone could just walk in and try to see them¡­" Exactly. It wasn''t about who could get in or who couldn¡¯t; it was about the number of people. Even at the caf¨¦ where the Mecha newbies were serving, only a few actually received service. If everyone gathered around to see the Mecha Monnani, it would be a hassle. I wasn¡¯t nning on making it public either, so... the first thing I had to do was probably secure a space big enough to house dozens of families. The ce I¡¯m living in now, with Dice moving in right next door, was a miracle in itself. We¡¯ll look for a new ceter. I gazed down at the dismantling expo. Harmonie added from beside me: "Do you have anything nned after this?" "I¡¯m nning to go to the U.S. I have something to keep an eye on. Like I mentioned earlier to my parents, there''s something I need to handle with the military humanoid project." "We can¡¯t keep up. See youter. You¡¯re not going to do a surprise raid likest time at the Asia qualifiers, right?" "Maybe." Everyone chuckled. After the expo near Rochester, another expo, and now off to the U.S. again... I wonder if I¡¯ll go to the final championship afterward. I¡¯m kind of tired of it now. But I¡¯m notining. All the work I''ve done is finally starting to pay off. As I was thinking this, I heard a voice from beside me. "I think you¡¯ll keep living like this forever, Eugene. Even when you¡¯re old... No, when I see Laurentina, she doesn¡¯t seem to age. Will we be like that too?" "Based on age, you should call her something else, not ''sister.'' Anyway, you¡¯re right. Manifestors age much slower than others. You saw how well I did after rolling around in the harsh military, right?" Looking back at those days in the K-military... the answer is obvious. The sergeants who looked like grandfathers, the seniors who looked like retirees despite being around my parents'' age, the ones only five years older than me who already looked like uncles... the military is the ce that speeds up time like nothing else. Yet Laurentina stays in her 20s, even after staying up all night, drinking, and doing tough training in the sun¡ªthough she doesn¡¯t smoke. I¡¯ll probably be like that too. And these guys will be too. They all seemed to have guessed that and added: "I thought so. You¡¯re Eugene, so that¡¯s how it will be." "¡­" "Then, forever with the Mecha newbies, turning this into a tail mountain and heading into space¡­! Ahh!" "Always adding one more word, you brats." "I won''t make my tail that long, Eugene, seriously~!" I knew they were joking. Of course, I was reacting a bit too strongly because... maybe that future was actually waiting for me. Something like how people awaken as psychers in Grimdark 40k... if this world also turns into a ce where everyone gets a snake tail over time... well, that would be pretty horrifying, right? It¡¯s not a matter of rarity. Luckily, Emperor Henry is sitting in the White House right now, so if the Vyams increase, we¡¯ll discuss rted legitionter. Right now, I think they¡¯re nning to wipe North Korea off the map, so it¡¯s a bit early to contact them. There are a few things I still have to do, but I only had one thing to say. "After I take care of all the little stuff, I¡¯ll buy a building where you all can live together. Prepare a lot of money." "...You''re really going to do that? No, never mind, I¡¯m all for it. I won¡¯t oppose it." "Looks like Dice is finally getting the hang of things."@@novelbin@@ If someone had opposed me again, I would¡¯ve had to take their tail off... well, never mind. That¡¯s not going in the right direction. Anyway, like I said, it¡¯s time to reorganize. I¡¯ve been living here for quite a while, but it¡¯s time to make a change. This ce can either be used as a sort of vacation home, or I can put it back on the market. If I manage to secure a new house, there will definitely be a second housewarming party. I¡¯ll probably invite the Mecha newbies too. Though that''s a future thing, and the future tends to turn into reality sooner than you think. I checked my flight ticket to the U.S., which was scheduled for a monthter, and let out a small sigh. "Did everyone enjoy the expo this time?" "Of course. I almost exploded from eating so much." "There will be plenty of times for that. Make sure you all prepare well. Maybe in a few years, I¡¯ll take you all on a space trip." "Space Vyams... I¡¯ll be looking forward to that." "Of course." I said, patting the heads of the three of them. With my left hand, right hand, and tail. It was kind of strange, but I realized that even if one more person joined, I could still pat their head. I guess this is one of the best ways to use a tail, huh? ''¡­'' What should I say? I¡¯ve felt this before, but honestly... while having this body hasn¡¯t been without its difficulties, I don¡¯t regret it, nor would I want to go back to the old days when none of this existed. And I just hope that those I¡¯m patting on the head feel the same way about it. It was summer. A sentence was emphasized, and a new sentence was about to begin. "¡­" The weather has turned chilly. It felt colder than usual. It felt like the expo had just ended yesterday, but already, it waste October, almost November. Kato, thinking about this, opened his eyes inside the nket. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the wall, and when he tried to check the time, the current time appeared on the wall. It was 7 AM. He had gone to sleep at 2 AM the night before, so it was still pretty early to be getting up. He had hugged the pillow - with no cover - so tightly that his chest felt tight and heavy. His body felt heavier than he expected, but it didn¡¯t seem like a cold. The room temperature was just fine. Thinking that, Katoy back down again. The slight wakefulness allowed him to fall asleep again in a few minutes, and during that time, thoughts floated around like fragments. ''...I should wake up around 10.'' Today''s Kato had quite a bit to do. Actually, it was more in the realm of content creation. After spending about a month in the U.S., Eugene returned and checked on various matters, one of which was finding a house for the Mecha newbies and her loyal subordinates. So, with about 100 million dors, she bought an entire apartment building overlooking the Han River. This was something she told me directly. ''To move her close friends into the house next door... what a world...'' Of course, there¡¯s a difference. She didn¡¯t give it away for free. But as expected of Eugene''s trusted subordinates, they all had enough money to get into the house. For Kato, though, he didn¡¯t really feel the need to move in. He made more than enough money to livefortably, even without working, but living near the Vyams was apletely different story. Just jokingly, what would happen if this ce were called the Vyam nest? That thought briefly passed his mind, but it was impossible now. He soon fell back into deep sleep. Before he knew it, the dark sky outside had turned into sunlight, and as it slowly climbed toward the zenith, Kato woke up again. The temperature difference at the end of October was terrible. But by 9 AM, when he woke up, the weather was warming up a bit, though it didn''t feel real yet. He could no longer sleep. Moving his body like a Vyam in the nket, he slowly coaxed his groggy mind awake. The first thing he did was check his phone to see if there were any messages. As expected, Hotteok had sent a message reminding him to prepare for the housewarming. ''How could I forget that... idiot...'' He yawned. Stretching deeply, he felt the same heaviness in his body, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. However, now that it was the beginning of November, he had to be careful about catching a cold. Just in case, maybe I should take some medicine. He thought, carefully getting up. And¡ª "...Eh? Huh?" His hair, like a waterfall, fell. Purple, blue, and pink mixed perfectly into long, flowing hair. For a moment, he wondered if he had left the VR on while sleeping, but when he touched his neck, there was no sensation of a choker. Without realizing it, he lowered his head. But he couldn¡¯t see anything. A body that hadn¡¯t been there yesterday now blocked his entire field of vision. His head started to spin. He grabbed his chest with his hand. The softness he felt from his hand, and the strange sensation in his chest, seemed to pierce through her¡ªhis spine. But that wasn¡¯t all. "Ahhh!" A bluish, but gradually turning red tail fluttered at the tip of his gaze. Yes. When Kato woke up from an ufortable dream, he realized that he had turned into a giant Vyam in bed. It didn¡¯t take long before he screamed. "Shit! AAAAAH!" Kato. Winner of the Mysian Blue Snake lottery. 3 hours before Eugene¡¯s second housewarming. Chapter 660.1 "Hello everyone, this is Nam Sibja-seong. Finally, the inevitable moment hase. Yes, it''s the end... Of course, since I might have confused things with my wording, some of you might misunderstand, but it¡¯s only the conclusion of Part 1. In terms of the story, it feels like the end. If there are people who are disappointed... I guess that¡¯s a good thing. After all, if there are some who were looking forward to it, I¡¯d feel good about it too. But no matter how I think about it, it seems like it¡¯s already reached the point of ridiculousness, and continuing from here would be hard. To be more precise, the reason I''m ending it here is that I felt continuing any further would just be publishing out of habit, rather than creating something new. Honestly, I think it would have been best to end it at the Hawaii chapter if I wanted a beautiful ending, no matter how long it would have taken. After that, things kind of... well, I felt it wasn¡¯t quite right, at least by my standards. But still, I did write everything I wanted to under the tags of ''streaming'' and ''modern fantasy,'' so I feel relieved in that sense. I truly appreciate the readers who have stuck with me until the end. Writing this novel, there were many trial-and-error moments. Honestly, switching from a ''streaming'' theme to a ''pro-gamer'' theme was... well, I guess I could have made that switch, but it felt like it dragged on a bit too long... Even now, when I think about thepletion of the story, there are still things that bother me, and I can¡¯t help but feel disappointed.@@novelbin@@ But now, it''s probably toote. I think from now on, I just need to write well. As a writer, I believe in expressing myself through writing, not by talking about it elsewhere. Anyway, it¡¯s better to focus on the positive aspects rather than the regrets I¡¯ve felt. It¡¯s thanks to everyone who read this that I coulde this far, and because of that, I¡¯m able to write everything I wanted. Thank you, as always. Additionally, as for Part 2, I¡¯m not sure how long it will be, but for those who are hoping for a canonical inclusion of the ''IF'' storyline, I believe it might happen, or it might not. In other words, whether it bes canonical or not, I¡¯ll ept it either way. But I think it¡¯s more likely to be the former, since it would be more fun. Also, some of you had asked about things like the Shark Knight incident or the Gaia capture, but... unfortunately, yes. That''s how it turned out. My mind is already shouting at me to stop forcing out more storylines. I probably don¡¯t remember if anyone still recalls, but I also tried to write about a military survival program, something like ''Steel Troops,'' but it didn¡¯te to fruition. That too, was unfortunate. So, here¡¯s a quick sneak peek at the keywords for some side stories I had in mind: Shark Bear Streaming Useless Items Introduction by Vyam The Military Ex-Officer (What if he continued to be a soldier without ever streaming?) Dark Siren Sicario The Chilly Dismantling Show of the Enemy Kingdom But for Part 3, it seems like it won''t happen, so I¡¯ll exclude thest one. Sicario was a side story idea I thought about, where Harmonie gets kidnapped ¡ª but I dropped it out ofziness. Dark Siren was something I wanted to write with a Vyam in an R-17 game scenario. I might still write that if it''s something light-hearted. As for Useless Items Introduction, well, it¡¯s pretty much a direct rip-off from the content of the author, so I might not write that. The Military Ex-Officer side story? After thinking about it, it didn¡¯t seem like I could make it work, so I dropped that too. Shark Bear Streaming... I might be able to write that, after Part 2 is finished, if people are still interested. And as for the adult-themed side story that you might have been secretly expecting... Hmm... Can I post that? Maybe I¡¯ll put it up on the Surt fanfic siteter on, or I could post a notice or maybe... I won¡¯t be able to drop it suddenly while Part 2 is still running. It''s a bit disappointing, though. I¡¯ll think about thatter. It¡¯s a review of adult products by Dia-bang Eugene. Part 2 should start either this Tuesday or Wednesday. In other words, it will start within a day or two. Actually, I¡¯ve been writing it since I mentioned I hurt my arm. The virus apocalypse couldn¡¯t be resisted. Of course, Eugene in Part 1 and Eugene in Part 2 arepletely different people. And Part 2 will be much more intense. I hope you keep that in mind when reading. Practically, it could be considered an entirely different novel. Part 2 will introduce numerous mentors who weren¡¯t mentioned in Part 1, so if I ever write a prequel, there will be some mess-ups... Anyway, that concludes the not-so-long notice. Thanks to everyone who read Part 1, and thank you for your hard work. Below is the Q/A session. Q: Will the existing characters appear in Part 2? A: Of course. Q: Will Kato ride the Vyam Bongo or the Shark Bongo? A: I think he''ll ride both... moment of silence Q: After the side story ends, will the characters who¡¯ve changed bodies return to their original forms? / What happens to the Gaia capture mission? A: As I exined above, unfortunately... Q: How did you research military-rted data while writing? A: Mostly Google, and I also referred to the manga drawn by Death Pig. These days, I reference Quora a lot. Q: When is the break period? A: As mentioned earlier, it should start on Tuesday or Wednesday. Q: Will there be side stories or IFs after Part 2 ends? A: Probably not... I need to write a new novel... If you have any more questions, feel free to leave ament and I¡¯ll reply after reviewing it. Thanks again for all your hard work, everyone!" Chapter 664 "¡­Ah." The cold air enveloped the room, and the pungent smell of blood rose. Her head throbbed painfully, her eyes stung from all the tears, and her throat was so sore that it was hard to even breathe in and out. Her body feltpletely drained, and she was on the verge of vomiting. The nkets were thickly piled around her, obscuring her vision as the darkness engulfed the room. Eugene struggled to free herself from the covers, fighting through the intense feeling of helplessness that gripped her. The instant the cold air hit her skin, she rushed into the bathroom. Sleep had only been a brief escape, but now the sharp shards of memories were violently raking through her mind. "Cough, ugh, huff...!" Since she hadn''t eaten properly, only yellow liquid came out, but nothing could be seen. There was only darkness. She didn¡¯t even know what time it was. The only clue was the asional switch between day and night that allowed her to roughly estimate the passage of time. It had been a day or maybe two since shest ate, but the hunger was less painful than the searing headache and the overwhelming emotions that surged each time she regained her senses. All she wanted was to see her mom and dad. "...Please, someone..." Every time she intermittently woke up, she begged to some unknown entity. She knew no one could pull her out of this hell. It was something only she could do. Yes. She knew that. But to someone who had already half given up, these thoughts didn¡¯t reach her. As soon as she stepped out of the mess of nkets, a cold, biting chill crept over her. The world around her still felt unbearably cold, and her mind was spiraling downward. Fragments of thoughts, barely even forming coherent sentences, scattered before her eyes. Countless unanswered questions and self-usations poked at her body and mind. ''...You¡¯re a murderer.'' "...No... I didn¡¯t... I didn¡¯t want to kill..." But she had killed.@@novelbin@@ The bodies of the escaped prisoners, still scattered down the hallway, remained like trash. The fresh, red blood that had spilled from them was already frozen solid. ''...Look at this. No one¡¯s going to help you. You¡¯re going to die here, alone, without knowing where your parents are. Just like the people you killed.'' "...Please..." If someone could just dig out her ears and silence these tormenting hallucinations... If someone could remove her eyes to stop the horrific visions... The dead, their faces twisted beyond recognition, haunted her with whispered curses. Her hands and feet trembled uncontrobly, and it was hard to breathe. The thoughts, no, the curse known as thinking, began spiraling, feeding into each other, growing deeper and sinking further into the abyss. Once a hallucination had formed, it didn¡¯t take long for it to breed something new. In this moment, Eugene was clearly mentally dying. But sometimes, even within the chaos of these hallucinations, a new spark would emerge. ''...All your desperate attempts to survive will be for nothing. Everything that man gave you will dissipate like it never existed...'' "..." At that moment. Eugene, without even realizing it, raised her head from beneath the nkets. For just a moment, the hallucinations and delusions stopped. The premise that the entire world was out to kill her, curse her, cracked. A memory, buried deep in the abyss, rose to the surface in an instant. Before a life¡¯s me goes out, that man¡ªSergeant Baker¡ªhad entrusted everything to her, a person he didn¡¯t even know. He hadn¡¯t attached much meaning to it. He had simply wished for Eugene to survive. "Survive," "Don¡¯t die." That will to live hadn¡¯t ignited her spirit, because this ce was and where the living envied the dead. But¡ª "...That man..." Even if he was already dead, even if he was already frozen in the cold, like those escapees she killed¡ªno, far colder than them, frozen outside, his body left unnoticed under the snow, Eugene wished he wouldn¡¯t be treated the same way. At least, she didn¡¯t want him to receive that kind of treatment. As her thoughts aligned with the desire not to see the person who had helped her discarded like trash, Eugene¡¯s next move was clear. It was the moment she decided to leave the nkets on her own ord after two days. "Ugh...!" She didn¡¯t know who she might encounter outside, so she bundled up as much as possible and went out, once again confronted by the bodies of the escapees sprawled in the hallway. There were six of them. Just a few minutes ago, she couldn¡¯t bear to look at this horrifying scene, but as her mind steadied, Eugene flipped one of the bodies over and grabbed the firearm that had been lying next to it. It was an M4 rifle, the kind often seen in American action films, along with two bloodstained magazines, thankfully not soaked through. With the gun in hand, Eugene made her way to the roof, passing the third floor. The night sky was unusually clear, without a hint of cloud, and there was no wind. The stars were so bright it almost felt painful to look at. After crossing the roof, she headed toward the small square she hadst seen, scanning the surroundings. And how long had it been? "...Huh?" The square, unlike what she had imagined, was not as she expected. The square was somewhat cleaned, though notpletely. But the supplies that had been piled on the truck were now neatly stored nearby. To figure out what had happened, Eugene cautiously descended thedder. She heard the soft creaking of the rungs as she descended, still wary of the surroundings. As she approached the square, she realized it wasn¡¯t aspletely cleaned as she had thought. "This is..." There wererge and small belongings and clothes scattered in a small pile, covered in snow, but that wasn¡¯t the most important thing. At the center of the pile was a wooden log, standing upright like a cross. It was unmistakably a cross. The meaning of this was clear. Someone had gathered the bodies of the victims here and set up a simple grave with a cross on top. Plop. Eugene silently sat down, wiping the tears that had formed on her sleeve. "...I¡¯m d... I¡¯m d, sob..." It wasn¡¯t simply that someone had respectfully dealt with Sergeant Baker¡¯s body. The small cross in front of her was proof that, even in this horrific world, there were people who could pray for the peace of others. If she had stayed locked away inside, she might never have found this. This world, as cold and terrible as it seemed, might still hold warmth, and the desire for a dignified, noble death. That alone gave Eugene an immense sense offort. She sighed. The cold breath left her mouth like a waterfall, but as she stopped crying, she no longer looked around with the same desperate eyes. What was certain was that she had found a reason to survive here. And in that moment, "...Ugh." The hunger that she had forgotten about hit her like a wave. Eugene didn¡¯t hesitate. She gathered up the survival supplies scattered around, as if they had been intentionally ced for someone to find. And before long, near the ce she had been staying, the bodies of six escapees were discarded on the roadside. The sounds of crunching and sniffing continued until dawn. "...Ah." It was the end of January, rare for the snowstorm to stop, revealing a clear night sky. Eugene, waking up with swollen eyes from the cold, crawled out from under the pile of nkets. Her appearance was disheveled, but she reached for the automatic rifle propped against the wall, aiming it at her surroundings. No one was there. The past two days, terrifying as they had been, had passed. And another two days had gone by. Butpared to before, Eugene''s expression had changed dramatically. At least, there was no longer despair in her eyes. Anxiety and fear remained, but Eugene had learned a simple lesson from what happened just two days ago¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t known it before; she had only now truly felt it in her body. That was why her expression had changed. "...If I don¡¯t act, nothing will change." Knowing something and putting it into action werepletely different things. She realized this a bit toote, but fortunately, there was no deadline in this world. So, the first thing Eugene did was focus on restoring her condition to its peak. Luckily, after eating and sleeping properly, her body recovered without much issue. But whaty ahead was more than just physical recovery. Being physically prepared was only the minimum. Eugene would go outside and try to find other friendly people. Thankfully, one of the necessary preparations was already in ce. ''...Thank you, Sergeant Baker.'' The map he had. Because of that map, Eugene finally realized where she was¡ªit was the Mapleton area of Brooklyn. Though she''d never heard of Mapleton, she knew Brooklyn was in the United States. It was hard to believe she''d fallen into this ce with her current body, butining now wouldn''t change anything. The map detailed various significant locations in the Brooklyn area. Naturally, all the information was in English, but through the surroundings and context, Eugene could deduce where she was and, more importantly, where the U.S. military might be stationed. Her destination was a hospital located a few kilometers to the northwest of her current position. In addition to that, there was another crucial piece of information. "...It looks like the road to Manhattan is partially blocked." The bridge marked with an X. It seemed that for some reason, it was blocked off. However, the most critical information was elsewhere¡ªthe yellow areas marked on the map and the word "QUARANTINE." Initially, she didn¡¯t understand it, but after traveling around the area, Eugene could guess what it meant. The biological hazard symbol and the gas mask next to the word were clear indicators. Signs that read "No Entry" surrounded certain stores and buildings, naturally directing her to turn back. Thanks to that, Eugene realized why this world was only half destroyed. ''...A virus.'' The Omega Virus, it seemed, was the cause of everything. Eugene let out a deep sigh, thinking about the goal of finding a friendly soldier. She began to pack her duffel bag. She didn¡¯t know how long she would be out, so she needed to prepare for whatever was ahead. Along with the attachment she had formed for the nkets and food here, she gathered water, food, and the all-important hand warmers. She would not survive long without them in this cold. Her body was far from suited for surviving the winter, but staying in ce wouldn¡¯t result in someoneing to rescue her. Eugene no longer believed this world would offer help. She packed everything she would need. But¡ª "...I can''t believe I''m carrying this." A gun. A military assault rifle, no less. And in her pockets, a handgun and spare magazines, along with the gear worn by the prisoners. The bulletproof vest with tes inside was heavier than expected. The fully loaded magazines felt heavier than she had imagined. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with firearms. The holographic sights, shlights,ser sights, and the unfamiliar stock on the assault rifle didn¡¯t feel as foreign to her as they might have to someone else. The only downside was that she had only two spare magazines. It felt almost like she had returned to her military days. "...How did I end up like this?" There was nopanymander who had been responsible for the shooting orders. No nomissioned officer standing by to prevent safety idents. There had been no check on the magazines before starting the shooting, no need to report if a malfunction urred, and no safety inspections needed. Everything that happened after pulling the trigger was her responsibility. But for some reason, now that she was fully prepared... maybe something was still possible. Eugene thought this to herself as she stood up. ''...I¡¯ve only been here for a few days, but already, I¡¯m afraid to leave.'' It wasn¡¯t exactly cozy or warm, but this was the first shelter that had allowed her to survive. Now, it was time to leave. Eugene carefully opened the door and crossed the dark hallway. Every step she took on the frozen bloodstains crackled, and she cautiously opened the front door. Under the cloudless, clear night sky, Brooklyn was frozen, with no wind. A lone figure began crossing the street. "Well..." She didn¡¯t know how many others were hiding here besides herself, but that was no longer something Eugene needed to worry about. The horrible memories of Mapleton slowly receded. Without a single nce behind her, she disappeared from the first shelter, her first step into the unknown. Eugene had made her first move. Chapter 665 "Ugh, it''s so cold... Mom... Dad..." 4:00 AM, -17¡ãC. Amid the eerie silence and bone-chilling cold, a solitary figure struggles through the city. The thick nket of snow, the anxiety of not knowing what might emerge from the surroundings, and the intense cold, not to mention the contaminated zones marked on the map¡ªzones that Eugene had never actually navigated by map alone. All these factors continued to slow Eugene''s pace. "...Should I have moved when it was a little warmer... ugh..." Even with a mind that wouldn''t function properly, Eugene understood well enough that this was not a good n. If she had roamed alone in broad daylight, it would have been inevitable that someone inside a building would spot her. Especially here in the U.S., where getting a gun was shockingly easy. Even with some armament, if she were to get shot in the head on the road, she would be finished. Moreover, there was an advantage to her choice of traveling at night¡ªher eyesight was remarkably sharppared to ordinary people. Even in theplete absence of light, Eugene could distinguish objects and the outlines of roads with remarkable rity in the darkness. This was precisely why she decided to move at night. Of course, the advantage would gradually fade once the sun rose. She was battling the cold. "...I-I hope my tail doesn¡¯t freeze off..." How did a snake-like tail end up attached to her body? Fortunately, thanks to several heat packs she had activated and attached to herself, the tail had not frozen yet, and Eugene sighed in relief as she pulled out her map and surveyed her surroundings. The scene around her, seemingly void of color, was incredibly dull, likely due to the falling snow. Without checking the map intermittently, she could have easily ended up on the wrong path, but thankfully, that didn¡¯t happen. But cold was still cold. At first, she had been walking while aiming her gun, but less than an hourter, she was trembling, clutching her arms tightly, struggling to move toward her destination. The closest destination on the map was the Maymoniz Medical Center. It was arge block-sized hospital near Brooklyn''s Borough Park. However, the map indicated it as a Temporary HQ. She recognized that abbreviation from FPS games¡ªHQ meant headquarters, at least that much was clear. However, no matter how long she walked, the distance hardly seemed to shrink. It was shrinking, but Eugene¡¯s body was nearing its limit before it could even process the reduction. The sun had risen, but the sunlight did nothing to alleviate the cold. She hadyered her clothes to the point where she could barely move, wrapping her tail as well, but the cold still relentlessly gripped her. To make matters worse, her stomach was growling. The energy expenditure due to the cold had increased her calorie needs drastically. How much time had passed? Dizzy and weak, she had no trouble crawling into a nearby tall building. It had been too cold and her hunger had driven her to take refuge. Because of the virus crisis, all doors were more or less open, and Eugene decided to rest near a building not far from the Medical Center. "Ugh, huff, cough...!" As the cold grew harsher, her body began to fail. Her metabolism slowed, and the food in her stomach stopped digesting. She could feel the familiar signs of nausea creeping in. She struggled to press a hand warmer against her stomach and quickly rummaged through her bag. From her duffel bag, a horribly tasteless MRE popped out, but to Eugene, who had mostly lost her sense of taste, the more urgent need was for a heat pack. Several minutes passed. As she finally grabbed a heat pack, she managed to swallow some warm food and wrapped the now cooling heat pack in a towel. She rolled her beloved nket around herself, cautiously holding the towel close. It was better than freezing to death or burning. With the warmth came the sound of quiet sobs echoing in the empty building. After some time, feeling the warmth seep into her body and her drowsiness take over, Eugene leaned against the cold wall and started to drift off, slowly falling into a light sleep. Just as she was finally getting a break from her battle with the cold and replenishing her strength, a loud gunshot rang out from outside. It was close. ¡ªThudthudthudthud! "Eek...!" Eugene immediately threw away the now lukewarm heat pack and grabbed the gun hanging from her side, sluggishly checking her surroundings. Even through the closed windows, the sound of gunfire was clearly audible. It couldn''t be more than 100 to 200 meters away, and she realized that the shots wereing from near her destination. Eugene hurriedly left the building. Her mind raced with conflict, but she knew exactly what had to be done. In order to survive in this world, she had to meet soldiers and see what was happening. A little whileter, when she reached the vicinity of the battle, she witnessed the situation firsthand. "Push! Push them back! Wipe those idiots out!" "Set up a perimeter! Damn escapees are upying the area near the hospital building and attacking the temporary HQ!" Soldiers in greyish military uniforms and escapees in orange prison jumpsuits were exchanging gunfire. The next moment, Eugene realized she was in an advantageous position to attack the escapees, and she made her way toward a nearby vehicle, lying t on the cold snowy ground. It was the most precise shooting method. She didn¡¯t know exactly what was happening, but one thing was clear. The bad guys were attacking something. The action was swift. "Die, you bastards...!" She had no mercy for the enemies who had brought her such horrible memories. She pulled the trigger, and one escapee fell, blood sttering as they hit the ground. The situation began to shift in a strange direction. "The enemy is trying to enter via the children''s hospital and the parking lot!" "Evacuate the civilians! Make sure those damn escapees don¡¯ty a finger on them!" "Urgentmunication from NYU Langone Hospital! The Brooklyn military docks and terminals are under attack too!" "...The terminal is only 2 km away from here. First, we push these damn rioters into the Hudson Bay! Deploy machine guns in every corridor!" Captain Parkwson, leading the 107th Military Police Company under the 104th Military Police Battalion of the New York National Guard, issued orders with bloodshot eyes from within themand center. His grayish military uniform was disheveled as if he hadn¡¯t changed it in a while, and he hadn¡¯t removed his gear either. The sounds of gunfire were incessant from outside, and the CCTV screens, powered by the hospital generator, disyed scenes from within. Escapees in orange jumpsuits were storming in. There were at least two fullpanies of them, and no one could understand where they hade from. But what was certain was that the defending force here consisted of only about two squads, and they couldn''t expect any support from Fort Hamilton¡ªat the southernmost point of Brooklyn¡ªwhere the HQ was located. Orders from the Central Park eagle hade through: The military units responsible for security and military operations outside Manhattan were to retreat to Central Park within a week. Some bridges had copsed, and some werepletely destroyed. Even before Captain Parkwson was dispatched here, they had been forced to relocate the HQ and began evacuating civilians, using boats. If this ce fell, there was nowhere to go. The transport to evacuate them wouldn¡¯t arrive until at least two dayster. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. "Escapees have infiltrated the neurosurgery building!" "Damn it, Henry should¡¯ve been bombing Rikers Ind the moment the pandemic started... Report on the status of defense lines!" "We haven¡¯t evenpleted half! If we get resources from civilians, we can speed it up, but... what should we do?" "Take the volunteers. If none, recruit them. Make sure women and children can evacuate if necessary." Thudthudthud! The noise continued toe from within. The sound of automatic weapons. All the prisoners from Rikers Ind had been freed and scattered across Queens. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach Brooklyn. They had first raided the police armories and attacked the LaGuardia airport, which was very close to Rikers Ind. Tens of thousands of refugees gathered there, and blood was reportedly ankle-deep at the airport. The same weapons used in that attack were now being used here. The bastards. Except for a few important operations officers, all the nonmissioned officers and officers had dug trenches and mounted machine guns. There was plenty of ammunition and firearms, but the soldiers had all fallen ill and were incapacitated. The sounds ofbat grew nearer. Messages about casualties and injuries came through the radio, but Captain Parkwson ignored them, focusing mechanically on themand. Until something unusual appeared on the CCTV screen. "Out." "What?" "Something¡¯s happening outside. Zoom in." And then, the external footage filled the screen. It should have been full of escapees, but now it looked different. The escapees were firing in a different direction. About six or seven of them had already copsed, bleeding on the ground. Bullets came from another direction. The pressure from the front had momentarily eased, which was remarkable in such a dire situation. Whoever had helped, in this urgent time, had made a significant difference. The decision was quick. "The enemy¡¯s firepower gap is at the parking lot. The closest troops are in 3rd Squad... Lieutenant Ellison!" "I''m in, Captain!" "Push the parking lot! Freefire granted!" "Understood!" The next scene was simple. About twenty soldiers flooded into the parking lot in waves, opening fire on the escapees, who fell like ragdolls with holes in their bodies. Once the frontline cracked, the situation changed rapidly. The escapees had littlemunication equipment, and as the 3rd squad pushed from behind, the escapees¡¯ positions were quickly outnked. Within minutes, a full squad of prisoners was eliminated. It was an operation that could have earned them a medal in any other war movie, but sadly, all they would get for their efforts was a sip of ice-cold water. During the assault, four friendly forces were wounded, two fatally. But of the 200 enemies, over 100 were dead, and over 50 were killed while trying to flee. The remaining 50 scattered throughout the city. Unfortunately, unlike in typical war movies, all Captain Parkwson had to await were the chilling silence and the slowly freezing bodies of the over a hundred escapees. Fortunately, this was a massive medical center, and there were doctors among the civilians. The wounded could be treated without any major issues. As Captain Parkwson sighed heavily, Ellison, the Lieutenant, walked into themand room, finally smiling, and sat beside him. "You did well. That was impressive. Anyone from your squad get hit?" "God protected us. No one got hit. The timing was perfect." "Yeah... seems like it. Who the hell helped us, though? Is it those Icarus folks who¡¯ve been helping people around quietly?" "It wasn¡¯t them." "Not them. You speak confidently. Did you see something?" Just then, Lieutenant Ellison gave a subtle nod to Sergeant Morton, the assistant squad leader, and he slipped outside. How much time had passed? Soon, an unexpected figure appeared in front of Captain Parkwson. "...What the hell." Parkwson thought it to himself as he saw her, but kept quiet. Her long hair was disheveled, greasy even. She was quite tall. At first nce, it was hard to tell if she was male or female, but her face, visible beneath her hair, was unmistakably that of an East Asian woman. Moreover, she was exceptionally beautiful. But that wasn¡¯t the issue. What caught his attention was the M4 rifle slung over her shoulder, still smoking from the muzzle, and the dog tags wrapped around her hand. As she entered the building, disinfectant fluid from her body dripped in small drops onto the floor. The child wearing a mask looked almost like a puppy with a muzzle. What should he say? Before he could think, Sergeant Morton spoke up. "The angle at which the escapees fell and the position where this kid was hiding¡ªseems like this little one helped us."@@novelbin@@ "...Better than saying one of the escapees turned traitor. But what¡¯s with the tail?" "This." With a swift movement, Sergeant Morton lifted a woolen hat from her head, revealing a brown snake tail that briefly flicked out before disappearing again. As he covered it up again, Captain Parkwson fell silent. The child¡¯s pupils were shaking, but Parkwson didn¡¯t notice. He began to recall the list of civilians here¡ªthere were people with odd features, like changing hair colors or growing tails and ears. Moreover, there was Lieutenant Richmond from 1st Squad, who had passed away recently... For whatever reason she hade, he decided to trust Sergeant Morton¡¯s words. After sighing deeply, Captain Parkwson finally spoke. "Do you speak English?" Finally, the child¡¯s expression softened. He felt an urge to pat the small¡ªthough not exactly tiny¡ªchild on the head. Chapter 666 "¡­Is that so? Baker, that bastard, finally¡­" "...?" "Such a strange world. The favor that bastard gave you while he was dying, hase back to you like this. Damn bastard... Thanks, kid. Thanks to you, that bastard didn¡¯t waste his steps after all." "...I don¡¯t really understand what you¡¯re saying..." "Yeah, I figured." The battle had passed through the Maymoniz Medical Center. The cold, refrigerated air was faintly filled with the nauseating smell of blood. By now, his subordinates were probably throwing the bodies outside¡ªCaptain Parkwson thought as he looked at the dog tags of Sergeant Baker, which he was holding. A small piece of metal, with the name, social security number, blood type, and religion. Along with the map, and a note that the kid, who introduced herself as Eugene, had been carrying. It seemed like an insignificant trace left by the death of one person. He swallowed the terrible bitterness that rose in his throat and added, addressing the sergeant, Mitchell, who was the only woman in the squad here, the one waiting nearby. "¡­Mitchell. Make sure to take care of this poor guy. I need to contact civilians. I should find out if anyone here speaks Korean. By the way, this kid isn¡¯t from North Korea, right?" "South! South Korea, sir...!" "Got it, got it." He waved his hand, and the red-haired Sergeant Mitchell, who had been called, took Eugene outside. Eugene, looking bewildered, ced the firearm down in themand room and disappeared into the corridor. If she could understand enough to catch that much, then she wasn¡¯t entirely deaf, and instead of getting up himself, Captain Parkwson sent someone nearby to look for someone who could speak Korean among the civilians. There were not many with higher authority within a few kilometers of here, and there were no U.S. soldiers in this hospital. That was why he was able to act like this. Themand room had be much quieterpared to earlier, aside from the soldier monitoring the CCTV cameras, and soon, Lieutenant Ellison of the 3rd Squad and Second Lieutenant Frost of the 2nd Squad entered the room. They pulled chairs and began to speak. "Do you know what I¡¯m thinking right now, Captain?" "You¡¯re probably thinking about how to use that kid, huh? Don¡¯t dream, kid. Judging by the looks of it, she¡¯s probably not even 18." "She said she was 21, damn it." "Does she look 21 to you?" "Hah, please. Asians don¡¯t age easily, that¡¯s a trait. Trust me, I¡¯ve been to Japan three times, alright?" Utter nonsense. He sighed and stood up, with the two following him to the back of the building. He lit a cigarette with a sigh as thest of it burned. "Is the manpower really that short?" "There was never enough manpower. The point is, the situation is so bad that we need to borrow that kid''s help now. You know Baker and Sergeant Bentley were killed somewhere in Mapleton, right?" "¡­I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. We should have gotten out of this hellhole faster. Brooklyn¡¯s already a lost cause. With the fragmented forces like this, we might barely be able to hold Manhattan." "When¡¯s the boating? I hope they don¡¯t send us some Zodiac boat likest time. I¡¯d prefer to avoid that kind of shit." "I don¡¯t know." He threw the butt of his cigarette aside and continued. "To be honest, they might just send a transport helicopter and that¡¯s it. We¡¯ve got about 70 civilians here, and if that happens¡­ we¡¯d be totally screwed." "If we head through the Carey Tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan¡­ no, wait. I think the venttion building there copsed. Is that true?" "Do you want to know how many people drowned there?" An ufortable silence filled the air. It wasn¡¯t looking good. Even the reportsing from Central Park were dropping off rapidly, and they couldn¡¯t even figure out what was happening in Manhattan. The travel itself wasn¡¯t an issue, as long as they had sufficient transportation. But supplies were getting scarce, and everyone was weakening. They had managed to scrounge up fuel from a nearby gas station for the generators, but... Vehicles were out of the question. The roads were clogged with abandoned cars. But the one thing that was certain¡ªstaying in Brooklyn was a death sentence. Movement was inevitable. But for that massive move to happen, they needed a lot of manpower, and right now, every person was crucial. It hade down to square one again. Even now, everyone, except the elderly, was being mobilized for various tasks, and adding one more person wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. Second Lieutenant Frost spoke up. "I heard she¡¯s pretty good with a gun. We¡¯re not in a position to be picky. To be honest, she¡¯s a lot better than the idiots who went off and got themselves killed early on¡­ except for themunication problem, of course." "Yeah. I¡¯ll need to talk to the kid calmly. We¡¯ll have to give her something to do, at least. The n will be decided afterward."@@novelbin@@ "2nd Squad is down two people. If you¡¯re going to send someone, send them over here. We¡¯re running out of manpower." "Alright, alright." He sighed as he returned to themand room. There was a lot to do. The unexpected skirmish hadpletely skipped breakfast, and lunch was about to be served. The two squads had way too much work to handle. He needed to distribute lunch rations to the civilians, clean up the enemy bodies scattered across the facility, and the soldiers who fought today needed to finish clearing the guns. Dysfunction led to death. But that was that, and this was this. When he returned to themand room, he was met with a significantly tidier, and noticeably plumper Eugene. ...Plumper? "¡­Mitchell. I told you to take care of the kid, not turn her into a snowman." "It couldn¡¯t be helped. She was freezing. She even started throwing up. I had no choice. You know snakes are very sensitive to temperature changes. It was unavoidable." "...Alright, I understand. And the person next to you... it¡¯s Matthew, right? Do you know some Korean?" "I¡¯ve been on a few business trips there. I¡¯m not really confident, but I¡¯ll try my best since I¡¯ve received some help." The sound of a chair being pulled out echoed. A table with a polycarbonate divider was set up for conversation. She was wearing a different mask now. She looked much cleaner than before. The tail slowly wriggling behind her bothered him a little, but at this point, it wasn¡¯t an entirely unrealistic sight in this world. Lightning struck in vivid colors, and people were growing animal ears. At least, he couldn¡¯t be sure yet if she had contracted the Omega Virus, so he subtly adjusted his mask and asked. "Where are you from?" "..." "When did youe to the U.S.?" "I came here on a trip, but I got stuck. I was trying to get to the airport, but there were too many people¡­" "She says she came to the U.S. on a trip but got stuck. She was trying to go to JFK International Airport but couldn¡¯t make it." Instead of answering where she was from, she ced a finger on the map. Luckily, she hadn¡¯t stayed or passed through any highly contaminated areas. Of course, that wasn¡¯t a guarantee. She needed to be properly tested for peace of mind. After that, Captain Parkwson asked her a number of questions. Matthew, the man beside her, tranted her answers into English without any major issues. Sergeant Baker¡¯s fate was as expected. The surge of escapees recently had wreaked havoc on the surroundings. His head throbbed, but there was nothing more he could do. He sighed, feeling the small metal piece in his pocket. Meanwhile, Eugene, blinking her eyes, wasn¡¯t left without gains. After four days in this world, she had finally gotten an answer about what had happened. The virus. It was the greatest cause of destruction in New York, and the whole of America¡¯s infrastructure had crumbled under its weight. As their general knowledge matched up, Captain Parkwson spoke. "I understand your objective. I think I can help with that. But I can¡¯t help you for free. We¡¯re severely understaffed. We can provide food, shelter, and clothing, but in exchange, we¡¯ll needbor. Understood?" "You can get food, clothing, and a ce to stay, but you¡¯ll have to work." "..." Without hesitation, she nodded. It felt as if she had nowhere else to go, like a little puppy that hade to thest ce with people. For a brief moment, Captain Parkwson imagined it in his mind. But such thoughts were quickly reced by the harsh reality. He didn¡¯t know what Eugene had gone through, but in a broken society where tragedy wasmonce, this was something that happened all too often. He didn¡¯t offer emptyfort. Instead, he opened the polycarbonate divider and extended his hand. Eugene hesitated for a moment before carefully reaching out and grabbing it. Captain Parkwson spoke again. "Wee to the 107th Military Police Company, kid." After falling into this world, she had finally grasped the first lifeline she could hold onto. It had only been a few hours since her true calling as aborer had been discovered. "...Ugh, English is so hard..." My head hurts... It''s been 4 days since I ended up in this unfamiliar ce called the United States, and in exchange for a room, food, and clothes, I started studying English¡ªsomething I would never have done if nobody told me to. This is where I am now. But on the other hand, I never thought I¡¯d need to study English this much in my life. If I don¡¯t cram it in and practice, I won¡¯t be able to talk to others. I¡¯ve never opened such a thick English dictionary during my school days when doing exercises... The old Oxford English-Korean dictionary wasid proudly on the table, but I couldn¡¯t focus on it at all. How do I even study this...? ¡®...I guess I shouldn¡¯t just memorize random words like I used to, right?¡¯ As I started thinking about what I might need to say most often, or what they might ask me, I began to get a clearer idea of what I should study. At least I¡¯ve passed the topic of my tail, but just because the highest-ranking person didn¡¯t ask me any questions doesn¡¯t mean others won¡¯t. If they ask something detailed, instead of a simple "I don¡¯t know," how do I say "I just woke up and it happened like this?" My head hurts from thinking too much. And... "¡­I¡¯m hungry." I¡¯ve eaten something, but it¡¯s still not enough. I realized recently that ever since I¡¯ve had this body, I¡¯ve been getting hungrier. My stomach growls more often. Maybe this body burns calories differently. At first, I had stomach issues from eating improperly canned food, but when I warmed up some MREs, I didn¡¯t feel any pain. Fortunately, here, some of the MREs were thrown away, so I secretly grabbed a few. At first, I thought they were spoiled, but they weren¡¯t. I guess I was just hungry because I could eat anything. I don¡¯t know why they throw this away. After eating a couple of Ready-to-Eat packs, I felt full enough and threw the remains into the trash before diving back into studying English. ...But I¡¯m a little sleepy. But sleepiness is actually a good thing. Not long ago, I couldn¡¯t sleep properly. I was tired, couldn¡¯t sleep, had nightmares, woke up crying... I had to throw myself into something to escape that, and that¡¯s how I got this room. I¡¯m d I made it this far. I decided to think as positively as I could. There were still many unresolved issues, but thinking about those would just make me feel down again. So I spent the next hour or so alone in my room, practicing English sentences, memorizing words I thought I¡¯d need. I wasn¡¯t sure if the grammar was right. Maybeter I could try to check it with an electronic dictionary. With this, I thought I could at least say a few things. A little ungrounded confidence surged up. But then¡ª nk! "Eh, whoa, he, hello! I¡¯m fine, thank you!" "...What¡¯s that smell? Kid, did you eat MRE in your room?" "Eh, eat? Yes! I eat!" "...Sigh." Was it ridiculous? Or what should I call it? The person who introduced themselves as Mitchell gave a halfugh. I was so embarrassed. She smiled and asked. "Did it taste good?" "Yes, yes! Delicious!" "Military food¡¯s worst enemy, huh? Follow me. Over here." "Ah, yes. Got it." At least I understood "Come"... Mitchell''s expectations seemed to match mine. After waiting for me to follow, she gave me a look as if I should always have a dictionary in hand whening out, and then we both headed somewhere. Luckily or unluckily, the Maymoniz Medical Center was massive. It was almost the size of ten ser fieldsbined. Because of that, a huge amount of supplies could be stored here. This... viral apocalypse, I guess, is what you¡¯d call it. In this semi-destroyed world, it was thanks to the size of the medical center that they were able to feed more than 70 civilians. I¡¯d heard that if you searched nearby houses, warehouses, and buildings, you could find some food. As we moved, Mitchell would asionally stop, pull out the English-Korean dictionary, and write down words with their Korean meanings. It seemed like writing Korean wasn¡¯t too difficult for her since it was based on sets of straight lines and circles. When she handed me a memo, the main point of it was:
    • This facility stores arge amount of supplies, but distributing and moving them requires a significant amount ofbor. You¡¯ll soon be helping with that task.
    "¡­Ah, yes! Yes! I understand! I¡¯ve done this kind of work before!" "...That¡¯s your homework. Now trante what you just said into English." "Eh, what?" How do I say that? "Part-time job"? Is part-time job even the right word in English? Isn''t that Konglish? I was quick to recall "part-time job" from my memory, but by the time I was figuring that out, Mitchell and I had arrived at the back of the medical center at the logistics warehouse. She quickly introduced me to the soldiers working there. I didn¡¯t understand a word of what was said, but the soldiers in grayish military uniforms waved me over, brought a cart, and began filling it with items. Thankfully, by then, I understood enough bodynguage to get the gist of "follow the person ahead," and I slowly started following the soldier pushing the cart. It felt like a tutorial moment, and for some reason, it was surprisingly easy. At first, the U.S. soldiers loading the cart seemed to be testing my stamina by not loading too many items on it. But as time went on, they began stacking high piles on the cart. I didn¡¯t feel any difficulty at all and increased my pace. By the time I finished, the others looked at me with expressions that seemed to say, "At least this kid can do something." But sadly, the work wasn¡¯t over. A new truck arrived, and it was loaded with... barrels of ammunition. I wondered if I should touch them, but the soldiers exchanged looks before saying to me: "Don¡¯t open it, kid." "Yes, yes! I understand!" They chuckled at that. Then, they quickly began unloading the barrels. They each grabbed one with both hands and started walking with it. When I asked if I should put them on the cart, the soldier on the truck shouted, "Explosion!" Oh... now that I think about it, that makes sense. If it tumbles and clinks, it might explode. That''s scary. So everyone began carrying two barrels each. Some even put four or five in their duffel bags to avoid tearing. Slowly, they walked off with them. There were hundreds of barrels piled on the floor. I figured I could pick up two, one in each hand, and started carrying them without any issue. "Eh, why are these so light?" I stopped for a second and then put the two barrels down. Someone behind me asked, "Is it too heavy for you?" but I ignored them and started stacking them in the duffel bag. I ended up stacking six. Each barrel said "20kg" on it. So, 120kg? They tried to stop me, but before I knew it, I had the bag on my back, effortlessly carrying it. I felt almost surprised that it was so easy to carry. With two barrels in each hand and six in total on my back, I followed behind the others without any trouble. The people ahead were shocked, but I didn¡¯t feel the strain at all. "Ugh, if only I¡¯d gotten this body in Korea, I¡¯d be a rich man from loading and unloading...¡± It seemed like I had found my calling. For the first time since falling into this world, I was proving useful. Meanwhile, at the logistics warehouse, it didn¡¯t take long for the puzzled faces of the soldiers to transform into smiles. A goodborer was always wee. Despite the heavy load, I didn¡¯t feel the weight at all. The soldiers had started to add more and more items to the cart, seemingly testing my strength. However, I was keeping up just fine. Their surprised expressions when I carried thest of the barrels told me that I had earned their respect, though they probably didn''t expect me to be so useful. Mitchell gave me a brief, approving nce before motioning me to follow her once again. She was now quite pleased with my progress. "Not bad, kid. Looks like you''re good for something after all." "Thank you! I can keep going!" "Good. Keep up the pace." After some time, I finally caught up with the group, and together, we reached another part of the warehouse. At that moment, some of the soldiers looked at me with a new level of respect. "Hey, that kid can really work. He¡¯s carrying more than some of the others." "Yeah, and withoutining. Pretty good for a rookie." "Maybe we¡¯ll put him to good use after all." It felt like I was being epted into the team, and for the first time since I had ended up in this chaotic world, I was starting to feel like I belonged. I wasn''t just a burden anymore. However, the work was far from over. We had to unload more supplies, sort through the boxes, and transport them to different sections of the facility. By the time we finished, everyone was tired, but at least we were moving things along. We had done more in those few hours than most of the soldiers had managed to do in days, and I could see that my presence was appreciated. "Hey, good job, kid." "Thanks! I¡¯ll keep going." With that, we continued working, moving boxes, and preparing for whatever was toe next. But despite the exhaustion and the ongoing tension from the outside world, I was proud. For the first time, I was doing something that mattered. I had found my role in this broken world. A small victory in a world full of defeat. Chapter 667 "" "" "" "" End of January, Brooklyn, New York. The sky visible from the window was chillingly clear, and outside the building, there was a constant mechanical sound, as though machinery was running. It was the sound of winter''s icy wind sweeping across Brooklyn. The whiteboard was being updated daily with the quantities of supplies and fuel. Naturally, the numbers¡ªi.e., the stock¡ªwere decreasing day by day. The thing Captain Parkinson was most concerned about was fuel. The 191kw generator installed in the basement of the hospital consumed about 24 liters of diesel per hour, and with the weather never rising above -15¡ãCtely, the fuel consumption for heating had skyrocketed. No one knew when the weather would clear up. The only certainty was that the fuel would run out before the winter passed. "" "" "<...I wonder what¡¯s in Central Park.>" As time passed, the Dark Zones of Brooklyn and Queens¡ªthewless areas¡ªcontinued to expand. The only thing holding off the mobs and escaped prisoners was a defensive line that barely held together. It was like an ind slowly sinking beneath the rising tide of the sea. Central Park HQ had also ordered a retreat and regroup after many of the local National Guard were killed, not wanting to lose any more lives. But could Central Park... No, could Central Park withstand this adversity? That was something no one could be sure of. But one thing was clear¡ªif they stayed trapped here, they''d all die. The weight on his shoulders was immense. So, he decided to find some sce. "" "" "<...What?>" Captain Parkinson''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. A canister filled with live ammunition weighs at least 20kg, and therge ones filled with grenades can go up to 28kg. So, how was this kid lifting and moving 8 at once? But when he checked the CCTV footage, the result was clear. Eugene carefully pulled the ammo cans out of the duffel bag. There were 6 cans, and he was holding one in each hand. And this wasn¡¯t a one-time thing¡ªhe did it repeatedly, finishing in just a few hours what would normally take at least two days. And that wasn¡¯t all. "<...So, this kid did most of the misceneous tasks in just a few hours?>" "" "" "" "" Despite therge stock of food, much of it was MRE (Meals Ready-to-Eat), notorious for causing constipation¡ªbut no one wasining about food now. Frommanders to low-ranking soldiers, everyone was eating the same. Still, they weren¡¯t without some conscience. Fresh produce from nearby grocery stores or refrigerators and advancedbat rations like CCAR would also be distributed as needed. The conversation naturally shifted back to the subject of Eugene. "" "" "" "" The emergency room and children''s hospital. These areas werepletely sealed off, with firewalls and thick walls blocking anyone from entering. They were where many of the early infected patients had been quarantined during the Omega Virus outbreak. At this point, all other areas had been fully decontaminated, but the emergency room and the adjacent wards were still too contaminated to approach. Even the 222nd Chemical Company, which had been part of the 104th Military Police Battalion, had dered that decontamination was impossible in these zones, so there was no point in discussing it further. Meanwhile, the two lieutenants seemed to want to say more, but Captain Parkinson shook his head and sent them out. He could already guess what they wanted to say. They¡¯d probably be asking about making that kid abatant. But that was, of course, impossible. Withmunication still an issue, the shortage ofbat personnel didn¡¯t mean they could just throw anyone into a squad. They knew this, but as always, they were just voicing their frustration. Anyway, aside from that, Captain Parkinson was nning to call Eugene. He wasn¡¯t abatant, but as nonbat personnel, he was an excellent asset. A few dayster, he didn¡¯t know exactly when, but when the time came to leave, Eugene would be a huge help in transporting heavy objects. For example, right now, Eugene could move the Mk.47 Striker ALGL¡ªan advanced lightweight grenadeuncher, the most powerful weapon the 107th Military Police Battalion had¡ªfaster than anyone else. ¡®Normally, it would have been ssified as a destruction item to prevent it from falling into someone else¡¯s hands...¡¯ The weight of theuncher itself, along with the fire control system, coordinates drone, and the separate transport of grenades, made it impossible to carry earlier. Despite the 107th¡¯s duties in patrols, order maintenance, reconnaissance, anti-terrorism, and escort missions, they weren¡¯t expected to use such new grenadeunchers. Many hadn¡¯t even finished reading the manual on it yet. But if the opportunity arose, it would be better to take it along than leave it behind. He thought about this while contacting Sergeant Mitchell and gathering the necessary materials before the two arrived. There wasn¡¯t much to prepare¡ªjust the location of theuncher and the truck¡¯s license te number. How much time passed, he didn¡¯t know. "Ah, hello..." "" "Uh, thank you. Thank you..." "<...All you can say is ''thank you,'' huh?>" "" "<....>" Eugene and Sergeant Mitchell entered together. Captain Parkinson took a chocte bar from his pocket and handed it to Eugene, who bowed repeatedly to express his thanks. Smiling without realizing it, he opened the Oxford English-Korean dictionary Eugene had and started noting down several words. The first question¡ªwas she infected, or not? At that moment, Eugene shook her head, and Mitchell showed the printed test results: negative. She was not infected. Only then did Captain Parkinson get to the point. "There¡¯s something you need to do." "What... is it?" "It¡¯s simple. Move some stuff." Using as simple words as possible, he exined the task. A simple task of moving an object from point A to point B at a specific time. However, the real challenge began after that. But he had prepared for this situation and spent considerable time preparing. He exined each concept as though talking to a kindergartner¡ªsoon, everyone would leave the base and head to Manhattan, and Eugene would be tasked with moving the grenadeuncher, fire control system, and grenade boxes. However, what Captain Parkinson overlooked was that Eugene had already done something like this before. "Oh, this is like abat readiness training... Yes, yes! I know! I understand!" "...Can we trust him, Mitchell?" "I¡¯ll make sure he reviews itter. But, shouldn''t we tell him what he has to carry?" "That¡¯s what I was nning to do." Screech! As Eugene chewed on the chocte bar, Mitchell patted her hair and added: "Well, let¡¯s go see what you need to carry." When they saw Eugene carrying over 120kg of equipment without breaking a sweat, Captain Parkinson and Mitchell were left speechless. "Work on clearing 49th Street is progressing. The snowstorm is a bit of a problem, but we expect to clear a road passable for vehicles within two days." "At this point, I¡¯m not even surprised. Probably thanks to Eugene, huh? I feel like we''re asking too much of him." "He seems to be doing fine withoutints. But we should check on himter. He should rest when he can." "Alright. I¡¯ll mark progress on the map. Let¡¯s reviewter. Seems like luck is on our side..." At 11 PM, in the Brooklyn Meimoniz Medical Center Command Center. Normally, the screens showing CCTV footage would disy images of the outside world, but now they were showing nothing but the dark, snowstorm-covered outside. It was a direct feed from the drones outside. The city, where the lights never went out, was now pitch-ck, with the nearest part of Brooklyn, closest to Manhattan, shrouded in darkness. This was because the power had been cut off long ago. But tonight. Under the night sky of Brooklyn, hidden behind clouds and without moonlight, dozens of people were working together to literally ''clear'' the road. And at the center of it all was Eugene. They were lifting the cars blocking the road. The method was simple. Smash the side window of the car with a spiked hammer, disengage the brakes, and then manually tow the car. The reason they had to do this was simple. The vehicles left abandoned on the streets during the escting virus outbreak were blocking the roads. To ensure the safe and swift evacuation of about 70 civilians, along with the same number of 107th Military Police Battalion personnel, military vehicles were essential, and clearing the roads was inevitable. Additionally, there was another reason why people were manually clearing the road. "Stalker team, is there any movement nearby?" "This is Stalker 1-1, no sign of anything yet." "Understood. Keep up the vignce." To be precise, it wasn¡¯t really about clearing the road manually¡ªit was about not being able to use heavy equipment. Fuel and noise issues with the heavy machinery were part of the reason, but the biggest reason was the potential presence of enemies who could ambush the work site. Just days ago, the base had almost been attacked, so they had to remain extra cautious. Because of this, Captain Parkinson and the rest of themand team kept checking for any signs of movement nearby, but their focus was easily distracted by the fascinating sight on the screens. One person grabs the back of a car, and four or five others push it to the side of the road or onto another vehicle. Normally, it would have taken ages to move one car, but here it was done in less than 15 seconds. All that was needed was for Eugene to recover her strength and stamina. "How many vehicles are left?" "About 38. Around 22 will be handled by the Langon team." "At this rate, it should be done by today, or at thetest, tomorrow... It might be an easier evacuation than we feared, assuming the raiders don''t attack again." "The Langon team has priority for evacuation. Let''s hope nothing happens before then." "...Yeah, there probably will." If anything, it would be more surprising if nothing happened. At least these people were skilled at distinguishing between hopes and reality. On the other hand, those who couldn¡¯t make that distinction were all lying dead on the ground. But despite this, the operations officer noticed that Captain Parkinson¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t as grim as expected and added ament. "For all that, your expression doesn¡¯t seem too bad." "...Does it look that way?" "Considering that you thought we might not even make it out, I expected you to be much more down. At least the situation in Manhattan must be better than here, right?" "Can¡¯t argue with that. But they won¡¯t be able to cut us off. Mark my words." "Is that so?"@@novelbin@@ Half of them still looked skeptical. Captain Parkinson then brought up one of the most recent messages from Manhattan Central Park HQ. After reading it, the operations officer couldn¡¯t help but smile. "Seems like those guys at HQ will go to any lengths to help with the evacuation. If they don¡¯t arrive in time, they¡¯ll throw out a decoy. Good timing." "Yeah... looks like Baker''s trying to help us out until the end."
    • [A message sent to all military units capable of receiving it, from Manhattan Central Park HQ.]
    • [Units holding or protecting individuals with animal traits, so-called ''mutants,'' are required to report to HQ by any means possible.]
    • [Precise evidence is required.]
    "...Mutants. You don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to extract blood to make vines or something, do you?" "Don¡¯t even joke about that, kid." "Understood." But what if? In this chaotic world, sometimes crazy ideas could be epted. Looking at Eugene on the screen, they just hoped their ominous imagination was nothing more than that. He spoke up. "Alright, make sure to prepare some hot cocoa. When youe back, just give it to that kid in private. We can¡¯t give it to everyone out there." "Understood. Won¡¯t you have some, sir?" "I¡¯m not fond of sweets. I¡¯ll go smoke a cigarette. If anythinges up, call me." "Understood, sir." With that, Captain Parkinson slowly left themand center, and the operations officer, after checking the surroundings, took out some cocoa powder and sugar from the hidden stash in the break room and started heating up the remaining milk. Outside, the snow continued to fall gently. Brooklyn, with no power and no people, was consumed byplete darkness. Chapter 668 "Ah, it''s cold... Ah, hello. Hello¡­." "" "Water¡­ Ah, little! Little drink!" "" "" 1:30 AM, Brooklyn Borough Park, Maymoniz Medical Center Command Room. One by one, those who had snow piled up on their heads and shoulders carefully returned to the entrance, and the iron gate that had been firmly shut opened, weing those who had justpleted their work or patrol missions outside. The diesel fuel, one of the most precious resources as ofte, was burned to generate electricity that provided heating from the first to the fourth floor of the medical center pavilion, and the snow umted on their bodies began to melt little by little. Among them, only Eugene, wearing a woolen hat, was left behind in themand room. The woman sitting in the chair took off her gloves and started to blow on her reddened fingers to warm them. Looking at the scene, Captain Parkinson quietly asked. "" "" "" "" What should I say? Over the past few days, Eugene¡¯s burden about speaking English had slightly lessened, and now she was expressing herself clearly, even with short words. She didn¡¯t even notice when her lips loosened, and in that moment, the operations officer, who had already predicted that expression change, subtly moved to the break room. It didn¡¯t take long for a sweet smell to fill the room, and the source of that smell was so distinct that even she could recognize it the moment it reached her nose. A small smile appeared on Eugene''s face as her cheeks flushed. "Wow, wow, hot chocte¡­." "" "" "" Did she really understand? She couldn¡¯t be sure, but after shaking her head a few times, Eugene seemed to get the hint and carefully grabbed the cup. Steam rose from the mug. The warm steam floated into the air. Soon, a small slurping sound was heard. At that moment, Eugene¡¯s eyes grew as wide asnterns, and with a smile on her face that clearly showed she was happy, she began sipping her drink. Just then, the voice of the operations officer came from behind. "" "" "" "<¡­I expected it, but I didn¡¯t think it would be to this extent.>" He said that, but he couldn¡¯t disagree with the operations officer. Even without exaggeration, there were few people who wouldn¡¯t feel affection for her, whether in terms of appearance or personality, especially while she was sipping hot chocte. ¡­Before arriving here, one might wonder what kind of hardships she must have ovee. It was a horrifying story, but as society copsed and the range ofw enforcement was reduced to a level akin to an anarchic society, crimes that would have been hard to even speak about became frighteninglymon. Murder, looting, arson, rape, orbinations of those crimes. Could it be assumed that this girl hadn''t experienced such things? ''...'' But, naturally, they knew well that there was no reason to speak of such things in front of others. Instead, Eugene¡¯s Oxford English-Korean dictionary, which had been sitting in front of her while she looked wistfully at her now half-finished hot chocte, was gently opened. The book was quite worn from frequent use. Although he couldn¡¯t read the scribbles, it was clear there were notes written in it. Flipping through the words, he formted a few sentences in his mind, wrote down words that might be hard for her to understand, and spoke. "" "¡­Central Park?" "" It was a bit ambiguous to conclude that she understood, so he wrote down a few more things on the paper ¨C the week of January and the exact departure time. After seeing the ¡°30H¡± written on the paper and hearing about the departure, Eugene nodded as if she understood, and Captain Parkinson exhaled softly, as if he was about to say something but stopped himself.@@novelbin@@ He had heard from Sergeant Mitchell about how Eugene ended up here and what her purpose was¡­ and he realized that he couldn¡¯t help her with that. ''¡­This little one said she came to travel from Korea¡­'' Indeed, for quite a while... No, maybe even until the day her natural life expired, she might not be able to return to Korea. Even if the U.S. President - who might be in some bunker by now - were to intervene, it wouldn''t guarantee her return. Perhaps it might be possible, but there was no way they would send a ne just for her. And maybe even Korea itself¡­ No, there was no need to mention this. The girl wasn¡¯t a fool. She was probably pretending not to know, desperately trying not to be sad. He thought to himself. So, he simply added firmly: "" "" "" He took a breath and spoke again. "" "<¡­I understand.>" "" "<¡­Yes.>" The cup, now empty, was taken by the operations officer while Captain Parkinson rubbed his tired eyelids, stood up quietly from his chair, and brushed off the droplets of water from Eugene¡¯s hat and shoulders. He felt an impulse to ruffle her hair but refrained, simply adding: "" "<¡­Thank you. The hot chocte was delicious.>" "" Eugene stood up slowly from her seat, turned, and walked toward the door leading outside themand room. She nced back at the soldiers standing guard in the room with a somewhat reluctant expression. Not long after, with a click, Eugene sniffed and carefully closed the door behind her. Thest thing Captain Parkinson and the operations officer saw were her flushed nose and eyes, with tears brimming in her eyes. A brief silence passed, and Captain Parkinson checked the new message from Manhattan. "" "<¡­Well, I hope only good things happen.>" "" Message from Manhattan: Prototype Icarus Gear Operator Recruitment - Target Mutants. Not knowing what Icarus or gear was, the two of them sighed deeply, praying only for Eugene¡¯s future to be brighter. At least it wasn¡¯t a biological experiment, and that was the only unanimous thought between them. The night in New York was dark, and time passed. "Wake up, little one. It¡¯s time to go." "¡­Eh, ugh¡­ Yes, I¡¯m going." ...At the sound of someone knocking loudly on the door, I struggled to open my eyes and saw a ceiling I didn¡¯t recognize. It looked like I might have been hospitalized. However, there was nothing unusual about it. I was in a small hospital room. The only difference was that I wasn¡¯t in a cast or hooked up to an IV. This was the ceiling of a hospital room in the Maymoniz Medical Center. Like most hospital rooms, it was quite small, with only an adjustable hospital bed in the room. That was where I was lying. When the door opened, the hallway lights turned on, and through the dim light at the boundary between the dark room and hallway, I could barely make out the face of Sergeant Mitchell, her face illuminated from behind. I looked up at the LED clock. It was 5 AM. There was quite a bit of movement outside. The soldiers and civilians stationed here had probably already gotten up. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to think so. Anyway, today was a few days after I had arrived here, and that meant... It was time to leave this ce and head for that notorious Central Park. Having heard many warnings sincest night, my preparations didn¡¯t take long. The things I needed to bring were much simpler than before. A few days'' worth of meals, water, my English-Korean dictionary, and my favorite nket. I had already packed my duffel bag earlier, and fortunately, unlike what the soldiers had told mest time, I had already moved the grenadeuncher and ammunition to the truck before I went to sleep, so all I had to do now was take my bag. ...In other words, the gun I brought with me recently was unfortunately confiscated. It wasn¡¯t a handgun, though. Sergeant Mitchell smiled a little and added: " " "Yes¡­." Though a few days had passed, I could now hear English more frequently. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and put on my clothes. The heating had already been turned off, and the hallway felt cold. I bundled up in thick clothes and, with my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, headed downstairs to the cafeteria. Most of the people were already done with their meals. I sat down at an empty spot and looked around. There were more soldiers than civilians. The meal was thetest CCARbat ration, something that usually didn¡¯te out. I heard it was dropped by a transport ne. As I chewed on a semi-dried banana bar that still retained its original vor, Sergeant Mitchell briefly exined what would happen today. "" "Transport nes? Evacuation¡­?" "" "Aha." Fortunately, Sergeant Mitchell exined some confusing words in Korean with her slightly crooked handwriting. It seemed her Korean skills had improved a bit. Anyway, I understood the basic details of today¡¯s mission without much trouble. Including the evacuation from Langon Hospital. "" "Aha." "" There were a few words I didn¡¯t quite catch, but I understood the gist. Langon Hospital had more valuable things, so they were evacuating earlier than us. After a bit more exnation, she used gestures and added that our unit would continue the perimeter defense mission until 6:30 AM and that civilians would be evacuated first. Then... Does that mean I¡¯ll be leaving first? It was a little disappointing to think about - and then she continued speaking. "" "...Eh? Why¡­?" "" "...Ah." I felt embarrassed and covered my face with my palm. She was right. Right now, I weighed around 200 kg. The hospital bed I was lying on had temporary steel reinforcements. It was good that I had strength, but I didn¡¯t expect to weigh this much. Anyway, although I was a little uneasy, I felt better than I would have with the civilians because I had grown closer to the soldiers. Whether she knew what I was thinking or not, she continued. "" "...Yes, I understand." "" At the same time, Sergeant Mitchell ruffled my hair. I hadn¡¯t washed yet, but¡­ Anyway, it was time to go. We headed downstairs, where I saw soldiers loading civilians orderly onto trucks, wearing thermal gear in the dark. Emergency lights, reflective vests, dim lighting, whistles. It was loud, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Without it, controlling the situation would be impossible. Captain Parkinson checked the refugee list until the very end and simultaneously sent out a truck with 15 civilians and another heavily armed escort truck with the grenadeuncher I¡¯d moved. I heard there weren¡¯t many vehicles, so the escort truck would need to return. It was a heartbreaking shortage of supplies. In the meantime, Lieutenant Ellison, who had be friendly with me after thest incident, came up and added: "" "I already told her, Lieutenant." "You''re quick. Stay here and wait." It seemed like they cared for me too much... The trucks began to leave. There were no headlights, but I saw that the drivers had night vision goggles, so it seemed like it would be okay. Minutes passed. Trucks with 15 civilians made five trips back and forth, and it was finally time for the soldiers to board. Since there were about the same number of soldiers and civilians, it took a while before it was my turn. But now... it was my turn to leave this ce. "" "Ugh...!" Lieutenant Ellison patted me on the back, and I stepped onto the truck. Coincidentally, the truck I boarded was the one with the grenadeuncher I had moved earlier. It had a small cushion on the floor for people to sit on, which was a bit cute. Once everyone had boarded, the truck roared to life and slowly started moving. It didn¡¯t take long to exit the parking lot. Just then, how long had passed? Lieutenant Ellison pressed a button, and a faint vibration was felt from inside the hospital. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize it was the procedure to destroy any excess ammunition, ensuring no one could take it. Just a few days had passed, and the second sanctuary was already being buried in darkness. I muttered weakly in English. "<¡­Can patients evere back here?>" "<¡­Someday, they will.>" That was such a fleeting hope that I couldn¡¯t say anything. Watching Maymoniz Medical Center, the first ce to give mefort and peace, being swallowed by the darkness, I was ovee by an indescribable emptiness. Would I live this drifting life forever? What about Central Park? Could I adapt there too¡­? But one thing was for sure; as I feltst time, I wouldn¡¯t know unless I went there myself. Hoping for a little rest ahead, I buried my face in the duffel bag. It was such a dark world. - This is the Ripper. Currently hovering over the Brooklyn escape point. The wind is picking up again. I estimate fuel consumption to be 15% higher than expected. - Check. Anything unusual? - Uh¡­ Not sure, but MTA station¡­ near 36th Street Greenwood subway station Chapter 669 "" "" "" "¡­Eh, ugh, ah¡­" "" Langon Hospital, officially NYC Langon Hospital Brooklyn... and about 700 meters to the north, the Bush Terminal Ser Field. Wherever you look, the air is filled with painful sirens and the shouts of people. With the wind slowly picking up again and the massive ne approaching from the sky, the chaos only intensified. Without realizing it, I started to feel uneasy, and I carefully grabbed Sergeant Mitchell¡¯s hand, which was tightly holding mine, as if she were my mother. The confusion here... was muchrger than I had imagined. But I couldn''t say that I didn''t understand it. "¡­We will make it out, right¡­?" I had heard somewhere before that fear and chaos were the quickest spreading emotions. Perhaps now I could truly understand that. Looking around, the people were murmuring anxiously. The ones who looked calm were probably those who would board the next ne and escape to safety, right? But just as if to dismiss such thoughts, the ne that had been a tiny dot in the sky began descending slowly, surrounded by a slight trail of me. It was a very unusual-looking aircraft. A ne that couldnd vertically¡­ Its imposing presence left everyone speechless for a moment. That was when I noticed the holes in the ground of the stadium. How much force must it take to make that happen when it takes off? While I was staring absentmindedly at the scene, Sergeant Mitchell, who seemed just as awestruck, added: "<¡­Incredible. It¡¯s not tilt-rotor, but tilt-jet design? How can they operate something that massive for hours with enough fuel in this world?>" "¡­Huh?" "" ...I couldn''t understand English, so I was frustrated. Anyway, as I began to regret my earlier decision to ept being with the soldiers, the aircraft slowly descended above the ser field. Even the soldiers controlling the area stopped talking, staring silently at the breathtaking sight. Even I, having been in the military, was at a loss for words. It was the kind of thing you¡¯d only see in a military documentary or movie, happening right in front of me. The only difference from the movies was that when the transport hatch opened, the people who had been waiting started to rush out recklessly. ©¤©¤©¤Thud-thud-thud! "¡­Ugh¡­!" "" "Sergeant¡­" At that moment, the sound of gunfire filled the sky. The soldiers in charge of the control immediately opened fire into the air as the situation seemed to escte. My heart nearly dropped. I was terrified, truly terrified. Before I realized it, my breathing became erratic, and my hands and feet were shaking. As soon as Sergeant Mitchell noticed, she grabbed my hand to calm me down. Fortunately, I could understand the words she said tofort me. Thankfully or unluckily, the people who had been startled by the gunfire managed to board in an orderly fashion, and the transport hatch closed tightly once the 75 civilians, along with their luggage, had been squeezed in. It didn¡¯t take long for the aircraft to lift off, and as the civilians disappeared into the sky, a profound silence and the cold winter wind filled the space left behind. Unfortunately, the transport that would arrive in 5 minutes was scheduled to first support the evacuation of the remaining 32 civilians and the 104th Military Police Battalion, which had been guarding Langon Hospital. In short, this was the n:
    1. Civilians are evacuated first.
    2. The 442nd Military Police Company that had been stationed since 3 AM starts evacuation, with the 107th Military Police Company taking over the defense line.
    3. Full evacuation of the 442nd Military Police Company, followed by the joint evacuation of the 107th Military Police Company with two transport nes.
    I had even been suggested to board the transport first, but... like everything else, there were procedures, and unfortunately, my weight was toorge a variable to fit into the n. And it wasn¡¯t that I was goingst, either. To be specific, the ne arriving now was scheduled to take the remaining 32 civilians and about 40 members of the 442nd Military Police Company, who had been guarding Langon Hospital. The next transport would take about 30 members of the 442nd Military Police Company and heavy weapons, and I was supposed to board that transport. I had heard that if they included part of the 107th Military Police Company, the perimeter defense would bepromised. ¡­To understand this, I had spent about two hours before I fell asleep earlier today learning about the procedure. It was tiring. Anyway. "" "<¡­Yes.>" When I recalled the things I had learned, my anxiety subsided a little... well, a lot. I looked around, and after some time, I saw Captain Parkinson talking to someone. It was hard to see clearly, but they must have known each other, being fellow soldiers. The current time was about 7:00 AM. I had heard that sunrise was around 7:30 AM, and sure enough, the surroundings gradually began to change from a dark color to a deep blue. The air around me started to tremble slightly. I didn¡¯t know how, but strangely, my body could detect even the faintest vibrations in the air. A new transport ne wasing. By now, some of the civilians and members of the 442nd Military Police Company had begun waiting, and the soldiers who had arrived with me on the truck started to enter the defensive lines they had apparently set up earlier, beginning perimeter defense. ¡­It was all so fascinating. ''¡­Is this why they¡¯re soldiers, with such self-sacrificial qualities? How can they carry out their mission without hesitation even when society is this broken?'' My past military service suddenly came to mind. It hadn¡¯t been much different from everyone else¡¯s. I went through training, got assigned to a unit, bonded with seniors, worked hard at what I was told, made friends with my peers, participated in training now and then, and did guard duties and tasks. I just did my time, trying not to get hurt, doing the bare minimum to get by, waiting for the day I¡¯d get discharged, and then eventuallying back to society... ¡­If I were a soldier, would I have been able to carry out my duties without fear? As the transport loaded up 70 more people and took off, the stadium in Brooklyn was left with only me, a few members of the 442nd Military Police Company, and some from the 107th Military Police Company. From a distance, I saw Captain Parkinson approaching. He soon reached me, ruffled the pom-pom on my hat with his hand, and added: "" "<¡­Did I do well?>" "" Although I didn¡¯t fully understand everything he said, I had a sense of what he meant. As I reached up and gently caressed his hand on my head, he took off the patch on my shoulder. The sound of it tearing was quick and light. The 107th Military Police Company. Everyone here had that patch on their shoulders. He then put the patch into my pocket and said: "" "<¡­Yes, of course¡­ really¡­.>" It was such a small, light gift, yet why was I tearing up? That small acknowledgment seemed to prove that the past week, the time I had spent here, was valuable. It felt as if all the terrifying experiences I had gone through were melting away like snow. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, slowly soaking the scarf around my neck. I reached out and gently embraced him, and though he seemed unsure of what to do, he returned the hug tightly. From his embrace, from the several magazines in his gear, came the scent of metal, but I didn¡¯t mind at all. I was so grateful to everyone, but unfortunately, it was impossible to hug each of them because they were all busy with their perimeter duties... But we¡¯d all meet again in Central Park, for sure. "" "" Meanwhile, the transport ne that had carried 75 people returned, and a strange soldier from behind called out to me. He introduced himself as Captain Colton, the one in charge of the 442nd Military Police Company, and I began walking slowly toward the transport ne, leaving Captain Parkinson and the 107th Military Police Company behind. Heavy weapons that were too valuable to abandon, and the remaining 40 soldiers, all still here. I began to slowly lift my feet, and without thinking, I looked up at the sky. And after some time, I spoke. "" "" "" "" At that moment, Captain Colton looked up at the sky, but by then, I realized it wasn¡¯t a star. It was definitely not starlight. It was more like... what should I call it? Yeah. A missile¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! Boom! At that moment, from the sky... an explosion? As it fell just a short distance from the base and ignited a massive column of fire, Captain Colton shoved me into the transport hatch. Screams echoed.@@novelbin@@ "" "" "" Things were starting to go awry. "" "" "" "<¡­What about the kid with the snake tail?>" "" "" As the sky brightened with the dawn, an eerie atmosphere began to settle over the area, and from afar, I could see the growing number of escapees approaching. The dot was moving. But through the optical sights on the guns, the faces of the enemies were revealed, their eyes filled with greed and a sadistic pleasure as they approached. As this happened, the transport ne had already taken off, carrying 70 people, and after they left, Brooklyn¡¯s ser field was left with only me, some members of the 442nd Military Police Company, and the remaining members of the 107th Military Police Company. In the distance, I saw Captain Parkinson approaching. Soon, he reached me, ruffled the pom-pom on my hat with his hand, and said: "" "<¡­Did I do well?>" "" Although I didn¡¯t fully understand everything he said, I had a sense of what he meant. As I reached up and gently caressed his hand on my head, he took off the patch on my shoulder. The sound of it tearing was quick and light. The 107th Military Police Company. Everyone here had that patch on their shoulders. He then put the patch into my pocket and said: "" "<¡­Yes, of course¡­ really¡­.>" It was such a small, light gift, yet why was I tearing up? That small acknowledgment seemed to prove that the past week, the time I had spent here, was valuable. It felt as if all the terrifying experiences I had gone through were melting away like snow. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, slowly soaking the scarf around my neck. I reached out and gently embraced him, and though he seemed unsure of what to do, he returned the hug tightly. From his embrace, from the several magazines in his gear, came the scent of metal, but I didn¡¯t mind at all. I was so grateful to everyone, but unfortunately, it was impossible to hug each of them because they were all busy with their perimeter duties... But we¡¯d all meet again in Central Park, for sure. "" "" Meanwhile, the transport ne that had carried 75 people returned, and a strange soldier from behind called out to me. He introduced himself as Captain Colton, the one in charge of the 442nd Military Police Company, and I began walking slowly toward the transport ne, leaving Captain Parkinson and the 107th Military Police Company behind. Heavy weapons that were too valuable to abandon, and the remaining 40 soldiers, all still here. I began to slowly lift my feet, and without thinking, I looked up at the sky. And after some time, I spoke. "" "" "" "" At that moment, Captain Colton looked up at the sky, but by then, I realized it wasn¡¯t a star. It was definitely not starlight. It was more like... what should I call it? Yeah. A missile¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Whoooosh! Boom! At that moment, from the sky... an explosion? As it fell just a short distance from the base and ignited a massive column of fire, Captain Colton shoved me into the transport hatch. Screams echoed. " " " " "" Things were starting to go awry. "" "" "" "<¡­What about the kid with the snake tail?>" "" "" The eastern sky was gradually brightening, and with it came a heavy, ominous atmosphere as hordes of escapees started to approach from the distance. The dot was moving. However, through the optical sights mounted on our rifles, the faces of the enemies were magnified and painted with greed and a twisted delight at pursuing their malicious pleasures. In the midst of all this, if the missile had fallen after the takeoff, at least those who could have survived would have had a chance, but before the ramp even closed, the missile had struck, and the 442nd Military Police Company was forced to return to the frontline. The result was Captain Colton standing next to Captain Parkinson. And... only three people. "" "" "" "<¡­What?>" "Captain¡ª!" It hade to this. He felt a headache and turned his head to see Eugene, her face almost in tears, running toward him, followed by three soldiers who had seemingly failed to stop her. Should I have exined it to her earlier? He thought, but by now it was toote, and he sighed. At least the V-44TA1 wasn¡¯t flying off and was still sitting in the stadium. He had to stay where he was tomand, but luckily, the situation wasn¡¯tpletely lost yet. For example¡ª "" "" "" There was no certainty. He didn¡¯t know what the situation in Manhattan was like, and the nes that kepting in might have been the maximum support Central Park could provide. But above them, unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with missiles were offering fire support. Given that, it wasn¡¯t an entirely hopeless battle. The only thing he regretted was that, at some point, Eugene had gotten too close to this ce and he hadn¡¯t been able to send her to Central Park. He prepared to order her to turn back. But¡ª "" "<¡­Listen carefully. I¡¯ll say it once. Get on that damn ne, and go to Central Park. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll have to drag you onto it.>" "" At that moment, she dug into her pocket and showed him the patch of the 107th Military Police Company that he had just given her. In the meantime, had her English skills improved dramatically? He thought, but before he could say anything, Captain Parkinson was struck silent by what Eugene then showed him. It was a Glock pistol engraved with the initials of Sergeant Baker. It seemed she had hidden it, but as she started to cry, she added: "" "" Then you might die too. He thought he would say that, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to. He didn¡¯t know what Eugene had been through, but during the pandemic that had covered the world, she had likely endured horrors that made the living envy the dead. A few minutes ago, he had put the unit patch into Eugene¡¯s pocket. If that became a real keepsake, and the members of the 107th Military Police Company who would soon follow him became corpses... He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether this young girl, learning of such a fate, would ever lead a normal life. It was a far-fetched assumption, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t persuade Eugene at this point. He spoke: "" "¡­Huh?" "" "Yes, sir!" "" There were no more words. Maybe he would regret it, maybe he would die in regret in a few minutes. But the dice had been thrown, and the only way left was to survive after burying all the enemies. As Eugene disappeared with Sergeant Mitchell, Captain Parkinson clenched his teeth. The battlefield was waiting for him. "<¡­Confirmed. The contaminated are emerging inrge numbers, heading toward the honeb. Code Alpha has been issued.>" "" Meanwhile, somewhere about ten kilometers away. A massive fire truck equipped with a huge wedge capable of pushing vehicles aside began heading toward Brooklyn, packed with armed troops. Chapter 670 "" "" "" The battle officially begins. Fear starts to swell in my chest. I haven''t encountered the enemy yet, but I have no idea how things are unfolding. Even though Sergeant Mitchell half-forced a bulletproof vest on me and handed me a rifle, I still couldn''t process it. The briefing and dispersal were so fast that I didn''t understand a single word. I didn¡¯t know any English, but when I saw over a hundred soldiers moving toward the nearby high buildings, I managed to get the gist of what was happening. Meanwhile, Captain Parkwason observed the movement of the American soldiers carefully, while spreading out a map on the table, marking it with various annotations. It didn''t take long to realize that he was marking which toon was assigned to which building. Even amidst all this, the conversation between the two captains continued energetically. "" "" "" "" What am I going to do next? That thought suddenly crossed my mind, but at that moment, I realized that there was no way I would be helping to repel the enemy with those who went up to the building. How could someone who doesn''t even understand thenguage shoot alongside soldiers? But considering the scene I had witnessed earlier¡ªthe fire I started with the uncollected ammunition, the fact that I had brought a grenadeuncher and grenades... The rifle I was holding was likely to be more of a hindrance than a help, so I just let it fall to the ground and shouted. "Duffle bag! Duffle bag! Give me the duffle bag!" At that moment, it seemed like Captain Parkwason immediately understood how to use me. His eyes sharpened. He shouted into the radio several times, spent about 30 seconds yelling at the nearbymunication soldier, and then drew four buildings on a piece of paper, writing numbers next to them. The exnation was simple. For example, 1-7 meant the 7th floor of building 1, and 2-4 meant the 4th floor of building 2. Then, he wrote the word "Ammunition" next to the paper. It didn¡¯t take long to figure out what he meant. "" "" "" "" "" "" I didn¡¯t understand a single word of the conversation with Sergeant Mitchell, but it didn''t matter. She rummaged around the area and found two empty duffle bags, double-wrapped them, and handed them to me. Before long, Sergeant Mitchell began running toward the opposite side of the ser field. It was my turn to follow her. As I stepped onto the frozen snow, I soon arrived at therge pile of stic sheeting in the middle of the baseball field. As she moved the stic aside, I saw... a mountain of ammo cans. Among them were the same grenadeunchers we had on our truck, but she ignored them and gestured for me to follow. Just as Sergeant Mitchell had said, she immediately began filling the duffle bags with the rounds next to the ammo cans. In no time, I felt the weight umting on my back. The nextmand was simple. "" I run. Carrying roughly 200kg of weight, I run to the ce I was ordered to and drop off at least 10 ammo cans, then run back to the baseball field and repeat. At the same time, gunfire began to ring out from the buildings. The intenseborbined with the shock made my body heat up quickly, and my heart began to race. I was now running through the battlefield. ''...If I had just gone straight to Central Park, I wouldn''t have to be doing this.'' But if I find out that these people all died after I safely arrived, and they died at the hands of the same people who had tried to rape me... I would probably lose my mindpletely. "That... I can¡¯t..." I can¡¯t bear that. I don¡¯t want to suffer anymore. I don''t want to be in a state where it''s like I''m not alive, groaning in the horrific mental pain, thinking that death would be a relief. I don¡¯t want to spend all my time wishing I was dead. So, I decided to do everything I could. While Sergeant Mitchell was sorting the rounds I had brought back, I began filling the duffle bags with the ammo cans with all my might. I started feeling breathless and parched. But I keep running. Once, twice, three times... By the time I had more than 50 ammo cans, I was repeatedly going back and forth. As I struggled to hold onto my fainting mind and was about to run back to the baseball field, he spoke. "" "4th building 7th floor, 3rd building 4th floor¡ª!" "" "" I didn¡¯t understand much, but I could see the direction his finger was pointing, and I even heard the word "Half." The soldiers waiting around began stuffing the ammo cans into the duffle bags, and as soon as I finished, I suddenly stood up. Captain Colton, standing next to me, was impressed while I was trying to recall what "Break" meant. In short, it was like themas used to rify when two or more targets are mentioned. I learned that from Sergeant Mitchell. However, this ammo wasn¡¯t the same as the rounds used by the soldiers who had lost their rifles. It was different from the rifle I had receivedter, I learned that soldiers prefer 5.56mm rounds, which are easier to find and have a lot of spare ammo, because military supplies were hard toe by. Anyway. It was time to go. I pushed myself forward, quickly climbing the stairs visible through the open doorway. In the process, I was desperately shouting "Ammunition." Ultimately, that decision was the right one. When the guards at the stairs heard my voice, they let me pass without aiming their guns at me. Additionally, I learned something else. The 7th floors of buildings 3 and 4 meant the rooftops. I had arrived at the rooftop. "" "" "" "" One part was done. I started descending the stairs again. It felt like I had be Upham from that old movie "Saving Private Ryan." The difference was, I had finished what was asked of me. But it didn¡¯t take long to realize that when the battle began, the rounds would melt away like snow. And the people calling for me were increasing as I went. Buildings 3 and 4, then 1 and 2. But delivering once wasn¡¯t enough. There were links for the machine guns, grenade boxes for the underbarrelunchers, and high-speed grenadeunchers for targeting the most popted areas. I delivered them all. How many times had I ascended the stairs? My breath was burning, and for the first time since I came to this world, I understood what real, terrible exhaustion was. Then, after about 20 minutes, with my body drenched in sweat¡ª@@novelbin@@ "" Boom, boom, boom! Just as I was about to leave after delivering the rounds, a soldier with a machine gun shot incessantly at something, then spat out. "" "" "" Bang! Then, boom. But it wasn¡¯t here. It was somewhere else. Simultaneously, everyone turned to the direction of the explosion, and thankfully, the corner of building 3, shattered by the st, was there. But how many more times would the same thing happen? How many would die in the process? At that moment, those thoughts entered my mind. However, before my nightmare became reality, an instinctive word escaped my lips. Something... something was approaching. "" "" "" Whoooom. A vibration seemed to touch my skin ever so slightly, like it was echoing through the air. Like¡ª "" The next words didn¡¯te out. The next moment, mes began to rise from the ground. A terrifyingly beautiful ze. "" "" "" Click. Zodiac, a woman who was part of the Hyena Council, the leaders of the fugitive gang, spat out a dying cigarette and exhaled a deep breath. The booming explosion from outside reverberated, and her white ears perked up above her head. She spoke. "" "<...Damn. The transport nes bombing there are scarier than the Council. I¡¯ll follow your orders. Do what you want.>" "" "" Naturally. Just as there were fugitive soldiers rushing in like moths after the death of theirrades, there were also those among the fugitives who, blinded by plunder and destruction, betrayed their own and sought to cozy up to thest remnants of the official power. There were dozens of conductors and hundreds of instruments, but there was no sheet music to follow in this chaotic orchestra as it raced toward its peak. The final destination had long been set. "" "" "" "" "" Whooooosh! The V-44TA1 Valkyrie, a tiltrotor aircraft with its propellers reced by jet engines, emitted a deep noise as it flew, tracing a narrow circle in the air. The exhaust vapor from the engine condensed as it touched the freezing cold outside air, forming a halo, almost like an angel''s head, as it leisurely glided through the sky. But below it was nothing but a sea of mes. Boom! "" "" "" The 50mm XM913 autocannon began unleashing high-explosive and incendiary rounds into the air. It was a solo stage. Below, hundreds of meters down, terrible things were happening. Every enemy in the open was being mowed down,pletely overwhelmed. One shot, two shots, three shots. The gunner manning the camera didn¡¯t realize that some of the enemy, high on drugs, were avoiding taking cover in nearby buildings as the hellish storm poured down. Instead, he was simply giving them a swift and simple funeral. But it was only a matter of time before the gunner started to understand why the friendly forces at the Brooklyn docks were stubbornly holding out and why the enemy was equally relentless in their fight. " " "" "" There were buildings everywhere here, and there were more over there. Brooklyn, the entry point to Manhattan, was a massive harbor teeming with ships passing by, and naturally, countless facilities had been erected to handle the massive flow of goods. Warehouses, wholesalers, factories, offices, repair shops, and all sorts of stores had been built, intertwining and eventually forming aplex area, no one knowing the full extent of it. All the infrastructure became cover, and with the environment turning into a maze, both attackers and defenders were bound to get lost, setting the stage for a tense battle. But at this point, the ones with the upper hand were none other than the American forces. Of course, assuming they could retreat. "" "" "" "<....>" A brief silence followed. Unaware that Captain Parkwason was growing anxious, the Photon 1 gunner paused for a moment, then quietly spoke. "" "" "" At the same time, the gun camera began to rotate. And at the end of it, the Photon 1 gunner witnessed armed soldiers in fluorescent vests and gas masks firing from their guns, spewing mes. His mouth opened in a quiet gasp. "" Chapter 671 "" "" "" "" The red mes slithered through the air, flicking like the tongues of serpents, coloring the space. It was clear that a horrific situation would unfold the moment the clothes of the people, and then their skin, caught the mes. Yet, none of them could exin their circumstances. Or rather, to be precise, most of them had lived as suspects for most of their lives, but in this moment, the victims who were forced to be intimately acquainted with the flickering mes had no words to say other than screams. Only the ''Cleaner,'' whose voice had been unnervingly altered through a gas mask filter, would add a few words when carrying out the ''job'' of setting people on fire. "" "" "" Whoosh! A specially prepared fuel was sprayed from the nozzle, and the moment it came into contact with the mes from the barrel, the fire erupted¡ªno, to be exact, it was a viscous, mmable liquid that had been sprayed. Napalm. The moment it made contact with the enemy, the fire spread like an infection from the central point. But that wasn¡¯t the end. The liquid from the thick nozzle was mixed with metal powder in addition to the viscous gasoline, igniting further and adding an incredible amount of firepower. The ming liquid, burning with terrifying force, caused the skin at the contact point to shrink as soon as it touched the body. The burns, permanent and life-threatening, quickly consumed the escapees. Until life ceased, no, even after life had ended, the fire continued to burn. "" "" The skin of the charred bodies crackled as blood oozed out. One of the cleaners, after pushing the blood aside with his foot, ced a molotov cocktail through the half-burned clothing and set it off, grinning grimly. Hisughter was empty, almost as if he had lost his mind. The sizzling sound came next. The external respiratory filter of the gas mask waspletely blocked, and the oxygen tank on his back began supplying air. The reason they were doing this... was simple. When using a methrower inside a building, the air inside gets consumed. And so, the escapees who had hidden inside the building were left with two choices. One was to burn to death, the other was to suffocate. "" "" "" "" The brutal battle began, one that would be hard to even record in history. The escapees, desperate to survive, had entered a building cloaked inplete darkness, and the cleaners followed them inside. The shlight and fire created flickering lights that filled the warehouse, which had been shrouded in darkness for months. And the methrower spoke: In closebat under 50 meters, the person holding it was the strongest. And it was exactly as it said. The moment one exposed their arm and body to shoot, they were met with the intense mes spewing from the barrel. Of course, even without sticking out their body, the heated air left behind by the mes was enough to serve as a weapon. "" "" "" Chaos gave birth to fear. Like rats whose homes had been invaded, hundreds of escapees burst out of the building indiscriminately. Among them were those who, fearing burning to death, shot their slowerrades and pushed them aside to escape. The smell of burning flesh, the acrid odor of fuelbustion... Those who tried to escape the horrific death found themselves breathing in the cold morning air of Brooklyn at 8 a.m. inte January. For most, it was thest breath of life they would take. Dispersed, with nomunication equipment and with nothing but a poor map to follow, the escapees were guided by nothing but desperation. Naturally, the escapees had no idea where they were. Only a few of them managed to breach the perimeter set by the cleaners and escape. Strictly speaking, they hadn¡¯t breached it; they had just run desperately without knowing where they were going, but no one knew that. It was an extreme exception. As time passed, the increasingly refined defense lines allowed no escape for the prisoners. The only ce the prisoners could head to was one. The anvil. "" "" "" Boom! But the cry of someone, or perhaps just a yell, was cut short. The grenade that came flying from hundreds of meters away obliterated everything in its path. And yes, it included the unlucky escapees. That wasn¡¯t all. Supersonic bullets continued to tear through the air, moving faster than the speed of sound. The Guardian team stationed at the building had fired thousands, almost ten thousand, rounds toward the escapees. This was in direct contradiction to the strategy devised by the Lykers before attacking the military. The strategic premise was simple: "Soldiers who protect civilians cannot carry enough ammunition." This was the prediction of the Lykers and the Hyena Council. Specifically, it wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t resupply with enough ammo, but that they wouldn¡¯t be able to carry it while moving. Strictly speaking, it was half a prediction, but also half true. This was precisely why the escapees decided to attack the soldiers. They didn¡¯t think the operation would yield any tangible gains, but they knew that the soldiers were weak. This was the real reason behind the operation. Of course, there were some benefits. If they seeded, they could acquire the soldiers'' advanced weaponry and use the ammunition dropped by the transport nes. A sweet honey pot, too delicious to ignore. Thus, the n was formted: They would send out the lower-ranking escapees¡ªessentially the cannon fodder¡ªto use up all the bullets, and then take advantage of the shortage to push through quickly. And it was well within the realm of possibility. The n could have seeded. Except for one variable. "" "" "" A furious escapee kicked another one in the gut. The reason was simple. During the withdrawal, they had discarded all the ammunition, and when they boarded the transport, they¡¯d only carried out what was needed for self-destruction. But the attack was decided to ur in the middle of the withdrawal because it was uncertain where the retreat would happen. Strictly speaking, the reason they struck in the middle of the retreat was because they couldn¡¯t predict where it would take ce, so they had to prepare by waking up the stubborn escapees and arming them. But the premise was simple: "Even if there¡¯s an ammo stash nearby, the military won''t be able to secure enough bullets before they engage inbat." That¡¯s why the n was devised. To stop the escapees from getting ammo, they used a strange supply ne to drop what seemed like a projectile rocketuncher. But it failed. The military, as if using cheats, continued to pour out an endless supply of ammo! ©¤©¤Boom! "" "" The neck pierced, a grenade st, a fire ax strike, and then burned alive while still clinging to life, all while still hanging in the air, the body oxidized by an aerial bombardment from a passing ne. Literally, like sugar cubes dissolving in hot water, the 2 battalions, nearly a thousand escapees¡ªaround 200 of them under Zodiac¡¯smand, who betrayed their own people and ran¡ªmelted away in a moment. The once near-certain n had be useless, and about 1/20th of the 20,000 escapees from Ryker Ind were suddenly wiped out. This engagement, which may not even be recorded in history, ended with a victory for the Guardians¡ªthe 104th Military Police Battalion. And about a few hundred meters away, the Guardian''s main base. "" "<...Good job, kid. If it weren''t for you, we¡¯d all be throwing bricks instead of bullets by now.>" "" "" There was Eugene, sitting on the ground, drenched in sweat, panting like a dog. That day, she had carried 158 ammo cans and ced two high-speed grenadeunchers on the rooftop. It was Eugene¡¯s second victory. "<...You never listen, do you, snake kid? You must¡¯ve caused a lot of trouble for your parents when you were younger. If you''d just gone to Central Park quietly, you wouldn¡¯t have had to deal with this heart-stopping stuff... Don¡¯t do it again next time.>" "" "<....>" After everything was over, 8:30 a.m. Just a moment ago, it had been dark, then a bluish light, and then the sunlight started pouring down on Brooklyn. The American soldiers, exhausted but filled with the satisfaction of survival, walked down from the building. And beneath them, I stood with Captain Parkwason, watching the frozen Brooklyn beach. It was only a few dozen meters away from the baseball field, the escape point. He looked like he wanted to say something, but after a brief pause, he spoke. "" "Yes...?" "" "..." "" He spoke slowly enough for me to understand. There were some difficult parts, but I definitely understood the word "outbreak." It referred to therge-scale pandemic caused by the failure to contain an infection. I had heard that word countless times at the medical center. Was he waiting for me to understand that, or... I just stared at the frozen New York Bay with a gloomy expression. Looking back on this retreat, I still don¡¯t know if I should have run out. Honestly, I still don''t know. Maybe I just made it worse. Well, that¡¯s probably true. Because I made it worse, that¡¯s why this is happening. But honestly... I still don¡¯t know. Would I have been able to go to Central Park peacefully, knowing these people would die? No. The important thing isn¡¯t that. "<...That doesn¡¯t matter.>" "Hm?" "" "...Ha..." He chuckled at my weak answer. I don¡¯t know how he took it. But... this was my answer. It wasn¡¯t a carefully considered one, but in this kind of special situation, it didn¡¯t matter who should survive. It was pointless to look back on past decisions. If possible, everyone who came to save us, and those who were saved, should live. The idea that someone had to stay and sacrifice in these kinds of apocalyptic situations... was meaningless. People would be valuable resources, more than ever before. Just like now, and like at the Maimonies Medical Center... where there were too many weapons and not enough people to use them. I added to my reply, using the little English I¡¯d learned over the past few days. "" "..." "" "...Is that so." That¡¯s still just my guess.@@novelbin@@ But I never imagined the U.S. would be this quiet. And that¡¯s... probably because so many people had already died before I fell here. If there¡¯s not enough manpower to distinguish who¡¯s infected... I can¡¯t even imagine what will happen next. Maybe it¡¯ll be a struggle for survival, as if in Hobbes'' state of nature. To prevent such a situation, they¡¯ll force people to arm themselves and send them out... Anyway. He seemed to have somewhat understood my words,ughing helplessly as he tried to take a cigarette pack from his pocket. But when he saw me, he put it back. If he wanted to smoke, he could just... He opened his mouth. "" "...I didn¡¯t understand." "" He added, giving me a strange look. "<...You¡¯ll be an excellent soldier. Even if you don¡¯t want to, maybe that¡¯ll happen... Anyway, you save as many people as you can. Save your life, and your team¡¯s life. Got it?>" "...I understand this one. If I can. Actually, I¡¯m afraid of shooting.>" "" Kuuu-! How long had it been? The air vibrated. The third transport ne, meant to carry everyone here, sliced through the air andnded on the ser field. It was time to leave for real, and I followed him, trailing behind him toward the ser field. Most of the gear had already been loaded, and the soldiers from the 107th Military Police Battalion were almost done boarding. From the baseball field, I could hear the constant popping of fireworks. I heard it was the sound of the remaining ammo exploding, but somehow it sounded more like a celebration, as if we were boarding a ne. And so, finally, everyone, including me, boarded. There were no more enemies blocking our way. The ne took off. Behind the ne, whose rear door wasn¡¯t fully closed, the view of Brooklyn gradually shrank. The buildings that had seemed so huge just moments ago were shrinking in an instant, crossing the frozen New York Bay. I wondered if I¡¯d ever go back there again. Just a week ago, there had been terrible things, but also memories of good people. But the smoke rising from fires and the dead streets... clearly reminded me of where I was now. This was... ¡®...New York.¡¯ The frozen heart of America. The city that never sleeps, now asleep. Frozen Big Apple. This was New York. I was here. "...Acknowledged, GA1. New redeployment orders have been issued." "I¡¯m listening. Most of the team has been injured and is currently being escorted. There are no avable personnel, except for myself." "I understand. This redeployment order is not a normal one. Break. The Department of Homnd Security has issued an urgent summons to Alpha-ss variants. The destination is Central Park HQ." "Central Park HQ... the one with the ''Torch''?" "Details will be exined aboard the Silent Hawk. We¡¯ll arrive in 20 minutes. Finish boarding within that time." "...Understood." The top floor of VHC Health-Virginia General Hospital in Washington D.C. A figure gently touched their flowing white hair and let out a deep sigh. A new yer had entered the scene. Chapter 672 "<...Valkyrie 1-3, HQ identified visually. Current onboard personnel: 47, 46 from the 107th Military Police Battalion and one Alpha-ss mutant civilian. The Brooklyn evacuation operation has been sessful.>" "" "" "<...There are too many people.>" "" Flying over the frozen New York Bay and passing through numerous skyscrapers that were now shells of their former selves, the ne slowed as it neared Central Park. The Central Park that once appeared in old videos or TV shows no longer existed. Many temporary buildings had been erected, and walls were being built along the park''s boundaries, separating it from the city. Whether this should be considered afort, I wasn¡¯t sure, but at least the buildings near Central Park still had electricity. It felt like a living heart in the midst of the dead Manhattan. I didn¡¯t really wonder what awaited me here. I already knew this world, which I had thought waspletely dead, was still struggling to survive. I only wondered what I would be doing here next.@@novelbin@@ The transport aircraft, which felt like it might float in the sky forever, gradually neared the ground. Around thending point were about four or five people. Two of them wore protective suits, reminiscent of those from the COVID-19 era, holding something in their hands, while the other three wore masks. Thending wasn¡¯t particrly smooth, and as soon as it wasplete, the door opened. The soldiers standing in front moved out orderly as the rear door of the ne opened. I wondered what to do. I was a little anxious, but Captain Parkwason held my hand. I awkwardly took his hand, hoping I didn¡¯t look too pathetic, and stepped outside. At that moment, I naturally made eye contact with many new faces waiting near thending area. Captain Parkwason and what seemed to be one of the local leaders began speaking. "<...Captain Edward Parkwason. From the 107th Military Police Battalion... you look different from the photo on your ID. It seems things were pretty horrific in Brooklyn, huh?>" "" "" "" "" "" "" ...I hoped things were going well. They even mentioned the passport... but fortunately, everyone just epted it. Where would my passport be? I woke up here, and it was lost in the confusion. But at least this situation helped a little. In this chaotic world, iming to have lost my passport worked well. Of course, it''s something I should have kept, but... The conversation, along with disinfection and virus checks, continued. The medical staff even took a little blood from my arm. They kindly told me to wait here since they¡¯d heard I didn¡¯t speak English very well. ...I wonder if I''ll meet someone named Jenna today. "" "" "<...I¡¯ve heard this kid was quite helpful at the base, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. There¡¯s a lot more to do here. If you understand, follow Lieutenant Richard over there to your temporary amodation.>" "" "" For a moment, Captain Parkwason looked like he was about to punch this guy, but I just blinked, pretending to be as harmless as possible. Eventually, after a while, he casually added something. "" "<...Yes?>" "" "..." ...I expected it to some extent, but facing it in reality was harder than I thought. Was it because they were the first trustworthy people I met in this world? Or was it something else? Before I realized it, tears started streaming down my face. I knew this could happen, so why was it so hard? While wiping my tears with the sleeve of my shirt, he hugged me once and chuckled, adding: "" "<...Really?>" "" "" "" I couldn¡¯t fully understand everything, but I got the gist of it. He¡¯s a responsible and good person. Meeting him felt like using up all my luck. And... there was also Sergeant Baker, who¡¯s no longer here. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t be here. Just when I thought I understood a little, a man in a suit, who had been standing next to Captain Parkwason and talking, reached out his hand towards me. He was Asian. Introducing himself as Legion, he spoke fluent Korean. "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Eugene. I¡¯m Illich Jensen, from the Department of Homnd Security¡¯s Icarus division. You can call me Agent Legion." "...You speak Korean...?" "It¡¯s one of my specialties. I¡¯ll be assisting you from now on and will let you know what you need to do here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask." "What¡¯s the catch?" "I¡¯m not asking for anything grand, but I would appreciate it if you could cooperate while you stay here. Let¡¯s move, for now." ...The conversation was going so smoothly, it was almost scary. I began to wonder what themunication barrier I had been facing all this time had been about. But that didn¡¯t mean I should blindly trust this guy. Especially someone who seemed to embody suspicion in human form. Still, thinking about it, I wasn¡¯t likely to face the horrific events I had outside. At least, here it seemed like there was some semnce of authority. And strictly speaking, I didn¡¯t have time to feel suspicious of him. As the atmosphere quieted, Agent Legion spoke again, adding a few words. "I already know what you¡¯re worried about. You might be thinking about bioexperiments... but honestly, with the current situation in Central Park, we don¡¯t have the time or resources for that." "...Is that so?" "We don¡¯t have the facilities for that. Do you see the surroundings?" ...He was right. The surroundings were literally... or rather, it would be more urate to say, they were in the midst of construction. All the trees had been removed and reced with temporary buildings. Civilians and soldiers were busy digging, and heavy machinery was in use. When I stared at the scene, he exined they were building shelters for people to stay in. ...He could¡¯ve been lying, but I chose to stop questioning it. Like I told Captain Parkwason before I came here, people and time would be the most precious resources from now on. If they dissect me, they¡¯d be the ones at a loss. Otherwise... I don¡¯t know. Meanwhile, he pulled out a small tablet-like device, as if to dispel my doubts, and continued. "Additionally, there are many people in simr situations to you here in Central Park. Some are civilians, but there are also soldiers and high-ranking officials. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to capture and experiment on all of them." "...How can I trust that?" "Take a look." He handed me the tablet. Amid the English text, people could be seen passing by, one after another. But they all shared something inmon¡ªanimal ears or unique hair colors and styles. Some had even changed their gender. Though the number was very small. He was doing his best to reassure me, and I nodded. The truth was, whether I believed it or not, I didn¡¯t really have a choice. We walked for a while longer, and gradually the people around us started to look a little different. This ce was specifically... not a bunch of ragged civilians, but rather a space where people in suits seemed to be gathering. "This is..." "Low Central Park, home to the temporary government offices, militia training areas, medical facilities, and housing for mutants. It might look nice now, but if you walk a little further, you¡¯ll soon see the construction sites for more temporary buildings." "...This situation is really dire." "It can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s keep moving." As he said, after walking a bit further, I was greeted by a construction site with all sorts of building materials. He stopped and looked rather troubled. "We¡¯ve arrived... They said this is where the Alpha-ss mutants will stay, but it seems like there was a request missing somewhere. Construction has been dyed." "...What?" "That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be staying, Eugene. It¡¯s not finished yet, but if it¡¯s not done by today, things could get tricky." "...Are there no other ces?" He smiled faintly. "I don¡¯t even have a personal office, much less a couch to sleep on." "..." "For now, wait here. The order to gather the Alpha-ss mutants hasn¡¯te yet. I can¡¯t give you a definite answer, but I¡¯ll check if there¡¯s a ce to leave your things." "...Okay." "Keep your things safe. Theft happens frequently here, even in ces like this." With that, he disappeared. The scene before me felt barren. It seemed like my first task in Central Park would be building my own shelter. "" "" "" "" "<...Damn. It can¡¯t be helped. As of now, Eagle Team is heading to Central Park. May God bless us.>" Meanwhile, in Lower New York, Long Ind, many began heading towards Central Park for their own reasons. "Ugh, this is hard..." "" "Okay, okay! Thanks!" "" At 7 p.m., after the unusually clear sunlight quickly dipped below the horizon. Normally, and as others had expected, the shelter construction for Alpha-ss mutants would likely take at least until tomorrow, or even the day after, toplete. The prefabricated concrete blocks, too heavy for a human to carry, and the materials that, while not as heavy, would strain joints if mishandled. All of these tasks had fallen on me. In an instant, I became like a biological crane, speeding up the construction process. ...Of course, I also had to coordinate energy supplies. The air was yellow, and my body was drenched in sweat. Thinking back, I hadn¡¯t even showered in days. My body felt grimy. But when I asked myself if I could request a shower, the answer was, well, unclear. The reason was simple: I didn¡¯t know much, and there was a lot to learn. Amid all this, I was the only one officially moving in today. I had plenty of things to take care of. One of the first things was a folding bed and something resembling a wardrobe. The folding bed couldn¡¯t even hold my weight, so I had to fix it. Where and when would I eat? How would I receive the necessarymunications? What would I be doing here, and what medical examinations would I undergo... there were so many questions. What could I say? It felt like I had entered a refugee camp. I never imagined I¡¯d be a refugee here. Now that I think about it, it might be a bitte to say this, but since it was winter, the sun set incredibly fast. Especially with so many tall buildings around, as soon as the sun moved even slightly off-center, the buildings blocked the light. Darkness was scary and unsettling, but at least now that I was here, I felt a little better. Although I minimized the light, at least I could still see people moving around outside. Of course, I could spot them with thermal vision even with almost no light, but just having electricity gave me some relief. If anything, it was unfortunate that the building I had "built" still didn¡¯t have electricity. The same went for water. However, the sewage treatment system was somehow still functioning, which Agent Legion informed me about. ...If nothing else, biological functions are unavoidable. If that system copsed, everyone would have been infected by now. So, at least I could go to the bathroom. "...It¡¯s a bit concerning that there¡¯s no electricity..." Seeing heat signatures to locate objects in the dark ispletely different from reading letters in the dark. Unless the letters themselves emit heat, of course. Anyway, the reason I wasining was simple. I was supposed to be studying English, and Agent Legion had kindly brought me some candles. He told me he had "borrowed" them from survival supplies, which made me a little perplexed. What should I say? It felt like I had gone back in time. I wondered if this is how ancient schrs felt. Seeing how quickly everything copsed once the electricity went out, it made me realize just how fragile modern civilization is. The minimum amount of electricity was reserved for essential services like the sewage treatment nt, lights, and the hospital... "Aahhh..." Now that I think about it, the hospital was a bit of afort. It had its own generators, so there was heating. Of course, I heard it consumed 24 liters of diesel every hour. Thanks to Agent Legion, I was able to get water and other essentials, but he made sure to let me know that even distributing these supplies was a special exception in the current situation. ...I didn¡¯t really want to know how other civilians were doing. I had a feeling I might already know. ''...Am I in the medieval era?'' I buried my head in the English dictionary and let out a deep sigh. It almost got burned with the virus, but luckily, after passing the sample test, I managed to keep it. Because the pathologists had cut out part of the cover for the virus test, a rectangr hole had formed in the dictionary. Anyway, maybe it was because I was feeling down, but I didn¡¯t study very well today. Maybe it was because my study method was a bit primitive. I had been memorizing words and sentences one or two pages at a time. I wanted something delicious to eat. I missed my parents. "Ah, damn it, more tears..." My vision blurred. Maybe it was because I had woken up early, but I was sleepy, exhausted from the day''s work, and separated from Captain Parkwason and Sergeant Mitchell. I felt like I was abandoned again in this world. At least I wasn¡¯t freezing to death, and I didn¡¯t have to fear any hostile intruders barging in through the door. I didn¡¯t know what would happen next, but thinking about it... so much had happened today. I wonder if I¡¯ll meet Jenna, as Sergeant Baker had mentioned. Without realizing it, I buried my head in the pillow. And my consciousness shut down. "<...I clearly remember that there weren¡¯t any buildings here this morning. With the Alpha-ss mutants and all, I thought there wouldn¡¯t even be a shelter, but it seems they¡¯ve managed to set something up...>" Several hourster, the remaining lights went out. The deserted area of Lower Central Park, the shelter for Alpha-ss mutants, stood silent. A figure, retracing their steps, arrived again, their long silver hair flowing as they exhaled deeply. It was the second appearance of an Alpha-ss mutant. Chapter 673 ©¤©¤©¤Drring! "...Ugh." Since the world had fallen apart, it was almost the first time in what felt like forever that I had heard the sound of an rm clock¡ªan absurd reminder of civilization. The world was truly at its end. Thinking this, I struggled to get up from the folding bed frame. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something you¡¯d use in a camping trip or anything like that; it was a piece of emergency equipment that prioritized productivity overfort for such a crisis. My body felt stiff. There wasn¡¯t even enough space around my waist to move freely, and I had to struggle to turn and get up from the already cramped frame. My first night in Central Park was the worst. Anyway, now that the rm clock was ringing, I could finally tell the time for certain. Considering the fact that the sun was only just starting to rise outside, it was probably around 7 to 8 AM. And from what I heard yesterday, I had to start my schedule right at 8 AM. Lieutenant Legion had said he¡¯de five minutes before the hour... so, I guess I had to clean myself up a little if I didn¡¯t want to look too shabby. ''...How?'' How do I even do that? Do girls take showers differently? Do they soak in a tub filled with rose petals every morning? I don¡¯t even know how to tie my hair properly, and washing my face is just sshing water and wiping it. There''s no cleansing foam or lotion here... so, the best I could do was wipe my face with some water from the rationed supply. Before I arrived here, I¡¯d asionally been able to shower at the hospital where I stayed, so at least I didn¡¯t look too bad as a woman¡­ but when did I be a woman? It was so frustrating. Anyway, struggling to present the tidiest version of myself in that moment, I heard footsteps approaching from below. I quickly popped a strong mint candy in my mouth to freshen my breath and popped my mouth with water before calling out. "I¡¯ll be out soon." With severalyers of thick clothes on to ward off the cold, I must have looked quite a sight. But, what could I do? It didn¡¯t take long for the cold winter air to engulf my entire body. Thankfully, I had wrapped my tail tightly with a scarf, and the buttons on my coat kept it from falling off, so it wasn¡¯t too bad. My task today was simple. I needed to familiarize myself with the surrounding facilities and meet the medical staff and examiners who would be in charge of me from now on. Starting today, there were official exams and tests to go through. And, just as he had said, Agent Legion and I began to head to areas where civilians weren¡¯t allowed to enter. "¡­When was this building built? It¡¯s impressive." "It¡¯s been quite a while, actually. The buildings around here have been up for about a month. The ones under construction right now are all for amodating civilians." "Ah¡­" Around that time, he began to share some information. ording to him, before the Omega virus crisis became apparent, Central Park HQ had been a health center. They had started by building amodations, control towers, dining halls, clinics, examination rooms, and diagnostic centers, with public health workers, doctors, andw enforcement like the NYPD and the U.S. Public Health Mission Team stationed here. The incubation period for the Omega virus was about three weeks, so considering that the various buildings in Central Park had been erected sincete December... it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to believe. Anyway, that aside, I had a request for him today. I recalled the crinkling sound of the paper in my pocket and asked. "¡­Would it be possible to find someone for me?" "Someone?" "No, not just anyone. I think I heard that someone named Jenna, who was very close to a Sergeant Baker from the 107th Military Police Brigade, is working around here in Central Park." "Jenna, hmm..." "Here, I have a photo¡­ here." Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have Sergeant Baker''s dog tags with me. I had already handed them over to Captain Parkwason. Still, there were a few things he had left behind. A blood-soaked photo and a small note that seemed like a will... I kept the map of Brooklyn. It had be unnecessary as we moved to Manhattan, but I had kept it for some reason. Looking at the blood-stained photograph, he spoke again. "¡­A memento. I understand. It might take some time, but if I find her, I¡¯ll make sure to mention it separately. Finding someone who works here won¡¯t take too long, but if not, it might take a little longer." "Ah¡­ I see." By now, many people might be making simr requests to others. The map I had found on the wall of the first house I entered had a message saying "Go to Central Park." People who had lost family and friends might be looking for someone they lost, but¡­ It was much better than Brooklyn, but that didn¡¯t mean Central Park was functioning perfectly. Many of the civilians I passed on my way here probably carried their own grief. But¡­ whatever. I was in a position to ask someone like Legion for help, and I wasn¡¯t going to waste that opportunity. Anyway, while thinking about this, Legion and I entered a heavily guarded area. There were thick barricades surrounding it, and heavily armed soldiers monitored everyone approaching from watchtowers and gates. I looked up at the sky. Countlessrge drones were constantly flying inside the facility, carrying something. It was dirt. Tons of dirt were being spread somewhere. After passing through the scanners and quarantine facilities, I was handed a keycard by the soldier in charge of the gate. He added: "This kid doesn¡¯t need a keycard, Agent." "This is a friend who will being in and out of here often. Identity check is basically done; just make sure she doesn¡¯t bring any viruses with her." "I understand." After Legion disappeared, I entered the area with a nk expression. At that moment, I understood why so many drones were flying back and forth. There was construction on a scale unlike the regr projects happening in Central Park. Deep into the underground of Central Park, something was being built. Trucks and heavy machinery, which couldn¡¯t be seen from the outside, were hauling dirt, and the drones flew up, carrying loads before vanishing into the air. They seemed to be dumping the dirt nearby. While I was distracted by this strange sight, someone approached me and added: "This is the most urgent project in the Central Park renovation. We¡¯ve named it ¡®Ark.¡¯ Ah, I guess it¡¯s hard for ourdy to understand if I say it in English?" "...I understand most of it." "Well, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re saying, but I feel like I understand. Just kidding, it¡¯s a joke. It¡¯s Dr. Wesker. If I tell you that name from the game, you¡¯d probably get mad, huh?" ...Albert Wesker? I felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu when I heard that name, but he quickly exined what the Ark was. To put it simply, it was arge, sophisticated set of facilities buried underground, designed to protect various power nts, control devices, and evacuation spaces for high-ranking personnel. In other words, a well-hidden, almost unassable refuge. I was about to ask him what would happen if it copsed, but his answer was so pragmatic that it left no room for rebuttal.@@novelbin@@ As expected, this person was one of the disease control experts sent to help with my physical examination. He went on to exin the tests I would be undergoing. He even used an electronic dictionary to trante and inform me in real-time. I learned that the tests would include basic checks like height, weight, blood tests, ECGs, and fluid tests. There would also be more advanced ones, such as exercise tolerance tests (measuring VO2 max), motion capture to assess physical abilities, electromyography (EMG) tests, and many others. At the very least, I¡¯d have to go through these tests for about a week. That wasn¡¯t the end, though. Based on the initial test results, there would be further specialized tests. Although I didn¡¯t think such an extensive examination was unnecessary, I could understand it, considering the situation. But then... "...Excuse me." "What¡¯s up? Got a question?" "I¡¯m hungry." I hadn''t eaten breakfast. The moment I said this, his expression turned odd, but after a quick nod, he added: "Well, that¡¯s fortunate. Some of the tests require a minimum of 8 hours, usually 12 hours, of fasting. I¡¯ll suggest a meal as soon as the current tests are done, so just hang in there a little longer." "¡­Alright." I couldn¡¯t quite understand what he meant, but I could tell from his face. It was disappointing. I felt like if anyone saw me now, they would probably see me looking like a sad little puppy with my tail drooping. I sighed deeply as I followed the doctor into the building. And¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Bang! "I''m still hungry!" "¡­My goodness. That¡¯s an unbelievable amount of shock. The muscle fiber density has already far surpassed human levels." "Does anyone have a snack? As soon as the door opens, we should get something in her mouth." About three hourster, after not putting anything in my stomach, I became ferocious. I realized that people who don¡¯t feed others are bad people. "Ugh..." "I¡¯m sorry. I know it was inevitable. But at least now you know." "...Ugh." At 1 PM, when I had lost all ability to speak and could only express my dissatisfaction with gestures and small noises, I was eating my meal with a displeased look at the dining area inside the restricted zone of Central Park HQ¡ªthis was the official name of the ce. Honestly, how can they ask someone who can¡¯t function without food to do all these things without feeding them first? It was so frustrating, really. But still, after everything, I¡¯d endured worse situations in the past, and maybe I could handle it for a little longer. They didn¡¯t refuse me food, so I decided to hold it together for today. ...On the other hand, it made me feel a little sorry when I realized that even the food here, in this space restricted to essential personnel, was far worse than anything I¡¯d ever gotten from a fast-food restaurant. At least I was in America, thend of fast food. If society hadn¡¯t copsed like this, thousands of tons of food would be discarded daily in this town. ''...I guess that¡¯s why there are so many super obese people in America.'' You know those people you see at Walmart? They¡¯re riding tiny carts that look like they might break before their suspension and engine give out. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about starving to death here. The cargo nes flying in and out were dropping off food supplies in ton-sized loads, so I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to worry about that. Anyway... "The physical structure of the Alpha-ss mutants... It¡¯s beyond the scope of modern medicine and sports science. The muscle fibers are so thin yet packed so densely, and they retain incredible delicacy...¡± "It¡¯s much closer to a predator than a human. The eye muscles are the same¡ªspeed and strength in eye movement are iparable." "There¡¯s something inside the nasal cavity that resembles the organ of a pit viper. Unlike the snake that served as the model, it seems like the user can activate it whenever they want..." "The body reacts extremely sensitively to vibrations. However, in psychological tests, stress didn¡¯t show up, which means the person can filter and gather the information they want when needed..." I didn¡¯t understand any of this. Anyway, watching them fervently discuss the results of the examination on my body was a little unsettling, though I supposed it was inevitable. But, you know, understanding something and experiencing it are different. I knew what they were talking about, but actually going through it felt... off. Then again, thinking back, all this meant was that my body had a lot to be analyzed. That in itself made me feel thating here wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. As I absentmindedly patted my increasingly bloated stomach, I heard someone ask: "Did you enjoy your meal?" "...Ah, Agent Legion." "Well, you know, there¡¯s always trial and error at first... but it must have been a tough experience for you. At least you got to eat, so that¡¯s something." The Legion agent, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for a while, had slipped back into the dining area. He had said he¡¯d exin what I¡¯d need to do here when I first met him, and from the looks of it, he might have been observing me while hidden away. As expected, he spoke as if he already knew everything. "Anyway, I think most of the basic tests are done. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this intense, but well, that¡¯s not too important." "So what¡¯s next...?" "Good question." With that, he ced a small container filled with patches¡ªthose tiny electrodes they had attached to me during the EMG test¡ªon the table. I wondered what that was about. As I was thinking this, he spoke again. "As you must already know, your greatest mystery is... the incredible physical output that can¡¯t be replicated by humans. Researchers are extremely interested in this." "...Is that so?" "Naturally, it¡¯s not something we can understand fully in just a day or two. It¡¯ll be a bit of a hassle, but it looks like we¡¯ll need your cooperation for a bit longer." "Well, considering I¡¯m being managed here, I guess that makes sense." "Exactly. But the data we¡¯re collecting will likely need to be gathered every few months." It sounded a bit tedious, but it made sense. "Then, what exactly should I do?" I asked, still trying to digest all the new information. "Simple enough," he replied with a small smile. "You¡¯ll wear these patches and go about your daily life. The data we need will be collected from you while you¡¯re moving, at rest, and especially during any intense activity." "...Intense activity?" "Don¡¯t worry too much about that part. We¡¯ve figured out how to gather data during those moments. What matters now is whether you¡¯re willing to cooperate." "I can decide after hearing more, right?" "Of course. It¡¯s a small task." With that, he let out a smallugh and nodded. He then added, "You just need to help with the construction site. You know what that means, right?" "..." Sadly, that was the one thing I could actually do best in this situation¡ªhelping at the construction site. My second job, after unloading, was now manualbor. I couldn¡¯t believe it. Chapter 674 "...Is this person noting in again today?" A day passed, then two, and by the time three days had gone by, it had been almost a week since I arrived at Central Park. The Alpha-ss mutants'' amodations, which had been hastily built, almost looking like rags or scraps in the beginning, were now rtively more organized as time went by. Of course, asking for anything more was pure luxury. Still,pared to just a short while ago, it felt like a miracle. Especially with the little bit of electricity that had been turned on recently. It onlysted for a couple of hours during certain times of the day, but still, it was something. But after staying in Central Park for about five days, I realized that this ce was aplete mess, and I knew better than toin about it. The reality of it had hit me long ago. "Although they say I¡¯m a top-priority personnel, all I¡¯ve been doing is manualbor¡­" But it couldn¡¯t be helped. Leaving aside the matter of inspection cooperation, there was enough justification for why we had to do these things. If you exclude the restricted areas and the health center within Central Park, this ce couldn¡¯t easily ess resources like electricity or water from nearby buildings. Not that there was none at all. The reason I said it wasn¡¯tpletely absent was simple. You could see it from the fountains or streetlights scattered throughout Central Park. But drawing water and electricity from those ces was another issue altogether. The wires supplying electricity to things like the streetlights were nowhere near enough to handle the enormous amount of power needed for the HQ. Even if they tried to implement it, the excess power supply would have caused the wires to blow. So, the necessary task was simple. "...Digging the ground andying down new power lines and water supply lines." Even with heavy machinery, this would take quite a while, but it had to be done by hand. The refugees held shovels and pickaxes to receive enough food for a day. All the men and women, except the very old or very young, were digging thend of Central Park. The trees had long been extinct. I heard that the construction in Central Park started just under three weeks ago. So, it was understandable that it had turned into this massive mess. Shifting the burden onto civilians¡­ well, that couldn¡¯t be helped. Moreover, it was the best way to calcte my data, so it was necessary for me to cooperate with the inspections. Though I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about it. Anyway, it was hard to say I had any special skills, but my job there was simple. With a pickaxe, I smashed the frozen ground at a pace no one else could match, and with a shovel, I moved the dirt. asionally, I would lift and ce down the huge and heavy pipes¡­ I began to wonder if the reason I had ended up here was to do this kind ofbor. At first, I thought I might end up being used for some kind of biological experiment, but now, there were days when I would rather be called in by the medical team than be stuck working like this. "Ugh..." My body was sore. The only relief was that I had been able to shower asionally. The method was simple. A few of the nearby high-rise buildings had started to normalize their facilities, and we could use their shower rooms. Of course, not everyone could use them. Only senior officials who worked here could use them once every two to three days. There was no longer enough water for even basic hygiene, let alone two showers a day. It was winter, and many pipes had burst because of the cold¡­ it''s a wonder they hadn¡¯tpletely broken down yet. Perhaps something worse would happen soon, but... what I was more curious about right now was something else. "...Aren¡¯t any other Alpha-ss mutants supposed toe?" The two-story building, which could house a few dozen people, had rooms that were about half the size of a training camp room on both the first and second floors. I was on the second floor. The person I was referring to was using the first floor. Since the U.S. is sensitive about privacy, I hadn¡¯t gone inside to check, but I could make out a few things from the outside. The room was dark, so I could barely see anything. But I could make out a few military-style digital-patterned bags and various clothes, an oversized empty cab, and a book I didn¡¯t recognize. I wanted to talk to them, but the soldier¡ªwho I guessed was a soldier¡ªseemed to be on a separate schedule in apletely different location. If I met them, they might turn out to be quite intimidating. I just hoped they weren¡¯t a scary person. "...I tried staying up to meet them, but how can they expect me to hold out without sleep, making me do all this work..." Well, whatever. Even if they looked scary, they might be nice. At least the soldiers I had met so far had all been good people, and now that I thought about it, I could meet members of the 107th Military Police Company much sooner than expected. I had thought I would be isted from them for a while, but that hadn¡¯t been the case. I guess, in a situation of extreme manpower shortage, they couldn¡¯t keep those elite soldiers locked away for too long. I ended up meeting the team members who had been in charge of the construction site just a few days ago. One of them handed me a sweet c they must have gotten from somewhere. It made me think that having good rtionships with people was important. Anyway... "...Looks like I¡¯m going to sleep without any progress today." Agent Regent, who had promised to find out where Jenna was, was still silent, and I hadn¡¯t been able to meet the person on the first floor. At least I still had the energy to study English, so that was something to be thankful for. Learning a foreignnguage to survive felt quite strange. Only a few weeks ago, I couldn¡¯t understand anything, but now, I could start to understand a little. And naturally, I figured out the first thing I needed to focus on¡ªvocabry. If I didn¡¯t know the words, I couldn¡¯t express what I wanted to say. I should avoid studying until I fell asleep with my face buried in the book likest time. Back then, the pages got soaked with saliva. One hour, two hours, and then three hours. By then, my brain stopped taking in anything, my eyes started to blur, and I kept yawning. It was about time to sleep. Luckily, I had closed the book and ced it under my pillow to raise it up a little. The fatigue of the day hit me. Maybe tomorrow, I would finally meet someone I hadn¡¯t seen yet. If I did, I wasn¡¯t sure what I would say first. As someone whose MBTI starts with ''I'', that thought terrified me. But that thought gradually faded, and I slowly drifted into sleep, holding on to a small hope that I might dream of Korea and my parents. And then¡ª "Eh, oh, um..." "...I was wondering if there was some gloomy friend, but there¡¯s actually a cuter kid than I expected. Nice to meet you." A few hourster, after a sudden stomachache woke me up, I rushed to the bathroom and was greeted by someone who looked like a princess who had just been released from some northern European castle. The fact that she was much taller than me was a little sad. It was the moment I got a new older sister who might be scary. ... The situation wasn¡¯t great, at all. War. Not a ''battle'' or ''skirmish''¡ªbut a ''war''... whether big or small, war was like a huge abyss that swallowed resources and costs, spiraling down endlessly. It wasn¡¯t just war between countries. It was the war on crime, the war on terrorism, the war on drugs¡­ The word ''war'' had many prefixes, and it wandered through society as a catchphrase. And none of those wars, however big or small, drained national resources to a frightening degree. Then, how much resources, budgets, and lives did the ''war against the virus'' consume? ... The answer was something even Lauren C. Brenner, the team leader of DEVGRU''s Gold Squadron Alpha Team, could not know. But aftering to Central Park HQ, she felt like she was getting closer to that answer¡ªbut approaching the truth didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee a clear solution or a bright future. It felt more like being sucked into a whirlwind, a feeling of devastation. ... Right now, there were no external attacks. But what about in the future? One of the few people who could ess the world''s secrets, Lauren knew that the president, entangled in terrorism, couldn¡¯t reach Cheyenne Mountain''s bunker and was stuck at Central Park. Ideally, she should have been aboard one of the transport nes arriving and leaving the base dozens of times by now. But due to various interests and risks, things couldn¡¯t proceed so easily. The biggest reason was that the president had be directly involved in the terror attack. Even Air Force One had been infiltrated. That meant security had beenpletely breached. So, the problem was...@@novelbin@@ ...The identity of those who had contact with hostile countries or terrorists was still unknown. And if they tried to evacuate the president to the bunker? There were several possibilities, but one certainty was that the transport ne carrying the president could be intercepted by a missile before even reaching half of Colorado. And whether this was fortunate or unfortunate, the president hade to realize this and was now working diligently in the makeshift bunker being built in Central Park. That fact had not leaked anywhere. But the problem was... that even if the president was hidden here in Central Park, this ce might still be a target for potential terrorists or hostile forces. That¡¯s why, as soon as she arrived at HQ, Lauren assessed Manhattan¡¯s risks and was asked to focus on training forces capable of responding to any unrest, but... ''At most, it willst 1 to 2 months. After that, something will definitely happen.'' It was an exceptionally harsh winter, but it would soon be February. The weather would gradually warm, and once the cold no longer hindered people¡¯s actions, the struggle for survival would fully emerge. Gang members released from Riker''s Ind, forces armed with advanced weapons, civilians turned into mobs to survive... A cold wave and power outage that might only happen once in a century had killed off most of the infected hosts, and the Omega virus had all but copsed, but the future was the real problem. That¡¯s why, after hurriedly setting up amodations for the Alpha-ss mutants, Lauren spent over 16 hours a day fulfilling her tasks. That was why she had never once met Eugene since the building had been constructed. Just five seconds ago, that had been the case. "¡­" "Eh, um, hi... I¡¯m Eugene, I live on the second floor... Nice to meet you." "...Lauren. Just call me that." Lauren still wasn¡¯t used to her new name. She swallowed thest words, looking down at the kid in front of her. She had to look down automatically because of her 188cm height. What stood out were not the usual murky eyes but sapphire-like eyes. Her ck hair reached down to her waist, and she had a gentle-looking face. Her features were delicate, and her small head was about the size of a man¡¯s fist. Her body and hips had proportions that looked more mature, and there was a snake tail poking out of her backside. ...Come to think of it, I think I heard something about another Alpha-ss mutant arriving around the same time. Back then, I didn¡¯t think much of it, but... "...I didn¡¯t expect you to look so harmless." "Ah, sorry-" "...Are you really sure you¡¯re based on an anaconda?" Aside from her snake tail, she looked harmless enough to be... like a little Japanese mochi figurine. She briefly touched Eugene¡¯s face with both hands and then gently withdrew her fingers. Memories that had been half-forgotten starteding back. "...I¡¯m not sure I could talk about Icarus right now with this kid..." Especially when it came to the Icarus Gear. Right now, first-entry units were struggling to eliminate gang members around Manhattan, but strictly speaking, these soldiers were fighting with equipment that should only be avable to special forces, engaging in life-threateningbat. And the department under the Department of Homnd Security, Icarus ICARUS, which was receiving full support to solve the current crisis... was secretly looking for personnel to use the Icarus Gear. It was a cutting-edge technology that guaranteedbat abilities far beyond what normal operators could achieve, but it also carried the danger of potentially killing someone using it because no one knew if the human body could withstand it. So, they requested that Alpha-ss mutants, who had surpassed the limits of human physical capabilities, test the gear, collect data, and adjust the settings so that even regr operators could use it. You could call them test subjects, but on the other hand, they were also experimental candidates. "...I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to die during the experiment, but..." If I considered this innocent child as the preparation to throw into the battlefield, it was understandable why I would hesitate. But on the other hand... honestly, Central Park and the surrounding area were going to be a battlefield soon enough. The mes of war had just started to kindle, and once they ignited, they would burn for years without stopping. Leaving this kid without any preparation in the middle of that warzone was just as absurd. It wasn¡¯t wrong to make sure she had the chance to survive by preparing her to fight for her life. epting the truth was always hard. She thought that. Ah, but of course... "Would you like a chocte bar? I haven¡¯t opened the packaging yet." "I¡¯d love one!" Cute things are still cute. Lauren¡¯s face finally broke into a smile, something she hadn¡¯t shown in a long time. Chapter 675 "...The building is big, but there are no people here." "It can''t be helped. People like us are rare, and even if there were, it wouldn''t be easy to get to Central Park. If you hadn''t met any friendly people in Brooklyn, would you have been able toe here?"@@novelbin@@ "Well... that¡¯s true." 4 AM, Central Park HQ. The weather, which had been somewhat pleasant for a while, became gloomy again, and even the moonlight was hidden behind the darkness, leaving only the faint light of candles in the Alpha-ss mutants'' amodations. Inside, I first met someone who introduced herself as Lauren... and the first impression was very good. Actually, it couldn''t have been any other way. She looked like a princess; how could I not like her? But, how should I put it... behind her rather graceful face, there seemed to be a coldness hidden, like someone who could casually stab a knife into someone¡¯s abdomen with a smile. At first, I thought that was a very inappropriate thought, but after just a few minutes of meeting her, I somehow got the sense of what her job might be. She was also in the U.S. military. Beyond that, it was a bit unclear, but it seemed like she worked in a specialized role... like some sort of special forces. That¡¯s when I understood why there were suspicious items on the table. Moreover, the cab that seemed like it could hold something¡ªturns out it was a gun cab. A ce to store firearms. I would have liked to look at it, but that was obviously out of the question. Anyway, she seemed quite interested in me. By coincidence, I felt the same way. The reason was obvious. Although I had gone through many hardships to get to Central Park, this was the first time I had met someone like me, whose body had changed in such a way. ording to Regent Agent, Alpha-ss mutants like me and Lauren were rare, though there were others lower than us who were often seen, and I heard there were a few at the base, though I hadn¡¯t met any yet. The only regret was that, given her position¡ªwhatever it might be¡ªI couldn¡¯t talk for long because she had a lot of work to do. If there was any gain in this conversation, it was that she seemed interested in learning Korean. Lauren spoke. "You don¡¯t have to worry too much. We¡¯ll meet often from now on. It won¡¯t be too far off." "...The way you say that makes me feel even more uneasy." "I don¡¯t really know what you mean, but I think I understand. You¡¯re the type who can''t hide your thoughts, huh?" "Eh¡­" ...It''s still a bit difficult to speak, but at least I could understand a bit more. Judging by how people generally reacted like that, it seemed that my thoughts might be clearly visible on my face. It wasn¡¯t that it hadn¡¯t been that way in the past, but hearing such things in this situation was a bit shocking. I thought maybe I should practice in that area, but then again, I¡¯d probably give away those thoughts right away too. Honestly, what made me more uneasy was what Lauren had said earlier¡ª"We¡¯ll meet often from now on." In fact, I had a vague sense of what was happening. More soldiers were gradually showing up, and I¡¯d asionally seen ammo boxes being moved when supplies were dropped by transport nes. "...If I stay here, I might end up serving again as a soldier." Well, maybe it was pretty much a given. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t that I would be a soldier, but rather, Central Park would probably dere all civilians here as reserves. And I had already experienced something simr. Right now, my most valuable possession, the patch from the 107th Military Police Company... Technically, it wasn¡¯t official, and Captain Pakuson didn¡¯t recruit me directly. Anyway, if that were to happen... no, I was sure they wouldn¡¯t just let me be. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they put me to work. Enhanced humans have always been considered a necessary and sufficient condition for bing excellent soldiers. Then... "You look like you¡¯re thinking a lot." "Ah." "But that¡¯s not bad... Seems like you¡¯ve already figured something out. You already know what¡¯s going to happen to you." "..." "Most people who can predict the future precisely end up carrying anxiety. But... a very few try to prepare for and fight the waves that areing." ...What was she trying to say to me? She ced the candle holder down. The faint light from the me spilled across the room, and for a moment, I thought I saw her scarlet eyes flicker. Lauren spoke. "What do you think is going to happen?" As soon as I interpreted her words, my head instinctively lowered. I didn¡¯t know exactly what would happen, but I was sure it wouldn¡¯t be anything good. The weather would warm up, and more people would try to escape the shackles of the cold and seek their own survival. Chaos, where no one knew where things would go. But one thing was certain: there wouldn¡¯t be anything good happening in Central Park. People would struggle to survive. Some would try to destroy this ce, while others would fight to protect the only shining beacon amidst the chaos. And, most likely... At that point, I couldn¡¯t help but ask. "...Why are you telling me all this?" "Well... maybe it¡¯s just out of simple curiosity, or maybe because you look pitiful... but the biggest reason is, as I said before, you and your kind¡ªmaybe even more people¡ªare likely toe together for the same reason, soon enough." "...?" "You might not know now. But in a few weeks at thetest, you¡¯ll understand. In that sense, you¡¯re doing well. You¡¯ll need your strength to survive the waves ahead." I didn¡¯t fully understand, but it was clear. This person was likely preparing me to be a soldier. But that wasn¡¯t forced. If it were, she would have been much more direct. But from what she said, it seemed that all the grim futures I had imagined wereing soon, and the likelihood that I¡¯d end up holding a gun was very high. And so, I asked, of my own volition. "What should I do?" "...Hah. I didn¡¯t expect to hear such an answer. That¡¯s quite surprising." "...I¡¯ve been through a lot of tough things too." Of course, she hadn¡¯t understood the muttered words, but because of that, Lauren seemed to have figured out what I needed to do to prepare as quickly as possible. She handed me a thick book. I could guess what it was. The cover looked like something you¡¯d typically see in the military. It was simr to the manual my senior had thrown at me when I first took over my unit¡¯s duties, but much thicker and all in English. While I was waiting for her to say something, she spoke. "You¡¯re doing well with your English studies, but you¡¯ll need to pick up the pace. Do as much as you can." "...Yes." "It¡¯s nice to have someone who listens well. You might not see me again tomorrow. Let¡¯s meet againter." "Ah, okay. But... can I ask you something?" "What is it?" I knew this wouldn¡¯t be thest question, but I had to ask something I¡¯d been curious about since we first met. I opened my mouth. "...How old are you?" "...I knew you¡¯d ask that, you¡¯re an interesting kid. Well, I guess it¡¯s natural to wonder, but let¡¯s save that fun for next time." "...Eh?" "But it wouldn¡¯t be fun to leave without saying anything, right? So let¡¯s make it a game. If you guess right when we meet again, I¡¯ll give you a special gift. How about it?" "Eh, how would I even guess..." "Do your best." Clink. She stood up, picking up thentern she had set down. It was like a princess from a Nordic castle returning to her room. Her silver hair shimmered in the moonlight, like shattered foam. I stood there, staring nkly at her until she left the room, and in that moment, my candle went out with a flicker. ...Was it time to sleep? After a dreamlike passage of time, I slowly drifted into sleep, reflecting on the conversation I had just had. For almost two weeks, I didn¡¯t see Lauren again. I found out that a person named Jenna was in the Omega Virus Intensive Care Unit, that is, the ICU, the day before I met her again. "¡­" Beep, beep, beep. Countless machines, whose purpose and names I didn¡¯t know, continued to beep with mechanical sounds. Monitors were showing numbers that seemed to measure heart rate, blood pressure, and more. Each patient room was strictly divided by stic partitions. It reminded me of a scene I had once seen in a drama. I still remember it clearly. It was from a show called Chernobyl. The full-body istion suits, reminding me of astronauts. Everyone who entered had to receive air through pipes at the back of their heads. The ICU for Omega Virus patients was truly a horrific space. Everyone had artificial respirators attached to their mouths. Some had pipes running through their necks, connected directly to them. "This ce¡¯s patients are suffering from multiple organ failure, or their organs have stopped functioning, but the damage is irreversible, so they¡¯re in intensive care." "¡­" "That¡¯s her. Jenna McKellen. The sister of Sergeant Baker, who died, and just a few weeks ago, she was still working as an emergency responder." I carefully opened the door to the poorly constructed stic partition and stepped inside. She was only opening her eyes. There was some kind of panel attached in front of her eyes, and she kept opening and closing them. Soon, I realized what that meant. The screen behind her bed started disying text. Wordsbined to form sentences. Fortunately, her typing speed was very fast, and it had a built-in trantion function. Her first words appeared on the screen.
    • I heard you were the one who witnessed my brother¡¯sst moments.
    I nodded silently. The crumpled piece of paper and the letter in my pocket rustled. Since these notes and the letter would never see the light of day again, I had brought them with me. I just wasn¡¯t sure when I should take them out. Meanwhile, the sentences on the screen continued.
    • I was on the brink of death not too long ago. Later, they told me that if I found out my brother was dead, the emotional shock would lower my chances of recovery, so they decided not to tell either of us. But now it doesn¡¯t matter.
    "...Why?"
    • Soon, I¡¯ll be able to be with my foolish brother.
    My chest tightened. Why did those calm words hurt so much? At that moment, I understood why I was allowed toe here. It was because she was about to die, and that was the only reason we were able to meet. I fought back the tears that were welling up, and slowly took out the piece of paper with the letter from my pocket. Unfortunately, the dog tag was with Captain Pakuson. Maybe my hands weren¡¯t moving well, so the medical staff beside her took it from me and spread it out in front of her. The words on the paper, which contrasted with the dried blood, were neatly written. She leisurely read them, her eyes hazy. The silence dragged on for tens of seconds. There was no response. But after some time, tears began to run down Jenna¡¯s face. The sentence generator, which worked by detecting eye movement, continued to operate, and while the doctor who hade with me took various measures, I could only watch the scene. It took her a few minutes to calm down. The text slowly appeared again.
    • Could I hear about my brother¡¯sst moments?
    "...I¡¯m not good at English, but I¡¯ll try my best." ...This was exactly why I had to study English. I slowlypleted the sentences with difficulty. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t too much that had happened that day, and I remembered the entire story of how Sergeant Baker had died from start to finish. The escaped prisoners. The people who wouldter be known as the Rikers. They killed him. Or more precisely... they killed him too. More than ten people turned into cold corpses in an instant. Everyone else died instantly, but he took a fatal blow and hung on for a few more minutes. During that time, he met me by chance and gave me everything he could. That¡¯s how I survived. She quietly shed tears and then added.
    • My brother traded his life to save you. Then, you¡¯re not the one who¡¯s dead. His faith and his meaning live on in you.
    "...Yes. He wanted me to live... and I did. I survived and made it here."
    • That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯m sure my brother would be proud.
    I couldn¡¯t wipe my tears. At this moment, I felt that the canopy-like covering on my face was unbearably frustrating, but she continued speaking.
    • Please hold my hand. I¡¯m curious about your name.
    "...Eugene. Yu Eugene."
    • That¡¯s a lovely name.
    Although I couldn¡¯t hear or see clearly, I somehow felt that Jenna was faintly smiling. The visitation time we had agreed upon was drawing to a close. It was clear that this conversation was taking a toll on her body, but I gripped her hand. It was slender but very strong. While I was tearing up inside the istion suit, she spoke again.
    • Please, don¡¯t follow me and my brother. After the Omega Virus crisis is over, get your own life back.
    "...Can I do that?"
    • You can. The Lord is watching over you.
    As soon as her finger, which had no strength left, carefully lowered, I instinctively realized that my time with her was nearly up. Whether it was visiting time or the remaining time Jenna had, it was alling to an end. She struggled to hold onto the blood-stained paper and the letter her brother had left. Soon, the crinkling sound could be heard as the paper began to crumple in her hand. With great difficulty, I spoke. "...Please don¡¯t die. I¡¯ll see you again next time¡­"
    • It¡¯s fine. If you bring flowers to my grave often after I die, that will be enough. Just remember that my brother and I fought in our respective frontlines.
    "...No matter what happens... I won¡¯t forget... I swear." At that moment, she truly smiled. That was thest image I saw. ...Watching someone die in front of your eyes is the most excruciating thing. Two dayster, I heard from Regent Agent that Jenna had passed away. I hoped she would meet Sergeant Baker in heaven and that she would no longer suffer in this world. Chapter 676 "...I never thought we''d meet again in a ce like this, I''m sorry." "..." Whooshhhhhhh! Rain poured down from the sky as if there were holes in the clouds. It was winter rain. The raindrops hit the umbre, breaking apart and falling to the ground, soaking the earth. The rainwater flowed down the marble floor I was stepping on. This ce, Central Park National Cemetery, had better drainage than anywhere I¡¯d been recently. It had been ake in the park, but they drained the water to use it for drinking, then began leveling the ground and burying the bodies. Civilians who stayed within or near Central Park could not be buried here. This ce was reserved for soldiers, nurses, and high-ranking officials who had died honorably ¨C though whether it was truly honorable, I didn¡¯t know. And here, in front of the newly erected gravestone with the names Jenna McKellen and Baker McKellen written on it, I ced a flower and stood crying. How did she know where I was? That didn¡¯t matter. The question she had left when we first met didn¡¯t matter either. I was too mncholic to think about such things now. Even with the sound of the rain, Lauren¡¯s words felt like they were whispering directly in my ear. She spoke again. "He must have been a good person. Most of the people buried here are. And... we will have to bury many more here." "...Is that so?" "And I hope you won¡¯t end up buried here. No, I hope you don¡¯t die without even being able to be buried here." "...Huh?" She didn¡¯t respond to my question and walked over to where Jenna was buried. Bending down, she touched the gravestone with one hand and then, after showing aplicated expression I couldn¡¯t decipher, she added something else. It had been nearly a month since I arrived in this world, and over that time, I¡¯d encountered many people, many squads, and now I could start to understand some of the English sentences I¡¯d found difficult when west met. But that understanding didn¡¯t provide me with anyfort. "I heard from Regent that... but you would know better. Even though their names are carved together, Sergeant Baker isn¡¯t buried here next to her." "..." "There are many names on the gravestones, but how many of those people are actually buried in those graves? How much further must the concept of an honorable death be desecrated before this Omega Virus crisis can end?" "...That¡¯s..." Lauren slowly turned her head. I also naturally turned in that direction. She scanned the patch of grass where there were no gravestones yet. Until recently, it had been thekebed, so the grass grew unnaturally ¨C or rather, it was just nted there. She continued speaking. "That area will eventually be where the first-entry operatives who died during operations and in the process of solving the crisis will be buried. The reason there¡¯s no gravestone yet isn¡¯t because no one has died." "...Then?" "Too many have died, and the count of the dead and the survivors is still unorganized. And one of my main duties is to train them and decide where they will be deployed." Why was she telling me all this? Was it even right for me to hear this? But I felt that the reason she was saying this so openly was that there was a purpose behind it. That¡¯s why I quietly listened to Lauren¡¯s words. There was nothing else I could do. What struck me most was how calmly she spoke. It wasn¡¯t indifference. It felt more like someone who had gone through so much grief that even that part of her had been worn down. What had Lauren gone through to get here? What kind of experiences had she endured? She exhaled deeply, faintly, and added. "It¡¯s raining, kid. Not snow, and your outfit is far simpler than when I first saw you." "...I see." "The frequency of skirmishes outside Central Park has been increasing, and Brooklyn has be a wastnd. People are starting to fear the winter less. How long until the repressed instincts of people explode?" "...Then, Lauren, do you want me to be a soldier?" "More than that." More than that... At that point, I vaguely realized what she was hinting at. Special forces. In other words... operators. To exin further, she meant operational personnel deployed for special forces missions. When I heard those words, my feelings were not excitement or fear, but confusion. I had never once thought that I could do such a thing. ...It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. At least, with the body I had now, the way I was, it might be possible. My strength and physical capabilities were iparable to others. But could that alone make me capable of such a task? And... "...Could I bear that weight?" Could I take responsibility for someone else¡¯s life? Since falling into this world, there had been moments where I helped others in life-and-death situations. For example, when escaping from Brooklyn, I carried ammo boxes for the 107th Military Police Company with great enthusiasm. But now, what she was talking about was beyond mere physical strength and courage. It was about navigating the boundaries of life and death, using my own judgment on the front lines to clear the way. Could I be that kind of person? And if I could, would it be toote? I had heard that converting a civilian into a squad member would take an immense amount of time and resources. I wasn¡¯tpletely ignorant. I knew these things, but they had only been knowledge I casually picked up. However, when they became a reality, everything changed. The feeling of choking that I had felt when I first came here and stood in front of the gravestone had long since faded. But that didn¡¯t mean I felt good. And then she drove the point home. "If you learn from me, at least you won¡¯t die like the others. But if you ept, you¡¯ll have to do even more. That¡¯s why Central Park called you, and why it called me." At that moment, she rolled up her left wrist and showed it to me. What I hadn¡¯t seen thest time I looked at it was a strange-looking watch, and the light extending from it was engulfing her wrist. It wasn¡¯t just a simple bright light. With a nonchnt expression, she nced at it. "Prototype Icarus Gear. The very thing that caused two presidents to fall intome-duck status and pushed one to the brink of impeachment. It was designed to break all the vicious cycles and prepare for every failure." "That... you¡¯re wearing that, Lauren...?" "...I know it¡¯s a bitte to say this, but you¡¯re quick to catch on. I don¡¯t mind that kind of person." Was that so? At that moment, everything became clear. Central Park¡¯s decision to waste space and give me support, assigning the outstanding agent Ilich Jensen to me, allowing me to undergo numerous tests for free¡ªeverything now made sense. ...They hadn¡¯t called me here for biological experiments. They hadn¡¯t called me here to test if I had antibodies against the virus. They had brought me here to rebuild the fallen, broken America, to create the spearhead that would crush all the opposing forces, disregarding all procedures and processes. My mouth opened carefully. "...What happens if I refuse?" "Nothing. You¡¯ll just have to sign a contract to keep silent about this mission for the rest of your life and stay in Central Park until the crisis is over. The people upstairs want you to... move to a different ce and stop the paranoia from Manhattan." "But I¡¯m just strong... that¡¯s all..." "That doesn¡¯t matter. We only look to the future, not the present." ...Of course, that made sense. I quietly looked at Lauren¡¯s forearm. She probably knew as well. I likely wouldn¡¯t be able to answer immediately. The sound of the thunderous rain, the vibration against my body, didn¡¯t disturb my thoughts or my dilemma. Lauren probably expected me to think it over and answerter. And in that moment, one question rose in my mind. I opened my mouth. "...So, what if I ept?" "Well... It¡¯s not certain, but... endless hardships and adversities will await you. You¡¯ll be forced to kill people." "...I guess so." "And we¡¯ll write a new history of America with the blood of our enemies." Is there anyone who could express such an unadulterated truth so elegantly? Killing people. Thest time, it was to survive, but if I epted this proposal... I¡¯d be killing people by my own choice. Though the reason would be the same. ...I wasn¡¯t persuaded by those words. I¡¯m not someone who lets someone else¡¯s words dictate my life. But it was clear that she wasn¡¯t trying to convince me. To be specific, what she said... helped me recall my own judgment. And I realized something when I was in Brooklyn ¨C when the opportunityes, I must act. Otherwise, nothing will change. ¡®I survived because I didn¡¯t settle.¡¯ In this world where every philosophical agenda copses and survival bes the only rule, the only truth might be that. While I thought this, Lauren carefully smiled at me, almost as if she didn¡¯t care about the words she just said. "Next time we meet, make sure you have two answers ready. I think you know what the other one is." With that, Lauren left. It took a few minutes before she disappeared from my sight, and I remained standing in front of Jenna¡¯s grave, contemting what answer I should give... but that contemtion didn¡¯tst long. The answer had already been decided, and after a few minutes, I started walking. Two dayster. I answered Lauren¡¯s two questions, and she weed me with a suspicious smile. A dreadful spring, where new growth sprouts atop the bodies of the dead, was approaching. "¡­Damn, it hurts like hell¡­ where the hell am I?" "Don¡¯t move. Mutants have higher blood pressure than humans, so if you get injured, you¡¯re more likely to die from blood loss. Just so you know, this is Central Park in Manhattan." "¡­What?" "Olivia Nix Lorelei. Rank: First Sergeant¡­ It seems the Air Force doesn¡¯t have warrant officers. You¡¯re from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Eagle Team¡¯s lead PJ. Mutation was confirmed on January 4th¡­ Is this the same as yours?" Central Park HQ Restricted Zone, ICU. Among these, the ICU wasn¡¯t for patients suffering physical damage caused by the virus, but rather for those who had sustained major injuries for various reasons and were urgently brought in. Compared to the virus ward, the ICU had almost no people in it. On the hospital bed, a woman who looked like an owl slowly opened her eyes with difficulty, and every word she spoke was received by someone else. Lauren Tina C. Brenner. Currently, she was the operationalmander for Central Park and one of the only three Alpha-ss mutants in Central Park. She spokezily. "Rank-wise, I¡¯m CWO-2, a Warrant Officer. Just call me Lauren. I was with Task Force Blue, Gold Squadron Alpha Team as an operationsmander¡­ I arrived a few weeks before you." "¡­Ha. I thought I woke up in a strip club for a moment." "That''s what you say when you wake up? You''re in good spirits. Anyway, the three of you from Eagle Team have no major injuries except fatigue, but you can''t be called into the ICU. Keep that in mind." "Shouldn¡¯t I be grateful just to be alive? Ugh, my¡­ my stomach¡­ My fingers won¡¯t move, more painkillers please¡­" Without saying a word, Lauren pressed the button for the IV drip. After a few minutes of Olivia groaning, she let out a small sigh. The painkiller began circting through her veins, gradually numbing the pain from the bullet wound in her abdomen. She added in a half-dazed voice, trying to tough it out. "Damn it, I tried to handle it gently, but... it''s already going to leave a horrific scar..." "Don¡¯t worry about that¡­ You went to the 106th Air Rescue Squadron for a training exercise on Long Ind¡¯s outskirts, and during a critical situation, you got shot while carrying out a mission. Quite the dynamic story." "...What about you?" "That¡¯s something I¡¯ll tell you once your body¡¯s in better shape¡­ But for now, let me say this: as of right now, themand of you and Eagle Team has been transferred to Central Park. Keep that in mind."@@novelbin@@ "What...?" At the same time, Lauren took out a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It was sh paper. With a whoosh sound, the paper quickly burned up. But at that moment, Olivia¡¯s eyes narrowed. The contents written on the piece of paper¡ªThe President of the United States is currently staying in Central Park¡ªand she understood why Lauren had burned it. As if she hadn''t seen anything, Olivia opened her mouth. "...I get it. I guess I¡¯ll be stuck here for a while... maybe until this crisis ends." "Good. Of course, there¡¯s another reason too. I¡¯ll take questions at the end, but listen first... As of now, under Executive Order 51 from the President, the affiliation of Alpha-ss mutants is changing. Specifically, we¡¯re being transferred to Icarus, an agency under the Department of Homnd Security, and the operators in that agency will be legally authorized to eliminate any hostile forces that obstruct America¡¯s safe rebuilding. For this reason, Icarus will equip all its operators, especially Alpha-ss mutants, with the prototype Icarus Gear, which will enhance theirbat capabilities. Any questions?" "...Then, what about my team?" "After securing real-world data on Icarus Gear, there will be further recruitment of Tier-1 operatives for Icarus operators." The next moment, there was a chuckle. Olivia opened her mouth. "Now I understand why your wrist is sparkling. Should I hang some kind of bomb on your wrist now?" "Surprisingly, the energy it¡¯s releasing is currently destroying my wrist, but at the same time, it¡¯s also regenerating it. Once the output bnce is adjusted, scar regeneration will be a piece of cake." "¡­That sounds kind of interesting." "Looks like you like that body of yours?" "Thanks to this body, I¡¯ve saved teammates who would¡¯ve died several times. Changing gender? That¡¯s a minor issue. You¡¯re probably feeling it too, huh?" "Of course." Just like she said, changing gender was a minor issue. The fact that my appearance had be more attractive and my appetite had exploded were just minor inconveniences. What I gained in return was overwhelming physical abilities. With reflexes superior to others, I¡¯d shoot and kill an enemy before they could shoot at myrades from a blind spot. With greater physical strength than anyone else, I¡¯d quickly evacuate a wounded teammate. With superior stamina, I could continue fighting even when myrades were exhausted from a long battle, and if our ammo ran out, I could easily crush the enemy. But it wasn¡¯t just that. While others were half-asleep while moving to a safe zone, my enhanced senses, which were iparable to my previous human form, helped me defend and n a retreat even from sudden attacks. Lauren and Olivia had both gone through simr experiences. Thanks to that, we were able to save ourselves and ourrades even in a hellish world where thousands of people die every day for countless reasons. There was no reason to dislike this body, and the newfound beauty made it even easier to convince neutral civilians to join our side. The reasons to dislike my transformed body melted away, and at this point, I couldn¡¯t help but view it in the most favorable light. Lauren, with a small smile at the corner of her mouth, added. "Anyway, wee to Central Park... There¡¯s a lot of work to be done. ording to the medical team¡¯s assessment, you¡¯ll be up and running in no more than a week. I hope you can help us out as soon as possible." "Damn it, I wonder if there¡¯s anywhere else that hurts. I¡¯m dying here." "Then, please take care of it, Olivia." "Yeah... same goes for you." Two frail hands reached out and sped each other. This marked the official moment when the number of Alpha-ss mutants in Central Park became three. Chapter 677 "<...The weather has be much warmer. I don''t think this is good news for Lauren, though.>" "That''s not something you need to worry about, kid... at least, not yet. But maybe soon it will be something you''ll have to think about. Not in a good way, though." "Maybe... that could be the case." Central Park HQ, March 1st. The bitter cold had passed, a season that had both killed many and shown how vulnerable humans be when modern systems¡ªthe very foundation of our society¡ªare stripped away. Central Park had moved into the early days of March, after surviving the harsh, unmarked January and February. As for me, someone who had never set foot in America, who had barely passed the English test back in Korea with a grade of 2nd ss in the College Schstic Ability Test, it had now been six weeks since I arrived in the U.S. To survive, tomunicate, and to avoid disadvantages, I studied English with the desperate resolve to ovee it. Words that I couldn¡¯t understand before became clearer, and though I still stammered, I could somehow convey my thoughts. Today, March 2nd, which would have been the day in Korea, marked the passing of a day when the ancestors, who had never lost the longing for independence under any hardship, once shouted "Hooray!" On the opposite side of the world, modern people wouldment the end of the holiday. But the world¡ªand the atmosphere around us¡ªkept growing increasingly turbulent, with no sign of improvement. "" "...Ah." "Documents that used to vanish from somewhere in the headquarters due tock of administrative power are slowly surfacing. And we... we found out that the situation around here is worse than we thought." I understood the gist of it, but still, following the speed of a native speaker was nearly impossible. I was desperately running the conversation back in my head. Lauren¡¯s words were particrly hard to grasp. She often used several archaic... and difficult words. Her rich vocabry and excellent exnation skills meant I frequently missed words with my poor listening skills. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t supposed to be hearing this in the first ce, but the reason she was exining all of this to me was simple. After epting Lauren¡¯s offer not long ago, I had officially gone through the necessary procedures. The purpose of those procedures was simple. I had joined Central Park in a way that felt somewhat like the MAVNI program. In other words, simply put, I was now serving in the military, getting U.S. citizenship in the process. Opening herptop, Lauren added casually as she handled a few tasks. ""@@novelbin@@ "...I¡¯ll try." "Of course. Now, let¡¯s get moving. We have a lot to do today. The main thing is for you to wear the Icarus Gear... but there''s also a new resident, and they might be able to give you another excellent military training." "Ah, the other Alpha-ss mutant you mentioned a couple of days ago?" "Good memory." I certainly remembered. Among all the things I could wonder about, this one was a no-brainer. If I hadn¡¯t been so tired, I probably would have asked Lauren about it sooner. Much sooner¡­ but I didn¡¯t need to beat around the bush. I was just genuinely curious, nothing more. The key point is that I was that curious about the other mutants. Moreover, these mutants were based on different animals, so I was a little curious about who woulde next. I had heard Lauren was based on a shark. I couldn¡¯t see it, but they said she had gills on her neck. ...Was a shark really someone with white hair and red eyes? Could you even call that a shark? But there was no need to get hung up on such details. After all, we lived in a world where a person could suddenly change their gender from male to female, so this was just another rule-bending urrence that ignored physicalws and thermodynamics. I decided to just ept it. Anyway, it was time to move on, and instead of thinking about the cold, I was now thinking about how cool the weather felt. The breath that had poured out like a waterfall just days ago had lessened dramatically. Our destination today was a restricted area¡ªspecifically a highly ssified section that few people could enter. Walking with Lauren, I spoke up about one thing that had been bothering me. "...By the way, I¡¯m from Korea. Is it really okay for me to be entrusted with something like this?" "That point was a concern too... but right now, the control of the gear is not in the user''s hands. And the guys from the 107th Military Police Battalion have already given a detailed report about how you helped in Brooklyn." "...Ah...." "Did that tail mesmerize you?" "No!!" What was that even supposed to mean? And by the way, this tail... in terms of visuals, it was probably more of a disadvantage! People love fluffy creatures like dogs or cats, but there aren¡¯t many who like reptiles! Whether she knew what I was thinking or not, I was soon facing the familiar faces of the security gate workers, who had already gotten used to seeing me. Our appearance was our identity, so there were no special procedures. Of course, we had to go through the virus check before entering. We were now close to the Ark construction area. The work wasn¡¯t fully finished yet, but it wasn¡¯t a major issue. The Ark was meant to excavate specific spaces for particr purposes, and after digging them out, they would connect power lines, water, and gas. So, even though excavation work was happening, the highly ssified areas were operating just fine. While descending slowly in the elevator, I couldn¡¯t help but ask: "...Is it painful to wear the gear? It looks like it would hurt a lot." "It does hurt. But strictly speaking, it¡¯s me who experienced the pain first. I started the process, and the scientists will refine the initial energy levels of the gear based on the strain on my body. You might not feel as much pain." "...Is that so?" "Based on the strain on mutants¡¯ bodies, they¡¯ll eventually make it safer for regr people to wear the gear. You probably should¡¯ve epted my suggestion a bitter." "Ah." A backstory like that. But then again, it meant that the data they used came from someone else¡¯s pain¡­ and that was a little unsettling. The only thing I could do was thank Lauren for this. The elevator doors opened, revealing a very rough corridor. The temporary closure was obvious, but at least the air conditioning was working, and the corridor was reasonably ventted. The destination was arge experimental area ahead. There were no special security recognition devices, and the door opened automatically. "...You¡¯ve been here too, right, Lauren?" "Of course." No further words were necessary. As soon as the door opened, dozens of scientists who were busy moving around among countless devices¡ªmost of which I¡¯d never understand the purpose of¡ªlooked at me. The room resembled an istion ward. It was arge room that had been divided into two parts by a thick, ss-like wall. I was probably meant to go into the isted area. And sure enough, less than a minuteter, I was in the istion room. "Wee, Eugene. I¡¯m Dr. Joseph Finn, the lead researcher who will assist with the gear-wearing process and monitor your physical signals in real-time. Rx, and is your dominant hand your right one?" "...Yes." "We¡¯ll fit the gear on your left hand." He gave a small signal with his finger. At that moment, the istion room door opened, and someone entered with a small box. I briefly wondered if it was a Legion agent, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t someone assigned to me anymore. The box was surprisingly heavy, and it was ced on the table. A ck box with the logo of a phoenix rising from mes was ced in front of me. While I stared at it nkly, the agent and Dr. Joseph ced their fingers on a sensor and entered a password. Now, it was my turn. "To prove that you are opening the gear box of your own volition, we¡¯ll start the fingerprint registration process. Are you ready, Eugene?" "..." I silently ced my finger on the sensor. With a buzzing sound, the sensor blinked green, and the lock mechanism inside the box released with a hissing noise. Inside, several objects resembling watches¡ªabout four or five different types¡ªappeared. Should I choose one? I swallowed hard and carefully selected the ck metal-strapped watch. What kind of function could be inside this for it to be so strictly kept? As soon as I took the watch out, the box clicked shut again, and everyone in the room¡ªincluding me¡ªopened their mouths, clearly tense. "This is the Icarus Gear, equipped with a small nuclear fusion reactor. We¡¯ll begin the wearing and user registration process now. Brace yourself." "...This... really... does it hurt?" "I don¡¯t know for sure, but I just hope it doesn¡¯t." With a swift motion, the strap was undone and ced around my left wrist, then fastened tightly. In that moment, it felt like the watch had fused with my wrist. And then¡ª
    • [DNA recognition starting. Automatically collecting the wearer¡¯s DNA.]
    • [Body scan in progress... Height 172cm, Weight 205kg.]
    • [Matching the wearer¡¯s data with the database... Eugene Lee, U.S. citizen confirmed. Social Security number lookup in progress. Starting Icarus operator registration and issue of registration number.]
    • [Nanomachine bodypatibility test in progress... Extremely good. Starting nanomachine adaptation process. This process may involve pain, and spinal thmic tract function may be slightly slowed to suppress pain.]
    • [Calcting the time needed for body enhancement through nanomachines... This process generally takes about a month. During this time, physical capabilities will increase by up to 45%.]
    • [Scanning the nervous and circtory systems. Measuring blood pressure... Estimated 180/110mmHg. Capiries and arteries confirmed to be able to handle this pressure.]
    • [Identifying additional capiry clusters that are not found in humans. It is suspected that these are used to regte blood pressure within safe limits.]
    • [Nanomachine release starting.]
    "...Ugh? Ow? Wait, my arm is starting to hurt¡ª" "We¡¯re monitoring the pain adaptation process in real-time. Four hours remaining. I¡¯ll leave painkillers here. If it bes unbearable, please request sleep gas." "Ahhh, Lauren tricked meeee!" In that moment, my left arm burned, and a light erupted. It was the beginning of a long, painful ordeal. "Ugh...!" "Looks like it¡¯s really painful." "My left arm hurts so much...." Central Park HQ, 4:30 PM. As the sun began to set, I was walking with Lauren back to the Alpha-ss mutants'' dormitory, frowning. My left arm was throbbing relentlessly. It hurt a lot. What should Ipare it to? It felt like I¡¯d had surgery on my hand. Only now, it seemed like the painkillers weren¡¯t quite doing the job anymore. I could tell this would seriously affect my daily life. I wasn¡¯t sure how I was supposed to sleep in this condition, but fortunately, Lauren had said that with the spinal adjustment, I should be able to sleep well, even if it was just temporary. But there was something interesting that Lauren and the researchers had raised. "Since your left arm is hurting so much, what about training that long tail so you can use it in daily life?" "...I don¡¯t know. Is that even possible? I¡¯ve always thought of it as just a decoration. I¡¯ve never once imagined using it to grab something...." "In Korea, there¡¯s a saying: ¡®You don¡¯t lose by trying.¡¯ If things go well, you might get a third hand." "Two hands are enough, but... I don''t know how much a third one would help, honestly." The suggestion to use the tail for something more than decoration. But other than myself, no other mutants had this, so I had no idea what to do with it. What did it even feel like to move a tail? Sadly, right now... and probably for the rest of my life, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone who could give me advice on how to move my tail. I was my own Columbus. The awkward situation was relieved a little as I focused on the tail, and by practicing how to move it, I could distract myself from the pain in my left arm. A sudden scream escaped my mouth. "Was that really such a sensitive spot?" "No, no. I just got surprised." Lauren had just brushed the tail with her finger. I was startled and screamed. Later, I learned that it was some kind of muscle-mind connection exercise... but I could see how it would help to feel the movement while doing it. Anyway, moving the tail was a bit tricky. It wasn¡¯t easy to move the tail in the direction I wanted without seeing it. I guess I¡¯d need to improve my spatial awareness. By now, we had reached the mutants¡¯ dormitory, where we were getting quite familiar with the ce. Apparently, they would soon reassemble the shabby building to make it more proper... but Lauren seemed skeptical about that. I felt the same. What mattered today was something else. "...Phew." "Why are you nervous about everything?" "Who¡¯s the new one? Are you really not going to tell me?" "Heh, it¡¯s more fun that way." "Ugh...." Today, I would finally meet a new mutant other than Lauren and me. The only thing Lauren had told me was that this person worked in the same field, which is why they would share the same floor. She hadn¡¯t told me whether they were male or female, what animal they were based on, or how old they were. I stood by the door, feeling my heart pounding. The ss was blocked, so I couldn¡¯t see inside. How much time had passed? I opened the door. "...Wow." The person who appeared was nothing like I had expected. It was, of course, a woman. Her fluffy hair looked like bird feathers, and her yellow eyes were the first thing I noticed. Right after, I spotted a tail feather-like structure on top of her head. Her clothes were tight, almost bursting... She was taller than me, and looked like a bird of prey. I was taken aback for a moment and finally spoke. "...An owl." "...You should introduce yourself when you meet someone, you little rascal. I didn¡¯t expect you to guess it right away. I¡¯m Olivia." "Ah, e-hello. My name is Eugene..." "I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Shark. Let¡¯s get along from now on." I didn¡¯t know exactly why, but I had a feeling I could get along with this person. It was an afternoon where I wondered if all mutants looked this beautiful. "<...Lauren.>" "What''s up?" "That one¡¯s really cute. I think I¡¯m developing some maternal instincts." "Ha!" A few hourster, evening. Lauren learned that Olivia had a particr fondness for Eugene. What consequences this would lead to, no one knew. Chapter 678 In most cases, when someone is hurt, they usually rest at home. However, as always, when the situation is dire, no one can afford to rest, no matter who they are. Especially when the entire nation has entered a state of emergency, this bes even more true. How badly one is hurt no longer matters. A healthy body has be the most valuable asset one can possess at this point, and those who are acknowledged as injured and treated with care have be extremely rare. Fortunately, I was one of those who could still receive care. However, that didn¡¯t mean that just because I was being cared for, I was guaranteed tofortably recover in a room. Moreover, the people who had spoken kindly to me recently... were individuals with abilities that had transcended human limits, and although they could easily survive on their own with those abilities, they were relentless in their self-improvement. They were scary people. And, as the saying goes, "A person who stays close to ink will turn ck." "You don''t need to use a gun or exercise, but you should know the basics. I¡¯ve brought the manual for the basic operation of the Icarus Gear, so read it. I¡¯ll be asking you about it every day, so don¡¯t get too rxed." "Hmm, the functionality isn¡¯t much different from the smartwatches that existed before... It¡¯s pretty basic. It¡¯s a bit disappointing that it¡¯s not at the level where a hologram can appear though..." "Wow..." I¡¯m so excited. I could die from excitement. I can¡¯t help but feel that way. After all, this device might save my life and the lives of these people. I¡¯ll need to master every function of the gear, from start to finish, like an expert. But... well... it¡¯s a bit harsh. And it didn¡¯t end there. These people, trying to elerate my learning, have been speaking endless Englishtely. They repeat things if I don¡¯t understand... but still... Because of that, I¡¯ve found myself using English nonstop. I¡¯ve never used English this much in my life, and the amount I use grows every day... It¡¯s a bit... encouraging, I suppose. That wasn¡¯t said with the best of intentions. Still, even though I wasining a little, that didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t appreciate what I was doing. The necessity of the studies I was currently undergoing was something I understood better than anyone in this room.@@novelbin@@ Especially since I had officially joined a ce called Icarus, Lauren had helped me be aware of various outside situations... and I learned that the entire Central Park was gradually quieting down. This was not a good sign. ''...If I think naively, it might just be each person for themselves, but the atmosphere around here is far too unsettling for that.'' It didn¡¯t really matter if fewer people were working. In fact, Central Park would probably wee that. The reason Central Park had been overturned for nearly a month was to ensure smooth supply of water and other essentials to the civilians. It might actually be a good thing that they weren¡¯t wasting resources on unnecessary construction. But the issues with resources and food, the mismatch between the reported amounts of supplies and the actual ones, and the theft of explosives left in military outposts were problems. Moreover, the "biological rocket" that the entire 107th Military Police and half of the 442nd Military Police Battalion consistently mentioned... I heard that this was not something that could be found in a military supply warehouse. It was a special item, but ording to the data sent by the Cleaners¡ªformerly known as the New York City Sanitation Department, now a semi-autonomous armed group¡ª the rocketuncher had already been shattered. It was a self-destructive item that, once used, left no trace. Anyway, normally, I would have been dismissed as insane and disbanded by force, but unfortunately, in Manhattan right now, there was no way to stop that. What went on behind the scenes, I didn¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t Lauren or Olivia, so I couldn¡¯t know the details. Because of that, these days, I just... nodded vaguely and pretended to understand. Others seemed to be doing the same, adding that I should just keep a general understanding. But recently, the thing I had been paying attention to was something else. "Kid. Want a snack?" "Yes!" "...When did you be the caretaker, Olivia?" Olivia had been a bit... overly affectionate toward metely. At first, I thought it was just an attempt to get closer quickly, but after more than a week, it started to feel a bit... unsettling. And judging by Lauren¡¯s reaction, this didn¡¯t seem to be the norm. ...But I liked snacks. Snackies are great. Hehe. Though, I wondered if I was overdoing it with the snacks, I couldn¡¯t help but melt in front of them... even though I wasn¡¯t usually weak when it came to snacks. Anyway, as awkward as it was for me to say, Olivia¡¯s way of training me like a pet with snacks had been incredibly sessful. I could imagine what everyone else thought about it. "I heard you graduated from early childhood education before enlisting, but... is that rted to your current behavior?" "They¡¯re cute, kids." "Hey, I¡¯m not a kid..." "Do you really think so?" "Yes, I¡¯ll be a kid..." Well, if they liked me, I supposed that was a good thing. And, though it was a bit strange to say, even though I¡¯d settled into Central Park, I still missed my parents and the world I originally came from. I wanted to hear my mom and dad¡¯s voices. And when these people took care of me, I felt those worries and anxieties slowly fading away. Only I truly knew what I went through in Brooklyn, and what I almost went through. But maybe, just maybe, they could read between the lines of how I acted, even if they didn¡¯t know the full details. Maybe this was some kind of mental clinic... but whether this was intended by them or not, that didn¡¯t matter. I was just thankful. So, I decided to repay them for their kindness. "...It tickles..." "Our little snake... How do you manage that tail? Do you clean it with solo wipes?" "Uh, I just scrub it with my hands when I shower." "I¡¯m not sure if that works..." Meanwhile, Olivia gently poked my tail with her finger, looking curious. I had been practicing moving my tail to control it, and maybe that¡¯s why, but as soon as she poked it, I felt a tickling sensation and started wagging my tail. I had allowed her to touch it a few days ago, and now, she grasped my tail with her hand. Since I still couldn¡¯t overpower her strength, my tail remained calm in her grip. ...Maybe if I trained like in arm wrestling, I could build up some muscle here too. After all, the tail is a muscle mass, and muscles grow through training. Anyway, I decided to think about thatter. Soon, Lauren Tina was sitting at the table across from us and added: "The various skill prototypes produced by DARPA should be loaded onto the transport nes by now. We should receive the prototypes in a few days." "DARPA? You¡¯re talking about the one in Washington D.C.? How¡¯s it still operational... Oh, I remember you said you came from there. I don¡¯t know why Task Force Blue is stationed there, but..." "The Special Mission Department folks risked their lives to calm most of the chaos in the capital. The cost was the dismantling of the Secret Service... but as of now, only shattered remnants of the Special Mission Department remain in Washington D.C." The conversation continued about Washington D.C., the heart of the U.S. "It seems like the situation is getting worse. Where should we start?" "If you¡¯re nning to stay here, we should begin by fortifying Central Park." "Before that, we need to stop further civilian intake. The recent cases of people leaving the park clearly show that the poption density has reached its limit." "...I hear you. The main premise of Central Park HQ won¡¯t change. The survival and continuation of the nation as a whole is the top priority." Later, after several hours, the main subject of the conversation shifted to the pressing need for military strategy and coordination. The President gave instructions regarding the uing tasks and military objectives, all while Central Park¡¯s operations and survival continued to be handled with the utmost secrecy. Chapter 679 "...So, the sparks finally flew here. It wouldn''t be right to assume that the higher-ups are treating us like merend dogs, right? There''s no way we''d be getting these kinds of orders otherwise." "If we had enough resources, they''d have sent more units. But... look at me, the one specializing in naval infiltration, stuck in this position and working. I think that speaks for itself." "If they really want to try something, why not send an airstrike or something? We don¡¯t even have a single armed UAV, and they¡¯re nning on throwing us into enemy territory... that¡¯s insane." "Speak up. On paper, it¡¯s just a recon mission, right?" "Are you telling me the sea otter¡¯s going to go in, pull out a tiger¡¯s whisker, and escape safely? Are you serious? We haven¡¯t even gotten used to the gear yet!" The buzzing of the drone''s propellers pushes the air with force, but even amidst this noise, I can still hear the ongoing debate, which isn''t really a debate but more of aint. For me, this is a huge disadvantage, as I''m trying to control the drone with just my thoughts. But honestly, this level of noise is actually better than expected. After all, they did mention that ces using these drones are always right in the middle of a war zone. If I can¡¯t handle this, how could I ever manage to control a drone in the middle of a firefight? ...But despite that, my listening skills have been improving week by week, and I was slowly getting better at understanding what they were saying. Sure, there were still a few proper nouns I didn¡¯t catch, but... In any case, the main point seemed to be that, somehow, the situation was getting messier for everyone, including us. I heard that something terrible had happened about 2-3 kilometers away at the UN headquarters in New York. Because we had lost a considerable amount ofbat personnel in Central Park, the higher-ups were either wracking their brains or... in a funeral-like mood. At that point, reality started sinking in. ''If things go wrong... will it be my turn to pick up a gun next?'' The external threat was too close. But from what I gathered from their conversation, the operation to retake the UN headquarters was one of the necessary tasks. Other options were being eliminated due to the terrible weather that had ravaged New York. In other words, antennas and such had been rendered useless. I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I¡¯ll find out soon enough. I¡¯m still nonbat personnel, but I¡¯ve been getting used to the shooting assistance system, so I¡¯ll probably be picking up a gun soon enough. For now, I¡¯ve been focusing on improving my spatial awareness. Being able to move my tail smoothly and especially operating the drone, both of which require good spatial perception. Since the drone is capable of reconnaissance, bombing, and striking, it¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t avoid. Imagine using the Pulse technology to create a 3D map of a building, then using one eye to n the drone¡¯s flight path, locking onto enemies hiding behind walls, while using the other eye to shoot and neutralize approaching threats. It¡¯s about managing multiple situations at once¡ªsomething the Icarus operators are supposed to be good at. The good thing is, I¡¯m not the only one who thinks "Is this even possible for a human?" Lauren and Olivia have both been struggling with it too. But Olivia got the hang of it first. Being an owl, her vision was absurd, and she could create a sonar map through echolocation, allowing her to operate the drones with terrifying precision. The next person to get the hang of drone control was me. I used a bit of a cheat by linking my senses with the drone, using the vibrations felt when the drone pushed the air to aid in control. Of course, when the drone fires, the vibration method bes useless, but I used it in the early stages to get a feel for it. Anyway, the conversation continued. "I have three teammates waiting in the observation room, but this is an Eagle team, so we''re specialized in pararescue. We can¡¯t do high-value target elimination or building seizures, unless it¡¯s something like taking an airport." "At the moment, we¡¯re the most important force avable in Central Park. Either way, once the mission orderes through, we¡¯ll have to go, so it¡¯s better to prepare mentally." "This is driving me crazy... Let¡¯s at least check out the guys who got sent in first and ended up dead. Do we have the operation timeline and infiltration routes?" "Here." Suspicious conversations were happening around me, but I desperately ignored them and focused on practicing drone control. I wasn¡¯t any help in this mission or whatever... I¡¯m just a mushroom... a useless,zy soldier who¡¯s about to finish my service... Of course, that didn''t matter. Less than a minuteter, I was grabbed by two scary women and ced next to them. That¡¯s how I learned what debriefing was. "Why the hell would they limit the infiltration route to the ground and deploy in the daytime without night vision? If there wasn¡¯t sniper support, all the guys we sent in would¡¯ve been in body bags." "Thanks to that, we can¡¯t negotiate anymore. We¡¯re not officially confirmed for deployment yet, but the higher-ups are already leaning toward a full annihtion strategy. Let¡¯s reassess the infiltration route and approach." "Enemy position?" "Ground parking lot in front of the UN headquarters, first and second floors of the main building. The sentry positions and the perimeter are all limited to the roads in front... we estimate about 130 enemy soldiers are stationed there." "How about approaching from the East River with a Zodiac boat, cut the engine and move in?" "If we get spotted, it could be problematic, but we¡¯ll need to check if we have underwater infiltration suits. Did we have underwater infiltration in our pararescue training?" "Of course we did. What do you take us for?" At that point, the two of them suddenly turned their heads toward me. Seeing their serious expressions, I felt like trouble was about tond on me. In moments like this, the best I could do was act as pitiful as possible. I¡¯m just a mushroom... I¡¯m useless... I¡¯m just good at being azy soldier... Naturally, that didn¡¯t work. The conversation continued. "Do you think we can bring this kid with us?" "No need to take unnecessary risks. If we¡¯re going to drag him along, we can have him use drones to mark enemies from outside the mission zone, but if that¡¯s the case, we might as well bring someone who was actually working as a drone operator at Central Park." "That¡¯s true. Got it, little snake? Stay here and guard the house." "...They¡¯re reallying back safely, right?" "Of course. Who else is going to live as long as we have?" Well, isn¡¯t this apletely different story from when I was helping the 107th Military Police? I had indirectly watched them train and... no matter how I thought about it, it was hard to imagine these people getting injured. They just fly around. What can I say, it felt like I was watching a hyper-FPS game before itnded in the U.S. They¡¯d probably be wall-jumping in no time. Actually, Olivia might still be able to do it now. With wings, she might even be able to make short-range flights. Anyway, things were still noisy, but hearing this from them... maybe there was a chance of sess in this after all. I didn¡¯t know the difficult facts or the troop ratios. But if this was a suicidal mission, they would be the first to call it off. "Let¡¯s first think about the necessary supplies. A full annihtion mission is insane. Even if we throw 20% of those 130 into the Hudson, they¡¯ll lose their morale. We¡¯ll just have to beat them down and escape." "That¡¯s not a bad idea. We could definitely consider deploying snipers." "For now, I¡¯ll go around Central Park looking for any avable drone operators, and you get the stuff we need for infiltration. Diving suits and the like." "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself." Thunk. At that moment, the two of them sat down on the bed, as if they had nned it. It was a bit of a relief, but... recently, there had been a massive remodel of the amodation for Alpha-ss mutants. Instead of the ufortable folding beds, they had gotten beds from a nearby za Hotel, and thanks to that, everyone was now living rtivelyfortably. Of course, it helped that the number of Alpha-ss mutants was... incredibly low. But that¡¯s all irrelevant. I didn¡¯t say a single word about my unease. I spoke to Olivia, who I had gotten somewhat close to. I was trembling a bit in my voice, maybe because I was worried. "If it gets dangerous, you have to run away immediately. Promise me." "Don¡¯t worry. The mission starts at dawn, so by the time you wake up, it¡¯ll be over. You¡¯ll see the mission footageter and prepare for what you¡¯ll be doing next." "Lauren Tina, you should be kinder to him." "I told you not to call me by my full name." "Ro, Lauren Tina... it''s a pretty name." "Pfft." Is this a weakness...? But it¡¯s a pretty name. It fits her well... though, I wondered if everyone had changed their names.@@novelbin@@ Thinking about it, maybe Eugene is a very neutral name. While I was having those thoughts, Olivia added: "Everything he says is spot on, so we don¡¯t need to worry about it. The only thing you can do to help us now is to study hard." "...Yes." "By the way, if you¡¯re a snake, does that mean you''re from the navy? Watching that smug guy makes me want to strangle him." "Heh. You know I have my eye on you, right? If you take another path, I¡¯ll deal with you. Air Force or Army aren¡¯t your paths. A real man has to keep a trident in his heart." "Right now, I¡¯m a woman." "That¡¯s what I mean." I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re suddenly debating my future affiliation, but... the sad truth is, I still have a long way to go before making that decision. Maybe I¡¯ll end up in the Navy. That¡¯s what I thought, while half-listening to their bickering. Andter on, if I had joined the Navy, maybe Olivia wouldn¡¯t have harassed me so much. This was roughly 6 months before I joined the Army. "Do you think this kid will be sent to the frontlines one day?" "Probably sooner than you think. So stop petting him already. He¡¯ll wake up at this rate." "Oddly enough, he doesn¡¯t wake up that easily. When he¡¯s asleep, his nerves are actually pretty sharp." 2:40 AM, Central Park HQ. In the darkness, with the ckout in effect and the persistent power shortages, two figures sat on the bed, talking quietly next to Eugene, who was sound asleep. They were both heavily armored, wearing tactical vests with pouches full of ammunition, and faint energy traces running over them. They looked like they could be straight out of an action movie. However, the difference was, neither of them was wearing a helmet. Naturally, they didn¡¯t have night vision goggles either ¨C Olivia didn¡¯t need them in the first ce. Their faintly glowing eyes could only be seen with intense focus. Before them, countless holograms floated in the air.
    • [Prototype Icarus Gear activated... Portable energy shield operating normally.]
    • [Energy barrier focus... Checking exposed areas like arms, legs, and head. Focused defense on those areas.]
    • [Shield remaining capacity disyed individually.]
    "I¡¯m using it for the first time, but it doesn¡¯t inspire much confidence. I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll hold up." "They¡¯ve done several tests. I heard it can stop about 10 rounds of a .50 caliber bullet... Just don¡¯t rely on that fact too much." "Right... Let¡¯s get moving. You¡¯re in charge. If you mess up, I¡¯ll takemand." "That¡¯s lenient. Back at the original unit, making a mistake meant being released from duty." nk. The moonless night sky was visible. In the dark, five figures had finished their preparations. Two mutants, and three members of Olivia¡¯s Eagle Team. They were the elite forces of today¡¯s operation. Strictly speaking, they weren¡¯t specialized in CQB, but at this point, that detail didn¡¯t matter. It was proof that things in Central Park were getting urgent. Olivia looked at her three team members. Unlike the mutants, they were all wearing Ops-Core helmets, with ENVG ¨C advanced night vision goggles mounted. Behind them, a Silent MTV, designed for special infiltration, stood. It had diving equipment for five people. A few quick hand signals were exchanged, and the five of them boarded the vehicle. The vehicle moved silently toward the east side of Central Park, where the zoo used to be. The driver followed the pre-nned route and headed toward the East River. The weather was gradually getting cooler, and the mist was clearing. Olivia spoke up. "I never realized it when we were just training, but now that I think about it... being a soldier really is a thankless job. Especially in times like these." "That¡¯s sudden." "Do you think this kid can survive on his own without us?" "Don¡¯t talk like that, team leader. This is his first mission in Central Park. He¡¯s not going anywhere." "Shut up, you guys. Do you understand a woman¡¯splicated feelings?" "You were a man untilst year, right?" Not a single word was left unspoken. Oliviaughed and sighed simultaneously, slowly beginning to forget the pointless thoughts from earlier. As she said, this was the first direct strike mission in Central Park. A precise operation, like performing surgery, something that couldn¡¯t be done with just the first-level operatives. The East River, shrouded in darkness, stretched between the ruins of buildings. The vehicle came to a stop just before the highway leading to the river. The road was lined with abandoned vehicles, most of which were empty, their windows shattered and doors open. Among them, decayed corpsesy scattered on the ground. Leaving that behind, they began to gear up. The timer was set, and the distance to their target was disyed. "1.5 km to the infiltration point. The current of the water is from the north to the south, the same as our approach direction. We should reach the point in under 10 minutes, and the drone scan shows there are no sentries along the river." "Perfect conditions for a surprise attack." "Yeah, exactly." The operation to deploy the Alpha-ss mutants officially began. Chapter 680 "Danso Jyos 1, we have arrived at the infiltration point. Currently setting up the anchor. Has the sniper team arrived?"
    • "The Hunter team is on the move. Currently climbing the stairs. They should reach the sniper point in 3 minutes."
    "Copy that. Operationmencing." Srrrk. On one side of the East River, near the United Nations Headquarters, five individuals surfaced. The one in front, Lorentina, pulled several sticks out of the water. Pressing the button on the stick¡¯s head and pushing it firmly against the wall, within seconds, the heated tip of the advanced equipment weakened the concrete, and the internal file bunker in the stick activated, drilling into the wall and securing itself tightly. After repeating the same process, she had ascended roughly 6 meters within 30 seconds. Once at the top, she wound a steel cable around a nearby pir and dropped it down. With the sound of a click, the climbers began to ascend one by one via the climbing elevator. Olivia, the second to ascend, added with an incredulous expression. "Just in case, I brought a small torch to cut the iron bars. Was there no checkpoint on the riverbank?" "It looks like it''s going more smoothly than expected." "Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. The premise of this mission is to disable the server room and themand center without destruction... The locations of the server room and themand center are marked on the HMD. We''re heading to the server and power rooms. You head for themand center." "Understood. But how do we infiltrate? It¡¯s impossible on foot." "I''ve prepared something." And at that moment, Olivia focused. A drone, which had been waiting in the sky, slowly began to descend. It was an Icarus drone. The drone, emitting an extremely subdued noise, finally got dangerously close to the building. A faint spark emerged. Only the mutants and the two other team members knew the truth of the scene¡ªthe drone was using aser cutter to slice through the ss. However, it didn¡¯tst long. The cut ss was pushed towards the building to prevent free fall, and the drone entered the office, firing an anchor at the wall before carefully lowering a 50-meter cable. Perhaps to avoid external exposure, the first and second floors'' ss was all covered with thick fabric and iron bars, making it impossible to see inside. This greatly facilitated the infiltration. Screeeek. With the slow sound, three members sequentially attached the climbing elevator to the rope and began to ascend quickly. Their destination was the eighth floor of the building. Lorentina and Olivia moved to the server room located in the basement of the annex building, while the Eagle team, having reached the eighth floor, calmly descended the stairs towards themand center and, using the blueprints they had obtained beforehand, installed a pulse on the ceiling of the control room. How much time passed before¡ª "Danso Eagle 4. All the watch personnel... are asleep." "Any rms or movement tracking features?" "System tracking through the pulse indicates that they are not working. Likely due to aging equipment or individual settings by the watch personnel." "...Alright, I¡¯ll trust it. As of now, we move to clean up. Eagle team, head to the CCTV room." "Copy. Moving out." The operation was based on the assumption of infiltrating a well-fortified enemy base. However, naturally, regardless of the impressive gear each individual was armed with, if the software in their heads was poor, or if they couldn''t properly use the tools given, the good equipment was practically useless. There was CCTV, but if it wasn¡¯t used properly, it would have no meaning. The armed thugs upying the UN Headquarters would soon learn that lesson in hell. In just 25 seconds, the Eagle team moved to the lower floors and imnted the realization named subsonic bullets into the heads of their colleagues who were monitoring the CCTV room in their dreamlike state, and the thugs fell into eternal sleep. Of course, the CCTV room door was not locked. The countdown continued, and the incredibly dull CQB began. "Sweet dreams." Click, click, click! The door opened without a creak, as if well-oiled, and the three Eagle team members rushed in, shooting bullets into the necks of the guards who had been dozing off in front of their desks. Bright red blood poured out like a waterfall as the sleepers gurgled and struggled to hold their throats. The Eagle team waited for the two members in the power room to cut the power. How much time passed before¡ª ¡ªClick! The world was plunged into darkness. To be precise, everyone except for the three members was plunged into darkness. The Eagle team had long been wearing night vision goggles. Not the standard green night vision you see in media, but a much more advanced ENVG with a digital scanning device, which added color and light to the darkness before them, even without a single beam of light. The outlines of the enemies were also highlighted, and as they entered the makeshiftmand center, the three members of the Eagle team became death incarnate to the enemies. Thebat difficulty was akin to an adult breaking a toothpick. In fact, avoiding the monitors and various devices and shooting was the more difficult task. How much time passed before? The entire floor was filled with silence. The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air, and amunication was heard in their ears. In the meantime, the two mutants who had taken control of the server and power rooms were asking for updates. The only answer was one word: Jackpot. Unfortunately, this did not mean the end of the operation. They still had to deal with the remaining enemies spread across the first and second floors and the surrounding buildings. "If we lock the doors and set fire with mmable substances... just kidding." "Don¡¯t we have something like a suffocating agent?" "Damn it, is this 1944¡¯s Nazi hideout? The rooms are just filled with disgusting traps." "Then, should we wake those guys one by one and make them sign a confession?" "No, damn. Do we really have to kill them? If we kill everyone sleeping on the first and second floors, the blood will be up to our ankles." It wasn¡¯t wrong. Special forces members could perform incredibly high-level, precision destruction missions that ordinary people could never manage, but...@@novelbin@@ That didn¡¯t mean they were born to ughter every enemy they saw. Still, eliminating over a hundred enemies from this world wasn¡¯t a small feat, especially considering they were in April and would soon have to deal with dozens of decaying bodies. The operation had been nned with that in mind, but... At that moment, someone spoke up. "Why don¡¯t we just tell them to surrender?" "...What?" "We¡¯ve already taken control of the server room, power room, CCTV room, and themand center. If we just shoot the sentries¡¯ heads and retreat, the ones who wake up will likelye out and surrender." "...Hmm." On the surface, it sounded crazy, but the more it was thought through, the more usible it seemed. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. If the enemies woke up to find theirmand structure and sentriespletely gone... and if they weren¡¯t androids, the psychological impact would likely lead to a copse in morale. Themunicationwork started buzzing. ns were being devised on how to instill fear, and suggestions were being made to upper management. And after some time, the final conclusion was reached.
    • The operation team should wait at a safe location and monitor any sudden movements from the insurgents upying the UN Headquarters.
    • A vehicle with loudspeakers will head toward the main entrance of the UN Headquarters by 7 AM. Eliminate the sentries at the gate.
    • If the operation fails, the alternate n, aplete purge, will be implemented.
    "...That¡¯s still manageable. Damn it, I didn¡¯t bring food because I thought it would end quickly¡­" "The server room and power room are empty, and the booby traps are set... let¡¯s wait and silence any enemies found outside the first and second floors. Hunter team, as of now... no one in themand center will hear the rms, so free fire is authorized."
    • Understood. Let the hunt begin.
    The sound of the sniper rifle firing wasn¡¯t heard, but that didn¡¯t matter. Theck of action meant that the sniper team¡¯s mission had been a sess. The sentries remained silent, and themand center and CCTV room were bathed in darkness and blood. The server and power rooms had fallen silent. Only about a hundred insurgents, unaware of all this, were still in deep sleep. And so, time passed. As dawn began to break, a vehicle equipped with loudspeakers arrived at the front gate of the UN Headquarters. And¡ª "Ah, ah. To the insurgents upying the UN Headquarters: You are now surrounded. We have sessfully neutralized yourmand and surveince capabilities. Any further resistance is futile. You have 10 minutes to surrender. Those who wish to surrender must discard their weapons and ammunition and pass through the scanner at the designated location. Any personnel who fail to surrender within 10 minutes will be considered hostile and will be killed. I repeat, this is a final warning to the insurgents upying the UN Headquarters..." The final ultimatum began. "Shit, shit. We¡¯re fucked. We¡¯re fucked. The Central Park guys are all over the ce outside." "Shut up, idiot. Keep talking and I¡¯ll put a hole in your head. For all we know, those bastards could have already infiltrated while we were asleep, wiping out themand center..." "Shut up, you bastard! Keep spreading rumors, and I¡¯ll have you shot as an example!" One minute, two minutes, three minutes. The loud surrender broadcast red, and the dozens of soldiers around the speaker were all focused on the first floor. It¡¯s said that thew is distant, and the fist is close, but when thew points a gun at you, and that gun is as close as a fist, what should you do? The insurgents¡ªcriminals, civilians, illegal fighters¡ªwere naturally agitated. In the midst of it all, Captain Peacock, who was desperately trying to control them with discipline, had veins popping from his neck. He couldn¡¯t help it. ''...If one of these bastards leaves, I¡¯m dead!'' Many officers did their best to protect civilians during the virus outbreak, fulfilling their duty. But not everyone. Captain Peacock... well, strictly speaking, he was a former convict, in cahoots with Riker¡¯s faction. Though dishonorably discharged, the virus crisis had turned everything upside down. With his poor leadership skills and military attire, he had transformed into a pseudo-officer, wielding absolute power until recently, engaging in illicit activities. However, unlike other officers, he couldn¡¯t be rescued by Central Park, and so he led those with simr personalities and qualities into upying the UN Headquarters. And he had ced his loyal subordinates in critical positions like themand center, sentry posts, and CCTV room. Of course, by now, they had all been wiped out. The confusion turned into panic in no time. "I... I can¡¯t do this anymore!" "Albert! Damn it, I need to leave too...!" "Don¡¯t go! I told you not to leave! Anyone who leaves now will die!" Bang! "Who the hell...!" "This bastard... it¡¯s because of you that my sister¡¯s dead, and now you¡¯re trying to run... Die, die, you piece of shit!" "Stop... stop...!" "Now! Kill him!" "Kill him!" Pandemonium broke out. The only thing Captain Peacock did right was to arm the civilians with makeshift weapons, making them capable of self-defense. Until recently, Captain Peacock¡¯s firepower had been overwhelming, but now, it wasn¡¯t. The shoulder of Captain Peacock, along with four or five of his elite guard, was soon pierced by fire axes and bullets from pistols. "Screeeeech!" "Save me! I was forced by that bastard to¡ªAaah!" "Go! To the front gate! Get the elderly out first!" "You ungrateful... Aaargh!" The pent-up rage exploded, and the anger turned to cruelty, physically tearing the target apart. In less than a minute, Captain Peacock was split in two, and within 30 seconds, he was reduced to four pieces. At this point, around six minutes of the ten-minute time given by Central Park had passed, and it was like a dam breaking. About a hundred people rushed out of the front gate. They were covered in blood and had been treated as dangerous individuals, but they followed orders surprisingly willingly, hands cuffed. It wouldn¡¯t take long for them to be recognized as acting in self-defense. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end of it. "That bastard! He was one of Peacock¡¯s men! This heartless bastard even suggested using people¡¯s families as sex ves!" "He needs to die!" "Quiet, quiet! You¡¯re moving to Central Park, and individual crimes will be cross-checked. Be silent here!" The suppressed sins exploded. The guilty desperately denied their guilt, trembling, while those who had endured unimaginable humiliation expressed their anger. But the soldiers from Central Park, standing there now, didn¡¯t care much for these revtions. What they had endured was amon absurdity in the current America. By 8 AM, the soldiers from Central Park began to leave, having cleaned up the corpses of the dead. What began as a brutal conflict had ended with surprisingly fewer casualties than expected at the UN Headquarters. It was the only victory Central Park had seen in weeks. Of course, the hundred or so people who had been moved to Central Park would soon be dealing with the bodies of the deceased, which had started to rot. The season for frozen corpses was over, and the season for dposing corpses had begun. "...Ugh, the smell of blood. Get away from me!" "...Lorentina, Eugene hates me. What should I do?" "First, take a shower..." Meanwhile, in Central Park. Olivia, who had returned as promised, faced Eugene¡¯s cold response and felt a wave of disappointment. It wasn¡¯t amon urrence. Chapter 681 "Excellent. If the world were still in one piece, I¡¯d consider awarding you a medal of honor for this¡­ but at this point, there¡¯s no shortage of urgent matters, is there? Surely, you''d prefer more support over more medals on your neck?" "Sounds like you''re nning to deploy us to more dangerous areas in the future, Mr. President." "Haha, I¡¯m sorry. Should I start practicing shooting myself from now on?" Not long after the operation had ended. Themand room in Central Park, once filled with anxiety and despair, was now brimming with energy. It was a truly valuable victory. If it had happened before the Omega Virus outbreak, it would have been a victory talked about for years. At the very least, it would have earned someone a Distinguished Service Cross, and perhaps even a shot at the highest honor. But unfortunately, America was in ruins. The fact that only a few Congress members could agree on awarding a medal of honor¡ªlet alone filling the seats in the House¡ªwas a stark reflection of the state the country was in. Olivia gave a bitter smile. It wasn¡¯t that the president¡¯s joke was unrealistic, but the truth was, in this day and age, even the president himself might have to pick up a gun to protect his own life. However, there was a glimmer of hope, as the president was still far from a reverse-Weiner, who would shove the mutants straight into a burning hell. He wasn¡¯t too different, but at least he was willing to sing the praises of their efforts. Thus, a public rtions campaign was set in motion to stir optimism. The news that the operation had been a great sess was carefully circted, although everything else was kept under wraps. Fortunately, this was enough to inject some optimism back into HQ. At the very least, it helped shake off some of the despair that had clung to everyone. Of course, the most significant gain was the recapture of the UN Headquarters in New York. "The fact that they¡¯re operating CCTV and other equipment means that the headquarters has at least some level of infrastructure. I believe it can be used as a solid forward base." "However, to utilize the internalmunicationswork, additional equipment and personnel for modification are needed. Even at best, it will take at least two months." "The minimum infrastructure construction required for Central Park HQ is progressing smoothly. However, there¡¯s an absolute shortage of personnel to operate and maintain the facilities. We need more field workers or a long-term training system to cultivate them. Even though we¡¯ve aimed to build with automation in mind, it¡¯s still not enough." "So, we¡¯re talking about the absolute minimum. Understood. Still, there¡¯s a terrifying amount of work to be done..." Unfortunately, the president had no advantages other than being the highest authority in the United States. There was a severe shortage of people who understood and could operate the infrastructure necessary for basic human survival. However, the good news was that at least he knew that fact well and was doing his best to support the personnel who could make it work. By now, the scars left by the Omega Virus across the streets of Manhattan had been mostly cleared. However, bodies that hadn¡¯t fully decayed yet and skeletons with dried, withered skin still littered the ground. The world was still cold, and the demands on everyone¡¯s abilities were immense, while the resources avable to meet those demands were all but nonexistent. The survivors in this dead world were slowly being consumed by despair. Yet, some of the lucky few found ways to retain some stability in their minds. There was no need to say who those few were. "Uh, excuse me. Do we really need to watchbat footage like this?" "You¡¯reining? Do you think there¡¯s a more effective way to debrief than this?" "Well, something soft is pressing against my back, and it¡¯s making it hard to focus..." Recently, thanks to Eugene, Olivia was openly enjoying some rxation time, and even the shark, who had initially tried to maintain a stern demeanor when they first met, now only looked for opportunities to dote on the youngest member. It was inevitable. Loving cute and pretty things was an instinct that most humans shared, and Eugene fit perfectly into that category. There was also another reason they couldn¡¯t help but dote on Eugene. "Well, Lorentina is also a beautiful woman..." "Would you pet her the way you pet me? She¡¯d bite you." "...Olivia. What exactly do you think of me?" "Would you do it?" "Stop saying nonsense." It was possible to dote on Eugene, but doing the same with Lorentina was¡­ simply unthinkable. Lorentina had a military career as long as, or possibly longer than, Olivia¡¯s. Though Olivia was proud of her own military experience, there were always people who far surpassed her. The idea of petting and hugging someone like Lorentina was just absurd. Even if her appearance had transformed into something beyond supermodel levels, it was still impossible. Besides¡ª "You want me to pet someone 6cm taller than me? Our little snake, are you joking?" "Eh, thinking about it now, everyone is pretty tall. No one¡¯s ever told me I¡¯m short..." "Are you saying I¡¯m tall, in a roundabout way?" "Not at all." As she had said, Olivia was 182 cm, and the shark was a towering 188 cm. Even if they couldn¡¯t join a professional basketball team, their height was such that they could easily be called giants when among average people. Anyway, after spending nearly a month together, they had be close enough to exchange jokes without hesitation. It had be almost impossible not to. The fact that they were all serving in the military together, as part of the 24th Special Tactical Battalion, which often conducted joint operations with DEVGRU, the Unit, SAD, and others, helped bond them further. On the other hand, that was pretty much it, but fortunately, at this moment, Eugene acted as a kind of buffer¡ªa situation simr to dog owners striking up conversations with each other. Meanwhile, thebat footage continued to y on the screen. Eugene kept watching. It was still a very unfamiliar sight. What was debriefing really? Would she eventually have to do that herself? The thought was admittedly a bit overwhelming. The most she had done in the army was 150m, 200m, and 250m shooting. Beyond that, there had been basic drills,bat readiness, and mockbat exercises in the military mountains. Still¡­ ''...If I have to kill someone¡­ I¡¯ll have to do it.''@@novelbin@@ If that¡¯s what it takes to survive, and if it will make the world a better ce, then that¡¯s what must be done. Unfortunately, she had already experienced it. It was something she never thought she¡¯d have to do in her life, but she had killed someone. Had the government still been functional, she would likely be attending court to argue self-defense. Although they didn¡¯t directly demand it of her, neither Lorentina nor Olivia expected Eugene to turn into one of those cold-hearted soldiers in the footage. It was inevitable, but it wasn¡¯t time yet. There wasn¡¯t much more to say. "I wish our little one didn¡¯t end up like that¡­ but unfortunately, that¡¯s probably going to happen. So, we¡¯ll help you survive as best we can." "...You¡¯re teaching me, but isn¡¯t it a bit toote?" "Actually, it¡¯s not. The most important qualities for an operator are stamina. Second, stamina. Third, stamina. Everything else can be learned. Do you think Lorentina or I were born this way?" "...Eh, wasn¡¯t it?" "Hey." Eugene chuckled, and Olivia pinched his cheek, stretching it. Lorentina, watching from the side, subtly eyed them before grabbing Eugene¡¯s soft cheek and pulling it. It felt like soft, sticky y. It wasn¡¯t the most pleasant situation for Eugene, of course. Oliviaughed at the sight, while Eugene grinned awkwardly, ncing around. The conversation continued. "Lorentina. It seems like Eugene is scared of you." "That¡¯s nonsense. How long have I been living with him? Right, Eugene?" "Hehehe, right...?" An awkwardugh. That was the answer. Lorentina, looking somewhat shocked, then furrowed her brow and shook her head, taking a deep breath to ease the shock. While Eugene, unsure of what to do, rolled his eyes, the shark hesitantly spoke up. "...Am I that scary?" "Well, it¡¯s not that you¡¯re not scary." "Damn, that¡¯s not what I meant. Is there a way to make it a little less scary?" "...Maybe try smiling kindly, then? You must¡¯ve learned some nonverbalmunication skills to get along with locals. Try applying that." "...Like this?" "Eek." At that moment, Lorentina put on what she thought was a kind expression. A smile, as it were. Before her transformation, she had been praised as handsome wherever she went, so she had no doubt about her looks. However, sadly, she couldn¡¯t objectively view her own expression. And, to her surprise, she didn¡¯t realize that the look on her face made it seem like she could kill someone without batting an eye. Until Eugene noticed, that is. "...Don¡¯t smile like that. Just use politenguage." "What¡¯s wrong with that?" "Just look in the mirror sometime." Naturally, Lorentina didn¡¯t understand at all. It had only been two minutes since she started practicing more polite expressions. "Did you serve in the military before?" "Ah, yes¡­ that was when I was still a man." "That¡¯s interesting... you said you''re from Korea, right? How different is it from the U.S.?" "Well... it¡¯s a bit more difficult?" As Central Park HQ inched toward May, at the Alpha-level mutant quarters. I met a woman who was genuinely interested in military stories for the first time... though, of course, that was a joke. Anyway, back when I went, it was a bit... off. I kept that thought to myself, but unfortunately, my English skills had improved quite a bit since then. Specifically, I could now exin my military service without trouble. And since these people seemed like they wouldn¡¯t let go of their curiosity until I answered, I started unraveling the stories of my military service one by one. Unlike what everyone here might think, Korea has conscription... because of that, Korea¡¯s military is quite different from the U.S. army, which is volunteer-based. Anyway, with that setup, everyone nodded and chuckled. "I get what you mean. I have a friend who served in the U.S. Army in Korea. I think he said it was an unforgettable experience, though... Anyway, I¡¯m curious about your military service, but what I¡¯m really interested in is something else." "Basic military training... I went through that. I¡¯ve shot guns several times, and I know various concepts. Not sure how well it matches up with U.S. doctrine, though..." "That¡¯s about what I expected. Lots of civilians are still learning basic things like gun disassembly and assembly." Bolt-action machine gun K-3 and the K-201 with a grenadeuncher attachment were what I used in training. I was a squad leader, so I used thetter. The U.S. was, after all, the nation that created almost every type of weapon, and the few outstanding weapons that came out of there were well-known worldwide. Now, guns from video games like the M4 were iconic. What surprised me, however, was that this world was set in the near future, which meant guns like the XM7 were already supplied to the U.S. military. So, I had to practice disassembling and assembling those kinds of weapons. Nheless, there was another reason these people were grateful that I had military experience. "People never understand why you need to clean your gun. It drives me crazy. Why the hell is there some idiot who thinks you shouldn¡¯t clean a gun with aviation fuel?" "Well, it¡¯s New York. In ces like Texas, you¡¯d probably find people who only ever handle keyboards." "That¡¯s not wrong... but still, I don¡¯t expect much from those guys. But you, you¡¯re different. You get what I mean, right?" "...Why does it sound scarier when you use politenguage?" ...True. When her tone became more polite, it felt more like pressure thanfort. Lorentina, you really know how to intimidate. Anyway, that was urate. America had entered a state of emergency, which meant many facilities were being built every day. One of them was for training operators. And, judging by the situation, I was certain I''d soon be sent to that training camp. ''...How should I even handle this?'' Two instructors and one recruit. Scary, scary. But I thought to myself, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d do something extreme... like psychological conditioning. There''s no time for that. The best I could do was absorb theory in my head and experience with my body. Simrly, that¡¯s probably all these two could help me with. As I thought this, my mouth opened without thinking. "How many more months do we have?" "Months?" "Until Manhattan blows up." "Not more than 3 months, probably." I see. That means I need to secure the minimum skills required to survive in that time. The exnation continued. "Summer is a terrible season, but this year will be even worse. Toxic gases and bacteria from decaying bodies will bring gue. Antibiotics, medicine, and clean water will be the rarest resources..." "The ces with the most of those resources will be Central Park. Can you imagine how many attacks it will face?" "...That¡¯s a bit scary." "Crazy people tend to rule in a crazy world. People who want the world to end, or those who want to take advantage of a copsed world, will flood the outside. But we know that if we put a bullet in their heads, they¡¯ll stop. Our job is to make that happen." That might be true. Though it sounded a bit like military rhetoric, hearing it casually like that made it clear¡ªit was just the truth. I thought I¡¯d do what I could. The topic changed again. "By the way, soon they¡¯re going to rebuild the militarymunications system centered on the UN headquarters, right?" "Yes. For now, it¡¯s only possible to send messages at certain times when the military satellite passes. I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s beenmunicated, but I¡¯ve heard that the DoD is very interested in mutants." "Hmm. I wonder if someone ising to Central Park." "I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s not impossible. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I hear something new..." "Do you think we¡¯ll meet someone like us again?" "With you around, I wouldn¡¯t rule anything out." Would it be another soldier? I opened my mouth with half curiosity, half expectation. "Could it be another soldier?" "With you around, no one can know for sure." "Maybe it¡¯ll be a man this time. Once I get some more info, I¡¯ll drop a word or two. Don¡¯t worry about it too much." "Alright." What can I say? I knew, whatever happened in this world, it wouldn¡¯t be that strange. But there were many strange things, and what I had to do was far more important. All I had left were trivial curiosities, which I wouldn¡¯t mind forgetting at any moment. The days were getting warmer. The anxious days of April, when danger could strike at any moment, passed by slowly. "Shark, snake, owl... are we nning to start a zoo or something?" "Seems like you''re about to join that crowd too, Logan." "...If it¡¯s something I must do, I¡¯ll have to go, won¡¯t I, Owens Team Leader?" "Would you prefer to swap bodies with me?" "Just kidding, just kidding. I¡¯m ready to board." "Good, let¡¯s head back. We might end up in Manhattan earlier than expected." Meanwhile, in Kensington, Phdelphia, McPherson Square. Among the soldiers scattered across a crime-ridden area filled with drug addicts and gang members, where rivers and mountains of blood and bodies were piled high, one figure stood out as he exhaled and sank to his knees. The sound of helicopters could be heard overhead. It was the arrival of the newly formed EX Squadron, transported from headquarters by the 1st Special Actions Group, officially known as "The Unit." The pieces of the puzzle were stilling together. What it would ultimately create, no one knew. Chapter 682 ¡°¡­Hmm. If I do it this way and that way¡­ Ah, done. I was a bit thrown off by this new gun, but its internal structure is definitely the same as most others. It''s not that hard, heh heh.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, really?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°It¡¯s only been 5 minutes since you taught me, and I¡¯m already getting the hang of it. I feel so at ease. I still remember how we spent days just learning the basics of handling a gun in basic training¡­¡± "Is that all? One of my ssmates once stuck his finger in the chamber and broke his index finger while the instructor wasn¡¯t looking. Thinking about it now, it makes me want to lose my mind, honestly." "Uh..." ...Well, actually, we have people like that in the Korean military too. I once saw a buddy in basic training back in the day, clumsily mishandling a gun and getting dirt in the muzzle, causing us to get extra punishment. That was a great lesson in itself. Also, I wouldn¡¯t want to talk down on the U.S. military, but it''s true that 5% of geniuses lead 95% of fools, and with the number of fools handling firearms in the military, it¡¯s no surprise that things go wrong sometimes. Of course, there are also plenty of people who are already proficient with firearms before joining, but I guess that''s expected in a country where guns are legal from the start. Anyway, both Lorenatina and Olivia are looking quite pleased with me. The reason is simple. The disassembly and reassembly of the XM7 rifle I just received¡ªwell, I hesitate to call it "received"¡ªwas rtively easy. It was a nice changepared to the time spent learning the basics of live fire earlier today. The real reason they were impressed was probably because I was able to do the disassembly and reassembly without them teaching me anything, but well... it was a pretty simple task. It wasn¡¯t a bullpup-style weapon with a magazine at the back¡­ what was it called? A bullpup-style gun, or something like that? It wasn¡¯t anything that fancy, and the internal mechanics are quite simr across most rifles anyway. That seemed to catch their attention. However, that was as far as my capabilities went. In the U.S., there are all sorts of firearm essories you won¡¯t ever see in Korea, and these two women went on endlessly exining everything about them as if they knew everything there was to know. "An EOTech holographic sight. It''s been proven reliable, though there was thatwsuit a while ago over reliability issues... but still, it''s a fantastic piece of equipment." "Sufire M600B Scoutlight? It''s practically an antique by now. I¡¯ve never used one. I don''t usually use carbine rifles - short-barreled rifles - but how about you introduce CQB essories instead?" "True, PJs are usually deployed in open areas. Not that they don''t get sent into big cities, though." Things I once only knew as vertical grips or simr were now revealed to have so many names, it was kind of mind-blowing. And that wasn¡¯t even the end of it. Firearm essories were endless. From sights mounted on the top of the gun, tosers and shlights mounted on the barrel, muzzle attachments, triggers, grips, stocks, and even magazines. It felt like we were entering an age where you could rece any part of a firearm with exactly what you wanted. But I quickly learned that wasn''t even the most surprising part. I always thought bullets were just generic items made in factories, but I realized that even bullets of the same caliber were produced in countless different factories, and there were high-grade and low-grade ones. I also learned that match-grade ammunition existed, specifically made for shooting sports or killing people, and they were quite distinct from each other. And that¡¯s when I understood why everyone in modern warfare doesn¡¯t just use fancy-looking guns. "Anyway, you don¡¯t need to worry about the small stuff. Let¡¯s focus on getting you used to the firearms first. You need to shoot often when you can. Getting used to the noise, recoil, and smell of gunpowder is the first goal for today." "The ammunition¡¯s pretty standard¡­ and the new shooting range we built inside the restricted area is ready, so I¡¯ll do my best to teach you. Let¡¯s start with some dry fire." "Yeah." Click, click. The .277 Fury rounds I had brought to the soldiers in Brooklyn wererger than my index finger. Opening the box, I took several rounds about the size of a person''s finger and loaded them one by one into the magazine. The sound of the metal clicking into ce strangely calmed me down. The only thing that bothered me was the smell of the bullets. I already knew the basics of handling a firearm and remembered the safety rules very well. Honestly, it was hard to forget them. Whether it was an instructor or a sergeant, there was always someone watching us closely to make sure we didn¡¯t mess up.
    • Always set the safety before shooting.
    • Never put your finger in the trigger guard before you¡¯re ready to shoot.
    • Don¡¯t aim at anyone unless absolutely necessary.
    That was pretty much all you needed to know to prevent 90% of idents. The first shot was a sighting shot. I had a rough idea of how it worked. Lie down, shoot at a target set at a certain distance, and adjust the sights based on the bullet group. The only problem was I didn¡¯t know how to adjust sights on the various dot sights, but I figured they¡¯d help me out. Eventually, I¡¯d learn how to handle everything on my own. One thing surprised me though: "...Wait, is this gun really this light?" "With all the attachments and a fully loaded magazine, it¡¯s about 5kg. But at this point, weight doesn¡¯t really matter. The recoil should be nearly nonexistent for you." "Is that so?" "Before adjusting the sights, why not try a few rapid-fire shots? Go ahead, give it a try." ¡­That¡¯s okay, right? Well, they gave me permission, so I shouldn¡¯t worry. I simply changed the selector switch to "auto" with some awkward movements. Back when I was in the military, I never had a chance to try rapid-fire, but I thought maybe it¡¯d be fine here. I aimed at the target and focused on the holographic sight. Just as I ced my finger on the trigger, a hologram appeared right in front of me. It was the Icarus Gear.
    • [Firing assistance program now running. This message will only appear the first time it''s activated.]
    • [Disying the trajectory of the muzzle and predicted impact points.]
    • [Noise cancetion and inte amplification activated to prevent hearing damage.]
    • [Breathing assist started. Optimizing heart rate and breathing pattern... installing data directly into the body. More information and theory can be reviewedter.]
    As it said, all the sounds around me suddenly faded, and I carefully applied pressure to the trigger. At that moment, I realized just how much of a cheat code this body was. Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud! Dozens of bullets flew without any recoil. My 200kg body absorbed the recoil effortlessly, stabilizing it, and my overwhelming forearm strength easily handled the vertical recoil from the gunpowder explosion. The first shot made the muzzle rise slightly, but from then on, the bullet groups were tightly grouped, almost likesers. This slight horizontal recoil was no problem at all. I was so amazed that I didn¡¯t stop pulling the trigger until the 40-round magazine was empty, and when the gun stopped ejecting bullets and only emitted the pungent smell of gunpowder, I lowered the weapon and nced at the two. They were both chuckling, obviously amused. "Well, of course. I was like that too." "In theory, bigger calibers are better, as long as there¡¯s no issue with recoil, noise, or ammunition storage... But now that I¡¯m feeling it again, I¡¯m nostalgic about it." "Let¡¯s just call it a win. I¡¯m looking forward to teaching you more." ¡­They sounded a bit sinister, but I couldn¡¯t tell if that was just my imagination. I decided to stay quiet and pull the charging handle a few more times. Checking the chamber, I confirmed there were no rounds left and moved closer to the two. With satisfied expressions, they even gave me a round of apuse and patted my head. "Honestly, it¡¯d be strange if you weren¡¯t an operator. You¡¯ve got all the basic hardware. If you keep up the effort, you¡¯ll be able to perform well in the field soon enough." "...That¡¯s a bit much." "If the Eagle Team heard that, they¡¯d be green with envy." Was that so? Well, it¡¯s said that being too humble can be bad luck, so instead of continuing to protest, I decided to stay quiet. I waited for the next sighting shot¡ªonly to find that the two of them hade up with something else to do. "How about we check how your stamina is after shooting?" "That sounds good. How about starting with a run around Central Park in full gear?" "¡­Wait, isn¡¯t that something you only do when you¡¯ve messed up?" "This isn¡¯t punishment, it¡¯s a training exercise for operators." What was I supposed to say about that? Still, I had no choice. I learned that running around Central Park was about a 10km loop, and I realized that about 30 minutes ago. "¡­Yujin?" "Captain Parkson!?" And while running around Central Park in full gear, I finally ran into a familiar face. It was truly a relief that nothing had happened in the meantime. "Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Captain Edward Parkson of the 107th Military Police Company, 104th Military Police Battalion, New York National Guard. It¡¯s an honor to meet the hero who helped retake the UN Headquarters." "The hero of Brooklyn, huh. I heard our little snake has been indebted to you. Please call me Lorenatina." "I¡¯m Olivia. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You¡¯ve had a tough time." "That¡¯s thanks to the honor of the youngest member of our unit, ha ha. Without this kid, we wouldn¡¯t have made it this far to Central Park. A truly remarkable person. Strong in the face of adversity." Why did things turn out this way? The reason I was saying this now was simple... I was unexpectedly caught between Captain Parkson and the two mutants having their first meeting. It wasn¡¯t impossible. The meeting between the mutants and the Captain didn¡¯t happen in an alpha-ss mutant amodation or restricted zone but in a Central Park coffee shop, of all ces. I had no idea how it had survived, but it did. Anyway, as you can see, I was just trying to keep a low profile. From here on, it was clearly an adult conversation. A youngling like me should stay quiet. "I know the content of the emergency directive distributed to all units around Central Park. I can guess what your positions are... I trust you¡¯ll teach them well." "Of course. I wouldn¡¯t want this cute kid to die somewhere. The mom of the unit will teach them well." "...Mom? Where¡¯s the mom?" "That would be you." "Seriously, what kind of nonsense are you talking, you damn fool!?" ...Well, that was a bit too much. But I couldn¡¯t really argue against it. Olivia had been the one taking care of me the most recently. Although it did seem like she might have been mixing in a little personal interest, I figured if I had a problem with it, she wouldn¡¯t have done it. The atmosphere, however, shifted in a different direction. Olivia, who had just been yfullyughing about being called "mom," was now sitting next to me, hugging me, and gently patting my head as I was calming down. It felt... peaceful. As the conversation gradually came to a close, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on theplexities of my current situation. This was all technically part of the job, with the higher-ups having officially approved it, but it was clear that Captain Parkson wasn''t quite in the same situation. He looked me over briefly and then added: "Your English has improved a lot, Yujin. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re following myst order, though I have to say... I had hoped it wouldn''te to this. You¡¯re now walking a thorny path." "...It¡¯s a tough road, but thanks to the soldiers, I made it this far to Central Park. Now it¡¯s my turn to repay the favor." "I hope that spirit doesn¡¯t falter. And... remember, history has always been written in blood. The important thing is not wasting the time and resources bought with others'' blood. You, of all people, should understand that." I closed my lips as he spoke. "I have a lot more to say, but as you mentioned before you left Brooklyn... time is the most valuable resource right now. I hope you don¡¯t waste it. Just like the 107th Military Police saved your life, you too will do the same for them." "...Yes." "I¡¯ll see youter." With that, he stood up. It felt a bit awkward to say this, but I could faintly sense the fatigue that was embedded in his voice. When he disappeared, Lorenatina, who had been watching his back, added: "He¡¯s a good person. Responsibility is a virtue that¡¯s hard to find in these chaotic times. You¡¯ve met a good one, Yujin." "Yes, he¡¯s a very good person." "In America, they say that when someone dies, ¡®God wanted him close, so He called him early.¡¯ I hope that doesn¡¯t happen now, though." "..." "It¡¯s from experience. Too manyrades have been taken away by God." Lorenatina''s words carried a deep sadness. I wondered what kind of experiences they had gone through to get here. Everyone had their own story. I couldn¡¯t help but think that my future self might have to prevent someone from ending their story prematurely. Or, perhaps not my future self, but rather my near future. I just hoped that I would be well-prepared when that time came. And, of course, the events I had feared came to pass quicker than expected. The sunlight pouring down from the sky grew increasingly harsh, and by the time I learned more about the delicate matters at hand... around a monthter, we received news that some of the 107th Military Police, who had been assigned to a supply mission, had gotten caught in a firefight. It was when I was first assigned to the emergency strike team. Chapter 683 "Things are getting more and more troublesome. It''smon now to see hastily assembled barricades blocking the road, and suspicious civilians going around noting down convoy routes. It''s difficult..." "Which areas are blocked?" "Simr incidents are happening all over Midtown. Thankfully, the area around Lincoln Square - Central Park left side - is mostly clear. There''s not much issue with the supply transport through Pier 99... for now, at least." Click. On a night gradually leaning into summer, at around 10 PM in Central Park... In what was quickly turning into a living quarters for high-level mutants, I ced my gun down on the wide bed floor, disassembled it, and started cleaning the parts diligently. In short, it was that annoying military maintenance task. To be honest, it wasn''t any morefortable than doing it in the military. It was just the same. Using firearm maintenance tools and some odd piece of paper or cloth to scrub the barrel... the same old routine. I heard that Tier 1 special forces units are equipped with some sort of... ultrasonic cleaner, and gunsmiths do the maintenance, but where could I get one of those? ''...Although, even if they were here, I¡¯d still probably not get to use it for a while.'' In the end, the ultrasonic cleaner might not even work perfectly, and more importantly, I needed to know how the many types of firearms used by the US military worked and how to clean them properly. That way, no matter what gun I usedter, I could still manage emergency repairs smoothly in the field. Honestly, that was a valid point. You never knew when a firearm might break down. Since we started serious firearm training just recently, I had painfullye to understand just how often small malfunctions happen out of the blue. Of course, there were also times when these two deliberately mixed defective ammo into the practice rounds. It was part of the training. They said it would help us respond more reliably in the field when things went wrong. Anyway. "...Then we¡¯ll have to go soon, huh?" "It seems that way. It''s a troublesome situation in many ways..." Just as they said. It felt odd that they''d already started pushing us, three mutants, so hard, but the reasons we had to go to an unknown area where we didn¡¯t even know how many enemies there were were overwhelming. First of all, the morebat data we gathered, the faster the Icarus Operator recruitment process would go. The changes in energy levels during battle had to be monitored and adjusted to eventually allow for the recruitment of civilian operators. Secondly, if we sent regr infantry troops instead of us, the urban warfare would likely result in massive casualties in every battle. Even if we sent first-round operatives, the situation would be somewhat simr or only a little better. We were just beginning to get used to the Icarus skills, but if we had weapons that could track enemy positions in real-time and strike them efficiently, that would make all the difference. But. "...So, now it''s our turn. Do you know how uneasy I¡¯ve been every daytely?" "Everyone knows that, so we¡¯re all preparing. Honestly, it¡¯s a miracle we¡¯vested this long, you know? We could¡¯ve been deployed a week ago." "And this time... I''ll go with you." "At least, we¡¯re less likely to suddenly get caught in an improvised explosive device and blown up, so don¡¯t worry." Ah, right. The IED detection function was also mentioned. Since I started getting better at English, Laurentina started telling me stories about where she had been deployed, and the mostmon topic was how troublesome IEDs were. There were some truly chilling stories. She had seen an armored vehicle flipped over by an IED buried in the road more than once. Thankfully, she said, she was usually deployed away from areas where such scenes weremon. It made sense. She was part of DEVGRU, so she wasn¡¯t doing routine patrols like regr soldiers. ''...But, if I were to say that the soft sensation of her thighs stayed with me more than anything, what would she say...?'' ...The knee pillows were really nice. Soft, squishy, and smelled good. Of course, I knew that after saying this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy a knee pillow for at least a week, so I shut my mouth and went back to assembling my firearm. Thankfully, my first gun was the XM7 from thest time I shot. I carefully inserted the parts and finished assembling it, then ced it back into my personal cab. Now that I was treated as half an operative, this was all I could do. Inside, there were numerous bulletproof tes, mybat vest adjusted to fit me, bulletproof armor, and various rounds. My equipment, including Icarus Gear-integrated devices like drones and tracking leap mines, was all packed inside. Anyway, despite all this, the conversation continued. "Changing the convoy''s transport schedule wouldn''t help much. You know that unless the cars packed on Manhattan roads are cleared, we won¡¯t be able to fix the root issue." "I¡¯ve considered having the Cleaner folks build wedge trucks like theirs, but even that doesn¡¯t seem like an effective solution. Right now, we¡¯ve assigned overwatch teams to the convoys, and they¡¯re using drones to monitor enemy distribution." "Midtown¡¯s where the convoys frequently go, so... this is going to be hell. Trying to track enemy distribution in a ce full of buildings over thirty stories high with just a drone? That sounds awful. Maybe we need UAVs." "Can¡¯t help it. In a hellhole like this, for things to go even somewhat smoothly, we need at least 30 people wearing Icarus Gear, not just three." ...Nearly three months had passed, and it had been at least two months since we arrived in Central Park. I could now hold basic conversations with people in English and, thanks to the military terminology books these two gave me, I could understand a lot more. They had told me that pretending not to understand English usually helped with gathering intel, but I¡¯d deal with thatter. For now, I focused on mastering military acronyms. The night was dark, but thankfully, lights had started to appear in Central Park. Of course, the ckout rules made it difficult to turn on lights freely. Still, the most luxurious mutant housing here had LED lights and a refrigerator, one of the greatest inventions of modern times, installed¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t that big. Naturally, thick curtains were hung around the windows to prevent any light from leaking out. So, even on this pitch-ck night, I was able to study leisurely inside my room. Meanwhile, the others were fervently discussing things, marking up the Manhattan map. I couldn¡¯t really join the conversation, but I tried to cram as much of it into my head as possible, looking for things to learn. Would today pass by safely? That thought crossed my mind for a moment, but then I quickly changed direction¡ªI wondered if I could handle things well if something happened today. I had already taken the first step toward bing an Icarus Operator, and my hope of safely returning to Korea without incident had long been shattered the day I first arrived here. I would just do my best to prepare and struggle as much as I could.@@novelbin@@ But just as I had that thought- ©¤©¤©¤Zzzuuuu-! "What..." "Don¡¯t dawdle, Eugene! Get your gear! Emergency support call!" "Icarus team has been specifically requested. We¡¯ll start pairing up with the allied forces, so lower the volume yourself." The emergency call rang. The LED lights on the ceiling blinked red for a moment, and at that instant, I felt a strange sensation, as if the hairs on my body were standing on end. It wasn¡¯t my blood rising; it truly felt like the hair was standing on end, almost going in the opposite direction. My heartbeat raced, and my breathing quickened. But as I had learned, I began to don all my gear from the gun cab, securing the buckles tightly so nothing would shift. But those two were much faster at gearing up. By the time I was still getting organized, they had already picked up their rifles, thoroughly aware of the situation, while I grabbed my bag full of drones and tracking mines, signaling that I was ready. And at that moment, themunication came through. The requester was- "...Support request received, 107th Military Police Company. Location: Grand Central Terminal." "That¡¯s about 2 km away. Luckily, instead of a vehicle, a helicopter has been dispatched. We should be there within 30 seconds once we board." "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, phew..." "Don¡¯t get scared, rookie. No one¡¯s dying today." The 107th Military Police Company, huh. My hands trembled. Had my body ever resisted me like this before? But even that, the Icarus Gear, forcibly triggered hormone releases and controlled blood flow, easing the tension. By then, I had managed to finish getting ready. It was time to go. The door to the room opened, and I dashed toward the helicopter pad, shattering the stillness of New York¡¯s Central Park. I was so fast that by the time the pilot checked the instruments, I was already inside. "Whoa, this is crazy. So fast! Fuel systems are normal, power systems normal, we¡¯ll be taking off in 10 seconds!" "The minigun... Damn, it looks like we¡¯re low on ammo." "We¡¯ve already been through 10 sorties today! The maintenance isn¡¯t fully done, so we don¡¯t know what might happen!" "Damn it, I bet the MPs below are wishing for at least balloons to y with. If we don¡¯t go now, it¡¯s gonna be a big problem!" Click! As the helicopter made a sharp maneuver, I strapped myself to the seat to prevent myself from falling out, and the sound of the rotors grew louder. The pilot, with a voice filled with exhaustion but undiminished determination, added: "We¡¯re taking off! Hold tight!" Boom! At that moment, the ck helicopter tore through the night sky of New York. My first battle had begun. Chapter 684
    • "Guardian team, attempting a detour. Numerous enemies have been identified from the first floor beneath the overpass. Requesting fire support until a detour is found!"
    "Let¡¯s break it down. First, the enemy¡¯s main goal is likely... resource theft. The cargo on the military trucks aside, it''s most probable they¡¯re aiming to seize the equipment and firearms worn by the Military Police Company as well." "...That sounds about right. Beyond that, it''s hard to exin. Even without mortars or SMAWs in the convoy, it¡¯s rare for anyone to charge at well-armed dozens head-on." "But the fact that such a rare event is happening means there¡¯s a reason or room for it... I think the answer lies with the ones slowly crawling out from below." One, two, three, four, ten, twenty... A flood of people starts pouring out from the first floor below. It was like a scene I had once witnessed when I shot at a ho¡¯s nest during a trip to the countryside. Luckily, back then, my grandfather had a methrower, so even though we were doing something so dangerous, we didn¡¯t have much trouble. The hos came out furious and turned to ashes as soon as they did. But today... I wondered if I could stop the many people pouring out from below¡ªstill, that thought quickly faded as I opened my Icarus gear-equipped bag. With a click, the strike drones soared into the sky. As I pressed a button on my bag, it split into two turrets. The linked grenades were a bonus. Meanwhile, Laurentina activated the pulse, and I picked up one of the turrets I¡¯d ced on the floor, setting it up somewhere behind the rooftop. Olivia spoke. "Let¡¯s see your shooting skills, rookie. Check IFF, and for the ones that aren¡¯t blinking, just put a hole in their heads. It¡¯s easier than you think." "Uh, yeah, I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll try¡­!" "Good. Don¡¯t hesitate. Crush them all. They¡¯re attacking the US military." Her voice, though sounding cheerful, carried anger. After all, she too was one of the soldiers defending America. I wondered if I would ever feel that way. I thought about it for a moment, but I honestly wasn¡¯t sure yet. At that moment, it didn¡¯t matter. I had to make sure all the members of the 107th Military Police Company below made it out alive. And those bastards had injured them. I couldn¡¯t forgive them. With rage overtaking the emotional burden of the battle, I saw enemies moving below through the LPVO (Low Power Variable Optic) scope mounted on my rifle. The next part was simple. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! One enemy fell. It was different from the time I killed the escaped convict with a pistol. It was different from when I killed someone with a minigun. This was my first real kill, done entirely by my own will and judgment. In Brooklyn, I had almost copsed from the shock. The second kill had left me feeling bewildered. But this, the third and true first, was terrifyingly void of thought. Or, to put it differently... maybe I should call it a relief. The fact that one life was erased meant someone else didn¡¯t have to die. That gave me immensefort. The next part was simple. "Ha, huff, ha¡­!" I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. Even as I did so, my improved vision scanned the 107th Military Police Company members below, and the scouts looking for a detour with drones. Enemies hiding behind vehicles, walls, and columns were usually dealt with by throwing the tracking mines in my multi-purpose pouch. With a dull noise, the bombs rolled and exploded with a scream. Everything seemed to slow down. It felt like my thoughts were all erased. But through all this, the two of them continued firing and speaking into thems, adding more orders. Then, the sound of turret fire snapped me back to reality. ©¤©¤©¤Rrrrrrrrrr! "Whoa¡­!" "Good thing we installed it on the stairs. I thought maybe one or two would show up, but there¡¯s more than that." "Phew, this is my first time fighting like this. It¡¯s not like the open fieldbat I¡¯m used to, so I have to keep track of so many things. It¡¯s a headache. But at least the enemy¡¯s entry points are limited, which is a good thing." "Same here. I¡¯m originally a VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) specialist." "Yeah, I figured. This Icarus thing... it¡¯s a mix of the Navy, Air Force, and civilians like you who were just recently added. It makes sense." "Now, if only we had the Army, it would be a real joint operation... Grenade!" Boom! The sharp noise and metallic sound were followed by a change in their expressions. At first, I thought it was a grenadending nearby, but the truth was even stranger. I did my best to show no reaction, focusing on firing, but the next words from Oliviapletely wiped out everything I had learned. "...Did you just shoot the iing grenade out of the air?" "How did you even see that?" "My eyesight isn¡¯t that bad. Actually, even now... I can see the enemy pretty clearly without needing night vision." "Well, in that case, I guess you can help next time. But seriously, how do those bastards have grenades? From the looks of them, it¡¯s like they stole them from a military or SWAT warehouse... damn it." "Well, if that¡¯s the case, they¡¯re probably carrying shbangs too, damn it. I¡¯ve already seen enough casualties from dealing with idiots who shoot AKs without aiming, but now I¡¯m having to deal with even worse bastards." Boom! While all this was happening, I quickly scanned the surroundings, and fortunately, the enhanced visionbined with the Icarus Gear allowed me to prioritize eliminating the enemy forces holding heavy weapons. I didn¡¯t know why they had those weapons, but, now that I was somewhat able to understand English, I heard themon refrain among those seeing these weapons: they couldn¡¯t have gotten them from raiding nearby military warehouses. Whether that was true or not, it didn¡¯t really matter. What mattered was that I knew that if one of those rocketunchers hit a car, it would be bad news. Luckily, the rocketuncher seemed to function as a sort of... ma for enemies. If I knocked one down, someone else woulde to shoot, and I¡¯d just take them out. Amid all this, a familiar voice came through. It was Captain Parkwson. "Guardian team, we haven¡¯t found another detour beyond Park G. To clear the barricades, we¡¯ll seize the rocketuncher they have, fire it, and destroy the obstacle. Please provide cover." "Roger. I¡¯ll mark theuncher¡¯s position with the infraredser from the strike drone. Move quickly." No detour? As I thought this, the two of them quickly exined why¡ªPark G, the road where the Military Police Company was located, was one of the few fourne roads in Manhattan, and also one of the few remaining roads the convoys could use without issue. The unique thing about this road was that it ran right through the Hemsley Building, but the ess road was blocked by abandoned cars. Their goal was to blow it up. After exining this, they asked me. "Alright, so where¡¯s our next target?" "...The area with the improvised barricades?" "Good. It¡¯s time to head down. We weren¡¯t sure if we could do anything under the pressure of realbat, but you¡¯ve done better than expected. Let¡¯s push a little more." "...Yes." "Let¡¯s move, rookie." And with that, the tension eased. Thankfully, the courtyard in front of Grand Central Terminal was being cleared. The enemy, having upied the rooftop, was forced to hide or retreat once weunched our attack. As warmth gradually returned to my ice-cold fingers, the team members began picking up the rocketunchers scattered on the floor and preparing to use them. The two of them said the remaining enemy forces at Grand Central Terminal would attack the Military Police Company trying to destroy the barricades, and we had to stop them... I was really thankful to them. Anyway, the fight had just ended, but we had to move as fast as possible. If we dyed, something disastrous could happen. I now understood why operators had such immense stamina. But... "...Huh?" Suddenly, a warm feeling in my lower abdomen froze me in ce. The tension and relief from my first battle,bined with all the other sensations, had be overwhelming, and my body couldn¡¯t control it even with the Icarus gear. And I quickly realized what it was. It didn¡¯t take long before my face turned bright red. "Ah, why... why isn¡¯t it stopping, I hate this..." The unpleasant sensation of wetness spread through my pants. It didn¡¯t take long before everything went dark, and I covered my face with both hands, lowering my head. Shame and a crude sense of liberation engulfed me. The two ahead of me nced at me slightly as I embarrassedly messed up on the ground, and without saying a word, added. "...Try to keep up as quickly as possible." With those words, they moved on. I was mortified. My first battle memory was stained with urine. "How am I supposed to console him about thatter? Should I tell the guys who''ve been deployed that they¡¯ve all pissed themselves at least once?" "Some guys had to deal with the Taliban while jerking off, so... maybe it¡¯s best to just shut up and pretend it didn¡¯t happen." "I¡¯m just d I didn¡¯t piss myself, damn it." Meanwhile, the two leading figures weren¡¯t having much of a normal conversation either. The night was still deep.@@novelbin@@ "From here on, we¡¯vepletely deviated from what was originally nned, so we¡¯ll have to solve it on the fly." "Got any good ideas?" "Well, it''s not really a great idea, but at a time like this, the options don¡¯t need to be overlyplicated. The most important thing is to block the firepower that¡¯s targeting the convoy, so we just need to act with that in mind." "Hmm. So it¡¯s the ¡®smack them in the back of the head while they¡¯re in chaos¡¯ strategy. I like it." ... Their high-level conversation was always hard to follow. How should I put it? It felt like they had already reached the same conclusion and were just checking it against each other, skipping the intermediate steps. It was almost like a form of convergent evolution. In that kind of atmosphere, I did my best to ignore the embarrassing liquid-soaked pants. God, I was so ashamed. While I desperately turned my attention away from reality, the two of them kindly exined their conclusion to me. "The logic is simple. If we break the legs of these confused friends, the convoy will have no time to worry about anything else. Got it?" "...I get the idea, but do you think it¡¯s possible with just three... or rather, 2.5 people?" "This is why they¡¯ve put those Icarus gears on us, rookie. You¡¯ll be joining this team soon enough." ... It¡¯s... terrifying. As we quickly moved through the passageway leading up to the ceiling of Grand Central Terminal, I thought about that. The three of us mutants, including myself, were now crossing the terminal''s ceiling passageway. It was a ce with an astrological pattern drawn on the ceiling, used for repairs, but now it was a very convenient secret route for people to travel. The gunfire from outside hadpletely died down by now. But the faint voicesing from below the thin ceiling walls were not just a few, they were many, and they were all talking frantically. There was no point in distinguishing between who to kill and who to spare. We had gone too far for that. At least, that''s what these two thought. ...What did they say? "If food has mold, you just scrape it off and eat the rest." Maybe that¡¯s the right way to think. And well, it¡¯s not like there weren¡¯tbat rules. ''...The only rule is "Don¡¯t shoot people who don¡¯t have guns."'' It was a rule I had read about in military manuals¡ªthings like warning shots, final notices, warning fire before fullbat¡ªbut here it was reduced to a simple line. But in a chaotic world like this, such binary thinking was essential. Honestly, bringing upbat rules in this situation felt unrealistic. And those two... I wondered how they had so quickly adapted to the new rules of engagement. Plus, since the Icarus gear could scan for whether individuals were carrying weapons, there was no hesitation in their hands. The result was simple. ©¤©¤©¤Pik! Pik! Pik! Pik! With a sound like air leaking out, the .277 Fury subsonic rounds cut through the air slowly. It was something I had learned about. Reducing the powder charge and increasing the bullet''s size. I never imagined I¡¯d be studying something like this, let alone firing it and seeing it pierce through someone¡¯s body. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, it wasn¡¯t me who was leading the charge. It was Olivia and Laurentina. I didn¡¯t know if it could be called ¡°clearing the way,¡± but that was what they did. The squad, busy moving somewhere, saw heads explode as they fell to the ground like marites whose strings were cut, all in mere seconds. As the positions of the enemies they marked in real-time appeared in my eyes, they added. "Throw all the tracking mines!" My response was quicker than my words. I scattered the five or six geometric objects, about 3 cm in diameter, from my multi-purpose pouch onto the floor. As they took cover, I also hid behind a cover. The sound of metal clinking together echoed slightly. But that didn¡¯t mean the enemies would react. The interior of Grand Central Terminal was dark, with only candlelight and some lighting, and the tracking mines hidden in the shadows crawled up the walls, rolling towards the enemies¡¯ feet. What happened next didn¡¯t need much exnation. ©¤©¤©¤Boom! Boom! "Ahhh!" "Ambush! Counterattack!" "Where are the enemies, damn it¡­!" It was like watching a movie. With every burst of me and shrapnel, one more life vanished from this world. It was disturbingly unreal. As I watched what was happening right in front of me, I felt like I might throw up. I wasn¡¯t mentally strong enough yet to fully ept this. I missed my mom and dad. "Gunfire at Grand Central Terminal! The interior situation is unknown!" "Surveince team, see anything?" "...The drone only shows enemy positions. But... the enemy is dying at an incredible rate." "Feels like we¡¯re haunted. This Icarus thing... is it some kind of ghost?" Meanwhile, the 107th Military Police Company. They were among the first to indirectly witness thebat of the Icarus Operators, and the mutants who were almost the first to be deployed into realbat¡ªof course, those who saw it directly would never be able to report it. It had only been a week since the Icarus Operators¡¯ rapid response team was nicknamed "Specter." Chapter 685 "Hmm, this is... beyond what I thought. The fact that it''s not even showing up on the CCTV is a bit unexpected. I¡¯ll need to prepare better moving forward." Thud! Thud! Thud! There were dozens of CCTV screens, each one disying different parts of Grand Central Terminal. These were all gathered in a control room somewhere inside the station, which was now dominated by these screens. Normally, the role of these cameras was simple: monitor the movements of busy New Yorkers, check for any disturbances or fights, and deploy station workers if needed. But today, things were different. The screens now showed people being ughtered by an entity with overwhelming supernatural power¡ªsomething that humans couldn¡¯t resist, a one-sided massacre. However, the man in the suit, who was staring at the screens, didn¡¯t show the usual emotions¡ªshock, confusion, or fear. Instead, his reaction was something else. It was as if he had either expected this or was surprised by the unexpectedness of it... and this reaction told only one thing: he had been aware that something like this would happen. He lightly tapped the table with his index finger, and the vibration spread like a scent, as about ten people entered the room. Unlike those who carried a simple handgun, shotgun, or appropriate rifles, these individuals wore knee and elbow protectors, multi-purpose pouches, S&S Precision te Carriers,plex wires and headsets tangled on their bodies, and dark tactical uniforms. They were clearly elite soldiers. "Did you call us? What should we do now?" "Prepare to be exfiltrated. We¡¯re currently gathering data. Once we transmit it to Artemis Headquarters, we¡¯ll destroy all the equipment in the room. We were never here." "Understood. I¡¯ll bring the thermite." "Oh, right. Not all ten of you. Leave three behind. Just in case." "Got it. Jensen, Collins, and... Captain Hoffman. You¡¯re with me." Hoffman, the one called by name, nodded indifferently. As the seven trained soldiers quickly exited the room, the man in the suit sighed and sat down in his chair. The badge on his chest, abination of a bow, arrow, and crescent moon, shimmered silver. Artemis Technologies. One of the military-industrialplexes that had emerged from the Rust Belt and Silicon Valley after the fall of the U.S., also involved in the development of Icarus Gear. But that was just the surface¡ªthispany had used the Omega virus crisis as an opportunity to fight over influence and had even sold technology and national secrets to enemy states. In short, they had triggered the invasion of the U.S. by foreign countries, and had indirectly led the invasion... making them both founding traitors and national betrayers. "Is it okay that the rocketuncher was captured by the enemy?" "It has no logo or serial number, and once it''s fired or its safety is removed, it will automatically destroy itself after a certain amount of time. Besides, it wasn¡¯t even made by Artemis. If we manage to break through all the safety measures and get Artemis¡¯s trail... that¡¯ll be a natural disaster." "I understand." "Well, that¡¯s that. No more need for fire support at Grand Central Terminal. Once we¡¯re back in the safe house, I¡¯ll contact Mr. Carlton..." Why contact the director? The reason was simple. Artemis Technologies... was far from a simple operation. To put it briefly, internal power struggles were ongoing, and more specifically, a war was being fought to eliminate anyone still loyal to the U.S. and bury them underground. The key members of thepany hired all sorts of unregistered PMCs via the dark web to achieve their goals, and the scheming that once took ce in courtrooms was now reced by far more brutal infighting to eliminate rivals. Among them, Carlton was one of the board members who led the purge of the pro-American faction. Bang, crash. Meanwhile, footsteps were heard climbing the stairs. About five or six people wereing. Soon, the door flung open, and a confrontation ensued between those in suits and the armed troops who were dressed much more poorlypared to the PMC hired by Artemis. It was the armed forces who were the ones in shock. "...Dexter, what the hell are you doing here... and who are these people!?" "Shit, more importantly! We attacked the U.S. military, right? But now these bastards are using magic to ughter us! What the hell do we do now!" "Don¡¯t worry. Everything is going ording to n." "What, what do you mean... do you have another n?" "I didn¡¯t mean it like that. It¡¯s just... I feel bad for the guinea pigs who got sacrificed, but thanks to them, we¡¯ve gathered enough data. There¡¯s no need to fight anymore." "...What did you say?" "You still don¡¯t get it, do you? Well, whatever. Good luck." Shh. What happened next was simple. A brief exchange of nces, and the three PMC members standing behind Dexter raised their guns with terrifying speed.@@novelbin@@ Before the armed soldiers could react, several gunshots rang out. About ten casings hit the floor, and the CCTV room became eerily quiet. The group who had brought the thermite rushed into the room, but Dexter stopped them with a raised hand and kept to the original n. As a result, the room now contained both corpses and thermite. More words followed. "A train heading to New Haven is ready. It can leave anytime." "Good. Let¡¯s move. Where¡¯s Captain Hoffman?" "He¡¯s checking the escape route. He went out alone while setting up the thermite. He¡¯ll join uster." "I don¡¯t know why the team leader had to handle such small details. Anyway, we¡¯ll leave as soon as the destruction is done. If we take too long, it¡¯s going to be a hassle." "Understood." ... After about a minute and a half, the signal to proceed was given, and all nine members, except for Captain Hoffman, quickly descended the employee-only passageway. The stench of blood began to fill the station. Though it wasn¡¯t winter, the bodies would soon start to dpose, but no one would care. How long had it been? On the New Haven-bound train tform, which had no signs of life, a strange-looking train that could never be seen in the usual New York subway was waiting. Inside it were just a few seats, generators, and various mechanical devices. Dexter casually pushed the handle, and the train began to slowly leave Grand Central Terminal. He was happily tapping away at a keyboard as he spoke. "It¡¯s a shame we messed up Grand Central Terminal, but no big deal. We gathered the most important data in Central Park. We got the body data of an Alpha-ss mutant." "That¡¯s impressive. But can we apply it anywhere?" "That¡¯s not our concern. Just gathering it is enough. Eventually, we¡¯ll find a use for it. The key is in the discovery." "Understood." ... The world was dark, and the train, covered in translucent ss, moved leisurely toward New Haven without any interference. It was running through the underground tunnels, and so far, there hadn¡¯t been any issues, though who knew what would happen next? But they didn¡¯t care. At least, that¡¯s what they thought. Grand Central Terminal was just the beginning. Simr events would happen again soon. And it was only the start. There was less than half a year left before Russia and China¡¯s armies wouldnd on the U.S., ignoring the effects of the virus. The destruction of Russia and China¡¯s fleets by the U.S. Navy was regrettable, but the 7th Fleet was now stuck in Yokosuka, which was still a decent oue. Dexter spoke again. "Thebat capabilities of those operators are impressive, but that¡¯s not enough. Unless they can show us something more... we won¡¯t need to watch them anymore." "Isn¡¯t that too optimistic?" "Thinking that they can perform miracles, or more than what they¡¯ve shown so far in every battle, is the real optimism. Sure, they might take down battalion- or regiment-level forces, but in a full-scale war between nations, it¡¯s just a drop in the ocean." ... That¡¯s why they bet on countries other than the U.S. A decisive blow when a nation is at its weakest. It was only possible now, and that¡¯s why part of Artemis was executing this mad n. Whether it would seed or fail, no one knew. But one thing was certain: they had ced everything on the results they would achieve, not on the chances of failure. It was a typical gambler¡¯s decision. Of course, if they seeded, they would think only about what would happen after that. No one wanted to imagine what would happen if they failed. One thing was certain: when everything was revealed, they would be executed in the streets, and that would be a light punishmentpared to the crimes they hadmitted. "Anyway, the terminal operation was about half a sess. Everyone, once we¡¯re back, let¡¯s do a full recheck." "Understood." As the mercenaries replied in their monotonous voices, Hoffman casually observed the situation and turned his head slightly. The mercenaries, used to his demeanor, didn¡¯t seem to think much of it. However, none of them noticed that he blinked twice in quick session. Only he knew what that meant. "¡­ISA deep cover agent, Hoffman Vincent. Checking the QR code inside the grenade he left behind. Things are starting to get interesting." "These bastards, I thought they were all wiped out by now, but they¡¯ve been hiding here¡­" "¡­What is this?" "You¡¯ll find out soon enough." Meanwhile, inside the blood-soaked Grand Central Terminal. In the midst of it all, Lorenatina scanned the light spilling out from the broken grenade and gave a small, almost amused smile. Betrayal was everywhere. Shwoooosh! The hot water from the shower washed away all the dirt from my body. The blood that had stained my skin was to be expected, but the most unpleasant part was what I had done to the floor... that too was now washed away and flowed down the drain. Of course, I wasn¡¯t the only one showering. The two other mutants like me were also cleaning up. The floor was red. The amount of blood on them was far more than mine. By now, the clothes covered in gunpowder smoke, sweat, enemy blood, and even... my own urine would probably be in theundry. I never thought I¡¯d be doingundry at midnight. My body now felt much lighter than before. Thanks to all the surrounding reconnaissance, some shower supplies hade in, though not enough for everyone staying in Central Park. For tonight, I could shower using the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. My body was refreshed, but my mind was a mess. No need to exin why. The first battle had been incredibly hard. Though the majority of the fighting had been handled by the two of them, it still felt strange toin about being tired. Just two months ago, I was a regr civilian. When I closed my eyes, the images of the earlier battle reyed in my mind. My head ached, and I felt a shiver run through my entire body. The hallucinations were so vivid, I could almost touch them. Though I thought I had somewhat prepared for this, it turned out to be nothing like I imagined. Was taking this gear really a mistake? Could I truly face the future? I wasn¡¯t sure of anything. But maybe, soon, I won¡¯t even have time to think about this. I might be called into action again before I know it. This felt like the horrific version of the five-minute standby drills I once practiced. Suddenly, I heard something behind me that wasn¡¯t the sound of water. It was Olivia¡¯s voice. "Yujin." "¡­Yes?" She didn¡¯t say anything further but motioned for me toe over. I thought maybe she had something helpful to say. As I walked toward her, I couldn''t appreciate her beauty like I normally would. My mind was too tired for that. But at that moment... "¡­Wha¡ª!?" "Shit, I¡¯ve never hugged anyone other than my girlfriend... I¡¯m so embarrassed. Don¡¯t dwell too much on today. It¡¯s normal to feel exhausted. If you¡¯re having trouble, just say it, I¡¯ll help you whenever you need." "Yeah, it¡¯s tough, but I didn¡¯t expect you to hug me this tightly¡­ ugh¡­!" "Shut up, idiot! When I talk, I get ticklish from the vibrations!" Her chest, which was toorge to be called just her chest,pletely covered my face. I couldn¡¯t decide if this was something I should consider normal, but when I felt that overwhelming softness and warmth on my face, all the negative thoughts that had been swirling in my head earlier... literally vanished. Was this the right way to think? Probably not. But I couldn¡¯t ignore her kindness. And... I liked it. I felt strangely happy, maybe too happy. Perhaps, just maybe, PTSD could be treated with... a woman¡¯s chest. It¡¯s just that in the military, women are incredibly rare, making this all the more difficult toe by. Regardless, the happy moment ended. But now that the ice had broken, I figured if I ever asked Olivia again... maybe she¡¯d hug me once more. The shower was done, and I dried off, feeling far lighter than before. The next task, unfortunately, was... firearms import. That couldn¡¯t be postponed. After that, there was an After-Action Review (AAR). Thankfully, the Icarus Gear itself acted as an action cam, and as long as I submitted that to the higher-ups, I wouldn¡¯t have to report the operation separately... though I¡¯d still have to get some sleep at dawn. As I started to focus on something else to take my mind off the overwhelming emotions, I overheard the conversation of the two mercenaries who had been by my side. "So, another mutant ising? This time, from the army?" "Ex-1st SAC. To put it in simpler terms... Delta Force. How is it that we always get a mutant from Tier 1?" "Think of it the other way. There were probably more. But they¡¯re all dead now, and only the survivors areing here." "Quit with the ominous talk, damn it." This was the kind of conversation that made me feel even more out of ce. "Do you know what animal the new guy is? Could be another woman, right?" "I don¡¯t know. But from how they¡¯re installing the air conditioners... maybe someone who can¡¯t stand the heat." "Probably another woman." "Probably. I¡¯ve just given up." Considering all the mutants I¡¯d seen so far had been women, I thought that might be the case. So I focused on that, ignoring the horrific events of the day. The night was still deep, but I couldn¡¯t sleep yet. [EX-Team // Sergeant Logan Blemis, Sub Leader // Alpha-ss Mutant - Model: Pr Bear] [EX-Team // Sergeant Major Antony Owens, Team Leader] [EX-Team // Sergeant Anton Morrison, Breacher and Machine Gunner] [EX-Team // Sergeant William Chester, Team Doctor] [The following personnel are permanently assigned to Central Park HQ.] [Preparing Icarus Gear // Calcting the sess rate of Gear imntation for non-mutant operators¡­] [Sess rate: 35%. Goal to raise to 85% within six months.] [Time to arrival: D-?.] Chapter 686 ¡°¡­So, does that mean Logan will have to stay at a ce where those mutants are for the time being?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The Icarus directive has been activated, and all Alpha-level mutants are required to wear the Icarus Gear under orders.¡± ¡°Affiliation?¡± ¡°Officially, they¡¯re operators under the Department of Homnd Security, but it doesn¡¯t matter much. They could be part of JSOC or the Department of Homnd Security, it doesn¡¯t matter. They could even be directly under the President¡¯smand. All of those things are technically true.¡± ¡°¡­What a mess.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it. Requests for operational cooperation will being from every conceivable ce anyway.¡± Central Park, 5 AM. Main briefing room. Soldiers wearing patchesbeled EX1 through EX5 stood with indifferent expressions, staring at the screen and the Icarus personnel sent from Central Park HQ who stood at the podium. Their identity was simple. They were a newly formed Delta Force kill team created to deal with the chaos caused by the Omega virus outbreak and to address the serious crimes that inevitably emerged due to theck ofw enforcement. EX¡ªshort for Execution Squadron. Naturally, no one in this unit liked the name, which was a bit ridiculous. At this point, the situation surrounding them was¡­ exactly as expected. In fact, it might have been even worse than anticipated. It wasn¡¯t a good situation, of course. Their expectations had been set extremely low from the start. The mission Owens¡¯ team faced in Phdelphia was one they barely managed to survive, and in just under two weeks, they had umted over 500 kills. Inparison, the situation in Central Park wasn¡¯t so bad. Administrative issues, like the affiliations, raised questions like, ¡°Is it really okay for things to be handled this way?¡± But it didn¡¯t matter much. Tier 1 special forces soldiers were among the top 0.01% in their fields, so their adaptability was equally top-notch. ¡°I don¡¯t want the team to split.¡± ¡°Once energy adjustments areplete, we¡¯ll consider outfitting regr operators with the Icarus Gear as well. At that point, we¡¯ll check the avable personnel in Central Park and reorganize them into a new task force.¡± ¡°And you know very well how unreasonable it is to split a squadron. Should we leave the originals intact?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. When forming the task force, the most important factors are the operators¡¯ experience and knowledge.¡± At least they had received the bare minimum confirmation. They nodded leisurely, and then subtly nced at a figure sitting on the floor instead of a chair. At the end of the room, a silhouette, strange for being human, caught their attention. Her waist-length, milk-white hair and the small bear ears yfully shifting above her head¡ªshe looked like a human version of a pr bear if someone were to mold one. She slowly turned and got up, adding: ¡°Nothing can be done. It¡¯s the president¡¯s order, after all... Let¡¯s go see the clients. From the way he¡¯s talking, I think we¡¯ll be meeting again soon.¡± ¡°If you cause trouble, Logan, the building¡¯sing down.¡± ¡°You asshole. Should I break an arm before going?¡± ¡°Just a joke, just a joke.¡± ¡°Then Logan, you cane this way. I¡¯ll guide you. I¡¯m Illich Jensen, I¡¯m with the Icarus support team. I¡¯ll let you know where the mutants¡¯ quarters are.¡± She ced her right hand on her neck, rubbed her shoulders, sighed, and went out. It was barely 5 AM. The sun hadn¡¯t even peeked out yet. It had been a while since the light pollution had disappeared, and now the stars twinkled in the sky. Something you wouldn''t expect to see in Manhattan. She hadn¡¯t even brought much with her. The only things she had were a duffel bag slung over her shoulder with a few personal items inside. And there was that suspicious-looking agent Illich Jensen next to her. She briefly nced at him and noticed a few surprisingly human traits. ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t seem like the working conditions are that great.¡± ¡°I usually end up sleeping on the couch instead of in a cramped room, haha. It¡¯s quite a tough situation.¡± ¡°That makes sense. What other ce would be better... Anyway, speaking of which, how many mutants are there in this Alpha-level quarters?¡± ¡°Three. If you count Logan Operator, that makes four.¡± ¡°The way there seems a bit far. Let¡¯s at least hear who they are.¡± It was an easy enough request, but the content itself was ridiculous enough to make even Loganugh. The reason was simple. ¡°One of them is Olivia Nicks Lori, formerly known as Oliver Nicks Lori. She¡¯s 34 years old and served as a PJ in the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, a Tier 1 unit. She was recently the leader of Eagle Team.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The second one is Lorenatina Christopher Brenner, formerly Lauren C. Brenner. She¡¯s 36 years old, currently a second lieutenant, and was a team leader of Alpha Team in DEVGRU¡¯s Gold Squadron.¡± ¡°Ha. This is unbelievable. It¡¯s almost embarrassing¡­ What the hell are the seals and eagles doing here? Is this some kind of bnce betweennd, sea, and air?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence. But thest one is an ordinary civilian. I heard he¡¯s from Korea, and he came here on a trip but got caught up in the Omega virus crisis.¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s definitely a unique situation.¡± Logan didn¡¯t press any further. The irony of Alpha-level mutants being team leaders in Tier 1 special forces was difficult enough to digest, and he didn¡¯t bother asking why these mutants had changed their names.@@novelbin@@ He didn¡¯t ask about the gender of these mutants either¡ªhe could guess the reason behind the name changes, but that wasn¡¯t something he could afford to dwell on. How long had it been? Soon, Logan arrived in front of the Alpha-level mutant quarters. The building wasn¡¯t veryrge, but the fact that only about three people were staying in a ce that could hold at least twenty showed how much Central Park valued it. Logan thought about that as he checked the interior. Dim light leaked through thick curtains above the windows. Surprisingly, the lights were still on. The reason was simple. ¡°An escort team was ambushed 1.5 hours ago. The mutants with Icarus Gear were organized into the rapid-response team and have been frequently deployed since then.¡± ¡°¡­I could¡¯ve sworn I heard that there¡¯s a Korean civilian mixed in with them. Did I mishear that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. But the situation¡¯s be urgent enough that even he needs to be assigned to the response team.¡± ¡°Ah, what a nightmare¡­ You should go in too. You look pretty exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that into consideration. Feel free to pick any spot inside... and I hope you¡¯ll get acquainted with everyone quickly.¡± She mumbled that inwardly. It wasn¡¯t that she enjoyed tormenting tired people. Through a conversation with Agent Jensen, she learned there was a gun cab inside, and Logan decided to put his weapon inside as soon as he entered. No one would like the atmosphere with a gun in hand. However, despite being in different branches of the military, they were all tightly bound by amon denominator, so Logan wasn¡¯t too worried. He just wondered if his unusual appearance might surprise others. She entered the quarters and knocked on the door before opening it. And then- ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 200 kg, rookie! Even before I transformed, I could carry this much! Keep pushing!¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t carry me on your back! My ears are ringing¡­ Ahhh, whaaaaat?!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t believe you copsed. You¡¯ve still got a long way to go. In special forces, Alpha and Omega are all about the legs... wow.¡± ¡°¡­I have no idea what I¡¯m even looking at.¡± Indeed, Logan couldn¡¯t help butugh quietly to himself. He added: ¡°¡­Haha, I¡¯m Logan. Let¡¯s get along.¡± ¡°A person who speaks clearly hase. Let¡¯s get along.¡± ¡°Same here. I hope you¡¯ll take some of the load off us.¡± ¡°Ah, hello¡­¡± Logan felt like, for some reason, he wouldn¡¯t be bored with these quirky individuals around him. He suddenly thought about introducing them to the EX Squadron. ¡°...The sun¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Changing from day to night is normal, rookie. You¡¯ll feel it soon enough. Get used to grabbing naps whenever you can. The idea of being awake during the day and sleeping at night is gone now.¡± ¡°¡­I think I understand. I used to wonder why you two were always sleeping whenever there was a chance.¡± ¡°Is this guy a civilian?¡± ¡°Up until two months ago, yes. Not much has changed since.¡± Central Park, 7:30 AM. Unlike at the beginning of the year, the sun now rises quickly. But after waking up from a nap, going into a tensebat situation, returning for debriefing, and now, it wasn¡¯t exactly a good morning. But what could you do? The enemies weren¡¯t considering your time. So today, I received chest feedback from Olivia to prevent PTSD. Big chest... so good... It was a bit embarrassing, but Olivia didn¡¯t seem to mind. Whether that was fortunate or not, I wasn¡¯t sure¡­ If Logan, the guy who introduced himself, had caught me in that situation, it would¡¯ve been terribly embarrassing. In any case, the best course of action when others were talking about me was to just keep my mouth shut. But there was some data I needed to know, and one of the key pieces was this: ¡°Finally, the people who sold out America are starting to show up one by one. It¡¯ste now, but it¡¯s too little toote.¡± ¡°Some of the scientists who worked in the top-secret zones disappeared like dust. Didn¡¯t Artemis have something to do with the Icarus Gear? Not a good sign.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. They didn¡¯t work on the gear itself, but they were involved in developing skillspatible with it. Shouldn¡¯t be a huge issue¡­ just some guys with big ambitions but empty heads.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re making such stupid decisions. You can¡¯t sell something well if you¡¯re an idiot.¡± ¡°...ck humor is too scary.¡± A lot of scary humor mixed in, but that was the gist of it. Especially that rocketuncher. The metaphor that had been around since Brooklyn was now clear: Artemis was behind it. It was truly absurd. Apparently, they were a promising newpany, tied to the five major defense contractors, and had gone under in the Omega virus crisis but were secretly up to something. Anyway, that was just a side issue. As personnel started to increase, not only were there preparations for possible emergency deployment, but there were also reconstruction operations to manage. That¡¯s what they told me. So what was that, you ask? ¡°Until now, we¡¯ve only been responding to situations as theye, but it¡¯s bing difficult to do that. We need to start building sustainable facilities so we can handle things even if operations fail.¡± ¡°Because of that, the priority now is to bring in practical experts or those above them who can control, upgrade, and develop key facilities.¡± ¡°...Sounds like you¡¯re exining all this to me rather than this rookie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how it is. This rookie needs to hear it several times before it sinks in. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± Poor thing... I wanted to be quicker too... But the reason these people were so fast wasn¡¯t because they were just naturally gifted¡ªit was because they had so much experience and training. I wondered if I could be like them someday...? As I sulked, someone ced their hand on my head. At first, I thought it was Olivia or Loren, but it wasn¡¯t. Wait, does this mean...? ¡°Oh ho!¡± ¡°Hey! She¡¯s mine! Don¡¯t touch her!¡± ¡°Really? So the ownership has already been decided? I didn¡¯t think we were in the middle of the Civil War. I¡¯m from ska, so I¡¯m not familiar with very.¡± ¡°Guys, what are you even talking about?!¡± Too much, too much. I desperately huffed, but sadly, it seemed like my feeble resistance was just seen as a kind of... charm. In no time, Logan had built a rapport with the others, and he spoke up: ¡°I think I get what role this kid ys here. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°As you can see, she¡¯s our cute mascot. She¡¯s still got a long way to go.¡± ¡°...Yeah. We all need someone like that to help ease the mental fatigue. I don¡¯t know this kid well yet, but I¡¯m already grateful.¡± ¡°Uweee¡­¡± ¡°Do you like pr bears? I think I¡¯m going to like snakes more now.¡± ¡°There are only carnivores here¡­¡± Sadly, I was starting to enjoy this more than I thought I would. It seemed like, for the time being, I was going to be something like a stuffed animal for these people. Hmph. Chapter 687 -[Setting visual ckout timer. This message will not be visible to the trainee.] -[Two unarmed personnel, five armed enemies to be deployed in session.] -[5 seconds until Hood Box simtion starts. // Trainee - Lorenatina Christopher Brenner.] Swish! As soon as the pre-procedure of the Icarus Gear, which had blocked out all light, was lifted, Lorenatina¡¯s red eyes immediately focused. She began scanning her surroundings at an incredible speed. She checked the front first, raised her weapon, and assessed the presence behind her. From there, Lorenatina gathered two pieces of information. One behind her. Two in front. A civilian woman, unarmed, was running towards her with both hands raised, and behind her, an armed assant was chasing her. In that moment, Lorenatina pulled the trigger twice, once to the chest and once to the head, aiming at the armed assant. As the hologram of the armed assant disappeared in an instant, she sensed the presence behind her and immediately turned to confirm the man¡¯s figure. A sturdy man, but unarmed. Without hesitation, she drew her pistol from the holster, switched the ammunition to non-lethal shock rounds, and shot him in the knee. The hologram copsed to the ground, looking strikingly lifelike. At that moment, another enemy appeared. ¡°Die!¡± Pick! Pick! With a sharp metallic sound, an enemy¡¯s head flew off from the side. The muffled sound of the gunshot echoed through the box, passing through the silencer. She confirmed the two unarmed personnel and had already killed two out of the five enemies. Next, an enemy holding a grenade without its pin barged in. Lorenatina shot both of his knees, breaking his legs and ensuring that the grenade he carried would detonate by its own force. While this happened, she killed two more enemies in session. The moment the grenade exploded, sending the man¡¯s body into pieces, Lorenatina ignored the explosion and aimed at the hologram of the woman, firing once more. She picked up the handgun that had fallen to the floor. With the metallic sound, the simtion ended, and a voice, seemingly astonished, came from above. Lorenatina chuckled softly and looked up. There was a balcony above the Hood Box, and about three people stood on it, overlooking the simtion. They were Alpha-level mutants. Logan spoke up. ¡°She¡¯s not training, she¡¯s shooting a movie. Who blocks a grenade like that?¡± ¡°A crazy person who charges with a grenade in hand is a natural disaster. Pretending not to protect the unarmed man behind her was a small deduction, though¡­¡± ¡°You know your stuff.¡± ¡°If I were the chief instructor observing this training, I would have deducted points for that.¡± The Green Team. A group formed to test whether Tier 2 - Navy SEALs - are qualified to join Tier 1, such as DEVGRU. Even with the gunfire still smoking, Lorenatina swept her bangs with one hand and sighed, watching the hologram of the man melt away as it disappeared. Logan added notes to the data te before speaking. ¡°This is ridiculous. How the hell did Task Force Blue - another name for DEVGRU - let this insane person rise to Gold Squadron?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with putting a hole in the civilian¡¯s hologram head after picking up the gun?¡± ¡°You were waiting to grab the gun, you crazy bastard.¡± ¡°And you, being a high-ranking grunt, would know it¡¯s more reasonable to blow up the problem rather than try to disarm them during a heated engagement.¡± As he said, Lorenatina didn¡¯t cross the line but certainly toyed with it. Logan was experiencing the absurdity of the situation in real-time, but surprisingly, it seemed like she was just barely managing to stay within the boundaries. It was a justified action. In any engagement, no exceptions were made. Whether they were kids, the elderly, or women, as soon as someone grabs a weapon, they¡¯re treated as armed, and they had to be eliminated. Logan just felt uneasy. Shark added: ¡°I get what you¡¯re worried about. To you, it might seem like I¡¯m enjoying these kills. You¡¯re not wrong. That¡¯s why I ended up handling all the ck ops and earned my second lieutenant rank at just 36.¡± ¡°...And they probably gave you that rank because they trust you to control it. This is driving me crazy. When the military police show up at our quarters, I¡¯ll make sure they take you away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had that happen in 16 years of service, so rest easy. If you¡¯re that curious, ask the owl guy I worked with on the operation.¡± To his surprise, during the operations, he had never intentionally put a hole in a civilian¡¯s head. He just did his duty as a soldier... killing people. ¡°I got it, I got it. Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Logan wondered if this team would ever reallye together. Logan thought about it, but unfortunately, Lorenatina couldn¡¯t figure it out herself. Tier 1 wasn¡¯t just about being good at fighting, having great physical abilities, or being smart enough to put holes in people¡¯s heads. Psychological tests and social background checks were the basics. And Lorenatina passed all of those, reaching the top 0.001% of the elite members of Gold Squadron among the seals... ¡®...The world¡¯s a mess, but she¡¯s still doing alright.¡¯ Logan shook his head, walking toward his mental sanctuary. Of course, there was no need to mention that his mental sanctuary was Eugene, and the ¡°pr bear¡± was fondly squeezing the soft cheeks of the harmless anaconda she had turned into, murmuring: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get too attached to that bad seal.¡± ¡°Uweeh-?¡± ¡°Hey, ground dog! Put our rookie down! She needs Hood Box training too!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re mad,e up here.¡± Their bodies were strong enough to jump 2-3 meters to grab onto something, so the shark, carrying a 30kg military pack, jumped a meter with a sergeant¡¯s jump, grabbed the balcony railing - which bent under the weight - and climbed up, punishing Logan, who was yfully squeezing Eugene. Eugene, with a somewhat disgruntled expression, went down, and the highlight of the day¡ªthe final Hood Box training for Eugene¡ªbegan. As the team¡¯s rookie walked down the stairs with a nervous expression, the three evaluators shared augh and added: ¡°Tier 1 leaders chosen from all branches? If I were down there, I¡¯d be so nervous I¡¯d bite my tongue.¡± ¡°Damn, thinking about it brings back memories from Green Team. It was pretty awful¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t do that kind of thing. Instead, we cause hell in the field. If you don¡¯t do your training, you¡¯ll get shot in closebat, but here, if you mess up the coordinates, you¡¯ll get shot and blown up by our own team.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get started. Set the timer.¡± Click. At the same time, the timer ticked down, which Eugene couldn¡¯t see. How long had it passed? The holograms began to form. As enemies and unarmed civilians were created, the three of them watched Eugene, who was nervously tapping his fingers. The Hood Box training had an extremely high difficulty, so much so that even Lorenatina had some difficulty with it. Moreover, Eugene had never experienced anything like this just a few weeks ago. However, once the Icarus Gear and mutant traits werebined, Eugene began performing above expectations. ¡°...Oh?¡± ¡°Is it just me, or is the hesitation bothering you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable. But even with the hesitation, he¡¯s faster than the Green Team guys.¡± ¡°Because of the Icarus Gear and mutant traits, is hepensating for hisck of situational judgment? If he keeps at it, he¡¯ll improve quickly.¡± As they said, Eugene was far beyond the limits of human auditory and visual reaction speeds¡ª0.1 seconds for hearing and 0.2 seconds for sight. He was surpassing those limits, just like everyone in the room. They could react as quickly as 0.01 seconds. Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia all experienced the sensation of seeing the world in slow motion. In closebat, they could even dodge bullets by seeing the movement of a finger. But they weren¡¯t dodging the bullets themselves. In any case, as they said, Eugene was thinking and making decisions during those split-second moments that would normally be governed by muscle memory and instinct. He was acting on those decisions with impressive precision. Simply put, he was already good enough to match a Tier 2 special forces performance. Of course, the only one who didn¡¯t know that was Eugene. Despite that, the three of them started marking down points for improvement. In less than 10 seconds, the first session wasplete, and they added with satisfied expressions: ¡°Better than expected?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of work ahead of you, rookie. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°Uweeh¡­¡± Someoneughed quietly, but fortunately, Eugene didn¡¯t hear it as he started preparing for the next session. Though it was a little embarrassing, it was genuinely cute. Today, as always, the trio wasughing thanks to their rookie. ¡°Artemis Technologies is a defense contractor that betrayed its country to work for an enemy state. They were making prototypes of drones and various UGVs for the military. Now, all their personnel are designated for extermination.¡± ¡°They hacked into theworks of anti-aircraft bases in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and other states in the early days of the Omega virus outbreak. They separated them from NORAD. It¡¯s believed that enemy states used this opportunity to send reconnaissance teams.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s NORAD?¡± ¡°It stands for North American Aerospace Defense Command. I told you to study, right? That¡¯s one ball-tuck credit for you.¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll pay it back now¡­¡± As always, Eugene was sitting there, cheeks puffed up in embarrassment.@@novelbin@@ After all, he had to train hard to repay the punishment of those cheeks. He couldn¡¯t help but feel both thankful and guilty. But in this situation, it was actually easier to understand. Knowing who they would be fighting and their backgrounds turned out to be more interesting than expected. During the Omega virus crisis, he never imagined there would be people willing to sell out their country. But here it was. He had never expected such treason to actually happen, and he was reminded of the time Korea had gone through something simr. However, sadly, the current situation was even worse than the Japanese upation period. With Russia and China nning a double assault, the odds were overwhelmingly bad. It was as if he were facing a natural disaster. The only difference was that there was no national-level disaster insurance for a country like his. ¡°So, what are we going to do next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. We¡¯ll give a grand wee to these guys who confidently stepped into America. Let¡¯s stop them from reporting back to their home country and crush their toys. I can already see how happy they are.¡± ¡°Enemy size?¡± ¡°About twopany-sized units. We¡¯re just four people. With a full team, maybe eleven. Including Eagle Team and EX Squadron.¡± ¡°If one person takes down twenty people¡­will that even work? Seriously, this operation is insane.¡± ¡°Instead, we¡¯ll have all the air support we need. Once we confirm that there are no civilians around, we can crush them unterally. The problem is, we need someone capable of Special Reconnaissance for that.¡± At the same time, everyone turned their gaze to Olivia. Eugene followed suit, ncing around reflexively as everyone else did. Later, Eugene would learn that the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, to which Olivia belonged, was divided into Combat Control Team (CCT), Pararescue Jumper (PJ), Special Reconnaissance (SR), and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). What they needed now was Special Reconnaissance, and Olivia was the only one who had expertise in that. Lorenatina and Logan had to pull personnel from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron instead of learning those skills themselves. It was a lot to process, but the important fact was that Olivia was the only person with reconnaissance capabilities essential for the operation. Particrly¡ªnight reconnaissance. She spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but it¡¯s not my specialty, so I¡¯m not as proficient.¡± ¡°Eagle Team?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have anyone who specializes in SR right now, and they¡¯re all on light duty. Plus, in a big city like this, Special Reconnaissance is almost meaningless. As soon as you hide in a building, thermal imaging and standard equipment are useless.¡± ¡°So, we need something beyond standard equipment. Maybe you and Logan shoulde with me?¡± ¡°Logan¡¯s still adjusting to the Icarus Gear, so he can¡¯t. As for you¡­ if I assign you to the Special Reconnaissance mission, it would mess up the strike team¡¯s bnce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we bring the rookie?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wait a second? This wasn¡¯t how I imagined it, but the conversation was moving quickly, almost without my input. As I was fumbling over my words, they continued talking. ¡°I still think it¡¯s a bad idea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that only Icarus Operators can properly operate the drones linked to the gear.¡± ¡°Damn, is it really that bad? Maybe it¡¯d be better if I went with Olivia.¡± ¡°We might not need the rookie, but the Icarus Gear is necessary. You still can¡¯t handle it properly, so you¡¯re out. We have some time before the operation, so think carefully before making a decision.¡± At the same time, Olivia came up behind me and added, Soft and gentle¡­ or rather, I should say, her big chest was pressing against my back. She spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, rookie. There¡¯s still about two weeks until the operation, so things could change by then. Let¡¯s do our best until then.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± At that moment, I was caught between the desire to be a useful member of the operation and the urge to send someone else instead. My journey ahead still felt so long. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s some serious thickness. What¡¯s this? A TACP manual?¡± ¡°That, along with the Special Reconnaissance material. You¡¯ll need to learn it eventually, so I¡¯m giving it to you now.¡± ¡°Should I be the one saying this? Isn¡¯t it a little harsh to be giving this to a kid?¡± ¡°Maybe, but we¡¯ll find a way to help you heal, somehow.¡± ¡°Heal?¡± ¡°¡­Never mind. It¡¯s not something I can exin right now.¡± A few hourster, the three mutants were sitting together while Eugene wasn¡¯t there. As they fiddled with the thick manuals on the table, Olivia realized she had made a mistake and avoided Logan¡¯s gaze. It was a healing method she couldn¡¯t reveal just yet. It would be a while before Logan discovered what that really meant. Chapter 688 "Ugh, this is hard... No matter how I look at it, I just don¡¯t get it..." "I''ll teach you calmly, so if there''s something you don''t understand, make a note of it. I¡¯d like to help you with everything you don¡¯t know right away, buttely the situation keeps changing so fast... There are so many operation coordination meetings, my head is spinning." "Eeeh... Olivia..." "...Ugh, I¡¯ll be right back, so just wait a little longer!" The textbook describes the essential elements for effective ground strikes:bat tracking, target designation, tactical risk assessment, weapon authorization, attack methods, and TAC types... The TAC types are divided into types 1, 2, and 3, and aircraft are split between BOT (Bomb On Target) and BOC (Bomb On Coordinate) methods, depending on whether the aircraft approaches the target or mark (such as smoke grenades) to acquire the target position¡­ In short, BOT is suitable for attacking moving targets, while BOC is used for fixed or moving targets, and mixing them up can dy kill times or cause missed targeting opportunities, leading to confusion between air crews and JTAC... The attack starts from either the IP or BP, where the aircraft ¡ª BP refers to rotary-wing aircraft ¡ª approaches the operation area... Generally, when it¡¯s difficult to set a target¡¯s location coordinates, a "Key Hole" graphic is used to easily derive the coordinates for the IP/BP... "Uweeeck..." I feel like I¡¯m going to puke. The textbook has 360 pages, filled with all sorts of diagrams, examples, theory problems, simtion exercises, and, to make it worse, a special reconnaissance manual attached, making the book on the table as thick as an encyclopedia. There¡¯s no way I can get through all of this in just two weeks. Honestly, Olivia and the others probably don¡¯t expect it either. If it weren''t for the Icarus Gear, I''d probably still be stuck here with no mission to do. The problem is that I¡¯m an Alpha-level mutant, so I¡¯m being forced into the role of an operator. It¡¯s not that I hate it, but it¡¯s exhausting. Olivia had left the room. My head aches. I let out a short sigh andy down on the bed. The ceiling is unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar. What¡¯s unfamiliar is thebat uniform I¡¯m wearing right now. It¡¯s not the usual military uniform, but thebat gear for missions. Combat shirts, I guess you could call it. Even I, being designated asbat personnel, was made to wear it by the others. I still feel embarrassed calling myself an operator. I know that about myself, so I just call myself a soldier, and everyone else naturally epts it. I wonder when I¡¯ll meet their expectations. But, unfortunately, just as I was lying there, Olivia suddenly opened the door. "Stop pretending to sleep." "Uhh, I wasn¡¯t sleeping..." "I was going alone, but there¡¯s something you need to hear, so you¡¯reing with me. We¡¯ll do the studyingter." "Okay." And so, I joined her. Actually, I had a feeling this would happen. I didn¡¯t say anything, but the reason is simple. The way Olivia spoke when she left earlier was proof of that. The situation changes every day. With two weeks until the mission, that¡¯s a long time, but the constant changes are scary. Max updates are once every 24 hours, and even if it¡¯s short, data from Artemis internal sources and Hoffmann¡¯s team keep changing the operation structure. And sure enough, when I entered the briefing room, serious discussions were still going on. "Artemis and the enemy contingent seem to have a strong cooperation. If either side is touched recklessly, it could be problematic." "We¡¯ll hit both at the same time. Otherwise, we¡¯ll have to hit them in session within a day." "Whichever way, if we can seize theirmunication equipment, it could be an interesting move. But is that a difficult task?" "Artemis might be tricky, but the contingent is a twopany force. It¡¯s impossible just to remove people. Unless we release gas in a semi-sealed space, it¡¯s not feasible. And they surely know that¡¯s impossible." "Let¡¯s first figure out how far apart they¡¯remunicating. It¡¯s not easy, but if that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to quickly eliminate both." "So, where is Artemis?" Hmm, this is aplete mess. There were more people in the briefing room than I thought. Clearly visible were Logan and Lorenatina, as well as the Eagle Team and EX Squadron members who came with Logan. There were just under ten people, and every time one spoke, it added up to a lot. But it wouldn¡¯t end with just one sentence. Even though I could proudly say I was getting better at English, it was so fast and fluent that I couldn¡¯t keep up at all. Luckily, this Icarus Gear does a decent job of summarizing and tranting, so I don¡¯t have to worry about not following the conversation.@@novelbin@@ Anyway, "Well, it looks like it won¡¯t be much different from before. Olivia will go solo or with this person for special reconnaissance. The strike team will target Artemis¡¯ base location and wipe it out, then take a helicopter to Lower Manhattan." "It¡¯s going to be tough. We¡¯re not dealing with some amateur ISIL, but enemy forces at the level of a state military contingent. We¡¯ll need Icarus Gear to even have a chance." "Considering it¡¯s a reconnaissance contingent, dragging out the battle increases the likelihood of the main force being notified. That part can be handled by UAV jamming¡­ It¡¯s all about choosing who dies." "There are only about two battalions stationed in all of Manhattan, right? If just one toon evaporates, there¡¯ll be a huge gap in strength." "Hmm. We might need to contact the Cleaners. Or, we can just m missiles into the defensive line until it breaks." I roughly understand what they¡¯re saying. Twopanies means there¡¯s about 200 heavily armed soldiers stationed near Lower Manhattan. If we attack, who knows what could happen? It wouldn¡¯t even make sense to throw the soldiers from Central Park into that mess. Honestly, the only viable option is the Cleaners. I¡¯ve heard enough stories about them, and pushing them into a heavily armed defense line is probably the safest bet. But deciding who lives and who dies isn¡¯t up to me. It¡¯s probably best if I just keep my mouth shut. ¡®That¡¯s true...¡¯ The world has be so strange. As Olivia joined the discussion and they exchanged various ideas, I sighed, reflecting on how things had turned out. The people who used to work at the New York City sanitation department had be arsonists, burning people alive. Surprisingly,ter on, I learned that it was thanks to them I was able to escape from Brooklyn. And when I became an Icarus operator, I found out additional details¡ªduring the escape from Brooklyn, some of the escapees were sent to help, and when things turned bad, the personter managed to escape along with the others, abandoning the prisoners. Apparently, they sold out the escapee positions in Central Park... That kind of quick thinking is necessary if you want to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. I heard their code name was Zodiac. Eventually, I¡¯ll probably end up using those cooperative escapees as well. Huh? Wait a minute. "..." Click. Not wanting to interrupt the heated discussion, I raised my finger and called over to Olivia, who was in the middle of the conversation. By now, she probably felt the vibration from the Icarus Gear on her wrist. As expected, she noticed and came over to me. Now it was time for me to share my thoughts. "So, who¡¯s going to handle the defense line for the contingent?" "Not sure. The Cleaners are the most likely, but if they refuse, it¡¯s pointless." "Could we send the escapees?" "...How?" "Didn¡¯t Zodiac maintain secret contact with Central Park? What if they gather the anti-government escapee forces and send them to hold the Lower Manhattan defense line? That would be a free gain, right?" "...Hmm." Unexpectedly... the response is... positive? If it wasn¡¯t a reasonable thought, she would have patted my head or pinched my cheek, but the fact that she¡¯s considering it means it¡¯s not a bad idea. Unfortunately, Olivia left with a ¡°let me think about it¡± and, thinking I had heard everything, I headed back to my room. It reminded me of when, during New Year¡¯s evening or night, the adults would send the kids to another room for their conversation. Anyway, the good little baby studying would seem praiseworthy to the adults. I thought this as I walked back to my room. Thest thing I saw was Olivia sitting thoughtfully in her chair. "Well, our youngest suggested this. What does everyone think?" "If it¡¯s possible, it¡¯s better than nothing. Not sure if we can convince the escapees, though." "Can¡¯t hurt to try. Let¡¯s bait them for a week and see." Meanwhile, the butterfly''s wings began to flutter. "Bridge and tunnel blockages on the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges have been partially lifted. This information was confirmed 6 hours ago." "Six hours? Is that reliable?" "See, this is why you can¡¯t talk to idiots. Information from six hours ago is pretty much the same as brand new in a world falling apart." "Zodiac¡¯s here too. The only one missing from the Hyena Council is... Rebound? I figured." "That bastard still doesn¡¯t know his limbs got blown off in Brooklyn. Stop sniffing that spice? How can we let brainless bastards like him into themittee?" "Shut up, assholes. We can¡¯t even start the meeting." NYC Langon Hospital Brooklyn. A few months ago, this ce used to house members of the New York National Guard¡¯s 442nd Military Police Company and the 104th Military Police Battalion, along with hundreds of civilians. But now, it had be the base of the Riker gang. In the small conference room inside the hospital, about nine people with various appearances gathered. At a nce, most of them looked abnormal or intimidating, and their actions matched their appearance. These people were the leaders of arge gang alliance formed by escapees and criminals who had been looting and surviving in Brooklyn. Naturally, every member was either an escapee or a criminal. Zodiac, a female mutant escapee, gestured with her hand. At the same time, one of her guards activated the projector. Light filled the dark room, revealing long, murky silver hair and a wolf¡¯s tail. Her fragile and slender body was adorned with wolf ears twitching atop her small head. Though her appearance might suggest she was a victim in this broken society, she was far from it. In fact, there was another reason for her confidence. "God, this is taking too long. What¡¯s taking so long? Are you doing this on purpose?" "Great insight from the guy who¡¯s never used an electronic device except a stolen smartphone. Alright. Want me to exin what a projector is?" "This bastard..." "Don¡¯t reach for your holster, slingshot. Did I say something wrong? Go smoke some marijuana or something. Just because you heard one thing doesn¡¯t mean you can go acting all agitated..." Early in the Omega Virus crisis. Many escapees had run out into the cold winter air of Manhattan after breaking free from Riker¡¯s Ind, pondering how to most effectively loot civilian lives and resources. Eventually, a female mutant escapee,ter known as Zodiac, would recruit escapees who were good at fighting and others with useful skills or higher education. And this would lead to tremendous results. The proof of this was the conference room ¡ª where only she and her guards knew how to properly operate the projector. Of course, she also had the only people who knew how to operate the hospital''s generator and repair its broken electrical systems. Because of this, Zodiac became an irreceable figure in the Hyena Council, and naturally, her voice held weight. As the pictures began to appear one by one, a person from behind her walked up to the podium. "I¡¯m Andy Sanders, a former drone operator now handling reconnaissance. To cut to the chase, the automated turrets at the ends of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges seem to be inoperative." ¡°Not working? Or it just looks like it¡¯s not working? You¡¯re not sure, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you an erged photo.¡± Swish. At the same time, a photo is shown. As expected, unless you have a good eye, it¡¯s hard to see, but the man who introduced himself as Sanders continued speaking slowly. ¡°The automatic turrets were supposed to be here... in ck containers, waiting to shoot anyone with an unclear identity and preventing civilians from escaping Manhattan. However, they¡¯ve been heavily damaged recently.¡± ¡°Damaged?¡± ¡°The sides of the container have expanded and punctured. From this, it¡¯s clear they¡¯re destroyed.¡± ¡°...The point is, it¡¯s not the container, but the road to Manhattan that¡¯s been cleared. There¡¯s a problem because reinforcements are urgently needed, and manpower is dispersed. It¡¯s important to get the right personnel, and Lower Manhattan is filled with apartments. This means we can easily gather resources.¡± At that moment, several people sitting in the chairs subtly turned their heads. As expected, the reason everyone gathered here was to discuss such ¡®carrots¡¯¡ªresources that might be easily gathered. The gang leaders here responded quickly, understanding the implication. Zodiac gestured, and Sanders projected more images onto the screen¡ªpictures of food and weapon supplies scattered across Lower Manhattan. These photos were taken by drones from a long distance, so they were difficult to identify clearly. Before anyone else spoke, one person added: "Coyote." "So, Zodiac, you need someone to throw into that fire pit, right? I¡¯ll support that." ¡°Is that fine?¡± "I recently took out the Bronx gang from El Salvador, wiped out their whole crew. The old n members are rebelling fiercely, so we need to reduce their numbers. And¡­ if it¡¯s not a fire pit, it¡¯s even better. Heh..." As Coyote spoke lowly and chuckled, the others exchanged quick nces. The problems mentioned¡ªfood and weapons¡ªwere also an issue. But if they could secure the resources scattered around Lower Manhattan, it would be a game-changer. This would undoubtedly break the bnce of power within the Hyena Council. To prevent that kind of dominance, they would have to take action. "...I¡¯ll go too." "After Coyote, it¡¯s Styx. Who¡¯s next?" "About 100 people should do. That¡¯s the maximum I can send. I won¡¯t go personally, but I¡¯ll send my right-hand man, Hound, as the leader." "Do as you like." "Zodiac, what about you?" "I¡¯m busy fixing themunication equipment. You¡¯re wee to help find repair supplies if you want." "Got it." With that, the screen flickered and turned off. The three who agreed to go, and the five who hadn¡¯t responded yet, along with Zodiac, who declined, all remained in the room. She knew she no longer needed to be in the room and stepped out. Once the bait was thrown, the rest would figure out where to assign people. She left with her guards and Sanders, heading toward the abandoned military base beneath Brooklyn¡ªFort Hamilton¡ªwhere themunication equipment was located. As they arrived near the site, she began assembling some parts. After some time, a uniquely designed machine was ced in her hands. She pressed a button and turned switches this way and that. When a clicking sound was heard, she spoke up. ¡°¡­This is Zodiac. Please respond. Jackpot.¡±
    • ¡°Gardener Actual, Jackpot acknowledged. A heavy rain is expected in Lower Manhattan within a week. Do not approach.¡±
    ¡°...Rain?¡±
    • ¡°Not certain, but it¡¯s likely a white phosphorus (P) and thermobaric rain. Bring an umbre.¡±
    Zodiac¡¯s face paled almost instantly. She exhaled deeply, removed the device that had acted as a radio, and muttered to herself. ¡°I thought only the Cleaners were crazy...¡± For the first time, she was d to have cooperated with Central Park. The darkness of modern warfare was deep, and even the expert leading hundreds of escapees could not match the madness of the post-apocalyptic world. Chapter 689 "You''re going to use white phosphorus? And you mean enough to burn arge part of Lower Manhattan? Are we hearing this correctly?" "You''re hearing it correctly. Exactly as I said. The higher-ups want topletely burn and destroy all the enemies causing chaos in Lower Manhattan. Moreover, the expiration date for the white phosphorus bombs stored in the nearby air force bases is rapidly approaching." "...So, you''re nning to detonate them before they spontaneously ignite? I can sort of understand that..." Central Park, early May, approximately three days before the operation. The briefing room at the Central Park HQ was filled with murmurs as soon as the permission for white phosphorus bombing was half "announced." Most operators involved in the mission shook their heads in disbelief. However, there was one thing that was clear: no one was seriously opposing it. Some understood it was necessary, while others were convinced after hearing about the technical challenges of storing the white phosphorus bombs. Of course, unlike the majority, there was someone who simply didn¡¯t care about the matter¡ªsomeone resembling a shark. "It''s just something that ignites at around 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. If we don¡¯t take it out of the storage before it gets hotter, it¡¯ll cause a huge explosion." "...So you mean you''re going to dump it in Lower Manhattan before it spontaneouslybusts? Is that the decision from the higher-ups?" "This isn¡¯t a decision or a n¡ªit''s already happening. All the nearby air force bases storing bombs are already undergoing the same transportation operations. The drones flying around are proof of that." "Wow." "As you probably know, many of the folks higher up are angry right now. The president lost his entire family in a terrorist attack during this situation. It¡¯s hard to find anyone at Central Park HQ who isn¡¯t affected by it." "I understand what you''re saying." Those who had lost family or loved ones, those who had suffered, often ended up making radical decisions. However, bombing wasn¡¯t necessarily crossing the line. For those who deserved to die, there was no problem with throwing anything at them. Hadn¡¯t the ancestors from a century ago flown bombers over Tokyo? The criminals who escaped while America¡¯s legs were shattered, the ones who sent reconnaissance teams without a deration of war, the ones who sold the country while its legs were broken¡ªthese were all people who deserved to burn. No one was pushing the brakes on this obvious conclusion. "Anyway, that¡¯s enough about that. I heard we¡¯ve located where the Artemis fragments are hiding." "Kips Bay. We detected suspicious movement in themunications tower district just 1.2 kilometers south of the recently upied UN headquarters. We¡¯ve already sent several electronic warfare drones. We should gather meaningful data soon." "I see. I''ll make a note of that." "Now it¡¯s up to how quickly the Liker guys can control their speed. The timing of their contact with the enemy squad will decide when the operation will take ce." One of the operators muttered while checking a map of Lower Manhattan on the wall. The AT&T Tower, also known as 33 Thomas Street, was marked with a red skull symbol. Below it, the Russian and Chinese gs were flying together. The meaning was clear¡ªit was the enemy¡¯smand center. Unfortunately, as desirable as it might have been to blow up the building being used as themand center, there were too many obstacles, and the enemy''smunications equipment was of immense value at this point. Despite the necessity of discussing it, everyone was skeptical about whether it was possible to strike only themand center without destroying or recovering the equipment. As the operation progressed, operators continued to go on separate emergency missions, their frequency increasing. Despite being in full condition, they couldn¡¯t guarantee sess, and bad luck piled up. In such circumstances, the retrieval request, which could almost be seen as a wish rather than an operational goal, made the difficulty skyrocket. The support operators were well aware of this. All of them sighed. The weather in Manhattan in early May was unpleasantly gloomy. Someone spoke up. "Anyway, we should set the operation time ourselves. Get Olivia and Eugene ready to head near Lower Manhattan. When we can confirm themunication interval between the subunits and Artemis, we¡¯ll strike during that gap." "What are you nning to do?" "If all goes well, we should be able to control the timing of contact between Liker and the subunits. We could trigger an explosion with something like an IED to cause a diversion." "Understood. Should we assemble the operators?" "Yes." There were no further words. It didn¡¯t take long for eleven operators to gather. No one knew what the result of the first military operation by Icarus and Central Park would be, but it was about to unfold. "Is this how it turned out? A bit sooner than expected¡­ Get up, Eugene. The operation starts now." "Ugh, I¡¯ve only been asleep for three hours..." "What can we do?" The rustling sound. At 2:30 a.m., under the full moon lighting up Manhattan, Olivia woke me up. The moment she shook me, I instinctively knew what wasing, but the exhaustion wrapping my body made it hard to move. Luckily, I had a body that recovered quickly. I rubbed my eyes and got up, seeing Olivia getting dressed inbat gear. I would be doing the same soon. Logan and Laurentina were sleeping downstairs, so only the second floor lights were on. I had already packed the necessary things, knowing exactly where the infiltration route and destination were, as well as the tasks ahead, so there was no hesitation in my actions. As I changed clothes, Olivia opened the personal cab and spoke. "Strictly speaking, this mission isn¡¯t part of the Special Reconnaissance (SR) category. Technically, it¡¯s a city reconnaissance mission. This is my first time being involved in an operation like this too." "...I¡¯ll do my best." "Yeah. But you¡¯ve been trained well over the past few days, so you should be familiar with the METL (Mission Essential Task List). The MSP and MTP are both with Zodiac, so let¡¯s get them to the OP afternding." "Wait, MSP and MTP... You mean the Mission Support Package and Mission Tasking Package, right? OP is the observation post?" "Pretty much. Soon, you¡¯ll naturally get used to the terminology and abbreviations." Maybe that¡¯s true. I thought about it for a moment. Learning the terms and abbreviations from the manual was no different than memorizing English words. The only difference was that I had to learn the phic codes tomunicate over thems. As these words appeared in English sentences like chocte chips in a cookie, it was hard to pick up the pace. But what could I do? I just had to get used to it quickly. Anyway, it was toote to say it now, but the Special Reconnaissance (SR) mission I was learning was not quitepatible with the urban reconnaissance we were about to do in the early morning. The reason was simple. SR was fundamentally rted torge-scale reconnaissance operations in foreign countries. Measuring the positions and depths of coastlines, noting road characteristics¡ªthis was what a special reconnaissance operator did. But in the city, those things weren¡¯t really relevant. "Let¡¯s go if you¡¯re ready." "Yes." "Steady yourself. Although we¡¯re not a strike team, depending on the operation''s progress and sess, we could very well be involved inbat." "...Got it." "We¡¯ve ced the required firearms near thending point, so you¡¯re only carrying a single carbine. Did you check if the weapons and essories are functioning?" "Yes, everything¡¯s fine. I also packed spare batteries." "Good. We don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be out there." The weather outside was mild and cool. It was early May, so it was expected. Under the unusually bright moon, Olivia and I rode a special low-noise four-wheeled bike and made our way out from the left side of Central Park. Our destination was Pier 99, a dedicated dock for NYC¡¯s Public Health Department on the left side of Manhattan.@@novelbin@@ As we had been informed earlier, Olivia and I were supposed to board a small boat called Zodiac andnd at Tribeca Point, a luxury apartmentplex 7 kilometers south along the Hudson River. After arriving at thending point, we would stay there and deploy drones to install surveince cameras on the rooftops of nearby high-rise buildings, gathering intelligence on enemy movements, their weapons levels, and other details. The bike made its way slowly out of Central Park, and I kept scanning the area to check if anything unexpected might emerge. Given the weight of the two of us, we had to go at a slow speed. But despite that, Central Park and the Hudson River were only about a kilometer apart, and within minutes, the bike came to a stop. I carefully boarded the Zodiac boat, which was already loaded with all kinds of gear. After Olivia climbed aboard, I followed and helped pull the boat into the water. The boat was nearly submerged with our weight, but it still floated, and we set off. The boat ride would take about 10 minutes. Olivia casually continued talking. "Although I¡¯m not sure, the more I review this mission, the more I think I understand why you¡¯reing with me." "...Really? I thought it was because there was no one else to send." "At first, I thought that too. But after checking the guidelines from higher-ups, it turns out that¡¯s not the case. There are a lot of missions that only operators with Icarus gear can handle." "..." I hadn¡¯t thought about it like that. Suddenly, Olivia exined briefly¡ªit was about the advantages of the Icarus gear for infiltration missions. The gear had heat shielding and optical camouge functions, provided near-permanent night vision capabilities, and could transport a dozen drones to a specific location to install cameras on rooftops. These were just some of the capabilities of the Icarus gear. There were many more things it could do, but this was just part of the exnation. "Anyway, there are a lot of things you can do right now, and a lot of things you should do. Don¡¯t worry about the rest. The rest will be solved by time and experience... and you¡¯re gaining that experience right now." "...If I don¡¯t gain experience, I¡¯ll die, though." "That¡¯s my job¡ªto make sure that doesn¡¯t happen." "Yep. I¡¯ll do my best¡­" As she spoke, Olivia patted my head, and I smiled faintly, feeling her warmth. It reminded me of my parents. I knew that once all this was over and I went back to Korea, I might not have parents to return to. Maybe that¡¯s why they were so kind to me. But after several months in this ce, I had gained new important people. Even if I had lost my parents, I didn¡¯t want to lose these people. I pressed down on the mncholic feelings, holding my hand over hers, but Olivia immediately sensed it and spoke. "I don¡¯t know exactly what hard things you''ve gone through, or what you¡¯re still going through... but right now, everyone feels that way. Beforeing here, I lost five team members." "..." "You might be overwhelmed by those emotions, but I¡¯m not the type to sit still and feel powerless. Shouldn¡¯t we make those who made this world a mess pay for it?" "...Pfft." "Maybe everyone wants to be strong enough to do that. And... I was the same 12 years ago. Those who are excellent grow stronger through refinement. And you, Eugene, deserve to be strong." As the boat reached the destination, Olivia quickly climbed onto the anti-fall fence. I followed after securing the cargo, and we both pulled the boat up onto the dock. The boat weighed about 140kg, and with two of us, we could easily lift it. We hid it near a small wooded area next to the retreat point. As we climbed the stairs of a luxurious apartment with a 100kg load, Olivia headed toward the Icarus weapons storage hidden deep inside the Citizen¡¯s Culture Center. "¡­I heard this ce used to be an apartment worth millions of dors." However, there was no trace left of its former glory. There were a few shriveled corpses scattered around, with words and phrases half-scribbled on the walls. Naturally, the content was not pleasant. Whether you were rich or poor, the virus had swept through the world equally. Fortunately or unfortunately, the virus had stopped spreading once its hosts were dead, and it had nearly wiped itself out, leaving only its short lifespan behind. It was truly an ironic situation. Climbing up to the rooftop was a harrowing experience. It wasn¡¯t extremely difficult, but it wasn¡¯t easy either. The first thing that had to be done was to install various equipment on the roof. A medium-sizedmunication device, a drone hub, and optical camouge for hiding the equipment, among other things. The good thing was, once the heavy items were ced on the roof, they could be operated from inside the luxurious apartment using the Icarus gear. Fortunately, the gear also provided detailed instructions on what to do. After a while, while I was still setting things up, Olivia came up. "Good work." On her back, there were two massive sniper rifles, and in her hands, she was holding something that looked like a giant cylinder wrapped in what appeared to be bare wires. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize it was an emergency escape rope. In case of an emergency, she would drop the rope and escape using a harness... but was it really safe? As if trying to dispel my doubts, Olivia spoke. "Considering the gravitational eleration and body weight of mutants, the shock they¡¯d receive when hitting the ground at terminal velocity is about 300,000 newtons. So, you¡¯d be crushed by something weighing around 30 tons." "...And so?" "The Icarus gear''s shield can withstand that level of shock, and when you factor in the shock absorption from the nanomachines, as long as your falling posture is correct, you can survive with only moderate injuries." "That doesn''t help at all¡­" "On average, it takes about 15 seconds to reach terminal velocity after falling. 300,000 newtons is the worst-case scenario. In buildings like this one, the force is probably no more than 150,000 newtons, so it¡¯s highly likely you¡¯ll only suffer light injuries." "..." Should I thank her for telling me that, or should I be grateful for the technology of the Icarus gear? I thought to myself that I hoped I would never have to jump out of a building. Anyway, Olivia casually tossed the explosive aside, set down her weapons, and carefully ced the duffel bag she had been carrying. When she opened it, what poured out was... what looked like dozens of kilograms of M112 block explosives and various types of explosives resembling grenades, but they were real! I was speechless, my mouth hanging open. Olivia then added. "Sooner orter, the subunit here and the escaped convicts from Brooklyn will run into each other. This is something that can control the timing of that ''meeting.''" She grinned, and I could hear the amusement in her voice. "Hey, rookie, are you interested in IEDs?" My expressionpletely vanished. Olivia was... a bit stranger than I had expected. I was just d I was normal. Chapter 690 "Something feels off about this." "...What do you mean?" "Even if Artemis was cooperating, I can''t understand how they managed to establish themselves in Lower Manhattan. How did they get in so deeply?" "...Maybe they came in by submarine?" "Whether it¡¯s a submarine, destroyer, or aircraft carrier, that¡¯s not important. What matters is that their position is in Lower Manhattan. Regardless of what they used to get there, to drop a twopany-sized unit in Lower Manhattan, they''d have to enter Upper Manhattan first." "...Is that even possible?" "Well, if Upper Manhattan were still clean like before, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But now, with it covered in garbage and mines, of course it¡¯s impossible. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here." Tribeca Point, the next day. May in Manhattan was eerily quiet. It was quieter than expected. Even when looking through the cameras installed on the rooftops of dozens of skyscrapers in the area, there was almost no movement visible. Moreover, there was no need to even look through a window. The active surveince function of the cameras linked to the Icarus gear was beyond imagination. With the drones added, there was no need for a person to even look. Thus, we were closely monitoring the building known as 33 Thomas Street, also called the "Windowless Building," which was now being used as themand center of the Russian-Chinese coalition subunit, along with the patrols and strongholds in the area. If anything unusual happened, the cameras connected to the gear would catch it and immediately send it to the Central Park HQ, so Olivia and I nned to directly respond only to the most crucial matters. For example, if the subunit moved up to the Central Park area for reconnaissance¡­ well, that would be a problem. ''That subunit doesn¡¯t seem particrly interested in reconnaissance¡­'' It almost felt like they came to check on what was happening in Manhattan. Anyway, back to the point, I wasn¡¯t sure what context Olivia had in mind when she raised her concern, so I was racking my brain to understand. Why was she suddenly so troubled? Meanwhile, Olivia showed me a map that disyed not only Manhattan but most of New York City, and began exining everything. In short, this is what she said: "There are about four ways we can guess the subunit entered Lower Manhattan. The first is through the north of Manhattan, the second is through Brooklyn or Queens, the third is via New York Harbor, and the fourth is through New Jersey. Out of these, the third and fourth options arepletely out of the question." "Why?" "Because the Hudson River and New York Harbor are covered with reconnaissance drones. If they came that way, they¡¯d have been detected long ago." "So, the second option is... Brooklyn and Queens are full of escapees, right? With cleaners in the mix, if they came that way, it would have been aplete disaster." "Exactly. And Zodiac didn¡¯t seem to know there was a subunit in the north. Even if they were moving at dawn, it would have been impossible to avoid the eyes of escapees and cleaners." It made sense. Then, thest possibility was that they came from the north of Manhattan... but wouldn¡¯t that be impossible too? There was no need for it. If they were going to do that, it would have been much easier to stay in the northern part of Manhattan. Besides, Midtown, the necessary passage from Upper Manhattan to Lower Manhattan, had a much stricter security than Brooklyn. There was no reason for 200 armed men to make their way down to Lower Manhattan, and if they did, they¡¯d be caught. Olivia finished exining, and only then did I understand why she was worried. If we didn¡¯t know how the Russian-Chinese subunit made its way here, we¡¯d keep being vulnerable to the same method in the future. ...But now that I think about it, maybe I could just ask that Zodiac person? Maybe we¡¯d get some answers. I said that, and although Olivia made an unwilling face, she agreed to try at least once. I also didn¡¯t think it would make much of a difference, but it was worth a shot. Anyway, themunication line was set up, and we had a way to contact them. We immediately adjusted the channel and sent the signal. About 10 minutester, I heard a slightly husky, almost shy voice over themunication device.
    • This is Zodiac.
    "Stalker Actual. Are we able tomunicate right now?"
    • Yes, I can¡­ What¡¯s the matter?
    "Have you seen any movements of heavily armed troops from Brooklyn? About 200 of them, armed simrly to the U.S. military?"
    • Hmm... I don¡¯t recall any. I don¡¯t think there have been any rted reports even from the Hyena Council. Does that answer your question?
    "Understood. I¡¯ll contact you again before the operation starts."
    • Got it. But... hmm...
    There was a brief silence. Then, her voice came back.
    • It¡¯s not certain, buttely, I¡¯ve heard that the cleaners are active in the northern areas. Up near the Bronx... I think around Fordham. I heard there¡¯s something going on near the railroad there.
    "...Is that all?"
    • When you mention heavily armed troops, that¡¯s all I can think of. It¡¯ll take a bit more time for any better information toe in.
    "...The subway?" Thatst word was something I muttered to myself. At that moment, all the scattered pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked together, forming a picture¡ªnaturally, Olivia seemed to realize it at the same time. We both started to understand what was going on. Looking back, it seemed obvious. If they used the subway, as long as the tracks weren¡¯t destroyed, they could move underground with rtive ease, without the risk of being detected since they wouldn¡¯t be moving on the surface. The only problem was that, considering the tracks alone... they coulde into Lower Manhattan from anywhere. But, the subway tunnels connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan had all been flooded, so that had to be taken into ount. Meanwhile, Olivia quickly adjusted the screen and checked all the subway lines in Manhattan, pinpointing one of the lines that stretched out like veins, branching into the surrounding areas. It wasn¡¯t just Manhattan or New York City. It was a port city in Connecticut, New Haven, on the right side of New York state. "Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line. The route from Harlem to Grand Central Terminal runs underground." "So, how did they avoid detection when traveling above ground?" "Who would tell us that? They''re either dead or have fled." Cynical, but honestly, it was hard to imagine any other answer. Besides, we weren¡¯t using all of Central Park. The southern half was filled with new facilities, but the northern half had seen a mass exodus of civilians. This had caused dys in construction and the water supply system. In other words, while there was some control over the southern part of Manhattan, the northern part wasn¡¯t as easily essible for the government. So, in the future... would we have to block all the subway tunnels leading outside the city? And if something happened there, we¡¯d likely have to go and deal with it too. While we were having this discussion, the other voice on themunication line spoke up.
    • ...Stalker, uh, Actual? Is there a problem?
    "Stalker Actual. No problem. That was sufficient help."
    • Right... Okay, I¡¯ll keep an eye out. By the way... Could you send me some gas masks? About 300 of them. You¡¯re spreading white phosphorus, right? I¡¯m worried about the smoke and particles after the bombing.
    "Unlikely to reach the lower parts of Brooklyn." Adjusting the range and marking the future impact zones was part of our job, but still... There was some concern. White phosphorus in arge city like this¡­ I¡¯d heard that its effects were somewhat limited. That¡¯s why we nned to spread a lot of it to catch all the hidden enemies. Even though I was worried Lower Manhattan would turn into a literal inferno, no one was really concerned at this point. Civilians had long since disappeared from the southern part of Manhattan. This had been confirmed through drone surveince multiple times. Themunication cut off, and we switched the screen to a camera installed on one of the tallest buildings, which allowed us to observe both bridges connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. There were a dozen or so rioters on the bridges, crossing from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It had be so routine by now; we¡¯d already seen hundreds of peoplee over. We continued switching screens, confirming the escapees spreading through Lower Manhattan¡¯s central and eastern areas, marking the coordinates, and updating the 3D map before sending it to Central Park. Olivia, still talking to HQ while ncing at another screen, spoke up. "Eugene." "Yes?" "Time: 21:33. The operation will begin in exactly 2 hours and 27 minutes. The number of escapeesing to Manhattan is higher than expected. The more they spread out, the exponentiallyrger the area that needs bombing." "Got it. I¡¯ll send the AOE data to the CP. The ICE (individual chemical equipment) settings are alsoplete." "Good. You¡¯re ready to jump into the fire, right, rookie?" Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure, but I nodded.@@novelbin@@ At that moment, Olivia smiled widely and pressed a button ¡ª Bang. I knew instantly that she had activated the IEDs hidden all over Lower Manhattan. She spoke up. "Let¡¯s get ready." "We¡¯ll be the first ones to operate in a white phosphorus-filled city, won''t we?" "Let¡¯s think positively." That might be easier said than done. The time to operate in a city filled with white phosphorus smoke was approaching. Valkyrie 1 through 4, ready for takeoff. Partmos 1 through 4, ready for takeoff. White phosphorus bombs equipped. Safety devices functioning properly. Moving to the runway. Pr Bear 1: Engagement at Kips Baypleted. Artemis remnants eradicated. Currently returning to Central Park, have acquired somework devices. Acknowledged. Starting Midnight Sun operation now. Whoooom! The roar that made my ears ring and the body vibrations were absent. The most notable advancement in technology was the quietness of aircraft and drones. However, what was attached to these countless bombers was not something to be taken lightly. Quite the opposite. No one questioned whether these would be used; the mere thought of it was unsettling. White phosphorus. A weapon so controversial that its use as a military-grade weapon had been banned, and yet it was a special incendiary that would keep burning even after it melted flesh and bone, unless oxygen was cut off. Today, over several tons of this material had been prepared. Hundreds of drones, followed by UAVs and manned aircraft, took off. It didn¡¯t take long for them to follow the predetermined flight paths toward Lower Manhattan, and the subunits and escapees still engaged inbat on the ground waited for them. Strictly speaking, they weren¡¯t really waiting, but... How much time had passed? Olivia spoke. "Valkyrie squadron, notify Stalker Actual. Requesting type 2. Targeting type BOC (Bomb on Coordinate). Let me know when ready." Valkyrie 1, Bravo 15. Ready to go. "Proceed to IP Aleph. Target location 2 mic. 4 is N/A. Refer to pre-sent offset coordinates for target. Laser code 1358, verticalser. No friendlies in AO. Mission abort code: Vulture. Standby for additional instructions." "Understood. Briefing now." "Maintain final attack direction, deviation path azimuth 225. Hold time not to exceed 20 seconds. No AA threats. Have you received?" "Received. 15 seconds to IP entry." At the same time, the HMD of the UAV pilots disyed the bright greenser markings. The verticalser, developed specifically for CAS (Close Air Support) in the skyscraper-filled Manhattan, was a method of target designation that shot aser upwards from the point to strike. Once theser was recognized, the offset coordinate data activated, and the pilots could easily check the remaining distance and the time to IP entry in seconds. How much time passed? Four UAVs crossed the IP. "Valkyrie 1 notifying Stalker Actual. Ready to go. In hot." "Enemy movements absent. Commence attack." "Affirmative. Commencing attack. WP bombs away." And then, countless white bombs dropped from the sky. With a click, the white phosphorus bombs, filled to the limit of the UAV¡¯s capacity, flew silently through the air, and their dyed fuses began to activate. They were all set to ignite at a specific altitude. How much time passed? "Stalker Actual, WP (white phosphorus) ignition confirmed." White mes began to pour from the sky. In an instant, it felt as if all of Lower Manhattan was painted white, the sheer volume of it overwhelming. It fellnguidly through the air, splitting into 116 wedges mid-flight. This was one bomb. The payload included enough submunitions to incinerate an area the size of four ser fields, and these bombs rained down over thebat zones where the subunit and the escapees had shed, bringing a temporary ceasefire. Naturally, the result was clear. "Command, this is Bimpel 1. Suddenly, bright light from the sky¡ªAaaaah! Save me! Save me!" "Wh-What¡¯s happening? Ahh, fire from the sky...!" "Ahhh! Haaah, please, help! Cough¡­!" "Bimpel? Bimpel 1, respond! What¡¯s going on?" But by the time they saw the white light, the Valkyrie squadron had already disappeared from the scene. Next in line for the enemy forces in Lower Manhattan were the numerous drone squadrons, led by the Partmos squadron. Each of these drones carried tens, if not hundreds, of kilograms of white phosphorus. The reason was simple. They would have to dispose of these bombs anyway, so they might as well use them now. The hell that was about to unfold for the coalition forces and the escapeesnding in Manhattan wasn¡¯t far off. "Where do we go, where do we go...?" "Damn it, the smoke, the smoke ising! Cover your mouths!" "Ahh, it¡¯s burning! I can¡¯t breathe...!" "Shit, the whole world is on fire! What the hell do we do!?" The answer? No one knew. The apartmentplexes, thebat zones, and every ce where people might have been¡ªall were engulfed in white mes, smoke, and the widespread fires that followed. Naturally, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "Finally, we can breathe... Damn it. Who the hell...?" "...Wait. I think a drone just entered the first floor¡ªWaaagh!" Boom! As the 10-kilogram white phosphorus and the explosives attached to the drones went off, the lobby became a mess. It didn¡¯t take long for the first floor of the building to burst into mes. It was simultaneous and not a one-off event. Lower Manhattan was set aze in a spectacr disy. And few knew that this was just the beginning. "Good, sealed tight. Air cirction normal, fire protection working, shields functioning. Let¡¯s move out. It¡¯s time to kick the coalition¡¯s asses." "...Am I good to go, though?" "Well, you¡¯ll know once you try." Meanwhile, near Lower Manhattan, two figures in bizarre outfits were steadily making their way through the white phosphorus smoke and mes, stepping forward amidst the chaos. Chapter 691 Whoooom! "Ahhh¡­!" "What¡¯s happening!? Report!" "I-I don¡¯t know¡­ we can¡¯t connect with the outside!" "Goddammit, so you¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t even send someone to figure out what¡¯s going on while hiding in here? We¡¯re in enemy territory, damn it! Pull yourself together!" 33 Thomas Street Building, Titan Point. A so-called "windowless building," one that could withstand a nuclear war for about two weeks. With no windows except for venttion shafts on the walls, this was also the NSA¡¯s core department, a listening post with long-rangemunications systems. Around 100 Russian-Chinese subunit troops had upied the building, using it as their base, and at some point, they felt a massive vibration shaking the whole structure, realizing they had lost contact with the troops they had sent out. No one knew that this was part of a meticulous strike operation being carried out with what little capability was left in the U.S. The reason was simple. "Those damn Artemis people¡­ After giving rocketunchers to the escapees and rioters, I knew this would happen. Not much we can do now. If the building was going to copse from one or two rocket hits, it would have already fallen." "We sent people outside to assess the situation. They¡¯ll be back with results soon." "That¡¯s not the issue. We¡¯ve lostmunication with the submarines stationed in New Haven. The vibrations from just now might¡¯ve damaged themunication equipment on the 22nd floor. Send repair personnel." "Understood." How long passed? Soon, themunication unit personnel began climbing up. As expected, they weren¡¯t carrying guns or anything, just repair tools. This was the subunit¡¯s home turf, and no one else was inside the building. About tenmunication unit members began heading up to the 22nd floor, clearly annoyed that they had to wake up after just two hours of sleep. But what they encountered on the 22nd floor was even stranger. "Crazy." "Is that¡­ a missile warhead?" "Shit! Command! Command! This is Lt. Popov from themunications unit! The enemy has fired a missile into the building! Immediate evacuation is needed!" A missile nosecone poking through the ceiling. elerating, the bunker-buster missile¡¯s warhead collided with the building¡¯s ceiling, and the explosive bolt caused the missile to prate at least 30 meters of the building,ing to a halt somewhere mid-way, waiting to detonate. At least that¡¯s what themunication unit members thought, and as soon as they realized the situation, they panicked and fled back down the way they came. However, ironically, the missile didn¡¯t explode. The guided bomb, designed to puncture the building, contained an explosive bolt instead of the usual charge, and it had damaged the building¡¯s roof and prated all the way to near the 22nd floor, leaving it impossible for anyone to reach the area. And that allowed two individuals to infiltrate from the rooftop. Riding arge drone, two mutants climbed onto the chaotic rooftop of the building. "...I¡¯ve never seen such an infiltration method." "Drums are nice after all." "Let¡¯s get started. We¡¯re on a tight schedule." Part of the building¡¯s rooftop had partially copsed, but precise targeting calctions ensured that the two could use the rooftop staircase to enter the building. Though they were human, they were hardly "human." The two of them quickly began descending. The building¡¯s internal power from its generators lit up various areas as they proceeded. They turned off their night vision goggles, and someone resembling an owl led the way. Only their eyes could see the green infraredser cutting through the lit hallway. It didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to reach the 22nd floor.@@novelbin@@ Inside the space cluttered withmunications equipment and servers, the shing lights were a blur. Olivia picked up a control panel, and as the device booted, the Icarus Gear automatically established awork line. How long did it take?
    • [Reconnecting to the National Security Agencywork¡­ Identified. The first operation objective has been achieved.]
    • [The second linkage objective is now disyed. // Eliminate all enemy forces inside the building.]
    • [Rmended method ¨C 3-Quinuclidinyl benztepound canisters. // Sleep, hallucinations, muscle rxation.]
    • [After activating the canisters, spray them into the building¡¯s air exchange system. // Venttion ducts are non-functional.]
    "...Is it working?" "Better than expected." "Then... what should I do now?" "Take out the canister you brought, go down to the air exchange system on the floor below, and drop it into the vent. Then meet up with me again. Got it?" "...Yes!" And someone with a tail like a snake quickly made her way down the stairs. 21st floor. Her sensitive senses detected several vibrations from nearby, and she soon realized what they were¡ªa group of about ten soldiers made eye contact with Eugene. The firepower gap between those with and without guns was enormous, and it didn¡¯t take long before she turned the entiremunication unit into lifeless dolls. Simrly, it didn¡¯t take long to throw the canister into the huge air circtor. The oxygen levels inside the isted building gradually began to drop. This was only possible in this building. The air cirction system and the building''s unique structurebined in such a way that it could deprive people of the very right to breathe. Although the oxygen wasn¡¯t entirely released, the moment the non-lethal sleep gas was injected, the expected result was inevitable. It didn¡¯t take long for the upants to fall into a light hallucination. And since the two Icarus operators had pulse skills that could track people¡¯s locations, the situation was under control. A hundred or so building upants, half-mad, and two Icarus agents were now facing off. The only expected result was clear. "The enemy, not knowing, hack¡­!" "People, strange people walking around, hehehe, heeheehee¡­!" "Shit, out the front door! The poison gas has been released into the whole building, ughh!" Like snapping a child¡¯s wrist or a thin twig, the two of them methodically cleaned up everyone they saw in front of them. Resistance was nonexistent or minimal. Moreover, unfortunately for the Russian-Chinese coalition forces, those who tried to escape through the front door on the first floor were met with something worse than sleep and hallucination gas. White phosphorus mes. As they burned and the building caught fire, the smoke poured in. Compared to BZ gas, it was far more deadly. The moment the smoke filled the first floor, those who were fighting the escapees outside the building finally understood whymunication had been cut off. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. "Ugh, shit, where the hell did this stuffe from¡­!" "It¡¯s sticking to my body, the fire¡¯sing toward us!" "A new incendiary device has activated! Back to the first floor, aaaahhh!" As several drones waiting outside the building¡¯s first floor activated at once, the white mes hit them like a tsunami. The soldiers attempting to escape from 33 Thomas Street, in just 20 seconds, ended up in the same spot as the border guards who had burned first. Whether it was hell or paradise, no one knew. Meanwhile, the two-man kill team (or rather, one was more of an auxiliary) thoroughly cleaned every floor, slowly making their way down. Thest ones left in the building¡ªuntil the white phosphorus smoke began pouring in from the first floor¡ªwere the escapees. Less than ten minutester, the building was devoid of all but the two infiltrators. How much time passed? "¡­CP. This is Stalker Actual. I¡¯vepleted the cleaning of 33 Thomas Street. How¡¯s the bombing progressing?"
    • CP here. The bombing is fullyplete. Over 1,000 enemy killed. UAVs still hovering over Lower Manhattan, detecting surviving enemy forces, but difficult to track due to heat signatures.
    "Understood. What now?"
    • Head to the evacuation point. It¡¯s estimated that it¡¯ll take at least a week to suppress the fires in Lower Manhattan.
    "Got it. I¡¯ll get out using Zodiac." Under the burning mes, the two disappeared, as if they were never there. The operationsted only about 15 minutes, and during that time, no enemy or U.S. military satellites were flying over Manhattan¡ªeither they didn¡¯t exist or couldn¡¯t connect. Except for a few who knew the truth, the day¡¯s events would be known as the Great Manhattan Fire. "¡­They¡¯re absolutely insane. Unbelievable." "Weren¡¯t there about 1,500 there?" "And they¡¯re all dead. Coyote, Styx, Hound¡­ we¡¯ve got to be careful of the bacsh." "Shall we prepare for retreat?" "Of course." Meanwhile, in Brooklyn. Watching the white mes that illuminated the dark, Zodiac had a bad feeling. Her day to head to Central Park was fast approaching. "Entire financial district, Two Bridges, and Lower East Side are burning. With dozens of tons of white phosphorus used, it¡¯s unlikely to be extinguished quickly." "Make sure the fire doesn¡¯t spread further. Have the mission objectives been achieved?" "Much better than expected, Sir. All objectives surpassed, no casualties." "Good. But this isn¡¯t over, is it?" "Unfortunately, no. The intel we gained during the operation confirms there are some urgent issues that need addressing." Central Park HQ, Top Secret Area. 3:51 AM. Originally a meeting room only essible by high-ranking officials, including the President, now had a dozen or so people gathered, all wearingbat fatigues dirty with blood and dust. Aside from two individuals¡ªOlivia and Eugene¡ªwho had just returned from Lower Manhattan, they had disposed of their contaminated clothes, showered, and were now in clean gear. President Henry gestured to his aide to speak, indicating he wanted an exnation. The conversation continued. "First and foremost, we¡¯ve confirmed the presence of Yasen-ss submarines and upgraded subs at Artemis¡¯ hideout and the 33 Thomas Street building. Their codenames are divostok and Changzheng 18, and it¡¯s highly probable they¡¯re currently docked in New Haven." "This is urgent." "Yes, Sir. They must be neutralized or destroyed as soon as possible. These ships alone could derail all our ns." The briefing continued. Most present grimaced. It was understandable. Submarines were an unmatched asymmetric force and were strategic weapons, carrying dozens of ballistic missiles. However, there was some hope¡ªironic as it was, there was more hope than despair. Lorentina, who was knowledgeable about ships, pointed out the good news. "...But surprisingly, the situation might not be as bad as we thought." "Why do you say that?" "Well, Sir. Submarines require maintenance and docking facilities. And from themunication records, we know that both of these subs are currently docked in New Haven, and it¡¯s highly likely they¡¯ll stay there." "...Stay there?" "To keep the crew¡¯s morale up." Lorentina continued. "Bringing a submarine from Russia to the U.S. is extremely difficult. They can¡¯t cross the Panama Canal, so Russia or China must cross the North Antic to reach New York¡¯s waters." "...That would take quite a while." "Based on theirmunications and logs, these subs likely came from Norway and the South Antic. They¡¯ve been at sea for over three months, carrying close to 100 additional crew members. We know what their mood¡¯s like inside." "So they have to stay docked in New Haven to keep the crew calm?" "Yes, they¡¯ve only been in the U.S. for about a month." Everyone nodded. Compared to the escapees outside, no one thought the submarine crew, who had just tasted fresh air for the first time in a quarter, would be able to tolerate the remains of abandoned American cities. The situation had already been half-confirmed through themunication logs. And once the operators inside the room understood this, their minds began racing, considering what actions they needed to take based on the gathered intelligence. Numerous conversations followed. "We need to locate them first. Send all avable reconnaissance drones to New Haven." "How do we know if there are missiles? Artemis might have helped the enemy nation infiltrate, using New Haven as a base. It''s not impossible." "If there are crazy looters, they might have scattered desirable goods across New Haven with transport aircraft. If they¡¯ve nted GPS, it might not be too hard to track." "Now that we¡¯ve essed the enemywork, let¡¯s extract as much information as we can. We can start by asking what they need." Of course, there was no need to devise a n with the president present. After a few exchanges, the next destination was automatically set as the debriefing room, and the room went silent again. Henry, sitting at his desk, understood how the operation had gone and what needed to happen next. With a small smile, he spoke to those gathered. "The rest is up to you experts. I¡¯ll handle the permissions and the required supplies. Get the operation n submitted. Is that all?" "Yes, Sir." "Well then, I think that wraps things up for today. I have some things to discuss with them, so I¡¯ll see youter. Everyone else, go ahead." "Understood." As the operators quickly left, Henry chuckled to himself and nced beyond the door. Then he spoke. "How¡¯s the Icarus Gear energy stabilization going?" "Almost done, Sir." "Good. I don¡¯t know when the next operation will start, but we can¡¯t afford to waste those lives. Make sure that all operators can use Icarus Gear as soon as possible." "Understood. We¡¯re preparing to operate it at the task force level. We expect ten initial personnel." "d to hear that." "What about the call signs?" "Hmm." Usually, this kind of decision was made by the operations officer, but when Henry heard this, he felt something important was beingmunicated, and he immediately realized this call sign would go down in history. As names shed through his mind, only one remained. A term fitting the soldiers who risked their lives at the front. "Daeger. Let¡¯s go with Daeger." "Task Force Daeger, acknowledged." Was this the beginning or the final struggle? The answer would onlye with time. Chapter 692 "Sixth regrmunication concluded. There is no change from the previous message. After cross-checking with UAV reconnaissance data, it has been confirmed that there were no detections." "Are these bastards¡­ seriously unaware of what happened in Lower Manhattan? Are they for real?" "It seems that way." A day passes. Then two. Three days go by. The lights in Lower Manhattan still haven''t gone out. After connecting to the 33 Thomas Street building and the Russian-Chinese allied forces''work, the National Security Agency begins analyzing the situation faster than ever before. This also applied to Artemis. Logan and Lorentina literally wreaked havoc in Kip¡¯s Bay. Likewise, Olivia and Eugene swallowed the entire enemywork in Lower Manhattan. Among the support officers who stayed behind, no one had imagined Eugene would devour thework whole, but no one had seriously entertained such a thought either. No one could have imagined Eugene, like an anaconda, strolling around with a ridiculously harmless sound in his wake while doing something so audacious. In any case, the sudden intelligence-counterintelligence operation by the NSA was truly an absurd situation. If they were to ask first, they''d have to quickly devise a scenario to deceive the enemy headquarters in New Haven, while also gathering the dead allied forces¡¯ uniforms and firearms in Lower Manhattan¡ªevidence to fabricate that thework hadn¡¯t beenpromised. However, after a day and two, no significant information emerged. Instead, they kept talking about needing supplies for New Haven, or asking if they could send some alcohol¡ªutter nonsense. The NSA was baffled, but still had to carry on with their tasks. Meanwhile, the expeditionary forces headquarters in New Haven was incredibly easy to deceive.
    • [Have you found out why transport aircraft have been frequent around Manhattan?]
    • [It¡¯s simply spected to be for civilian support. Some transport aircraft with optical and infrared capabilities belong to Artemis and are confirmed to be for arming rioters near Central Park.]
    • [I see. Have transport aircraft been frequently moving in Manhattan recently?]
    • [We¡¯ve confirmed they¡¯re still flying regrly. Based onmunication equipment in this headquarters building, it¡¯s suspected that this will gradually expand, likely targeting major cities.]
    ¡°¡­Alright. It was naturally slipped in.¡± "Although there was no clear message, I believe those greedy bastards know that something simr will soon happen in New Haven. If they have surface-to-air missiles, things will be different..." "Let¡¯s see if we can convince them further. We need to ask if they have anti-air assets for reconnaissance prevention. Whether they¡¯ll answer properly is uncertain though." One, two, three. Even just the intel gathered so far was a huge pile, and there was more toe. And the NSA had secured a wealth of high-level intel in the short three-day regrmunications. One piece of intel was¡ªjust as expected¡ªthe fact that the enemy naval crew,nding in the US, were radiating a disturbing atmosphere. But that had happened quite some time ago. The reason was simple. Afternding in New Haven, most of the crew¡¯s personal grievances were resolved. In return, only 10 out of 140 personnel remained aboard the submarine, a rare and unprecedented urrence. Of course, from the US and NSA¡¯s perspective, it was just aedy. Naturally, the crew aboard the upgraded submarine had not fared much better. After enduring months of deprivation, the soldiers whonded in New Haven became raiders, more knowledgeable than others, and when around 250 heavily armed regr army thugs set foot on US soil, they took everything they could carry. They resembled locusts more than people, but fortunately, New Haven barely managed to meet their needs. For about a week. As soon as their basic desires¡ªfresh air, walking outside, eating outside food¡ªwere satisfied, they were happy for a moment, but once those needs were fulfilled, their thoughts reverted to the same selfish desires. The conflict between those encouraging and those preventing it led to this result. "The conflict between Colonel Sergey Zalov, the captain of divostok, and Lieutenant Colonel Andrei Borodin, his deputy, has escted into a full-blown rebellion, almost to the point of exploding..." "Both sent messages privately, asking if about 20 of them could return to New Haven for support. Should we go out and have some fun?" "This is someedy. It''s almost a waste that we''re the only ones witnessing this." The rough assumption was made. After a long underwater mission, the crew finally reachednd. To manage morale, they sent some crew out, only for 130 of the 140 to roam outside. This had to be insane from the captain''s perspective. Colonel Zalov must have thought it was madness, trying to get these reckless kids to return, but logically, who would want to go back? Vitions of militaryw and disobedience weremon. However, this was still better than what happened aboard the upgraded submarine. Over there, they had even killed each other¡ªthis was the information provided by the other side. Given the absurdity of the situation, this information had to be shared with the Icarus operators. The NSA called in all the Icarus operators, including those who had just received their new gear, and shared all the gathered information. It didn¡¯t take long beforeughter echoed from all corners. "...What the hell is this?" "Pfft... Hahaha..." "...Aren¡¯t youughing too much?" "Look at these bastardsing into someone else¡¯s house with dirty boots, fighting amongst themselves. If we''re lucky, we might just end up taking the submarine entirely." "Are you joking? How are we going to find the operators to run it? You¡¯re not suggesting that the same crew can operate the submarine, right?" "Are you crazy? Everything from doctrine to systems is different. But still, it¡¯s better than scuttling it, right?" While everyone threw in theirments, the support officers and NSA agents listening in chuckled. "Just a year ago, we couldn¡¯t even imagine hearing such things. The idea of seizing a foreign submarine¡ªtruly impressive." "Unprecedented." "Well, an unprecedented event in itself was how many people died from a single virus. At this point, ''precedent'' is an irrelevant word... we might as well rewrite the rules for urban warfare from scratch." As they said. The people gathered here were the survivors of the viral outbreak that had wiped out more than half of humanity. What that meant was clear: They had to write their own history of survival¡ªand victory. The conversation continued, and discussions about what actions to take began. The strategy was simple. Locate the enemy, eliminate them, and prevent the submarine¡¯s departure. To stop the submarine, the solution was easy¡ªwipe out all the crew in New Haven like a blender. The problem was that they couldn¡¯t know exactly where the crew members were scattered, but deploying reconnaissance drones would make it possible. The real issue was how well they could coordinate their movements. Like fitting puzzle pieces, the conversation continued. "The pr bear and delta friends have a lot of ship attack experience, right? How about submarine infiltration?" "They¡¯ve trained, but I doubt they¡¯ve ever infiltrated a modern enemy submarine..." "We don¡¯t have the schematics for the submarine, but... we¡¯ll have to make do. We don¡¯t have many avable personnel, so we¡¯ll do what we can. The Air Force can drop supplies with tracking devices... Helicopters for entry and exit?" "What about HALO drops?" "That¡¯s going to be tricky unless we develop a dedicated parachute for mutants. Let¡¯s split into two and go with two Silent Hawks." "Then, let¡¯s finish the operation in under two hours. After the operation starts, we¡¯ll set small objectives and leave the rest to individual judgment. Sounds good?" "Sounds good." And so, the operation n was quickly set and divided into various details. The preparations¡ªlike attaching tracking devices to supplies¡ªwere immediately issued and would be carried out as quickly as possible.@@novelbin@@ Of course, they weren¡¯t the only ones making preparations. Apart from the missions that required boots on the ground, high-ranking officers from the army, navy, and air force were also preparing separate operations. For example,ying sonar and mines along the narrow maritime route into Long Ind Sound after the two submarines attempt to flee. One thing was certain: They had no intention of letting the enemy escape. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. "I¡¯ve heard Manhattan¡¯s northern part is pretty noisy these days." "The Bronx gang that went down to Brooklyn is moving back up. I heard they¡¯re fighting fiercely with the cleaners there. There are just too many Rikers. It looks like a full regiment poured in." "Looks like they¡¯ll be deployed right after the New Haven operation. This hard a schedule is the first in 20 years of military life..." "What else can we do? We¡¯re just repeating what we did in Kensington." "What did you do there?" "We shot about a thousand drugged-up bastards and the gangs selling them drugs. Looks like we¡¯re going to do something simr here." Logan scratched his head, irritated, but Lorentinaughed and added: "These gangs are packing automatic weapons and rocketunchers thanks to Artemis. Just a heads up." "...No way. You must be joking?" "I hope it¡¯s a joke. Anyway, it¡¯ll take about three days to deploy, so everyone should adjust their condition." "I never thought Phdelphia would be better. Damn..." It was truly a dark time, but this was just the beginning. The Omega Virus was nearly gone, but the broken world still demanded more blood.
    • Zodiac knew something. He had deliberately pushed our forces into the inferno.
    • We need to kill him. Before we do, we need to make him spill everything. Over a thousand died there. Hound¡¯s dead too.
    • We need to pick him off now. He¡¯s a clever bastard, so we can¡¯t afford to give him time.
    • Damn it, most of thebat forces are crushed. It¡¯ll take a while to reorganize them.
    • Then at least send those we can! After betraying Zodiac, take the deserters in and offer them amnesty if they bring back his head!
    "...Of course, that bastard." "What will we do, boss?" "They should have the decency to at least acknowledge what they¡¯ve eaten up." Not ignorant but certainly not stupid, the Rikers, and Zodiac, who had nted bugs in themunication equipment used by the few Rikers aware of this situation. She activated themunicator and pressed therge red button, the emergency rescue request to Central Park. The operation still had three days to go, but Central Park wasn¡¯t going to rest. "Do we really have to rescue that guy?" "Great suggestion from the start. If this wasn¡¯t the ce for discussing how to rescue him, it¡¯d be worth debating." "Let¡¯s think the other way around. Why wouldn¡¯t we save him? He¡¯s helped Central Park more than anyone else." "Just kidding, just kidding. Damn it, we¡¯ll save him. But that guy... is he a guy? Anyway, if we¡¯re just bringing him back, fine, but if we need to bring back hundreds, think of how many people we need to mobilize. I heard there are over 5,000 escapees in Brooklyn. What if they all show up during the rescue?" "So what? Should we call in air support like a Spectre (a nickname for AC-130)?" "That¡¯d be nice." That very evening, at 10 PM, the New Haven operation n was quickly drawn up. The briefing was happening in the Central Park HQ briefing room, devoid of any artificial light or intentionally blocked. It was all due to the message received just minutes earlier. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t even a message, but the emergency escape request sent from one of the external agents stationed in themand center. But there was a reason why it was met with such indifference. "To bring hundreds at once, we¡¯d need five transport nes, right?" "Bringing the escapees here doesn¡¯t sit well with me. What are they going to do when they get here?" "Half of them are technicians. But honestly, that¡¯s not our problem. Let¡¯s just bring them in and sort it outter." "Great. After we go, they won¡¯t sleep all night trying to sort out the personnel." "It¡¯s gonna be a headache." Just as they said. If it were just one person, or even ten, sending one helicopter would be fine, but with hundreds, it wasn¡¯t that simple. And as mentioned, the people they needed to bring weren¡¯t just escapees and criminals. It was a difficult situation. That¡¯s why HQ was in deep trouble. But as expected, things took an unexpected turn. Zodiac, no longer hiding, urgently said: "Damn it, about 100 out of the 300 already betrayed me and ran to the other side. I promised to help them defect, and now two-thirds of the 150batants are aiming their guns at me!" "...That¡¯s a strange situation. So, the number of avable transport nes has dropped from five to three. How many escapees are headed to Port Hamilton?" "Damn it, I don¡¯t know! At least 500 areing, goddammit! Plus about 100 traitors, so around 600 will be pouring in!" "Damn." There was no longer any care for appearance. The operators had already sensed what was about to happen and were beginning the emergency deployment procedures. They were gearing up and grabbing weapons. Outside, tilt-jet nes were preparing for takeoff. Engines and weapons were checked, and pilots who had been sleeping or preparing to sleep were hastily summoned. Though upper management hadn¡¯t said anything, Henry had already verbally given orders, "Unannounced emergency operations will be entirely at the discretion of the operators." The operators delivered their needs, and upper management responded. When everything was ready, three transport nes, one reconnaissance ne, and one UAV equipped with six CBU-115 cluster bombs were ready to take off. How long did it take? "Task force Dagger hasunched. There may be coteral damage, so evacuate civilians south of Port Hamilton. The north will be a firestorm." "...Understood. When will they arrive?" "The UAV will arrive in two minutes and bomb the northern part of Port Hamilton first. Extraction team will arrive in four minutes." No more words were needed. In four minutes, 11 Icarus operators would begin assaulting Brooklyn. Tonight, New York would burn. Chapter 693 "Dammit, how the hell am I supposed to handle this... Calm down, you bastards! Calm down!" "Zodiac! The gangs are pouring in from above! Mad Ind, Vice Crips, and Bloodhood are definitely involved, and The Numbers and Salvatore are pushing in from the opposite side!" "Damn, ugh... I see all the bastards gathered inside the gym, I''ll mark their positions and be back!" "Positions? What positions?" "Damn it, just do it! I''ll be right back!" Her hands, legs, and body trembled uncontrobly. It felt like her breath would stop at any moment, and her chest felt like it was being squeezed by a hydraulic press. The tension was so overwhelming that she felt like she might throw up at any second. And then Zodiac¡ªreal name Lace Randia¡ªfinally felt the weight of being responsible for the lives of hundreds of others. The pressure was so intense it almost felt like her head was about to explode. She struggled to bear it and stepped outside. Her strong limbs, capable of crushing an adult with a single kick, trembled like aspen trees, but she forced herself to ovee the pressure and fumbled inside her jacket pocket. There, she found a gun. But this was no ordinary handgun. In fact, it was much rarer and should only be used in the most critical situations. A regr handgun was strapped to her thigh in a holster, but this one was special. Inside the pocket was a re gun. It was something she had acquired along with the ear-mountedmunicator, a piece of equipment indicated by Icarus¡¯ team. ording to Icarus, there were two rounds of ammo, and they exined how to use them. "Ha, ha..."@@novelbin@@ Click. With great effort, she loaded one round. The cylinder opened, and a round, thicker than her thumb, slid into ce. Then, she had to make sure nothing in her line of sight would obstruct her shot. And then¡ªbang. A piercing red re shot out of the darkness. The first round ignited in mid-air, revealing the exact location of Zodiac¡¯s group. The next part was crucial. Lace, now more adept, swiftly loaded the second round and took a deep breath. The air was thick with a variety of smells, and she, a mutant gray wolf, could smell them all. The strongest odor among the gangsters was gunpowder, blood, and body odor. She aimed at the direction where it was most potent¡ªnorth¡ªand pulled the trigger. A green re arced through the sky, and themunicator in her ear crackled with static before a human voice took over.
    • "Green re confirmed. Over 700 enemy soldiers identified. Attack scheduled. Warning: Danger close due to debris from explosions."
    "Danger close? What the hell is that..." But her words didn¡¯t continue. At that moment, Zodiac looked up at the sky. A tiny spark fell, drifting slowly as if it were gliding through the air. After about seven seconds, it shattered into hundreds of fragments. Dozens of canisters filled with mmable aerosol. The so-called "cluster incendiary pressure missiles." In other words, napalm. She realized that what was falling from the sky wasn¡¯t exactly the "white mes rising from the ground" seen in Lower Manhattan, but it didn¡¯t matter much to the gang coalition that was about to be caught in the st radius. Zodiac instinctively dropped to the ground. At that moment, a terrifying vibration, hot wind, and deafening noise erupted. ¡ªKABOOM! "You crazy bastards¡­!" Upon reaching a certain altitude, the devices triggered. At the same time, the aerosols dispersed and ignited, sending a tremendous shockwave in all directions. As the mes and shockwaves poured through the air, the gangs caught in the st were turned into mere bloodstains. And that was just one of six. As the grim reaper dropped them one by one from the sky, each explosive release sent out waves of intense heat and shockwaves that were nearly unbearable. Vibrations shook the ground, and pirs of fire rose up from the north, about 300 meters away. ''...I couldn¡¯t wipe them all out due tock of resources.'' Although the U.S. military had weakened, that was mainly due to a shortage of personnel. It was the broken remnants of military power. But it was still enough. Gangsters, who were just holding firearms to satisfy their own desires, couldn¡¯t possibly defeat modern weaponry that was designed to kill efficiently. Zodiac was grateful that she wasn¡¯t standing in the st zone. But that wasn¡¯t the end. While the gangs approached from the opposite side of the explosion, three tilt-jet transport aircraft began flying toward the red re with incredible speed. The roar of air being torn apart hit Zodiac¡¯s ears as shey face down on the ground. When she lifted her head, the amplified voice of the speaker sted through the air.
    • "We¡¯re sending the lead operators. Stand by in your current location."
    How long had passed? Three operators descended from the transport aircraft via ropes. The vague silhouettes of those descending made Zodiac feel they looked just like her. But she couldn¡¯t speak, overwhelmed by their weapons and sharp movements. They knew her position through the coordinates provided by themunicator and quickly approached her, asking: "Zodiac?" "...Yes, yes, that¡¯s me. Lace Randia. Civilians are inside the gym¡­" "Move. Can you walk?" "Yes, I can¡­ ugh..." But it wasn¡¯t easy. Her legs were already weak, and the overwhelming power of the U.S. military, capable of easily turning any Brooklyn-based gang to ashes, left her in a daze. Olivia, who was ex-PJ, effortlessly lifted Zodiac, and began running toward the transport aircraft that hadnded in a nearby parking lot. Within less than 30 seconds, she was left alone in the empty cargo bay. At the same time, a snake-like woman appeared, heavily armed like the mutants she had seen earlier, but their sharpness was less pronounced. Instead, the surrounding operators began frisking her. "I found a Glock in the holster. Considering she¡¯s an Alpha-level mutant, I¡¯ll apply special handcuffs. Any objections?" "...None." "Sit and rest for a moment. Want something to eat? A chocte bar?" "...I¡¯m fine." It wasn¡¯t like they were trying to coax her into something. While she thought about that, the deafening sounds of gunfire and rocket pods echoed from outside. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Operators who had attached heavy shackles to her hands quickly rushed out, and the scene was clearly visible to Lace. Turrets on vehicles unleashed dozens of rounds, and drones assembled behind them, shooting into the air. It was as if a shimmering shield formed in front of them. At that moment, the operators began engaging inbat. Lace leaned forward slightly to get a better view, but her arms were shackled to the aircraft, so she couldn¡¯t see it clearly. And then, the civilians she had been protecting started pouring out from the gym. Some gang members mixed in, but in a ce where cluster bombs, 20mm rounds, grenades, and thetest firearms were flying around, they couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake. In addition, these civilians held endless trust in Zodiac. The cooperation she had shown in Central Park for months had returned in this form. She was just dumbfounded. But then, something unexpected happened. When around 80 people boarded, the cargo bay door closed, and the aircraft began to lift off. "What the¡ªwait a minute!" "We¡¯re heading for Central Park, passengers. Don¡¯t cause any trouble." Whoosh! It was almost unbelievable how quickly the transport aircraft took off. Within moments, the buildings of Port Hamilton seemed no bigger than matchboxes, but the traces of destruction were still clear. Zodiac was grateful for her past self. Below her, in Brooklyn, and further down, in Lower Manhattan, the mes still burned. Ironically, the city that never sleeps was living up to its name. "Right side, right side! Dump everything we have! Burn it all! They¡¯reing from the right!" "Don¡¯t let them through! We still have civilians to rescue!" "That bastard¡¯s carrying a rocket! Shoot him! Take out anyone carrying something that can blow up the transport!" Meanwhile, at Port Hamilton in Brooklyn. A big match was happening, determining whether the Rikers¡¯ spines would be broken, or Central Park¡¯s knees would buckle. The once mighty U.S. military, with its tremendous power, had now fallen into decline, reduced to a shadow of its former glory. Taking advantage of the copse of society, escapees had grown in numbers, attacking police stations and weapon depots to expand their armament. A heavyweight match was unfolding between the escapees, who made up for theirck of knowledge and experience with sheer numbers, and the operators, who were in an entirely different situation. The numbers were overwhelmingly in favor of the escapees, but considering that some operators were evacuating civilians and personnel under Zodiac¡¯smand, the weight of the situation leaned more towards the operators. In fact, considering the weapons on the transport aircraft and UAVs, the escapees should have been wiped out already, but the enemy was desperately trying to push forward with their overwhelming numbers. However, the operators had two major advantages. The first was the Icarus gear, and the second was the presence of mutants. "Whoa. Am I seeing this wrong?" "Logan, take over! Cool down the barrel!" "Goddamn, the barrel¡¯s about to melt¡­!" When the human-boosting Icarus gear mixed with the physical abilities of the mutants, the advantage of numbers became almost irrelevant for the advancing enemies. They were literally human turrets. With machine-level precision, target acquisition, firing speed, and uracy, they wiped out all visible enemies indiscriminately. The rate of fire was so fast that even though it wasn¡¯t continuous, the barrel became red-hot from the excessive firing speed. Cold water poured over the heated barrel with a sizzling sound, filling the space between gunshots. Within a moment that felt like eternity, 80 more civilians boarded the transport, and the aircraft soared toward Central Park. One minute passed. There were zero casualties among the friendly forces, but over 800 enemy soldiers, out of the thousands that flooded into Port Hamilton, had crossed into the point of no return. How much time had passed? "Message from Central Park! In two minutes, a cluster missile will strike Port Hamilton! Prepare for evacuation!" "What the hell is a cluster missile? When did they develop something like that?" "It¡¯s a missile thatpresses conventional cluster bombs about five times! You idiots who aren¡¯t air force personnel don¡¯t know this stuff! Hurry up! In two minutes, this ce will bepletely ttened!" The exact details of the missile were unclear, but from the reaction of one of the operators, it was clear that there was no need for further discussion on what the cluster missile entailed. One by one, the retreat began. Two transport aircraft took off, each carrying around 80 people, heading toward Central Park. The remaining numbers were around 40 civilians and 11 operators. However, thest transport aircraft, equipped with a minigun and rocket pods, had to undergo additional preparations to lighten its body before it couldnd. The preparations were obvious. ¡ªBAM! ¡ªWHOOSH! "Ah, that¡¯s a beautiful sight. I¡¯ve never heard of fireworks in Brooklyn, but this surprise is warming my heart." "...I think I need to see a shrink. Seeing the bodies flying around over there doesn¡¯t even phase me anymore." "Well, if we¡¯re talking like that, our rookie should be the first to go for therapy. The transport¡¯snding,y down all the remaining drones and turrets!" And with that, everyone quickly deployed their skills, setting up around the terrain. The sound of gunfire rang out, painfully loud. Amidst that, one transport aircraftnded, releasing a massive amount of smoke. The asphalt in the parking lot, now anding zone, had been worn down from repeated take-offs andndings. But no one cared about that. Urgent orders kept flowing. "The ballistic shield¡¯s moving forward! Block the ramp! We can¡¯t let the civilians get hit!" "That guy¡¯s carrying a rocketuncher! Get him! Kill him, goddammit!" As the sound of gunfire and chaos intensified, Eugene, who was at the forefront, fired rapidly at the person holding the rocketuncher. In the blink of an eye, the enemy fell to the ground, turned into a bullet-riddled mess. Logan and Lorentina threw grenades near theuncher to prevent anyone else from getting hold of it, while Olivia began searching the area for any other threats. Time continued to dwindle¡ªfrom two minutes to one minute, and then to thirty seconds. As the Icarus operators¡¯ms were flooded with warnings, the pilot gritted his teeth and added: "We¡¯re taking off, hold on tight, everyone¡­!" With a deafening roar, the engines of the aircraft pushed against the ground, and once it reached the minimum speed and altitude, the jet adjusted its angle. Rockets and bullets continued to hammer the fusge. However, the tilt-jet elerated to around 600 km/h, crossing New York Bay in the blink of an eye, narrowly avoiding the waters below. Once the aircraft cleared Port Hamilton, it rapidly gained altitude and made a sharp turn toward Staten Ind. How much time had passed? As the aircraft passed the window, a terrifying sight was visible in the distance. A ballistic missile,ing in low, split into dozens of fragments in an instant, creating a massive fireball that mmed into Port Hamilton. It was like a giant plow forged in fire, carving through the entire district, and everyone present could barely speak in response. Of course, there were still some who managed to speak up after witnessing this scene. "Now that¡¯s a spectacle." "You calling that a spectacle? You¡¯re really something." Although no one else spoke up, they all shared the same thoughts. "Don¡¯t you think the lights in New York areing back on one by one?" "...You crazy bastard." And as they said. For a moment, the operators and civilians shared the same thought, leaving behind the ruined Brooklyn and heading toward Central Park. This was two days before the operation began. Chapter 694 "Alright. What¡¯s your name?" "...Lace Evelyn Landia. My original name was Rascal Evelyn Landia. I¡¯m 27. I was sentenced to 15 years for a $360,000 fraud case. I was mutated in early January... and escaped prison around the same time. At some point, they stopped giving us food, and I thought I was going to starve, so I left." "I¡¯m not really interested in the reasons, let¡¯s move on. Your activities after that... well, just give me a brief summary. I''ve already heard most of it from you, and we''ll cross-check with the others who came along anyway." "Isn¡¯t there a plea deal or something? Maybe take into ount that I was a whistleblower or something..." "Forget about that. Central Park doesn¡¯t have the capacity to lock up prisoners in situations like this. If we had the time to imprison someone, we''d throw them intobor." 2:00 AM, Central Park HQ Special Interrogation Room. Two mutants sat across from each other at a table fixed to the floor in the center of the room. One was heavily armed, and the other, a mutant known as ''Zodiac,'' had her hands shackled and was tied to the table with thick steel chains. Olivia Nix Lorelei, and the mutant upying a role within the Hyena Council¡ªZodiac. The room, though small, was sparse¡ªjust the two people and a table. Zodiac scanned the room and noticed an oddly shaped tube near the ceiling, where the wall and ceiling met. With the speed only a trained mutant could achieve, she noticed the movement of air around her. Olivia sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed, while operators outside the interrogation room kept a cautious watch. There was no friendliness, but neither was thereplete hostility. They simply seemed to be wondering what she was doing here. Added to that, there was also the remark about not having the capacity to iste prisoners. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be so bad as long as she kept her guard up. Having spent six years of her fifteen-year sentence in prison, Zodiac still had the sharpness and instincts that she knew were needed here. In an attempt to ease the tension, she decided to ask a small question. "¡­What¡¯s that thing on the wall?" "methrower. If you do anything funny, it¡¯ll burn the whole room down. By the way, I wouldn¡¯t die even if it¡¯s turned on." "¡­" She regretted asking. Zodiac immediately shifted her focus to ignore thement. The room, which had felt somewhatfortable just a moment ago, now felt oppressive. She forced herself to focus on something else. Perhaps she should just keep quiet. Her thoughts were running wild, but at that moment, she noticed Olivia¡¯s imposing figure sitting across from her. At the same time, Zodiac instinctively turned her head to the side. Her own transformation had left certain effects on her, but this was¡ªof course, as soon as she thought that, Olivia shot her a re. Despite her physical changes, Olivia was a highly skilled and dangerous individual, and Zodiac had learned through her prison experience how to submit when confronted by someone stronger. "I know you''ve changed, but don¡¯t stare at me so much. It¡¯s already annoying enough." "Got it." "Anyway, I¡¯ve pretty much gathered all the info on the civilians and prisoners you brought, and I¡¯d like to tell you it¡¯s none of your concern from here on out... but it¡¯s not so simple. So let me tell you a few things." "¡­Thank you." "First, serious criminals, drug dealers, etc. will be locked up without mercy. In wartime, escape, murder, arson, looting, rape, and drug trafficking are punishable by death in certain states. I¡¯ve been lenient with you. You get that, right?" Zodiac nodded. While it wasn¡¯t exactly the case for her¡ªshe couldn¡¯tpletely deny the existence ofplicity and the fact that it yed a part in the entire system. She knew that given the circumstances, the new guards in Central Park would show some leniency, but what mattered now was what came next. Zodiac realized she wouldn¡¯t have had much of a choice in any case. Had the transport aircraft not arrived, she and her followers would likely have ended up in ashes at Port Hamilton, crushed by missiles, or at worst, captured and executed by the enemy. She stayed silent, and Olivia kept flipping through a tablet, sorting through the details of her actions and crimes. "Hmm..." "...?" Olivia wasn¡¯t awyer, but it wasn¡¯t particrly important at this point. There was no time to scrutinize the details, and if she focused on that, things wouldn¡¯t move forward smoothly. She just needed to evaluate the pros and cons. After reviewing some precedents, she didn¡¯t find anything worth applying. So, she turned her attention to Zodiac¡¯s contributions¡ªor what she could call contributions. The first and most obvious one was that she had sold out the location of the same gang to the cleaners. This resulted in the death of around 1,000 gang members in Brooklyn. "¡­That wasn¡¯t all." Next, Lower Manhattan. This, too, could be seen as a contribution. Sending over 1,000 escapees to Lower Manhattan drew attention from the Russian-Chinese joint force division stationed there. Finally, Port Hamilton. This was also clearly a contribution. Though the gang that came down there to stop Zodiac and her escape was an additionalplication, she had lured the gang in by using herself as bait. Had she been born a few hundred years ago, she could have called herself the Pied Piper. But, of course, there were ws too. Being imprisoned in the first ce was a negative point, and escaping alone brought its own consequences. However, since she was starving and unable to continue, it was left in a gray area. Zodiac had also carried around nearly 200 engineers, a unique group that set her apart from others who just led gangs. About 100 of her followers who had betrayed her were already wiped out at Port Hamilton. But being a mutant brought additionalplications. After her transformation, she went from a regr prisoner to someone who required constant monitoring. Zodiac had done her part. Now it was time for her to adjust, but at least she knew she wouldn¡¯t have to face a fate worse than death. "¡­Anyway, please don¡¯t overdo it. Don¡¯t treat me like a child." As the day passed and the situation progressed, everyone¡¯s role began to solidify. With more missions lined up, including an uing operation in New Haven, the tension was palpable. And amidst all this, a new conversation began. "By the way, Rookie." "Yeah?" "...You still act like a civilian, not a soldier." "Ugh..." At this point, Eugene couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly anxious¡ªmaybe his usual charm wouldn¡¯t work on this person. The morning was drawing to a close, but the lines between night and day had blurred long ago. Central Park was still busy. "¡­Alright, understood?" "Yeah?" "Don¡¯t treat me like a kid. Don¡¯t beat me down like when I first arrived, okay?" "Is that what you''re asking? Like I''m supposed to treat you like my daughter?" "You don¡¯t even have a daughter, so don¡¯t act like you know what that¡¯s like. Anyway, she¡¯s a good kid, don¡¯t go too hard on her. She might be inexperienced, but once she learns, she¡¯ll do fine. I¡¯ll be going to n the mission details with that seal and eagle, so keep an eye on her." "And now that you mention it, it¡¯d be better if you kept an eye on her yourself." "Ugh, stop it. I''m busy. I¡¯m leaving!" nk! The door mmed shut, and with it, the piece of paper that had been pointed to earlier returned to its ce. The time was 10:30 AM. The next day had arrived. Owen, the team leader of the ex-squadron, sat staring at the milk-colored hair on the table, his smile widening as he realized what had just happened. He couldn¡¯t believe how quickly she had changed from the way he first saw her. It wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. From Logan¡¯s earlierments, it was clear that this "Eugene" kid was different. Owen couldn¡¯t deny it, especially after seeing Logan bring the kid in. "Seeing the kid like this after witnessing such terrible things for months¡­ it¡¯s understandable, I guess." He didn¡¯t mind the thought, but he knew it was something he couldn¡¯t say in front of her. But Logan seemed to have a simr understanding, finding sce in Eugene¡¯s presence. The most important thing now, though, was that Owen, wearing the Icarus Gear, was the one capable of handling the situation. As the most capable operator, he was expected to guide Eugene through this chaotic world. And as the team was tied to the president''s newly formed task force, Owen knew he would have to prepare Eugene as a capable soldier. His training could no longer be dyed. Raising his finger, Owen made a small gesture, signaling for the door to open. It wasn¡¯t long before someone awkwardly entered. "Ah, hello..." "Sit down. Have you eaten?" "Yes, I had breakfast." "Good. I brought you a chair without a backrest since you have a tail. You¡¯ll have to bear with it." Eugene nodded carefully and sat down. The chair creaked as she adjusted herself, but Owen chose to ignore it, focusing on what Logan had said before leaving. He had already met Eugene once before, back when Logan had introduced her, and they had worked together. But now, it was time for a serious discussion. One was the instructor, the other the trainee. When Owen first met Eugene, he didn¡¯t think she was particrly special, but after working with her, he realized she wasn¡¯t someone who would easily be indifferent in a life-or-death situation. He opened his mouth. "How¡¯s your sleep?" "...Huh?" "Don¡¯t question me. I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re sleeping well or having nightmares." "Yes... I¡¯ve been fine, thanks to others watching over me..." "Good to hear." That was all Owen needed to hear. Eugene hadn¡¯t suffered as much as he had expected, at least not in the ways that would lead to extreme PTSD. The fact that she wasn¡¯t showing any signs of it was already a positive sign. Owen smiled softly before continuing. "I¡¯m sure you already know, but my name¡¯s Antoni Owens. I¡¯m a Staff Sergeant. I didn¡¯t take the warrant rank on purpose, but that¡¯s not important now. What matters is that I¡¯m the one who will train you from here on out." "Ah, yes. What should I do?" "You¡¯ve got the basics down. It¡¯s not going to be difficult. I¡¯m going to make sure you learn enough muscle memory with firearms. Don¡¯t respond to this, just listen." Eugene nodded, and Owen handed her a sheet of paper. "I¡¯ll tell you the daily routine. On days without missions or emergency deployments:" "Wake up, have breakfast, ande to the shooting range by 08:00." "Yes." "From there, shoot on the t range until 13:00, then break for lunch. After lunch, go back to the range and continue shooting until 18:00. This all happens with live ammunition." "I understand." "Then, after dinner by 19:00, you¡¯ll continue with kill house drills until 23:30. This schedule repeats until you¡¯repletelyfortable with firearms. Once you''re good enough, we¡¯ll assign you a dedicated gunsmith, and then we¡¯ll focus more on kill house drills." "¡­Got it." Eugene¡¯s face stiffened. Owen smiled faintly, adding: "Of course, this schedule is pretty intense, especially in a situation like this. We keep getting emergency requests day and night, and kill house and hood box training require at least one observer." "Are you talking about operators like you, Mr. Owens?" "It looks like you¡¯ve figured things out." He closed the sheet of paper and added: "Don¡¯t get hung up on this. You know as well as I do that realbat teaches more than sitting in the shooting range for a month. These drills will just help you make better decisions and better results in the field." "¡­Isn¡¯t that the most important thing in realbat? Should I try harder?" "Ha, well, some idiots just nod along without realizing the importance of training. You¡¯ve got a good understanding of context and identifying weaknesses." At that moment, Owen adjusted his view of Eugene. She was already showing promise. He smiled more warmly than before, saying: "A soldier who doesn¡¯t notice what¡¯s going on is the worst kind. I hope you follow along well, kid." "Yes, sir." "Find what works for you when ites to knowledge, and make sure it aligns with what Olivia and Lorentina have taught you. Got it?" "Yes." "Good. Since the timing is a bit tight, have lunch and thene to the range. Don¡¯t answer, just go." With that, Eugene nodded and left the room. Owen didn¡¯t know exactly why she bowed her head, but when she left, he couldn¡¯t help but smile weakly. At least her first impression wasn¡¯t bad. That much was certain.@@novelbin@@ A few minutester, Logan barged in. "Did you do anything to the kid?" "Go eat, Logan." "Answer me, you bastard!" And just like that, Owen was attacked by the grumpy pr bear. This was the daily routine in Central Park. Chapter 695 "Where''s that kid?" "He already had lunch and went to the shooting range." "...What? I never told anyone to go practice at the shooting range during break time." "Team Leader Owens gave him the curriculum. He¡¯s probably there now, supervising." 2 PM, Central Park HQ Dining Hall. // 2 days left until the New Haven assault. Eugene, Owens, and about six or seven other operators gathered in the dining hall, excluding a few. tes piled with various foods wereid out on the table. The portions wererge, the variety was average, and the quality was the same. Among the best food Central Park could provide with its slightly less than 2,000 personnel, it was probably the most decent avable. If we were to sum it up, it was something close to a decayed submarine meal. "So now the mutts are taking the youngest?" "Stop saying ominous things, Oli. Anacondas are much more at home in the water." "Sea snakes are more at home in the water than anything else. And don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve trained a lot in aquatic operations, you idiot." "Come to think of it, anaconda or not, you¡¯re basically a pr bear. You¡¯d fit right in the navy." "Shut up, you idiot." Logan waved his hand dismissively, but the others watching couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The recent squabbles between Logan and Lorentina were bing quite the amusing sight. Of course, considering the rank differences, Lorentina was technically Logan¡¯s superior, but neither of them cared about such things and got along like friends. This wasrgely because they were all grouped together in the same task force. Most of their conversations were predictable, and today, it was about Eugene, who had been publicly treated as the team¡¯s youngest. "Oli, you should say something too. Suddenly, those mutts are taking the kid." "...Taking him? Besides, the senior unit leaders personally went to teach Eugene. If you¡¯re going toin, you should at least do that much yourself." "They¡¯ve brought the whole team, though. Even if the unit leaders are missing, things will still go smoothly. I¡¯m alone. If my team members were toe from Washington... there¡¯s no way they¡¯d take our cute little kid away." "...Why is he so obsessed with Eugene?" "Logan, didn¡¯t you also make a ton of reminders before and after that psychological counseling session with the kid? I¡¯ve already heard everything." "What, what? Who the hell said that!" Laughter erupted from all sides. While it wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of conversation one might expect from special forces operatives, it was exactly what mutants like them had somewhat agreed upon. Simply put, in the best sense, they acted as mood makers; in the worst, they yed the role of the punchline. A continuous series of horrifically extreme situations that even highly trained operators¡¯ minds were being worn down by. Eugene, who was already receiving affection, was stillcking in some ways, and that¡¯s how this all started. Among the operators who had been grouped together in the task force, the image of each mutant, and the image of mutants as a whole, was slowly bing solidified. The next words reflected that image. "Does bing a mutant... make you more... maternal or something?" "...Stop saying nonsense." "Who else would I ask if not you guys?" "Goddamn it, there¡¯s a chick among a bunch of testosterone-fueled assholes, and you expect me to just leave it alone? Men might think everything will be fine and leave it, but if you just neglect it, it won¡¯t work." "You¡¯re talking like you¡¯ve never been a man." "I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯ve been a man, you bastards." Logan scratched his temple and added, then pushed his long hair behind his ear. The others, watching quietly, subtly nced at each other, mouths shut, as they all seemed to have amon thought that the topic needed to change. Someone finally spoke up. The question was directed at Lorentina and Olivia. "Who teaches doesn¡¯t matter. We need to make sure he can manage himself as soon as possible. The mission is in 2 days. There¡¯s nothing worse for mission failure than taking someone uncertain with us." "He¡¯s not that bad. He¡¯s been with us on multiple missions, and there hasn¡¯t been an issue. I¡¯ll vouch for him." "Vouch? With what?" "Well, should I p a Gold Squadron patch on him? If he were a total newbie, we wouldn¡¯t be bringing him along. If you want to know what missions he¡¯s participated in before you came, I can tell you." "Stop worrying about other people¡¯s business, asshole. He did a good job in the Lower Manhattan operation, you know. Do you really not recognize how good he is?" "Fuck, there has to be a devil¡¯s advocate somewhere. If I don¡¯t watch what I say, I¡¯m going to get my ass kicked... Don¡¯t pair me with Lorentina during CQC training." Lorentina couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at that. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable worry. In a situation with bullets flying, one wrong move usually meant death. The Icarus Gear... couldpensate for that one fatal moment, though. But still, they hadn¡¯t inserted Eugene without consideration. And on top of that, they weren¡¯t leaving him stagnant; they were helping him grow by improving his skills. Thus, the conclusion was reached, and the topic once again began to shift. "By the way, speaking ofbat training, shouldn¡¯t we start teaching the kid some close-quartersbat?" "...It is necessary. If he learns it properly, it¡¯ll be incredible. But the mutants should be the ones to teach him. We can¡¯t match their sense of timing or reflexes." "That good?" "Are you seriously asking me to teach someone whose reflexes are ten times faster than a normal human¡¯s? Even if we tried to teach him something, to him, it would look like slow-motion." "Yeah, mutants should teach mutants. Plus, I need to get back into close-quartersbat myself..." "Back into it? What, you used to do it?" "My body moves so fast now that new inertia is starting to form." The reaction of disbelief was almost instantaneous, but it was true. Lorentina and Olivia nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in it. And of course, the conversation that would follow was already decided ¡ª as if it was scripted, the three mutants spoke in unison. "Old manuals say the focus should be on targeting the vital points, but with these physical abilities, there¡¯s no need to do that. We can apply enough force to kill someone no matter where we hit." "We don¡¯t need to rewrite the manual, but we have a lot to teach to match those standards." "One thing we definitely need to teach is how to break bones." "That, and... no need to use only knives for closebat weapons. An axe could work too. No matter where you hit, you¡¯ll leave them shattered. If you block with your arm, your arm will break, but your vicle and ribs will also shatter." "...Hey, do you really have to talk like that during meals?" "It¡¯s important, damn it." Of course, the expressions of the other operators who were overhearing this were nothing short of bizarre. Why were they reacting like this? It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out. The close-quartersbat that these three mutants asionally demonstrated often brought to mind a stter movie. When they faced an enemy from extreme close range and hit them, the ribs and pelvis would be crushed, and sometimes, even when they grabbed the enemy¡¯s arm for a throw, the whole arm would be torn off. They didn¡¯t even need knives, but when they did use them, it was even more absurd. A knife thrown with strength could fly with the power of a bullet, piercing through a bulletproof vest, or, if there wasn¡¯t any armor, straight through the body. The other operators understood why the mutants spoke like that. Using conventional methods to kill someone could easily result in an overkill. Of course, talking about this during lunch was almost like triggering a mental rey of the horrific stter films witnessed inbat. "...Anyway, after lunch, I¡¯m going to go see what the kid is up to. There¡¯s a mountain of stuff to teach him. Teaching him everything we¡¯ve learned and applying it with muscle memory could take over a year." "If he was weak, they¡¯d have just given him easy tasks around Central Park. Look at it this way. We have about ten instructors. It might be even faster than that." "One trainee, but ten instructors? If it were me, I would¡¯ve killed myself by now. If there was a drop-out bell, I would¡¯ve shaken it." "If the drop-out bell rings now, they wouldn¡¯t even send you home. What can you do?" By now, all the food that had been piled high on the table had disappeared. Nearly 50% of it had been eaten by the mutants, but that didn¡¯t mean the other operators ate less. Especially with the Icarus Gear, which significantly increased the basal metabolic rate ¡ª and that applied to everyone. They all patted their full stomachs and stood up, returning their tes. Outside, they breathed in the damp scent hanging in the air, a smell reminiscent of corpses rotting through the winter. It was the smell of a virus apocalypse. The three mutants looked around, exhaled, and added: "Anyone heading out to see the kid after brushing their teeth?"@@novelbin@@ "...Isn¡¯t this why everyone sees us that way?" "Come on, it¡¯s all for training." Of course, they didn¡¯t believe that excuse themselves. At least three, or maybe more, ¡°mothers-inw¡± would raid the shooting range in ten minutes. "Wait... Why... is that really a tactical knife?" "Would I be holding a fake one, kid?" "If you use that for real, I¡¯m not talking to you for a week." "...You¡¯ve really gotten good at threats, Eugene." And soon after, Eugene found out just how effective his threats could be. "Wow, you¡¯re dodging better than I thought, kid!" "This is too much!" Whoosh! Arms and legs, along with the holograms oveying them, tore through the air. The speed was so fast that it even created a buzzing sound. Thanks to the Icarus Gear¡¯s hologram ovey, what was once a simple stick had turned into a tactical knife, and Eugene and Logan, each holding one, faced off against each other, starting a closebat fight with no rules. Naturally, this wasn¡¯t a fair fight at all, since Logan had learned how to kill systematically long before bing a mutant, whereas Eugene was still just an ordinary human¡ª "Yikes!" "You dodged this?" "If I don¡¯t dodge, I¡¯ll get hit!" Obviously. But Eugene managed to dodge the knife Logan swung with remarkable ease. He could read the attacking from aplete blind spot. It was impossible not to be surprised. Eugene had something Logan didn¡¯t know about. What no one knew was that this ability came from Eugene¡¯s snake-like vibration detection. Even Eugene herself probably thought of it as just a sixth sense. Either way, the important thing wasn¡¯t that. Everyone had thought Logan would be the one to baby the youngest, but it wasn¡¯t going as smoothly as they imagined. However, that didn¡¯t mean it was the result they expected either. Although Eugene knew how to shoot people with a gun, she¡¯d never had any experience attacking people directly. She¡¯d rarely even hit anyone. The oue of her training didn¡¯t need to be spelled out. Logan easily overpowered Eugene with a joint lock, gently sat on her, and began rubbing her cheek while adding: "Can¡¯t have you sparring with anyone else, and we can¡¯t fight each other every time either... guess we¡¯ll have to make abat android or something." "I¡¯m sure there¡¯s one somewhere, but where the hell would we even find it? It¡¯s not amon thing, so you¡¯d probably have to check a SEAL or Green Beret base." "The closest ce would be... what? Damnneck? That sounds usible. Lorentina, you know anything?" "If we search, we might find it. I¡¯m not sure where it¡¯s stocked... but do you realize the DEVGRU headquarters is 900 km away?" "Just ask the Air Forcemand for a transport ne." "...Hey, stop talking about that while you¡¯re sitting on me and rubbing my cheek!" Swish. Eugene slyly wrapped her tail around Logan¡¯s waist and yanked him back, throwing him to the ground. The sudden weight load on her body made her roll onto the soft training floor and sit up with difficulty. Lorentina, watching the scene, smiled and added: "Good job, kid. Looks like you¡¯ve been practicing your tail movement!" "Ugh. How strong is this kid¡¯s tail?" "I¡¯ve been eating well and working out a lot!" "Pretty impressive. If you can push me aside like that, it means you¡¯ve got some serious power. You could probably throw an average person with that tail." "...Is that something I should be happy about?" "You¡¯ve got a third hand that no one else could even predict, of course you should be happy about it." Logan roughly patted Eugene¡¯s head and then added: "Your tail, if used properly, can do a lot of things. If you wanted, you could snap someone¡¯s neck with it. But you¡¯ll need to harden your resolve for that." "...Ugh." "That¡¯s your choice, but close-quartersbat is real. You can¡¯t avoid it. You need to prepare mentally." There were a lot of things to prepare for. Eugene¡¯s expression darkened again, but fortunately, almost everyone in the room felt some level of guilt and sympathy for raising such a young kid in this harsh way. And of course, it wasn¡¯t a secret that Eugene was a bit of a crybaby. As her eyes began to redden and her nose started to twitch, Logan took out a handkerchief and began wiping Eugene¡¯s eyes, softly speaking: "By the way, I¡¯m not hugging you like that owl over there. Got it?" "What? Wait, I never said I¡¯d do that... damn, Lorentina, you little sneak! You¡¯re the one who told them! Where are you running off to? Get back here, you little shit!" "Ah, no. I forgot to water the nts I¡¯m growing... Wait, wait, my clothes are ripping! They¡¯re ripping!" "I told you not to talk about watering those damn nts. You gave them water just the day before, and now you¡¯re doing it again? I told you not to mention it, you little shit!" Crash. And so, Lorentina and Olivia became thete participants in the sparring session, while Logan helped Eugene get back on her feet, adding: "Let¡¯s go. If you join the navy, you¡¯ll get salt in your hair and end up like that. Don¡¯t join the navy." "Yes." If Eugene didn¡¯t join the navy, it would definitely be Lorentina¡¯s fault. Logan thought to himself as he walked out of the absurdly chaotic training ground. Central Park was quiet once again. Chapter 696 ©¤©¤©¤Thump! Thump! ng! "Ugh...!" "Die!" Clink! Inside the newly constructed training facility, designed to simte the battlefield where life and death intersect as realistically as possible, live ammunition and fear-inducing nks were discharged, and metal casings flew through the air. Suddenly, the firearm malfunctioned. When a defective cartridge jammed in the chamber, Eugene instinctively released his grip on the rifle. He drew his pistol, which was lodged in the center of his bulletproof vest, not his thigh, and aimed it. To his right, an enemy was pointing a pistol at him, and at the center of his view, Logan, who was ying the role of the terrorist, appeared. In the arms of the pr bear, Owens, who was ying the role of a civilian, was currently being threatened with a knife. Eugene, in that instant, aimed his pistol not at the one pointing a gun at him, but at Logan. Complicated, unexinable events were happening simultaneously. As Eugene shifted the Icarus Gear''s shield and aimed at Logan, he shot once at Logan¡¯s elbow and once at his head, all while blocking a bullet that flew from his right. At the same time, Logan¡¯s arm, which had been wrapped around Owens¡¯ neck, was hit by the bullet and swung outward, releasing its grip. The next moment, as the pistol round hit the shield, Eugene shot thest remaining enemy soldier. With two enemies down, a beeping sound echoed from the ceiling. The temporary "Scenario 1" was deactivated, and Eugene let out a heavy sigh. As he did, the two fallen enemies rose to their feet. At that moment, a thick bead of sweat ran down Eugene''s forehead. Logan, still feeling the sting from the Icarus Gear¡¯s injury simtion, rubbed his elbow and added. "Good job. If you hit the elbow precisely, you can damage the elbow muscles and the C7 and C8 nerves. The elbow muscles will prevent the arm from straightening, and those two nerves will disable the ring and little fingers. So when the terrorist lifts his elbow, you can effectively neutralize him." "Heh." "Not shooting the enemy who was pointing a gun at you from the right first is an action that would¡¯ve been considered a mistake ording to current manuals... but not anymore. Icarus Operators don¡¯t die from one or two bullets." "If I hadn¡¯t changed the shield to an external type, I would¡¯ve heard something about that too, but I didn¡¯t forget, did I?" "One improvement point would be to make quicker decisions. There are cases like Dr. Zodiac where criminals be mutants, and you should always consider the possibility that such mutants could take civilians hostage." Eugene nodded. Everyone around seemed to have something to say, but they were holding it back. With thebination of mutant physiology and Icarus Gear, Eugene was consistently performing well in CQB training, where the goal was to make the best decision in the shortest amount of time. If anything was certain, it was that, based on traditional standards, Eugene would never have been eliminated from a group of Tier 1 operators. Meanwhile, other operators in the training area and support officers were engaged in conversations and discussions. Everyone in the room could sense it¡ªthis training result, and all the engagements in future operations, would be part of a new manual that would have to be written. The overwhelming convenience and survivability provided by the Icarus Gear. What it meant was simple. First, the form ofbat in future battles would changepletely, and second, all future battles would be impossible to handle without that level of convenience and survivability. "¡­Whew. That was tough. Everyone, drink some water and start getting ready. It¡¯s almost time to go on the mission." "The youngest looks exhausted. Should we give him a stimnt or something?" "Just toss him a snack. Stop trying to turn the kid into a drug addict. Don¡¯t feed him anything strange. Mutants have a higher metabolism, so if they don¡¯t take at least twice the regr dosage, it doesn¡¯t do anything." As the support officers blinked, eager to learn more, Eugene wiped the sweat from his face and sat down. This was probably the umpteenth simtion. It was 11:30 PM. Or 2330 hours. The 1.5-hour training session was sharpening their senses for the uing New Haven assault mission in just two hours. Every operator present had adjusted their sleep rhythms using the Icarus Gear for this operation and had woken up just 3 hours ago, fully prepared and mentally sharp. As Eugene chewed on a snack, a person carrying an enormous load of gear entered through the training room entrance. Various supplies, explosives, and ammo cans. It looked like at least 150 kg worth of equipment. Naturally, no one other than a mutant could carry such a load at this point. This was a former Liker, an Alpha-level mutant with the codename Zodiac, now going by the name Land. The conversation continued. "Ha, they¡¯re prepping upstairs, Operator-nim... You sure are carrying a lot." "I thought we¡¯d do it in the hangar, but are we prepping here? The higher-ups are really getting antsy. The training¡¯s over, youngest. Everyone grab your rifles, and since the youngest is already ready, start loading here." "Yes." "Zodiac, after you check the ammo boxes, separate them and load them into those mags over there." "Yes, yes. I¡¯ll do that." With a tter, she set the ammo boxes on the floor. Currently, the task force operators were using several types of firearms, but the one being used right now was the special model XM7 using 6.8mm Fury cartridges, along with the Geisley MRGG (Mid-Range Gas Gun) designated marksman rifle for mid-range engagements. The unique one among them was the AMC-F (Advanced Modr Carbine - Fury) variant of the XM7, which had only 11 units produced. This model addressed all the ws of the original firearm. Advanced materials and special metals, notmonly found even in the US, were used in its construction. Together, the barrel and chamber could withstand pressures akin to those of a tank cannon, and the excessive recoil from the high-pressure rounds was offset by the weapon¡¯s weight. However, the drawback to all of this was simple. "The significant increase in physical abilities is great, but doesn¡¯t it seem strange to bnce that out with the increased weapon weight and more rounds per load?" "You should be thankful that carrying a 5 kg hunk of metal doesn¡¯t feel heavy after running around for five hours, you idiot." "Yeah, but still..." As mentioned, the increased weapon weight was a minor issue for Icarus Operators. The Icarus Gear¡¯s many advantages were far greater than that minor inconvenience. The weight of the XM250 machine gun and its equivalent carbine was a joke to them. If they got hit by a round from that "funny" gun, no one would beughing. Zodiac opened a box of .277 Fury ammo and began loading it into the fast reloader on one side of the training room. Eugene, much like getting water from a dispenser, slid an empty magazine into ce. With a slight sound, rounds began filling the magazine, and it was repeated 16 times. Half went into the front pouches, while the rest were secured in the multi-purpose pouches on either thigh. Meanwhile, others brought one or two rifles each. Lorentina, however, had brought an MP7 and five magazines. Unfortunately, there was no slot in the loader for the 4.6x30mm rounds, and Lorentina grumbled as she opened the ammo box, carefully loading the rounds into each magazine. "Dammit, I didn¡¯t realize the new loader wouldn¡¯t support the 4.6mm... Zodiac, can youe and help load these?" "¡­Yes, yes. Is this how it¡¯s done?" "Good job." Click-ck, ka-ka-ka. The rounds from the cartridges were separated and loaded into magazines, and one by one, fully loaded magazines were ced on the table. Operators ced grenades, shbangs, and extra batteries for firearms essories into their multi-purpose pouches or other empty spaces. Next camerge emergency caloric supplements, chocte bars containing 2000 kcal each, and plenty of water purification tablets and sports drinks in Camelbaks. The reason for this odd form of packing wasn¡¯t anythingplicated. It wasn¡¯t a short, 15-minute assault mission, nor a long, week-long reconnaissance mission. It was a nighttime annihtion operation, which couldst anywhere from 3 hours to 24, but still not quite the length of a typical long-term operation. "You all know the operation teamposition, right? The youngest will join Olivia¡¯s Eagle Team and handle Southern Connecticut State University." "Lorentina and EX Squadron will head south of New Haven. They¡¯ll infiltrate the two submarines docking at New Haven Harbor, eliminate the crew, and seize the enemy subs... If it¡¯s not all wrapped up by then, we¡¯ll help clean up New Haven. If there¡¯s an SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile) without a nuclear payload, that is." "Olivia and the youngest don¡¯t need to worry. If this crazy pr bear tries anything, I¡¯ll knock his head off with the buttstock." "...Don¡¯t hit me with the buttstock, even if I do nothing." "I wasn¡¯t nning to, but aren¡¯t you guys making me sound like a madman?" Of course, the fact that she was making herself sound like a madwoman was something only Lorentina didn¡¯t realize. By now, preparations were nearlyplete, and the team leaders who had finished their prep were checking the reconnaissance data sent by the RQ-180 based on the location trackers attached to supplies scattered around New Haven. As expected, the Russian and Chinese divisions were enjoying New Haven from their key locations. The sheer number of them, along with therge numbers of civilians being conscripted, made it nearly impossible for even Icarus northeastern unit leaders to intervene. But in about 3 hours, that would change. With all 11 operators fully prepped for the assault, including one reserve operator who was the youngest, they exited the training room. Support officers had already headed for the HQ control room to provide backup, and only the lost Zodiac remained, staring at the scene while hearing the helicopter des outside. After picking up the empty duffel bags, Zodiac sighed softly and mumbled: "If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve stayed home and lived quietly instead of all this crap." If only she had been part of that group. Of course, it was toote for regret, and she picked up a spent training cartridge from the floor, slipping it into her pocket before leaving the training room with a lonely look on her back. "Where are you going, Team Leader? The world¡¯s gone to hell, you should livefortably." "Where are the bandits?" "They¡¯re probably downstairs. We¡¯ll take a quick look before heading down." "Do as you like." 12:30 AM, New Haven. Southern Connecticut State University. In the gym called Moore Fieldhouse, near the power control room that supplied electricity to most of the university¡¯s facilities, and a small lounge attached next to it. Hoffman Vinson, who had been checking the facilities around, headed toward the PMC team he led under Artemis, and when he opened the door, the strange smell immediately made his eyes twitch. There were drugs on the table, and a scene unfolding of decadence. It wasn¡¯t something rare, but it wasn¡¯t umon either. Hoffman nced briefly at the civilian riding on top of his subordinate. ¡®¡­They¡¯ve lost it.¡¯ The method of stripping someone of their sanity with drugs was always effective. It was an annoying sight Hoffman had seen many times in countries ending in -stan. Of course, the subordinate wasn¡¯t in his right mind either. Anyone could enjoy drugs. If it was thest thing they enjoyed in life, it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing. And to prove that no one was thinking clearly, the subordinates in the lounge, about seven in total, didn¡¯t even notice the blood sttered all over Hoffman¡¯s gear and clothing. His sharp eyes scanned the room. The civilians-ves in the room, three in total. He didn¡¯t focus on their limp bodies but instead examined their arms, shoulders, and the drug traces on their noses. Pupiry reflex, breathing rate, and other physical signs. Unfortunately, they had already crossed the point of no return. The entire neural system was so damaged that even if they were revived, they wouldn¡¯t live a normal life.@@novelbin@@ He casually pulled out a small canister, set it down on the floor, and slowly donned his gas mask, pressing it with his foot to crush it. With a soft hiss, an odorless, colorless gas began to fill the room, but no one paid attention. It was a quick and natural movement. As everyone¡¯s breathing slowed, he silently withdrew a pistol from his holster, leaving behind the three drugged civilians who were copsing to the floor. It didn¡¯t take long for the heads of the PMC subordinates, who could never truly be called subordinates, to be punctured. ©¤©¤©¤Peeing! Peeing! Peeing! One, two, three. One by one, like dolls with their strings cut, those who had slumped into chairs or sofas, meeting their end, were left behind. He ced patches on the vicles of the civilians. It was afort patchced with pentanyl, five times the lethal dose. And with the heavy dose of sleeping gas, the civilians would diefortably without feeling any pain. ...Not that they knew any better. Hoffman had never died before. After carefullyying the three civilians down, he pulled three body bags from his backpack. They had been kept in the university¡¯s medical department for practice purposes. At least, he hoped their death wasn¡¯t painful. He prayed to God, who might or might not be watching, and exited the building. One, two, three. He erased Artemis¡¯s traces from New Haven, one by one. The only thing left to do was, when he returned home after a long time, at least bring back a gift. Of course, today, he had quite a few gifts. He leisurely stepped outside, activated his IR strobe, and simultaneously squeezed the detonator in his pocket. A small explosion urred. In the darkness. ©¤©¤©¤Sizzling! All the lights in Southern Connecticut State University, which had barely been lit, went out at once. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. The crew and divisional personnel stationed here likely wouldn¡¯t care much, but those in charge ofmunication must have noticed that the emergency connection with the submarines was down. But it was toote. He inhaled deeply the unusually clear air of New Haven, and at that moment, he felt a faint presence in front of him. Hoffman spoke. "Cut the unnecessary codewords. Wee to New Haven. I¡¯m Hoffman Vinson, an ISA undercover agent. The generator¡¯s down, and so is them tower. What happens here today will never be revealed." "It¡¯s Olivia. I¡¯m from the 24th Special Tactics Battalion. I¡¯ve heard there are a number of civilians addicted to drugs in the facility." "That part will be taken over by Icarus New Haven branch after the mission, so no need to worry. Just a quick note. We only need to eliminate the two individuals on the 3rd and 4th floors." "Commander Andrei Borodin and Senior Researcher Dexter Northmore. I have the locations. If we capture them and bring them to Central Park, we should get good results, but I¡¯ll leave that to you." She left it to him. For a Tier 1 operator to say that... meant they were here with a mission that was even greater than that. Hoffman, deducing this, asked. "Where¡¯s the escape point?" "We¡¯ll let you know after we secure those two. Right now, our top priority is to confirm whether Commander Andrei Borodin holds the nuclear missileunch keycard. Once we have that information, we¡¯ll send it to the strike teams around New Haven." "Nuclear missileunch keycard... Could it really be?" "You have an inkling, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s exactly it." At that moment, Olivia smiled clearly. It was a chilling smile. "Shouldn¡¯t we turn all those crew members, who were just indulging in pleasure while leaving their posts, into homeless people?" The world¡¯s first nuclear submarine extraction operation ¡ª with not just one, but two! For a moment, Hoffman felt that what had seemed impossible was likely to seed cleanly. The first official operation of Task Force Dagger was about to begin. Chapter 697 "... Shark 1-1. Arrived at Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary in West Haven. Confirmed DPD drop. I will ride the submarine after receiving it." - Confirmed. Where is the target? "Bearing 10, distance 3.3 mic, target Romeo. Break. Bearing 0, distance 3.2 mic. Target Charlie. Drone reconnaissance results report no enemy movement within 100m of the target. Over." - Confirmed. Submarine acquisition codes are Hammer 1 and Hammer 2, and Hammer Down when all are captured. Missileunch code is OC 045523. I hope you don''t forget. Begin the operation. 12:30 AM, West Haven, approximately 4.6km south-southwest of New Haven. Five people approach a box that cuts through the dark sky and falls very slowly onto the beach, and rip it off with brute force. Inside was a DPD (Dropper Device) about the size of an average pillow, and four pieces of DPD gear. Everyone except one started to put on their gear - flippers, small closed-circuit submersibles, oxygen tanks, etc. The DPD didn''t have any TFT disys, but that didn''t matter. The Icarus Gear did the job. While the others were putting on their gear, Laurentina was testing the gear''s anti-corrosion and organic matter dposition functions. It wasn''t a problem to have seawater enter the gun itself, but it was a problem to leave it like that. While they were checking the drone screen to see how many enemies were around them until the very end, Logan added with a shaky expression. "...You, really don''t have to wear any gear?" "It''s more of a hindrance. Don''t worry. Let''s figure out how to get in when the timees. There are five of us now... Logan and I as Romeo, Owens and the other two as Charlie. No problem?" "The problem is that we only sent five people for thisrge-scale operation. It''s going to be crazy... Anyway, let''s go. It seems that the north has already made contact with Hoffman." "Okay. Shall we start?" Swish, square. With the sound of sand sloshing underfoot, they began to enter the sea one by one. It was mid-May, and thetitude was not much different from New York, so the water temperature was cool andfortable, and since it was near the coast, the water depth gradually deepened. As they walked, a subtle nostalgia or a tiring memory of the past was felt. For them, the sea was a ce where only the memories of terrible training remained. And today, they plunged into the seawater again, and the depth began to deepen. From waist-deep to deep enough to easily swallow the heights of those with an average height of over 175cm. And so, the five operators disappeared beneath the surface one by one. At that moment, they were reminded of exactly what kind of animal Laurentina was. - I told you, right? - This crazy guy, it was real¡­ . The shape of the gills that could be seen from the tip of her neck. She was a great white shark. Breathing underwater was no different for her than breathing outside. She had to bepressed to human size, her increased body weight, and her reduced buoyancy to the point where swimming was impossible. But no one cared about that fact. There was no need to worry about such a physical error when a person¡¯s gender changed in an instant. They were just relieved that the operation was smoother than before. And there was something more important. - It¡¯s a mine. - Those crazy guys, they¡¯re determined to make it their home. The moment you touch it, they¡¯ll hold a funeral here. No one will find the body. - It splits. Have a good time with the seals, Logan. - Be careful. If I die there, I''ll cry. - I want to see the vice-captain who doesn''t listen to me cry, but if I make any more jokes like this, he''ll probably kill me, so I''ll have to keep my mouth shut. Let''s meetter. Large mines are ced at regr intervals throughout New Haven Bay. Logan and Laurentina leisurely avoided them and moved toward their target, a Yasen-ss submarine named after the first letters of Russia, Romeo. It was incredibly quiet underwater, but today, it was the same outside. How much time had passed? Logan and Laurentina began to slowly rise from 50m above the surface. However, their speed was not that slow. The nanomachines that the Icarus Gear was continuously producing helped transform parts of their bodies, regte the nitrogen concentration in their blood, prevent the bubbles from circting and blocking their blood vessels, and help them to discharge smoothly through separate passages. Less than a minuteter, two mutants surfaced. The strangely shaped attachments taken out of the multipurpose pouch shed with each other, making a very small creaking sound, and Laurentina firmly secured them to the fusge. It was like a tform that existed in a climbing facility. And it was not much different. The two stepped on the tform and began to climb up, and soon they reached the very top of the hull. It was truly ironic that a strategic weapon, a submarine, had surfaced and docked at this point. "...No enemy forces in the vicinity. Hull scan." "Target Romeo, remaining troops...25. That''s more than I thought. Have youe to your senses a little?" "Let''s ask after we take the important people hostageter... Shark 1-1. We have arrived at Target Romeo. We will proceed with the entry procedure as of now. Have you sensed it, Shark 2?" "Currently climbing the hull. Standby." Of course, that didn''t mean to just stand by. Laurentina checked the hatch near the stern of the submarine and ced her left hand on it. The Icarus gear scanned the hatch sensor''s location and began emitting pulses, and the hatch''s open/closed sensor immediately failed. However, the depth-sensing part did not fail, and the submarine''splex system detected that the submarine was currently surfaced and immediately began opening the aft hatch. With a swoosh-sound of opening, Laurentina smiled slightly. "It''s always fun when the operation goes as nned." "... Are you some kind of Hannibal?" "Oh. I saw A-Team as a movie, not a drama. It was fun. Anyway, let''s get ready to go in. It''s time to kick these idiots'' butts." "Okay. Since the other side has signaled an entry¡­ Let''s go and take a look at the inside of thetest Russian submarine." The two mutantsughed heartily. Just a few months ago, this would have beenpletely impossible. What kind of stupid country''s navy would have left a nuclear submarine, considered the most valuable of strategic weapons, so defenselessly on the enemy''s coast? If the operations officer of the past had heard this, he would have been cursed at with a thousand words like, "Are you nning an operation based on wishful thinking instead of intel?" and his operator evaluation rating would have plummeted in an instant, but the reality was even colder and more bizarre. It was rtivelymon for wars to be decided by "who does less stupid things more often," but the world was even more ironic than that. Aside from that, if the other party did something stupid, it was right to take it out on them immediately. The two of them activated the pulse to check the location of the crew inside the submarine, and they grabbed thedder side rail under the hatch and went down. The musty smell of the submarine. No matter how much power was used to remove the moisture inside, it was an unpleasant smell that could not be helped. Logan went ahead, and Laurentina held the MP7A2 that she had brought with her. Abination of a silencer and subsonic bullets. The purpose of these two was to quickly cut off the submarine''smunications and crush the enemies remaining inside the ship. It was the beginning. ©¤©¤©¤Thud! "Keep on¡­!" "Maybe it''s because there are only 25 crew members, but it''s really hard to find people. Are they all sleeping soundly?" "That''s highly likely. They''d only carry lighters and cigarettes, not weapons. They brought machine guns in preparation for fiercebat, but they ended up capturing unarmed troops." "That''s¡­ fortunate." Logan, standing in front, held a pistol and a tactical knife. He held a dagger in his left hand, ready to stab at any time, and a silenced pistol on his left wrist. The rest was simple. Those who met him at a corner, literally close enough to grab his cor, were killed with a dagger, and if the situation was a little more ambiguous, he would blow his head off. That was the end of it. It didn''t take long for the two mutants to rush to the firmly locked bridge door, and only then did Logan and Laurentina add with a surprised expression. "We''ve onlye this far to put up a proper resistance. "Juhada, should I call this surprising?" "You don''t have to worry about it. Just lock the bulkhead doors that were there at every intersection you came from. The Breaching Charges I brought with me won''t be useless." "Good." The iron door was firmly blocked by keypads, keycards, and fingerprint scanners. Laurentina quietly attached arge amount of Breaching Charges to the top of the door, and then attached long cylindrical charges to both sides of the door. In the meantime, Loganpletely locked the doors that existed at every entrance he came from. Breaching Charges were activated and then they charged in. The very basic skills of a special force that they barely managed to meet 30 minutes after arriving in New Haven. The two mutants stood on both sides of the door and sent an electric signal to the detonator. The next thing that happened was a deafening noise and a corresponding explosion that blew away the entire bridge door, which was a lump of metal. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaaang! "Wh, what!" "Waaaaaaah-!" "Get your hands off the device, you punks!" "Kkeuggeuggeuk¡­ !" Ping, ping, ping! The intense reaction that followed as the paralyzing shock bullets loaded into the pistol magazine flew at a tremendous speed, striking the bodies of the crew members who were not even wearing proper weapons and bulletproof vests. About ten of the duty personnel fell to the floor like puppets with their strings cut. While Logan turned off all themunication equipment, Laurentina identified the highest-ranking personnel and approached him. The next moment, as if they had been waiting, the crew members who had heard the explosion got up and called the bridge, and Laurentina added in very fluent Russian while turning her dagger. "Tell them that nothing is wrong. Right now." The duty captainplied in the face of the unstoppable violence, picked up the phone with trembling hands, added, and immediately put it back the way it was. Laurentina smiled brightly. "... There seems to be a problem with the boiler pipe. I''m going to call the crew members who are outside. Back to sleep." "Very well done. Now, shall we call Captain Sergei Zalov''s location?" He shut his eyes tightly. Seeing that, Laurentina changed themunication channel and added. "Shark 1-1, Hammer 1. Repeat, Hammer 1." Laurentina C. Brenner. She became the legendary merchant who purchased a Yasen-ss nuclear submarine with a single dagger. - Inform the previous operator in operation. Hammer down, repeat. Hammer down. "Damn, Hammer down, Nabal, if you''ve taken the submarine, hand it over to the first-in-line crew and help clean it up! There are only four or five of us here fighting over a hundred guys!" - It''s expected to take some time until the handover. I''ll ry the request to Shark 1 and 2. "These damn guys¡­ ." Doo doo doo doo! One shot, two shots, three shots. Metal shells ricocheted through the air, and the fired bullets shed through the air, tearing through the bodies of the enemies. But that was only for a moment. As soon as they killed one, another appeared. In addition, the Russian soldiers staying at Southern Connecticut State University were high on drugs, no matter where they got them - most likely the Rykers supplied them. The existence of people who survived a direct hit with a .277 Fury bullet and then fired their pistols and boarded the express train to hell was proof of the difficult situation the Eagle team was facing. Of course, that wasn''t the end of it. "Fuck, damn it! Don''t move! If you move, this bitch dies- bang!" "¡­ Do you think this kid would care about that now?" Hostage crisis. It was an enemy-like action, raiding a civilianmunity that was still alive, taking people and then ordering them to do all sorts of things, but the mutant''s overwhelming reaction speed made all of that useless. The one who led all of that and at the same time, the one who was handling it first and foremost was Olivia, an eagle owl mutant with exceptionally good eyesight among mutants. Thebination of her reaction speed and overwhelming eyesight blew off the index finger and trigger of the enemy soldier who was pointing a gun at the civilians. It was not luck or fortune, but an average result. Hoffman, who was nkly staring at the ridiculous scene, added. "If I had known this would happen, I should have called the first wave of agents struggling in New Haven a little earlier." "It''s already in the past. There''s no need to regret it now, but because they issued the hammer down so smoothly... Ah, Hammer Down is the missionpletion code. It means that we have captured two submarines." "... That''s a scary execution." "We think so too." Thinking that, Olivia checked the right side of the interface that appeared in front of her eyes. Her kill count was 12, and her total kill count was 45. She had wiped out less than half of the enemy forces stationed within the university, and was currently transporting the captured Lt. Col. Andrei Borodin and Senior Researcher Dexter Northmoor to the LZ. By now, the three members of Eagle Team that hade with Olivia should have been leading the two hostages toward the escape point. Lt. Col. Borodin gave up everything and epted the handcuffs quietly, but that Dexter guy... "Damn, if that damned son of a bitch Dexter hadn''t done anything weird, we wouldn''t have been dyed here..." "I didn''t expect that part either. "I don''t think there was any partial modification to the body¡­ ." "If it wasn''t a dagger, but a tomahawk, I would''ve cut off the whole weird arm¡­ Well, it''s in the past, so there''s nothing I can do." Click. Olivia muttered and took something out of her multi-purpose pouch - a tracking mine. The moment the oddly shaped, circr mine was thrown to the floor, an ominous squeak echoed through the hallway. In an instant, it crossed the hallway so quickly that it was invisible, splitting into several pieces at once and exploding under the feet of the enemy climbing up the stairwell.@@novelbin@@ Olivia rubbed her neck as the deafening noise repeatedly hit the hall and shattered into small pieces. And Hoffman shook his head in shock at the sight. "¡­ Is that one of the Icarus Operator''s weapons? It''s like¡­ It looks like a weapon that was born as a result of long development, assuming this situation." "It''s a safety device created by sacrificing two or threeme duck presidents and distrust of Congress. Anyway, thanks to the guys who ate the entire submarine down there, it''s fortunate that Russia and China won''t know that we called in air power. It was good that we called in in advance." "You called in in advance?" "I didn''t think the operation would fail." Doo doo doo doo doo! Even as he said that, the turret installed in the hallway was still spitting out bullets while making a loud noise, and Olivia checked the air power deployment map on her wrist tablet even in the midst of the fighting. Looking at it, Hoffman suddenly felt afraid - but on the other hand, he could understand it. ''... If it''s not like this, we won''t be able to pull out the United States, which is stuck headfirst in the swamp.'' Far beyond the level of audacity, a madman''s operational n, and the overwhelming force and precise timing calctions to actually implement it in reality. Something more than a cliche like having multiple lives. In the meantime, the inside of the university was being ''cleaned'' steadily, and Olivia turned off the tablet on her wrist and exchanged magazines. "Let''s go. There''s still a lot to do to wait for those guys who are killing us in the submarine." "...Yes, of course." He had a lot to say, but he kept his mouth shut. Gunshots were still erupting in New Haven. Chapter 698 "¡­I know asking again in this situation is a waste of time, but if I heard correctly... you¡¯ve captured one Russian and one Chinese nuclear submarine that infiltrated New Haven, and that¡¯s why you made an urgent call to Kings Bay?"
    • "That¡¯s correct. Since it was carried out by the Presidential Direct Operations Unit, the details of the operation are ssified, but we captured the Yasen-ss nuclear submarine, divostok, and the Jin-ss submarine Changzheng 21. These submarines need to be transported to a facility equipped with analysis systems."
    "¡­The navigation systems are not identical, and Kings Bay currentlycksplete information on the operational systems of enemy submarines. We will need at least a minimal crew to operate them."
    • "We¡¯ve already secured some of the crew members as hostages. We will provide Russian and Chinese interpreters. About five transport aircraft are en route to Kings Bay, so I will give you one hour. Please start assembling the personnel for New Haven."
    "Understood... I will immediately call the basemander."@@novelbin@@ Camden County, Saint Mary¡¯s City, Georgia, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, 1:22 AM. Thergest submarinemand base in the United States, subordinate to the U.S. Navy¡¯s Submarine Forces Command. It houses Submarine Group 10, the 16th and 20th Submarine Fleets, the Submarine Ready Battalion, Antic Strategic Weapons Facility, Marine Security Battalion, Trident Repair and Training Facility, and other key instations. However, despite its grandiose stature, it is barely functioning after being hit hard by the Omega Virus, leaving it nearly deserted with minimal crew and personnel, just barely maintaining the form of a base. At that moment, when a high-securitymunication suddenly arrived at dawn, themand center was thrown into utter chaos. Without a doubt, it was a "Presidential Direct Order." The officer on duty immediately contacted themander of Submarine Group 10, Captain Giddle, and within three minutes, the basemander entered themand center, fully dressed in his military uniform. Though he had just been woken, his appearance was impably neat, but his mind was still clouded and disoriented. The reason for his confusion was not just the high-securitymunication but also the fact that it was the first official contact from the President, who had seemed silent up until now. The officer on duty had mentioned the Presidential Direct Operations Unit, raising questions about how two nuclear submarines were captured without warning. But Captain Giddle didn¡¯t show his confusion; he immediately opened his mouth. "Giddle, is there anything that others should not hear?"
    • "This is Colonel Carl Hobson, the Strategy Coordination Officer from Central Park HQ. I rmend that others leave for a moment."
    "Did you hear that? Let them leave for a while." At once, dozens of personnel hurriedly left. Giddle sat down and put on his headset. Only then did the voice, which had been faint, be sharp in his ears, providing the rity he needed in the confusion of the moment. But before he could fully adjust, Colonel Hobson started speaking, activating the transcription function of themand center. "So, you¡¯re saying that the Russian and Chinese reconnaissance teams arrived in Lower Manhattan, sessfully neutralized them, killed the submarine crew looting New Haven, and seized two nearly empty submarines?"
    • "That¡¯s correct."
    "Excuse me, can I step outside for a quick cigarette? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve fully woken up yet."
    • "It¡¯s fine to dy for a moment, but it won¡¯t change anything. The detailed information will be sent separately through theworkter."
    "...You said an hour. Shall we finish up the discussion by the time the transport nes arrive? Will that work?"
    • "That¡¯s correct."
    The conversation ended there. Though Giddle had only slept for about three hours, there was no time to waste. He removed his headset and immediately summoned his staff around 1:30 AM. On his way to the meeting room, he was mentally organizing what needed to be done and how to approach it. ''¡­Not just for this base, but for the entire militarywork, we need to share the fact that Russia and China have started a war without a deration of war.'' However, due to the fragmented state of the militarywork after the virus outbreak, assessing whether the U.S. military had the capacity to respond to enemy attacks was extremely difficult. The few ces still connected were mostly in the northeastern U.S. ¡ª New York, Washington D.C., the Cyber Command headquarters in Marnd, Virginia Beach, Georgia¡¯s Fort Moore, and of course, here at Kings Bay. Fortunately, there was some contact with the U.S. Southern Command in Florida, which was currently in chaos. But the road ahead was still long. Giddle, along with five or six of his staff, sat down in the meeting room and began speaking with a strained voice. "Russian and Chinese allied forces, leading two nuclear submarines, have invaded the U.S. maind without a deration of war. But at the moment, they¡¯ve been driven out." "...I don¡¯t know what to say, sir." "I don¡¯t know either, so just listen quietly. In the meantime, the Presidential Direct Operations Unit, as they¡¯re called, did something... seriously big. They seized two nuclear submarines." Everyone''s heads turned in unison, but Giddle didn¡¯t react. He continued. "Five transport nes are heading to Kings Bay. The uppermand hopes we don¡¯t sink the Yasen-ss and Jin-ss submarines, and it¡¯s time to meet that expectation." "¡­The best option might be to bring the submarines here, but New Haven is more than 1400 km away in a straight line. The actual distance will likely be about 1600 km." "We don¡¯t have to bring them all the way here. If we go to the Norfolk Navy Base in Virginia, the distance is halved. How about we go there?" "Let¡¯s do that. Do we have any crew we can send?" "We have the reserve crew of USS Iowa, a Columbia-ss submarine, about 100 personnel." "It might not be enough, but let¡¯s send them." Submarines typically require about 140 crew members per full set to function effectively. For operational purposes, two sets of crew would be necessary, making up around 300 personnel. However, due to the special circumstances, there were enough reserve crews at Kings Bay to make up for theck of personnel. Giddle didn¡¯t hesitate to send them. Fortunately, there was no one asking "What exactly happened in New Haven to cause all this?" And because of that, the staff didn¡¯t waste any more time. Instead of wasting time on unnecessary bureaucratic procedures, they focused on thinking about the strategic value of the seized nuclear submarines and how to use them. "¡­The bottom line is, we¡¯ve hit an unbelievable jackpot. Thesermunication equipment inside the submarines will yield immense results, and just looking at the underwater cable connectors,munication buoys, and antennas will be huge." "We might also be able to track enemymunication satellites, their orbits, and entry/exit from the atmosphere. It could give us a huge edge in information warfare." "The Cyber Command is very close to Norfolk, where the submarines are docking. If we send the submarine¡¯smunication equipment there, we can expect good results." "¡­I¡¯d love to see the faces of those idiots who were wandering around the submarine. They¡¯re certainly going down in history as one of the greatest fools." And indeed, they were. What was certain was that the enemy crew members who had carelessly stationed these strategic submarines were nothing short of historical fools. In fact, if they dug deeper, the truth was even worse: both submarines lost their defensive capabilities due to infighting among the crew. The crew members who had spent over 3-4 months submerged could easily be forgiven for feeling extreme mental fatigue, but the result of losing theirposure as soldiers was this. Giddle¡¯s team was thankful they weren¡¯t among them. It didn¡¯t take long for the Sword team to receive orders to pack their bags. Arge number of personnel started gathering at the helicopter pads, confused and unaware of the details. Just as one of the staff went downstairs to inform the Sword team, Giddle sent the meeting results to Central Park. The response came quickly:
    • "The transport nes will arrive in five minutes. Don¡¯t worry about supplies for the Sword team; we will provide everything."
    That was all they needed. Atst, the senior officers in Kings Bay, who had been bombarded with information from the northeastern U.S., had just enough time to process everything. It was literally a mind-boggling situation. No one could really understand what was happening at the higher levels, but after some consideration, they concluded that it didn¡¯t matter. In the end, it was the first victory. Especially considering the tremendous strategic advantage and offensive capabilities of the nuclear submarines, not knowing this fact could have resulted in total destruction of the northeastern coast. They had captured two nuclear submarines, not destroyed them. That alone was an achievement so significant it could almost be called miraculous. "¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but this is truly fortunate." "Indeed." It was a dark time. The world seemed to be falling apart, and the few survivors left only saw traces of the dead as they wandered through the remnants of civilization. Many began to wonder if the U.S. would ever recover from this, even after decades of struggle. Such thoughts spread like a virus. But the news they received contradicted that grim perspective. After a while, five transport nes began tond from the sky. mes from their engines barely illuminated the darkness, yet they did not falter and slowlynded at Kings Bay. Giddle absentmindedly spoke: "Not everyone has given up, huh?" "It seems not." At least for them, that was enough of afort. This was Icarus, and it was the first great victory for the United States. "Report: There are signs of a massive engagement in northern Manhattan. All Icarus operators hearing thismunication, return immediately." "¡­I guess we won¡¯t get any rest. Maybe we should be d we didn¡¯t burn out here." Meanwhile, in New Haven. Icarus operators were repeatedly facing situations that denied them rest, proving that their war was only just beginning. "¡­Idiots. After trying to kill me, they¡¯re still using the samemunication equipment." "Did you put the eavesdropping device on that transmitter? Looks like you¡¯ve got a good head on your shoulders." "Well, I know how to use my brain. With so many idiots who reach for their guns before anything else, you have to find a way to survive." Back in the Command Room at Central Park HQ, Zodiac, who had been praying for Task Force Dagger¡¯s safe return and was on her way to her solitary quarters, was unexpectedly called back to themand center. As she scanned the screens filled with familiar names, she realized that themunication equipment she had provided was now being used to intercept transmissions from the Liker group. "¡­So, what¡¯s this about? I¡¯m not sure what I can say about the internal affairs of Liker anymore." "Just tell us what you know. We¡¯ll ask the questions, and we¡¯ll give you the necessary details." "Fine, I¡¯ll tell you as much as I know. What do you want to ask?" "Good, let¡¯s start with this." At that moment, various images appeared on her screen. They weren¡¯t just any images. These were photos taken by UAVs, with clear, almost eerie precision, showing the locations and poption distribution in unusually sharp detail. The location wasn¡¯t Brooklyn, but northern Manhattan ¡ª specifically the Bronx area, near Central Park. Zodiac immediately understood what the question was going to be. "Until recently, there hadn¡¯t been this kind of activity, but suddenly, the number of people wandering through the Bronx has exploded. We couldn¡¯t identify them just through aerial reconnaissance, so we called you in. Any idea what this is about?" "...It¡¯s not out of the question." She quickly added: "I¡¯m not sure, but the reason this happened might be because I killed a lot of Liker members while rescuing my team. The Hyena Council is obsessed with reinforcing their numbers. They¡¯re crazy that way." "Are you saying these are escapees from Liker who crossed into the Bronx? This is strange. I didn¡¯t know there were still so many scumbags who could qualify as Likers." "Are you mocking me or being serious? There are over 300 gangs scattered across the Bronx and Yonkers. There are more than 10,000 people involved." The other person gave a puzzled look. Zodiac realized that if they weren¡¯t criminals like her, and hadn¡¯t heard such things from criminals themselves, they would never have known. She quickly added: "When the Omega Virus outbreak happened, the crazy ones got free. El Salvadorian gangs, Latin Kings, Ghetto Brothers, Turbans, Renegades, Crips... I could list them for 30 minutes." "You¡¯re telling me that many gangs are still in the Bronx? Got it. Well, at least I have some answers. As I mentioned earlier¡­ did theye to the Bronx for reinforcements?" "That¡¯s possible. But more likely, they came here because Brooklyn¡¯s been wiped out. If I were still there, I¡¯d have gone to the Bronx." "Hmm." The other person nodded, then didn¡¯t ask any further questions. Zodiac realized her deduction was probably right. She also suspected it too. The officer took a moment to gather his thoughts and then added: "¡­We¡¯ve just received an urgent report from the cleaners stationed up north. Too many enemies are flooding in. If this area is breached, the enemy will march south for sure." "So, you brought me in to get a full picture of the situation?" "Yes. We needed to know exactly what these people moving through the Bronx are. Now we can deploy the Icarus operators without issue." "Thest time I checked, there were only eleven of them. No offense, but... is that really okay?" "We¡¯ll see." At that moment, their eyes met. The officer hesitated for a moment and then added: "Those eleven people retook all of New Haven. Special forces are trained to perform tasks that ordinary humans can¡¯t. They might achieve results better than you expect." "..." "To survive a little longer in this fucked-up world, Central Park has to make miracles happen, things others would call luck or fate. We¡¯re doing this without sleep to support those who can make that happen." Zodiac instantly realized that the officer had finished speaking. He rubbed his tired hair, which hadn¡¯t been washed for days, and added: "Thanks for your help. You can go now." "Understood." Zodiac said nothing more, turned, and walked out of the hallway ¡ª no, she tried to walk out. Then her voice broke the silence: "...Is there anything else I can do?" "No newfound patriotism? Unfortunately, there¡¯s nothing for you to do right now. Go get some sleep. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re only able to walk freely because of what Whistleblower did for you." "¡­" At that response, Zodiac had no more words to say. With her tail drooping and ears back, she trudged out, letting out a deep sigh as she stared at the full moon. At that moment, she truly felt the weight of being shackled by crime, but she knew that chains couldn¡¯t be removed, for that was the essence of being shackled. For some, it was frustrating, while for others, the night was so busy it almost took their breath away. Chapter 699 "¡­I don¡¯t suppose you predicted this and packed drinks and food in advance, right?" "It¡¯s like catching a rat while backing up, but you¡¯re not wrong. Honestly, it''s just part of the routine. New tasks always get added... They probably took that into ount when they made the supply list." "Even so, it¡¯s still a little surprising." "Let¡¯s focus on getting ready for the transport. Drink some water first. What did the rookie bring?" "Just Gatorade." "Mix an energy drink in there, and it¡¯ll be really effective. Try it next time." "Got it." 2:00 AM, New Haven. There wasn¡¯t an explosion of light as if the night turned into day after the firefight, but a new energy stirred through the dark city. Whether or not people wandering around could be called lively was hard to say, but that was how it felt. But that¡¯s exactly how it had to be described. Civilians captured while wandering around New Haven, first-wave Icarus Connecticut branch operatives, the captured submarine crew, and Sword operatives from Kings Bay. Around 300 people, at least, gathered in a building overlooking New Haven Harbor and the two submarines. Originally a state government office¡ªsimr to a welfare center in Korea. What other way could it be described than "bustling" or "full of energy"? Naturally, the mood was lively, except for the captives. "So, these tied-up guys are the¡­ ones who lost their homes because they couldn¡¯t even protect their own? A sight to behold. Their ipetence will be written into history." "We think so too, ha ha ha. Luckily, most of them don¡¯t understand English. Even if they did, what could they do?" "Still, I must say, good job. It''s unbelievable. How did you manage to capture two of the enemy¡¯stest submarines? You¡¯ll definitely go down in history books in a different way. Impressive." "If we head back now and get a medal, I¡¯d be satisfied, but unfortunately, we need to be sent to the Bronx ASAP. I hear the prisoners there are about to boil over." "¡­That¡¯s a tough job." The reactions of the Russian and Chinese splinter forces varied, but one thing was certain: once they spilled all the information they knew, they would spend the rest of their lives mocked and despised. Of course, it was entirely their own fault. They fought desperately, but they weren¡¯t outnumbered; they simply failed due to their indulgence in looting, pleasure, and drugs, neglecting their duties. And the American operatives present had no intention of treating these fools with any kindness. "Get out, idiots! Move! Tell me where you¡¯re keeping the manuals!" "¡­I¡¯ll tell you everything you need to know. Please treat us humanely." "Humanely? You think the ones who invaded without a deration of war deserve humane treatment? If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll give you a chance to dismantle the mines you¡¯ve nted in New Haven Bay, unarmed. Understand?" "¡­" At the interpreter¡¯s cold words, everyone quickly shut their mouths. The 50 or so prisoners were now silent, while the Sword operatives from Kings Bay and the first-wave operatives from Icarus Connecticut were deep in conversation, gathering as much information from the prisoners as they could. The goal of the Sword team was clear: extract as much data as possible in the next few days, or even a week, so they could operate without the help of the prisoners. Icarus Connecticut was obligated to provide amodations, food, and interpreters for this process, requiring coordination between the teams. Meanwhile, about 11 Icarus operatives, stretching and preparing, made an agreement to cooperate with Icarus Connecticut. The transport nes would be ready soon. "Maybe it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t gained much from the grand mission, but I¡¯m starting to feel more excited. What¡¯s the uppermand saying? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be watching from Central Park." "¡­Actually, I need to tell you something. The cleaners pulled out from the Bronx area, and at the same time, they handed over the enemy distribution data they gathered. We¡¯ll use that data to begin a strike operation." "Now that¡¯s good news. Looks like we¡¯re leaving right now. What¡¯s our escape n?" "Helicopters. Or maybe on foot." A low chuckle echoed through the room as all eyes turned to Lorentina. After this operation, another one would follow. The situation was far beyond what even operatives with 10-20 years of special forces experience had ever faced. But no one paid much attention. They boarded the transport. Their destination was the Riverbank Park ser field, just 3-4 km north of Central Park, where they would strike at the Liker gang¡¯s nk. No one spoke about who would kill the most. But everyone agreed on one thing: they had to kill them all. The first target was City College of New York (CCNY), about 800 meters east of theirnding point in Upper Manhattan. "Shark 1 and 2¡­ Did you guys actually fire any shots?" "Surprisingly, we fired more shbangs than real bullets. Ollie and Eagle team, looks like the rookie had a pretty busy time. We¡¯ll need more ammo." "There¡¯s a crate of ammo in the transport. That should be enough. We¡¯ll reload on the way. It won¡¯t take long. We only used about three mags." "Then we should check the recon data sent by the cleaners. The university alone has at least 500 people. Given the size of the building, it''s reasonable to expect that many gang members are holed up there." The tilt-jet was flying at over 600 km/h, crossing the Long Ind coast toward Manhattan. Only about 10 minutes left to theirnding point. All members of Task Force Dagger had a gut feeling that they were about to make history, and that their blood would be written in the history books. How so many gangs were still around was a mystery, but whether it was possible or not wasn¡¯t something for them to worry about. Anything could happen now. While the gangs were trying to fulfill their desires amidst the chaos, whatever the reason, once the bullets were lodged in their heads, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it again. And these operators were the best at cing bullets where they belonged. As they neared thending point, the pilot spoke to Eagle team, who had just finished reloading. "One minute tonding. Current time, 2:12 AM. It¡¯s a perfect time for a walk, operators." "Just as you said. It would be perfect to tidy up the environment while we¡¯re at it." "I heard there¡¯s a lot of garbage piling up in northern Manhattan due to the Omega Virus situation. Good luck. The cleaners have pulled out, and there are no friendly forces left. I think you know what that means." "Good. Let¡¯s go tickle their nk. If they all die after a little poke, don¡¯t me us." And just as expected. As one of the transport nes slowly decelerated, its engines turned, and it descended toward the ground. The operators checked their weapons, confirming how many rounds they had left. Dozens of Seeker mines, capable of rolling across the ground, and pulse systems that could pinpoint the enemies, alongside a variety ofbat support equipment and skills. The rear ramp opened, and the operators deployed, scanning for enemies. The surroundings were eerily quiet, so still that it seemed not even a rat could pass by. But everyone knew. ces like this, apparently empty, were perfect for escapees to set up camp. "Shark 1, eliminate Shark 2 and integrate into Shark 1 call sign. We have 300 meters to Point Alpha."
    • "Copy. Treat everything within the operation area as an enemy. There are no innocent people."
    "Understood. We¡¯ll return before dawn. Contact in 45 seconds." Five hours remaining in the operation, enemy numbers unknown. The side of City College of New York came into view. It was almost time to weave the bloody carpet of the escapees. CQB, the method for urban warfare, had not evolved since World War II. John McPhee, who served 20 years in the U.S. Army, with stints in the 75th Ranger Regiment, Green Berets, CIF Special Task Force, and as a Delta Force Master Sergeant, exined it like this. As he said, since World War II, through the Vietnam War, Middle Eastern conflicts, and up to modern times, the challenges of urban warfare and proposed solutions had not changed. Finding the positions of enemies, IEDs, and booby traps. Neutralizing these threats after pinpointing their locations. For nearly a century, countless strategies and ideas had been proposed to solve these two critical objectives in urban warfare. Some were included in training manuals, but none were perfect. Even special forces soldiers, trained at the cost of billions, could still die from a bullet, whether fired by a child, an elderly person, or anyone in between. Bullets don¡¯t discriminate. That¡¯s why even the U.S. military shies away from the term "urban warfare," because of the enormous risks involved. But¡ª "Shit, shit, what the hell is going on?! Where the hell are the sentries, what are they doing, gah¡­!"@@novelbin@@ "Push in, push in! Go faster! Don¡¯t give them a second to recover!" Even without entering directly, if you can pinpoint the location of threats... If you can neutralize those threats from outside... In that case, the entire situation changes. Urban warfare, where numbers y a huge role, could be turned into a highly effective tactic with overwhelming force¡ªespecially with 500 enemies, at least five squads. But¡ªthrough exceptional technology, the disadvantages of urban warfare werepletely wiped out. "We can¡¯t stop them! Help us, help us¡ª!" "Oh, they¡¯reing! Aaaah¡ª!" The sound of high-speed motors echoed menacingly through the halls, as five tracking mines sped through the building, obliterating anything in their path. It didn¡¯t matter if they hid in a room or closed the door. The first mine, closest to the door, exploded, shattering the door. The second followed, sting into the room and finishing the enemies off. It didn¡¯t end there. The so-called "pulse" spread through the facility, and within a minute, bullets or drills were tearing through walls,ing for the enemies. "¡­What the hell happened to get us into this situation? You useless bastards! Can¡¯t even defend your position properly!" "Enemies are ughtering our guys! We have no idea what¡¯s happening!" "You¡¯re saying that now? Stop them, you idiots!" The reaction of the Liker gang upying the university¡ªwho had chosen the Crips gang¡¯s symbol as their own¡ªwas nothing short of disastrous. Panic and chaos, so intense it seemed like the whole situation could copse any second. Only the gang leaders, who were strategically keeping their distance and observing the chaos from safety, remained somewhatposed. "Prepare the vehicle! We need to leave now!" "Understood¡­ gah¡­!" At that moment, the sound of breaking ss was heard clearly. A drone, equipped with a sniper rifle, hovered outside and shot through the window, hitting one of the enemies, pinning him to the wall. The drone¡¯srge caliber sniper rifle shattered the ss as easily as breaking sugar art, then pinned the enemy to the wall with a fatal shot. This was just the beginning. The enemy positions and movements were perfectly tracked, and escape attempts were blocked by turrets ced on the roof. The result was inevitable. "Hang in there! With all this noise, our brothers outside wille to help! Contact Salvaturcha nearby!" "Understood!" They waited for reinforcements, but deep down, they knew it was a hopeless cause. Theirmunication equipment was down, and their hope was futile. For the gang members, the only choice left was to decide where they would die. And the Crips had no idea that all theirmunication devices were rendered useless. The result was simple. "Please, help us! Save us¡ª!" "These fucking idiots, every gang around here is going to hunt you down¡­" Some cursed the world, others begged for their lives, but Task Force Dagger watched indifferently and added: "Then we¡¯ll just kill the ones chasing you too." Bang! Lorentina drew her pistol, pulled the trigger, and put an end to a Crips gang member¡¯s life, sending him into eternal rest. Looking at the body, she muttered softly: "So¡­ is it about 200 out of 14,000 now?" "After the Omega Virus crisis, I¡¯m already scared to think about Dagger¡¯s kill count." The operatorsughed bitterly. For some, it was a horrific ending, but for others, it was just the beginning of a long journey. Spring was filled not with the scent of fresh grass, but the stench of blood and rotting corpses. Chapter 700 "Shark 1-1, we''ve encountered fierce enemy resistance inside the bookstore! I''ll cover from the right, check it, Logan!" "Reloading! These bastards are trying to push in! Throw the Seeker mines! Throw them, damn it!" "Pulse deployed! Drills in ce! Throw the turret! If we keep fighting here, we''re all dead! The prisoners are spread from the first floor to the third-floor balcony!"
    • "Shark 1-1, two Liker squads of about 20 areing from the side entrance, heading toward the front. We¡¯ll cover with turrets and drones."
    "Damn, now that the others are all dead, they¡¯re finally showing some guts¡­!" The Bronx, the northern part of New York City, and Upper Manhattan, which borders it. In an area spanning over 200 square kilometers, filled with countless buildings, the sounds of gunfire asionally erupted amidst the ongoing gang conflicts. But the noiseing from City College of New York in Upper Manhattan echoed for kilometers, growing louder andsting longer than expected. The urban warfare, the first major operation by Icarus Operators in a big city, was supported by tremendous technology, but ultimately, it was people who had to carry it out. As someone had said, urban warfare had not progressed since World War II. The only thing that had changed was the equipment; the shes between forces armed with guns were still filled with curses, shouting, gunfire, and explosions.@@novelbin@@ And this was happening after Task Force Dagger¡¯s first ambush had crushed 200 out of 500 enemy escapees. "These damn¡­ When we get back, I¡¯ll have to write down that we should leave a few holes for the Liker bastards to escape through¡­!" "Damn it! Pulse, Pulse! The enemy¡¯sing from the rear!" "Enemy grenade¡ªdamn, that¡¯s some heavy fire! Someone hit the arm! Damn well done!" "Logan, the stairs! Hammer and anvil, you know what to do!" "Yeah, damn it. Let¡¯s go!" Boom, KA-BOOM! A grenade that someone had thrown, and an operator who nailed the exact moment with a precise elbow shot. At the same time, the pinless explosive rolled across the first-floor floor and took two or three people with it to their graves. The fierce resistance from the Crips gang on the first floor had begun. A barricade so well-constructed that not even an ant could slip through, and the news of the other team¡¯s annihtion sent despair to the remaining forces. However, that didn¡¯t mean the gang was just sitting there waiting for death. The phrase "a cornered rat will bite a cat" wasn¡¯t for nothing. As a result, the gang started pulling out military-grade explosives and thrown weapons they had scavenged, putting up a full resistance. Of course, it was all in vain. "Shark 1-1, we¡¯ll nk to the second floor with Shark 1-2! Don¡¯t shoot as you pass the balcony!" "Registered on the IFF interface, so go up without worries! Hurry up and do something about those cowardly bastards, damn it!" "Let¡¯s move, let¡¯s move! Throw the Seeker mines!" Screech! The terrifying sound of a Seeker mine rushing ahead in the corridor, followed by a pulse that swept the entire second-floor corridor. Like chocte chips embedded in cookies, the Liker gang was scattered in every corner of the hallway. Lorentina, leading the charge, aimed her MP7A2 and began clearing the university building¡¯s ssrooms at breakneck speed. The 4.6mm rounds passed through the suppressor, making a strange metallic sound with every shot. It wasn¡¯t the clean and sharp single-shot CQB everyone knew. It was all-out, chaoticbat. The key here was tempo. Strike so quickly that the enemy couldn¡¯t even react, punching holes through their bodies before they could regain their senses. Whether they had body armor or not didn¡¯t matter. The two mutants, with their overwhelming reaction speed and reflexes, could put a hole in five heads before anyone even blinked. As the two mutants swept through the second floor like a wave, the fighting outside continued. "Phew, do those damn bastards even know we¡¯re struggling outside?" "¡­Do you think the inside¡¯s alright?" "The ones who made it into the first floor are probably the most battle-hardened. Plus, with two mutants like us, we don¡¯t need to worry. We¡¯ll just kill anyone we see¡­!" Bang, bang, bang! In stark contrast to the stealth operations, the Eagle team was armed withpensators or additional modifiers instead of suppressors, and the noise from their guns was deafening. While the Shark team assaulted the medical school building from the inside, the Eagle team engaged from the outside. Thanks to that, Olivia, Eugene, and the Eagle team received real-time location data of the enemy from the drones in the sky. When the firefight paused for a moment, and the escapees tried to move in another direction, Olivia, having aimed from beyond the wall, barely extended the muzzle and pulled the trigger. The result for the poorly armored escapees was almost always death. Even if they had body armor, the oue would likely have been the same.
    • "Ugh¡­!"
    • "Damn it, the blood won¡¯t stop¡­"
    • "Where the hell are they shooting from? Damn it¡­!"
    One, two, three. Most had their heads blown off, while a few lucky ones were hit in the shoulder, chest, or abdomen, and even among them, the luckiest escapees spoke one or two words before dying. Despite this, the number of enemies was still too many to count on one hand. But no one felt disheartened by that fact. At least not the operators. They were trained for this. As the battle raged on, everyone drank from their CamelBaks, fueling themselves with sports drinks to replenish the energy burned by the grueling physical activity of the firefight. There was no time to chew solid food. But to endure the harsh demands ofbat, caloric intake was necessary. Logan and Lorentina, veterans ustomed to this, drank a thick shake¡ªessentially a high-calorie chocte bar mixed with milk¡ªwhile the battle continued. The two mutants, havingpletely cleared the second floor, were the first to replenish their energy. "Phew, damn, my head¡¯s about to explode." "Let¡¯s go. Looks like the bastards trying to hit us from behind are all dead." "¡­Shark 1-1 to Eagle team. We should be able to secure the medical school center in 1 minute. Any anomalies outside?" "A separate recon team is detected by the drone, lingering around after hearing the gunfire. If the battle drags on¡­ it might get boring." "Hm." Climbing the stairs to the third floor in just 2 seconds, Lorentina began mentally calcting when they might need to retreat. Strictly speaking, the operation was a preemptive strike. Thanks to intelligence provided by Zodiac, a former Liker turned ally, the identities of the enemies in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan had been partially revealed, and Task Force Dagger hade here to cut the head off the snake. The sess so far had been more than enough. Retreating wasn¡¯t a bad option. Pushing on further could bring unforeseen consequences. Plus, they were running low on ammo. So, Lorentina made a quick decision. ''¡­There are about 160 enemies remaining in this facility.'' The question now was, "What will happen if we wrap up thebat and head back?" And no matter how much she simted it, the result was the same. The remaining escaped criminals wouldn¡¯t end up in a favorable situation. At best, they¡¯d be absorbed by the Liker gang that came from Brooklyn. At this point, calling it a day wasn¡¯t a bad choice. "Olivia, for now¡­ prepare the extraction helicopter. I¡¯ll leave the LZ designation to you." "¡­So you¡¯re thinking about wrapping it up? Not a bad choice." "We¡¯ll clear the third floor and then reassess." As they entered the third floor, Logan and Lorentina were already moving. And there was no need to exin what would happen next. Like supernatural beings severing the intangible thread of life, every enemy that faced the mutants copsed as if their strings were cut. Though they had already racked up a few hundred kills in just a few hours, the two mutants didn¡¯t let it get to their heads. There was only so much you could do with a single rifle. "..." It was indeed an absurd feat for just eleven operators to kill 300 enemies. But that was the end of it. The number of people in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan was well over 50,000, and more than a fifth of them were gang members or affiliated with gangs. It wasn¡¯t impossible to physically wipe out 10,000 gang members, but it wouldn¡¯t be efficient in terms of time, and it would be hard to expect a good response. But on the other hand, continuing to strike fear into the gang members by hitting them from all sides was well worth it. For that reason, the first strike had to thoroughly crush the enemy and, for fear¡¯s sake, withdraw as quickly as possible to make it look like they were everywhere. The decision on whether to leave some alive would have to be made through discussion. ''¡­I¡¯m not sure how many of these expected oues will actuallye true.'' Operations don¡¯t run on hope alone. She thought that and took a deep breath. By now, the third floor had be eerily quiet, and Owens and the EX squad members, who had done their part as the anvil, were reassembling, exhausted. The remaining escapees numbered around 130. The facility was thick with blood, gunpowder smoke, and shell casings. The air was so thick it was hard to breathe, and the two mutants wiped the sweat from their brows. Logan broke the silence. "So, are we stopping here?" "Whether we stop or just take a breather, it doesn¡¯t matter. The only thing that¡¯s changed is that the recon team is starting to arrive." "It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t just leave. I¡¯ll leave that decision to you. But¡­" "...But?" Logan added. "You¡¯re not the one choosing where Dagger swings the de, are you?" "...Ha. You¡¯re right. Does everyone else agree?" "Shark 1-3 to 1-5, we agree." Task Force Dagger, Icarus¡¯s first de. Understanding Logan¡¯s hint, Lorentina smiled wickedly and inserted a new magazine into her rifle. Her lips parted. "Shark 1-1 to Eagle team, enter the building. We¡¯ll wrap this up and leave in 10 minutes." The sharp teeth in Lorentina¡¯s smile gleamed. Five minutes until City College of New York became a no-man¡¯snd. "¡­Still not asleep?" "Well, it just turned out that way. Is there something I can help with?" "I can clean the firearms myself, don¡¯t touch them. Just help me with taking off my armor." "Yes, understood." 3:00 AM, Central Park HQ. A helicopternded on the helipad in thepletely darkened park, and about eleven operators stepped out casually, heading toward the debriefing room next to themand center. Apuse erupted as they arrived. Just eleven operators had hijacked two enemy nuclear submarines and erased about 500 escaped prisoners from the world. It was an absurd situation by any measure. That was why the support officers had been watching the operators¡¯ operations through body cams just minutes before, and as soon as that was finished, they came out to greet Task Force Dagger. Even Land, who had to go to bed, shamelessly inserted herself among the support officers. As the other support officers returned to their duties, Olivia shot a nce at Land and, rather than making her ufortable, assigned her a task. Land, trying to act as casual as possible, began unbuckling the gear that was tightly fastened to the operators¡¯ bodies, while taking in the strong stench of sweat and gunpowder that had been built up over the three-hour firefight. Her delicate fingers fumbled between the gear and clothing, and as she pressed the buckles, the body armor slipped off, hitting the floor. ''¡­Huff.'' Due to her wolf-like nature, which had a much more advanced sense of smell than humans, Land could not help but pick up the lingering scents of blood and the acrid smell of gunpowder. Her heightened senses caught them far more sharply than a normal human would. That wasn''t the end of it. As soon as the armor came off, the faint scent of sweat hidden beneath the blood and gunpowder filled the air. Her heartbeat quickened, and she found herself swallowing instinctively. Was this feeling a result of longing? Land knew better than to think so. But despite her strong sense of reason, she couldn''t help but continue acting on her instincts. The operators paid little attention to it. The reason was simple. "¡­Are you feeling better, rookie?" "Yeah¡­ I¡¯m just a bit dazed. I guess there¡¯s been a lot going on, so I¡¯m a little lightheaded. But I¡¯m not really anxious or anything." "You''re fine. Most people purge their worst memories in the shower, and the gear helps with mental stability. You¡¯re handling it way better than most." "Yeah, the first time I sawbat, everyone was puking. I¡¯m adjusting well." It was because of the rookie operator that Land was helping with her gear. Land nced at Eugene and, though she thought it, she realized he didn¡¯t look too bad at all. Far from looking like he was forcing himself to deal with it, he seemed like he had hardly been impacted by the trauma ofbat at all. Unlike mutants like Land, who had be more worried after their transformations, Eugene didn''t seem to be struggling as much, but Owens had already noticed that Eugene wasn¡¯t as shaken as the others. "He didn¡¯t hesitate when facing the Likers." "¡­Yeah." "I won¡¯t ask what happened to you in the past. Just keep acting like that in the future." "Yes." At that moment, the other three mutant operators turned their heads toward Eugene and Owens as if they had realized something, but the two didn¡¯t seem to care. They just continued removing their armor and holsters. Task Force Dagger had an unspoken understanding that Eugene''s past was tied to the Likers in some way, but none of them voiced it. After all, every operator had their own hidden pain. As the war with the Likers continued, it was clear that it would never be fully revealed to anyone outside of those involved. The signal for their long and grueling battle had already been sent, and the first conflict of Task Force Dagger had ended. It was the moment the beacon was lit in Manhattan. Chapter 701 "Dragon 1-1, we are observing the Lickers gathered at City College of New York with drones. The estimated number is around 200. Currently... it is assumed they are recovering firearms and infrastructure previously owned by the Crips gang." "Less than two hours afternding, they wiped out 500 people and are returning? Looks like the friends at Central Park are pretty good at this when they try." "Everyone¡¯s expression ispletely shattered. It''s like aedy show... The eavesdropper is working without any problems. The analysis team should focus on the script." 6:55 AM, Upper Manhattan. As the sun rises above the dim sky, a drone operated by a cleaner surveys the area above City College of New York, where a horrific massacre has taken ce. The scene below was far from dull, with the escapee gangs frantically checking how many bodies there were as they roamed the university campus. Their reactions were nothing short of spectacr. It was understandable. The number was only 500. But for the gang members, what they feared the most wasn''t the number of bodies.
    • "This... what the hell... Not a single survivor, how... this doesn¡¯t make sense."
    • "You¡¯re telling me they did this crazy shit in less than an hour? Who the hell did this? Even the Cleaners can¡¯t pull this off."
    • "I... I can¡¯t do this anymore, I¡¯m leaving!"
    In just an hour, or even less, a small gang waspletely crushed. Even the 30 or so scouts who were patrolling the area to figure out who the perpetrator was were obliterated without a trace during Task Force''s escape. It wasn¡¯t a messy gang fight. It was an extremely trained soldier, heavily armed, stomping over the opposition. The types of bullet casings scattered on the floor were entirely different from those used by gangs. No one could even ask what had happened. There were only corpses. More than half of them had bullet holes in their heads and hearts. Some had been torn apart by explosives. The raw fear in their voices. The two members of Dragon Squad who overheard it chuckled and murmured. "They¡¯re just good at shooting unarmed civilians and driving around shooting pistols. There¡¯s no way they could do this." "The rumors will spread fast. Wonder how they¡¯ll react. If the friends at Central Park hit them four or five more times in the back of the head, I¡¯ll have noints." The words mixed with crude mockery. In reality, it was no different. Since the outbreak of the Omega Virus, the criminals who joined the gangs had simply lowered their psychological thresholds formitting crimes to survive. The mental resolve required to kill someone decreased over time, but that didn¡¯t mean their skill in killing others increased. And those pseudo-powerful individuals were dealt with by specially trained soldiers¡ªhuman weapons developed with millions of dors invested by the state, whose sole purpose was to figure out how to kill others effectively. The result needed no further exnation. The wiretap continued, and it wasn¡¯t limited to City College of New York. Communications from escapees in Brooklyn, using their radios, were also being intercepted. Unlike Manhattan, which had be a wastnd, the Licker Union members wandering the vast city of New York were truly acting recklessly. "Do you think those mutants are learning anything from this situation?" "If they had the intelligence to learn something, they¡¯d be bowing their heads and heading into Central Park like that Zodiac guy." Brooklyn Langon Hospital, Lower Manhattan, Fort Hamilton, and Upper Manhattan. In the past few months, while the overwhelming power of the US military remained known to a few escapees who had survived being pounded into oblivion in New York, their numbers were incredibly few. The reason was simple. In all the locations mentioned above, no one had survived, and the 20,000-strong Licker group in Brooklyn had been reduced by half in less than two months. It wasn¡¯t exactly annihtion, but it was close to obliteration. Because of this, the Lickers had moved on to the Bronx, full of gangs. This meant that there were people who knew exactly what had happened, and people who didn¡¯t. "The ones who came from Brooklyn have only half the guts. I get they¡¯re scared, but don¡¯t stink like cowards now. If theye back after hitting a jackpot, we¡¯ll catch them all and kill them." "...Don¡¯t underestimate them. These guys could even bomb us if things go wrong." "A bombing in this neighborhood full of stone buildings? That¡¯s pureedy. Thanks to the police and the military running away, we¡¯re the only ones left alive here, aren¡¯t we? Worrying about bombing us... ridiculous." The Lickers, who hade to drag the Bronx gangs into their mess, could only send out warnings without cursing. On the other hand, the Bronx gang councils, who had never been beaten before,ughed mockingly. It wasn¡¯t over yet, though. Most of the Licker members had only experienced one or two of the four major strikes. Considering that, the concept of cooperation was as difficult as making a ball out of sand without a single drop of water. Meanwhile, the Cleaner reconnaissance team opened up the map to check Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Several gang territories were marked with dense,plicated notations. However, that wasn¡¯t the important part. Dragon 1-2 took out colored pencils and began drawing a winding line cutting through the city. At first nce, it looked like a simple scribble, but anyone familiar with the subway and route maps of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey knew it was a kind of map for routes. "Beehive, Syndicate, The Numbers... There are many gangs blocking the way. Quite thepetition." "Obstacles. You know that, right?" "Yes." Several gang territories ovepped on the route map.@@novelbin@@ Every time it ovepped, Dragon 1-2 marked the gang¡¯s territory with an X. What that meant didn¡¯t need to be exined. The line drawn on the map eventually led to New Haven, 100 kilometers to the east. President Henry had decided to prioritize normalizing the railroads first, with ns to quickly repair the Northeast Corridor (NEC) connecting Boston in Massachusetts to Washington D.C. The number of people in Central Park was about the size of a regiment, and while supplies could still be handled by transport nes, it was unlikely tost long. In other words, if the railroad is blocked, the lifeline to Central Park will be severed. "Upper Manhattan will be filled with corpses." "Neither side will back down. Central Park will never allow this. They¡¯ll turn the Bronx into a sea of blood toplete their mission." "I like that part." Clik. Dragon 1-1 closed theptop and spent a few minutes recovering the drone that had been hovering in the sky. The morning sunlight bathed the area, but since it was still full of criminals, the two-person reconnaissance team didn¡¯t go down to the observation point below the apartment. Instead, they pulled out their radios and muttered before turning it on. "Our base is on Randall¡¯s Ind¡­ the critical point we need to secure in Central Park is right at the point where the underground subway route meets the above-ground lines." "Yes. Once the troop deployment order is given, we¡¯ll arrive in ten minutes." "Some of the troublesome guys will be dealt withter, but I¡¯m happy with how the operations are going. Let¡¯s give our friends at Central Park a bit of a boost. Our goal now is to burn all the gangs near the subway route. Sounds good, doesn¡¯t it?" "That sounds fun." "I just hope Central Park responds well." Once the strategy was decided, there was no more hesitation. He contacted the Cleaner headquarters on Randall¡¯s Ind ¨C an ind 3 kilometers east of Central Park, home to arge water treatment nt and the New York Fire Academy ¨C and ryed the uing mission. The biggest victims of the Omega Virus, those who were burned alive while incinerating corpses, felt no sense of reward, but the defectors hadn¡¯t crossed the final line. The next target for these armed groups was the trash in the Bronx. "I thought someone would eventually react if something big happened, but it¡¯s just as expected. The Cleaners, who had been lying low for a moment, took the bait again. With the operation time clearly set, it seems we¡¯ll be meeting them often." "I guess sleeping at night is out of the question for a while. I didn¡¯t want my days and nights to get mixed up like this." "No choice." And as expected, after waking up, the team saw the next set of tasks piled up in envelopes. The first button in what wouldter turn out to be a total kill count of at least 90,000 enemybatants had been fastened. The air quality report: "The levels of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia gas in the air have slightly increased." "...The fact that this can be detected is terrifying." Late May, Manhattan. The bone-chilling cold had long passed, but the freezing cold still had its advantages, particrly in preserving corpses to prevent decay. However, that was no longer the case. The average temperature of Manhattan betweente May and June hovered between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, and New York weather was only getting warmer, not colder. It was enough warmth for corpses to decay. Barely twelve hours after the operation ended, an enormous number of rats and flies began to swarm around City College of New York. But no one would be cleaning it up. Unless they were family¡ª and even then¡ª they wouldn¡¯t clean up the bodies. Besides, that kind of ''clean-up'' was far worsebor than it seemed. Just like the tens of thousands of civilians killed by the Lickers at LaGuardia Airport. "If I have to walk a thorny path, then I¡¯ll walk it. I¡¯ll crush everything." "The coordination with the Cleaners is still ongoing. The final operation n should be out in three or four hours." "Good. We still have a long way to go. Anyone trying to disrupt the rebuilding of our country can have their spine bent backwards legally, at least for now. No military policeing for me yet." "I would actually rmend that, haha." As nned, they weren¡¯t hesitating anymore. He contacted the Cleaner headquarters and ryed the next mission. The next target was the gang members roaming around the Bronx. As expected, Central Park showed no sympathy for any escapees or gangs. The only criminals who seemed to have any semnce of goodwill toward them were Zodiac, and even then, it wasn¡¯tplete goodwill. The only fortunate thing was that Zodiac wasn¡¯t the type of person to believe that kindness woulde her way simply because she had yed the role of a whistleblower a few times. That¡¯s why Zodiac never stopped trying to elicit positive responses here, and she was gradually blending into Central Park. She, despite being half an outsider, knew more about the uing operations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Upper Manhattan than most others. A former Licker, and once a member of the Hyena Council. This was the reason she had been called upon several times to specte about the enemies¡¯ behavior, and in the process, she came to understand the current situation. The conclusion was simple. Without any embellishment, Central Park was nning tounch an annihtion operation against the Lickers and the gangs. And there was a reason for telling her this. The senior operations officer, muttering to himself, turned his head toward the mutant sitting in the corner of the office, resembling a wolf. "I¡¯m not trying to make you ufortable, you know that, right?" "...Do you think bringing me back into this mess with the Lickers is going to make me morefortable?" "Now that you mention it, I suppose it could. My bad." "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just happy I¡¯m allowed to sit here even though I¡¯m not an operations officer." As she said, she wasn¡¯t an operations officer, yet Zodiac stayed in themand center, and almost no one was unaware that she was being groomed to be something close to one. An Alpha-tier mutant was far too valuable a resource to leave with nothing to do. Zodiac wasn¡¯t ignorant of this fact, and though she grumbled about it, whenever she had a chance, she read training manuals to pass the tests to be an operations officer. Back to the present. On the desk in front of her was a draft of an operation n for systematically eliminating the faction she had once belonged to and establishing a foothold. There were still a few sections that hadn¡¯t been finalized. Zodiac felt an unsettling chill as she read through the n. She could vaguely recall the bodycam footage from yesterday and the faint smell of horrific decay that seemed to hang in the air of Central Park. She didn¡¯t show it, but the urge to vomit suddenly surged. It was the moment she hated her newly enhanced sense of smell that came with her mutation. She closed the draft, having only partially read it, and added anotherment. "...Are we using white phosphorus again for this one?" "If necessary, yes. But we won¡¯t be throwing it around recklessly likest time. We don¡¯t need to burn such a wide area this time. The main reason is¡­ we¡¯ve almost run out of the stockpiled supplies from thest bombing." "Now that you mention it, Land, you haven¡¯t been eating much meattely... Is it because of that?" "..." She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but the truth had already been revealed. Without saying a word, she turned her head and gazed through the window at the unnecessarily bright Central Park outside. The HQ hadn¡¯t removed all the trees during its renovation process, so it was possible to see this view. Unknowingly, her eyes wandered back. It was 4:21 PM. The outside looked as if nothing had ever happened¡ªfresh and green. It almost seemed like if she went outside now, Manhattan, filled with people and cars, would wee her. But that sight could never be seen again, at least not for half a century. Thinking this, she finally spoke. "9 hours and 49 minutes until the operation begins¡­ It hasn¡¯t even been a full day since we finished thest mission, and you¡¯re already preparing the next one?" "That¡¯s the weight on the shoulders of the field operators." The senior operations officer added casually, or perhaps with a tone of resignation, as though nothing could be done about it. "Once we submit the operation n and it¡¯s approved, there¡¯s nothing we can do. We just pray that those people don¡¯t end up dead somewhere." "..." "No matter how much they can change things during the operation, it¡¯s only because the field operators trust the locations, sizes, and firepower of the enemy forces we¡¯ve outlined." He ended his words calmly. "Every letter and number we type means someone¡¯s life is on the line. Don¡¯t forget that, Zodiac." "...I won¡¯t forget." "Good. That¡¯s all that matters for now. Don¡¯t worry about the details; they¡¯ll be updated as needed. What you should focus on is understanding what system all this is based on. Get used to it quickly." With those words, the senior operations officer swiftly exited the room. It had only been one day, but Land had already figured out what the senior operations officer had been up to. Every time he went out and came back, he reeked of cigarette smoke, so it was impossible not to know. She sighed and looked outside. The weather was still nice, but just a few hundred meters away, the field operators were probably preparing for the next mission, working hard and quickly. "...Hmph." Though she had quit smoking after bing a mutant, she suddenly felt like smoking again. It was a day in May, with a brilliant sunlight, but a heavy, lethargic pressure weighed on her, one that couldn¡¯t be chased away by the sunshine. And then¡ª "Wind speed 3 meters per second, no clouds, 90% moonlight, Icarus system all green. me thrower mes identified 150 meters from the LZ. I¡¯ve confirmed the Cleaners are on their way." "Great. Let¡¯s have some fun. We¡¯re authorized to engage all enemy forces within the operation zone until missionpletion in 48 hours." "Move, move! Clear Lincoln Medical Center and establish a bridgehead within one hour!" 2:07 AM, at a football field about 600 meters north of Lincoln Medical Center, located 5 kilometers from Central Park. Eleven operators stormed the hot zone again. It was the beginning of an all-out battle¡ªno, an extermination mission against the gangs. Chapter 702 "Get up, get up! What the hell are those sentries doing!" "Ugh, ugh¡­ Haaaaaaah!" "Keep on, it''s the Cleaners, the crazy incinerators areing!" At 1:49 a.m., hundreds of Cleaners poured through northern Manhattan into the Bronx. At 2:01 a.m., most of the gang members who had just woken up entered the fray, causing devastating casualties. And by 2:15 a.m., the entire southern Bronx was filled with gunfire. The Cleaners struck the gangs like a ming hammer. This wasn''t the kind of attack that could be stopped simply by being on guard. Overwhelmingbat experience and better equipment literally obliterated the sentries. The gun-mounted drones easily silenced the sentries from the air, and the gangs, blinded by their eyes, were left unable to respond and allowed the attack to continue. But the advantage of such a surprise attack was only once. The first characteristic of urban warfare and the second characteristic of being much more numerous than the Cleaners made the advantage of surprise meaningless after 10 minutes of fighting. However, the Cleaners were not fools. They had to focus the attention of the gang at all costs for the sessful infiltration of the Dagger Team, and that was why they mobilized heavy equipment for urban warfare that they would not normally deploy. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaaah! "What the hell are these crazy, crazy bastards doing?" "So¡­the fire truck is burning. The fire truck is burning instead of water! Run away now!" "You crazy bastards, you crazy bastards¡­!" Arge wedge was mounted on the front for route clearing and vehicle removal. The water tank was filled with napalm instead of water. Even therge fire trucks, with thick armor tes welded to protect against rocketunchers, and even with cages installed to protect against tandem warheads - dual warheads - With ear-splitting horns and red sirens ring, they rammed into the barricades the gangs had set up all over the avenue, savagely tearing apart the defenses and pouring napalm on the windows of buildings. To put out the fires, former firefighters and public health officials who knew the structure and fire vulnerabilities of typical buildings better than anyone else put their special skills to good use. It didn''t take long for the low-rise buildings to be giant pyrotechnic pyrotechnics for the gangs. "Haha, they''re burning well!" "The contaminants areing out the back door. Control them from getting out." "We don''t need night vision goggles. It''s more like day than night." The Bronx, engulfed in mes, was as bright as day. Not just one, but dozens of low-rise apartments were burning. Furthermore, the apartments were usually connected, and since they were not properly managed, even the slightest spark could spread the fire. Most of the buildings were empty, and the people in the buildings that were not empty were almost all not exactly innocent. Those who were walking around freely outside where public authority had disappeared were usually like that. However, even if there were civilians mixed in, the Cleaners were not going to take that into ount. That was the reason they were not able to join Central Park and were keeping their distance. In any case, the Cleanersunched a massive offensive, even mobilizing heavy equipment and heavy weapons. The gangs were nervous about dealing with therge number of burnersing from the south, and the surveince that had been tight to begin with became even weaker. That was why the gangs and Rykers could not properly check the Silent Hawknding silently in the north, which could be called the rear. The Reaper, who crushed 500 people in not one day but in an hour at most, set foot in the Bronx. The first point of impact was Lincoln Hospital, located just over 1km away from where the Cleaner was. ©¤©¤©¤Pick! Enemies on the rooftop fell to the ground one by one, their strength draining, making a sound. A head that was shattered horribly. Every time the sniper drone was pushed back by the recoil, a new species of human was born with nothing above its nose, and the Red Gueri Gang, who had Lincoln Hospital as their base, became blind. Punching a blind man with all your might would have been considered both legally and ethically reprehensible just a few months ago, but in the post-apocalypse, it was a basic virtue that had to be possessed. And the Dagger Team could drive something much more than a punch into the opponent''s forehead. In less than 30 seconds, ten highly trained operators and one trainee trooper stormed into the main entrance hall of Lincoln Hospital. "Encounter the enemy! Engage!" "Secure the hall! Keep going! Kill all gang members except the hospital staff!" "What the heck, what the¡­ AAAH!" Peek! Peek! Peek! The gunshots, sharper and quieter as they passed through the silencer, rang out randomly in the main entrance hall. The main entrance was dark, perhaps because there was no power, and the interior looked like a cathedral. In short, it meant that several candles were lit. The soot on the walls and ceiling, the faint scent of incense wafting through the main entrance. However, it didn''t take long for those scents to be covered by the scent of blood. Around that time, the eleven men split into three groups and began clearing every floor. "Right up! On the stairwell!" "Go up, go up, damn it!" "Throwing a grenade!" ng, bang! The moment the pin-pulled grenade stayed in Morrison''s hand for two seconds, he threw it with all his might. Soon, a loud explosion was heard through the hallway, and the three EX Squadrons that had been on the stairs charged forward. Logan, who quickly took control of the hallway while providing suppressive fire, threw a few multi-stage tracking mines in the lead. The moment they hit the floor, they split into about five pieces and moved in all directions. At that moment, a series of explosions were heard. Logan started to push through the hallway like a bulldozer, carrying a ballistic shield that weighed over 80kg, and Owens, Chester, and Morrison who were following him cleaned up the inside of the room. Simr situations continued on other floors. Eugene strode forward holding the ballistic shield that Logan was holding, and Laurentina followed him and repeated the same process. The only other thing was Olivia and the Eagle Team she led. "Gasp¡­!." "Fingers, my fingers¡­!" "Damn, the gun''s broken, ugh¡­!" "No way, you punks." Bullets flew in without fail the moment you put your body, your gun, your fingers out. You shot the gun out and deflected it, the moment you put your head out, it exploded, and the moment you put your hand out, the bullet got stuck in your forearm. Since the kic energy of the bullet is energy, it was natural that your arm would turn into a rag the moment you were hit. It was an extraordinary feat that only Olivia, who had exceptionally good eyesight among all mutants, could do. It didn''t take long for the first three floors of Lincoln Hospital to be pushed back, but eleven were too few, and the hospital building was too big. On the other hand, that was the only disadvantage the operators had. And the size of the building itself couldn''t stop the first de that Icarus had forged. However, they could at least block it. "So Shark 1, there are so many enemies... damn it!" "Bear 1, we''re encountering heavy enemy resistance at the police station inside Lincoln Hospital. Those bastards are just carelessly pouring bullets." "Hadd-up barricades and gun ports found. Slow down and push slowly with drill charges and sticky bombs. Shields are already running low." As always, when cornered, the mouse bites the cat. And while most of the gang members had no military ties at all, there were quite a few who went on to be criminals after serving in the military. Even though their bones were broken during the first raid by the Dagger Team, on the other hand, those who survived the raid were more agile than others and had excellent survival skills. The remaining gang members continued to systematically resist using the best of their abilities. It was dawn, when only rats and bugs were roaming around instead of people, but the mes of war that had risen from Lower Manhattan had already spread to the entire New York City. ¡°¡­What is this? Paper is falling from the sky?¡± ¡°Warning, all hostile forces within a 500m radius of the 2.5km section of the New Haven Line from Harlem 125th Street Station to Morris Avenue will be physically eliminated¡­What is this?¡± ¡°If you ignore this warning and dere your intention to engage, your life will be at stake¡­Ha, I guess my American friends still want to y the role of the kingpin.¡± Meanwhile, Central Park did not sit idly by, even though Task Force Dagger was entrusted with all engagements. Physically wiping out all gangs was certainly an appealing option for the US government in the midst of a virus apocalypse, but there was now that said it had to happen. As always, in times of need, it was better to avoid engagement as much as possible, and that was why the US military used unmanned drones to spread a kind of¡­ leaflet. There was quite a lot written, but to summarize it, it was as follows: ''We will restore the railroad.'' ''If you interfere, we will turn you into ashes.'' ''If you do it, we will let you off.'' A bold threat that reminded me of the US military opening Pakistani airspace with threats right after 9/11. Naturally, the gangs and Rykers who heard this reaction were literally in chaos. It didn''t take long for everything to unfold. The New Haven Line passed through at least fifteenrge and small mob jurisdictions, and at least the gang leaders in the jurisdictions that were prated by the New Haven Line were obsessed with the idea that they should not show weakness here. Whether it was for pride or the interests of the gang.@@novelbin@@ Or because they wanted to bow down but were forced to act strong because of the stupid gang members who only had fighting and looting in their brains. They had no choice but to pick a fight. Of course, that wasn''t the end of it. "Ha, you American bastards, you''re ridiculous. You''re thinking of stopping Salvaturcha with such a ridiculous threat." "Bloodhood will wait and see. We have nothing to do with the New Haven Line." "You''re a savage. Next up is you. Do you know how many subway lines run through Harlem and the Bronx?" "Why do you need to know? Do you need to know where the Yankees are and what they''re riding?" It was a literal mess. But at least a third, or as many as half, were quite indifferent. The reason was simple. The gang members gathered there were Mexican-American, Salvadoran-American, Vietnamese, and South African. The United States was just a base, and many of the gang members had different hometowns. That''s why they didn''t even care what the US government did. Instead, they were hoping that the government would copse quickly and that a war would break out. Naturally, the Rykers, who hade to fill the shortage of manpower and saw the gangs changing their signs to suicide hopefuls, were shocked. White phosphorus, thermobaric grenades, and shotgun missiles were the ones who finally corrected the Rykers. Whether it was because they were too absurd, or because they were afraid of Central Park''s reach. In any case, the Rykers realized that it was impossible to persuade the gangs any more, and they slowly left the room with a gesture that they could notmunicate, but no one cared. Strictly speaking, the Rykers were just annoying scouts to the gangs, and they only thought about and discussed how to distribute the shattered pieces of the gang and its byproducts - guns, to put it simply. Naturally, it was a pointless discussion, like trying to force a car with four triangr wheels to roll. "Do you think that makes sense now?" "When there was a shootout, you couldn''t even see the tip of their noses, and now you''re saying that you''re the same family and you''re putting your spoon in it... It''s going to be really annoying, you little punk." "There are too many guys who talk nonsense about having open mouths... Don''t you think there are too many of these guys in the Bronx? I think we need to quiet things down a little." And the result was usually something that was only a step away from destruction. The only reason they didn''t fight was because everyone there had guns. Criminals were people who cared more about their lives than anyone else. But that didn''t mean that ''criminals used their time efficiently.'' The half-smart guys had no idea how fast the Task Force Dagger was swinging. It took another ten minutes for the Gang Council, as they called themselves, to realize that in the fifteen minutes or so they had wasted, three groups had been wiped out. At that time, northern Manhattan was a sea of ??fire. And in the midst of that chaos and noise, dozens of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and drones silently descended upon the darkness of the Bronx. - Checked therge crowds and vehicles that were still running on the Upper West Side and Fordham University. - They are very busy operating vehicles leisurely. Did you check what they are doing? - Based on what we have gathered so far, they are definitely subversive people. Wouldn''t it be better to wipe them out all at once? - Wow, I shouldn''t have poured everything into Lower Manhattanst time. There''s no choice. Let''s just take everything we have. - I will give you the order. The bombing of Lower Manhattan, where white phosphorus was poured in tens of tons. The strength shown then was insignificant, and at this point, all the air force bases that Central Park couldmand had a surprisingly small number of white phosphorus bombs remaining. If the numerous subways leading to the Air Force bases around New York could be restored, the worries would be considerably lessened, but for now, it was a dream. But almost none was the same as none at all. Enough incendiary bombs to burn down at least part of Fordham University, if not the entire Lower Manhattan area. They were loaded into the bomb bays of five drones. The enemy was bloodshot, ready to put their finger on the trigger to get a piece of the pie that was left, but Central Park didn''t know it. For just ten minutes, the drones carrying the incendiary bombs hovered over Fordham University, and for the long time they had acquired the bombing coordinates, they were grateful that the enemy was trapped inside the building. And then, how long did it take? - Dropping white phosphorus (WPB away). The moment a 500kg mass of white phosphorus was released from the sky, hundreds of bullets painted a beautiful white picture in the darkness. It was a moment of bright light that warmed the bodies and minds of everyone in Central Park. Except for the gangsters. Chapter 703 ¡°¡­ Over there. That¡¯s toward Fordham University, right? It¡¯s a huge mess. Why the fire¡­.¡± ¡°The first thing I saw after the battle was the West Bronx, burning after being hit by white phosphorus. It¡¯s so overflowing with charm.¡± ¡°Is that usually called charm¡­?¡± 4:22 AM, Lincoln Medical Center. The inside of the building was filled with the pungent scent of blood and the smell of burning. It was such a horrible sight that I wondered if I¡¯d be able to clean up all the corpses hereter. The only good thing was that the bodies of the people I killed all had distinctive tattoos. ¡­ Actually, that didn¡¯t matter. My head hurt after the battle. Even the operators of the Dagger Team, who had much morebat experience than I, were in a simr situation to me. Have I ever killed so many people in my life¡­ No. Strictly speaking, this might be the second or third time I¡¯ve done something like this. Considering that taking someone else¡¯s life is generally considered a felony, and that he killed hundreds of people in just a couple hours¡­ . ¡®¡­ How did I end up like this?¡¯ What did I do wrong to be here? Usually, at times like this, Olivia, who I would jokingly call Mom, woulde andfort me, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case today. It seemed like she needed time to collect her thoughts. It wasn¡¯t just Olivia. All the operators who were deployed with me were showing simr reactions. What should I say? They looked quite tired. In fact, it was the samest time. Should I say it was the exhaustion after a fierce battle, or should I say it was what people call the sage time? The Icarus Gear suppressed the sympathetic nervous system, preventing excessive adrenaline from being released. Thanks to that, it suppresses the intense parasympathetic nerve reaction that urs after battle and prevents short-term memory from being fixed as long-term memory. Thanks to that, even so-called babies like me¡­ had much less inevitable mental pain after battle. However, that was only when the post-battle feedback and mental care were safelypleted. ''¡­ .'' I suddenly felt doubtful about whether I would be able to continue to face this situation in the future. While the others were busy moving around the facility to make Lincoln Medical Center their future bridgehead, Laurentina and I were on the rooftop where a cool breeze was blowing. Even the clear starlight couldn''tfort my heart, but soon a gentle voiceforted my heart. "You must be having a hard time, my youngest." "...I''m a little dizzy." "It''s natural to be having a hard time. Come to think of it, Ollie is good at that kind of thing, but since the others aren''ting, should I help you?" "Ah, that, that... woof!" ¡­ Unfortunately, Ms. Laurentina and everyone else weren''t taking off their long pants. In short, the kind of... soft, fluffy situation I wanted was impossible. Strictly speaking, it wasn''t impossible. But it''s a bit much to say ''Can you take off your bulletproof vest?'' now. On the plus side, Ms. Laurentina is 188cm tall, which is about 16cm taller than me. It''s a bit of an exaggeration, but it''s more than enough to hug me. Her body smelled like blood and gunpowder. I guess it wasing from me too. She added while stroking my head. "It''s a bit embarrassing to say this now, but I didn''t even know that physical contact would be so effective for PTSD. Are you feeling better now?" "...Yes." ¡°Don¡¯t worry, youngest. Even if you¡¯re a little dizzy right now, you¡¯ll be back to normal soon. Especially¡­ those guys lying on the floor are gangsters. They¡¯re cheap even if they die.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to the youngest in the past, but if I hadn¡¯t killed him here now, he would have continued to create more victims. And we prevented that.¡± ¡­ Certainly. It hadn¡¯t been long since the first engagement, so I was a little confused, but when I thought about it¡­ I felt a surge of anger when I thought about all the troubles I¡¯d gone through in Brooklyn because of those damned guys. As my brain, which had been unable to ept this situation, gradually began to think of the dead enemies as ¡®cheap guys,¡¯ my pounding heart quickly became gentle like a tamed horse, and my headache gradually subsided. I know it¡¯s weird to say this¡­ Now, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have a headache or feel anxious when I faced the next battle. Long live Icarus Gear. When my expression improved significantlypared to before, Laurentina-ssi released her hug. I exhaled softly and added. ¡°When I grow up to the point where I can proudly call myself an operator, I wish I could do this for you too.¡± ¡°¡­You know how hard you¡¯ve worked to sap your masculinity in this way, right, youngest?¡± ¡°Oh, oh. You¡¯re doing well¡­¡± ¡°Even though it looks okay at first nce, this appearance is the result of my own efforts. It¡¯s the result of adaptation. This body helped me a lot in the battle, if it hadn¡¯t, I would have been mentally very distressed.¡± ¡­ Is that so? Maybe I would have been the same. The reason I received so muchfort at Brooklyn Maymonis Hospital in the early days of the incident was because I could really feel that I could be of help to them. I ended up touching my cheekbones because of my slip of the tongue. Anyway, thinking that way, I looked at the inferno in the distance. The white phosphorus mes that I had seen and experienced in Lower Manhattan with Olivia were exploding wildly at a ce called Fordham University. What on earth is going on there? I thought that while munching on a chocte bar in my pocket. Only then did I feel a little stronger. My mouth opened. "When will I be able to go home?" "No one knows. It''s an actual operation." "I think someone like Lieutenant Laurentina would know... Hey, tell me." ¡°Even if you act cute, you don¡¯t know what you don¡¯t know, rookie. You have to achieve a certain level of the operational objective before you can go back. There¡¯s no set period for the operational period.¡± ¡°¡­I know. I just want to rest, aaaahhh¡­!¡± Of course, my cheeks were pinched immediately. This is too much. This is too much¡­ However, myints were lightly ignored, and before I knew it, 4:30 AM had passed. Although the operation had already begun, the entire time had not been spent inbat. The goal was to wipe out all the enemies in the hospital in the first 20 minutes or so ofbat, establish amunication system with Central Park, and then wait and reorganize before the next operational deployment site was decided. In other words, it was a kind of rest time, and at the same time, it was time to clean up the inside. That¡¯s why I could smell something burning instead of gunpowder smoke.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­Fuck, shit. I wish I could just throw it outside.¡± "That would be a problem in itself. I don''t know if it''s because I''ve only done a few strikes with such ack of follow-up, but the problem of disposing of the bodies is really... horrible." "I heard that the Cleaners are going to take over the facility in 20 minutes. Can''t we just leave it to them?" "They''re just going to burn people alive, they don''t care about cremation. They just dispose of the bodies that can''t be disposed of." By the time Laurentina and I came down, the hospital was filled with the unpleasant smell of burning protein. Since no one seemed to care at all, I guess they had already activated their olfactory blocking function, and so did I. The ''disposal'' method they were talking about was quite simple. They piled up the bodies, incinerated them with about a hundred kilograms of thermite sent by Central Park, and used an oxidizer to burn off the remaining remains. I thought that human dignity had fallen to this extent, but I decided not to think about it any longer. ¡­ I was so d that the Icarus Gear had a Deform function. "Have you heard anything else?" "We''ve poured white phosphorus on the heads of many of the rioters staying at Fordham University, so it''ll be a while before we get any real feedback." "Central Park doesn''t have much paper. I heard that instead of scattering surrender notices, they''re going to y messages with drones or something... That''s the full story." "Where... Those who want to surrender should gather at a nearby sports stadium and burn their weapons, or wait at least 500m away from the railroad section¡­ It won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not expecting much.¡± As he said. Central Park didn¡¯t have any tepid expectations that the rioters would surrender properly. On the contrary, if they showed any intention to surrender even after all this, wouldn¡¯t they have thought about it at least once? Of course, that wasn¡¯t something I had to worry about. If they really wanted to wave the white g, they would havee in bowing down like Mr. Land. Otherwise¡­ I should know, that kind of thing. It¡¯s their fate. I thought so and sat down on a nearby patient bed. Laurentina opened her mouth after seeing that. ¡°It looks like things have been sorted out to some extent, so how about everyone resting until the next order to act is given.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right. Ugh, I guess I should get some shut-eye.¡± ¡°Team Leader Owens, let¡¯s go have a smoke together. Do you have anything left?" "Carry it, you punk." Leaving behind those who were moving to relieve their stress as if they had been waiting, I surrendered myself to the pouring water as if it were a lie, even though I had clearly slept a long time in preparation for today''s operation. My body became tired, and my thoughts became fragments. Sleeping in a ce so horrible that it didn''t seem like it was even in a horror movie was terrifyingly sweet. The world was still dark. "Arge part of the railroad suffered significant damage. The aboveground railroad lines are generally in a simr situation. The underground is less damaged, but there are many unidentified civilians." "Even if the railroad maintenance is okay, there are civilians in the subway station and underground passages. That''s a very difficult situation in its own right. Let''s think about thatter. "How''s the situation in the operation area?" "We''ve been transmitting the same message via drone for about 3 hours and 42 minutes now, and there''s nothing unusual except for a group of about 15 people at the Charles Young Softball Field in Upper Manhattan." "You can send one drone to those guys, and what about the Dagger team?" "We''re coordinating with the Cleaner and the operation area. It seems like we''re headed toward the aforementioned softball field." 6:58 AM, Central Park. The morning at HQ waster than elsewhere. The rising sunlight was blocked by the tall buildings surrounding Central Park, so the darkness lingered a little longer than elsewhere. However, below, in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), numerous operations officers, deprived of sleep and exhausted, were constantly chatting while watching the screens that were busy. The Cleaners slowly ascending from below, the Dagger Team moving little by little, Fordham University burning, and arge number of rioters who couldn''t even make out what was going on. In a sense, it was a crueledy itself. The numerous screens that filled one wall of the control room, or rather, many walls, were simultaneously and separately briefing the operation. Lower Manhattan, which was in ruins due to the aftermath of the white phosphorus that was poured as part of the operation, and Brooklyn, where many escapees still remained. Part of the surveince screen, most of the Bronx screen, and the location of two nuclear submarines in New Haven. It was a situation that could be said to be in charge of the entire operation taking ce in the northeastern United States. However, there was one person who was carrying supplies without resting, not even looking at the scene. "Ugh, it''s hard¡­ !" "Don''t lie around too much, because you''ll have to fill in the empty space." "Yes, I guess so." Previously codenamed Zodiac, now codenamed Land. Since she was still unable to act as a full-time operations officer, the work she was given was misceneous work - carrying snacks for other operations officers, etc. - but she didn''t seem to care much and put down the box of energy drinks. It was as if she was looking at a different world. She was studying various things to be an operations officer, but the role of support operators, who were in charge of multiple operations simultaneously and continued support during wartime, was more important than she could imagine. People who usually pretended to know her by saying a word or two when she was walking around, couldn''t take their eyes off the screen and just focused on their main job today. Likewise, Land couldn''t speak to her rashly. "¡­ ." It felt as if she was alone, isted from the world. She felt bitter and went outside the TOC. Everyone was busy with their own work. There were turrets and sentries on the thickly built walls, cooks in the mess hall, support operators in the operations center¡­ Only Land was standing there. She nced around and sat down on a nearby chair. The sunlight that had just begun to rise caressed her hand. However, she couldn¡¯t stay still because of what she had heard earlier, so she went back inside. Changing her expression freely was her specialty - or rather, it was her ¡®specialty¡¯ - and theposure that came over her face helped form an expression that seemed to show no particr problem to anyone. However, the moment she went back inside the operations center, herposure was shattered into a mess. There was something to do. ¡°You came at a good time. The Dagger team has just begun moving toward Upper Manhattan. A low-altitude scanning drone has been assigned. Sit down quickly and put on your headset¡­ You have four ears, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hey, give it to me quickly. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen all sorts of things in my decades of life¡­ Anyway, the red area on the interface is the operation area, and the eleven green triangles below are friendly forces. Your goal is to assist them in their operations.¡± ¡°¡­ Can I?¡± ¡°There are a few things I need to do. Let me exin them calmly. The first is street reconnaissance, the second is building reconnaissance, and the third is to quickly inform the Dagger team of important matters." I don''t understand a single thing even if I listen to it. As soon as I put on the headset with the interface and saw the numerous holograms floating before my eyes, Land tried to ease the tension by holding my breath and exhaling. It was like watching a console game I yed in my 20s. The first thing she learned as she loosely held the controller controlling the drone was how to open and close themunicationwork connected to the Dagger team. And the second was how to operate the pulse scan device mounted on the low-altitude reconnaissance drone. ©¤©¤©¤Pheeing! Upper Manhattan, where the sunlight was just beginning to shine. The eleven-member Dagger team turned west along the railroad tracks, preparing to cross the Harlem River. Land checked the Dagger team''s expected movement path on the screen. Several apartmentplexes were visible across the bridge. But that wasn''t the point. Rooftops and It was because there was a lot of movement from the window. The number was about 40. In addition, the moment the screen was erged, various firearms were visible. They were gang members armed with military automatic rifles or semi-automatic rifles without scopes. Land, who was looking at the sight, unconsciously pressed the scan button and soon added. "¡­Dagger Team. This is Zodiac¡­ no, Land. Are you impressed?" -¡­ I thought I heard that voice somewhere, but now you''re acting as a support operator? Interesting. Anyway, what''s going on? "Uh¡­ there are about 40 enemies in the Riverton Square building and Ashel Amino building near the expected movement route. They''re a gang armed with semi-automatic rifles. I think, um. Bloodhood or something¡­." - Hmm. Is air support possible? "¡­ Let me find out." At the same time, she turned her head to the side and called another senior operator with a desperate expression. Soon, the word "Linkage" appeared on the screen. Then another voice cut into themunication. "The aircraft is equipped with eight LGBs -ser-guided bombs -. We''ll take care of it here. Land will fire theser-guided devices and aim them." "How do you... ah." As if it were a lie, several buttons began to sh as if to say, ''Press this.'' She pressed them, and at the same time, a swoosh noise spread out. A small drone detached from the aircraft slowly descended, hovering about a thousand meters above the ground, looking at the rooftop of the apartment building. The next step was simple. Land continued to aim theser at the enemy''s many locations, and the next moment, click with a sound, a single bomb began to fall under the influence of gravity. What happened next was simple. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaaang! "...This is crazy." "Target neutralized. Changeser position." "...Yep." Ten people disappearing in the blink of an eye. That was modern warfare. Land suddenly felt like vomiting. Chapter 704 "Dagger team faces a powerful enemy offensive! Currently engaging inbat at Fire Station 16 in New York!" "The enemy is confirmed to possess military assault rifles, machine guns, grenadeunchers, and various other weapons. Serial number scanning is in progress." "Who would have thought that the best option to support the fight in such a damn neighborhood would be white phosphorus? This situation¡­ damn it¡­" "Captain Edward Parkinson has arrived." 07:05 AM, Central Park Operations Center. A man in military uniform, with two white bars on his shoulder insignia indicating his rank of captain, walked in, his expression a stark contrast to the usual morning air. Edward Parkinson,mander of the 107th Military Police Company ¨C and someone very suited to exin the situation Dagger Team was facing today. His neatlybed hair and solid build were apparent even through his fatigues. However, his fatigued steps indicated little connection to his physical appearance. He immediately sat down at a table in the TOC (Tactical Operations Center), filled with people. Amid the wall of screens, he looked at the upper Manhattan area, marked in red on the map, next to the Harlem River, confirming the exact location and nature of thebat taking ce. At that moment, he realized why he was here. With two cups of coffee, a senior operations officer sat down across from him. "I¡¯m sorry to call you in for this, Captain Parkinson. I have a few questions regarding the ongoing engagement in upper Manhattan." "I¡¯ve heard plenty about the gangs causing trouble up there. And judging by the screens, the situation isn¡¯t going well. The gangs have military-grade firearms, so it¡¯s no surprise." "...You already know that, I see. Lucky for us, you¡¯re quick with the talk. As you can see, these bastards are armed with some nasty gear, no idea where they got it from." The senior operations officer scratched his head and added, "There''s a brigade from the 42nd Support Division just 500 meters away from the area where Dagger Team is operating. And you, Captain, are in charge of the 107th Military Police Company under that brigade." "Yes, I know. Go ahead and speak freely." "It¡¯s nothing big. The operations center suspects that the firearms the rioters have were sourced from the armory near the 42nd Support Brigade headquarters. We just need an estimate of how many weapons have been dispersed." Parkinson nodded as he understood the situation. It was a foolish question, really. On one hand, it made sense: asking apanymander, based out of Brooklyn, about the number of weapons and ammunition in the brigade¡¯s armory was a strange thing to do. But on the other hand, the urgency of the situation made such questions necessary. If Colonel Hemlock from the 104th Military Police Battalion and Colonel Bedruck from the brigade were alive, they would have been called first. He tried desperately to recall pieces of his past. He hadn¡¯t visited the brigade headquarters much, but he had a decent understanding of themand structure and the number of soldiers involved. "Approximately 100 soldiers. At least 30 rifles have been released. And, for maintaining order and setting upmunications, the New York National Guard was first on the scene, so the 101st Signal Battalion, the 187th Communications Company, and the 719th Transport Company were also nearby..." "...I see. So at least 100 weapons have been released." "Even if it¡¯s fewer, it¡¯s certainly more. Given the weapons Dagger Team is encountering, it¡¯s likely that the gang has overrun the 42nd Support Brigade¡¯s headquarterspletely." "That makes sense. This information is very helpful." The senior operations officer quickly ryed the information, and an updated operational map appeared on the screens. The conversation continued, but unlike before, the information-gathering process became much slower. Unlike Captain Parkinson, whose base of operations was in Brooklyn, what was now needed was information about upper Manhattan, more than 20 km north of Brooklyn. Parkinson did his best to provide as much information as possible through the militarywork and shifted his attention to the screen. The roster of Dagger Team members was listed. Though ssified as top secret, everyone at the Central Park TOC, including Captain Parkinson, was familiar with it. However, what caught his attention about the screen was different from the others. A member of the 107th Military Police Company, Eugene, had already be an apprentice operator, now responsible for part of Dagger Team''sbat capability in upper Manhattan. All he could think about, remembering how he first met her, was worry. "...How is the operation progressing?" "Given the durability and firepower of the Icarus Gear, the engagement is going smoothly. The rioters are being repelled easily..." "Can I check the progress?" "Of course, there¡¯s no issue." The sound of two sets of military boots walking in could be heard faintly. They were loud enough, but drowned out by the many voices and machinery in the TOC. Captain Parkinson stared intently at the screen, his gaze sharp as though he were pulling data out of the visualized information. Drawing on the many tactics and strategy theories he studied to rise to the rank of captain, he understood the situation. And based on that understanding, if he were to describe the operation¡­ even the most optimistic view would call it a deformed mission, relying entirely on the extraordinary firepower of Dagger Team. It felt like he was steering a lifeboat through a shipwreck named the US government. But... "...I heard they captured two nuclear submarines recently." "That¡¯s right. The Sword Crew in New Haven is likely squeezing thest bits of knowledge from the enemy submarine crew, learning how to operate them." "Impressive." He thought for a moment, recalling how everything had changed in just a few months. The moment he had learned about the presence of mutants in Central Park, he had an inkling of where things were headed, but it still felt strange. Looking at the screen, something unusual caught his eye. A matted white hair, reminiscent of dirty fur, and ears resembling those of a wolf. Parkinson naturally scanned the person from head to toe, though he couldn¡¯t get a full view since the figure was sitting. "...Who is that?" At that moment, the wolf-like ears twitched, and a tail peeked out from between the chair legs,zily swishing. The figure was a hybrid of man and wolf, or perhaps a wolf molded into a human form. Fortunately, he had encountered mutant hybrids before, so he understood the presence of a mutant in the operations team. The answer came swiftly.@@novelbin@@ "That¡¯s the apprentice operator. She came from Brooklyn recently. Her current codename is Land, though she used to be known as Zodiac." "...Zodiac? I feel like I¡¯ve heard that somewhere..." "She used to be a Liker. She continuously exposed the Liker Council¡¯s operational ns to Central Park, feeding escapees with information about traps during suppression operations, earning significant credit." Parkinson thought about the word "Liker," instinctively reaching for his holster. But the rest of the exnation made him reconsider ¨C maybe a secret agent. He didn¡¯t know for sure, but Hoffman Vincent, a PMC agent formerly employed by Artemis Technologies, was a good example. However, if she were truly an agent, why would she still be an apprentice operator? He started to guess she was likely a former escapee turned operator. Around that time, Land turned her head with a nervous expression and met Parkinson¡¯s gaze. "...Is something wrong?" He didn¡¯t respond, but the senior operations officer quickly added, "Cross-checking results indicate she was responsible for setting up themunication system in Brooklyn. ording to the testimonies of the civilians who came with her." "...I see." "Well then, it¡¯s about time for breakfast, isn¡¯t it? A guy who makes amazing donuts just came in. You can¡¯t skip breakfast, can you? Let¡¯s have a meal." The natural shift in conversation. Parkinson, not wanting to cause a scene, agreed and stood up, and Land, with her mutant sensitivity, felt the simmering anger and hatred directed at her. Her tail and ears drooped in response. The past couldn¡¯t be changed, and it would always be a shackle, ready to catch her whenever she stumbled. "...Damn..." She thought she hade closer, but it still felt far. She stared at the screen, continuing her work as an operator. The screen''s brightness was so intense today that it almost brought her to tears. "Wait. What is that? Dagger team, north-northeast, 250 meters away... 2.5 meters tall? No way, something¡¯sing!" The despair evaporated in mere minutes, and when something unimaginable emerged from the building that had been the 42nd Support Brigade¡¯s headquarters, even Dagger Team was left speechless. It was the first appearance of the mutant known as "Titan," a male mutant hybrid modeled after a gray bear. "Lincoln Medical Center, Riverton Square has lost contact. Harlem General Hospital seems to be the next target!" "Looks like a lot of them got away. I figured that would happen. These damn idiots... no matter how much you tell them to stay inside, they never listen until the bombs are flying overhead." Meanwhile, a few minutes earlier, at the 42nd Support Brigade military facility, now upied by the Brotherhood gang. Gunfire echoed endlessly outside, and the few radios that remained crackled with horrifying reports. This had been going on for hours. The gang leaders who had gathered at Fordham University for a meeting had experienced a white phosphorus bombing and a rushed emergency dressing, leaving only the headless bodies now running amok. The situation for the Bloodhood gang wasn''t much better. The sky, once dark with chaos, had cleared, but hundreds of drones still buzzed overhead, blinking as they disyed English messages urging surrender or death. The gang members, too proud to fear bombing, now found themselves helpless in urbanbat against enemies who disregarded the special nature of street battles. Without a proper chain ofmand, as soon as heavy fire was unleashed, the gang members scattered like ants, trying to avoid the oing death, but slowly and surely, it was closing in on them. But there was onest option. Or perhaps, it was unclear even if that could truly be called an option. ''...The bombing has stopped.'' In a way, the Bloodhood gang''s right-hand man sensed that, unlike the warnings from the Liker gang in Lower Manhattan, the bombings hadn''t been as heavy here. Realizing that the US military must be running out of resources, he began to descend the stairs, feeling the deepening scent of blood and marijuana as he made his way down. The sounds of heavy chains rattled in the distance. ¡ªCLANK! The room, reminiscent of a prison cell, was filled with tension. The bundles of rebar set up to prevent anyone from leaving bent like candy, and the stench of blood and burning marijuana filled the air. In that room, a massive figure was present. Every movement of the huge body scraped against the iron, and dark brown fur stirred beneath the thick metal ting that covered the body. Only a few months ago, this being had been human. But since the end of January, he had be something close to a bear. At first, he could stillmunicate, but with the passing seasons, his humanity faded, and now, he could barely hold on to his sanity. Originally a massive man, once he took on the nickname "Titan," he became uncontroble without the aid of drugs. The marijuana scent in the room was a testament to that. "...I suppose there''s no need to hold back now." The gang''s right-hand man, realizing the gang''s survival was no longer certain, casually pulled the pin from a grenade he had stolen and tossed it down the hallway. He had no idea what would happen to him, but he was curious to see what kind of result a steroid-fueled mutant would bring. With that, he swiftly retreated up the stairs, vanishing. The explosion reverberated through the facility. And the next moment, a furious roar erupted. ¡ªKAA-RAAANG! How much time had passed since that? As the front door was blown open, the Titan¡ªnow a mutant hybrid with welded-on metal ting resembling a bear¡ªlet out a deafening cry. With every step, the ground beneath him seemed ready to crumble, his massive quadriceps nearly capable of destroying the earth. His torso and arms were so thick, they resembled ancient trees. It was impossible to tell if he was human or bear, or perhaps a perfectly crafted hybridbined with an overdose of steroids, the result was a terrifying beast. It didn''t take long before he began running toward the area where Dagger Team was eradicating the gang members, his massive form swiftly caught by UAVs. The response was immediate. "No way, what the hell is that... shoot! Aim for the head! Sticky bombs!" "This crazy... is that a bear?!" Even Dagger Team, who had been exposed to countless horrific sights, couldn''t help but be shocked by this one. But it didn¡¯t end there. As Titan charged, he mmed his arm into a car parked on the street, sending it flying with a single strike. It didn¡¯t float through the air, but instead, like a skipping stone, it was thrown halfway across the street, scraping along other vehicles before losing speed. By the time it reached Dagger Team, it was traveling at about 50 km/h. The Icarus Gear granted enough reaction speed to avoid the car, but with so many team members scattered around, each performing different actions, things were about to getplicated. Right in front of them stood Logan, who noticed Owen¡¯s team leader, just finishing stowing away hisbat gear. She gritted her teeth and tensed her body, preparing herself. And then¡ª ¡ªCRUNCH! With a horrifying noise, Logan braced herself against the physical force of the car crashing into her. First, the shield from the Icarus Gear absorbed the impact, and the remaining energy was neutralized by Logan¡¯s mutant strength¡ªthough in this process, the asphalt beneath them began to be scraped away. After a while... "...This fucking bastard is really asking for it." Logan stopped the car and shoved the crumpled vehicle aside, muttering curses. Of course, she too was a bear. The inevitable battle had begun. Chapter 705 "Wow, a human tank!" "Damn it, this crazy bastard, the bullets can¡¯t even do any damage because of his muscles!" "He''s reinforced his joints with steel tes, aim for the head! The head!" WOOOOOOO-! It was an iprehensible sight, almost as if they had stepped into a fantasy world or made a cameo in a superhero movie. At least the operators on the ground, watching the bear-human hybrid screaming in front of them, either through the screen or with their own eyes, couldn¡¯t help but think so. And adding to that, the overwhelming roar. It was as if the very air around them was beingpressed under the weight of the beast¡¯s presence. But Dagger Team didn¡¯t freeze in fear or be paralyzed by the sight. They were the best kill team, meant to eliminate anything in their path. ¡ª¡ªRAT-A-TAT-TAT! The fire controls, previously set to semi-automatic, switched to fully automatic as they targeted the exposed body parts. The physical force of a 6.8mm Fury round was not something to take lightly. A few hits could pierce through telephone pole-sized trees or tear apart metal. Even a blow to the shin could cause significant damage. However, the only mistake Dagger Team made was underestimating the agility of the creature before them¡ªthe one temporarily called "Titan." It was far more nimble and swift than expected. "I¡¯m going to kill you!!!" It was a voice resembling a human, but not quite human, more like a beast¡¯s roar mixed with humannguage. As soon as one of the bullets pierced its shin, another beastly cry followed. But it wasn¡¯t the bone that was pierced, and Titan swiftly withdrew its foot, tossing yet another vehicle aside. But tossing a car once might work, but twice? It would no longer be effective. The shock could still be felt, but the operators were prepared and evaded the next throw. Titan¡¯s throwing cars was just one of its many abilities. ¡ª¡ªCRACK! The ground trembled with the first sound, followed by the crushing of the car with a sickening crunch. Using the car as a stepping stone, Titan charged forward in an almost animal-like posture, moving with the force of a runaway dump truck. A bear-human weighing tons elerated at a speed of dozens of kilometers per hour. At the end of its path stood Logan, holding a ballistic shield. Titan instinctively sensed she too was a bear, and read her hostility, charging toward her. But Logan wasn¡¯t going to stand still. She concentrated all the energy from her shield into her right arm. When activated, this energy could withstand tank shell impacts, providing a formidable defense. She had long since passed the point of "engagement"¡ªit didn¡¯t matter anymore. Logan charged toward the iing threat with her glowing white fist, assessing the distance as the beast approached. As she ran, continuous gunfire rang out. However, no matter how many rounds were fired, Titan didn¡¯t stop¡ªit only kept advancing. And Logan was standing at the front line to stop it. After a while, The collision between Logan¡¯s glowing fist and Titan¡¯s heavy iron helmet sent a shockwave through the area. ¡ª¡ªBOOOOM! The sound was deafening. The space around Logan¡¯s fist shimmered briefly. The nano-machines absorbing the impact overloaded, sparking like a firework, but they helped reduce the strain on Logan¡¯s right hand. A strange sensation traveled up her hand. The sound of crumpled iron and Titan¡¯s head taking a tremendous blow echoed. Although the bulletproof ting could stop bullets, the shock from the impact to Titan¡¯s head could not be absorbed. And as time returned to normal speed, Titan was sent flying to the left. But the growling continued. The massive traps that were Titan¡¯s shoulders absorbed most of the shock, reducing the force of the hit. But that was the end of it. "Damn it, spray the polyurethane foam! Cover that bastard¡¯s head!" "Logan, you crazy bitch, you¡¯re really out of your mind!" With the sessful disruption of Titan¡¯s charge, the odds were no longer in his favor. With a whoosh, a ck foam grenade struck Titan¡¯s body, expanding exponentially and forming a barrier to restrict his movement. However, a wedge was still needed. At that moment, Eugene, Olivia, and Lorentina broke through the metal barricades in the parking lot, eagerly bing the "priest" who would drive a silver stake into the heart of a vampire to seal Titan¡¯s fate. The mutant¡¯s incredible strength allowed it to tear through the rebar, and with a groan, Titan cried out in pain. But that was the end of it. "Ugh, ugh¡­!" "Shit, that scared me. Where the hell did these bastardse from?" "Quite¡­ shocking. We should review Logan¡¯s body camter." "Goddamn, what the hell is going on." Logan sighed as she massaged her numb right arm. Being knowledgeable about the human body, she could sense that the injury to her arm was a serious one. But at the cost of that injury, she had left a dent in the iron te as if she had smashed a car head-on. It was something she could boast aboutter. As the excitement died down and the situation concluded, Dagger Team¡¯s focus shifted to the newly appeared mutant. The voice that seemed to havepletely lost its sanity, and the monstrous body resembling an alpha-level mutant bio-weapon. Of course, Dagger Team had no way of knowing the full details, but they couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that Titan had appeared, nor did they have any other options at that moment. "Please tell me there aren¡¯t more of these freaks." "We don¡¯t know yet. Let¡¯s confirm and eliminate." Had there been more mutants like Titan, they would¡¯ve been detected during the earlier engagements. And strictly speaking, there were more. Land, a converted mutant, had been present in Central Park¡ªthough Dagger Team didn¡¯t know if the mutants were being bred as weapons or simply mutants. No matter the situation, Dagger Team never stopped, but encountering another bulldozer like Titan waspletely unexpected. It was time for a brief regroup. Naturally, Titan was quick, but that didn¡¯t mean he was quicker than bullets. Modern firearms could crush mutants like him, and steroid-boosted, enhanced male mutants were no exception. No one said anything, but all eyes were on Logan. It didn¡¯t take long before she pulled a grenade from her pouch. Looking at Titan, struggling to escape the polyurethane foam, Logan pulled the pin, quickly slipping a grenade between the iron ting on Titan¡¯s head. Everyone deployed their shields. And then¡ª ¡ª¡ªBOOOOM! The body of the glowing Titan came to a halt as the foam around his head exploded. The twisted, broken iron tes, and pieces of flesh scattered uncontrobly, and the moving bio-tank copsed into stillness. With a heavy breath, someone exhaled deeply. Dagger Team began to scan the surroundings, checking ammo counts and preparing for what was next. A few words were exchanged. "...This is Dagger 1-1. We¡¯ve killed a heavy target. We¡¯ll temporarily retreat to Harlem General Hospital. If more of these things keep showing up, it¡¯s going to be a problem." ¡ªDagger 1-1, retreat request confirmed. Permission granted. Should we send this intel to the cleaners? "It doesn¡¯t matter, send the alert." Communication cut off, and Owens sighed. He opened his mouth. "Let¡¯s take a break." No one objected. 8:21 AM, Central Park. The operation had slowed, and a retreat was being discussed. Land no longer needed to be supported by drones, but she was facing an unpleasant time, dealing with the questions she had been called in for. She wasn¡¯t involved with the gang anymore, and her connections to the Liker group were long severed, but she was still a mutant. That was why she was being questioned relentlessly by the support officer. Naturally, she didn¡¯t know much. The gang members and the Liker gang were anti-social criminals, and aside from some ovepping members, they didn¡¯t have much inmon. In short, she had no idea Titan existed. After a few pointless hours, she finished her meal and stepped outside. It was an unnecessarily beautiful day. And¡ª "...Ugh." "..." She ran into Captain Parkinson again, albeit not in the best of circumstances. An awkward silence passed. They had an ufortable rtionship. Furthermore, Land had once allowed the escapees to attack Captain Parkinson. As the tensions within the Liker group came to light, both of them had a rough understanding of how they were intertwined through their past actions. Strictly speaking, Land hadn¡¯t been the one to suggest attacking the US troops in Brooklyn, but she hadn¡¯t stopped it either. She had merely suggested what benefits it could bring. But that wasn¡¯t important. Ultimately, Land could be seen as partially responsible for the death of Captain Parkinson and the 107th Military Police Company. If she hadn¡¯t called the cleaners, he would have been dead. She averted her eyes, mumbling. "...About Brooklyn... I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how to say this." Whether or not she needed to apologize was debatable, but she knew she had to make amends. Land knew she was in a special position. Normally, she would be working hardbor with her subordinates in a cell. But Captain Parkinson, along with Captain Colton from another unit, had saved over 200 civilians and preserved 140bat troops. He was one of the heroes who managed a sessful retreat. Someone like him wasn¡¯t likely to take kindly to her. Parkinson stared at her with aplex expression and spoke. "Did you intend to use the escapees as bait from the start?" "...It wasn¡¯t possible. But I always thought I¡¯d have to get out when the opportunity arose. I tried talking to the soldiers a few times, failed, gave up several times..." "Why?" "You know how quickly Liker spread, right? Want to know how fast and how many soldiers in Northern Brooklyn died? Just from what I saw, there were at least fifteen soldiers executed after being caught pretending to be Liker." Whether that was true or not didn¡¯t matter. Land continued speaking, and Parkinson confirmed if it matched what he already knew. Soon after, Land brought up the attack on Maymoniz Hospital in Brooklyn. The details weren¡¯t significant. It wasn¡¯t her force but escapees under someone named Coyote who attacked Maymoniz and failed. That was when the full-scalebat broke out. Land¡ªZodiac¡ªhad identally made contact with the cleaners during this process, which eventually led to her opportunity to speak with Central Park. Captain Parkinson spoke after listening to this. "I know what an alpha-level mutant¡¯s physical abilities are like. Someone like you could have wiped out the otherpetitors and lived the life you wanted." "Are you joking? With my body destroyed, what can I do? Well, maybe. But that¡¯s not what I wanted." "Not what you wanted..." "Other guys? They¡¯re all into drugs, rap, gambling, shooting each other up. Do you see what happens when people like that exist? Just look around Central Park now." She continued, never stopping. "I just don¡¯t like ying in a ruined world with those kinds of assholes. I just want to return to the good days. Who wants to live with a gun pointed at their head every day?" "..." "And those assholes... if the government and military are still alive, they¡¯d try to kill them. Who would want to be blown apart by a bomb in their sleep? Who could like that?" Land sighed, then started to speak again but lowered her head. Captain Parkinson, watching her, couldn¡¯t help but see Eugene in her. Anyone who wasn¡¯t twisted from the start wanted a peaceful world. That was all. Parkinson didn¡¯t need to understand her path, but he saw the results. She had reached this point through her choices. That was undoubtedly true. And if she hadn¡¯t... she might have ended up like Titan. There was no need to understand, but that didn¡¯t mean he could dismiss the consequences of others¡¯ choices. He spoke softly. "I see." "...Yeah. I suppose." "Others may not think well of you. Some may look at you with disdain. To be honest, I can¡¯t look at you favorably either." "...I figured."@@novelbin@@ "But I believe that¡¯s not why you shouldn¡¯t be in Central Park." At that moment, her head turned slowly. Land met Parkinson¡¯s gaze, thinking over what his words meant. Before she could respond, Parkinson continued. "You may not know, but that little snake said something before escaping Brooklyn. He said there¡¯s no time to think, that it¡¯s a luxury. And that¡¯s what I n to do. If my men had died, maybe it would¡¯ve been different, but at least no one died because of you there." "..." "I don¡¯t know about the others, but I hope my men cane to see you in a better light in the future." "...I¡¯ll try." "You don¡¯t need to feel burdened by the past. Let¡¯s get along from here on out." He extended his hand, and Land hesitated before shaking it carefully. It wasn¡¯t a time for tears, but the woman¡¯s body had a lot of them. She muttered quietly to herself, cursing her overly emotional body. Parkinson smiled faintly. Though he didn¡¯t say it aloud, he felt she was a lot like Eugene. One by one, the issues in Central Park were being stitched up. Chapter 706 "It¡¯s raining." "It rained a few times not long ago. The youngest seems to be in a good mood." "Well, I usually feel good when it rains. Since my body is like this, I guess I can¡¯t help but feel that way¡­" "Mm." At 11 AM, rain falls steadily across the city of New York. It had already been almost 12 hours since the operation had begun. The sky darkened quickly because of the clouds, and rain started pouring down. Luckily, I loved the rain. The thick scent of blood, almost sharp enough to make my nose hurt, was washed away by the rain. Still, it hadn¡¯t disappearedpletely. It couldn¡¯t have, really. The number of enemies the Dagger Team had killed in the first 8 hours exceeded a thousand. That¡¯s just counting the Dagger Team alone; if we include the Cleaners¡¯ kill count, well, maybe around 1,800 or so. It was like an entire regiment had vanished. But even though it felt like the Dagger Team might just load up their rounds and fire them straight into the heads of all the thugs in the Bronx, their momentum had to momentarily halt. There were several reasons for that, but the biggest one was, of course, the rain and the Titan.
    • This time, it was lucky that such a crazy bastard was charging right down the wide boulevard, but if they encountered us in a narrow alley or hallway with no space to dodge, the Dagger Team would have to prepare for significant casualties.
    It was a logical, sharp, and intellectual observation. Honestly, I also found it pretty overwhelming. We could¡¯ve lost one or two people in a bad way, to be honest. It was a bit surprising that Logan took the full brunt of it head-on. But of course, that didn¡¯t mean I could ask if Logan could stop it again next time when the same thing happens. It¡¯s one thing to block it, but being the sole defender is apletely different story. Plus, Logan was currently in quite a difficult position. "Ugh, shit. I knew this was going to happen." "Your wrist¡¯s really swollen. The self-healing function is active, so it¡¯ll be fine soon. Let¡¯s put on some patches and wait." "You should be thankful that your fingers and wrist bones didn¡¯tpletely shatter, you crazy bastard. How the hell did you think you could throw a counter punch to that bear¡¯s face?" "It could happen, damn it¡­ Anyway, I killed it, so that¡¯s that. I never imagined a lunatic would throw cars, but at least my arm¡¯s fine, so that¡¯s a relief." There¡¯s no one more of a man¡¯s man than Logan. Still, in a way, maybe that was understandable. It¡¯s a bear after all. If I were a bear, not an anaconda, maybe I¡¯d think about doing it too. Of course, I didn¡¯t dare say that in front of Logan. If I had, I¡¯d probably be in a headlock right now. Anyway, during the twelve hours of operation, there were numerous skirmishes, but luckily, the Dagger Team¡¯s biggest loss was Logan¡¯s wrist, as you can see. Of course, everyone, including me, took at least a dozen bullet hits, but the Icarus Gear¡¯s shields¡­ they were literally invincible. Not a single bullet managed to pierce through our bodies. Without the shields, we would have all been dead by now. "How many gang members did they estimate?" "About 14 to 15 thousand. With the Lickers joining in, we should call it 16 thousand." "That means we¡¯ve killed about one in every eight. Not bad. At this rate, it might be enough to make the bastards hiding somewhere in fear for their lives."@@novelbin@@ "That¡¯s not enough. We need to kill them all to ensure there are no aftereffects." Meanwhile, strange talks were circting from the other side. It wasn¡¯t surprising that I agreed with those talks. Frankly speaking, I almost got raped by an escaped convict in Brooklyn, and really, whether they¡¯re gangsters or escapees, they¡¯re all the same there. They¡¯re all bastards who deserve to be killed. And on arger scale, unless almost every gang lowers its tail ¡ª which, honestly, you couldn¡¯t even count on ¡ª they¡¯ll never be able to properly operate the railroads. If someone nted an IED on the tracks¡­ what would happen then? A disaster in an instant. Logan didn¡¯t seem like he was going to stop fighting here, and thanks to the drones delivering ammunition andbat support equipment, there was no problem at all. When you think about it, thebat power of the thugs wasn¡¯t particrly impressive. We at least had plenty of ammo. But those guys would probably be out of ammo unless they looted supplies scattered elsewhere. Besides, most of them weren¡¯t even former soldiers, so they hadn¡¯t been properly trained in shooting. Do you really think they could fight with trigger control, adjusting between semi-automatic and automatic fire at the right moments? ¡®Anyway...¡¯ The conversation dragged on. There was no need to summarize it. The enemy was just a bunch of stupid idiots with a lot of numbers, and we were going to crush them all. We wouldn¡¯t stop until we couldn¡¯t move anymore. And it seemed like Logan thought the same. "Where¡¯s the next operation area?" "Still checking. It looks like we¡¯ll head towards the railroad again. We¡¯ll confirm the repairs, join up with the Cleaners, and enter the subway station." "Let¡¯s fix the shield on my right forearm and hold a handgun with my left hand. That should work." "...Hah, what would I say to an Arctic bear who¡¯s already taken down another bear? Give me your right hand. I¡¯ll apply a splint." Olivia sighed and grabbed Logan¡¯s wrist, which was so thin and frail that imagining her fighting off a Titan would be unimaginable. She twisted his wrist into ce, then wrapped a splint and bandages around it. Logan grimaced, clearly displeased, but what else could he do? After a while, the Icarus Gear vibrated, and somethingnded near the room where the Dagger Team was. It was the ammunition andbat support equipment I mentioned earlier. "If there¡¯s no significant damage, orders are to resume operations from 1300." "By that time, my wrist should be almost back to normal. Just need a little more rest..." "Should I set a timer for you?" "Gross, you bastard." Logan sighed and leaned back on the hospital bed mattress, letting out a quiet breath and falling asleep. He probably didn¡¯t care about the noise around him. The Icarus Gear had noise cancetion, so no matter how loud things got, he could sleep peacefully. He had already calcted the exact number of rounds needed, and because of that, the box only contained that exact amount. So there was no need to obsess over the supply boxes. It was a quiet day. And with the rain falling, it felt almost like listening to ASMR. "Ahhh, I¡¯m so sleepy..." "A veryfortable yawn. I guess it¡¯s no surprise. When an operation goes on for so long, it¡¯s normal to feel sleepy. You should rest more too, youngest." "Can you give me a pillow to rest my head on...?" "Where the hell is thising from, kid?" "Ahhh!" Naturally, I got a p on the head. It was cruel. They used to do this a lot at the Alpha-level mutant dorm... but now wasn¡¯t the time to say that. I learned that Olivia didn¡¯t just do this at any time. Well, maybe it was embarrassing. I had no choice but to lie down like Logan and let theing storm wash over me. I hadn¡¯t slept much, so the drowsiness came quickly. Thoughts melted away, and the world became a blur. ¡®...What am I doing here?¡¯ My body was stuck in a hospital somewhere in Harlem, but it felt like I was still wandering somewhere in Brooklyn. When will I be able to go back? Is Korea still okay? Are my parents fine...? All those thoughts dissolved into the pot of sleep, melting away into nothing. The sun was high in the sky, but the world was still dark. Just like my heart. "...It¡¯s kind of pathetic every time I see it." "This is why you can¡¯t leave the kid alone, huh? You should give him a hug and such." "No, that... I could do that, but I¡¯m still a little ufortable. I¡¯m not fully ready, you know." "Tch." "...Damn, you¡¯re trying to make me feel like trash, you bastards. Fine, I got it!" Meanwhile, inside the room where Eugene cried herself to sleep. An hourter, after Logan had taken a nap, she was once again at risk of being destroyed by other mutants. Not long ago, Logan had his first-ever mutant hug. After having just finished with the Bloodhood gang, which had taken control of the 42nd Support Regiment building above Harlem Hospital, and crossing the 145th bridge over the Harlem River, the Dagger Team methodicallybed through the nearby buildings that needed to be secured, as expected. The fighting resumed from 1 PM. Even though we had already partially given up, there was still no time to head back to Central Park. Eleven people were far too few to control the Bronx. Fortunately, the Cleaners advanced relentlessly and rapidly. Their numbers were vast, and their speed in pushing through each building was tremendous. They were also deploying a crazy weapon called the Dragon. However, the Dagger Team wasn¡¯t in the same position. It was extremely difficult to find and capture all the thugs hiding in the Metropolitan area. Furthermore, the higher-ups issued orders for total annihtion. This was physically and mentally exhausting. Of course, "¡­Central Park, Dagger Team here. We¡¯re currently at a nightclub called the New City Cabaret¡­ we¡¯ve visually identified what appears to be a mass murder of civilians by a gang." If there were ever a reason to exterminate the enemy, that was the driving force. One of Icarus Gear¡¯s many functions was the Echo function. After analyzing the visual and auditory data from CCTV, it would recreate a hologram showing what had transpired in a specific area. Once it activated, the Dagger Team was able to clearly understand how many civilians had been killed, and in what manner ¡ª though the corpses we saw were decaying. It seemed like a long time had passed since then.
    • ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. The rules are simple. The one who drinks more survives. How merciful! Let¡¯s start quickly, haha!¡±
    • ¡°Shit, I¡¯ve got kids at home, I have to go back... Ugh, this is bleach, ugh...!¡±
    • ¡°Oh, did I? My bad. But hey, how could I have gotten such expensive booze in a situation like this? Just tough it out with bleach. You¡¯re not saying you won¡¯t drink, right, friend?¡±
    One.
    • ¡°Please, please, let me go! I swear I won¡¯te back here again!¡±
    • ¡°Palms are 5 points, arms and legs 10 points, abdomen 15 points. And the head... 20 points? Haha, this is fun! I used to be a recreation instructor.¡±
    • ¡°Throwing stars, shurikens, daggers. How did you know I liked this stuff? Let me try¡­ haha! 15 points, you bastards!¡±
    • ¡°Ugh, aaahhh¡­! Stop, stop! Please¡ª!¡±
    Two.
    • ¡°What¡¯s a party without music? The piano keeps stopping, this is a problem!¡±
    • ¡°Aaahh, my leg! My leg¡­¡±
    • ¡°Wow, you cut the femoral artery clean off. No mercy¡­ Hey, who said to stop ying? Don¡¯tin just because you got a knife stuck in your thigh.¡±
    • ¡°Grrr... ggrrgh¡­¡±
    Three. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. It was just the beginning. Here, many people had died. Those who had fought desperately to survive for just one more day, and who had survived the virus outbreak, had died without any dignity. However, the members of the Dagger Team looked on with indifference. Unlike me, who was sitting there, ready to vomit from the sight, their reactions werepletely different. But I knew that it wasn¡¯t because they felt nothing ¡ª I knew that better than anyone. "Looks like they¡¯ve been dead for over four days. Given how faint the bodies are, I can guess what happened." "This was the work of Mara Salvaturcha. There aren¡¯t many gangs that wouldmit such acts." "I don¡¯t know exactly where the gangs are located or how many of them there are, but maybe we can leave a few alive and ask." "Youngest, looks like it¡¯ll take a while to get home... but I believe you¡¯ll understand." "Yeah..." How could I not understand? These people were me. If I hadn¡¯t met Captain Parkinson, if I¡¯d been shot in Brooklyn and lost all will to fight, if I hadn¡¯t retreated with the 107th Military Police Company from Brooklyn, this would have been the end that awaited me. I had never forgotten that fact. And as such things continued to happen, one thought constantly crossed my mind ¡ª because of this special situation, the higher-ups wanted total annihtion, and that was the right thing to do... No, I didn¡¯t even need to question it. It was the right thing. "¡­Lorentina. If we wipe out all these thugs¡­ will the world be a better ce?" "First, let me remind you that you don¡¯t need to worry about such things, Youngest. What we¡¯re carrying out is an order, and the Dagger Team has carefully considered the validity of this order and has judged it to be sound. Don¡¯t attach any more meaning to it." "¡­I guess that¡¯s true?" "Of course." ...I wasn¡¯t sure what to say, but I figured it might be that way. In a way, I was relieved. It calmed my mind after almost losing it from the horrific sight. I sighed and went outside, deciding not to think strange thoughts anymore. Sadly, just being there for a moment, my body was already starting to stink horribly. I regretted not turning off the smell-blocking feature. Anyway, I would have to wash my clothes when I got back. ...I couldn¡¯t believe I was having these thoughts after seeing over a hundred unidentified, unprocessed corpses. I had been here for only a few months, and it hadn¡¯t even been half that time since I became abatant, yet already I was thinking like this¡­ My head ached. Then, at some point, I felt a familiar presence from behind. "Youngest." "¡­You followed me, even though you must be busy." "Psychological care is one of the many tasks the team leader must handle. I can¡¯t ignore today¡¯s events, but don¡¯t worry. Once the higher-ups receive the footage of that scene, the result will be total annihtion." "That¡¯s true¡­?" "Of course." That alone gave me somefort. I wasn¡¯t sure if this was the right kind offort, but I decided not to think about it anymore. Then Lorentina, with a deliberately yful smile, added: "I¡¯ve gone this far to take care of you, so please don¡¯t forget it. Hehehe..." "...Of course, I won¡¯t. Who else would I trust but Lorentina? Ah." "Lorentina... I never thought I¡¯d be called that, but I guess it¡¯s not so bad after all. Well, if not me, who else would take care of our little cutie?" Then, she handed me a trident insignia and patted my head. This was definitely... a signal to join the navy. Naturally, it couldn¡¯t have been anything else. Yet, she still made sure to emphasize that "that¡¯s not the intention," which made everything perfectly clear in its own way. Leaving behind my confused expression, Lorentina casually walked off to another ce, and I stood there staring at her back, pocketing the insignia. I had no idea where I was headed. Even I didn¡¯t know that. Andter, I had to admit that I should have joined the navy. Sharks, in more ways than one, held grudges.
    • Dagger Team Greenwood is expected to arrive in northern Manhattan within 30 seconds. The Eastern Air Defense Zone (EADS) remains silent. There should be no major setbacks to the operation for now.
    • Understood, Greenwood. As soon as you arrive, initiate contact with the gang and begin ¡®recycling.¡¯
    • Acknowledged. I¡¯ll contact you once we¡¯re in position.
    Themunication cut off, and Greenwood, who had been overseeing it, looked over the transport aircraft filled with unmanned drones, hundreds of firearms, and various other unknown machines. The Artemis symbol was prominently engraved on the devices attached to his head and spine. Chapter 707
    • "...We''repletely fucked. They said they have no intention of negotiating or talking, those crazy bastards!"
    • "Too many are running away. We¡¯re pulling out. We shouldn''t even look towards Mara Salvaturca for a while. These fucking idiots, I told them... don¡¯t touch the civilians..."
    • "Pulling out? What the hell are you talking about? Because of what those bastards did, we¡¯re all stuck with chains now! Whether it''s fast or slow, we''re all gonna die here!"
    • "Shit, thene up with a decent n! Don¡¯t just p your gums!"
    June, early June, North Bronx, overcast weather, many casualties from gang violence. It had been three days since therge-scale, precision yet brutal gang purge operation led by the Dagger Team had begun, and the Bronx¡ªif we were to express it politely¡ªhad fallen into chaos. And to put it bluntly, the riotous gangs of the Bronx, now reduced from 15,000 to around 12,000, were frantically stomping their feet, shouting "Auto K" as though the end of the world wereing tomorrow. In fact, it wasn''t entirely incorrect. Especially the fact that the end of the world could indeede tomorrow. A far more immediate and tangible extinction was slowly creeping up on them. With physical sound to apany it.
    • "[This message is being delivered to all those listening on behalf of the U.S. government.]"
    • "[The U.S. government has made efforts to minimize chaos and ensure citizen safety, but due to uncontroble circumstances, this directive has changed.]"
    • "[For the survival of citizens and the restoration of the nation''s basic infrastructure, the U.S. government will physically eradicate all hostile and anti-government forces.]"
    • "[There will be no furthermunication.]"
    The recorded voice echoed from the sky several times. Though it had been said repeatedly, when a rat cornered a cat, the expected oue was inevitable. In this situation, strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t exactly a cat bitten by a rat but rather an elephant slightly bitten by an alligator, which, while being beaten badly, was now trampling the alligator indiscriminately and making it bleed to death. But the elephant was already on the brink of death after taking several blows. The oue of triggering the top predator at the wrong time is typically what you¡¯d expect. Two days after the operation began, and three days in total, as the Dagger Team¡¯s des pierced through the enemy¡ªabout 100 to 400 people a day¡ªthe reactions of the rioters were divided into two main categories. One was resistance, and the other was surrender. The former was typicallyposed of criminals from overseas, foreign gangs, or mafia, people with no escape routes, while thetter was the choice of those with some level of legitimate standing in the U.S. And the rioters who didn¡¯t fall into either category chose pure survival. Among them were some who tried to forcefully remove their tattoos, dying from excessive blood loss, shock, or infection. However, at the end of the day, these were part of a loose mob of 12,000 rioters, and even if they didn¡¯t want it, they were bound to make contact with something when they stirred. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the ce where this stir was sensed was not Central Park. It was something far more sinister.
    • "...What the hell is this?"
    • "As you can see, it¡¯s a little gift. Our side wants you to keep fighting against the U.S. government... We will make you the ''backing'' you¡¯ve always wanted."
    Within a day or two, heavily armed troops, resembling soldiers molded into the very essence of "suspicion," met with the rioters. And these weren¡¯t the typical shotguns, rifles, or ordinary weapons you might find in a gun shop. These were advanced firearms, the kind that were clearly meant for U.S. military or beyond. Ironically, because of that, the rioters understood how significant the "backing" they were being offered might be¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean they¡¯d just gobble it up. It was clearly suspicious. The gangs only wanted one thing: to take what they could get and avoid any interference. A ssic case of extreme rebellion. Of course, the power bnce was never in the rioters'' favor, and what awaited them was something entirely unexpected. One day, two days, three days passed, and hundreds of gang members in the Bronx began "disappearing." The result soon began to manifest indirectly. "¡­The Cleaner reconnaissance team vanished?" "That''s what they say. Looks like they pulled a clever move." "That''s troubling. They¡¯re not the type to just fall into an ambush like that. Even reconnaissance teams usually move in groups of 10 to 20, and they¡¯d be far better armed than the gangs. So, for them to vanish like this¡­" "There¡¯s something going on. Let¡¯s check it out." The Dagger Team began to move. In less than a week since the operation began, the Dagger Team, the first and strongest of the Icarus forces, had killed over 2,000 people. The result was as expected. As they tore through the Bronx like rats, the operational scope of the Dagger Team had expanded far beyond what would be expected from a mere squadron. Now, they were heading towards the area previously taken over by the Cleaner forces without any major issues. In the ce full of burnt corpses and the stench of fuel, 11 members of the Dagger Team took over the location where the reconnaissance team had vanished. Today''s destination was a decayedplex with narrow alleyways and low-rise apartments, reminding one of a Brazilian fav. "...This terrain is horrifically designed. I think I can guess why the reconnaissance team was wiped out here." "Not anymore. With the Pulse, everything bes easy." The Pulse¡ªa power so close to magic that it couldn¡¯t be avoided. It prated walls and detected all forms of higher-dimensional beings in human shape. As soon as the entire building was scanned, the enemy¡¯s numbers and locations began to be clear. The Pulse, which could detect anything human in form, even detected the bodies of the dead. Soon, the Dagger Team was able to conclude that the Cleaner reconnaissance team had all been killed. But they weren¡¯t concerned. Their only goal was to crush every enemy they encountered. They nned to make those who had wiped out the Cleaner reconnaissance team pay with bullets. "Same as always, split into three teams. Eliminate all visible enemies and recover anything that might give us an idea of what happened here. Got it?" "Yes, understood." "Eugene, as always, you¡¯ll apany Eagle Team." "Yes." And so, they entered the building. A densely packed area with around twenty buildings closely lined together. Unlike the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan, these buildings were all identical. Yet the Dagger Team moved with such precision, it was as if they knew exactly where the enemy was. They took the shortest route to achieve maximum results. Even if the enemy was behind a wall in another building, it didn¡¯t matter. However, after engaging inbat for a while, the Dagger Team started to feel an unusual "anomaly." "¡­Shark, something feels off about these guys. They don¡¯t seem to feel pain at all." "Their durability is unnervingly high. Take note of it." It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t be killed. But even though they¡¯d suffered damage severe enough to incapacitate them, they remained unharmed and fought back. Normally, such damage would result in shock death, yet they were still alive and fighting. At first, the mutated members suspected drugs, but soon realized it wasn¡¯t that either. They showed no expression, and their movements were far too mechanical. They weren¡¯t under the influence of drugs. They were something different. ¡ª Thud! Thud! Thud! "¡­Still, a shot to the head kills them, but that¡¯s not the point. The weapons they¡¯re using and their movements are different. It¡¯s like¡­ soldiers pretending to be gangsters." "They¡¯ve got some ridiculous devices on their heads and necks. Looks like it¡¯s controlling their motor cortex and blocking pain. Not sure what it is, but we should confirm with the soldiers inbat." Even when shot, they didn¡¯t immediately go down. They were armed with firearms equal to or superior to U.S. military weapons. Their movements had improved significantly. What did this mean exactly? No one knew. But the Dagger Team immediately realized something suspicious was unfolding¡ªsomething they hadn¡¯t anticipated. But this was just the beginning. As the fight continued, Loren Tina suddenly caught a strange scent. She immediately recognized where it wasing from and what it was. The smell of oil and explosives was rising from the basement of a nearby apartment building. "Shit, everyone get out, go back the way we came¡ªnow!" ¡ª Boom! At that moment, a massive explosion shook the building. But that wasn¡¯t the end. A huge fire spread at an absurd rate¡ªeventually, they realized it was because of the gas lines running through theplex. But there was no time to think about that now.
    • "Support Operator 1, arge number of enemies are heading our way! Dagger Team, get out of there now!"
    "¡­This was one hell of a trap they set up¡­!" Almost 500 enemies started charging towards the Dagger Team. No one was ignorant of the fact that this was an ambush. The battle to the death had begun. Central Park ¨C A few kilometers away Something was happening there as well. "Doctor Dexter¡¯s presence can¡¯t be detected. We will continue moving."
    • Timer activated. You must leave Central Park in 20 minutes.
    The man swiftly removed his blood-soaked sky-blue jumpsuit and discarded the ID card used to enter Central Park into the trash. At the same time, he snapped his fingers. As the hologram covering his body disappeared, his form, skeletal structure, and gender changed entirely. It was simple: she¡ªnow that she had be a she¡ªhad infiltrated Central Park with a special purpose. To get in, she had killed an external contractor assigned to water quality inspection from HQ and had sessfully entered the facility in an instant. It wasn¡¯t impossible to enter as a refugee, but the procedure would have required mandatory ID registration and a detention period, so she chose this method instead. She wandered through the internal facilities of Central Park, looking for a ce where Dr. Dexter might be. Once inside, Valerie wasn¡¯t hindered in any way. She casually moved through the heavily guarded areas where numerous soldiers from HQ were stationed and walked around the facility, keeping a low profile. Before long, she noticed a flickering sensor near arge detention facility close to a restricted zone. "Timer set. Optical decoys activated. Operational time: 5 minutes... I¡¯ve located Dr. Dexter. I¡¯ll begin the rescue now. Primary objective is extraction, but if it¡¯s impossible to escort him, I¡¯ll remove his head."
    • That will be sufficient. Proceed with the mission.
    "Understood. Valerie out." Click! At that moment, her arm twisted unnaturally. It wasn¡¯t just a twist. Her arm opened. From the gap, a foldable de emerged, resembling the front legs of a praying mantis. The de anchored into the wall like an anchor, and Valerie began climbing the several-meter-high wall with ease. There were no people nearby, but even if there had been, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered, thanks to the optical decoy. Shended softly with barely a sound, then proceeded to check the location of the entrance before confirming that there was no checkpoint at the main gate of the detention facility. In other words, it was a free pass to her destination. Valerie entered the building. Inside, many people were present, but no one could recognize her. She skillfully maneuvered through the crowd, inching closer to the interior of the facility. How long had it been? She approached a separate security gate that blocked her path. "Found a separate gate. Dr. Dexter¡¯s signal is stilling through¡­ I¡¯ll initiate directbat." Click! Her arm twisted again in an eerie fashion, and her forearm opened to reveal the hidden de, which shed silver as it plunged into the chin of a soldier sitting at a desk reading a book. The de pierced through his chin, cracking the skull, and the soldier copsed lifelessly onto the floor. This wasn¡¯t the end. Another soldier guarding the gate met a simr fate soon after. After disabling the gatepletely, Valerie crossed through it silently, unaware that separate iron bars were still in ce further down the corridor. But it didn¡¯t matter. Crash! With a swing of her arm, she tore through the bars, tossed them aside, and moved swiftly toward her target. And, not long after, she found Dr. Dexter sitting in a room, staring nkly at the ceiling. With the de¡¯s tip, Valerie tapped the thick plexiss wall, then spoke. "I¡¯ve located Dr. Dexter. I will begin the rescue now." Crackling noise! Valerie inserted both arms into the wall at an angle and crossed them in an X-shape. The sma heat from her arms melted the plexiss and ripped it apart.@@novelbin@@ As she did so, Dr. Dexter¡¯s eyes began to regain some life. He didn¡¯t speak, just quickly began preparing to leave the area. However, he wasn¡¯t aware of what Valerie was looking at down the corridor. "What¡¯s happening?"
    • Valerie, Alpha-ss mutant identified within Central Park. Combat engagement will begin now... Cancel that. Neutralizing and capturing this mutant is now equal priority to the rescue of Dr. Dexter.
    "...What?" It didn¡¯t matter how or why a mutant was there. Artemis was unaware of any other mutants being in Central Park, and Valerie felt her mission¡¯s orders to capture the "mutant" sh with her primary directive: to rescue Dr. Dexter. The decision was made swiftly. She first severed the limbs of the wolf-like mutant in front of her, then proceeded to staunch the bleeding, covering the de with sma. As Valerie crossed the hallway at lightning speed, a scream echoed out. "Shiiiiiiiit!" Bang! The scream of Zodiac and the sound of gunfire rang out pitifully. It was the moment when an unprecedented danger approached Valerie. Chapter 708 "Ugh, ugh¡­" A few minutes earlier, Central Park. Rand, rubbing her swollen belly, sat heavily on her bed, or rather, in her single-person detention room. Her body felt heavy. Her stomach was full, and the smell of food lingered on her skin, never quite leaving. Her nose tingled from the scent. Today had been overwhelming. There was so much to do, and the lingering smell of food on her clothes and hair was an indirect testament to what she had been doing¡ªshe had just finished working in food preparation. Someone might wonder if Rand¡¯s work wasn¡¯t more like that of a trainee operations officer, but that would be both true and false. To be exact, she had been doing everything she could, including preparing for her role as a trainee operations officer. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think so many people would show up.¡± There were more than 2,500 people in Central Park. In terms of numbers, it was somewhere between a regiment and a brigade. They consisted of civilians, operations officers, analysts, high-ranking government officials, soldiers, and many other professionals, all of whom needed substantial food supplies to continue their work. Naturally, preparing and cooking enough food for 2,500 people required a lot of work, and a significant number of people were needed to clean up afterward. Today, Rand had been tasked with assisting with all of it. As the enemies that the Dagger Team faced grew stronger, many situations arose that were beyond the capacity of Rand as a trainee, so she was temporarily reassigned to help with other tasks. This was the result. ''...I¡¯ve eaten plenty, so I guess that¡¯s enough for now.'' She cut the ingredients, set the tables, and did all the small tasks to the best of her ability, even though she was a beginner. The fact that she could eat as much as she wanted was something she was truly grateful for. The people who came for their meals either knew her or didn¡¯t. But that didn¡¯t matter. Doing her best in everything was the only way she could cover up her past. Had it been a regr day, she might have been skeptical, but today, she wasn¡¯t. A few days ago, Captain Parkinson had told her that he wouldn¡¯t dwell on the past, and that was essentially a signal to do well moving forward. At the very least, that¡¯s what she wanted. So, she would do just that. Of course, now that she was full, she decided to wait for a while. ¡°¡­Huh, maybe I should take a walk.¡± Not only did she need to digest, but perhaps something else woulde up outside. For now, she needed that kind of proactive attitude¡ªthough the food smell was making her nose hurt. She discarded her work clothes and changed into something else before heading outside. The fresh air outside smelled of earth and wet asphalt. After smelling food so strongly for so long, just inhaling the outside air felt like a form of mental healing. As she absentmindedly rifled through her empty pockets, she muttered to herself. ¡°¡­I quit. Right.¡± Since bing a wolf, she couldn¡¯t tolerate the harsh, pungent smell of cigarettes and had quit instantly. Still, she felt a slight emptiness in her pocket now that the weight was gone. Rand looked around leisurely. It seemed the rain had stopped while she was working, but aside from the deep clouds and humid air that made a "guuu" sound as they drifted, there wasn¡¯t anything particrly noteworthy. No. There hadn''t been. ''...?'' In that moment, a strange scent was carried by the wind. She instinctively turned her head in the direction of the smell. There was nothing. It was a scent she had never encountered before. At first, there was nothing odd about it. Central Park saw dozens of civilians pass through daily. Rand was well aware that civilians brought all kinds of different smells with them. But... She knew that the peopleing to the detention block and the strange smell she had just noticed were not on the usual list. At the very least, the scent didn¡¯t resemble the smell of blood¡ªmore like the smell of burning stic. "I came back sooner than expected. Did I leave something behind?" "No, no, I just got hungry again." "Well, you don¡¯t need to say anything. Just make sure you write up the entry logs and leave on time." Rand felt the need to investigate. She awkwardly brushed off the conversation and returned to her room. Her quarters were inside the facility, so she had unrestricted ess, and there was no need for a keycard or ID to move around the detention center. She quickly headed back inside. However, her destination was not her room. Now a wolf, Rand didn¡¯t need to follow objects with her eyes. Her enhanced sense of smell was enough to guide her. She followed the scent of burning stic. The detention facility wasn¡¯t enormous, but it wasn¡¯t small either. The structure was simple enough, and even though Rand hadn¡¯t spent much time there, she knew where everything was. And she realized that the scent was leading her toward the special detention blocks¡ªareas she wasn¡¯t supposed to enter. The moment she realized this, the sharp scent of blood hit her. She rushed forward, reaching the gate that separated the special detention blocks from the regr ones. And¡ª "Ugh...!" She saw the body of one person, their head pierced, and another in the room, torn apart and shredded. The blood smelled fresh, still thick and sticky. They had died very recently. Rand hastily checked her surroundings, looking for a way to contact the outside, but the walkie-talkie and the emergency buttons inside the special detention block were all broken. She had no choice but to pick up a gun from the floor. It was slick with blood, and the sensation was terrible, but she fought the urge to vomit and ran out. The scent of blood made it impossible to track the path, but she no longer needed to rely on it. "Shit, what the hell is ahead¡­" A metal bar, cut in an X shape. Her heart raced, and her hands trembled. The fear that she might end up like those bodies, sliced up and discarded, overwhelmed her, but there was no turning back now. She ran. She didn¡¯t have a solid reason for running. If asked, she probably wouldn¡¯t have an answer. She might die. The odds were certainly higher. But something told her she couldn¡¯t stop now. And how much time had passed? "Shit, what the hell¡­" Arge, folding de was sticking out of a twisted forearm. The wall she had to cross, the glowing de in the distance, it was no more than 20 meters away. But Rand didn¡¯t feel that distance was far at all. She could close it in two seconds if she wanted to. And so could the other side. The inhuman, metallic eyes of the cyborg scanned her, and a low voice followed. "¡­This is Valerie. Identified as an Alpha-ss mutant affiliated with Central Park. Engaging inbat now¡­ No, the neutralization and capture of this entity will be prioritized equally with the rescue of Dr. Dexter." "What?" She voiced her confusion, but with her hands, she pulled up the gun. The animal instincts screamed that she had to deal with this bizarre cyborg or die. Her fingers, trained from training, pulled the trigger. And at that moment, the cyborg lunged toward Rand. Her curses exploded from her mouth. "Shiiiiiiiiiiiit!" The sound of gunfire filled the hallway and detention center, almost deafening her. Her firstbat encounter had begun. A few secondster... "Boom!" "Ugh... did I block that? Impressive." It took just two seconds for Valerie to dodge around the approximately 20 bullets fired in a fraction of a moment, and reach Rand¡¯s position. Her forearm had be shredded, her clothes were torn, and the impact points were dented. In fact, one or two of the bullets had grazed her head and face, leaving deep gashes, but her target¡ªRand¡ªwas still alive. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. Valerie swung her mantis des diagonally, and any ordinary person would have had their arms sliced off without even realizing it. But Rand¡ªdespite her untrained state¡ªmanaged to partially block with her firearm. She half-blocked the attack, though the gun was instantly sliced in half. The now-scorched and halved gun dropped to the floor, and Rand barely managed to hold onto the bent arm that was about to strike her, bracing herself with all her strength to stop the iing punch. It felt like trying to stop a wall pushed by a hydraulic press. However, holding on for dear life like this meant that the strength of the Alpha-ss mutant cyborg was equivalent to a heavily modified individual, far beyond human limits. "Ghh, ugh...!" "Please, stop resisting. If you cut the wrong part, you could go into shock and die." "Shit, please... just let me go! Somebody, please help me!" The heat radiating from the bluish glowing de was immense. Even though it was at least 20 cm away from her body, the heat made it almost impossible to keep her eyes open. She knew that if that de dug into her body, unimaginable pain would follow. Rand hadn¡¯t trained in closebat, but that very fact gave her a small advantage in the frantic fight. She kicked the cyborg¡¯s unprotected abdomen with all her might, and quickly readied herself to dash back. And in the end, it turned out to be a smart choice. Spot! "Yikes...!" "You¡¯re good at this, aren¡¯t you?" In just a split second, Valerie had dodged through the barrage of bullets, only to close in on Rand. Her forearm had been utterly destroyed, her clothing in tatters, and the target zone had been pierced. Some of the bullets had even grazed her head and face, but despite this, the cyborg was still standing¡ªunscathed. Yet, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, Valerie swung her mantis de diagonally again. A normal person wouldn¡¯t have even seen the moveing before losing their limbs, but Rand, somehow, managed to block it using her firearm. Half-blocked, that is, before the gun itself was severed. The red-hot, half-split gun dropped to the ground as Rand reached out, grasping the bent arm with all her remaining strength to resist the pressure of the iing punch. It was like trying to stop a massive wall pressing against you. But the fact that she was even holding out meant that the Alpha-ss mutant cyborg¡¯s strength far exceeded human limits, on par with any highly modified being. "Ugh, haah...!" "Stop struggling. If you cut the wrong part, it might be fatal." "Shit, please...! Somebody, help me! Anybody!?" The intense heating from the glowing de was unbearable. Even though it was 20 cm away from her body, the heat made it hard to see, let alone react to the oing attack. Rand realized that if that de struck her, unimaginable pain would follow. She had no formal training, but that very fact gave her an advantage¡ªperhaps out of sheer panic. Sheshed out with a fierce kick to the cyborg¡¯s exposed abdomen, and without hesitation, readied herself to retreat. And ultimately, that choice proved to be the right one. Spot! "Hiiiii! What the hell¡­! "You¡¯ve got good instincts." As she quickly evaded the iing knife-like blow, Rand¡¯s legs seemed to falter at thest moment. A sharp de nearly grazed her thigh. It was a close call, but the moment it passed by, her face paled from the realization of how narrowly she had avoided disaster. At that very moment, she felt a wetness dripping down her leg¡ªsomething she didn¡¯t want to know about. But thest thing she could think of was stopping. She didn¡¯t dare slow down. The urge to run was overwhelming. Despite her pounding heart, she sprinted down the corridor, her mind focused solely on escaping. Even though she could feel her body weakening, the distance between her and the cyborg was closing fast. The hallway felt like it was closing in on her. At that very moment, the sound of soldiers¡¯ shouts echoed around her.@@novelbin@@ "Stop! Halt!" "Stop, stop, you fucking idiots! You¡¯re gonna get us killed!" With the unnatural speed of a mutant, Rand was charging down the corridor toward the front gate. The soldiers, intent on stopping her, would have fired any moment¡ªif not for what emerged from the corridor ahead. "Shit, what the hell is that..." "Fire! Fire now!" "Rand''s in the crossfire!" "Damn it, Rand! Get down!" At that moment, she dove forward, almost as if leaping, and hit the floor with her face inches from the ground. Just then, a 40mm grenade fired from a mobile unit¡¯s under-barrel rail flew over her, narrowly missing. Had the targeting been even slightly off, Rand would¡¯ve been killed on the spot. But it wasn¡¯t off. The grenade passed a mere 20 cm over her head. Yet, it never touched her. As she continued sprinting with fierce determination, her arm sliced diagonally in the air. In an unbelievable twist, the grenade split in two right before her. Of course¡­ Boom! The explosion didn¡¯t fail to make its mark. Her right arm and torso were shredded in the st. As the cyborg emerged from the smoke, two more grenades were quickly loaded, and a far more urate shot was fired. The second grenade, now aimed with terrifying precision, struck the path Rand had taken through the corridor. The st was far too powerful for any human to withstand, let alone a mutant. As the smoke cleared, the silhouette of the mangled cyborg could barely be seen, slumped on the floor. A long silence followed. The mobile assault team leader gestured for the soldiers to search the area. The first two soldiers entered the smoke to confirm the cyborg¡¯s condition. The next two entered cautiously and found Rand lying motionless on the ground. Her condition was gruesome. "Are you okay?" "Ugh, shit, damn it, I¡¯ve been begging for help and now you¡¯re here! Where were you earlier!?" "You¡¯ve done well. Good job." "Hah, ha¡­" Tears were flowing, and her nose was bleeding from the fall. She knew that they hade rushing to the scene right after the incident, so she no longerined, wiping her tears as she struggled to walk out of the front door. Three hours earlier, the CCTV footage was revealed, Dr. Dexter was permanently re-incarcerated, and Rand''s reassessment began. Chapter 709 "Fuck, this is a total ho''s nest, here¡­!" "Even in the Brazilian favs, there was nothing this crazy, but this is absolutely incredible¡­ Left! The 4th floor window of the building on the left! There''s an enemy in every window you can see!" "Dagger 1, send fire support or evacuation helicopters to the Valentine Avenue area immediately! A battalion of rioters are rushing towards this ce!" Arge number of enemies wereing from the front, back, left, right, and even above and below. The vibration detection was so messy that it was dense that it was being picked up from all directions. However, the excellent hardware called the country was visualizing it as a kind of¡­ 3D map and was tracking the approaching enemies in real time. That wasn''t the end of it. The pulse that the Dagger team was using at regr intervals was much better than my 3D map, and I could tell right away how many enemies there were, whether it was because of it or not. The enemies were rushing in with a momentum and density that made me think of androids, not people. "Aim for the head! Don''t use Mozambique drills, just shoot two bullets into the head! You won''t die properly if you don''t blow up the head!" "I have no idea who the hell made that, you damn thing...!" "Bow down!" Doo doo doo doo doo! A loud noise and a sh of light before my eyes. I knew there was no time to exin. At that moment, I fell down on the spot, just like my muscle memory had told me. There was no need to exin what happened next. About fifteen bullets pierced the space where my head had just been. The .277 Fury bullets pierced the heads of about four enemies rushing through the air. Leaving the corpses behind, the scattered Dagger teams began to gather in one ce. From now on, it was time to somehow survive here. Until somethinges that can get us out of here, whether it''s a helicopter, a drone, or a transporter. "We''re going up to the rooftop! Get your res ready!" "Move quickly! Before the stairs are covered in corpses!" I step on the corpses that seem more like clones than humans and leave the room. I feel a squeaking sound and a horrible sensation under my feet, but I try to ignore it. The ganging up the stairs copses on the spot as soon as our eyes meet, their heads exploding. As I go up each floor, the smell of blood fades, and the damp outside air fills the ce. In the hallways, I often see not the freshly dead corpses of the rioters, but rather the dried corpses that look like they''ve been dead for quite some time. It didn''t take long to get through that horrible sight and reach the rooftop door. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaang! The door is locked with a thick, rusty chain. But the moment Laurentina kicked the door, it burst open and the next moment, seven people, including me, were swept onto the rooftop like a tsunami. As I said earlier, the enemies wereing from all sides, front, back, left, right, above, and below, and here, the rooftop was full of enemies. That meant that the rooftop was also full of enemies. However, I just had to kill them all. It didn¡¯t matter how many enemies there were. I just hoped that I could get out of here safely by killing them. I put the enemy in my crosshairs and pulled the trigger. I always feel this way, but the scene after the bullet passed through the person¡¯s head was not as gentle as in a movie. It was too unrealistic. I literally copsed on the spot with all my strength drained from my body. It was to the point where I wondered if it was okay for someone to die so easily. However, I could only finish that impression in less than a second. In order to survive even one more second on the rooftop with almost no cover, I had to kill all the enemies on all sides.@@novelbin@@ "Mobile cover deployed, countermeasures activated." "Fuck, grind them all down!" Kwung! Laurentina put down her bag, unzipped it, and mmed it hard with her fist. At that moment, it literally swelled up into a bulletproof shieldrge enough to cover several people, and a 40mm automatic grenadeuncher attached separately rose from underneath. There were several bangs, as if empty cans were being hit, and explosions urred here and there. The entire path leading up to the rooftop was destroyed and copsed, and mes continued to burst out from the rooftop of another apartmentplex across the street. But that didn''tst long. Because of the weight, volume, and safety issues, the number of grenades that could be held was only about 30. Still, it was fortunate that nearly 40 rioters were torn to pieces in the meantime. Meanwhile, four others who had gone back to the other side were barely able to join us. Mr. Logan, who was covered in blood all over his body, was breathing hard, and at that time, I was loading a signal re from my multi-purpose pouch and pulling the trigger in the air. It was right after that that I heard the transmission. -Dangso Photon 1, I could see the red light with my eyes. Looking down, it seems like the entire town is hell-bent on killing them. Turn on the shield. I will prepare a wide-area smoke charge. "Wait, if it''s smoke, then no way¡­." -That''s right. It''s the new white phosphorus bullet you received while you were on the mission. If you don''t want to burn to death, hold your breath for as long as possible. "¡­Ready, Photon 1!" -Confirmed. A stern sentence was heard. And then, a zing white smokeball fell from the sky. Hundreds of white balls fell so slowly that you could see their trajectories with your eyes, covering our operational areas of Bricks Avenue, Bainbridge Avenue, Valentine Avenue, etc. My eyes turnedpletely white, and the concentration of toxic smoke in the air literally soared like a mountain range. In the meantime, two or three zing white phosphorus balls fell inside the mobile cover, so I hurriedly grabbed them and threw them. Fortunately, the armor was also covered with an energy field, so I was able to throw them outside without getting burned. Long live the shield. After about 30 seconds of the toxic smoke and high heat simultaneously covering all directions, the enemies caught in the scan began to decrease one by one. They artificially blocked pain sensation through machines and manipted the motor cortex, but in the end, they were also people. It was a message that I had to inhale and exhale. The mindless enemies whose trachea and lungs were burned would die without even knowing why they were dying. "Move! Now it''s time to get out of this shitty ce! Fire the re again!" "Understood!" Pfft! The surroundings were literally a white darkness, but with familiar hand movements, I took out the re from the pouch, quickly loaded it, and fired again. The re gun was melting, so I had to do something quickly. It wasn''t Danger Close (fire near friendly forces), but Broken Arrow (fire inside a mixed area of ??friendly and enemy forces), so the shield was slowly shrinking. Click. With a very natural hand movement, I put a bullet in the chamber near the cylinder and pulled the re gun toward the sky - at that moment, a red re exploded through the rising white smoke. The transport ne that was circling the sky began to descend quickly. The white smoke was swaying wildly due to the tremendous power of the tiltjet¡¯s engine. In an instant, it became muchrger than the point, and it didn¡¯t take long for it tond on a t rooftop about 50m away. It was a good idea to charge the smoke around. The enemy still had some non-guided rocketunchers, although they didn¡¯t know how long they would be worried. It was right to block their view like this. It was time to move. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Eugene!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I ran away from the mobile cover. With a thud, the transporternded carefully on the rooftop. There was water up to my knees on the rooftop. There were also corpses of rioters of a shape I didn¡¯t want to describe. It was because the grenade had hit this area too. I thought I could finally get out of the Bronx, but on the contrary, I felt a little sorry about it. I had no choice but to retreat, so I had to retreat¡­ I was a little upset. But I guess I''ll juste back. That''s what we''re here for. I thought to myself as I ran through the water up to my knees. "Logan! Get on first! We''ll be on guard!" "Wow, those are nice words." Mr. Logan, who had hurt his wristst time, was the first to board. The people who had been running ahead of me also boarded quickly. The transport ne was scheduled to take off in about 5 seconds at most. It was inevitable that I, who was in charge of the separate cleanup, such as picking up the white phosphorus and firing the signal re, would be thest. Furthermore, Ms. Laurentina no longer had to carry the mobile cover and grenadeuncher thatbined weighed over a hundred kilograms. But that was the end of it. The distance to the transport ne was only 20 meters. It was a distance that could be reached in 5 seconds at most. I ran through the water with a sshing sound. Almost everyone was on board, and Ms. Laurentina was holding out her hand to me. "Let''s get out of this damn ce quickly, youngest!" "Yes!" 20 meters, 15 meters, 10 meters, 5 meters. Was it because of the sshing water, or was it something else? I felt something ticking in my ears and something shaking under my feet. But it didn''t matter. Now, there really wasn''t much left - but at that moment, I witnessed a truly bizarre sight. Specifically, it was a sight that seemed to suddenly rise upward. It was like an escape transport that continued to soar into the sky with each step, as if it were sinking into a swamp. Of course, that wasn''t exactly it. The ground beneath my feet was sinking. ©¤©¤©¤Squeak! "Wow, whoa-!" "Youngest!?" For a moment, time began to flow slowly. The rooftop copsed, and after crashing into the rooftop with a thud, the transporter that was half-floating in the air again - and everything except the Dagger Team inside it went down. I could guess why. The weight of the water that had umted up to my knees must have been enormous. The ground could have been weakened by the explosion of the grenade, or the transporter could have driven a wedge in as itnded. But the only thing that mattered was the result. I started falling. "Ugh, ugh¡­!" Unfortunately, the rooftop didn''t copse parallel. It copsed obliquely. As a result, I fell down as if I was sliding down a slide. The rooftop floor was dirty from the umted water and covered with seaweed or something, and there was nothing to grab onto, and since I fell with the water, I couldn''t secure a view. And the end was the avenue floor about 15 meters below. Free fall began. "Youngest-aeeeee-!" Boom! That was thest sound I heard. The moment I touched the ground, I lost consciousness. "¡­Jin! Eugene! Wake up! There are about 15 people heading in your direction right now! Get on the roof right now! Hurry up!" My head hurts. My whole body feels like it''s been hit with a hammer, and my knee joints creak. I could hear something like tinnitus in my ears, but when I came to my senses a little, I realized that it was a warning message from the Icarus Gear. The content was simple. It was roughly¡­ that most of the nanomachines were lost while trying to offset the damage from the fall. It couldn¡¯t be helped. If I were naked, it would have resulted in immediate death or serious injury. I struggled to get up from that spot and looked around hurriedly. I could sense a huge number of people. ¡®¡­ I have to go up!¡¯ I didn¡¯t necessarily need to know where and how many people were. There were more than ten people caught in the vicinity. The gun I was holding was dented in ces due to the fall and had long since be unusable, and the magazine was the same. I threw away all the unnecessary things and took out my tactical knife and pistol. That was the only thing that was okay. The apartment door right behind me. It was firmly locked, but I kicked it open and started to climb the stairs with all my might. My whole body ached. ©¤©¤©¤Bang! Bang! Bang! As if it were a lie, the enemies still inside the building rushed to interfere with me, but I ran while shooting them all in the head. In the meantime, I couldn''t avoid getting shot, so my remaining shield was rapidly consumed, and by the time I got to the rooftop, it was on the verge of beingpletely destroyed. As soon as I opened the door, white phosphorus smoke surged in. It still hadn''t cleared up, suffocating the surrounding rioters, or burning them with the mes that were still there - or just starting. Gunshots were heard from the sky. The Dagger Team members on the transporter were shooting all the modified rioters rushing in from the surroundings. A holographic mark appeared before my eyes, and the path to get there and the remaining distance were disyed. At the same time, adder came down from the transporter. A voice burst out. "Run, Eugene!" I ran through the white phosphorus smoke. My body quickly became hot. Oxygen was already running low. I couldn''t see the path ahead. But if I didn''t want to die, I had to run. Fortunately, the smoke was quickly dispersing by the tiltjet engine. However, the speed at which my shield was consumed by the bullets fired by the enemies around me and the white phosphorus smoke was much faster than the speed at which I was running. The end of the rooftop was right in front of me. I ran at a tremendous speed on the rooftop of an apartment building that was almost connected to each other. Of course, it was by no means satisfactory by my standards. I had to be faster than this. However, the aftereffects of the crash were still on my body. The transporter made a "Kuuuuu" sound and circled at a tremendous speed. It was like a helicopter. The problem was that it was much heavier than a helicopter and yet it was doing such a maneuver. It stopped in an instant at the end of the rooftop and soon turned thedder sticking out like a tongue toward me. I heard Mr. Logan''s voice. "Run-!" With a warning sound, the shield that could no longer withstand bullets and white phosphorus smoke broke. And I jumped down from the rooftop. My body began to elerate downward due to gravity. Thedder that didn''t seem that close suddenly came right in front of my nose, and I reached out my hand - and with the pilot''s precise distance control, I barely managed to grab thedder. The direction of the transporter''s tilt jet suddenly became parallel to the ground, and the aircraft began to elerate at an incredible speed. "Okay, I''ve caught the youngest! Pull him up!" The sight that elerated in an instant, the sound of gunfire continuously heard from behind At that moment, all my strength left except my fingers, and I almost let go of the tension in my lower body. I was able to do it because I prevented that. But- ©¤©¤©¤Bam! "Ah...?" Warning, abdominal pration. Warning, partial liver damage. Warning, blood loss. 9ml per second. Considered severely injured. Warning, high blood pressure. The time it takes to stop bleeding increases. Warning, warning, warning¡­ . The dull pain that followed, as if I had been punched in the stomach, made me realize that my abdomen was soaking wet with warm liquid. It was a ce that the bulletproof te couldn¡¯tpletely cover. Thanks to the Icarus Gear, it didn¡¯t take long for the excruciating pain to ease into bearable pain, but it was also the same with the intuition that something was wrong. I had to block my stomach. ¡°G-g-stopping function¡­¡± My head wasn¡¯t working well. The first gunshot wound I had received was terribly painful. Even then, thedder automatically closed and my body was pulled up. The moment thedder, which was slowly being pulled up, reached the top of the transport bay, I fell to my knees in front of the Dagger team who were happily weing me. Red blood dripped down the floor. ¡°¡­Eugene?¡± "That, that, my stomach, my stomach¡­." It hurts. But I couldn''t say anything else. I don''t know if it was because the excessive tension was released, or because the fatigue from the past hadpletely disappeared, but I held my arms on the floor with difficulty to prevent myself from copsing. My strength drained, and only fragments of words came out of my mouth. I couldn''t do any more. The words were leaking out of my mouth on their own. "That, my body, isn''t moving properly¡­." My vision faded. The sounds around me became quieter. Thest thing I heard was someone urgently calling Mr. Chester''s name. Chapter 710 "¡­Ugh, shit. Shit¡­" "You said there''s no danger of dying, you bastard. That was just a freak ident." "Dammit, that''s true. But... damn, my heart¡¯s still shaking." "Of course the moms would freak out if their daughter got hurt¡­ just kidding, just kidding. So stop looking at me like that with those scary eyes. My heart hurts." The chaos and cheers mixed together in early June at the Central Park HQ, with a spoonful of anxiety in between. Team Dagger had returned, Central Park had been attacked, and Eugene had returned to the base after allowing a bullet to hit his stomach in the final moments. The transport ne that Team Dagger rode in still bore the blood from the injury. It wasn¡¯t a massive loss of blood. But it wasn¡¯t small either. The fact that the bullet didn¡¯t just graze but actually pierced his stomach was enough to ssify it as a serious injury. And Team Dagger, after a long while, was reminded of what it felt like to have their hearts race. "...Well, if we¡¯re looking for somefort, at least we now know just how much survival potential this equipment gives an operator." "Even after falling from 15 meters, being able to crawl back up to the rooftop... it''s unbelievable, but... never thought the youngest would have to test it out." "Especially in a neighborhood full of white phosphorus mes. Ugh, damn. My heart¡¯s pounding ridiculously fast. My heartbeat¡¯s probably over 200 per minute..." "200? Now that¡¯s impressive." As expected, the ones reacting the most were naturally the mutated members of Team Dagger. Especially the three moms who had doted on Eugene. It was no surprise they were startled. Despite their extensive real-world and special forces experience, they had be jaded to most things¡ªyet, this still shook them.@@novelbin@@ Even though the Icarus Gear allowed them to control their body¡¯s mechanisms and hormones, the female body they had mutated into was inevitably more sensitive in these aspects. In simpler terms, to reduce those "strange" feelings... "...This is that maternal instinct... damn it, I can¡¯t even say anything. Fine, don¡¯t hit me." "It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t, but you¡¯ll have to pay the price for it, won¡¯t you?" "That''s too much. We should hurry and get the youngest back up so we can show him this sight." "...He¡¯s figured out how to use his image these days. Clever, I tell you¡­" Maternal love. Of course, as soon as the words left their mouths, they were met with angry res. For special forces members who were obsessed with boasting about their testosterone, the idea of being called feminine was ufortable. In any case, despite that, their voices weren¡¯t particrly loud. The emergency treatment room contained the youngest, and Team Dagger was gathered outside, anxiously waiting for him toe out. The odds of sess were low, though. "Was it due to umted fatigue and blood loss?" "Yeah. The blood loss was around 600 ml... Mutants have higher blood pressure than regr humans, so if the clotting had taken longer, it could¡¯ve been a serious problem." "Really? I didn¡¯t think it was bad enough to put him in aa, but when he suddenly passed out, I was surprised. The mental fatigue was inevitable." A week-long operation. It continued without regard for night or day, but that didn¡¯t mean they had been shooting non-stop. The average rest and sleep time was about 4-5 hours a day. But the irregr sleep patterns, endless firefights, and despite the Icarus Gear¡¯s filtration system, the countless corpses they had to witness, and the torture scenes they had been part of... For regr people, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they developed PTSD. Enduring it for a whole week was impressive, but the truth was, their threshold was lower than that of the senior members of Team Dagger. As time passed through conversation and spections, the emergency treatment room door opened. The first toe out was Chester, the team doctor from Task Force Dagger. ©¤©¤©¤Creeeak! "...Huh, no need to make a fuss. His life is not in danger. He won¡¯t even have scars." "Is he still asleep?" "Well, yeah. He¡¯s probably been exhausted without realizing it, so let him rest for a day. No need for visitors, and by tomorrow, he should be able to live normally. After two days, he¡¯ll be good for operations again." "Let¡¯s talk about the operation after the youngest wakes up. We should get some rest too." The fact that Eugene, the idol of Team Dagger, didn¡¯t have any serious issues. That alone was enough for the mutants to let out the sighs they had been holding in. And the members of the Eagle Team, as well as Owens, the operation team leader of Team Dagger, all let out chuckles as they watched. Chester, the team doctor, had a special gear that allowed him to check the physical condition of the team in real time, and he had roughly estimated how much more rest Eugene needed before a full recovery. 16 hours. It was clear that Team Dagger didn¡¯t need to stay here any longer. As about ten people walked out of the intensive care room, they saw the chaotic scene of Central Park, something they hadn¡¯t witnessed when they arrived. It wasn¡¯t long before the support officers shared the situation, which they hadn¡¯t been briefed about¡ªmore specifically, because Eugene had been distracted by his gunshot wound, Team Dagger didn¡¯t know about it. And when they learned about the situation, their expressions twisted awkwardly. "...What?" "A cyborg infiltrated, and while we were trying to rescue Dr. Dexter, one of Artemis''s researchers, they attacked our forces. Two casualties. What a damn mess." "Her arm turned into a de? How is that even possible?" "We¡¯ll show you the footage from the CCTV." So, Team Dagger didn¡¯t even return to the debriefing room but instead headed straight to the TOC. Ten members sat down, and the screen began to y. The CCTV footage, which had been distorted in ces, showed an eerie scene: a red burst as something passed through a gate leading to the special detention room. It was blood. One person had their head pierced, anotherpletely shattered. And after a while, the silhouette that had been wavering cleared, revealing Dexter¡¯s prison cell being torn apart. But just at that moment, a figure appeared from the other side¡ª "...Zodiac?" "Why is that person there?" "ording to testimony... they followed the smell. They noticed the scent of burning stic and went in, only to find this situation." "Really unlucky. Their ident prevention skills are top-notch, but¡­" It was extremely unlucky. And that was, without a doubt, the most urate judgment. The sound of the CCTV¡¯s metallic click rang through the air like thunder. However, it wasn¡¯t the sound of a gunshot. Later, they would learn that it was the sound of Valerie, a cyborg, extending her arm and revealing the de. A deafening barrage of gunfire echoed down the hallway. Land¡¯s gun fired in rapid session, tearing up the corridor. But despite being hit by a pile of bullets, the cyborg didn¡¯t fall. Instead, it charged forward. "...Two casualties, and since Land is still alive, there shouldn¡¯t be any other dead people." "Correct. The problem is the unit... Valerie, right? She was hit by two 40mm grenades and was partially shredded. That¡¯s why restoringmunication equipment is quite difficult." "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the end of it. Military personnel have been eagerly patrolling the area, and civilian background checks are being conducted?" "Yes, that''s also true. Central Park receives around 10 new civilians every day. I don¡¯t know when they entered, but if there are many more like that hiding, it could be a serious problem." That was a valid point. But conversely, at this point, there wasn¡¯t much Team Dagger could do¡ªunless theypletely and physically wiped out Artemis and the rioters. The first task of Icarus¡¯s sharpest de was to eliminate the enemy as quickly as possible. Team Dagger exchanged nces. They all shared the same expression and had realized the same truth. The operation could not be stopped. "...If Artemis is involved, the damn robot that infiltrated Central Park could show up in front of us during the operation as well. We need more information." "If you want to contact the Land trainee operations officer, go to the Alpha-level mutant dormitory. They should be resting there. Don¡¯t surprise them, they¡¯re in a weakened state." "Sounds like they got badly hurt. Well, let''s check out that fancy mutant dormitory. Does it have a shower?" "Yeah, it does. But if you touch my stuff, I¡¯ll hit you." "Well, I¡¯ll be damned, I thought you were going to steal my bra or something. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t." It was a conversation full of jokes, but the scent of blood and gunpowder they couldn¡¯t hide still lingered. It was a retreat for now. But whaty ahead was unknown, even for Team Dagger. "...Oh, hey, aren''t you the operators? I didn¡¯t realize you were back. Should I help you take off your gear?" "No need to get up, just sit down and talk. After you wake up a bit, we¡¯ll chat. Want some chocte milk? I brought some leftover rations." "Oh, if you offer, I¡¯ll dly ept. Hehe." As the click sound came from the mutant dorm, Land, still groggy, woke up. Her heart rate spiked for a moment, but thankfully, it wasn¡¯t the terrifying cyborg from her dreams, but the team she had been somewhat admiring¡ªTeam Dagger. As her heartbeat slowed, she was handed a cool liter of chocte milk, still in the paper carton, cold to the touch. In what was now a dystopian version of the United States, cold or hot liquids, or even solids, were privileges reserved for the elite. ''...Is this really something for the elite?'' Should she be sad or grateful? That thought quickly disappeared as the sweet and cold taste slid down her throat. For a moment, Land felt like crying, but she lowered her head, not wanting to show it. It was an emotional instability brought on by being half-awake and the traumatic events she had just experienced hours ago. Around her, she could still hear the ttering sounds. Team Dagger had finally returned, setting all kinds of random gear on the table. Guns and equipment had long been taken by the support officers. The dust, carbon residue, and any broken parts would be repaired. The bulletproof vests were no different. The support officers were probably washing out the armor tes by now. ''They''ve just been through a massive war.'' Despite not noticing it due to being half asleep, and missing it because of the chocte milk, the pungent scent of blood, gunpowder, and body odor permeated the air. However, for some reason, Land didn¡¯t mind the lingering traces of it beneath herbat shirt¡ªuntil, at the moment she became aware of it, she shook her head furiously, as if to banish the thought. It was amon experience for mutants who had undergone a gender change. Anyway, separating herself from those thoughts, she started preparing to leave. If Team Dagger was staying here, Land needed to step aside. But there was no rush to leave. The Alpha-level mutant dormitory could easily amodate more than 20 people. It had both first and second floors. As far as she remembered, Team Dagger had eleven members, and with herself, it made twelve. That number should¡¯ve been enough to leave without disturbing them¡ª Hold on a second. "...Wasn¡¯t there one more person? That..." In that instant, the mood changed drastically. Land realized she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have, quickly lowering her head, but it wasn¡¯t quite a matter of provoking anger. As evidence, Team Dagger subtly opened their mouths to add. "...They¡¯re injured and receiving treatment right now. Probably back by tomorrow or the day after." "...Ah, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it like that..." "It¡¯s not serious, don¡¯t worry. But¡­ well, I guess it¡¯s fine to say this now." At that moment, one of the mutants, Logan, spoke up. "Have you ever systematically learned about CQB andbat tactics?" "...Do you really think so?" "Good." And with that, a brief silence followed. How long did itst? Seconds? It didn¡¯t take long for Land to realize it wasn¡¯t just a normal question. And the implication was simple¡ªmaybe, just maybe. What she thought it meant wasn¡¯t what it actually meant. And that meant¡ª "That, um... what¡¯s going on..." "Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not exactly like you think. We¡¯re not fully trusting you yet. At least, that¡¯s what the others think." "...Right." "But not me. I¡¯ve seen what you did through the CCTV footage. It was quite interesting." Was it really interesting? That thought crossed her mind for a moment, but it didn¡¯t matter much. It was something embarrassing to talk about, and at this age, in this form, she wondered if she could even do it, but Team Dagger was still the object of her admiration. She still had the cartridge case they shot in the training field quietly resting in her pocket. Land¡¯s eyes widened, almost as if she had taken an awakening drug, and she swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. "Sometimes, there¡¯s only one option. Even when you know death is waiting, there are times when you have to go in. And... there are times when you have to throw yourself into death in order to survive." "¡­It wasn¡¯t for that dramatic reason, though." "No, the opposite. It¡¯s more meaningful because it wasn¡¯t that grand. If you hadn¡¯t chased them and just ran away, it would¡¯ve been pretty bad, but... it¡¯s a different story if you brought a gun with you." No matter the intention, for Team Dagger, it didn¡¯t matter. They spoke up. "And like you saw today, you never know when Central Park will be engulfed by war. Given that, learning the art of survival to save yourself and others will be a pretty good choice." "...Yeah, I guess so." "Who knows? Once you learn it, maybe someday... someone will make better use of you, or we might. A single task force isn¡¯t enough." And at that moment. Team Dagger felt like Land¡¯s eyes were gleaming. They knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse, so Logan smiled and added. Logan, Olivia, Lorentina, and everyone else was watching her. "Feeling a little intrigued now?" Land couldn¡¯t refuse. The feeling of the cartridge case she had carefully kept in her pocket was especially vivid. She nodded, and everyone there chuckled softly. The time to cover the terrible memories with the scent of gunpowder was approaching. Chapter 711 ©¤©¤©¤Beep! Beep! Beep! "...Ugh." "You''re awake? You really slept well. Even mutants'' heart rates drop when they sleep." "Chester...?" "You have no idea how much the moms from Team Dagger worried about you. I''ve brought some energy supplements, so eat up and start waking up. I removed the IV needle while you were sleeping, and the wound''s almost healed." "...Okay." Rustling. Thest thing I remembered was being in the transport ne, but when I opened my eyes, I was in a treatment room. A nket was over my body, and there was something attached to my chest with medical tape¡ªprobably a heart monitor. I wondered what had happened while I was out. As I struggled to sit up, Chester left the room, and I finally lifted my clothes. No, it wasn¡¯t really lifting them¡ªmore like I tossed my shirt asidepletely. The bullet that had grazed my spine and hit somewhere in my abdomen, along with the scar it had left... mysteriously, it waspletely gone. But when I pressed my fingers lightly on it, there was still a slight pain. I removed the heart monitor attached to my chest and tossed aside the clothes I had just been wearing. "...Ugh, the smell." I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d been walking around in these clothes for a week. Fortunately, there were several drinks, snacks, newbat gear, and underwear on the table, so while the room was empty, I quickly changed. My boots were in ruins after a week of use, and the pressure from the mutant''s feet must¡¯ve taken a toll on them because they were half-destroyed. Thankfully, there was another pair beside them, looking fine. Theces were already tied, so I confirmed that and started eating some snacks from the cab. In just 10 minutes, I had shoved about 3,000 calories into my stomach. It felt like my strength was finally returning. I put on my boots and went outside. There was a note beside the door that read, ¡°Leave the clothes you were wearing, and we¡¯ll wash and return them to you,¡± so I just ced my discarded clothes on the bed and left. I was dying to shower. Even after changing, I still felt grimy. "There''s someone waiting for you, youngest. Because of you, we haven''t even been able to do the debrief yet." "...Ugh." "I''ll tell you, since you''re probably wondering. It¡¯s been about 17 hours since Team Dagger, including you, returned to Central Park. It hasn¡¯t been that long. A lot¡¯s happened in that time, though." "Is that so...?" "Yeah. Let¡¯s head back. The fact that you''re awake has already been sent to everyone in Team Dagger." ...17 hours. They must¡¯ve been worried a lot. What should I say? It wasn¡¯t intentional, but... I feel kind of guilty. Still, they¡¯re all much stronger than me, so I think they¡¯ve managed fine. Probably. When I stepped outside, I noticed that the sky above New York, which had been cloudy just recently, had cleared up. But before I could look up, I was told about the events that had urred while I was unconscious. To summarize it simply: "...So, while we were roaming around northern Manhattan, Central Park was also attacked?" "That''s right. It happened pretty much around the same time as when we were attacked. A well-coordinated simultaneous strike. It was a bit surprising that they aimed to rescue Dr. Dexter, not attack the TOC at Central Park." "I guess we couldn¡¯t ask that infiltrator about it, huh?" Chester nodded. That made sense. And when I heard the details, it felt like... a fantasy. A cyborg with desing out of its arms, running as fast as a mutant, with partial bulletproof capabilities? Did such a thing even exist? Was this... cyberpunk or something? Considering the fact that you could wear a watch that was bulletproof and track enemies inside buildings, it was already cyberpunk enough. I heard that Team Dagger was staying at the Alpha-level mutant dorm now. Unlike others who didn¡¯t oftene to this area, I recognized the path I was walking. Asphalt had reced the concrete roads, and there were sidewalks beside it. If I kept walking down this path, temporary government buildings were lined up on side streets, and at the end was the Alpha-level mutant building. ¡®...I guess I don¡¯t really feel like it''s home.¡¯ If I had been there all day, maybe I¡¯d feel differently, but really, the dorm was just a ce to sleep. I hadn¡¯t spent enough time there recently to grow attached. A sad fact. Anyway, since one operation was done¡ªthough notpletely finished¡ªeveryone must¡¯ve been resting in there. I was thinking that, but Chester stopped leisurely, which caught my attention. I turned my head to see what was going on. "...Hmm, of course. These workaholics aren¡¯t going to rest. And you brought another mutant with you." "Another mutant?" "Zodiac." "Ah." That wolf-like person. Last time, Team Dagger, including myself, had gone down south to Brooklyn to rescue them. That unique appearance was hard to forget, but now I was wondering why that person was with Team Dagger. But my thoughts were soon interrupted. Apparently, when Central Park was attacked, this person had barely managed to stop the cyborg. I was impressed; they were a more formidable person than I thought. After hearing this, I understood why Team Dagger was keeping them around. I thought it might be a... n to create a second me. I suddenly got that feeling. Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly a wrong assumption. This became clear when I learned that Chester and I were heading to the training room next. And¡ª "Youngest¡ª!" "Whoa, watch out!" Of course, I was in danger. A body m. Terrifying. And, naturally, it was Lorentina who did it. She had been waiting outside and came flying at me like a bullet before I even reached the training room. I almost fell t on my back, but luckily, my body managed to hold up and prevent it. I could hear my new boots screeching against the floor as they slid. The hugging time passed, and Lorentina smelled like fragrant shampoo. I guess everyone must¡¯ve showered while I was unconscious. I need to shower too. While checking the wound where I had been shot, Lorentina was surprised to find no scar and nodded before adding. "I heard there wouldn¡¯t be any scars, but it¡¯s true. I guess we should be thankful. It wasn¡¯t really necessary for you toe here, but since you¡¯re here, feel free to watch for a bit." "Yeah. So, uh... Land is here, right?" "Yes, indeed. She¡¯s quite interesting to watch for many reasons. Would you like to take a look?" "...Is this really going to help me?" "Heh heh heh." ...What¡¯s with that ambiguousugh? Inside, there were various noises. It wasn¡¯t the sound of gunfire, but I could hear Logan shouting about something. Maybe things weren¡¯t going so smoothly? Chester, having fulfilled his duty by bringing me here, disappeared elsewhere, and I could hear Olivia¡¯s voice mixing in with Logan¡¯s as he spoke. It smelled faintly of gunpowder inside, indicating they had been doing some shooting practice. I carefully opened the door, trying not to disturb anyone, and making sure I wouldn¡¯t be greeted with a smack for acting all casual like "Hey, I¡¯m back." And¡ª "Damn it, you¡¯re supposed to hit the magazine from the bottom upwards! Don¡¯t take it out!" "Eh, uh, uuugh...!" "Yes. That¡¯s it. Don¡¯t touch anything else... Press the bolt release! Why did you take the magazine out again? Don¡¯t touch it!" "Ugh, ow..." I found Land getting a good scolding, and that made me realize how kind everyone on Team Dagger had been to me. When I woke up, Central Park was still in chaos. "...It waspletely wrecked. It¡¯s no surprise, considering it took two 40mm rounds." "Both arms and knees have sma des. Plus, bulletproof skin. Given that it¡¯spletely shattered, it¡¯s hard to tell, but up close, it doesn''t seem human. If anything, it¡¯s more like an android than a cyborg." "Only the brain and spinal cord are real. In some ways, it''s even crazier than an android." "Only the brain and spinal cord are real? It seems like they weren¡¯t nning on keeping it in operation for long." "How much power and energy does it take to slice through walls like that? It¡¯s unbelievable." The day before the operation¡¯s re-entry, Central Park HQ¡¯s top-secret area. Something charred, dented, and shatteredy scattered on the floor. It looked as if a humanoid, designed to resemble a human, had been thrown into a fiery crusher. Several people were staring at it. Precise analysis followed using the Icarus Gear. The original appearance, which could be seen through CCTV footage, was oveid onto the body, and even the misaligned broken parts were corrected. Multiple scientists and analysts holographically disyed the cyborg''s metadata, and Team Dagger, shaking their heads, added their thoughts. "Is there a tactical android expert here at Central Park?" "That concept was only just being formted. There¡¯s no one in New York who could take this apart¡­ except for Artemis¡¯s insane people." "What about Dr. Dexter?" "That guy got hit by two bullets from Land and is getting treated for them. It was discoveredte, and he¡¯s in aa due to severe blood loss. No one knows how long it¡¯ll take for him to wake up." "That¡¯s a pretty troublesome situation." A humanoid cyborg, designed to look incredibly human, was a danger in itself. There was no need to exin why. Central Park was breached so easily and simply. The fact that such a machine existed was enough to spread fear and confusion among everyone at HQ. If you think about it, anyone would be on edge if they knew a deadly weapon in human form was out there, waiting for the right moment to strike. And that was no different for Team Dagger. "I should have scanned it while it was still alive. Having data would have made it easier to differentiate." "True. But at least the pulse scan should have worked. The more its internal structure differs from humans, the more effectively the pulse will pick it up." "Guess we don¡¯t have to make holes in civilians'' heads. That¡¯s a relief." For now, the simple dichotomy between enemies who had to be killed and civilians who needed protection worked, and the fact that there were no civilians in the operation zone madebat easier. But considering the opposite situation, it could¡¯ve been a real headache. If an enemy pretended to be a civilian and attacked from behind, it would¡¯ve caused a disaster. Owens decided to think as positively as possible. "First, we need to train Land as much as possible. Regardless of whether we trust her or not, we need someone who can handle the initial response to anything that happens inside or outside Central Park." "You''re right. By the way, the de on this cyborg... it¡¯s a kind of vibrational device, isn¡¯t it? It has a separate circuit connected to the de that transmits both high heat and vibration, making the cutting power insane." "Hmm. I wish we had something like that. It¡¯d be much easier to cut through walls or doors without needing sticky bombs." "Sounds good. If we change our call sign to Wolverine and imnt adamantium ws, we¡¯d be all set." "Go get some adamantium, damn it. Then we can do it." Is this a conversation between people in their 30s? Owens and Olivia exchanged nces, both bewildered, but the click of a door interrupted their thoughts. Land, who had been outside because she couldn¡¯t stomach the sight, walked in with tension in her posture. A sharp intake of breath. She stared at the shattered machine, aplex expression on her face, before releasing a heavy sigh. "...This bastard. Died well, died well." Everyone¡¯s mind briefly wandered to whether she meant the dog, but no one spoke up. Whether Land knew it or not, she took a deep breath again and pursed her lips. She probably wanted to say something, but nothing came out. However, because of that, she failed to notice the exchange of nces between Team Dagger. After a while, unable to stand it any longer, Olivia threw out a line. "What¡¯s so hard to figure out? Just throw her some gear with a few functions locked."@@novelbin@@ "Hey." "Dammit, she basically took down the crazy thing that wrecked Central Park almost single-handedly, and you''re acting like this is hard... No, there¡¯s no need to borate. Like Logan said yesterday, we¡¯ll need her in the future." "What?" "Don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯ve been thinking about it since yesterday. It¡¯s rted to the Eagle Team." The Eagle Team? At Olivia''s sudden words, everyone turned their heads. Land, in particr, looked surprised. But Olivia continued without paying much attention to her reaction. "I want to put her into special reconnaissance (SR). Right now, she¡¯s running around like the key to everything Team Dagger needs, but in the future, Task Force will need to be split into different teams with separate objectives or newly created ones." "Hmm." "A reconnaissance team for other task forces is inevitable. And..." At that moment, Olivia made direct eye contact with Land. A wolf and an owl. Their physical sizes werepletely different, and aside from being top-tier predators in their respective ces, they didn¡¯t seem alike at all. But the two predators, shaped as humans, had led very different lives¡ªone had spent over half their life systematically learning how to kill better. As a result, the wolf, Land, was overwhelmed by Olivia¡¯s sharp gaze, which was like a de. Olivia spoke. "If you betray us, I¡¯ll personally hunt you down, using my position and Icarus gear, and everything I have. Is that clear?" "...No, that¡¯s not necessary. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to betray you." "Then get her the gear as soon as possible. We were worried about potential betrayal, but that idiot almost got killed because he wasn¡¯t properly equipped." Scratching her head, she added. "The reason something like yesterday¡¯s incident happened to Team Dagger was because there was no proper urban reconnaissance team. Right now, we¡¯ve shoved four mutants into Team Dagger, so we¡¯ve managed to push through, but the youngest got hit. It wasn¡¯t perfect." "..." "And that guy found the machine that had infiltrated Central Park just by its smell. If we train him properly, he¡¯ll be irreceable in reconnaissance and identifying IEDs." "...Wait, you¡¯re not nning on using me as a military dog, are you?" "No, don¡¯t worry about it." It was a timid rebellion from Land, but Olivia easily brushed it aside. Land knew. She spoke up first because she knew she wouldn¡¯t betray them. And most importantly¡ª "Since the leader of the Eagle Team brought it up, I have no objections. I¡¯ll help if I can." "Same here." "...Shouldn¡¯t you at least ask me what I want?" Team Dagger didn¡¯t care. Meanwhile, Eugene, ying his usual youngest role, threw in a line with a confused expression, but it wasn¡¯t serious¡ªand neither Land nor anyone else took it seriously. She simply didn¡¯t have the courage to answer. And Logan, sitting next to her, caught on and added: "Just yesterday, someone said we might end up using you someday... but this is apletely unexpected situation. I thought we were just encouraging you, but the owl here has already worked out a concrete n." "..." "Well then..." Thunk. Logan ced his hand on Land¡¯s shoulder. "Let¡¯s do our best, rookie. We¡¯ve got a long road ahead." "..." "From now on, don¡¯t take any more cartridge casings." "W-what? How did you...!" Of course, with the advanced technology at Team Dagger¡¯s disposal, there was nothing she could hide. It didn¡¯t take long for Land¡¯s face to turn bright red, but unlike Eugene, she would need far more time to be an operator. There was still much to do. Chapter 712 Here''s the continuation of the trantion: "Th-this isn''t it! I didn¡¯t join to see this kind of crap, Aaaagh...!" "Run! We have to get out of the Bronx! At least we need to get to New Jersey!" "Please, the boat... Anyone, just give me a boat to cross the Hudson! Please!" A heavy air of death descended over northern Manhattan. In just one week, around 15,000 gang members who had gathered in the Bronx¡ªequivalent to a division¡ªwere utterly destroyed. But it wasn''t just a simple annihtion. Of those 15,000, at least 3,000 had physically vanished from this world. They were literally dead. This was the result of Team Dagger spending a week devastating the Bronx. However, this was just the beginning, not the end. "...The Paradox and Deadlock teams, as well as Beehive, havepletely lostmunication." "Those damn Artemis bastards, what the hell are they doing up there...!" Exactly what was happening wasn¡¯t clear. But humans, given only limited information, could easily deduce what was going on, especially those who had enriched themselves by exploiting others. In this case, they were especially sensitive to it. The gangs had literally evaporated. If Team Dagger was the Grim Reaper, Artemis was the Pied Piper, leaving only the bodies behind, while the U.S. government, unlike Artemis, didn¡¯t even leave traces. It was abduction. Only Artemis knew where the results of that abduction were going. The important thing, however, wasn¡¯t that. Neither the U.S. government nor Artemis saw those in the Bronx as human. They were either garbage to be discarded or reserve soldiers to be turned into weapons. Thergest organization, Mara Salvatrucha, had been entirely wiped out, and the Cleaners were already rising. The agents sent by the U.S. government had disappeared, probably after whatever happened, flying off on a transport ne. "Anyone who stays here is screwed," was the vibe that no one could miss, but that didn¡¯t mean escape was an option. There was only one thing that could be done. "Fuck it, I don''t know! I''m just going to do what the drones told me to do!" "Please! I¡¯ll burn all the guns, ammo, and drugs! Just let me live! Aaagh¡ª!" "Where the hell should I run...?" Unconditional surrender. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean they would be epted. Even if the U.S. government did ept them, the cleaners in the Bronx wouldn¡¯t care whether anyone surrendered. One of them, the Cleaner, wouldn¡¯t care whether someone surrendered or not. No, it wasn¡¯t even a consideration. It was the harsh reality closing in. "We¡¯ve dropped our weapons! We surrender! We¡¯re waiting for the American soldiers!" "Haha, funny words. We¡¯ll offer the ashes of your fallenrades to the ones who remained." "Fucking bastards, you...!" With no concern for casualties, it was as if the cleaners used the bodies to spring forward in their movement. The Cleaner never stopped, spraying mes from a methrower. The burning wheels of the cart kept rolling toward the gangs, regardless of whether theyy t or tried to flee. Those who didn¡¯t fear death always paid the price for it. Either they were crushed under the ming wheels or, in the dead of night, they were captured by Artemis, their minds erased, turned into human weapons who only followed orders. But even then. Amid the screams of gangsters being torn apart in the sh between two factions, there were others who, ignoring the chaos, only focused on the power struggle. From the south, the Cleaners came. But from the north, more gangs were being deleted. "We need to reinforce as quickly as possible. We have to keep Icarus'' ankle chained down for as long as possible." "We¡¯re running low on the control kits we brought." "Then go to HQ and get more, damn it! We¡¯re the ones here!" Artemis had no choice but to rush, which led to more mishaps. Once they betrayed their country and sided with Russia and China, and once that became public knowledge, they had no other choices. They needed to stall for time until reinforcements from the maind couldnd in America. The gangs were valuable human resources to slow down Icarus¡¯ advance, but they couldn¡¯t be used without ¡®processing.¡¯ However, progress was slow with limited personnel, and necessary supplies were stillcking. The behavioral control kits attached to their heads were the missing piece. With the roads destroyed and filled with cars, the only way to transport supplies was by air, and for the moment, Artemis could drop supplies via aircraft without hiding it. Luckily, the Eastern Air Defense Zone (EADS) had been rendered inoperable long ago, so no one could stop Artemis¡¯s unauthorized flights. But¡ª "...Confirmed an unregistered transport ne. Now it¡¯s flying around openly, not even trying to hide. It seems to be following the same flight path every time." "Just track the drop locations. Once we know exactly where, and when the surface-to-air missiles arrive, we¡¯ll begin the real attack. No need to send Team Dagger against the modified humans who¡¯ve already sacrificed themselves." When the tail is so long it¡¯s basically visible, it¡¯s impossible not to step on it. Impatient people inevitably expose themselves first, and Icarus and the Strategic Department analyze it thoroughly. The Dagger is a powerful weapon, but it must always be wielded with purpose. If the previous attacks were broad strikes as warnings to the gangs, the next step would be a precise strike at the enemy¡¯s jugr from the darkness. To sever their breath in a single blow. A reconnaissance drone, floating 20 km above the ground, watched northern New York day and night. While the gangsters were overwhelmed by the various forms of deathing their way, it was different for the Genovese family in the northwestern part of Manhattan, who were staying well away from both the Cleaners and Artemis.@@novelbin@@ They had seen the burning gangs, witnessed the members of another faction disappear, and observed the wreckage left by Team Dagger. Being one of the American Mafia factions, the Genovese family naturally sensed the danger. The north and east werepletely blocked, and to the west was the Hudson River. Unlike the other organizations, who were trapped with no way out, they had one option left: south. The south, where Central Parky. Of course, neither the Genovese family nor Central Park HQ thought they¡¯d lose control of the situation. "Throw away all the weapons! If we¡¯re caught, we¡¯ll burn to death here! Just get me a white shirt and tie it to a stick!" The Mafia had witnessed entire divisions of gangs shattered by the U.S. government¡¯s overwhelming force, so they stuck with the choice of surrender, heading south. "MQ-9 ready forunch, armed with four missiles carrying five cluster bombs capable of burning an area the size of four ser fields." "Send in the UAVs, and have them scan from the air to catch everyone hiding weapons. We can¡¯t allow any more southern movement, and Central Park can''t handle a sudden influx of a thousand people." Central Park HQ had received hundreds of tons of white phosphorus bombs from the remaining U.S. Air Force stockpiles, which were considered the most effective for suppressing and ending urbanbat. The hundreds, almost a thousand, of American Mafia members who had started heading south were given their orders to stop within ten minutes, or face the prospect of being burned alive, and the chaos spread quickly. However, the white phosphorus bombing on Fordham University spread the rumors, and those who loved life more than anything else began to take shelter in nearby buildings. This was what had happened while Team Dagger was momentarily absent from the Bronx. "Therefore, the gangs in the Bronx have started to spread out much more thinly and broadly than before. On the other hand, the gangs in the northern Bronx are showing very structured movements." "They¡¯re not gangs. They¡¯re soldiers in gangster skin. Damn bastards." "Support officers understand the concerns. While Team Dagger has been resting at HQ, a new operation n is being prepared, and simultaneous decapitation operations are deemed necessary." Decapitation operation. It was easy to understand exactly what that meant. "To control people with separate devices, you need servers that can process arge amount of data, but there¡¯s nowhere in the Bronx that has that capability. The university might be the only ce with simr facilities, but¡­" "In this situation, there¡¯s no way to get the servers running. Not only would they be malfunctioning, but they probably haven¡¯t been ventted properly either. They¡¯re all broken. But somehow, Artemis must have received their servers by air." "Can¡¯t we just set off an EMP in the Bronx? You know, the non-explosive EMP bombs that turn into maic pulses. I remember stopping some crazy people trying to use that in Wall Street for wealth redistribution..." "...Logan, don¡¯t speak up for now." Unfortunately, his suggestion was rejected. The method for making a DIY EMP bomb was simple¡ªdetonating arge current circuit. However, making such a circuit wasn¡¯t easy in the current situation. Specifically, the problem was obtaining materials. In any case, the discussion continued. The main point was simple. Destroy the servers and, in the process, smash the heads of Artemis¡¯s forces guarding them. The intelligence needed was the location of the servers and the number of enemy soldiers guarding them. The TOC had already selected several possible locations and checked whether bombing was feasible. However, bombing wasn¡¯t guaranteed, and if the wrong location was targeted, it could raise Artemis¡¯s alertness. There was only one answer. "It¡¯s time to put an end to this shitty situation." The decapitation operation, or a simr annihtion operation, was about to begin. It was time to clean up northern Manhattan. Chapter 713 "Our operations friends definitely seem to be good at what they do. The number of possible enemy positions wasn''t very high, but even so, setting up a sniper position in such an artistic ce is no easy task..." "That''s true. I definitely didn''t expect to be able to see the enemy''s movements and scale from here." "The sniper range is between 600m and 800m, which will be pretty tough for the rookie. I''ll handle most of it, but since the Icarus Gear has a precision sniper calction function, you can use that as a reference for your shots. That should be enough." Tick-tick-tick-tick. The windage and elevation adjustments on the scope mounted on the sniper rifle were carefully rotated to set the windage and height, adjusting for zeroing as I waited. The sky was full of darkness, but with the mutant''s enhanced vision and the snake-like thermal imaging, I could smoothly see the enemy moving over 600 meters away at Bronx High School of Science. What can I say, it looked like red dots in the shape of humans moving from a distance. With the Icarus Gear¡¯s correction, it was so clear it almost felt like I could grab them with my hands. In the distance, a strike team of nine members was moving near Bronx High School. Nine humanoid, teal-colored dots led by a mutant. The sharp contrast of colors was truly impressive. It almost looked like our side was digging into a red ant colony. The problem was, it wasn¡¯t much different from that in reality. The same scene I¡¯d seen in FPS games was unfolding right before my eyes. But if we failed here, someone would actually die. That was what made my heart sink. ©¤©¤©¤Whoooooo! The stock monopod or rear pod ¨C a single-legged height-adjustable stand mounted on the rifle stock ¨C moved cautiously with only my thoughts guiding it. In the past, I used to adjust height by turning the threads, so even adjusting the height with something like a sniper sock (which adjusted the height based on how much you squeezed it by filling it with rice or sand) was more convenient... But now, this was much easier. Anyway. It was time to start. "Dagger, this is Owl 1. I''ve visually identified the target and I''m ready to begin the operation."
    • Owl 1, Dagger here. We''re starting the mission. Eliminate all enemies in the paths that might interfere with infiltration.
    "I understand." The distance was 600m, so the vertical click was 6mil. The wind was blowing from left to right at a very mild 5mph. The enemy was moving at a steady pace around the area, but the Icarus Gear had already predicted the enemy''s position during the anticipated sniper shot. As the holographic red dot in the shape of a person appeared about 5 meters to the left of the actual target, another urate aiming point for the red dot appeared next to it. In other words, the Icarus Gear handled all the aiming for hitting the person. This was the terrifying feature of the Icarus Gear. ¡®At this point, wouldn¡¯t it be better to send a sniper drone instead of me?¡¯ But there had to be a reason for everything. The moment to pull the trigger was getting closer. "...Dagger 1. I''ve spotted a four-man patrol on the building rooftop 120 meters ahead. I''ll handle it." The controls had been set to fire a long time ago. Though there were four of them, the enemy was stacked 2 by 2, just like something you''d see in a game, and Olivia and I each had one side aimed. A light trigger, almost ipatible with firearms, was resting between my finger and the trigger. Not only because of the mutant''s finger strength, but because the Geissle trigger itself had an extremely low pull weight. The moment I gently brushed it, a counter appeared right next to it. Anyone who didn¡¯t know would have no idea that it was to synchronize the shots.
    And 1. ©¤©¤©¤Piiiii! With a subtle vibration felt in my shoulder ¨C subjective, of course ¨C a sharp noise exploded from the muzzle. Because it wasn''t a subsonic round, the match-grade armor-piercing round inside the box magazine easily broke the sound barrier, and the sound of the shot cutting through the air rang clearly in the darkened world. However, the silencer was used not to reduce the noise, but to confuse the firing position, and at a distance of over 600m, it didn¡¯t mean much. About one second of fate passed, and¡ª "Good shot, good kill. For your first time, you did well." "...Got him." It didn¡¯t fall as cleanly as in the movies. It didn¡¯t give the same satisfaction as a game either. Instead of prating the head of the person in front of me, the bullet literally blew it apart, and the next moment, it tore through the chest of the person behind them, sending them flying with the remaining force. The four of them crumpled to the ground like disconnected strings, and without losing speed, Dagger Team swiftly entered the science high school. Below, I saw a pipe connected to a reservoir. Olivia, not taking her eyes off the sniper rifle, added: "A facility that can amodate a server room, with a river or reservoir nearby to supply cooling water... There are dozens of ces in the Bronx that meet these conditions, but there are almost none that satisfy both at once." "Isn¡¯t there another ce that fits¡­?" "So, this is the first ce we''re hitting." ...Now that I thought about it, that made sense. Finishing our work in the Bronx today meant that. I¡¯d heard the mission wouldn¡¯t end with just this one, but now I understood what that meant. I guess understanding, not memorizing, was key. Anyway, while that was happening, the scout drone floating in the air scanned every enemy moving around rooftops or balconies. The logic circuits of the Icarus Gear confirmed the location of Dagger Team and systematically categorized the targets. One, two, and three. As the three teams made their way up the front, side, and back doors, Olivia and I marked the positions of all the enemies in the vicinity. And¡ª ©¤©¤©¤Piiing! Piiing! Piiing! Literally, everything in sight was crushed and broken. The Artemis forces disguised as gang members, whether they knew theirrades were dead or not, moved quickly, trying to find anything suspicious, and we had to stop them. Thanks to the micro-thermite cylinder mounted on the front of the round, bullets pierced and exploded through any armor, regardless of how thick or whether the enemy was in a vehicle. If this had been avable, maybe we could have taken down an enemy like Code Name Titan with a single shot... But the rounds we were issued today were thetest armor-piercing rounds. Only a few hundred were avable at DARPA. Heavily armored soldiers wearing thick armor and helmets copsed helplessly, and the bullet that pierced through the vehicle''s bo caused the engine to fail. We could even take down the weaker infantry with just the sniper drones hovering above.
    • Dagger 1, contact inside the building, heavy resistance! Sending scan data, please neutralize any enemies in prable terrain!
    "Owl 1 confirming, I''ll do my best."
    • Wait... Got it.
    Boom! But there was no need to worry about how to hit the enemy behind the wall. As themunication came through, the wall of the science high school exploded. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the best way to destroy the wall just to make the sniper support easier. With a loud crash, the outer wall crumbled like Styrofoam. I wasn¡¯t sure how it was possible, but now was the time to think about the gain rather than the reason. As I turned toward the copsed wall, I reloaded my rifle. The shooting began. ©¤©¤©¤! This wasn¡¯t a mission intended to drag on. Beyond the broken wall, one of our team members, carrying a giant bag, was visible. I already knew what it was. It was a bomb, one that could fill the bagpletely. EMP-inducing non-explosive maic bombs and actual C4 explosions. Soon, this building and the server room inside the high school would be gone without a trace. And¡ª
    • Photon 1, LZ arrival in 3 minutes. Finish up quickly and get out.
    • Dagger 1, reaching server room. Bomb instation underway!
    The transport helicopter, which had been hovering in the air, began rapidly descending toward the ground. Itnded on the pre-set LZ, folding its wings and covering the entire craft with an optical camouge as the pilot started the engines, waiting for us toe down. It was about time to leave and move on to the next location. "Owl team, wrap it up! It¡¯s time!" "It''s been a crazy mess. Let¡¯s make it count, until the very end." It was just as they said. I always feel that way, but real missions are always... chaotic. The long night was just beginning. "Ugh, this damn mess. It''s so chaotic," "Dagger team, we have arrived at New York Presbyterian Ellen Hospital!" "Alright. Let¡¯s get back to work, everyone. Stay sharp!" Central Park, 2 AM. The TOC (Tactical Operations Center) hidden underground was so bright it seemed like the lights would never go out, and it was loud, like the noise would never stop. The operations went on day and night, and the officers'' work was no different. Support officers and operation staff moved ording to Dagger Team''s schedule, including UAV pilots, fire control officers, mechanics, and all the necessary personnel responsible for fire support. The eleven best operators worked tirelessly day and night, fighting for the restoration of America. Support officers could rest when they were tired, but Dagger Team couldn¡¯t afford to let their guard down for even a moment.@@novelbin@@ These operators, trained with at least ten million dors¡¯ worth of investment, couldn¡¯t afford to die just because of ack of preparation. Once an operation began, no one could sleep. The many screens filling the walls showed various different views in front of the support officers. Some were feeds from unmanned drones, some from reconnaissance nes, and some were body-cam footage from Dagger Team. The irreceable high-level personnel who knew how to operate the system integrated with Icarus Gear processed the reconnaissance data and immediately disyed it on the operators¡¯ screens. Fire control officers, able to precisely ce bombs exactly where they were needed ording to Dagger Team''s requests, thought about how to extract the most effective results from the overwhelming number of enemies. And more, much more... But¡ª "...Does this even make sense?" What an incredible sight I had to help monitor as I looked at the operators, staring intently at the screen. It was like something out of a game or movie ¨C a modern-day epic of heroes in war. It was unfolding in reality, and the officers gathered in the operations center were witnessing it up close. It wasn''t even a matter of feeling unreal. Watching through the biggest screen or experiencing the view through the special helmet that allowed the first-person perspective was something else entirely. Dagger Team was changing the course of reality itself, transforming what seemed like an impossible, utopian future into action for the rebuilding of America. "...This damn Jam... you really dream big!" "Ugh, chug..." "Are you okay?!" When Lorentina crouched down to take cover after her rifle jammed, she spotted something on the tray, covered in dust. It was a scalpel, and without thinking, she grabbed it, slipped it between her fingers, and hurled it straight ahead. In an instant, the de flew faster than visible speed, piercing the right eye of an Artemis gang member, exiting out the back of his head. The shark stood still, copsing in front of him. And such things happened regrly. "Shit, that startled me!" "Gghh...!" "...I wasn¡¯t expecting that, but he died in one shot." The reflexive strike of Logan¡¯s rifle butt hit the head of an enemy that suddenly popped out, causing instant death. By now, such swift, brutal takedowns had bemonce. However, despite this, the "decapitation operation" still faced hundreds of enemies at every turn, even with the surprise attacks. It was a hellish modern warfare that only a small, highly trained group could attempt, and even fewer could survive. Almost everyone watching that spectacle would bow their heads in genuine respect. Of course, when I say "almost everyone," it means there were some who felt different emotions other than respect. "...Attention. Explosives have been ced in the generator underground, and Photon 1 will reach the extraction point in 3 minutes and 30 seconds."
    • Got it. You might have to do something simr soon, so make sure to pay attention... Damn these bastards!
    "Don¡¯t talk duringbat! It¡¯s too risky!" Land. She was the one who had recently managed to half-save Central Park on her own, and her reputation had skyrocketed as a result. Because of that, just recently, she had received something like a scouting offer, and because of it, her thoughts were quiteplicated. She doubted whether she could truly live up to someone¡¯s expectations. Moreover, the skills required by Dagger Team were undoubtedly high. How could she not be anxious when life and death crossed paths every single moment? One mistake, and not just her life, but the lives of others were at stake. It was no different from that when she was unfamiliar with guns. ''...How the hell can Eugene, that kid, handle a weapon so well¡­!?'' He never even thought about grabbing a pen to head to school; he was always holding a gun. She had no real connection to the military either. Her first real encounter with firearms was after escaping from Riker''s Ind when she became a fugitive. Even during recent shooting training, she¡¯d been insulted countless times. But somehow, Eugene ¨C with his young appearance ¨C handled firearms so skillfully. Rumor had it he¡¯d been in the military, but could that even be true? The world was full of strange things, and one shouldn''t judge people by their appearances. And in this tightly packed ce, rumors spread quickly. "You seem to be deep in thought, our rookie operator." "...Stop teasing me. What can I do about it! I¡¯ll be an operations officer!" "Of course, you will." The senior operations officer chuckled, cing a hand on Land¡¯s shoulder and added: "You¡¯ll be fine. Whatever you choose, whether to stay as an operations officer or be an operator, it doesn¡¯t matter. Just don¡¯t end up dead in some strange ce. Field work is about putting your life on the line." "..." "It¡¯s just something I thought I¡¯d say now that there¡¯s a bit of breathing room. Focus again." "...Okay." The hand left her shoulder, and the senior operations officer turned back to his station. Land absentmindedly rubbed the spot where he had touched her. There was a faint scent of cigarette smoke lingering on her shoulder. She mumbled to herself, smelling the faint rise of the cigarette scent: "...Damn it." But somehow, it didn¡¯t feel unpleasant. Slowly, cautiously, she was beginning to change into one of Central Park''s own. The summer, where bullets fly and the noise never stops, was fast approaching. Chapter 714 "Checking thending point with sensors and screens... whoa, must have smashed two hives, things are going crazy down there. Are you really going down there?" "Dagger Team was created for just this. Now, there¡¯s only one ce left to handle, so no matter what, it''s time to finish it. Don''t worry, I have no intention of dying down there." "Understood, operators. We¡¯ll unleash thermite and white phosphorus over the veterans'' hospital... fire support in 30 seconds. Starting terrain analysis." "Confirmed. Let¡¯s go." 2:07 AM, Bronx. 760 meters above James Peters Veterans¡¯ Hospital, a transport ne hung in the dark. Just 10 minutes ago, Dagger Team raided Bronx High School of Science, blowing up the server room. Only 5 minutes ago, Dagger Team raided Presbyterian Allen General Hospital, located 2 km southwest of the high school, and blew up its server room. And now, they were looking down from 860 meters above James J. Peters Veterans¡¯ Hospital, riding the V-44TA1 Valkyrie transport ne. The mutant''s superior vision scanned the ground. Dagger Team had blown up two hives in just 20 minutes, and the Bronx had plunged intoplete chaos. The moment the server rooms were destroyed, the modified soldiers never regained their senses, but something close to it had happened. However, the situation was much moreplicated than just that. When Dagger Team entered Bronx High School of Science, Artemis''s strike team was unprepared, losing over 2,000 modified soldiers. When Dagger Team attacked Presbyterian Allen General Hospital, Artemis¡¯s strike team only realized what had happened at the high school and, as a result, around 300 enemies attacked Dagger Team while still managing to maintain control. And¡ª "Looks like the guys down there aren''t free from Artemis¡¯s control yet." "Only fire and steel lightning can give them anyfort. Loading incendiary rounds. I hope everything goes well for you down there, Dagger Team. Fire supportmencing now." "Air cirction system and heat dissipation functioning. Cockpit sealed. Bombs away." A sh exploded. It was like a torrential downpour of light, pouring from the sky. As it reached a certain altitude, it split into dozens of submunitions and, upon reaching the ground, red into massive mes that lit up the night. The rooftops and parking lots were bathed in light. The modified gang members, who had been trying to resist with gunfire and anti-vehicle rockets, were buried in the white mes and disappeared. Whoooo! Meanwhile, the transport ne, Photon 1, began rapidly descending towards the ground as the air density changed drastically due to the heat from below. The white, toxic smoke began seeping into the rear ramp, but the Icarus Gear was designed to protect the user¡¯s body in even the harshest conditions. And so, cutting through the smoke, the transport nended on the building¡¯s rooftop. As soon as the nine members of Dagger Team set foot on the rooftop of James J. Peters Veterans¡¯ Hospital, they were in the final operation zone. "...Dagger, we''ve entered the final operation zone. We¡¯ll breach the building now."
    • Understood. Owl 1 here, I¡¯ve reached the roof of an apartmentplex 200m south. Sniper support is avable.
    "Good. Let¡¯s move." A white world gently enveloped Dagger Team. They didn¡¯t even wear gas masks. The entire skin of the nine members faintly glowed. Nanomachines and a thin energy membrane that circted through their bodies blocked the toxic smoke, and an air barrier around their mouths helped them breathe easily. Dagger Team split into three groups of three, each with the call signs Alpha 1, 2, and 3. None of them carried door-breaching explosives, door kickers, wedges, or shotguns. But there was no need to worry. Their bodies were the master keys to open every door. And within the white world, the sound of metal tearing and chains breaking could be heard. The breach began. Thud, thud, thud! "Frontline defenses. The machine guns are turning the hallway into a kill zone." "Typical move. Firing sticky bombs." Whoosh! Just as Dagger Team descended, several hundred machine gun rounds sprayed through the air, but they were already a living, moving response manual. The pulse swept through the corridor and walls, and Lorentina, as if expecting this, loaded the sticky bomb into a streamlineduncher, pulled the trigger, and fired without even looking. Thud, then bang. In an instant, the sticky bomb, crossing the dozens of meters of hallway, hit a steel te next to the machine gun¡¯s barrel. With a grinding noise, the steel began to prate. The rest was simple. Aaaahhh! "Seems like one of them knows pain." "Ignore it. Let¡¯s drop the smoke and move in. Alpha 1, we¡¯ve started the engagement." "Alpha 2, engagement beginning." "Alpha 3, move down below. Don¡¯t bete." Click, click! The gunfire lighting up the dark corridor and the sickening noise filling the air. With near-rapid fire, the suppressor glowed a deep red, telling only Dagger Team¡¯s movements. In a sh, heart rates spiked and breathing quickened. But the Icarus Gear ensured that these physical signs never hinderedbat and kept the optimal physical condition. As a result, they barreled through the modified gang members, crushing them under their feet. And Dagger Team had an additional advantage. "EMP charged. Preparing to detonate." "Fire, fire! At least 20 enemies in front! The do¡¯s also confirmed!" "Perfect. All the prep work and it didn¡¯t go to waste." The endless gunfire echoed through the building, but the sharp high-pitched sound of an EMP pulse cutting through the air signaled the detonation. As it collided with the walls and dissipated, it couldn¡¯t be stopped. The pulse easily fried the malicious electronic devices attached to the bodies of the modified gang members. The once deafening gunfire turned to utter silence. "You know, every time I fire this, I wonder if we should aim it at the server room?" "If the circuit couldn¡¯t even withstand one EMP pulse, Artemis wouldn¡¯t be able to supply anything to the U.S. military. But they¡¯ve got some mil-spec gear." "We¡¯ve still got plenty of C4 and thermite left, so stop thinking you can take it easy and get down there quickly. The longer we stay here, the worse the situation will get." "Alright, let¡¯s go. Alpha 3 seems to be in a bit of trouble." Upstairs, the noise slowly faded away, but gunfire could be hearding from below via the stairwell. The modified gang members on the upper floors were wiped out in a short firefight, but that was only because Alpha 1 and 2¡¯s team leader was a mutant. On the other hand, Alpha 3, led by Owens, wascking both numbers and firepower. To put it another way, the trouble was only that much. Once the other two teams joined, the breakthrough was iparable to before. "Finally made it?" "It was pretty difficult, team leader." "You seemed to be having fun with the shark, but I wonder if I interrupted something." "You¡¯ve gone too far with that joke!" Thud! Whooosh! A sticky bomb flew through the air, tracing andmine path across the floor full of bodies and obstacles, cutting through them without resistance. This was the essence of modern warfare, killing without even seeing the target. But this time, it wasn¡¯t as easy to clear the path. The modified gang members, now with enhanced durability that surpassed human limits, were much harder to take down. But, as always, all problems could be solved. Thoroughly. Precisely. And bloodily. And when the problem was solved, Dagger Team reached their objective, as always. "As expected, the server room is in the underground parking lot. Let¡¯s do what we¡¯ve done before." "Got it. The parking columns and the water supply line connected to the Harlem River are the targets. Blow them all up, submerge the server tform, and bury the building. No objections?" "None." Screech. Everyone opened their tactical bags and pulled out explosives, preparing to cerge blocks of explosives on the dozens of support columns in the parking lot. Drilling holes with thermite drills was just an extra measure to ensure the explosion delivered the full force.@@novelbin@@ But, as always, the situation didn¡¯t go smoothly.
    • Owl team has ryed to all Dagger members: All visible areas are filled with enemies! More than 800 visible enemies! Finish as quickly as possible and get out of there!
    "Ha, it¡¯s started. The white phosphorus smoke will be clearing soon."
    • "Get out of there within 3 minutes! We¡¯ll prep the extraction!"
    "Understood. One minute until the server room is destroyed." Just as Olivia¡¯s desperate warning echoed across Dagger Team¡¯smunicationswork, Lorentina, with her finger still on her ear, pulled it away and smiled as she added: "Isn''t this fun?" If it was sarcasm, it was pretty intense. If it was sincere, it was madly delusional. But that didn¡¯t matter. This was the destiny that awaited Dagger Team for at least the next few years. The great escape had begun. The vibrations from the explosion rocked the underground of James J. Peters Veterans'' Hospital. The explosion was so massive that even the modified gang members charging toward the hospital turned their heads toward the source of the st. That was the end for those with behavioral control imnts in their heads. With an unpleasant noise, the modified gang members stumbled and jerked around like half-broken marites, electricity bursting from their mechanical parts. But that didn¡¯t mean they had lost theirbat abilities. Artemis wasn¡¯t a fool, and she knew exactly why Dagger Team was raiding hives and blowing up server rooms. The operation had just been progressing too fast for her to prepare for. The modified gang members had been left in a rtively loose mental state, with just enough purpose and direction fed into them to get their bearings back. The result was that they now knew something was wrong, and while they didn¡¯t know who the enemy was, they understood that they had to kill or be killed. What that would lead to needed no further exnation. And under normal circumstances, Dagger Team would have been swept away by the tidal wave of 800 enemies. But¡ª
    • "The building is copsing¡­!"
    • "These damn idiots knew they were at a disadvantage andpletely changed the battlefield! Without a Warthound-ss drone or equivalent firepower, there''s no way we can take them down!"
    • "...What about the V-ss cyborgs? Aren¡¯t they the only ones left?"
    • "There are Volvox units on the second basement floor of the adjacent building. But they''re still being calibrated, and there are mutants over there. We don''t know what will happen."
    • "Shit, so you want us to just let the bridgehead go? Throw in all the enhancers, we need to stop them at the ankles!"
    • "...Understood."
    The 50kg explosives nted in the underground parking lot were enough to tilt the building. To fully demolish the building, hundreds of kilograms of explosives would have to be precisely ced, but Dagger Team didn¡¯t need such a grand oue. They simply targeted the support columns, destroyed the parking lot, and nned to submerge it all. And as the explosives went off, dozens of the parking lot''s supporting columns exploded. While it wasn¡¯t enough to copse the entire building, it was enough to make it tilt. The broken pipes flooded the parking lot. The Artemismand, directing the operation, knew full well that they werepletely doomed, but they also knew they couldn¡¯t just let Dagger Team walk away. The result was inevitable. As Artemis made her decision, a coffin deep in an underground space that Dagger Team hadn¡¯t even known about started to open. By this time, Dagger Team was already climbing the building. "Damn, the parking lot copsed. This is going to be tough¡­!" "Alpha 1-1 here, you might not see it from above, but the building''s roof is probably tilted too. Be aware of that when yound."
    • "Understood. We¡¯re descending now. Many enemies are approaching from nearby. Be aware that we¡¯re out of white phosphorus smoke."
    Dagger Team confirmed their signals, and above them, Photon 1, slowly descending from several hundred meters, was visible as a hologram. As the building had tiltedpletely, the stairs were twisted, cracked, or both. The structural damage from therge-scale explosion meant that even the slightest step on the stairs caused them to break further. However, that was the only obstacle in their way. Climbing a half-destroyed staircase was far simpler than any of the obstacles Dagger Team had faced during the mission. Of course, on the other hand, that wasn¡¯t the only obstacle.
    • [Alert: A detected entity matches the body structure of a previously identified target. It is approaching at 45 km/h from the current position.]
    • [Alert: The entity identified as Valerie, a cyborg from Artemis, has been confirmed. It is the same cyborg that attacked Central Park several hours ago.]
    • [Alert: Heavy enemy detected. Prepare forbat.]
    "What?" Thud, thud, thud! At that moment, a strange, thunderous noise came from across the corridor on the 6th floor, just as Dagger Team was about to move in. It sounded like something far heavier than a human was pounding the ground with immense force. And by this time, the two mutants who served as the point men for Dagger Team saw something approaching from the end of the corridor. What it was, and how they would handle it, became clear almost immediately. "Logan!" "I know, everyone get back¡ª!" In that instant, Logan and Lorentina pulled the triggers of their rifles, unleashing a full barrage of rounds, and simultaneously drew their knives and tomahawks. 3 seconds, 2 seconds, and 1 second. And then¡ª Krrrrk! A cyborg,beled ¡°VOLVOX¡± under its eyes, sped down the corridor at an incredible pace and mmed into the mutant. The male cyborg, its eyes spinning, burst outughing, and the sparks from the Mantis des collided with Logan and Lorentina''s melee weapons. "Haha! You think you can stop this? Impressive!" "Sorry, but I don¡¯t have time to y. I¡¯ll crush that skull." "Looks like I¡¯ve got a present for Central Park. Let¡¯s start with the arms and legs." The two mutantsughed sharply. Who would have thestugh was yet to be seen. Chapter 715 -Check Alpha 1 and 2 on the rooftop, excluding Photon 1, Alpha 3, and the two mutants. 57 seconds left until escape! Get organized as fast as you can and get out! "Damn, I''m trying- keugh!" Kugugung! The body, which easily exceeded 200kg and the equipment that exceeded 70kg, was blown through the air by the cyborg''s one punch, approaching 300kg. Logan flew backwards with a thud and crashed into the MRI room door. The door, which was covered with thick lead tes, literally crumpled like a piece of paper, but Logan quickly rolled his body to the side with a frown. At that moment, the bright blue Mantis de pierced through the lead door that was only centimeters thick. With an ominous sound, the sma de mmed into the ground, and the moment it was pulled down by force, molten lead bubbled and boiled and flowed out through the zing door. But whatever it was, Logan had no intention of leaving his enemy alone after he failed to kill him. "You get hit too, you punk¡­!" "Whack!" Kwaaang! A loud, unpleasant noise erupted that was hard to believe was the sound of kicking someone. Logan literally kicked the enemy''s stomach with all his might, thrusting his de at him. At that moment, Volvox''s body twisted into a squat, and he flew back at least 5 meters before crashing into the wall. With a thud, the cyborg fell to the ground, heavily damaged, while Laurentina grabbed Logan''s hand and pulled him up. His back ached from the great blow that had shattered the door, and he had difficulty breathing. Hot liquid flowed down his head. Logan guessed that it was blood. When he struggled to get up, Laurentina¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t look so good either. ¡°Get up, damn it. If you want to be hospitalized here, I won¡¯t stop you, but¡­!¡± ¡°My health insurance disappeared, damn it. You¡¯re fighting for free without any money, and now your wallet is full.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, whoa. What kind of conversation are you having without me?¡± ¡°Stop hanging around ande quickly. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± There were 33 seconds left until the transport nended. Logan spat bloody saliva on the floor and threw the axe, which had lost its de, on the ground, recalling his past memories. At the same time, a hexagonal holographic spike formed on his fist. Laurentina, who saw this, inserted a new bomb into the sticky bomb attached to his right thigh. It was the kind of thing that spewed out mes of about 3,000 degrees immediately upon detonation. Laurentina, who was holding a tactical knife in one hand and looking at Logan, added. "Another fist?" "The axe is gone, so this is all that''s left. I''ll cut your neck out." "You''ve got some great people. Let''s try it." ng! And at that moment, the enemy disappeared from the spot as if teleporting. To be exact, the speed at which it moved was so fast that it was mistaken for disappearing. However, that was only applicable to ordinary people. In the split second that you had to count to the decimal point, the eyes of the Dagger team urately read Volvox''s movement trajectory and prepared for its approach. The cyborg disappeared in the blink of an eye. However, the shaking of the air and the heat radiating from the de were sometimes much more urate than visual information, and the two identified the enemy''s location with a sixth sense that had long since surpassed humans. The enemy was approaching. "Help me. We have to finish it in one go." Logan did not answer, and the enemy''s trajectory changed into a straight line. The shark estimated the attack route, and the cyborg, contrary to his confident words, was running straight ahead without even breathing, and thanks to that, the two were able to notice what kind of attack woulde at what timing. And in that split second, countless situations intersected. ©¤©¤©¤Quazik! The moment the tactical knife caught in the shark''s hand swung through the air, a strange noise erupted. Laurentina had been reading the entire trajectory of the Volvox, which was shot like a mantis or an arrow, from the beginning, and the de, swung at the exact timing, sank into the cyborg''s left elbow. The moment the trajectory of the left mantis de changed immediately, Logan struck the right mantis de with his left hand and clenched his right hand tightly. The hologram shone brightly, and her fist was aimed at the abdomen. The moment Logan''s right hand was stuck in Volvox''s abdomen, a tremendous roar erupted. "Whoaak...!" Kuuung! A terrible sound echoed through the hallway. Volvox showed movements that seemed topletely ignore thews of physics. Literally, it was moving in the opposite direction at the same speed as it had been running. Volvox, whose abdomen hadpletely copsed, bounced off in the opposite direction, drawing a perfect curve just like before, but unfortunately, that was not the end of his fate. Volvox, who realized with his ''somewhat'' intact vision that he had been bounced off in the opposite direction and that his entire body had suffered enormous damage, saw ''something'' in Laurentina''s right hand shing. It didn''t take long for him to realize that it hade flying at him much faster than he was flying, and had lodged itself in his chest. Thump. Volvox''s short flight ended when he hit a dead end wall, but unfortunately, it was only the beginning for some. mes burst out. ©¤©¤©¤Squeak! "Kuhaaaak¡­!" Not metaphorically, but literally. His chest was burning. It wasn''t just a fire. mes literally shot up from his chest. The moment the sticky grenade that had settled on his chest detonated, his entire upper body melted. If he had been a human, he would have died the moment the mes burst out of his chest, but the cyborg didn''t die from that alone. However, he would die soon. His entire vision was filled with mes. However, "I told you, I''ll tear your neck out." Swish! The moment the arm that appeared through the mes grabbed Volvox''s neck, he felt a fear that even the lethal dose of the strengthening agent injected into his body couldn''t stop. Above the cyborg''s mechanical eyes, mes, and white hair and transparent sky-blue eyes were caught. And at that moment, an indescribable pressure was felt from his neck. The skin, thicker than rubber, was torn apart by the force alone, and the vertebrae covered with alloy literally broke like corn stalks, and soared toward the sky as it was. While the strange liquid mixed with ck liquid and fresh blood gushed out from his neck like a fountain, Volvox witnessed Logan''s fierceness, which was clearly revealed at the end of his life. That was the end of everything. And- -Photon 1,nded on the roof of the building! If we take too long because there is no white phosphorus smoke, we will not be able to get out! Come up quickly! The building is copsing! "...Okay. Take one gift. I will be there in 20 seconds." The two mutated people, who werepletely battered, began to climb the building. The building was even more warped than what they had seen earlier, and even just the two of them climbing the stairs made a strange noiseing from the floor. The sky was still dark, and the acrid dust was added, butpared to the problem they had just faced, it was a problem that they could ovee easily. At least for now. ©¤©¤©¤Kugugugu! "I''ve identified the two with my own eyes!" "The roof is copsing! Photon 1, take off!" "Are you in your right mind? Two people are not on board yet!" "Damn it, if we just open the rear ramp door, we''ll get on somehow! Throw thedder and we''ll be fine!" The roof was copsing. Photon 1 realized that it had no choice but to take off in order to prevent the craft from tilting, and began to slowly increase its output as it was. The craft that had already sunk several meters slowly rose, and the tilted craft suddenly regained its normal state and tilted violently. For a moment, even the Dagger team almost fell over. But, "Damn you, raise the altitude quickly-!" "Let go of thedder!" In the distance, two mutants were approaching at incredible speed across the shattered rooftop. Raising the altitude was not an option, but a necessity, and the Dagger team quickly threw the 30m longdder attached to the wall winch out of the machine that was rising into the air. And- ©¤©¤©¤Ring! "We''re stuck, pull us up!" "Photon 1, elerate to maximum speed. I''ll activate the winch, so no matter what, pull up the people hanging down there!" "Of course...!" Geeeeeeing! As the winch on the wall rotated, the James J. Peters Veterans Hospital began to shrink to the size of a thumb in an instant, and with a rattling sound, the two mutants hanging down below rose up. The Dagger Team struggled to pull up thedder, which was under a tremendous load due to the 600kg weight hanging from it, and the Icarus Gear made it possible to somehow pull up a weight that humans could not handle. Aside from the winch turning and retrieving thedder, the machine''s output could have been insufficient. And- "... This, damn it, this is fucking shit...!" "What the hell did you bring?" "I tried to bring them all, but it didn''t work out. I ran into the same guy who came into Central Parkst time. So I took his head out." Dull. As soon as he came up, Owens shook his head and added as he watched Logan throw down the neck he was holding and copse on the ground, and Laurentina who followed him up. "I think we should change our nickname from Dagger to Headhunter." Everyone nodded with expressions of understanding. In the dark world, only one transport ne was leisurely floating. Now it was time to go pick up Eugene and Olivia, who were about 200 meters away.@@novelbin@@ "Damn it, I kind of expected this to happen¡­!" "That''s why you should''ve hidden the helicopter better, damn it. Eugene! Blow up the heads of every single one of them you see! We''re so busy here!" "Whoa, I''ll do what I can¡­!" Kwaang, Kwaang, Kwaang! Dozens of traps that had been set up on the stairs exploded one after another, and the sound of the stairs copsing could be heard here. Since I had poured C4 into the stairwell in kilograms, the enemies did note up to the rooftop. I looked down at the building. There were over a hundred enemies moving around. The enemies moving around with semi-inorganic movements were obviously a modified gang. The reason this happened was simple. We had literally stirred up a beehive. Three of them. "Be prepared for those who mighte up to the rooftop! I''ll be providing emergency treatment to the pilot!" "Should I just blow up the way up?" "...Yeah, that would be better! Instead, check the rooftops of the surrounding buildings! I''lle up there!" The legal order to detonate was given. As soon as I pressed the detonator in my hand, the entrance in the center of the rooftop exploded and copsed inward. This should at least prevent the enemies from climbing up to the rooftop where we were. However, that wasn''t the end. We weren''t on the rooftop of a building standing alone in the middle of nowhere, but an apartmentplex. And James J. Peters Hospital was 200 meters north. There were several apartments around, and the enemies couldn''t have missed us, who were providing sniping support from just 200 meters away, and I couldn''t stop them from climbing up to other buildings. Then I had no choice but to kill all the ones who climbed up. I adjusted the Barrett''s vertical and horizontal points to zero and kept an eye on the enemies entering the surrounding buildings. Fortunately, we didn''t need to use expensive bullets that cost over a million won per shot to kill regr infantry, and we had brought regr bullets from Silent Bird in case we were exposed to directbat. I scattered them all over the floor. With a nking sound, over two hundred .50 caliber bullets rained down on the floor, and I filled my empty box magazine with bullets before the enemies reached the rooftop in earnest. How long had it been like that? Suddenly, another explosion was heard from far away. ©¤©¤©¤Kuuung! "... Over there. Isn''t that the hospital building where the Dagger Team members were?" "Yes. I can see it. It''s an explosion in the underground parking lot. And... the transport ne isnding on the rooftop over there. It looks like the operation has ended safely." "If only our pilot hadn''t been shot from below, we would have been getting ready to go home. Too bad." "That was an act of God." He added, inserting one of the ten or so box magazines filled with regr bullets into his gun. Exactly. Unfortunately, the Silent Bird that could carry us out of this hell was destroyed by the surging gang of Mods, and the pilot was shot in the stomach during the escape. Fortunately, like me, the Silent Bird pilot was not in any major trouble despite being seriously injured. This was thanks to the nanomachines that the Icarus Gear was creating by the millions every second. It mended torn blood vessels, stopped bleeding, and blocked pain sensation. That was all for emergency treatment. That''s why, as I said, the pilot''s serious injury wasn''t the biggest problem we were facing right now. I raised my gun and activated the pulse. Dozens of enemies had climbed onto the roof of the next building. "The building on the right! They''reing!" "Look at the left side too!" Pfft! The sound of gunfire became sharper and smaller as it passed through the silencer, and bullets the size of a board marker tore through the air. The gap between the buildings was only 30 meters. The .50 caliber bullets flew at Mach 3, so fast that even my cognitive abilities couldn''t keep up. Bricks shattered and people''s heads were crushed. One, two, three, four. I pulled the trigger, pulled, and pulled again. It didn''t take long for the first magazine to bepletely empty, so I put another magazine in that fell to the ground. The word overkill was really vivid. "Miss Olivia! If we stay here any longer, we''re in big trouble! 30 seconds until Predator airspace!" "Photon 1, there are at least 200 enemiesing towards us within 300 meters! If you don''t want to see us torn to pieces here, you better get here quickly!" - Photon 1, 30 seconds until takeoff. It seems that the two sides will be somewhat dyed as they face the same enemy as the cyborg that invaded Central Park! "Fuck, I''m going crazy!" Bullets flying from all directions. It was fortunate that we had more cover thanks to the rooftop building being blown up earlier, but it was quite troublesome that enemies were on the rooftops of all the surrounding apartments and shooting at us. I connected to the drone that began to float above the night sky through the hologram disyed on the Icarus Gear on my left wrist. The Predator drone called by the Central Park operatives entered the operational airspace. At that moment, there was a popping sound and a beautiful curve of smoke spread over the apartment. I looked down from the sky while connected to the drone, and I could immediately tell what the curve was. It was a mortar shell! ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaang! "Damn, those guys are firing mortars now! Eugene! Kill all the guys on the rooftops!" "Confirmed Predator control. 3 seconds until missileunch¡­!" An 81mm mortar shell fell from the air in a parabolic arc. There was no need to worry about why the enemy had such a thing. Miss Olivia had already intercepted the shell with her pistol as soon as she saw it, and she had to quickly get rid of the enemy so that it wouldn''t explode. We might not be able to ovee this predicament head-on. But- -[Notice: Hellfire missileunch.] -[Notice: 5 seconds until impact. Danger Cloth warning.] At least we had a missile that could blow away a rooftop without a trace. The more you have, the more you can do. There was only one thing to prepare. "Everyone, bow your heads-!" Kwaaaaang! mes, loud noises, shock waves, and tens of thousands of pieces of debris filled the world. A missilended on a rooftop about 30 meters to the right, leaving a long trail of mes, and exploded. The first rooftop was blown away without a trace, and the debris passed us like bullets. It was over, but that wasn''t enough. And we still had about four missiles left. Olivia added, swapping pistol magazines. "As I said earlier, our operators are really capable, I like that." "...Operator, sir. Did you just shoot the mortar shell that was flying in and blow it up?" "It''s one of the basic skills. Anyway, clean all the other rooftops without leaving a trace, youngest. If you don''t want a hole in your stomach while retreating." "...Yes, of course." Of course, that wasn''t going to happen this time. Leaving the pilot, who was dumbfounded and lost his mind after seeing the true colors of the Dagger Team for the first time, I looked at the wrist screen and felt like an almighty god as I looked down from the sky to the ground. As always, modern civilization never betrayed me, no matter what. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaang! A fireball flying from the sky. A meteor designed to kill people. I felt relieved amidst the flying noise, mes, and debris. June in the Bronx was so hot. It was two minutes before we escaped. Chapter 716
    • "Photon 1, elerate to maximum speed. We¡¯ll activate the winch, so no matter what happens, get those people hanging down there up!"
    • "Of course, that goes without saying¡­!"
    • "Olivia! If we stay here any longer, we¡¯re in big trouble! 30 seconds until Predator airspace!"
    • "Photon 1, within a 300-meter radius, at least 200 enemies are closing in on us! If you don¡¯t want to watch us get torn to shreds, you better get here fast!"
    "...There are too many of them. Where are all these guysing from?" "ording to the intelligence collected by Dagger Team, they are likely gang members from the Bronx who have undergone partial physical modifications by Artemis." "Director Solomon, didn¡¯t we send Dagger Team to dismantle theirmand structure? They¡¯re still moving under orders, even after we blew up the server rooms." "Shouldn¡¯t we just blow them all to pieces with physical means?" "We don¡¯t have any avable close air support. The phosphorus grenades Photon 1 used and the Predator drone Dagger Team is operating are all we have left at Central Park HQ." Tension filled the room inside the Central Park HQ¡¯smand center. Support officers packed into the operationsmand were responsible for overseeing and directing actual missions. They were prepared to send whatever resources were necessary for operations at a moment¡¯s notice. However, in the highly protected inner section of Central Park, especially within the Ark¡¯s bunker, there were much higher-ranking individuals watching the same scene unfold. To put it simply, if the operationsmand center could be considered the fingers, these people were the arm and head. As expected, the ranks of those present in the highestmand room were far from ordinary. "Is there really nothing we can do for those guys right now?" "At this moment, no, sir." "Then let¡¯s assume Dagger Team gets out of there. Let¡¯s discuss how we should deal with the enemy forces still crawling around in the Bronx." Naturally, in the Central Park HQ, only one person could be addressed as "sir." Henry Michael Brayton, the current President of the United States. Presumed partially missing at the moment, the President was present at Central Park. And he wasn¡¯t alone. Beside him, Solomon, the Director of Homnd Security, was overseeing both the Department of Homnd Security and its subsidiary, Icarus, after the Secretary of Homnd Security, Alejandro Webb, had gone missing. There were many others too, including Major General Dunning, themander of the United States Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), who was monitoring operations via hologram, and Chief of Staff Carl Landon. Moreover, the majority of the living leadership of the United States had gathered in thismand room. Inside the not-so-small room, there were far more screens on the walls than people, and the moment the President opened the conversation, everyone began discussing the matter quickly. "Whatever we do, we need to wipe out that area. Justst time, one of Dagger Team almost died near there. If we don¡¯t decimate the area, the enemy will keep pouring out like ants." "I don¡¯t believe anyone¡¯s suggesting weunch a nuke. The operation zone is only about 10 kilometers from Central Park." "How about using the precedent from Fort Hamilton? Currently, the Redstone Arsenal¡¯s Army Aviation Missile Command (AMCOM) is on standby in preparation." "Termite missiles? Do we still have any stock left?" "Dark Eagle (LRHW, medium-range ballistic missiles) are on standby. They¡¯ll reach the Bronx operation zone within 200 seconds." As mentioned earlier, the Central Park HQ¡¯s operationsmand could only send fire support and drones, but the highestmand had the authority to unleash something much broader and more destructive. Within seconds of the strategy being formed, everyone in the room looked toward the President, and Henry knew there was no hesitation here. A ballistic missileunched from bama, slightly east of the United States'' center, would reach New York in 200 seconds, and the 3 minutes and 20 seconds would be more than enough time for Dagger Team to escape. The President nodded, permitting theunch of the missile. When Major General Dunning, who was operating theputers from the center, pressed Enter, the Bronx turned bright red.@@novelbin@@ "...This is the predicted damage zone. The Hudson Line, the 4th Line, and Line B will likely take some damage." "Civilians?" "...It''s difficult to say, sir. Any civilians in the area are either non-existent or likely armed." He nodded gravely. Dunning¡¯s words made sense. Artemis had, through some method, modified people intobat forces, stripping them of the ability to think for themselves. No one in the room believed that any civilians in the area would escape the effects of such "modifications." Therefore, the results they had projected would likely hold true. The President gave his approval, and now, it was just a matter of implementation. Once the President gave the order, things started moving quickly. Henry issued themand, and it was passed through themand structure, reaching the operational staff. The order tounch the medium-range ballistic missiles was promptly ryed to AMCOM. Soon after:
    • [Alert: LRHWunch sequence initiated.]
    • [Alert: Current speed - Mach 8. Time to Mach 20: 30 seconds.]
    Beep! Arge timer appeared on the biggest screen in the center of the highestmand room, with the map of the United States'' right half disyed. Three missiles shot into the air. The information was immediately passed to the TOC and then quickly ryed to the Predator drone team firing missiles from the air. And then¡ª
    • New orders. Evacuate the operation zone immediately. Three Dark Eagle medium-range ballistic missiles are heading towards the Bronx. ETA: 188 seconds.
    • "What? Are you kidding me? Photon 1! If you don¡¯t want to see us torn to pieces down here, you better get over here quickly!"
    • "Photon 1, we¡¯re already descending, but the resistance is fierce! We don¡¯t have much time left!"
    • "Damn it! Fire off all the remaining missiles in all directions and make it happen!"
    The screen switched to show the sky, and lights falling from the air were visible. The missile, attached to the drone, seemed to fall leisurely at first, but then it elerated and mmed into a rooftop filled with enemies, as mes erupted from the impact. The firepower unleashed on the roof started to diminish significantly. As Photon 1 spiraled carefully down, the missile that had missed the target exploded in mid-air, resembling anti-aircraft fire. The transport began its descent, and Photon 1, after firing missiles, began to descend carefully as well. The team took cover inside the transport while sting nearby enemies. "Let¡¯s pick up speed to maximum, Photon 1. Move as fast as possible!" Understood. Photon 1, taking Dagger Team aboard. We¡¯ll return to base now." The rear ramp of the transport closed, and the aircraft elerated to 700 km/h. Bronx was once again plunged into darkness. Two minutes passed. Three medium-range ballistic missiles, having briefly tasted the cold of space, plunged toward the ground in a fiery descent, hitting their targets with incredible speed. Though it wasn¡¯t a nuclear strike, the resulting mes from the missiles were enough to resemble something close to it, rising from the James J. Peters Veterans'' Hospital, Bronx High School of Science, and Presbyterian Allen Hospital. The impact of the missiles, far surpassing the power of a Daisy Cutter, reduced everything within a 300-meter radius of the impact zones to dust. In that instant, dozens of blinding fireballs engulfed the ground. The explosives,bustible aerosols, and thousands of modified gang members and Artemis''s troops who hadn¡¯t managed to escape were all used as fuel. New York was quiet once more. And it would remain so for the foreseeable future. "...Dagger Team has returned. Officially dering thepletion of the Bronx operation at 2:44 AM." "Estimated kill count: 6,611. Prisoners: 1,226. No additional figures confirmed. Mission objectives were exceeded. All air assets ounted for." "Good work, everyone. Disband." "Great job!" ps echoed through the TOC as it neared 3 AM. Some operators took off their headsets, stretching as they stood, while others let go of the controls. A deep sigh filled the room, and the sound of chairs moving could be heard as everyone began to leave. It was time to head back to the barracks. With the tension slowly easing, the team staggered out of the building, their exhaustion evident. Although they couldn¡¯t sleep just yet, finishing the mission without losing a single operator was a major aplishment. And then, especially, thest part... Rand, still deep in thought, stood up from her seat, though her expression was far from pleasant. Those who knew what she had been asked couldn¡¯t help but look at her with mixed expressions. ''¡­Can I do this?'' No, the question itself was wed. It wasn¡¯t "Can I do this?" It was "I must do this." If she couldn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t survive. However, while she didn¡¯t know what she had to learn, at least surviving in such dramatic moments... it wasn¡¯t clear if she could survive hell, even if she was told it was dramatic. With a sigh, she left the room. It was still dark, but with the light pollution gone, the stars were visible, and the air felt fresh as the cars had disappeared. And there, she saw Olivia. "Whoa! When did you arrive!?" "I just got here. Your expression is quite dramatic." "Dammit, tell me beforehand. You¡¯re always so elusive." "Care for a walk?" It was clear. The conversation wasn¡¯t going anywhere. But since Rand was physically inferior to Olivia, she couldn¡¯t resist when Olivia¡¯s arm rested on her shoulder. As always, Dagger Team¡¯s presence carried the scent of the battlefield. Trying to ignore it, Rand suddenly spoke up. "You¡¯ll be fine, right, rookie?" "Are you asking me to do that? Do you want me to cry right here? I will, I swear!" "Just kidding, just kidding. I¡¯m not asking you to do that. If the operation had gone smoothly, we would have been out of there without a hitch. But... not all operations go as nned." "¡­" And that was terrifying. In such cases, one had to ovee all obstacles with their own skills, but what worried her the most was that she couldn¡¯t do that. And while she didn¡¯t know it, that was the typical reaction of an ordinary person on the battlefield. Rand lowered her head and sighed. Seeing this, Olivia patted her on the head. "I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll throw you into the battlefield right away. But, whether it¡¯s me or someone else, someday, you might be forced into that situation. So, think of it as learning how to survive so you won¡¯t die." "...Yeah." "I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you a clear answer. But the world we live in now is one where anyone who doesn¡¯t fight hard enough won¡¯t make it." Olivia paused for a moment before continuing. "Starting tomorrow, Dagger Team gets a few days off. If you have time,e find me. Don¡¯te after eating, though. You might end up vomiting." "¡­If I don¡¯te, will youe looking for me?" "I might. But don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t treat you too harshly, rookie. Always hold your pride. Your past might be a bitplicated, but you¡¯ve proven yourself in the meantime." Rand nodded. The night was still dark, and the road ahead was long. Rand sensed that it was time to part ways, and Olivia, as if to confirm this, patted her back. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond just yet, but Olivia seemed okay with that. And as she prepared to give Olivia a subtle smile, she spoke. "¡­By the way, I¡¯ve noticed some of mybat shirts have been mysteriously missing. You didn¡¯t steal them, did you?" "Are you insane!? Seriously!?" "Just kidding, just kidding. See youter!" Whoosh! As Olivia disappeared as quickly as an owl, Rand blushed, puffing up her cheeks. Whether it was out of embarrassment, imagination, or some other reason, only she knew. The darkness ended, and morning wasing. Chapter 717 "Romeo and Charlie ¡ª the code names for the two enemy submarines we captured ¡ª have arrived in southern New Jersey. It¡¯s confirmed that they have about a week left before reaching the Virginia Beach Dam Neck Naval Base." "What¡¯s the enemy¡¯s awareness?" "As expected by the staff, they haven¡¯t noticed anything at all." "Of course, they¡¯re idiots." After the operation in the Bronx, Dagger Team slept deeply at their quarters, but the HQ remained busy. As the ripple effects of Dagger Team¡¯s operation spread throughout the northeastern United States, more people were needed to handle the aftermath. Military units around the country began working around the clock to manage the situation. After all the necessary supplies and bombs were used for the mission, people had to restock and prepare for the next operation, and there were those tasked with analyzing the results achieved from the sess of the mission. Among the oues that needed to be handled most urgently were the two submarines crossing the waters off New Jersey. "I¡¯ve never waited for a week like this before. With what we¡¯ve uncovered so far, it¡¯s all falling apart. I can¡¯t even guess what kind of story wille out when Cyber Command starts its analysis." "They¡¯re already itching to get started. The dusty submarine docks are shining like new. They¡¯re probably thinking of tearing them apart as soon as they arrive." "I¡¯d do the same." It had only been a little over a week since the capture, but many things had already been uncovered. Although the details might differ, the basic framework of the submarines was simr, and the Sword crew quickly got the hang of operating them, aided by the cooperation of the enemy submarine crew. Of course, they had no choice. Bombs had been nted inside them. It was harsh, but no one cared about that. After all, the enemy had set foot on American soil without a deration of war. And these submarines were loaded with 500kt nuclear warheads, 8 and 12 of them on medium-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles, respectively. A series of interrogation-style questions, generous use of confession drugs, and the desperate crew members provided the immediate and critical information the United States needed in exchange for sparing their lives. The location of the submarine base they departed from, detailed internal information, theunch codes for the nuclear missiles, the location of surviving underwater cables, enemymunicationworks, military satellite trajectories, and how to ess them ¡ª all of it was provided. And that wasn¡¯t all. The most important answers ¡ª such as what damage Russia and China had already sustained, the political situation in East Asia, and what operations they nned to undertake ¡ª were alsorgely revealed. "Western and northeastern U.S. is about to be flooded with airborne troops. Such grand dreams, huh? Do they think this is some Call of Duty game?" "If Dagger Team hadn¡¯t captured those submarines, that might have actually happened. Anyway... quite an achievement. Now, the real challenge will be setting up enough air defense in the northeast to stop the airborne troops." "Somehow, we¡¯ll have to make it work. Within three months. At least it¡¯s a relief that the Russian-Chinese coalition won¡¯t be dropping nuclear bombs on our coastline, though that¡¯s not guaranteed. They¡¯re the kind of people who are nning to start a war in these chaotic times." Arge-scale airborne operation. The reason for the airborne operation, not anding, was simple. After analyzing the Russian-Chinese coalition¡¯smunicationwork, it was clear that the enemy had lost most of their naval power in the Pacific. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy¡¯s 7th and 3rd Fleets had been decimated, most underwater cables had been destroyed, and satellite data reception was nearly impossible. Moreover, the Russians and Chinese knew well that dropping nuclear bombs onnding zones would result in the destruction of their own forces, as they had been operating in enemy territory for an extended period. Analysts, trying to push away their grim thoughts, sought sce. At least, there were twenty avable nuclear missiles. Furthermore, considering that the missiles in the silos were all MIRVs ¡ª missiles with multiple warheads ¡ª it was as if there were 200 nuclear missiles lying in wait. Of course, using them would inevitably lead to full-scale nuclear war, and the probability of actually using them was slim. However, these nuclear missiles held deterrence power far beyond their numbers. The reason was simple. The submarines knew the exact locations of missile silos in various countries. "These guys really have silos strategically nted all over Russia. If USASMDC (U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command) were still functional, we could have tried a preemptive strike." "There¡¯s not much left to operate the ballistic missile defense system. We might have a few Icarus suits around... but Redstone Arsenal¡¯s entire stock of missile interceptors has been used up." "Thepany that develops these missiles... Raytheon? Massachusetts? Well, that¡¯s close. Looking at the situation, I¡¯m guessing Central Park will oversee this. We might need to bring in factories from here soon." "If Dagger Team hears this, the chief analyst is going to be in trouble." "Dammit, say I never said a word, okay? Got it?" "Buy me a pack of cigarettes, then." The chief analyst nodded heavily, and the subordinate chuckled. Indeed, if Dagger Team had heard it, they would probably be furious that yet another task had arisen. It was a sad but unavoidable reality. But unspoken, there were other matters that were rapidly approaching. The Bronx was in shambles, but it wasn¡¯t clear whether it had been fully cleaned up, and they still needed to confirm how far Artemis''s influence had spread. Considering her headquarters was in northern New York, this was especially crucial. That wasn¡¯t all. While the situation in Manhattan had stabilized, it still needed railroad repairs, and repairs would inevitably lead to an expanded operational radius. In contrast to the slowly stabilizing Manhattan, Phdelphia had been torn to pieces, and Washington D.C. had descended into utter chaos. The capital, in particr, had been almost destroyed. Rumors suggested that at least fifteen factions were roaming the capital. As always, there was only one choice. "Everyone agrees that forming more task forces is urgent, but considering some of the initial personnel have already deserted HQ... I¡¯m not feeling great about this."@@novelbin@@ "Wouldn¡¯t that mean Dagger Team would get stuck with it? I think they¡¯d be pretty angry." "Of course. But..." The truth was, no one trusted anyone but Dagger Team. It wasn¡¯t just the apocalypse caused by the Omega virus that led to thisck of trust; the objective facts were clear. The Icarus gear wasn¡¯t a toy to be handed to just anyone. If someone wearing it turned traitor, it would likely lead to an irreversible disaster. "But we can¡¯t avoid creating a task force outside of Dagger Team." "Then... we¡¯ll need to prepare ahead of time." He waved his finger and unfolded a request proposal set to be submitted. The subordinate blinked and frowned as he checked the details. The proposal was simple: the use of execution squads. Not to arrest deserters, but for execution. The words on the screen swirled in a robotic manner. Normally, such a request would never be allowed. But under these circumstances, it might be necessary, given the state of war. Subordinates and analysts alike considered the grim reality, and the request was likely to be approved soon. With a sigh, he nodded, not showing any expression. The sun had begun to rise, and the sky was gradually turning blue. The major hurdles had been cleared, but there was still much to be done. Every time one task waspleted, another emerged. Rebuilding a shattered America seemed far from certain. Given the irregr work hours and the constant mental pressure on the analysts and operators, the HQ was thick with the smell of stale cigarettes. "Rand¡¯s probably going toin about the smell in the room again." "It¡¯s that time, isn¡¯t it? By the way, I heard Dagger Team¡¯s beenining that theirundry keeps going missing..." The subject naturally shifted to Rand. Until now, she hadn¡¯t been taken seriously due to her past as an escapee, but after neutralizing Valerie, she was finally starting to gain respect. As a result, Rand¡¯s appearance and preferences were now being subtly considered. She looked, unmistakably, like a wolf in human form, and, of course, her nose was extremely sensitive. But given the dire situation, the unpleasant smells in HQ were inevitable. Looking at the cigarette on his finger, the subordinate analyst spoke. "Damn it. I can¡¯t quit smoking." "Who can, right?" Of course, it was a sad reality. Central Park was eerily quiet. "I¡¯m sorry. I thought someone took it, mixing it with the others." "No, seriously, why would I take abat uniform full of blood and gunpowder smells!?" "Sorry, sorry. Want some chocte milk I brought from the mess?" "...I¡¯ll take it." Some timeter. Rand slowly started to bond with Dagger Team. Or maybe she was just being tamed. Of course, there was no turning back. "Isn¡¯t this ce too nice?" "Well, with over 20 people, a spacious area could be too much for four. Anyway, congrattions on moving here. Of course, if you mess around, you¡¯ll go back to your old ce." "Why start with curses right after I arrive?" "Come on, calm down. You¡¯ll get your fur all over the ce." By early June, at Central Park HQ, Alpha-ss mutant dormitory. After the operation in the Bronx ended, a dayter, Central Park was eerily quiet. The faint smell of gunpowder still lingered in the air. It was the residue left by the three ballistic missiles that had destroyed the Bronx just a day before. Even from the skyscrapers surrounding Central Park, the smoke rising into the sky could still be seen. The fires caused by the missile impacts were still burning, and the phosphorus grenades and thermite rounds Photon 1 had dropped before the missile strikes had caused their own fires. The world was quiet, but the air was suffocating. Fortunately, when Rand arrived at the Alpha-ss mutant dormitory, fully equipped with air purifiers, it was the first time she felt a sense of freshness since arriving at HQ. Of course, it wasn¡¯tpletely free of human scents. But one thing was clear: this ce smelled much better than the TOC. It was... refreshing. "...Ugh." "Why is your face red again?" "Just leave it. Probably thinking weird thoughts." "Go unpack, rookie. Don¡¯t imagine anything strange in front of the seniors." Rand finally realized her tail was wagging excitedly and, with a flushed face, picked the mostfortable spot to unpack. Since she didn¡¯t have much luggage, it didn¡¯t take long to organize. She sighed and sat on the bed. The bed was incredibly soft. As she checked the luxury hotel name embroidered on the bed linens and pillows near Central Park, she felt a strange twinge of jealousy. But that thought quickly disappeared. For a simple reason. There, beside the bed, was the gun cab. "...Why... is there a gun here...?" "It¡¯s the stuff you take when you¡¯re on emergency duty. If you end up doing the same job as us, you¡¯ll get your own gun cab here too. You¡¯ll need to get used to it." "I¡¯m just a trainee operations officer, not an operator." "Right, right. I know." Wrong. Even though she had felt this yesterday, Rand could tell they weren¡¯t listening at all. She looked around absently. She had never been in the military, but she wondered if this was what it was like. Serving under senior officers, like they were in the military. As a trainee operations officer, she had seen the ranks and backgrounds of the people here. None of them were below sergeant. All were either two or three stars or above, or warrant officers. Not only that. They had proven themselves through numerous real-world operations and training, and to get here, they had invested tens of millions of dors. Except for one person. ''...But how could that one person keep up with Dagger Team¡¯s pace?'' She heard they had served in the military before. Was that the reason? The world was beyond Rand¡¯s understanding, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she could keep up. But whether she knew it or not, the cold chocte milk, whether from corrosion or something else, slipped down her throat easily. The sweet aroma filled her senses, and a wave of happiness overcame her. And everyone watched with quiet approval. "...So, that¡¯s why everyone gave me snacks?" "You¡¯re just realizing that? Slow, rookie." "...Is this really how it is around here?" "Someone¡¯s got to find joy in all this. You thought Dagger Team would be strict and serious after the mission? We¡¯re not robots." "By the way, who¡¯s keeping the cyborg head Logan brought? Is it under analysis?" "He brought a head!? What kind of head?" This was strange. Was this really the atmosphere? She remembered Dagger Team as a group of people who would snap the legs of hell¡¯s king ande back after being thrown into hell. But now, they were just... odd, in many ways. As Rand¡¯s idealized image of them crumbled, they continued chatting casually. "At least the guy who got hit with two grenades is in one piece. We¡¯ll have something to analyze now." "Speaking of which, that guy was using a sma de. If we got a proper sample, we could analyze it and maybe create a decent closebat weapon." "We¡¯ll run into more cyborgs, so let¡¯s aim for next time. Next time, we¡¯ll grab a leg or an arm." "What kind of conversation is this!?" "Average Dagger Team. Get used to it." What kind of average is that? Rand thought, but the reality was, their conversation was unrelentingly serious. They would indeed be studying cyborg arms and legs, analyzing sma des or whatever else they found. Rand¡¯s mind was spinning. Her adjustment period to Dagger Team had just begun. Chapter 718 "Sir, in 15 minutes, there is a meeting with the Acting Secretary of Energy. In one hour, there will be a report from Acting Secretary of Homnd Security Solomon, and CIA Director Oren Kittney has requested a discussion regarding the repatriation support for ck-ops agents stationed abroad." "Damn it. I wish there were 48 hours in a day, or better yet, I had three bodies." "Still, it¡¯s a relief that the administration is managing to survive." Early June, Central Park HQ. For the time being, Central Park had taken on the full function of the U.S. government, and the country, although barely surviving, was still hanging on in a world that had been half-destroyed by the virus. Although it was debatable whether it could be called "survival," those who were aware of the current situation in the United States would likely agree with a hesitant nod. The reason was simple. Of the three branches of government¡ªlegitive, judicial, and executive¡ªonly the executive branch had somehow managed to survive. When the virus apocalypse swept through America, an unknown faction had reduced one of Washington D.C.''s two key centers, the Capitol, to ashes. Most of the elected members of the House and Senate, representing the interests of each state, had been reduced to millions of white shards, buried in the underground remnants of the U.S. Capitol, charred beyond recognition, except for a few. The judicial branch wasn¡¯t any better off. Those who barely survived the Omega Virus adapted to a world wherews no longer existed, and the constitution became irrelevant. Of course, the federal executive branch wasn¡¯t immune to the virus. However, they had something the legitive and judicial branchescked in a world plunged into apocalypse. Military power. "I didn¡¯t realize it would be this hard to piece the world back together. Seven presidents in the 21st century, and two of them were in ame-duck state by their second year, one was impeached, and even the clock couldn¡¯t prepare them for a viral apocalypse." "It¡¯s an unprecedented situation. The fact that you¡¯re still alive is a miracle, sir." "Maybe so. Anyway, let''s get to work. There¡¯s still too much to do." To survive, there was still so much to be done, and many things that required the president¡¯s approval. Henry could feel the tremendous weight on his shoulders. As long as he was alive, America would somehow keep running, but once he died... He subtly shook his head, dismissing unnecessary thoughts. Instead, he focused on assessing how much military force and resources were needed to tackle the most urgent matters. ¡®...Most of the immediate fires have been put out.¡¯ The military forces scattered across New York City and New Jersey had been gathered in Manhattan, and the approximately 20,000 escaped prisoners who had been attempting to devastate Eastern New York had been reduced to nothing. The Russian-Chinese splinter forces that had set up in Lower Manhattan were burned to ashes by phosphorus, leaving no trace. The two nuclear submarines, capable of destroying America three times over, had been sessfully captured. The gangs that filled the Bronx had been shattered so thoroughly that they would never recover, and along the way, the conspiracy involving the military-industrialplex Artemis had been uncovered. However, Henry did not feel encouraged or relieved by these aplishments. This only meant that the initial response had been sessful. The future crises that America would face would be far harsher and more difficult to endure than anyone¡¯s worst imagination. So, what should be done? Of course, he knew. More military force was needed. More preparation was required. It was inevitable that Dagger Team would receive the most support, but that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. What should he do? The answer came soon enough. "Therefore, the conclusion at this point is that all avable U.S. military resources must be focused on the repair of the railroads and the expulsion of Artemis from Northern New York." "As can be seen from the report below, there are still many potential military supply depots and bases in Northern New York that we haven¡¯t been able to contact properly. One of them, to the north of Albany, is the Waterbleet Armory." "What¡¯s there?" "Large-caliber howitzers, mortars, and arge supply of mortar shells, recoilless rifles, and more. Additionally, there is an armory that manufactures the barrels for M1 Abrams tanks and self-propelled artillery." "Nothing unimportant. But it¡¯s lower priority." "Unfortunately, yes." As he had said, with the legiture and judiciary having evaporated and the Department of State bing irrelevant, Henry¡¯s desk was piled high with military-rted reports. He absorbed military knowledge through the work of hundreds of staff members like a sponge. Just months ago, he hadn¡¯t even known exactly how many weapons the U.S. had or how they were operated, but now, in these extreme circumstances, he realized that conventional forces were useless. Without people, weapons couldn¡¯t move. He cleared the report rted to Albany and picked up another one. Syracuse. A small city located closest to Artemis Technologies, and a facility designated as a high-priority target. "Let¡¯s get to the point." "Yes, sir." The exnation continued. "Syracuse. It¡¯s home to Hancock Field Air Force Base and the 174th Fighter Wing. In army terms, it¡¯s the size of a regiment. It¡¯s also home to the 108th and 138th Attack Squadrons. We estimate they have at least 30 MQ-20 Avengers." "Given that there has been no response to calls, it seems things didn¡¯t end well." "Not sure, but that seems likely." This was clear. Considering the existence of cyborgs like Valerie, who had been seen traveling back and forth from the Bronx and had been released from Central Park, it was most likely that the enemy aircraft hade from the 174th Fighter Wing based in Syracuse. In other words, this base had to be neutralized or captured by the U.S. forces. Whether thetest MQ-20 drones had been left intact, taken to Artemis'' base, or modified, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthis would only be determined once they checked. Solomon, reading Henry¡¯s resolve, spoke up. "I can¡¯t say for sure, but I believe we need to investigate that facility. The MQ-20 is a massive machine with a wingspan of 20 meters and a length of 13 meters. If it¡¯s been moved on the ground, there will surely be traces left." "Couldn¡¯t they have flown it to the Artemis base?" "There will definitely be traces on the runway. If multiple nes took off, there will berge, irremovable tire tracks." "Got it. Leave that part to me. So, what¡¯s the next step?" "I¡¯ve nned an operation for Dagger Team based on a few assumptions." As he spoke, various scenarios shed before Henry¡¯s eyes. If the drones had already been destroyed, if they had been taken to Artemis¡¯ facility, if they were still at the base... there were many possibilities. But one detail stood out to him. The operation targeting LaGuardia or JFK airports. When the I-Tracker passed over that area, one of the operational staff members beside Solomon spoke up. "The conclusion, based on our agreement, is that using the airports for military operations will be crucial for uing operations around Manhattan and for the defense of Central Park." "...Seems like a reasonable suggestion." "Excluding LaGuardia, Newark, and JFK, the only other viable option nearby is Westchester County Airport, and even that can only handle small aircraft." "I see. So, you¡¯re suggesting we repurpose the international airports. But the locations... don¡¯t seem ideal." "Exactly." LaGuardia Airport was located only 1km from Rikers Ind, and JFK Airport was in Queens, where Rikers inmates were still a problem. Brooklyn was right next to Queens. At that moment, Henry understood everything. "If we¡¯re sending Dagger Team, we¡¯ll need to provide them with chemical and biological defense gear." "...We¡¯re currently checking LaGuardia and JFK. If we don¡¯t detect any enemy presence, we¡¯ll send the engineer and CBRN units first. If things look worse than expected, we¡¯ll cancel the airport retaking mission." "Do it." At the start of the virus outbreak, no one at Central Park knew about the horrific events that unfolded at the nearby international airports. At LaGuardia, where the Lykers broke out, over 100,000 people were massacred, and the blood reached the ankles of the airport¡¯s floors. At JFK, where people desperate to escape America were ughtered in droves. And even Newark, although little is known, it¡¯s safe to assume it didn¡¯t end any better. He absentmindedly wondered what would be for lunch at the mess and added, "I guess we won¡¯t be having meat for lunch today." Having once imagined the horrifying sights within the airports, there was no surprise here. He wasn¡¯t sure if sending Dagger Team was the right choice, but unfortunately, he shook his head and silently hoped the Icarus gear¡¯s visual filters would work well. The summer was approaching, and the dead bodies from winter would soon rot away. "Ugh, the weather is disgustingly nice. How about we go outside and shake off our nkets? What do you think?" "Shut up." "Logan, do I have to remind you that my rank is higher than yours?" "Dammit, Lauren, Sergeant Major. You¡¯re just a grumpy sergeant, why the hell... ow! Don¡¯t hit me!" "It¡¯s a free chance to get some Vitamin D. Get out here!" June 6th, Central Park HQ, Alpha-ss mutant dormitory. There were a lot of idiots in the world, and sometimes I wondered if even the elites of America, those gathered in this mutant dorm, weren¡¯t just a bunch of idiots. The Alpha-ss mutants had now grown to five. Of course, no matter what, the bond between them deepened after each mission, and the dorm was always bustling. Well, maybe... speaking like that, it felt like I was dealing with a weekend drill officer trying to dry nkets in the sun. Lauren had be very close with Logan, and now they were practically inseparable, exchanging jokes and acting like real friends. Both of them were in their mid-thirties, but let''s ignore that. While I was lost in such useless thoughts, I heard a pping sound as Logan rubbed his sore rear and let out a loud yell. The sound was so sharp, it was clear it must have hurt quite a bit. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t enjoy the sight for long because Olivia started telling her story. "So, Eugene. After graduating from early childhood education, I was lost trying to find a job. But then Top Gun Maverick came out, and I knew, right then, this is what I had to do." "...I feel like I shouldn¡¯t say this, but that¡¯s so random." It was a wild story about how she ended up in the Air Force, after watching Top Gun, eventually leading her to join the CCT. It was so dynamic that my mind waspletely boggled. Unlike other military stories, this one had an irresistible charm. The introduction was unique, which made it stand out. As I tried to focus on the acrobatic fight between a shark and a pr bear, Olivia¡¯s storytelling overshadowed all the visual input. "Don¡¯t mess with me, you little bear." "Do you want to get beaten like a dog?" "Jeez, you unculturednd creature... Ow! I was joking!" As they argued, Rand gave me a nk look. I thought she¡¯d adapt to Dagger Team''s atmosphere in a couple of days, but it seemed like it might take longer. Still, I didn¡¯t mind too much. Eventually, she¡¯d get used to it. Honestly, it felt normal to me, but it was understandable that the operation officers, who had only seen Dagger Team ovee impossible conditions, might be surprised by the chaotic camaraderie. It seemed like the conversation could switch gears faster than a drone. I had only been part of Dagger Team for a short while, but now I felt like peace was something that shouldn¡¯te too easily. It could be a side effect of the job or, more realistically, PTSD. But I had to keep up, so I continued reading the manuals. That¡¯s why I was often with Olivia. I had to start pulling my weight soon. Sniper training, getting used to CQC, earning my JTAC license, testing explosives, and learning foreignnguages¡ªespecially Chinese and Russian¡ªwere just a few of the tasks that awaited me. The Russian-Chinese alliance wouldnd in America soon, and I had to be prepared for that too. And so, amidst all the chaos, the mutants continued discussing the next operation. Would it be an assault on Artemis¡¯ headquarters in Northern New York? Would we be cleaning up the aftermath in the Bronx? Or heading to New Jersey to assist with the railroad repair? There were many possibilities, but none of them sounded particrly appealing. And then, just as I was reflecting, the saying "Speak of the devil" suddenly made sense. --- BZZZZZ --- "What¡¯s that?" "It looks like an unwee guest has arrived. Looks like Dagger Team won¡¯t be getting any rest." Everyone, except Rand, checked their Icarus gear. As I turned my eyes, I saw holograms floating above the wrists of everyone wearing the gear, a result of the nanomachines creating augmented reality lenses. Rand was the only one who didn¡¯t see it, lying on her bed with a pout, as I read the message that hade through.@@novelbin@@ --[Notification: New operation n confirmed. Operation scheduled for D-7. The details or execution may be subject to change or cancetion based on further information.]-- --[Operation area: Syracuse, New York / JFK International Airport.]-- --[Note: Ensure the inclusion of Olivia Nicks Lorelei and Eagle Team in the Syracuse operation. For JFK airport escort operation, adjust awareness filters ordingly before execution.]-- "What is this?" No one could answer that question. And somehow, I didn¡¯t feel good about it. Chapter 719 "Are you telling me that other people will teach me from now on?" "Yeah. You understand why, right? It''s been a while since we''ve had a break, but the Dagger team is about to get busy again. That''s basically the situation." "...Yeah." "The response of the mutant dogs is really... easy to understand. Ears are down." "Ugh, stop looking!" It was a day in early to mid-June, heading toward the middle of the month, at Central Park. Just a day or two before the operation, which had been notified through the Icarus Gear, Olivia said this to Land, who had now grown somewhat ustomed to her face. Land was eating a sandwich with peanut butter, Nute, and fluff ¡ª a sort of marshmallow jam ¡ª so diligently that she looked as if she might choke at any second, staring at us. Of course, the person in question didn¡¯t know the reason. I had already heard all sorts of backstory, and after thinking it through, I knew this was the right move. The exnation continued. "You probably know already, but since you don''t have an Icarus Gear that you can wear, your abilities won¡¯t be enough to handle the intensity of the training the Dagger team usually goes through. So, we need to start from the basics." "...So, does that mean I''m going to be doing... basic military training first?" "You''re quick to catch on. Exactly. Go ahead and get the training done. You¡¯ll need to get familiar with basic stuff like self-defense tactics, abbreviations, zeroing your firearms, and so on." "Yeah." Exactly as she said. To briefly exin the situation, it was like a group of experts well-known worldwide in their field teaching a middle school student. Of course, it wouldn¡¯tst long. The Dagger team was too busy for that. Olivia''s team, led by her, and me¡ªstill like a sticky residue between them¡ªhad to depart for Syracuse, upstate New York, in 40 hours.@@novelbin@@ You can¡¯t expect too much from people who are already this busy. Land, with a sandwich stuffed full of blood-sugar-boosting ingredients, gulped it down and, seemingly ready to give up, added: "...So, where am I going to be learning from now on?" "Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s someone you already know." "I don¡¯t know many people, except for the operations team¡­ Ah! Why are you hitting me?" "You always talk back every time you speak, huh? Want another hit?" If Land had said something like "Aren¡¯t you already hitting me?" right there, she might have actually gotten a flick to the head, but I¡¯m d that didn¡¯t happen. Anyway, that didn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯t have time. As I said, there was still some time before the operation, and since Olivia was the one delivering the message, she had to ensure a smooth psychologicalnding for Land. She beat around the bush a bit, but the bottom line was that we were going to help Land with her handover. So, now it was time to inform her who she was being sent to. How much time passed after that? Land pursed her lips and made a grimace. "..." "Do you know them?" "...I met them recently. We¡¯ve made some progress, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet them again like this. Actually, you sent me to them, didn¡¯t you?" "No way. Well, it¡¯s good that it¡¯s someone you know. Although, I¡¯m not sure in what sense you know them, so we might still go together¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ll stop rambling. Let¡¯s get ready." "...Yeah." When Land stood up, as I patted her shoulder, she didn¡¯t have much to carry¡ªeverything she needed would be prepared, as if she were at a boot camp. I thought she would look perfect if she shaved her head down to 3mm, but who would like that? Although I didn¡¯t say it out loud, Land looked better with longer hair. She seemed to know it herself. Without realizing it, I muttered under my breath. "Why are all mutants so pretty..." "...Hey." "Ah, I didn¡¯t mean it." "Don¡¯t say weird things, you idiot." That¡¯s how I ended up getting my first light smack of the day. But I wasn¡¯t wrong. I¡¯m sure anyone would agree... Still, I¡¯m d it wasn¡¯t Logan who heard that. The testosterone-fueled pr bear was extremely sensitive to those kinds of jokes. Anyway, we three, now getting used to our Alpha-ss mutant quarters, walked out. The sky was still blue, with very few clouds. It wasn¡¯t rare, but it was good weather. The air had a faint smell of gunpowder, and I could hear the disciplined shouts of soldiers from all around. These were bing familiar sightstely. The civilians staying at Central Park HQ had to train to defend the base and preserve their lives. It was a sort of militia. The HQ made sure to train everyone so they could build enough physical strength, and sometimes they were used for various tasks. Cement sacks, steel cables, and firearms were all used as barriers to protect Central Park. I heard the guards had sessfully convinced the higher-ups to get a turret with a 50-caliber chain gun, and now they could thankfully turn any suspicious figures into minced meat. Land was about to receive great help from the 107th Military Police Battalion, who were tasked with training such militia. "One! Two! Three! Four! Left foot! Left foot! Don¡¯t fall behind! Get rid of all the fat on your body!" "One! Two! Three! Four!" "Ugh, w-wait¡­!" "Don¡¯t stop! Here, you stop, but in realbat, if you fall behind, bullets won¡¯t miss you!" "Oh¡­" Meanwhile, a loud voice rang out from the side, and several men and women in military uniforms were jogging around Central Park. They came in all shapes and sizes, but most of them hadn¡¯t put on much weight. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that the harsh reality of the virus crisis meant only the fit could survive. As if she knew my thoughts, Olivia added: "Thanks to that, America won¡¯t rank first in obesity anymore." "...Isn¡¯t that dark humor a bit too painful?" "Shut up, you idiot. Anyway, we¡¯re almost there. Captain Farquharson should be waiting for us. By the way, did you get your uniform?" "...I got a white shirt and ck pants, sort of like an operations officer¡¯s clothes." "Simple enough." Indeed. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t met many operations officers. Their uniforms weren¡¯t exactly standardized either¡­ well, that wasn¡¯t important. We were about to meet someone I knew. I thought to myself as I continued walking, and soon we came to an area that had clearly changedpared to before. There were many new buildings of varying sizes. No need to exin what it was. I fiddled with the patch for the 107th Military Police Battalion in my pocket, and just then, I heard a familiar voice. "It¡¯s been a while since west met. You¡¯ve really started looking like a soldier. The crybaby rookie of the Military Police Battalion has grown up." "...I¡¯m not a crybaby." "You¡¯re really not one anymore, Eugene. And..." Swish. From inside the building, Captain Farquharson approached with a bright smile, greeting us. It didn¡¯t take long for her eyes to meet Land¡¯s. "We¡¯re meeting faster than I expected, Land." "...Yeah. It happened like that. I didn¡¯t expect it either." "I was thinking of holding a small wee party for the new recruit, but maybe that should wait for now." Indeed, it was hard to exin just from the fact that we were friendly, but¡­ well, I understood why I was involved indirectly, so I didn¡¯t mind. Still, the expression wasn¡¯t bad at all. Captain Farquharson ced her hand on Land¡¯s shoulder and added: "It won¡¯t be easy. I expect you to be a greatbatant." "...I¡¯ll do my best." "Wee to the 107th Military Police Battalion. By the way, your senior here is Eugene." "Ah." Thinking back, I realized that. I chuckled at the memory of my military service, and Land responded with a somewhat awkward expression, acknowledging my reaction. Thus began Land¡¯s difficult journey. "JFK International Airport¡¯s internal photos and analysis areplete. And¡­ it¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t skip lunch. It¡¯s worse than we imagined, so if you¡¯re not prepared, please leave." "I¡¯ve already seen every awful thing, so it¡¯s toote to turn back. Let¡¯s take a look." "Then¡­ I¡¯ll disy the screen." "...Oh my God. Am I really seeing this? This isn¡¯t hell?" At Central Park HQ, TOC. Large photos appeared on the screen. From end to end, the images were filled with decayed bodies, blood, and millions of bugs whose identity I didn¡¯t want to know. A massive airport, full of civilians who had fled the U.S. at the start of the Omega Virus outbreak, was packed with corpses. The tragic ending didn¡¯t need much exnation, but... Reality always exceeds imagination. Once the bodies, frozen over winter, began thawing to a temperature that allowed the bugs to move, they started to dpose rapidly. By June, the bodies had be a sludge, merging into one, with the human form unrecognizable, a mix of liquid and solid matter. The first thing Central Park HQ confirmed was this horrifying sight. "What¡­ do we even do about this?" "...I don¡¯t know." "At least, the good news is that there are no enemy forces operating inside the airport due to the condition of the bodies. There are still some people sneaking into hangars and scavenging scrap metal." "That¡¯s problematic too. By the way, wasn¡¯t Air Force One at JFK airport? There are devices in there that must not be leaked outside." "Reports say it¡¯s gone through a self-destruction procedure. We don¡¯t need to worry about that." "At least that¡¯s something." The photos were quickly taken off the screen, reced by a schematicyout of the entire airport. But what stood out were the red zones. This indicated how widespread and how much of the "liquid" had umted inside the airport. The operation officers shook their heads. This was far beyond what engineers could handle, especially since few people could operate heavy machinery right now. Someone spoke up. "...So much of the area is filled with so many bodies. It¡¯s not something we can resolve in a day or two. It might take years to recover." "Since we don¡¯t need to receive passengers for at least the next few decades, we can consider most of it unnecessary. The important areas are the hangars and control towers, and ces where maintenance and defense personnel can stay." "If it¡¯s just that, we should be okay, but eventually, we¡¯ll have to handle the inside somehow. If left as is, it¡¯ll be a breeding ground for disease." "...If only there were some magic bomb to cleanly wipe out the buildings." Once the bodies were identified, there was no way to perform burial or identification. In this era, supplies were far more valuable than human lives. Even if we tried to clean up, we would need excavators to lift the bones buried in the sludge. It was a tough situation, and those working to clean it up would face a future filled with severe PTSD. Someone spoke up. "Any better ideas?" "...Well, after a few more months, much of the organic matter will dpose." "Not that. Any real ideas?" "...Should we use incendiary devices?" "That sounds good." Someone, clutching their aching head, spoke. "Bombing would be too hard to calcte the damage and impact, but if we set something up from the ground, it might be realistic." "...We¡¯ll have to clean it up somehow. It¡¯s up to the living. Let¡¯s think of it as cremation. It¡¯s better than leaving the bodies like this, right?" "...I¡¯ll pass the request to the higher-ups and ask for anything else we might need." "Alright." The conclusion came quickly. It was lunch time, so we couldn¡¯t show the photos to the Dagger team yet, but the excellent operators would likely understand the situation without needing the images. Some quick-witted people realized that some of the Dagger team members didn¡¯t need to head to JFK airport hourster. They quickly informed that the operation had been canceled. The U.S. government, which had never experienced anything like this before, responded faster than ever and made the decision to cancel the deployment of engineers to JFK airport. Instead, another option was chosen. Communication was established. "...Yes. This is Senior Operations Officer Kane Whitebrim. I¡¯ve received your call."
    • This is Senior Researcher Jordan Royden from DARPA. I happened to be near the operation location and decided to contact you. I¡¯ve heard about the situation at JFK International Airport and believe I can help.
    "DARPA¡­ You¡¯re saying?"
    • I¡¯ll send you the details through a data transfer.
    How much time passed? New pop-ups appeared on the screen. It didn¡¯t take long for people to widen their eyes in surprise. "...What is this?"
    • This is an incinerating nanomachine emitter that had been in development recently. It breaks down organic materials into fuel and generates nanomachines that ignite at extremely high temperatures using the energy derived from this process.
    "Such high-tech stuff existed?"
    • This is a byproduct of research into bio-nanomachine andbat skills generated by the Icarus Gear. It¡¯s very limited, and we don¡¯t even know if it can be used in actualbat, let alone whether it can gather data.
    "..." At that moment, Officer Kane realized why this was possible through past precedents. Items and technologies developed for war and to gain an upper hand in battle could shake the world. Just look at how the inte and GPS were developed. Only a hundred years ago, missiles didn¡¯t even exist, and the ability to break the sound barrier was exclusive to rockets and bullets. So, the war that¡¯s about to happen, and the technologies developed for it... how much will they satisfy or exceed the imagination of mankind? ''...This must be the kind of situation where these things are revealed.'' Human dignity had long be a thing of the past. In this unstable world, people had to move forward, leaving the dead behind. And sadly, Central Park was prepared for that. "...I¡¯ll leave it to you."
    • If anythinges up that can help identify the bodies among the remains, we¡¯ll retrieve and pass it along. That much is possible.
    "Thank you. Please let me know when the deployment is decided." That¡¯s it. Themunication ended, and Officer Kane slumped back in his chair, sighing deeply. Despite the new venttion system, there was still a nauseating smell of burning protein in the air. JFK airport was burning, and 39 hours before the Dagger team would leave for Syracuse. Chapter 720 "Looks like it''s time to get back to work." "Yeah, that''s right. Normally, it would have been just you and the Eagle team, but as you know, the JFK airport operation ispletely off the table." "Still, it''s better than splitting up. I prefer this. It''s my first long-distance mission, so I''m a bit nervous... But you guys are probably more ustomed to these kinds of operations." "Yeah. We specialize in these types of missions rather than charging straight into the front." 20 minutes before departure for Syracuse, 10:30 PM, Westchester County Airport. Since it was June, nightfall came slowly. Of course, the Dagger team, who outright rejected the biological rhythm of humans that says work during the day and sleep at night, were nning to cross the dawn again tonight. I wondered why I was feeling the jetg from Korea in America, but unfortunately, that''s how things were now. When electricity, the definitive proof that humans had risen above beasts, became a raremodity months ago, people became afraid of the night once again.@@novelbin@@ Only the chosen ones could defy the darkness, and even the traitors who had turned into rebels and predators amidst the chaos couldn''t escape this fact. ...Well, that didn''t apply to the Dagger team. Recently, instead of the usual V-44TA1 Valkyrie tilt-rotor transport that Central Park frequently used, a C-130SH tactical transport, which might never be used again until the end of the world¡ªthough that was a joke¡ªwas waiting for us on the runway. A lot of cargo was being loaded. Food, water, tactical supplies, shelter-building equipment,munication devices, ammunition, and so on. Since the operation was happening 300 km from Central Park, quite a lot of supplies were needed. I suddenly remembered the old days. ''...This feels just like the winter training exercises.'' I recalled the memories of carrying full gear on my back, heading to the assembly point with my fellow soldiers, whether they were juniors, seniors, or peers. They set uprge tents, installed kerosene stoves, and after setting everything up, we ate stic-wrapped meals. Those weren¡¯t really fond memories, but they resurfaced all the same. Now, we weren¡¯t walking; we were taking a military transport. It felt nostalgic in many ways. Anyway, we were receiving our final briefing before departure. The situation at Hancock Air National Guard Base in Syracuse was... well, it could only be described as a strange middle-ground scenario. "We confirmed the runway situation at Hancock Air National Guard Base using reconnaissance drones. There are quite a few tire marks, and considering their rity, it seems they were made within thest month." "It doesn''t look like they''ve recovered all the aircraft." "That''s right. It¡¯s estimated that about ten drones are still waiting to be recovered." "It doesn''t seem like they left them intentionally... I can make a few assumptions. Since we''ve been making things difficult for Artemis recently, they might be trying to recover some of their assets." "We don¡¯t know the full truth, but as long as we beat them down and make them spill the truth, that¡¯ll be enough." What should I say? After spending so much time with the Dagger team and hearing countless deployment stories, I''vee to realize these guys... they were out of control, in a good way. Physically and morally. To be precise, in past wars involving the U.S., soldiers had to follow strictbat rules. It was expected ¡ª don¡¯t shoot civilians, only engage with enemies, no torture, that sort of thing. But with the judicial system dismantled and enemy forces looking like a circus¡ªforeign nations allied with hostilepanies selling weapons to their own country¡ªit was a whole new ballgame. And so, Emperor Henry of the Holy Unified Empire ced all the me on the enemies and himself, loosening the reins for the Dagger team. That''s why we would be the executioners representing the fallen America. "Interrogations of the enemy can be done without restriction, but we need to pick our targets carefully this time. We¡¯ve confirmed there are quite a few civilians where we¡¯re going." "Well, it''s New York''s northern part, where wild animals are often wandering around. It''s only natural. I just hope there aren''t too many crazed survivalist types." "We can still get some useful info from them, even if they¡¯re a bit off. If they¡¯re no good¡­ then there¡¯s nothing to be done." No one was unaware of what "nothing to be done" really meant. Civilians were no longer safe from the word "war." Anyone could be a potential enemy, and the U.S. couldn¡¯t afford any future risks. If I were in their shoes, I would probably think the same. Still, it was a relief that preparing for the worst didn''t necessarily mean it would happen. The aerial photos proved that. "Syracuse''s eastern nds are expanding. Survivors are using wood for fuel. There might be room for negotiation. Please keep that in mind." "We''ll avoid direct contact as much as possible, but we¡¯ll need to do it if necessary. Once we establish the shelter and gather intel, we¡¯ll scout around the 174th Fighter Wing Base and assess enemy concentrations." "As soon as we get there, I¡¯ll mark enemy positions. Can you get close air support ready in under 10 minutes, if possible?" "...I¡¯ll try." "Good. We can''t adjust the power of ballistic missiles easily. If we blow up the airport, the drones won¡¯t be able to take off." Olivia spoke with a rxed smile, but even though she was trying to lighten the mood, it didn¡¯t seem to work. As we talked, I finished inspecting my weapon. With a satisfying click, the bolt slid into ce on my sniper rifle. The strike team, led by Logan and Laurentina, consisted of former special unit members, and I was going to be part of the reconnaissance team, apanying Olivia, the operations leader of the Eagle team. The weapon I would carry today was the M44 LRD-2, a heavy sniper rifle modeled after the Anzio, capable of firing 20x102mm rounds. Its code name: Titan. Ironically, the only thing I took from the Anzio was its size. The reason was simple: The Icarus Gear produced enough power to fuel arge nuclear power nt, and while there were countless things we could do with that energy, the most groundbreaking use was one. "Firing a 20-gram round at 3 km per second. Nothing would be able to withstand that." "It¡¯ll probably hurt my shoulder after each shot, but I should be able to handle it. The problem will be if the rifle can handle it." "Can¡¯t this even pierce through tanks?" "It should definitely go through an armored vehicle. If I hit, I could even take down a helicopter." "Let¡¯s just hope we don¡¯t have to use it on those kinds of things, rookie." Well, that might be true. Anyway, due to recoil control and the weapon''s power supply system, the sniper rifle weighed around 40 kg, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t too heavy for us. The problem was its length. If we couldn¡¯t break down the barrel, it would¡¯ve been a huge problem, but luckily, that wasn¡¯t the case. So, carrying this heavy metal mass was always the job of mutants. Maybe one day, even our assault rifles could have railgun systems installed. With the mission objectives set, the supplies loaded, it was finally time to depart. As the operation officers removed screens, chairs, and tables from the runway, we boarded the waiting C-130SH. The SH stood for Silent Hercules. I heard that, with its ability to adjust the angle of the propellers and attach optical equipment, it could be used for infiltration, though I was skeptical about that. It was time to take off. "If the mission drags on too long, that¡¯ll be a problem. I¡¯d like to finish in about two weeks, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s possible." "If things go poorly, we¡¯ll extract from Griffith International Airport, about 50 km east of Syracuse. You all know this, but remember it well." "There¡¯s a shopping district and a Walmart about 7 km west from the nned shelter. Once we¡¯re settled, we¡¯ll scout with drones. We¡¯ll need to gather info for a day or two." "Only those who know what they¡¯re doing are here, so I feel at ease." As the lower ramp door closed, and the heavy body of the ne began to take off from the runway, the conversation continued. Now we had 30 minutes of flight ahead of us to northern New York. I just hoped we wouldn¡¯t suddenly get hit by a missile. Whether the Dagger team knew what I was thinking or not, they continued discussing what needed to be done once wended, not even discussing the process¡ªjust setting the result and skipping straight to it. I tried my best to follow along, and I quickly learned the general idea of how things were going to unfold. "As soon as wend, set up the equipment and camouge the surroundings. Looks like people are starting to spread out in this area, so we¡¯ll monitor them and then make new directives." "Our mission is reconnaissance and strike, not civilian rescue, so avoid contact unless absolutely necessary." "I¡¯m already getting a headache just thinking about how many times we¡¯ll have to deal with this in theing days. We¡¯re almost there, so let¡¯s get ready. Rookie, check your gear." "Yes." As I exhaled, the mood shifted. The white lights went off, and after putting on my respirator, I stood up and detached the clips from the gear hanging in the hanger. There was 1 minute and 11 seconds left until the drop. A voice echoed through the inte. "Operation starting. We¡¯re setting the altitude to 500m." "Wind¡¯s mild. There shouldn¡¯t be much deviation. Oxygen levels normal, parachutes functioning. Everyone ready?" "All clear. We¡¯ll open the ramp door now." Squeak! At that moment, the air inside changed. All we could see through the open ramp were the pitch-ck darkness and the sound of the wind. The altimeter automatically set itself, and the Icarus Gear confirmed that the parachutes were operational. With a buzzing sound, the cargo began to fall, and before long, only eleven operators remained in the hanger. It was time to jump. "Dive, dive, dive!" "Recon team, jumping! After the aircraft turns, strike team will jump to the drop zone!" And at that moment... I, along with the Eagle team, along with five other members, charged into the darkness, not being able to see an inch ahead of us. The operation in Syracuse had begun. Chapter 721 "Crazy bastards. How many sensors, drones, and reconnaissance units have they nted everywhere?" "I knew there were going to be people lurking around the area. They left them there intentionally. Artemis is probably using the survivors in Syracuse as test subjects to collect battle data." "Quite impressive. What about the drones?" "There''s been no confirmed movement yet. I¡¯m not sure if they''re just resting or moving secretly, but if they had tried to take off, we would have spotted them." "Tearing them down and taking them? It¡¯s not impossible, but... It¡¯s a 3-4 ton device. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll go unnoticed. Let¡¯s hope you and Olivia can check thoroughly." Syracuse, Northern New York, 3 AM It had been three days since the Dagger team set up their hideout at Greeke Golf Course and began reconnaissance. The transition from day to night had long passed, so fatigue wasn¡¯t much of an issue. Rather, the real difficultyy in the need to move through the area, tracking down and eliminating any Artemis patrols and snipers lurking around while dismantling traps. Thankfully, Artemis preferred using more modern traps, and they were inclined to make use of high-tech machines for creating them. Because of this, the heat signatures from these machines could be detected without the Icarus Gear, and deactivating the traps was rtively simple. When we had just arrived, there was a debate about whether eliminating Artemis patrols and snipers would affect our stealth mission, but it was quickly decided that killing them was the best course of action. The reasoning was that during the current operation, getting detected wasn¡¯t a priority. ''The important thing is tracking the drones Artemis is transporting, and if possible, securing them...'' In this operation, Artemis wasn¡¯t the primary target; they were merely an obstacle. In the grand scheme of things, they would vanish from the US regardless of whether we eliminated them early. The mission was straightforward: avoid drawing attention, dismantle traps, and gather intel. And as expected, the Dagger team was more than capable of handling things without getting caught in a mess. Olivia and I carried special ammunition capable of firing Lapua Magnum-sized rounds at an insane speed of 3 km per second, easily dispatching snipers and sentries in small pillboxes. Naturally, Artemis had no idea where we were. "12 kills in 3 hours. These bodies are absolutely shredded. If we didn''t have the Icarus Gear''s recognition filters, this would¡¯ve been a lot harder." "Looks like their bodies were pierced straight through, like being impaled on a utility pole." "Yeah, that''s what it looks like." Once a round was fired, it pierced through the enemy''s head, shattered their spine, and exited through their back. In reality, "exiting" was a bit of a stretch. With the Lapua Magnum rounds moving at 3 km/s, the kic energy was around 135,000 joules¡ªabout eight times more than a .50 caliber round. The Icarus Gear helpfully disyed just how powerful the impact was, and imagining the effect of a 25mm round traveling at Mach 3 and hitting a person gave a clear picture of the result. I learned that a person''s body would literally ¡°burst open¡± at the rear with such a force. God bless the recognition filters. It had been three days since we set foot here, and we were officially deep into the operation. In thest two days, we had already killed around 40 enemybatants. Naturally, Artemis had no idea where we were. How could they, when we were firing from 4 km away? They were clearly disoriented by how fast their reconnaissance teams were dwindling. The Owl team had sent mini drones, once attached to the snipers, to collect electronic gear and radios long ago. We were shaking Artemis to its core, exposing their weaknesses, and the n was progressing sessfully. "How''s the intel gathering going, Owl 1?"
    • "We¡¯ve been intercepting theirmunications. A lot of data has been flooding in, so we''re still sorting through it. I''ll give you the confirmed details, and if you''re still in operation, don¡¯t respond¡ªjust listen."
    The moonlight was obscured, and Syracuse was enveloped inplete darkness, not a thing visible. Olivia and I were sniping from a rooftop of an abandoned building, not hiding in some bushes. Thanks to the traps and sensors we hadid around, we wouldn¡¯t have missed anyone approaching. After scanning a 3 km radius, we realized there was nothing left to take out nearby. I shifted my eyes away from the scope and started listening to the Dagger team''s voices on thems. "On a positive note, by eliminating the enemy, we''ve freed up more movement for civilians. Some are sneaking around the golf course, trying to figure out what¡¯s going on." "Hmm." "We¡¯ll handle that separately, so no need to worry about it. What¡¯s important is that Artemis is significantly on edge after what¡¯s happened here." At the same time, a screen popped up in front of me, showing Syracuse. A portion of the city, previously bathed in red, had returned to normal colors. Red had been Artemis¡¯s domain, which meant our sniping had dealt a serious blow. It made sense. Just yesterday, we had obliterated an armored vehicle passing through the area. Even modern IFVs were at risk when hit with a .50 caliber round, so what do you think would happen when a 25mm round¡ªsimr in power¡ªstrikes? Of course, the frontal armor was breached, and the people inside were turned to mush. This wasn¡¯t a missile disabling the vehicle; it was just pure gunfire. The armored vehicle¡¯s condition was still mostly intact, though I imagined the sensors and systems inside were likely fried. Anyway, after destroying the armored vehicle, Artemis had bepletely immobilized. Naturally, any drones or equipment transports had be impossible. Several vehicles that had been circling near Hancock Field Airbase also mysteriously vanished after yesterday¡¯s events. "The operation timeline has been extended. And I hear Central Park is sending a team to the East Air Defense Zone near Griffith Airport." "Hmm." "They might have some leftover Patriot missiles, which could take out any air forces Artemis might have." "That¡¯s a relief." "Is the rookie listening to Olivia? Just follow orders, and you¡¯ll be fine." "...Why is it only me you¡¯re talking to?!" It¡¯s sad, really. I was still a rookie, and when I voiced myints, Olivia patted my head with a soft chuckle. She was really pushing my buttons, but honestly, I didn¡¯t mind it as much as I should have. Anyway, while the Dagger team continued to carry out their own tasks, our work wasn¡¯t nearly done. We had to keep moving, find sniper positions, and neutralize the enemy. If there were no major obstacles for the next several minutes, we nned to head deeper into Syracuse, specifically toward Hancock Field Airbase. There was something we needed to confirm there. But the next words I heard werepletely unexpected. "By the way, you¡¯ve probably already figured it out, but there¡¯s something happening near the airbase that we¡¯re not too happy about." "Yeah. Those bastards are messing with civilians again." "So, Central Park HQ is considering deploying a 100kt nuclear bomb 30 km above Syracuse. It¡¯s still in the nning stages, but a lot of adjustments need to be made." "...What?" Wait, are they actually nning to nuke their own country? My mind went nk for a moment, but what followed was a surprisingly logical exnation. The idea was that Artemis had ced control devices on humans, controlling their personalities and actions, and creating a significant number ofbatants. The n was to neutralize them all at once. At first, it seemed like burning down the whole vige to catch a rat, but the reason behind it was built on several key assumptions. "First off, the hangars and MQ-20 Avengers at Hancock Field Airbase are theoretically immune to an EMP from a 5-megaton nuclear bomb. But the exposed enemies? Well, that¡¯s a different story." "...I get it now. After we hit them with the EMP in the Bronx, they copsed immediately. But what about the civilians¡¯ electronics in Syracuse?" "That¡¯s why it¡¯s still in the nning phase."@@novelbin@@ "Aha." Phew. That makes sense. While I didn¡¯t know all the technical details of EMPs, I knew that if they wiped out all civilian infrastructure, rebuilding the city would be impossible. But if they could avoid destroying the civilian infrastructure, then it was a different story. Plus, if the bomb detonated at high altitude, the radiation fallout would be minimal. That¡¯s probably why Central Park was even considering such an extreme option. "So, if they can adjust the range, maybe it could work?" "Exactly. They could probably use a cruise missile with a directional pulse emitter to precisely target the required areas." "...So, our job as the reconnaissance team will be to calcte those precise areas." "Well done. Exactly." Just like that, the mission had taken a serious turn. The Dagger team had been briefing us thoroughly, and we were starting to get a better picture of whaty ahead. "We¡¯ve been trying to avoid contact, but sometimes it¡¯s unavoidable. We¡¯re going to assess how extensively civilians are spread out in the city, and the Eagle team should try to map out Artemis¡¯s territory with precision." "...Got it." A brief silence followed. Then Olivia added. "We¡¯ll find someone high-ranking and capture them. Wait here for about three more days." "Understood. The Eagle team will join us within 3 hours. Stay put until then." "..." What do I even say? I didn¡¯t want to know how skilled the Dagger team was at interrogation. Time in Syracuse passed, and we continued to prepare for whatever woulde next. As we continued our mission, things in Syracuse became increasingly dire. The situation was chaotic, and even with all the nning and preparation, uncertainty loomed at every corner. It wasn¡¯t just about surviving; it was about making sure the operation stayed on course, neutralizing Artemis¡¯s forces, and protecting civilians as best as we could. After a few more hours of reconnaissance, the tension was palpable. "We¡¯ve been lucky so far, but we can¡¯t let our guard down," I muttered under my breath. The team had been relentlessly clearing out Artemis¡¯s forces and gathering crucial intel. The pattern was clear: the resistance was growing weaker, and we were slowly pushing them back, but the real challengey ahead¡ªHancock Field Airbase and whatever else Artemis had nned. Syracuse, 4 AM We were getting closer to the heart of the mission. Time was running out, but the team remained determined. The enemy was disoriented, and our sniping efforts had already caused significant damage. Still, the operation wasn¡¯t over. "Alright, let¡¯s move. We need to be ready for whatever¡¯sing," Olivia said, her voice steady as ever. "We¡¯re about to enter the next phase of the mission. We need to make sure the civilians are safe while we finish off Artemis." "Understood," I replied, checking my gear onest time. The streets of Syracuse were eerily quiet, the sounds of battle distant but ever-present. As we made our way deeper into the city, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that we were being watched. Artemis was still out there, and we were about to collide head-on. The operation in Syracuse was far from over, and with every step, we were closer to unraveling the full extent of Artemis¡¯s ns. But at that moment, we had to stay focused¡ªon the mission, on the civilians, and on the unexpected decisions that would shape the oue of this war. Chapter 723 "Is this all the progress we''ve made?" "Apologies, Mr. Carlton. The body was left in such a unique state that determining the cause and time of death has proven to be difficult. Because of that, we had topletely ren the troop movement route from the beginning." "So the dy in unmanned drone transport is because of that?" "Yes." "Then tell me what you know so far. My patience is not that strong." Northern New York, Syracuse. Day 6 of the Dagger team¡¯s operation. It had been about two days since Eugene suggested hacking therge unmanned drone operated by Artemis, and while the Eagle team was still keeping a close watch on the "Suit Guy" near the factoryplex, Carlton, who had been responsible for sending Artemis forces and Dr. Dexter''s subordinates to Grand Central Station several months ago, frowned. The reason was simple. The current situation was far from favorable for Artemis ¡ª to put it politely, it was disastrous. "We haven''t even transported half of the Avengers yet. The grand strategy is failing from the very beginning. Do you want to see a bullet in my head as soon as the Russian-Chinese alliancends in the North? Is that what you¡¯re hoping for?" "No, Mr. Carlton." "Then catch the bugs wandering around the area and tighten their leashes. You can¡¯t even do something that simple? The guys we sent to the Bronx captured around 5,000 people in just a week!" One of Artemis Technologies¡¯ ongoing ns involved the transport of MQ-20 Avengers. As expected by Central Park, the 174th Combat Aviation Squadron at Hancock Field Air Base had about 30 unmanned drones and the infrastructure to operate them wlessly. If they could retrieve all of them, it would not only recover the losses in New York City, but also be a huge gain. Joshua Carlton and his PMC, which had been modified for a long time, were in the process of making it happen. Naturally, things weren¡¯t going smoothly. The Dagger team had been obstructing the n from start to finish. But Artemis wasn''tposed of fools. Even if the bodies were horrifically "dissected" by some mysterious attack, without signs of an explosion, it was possible to roughly predict the type of attack ¡ª however, there were issues. Despite being hit by a long-range sniper, there were no traces of bullets nearby, and even if it had been a .50 caliber, could it really dismember a body like that? It didn¡¯t take long for Artemis to realize it had missed the mark. "Currently, the analysis team is¡­ they¡¯re specting that it was a long-range sniper shot with at least a 25mm round. They¡¯re investigating the eastern direction, where the body¡¯s destruction seems to have originated, but all the sensors have been destroyed..." "...What about the analysis of the unmannedbat vehicle (FCSUGV)?" "Regarding that, the bullet marks are much smaller than expected. The pration shape suggests a different weapon was used, and the data shes with the analysis team¡¯s predictions, so it¡¯s taking longer." "Kill all those worthless idiots in the analysis team. They¡¯re useless." "Understood." Themand was given with the ease of a child squeezing an animal¡¯s wrist, and the modified PMC personnel executed it without any sign of emotion. Meanwhile, Carlton¡¯s mind was racing. The opponent was taking out Artemis targets from a distance of at least 3 km. It was highly likely that a railgun or something simr was involved. But just because there was a general direction, that didn¡¯t mean they were anywhere near the right conclusion. "...A weapon with this kind of destructive power would require arge amount of energy, and the sniper positions would be varied. It¡¯s highly probable that it¡¯s some sort of railgun mounted on a vehicle." "We¡¯ll add that variable to the logic engine and send out a separate reconnaissance drone. Once we identify tire tracks or thermal images, we¡¯ll try to pinpoint the sniper''s location and attempt a long-range strike." "Good. Anyone who can¡¯t evene to a conclusion like this should be sent back tobat units. It¡¯s better to use them as cannon fodder when we sweep eastward after removing their limbs." It wasn¡¯t entirely urate, but it wasn¡¯t wrong either. The Dagger team, despite not bringing a single vehicle, was equipped with gear that could easily supply the power required for a railgun, and they could move incredibly heavy firearms by hand. Small entities, far smaller than a vehicle, could break through rough terrain that vehicles couldn¡¯t ess and travel at speeds that vehicles couldn¡¯t match, destroying their targets cleanly before either returning or continuing their reconnaissance. No one could imagine this, but the Dagger team wouldn¡¯t pass up on exploiting such an obvious vulnerability. If they had already discovered another vulnerability, or if all their preparations wereplete, the Dagger team would strike faster than anyone could anticipate.@@novelbin@@ "Within the next 3 days, we¡¯ll round up everyst bug in the Syracuse area andb the east. If there¡¯s no result by then¡­ you know I don¡¯t have to spell out what happens next." "Understood." "We¡¯re going back. If anything goes wrong due to the analysis team¡¯s failure, they¡¯ll be in for a rude awakening. We¡¯re resuming unmanned drone transport within the next 3 days. Spread the orders." "Confirmed." The one-sidedmunication ended, and Carlton stepped outside. As soon as he did, the air hit him. The sky was overcast, and it seemed like rain would fall soon. The air had a faint scent of damp earth, and the road in front of the factory was bustling in various ways. Fully armed soldiers, and a dazzling array of unmannedbat vehicles that didn¡¯t even have the American infantry fighting vehicles, all under remote control ¡ª 40mm grenadeunchers, 20mm chain guns, active defense systems, and 60mm mortars. There was no need for humans to ride in them, and the internal weapon storage was packed with ammunition and explosives, while the advanced fire control systems allowed for fire support at any range. At least three of these vehicles were in operation. However, despite Artemis¡¯test unmannedbat armored vehicles, which were equipped to deal with long-range strike weapons, the automated defense systems (ADS) were activated as soon as Carlton approached. Once activated, the ADS could intercept any object approaching faster than Mach 1, as long as it was within the allowed bullet speed ¡ª railgun defense was impossible. As the system powered up, Carlton looked around and then checked the vehicle he was going to board. With a screech, the vehicle arrived, and he calmly stepped inside as the door opened. "...Hmm?" At that moment, Carlton felt a strange shift in the air around him. Those deeply involved with Artemis had long since ceased to be fully human, and this fact had not escaped the attention of thepany¡¯s board members either. In fact, the opposite was true. Cutting-edge cyberware, which even high-ranking U.S. generals didn¡¯t know existed, had been imnted in their bodies, and Carlton was one of the people who had undergone the most of these surgeries. His body, now full of sensors, prototype weapons, and enhancements, felt a slight, unstable air flow and naturally turned his head in that direction. But that wasn¡¯t the right moment. A brief moment of silence passed, and then the final unmannedbat armored vehicle, Pris 3,zily began to move. "...What¡¯s going on?" "Is it a malfunction? Go check it out." "No... it seems like the connection to Pris 3 was lost. We might need to manually reboot it... wait, I think I just saw the weapons move¡ª" ¡ª Trrrhh! ¡ª Boom! In an instant, multiple events collided. The 20mm chain gun spun around, the 60mm mortar on the rear of the Pris 3 vehicle fired into the air, and the high-speed grenadeuncher aimed at a dense area of soldiers. Within seconds, half of the twenty or so soldiers nearby were reduced to bloody puddles. "Fuck, what the hell was that!" "Attack, attack!" "ADS is online! The close defense system is activating! Get away from here¡ªAAARGH!" Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted before their eyes, and in the blink of an eye, more than twenty explosions erupted from Pris 3. The proximity defense system triggered a volley of explosions, simr to ymore mines. As Artemis enemy forces exploded, the battle began. Pris 3 took the initiative, while the ADS began blocking 60mm mortars and 40mm grenade rounds. However, the initial assault had its impact. Since they were lined up, Pris 1 couldn¡¯t attack Pris 3 directly, and Pris 2 was caught off guard. It didn¡¯t take long for Pris 2, in the middle, to be a burning pile of scrap metal. Of course, the result for Pris 1 wasn¡¯t much better. ¡ª KWAANG! A deafening roar rang out, and in a split second, something invisible to the eye streaked across the scene, piercing through Pris 1. The ADS shattered, and the axle waspletely destroyed. With Pris 1 rendered useless, Pris 3 emitted a heavy noise as it broke formation and began to move sideways. The chain gun and high-speed grenadeuncher started aiming at a specific spot. Everyone knew that the barrel was now aimed at the vehicle carrying Carlton. No matter what systems were applied, a single vehicle could easily be shredded by the firepower aimed at it. The 20mm chain gun roared to life, and the 40mm grenade struck the rear of the vehicle. Even a sedan,parable in durability to an armored vehicle, couldn¡¯t withstand it. Once the mobility was lost, there was only one oue awaiting it. ¡ª KWAANG! How long had it been? Secondster, a cyborg rolled out of the burning wreckage of the vehicle. Miraculously, despite being engulfed in mes, Carlton¡¯s appearance hadn¡¯t changed much. Instead, fine white powder was falling around his body. It was nanomachines. He struggled to get up, then ran in the opposite direction of Pris 3 and quickly entered the building he had juste from. Silence fell. And then¡ª "¡­The Eagle team has confirmed that Carlton has entered the building. We¡¯ll begin the capture operation now." "The prototype sma de is functioning normally. We¡¯ll retreat in five minutes." FZZZT! With the pulse dissipating through the walls and ceiling, the shadows of the Dagger team moved forward. Five members entered the building. The operation had begun. "The guy¡¯s got something on him. Let¡¯s hit him with an EMP first." "Scanning." "There are multiple exits nearby. We don''t know which way he might try to escape. Considering Valerie¡¯s case, he might even just st through a wall. Make sure we¡¯re ready for bombing runs, just in case." "Understood. Olivia, lead the way." "Heh, nothing gets done without me, huh?" BZZZT! The pulse raced through the walls and ceilings, its vibrations echoing in all directions. Unknown machines hummed to life as the sounds filled the space. Bright lights burst from the ceiling, casting sharp shadows as the Dagger team moved. In this environment, where natural light was scarce, artificial lighting was a rare sight. The factory¡¯s interior was designed in a way that made it extremely difficult for humans to navigate. Theyout of machinery and spaces clearly hadn¡¯t been intended with human movement in mind. But the Eagle team pressed on, using the pulses to guide them toward the figure moving inside. "Anything showing up, rookie?" "If the machines were operating properly, we might have had a shot, but the ce is so chaotic right now... Nothing¡¯s registering." "We entered the building at almost the same time. It¡¯s more effective to rush them while they¡¯re still trying to regain theirposure. Even if they¡¯re far, they¡¯re probably on the other side of the building. Let¡¯s keep searching." "Maybe you don¡¯t need to carry that Titan around anymore." "It¡¯s going to be usefulter, trust me." Eugene continued to scan the area from the back of the group. The long barrel of his sniper rifle, the Titan, swung through the air, just barely missing the ground. The sniper rifle¡¯s barrel glowed with a faint blue light, the enormous energy it contained pulsing around it. The strange hum from the weapon signaled that it was on the edge of discharging at any moment. Eugene hadn¡¯t just brought the Titan for show. The weapon was the most powerful firepower the team could rely on right now. After some time, the Pulse¡¯s scanning capabilities finally locked onto a human-shaped figure inside the factory. "Want me to take the shot, rookie?" "...Honestly, I¡¯m a bit nervous, but I think if I keep doing this, I won¡¯t make the same mistakes next time. I¡¯ll take it." "Got it. A shot to the thigh will make the capture much harder. Just know I¡¯m not trying to put pressure on you." Eugene¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment, and Olivia, sensing the shift in his focus, subtly avoided his gaze. When she saw Eugene rx a little, she smiled to herself and spun the sma de in her hand. The air around her shimmered as the de heated up. The Pulse was tracking the enemy''s movements through the walls in real-time, and the speed was steadily increasing. The enemy knew they were being scanned and began moving in response. This shift in behavior told the team something important. "...He realized the Pulse caught him. Good instincts. Or¡­" "It¡¯s unlikely he¡¯s sensitive enough to pick up on it after bouncing off the walls. But the fact that he noticed means he¡¯s artificially heightened his senses." "It¡¯s probably not doping. The most likely case is something like Valerie¡¯s situation." "Well, that¡¯s why you brought this thing with you. Anyway, let¡¯s keep moving. Who do you think is trying to escape?" The factory was full of machines and walls that could block a shot after just 10 meters, but Eugene¡¯s Titan was ready to cut through anything that got in its way. Special ammunition, including segmented thermite cylinders, loaded into the rifle¡¯s chamber, and the enemy''s location began to crystalize as it pierced through the multiple walls. Eugene kneeled down. Even with a .50 caliber sniper rifle, the massive weapon required him to stabilize his position to avoid the overwhelming recoil. With the Icarus gear¡¯spensation, Eugene could track even the most agile targets, like a cyborg moving far beyond human speed. Subtly, Eugene¡¯s aim shifted, and the next moment, the factory was hit by the storm. BZZZT! A deafening sound, something that couldn¡¯t be described with words, filled the air as a sh of light erupted. The speed was so extreme that, outside of missile-like speeds, it was beyond human reach. When it collided with the walls, thick walls were pierced again and again. The sound of an explosion followed as the bullet, hitting Carlton''s right leg, vaporized everything below the knee before exiting through the factory wall. After the sh, Eugene confirmed the hit. "Right leg disabled. I got him." "I had faith in you." There was no cheer or praise, as if the team had always expected Eugene to make the shot. They simply knew he could do it, and Eugene delivered on that expectation. The time to catch the big fish was fast approaching. Feel free to let me know if you need any more sections tranted! Chapter 724 "Ahhh...!" Crash! With a tremendous sound, Carlton, who had been running at over 40 km/h, fell to the ground. The moment something grazed his right leg, he copsed with the same speed, sliding across the floor. Instead of the sound of skin scraping, the noise of thick stic and alloy grinding against the ground filled the air, sparks flying from the friction. Even with that, due to the residual speed, he rolled several times before finallying to a stop. He couldn¡¯t get up. It wasn¡¯t until then that he realized what had happened to his body. The lower half of his right leg hadpletely vanished. The damage had been too fast for the damage assessment system to keep up. He had to flee immediately, but the situation was so nonsensical that a question shed through his mind first. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ He had considered the possibility of a railgun, but that was only under the assumption it was mounted on a vehicle. The factory producing the necessary equipment for Artemis was designed so that humans didn¡¯t move inside it unless in special cases, and there was no way a railgun-mounted vehicle could be brought in. That¡¯s what should¡¯ve happened. But what kind of weapon could cause this much destruction? If it were an explosive, the energy field would have blocked it. Any other weapon wouldn¡¯t have the firepower to cause this level of damage. However, there was a bit of luck ¡ª Carlton¡¯s leg was slowly regenerating. To be precise, the nanomachines were reconstructing the bones to form a minimal support structure. The process was so fast it almost looked like a white pir forming in mid-air. Unfortunately, this time, the Dagger team was faster. When the pulse pierced the air, the bones that had been forming in ce of his evaporated right along with his right leg. "Kiiing!" "It¡¯s been detected!" "Engage. Target the limbs first!" "We don¡¯t know what kind of strange things he might do! Make sure he doesn¡¯t get any funny ideas!" An EMP was released, and the nanomachines that had been glowing white now flickered, scattering into white powder on the ground. As Carlton¡¯s face turned pale at the sight, heavy footsteps began to sound from the opposite side. They were more like the footsteps of a death god. The directional pulse had been released, and Carlton realized his body wasn¡¯t moving as it should. Even though he had EMP resistance, being hit at close range caused a temporary shutdown of his systems. And the Dagger team wasn¡¯t about to wait for that ¡°temporary¡± downtime. A figure wielding a sma weapon that glowed blue began to surge forward like a tidal wave. "Goddamn it¡­!" "There!" "Up close, that suit is really shining. Did you enjoy your time in Syracuse? From now on, it won¡¯t be nearly as pleasant." There was no doubt that the words were true. But even in the middle of the situation, Carlton noticed that the posture-control thrusters on his body were still working. He began to consider how to kill these people and escape. With attacksers, grenadeunchers, and wire des, there were still plenty of methods at his disposal. He suppressed his rage and forced a pitiful expression, hoping to buy himself some time. "If there¡¯s anything I can cooperate with, I¡¯ll do it. Please, show some mercy." "Sure. Let¡¯s hear what you can do." "You¡­ you¡¯vee for the Artemis data, haven¡¯t you? If so, I can tell you quite a bit. At least let me regain some posture first." Five sets of eyes scanned Carlton. His white hair, which had been neatly slicked back, was now a mess, and his suit was torn and ragged. It was clear that anyone could see the chaos that had unfolded. With just a few seconds left before his reboot wasplete, he cautiously began to assess who to attack first. However, it was unfortunate for him. There was no reason to show mercy to someone whose severed ankle didn¡¯t even bleed and didn¡¯t seem to be in any pain. Olivia smiled brightly and added: "Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll have the chance to bber all you want soon enough. Didn¡¯t realize you didn¡¯t have to speak now, did you?" "¡­What?" "Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know." And at that moment, a glowing weapon traced a line through the air. "¡­!?" The fast trajectory, which even a cyborg could barely keep up with, came to a halt on the opposite side of Carlton¡¯s arm, and he realized his right arm had been severed. But there was nothing he could do. The second EMP had been discharged. The cyberware imnted all over his body crackled and malfunctioned, rebooting under the sheer force of the attack. By then, the Dagger team had already severed his remaining limbs, and Carlton, whose appearance was now beyond recognition, had his eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could attempt to resist, further measures were taken. "Looks like you¡¯ve done quite a bit of modification. Artificial muscles, titanium-reinforced heart, hormone regtors¡­ It¡¯ll make things easier. But if you¡¯re going to hang so many unidentified things on your body, you should¡¯ve prepared for a hack." "Ah, ahhh!" "At least Valerie caused a ruckus back in Central Park, but you, you were taken down without much trouble. Now, let¡¯s see¡­ we¡¯ll just lower your heart rate by half." "Alright, disable all the self-destruct functions. Reset the admin privileges." The cyberware¡¯s many functions were all shut down, and control was entirely taken away from him. It was almost like all the long-term control had been handed over to someone else. Blood flow was artificially regted, and all the necessary steps were taken. In that moment, Carlton became nothing more than a heavily-weighted, incapacitated human-shaped lump of metal. The Dagger team ced him into a box they had apparently prepared. Considering that Valerie had at least sessfully rescued Dr. Dexter, Carlton was now one of the top three easiest captures by the Dagger team. Of course, the undisputed number one spot was still held by the Russian-Chinese detachment, which had surrendered not one, but two nuclear submarines. "Exactly three minutes since we entered. Looks like Artemis is catching on." "Good. Let¡¯s move like bullets. Rookie, give me that sniper rifle, and take the heavy box. We¡¯re heading to the extraction point now." "Four-wheelers are ready outside. Griffis Air Base has Skyceptor surface-to-air missiles on standby, just in case Artemis¡¯ air forces are more than drones." "Right. Let¡¯s rev up and make a quick getaway." It didn¡¯t take long for the Dagger team to exit, with the four unupied four-wheelers moving swiftly to the factory exit. Olivia twisted the Titan sniper rifle¡¯s barrel pin, loading it as she did so. With the destination set and automatic steering initiated by the Icarus gear, Olivia saw Artemis forces approaching, and moved the Pris 3, which had been stuck in ce. The friendly fire function activated, and the ¡°friendly¡± position pinpointed on the Pris 3¡¯swork changed to a target. With a quick activation, Olivia smiled and added: "Let¡¯s see how much havoc they can wreak." Vroom! The four-wheelers elerated with unbelievable speed, quickly reaching 70 km/h. The perfectly bnced bikes ensured they didn¡¯t tip over, and in no time, all four of them were out of the factory grounds. Despite the ease of their getaway, it wasn¡¯t over yet. -[Alert: Drone swarm detected. Distance: 3.16 km. Estimated time of arrival: 33 seconds.] "I knew it." Olivia pulled out the adhesive bombuncher attached to her thigh, loading it with an explosive designed to serve as a decoy, and began charging the directional EMP function on the Icarus gear. After a brief wait, the drone swarm, resembling a flock of birds, began flying toward them from the distance. ¡ª POOF! As the adhesive bomb flew into the air, it turned into hundreds of shrapnel fragments, and the drones were immediately drawn to it, like hypnotized. Within moments, hundreds of drones exploded in mid-air. The rest of the Dagger team followed suit, and nearly a thousand drones fell to the ground. Though many remained, before they could get within 100 meters, a second EMP disabled the majority of them. Still, those they couldn¡¯t knock down... "Dammit, now we¡¯re shooting down drones with guns? This is dizzying..." "Herees Eagle 1! We¡¯re retreating! The drone swarm is attacking us!" -Requesting shotgun missiles. Estimated minimum 3 minutes needed. Can we make it out? "Dammit, not sure¡­ Eugene! Get that damn suit and override the admin rights!" "Now!?" "Dammit, now or never!" Yujin, cursing loudly, quickly scrambled to open the box behind the four-wheeler. As the Icarus gear remotely controlled the bike, Yujin ced it on the body in the back and did everything Olivia told him to do. And¡ª -[Alert: Artemis admin privileges recognized... // Joshua S. Carlton, Executive Director confirmed.] -[Alert: Face recognitionpleted by drone swarm. Drone swarm deactivation confirmed.] -[Alert: Attack terminated.] "¡­Is it over?" "It feels uneasy, but¡­ looks like it stopped. Didn¡¯t think this would actually work, but it did..." "Ugh, the adrenaline is giving me a headache. Let¡¯s get out of here." Vroom! The bikes elerated smoothly, and the drone swarm retreated. It was the day Artemis lost its executive director, all within the time it would take for a single instant meal to heat up. "¡­So, this guy, the ''Suit Guy,'' the one you sniped in the leg, cut off his limbs, and then kidnapped him? Is that what you¡¯re saying?" "Don''t make it sound so off-track, Logan. It was the best approach we coulde up with based on the data collection results. During the capture, we confirmed that even with his body modified, his intelligence stayed intact." "High-ranking, with substantial authority. Observation period was what, two days? For such a short intel collection period, you guys caught a big fish." "We¡¯ll dig deeper during interrogation. Given he''s a cyborg, I don¡¯t think the usual methods will work, but¡­ should we start by looking for a USB port?" Greeke Golf Practice Facility, Dagger Team Hideout. As the Eagle team returned, shedding their dirty clothes and freshening up after a long reconnaissance and sniping mission, Carlton, now minus his limbs, regained consciousness.@@novelbin@@ However, that didn''t mean he had regained his sanity. In fact, the Dagger team was hoping he hadn¡¯t. They had no idea what he might do once awake. The conversation continued: "Since the rookie already overrode Artemis¡¯ admin privileges in the gear, let¡¯s start there. With the amount of cybeic modifications this guy has, we should be able to make some progress." "You¡¯re telling me the override was that easy? Seems odd. A guy with that many crazy modifications didn¡¯t bother with security?" "Eye recognition works the same way. Pull out the eyeballs, and you¡¯re good to go. Anyway, stop him from waking up and getting any ideas. From the looks of it, he won¡¯t cooperate at all." Just as it was said, no one in the room expected a cyborg to cooperate, and even though the Dagger team still didn¡¯t know Carlton¡¯s name, they weren¡¯t nning on sparing him, even if he did. Owens grabbed a nearbyptop and started typing. The Icarus system had already begun analyzing Artemis data, with Valerie and Volvok¡¯s help speeding up the process. Soon, theptop screen was filled with an Artemiswork ess window. The code input field on the screen disyed code derived from analyzing Volvok¡¯s brain, but Owens cleared it and added his own. "Let¡¯s see what we can do with this guy." "Face recognition, iris scan¡­ there¡¯s no fingers left, but since his arms and legs werepletely reced, it¡¯s not gonna matter much. I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s some admin codes around here. Let¡¯s try everything." "Herees the rookie. We¡¯ll go through it one by one." A few minutester, Eugene entered the room, his tail wagging nervously as Carlton¡¯s eyes were roughly pried open by the Dagger team. In a surprising twist, the Dagger team realized that none of Artemis'' cyberware had any anti-hacking protections installed. It didn¡¯t take long for the Dagger team to realize this, and within less than five minutes, they had bypassed the second authentication and found out that the person they had captured was named Carlton, Executive Director. The UI that appeared was drastically different from Volvok¡¯s and was far more sophisticated, disying a wide range of information about Artemis. Seeing Artemis¡¯ internalwork so exposed, even the Dagger team was taken aback. "¡­Is this really this easy?" "Try calling Hoffman. Is he avable? He¡¯s not busy with another mission, is he?" "I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s call him." The situation felt almost surreal, like some kind of deception. So, the Dagger team contacted Hoffman Vinson, an ex-undercover agent for Artemis, and theirmunication was connected in less than a few minutes. And¡ª
    • Surprised, but actually, it¡¯s normal.
    "¡­Huh?"
    • I don¡¯t know how you managed to catch someone directly tied to Artemis'' upper echelons, but back when these cyberwares were just theoretical, no one expected anyone to use them. These lunatics have been implementing them on their own, and they don¡¯t care who knows.
    "That makes sense."
    • No one believed we¡¯d ever start augmenting humans with cybeics to boostbat power. These lunatics are probably thinking, ¡®Who cares if others find out?¡¯
    "Well, we wouldn¡¯t have caught him if we hadn¡¯t kidnapped him."
    • Exactly.
    In other words, it was a result of the belief that "there¡¯s no way something like this would ever happen," but when it did, it was due to sheer randomness. The Dagger team didn¡¯t take long to ept it, knowing that in war, the winner is determined by who makes the least stupid mistakes. And the Dagger team knew what they had to do next. On the screen were various operational progress bars, but the one marked "Carlton" was the one only essible by him. The MQ-20 Avenger transport mission status. The very thing the Dagger team had been hunting for was right in front of them. "Finally, we¡¯re starting to see the outline of the unmanned drone retrieval mission." "We¡¯ve been in Syracuse for a while now." "Yeah, it seems like it." Lorentina smiled softly and muttered, while Owens nodded in agreement. It seemed the day they would leave Syracuse was finally on the horizon. Let me know if you''d like to continue from here or need further assistance! Chapter 725 "...It''s been only a few hours since the operation ended, and now we have to go straight back in? It feels off, even though I can rationalize it," Eugene muttered. "On the flip side, if we don''t strike now, it''ll be awkwardter. We can rest, it''s fine. In fact, it wouldn''t be a problem. The mission we''ve been given is technically reconnaissance. If we can recover the UAV, we will, but that''s secondary," Solomon replied. "And I think we can recover it, that''s why we''re going," Eugene said. East Syracuse, Green Lake Golf Driving Range, Dagger Team Hideout. 7:30 PM. The sounds of small clicks, the scraping of boots on the floor, and the rustling of clothes filled the room. On the tabley hundreds of magazines and an assortment of explosives, most of which were unrecognizable in both use and purpose. Magazines filled with seeds of death barely fit into bulletproof vests, grenades, sticky bombs, and various other explosives were stored away. Though it had been nearly a week since their arrival in Syracuse, it was only now that the Dagger Team, with serious expressions, were gearing up for the real fight. Olivia, still wearing the samebat gear she''d been wearing for days,y back on a folding cot with her eyes covered by an eye mask. She was finishing up the much-needed rest as the team prepared for their next mission. It had been only three hours since Eagle Team returned with the dismembered body of the Artemis Technologies cyborg executive. "So, how''s the preping along?" Eugene asked. "The remote control module was delivered by drone while Eagle Team was resting. We need to open the MQ-20 Avenger at Hancock Field Air Force Base and swap the module. Check the schematics for the upgrade," Solomon exined. "The method for swapping it, as well as the updated schematics for the Avenger, are in the system. You''ll confirm it with the Icarus Gear and run the simtion yourselfter," he continued. "Seems like a lot to do...ugh, I¡¯m so tired¡­" Olivia sighed. She removed her eye mask and slowly rose from the cot. Her body was still full of energy, but the fatigue wasn''t gone, especially with another operationing up. But she understood the importance of the mission, so she started preparing. The target, as they had mentioned earlier, was Hancock Field Air Force Base. The goal was to retrieve the MQ-20 Avengers stored in its hangars. This was the reason the Dagger Team hade to Syracuse. "What¡¯s Artemis up to?" Eugene asked. "We¡¯ve already extracted all the data, but we suspected they¡¯d do this. They¡¯ve cut off Carlton''s ess codes from thework. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re taking action now," Solomon replied. "After the horse has bolted, they¡¯re locking the stable door. But it¡¯s the perfect time to strike. They¡¯ll probably be nning an assault on the air base by now," Eugene concluded. Indeed, it was true. Only three hours had passed since Eagle Team literally kidnapped Carlton, and now Dagger Team was moving into another operation. Artemis had started reacting. Although Dagger Team had already extracted all the data, Artemis had invalidated Carlton¡¯s ess codes as soon as he was captured. That had disrupted their ns to recover the Avengers. They couldn¡¯t predict exactly how Artemis would react, but one thing was certain: Artemis was aware that someone was systematically attacking theirpany, and Syracuse was their headquarters. As time passed, Artemis would grow more reactive. The fact that Carlton had been captured indicated that an unknown enemy was targeting Hancock Field¡¯s drones. In other words, dying things for too long would only work against Dagger Team. "The missile with the directional EMP warhead will take about 10 minutes to reach Syracuse from Redstone Arsenal. Theunch will begin as soon as we leave the hideout," Solomon said.@@novelbin@@ "The drone pilots at Griffith Air Force Base are ready, and thanks to the junkyard that is Carlton, we know exactly how Artemis¡¯ power structure isid out." "Alright, so now we just have to bomb them. What about the others? Everyone ready?" Eugene asked. "As long as the rookie and you are good to go, we¡¯re ready to leave," Solomon replied. "...I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy, so give me something sweet," Olivia said. She grabbed a piece of candy from the table and started chewing on it. The sweetness filled her mouth, helping her shake off the drowsiness. After stretching and sipping a sweet drink, Olivia felt her mind clear. She then checked her weapon, confirming it had been thoroughly cleaned. Watching her, Laurentina added, "She was so deep asleep that I couldn''t bring myself to ask you to clean it before the operation. I had to do it myself. The sight¡¯s still fine, but I hope you don¡¯t mind." "...Next time, just wake me up," Olivia replied. "I will," Laurentina promised. Olivia reluctantly took the freshly cleaned gun and checked it. After confirming it was working, she slung it around her neck. Eugene and Olivia, armed with Titan Railguns, were preparing to eliminate any troops that weren''t disabled by the EMP. They were also ready for any Artemis drones that might still be operational. The countdown on theptop kept ticking down, now at 03:33. "While you were out and about, we¡¯ve been busy too. For example, we taught the civilians in Syracuse how to set up Faraday cages," Solomon exined. "...Faraday cages? Wait, so this means..." Olivia began. "Yeah. In addition to what we discussed, there¡¯s already a missile headed this way. It¡¯s an EMP bomb. I¡¯ve alreadynded the reconnaissance drones to keep them from breaking down," he continued. "...Looks like night is turning to day," Olivia remarked. The EMP bomb, as urately calcted, meant a low-yield nuclear device would detonate in the sky. If the EMP st didn¡¯t destroy everything, the pulse would still be minimal. And the only ones that would be affected would be the Artemis drones in the air above Syracuse. But even so, the choice seemed extreme. "You could have chosen a less drastic way than using a nuke," Olivia thought, feeling her focus waver again. The impact radius and detonation points loomedrge in her mind. Despite the EMP being weak, the impact on Artemis was devastating. "After the EMP missile, the ground troops will be next," Eugene noted. "Let¡¯s get ready. We¡¯re going to hit the drones and grab whatever we can. Start moving," Solomon ordered. As Dagger Team geared up for the operation, a final check on the countdown was made, and with it, a reminder that they weren¡¯t going to make it back to the hideout once they left. The operations were set, and the team was ready for the mission ahead. "The missile with the directional EMP warhead is about to hit Syracuse. We¡¯ve confirmed deceleration, external instion removal, and guidance system activation. The estimated stay time is 30 minutes," themand center reported. "We''ve detected Dagger Team signals. Control sharing confirmed. EMP chargingplete in 1 minute 23 seconds. Pulse reflector diameter adjustment in progress. The task force will attack the requested defense point in 1 minute 30 seconds," another voice chimed in. "Syracuse''s residual radiation levels are at X-ray levels. The NPP nuclear power nt is unaffected," the technician added. "Dagger Team, 500 meters to Hancock Field Air Force Base. EMP radiation begins," the report concluded. After staying in the air for about a week, the reconnaissance UAVs, protected from damage by the EMP, finally descended to the ground and took off again. Meanwhile, the nine-man assault team crossed E. Molloy Avenue. The asphalt road, about 1.7 km long, was cracked, with grass growing in between the gaps, and the surrounding buildings¡ªsuch as tool shops, truck dealerships, and repair shops¡ªhad long since lost any sign of life. As Dagger Team crossed the road, moving swiftly and efficiently, Rand, who had been learning all sorts of necessary information under Captain Park during the day and acting as a trainee operations officer at night, observed the scene. Separate from the reconnaissance droneunched by Dagger Team, aircraft under the dark sky of Syracuse hovered, periodically releasing pulses toward the ground. Thanks to Carlton''s interrogation, Dagger Team had already identified the locations of the UAVs that had yet to be moved. The pulse was being used to probe for any potential threats while avoiding hangars. Observing this, Randmented, "By the way, are those nes refueled? If not, they can''t fly." "Surprisingly, they''re fully fueled. Right before Dagger Team arrived in Syracuse, Artemis itself refueled them. They tried tounch them but were interrupted by civilians gathering after seeing the UAV take off," Solomon replied. "So, Artemis had people kidnapped in that area," Rand remarked. "Exactly. And since Dagger Team took out the reconnaissance teams spread around, there''s no way the UAV recovery operation could proceed properly. We picked the perfect timing," Solomon said. As the chain of causality unfolded, the operation officers'' expressions grew more incredulous. But that wasn¡¯t the most important part. Dagger Team had now reached the perimeter of Hancock Field Air Force Base. They quickly realized there were no guard posts, watchtowers, or turrets¡ªnothing. In fact, the turrets were stiff, as if they''d been frozen in ce, and the watchtower soldiers who should have been manning the Artemis observation posts were nowhere to be seen. It wasn¡¯t that the soldiers had disappeared. They had simply been knocked out by the EMP st and were nowfortably resting in death. The locked gate presented no problem. Dagger Team confirmed the power to the barbed wire and fencing had been cut, and they drew their sma des. As the des pierced the wire, it began to melt away, leaving a holerge enough for the team to pass through. Two of the mutants were able to move alone, while the remaining seven divided into three groups¡ªtwo groups of two and one group of three. The hangars, not visible on normal maps, were their main target. "We¡¯ve detected movement southwest of Syracuse. The drones? No, it looks like arge mechanized infantry unit," reported a team member. "It¡¯d be nice to hit them with a thunderstrike, but we can¡¯t risk civilians hiding in the area. We¡¯ll have to improvise. Change the trajectory of the UAV. We¡¯ll tie up their hands while we¡¯re at it," Solomon ordered. "We¡¯ve shared the situation with Dagger Team. Changing the UAV''s route now," came the reply. With a soft hum, the drone, equipped with the same reactor as Icarus Gear, sped up without worrying about fuel. It began its turn, moving toward the southeast and then heading north, reaching altitudes of 30 km in just seconds. The UAV, traveling at Mach 8, began to decelerate as it approached Syracuse, having faced harsh conditions beyond even the capabilities of cutting-edge materials. As the lock-on signal was released, the UAV began to descend from a distance of several hundred kilometers, preparing to fulfill its mission. In the meantime, Dagger Team had already arrived at the scattered hangars on the airfield. As the data link was established, five of the thirty red lights on the mainmand center¡¯s screen began blinking green. This clearly signified that the hangars were open and clear for operation. "There''s no interference, so this is pretty smooth. Artemis even did some free maintenance on the UAVs. It should be fine for flight, so I¡¯ll open the hangar doors. There seem to be some surface-to-air missiles in the southwest, so be careful," themander said. "Got it. We¡¯ll need a tow truck. Is that okay?" someone asked. "Tell DARPA to make UAVs that can move without needing a tow truck next time. I¡¯ll look into finding one myself. If not, we¡¯ll drag it out ourselves. Don¡¯t worry," came the reply. "¡­What?" came the confused response. "They¡¯re already doing it," themander chuckled. "Laurentina and Logan are handling it." At that moment, a few personnel in the TOC noticed something on one of the many screens on the wall. Without any proper equipment for towing, the team had wrapped the fuel line around the front wheels and began pulling the UAV by hand. Despite the UAV weighing over five tons, it was pulled without resistance. "If a strongman can pull a 36-ton ne 25 meters in 44 seconds, what can an Alpha-ss mutant do with Icarus Gear?" one officermented. The result was soon clear for all to see. "Even someone at Walmart wouldn¡¯t be able to pull a cart as easily as that," one of the officers said. "Who¡¯s to say they couldn¡¯t?" someone replied. "Laurentina, can you do that too?" one officer asked. "...I don¡¯t think I could," Laurentina admitted, wide-eyed. Though they were all mutants, it was hard not to marvel at the overwhelming strength of theirrades. Laurentina couldn¡¯t help but feel dazed by the incredible feats unfolding before her eyes. And so, the strange and extraordinary day continued, as Dagger Team moved on to their next objective. Chapter 727 "...If I had known no one wasing, I should''ve just taken my time moving everything. Or at least looked for a tow truck," Logan muttered. "Ugh, I''m exhausted. How many kilometers have we run around today...!" Laurentina sighed. "Yeah, something definitely happened down south, but we ended up just running around all day," Logan said. "Well, no one''s hurt, and everything ended smoothly. That''s what matters," Laurentina remarked. Sweat poured down, and their breaths grew heavy. The nine members of the assault team, who had turned into manualborers, sighed in the now silent Hancock Field Air Force Base. The reason was simple. Their roles had suddenly switched from military pilots to manualborers ¡ª tow truck operators, of all things. But no one wasining. This operation had resulted in Dagger Team sessfully recovering about seventeen of thetest UAVs, each worth at least fifty million dors. That alone was a huge sess. And the group that was the happiest about it wasn¡¯t Dagger Team but none other than the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). "Really impressive work. This will help us stabilize the air defense system. Without Dagger Team, we would¡¯ve been blind until the situation was under control." "Within a few months, the allied forces will swarm us, so we need to stabilize the maind air defense system before that happens. Please keep up the good work." The person on the other side of the screen lowered their head, seemingly embarrassed. It was understandable. Due to the Omega Virus disaster, NORAD had lost control of the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), and they needed to clear their name for their earlier inaction during the crisis. At that moment, NORAD¡¯s cooperation had allowed remote UAV operations from a TOC located hundreds of kilometers away. Outside, it was eerily quiet. The airfield, which had seemed like it would be overrun byrge numbers of troops at any moment, was now silent, with only the sounds of grass and insects filling the air. Most of the hangar, once filled with various weapons, had long been emptied. Only a few Avengers, partially disassembled for maintenance, remained. Dagger Team sat down on the ground, finishing off thest of their water bottles. "So, do we head back to Central Park now?" Laurentina asked. "Probably," Logan replied. "Seems like we¡¯ve been gone for about eight days. Not too long, considering how far we¡¯vee. It feels a bit like back in the Bronx¡­" Laurentina mused. "Yeah, it feels about the same," Logan said. "How about our TOC team? Any major updates?" Laurentina wiped the sweat from her brow as she muttered, though her energy wasn¡¯t entirely depleted. But for most of the team, both mutants and regrs, energy reserves were low, with only the Eagle Team still going strong. Although the operation hadn¡¯t gone exactly as they¡¯d hoped, it had achieved its goals, and that was what mattered most. Dagger Team wasn¡¯t in the business of enjoying the process of putting bullets in people¡¯s heads, but it was the most effective way to clean up the world. "We''ve not detected any Artemis activity. However, we¡¯re keeping a 24/7 watch on the key facilities near Syracuse, just in case," came the update. "Key facilities, you say? Anything nearby?" Logan asked. "We have the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power nt. The enemy might try something, so we¡¯re preparing additional forces for a possible attack." "What''s the n?" Logan asked. "We¡¯re preparing a Cypher cluster missile. We¡¯ve just restarted production, and it looks like we¡¯ll be able to meet the demand," came the response. There was a moment of silence as the operation officer continued exining, and the team exchanged confused nces. It was hard to believe, but it made sense. The U.S. government had been using cluster missiles as their go-to solution for everything. The same kind of missile that had been used on Brooklyn and the Bronx. Dagger Team, as an irreceable resource, had learned a lot about the new weapons the U.S. had been developing, including the specific details of missile systems. The official name for the missile was the Multi-Purpose Cluster Munition (MPSM)-1, also known as Cypher, designed for base destruction and fortification neutralization with prating warheads orrge-area explosive warheads. "Was it already possible to restart production for this?" Logan asked. "Well, with the defense budget increasing over the past decade, especially the weapon development costs, they¡¯ve been able to try a lot of things and have seen plenty of sesses," came the response. "That¡¯s true," Logan acknowledged. It was a fact that Eugene found hard to understand. In this world, the U.S. had spent significant portions of their defense and development budget, and with several presidents facingme-duck periods and even one being impeached, it was a different America from what she remembered. Still, it was this very situation that allowed them to survive, and the U.S. was ready to unleash the new weapons they had stockpiled. The UAVsunched from Griffith Air Force Base dropped multiple cluster bombs that wiped out everything within their range before returning to base. Meanwhile, the remaining MQ-20 Avengers at Hancock Field Air Force Base would soon be reassembled, thanks to Artemis giving up on them. Dagger Team stared at the scene as they took a break, munching on some snacks. Suddenly, a familiar aircraft began approaching. "Looks like we don¡¯t have to stay in Syracuse anymore," Logan said. "Is that Photon 1?" Laurentina asked. "Seems like it. Wonder when it got assigned to Dagger Team," Logan replied. As they watched, a tilt-jet transportnded near them. It was a familiar sight, and sure enough, it was none other than the transport vehicle used for special operations. The cargo ramp opened, and the pilot, wearing a helmet, stepped out. "Long time no see, Dagger Team. Do you remember me?" the pilot greeted them. "Can¡¯t forget you. Looks like we¡¯re being kicked out. It¡¯ll take some time for Eagle Team to join, huh?" Logan responded. "I¡¯ll be the one to pick up Eagle Team. Artemis haspletely pulled out. Central Park has downgraded the Syracuse threat to yellow. I¡¯m here to pick up Eagle Team. There shouldn¡¯t be any issues for now," the pilot exined. "Last time I checked, the Syracuse threat was red. Anyway, I guess we won¡¯t be heading back to the hideout," Logan said. "You¡¯re to be picked up by Central Park until dawn," came the response. "Alright." With that, there was nothing more to do. All their weapons, supplies, and critical data had already been packed into boxes, and any box left unattended for over 24 hours would automatically incinerate its contents.@@novelbin@@ The only remaining items were food and medical supplies, which were left outside. Once 24 hours passed, re signals would be triggered for civilians to take what they could. Unfortunately, the team wasn¡¯t in charge of maintaining public order. That wasn¡¯t why they were here. The nine of them boarded the transport, and the aircraft took off smoothly. The Valkyrie, expertly gaining altitude, turned southward and soon approached the waterlogged Destiny Mall rooftop. As the aircraft slowly descended, Eugene and Olivia, who had finished withdrawing their optical mines and were now waving from below, greeted them. The transport ramp opened, and a reunion took ce. It was familiar, but with a hint of unexpected warmth. "Logan! Team Leader!" Laurentina called out. "Good work, rookie. Let¡¯s go home," Logan said, patting her on the back. "Did you have fun down there?" Laurentina asked. "Yeah. Thought I was ying Call of Duty. It was a st," Logan said with a grin. The smallints and chatter continued as the remaining members boarded the transport. The cargo bay closed, and Eugene ran his hand along the slightly bent interior frame. It was a reminder of the makeshift zipline they¡¯d set up earlier to lift the injured pilot and Olivia. How many more of these reminders would he leave behind in the future? That was something only time would tell. Dagger Team, and the United States, were slowly but steadily moving forward. Whaty ahead was unknown, but it felt somehow familiar. As the map, once painted red, began to turn blue, Eugene spoke. "Let¡¯s go. I really need a shower," he said. "Your head¡¯s all greasy, Team Leader Owens," Laurentina teased. "Shut up, kid," Owens responded with a grin. The aircraft began elerating. It was time to return home to Central Park. To their base. To rest. Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away at Central Park TOC, Laurentina, fiddling with a ne made from the spent shells of the bullets Dagger Team had used, reflected on the day¡¯s events. As she looked at the disy showing Dagger Team¡¯s achievements, she found herself questioning everything. "Guess I never expected to miss Central Park this much... Wait. Why are there so many people here?" Laurentina said, seeing a crowd near the transport. "Thank you! You¡¯re amazing!" one person shouted. "Wow, this is crazy," Laurentina muttered, her mind spinning as she tried toprehend the unexpected scene. As they disembarked, Laurentina realized she had never quite experienced anything like this before. The apuse, the cheers... this was not what she had imagined would happen after a sessful mission. "¡­I never thought I''d miss Central Park this much¡­ Wait, why are there so many people here?" Laurentina muttered as she noticed the crowd near the transport. "Thank you! You¡¯re amazing!" someone shouted. "Wow, this is crazy," Laurentina whispered, still trying to process what was happening. As they disembarked, Laurentina realized she had never experienced anything quite like this. The apuse, the cheers¡ªit wasn¡¯t what she had imagined after a mission like this. She had seen simr scenes before, watching soldiers getting apuded in airports or on TV. But to experience it firsthand in this ce... it was surreal. "¡­What¡¯s all this about?" Laurentina asked, still in disbelief. "Surprisingly, these are all people who came here on their own to cheer you on. Back when you finished the mission in the Bronx, you returned to base in a few minutes, so we couldn¡¯t prepare. But this time, we had an hour to get ready," the person exined. "Well¡­ this is unexpectedly overwhelming," Laurentina said, a little flustered. But despite the surprise, Logan was smiling. "Thanks," he said, stepping forward. "Thank you? No, the ones who should be thanked are the people who supported you," came the response. "Anyway, it¡¯ste, so let¡¯s get inside. These guys need to rest. We¡¯ve got a debriefing room set up, but do you need it?" "Not today. It¡¯s been a long-distance mission, and with our irregr sleeping schedules, I think we should just focus on getting some rest," Logan said, with a slight chuckle. "Haha, I see. In that case, I¡¯ll take you back to your amodations." "Sounds good." As the cheers and apuse gradually died down, and the crowd began to disperse, Logan added with a smile, "You timed your arrival perfectly, so while you¡¯re on the way, bring one more person to the amodation. I¡¯m sure you know who I¡¯m talking about." "...You mean that mutt? Is it around here?" "Yeah, he¡¯s waiting over there." "Oh." From across the area, Laurentina spotted someone walking toward them, and sure enough, it was none other than Rand. Thest time Laurentina had seen her was about a week ago, and based on her past training experiences, Laurentina assumed Rand had been busy with weapons training during that time. As Laurentina focused on Rand¡¯s silhouette, she noticed one big change: her hair was now tied up in a ponytail. "Ah." "Well, look at that. A neat ponytail suits you. We don''t have anyone else in the team who wears their hair like that." "Not that it matters. Not hard to make someone bow out with just a little punch," Laurentina said. "¡­Wait, is this how operators joke around?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Joke? I wasn¡¯t joking. You never joke with someone¡¯s life," Laurentina said, her tone serious. With those words, Laurentina quietly moved behind Rand, and in an instant, the 188 cm tall "shark" had already overtaken Laurentina with ease. Rand let out a startled yelp as she was caught off guard by the sudden movement. "Olivia¡¯s waiting for you to get your act together. Make sure to work hard," Laurentina added with a smirk. "¡­I-I¡¯ll try my best," Rand stammered, her face turning red. Though Rand didn¡¯t answer immediately, Laurentina could hear a soft, vintage-styleugh escaping from her. As a fellow operations officer, Rand likely understood that after the sessful mission in Syracuse, there were no more major operations scheduled for the immediate future. So the expected oue was clear. Laurentina turned to Rand and added, "It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re not struggling as much as you think." "I know you¡¯re not oblivious to what we did in the Bronx and Syracuse, huh?" Rand shot back yfully. It was an empty protest. For Rand, the moment she returned to base was the start of a new challenge, and Laurentina knew the uing days wouldn''t be easy for her. The team was taking a brief moment to rest. They hadpleted the mission, and now, they could finally enjoy the quiet¡ªthough their future still held plenty of uncertainty. And in the midst of this, they couldn''t help but feel the weight of what they had aplished. The team took a brief moment to rest. The mission waspleted, and now they could finally enjoy the quiet. Yet, despite the stillness around them, they couldn''t shake the weight of what they''d aplished. The future still held plenty of uncertainty, but they could take sce in the fact that they''d seeded¡ªat least for now. As they looked around, the feeling of aplishment lingered in the air. Syracuse was no longer a threat, and Artemis, despite their best efforts, had been dealt a powerful blow. But that didn¡¯t mean the fight was over. It was only one step in what promised to be a long, grueling war. The battles ahead would require just as much effort, if not more. "Let¡¯s head back to the base," Logan said, breaking the silence. "Yeah, we¡¯ve done enough for today," Laurentina agreed, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Time to rest and prepare for whatever¡¯s next." The mood shifted as they made their way toward the transport. The brief respite was over, and the team understood that even though they had won this battle, there would be more waiting for them. Every victory came with its own cost, and this one was no exception. As the transport began to lift off, taking them back toward Central Park, there was a sense of quiet determination in the air. They were heading home¡ªfor now. But the fight was far from over, and they all knew that the next mission could be just around the corner. "Let''s just hope the next one doesn¡¯t involve so much running around," Laurentina muttered, trying to lighten the mood. "I wouldn¡¯t bet on it," Logan replied with a grin. Chapter 728 "¡­Didn¡¯t you clearly say that teaching me wouldn''t be worth the trouble in many ways...?" "Well, that¡¯s true. But I said that because we didn¡¯t have time. When there¡¯s plenty of time, it¡¯s a different story, you brat. Having thepanymander teach you alone would be a waste of time in its own way." "¡­Yes, understood." At ten o''clock in the morning, with the increasingly harsh sunlightzily brightening the window of the dormitory, Rand''s subdued voice could be heard through the dense aroma of coffee. On days with no missions, the Dagger Team was this rxed and easygoing. By now, Rand should have been getting used to it, but she found herself still feeling strangely out of ce in this scene. Strangely, too, repeatedly. The gap between the way things had appeared on the screen when she worked as an operations officer and what was happening here was dramatically different... but this dry exnation couldn''t fully capture her emotions. That is¡­ "Ugh, I feel dizzy... I slept too much." "Don¡¯t you think it''s a bit much to walk around without a bra and just wearing a shirt and underwear with that violent body of yours, Logan?" "You don''t have to say it so indirectly, I¡¯ll make sure not to touch you, you brat." "You''re out of your mind." Such bizarre things were happening constantly in the Alpha-ss mutant dormitory. If Rand were asked whether she had gotten used to being in a woman''s body, she might respond with something like "I still don¡¯t know"¡ªbut still, continuously witnessing these scenes, which caused her heart to drop in several ways... well, it wasn''t exactly something she could get used to. Thinking that, Rand shook her head, but unfortunately, her tail was already wagging behind her. It was a fate of the canine species that emotions couldn¡¯t be hidden. Logan, who had been quietly watching, grinned. "What¡¯s up? You¡¯re having weird thoughts again, aren¡¯t you?" "Isn¡¯t it a bit harsh to apply such strict standards when you¡¯re showing it so openly, Logan?" "¡­Alright, alright. Just wear it. Honestly, I¡¯m too embarrassed to wear a bra." "Your mind¡¯s gone out the window, thinking it¡¯s less embarrassing to walk around like that than wearing underwear." A few more offhandments were exchanged, and Logan began grumbling while putting on his underwear. In fact, the root cause of this bizarre scene was simply the fact that the gender of the testosterone-filled special forces member, who could proudly disy their body, had suddenly switched to the opposite. Though now a woman, someone who had once been extremely proud of their body, covering its curves and structure, had be a woman, and still with overwhelming physical abilities. Despite that, nothing about her actions had changed. As a result, "skin-only" women had emerged. But conversely, those whose actions had changed, or who had realized they were women through some means, could never go back. Rand, who had only recently escaped Riker Ind, had to repeatedly remind herself that her body had changed. Even after arriving at Central Park, she was still not connected tobat. Her barely acquired position as a trainee operations officer was a clear sign. ''¡­At this rate, I won¡¯t even be able to ry the orders¡­'' From the moment Rand began staying at the Alpha-ss mutant dormitory, things that were tooplicated or difficult to transmit through the Icarus Gear were delivered through her own voice. While the Dagger Team was roaming Syracuse, Central Park had been drafting and executing various measures that must not be disclosed to the outside, one of which had to be ryed specifically to the Dagger Team. Though she didn¡¯t know what they would be hearing, she was well aware that she needed to tell them when and where they had to go. Of course, the recent scene almost made her forget that. She forced herself to focus and, shaking off the vision still lingering in her mind, began to exin where the Dagger Team needed to go today. A brief silence followed, and the mutants perched on their beds before speaking. "I don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯re trying to say." "I don¡¯t think you¡¯re nning to send us far away... Anyway, it seems like the kind of thing we can only understand when we hear it in person. We¡¯ve been in Syracuse for quite a while, so higher-ups must have made some decisions." "I hope it¡¯s not rted to any operations. We just got back, and we need rest." "We¡¯ll find out once we listen, right?" "Yeah, the rookie should get dressed and get ready." That was a relief. Rand subtly looked around at the Dagger Team. The issue of the "Dagger Team¡¯s intense training," which might have been waiting for her, naturally disappeared. She was at the point where she had justpleted basic military training, and on top of that, there was a mountain of things she still had to study as an operations officer. Of course, if asked, she wouldn''t be unable to do it, but there was this nagging worry, as one of them had put it, about not being able to catch up with the Dagger Team¡¯s training. Though she wasn¡¯t particrly curious, she knew she would eventually find out. Rand thought this to herself as she shook her head. "What¡¯s this? Is this about the establishment of an additional task force? I guess this is the time to discuss it if not now. I wonder if we really need to call the Dagger Team for it." "Olivia, weren''t you going to make a reconnaissance team with that guy? Maybe it''s something like that." "It could be, but it probably isn¡¯t the only thing. If it were, you could have just given me a heads-up." "Well, we¡¯ll find out when we go. Let¡¯s get ready." "¡­" At least, had Olivia not openly mentioned why the Dagger Team was gathering, Rand wouldn''t have reacted this way. Rand¡¯s eyes widened. Her gray eyes sparkled, but Olivia didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Rand quickly realized that it was because Olivia had the confidence that she would end up under hermand anyway. Rand was momentarily stunned, but Olivia added dismissively. "Should we take him with us?" "Stop joking, Olivia. It¡¯ll be a while before we can make use of that guy in the field." "¡­Well, that¡¯s true. I guess the creation of a separate task force is more likely now. I guess we¡¯re the most experienced in the field, so they¡¯re probably looking to us for advice on creation and operations." "That¡¯s probably the most likely. Right now, Central Park has no one to rely on but us." That wasn¡¯t wrong. At this point, the Dagger Team was the only proxy for the military power of Central Park and the U.S. government. Having sessfully carried out operations that seemed impossible, seeking advice seemed only natural. While Rand struggled to process the overwhelming amount of information in her head, the Dagger Team continued discussing what advice they should give to the task force being created. Many opinions were exchanged, but themon theme that came up was one thing. Luck. "Some of the sessful operations so far were a matter of luck, and honestly, without mutants, some situations might have been impossible to get through." "Like the Volbox and Titan. Shooting mortars, grenades, or rockets with rifles is roughly the same. There are so many unexpected situations that it''s a problem." "It¡¯s going to get worse. We don¡¯t know what might happen." "So, to prepare for that¡­ task forces are one thing, but support officers and conventional firearms that can be deployed immediately are essential. Haveser-shooting drones been developed yet?" "Well, maybe someday." Rattle, whoosh. As the four quickly suited up, as if the sluggish behavior from earlier had been a lie, once again, Rand found herself facing the possibility of being left behind. But it wasn¡¯t a huge problem. After all, she was about to move to the shooting range with the 107th Military Police Company, and she knew well enough that there was nothing for her to do here. Since the Dagger Team had just returned from a mission the day before, their wake-up time had been quite rxed, and Rand felt incredibly refreshedpared to usual. At least for now, it felt like she was going with the Dagger Team. "When you get back, your clothes will smell like gunpowder. That¡¯s a sign you¡¯re growing." "¡­Yes." "By the way, the average special forces member fires at least several hundred thousand rounds. Keep up." "¡­" Could she even catch up with that? More importantly, if they weren¡¯t shooting at the enemy but just using shooting practice to burn through hundreds of thousands of rounds, she couldn¡¯t even imagine how angry the logistics officer would be. But, well, since these people were saying it, she had no choice but to believe them. Thinking that, Rand nodded, and soon the Dagger Team''s direction diverged from hers. Some were going to get covered in the smell of gunpowder. Some were going to hear where Central Park was heading.: "Let¡¯s get to the conclusion. You all¡­ Task Force Dagger, in the event that any members from another task force or even the entire task force defect, you are assigned the role of executing them. Understood?" "¡­Execution, you say?" "One defense contractor has fully betrayed the country, and more and more of the first deployment personnel are bing unreachable. HQ is preparing for the possibility that even operators who received the Icarus Gear could betray us." "¡­" "Did you understand?" Meanwhile, mere minutes after Task Force Dagger entered the room, they were met with a shocking revtion that made them question their ears. "¡­Starting with the prediction of a task force defection, huh. That¡¯s quite¡­ an unexpected statement." "Did it seem like that? Sadly, this isn''t a prediction, it''s the stark reality. HQ seems overly concerned. The direction of their worries might be a bit off though."@@novelbin@@ "¡­" At that moment, Task Force Dagger fell silent. The silence was immediately understood. The Dagger Team, in that moment, realized from their experience why HQ had no choice but to make such a decision. They suddenly found themselves looking at their hands. Hands stained endlessly with the blood of defectors. It wasn¡¯t PTSD. They were more than ready to stain their hands with more blood. However, they had momentarily forgotten that this was evidence of why Central Park had chosen such an option. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t surprising that the Dagger Team expressed difort. "If that¡¯s the case, why not just attach a bomb to the clock?" "Stop joking. What HQ wants isn¡¯t control or surveince, but preparing for the worst-case scenario. Even if those two are just a paper-thin difference, someone has to bear the least bad option." "¡­Is that so?" "And judging by the fact that you¡¯re not showing any further reaction after being told directly, it seems you all¡­ understand the necessity of the option I just mentioned quite well." Once again, silence fell. It was a direct hit. Understanding and epting were two entirely different matters, but at least the moment they understood, they were over halfway there. The eleven members exchanged nces freely and then nodded. Despite the difficulty in epting it, the fact remained that, within HQ, those with the most advanced and specializedbat knowledge instinctively understood the necessity of the matter. In short, it was this: "¡­It¡¯s been only a little more than half a year since the Omega Virus incident broke out, but in that time, countless things have happened¡­ and in cases like this, only the worst-case scenario you anticipated is the one that actually happens." "Just like you said. And as mentioned, unprecedented crises require unprecedented solutions. HQ believes, based on several months of experience, that you all could be that¡­ solution." "Maybe that¡¯s true." "But unlike Task Force Dagger, who have already proven their achievements, no one knows what will happen with the task force that will be created in the future." What were they trying to say? While Task Force Dagger wore strange expressions, the high-ranking official who had summoned them made a separate gesture with his fingers, and at that moment, someone entered the room, which was supposed to be only for Dagger Team and government personnel. A rtively ordinary appearance. On his chest was the name "Jordan D. Royden," and beside it, the words "DARPA Senior Researcher." It didn¡¯t take long for him to sit down and open his mouth. "Greetings. I am Jordan Royden, Senior Researcher at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It¡¯s not something to brag about, but I¡¯ve been responsible for a significant part of the Icarus Gear and its functionality development." "Nice to meet you. So, you''re the one who saved Task Force Dagger." "d to hear that. Anyway, let¡¯s get to the point. The data I¡¯m about to share with you is crucial, a fail-safe switch for both you and HQ, and it is ssified as highly confidential, so please keep that in mind." "¡­" As a researcher, he seemed to have no problem casually discussing such important matters. While thinking that, he tapped the table with his fingers, and at that moment, a hologram was projected onto the wall. It didn¡¯t take long for the eleven pairs of eyes to focus on the screen. The first thing that appeared was the Greek alphabet¡ªAlpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta¡­ Among them, Task Force Dagger was listed under Delta. The exnation continued. "Until now, only the most important developers of the Icarus Gear know that it has energy grades." "Is that so?" "As you might have guessed, the higher the energy grade, the more functions the gear can perform. It can even easily replicate physical enhancements. However¡­" "¡­That sounds like it could have quite a significant impact on the body." "Exactly." A brief silence. Although the impact on the body was broadly mentioned, its meaning was clear. No one in the room was unaware of the side effects the mutants had faced when they first wore the Icarus Gear. The higher the energy grade, the more tremendous the burden on the body¡ªno one could fail to make that connection. The exnation continued. "As the grade increases, the energy shield capacity grows, and physical enhancements also be possible. This is because you¡¯ve all been wearing the Icarus Gear for a long time." "From the way you¡¯re talking, it sounds like the task force that¡¯s about to be formed won¡¯t have that. I understand now why it¡¯s called a fail-safe switch." "I¡¯m d you catch on quickly. ording to the catalog specs, you won¡¯t ever be outdone by any other task force. That¡¯s all I can share for now." "¡­So, does that mean the more we wear it, the higher the grade can go?" "That¡¯s probably the case." The word "probably." Instead of asking further questions, Task Force Dagger chose to remain silent, while Jordan Royden pointed at the Lambda grade with his finger. "From here on, simtions are impossible. From the Epsilon grade and above¡­ we¡¯re not sure, but you won¡¯t need to maintain human form anymore. You¡¯ll shed that form entirely." "¡­That¡¯s the most shocking thing I¡¯ve heard today." "The higher the grade, the more the Icarus Gear will rece all physical activities and internal mechanisms with electrical signals, and ultimately¡­ well, I can¡¯t be certain about what will happen beyond that." A moment of silence. And then someone spoke. "I came here thinking I¡¯d be hearing what we need to do next, but I didn¡¯t expect to be hearing that we¡¯re nning to stop being human." How should they take this? One thing was certain: the silence that followedsted quite a long time. It wasn¡¯t until 10 secondster that Jordan Royden hastily continued his exnation. Chapter 729 ©¤©¤©¤Tudududududu! "Whoo, whoo...!" "That''s what I expect from a mutant; your stamina is outstanding. Most others would have copsed by now, probably throwing up everything they ate several times from the intensity of the training, but you finish only slightly winded." "¡­I can''t focus on shooting, okay!" Mid-June, 11 AM, shooting range inside Central Park HQ. While the Dagger Team was hearing a highly ssified request that couldn''t be shared anywhere, gunshots echoed continuously in the shooting range, a few hundred meters away from the restricted area. And in the midst of this, Captain Edward Fawcett and Rand were present. Captain Fawcett surveyed his surroundings. There were a few soldiers, including Rand, undergoing shooting training. Some faces were familiar, while others were strangers, but the most noticeable thing was the slightly differentbat uniforms. This couldn''t be helped. Central Park was literally¡­ a mix of soldiers from various units. The National Guard, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marine Corps¡­ all of them had been scattered and absorbed into the HQ to save Manhattan. Proper military uniforms hadn''t been issued, and they were at the point where they had to cherish what they had. ''¡­'' His thoughts wandered for a moment. Captain Fawcett shook off the distraction and refocused on Rand, who was awkwardly shooting. He was one of the heroes of Central Park, having saved over a hundred soldiers and countless civilians from Brooklyn, and in any other situation, he would have been incredibly busy. But the reason he could afford to watch over Rand was simple. When a massive influx of various soldiers arrived suddenly at Central Park, the military and civilian sectors were overwhelmed with manpower shortages, so they started gathering soldiers regardless of their affiliation. In the process, themand structure had been reorganized, and temporarily, the authority of officers like Captain Fawcett had been slightly undermined. To be more specific, he had received an enormous number of "rmendations" asking whether he could lend his soldiers for specific tasks, which had led to others taking over his personnel management duties, thus giving him time to watch Rand. "I¡¯m not sure I need to personally supervise, though..." "Did you say something?" "I said, after you''re done shooting, do the safety check and get out of the shooting range." "That''s not it." "Juste out, idiot." Rand grumbled and walked out of the shooting range. With a nk, when the safety check was finished, she fidgeted with her gun, then met Captain Fawcett''s gaze. Her expression showed clear dissatisfaction. "...What¡¯s this? Can''t I, like, put essories on my gun like the Dagger Team members?" "Do you think you¡¯ll even be able to use it properly if you add those? Focus on the basics, the basics." "Tch..." She exchanged a nce with Captain Fawcett before walking over to a chair at the back of the range, and Captain Fawcett sat next to her. Smoke was still rising from her gun¡¯s muzzle. ncing down at it, Rand added: "Seriously, is shooting like this going to get me anywhere?" "You¡¯re getting used to firearms. It¡¯s a boring process, but the people you want to be like have already gone through it. One of them... I¡¯m not sure, but anyway." "Ugh." Randughed bitterly, and Captain Fawcett spoke again. "Special forces don¡¯t just shoot guns and walk around. They need to be skilled in firearms, engineering, medicine,munications, intelligence, operations... all of it. The Icarus Gear seems to have integrated all those specialties into one, but handling it depends on the individual¡¯s ability." "¡­" "If you¡¯re ever free, look up the Green Beret Q course. You¡¯ll see how much effort goes into training a single operator." "¡­I don¡¯t have ess to that information. As a trainee operations officer, I haven¡¯t been granted full ess yet." "¡­Guess I¡¯ll look it up myself." Captain Fawcett raised his left hand, and a wearable tablet on his wrist activated. A hologram appeared, and a pop-up window opened. He browsed the limited internal database only essible within Central Park and quickly searched for information on special forces training, before reading it through. His mouth opened without hesitation. "For engineers, bridging, explosives, fortifications, sabotage, vehicle engine repairs,ndmine cement and removal, civil operations repairs and purification tasks. For medical, handling medical records, equipment and pharmaceuticals, managing evacuation procedures, providing medical advice, dental, dermatology, obstetrics, infectious and pediatric diseases, emergency surgery..." "¡­Huh?" "That¡¯s just the specialties, though. Every operator is expected to know things like the doctrine of thend, small unit tactics, survival training, evasion and resistance training, CQB, tactical shooting, sniping, high-altitude jumps,bat scuba diving¡­" "Uh, that¡¯s..." "By the way, those things I just mentioned? I can¡¯t do them properly either." Clink. Then, how on earth is Rand, the youngest in the Dagger Team, going to keep up with those who have mastered all of that, even if she has the Gear? Rand carefully lowered her head in thought. Captain Fawcett wasn¡¯t unaware of this. With just that small reaction, he could guess what she was thinking. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Eugene was quite the mystery to him as well. What should he say? Instead of offering prematurefort or conclusions, he decided to speak his mind. "Has Eugene ever told you how he ended up in the 107th Military Police Company?" "¡­I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t remember well." "We were at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. When Rikers attacked the hospital, Eugene took down each of the Rikers attackers from far away with single shots." "Sniper shots¡­ Wait a second, that was¡­" "At the end of January." Brooklyn, not Central Park HQ. That was five months ago. Although Rand wasn¡¯t directly involved in the Maimonides Hospital attack, she knew the situation well enough herself. Could Eugene really have had the skills to protect himself so early? The thought crossed her mind, but the conversation continued. "He didn¡¯t pick up some random gun. He was holding a military assault rifle that Sergeant Baker had taken out for supplies. And he even recovered the dog tags. Quite the funny guy." "¡­Even if he¡¯s a mutant, it seems like he was born to be a soldier or operator." "Probably. I heard he came from Korea. He served for about a year and a half. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about that part, so no need for further exnation." "That¡¯s right." Someone who could perform at least two, three, or more times what others could do in a few months, even as a mutant, would certainly be able to absorb the knowledge from top-tier operators training the Dagger Team. And as for him¡­ he still had a long way to go. It was a sad thought for Rand, but her body was incredibly sensitive to changes in emotion. Seeing her wolf ears droop, Captain Fawcett briefly looked away and then raised his hand to pat her head. Just like being struck by lightning, her ears and tail perked up, her gray eyes widened, and Captain Fawcett added: "Unfortunately, you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to rise to the same level as them, and to show off your skills." "¡­Why is that unfortunate?" "Isn¡¯t it? You know how much blood you¡¯ll have to spill to stand in the same ce as the Dagger Team, don¡¯t you?" "¡­" Ah. He was right. Right now, Central Park was praising the heroic deeds of the Dagger Team, but to stabilize people¡¯s lives and rebuild America, it meant piling up mountains of corpses in the way of those who would disrupt it. Looking at this, Captain Fawcett added: "Don¡¯t get too attached to being an operator. I¡¯ve also been asked by those guys, and while Central Park¡¯s policy is to turn all residents into a standing army... you¡¯ll be a great operations officer too." "¡­" "As long as there are still rounds left, let me know if you want to keep shooting. I¡¯ve sniffed so much gunpowder that I¡¯ve got a headache." "Let¡¯s go out together." He didn¡¯t refuse, and the two of them stepped out of the shooting range. Between the towering skyscrapers, they could see the southern end, with ck smoke slowly drifting into the sky. Anyone who saw it would immediately recognize that the smoke wasing from JFK Airport, where something was burning. Captain Fawcett muttered, looking at it with a grim expression. "The weather¡¯s pretty nice." "Yeah, it sure is." The sunlight was harsh, and the weather was chilling. America was still quiet. "Did you hear about Westchester military airport? I never thought we''d be saying there''s so many Avengers that it''s causing trouble." "There are a few airports on Long Ind too, like East Hampton, MacArthur, and Gabreski." "Do you think anyone¡¯s going tond there and steal something? It¡¯s a waste to put valuable personnel like maintenance workers, bomb disposal experts, and support staff in ces like that. It''s 70 km away from Central Park." "Ugh, I don''t know what to say. Fine. I was wrong, you bunch." "No, you¡¯re just pointing out the wrong ces¡­ugh, ugh!" Logan¡¯s deadly elbow pressure move was in full effect, and Laurentina, who felt it throughout her body, was screaming in pain. This was in the Alpha-ss mutant dormitory of Central Park HQ. The sunset sky was filled with ck smoke. The smoke was rising from JFK International Airport, where something was burning, just as the operation in Syracuse was beginning. The airport had been burning for more than a week now, thanks to nanomachines that dposed organic material and emitted enormous heat. Fortunately, New York¡¯s winds were mainly blowing southwest at this time. Someone had once said, "It¡¯s lucky you won¡¯t smell the horrible stench that once you''ve inhaled it, you¡¯ll never forget it." Rand, who was especially sensitive to smells, didn¡¯t say anything, and it was clear that she was avoiding the scent. But recently, another problem had arisen. "Damn, there''s fur on the air purifier filter... Rand, get over here!" "W-What!? It¡¯s not my fault! Waaaah!" "Heh, this isn¡¯t going to work. If we get a chance to leave Central Park, we¡¯ll have to stop by a pet shop and get a brush forrge dogs." "The rookie won¡¯t even shed fur, and Logan surprisingly doesn¡¯t shed much... but I¡¯m losing feathers. It¡¯s maddening. At least it didn¡¯t get into the air purifier." "By the way, weren¡¯t bird feathers the main material for dreamcatchers? I¡¯ve been having nightmarestely..." "Shut up." Well, the conversation had taken a weird turn, but as it was said, despite the unusual circumstances, there had been changes since Rand joined. Specifically, fur¡ªwolf-like fur from her tail and ears. Herbat gear wasn¡¯t a big problem, but her regr clothes, especially ck ones, were constantly umting fur. It even started to float in the air, making it worse. As expected, Rand quickly became the scapegoat for this. It didn¡¯t take long for her to be the target ofints about the fur. "I¡¯ll clean it up." "No, no. It was just a joke. But do shake the nkets more often." "Yes, sir." "By the way, how old are you, Rand? About 30? You wasted your twenties in prison, huh. That¡¯s why you got into all that scamming, huh?" "¡­Sorry." Whenever the topic of scams came up, Rand couldn¡¯t help but shrink. Anyway, since this was her fault, it wasn¡¯t surprising. The mood in the dormitory, which could have been cold due to her criminal past, wasn¡¯t bad at all. As I mentioned earlier, it was because of the fur topic. Thanks to these small moments, physical contact became natural, and it was easy to strike up a conversation. Moreover, Rand had a certain... appeal. How should I say it? Her reactions were sharp. In the meantime, Olivia rolled her eyes, as if seeing something. At the same time, she spoke. "Now, you¡¯re wearing the shell casings you picked upst time as a ne. Really unique, huh?" "Ah, don¡¯t mention that!" "I got it, I got it. Don¡¯t carry stuff like that around. Just hurry up and learn from us so you can catch up. Then you¡¯ll be able to stand proudly alongside us¡­ well, maybe not yet." "Olivia, if you¡¯re going tofort me, do it properly. Don¡¯t suddenly get cold in the middle of it." ¡­That was true. Anyway, the conversation went on with more lighthearted moments, and even though Rand had told Olivia that "if it takes too long, there¡¯s no need to drag her along," such half-heartedpromises didn¡¯t work. Olivia subtly sat on Rand¡¯s bed and began ying with her hair, adding: "I don¡¯t mind if it takes a while. You¡¯ll eventuallye under me anyway. If the U.S. government survives, they¡¯ll definitely make you an operator, and the post-apocalypse will need you. Same for me." "¡­I already heard something simr from Captain Fawcett earlier." "Yeah. Don¡¯t worry about the near future. Also, it¡¯s almost inevitable that I¡¯ll be separated into a different task force with the Eagle Team, and when that happens, wouldn¡¯t it be more fun if we knew each other a little bit?" "Hmm. From the sound of it, it might take at least two years." "I¡¯m about the same, expecting it to take that long." ¡­Two years? That wasn¡¯t a short time, even when considering that they were alternating between missions and rest weeks. It seemed like it was too early to talk about it, but well... I was still a rookie, and the average rank of the veterans here was above sergeant, with an average service length of more than 14 years. I couldn¡¯t say much against their careful deliberations. But... ©¤©¤©¤Thud! "Ugh...!"@@novelbin@@ "By the way, in a little while, surface-to-air missiles are going to be transported here. They need to be ced on just about every building rooftop, so we¡¯ll be learning a lot while going around. Got it?" "That¡¯s a threat!" "Did you think otherwise?" "Ugh, save me! There¡¯s too much to do¡ª!" "Oh, just like a wolf, howling! Can you do it one more time?" ¡­Looking at this scene, I still didn¡¯t get it. But, well, such things happened, and with this kind of yfulness, it helped relieve the mental fatigue from the operations. Eventually, Rand would understand that too. Maybe. I don¡¯t know. The sun was setting, but Central Park was still buzzing. Terrible things were still happening around, but at least here, they could spend the day without worry. Another day wasing to an end.
    • [Movement detected 40 km southwest of the Tangso Locust 1, near Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power nt. Estimated to reach the facility in about 15 minutes.]
    • [Understood. After confirming IFF, we¡¯ll provide fire support and send the report to Redstone Arsenal.]
    • [Got it. Let¡¯s make it a hot one.]
    Meanwhile, Artemis''s dy was starting to fail from the very beginning. Chapter 730 New York City, New York State, has no air defense facilities. The brilliant, wise, and exceptional ¨C ironically ¨C Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld once embraced the process of BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) 2005 by a federal governmentmission. Airbases in New York, North Dakota, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Ohio, capable of operating F-16s, F-15s, and A-10s, along with the assignments of numerous soldiers, turned to ashes. New Jersey was able to operate F-15s, but it was never executed. On September 11, 2001, during the most shocking event, the 9/11 attacks, NEAD had to defend an 830 km coastline from Cape Cod to North Carolina with just two F-15s and F-16s. Some proposals went to Congress. And they passed. Brooks Air Force Base in Texas, Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia, Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, and Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota vanished. The BRACmission projected that these rmendations would save $50 billion over 20 years, but 20 years was far too long, and instead, the relocation and construction of new facilities led to military spending of $35 billion. The Department of Defense imed an annual reduction of $4 billion in spending, but whether that was truly the case remained uncertain. What was certain, however, was this: The U.S. East Coast air defensework was no longer protected by missiles but by fighter jets. Perhaps, it wasn¡¯t such a bad choice after all. U.S. defense spending was the overwhelming number one in the world, and even if the countries ranked from second to fifteenthbined their defense budgets, they couldn¡¯t surpass the U.S. annual defense budget. The U.S. Air Force could control the world, and even without nuclear weapons, could tten enemy countries with just air force power. Even hostile nations couldn¡¯t seriously im to invade the U.S. maind using aerial forces. For this reason, despite the massive size of the air force, the U.S. didn¡¯t give much attention to thetest surface-to-air missiles ¨C not that they had given up on them. It was just that it was enough. The Patriot missile, first introduced in the 1970s, the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, a Humvee with surface-to-air missiles mounted, Typhon trucks equipped with Mk.41 VLS (Vertical Launch System), ground-based Tomahawk cruise missiles, and SM-6 fleet defense missiles retrofitted with hypersonic capabilities. The NASAMS, a joint development between Kongsberg and Raytheon, and the Aegis Ashore, a ground-based air defensebat system, were all part of this. In theory, that was enough, and at least until a certain point, it was more than enough. Up until the early 2030s.
    • "You say we don''t have any manned airbat power avable...?"
    • "We¡¯re short on pilots, maintenance crews, weapons controllers, runway maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, fuel transporters... Everything. We can¡¯t do anything. The sky is no longer ours."
    • "W-What... What is going on?"
    As modern systems grew sorge that they could no longer fit in one person¡¯s head, they were operated under the concept of specialization. As time passed, and as society progressed, people began running increasinglyplex systems that couldn¡¯t be sustained without specialization. This was true for the military as well. Conversely, when the overall number of people declined, if new personnel with specialized knowledge weren¡¯t trained, it would be impossible to respond to the demands of others who needed those specific skills. At present, Central Park could operate unmanned aerial vehicles and respond to Dagger Team¡¯s CAS requests because UAVs required "a little" less attention than manned aircraft. Of course, the difference wasn¡¯t that big. "...So, this is why we need to put missiles on nearby buildings. Got it?" "In other words, since nothing is functioning properly, if the enemy''s airborne troopse in on transport nes, we have no choice but to do this, right?" "Exactly. And well... if they actuallynd, they¡¯llunch all sorts of missiles to suppress the coast, but we¡¯ll need something to intercept that. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll use nuclear missiles though¡­" "Why?" "What, are they going to scatter nuclear weapons on thend they¡¯re invading before even setting up a temporarymand? They¡¯d die from radiation poisoning before they can even set up camp." "Ah." "And we¡¯ve got nuclear missiles too. The moment they use them, it¡¯ll be mutual destruction." As he said, if you were to consider only Russia or China, the U.S. could still hold an advantage even if it was crippled ¨C but if other countries joined in, it would be a very difficult situation. In any case, from the mid-20th century onward, great powers sessfully developed mutually assured destruction weapons capable of burning their own countries and deployed them into active service. The U.S. would definitely be doomed, but Russia and China would be the same. Moreover, due to critical mistakes by the divisions and the allied navy, U.S. superiority had be even more entrenched. "If those bastards hadn¡¯t messed around when theynded in New Haven, there wouldn¡¯t have been any invasion problems, right? But what can you do? By now, the Virginia naval base and the Cyber Command are probably busy inspecting submarines." "And thanks to that, we¡¯ve been digging out all sorts of information from enemyworks before the alliedmand even realized it, heh. Anyone in the Central Parkmand who doesn¡¯t know the locations of those ssified missile bases is probably rare." "Don¡¯t sneak into my lecture, you bastard." "I was just exining, Olivia." As Olivia pushed Laurentina away with the palm of her hand, Rand was contemting the submarine-rted matter Olivia had just mentioned. Perhaps, the mission that would eventually make Dagger Team stars once the virus apocalypse was over. The operators still asionally brought it up even though it had been a long time since that mission waspleted. She herself felt the same. "They¡¯ve got the nuclear missileunch codebooks, mission callsigns, step-by-step nuclear attack scenarios,mand codes, emergencymunication manuals, and the names of operational center leaders and tacticalmanders. By now, the alliedmand should have figured out they¡¯re screwed." "By now, they¡¯ve probably thrown away those callsigns and codebooks. It¡¯s going to be a disaster. Though we¡¯re not sure, if there are still deep-cover agents in the mix, we might get some decent results." "...Ugh. Just give me the exnation next time." Olivia finally gave up, and Laurentina sat next to her, beginning to chatter away. But one thing was certain: this kind of "lecture" was much morefortable and fun for Rand. Since her 20s, she had been forced to distance herself from studying. So, to simplify what they were doing right now ¨C it was kind of a future prediction. It was being discussed through the eyes of top-tier operators who had been through countless experiences and could predict what would happen not just in one battle but in the long term. Simply by hearing this, Rand could get an idea of how the operations officers were making grand strategies from a macro perspective and calcting the necessary materials to execute them. As always, the right challenges, triggers, and help made a person grow both mentally and physically. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. "Anyway, we need to tell you what you¡¯ll have to do next so you can get ready." "...I was listening well, but hearing that makes me a little scared now." "Yeah, yeah. That¡¯s understandable. But I¡¯m not nning on giving you psychological treatment¡­ no wait, since I¡¯m going to be your senior, maybe I should? A little overwhelming though." "You always end your sentences with weird things." "Just go with it, you bastard! You have to solve things immediately so there¡¯s no spark left forter!" As Rand thought she was going to forget everything she had heard, she became a little curious about what Olivia¡¯s psychological treatment might be but quickly stopped thinking about it. Olivia unfolded a hologram with a map. It disyed the locations of defense industry factories across the U.S. "Anyway, Central Park is currently aiming to restore military supplies and transport them to at least minimally restore U.S.bat power."@@novelbin@@ With a swish, Olivia¡¯s slender finger traced the map, and at that moment, the hologram shimmered and formed a new appearance¡ªeast, west, and south. The lights sparkled, forming a sort of defense line. Numbers were disyed next to it. Aside from New York, which was marked as 1, there was nothing particrly unusual. However, the length of the defense line itself was concerning. "The reason is simple. From Massachusetts to Florida... enemy allied forces are expected to invade this area first. If we don¡¯t recover and restore our forces now, we¡¯re going to be in serious trouble." "...But toe to the northeast, they would have to cross the Antic, wouldn¡¯t they? The U.S. West Coast seems like it would get hit first." "Oh. You¡¯re pretty smart. But unfortunately, the topmand suspects that the attack on the West Coast will be a little dyed. We¡¯re the same." "Why?" "Because the Third and Seventh Fleets, which are among the most powerful in the U.S. Navy, obliterated the allied navy in the Pacific. Though it seems they took quite a hit too." At the same time, the map expanded. The globe spun quickly and illuminated the entire Pacific, highlighting Japan¡¯s Yokosuka and South Korea¡¯s Busan. Red X marks were clearly visible all over the waters. Rand didn¡¯t immediately understand what this meant, but the conversation continued. "Thanks to our friends struggling overseas, Russia might be fine, but China definitely won¡¯t be able to extend to the West Coast. Do you get the feeling?" "...I think I understand." "Good. We don¡¯t know how much time the enemy will give us, but as I mentioned before, we need to start serious rebuilding, so we¡¯ll have to prepare properly." "Uh... so do we just learn what you teach us?" "No?" "Excuse me?" At that moment, Laurentina and Olivia stretched, then added. "What do mutants do best?" "Uh... Combat?" "Well, that''s close, but not the point. The real answer is physicalbor." Physicalbor? Before she could think further, the conversation continued. "Are you good at carrying heavy things?" "...I¡¯m an operations officer, though!?" "You bastard, don¡¯t use being an operations officer as an excuse when it¡¯s inconvenient!" Rand was thoroughly subdued. Human-shaped cranes, or human-shaped trucks, were soon to be used for various tasks. "...It¡¯s too hot to work, don¡¯t you think? I think it¡¯s just about right for me, but it must be ufortable for you, Rand." "Well, it¡¯s better than nothing. And with all the simultaneous construction going on here, there¡¯s nowhere that¡¯s really safe... Hmm, there¡¯s another request for help. Let¡¯s go. Rand, you keep watch around here." "...Yes." A few dayster, Lower Manhattan. The Dagger Team, who had been living in Central Park but rarely wandered through the city itself, finally left Central Park for the first time in a while. The weather was already getting warm, with just the right amount of humidity. However, the smell of burning vehicles and the sight of buildings ckened and melted by white phosphorus still surrounded them... Well, it wasn¡¯t something they had easily gotten used to. That¡¯s why Central Park decided to focus on clearing the cars blocking the streets. Their destination was a junkyard in Brooklyn. "There are over 70,000 cars just blocking the avenue in Lower Manhattan from Central Park. I wonder when we¡¯ll get around to clearing all of this." "Shut up about moving cars!" "Ah,e on. They¡¯re not even that heavy... Oh, now that I think about it, Olivia, your weight ss is a bit low." "Shut up, you!" With that sound, the cars began to move, climbing up onto the sidewalk. To send the cars that hadpletely blocked the streets of Manhattan to the junkyard, a few procedures were necessary. First, they had to clear a path to the junkyard in ces like New Jersey or Brooklyn. The method was simple. Tow trucks or car carriers, which could transport multiple cars at once, would make their way through, and once the path was cleared, they could move the cars from the most needed spots. The problem was that the junkyard was about 8 km from Lower Manhattan, and the cars, tightly packed, had to be moved all the way over. You could suggest just attaching a wedge to arge truck and pushing them all aside, but...
    • [Alert: Body detected inside vehicle. Activating sensory filters and odor-blocking features.]
    "...There¡¯s a dead person inside this vehicle." "We don¡¯t have a choice. Rand, don¡¯t look, just close your eyes. Scan it for social security cards or credit cards, check the identity... then send them off." "Yes." Sometimes, people who didn¡¯t sleep peacefully ended up inside cars like this. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Icarus Gear activated its sensory filters. I inspected the inside of the vehicle. Apart from the outline of a human shape, nothing else was visible. Thanks to the tactical lens embedded in my vision. The Icarus Gear formed a contagious incendiary device through nanomachines in the empty air, and I used a pulse to verify the person¡¯s information. After opening the opposite door, I threw the information inside. How much time had passed? ©¤©¤©¤Fwoooosh! The nanomachines dposed the organic matter and emitted an intense heat, filling the car with smoke and mes. Leaving that behind, I lifted the car and moved it onto the sidewalk. Olivia looked grim. It was probably a simr scene happening wherever the Dagger Team was, and the names of the victims continued to rise on the UI. The simplebination of letters was the names of the victims. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, the white phosphorus dropped in Lower Manhattan had burned up all the nearby cars, whether they had bodies inside or not. It was rare to find victims inside cars that hadn¡¯t been burned, but still... The mental shock? Not much. I had be numb to it, and the Icarus Gear helped by altering visual data to eliminate visual shocks and regting hormone secretion to prevent PTSD. ''...Is this really the right thing to do?'' On the other hand, if you ask if it¡¯s natural to be traumatized by witnessing things as they are... well, that¡¯s not right either. No matter how I or anyone else felt about it, there was always the best method, and the Icarus Gear simply applied that to me, the user. I thought about that with a sigh and moved on, periodically checking the surroundings to see if there were any other things I needed to check.
    • [Owens: The ground subsidence rate has slowed slightly. Most of the underground water discharge systems in Manhattan are running without major issues. There are a few broken parts, which have caused some subway lines to flood.]
    • [Laurentina: There are a few parts of the old pipelines that need immediate recement. I¡¯m currently checking if there are any suspicious individuals around. So far, there¡¯s no major issue.]
    • [Logan: Still checking.]
    "Everyone¡¯s busy. I¡¯m not quite sure what Logan¡¯s checking though..." "There¡¯s no one who isn¡¯t busy. But why is Logan checking something?" "He said he¡¯s looking into something?" "Hmm." At the same time, Olivia made a personal call and began talking about various things. While Olivia was busy, Rand kept watch and helped me move the car with difficulty, but her expression... was worse than expected. Before I could hear the reason, themunication was connected. I heard a familiar voice.
    • "It¡¯s nothing major, just a few missing items. When we checked the lost items, I didn¡¯t like the feel of it. Fuel, Styrofoam, scrap tires, sugar... they¡¯re gone."
    • "...They¡¯re really making it obvious what they¡¯re nning, huh. These suspicious guys."
    • "We¡¯ll keep checking, since we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. If you notice anything suspicious, be sure to check it. Manhattan was one of the most essible tourist spots before the incident."
    • "Got it."
    "...I thought we might get a chance to rest, but I wonder if something¡¯sing up again." "Maybe. It¡¯s always the knife in your back that hurts the most." I nodded. Just because we returned to Central Park, to Manhattan, didn¡¯t mean rest was waiting for us. Chapter 731 "Well, the styrofoam is scattered on the roadside, so that¡¯s not a problem, but extracting the oil is difficult. I¡¯m d I helped with the car transport, or it would have been tough. Plus, there are mutated ones wandering around nearby." "Ahhtar?" "I don¡¯t know. They''re draining fuel from underneath the car, but it doesn¡¯t seem easy. There are a lot of people around." "Tch. At this rate, we won''t make it on time¡­" Manhattan. Even more famous than Washington D.C., the capital. The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, the city with lights that never go out¡ªNew York''s streets were still filled with the remnants of a past glory that had fragmented. The survivors dreamed of when the world could return to the prosperous past they remembered, and this was no different for those working in Central Park. However, the operations officers, analysts, and the soldiers in charge ofw enforcement had overlooked one important fact. Manhattan was one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. "Others are starting to gather too. Some of us are blending in¡­ but we can''t let it happen to us. There''s nothing greater than the name of Ah." "Yeah. Those damned bastards are oppressing us under the guise of war. Let¡¯s see if they don¡¯t respond when we get sted from all directions." New York was a major tourist city, drawing 70 million visitors annually, bustling regardless of the season or time of day. All the operation officers and other officials overseeing the work were aware of this, and they also knew that not all the civilians walking around Central Park or its vicinity were American. But they had forgotten when the Omega Virus outbreak urred. Everyone believed the apocalypse began on ck Friday, but a much bigger event urred afterward. The Boldrop event, or the annual New Year''s Eve event in Times Square, Manhattan. Too many foreign tourists flew to Manhattan just to witness it. Unfortunately, most of them never made it back to their home countries and became casualties. "¡­But what if we get caught? If the soldiers wandering around spot us, we could all be killed." "Is that all the faith you have? Those bastards won¡¯t even give us time to pray to Ma, and they¡¯re ignoring all our requests for better treatment! And the Shiite turban-wearing bastards won¡¯t cooperate either!" The reason they had been quiet for a moment was simple. Dagger Team.@@novelbin@@ To be precise, no one knew exactly where or what anyone was doing, but victory reports kepting from somewhere, and breaking that atmosphere would likely result in a bad oue¡ªsimply put, they were waiting for the right moment. But from another perspective, this was a situation where refugees with ill intentions feared Dagger Team, imagining soldiers in their minds, and they didn¡¯t want to break the victorious mood that these imagined soldiers had brought. In other words, the refugees didn¡¯t know who Dagger Team was, how many victories they had brought to Central Park, or how much power they had been granted. Naturally, they were unaware that among those powers was a license to kill. And because of that, the refugees were under the illusion that, even if all of this was exposed, it would only result in exile at worst. "We haven¡¯t officially done anything wrong yet. Fuel is needed everywhere, and even though the demand for sugar, rubber, and styrofoam has dropped a little, they¡¯re still necessary." "¡­I get the gist. But if those items get discovered all at once, it¡¯ll be a problem, so we need to spread them out. Make sure to prepare a good excuse and ry it." "Of course. Besides, we¡¯re not asking for anything big, right? We just want some guarantees in this rough world, both religiously and in other aspects. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re nning to blow anything up." In a world like this, self-defense was essential. Other groups were viewing them unfavorably. Fuel was needed to run the machines... and so on. There were plenty of excuses that could be made, and some of them were even somewhat true. If Central Park heard about this, they would probably execute everyone on the spot, but HQ was still too understaffed to control all the civilians. At least it was possible to select those with a clear mind and use them as regr soldiers, but this was only true for those outside Central Park, not for those living within it. This situation proved that, while America had extinguished the urgent mes, they still had no time to deal with the sparks that were starting to burn inside. "¡­By the way, who taught you how to make this stuff?" "I met someone while walking around. They seemed to have a grievance with Central Park, so I talked to them for a bit, and we became friends quicker than I expected. I heard they came from the northern part of Manhattan." "From northern Manhattan¡­ Hmm. I don¡¯t have any particr suspicions, but I don¡¯t know much other than that there was chaos there. Did you hear anything?" "I don¡¯t know much either. But that¡¯s not important. They gave us the information we needed, and thanks to that, we¡¯ve gotten a step closer to jihad. Even if they¡¯re infidels, if they share the same cause, Ah¡¯s mercy will eventuallye to them." "¡­I¡¯m not sure about that part, so I¡¯ll leave it to you." There was a moment of silence, and then they scattered, ncing around. After some time, someone stepped into an alleyway where no one else was present¡ªno, to be precise, there was only the sound of footsteps. As though the presence itself had been created out of thin air, or as if it had been superimposed on the space. As the sound of footsteps materialized, a man with a dignified appearance arrived at the spot where two people had been. He fiddled with his Icarus Gear, and after a short time, he exhaled lightly and added: "¡­Seems like the echo doesn¡¯t work properly since there are no CCTV cameras around here. But it looks like¡­ there are a few sneaky friends. We¡¯ve caught something on our side. What about the other side?" "This side hasn¡¯t yielded anything yet. The rookie and the car are just moving stuff around quietly." "I''m not sure yet. Let''s approach as stealthily as possible. Even if we find solid evidence, they might deny it, so we need to rify the route of the hidden goods, who the ringleader is, and how deeply they''re involved before we take them out." "It seems like there might even be some people stockpiling weapons outside Central Park. Damn, the work never ends. I wonder how long it will take before this boils over." "Predicting the scope of the outbreak and controlling it is also something Central Park has to handle. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll blow up in a day or two, so let¡¯s focus on gathering as much information as we can." Though these words were spoken, the Dagger Team¡¯s voices still carried unease and fatigue. They realized they still had far too much to do, and even when they returned to Central Park, there would be more tasks waiting for them. But there was no need to dwell on it for long. After all, it was something that would happen eventually. It was Manhattan, one of the world¡¯s most famous and populous ces, so such events were bound to ur. "¡­I figured it would turn out this way, but the world never lets me down. Truly impressive. Doesn''t it seem like those guys are trying to make me into a Republican, not a Democrat?" "That¡¯s a bit of a dark joke, sir." "I hope it¡¯s a joke. After all, a coalition government¡­ it¡¯s hard to call it that with the ruling and opposition partiespletely dissolved. If I want to do things my way, is that so wrong?" "¡­We¡¯re in a state of war, sir. If necessary, regardless of your political stance, we must take appropriate action." "Mm." In extreme situations, extreme choices are required. Even though Henry, sitting in his office, had made many such choices already, the fact that he faced the same situation again made him shake his head. Originally a Democrat, he had supported the U.S. security policies but had no particr interest in expanding the military or increasing defense spending. The Omega Virus crisis had turned everything upside down. Though he had been an advocate for pro-immigration policies and foreign rtions, the situation he now faced as President, having been betrayed by his own policies, was a bitter one. No, to be precise, it wasn''t betrayal. "¡­When the rule ofw stops functioning, what else can be expected but this?" "Did you say something, sir?" "It was nothing." Perhaps, in extreme situations, cultural rtivism bes meaningless. Many of the beliefs he had held without doubt were now shattered, and as he found himself in a position where he had to do whatever it took to preserve America, Henry felt the sharp pain of a headache. But whether or not he liked it, he wasn¡¯t unaware of the heavy weight he carried as the leader of a nation in crisis. He looked over the agenda that hade up on the table. It was the starting point of his anguish. The content was simple. It mentioned that Imic refugees were nning something. If this was what had surfaced, who knew what was happening beneath the surface? With a sigh, he added: "I¡¯ll leave the progress of this operation to the Dagger Team." "Understood." "When historianster describe this great chaos, I¡¯m not sure what they will say about it. I don¡¯t know what morality or ethics will remain when all this is over. It''s a terrible shame." "To restore those, a foundation must beid. I believe it''s a necessary process." "That¡¯s also true." He gave his orders, and before long, a certain area within Central Park HQ designated for refugees would vanish, and the people inside would disappear as well. Anyway, work was work, and if it had to be done, it had to be done with certainty. Once Central Park¡¯s manpower increased and they had more troops to maintainw and order, such situations might not ur, but that was an ''if''¡ªsomething for the future. Henry, still reviewing the reports, spoke: "Is this report simply an update on the situation?" "Yes. The operation n will being soon, and a basic framework has already been established. The main objective is to intentionally loosen security and provoke careless actions." "I get the idea." "Some suggest that we should allow the enemies¡¯ possession of firearms to go unchecked to ensure a more definitive response, but the opinions are sharply divided." "How specifically do they suggest it?" "Ah, the n being discussed is to disguise the airdrop of military supplies outside Central Park so that the enemies can take them." "Hmm." A brief silence. Henry let out a quiet breath, then added: "Politics is a fight over how to shape public opinion. Depending on the process and results, even the most troublesome people can end up being portrayed as martyrs." "¡­" "Soldiers carry out operations, but politicians respond to the aftermath of those operations. Whether it¡¯s to let go, deny, clean up afterward, or take responsibility..." "Is that so?" "I must make sure that those people don¡¯t end up as innocent victims." In Central Park HQ, there were just under a hundred Muslims. How many of them would be ssified as dangerous, and how many would end up in the afterlife, in the ''Al Janna''¡ªthe Imic paradise? Henry swiped the holographic list of their details with his hand and spoke: "The cause will be mine to create. You all do what you must." "Understood, sir." As the aide left the office, Henry murmured: "Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil¡­" Whether or not that whispered prayer reached the heavens, no one could say. Chapter 732 "Currently, we are monitoring all of Manhattan based on intelligence provided by Cleaner agents and drone tracking. The New York National Guard''s 107th and 442nd Military Police Companies are managing the refugees involved in the construction and work projects." "You didn''t forget to let a few of them go, did you?" "Of course not. The ones doing suspicious things won¡¯t even realize they''re being watched from the sky. The Military Police Company is intentionally creating gaps in the security, and we are monitoring those trying to slip through." "Alright, let the reconnaissance mission begin." A day passed. Then two. On the surface, it seemed like the world was flowing in much the same way it had before, and in reality, not much had changed. The people living in Manhattan were waiting for progress, though only a slight amount seemed to be on the horizon. However, those who understood just how huge the effort was knew it wasn''t so simple. Few truly understood how much effort was required to maintain Manhattan. Despite the high status of its name, Manhattan''s original systems and sanitation were never particrly great. Moreover, social infrastructure required regr maintenance, but the skilled workforce needed to carry out those tasks had moved on to either heaven, hell, or purgatory. Theck of inspection personnel soon made its problems evident, and Manhattan was now struggling even to provide basic utilities like water and electricity. But that wasn''t all. The New York subway, which would be essential in the future, was terribly damaged. There were corpses stuck to the walls, and some stations had broken pipes spilling groundwater. Until now, the priority had been dealing with the most dangerous issues, so these things had been ignored, but now that some foundation had beenid, there was a growing need for recovery personnel over military ones. This was why Central Park had begun to gather people from both inside and outside HQ, paying them for their work while assessing the minimum amount of materials and personnel necessary to keep it running. In the process, Dagger Team had taken on more important tasks, and personal autonomy was gradually being ensured for each member... "¡­Well, I¡¯ve sent some signals that those friends involved in shady dealings should be able to pick up. I wonder if they¡¯ve caught on." "They haven¡¯t been too obvious, so I don''t think it''s a problem. There are just a few concerns being raised here and there." "Is it the charge of aiding and abetting? I¡¯d like to throw all thoseining voices into the construction site. They''ve gotten toofortable. If we leave things be, Central Park might end up in ruins." "Well, there¡¯s not much we can do. People need to raise concerns too." The operations officer nodded, and a silence followed. Numerous operation updates appeared on separate screens. Among them were reports on the B-C ss weapons, equipped with GPS beacons, that would be dropped via transport nes, expected to be ready within 2 to 3 days. Intel collection had been slow, but that was normal. Civil operations, as always, could take weeks at best and months at worst, and the officers knew well that it was a battle of patience. Still, the boredom was palpable. "I wonder what those guys are up to right now." "They''re probably in standby, right? If suspicious individuals are up to something, we need to stop them." "How long has it been since the operation ended, and they''re already handling new tasks? Are we working them too hard? I wonder how long this will go on." "¡­The drone¡¯s tracking their movements. They''re moving into a loosely defined security zone. Identity verification... We¡¯ve identified Akhtar Mohammed Masood and Karim Abdul Alhajaz assigned to the India-2 area." "What are they holding?" "Looks like ordinary tools." "Check their reputations. Do it now." As the sound of keyboards tapping filled the air, the screens on the wall quickly disyed numerous images. The hologram automatically moved, disying a list of people assigned to the India area. A list of fewer than a hundred names appeared on the screen. Two of them, highlighted in red, were erged, and further details were recorded below. The names were marked in a color close to reddish yellow. However, jumping to conclusions that the India area was full of extremists based on that alone was dangerous. There were definitely some dangerous elements, but there were also plenty of innocent individuals. One had to be careful of potential coteral damage. "Where exactly are these people stationed?" "¡­They¡¯re near Bryant Park. They seem to have been assigned to park cleaning duties, but they¡¯re currently moving east toward 42nd Street. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything around there¡­" "Anything nearby?" "Grand Central Terminal is in the area." "...What?" A brief moment of silence. However, the silence wasn¡¯t without reason. In fact, it was a result of the many pieces of information that had been scattered in his mind suddenly snapping into ce all at once. The reason was simple. The officers knew what had happened at Grand Central Terminal in the past¡ªeveryone knew what had urred when the 107th Military Police Company was attacked near there. Dagger Team, still not fully formed, hadunched by helicopter and killed countless enemies. More than 200 people had been killed in that area. The number of corpses was a serious issue, and it was easy to imagine what kind of scene awaited inside the terminal, but that wasn''t important. The bodies had been armed, and some of them might have even had rocketunchers. The firefight at Grand Central Terminal had been exactly like that. The real question was how they knew about it. ''¡­The intel collection route doesn¡¯t seem odd, no matter how you look at it.'' It had been a while since the 107th Military Police Company had been ambushed near Grand Central Terminal, so the information might have leaked in that time, or it could havee from someone outside HQ who was going around gathering information. Either way, it didn''t matter. The silent drone began to descend, and the overworked drone pilots moved the controls sluggishly, trying to track every suspicious movement. So far, nothing had been definitively confirmed, but the goal was to gather data that would turn suspicion into proof. When the drone carefully followed two civilians into a broken window, the scene that appeared on the screen was far from pleasant. "¡­Damn." "Had I known I¡¯d see something like this, I would have skipped lunch." "We¡¯ve identified about ten individuals inside the terminal¡­ I¡¯ll scan their faces now." The same process continued. As the drone captured their faces, cross-checking began against the list of registered individuals at Central Park. Some were caught, while others weren¡¯t. This made it clear. There were unregistered individuals involved in the act. And that made more sense. The fact that faces and identities were fully registered in the governmentwork was something that Americans found hard to tolerate. Plus, because the number of people in Central Park was insufficient for meaningful operations, HQ asionally recruited people roaming outside, offering them food and supplies in exchange for outsourcing some work. That was why more than half of the ten or so people were unregistered. But that didn¡¯t matter too much. The real issue was what the drones were capturing. "¡­Those guys are holding firearms." "Yes. And next to them... it looks like they¡¯ve stacked firearms. They seem freshly gathered, but that¡¯s not the important part. There¡¯s a pump that exploded under Grand Central Terminal¡­" "So they¡¯re wiping off the liquid from the firearms? Interesting idea. Let¡¯s keep watching. We might still have some hope." But it didn¡¯t matter. The two walked casually, holding the firearms they ''found''. It was hard to tell whether it was the stench of corpses that made them act like that, but one thing was certain: the evidence had already been secured by that point. The two, clicking the dirty handguns, said a few more words and returned them. The drone had long since recorded and tranted everything they said. But there was no need to worry about that. The bigger issue was the Artemis rocketuncher that had appeared. "It was hard to get. Almost had to sift through the pile of bodies. Not sure if it works yet, though." "Just in case... let¡¯s check it. You never know when we¡¯ll need it¡­" "Well, we couldn¡¯t gather everything in one go. The work¡¯s been rushed, and some of the guys didn¡¯t even know why we were preparing for this." "Still not understanding the obvious, huh? We¡¯re not going to be here forever. For now, we¡¯re stuck here, but eventually, we¡¯ll neednd that¡¯s just for us. Do you think those guys will just let us have that?" "Hmm." "Those who keep talking about ¡®integration¡¯ have already lost their will. Weak people who can¡¯t even see the future are a huge problem. Muhammad wouldment seeing this scene." The operations officersughed coldly as they listened to this.@@novelbin@@ The conversation continued. "So, what should we do?" "What if we blow up their ammo and weapons when they¡¯re gathered? We could y the gunfire to make it look like an idental shooting and provoke a fight between them." "Ah, I like the way you think. Sharp minds, as always." As always, when the higher-ups make a decision, someone has to make it reality. Once ethics are peeled away, the oue is easy to predict. The bitterly cold winter was passing, and the unbearably hot summer wasing. "Seems like things are going oddly, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve dealt with simr situations in Central Asia during civil operations. I never expected something like this to happen here." "Yeah, I remember the Green Beret Q Course, Phase V. We used to gather intel and support operations like this not long ago. Seems like it was just yesterday, though..." "From what¡¯s been said so far, I don¡¯t think we need to get involved." "Maybe, but you never know." The weather was heating up, and the atmosphere was also starting to boil. Naturally, that wasn¡¯t a good thing. It reminded me of a situation I once saw on the inte¡ªa neighbor''s house copsed, and when I went to check, my own house had copsed as well. The problem wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t on fire yet, but that it was about to be. The operations officers were urging us to rest, saying we wouldn¡¯t need Dagger Team for this. Considering the current condition of the team, we couldn¡¯t ignore their advice. Still, we were all specialists in civil and infiltration operations, so we were briefed in real-time on the situation and advised on how to proceed. In the meantime, I activated the memo function, trying to record all the useful intel and data I could process. "Looks like those guys are focusing on quantity over quality. The ones who¡¯ve been incited to act are all thinking the same way. Now''s the perfect time for the deep cover agents to step in." "What''s the confirmed nationality of the suspects?" "From what we know so far, they¡¯re definitely Imic and Chinese." "Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s all set up. What about Russians?" "The vic numbers are very low, so HQ doesn¡¯t consider them a significant threat." "Can¡¯t argue with that." The real problem was the number of people. We had no idea how many were involved or how they were connected, so even with solid evidence, we weren¡¯t acting immediately. That was the sensible course of action. One of the officers had said that the situation was akin to disarming an IED with ABC weapons inside. It wasn¡¯t as dangerous, but if it went south, it could be fatal for HQ. "The Imic side is divided so badly it¡¯ll be tough for agents to infiltrate, but there¡¯s a chance with the Chinese side. Legion¡¯s Chinese, after all." "That option¡¯s under consideration." "Alright, do everything you can. If you need anything, ask. We¡¯re capable of handling everything from interrogation to intel gathering." "Understood. I think we¡¯ll have a request soon. Not certain, but I think there¡¯ll be a search request in Chinatown soon." "Hmm." Chinatown. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to how Korea Town was doing here. The reason was simple: as long as I had food to eat, I didn¡¯t care much. Bread, pasta, meat, anything. There were times I craved something spicy, like kimchi, but asionally, a little spicy food would pop up, so I was good. Anyway, I was so busy that I didn¡¯t have time for homesickness. I was just grateful to have enough food to fill my stomach. Anyway, I had a good guess about what had happened to Korea Town and Chinatown. To be specific, Chinatown was right above Two Bridges. Everyone knew what happened there. Two Bridges had been hit with hundreds of tons of white phosphorus and turned to ash, and Chinatown hadn¡¯t escaped it entirely. Probably about half of it had burned down horribly. Everyone knew this, so Dagger Team asked: "I wonder if there¡¯s anything left over there." "If it wasn¡¯tpletely burned down, there¡¯s likely something left. Before everything went to hell, the FBI had discovered a secret police station in Chinatown. HQ ns to investigate every little possibility." "A secret police station still operating in Chinatown, controlling the brains of the Chinese detainees in Manhattan? Given the timing, I¡¯m not sure if this even sounds like a joke anymore." "That was a fun joke, but honestly, there might be something to it. Unless we have proof that the direct line has beenpletely severed, HQ will consider this seriously." "¡­In New Haven, someone openly messed up and handed over strategic weapons. So it¡¯s notpletely out of the realm of possibility." Logan, who had beenzily lying on the bed, muttered something. Everyone else was thinking about what to do next. I wanted to contribute something, but honestly, I didn¡¯t have many ideas. asionally, a good suggestion came to me, but... "Well, there¡¯s a Russian conste in Murray Hill. Let¡¯s poke around there, too. We need to try everything. By the way, I don¡¯t understand how these religious zealots have stayed in America for so long." "Nobody knows. They probably always were here, and we just didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s better to consider ourselves lucky that we¡¯re catching them now." "Yeah, we¡¯ll have to move quickly, Chinatown or not. I never thought we¡¯d be able to restfortably in Central Park." "Haha¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll pass that on." Themunication briefly paused, and the senior officers nced at each other before adding: "So¡­ Anyone here speak Arabic?" "I know Pashto. Spent some time there." "Well, if you can do Pashto, you should be able to handle Arabic. It¡¯s the same alphabet." "By that logic, anyone who knows a Romancenguage can speak French, Italian, Spanish... Didn¡¯t know I could speak sevennguages." "Stop picking on the details. Do you want to keep doing that?" Logan then tackled Olivia. Of course, it wasn¡¯t anything inappropriate, he literally just knocked her down like a hamburger. Anyway, I quickly understood why this conversation was happening. The Icarus operators were highly trained agents who could respond to any situation, even acting as deep cover agents. I was still struggling to learn Russian and Chinese, so it was clear how big the gap was. While Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling, one thought suddenly crossed my mind: "¡­So, we¡¯re loosening things up a bit to see how the situation unfolds, right? Intentionally rxing security?" "Yeah." "Well, if we cause a bigmotion, then let civilians handle less important tasks, something might pop up. I think the ones plotting something will try to ce their leaders in positions likew enforcement." "¡­Hmm?" A brief silence followed. "¡­That¡¯s a bit of a radical idea for now. If we loosen things up too obviously, they might catch on, but on the flip side, as long as we¡¯re careful, it might work." "If they choosew enforcement officials, they¡¯ll pick people who can be ignored if they need to step away for some reason. They could even steal supplies." "Allowing some ck within a controlled environment is always effective." "Ah, our rookie. Thought you were quiet for a bit, but you¡¯vee up with something!" Was that it? I looked around with a dumbfounded expression, but the response came quickly when the mutated veterans began patting me on the back, with a proud look on their faces. Surrounded by excessive kindness and soft, squishy pats, I was the only one who hadn¡¯t caught on yet. What in the world was going on? Chapter 734 "Now recruiting workers! A major renovation is needed at Chambers Station! As soon as 50 applicants gather, we¡¯ll depart immediately!" "We¡¯re recruiting the standing forces for Central Park defense! I can assure you that no one will go hungry no matter what happens!" "We¡¯re recruiting people to clear vehicles on Manhattan''s roads! We¡¯ll depart within 30 minutes!" "We need ten people to assist in the transportation of separately delivered ammunition. We¡¯ll prioritize those already part of the standing forces. The ammunition needs to be moved to the shooting range and the arsenal." Central Park HQ, the heart of America¡¯s restoration effort. Once a city more morous than anywhere else in the world, it was now enveloped in a terrifying silence, but countless people, unable to forget its past glory, continued to tirelessly work towards the world¡¯s restoration. Even after Dagger Team¡¯s return, more than ten days had passed, and Central Park remained as lively yet silent as ever. At first nce, it seemed like just another routine scene, and ordinarily, that would have been fine. But for the cynical people¡ªthose who knew what was bubbling beneath the surface¡ªthis all seemed strangely off. And they weren''t wrong. Small signals began to fill Central Park, signals that could only be detected by those who knew something was going on. "We are recruiting cleaning workers for Grand Central Terminal! We need about 20 people! Separate positions for materials management and security personnel are also avable!" "Grand Central Terminal? Isn¡¯t that where there were piles of bodies? I wonder if anyone would actually go to that ce." "Looking for both materials managers and security staff tells us the situation¡¯s a mess. There must be so few people avable." "What? Grand Central Terminal? I¡¯ll volunteer!" "What did you say?" It wasn¡¯t the most sophisticated, but it wasn¡¯t hard to mislead people. Surprisingly, there were people in Central Park who actually fell for such traps. "Do a background check. Oh¡­ they¡¯re from the India district. Conditions probably aren¡¯t great, but they seem okay. They¡¯ll be cleaning up bodies and recovering firearms."@@novelbin@@ "No problem." "Good. Write down the materials managers and security personnel separately and let me know. I¡¯ll confirm after checking their backgrounds." "Understood. When should we be ready?" "Leave in 30 minutes. Remember that." Some people shook their heads, others looked surprised. As mentioned earlier, the reason they were shocked or shaking their heads was simple. The area near where Dagger Team had swept through not long ago was literally filled with corpses, and cleaning it up was no simple task. Nevertheless, some of the Imic refugees volunteered without hesitation. Most of the others looked shocked at this and some didn¡¯t say anything, but their faces showed that they were impressed. While a representative of the refugees quickly wrote down the names of those suitable for the materials and security roles, others muttered under their breath. "I didn¡¯t know they had it in them. I wonder if they want something in return?" "Who knows? Maybe they¡¯re choosing this because they¡¯re desperate for supplies." "If that¡¯s the case, then¡­ no, never mind. Let¡¯s not worry about it. It¡¯s their business." Regardless of anything else, cleaning up the bodies was one of the more unpleasant tasks, and there were plenty of other jobs to do, many of which didn¡¯t require such a gruesome job. Though it was hard to understand, the others quietly disappeared. Even though Central Park was working hard to gather supplies, feeding and supporting thousands of people was already a close call, and civilians had to do other tasks to survive. But despite that, the guide, who had been watching the scene with a stern face, seemed to make a note of the people being sent to Grand Central Terminal, as if he was trying to remember each one. Once everyone was gone, he added: "...Yes, we¡¯ve finally bitten the bait. I¡¯ll send the list of IDs once all of the Grand Central Terminal workers are confirmed." "Good. It¡¯s been ten days. It¡¯s time to bring in the elected representative from the India district." After a while, the guide gave a quick look to his partner, indicating that he had something to do. He excused himself and, with a hint of going to the bathroom, slipped out, heading in the opposite direction. Inside Central Park, buses and trucks carrying people drove over freshlyid asphalt, leaving thepleted gates and heading toward the city center. The guide passed through this scene and made his way to a secluded break room. After locking the door, he activated the device he had received earlier and projected a hologram into the air. How much time passed? A new person entered. "...Greetings. I am Muhammad Neru, the elected representative of the India district. I see you seem to have something to say, though I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t get a clear sense of what you want. What should I do?" "Before we get to the main point, there¡¯s a document we need to go over. Let¡¯s read it through carefully before starting the discussion." "Well, if you insist..." A long silence followed. Every time Representative Neru¡¯s fingers moved, the hologram shifted, and the sound of paper turning echoed. In reality, it wasn¡¯t paper, but just the familiar sound being reyed in real-time. After about five minutes, he spoke again. "...What... is this? You want me to believe this?" "Whether you believe it or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. This is happening right now, and it¡¯s deeply connected to you. I¡¯m sure you understand the kind of actions that will be required, don¡¯t you?" "First... may I take a look at the individuals marked as threats?" "Please." Another sound of paper turning echoed. But after a while, when he turned the paper and checked the names again, Muhammad Neru¡¯s expression seemed lighter than before. Whether it was because he hade up with an excuse or something else, no one could tell, but it was clear he was beginning to act more favorably. He spoke again. "So, what should we do first? I¡¯ll cooperate as much as I can." "I¡¯m not asking for much. But if you don¡¯t cooperate properly, it¡¯s a foregone conclusion that trouble will spread throughout themunity. Keep that in mind." "I understand." "Then, there¡¯s no need for further discussion. I¡¯ll send the list once it¡¯s confirmed. Prepare for the fallout. Be careful not to let the roots get uprooted." "These people will go to Al Janna, so the Sunni friends will be pleased. Shall I prepare to clean up their belongings?" "Interesting. Alright then." A brief silence followed. The guide spoke once more. "This is what¡¯s happening. I would appreciate it if you could focus on your duties from now on." "...I understand." "The situation is far from ideal, but at least I¡¯m less worried now. I¡¯ll contact you again soon." After some time, the hologram projector clicked off with a slight noise. The guide put it back in his pocket, unlocked the door, and re-entered as if nothing had happened. The bus left, and the Imic refugees vanished without a trace. The world seemed to continue as normal, but it wasn¡¯t. Manhattan was still silent. "...Dagger Team, we¡¯re currently searching the half-burned Chinatown... Jackpot." "Jackpot... What do you mean?" "Looks like we¡¯ve found something... a little strange." Meanwhile, Dagger Team quietly rummaged through the rubble of the burnt building and found something. When the box opened, there were Chinese characters and a strange iron rod. A portable surface-to-air missile. The moment it appeared before them, it didn¡¯t take long before everyone was speechless. To summarize: "We followed the most recent footprints from our scans and arrived at this point. While searching, we found this, right?" "The body cams recorded everything. There¡¯s no other way to interpret this. But I still can¡¯t figure out how this situation came about." "Let¡¯s discuss, though. We need to figure out why this is buried here." Lower Manhattan, Chinatown. Everything about the situation was iprehensible, and Dagger Team¡¯s minds were overwhelmed. How did Dagger Team find a portable surface-to-air missile,monly known as a MANPADS, in Chinatown? Even the discoverers themselves didn¡¯t understand the situation, but they had to figure it out. "We can¡¯t be sure, but considering the damage to the box, someone might have brought it here after the Lower Manhattan fire. It seems like it could have been with the Russian-Chinese detachment..." "Putting something this important in in sight makes no sense. Or maybe they just couldn¡¯t dispose of it?" "Probably. After all, it got bombed into ash, so how could they have properly handled it? It¡¯s probably just a lucky survivor from the white phosphorus bombing." Logan¡¯s point was crucial. "Well, that¡¯s not the important part. Now we need to think about how we¡¯re going to handle this. Normally, we¡¯d recover it, but we don¡¯t know whose hands it could end up in if left alone. But given the timing, Dagger Team has another choice." "What if we... intentionally hand it off to someone else?" "Well, recovering it is fine, but letting someone else y with it wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Since it¡¯s Chinese-made, handing it to someone with other ns might... didn¡¯t the Imic and Chinese refugees have some trouble recently?" "Controlled chaos in a manageable range. That works too." "Let¡¯s first check if there¡¯s more than one of these. To do that, we¡¯ll have to stick around here for a while." As expected, things didn¡¯t take as long as expected. It was a big discovery, but the work wasn¡¯t over. Finding one meant there might be two, or three, or more. That meant more work. "Well, as I said earlier¡­ how can we naturally and controbly hand this over to anti-government refugees?" "...You were thinking that too?" "Of course. With a little finesse, we could... clean up a little more neatly. There¡¯s no better way to give them an unavoidable reason." "Ha. Only someone with ck ops experience would think of that. I like it." It was clear what this meant. They were nning to stage a setup. But, technically, it wasn¡¯t even a setup. The connection wasn¡¯t entirely clear, but it didn¡¯t matter. The situation was already unfolding like this. People who had always seemed suspicious were now fighting to position themselves near Grand Central Terminal, and the few who knew this was a carefullyid trap were the only ones aware. So Dagger Team came to one conclusion. Lauren Tina spoke. "...That MANPADS could be useful for taking out some useless drones, don¡¯t you think?" "Taking out drones?" "Yeah. Blow up a drone, then, as I said, we could nt it with the anti-government refugees who are plotting something and stir up a riot. It would create the perfect justification." "...Drones, huh. I was only thinking of catching them when they ended up in their hands." "We¡¯ll need to check if we have any unmanned drones we can use for this..." Naturally, there was no distinction between right or wrong for Dagger Team. At this point, Dagger Team and Central Park were seamlessly sharing data, and they were aware of most of the information in real-time without any timeg. In other words, as soon as Dagger Team discovered the surface-to-air missile and discussed what to do with it, the operations officers monitoring it in real-time were also on top of it. How long did it take? A reply came from the Central Park TOC, located several kilometers away. "This seems like a highly probable oue. The only issue is if there¡¯s only one missile, it might be a bit difficult. Based on the analysis, it looks more like an advanced version of the Chinese FN-6, not a Stinger..." "Yeah, we¡¯re nning a more detailed search soon. I¡¯m hoping there might be more missiles. We¡¯ll do our best to find them, so we¡¯ll manage somehow." "Don¡¯t worry about the handoff. Recently, Agent Ilich Jensen sessfully infiltrated the Chinesemunity. He¡¯s been in contact with some people and suggested recovering the weapons left behind by the detachment still in Lower Manhattan." "...That guy¡¯s pretty smart. Let him know I¡¯ll buy him lunch next time we meet." "He¡¯d probably prefer drinks over food." At the same time, there was a brief silence followed byughter. Themunication ended, and Dagger Team exhaled before adding: "...Let¡¯s get to work. Let¡¯s find one or two more." Reasoning was sharp, but the taste was bitter. Life in a world where ethics and morals were luxuries was usually like this. The summer wasing to an end, and the final phase of their mission was near. Chapter 735 "How¡¯s the situation?" "Refugees with grievances against Central Park have been identified, and the artiction of these grievances has been sessfully carried out. Agent Jensen seems to be doing his job well." "When considering only the civilians residing within HQ, it seems manageable, but if we include the civilians operating outside, the scale of the unrest is likely farrger than we initially estimated." "Right. Let''s check what kind of catchphrase Agent Jensen has instilled." Central Park HQ, End of June.@@novelbin@@ Despite the increasingly hot weather and the sky asionally unleashing its rain, inside the TOC, things were quitefortable, with numerous support officers coordinating civilian operations in real-time. Under the deliberate neglect and instigation of Central Park, discontent had begun to grow, fueled further by effective propaganda and incitement carried out by extraordinary deep-cover agents like Illich Jensen. The way the protesters'' public sentiment had gained momentum so quickly was remarkable. Had Central Park remained unaware, it could have been a fatal blow to HQ. While it might not havepletely brought down the U.S. government, internal strife could very well push the critically wounded nation back into a state of near-death. Of course, ideally, that was the n. The operational officers skimmed through the propaganda and incitement materials sent by Agent Jensen. Given the impressive abilities of a deep-cover agent, it was no surprise that this was happening. Though still in the rumor stage, the message, once properly disseminated, had the potential to create significant chaos at HQ in the near future. The content was simple but effective. "The refugee issue, the discrimination, and the incitement to serve as cannon fodder¡ªit''s truly remarkable. If this doesn''t work, it would be a lie." "The phrase about Americans giving Chinese only guns to use them as meat shields, while highly misleading, would be hard to exin away. The standing army system is a reality, though." "Fortunately, ording to Agent Jensen, the Chinese refugees inside HQ are preventing it from spreading. Instead, it¡¯s being actively spread to the refugees outside Central Park." You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) Chapter 739 "Something feels off, but I can''t understand what the reaction is. And then you just leave alone, this brat is really¡­." "You must have a lot of work to do. If you weren''t so tired, you would have been there too." "Don''t be so harsh¡­." Inside a building where no onees and goes, on the blisteringly hot Governor''s Ind. Land, who was leaning against a dusty sofa with an ice pack wrapped in a towel around his neck, opened his mouth with difficulty, and his husky yet clear voice echoed through the room that wasn''t that big. A sound that seemed to respond to the voice was heard right in front of him. Land''s transparent gray eyes responded, but before he could fully see the man sitting across from him, he turned to another ce. It didn''t take long for Land, who had been watching the situation, to let out a sigh that wasn''t a sigh and open his mouth again towards the person in question - Captain Farquharson. ¡°¡­ Captain, do you have anything to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re short on manpower to the point where I have to be deployed myself. Thepanymander isn¡¯t that high of a position, but the situation isn¡¯t so dire that I have to go out to the field because there aren¡¯t any people.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Besides, mypany members are making a fuss, so how can I just sit back and watch? Managingpany members is also themander¡¯s job. Especially in these times when every single person counts, it¡¯s even more important.¡± ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± Crossing eyes. Just like before, Land red with difficulty. It was hard to say, but she felt a bit strange every time she made eye contact with Captain Farquason. Of course, she wasn¡¯t stupid. Even if she didn¡¯t know exactly what it was, she couldn¡¯t help but sense the mechanism behind it. Unlike the Dagger Team, whose emotions and even the way their bodies work were being adjusted by the Icarus Gear, Land was affected by the altered nervous and hormonal systems. Is it because they haven''t realized it yet, or because they don''t want to admit it? Of course, strictly speaking, it wasn''t necessarily love. Not yet. ''... .'' To be precise, Captain Farquason upied aplicated position for Land in many ways. The image they had when they first met was never good. It was natural. The 107th Military Police Company was a guardian, and Ryker was a being who took something away. There was no direct connection, but there was an indirect connection. However, now, due to an incident not long ago, the two met again by chance, and through various events, they gradually became closer, and in the process, they had many conversations. She couldn''t know what Captain Farquason was thinking, but she couldn''t help but be aware of the other person. That was all for now. Captain Farquason checked Land¡¯s condition while sneakily avoiding the gaze directed at him. The heat had already left her body in an instant due to the immediate measures taken. However, it was still hot outside. It would be difficult to expect good results if they were to be deployed again just because the heat had dropped a little. Fortunately or unfortunately, the construction on Governor¡¯s Ind was not going to be done day or night. In other words, there would be work even after the sun had set a few hourster, and even after midnight. Of course, they were not going to deploy the people they had deployed during the day again at night, but the mutants were an exception. In a bad way. So Land was going to be deployed again a few hourster when the sun had set. ¡°First of all, they told us to rest until the sun haspletely set. The medical sergeant of the Dagger team strongly advised me. I believe you know what I mean.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± "It''s probably better to stay out. Just wait until the temperature drops a bit. If you want something to eat, let me know. Thepany members will bring it to you." "Th-those guys must be hot too." "Thepany members are doing their missions in the shade, replenishing their water and electrolytes, so it''s a bit different from what you were in. You haven''t finished all your work today, so don''t feel bad and get some rest." "..." "And I brought some snacks, so replenish your calories first." Swish. The chocte bar that was held out wasn''t something you''d find inbat rations or anything, but something you''d find at a supermarket. Naturally, considering the characteristics of America, it was incredibly sweet. Land, who epted it with a strange expression, opened the package and started chewing it. It didn''t take long for his expression to soften. Sweetness always made people feel good. Feeling her body regaining strength, she let out a pleasant sigh and added softly. "¡­Thank you. Well, I think I''ve gained strength after eating something." "Yeah. Take care of your condition." "Then are you going back to what you were doing?" "I guess so." "¡­." A brief silence. She couldn''t tell exactly what that atmosphere meant, but it wasn''t impossible to guess, and Captain Farquason met Land''s gaze, who seemed to want to say something. Land was a little braver. "¡­Is there anything else you need to do?" "It''s not that there isn''t anything. But since you''re out on the scene, you should just focus on the work there, so there shouldn''t be much work." "¡­Then please stay a little longer. I don''t know how long I''ll be here, but I think I''ll get bored if I''m alone." "Well then." How would Land¡¯s one request, which he had put all his effort into, be received? No one could tell, but instead Captain Farquason leisurely took off his long-sleeved clothes andid them on the sofa. Of course, he didn¡¯t put down his gun.@@novelbin@@ He added with a much more rxed expression. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have the two of us alone. I remember that you received training without any major issues, but are there any other issues? Something rted to the Operations Officer or the Dagger Team.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s always the same. Whether it¡¯s the Operations Officer, the Dagger Team, or basic military training¡­ I keep realizing that I still have a long way to go. If I had known this would happen, I would have learned something useful instead of doing something stupid.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Silence. Silence that continued for a different reason than before. It was a silence thatsted longer than the time Land needed to gather the courage to speak, so even Land had to wait endlessly. But after a while, Land could see why he had been silent for a moment. "What happened in the past?" "... Yes?" "I thought I should ask you sometime. Since you didn''t tell me... I thought I should hear what brought you to prison." "...." A brief silence. Land closed her mouth at that moment. She had told him to leave a little longer, but she had never imagined that the conversation would continue like this. Her thoughts raced around in her head. And Captain Farquharson looked at the scene with a strange expression. It was not that she waspletely unaware of what had happened. Farquharson had checked Land''s criminal record in the Icarus database, but he had no idea exactly what the context was. So he had to check it at least once. Besides, he had this strange feeling that Land wouldn¡¯t be too daunted by revealing his criminal history. And somehow, as he had expected, he did. ¡°¡­Well, I don¡¯t know how to put it, but¡­I think the database says I¡¯m in jail for a $360,000 fraud, but that¡¯s actually the smallest amount of money I¡¯ve ever been involved in.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°They were trying to rip off a mid-sized pharmaceuticalpany that was trying to do some shady stuff, and they got swindled. Do you know Purdue Pharma?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°They were the guys who lobbied the FDA to distribute fentanyl. There were other guys who were trying to do it a little bit more illegally. They were trying to distribute addictive psychotropic drugs that hadn¡¯t been properly tested for safety in the Jamaica area of ??Queens.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A brief silence followed. Land continued. "My parents ran a pharmacy in Jamaica, Queens. The pharmaceuticalpany was legal, and I chose all illegal distribution routes, but since thetter was risky, they gave my innocent parents various advices." "And?" "Rose Pharmaceuticals... Anyway, in return for all that legal and financial advice, they wanted a little bit of... ''closed eyes''. Thanks to that, I won''t deny that my twenties weren''t so bad." "... Hmm." "I finished off the sweet talk. My parents probably didn''t even know they were being fooled. They packaged it like that. But I wasn''t." So he pretended to help the pharmaceuticalpany in ce of his parents who didn''t know much about the world, and collected evidence, and he received not only legal advice but also financial backroom deals, and he took everything he could. However, the fun didn''tst long. It was like tightrope walking on a knife''s edge, and soon Land was targeted by both the gang and the pharmaceuticalpany who found out the truth. When he realized that things were getting out of hand, he blew up all the evidence he had in order to survive, making the case bigger, and everything fell apart. When the psychotropic drug nicknamed Hexanyl, which is the sessor to Fentanyl for simplicity of naming, the gang, Rose Pharmaceuticals... all of that exploded, he survived but was confined to Ryker''s Ind. And after a few years of imprisonment, the Omega Virus incident broke out. "... I don''t even know what to say anymore. Anyway... Of course, I don¡¯t intend to deny my mistakes. Just¡­ Now that I think about it, I just¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say either.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°Just, well¡­ I think you can¡¯t help it even if you hate me-huh!?¡± ¡°I asked for nothing. Eat this.¡± At the same time, the chocte bar was being stuffed in. Land had to experience the chocte bar in Captain Farquason¡¯s hand being stuffed into her mouth, and her face turned red as sheined before giving up. It didn¡¯t take long for her to open her mouth with a red face. ¡°¡­ I have hands too.¡± ¡°No problem, honey. Just eat it.¡± ¡°Miss¡­ .¡± Her face was full ofints, but she stillplied. The sunlight outside was hot, and summer hung on Land¡¯s cheeks. ¡°¡­ Captain, you wouldn¡¯t have let your girlfriend¡­ ." Meanwhile, there were still people outside listening to it. Meanwhile, turning our gaze for a moment, East Asia. When five-sevenths of the entire poption of the United States, at least five out of seven, more than half of the living had crossed the River Styx and were in a state of never being able to return to the living world, the situation in other countries was no different. But at this point, that was just a premise. We had to focus elsewhere. The choices made by the survivors were not wise at all, and they piled more deaths on top of the dead. At least that was the case in the continental United States, but what happened in East Asia and the Pacific was a little different. On top of the countless deaths, hundreds of thousands of tons of iron were added to the hundreds of ships. The Third Fleet, which was not anchored at a naval base for overhauls and other things, was temporarily staying in Guam due to some hull defects just before the outbreak of the war. It was a littlete for the Omega Virus that broke out in the United States to spread to the Far East. Because of this, the 7th Fleet, which was rtively less affected, was staying at the Yokosuka Naval Base and undergoing overhaul. Instead, when the mes of war broke out without a deration of war, they experienced hundreds of anti-ship missiles flying toward them instead of viruses. Originally, even if Russia and China had allied, they could notpletely sink the 3rd Fleet and the 7th Fleet, which were the mainstays of the US Navy, into the Pacific Ocean. In fact, the opposite would have been true. In the past, a radical expert even predicted that 40% of the Chinese Navy would have to be destroyed in order to sink one aircraft carrier, the core of the US carrier battle group, but this was not true. However, on the other hand, it was notpletely wrong. That is why the preemptive strike at Yokosuka, which even involved nuclear weapons, began. The great war that wouldter be called the Battle of East Asia broke out in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A series of anti-ship missiles, numbering more than three or four, flew across the sky, or even through the stratosphere and into space, and struck the Tokyo area. Most were intercepted, but some hit. In the process, the 7th Fleet suffered a devastating blow, but fortunately it did not lose itsbat capability, and a counterattack wasunched, and the 3rd Fleet, which was about to depart from Guam, received an urgent request for support. The 1st, 3rd, 9th, and 11th Carrier Strike Groups, formerly nicknamed the Beehive but now unofficially nicknamed the Cumulonimbus, scrambled to the surface, but the distance from Guam to Yokosuka was a whopping 2,500 km. The 3rd Fleet was one step behind. However, it was not irreversiblyte. The Third Fleet, after firing thousands of missiles at China, headed toward Taiwan instead of Yokosuka, clearly intending to burn the Chinese coastline to ashes, and there was no one in the People''s Liberation Army who didn''t know that. The Chinese Navy moved south to stop the Third Fleet, and the battlefield became the Okinawa Inds, located midway between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The result was simple. "...What the hell is going on...?" The first thing the cumulonimbus clouds vomited out were a dozen or so thunderbolts - F35C Lightning IIs - and then the F/A-44 Arsenal Bird, which was introduced to rece the F/A-18E/F and had not been revealed to the public at the same time, took to the skies for the first time. A tailless double delta wing with twin vertical fins that were angled outward. The graceful form soared into the sky to shower down lightning, and Okinawa residents could only watch in amazement as dozens of carrier-based aircraft sessively crossed the ind. It didn¡¯t take long for the sky to be covered in mes, and the East Sea Fleet and South Sea Fleet of the People¡¯s Liberation Army Navy were reduced to ashes and scrap metal, while the Third Fleet was in a state of near-death. Of course, the Third Fleet was notpletely submerged. Due to the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty and the US-Japan Security Treaty, China¡¯s North Sea Fleet was obstructed by the ROK and Japanese navies, and not only did it note down in time, it was also reduced to a rag. It was the moment when a new country called China was born, with a coastline of 5,000 kilometers but no navy at the same time. However, the price ofpletely destroying a country¡¯s navy was high. "Commander of Carrier Squadron 9, Rear Admiral Christopher D. Goodwin. I am requesting an emergency port call at Sasebo for urgent repairs." - I apologize. The port is currently heavily damaged and ships over a certain discement cannot dock. How far can you sail on your own? "I think it would be about 300km under ideal conditions." - I am not sure if it will help, but I will send a repair ship and a logistics support ship waiting at Sasebo Port. The Busan Operations Base is 220km to the north. I will contact the facility and let you know if docking is possible. "Thank you." The ship that suffered irreparable damage was scuttled after the surviving crew members were transferred to other ships, which inadvertently made the Third Fleet very thin. So while the 3rd Fleet was entering the Busan base of operations, the 7th Fleet, which had somehow recovered its damage, left Yokosuka and crossed the East Sea through the Tsugaru Strait between Hokkaido and Honshu. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reduce divostok¡¯s ice-free port, Fokino, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to ashes, despite suffering painful losses, in cooperation with the Japanese Navy. By the time the unprecedented naval war surrounding East Asia hade to a close, the Russian-Chinese allied forces realized that they could not move their forces to the western United States via the Pacific. And they chose to take a long detour. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops boarded the Trans-Siberian Railway from Beijing to Ehrenhod and then Irkutsk, and in an instant, western Russia was filled with numerous troops, and the next destination was set. The European air defenses were no longer relevant, devastated by the virus, and the Allies could not immediately drop airborne troops across the Antic into the United States, so they had to somehow establish a separate beachhead. That didn''t take long. "Canada. St. John''s International Airport on the ind of Newfounnd. This will be the Allied Forces'' forward base." The easternmost point of the Antic Ocean. It was an inevitable process that urred because they could not invade the western and northeastern parts of the United States through ska and Canada, and there were no major operational problems. The reason was simple. It was thanks to Artemis. They had branches in Frankfurt, Norway, Canada, and so on, and they sessfully neutralized the Eastern Air Defense Zone (EADS). Furthermore, the 6th Fleet, the main US military in Italy, was scattered everywhere to maintain security and rescue Americans in Europe, and they could not respond in time. Thus, at the end of March, when the US was struggling to rebuild, hundreds of transport aircraft and dozens of aerial refueling aircraft carrying enormous supplies and personnel crossed the Antic Ocean one after another. The distance from St. John''s International Airport to New York was 1,850 km. It was the moment when the US was within range. And- "Unfortunately, the first The scale of the offensive doesn''t seem to be thatrge. There are still many soldiers crossing the Antic, but the equipment is socking that it is difficult to handle the number of soldiers." "... That can''t be helped. We also need to reorganize." "How many troops can we deploy now?" "We could send the 106th Guards Airborne Division. Guard Major General Ulrich is preparing to deploy." "We can deploy the 127th and 128th Brigades under the Northern Theater Command and the special forces, the Brain God Assault Unit." "About two divisions. Okay. Let''s fly to the northeastern part of the United States as soon as we''re ready. "It should be possible within 2 months at the longest." Preparations were beginning to bepleted. It was just before the hot July. - Data analysis...plete. 1 minute until transmission. Encryptionplete. - Keyword transmission end // Jordan Amherst. Creator of the Omega Virus. - Coordinates of the location where the electronically digitized pathogen gic intel is presumed to be locatedpleted. - Transmission location: Database within St. John''s International Airport. Transmissionpleted via Artemis transmitter. - Connection terminated. Chapter 740 "...I¡¯m sorry for causing trouble earlier with the heat, but isn''t it a bit much to put me back to work again tonight after I¡¯ve already worked all day? It would be better for everyone to rest tonight..." "Hey, the military police are still working. Stop whining ande help carry the supplies!" "Yes, I¡¯ll be there soon." The scorching sun that had been heating up Governor¡¯s Ind, Manhattan, and New York slowly began to set. Since humanity gained electricity, the boundary between day and night had been erased. The time when nothing could be done after sunset was a thing of the past¡ªor at least it seemed that way, until the loss of infrastructure, including electricity, took ce. However, as long as people were alive, technology remained, and there was usable infrastructure left, the work had to continue. Especially if the situation got worse, even more work had to be done. Of course, at first nce, this might seem like a serious statement, but it wasn¡¯t really that important. This exnation was more about why I and the Mutants were still hauling supplies on Governor''s Ind and why I had to put Ms. Rand back to work, even though she had just recovered from exhaustion. ---Drummm...! ---Kaga-kaga-kach! "Ugh, so noisy..." "Come to think of it, Ms. Rand, your hearing must be quite sensitive. Here, take these. These are noise-cancelling earpieces. They¡¯ll let you hear voices more clearly, but block out external noise... Do you need another pair?" "...Give me one more." "Wow, it¡¯s rare to see someone with four ears these days." Indeed. As I said earlier, the surrounding noise was deafening. We were currently at Fort Jay, a pentagon-shaped fortress on Governor¡¯s Ind. This fort, originally built in the 18th century, still aimed its cannons at New York Harbor. There were also several buildings in the center of the fortress, and the noise we were hearing came from the walls and floors of those buildings being scraped and demolished. The electrical panels and wires had been moved elsewhere. It was pure manualbor. The reason they were tearing down existing buildings instead of constructing new ones was that it was much simpler and easier to camouge. "The verticalunch system ising down. Be careful." "I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d manage to fit this inside the building in just one day, but somehow it¡¯s done. It¡¯s a good thing that both the width, length, and height are simr to the building¡¯s dimensions." "The problem is that theunch tubes inside are all single-use. Re-loading them will be difficult, but we do have transport drones, so we¡¯ll manage somehow." "But don¡¯t we also need to build a separate armory to store spareunch tubes?" "That¡¯s our responsibility too." "Ugh..." Despite Ms. Rand looking dejected and pouting beside me, at least it was fortunate that we didn¡¯t have to build apletely new structure. Governor¡¯s Ind had so many vacant buildings, and these buildings were perfect for storing SM-6 missile canisters¡ªthe containers that hold the missiles, electronics, and firing mechanisms. Of course, we had to rip the insides apart, but digging up the ground to build an armory capable of storing the missiles, pouring concrete, and installing heating and cooling systems was... Well, we probably wouldn¡¯t finish before the war started. Cooling water woulde from the New York Harbor¡¯s seawater. Of course, just using seawater for cooling would be ridiculous, so we¡¯d have to channel the heat emitted from the servers into corrosion-resistant pipes and cool them using the seawater. Anyway, the people who were more knowledgeable than I would figure that out. We just had to do the work we were assigned¡ªdigging, moving debris, and everything else. It was uncertain if we¡¯d meet the timeline, but thanks to the Icarus Gear, we could significantly shorten the time. "Here, here, and here. First, pour in the oxidizer, then set up the sticky bombs. After firing, we¡¯ll quickly deal with the floor of this level." "Dump trucks and drones are on standby, agents. The debris can be dumped in New York Harbor, so that¡¯s convenient." "Thatment alone shows just how much America¡¯s been backed into a corner. Anyway, firing now. Everyone step back." "Fire, fire!" Boom! The entire building didn¡¯t shake. Instead, the mix of concrete and rebar was roughly torn away by the explosion. Adjusting the sticky bomb setup, we could get the desired result without damaging the building¡¯s frame. Heavy debris, weighing around 200kg, fell to the lower levels, and we cleaned it up. Since the roof had already beenpletely removed,rge drones hovered above. As the dust settled, we entered the now chaotic building and cleared the debris. Arge hole had been created big enough to fit the VLSunch system tform capable of holding 16 missiles. A container, big enough for a dump truck to fit through, was driven into the hole. Mutants, who were capable of carrying hundreds of kilograms of debris that ordinary humans couldn¡¯t, moved the rubble into the container. Nearby, members of the 107th Military Police Company handled the smaller debris and filled in the empty spaces in the container. The Mk.41 VLS tforms, modified to hold 16 missiles instead of the original 8, were ready. There were four rectangr buildings in the center of Fort Jay, and two tforms would be installed in each. It would take about two hours to install one tform, and in the most ideal scenario, it would take 16 hours. But Central Park HQ had allowed 32 hours for this. And the Mutants could endure this level of hardbor. "Ugh, when did it be 3 AM... I¡¯m so tired." "You must be tired. If you¡¯re struggling, rest a bit. I¡¯ve already sent reports multiple times about how you need Icarus Gear, but the higher-ups haven¡¯t done anything about it. Those annoying guys..." "...But doesn¡¯t that mean if I wear it, I¡¯ll be dragged into even more work?" "What can you do? You were stuck on Rikers Ind for a while, now it¡¯s time to do something useful for society. At least you¡¯re getting enough food." "Well, that¡¯s true..." "And Captain Fawcett has always been carrying snacks for you, so if you¡¯re craving something, go to him..." "Ugh, what!? Don¡¯t suddenly drop the strength!" I heard loud voicesing from the side¡ªlooks like Ms. Rand heard Captain Fawcett¡¯s name. Speaking of snacks, I was feeling a bit hungry too. Living in America for nearly six months, I noticed that, while people here ate snacks often, the variety wasn¡¯t quite the same. When asking Koreans about snack options, a variety of answers woulde up, but here it was just popcorn, cookies, or maybe mac and cheese or pizza rolls for something heavier. At the most, a hamburger. ''...Suddenly, I really want some ramen.'' Maybe when the chancees, I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s any left in Koreatown. Ramen has an expiration date too, you know. I remember hearing that ramen noodles, being fried, can smell rancid oil if left too long. It¡¯s only been six months, and about two of those months were frozen, so four months. It might be a good idea to grab whatever ramen is left before it¡¯spletely ruined. I thought of this suddenly. But unfortunately, that thought quickly faded away. "Good work, everyone. There¡¯s some food prepared outside, so feel free toe out and eat if you¡¯re hungry." "Ah, your guardian is here. It must¡¯ve been tough waking up this early. Shouldn¡¯t you be getting some more sleep?" "I¡¯ve be quite irregr with my wake-up and sleep times. I should help when I can. Please say a kind word to the chefs working hard to make food at this hour." "Of course." "And Rand, would you like a chocte bar?" "...Why do you always talk about snacks when you look at me? And I smell hamburgers outside... but I don¡¯t need that. No, I¡¯ll take it. Ugh..." ...I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. For some reason, I saw myself in Ms. Rand. I realized that the reason people give me snacks isn¡¯t just because it¡¯s a random act of kindness, and maybe that¡¯s true, but... Anyway, as Ms. Rand reluctantly took the snack, Captain Fawcett came up to me and began patting my head. "I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while, but you¡¯ve really put on some weight, kid. I¡¯ve probably said it before, but you really do look better when you eat well." "Hehe, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been eating a lot." "Sergeant Mitchell once said you always ate well. If you can handle MREs, there¡¯s hardly anything that tastes bad. Keep eating well. You too, take a chocte bar." "Yes, sir." Just then, I felt a slight rustling in my hand. A chocte bar with its shape still intact was handed to me, and I felt its weight in my hand. I chuckled as I took it, and Captain Fawcett, seeing my reaction, smiled and patted my head again. I thought to myself that maybe my true calling was being the youngest. But in the midst of this, I heard an odd vibration from the side¡ªnot really a vibration, but something else¡ªand as I turned my head in that direction... "...Ugh." "Ms. Rand...?" "..." Ms. Rand was staring in our direction, her faceplicated and sulky. It disappeared soon after, but I still couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. "..." Ms. Rand, with thatplex expression, lowered her head with a look of disbelief. It wouldn¡¯t take long before she realized what that look meant¡ªjealousy. "Come to think of it, the youngest is from Korea, wouldn¡¯t you get tired of eating just these things? I just thought about that." "It¡¯s a little nostalgic, but I used to love Western food. I liked Korean food too, but here there aren¡¯t many chances to eat it. It¡¯s not like I can spend all day looking for Koreatown..." "I¡¯m curious about Korean food, though. Maybe I should wait until the youngest cooks for us." "Uh, I can¡¯t cook." "You can¡¯t be worse than Logan." ...If you say that, I think I¡¯ll get some res from Logan.@@novelbin@@ Of course, my attempt to protest was useless because Logan had already started choking Owens, and, naturally, he was adjusting his strength. While the wrestling continued, I thought to myself that maybe, someday in this world, I might end up making kimchi all by myself. It was a bittersweet thought, but I figured it might not even matter much. Would I even see cabbage here? Anyway, it was 3:45 AM now. As the early morning wasing to an end, a delicious smell began to spread across Governor¡¯s Ind. Tonight¡¯ste-night snack was pizza. They had even closed the windows to block out any light for ckout purposes. Fortunately, none of the others seemed tired. The chefs had been rotating shifts for this moment. In fact, it was mostly the Mutants who had been doing most of thebor. Still, despite how tough it was, I felt acknowledged, and the mood wasn¡¯t bad at all. I could tell from the way others looked at us and acted. We were the Dagger Team, after all. Having made so many miracles and having more toe, we had to walk a thorny path to turn those miracles into reality. I might feel a little embarrassed saying it, but... that''s the truth. "It¡¯ll probably take about three weeks toplete the base." "Only that long?" "It¡¯s not too long, but not short either. We¡¯re using all kinds of new tech, and we¡¯re assembling parts we¡¯ve received. It¡¯ll take time." "That¡¯s true, but... anyway, we need to finish quickly so we can run system integrity checks multiple times. If the system fails while the enemy ising, that would be a big problem." "Yeah, yeah, eat first. Did youe up here to talk business, or for the snack?" As always, the room was lively, and with food and drinks, the atmosphere improved. The beer was cold. Back in Korea, I didn¡¯t drink much, but I could see how it happened. Still, I was full and feeling cool, so I just smiled and thought that it was good enough. As time passed, however, the atmosphere became slightly awkward. The chefs went out saying the ingredients were running low, and Ms. Rand was taken away by Captain Fawcett. Soon, only the Dagger Team remained in the room. It wasn¡¯t lost on anyone that this meant something else, so the others shifted their postures and began waiting for what wasing next. After some time... Click! "...Greetings, Dagger Team. Chief Operations Officer Kane Whitebrim here. I apologize for interrupting your meal, but we need to get straight to the point." "Yeah, figured as much. Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s hear what you have to say." "Then I¡¯ll get straight to it and send over the data now." Silence. A pleasant sound appeared in my ears. The operation data had been transmitted. And how long had it been? "...Jordan Amherst?" "That¡¯s correct. After some investigation, we were able to sessfully capture the man identified as the primary culprit behind the Omega Virus outbreak. His status is unknown, but we¡¯ve located the apartment where he stayed before spreading the virus." "If he¡¯s alive, it¡¯s going to be a big problem." "That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you this now." A brief pause. Then, the conversation continued. "The truth is, if Jordan Amherst is alive and his whereabouts have passed to another country or Artemis, finding him would pose an immense security threat to the U.S. There¡¯s no greater threat." "Understood. You mean, if possible, we should capture him, but if not, we should give him the chance to repent in the afterlife?" "Exactly. We don¡¯t know where he¡¯s located yet, but we¡¯ll likely be able to pinpoint his location within a short time, given the data we¡¯re collecting. However..." "However?" "Please take a look at this next data." At that moment, new data came through. This one came directly from Cyber Command. The message was simple. There was a notification from amunication device taken from a nuclear submarine, as well as data from enemy military satellites. It was a kind ofmunicationwork connection¡ªa signal from within 3000 km of U.S. territory. "...Based on this data, higher-ups believe that another country might also target Jordan Amherst." "Another country knows about him? Is that even possible?" "Artemis has been assisting the enemy alliance in various ways. They probably know about this data too... but for now, HQ advises the Dagger Team to prepare for the worst." "Understood." What we knew was the location of Jordan Amherst¡¯s apartment. It wasn¡¯t far¡ªjust a few kilometers from Central Park. I wondered how he could have schemed in such a ce, but the world always has its ironies. After the brief briefing, the conversation continued. "Alright, then. Let¡¯s do this. But for now, I¡¯ll help with the construction, so just give the order to deploy." "We¡¯ll update you with relevant information soon." And that was the end of it. A brief silence followed, and then... "...So, it seems like the chefs should be back soon. I¡¯m still not full." "Of course." Only the disappointment of the Mutants, who hadn¡¯t had enough to eat, lingered in the room. We were definitely pigs, no doubt about it. Chapter 741 "Basically, Jordan Amherst wasn''t exactly... the sociable type. In fact, the most urate description would be theplete opposite. He could be best described as a madman lost in his own world." "And he had the damn ability to impose his own world from his head onto reality." "That''s right. He was close to being a genius that should never have existed." The weather on Governor¡¯s Ind was getting hotter, and the construction was making progress by early July. The Dagger team was receiving a briefing in a room that could be considered their designated rest area. This had be the Dagger team''s routine recently. As you could tell from the conversation, the Dagger team was gradually reading through the information that had been revealed about their next target, Jordan Amherst, the mastermind behind the global catastrophe. And while it might sound strange to say this... the more we learned, the more we couldn''t help but be impressed, in many ways. The reasons didn¡¯t really need any exnation. "At first, we suspected a connection to Artemis, but after analysis, it was determined that Artemis¡¯ principles don¡¯t align with Dr. Jordan Amherst¡¯s ideology." "Yeah, I thought so. Artemis may have sold out the country, but if they had spread the virus for that reason, they would''ve beenbeled enemies even in the enemy states. Russia and China together lost about 700 million people, right?" "Yes. Dr. Jordan Amherst has long held extremely radical naturalistic beliefs, and it¡¯s believed he harbored the dangerous idea that humans themselves are the cause of Earth¡¯s problems." "And that led to this situation?" "Unfortunately, yes." The chief operations officer, Kane Whitebrim, nodded with an expression that disyed a mix of emotions. In any case, the facts about Jordan Amherst stopped there. We¡¯d heard the important details, and confirmed that there was no connection with Artemis. Now, it was time to focus on the methodology. At the same time, a few research results came to mind. There were a lot of them, but the Dagger team quickly realized that these were thetest trends in biological research and the core ideas from papers published by Jordan Amherst. How much time had passed? The Dagger team confirmed a few hypotheses based on this. "HQ initially spected that the Omega Virus was some sort of contagious nanomachine, but as time went on, the analysis department proposed that the virus follows a sort of... dual infection method." "...Dual infection?" "Simply put, a virus with high infectivity is first released, but it acts in a specific way on the body. This virus travels through the nervous system, not the blood vessels, reaching the brain, where it lies dormant for at least a month. After slowly infiltrating, it triggers a mild inmmatory response and weakens the blood-brain barrier." "And then, another virus is released to wipe everyone out?" "After investigating the bodies of those who died from the Omega Virus, the Biological Analysis Department concluded that this was a very likely scenario." "That... is unbelievably interesting, in a lot of ways. Not exactly pleasant, though." While others shook their heads, I was seriously contemting what I had just heard. How should I put it? The more I heard, the more it seemed like this wasn¡¯t the world I knew. That made me wonder, do parents even exist in this world? Such thoughts made it harder for me to focuspared to the others in the Dagger team. But anyway, that wasn''t the main point. The key takeaway was that Jordan Amherst had the ability to create viruses that functioned exactly how he wanted them to. Specifically¡ª "Jordan Amherst had at least enough skill to get sponsorships, and because of that, he had ess to servers and data capable of digitizing the virus'' gic information and creating the desired oue." "Dr. Amherst''s research results before the outbreak of the Omega Virus are also quite intriguing. It seems he mostly worked on encephalitis viruses or rabies, and all of his research had a connection to the blood-brain barrier." "Encephalitis and rabies. He probably went through a lot of trial and error before reaching his conclusions. Given the number of citations, it seems like his sponsors werepletely duped." "We should be able to find the list of Dr. Amherst''s sponsors soon. The real problem is if he''s still alive, he might sell off the virus data elsewhere." "Hmm." A brief silence followed, apanied by some lingering doubts. "Well, if he¡¯s caught by the Russian-Chinese alliance¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll keep him alive." "They might use him until he''s no longer useful, then kill him. Anyway, given the circumstances so far, if he¡¯s captured by another force, he¡¯ll still spill useful information before heading to hell." "Who knows what would happen if Artemis got their hands on him. For now, we¡¯ll just stick to the n of killing him and figure out the virus data server and protein synthesis deviceter." "Let¡¯s assume the worst. If Artemis has passed on this information to the enemy forces, who knows what could happen¡­" "If biological weapons are used without considering the aftermath, they might seem like a tempting option. At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter what that crazy lunatic does. The data that¡¯s still out there is the priority." "Well, in the end, we¡¯re back to square one." The conclusion was clear. Search through Jordan Amherst''s apartment. That was the Dagger team¡¯s next step. As always, they were about to realize the truth of the old saying, "A mountain after a mountain," but the topic soon shifted in another direction. There was still much that hadn¡¯t been revealed, and there were many other tasks to take care of. The need for Dagger team to handle information gathering, reconnaissance, andbat themselves was beginning to diminish. Now, when HQ sent intel, it would be better for us to base our strikes on that. Anyway, the next topic was... also of considerable importance. "That reminds me, now that the great war seems imminent, Artemis had a hand, however small, in developing the Icarus Gear. There¡¯s no way that hasn¡¯t been passed on to the enemy." "That makes sense. When we dealt with that split team before, we tied them up and beat them senseless, so they haven¡¯t had a real battle yet. But moving forward..." "...I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to worry about right now. After all, it¡¯s something that was developed with funding that never even went through Congressional approval for decades. Could the enemy catch up to us?" "True. It¡¯s probably more realistic for the enemy to just overwhelm us with numbers and take the gear after wiping out the Icarus Operators." "Ugh, so many opinions flying around."@@novelbin@@ As they said, in the end, all the team could do was discuss "What happens next?" as realistically and in as much detail as possible, prepare mentally, and get ready for the practical challenges ahead. Worrying too much about things that hadn¡¯t happened yet was a waste of time. Anyway, putting that aside... The room fell silent. Then a shift in attention seemed to be directed at me. It seemed like the others were trying to break the awkward atmosphere, but why was the attention focused on me...? Ah. "By the way, don¡¯t you think Rand has had a bit of a springtely?" "If you¡¯re not careful, Lieutenant Farquson might steal your heart... Uwah, don¡¯te any closer! I was wrong! Please, don¡¯t twist my joints!" "I wasn¡¯t thinking that at all!" A scream erupted from the room. It was maddening, really. As I thought that, I gave a special massage to the one who made the joke, and the rest of the team watched with amusement. After all, massages are excellent for easing tension. Anyway, that aside, Lieutenant Farquson... well, he¡¯s basically like my second dad. I¡¯ve never thought of him... in a romantic way. Seriously, I haven¡¯t. Plus, my mental gender is still male. Although, I¡¯m not entirely sure... As I grumbled, the conversation continued. "It¡¯s just a joke. I know we¡¯re not like that. But still... I wanted to ask, especially to the mutants. Do you guys not think about stuff like that?" "Is that a joke too?" "No, I¡¯m serious. There are only five of us, so I thought I¡¯d ask." "Well, I don¡¯t really think about it. After all, emotions are driven by hormones, and this wristwatch is involved in every tiny detail. That means..." "...Maybe Rand is normal after all?" "Who knows? It might be." "What are you saying?" Olivia, who had beenughing, added. "Honestly, it¡¯s not impossible. If you forget about shame or embarrassment and think objectively, this body could be defined as female. It can give birth." "But whether we can ept that is apletely different issue." "I was about to say that too, Logan." And the conversation continued. "Anyway, honestly, maybeter on, I might like someone. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be male or female, but it¡¯s possible. But for now, no, man." "Heh, if you don¡¯t find anyone you like, don¡¯te to me." "You never know. If we find someone, we could go check it out." Gasp. At that moment, the silence continued. The awkward stillness broke only when Olivia, who had started approaching, shattered it with her words, and it didn¡¯t take long for the tension to dissipate. "Wh-what? Hold on, Olivia, you¡¯re taking the joke too seriously- Uwah, don¡¯te closer! Aaaaah-!" "This idiot is always trying to slip away. Come here! You¡¯ve got to pay the price for your words!" Crash! The sound of chairs toppling, followed by two people hastily exiting the room, and then silence. Logan, who had been silently observing, added with a strange expression. "...I think I need more time to think about it." "You didn¡¯t say anything, idiot." Although that was said, I thought to myself, isn¡¯t this exactly what happens when the thief starts to feel guilty? Of course, I didn¡¯t say anything because the moment I did, I¡¯d probably end up being strangled. Night deepened, and the base was slowly beingpleted. New York was quiet again today. And the world? It was full of unimaginable horrors. "Nuclear weapons, and now biological ones? More and more unmanageable things keep piling up." "It feels like it was just yesterday we gave up two strategic submarines, and now we¡¯re dealing with viruses. One thing¡¯s for sure¡ªif research results end up in the wrong hands, we¡¯re in trouble." "Yeah, that¡¯s obvious." Clunk, clunk. By mid-July, the weather was hot, and the sun poured down from the clear sky. Beneath it, we made our way to Amherst¡¯s apartment, feeling the peace of Central Park gradually taking shape around us. It was only a 2-kilometer walk from Central Park, and not far from Hell¡¯s Kitchen, so Dagger team took a leisurely walk, enjoying the fresh air. No one knew what would happen, so they were all heavily armed, but fortunately, nothing happened. In fact, the situation turned out to be quite pleasant. To put it simply, here¡¯s what happened: "Oh, good to see you. Are you heading to thebor office?" "Yes, I am. Thank you as always." When wandering outside like this, you sometimes meet people. Central Park couldn¡¯t handle all of Manhattan and New York¡¯s leftovers, and because of that, many people lived outside the park. There was no shortage of empty spaces. Many people preferred it that way. After all, there were so many buildings around Manhattan. How many hotels? A lot. When you add in all the amodations, you could probably easily amodate tens of thousands of people. It was likely that most people preferred it, especially since there were soft beds. Of course, no water woulde out. Anyway, after walking for about 30 minutes, we realized something. Through the half-burnt apartments, we saw the delta mark floating over the destination. Luckily, no one was nearby. "Alright, that¡¯s it. Looking at it, I don¡¯t see anything suspicious, but... " "We should be thankful that there are no bastards to kill. Let¡¯s just have a good meal and treat this like a stroll." "Unless there are burned corpses inside." Sadly, it was as he said. We now lived in an era where such things had to be worried about. As always, after releasing the pulse, I checked if anyone was nearby. Naturally, there was nothing in the building. Instead, something else was detected¡ªthings like CCTV and electronic devices. Leaving that behind, we entered the apartmentplex, stepping over the debris of the fire. We should probably be thankful that there were no bodies. "Do you think Rand can handle this sight?" "This is tamepared to what we usually see." "Yeah, but considering what we¡¯re used to seeing... I don¡¯t know. Olivia, you¡¯ll have to take good care of him and help him adjust." "I was nning on that. And, I think... we may have someone else to add to the new task force. Have you seen the new operator list?" "I have. There¡¯s a friend from the Ranger Search Division (RRC). I¡¯ll see if I can recruit him." "Recruit him? Don¡¯t look at me like that... I¡¯m sorry." Because of what happened yesterday, the mutants were in a yful mood. I honestly didn¡¯t have any strong feelings. Even if others teased me, I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. The other senior mutants had plenty of masculinity, so I could tease them, but for me... I¡¯d probably just blush and end it there. I had that thought. Anyway, we continued up the stairs, leaving the debris behind. The stairs attached to the outer wall of a New York apartment were hardly reliable, and due to being left abandoned for so long, they creaked and bent as mutants climbed. So, after the lighter ones went first, the mutants often used the wall-climbing devices to go up. In any case, those small matters weren¡¯t a big deal. The reason was simple. The walls were covered in books on biology and forms written on ckboards. As we stared nkly at the scene, Logan activated the pulse. And¡ª ¡ªDrrrrk! "Wow. You¡¯re tearing a wooden bookshelf apart with your bare hands." "These guys are usually terrible at hiding things. They don¡¯t even try to be sneaky... Well, it¡¯s not aptop, but they usually prefer notebooks or something like that." "Hmm." Beep! At the same time, Loren Tina examined the pulse, and Logan handed over the notebook he was holding. She flipped it open and began checking what was inside. After some time, Loren Tina held up a business card triumphantly. With a proud look, she raised her head. "Boston University School of Medicine, Senior Researcher at the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory (NEIDL), BSL-4 Dr. Jordan Amherst. Looks like he was pretty good at hiding his insane tendencies in society." "...Yeah. It¡¯s my fault for not opening it earlier." "Heh, the main character is always the shark." And with that, the conversation continued. "We¡¯ve had enough rest. The next trip will be to Boston." "Yeah. It¡¯s time to check out the situation in Massachusetts." Nuclear weapons, and now biological weapons. The world was full of terrifying things. Chapter 742 "Why don''t youe with us to Boston?" "Eh!? " "...Olivia. That''s not an invitation, that''s kidnapping." Inte July, the sweltering New York, where the average temperature hovered around 30¡ãC. The sky was a bright blue with scattered cloudszily drifting by, and beneath it, under a world no longer blessed by the cold breeze sent by the angel Willis Havnd Carrier, who had once graced the humans below with his blessings... In one of the few remaining areas where there was still air conditioning working without issue, an rming shriek echoed through the Alpha-ss mutant residence. What was there to hide? It was none other than the now annoying, tireless mutant, Rand. A squeal. Olivia, who had perched herself on Rand¡¯s bed,id back and rested her head against her waist. From the hastily made hole in her pants, a wolf''s tail swayed back and forth. When they first met, the tail had been unremarkable, but thanks to Loren Tina''s new hobby of brushing the tail, it had be shinier and fluffier. Olivia grabbed the tail and wrapped it around her neck. Rand, who had been lying face down with a strained posture, reading a manual, buried her face in the pillow. She looked utterly helpless. After a moment of silence, the conversation continued. "...Are you serious?" "Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be any hard work. Probably." "Probably?! How am I supposed to trust you guys and go that far with that kind of uncertainty?!" "I can¡¯t guarantee nothing will happen, you know. A n without considering the worst-case scenario is pointless. What¡¯s important is whether we¡¯ll have the resources to protect you if things go wrong, and the Dagger team can handle at least that." "..." An exchange of nces continued. Not just between Olivia and Rand, but also with me and the others. However, the conversation didn¡¯t go any further. For instance, if Olivia, who spoke first, had dragged a ckboard to lecture us about what might happen in Boston, we would have known that something more wasing, but clearly not yet. In short, the actual n hadn¡¯t been finalized yet¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean the Dagger team couldn¡¯t imagine what might happen. Logan, who had pulled over a chair, added. "Well, Olivia and the Eagle Team will probably have to handle things, but are there any tall buildings nearby with good vantage points for reconnaissance? Have we done any terrain analysis?" "That¡¯s a bit of a problem. There are some tall buildings nearby, but the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory is pretty far away. We¡¯ll probably have to bring the Titan again. But internal support won¡¯t be possible." "How far away?" "At least 1 km, at most 3 km. If the sniper team is stationed in just one ce, they¡¯ll only be able to provide support from limited angles. At least three positions are needed." "Are you seriously bringing her along? I don¡¯t know about that. She doesn''t even have gear. Don¡¯t make her relive awful memories, just leave her alone." "Hmm..." Olivia was in deep thought, and Logan shook his head with a subtle expression. Meanwhile, Rand... she had buried her face in the pillow, looking frustrated. Honestly, there was no wrong answer here. We were at a point where we had to use whatever manpower we had, but at the same time, involving highly skilled operators in the mission was another matter. Of course, I was half-forced to join because of my potential... "Ugh..."@@novelbin@@ "...It seems like your mental age is regressing the more this goes on. I¡¯m thinking a goodpetition with the youngest might be possible now." "Eh...?" "I¡¯m also being dragged around by my older sisters... Ayyah!" "Who¡¯s the older sister, huh? You little brat." At that moment, hands from all sides pinched my cheeks! Only Loren Tina seemed to find my title amusing, and Olivia and Logan didn¡¯t let it slide. In an instant, I became a pillow with a tail. Thanks to that, Olivia, who had been lying on Rand¡¯s back, ended up moving closer to me. So, I let myself be "rescued" and epted the punishment. As my cheek was squished like cheese, the conversation continued. "By the way, is Boston under the jurisdiction of Mackenzie Branch? I¡¯m not sure what will happen, but if there¡¯s anything likely, it¡¯s probably some rioting, right? If something as horrible as Bronx happened there, they would have requested support already." "I don¡¯t know. Maybe... no. We won¡¯t know until we get there, so don¡¯t jump to conclusions. For now, let¡¯s just narrow down who might be involved." "As long as it''s not Artemis or the enemy''s division, it should be fine. If they are involved, it¡¯ll make things worse. Personally, I hope it¡¯s not them." "Most of it can be sorted out with prior reconnaissance, so don¡¯t worry. If something happens, the Northeastern Division would have caught onto it by now." Squish, squish. As always, while we were having tactical discussions, someone was still kneading my cheeks and using me like a pillow, which felt... strange. On top of that, I could even feel subtle sensationsing from the tail. When I turned my head down, I realized that Rand had started massaging my... tail. I wasn¡¯t sure how to react, but being the nice guy I am, I decided to let it slide. And honestly, the "youngest treatment" wasn¡¯t as bad as I expected. Everyone felt soft and smelled nice... "So, when are we leaving?" "I think it¡¯ll be around August. The base construction is almost finished, and HQ is pretty eager to put us to work. Do you know they¡¯re taking anti-aircraft turrets off from all kinds of military bases?" "...I think I heard that they¡¯re going to install them on the rooftops of Manhattan¡¯s high-rise buildings." "Right. These days, thebor office and civilians are working 24/7. They¡¯re working in shifts, but it¡¯s intense." "We should check it out." Logan, who had been holding me like an emperor penguin father, projected a hologram into the air. The full view of Manhattan appeared in front of us, with unmanned drones and transport aircraft continuously moving around. Hundreds of LAV-AD, IM-SHORAD, and AN/TWQ-1 Avenger systems were rushing in along roads that hadn¡¯t been fully blocked. From what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯re nning to attach the LaWSser interception system and the RIM-116 RAM short-range ship-to-air missile tforms to Central Park... ''At this rate, the entire Dagger team, including HQ, will be working nonstop for a month...'' What else could we do? We¡¯re in a total war era. At the moment, Dagger team was doing more grunt work than training. If we had more time, we probably would have set up mines in the sea to prepare for an enemynding and built defense stations along the coast. Of course, as always, things never go as nned, and nothing would happen where we couldugh at the sight of the enemy charging into a well-prepared defense line. Furthermore, since the "cleaning" of JFK Airport was justpleted, the work load increased again. But somehow, I didn¡¯t think that would be enough. As the conversation continued... "Recently, the enemy¡¯s strategic nuclear submarines¡¯ long-rangemunication system sensors reacted. The operations officers are likely hard at work figuring out where the enemy might set up a bridgehead." "...So, does that mean the prelude is over? Thinking about it makes my head ache." "Stop with the gloom. If you dwell too much on things that haven¡¯t happened yet, your thoughts will get stuck. If you have some free time, go clean your guns." "If you order me to, I will." "My gun¡¯s fine, so I¡¯m good. If I handle it too much, the sights will be off." "Then I guess only the youngest and Rand will go out. Want to smell some gunpowder?" "Eh, well..." Ugh... I couldn¡¯t help but think, "Is this really all for this?" The conversation waspletely turning into a joke. While Rand, who had been holding me like a pillow, stiffened, Loren Tina, the highest-ranking member, gently grabbed my clothes. It felt like I was being gently pulled out like a doll stuck in a w machine, and I let out an involuntary squeal as I was pulled out. As I nced around, the wolf, sensing the situation, carefully walked out with a little caution. Then, Loren Tina, who had observed the situation, asked softly. "Are youing with us?" "I¡¯ve already told them they can¡¯t join the construction work because of their training." "Right. I wanted to take Olivia with me too, but if we all leave, it could get tricky. I¡¯ll let them know, so rest up and get ready to work." "You wanted to take me? What were you nning to do?" "Oh, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s not shooting training, anyway." A brief silence. And then the continuation. "I¡¯ve been ¡®advised¡¯ to figure out if we can integrate mutants¡¯ unique traits intobat. I was going to check it out for close-quartersbat." "...Hmm. That¡¯s starting to sound interesting." "I didn¡¯t want to, but I guess I¡¯ll go now." Rand¡¯s words were immediately suppressed. Our next training session was going to be close-quartersbat after a long while. "The youngest, who is currently going through the closebat curriculum without any problems, probably knows this well, but... for the benefit of our new recruit, let me exin again. Just relying on your body alone and diving into closebat as a mutant would be foolish." "So...?" "Krav Maga, Kali Arnis, Judo, Systema, MacMap, Pencak St... It doesn''t matter which one. The important thing is to learn and practice until your body gets used to it. This helps minimize unnecessary actions in realbat. And... Wolf, you should take this." "...It¡¯s thinner than I expected." "This book is one of the U.S. military''s closebat curric, with unnecessary theoretical parts removed. It¡¯s written by me. You might find the exnations and theories a bitcking, butter, you should read the CQC manual for more details." p, p. The book in Rand¡¯s hands flipped open, revealing its contents. I already knew what it was. The glimpses of muscle illustrations confirmed it was a kind of anatomy-rted material. Of course, top-tier operators had extensive knowledge of human anatomy. It was a given. That way, they could understand how to incapacitate an opponent and how to apply first aid when they or their allies were injured. The purpose of the book Rand was holding was to serve the first purpose. In other words, the theoretical parts that were left out were about muscle structure, and the content inside exined the consequences of damaging specific areas of the body. Loren Tina, leaving the book behind, motioned toward me, and only then did I stand up. The conversation continued. "Not long ago, when the youngest first equipped the gear, I told you to try using your tail as a third hand in everyday life. How¡¯s it going now?" "Well, I use it sometimes in daily life, but when ites tobat... I haven¡¯t really used it properly yet." "I see." Loren Tina thought for a moment before speaking again. "Anyway, I was ordered to find ways to incorporate the unique abilities of mutants intobat. For the youngest, there¡¯s nothing much to say. But for others, aside from the tail, things like vibration detection and thermal vision are different from regr humans." "...Right?" "Given those features, it might sound irresponsible, but I can¡¯t really help with that. However, as I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s possible to engrain existing military martial arts knowledge into your body." "You told me I have to figure that part out on my own." "You understand that well. Considering all that, the youngest just needs to keep doing what they¡¯ve been doing, and Olivia?" "Huh? Did you have something to say to me?" I sat down, and Olivia stood up. The conversation continued. "We all know Olivia¡¯s night vision is beyond incredible, but I¡¯ve noticed something. When you move, you''re too quiet. Haven¡¯t we mentioned this a few times?" "...Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true. But I didn¡¯t think much of it. Didn¡¯t you guys not really pay attention either?" "That¡¯s right. But thinking it over... mutants can¡¯t even notice you sometimes. Even me or the youngest, who can sense vibrations, have trouble detecting you." "Is that so...?" "Since I became like this, I can now detect bioelectricity from tens of meters away and I¡¯ve be sensitive to slight temperature changes. On the flip side, without that, I¡¯d have a hard time finding you too, Olivia." "Hmm." "So, I once checked it out, and I noticed that when you move, the airflow around you changes slightly, which is weird..." At that moment, there was a brief silence. But it was only brief¡ªimmediately, a sound so faint that it could only be detected if you were concentrating was heard, and I realized soon enough that Olivia was standing right behind me. When I turned my head, there was a smile. "Is this what you mean?" "...Yes, exactly. I knew owls could fly silently, but seeing it in person is... unsettling, in many ways." "But I¡¯m not sure, can this actually be used inbat?" ©¤©¤©¤Whoosh! "-Huh?" "I¡¯m not sure how you did it, but you disappeared from my sight for a moment. It didn¡¯t seem like you moved at that speed. It was more like you moved in apletely different way, and in the process, the noise was almost absorbed." "Definitely an owl-like movement. It¡¯s tempting; I¡¯ll have to try it myself someday. But for now, can you show me as much as you can?" "Wait, hold on. It¡¯s not that easy..." Olivia hesitated, but then gathered her focus and prepared. Logan, Loren Tina, and I used various methods to observe the movement... and in an instant, Olivia melted into the air like paint dissolving, and something started moving rapidly from that point. Analysis continued. "It¡¯s a kind of... visual distraction. It seems like your silhouette distorts just before you move. When focusing on that, it looks like you disappear from view." "Based on the decibel levels we measured, it¡¯s definitely... if you''re not paying attention, you might even mistake it for teleportation." "At this rate... hmm, how about this?" "Whoa!? " At the same time, Olivia disappeared from my view, and within a moment, Loren Tina appeared behind me, pinching my cheek. I almost had a heart attack. She continued speaking. "The important thing is that before you leave the observer¡¯s sight, you confuse them. It¡¯s a simple trick, whether it''s with holograms or light refraction... but Olivia, I still don¡¯t get how you do this without gear." "...Well, I¡¯m not sure either. Let me analyze it and get back to you." "What about me? Don¡¯t I have anything?" "All you¡¯ve got is the strength to demand the air conditioning be set to 18¡ãC in summer while you¡¯re a grumpy army bear. I don¡¯t have anything for you... Argh!" "Die, you seal bastard!" ...Why does it always end like this? I thought to myself, shaking my head, and patted Rand on the back, whose expression was a mix of confusion and dead eyes. As Rand approached, I added, "Well, whatever." "...I didn¡¯t say anything, idiot." At least it seemed to have helped cheer her up. August was fast approaching, and New York remained as it always was. Chapter 743 "To think that construction has progressed this far in just a month... While this part is certainly optimistic, the real issue is building the infrastructure to support tens of thousands of people and ensuring the delivery of food supplies." "There''s nothing we can do about that. For that reason, the allied forces must secure the major cities in the northeastern U.S. as quickly as possible, and prepare to facilitate food transport." "If we hadn¡¯t lost control of the Pacific, we would have focused onnding on the U.S. West Coast and drawn up operations around that, but... it¡¯s unfortunate. I know the effort it took to return isn¡¯t something to be taken lightly." "...." Early August, Newfounnd Ind. An isted, almost unheard-of ce to anyone except those from Canada, and even most Canadians would probably never visit in their lifetime. Newfounnd sits at the extreme east of Canada, home to the only airport on the ind¡ªSt. John¡¯s International Airport, located in the city of St. John''s, the only city on the ind. Normally, it would be a ce with no reason to be crowded, but thousands of people had gathered there. Looking closer, it was immediately obvious that the people gathered there were unusual for such a small town. Many were of East Asian or vic descent, with features that would stand out from most Canadians. Two soldiers stood guard as construction continued in real-time on numerous facilities. One was Chinese, the other Russian. Their shoulder epaulets bore different insignia, yet both had equivalent ranks. The Chinese soldier belonged to China¡¯s 127th and 128th Airborne Brigades, as well as the Thunder Assault Brigade. The Russian soldier, meanwhile, was part of Russia¡¯s 106th Guards Airborne Division. The two divisions together amounted to roughly one or two divisions of operationalbat units. The two high-ranking officers, having been promoted to Major General, were now stationed at St. John¡¯s International Airport to oversee the new forces and supervise the growing construction.@@novelbin@@ The first to speak was the Chinese officer. "The Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party has received information on Jorden Amherst. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s been discussed at Allied Command, but I suspect it¡¯s simr on their end." "...What does that mean?" "On a separate note, the Central Military Commission wants to recover Dr. Jorden Amherst''s research materials. Haven¡¯t you heard anything about that?" "I¡¯ve heard about Jorden Amherst, but there¡¯s been no specific word yet. I think Command is discussing it internally, but the conclusion will probably be simr." "...We¡¯ve been ordered to send the Thunder Assault Brigade to Boston. They¡¯re consolidatingmand from across various theaters." "Mm." A brief silence. However, Major General Liu Chuan,manding the Chinese forces, sensed some difort in the response and waited for an answer rather than pressing for one. After a pause, the conversation continued. "The Russian militarymand can receive more detailed data from Artemis." "..." "You might find this unpleasant to hear, but Russia isn¡¯t that interested in Jorden Amherst. However... they¡¯re extremely interested in the Icarus Operators." "The Icarus Operators. I think I¡¯ve heard of them." "They are the reason the U.S. is still holding on." Again, a brief silence. But it was true. At least, when it came to information warfare, Russia had the upper hand. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean they had the advantage overall¡ªit was just the case when it came to Artemis-rted matters. Normally, that fact wouldn¡¯t have been all that significant. In a world where major powers were colliding, one defense contractor probably wouldn¡¯t y such a pivotal role. But that only applied to typical situations. When it came to the development of Icarus Gear and the oues achieved by operators using it... The conversation resumed with Major General Alexei adding: "One of the divisions stationed in Lower Manhattan disappeared without a trace, and a strategic nuclear submarine was seized without any warning. It¡¯s a devastating loss for the Allied forces. And it was all done by a single operation team." "...That¡¯s right." "Most of the cause can be traced back to those idiots getting toocent in New Haven, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can just ignore what happened. And..." A brief pause. Then, the conversation continued. "Had we learned anything from that disaster about the enemy operators, I could understand. But if it happened without any results, well... you and I both need to reconsider the discipline of our forces." "...Hmmm." "Perhaps you don¡¯t know yet, but I¡¯ve already given Ulrich, the Guard General, instructions. I¡¯ve asked him topile a list of soldiers who are showing signs of ¡®unpatriotic¡¯ thoughts¡ªwhether ideological or mental." Military requisition of supplies during operations is excusable. A certain degree of disorder is understandable in managing the stresses of soldiers. However, misusing resources and weapons, particrly after the recent naval battles that wiped out more than half of the Allied forces, was absolutely uneptable. China¡¯s Northern Fleet had been reduced by more than half, and the Southern and Eastern Fleets were entirely wiped out. Russia wasn¡¯t any different. The Pacific Fleet, stationed in divostok and tasked with pressuring both South Korea and Japan, had been utterly annihted by the U.S. Navy¡¯s 7th Fleet, which had managed to recover from its damage. Military losses weren¡¯t just about a 30% to 50% casualty rate. No, in these cases, the fleets were entirely destroyed¡ªturning into piles of scrap metal and human remains. China no longer had a navy, and Russia¡¯s second most powerful fleet, the Pacific Fleet, had been turned into molten metal. Despite that, the U.S. Navy¡¯s strongest fleets, the 3rd and 7th, were far from obliterated. Major General Alexei, who had been casually observing, spoke again. "Did you say early August? We¡¯ll need to prepare the list of soldiers who¡¯ll be joining the Thunder Assault Brigade by then." "...How do you n on using them?" "I¡¯ve heard that Icarus Operators are using unimaginable new weapons. In particr, one operation team has been reported to havebat abilities far beyond human capabilities." A brief silence. Then, the Russian officer responded. "You don¡¯t mean..." "Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I mean." Alexei took a drag from his nearly finished cigarette, flicking it into the ashtray. He looked down with a peculiar expression, while Liu Chuan, eyeing him, began to sense the deeper implications of what was being said. Perhaps among the "unpatriotic" soldiers Alexei had mentioned, there were likely some who weren¡¯t unpatriotic at all. This was the kind of political maneuvering that was inescapable within the military, leading to oues like this. But none of that mattered. What mattered was that Alexei saw an opportunity in what had been said. The foolish mistakes made by others could be turned into an opportunity for him. As the two high-ranking officers stood together under the newly constructed military lounge, busy soldiers bustling around them, Liu Chuan nodded thoughtfully. "We¡¯ll also need to filter out the disloyal soldiers on our end." "You see what I mean. Even the disloyal soldiers could be useful if we face off against that mysterious operation team and collect data in the process. If that ends up being theirst mission, it would be eptable." A brief silence. And then, Alexei added: "You¡¯re expecting the operation in Boston to fail, aren¡¯t you?" "Artemis did everything they could to stop them. Objectively speaking, they never should¡¯ve lost to the remnants of the U.S. forces. But they were cleanly wiped out. It wasn¡¯t by chance." Could it really have been like that? Given the limited information avable, it was too early to judge, but the results spoke for themselves. The fact that two strategic nuclear submarines had ended up in U.S. hands wasn¡¯t a coincidence. After a short moment of silence, both officers looked up to the sky. The weather was calm. It wasn¡¯t particrly hot for the end of July, especially since they were stationed at atitude higher than New York. "..." "Artemis installed rms at the facility where Jorden Amherst worked. As soon as the rm goes off, themand staff ns tounch missiles and deploy troops waiting 160 km north in Pornd." "Got it. I¡¯ll keep that in mind. We¡¯ll cooperate soon enough." The preliminary battles were over, and the Allied forces had suffered a severe defeat. What would happen if they lost here too? No one knew the answer. While curious, they didn¡¯t want to know the answer. But one thing was certain... if they lost, they would no longer have a foothold in this world. The world remained quiet, and the unprecedented months of August and September were approaching. "Is there anyone here from Boston?" "Boston? That boring, geeky city? Do you think anyone living there would join the military?" "Well, Loren Tina is from Vermont, so... it''s the closest to Boston, but it¡¯s still far enough to not make much of a difference. As for Logan, he''s from ska." "Hey, if we had stayed in those nerdy neighborhoods around Boston, we wouldn''t even have time to take fitness tests, let alone be useful." "Alright, alright." We all knew the truth¡ªno one from the Dagger Team had ever been to Boston, and no one had much of a connection to it. Even I, a natural-born Korean, had no idea about it. "Harvard, Boston University, MIT, Berklee School of Music, Wellesley College... It¡¯s practically one big university town. Now there won¡¯t even be anyone to pay tuition for those schools." "At least it¡¯s safer than New York with its crime-ridden metro area. As long as there are still sane people around, we won¡¯t have to worry too much." "ording to the reconnaissance, there aren¡¯t many silhouettes around. It looks like only a few survivors are scattered about. No sign of Artemis'' involvement." "Well, no one knows what will happen. But since it¡¯s under McKenzie¡¯s jurisdiction, we should just ask him if we need anything." Harvard, Berklee, MIT... Even I, who didn¡¯t know much about the U.S., had at least heard of those names. What was it? The Ivy League? Yeah, I think that¡¯s what it was, though I never paid much attention. I was more concerned with passing the entrance exams, and now I found myself in a situation where I was stepping into one of those ces¡ªunbelievable. But none of that mattered right now. At the moment, I was somewhere much more difficult to get into than any of those universities. The important thing now wasn¡¯t where I came from, but how fast and efficiently I could incapacitate my opponents. While I was thinking about that, I saw Rand, who had been looking at me with half-dead eyes, speak up. "...So, are we going somewhere far this time?" "Yeah, about 600 km round trip." "Wait... are we jumping from the sky!?" "No, it¡¯s not like that. That distance can be covered with a Silent Hawk. But we¡¯ll probably take a Valkyrie. You should be more familiar with the callsign Photon 1." "Oh... that transport aircraft!" "Yeah, that one." As a trainee operations officer, Rand surprisingly knew a lot. She was excited for a moment, but then quickly became gloomy again. It was obvious why¡ªskydiving. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the usual parachuting we all know. In fact, HALO and HAHO jumps are now moremon terms. I knew that specialized forces jump with a parachute and open it at a low altitude, but... why should I stay still when I''ve barely done it? "Don''t worry about the high-altitude jump. There''s a special training facility within the secure zone. It can simte the conditions almost perfectly, so you won¡¯t have to jump out of an aircraft. It¡¯s called a flight station." "Flight station?" "Yeah. It simtes conditions like rainy weather, strong winds, and other extreme conditions. The device creates strong winds and even holograms to practicending." "...Ah!" "You saw how smoothly we did in Syracuse. It¡¯s the same kind of technology." Rand¡¯s expression brightened for a moment, but as she turned her attention to something else, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bitter. While she was relieved, I knew what that meant¡ªtraining until we adapted to those conditions. I exchanged nces with Olivia and nodded in understanding. The owl moved closer, sat beside Rand, and spoke up. It was time to throw in the carrot. "Our little furball." "What''s with that nickname!?" "Don¡¯t you want to wear the gear?" There it was. Rand froze. But of course, there was more. "Upper brass has approved it. Once we return from Boston, the test wear schedule is set." "Eh...?" "Because of your background, some features will be locked, but if you perform well in Boston, well... who knows? Some of those locked features might get unlocked before the schedule." "That... uh..." "Are you interested now?" A brief silence. After a moment, Rand carefully took Olivia¡¯s hand. "I''ve always trusted Dagger Team." "Of course." Well... the oue wasn¡¯t exactly what I expected, but maybe it was for the best. I watched Rand wag her tail and thought that maybe, just maybe, she¡¯d do well. The final preparation for the mission was in ce, and August was fast approaching. The mission to Boston was going to happen soon. Chapter 744 "¡­This is Photon 1. Currently traveling at 250 knots¡ªapproximately 460 km/h¡ªentering downtown Boston. There are no thermal signatures detected within the city." "Is there any ce where there wouldn''t be? It must have been a lively ce once. I could tell as soon as I saw it. University towns have a unique energy to them. Not anymore, though." "Suddenly, I find myself missing Virginia. Those days back in college were really fun." "Come to think of it, you. Didn¡¯t you go to Virginia Tech? What was your major?" "Information Security Engineering. Graduation went smoothly, and thanks to that, I got a job with a military contractor... but then, out of nowhere, I found my true calling, and ended up in the Navy SEALs." ¡­ Lorentina suddenly starts reminiscing about the past. Beyond the Valkyrie¡¯s hatch, the ckened sky and the darkened streets of Boston, with not a shred of light, stretched out beneath us. It looked like a city that anyone would say had died, without a doubt. The current time was 2:26 AM. It was an early morning operation for a change. For a while, I had been living like a properdy¡ªno, not ady anymore. Anyway, after getting used to going to bed early and waking up early, I was feeling a little drowsy. Next to me, Rand was staring outside with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Today, Olivia and I were supposed to apany her. The Eagle Team consisted of four, including Olivia, and adding Rand and myself made six. We had two teams of three instead of three teams of two, because it was said that it was better for unexpected situations. Perhaps that¡¯s why Rand had a tight grip on my hand. I heard she still found Olivia a bit intimidating. It¡¯s understandable, but¡­ "Five minutes to arrival. Optical device functioning normally. I assume you¡¯ve heard the reconnaissance results. A few unidentified drones were hovering around. They¡¯ve all been shot down, but¡­ I think someone is still here." "As expected. That¡¯s exactly why we¡¯re carrying this thing, isn¡¯t it?" "Right, haha. We¡¯ll be waiting in the air, so finish up quickly and get out." "Understood." Click! I pulled back the cocking handle and released it, sending a bullet flying into the air. The tip of the bullet was coated in ck. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary bullet, but a special armor-piercing round. I grabbed it, pressed the magazine catch to remove the magazine, loaded the bullet, and slid it back into ce. It was something I could do without thinking. If someone saw it, they¡¯d probably think I was all over the ce, but for me, it was just practice with my tail. At first, I would miss a lot, but not anymore. Now, I could move the tip of my tail pretty smoothly. Once I get more proficient, maybe I can even toss a grenade with it. Thanks to the diligent oiling, the firearm moved smoothly, almost like butter. I had to admit, the guns I used when I was serving in the military back in Korea were... just garbagepared to this. With that thought, I leisurely sat back down in my seat, and it didn¡¯t take long for the transport ne, slowing down, tond on a high-rise building not too far from thending zone. While the Eagle Team, excluding Olivia,nded on the observation deck of the tallest building nearby, the transport ne took off again,nding at a parking tower just 200 meters away from the target site. "Alright, let¡¯s go. Doesn¡¯t look like it will take long. There¡¯s no sign of life around¡­ but I can faintly smell blood." "Once we get inside, we won¡¯t be able to smell anything. Laser sights activated. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because my helmet is too big, but I never thought I¡¯d be unable to aim properly." "Take care of the little wolf, will you?" "Sure, sure." We hooked onto the wall of the parking tower and began to descend.@@novelbin@@ The entire assault team was wearing different outfits than usual. They had protective suits made of synthetic resin, oxygen tanks on their backs, and helmets that could seal with a single button, but could also open or close in secret. For Rand, this situation was quite awkward, but given the location of theb, it was highly probable that we wouldn¡¯t be able to get proper fire support unless we got this close. Shaking with nerves, Rand kept pointing her gun around, but once Olivia and I set up movement detection sensors and showed the reconnaissance results, she let out a sigh of relief. When I ced my hand on therge box with the Icarus logo, a strange sound came from inside, followed by a weird sound as the box reassembled itself. As the wings hidden inside the box took shape, Rand activated her wearable tablet. And¡ª ¡ªVroom! "¡­Oh." "Just fly it over theb, set it to auto-scan mode, and you¡¯re done. It¡¯s notplicated. You¡¯re good at being a mission officer, so I believe you can handle the briefing." "Yeah. I¡¯m getting used to being a mission officer now. Leave the briefing to me." "Got it. Want a snack?" "Hey, don¡¯t forget, I¡¯ve lived longer than you!" Ah, right. I had be so ustomed to being spoiled that I momentarily forgot about it. But it was probably because everyone I had met so far had spoiled me in every way. Still, as I watched Rand grab a chocte bar, I suddenly fell into thought. Maybeter on¡­ I¡¯ll end up having someone join my team, not as a temporary member, but as someone under mymand. Will I have enough experience and skill to teach someone else? Maybe that¡¯s a story for a muchter time. Thinking about that, I activated the Icarus Gear interface. By now, the Dagger Team had reached the front of the National New Infectious Disease Research Institute. In the distance, the Eagle Team, which hadnded first, had deployed the Titan railgun that Olivia and I used before. We set up our firearms on a tripod and fired a grenade nearby. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a regr grenade. It was more of aunch-install trap. We could use those to find out what was happening around the area. As I nced to the side, Logan¡¯s screen was shared with ours.
    • Communication check. We¡¯re about to enter the building. Once we enter the Level 4 zone,munication might be difficult, so keep that in mind. But the signal can still be received, so let us know if there¡¯s any external threat.
    • Found the front door. "Cal J. and Lutz Shapiro Emergency Medical Center¡­" Looks like a ce that made a lot of money back in the day. The exterior ispletely falling apart now, so it¡¯s hard to tell.
    • No sign of life inside.
    Obviously, the view of the hospital¡¯s interior beyond the screen didn¡¯t look good. The metal detector at the entrance, which wouldn¡¯t even activate, and the lobby beyond, littered with "something" that had been dead for at least half a year. Thankfully, it was censored. But still, there were protein masses I didn¡¯t want to describe, and skulls exposed from the decayed flesh and hair falling off. If this was visible in the lobby, which wasn¡¯t even the emergency patient area, I shuddered to think about the rest of the building, but unfortunately, the assault team¡¯s target wasn¡¯t the hospital but the research institute, which was located far from the hospital. The assault team kept moving, while the thermite cutter was deployed. In case of a virus leak, there were automatic barriers designed to activate when internal control became impossible after the incident. As the assault team essed the building¡¯s internal systems, they began to converse.
    • The air microorganism levels are normal. It doesn¡¯t seem like any viruses stored in the facility have leaked.
    • No activation of bleach sprayers, autoves, or high-temperature sterilizers in the logs, but it could just be that they weren¡¯t working due to a power shortage. Let¡¯s open the door first.
    • Alright. High-power cutter activated¡­ The barrier seems thick, but it¡¯s melting instantly. Not sure how many more of these we¡¯ll encounter, but we¡¯ll go in for now. 360 meters to the server room.
    With a sizzling sound, the steel door began to heat up quickly, then was neatly cut into a circle. As the red-hot steel cooled, seven people entered the hallway. Rand, who had switched the reconnaissance drone to autonomous mode, was watching the scene unfold, albeit through her wearable tablet, as the Icarus gear didn¡¯t have its own lens. "¡­" She remained silent, focused on the task at hand. Seeing that, I too refocused, and the assault team, led by two mutants, swiftly approached their objective. The barrier that hadn¡¯t been opened since the Omega Virus outbreak was being breached. As we passed the scattered bodies of the deceased, trapped for perhaps ten years, or even longer, between the closed walls, we finally arrived at the server room without much difficulty. How much time had passed? Without a speck of dust, inplete silence, the server room emerged from the shadows. If the U.S. doesn¡¯t recover, this will likely remain a digital tomb for decades. The Dagger team entered and began supplying power to the servers and attempted to connect. In an instant, thousands of LEDs lit up, and a heavy humming sound filled the server room. As that happened, the Dagger team pulled out the coordinatingputers between the servers and began synchronizing thework.
    • Connecting. Taking all data rted to Jorden Amherst¡¯s personal details, viral DNA data, and protein synthesizer information.
    • Server reset in 30 seconds. EMP charging.
    • ¡­Wait. The data extraction process just slowed down a little¡ªdamn it¡­!
    • What the hell is this rm!?
    • It¡¯s detecting our connection and seems to be sending it somewhere¡­ we haven¡¯t lost control of the system, though. It looks like it¡¯s only detecting the connection.
    • This doesn¡¯t feel right. Let¡¯s get out of here fast.
    "What¡¯s going on?" "It seems like someone set a trap. Rand, is there any movement around us?" "No, surprisingly¡­ there¡¯s nothing. The TOC coordinating the operation says no one has moved within a 10km radius." "I don¡¯t like this. Photon 1, we need to evacuate immediately. If a missile drops, the Dagger team is going to turn to ash here, damn it." ¡­Nah, there¡¯s no way. Still, the Dagger team was quickly exiting the way they came, and Photon 1 was descending at a speed that made me wonder if it was even safe toe down that fast. Just then, the HQ, having taken the Dagger team¡¯s request seriously, activated the Aegis Shore on Governors Ind andunched about two interceptors toward Boston. Given the distance to New York, it would only take about two minutes for the interceptors to reach their target. Although there were no radar systems, some might think this was just a precautionary fuss, but the higher-ups must have decided to act just in case. How much time passed? As soon as the entire assault team was onboard, Photon 1nded. There was no formal greeting. The Eagle Team, which hadnded first, needed to be picked up. The transport ne took off in an instant, elerating as it flew toward a building¡¯s rooftop located about 2 kilometers northwest. After picking up the three members of the Eagle Team, it ascended once again. Just as the eleration began, we instinctively knew our worries had been right. "NORAD urgently reports! A missile approaching from the main Pornd direction!" "The interceptors have detected the missile! They¡¯re elerating!" "Damn it, if we¡¯re unlucky, we¡¯re going to get hit by the st wave¡­!" "Everyone, hold on tight! We might fall!" And then, after some time, a tremendous shockwave sted from the sky. ¡ªKABOOM! "Damn it." "Damn it! This is Photon 1, hit by the shockwave! The right engine is down, some of the attitude control systems are malfunctioning! Altitude dropping! Mayday, mayday!" "Two kilometers ahead, Cambridge Commons in sight, deploying parachute for speed control¡­ Damn it, there¡¯s a stone tower right in front of the emergencynding point! We¡¯re going to crash¡ªWHAT!?" "Stop screwing around ande here, pilots! If you take any longer, we¡¯re all dead!" "W-what¡¯s going on!?" The two pilots were dragged out with rough hands, and the moment the entire Icarus Operators team deployed shields to the maximum, A sh and a deafening roar erupted. ¡ªCRASH! "¡­Are there any casualties?" "Of course not. Even if we got hit by an RPG head-on, they wouldn¡¯t die. There¡¯s no way twelve operators wouldn¡¯t survive a crash." "¡­W-What¡¯s this? I didn¡¯t feel anything¡­" "We blocked all sensory input. Fortunately, it seems no one¡¯s injured¡­ So, where are we?" "A park near Harvard University." When the crumpled fusge, enveloped in smoke and me, opened up, the Dagger team, along with two pilots and one trainee mission officer, emerged, seemingly in perfect condition. Despite being exposed to an absurd situation, the Icarus Gear did its job to protect the wearers'' bodies, and even those without the gear survived. The helmets were slightly dented, and a few strands of hair were singed, but considering the crash urred at nearly 200 km/h, it was nothing more than minor damage. But that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡ªWHOOOOSH! "¡­Should we have brought a MANPAD?" "Y-20, a Chinese transport ne. Mostly used by airborne forces." "I can tell that much, idiot." "So now¡­ looks like they¡¯ve finally decided to start a full-scale war. How long do we have until our forcese to rescue us?" "Who knows. For now¡­ let¡¯s crush them all and think about it afterward." That was a cocky statement, but at least the Dagger team had earned the right to say it. The Icarus Gear instantly disyed the transport ne''s location and trajectory, as well as how far the enemy had dropped. It also calcted and disyed how many minutes it would take for the enemy to make contact. Simultaneously, the estimated time was uploaded to the side. The number "25 minutes" clearly appeared on the interface, and the Dagger team quickly realized that it represented the time until rescue. But there was a silver lining: "They don¡¯t know the structure inside Harvard University. It¡¯s the same for us, but we have pulses. The only problem is we¡¯re low on ammo for prolonged firefights¡­" "In that case, we¡¯ll have to improvise. We¡¯ll either capture enemy weapons or take them out in closebat. We¡¯ll do what we can." "By the way, I think it would be best if the little wolf and the two pilots find somewhere to hide¡­ It¡¯s a tricky situation. We¡¯re supposed to be rescuing the fallen pilots, but now it¡¯s turned into something like the opposite." "We¡¯ll split the team in two. Put the mutants in one team, and we¡¯ll focus on rescuing the little wolf and the pilots, as well as providing air support. You know what that means?" "I understand. Looks like the little wolf is finally going to join the assault team. Are you confident?" "I¡¯ll do my best, for sure." With those words, Olivia, not Eugene, gave Rand a tight hug and added: "I thought this might happen, but I¡¯m still sorry. No matter what happens, we¡¯ll all make it back to Central Park alive, so don¡¯t worry." "¡­Really?" "¡­Well, there might be a slightly different way of saying it." With that, Olivia pulled a knife from its sheath. "I¡¯ll kill everyst one of them. Don¡¯t worry and wait for us." "¡­Uh, be careful." "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m nning to do just that. Do you remember the closebat skills we practiced recently? It would be good to recall them for the real deal." "¡­Yes." "Alright, let¡¯s go then." At that moment, excluding Rand, the mutants activated their optical devices and disappeared toward Harvard University. Leaving that scene behind, the rest of us started moving toward the southwestern area where the football stadiums and other fields were located, making it easier for the transport tond. It was just four minutes ago that the mutants had crushed the allied forces. Chapter 745 "Damn, they¡¯ve scattered so much. Don¡¯t these bastards know basic tactics? Didn¡¯t we tell them to gather at the Cambridge Public Library within 20 minutes afternding?" "Please bear with us, Colonel Borsuk. It was unavoidable given that only the less experienced soldiers participated in the operation. We must take into ount that this is their first airborne operation on foreign soil." "Don¡¯t make excuses. The 173rd Reconnaissance Regiment and the 137th Airborne Regiment haven¡¯t reported in. Do you know what the 731st Communications Regiment transmitted three minutes ago? They said half of the ten BMD-4M vehicles scheduled for deployment need towing!" "We¡¯ll quickly gather all the power we can within the current connection." "Of course, you better do that. If you want to feel firsthand how short my patience is, I suggest you do it fast." Around 3 AM, east of Boston in Cambridge. More than a thousand Russian airborne soldiers were falling from the sky in disarray. Unsurprisingly, none of them held American passports. And, unsurprisingly, it didn¡¯t go well. Despite multiple rehearsals, you never know what¡¯s going to happen in realbat. With no proper training, only minimal education had been provided to the airborne troops before they were sent to Boston. The result was this horrific mess. The mid-level officers, unaware of the true situation, thought this was just part of the "purge" and simply saw it as another aspect of bureaucratic mismanagement. Of course, even if this wasn¡¯t a purge, the situation wasn¡¯t much different. After only basic theoretical training, they were sent to carry out their first airborne mission in a foreign country. What did they expect to happen? To make matters worse, the night-time airborne operation wasn¡¯t even being conducted in an area with open ground for a propernding, but rather in a city full of buildings, like chocte chips scattered across a cookie. In a situation that only increased the difficulty of the operation, ack of skill led to the predictable result. "...The 173rd Reconnaissance Regiment has engaged. Two seriously injured and one dead due to difficulties with terrain obstacles during the drop. The 137th Airborne Regiment reported that one of the BMD-4M vehicles was severely damaged, and all three crew members inside are dead..." "These fucking idiots, what the hell were they doing before the operation even started!?" Crash! The temporarymand center''s phone made a loud noise as it mmed onto the floor and broke, while the staff tried their best to ignore Colonel Borsuk''s fury, focusing on reporting the critical information they needed to confirm. The reason for his anger was manyfold. The main reason, of course, was the blunders made by the airborne division that had only been causing trouble since the operation began. But there was another reason. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the Chinese Paratrooper Corps, particrly the elite Thunderstrike Special Forces, might be watching from another location, seeing the disastrous situation unfold. "How is this mess going to look to the Allied Military Commandter on? We haven¡¯t even officially begun the operation, and this is the result! If this keeps up, everyone will know what will happen during the major counteroffensive in September, even dogs walking by!" "Please calm down, Colonel. Once the operation¡¯s over, we can hold the brigademanders ountable." "Unbelievable. It¡¯s not even a full brigade, it¡¯s just a brigade¡¯s name tag pped on, and we sent them as a vanguard, but the actual force is no more than a battalion. What the hell was General Alexei expecting?" The familiar anti-American slogan. Two countries, openly anti-American, had joined forces for this very purpose, but this hardly meant they were allies. It was obvious. Unlike Russia, which had lost much of its former glory, China was a power in its own right. The wounded pride of a beast is often more dangerous. For that reason, Russia didn¡¯t want to be underestimated by China, and this sentiment was shared by most of the Russian military. However, of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. Colonel Borsuk felt as if the mockingughter of foreign generals echoed in his ears. It was a situation difficult to ept both as a soldier and as a Russian. Despite the rising volume of his voice, the moment he gave the orders, his subordinates moved swiftly. As the information started to umte and the data on where the airborne troops hadnded was plotted on the map, the broader picture began to form. As expected, it wasn¡¯t optimistic. What was certain was that the airborne forces had spread out much wider than expected, making it even harder to regroup the forces. And then¡ª "...Why is there no report from the 173rd Reconnaissance Regiment? Didn¡¯t we order them to establish a foothold near Harvard University? The enemy''snding zone is nearby. It should have been reported by now." "We¡¯re looking into it. The reconnaissance drone is up, gathering information." "No need for pointless spections. I¡¯ll handle this myself. I¡¯ll give you three minutes." A sharp warning. Yet, the conversation continued. "Why don¡¯t they realize that the enemy can turn Boston to ashes just like we did? I¡¯m the only one in a hurry here, am I?" "We¡¯ll try our best." How much time had passed? The speaker, synchronized with themunication system, continued to ring. The flustered reconnaissancemander quickly continued his briefing, and finally, Colonel Borsuk¡¯s anger began to subside. It was because themander had started delivering the analysis data regarding the transport ne that had crashed near Harvard University. It didn¡¯t take long for further orders toe. Colonel Borsuk knew who had arrived here. The Icarus Operators. The best operators in the world, holding powers that could only be described as science itself. If not now, he might never get the chance. With that thought, he immediately issued a search order. Logically, no matter how advanced the technology, traces left behind while moving could never bepletely erased. Although it was night and it would have been impossible to track every single step, Colonel Borsuk didn¡¯t expect to follow footprints or anything like that. But the Russian airborne forces weren¡¯t without thermal or infrared sensors. Additionally, there were no clouds in the sky tonight, and the moonlight was bright. It was impossible to move without leaving a trace in the shadows, and if around ten men moved at the same time, they would inevitably be detected. That¡¯s what he thought. It seemed like the reasonable conclusion. But there was one difference. The enemy the Russian airborne forces were facing was far from ordinary. ¡ªClick! "¡­What¡¯s this?" "It seems we¡¯ve temporarily lost contact with the 173rd Reconnaissance Regiment. Themunication device seems to have malfunctioned. We¡¯ll reconnect." "No need for that. The orders have been given, and themander is aware of them, so they¡¯ll move quickly from here on out. I went to the frontlines myself, so I won¡¯t tolerate this from my subordinates." "We¡¯ll contact the other airborne regiments." "The BMD-4M from the 137th Airborne Regiment was flipped over, right? Send a few tow trucks. The longer we dy, the worse the situation will get." Themunication cut off abruptly. However, Colonel Borsuk didn¡¯t think much of it. It had been connected once, and a warning had been issued. If they didn¡¯t follow the orders properly, he¡¯d deal with themter. At least, he thought, he didn¡¯t need to interfere with the small details, and if it were any other day, that might have been the correct approach. But the enemy was the Dagger team. Beyond the brokenmunication, themand center had no idea what bloodbath was unfolding.
    • "We can¡¯t get a connection! The internal circuits arepletely fried!"
    • "Damn, damn it! What the hell is going on¡­ Aaah!"
    • "There¡¯s a demon, a demon! We¡¯re being ughtered by invisible enemies, aaah¡­!"
    • "Well, this is a fun night, isn¡¯t it, everyone? I hope thisst American visit is enjoyable for you¡­ though, even if it isn¡¯t, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it."
    Flickering shadows were ughtering everyone in the temporarily establishedmand center. As if bullets were a waste, the air shimmered faintly, and when a blurry de embedded itself into the back of a neck, a human body fell to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. That wasn¡¯t the end, though. Suddenly, some had their limbs, arms, or heads chopped offpletely. The sight was something that could only be described as out of a horrific horror movie. But the assault on the 173rd Reconnaissance Regiment, which had taken position at Harvard University, wasn¡¯t being carried out by demons, nightmares, or ghosts. With a sizzling sound, two figures with milk-white hair, drenched in blood, appeared out of nowhere in mid-air, holding tactical tomahawks or daggers, dripping with blood. One had a sharp expression, while the other wore a distinct smile. As soon as the two figures disappeared from view, the same process was repeated. How much time passed? In the now quiet interior of Harvard University, a female voice echoed. "See, relying solely on Icarus Gear isn¡¯t always the answer. These guys are still stuck in the past, holding onto outdated maps and codes, which makes the situation so much easier." "You¡¯ve done a great job noting which airborne regiments were deployed where. Most of the map is soaked in blood, but it¡¯s still readable." "Exactly. The little wolf has the cognitive filters set to maximum. We never know how many more times we¡¯ll have to do this..." "¡­The pulse scan isplete. As of now, it seems like about two squads worth of enemy soldiers are dropping into the Harvard University sportsplex." "It was a good thing we moved towards the Harvard Law School area. The wide open fields there would be a perfectnding zone, and we moved out just in time. If we hadn¡¯t, we could¡¯ve been trapped." "After checking, the mutants seem to be showing better movement than expected. Considering the uniforms, race, and skeleton structure, it seems more likely they¡¯re from China." "Interesting." A brief silence passed. Owens was busy analyzing the data collected by the mutants as they moved around. It made it easier for them to assess the situation. The mutants had been roaming around, taking both lives and intelligence, which allowed them to quickly figure out the identities of the forces deployed around Boston and also ess themunicationwork. The Icarus Gear immediately tranted any Russian or Chinese that passed through themunicationwork and stored the important data separately, which allowed Owens¡¯ team to easily identify the enemy. Owens spoke: "These guys are from the Thunderstrike Special Forces of the Chinese People''s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF). It looks like no more than one battalion has been deployed, although the brigade itself isn¡¯trge. But, unlike the Russians who deployed at least one full regiment, China¡¯s got fewer troops involved." "Even though there aren''t many people in Boston, the number of troops deployed for the purpose of establishing a beachhead or full-scale war is too small¡­ Sending a whole airborne team just to deal with the Dagger team seems excessive. What do you think?" "Probably a mix of both. Don¡¯t worry about it. The important thing is to leave here safely¡­ In situations like this, it¡¯s better to focus on what the enemy is carrying." Even without binocrs or a telescope, it didn¡¯t matter. The Icarus Gear¡¯s lenses could be magnified to whatever level the user needed, and it would also disy what kind of weaponry and armor the enemy was wearing. Owens'' team quickly realized that the enemy still hadn¡¯t deployed any man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS). "¡­We¡¯re not sure if they haven¡¯t deployed them yet, or if they¡¯re just hiding them, but we¡¯ll need to check more thoroughly to be sure." "What are you nning to do?" "Nothing we can do. We¡¯ll have to gather data as we go. I¡¯m not sure what tactical equipment we have at our disposal right now¡­" "The reconnaissance drone Rand deployed got destroyed during the missile interception, but we have about two sniper drones still operational. Considering the enemy doesn¡¯t have proper air defense, now¡¯s the best time." "Now, that¡¯s the kind of good news I was hoping for." A brief silence followed, then a metallic click. At that moment, the Eagle Team ced the thick tform they had been carrying on their backs onto the ground. When they raised their palms, small concentric circles spread out, apanied by the mechanical assembly soundsing from inside. As the device unfolded, two drones, eachrger than a person¡¯s torso, slowly floated into the air. "Ho 1, Ho 2. Deploymentplete. These are sniper drones with .50 caliber rounds. They also have optical tracking capabilities." "Good. The mutants seem busy up there, but we can¡¯t just rest. We¡¯ll clean up the escape route, so let¡¯s do what we can. One of the drones will focus on reconnaissance, and the other will provide fire support." "At Harvard Stadium, about 20 enemy soldiers have been spotted. We¡¯re checking to see if anyone¡¯s missing." "Good, let¡¯s move. Eagle Team, I¡¯ll leave the drone operations and the protection of the pilots and mission officers to you." "Be careful, my ground dog friends. We¡¯ll help you as much as we can." "The army can¡¯t do anything without the air force. You can count on us." With a swish! At that moment, the entire Delta EX team stood up. There were only three of them: Antoni Owens, Anton Morrison, and William Chester, but hidden behind the mutants'' strength, these three also had formidable firepower. The Dagger team, which had carefully emerged from a church near Harvard Law School, crossed North Harvard Street, moving past the gymnasium, and carefully entered the towering Harvard Stadium. As expected, everyone knew when airborne troops were at their most vulnerable. Now, the Dagger team, having justnded, nned to obliterate the enemy airborne forces that were scrambling to distribute supplies and seize the surrounding area. It didn¡¯t take long for the Dagger team to sneak into the center of the stadium and ce their crosshairs on an enemy battalion that was busy dividing firearms and packing parachutes. Then¡ª@@novelbin@@ "Deploying the pulse. EMP discharge." "Identified the squad leader and deputy squad leader. These guys are focusing on their legs. We¡¯ll have to ask them a few questions." "Ugh, that guy just got hit by a .50 caliber..." With a subdued firing sound, the enemy soldiers, who had been grouped together in the stadium, fell to the ground like autumn leaves. Since they were in the middle of distributing firearms, the enemy soldiers were too easily overwhelmed. Despite being elite airborne troops, they dropped like ragdolls. Themander in charge of the squad hurriedly shouted into the radio, but the circuits inside the radio had long since burned out. Amidst the shattered and broken bodies of their own troops, those who were desperately holding onto their shins, barely keeping their legs from giving out, groaned in pain. The Dagger team deactivated the optical tracking devices and took out bandages and medical nanomachines as they disyed their best Chinesenguage skills. "Ugh¡­ Aah!" "Wee to your American tour, as an American representative. It seems you don¡¯t have a passport, so if you don¡¯t want to be sent straight to heaven, you better start talking about the information you have." "I don¡¯t care if you refuse, but in a minute, you might be begging me to end it for you." With a subtle rustle, the matte-colored tactical knife slowly emerged. When its form was briefly illuminated by the moonlight, the remaining survivors of the Dagger team who had been spared began to lose all will to fight. It was truly a quintessential American greeting. Chapter 746 "These are situations beyond expectations. The body cams aren''t even picking them up...!" "What do you mean? Are the enemies ghosts or something?" "Wherever they step, our electronics are malfunctioning! If we don''t have another way to deal with this, we can''t respond!" "Hmm¡­!" 1,500 kilometers northeast of Boston, Newfounnd Ind, Saint John¡¯s International Airport. Inside themand center, where only the Allied highmand and senior generals can enter, therge screen disyed¡­ a rather undesirable scene. The real-time chaos being disyed on the screen was overwhelming. However, what was even more frightening was that, despite this, the enemy still could not be seen clearly. They were physically present and moving, but invisible, not even visible on the screen. In order to gather data on the Icarus operators, soldiers who were mentally or ideologically "slightly impure" had been assigned, and while the result was expected, actually witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different matter. The reasons weren''t just that, though. Even if people were killed, if the data could be gathered properly, things would be different. But that wasn¡¯t the case. "Are they really ghosts¡­?" "The 71st Special Brigade Shark Team of the People''s Liberation Army Special Forces is reporting in! They¡¯re under attack by an unknown force!" "¡­This, this wasn¡¯t something we anticipated." The moment it was said that it was unanticipated, it could already be considered a failure, but there was no one around to point that out or to realize it. No one had prepared any contingency ns. If at least an evacuation n had been properly set up or a contingency protocol for emergencies had been established, things might have turned out better, but by the time they were imagining those "what-ifs," everyone knew what that implied. At that point, everything had already gone off course. After all, the forces had been specially assembled for the purpose of being sacrificed. There was no rescue mission in ce. The airborne forces were supposed to solve this on their own. No backup, no response. Only traditional analysis and countermeasures were being discussed. "¡­As of now, it appears that the enemy special forces at least possess optical camouge and jamming capabilities. We don¡¯t know how it manifests, but¡­" "Could they be attacking using BMD-4Ms?" "Currently, half of the 10 armored vehicles we¡¯ve deployed need towing, but I believe we can still achieve good results if we deploy the remaining vehicles properly." "Considering the fact that we still have Colonel Borzouk¡¯s head intact, we know that survival chances are higher when we gather around the armored vehicles. And since the enemy operator is human, they can¡¯t beat the armored vehicles." There was no disagreement with this statement. It wasn''t about being yes-men; it was the truth. Any special forces, no matter how heavily armed with explosives like grenades and guns, would have to think the same way. Themand staff knew that it was only logical. Even with special capabilities, human limits couldn''t be ovee. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to capture the enemy operator with the help of armored vehicles. With vehicles carrying heavy weapons such as a 100mm low-pressure gun, a 30mm cannon, and a 7.62mm machine gun, half of the 10 armored vehicles could still be used. Though there had been some minor losses, it seemed like they would still aplish their goal. But how much time had passed? ---KRRSSHHH! With a loud sound, a thermite charge was attached to the side of one of the armored vehicles, where three crew members were aboard. An enormous explosion ensued, and molten metal sttered everywhere. The intense heat that engulfed the vehicle turned the crew members inside to ash, their horrifying screams tearing through the metal. As the screen disyed the sight of charred corpses and the remains of soldiers, no one could speak another word. "¡­" The one thing the Allied forces knew for sure was this: The enemy operator possessedbat equipment capable of neutralizing armored vehicles with the strength to withstand .50 caliber rounds. The operation had once again gone awry. Judging from the size of the thermite charge used, it wasn¡¯t particrlyrge. Yet the firepower topletely burn through the armor of the vehicle was something that hadn¡¯t been anticipated. They had poured resources into gathering enemy data, but the paradox was that the information they could retrieve was absurdly little for the lives they had lost. How could an operative have this level ofbat strength? The personnel in themand center couldn¡¯t fathom the reason behind this. "What, what is this?" Perhaps it wasn¡¯t impossible. Russia, or perhaps China, had known for at least 20 years that a certain portion of the U.S. annual budget would vanish in some manner without Congress even passing it. However, very few knew that this money was being funneled into the development of the Icarus Gear. Even those who did know were unable to share this information. Surprisingly, even Artemis had delivered only part of the catalog data. This could not have been otherwise. It was extremely rare for short-term high-skilled units to overturn the results of localized battles and ultimately lead to victory on arge-scale battlefield¡ªboth historically and in the present. Especially now. "¡­What do we do now?" "¡­" No one could provide an answer. However, after some time, the silence turned to coldness, and the generals who hadpletely shifted their thought processes decided to take a more macro approach rather than reacting to the worsening situation. The operation would continue. Regardless of how many forces were lost, they would gather data on the Icarus Operators. For that, they could afford to talk about false reinforcements or retreat ns. When Generals Ryu Chuan and Aleksei both nodded in agreement, the staff members got busy again. The conversation continued. "The 71st Special Brigade Thunderstrike team will withdraw. They¡¯re too valuable to lose, and if they return alive, they will provide critical information." "We¡¯ve got tens of thousands of Russian airborne forces deployed in Boston, isn¡¯t it a waste to discard them?" "The transport nes are turning back. Logan International Airport is 8 kilometers to the east of the operation area. We¡¯ll make that our extraction zone." "Are you sure aboutnding in a ce with no guiding lights? Isn¡¯t that too reckless?" "Landing is the pilot¡¯s responsibility." This meant that if they couldn¡¯tnd, the extraction would be difficult. Aleksei had a firm resolve, and hisposure was unshaken. He had already made up his mind. Ryu Chuan nodded with a grim expression, and the staff members hurriedly began making calls again, while on the screen, only simr scenes continued to appear. It looked like a fragmented space, as if the darkness hadpletely covered Boston. ¡ªRRRAAAK! "Demons are here! Help¡­!" ---THUD, THUD, THUD! Soldiers, terrified, started shooting at the empty air. But nothing hit. Yet, whenever a shot didnd, a white energy field shimmered in the air. The moment the bullet made contact, the enemy would vanish instantly. They were invisible, yet even when shot, they didn¡¯t seem to take damage. With strength and agility that far surpassed human limits. The situation was contradictory. They had shown so little, yet they made it clear that more preparation was needed. Perhaps every time they appeared, they would need to prepare ballistic missiles. But... ¡®...Realistically, that''s impossible.¡¯ Once a missile is fired, there¡¯s no turning back. And if the missile base was discovered, that would create a problem of its own. The enemy had invaded America, and if their missile base was attacked, it would result in irreversible losses. At least, until the remaining aircraft carrier could arrive, they would have to continue bearing the threat. And that could only be expected to happen by next year. "I¡¯ve heard it said that to catch a demon, you must be a demon yourself." "¡­" "Given that we''re the invading force, the Allies are now on an unstable foundation that can shake at any time. We should be thinking about self-sustainability rather than waiting for support from our homnd." "What do you mean?" "At a distance like this, we need soldiers who can withstand the enemy¡¯s onught. Just like them." Before Ryu Chuan could voice his frustration, the words were stuck in his throat. He had recentlymitted a simr act himself. He closed his mouth and waited patiently as Aleksei added: "Thanks to Artemis¡¯ modification data, we have a foundation in ce. We¡¯ll need many resources and facilities, but we¡¯ll have to proceed if necessary. We¡¯ve got the evidence for the start of the Hunter project." "Hunter project?" "Like I said, to catch a demon, we must create one. If I were to borrow the Americans¡¯ terminology, we should call it ''Hunter''." Click. He pulled out a device from his pocket and pressed it. It was smooth and without hesitation, as if it had been prepared long ago. The conversation continued. "It¡¯s better to take more risks to capture the Icarus Operators than to continue as we are." There was no answer. No one knew what kind of result this would bring. "¡­They¡¯re detecting something! It¡¯s almost 150km from Boston!!" "The enemyunched two new ballistic missiles that aren¡¯t even visible on the S-500 radar! We¡¯ll try to intercept them, but we might not make it in time!" On the other side, about 150 kilometers north of Boston in Pornd, Maine. The soldiers operating the S-500 missile interception systems were startled and immediately began responding. The night in Boston was far from over. "Dangso Dagger Team, we''ve currently blocked the Anderson Memorial Bridge and are continuing to engage the enemiesing over the bridge! It seems we can''t stay here any longer! Where are you now!?" - Photon 2-1 and 2-2, one shotgun missile, and one airspace suppression ballistic missile are en route to Boston. The first missile will detonate, releasing arge amount of chaff and EMP. "So when will we get there, damn it!" - We''re scheduled tond at Murray Field, about 2km from the area in 5 minutes. Get out of the area immediately. Boston is going to be a sea of ??fire. "What the hell, are you kidding me, 2km in 5 minutes!?" - We''re going to wait until everyone gets on board, so don''t worry. "Fuck... Everyone get on the elevator! As of now, we''re abandoning our designated location and heading to Murray Field! Set a waypoint!" Jjing! As if it was pre-determined, the entire Dagger team, except for the minimum number of mutants needed for suppressive fire and enemy killing, installed the ropes installed on the wall in advance and descended. The pilot and Land, who did not have separate ascenders, went down together on the ascender under the guidance of Olivia and Eugene, and Logan and Laurentina, who installed all the spare turrets on the rooftop, followed them. The endless explosions reverberating from the rooftop, the Ho sniper drones operating in autonomous-kill mode and firing .50 caliber rounds at the darkened sky until they ran out of ammunition. And what was even more fortunate was that the lower part of Boston was a paradise of trash and abandoned cars, in other words, a ce for cover. ©¤©¤©¤Toodoodoodo! "Ha, you''re already here! Pulse first!" "Olivia, join the fight! Eugene and I will go first with the pilot and Land!" "Yes. You''ll realize that you shouldn''t use cars as cover." Click, eeeeeeing! Olivia, who didn''t care about the bullets that flew in and bounced off from about a hundred meters behind her, searched through her pouch, and a light orange-glowing seeker mine instantly crossed the uneven asphalt. How long had it been since then? A loud noise and a scream erupted from far away at the same time. The moment the sh slowly rose into the air for half a beat, a burned and crushed corpse was censored once by the cognitive filter. It wasn''t just one person, but many. It was because a single mine split into multiple stages and spread in all directions. The moment the mine exploded under a half-destroyed vehicle, the car folded in half and exploded. The road was naturally blocked by the explosion, but it didn''t end there. "There! There''s someone moving over there- bang!" "Popov-!" "Bullets are flying from the darkness! Damn it!" The moment the pulse burst out at the start of the engagement and covered the entire road, the enemy''s movements were clearly visible. It was a golden silhouette that would not disappear until life ceased. Olivia aimed at it. The moment she, a master marksman like no other in this world, raised her gun and brought the enemy into the crosshairs, a single head waspletely vaporized with a thud. In the meantime, two pilots and one operations officer were moving to Murray Baseball Field, and hundreds of airborne troops were being ughtered one-sidedly by less than ten troops. And although the Dagger Team did not know, the airborne troops were not in a good situation either. - I, I can''t go in! Do you know who''s over there!? The entire battalion was swept away because of those guys... ! - Are you going to disobey? Move! Move! If you disobey the order, you will be executed immediately! -Ugh, ugh, ugh-! The front line, which was literally being torn apart, was showing the peak of military disorganization. Boston, which was less shy than New York, but was the wealthiest and most splendid city of all, and had the best infrastructure for students. The soldiers wanted to deny their fate of being torn apart as soon as theynded there, and there was only one result. In any case, it was a good thing for the Dagger team. In a situation where there was a quasi-mutiny on the front line, they were already running at a speed that transcended humans and were heading to a ce that was only a hundred or so meters away from the baseball field. And how much time had passed? A single ballistic missile that had flown in from far away exploded over Boston. ©¤©¤©¤Keeeeeeeeing! "Set the station on the transport ne! If this breaks down, we''re all going to die here!" "Ugh, what the hell is going on¡­!" "Land! Get inside! Don''t look up at the sky!" The EMP first destroyed all of Boston, and arge amount of chaff slowly fluttered in the air. At that moment, another missile flew in from the north, staggering and twisting in an odd direction, then crashing into the ground with a dull explosion. A pulse-like sound was heard, and the Dagger team lowered their guns as if they didn''t even need to identify their friends and added to the mutants who arrivedte. "It''ste to say this, but... this is an unexpected journey." "What can we do? Let''s get on quickly. If we stay any longer, the youngest wolf will probably have a nervous breakdown." "...Oh, no. It''s not that bad." "Then that''s fortunate." ©¤©¤©¤Toodoodoodoodo! However, the situation was not good at all, and gunfire continued to be heard from far away. Olivia knew the location of the enemies with her highly developed eyesight, Eugene with his vibrations, Laurentina and Logan with their sixth sense, and Land with the constant smell of gunpowder and human scents wafting from the surroundings. As the Dagger team boarded Photon 2-1 and 2-2, a huge noise was heard from the other side. And- "What the hell, here we go!" "Cover your ears, miniguns are firing!" "Damn it, rocketunchers! Shoot! Shoot!" Baaaaaaaaaah! With a deafening roar, the .50 caliber miniguns pulverized buildings and trees. , the engine sound so powerful that it pushed the ground and lifted the multi-ton body straight up from the ground. The precise fire of the Dagger Team, which had already surpassed human perception, intercepted the unguided rockets and 40mm grenades that began to fly in from all directions, and the ckened baseball field floor was torn apart and scattered. The moment the tiltjet engine tilted and the aircraft rose up, elerating to hundreds of kilometers per hour in an instant, the sound of bullets colliding and crushing could be heard from various parts of the transport aircraft. And how long had it been since then, when hundreds of enemy airborne troops gathered nearby and looked at the scene with nk expressions. "...Wait a minute. What the-" Thud! Another missile that hade a beatter separated into dozens of submunitions, and at that moment, falling from west to east of Boston, There was light. It was a light that swallowed everything. "...As expected, I thought so. This ending feels like something I''ve seen somewhere." "If every dispatch ends like this, there won''t be any cities left intact after the war. I''m going crazy..." "...Is this right?"@@novelbin@@ "Let''s think of good things as good things, huh..." Meanwhile, Team Dagger barely escaped the st radius. Beyond Brooklyn and the Bronx, they destroyed a city again today. That was the current situation. Chapter 747 "I never thought I¡¯de back alive... but this...¡± "There''s no way that would happen. We don¡¯t fail over a disadvantage like that." "Is our young wolf okay? He looks mentally exhausted, to say the least." "...No, the situation was just a bit of a shock, that''s all." Early August, Central Park HQ. In the early hours, just an hour after the mission started, several operators from twote-arriving transport nes stumbled out, looking exhausted. The scent of gunpowder clung to their bodies, and oddly, there was little smell of sweat. The operation itself hadn¡¯tsted long enough for that. Even Rand felt the same way. Pushing aside the lingering sense of regret, Rand struggled to step out of the transport ne. She hadn¡¯t expected the air in Central Park to feel so refreshing. While letting out a deep breath, grateful for life itself, the Dagger Team wiped away the sweat that started to flowte. Moreover, if there was a silver lining, it was that the mission wasn¡¯t a failure. The Icarus Gear contained data on Jordan Amherst, which wouldter be confirmed and safely discarded. Knowing this, the Dagger Team ruffled Rand¡¯s hair and added: "Good job. The situation was tough, but you kept up well." "...It¡¯s all thanks to everyone. I¡¯m grateful for your help." "At least you didn¡¯t have to shoot anyone. It¡¯s an experience you have to go through if you really n to be an operator, but that¡¯s not the important part." "..." "Alright, let¡¯s have a snack while we debrief. Youe along too, young wolf." "Could we stop using the word ''snack''...?" Of course, it had no effect. The pilots of Photon 1, who had been transporting the Dagger Team all over, briefly greeted them before trudging off to their quarters. The Dagger Team, leaving behind some fatigue, headed toward the briefing room. The team, cing their rifles slowly on the floor and tossing their gear with a thud, sat down in the chairs. Some of the mutated members, excluding Eugene, outrighty down on the floor, but no one stopped them. After all, it was the mutants who had participated in the densest firefights. Owens, wiping the young member¡¯s face¡ªstill marked with blood from the battle¡ªadded: "Good work, Eugene. How did it go?" "...It was tough. But I don¡¯t think I caused too much trouble." "As long as you didn¡¯t get your ankle caught, that¡¯s fine. Honestly, when you can shoot the enemy, shooting them is the best option. We had no choice but to use melee weapons because there were just too many enemies." "Getting used to it, I guess. Reviewing is important, but sometimes it¡¯s not necessary." "Seems like you¡¯re getting used to shooting. At that point, I think it¡¯s fine." Over time, Eugene¡¯s body began to exude the scent of a skilled operator. Countless battles and the presence of a good instructor had transformed her into a true operator, and now, she was someone anyone would recognize as someone who handles a gun well. She was fully aware that she had killed someone, but at the same time, she was concerned about the cleaning of her gun. Another victim of the post-apocalypse was right there. But, as always, Theck ofpassion and the lost past could always be filled with more love and affection. And for the Dagger Team, love and affection came in the form of physical contact. "How about a hug for our little wolf? It¡¯s been a while, after all." "Huh? Wait... Uwah!" "Doesn¡¯t it remind you of when we went to Grand Central Terminal? Back then, it was just me and the shark." "No, there are other people around..." Of course, Olivia''s maternal instincts didn¡¯t work on her. At this point, Eugene was once again enveloped by something warm, even overwhelming, as if the whole world was melting away. She had a look on her face like everything was dissolving into the warmth. The men, including Owens, didn¡¯t pay it much mind and continued their conversation, while Laurentina gave Rand an odd look. "Are you interested too, Wolf?" "...Isn¡¯t that harassment?" "Really? Well then, I won¡¯t ask again next time¡ª" "I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­ maybe, like, reservations or something..." "Bzzzzt." At that moment, Rand lowered her head with a look of despair, her ears drooping. Meanwhile, Laurentina shifted her gaze slyly to Logan, who reddened and looked ready to punch someone. It was harassment, of course, but Laurentina herself had undergone physical changes, making it a joke that only worked because of that. It was a kind of self-destructive humor. Of course, Laurentina had adapted, but Logan hadn¡¯t, which was why it worked. The joke ended there. With a sigh, the Dagger Team sat back in their chairs, checking the reconnaissance photos of Boston, which had been half-destroyed by a missile strike. "So... those bastards have finally set foot in America. Maine and Boston, first, huh?" "From the results of the enemy¡¯smunication interception, theirmand structure isn¡¯t much different from what we anticipated, but when we checked with recon, the troop size was a bit too small to be a full brigade. Something¡¯s off here." "Also, the situation itself was aplete mess. There were hardly any coherent soldiers. For airborne troops, they were unbelievably dumb." "Tell me about it." "...Was that moving around like idiots?" It was a remark Rand didn¡¯t quite understand, but if the Dagger Team said so, maybe that was the case. She thought back to the firefight that had urred just an hour ago. In fact, it was hard to even call it a firefight, as she hadn¡¯t directly participated, but she¡¯d learned a lot. There wasn¡¯t enough space to say everything, but one thing was clear: Operations could spiral out of control in the blink of an eye or head in unexpected directions. But that was just one of the key lessons learned during the operation. The most important fact HQ was focused on¡ªthe one the Dagger Team had mentioned earlier¡ªwas that the enemy had finallynded in the northeastern U.S. The Dagger Team had seen the Y-20 transport nes and observed the paratroopers dropping in from there. Of course, the paratrooper deployment wasn¡¯t perfect, but that wasn¡¯t the issue.@@novelbin@@ The U.S. had been invaded. "I¡¯m not sure where they¡¯re based, but wouldn¡¯t the transport ne tracks show up on radar near Boston?" "They might not have had the capacity. Even thetest surface-to-air missiles have a range of about 250km. That¡¯s not enough to reach Boston. Plus, short-range surface-to-air missile deployment along the coastline isn¡¯t finished yet." "That¡¯s annoying." A brief silence. "Looks like the alliance is targeting the northeastern U.S. for an attack. Was there any formal deration of war, or... no, nothing like that. I guess not." "Shouldn¡¯t we stop them? Do we have any forces capable of moving north?" "Not many. The problem is that the army, navy, and air force are all scattered around the U.S. The only thing moving is the 12th Carrier Battle Group under the 2nd Fleet." "Speaking of which, it would¡¯ve been easier if those guys helped. Are they still not ready?" "Do you think a carrier battle group can just move like that? For the army, one carrier battle group is equivalent to a corps. It¡¯s made up of a division-sized air wing, one air defense cruiser, and four destroyers." "...Alright, alright. I get it. You really know your stuff." Surprisingly, despite everything proceeding smoothly, aligning the timeline was difficult. That fact alone showed just how severely the U.S.¡¯s capabilities had been degraded. But in this kind of situation, it was business as usual. No one here was unaware that getting this far was nothing short of a miracle. But that was just the beginning of the great war. The real battle started now. Defeat would mean destruction, and the U.S. would face unimaginable pain for a long time. If there had been more time, could they have prepared enough? Anyone asked that question wouldn¡¯t be able to answer affirmatively. But if they were asked if the oue could have been different with more time... that was uncertain as well. They weren¡¯t ignorant of that. And through this event, Rand truly understood why the Dagger Team had made such a suggestion. At least to survive the extreme conditions ahead, they needed to be prepared, both mentally and physically. This was just a vination. She opened her mouth. "...Well, this might sound a bit weird..." "Hmm?" "When¡¯s the next operation?" "Could you just give me the gear first...?" "You¡¯ve been thinking like this? Well, done well. How about we y a bit more until the sunes up?" "Kyaaah-!" Of course, she cursed herself for saying that less than 15 minutester. It was just another day. "Finally, the second Icarus operators have been born. Looks like we¡¯ve got some strong contenders here. I wonder if they¡¯ll suffer the same way we did from the gear." "That¡¯s unlikely. Since we were the test subjects providing data, they probably stabilized in just a day or two." "That¡¯s something I¡¯m enviously upset about. Anyway, see youter. Now, we have to divide the task force personnel for interviews, right?" A day passes, then two. As HQ was busy analyzing the data on Jordan Amherst that the Dagger Team had brought in, Central Park was busy in another way. Running the shell of the U.S. government was a necessary task. Meanwhile, the Dagger Team had a lot to do. Despite nearly experiencing a catastrophe in Boston, they had a lot of work ahead of them. They had been tasked with setting up the new Icarus Task Force. Task force members from the Dagger Unit were searching for suitable personnel for the strike team. The Icarus Task Force¡¯s Eagle Team members were looking for suitable personnel for the reconnaissance team. Of course, besides that, meeting the new operators joining was necessary. Having already traveled all over the U.S. to observe how the task forces operated, it was now the advance team¡¯s duty to inform the neers. And how much time had passed? Olivia opened the door and entered the room. "By the looks on your faces, I assume the Icarus Gear was sessfully imnted. Wee. I¡¯m Olivia from the Dagger Team." "Nice to meet you. Carmen Johansson Mitchell. I¡¯m a First Sergeant with the 75th Ranger Regiment, directmand reconnaissancepany (RRC). If wepare rank or age, we might be simr, but... damn, I wish I were younger." "Who said anything about being younger, you old man." At that moment, Rand and Eugene exchanged nces behind them. As always, there were no operators in special forces without unique personalities. Carmen looked at the two behind him. His gaze grew dim for a moment before clearing up. It wasn¡¯t that he had lost his mind, but rather, he was searching through his memories to match visual data. And after a while... "I imagine it wasn¡¯t easy carrying recruits around like this." "This furry one still has a long way to go, but you¡¯d be surprised if you knew what kind of operations this smooth one has nned. Even if she¡¯s a rookie, she¡¯s going to be a hell of an operator." "...She¡¯s been here for barely six months, and it¡¯s only been a little over three months since she became a trainee operator... Wait, should I have noticed that we¡¯ve been taking her along in missions all this time?" "Did you figure it out?" Pat pat. Nothing happened when Eugene¡¯s head was patted, but when Rand¡¯s hair was ruffled, it immediately began shedding. In an instant, the air purifier in the room turned from green to yellow, and while Rand shot a re at the other direction, Carmen chuckled and added: "Yeah. I can tell. She¡¯s a wolf. I think I understand why you brought her along." "If we raise her right, she¡¯ll be an irreceable asset in the reconnaissance team. Maybe you and I will end up taking care of her, so how about we make nice first?" "Can we not just back off for now? That little tail-wagging kid has already started to take shape, so I guess that¡¯s okay, but carving a marble in these rough times is just too much." "Oh my, you¡¯re making the others ufortable." Anyway, the introduction of the new trainees ended there. As Eugene and Rand quietly left, Olivia and Carmen sat down at the table and began to talk about various things. First, the topic was about the operation team leader when Olivia and the Eagle Team wouldter branch out to form a separate task force¡ªthere were no objections to this part. It was because of the directive from HQ. "It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t have a mutant as the team leader. Honestly, with their expertise, they might be better suited." "Stop joking. The CCT and directmand reconnaissance units have slightly different codes of conduct and manuals." "If they weren¡¯t in the air force, their ranks would probably be about the same." "...Anyway, let¡¯s stop talking about that. We¡¯ve already long forgotten the usual standards for operators. You should understand why they can¡¯t take the team leader position." "Of course." A brief silence. With a slight sigh, the conversation continued. "I heard about what happened in Boston. The great war is almost upon us." "Yeah." "You probably already know, but after the immigrant issue we solved at Central Park, HQ¡¯s vignce has increased. You probably know better than anyone about preparations against a potential Icarus operator betrayal." "...Hmph." "Thanks to that, recruiting operators has be even harder. For the task force to be set up and operational, we need at least 10 people, but we¡¯ve only managed to gather three or four. We¡¯ll likely have to cooperate with the Dagger Team until everyone¡¯s here." At the same time, a heavy silence fell. After a while, Olivia spoke again. "It¡¯s going to be a long and hard road. Whether you spent time in the Ranger Regiment, 24th Special Tactics Battalion, The Unit, or DEVGRU... no matter where you¡¯ve been, you¡¯ll face situations far more taxing and diverse than anything before. Physically and mentally, you¡¯re going to face unimaginable hardships." "..." "But I guess that¡¯s fine with you?" "Of course. The time I¡¯ve endured has been for moments like this." "Yeah." She reached out, and Carmen took her hand. The words came. "Wee to the Icarus Operators." One by one, The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into ce. Chapter 748 "How the hell did things get this bad while I was gone, damn it?" "Didn''t you hear what happened in Boston? We nearly died there." "Alright, alright, I get it. You want something to eat?" "...Something sweet." Central Park HQ, early August. Overcast skies. Thick raindrops continuously pelted the rooftops of buildings scattered throughout Central Park. Most of the buildings were hastily constructed makeshift ones, and the majority of workers were busy fixing leaks and repairs in the pouring rain. Whenever it rained, HQ was always in a bit of a bind. Most of the structures were hastily built during the Omega Virus crisis. Moreover, it hadn¡¯t been long since they installed a proper drainage system, and because the park had been converted into the HQ, most of the ground was still muddy soil. However, despite all the difficulties, it was oddly picturesque in a way. The sound of raindrops, often referred to as white noise, made a calming sound as it hit the roof above the break room where Rand and Captain Parkwson were. Even though she had survived and received significant mental care from the Dagger Team, the anger and gunfire exposure from hundreds of enemies was not something easily shrugged off. Captain Parkwson was working hard to care for Rand¡¯s now-weakening mental state, albeit unintentionally. "Ahe on." "...How stupid do you think I am!?" "Quit whining and just eat something, damn it." Rustle. It wasn¡¯t the standard military rations, but instead, a rare chocte bar salvaged from a nearly emptied grocery store. Rand reluctantly epted the chocte bar after struggling to maintain her independence, eventually giving in. It wasn¡¯t the first time, and the mutants had always struggled with food. Though it was embarrassing, there was nothing she could do but blush and eat the treat. "Anyway, good job. I hear the alliance forces have finally set foot in America. You made it back somehow. And you still decided to show up in front of me... guess you¡¯ve made up your mind." "...Yeah, well, I couldn¡¯t exactly back out after saying I¡¯d do it." "Right, just as you said... some things, you just have to do. That¡¯s how it works." Silence. But Captain Parkwson, not really concerned, took out a brush. Unbeknownst to Rand, it was arge dog brush he had received from Laurentina. She buried her face deep in the pillow, trying to hide her expression, but as always, the wagging tail betrayed her emotions. As the brush made contact with her well-groomed fur, it made a soft sound as the fur was smoothed. The plush feeling indicated Rand took good care of herself. Or perhaps, she had been regrly brushed by the Dagger Team. "You sure do take good care of yourself." "...Well, there are people who care about my tail." "It''s not a body part most people have, huh? But I like it. I¡¯ve always been fond of animals... Hey, stop moving your tail while I¡¯m brushing it." "..." She didn¡¯t respond, but Captain Parkwson noticed her ears turning red. No one in the room was oblivious to the meaning of that. He, too, was not unaware. Captain Parkwson wasn¡¯t someonecking in social awareness. But as always, there were situations where the subtle atmosphere in the room was difficult to navigate. The main reason was that Rand had been a man until recently. ''It¡¯s hard to not care about that, but...'' But it wasn¡¯t something that weighed on him heavily. The reason was simple. Captain Parkwson didn¡¯t know what Rand¡¯s past was like, or specifically, what she looked like before. Of course, there might be a way to find out, but... It was almost impossible now. Aside from militaryworks or a few still-functioning servers, mostworks had sunk into the abyss, including the prisoner list from Riker Ind. It would probably be difficult to recover it, and by the time the infrastructure was restored, the storage devices would likely have decayed. Whether Rand knew or not, she nced to the side. She then opened her mouth. "...I know this might sound strange, but... can I ask something?" "Why are you worrying about it now?" "...Isn¡¯t it a bit awkward? The fact that I was originally a man..." "Now, really?" p! Captain Parkwson pped Rand¡¯s back with his palm,ughing. He couldn¡¯t help it. The fact that they had both thought of the same thing during a brief moment of silence was too funny. There was only one thing to say. "I don¡¯t know what you looked like before. Your mugshot is probably gone... not because of any amnesty, but because of the physical decay of the storage devices." "Physical decay...?" "Those hard drives containing your past information are probably going to rust away with time. You think we¡¯ll have the resources to invest in server repairs orwork rebuilding?" "..." "And..." Swish, swish. Only the sound of brushing filled the quiet room. "You¡¯re a good person. You always whine before starting something, but that¡¯s actually the typical response from most people... You always try to improve, so I respect that." "...It¡¯s not that grand." "Not everything has to have a grand reason. But even without grand reasons, you can still do meaningful things..." Swish, swish. But this time, it wasn¡¯t the sound of brushing. It was Captain Parkwson petting Rand¡¯s head. Normally, there wouldn¡¯t have been much of an age gap between them, but it didn¡¯t matter. Rand epted the gesture. She had learned a lot and realized she could trust this person... once again confirming that her choice wasn¡¯t wrong. And then¡ª "...I¡¯ve talked too much, but I¡¯m not going to care about who you were anymore. In a world where even surviving is hard, thinking about such things is too harsh, don¡¯t you think?" "..."@@novelbin@@ "You may find it hard to be honest with your emotions, but it¡¯s not unnatural. There have been plenty of things happening that science can¡¯t exin." "Well, I guess so..." "And besides... although she¡¯s not here anymore, I had a mutant squad leader once. And your senior was an anaconda. Do you think it¡¯s toote to ask if it bothers me to see you like this?" Rand didn¡¯t respond to that. She just buried her face deeper into the pillow, but Captain Parkwson knew what it meant. The wolf tail subtly covering his hand was an added bonus. After what felt like an eternity, Rand opened her mouth. "...Do you have any allergies to fur?" "How long have we been hanging around, and you¡¯re asking me that now?" Silence again. In the room, only the sound of brushing could be heard, like white noise. But Captain Parkwson, watching it, smiled faintly. ''...If anything happens with this little pup, I¡¯ll just end up ying the role of operations officer.'' Maybe it wasn¡¯t the right time to prepare to be an operator, but the world was still brutally unforgiving, and the great war was approaching. No one could guarantee that any wish woulde true, and that hope melted away with the countless raindrops. "The 7th Fleet lost about 15% of its strength, but with the help of the 15th Submarine Squadron, they sank two Borei-ss submarines and one Yasen-ss in the Bering Strait." "The Cyber Command and Virginia Naval Base really pulled something off. No, maybe more than that... I wonder if the enemy sailors who were sunk in the Bering Strait know that this all started with Snowball rolling in from New Haven." "Well, we can¡¯t ask the ones who died, can we? Just hope they understand." "Haha." Central Park HQ and the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Shortly after the president left Central Park for strategicmand and national governance, and not long after the Dagger Team scrambled out of Boston, The world was burning. Due to countless naval battles and theplete copse of separate maintenance efforts, the underwater cables that were abandoned renderedrge-scale data transmission impossible, yet some things still happened. The Sword Team sessfully captured two enemy strategic submarines near New Haven and headed straight for the Virginia Naval Base. Meanwhile, top experts in the U.S. military were meticulously analyzing enemy weaponry, down to millimeter-level detail. Among the most important findings were highly ssified data on Russian and Chinese nuclear missileunch codes, military satellites,munications with other submarines, and much more. The software secrets were the most critical, but the hardware secrets were the submarines themselves. "The hydrodynamic design of the submarines, sound-absorbing materials, vibration-absorbing mounts, decoys, and... even the secret screw data. Thanks to that, we can now track enemy nuclear subs as easily as looking at our palms." "With cavitation suppression devices, screw shapes, and screw control software... once we know the output and noise levels at specific depths, nuclear submarines are no longer a match." The disaster of revealing top-secret data. What happens when that falls into the hands of our forces on the front lines. Just a few days ago, the 7th Fleet¡¯s victory was proof of that. The disappearance of China¡¯s navy was one thing, but the ongoing battle between Russia¡¯s Pacific Fleet nuclear subs and the U.S. carrier battle groups. However, by that point, we had already gathered the submerged shipping routes and ocean current data used by Russian submarines in the Bering Strait, and the screw shapes of thetest nuclear subs were known. For the Allies, this was beyond a nightmare. "If those bastards screw up a few more times, it¡¯d be nice, but I guess we can¡¯t expect that. What a shame." "The submarines were captured, but no actions were taken, and that¡¯s how we ended up with this mess. At least this time, we can call it a screw-up." "That seems reasonable." It was essentially the start of World War III. Yet, even though it seemed like the U.S. was winning effortlessly, that was to be expected. The U.S. Navy had the power to dominate the world even without collecting data, but the fact that they weren¡¯t able to do so was already a monumental issue. And the U.S. still had numerous headaches outside of the Allied forces. "Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi, as well as cities near Mexico, are experiencing increasing chaos." "El Paso... We don¡¯t need to ask. The 1st Armored Division is stationed there, so it¡¯s fine. Texas is in chaos because of illegal immigrants crossing over from Mexico." "Urban warfare is already breaking out in various ces." "It¡¯s Texas, after all. A Republican stronghold where gun control is the loosest. If cartel members are getting in... No, never mind. It¡¯s better than the situation in the northeastern U.S." As it was said, The first tond would be the airborne forces, but once the Russian and Chinese ground forces came in, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida would be engulfed in mes. And the enemy wasn¡¯t stupid either¡ªthey were carefully hiding theirnding zones and invasion preparations until the final moment. The U.S. militarymand, sipping coffee like water, was figuring out what had to be done and how to tackle it, while trying to piece together the fractured militaryworks to issuemands. But no matter what, the work kept piling up. Talk of the Icarus Gear was inevitable. "Can¡¯t we get one of those watches used by the field operators?" "Are you serious? Do you know how much those guys have been through with that gear?" "That¡¯s true..." Icarus Gear was distributed and strictly stored across the country, and to be precise, the Dagger Team wasn¡¯t the only task force currently active in the U.S. However, their achievements were unmatched. To put it bluntly, the situation in the western U.S. was much worse than that of the Dagger Team operating in the northeastern U.S. Cities like San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Sacramento were in terrible condition. More specifically, they didn¡¯t have the capability that the Dagger Team had. "Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if there were two Dagger Teams? I hear Chinatown in San Francisco is aplete mess." "I¡¯ve heard the story. What happened?" "Some human rights activists were shing with anti-government immigrants and African Americans, and Icarus operators had to intervene. It¡¯s chaos." "Even if it was the Dagger Team, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a perfect solution to that, right?" "Not at all. Just kill them all, and it¡¯s over." "...Can we do that?" "They¡¯re the only task force that¡¯s been given an unlimited kill license by the president." Racial, religious, and ethical issues, along with a variety of social problems that emerged from the Omega Virus crisis. But only the Dagger Team had seeded in clearing everything away. In particr, one mission where they eliminated 7,000 enemies in the Bronx and subdued one of thergest mafia organizations, the Genovese family, was still a topic of debate within HQ. But one thing was certain. "We need people who can work without getting caught up in any moral or ethical ideals. I don¡¯t know why so many people don¡¯t understand that." "No matter how much those peoplein, it won¡¯t change the important things. And most of those people have never even watched the operation footage. Do you know that Central Park HQ used about a thousand tons of white phosphorus and 10kt nuclear weapons in just three months?" "...I wouldn¡¯t lie about that." "Maybe San Francisco needed to be that way, too." Someone didn¡¯t respond to that, but it was clear what the answer was. In a time when knowledge and intellect had regressed by over a century, there was only one way to teach barbarians about reason and civility. A month before the mes started rising in the northeastern U.S., America was still in chaos. Chapter 749 "The 64th Task Force, an integrated air defense and missile defense force under the US 6th Fleet, has been re-established and is ready to intercept ICBMs and ballistic missiles that are expected to fly from Russia and China." "Task Force 60 under the 6th Fleet has passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and has sharedmand with the UK Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales." "Those guys didn''t have money to begin with. There was talk of selling them until two years ago, so it seemed like it would be possible... The problem is, I don''t know if that will be enough topletely block the Baltic Fleet and the Arctic Fleet." In the past few months, the entire world, every country on every continent on Earth has entered a state of war. The 6th Fleet stationed in Naples, Italy, tried its best to resolve the situation in the Mediterranean that had be a mess due to the Omega Virus, but the world was plunged into darkness as nuclear bombs exploded in all directions, destroying military satellites. When themunicationwork was restored to some extent, the 6th Fleet realized that the 3rd Fleet and 7th Fleet, which were the mainstays of the US Navy, had destroyed about half of their forces in return forpletely destroying the Allied Navy. And when the entire defense system, including the air defensework, was paralyzed due to the virus incident, the Allied forces crossed the Antic Ocean by passing through the northern European region and shing with the British fleet. Although the actions were not swift, preparations for World War III continued. One of them was the reestablishment of the 64th Task Force Integrated Air Defense Missile Defense Force under the 6th Fleet, and the full-scale operation of the 64th Mobile Force, which was in charge of bombing operations. Dozens of AGM-129 ACMs, some of which were nuclear warheads - some of which were modified to carry conventional warheads - flew across the Mediterranean Sea towards the Sevastopol naval base, Feodosia, Novorossiysk naval base, and Crimean naval base. The 15th Independent Missile Brigade and the 51st Independent Missile Division of the ck Sea Fleet btedly responded, but even if they intercepted some of them, they could not cover the entire sea area. Belbek Air Base and Gvardeyskoye Air Base, where the 4th Guards Air Force and the 38th Combat Aviation Regiment of the 27th Mixed Aviation Division of the Southern Military District were stationed, were reduced to ashes and suffered irreparable damage. The distance from Naples to the ck Sea Fleet was at least 1,600 km, which was a distance that the ck Sea Fleet''s P-800 Onyx and Iskander ballistic missiles could never reach. The ck Sea Fleet was unterally dismantled, and several medium-range ballistic missiles were btedlyunched toward Naples, but they were all intercepted by SM-3. A literal nuclear war had begun, but despite this, the response of the Russian-Chinese allied forces was lukewarmpared to what was expected. The reason was simple. "Don''t you wonder what would happen if the vic friends of the ck Sea found out that all this was a butterfly effect caused by the friends of the New Haven team who rescued the moonfish?" "Even if they found out, it wouldn''t matter." Of course, the one who came out here was New Haven. The reason why the detachment members who gave up thetest strategic nuclear submarines, the Jin-ss and Yasen-ss submarines, were not only criticized for a long time, but also left a mark on history was right there. Thanks to all the data contained inside the submarine, the United States had long ago gained the upper hand in terms of strategic nuclear warfare, and furthermore, the Allied Forces had alreadyunched a preemptive nuclear strike on the 7th Fleet. If it went beyond tactical nuclear warfare and became a war with tens to hundreds of MIRVs and multiple warhead ICBMs, the world would have been irreversibly ruined. Even in that ruined world, it seemed as if the Allied Forces would not be able to win. That was why neither side crossed the line. However, the United States was not the only one continuing to make great strides. "The 6th-British Combined Fleet in the North Antic engaged the Russian Northern Fleet and¡­ was defeated." "... That''s how it happened. Now we''ll have to mobilize our limited air power to stop them." "If the 2nd Fleet is breached, the US maind will be opened." ¡°We should take that into ount. That¡¯s a given. If they were in their right minds, they would have realized that they should have stopped when almost all of their navy waspletely burned.¡± ¡°Sadly, that won¡¯t happen.¡± That¡¯s right. If everyone had chosen only the ideal oue, if everyone had made only the ideal choices, there would have been no war, and everyone would have joined forces to rebuild the world, but it was true that humans had never cooperated in this form of a cause since the beginning of time. The United States didn¡¯t know why the Allies had made that choice, but it didn¡¯t matter. If they survived, and if they crushed their enemies¡¯ heads, there would be some kind of conclusion. But whatever it was, everyone felt it. ¡°A time like we¡¯ve never experienced before ising.¡± If all humans on Earth weren¡¯t wiped out by this war, and if historians could fullyprehend the horrors and timeline of the war and record them in their records. The world would call what was happening now World War III. And- "...Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) radar...unknown objects approaching on bearing 240, at least Mach 2! Distance 600 miles!" "Has it begun?" Early September 2030, off the northeastern coast of the United States, Carrier Strike Group 12 of the Second Fleet. The curtain rose on the great war. -Slow down to 20 degrees port, 10 knots. Rymand recognized. Smolensk is about to enterbat formation. As of now, we are sailing silently. 520 km to target point. -Almost no air support. We are biding our time until the RS-24 YARS and Sarmat are ready. Clouds floating across the blue sky, and the vast ocean stretching endlessly below. The moment the radar of the 12th Carrier Squadron of the 2nd Fleet sailing over the endless horizon began to buzz loudly, the ship¡¯s interior became noisy and all ships enteredbat readiness. The moment the Oscar II-ss strategic nuclear submarine Smolensk of the 11th Squadron of the Northern Fleet surfaced tounch the P-700 Granit, a submarine-to-ship missile (due to its range), and stopped surfacing at a depth of about 50 meters, Eight anti-ship missiles rose one after another from the surface. The moment the Aegis system caught several missiles weighing 7 tons and each with a warhead weighing 1 ton, two Constetion-ss frigatesunched SM-2 missiles to intercept them. The fleet had been normalized by gathering its soul and supplying all the remaining missiles, so the number of interception missiles prepared was in the hundreds, but the meaning was clear. The moment we break through here, the path to the US maind opens. The captains continued to spur their orders, raising their voices even more. "The 31st Attack Fighter Squadron and the 37th Attack Fighter Squadron are taking off in order! The 124th Air Command and Control Squadron and the 142nd Electronic Warfare Attack Squadron, standby for takeoff!" "If we take off this many aircraft in a short period of time, the catapults will be overloaded... No, we''re going to take off! The entire maintenance team is on standby!" "Damn it, if those guys on there get stuck, they can justnd on the maind! Just take them all off!" Kwaaaaah! A squadron of F-35Cs and F/A-44s took to the skies one after another to prepare for any possible situation, and the E-2D, an early warning aircraft, and the EA-18G Growler, an electronic warfare aircraft belonging to themand and control squadron, took off. The moment the carrier-based aircraft took off into the air, the amazing sight was seen. Anti-ship missiles continued to fly in from the eastern edge of Canada, and the Aegis ships struggled to shoot them down. Fortunately, their efforts were not in vain. Not long after, several F-35Cs carrying JSM cruise missiles took off and identified a patrol ship that had just entered the waters near Nova Scotia and some enemy aircraft approaching to fire Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Less than a dozen minutester, lightning shot up endlessly from the sky and the sea. "Identified enemy frigates and patrol ships. We will engage immediately. Bruiser!" As the Bruiser code, signaling theunch of airunched anti-ship missiles, echoed over themunicationswork, the weapons bays opened and two JSM cruise missiles shed across the sky. Two per aircraft, but at least six. Unlike several F-35Cs that turned and maneuvered at the same time as the missiles wereunched, the JSM cruise missiles flew low over the sea surface and shed across. Until then. It wasn''t a sight I wanted to see for that long." "Come to think of it, temporary control and aviation asset management... I think they''d be really useful at times like that. Could you tell me about themter?" "I have a manual, so I''ll tell youter. If you don''t know anything, just ask." ...Is this the case that there''s no end to learning? I looked around here, thinking that way. Central Park hadpletely changed from what it used to be, and there were a ton of buildings built on top of what used to be just a park. I wonder how this ce will change after the war ends. There might be people who won''t be able to see it. I just hope that none of them are me, my acquaintances, or good people. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Mr. Logan patted his head and added. "Everything''ll be okay." "... Will it be okay?" "Before it doesn''t work out, we just have to shoot them all down." "... ." ¡­is this advice right? But I had a gut feeling that it was true, and I just smiled bitterly. I had felt it many times before, and it was thanks to that that I was still alive. I was ready, and all that was left was the actualbat. It was three days before the airborne troops poured into the northeastern United States. The Tir-ME air defenses kick in, and the Gatlings and interceptor missiles fly in in an instant, shooting down about half of them, but even so, about three survived. It wasn''t long before the entire bridge of one Grisha-ss corvette was blown away. ©¤©¤©¤Kwaaaaang! "Hit confirmed, hit confirmed. Two out of three are disabled." "The enemy gship is turning and retreating. A separate attack is needed." "Bravo Squadron carrying LRASM long-range anti-ship missiles is following behind. Don''t let a single one of them survive." "Understood. I will turn around and return." While the fate of the Gorshkov-ss frigate hung in the bnce, the skies a few kilometers above it were not so quiet either. While a dozen or so Kinzhal hypersonic missiles wereunched from a high altitude of a thousand kilometers away in preparation for interception, several Tranche 0 hypersonic missile tracking satellites still in orbit began to track Kinzhal. A little below, a Gorshkov-ss frigate was hit by a series of anti-ship missile attacks and sank, while an Arleigh Burke-ss destroyerunched at least four or five interceptor missiles into the air. It didn¡¯t take long for Kinzhal to be shot down. While mes and explosions erupted from all directions, the 12th carrier strike group began to maneuver southward in the opposite direction of the missiles. Missile attacks continued from at least 1,500 kilometers away. However, they did not want the kind of intense conflict they had experienced in the South China Sea, the East Sea, or the Bering Strait. They simply fired blind missiles and ran away. The goal of the Russian-Chinese coalition was simple and clear. To eliminate the 12th Carrier Strike Group in the northeastern United States, and if possible, destroy it all. However, that was not going to be easy. That is why they mobilized everything they could. "Anti-ship missiles are flying in endlessly!" "These damned bastards¡­!" In the span of several months, the enemy submarines that had managed to break through the 6th Fleet and the British Fleet had crossed the Antic Ocean and were preparing for this one attack. However, while dozens of SS-N-27 anti-ship cruise missiles and Granites were flying toward the 2nd Fleet one after another, the United States did not just sit back and watch them attack. The sonar and other devices installed along the continental shelf off the northeastern coast were doing a great job of detecting enemy submarines that would normally be impossible to detect, openly firing dozens of missiles. However, the anti-submarine missiles they had were too far away to be useful, and it was difficult to openlyunch submarine ballistic missiles at enemy submarines. However, they managed to get to that point. The 2nd Fleet had already figured out what kind of naval battle was going to take ce, and they had almost all of the Aegis ships scattered across the eastern United States driven in to defend against the anti-ship missiles pouring down like rain. There was a lot of friction and noise because they had to rush in, including the manpower and air defense cruisers, in order to prevent the loss of control of the northeastern United States, and it is still true that there is still some. At least that is why the 12th Carrier Squadron is still alive. However, it was not the end. "Constetion-ss Lafayette has entered the battle, informing you that there are not many interception missiles left!" "Everyone except the minimum number of operating personnel, prepare for the explosion shock! We will conduct rescue operations as quickly as possible!" "I will fight until the end. It was an honor to be with you." Kwaaang! How long had it been since then? The Constetion-ss frigate Lafayette, with all of its silos emptied, was hit by Granit on the bridge with a loud noise, and the hull shook with a huge explosion. They could not retreat without suffering any damage, and some of the frigates were inevitably destroyed, but that was not the end. The squadronunched from the Gerald R. Ford-ss aircraft carrier had identified several enemy aircraft over Nova Scotia. The targets were the Tu-124MR radio repeater and the A-50U airborne early warning and control aircraft, and it did not take long for them to be shot down by AMRAAM missiles and turned into a ball of me. The aircraft on board, including the F-35C, were almostpletely refueled despite the risk, so returning was not much of a problem, but the carrier itself was in danger. As previously agreed, the carrier-based aircraft headed for New York JFK Airport instead of the aircraft carriers, and the anti-ship missile attacks began to die down. However. "...Ry from the 100th Missile Defense Brigade at Schreiber Space Force Base! A reconnaissance satellite passing over Orenburg and Omsk has identified arge number of unidentified projectiles! At least 20 ICBMs are estimated!" "The defense brigade hasunched a ground-based multi-interceptor. The Aegis Ashore stationed on Governors Ind in New York will also assist in interception, and the SM-3 ballistic missile interceptors deployed on each Aegis ship and the optical weapons on the Gerald R. Ford-ss aircraft carrier are ready to operate." "EMP protection system is operational!" "Good. Then..." Now all that''s left is to pray. The captain looked up at the sky, holding back the thoughts that were about to burst out of his throat. At the point when only a few wisps of cloud remained in the blue sky, everything was ready. And how long had passed, ©¤©¤©¤! From the west - the US maind - dozens and hundreds of anti-ballistic missiles soared across the blue sky, and at the same time, a nuclear warhead detonated hundreds of kilometers above the sky. The moment the sunshade automatically deployed, missile experts instinctively knew that it was a deception system that detonated a nuclear warhead in advance to spread EMP in order to break through the US missile interception system. How long had passed, "Reentry vehicle identified on radar. Interceptser firing!" "...May the Lord protect us." A breathtaking moment passed, even the 150km rangeser on the Gerald R. Ford-ss aircraft carrier being activated. From now on, there was only evasive maneuvers, fleet division, and prayer. And that day, a third of the 12th Carrier Strike Group under the 2nd Fleet was reduced to ashes, but the Gerald R. Ford-ss aircraft carrier barely managed to avoid the aftermath of the explosion. It was half defeat, but half victory. "...Everything we''ve done so far seems like child''s y." "On the contrary. If there had been no such child''s y, the 12th Carrier Strike Group would have been fish food by now." "Hey, why are you discussing things that have already happened? The important thing is that the Great War is about to begin. Who knows if airborne troops will fall from the sky at dawn today?" "Who doesn''t know that...but it''s really horrible either way." Central Park HQ, 10 AM. The base was extremely noisy. It couldn''t be otherwise. It didn''t take long for the news of what had happened to Carrier Strike Group 12 to spread. Everyone walking around Central Park was talking about that story. Even the civilians knew it. The reason was simple. There were only things that had toe out. The Geiger counters installed everywhere were often beeping, so it was a given that the HQ officials would work hard to protect the civilians.@@novelbin@@ In addition, someone said that they saw the light of a nuclear bomb exploding in the distance. If the battle had happened at dawn, everyone would have seen the light of a nuclear bomb exploding. It was a very strange feeling. To be precise, I should say that it didn''t feel real. If I had been dropped at a US naval base or something and be a sailor... I wonder if I could have been caught in the middle of them. The engagement killed about 1,500 people in an instant, and the US responded with an ICBMunch right after intercepting the ballistic missiles¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe that they¡¯re still just fighting each other. Laurentina added. ¡°Fortunately, the 12th Carrier Strike Group was dered annihted, but it didn¡¯t lose all of its core forces. There were almost no losses of aircraft¡­ JFK International Airport was a bit busy, though.¡± ¡°I remember the air traffic controllers being so shocked that they took a helicopter there. Did Eagle Team and Olivia go there for a bit too?¡± ¡°Yes. The bodies weren¡¯t all burned. Instead¡­ there was a horrible smell everywhere. There were piles of remains. Until then. It wasn''t a sight I wanted to see for that long." "Come to think of it, temporary control and aviation asset management... I think they''d be really useful at times like that. Could you tell me about themter?" "I have a manual, so I''ll tell youter. If you don''t know anything, just ask." ...Is this the case that there''s no end to learning? I looked around here, thinking that way. Central Park hadpletely changed from what it used to be, and there were a ton of buildings built on top of what used to be just a park. I wonder how this ce will change after the war ends. There might be people who won''t be able to see it. I just hope that none of them are me, my acquaintances, or good people. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Mr. Logan patted his head and added. "Everything''ll be okay." "... Will it be okay?" "Before it doesn''t work out, we just have to shoot them all down." "... ." ¡­is this advice right? But I had a gut feeling that it was true, and I just smiled bitterly. I had felt it many times before, and it was thanks to that that I was still alive. I was ready, and all that was left was the actualbat. It was three days before the airborne troops poured into the northeastern United States. Chapter 750 In 2030, China and Russia''s naval forces were shattered through multiple naval battles, one after another. Even if they faced not one nation, but an alliance of nations, the U.S. Navy¡¯s Third Fleet and Seventh Fleet, firepower projection machines capable of literally bending their opponents, were unbeatable, even if the second and third highest defense spending countries coborated. Although the Sixth Fleet and the British Navy alliance faced difficulties after shing with Russia''s Northern Fleet, and the control of the Norwegian Sea and air superiority evaporated, the naval forces lost by the alliance in Asia were still considerable. However, this did not mean that their backbone waspletely shattered. The Northern Fleet sessfully opened the sea routes and, through this, was able to create ''transit points'' all over the North Antic. The method was simple. "There is an Artemis branch on the Norwegian side, so there shouldn''t be any major issues. Find and Sweden opened the routes rtively easily, so we will go through Norway, then head to d, and then Saint John''s." A simple notification to "borrow a path." However, although Korea once raised its middle finger when Toyotomi Hideyoshi requested a borrowed path to attack the Ming Dynasty, Find and Sweden, bordering Russia, could not replicate the Winter War. The Omega Virus, which spread to Northern Europe, made people reluctant to gather in any sizable numbers, and the harsh January and February, along with March when the snow started to melt but the weather remained less than ideal, led many to abandon their air defense power. During this period, the remaining air defense forces in the Nordic countries were forced to abandon many things, and surprisingly, the alliance forces quickly moved forward after gaining air superiority. Once the only obstacle, the British Navy¡¯s power, was cleared away, nothing stood in their way. From March to July, numerous air forces crossed the Antic, and the Faroes Airport in the Faroe Inds, 500 km north of Scond, and Reykjavik in d became forward bases and transit points for the alliance forces. In the process, the Northern Fleet, which was one of the few remaining naval forces of the alliance, moved several submarines to the northeastern United States and transferred vast quantities of supplies to the transit points. This was because Eugene knew that the history of this world waspletely different from the history he knew. It was entirely because the U.S. had been embezzling separate funds for the development of Icarus Gear without Congressional approval. "The U.S. government has been in turmoil for at least a decade. During that time, the alliance forces have sufficiently strengthened their power, so maybe it¡¯s possible to try." In the chaos of another country, it is a chance for your own. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but during the U.S.''s blunders, the two countries continued to grow their military power. Some losses urred due to the Ukraine War in the middle, but strictly speaking, this happened in southern Russia. When the decision was made to shift focus to the Nordic regions of northwestern Russia, the Baltic Fleet and the Northern Fleet opened the North Antic route wide. Although the usual unfavorable Nordic weather and fuel issues became an obstacle, even so, around 100,000 troopspleted preparations to cross the Antic. To be precise, "ready for deployment" didn¡¯t mean they were fully ready to fight at their best. With significant shortages in equipment, supplies, and food, war was never about fully-equipped forces shing head-on. Once the operational ns were set, they had to be followed, and the noise generated in the process was disregarded. Still, some things were prepared. And then¡ª "EMP! Damn it, protect the transformers!" "Command, this is JFK Air Force Base! There''s no major issue, but we need time for armament and refueling! All aircraft will take off within 10 minutes!" In mid-September,ter than everyone had expected, just as the leaves on the trees in Central Park were preparing to turn brown, a nuclear bomb detonated 30 km above the northeastern U.S. skies. As the impact of the explosion that painted the sky red began to subside, at least 40 transport nes flew in. From Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Providence, Hartford, New York, Virginia. Short-range surface-to-air missile vehicles and handheld portable missile systems, along with Aegis Ashore systems, targeted dozens of transport nes descending. Under the sky turned red like a sunset due to the ring of light from the nuclear explosion, the explosion of the airborne transport nes filled the sky beautifully. This was the beginning of World War III. "¡­A nuclear bomb went off above us, yet we''re not rushing out immediately. I thought we''d be out there right away." "How could we go out when we don¡¯t even know where the enemynded, where themand center is, how much equipment is being offloaded, what the main attack points and offensive endpoints are, or what the supply routes are?" "Well¡­ you have a point there." Three hours after the EMP attack, at Central Park HQ, 8 PM. Normally, people would be finishing their dinner, showering, or taking care of various tasks at this time, but the base had only faint lights on in certain areas. It felt strange that there was a brief moment of lighting in a ce that would usually have thick curtains at every window, and lights rarely turned on after the sun dipped below the horizon. But it was necessary. To calm down the confused personnel, distribute firearms, ammunition, and bulletproof gear, and prepare for any unforeseen situations. Despite some military satellites being destroyed in the nuclear explosion, preparations had been made in advance, changing some satellite orbits to ensure that there would be no problems assessing what was happening on the maind. But on the other hand, this meant that the operations officers were extremely busy collecting intelligence rted to the event in the northeastern U.S., and Rand had also resumed her main duties. It seemed almost finished now. Although it was somewhat unclear whether it was her main or side job ¨C especially since the gear she needed would arrive soon ¨C in the end, it was hard to make a big deal of it. With chronic manpower shortages, there was no time to worry about such details. "The inevitable has arrived." "Military guys, what exactly is going on outside? Has the war finally begun?" "At least 40 enemy transport nes have appeared in the northeastern U.S., and an unknown scale of troops and weapons have been air-dropped. Arge number of reconnaissance nes are flying in the area, and we¡¯re about to locate the enemy. Don''t worry." "Unbelievable. I never imagined I''d be facing something like this in my lifetime¡­" It wasn¡¯t about supplies or food, but now they were distributing rifles¡­ No, maybe that wasn¡¯t it. It wasn¡¯t as if this had suddenly happened, but one had to at least prepare for such situations. Even if I hadn¡¯t been thoroughly trained, that was the whole point of why I had been learning until now. It was just a bit unfamiliar. But now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on those thoughts. I was carrying something heavy. To be exact, what I was doing wasn¡¯t about handing everyone a rifle, but moving arge armory filled with guns near the civilian dorms to a nearby storage facility. If the time came when everyone needed to be armed, the soldiers on duty would sound the rm, and people would pick up their rifles and ammunition, heading to designated locations for their assigned duties. This was just the preparation for that. "If we had moved this earlier, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but... of course, that wouldn''t have happened." "If we could have, we would have done it earlier. But since it couldn¡¯t be done, this is the situation we''re in now. It¡¯s just likest time in Chinatown, when those who passed away had to find their firearms from outside." "True." In essence, the reason they hadn''t done it earlier was for security. If something strange had been asked of a trusted soldier, and the keys to the armory and the ammunition storage had been handed over to anti-government civilians at a critical moment, what would happen? They had even gone through the trouble of screening civilians for situations like this. For that reason, despite the inconvenience and difficulty, they had opted for this solution, and the result was the current situation ¨C the mutants were now diligently moving the entire armory. It wasn¡¯t that heavy. Maybe around 150 kg. But because it wasrge, it was difficult to move without some kind of handle, which made it somewhat inconvenient. Still, it wasn¡¯t a major problem. "Ugh." "¡­I should have gotten used to this after Brooklyn, but it''s still tough. Watch your back, kid." "This is nothing." "Even deadlifts with 60 kg can ruin your back if you do them carelessly, you idiot." "Guess you¡¯re right." Anyway, it was better to listen to this type of advice. I decided to be more careful moving forward, even though it wasn¡¯t like anything would change dramatically. But still¡­ it wasn¡¯t the weight that bothered me, it was the size. I couldn¡¯t just grab and move it without considering the posture. Yet, the task had to be done, and the moving was almostplete, so I focused on my main job. With the help of Laurentina, Logan, and Olivia, it didn¡¯t take long. Mutants didn¡¯t have their own heavy equipment. Some might wonder why Rand wasn¡¯t involved, but she, unfortunately, hadn¡¯t worn her gear yet, so she wascking in strength and stamina. And speaking of that¡ª "...Ugh, that looks ridiculously heavy. Aren¡¯t you struggling?" "Do you want to join us, Rand?" "I still can¡¯t. Ah, I told you not to pat me on the head in ces like this." "Really¡­"@@novelbin@@ ...Ugh, that was something I didn¡¯t expect. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of my expression or if they felt awkward about it, but both of them seemed to want to say something after looking at my face. But, well, what could I do? They were already holding hands. I almost spoke up about that, but I had a feeling I¡¯d be scolded, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I opened it in a different direction. "How''s the Military Police doing?" "Not yet. The real issue will be in the future. Many of our soldiers are being dispatched due tomand duties. It¡¯s not just officers or nomissioned officers; we¡¯re short on everyone." "Then¡­" "I heard HQ has its eye on West Point. They n to train soldiers with at least minimal military knowledge using the materials and facilities there¡­" "...Isn''t it a bitte for that timing?" "To be precise, they just found the resources to do it, Eugene." ...Hmm. That was quite an unexpected statement. But I thought maybe it made sense, considering how much I had adapted to this apocalypse. Then Captain Fawcett continued his exnation, specifically about events from a hundred years ago¡­ It wasn¡¯t a long exnation, but that¡¯s what made it even more disorienting. The wordbination was something like this: "A 30-day officer training course." "...An officer in 30 days?" "More precisely, they outsourced officer courses to civilians and gave officer certificates to those whopleted them." "...Please don¡¯t tell me they did that up on the West Coast?" "They didn¡¯t go that far, but if they hadn¡¯te up with such a drastic measure, it would have been really difficult. No matter how free the U.S. is with guns, surprisingly, many people live their whole lives without ever holding one." "..." "Especially in ces where only saints live." ...Well, Captain Fawcett, being in the National Guard, was living in New York City, right? Of course, I didn¡¯t say anything because I felt like I¡¯d get a smack on the head for it. And, honestly, it wasn¡¯t the kind of atmosphere to make that kind of joke... since, well, war had just started. But still, the surface-to-air missiles that had been deployed were doing their job. Although some were damaged due to the early EMP attack, thanks to ample preparation, at least 70% of them survived. As a result, at least half of the enemy forces in the northeastern U.S. were shot down. Although it seemed like many of the supplies and troops had been dropped before that... Well, that¡¯s enough for now. The conversation continued. "World War Isted 4 years, World War IIsted 6 years. I wonder how long this one willst." "Who knows?" "In the second world war, two nuclear bombs ended the war, but this one started with dozens of nuclear warheads crossing the globe¡­ Are we really going to have to fight with stones and axes next?" "Maybe fighting with stones and axes would be more peaceful than this." "That¡¯s a funny thing to say." ...Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be such a ridiculous idea. In the meantime, I wondered if Rand and Captain Fawcett had really be that close, but I guess that wasn¡¯t for me to worry about. If they were happy, good for them. If Rand continued to wear the gear and this rtionshipsted¡­ well, I guess that would be good too? I heard that in times like this, there should be efforts to increase the poption. And then, the conversation continued. "Looks like the kid will be firing a lot from now on." "I think so. I¡¯ve also heard some unsavory rumors¡­ Not sure, but it looks like we might be going further." "Really? Are you doing a reconnaissance mission in the northeastern U.S.?" "No. But maybe¡­ it¡¯s something worse. It¡¯s one of the news we got after the Dagger Team¡¯s operator level and mission team level increased." "I didn¡¯t expect there to be something worse than the enemy forces dropping in the northeastern U.S." "Neither did we." And at that moment, the silence fell. And then, both of them seemed to understand what I was saying. I briefly thought about whether I should say this, but considering it would eventuallye out, hiding it would cause even more damage. It could even lead to a catastrophe. And technically, I was part of the Dagger Team, so I had the clearance to share information, and if I judged it appropriate, I could reveal it. So, when I spoke again, their faces turned pale. "Some of the Icarus Operators active in Florida have left their assigned areas. Higher-ups are anticipating the worst." Just like in the great wars. The worst moment for something to erupt had arrived. The Dagger Team¡¯s efforts were just beginning. Chapter 751 "Is it really okay to go to Florida at such a critical time?" "That''s why Olivia, Eagle Team, and Owens are staying in New York. It''s much better to go with a small elite team for this kind of mission." "Heh, let''s stop with the gloomy talk. Do you even know what kind of ce Florida is, kid?" "Uh, I just know its name and location." "It¡¯s where the famous Disney World is. There''s also the Kennedy Space Center, and the Southern Command is located in Miami." "Wow." Vroooom! A small transport ne flies from New York to Miami, Florida. A considerable distance of 1800 km lies between the two cities, and thendscape slowly passes by beneath the ne¡¯s lower body, as seen through the Icarus Gear. The contrast between the lush greennd and the asional glimpses of cities was striking. With my limited vocabry, I couldn¡¯t even begin to describe the vast expanse of the U.S. flowing below us from thousands of meters above. On the highways connecting cities, there were either no cars at all or thousands of them stopped in ce. There was no car moving at all. Anyway, it was like any penins. Florida, jutting out like the lower half of the U.S., was a popr vacation spot and, by tradition, a ce where the Navy held a strong presence. For that reason, Laurentina seemed to feel a strong sense of familiarity with the ce. Logan, on the other hand, looked like he had no particr thoughts about it. Maybe because of the sharks. It was interesting to learn many things. I guess it was like putting together fragments of information I had picked up somewhere. At that moment, Logan casually remarked. "You¡¯re from Vermont, a ce with no ocean, and yet you know everything." "I lived half my life in Vermont, but the other half was spent in the Navy. So, I picked up some unnecessary knowledge along the way... Logan, have you ever been to Florida?" "The closest I got to Florida was about 250 km. Not sure." "250 km...e on, that was during special forces training at Fort Moore." "Then no, never been. But if you want to buy me something as a wee, I won¡¯t stop you." "..." Is this a conversation from a group of people with an average age of 36? Of course, I kept quiet about thatment, knowing I¡¯d get a smack on the head if I said something. Unfortunately, these two mutants had long surpassed human instincts. Because of that, they immediately caught me. Even as I faced the consequences¡ªan awkward, yet surprisinglyfortable, penalty of having a Dakimakura ced on me¡ªthe conversation continued. "By the way, wasn¡¯t the West Coast of the U.S. in chaos? I heard there was a massive wildfire in California." "Yeah, wildfires tend to break out a lot between August and September. I remember from 2020, at least every two years, it was a huge mess. This year, with so many people dying, it¡¯s no different." "The guys hiding in the mountains probably started a fire with cans and lost control of it, burning everything around." "That sounds usible. If the alliance had infiltrated the West Coast during the fire, things would¡¯ve been pretty disastrous..." "d that didn¡¯t happen." Wildfires. I actually had something to say about wildfires. Back when I worked in Gangwon-do, I had participated in civil support for wildfire efforts. Thinking about it now... it feels a bit strange. After a day of support, my military uniform reeked of smoke. By the time I went out in the morning and returned before dinner, my washing machine was in chaos. But wildfires in the U.S.? Maybe in the past, there was some ability to manage it, but now? I¡¯m not so sure. asionally, I hear news about U.S. wildfires, and from what I¡¯ve gathered, they¡¯re on a massive scale. I just thought it would burn itself out eventually and waited for that to happen. We were currently passing through a city in Florida called Ondo. Some might not have heard of it, but as Laurentina mentioned, it''s where Disney World is located. I heard it¡¯s different from Disnend. Thanks to the Icarus Gear, we could look down from the transport bay and clearly see the enormous Disney World located to the southwest of Ondo International Airport. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the most pleasant sight. "¡­" "This is a disaster." Laurentina¡¯s simple remark cut to the core of the situation.@@novelbin@@ The scene below was something I didn¡¯t really want to describe. There was a massive parking lot, potentiallyrge enough to fit tens of thousands of cars, and along the exit paths, countless abandoned vehicles were scattered. The nearby safari park didn¡¯t fare much better either. The facilities were abandoned and destroyed, and the animals had either escaped or left only skeletons behind. Given what was visible, one could only imagine what the inside of the animal enclosures looked like. The fairytale-like buildings, which should have brought dreams and hope, were now deste, and corpses were scattered throughout the streets. Logan added another remark as he watched the scene. "There''s really no dream or hope left here." "Do you think this ce will ever return to normal?" "Who knows. Maybe someday... someday." A brief silence. But even as this was going on, the transport ne quickly crossed Ondo, heading for Miami, and the sight of Disney World disappeared far into the distance. Our final destination was Doral, Florida, home to the U.S. Southern Command. There, we would meet with Army General Howard R. Spencer. Since the Dagger Team had often operated there, Photon 1¡ªafter recovering from the crash¡ªwas once again ready for use. We had received a new unit, and now it started to slow down. As the aircraft descended leisurely hundreds of meters above the Southern Command base, we quickly scanned the area. The weather was fine, and in the distance, we could see the blue horizon. There were many things toment on, but among them, the most striking scene was... "¡­There are a lot of people." "At least it¡¯s not cold like New York, where people are freezing to death. Of course, we still need to be careful about the virus when we meet people, but since almost all the hosts have died, the remaining ones are in a better situation." "Maybe relocating HQ here, instead of the northeastern U.S. with its empty shell, wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea... but, well, that¡¯s not for us to worry about. Let¡¯s start descending." There were a lot of people. Not only the ones walking around the base but also the ones around the vicinity. Judging by their appearance, there didn¡¯t seem to be any issues with food. I had learned that Florida was full of vast farnds, and the fact that so many people had survived indicated that there was still work being done in those fields. Of course, digging deeper might reveal something different, but I wasn¡¯t sure. I¡¯d find out the reasonter. For now, we focused onnding. With a clunk, the tilt-jet engines powered down, and the door opened. The scent of the sea and the hot sun greeted us, a slight contrast from New York. "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here." "Wee, Dagger Team. Wee to Florida. Have you eaten yet?" "It¡¯s a good time for a snack, but I think we should hear about the current situation first." "Understood. I¡¯ll brief you on the way. The civilian deputy for the Southern Command will meet you shortly. General Spencer is currently busy with an operation, so his time is... quite limited." Under the bright sunlight and a sky with no clouds, it felt like a strange conversation, but what could be done? This fact proved that even in perfect weather, war still rages. As we walked a bit further and entered the base, we were able to meet the deputymander without any major issues. A blonde woman reminiscent of the typical American WASP. Her name was Sarah Lynch, and she had built a distinguished career in various programs and agencies under the State Department. Even someone who could easily be respected in society found themselves diminished by the apocalypse. She looked to be in herte 40s, despite her official age, and her face was deeply wrinkled, probably from the immense hardship she had endured. She had already mentioned there was no need for a salute before we even sat down, so we rxed into our chairs. "..." "Let''s get straight to the point. These individuals are believed to have passed through Guantanamo to Cuba at least 2 to 3 months ago, and due to the nature of Icarus Gear, it took quite some time for us to realize this." "Cuba¡­?" "While it''s not certain, we believe they are trying something through the Chinese military satellite facility in Cuba. We suspect it¡¯s some kind of defection activity." "But weren¡¯t these operators selected through personality tests?" "The physical analysis showed that we mainly selected those with the highestpatibility for the gear from the existing primary operatives... However, after further investigation, themand believes there was a problem with thepatibility criteria itself. We''re also looking into the motives behind their defection." "Hmm." Simultaneously, our eyes met. Looking at it now, thepatibility was somewhat important, but it shouldn¡¯t have been the primary selection criterion, and we, too, had our doubts about it. Still, there was a strange smell in this unknown criterion. Was it Artemis¡¯ scent? Logan spoke. "I have a hunch, but I guess it¡¯s not important right now. Anyway, we''ll handle this part." Swish. At the same time, Logan waved his hand, and suddenly, a tactical tomahawk appeared in mid-air. Seeing Sarah Lynch¡¯s jaw drop, Logan quickly dispelled the weapon and spoke. "I won¡¯t say much. We¡¯ll cut off their wrists within a week." "The impact was good, but finding each of them in a week won¡¯t be easy. Judging by their appearance, they¡¯re probably stillmunicating with each other." "Yeah, if I had known, I would have brought Olivia along." "...You¡¯re not seriously thinking about having each of us take care of one, are you?" "..." "How would the kid even manage that? Damn, this is getting ridiculous." ... I had a feeling I heard something very unsettling just now. I briefly thought about it, but anyway, after resolving the lunch issue without major problems, we were assigned a temporary room to stay in while the situation was dealt with. After receiving our various gear and firearms, we all gathered in the briefing room. We were diligently reviewing the list of people we needed to catch and their details. "Zekarai Trench, 36. Former Navy SEAL medic. Served for seven years before retiring as a sergeant and then joining the private militarypany, Titan Corporation... Titan Corporation? They¡¯ve had multiple consortiums with Artemis." "Gabriel Railey, 35. After tearing his rotator cuff, he quit sports and enlisted in the Army. He¡¯s linked with Artemis through a trouble management program they provided." "Antares Berger... Why¡¯s his name like that? Anyway, he¡¯s simr. They all have connections to Artemis in some way... Could that be why they betrayed the country?" "Maybe it''s the action devices or whatever... I don''t know how Artemis always develops stuff like that." "We won¡¯t know for sure unless we investigate directly. It¡¯s difficult on all fronts." Yeah, that¡¯s true. At this point, the motivations of the people we were focusing on weren¡¯t the most important. Before we arrived, the Southern Command had already been closely investigating the three missing operators, and based on the results, they likely decided that recovering the Icarus Gear from them was the right choice. The Dagger Team was also nning to investigate separately, and we¡¯d soon meet face-to-face, so hearing the full story behind their betrayal would have to wait, but... Either way, there wasn¡¯t much point in dwelling on it here. To be precise, in this case, we didn¡¯t really have to be overly concerned about the enemy''s motivations. Specifically, even if they had been forced to betray us, that wasn¡¯t the issue. After all, the Southern Command prioritized recovering the gear over executing the traitors, so there was a chance¡ªthough slim¡ªthat we could peacefully recover the gear. Of course, no one really believed that. If the world were peaceful, there wouldn¡¯t be any war. Anyway, "I wonder if these guys realize that Icarus Gear can track other Icarus Gear." "If they¡¯ve read the manual, which is thicker than an encyclopedia, they¡¯d know. But... if their gear output differs, they probably don¡¯t realize they can still be tracked even if they¡¯ve set up a jamming function." "Right." Just as Logan said, we weren¡¯t given this mission for nothing. But aside from that, I hadn¡¯t really mentioned it, but the Icarus Gear wasn¡¯t exactly aÍòÄÜ device that could solve every problem. In fact, to be more urate, it was closer to a shackle. For me, there was no choice but to ept it, since I had no other option in this strange world. And staying in the U.S. was much better than the alternative, so I stayed. But if they¡¯d chosen to betray us while wearing the gear, they would have to pay the price. While the conversation continued, "Not every mission involvesbat, but it¡¯s not like we never expected to have to fight other Icarus Operators. But now that it¡¯s here, it feels strange. I don¡¯t know if the kid is ready. Can you handle it?" "...I¡¯m of course ready. I¡¯m more afraid of making a mistake than them dying... Plus, the gear filters out strange content, so it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m okay." "Looks like you''re gradually adjusting. It¡¯s bittersweet, but it can¡¯t be helped. So..." A brief silence. But it didn¡¯t take long for Laurentina to add with a serious expression. "Since we¡¯re assuming a confrontation, the next step is to fill the gap in practicalbat experience and gather newbat data from Icarus Operators who are still at zero status." "...Isn¡¯t that what we¡¯ve been doing so far?" "That¡¯s not wrong. But..." Zing. At the same time, Laurentina raised her right hand, and the Icarus Gear began to glow. "If it¡¯s not abat scenario that¡¯s close to real battle, we won¡¯t gather enough data to use in actualbat. Don¡¯t you think?" "...This crazy bastard. You don¡¯t mean..." "Sometimes, you have to step into dangerous situations intentionally." Swish. After confirming the avability of a high-quality simtion training facility nearby, Laurentina added: "So, when should we start?" The expressions on Logan¡¯s and my faces soured in various ways, but there was nothing we could do. Our first schedule in Miami was going to involve a kind of mock fragging aimed at our seniors. Chapter 752 "The traitors'' knowledge of the Icarus Gear has already been tracked to some extent. Thanks to that, there¡¯s no longer any confusion about how much preparation we need to carry out." "Well, since all Icarus support operators are at HQ, we¡¯ve seen a lot of prototype bulletproof gear made from materials that are not publicly known... though we haven¡¯t had the chance to use them yet, it¡¯s different now." "Because of that, now we must make sure to identify what gear the opponents are wearing, especially when facing other Icarus operators." In Doral, Miami, Florida, in a top-secret analysis room under the U.S. Southern Command. There, Laurentina, Logan, and I were. The hologram, which resembled a jungle, was projected onto a movable tform, giving the impression that we had arrived in Cuba. However, inside, it felt as though only specific areas of the hologram had been sliced away, revealing a gym-sized white space. The Dagger Team was handling and examining numerous pieces of prototype gear ced on tables. The gear was assigned individual code names, and below the holograms were details highlighting unique features of each item. "Code Name: Striker. With a higher ratio of nanomachinespared to other equipment, this bulletproof gear learns every variable that urs duringbat in real time and builds optimal countermeasures within a meaningful timeframe." "It analyzes weaknesses in enemies, firearms, and ammunition during sustained engagements, making efficient attacks possible while enhancing defense. I¡¯ve never used it, but I¡¯ve heard from DARPA¡¯s evaluations that it has the disadvantage of slow warm-up time." "Code Name: Jackal. The gear contains nano trackers embedded in the stored ammunition, which allows the warheads or fragments embedded in the body to attract each other. I heard it''s optimized for shotguns." "This... is the most recent development. Code Name: Forspex. Thanks to the micro-dronebustion system, it enables the use of incendiary grenades and me turrets that are unmatched by any other gear..." "Listing all of this out, there are quite a few." As said, besides these, many more pieces of gear were awaiting use.@@novelbin@@ Bulletproof gear capable of semi-permanent ammo replenishment via advanced 3D printing and nanotechnology; gear named Code Name: Frontline, equipped with a micro servo system that makes bulletproof vests and shields more effective; and Code Name: Exo, which adapts to the user¡¯s movements and optimizes theirbat effectiveness¡ªthis was the gear I was currently wearing. Beside it was Code Name: Pointman, designed specifically to spread concentrated kic energy over a wide area with a multiyered steel te system¡ªcurrently worn by Logan. Next to that, there was... "Oh, Shadow¡¯s here too. You¡¯re making good use of it, right?" "Doesn¡¯t Olivia use this too?" "Yeah." Code Name: Shadow. It enhances electronic warfare functions, allowing interference with enemy electronics. The special anti-reflection coating applied to the exterior causes the wearer to momentarily disappear when moving quickly, as if they were obscured from sight. I heard it was developed at an extremely fast pace, inspired by Olivia¡¯s movement and noise-cancetion methods, and although it¡¯s still not quite fullymercialized, its technology has reached a level where it can be used in actualbat. Along with that, there were many other items: Code Name: Hephaestus, abination of polyaramid, UHMWPE, and nanotech, capable of theoretically withstanding tank cannonfire. Though I hadn¡¯t introduced half of the gear, the point was clear: these battle-support gear and armors hadn¡¯t been fully disclosed to the operators using Icarus Gear. "At least we¡¯re lucky in that regard. If only two people have used this until now, that means the traitors probably don¡¯t even know about it." "That¡¯s why I¡¯ll continue wearing this. By the way, there will be countless engagements in the future, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to find ways to create synergies between these pieces of gear." "That¡¯ll naturally happen over time... but for now, we should do some research to handle the immediate tasks." A brief silence. Simultaneously, both Laurentina and Logan looked at me... which made me feel somewhat ufortable. Before they made any jokes about it, Logan, who had casually nced at the Exo gear I was wearing, added the expectedment. And as expected, "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gotten a bit more used to shooting by now? Do you still need movement correction?" "...I¡¯m not sure yet. I mean, special forces aren¡¯t perfected in a day or two. I¡¯ve only been here for 3 to 4 months." "Hmm... I think it¡¯s better to check directly. If the simtion results show you still need correction, then we¡¯ll keep using it in real operations, but if not... well, we might have some room for adjustments." "What do you mean...?" "Well, like that seal said, the only way to find out if it''s real is to test it." At that moment, a beep sounded, and one of the many pieces of bulletproof gear ced on the temporary table remained. Striker. It was said to be the most bnced for both offense and defense, with top-tier performance, aside from its warm-up issue. Knowing very well what it meant that only this one was left, I quietly removed the Exo and put on the new gear. And¡ª
    • [Alert: Code Name: Striker detected. Initiating new data update and logic optimization. Remaining time: 2 minutes 13 seconds.]
    • [Alert: Early updatepleted. Operator Eugene recognized. Striker exclusive interface established.]
    • [Alert: Scanning... Designating ''enemy'' and analyzing terrain. // Terrain change detected. Updated data disyed on interface in real-time.]
    • [Rmendation: Begin simtion. Please proceed to marked location on interface. // Survival rate expected to increase by 34% at this location.]
    "Woah, there¡¯s so much in front of me¡­!" "Calm down. Do what I told you. All the rounds loaded are live, so keep engaging until the shield breaks. Got it, rookie?" "Right! I¡¯ll do it! I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯ll give it a try!" "Good, that¡¯s the real deal." Thud. Logan gave me a light pat on the shoulder in encouragement, but before I could notice, he disappeared in the blink of an eye. The surroundings quickly transformed into a dense forest. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly a jungle, it could have been considered one. There was no need to exin why this terrain and vegetation had been chosen for our destination. It was exactly the kind of ce we were heading to. The thick vegetation, with its overgrown moss-covered trees, gave the impression of a typical dense forest. It was a far cry from the usual settings we¡¯d trained in, yet it was undeniably suited for what we had ahead. I had been informed that the traitors we were after had entered Cuba via Guantanamo, a U.S. naval base, and had hidden themselves somewhere on the ind. Considering Cuba¡¯stitude, I thought to myself how well-suited this humid and warm climate would be for survival, even if it was the ideal environment for an anaconda. As Laurentina stepped outside, tens of kilograms of water mist were sprayed into the air, increasing the humidity almost instantly. The Icarus Gear, fully synced with the analysis room¡¯s data, began transmitting environmental data. In the blink of an eye, the Icarus Gear took full control over my sensory input, recreating the terrain of the forest in great detail, even simting smells and sounds. The system worked hard to make this environment feel as real as possible. At that moment, I felt as if I were in Cuba itself. "Ugh, this is harder to adapt to than I thought." The interface that had appeared in front of me hadpletely changed, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to process the flood of data pouring in. My movements were more rigid than usual, and as expected, things weren¡¯t going smoothly. Unlike Logan, whose skills had been honed over time, I was still adjusting. Naturally, the system''s analysis couldn''t keep up with Logan¡¯s swift actions. The moment I tried to track his movement through the data, I realized he was always one step ahead. Then, suddenly, from behind a moss-covered tree, I saw the sh of white hair. Gunshots rang out, and the forest seemed toe alive. "Ugh...!" Despite the tree''s impressive size and durability, the 6.8mm Fury rounds tore right through it. Even in a forest as thick with nutrients as this, no tree was invulnerable. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine the same result in Cuba''s wilds. The shield gauge dropped as I took a few hits, but I couldn¡¯tnd a single shot on Logan. I activated the pulse function and narrowed the distance. The interface quickly analyzed the terrain and the bullet types that had struck me, providing me with a rough location of Logan. But even with the system¡¯s help, Logan¡¯s actions outpaced the interface¡¯s predictions. His movement was swift, and his ability to predict my actions was uncanny. I fired continuously, emptying about half of my magazine in quick session. A third of the rounds hit Logan, and I managed to get some decent results. However, just as I thought I might have him, I realized I¡¯d allowed him to close the gap, letting him engage in close-quartersbat. A minute ago, I had been holding my ground, but now Logan was mere meters away. "Wow, that was faster than I thought." After a brief silence, Logan, with a serious expression, analyzed the situation. "Your skills have grown noticeably. If you practice for a few more days, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to handle yourself without hesitation in realbat." "Your learning speed is impressive. When you wore the gear that enhanced your skills, I could see that it became significantly more difficult to break through your defense. I didn¡¯t think the bear would lose." I responded, trying to keep myposure, "I¡¯ve still got a long way to go. I only joined a few months ago, so I¡¯m still figuring things out." "That¡¯s fine. In fact, I thought we were going to end up like this... I didn¡¯t expect the gear to be so effective, though. Especially with the value of that skill. It turned out to be more than just an aid inbat¡ªit actually gives you a massive advantage when facing other Icarus operators." I could see Laurentina nodding thoughtfully. She, too, seemed taken aback by the results. After a brief pause, she added, "With these skills, it¡¯s almost as if we need to write a new manual forbat strategies. You¡¯d definitely be able to hold your own in real missions soon." "Yeah, I think so too. If I had known the skill''s potential earlier, I might have focused more on refining it," I said, ncing at the interface that had disyed the data from our simtion. "Looks like the rookie''s doing better than I expected," Laurentina said, as she looked at me with a mischievous smile. "Now, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got in store for me." "Wait, what?! We¡¯re not¡ª!" "Yes, we are. You''ve trained enough, and it¡¯s time to test how much you¡¯ve really learned." As the conversation continued, the reality of our situation settled in. Our first simtion mission had taught us more than expected, and while the training was grueling, it was essential. Chapter 753 "¡­You sent them to a resort, and they''re out there stackingbat data using live ammunition. Impressive, to say the least." "Well, they''re doing their job. If they''re off to catch some suspicious characters, they should be doing this much. But what really intrigues me is that the rookie beat Logan and Laurentina at least once." "I wonder what kind of clever method they used to win. I heard they won with a skill, right?" "That''s what the data shows. Considering Logan and Laurentina are the core of the strike team, it¡¯s a huge achievement. I don¡¯t know what exactly they did, but at some point, we might need to learn something from the rookie." "They¡¯re all doing their part... if they survive, that is." "Stop talking nonsense, you brat." New York, Central Park HQ, Dagger Team Operations Room. The headquarters was enveloped in darkness, silence, and an uneasy tension, but even so, someone had to do their job. This, of course, applied to Dagger Team. Today, a few new recruits had joined ¨C Edwin Sirkins and Carmen Mitchell. They were two newly assigned operators, selected cautiously and conservativelypared to other branches. For them, it was a chance to gain experience, while for Dagger Team, they were filling a massive gap in power. So far, they were performing admirably in their duties. Of course, for them, skills were an entirely foreign concept. "It feels like everything we learned in the manuals is being directly contradicted. I didn¡¯t think something like this would exist. I guess it¡¯s lucky that Icarus Gear didn¡¯t spread everywhere." "The way the skills arebined in ways we didn¡¯t expect is... fascinating. ording to the report uploaded to thework... they say the rookie kept a separate notebook where they jotted down their experiments and tried them out one by one." "Not many people are shocked by that." "...I remember seeing that kid during thest quick meeting, but did they really manage to pull that off?" "I know it¡¯s a bit much to say, but they¡¯re a talented kid. They¡¯re good at using their wits... At least, I¡¯ve never thought the gear would be wasted on them." Naturally, the simtion battles in Florida had spread widely within Dagger Team. Even the research team who developed the skills were shocked. This wasn¡¯t surprising ¨C they were in the development stage, after all, and hadn¡¯t anticipated how these abilities would be applied duringbat. This was understandable. The researchers and the existing operators had grown so used to solving everything with firearms that they considered it the only method. Only Eugene, unbound by these constraints, could think outside the box. Olivia spoke up. "The skills won¡¯t bring a paradigm shift beyond firearms, and they can¡¯t fully rece what firearms can do, but they could serve a role simr to that." "So, does that mean we can just ask the rookie about skills from now on? I can already imagine them looking at us with a face full of reluctance." "If needed, we¡¯ll ask. The kid will get it. And if we¡¯re going to do it, we should do it as soon as possible. There aren''t any operators out there using skills ¡®that way¡¯ yet, so in this case..." "Are you saying it could be a useful hidden card? It could, but¡­" "Besides, this kind of application isn¡¯t only relevant when fighting other operators, right?" A brief silence. However, there was no mistake in what was said. The Allied Forces had already madendfall in the northeastern U.S., and as the skirmishes continued, they would start to notice the Icarus operators ande up with countermeasures. Until then, it was natural to extract as much blood from the enemies as possible, but if this kind of application method kept developing, it could render the enemy¡¯s attempts at counteraction useless. With that thought in mind, just like in Florida, it might be a good idea to try something ¡®new¡¯ in New York as well. However, sadly, the wall of reality was much higher than the ideals and needs. As someone once said, surviving came first. "The kids in Florida are building data with simtion battles, and we¡¯ll be gathering real-world data fighting regr enemy troops. What¡¯s the most urgent location right now?" "Anywhere is urgent. How else could they have gotten this far? Since the British Fylingdales and the Greend Thule Air Base werepletely destroyed, they¡¯ve been crossing the Antic like it¡¯s their home. The truth is, the northeastern U.S. should have beenpletely evacuated." "Let¡¯s put that aside for now." ck. With a wave of her hand, Olivia generated a hologram in the air. "The Cheyenne Mountain Command has made neutralizing the enemy''s air defensework their top priority. They n tounch reconnaissance nes in droves, thenunch ballistic missiles... but it won¡¯t be easy." "Some things just have to be done. If we dy any longer, the S-500s will be deployed in the main states and Massachusetts. The analysis shows the missile shot at Boston was also from the S-500." "Huh, should we make talismans with feathers or something? I don¡¯t even know how long we¡¯ll be out there this time. It¡¯d be nice if we came back in one piece." "Well, if we''re doing that, might as well give each of us a feather or whatever." "You think they grow like hair? Unless they naturally fall out, you can''t pluck them. It¡¯s excruciatingly painful." ...This was the kind of atmosphere here. As the two new operators looked on with awkward smiles, they watched Dagger Team continuing their conversation. The vast map of the United States unfolded before them, stretching from Boston, Providence, Hartford, New Haven, New York, Phdelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., covering hundreds of kilometers of urban zones. At this point, nearly 70% had turned into useless concrete tombs, but people still held a deep attachment to these cities. Even when broken and crumbling, they could withstand, but losing them to an enemy nation was something no one could ept, both tactically and strategically. It wasn¡¯t just about the ¡®enormous loss of life if we retake themter.¡¯ There was something deeper, something that couldn¡¯t be exined by numbers alone. That¡¯s why retreat was out of the question. "I thought we¡¯d be expanding the operator pool before the war started, but it looks like that¡¯s not the case." "On the flip side, that means the people who stand out now will start making a name for themselves. Let¡¯s take that as constion. In about three months, the number of operators will increase by two or three times." "I just hope some decent peoplee in." "Well, doesn¡¯t that make us sound like we¡¯re not exactly decent since we¡¯ve only just joined?" "There¡¯s no one decent among those who get the gear. But we¡¯re crazy in a good way." "Enough with the stupid talk. We still have a lot to do." Thud. It was literally the calm before the storm. The U.S. was doing its best to intercept enemy transport nes, but with the basic military capabilities of the U.S. military lost, they weren¡¯t able topletely wipe out the enemies at their most vulnerable moment. The enemies, who had hidden inrge cities where bombings couldn¡¯t be as effective, started to expand their forces, andrge-scale shes were not far off. Everyone sat in their chairs orid back, but the conversation continued. Carmen Mitchell spoke up. "...Come to think of it, I vaguely remember seeing something in the manual before. It mentioned that if there was an electronic warfare module with enough performance, enemy military assets could be used effectively. What¡¯s that about?" "Oh, that... it¡¯s exactly what it sounds like. It means we can hack enemy military assets. Things like armored vehicles or tanks. They might have brought some with them, but we could probably hack T-90Ms or T-14s as well." "...That¡¯s pretty interesting. Have you ever tried it?" "Olivia has used Artemis armored vehicles quite effectively. You can either ask her directly or read the Syracuse battle data." Hmm. As those words were spoken, Carmen fell silent, but her mind was racing. The true nature of the Icarus Gear was gradually being revealed. The fixed ideas the new operators had ¨C like the assumption that even special forces couldn¡¯t beat tanks ¨C were being shattered one by one. A final blow to their preconceived notions. "This isn¡¯t an entirely unfamiliar concept. Do you know about the cyber cyclone training that took ce in Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, in 2022? It was aimed at defending against hacking attacks on Abrams tanks, organized by the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle System Center (GVSC)." "...I didn¡¯t get that detailed with it." "To put it simply, it was a training to see if a program called Bus Defender, made by Ferraton, could block hacking attempts on the U.S. military''s MIL-STD-1553work standard." "..." "In short, it was a training to see if tanks could prevent losing control from a cyberattack. But that¡¯s not the key. The point is, with Icarus Gear, we can take enemy weapons through such attempts." A brief silence. As soon as they heard that, their minds, which had been spinning rapidly, came to a halt. Taking enemy weapons seemed like a perfectly usible thing, but what Dagger Team was saying was one step further. ording to them, if Icarus Gear was used, they could hack enemy tanks pushing through defenses during intense battles, halt their attacks, and then take down the following enemy tanks. Since it was Dagger Team saying it, debating the realism of it was meaningless. It was just a matter of epting it. It waspletely different from everything they had learned in the manuals... no, it was lightyears away from what they had been taught. "...I¡¯ll keep that in mind." "When you survive thanks to this, bring us a nice drink." "Haha, if it¡¯s for saving our lives, I¡¯d say it¡¯s worth it." Carmen chuckled lightly, but she had a faint feeling that this wasn¡¯t too far off. In less than three months, Dagger Team would actually be taking enemy tanks. "...Feels like we¡¯re far removed from the virus situation." "Things aren¡¯t exactly fine. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to check if JTF Guantanamo is still functioning." "Be more precise. It¡¯s time to gather the pieces of the shattered base."@@novelbin@@ Meanwhile, Dagger Team arrived in Cuba with dozens of transport nes. This was the first unofficial overseas trip after the Omega Virus outbreak. -Please board in an orderly manner! Everyone will be able to return home! Don¡¯t cause any chaos! -Finally, finally, we¡¯re leaving this ce¡­! -Please, Grace, just stay alive... please! "...It¡¯s a mess." "You can¡¯t expect a military base in a country not exactly on good terms with the U.S. to be fine during a viral apocalypse. And there¡¯s probably no proper support either." "Honestly, it¡¯s surprising that the people stationed here are in decent shape. I expected it to be blown up from a terror attack. Have you heard of Guantanamo prison, rookie?" "Uh... I¡¯ve studied it and know what it is now, but I think I¡¯ve heard of it before." "Even those who have no interest have heard of it, which proves what kind of legacy this ce has." Guantanamo Naval Base, Reward Point Field Military Airfield. Soldiers with duffel bags filled the runway. Along with them... well, it¡¯s a bit sensitive for me toment on, but if you ask about military discipline... let¡¯s just say it was a scene that could make you wonder. Even when their lives were at stake, they couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the 107th Military Police Division, the true heroes, but one had to understand the nature of Guantanamo. This was one of America¡¯s most public embarrassments. There was no need to exin in detail. Guantanamo Bay was famous for interrogating Arabs suspected of terrorism, with innocent people being thrown in based on mere suspicion, not evidence. When BRAC 2005, known for dismantling the entire U.S. air defense system, was in effect, hundreds of ¡®suspected terrorists¡¯ were taken in. It was a pretty shady ce. Of course, as time passed, the detainees decreased, and the purpose of the base became obsolete, but when the virus hit, managing the base became even more difficult... It wasn¡¯t exactly a surprising oue. "Anyway, those guys are finally going home. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s their rotation, so they would¡¯ve been heading home soon even without the Omega Virus." "Well, don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re about to track down those three operators who went missing after passing through Cuba... and we¡¯re getting a ''signal''." "Right. We¡¯re picking up the enemy Icarus Gear ''signal''." The two of themughed lightly, and I closed my mouth slightly. I was getting tense. We had conducted countless simtion battles before arriving in Cuba, but as always, training can never truly simte realbat. Of course, given the intensity of the training they¡¯d run, it was hard to judge... Anyway, the transport nes gathered to take the soldiers back to the maind, just like in Brooklyn, making repeated trips across the ce to carry thousands of soldiers, but Photon 1, stationed separately, and we were watching the soldiers leave. And after some time... "Hello. I am Lieutenant Peterson, personal aide to Brigadier General McGuire, themander of Guantanamo Base. The requested data is here, including conversations and movement patterns rted to the operators who arrived earlier." "That should be fine. I have a rough idea of where they went... So, what was the reason they came to Cuba?" "They said they were going to check an unconfirmed antenna base in the northern forest of Kamaquey, Central Cuba. I remember hearing the same story from the three of them, so I kept it in mind." "That¡¯s enough." A brief silence. Then more words followed. "...Are there any more mutants on the maind?" "Curious about something new, huh? If you had asked how bad the maind is, I¡¯d probably give a more detailed answer." "I¡¯ve heard some things. The rumors about the Third World War spreading around..." The moment our gazes met, words spilled out. "Come back safely." "I will. There are many waiting for us." With those words, Lieutenant Peterson, introducing himself, walked off towards a side of the runway where the transport nes were gathered, duffel bag in hand. As he ced the Icarus Gear on a storage device, a hologram rose into the air. Behind it, Dagger Team stretched and rxed. Before long, the pilots of Photon 1 joined in. "Are you ready to depart?" "It¡¯s time to move. The warm-up is over, pilots." "Good. Where are we headed?" "North of Kamaquey, about 330km northwest from here." Crack! Logan, who had twisted his neck and stretched, added... "I hope we don¡¯t need to take their wrists as trophies." "Talking like a Red Squadron member who got thanked for some crazy stunt back in the day." Well, it was a bit of an ominous thing to say, but as it went... It was time to depart. The weather today was surprisingly perfect. Chapter 754 "I''ve never been to Cuba before, but it¡¯s a city with not much to see. And it¡¯s so quiet here that I can¡¯t even guess what the operators who came before us were up to." "We could rest here for a day or two, but... not sure. Let''s focus on gathering information. If we''re lucky, there might be some traces left behind by Echo. Of course, until then, one of us will have to keep an eye on things with a drone." "...But what about our food?" "We''ve brought enough spare supplies for now, so it won''t be a problem for a while. But if it drags on, we¡¯ll have to source it ourselves. So, during the reconnaissance, we should check out ces like food storage." "Ah, tactical procurement." "Stop picking up weird words..." Kamaquey Province, Kamaquey. About 5 km southeast from the city center, in an abandoned container storage site, which was also being used as Dagger Team¡¯s temporary base, we were busy as usual with reconnaissance. An SUAV with long-range capabilities was flying several kilometers above the ground, scanning below. A small camera mounted underneath it was showing us a detailed view of an area we¡¯d never thought we¡¯d visit. The city roads were extremely... web-like. Or maybe I should apologize to the spider webs for thatparison. At least, they¡¯re radial and intersect in some sort of order. But here, the roads looked strangely shaped, and honestly, they were just a chaotic mess. Especially the city center; it was hard to tell if there was even a straight road leading anywhere. Still, I figured this must be the charm of an old city. I¡¯m a cultural rtivist, so I thought, "Oh, it must be like that." And besides, we were about to enter the area soon, so it felt wrong to criticize. "Finally, we''re getting to move. I feel like we¡¯ve only been here two days, but honestly, just doing reconnaissance was getting a bit dull. Heh." "You¡¯re one of those who thrives on the field, huh? Let¡¯s check the hologram first. We need to test the visual and voice modtion functions. And then, thenguage... does Cuba speak Spanish?" "It¡¯s a bit different from the usual, but if we don¡¯t run into anyone, it shouldn¡¯t matter. The suspicious folks who arrived before us probably won¡¯t react too much to seeing another outsider. Unless, of course, we turn on the optical camouge." "Seems fine. I¡¯ll go with the rookie. If somethinges up, get in touch." "If something happens, getting support will be tough. Handle it yourself." So, should I bring my gun? Before I even had the chance to think about it, Logan had already holstered his weapon. I was simrly equipped. However, there was a slight difference: this holster wasn¡¯t the typical one used for... a handgun. It was muchrger. Specifically, it was about the size of our thighs. But just to rify, saying it was "thigh-sized" might sound bigger than it is, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t particrlyrge for an adult male. Roughly the size of a male palm. But why use the phrase "thigh-sized"...? "...This holster''s too tight now. This is getting annoying!" "The rookie¡¯s got the holster attached to his tail. Maybe that¡¯s better." "Damn it, I just got stronger and now nothing usefules out of it." ...And truthfully, it was fitting to call it "thigh-sized" for my current body, though. I hadn¡¯t changed muchpared to before ¡ª well, technically, I had, but not as drastically as Logan or Laurentina had. They, on the other hand, had changed to a near-unrecognizable degree from their past. I¡¯d seen their old photos ¡ª their thighs were as thick as barrels. Anyway, the holster wasn¡¯t designed for a handgun. It was a Kydex holster capable of holding an MP7A2. With a Picatinny rail, Stark Express grip, CQBL-1 low-visibilityser, a standard EOTech holographic sight, a suppressor, and the MP7A2 itself, with four 40-round magazines, it was arge holster for just that weapon. This was the minimum choice for unforeseen situations. "I hope we don¡¯t have to shoot it." "How about carrying a handgun, too?" "Too many weapons would be ufortable. I¡¯ll just take a random car nearby if needed. Keep an eye on things with a drone." "Got it." Click. The sound of stic locking in ce, the gun was secured in the holster. The slight added weight on my thigh felt strangelyforting. Not in a bad way, though. It felt more solid. Once we stepped outside the musty-smelling building, the dry earthy smell hit us. The contrast between the half-scarred mountain and the thick forest was striking. Activating the camouge hologram, I braved the humid air and the scorching sun, watching a dusty car roll out of a garage and hop in. Logan pressed the gas leisurely, and after about 4 km, we reached the outskirts of the city. How much time had passed? We entered the city outskirts. "Checkpoint Alpha reached. 500 meters ahead, a gas station. Looks like armed personnel are guarding it, but we probably don¡¯t need to shoot. It''s up to personal judgment." "From what you¡¯re saying, it sounds like if we mess up, we¡¯ll have to put a bullet in the heads of a bunch of vigntes." ...Of course, the scary part is, if things go wrong, we might have to wipe them all out. This was, strictly speaking, a ssic ck ops operation. Honestly, even if we killed Cuban vigntes, I¡¯d wager the U.S. wouldn¡¯t care much. Maybe Cuba would protest, but... they''d just end up getting wiped out, and the U.S. would shrug it off. Anyway, even though the situation was tense, we were already walking. With optical camouge activated, it wasn¡¯t hard to pass the gas station and head deeper into the city. ''Perhaps they¡¯re guarding it because there¡¯s still gas...'' The truth is, no one can know the result unless we ask directly. As I thought this, we continued moving deeper, nning to follow the waypoints we¡¯d set up over the past few days. After collecting some groceries and packing them in bags, we¡¯d retrieve them with a drone in the early morning, while searching the area for traces of the three agents who came before us. That was our task. In a big city, we might¡¯ve had to worry about CCTV exposing our movements, but here, that wasn¡¯t necessary. The security in this kind of city wasn¡¯t exactly great. How long had it been? After traveling through several waypoints, we arrived near the Kamaquey airport on the city¡¯s right side. We didn¡¯t forget to send the gathered data. "...We¡¯ve been checking around, but the public sentiment here doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s worth worrying about. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve had enough time to try anything here." "They seem to be thinking the same. Southern Command was keeping an eye on Cuba¡¯s situation, but we don¡¯t need to worry about it. Just focus on the mission." "Alright. We¡¯re about to reach Kamaquey Airport. Let¡¯s check out the runway." Creeeak! Even though a pulse was released, only silence followed. We checked for remotely essible devices in the airport, but didn¡¯t find much. The airport facilities weren¡¯t exactly top-notch. It wasn¡¯t like Incheon Airport, where you¡¯re surrounded by CCTV cameras everywhere. It felt more like arge bus terminal in a smaller city. We quickly nced through the airport, and as expected, the internal conditions weren¡¯t great. But- -[Alert: Rubber pieces identified on the runway.] "...Finally." "Looks like something¡¯s about toe to light." As always, the longer the tail, the sooner it gets stepped on. Perhaps they thought we wouldn¡¯t notice? Or maybe they didn¡¯t expect anyone to track them down? Or... were they trying to lure us? But that thought didn¡¯tst long. Logan, far off, was examining the tire marks left behind on the runway from takeoff ornding.@@novelbin@@ I, however, wasn¡¯t keen on knowing what was unfolding inside the airport, so I stepped into the building and began scanning around... -[Alert: Signal detected. essible ECHO found.] "...Looks like we found something, Viper." Of course. The ECHO system, formed automatically when three or more operators meet ¡ª something that no one outside Dagger Team knew about ¡ª was detected by the Icarus Gear. Before the holographic conversation began, the script popped up automatically. As the hologram formed, I casually skimmed through the script... "...Alejandro Webb?" It didn¡¯t take long for a familiar name to appear before my eyes. I hadn¡¯t yet imagined what kind of storm this would stir up. "This has suddenly escted quite seriously." "So we¡¯re not reporting to HQ and just dealing with this ourselves, huh? This is insane. I didn¡¯t expect to hear the name of the Secretary of Homnd Security, who we thought had gone missing." "When we studied information warfare, we were told some pieces of information are too critical to be reported immediately... I never thought I¡¯d actually experience it." "I used tough at those Netflix shows where ex-special forces guys mess up trying to kill someone who knows too much, and now we¡¯re in a simr situation." Alejandro Webb, 67 years old. He hadmissioned through ROTC at Norwich University in Vermont, then after retiring as a captain from the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC), he entered USCIS andter entered politics. After working as the director of USCIS and running the EB-5 investor visa program, he became the Deputy Secretary of Homnd Security after gaining support from the Senate through mysterious funding sources. He was thought to have disappeared during the Omega Virus outbreak, and waster dered dead without further investigation. "Looking at this ECHO, it''s clear this guy faked his disappearance and has been scheming behind the scenes. But now I¡¯m not sure how we¡¯ll catch him." "The best move would be to physically confront the traitors hiding somewhere in Cuba. If we find them, we can get some solid results." "...But when should we bring this up?" "One thing¡¯s for sure: Reporting this to HQ isn¡¯t going to help much." Just like that. There was a lot of information in the world, and some were crucial, but some could cause chaos just by being exposed. Especially now, mentioning this information too early could increase the confusion. To be blunt, even a newbie like me could understand that. Honestly, with enemy forces already in the U.S., bringing up something like this would only pile on more problems. And- "We¡¯ll give it about a day or two. If the operation fails or we miss the Log agent, we¡¯ll reassess. Think two days is enough?" "What are you nning?" "About 48 hours, and the three of us should be able to sort it out." Laurentina, sipping her instant coffee, added: "Trying to open a locked basement door that¡¯s been shut since grandma¡¯s time, without any clue where the cockroaches are headed, without even any insecticide... it¡¯s only a problem if you don¡¯t prepare properly." "That¡¯s a horrible metaphor. But I can¡¯t argue with you." "Just like how HQ picked out the refugees?" "You know it, rookie. That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ll do. It¡¯ll happen soon." Of course. The countless experiences I had during my time with Dagger Team were things even seasoned special forces veterans hadn¡¯t experienced. And through it all, I learned a lot of meaningful information, one of which was that thorough preparation never betrayed us. Of course, I said that in a dramatic way, but honestly, the conclusion I¡¯d drawn was no different from before. "We¡¯ll just cut their wrists off, grab the irrefutable evidence of their betrayal, and get the contact information. Nothing changes." "...Is it just me, or does ''cutting off wrists'' sound like a metaphor for tracking a Log agent?" "Not the most romantic expression. It¡¯s not really my style." "Who cares about style, idiot." I wondered if this was really the type of agenda we should be discussing style, but well, I¡¯m just a regr guy, so I¡¯ll just follow the words of the top operators. Anyway, this conversation was possible because we struck gold during the first direct reconnaissance. Strangely, Dagger Team was always lucky in this regard. Personally, I¡¯d prefer it if we had luck on our side and finished things happily without a direct confrontation, but since that¡¯s not the case, the world is in this mess. It was truly a difficult situation. "Do you think the cockroaches know we¡¯ve already gotten this far?" "Whether they know or not, the oue is set. Let¡¯s get ready to hear the full story." "I haven¡¯t really warmed up to them, but it¡¯s time to leave. Hopefully, we¡¯ll wrap this up quickly." "No one knows. First, let¡¯s check out the base structure." Activating the Icarus Gear, we identified three red dots on the map in Cuba. The traitor operators were about 500 km southwest of here, near Havana. It was clear they had flown from here to there. ''Antenna array, SIGINT/ELINT processing facility, warehouses and vehicle maintenance, headquarters and secret base amodations, and other facilities...'' Where could they be hiding? I prepared myself with my gear, the familiar movements kicking in. Photon 1 had dropped off a transport ne at a military base called El Penon, about 8 km northeast from our abandoned warehouse, and if we helped with repairs, we¡¯d be ready to depart in about two hours. We left when the sun was shining, but by the time we returned, it was already dusk. Logan and Laurentina strongly rmended the gear, especially the skill-oriented Pioneer, as I finalized the new interface simtion. We deleted unnecessary data and erased any evidence of our presence. Even the mandatory Echo records were deleted with admin privileges. The ruins returned to their deste state. Logan, fondling the tactical tomahawk he¡¯d rmended, felt its strange weight in his hands. It was time to depart. "Alright, let¡¯s go." "Yes." The summer sky above the jungle was stained with blood. It seemed like this summer was going to be exceptionally hot. Chapter 755 "Signal detected nearby. The extraction team ising. Finally, we can leave this hot and humid ce." "...I don''t know if this is the right choice. If it weren¡¯t for the gear, we¡¯d be sending false positions every so often. It might¡¯ve been better to just stay in Miami and gather information there." "If that idiot Alejandro hadn¡¯t ordered us to join in person, it would¡¯ve been easier. The chickenhawks always think the same. They¡¯re always insistent that they need loyal forces and a solid base. It¡¯s such a cute idea they always hold onto." Through the thick darkness, various sounds mixed. The hum of insects, the rustling of wind, the sounds of wild animals roaming, and so on... but there were no human sounds among them. Cuba, with a poption of just over 10 million, had seen its poption drastically reduced to less than half due to the virus, and now, the already sparse poption had thinned even more, making the ce even more deste. In an unknown facility located about a few dozen kilometers south of Havana, the capital, three people were talking, looking like they were sketching out suspicion in their conversation. A silhouette moved through the darkness, picking up an old piece of paper from the floor. The paper had long since faded, and the thickyer of dust made it hard to see, but the Icarus gear¡¯s correction clearly showed that the writing on the paper wasn¡¯t in Spanish. It was Chinese. That was why the three operators hade here. "I knew that syndicate or whatever was whining about needing the core module from the Chinese antenna base, but do we really need to send high-level operators to retrieve it?" "It¡¯s better than using dumb and unreliable people. It''s excessive, though... but honestly, I don¡¯t trust people who think they can control the battlefield with just this one module." "You''re toote to say something this dumb now." Securing the core module of the antenna base. Originally, this mission should have been a rtively simple one, even if the operators didn''t have the Icarus gear. But the reason why the fallen Icarus operators had secured it was clear. The facility was located in China, created to monitor Florida and the southern areas, tracking the locations of high-value facilities. If it had worked as intended, it would have been able to transmit sensitive data about the United States to maind China, about 14,000 km away, though the reverse was also possible. After stealing the base¡¯s coreponents, they nned to read the allied forces¡¯munications systems and gather intelligence about the enemy¡¯s ns. It was somewhat simr to the Enigma decryption during World War II. However, if it had been used in a normal way, they wouldn¡¯t have had to send anyone suspicious to retrieve it in the first ce. "I still don¡¯t think this n will work." "But on the flip side, there¡¯s nothing more solid than this. Think about it. After the Omega virus outbreak, with the poption plummeting, these crazy Asians and vic assholes are nning to invade the U.S. The end of the world is inevitable. That¡¯s one thing that can¡¯t happen." "I get it. So you set up... a kind of insurance n. But looking at this situation, calling it insurance is just covering up the truth. After the war, when the U.S. is shattered, they¡¯re just deciding who to side with to rebuild the government." "And you, you took a bet on that chickenhawk Alejandro." "Damn it." Syndicate. It was a group of high-ranking government officials preparing for the post-war world and aiming to rebuild a new U.S. after the Third World War ended. But the problem was that President Henry was still alive. Moreover, strictly speaking, President Henry had only been in office for 7 months. Considering that, this wasn¡¯t an authorized formation of a new government¡ªessentially, it was nothing less than treason. But the Syndicate had no intention of denying it. It was, quite literally, an act of rebellion. But the thing about treason is that it only matters when the public power is alive. As always, if you can overpower your opponent throughpetition and survive, that''s the story. "Right now, all we have are skeptics. That¡¯s inevitable. But there¡¯s no guarantee that it¡¯ll stay that way. As the war continues, more people will start supporting this idea, that¡¯s a fact." "Is it just wishful thinking?" "As more people die, it¡¯s natural that more will question the war. Don¡¯t you think there will be those hoping for an alternative? Don¡¯t you think at least someone will propose strengthening agreements?" "Damn it, fine. Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re right." A brief silence. After a moment of thinking, the three realized that the Syndicate¡¯s intentions were clear. They wanted control of the new government, and the easiest way to achieve that was one thing: increase the number of supporters. There was no need to go out of their way to do this. As the war dragged on, the current government¡¯s approval ratings would plummet, and the people¡¯s lives would continue to deteriorate, likely making them want anything other than this. The U.S. military, led by the current government, would lose strength fighting against the allied forces, and the Syndicate would just wait for that moment to naturally rise to power. But... "...The Icarus operators led by Director Solomon in New York. Was it Dagger Team?" "Those crazy bastards. There¡¯s word that they¡¯ve endlessly seeded at impossible operations. The operational data and personal clearance for their mission were ssified beyond top secret." "With them continuing to inflict unteral damage on the allied forces, do you think the Syndicate can handle that? Their ns will unravel." "No one knows. I¡¯ve never met them... but no one¡¯s going to join that shady guy, Webb." "Don¡¯t we have to do something?" "Well, are we going to kill them? How? We don¡¯t even know who¡¯s part of their team, and no ordinary method will work. Are we supposed to distortmand orders and throw them into enemy territory?" Silence. It was a suggestion that made them shake their heads, but they soon decided to disregard it. The reason was simple. A helicopter was approaching their location. The contact from Artemis, which they had forgotten about. They had tried to approach the problem differently from the Northern Headquarters in New York, presenting their own methods. It was here in Cuba that the three first encountered the Syndicate. About 2 to 3 months had passed, and although they had achieved some results, the time hade. They went outside. It was far toote to turn back. There had been no additional contact, but the three understood that it was highly likely that the Southern Command was already looking for them. And honestly, they didn¡¯t really want to go back. "It''sing." "Let¡¯s see if the path we chose was right. If not... we¡¯ll try to strike a deal with Alejandro, trading him for some leniency. We¡¯ll sync our stories from here on out." "That¡¯s not a bad option." As they said, there was a way out. At least, that¡¯s what they thought. They didn¡¯t know how others would see it, but they didn¡¯t care. Only the three of them knew what had happened here. If there had been no escape route, they wouldn¡¯t have agreed to the proposal in the first ce. A transport ne was approaching from a distance. From tens of kilometers to a few, and a number countable with one hand. The transport ne, emitting a soft hum, was a strange shape that you would never typically see. It was close to thetest model. At least it had the right equipment. The three waited for the ne tond on the open field. ---Boom! At that moment, a missile from somewhere struck the side of the fusge. The transport ne split in half almost instantly, exploding into hundreds of burning fragments, crashing into the soft earth and splitting the ground apart as it was devoured by the field. This was something they hadn¡¯t anticipated at all. The three stared in shock, and then, as if their bodies had been released from a freeze, they rushed back into the facility. But that wasn¡¯t the end. -[Alert: Zackary Trench, Icarus Operator assigned to Southern Command, South Division. // Designated as a Log Agent as of now.] -[Alert: Gabriel Railey, Icarus Operator assigned to Southern Command, South Division. // Designated as a Log Agent as of now.] -[Alert: Antares Berger, Icarus Operator assigned to Southern Command, South Division. // Designated as a Log Agent as of now.] In an instant, the gear turned red, and a warning sound echoed. Only then did they realize that Southern Command hadn¡¯t been sitting idly, but by then, it was far toote. A massive transport ne, muchrger than a helicopter, performed an elegant yet abrupt maneuver as it descended toward the ground. The rear ramp opened, and three figures jumped out. Sadly, the three Log agents couldn¡¯t see this. But that didn¡¯t matter. A clear female voice, forced into theirwork, echoed in their ears. "Zackary Trench, Gabriel Railey, Antares Berger. You¡¯re all listening, so let me be brief. We¡¯ll be securing the prisoners and retrieving the Icarus gear. You¡¯ve been handed over to us, so if you have anything to say, take it up with Southern Command." "...What?" "Task Force Dagger, Striking Team... No need for the callsign. As part of the execution team, we¡¯vee to detain you. If you don¡¯t want to die here, cooperate." A chilling silence followed. The fallen operators were left dumbfounded, unable to say anything, the word "execution team" hanging heavily in the air. But that didn¡¯t matter. That was the role Dagger Team had been given. "No objections, then. We¡¯ll begin execution. The gear will be taken, and you¡¯ll be locked up. Brace yourselves." As the evidence of their betrayal was already secured, there was no need to worry about anything else. The pulse, powerful enough to pierce through their bodies, detonated, and the battle began. "Show them what you¡¯ve got, rookie. It''s time to show them just how terrifying it is for the enemy when skills are used at the right moment." "Understood. Deploying tracking mines. I¡¯ll keep following the enemy. Thermite drill and oxidizer are ready." "We don¡¯t have the strike drones, so we¡¯ll manage with tracking mines. Moving in." Screech! Four tracking mines, faintly glowing orange, rolled over the soft dirt and slowly disappeared into the entrance of a concrete building standing in the middle of the thick forest. As this happened, the three fallen operators, including myself, followed the Seeker Mine and entered the building. Explosions echoed from all around. The traps that had been disabled by the pulse went off, triggering the mines. The enemy kept climbing the stairs, heading to the upper floors, but aside from passive responses, there were no attacks. However, we had the option to go on the offensive. ---Wham! "Pulse detected. The Log Agent used it." "Reversing phase interference and releasing response pulses. Erasing our location." And this was the first move. It wasn¡¯t just about using avable skills; it was about analyzing and counteracting them. To the enemies, what seemed like a position being detected would quickly disappear, and they¡¯d think it had appeared somewhere else entirely. As this was happening, we kept following the enemy¡¯s location. The Seeker Mine led the way first, and we climbed the stairs after it. How long had it been? The orange glow turned red. Several separated mines elerated at an incredible speed, crossing the hallway, and exploded with a tremendous roar, shockwave, and mes. But we couldn¡¯t rush in just yet. Turrets at key intersections began to activate, some of them fire turrets. Special incendiary liquids, a mix of liquid and aerosol, ignited, filling the hallway with white mes. In an instant, the air heated up, and the oxygen levels in the corridor dropped. I charged the pulse again and released it forward. The turrets weakened, tilting as Laurentina manipted the gear. It didn¡¯t take long for us to gain control of the turrets. "Rookie, charge the oxidizer and drill. Let¡¯s break through." "Going!" Brrrsh! Multiple strange metal spikes shot into the wall, followed by a deafening sound. There were silent types, but the goal was to silence everything except for the drilling noise. After charging the oxidizer and hitting the weakened wall, the wall started to melt and flow in a strange manner. Concrete melted, and the metal warped like candy. Beyond the gaping hole in the wall, a fallen operator appeared. Antares Berger. Loading polyurethane chemical rounds, I shot one into the upper body and another into the lower body. "Cough!" "One down. cing explosives on the body. Moving on." "Don¡¯t struggle to escape. The vibration sensors are connected. If you try to break out recklessly, your body will be torn to pieces." "ced. Reconfiguring Seeker Mine. Moving." Cheeew! The same process was repeated. The tracking mines dropped to the floor and followed those whose positions were already revealed. Laurentina manipted the fire turrets she had taken control of to operate in the opposite direction. The hallway lit up, and two figures fleeing could be seen. One was captured instantly, and the other froze in shock, unable to believe what had just happened. This was the purpose of skills. They would soon learn it firsthand. "You don¡¯t need me to tell you that running away won¡¯t do you any good, do you?" "If you want to lose your wrists, just keep running." "...Aren¡¯t we the bad guys?" "Who cares about that? The strong ones are us." ...Well, that was true, but I couldn¡¯t say it. Before I could add anything, the two of them bolted back into the hallway, and I had to follow along to assist. Pulse, tracking mines, phase interference pulse, EMP, thermite charges, oxidizer, and so on. It waspletely different from when I sparred with Logan or Laurentina 1-on-1, but one thing was certain ¡ª the muscle memory I had developed worked perfectly. To achieve results beyond the limit,bining muscle memory and improvisation was essential, but even with just the former, we could produce the results the two of them needed. The battle was being recorded in real-time. Aside from training drills, this was the firstbat between operators. What results this would lead to in the future was unknown, but one thing was certain: "Damn it, fucking hell¡ª!" "Zackary Trench identified. Beginning neutralization!" For them, today would be a horrific nightmare. Perhaps Dagger Team¡¯s reputation was only just beginning.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 756
    • "Themunication with the Icarus operators, who were supposed to join us, was abruptly cut off. It''s not confirmed, but it''s suspected that they were attacked separately."
    • "It has been confirmed that it was sent directly by Adrian Solomon, the acting Secretary of Homnd Security. An electronic signature and valid certification are present in themand system."
    • "Those guys... they don''t seem to know the concept of ''watching their mouths.'' This is troublesome... the return to Homnd Security is now unlikely, but I can at least take satisfaction in filtering out such idiots."
    • "...What are your ns now, Minister Webb?"
    • "I will cancel the n to bring in the existing operators. Instead, I''ll focus on securing the Icarus Gear. I¡¯ll give further instructions on thatter, so standby."
    • "Understood."
    "Sunrise in Key West. I didn''t expect we''d stop here in the middle of everything." "Well, we¡¯ve been on the move for a few days now. The pilots will need a rest, and though we¡¯re only 200km away from Miami... it''d be problematic if the new aircraft breaks down in the air." "I suppose the pilots wouldn''t like that... Oh, the sunrise is beautiful." 6:30 AM, September 30th, at Key West International Airport. The airport, silent and deste, with some sections of the runway cracked and half neglected, was located at the southernmost point of the United States. A transport aircraft executed a verticalnding. As golden sunlight poured down from the dim sky, illuminating the entire Americannd, the aircraft¡¯s ramp door opened and about five people leisurely walked out. I nced back. Three Log Agents were bound to the wall. Six pairs of handcuffs were used to restrain each arm, and the Icarus Gear that should have been on their left or right wrists was missing. The Icarus Gear deactivation codes, which were received beforehand, had been entered, and the gear was removed. Thispletely reset the internal data of the gear. In other words, the function that enhanced the operators'' physical abilities beyond human limits had also disappeared.@@novelbin@@ While Icked the technology to recover the nanomachines circting in their bodies, the disappearance of their supply source meant they would naturally lose strength and eventually return to a human-like state. "Ugh, I''m so sleepy... How¡¯s the condition of the aircraft, pilot?" "Well, it¡¯s not too bad. But that¡¯s just from the outside; a separate scan is necessary. We¡¯ve flown from Miami to Guantanamo, Camaguey, Havana, and now Key West in just a few days." "About 1800km?"
    You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) Chapter 757 "Shit, those assholes up top are probably sleepingfortably in the big cities right now, enjoying themselves and eating, while we''re dragged into a foreign country to deal with this mess..." "Goddamn it, watch your mouth. It''s not just us here... don''t you know the military police have been patrolling the base? Is themunication system really down?" "Do you think I''d be talking like this if I didn¡¯t know that? Hey, hey, the deputy squad leader ising. Keep quiet." Late September, Massachusetts, Shale Wildlife Refuge, Rainy Weather. While Florida, hundreds of kilometers to the south, was enjoying clear skies without a cloud in sight, heavy rain clouds had gathered above Massachusetts since dawn, and the sky, weighed down by the thick clouds, began pouring down rain. Below, Russian airborne troops¡ªspecifically the 162nd Guards Reconnaissance Battalion¡ªentered near the Shale Wildlife Refuge. Their route was as horrendous as their reputation, as expected from a reconnaissance unit. Though the United States was known as and of plenty, a forest here was no easier to breach than anywhere else. But if they followed the main road, it was only a matter of time before their heads were blown off. The difort caused by the terrain and weather was something anyone would agree was terrible, but if asked whether it was worse than dying, the answer would obviously be "no." Still, even if someone said, "This route is better than dying," the soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion probably wouldn''t agree. Especially if they had some idea of what other units were going through. "Quit whining, you bastards. If there are no problems with the reconnaissance results, we¡¯ll reach Pittsfield in two days. It¡¯s a small cepared to a big city, but it¡¯s still big enough for apany to rest without issue." "But sir, didn¡¯t the fat guys from Boston just drink wine and rx?" "You idiots wouldn¡¯t know. Wine parties in a city reduced to rubble by missile strikes? If themand center there heard you, they¡¯d have kicked your helmet in. Quit talking nonsense and focus on the mission." "Understood... No issues in the reconnaissance." "In five minutes, we move out. Our objective is a department store about 8 km to the west. If possible, we¡¯ll resupply there and defend the area until the 743rd Guards Signal Battalion and the tankpany from the brigade arrive." "Yes, sir." Rustling. The waterproof tarps were set up in preparation for the rain, but in the makeshift shelter, water was leaking everywhere. This wasn¡¯t a properly built hideout, and the water dripped onto our clothes. The sky was thick with clouds, blocking even the smallest sliver of sunlight, and beneath them, soldiers in camouge¡ªmatching the forest¡¯s colors¡ªslowly stood up with gloomy expressions.@@novelbin@@ The sound of breaking branches, water droplets hitting leaves, and the voices of soldiers mixed together. A little less than a hundred heavily armed soldiers moved with expressionless faces, continuously checking their surroundings as they advanced.
    • "Shit, we¡¯re under attack by Tank Company 3rd toon crossing Dalton! We¡¯ve taken an unknown type of attack, and the turret armor has been breached! This is an attack that ADS can''t stop!"
    You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) Chapter 761 "¡­Is everyone okay?" "We believe there are no casualties, thanks to the missile hitting a high-rise area densely popted with buildings, but the situation is far from resolved." "Alert the entire northeastern air defensework. A missile was fired at our forces. There¡¯s no guarantee the second missile won¡¯t follow." "We can''t contact the rocket brigade stationed in Manchester!" "Did ite from Albany?" "We are currently verifying!" Late at night, in northeastern Boston. Except for a few on duty, everyone else was asleep when suddenly, a deafening explosion, sirens, and screams filled the air. A missile weighing around 4 tons, traveling at speeds simr to bullets, collided with a building, starting the chaos. Over a thousand soldiers, including high-ranking officers and staff who were still in dreand, were abruptly woken by the air raid warning, and they scrambled half-dressed toward the shelter. When they reached the temporary shelter, an Iskander missile came tearing through the air, intercepted halfway by the S-500 system, but still crashing into the side of a high-rise building. That was the moment the high-explosive warhead detonated. The deafening explosion didn¡¯t tear through the ears, but the shockwave from the Iskander¡¯s high-explosive warhead spread like a heavy, blunt impact throughout the body, scattering hundreds of thousands of pieces of debris from the buildings in all directions. Soldiers, having retreated to the shelter, were still on alert in case a second or third attack followed, but several minutes passed without any additional missiles. Once it was clear there were no further threats, the seniormanders emerged from the shelter and quickly returned to theirmand posts.@@novelbin@@ "...What¡¯s thetest intel?" "We¡¯re in contact with the air defense brigade. It will take a few more minutes to get proper data, but¡­" "These bastards wouldn¡¯t even notice if a missile fell on themand center, would they? Get me the details now! Before I go down there myself and turn everything upside down!" "Understood!" You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) Chapter 766 ©¤©¤©¤ Pick! Pick! "Ugh, ugh..." "...!"@@novelbin@@ Thud! As two Chinese soldiers, who had been scanning the surroundings with binocrs on the quiet rooftop, fell to the ground like rag dolls, the muzzle that had been resting on the wall of the rooftop disappeared, and the two silhouettes leisurely ascended the roof. With a soft metallic sound, the two men silentlynded on the rooftop. They held pistols in their hands, and the drone hovering above indicated with its gaze that the deaths of the two soldiers were not the end. Soon, the second metallic sound echoed. This time, the sound of the body falling to the ground was unheard of. The bullet had torn through the soldier¡¯s body, preventing the body from crashing to the ground. The cigarette ends still smoked in the mouths of the enemies. "They¡¯re thoughtful friends. They even marked their position to make it easier for us to find them." "Do you think they knew that the cigarette burn would oust their lives?" "Who knows. Those who met these friends again on the River Styx will probably ask them." Yujin nodded with a somewhat wistful expression, and Olivia quietly secured the path leading up to the rooftop. She hadn¡¯t welded the door shut with thermite since they would need to descend that wayter. The rooftop returned to silence, but Yujin was looking down at the grand scene visible beneath. Just a few hundred meters away, the guided points where enemies were gathered flickered with lights and noise. The parking lots and gymnasiums, frozen solid in the winter cold, were gradually being covered byrge tents. Some armored vehicles had started parking inside tents, the same color as the gymnasium or parking lot. Surprisingly, the view from a slight side elevation waspletely different from the view from the sky. "...From the sky, it¡¯s hard to tell if this is just a yground or if there¡¯s something more." "It¡¯s not properly set up yet. If we angle the tents to the side, we¡¯ll need to deploy a proper reconnaissance drone to detect them. Even then, once the engines are turned off and the temperature matches the outside, it¡¯ll be hard to pick them up with heat detection."
    • "Tangsso Valkyrie 1-1, currently passing waypoint Papa. Say again."
    • "Approach Whiskey, Azimuth 100, 2.5 miles. Altitude 60. Multiple infantry and armored vehicles. FI 154236. Danger close. No exit from the area. All recognized, junior."
    You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) Chapter 770 ©¤©¤©¤KWA-ANG! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Shit, what was that sound?¡± ¡°Wake up, wake up! What was that sound!?¡± ¡°Emergency deployment alert! The deployment point is¡­ Columbus Circle?¡± ¡°Central Park is just ahead, this is a problem¡­ Junior, catch!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± 3:30 AM, Central Park. The dawn, dark and quiet, was literally covered in silence and shadows. The sound of a massive explosion, as though it were pounding on my heart, echoed from somewhere. As soon as it rang out, all the mutated people, including me, jumped out of bed like springs. In a hurry, we dressed with whatever gear we could grab, barely managing to get our water-logged equipment together. While checking that the special features linked with our gear were functioning, the lights turned on. The harsh light hurt my eyes, but in that moment, Logan opened the cab, grabbed my firearm, and tossed it over to me. No matter how much we treat our firearms as extensions of our body, in situations like this, there''s no time to overthink. While inserting rounds into the magazine, the reason for the deployment hit me. ¡°Did you say a Valkyrie crashed at Columbus Circle? What the hell happened?¡± ¡°When have we ever known the reason before deploying? We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± ¡°Stop talking and catch the damn magazine!¡±@@novelbin@@ While loading eight magazines full of deadly rounds, I prepared four grenades in the grenade pouch on the multi-purpose pack on my right thigh. Once I inserted the magazines into the chamber and pulled back the bolt to chamber a round, I set the safety on the control lever. In just 1 minute and 30 seconds, all four of us were ready. Rand had already dashed toward HQ wearing nothing but a short-sleeved shirt and shorts¡ªwolves don¡¯t feel the cold much¡ªwhile we quickly rushed out from the Alpha-grade mutant dorm.
    • "Dagger Team, is this all we need to do?"
    • "Alright. Let¡¯s give it a try. We only got one day of leave because of these bastards, so we can afford to be a little aggressive."
    • "Understood. We''re gathering equipment and will arrive at Two Bridges in three minutes."
    • "There¡¯s always a way."
    • "Junior, are you watching this? If you want to be under me, you''ll have to do stuff like this."
    You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (6 coupons) The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!